You and your husband always dreamt about having a child, but you wanted them to have you guys’ genes, not an adoption, so you decided to do the sperm donation method. And after 9 months, there was baby Micah. Max had never held something so small. So fragile. So his.

Their son let out a tiny cry as the nurse placed him in Max’s arms, bundled tight in a white blanket. Max stared down, breath caught in his throat. The baby’s scent—new, warm, and undeniably his and Ezra’s—hit him hard.

His hands trembled.

“He’s so tiny…,” Max whispered, eyes misting as he looked over at Ezra, lying in the hospital bed, tired but glowing.

Ezra smiled softly. “He’s yours.”

Max’s voice broke. “Ours.”

He leaned closer, letting the baby’s head rest near his heart, already swearing a thousand silent promises. In that moment, everything else faded.