OH MY GOD I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG!
It was my birthday yesterday so I've been rather busy-also I had finals and moved out in two days so it was hectic as hell.
The day after they rested from mating, Saruhiko belongings had already started to appear around the flat. It hadn't even come up, but they had still silently agreed to move in together. Reisi moved the boy's things himself, because the latter said he'd be too embarrassed if he bumped into any of the others at the barracks. Instead he stayed at his and Reisi's apartment, staring at himself in the mirror of the older man's bathroom, worrying his lower lip and stroking his abdomen over his clothes. He stood there for hours, just staring at himself, until Reisi brought all his things and found him. He didn't say anything, neither of them did, but he gently pulled the younger in an embrace that Saruhiko could only describe as warm.
A week went by and Saruhiko felt like they were walking on a wire.
Morning sickness wouldn't kick in until the following week, but Saruhiko definitely was more tired at work than he'd ever been in his life. He honestly couldn't remember if it had been the same during his first pregnancy, because those weeks were a blur to him, but the internet said it was fine. He and Reisi had discussed it and agreed that he'd work until he started showing-actually it was more that Reisi wanted him to take leave immediately and Saruhiko stubbornly declaring that he refused to be useless and it ended in a fragile compromise. Saruhiko internally debated whether to tell Misaki, it hadn't even crossed his minds to tell his parents, and Reisi only said that it was up to him to decide who and when they unveiled what was going on to the others at Scepter 4.
Saruhiko had a suspicion Awashima knew, because the very first day he went back to work she gave him a startled look. She just passed him in the hall and must have smelled the subtle pheromones of a pregnant Omega. She had smiled though, after the shock wore off, and gave a gentle squeeze to his hand and walked off. It must have been because she was the only other Omega in Scepter 4-he had always found it amusing that two of the most highest ranking officers were Omegas while all their subordinates were Alphas. It made him feel special in a smug way.
By the second week he had to use to the bathroom every two hours, much to his chagrin, and he snapped at people like he would when on his schizophrenia medication. Luckily, or unluckily, people thought he was over his "stage" and was going back to way he used to be before.
Reisi still hated himself, Saruhiko was certain of this. It was evident in the way they slept together, with Reisi holding him close albeit reluctant to initiate the hug. Having a mate you cared for was the most wonderful thing in the world for Saruhiko, always wanting to feel the other person and the link that joined them nestled safely inside him. But Reisi's mind was still weighed down by guilt, and no matter how much Saruhiko tried to tell him it was alright, tell him how much he loved him, it didn't seem to help Reisi at all.
But honestly, what other man would he want to have pups with other than this man? Kind, gentle, loyal, strong, patient-this man was all those things and more, everything Omegas look for in a potential mate. This man already loved him, and he was quickly getting there himself. By the third week he felt the Soul Bond as an almost tangible thing, able to tell whether or not Reisi was happy or sad or contemplative even when he was in a whole other part of town. At the middle of the third week he was hit with morning sickness, and it became a game of throwing up into random bushs while avoiding subordinates while on a mission. It would make him laugh later, to remember having to sneak about to find places to vomit out of sight or whenever Akiyama turned around, but at the time it was nothing but misery.
He was thankful he hadn't started to get headaches yet, because nausea he could deal with-but not coupled with a migraine. Speaking of Akiyama, the man seemed to harbor a heavy crush on him, and blushed whenever they made eye contact. This might have flustered Saruhiko before but, with the Bonding Bite healed into a beautiful scar on his neck, he felt nothing but love for Reisi alone. Watching Akiyama like him was flattering though, and he'd let it go on for a little bit longer if only for his own ego.
Today was another mission, three weeks into his pregnancy and nauseous all the time, but at least this one had his Reisi tagging along. The Green Clan had been sighted in town, and no one liked the Green Clan-they were troublesome like the Red Clan but often had misfortune in mind for innocent people. Reisi was talking to Awashima in the cordoned off street, while other members of the Blue Clan were scattered about. Saruhiko didn't want to get into the fight if the Green Clan did indeed show up, but didn't want to tell Reisi that just yet. Today was his last day, he decided, not wanting anything to happen to the life inside of him on the third week like Mariko. He ducked into a plaza passed a row of buildings, and decided to stay there for the duration of the mission.
However, fate seemed to have a different plan for him because instead of the plaza being empty, it turned out that of all people Misaki was there. The ginger looked better than Saruhiko thought he would, dressed in a red jumpsuit with skateboard in one hand and his trusty bat in the other. Suddenly Saruhiko's nausea vanished, replaced by a cold ball of horror. Misaki had his back to him, looking up at the sky, but he sensed his presence and turned around with a scowl. There were dark circles under his eyes, but his skin was a healthy color-so Saruhiko was at least thankful the boy still had his health.
"Fucking baka-Saru, what the hell you doing here?!"
And his temper.
As Misaki looked him up and down, surprise was evident on his face, and Saruhiko didn't blame him for being shocked. Misaki would think his wardrobe and hairstyle change was because he was happy Mikoto was dead, it was obvious Misaki would take it the wrong way. Unfortunately Saruhiko had barely started showing, and his clothes hid the light bulge, so Misaki wouldn't know-wouldn't hesitate to attack him.
And he was right.
Reisi was living in a perpetual state of grief. He was no longer grieving for the fallen Red King, though the sting was still there, but instead was filled with self loathing and despair over his new mate. It wasn't that Saruhiko being his mate that bothered him per say, in fact he couldn't be happier in that respect, but it was the way they became mates that drove him mad with guilt. Everyday he woke with Saruhiko in his arms, and everyday he wished he hadn't raped him. He was happy to have children, happy to have Saruhiko as his mate, but the fact that he had done it against the boy's will after he had just spilled his heart just ate at him.
But Saruhiko seemed fine with it all, happy-overjoyed even, and he just could not let it go. He brought the boy's things to his house, helped with the pregnancy in any way he could-making breakfast for his sleeping lover and holding his hair back when he couldn't hold the food down, but still his gut roiled with guilt. He had done the same thing the Colorless King had done all those years ago, and now Saruhiko was shackled with children when he was still a child himself. He wasn't even old enough to drink and he was buying baby books!
He didn't want the boy coming to work at all, but the boy had insisted that he do so until he started showing, and they compromised. He'd seen the boy's baby bump in the shower that morning, and very soon he'd have his wish and Saruhiko would be resting at home. Awashima, the perceptive woman that she was, seemed to know all this, and kept an eye on the boy at work. He was forever grateful for her assistance, and couldn't help but ponder once more what her relationship was the Red Clan's bartender. Were they mates or were they just friends? He was sure by then that he would never figure it out.
Akiyama pestered him constantly, his crush driving the Alpha in him mad, and it terrified him. Sometimes he'd daydream about strangling the man-at which point Reisi, horrified with himself, dove back into his work. He was desperately protective of the boy, and every time he went out on a mission he nearly made himself sick with worry. The boy was a capable solider as always, but still Reisi worried.
Even now, talking to Awashima about border control, he worried about his pregnant mate. Out of the corner of his eye he tried to find the boy amongst his subordinates, but he didn't see him anywhere. The worry in him grew with every minute, and he was very ready to dash off and find the boy himself, make excuses and leave Awashima in charge.
Then he suddenly felt it, panic and fear and desperation, flooding down the Soul Bond like a flash flood, and without a word to Awashima he teleported to the boy's location in a panic. Saruhiko was in a plaza about a block away, with Yata Misaki standing over him with a bat and Saruhiko crouched on the ground holding his stomach and Reisi saw red. In an instant he was at his mate's side, a rush of blue aura sending the red boy stumbling back in fright. He hadn't noticed the confused and worried look on the boy's face when he first got there, his only focus on getting the danger away from his precious love.
"Saruhiko are you alright?!" he asked, crouching down to the boy's level and rubbing his back gently. The boy stiffened and then violently buried himself in his mate's arms, not crying, not making a sound, just shivering and trying hard to melt into the older man, to disappear. A quick once over deduced he hadn't been hurt, and he must have gone into fetal when Misaki tried to attack him. He could feel the slight raise of their pup against him, and understood. Threading a hand into the boy's hair and pressing a tender kiss to his forehead he whispered comforting words and rocked him gently.
All the while Yata was staring at them with a confused and hurt expression. He looked like he wanted to ask something, most likely what was going on? Suddenly his face lost color as it dawned on him what was happening, and he stumbled backwards. He looked like he was going to start crying, and it was only then that Reisi remembered that this boy was also an Omega. He hadn't known Saruhiko was pregnant, not until now, and the thought of harming a child must be horrifying to the boy. However Reisi was too preoccupied on his own Omega to worry about the one that just ran off, ignoring the sounds of Awashima and Akiyama running into the plaza at the same time Yata disappeared in the other direction.
Saruhiko only knew fear.
He saw Misaki run towards him with his bat raised, screaming something that Saruhiko couldn't hear because Misaki had a bat and oh God he was going to kill his baby his baby was going to die again no he couldn't do it again he'd rather die please no-
And then he woke up in his and Reisi's bed.
He blinked against the darkness of the room, bearily turning on his side to look out the window-only to find the blinds pulled shut against the light of the sun. The gaps between the shades glowed dark orange, so Saruhiko figured the sun was setting. He didn't remember how he got into their apartment, but he figured it could only be his Alpha. Did Reisi save him? Was his baby okay?!
He frantically pulled off the covers and lifted his oversized pink v-neck he wore to bed (did Reisi change my clothes for me?) to examine the slight rise of his abdomen. The skin was fair, pulled tight over where his baby slept, and there was no bruising or bleeding or anything wrong. He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, letting the shirt fall back to cover his blue and white striped panties and bare thighs. He huffed, putting his face in his hands and feeling tears well up in his eyes. He knew it was the hormones, there was nothing wrong-nothing to be crying over, but still he couldn't stop the sobs from leaving his throat. His head felt full, his eyes hurt and his nose was already stuffy, and he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in his mate's arms.
As if on cue Reisi came into the room with worry etched into his normally calm features. Saruhiko lifted his face and felt the cold air from the open door chill the tear tracks like knives. The sight of his mate made his face scrunch up into heavy sobs and Reisi descended on him like a calming presence. His mate lifted him bridal style in his arms to make room for himself in their bed, and Saruhiko had no objections. As they lay spooning in their bed, with no words, Reisi's hands over Saruhiko's own that rested on the swell of his belly, Saruhiko knew what being safe felt like.
It was a whole six weeks, Saruhiko in his ninth week of pregnancy, before Misaki appeared in his life again. He was a full-time stay home pregnant mom now, sleeping the day away and waking only to use the bathroom (which was frequently) and eat small meals consisting solely of vegetables-which suddenly seemed so very appealing. Saruhiko was achy and tired and-even though his stomach wasn't very large-he felt fat and uncomfortable in his own skin. However, he was happier than he'd ever been, and Reisi had stuck by his side all the while. He and his mate grew closer at the heart with every passing day, with every kiss goodbye and cuddle at night. Saruhiko cooked for Reisi so he could have dinner when he arrived home from the office, with a clothespin on his nose so he didn't vomit at the smell of whatever he was making. All his feminine clothes were baggy to begin with, so he had no trouble finding clothes that fit or were still more than loose on his slightly bloated frame.
Everything was going swimmingly, he was a mother who was able to keep his child alive for nine weeks and had a mate that loved him, and then he received a tentative knock to his door. Not many people knew where Reisi lived, and Reisi called him whenever he left the office, so he was sure it wasn't him. Panic seized him from his comfortable place on the couch watching the cooking channels, his mind coming up with all the possible enemies Reisi had that could be targeting his mate for revenge. But who knew about them was the question he should have been asking. Then again, if one looked close enough they would have been able to spot the changes to their relationship, not to mention his own absence and prior drastic change in appearance and personality. While his thoughts ran wild, the stranger knocked at the door again, rather impatiently.
Putting one hand protectively over his tummy, he shuffled quickly passed the door into the kitchen to grab the still sudsy skillet from dinner the night before and went and opened the door. He raised his hand quickly up over his head, heavy iron skillet almost throwing him off balance but ready to come down on the stranger's head.
"W-What the fuck-Saru it's me!"
Saruhiko's weapon wielding arm fell to his side, mouth almost hanging open in his shock. Misaki stood in the doorway looking just as shocked but more scared than anything. He was dressed in white skinny jeans and a black and white stripped long sleeve shirt he had rolled up to his elbows, his skateboard under one arm and a bouquet of white daisies in the other. Saruhiko tried to regain his composure, putting a hand over the bump visible on his tight fitting purple sweater. He was also wearing a pair of white sweatpants and fuzzy pink socks, not exactly supermodel material but he wasn't feeling so good. They stared at each other, Saruhiko at the flowers and Misaki at his clearly pregnant belly.
"Uh..." Saruhiko started, unsure of what to say, and licked his dry lips. Misaki bit his lip, "I'm sorry...Saruhiko..." The words hit Saruhiko at his core, at Misaki's crack, and his breath caught in his throat. Hearing the other boy say his full name, to apologize to him of all things, it tore at his heart to hear it from his former best friend's mouth. He just stepped back, the door wide open, and motioned with his hand to Misaki to let himself in. The other nodded politely and took off his shoes at the door, Saruhiko dropping off the skillet quickly back into the sink, and then watched from the safety of the kitchen while Misaki looked around the apartment with a look of disbelief on his face.
"So weird man, I can't believe this is what the Blue King's apartment looks like, I thought it'd be a giant tea room or something!" Misaki's voice echoed throughout the apartment, and Saruhiko realized he had missed the sound. It was like they were back in their shared apartment, two quirky teens with shitty family lives but were happy together, just the two of them.
"It's both his and mine, though I was the one who moved in." Saruhiko watched Misaki's expression nervously, worried and confused about the flowers he was still holding. Misaki's face blossomed into crimson, however, and he set his skateboard by the door next to his shoes before walking up to him in the kitchen and holding out the flowers to Saruhiko with a nervous and almost saddening expression of guilt.
"I-I'm so sorry I attacked you then, I-I didn't know you were p-preg-gnat and I-" Saruhiko cut him off by taking the flowers with a broad smile, Misaki looked at his smile with shock, and Saruhiko understood all too well what was going through the other's head.
"T-Those hairpins...you wore them a long time ago once at school...you acted like this then too...for a week but then went back to normal afterwards..." He frowned, confused, and Saruhiko just set the flowers behind him and leaned back on the counter with his palms, letting out a soft sigh. He had thought throughly about how to go about coming clean to his ex-friend, but still none of the scenarios he came up with sounded right. Now was the moment of truth and he didn't know what to say.
Misaki looked at him like he was expecting an answer, but Saruhiko wasn't sure of how to give one. "I...I'm not..." He had expected Misaki to come over and ask about his pregnancy, about his relationship with Reisi, but not this...not this...
If he told the truth, would Misaki leave again?
"Saru...you know you can tell me anything right?"
That simple phrase sent Saruhiko into waterworks, though this time he was sure it wasn't the hormones. Misaki just looked on in shock as Saruhiko broke down into tears, not bothering to wipe them away but just crying with gasping sobs. Saruhiko took a deep breath and tried to explain his story as best he could, trying to get it over as quick as possible because stress wasn't good for the baby.
He talked about his schizophrenia, how the Colorless King destroyed his childhood, about the screaming baby he had lost, about the cracks, he talked about how the pills made him colorless too-and how Reisi had persuaded him to get off them. He told about Reisi's love for him and his own love for his Alpha. He told the truth about why he left Homra. He left out Reisi's momentary loss of control that resulted in his pregnancy and let Misaki assume it had come about naturally.
The whole time he avoided Misaki's gaze, frightened of what it would hold, and stared down at his belly, rubbing light circles. He couldn't wait to feel the baby move, to have a solid confirmation that the baby was fine. Every night before bed, Saruhiko would ask and Reisi would gladly oblige, and he would rest his ear against the gentle swell and reaffirm to the raven that there was in fact a heart beating there. Every time Reisi dashed away his fear he always let loose a breath he hadn't known he had been holding.
When he finished, the only sound in the apartment was the ticking of the various clocks strewn about the abode. Suddenly he found Misaki wrapped around him like an octopus, his face buried in his shirt, little whimpers escaping him and Saruhiko could feel the tears soaking through his shirt. Saruhiko was shocked, brought to tears himself, and yet slowly reciprocated the hug, letting them slowly slide down to the floor together, while mindful of his baby.
After that there were no apologies, no explanations, only chatting away like old friends who had just seen each other that morning. Misaki went over a bunch of names, while Saruhiko giggled and said he didn't even know if it would be a boy or a girl. Misaki had always acted tough, so much so that it was easy to forget he was an Omega, but it was times like these, when Misaki would look at a mother and get a look in his eyes that looked a lot like longing. It was no different now, with Misaki cooing at the unborn bump and congratulating Saruhiko with tears of pride in his eyes. Saruhiko feared it was all a dream, that he would wake up on the couch and Misaki would still hate him. But when Misaki reached out and ran calloused fingers over the scar on his chest, Saruhiko realized it was real and things would be different from then on.
When Reisi arrived home at six, he found his mate sitting on the couch with all the lights off. Concerned, and unsure if the other was asleep or not, he crept closer on padded feet. The window curtain had been pulled back, letting in a stream of moonlight that illuminated the younger male's face, making the tear tracks on his face look like diamond rivers. He was running the pads of his fingers over the now healed wound on his chest, and turned towards Reisi with the brightest smile he had ever seen on the boy's face by far.
"Misaki's crack went away."
Btw the drinking age in Japan is twenty...for some fucking reason...
