.

Um, wow. I can't believe I wrote this, but I loved it in my mind, and so here it is.

Misao X Kamatari/ Soujiro X Karuo

Disclaimer: I may be on something for writing this, but I'm sane enough not to say I own these awesomely cracktastic characters.

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Misao trailed her fingers in slow patterns across his chest.

"You're awake, aren't you?" she whispered into the dark.

"Mhmm," was his sleepy response, before he yawned.

"Were you awake or did I wake you?" her question was coated in light humor.

"Sorta both," he answered, stretching and rolling onto his side before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him.

"What do you mean 'sorta'? How can you be awake...then have me wake you up?" she asked, a smile crossing her lips as she cuddled into him.

"I thought I was asleep, 'til you asked that," he answered, never opening his eyes, instead he smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes, before her grin grew, "before I 'woke' you, were you having a good dream or a bad one?"

He smirked and opened one dark eye, "It was a very good dream."

Her smile shrank to a soft smirk as her eyes trailed down to the edge of the blanket that covered their still tangled legs, before it disappeared completely and her face turned solemn, "What are we gonna do?"

He frowned and brought her face back up so she was looking at him, "Wha' do ya mean?"
"If something happens," she put a hand on her stomach, "What will we do? What are we gonna tell them?"

He moved his head down a bit, throwing the shadow of his bangs over his eyes, "I don't know, Misao," he looked at her again, "We'll figure it out if and when we come to it."

That was three months before. Thinking about it Misao wasn't sure whether or not to laugh or cry as she sat, head bent over a wooden pail.

"You okay?" Kamatari's voice came to her through the thin door.

"Yeh, gre-," she was cut off by another bought of vomiting, "Great."

For a moment she didn't get an answer then he spoke again, "Who're you tryin' to fool?"

A small smile came to her mouth, but was quickly wiped away with another round.

"Maybe it's a good thing that vixen's here. You should let her have a look at you," his voice was almost absentminded, but she could here the concern.

"I don't need to see Megumi," she answered, sliding the door open and almost making him fall in the process. She laughed as he stumbled, trying not to put weight on his still healing leg.

He caught himself with his scythe and followed her down the hall back to the room they shared, "But you've been doing that almost every morning for a while now."

She turned to face him as she began to change out of her yakata, and said in a stern voice that didn't match her previous mood, "I don't need to see Megumi."

He gave her a grave look that showed the pain it caused him to see her sick.

She felt tears touch her eyes when she saw the look, she took a shaky breath, "Alright, if it will make you feel better, but nothings wrong with me."

He closed the distance between them, "You know that's the worst lie you've ever told anyone," he sighed a defeated sigh, and kissed her forehead, "I just don't like seeing you hurting."

She snorted, the way he'd said that he sounded so childish, "You should go get her before I change my mind," she jabbed his chest as she said this.

"Yes, my lord," he said sarcastically, before trading his scythe, grudgingly, with his walking stick and leaving the room.

She sighed and sat in the corner of the room, hands in her lap, as she thought back again. She slipped back into reality, when she heard foot steps coming down the long hall toward the room and, soon enough, Megumi stood in her door way.

"Alright, Kamatari, wait out here if you want, but you can't come in," she said in her 'doctor' voice.

Neither of them protested, as she walked in and shut the door.

Once it was shut she turned and smirked at the small girl who sat before her, "Morning sickness, and mood swings," her tone was almost laughing.

"I haven't been having mood swings!" Misao shouted back.

Megumi shook her head, "What ever you say," she smiled a small smile, "show me your calves," it was an order, in her 'doctor' voice.

Misao frowned and did as told. Sticking her legs out in front of her and sitting back on her hands.

"They're swollen," she commented.

Misao for the first time took a good look at her calves, Megumi was right, they were swollen, but what did that have to do with anything?

Megumi's eyes lit with mischief, giving Misao a 'Do your own deductions' look.

Instead she played dumb, "Well?" she asked.

Megumi ignored her question asking one of her own, "How long have you and Kamatari been..?"

Misao glared at her, "What the hell are you talking about!?"

"Please," Megumi said, rolling her eyes, "Misao, I know you dumb, but not dumb enough to not know what's wrong."

Misao tried her best not to grimace. Some part of her quietly insisted if it remained unsaid it wasn't true.

Megumi had to go and make it true, "Misao, you're pregnant!" she turned serious, "I'm guessing, Kamatari is the father?" it was more of a question then an accusation.

Misao nodded, still internally denying it.

The older woman remained serious, "As your doctor, I can't tell anyone, and I'm not supposed to advise your decision to tell," She paused, "But as your friend, I think you should tell him at the very lest."

Misao nodded again and watched Megumi leave.

Kamatari took her place in the room and came to sit with her. She was still gapping at the news.

"Misao?" he asked, worry evident in his eyes and voice.

She stared at him for a moment before falling into his open arms.

He sighed and held her. After a minuet she rolled over in his arms, and sat with her back against his chest, stroking his hands on her stomach.

"Will you tell me?" he asked in a quiet, almost southing voice.

She looked up at him with almost sad eyes before looking at her lap, "Kamatari, I'm...pregnant."

He stiffened against her, and she could almost feel his heart stop, but only for an instant.

She felt him shift but he stayed quiet, mulling over what she'd said.

The pause was a bit too long.

Her eyes traveled to his face. His dark orbs were far off, deep in thought. She could guess what about, and waited for him to speak. What he said surprised her almost as much as the news.

"We have to tell them," he muttered.

"Wha- What?! No, they'll kick you out!" she answered appalled.

"Which would be better, them finding out when it starts to show, or telling them?" he shot back, looking at her expectantly.

She looked away, knowing that the rest of the Aoi-ya residents would be angry ether way.

"It would be better if they only had one reason to be mad at me. If they found out that you were pregnant and that we planned not to tell them, I wouldn't just be kicked out," he said, a rueful grin crossing his mouth.

"But," she whispered, not sure how to get him not to, "But-"

"I promise, I won't leave you,' he paused, "Not for long at least."

She looked at her hands, "Can we wait to tell? After dinner?"

"What ever you want."