A red-furred arm shot out and turned on the lamp, and Walnut the squirrel and Chiaro the dalmatian looked into each other’s eyes.

“What’s wrong, Chi? I—”

“It’s happening,” Chiaro said, holding up his lightly bloodied fingers.

“Oh, fuck!” Walnut said, snapping into a seated position. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck! Okay, shit, okay. Where’s my phone?” 

Chiaro stepped back and leaned against the wall. He seemed to be getting contractions continuously now. His back, despite his muscles, was sore, like it couldn’t support his weight. He took a deep breath and looked at his husband, who was frantically dialing a number on his phone.

“Hey, University Hospital, right? Yeah, okay, my husband’s in labour, and—yes, my husband—no, we don’t need an ambu—okay, I’m just—we’re on our way, so be ready for us, okay? Okay, bye.” He set the phone down and his head whipped around. “Shit, where are my pants?”

Chiaro grabbed Walnut’s arm. “Wally… I don’t need you freaking out right now. I’m… I’m…”

Walnut took a deep breath and stared back at the dalmatian. “Okay. Yeah. Sorry. You’re right. We’ve got a bit of time, yeah? Your water broke?” 

“I… don’t think so.”

“Alright. Okay. You bought that maternity gown, right? Well, guess it’s a paternity gown for you,” Walnut said with a laugh that sounded forced. He got off the bed and threw open the closet, then pulled the gown off a coat hanger.

“Yeah, that’s the one,” he said, taking it from Walnut. He put it on, then stepped in front of their mirror. “Ugh, this thing makes me look like a woman.”

Walnut stepped behind him and wrapped his arms around his chest. “Nah, I don’t think so. You’re still the same hot dude I married.”

Chiaro sighed. “Thanks, Wally. At least it’s comfy.”

“Gotta be better than that paper crap they give you at the hospital.” Walnut got his own clothes on, then picked up his phone. “Shit, it’s quarter past two. I hope she’s not a pain in the ass like this all the time.”

Chiaro chuckled, then grunted as he felt his vagina pulse again. “She definitely wants out…”

“Okay, got your phone? What all do we need?”

“Nothing, I think… they’ve already got my paperwork.”

More contractions. Chiaro tried to keep the panic from creeping in. Was he forgetting anything? What if he showed up and didn’t have something important? Hey, why did you forget that thing? Where’s the thing I asked for? He slammed his eyes shut. “Let’s just go…”

“Hey, you okay?”

“I’m about to give birth! Do you think I’m okay?” Chiaro said, louder than he intended. He covered his mouth and shook his head. “Sorry, sorry, I’m just…”

Walnut stepped next to Chiaro and put his head on the dalmatian’s shoulder. “No, I getcha. We’ll get through this together, okay?”

Chiaro nodded slowly. “Yeah… we will. I’ll… feel better at the hospital, I think.”

“Right. Let’s get outta here.”

They walked down the hall and out the front door, with Walnut stopping for a moment to grab something. When they got to the car, the squirrel opened the passenger side door and placed a towel on the seat. “Just in case, you know?”

“Good thinking,” Chiaro said, gingerly pulling himself, with Walnut’s help, into the vehicle. Walnut got in on the driver’s side, and they put on their seatbelts and set off for the hospital.

The roads were empty, with only the occasional car zooming the other way as Walnut drove twenty kilometres per hour over the speed limit. After crossing the bridge and driving down the long road to the hospital, they parked near the emergency entrance.

“Still good, man?” Walnut asked, looking at Chiaro.

“I’m good… I feel better just being here.” The contractions were getting worse, and were starting to sting, but his water still hadn’t broken… had it?

“Yeah, for real,” Walnut said. He hopped out of the car and dashed over to the other side, helping his husband out. Silently, he cursed his feebleness. Couldn’t even get out of a car on his own anymore. He missed being spry and agile. He couldn’t wait to get back to normal, but first…

“Ugh, what the fuck?” Chiaro said, feeling his inner thighs get wet. He reached down between his legs and confirmed what he felt—something was leaking out of his vagina. And he had a pretty good idea what.

“Oh shit,” Walnut said. “Is… is she coming out?”

“Not yet, I don’t think…” Chiaro said, holding his hand wide open, away from his body. “Fuck, can we hurry in?”

“God… okay, yeah, okay. Okay. Let’s go."

They walked into reception and were greeted by a tall red panda woman wearing a doctor’s coat. “Chiaro! Walnut! It’s the big day, eh?” 

“Hi, Dr. Sonnel,” Chiaro said. Dr. Sonnel was his obstetrician. She had always been very supportive and eager to learn how to help a pregnant man, and her presence always relieved his tension. “Sorry that I’m showing up in the middle of the night.”

“It’s not a problem at all. I was already in.” The doctor looked at Chiaro’s hand. “Oh, boy. Water’s broken, has it?”

“Just now, I think…”

Dr. Sonnel smiled. “We should have plenty of time, then. Come with me.”

The doctor led them to the elevator, then to a room on the fourth floor. The three walked into a cramped but seemingly functional room. Chiaro looked around at all the monitors and equipment. He wasn’t really sure how it made him feel. On one hand, he knew he was safe now; he wasn’t going to be delivering his baby in the middle of a parking lot. On the other hand… damn, this was happening. It was actually happening, and it was happening now.

“All ready, nurse Billenna?”

“Yep, everything’s ready to go! Just need an expecting father to complete the look!” A noodly, smiling sable in blue scrubs turned around and walked toward the group. “Hi there! I’m Lily Billenna, but please, just call me Lily.” She shook Chiaro’s clean hand, then Walnut’s. “I’ll be helping Dr. Sonnel this morning. Let’s get you settled in, okay?”

After getting into the bed and letting the doctor do what she needed to, there was nothing left to do but wait. With the preparations complete, Lily and Dr. Sonnel shuffled out of the room.

“If you need us, just hit the ‘nurse’ button next to the bed, alright?” Lily said, smiling back at the couple. Chiaro nodded, and the sable disappeared down the hallway. Minutes turned to hours as tension coated the room. Neither the dalmatian nor the squirrel said much, paying more attention to their phones than each other. Shouldn’t they be talking right now? He wanted to say something, but for some reason, his throat just wouldn’t open, so he kept quiet, his nerves continuing to build. He looked at his husband, who was idly sliding his thumb across the screen. More powerful contractions. More butterflies in his stomach.

Walnut stood up with a suddenness that made Chiaro jump. “Gotta piss… back soon, okay?”

Chiaro nodded, and then he was alone. The room was silent but for the soft whirr of the machinery. It made Chiaro’s thoughts even louder. Why did he feel so isolated? So lonely?. Maybe it was because all of his friends were in bed. Maybe it was because he didn’t get much sleep. Or maybe labour just did this to people. Tears started rolling down his cheek as he sobbed quietly to himself.

“Chi!” Walnut said, walking quickly through the door. “Hey, man, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t even know!” Chiaro said, rubbing his eyes. “I just feel so—”

Warmth enveloped him as the squirrel wrapped his arms around his chest. He gently rocked back and forth as his husband embraced him. Walnut’s fingertips gently kneaded his upper back, and it all made sense again. Love. That’s what this was all about. That’s what gave him the power to push on. 

“It’s okay, man. You’re doing great,” Walnut said.

“It’s just—”

A particularly rough contraction knocked the wind out of him. Then another. Then another. Then another. He tried to take a deep breath, but nothing seemed like enough. A chill rushed through him as his stomach lurched. 

Walnut let go and stepped back. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Whoa… shit…” Chiaro said. Pain ran through his lower back. 

Walnut stood up. “Yo! Chi?”

Chiaro took a deep breath.. “Just suddenly felt… sick.” Another pounding contraction. He grimaced and rolled onto his back. “God… there’s so much pressure…” he said, spreading his legs wide to try to relieve it. It didn’t help. If anything, it got worse. The pounding in his loins was nearly intolerable. With every throb, every pulse, his instincts got more irresistible, more unmistakeable. They were telling him one thing: Push.

He threw his head back and slammed his eyes shut as he strained his muscles, trying, at long last, to bring his first child into the world. His hands clamped around the sides of the bed, and he nearly lifted himself off of it as he pushed as hard as he could.

“Wait, wait, is she coming out?” Walnut said, his eyes wide.

“I… I think… ugh!”

Walnut reached down and smacked the nurse button. Moments later, Lily’s voice came through the tinny, cheap speaker. 

“Hi, Chiaro. Whatcha need?”

“Uh, I think it’s happening!” Walnut said, his voice squeaky and hurried.

Chiaro groaned and gritted his teeth as another contraction pulsed through him. 

“Okay, I’ll grab the doctor and we’ll be right over.”

“Be quick, please!” Walnut said as he sat down next to Chiaro and began breathing rhythmically.

“Wally… it’s so… it’s so…” Chiaro said, trying to catch his breath between contractions. 

The squirrel started pacing back and forth, sneaking a peek under the gown. “I don’t see anything! Is she really coming? Oh my god…”

Chiaro took a deep breath and pushed hard again. Every time he pushed made his peripheral vision go white. His stomach twisted again—not out of nausea, but anxiety. Was he doing this right? What if he made a mistake and hurt his daughter? His budding panic was allayed slightly as footsteps rang down the hallway, then, moments later, Dr. Sonnel and Lily walked into the room.

“Ooh, looks like it’s showtime,” Lily said, a smirk on her face. “How’s your pain?”

Chiaro winced. The thrumming in his guts was powerful, but it was more of an intense pressure than actively painful. A small part of him, even now, took solace in the fact that he wasn’t experiencing intense agony… yet. “I expected worse… ugh!”

“Good! It’s because you’ve taken such good care of your muscles! You’re doing great,” the sable said.

“Alright, Chiaro,” Dr. Sonnel said. “When you feel your contractions are at their strongest, I want you to push as hard as you can, okay?”

“Been… doing that.” He moaned as the burning in his midsection radiated into his thighs. The clenching feeling got stronger, and stronger, and stronger, so he slammed his eyes shut and pushed. 

“Augh!” 

Okay, now it was starting to actually properly hurt. It felt like he was being pulled in half from the middle. He let his head droop to the side as he winced.

“Just like that. Keep it up, Chiaro!” Lily said.

Time passed, and Chiaro kept pushing. He had no idea how long it had been. He really didn’t care. He pushed and he pushed and he pushed. His body begged for mercy, but there was no stopping now. This girl was coming out, one way or another.

All the while, over the rush of blood in his ears, he could hear a whispered voice coming from the corner of the room. He sat up best he could, and saw Walnut pacing back and forth near the door.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…” Walnut said, his voice barely audible to Chiaro. The squirrel was breathing through his mouth, his big cheeks puffing out every time he took a breath as his stubby legs quickly moved him back and forth.

Chiaro groaned as he continued pushing. Everything hurt, even his hands, as he squeezed the sides of the bed.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.” 

The sound of the squirrel’s shoes tapping on the floor as he skittered back and forth was starting to get on Chiaro’s nerves. He looked up at Lily, who looked at Walnut, then back at Chiaro, and smiled and shook her head.

“You’re doing great, Chiaro! Keep it up,” the nurse said, winking at him. He had to admit, her cheeriness was starting to grate on him a bit. So was the beep of the heart rate monitor. So were these stupid bright lights. God, everything was so frustrating right now!

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck—”

“Will you sit down, Wally?” Chiaro barked, and the pacing squirrel immediately turned toward a chair and slammed himself down in it, sitting bolt upright with his eyes wide open. Chiaro let his head fall back as he took a deep breath and got ready to push again.

Lily giggled. “Stressful, isn’t it, Wally?”

“A bit!” the squirrel said, his voice cracking.

“Alright, can you give me another push?” Dr. Sonnel said.

Chiaro bit the edge of his tongue, leaned forward, and pushed again. His head felt like it was filled with helium. He panted heavily, trying to cool off as the enormous pressure in his groin made his whole body hot.

More time passed. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it. He didn’t even know how long it had been. There weren’t even emotions anymore. His body and his mind were singularly focused on getting the baby out. Nothing else mattered. He pushed some more. Gradually, the pain made its way to his vagina, and then to his vulva, until it felt like he was being split open.

“She’s crowning,” Dr. Sonnel said.

A jolt of energy filled Chiaro. The baby was almost out. He gulped down several breaths of air and pushed, and pushed, and pushed.

“Just a little more, Chiaro!” Lily said, her voice coming from between his legs. 

Chiaro opened his eyes long enough to see his husband back on his feet, trying to peek over the nurse’s shoulder.

“Holy fuck!” Walnut said, spinning around and dropping back into his chair.

“Please stay seated for this, Walnut,” Dr. Sonnel said. “Okay, home stretch, Chiaro. Just a few more should do it.”

Chiaro closed his eyes, and when the contractions hit, pushed again, and again, and again. Just as it felt like she would never come out, the pressure was gone, and the room was filled with shrill crying.

“I gotcha, sweetie,” Lily said.

Chiaro looked up. He was running on fumes, but his eyes focused, and for the first time, he met his daughter. She had nearly no fur, and was covered in god-knows-what, but that didn’t matter. Nothing could dampen the shot of pure love he felt in this moment. His vision shifted momentarily as he focused on the other red squirrel, who was jumping up and down with his hands over his mouth, then back to Lily, who placed the baby on his chest. As she pressed into her father’s chest, she stopped crying almost immediately.

“Date of birth… June 12, 2027, at 9:13 AM,” the doctor said.

“H-hi, Mira…” Chiaro said, his voice strained and weak. He held his little miracle in his arms, and the world changed in an instant. It seemed so much more vibrant, more spiritual, more worth living in. 

“You did it, Chi… you fucking did it…” Walnut said, tiptoeing to the corner of the bed, then kneeling next to the dalmatian. “Are you okay? Is she okay?”

Chiaro’s head was spinning. “I… uh… are we?”

Dr. Sonnel came over and looked at the displays next to the bed. “Your vitals look better than most people after they give birth, Chiaro.” 

“And Mira?” Walnut asked.

“Running tests now.”

As the red panda did a variety of checks on Mira, Chiaro’s head flopped to the side as he stared at Walnut. The squirrel had a bigger smile than he had ever seen. Even bigger than their wedding day.

“She’s so beautiful,” Walnut said, watching the doctor put a stethoscope on her chest. “I love her… I love you.”

“I love you too, Wally.” Chiaro closed his eyes and put his head back. He felt the warmth of his daughter on his chest, and was overwhelmed with pride. Damn, he actually did it. He was a father. He had dreamt of it all his life, but even moments ago, a small part of him held doubts. A little tickle in his mind that it was all a dream. But there was no denying it now. Emotions overflowed, and the only thing he could do was chuckle.

“Okay, she’s looking good,” Dr. Sonnel said. “We’ll check her again in a few minutes.” 

Chiaro heard the doctor’s footsteps as she moved away from the bed and started talking to Lily. Not long after, Walnut gasped.

“Hey there…” he said with a high-pitched voice.

Chiaro opened his eyes and looked at his daughter, who was staring at Walnut, her mouth rounded and her eyes wide. He moved his gaze to the squirrel, who had his hand over his quivering mouth. Moments later, Walnut’s brow furled, and he started to cry.

“She’s perfect…” he said, rubbing away his tears. “I’m just… wow…”

Chiaro stroked the baby squirrel’s ears. He could go for a good cry himself, but he was just too tired. He settled on smiling instead. “Look at what we made together…”

Walnut blew his nose, honking a little. “I’m really a dad… holy shit…”

Chiaro looked down at his baby, who was still staring at Walnut. “Hey, Mira…” he said, pulling her close to his face. Mira’s head swiveled, her eyes meeting his, and Chiaro’s heart melted. The whole universe was in those eyes. This little bundle of life, so vulnerable and innocent, was his duty to care for, to nurture, to protect. The weight of it suddenly felt very heavy, but he felt like he could do it. Okay, maybe he could cry a little.

Dr. Sonnel came back around. “More tests,” she said, before pressing various tools against the squirrel girl’s chest. 

“I’m a dad… I’m actually a dad…” Walnut said. There was something about his voice that felt off to Chiaro. The words came out slowly, slightly shakily. “Oh my god…”

“Wally?” Chiaro asked.

Walnut looked at Chiaro. “Look at her… she’s so fragile… so small… holy fuck, dude.” The squirrel looked at the floor. “Holy shit… how… how can I do this?”

“With me, Wally. Just like you said last night,” he said, struggling to get his words out. God, he was so tired.

“That stuff is easy to say when your daughter’s not right in front of you… I’m so happy, but… but I’m so scared, dude.”

Chiaro tried to think of an answer, but before he had a chance, Dr. Sonnel cleared her throat. “Okay, all signs are good for both of you.” The red panda looked up from her papers and at Walnut. “And just so you know… you are not alone. When I had my first baby, I felt the exact same way. Scared to death, every single thing that could go wrong running through my mind.”

“Even you?” Walnut said, turning his head. “But you’re an obt… obse… ots… a baby doctor!”

Dr. Sonnel laughed. “Obstetrician. And I’m trained to deliver babies, not raise them. But I figured it out, both on my own, and with help from my husband and my friends.” She looked at Chiaro. “You’ll figure it out, too. And if it ever doesn’t make sense, don’t hesitate to reach out. There are always people willing to help.” She looked down at her clipboard. “I have some things to take care of. If you need anything, just let nurse Billenna know.” She smiled at the couple, spun around, and walked out of the room.

Chiaro exhaled loudly. “I wish I had gotten more sleep.”

Walnut laughed. “I feel like I’m not going to be able to sleep until next week.”

“Well… you can deliver the next one then.”

“Dude, no, please don’t even make—augh, man, now you got me thinking about it. How would that even—fuck!”

A snort came from the side of the room. “Now you’ve got me thinking about it,” Lily said as she tapped away at a keyboard.

Walnut laughed and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Hey, smile,” he said, as he pointed the camera at Chiaro and Mira. Chiaro managed a weak smirk, and the squirrel snapped a photo.

“Yeah, that looks good. Mind if I post it in the chat?” Walnut asked.

“Go for it… can you hand me my phone?”

Walnut passed the other phone to Chiaro, who held it awkwardly to his side as he continued to cradle Mira.

[09:22:54] NUT: good morning 
[09:23:05] NUT: who wants to see something cool

“Fuckin’ figures they’d all still be asleep,” Walnut said, rolling his eyes.

“Man… was it really like seven hours?”

Walnut laughed. “Could be worse. Apparently I took like two days to come out. Mom was pissed.”

“Yeah, that sounds like something you’d do,” Chiaro said, chuckling and rubbing the back of Mira’s head.

“Hey, c’mon!”

Chiaro smiled and looked down at Mira. The girl’s eyes were closed, and Chiaro felt a wave of fatigue rush over him. He sure could go for a nap, too. He stared at her for a while longer, then Walnut spoke up.

“Oh, hey, Teak is on.”

Chiaro looked down at his phone and read the messages.

[09:30:44] NUT: man how about some of y’all try watching the sun come up
[09:33:16] Teak: noted morning person Walnut Matkin here to tell us all about rising early
[09:33:28] NUT: teak man
[09:33:37] NUT: check this out
[09:33:48] Teak: ?
[09:33:50] NUT: [uploaded IMG_20270612_336598104.jpg]
[09:34:01] Teak: AWAWAWAWA
[09:34:07] Teak: OMFG I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HE WAS IN LABRO??????
[09:34:16] Teak: omg omng she’s so beautiful
[09:34:22] Teak: is chiaro okay??
[09:34:39] chiaroscuro: i’ve been worse.
[09:34:45] Teak: chi!!
[09:34:54] Teak: holy shit! get some rest man!
[09:35:05] Patch: teak just told me the news! 😍
[09:35:07] chiaroscuro: i’m getting my rest. don’t worry.
[09:35:13] Patch: congratulations, guys! 😀
[09:35:20] Patch: she’s beautiful
[09:35:27] NUT: thanks man. she really is
[09:35:33] chiaroscuro: thanks, you two.
[09:35:41] car crash at 200% speed: damn finally decided to come out did she
[09:35:50] NUT: yeah peb it was a whole ordeal
[09:35:56] car crash at 200% speed: i fuckin bet

Chiaro couldn’t focus on the phone anymore. His leaden eyes drooped, and he felt himself beginning to nod off.

“Chi?” Walnut said. “You okay?”

“I really need a nap…”

“Hey, Lily?” Walnut said, a tinge of panic creeping into his voice. “This normal?”

Lily walked over to the bed and studied the various monitors. “Yeah, he’s fine.” She looked down at the dalmatian and smiled. “Just sleepy.”

“Mmm,” Chiaro said, cradling Mira close to her chest.

“Let’s get her in the crib, okay? You shouldn’t fall asleep while holding her,” the nurse said. She reached down and took Mira, who stared back at her. “Hi, sweetie. Let’s get you settled in.” She placed the baby into the crib and tucked her in. “Okay, you two, I will leave you to it. If you have any questions, just hit the button okay?” With a smile, she turned and walked out of the room, and Walnut looked at Chiaro.

“Okay, man… Teak’s right. You gotta get some sleep. I can watch over Mira. Don’t worry.”

Chiaro murmured to Walnut as he felt his world slip away. His body felt lighter than it had in months, and then, felt like nothing at all as he lost consciousness. His last thought before falling asleep was about how much of a relief it was to finally have the baby out.

…and how he couldn’t wait to do it again.