Disclaimer: I own only the plot and your soul.

I'm surprised at the fact I'm still writing, seeing that only Angel Avery feeds me! :3 I like yummy Review Thermidor.

Pucker - Sour and sweet, wrapped into one.


Rinoa and Seifer both seemed to have the same readable expression at the doctor's. Completely and utterly bored to death. They had finished small talk, and now Rinoa was slouched in her chair in her giant brown coat, examining her hair and looking at the clock in between. Seifer was slouched, facing the opposite way, inspecting his finger nails. Seifer spoke first.

"Hyne, there aren't even any people here. What the hell are we waiting for?"

"I'm sure there are people in the actual rooms. Why are you so anxious?" It was very obvious he was anxious. She had seen the quick way his eyes darted around the room, and heard the audible 'tap tap tap' of his foot.

"Well gee, I dunno Rin. This is a FERTILITY test! For all I know, they could be putting a needle in my ball sack!" He looked at her with despair and Rinoa couldn't help but to burst out laughing.

"That is NOT how they do it Seifer!" She barely got the words out between her hearty laughs and he just grumpily looked straight ahead.

"How do YOU know? When's the last time someone checked on your sperm?"

"You really don't know how this goes?"

"No, and it's scary that you do!" He had his arms crossed. Rinoa let out another laugh before leaning forward and whispering the actually method in his ear. He jumped a little bit.

"No way, nuh-uh! I'm outta here!" Rinoa grabbed his arm before he made it to the door and with all her weight tried to drag him back to the seat.

"Seifer! C'mon! It's not that bad at all! In fact, if you look at it, it's sorta good!"

"I am NOT whacking off in the same room other creeps have whacked off! It's not going to be good! Especially when I have to aim it into a cup! I don't want to focus on my aim at times like these!" They must've caused quite a ruckus because the medical receptionist stood up and ordered for them to sit and quiet down. Seifer grumbled but Rinoa merely laughed. Who exactly were they quieting down for?

Ah, but that's not the way a mother should think. Of course Seifer shouting lewd things was inappropriate in a public setting. Rinoa toned herself down and pursed her lips. Soon, a doctor came in and they both went into separate rooms, Seifer grimacing the entire time.

Once Rinoa entered the room, it was much easier than last time. She knew what was wrong with her, and now she was just waiting for the doctor to confirm everything with her. Very soon, her walked in.

"Hello there, Ms. Heartilly." Dr. Reynolds opened the door. She was already sitting on top of the vinyl seat, swinging her legs and whistling.

"Good morning, Doctor Reynolds." She chirped, much less squeaky and insecure as their last meeting. He returned it with a smile, and looked down at his chart that she figured must never leave his hand.

"Congratulations. I understand that becoming a mother is a very stressful, but rewarding condition." Dr. Reynolds smiled at her and she lightly treaded her fingers across her stomach for the ten millionth time that day. "I'm also glad you came to the doctor as soon as your symptoms started to show. A lot of women prolong it and neglect to get proper pre-natal care."

"Thank you, Dr. Reynolds." Rinoa smiled, a little proud of herself too.

"There are some things I'd like to go over, before I give you your vitamins, however. But it'll be a short process, and by the time we're finished your boyfriend will be finished as well, most likely."

"You never know." Rinoa clucked. It was this statement that did earn her an eyebrow raise from the conservative doctor. But nevertheless, he continued.

"First of all, your signs showed very early, which sometimes is a sign of complicated or troublesome pregnancies. For example, you will get most symptoms rather than a few. Second of all, you're a rather slender young woman, and therefore there may be a chance of low birth weight or the requirement of a cesarean section." Doctor Reynolds then looked at Rinoa to gauge her reaction. She bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. It wasn't only her mind rebelling the idea of being a mother. Even her body was going to give her complications.

"So…the baby could be unhealthy?" Rinoa whimpered a little. She felt a churning sensation in her stomach and the need to be sick, as she had grown to love this little one within the past few days. A little guilt seeped into her brain for not considering that this was also a possibility.

"The health of a baby can never be guaranteed, but I'm fairly certain that with the proper care for your body in the next nine months, Ms. Heartilly, this baby could be just fine." He smiled, and his mustache turned up with his lips. Rinoa wished she could believe him more wholeheartedly. She didn't have much to say after this, and soon was given her pills and permission to leave. Seifer was already in the waiting room.

"That was fast…" She smirked, hiding her worries of her infant child.

"They have, err, reading material. So are we done now with this doctor bullshit?" Seifer winced, perhaps recalling his interrogation and session in the private room.

"For two weeks, and then we have our first ultrasound." Rinoa kissed him on the cheek and he let out a low whistle.

"This is really happening, isn't it?" He knew the answer before he asked.

Hours later, the doctor had called confirming that Seifer was indeed fertile, and all doubt dissipated. They were together, in this situation, and agreed. Breaking the news to their roommates however, was an entirely situation. Rather than have a large squawk-fest by telling all roommates at once, they chose to split them up. Rinoa would tell Selphie and Quistis. Seifer would tell Zell, Squall, and Irvine.

Rinoa chose lunch at a restaurant, while Seifer chose a bar. Go figure.

Selphie and Quistis were both very enthusiastic for the lunch, but also very aware that this was not an ordinary lunch. For Rinoa had been in such a reclusive state lately, it was strange to them that she was setting aside spare time. They shared an initial uneasy glance. There was a reason for the giddy delight, as well for the previous embrace of solitude. And both young women were eager to unveil Rinoa's secret.

At lunch, Quistis ordered a salad, while Selphie chose pizza. Rinoa declined her craving for a mayonnaise and fish sandwich and ordered a cheeseburger.

And for the first time in almost a week, they gossiped. Selphie finally admitted that Irvine was cute, and that she was finding it much harder to resist his advances for a formal date. Quistis on the other hand, hid her admiration for the silent Squall by saying, "I cannot fathom how you could be attracted to a pig such as Irvine. Someone like Squall is much more mature and intelligent."

Selphie brushed the comment off with a certain look to Rinoa, secretly saying, "Arguing with Queen Quistis is like arguing with a wall."

"So how are things with Seifer, Rinoa? You have sure been rather closed off, lately." Quistis said, but seemed intrigued in less of a concerned way and more of a 'give me the gossip now!' way.

"Things have been…really good, lately." She took a animalistic bite of her cheeseburger and wiped ketchup off her mouth.

"And…? Elaborate, please." Quistis wanted to get straight to the point. "We heard you two arguing the other day."

"Well, that argument is resolved…" Rinoa made eye contact with Quistis and let out a playful wink.

"Are ya sure he's not being a jerk to ya, Rin? All that bar-hopping seemed to make you pretty mad!" Selphie tried to smile as she let out the uneasy truth.

"I'm sure he'll stop the bar-hopping by the time the baby comes." Oh, the sweet delight that radiated from the smile Rinoa flashed as she watched her friends freeze on the spot. With dropped jaws that would assume the bomb she just dropped was the atomic one.

"But he's-"

"He's not." Rinoa intervened Selphie. She set down her burger and leaned forward on the table, ready to feel the joy from her friends. To her surprise, it didn't come.

"Rinoa…you've…decided to KEEP it?" Quistis asked in something that seemed more like dismay than pride and cheer.

"Well, yeah, I have." She was getting a little irritated at her friend's reaction.

"What will Caraway think? You're way too young Rinoa!" Quistis scolded. Rinoa dropped all her attention from her food to her friend. She felt betrayal. The matronly Quistis was being more of a shrew.

"I don't give a damn what Caraway thinks. And I don't give a damn about what you think, either. I'm done with what everyone else thinks. This is my decision. This is MY life." She insisted, letting the comment sting.

"No, Rinoa, it isn't. You're going to bring a baby into a house that is full as it is. The last thing we need is a hugely dependent infant. Do you know how much work goes into raising a child?"

"No, but I'll learn! What are you trying to say?" Rinoa shouted, throwing her napkin. The owner of the diner gave them a suspicious look.

"I'm saying that you are not responsible enough to care for a living, human being Rinoa. And if you're not going to take your roommates opinions into consideration, that's proof enough. This is an awful decision, and I cannot condone it." Quistis folded her arms and glared. Rinoa had enough.

"I'd say that this lunch is over, ladies." She stood up, and went to the pay phone to call a cab. The entire time, Selphie had been quiet. Now sitting next to a fuming Quistis, she had no input here, either. So she just scratched her head and said,

"Huh, imagine that. Seifer isn't sterile!"

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Similarly to how Rinioa took her female friends to a lunch, Seifer went with the men of the household. They went to a local bar and grill, and had a beer and a burger. Except for Squall. The men laughed.

"Squall, you're such a wuss!" Zell exclaimed, happily chugging his lager and asking for more.

"No, I'm just not insecure enough to be forced to prove my masculinity." He didn't have a smug look across a face, but rather an indifferent one. He lacked the true arrogance of a man.

"So Squall, did you hook up with Quisty yet?" Irvine elbowed him and Squall grimaced a bit without a reply.

"Yeah, don't be a fucking chicken. Bag that babe while she's still begging for it." Seifer said with a laugh. His smile was so large and uncharacteristic, it seemed to make the men uncomfortable. Normally he had just a self-assured smirk. This time he seemed breathy, genuinely happy. "Irvine, did you catch Selphie yet?"

"Selphie, is not a 'catch.' She is a beautiful young woman, and every time I gaze into those beautiful emerald eyes, I feel myself whisked away in the heat of romance and-"

"Cut the crap. She's not going out with you yet, huh?" Zell said joking, starting on another beer.

"No, but good things come to those who wait." He raised his own glass, and the guys muttered offensive things and Irvine just smiled. He knew Selphie was different, and the other men did too. "So I guess you're the only one who's getting anything, huh Seifer?"

Seifer still didn't display his arrogant smirk, but you could tell he was still himself when he said "Unless Zell is, but let's be honest."

Squall didn't seem to be offended at being left out of the conversation. He just ate tiny bits of food and observed the setting. The setting of drunk manly men, to whom he did not feel apart of. Yet, he found no hurt in this acknowledgement.

"So how was it with Rin? I heard you were her first." Zell smiled, wanting to hear all the dirty details. But to no avail. Which certainly was a shock for the all-inappropriate Seifer.

"I was her first, and I'm betting her last." He took a drink, and looked at Irvine. Those two men felt a bond. They felt the same bond, of being intimate with a woman on a higher level than physical. Zell seemed to be slightly nervous. Even Squall looked as if he was slightly interested.

"You that into her, huh?" Irvine said, looking at him with a small, charming smile. Seifer nodded and relaxed with his arms behind his head.

"Not only that…" He had the same anticipation Rinoa had, about to drop the bomb. "She's pregnant. And keeping it."

Seifer gauged the reactions of the men. They were wide-eyed. They leaned forward. Zell stood up.

"Seifer…man, that's great." He walked over to Seifer and patted him on the back, and Seifer stood and embraced him in a hug. Zell then had the same genuine smile Seifer had. Irvine soon acquired it too, and also hugged Seifer. And they started hooting, and hollering, like happy men do in a bar. Irvine even yelled, "Can I get a shot of whiskey for the dad-to-be?"

A waitress brought it over and Seifer was still smiling and laughing at his congratulating friends before he drank it. He glanced at Squall, who had said nothing, and was just looking at him. Upon seeing that Seifer was looking at him, Squall reached his hand over the table, and Seifer raised his to shake it.

"Good luck." Squall said. Something in Seifer felt that deep down, Squall was really unhappy. Then again, a screaming baby doesn't really fit into Squall's lifestyle. Seifer ignored it though, and sat deep in the atmosphere of celebration. Squall left early, but the boys stayed out for most of the night.

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Upon getting home, Rinoa went straight to bed and slept. She always slept when she was unhappy. She awoke again to Seifer's present, like an alarm went off in her body that needed to react to him. He rested a warm hand on her bare shoulder.

"How did it go, Rin?" He asked, barely a whisper. She turned and saw a face that was not solemn, but elated.

"It went awful, I don't want to talk about it." She turned back around and dug her face deep into her pillow, and dug her nails into the skin of her arm.

"What? What do you mean?" Rinoa laid on her stomach, something she would later miss, and buried herself even more. She let out an inaudible sob and paused, not wanting to have a cracked voice.

"Quistis thinks I'm a nut for wanting this." By the time her tongue had reached her teeth on the first phoneme of 'this' it was obvious she was about to cry.

"Quistis is an uptight bitch. Who cares what she thinks. She'll come around." He rubbed his hand on her back while she cried quietly. "What did Selphie say?"

"Nothing. She probably thinks I'm just as stupid." Rinoa murmured pitifully, feeling the despair of abandonment by her friends. "Did the boys tease you?"

"They're actually…really happy. Except for Squall, but he's never really happy." He listened and heard Rinoa let out a small laugh..

"That's good…I'm surprised…but happy." Rinoa again felt the sadness weighing down on her. Seifer shook her until she turned around and faced him.

"Rinoa, you love that baby, more than Quistis has loved anything in her life. You don't need her. You have a whole bunch of stinky old men that are willing to help with almost anything. Except changing a diaper." Rinoa laughed again.

"Do you love the baby too?" She teased, wrinkling her nose. He sniffed and looked at the ceiling.

"Meh, it's okay I guess." He laughed. "I dunno if I love it yet. But I think I'm growing to like the little bugger."

Rinoa laughed again, and pulled him into a good night kiss. As she ran his fingers through his hair, she wondered whether their child would have his platinum or her ebony locks.

She did not dwell on what happened that day.

Females are always advertised as nurturing and mother like. Males are always shown as selfish and irresponsible. But today, that had been proven wrong to Rinoa. She couldn't talk to them about cramps, bloating, or nipple soreness. But they supported her, and Rinoa needed that more than ever.

Hopefully her father would be the same way.