A/N: …We write too much mpreg. We are fully aware of this. See: The Mpreg Drabbles.

We'd like to point out that while this is technically an Off the Spiral because it follows Notebook canon (for the most part), this is not actually what happened after the Notebook because, well, male pregnancy was obviously not possible. Also, we have other things planned sequel-wise that are not this. Tezuka and Fuji are graduated, engaged, and have their own apartment.

This will be a few chapters. We're not sure exactly how many yet. Significantly fewer than the Notebook, at least.

Disclaimer: Breaking News: GreyInnocence is secretly Konomi Takeshi in disguise! /sarcasm. We wish. And if you're reading this…you probably wish too…

Pairings: Standard Notebook pairings, with a bit of vague friendly dream pair and fearsome foursome thrown in for good measure/necessity.

Warnings: Mpreg. Duh. (If you didn't realize that, GTFO). And not much else at this point, which is surprising, considering it's us. However I think PARENTS should earn a warning, though there's nothing…exceptionally bad about them…except Oishi's dad *spoilers*….That's it. Enjoy.

The Trouble with Foursomes

Chapter 1: Surprise!

Tezuka stared at the little piece of plastic sitting on his counter. His first thought was that it was incredibly unsanitary to leave a used pregnancy test where people ate and made food and that the counter would have to be disinfected immediately.

His second thought was, It's positive.

He looked at his boyfriend, who was sitting on the couch in the living room flipping through a magazine nonchalantly. "Syusuke..."

Fuji looked up. "Yes, Mitsu?"

Tezuka held up the pregnancy test.

"Oh, you noticed that."

"I--Syusuke, it's positive."

"I'm well aware of that, Mitsu."

Tezuka looked at the test in his hand, then at Fuji, who was staring at him over the top of the magazine, and then back at the test. He set the stick back on the counter and started walking over to Fuji when the doorbell rang.

"Oh good! They're here!" Fuji placed his magazine on the coffee table and hopped off the couch.

Tezuka grabbed his arm as he walked past. "What's going on, Syusuke?"

"You'll find out, Mitsu." Fuji calmly pulled away from Tezuka and went to the door.

Eiji threw himself on Fuji in an enormous hug, nearly tackling the tensai to the ground. Tezuka shot forward with a sudden rush of adrenaline, steadying Fuji before he lost his balance.

Oishi and Eiji were both giving him alarmed looks, but Fuji was smiling, holding a hand to his stomach. "You'll be such a good father, ne, Mitsu?"

"Father?" Oishi repeated. "What...."

Eiji's eyes widened. "Fuji 's having a baby? I'm so sorry, Fujiko, I didn't know! I never would have done that if I had, I'm sorry, are you okay?"

Fuji chuckled. "I'm fine, Eiji, and so is the baby." He pulled Eiji into a reassuring hug.

Oishi smiled warmly. "Congratulations, Tezuka, Fuji. When did you find out?"

"Two minutes ago," Tezuka grumbled.

Fuji sighed. "About this baby... There's something I need to tell the three of you."

They all looked at the tensai warily.

"I'm not sure whose it is."

"But... it's Tezuka's..." Oishi frowned in confusion.

Fuji shrugged. "It could be one of yours..."

Eiji lit up instantly. "We could be daddies?"

Fuji nodded and allowed himself to be pulled into the much gentler hug from Eiji.

"But... how?" Oishi was still confused.

"I know you haven't forgotten what happened when we stayed in that cabin," Fuji said, raising an eyebrow. "It was two months ago, and that's how far along I am. I went to the clinic today to find out." He looked at Tezuka, reaching out to take his hand apprehensively. "Mitsu... you know that no matter what, you're going to be involved in its life, don't you? You'll be as much its parent as Oishi or Eiji will be."

Tezuka didn't answer.

"Tezuka," Oishi said, "I... I'm sure it's yours... Eiji and I only... with Fuji ... that weekend."

"Nya, and we all know you two screw like rabbits," Eiji said thoughtfully. "In that time frame you probably had sex with Fujiko like a million times as much as Oishi and I did."

"It only takes one time," Tezuka sighed.

"But it's more likely that it's yours," Oishi tried to reassure the obviously frustrated captain.

"So how do we know whose it is?" Eiji toed off his shoes.

"We don't."

Oishi blinked. "What do you mean? We have to find out eventually, Fuji."

"Not while I'm pregnant," Fuji snapped. "Those surgeries are invasive and I don't care how safe they are, I'm not putting my baby's health at risk unnecessarily."

"But it would be better if we knew," Oishi argued. "We'll be able to plan for it if it's mine or Eiji's, and if it's Tezuka's we don't have to worry about anything...."

"I don't care, we can wait to find out until the baby's born," Fuji said stubbornly. "We can still plan for it being one of yours."

"But what about a nursery? Eiji and I can't just spend a bunch of money on painting and furniture and everything without knowing if it's actually one of ours..."

"If it's one of yours, we can put a nursery at your place after the baby's born. It shouldn't take long if we plan ahead of time and get a few of the others to help, three or four days at the most," Fuji said matter-of-factly.

Oishi sighed. He should have known better than to try to make sense with the tensai by now. "How will this even work if it's one of ours? How will custody work and taxes and schooling and... Oh this is going to be so messy..." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We'll make it work," Tezuka said firmly.

"We could have joint custody, so each of us would get the baby for a week at a time," Fuji suggested. "We live close to each other, so when he or she starts school it won't be a problem."

"Can't we talk about all that stuff later?" Eiji whined.

Fuji shrugged. "We have to talk about it eventually."

"I know, but I just wanna be excited right now!" Eiji hopped from one foot to the other where he stood.

Oishi sighed. Tezuka rolled his eyes.

"Oh I suppose...!" Fuji let himself sound exasperated.

"Yay!" Eiji picked Fuji up in a bear hug and spun around. "This is gonna be so fun! We have to plan a baby shower and tell the team and," Eiji gasped, "AND I have to call Mukahi and rub it in his face that I could be a daddy and he isn't!!" Eiji grinned.

Tezuka blinked. The redheaded rivals were just too ridiculous sometimes.

Fuji was laughing. "Eiji, come with me to make the guest bed, okay?"

"Nya, okay, Fuji!"

"The blue sheets, right?"

"Mmhm! Inui likes the green."

Tezuka sat down on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Oishi sat next to him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Tezuka... are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Tezuka replied. "Or I will be."

"I know this must be hard on you--" Oishi started.

"It's hard on all of us," Tezuka interrupted.

"Yes, but..." Oishi sighed. "I wish I could stop that weekend from ever happening."

"There's no point in thinking that now." Tezuka shrugged off Oishi's hand and leaned back against the plush cushions. "We'll just have to go with it I guess."

Oishi sighed. "I guess we will."

After a few moments of silence there was a husky moan from down the hallway.

Tezuka and Oishi looked at each other and quickly went to the guest bedroom where they wasted no time bursting through the door.

"Told you so." Fuji smirked from his perch on the edge of the bed.

Kikumaru had collapsed onto the floor. "Your face!" he managed between laughs.

Oishi and Fuji looked at Tezuka to see that, indeed, he had on his bitchface. Fuji stood and slid his arms around Tezuka's shoulders, standing on his tiptoes to kiss his boyfriend's cheek.. "Don't look so sour, Mitsu, your face will get stuck."

"Fuji," Tezuka said sharply, annoyed.

"Nya, don't be mean, Tezuka," Eiji said, getting to his feet. "Fuji 's having a baby, you're supposed to be nice to pregnant people."

Tezuka resisted the urge to tap his foot impatiently. "I'm going to go make dinner."

Fuji pouted as Tezuka pulled away from him and walked out with as much anger as he ever showed outwardly.

"He's... struggling with this," Oishi said. "A lot. You know that, Fuji."

"Of course I know," Fuji replied. "I know how badly Mitsu wants the baby to be his. I want that too."

"Ne, maybe you should go talk to him, Fujiko..." Eiji stood up.

"Go, we'll make the bed." Oishi put a hand on Fuji 's shoulder.

Fuji peeked around the wall to the kitchen. "Mitsu?"

Tezuka paused in his chopping for a moment before he started again.

Fuji entered the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Tezuka's waist. "I'm sorry, Mitsu."

Tezuka sighed and put down the knife. "It's not your fault, Syusuke."

"I know," Fuji said. "It's everyone's fault. But please just try to make the best of it, okay?"

Tezuka turned around and pulled the tensai against him. "I want to. I'm trying. I'm trying to reconcile myself with the fact that your baby--"

"Our baby, Mitsu," Fuji corrected. "Ours, no matter what."

"But not really," Tezuka argued. "It'll know who its real father is, Syusuke."

"It doesn't have to..."

"Syusuke."

"Well, what if it looks exactly like me?"

Tezuka rolled his eyes. "You are so..." Tezuka sighed. He really didn't know how to describe the tensai right now.

"I am sorry it happened this way. I wish I had known. I--"

"Help me finish dinner?"

Fuji bit his lip. It could wait. He nodded.

"Has wasabi had any effect on you?" Tezuka asked.

"How do you mean?"

"Heartburn, nausea... you are pregnant, you remember."

Fuji chuckled. "I remember. No, not that I've noticed, although I suppose I shouldn't eat much of it at once."

Tezuka nodded. "Get it for me, please."

Fuji nodded and retrieved the tube from the fridge. "What are you making?"

"Spicy chicken stir fry." Tezuka turned to finish chopping the vegetables he had out.

"I'll get the wok.." Fuji pulled the folding step stool from its place wedged between the counter and fridge. "Remind me why we don't put it in the lower cabinets?"

"You store film in them."

"Oh.... yes..." Fuji smiled, stepping down from the stool and placing the wok on the stove.

"I'll finish up this. You start the rice."

"Yes, sir!" Fuji saluted playfully as Tezuka dropped the chicken into the wok. Tezuka managed a small smile at the younger boy's antics.

Eiji peeked around the corner, then looked back at Oishi, holding a finger to his lips. "I think they're getting along now," he whispered.

"Good," Oishi replied. "Come on, Eiji, let's leave them be, okay?"

"Nya, but I want to spend time with Fujiko and the chibi..."

"You'll have the next nine months and the rest of your life to spend with Fuji and the baby. I think Tezuka and Fuji still need some time, so let's just wait until they call us for dinner, okay?"

"I guess..." Eiji pouted as Oishi pulled him by the hand back to the guest bedroom.

"Smells good, Mitsu." Fuji stirred the food while Tezuka put the cutting board and knife into the dishwasher.

Tezuka washed his hands. He turned and took the two steps towards the little brunette. He rested his head on Fuji's shoulder while the tensai stirred. His hands crept around the still slender waist, and he left out a deep breath.

Fuji wrinkled his shoulder a bit as the warm air hit the nape of his neck. "That tickles!"

Tezuka smiled against Fuji 's neck and pressed his hands to Fuji 's stomach. "I am happy, Syusuke. This baby already means so much to me, whether it's my child or not."

"And he or she will feel exactly the same about you," Fuji promised..

Tezuka hm-ed noncommittally.

"They will!" Fuji turned around in the captain's arms. "They will love you because I do..." Fuji 's eyes softened.

Tezuka leaned down and captured the tensai's lips in a kiss.

"Anyway, for now we should assume it's yours," Fuji murmured. "Oishi was right, you're the most likely candidate."

"Candidate," Tezuka repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You make it sound like a contest."

"It almost is, in a way," Fuji said, smiling thoughtfully. "Except I don't think Oishi really wants to win. Eiji does, and I wish he didn't, he's going to be so disappointed if it's not his."

"The destruction a combination of your genes could cause..." Tezuka smirked as Fuji 's lip stuck out in a pout.

"That's why you're the only person with whom I would knowingly reproduce," Fuji said. "I figure my overabundance of personality combined with your... lack thereof... would produce a fairly normal child."

"That's funny. You don't usually think I have any lack of personality..." Tezuka's hand slipped to Fuji 's lower back.

Fuji grinned and was about to press his lips against Tezuka's again when the timer on the rice cooker went off. His cheeks pinked slightly as he turned to shut off the burner and then the timer. He could hear Tezuka pulling plates out of the cabinets behind him.

"I'll go get Oishi and Eiji," he said.

"No need," Eiji said cheerfully as he and Oishi entered the kitchen. "We heard the timer, nya."

"It smells great," Oishi said.

"I smell wasabi..." Eiji sniffed warily.

"Don't worry, Kikumaru. I didn't let Syusuke touch it."

"Good!" Eiji smiled.

They all took their seats around the Western-style table and said a quick "Itadakimasu!" before serving themselves.

"Nya, so," Eiji started, swallowing a large piece of chicken forcibly, "when are we going to tell the rest of the team?"

"Maybe we shouldn't tell them at all," Oishi suggested.

Fuji raised an eyebrow. "I think they'll notice eventually."

"I meant maybe we shouldn't tell them that there's a possibility of it being mine or Eiji's," Oishi clarified.

"It's an idea, but I think some of us are far too excited about the idea to keep it to ourselves." Tezuka glanced at Eiji out of the corner of his eye.

"Mitsu," Fuji warned.

Tezuka switched his gaze at Fuji over the rim of his glass, as if to say that Fuji knew it was true. Under the table Fuji brushed a socked foot over Eiji's. The redhead had started to play with his food. He knew that had been directed at him. He wasn't an idiot.

"What about your-slash-our parents?" Oishi redirected.

"Well, your families should be prepared, I suppose," Fuji said, shrugging. "And Mitsu and I should tell our parents as well."

Tezuka winced internally. He was not looking forward to his grandfather's reaction.

"Yuuta will scold me for being promiscuous, though," Fuji continued.

"It won't be so bad at my house...except for my sisters, " Eiji muttered. "They know Fujiko's prettier than them."

Oishi smiled at the redhead's comment, but wasn't looking forward to that discussion much either at his own house. "My parents don't even know I've had sex though..."

"But what about the infamous box?"

"Fujiko!"

"Oops, I wasn't supposed to talk about that was I...?" Fuji smiled a bit too innocently.

Eiji frowned while Oishi covered his now red face with his hands.

"Box?" Tezuka asked.

Eiji hesitated. "Well, you see... you guys know how me and Oishi used to mess around a lot when we were in high school, right? Even before we actually did it. Well, Oishi kept all our... toys and stuff... in this big box under his bed. But his parents never found it, Fujiko! And we took it with us when we moved out."

"Do you still have it?" Fuji asked interestedly.

"Nya, well, we don't use it for that anymore," Eiji said. "Mostly we keep it for sentimental reasons. My big teddy bear's on top of it." He grinned.

Tezuka blinked. "Why keep it if you don't use it?"

Fuji swatted Tezuka's shoulder. "Not everyone's as non-sentimental as you, Mitsu."

"Sentimental?"

"You know, has emotional attachment...?" Fuji raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know what sentimental means, Syusuke. I just don't know why something of such nature would be considered such."

Fuji rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb, Mitsu. It's unbecoming of you."

Tezuka rolled his eyes in response.

"I bet Yumiko-nee-san will be happy, ne, Fujiko?" Eiji switched the subject.

"I bet she already knows..." Fuji stood.

"Where ya' goin'?" Eiji tilted his head

"Needs more wasabi."

Eiji made a strangled gasp. "Does not!"

"Syusuke, not too much," Tezuka said warningly.

"Oh, I'll be fine, Mitsu. Don't worry so much."

"I'm worried about the baby."

Fuji pursed his lips. "Are you saying I'm not concerned about the baby's health?"

"Don't put words in my mouth, Syusuke."

"Quit fighting!" Eiji hit a hand on the table for emphasis.

"Eiji's right." Oishi set a hand over the redhead's. "It's not good for you two to be fighting right now, and it's not good for the baby either."

"Hmm..." Fuji sat back down. He shoved back the urge to throw his chopsticks at Tezuka and instead played with his food.

Eiji nudged his foot under the table. "Eat, Fujiko, or I'll just have to feed you!"

Fuji couldn't resist the small snort as a mental image of Eiji forcing him into a high chair and bib and saying "Open up for the train! Choo! Choo!" as he spooned food into the tensai's mouth came into his head.

Dinner continued mostly without incident from that point. Oishi and Eiji offered to do the dishes--insisted, really--telling Tezuka and Fuji to go get showers while they cleaned up.

Fuji pouted as he undid the buttons of his shirt. "Ne, Mitsu..."

"Hn?"

"You don't really think I'd neglect the baby's health, do you?"

"Of course I don't, Syusuke." Tezuka kissed his forehead, unbuttoning his jeans. "Go on, I want to get to bed. It's been a long evening."

"That it has," Fuji agreed.

Fuji turned on the shower and stepped under the slow-to-warm spray. He shivered. Tezuka pressed against him from behind, warming him slightly. He managed a small smile at the older boy as he partially turned around. Tezuka leaned down and kissed the tensai. "Ich liebe dich..." he mumbled against Fuji 's lips.

"I love you too." Fuji felt tears prick his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Tezuka cupped his chin.

"I have no idea, Mitsu, really...." Fuji blinked quickly. "They just...came."

Tezuka smiled slightly. "Hormones."

"Mm..." Fuji looked down at himself, poking his stomach. "Are you going to be this troublesome the whole time you're in there, little one?"

"Much more, I'm sure."

Fuji smiled. "Well, I don't mind so much. As long as you promise not to give me stretch marks."

Tezuka rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you won't get stretch marks..."

"Just because you're not the one who has to worry about them--" Tezuka silenced the words with yet another kiss.

"Do you want me to wash your hair?" the taller boy asked as he pulled away.

"Please?"

After they got out of the shower, they bid the Golden Pair good night, which consisted of lots of hugs and tummy-nuzzles and giggling, and curled up together in their bed.

"Ne, Mitsu?"

"Hn."

"Will you still love me even if I get stretch marks?"

Tezuka sighed. "Syusuke, go to sleep."

"Okay... Mitsu?"

"Yes, Syusuke."

"I love you."

"I love you too. Goodnight."

"Say goodnight to the chibi."

"Goodnight, Chibi."

"Say goodnight to Papa, Chibi."

Silence.

"Well, good enough."

Tezuka snorted and spooned the mother-to-be close.

Meanwhile the Golden Pair were drying themselves off from their shower.

"I really am excited about this, Oishi..."

"I don't understand why..."

"Because I might be a daddy, Oishi! That's super cool, nya."

"It isn't, Eiji, don't you see? It's going to make everyone's life, including that baby's, so much more difficult if it's not Tezuka's."

"Well, we can't do anything about that. We need to make the best of it, and you can't be all sad about it if you're the father, Oishi! You have to love it and--"

"Of course I will," Oishi said defensively, "but I don't want you to be upset if it's not yours. You should want it to be Tezuka's, Eiji. And you shouldn't--" Oishi paused, flushing.

"Ne, what, Oishi?"

"You shouldn't... want to have a baby with someone else."

"Oishi," Eiji said sadly. He threw his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "I don't want to have a baby with Fujiko. Me and you are engaged. But, if it is mine, then I should be excited and love and care about it as much as I would if it was mine and yours... Besides, someone has to be excited for you and Tezuka." Eiji grinned cheekily.

"Oh, I don't think Tezuka's not excited... I'm sure he's very happy, he's just having a hard time showing it."

"Nya, well, Tezuka has a hard time showing any emotion." Eiji shrugged. "Come on, Oishi, let's get to bed. I can... you know... cheer you up..."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, and maybe when we go home tomorrow we can... crack open the box... for old times sake, ne?" Eiji nipped and kissed the skin under the curve of his jaw.

"We'll see." Oishi, who already had one arm wrapped around Eiji's waist, stooped to wrap the other around the back of Eiji's knees and swung the redhead into his arms.

Eiji laughed as Oishi carried him down the hall to the guest bedroom and tossed him onto the rather springy bed.

---

When Fuji woke up the next morning, he found Eiji in the kitchen, busy cooking breakfast. "You're up early," he said, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"Nya, I always wake up early after sex. And I get too antsy to stay in bed and wait for Oishi to wake up."

"Me too. It must be an uke thing. Tezuka likes to sleep in and tries to keep me in bed as long as he can." Fuji smiled, peering over Eiji's shoulder.

"Syusuke..." Tezuka, who apparently didn't want to be awake right now, warned, his voice roughened with sleep.

"Mitsu, you cannot make me stand a certain distance away from my best friend." Fuji glared at the pajama-clad man over his shoulder.

"That wasn't--" He sighed. "Do not disclose such things about me..."

"Oh..." Fuji 's mouth turned up in a smile. "Green tea today? I'll make it."

Tezuka furrowed a brow. "Yes, but I can do it my--"

"Nonsense. Go shower."

"Uh... right..." Tezuka looked at the tensai suspiciously as he left the room.

"So, what'cha makin'?"

"Yummy stuff. It's a surprise." Eiji turned away from the stove and patted Fuji 's belly. "I kept the chibi in mind."

Fuji pouted. "That means it won't have any flavor."

"It just means you're not gonna get sick afterward, nya. But I guess you won't find it all that tasty, since you have bad taste buds."

"I don't have bad anything."

"You have a bad tolerance for vodka." Tezuka came back into the kitchen. "I don't need a shower; we took one last night."

"Oh, right!" Fuji tilted his head at the realization. "I'll go wake up Oishi-kun!"

Eiji started at Tezuka after the smaller boy left the room. "You don't think he's doing it on purpose, do you?"

"I hope not. I don't know if I'll be able to take Fuji being that…."

"Naively stupid?"

"Yes, that, the entire nine months…"

Oishi yelped from somewhere down the hallway, making Tezuka sigh again.

"Stop it, Fuji ! I hate being tickled!"

Eiji quirked an eyebrow, shook his head, and turned back around to the stove.

"What are you making?"

"Cinnamon and peaches couscous."

"We had peaches and couscous?"

"Mhm, in Fuji's cabinet."

"Oh." Tezuka looked to the cabinet door which hid all of the ingredients that the tensai liked to use. The ones he wasn't allowed to use when cooking for people other than himself.

Fuji and Oishi rounded the corner into the kitchen then, Fuji's arm latched around Oishi's. "Lazy seme number two present and accounted for."

"'M not lazy," Oishi protested half-heartedly, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Eiji grinned and abandoned the stove in favor of hugging his boyfriend. "Nya, Oishi, you're so cute."

Oishi smiled. "Morning, Eiji."

Eiji turned around and saw Fuji peering into the bubbling liquid on the stove. "Fujiko!"

Fuji jumped back, trying to act innocent and failing. "Yes?"

Eiji flicked the smiling boy's forehead and stuck his tongue out. "Bad Fujiko!"

"Am not!"

"Are too, but we love you anyways!" He grinned.

"Meanie."

Eiji put a lid on the pot and shrugged. "What're you guys doing today?"

Fuji glanced at Tezuka. "Well... now that everyone knows, and you two are here... I thought, if you don't have anything to do today, the four of us could go out and do a little baby shopping."

Eiji's face lit up. "That sounds so fun! I love baby clothes, they're so cute!"

"It's never too early to start, after all," Oishi agreed. "Though we can only buy gender-unspecific things until we find out the sex..."

"After breakfast, then?"

Tezuka just nodded, pulled out a chair, and sat.

Fuji frowned slightly, watching Tezuka until Eiji waved something in front of his face. Oh, right. Tea.

Fuji put a mug of green tea in front of the father-to-be a few minutes later. Tezuka blinked at it.

"I was going to do that in a few minutes…"

Fuji shrugged. "I said I would."

"I know, but…" Fuji kissed his cheek.

"I'm going to go get dressed. Try to be a little happy?" he suggested hopefully.

Tezuka gave him a slight nod and sipped at the tea as the mommy-to-be disappeared into their room.

"Nya, Tezuka, you don't look like you're trying very hard."

Tezuka ignored this.

"Ne, ne, cheer up! If you make Fuji sad, I'll kill you."

Tezuka sighed. "Kikumaru," he said evenly, "please do not intentionally push my buttons today, I am in no mood for it."

"You're still being all bratty about it, nya," Eiji pouted. "Stop thinking so much about whose baby it is. Fuji's having a baby, and it's really really awesome, and it doesn't matter whose it is as long as it's happy and healthy. So stop being such a big jerk who only pays attention to himself."

"Eiji," Oishi said sharply. "Don't--"

"Nya, he deserves it, Oishi," Eiji snapped.

Eiji glared at Tezuka through breakfast and when they cleaned up, at least when Fujiko wasn't looking, nya.

"Where should we go first?" Oishi asked as they walked out to Tezuka's car.

"Well," Fuji reasoned, "we can't get furniture and such until we move the stuff out of the guest room, so maybe just some clothes and bottles and stuff?"

"Syusuke!" a female voice called.

Fuji looked across the street from the apartment building and saw his sister. "Nee-san!"

Yumiko started to shout something across the street, but it was drowned out in the noise of the traffic. She frowned and started across the street, making several cars slam on their brakes.

The younger sibling ran to greet her. "What are you doing over here?"

"My cards told me I needed to see you!" She put her hands on her hips. "Now, aren't you supposed to greet and then question? I thought Mother and I taught you better than that!" She pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry," Fuji said. "Hi, Nee-san. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, baby brother. Now, you know my cards are never wrong. What's going on that you haven't told me about?"

Fuji hesitated. "Saa, well, you might want to come inside for a bit. It's a rather long story..."

"Of course."

"Ne," Fuji said, returning to Tezuka, Oishi, and Eiji, Yumiko in tow, "do you all mind if we go a bit later? I think we have something to tell my sister."

They all looked at Yumiko in unison, then nodded and turned back toward the apartment building.

Yumiko looked delighted. "Have you trained all of them?" she asked in a whisper.

Fuji smiled wickedly. "To some degree. Oishi the least."

--

A/N: Reviews are lovely and make us go squee. Do drop one, we like both praise and criticism but laugh at flames.