A/N: OHHMYGOD! You guys have no idea how insane this one-shot! is to me. It's totally not something I would write usually, but this idea has been destroying my mind for the past two months and has prevented me from writing anything else while it was left undone. If anyone is wondering why I haven't updated any of my stories lately THIS IS THE REASON! There is SO FREAKING MUCH in this, I mean...it's at least the same in terms of plot as a 17-chapter fic. It's THAT intense.
I think I should address that this IS m-preg. I know I know, a lot of people don't like m-preg (and I am one of those people), but I couldn't help it! That's what the plot demanded and so I wrote it. But I will let you know that I don't really go into the m-preg too much, I mean, it's OBVIOUSLY there, but I don't really go in-depth to explain it, I just write it off as a part of society. SO IT'S NOT THAT BAD PLEASE DON'T GIVE THIS UP OVER THAT!
ALSO! Yuuko does fall a bit OOC later on in the story (in fact, everyone falls a bit OOC somewhere in this story ::sigh::), but I couldn't really prevent it, I mean...I had nothing to go off of, she would never be in this situation in the canon story ya know?
ANYWAYS! This author's note has become too long! I hope you will enjoy this! I had one hell of a time writing it.
Oh DAMN! One more thing. This entire thing was inspired by the song Listen To The Math by Tokyo Police Club which is essentially about still-births and miscarriages, and for some reason I instantly connected it to Yuuko...fan much? I think so.
WARNING: MALE-PREGNANCY AND A VERY SLIGHT-LIME BETWEEN TWO FICTIONAL MALE CHARACTERS. DON'T LIKE? THEN I SUGGEST YOU TURN BACK NOW,
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the actual writing itself, look at me go~ XD
OKAY! READ NOW!
Listen To The Math:
"Ne, ne! Guess what?"
Shizuka looked up from the small, barely passable sand castle he was trying to build and up towards the smiling boy who was only a month younger than he was.
"What?" The older child asked, his voice, even then, completely monotone.
Those round blue eyes sparkled with pure joy as he plopped down into the sand box to sit next to his peer.
"I'm gonna be a big brother! My mom said so!"
Shizuka looked at him curiously, wondering what was so great about being a brother, before turning back to his previous endeavor of sculpting the sand.
"Heeey, don't ignore me! It's great! It's gonna be a boy and then I'll have a buddy and I won't have to stick around you for well... ... uh, all the time!" The statement was ended with a very dignified gesture, the tiny boy sticking out his tongue in emphasis.
"How do you know it'll be a boy?" Shizuka asked, curious, well, internally.
The younger's features scrunched up in an angry fashion. "I...I- well, just because! I just know. It's gonna be a boy and I'm gonna have a little brother and you-" He pointed his finger at the elder, " Doumeki Shizuka are going to be sooooooo jealous!"
Shizuka shrugged. "Sounds like fun."
"Yes! Yes it does sound like fun! And you won't be able to do anything about it-...wait...you don't mean that you plan to hang around my little brother do you?"
"Why not?"
"Because! It's MY brother not yours!"
"But we're friends-"
"No we're not! I'm only here because-"
"-so I'll be around."
Those blue eyes widened a fraction and that mouth promptly shut itself, turning into a small pout.
"Hmph."
Shizuka smiled before smashing the poor mound of sand that was once a castle.
Doumeki sighed at the memories, similar situations happening way to often.
Similar situations just like this one.
Watanuki bawling in his arms in the middle of the park they had frequented since they were children.
He had been acting strange all day, Doumeki had known that something was up. It had happened so many times before.
Yuuko had another miscarriage.
Doumeki wasn't even surprised anymore.
They were in middle school now and they could understand these things better.
And yet every time, every single time, that Watanuki would tell him it was like he was instantly being transported back to the first.
Back when they still didn't really understand the severity of the word, of what had physically happened to Watanuki's mother.
The first time that Doumeki had ever seen Watanuki cry, back when they were children.
"I'm not going to b-be a brother Doumeki, I'm not go-going to-"
Doumeki gently petted Watanuki's back, a soothing gesture he had developed over the years.
"It'll be okay," he would try to console, but Watanuki denied it fiercely with a shake of his head before pushing away from where he was held.
"No! No it won't. They can't even look at each other anymore! It's terrible, why do they keep trying Doumeki? Why?" And then he would be in tears again, falling into Doumeki's chest, into comforting security, something that he was losing at home.
Eventually, they would both find themselves sitting on a bench, Watanuki quietly hick-ing to himself while Doumeki sat in silent companionship.
"Do you want me to walk you home?" Doumeki asked, though he knows the routine, that Watanuki will deny it, then they would continue to sit until the latter would fall asleep from all the tears, leaving Doumeki to carry him home.
They had done this so many times now.
Watanuki shook his head from where it was resting on Doumeki's broad shoulder.
Doumeki almost laughed at the absurdity of it.
However, their typical exchange was broken, Watanuki speaking soon after.
"Doumeki?"
The addressed looked down at the addressee, "Hn?"
"I'm sorry for always involving you."
Doumeki smirked, leaving Watanuki to slip back into his habitual disgruntled 'anti-Doumeki' persona. "WHAT?" He demanded.
The elder just rolled his eyes, "If I didn't want to be involved I would've left a long time ago."
Watanuki was left partially speechless. "Wa-Why would you want to be involved in all of this? It really has nothing to do with you and-"
"It does."
The blue-eyed teen gave his companion a disbelieving look. "How so?"
"It involves you."
"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU?" Watanuki was now fully facing Doumeki, face livid and heart racing.
Something was different, something was about to change.
Doumeki's hands deftly cupped Watanuki's tear-stained cheeks.
They slowly gravitated together, not really sure of what their actions would mean.
Watanuki was deadly silent, his eyes wide and trained on Doumeki's mouth.
"Everything." The elder breathed, sealing his lips with Watanuki's.
"Thanks for bringing him home safely again Doumeki-kun."
The golden eyed adolescent turned around to face Watanuki's father, Clow Watanuki. Doumeki had always found it odd how Watanuki's features always seemed to reflect his father's, the soft eyes and instantly attractive pureness of heart. Of course, he had Yuuko's signature demure lips and chin. He was an equal blend of the two and it showed.
Doumeki nodded, having become very well accustomed to Watanuki's parents over the years. "It was nothing."
Clow's lips relaxed into his default, easy-going 'all is well' smile. "He really relies on you. You're very important to him."
Doumeki's eyes softened the minutest of bits. "I hope so."
The taller man smiled a little more fully. "You're wondering why we keep trying aren't you."
"You know how much it hurts him don't you?"
"We do."
"So then why?"
Clow smiled again, lacing his fingers together. "Because she really wants another child."
Doumeki quirked a skeptical brow. "But why?"
Clow glanced at him, studied his face, probably noting how much his son's childhood friend had grown, comparing it to the growth of his own child.
"Yuuko feels as if she has failed in some way since she hasn't been able to carry another one, she feels like it's her fault and that there is something wrong with her. I keep telling her that there isn't but, well, you know how that woman can get."
The younger let out an understanding grunt.
"I'm afraid that it's become unhealthy... she is somewhat beyond reasonable consolation on the manner."
Doumeki looked into Clow's blue eyes, so similar to the ones that he had grown to love so much, and yet so distinctly different. There was infinite wisdom in those eyes.
"I'm always here to help...if you need it."
Clow smiled a softer smile, "Thank you Doumeki-kun."
The golden-eyed male turned to leave, throwing one last watchful glance at Watanuki's bedroom door before walking down the hallway towards the front door. When Doumeki was about to leave Clow stopped him.
"And Doumeki-kun."
He looked up expectantly.
"I give you my full consent to be with him."
"Mnnnn...Ah-!"
The high school senior let out another moan, hands clenching in short, sweat-slicked hair.
"D-Doumeki...ahhh...unn, st-stop. Doumeki-" Watanuki whined as he writhed on the floor beneath a half naked Doumeki.
"Why?" The elder breathed into his lover's ear.
A shiver went down the blue-eyed male's spine, causing goosebumps to spread across porcelain skin. Watanuki bit his lip, feeling infinitely embarrassed about what he was about to use as his argument once again against Doumeki proceeding any further with his...occupation.
"What if I get pregnant?"
It was always a possibility. Fertility was capable with both sexes, equally in number, but that wasn't always the problem. It was the rate of fertility. The amount of men actually having children was significantly less than that of women, mostly because the majority of males ended up having pre-fetal abortions.
Male pregnancy was accepted in their society, of course -it was a part of their culture for so long how could it not be-, but it was almost shameful to those with too much masculine pride, which Watanuki was currently the patron saint of.
However, when it came to Doumeki...the excuse of 'impregnation' was simply that, an excuse. Watanuki didn't really mean it because having a child with Doumeki didn't seem that bad, it almost seemed...enjoyable, and that's what scared him the most.
Doumeki let out a small sigh. "We've been through this-"
"I know we have!" Watanuki interjected, sitting up and forcing Doumeki to as well, "but I'm sincerely worried about it. If...if I do end up pregnant, what'll we do then, huh? We're still just kids, we can't take care of a child. What if you..."
Doumeki knew where these fears were sprouting from. No matter how much the golden-eyed male tried to console his long time lover, there was no end to the way Watanuki could disregard his words. Watanuki was permanently fixated on the idea that bearing a child was some sort of taboo because of what was happening to his mother, of how she wasn't able to, so he shouldn't be able to either. That somehow, some way, it just wasn't probable and that any chance that conception could occur was a chance better not taken.
But he had had enough. He loved Watanuki, and he knew, despite the younger's claims otherwise, that Watanuki returned those feelings in full.
"What if you end up-"
A child would be a blessing if anything, it would never result in the way Watanuki thought it would.
"What if I what? End up leaving you? Is that really what you're afraid of?" Doumeki cupped Watanuki's cheeks, an action that he had become so unbearably addicted to over the years since the first time he had actually done it back on that night in the park. "Watanuki, you know that nothing is going to make me leave you. Even having a child. I love you."
Those cupped cheeks became a blazing crimson, the lithe form tensing from the words. "But we can't-"
"What would be so terrible if we did? There's no guarantee that we can even have a child, and you know that. We'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it."
Those brilliant sapphire irises slowly connected with Doumeki's golden-hazel ones, the most minute of smiles gracing those slightly bruised lips. "Okay."
Doumeki examined Watanuki's face for a moment, before nodding once with a small 'hn'. The younger pouted in an act of showing his discomfort. "What is it?"
"Your face is really red."
Watanuki's nose scrunched up in disapproval. "SHUT UP! Whose fault do you think that is anyways? Wa-wait! What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't just do as you please! Doume-mfff-"
"I'm home!" The college freshmen yelled into the house as soon as he opened the door.
He was welcomed by his father, responding with a pleasant 'Welcome home' before heading upstairs to drop off his bags and change out of his clothes.
Watanuki proceeded to unpack his school supplies in order to set up for some homework when a knock came from his bedroom door before it was opened by a slender hand.
"Can I come in?" Yuuko asked, voice languid and soothing, like water. Watanuki turned to his mother and smiled, "Of course."
The woman smiled, walking over to her son's bed and sitting down, Watanuki continued to sift through his bag. "How's school?"
The teenager smiled again at his mother, "Alright."
The eternally beautiful woman nodded slightly, crossing one leg over the other. "How's Doumeki, hm?"
Watanuki's shoulders instinctually shot up to his ears, his whole body tensing. If there was one thing his mother loved more than a good glass of sake it was poking fun at her son's romantic life.
The boy turned a bright red, refusing to make eye contact with the woman sitting on his bed. "We-we're fine."
"Oh? Are you sure you're just 'fine'?"
"Yes! Fine's fine, and that's what we are!" The teenager stammered in his embarrasment.
Yuuko laughed heartily, "That's good to hear Kimihiro."
Watanuki rolled his eyes.
There was a quite silence between them and it started to unnerve the younger. Watanuki's hands stopped in the task, "Mom?"
Yuuko let out a 'Hm?' in response, letting her child know that she was listening. Watanuki continued.
"Is...is everything alright? Between you and Dad I mean."
The elder woman tilted her head to the side, a quirked smile on her ruby lips. "Everything's fine, why?"
Watanuki shrugged, "I'm not sure, it just feels like...like, well, I don't know. Like you two are really distant lately."
Yuuko allowed her smile to turn a little sadder. Both she and Clow were trying so hard to make sure Watanuki wasn't aware of it, but they were on edge with each other.
And Yuuko knew it was mostly her fault, if she would just accept the fact that another child was not in their future, that it wasn't going to happen.
But she couldn't, she just couldn't.
She looked at her son, admiring how much he had grown, how mature and handsome he had become.
"We're fine, nothing serious, just a small...difference of opinions I suppose."
Watanuki turned fully to his mother, sitting next to her on his bed. "Are you sure?"
Yuuko held her smile, "Perfectly."
"Oi! Watanuki, are you okay?" Doumeki quickly jogged up to his partner, his expressionless eyes layered with the tiniest shimmer of concern.
The younger male turned, his blue irises wary with exhaustion, but, from what? Doumeki could only guess.
"Yes, why?" Watanuki responded, the typical angered edge in his voice practically gone.
Something must really be wrong.
Doumeki took in his lover's features, he did seem a bit...paler than usual. Watanuki always seemed pale, but this was practically opaque. The elder brought a hand up to Watanuki's forehead, placing the other on his own and checked the teenager's temperature.
He was burning up.
Doumeki scowled, "Why are you at school, you're sick." Watanuki rolled his eyes to the best of his abilities. "I'm not sick," he batted away Doumeki's hand, "It's just hot okay?"
"You're sick." Doumeki insisted, lightly grabbing Watanuki's wrist and preventing the younger from walking away.
"No I Am Not!" The blue eyed male practically yelled, struggling to break our of Doumeki's hold.
There was something really really off about this, but Doumeki couldn't place what it was.
Suddenly, the elder felt something pulsate through him, something unidentifiable, but it was making him look at Watanuki, really look at him.
And then his eyes fell to the struggling male's stomach.
Doumeki let go of Watanuki's wrist in favor of placing that hand on the younger's abdomen.
Before Watanuki could even yell at Doumeki for his 'crude' behavior, he was stunned into silence. He stared, wide eyed, at his partner, not understanding what he was doing.
"Have you...have you been eating lately?"
Watanuki now officially knew something was up, if Doumeki had to question what he was saying, so much so that it showed in his already limited speech, then it had to be something outrageously important.
The younger tilted his head in concern. "Yeah...but...everything just comes back up."
Doumeki connected glances with Watanuki, full blown uncertainty in those eyes.
"What?" Watanuki demanded. Doumeki's lips turned into the most minute of frowns. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what? That I have the stomach flu?"
Doumeki stood to his full height, pulling Watanuki closer by the small of his back and laying the other hand in the younger's raven hair.
"No, that you're pregnant."
"WHAT?"
"Congratulations," The doctor commented with a smile, turning towards where Watanuki sat on a sterile hospital stool, Doumeki standing behind him, "You're about three months along."
The younger's jaw dropped, speechless and so unbelievably afraid. The golden eyed male placed a reassuring hand on his partner's shoulder.
The doctor placed his hands in the pockets of his white hospital coat.
"The vomiting is rather common during this stage, it's something similar to morning sickness, but still different due to the various reactions in different organs. In terms of keeping it to a minimum I would suggest just altering your diet, bland foods, breads, simple things. Other than that, just get plenty of rest and don't over exert yourself."
Watanuki couldn't even register the doctors words and Doumeki stepped in. "Thank you."
The aged man gave a small smile, noting the younger's reaction. "It's my pleasure, but...if you don't mind my saying, I do hope that you'll decide to have the child."
Watanuki's eyes, which had fallen to his lap, snapped up and met with the doctor's pale blue ones, "What?" He breathed out.
"You're uncertain, am I correct? After doing this for so many years one becomes accustomed to the signs, and from your lack of response, I'm assuming that you're considering an abortion, but..." The man gave a calming smile, "I have the suspision that doing so would be an even graver mistake than you think having the child would be."
Watanuki stood up, a mixture of fear and anger flaring up inside of him before quickly running out of the room. Doumeki stared towards the open door with blatant concern, the doctor also standing and placing a calming hand on the younger male's broad shoulder.
"If you two ever need anything, have any concerns, or even do decide to go through with an abortion, feel free to come back. But right now, I'm sure he needs you."
Doumeki looked at the elder man, giving a short uncertain nod before leaving the room.
By the time Doumeki caught up with his companion they were back in that park, the same one that had hosted the setting for so many of their memories.
Watanuki was sat, heaving, on their usual bench, eyes clenched tightly. The elder walked over to the bench silently, sitting far enough to give Watanuki his space but close enough so the other would know that he was there.
The younger looked up, his eyes so very very lost. "What are we going to do Doumeki?"
The golden eyed male sighed.
"It's up to you. You already know my opinion about it, but I'm not going to force you to do anything, you already know that..."
They lapsed into a precarious silence. The slightest word or movement could send them spiraling.
Watanuki placed both of his hands over the middle of his stomach, adding gentle pressure, his eyes sliding shut.
Doumeki gazed at his lover, a small smile gracing his usually emotionless lips, before he leaned over and placed a large hand over Watanuki's slender ones.
The younger looked at Doumeki, a wave of emotions filtering over those blue irises before he too returned that small smile.
"I'm pregnant Doumeki, we're going to have a baby."
Relief spread over the elder. "I guess we are."
They sat in a blissful silence with reflected smiles before reality hit Watanuki like a concrete wall.
"We...we can't tell my mom."
"Kimihiro," Clow called from the kitchen, trying to catch his son before he left the house again.
The young adult stopped in mid-sprint towards the door, his shoulders tensing and hands clenched tightly, but he didn't turn towards his father's voice, still facing the door, towards escape.
He still hadn't told his parents and now that he was coming along on his fifth month of pregnancy it was becoming increasingly harder to hide the ever-growing bulge that was his stomach. Wearing baggy clothing and sweat-shirts would only work for so long.
"Yes?" He responded, trying to keep the panic he was feeling out of his voice.
Clow sighed, wiping his hands off on a nearby dish-towel. There was something wrong with his son and he knew it. Watanuki had been spending even more time than the usual at Doumeki's, constantly calling to say he would be staying over at the shrine for dinner which tended to result in Watanuki staying the night.
Clow was worried.
"Is everything going okay Kimihiro, you seem...out of sorts lately," and if his son's body language was any indication, Watanuki was most definitely hiding something. The younger let out an uneasy laugh. "I'm fine dad, really." Watanuki insisted, trying to get to the door once again. If he could just get out of the house he'd be fine, if only his dad would stop walking towards him like that.
"Kimihiro, why are you in such a hurry?"
Watanuki panicked, "Me? I'm not in a hurry, I'm just...I just-Dad what are you-hey-he-"
By then, Watanuki's dad was towering over him, Clow being taller than his already rather tall son. He could see that Watanuki was shaking, but he couldn't understand why. It was almost as if the younger was afraid of him, and that was terrifying to Clow. He couldn't possibly imagine what he could've done to provoke such a reaction in his son, he couldn't recall ever even remotely doing anything in his life that would cause fear in anyone.
"What are you keeping from me Kimihiro, what did I do? Is it me and your mother? Are we upsetting you, because if we are, let's talk, maybe we can fix it-"
The sheer amount of sincerity in Clow's tone, how hopeless the man seemed to become simply from his son's actions broke Watanuki's heart. "D-don't. It's not you, I swear it's not, it's just...it's just," Tears started to collect in the corners of the younger's sapphire eyes.
He felt so horrible for what he had done, for what he was doing to his parents. "I-you didn't, I'm not...but I-"
Watanuki couldn't figure out the right words to say and Clow's eyes softened realizing that his son was truly sorry, that he was struggling.
"You can talk to me Kimihiro, you know I'll listen."
And with those words Watanuki completely broke down, his eyes widened as they connected with his father's, and those tears streamed down his face, his hands instinctually going to cradle the curve of his stomach.
His feet gave out from underneath him, and Watanuki collapsed to his knees, crying openly and his body curled around his stomach, around his and Doumeki's future child.
Clow was just as lost as Watanuki seemed, "Kimihiro, what is it..."
"I'm pregnant." The boy whispered, and Clow could barely comprehend the words.
But they soon clicked and the aged man understood.
He knelt down to his son, eyes soft and movements caring. Clow outstretched a hand and placed it on his son's shoulder. The boy flinched at the touch, but soon relaxed into it, but not daring to look at his father, too afraid of what he would find in the man's knowing eyes.
"How far along?" Came his soothing voice, calm and reassuring.
"Five months." The younger barely got out from the force of his tears.
"That long huh?" Clow said contemplatively. "Why were you keeping it from us?"
Watanuki finally met his father's eyes. "Because it's not fair."
The man smiled, "What isn't?"
The younger's features saddened, "Because...because you and Mom have been trying for so long, and you can't, I shouldn't...I shouldn't-" Another onslaught of tears overwhelmed Watanuki.
Clow let out a soft laugh. "Kimihiro, I thought we made it clear to you. It's okay. You are who you are. You're not obligated to us, understand?"
Watanuki nodded his head, his hands running soothingly over his stomach.
"Now," Clow got a finger under his son's chin and tilted the younger's face so he could look at his son who had suddenly become an adult in front of his eyes. He smiled. "When did you get to be so grown up?"
Watanuki let out a surprised laugh, "Right about now."
Clow hugged his son, patting his head a few times and Watanuki suddenly felt so relieved. "What does Doumeki think about it?"
The younger snorted into his father's shoulder. "Please, he's more excited about it than I am."
The elder nodded, "That's good."
Watanuki pulled away from his father. "Uhm...I don't, I mean, I know that I should but, I don't...want to...well,"
"Tell your mother?" Clow helpfully supplied. Watanuki nodded his head vigorously.
"It is your child, it's your decision."
Watanuki smiled faintly, not feeling the least bit confident in that.
But his dad finally knew and that was something.
Watanuki stood, carefully placing his weight in his legs so as to not strain his back. Everything was becoming so much more difficult to do now that he had the added weight of a developing child within him. His father stood as well, both of them contently smiling at each other. "Well, I guess I'll be off then."
"Be safe."
The younger smiled, opening the door.
"I will."
"We're going to have to tell her eventually," Doumeki stated flatly, absentmindedly stroking a hand through Watanuki's hair, the younger currently using his chest as a living pillow.
The blue eyed young adult grumbled from his rather comfortable spot on his companion. He was erring on seven months now, practically living at Doumeki's house and barely able to get up when necessary.
Watanuki was full blown pregnant and in no hurry to undergo the stressful situation that confronting his mother would be.
"How are you going to explain it to her when we'll have a child running around?"
"Dooooumeki," Watanuki groaned, God this was the last thing he wanted to think about right now.
The elder sighed, he understood where Watanuki was coming from, he really did, but he was a strong believer in 'the sooner you get something done, the easier it'll be in the long run'. But he would wait until Watanuki was ready, it was his family after all.
He stroked through those silky strands again, marveling at how much Watanuki had changed both physically and emotionally over the past seven months. Watanuki had decided to completely give up trying to hide his bulging abdomen, one day chucking the various sweatshirts and sweatpants across the room before donning a once oversized shirt that now fit rather snugly around his mid-section. He watched as the younger unconsciously ran his hands over his stomach, over another now-perfectly-sized shirt, gently caressing the skin as if having a secret conversation with the being that he was housing.
Watanuki hummed in a satisfied sort of way.
"What is it?" Doumeki asked, barely visible curiosity in his tone. The younger smiled and closed his eyes, hands on his stomach again.
"It's going to be a boy."
The elder smirked, "How do you know?"
Watanuki smiled serenely, looking at his stomach, "I just do."
"Ah."
They stayed in that comforting moment, wrapped within each other and just content to be there, but then the silence was broken by the phone ringing.
Doumeki began to sit up, but stopped at the protest that left Watanuki's lips. "I have to answer it."
"Fine." The blue-eyed male grumbled, allowing his lover to get up. Doumeki shook his head in an endearing sort of way before leaving the room to answer the phone.
"Hello?" He asked into the receiver.
"Doumeki-kun? Oh thank goodness. Yuuko's in Urgent Care, could you two come to the hospital?"
It was Clow, but his voice was strained, worried, and rather weak sounding. Doumeki was slightly taken back, which was saying something considering his usually unshakable demeanor.
"Wait, what's going on?"
There was an empty pause, and Doumeki already had his answer. "Okay, we'll be there." And with that he promptly ended the call, briskly walking into the room he was previously in.
Watanuki was already sitting up, obviously aware that something was going on, fear stricken across his face. "What's going on Doumeki?"
"It's your mom, she's in the hospital."
The younger's mouth went dry and his deep blue eyes widened in shock. "Oh God," He struggled to stand, failing miserably, "help me up, help me up!"
Doumeki did just that, carefully steading his companion with a hand on the small of his back and a dainty hand held in his large ones. "Do you need anything?"
"Just a jacket."
Upon arriving at the hospital and observing Watanuki's haggard state, Doumeki promptly set about getting the younger into a wheel chair. They would be able to move around quicker instead of Doumeki constantly worrying over the other's capability to walk without endangering himself.
Despite some rather feeble protests, the seven-months pregnant male finally took refuge in the moving chair, Doumeki quickly steering them towards the Urgent Care area.
When they turned the corner the two were greeted by a lightly shaking Clow. Watanuki gave his father a concerned look, the older man returning it with a weak smile and a kiss on the forehead.
"What's going on Dad, is she okay?"
Clow sighed, running a hand down his face. "They haven't told me anything yet, they've been at it for a good hour or so..."
"But what is it? Another miscarriage, what?"
The man grimaced, looking at the floor. "I hope not."
Watanuki was on the verge of tears, his hand curling around his stomach. How much longer were they going to keep doing this? To themselves? To him?
The trio grabbed a row of seats, Doumeki parking Watanuki in-between himself and the younger's father.
They sat in a mildly tense, slightly awkward silence, all of them waiting for an answer to the numerous questions spinning through their heads.
It was a good two hours later when finally one of the doctors came out to deliver the news of Yuuko's state.
Clow stood as if he had been electrocuted out of his seat, and the young female doctor gave him a sympathetic smile. "She'll be fine." The doctor quickly stated, if only to calm the elder male's shot nerves. "However she..." The woman glanced of the obviously pregnant Watanuki and frowned, "the baby didn't make it."
Tears swelled up in Watanuki's blue eyes, 'Why won't they just stop?'. Doumeki brought an arm around his companion, giving those still thin shoulders a tight squeeze, but his eyes were trained on the younger's father.
Clow didn't even look shocked, or relatively saddened by the information. "But she's, she's going to be okay right? My wife is going to be okay?"
The doctor folded her hands in a neat, practiced manner. "She'll be fine, but, we're worried about her mental state more than her physical one. You may want her to consult a therapists, but that is of course entirely her decision."
"Can I see her?" Clow asked, trying to remain calm, but failing. The doctor nodded, "She's being taken to a room right now, she's sleeping."
Relief spread over the elder male's worn features. "Thank you." The woman nodded before turning and leaving the waiting room.
Clow walked back to his son, sitting and placing a hand on the younger's knee. Watanuki didn't know what to say, he was so relieved and forlorn at the same time, he wasn't sure what he should feel, how he should act.
He was enraged at his parents, the fact that they were letting this continue for so long, and yet, he respected them for it, for trying and trying.
"You should probably get home Kimihiro." The man stated, a weak smile on those chapped lips, exhaustion practically pouring out of his eyes.
The younger nodded, looking over to Doumeki and lightly patting the hand that was still on his shoulder. Doumeki nodded and stood, ready to push Watanuki out of the hospital and back home.
"I'll come and visit tomorrow okay?" Watanuki asked his father, though it was more of a heads up, of a notice of what he would be doing.
And it would be more than just a visit.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go in with you?" Doumeki asked, standing behind Watanuki in the sterile hallway that led to Yuuko's hospital room. The youth turned and glared at his companion. They had decided to forgo the wheelchair this time, well more like Watanuki glared and promptly kept walking when Doumeki had suggested it. "How many times to I have to tell you?"
The elder smirked, "Just making sure."
Watanuki grumbled and rolled his eyes, walking towards the designated room. "I'll be fine."
"But we should tell her together."
The younger shot him a death glare. "No. I need to tell her. On my own."
Doumeki finally lamented.
Savoring his small moment of victory Watanuki knocked on the door and opened it a second later. He sent one last look at Doumeki, though it was far more civil before entering the room and closing the door behind him.
His mother was standing and staring out the window in a flimsy hospital gown and sweater, probably something that Clow had brought her from home. The woman turned upon hearing the sound of someone entering, thinking that it was her husband back from work.
However it wasn't Clow. It was her son.
But it wasn't her son either. It just couldn't be. "Kimihiro you're..."
Those slim hands went around his stomach, Watanuki's face turning somewhat worried at the look his mother was giving him. "Mom I'm...I'm sorry Mom, I'm so-"
"Why didn't you tell me!" Yuuko demanded, her eyes wide, anger filling her face. She couldn't believe it, it just couldn't happen. Her son? Pregnant? It was...it was ridiculous!
She swiftly walked over to where the younger male stood unaware of her approach.
Watanuki looked up when his mother was within arms reach and he took a step back, fear clear in his eyes. He had never seen his mother like this.
The male was backed up into a wall, pinned there by Yuuko's crimson eyes, the color mirroring the woman's mood so perfectly.
And then she slapped him, straight across the face.
Watanuki was left speechless, his eyes wide and mouth hung, head still facing the side from the sheer force of the hit.
"How could you do this?" The woman demanded, tears falling down her face. "How could you do this to me?"
Watanuki slowly turned his head to look at her, one hand going up to feel his cheek. "I didn't mean for it to-"
"But it did! And look at you! How could you do this to me? Your mother? I bet you think this is funny don't you! It's some kind of joke you sick piece of," Yuuko brought her hand back up preparing for another blow, completely out of control and deranged, but the hand was caught from behind.
Clow gripped his spouse's wrist, his grip so tight that his knuckles were going white, probably bruising Yuuko's porcelain skin. "That's enough."
Before Watanuki could register what was happening he was pulled from his spot on the wall and into an all-too-familiar chest. "Doumeki?"
"We're leaving." The younger's companion stated evenly.
"Take care of him." Clow responded, his voice hard and calculating, a tone that Watanuki didn't think his father was capable of.
Doumeki wrapped an arm around Watanuki's shoulders, the other holding Watanuki's hand against his stomach and began to escort the younger out of the room.
With a fleeting glance Watanuki looked back, only to witness Yuuko turning to Clow, sadness and pain shockingly evident on her face before she collapsed, bawling, into her husbands arms.
The minute the two walked into the shrine, the younger's semi-permanent home, Watanuki was being spun around and inspected by an all-too-worried Doumeki. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Watanuki tried to brush off the golden-eyed male's hold on his upper-arms, "I'm fine, I'm fine-"
"The baby-"
"We're fine! " The younger stated firmly, bringing his hands up to Doumeki's cheeks and ceasing the elder from his frantic search of bodily injuries. "It's okay."
The two locked eyes with one another before Doumeki sighed, loosening his hold on the younger. "I told you I should've been there."
Watanuki rolled his eyes. "You can't protect me from everything-"
"It could've been worse-"
"BUT IT WASN'T!" Watanuki exclaimed, eyes fierce. "It...it wasn't okay, just let it go." The younger insisted, his hands falling to his companion's firm shoulders. He never liked arguing with Doumeki...well, he never liked really arguing with Doumeki, not the playful banter that he tended to engage in when he wasn't particularly happy with the other.
Doumeki stood to his full height, finally letting go of Watanuki before running a hand through his hair. "Fine."
The two stood in silence, not exactly sure what to do.
Watanuki relented first. "I'm worried about her Doumeki."
"Me too, but..." The elder trailed off, instinctually resorting to his adolescent ways of non-expression.
"But?" Watanuki urged, slight irritation evident in his tone. Doumeki let out a gruff sigh. "I'm worried about you more."
Those dark blues widened in slight surprise, those cheeks going a dusted rose color before Watanuki shook his head with a chuckle. "You should be."
Despite Doumeki's instructions otherwise and Clow's subtle hints to follow said instructions, Watanuki found himself asking for entrance into that hospital room again about a week later. He opened the door just a crack, peering inside.
Yuuko was sitting on the room's bed this time, brushing out her long black hair. Hair that Watanuki had always admired ever since he was a little kid. He was fascinated by the long strands, the strength and determination that they represented.
The woman looked up from her occupation, a sad smile gracing her lips. "Kimihiro..."
Watanuki gave her a nervous grin, "Can I come in?"
The woman looked surprised, but nodded.
Her son sighed, gracefully walking into the room and closing the door behind him.
Yuuko still couldn't believe what she saw.
But she accepted it somewhat. She understood.
And she was so very apologetic.
Watanuki approached the foot of her bed, his slim hands lightly holding the railing that was placed there. Yuuko studied her son's eyes, the slight edge of uneasiness, of fear that was in them.
"Oh Kimihiro, I'm so sorry. What I did, it was horrible. I don't know what came over me...I...I couldn't-"
The male gently smiled, something reminiscent of the way Clow would smile. "It's okay Mom, I understand."
Yuuko's crimson irises fell to her lap. She shouldn't be forgiven so easily.
The woman sighed before returning her son's smile, patting the bed besides her. Watanuki did as the gesture asked and took a seat, hands unconsciously going to rest on his stomach. Yuuko's gaze softened.
"How many months?"
"Seven, almost eight."
"Just about done then?" The woman said with a cheeky grin.
"Just about."
"How did you manage all this time?"
The blue-eyed male gave a curious hum, "Well, I had Doumeki-"
"But of course," Yuuko interjected in that sly way of hers. Watanuki rolled his eyes.
"And Dad too."
"Your Father knew?" She asked exasperatedly. Watanuki played one of his mother's cards and gave that condescending grin that he grew up receiving. "But of course."
His mother tossed her hair to the side. "Oh that man, that's just like him."
The younger let out a laugh at the woman's antics, realizing how much he needed his mother, despite what they had to go through together.
They sat in a slight silence.
"I'm really proud of you, you know?" Yuuko stated, voice bewitchingly serious, as if it held some deeper meaning.
Watanuki smiled, looking at his mother. "I'm proud of you too."
And suddenly everything was okay between them. As simple as that characteristically Yuuko tone and Watanuki's compliant nods and responses.
Yuuko placed a hand on her son's stomach and smiled. "It'll be a boy."
Her son laughed, "I think so too."
"Doumeki! Make sure to grab the travel bag!" Watanuki yelled into the house, and he sighed at the confirming 'Hn' he heard from down the hall. The college-junior looked down to his feet, smiling at the sight of his little two year old walking around and exclaiming small incoherent sentences.
"Syaoran" The now-father cooed towards his son. The boy turned and smiled in that beautiful way that only children can. Watanuki held out his hands, "Come on, let's go see Grandma huh?"
The child happily agreed, walking over to his dad with small steps. The elder picked Syaoran up and happily placed his son on his hip. Watanuki cuddled the younger for a few seconds before turning back to the hallway.
Doumeki finally appeared and closed the distance of the hall until he reached the two waiting. "Ready to go?"
Watanuki nodded before turning to the smiling toddler in his arms. "Your aunt was born today Syaoran, isn't that exciting?"
The boy looked back and forth between his parents, before giving another smile and nodding happily.
"Dad!" Watanuki called towards his father.
The man turned, this delighted air all around him, a blissful smile on his lips. "Kimihiro." He responded with a slight wave. He took in the sight of his son and grandson as they came towards him, his smile just growing that much wider.
"Sorry we're late. How's Mom? How's the baby?" The male asked, eyes filled with concern and obvious joy. Clow smiled, pointing towards the window next to them that allowed people to see into the nursery filled with rows of newborns.
As soon as Watanuki turned, his movement mimicked by the other two males and his son by default, they were graced with the sight of one of the nurses placing a pink bundle into one of the transparent cradles, a small black tuft of hair and a round face peaking through the blankets.
Watanuki smiled, a light and blissful turn of lips, as he looked onto his little sister. "She's beautiful Dad. What's her name?"
Clow patted the top of Syaoran's head, the boy laughing happily at the contact, "Himawari, we named her Himawari."
The blue-eyed male's smile grew as he turned to look at Doumeki. "It's a good name isn't it."
The stoic male nodded in agreement, easily allowing Watanuki to transfer their son into his arms. "It is."
Watanuki turned back to his father. "How's Mom, can we see her?"
"She's doing just fine, she's probably sleeping. The room's down the hall, first door on the left." Clow responded lightly. It was as if the man was suddenly so much younger, as if all of his worries had been washed away.
They had finally done it, they had finally managed to have another child. "I'm gonna stay here though and watch over the baby."
Watanuki understood and gave his father a warm hug. "Sure thing, see you in awhile okay?"
"Okay."
Watanuki turned to Doumeki, the trio walking down the hall and leaving the elder male to stand and watch his little baby girl.
When the three entered the specified room, they were somewhat surprised to see that Yuuko was in fact not asleep, but very much awake.
"Hey Mom." Watanuki said softly, bee-lining straight for the side of the hospital bed and lightly kissing his mother on the forehead. Yuuko smiled, still somewhat influenced by the numerous drugs going through her system from the birth, "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine Kimihiro, a little disoriented, but fine. Did you see Himawari, isn't she beautiful?" The woman asked, her crimson eyes fully connecting with her son's. Watanuki smiled down at his mother, "She is."
Yuuko looked down at her lap. "We finally did it Kimihiro, we were finally able to."
"I know. I'm so happy for you."
Yuuko looked up at her son, then to Doumeki and the small, eternally curious Syaoran. "And me you, you've given us such an amazing grandson."
The toddler chose that moment to let our a rather long string of incoherent words. "Oh really?" Watanuki asked his son and the boy nodded. Yuuko let out a laugh.
At that moment Clow entered the room, accompanied by a nurse who was carefully holding a now cleaned and ready Himawari. Yuuko held out her arms to accept the bundle, the nurse happily placed the child in her mother's arms, Yuuko instantly bringing the newborn to her chest, lightly parting the blanket to see a tad more of her daughter's face. Clow approached the other side of the bed, directly opposite from where Watanuki stood, and gently placed his hand on Yuuko's head, brushing back his wife's raven hair.
Watanuki and Doumeki looked upon the newly-endowed parents fondly, both of them glancing at each other before their eyes settled on their son.
Everything just seemed to make sense.
And that was all that mattered.
"Himawari!" Syaoran called towards his aunt as he ran to the small five-year-old playing in the sand with another little girl. Himawari looked up and smiled at the sight of her seven-year-old nephew coming towards her and she turned towards her best friend who was helping her dig a tunnel through the mound of sand they had made.
When Syaoran finally reached the two females he smiled. "Who's this?" The boy asked, glancing towards the brown haired girl playing with the curly-haired Himawari. The girl smiled, "This is Sakura." A curious blush spread across both Syaoran and Sakura's face, and Himawari looked between them curiously. "This is Syaoran, Sakura."
"H-hi." The boy said sheepishly. "Hello." The green-eyed girl responded with a small smile.
Himawari smiled too. "Is big brother here?"
The boy snapped out of his timid embarrassment. "Yeah, Daddy is with Papa over there," he gestured towards the open field behind the playground, "But guess what!"
"What?" The girls asked. Syaoran smiled. "I'm gonna be a big brother too!"
"Really Syaoran? Wow!" Himawari exclaimed, and Sakura nodded eagerly. Syaoran smiled. "Daddy said that I just have to wait and I'll have a little brother to take care of just like he has you."
"How do you know it's a boy?" Himawari asked curiously.
"Because Daddy said so, he said he knew when I was in his tummy and that he thinks it's a boy, though Papa doesn't believe him yet."
"What if it's a girl?" Sakura asked, standing and brushing out the sand that had collected in her pink dress.
Syaoran smiled, "Then I'll take care of her too!"
Himawari stood and joined the other two. "Do you wanna play with us Syaoran?"
The boy nodded, "Sure."
The girls grinned at each other, "Okay but...," Himawari quickly patted Syaoran's shoulder before running off, Sakura quickly following behind, "You're it!"
"Heeeey! No fair!" Syaoran stated, running after them with a smile on his face.
About seven months later a boy name Haruka was born with golden eyes and an easy-going disposition, much to the joy of his parents and older brother.
Life continued on for a young family of now four and an older family of three.
Undisturbed, and blissful.
As it should be.
THE END
A/N: Please review! It would mean the world to me if you did.
~A-n-B
