"Kyo," Tohru called as she bounded down the stairs, "Kyo, I have some wonderful news!" Yuki looked up curiously as she almost tripped off the bottom step. "Um," she said breathlessly, peering around the living room, "Yuki, do you know where Kyo is?" Yuki smiled sadly at Tohru and gestured wordlessly upwards. "Oh, he's on the roof?" she asked brightly. At Yuki's answering nod, she sprinted back up the stairs. Yuki sighed and rested his head on the table. He had a fairly good intuition usually, so he trusted his instincts where Tohru's 'news' was concerned.
Tohru clambered clumsily up to the roof, grinning yet more wildly as she spotted Kyo's vivid mop of hair. "Kyo, I have some really good news!" she cried as she got closer to him. That was when she noticed his absent expression. He was curled up in a ball, fiddling absentmindedly with the gold band he wore on his wedding finger as he stared into the sky, streaked with red where the sun was rapidly sinking out of sight. "Kyo, darling, what's the matter?" Tohru was concerned now.
Kyo glanced at Tohru's anxious face and felt the guilt spread through him at the sight of her wide, innocent eyes. He looked away quickly to try and avoid the burning sensation. "Nothing's wrong," he grunted, "I guess I'm just tired." As he flopped back onto his back, he silently berated himself. He knew that he ought to be able to explain himself to his own wife, but…he could imagine the tortured look Tohru would affect, the way the tears would well up before she hid her face as they spilled over.
Tohru lay down next to Kyo, taking his hand gently in hers. "You know…you can explain things to me…if you're feeling upset, or angry, I'd like to think that I could help you. I…I hate to see you so…miserable, Kyo. Maybe I'm just being conceited to think that I could help, but…I just want you to be happy again. Because…I love you, Kyo," Tohru gushed. Kyo felt the same pleasant tingling sensation that he always did at those four little words, but this time it was tinged with a heavy sadness.
"I love you, too," Kyo promised, hoping to ease some of Tohru's concern. "I do love you, but there…honestly isn't anything wrong with me. I really am just tired. Don't worry," he whispered, leaning over Tohru and wiping her tears away with a soft hand. Tohru gasped and sat up. "Oh no, no, no! That isn't what you think it is…unless you're thinking right…But I'm not crying, not really, no! Except that maybe I am…" Kyo laughed at the blush that crept into Tohru's panicked face.
"You've been spending more time with Machi, haven't you?" Kyo teased, pleased that Tohru had another friend. He liked Hana just fine, but that Uo was such a pain…But he recognised Machi's contradictory ranting, and chuckled. Tohru shrank back cutely, and Kyo ruffled her hair, taking her hand again, more softly this time. He wished, more than anything, that he could pull her into his arms and hold her close but…well, he wanted to stay human, to put it bluntly.
Tohru stayed with Kyo until an inky gloom had filled the sky. "Tohruuu, I'm hungry!" Shigure's pitiful wail floated up to the roof, making Tohru stand up quickly. Kyo gazed up at her, praying wistfully that she could stay with him, but when Shigure repeated himself, Tohru excused herself sadly. "I'll see you at dinner, then?" she asked sadly. Kyo nodded, making an effort to smile for her sake, but it vanished instantly when she was out of sight. He fell back weakly, feeling unwelcome tears prick at his eyes.
Tohru sighed heavily as she slid down the ladder. She padded into the kitchen and prepared dinner; everything seemed slower now she was upset. She hadn't gotten to tell Kyo her news…she was so certain that it would cheer him up. But the smell of ginger pork filtered through the house, cheering her slightly. She could tell Kyo later, and then they could share the happiness tonight.
"Shougoyaki…It smells good." The familiarly dry voice made Tohru whip round, causing a dizzy fit. She swayed slightly until Hatsuharu's firm hand on her forearm steadied her. "Thanks, Haru," she laughed. "Momiji!" she cried happily, noticing him bounce in. "Tohru, Tohru, Tohru!" He beamed brightly as he flew over to her. He had sprouted upwards again recently, and his blonde hair flopped over his eyes as he bent towards her.
Tohru finished preparing the food and dished it up, Momiji constantly chattering away at her shoulder. Haru had drifted off to find Yuki, Shigure was supposedly working in his study, and Kyo was still on the roof. "Dinner," Tohru yelled loudly, but when nobody appeared Momiji sprinted off to tell everyone. Tohru leaned on the counter smiling to herself, and her hand drifted almost unconsciously down to her stomach, cradling it gently.
"So what was your news?" Kyo's quiet whisper made Tohru jump, and she had to clutch at him for support. "O-oh, you scared me!" she spluttered, still clinging to Kyo for strength. Kyo laughed, but Tohru could sense the sad undertone. "The news?" he prompted, but Momiji came bounding in followed by Yuki and Haru, Shigure trailing behind them. "Later," Tohru promised quietly, handing out plates of food to everyone.
Dinner seemed to stretch out for an infinitely long time to Tohru. It sounded louder than usual, too. Everything just passed over her blankly, and she ate almost mechanically. She was gladder than usual at the end of the meal, and quickly cleared everyone's plates away. "I'll just wash up and then I'll sort out pudding," she promised as she pushed through the door into the kitchen. The water was already in the sink and she dumped the plates in, less carefully than usual. "Ouch!" she gasped as the water made her fingers sting, and quickly ran them under the cold tap. "Are you okay?" she crooned softly to the little person nestled in her.
"When's the baby due?" asked a quiet voice from behind Tohru. She jumped wildly, splashing icy water everywhere and soaking herself in the process. Haru chuckled at her clumsiness and reached over to turn the tap off. "So," he repeated himself while Tohru attempted to dry herself with a tea towel, "when's the little one due?" Tohru stared at him silently, still shocked that he knew. "U-Um, how did you know..?" she wondered quietly. Haru shrugged in response. "Well," Tohru whispered conspiratorially, "the baby's due in spring. Isn't that romantic? He'll be born with all the little lambs, while the flowers are growing again, with the sunny days and the beginning of the warm weather!" She peered around the door to check on the others, but only relaxed a little when she saw they were all discussing something hotly.
"So you know it's a boy then?" Haru asked curiously. Tohru blushed, shaking her head and covering her face with the dishtowel. "Er…well, no. I don't know, it's just-just a feeling…But please, please! Please don't tell anyone just yet, I-I haven't…been able to tell Kyo yet." She peeked over the towel to see Hatsuharu beaming at her. "Of course I won't. I'm so happy for you!" He stretched his arms out hesitantly. "May I?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Tohru nodded wordlessly, grinning widely as he rested his gentle hands on her stomach. "Hello little one," he whispered happily, "I'm going to be your Uncle Hatsuharu. I'll be the cool relative!"
Seeing Haru talking to her baby the same way she had been made tears well up in Tohru's eyes. "Uh-oh, what's the matter?" Haru breathed, moving his hands up to her shoulders. Tohru smiled at him as she sobbed, "I'm just so happy. I'm going to have a baby!" Haru laughed, a carefree, tinkling sound. "You're pregnant?" an incredulous voice asked from the dining room. Tohru checked round Haru nervously, making a shushing noise. Momiji repeated himself, lowering his voice. "You're pregnant?" he asked again, sounding yet more shocked as he closed the door.
Tohru nodded and shrugged. Momiji seemed to gaze sadly at the floor for a second, but he then let a bright smile illuminate his entire face. "I'm so glad for you!" he gushed, bouncing over. Tohru couldn't stop smiling while Momiji and Hatsuharu took turns speaking to the baby and rubbing her still-flat stomach affectionately.
"Hey, what's taking you all so long? Shigure said he'll have pudding later cus he has some work to do, but I'm damned hungry!" Tohru sprang away from the others as Kyo banged into the kitchen, feeling a flush creep into her cheeks again. "Um, what are you three up to?" he asked, sounding more suspicious, "What did you do to Tohru?" He narrowed his eyes at Haru and Momiji, who looked sceptical and innocent respectively.
"Oh, no, Kyo, they didn't do anything, they really didn't!" Tohru insisted, taking his hand and pulling his chin so that he was looking at her. Haru took the distraction and tugged Momiji into the dining room, closing the door as quietly as it would allow. "Kyo…I wanted to tell you first, I really did, but…well, they found out, they just guessed, I promise!" Kyo tilted his head anxiously. "Is this about your good news, or is it something bad?" Tohru grinned at him toothily, feeling her face start to ache from all the smiles. "It's the best news!" she cried, taking his other hand. "Kyo, we're going to have a baby!"
Kyo's face fell, and Tohru's fell with it. "Is it that bad?" she breathed. Kyo couldn't bring himself to look at her, and instead fixed his gaze on the floor. "No, it should be amazing, but…Well, you know what I am. What if…what if the baby is like me? What if the baby is…cursed?" Tohru almost cried at his distressed voice, but pulled herself together with a deep breath and forced a smile back on her face. "Then we will love it even more. This is our baby, we'll love it together, and that will be more than enough, Kyo. I'm sure that you will be an amazing father."
"I…I'm not so sure about that. I mean, I don't have any experience of good parenting. I know I'll just mess it up," Kyo sighed forlornly. Tohru rested her head against his chest, careful not to make him transform. "I can hear your heartbeat," she murmured, "It's proof of how human you are, and your ability to love. And that means that it shows that you will love this little person more than anybody else could, because they are our baby." Kyo rested his hands on Tohru's shoulders, pulling her closer without hugging her. "You're right. And if it's a member of the Juunishi, then…then we'll just be a bit more careful. I'm sure it will be just like you; a kind, loving person." Tohru chuckled, "Well if it is a kind, loving person then it will be more like you." Kyo was about to argue when Momiji squealed about wanting pudding.
Kyo carried the desserts in behind Tohru and guided her down to her seat carefully, looking at her with something that was almost reverence. "So you finally told him then?" Haru asked happily. Tohru took Kyo's hand as he nodded proudly, his eyes fixed on her stomach. "So you are pregnant then?" Yuki asked, somewhat gloomily. But Tohru ignored his tone and nodded cheerfully. "Rin will be glad to hear that!" announced an already very caring Uncle Haru.
After dessert, they all stayed at the table chatting happily about the baby and making plans. But when the moon was full in the sky, Yuki excused himself politely and slipped into his room. He couldn't help thinking about how things could have turned out…but that was wrong. It wasn't Tohru's baby he wanted; it was Machi's. Maybe this was his cue to talk to her about a more serious relationship.
That night, Kyo slid into bed next to Tohru, a grin still etched into his gentle features. "So…are you happy?" she asked, already certain of the answer. Kyo closed his eyes contentedly as he let his head fall onto the soft pillows. "More than happy; there aren't enough positive words. This baby…will be the most cherished person that's ever lived. We'll love it and treat it right and we'll do everything perfectly." They turned off the lights and settled into bed more comfortably. But just as Tohru was on the edge of sleep, she could have sworn she heard Kyo whisper, "I never thought I would live such a lucky life. I don't know what I've done to deserve you two…"