A continuation of Takumi's birthday fanfic, because the ideas just wouldn't stop coming. In this one it spans the duration of Corrin's pregnancy, right up to the birth of Kiragi-

1- Fears

Takumi had found himself humming a lot more lately, so much so that everyone he walked past during his daily routie, turned to look at him in surprise.

A week after the humming began, even his family questioned it, along with the more chipper attitude he had had lately.

Ryoma called him to one side after a strategy meeting, a frown on his face, arms across his chest. "Takumi... is something... different about you?" His brother seemed hesitant to broach the subject, and Takumi suspected he had been asked by Sakura or Hinoka. "You seem..." he waved his hand, searching for the right word, "happy."

Takumi opened his mouth, genuinely shocked that Ryoma had asked. He sighed. Unfortunately what had gotten him so happy was something he wasn't allowed to share... not yet at least.

"I guess I am," he chose his words carefully. "Corrin makes everything... better." By better he referred to his inferiority complex, his nightmares, and the occasional headaches he still suffered since Azura had broken the possession over him.

Ryoma's hand came down on his younger brothers shoulder, a smile on his face. "For that I am glad," Takumi shuffled out of his brothers grip, embarrassed at the mushy moment between them, glad no one else could see them. He rubbed his neck as he usually did when he was uncomfortable.

Clearing his throat he spoke, "Anyway... are we done here? I have somewhere I'd rather be."

Ryoma merely nodded, gesturing his dismissal and Takumi turned on his heels and ran from the room, paying his siblings stood outside no mind.

"Cor?" he called out as he entered their treehouse home, "You here?" He removed his boots and entered the room, scanning for his wife.

His eyes fell on the bed, a soft smile on his lips at the sight that met him.

Corrin lay on the bed, her usual armor removed, wearing her sleepwear, curled into a ball, her hair flowing behind her in silver waves, a few strands falling across her porcelain face, lips parted as a tiny snore escaped her lips.

Takumi approached, sitting on the bed in front of her feet, his hand stroking her cheek. She stirred under his touch, her eyes fluttering open, gorgeous red iris's meeting his pale brown.

"Kumi..." she whispered, pulling herself up onto her elbow, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Not yet dusk," he helped her to sit up. "I didn't expect to find you asleep though... are you OK?" His hand brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, noticing they were pale and her skin was clammy.

"Yeah..." Corrin smiled weakly. "Just nausea, that's all. Azama told me to expect it during the first few months of the pregnancy." Her hands fell to her stomach, laying flat across the place their child grew.

Takumi smiled. There it was, the reason for the skip in his step and the humming he did nowadays. His wife, his beautiful Corrin, was carrying his child, a secret only he, Azama and Corrin knew about, no matter how much he had wanted to yell it out for all the world to hear. But so much could still go wrong, the baby was still so tiny, it was inadvisable to spread the good news until the danger to the fetus had passed.

"Hmmm, you are quite warm.." Takumi muttered worriedly. He jumped up and walked to the table, pouring Corrin a glass of cool water from the jug there, returning to her and passing it to her. She sipped it cautiously.

"Thank you," she placed the glass on the nightstand, before leaning against his shoulder, sighing contentedly. "I missed you."

Takumi let his head fall against hers, closing his eyes, breathing in her unique scent, the smell of mint and Jasmine flowers. "I missed you too," he muttered. He opened his eyes recalling his earlier conversation. "Ryoma asked me if anything was the matter today, at the strategy meeting." He scoffed. "Apparently me being happy is an... anomaly." His wife shook with laughter. She looked at him with mirth in her eyes.

"Kumi, I love you, but everyone knows your... surly at best most days," the pout on her husbands face made her laugh more. "Anyway, what did you tell Ryoma?"

"Well I couldn't tell him the real reason I'm so happy all of a sudden could I?" Takumi sighed. "Fortunately I got away with a half truth at least." His hands cupped hers upon her lap. "Honestly Cor, I wish we could just tell everyone about the baby. Keeping this a secret is killing me."

"I know," Corrin ran her thumb across the back of her husbands hand. "Azama told me today at my check up that we can tell people in a few weeks, once I'm about 3 months along."

"Really!" Takumi's eyes lit up. "So everything is OK then, with the baby?"

"Yeah everything is fine," Corrin brushed away his concern as she stood up, her body stiff from her unexpected nap. "The nausea and tiredness should pass soon, and for now we should carry on as normal."

"Well mostly normal at least, I mean its not like you can fight battles in your condition is it..." Takumi trailed off noticing his wife turn her head away from him, avoiding his eye. He jumped up and grabbed her shoulders, forcefully turning her towards him, her eyes still not meeting his. "NO!" he roared, causing Corrin to flinch. "You can't be serious... you plan on still joining the battles don't you." Corrin didn't answer so he shook her gently, her eyes finally meeting his. "You know I won't let you!"

"Kumi..." Corrin cupped his cheek in her hand, her ruby eyes staring intently at him. "Don't think I've not thought about this." She sighed. "If I stay on the edge of battle with you, the other archers and healers, no one will suspect too much." She offered him a smile, hoping she would get one back, met only by her husbands pursed lips, his stance unconvinced. "I even class changed into an archer, and I've been practicing everyday with a bow, exactly like you showed me, I've gotten better Takumi, I..."

"Alright fine," Takumi huffed. "Fine, just promise me you'll stay close. And if I see anything wrong, or I think it's too dangerous, you will sit battle out... got it."

"I promise,"

Takumi sighed, sitting back down on the bed.

"You really know how to make me worry ya know," he muttered. "Honestly Corrin, is it so hard to stay at home while others fight. I know everyone would feel the same way. Can't you see I just want to protect you."

"Thats why I want to continue to fight, so I can protect you too," Corrin sat next to him, her eyes wide and passionate as she spoke. "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you while I wasn't around to at least try to prevent it." He tried to argue but she put a finder to his lips. "I'm pregnant Takumi, not dying..."

"I know that it's just..." Takumi sighed, his breath shaking.

"Kumi?"

He shook his head, "No, its nothing..."

"Don't do that, don't shut me out. Whats this about?" She forced him to look at her.

Takumi sighed. One look at his wife's pleading face and his resolve wavered. He rubbed his neck, sighed again, then spoke.

"Nightmares," he muttered.

"Nightmares?" Corrin mimicked.

"Yeah..." Takumi took her hand in his, comforted by the light squeeze she gave it. "Since you told me about the baby... they've gotten worse." He shuddered, clearly reliving the vivid images of his dreams. "Every time... I'm too late. Every time I fail to save you, fail to save our baby... Then to wake and see you next to me, still very much alive..." another sigh. "I..I couldn't bare to see my dreams become reality Corrin... I-I can't lose you." His voice broke and tears fell from his eyes as all the worry and panic he'd bottled up broke through the dam he'd tried so hard to keep in place, so he wouldn't worry her too.

Corrin instantly felt guilty. Watching her husband finally break down and admit what had been bothering him these past few weeks caused her heart to break.

"Takumi..." she pulled him close and let him sob on her shoulder, shushing him gently, like you would a small child, his body wracked with ugly sob, that slowly died down as he nuzzled her neck, inhaling her scent, holding on to her tightly, like he was worried she would disappear the moment he did. "I'm sorry," Corrin mumbled. "I've been so selfish, thinking only of keeping you safe. I didn't think about how much you've worried for my, our, safety." Takumi hiccuped, then raised his head to look at her, his eyes red and puffy. She wiped away the stray tears. "Oh my love," she muttered. "Forgive me?"

Takumi shook his head. "There is nothing to forgive my love," he told her, his lips ensnaring hers in a passionate kiss, causing Corrin to yelp in shock. She melted into his touch easily enough, and soon both of them were calmer as they fell backwards onto the bed, side by side, lips battling one another, arms pulling and tugging to get closer. Takumi rolled, pulling her on top of him, his fingers pulling at her camisole top, rolling it up her body, exposing her stomach, a stomach, he noted as he glided a finger across it, that was a little fuller and, if he wasn't mistaken more rounder than it had been last week.

He broke the kiss, distracted by his newfound discovery, laughing when he noticed his wife's pout.

"Corrin..." he whispered, his palm resting along the curve of her stomach protectively. "I swear... I'll keep you safe. Keep you both safe." He laid Corrin on her back beside him, leaving the bed briefly to shed majority of his clothing, leaving him only in his usual sleeping trousers, returning to her and holding her close, his hands finding her curve again, tracing his finger in awe along it. Corrin smiled at her husbands new favorite nighttime routine, a routine she could get used too, if it meant she saw more of the softer side of Takumi.

"I know you will," she snuggled close to him, the ministrations with his fingers lulling her back into a sleepy state. She yawned, struggling to keep her eyes open. "And I promise I'll stay safe. It's only for a few more weeks..." She yawned again. "How many battles do you really think were going to have in that time..." Corrin trailed off, sleep finally winning.

Takumi smiled down at her sleeping form, covering them both with the furs at the end of the bed, his hand not once leaving her stomach.

"I hope your right," he mumbled, snuggling close to his wife as sleep threatened him too, and before long the couple were both asleep, curled round each other, Takumi's hand still resting where their child grew. For once he didn't have nightmares, instead he dream't of Corrin, and of their child, and the life they would have together.

Authors notes: So after i finished the Takumi Birthday fanfiction (Which if you haven't read you should, so this makes more sense), I felt compelled to continue it, as I love Takumi's character and also get the distinct impression that him preparing for fatherhood would not only be sweet, but also funny in a way. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next one will be up when i get round to typing it up. Reviews and Criticism welcome, I'm a big girl I can take it.