Note: The Japanese school year consists of three trimesters with summer and winter breaks. Each year begins and ends in the Spring.

"Hello there, Shinra."

"Hey, I haven't heard from you in awhile. How have you been, Izaya?"

"Well, a lot has changed… That's why I'm calling. I was wondering how much you know about pregnancy. Are you familiar with what is and isn't normal, and the medical checkups required along the way?"

"Yes. I studied up and became somewhat of an expert in that area due to a scare with Celty a few months ago. Don't let her know I told you that, though. Why do you ask? Wait, did you knock a girl up? I thought you were seeing Masaomi-kun. It didn't work out, I take it?"

"We're still together. It's a complicated situation… Can I come in sometime soon? It's really important."

"I'm free tomorrow, if that works."

"Yes, that sounds great. I'll see you tomorrow."

Shinra looked at the pair on the couch opposite where he and Celty sat. "Why did you bring Masaomi-kun with you? Is this about something other than what we discussed yesterday?"

"This is about pregnancy. We came to make sure everything is normal."

"I don't follow…"

"Masaomi is pregnant."

Shinra raised his eyebrows. "Is Masaomi-kun female?"

"No, but he was born with ovaries and a uterus. He was told that it was highly unlikely that he would get pregnant, and he was taking birth control, but he's with child now." He was careful not to describe it as an accident or mistake. "We aren't sure how far along he is, but he's been throwing up lately, and I think that it's too early for him to have morning sickness."

"I'll take a look. Follow me into the next room; I have the equipment we need in there."

Izaya grabbed Kida's hand and led him into a room very similar to a doctor's office, though there were no magazines or obnoxious wallpaper. He sat the boy on the chair, still holding his hand.

Shinra took out a folder and wrote a few notes on a sheet of paper. "Women—erm, people experience morning sickness at different times. Though it's usually between six and twelve weeks, it varies in each pregnancy. I doubt there's anything wrong, unless you're less than two weeks along, but I'll check to make sure. Your abdomen seems to be raised just a bit, so probably more than a month." He wheeled over an ultrasound machine and rubbed gel on Kida's stomach. He moved the wand around and looked intently at the screen. He turned it around to show the couple. "I'd say Masaomi-kun is about six or seven weeks along, so his symptoms are completely normal."

"That tiny person is inside of me? I'm really pregnant…"

Izaya smiled, but said nothing.

"The morning sickness should only last for a few more weeks, at most. In the meantime, try to avoid spicy foods, and don't lie down right after eating. Excessively warm environments can make the nausea worse. Eat whatever you want when you're hungry, but try to have multiple small meals a day. Drink water in the same way. Get a good amount of sleep every night and take naps whenever you're tired, though exercise can also help."

The raven became more attentive. "Exercise? Does that include sex?" he asked shamelessly while his boyfriend blushed.

"Yes. Many doctors encourage sex during pregnancy. Just make sure that you aren't being too rough, especially as he gets further along. Do either of you have any questions?" He grabbed a paper towel and wiped the gel off of Kida's stomach.

"When will we be able to tell if it's a boy or a girl?" Kida asked.

"Around twelve weeks."

"And…" His voice grew quieter, more timid. "When will I start showing? I've already noticed a small change, but I thought I just put on a few pounds…"

"As I said before, pregnancies are different from wo—person to person. Generally, you'd probably see a noticeable bump between nine and twelve weeks. Anything else?"

Izaya shook his head. "No," Kida responded.

"Thanks for this, Shinra. I assume that you understand that I'd like to keep this between us. I am in no way ashamed, but I need to protect Masaomi, and it could put him and our child in danger if my enemies learned of our situation."

"Of course. Neither Celty nor I will speak about this to anyone. Will you be coming in for regular checkups?"

"Yes, if you don't mind."

"Alright. I'd like to see you again in about two months. Don't hesitate to call with any questions."

"Thanks again. We'll get out of your way."

The couple left the apartment and made their way back to their home.

"Did you really mean what you said about not being ashamed?"

"I'm not ashamed of my relationship with you, or our new family member." He laced their fingers together to prove his point. "My only hesitance in others knowing is that you could become a target for my enemies. Since you won't be leaving the apartment very often, however, and will be with me all the time, I don't mind if others know. Public awareness of our relationship wouldn't really put you in much danger, but if it breaks out that you're carrying my child, it could attract some vengeful clients."

Kida smiled. "I've waited so long for you to acknowledge that we're dating. Now you tell me that you aren't keeping it a secret... I never thought you'd be okay with that."

Izaya stopped in an open area of the park and stared at the boy with piercing ruby eyes. He took Kida's waist and pulled him close. "I'm deeply in love with you, and I don't care if the entire world knows it." He captured the younger male's lips, waiting for him to warm up to the idea of kissing in a public place. When he did a few moments later, the raven held him tighter and cupped his cheek with his free hand. He distantly heard the sound of people questioning one another if the infamous information broker was making out with what appeared to be a teenage boy. He heard camera snaps, immature boys making kissing noises, and various people scoffing at the display. But none of that mattered. All that mattered was how his boyfriend's warm body felt against his, the way he tasted, and how he was melting into the kiss.

He felt Kida's legs buckle. He was holding him up, so Masaomi didn't fall, but he stopped immediately and lowered the boy to his knees. The younger male clutched onto Izaya's shoulders as if his life depended on it and hid his face in the crook of Izaya's neck.

Disregarding the crowd of people that had formed, Izaya cradled his head. "Masaomi, are you feeling sick?"

"Yeah. It's really hot out here, and I suddenly feel exhausted. Can we go home?"

"Yes. Do you want me to carry you?"

Kida looked up at him, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. "Um, you don't have to do that… I can probably walk on my own."

"I don't want you to feel any worse. Would it embarrass you?"

"No. I'm more concerned for your reputation."

"Do you not hear anything I say? I love you, idiot, and I don't care who sees me with you." He scooped up the blond and pecked his lips. "Let's go home."

Three Weeks Later (10 Weeks Along)

Masaomi snatched the phone out of Izaya's hand and threw it at the wall. It didn't break, but the battery fell out, and the call was dropped.

Izaya rubbed his forehead, attempting to keep his temper in check. "That was an important business call."

The boy crossed his arms. "Don't talk to your clients when we're spending time alone."

"All we do is spend time alone. That's what it means to live with someone," he replied sourly. "Look, I understand that your hormones make you have mood swings, but you could at least try to—"

"I'm not being hormonal! I'm sick of you paying more attention to your work than your boyfriend, who happens to be carrying your child! Stop ignoring me!"

Izaya caught the boy's fist before it could connect with his jaw. He quickly restrained the other hand. When he noticed the blond trembling, he wrapped comforting arms around him and held the boy close. "You're so cruel to me. All I ever do is show you love, yet you treat me like this!" He held onto Izaya's shirt and sobbed. "Why do you hate me? What have I done wrong?" he whimpered.

"Masaomi, I don't hate you; I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world. However, I have to work in order to support us. I try not to let my work interfere with my personal life, but sometimes it's necessary. I wouldn't have taken that call if it weren't crucial. The man I was speaking to brings in a lot of clients for me. If I ignore his calls, or act even somewhat disrespectful, I could lose a lot of business. It could possibly turn him against me, which would be very dangerous."

Tears continued to roll down the boy's cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I'm a horrible person for doing that. What's happening to me? Why do I feel like this?"

The informant placed a hand on Kida's abdomen. "Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, but you won't go through it without hardship. Your body and moods are changing because of the excess hormones. Our case is different because you're male, so I can't be sure of what will happen. I do know, however, that this is a difficult time for you, and I don't blame you for your behavior. I wish that I could carry some of the burden for you, but I can't. What I can do is be patient and make you comfortable."

Masaomi snuggled into his lover. "You're so amazing. I don't know why people call you a monster."

"That would be because you're the only human I care about. It seems that most people don't enjoy being toyed with. They can't appreciate my admiration for humanity. I hold you above others, so I treat you differently. But you already know that. The way I treated you when you were younger… It causes me great unease to remember. Then again, at the time, I had no idea that it was misplaced love."

"Am I going to develop breasts? Like, woman-sized ones?"

"Do you ever listen when I speak to you?"

"I heard everything you said. I just don't feel the need to comment on the matter. We've discussed our past many times, and I've moved on from it. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't forgiven you. Now back to my question."

"I don't have an answer for that, and I don't think Shinra does either. Ovaries and a uterus are the only female parts of you. You are a male in all other aspects, so I'm not sure how all of this is going to work. Are you…sensitive there? Any more than usual, I mean." Seeing the boy's blank expression, he reached beneath Kida's shirt and lightly grazed a nipple with his fingers.

Masaomi cried out in surprise. "That hurts! Don't touch there."

Izaya retraced his hand. "I'll take that as a yes. I've given men estrogen on a few occasions, and I can tell you that this is normal. I'm not sure as to whether or not you'll grow breasts, but it's normal for you to be sensitive."

"What if I don't…?" he asked quietly.

"Would that be a bad thing?"

"If I don't produce milk, I can't breastfeed. How are we going to nurture the baby?"

"It's alright. We will find a way. I'm sure there are plenty of resources at our disposal. This baby will be taken care of. Besides, that's months away. Right now, all you need to concern yourself with is eating properly and getting rest."

Kida yawned. "I'm tired. Take a nap with me."

"You can, but I'm not tired. I really need to call that client back and—" He stopped talking when he noticed the boy glaring at him. "I suppose I could use some sleep," he replied quickly.

Masaomi smiled. "You're so nice, Izaya~"

The informant sighed. "I try my best." He climbed into the bed, rubbing the blond's back when he sprawled across his chest. He didn't weigh much, so it wasn't uncomfortable, but he had planned to sneak away when Kida fell asleep. If he was exhausted, he most likely wouldn't wake up by being moved, but the whole ploy was dangerous. If Masaomi woke up to see Izaya trying to leave, he'd be furious.

Chancing it, the raven slowly shifted the blond off of him. When he stirred, he froze immediately. Thankfully, Kida rolled onto his side without further pushing. Izaya slipped out of the room and silently closed the door. He sat down at his desk and sunk into his chair. After taking a few deep breaths, he grabbed one of his many cell phones and found the contact he'd been searching for. He exhaled in relief when the man answered.

"Orihara-san, I didn't take you as someone to hang up on a business call. You took all but ten minutes to come to your senses."

"Himori-san, I must apologize. You see, I have an unruly teenager in my apartment at the moment, and he wasn't pleased that I interrupted our conversation to take your call. But I've taken care of him. Please don't take it personally."

"I see… Why would one of your clients act in such a way?"

"He's not exactly my client…"

"Care to explain? Pardon me for asking, but I'd like to be certain of your actions."

Izaya clenched his fists. He didn't want to tell this man the truth, but it seemed unavoidable; he was nearly as perceptive as the informant when it came to detecting lies, even over the phone. As always, his tone was even. "I have recently entered a relationship with him. He feels that I've been neglecting him, and resorted to throwing my phone at the wall as retaliation. I can assure you that it won't happen again."

"Orihara Izaya is dating? I never thought I'd see the day."

He chuckled quietly. "Neither did I. But I've taken an interest in this one. He's different." Izaya placed his feet on the desk and took control of the conversation. "Although, my love life is surely of no significance to you. If you don't mind, I'd like to return to your proposal. Everything seems to be in order so far. How many more will you need?"

"Three or four. I'll send a trusted employee over in two days to pick them up."

Izaya's pulse raced. He couldn't let a gangster come to his place when his hormonal, pregnant, boyfriend was paranoid and irritated by everything and everyone. He could scream profanities or even let their secret slip. "Thank you for the gesture, but I don't mind dropping them of personally. I can get them to you tomorrow."

"Do you not trust me and my men?"

"Of course that's not what I meant. I was only trying to make up for the dropped call earlier. I thought you might appreciate less work."

"My boys get restless if they aren't given a job every once in awhile, even if it's as simple as picking up a few packages."

The informant swallowed. There was no way out. He'd have to think of what to do with Kida later. "I understand. Thank you very much for your courtesy, Himori-san."

"As always, it's a pleasure doing business with you, Orihara-san."

The other man hung up, and the raven relaxed slightly. He had been tense while holding that conversation. Now he had to figure out how to either keep Masaomi at bay, or send him off somewhere. He immediately dismissed the second idea. The boy needed to stay with him as much as possible. He surely wouldn't want the blond to find out what the mobster was picking up; he wouldn't approve in the slightest. There was always the option of lying, but Kida was so paranoid lately that he'd probably rip open the boxes to see if he was being truthful. If the hormonal boy caught him in that lie, there was no telling what he'd do.

He placed the cell on his desk and strolled over to the one Kida had thrown. Surprisingly, it wasn't damaged. The battery fell out, but it was perfectly intact otherwise. He reassembled it and took a seat in his desk chair. If this were what Masaomi would be like for the remaining months, he wasn't sure how he'd hold up. He truly loved the boy and his growing child, but there was only so much he could handle.

Resolving to figure it out, he turned on his laptop and did some research. After cross-referencing some reliable sources, Izaya learned that Masaomi was right in the time range of susceptibility of experiencing heightened emotions. If he was average, it would last around another month, and would die down until the last few weeks of his pregnancy. He cleared his history. I can deal with one more month, he thought. He isn't horrible all the time, anyway.

Looking to decrease his boredom, he opened the chatroom, pleased to see Mikado online.

Taro Tanaka: Hey there, Kanra-san. I haven't seen you online for awhile.

Kanra: I've been caught up in some personal matters lately. Never mind me. How's your spring going?

Taro Tanaka: I'm having fun with my girlfriend, but I can't seem to contact my best friend.

Izaya smiled. He'd taken away Masaomi's phone when school ended a month ago. Surprisingly, he hadn't argued all that much, agreeing that Izaya was his first priority, especially since he was kind enough to let him move in. Masaomi's parents had warmed up to their sexual relationship by that time, but it was awkward for Masaomi to return home in the morning when his parents knew where he'd been and what he'd been doing.

Kanra: Oh? Do you think something's happened to him?

Taro Tanaka: I'm not sure…

Taro Tanaka: The last time we talked was right after school got out. He told me that he was staying with a friend for awhile and might not be able to talk for extended periods of time.

The informant's grin widened. Kida was a good liar, and Mikado was incredibly gullible.

Kanra: It doesn't seem like he's in trouble if he's staying with a friend.

Taro Tanaka: That's the problem… I'm pretty sure I know who he's with, and he's a dangerous guy. He's probably just working for him, but I don't see why they have to live together. It sounds sketchy.

Kanra: Do you not trust your friend's judgment?

Taro Tanaka: That's not it. I think he's being blackmailed. It's the only reason I can think of.

Kanra: Maybe you should just see how things turn out? It sounds like he knows what he's up against.

Taro Tanaka: He's my best friend. I can't let him be forced to work for this man.

Kanra: What are you going to do?

There was a very long pause before Mikado answered again.

Taro Tanaka: I've made up my mind. I'm going to confront this man. Maybe I can make some kind of deal with him to let my friend go. I think it's worth a shot. Though, I think I'll give him a little while longer, and I'll have to make a plan first… But I'll definitely take action soon. Thanks for your help, Kanra-san!

-Taro Tanaka left the chatroom-

Izaya signed out and powered down his computer. He massaged his temples. It had been a long time since he'd been faced with so many obstacles. Izaya didn't doubt his abilities, but it irritated him when things didn't go according to plan. He'd been so consumed in taking care of Masaomi that he completely forgot about his worrywart, self-righteous friend. Not only that, but there was also the deal with Mr. Himori; that was an important thing to keep track of, yet it had slipped his mind so easily. He had resolved to balance his life in a more effective manner when he heard a door open.

"Izaya, why did you leave the bed?" He stretched his arms up as he descended the stairs, exposing the slight bump on his stomach. If someone saw it, they would most likely attribute it to weight gain, though the rest of his body was slim. Still, nobody would quickly jump to the conclusion that the boy was pregnant. "You said you would sleep with me."

"I did for a good two hours. It was refreshing; I'm glad you suggested it."

Smiling, Masaomi strolled over to the informant and sat on his lap. "What have you been up to since I was out?"

"I was talking things over with a client."

"Is that all? How long have you been up?"

Izaya brushed the golden locks from his eyes. "No more than 30 minutes. You left the bedroom right as I finished up. I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, it's because I'm hungry."

"What would you like? You haven't been nauseas lately, so would you like some sashimi and miso soup?"

"Mmm, that sounds tasty." He pecked the raven on the cheek and moved to the floor in front of the couch.

Izaya entered the kitchen and searched through the fridge. "The soup and sashimi are leftovers from last night. Is that okay? I can grab something fresh if you'd prefer."

"What we have is fine. I don't want you to have to go out of the way for me."

The informant nearly snorted at this. Masaomi had been sending him all over the place in the past week because the smell of the shampoo was too strong and his pillow wasn't firm enough. He wasn't allowed to cook anything but bland meals because his overactive nose couldn't handle the smell of meals that had a distinct odor. The last part wasn't a big change, though; Izaya preferred bitter over spicy tasting food.

Izaya placed the meal on the table in front of Masaomi, carefully watching to see if it was to his liking. The boy picked up the chopsticks, then glanced at the man. He was silent for a moment; the television was the only sound to be heard. "Are you going to eat with me?" he asked casually.

"I'm not hungry right now. I'll have something later." He caught the blond's frigid gaze. "But I'll sit with you," he added.

The younger male watched his show with a frown. "Are you afraid of upsetting me?"

"I wouldn't say afraid," he mumbled.

"Why?"

Izaya considered how to approach the matter. Treading carefully, he spoke in a smooth tone. "I want you to be comfortable. It makes me happy to see you content."

"Bullshit."

"… What?"

Kida still didn't look away from the screen. He ate a piece of sashimi. "Tell me the truth."

"I think you already know why, Masaomi."

Masaomi ceased his ignorant façade. "Can I take anything for my…mood swings, then? I don't want you to act like anything other than yourself around me. It's nice that you dote on me, but I wish you could treat me like you did before…all of this."

Izaya ruffled the golden hair. "I'm being cautious to remain on your good side, but my intentions are still to take care of you. I'm doing these things because I want you to feel comfortable, not merely to stay out of the doghouse. I can search the internet for ways to help, but I'm pretty sure the results will be: sleep, take long, hot baths, get massages, and meditate. I can provide all of those."

"I just want to be in control of my emotions again. It's not like I want to feel as though I'm making all the wrong choices and you're an asshole, because neither are true—most of the time, anyway. Can you get me some water?"

Izaya stood and bowed dramatically, a smirk stretching across his face. "As you wish, my love." He left for the kitchen and returned with a large glass of water. He sat down next to Masaomi, wrapping an arm around his waist when the boy leaned against him.

Masaomi climbed onto his lover's lap and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "I love you."

Izaya smiled and petted the boy's hair. "I love you too." After a few minutes, Izaya realized that Masaomi had fallen asleep. Smiling, he carried his boyfriend to the bed and gently laid him down. He sat on the edge of the bed for a while, playing with his hair and watching him sleep. Eventually, he grew tired as well and joined Kida for a much needed nap.

Please review and let me know what you guys think of the story so far! :)