"Yao-san?"
"Hmm?"
"You know what tomorrow is, right?"
China looked up at this curiously, his brow raising as he ruffled his fingers through his hair as he let it out of his ponytail, the locks falling just below his shoulders. His golden-brown eyes were curious as he looked at Japan and placed his hair tie around his wrist to keep from loosing it as he thought, sliding his pants off and his unbuttoned his shirt, leaving him in boxers and a tank top. He was still thinking when Japan sighed out and shook his head lightly.
"Yao-san, tomorrow is Chiyo's birthday. He'll be four." Japan reminded softly as he looked at China who blanched then gasped. He forgot his own son's birthday!
"Aiyaa!" China gasped out as he looked at Japan with wide eyes. "I'm sorry I forgot, Kiku! I've just been so busy lately-no that doesn't excuse my forgetting my youngest birthday -aru."
"It's alright, Yao-san." Japan murmured softly as his fingers found the book on the bedside table and opened it. "I'm sure Chiyo didn't notice. Tomorrow we'll set up everything for him. I already invited some of his friends who he enjoys-those being Italy-kun's kids and Norway-kun's youngest, along with Uri."
"You really took care of it all -aru?" China asked with some regret coloring his tone. His brows came together and he frowned when he watched Japan beginning to read to himself as he nodded, pushing the glasses on top of his head down to his nose and read.
"Hai." Japan then looked up at China, at his upset, irritated face and Japan smiled standing up out of their shared bed. He walked over to China and slid his arms around around the
Chinese man and pressed his temple against his shoulder. "It is alright, Yao-san. It slipped your mind! It happens to everyone, plus I reminded you at least so you can go out and buy him a few gifts tomorrow~"
"The twenty-sixth is his birthday, Xiong's in the thirteenth of December -aru." China murmured to himself as he hugged Japan back subconsciously, his golden-brown eyes narrowed lightly.
"Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and even Korea along with some others are coming tomorrow." Japan spoke aloud surprise coloring his tone that the fact that China's younger siblings were coming tomorrow.
"What -aru." China got out stiffly and Japan sighed. China never liked the thought of his younger siblings coming, being Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan.
"This is their nephew, Yao-san and the others are coming. End of story." Japan snapped back as he pulled away and walked to the bed getting down in it. "Come to bed now."
"Fine -aru." China mumbled huffily as he walked over to the bed, pulled his side of the blanket up and slid in. He settled into the soft bed then stared up at Japan reading his book. "Are you going to go to bed yet -aru?"
"No. But you should sleep, Yao-san." Japan replied firmly as the whisper of a page being turned sounded and China sighed. He looked up at Japan's more than usual stony face and he then shifted facing him, reached an arm out and moved it around Japan's waist.
"Duibuqi." China said it loudly, or loud enough to be heard clearly, feeling Japan twitch lightly. He looked down at China only to feel a blush softly bloom in his cheeks; China was now clinging to his waist, his hair framing in his face making his golden-brown eyes stand out as he widened them for effect.
Japan looked away feeling the blush kick up a bit with the nuzzling to his side. "W-Watashi wa anata no shazai o ukeireru." Japan mumbled as he held onto his book a little tighter, his fingers subconsciously tightening lightly on the book. He couldn't look at China without feeling a need to reach out and touch his face or stroke the dark locks that framed his face.
"Kiku-chan?" China cooed softly as he rubbed his cheek against Japan's still side, his ribs seeming to barely expand with his breathes. Japan made a noise of acknowledgement and China took as the okay to continue. "I want a babyn-aru."
That made Japan jerk and looked down at China with narrowed eyes yet holding a complete look of surprise. "We said no more until the boys were bigger!"
"I know what I said -aru. But...I've been thinking lately and...I really want a baby -aru." China softly said as he pushed himself up, sitting upright next ot Japan. He stared down at his lap rubbing the fabric of the blanket between his fingers softly and looked at Japan after a minute or two of silence and without Japan whacking the top of his head.
"Well...thinking is different from doing," Japan murmured as he looked at China sighing out. "Okay. Here's the deal. A baby would look like either one of us, regardless who the baby would come from right?" China tilted his head but nodded lightly. Japan then shifted, putting his book down and, in a movement that would have his face burning in the morning, swung his leg over China's and sat on his legs. "If you want a baby, Yao-san, we can have one."
China's eyes widened before they darkened and he grinned widely. "Rea-"
"If it's you carrying the baby this time."
Japan grinned this time as China lost his and his eyes widened again. The Chinese man seemed to try to answer to this before he moved in a way it lightly knocked Japan to the side and he slammed onto his side, his hair spreading across the pillow. Japan was startled then glared at his back when China let out a fast breath. "Wǎn'ān! Wǒ ài nǐ!"
Japan huffed out a breath taking off his reading glasses and folded them on the book. He was so stupid! He then turned laying with his back to China's, turning the lamp out, his face contorted into a pout. "Baka!" He snapped in the darkness as he then shut his eyes then hesitated before sighing. "Ai shiteru, Yao-san."
"Okaa-san! It's morning! It's morning!" Chiyo screamed as he slammed into his parents room and jumped onto the bed, the excitement of a three year in full swing-well four year old now.
Japan woke with a startle then smiled when Chiyo landed with a thud on his legs, his dark brown hair messed up with sleep and his brown eyes glitter with excitement. "Doesn't Okaa-san get a good morning?"
"Zǎoshang hǎo, Okaa-san!" Chiyo shouted as his eyes seemed to glow enough to show light hues of gold within his brown irises.
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Chiyo~" Japan laughed openly then, a sound that roused China from his sleep, eye lids lifting to reveal foggy golden-brown irises. Chiyo looked at China and squealed happily at the sight of his father's opening eyes.
"Baba! Zǎoshang hǎo!" Chiyo exclaimed as he leaned over rolling onto China's stomach making him groan when his little knees dug into his stomach happily, the four year old grinning happily.
"Z-Zǎoshang hǎo!" China groaned as he adjusted his son so his knees dug into the bed instead and he breathed out a sigh of relief. Then flying in came Xiong, crushing China again making him cry out and groan again and Japan grinned at his husband.
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Baba!" Xiong shouted happily as he grinned at his father who just slumped into the bed. Japan then held out his arms with a fake offended look.
"Does Okaa-san not get a good morning as well?" Japan asked as Xiong wormed off his father and into his mother's arms. Japan hugged Xiong happily, nuzzling his son happily.
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Okaa-san!" Xiong softly exclaimed into Japan's chest as he held Xiong happily.
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Xiong~" Japan crooned softly into his son's shaggy hair only to blink. He moved his hand over Xiong's hair measuring the length with his fingers and then smiled."You need a hair cut~"
"No!" Xiong shouted making the rest of his family twitch. "I don't want short hair! I want long hair like Baba!"
"Me too!" Chiyo exclaimed with a nod, his brown eyes warm at the thought.
"No!" Japan snapped then as he slid out of bed and placed his hands on his hips. "Baba only has long hair because Baba doesn't feel the need to change! You boys are getting hair cuts!"
"Baba, I want long hair." Chiyo whispered softly as his excitement wavers and Japan felt a burst of guilt.
"You boys can grow your hair out," Both boys instantly grew excited," when you're older. Not right now, many will mistake you as a girl. Baba is mistaken as a girl all the time.'
"No way!" Xiong gasped as he looked at his mother then at China who had narrowed his eyes on Japan.
"Hai hai. But for now you," He lightly tapped Xiong's cheek."Need to go wash up. And for the birthday boy, you need to get dressed in the birthday outfit you chose last night, right?"
"Hai!" Xiong exclaimed and was running off in a blur and Chiyo nodded, jumping off the bed.
"Shi, Okaa-san!" He replied grinning before running off and he was gone in the same blur as his brother. Japan sighed as he walked to his and China's shared closet, pulling out his choice of clothing today, choosing for something a bit more modern today. He pulled out a pair of his sweat pants, comfy ones, a fresh pair of boxers, pulling them on and following it with his pants when, surprisingly, grabbed on of China's shirts pulling it on. All this done after he pulled his old clothes and boxers off of course.
"Kiku?" China finally got out feeling...nervous. He slid out of bed standing straight taking a slow breath looking at his hands when Japan made a soft hum of noise, letting him know he was listening. "Were you...serious last night -aru?"
Japan turned to grin but froze at the open, rather nervous look on China's face. He felt his wicked smugness from last night disappear as fast as it'd ever been born, his feeling of guilt and shame rising up at the fact he did that to his husband. "Yao-san I am so-"
"I'll do it then -aru." Japan froze in speaking, staring at his husband. China had looked up from his hands, the nervous look on his face gone, though that open look was on his face but there was a determination there that grew whenever China wanted it. Japan recognized that look from the years he'd been known as China's little brother, when he broke free from China's ruling, that determination had been there.
"Y-Yao-san you don't have too! I shouldn't have even suggested it! You are older than me and it could hurt you more and-" Japan had taken a few steps but China had closed the distance with long strides and was hugging Japan tightly with a low chuckle.
"Do you not have faith in me, Kiku-chan? Can I not handle a baby -aru? Look at Spain, he's old like us, older, but he is carrying. I could handle it, Kiku -aru." China said as he rubbed the back of Japan's head softly, the locks soft against his fingers. He was terrified before, at the thought of being topped and carrying a child this time, but he found he didn't mind it so much now that he'd been topped and had time to sleep on it.
"Yao-san yo-"
"Okaa-san! Lookie!" Chiyo shouted as he stood in the doorway, gaining the attention of his parents.
He wore cute little black jeans, a small white shirt with his messy scribbling of a fabric marker, written in wobbly, but easily readable; it stated, in those messy, wobbly words, Birthday Boy, with a quickly scribbled crown dangling off the Y in boy, courtesy of his big brother who was already a better artist than him. His hair was still sticking up messily but his brown eyes were glittering happily, like China's when he got what he wanted, and Chiyo bounced, little thumps sounding as he giggled. China pulled back smiling at his youngest, his chest squeezing with the cuteness~ At this rate it seemed like Chiyo was going to be more like him, Xiong more like Japan.
"Very kawaii~" China cooed with Japan, their voices mingling at the instinctive reaction. Chiyo paused in jumping to run at his parents, throwing himself at them, both catching him easily.
"You excited for your party?" Japan asked softly when the sound of thumping feet sounded with a blur of blonde and Chiyo squirmed down. He ran into the hall way cheering when he was tackled by Abel.
"Chi!"
"Abe!"
China looked at Japan who smiled at him. It seemed like the pair was a cute, tinier version of Hong Kong and Iceland-only much more animated. "We should get downstairs to greet the guests, hai?"
"Shi~" China nuzzled Japan who smiled. He felt rather guilty still, about his attitude last night, when he wondered if that's how China felt when he wanted to have a baby with Japan.
Maybe. If so then...He pursed his lips lightly seeing how it explained the rounds after rounds of lovemaking they had to achieve Xiong, then the many rounds to get Chiyo. It's like they did it double, repeatedly, to be thorough; by the time he had Chiyo he'd sworn off the sex to have a baby, claiming if they wanted one it would be one time. But he wondered, briefly, if it would be just the same as last time. When he considered this he let out a groan and China looked at him only to grin.
"Italy-kun, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when this happened." Japan exclaimed softly as the children laughed in the room over, Chiyo's louder and happier. Japan took in the state of his friend, how thin and ragged he looked and felt a stab in his chest.
"It's okay Japan. I'm getting back into sleeping and the doctor said at the end of six weeks, maybe a bit longer, when I feel physically and mentally ready to handle it, I can try again. Luddy and I decided that together, after talking, and after Romano came." Italy softly said as he lightly turned the cake platter as Japan frosted it, the Italian's amber eyes soft and dark. Japan couldn't imagine what the miscarriage was doing to his friend internally but it must be as bad as the outside of him.
"Still! I'm your friend, Italy-kun, you could have told me and I'd be there to help," Japan murmured as he frosted and Italy then placed a kiss on his cheek. He blinked, freezing, before his face ripped into flames of heat.
"I appreciate that, Japan." Italy smiled weakly, a shadow of his normal beaming smile, but his eyes seemed to hold that smile. It's what gave Japan the hope his friend was turning around in his depression and was coming back slowly. You couldn't expect someone to get over a miscarriage immediately and Italy, who loved children more than anything, was torn apart by it but was slowly coming together.
"Okaa-san!"
"Mama!"
Italy and Japan turned to look behind them at Wolfram and at Chiyo, both staring up at their mother's curiously. Japan then smiled as he finished off frosting while Italy squatted in front of the four and five year old. "What is it, tiny ones?" Japan nearly laughed at the term of 'tiny ones' and he sense the humor waves, faintly, rolling off Italy.
"When's the cake gonna be done?" Chiyo asked curiously as he looked at Italy, liking his mother's friend greatly. Italy always gave Chiyo little on the side Italian sweets or tiny figurines, it was Chiyo's favorite thing about Italy; but it was mostly the fun, the spins, the talks, the comfort Italy provided as well that made Chiyo like him even more.
"It'll be done soon, Birthday Boy." Italy poked Chiyo's nose making it scrunch and both children giggled. "Just go wait in the living room~"
"Hai!" Chiyo nodded then looked up to Japan. "Okaa-san, can I open a little present?"
"No, Chiyo. I'll be done with the cake shortly and we can eat, then you can open your presents!" Japan replied lightly, cheerfully to his son, making Italy blink but Chiyo grin. He nodded before taking Wolfram's hand and they went back to the living room of their home.
"I love Chiyo so much~ He's like a cute little version of you, Japan!" Italy cooed then, sounding so much like his old self and not the dull version he'd been when he came over, it hurt Japan's heart but gave him hope at the same time his friend would go back to normal in a matter of time.
"I know." Japan replied smiling as he then looked at Italy. "Italy-kun, do you think you could get the ice cream from the freezer for me and set the table?"
"Si!" Italy exclaimed again, once more sounding more like himself, making Japan smile.
He began frosting on the words, in violet as it was Chiyo's favorite color, Happy Birthday Chiyo, adding little side creations. There was soft rustling as Italy pulled out paper plates and plastic forks and spooks with napkins, placing them around at each spot at the table. It wasn't that China or Japan was cheap and didn't want to use actual dishes, not at all; it's just that at a party, most of the time, paper plates and plastic utensils are just used instead!
"Done!" Japan then breathed out smiling at the cake. He picked it up and walked to the table, setting it near where Chiyo would sit. Italy let out the soft Ve~ noise he used to make a lot, his amber eyes taking in the cake.
"Japan? Do you think you could help me with Giovanni and Wolfram's cake in November?" Italy asked as he turned his eyes to Japan, clasping his hands together. He sounded hopeful, curious, making Japan smile softly at his friend and he nodded softly.
"Italy-kun, would you go tell them the cake is done?" Japan asked as he went to the knife block pulling out a large, scary looking knife but held it expertly. He sat in the spot in front of the cake, placing the sharp knife down on the table as Italy breezed from the room, chirping the cake was done~ And the children cheered.
Chiyo was the first one to run in, jumping onto his mother's lap, grinning up at him. He then watched as his friends piled in, each taking a seat either next to their mother's and father's or in their lap. There weren't many Chiyo's age, so it was mostly his Uncle's and Aunt's here, with his friends Wolfram and Giovanni and Abel. They then began to sing, a little out of place, the bars of Happy Birthday and Chiyo beamed as Xiong grinned from their father's side.
"Blow out the candles, Chiyo!" China exclaimed in a coo, a camera that had not been there before now in his hand, clicking as Chiyo blew his candles out.
They all cheered, clapping, as Japan began to cut the cake into even pieces and Chiyo watched with fascination. Chiyo clapped his small hands when he got his piece, then Italy, Germany, Wolfram and Giovanni, Norway and Abel, China and Xiong. Then Hong Kong, Iceland, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea and a few others. China dealt out the ice cream and they all ate happily then. Japan shifted Chiyo so he could eat easily, his son seeming to make tiny, barely there, nomming sounds made himself, which made Japan smile. He would wipe away the frosting or running Ice cream from Chiyo's face until it was all done. Chiyo then stretched contentedly, his excitement slowing slightly.
"Presents!" He cheered tiredly however as he grinned at Japan and the Nations chuckled.
"Hai hai , let's go open your presents." Japan consoled him, finishing off his cake, standing up with Chiyo balanced on his hip. He then made his way to the living room with the other's following happily. Japan sat himself down on the couch as he looked at Chiyo bouncing on his lap already as he was handed the first present from Abel. He tore into it, the paper flying and sticking to Japan's hair in a few tiny pieces from the intensity, only for Chiyo to gasped happily. In the package, or tiny box, was a small bracelet made from a thick hemp, red and gold shimmering beautifully, with a few of Abel's favorite pieces of legos.
"Fēicháng gǎnxiè!" Chiyo gasped as his eyes widened and a wide, beautiful smile beamed on his face.
He immediately slid the bracelet on grinning at Abel, who grinned back, and then turned to Japan. The gifts then slid by slowly each making Chiyo light up even as he got more sluggish as the afternoon and part progressed. He got a small stuffed cat from Italy, a dog tag from Germany to put on the stuffed cat, a cute little hand made pot from Wolfram and a necklace, made of thin glossy gold and white hemp with some red thrown in in the little red dot charm dangling off, much like the red dot in the center of his mother's flag. He'd gotten new jeans and a cute little yukata from Taiwan and Hong Kong, new books on drawing from Korea, a cute stuffed scythe from Vietnam, an animated drawing from his brother, a cute red sweat shirt with his mother and father's flag sewn together from Norway but he got the best one. Uri had come and he was happiest with his bigger brother there alone. Japan and China decided to wait until Chiyo went to bed to give him his present. Which, in just a mere half an hour, would be at nap time.
"Time for a nap -aru." China softly murmured as he picked up Chiyo, who was holding his plushies and presents close to him on the couch as the last guest left.
Chiyo had been slumping over, trying to keep his head up in hard jerks, his lashes lowered to the point it'd look like he'd flop over and sleep. He carried Chiyo to his room just up the stairs and to the left, next to Xiong's room. He walked into Chiyo's room, which was messy with scattered toys and paper, placing his son in his messy bed which the four year didn't make obviously; he slid the messy sheets back and slid Chiyo into bed, pulling the messy blankets up, tucking it in tight at the bottom, to keep it from yanking up and Chiyo getting a cold. He placed the thin box on his son's little, the wrapping bright red. He then walked out smiling at the little snores starting up.
He closed his door partially, being four Chiyo already liked his door shut at night with the light off. China smiled as he then heard Xiong shuffling around his room, mumbling, when he went to his room. "Kiku-chan, Russia picked up Uri right -aru?" He asked as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him, wondering where Japan was. "I don't want Uri to still be waiting outside for Russia if he's not going to come and- Aiyaa!"
He gasped when he was grabbed from the back and looked up, his hair still in it's ponytail but seemed loosen making a few locks of dark brown hair to slid from the tight hold. His eyes widened as his lips parted to let out a surprised breath, his hair pooled beneath his head in that damn ponytail still. Hands framed either side of his head and he turned his head lightly to stare at them when he looked up at Japan, an intensity in his brown eyes that had China shivering with a burst of heat from his stomach coiling tight and send bursts of heat with each beat of his heart, his skin warm and his cheeks heating up lightly. He wondered if this is how Japan felt whenever China pounced on him leading to this situation.
He then lifted one hand up gripping the fabric of his shirt tight, just underneath Japan's shoulder, the other Nation's short hair swinging forward lightly. He looked at China's other hand and grabbed it, their fingers twining together instinctively and he slid to his elbow to cup China's cheek softly and smiled. He leaned down pressing their foreheads together softly and rubbed his cheek with his thumb softly.
"Yao-san, before we do anything, you're sure you want a baby? That you want to carry it?" Japan asked softly until China realized, in a second, that Japan was giving him the chance to say no and carry the baby himself, just like with Chiyo and Xiong.
"Shi. Shi, Kiku! I want to too -aru!" China exclaimed but blushed at how loud he was and remembering Xiong was still awake. "But Xiong is still awake -aru."
"Then you just need to be quiet then." Japan replied with a smile and China blinked before laughing as he was pulled into a kiss.
He lightly tightened his hold on Japan's shirt, unease and excitement rolling his stomach; just because they did it once didn't mean he was still used to it and, as if sensing that, Japan squeezed his hand softly. He hesitated, feeling like this hand squeeze was the most importantly significant thing about tonight, but after a moment or so of them kissing and some hip rolls, China finally squeezed back.
