Waterfall (Patreon)

For Andy, who had always felt at home exploring the outdoors, it only felt natural that the birth of his child would happen surrounded by nature too.

The tripod was already packed inside the backpack Arif carried. He carefully made his way along the narrow trail, following Andy, who walked ahead of him. “Dear, we still have a long way to go?” Arif asked.

“Be patient, babe,” Andy replied. He glanced up at the trees swaying in the wind before checking his phone screen. “It’s only eight. It’ll still be cool out for a while.” Then he kept walking, one hand supporting his large belly. “Try taking a video here.” He handed his phone to Arif, who accepted it without much question.

Arif opened the camera app and pointed it toward the scenery ahead. “Portrait or landscape?” he asked while adjusting the angle, still trailing after Andy.

“Landscape, babe. It’s for YouTube.”

As a content creator, Andy loved exploring the natural beauty around his hometown, even now, heavily pregnant as he was. He kept moving forward, fully aware Arif would record as much footage as possible so no moment would be missed. It would make editing easier for Andy later, too.

After about ten minutes of walking, they began to hear the sound of running water nearby.

Andy paused for a moment and turned to face the camera. “You can already hear the river from here, guys.” He rubbed his belly absentmindedly, then instinctively lowered his head when his stomach tightened. The hand resting beneath his bump lightly clenched the fabric of his shirt. “My belly’s been tightening a little. Maybe the baby’s getting impatient, guys,” he said with a soft laugh.

Behind the camera, Arif looked increasingly concerned. “Sit down for a bit, dear,” he said, motioning with his chin toward a large rock not far from the trail.

Understanding Arif’s worry, Andy sat carefully on the rock, legs spread apart to make room for his heavy belly hanging low against his body.

Arif started taking out the tripod, but Andy stopped him. “Don’t, babe. I’m only sitting for a minute.”

“It’s fine,” Arif replied. “More footage for later.” He mounted Andy’s phone onto the tripod and adjusted the angle before sitting beside him. “I wanna rub your belly, dear.” Even before Andy could answer, Arif’s hand was already moving gently over the curve of Andy’s stomach. A grin spread across his face, showing the slightly crooked fang-like tooth at the front of his smile. “What if you end up giving birth out here?” he teased.

“Then you stay here with me the whole time,” Andy replied with a quiet laugh, turning to look at him. He enjoyed the cool air around them, his hand resting over Arif’s atop his belly. Then he suddenly frowned slightly. “Babe,” he called softly.

“Yeah, dear?”

“My stomach feels weird.” Andy rubbed slow circles over his belly.

Arif’s expression immediately shifted with concern as he gently rubbed Andy’s stomach too. “What kind of weird?” he asked. “Like you need the bathroom or something?”

Andy shook his head uncertainly. “I don’t know. Let’s just keep going to the waterfall first.”

“You sure you wanna keep going?” Arif stood up, glancing around while starting to pack away the phone and tripod they had used to record their little break together on the rock.

“Yeah, babe,” Andy answered, still seated, now leaning back slightly. One hand remained on his stomach while the other supported his weight behind him.

Before Arif removed the phone from the tripod, Andy turned toward the camera again. “My stomach’s starting to cramp a little now, guys. I might actually end up giving birth at the waterfall later,” he joked lightly as he straightened himself back up. “Let’s keep going. We’re already close.” With Arif’s help, he carefully got to his feet.

Arif wrapped an arm around him to steady him upright. “Easy, dear. Slowly.” Once Andy was standing properly again, Arif quickly grabbed the tripod with the phone still attached instead of packing it back into the backpack.

“Let’s go, babe.” Since Andy knew the area better, he naturally took the lead again, though his pace had slowed noticeably now.

The two young men continued along the narrow trail, Andy leading the way while Arif recorded from behind. The waterfall they were heading toward couldn’t be far anymore—the roar of rushing water was growing clearer with every step.

Andy’s steps suddenly came to a halt. He doubled over, clutching his stomach before tilting his head back with a low groan.

The moment Arif saw him, he hurried over and rubbed his shoulder.

“Babe… my stomach’s cramping again.”

“Yeah, yeah, let me rub it for you.” Arif gently stroked his belly. “Is it really bad? You need the bathroom first or what?”

“Seriously?” Andy complained with a breathless laugh. “That’s all you keep thinking about.” He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on regulating his breathing while Arif chuckled softly beside him. Once the pain eased a little, Andy reassured him that they could keep walking.

About ten minutes later, they finally reached their destination: a waterfall surrounded by large flat boulders at its base.

Arif got himself busy setting up the tripod somewhere suitable for filming while Andy rested on one of the rocks, dipping his feet into the stream flowing from the waterfall.

When another contraction hit, Andy shifted farther toward the middle of the rock. “Babe… my stomach…” He let out a soft whine while rubbing his belly.

After finishing with the tripod and phone, Arif resumed filming for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “What do you want me to do, hm?” he asked, wrapping an arm around Andy’s shoulders.

“Help me take my shirt off.”

Andy lifted both arms while Arif pulled the hem of his shirt upward and over his head. His stomach still felt tight—tighter than before, even. Deep down, he was becoming more certain the baby would be born today.

Arif neatly folded the shirt and placed it beside them. Then he sat behind Andy, wrapping both arms around the huge curve of his stomach.

Normally, Arif still got shy about showing too much affection on camera. But today felt different. He couldn’t help feeling happy seeing Andy heavily pregnant, so close to giving birth to their child.

The cool breeze drifting through the valley brushed against Andy’s exposed skin, contrasting with the warmth of Arif’s embrace behind him. Slowly, the contraction eased again, the pain gradually fading. Andy leaned back against Arif’s chest, holding onto his arm.

“Feeling better now?” Arif asked softly, still rubbing his stomach. “Or does it still hurt?” Watching Andy’s expression slowly relax again brought him at least a little relief.

Andy let out a quieter breath this time. “It’s okay for now.”

“Alright. Tell me if it starts hurting again, okay?” Arif pressed a kiss to Andy’s left shoulder.

Andy nodded in response. Then he suddenly remembered something. “Babe, uh… plug in the power bank first. I think my phone’s about to die.”

“Just stay here for a second, okay?”

Arif immediately rummaged through the bag for the power bank and connected it to Andy’s phone. Sure enough, the battery indicator was already glowing red. Once the charger was connected, both of them relaxed slightly. No moment would be missed while documenting the birth of their first child together. Arif checked the camera angle one more time, making sure the framing looked good. He didn’t mind Andy wanting to upload the birth video to YouTube. What mattered most was that Andy and the baby stayed safe.

While Arif adjusted the phone recording them, Andy shifted position. He slowly lowered himself onto his knees before squatting with his legs spread wide, making room for the heavy belly hanging lower and tighter between them. “HMMMHHH—” A strained groan escaped him as he squatted. A stronger pressure immediately built deep inside his womb, intensified by gravity.

Hearing the sound, Arif quickly rushed over and wrapped an arm around Andy’s shoulders, steadying him so he wouldn’t lose balance. “What’s wrong, dear?”

Andy bent forward, his legs trembling slightly. “My stomach really hurts, babe…” His belly tightened visibly with every movement from the baby inside him, the contractions easy to see beneath his lean frame.

Arif reached out to rub his stomach.

“HUUUHHH… MMMNHH…” Andy groaned again, trying to breathe through the pain twisting through his abdomen.

“Is there anything I can do for you, dear?”

“Take my pants off, babe. My stomach hurts so bad…” Andy was starting to lose control against the contractions overwhelming his body. He paused briefly to steady his breathing, then glanced toward the camera to update the viewers who would eventually watch the footage on his YouTube channel.

“Ah… I think I’m gonna give birth really soon.” He whimpered softly, hands constantly rubbing over his taut, swollen belly.

“Stand up for a second, dear,” Arif said.

Once Andy managed to stand, Arif carefully helped him remove his pants. Seeing how hard Andy struggled just to breathe steadily, Arif unconsciously found himself holding his own breath too. His gaze flickered briefly toward Andy’s stomach—then lower. “Is the cramping easing up now?” he asked quietly. Afterward, Arif removed his own jacket and shirt. The jacket could work as a pillow if Andy needed to lie down, while the shirt would serve as something soft beneath them later.

“It’s still there, babe…”

Andy looked genuinely miserable now. His hand reflexively gripped Arif’s arm tightly as he lowered himself back down. This contraction felt longer than the others. He bent both knees and spread his legs wider, pain radiating uncontrollably through his entire lower body.

Before leaving home that morning to film the trip leading up to their baby’s birth, Andy had actually considered livestreaming the whole experience on YouTube. But judging from how he felt now, he knew he wouldn’t even be capable of interacting with viewers. He was struggling just to stay calm through the increasingly intense pain consuming him.

Arif immediately helped Andy sit again, carefully supporting him to make sure no part of his body hit the rock too hard. Then he wrapped an arm around him, whispering encouragement while another wave of contractions tore through Andy’s body.

His eyes moved constantly between Andy’s face and his lower body, attention repeatedly drawn to the tight curve of Andy’s stomach. At the same time, Andy squeezed his hand painfully hard.

A sudden gush of cloudy fluid spilled out beneath him.

“Ah—my water broke, babe!” Andy cried out as another intense cramp overtook him. The pressure was becoming unbearable now. All he could do was cling tightly to Arif’s hand while slowly lowering himself into a lying position.

Even Arif looked momentarily flustered by what he had just witnessed. “Whoa, dear… that was a lot…” Quickly, he adjusted the shirt laid beneath Andy and rolled up the jacket more carefully so it could support Andy’s head comfortably.

Andy spread his legs even wider. The pressure deep inside his body was impossible to resist anymore, no matter how hard he tried. “I really feel like pushing, babe…”

Arif immediately understood. He shifted to kneel between Andy’s exposed thighs out there in the open wilderness. “Try pushing, dear.” He held Andy’s knees gently apart to keep him from closing them.

The force building inside his stomach felt overwhelmingly real now. Andy had to stay focused, especially considering they were far from home in the middle of nowhere. He drew in a deep breath and finally pushed. “HMMMMNHHHH!”

His womb felt unbearably tight. Then he pushed again until both his legs started shaking.

“Come on, push again.”

“EUMMNNNGHHH—” Andy groaned through the effort. “My stomach hurts so bad, babe…”

“I know, dear.” Arif smiled softly. One hand continued rubbing and massaging Andy’s stomach, hoping to ease at least some of the pain from the contractions. “You can do it,” he murmured gently. “I know it hurts, but you gotta keep pushing for me, okay?”

The pain tearing through Andy’s body was unbearable. He had never experienced anything this intense before, especially the crushing ache spreading through his stomach and lower back. And because this was their first child, exhaustion was already beginning to consume him. Right now, the only thing keeping him going was Arif’s voice. “AAAAARGHHH!” A loud cry ripped from Andy’s throat as another powerful contraction forced his body to push on its own.

“Babe—”

Andy pulled both knees closer toward himself, gripping them tightly just to cope with the pain.

“Breathe, dear. Don’t forget to breathe.” Arif kept reminding him to inhale between pushes. He could only imagine how overwhelming this was for Andy, but he was also terrified Andy might exhaust himself too early.

“HEUMMMMNNNGHHHH!”

Arif glanced down between Andy’s legs while continuing to massage his stomach. “I can’t see anything yet,” he said softly. “Push slowly, okay? Try to relax.”

Tears were beginning to gather in Andy’s eyes, likely from the sheer intensity of the pain. He tried following Arif’s instructions, pushing more carefully this time. “MMNNNH—” A strained groan slipped from him as he felt the baby shifting lower inside his body.

Slowly, the baby’s head descended further into Andy’s birth canal, creating an overwhelming feeling of fullness and pressure deep inside him.

Meanwhile, Arif kept rubbing and massaging his stomach nonstop. He wanted to help however he could. If it were possible, he would have taken all of Andy’s pain onto himself instead. He bit down on his lower lip anxiously while watching Andy strain through another push. “You can do this, Andy,” he whispered. “You’re strong. Do it for our baby.”

“I can do it, babe… but it hurts so bad…”

Andy had only been pushing for a short while, but exhaustion was already creeping into every part of his body. Still, he kept trying, snatching breaths whenever he had the chance. A small amount of blood began to appear beneath him.

Little by little, Arif finally noticed something emerging.

“I think… I think I can see the head, dear.” He looked again to make sure, then nodded in confirmation. “Push again for me, okay? But slowly.”

Arif gently stroked around the sensitive area, trying to help Andy relax despite the intensity of everything happening.

Andy tried once more to follow his guidance, taking deep breaths whenever he could and pushing as carefully as possible whenever another contraction seized his stomach. But exhaustion and pain made everything harder. He pushed more desperately now, hoping their baby would come faster. The contractions were barely seconds apart, leaving him almost no time to recover between efforts. “Isn’t the baby out yet, babe?” he asked breathlessly.

Arif shook his head gently. “Not yet, dear.” He smiled reassuringly, trying to keep Andy calm.

Andy let out another broken moan as a new wave of pressure overwhelmed him. The sensations tearing through his lower body felt almost impossible to process now, especially with the contractions hitting one after another without pause.

The baby’s head continued moving lower, pressing harder from within.

Arif watched closely, his entire focus fixed on Andy and the baby. He knew this stage would likely be the most painful part for him. Quietly, inwardly, he prayed that both Andy and their baby would make it through safely.

Andy cried out sharply. It felt as though his body was being split apart by the baby’s head trying to emerge. At this point, he was truly struggling. Every push only seemed to intensify the pain further. “BABE— AH, AAHHH… help me get the baby out!” He arched his back and spread his trembling legs wider as another overwhelming contraction crashed through him.

“I can’t pull the baby out for you, dear,” Arif said worriedly. “You need to push, okay? It’s gonna be alright.”

Of course Andy knew that. He just couldn’t handle the burning pain overwhelming his body right now. He pushed again, trying desperately to ignore it. His hole stretched wider and wider around the baby’s head. Fluid mixed with blood and amniotic water soaked through the shirt Arif had laid beneath him.

Andy squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to control his breathing while pushing as hard as he could.

“I can’t, babe! It hurts so bad!”

“You can do it, dear.”

Arif kept both of Andy’s knees spread wide.

“Don’t force yourself too hard. Just stay calm.”

Andy cried out again, his breathing turning ragged as another contraction crashed through him. With the force of it, his body instinctively pushed harder, forcing more of the baby’s head outward.

Half the head finally emerged, leaving Andy trembling from the overwhelming burning pressure.

“AH— AAKH— AAAAHHH!”

As the baby’s head continued easing out, Arif quickly pushed Andy’s knees farther back to help open his hips more fully.

“MMMNHHH—”

Andy’s whole body jerked when the baby’s head finally slipped free.

His chest heaved with uneven breaths, sweat covering nearly every inch of him. But at least now he knew the baby would be here soon.

While Andy tried calming himself for a moment, Arif quickly checked the baby’s head and made sure the cord wasn’t wrapped around the neck.

Then he looked up at Andy and smiled warmly.

“Just a little more now, okay?”

Andy nodded weakly and returned a faint smile.

Before the next contraction arrived, he glanced toward the camera and managed to say between breaths,

“The head’s already out, guys.”

He tried steadying his breathing, but soon another contraction tightened through his stomach again.

“Ah… it’s starting again…”

His exhausted eyes turned back toward Arif.

“Push again for me.”

Arif carefully supported the baby’s head while Andy started bearing down once more.

“EUMMMMMHH!”

Andy pushed hard, wanting it all to finally end. More than anything, he wanted to hold his baby already.

“HAAHH— HAHHH—”

He gasped sharply as Arif gently guided the baby forward, helping ease the shoulders while Andy’s body stretched painfully around them.

“Come on, one more strong push.”

Andy shook his head weakly but still forced himself to push with whatever strength remained.

“HMMMMMMNGGHHHHH!”

Another rush of fluid burst from his body, helping the baby slide free completely. Arif immediately caught the newborn carefully before the baby could hit the hard rock beneath them.

“Dear… our baby’s here.”

Andy smiled instantly.

The exhaustion consuming him seemed to disappear the moment he heard those words, followed almost immediately by the sound of the baby crying.

He no longer knew how many hours had passed since they first started their journey toward the waterfall—the same waterfall that had now become the backdrop for the video documenting their child’s birth.

But one thing was certain.

Andy felt relieved.

And overwhelmingly happy.