Author's Note: The story takes place one year after the events of the original series. Also, I have no intention to connect this one-shot to Eureka Seven: AO. Enjoy, and have a happy Valentine's day.
"I can't believe it's already been a year since their wedding." Holland mused as he stared onto the road while the car struggles to climb uphill on the Bellforest backroads in the early summer afternoon. "I mean… geez, the start of their honeymoon felt like only yesterday." He begrudgingly noted as he swiftly downshifted towards the next curve.
"Time flies when you're not saving the world and running a ref-shop." Talho quipped as she scrutinized her reflection on the sun visor's mirror, checking for any blemishes and imperfections on her face. For a special occasion as a long overdue reunion with old friends, she made sure that everyone looked presentable as possible, even if it meant for Holland to halfheartedly ditch that old black jacket he had always worn in days past.
"Yeah, but still… maybe I should've kept in touch with them more after all that lost time." Holland replied as he laid his elbow near the bottom of the car window so as to let his face rest on his clenched fist.
"There wasn't anything you could do about it." Talho offered as she took a cursory glance at the gloom look on his face, a stark contrast to the sheer bliss Holland felt was when he and Renton found the perfect time and day to arrange a visit to the Thurston residence a week ago.
"Yes, but these times have been crazy. Gekkostate is gone, the old Federation is dead, the Vodarac are rebuilding..." Holland replied as he obstinately stroked his stubby chin. "I hope those two didn't have to deal with all the chaos that happened."
"Eureka has been helping Tiptory with the Vodarac in between her honeymoon, and she's smart enough to keep herself low from the rest of the war." Talho quickly glanced at the backseat of the car from the mirror, only to see a toddling Diana comfortably sleeping in her car seat before flipping the visor shut. "Besides, I doubt they would be that stupid to put their lives in danger again now that they have a family to protect."
Holland sighed gallingly as he drove on. Though their move-in to their new village took longer than anticipated (and more-so for the setup of their new ref-shop), Talho couldn't help but sympathize. For all those moments of childish acrimony and jealousy back in the Gekko, it was a sad thought for Holland and Talho to not have the time to correspond with their old friends. Holland, in particular, took it the hardest; despite being the one to throw his fists at the young boy who became Eureka's partner, he eventually became the one who perhaps cared for him the most aside from the obvious. He couldn't help but think about what he could have done to keep in touch when he's not setting up shop or getting adjusted to his new life.
I hope you and Eureka are doing okay, kid. Holland thought to himself as he fixated his worried eyes onto the road, still stubbornly resting his chin into his fingers. Damnit, I should stop calling you kid. You're a family man now… more of a man than I am.
Talho noticed Holland's frown grow deeper and instinctively bounded her hand onto his to assuage him. "Hey… at least we're finally visiting them after all that lost time. And I'm sure Diana here misses them as much as you do." She offered, her voice softer than normal. As he felt her fingers intertwine with his, Holland couldn't help but feel warm all over. She was right; it was better late than never for the two of them to make up for the lost time as they come closer towards their destination.
"Thanks." Holland said, replying to her warm smile. "I'll try."
The car slowly came into a stop as the Novaks arrived in front of Thurston residence. The looming garage stood tall and easily dwarfed the house that stood adjacent, which appeared newer and more pristine next to its rusted and grittier next-door kin. And rightfully so, considering the incident that completely demolished the old one around three years ago.
As Holland and Talho with Diana at hand exited the car, a familiar old man with a seemingly grumpy disposition is seen exiting the front door. After shutting the storm door in front of him, he glanced over and took note of the visitors on his front lawn. His temperament seemingly eased as he walked towards his guests, smiling in anticipation as he does so.
"Well, well… if it isn't you again." The old man replied, his one hand standing akimbo while the other brushed off whatever dirt or dust clung onto his white polo.
"Axel." Holland sternly greeted as he offered a handshake.
Axel hummed a chuckle at the apparent seriousness of Holland's temperament and returned the handshake with candid enthusiasm. "It's good to see you, Holland."
"You as well, Axel." Talho returned the greeting as she extended a handshake to Axel, to which he responded with the same zeal as before. Axel quickly took notice of the baby soundly resting on the car seat dangling by Talho's other hand and immediately squatted down in awe. "Ah, and this must be Diana!"
"She is!" Talho replied. "She's quite a heavy sleeper." Axel chuckled, admiring the young child carefully so as to not disrupt her sleep.
After a brief moment, he immediately rose up and dusted off his hands. "Well, no time for formalities, come on in! They should be ready shortly. I'll be at the garage cleaning up some stuff first." As the old man swiftly walked back into the garage, Holland, Talho, and Diana made their way inside the house.
In passing through, Holland noticed the cabinet on his left containing a wealth of mementos from days past: photos from Gekkostate, the Vodarac Reconstruction, Renton and Eureka's marriage and honeymoon. And at the center of it all, a brightly colored drawing of the Thurston family after their return to Bellforest. The grey-haired man couldn't help but smile at the centerpiece, knowing that Renton and Eureka had moved on gracefully from those hectic times of dodging cannon-fire in the Nirvash, perhaps even more so than he had. Talho noticed the picture he was looking at, and smiled at him as she placed Diana and her car seat in the nearby sofa, only to be interrupted by the sounds of small, rapid footsteps from the other side of the living room.
"HOLLAND! TALHO!"
Maurice, Maeter, and Linck immediately rushed towards Talho as she knelt down and greeted them with a big hug. "Hey you kids!"
"Aw, man, you guys are getting big!" Holland replied in astonishment. The three children had grown much taller from the last time they had met, with Maurice unsurprisingly being the tallest among them. However, Maeter appears to be closing the height gap on him, with Linck also swiftly catching up to his big sister. As they pull back from Talho's embrace, Maeter couldn't help but notice little Diana sleeping on the car seat.
"Wow! Diana looks so cute!" Maeter squealed, her clenched hands adorably pressing onto her cheeks.
"Hey, guys. You know where your mama and papa is?" Holland asked.
"Over here!" A familiar person is heard from the top of the stairs. Though the two recognized the voice being quite deeper than last time, Holland and Talho immediately recognized who it was before they turned around to see two very familiar faces making their way downstairs.
Renton, with his brown leather jacket, red polo, and light brown khakis, looked like he had grown so much from that young fourteen-year old throwing fists at the world. Despite being seventeen-years of age, he could easily pass for an adult with his stubby five o'clock shadow. Eureka, too, had changed as well. Her idle smile and warm disposition was clear indication that she has become entirely human-like, were it not for her precious green gemstone on her forehead, and her radiant green wings protruding behind her cerulean sundress. Though for all the apparent changes in the family, the biggest surprise to the Novaks wasn't the growing children, or Renton's deeper voice and more masculine appearance.
It was Eureka's baby bump.
"Sorry it took so long." Renton greeted.
"It's good to see you guys again!" Eureka chimed in, her fingers instinctively making their way to her growing belly.
Right when he noticed Eureka's baby bump, Holland old instincts immediately kicked in as he reverted to his former cantankerous self, furiously grabbing Renton by his collar and pinning him against the wall.
"HEY! WHAT GIVES!?" Renton yelled, shocked by Holland's sudden attack as much as everyone else.
"P-P-PR-PREGNANT! PREGNANT!" Holland angrily stuttered as he pointed at Eureka's stomach.
"Holland! What are you doing!?" screamed Eureka, covering her pregnant belly with both hands.
"DID YOU DO THIS!?" The grey-haired man asked again, his pointed finger shaking vigorously this time.
"Holland, what the hell is wrong with you!?" Talho yelled as she attempted to tug his husband from holding Renton against the wall, only to be shrugged off as Holland kept his finger pointed at the expecting mother.
"IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS!?"
"HOLLAND, PUT ME DOWN! PLEASE!" The young man protested, yet his pleas were immediately shrugged by the old grunt as he slammed Renton onto the wall harder than last time.
"ANSWER ME, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"
"I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING! JUST PUT ME DOWN!" Renton begged as his legs furiously dangled in mid-air.
"Holland, look! Mama's getting fat!" Linck said as he happily pointed at his mother's belly, which left Eureka blushing in embarrassment and slight anger after what he just said. Maeter noticed her mother's uncomfortable face and pinched at Linck's arm. "Linck, that's not nice!"
In the interim of the chaos, Maurice stepped in to calmly reason with Holland. "Sorry... What Linck and Papa meant to say was-"
"HOLLAND, STOP IT! I'M PREGNANT!"
And with that outburst, all the incessant noise in the living room had stopped. Holland turned around to see Eureka infuriated at what happened in the last couple of minutes.
Oh, no... Renton thought to himself, afraid of what was to come.
What… what did she say? Holland thought, also as fearful as Renton. Surely this could all be some elaborate prank, though all signs suggest that his suspicions might finally ring true.
Eureka breathed a deep sigh as she gently rubbed her forehead while letting her other free hand rest on her bulging stomach. After regaining her composure, she began to assertively speak up.
"Renton and I have been married for a while… and ever since then, we've always wanted a child."
Oh, no. She's gonna say it, is she? Renton started to grind his teeth nervously as he felt his head starting to drip with sweat.
I swear if I hear what I think she's going to say… Holland kept Renton held against the wall, nervously looking at Eureka to finish her words.
As everyone kept themselves suspended with tension, Eureka blushingly guided her free hand towards her belly and gently stroked the anticipating life growing inside her. "Yes, Holland… Renton and I have been making love."
And with those famous last words, Holland wrathfully pins Renton onto the wall once more.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
"TALHO, DO SOMETHING!" Eureka pleaded.
"HOLLAND, NO! BAD HOLLAND!" Talho furiously commanded. "SIT DOWN! DON'T MAKE ME GET THE SPRAY!"
Renton shuddered in trepidation as Holland neared his irate scowl towards him, readying himself for whatever blows were about to come to him. However, the young man took a peek and noticed the grimace on Holland's face slightly twitching. He watched in disbelief as he saw Holland's expression unnaturally warping from a slight smirk into one of relief and pride. Holland took in a deep breath and pulled Renton into a tight, fatherly embrace, much to the surprise of everyone.
"C-congratulations." Holland happily replied, his voice sounding as if he was about to break down into tears. For him, the revelation finally affirmed that Renton was now a true man. And he couldn't be prouder.
What… the hell just happened? Renton's thought crashed as he was being suffocated by Holland's bear hug. And it wasn't just Renton who was incredulous to what just happened; everyone in the living room simply stood dazed and confused as he was, save for Diana who was luckily still in deep sleep. Bewildered by the pandemonium, Eureka took a seat next to Diana as she felt a migraine coming, with Maeter coming in to aid her mother.
The awkward silence was immediately cut by the sound of the back door catching everyone's ear. Everyone glanced over to find Axel arriving with a tray of glasses and a vessel of ice cold water. As Axel quickly observed the scene unfolding in front of him, he couldn't help but smile seeing old friends reuniting after what feels like forever.
"Oh… well, isn't this just sweet?" Axel chuckled as he laid the drinks down on the table. "Well, come on. We have some catching up to do."
Dat second trimester baby bump.
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