Kyo's POV
I opened my eyes to see my favorite thing in the world, and I felt a smile creep up on my face as I propped myself up on one elbow. Tohru looked so peaceful when she slept, her beautiful eyes closed and a small, dreamy smile gracing her lips. She was amazing. Both of us aged twenty-four, we had been married now for two and a half years, and she still stunned me with her being. Everything wasn't always perfect, but then no relationship ever was, whatever ages, genders, races or statuses made up that relationship. We fought - rarely, but it did happen - and she would cry, and I would apologize. We always came back to each other, and that was what was important. I knew we were young, and probably still in that careless, naïve stage of life that older people would judge us for, but we had true love, tested by time and immense difficulty. We had moved back closer to the Sohma estate last year, when we'd decided that we'd traveled enough. Shishou wasn't really ready to give up the dojo to me yet, but he was getting there, and I might as well get myself reaccquainted with the place I'd grown up. We truly felt home now. We had everything.
Her eyelids twitched and I smirked, knowing she would be awake now. Sure enough, she opened her eyes and smiled sleepily, staring up at me.
"Hey there," I murmured.
"Hey," she replied, rubbing her right eye briefly before smiling wider. "Good morning, Kyo."
"Morning, beautiful."
She blushed and I grinned at the sight, beautiful and innocent as she always was. So selfless and willing to do anything to help others, Tohru was almost childish when it came to everyday life and human interaction, but her heart was as deep as the ocean, able to care for anyone, even me. She reached out and I took her into my arms, laying back down with her and kissing the top of her head, where a few small knots had formed in her long brown hair.
"You tired?" I asked, seeing as how Tohru was usually the one up and ready to face the world and I was the one dragging her back down into the sheets.
"A little," she admitted. "I'm usually okay, but I'm just sleepy..." she trailed off into a yawn. "But we've got to get up," she said, cheeriness flooding her thick voice. "We have brunch with Momiji-kun and whoever he found to come with him."
"Oh yeah...that," I groaned. "Do we have to?"
"Yes, we have to!" she laughed, extracting herself from my arms and pushing up into a sitting position. She wore a billowy white nightgown that clung to her shoulders perfectly. She was framed with white-gold light from the window, making her look almost angelic. "It's the anniversary, coming up! But no one will be available then, so we have to do it now."
"You don't seem tired now," I accused.
"No, now I'm too excited!" she enthused. "Come on!" She pulled on my hand, trying to tug me off and I was trying my best to resist, but she got me up a few inches and from there, I decided that it was too far to go back.
"All right..." I muttered. "All right. What time are we meeting them?"
"Eleven," she said, glancing at the digital clock on the bedside table behind her. "And it's ten now. We just need to get ready and drive over to the estate."
"We're having it at the estate?" I said, fighting hard the urge to fall back onto the soft bed again.
"Yes," Tohru answered, climbing off of the bed and letting go of my hands. "It was a good midway point for everyone to meet. Besides, it's nice out there, and we can sit outside by one of the ponds. Momiji-kun said he'd bring the food, so it's just the loca-" Her eyes widened. "Oh... Kyo! You haven't been back since...!" Suddenly, she looked worried. "Are you okay with going back? I'm so sorry! I didn't even think of it! I can probably still call Momiji-kun to change locations-"
"No, no, Tohru, it's okay," I looked at her. "Really. I don't mind going back there, as long as there's no one incredibly annoying. It's all okay, I promise."
Tohru still loked worried. "Are you sure, Kyo? You don't have to!"
"No, I'm fine. Honestly. We'll just go and have a good time," I smiled.
Timidly, Tohru smiled back. "Okay." Then she frowned again.
"Tohru?" I asked, seeing her expression. "What is it?"
She held up a finger to signal something like, "One minute."
Suddenly, she coughed and covered her mouth with one hand, clutching her stomach with the other. "Tohru!" I exclaimed, leaping off of the bed. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" I stood in front of her, brushing her hair out of her face and taking her arm.
She launched off of the bed and into the bathroom, putting her head over the toilet bowl and letting it all go. I held her hair for her, keeping it out of her way as she was sick. She coughed and hiccuped for a moment before getting off of the floor and cleaning off her face.
"Did you get sick? Should we not go?" I asked, more concerned for her health, but a little hopeful that we might have a way out of going out to brunch.
"No, I'm okay... I'm sorry, Kyo!" she sighed. "I'm just... I'm going to go and take a shower."
"Okay... And don't apologize!"
I worried over Tohru as I shuffled into the kitchen. I knew we'd be going to brunch soon - who made up the term 'brunch'? And why did it make me feel so feminine to say it? - but old habits died hard: I suddenly needed milk. I took the carton out of the fridge and drank straight from it. Tohru had to be the only girl I'd ever heard of that didn't mind that kind of thing. She was too good to me, honestly.
I put away the milk and went to go get dressed. Then I settled in front of the window with a mug of milk, waiting for Tohru to be ready to go. A few minutes later, she stepped out of our bedroom wearing a simple blue frock-style summer dress. To anyone but me, she would have looked like a pretty young woman in a dress. To me, she looked as beautiful as a falling star colliding with a rainbow. ...did that sound as weird as it did inside my head? Probably...
"You look beautiful," I told her, setting down my mug to walk over to her and take her hands.
She blushed. "Thank you," she smiled. "Are you ready to go?"
"Sure."
We got ourselves into the car and I began driving us to the Sohma estate. When we were almost there, Tohru kind of hiccupped and covered her mouth. "Tohru, you okay?" I asked, peeking at her out of my peripheral vision.
She nodded, still covering her mouth with a shaky hand. "Nauseous again... It'll pass..."
"Maybe we should go home," I offered, already beginning to search for a spot on the road in which I could make a U-turn.
"No, no!" Tohru exclaimed, uncovering her mouth and leaning forward. "No! We haven't seen the others since New Year's! It's June! We have to go!" she pleaded with me.
Well how the hell was I expected to resist that? I sighed. "Okay. But if you start feeling too bad-"
"I'll tell you, I promise," she smiled.
"...okay."
We found Momiji and Haru at the gate of the Sohma estate, waiting for us. Momiji jumped up and down, waving excitedly towards our car. We parked by the entrance and Tohru hopped out of the car, letting Momiji rush toward her and into her arms.
"Tohru-chan!" he sang. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you, too, Momiji-kun!" Tohru replied, and the two continued to slowly crush each other to death (with love). They finally separated and I took Tohru's hand. We met with Haru at the gate and greeted each other, then began walking along the path inside.
"So, who else is coming to this thing?" I asked, as we saw none of the former members of the Zodiac on our walk through the estate.
"Um..." Momiji pondered. "Well, Haru and I. And you two. And Kisa said she would bring Hiro."
"And Rin's here," cut in Haru.
"Right! And Shigure-sensei and Hatori-sensei. And I think Kagura-chan is coming, but I don't know for sure. Kureno-san couldn't make it, he's at home with Uo-chan. Akito-san said she'd see you another time. Oh! Ritsu-chan is coming! And Yuki-chan is coming with Aya-san..." Momiji put his hand to his chin and continued to walk. The little blond boy was now twenty-one, but he still acted like he had at fourteen...which is to say, sort of like a five-year-old.
"Momiji-kun, you can stop now. We're here," Haru said, nearly monotone.
"Oh, okay." Momiji skipped to the large picnic table where everyone he'd mentioned was sitting: Shigure, Ayame, Hatori, Kisa and Hiro, Kagura, Ritsu, the rat, and lastly, a very pregnant Rin, whom Haru came up behind and wrapped his arms around.
"Hi, everyone!" Tohru said happily, pulling me along to the table.
"Onee-chan!" Kisa called back, and she got up from the table, being the second member of my family today to literally rush into her arms. But Tohru took it in stride and held the now eighteen-year-old girl closely to her.
"Kisa-chan! I've missed you!" Tohru cooed.
I had to let go of Tohru to let her hug everyone who came to greet us. Hiro came after Kisa, who wouldn't let go of Tohru, and he didn't hug her, but shook her hand formally. Ritsu hugged her lightly, apologizing profusely that he came, "obviously ruining their perfect family time together," and Tohru tried to assure him that he hadn't, to no avail. Those two could go at it for hours, I was sure, until Kagura intercepted Tohru, and then of course, came to hug me. We exchanged a trite (although quite warm on Katgura's end) hello, and she took her seat back at the table. I couldn't help but grit my teeth as Shigure and Ayame practically glomped Tohru, looking quite happy about their closeness to my wife. Ayame smiled at me innocently as he walked away, to which I glared, and Shigure was shamelessly humming joyfully under his breath. I could have pummeled him. Surprisingly enough, I wasn't bothered when Yuki and Tohru hugged, and I actually shook his hand, offering him a small smile. I did it for Tohru, mostly, but honestly, it wasn't nearly as hard to try to get along with the pretty boy when I didn't blame him for, well, ruining my life.
"I would get up to say hello, but..." Rin gestured down at her rotund stomach wryly. "Haru won't let me stand."
"It's okay, Rin-san!" Tohru beamed. She came over to Rin and patted her shoulder, then her stomach. "How far along are you now?"
"Eight and a half months," Rin smiled softly - rare for the wild and rebellious girl. Something about marrying Haru (right after Haru graduated school like you'd think it was a shotgun wedding) and becoming pregnant with their son had seemed to settle her a bit. Now, she would still come into the dojo to work with me some days and she would beat up on mine and Shishou's students like they were beanbag dolls, don't get me wrong. But she seemed happier. Lighter, somehow. More in a way like Tohru.
"Oh, I'm so excited!" Tohru squealed, grinning crazily.
"We are, too," Rin agreed, taking Haru's hand, who stood behind her again.
"So come on, everybody! Food!" Momiji pulled out a couple of large picnic baskets and Haru went around to the same side of the table to lift up a cooler. Tohru and I took our seats next to Kisa by Tohru and Haru by me, and everyone started passing around traditional Japanese breakfast foods as well as some more Western things that Hatori and Momiji had brought, like toast, bagels, omelettes, bagels and jelly-filled things I couldn't remember the name of. In the cooler were large bottles and cartons of milk, orange juice and other kinds of sweet fruit juices. There was actually quite a bit of food, even for the thirteen of us.
At least three conversations were being held at one time, and I was passed from one to another as everyone seemed to be. One minute I'd be talking with Yuki and Kagura, and the next I'd be arguing with Hiro or Shigure. Strangest part was, it seemed like almost no one was talking to the people right next to them. I hardly exchanged any words with Haru and was only part of the same conversation as Tohru once. It was insane. But...a good kind of insanity. It felt whole, and warm.
At one point, Momiji mentioned to me that Tohru and I had been late this morning. I was about to start yelling at him, but Tohru jumped in, "Oh, I'm sorry, Momiji! I was sick this morning, so we were running a little late."
"You were sick?" Momiji fretted.
"Yes, but it was nothing horrible, don't worry! I was just a little nauseous!"
"Or a lot nauseous," I corrected.
We were there at least an hour and half to two hours. We talked with different people, caught up on the goings-on of the Sohmas and friends of family, like Tohru's friends Uotani and Hanajima. Food was consumed in dwindling amounts as appetites passed on and we were mostly just caught up in fraternizing. There were more heated moments, when I'd get into an argument, or sweeter moments when Tohru or Kagura or Rin would be sighing over "cute" things their significant others had been up to. When I heard a couple of reactions to whatever Tohru had said that I'd missed, I was blushing bright red. The blushing got me into a fight with Ayame, and we were at it again, Shigure trying to relieve tension and Ritsu crying that it was "always his fault that people fought!"
Suddenly, I heard a moaning noise from beside me. It wouldn't have bothered me with all the pandemonium, but I remembered Tohru's condition from this morning and sat back down in my seat to turn to her. "Tohru!" people were murmuring. "Tohru, are you okay?"
"Are you all right?"
"Is everything okay, onee-chan?"
"Tohru, are you okay?" I got in, whispering to her as she held her temples. I brushed hair out of her face and looked at her eyes, scrunched together in what could have been pain.
"Yes, I'm okay, Kyo... Just a little headache..." But then she moaned again and her forehead slumped to my shoulder.
"Tohru, I'm serious," I almost hissed. "If you're sick, we need to go, it's not worth you feeling horrible."
To my surprise, but relief, I felt Tohru give a little nod into my shoulder.
"Is onee-chan okay, Kyo-chan?" Kisa asked, looking worried, and Hiro draped his arm around his girlfriend.
"Um... Well, she'll be fine, but I think we're gonna hit the road... She should get some rest and meds."
Only Kisa and Momiji jumped up to hug Tohru as we got up and she hugged them back as best she could, I could tell. There were sympathetic good-byes and "get well soon!"s. I helped Tohru to the car as she clutched her head.
"First you've got nausea, now headaches-"
"Maybe a migraine," Tohru corrected.
"Okay, migraines. What do you think's wrong?"
"I'm sure I'm fine, Kyo. Probably just a little bug going around. You were right, I just need a little rest and medication."
Kisa's POV
Still gathered around the picnic table at the Sohma estate, things were quiet for a moment, in an almost awkward way, after onee-chan and Kyo-chan left. I was worried for Tohru. She had looked like she was in pain... And she'd been sick! I missed her, but I wouldn't have wanted her to come if it meant that she would feel worse! I could have visited her later...
"Kisa? Are you okay?" Hiro asked, stroking my hair.
"Yeah... But onee-chan... Do you think she's okay?"
Hiro hesitated. "About that..." The whole group looked at Hiro. "Doesn't it seem a little suspicious? Just a little?" Everyone stared at him, including me.
"What do you mean?"
"Actually, I agree with Hiro-kun," said Hatori thoughtfully as he sipped at a cup of tea.
"Me too," Rin agreed.
"What do you mean?" I repeated. "How is her sickness suspicious?"
"Well, her symptoms..." Hiro started, looking at me and seemingly expecting me to just understand. I blinked. He sighed. "She was nauseous and throwing up this morning. Then she came here and got a migraine. And did you see how much marmalade she was eating?" I shook my head. "You see where I'm going with this, right?" Hiro looked to the rest of the group.
I was still confused, and Kagura, Ritsu, Yuki and Momiji looked a little blank, too. "Morning sickness, migraines, cravings. Rin had the same stuff." said Haru. "You think she's pregnant."
"Onee-chan's pregnant!" I exclaimed, jumping up. "What? Why didn't she tell us!"
"Who knows?" Hiro asked, shrugging. "She and Kyo probably just don't want anyone to know yet. Maybe they're trying to decide about the baby and what they're going to do, or names, or anything, really, and they just want to wait to let everyone find out."
"But! Tohru-chan would have told us!" Momiji cried, also standing up. "She trusts us!"
"It's not about trust, Momiji-kun, if they just don't want anyone to know," Shigure said, sitting back. "They're just not ready for other people to figure it out."
"True. We didn't tell you all until a couple of weeks after we found out," Rin pointed out. "We just wanted to make sure we were ready ourselves to be parents before letting you know. Maybe that's what Kyo and Tohru need."
"Oh, but that's horrendous!" Ayame exclaimed, looking hurt. "How ever are we going to have enough information to throw a baby shower if we don't even know about the baby? This is a crisis! Even I might not be able to save this disaster!" Ayame fell back into his seat, leaning his head on Yuki's shoulder, who shrugged it off.
"We're not even supposed to know that she's pregnant and already you're planning her shower?" he muttered. "Shameful." Then he smiled. "But I'm happy for her. With Machi, I haven't even gotten the courage to pro-" he blushed. "Never mind."
"Are we really throwing her a shower?" Momiji asked. "That would be great!"
"Yeah. It'll show her that we outsmarted her and Kyon," smiled Shigure.
"But what if they get mad?" Ritsu wondered. Then he blushed. "I MEAN! I'M SO SORRY! I SPOILED YOUR FUN WITH MY WORRYING! AND NOW I'M BABBLING! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SOOOOOOOO SOOOOORRY! WHY WAS I BOOOORN?"
"Ritsu-chan! Calm down!" Kagura wrapped her arm around Ritsu's shoulders and pushed him back down into his seat, trying to get him to stop crying. "We know she might get mad."
"Well, probably not Tohru so much as Kyo," Rin grunted. "The hothead will probably just get upset that we figured them out."
"But isn't it right to throw her a party?" I asked. "I mean, we're happy for them, aren't we? We need to congratulate them! And welcome the baby, even if it's not born yet! We should give her a baby shower."
"That's true..." Hiro thought aloud beside me.
"I think Kisa-chan's right!" Momiji grinned.
"Oh! Good! I'll call Mine and begin preparations!" Ayame enthused, sweeping his long hair over his shoulder and pulling out his cell phone.
"It might be good for them to be uncovered..." Shigure murmured. "Show them we're not entirely stupid."
"And baby showers are good. It gives the parents the beginning supplies for taking care of the baby. It helps," Haru added, and Rin nodded.
"I'll have to tell you which products to get, however," Hatori rolled his visible eye. "I don't want you purchasing recalled strollers just because they're cute."
"Ritsu-chan and I are in!" Kagura said loudly, pounding her fist into the table. "This will be the best baby shower ever!"
We all looked at Yuki. He was the last person at the table who hadn't said anything. Plus, we all knew and loved Tohru, but he had once lived with her for a couple of years. Of all of us, he would have the final say. He looked around at us and then sighed, smiling. "Yes, let's show them they're not so sneaky. And Tohru-san will enjoy it anyway." We all broke into conversations about the shower, talking quickly and excitedly to one another about our parts in the shower and what we would need to buy.
A while later, we all headed to Ayame's shop to begin preparations. We all carpooled with whomever had brought vehicles and were greeted by a teenage girl standing at the door to Ayame's shop and waving shyly at us.
"Rachael-kun!" Ayame called, stepping out of his sleek car. "As glad as I am to see you - it has been much too long! - what are you doing here?"
The girl smiled at Ayame. "Ayame-san! I'm sorry to be here so unexpectedly! But Mine-chan said she wasn't feeling well, so she called in a favor."
A crease formed between Ayame's eyebrows. "Oh. All right, well, it is wonderful to see you! Everyone, this is the adorable Rachael-kun. She's from America. She and Mine-chan's parents are friends."
Rachael waved at the other former Zodiac. "Hello!"
There were murmured "hello"s and "nice to meet you"s passed through the group to the girl and we all piled into Ayame's shop. Rachael showed us where she had set aside all of the decorations and explained to the adults what orders Mine had called in and who to expect. We had all decided as a group before leaving the estate that the party would be tomorrow. It was rushed, but we would be ready, and we were just too excited to wait. Momiji-kun and I were probably the most excited. Once I'd gotten over the initial shock and irrepressable hurt that Tohru was pregnant and hadn't told us, I was completely on-board to throw her a party and welcome her baby. I was actually very happy for her and so excited that she and Kyo-kun were going to have a baby! I could barely believe it! I hadn't been this happy in so long... It made me want to be spontaneous.
"Hiro-chan?" I called out, ducking around people and boxes of streamers and helium tanks to find my friend. "Hiiiro-chan!"
"Kisa? What is it?" Hiro asked, trying to curl long strands of pastel ribbons with a sharp pair of scissors.
Feeling embarrassed but empowered, I took his face in my hands and kissed him full on the mouth, closing my eyes. I felt him stiffen and then soften again as he kissed me back. I felt my cheeks grow red that he was responding, but hadn't I hoped for that? It's not like I wanted him to just push me away, saying he didn't feel the same way...
I finally let him go and stood back a little, awkwardly looking at his face but avoiding his eyes. "Wha-what was that for?" Hiro gasped, touching his mouth.
"I was just feeling...happy. Spontaneous. Adventurous. Like love. Do you...feel the same way?"
There was a strange look of mixed wonder and exasperation as Hiro told me gently, "I do now." Then he kissed me again and threw his ribbons and scissors behind him, apparently hitting someone, and wrapped his arms around my waist.
"Aw! Lovebirds!" exclaimed Kagura, clasping her hands in glee. Hiro and I broke apart, embarrassed. Soon everyone was around us and cooing over how "cute" we were and how long this had taken us, which surprised me. It took everyone a few minutes to get back to work. Even when everyone was pack to blowing up balloons and placing streamers, Mine's friend Rachael was over in the corner, grinning like a fangirl. Eventually, she shook herself and got back to work.
My happiness for Tohru and Kyo and their future baby was only matched by the happiness I felt when I kissed Hiro. Maybe... Maybe someday, I could have everything, like Tohru. Maybe someday Hiro would be my Kyo. The red didn't leave my face the rest of the time we decorated.
Kyo's POV
The rest of the day, Tohru mostly lounged on the couch or in bed, and I cooked (or tried to cook) mild foods that would be good for getting over a sickness. She drank lots of water and kept a compress on her head which was helping a little with the migraine. I wouldn't tell Tohru, but I was worried. Had everything gotten too perfect? Were we too happy? Was everything working out a little too well? She couldn't be seriously sick, but on the off-chance... We agreed that we wouldn't treat her illness too lightly, and even though she'd protested as vehemently as she could with her aching head, I'd promised to be at her beck-and-call, ready to get anything she needed.
That night, her migraine had gotten a little better after taking a bath and she'd climbed into bed, sighing sleepily. I cradled her to my chest and kissed her head, like I did every night.
"I'm sorry, Kyo... That I'm sick..."
"Tohru, don't apologize," I sighed, exasperated. "You can't help it. We just need to get you better."
"You're too good to me, Kyo..." she breathed. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
In the morning, the process started over again. We woke up, ready to get about the day. I had canceled my shift at the dojo with Shishou today, telling him that I needed to stay home and take care of Tohru. He'd said he understood and to tell Tohru to feel better. But she was still asleep at nine-thirty and I figured she needed the extra rest, so I decided I'd take a short walk. Just around the property and the little thicket of trees that surrounded it on two sides. There was a convenient little pebbled path around the half-mile territory, and it wasn't very long, so I set out.
I guess anxiety and mental unrest over Tohru was causing me to walk faster, because I finished the circuit in under twenty minutes. I was about to go for another lap, but I'd begun to think more pessimistically about Tohru the longer I'd walked, and I came to the conclusion that I should just go back inside and wait for her to wake up. Maybe make her some soup.
When I walked into the little house, I immediately heard the sound of coughing. Is she awake? I wondered, going into the bedroom. But she wasn't in bed, and the noises were apparently coming from the bathroom. "Tohru?" I called. I stepped into the bathroom and found her over the toilet again. I took her hair and held it for her like yesterday, concerned for the way her body shook when she vomited. "Are you okay?" I asked stupidly when she stood up to wrinse her mouth with the sink.
"Y-Yes," she replied shakily. "I just woke up and I felt sick again... I barely made it in here..." she groaned.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here," I held her and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry..."
"No, no, it's okay! I figured you had gone to the dojo."
"No, I canceled for today. Taking care of you is more important." I kissed the top of her head.
"Oh, you didn't have to do that!" she exclaimed, apologies written all over her face. "You can still go!"
"Seriously, Tohru," I looked her in the eye and she stilled. "I want to stay home to take care of you. It's fine, okay? I just want you to get better. Promise me you'll try?"
She looked a little surprised. "...yes. I promise." I nodded and was about to walk away when she asked, surprising me, "You're not...worried, are you? About me, I mean?" Her voice was quiet and she looked thoughtful.
I looked at her sadly. "Honestly...? A little. I can't help it. Your dad...then your mom...my mom... People..." I sighed. "Life is...short. I'm trying to make yours the best I can."
"Kyo, you know this is nothing! A little bug I must've caught somewhere! Please don't worry about me! There's no need to worry that way at all, Kyo!" she launched herself at me and hugged me tight. "I'm sorry for making you worry...and making you stay home... Please don't worry," she begged. "Please."
I wrapped my arms around her in response. "I'll try." It was the best I could really do. Tohru nodded into my chest. "Now, go lay down. I'll bring you some breakfast. Do you want anything specific?"
She shook her head with a small smile. "No, I- Actually..." she grinned. "Oranges! I really, really want oranges..." I smiled and began to walk to the kitchen. Thank you so much!" Tohru called after me.
While I was in the kitchen, opening the cupboard to see what all it was that we had, the phone in the living room rang. "I'll get it!" Tohru called, and I let her pick it up. "Hello? Sohma residence," she said in a friendly way. "...um, okay... Yes, I think we can manage..." I peeked around the doorway to look at her curiously, but Tohru had her face turned away from me and I couldn't see her expression. "Yes, we'll be there. See you! Bye!" She set the phone down on the dock.
"Tohru? Who was it?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.
"It was Momiji-kun. He wants us to meet him at Ayame-san's shop at ten for a party."
"A party?" I repeated, confused.
"Yes... Did I forget anything?" Tohru instantly fretted.
"Um...I don't think so..." I said, unsure. "But we can't go, Tohru, you're sick. What if you get another migraine?"
"I won't! Really! We can go, right?" She had a grin on her face, like this party would make her life. "Please?"
I sighed, face-palming. "God... You know I can't say no to that face..." I groaned.
"Thank you, Kyo! Thank you!" She hugged me tightly and I hugged her back, but then I realized she'd gone deathly still again. She ran from my arms straight into the bathroom. I groaned again as I ran in after her to hold her hair.
At two minutes to ten, Tohru and I arrived at Ayame's shop. The windows were dark, and the sign on the door was flipped to "closed".
"Um... are you sure Momiji said to come here?" I asked skeptically, opening Tohru's door for her and closing it behind her.
"Yes..." Tohru said, sure but confused. "He did... I wonder... Should we just go inside?" she asked cautiously.
"I guess we could... If there's no one inside, I'll call Haru's cell," I told her, formulating a plan. Tohru nodded confidently.
I took her hand and we walked up the front path, pausing before the door and then turning the knob, finding the door open. The store was completely dark, and you could only barely see the outlines of hanging maids' dresses and lacy costumes pushed away towards the walls where normally they'd be hanging only a few feet in front of your face. The almost-pitch-black of the room, accompanied with an abandoned silence, was intimidating, and I almost insisted that Tohru and I walk back to the car when suddenly, what seemed like a crowd popped out of nowhere, yelling, "SURPRISE!"
Lights were suddenly flicked on and Tohru shrieked, surprised, and spun into my chest, where I held her, shocked. There were balloons and streamers lining the windows, confetti had been tossed casually around the floor and curled ribbons hung from the ceiling in place of Ayame's wares. In the center of the room, surrounded by little hearts, was written, "Congratulations!"
Momiji and Kisa and Kagura ran up to us, taking Tohru and hugging her. She came away from me enough to see anyone, but not to let go of my hand. Then Hatori, Shigure, and Haru came up to me, shaking my free hand or patting me on the back and congratulating me. Ritsu was cowering in the corner, muttering, while a girl I didn't know patted his back and was apparently trying to soothe him, to no avail. Once everyone had taken a few steps back away from us and people had begun to relax, and Ayame had properly shouted out a greeting to us, Yuki stepped forward to greet Tohru and I.
"Congratulations, you two," he said warmly, smiling genuinely. "I didn't think it would happen - at least not this soon - but I'm really happy for you. We all are."
He hugged Tohru and actually shook my hand civilly (which I guess I expected from such a sickeningly gentlemanly rat and didn't totally resent), before Tohru and I got a chance to stare blankly at each other.
"It's not anyone's birthday..." I muttered.
"And it's not our aniversary..." Tohru continued.
"It's not the day the curse was broken..."
"Or the day we left..."
"Or the day we came back... It hasn't even been a year, for that..." I finally looked away from Tohru's eyes, as filled with confusion as mine probably were. I looked instead to our family, who were standing around the room, getting punch, or smiling at us, or talking amiably to each other, looking generally thrilled. "What the hell is going on here?" I finally asked, loud enough for them all to hear.
"Oh, come on, Kyonkichi," Ayame chided. "You and Tohru-chan! Did you really think you could fool us?"
"Yeah, come on," Hiro droned. "We're not stupid."
"We figured you out!" Momiji and Kisa cheered together.
"Figured...what out?" Tohru asked, glancing at me again and then to the others.
"That you're pregnant! Duh!" Kagura smiled.
My eyes widened. All I could do was stare at the former Zodiac, stunned. Too stunned for words, or for coherant thoughts, for that matter. What the hell did they mean...pregnant? Wouldn't Tohru have freaking told me if she was...with child? My child?
"What?" Tohru whispered. I looked down at her to see that she was also staring at the others, eyes wide, trying to make sense of things.
"Y-You're pregnant?" I managed, having much trouble with words.
"Um..." Our family glanced at each other nervously, with a kind of What? look on their faces.
"How could you not have told me?" I asked, hurt rather than angry.
"I didn't know!" Tohru murmured, looking panicked.
"What?" I was confused again.
"What do you mean, you didn't know?" Rin asked disdainfully. "You can drop the act, now."
"Come on. The symptoms?" a skeptical Hiro put his hands on his hips. "Morning sickness, migraines, cravings?"
Things began to fall into place in my brain. I felt incredibly stupid, but also relieved, and...excited.
"Those are...symptoms of...pregnancy?" Tohru asked quietly, shocked.
"Well, yeah... We thought you just didn't want to tell us," Kisa said, quietly. "Because you needed time to figure things out about the baby!" She came to us and took Tohru's other hand.
"You really didn't know? It has to have been at least a month now..." Hatori asked, looking surprised.
"Goodness, you two," Shigure smirked. "I thought you were a little smarter than that..."
Under normal circumstances, I might have jumped on Shigure yelling something like, "Shut up, you stupid dog!" But in this current situation, I couldn't find it in myself. I was relieved: Tohru wasn't sick. I was shocked: Tohru was...going to have a baby? I was thrilled: Tohru was going to have a baby...our baby... Hers and mine.
I looked down at Tohru's face and I met her eyes. Her large, chocolate-brown orbs were rimmed with tears. But farther down on her face, she wore a bewildered but undoubtedly happy grin.
"You're going to have a baby?" I whispered, feeling a smile creeping onto my mouth.
"I... I guess so...maybe?" Tohru whispered back, her grin somehow widening.
I picked her up so her feet weren't touching the ground and held onto her tight, burying my head in her shoulder. "We're going to have a baby!" I exclaimed.
Most of the others cheered and smiled at us, Kisa and Kagura even with tears in their eyes. I saw Haru, though, lean over to a blank-looking Rin. "They...really had no idea?" Rin just shrugged.
I set down Tohru and she continued smiling while a couple of tears fleeing down her face. I wiped them away and leaned down to kiss her through our smiles.
"Seriously?" said a sardonic voice from the back of the room, loud enough to hear over the noise everyone else was making. "How could you not know? That's just...impossible! You had to have guessed! Come on." Everyone turned to look in that direction and I saw that girl from before. Her face reddened slightly under the full gaze of the room.
Confused and emboldened, I asked obviously, "Who is this?"
"Oh..." she muttered. "Right...sorry... I'll just keep to my corner here..." she pointed to a corner of the store where there was a stool and a party hat. "Yeah..."
After that, everything was wonderful in a blissful, confused, amazed way. Tohru and I got to dance and we laughed and talked with each other and everyone else as Tohru and I tried to take in everything from the morning. At about one o'clock, Tohru was feeling tired, and I had to admit I was a little overwhelmed, too. Everyone hugged us and congratulated us again as we left Ayame's store.
Out front, I hugged Tohru again before we could get into the car. "Are you happy, Tohru?"
"Yes, Kyo, I am! We're going to have a baby!"
"You're going to make a wonderful mother..." I told her, holding her and rocking her gently.
"Thank you... You're going to be a wonderful father," she assured me, and I hoped she was right. But that was a problem for another time.
"Hey, Kyo..."
"Yes?"
"...can we get some strawberry and tuna onigiri?"
I looked down at her, amused. "Well, we can certainly make our own... We won't find that anywhere..." I grinned and she smiled back.
Then we set off in search of the ingredients for some really, really gross rice balls.