A/N: I felt like doing something fluffy, hence the result: 12 drabbles of pure sweetness. It's sort of a summary of Viessa's whole pregnancy. As mention by Gabriel in DFF, the gestation period of female demons last for 13 long months – that's a year and a month people! In this drabble collection though, I only wrote for 12 months. I reserved the 13th as a completely different chapter.
It took some time to finish, but it was fun writing them all. Expect major humor and fluff, most especially between Viessa and Sebastian, but I've added some GabrielxLucy in there for the fans. OOCness is inevitable, especially when dealing with a hormone-raging, pregnant Viessa. So yeah. No one better complain. You've all been warned ahead.
On a side note, I started a new Kuro-fanfic, entitled "Chimera's Calling." It's another SebxOC story, but won't be as long as DFF, and the storyline is completely new with a lot of mystery in it. The prologue's already out, but it'll take a while for me to update the next chapter. I want to finish and polish the story/plot outline first before I continue on. It's really a mysterious story and requires a lot of thinking to balance the logic in the plot. So to you, my readers, do find the time to check it out, support it, and hopefully help me make it as successful as DFF.
Thanks to the few but still awesome reviewers of Gabriel's inner ramblings last chapter: Serah, MrsGooglyBear, and Araiae4u.
Also, Araiae4u called upon the amazing Gabriel Winterson to answer her questions:
Question #1: Why write so many journals? If you're really keeping a closet of those, maybe you wouldn't just keep them to yourself, right? I mean, do you want particular people to read it someday?
Gabriel: Writing has been a hobby of mine ever since I turned into a Fallen, but I actually started after my hand completely healed, seeing as I'm left handed (SL: yes, he's a lefty). I've lived a very VERY long life, and I've seen and gone through many events, some possibly only I have known. I wanted to preserve these, as I believe that it will someday prove worthy in the future. But I never had the time to do so when I was wholly a demon, what with contracts and council work in hell. I found the time when I became a Fallen Demon. As you all know, sentry work is mostly boring. Writing helps pass the time. It became a daily ritual and I never let a day pass without writing at least a paragraph. Eventually, one journal was filled and then another and another. What is behind that closet is around 8 millenias of thought, ranging from helpful and important ideas, to random musings and memories. The only reason it's lock in a closet is because of Lucilla and Viessa. I swear, those two are a menace together. I may be a demon but that doesn't mean that I haven't done embarrassing things. Those two blackmails me whenever they need something. If they have access to my journals, I can't imagine what they'll do to me. I'll probably allow them to read the journals once I'm gone (if that day ever comes). There are things I've written there that I'm not proud of, and there are things I've written that will help anyone of my comrades in the dire situation that I am gone from this world.
Question #2: Why do you seem so anxious when the topic is about you and Lucy? You two make up a great, badass, love team!
Gabriel: Hmp. To team up with Lucilla is like hooking myself up to a suicide machine. Also, I do not get anxious when someone talks about me and Lucilla, I just generally get annoyed at the fact I'm being paired up with her.
SL: Yeah…sure you do Gabriel. Anyways, that's all of the questions. If any of you want to ask any of the fallens your random musings, just type it along with your reviews. They're all willing to answer them.
So that's enough for now. Lets go one with this sweet story! Just don't forget to brush your teeth when you're done!
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(10)
Twelve Months of Pregnancy Woes and Joys
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Month 1 – August
"Viessa…Viessa…Wake up…"
He shook her by the shoulder lightly, his grip firm. Sebastian watch her head bob a little against the pile of plush pillows that littered their bed (well, apparently her side of the bed). Her pale-gold curls were splayed out, peaking from under the sheets. Her back remained towards him, and it was difficult to see whether she was awake or not since she decided to wrap herself with the comforter. He gave her a few more, stronger shakes, but only managed to make her groan lightly and snuggle deeper in her cavern of pillows and blankets.
Sebastian sighs, the bed sinking with his weight as he sat on his usual spot. He had already pulled the blinds aside and the noon day sun brightened the room with enough intensity to wake anyone up. But the light did nothing to steer her awake, even though she was facing the largest window in the room.
Viessa had gone to sleep at six last night. It was already half pass one in the afternoon.
Leaning forward again, he planted his palm on her waist this time and gave her a brisk shake. When she did not even budge, he frowned at her, and with a quick strong pull, he forced her back on the bed so that he could see her face.
Tousled bangs framed her face, and he swept the strands aside only to find that her eyes remained close. Her nostrils would flare a little, as if she was sniffing the air. Her lips though, he could barely see, as she had tucked her chin and jaw within her self-made cocoon. Nevertheless, she looked fine and contented in her slumber. Movement behind her close lids was a sign that she was dreaming – as to what kind of dream to keep her asleep this long he did not know. The last he had seen her lie in bed for the longest time was when she was still recovering from demon venom.
Though, there is something different about her now…well, not that it's something to be worried about at least, but something to be excited about.
Viessa was pregnant.
And as much as Sebastian was generally happy about this news, he still found the subtle side effects of this pregnancy a bit bothersome. And it was still the first month! He could tolerate watching her hurl vile substances into the sink, or the constant headache complains, and even the dramatic mood swings she would throw at him…all except for the sloth.
Seventy percent of the time in a day she was lying in bed, and if not the bed, a comfortable sofa or cushioned chair. He once found her in the tub, having fallen asleep in a middle of her bath, and has since then banned her from using the bathtub without having his presence. She may not die from drowning, but the child within her was still in quite a vulnerable stage.
He sighs again for what felt like the tenth time since this morning. Gabriel had told him earlier to just leave her be, as pregnant demons often go through long hours of slumber to reserve enough energy for two beings. But Viessa already missed two meals today, which is not healthy for the child, considering that the mother no longer needs souls for sustenance. It was vital that she eat, and he had made her a large 'brunch' that will get cold if she doesn't rouse this instant.
"If you don't wake up now," he said in a firm and loud tone, in contrast to his gentle voice while he was attempting to wake her a minute ago. He paused for a moment, thinking up a consequence to go along with his mild threat. "…I won't give you the blueberry cheese cake I just made."
Blueberries were the top most of Viessa's cravings, even more so if Sebastian baked it into a cake. Surely this proposition would upset her enough to get her off the bed. "I might even stop making it if you don't wake up." He added.
She actually stirred. He should have thought about this strategy earlier.
Viessa mumbled something, incoherent due to her mouth still buried beneath her comforter. With a groan, she lifts her head up from her barricade of pillows, followed by her upper body. She eventually sat on the bed, the blanket falling to her lap, as she lifts her hand to rub the bleariness from her eyes. "I'm awake, I'm awake…" she muttered in an annoyed way.
"At last." Sebastian breathed out, slumping slightly before standing. "Come on in the dining room, you need to eat." He said, motioning to the door.
The pale-blonde looked up at him, her expression slightly sleepy. "Where's my cake?" she suddenly asked.
"Downstairs," Sebastian simply replied as he walked to the open door, but then halted, realizing that she was not following him. He turned and found her still sitting on the bed. "Come on." He said in slight impatience.
Her lips were in a straight line, but her deep purple eyes glared at him slightly. Sebastian frowned. This could only mean one thing…because Viessa only gives him that look whenever she demands something.
"You said if I wake up, you'd give me my blueberry cheese cake. That was the deal. I'm awake now, aren't I?" she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back on the headboard without tearing her eyes from him. "So give me my cake."
Sebastian's frown deepened, starting to get annoyed. "I will, if you just go down in the dining room."
"You didn't say anything about going downstairs."
"I just did."
"Yes, but just now. You didn't say it earlier. It wasn't part of the deal." She retorted. "Simple. I wake up. You give me the cake. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Are you saying that I should bring you the cake here? In the bedroom?"
She rolled her eyes, as if saying he was so stupid to not understand something so obvious. Sebastian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose to lower his aggravation. There's no point in arguing with a pregnant demoness any further. His mate's mood swings like a pendulum going too fast that he fears that the rope might snap and the blade would plummet down at him. So he waves a hand off. "Fine." He said, accepting his defeat.
Viessa's signature sickly-sweet smile was wide on her face, suddenly replacing the earlier frown. She uncrossed her arms so she can carass her stomach, still flat but the pulsations of aura was strong, and then lazily leaned against her army of pillows. "I love you, darling." She sing-sang, followed by a light yawn.
Sebastian only rolled his eyes.
Month 2 - September
He was making his way down the hall when a flash fleet by his line of vision. The dark haired Fallen Demon halted suddenly, blinking in bewilderment and making sure what he saw was not an illusion of the eye. That flash was characteristic of a demon speeding, only faster. There was only one demon in the manor who could run that fast, and the tint of blonde that the flash carried only added confirmation.
Sebastian turned his head to where the flash originated. The door to the library was open, the door still swaying a little. He hummed in thought as he turned his attention to the other side of the hall, where the flash directed to. It was the bathroom.
He approached the slightly ajar door, but it didn't take him to reach too close to hear the sound of hurling and panting, accentuated by the echoes it created in the tiled room. He sighs, shaking his head, before pushing the door open.
"Weren't you just heaving thirty minutes ago?" he said as he reached her side. He lowered, propping a knee on the floor, before bundling the pale-gold curls in his hands, holding them up while Viessa continued retching into the toilet bowl. She could have used the sink, but she probably fell on her knees and crawled to the toilet.
Sebastian peeked into the bowl and frowned, watching the bubbling and sizzling black goo that is her vomit. It had been a common occurrence since last month – Viessa storming off into the bathroom every now and then to hurl. The symptoms were never too different from that of humans, but he always did wonder why pregnant demons vomit this dark liquid. She never did vomit anything she eats, or so he believes. His cooking was probably mixed in somewhere in this tar-like substance.
After a few more minutes of gagging, Viessa groaned and coughed out the last of the liquid, before slumping, sitting on her heels. She panted with her mouth open and wiped her lips with the back of her hand, the knuckles still white from her tight grip on the toilet bowl's edge. "This is agony…" she managed to mutter painfully between pants. Sebastian merely chuckled, rubbing her back in a circular motion with the hand that was previously holding her hair, while his other hand reached for the small lever, flushing the vile substance down the drain.
He lets her sit on the cool tiled floor, and she leaned her back on the wall, still catching her breath. She pulled her knees to her chest and leans her sweaty forehead on it.
"Wait here." Sebastian said as he stood up. Viessa watch him suddenly leave the room with a questioning gaze, unable to ask him why. This was the fourth time she vomited today and her throat felt sore and her body was weary.
Sebastian didn't take too long away from his mate. He reentered the bathroom with a tray in his hands. When he reached where she sat, he lowered himself down to sit next to her and placed the tray on the floor, allowing her to see the steaming cup of tea at the center of the silver plate. Three round biscuits lay on the cup's saucer as well.
He raised the cup, hand grasping it by the handle. His other arm snaked behind Viessa and held her shoulder, allowing her to lean against him. "Here, drink this." He said softly, tilting the cup when the rim touched her lips.
The tea was very bitter and Viessa back away from it, a look of disgust on her features. "…What is this?"
"Its ginger tea," he replied, "I read somewhere that it helps alleviate nausea in pregnant humans. Since symptoms are the same with demons, it thought it might help you." Sebastian reached for one of the biscuits left on the saucer and handed it to her. She immediately munched on a small portion of it, its creamy taste neutralizing the bitterness of the beverage. "I know that it doesn't taste good, but it's better than whatever you hurl into the toilet."
Viessa chuckled, though it sounded raspy. She took the cup from his hands and lifts it to her lips. He was right when he said that it tasted better than her vomit, and after drinking more, she could feel her stomach settling a little. She smiled up at him once she lowered the cup. "Thank you, love."
The russet-eyed male pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, and they stayed there in the floor of the bathroom until the cup was empty.
Month 3 – October
Viessa's throat vibrated as she moaned, her hands gripping his shoulders while his warm lips continued to ravage her neck. Sebastian pushed her further to the center of their bed, keeping a leg in between her thighs so she wouldn't close them, though, based from the soft noises she was emitting, it won't be long until she stopped resisting him.
He kissed up and down the column of her neck before pulling away to capture her lips, still stained from his blood. He had just finished giving her his blood, as is required when a demon's marked mate is pregnant for the sustenance of the offspring. Apparently, the feeling of Viessa biting and sucking his life-juice from his neck (which was the first time actually, since he usually let her drink it through a deep cut on his wrist) was alluring and heated his core, which brings them now to their current situation.
Of course, considering Viessa's state, she tried to resist him initially, but his kisses were very persuasive and she finds herself melting in his touches. Still, she tried to halt their activity from reaching any further. "S-Sebastian…" she managed to mutter in between heated kisses, hoping that she didn't sound like she was enjoying the treatment too much. "…w-we need…to stop…"
"Why?" he said in a disgruntled manner, though slightly muffled as his lips where still lingering on the nape of neck. He trailed his lips towards her ear to whisper in a seductive tone before nibbling on the lobe, "Am I not allowed to play with my mate?"
Viessa could feel the blood run up her face, and she could have sworn her cheeks were flushing bright in the dim bedroom, but she remained firm, and managed to free one of her wrists from the male's hold so she could try to push him back lightly. "Because," she said in an equally peeved tone, "I'm pregnant."
This actually halted him. The male raised his head, but was still hovering above her, his dark hair dangling down, tickling her face. He frowned down at her, his eyes narrow and his red-eyes gleaming eerily from the little moonlight that was able to slip through the curtains. "Exactly." He said. His response made the female blink in confusion.
He pulled back some more, supporting his upper body with his arms which rested in either side of her head. He was shirtless, the slight moonlight accentuating rippling muscles. There was a smudge of red by his neck from where she had bitten him during the blood feeding.
Sebastian still looked down at her with that annoyed but determined gaze. "You're pregnant, which means I have to hold back any urges for the next ten more months, and even more so after you give birth. Do you know how utterly frustrating would that be?"
The pale blonde blinked at this realization, her face still flushed. "But I –" She was silenced with a finger to her plump lips.
"You haven't reached your first trimester yet, and the baby inside is barely an inch long. Furthermore, studies have been proven that sex during pregnancy will not harm the child, and will even help exercise the pelvic muscles, which is important during labor." He said, persuasively and a little impatiently, as he leaned down closer. His next words were spoken with a hint of desperation, as he lowered his finger from her lips to tilt her chin up, so her lips were millimeters from his. "I promise to be gentle. So just give me this."
The female eventually sighs, the corners of her lips tugging upwards at the clear sound of frustration in his tone, and so she ran her fingers though his dark tresses, pulling him down for a sensual kiss.
Month 4 – November
Sebastian filled the last bowl with milk, and then straightened, tucking the box of cat food under his arm. He stared down at the twenty identical bowls that all lined the central clearing of the glass green house, and then realized that not a single cat had appeared since he started filling the bowls. Usually one or more felines that lingered about would catch the scent of the tuna flavored cat food the very moment he steps in the green house, and would trot behind him, waiting for him to fill up a bowl before pouncing in of the food.
But at the moment, he was alone. Not a single cat in sight. He clicked his tongue several times, calling for his feline friends, but there was no tail raised before him or the soft sound of a mew. The shrubberies in the glass building did not even rustle. It was oddly silent.
And then there was a loud cry of his name, and Sebastian spun around in his heels, stance alert and eyes wide. It was Viessa.
Immediately he rushed out of the green house in his demonic speed, the box of cat food falling in his wake. The last he saw of his mate, she was slumbering in a couch in the parlor room, having fallen asleep while reading. He kicked his speed up once he stepped inside the manor, merely a flash as he sped through the hall, and when he reached his destination he shoved the white, double doors open. His flaring irises diminished its glow and his panicked expression turned to surprise at what he saw.
All twenty cats (or more, as he noticed a few new ones) all gathered up on the couch where Viessa was lying, rubbing themselves all over her, especially on her slightly swollen stomach. The chorus of mewing and purring was slightly deafening as they continued to knead her. Three particular black kittens sat by her head and were licking her face with their pink, sandpaper-like tongues, and Viessa was laughing and giggling at the ticklish attention. Apparently, she was woken up by this entourage of felines rubbing against her, and merely cried out for Sebastian in her shock.
The ebony-haired Fallen Demon dropped his arms to his side, still blinking his red eyes at the strange scenario. Running footsteps resounded behind him and no sooner than that Gabriel and Lucilla halted by his side, their expressions also turning from alarm to bewilderment.
After a few more seconds of merely assessing the situation and listening to the blonde's laughter within the mewing and the loud purrs, Lucilla stepped forward and began helping Viessa from being drowned by a sea of fur. Gabriel just slump his side against the door frame, his worry replaced with amusement. "Looks like father's bloodline is a lot stronger than I previously thought." This statement made Sebastian turn to him, a dark eyebrow raised.
"What do you mean?" he questioned.
"A gathering of a certain animal represents a demon's Familiar." His older brother turned to him, a small smirk on his lips, as he raised his ungloved hand, allowing Sebastian to see his black nail's extending into claws. "It simply means we're expecting a little cat demon, Sebastian."
Month 5 - December
Standing before Gabriel's dark-wooden desk, three pairs of eyes, one red, one green, and one purple, stared down at four black envelopes neatly arrange side by side on the top of the desk. Each of their contract seals, though now marked with an 'X' at the center, shimmering lightly from its glittered ink on the dark material, was embellished in each envelope.
The topaz eyes demon leaned his chin on the ball of his hand and frowned down at the letters. "These came by together today." He said in a deep, bored tone.
"Who knew humans would be more willing to put their fate in demons during the holidays." Lucilla said as she crossed her arms, clearly displeased. She had just returned from her last assignment and was hoping to spend the rest of the season lounging at home.
"Nevertheless, this is a duty we have to perform." Gabriel straightened in his seat. "I checked each one and made some slight modifications though. We'll all be switching assignments."
"Is that allowed?" Sebastian asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Only if I deem it."
All three demons rolled their eyes at him.
Gabriel ignored them and reached for his already opened enveloped. "My assignment is stationed nearby, and judging from the demon's status, the contract will be short-lived. I've taken the liberty of switching with Sebastian's. His assignment is located in somewhere in Scotland and will probably last longer, so I'll take that responsibility. I want you to be nearby Viessa at all times." He said, handling his card to Sebastian before turning to the blonde standing beside him.
"Viessa, due to your condition, starting this month, all your assignments will be handled by either of us. We'll take turns. Lucilla will go first."
"Eh!? Why me first all of the sudden!?" The brunette cried out, her Irish accent strong, as she slammed her palms on his desktop.
Gabriel remained unfazed by this action, and just planted his chin on his hand again, staring down at his card with a bored expression. "Two reasons. One: because your assignment and Viessa's are located in the same area, the first will probably be short-lived and the second a little longer, so you can easily switch between them if all is well."
"And the second reason?"
The maroon-haired Fallen Demon looked up at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "To spite you." This response earned him a growl from her as she reached out to grab at his collar, pulling him up forcefully while she leaned in to glare at him, their faces inches apart.
"Temper, Lucilla." He said in whisper, tone slightly alluring. He was smirking in a very un-Gabriel like way, and his topaz eyes were gleaming with a tantalizing light.
The emerald-eyed female was actually blushing.
"Hmm…is that really the second reason?" They heard Viessa say. Sebastian turned to her and saw her picking up both her card and Lucilla's. Her mate joined her side, also looking down at the cards in her hands. Both the couple hummed in realization, playful smirk lighting up their faces.
"It appears that both of Lucilla's assignments are also located somewhere in Scotland." Sebastian said in a suspicious tone, low enough for only Viessa to hear and not to the two Fallen Demons who were currently bickering behind them.
"Yes, it appears so. Gabriel really did make modifications." She said, giggling.
Month 6 – January
The red-head walked down the hall to his study, calculating eyes skimming on the financial reports of the American branch of their winery business, when something flew before him. He stopped just in time before a porcelain vase hit his head, it crashed on the wall instead, the impact loud before the broken shards fell on the floor of the hall. Gabriel blinked in shock, looking down at the broken pieces of ivory before another crash resounded, coming from the room where the vase originally came from.
Peering at the open door just enough to avoid anymore items being thrown out, he was astonished to find the usually calm and collected Viessa with her eyes flaring its demonic red with cat-like pupils and her expression utterly mad. She was grabbing on anything within arm's reach, shoving them towards Sebastian, who moved and ducked about, avoiding being hit on the face.
"What on earth is going on in here!?" The older cried out after ducking a thick, hard bound book that Viessa grabbed from the shelf.
Sebastian was wearing a wearisome expression, his lips curled down into a frown as he slid to the side and then ducked again. "It seems I upset her."
Gabriel backed away from the door for a moment when a coffee table was thrown, and it crashed into the wall, piling along with the other items that managed to leave the room. The older demon swallowed a lump that formed in his throat, glad that he was able to save his head from that close one. "What did you do?"
"I told her we've run out of blueberries."
"That's all!?"
Both male demons ducked again as three encyclopedias flew across the room. "Apparently, yes." Sebastian replied as calmly as possible.
Month 7 – February
The front door opened and Sebastian raised his head from the novel he was engulfed with. He peered behind his shoulder to find his pregnant mate and the brunette demoness heading into the living room, carrying several paper bags on their hands, with Lucilla hauling the most. She dropped them at one of the couches as Viessa trotted in; lowering the five bags she was carrying by her feet as she slumped on the sofa, her swollen belly protruding as she relaxed into the cushions with a long, tired smile.
"Where have you been?" Sebastian asked her, closing the book and settling it on his lap.
The pale-blonde smiled wearily at him, her hands coaxing her child within. "Lucy and I went shopping the whole day."
"You shouldn't tire her out, Lucilla." Gabriel, who was seated on the velvet couch next to his brother fronting the large television set, nonchalantly said without tearing his eyes from the flashing of images as he switched the channels, his armed outstretched as he held the black remote. The volume was muted.
"Oh hush you," she waved him off, "I just noticed her stomach was getting bigger. I thought she would need new and looser clothes." The emerald eyed Fallen one chimed, leaning down with her elbows on the back of the couch behind Viessa.
"And new shoes," The amethyst-eyed female added.
"And new coats,"
"Don't forget those purses,"
"And that necklace you brought will look perfect with that mocha-colored sundress,"
"You really think so? I thought the pearl ones would look nice with that baby blue skirt,"
Their voices trailed off as they rushed up the stairs with their shopping bags, eager to check out the things they brought, leaving the two males behind in the living room. Sebastian tore his gaze from where the two disappeared into, slowly turning to face the flashing channels on the TV screen with a blank face.
"I shouldn't have left them my credit card." Gabriel muttered, trying hard not to sound too upset, as he frowned at the television.
Sebastian shook his head, opened his book and turned to the page he bookmarked, and began to reread the whole page, wearing the same frown as his older brother.
"Women."
"Exactly."
Month 8 – March
"Am I fat, Sebastian?"
Said demon turned his head to glance at her behind his shoulder. He was in the middle of making the bed, and was just fluffing the pillows. He paused in his work to watch as Viessa stared at herself in the full length mirror. From what he could see on her face in her reflection, there was worry in her expression, while she was sliding her hands up and down her sides, which still had its perfect curves despite the bulging belly.
He turned back to his chore, arranging the pillows from her sleep last night when he replied in a nonchalant way. "No, you're not."
"But look at me!" she cried out, planting her arms on her hips, "I look fat."
Sebastian reluctantly turned around, eyes jaded as he scrutinized her from head to toe. "You don't look fat, Viessa."
"Well, you're not looking carefully." She said in an annoyed tone. The blonde turned to the side so Sebastian could see her in profile, and she stroke her stomach, flattening out the fabric of her dress so the swell could be seen.
"Viessa, you're pregnant, not fat." He said with a roll of his eyes as he turned back to the bed, bringing the sheets up and flattening them across the mattress neatly. "Besides, demons never gain or lose weight. So what you're saying is impossible."
He heard her 'hmp' behind him, and he could tell that she was pouting while crossing her arms like a child without having to turn around and see for himself. "That's just an excuse so you could make me feel better."
She was definitely acting like a child. "It's not." He almost grumbled.
"So you're not even trying to make me feel better about it?" she stared at him with wide glassy eyes, her childishness suddenly replaced by hurt.
Sebastian rolled his eyes again, his patience wearing thin. He turned around and crossed his arms as well. "I was merely stating a fact, Viessa. Our kind does not get fat."
Her eyes are glassy again. "But I feel like I've gotten fat."
"You are not fat."
She pouted at him, teary eyes no more. "But I look fat."
The former-butler groaned in irritation, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, and then he waved it off with a grumble. "Fine. You're fat."
He soon regretted his words, because her purple eyes shifted to its demonic red, and the aura in the room grew heavy. Damn her mood swings.
Month 9 – April
"Where did you two dallied off to this time?" the russet-eyed demon watched the two female fallen ones entered the house, with Viessa bearing smaller and lighter bags while Lucilla was lifting small boxes and a few more bags hanging on her forearms.
"We went down town," the pale-blonde said, approaching him, standing on her tip toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek before depositing the bags in his hands.
Sebastian frowned and looked down at the shopping bags. The staples on one bag had loosened and he thrust a hand inside. His fingers felt something soft and furry and he grasped it. He pulled his hand out along with the objects within and revealed a black stuffed animal that was strikingly similar to Funtom Company's Bitter Rabbit.
"Just what did you shop for?" he asked with a dark brow raised, settling the rabbit back in its bag and began investigating the rest and found that some contained soft linens and formula bottles.
Lucilla grinned sheepishly, appearing from up the stairs and raising a rattle in each hand. She shook them, producing the tinkering sound. "Why, for the little fledgling of course!" she said in amusement, "We're getting closer and closer to the due date but the nursery is still empty. I think it's by time we fill it up." The brunette stopped in front of Sebastian and took all the bags in his grasp, then she nudge to the direction of the front door. "I'll take care of these. Why don't you help Gabriel outside with the rest."
And then she disappeared upstairs with the rest of the bags, Viessa following behind her, their conversation about room designs fading as they trailed upstairs. Sebastian blinked at them, a frown on his face, before recalling what Lucilla said. He turned on his heels and headed out the front door, and his scowl only deepened at the sight of his older brother opening the trunk of his luxurious black car, pulling out the rest of the bags and boxes and piling them by the wheel.
"You went along with them?" He said once he reached his side, looking at all the things inside his trunk. "I thought you didn't want them spending too much."
Once it was empty, Gabriel lowered the door of the trunk, and it closed with a loud 'thud'. The red-head stayed still for a moment, and then sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping along. "She blackmailed me." He mumbled resignedly.
Sebastian shook his head, not sure if what he heard was right. "You…got blackmailed?" His brother was currently the most powerful demon alive, so the fact that someone was able to blackmail him was a revelation worth doubting. "And who happened to blackmail you?"
Gabriel shuts his eyes, sighing deeply again. "Lucilla happened."
"What did she threaten you with?"
The older male grimaced, before bending down to pick up a stack of boxes. "By withholding sex." He muttered under his breath, and hoped his brother was unable to hear him. But Sebastian picked it up as clear as day and he blinked his slightly wide eyes.
"That is evil." He said after a few silent seconds.
"A fitting threat from a demon enchantress," He grumbled as he handed the boxes to the darker haired male, before bending down once more to lift another batch of paper bags.
"Does this mean the two of you are together?" he heard Sebastian say behind him as they made their way up the front porch.
His only reply was a rumbling growl.
Month 10 – May
Viessa suddenly giggled, the sound sweet and full of mirth.
The fast chopping sound halted and Sebastian set aside the knife from the half-chopped carrots to look at her behind his shoulder. The blonde was seated in one of the wooden chairs of the kitchen table, initially mashing the potatoes, but was now looking down at her large belly, her hands settling on the swell. There was a wide smile in her face when she looked up at him.
"Sebastian, could you come here for a moment?" she asked him, excitement evident in her tone, as she motioned for him with a hand.
He shot her a questioning gaze before reaching for a nearby towel so he could wipe his hands. He stopped in front of her, and when she raised an offering hand, Sebastian drops the hand towel on the table and plants his palm over hers. Viessa tugged him closer with a chuckle, and the male had to lean down when she lowered his hand further. She gently placed it over a region in her large belly.
For a moment, all Sebastian felt was the vibrations of the pulsing aura, but then something physical bump against his palm, making him jump a little, eyes wide.
Viessa grinned. "Did you feel it?"
The male gazed at her for a few seconds, before he felt the same physical bump on his hand for the second time.
The purple-eyed fallen one chuckled at the awe in her mate's eyes. "We should really consider giving him or her fighting lessons. The little one kicks quite a lot."
He lowered, propping a knee on the floor, and smoothened his palm on the swell, moving it in a circular motion. There was a third kick, and then a fourth, and he relished on that feeling with wonder.
Month 11 – June
"It's a boy." The brunette announced. Viessa was seated on the couch while Lucilla was crouched on the carpeted floor, ear pressed against the round belly of her companion.
Gabriel hummed, leaning on the cushions of the leather sofa opposite them. He propped an elbow on the arm of the chair so he could lean his chin on the ball of his black-gloved hand. "How can you be so sure?"
Lucilla turned to him, shooting him a bored gaze. "I'm a medical demon, remember?" She stood up and planted her hands on her hips, raising her chin up smugly.
"So it's medically proven that pressing your ear against the stomach would allow you to tell the gender of a demon, doctor?" He replied sardonically, giving her a nonchalant expression.
Lucilla clicked her tongue on her palate and grumbled, her emerald-green eyes glaring daggers at the jaded topaz eyes. She then pointed an accusing finger at him, to which the male remained unbothered. "I have an intuition on these things, and I say it's a boy!"
"Oh? Would you like to gamble on that?" Smirked the maroon-haired demon.
Viessa released a shaky sigh at her companions squabbling and constant wagering. "The two of you don't have to fight over it, besides, we'll all end up accepting the little one whether it's a boy or a girl." She said softly, coaxing the child by running her palm up and down the swell. Both Lucilla and Gabriel couldn't help but release a soft smile of their own, knowing full well that she was right.
"By the way, Essie," the brunette started, sitting on the unoccupied space beside her. "Have you thought of a name yet?"
This made Viessa blink, and she looked up thoughtfully, a finger raised to tap on her chin. "Well, I haven't thought about it much. But I'm quite fond of the name Alexander and Zachary…Blake and Damien sounds nice too…"
Lucilla grinned wide, turning to Gabriel and shooting him a look of confidence. "Ha! You hear that? Those are all male names. It has to be a boy, right Essie?"
He rolled his topaz eyes at her and straightened in his seat, crossing one leg over the other. He reached for the steaming cup of tea on the coffee table before him, ignoring Lucilla's taunting about him losing their little bet.
"Well, I have thought about some female names," Viessa continued, looking down on her large belly. "But I particularly like the one Sebastian picked."
"Oh? What is it?" The brunette asked with less enthusiasm.
The amethyst-orbed Fallen Demon smile fondly, her hands roaming up and down the swell of her stomach, feeling for the pulsations of her child.
"Cassandra."
"As in, Prophetess?" Lucilla asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Gabriel smirked at the chosen name, the rim of his cup lingering close to his lips. His breath blew on the rising steam when he spoke in his deep, amused tone. "No…as in the Entangler of man."
Month 12 – July
When the cloud of his aura dispersed, Sebastian balanced his footing with his heels, sighing as he composed himself from his teleportation. He reappeared in the front porch of the manor, the yellow wall limp lit in either side of the door to illuminate the entrance in the darkness of the night. He had been out for almost half the month, but was thankful that his latest assignment was short-lived.
He stepped up the veranda and made it to the door, fishing for the keys in one of the pockets of his black trench coat. Once the door was unlocked, he pushed it open, the hinges whining. The inside of the house was dark, save for the yellow glow of a few lampshades. He locked the door behind him before shedding himself from his leather coat, hanging it inside the nearby coat closet.
The manor was silent tonight, and he hummed in thought, his senses searching for his mate throughout the vicinity. Upon locating her aura signature, Sebastian headed down the hall, his senses leading him up the stairs and into the room adjoining their suite – a room intended to become the nursery.
The door was slightly ajar, and a thin shaft of light seeped through the gap and into the dark halls. The dark-haired demon peeked inside upon hearing the slight squeaking sound of wood against the carpet.
There was a rocking chair in the cream-colored room which was decorated with all the plush pillows, toys, and stuff animals Lucilla has brought a few months back. The chair creaked as it swayed. Seated on its cushions was his mate. The blonde was asleep, her head lolled to one side, her chest rising and falling softly, her relaxed features accentuated by the soft glow of a single lamp on a nearby desk next to an empty crib.
Sebastian stepped into the room silently and halted next to her, a hand holding on the back of the rocking chair to steady it. He gazed down at his mate, her beauty radiating, and he smiled tenderly.
He noticed a book in her hands, thinner than what she would normally read, lying on her large stomach. She had probably fallen asleep reading a story to their unborn child. Curiously, he carefully slid it from her fingers and flipped it over to check the title. Alice's Adventure in Wonderland. He gave a soft, throaty chuckle. Funny that she would read to the child the same story book during the time his relationship with Viessa first began to bloom.
He set the book down before sitting on a little stool that faced the rocking chair, and then raised his ungloved left hand, the scar blaring. He planted his palm on the swell, enjoying the feel of the small but strong aura pulsing in a gentle rhythm against his fingertips.
"I'll see you soon, my little kitten." He whispered softly with a smile, his red eyes shimmering in the light. Contented, he stayed with his family in that room for the rest of the night.
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Pretty fluffy huh? I hurt my back writing all this fluffiness in my wooden chair. So I hope you all make me happy by writing a review. Reading them helps alleviate all forms of pain and negative energy.
The 13th and basically the day Viessa gives birth will be revealed soon in a one whole chapter. I might have it done and posted by the 1 year anniversary of Demons Fall First, which is actually very close now, so stay tuned people!
Don't forget, if you have any questions to any of the DFF characters, don't be afraid to ask away! Also, I hope you all find the time to read my new fanfic "Chimera's Calling"! Until then, have a pleasant something!
- SafireLupe, 8-16-2013