A/N: Kagepro makes me write sad things tbh
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kagepro, only my tears.
The sound of babies crying fills her ears with some sort of agony that she can't explain at the time.
A cracking voice soon follows, and she knows it's his, but when she hears something cracking from far away, she knows that's her heart.
And when she hears a sob, she knows that's her own cry.
"So… we can't have children?"
That's the first question that broke the silence, and he's grabbing her hand tight in his.
And every time the doctor explains the different reasons why, she feels him tightening his grip to the point that he'll leave bruises.
"I'm very sorry to you both. Take your time."
And with that said, the doctor leaves the room, and she stands up, shoving his hand away.
The last thing she knows is that everything is broken and she's crying into his chest.
.
.
.
She doesn't eat anymore.
She doesn't smile anymore.
Doesn't sleep.
Doesn't go out.
Doesn't talk.
He sees this, so he wonders what he can do to make her feel happier. He went out and bought her a video game that he knew she liked when they were younger.
Hell, he even installed it for her. He called her down, and she didn't respond, so he went upstairs, opened the blinds, and clenched his fist.
"Why are you still so sad?" He yelled at her.
She sat on the bed, motionless, with no emotion.
And he waited, and got tired, so he grabbed her hand in his.
When she didn't bulge he picked her up and dragged her downstairs, sitting her on the floor.
She blinked at the flashing home screen of the game and tears began to roll down her cheeks.
He looked down at her, gave her a controller, and as she played, she began crying.
Even then, she still didn't talk to him for a week more.
Still didn't eat by her self for one more month.
Still didn't smile for almost a year.
The first time she smiled in months was when he took her out one day to see these summer fireworks. They were on a bridge, holding hands, staring as colors burst in the night sky, and as an unusual cold wind blew that hot summer day, he let out a soft breath.
"I want to try to be happy again."
And she buried her face into his shoulder, smiling.
.
.
.
That same summer, they were alone in their room, sitting on the floor against the wall, the moonlight shining over them. They hadn't done that since they moved in together, and she chuckled, which surprised him.
But then he felt warm inside, because he missed her laugh.
Her hair was down, a bit messy, and he could still see a bit of her lip-gloss on as she talked about her day. As her eyes sparkled, because she was excited about a new game releasing in the next week or so, about seeing Shintaro and Ayano together, and Ayano being pregnant.
And when she talked about how big Ayano's belly had grown, he grabbed her hand, and she stopped talking.
"Takane… you don't have to force yourself."
She bit her lower lip and hid her face in-between her knees. "I'm not forcing myself," she mumbled out.
He cocked his head to the side, blinking. "I didn't hear you…"
"I said I'm not forcing myself anymore!" She yelled at him, face red, nostrils flaring, tears brimming her eyes. "I'm over it, Haruka. I promise, I'm over it. You don't have to worry so much about how I'm feeling because I… I want to try, too."
"Takane…?" He whispered, grabbing her hand tightly in his – tighter, tighter, almost in need and desperation.
"I want to try again, Haruka," she whispered, and then his arms wrapped around her waist.
"I love you, Takane," he muttered into her ear, kissing her cheek. "I really do. I'm sorry that I haven't been around that much for you."
"Idiot…" she responded quickly, her head on his shoulder, breath fanning over his neck. "You saved me, again."
"Again?" He asked, and then he heard her sigh.
"When we were young and stupid, didn't you take me to the hospital when I had an attack?"
He stayed silent, biting his lower lip. "Oh, right… And then I got an attack –"
"I woke up and hit you, didn't I?" She asked him, words disappearing into the dark. He laughed at that. "I'm sorry about that."
"It's okay, really," he told her, letting her go from the embrace. "Thanks to that I knew you liked me."
She looked away, playing with her hair, something she'd do when nervous. "Ah…" she began, her hair tangled around her index finger. "Isn't the mood just right?"
"It is," he mustered, caressing her cheek with his hand and turning her to face him. "Ene."
"Ko…noha," she whispered against his lips.
And soon, they were on their bed, kissing, gasping, moaning, loving.
And in that unusual, cold summer night, he enveloped her in warmth and light and fire that lingered on her skin.
And they laughed afterwards under the covers, holding each other in a mess of limbs and tears and kisses.
And she finally told him, "I love you, Haruka."
.
.
.
During winter of that year, as Christmas was rolling in, they were sitting on the floor, a blanket over them. She was wearing these long, warm socks that were childish, but he liked them, so she wore it for him. He was wearing a hand made sweater that she made him – which took her two months, mind you.
And he loved it and she loved her socks.
As they talked on the cold floor, snow falling outside and the moonshining, Haruka asked her in the dark, "What do you want for Christmas this year?"
Takane held his hand in hers, keeping it warm, and smiled at him. "Let's adopt a child, yeah?"
And as he stared into her eyes, he knew that she was ready to let all past worries go.