The Start Of Something New

For once in their chaotic, dramatic, often meme-worthy marriage, this decision came naturally.

No misunderstandings. No spirals. No viral scandals (yet).

Just them.

One night, wrapped in soft blankets, limbs tangled together in the warmth of their shared bed, Lingling and Orm finally had the talk.

Not the usual, "Let's get ice cream at midnight even though we have work tomorrow."

Not the, "Should we fake another engagement for the fun of it?" conversation.

No.

This was different.

This was big.

The room was still, save for the rhythmic sound of their breathing and the faint hum of city lights outside their window. The kind of night where the world outside didn't matter—just the quiet intimacy of Lingling's fingers absently tracing the curve of Orm's spine, Orm's head tucked against her shoulder, warmth shared between them like an unspoken promise.

Then, Orm broke the silence.

"I think I'm ready," she murmured, her voice soft but steady, her fingertips drawing lazy circles on Lingling's arm. "To be a mom. To have a family—with you."

Lingling's breath hitched.

The words settled between them, heavier than any business deal, any high-stakes negotiation she had ever sat through.

She was used to big decisions.

She had signed multi-million-dollar contracts without blinking. She had made cutthroat business moves before breakfast. She had stood at the helm of an empire and never faltered.

But this?

This was different.

Because this wasn't a strategy or a calculated risk.

This was them.

This was their future.

Lingling felt something in her chest tighten.

Not fear.

Not hesitation.

Just overwhelming, consuming love.

She turned her head slightly, looking down at the woman curled up against her—her Orm. The same Orm who could derail a stockholder's meeting with a single inappropriate comment. The same Orm who made Lingling laugh when no one else could. The same Orm who had somehow become her entire world without even trying.

And it was so easy to say—

"Me too."

Because, really, she had always known.

From the moment she met Orm. From the first time she saw her laugh. From every ridiculous stunt, every meltdown, every whispered 'I love you' before bed—

Lingling knew.

This was it.

Orm shifted slightly, resting her chin against Lingling's shoulder, a small, sleepy grin on her lips.

"I want this, Ling." Her voice was hushed, but it rang with certainty. "I want to have a baby with you. I want to raise a tiny human who will probably have your ridiculously high standards and my absolute lack of boundaries."

Lingling snorted, despite herself. "That's a terrifying combination."

"I know, right?" Orm giggled. "We're either raising a genius or a future internet menace. Either way, they'll be unstoppable."

Lingling chuckled, shaking her head, but the warmth in her chest only grew.

Then, Orm's laughter faded into something softer, something deeper.

"But I also know you."

Lingling turned, her amusement fading at the sudden seriousness in Orm's tone.

"And I know that no matter what happens, you'll give our kid the best life imaginable. Because that's who you are, Lingling."

Lingling's heart stuttered.

The conviction in Orm's voice, the unwavering belief, hit her harder than she had expected.

It wasn't just an idea.

It wasn't just a passing thought.

This was real.

Orm wasn't just imagining the future.

She was choosing it.

She was choosing them.

Like she had always chosen Lingling.

Like she would always choose Lingling.

And that's when Lingling realized—

She was sure, too.

She had been for a long time.

She just hadn't been ready to say it out loud.

Until now.

Lingling inhaled slowly, feeling the moment settle into her bones. Then, with quiet certainty, she nodded.

"Okay."

Orm blinked. "Okay?"

Lingling's lips twitched into a smile—small, but certain. "Okay. Let's do this. Let's have a baby."

For a moment, Orm didn't move.

Then—

Then, her entire face lit up.

Her eyes sparkled, mouth parting in disbelief, excitement, pure joy.

And before Lingling could even process what was happening, Orm launched herself forward, tackling her into the pillows.

"LINGLING, OH MY GOD—"

"*Orm—you're going to suffocate me—"

"WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!"

Lingling laughed, her arms automatically wrapping around Orm's waist as the weight of what they had just decided crashed down on her.

They were doing this.

This was happening.

And for the first time in a long, long time—

Lingling wasn't just ready.

She was excited.

Phase One: Operation Baby Begins

The decision to have a baby? Surprisingly easy.

The actual process of having a baby? A logistical nightmare.

Doctors. Fertility options. Schedules. So many schedules. Legal paperwork that even Lingling—a woman who thrived in high-stakes corporate negotiations—found exhausting.

And, of course, Orm.

Orm, who approached baby planning with the same energy she used to plan a last-minute vacation: absolute enthusiasm and zero regard for Lingling's blood pressure.

Every single day, Orm had a new idea.

Some were reasonable (Should we start looking at baby furniture?).

Some were insane (Babe, what if I gave birth in a water villa in the Maldives?).

Some were so absurd they nearly ended their marriage on the spot (Ling, what if we name the baby after a Pokémon?).

But the moment that nearly sent Lingling to an early grave?

It happened one morning over breakfast.

Lingling, in her usual calm, calculated CEO manner, was sipping her perfectly balanced espresso while scrolling through the morning stock reports.

Orm, on the other hand, was Googling something dangerous.

And then, without warning—

"Babe, what if we have twins?"

Lingling choked.

Not a delicate, graceful choke.

An I-just-inhaled-my-entire-coffee-and-am-actively-dying kind of choke.

"What if we what?!" she coughed, frantically grabbing for napkins as she tried to recover from the betrayal.

Orm, completely unbothered, just grinned. "Twins, Ling! Just imagine! Double the cuteness! Double the chaos!"

Lingling stared. "Double my stress levels!"

"Double the reasons for you to love me even more!"

"Double my need for therapy."

"Come on, Ling." Orm wiggled her eyebrows. "You're always talking about efficiency. Two babies in one go? That's peak efficiency."

Lingling set her coffee down with a heavy sigh. "Why do I feel like I'm about to enter my villain origin story?"

Orm just batted her lashes, unbothered. "Because you're dramatic, my love."

Lingling dragged a hand down her face. "I should've made you sign a prenup for this exact situation."

Orm simply beamed. "Too late, babe. You're stuck with me."

Lingling groaned.

They were going to be parents.

The world wasn't ready.

Phase Two: The Procedure

The day they officially started the process was unexpectedly emotional.

Lingling had spent weeks meticulously planning everything—scheduling appointments, researching clinics, ensuring only the absolute best options for her wife.

But no amount of planning could have prepared her for this moment.

For Orm, lying in that hospital bed, gripping her hand tightly, eyes filled with quiet anticipation.

For the weight of it all hitting at once.

This wasn't just another step in a plan.

This was their future.

"You okay?" Lingling murmured, pressing a kiss to Orm's forehead.

Orm smiled softly, her fingers squeezing Lingling's. "More than okay."

Lingling swallowed, brushing stray strands of hair from her wife's face. "This is real, huh?"

Orm let out a small, shaky laugh. "Yeah. It's real."

Lingling nodded, exhaling slowly, feeling the gravity of the moment settle over them.

And then—when the doctor confirmed everything was going smoothly, when they were given the hopeful news that this could actually work—

Orm's breath hitched.

Lingling felt Orm's fingers tighten around hers.

And then—

Tears.

Silent, overwhelmed, beautiful tears slipping down Orm's cheeks.

Lingling couldn't breathe.

She had never seen Orm like this.

So raw. So open. So full of hope.

Lingling squeezed her hand tighter.

And for the first time in a long time, there was no chaos. No jokes. No dramatics.

Just pure, unfiltered love.

Lingling lifted Orm's hand to her lips, kissing her knuckles gently.

"No matter what happens, we're in this together."

Orm sniffed, wiping her face with her sleeve. "You're so sappy when you want to be, you know that?"

Lingling chuckled. "Shut up and let me have my moment."

Orm smiled, watery but full of warmth. "Okay, fine. But just this once."

Lingling rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."

And yet—

She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Phase Three: The Waiting Game

And then, of course—

The hardest part.

Waiting.

For results. For confirmations. For signs that their lives were about to change forever.

Lingling, ever the pragmatist, handled the process like she handled everything: methodically.

Calendars. Notes. Updates. A spreadsheet so detailed it could put NASA mission logs to shame.

She was calm. Focused. Grounded.

Orm?

A MENACE.

Day Four:

"Babe, do you think I can feel the baby yet?"

"Orm, it's been four days."

"BUT WHAT IF I HAVE SUPERHUMAN PREGNANCY SPEED?!"

"That. Is. Not. A. Thing."

Day Six:

"Ling, listen, I just Googled early symptoms and—"

"NO MORE GOOGLE, ORM."*

Day Eight:

"Okay, okay, but real talk—what if it's a girl?"

Lingling sighed, closing her laptop. "Then we'll love her."*

"What if it's a boy?"

"Then we'll love him."*

"What if—"

"Orm. No matter what happens, I love you. I love them. And we are going to be okay."*

And for once, Orm went quiet.

Lingling paused.

Orm, for once in her life, looked genuinely at a loss for words.

Then—softly, barely above a whisper—

"You're gonna be the best mom, you know that?"

Lingling's chest tightened.

She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear that.

How much she needed to believe it.

Lingling leaned in, pressing their foreheads together, closing her eyes as she let the warmth of Orm's words sink in.

"So will you."

Orm smiled. "Yeah. I think we're gonna be pretty awesome moms."

Lingling let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. "God help this child."

Orm grinned. "Oh, absolutely."

And just like that—

The waiting didn't feel so hard anymore.

Because, no matter what—

They were in this together.