Jeremie and Aelita were already exchanging cautious looks well before they entered the geisha's house. Apart from all the yelling, cheering and the sounds of heavy footsteps racing around the rooms, not to mention the shrieking coming from her kids which was odd because they were usually dead silent with their nose buried in a book or something, causing utter chaos inside the thick walls of the house, the voice of Yumi babbling about in that strange way of hers when she gets overly excited floods the rooms and hallways when the door goes swinging open with a resounding slam, making both Jeremie and Aelita jump.
Yumi greeted them with an enthusiastic smile. "Can you believe it, guys?! He's coming home! Ulrich is coming home! Finally! It's the best news I've gotten in months!"
"Excuse me, I thought finding out you're gonna have another baby was the best news you've heard in months." Aelita counters with a delighted grin of her own.
Yumi just shrugs in response. "Okay, I'll call it a draw then."
Yumi, about eight times out of ten, is always hard at work. She's so determined to get things done the right way, but that doesn't keep her from getting excited about the most simple things life can offer. It could be playing with their kids or making enough room in her busy schedule to hang out with friends or even visiting her parents and little brother from time to time. So, when she gets word that Ulrich is finally allowed time for some rest and relaxation, her excitement levels reach an all time high, well, next to the time she received the news that she was pregnant with their third child. She wasn't excited just because it's Ulrich coming home, but that it is her best friend, her partner in crime, her husband, her everything, finally coming home safe and sound, all in one piece. At least for a little while anyway.
"When is he suppose to get here?" Jeremie asks, but Aelita and Yumi are already bouncing and squealing in excitement. Jeremie sighs and gives them a few pointed looks in order to get the girls to settle down. He was happy for her, but Yumi has a tendency of going more than a little crazy when she's riled up like this.
"Later this afternoon! I can't wait to see him, it's been months and being able to tell him we've got another child on the way...I just..." She trails off, but her two friends offer her a genuine smile. She takes a deep breath.
"But, what if...What if he's different, you know? What if...What if it's not the Ulrich I knew who comes back to me?"
Aelita and Jeremie pause their delighted murmuring for several moments to consider this. But, to Yumi's surprise, it's Jeremie that speaks up first and rather quickly.
"C'mon Yumi, it's Ulrich we're talking about here. Ulrich Stern. He's not going to change because some jerks try to kill him everyday. He's used to that by now. He doesn't have time for that and you know it. You know him better than anyone, you know that he wouldn't change a bit if he had you and the kids to come home to. He'll still be the same stubborn, hard headed idiot that signed up to get shot at just for an adrenaline rush and the feeling that he's still a hero saving the world."
"Hey!"
"You know what I mean, right Aelita? But Yumi, just hear me out, you're one of my best friends and I wouldn't lie to you. He'll be the same Ulrich you fell in love with, the same Ulrich you married and the same Ulrich who will be incredibly content with fathering another child."
"Thank you, Jeremie."
"Of course, it's the least I can do."
Yumi resumes her grinning and her two kids rush into Jeremie and Aelita's arms, cheering that their dad would be coming home. They can't help but laugh.
"You deserve this, you both do. Go and pick up Ulrich, Jeremie and I will keep an eye on the kids and wait for you two here."
Yumi thanks her two friends once again and kisses her kids goodbye. "Make sure you clean your rooms before your father gets here. We don't want him coming home to find the house a mess!"
Yumi arrives at the airport nearly an hour early and far too excited for her own well being. She passes the time checking and rechecking her phone and gently rubbing her stomach, having a silent conversation with their soon to be child. She jumps when she hears the PA announce that Ulrich's flight has arrived and suddenly the butterflies set in. Yumi can't help but feel her heart pounding a mile a minute in her chest.
"Breathe, Yumi. It's just Ulrich. Everything is going to be okay and you know it."
Yeah, but this is Ulrich coming back from a war. What if he's different? What if he didn't miss you like you missed him? What if he's disgusted by the fact that you will be having another child? What if he's not Ulrich anymore?
Yumi shakes her head. No, that's not possible. It'll still be Ulrich. It will still be her Ulrich, her husband, the man she loves more than anyone will be able to understand.
But war changes people, Yumi. Ulrich is no exception. Why can't you understand that?
"I do understand." She mumbles to herself, navigating through the crowd so she can get a better view of the terminal. She presses her palm to her stomach, a habit she had developed since she found out she was pregnant. If anything, it reminds her that everything will turn out alright, despite the voice in her head.
What if he's more aggressive? What if he got hurt and didn't want to tell you? What if he looks nothing like you remember? What if he doesn't want you? What if he doesn't want your child?
"Stop! Just stop it!"
Several people freeze in their movements around her, all eyeing her worriedly as she hugs herself tightly, eyes cast downward in embarrassment. She inhales deeply, willing herself to calm down and push all the doubt and uncertainty from her head. With another shaky exhale, she pushes forward through the sea of people and scans the area.
She spots several people in uniform and Yumi's heart is swallowed by darkness, the voice she had been trying so hard to silence more loud than ever.
He's not going to be your Ulrich anymore, Yumi. Just admit it already.
It takes nearly five minutes for most of the passengers to clear off before Yumi recognizes a familiar figure wandering the floors.
"Ulrich." Is all she allows herself to whisper and she clenches her fists, attempting to drown out her fears and doubts.
She bumps into the couple in front of her that are also reuniting, muttering a small apology but not stopping. She couldn't waste another moment being away from her husband.
"Ulrich!" Yumi calls out and the soldier stops, turns around and she nearly sobs with relief when her husband comes rushing over to her, dropping his luggage and wrapping his arms around Yumi as if he'd never left in the first place, pulling his wife tightly to his chest and kissing her lightly on the head.
"Yumi! I've missed you so much, you wouldn't believe it! I wasn't expecting you to be here, or on time rather, considering how busy you always are with the kids. How are they, by the way? I can't wait to see them again!" Ulrich smiles. Yumi just huffs into the soldier's chest and pushes him away slowly.
"Oh, come on now, I know you've missed me too. Don't be like that!" Everything feels so normal, familiar, welcoming and soothing. It was all just so strange. It was everything she wanted, everything she had hoped for...But she was too scared to accept it. She took a closer look at her soldier, examining him. He had a few scratches and bruises here and there. His eyes were worn and tired. His hair was shorter and his skin was just a bit more tan. All of this just makes her next words hitch in her throat.
Ulrich can read the looks he is receiving. He knows that Yumi is weighing the possibilities in her head. He knows that he looks different, like a total stranger in her eyes, but he allows her the time she needs to adjust.
"It's me, Yumi. It's still and always be me." Ulrich presses his lips to her cheek, something he'd always done since they'd started dating all those years ago. It was his way of assuring her that things were just fine. He wraps his arms around her and she drew his lips to hers for a much needed kiss.
Neither of them care that they have drawn in an audience. Neither of them care that Ulrich's fellow soldiers cheered and teased them on. But neither of them could find the time to actually care. It has been months, far too many days between their last reunion. If anything, Yumi can't help but to smile against his lips. She'd waited so long for this moment. Just to see her husband alive and safe was enough.
When they pause for air, Yumi buries her head into the crook of Ulrich's neck affectionately, sighing contentedly against his skin. She kept her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear.
"I love you, Ulrich. I've missed you so much. I'm just so glad you're home safe." She promised herself that she wouldn't cry, but she couldn't help it. The mass of emotions that flood to the surface with every smile and kiss he gave her...She just couldn't hold back. Her dark eyes became misty and tears streaked down her cheeks, as she laughed humorlessly. Ulrich chuckles softly, wiping away the droplets.
"It's alright. I'm here now, I'm yours. I love you too. You and the kids were on my mind all day and all night. Not a moment passed where I didn't miss you with all my heart."
"I was scared that all the fighting and violence would change you. That you wouldn't be the man I fell in love with when you returned. That you wouldn't be my Ulrich anymore. That you would have changed and you wouldn't want me and our kids in your life when you came back."
Ulrich just scoffs then, entwining their fingers and walking her back to the luggage he'd dropped. "You remember those vows we took on our wedding day? How I would always protect you and provide for you and be there for you as long as we both shall live?"
"Hm, I was there, so I'm pretty sure I do."
"Okay, okay, you don't have to get smart with me. The point is, I swore to you that I'd always be there for you. So I promise you, Yumi, with everything that I am, that I will never become some monster because of this war. This beautiful family that I have been blessed with is what I fight for, to keep you safe, to make sure our children will never have to live looking over their shoulders." Ulrich kisses her once more and the soldier smiles at her.
"We should be heading home. I can't wait to see our two beautiful kids."
"Three."
"What?"
Yumi laughs then, a bit nervous and perhaps a little breathlessly. There's a flash of panic on her face that lasts for only a moment.
"Well...Um I...I-I'm pregnant."
She could've sworn that Ulrich jumped a full three feet off the ground. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing her forehead.
"I can't believe this! I'm so excited! It's my turn to name her!"
"First of all, it's a boy. And second of all, it's my turn to name him!"
"No way! You named Naomi and Alex! That's not fair!"
She presses her lips to his to shut him up if only for a moment. "Fine, fine, I'll let you name him. It better not be anything stupid."
"I never thought in a million years that I would win an argument with you, especially on a topic as touchy as our baby. Looks like today really is my lucky day."
"Oh, just shut up."