Welcome to another Ferriswheelshipping oneshot. I thought that after the failure of my last attempt, I'd try to rectify my mistake and write one that was a bit better.

Enjoy!

"Do you think I'm being punished?"

N looked from the steeping mugs of tea over to his wife sitting on the couch. A discarded book lay on the cushion beside her. Pulling the tea bags from the cups, he chuckled.

"Maternity leave isn't a form of punishment Touko. The League's just making sure you stick to the orders the doctor gave."

Touko huffed and leaned back, resting a hand on her swollen belly. She closed her eyes. Given what her title entailed, her doctor had told her to go on maternity leave as soon as possible. Although she had tried to assure the man multiple times that she would be fine, that maybe taking a leave of absence in her third trimester would be a better idea, he'd stuck to his guns. N, knowing how stubborn his wife could be, had informed Shauntal who in turn informed the rest of the elite four. Outnumbered by six to one, Touko considered it in her best interests to go on leave.

Still, it aggravated her. Champion or not, she was a pokemon trainer! She shouldn't be sitting here at home reading! She should be outside enjoying the world!

Teas in his grasp, N walked over to the couch. He moved Touko's book to the arm and placed their mugs down on the coffee table.

"Come on, you know it's not that bad." He said, sitting down.

Clucking her tongue, the woman replied, "Yeah, I do. It's just so boring," she opened her eyes and sat up, reaching for the mug closest to her, "I mean, what kind of person has the gall to tell the champion, the champion they're forbidden from battling!"

N patted her on the shoulder, "It's your first pregnancy. Everyone, myself included, wants to make sure that everything goes without a hitch; and battling, while it does take place between the pokemon on the field, can still be considered dangerous for the trainer as well. After all, what if you're battling somebody in a cave and they use Magnitude, causing a section of said cave to collapse?"

"Who's going to be that stupid?" Touko asked, sipping her tea.

"You'd be surprised. I heard of a trainer in Hoenn using the move Fissure while under water."

Touko blinked, shocked, "That's… wow."

"Yep," N said, "it caused so much damage, Pacifidlog Town was almost swallowed by the sea."

Giggling, Touko placed her tea back on the coffee table and leaned her head on N's shoulder. He was a good husband, kind and supportive. She hoped their child would be like him. Her gaze dropped to her stomach. It looked as if she had swallowed a Jigglypuff. She sighed. Truth be told, she perfectly understood the doctor's reasoning and the League's concern. Battles to decide the champion of the region were vicious affairs. Each side traded powerful blows that could sometimes shake the mountain. If something were to happen, she would never be able to forgive herself. This tiny life inside her would soon become her everything. It was a terrifying feeling, to know that they were bringing something so fragile into the world. She glanced at N, sitting beside her and calmly sipping his tea. Deep down he was frightened. He hadn't had the best upbringing and Touko could tell that factor had him chilled to the bone when it came to becoming a parent.

"Say," N's voice yanked her from her thoughts, "what do you think it'll be? Boy or girl?"

Touko shrugged, "no clue. Why? Are you looking hoping for a specific gender?"

"Oh, no," N replied, "as long as the baby is healthy. That's all I care about."

"Come on, people don't ask that question if they don't have a desired gender in mind," she leaned over, placing her hand in his knee and locking her cerulean gaze onto his gray-blue eyes, "you can tell me."

For a few moments, N didn't respond. Finally, he broke from his wife's ocular vice-grip and murmured, "…a girl."

A girl? Wasn't it more customary for men to want sons? Then again, N had never been one to fit under the category of normal. It did seem rather strange though. The only girls N had ever been around were his sisters and her. Sitting up, she turned her body to face him, "Why a girl?"

N pursed his lips before answering, "I just…think that raising a girl would be easier."

The champion snorted, "Darling, trust me when I say this: girls are not easier to raise. They cry more, they're more demanding, and when they go through puberty it's like hopping on a rollercoaster with no brakes. Seriously, boys have it easier growing up. Speaking of boys…" she trailed off when she noticed the tightness in N's face. His eyes had gone dark, storm clouds of anxiety deepening their shade to a gloomy cobalt. "N?" Touko placed a hand on his shoulder, "what's wrong?"

He didn't respond, merely started at his lap with those dark, brooding eyes. After a couple tense minutes of silence had stretched between the two of them, he let out a long sigh, but did not turn to look at her.

"The truth is…I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if we have a boy he'll be just like me."

Touko cocked her head, "Kind and gentle?"

Annoyed with her thin attempt to lighten his mood, N rolled his eyes, "No. I'm afraid that he'll end up like me. That I'll be just as cold and ruthless with my son as Ghetsis was with me."

The full weight of his words drug her heart down to the pit of her stomach. Ghetsis. Of course. That man had always occupied a large portion of the darker parts of N's mind. Even though years had passed since his second incarceration and Team Plasma's final collapse, N had never been able to escape the shadow that odious man cast over his thoughts.

"But N," she leaned in, once more placing her hand on his shoulder, "Ghetsis wasn't your real father."

"Irrelevant. Regardless of biological ties, he was still the only father figure I had in my life."

Sighing, Touko wrapped her arms around him, "N, you'll never be the kind of 'father' Ghetsis was. Heck, he wasn't really a father to you at all. What kind of bastard manipulates a child?"

"Still," N replied, worming his way out of Touko's grip, "it doesn't rule out the possibility."

Touko growled. She took N's face in her hands and raised it to meet hers. His eyes roved away in a show of cheap defiance, but she let it slide. She leaned in, resting her forehead against his own.

"N, listen to me. The fact that you're sitting here, worrying about how you're going to raise our child before it's even born shows that you're going to be a far better parent than Ghetsis ever was." She gave him a light kiss, "so see? You have nothing to worry about."

His gaze found its way back to her. The storm in his eyes had subsided, and flecks of hopeful blue shown from in between wisps of gray, "You really think so?"

She kissed him, "I know so."

Smiling, N pulled her into a warm embrace. They stayed like for a little while, Touko curled up against his chest as much as her extended belly would allow and N stroking her back in lazy circular patterns, neither one of them caring about the tea going cold. Eventually, Touko broke the silence.

"May I make a suggestion though?"

"Hm?"

"If we have a girl, I vote we name her Penelope."

N chuckled, "Sure. Just as long as we agree to name our son after one of the legendary dragons."

Touko buried her face in N's chest.

Please dear Arceus let our child be a girl.

Better than my last one? I hope? At any rate, thank your for reading, please be sure to leave a review to let me know what you think!