I have FINALLY finished this silly pregnancy one-shot. I've been trying and trying and it turned out to be more of a project than I thought. I'm sorry. Since you've heard from me, I've started college so I may not post as often.
Dedication: This one goes out to AssassinedAngel just because she's amazing and I love her. Also in memory of my pet rats who died this Christmas. R.I.P. Yuki and Smee. You were the best cuddle buddies ever.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or its characters therein. All rights go to Natsuki Takaya. And may she have a happy 20th anniversary as a manga-ka! All the love to the original creator.
"Today is the day, Tohru," Uo told her as she, Tohru, and Hanajima walked out of thier favorite cafe. "Today you will tell him and that's that." Uo sighed and put a hand on Tohru's shoulder. "If you can't tell your own husband that you're pregnant and going to have a kid, who can you tell?"
"Indeed." Hanajima gave a small smile. "You told us after all."
"B- But it can't be through a phone call!" Tohru clutched her purse strap tightly. "I should tell Yuki-kun face to face. I want to! I want to know how he feels about it and I want to see his reaction, not just hear it." Yuki had been in Osaka for the past four days for work and he wasn't scheduled to come home for two days yet. It was nerve-wracking. Tohru had discovered her pregnancy only a day after his departure and she'd been longing to tell him ever since she found out, but a phone call wouldn't do and she couldn't see him until Saturday.
Uo grinned. "That's why we took the liberty of purchasing you a train ticket straight to Osaka. It leaves this afternoon at two."
Hana held out a crisp envelope. "Take it. We'll watch your house for you while you're gone."
Tohru felt tears of gratitude prick at the corners of her eyes. She'd missed him while he'd been away and she wanted to tell him about thier future baby. She'd been elated over the past few days but part of her wished more than anything that she could share that joy with the person she loved. "Thank you so much, Hana-chan and Uo-chan. I'm so grateful to you."
The three went back with her to Tohru and Yuki's house to help her pack and lock up before escorting her to the train station. Among the noise and busy people, Tohru felt nervousness set in. She would see Yuki in a few hours and she'd finally be able to tell him about the baby growing inside her. Finally.
"Do you know which hotel he's staying in?" Hana asked her.
"He told me when he called on Tuesday." That phone call had been full of many false starts on Tohru's part to tell him her news. Three different times she'd started and decided not to. "I'll be able to find it and he should be there by the time I arrive."
"You can call us from a pay phone or something if you get lost and we'll help you find it, all right? We'll find directions on the internet and make sure you get there." Uo gave her a wink and pushed her towards the turnstile. "Have fun!"
Hanajima waved. "Don't worry about anything, and enjoy yourself."
She slipped her ticket into the machine and passed through, turning around to say, "I'll pay you back someday, I promise."
Osaka had turned out to be much more intimidating than Tohru had anticipated. Finding Yuki's hotel had meant wandering in circles and asking multiple people for directions. In the end she'd found it and now stood at the counter in the lobby, her small bag of luggage at her feet, exhausted.
"How may I help you?" the woman behind the desk asked.
"My name is Sohma Tohru, and I came to see my husband, Sohma Yuki, who's staying here this week." After a long uncomfortable ride on the train and getting herself lost in a strange city Tohru was ready to see a welcoming and familiar face. Oh, so very ready.
Her hope was swiftly broken however by the clerk's response. "We cannot disclose that information to you. Guests must first tell us they are expecting visitors or we will not admit them."
"B-but it's supposed to be a surprise; he doesn't know I'm here." Tohru couldn't believe that her friends' kindness would end this way. What would she do if she couldn't find Yuki? They surely wouldn't let her stay in the lobby all night until he came down the next morning, and she couldn't possibly wait outside for him in the city at night! "Please, can you maybe call his room and-"
"I'm afraid not. Now if you aren't going to check into a room of your own, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The woman's voice was firm and a little irritated.
"I... I'm sorry for troubling you." Tohru gave a brief bow and left the building, not sure what to do. She'd never seen the need to buy a cell phone since Yuki had one, but now she wished that she had. She'd have to find a convenience store and use thier phone or else find a pay phone. She'd have to call him, even though it seemed ridiculous since she was standing outside his hotel.
Setting off at a brisk pace, she walked for about ten minutes before finding a convenience store. A cheery tune greeted her as she went through the door and the cashier let her use the phone without question. Tohru let out a sigh of relief as she dialed Yuki's cell phone number.
"Hello?"
"Yuki-kun! I'm so glad you picked up, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't." Hearing his voice on the other side of the line was so comforting after being lost and turned away in an unfamiliar city.
"Tohru?" He sounded confused and concerned. "Is something wrong? Where are you? You're not calling from our house; the caller ID didn't know who you were."
"I'm... um... I'm in Osaka. Hana-chan and Uo-chan bought me a train ticket. I hope you don't mind." Suddenly, Tohru started to wonder if maybe he didn't actually want her to come. That maybe she'd only be a distraction from his work.
"You're here?" There was a hint of excitement in his voice. "Of course, I don't mind at all; I've missed you this week. Why didn't you come to the hotel? I told you earlier where I was staying."
"They wouldn't tell me your room number; the woman said that it's policy for guests to alert the hotel before having visitors. So I thought I'd call you so you could let them know I'm coming." Tohru wished it could have been more of a surprise but in the end it didn't matter. She only wanted to see him and to tell him about their child.
"I'll take care of it," Yuki assured her. "Come back to the hotel and everything will be fine."
Glancing around the store, Tohru had an idea. "Did you eat dinner yet?"
"No, not yet."
"Does your room have a kitchenette?"
"Yes, but you shouldn't worry about having to cook after that train ride."
He'd seen through her questions of course, but she insisted on preparing a meal. She could buy groceries from the convenience store before going to the hotel and cook him a wonderful meal. She'd missed cooking for him and the prospect of doing so tonight made her giddy.
After exchanging "I love you"s, Tohru hung up the phone with a new feeling of confidence. While Osaka still felt intimidating, the walk back to the hotel, with a bag of groceries added to her luggage, was less nerve-wracking. Tohru felt light and happy after hearing Yuki's voice and assurances over the phone. Everything will be fine.
OoOoO
Yuki stood outside the hotel looking both directions while he waited for her. He'd been so... lonely. He'd hated the idea of a week-long trip to begin with. He'd agreed of course, but he hadn't had much choice. Coming back to his hotel room after a day sitting around a discussion table or giving a presentation seemed empty without Tohru's cheerful "welcome home" and the smell of dinner being prepared. Going to sleep at night seemed cold without her next to him and room service couldn't even compare to her delicious cooking.
Hearing that she was here and that she'd come to see him had been such a relief. He wouldn't have to be lonely for the next two days in that deathly quiet hotel room. He hated how silent it was and turned on the radio or TV just to hear something besides the heater and ventilation.
"Yuki-kun!" He heard his named called and turned towards the direction of it, eager to see her. A sense of home flooded him as soon he saw her brilliant smile as she set fast pace towards him. He met her halfway and if there hadn't been other people around he would given her a long hug right there. Instead he took her bags from her and picked up her now free hand into his own. "I'm so glad you're here," he told her.
"Me too."
Once they were on the elevator in the hotel and out of the public eye Yuki dropped her bags and held her close for the few moments it would take for them to reach the fourth floor. "I've hated not being home this week."
"I know. I missed you too, Yuki-kun." Tohru breathed in, enjoying the comfort of his arms. "And I have something to tell you... later."
The elevator dinged before Yuki could question her and they separated before the door opened to let them exit and board other people.
"It's room 438," he told her as he led her down the hall. "I'm sorry it's such a mess; I've been meaning to clean." He swiped a key card and opened the door for her.
Tohru held back a small laugh. Yuki had never been the neatest person or the most organized, but his room really was a mess. Granted, the housekeeper had the bed looking pristine and perfect and there were carefully folded towels in the bathroom, but everything else was a disaster. It was near the end of Yuki's stay in Osaka after all and he'd spent nearly a week without anyone to clean up after him. "It really is a good thing I came, isn't it?" Tohru kissed him on the cheek and headed into the kitchenette to start dinner.
Yuki began cleaning up, knowing if he didn't Tohru would, ruining the time they could otherwise have together. It didn't take long since he hadn't brought too much with him and the housekeeper had been taking care of vacuuming and such. If he hadn't been so eager to see her, he might have thought to clean before waiting outside the hotel for her. It had been the least he could do to clean while she fixed dinner.
He heard her exclaim softly to herself and drop something that clattered on the floor. "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm fine!" she called back. "I was just a little dizzy again. It's been happening quite a bit this week."
Dizzy? Yuki went to the doorway of the kitchenette, confused. "Have you been sick?"
Tohru looked up from the stove, looking indecisive. "Not... sick exactly. I mean I have been but it's not... I'll tell you over supper. There's more to it than just being sick."
"Maybe you should see a doctor. I could call the desk and ask if-"
"I went to see Hatori-san earlier this week. There's nothing wrong with me." Tohru smiled in assurance. "I promise that I'll tell you over supper."
Somewhat convinced and but no less worried, Yuki left to unpack her things for her.
It wasn't much later after that that Tohru's dinner was ready and she happily served it at the small table provided by the hotel. As she sat down she started to speak, looking excited, but switched topics and asked how working in Osaka had been. It confused Yuki but the pattern seemed to repeat itself; she'd try to say one thing but changed her mind after only a few words. Why? Then Yuki remembered what she'd said about having something to tell him. "Tohru, what was it you wanted to say earlier? Was it anything to do with your dizzy spells?"
Tohru set down her chopsticks. She had to tell him and she wanted to but she kept losing her nerve. The baby was going to change everything and she desperately wanted Yuki to be as happy about it as she was. "I... um... A day or so after you left I had to go to the doctor-"
"Is something wrong?"
The worry in his voice made her smile and she shook her head. "No! Not at all. It's actually something very wonderful." Tohru took in a breath and looked into Yuki's eyes. "Yuki-kun, we're going to be parents. I already went to have it tested. I'm pregnant."
His mouth fell open a little. "W- with a baby?"
"Of course, with a baby. I couldn't give birth to anything else." Tohru hid a laugh behind her hand.
Yuki didn't say anything for a few moments, looking down at the table's edge. Tohru was pregnant with his child. It made him happy but... It terrified him. The idea of parents was something he didn't feel like he could entirely understand. How was he supposed to parent a child of his own when the only example he had were his own parents? He had no idea how to raise a child with love. What were loving parents supposed to look and act like? He had an idea, of course, because he knew what he'd wanted his parents to be like. Was that enough, though? Was the that enough to bring up a child of his own?
"Yuki-kun?" He looked up, hearing the worry in her voice. Her smile was gone and replaced with a concerned expression as she leaned towards him over the table. "Aren't you happy?"
"Yes," he answered quickly with a smile, not wanting his worries to disappoint her. He got up and moved to her side of the table to sit down next her on the floor. "You just surprised me is all." He pulled her close. "I'm thrilled, Tohru. I really am."
"That's good, because I was scared you might not be. It was silly, but I hadn't been able to tell you for so long that I started worrying that you wouldn't be as happy as I am about it."
Yuki pulled away, hesitatingly reaching a hand for her stomach and pulling back to ask first. "May I...?"
''Of course. Although there isn't anything visible from the outside yet." Tohru sat up a little straighter while her husband put a hand lightly over her abdomen.
"When is the baby due?" he asked softly.
"April 13th." Tohru put both of her hands over Yuki's. "That's only eight and half months away. We'll be a family."
Growing up in such a rigid family atmosphere, Yuki couldn't help but think how wonderful it was to have people who wanted their children. And how wonderful it was to be one of those people, despite the fears or worries he had about his own parenting capabilities. "Tohru, I..." Yuki wanted to share his insecurities about parenting with her, but something stopped him. "I can't wait," he said instead, leaning forward to kiss his wife. "You'll be a wonderful mother and I can't wait to see it."
If only he could be as sure of himself as he was of her.
OoOoO
That night, after turning off the lights, Yuki found himself enjoying the presence of his wife beside him in bed for the first time in days. It had seemed so cold and empty without her there and finally holding her close under the covers after so long was a relief. Almost as much of a relief as knowing that in the darkness, with her back and shoulders pressed against his chest, he didn't have to worry about keeping himself composed for her. All evening Yuki's doubts about parenting had internally followed him while outwardly he refused to let them show and only allowed the happiness he felt to be visible. Above all, he didn't want to somehow hurt Tohru just because he had a few trivial doubts. Especially since those same doubts were far outweighed by his happiness. She'd come all the way to Osaka to tell him; he wasn't about to let himself turn into a disappointment.
Since he was holding her so close he could feel Tohru take in a deep breath, as she said, "This is nice, Yuki-kun." Yuki didn't need to ask what she was referring to since it was something he was sure they were mutually enjoying. Just the closeness. The being there. Maybe it was silly, maybe not. Either way. he couldn't deny the peace and contentment he felt.
Then she asked, "Something's been worrying you, hasn't it?" Tohru felt his arms stiffen and she knew she'd been right. She turned over so she could look at him. "You can tell me, if you want to, Yuki-kun. You don't have to, but I'd like to be able to help if I can." Her voice was soft and she could barely see her husband's eyes in the poor light.
Yuki opened his mouth and then closed it. He didn't want to be a disappointment to her, but at the same time he didn't want to hide anything from her either. "I... I'm sorry. I've just been thinking and... What if I'm not a good parent?"
"What do you mean?" Tohru reached out to touch his face, laying her hand on his cheek and into his hair. "You'll be an amazing father."
"But how do I know that? People learn how to be a parent from their own and I do not want to raise a child they way my parents raised me. I have never seen loving parents, Tohru. Never." Yuki rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't even know my father. I've seen him maybe a dozen times in twenty-six years. I don't know what I'm supposed to do as a father and I don't know how I can be good parent with that."
"Did you ever see your parents being affectionate to one another? Or taking care of eachother?"
"Of course not. I don't even know if they ever loved eachother in the first place. I don't think they even shared a room whenever my father was actually home."
Tohru pushed herself up on her elbows and leaned down to kiss Yuki on the forehead. "Then how do you know how to treat me so wonderfully? You love and respect me but you don't have your parents as role models for that, either."
"That's different."
"I don't think so. You know how to love, and that's the most important. I know that they'll live and grow up in a home full of love and that they'll be cared for and will know that not only are they loved but that their parents also love eachother. I know that our baby's future looks that way." Tohru leaned down and softly kissed him, the feeling the warmth of their mouths together making her heart race. After a few minutes she lay her head down on his chest, listening to his heart beat as quickly as hers had during their kiss. "It's okay to be nervous," she whispered. "I'm nervous too. But even if we aren't perfect parents, it'll be all right because we'll be busy being the best parents that we can be."
Yuki let his hand drift through her hair. "Thank you. Can we make a promise though? Even though we'll make mistakes, I want us to promise to never hit this child. Not even when we're angry. I never want to make that mistake."
"I promise," Tohru said softly. "Not even if we're angry."
"I promise, too." Yuki breathed in, feeling a sense of relief as if a burden had been lifted. He would not be his parents. He never would be. "Tomorrow, maybe we'll start thinking of names then?"
"I'd like that."
OoOoO
Tohru slept and woke peacefully. She'd been lulled to sleep by the sound of Yuki's steady heartbeat and she couldn't remember a time she'd felt more secure. She was awake before the wake up call from the desk downstairs that Yuki had warned her about the previous night. But she didn't want to leave the warmth of that bed. She knew she'd be by herself in the hotel room most of the day since Yuki had work and didn't want to rush to leave him now. But there was breakfast to consider...
With a sigh, Tohru shifted away from him after quickly giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Mmm..." Yuki mumbled. "Is it morning already?"
Tohru smiled down at him. "Almost," she whispered. "You can stay asleep. I'm just going to see what I can do about breakfast. I didn't think to buy anything for it yesterday but... um... ex-excuse me for a minute..." Tohru covered her mouth her hand and hurried out of bed and into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Yuki slowly sat up, a little confused and still half asleep. Was something wrong? That's when he heard heaving sounds coming from the bathroom as if she were sick. He wasn't sure he'd ever woken up that quickly in his life, but Yuki was soon beside the bathroom door, quietly asking, "Tohru, are you all right? Is there anything I can do?"
"Water, please..." Tohru's voice said from within, sounding strained.
Yuki filled a glass with water from the kitchenette and knocked softly on the bathroom door before going in. Tohru was sitting on the floor in front the toilet bowl looking a little pale. "Is this because of the baby?" Yuki asked, handing her the water and sitting down next to her.
Tohru nodded, taking a mouthful of water and rinsing out her mouth. "I've been sick most of the mornings this week. It passes, I just have to give it a while."
"Are you sure there isn't anything else I can do?"
Tohru shook her head. "It's just part of being pregnant. It doesn't last the whole nine months. Just for a while; a month at least. Although some women have morning sickness for longer." Tohru saw the concerned expression Yuki still wore and continued, not wanting him to worry over it, "But it's worth it! To have a baby, I mean. I don't mind if it means being parents."
"Tohru, hush. You're already feeling poorly. Don't give yourself a headache too." Yuki smiled gently. "I just want to be here for you. That's all. And I'm not just taking care of you anymore either; because I'm going to be taking care of two people. Why don't I order breakfast from room service instead? You shouldn't overwork yourself."
Tohru drank some more of her water. "It's okay, I can make it using the-" Before she could say anything, she gagged and rushed to lean over the toilet again. It was embarrassing to be this sick in front of Yuki and she didn't like it. After so many mornings at home spent in the bathroom, she'd gotten used to it, but having Yuki there made her nervous. After she finished, she was surprised to realize that Yuki had been holding her hair out of the way for her. "Thank you," she whispered, still embarrassed. "And I guess you could probably order your breakfast," she said timidly. She felt bad that she wouldn't be fixing him breakfast. She'd wanted to. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? Just rest. I'll be right back once I order something up from the kitchen." Yuki got up, lightly kissing the top of her head before going out to order breakfast.
She listened to Yuki speaking to the room service over the phone, still wishing she'd been well enough to fix the food herself. Wait, had he just said two breakfasts? But she certainly wasn't going to be eating in this state. Did he perhaps not realize? Despite that, Tohru smiled a little. After spending the other mornings that week dealing with most of her symptoms on her own, having someone else try to take care of her was nice. And through her appreciation for Yuki's kindness, she couldn't bring herself to call out and tell him that she didn't want to eat. She was even being careful to only take small sips of the water, she couldn't possibly have breakfast.
Once she heard the phone click back into its cradle, Tohru raised her voice a little and said, "You should get ready for work, Yuki-kun. I'm fine for now." She didn't want him to be late, and she would be all right on her own. Not to mention that it felt awkward to vomit in front of him. She'd rather he wasn't there.
"Are you sure?" Yuki asked, coming to the doorway.
"Yes. I'll be fine. I just need a few minutes, that's all." After that Yuki reluctantly began getting ready, leaving Tohru to her own privacy. The worst of it did seem to be over for the morning, although she still felt nauseous.
Ten minutes later there was a soft knock on the door from the main hallway and muffled voice announced that they were part of the room service. Tohru took in a breath. She'd at least go sit with him for breakfast, even if she didn't eat. She stood up with a steadying hand on the counter, washed up, and went out. She found Yuki staring with concentration at the mirror situated on one of the walls, struggling to make his tie lay correctly while the tray with their breakfast rested on the table.
With a smile, Tohru asked, "Would you like some help?"
Yuki watched her as she deftly adjusted his tie. She usually did it for him at home, and he had a feeling that it had been crooked most of that week. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, although I might save my breakfast for lunch if that's okay."
"That's fine. I thought that you might."
Tohru made one final adjustment to his tie and declared it finished. "There." She looked up at him and the soft look in his eyes made her take a tiny step back in way he was looking down at her with such gentle love nearly made her feel like melting. "Yuki-kun?"
Yuki pulled her into a warm embrace. "You're going to be such a perfect mother."
Tohru leaned against him, closing her eyes. "And you'll be an incredible father, Yuki-kun. I know you will."
Well. This is probably one of my longer one-shots. And since I don't have Word installed yet on MY NEW LAPTOP *fist pump* I don't know how many words there are exactly. It's longer. That's enough for me. What did you think? Please leave a review if you feel so inclined! Thank you!
