𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙩 & 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚| 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙭 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

The world outside Y/N's apartment was buzzing with life, but inside, everything felt oddly still. The weight of her pregnancy, and everything it entailed, had settled heavily on her shoulders. Even with March and Himeko's support, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing on the edge of something monumental—something that might shatter everything she thought she knew.
She sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wall. It felt strange to have a life growing inside of her—stranger still when she considered how unreal she was supposed to be. An NPC. She kept coming back to that thought. How could she be carrying a child when she wasn't even truly alive? And yet... the signs were undeniable. Her body had changed, her emotions more unpredictable than ever. The test, her nausea, the strange, overwhelming feelings that consumed her—none of it made sense, but it was happening.
There was a knock at the door.
Y/N froze, her heart skipping a beat. Boothill. She had almost forgotten in the whirlpool of her own thoughts that he was finally coming back. The brief messages had stirred hope in her, but now the reality of it was hitting her all at once. What would she say? How could she explain what was happening? What if he didn't understand? What if he thought it was just some side effect of her being an NPC? What if...
"Y/N?" Boothill's voice echoed through the door, warm but cautious. "It's me. Can I come in?"
A rush of emotions flooded her chest. She stood up, her legs shaky, and moved toward the door. She wasn't sure what she expected, but as she opened it and saw Boothill standing there, all tall and rugged in his bounty hunter gear, a strange wave of relief washed over her. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed him until that moment.
Boothill's gaze softened when he saw her, his sharp eyes taking in her appearance. "You okay?" he asked, stepping inside when she gave a brief nod.
Y/N felt a lump rise in her throat as the door clicked shut behind him. She wanted to tell him everything, all at once, but she couldn't seem to find the words. Instead, she just looked at him, the silent pull between them growing stronger with each passing second.
"I—I don't know how to say this," she finally muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "But there's something I need to tell you... something that I'm still trying to understand myself."
Boothill's brow furrowed slightly, his gaze shifting from her to the tense air between them. "What's going on, Y/N?"
She swallowed, feeling the weight of the truth press on her chest. "I'm... pregnant."
Boothill's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he masked it with his usual stoic expression. He took a step closer, his voice low and filled with a rare gentleness. "Pregnant? But... how? You're not..." He trailed off, clearly confused.
"I know," she murmured, looking down at her hands. "I'm not supposed to be. I'm an NPC. I wasn't made to have a child. But I am. And I don't know how or why... or what it even means. It doesn't make sense."
Boothill was quiet for a long moment, his fingers twitching like he wanted to reach out to her but wasn't sure how. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft but steady. "You're real to me, Y/N. Whatever you were made to be, you're still more than that. I've seen you—I know who you are. If this is happening, if you're carrying my child... we'll figure it out."
Y/N's chest tightened as the reality of his words sank in. We'll figure it out. Boothill didn't see her as just an NPC. He saw her as someone real, someone who could carry a child—even if she didn't fully understand how that was possible.
"I don't know if I can," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't know what happens if I... if I have this baby. What if it messes with everything? What if it alters reality, Boothill? What if it's all... too much?"
Boothill's expression softened, his hand finally reaching out to gently cup her face. His touch was warm, grounding. "If this changes the world around us, we'll face it together. You don't have to be afraid of it, Y/N. Not with me by your side."
Y/N closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, her body trembling with a mix of fear and relief. She hadn't realized how badly she needed to hear those words, how much she needed his reassurance. But still, there was a gnawing worry deep inside her that wouldn't let go.
"I don't know if I'm ready for this," she confessed, her voice shaky. "I'm not sure what's going to happen... if I'm even capable of being a mother when I'm not even truly... alive in the way you are."
Boothill's thumb gently stroked her cheek, a quiet warmth in his eyes as he looked down at her. "I can't pretend to know what this all means, Y/N. But what I do know is this: you're stronger than you think. We'll work through this. I'll be with you every step of the way."
Y/N's heart fluttered, the familiar warmth of Boothill's presence anchoring her as the knot in her chest began to loosen. She wasn't sure how this was all going to unfold, but one thing was certain: Boothill was here. And that was enough—for now.
The next few days were a blur of uncertainty. Y/N couldn't shake the questions that loomed over her—questions about her pregnancy, the potential alterations to reality, and the future. But with Boothill by her side, the world seemed a little less daunting. They spent hours talking, discussing every possibility, and trying to make sense of what was happening. Boothill's presence was a comfort, even as they both navigated uncharted territory.
Y/N found herself clinging to the small moments—moments where she could breathe without the weight of her confusion bearing down on her. When Boothill kissed her forehead before leaving on a bounty or when they shared quiet evenings together, just existing. Those moments kept her grounded.
It wasn't long before Y/N knew she couldn't keep the truth from her friends any longer. She needed their support just as much as she needed Boothill's. The next day, after Boothill left for a short bounty mission, Y/N found herself sitting in the café again, facing March and Himeko. She had already told them about the pregnancy, but now, she needed to talk about the other thing—the reality-altering potential of it.
March and Himeko had listened with open hearts, asking questions Y/N wasn't sure how to answer. She wasn't sure what was happening to the world around her. All she knew was that everything felt fragile—like something had shifted, and she was standing at the center of it, unsure of what would happen next.
"I don't know what will happen if I keep this child," Y/N confessed to them both, her voice heavy. "But I feel like something is changing, and I'm scared of how it will affect the world around me. I don't want to break anything."
March placed a comforting hand on Y/N's. "We don't have all the answers either, Y/N. But you don't have to face this alone. Whatever happens, we'll be right here with you. If reality changes, we'll face it together."
Himeko nodded thoughtfully. "And if you're truly altering reality, it may not be as bad as you think. Change can be a catalyst for growth, for new possibilities. Just remember—you are who you are, no matter what."
Y/N felt a little lighter after their words, but the uncertainty still loomed over her. She didn't know what was ahead. But with Boothill, March, Himeko, and everyone who cared about her, she didn't feel as though she had to figure it all out alone.
No matter what came next, she would face it with them. Together.