"Skoochy!" He ran into their living room, sure that nothing good could come of his wife's yell. "Why?!" She deplored as he came into her view. She was gesturing at the floor of their living room which displayed an array of parts from her old glider and their radio. She could tell it was one of his projects, but she did not care about what engineering innovation he was onto now, there was a match tonight and she needed the radio.
"Sweetie, I was trying to surprise you." He said coming over to wear she stood careful to not disturb his workspace on the floor.
"I'm in no state to be surprised. The match is tonight and if I'm in 'no state' to be riled up as you so lovingly put it, I don't get to be surprised or angered."
He knew he screwed up. You shouldn't come between Ikki and her Pro-bending. Ikki had a volatile temper normally, but his pregnancy hasn't eased that at all. He had told her that she was in no state to go to the matches and that the radio would have to suffice; she was carrying twins and the midwife and healer told her to take it easy. Twins often came early and they wanted to avoid that at all costs. They had even gotten her a wheelchair so she wouldn't have to walk anywhere farther than the market across the street. However, with her rambunctious and challenging nature, Skoochy had to be firm in reminding her about limitations. Airbenders were not meant to be kept in a box, but he was not going to have her endanger their children or herself with over exertion. She had been bored out of her mind, especially since she couldn't go to the Pro-bending arena because it caused her to get over excited. He knew she was sad about being inside all the time, but it was no reason for her to start crying.
"Sweetheart, please don't cry. I'll clean it up and put it back together. It's not even your good one." He pulled her into his arms and she shook her head. She looked up at him and he brushed away some of her tears. "I just wanted to attach the radio to your glider for a present for after the babies come." And just like that the tears kept flowing. He chuckled and sat the pair of them on to the couch.
"You're just too sweet, doing everything around the house and working and then building me stuff while I just lie around consuming as much as Oogi." He kissed the top of her head and dried her slowing tears with a lock of her hair.
"I'll tell you what, if you promise to use the wheelchair and that you won't stand up or get overexcited, we'll go to the match tonight with your family. We can even go over to the arena early. She looked up at him, confused. He never let up in any way when it came to her safety, especially while she had been pregnant. He was hell bent on being the best father ever before he even was one.
"You haven't been out of the house in a while, and its Bolin's big match. You've made it seven months keeping those little earthbenders inside. One night out couldn't hurt." Ikki's tears started fresh trailing down her cheeks. "Ikki, sweetie, please stop crying." He said with a chuckle and an endearing smile.
"It's the hormones," she said, getting frustrated because the waterworks just wouldn't stop. "You aren't joking though? We are really going? I've really missed everyone." She said with a sad lilt to the end of her words. "We'll go. I'll even call Jinora and we'll see when she's heading over." "Alright then! Help me up. I have to shower." He laughed out loud at his wife and her change in demeanor. "That's pathetic."
"What? That I see no need to shower if no one sees me but you, or that I need help off the couch?"
"You . You are pathetic." He said with adoring eyes.
"No. What is pathetic is the state of this room. Clean it up while I make myself presentable for the outside world, please."
"Yes, Ma'am." He said with a wink as she went off waddling her way to bathe.
Skoochy heard the doorknob rattle and then a knock at their door. He got up to answer it and when he opened the door a worrying Jinora came inside. His sister-in-law was already prattling on about how this couldn't be good for anyone.
"What if she goes into labor? What if the babies don't make it? What if the Ferrets lose and Ikki goes flying-lemur-shit-crazy and she tries to take down Hog Monkeys?"
"Cool your airflow. Just calm down." Legends had led him to believe that airbenders had calm, serene dispositions. Legend had never met the airbending sisters apparently. "Deep breathing, we can't have you going into labor too."
"Wait. How did you?" She turned to him to see him holding up his feet. "Dammit. Of course, you can feel the extra heartbeat. I haven't told anyone yet. Not even Bolin." She said quietly almost embarrassed.
"Jin, I have plenty of crazy pregnancy hormones floating in here. Please don't start crying on me. I promise I won't tell anyone else before you announce anything, okay?" His eyes were pleading as Jinora wiped her tears away, pulling herself together.
"Sorry. Just let me. . .I'll collect myself." With a few deep breaths and a gust of air in her own face, Jinora just needed a smile on her face to be back to her usual self. "Remember not a word to anyone. Now answer my questions." Her voice held a tone of pure authority, not a trace of the emotional moment beforehand.
"If she goes into labor, there are healers at the arena, not to mention Korra and your mother will be in the box with us. The babies aren't going to be born tonight. And if you had anything to say about it, which I'm sure you did, the Ferrets are going to kick some Hog Monkey tail."
"They better. I have 50 yuans on this match. I hope you kicked that husband of yours into shape." Ikki had emerged from the bedroom looking more radiant than she had in many months. She had a dark green robe tied about her with the knot above her protruding stomach. Her hair was out of the braids she had taken to wearing, cascading down her back in delicate waves. "Does this robe look alright? It's the only one that would fit anyways. I mean I'll be sitting down the whole time anyway. All anyone is going to do is ask about the babies and how I'm feeling. No one is going to care about my robe, right? What about these slippers, do they match? I haven't left the house in so long, I've forgotten how to dress myself. Oh, I am pathetic." Jinora and Skoochy were in a slight shock. Ikki hadn't been her normal talkative self since the pregnancy, but it seemed the impending outing was proving more beneficial than anyone thought previously.
"You done now, sweetheart? You look absolutely beautiful." He told her with a smile as he picked her up in a bridal carry to take her down stairs. "The chair is already outside. Ready, Jin?"
"We're all set."
The match had been intense. Ikki had to restrain herself from getting over-zealous in the arena, instead making mental notes to critique the team with later. More than once Ikki thought it was all over and the Ferrets were going to lose. Bolin had gotten knocked back early on and Jet took a disc to the knee. In the end the trio pulled out a win with Zane water whipping their opponents off the arena floor in the last round, letting the Ferrets advance to the Championship Finals yet again.
She hadn't gotten to see the team before the match but she got to catch up with her brothers and Meelo's fiancé Jerita. Everyone adored her stomach as she expected with promises of help tacked to their well wishes. And now even after the match all of the baby talk continued.
"Please call me if you need any help with them. I always wanted little siblings to take care of, but I can be even more doting on a future niece or nephew, haha, or both for that matter. I'll really help out anytime you need, even if you just need a nap."
"Between you, Jinora, Pema and my mother, I'm not sure I'm going to get to see my babies at all after they are born." Skoochy said, laughing jovially with the rest of the family. Tenzin put a hand on his shoulder.
"You will be forever grateful for the offers. There will be plenty to share with two of them to take care of as well." Tenzin said sagely.
"They will never be short on love in this family." Pema added. "I'm just so excited for our first grandbabies."
"Watch the pair of them be waterbenders." Rohan commented.
"Its possible after Mazi, I am convinced we know nothing of bending genetics. I mean who would have thought that Mako and Korra would have an airbender?" Meelo commented.
"Hey now, no talking smack about my niece." Bolin said with a grin the rest of his team behind him. Ikki tried to get out of her chair when Korra, who was pushing her about the arena, pushed her shoulders down to keep her in place.
"Looks like someone is stuck." Bolin said coming over to his sister-in-law for an awkward hug.
"Looks like someone almost lost their spot in the championship." She snapped snarkily at the trio.
"Easy, killer, we won, that's what matters. I expect your notes and critique in my mailbox by tomorrow morning." Jet said easily as he kissed her cheek in greeting.
"That might have to wait." She took a pause to stretch and yawn; she wasn't used to all of this excitement and activity. She opened her eyes after her stretch and rested her hands on her belly, to find over a dozen worried pair of eyes on her. "Guys, I just meant I'm tired. It's been a long day." There was an audible sigh of relief from the room.
"We'd best get you home sweetheart."
"Oh alright. Jerita, I'll call you tomorrow about helping me with the babies clothes and setting up their rooms, okay? Jin, we need to go shopping for baby things. Mom, I want the recipe for-" Skoochy interrupted his wife.
"You aren't dying you're going home. They all know where to find you."
"I'll be in lock-up is anyone needs me." She said as she rolled her eyes at her overprotective husband. Everyone else yelled their goodbyes and last minute bits as the couple left the arena.
"I love you." Ikki said as Skoochy crawled into bed and cuddled around her.
"I love you too. And you. And you." He added as he kissed her stomach twice. She giggled as she shut her eyes relaxing more than she had been able two since she had been on house arrest.
"Thank you for tonight." She said sleepily, her speech muddled by half her face against her pillow.
"Anything to make you happy, baby."
"Anything to make up for destroying my radio and living room is more like it."
"I love you." He said as he kissed the back of her neck lovingly lingering on her pulse point.
"If you really love me," Her resolve undiminished by her husband's attentions. "You'll let me out of the house before I airbend the building to pieces."
"We can discuss it in the morning." He mumbled, slightly defeated.
"Love you too." And with that he pulled her form flush against his body and he hummed as they fell asleep together, enjoying one of the last times they would truly be alone before their family expanded. . .and Ikki shrank.