November Rain a Persona 5 fanfiction
Rating: M
Pairing: Sadayo Kawakami/Protagonist
Summary:
Akira Kurusu and Sadayo Kawakami take a trip to Sadayo's hometown to tell her parents the good news. The problem is her parents have never warmed to Akira and this disapproval finally leads Sadayo and her parents butting heads.
Notes:
This story is set six years after the game and two months after my Fic "Reunions, Rewards, and Roads".
These are just my own speculations about how this particular version of the relationship might go. It's all ideas in my head and how I feel my version of the protagonist would react. I know it's not the canon name but I use the name I chose because it helps me remain connected to the character and work through the relationship. I will be using some adult language, most of it by Sadayo, and there will also be the discussion of mental and physical on the characters. I feel that even though it was in a cognitive world there would be physical and mental effects. To them in the moment the injuries were real and so I figured some of it would translate over to the real world. Also these characters saw hell...and that...that always has an effect.
Atlus owns all in game characters and the plot. I own nothing nor profit!
Chapter 2:
The following morning, Sadayo woke up alone. She'd gotten to bed a bit later than she'd planned the previous night. She'd spent over an hour allowing Akira to cry and it'd broken her heart to the point where after he'd fallen asleep in her lap that she had to call Ryuji and tell him.
"We've all ended up like that at one time or another," was his answer when she finished explaining. She heard the creak of a chair and the sound of him sighing heavily. "I've done broken down in front of Jun a few times and found Futaba crying on Haru's shoulder. We put on a straight face back then but now, I think now that we've kinda slowed down in our lives, it's all catching up to us."
"What've you been doing about it?" She had a pen and paper available, ready for anything that her fiance's best friend had to offer.
"I got a therapist." Ryuji's voice sounded strained as he answered. "I got a few pills to help me sleep...the shit we've seen is unimaginable to most people and we can't really explain everything. No one would get it or they'd think we're crazy and toss in a fucking home if they heard us describe this shit." She waited as he took a deep drink from something and sigh. "We talk to each other when we have a bad night and if we can afford it we get to a shrink and hope that helps. Let him cry, let him talk, let him scream if he feels the need to scream out loud. If he talks to someone and they recommend meds to help with some of it, talk to him about that. Just….do what you can to help him. I know it's unfair right now given how much you both have going on and you're stressed but I can tell you Sadayo-san….we're a bit fucked up."
She thanked him and they spent a half an hour talking about her and Jun's pregnancies. Ryuji's voice lightened up at his impending fatherhood. Jun was ready to burst any day now and Ryuji had gotten a substitute to help with his classes while he stayed at home in preparation. After saying goodnight she stayed up doing some research and then talked to her parents for a while before retiring to bed. When she'd woke she found he'd left early with her father to head to the market for her mother and made a pot of tea before turning on the news.
It was a bit chilly in the house which was fine by her. Sadayo wore her thickest sweater to hide her pregnancy and so far her mother hadn't commented on the few pounds that had begun to show in her face. As she listened to the latest news about government spending, Sadayo heard her mother's footsteps and looked up to see her head straight toward the stove.
"Oh, you made tea." Her mother sniffed the pot and smirked before pouring a cup and tasting it. "Lovely. Thank you dear."
"You're welcome, Mother." Sadayo rubbed her eyes and returned her focus to the television. She'd been feeling a bit drained but she wasn't tired. She wanted to sit down and tell her mother about her pregnancy, but she wanted AKira there. The first reason was so that she knew he was feeling better to some degree and the other was she didn't want it to be done alone. She didn't have the courage to face her mother alone and they'd already promise to tell both of their parents together.
"So formal," her mother sat down on the couch across the coffee table and scanned her daughter. "Did you two sleep okay? You were up rather late."
"We slept fine." It wasn't so much a lie as a minor stretch of the truth. She'd had to explain why AKira had gone to bed so early and she was glad they didn't raise a fuss. Her mother seemed to pay little attention and her father, well her father had taken a moment to set down his paperwork to ask what the matter was. Sadayo merely told him that he was overworked despite making it home at night, which was partially true since he slept an average of four hours most nights as of late. Sora had barely given it another thought, expressing both concern and admiration that he was working so hard.
Sadayo returned to her tea and the news. The new prime minister was discussing a few new trade deals and some changes to medical coverage. Her mother hummed from the kitchen table at the sound of the trade deals, but Sadayo ignored her. She didn't want to get into a political discussion with her mother, she was too worried about Akira and wanted him to get back soon.
"Do you want to help me with breakfast?" Her mother stood up and let out a small yawn. "The tea was excellent by the way."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Sadayo stood and knew that the question was more of an order than a request and followed her mother into the kitchen and began to pull eggs, bacon, and a few other things from the fridge. "Do you and dad have any plans today? Usually he's gone to work by now."
"Your dad took the day off because wants to see you." Her mother came over and gave her a quick shoulder hug. "I do too. We don't see you that much anymore."
"You barely saw me when I still worked here and was teaching." Sadayo began whipping some eggs for small omelets while her mother finished prepping some miso soup.
"Well," her mother gave a deep sigh and sniffed slightly as she chopped some green onions, "that was our fault. We….we made a mistake not standing by you about that poor boy. It wasn't your fault, we know that, we just...people kept pestering us about those rumors about why he actually died and your relationship with him. We know they were false and your father and I beat ourselves up constantly about it."
"Then you could have visited me after I transferred to Shujin. It's not that far by train." Her voice was calm, but Sadayo felt her blood pressure slowly begin to rise. "You and Dad had my number, you could have checked on me. I called you as often as I could between school and…other things." She caught herself. She'd nearly let it slip the large amount of part-time jobs she'd taken to pay of Takase's parents.
"You're right," she could hear her mother slowly begin to lose her patience and a long silence intervened between them. "Your father and I just figured you had new friends or were maybe…..finding someone to settle down with. We didn't want to intrude. "
Sadayo's knife fell to the counter with a dull thud. She gripped the counter and bit her lip. Her heart was pounding in frustration and she kept shaking her head telling herself to keep calm.
"I'd have been doing those things if I wasn't so busy with work. I didn't have as much free time back then and my life is a bit more hectic but I do have a lot more free time now."
"That's a bit of a stretch." Her mother had a quiet laugh in her voice. "You're a vice principal now with more responsibility. I understand you had lesson plans and grading to deal with when you're teaching Japanese but I always figured administrative work was more….demanding."
"Yeah it is." Sadayo was beginning to feel slightly calmer but still felt something was a bit off. "It's just more long term projects as opposed to several shorter ones."
"Hmmm," her mother was finishing some soup and asked Sadayo to taste it but when she refused her mother shrugged and let the soup finish simmering. "Can I ask you something, Sadayo?"
"Fire away," she wanted to get helping her mother out of the way and go upstairs to sleep for a bit. She was feeling smothered and needed to escape.
"Please don't take this the wrong way," her mother had a cool tone in her voice that told Sadayo what was coming. "But, if you were so busy back then how did you and Akira manage to find time for each other. He was a young student, possibly with a rich social life, and you were….well a busy teacher with so many other students to take care of."
Sadayo chuckled maliciously and shook her head. "Mother you do not want the answer to that question."
"I do, Sadayo." It was the first time Reika had actually been truly interested in her relationship. "I want to know how that young man weaseled..."
"He didn't weasel!" The straw finally broke the camel's back. "He didn't do anything but be honest and give a damn about me!"
"He was a child," her mother scoffed. "What could he have possibly known about..."
"He knows damn more about what was going on in my life than you did." Sadayo stood to her full height, her temper was slowly burning brighter. "You want to know why I was so busy? Fine, I'll tell you." She rounded on her mother and while they were the same height, Sadayo seemed to tower over her. "Takase's parents ate at me! They poked, prodded, and blackmailed me! You want to know what I was doing?! I was working part time jobs to pay off those bastards debts! I don't know how many jobs I had and it was eating me alive! I kept getting led to believe that it was my fault when those bastards were working him to death and then when he died they took it out on me! Everyone took it out on me for trying to help that poor boy and I let the guilt overwhelm me! I left and it just followed me and I let them use it to live this extravagant life while I let them work me to death like they did their son." She felt her heart pounding and wanted to cry but wouldn't let her mother see it.
"You have no idea what I did to survive. The jobs I….they weren't that bad but…..I feel ashamed for taking some of them. I did things for people I didn't really want to. Betrayed myself and my students. I was a husk Mother and I didn't want what happened with Akira to happen but it did. He found out and he saved me from them and from myself."
She looked up and saw her mother standing there, arms crossed and looking uncomfortable.
"You think I wanted you to come into town and see me in some of those jobs? You think I wanted to hide from you and Dad? I hid all of that from everyone; treated my students like nuisances and I treated him like garbage for months. I didn't just suddenly decide to get into bed with him if that's what you've been thinking all these years. He and I didn't just look at each other in class and decide to try it out. He helped me! He got them off my case and helped me get my life back together. I am thankful every day that I met him, even if we never ended up together, but we did. And I tried to turn him down I did….I just…." she felt something strange happening like the breath was being sucked out of her and a sudden stabbing pain in her side.
"Sadayo," her mother's voice grew panicked. "Sadayo what's the matter?"
"I can't….I'm having trouble breathing." Sadayo reached for the counter and grabbed it just in time before falling to her knees. Her hand slipped and several plates fell to the floor. The next thing she heard was the sound of heavy footfall, raised voices, and saw something move toward her. When her vision focused she saw black-haired figure in glasses appeared above her head as two voices began arguing with one another.
"Sadayo, it's me." His hand was holding hers and he cradled her in his arms. "It's me, Akira. What's the matter? How're you feeling?"
"Akira," her voice was strained, each word taking as much strength as she could spare. "I'm….my right side hurts...I can't...breathe" She was shaking and gripping clutching at his shirt breathing heavily. "We...need hospital...baby…."
He nodded and asked for Sora to help move her to the car and get her to the nearest hospital. Sadayo winced as Akira and her father carefully carry her to the car. She could hear her mother asking her what was the problem, but Sadayo couldn't answer. The cold air stung her skin and kept saying that she needed a doctor. When the door to the car opened she let out a sigh of relief at the warm air of the car and the feeling of a blanket being set on her and her head resting in his lap while her father backed out of the driveway.
Her hands wrapped around her stomach as she felt his hand stroking her hair. She could hear him on the phone with the hospital and asking her father for an arrival time. Sadayo couldn't concentrate on anything other than the pain in her chest and the health of their baby.
"You're both going to be okay," she heard him whisper after hanging up. Her father was saying something to her, based on how often he was saying her. She felt Akira's warm breath on her ear as he whispered, "I'm not going to let anything take you two from me.
The next thing she knew she was on a gurney with some nurse asking her questions about what she was feeling. She vaguely remembered saying something about her chest and lack of breath and the nurse relayed it to an arriving doctor and saying, "She's at approximately eighteen weeks and her blood pressure is spiked. Grab Doctor…." she didn't remember much after that, only the beeping of the heart monitor and far off voices.
He was frightened for the first time since the night he found out he was going to be a father. He'd gone out in hopes of helping her parents make a nice meal and had come back to find his fiancé on the floor and her mother practically screaming at her to tell her what was wrong.
When they'd appeared, Reika's attention broke enough for Akira to separate the two of them and ask Sadayo was wrong. When he heard her mention the baby, his mind went to every possibly conceivable problem and knew that he had to get her to the hospital immediately. Risking it he asked for Sora to help him carry her out instead of waiting for an ambulance. He could barely control himself as Sora sped as much as he dared through the snow covered streets.
Akira had to keep himself from shouting through the phone as he tried to explain everything to the people on the other end and when they arrived, he'd kept pace with the gurney. The orderlies and nurses bombarded him with questions he'd answered to the best of his abilities. He was certain that Sora had heard him which meant that Reika would soon find out, but he didn't care, he wanted to follow the gurney through the doors but was stopped by a nurse.
"I'm sorry, Kurusu-san," the man's voice was stern but kind. "But you're going to have to wait out here.
"I'm her fiancé and that's...," he gulped and felt sick to his stomach when he heard her shout for him. "That's my family you're taking back there."
"I understand, sir." The man gave him a reaffirming squeeze on the shoulder. "But we need to figure everything out before we can take you back. I've been through this enough times to know that right now the best thing you can do is stay here and wait patiently for us."
As the magnetic locks sealed on the door, Akirabegan mentally kicking himself for having left the house. She was alone, scared, and shouting for him. It wasn't the first time he'd wished for his powers back over the years so he could help her, but he didn't have them. Swallowing loudly he took a deep breath and reminded himself that he needed to keep calm, but still continued to beat himself up at leaving her.
He hadn't wanted to get up to leave, not after his break down the night before. He'd stressed her out and while he'd slept quietly for the first time in a while, she'd stayed up and worked, worried about him all the while and when he woke he wanted to hold her but Sora insisted on his help. He had tried to come up with a reasonable excuse not to go, but he couldn't and was left her with a soft kiss and a note explaining where he'd gone.
It was just before five and the two of them drove down to the markets where fresh fish and winter vegetables. After an hour of letting Sora pick out the foods, Akira had made the request to buy some of his own groceries to make them a couple of meals. Sora had agreed and Akira took another hour and a half looking for fresh ingredients to make one the curry Sojiro had taught him. Sora had questioned Akira about his choices and when he heard the answered had genuinely laughed.
"Curry and coffee?! Sounds like a good mix boy. Just make sure you clean yourself properly afterwards." Akira had actually laughed with the man and it seemed like an actual bonding moment and they conversed a bit about work and Sadayo until they heard Reika shouting to Sadayo to tell her what was wrong.
It seemed like an eternity since they'd been in the car and he felt himself instinctively beginning for an entry point until Sora tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and found Sora's fists clenched, his jaw set, and his eyes narrowed. Akira knew he was large but now the man reminded him of his old Thor persona.
"What did they mean by eighteen weeks?" Sora's nostrils flared as he spoke and his fists shook. His body told Akira everything, that he'd already figured it out but he wanted confirmation. Akiratried to figure out how best to explain the situation but Sora's arm flew to his chest and pressed him painfully against the wall with a dull thud. There was a shuffle of movement and there were suddenly several voices shouting at Sora to stop before they called security.
Akira raised his hand to tell the concerned staff that it was all right and he locked eyes with the larger man, trying desperately to keep his cool. He'd resigned to the possibility of Sora getting physical with him over Sadayo. Akira had known it since he'd first met the man. Sora was a law abiding citizen and for years he knew the man thought of him as nothing more than a petty ex-con who had seduced his daughter and in turn made her into a criminal.
Akiragulped, his gaze locked onto Sora's and he calmly said, "You know what they mean."
"Don't give me any lip boy." Small flecks of spit splattered against Akira's glasses. "There are a few things that you need to know the time for. Just be straight with me and don't give me any fucking lip."
Akira felt his feet slip, but Sora's arm kept him from falling to the floor.
"She's," he gulped in air against the pressure from Sora's arm, "she's pregnant. I don't know what happened in the house but right now I'm just as scared as you."
Soras arm began to shake against Akira's chest. His eyes darted between the locked door, the staff, and the man he had pinned to the wall. Finally he growled and let Akira go, letting the younger man fall to the floor, breathing heavily.
"Mother…..goddamit!" Sora began pacing the room and the nurses came to check on Akira who waved them away, his sole focus on the hands now pulling at Sora's hair.
He took a few deep breaths before pulling himself up and as he dusted himself off he heard Sora ask, "Why didn't you tell us before you arrived?"
"You two barely talk to us as it is and you hate me." Akira was finally getting some of his strength back and he wandered into the waiting room.
"We don't hate you." Sora was now sitting in a large chair and gazing at the former thief. "We just…"
"You just don't want me to be with Sadayo." Akira took a seat next to Sora so that he could control the volume of the conversation. "I know what you think of me and I know what you think of her. I'm not going to go into the details because she asked me not to." Akira looked up from his seat and looked through the windows on the door. "But, I will say that you're going to be a grandfather and I'm not going anywhere."
Sora cursed under his breath and stared at the door for a moment. Akira could see that he was trying to avoid the shame of having to look at the staff he'd frightened, but also hoping to see a doctor or a nurse so he could hear about his daughter. Finally he turned his attention back to the younger man and sighed.
"I'm sorry for my actions." Sora met Akira's gaze and smirked at the look of shock behind the glasses. "Don't act so surprised. I'm man enough to know when I've screwed up and I screwed up big today. While I was arguing with Reika you were taking care of Sadayo and that," he patted Akira's shoulder, "that speaks volumes."
"I've hurt her enough in the past," Akira felt Sora's eyes burn into him at this admission. "But, I'm trying to be the man she deserves…the father our baby deserves."
Sora nodded and rubbed his eyes before getting up and bowing to the staff and offering his apologies. They returned it and offered their condolences before letting him sit. When he'd gotten comfortable Sora quietly asked, "Has she had any problems that you know about? Any signs to indicate that something like this would happen?"
"Blood pressure is a little higher and some swelling." Akira tried to remember anything out of the ordinary but he couldn't. "We had her on bed rest the past few days due to work and everything seemed fine according to her doctor. We've been doing classes, she's been resting, watching her diet and we're about to begin rearranging the house to set up the nursery." His eyes went to the small windows of the door where it was deathly empty and shuddered.
"I don't know what happened."
Sora ran a hand through his hair and smacked his head repeatedly with his fist and growled. "Goddamn it." Sora wandered off to find a chair and fell into it rubbing his temple. Sora's phone rang and he snorted at the name and asked, "I'll be right back."
The annoyance told Akira that Reika had finally mustered up the courage to call and he let the man go without any complaints. He didn't want to even hear the woman's voice at the moment. All he could think about was the faint sounds of what sounded like an argument before hearing the crash of china and what could possibly have happened. Deciding he needed a distraction, he concluded that he'd better find a way to let the group know and pulled his phone out and began dialing his friends. He could have easily used the chat but he needed to focus and someone with a level head on their shoulders.
After checking who was in the country, Akira made his decision and dialed the number and waited.
It rang several times until finally a voice asked, "How're you doing today, Akira-kun?"
"Hey, Haru." Akira took a shaky breath and coughed. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
"Of course," he could hear the smile on her face become broken with the slightest hint of concern. "Naoko, Akihiko, can you please finish up the breakfast rush I have an important call to take?" There were voices of agreement and the shutting of a door followed by the creek of a chair.
"Is everything okay? It's not like you to sound so upset."
He smiled at Haru's insight and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm at the hospital in Sadayo's hometown right now."
"Is everything all right?" He heard her chair creak and knew she'd straighten up. "Do you need me to help with getting a doctor or any treatments?"
"Nothing like that," he choked gratefully. "They're in the middle of checking her out right now." He took a shaking breath and looked at the empty hallway expecting someone to come walking out, but no one came. "I just needed to talk to someone."
"Tell me everything."
Akira spent a good half-hour telling her everything. About their trip through the mountains to her parent's house. His breakdown and his time spent with Sora and then finally their trip to the hospital. Haru kept quiet, save for the occasional question but when he finished she sounded as tired as he felt.
"I see," she sighed heavily and he could hear the clinking of china as she took a sip of something. "Do you need me to do anything for you? I can get ahold of the others and let them know."
"That'd be a big help, Haru." Akira finally felt some modicum of relief. "I'm sorry to drop this on you."
"Think nothing of it, Akira." She had a small chuckle in her voice. "We're the Phantom Thieves, we're not just a team, we're family and family helps when times get rough."
They said their goodbyes and he pulled his headphones out and began some music in hopes of getting his mind off of everything. But it didn't do anything except block out the ambient noise. He had eyes for only one thing and that one thing was the door they had taken his family through. He could only focus on the forms walking through their now. He didn't see anyone who'd taken her back and he was starting to get anxious. He was getting ready to ask the nurses for an update when he felt Sora's hand on his shoulder.
Akira removed his headphones and coldly asked, "Did you tell her?"
"I didn't tell her." His voice was raspy and he was swirling a cup full of what smelt like cheap coffee. "But, I did tell her we'd be here for a while and there would be a chance you won't be coming home with me."
"I don't plan on it." his voice held no emotion and he saw Sora grimace at his apathy. "I'll find a hotel or see if they'll allow me to stay. You can go home if you want."
"I'd like to stay." Sora drained the rest of his coffee. "That is if you'll have me."
"I can't stop you from staying." Akira gave his future father-in-law a sour look. "I'm only here because she needed me to come. She wanted to tell you in person that you would be grandparents and…" he paused before deciding not to tell him about their engagement. "And she couldn't face you alone. She knows how you feel and I know I'm not welcome, but I came because I love her and I would never abandon her."
"You're welcome here." Sora sat down in the chair next to the fuming young man. "I'm trying to accept you, I am. But she's my daughter and she made a stupid choice all those years ago that could have gotten both of you in a lot of trouble." Akira looked over when heard the sound of genuine forgiveness in Sora's voice. "But I've seen now that while it was stupid," he took a deep breath before closing his eyes. "I just wish she'd have talked to us and that you two…you two would have waited just a bit longer.
He was about to reply when a person in a white coat stepped out. She was a young woman, maybe as old as Sadayo, a head shorter than his fiancé and a bit rounder. She looked worn, but carried herself confidently and kept her hair cut just below her ears.
"Kurusu Akira?" She looked around and smiled when she saw Akira stand and raise his hand. Sora stood as well and walked toward the doctor. "Who are you sir?"
"Kawakami Sora, Kawakami Sadayo is my daughter." Sora gave a slight bow. "How is she? Can we see her?"
The doctor smiled at the concern and flipped through some of the paperwork before saying, "Your daughter is fine, Kawakami-san. We have her resting comfortably in a private room but unfortunately she does need to stay for a few days for further tests, but everything is under control."
"Can I see her?" This was the first time Akira had heard weakness in Sora's voice and it pained him when the doctor gave her reply.
"I can't allow that." The doctor held the clipboard to her chest and sighed. "Kawakami-san has requested that we only grant any further knowledge and visitation to Kerr-san. She does thank you however, but right now she asks for some space."
"I see," Sora's face dropped in disappointment at this news. He seemed shaken and upset but took several heavy breaths and gave Akira a defeated look. "Take care of her for me." He looked on the verge of tears before stomping off out the exit.
"I hate having to do that." The doctor's soft face turned sour as she shook her head. "But I can only do what my patient says I can." She composed herself and gave Akira a worn look. "I know you want to see her but we need to discuss a few things beforehand. Can you follow me please?"
He nodded, compliant with her request and walked down the hallway. It smelt sterile and he hated it. He didn't mind clean, but hospitals always bothered him. The utilitarian structure and antiseptic taste it left on his tongue made his skin crawl. But he'd have to endure and was glad when she let him into her office and poured him some water before sitting across from him. He drank heavily and sighed as she pulled out the paperwork.
"You are Kawakami-san's fiance?" She was double checking her notes as she asked this.
"Yes, we got engaged a couple of months ago." He sipped at his remaining water and thumbed the rim of the glass as the doctor nodded and removed papers she needed.
"That's nice." The woman gave him a sincere smile as she took a sip of water herself before saying, "Now I want you to know that Kawakami-san is fine. She will be okay but we will need to keep her for a couple of days for testing."
"Thank God." Akira nearly dropped his glass in relief but caught himself and then asked, "Are you able to tell me anything about what happened? I mean she was fine last night and then this morning I'm rushing her to the hospital."
"Kawakami-san gave her permission once she was stable and I can tell you that most likely what has happened is a condition called, preeclampsia."
"What's that?" He was sure he'd heard the word before but couldn't quite place where he'd heard it.
"It's essentially a condition of high-blood pressure brought on by pregnancy. There are several complications that can arise and truthfully it's very uncommon given that she's under twenty weeks pregnant. But," she saw Akira about to begin machine gunning her with questions, "if we're right we can handle it quiet easily. We're in contact with Doctor's Takemi and Furuya and are trying to formulate a plan. Kawakami-san's on some mild meds and we're monitoring her and the baby closely to make sure no extra stress is added, but I do need to ask you a few questions to help fill in some gaps if you're okay with that?"
"Whatever you need."
He answered questions for about half-an-hour. Explaining Sadayo's physical activity, how often she napped, their diets, and a long list of mundane things that he hoped would help. Finally she led him to the room where Sadayo was sleeping quietly. They'd put a breathing apparatus in her nostrils and on one of her forefingers was the little clasp that tracked her pulse. She was on her left side facing the door, arms wrapped around her stomach. They'd left her necklace on and had helped her into a hospital gown. She looked pale, but healthier than she had curled up on the floor of her parent's kitchen.
"I've talked to the security office and staff. If you wish to stay you are cleared to. I'd let her rest for a bit. Let her wake up naturally, she's had a tough couple of hours." She showed him where a couple extra blankets and pillows were before taking her leave. "There's a remote for the television next to the bed and if you need something please press the green button and not the red. Red is only for emergencies."
He thanked her and shut the door slightly before grabbing a chair. It was more comfortable than it let on, but his body refused to relax. He wanted to climb into the bed and hold onto her. It was a tight fit, but his skinny body didn't take up much room and he wrapped an arm around. Her breath was soft and she was warm. Climbing beneath the heavy covers, he felt the familiar presence of a pillow between her legs.
He slipped into a quiet sleep and when he woke, she was limping through the room with the help of the male nurse he'd spoken to earlier. Akira's eyes found the clock on the wall and saw he'd been sleeping for a good four hours. When he sat up, the male nurse and Sadayo both looked at him in mild surprise.
"Glad to see you're awake." Sadayo gave him a tired smile and let the nurse finish helping her walk to the restroom. "I'll be out in a minute."
The nurse shuffled uncomfortably and coughed saying, "I'm sorry about this. Doctor's orders said she needs someone to help her around and she said to let you sleep."
"It's not a problem." Akira gave him an uncomfortable look and coughed. "Do you need to be here while she finishes?"
"You can help her the rest of the way." The man gave him an apologetic look. "I just need to be here in case something happens or the doctors clear her."
"I see." Akira got up and headed to the bathroom just as he heard the sink shut off. "Sadayo I'm outside the door okay?"
"Good," she opened the door and extended her hand and he took it carefully. "Thank you for your help," she said to the nurse.
"Part of the job," he said with a small tinge of pink to his face. "If you need any assistance, please don't hesitate to ask for it."
Sadayo bowed her head slightly and they both thanked him as lead her to the bed. When she sat, the nurse reconnected her monitors and checked her vitals before marking them down before leaving them alone.
"He seems nice," Sadayo sighed as Akira helped her pull her legs onto the bed and used the remote to elevate her legs.
"He's paid to be nice." Akira began rubbing her ankles and she giggled as a slight tickling sensation ran up her legs.
"Is someone jealous?" She let out a small squeal when he tickled her ankle.
"Not in the slightest." He released her ankle and cautiously rubbed her calf.
"Then why are you judging him?" She adjusted herself and gave him a serious look. "He's good at his job and I don't think judging him without knowing him is very kind."
"You've made your point." Akira patted her calf and noticed a large bruise on her right thigh and lifted her gown carefully. "What the hell happened?"
"It's from the fall." She winced as he ran a finger along it. "I haven't really bruised since becoming pregnant but they noticed it and that sent off some alarms." She pulled away from the pain his finger brought and she groaned. "They also noticed the swelling in my legs and hands and they poked me with a bunch of needles." She showed him the bandages from where they'd drawn blood. "I don't remember much after that."
Akira's hand ran up to her stomach and rubbed it gently. "They're sure both of you are okay?"
"Yeah." She smiled and rubbed the hand on her stomach. "Just going to be here a couple of days. I thought they told you?"
"They did." He pulled a chair forward and sat down before resting his head on her belly. "I just wanted to hear it from you. I was so scared."
"I'm not going anywhere." She stroked his hair and they both smiled; the clock on the wall ticking quietly in the background.