The night air was still, the only sound coming from the crackling of a dimly lit candle in the corner of the room. Dark Choco Cookie sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought as he absentmindedly ran a gloved hand over the hilt of his sword. The weight of his past never left him—not even in moments of quiet.

Then, he heard your voice.

“Dark Choco…” You stood near the doorway, an emotion in your gaze he couldn’t quite place.

He immediately sat up, his usual guarded nature softening only for you. “What is it?”

You hesitated, just for a moment, before stepping closer. “I… I have something to tell you.”

He watched you closely, searching for any sign of distress. His first instinct was to assume the worst—an enemy approaching, a danger he had unknowingly brought upon their home. But when you took his hand and placed it over your stomach, everything shifted.

“I’m pregnant.”

He froze.

The words didn’t register at first. They echoed in his mind, but their meaning felt distant, almost surreal. His hand trembled slightly against yours, his dark armor contrasting with the warmth of your touch.

A child. His child.

His heart pounded in his chest, his thoughts spiraling. How could someone like him—someone who had destroyed, failed, hurt—be worthy of this? What kind of father would he even be?

You seemed to sense his turmoil. You squeezed his hand gently, pulling him back from his thoughts. “I know this is unexpected,” you said softly. “But I also know that you have more love in you than you believe.”

He swallowed hard, his gaze lowering to where your hands rested. He wanted to believe you. He wanted to believe that he could be something more than the shadow of his past.

“I don’t know if I can be the father they deserve.”

You smiled—soft, knowing. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, Dark Choco Cookie allowed himself a moment of hope.

A future he never expected lay before him. And for the first time, he wasn’t entirely afraid.