Hello all!

Sorry for the late update. As I explained, life has gone hectic beyond belief. Barely have time to scratch my nose, let alone write.

Thank you so much to those who left comments! And of course to anyone who has kept reading this story!

Without further ado, here's the next chapter!

Chapter 14 – The Storm Before the Calm.

Kai kicked, pulled and pleaded the whole way, Ray ignoring all of it. His grip only tightening as he dragged him down the track. He only quietened as they entered the building to the clinic in hope of making Ray look the asshole. The few women in there all gasped as they watched Ray drag his partner inside, whispering already kicking up around them. Ray ignored them, their whispers only sounding like a buzz in his ears. His head was killing him now, the damn sun he had to walk through to get there not helping the strain on his eyes and now he was also going to be a patient of Tao's for the time being.

"Sit." He barked out as they stopped at an empty bench, releasing Kai's wrist and gave him a look that dared him to protest.

Kai sat, sinking as he felt eyes on him and wanting to cry again. This was humiliating... At least he could brush it off as Ray being overbearing.

Ray stormed through the hallway door on the hunt for Tao, he didn't care if he was busy right this second, his anger didn't give a damn about anything right now.

He finally found him in the back room, he was alone enjoying a few minutes of peace before his next client- perfect. He threw opened the door making the small man gasp and spill his tea all over himself.

"Ray my boy, what on Earth is the meaning of this?" He shrieked out, not missing the way his pupils were.

"I need you to look at Kai, it's an emergency." Ray answered bluntly, a hint of concern in his tone.

Tao got up, brushing tea off him while bolting to the door. "What happened?" He asked concerned.

"I'm not really sure, but I'm afraid for the baby right now." He answered calmly, "Can I bring him back here?" He asked.

"Of course! Bring him in!" Tao shrieked frantically.

Ray nodded before he slipped out of the doorway and back down the hall. In the sweetest fake voice he could muster up through his anger, he poked his head out of the doorway that led to the waiting room.

"Tao will see you now Kai."

Kai glared as he felt his eyes brim up again. He couldn't believe Ray had actually done it. "You son of a bitch..." his voice strained.

"Come on honey." He continued up with the fake voice, an evil smirk on his face as he showed his fangs and then turned to the women in the room. "My apologies ladies, he's not feeling well."

The ladies nodded sympathetically before looking back at Kai.

Not wanting to cause more of a scene he got up, feeling sick and scrambling for a story to tell Tao. Ray snatched his hand up as he waddled into the doorway, his nails digging into his flesh as he practically drug him towards the back room where Tao was. The second they stepped inside he continued the charade.

"I think it's best he stays off the team, for more than the original time. He's putting himself through too much stress and I'm concerned for the safety of our child, I don't think he's ready to come back after just three weeks. He wouldn't listen to me, so can you please explain it to him Master Tao?" Ray said quickly just as Kai's mouth had opened to speak.

Kai's jaw dropped as he stared at him in utter disbelief.

He didn't...

Tao was a little taken aback. This wasn't what he'd expected. But then he didn't really know what to expect.

"And what brought you to that conclusion?" He asked, still eyeing Ray's eyes.

"Look at his ankles, they're swollen. I tried to get him to sit down and keep them lifted but he didn't listen to me. He's speaking nonsense about other things, believe me Master Tao I don't like this idea, but it's for the better of the baby and him." Ray pleaded, not missing a beat.

Kai's eye twitched, head snapping from Ray to Tao back and forth. "He's lying!" He yelled desperately.

"Then where are your shoes?" Ray asked, eyeing his bare feet.

Kai grit his teeth and snapped, punching his arm as hard as he could. "You dragged me here!" He yelled furiously

Tao watched stunned and not really sure what on Earth was going on.

"Because I'm concerned for you and the baby." Ray said calmly.

Tao's eyes travelled down to try and see his ankles while they were talking.

Kai was almost spitting venom.

"Are you really this low, Ray!? Really!?"

"You mean concerned?"

Kai smacked him again harder. "Stop the act, Ray! Stop it! Why are you doing this to me!?"

"See what I'm talking about Master Tao?" He turned to the little old man.

He didn't want to have to drag him into this mess, but truth be told he was concerned that Kai's stress levels were going to hurt him and the baby. He really had no other options at this point, he didn't know what else to do to make Kai realize that he did care about them. If he had to hurt him in the process, he was fine with that, he'd thank him later.

Tao had seen enough. "On the table." He said bluntly, pointing at it and frowning at him.

Kai's anger vanished in a flash.

"No! I'm fine! He's lying!"

Ray let his hand go and gently pushed him towards the table, Kai digging his feet into the floor again to no avail. Kai cursed him out something awful as he pushed him on the table, still protesting he was fine to Tao. The little old man tried to get him to lay down to no avail and sighed, annoyed.

"Ray...would you mind?" He had a feeling Ray was on to something.

"Not at all." He said quietly and stepped up, grabbing Kai's arms in a flash and pinning them down above his head.

Kai knew flailing would only make it worse, instead looking up at Ray pinning him, spitting fire.

"You son of a bitch...I fucking hate you!"

"I love you too honey." Ray said in a gentle voice, having the voice right in his ears didn't help as his eyes had yet to go back to normal, the headache surging through his body.

Tao looked over his ankles and tutted before poking and prodding, despite his flinching and protesting, feeling himself get more irate as he did.

"I think I've seen enough..."

The second those words passed the old man's lips Ray let Kai go and stepped back from him quickly, turning to Tao with a worried look.

"And?"

He ran a hand over his wrinkled face and sighed heavily, thinking hard. Kai felt his heart in his throat. "I'm sorry, Kai. You're off until after the baby is born."

Kai sat up in a heartbeat, eyes wide. "What!? You can't do that!" He yelled before glaring at Ray. "He's lying! I'm fine!" He yelled louder, pointing at him accusingly.

"How bad is it?" Ray asked Tao, ignoring Kai.

Tao narrowed his eyes at him. Ignoring the pair of them and walking up to Ray, pulling his shirt so he bent down to his level and staring at his still slit eyes.

"You're off for a week, too."

"Okay...?" He blinked a little and flinched from the pain and dryness. "But that's not what I asked."

Tao let him go and looked between them unimpressed. "I don't know what's going on here, but it needs to stop! Ray, your head hurts does it not?"

"Like I got ran over by a truck..." He mumbled as he stood himself up, tugging his shirt down. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with them or not though?" He asked as he motioned to Kai on the table, his narrowed gaze not having left his person.

Tao let out a huff. "They're staying here tonight so I can answer that for you, but everything I looked at shows signs of strain and it's clear from the little display I just saw between you both that it's all down to stress...which I thought we'd talked about..." he bit at Kai. "And that's is exactly what that is as well..." he added, pointing at Ray's eyes.

Ray nodded and met Kai's hateful gaze again for a second before he looked back down at the old man. "Alright, I'll bring him some clothes."

Tao grabbed his wrist and dragged him to sit down. "Not before I give you something for those eyes...you look possessed, boy!" He scolded.

Ray didn't protest, his head only surging again with the sudden movement. For such a small man, Tao really had some strength. Tao shoved him down, leaving them alone for a minute to go get what he needed, leaving the two alone in hateful silence.

Kai couldn't even look at him anymore. "...I wish I'd never fucking met you..." he bit.

Ray put his head back against the wall, closing his eyes and even that hurt, like glass had scraped against them. With a heavy sigh he shook his head a little, mentally slapping himself at the pain he caused to surge through him again.

"Spare me will you? You heard him, you're putting the baby at risk." He said, going back to a calm tone not to rile him up again... As if it would work.

Kai hopped off the table. If he was stressed, and stress was going to hurt the baby, then the solution was simple. He just had to be away from him.

"Don't you dare leave." Ray ordered without having to open his eyes, it sounded like an elephant had dropped through the roof. "Tao isn't past tying up patients to their beds."

Kai scoffed. "I'd like to see him try...just stay the hell away from me..."

"I'm over here? And I'm going home, so we already got that covered." Ray said dully, god he was tired of this.

He ignored him and walked out. He wouldn't leave...he just had to get away from him. Even if it was to another room. He made sure to slam the door on the way out.

"Love you too." Ray mumbled and flinched at the sound, why did everything sound like it was coming through a loud speaker all of a sudden?

He knew better and stayed put, Tao coming back only a few minutes later after Kai had left. Tao went to work, giving him solutions to drink before tilting his head back and putting drops in his eyes.

The old man glanced at the empty table. "Go lie on there for ten minutes." He ordered.

Ray did as he was told quietly, the drops only burned his eyes more and he had to bite through the pain. Once he settled he closed them again, the room slightly spinning.

"Thank you Master Tao." He mumbled as he put his arm over his eyes.

Tao got behind him and moved his fingers over his scalp, rubbing in circular motions in all the tense areas. "When did this start?"

"Less than an hour ago." Ray mumbled, "They've never done this before..."

"Probably because you haven't faced this kind of strain before, my boy..."

Ray scoffed a little, "Tell me about it... Are they going to be okay?" He asked, the concern not leaving him for a second. He could get past this; his main concern was his child and his mate.

Tao huffed yet again. "Yes, if he'd just learn to calm himself."

"That's like asking an active volcano not to destroy a town." Ray chuckled slightly. "I really did put his feet up for him and gave him water and food." He added.

Tao smirked and continued. "And two male nurses are putting him in a bed as we speak."

"Good." He mumbled sleepily. "I'll just drop his clothes off with you... Be easier that way."

Tao kept rubbing his scalp, trying to relieve some of the tension. "I think you ought to rest here a while, my boy. There's no rush."

Ray tried to mumble something back to him, his legs moved a little as if he was trying to get up but all they did was twitch slightly. The pain in his head and eyes slowly subsiding and he drifted off, whatever Tao had made him drink knocking him out. Tao watched and peered over before giving him a gentle shake. Excellent, he was out cold. That would help...and keep him out the way while he tried to deal with the other one.

He'd spotted Kai waddling down the hall while he was getting medicine for Ray and was out of patience. He'd sent for two male nurses to get him in to a room and in to a bed by any means possible. He found the room, and the two now exhausted looking nurses as Kai lay on the bed, wrists tied down to the sides and cussing bloody murder at them. Tao watched the scene for a second with a blank face before turning and walking out again without a word, returning minutes later to find him still trying to pull himself out of his binds. He was too old for this... He got one of the nurses to hold his head and pinch his nose, the enraged kid resisting until he had to open his mouth to breath. The second he did, Tao tipped something in his mouth, clamping his hand over his mouth and stroking his throat to force him to swallow before coming away.

"That's quite enough of this carry on..." he scolded as he folded his arms and waited. It wasn't long til the pulling stopped, his head slumped back on the pillow and the room went quiet. Tao sent the two nurses off for a well-earned break before going to call Aoba. He'd need his help to give him a good check over...

Later, Ray blinked awake, the light's had been turned off in the room. How long had he been asleep? When had he even fallen asleep? He sat up, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm and groaned. The headache was gone, thankfully, but his eyelids still felt like they were made of sharp glass scraping against his eyes.

"Tao?" He called out, but his throat was dry so it came out slightly strangled and hardly loud enough.

Everything started to swim as he put his feet to the floor, having to grab the table to keep from falling over and brace himself. Once he had his footing he pushed himself towards the door, his vision was still constricted which meant his eyes hadn't gone back to normal completely just yet.

"Tao?" He called down the quiet hall, the place seemed dead...

Were they closed now? He went to call for him again when his ears perked at someone walking down the hall from the waiting room and his head snapped in their direction.

"You're up finally..." came a blunt voice as Aoba walked towards him, amber eyes burning.

"What're you doing here?" Ray asked as Aoba finally came into view, at first he had just looked like a tall blur through the lights.

He stopped in front of him and folded his arms, peering at his eyes. Tao had told him what happened. "I got called in for an emergency..." he said coldly as he frowned. "I stick up for you and help you get him to go back with you and mere hours later he's hospitalized and you're...whatever that is!?" He scolded, pointing at his eyes.

Ray flinched a little, holding onto the doorway. Whatever Tao had given him was still making him lightheaded but it was better than the pain.

"He didn't listen to me, I tried to help him and he just yelled in my face and then..." He stopped, not wanting to say it. What Kai had accused him of hurt more than he cared to admit.

Aoba frowned harder. "And then what, Ray!? All I got from Tao was that he came in hysterical and your eyes won't unslit!"

"He thinks I'm screwing Ben!" Ray yelled back, his pupils quivering and he hissed and pushed against them again with the heel of his palms. "Fuck that hurts..."

Aoba grabbed him and took him to sit down, forcing him in to a seat before he really took in what he said. "...I know."

"Know what?" Ray bit out in a growl, his body burning from being touched by him.

"That that's what he thinks..." he told him warily, not wanting him to get angry and hurt his eyes.

"He's a fucking idiot." Ray muttered angrily, pulling his shoulder out from Aoba's touch. "I'm assuming he's talked to you then? Told you all about what an asshole I am."

Aoba took the hint and moved his hands away from him. So much for their moment earlier...he thought they were good. "Not so much about what an asshole you are..."

Ray cocked a brow and looked up at him, "What's that mean?"

Aoba huffed. "Oh, come on Ray! Don't give me that! We both know what Ben's like... Friend or not, he's a complete asshole...especially if he takes a dislike to you..."

"Yeah, and? Kai's no different than him when it comes to that." He scoffed back, "Ben has nothing to do with any of this, I'd appreciate it if you guys stopped dragging him into this. So, he's a dick. Big whoop, we know that, it's not the end of the goddamn world. So, Kai's jealous and refuses to listen to reason and gets himself put in the hospital, not any ones fault but his own."

Aoba felt himself facepalm mentally. "I think it does have something to do with him! I'm not trying to cause rifts, but as someone who's been on the receiving end myself, I know Kai's not exaggerating when he tells me about him!"

"And what exactly has Ben done that's just been so goddamn awful? Huh? He touched my hair? He's the captain of the team because Kai can't be? Exactly what is it that Ben has done to him personally?" Ray bit back.

Aoba's eyes narrowed, wondering if he should tell him. "Hm...'innocent' little 'jokes' about his manhood, his weight...less innocent comments about how he's useless now and pretty much admitting he touched your hair to get at him...how he's not good enough for you."

"What're talking about? When did any of that happen?" Ray asked as met Aoba's eyes, his still slit.

He scoffed. "Oh yeh, like he's gonna say those latter ones in front of you! But the rest he did say in front of you and what did you do? You took his side and brushed it off as 'well, it's just Ben.' You really can't see how that would leave a bad taste!? And only calling you for these little 'extra meetings' to talk tournament? Where's Tyson, Max and Kenny, huh? You don't see how that might look to the guy you keep leaving at home?"

Ray shot up to his feet, "Oh don't you fucking start that too! I would never cheat on Kai, everyone needs to get that through their fucking heads right this second! I won't repeat myself again!" He spat, his anger boiling over and his eyes burned but he bit back the pain.

"I brushed it off to try and keep the peace, because Kai is no sun flower either even on his best of days and he knows it. You don't know our history when we all first met, and I'm really not in the mood to tell it all to you but guess what? That man in there is not the same man he used to be!" Ray spat at he threw a hand up and pointed harshly at the opened door. "I didn't know about the other things Ben said to him in private, he never told me but you best be sure that I'll handle it."

Aoba let out a rare growl. "I'm not saying you are cheating! I don't think you are, but I think your buddy is doing what he does beautifully and planting doubt and insecurity without anyone else seeing it!" He said with his voice rising, "and if you have any love for Kai you won't say shit to Ben...because trust me he's only going to amp up his game! Maybe Kai was a dick...but I don't see him being like Ben. He's not manipulative and he's not vindictive enough to play with people to the point where it'd break them...for fun!"

"Oh no, he'd rather just steal everyone's Bit-Beasts." Ray found himself mumbling before he could stop himself, harshly looking away from Aoba. "I'll handle Ben, you handle Kai since he wants you more than me." He ground out, his fists clenching at his sides.

Aoba clenched his fists back. "He only wants me because he can't seem to get you!" He yelled back, unable to hold it anymore. God he wanted to smack him!

"I tried!" Ray practically screamed, the anger he felt for having been replaced, the hurt he had for the mess he had created. Everything was overwhelming him and it didn't help that his pupils kept trying to shrink further.

"I did what you said to do, I sat him down and put up his feet 'cus his legs were swollen. He kicked the damn table away and tried to leave. I gave him water and he took a damn sip! I made him food and he ate barely three bites and got mad and threw the bowl into the damn wall. That's the only part that is on me because I was texting Ben, and then he goes off and tells me he hates me! After I told him I loved him! Don't give me this bullshit Aoba!" He cried out, tears pricking at his eyes and that only caused them to feel like they were on fire.

Aoba's stomach plummeted. "You tell Ben about all this!?"

"Because I didn't have anyone else!" He had tried to stop the tears, why he was crying he wasn't sure now. Was it because he realized what an idiot he had been or because he was just frustrated? He didn't know, he could hardly think straight right now.

"Ben was the one to suggest I bring him home, so I did. That's the only reason why I came and got him in the first place. I texted him a joke, that I had been able to get him back!" He explained in a strained voice before he started to pace the small room. "Sure, let's be mad at me because I was too blind to see what Ben was really doing. I'll take the fall for that, but I did try to do what you said. I DID! You know me, I'm not a liar."

His face softened as he watched him. "I know you're not. And I know you did...but it takes more than a day to prove you mean it, Ray. He's not going to turn in to a happy little ball of love in a few hours...and don't take that the wrong way, he's a stubborn ass too...you're just as bad as each other...I'm not trying to stir the pot, I just want this resolved! Your fiancé and your child are not doing well. And I honestly think a big part of that is tension caused by Ben...I can see you've even turned on me a little. You don't even need to tell me, but I bet anything he's said something to make you think like that. And I bet he just dives right on to that bandwagon when you complain about him! Think what you want about me, I've never once badmouthed you when he's come crying! I've only ever been a shoulder to cry on and tried to help!"

Ray couldn't even look at him, keeping up the pacing he had started as his back trembled and shook. Aoba was right, had been right all along. He was an idiot, the biggest idiot in the whole damn village, the world, right now. He didn't know who to hate more, Ben or himself, but his fingers itched to hit something and hit it hard.

A groggy "Aoba...?" Came through the open door, making Aoba tense. That wasn't what Ray needed.

Ray's pacing stopped in an instant, having been pressing his hands into his eyes again to get the pain to go away they fell to his sides as more tears rolled down his face. He was done, he couldn't do this anymore.

"I'm going home..." He choked.

Aoba reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "Ray, wait...come on."

Ray jerked his shoulder out from him, now his back hurt. Everything hurt and he just wanted it to stop. "What for? He doesn't want me."

Aoba dug his nails in harder in to his shoulder, his angry mom face in full force. "Get in there or I will drag you." He growled.

Ray could only meet his eyes, that would be the only way to make go since he wasn't going to on his own. Aoba counted to five in his head before he moved to honor his threat. He grabbed his arm in a tight hold and did as he said he would. Drag his ass in there to see him.

Ray let him, feeling numb to it all and like Aoba just wanted to twist the knife into him more. Kai hadn't called for him, he called for Aoba. Was this his way of showing him up? To torment him? He knew, he just did, that when they got in there and Kai looked at him he'd not give a damn so what was the point?

Aoba threw Kai's door open and shoved him in first, shutting the door behind him and blocked it with his body in case Ray wanted to run off, and he had thought about it.

Kai rolled his head to the door. Eyes dazed and out of it. His body felt like it was floating in water while his head was swimming. His eyes clocked Ray. Despite knowing he was mad at him, he didn't feel it overly.

"Whas' he doing here?" He slurred quietly, "He got me kicked off the team..."

Ray's back tensed and he turned to Aoba with a look that said, 'told you so'. [What do you want from me?] He asked him, keeping his head turned around so he didn't have to look at Kai up on the bed, strapped down like he told him would happen.

Aoba rolled his eyes. [Go talk to him! You did get him taken off the team. You can't expect him to be happy about it...]

[He'd still be on the team if he just listened to me!] Ray bit back, his voice getting higher pitched.

[Ah-bah-bah! Calm! I said talk, not argue!] he said sternly

"What are you sayiiiiing? I don't like it..." Kai's groggy voice whined.

Ray's head snapped back around, slit eyes narrowed at him. "That you're a fucking idiot!" He spat.

Aoba smacked the back of Ray's head. [Now who doesn't listen!?]

He hissed as he stumbled forward, rubbing the back of his head. He deserved that one.

Straightening himself up he met Kai's eyes again, he looked out of it like he was barely there. He rubbed the back of his head again, what the hell was he supposed to say? 'How you doing honey? You like being strapped to the bed? I told you that's what would happen, but nope, don't listen to me again.' Didn't seem like a right step forward.

"You know why you're off the team, it's better for you and the baby." He said calmly, folding his arms over his chest.

Kai's wrists weakly pulled against the straps. "Three weeks was plenty...why would you do that to me?" His voice droned out in a weird mellow tone.

"I warned you, I told you that I would bring you here. You know it's for the better, be mad at me all you want to but I won't apologize for making sure the two of you are safe." Ray answered back, a slight growl in the back of his throat that he had to cough down lest Aoba hit him again.

"Stop lying...you did it to hurt me..."

Ray's shoulders slumped forward, "Yup, that's it Kai. Making sure you and the baby are okay is just me trying to hurt you." He said in a defeated voice.

Aoba reeled his hand back and smacked him again. These two were driving him nuts...more than his own damn kids.

"Go sit your ass down!" He spat as he dragged him over to the chairs by the bed.

"I told you I didn't want to be here!" Ray snapped at him as he was manhandled again, sitting down where Aoba forced him. "I told you he doesn't fucking listen."

Despite feeling numb, Kai's eyes watered. "Why do you never want to be with me?" He slurred out, hurt.

"You told me you didn't want to be around me!" Ray cried back, the tears coming at his burning eyes. All the stress he was still going through had kept them from dilating still, but he become numb to the pain now. "You told me you hated me, why would I want to come around that?"

Kai's wrists pulled pathetically to try and wipe his face as his own tears fell. "Because all you do is hurt me. You laugh at me, you call me things, you took everything I was away and then you leave to go talk about me with someone who hates me..."

Ray felt his heart sink. Its not like Kai had never said that to him before, but now he wasn't screaming it in his face it seemed to hit him.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you like that..." He sobbed.

Kai cried a little harder. "I miss my Ray..."

Ray's tears flowed like a dam had broken open. He missed Kai, too. "I'm sorry." He barely choked up, his arms shaking on him.

Kai's head rolled back to him, staring at him with his cloudy, vacant eyes. "Well stop saying sorry and stop being a douche..." He slurred before squinting. "Why are you giving me angry eyes?"

"...They're stuck like this..." He said in a lower voice, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

His bleary eyes widened. " 'cause you're mad at me so much?" He asked guiltily.

Ray bit the inside of his cheek, he wasn't sure. This had never happened to him before, he wasn't even sure if they were going to go back to normal at all. He could hardly feel them anymore as it was.

"Not just at you..." He started, shaking his head a little and then looked at Aoba. "Give us a minute?" He asked.

The older nodded and left, making sure to stand close by in case he heard raised voices. Ray got up and stepped over to Kai, plucking out a tissue from its little light-blue cardboard box and dabbed at Kai's cheeks a little to get the tear stains off. Quietly he undid his wrist restraints before sitting down beside him on the bed with a heavy sigh.

"I've messed up, a lot... I'm mad at myself more than you right now... I really am worried about you and the baby." He said and went to touch his stomach but pulled back, thinking better of it right now.

Kai didn't seem to realize he could move his arms now.

"So am I...I tried to tell you that ages ago and you told me I was stupid..."

Ray went to say something sarcastic back at him but closed his mouth and nodded a little, "I know, that was wrong of me."

"Yeh. It was. You don't know what this feels like." Kai lulled as he bobbed his head in a nod. "It's weird."

"I'm sure it is... I should have told you sooner what could happen... Should have told you a lot of things that I didn't..." He mumbled a little.

Kai's brain was on a roll to even really hear him. "I ate mustard, Ray. The baby made me eat mustard...or makes me cry and stuff...Or..." he said as he shifted a little, "kicks my insides like now. No one's allowed to kick me...especially my innards." He rambled.

Ray chuckled a little at him, "I know baby, it'll all be over when they get here though." He said soothingly, finally having it in him to touch his stomach and rubbed his hand along it gently. He couldn't even remember the last time he had done that.

Kai arched his back to push it in to his hand harder. It felt nice. "Tell 'em to stop kicking me..."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Ray's lips as he leaned close to Kai's stomach, keeping his hand moving in gentle circles. "Be nice to your momma, you hear me?" He said in another laugh, feeling their baby kick at his hand. "Hn, looks like they got corn in their ears too."

Kai shrugged. "Hn...What do you expect. Your kid."

"Yours too." Ray smirked up at him.

Kai went quiet as something in his hazed eyes clicked. He groaned and slumped his head back against the pillow. "We're so fuuuucked..."

Ray couldn't hold in his laughter anymore as it spilled out of him, "You think? Terrible twos, puberty, boyfriends and girlfriends. Can't wait." He joked, just to see Kai's reaction. Had they even talked about their future with the baby? He couldn't think of a time they had mentioned it at all like this, it was nice.

He only groaned more. "I don't know how to take care of someone...how are you supposed to teach someone how to be a person?"

"I think they just learn by example? Really no different than training a dog to sit or roll over." Ray said with a shrug of his shoulders. "You'll do fine, though." He said in a reassuring tone, feeling their child kick his hand again. "Think someone's a bit restless."

Kai looked down at his mountain of a stomach and huffed. "Naaaah. He always is like this. Little bastard..."

Ray smirked again at him, a fang slipping over his lower lip. "That's good, means he's doing alright."

Kai threw his arm out clumsily and grabbed Ray's shirt, dragging him down to lay down with him, doing his best in his weird state to get comfortable before flopping Ray's hand on his belly again.

"You think it's a boy? That's weird...me too. I mean...if it's a girl I guess it's all right, but I don't really want one..."

Ray chuckled a little, coming back from a moment of surprise from Kai forcing him to lay down beside him. Going back to rubbing his belly gently, leaning the side of his head into Kai's.

"Why not? Girls can be fun." He said in a low voice, enjoying this peace that had somehow found them.

He sighed. "Noooooooo! I've never seen a vagina, I don't know how to take care of something with one!"

Ray laughed again, "I'm sure it'll be alright. I mean, if it is a girl we can always try for a boy." He said as he shrugged his shoulders a little.

Kai snapped his enormous hazy eyes at him. "And get fat again!?"

Ray gave him a bored expression, pressing his hand a little more firmly onto his stomach. "This isn't fat Kai, this is a baby. A life. One that you've created." He said fondly, almost becoming mesmerized by his stomach. "And what if I want a big family? Hm?" He asked in a joking manner, "I think six is a good number." He mused.

Kai blinked slowly and started at him dumbly. "...that's six labors..."

"But six beautiful gifts." Ray countered, "I'm just joking though, I wouldn't do that to you."

He leaned his head against him. "Thanks...I don't wanna do this one."

"I know, but you'll be alright." Ray said, leaning his head over his. "You'll do amazing, like you are with everything else."

Kai shut his eyes. "Yehhhhhh probably..."

Ray went quiet, letting him rest his eyes as he kept rubbing his stomach for him and purred for him a little. This felt too good to be true so he wanted to savor it, for as long as he could.

"I love you." He said and kissed the top of his head.

"Mmm...I love you too." He said sleepily as he moved his head closer to his chest to listen to the purring.

End of Chapter!

Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading!

A little bit of peace...for how long?

Ahhhh, who am I trying to kid, you all know damn well it won't last long at all.

Hope to see you next time!