[SE] it's so quiet in the world tonight

Your soul
is the light that sees my dark,
and loves me all the same.

Her begrudging acceptance that 'little love' wasn't a socially appropriate name for their daughter tugged a smirk onto his lips, indulging in being able to joke about being parents. "I have those sometimes," he teased, although it didn't change that she'd always be their 'little love,' no matter what the world chose to call her. 

Their daughter appeared to be opinionated about her possible name, refusing to budge as Soh joined in the fun. Making sure that he hadn't missed a faint flutter of a kick, he offered a few more options. "Luna? Diana?" He chuckled when he got nothing. The names were nice, but Zavien didn't know the first thing about naming, and this wasn't just a pet or companion, this was a human who would be stuck with it for the rest of her life. 

"So many of them end in 'a'," he observed, wondering if their daughter liked or didn't like that about the names.

Zavien

Sohalia

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Giggling, Soh placed her hands over Zavien's, feeling for any sign of movement from their 'little love' as they continued to banter back and forth. "You make plenty of good points," she replied, and their daughter kicked again, as though in agreement. "There, see? She has spoken."

This - the three of them - here together was so nice, so warm, so real, that for a moment Soh was certain that she must be dreaming. The home they were building, the family they were supporting - it was all too perfect to be true, and she felt tears welling in her eyes at just how happy she was. Reaching up, she brushed them away, laughing a little at how her emotions had grown so unruly during this pregnancy.

But their daughter was opinionated, it seemed, and as they tried name after name, none seemed to coax her to stir once more. "Maybe she's gone to sleep," Soh mused after a moment. After all, her sleep schedule was notably different from that of her parents' - something that Soh knew would not be changing any time soon, even after the baby was born. Still, on a whim, something tugged at the back of her mind, a name she'd perhaps forgotten. "Reva? It means -"

A kick, sudden and forceful, made Soh jump. "Oh!" she exclaimed, looking down with a startled laugh. "Reva." Another kick, another roll, more movement as though to shout, hello, I'm here! from within. Looking up at Zavien, awed in spite of herself, she finished: "It means 'star.'"

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreamin' So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

Your soul
is the light that sees my dark,
and loves me all the same.

It was nice to feel that his daughter agreed with them, the kick feeling like a high-five for being a positively contributing member of the world. It made him laugh, glancing up in time to see the emotions play across Soh's face. They didn't scare or worry him. He'd nearly cried just to feel that first kick. Instead, he softened, his hand reaching out to help wipe away the dampness on her cheeks, understanding in his eyes and the loving tilt of his lips. 

Looking back down, he also began to wonder if their daughter had fallen asleep. Or maybe she was so offended by their suggestions that she'd chosen to ignore them. Maybe it was a good thing since his legs were starting to cramp. 

But just as he considered moving to stand, Soh said a name that felt as bright and beautiful as the first star in the sky on a dark night. Their daughter struck fast and without hesitation, nearly startling him onto his back when he laughed at the force of her reaction. "Reva." He enjoyed how the name tasted on his tongue, curving his lips around the shape of it just to see how it felt. Even if it didn't feel like an ancient word that had been carved in stone and starlight, the energetic response beneath his palms was too insistent to ignore. 

His eyes met Soh's again, a wide grin on his face as he said what they both already knew, "That's perfect."

Zavien

Sohalia

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Zavien's fingertips brushed against her cheeks, helping to wipe away the moisture that had fallen there. It wasn't long before the happy tears had dried, and then they were back to staring down at her pregnant belly in awe and adoration. Every little change in her pregnancy felt massive: finding out, telling Zavien, revealing the gender, feeling her kick - it all made everything feel more real, surprising Soh in ways that she had yet to fully comprehend.

Their little love's reaction to what would eventually become her name had Soh laughing, rubbing a hand soothingly over her abdomen. Their daughter seemed to calm beneath her touch, perhaps to actually go to sleep this time, apparently satisfied to have chosen her name. There was a moment, a flash of the future, in which Soh knew that this would be a funny story to tell Reva one day, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Grinning widely, Soh leaned forward to press a kiss against Zavien's lips. The name was perfect. Their daughter was perfect. Everything was perfect. And Soh would do everything in her power to keep it that way.

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreamin' So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

Your soul
is the light that sees my dark,
and loves me all the same.

The moment was perfect.

As Soh pressed her lips to his, their daughter caressed between them, he couldn't ask for anything more. He knew things wouldn't always be like this, knew the darkness lingered just outside the windows, but for this moment - right here, right now - everything was perfect. 

When she finally pulled away, Zavien's eyes were bright with mischief. "You know, we have to do one final test to make sure it's the right name." He stood, grabbing his glass of ice water to take a large gulp. The cold shocked his system in a way that wasn't completely unpleasant, energy coursing through him as he took one more to coat his throat. 

Once he was certain his throat and mouth were ready, Zavien set aside the ice water and took a deep breath. "Reeevaaaaaa!!" he shouted, the name echoing through the house like a summons so intense that he half expected the sound of pattering little feet to answer him. Instead, he got Sol's fluttering wings as he hopped off the table and rushed around, seeking the source of the exclamations. "Re-va!!" Zavien shouted again, trying a different inflection that sounded more like a soft chiding this time. Then he snapped out, "Reva!"

The sound rang clear in the air, as if it had always been there, whispering softly in their ears. It felt right, and when he looked to Soh, it was with a delighted grin. He took another sip of water to clear the strain on his throat before raising an eyebrow. "Want to give it a try?"

Zavien

Sohalia

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger And it's so quiet in the world tonight

The idea of one final test had Soh cocking her head to one side, a puzzled expression appearing upon her face as Zavien picked up his glass, gulping down a few mouthfuls. What his ice water had to do with their daughter's name, she wasn't sure, but before she could ask for clarification, he shouted.

The call was so vibrant and intense that it made Soh jump, and she sputtered a resulting laugh as Zavien shouted out again, his voice echoing through the house as though their daughter might appear at any moment. Fluttering kicks battered against her stomach, as though Reva were responding to the summons, and Soh's smile widened at the strange but comforting sensation. She never would have thought to test their daughter's name in such a way, but as Zavien turned to her, raising a brow, Soh laughed again, this time with amusement more so than surprise.

"I don't know," she teased. "I think you have it covered." Still, she couldn't help the bright call that came next: not as loud as Zavien's shout, but insistent all the same, as though summoning their daughter from an adjoining room. "Reva!" Pressing her lips together to keep from laughing again, she reached for her own glass. It was the perfect name, its echo whispering through the house in a way that guaranteed good times to come. "Perfect," she declared before taking a sip of the ice water.

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreamin' So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

Your soul
is the light that sees my dark,
and loves me all the same.

Any previous exhaustion or darkness lining his eyes was quickly vanishing. His eyes were bright, cold water invigorating him after the sensation of having met their daughter for the first time. He didn't know her face or her personality yet, but he knew what it felt like to have her press against his hand, he knew her name, he knew he loved her already. It was only time before the other stuff came along. 

He laughed at Soh's enjoyment of his performance, taking another sip of water as he waited for her to cave and give it a try. It was a test he'd heard many people perform in the Silk Houses, shouting down the street like they were calling the kid home from a hard day's work of playing. He hadn't really understood it until now, until he felt the name leaving his mouth, felt the way it echoed in the air. It gave the name life and purpose, more than just a word they'd picked. 

When she finally gave a shout, Zavien was lowering his glass, the ice chilling his tongue until the laughter escaped. "That was great." He stepped back into her space to give her another kiss, the cold giving way to warmth between them. Leaning back, he looked to her swollen stomach, curious as he asked, "What did Reva think?" After all, that was all that really mattered.

Zavien

Sohalia

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Having not seen the same rite of passage for names as Zavien, Soh was amused and bewildered at the seemingly strange turn of events, but she went along with it anyway. In the end, she was glad that she had - Reva seemed to enjoy the performance, rolling over once more before stilling, perhaps to go back to sleep, or maybe just resting after a period of such activity. After all, she had chosen her name, and that was a big step in the life of an unborn baby.

Icy lips met Soh's as Zavien kissed her, the cold touch giving way quickly to warmth. As he withdrew, she ran her hand affectionately over her stomach. "She loved it, I think," she said warmly. It was starting to feel so real now, inevitable in the best way. "Gods, I can't believe it's almost time to meet her." Only another few weeks, if the doctors' estimates had been correct. There was so much to do, so much to learn, and yet Soh felt very little trepidation or anxiety. They would figure it out as they had everything else - together.

fin

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreamin' So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light