We stayed in the Ark for another few days (or what felt like days - time passes weirdly in this place) and I was already showing symptoms of what we had all worried about. Link passed me a tissue as I stepped out of the bathroom after another session of dry heaving.

"It's not easing off yet?" he asked, concerned. I shook my head.

"It shouldn't have even started yet according to every baby book ever" I grunted. Link nodded sympathetically and added,

"The Innocence has probably sped up the process" I paused and looked at him and he looked at me in surprise before blurting out,

"I'll go tell Jonny" and running off into the Ark to find the brunette. I watched him go and suppressed a snort of laughter as I remembered his reaction when we first told him.

"So, Kanda's basically pregnant via Innocence and sodomy" Nea stated bluntly after we had called Link into the room. Jonny turned bright red and I burst out laughing at the vulgarity of the statement. Allen took back control and apologised for Nea's terrible lack of people skills. Link stared for a moment before he paled and looked at me in shock.

"Wait. You're not a girl. And sodomy is…. And you were in Walker's cell that night. Oh God almighty I heard you" And the blonde hid his now beet red face in his hands as he realised the connotations of my situation. Allen blushed (and Jonny didn't know where to look) as I continued to laugh at his reaction.

After the 'confrontation', Allen and I walked back to the room that we had decided to use for our time in the Ark.

"That's the most I've seen you laugh. It's odd. I didn't realise it before how unhappy you've always seemed" I didn't know what to say so I kept walking, stunned. I turned as he smiled up at me,

"I like this happier you. It makes you look kinda cute" And he walked up to where Link and Jonny were ahead of us. I froze, blushing hard. Kanda Yu? Cute? The two things had never been used in a sentence together before. I think. Was this Moyashi flirting with me or something? Was he flirting? Did he like me like that? Urgh these thoughts hurt my emotionally stunted brain.

"Another one?" Allen asked as I headed into the kitchen to wash away the taste. I nodded and he passed me a glass of juice. Though we had started to get along better after I found him in England, this whole experience had brought us even closer. As we sat at the breakfast bar together, in comfortable silence, a sudden question popped into my head and I wondered why I hadn't asked it at the time.

"Moya-Allen."

"Hnn?"

"Why was your last request a night with me?"

The beansprout spat out the yoghurt he'd been eating and coughed slightly. I sat there watching him, patiently waiting for my answer. He composed himself before answering,

"I guess it was because we'd grown so close. We went through so much in that time together - Me turning into Nea, coming to terms with it, you coming to terms with it, changing your mind about killing him - and us - and I guess at that point, I wanted to say a proper goodbye to you. You mean a lot to me Kanda and I wanted to tell you before I left for good. You deserved it" I didn't know what to say. He cared that much about me, and in such a short space of time. He suddenly chuckled,

"Though I can't say I anticipated what happened next though" At that, I buried my head in my arms on the table and groaned as he laughed.

"I don't regret it though" that statement caused me to look up. His face was so sincere, and I knew he meant it. I smiled as I did a quick analysis of my own feelings,

"Neither do I. Even with all of this. I'm glad it happened" and it was Allen's turn to blush and mine to laugh. He smiled softly at me as I stopped, and I blinked as he leaned in, but I stayed still.

It was soft - like that time - and I slowly returned the kiss. We broke apart and both seemed to look at each other curiously. Is this what we wanted? It seemed natural at this point. Allen moved forwards again. It was then that my stomach decided to lurch, and I had to run for the stairs to the bathroom. I soon noticed a hand rubbing my back, and white hair shining in the corner of my eye.

It only took another couple of days for the sickness (which was apparently called 'morning sickness' - more like all day round sickness) to stop and I was incredibly grateful. But Mugen still hadn't shown any signs of re-emerging. There was also no indication that the Innocence in my system would be useful in combat. It seemed to have simply become fuel for the 'child' - an entity that hadn't shown any physical signs apart from the usual symptoms. Nothing else seemed to occur with the Moyashi either. The occasional soft kiss here and there was all we shared. I was fine with this, but it felt like he was holding back on something and I wasn't sure what.

It was one day when we were both in the piano room that I broke the silence.

"Hey Moyashi"

"Hnn?"

"Is everything how you want it?"

"Huh?" He looked at me perplexed. I guess that was kind of vague.

"With us, I mean" God that felt awkward saying out loud. But it needed saying. I needed to know. At the specifics, Allen turned red - we'd been doing that a lot in our time here.

"I'm pretty happy" I wasn't convinced and raised an eyebrow of disbelief, leaning back on the sofa to look at him.

"Really? You don't seem it. Is there something you want?" Wait - was I flirting? I think I was. Oh Lord here we go. Kanda is flirting. Wow okay fine. Let's roll with this then. His blush was only growing.

"Something you want with me?" I uncrossed my legs and tipped my head back, still locking eyes. That seemed to do it and he stood up from the piano stool and stopped dead in front of me. His eyes were darker, but this wasn't Nea.

"Something I want?" he asked. I swallowed nervous suddenly at his change of tone. And suddenly his lips were on mine. But this time it wasn't soft. It was rough and needy and different but not unwanted. Kissing back hesitantly, I grew braver and matched his enthusiasm and soon we were both on the sofa. Soon hands were on skin and clothes were everywhere but on us.