Within a month or two of being pregnant, Shirayuki begins to think about just what their baby will be like. Perhaps the questions from the townsfolk draw it to mind, because Obi doesn't speculate or really add anything to the subject. He's extra gentle around her now, worried somehow that he'll slip up and apply too much pressure to her stomach or hurt her or hurt the baby. He doesn't have any real suggestions for baby names.

He'd told her once that he'll know when he sees him or her. It seems easy enough to say now, but Shirayuki sort of wants to come up with a name. She's flipping through old baby name books that some of the older women in town lent to her almost nightly, curled up in bed and suggesting to Obi any name that strikes her in the book.

Every last one of them is a boy name. She doesn't mean to become so obsessed, so latched on to this idea, but Obi doesn't question it, just as he doesn't tell her whether he wants a son or a daughter. But, every time that she thinks of her husband as a father, she thinks of him holding a baby wrapped in blue in his arms or teaching a young boy to climb trees just as well as dad can. It's a pretty thought, something beautiful, that she can't help but cling to.

So, she flips through the baby name book, trying to capture the perfect boy name that highlights something uniquely them as far as a name to gift to a kid goes. It has to be a name that Shirayuki and Obi chose together, a name perfect for their baby. Yet, it seems so much harder than parents seem to make it out to be. She's never felt sorry for her mom and dad before now, and yet it's hard not to. How did they choose a name meaning 'Snow White' for her? Did they see her and immediately think it fit, just like Obi seems content to do?

Or did they just plan out a beautiful name for it's lilting sound or the way that it encompassed something about what they imagined her to be like? Did they pick it, because it was a family name? She should have asked her grandparents, if they knew why she was named Shirayuki, but the thought hadn't crossed her mind before.

"How's Naoki?" Naming him after a tree or a tree of truth might be a safe bet, someone that grows strong much like Obi is.

"I don't think so." Obi turns around to face her in bed, propping his head up on his hand and looking down at her belly.

"You said that to the last name too." Shirayuki declared, starting to wonder how two people ever could agree on a name, though she wasn't really sold on Ren either.

"Shirayuki," He sighed, taking a deep breath in, "It will come to us eventually. It probably won't come in a book." He rolled back over, and Shirayuki watched his back, rather frustratedly.

"Why won't it?" That's easy to say, but how will they know when the baby's born, what to name him? It's not like it's as simple as that, or at least she doubts that the name just springs to mind as soon as they see the baby.

"Because we haven't met him or her yet." Obi sighed, slowly turning back around to face her, "We might be surprised, or somehow the name just sinks in when we least expect it."

"But..." Shirayuki isn't sure how to end her sentence, but she'll do her best to defend the point of being better prepared for this.

"Relax." Obi seemed to take that word seriously, as she watched him relax before her, clearly ready to sleep, probably tired after a long day on the farm.

"But what if we pick the wrong name?" Shirayuki whispers; the thought only now occurring to her. She had no issues with her name, loved it even, had definitely preferred hearing her birth name leave Obi's lips and not some fake name that she'd adopted on the run.

"It's our kid." Obi smiles at her, "We won't pick the wrong name."

"How can you be sure?" Shirayuki's voice goes soft, nearly silent in the air between them.

"Are you angry that your parents named you, Shirayuki?" It sounds different to hear him say her name like that, perhaps it's the fact that he isn't addressing her by her name but asking her about her name or maybe it's the tiredness that peeks into his voice so clearly now.

"No." She almost confronts him about his own name, but realizes belatedly that Obi must have picked that name out for himself. She keeps her lips sealed and looks back down at the book on her lap. Maybe, just maybe, the right name will jump out at her.


Shirayuki just knows today will be different. Perhaps she's just too wrapped up in things, because last night, she struggled to sleep. Some might call it anticipation or excitement, but something feels different today.

It's probably why she grabbed her husband's sleeve, shortly after he slipped a shirt over his head, letting her fingers dig into the fabric, a silent plea to slow down. Today might be the day, and she'd been trying to keep track of the days, but since she didn't know how far along she was when she first realized she was pregnant, it's been one part guessing game.

But today's close to her estimated due date anyway. All week has left her antsy, as every day that Obi went off to work, she almost wanted to stop him. As every time that she heads off to work, she checks for something. She's never sure what, during her mental checklist what exactly she's checking for, that won't be instantly obvious. Is she checking for her water breaking or for contractions to start? For something a little out of the ordinary that makes everything obvious.

She knows it's probably silly, but today as she woke up, eyes half-open, watching her husband slowly slip out of bed, quiet as can be, moving to grab clothes to change into, she knows that something's different. Even though she's exhausted, longing to go back to sleep, she holds her eyes open. Shirayuki knows today's the day, even though, she isn't scientifically sure that she's right.

It just feels like it, as she runs through her estimated conception date all over again, as if knowing for sure was possible, as if the date always lined up perfectly nine months later. Just it's close, and she's been playing a mental guessing game all week. Today feels different than that hint of anticipation that she questioned all week long.

"What's the matter?" Obi sits back down on the bed beside her. Shirayuki's face turns red. How should she explain to him that she believes that she'll be giving birth today, that she'll go into labor, when she has no actual proof of it?

"Can you stay home today?" Shirayuki sits up, lets the blanket pool around her, moving carefully, as if moving fast would induce labor somehow.

"Sure." Obi pauses, looking down at his shirt, as if debating exactly what staying home meant. Would he have to change out of his farming attire? Shirayuki smiles at the thought. It doesn't matter to her what he wears, just that he's dressed, because by the way that she feels, it could be any second now.

She knows it's silly, because usually she's sure that mothers don't instinctively wake up and predict the date, but what if she's right? What if today's the day, and it would be too difficult to grab Obi from the field to see their first child born?

"What's the matter?" Obi moves slightly, to take her hand in his, no longer is she gripping the sleeve of his shirt. Her fingers wrap around his.

Shirayuki isn't quite sure how to begin. Would it all sound so silly? Obi and her have never been in this kind of situation before, and she hadn't asked him to stay home from work before. She'd fought a similar urge to do that all week, even though she rarely takes an unscheduled day off, herself. She'd been going to work despite being either almost nine months pregnant or just eight months pregnant.

"I think I might go into labor today." Slips out, and Obi really looks at her, as if he can just see an obvious sign, even though Shirayuki still has none.

"Has your water broke?" Is his first question; she figures that contractions might be obvious to his eyes, if they started soon.

"I don't think so." Shirayuki is half-sure that he won't take her seriously, but instead his grip tightens on her hand, and she relaxes.

"Okay." Obi pauses, "Would you like something to eat?"

"I don't know, if I'm hungry yet." Slips out.

"Alright." Obi looks uncertain as to what to do or to offer next, but slowly he stands up, dropping her hand. "I'll be right in the kitchen, if you need anything."

Shirayuki realizes that it's been a while, since Obi's cooked her breakfast. With him leaving so early in the morning, and her schedule moving at a different pace, he'd usually be gone by the time that she was eating breakfast, and with her being home before he did, she'd get dinner around without needing to wait. The novelty after so long of not having Obi's cooking, nearly makes her say that she'd like to eat something.

She takes a deep breath, suddenly nervous to get up out of bed, and slowly pulls herself to her feet, deciding that the first order of business was to get dressed for the day, especially, if she were going to give birth today. It hits home that sometime soon she might be holding the little baby boy that she's dreamed of for about eight months now.

Her feet are surprisingly steady, and Shirayuki wonders just what she expected, as she gets changed, eager to be in clothes for the day, though they are simple enough clothes. Just something more than nightclothes is almost a relief, and by the time that she's walking to the bathroom, something happens.

She pauses, feeling like a waterfall overtook her clothes, and her green eyes immediately drop to the floor, surprised. Shirayuki is not the type of person to pee herself, not really, and yet, she suddenly feels wet and warm and is more than a little convinced that she's peed herself and isn't entirely sure what to do now.

She'll need a change of clothes, but she's been moving slow all morning, whether out of nerves or tiredness, as she's lately slept past her husband waking up.

"Obi?" Her voice comes out in a slight screech, and she's not sure exactly what she expects her husband to do as he's before her in moments.

Obi looks more dumbfounded than anything as she looks away from her ever expanding puddle towards her husband, just slightly in the hallway, from the kitchen. He looks just as lost as she feels, but she isn't sure what to tell him now.

"It won't stop." She tries to explain, "Can you get me a change of clothes?" She finally adds.

"Did your water break?" Obi's voice is half nerves, and she almost wants to laugh despite herself.

"I think so." Shirayuki blinks and realizes that despite being an Herbalist for a while now, she hadn't realized that this wasn't pee at first. Suddenly, it makes sense. Just, she's still wet, and still hasn't made it to the bathroom, though she's still not sure what she'll do when she gets there.

"Alright." And Obi's gone in seconds; he's always been quick on his feet, and he's before her again, with a change of clothes ready, reaching out as if to steady her by her shoulders, before he opts to walk her carefully towards the bathroom.

He sidesteps around the puddle, and Shirayuki half-debates whether she should just ask him to clean it up or whether she should get down there somehow and clean it up herself. That's not an easy task anymore, hasn't been easy in months, but the puddle bugs her. She wants it cleaned up, even as Obi guides her to the bathroom, about ready to ask if she needs help changing, concern lighting up his golden eyes.

Shirayuki takes a deep breath, "Can you get my boss here? Or some herbalist? We'll need help delivering the baby." She doesn't say, 'boy,' and it feels like a testament to her own lack of knowledge, though she does fear that if Obi leaves to go get help, something major will happen, and she'll give birth alone, which really doesn't sound pleasant.

"If you'll be fine?" Obi looks nervous, even as he pauses to help her get changed.

"I will be." It's encouragement he needs to hear, but it's also encouragement that she desperately needs and now clings to. Hopefully, he'll be quick. He's never been slow, and she's half-positive that he'll scale the trees and go that way. He seems quicker as he jumps across trees than he does on foot somehow. He's like a squirrel that way, and the thought nearly causes her to giggle as she sits down on the toilet lid for now.

Obi watches the amusement flick across her face, before he heads out of the bathroom, "If you need anything, I'll be right back to get it for you, alright?"

He's worried. So, she smiles at him, wide and an attempt to be reassuring. It feels distant though, especially as he sighs and then disappears far out of her line of sight. But her new clothes are wet all over again. Why? Isn't it supposed to stop sometime soon?

Shirayuki stares down at them, before sighing and attempting to get up. She's not trying to be rebellious, but her clothes are soaked through entirely, and she needs new ones. So, she wobbles right back into the bedroom, grabbing whatever she can reach in there. Sadly, it's as if the flow won't stop, and she finds herself in her fourth outfit of the day, with no hope of being dry any time soon.

"And, she's right in the bathroom." Obi's voice cuts off, and Shirayuki realizes that her plan of making it back to the bathroom before Obi gets home has failed her.

"I'm right in here." Shirayuki sighs, "But I'm still wet."

Obi walks into the bedroom first, shakes his head, and moves to help her get changed into something more comfortable and a bit drier, before helping her down onto the bed. "This is probably a lot more comfortable than the bathroom would be anyway." Obi sighs, and then goes to get the herbalist and surprisingly enough, his wife.

His wife looks so nervous and worried for Shirayuki that she isn't sure why she feels sick as she looks up at the older woman. It's alright; Shirayuki tells herself.

"Are you early?" Her boss asks, coming closer, looking a lot less worried than his wife does.

"I don't think so." Shirayuki shrugs. "I knew it would be soon."

"And you still came to work all week." He grumbles, while his wife tells Obi what to go grab and then gestures for Obi to kneel beside the bed and take Shirayuki's hand. Despite everything, the first contraction feels like torture. It rocks through her and burns, and when it does come time to push, her muscles seem tight and unresponsive.

She knows they're working, because her boss' wife tells her so. She tells her every time that Shirayuki does manage to push, and she kneels by her side on the opposite side of the bed than Obi's on. Shirayuki tries to take deep breaths, because she's pretty sure that's important, as she listens to whispered reassurances on one side and Obi's slightly uneven breathing on her other side.

She wonders if he's scared to death, though she isn't quite sure if she is or not. Shirayuki tries to bite back a strangled scream, suddenly worried that she's making Obi worry even more, but she can't help it eventually. As the contractions slowly come to happen more frequently, and the pain seems to fade a whole lot less often. She feels almost like liquid now, pushing and pushing and pushing, and then finally she hears, something that isn't either a soft reassurance or a voice telling her to push.

She hears crying, a little voice wailing up into the room, and Shirayuki pauses, slowly pushing her eyes open, though from her angle, she can't quite see the baby. No longer does she feel like slosh, no longer does she want to just go to sleep and sleep the exhausting labor away. She wants to see.

Shirayuki wants to see the baby; her mind blank on whatever the baby will be like, as she waits. The small baby's cleaned off, and soon her boss' wife is pressing the baby girl into Shirayuki's arms. She's so, so tiny.

And as she slowly quiets down, from the drama of childbirth, and the experience of using her lungs for the first time, Shirayuki really looks at her. Pain as washed away from reality that she can't even recall the pain from moments ago. It's fled the new mother's mind, as she looks down at the beautiful child in her arms. She has a small amount of black hair already, and Shirayuki nearly cries seeing her husband's hair color on their baby girl's head.

And then her daughter timidly opens her eyes, and they are amber, before they are suddenly closed again. Shirayuki's now positive that she hadn't planned this all out right. She doesn't remember a single girl's name in any of the baby name books that she had been reading so intensively before today.

Obi's staring too, when Shirayuki pauses to look at her husband.

"She looks like you." Shirayuki breathes, all covered in awe.

"She does." Obi's perfectly relaxed, and Shirayuki wonders if his nerves melted at the sight of their baby girl, just like her pain had.

"Risa." Shirayuki tests out, a little nervous. It comes out slow, sounding more like syllable than name, and Obi pauses at that to really look at their baby girl. Shirayuki prepares herself for another rejection of a name, for him to tell her 'no,' all over again.

Yet, he's silent for another moment more, just watching their baby girl.

"Risa," he repeats, and it sounds tentative and beautiful in his voice, so she carefully hands their daughter over to him.

Obi's hands shake as he takes her into his arms, eyes wide, and she wonders if he's thinking he's about to drop her as he looks down at her small, closed eyes, her lips that are slightly pulling towards a smile despite the shock of just being born, her pretty black hair.

Shirayuki wonders for a moment how she ever thought they were about to have a son, when she sees her husband holding their daughter. He's the perfect dad to a little baby girl, and it hits her, just how extra gentle he'll be with her, how he'll look after her and protect her, how he'll be just as gentle despite his present nerves as he is holding her with her every day.

And though, it's a long shot, she pictures him walking their daughter down the aisle in the way that Shirayuki's dad never got to walk her down the aisle. And for a moment, she silently prays that he'll be allowed to do that, that life will be just as beautiful and precious and perfect as it is right now, always.