Chapter Twelve: Our New Home
The next morning, Yuki woke to a very naked Shuichi sleeping in his arms and he smiled as he reached up to brush stray hair out of the singer's perfect little face.
There is certainly nothing better than this… Shuichi is in my arms and he loves me. Thought the writer before a shifting sensation against his stomach made him move his gaze down to Shuichi's relatively large baby-bump. The movement of the children inside made Shuichi transfer onto his back and Eiri took the opportunity to slide down and come face to face with the baby-bump.
He gently pressed his ear to the skin of Shuichi's abdomen and listened to his Babies within their watery home. He smiled when the twins moved again and placed a kiss to the supple skin.
"You and you're mother… well, you mean everything to me… but shhh, Babies, this is a secret between me and you." He whispered, emotion heavy in his voice. He rubbed Shuichi's belly and moved back up to give Shuichi a good-morning kiss.
"Hey…" The writer murmured against rose-coloured lips. "Shu, wake up, hun." Hun...? HUN? Okaaay, this whole situation is doing really odd things to me…
"Hmm… Eiri…?" Shuichi's beautiful eyes fluttered open and he smiled at his lover before stretching. "Mooorning. Ouch…" Shuichi grimaced.
Panic flitted across Eiris face as his long-fingered hands quivered over the singer, "What's wrong? What's happened?"
"Calm down, Eiri, calm down." Shuichi chuckled and sat up, shuffling up to the headboard. "I think last night is coming back with a vengeance. Hey, would you mind massaging my back a little?"
"Uh, sure." Yuki replied, guilt clear on his face as he relocated himself behind his lover and set about gently massaging his lower back, gently kissing round shoulders.
Shuichi hummed in appreciation and soothed gentle circles on his abdomen before breaking out into a soft song: "A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain, softly blows o'er Lullaby Bay, it fills the sails of boats that are waiting, waiting to sail your worries away…" Yuki found himself smiling and, without thinking, began humming the melody.
Briefly, the singer stopped to smile around at his lover and then started singing once more, "It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain, and your boat waits down by the quay, the winds of night so softly are sighing, soon they will fly your troubles to the sea. So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain, wave goodbye to cares of the day, and watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain, sail far away from Lullaby Bay."
Shuichi drew out the last note and Yuki was happy to simply hear him sing. There was a moment's silence between the two before Shuichi spoke up.
"Today, I have to go to the doctor's for another scan." The singer paused, carefully choosing his next words, "Could you come with me, Eiri?"
Yuki stopped massaging the singer's back and shimmied around to look into violet eyes. "Shu, what kind of question is that? Of course I will, Baka!" The writer smiled jubilantly as he leaned in to kiss his tiny Fiancé. Fiancé… Yuki thought, kissing Shuichi more deeply. As they pulled apart, Eiri leaned his forehead to Shuichi's, "What time is the appointment?"
"Twelve o'clock." Shuichi sighed, pulling away completely to look at the clock on the bedside table. Ten fifteen… time to get up and shower, he thought.
"I need a shower." The singer said, sniffing at himself.
Yuki smiled, "I think you smell good." He murmured.
Shuichi grinned brightly but got up and moved towards the en suite anyway, grabbing his clothes from his wardrobe on the way. Eiri watched him from his position on the large bed, admiring the long, still slim legs, the round globes of the singer's buttocks and the dip in Shuichi's spine. At the bathroom door, Shuichi turned and asked, "Join me?" his eyes wide and sparkling.
Yuki grinned a wolfish grin and got up to do as he was asked. Although he knew he wouldn't be taking Shuichi again for a long time, especially as the previous night had taken such a toll on the singer, he wanted nothing more than to be near his lover and to show the younger man the depth of his love in many different, wordless forms.
"Ah, that felt good!" Shuichi giggled, wiping his hair dry and sauntering out of the bathroom, Eiri in tow. The singer was wearing large, bright blue maternity pants and a huge purple sweatshirt which matched the colour of his eyes exactly. Eiri still couldn't get over how this gorgeous, untainted young man could love him so much.
In his heart, the writer knew that no matter how many years passed, his love and adoration for Shuichi would never fade. It was the one immortal thing in his life – the fact that Shuichi was carrying his child only drove this point home – and he knew that he would follow Shuichi to the ends of the Earth, and into the afterlife without ever looking back.
"What would you like for breakfast, Shu?"
"Hmm… pancakes… maple syrup and pickles!" Shuichi replied, a happy smile on his face as he sat down at the kitchen table and rubbed his baby-bump subconsciously. Yuki kissed his Fiancé before going to the kitchen surface to make their breakfast.
Both kept their eyes constantly on the time. Eiri watched because he was excited and Shuichi watched because he was full of trepidation – what if Eiri, once he realised how real this all was, decided that it was too much to handle…?
As they pulled up to the clinic, Shuichi's apprehension grew and he found himself rubbing circles on his tummy again. Although he was anxious about Eiri's possible reaction, he was excited to see his babies on the screen once again.
"Ready, Shu?" Eiri asked, smiling, and inside he could feel his own enthusiasm bubbling. He got out of the car first and after opening Shuichi's door held his hand out to his lover to take.
Shuichi grinned at him, but it was dulled compared to usual, his trepidation getting the better of him. Eiri noticed but said nothing and simply helped the pregnant man out of the Mercedes.
The two of them made their way into the reception area and waited until they were called in. Eiri took Shuichi's left hand in his own, feeling the band of white gold, and brought the small appendage to his lips to kiss the younger man's fingers. Shuichi was shocked but smiled at his lover and leaned in to press his own lips to the other's cheek. As he pulled back and rested his head on Yuki's shoulder, sighing contently.
A few more minutes passed, with the two of them more than happy being in their own bubble, before a nurse at the desk told them to go through. Again Shuichi tensed ever so slightly, and Yuki squeezed his hand reassuringly as they made their way to the room.
"Hello, Shindou-san, how are you today?" The doctor greeted happily, eyeing the blonde as well.
"I'm feeling good, thank you." Shuichi raised his hand, indicating Yuki. "This is my partner, Yuki. Well actually since last night," Shu said, grinning and looking at Eiri, "this guy is my Fiancé!" The singer extended his hand with the engagement ring for his doctor to inspect.
The doctor whistled lowly, "Nice!" She said, before signalling to the examination table, "Now then, same as before, Shindou-san."
Shuichi got up onto table, with a few difficulties, and lifted his shirt before lowering the top of his maternity pants. He settled himself and giggled when he saw Yuki looking as though he was feeling rather out of place.
"Yuki-san, if you go around to the other side of the table, there's a chair you can sit in."
The writer did as he was told although he still felt a little as though he was an outsider to this situation. Shuichi smiled as he came to sit beside him and held out his hand for Yuki to take a hold of; Eiri did and smiled back before turning a little to see the screen that had already been set up.
Shuichi winced a little when the gel was applied but quietened when the doctor gently pressed the paddle to his abdomen. She pressed a few buttons so that the image on the screen froze.
"Alright, do you two want to know the sex of the babies?"
Shuichi responded immediately with the answer, "No." Just as the writer shook his head and squeezed the small hand in his.
The doctor smiled and pointed to the appropriate parts of the screen. "Gentlemen, this is baby number one." She then fiddled with the paddle again against Shuichi, before freezing the screen once more and pointing yet again to the right parts on the screen. "And this is baby number two." Turning her attention to the two men she was surprised to see Shuichi's face frozen with what appeared to be fear and the other's face a mask of unadulterated happiness.
"Shindou-san? Is everything ok?" She asked gently and the writer's head whipped around to take in the appearance of his Fiancé.
He squeezed the hand in his, "Shu?" Shuichi looked at him, dread evident in his violet eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Is… is this still ok? Are you sure you're ready for this?" Shuichi looked away before continuing to ramble on, "I mean, I've been ready since I was told that I was carrying our Babies, but this thing is still kinda new to you. I-I just don't wanna hold you down or tie you to this whole thing if it's not what you want. I love you, Eiri, but I'd understand if you want to leave, especially since this is all suddenly real and–"
Eiri put a hand over the smaller man's mouth, causing him to look up, surprised. As his eyes met his Fiancé's he gasped. In their depths, he read anger, confusion and above all else: love.
"Are you stupid?" The older man growled, "Shuichi, I have heard some rumours about how the carrier of the child is already a parent and for the father, well, he doesn't become a parent until the kid is born. Shu…" He took his hand off the singer's mouth and smiled. "I'm different. The moment I found out, in that second, I was already a dad."
Shuichi smiled, though tears ran down his cheeks and the two embraced, trying to avoid covering the writer in the gel on the singer's stomach.
The doctor allowed them a moment before she cleared her throat and the two of them regarded her. She smiled, "Would you two like to hear the heart beats?"
"Yes!" They said in unison and Eiri added, "Is it alright to record it on a Dictaphone?"
The doctor smiled and nodded as she prepared the apparatus and as the writer retrieved his Dictaphone. As she pressed the paddle to Shuichi's stomach for the last time, a swift beating filled the room and Yuki hit the record on the contraption in his hand. It reminded the singer a little of the sound of birds wings. Fast and oh-so fragile.
Tears filled Shuichi's eyes and he turned to Yuki to see a serene smile and closed eyes as though Yuki was listening to the most precious sound in the world. The larger hand holding the singer's tightened and amber eyes opened to stare into violet as Yuki mouthed the words: Thank you. The writer leaned down to press a chaste kiss to strawberry lips and the doctor turned off the machine.
"So, would you gents like a picture of your babies?"
Shuichi nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, two of each again, please."
She smiled and did as the singer asked handing four fresh photographs over. Shuichi quickly gave one set you his Fiancé who smiled widely at them both before carefully tucking them away into his wallet.
"Both babies appear to be healthy, perhaps a little smaller than normal, but there's only so much space for two in there." She said before waving the happy couple a fond farewell.
"Thank you, Doc!" Shuichi said as he stepped out of the door, followed by the blonde.
At the door, Eiri stopped and turned back to the woman, "Thank you. So much." He murmured, emotion heavy in his voice. Then he smiled, turned and left.
"We shall go to the house now." Yuki said as they clambered back into the car.
Shuichi buckled himself in and then grabbed Yuki's hand, "Ok, but I have something I need to give you." He reached for his own wallet and retrieved two of the photographs that had been taken at his previous scan, handing them to his love. "I've been meaning to give them to you for a while now." Shuichi confessed, before he began to point out their children. "This is baby one… and here's baby two…"
"Thanks, Shu." Yuki smiled and tucked them safely into his wallet alongside the others. He surprised himself with the thought that he'd have to find a book or diary of some sort to catalogue everything.
Yuki made sure to buckle himself in as they began to head towards the new house. Along the way Shuichi would, from time to time, look over at Eiri and once or twice Eiri returned the gaze and, smiling, rubbed a hand along Shuichi's belly beside the singer's own.
As the car slowed, Shuichi looked out of the window and gasped.
They were a good distance from the city that commuting wouldn't be a problem, but that heavy traffic wouldn't be an issue. Behind a white picket fence was a large garden with lush green grass and a couple of flower beds with roses and wild flowers. There was a path leading up towards a medium sized white-washed house with large windows and a stained glass door. The roof of the house was a dark grey.
Shuichi scrabbled to get out of the car and Yuki swiftly got out and aided Shuichi in his plight. Holding his Fiancé's hand Eiri guided the stunned man up the garden path towards the door. On the step, the writer turned to Shuichi and pressed a key into his small hand.
"Want to do the honours?" He asked as he grinned and kissed Shuichi's forehead. Shuichi nodded dumbly, turning to the door to unlock it.
As the door opened Shuichi was taken aback.
Inside, the place actually looked homely, unlike Eiri's old apartment. On the walls there were various picture frames waiting to be filled. The walls were painted brighter colours instead of being only white.
Yuki followed Shu around their new home as the pregnant man explored; when they reached the stairs Eiri took the smaller man's hand and guided him gently up them and onto the top landing.
"I hope you don't mind Shu," He said in a muted voice, "but I took the liberty of beginning the nursery."
Shuichi turned his wide, violet eyes to the writer and Eiri smiled, still holding the smaller hand in his own, and escorted the singer to a small room through an adjoining door in the master bedroom.
As he entered the room, Shuichi couldn't hold back a few stray tears of delight. It was a pale yellow with various fairytale creatures dancing across the walls. The lush carpet was also a pale yellow colour and over in one corner there was a colourful toy box. Before he could even try to stop himself, the singer had made his way across the room to stand in front of the box and opened the lid wide. Inside were various cuddly toys and other beautiful playthings.
Shuichi turned to his Fiancé, one hand laid on his bump.
"I love you Yuki. This is beautiful. Thank you."
"No, Shu… Thank you." And with that, the two sealed the start of their new beginning with a pure yet passionate kiss, that shook them both to their very soul.
