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Chapter 27

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Haruhi reached her last trimester. Suki and she kept going to Yuuki's house to discuss babies. Something the Ootori didn't understand and was slightly annoyed at. It was exam season at university.

"Oh my gosh. Go home." Yuuki said, a little humoured. She liked her friends. She needed to work though.
"No. Make me." Suki sat stubbornly on the couch and held her daughter on her lap. "Aunt Yuuki is being a cow, isn't she?" The one and a half year old spluttered a laugh and waved her feet.

"Oi." The Ootori glared. "Hello big, puffy version of Haruhi." Her friend walked into the room, or waddled. Whatever it is heavily pregnant women do.

"Uhuh." Not happy. Tired. "Oh. Stop moving."

"Baby kicks?" Suki kissed her child's head.

"It's learned Kung-Fu." The woman sat down heavily. "Look." She lifted her shirt a little. There was a sudden bump as the child kicked.

Yuuki stared. There was something alive inside of her friend. "Does that hurt?"

"No. It's a little uncomfortable at times. At first it felt like butterflies."

The Ootori put her hand on her friends belly and felt a little push as the baby moved again.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" Haruhi covered her stomach again. "It's a whole person, but a half Tamaki and a half me."
"And an incorrect sentence."

"Oh. Go type something."
"I would it you two weren't here." Pause. "Why do you come here?"

"To show you the joy of children!" Suki exclaimed. "You'll have a kid one day."

"Uhuh."

"You will."

"Uhuh."

The older woman put a hand on her friends shoulder. "One day you will experience..."

"The miracle of life...I know." Yuuki finished. "I don't feel like...inflating. I don't feel like dealing with poo, and vomit and screaming and..."

"You own a horse, darling." Suki pointed out.
"That's quite different. Zero looks after himself. Horses don't vomit."

"Uhuh." Haruhi put a hand on her stomach. "Well. I have two weeks to go."

"Yay!" Yuuki clapped. "And then you can experience the worst pain known to mankind!"

"Oh. Its not that bad." Suki leant back.

"Really?" The Suoh turned to the woman.

Suki stopped smiling. "I thought I was going to die. But it's all worth it."

"Oh." Yuuki looked at her textbook and kept typing. "Uplifting."

"Well...its the curse of Eve." Haruhi sighed.

"If I ever have kids, I'm getting a C-section. I don't care how controversial it is, or how unnatural. I'm doing it."

"If the hospital lets you."
"My husband owns the hospital." She pointed out.

"Oh..." Haruhi said flatly. "That's convenient." Pause. "What happens if you fall pregnant accidentally? Birth control only works properly if you take it at the same time, every single day. It's also not 100% a preventative."

"I take it every morning when I go riding. If I don't go riding I wake up at that time anyway and take it."

"And if you happen to let that small percentage slip past?"
"It won't."

"How do you know?"
"Because...oh my gosh please shut up. Why are we talking about my birth control?" Yuuki said, exasperated.

Suki laughed. "Oh. You're still embarrassed. It's cute."

"Shut up."

"Cute." The baby giggled at her mother's voice.

"Shut up."

"Cute."
"Okay. Go home. I love you both, but I have to work. If you're going to stay, please...go watch a movie or something, talk in the other lounge, in the kitchen. Whatever. Just...gah. I have to study."

"Alright." Suki stood up and balanced her baby on her hip before helping Haruhi. "Come on puffy. Let's go."

"Stop calling me Puffy." Haruhi said, slightly annoyed.

"Okay." The woman winked. "Not so puffy wants to study."

Yuuki glanced up at them and waved them goodbye as her friends moved into the kitchen. A moment later, Suki's head appeared. She spoke over her friend. "Yes. You can eat whatever you want. Just leave me alone for an hour or two."

"Sweeetttt." The woman was the Peterpan of adults.

The Ootori sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She and Kyoya had decided to have kids. Once she'd finished university and worked for a few years. And that plan could still alter. It had only been made because they'd both decided that they would regret not having children if they didn't. Not because either felt any pressing maternal urges.

Yuuki's phone went off. "What?!"

"Stressed?" A familiar voice said over the line. Slightly distracted.

"Oh. Sorry." The girl put her head in her hand.

"Let me guess," Kyoya said. She could picture him reading something at the same time. "...Haruhi is over. She's letting you clutch her belly and feel the baby kick."

"You forgot that Suki is also here, convincing me of the joy of life. And convincing me that birth control doesn't work."

"Uhuh."

"How's your day?" They tried to talk during the work day, if possible. Just like they had when they were dating. Nothing had changed except that Yuuki was now going to university and Kyoya was out of it.

"Busy."

"You should get back to it then."

"Just wanted to tell you I love you."

"Mm." She smiled. "I love you too."

"Miss you."

"Me too. I'll see you tonight."

"Are you cooking?" Kyoya was obviously a little stressed.

"I'm going to try." Their cook had called in sick.

"Want me to pick something up?"

"Haha. No. I can do it."

"Don't burn yourself on the glass-top."
"Not without you there."

Amused silence. "Alright, beautiful. I'll be home at five."

"Go conquer the administrative world."

His tone was a bit distracted again. "Been there, done...that." He must have been opening a letter.

"Veni, Vidi, Vici"

"Apparently so."

"Bye, Kyoya. Love you."

"You too. Goodbye."

Click.

Suddenly there was a tiny force banging Yuuki's leg. The girl looked down and saw Suki's daughter. She went to call her friend, hesitated, looked down. Jasmine, or Jazz, was looking up at her with big eyes.

"Um. Hello." Yuuki picked the child up. "...Jazz." She held the girl an arm's length away. "You smell...like boiled peas."

The little girl giggled. Her soft blue beanie slid down over one eye. The Ootori slid it back up again and tried not to drop her. "Throw up on me and I swear I'll probably do the same on you....except you'll probably think that's amusing."

"She probably would." Suki appeared in the doorway. "But it's disgusting that you brought it up."

Yuuki was still holding Jasmine away from herself.

"Relax." Her friend said. She won't do anything.

The girl didn't move. She eyed the child warily.

"Okay." Suki moved behind her and forcer her elbows to bend, bringing the baby close to Yuuki. "Just like that. Put her head on your heart. They say the baby likes that. Jasmine falls asleep like that."

Yuuki looked at the little girl. She fell asleep like that too. Just...with Kyoya. And she wasn't a baby. "I can understand that."

"Babies are just miniatures of us."

"Uhuh." She was watching Jasmine, praying she wouldn't decide to empty either end of herself.

"They have the full capacity of you and I, it's just not developed yet."

"She's wearing a nappy, right?"

Suki sighed. "Yes."

Yuuki was cradling the baby against her chest. It felt very odd. Very, very odd. "This isn't me. But I can see why you like it." She smiled a little and ran her finger down the girl's chubby arm. When she reached the hand, it closed around the tip of her finger tight. "Why is she doing that?"

"It's just something babies do. Like us, they liked to be loved. Only, they don't know about betrayal yet, so their more willing to hang onto it."

"Huh." Yuuki put her tongue in her cheek and looked at Jasmine. The girl was falling asleep. "She's falling asleep. What do I do?"

"Let her."

"I have to..." The Ootori nodded her head at her laptop and the pile of books beside it.

"Oh." Suki lifted her child out of her friends arms. "Alright." Jasmine started awake and went to cry. "Shhh, darling. Shh. Go back to sleep." The woman cooed before turning to Yuuki. "It's not bad. Not like you think. They don't poop and yell all the time. Just like us."

Yuuki watched her friend go. She hesitated a moment and then turned back to her work.

-

Kyoya got home that night and found Yuuki in the kitchen. She'd given up and was sitting on the floor with a phonebook. Looking for take-out.

"What...is that?" He looked at the sink.

"Um." She looked up at him. "It was probably lasagne...or a pizza base. I don't know. One of those two."

"That's..."

"Okay. Shut up."

Kyoya knelt down and sat beside her against the dishwasher. "Hello."

"Hi." She kissed him happily. "What do you feel like?"

"Chinese."
"Traitor."

He laughed. "If I say Italian, you'll say 'no', right?"

"Right." She'd tried to make Italian.

"Want to go out?"

Yuuki looked at her husband. "Not really."

"Long day?"

"Mmm. Shorter than yours I imagine."

"Mm." Kyoya stared across the room. There were little specks of flour all over the floor.

Yuuki dialled a number and ordered take-out. Half an hour later they were still on the kitchen floor, only with the order. Various white buckets with chopsticks poking out the top were scattered around. "I can't believe you can order Chinese in Japan."

"I was joking when I said it by the way."
"Really?"
"Yes." Kyoya smiled. "But I wasn't that hungry anyway."

"Don't be sarcastic when I'm tired. I won't pick it up."

"I know." He kissed the side of her face.

"Want to watch Oklahoma?"

"No." He laughed. "But I will."

"Great." Yuuki clambered to her feet and picked up various take-out buckets and tossed them in the bin. "Actually. Lets watch...nothing."

"What do you want to do?"
Pause. "Let's talk."

Kyoya dropped the last of the take-out in the bin and ushered her into the lounge. "Alright. About what?"

"Tell me what you did today." She sat down and put her legs over his lap, locking her fingers with his.

"Well..." He let his hand thread through hers, like water. "I spoke to the British Health Ambassador for an hour. They want one of our hospitals there. Our proficiency is desired, as is the ability to handle funds."

"How do you handle the funds?"

Kyoya was surprised she was interested. "We always make a profit."

"Of course." Yuuki smiled.

"Of that profit, we take twenty percent of that and put it into a back-up fund. In case anything collapses. Like a financial crisis. It would pay the wages of all our workers for two years without a pay cut. The next twenty percept goes to the same, but to maintain medical equipment. Forty percent goes into staff and upkeep, pay rises, bonuses, upgrades..." He waved his hand nonchalantly. "The last twenty goes to the executives."

"And then...there are normal expenses like...normal wages, normal upkeep?"
"Yes. And then there's the need for repairs, new equipment, more doctors...etcetera."

"Sounds...like a lot to handle."

"It is."

"And you do what?"

Kyoya laughed once and pushed his glasses up. "I oversee everything. As the owner. My father does nothing but play golf nowadays."

"Yuck."
"What?"
"Golf."

"The gentleman's sport."

Yuuki waved her hand, dismissing it entirely, and then laughed sweetly.

"You know what I do." Kyoya leant his head back on the sofa.
"Yes. But I like updates."

"Mm. What did you do today?"

"I wrote my essay. Um. Went to a lecture. Drafted my essay. Held a baby."

"Held a baby?"

"Suki's. Jasmine."
Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn't...too bad."

"Really?"

"No. Kind of...squishy." Pause. "Babies are...squishy."
"And smell like boiled peas."

Yuuki tapped her nose at him.

Kyoya smiled. "You're not maternal." It was a statement.

"No." Pause. "Not yet."

"What are you now then?"
Mrs Ootori smiled and ran a finger over the back of Kyoya's hand. "Just practicing."

Mr Ootori grinned smugly and kissed her.

-

Girl I got you and I want to give you what you never had
Girl everyday I hope to make you a part of my life
Cause you know me and I know you
Girl your love is where it's at

I'm gonna be the love that's gonna last
And be the one that got your back
Ain't nothing ever that bad that we won't be together
And though we both made our mistakes
And some we never wish we made
But we'll be okay if we just stay together

Baby you're the one I've waited for
Because you gave me what I need and more
Girl its clear that we are meant to be
Together,
We should be together
Eternally

(Together, Neyo)
-

A June baby. Tamaki and Haruhi had a June baby. This gave the new father apt reason to nickname the child 'June-bug'. It was a healthy, young girl with a tuft of dark hair and bright blue eyes. They named her Aimi.

The host club merged into the hospital and surrounded the new mother and father. "She's so little!" Hunny said, climbing up the bed to settle beside Haruhi.

"Yeah..." The girl said. She looked tired. It had been a twenty hour labour. "She's beautiful."

"Like you." Tamaki kissed his wife happily and turned to his daughter. "Hey June-bug? Your mom's beautiful. You're going to be beautiful."

"I hope she doesn't have too many of your genes." The twins said.

"You'll be lucky if anyone buys yours." Kyoya said, referring to twins line of jeans, he was writing in a notebook. Something had caught his eye in the hospital. They needed a better waiting room.

The pair stared.

Mori looked at the sleeping baby. "You are blessed."

Tamaki beamed for Haruhi and himself. "Yes. Yes we are."

Yuuki stood at the head of the bed with her friend. "Tired?"

Haruhi nodded. "Yeah." Pause. "Suki was right."

"About?"
"I wanted to die. But it's worth it."

"Oh." Yuuki looked at Kyoya. "Uplifting."

"So...birth control still working then?" Tamaki asked roguishly.

The girl raised an eyebrow at him and glared daggers. The blonde flinched but didn't retreat to a corner. Nothing was going to tear him away from his wife and child.

The twins put a hand on either of Kyoya's shoulders and smiled amiably at him. "You know, Kyoya. It would be awful nice if we could give the new family a collection of Hitachiin baby wear. But we need you to unfreeze our stock for that."

The Ootori smiled slightly. Evilly. "No. I think you'll find the Ootori group predicted that need. We had one of each set sent over to their house...with your joy attached." As in, without charge.

The pair's mouths dropped. "Oh come on, Kyoya! Please. Just...we're sorry, okay?"

The man turned to them. "No more shenanigans. Especially involving my wife?"

"No more." The held their hands up. Scouts honour. "Promise."

Kyoya pushed his glasses up and made a phone call. The twins breathed again. Haruhi laughed, woke Aimi, who promptly started screaming. Everyone disappeared from the suit, except Tamaki. He stayed loyal to the end.

Hunny climbed up Yuuki as they walked through the hospital. "Soooo.....Yuu-chan?"

"Yes?"

"When are you and Kyo-chan going to have a baby?"

"Not any time soon."
"Will you have a baby?"

"Yes."
"When?"
"Not any time soon."

"Why?"

"Because. I want to study and ride. And he wants to work. We'll live a little before having a child."

Kyoya walked beside her, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his notebook, a coy smile on his face. "We're just practicing at the moment."

"What does that even mean?" Twin one asked.

"Whatever you want it to." Came the smug reply.

Twin two grinned haughtily and nudged his brother. Mori told Honey that it meant they were spending time with other people's kids.

-

Three months later, Aimi was a smiling, happy, pudgy little baby. She was so full of joy. Her blue eyes never faded to brown, her French genes, and her hair was beginning to wave like her fathers. The little girl was beginning to take on Haruhi's face shape though. Thanks to Suki, Aimi had an automatic best friend in the form of Jasmine. Although the younger couldn't even sit up, the older didn't seem to mind and happily played with blocks beside her, as if waiting for her to grow up enough to play with her. Kira's daughter, Hana, played happily with Jasmine. She was the middle baby and wanted all the attention.

Yuuki sat with her friends and watched them play with their children. Haruhi had quickly regained her pre-baby body. She was young enough for that to happen without too much trouble. Apparently, it wasn't as hard as people said it was. Although, the first week was rather hard on one's self esteem. The baby bump turned into a baby jelly belly, as the Suoh put it. Tamaki hadn't seemed to mind though.

"Did it hurt after?" Yuuki asked, leaning against a couch, keeping her distance.

"Yeah. I a bit." Haruhi stopped Jasmine from waving a Lego piece into Aimi. "Like bad period pain."

"Oh. Joy." The Ootori took a sip of her tea. The weather was dropping again.

"It's nothing like miscarriage pain." Suki sat back, taking her daughter with her into her lap.

"You miscarried?" Yuuki asked.

"No. My mother did. She told me in case I had trouble conceiving like she did. Said it was like a minor labour, six hours long."

"Six hours?"

"Yeah. Well, you have contractions. It only hurts after the third month though. That's when the baby has graduated from foetus into embryo. After six hours, it's all over. Or, it was for her."

"Uhuh." Yuuki wasn't really interested. Their husbands were all outside, barbequing. Or, trying to barbeque. Tamaki kept burning things. Suki's husband kept saving them. Kyoya just sat back and watched, doing the background work of absolutely nothing. Mako and Kira had gone to the supermarket to pick up a salad, seeing as everyone else had forgotten to make one. Yuuki had six months left of university; the dean had put her into an accelerated course. She was topping everything. Thanks to her husband's help. Kyoya drafted everything. Read everything. Helped with everything. And she loved him for it.

Aimi bumped her head as she tried to lift her chest while on lying her tummy. She stared at the world, horrified that it had offended her. Haruhi scooped the baby up as she started to cry. "Oh. Baby. Don't use your head for that sort of thing. Shhh...."

Tamaki was like a Labrador. He appeared whenever someone close to him needed a loyal fan. "What happened?"

"She hit her head. Not coordinated enough yet."

"Aw..." The blonde took his daughter and held her. "Ah. You should use your head for thinking. I will never let you go head-banging so don't start." He laughed quietly. Aimi seemed to calm as her father's chest vibrated. Haruhi smiled at them. Tamaki looked at the baby. "Don't cry. The world cries when you cry. The world wants you to smile. You are its princess. So smile little princess."

Aimi quieted. Made a short noise and then giggled messily.

Yuuki watched. Kyoya would make a great father. He would scare the hell out of every single person that tried to mess with his kid. He knew how to teach a lesson, a lasting lesson. He knew how to handle people. He would be able to discipline and still let the kid know it was loved.

"Clucky?" His voice appeared around her.

Yuuki looked up, he was standing beside her. "Hmmm...not really."

"But not no." He pointed out.

"I can see the appeal." She stood up and held him.

"You have six months of university left." He kissed the top of her head.

"You smell like smoke."
Kyoya smiled. "I stood in the wrong place."

"Mm. I can tell. I don't want to be one of those women who has kids and then...that's it."
"You won't be. We can afford a lifestyle where you can work or not work at your leisure."

Yuuki sighed. "I also don't want to juggle you and a kid. I like spending time with just you."

"Again. We can afford to do that. Just us. Even with a kid."

"You want one, don't you?"
"No." He laughed lowly. "Not yet. We've discussed this."

Yuuki smiled. "Yeah. I know."
"Yes." He corrected.

She pinched him.

-

Just the two of us we can make it if we try
Just the two of us just the two of us
Just the two of us building castles in the sky
Just the two of us you and I

(Just the two of us, Will Smith)

-

Kyoya woke up, fully, late one Saturday morning to find Yuuki still fast asleep. He was rarely awake before her. Actually, she always woke up first. Always. She just crawled back into bed and lay beside him every morning. Wanting to let him wake up with her, not just she with him.

His wife was lying almost on her side, facing away from him. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her body against him. Her hair pooled in the curve of his neck, his chin resting above her head.

Kyoya disentangled one hand from between her fingers and used to brush the dark strands off her face. She was such an angel when she slept. She was when she was awake too; Yuuki just looked more relaxed when she was. With him. The girl turned over in her sleep and mumbled something. She ended up with her forehead pressed against his throat. Kyoya smiled.

Yuuki woke up and noticed how bright it was outside. "What time is it?" She sounded very sleepy.

"Ten twelve." Very accurate of him. If the clock had given seconds he would have added that too.

"What?" She rubbed her eye.

"Twelve past ten." His voice was rough. Still unaccustomed to mornings, it was late enough to avoid a bad mood though. "You slept in. Congratulations."
"Zero's still in his stall..."
"You left the back door open; he can get into the paddock. Tachi said to give him the day off today, you've been riding him hard since he got well."

"Oh. Right. I forgot." She closed her eyes again.

"Mmmm." Kyoya ran his fingers down her spine and back up again. "Tired?"
"Uhuh." Yuuki yawned, covered her mouth and then rested her hand on the side of his neck.

"You're on holidays now."
"Yay..." She said sleepily. The university gave the students a week off.

"You know what next week is?"
"Two years. Yay." Two year anniversary. No wonder it was chilly outside. September was turning the leaves gold. Yuuki nuzzled into Kyoya affectionately.

"We're going away to where?" He quizzed.

"Vienna. Double yay." She smiled and breathed into him.

"And what will we see?"
"Closing night before the dancing horses go away for the winter. Triple yay." She kissed his throat.

"Whose clothes will you wear?"

Silence. His were nicer in the cold. "The ones I bought?"
Kyoya growled. Still not a morning person.

"Okay. Mine. Whatever." She said. Save.

"Good girl."
"What's your problem with my wearing your shirts?"
"And jerseys, skivvies...."
"Tops."

"Well. Their mine."
"So?"

"Okay. I don't actually have a problem with it."
"Didn't think so." Came the dozy reply. "I like your socks too."
Kyoya smiled. "Alright."

"Five more minutes?"
"More than five."
Yuuki laughed quietly and stretched her feet down. Her husband tangled his legs with hers and held her closer, closing his eyes contentedly. Their world had found time to force itself into a dominant existence within reality. They'd made the time for it. It was like being on honeymoon if Yuuki had let Kyoya take his laptop and he'd let her take piles of books. And that was exactly what they'd wanted when they walked into their marriage. It was exactly what they wanted to work for.

Over a period of six months, every Saturday morning became 'sleep in' morning. It was a very deep, personal time for the couple. One they had set aside for each other. More often than not, Saturday morning would turn into Saturday day. In the evening they met with the Host Club for dinner at one of each other's houses. Tamaki liked to have it at his, Aimi was his new pride and joy. He was an amazingly bright, joyous father. Just the sort ever princess dreams of having. And Aimi was his princess, Haruhi got promoted to queen and was doted on even more than usual. It was an odd, incredibly loving family.

When Yuuki finished university, she volunteered at a youth house and worked with adolescents. She knew trouble and could deal with it. She helped them and loved it. She loved it so much, her husband funded the volunteers with 'bonuses' and bought each teenager a laptop so that they could write their own future. When he had a meeting in Paris or London or Washington, his wife would come. She never got left at home, not because she wanted to come; but because he wanted her at his side. If a man is the head of a household, a woman is its neck. She helps guide his vision. Every so often they would fight. Yuuki had her first successful one with one foot in the bathroom, her arm caught between Kyoya's fingers. Now they could discuss things properly, and actually reach an end with them. It was easier when both of them were present. Surprisingly.

The Ootori seniors seemed to accept that their son was happy. They invited the couple to their house for dinner and didn't attack the wife. Kyoya tried to teach Yuuki to drive. He failed. She broke the clutch of a brand Mercedes. It seemed that everyone had something they just couldn't do, driving was Yuuki's. Kyoya had yet to find his ,his wife wondered if he ever would. Their existence was less than perfect, but it was for them, through its flaws. Equilibrium had been reached.

-

So many nights, legs tangled tight
Wrap me up in a dream with you

Follow me there
A beautiful somewhere
A place that we can share

(One year six months, Yellow card)

-

There were a few...odd moments though. As was expected. For example. When Kyoya returned home from work he headed to the bedroom to put his shoes away. Perfectionist. The bathroom door was slightly ajar. Yuuki hadn't come to say hello, so he assumed she was in there.

The man went to find her and stepped into the bathroom. "Yuuki?"

FSSHHHH .Something hissed under his foot. A wet sort of hiss. Like a lot of soggy popping. He looked down and found himself standing on a thin layer of bubbles. As one got deeper into the bathroom, the layer of bubbles got thicker. The spilled heavily from the bath. Yuuki's hair was flecked with the white substance, there was so much that some had even caught her eyelashes and eyebrows. She smiled guiltily at her husband's shocked face.

"I...used too much?" She shrugged in defence.

"How much is too much?"

"I...uh...might, maybe, just could have, dropped the bottle and then everything went WOOSH and I couldn't find it again."

"Which bottle?"
"The...um...big one."

Kyoya raised his eyebrows. "The two litre one?"

"Maybe."Long, expectant pause. She'd bought it from one of those stores that stock bulk products, thinking it would last longer than one bath. Apparently not.

"Yuuki. Dear. Improve your coordination."

"Well...yeah. Probably."
"You're cleaning this up."

She scowled at him. "Don't ruin the moment. It's every girl's dream in here."

"It smells like Hunny in winter." After he'd eaten all the marshmallows and then had a bath.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

There was a long silence as Kyoya looked around the room. "Holy crap, Yuuki."

"Amazing, right?"

"You're buying the next bottle."

"Stop crushing my mojo."

"Your mojo needs a little crushing if this is what it does." He didn't like mess.

"Well..." She was a little annoyed. "Your toothbrush probably tastes like soap now."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh. Yum."

"I know. Mine too." She pouted.

He was mad. But not that mad. More amused. "You clean it up. You buy the next one."

"Okay. I know. I know." Yuuki smiled at him suddenly. "Have a good day?" Save.

Kyoya laughed softly. "Yes. I had a good day." He shook his head at her.

Yuuki blew a fistful of bubble bath at him. "You don't have to stand at the door. There's enough in here for two."

"Or a hundred."

Silence. The woman looked at the bathroom. "...Probably more than that."

"It's quite the possibility."
"Quite."

Bubbles for two would do. Especially since neither of them drank bubbly, they had to compensate in some way. Or...that was the excuse.

-

Aimi learnt to walk on her first birthday. Tamaki had decided to throw a huge party. There was even a rollercoaster. Yuuki sat on the porch steps with Haruhi, Suki, Kira, their respective children and the birthday girl.

"Happy birthday!" The Ootori said happily as the child crawled towards her. "I like your pants." Yuuki tugged the hem of the girl's pant leg. They were bright yellow with hot pink silk detailing.

"Tamaki." Haruhi said. Everyone nodded. Of course he would have chosen such ostentatious clothing. His wife had obviously intervened and only let him put a plain white shirt on the baby. He had obviously put the yellow ribbon in her short, wavy hair though.

"She's adorable." Yuuki smiled at Aimi as she turned around and sat, staring at the woman with wide eyes. "Her eyes are so blue. It's amazing."

"I know." Haruhi pressed her finger to her daughter's nose. "Just like Tamaki's mother." They'd gone to meet her in France, his grandmother had finally consented.

The Ootori paused. She hoped that none of her father's traits carried through when she eventually got round to reproducing. "Hey Aimi. Come here." Yuuki held her hands out to the girl.

A set of short fingers clasped her thumbs. The baby's expression became concentrated as she pulled up to her feet. Haruhi smiled, the child had been experimenting with gravity lately. Suki paused her conversation with Kira. "Oi. Darling." She addressed the Suoh. "Start recording with the video camera."
"What...why?" Haruhi paused. "Oh. She's going to walk? Oh. She is. Hold on."

Yuuki stared at the commotion. Aimi was just standing there, holding her thumbs. "Oh. No. Don't walk for me. Walk to your mom."

Tamaki quite suddenly appeared and acted like he was on a game farm watching lions. He told everyone to shhh and very quickly turned the camera on. "Okay. Yuuki. Don't do anything."

"I don't want to do anything. This isn't my baby."

Kyoya was watching from behind the blonde. His arms crossed casually.

Haruhi clapped at her daughter. "Aimi. Walk for mommy."

"And daddy." Her father chimed in.

Yuuki watched the baby's eyes turn from her parents and then to her feet. An expression of surprise on her young face. Very slowly she stretched one foot forward and put it on the ground, tugging down on her guide's fingers for balance. Like a breathing walking frame. Aimi put her weight through the first foot and steadied herself before putting the other forward. She giggled brightly. Yuuki couldn't help but smile. When she looked at her husband, he was smiling too.

"Congratulations baby." She said quietly.

Aimi lost her balance and started to fall sideways. Her father intervened and scooped her up into his arms and kissed her cheek merrily. "Yay! Well done my little June-bug!" He blew a raspberry where he'd kissed her moments before. "Ah. You're walking. Well done princess!" The baby smiled and clapped her hands clumsily, a pile of sparkling giggles escaping from her all the while.

A copious amount of people surrounded Tamaki and Haruhi, all cheering their little girl. Yuuki sat on the stairs and looked at where the baby had been standing. She ran her fingers over her thumb.
"You want one?" Kyoya sat beside her and pushed his glasses up. "We can import. From Africa."

Yuuki laughed. "Not from Africa." Her work could be put on hold. It was the sort she could do from afar. "But yes. I want one."

"You sure?" Pause. "We're not doing an I-the-walking-moment decision."

"No. I've been thinking about it. We said we wanted to live a bit. I still don't want to share you, not yet. But it takes a lot to conceive. There's only a two day window it can happen in, and even then, it's still pretty hard."

"And yet, unwanted pregnancy is so high." Pause. "I don't want to share you either. But I want something that we can share."

"Do you want one?"
Kyoya put his arm around her shoulders. "A whole being that is a product of me and you? Yes. I want one."

"Yes." She put her arm around his torso. "Me too." It was the perfect time. They were happy. Life was good. It was time to put their two worlds, their combined reality, together in a way that was real to the rest of the world, not just to them. That's what a child would be to them. It would be them. Just like the wedding night had been, it was not about making a baby, it was about making love. Making something that described the indescribable and made one being out of two people. Living a miracle. Living life. Living them.

-

There ain't no mistaken
It's true love we're making
Something to last for all time
It's never changing
Can't you hear me I'm saying
I want you for the rest of my life

Together forever and never to part
Together forever we two
And don't you know
I would move heaven and earth
To be together forever with you

(Together Forever, Rick Astley)

-

For five months, nothing happened. The pair weren't trying as others would have been, they just knew what they wanted and were alright if nothing happened for the time being. No one would know until the baby bump began to show, maybe even at the four month pregnant mark. It would be their secret until then. When that happened, neither knew. Neither was overly concerned.

The sixth month passed.

And the seventh.

Still nothing.

Eight.

They went to see an obstetrician. He told them that nothing was wrong with either of them. They were both perfect for conception, sometimes it just took a while.

Nine months.

Twelve meant that the couple was infertile. That was the rule of thumb.

It didn't bother them entirely. Of course, it was a little annoying. But they were content still. Their lives were happy. There was so much joy between them. They'd found a pattern and a lot of days they forgot they were trying to get pregnant and left it to chance.

Ten months.

Yuuki felt a little concerned. She wondered if something was wrong with her. It wasn't like they were missing any days, it just wasn't happening. Many women conceive in the sense that gametes fuse, but many women miscarry without knowing they were pregnant to begin with because the egg didn't implant in the endometrial. Yuuki wondered if she'd miscarried. If something was damaged physically inside her. Kyoya could help her with every other damage, but this one was hers. The obstetrician wouldn't have looked for defects at the eight month mark.

"Kyoya?" The girl sat at her piano. Her husband had taken up painting again and the smell filled the room.

"Mm?"

"What if there's something wrong with me?"
He paused. "What do you mean?"

"Like...inside." She stared at him. "When my mother died, I was so young that I thought a fallopian tube was a slide and the water park. It's not like...I know these things. What if there's always been something wrong with me and I never knew because I didn't have anyone to tell me?"
Kyoya looked at her. "I don't think there's anything wrong with you. Your mother had no problem having children." She hadn't even tried. It had just happened. They wanted children and they were going to try and let it happen naturally, without the timing and loss of intimacy due to the act becoming 'deed and duty' as opposed to love and respect.
"I don't even know if I was wanted. I don't know. No one ever talked to me about it." She crossed the room and stood beside him. He was painting a chrysanthemum.

"Yuuki. Getting pregnant isn't our life. It's not our goal. Of course we want a baby. Yes. But we have time." A child would have been something they wanted, but it's not like they had been counting the days to the most fertile period. They just loved each other like normal, only without the pharmaceuticals.

"I know. But..."

"Do you really, really, really, really, want a baby?"

"Yes. But...if it doesn't happen now, I don't mind."

"Then why are you worried?"

"Because, I'm not taking anything to prevent us getting pregnant, you're perfectly healthy...and...it just feels like something should have happened."

Kyoya smiled. "We can try harder if you'd like?"
Yuuki leant her shoulder into him and looked at the painting. "I think I'm just worrying unnecessarily."

Her husband kissed her head. "I think you are too. A baby would be great. But things are wonderful as they are. Don't rush it. You know I don't do anything unless I've thought about it. This method, for us, is perfect."

"Yes. You're probably right. As always." She picked up a brush and dipped it in the red paint tub. Kyoya thought she was going to put it where he'd missed a bit, she did. His face. A giant blob dripped onto his collar.

He scowled and wiped his cheek. "Keep it on the canvas, off the floor. Off me."

"Preferably." She held the brush casually.

"Preferably." He had a bigger brush. Soon Yuuki had a line of purple down the side of her face. She wiped it off with the shirt she was wearing. His shirt.

"Hey. That's..."

"I know."

Kyoya thinned his eyes. "It doesn't come off fabric and you just got it on two shirts."

"Well...the shirt is now retired then."

He growled and pushed his glasses up.

"Alright. Whatever. I'll put it in cold water and use bleach." Yuuki unbuttoned the shirt. "Gee." She headed for the laundry. "If you want that one done, bring it."

Kyoya leant his weight through one leg and put a hand on his hip, watching her go. He decided that he did want his shirt in the laundry with hers. In the end, neither actually made it into a cold bucket of water and the paint stains remained until Yuuki actually remembered what she'd been doing with the shirts in the first place.

-

You changed my whole life
Don't know what you're doing to me with your love
I'm feeling all super human, you did this to me
A super human heart beats in me
Nothing can stop me here with you
Super human
Super human
Strong
Since I've been flying and writing the wrongs
Feels almost like I've had it all along
I can see tomorrow
(Superhuman, Chris Brown)

-

Kyoya arrived home to a silent house. Yuuki had said she was going out sometime, she'd spent the morning at the youth house and they needed groceries. She liked to go grocery shopping, probably one of the few people who did. They were going out later, she would be home soon.

The Ootori put the mail on the main living room table and put his briefcase down in the study. When he returned to the lounge, a dark haired being was watching him from the void balcony above.

"Kyoya?" Yuuki said softly.

He turned and looked up, smiling when he saw her. "I didn't know you were home." She always came to greet him. Except for when she was sick. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm fine. How was your day?"

"It was fine." He headed for the stairs. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Yuuki disappeared to through the bedroom.

"Mm. Really?" Kyoya replied sarcastically.

"Really." Her voice carried from the bathroom.

"Yuuki. You come with a smile every day and today you stand at the balcony and ask if it's me."

"I have butterflies." Meaning she was unnerved about something.

"Why?" He stepped into the room and found her leaning on the sink.

His wife held up a little white stick. In the middle was a plus sign. "Probably because there's actually something in there." Pause. "Kyoya, we're pregnant." We. Not her. Them. It was them.

The man stared at the pregnancy test, then at Yuuki and then at her torso.

Yuuki bit her lip. "I didn't just do the at home test. I went to the doctor today. He said that thunderbirds are go...so it's not just a misreading or anything." She was suddenly very scared. There was something growing inside of her. Something that was both herself and the man she loved. The describable they created was completely indescribable. "We're going to have a baby."

Kyoya crossed the room in two steps and pulled her against him. "We're going to have a baby?" He said happily. It didn't seem real. Of course they wanted one, but to actually get it...They were going to get them. The whole story of them in a little bundle of life.

Yuuki nodded as her husband stared at her belly.

"It's in there?" He asked. It was a stupid question to everyone else. But to the pregnant couple, having something inside of one of them, having them inside the woman, was a miracle.

Yuuki laughed quietly. "Yes. In there."

Kyoya slid his hands under her shirt and ran them across the skin of her belly. It was smooth and flat and warm. She was healthy and slight, there was no bump, there wouldn't be for another month and a half at least. "What does it feel like?" He'd never been in awe at anything, but the fact that there was his life, her life, within his wife...it didn't seem like it should be possible.
"Nothing at the moment." There was a long silence. "Kyoya?" Her voice was small. It had been since she'd called his name from the balcony.

"Yes?"
"I'm frightened."

He looked at her face. "Why?"

"I'm carrying a little life. It had blood vessels and fingers and toes. I mean...what if....Aimi has Tamaki's mother's eyes, what if..."

"Your father has nothing to do with this baby."
"What if I'm a bad mom? What if it yells at night? What if we fight because of it? What..."

He kissed her. Hard. Deep. "Yuuki. Nothing is going to go wrong." They had created and been blessed.

"Are...you okay with this?"

"Of course. We said we wanted a baby. Now we're going to have one."

Yuuki breathed. "Oh my gosh. We're pregnant."

"Are you alright?"
"Yeah...yes." She smiled. "Oh my gosh, we're pregnant." She found the joy that she'd wanted from the event. It didn't matter that she would inflate, it didn't matter if it had her father's nose, it didn't matter. Everything it was, was them.

Kyoya ran a hand behind her back and pulled her close to him. He kissed her neck. "Don't be scared. I've got you."

"I would rather die than have it any other way." Yuuki held him. "It's just...so unreal." She looked down at where his hand rested on her torso. "I mean...you and I are in there. In me. Growing. Like...I don't know. It's just..." She shook her head and tried to comprehend it. "...incredible."

"Mm." The Ootori ran his nose along her jaw. Soon the speeches at the wedding will become something more than just words and something they already knew. It was going to be as much a part of this world as the very thing they lived. It was no longer 'just them', that was not the explanation anymore. It was just them, but expressed in another way. A branch of their life. A perfect, whole part; one half of her and one of him – with a tiny heartbeat. Like a butterfly.

Yuuki tried to steady her heartbeat, but it was racing. She was scared. She was in awe. She was happy. The wife of Kyoya Ootori was pregnant. A little secret was growing inside of her.

An hour later she was dressed to go out. There was a function at one of the hospitals, they were expected to go. Her dress was white with a scalloped v-neck. It ended just below her knees and tied around her waist with a deep blue band. Kyoya watched her pull her hair into a bun. She was still Yuuki, right down to a tee. But something was a little different. The girl held herself differently, as if she had won a prize, and she couldn't stop smiling. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

She turned and looked at him. "What?"

Kyoya pushed his glasses up. "Nothing."

Yuuki watched her husband do his tie up. He was incredibly reserved, his party face. But she could tell, he was overjoyed. They both knew what being pregnant meant, to them it was more than just having a child. It was expressing something poignant and captivating. The other, but in a smaller body. The party that night went past in a blur, it didn't make much sense.

There would always be him, there would always be her. Two individual beings. They would always have their own world, their own lives, but they would live in a world of their own. A world within reality. One that had been tried and tested and found good and lasting. Now, it made a lot more sense. Him. Her. Together. Two halves had created the same whole. They had created life. Their lives moulded into something they only experienced when making love. Becoming one person. One soul. Coming alive as something new and entire, but that is completely a result of something amazing that already existed.

-

A grand adventure is about to begin.
(Winnie the Pooh)

-

-------

Preggers.

^-^

I always planned for Yuuki to get pregnant, even if the idea scares me half to the moon. I have a plan for this plot though. A big plan. This story will end with thirty (or just over) chapters. Don't think a baby is the end though.

Yes, I do suck with bubble bath. Thank you for wondering. -_-'

Anyway. Tell me what you thought. I really hope you enjoyed it. I don't like writing fluff, but it's kind of hard not to when you're trying to get your characters to conceive. *shudder* :)

I might not be able to post for a day or two; I'm a little busy at the moment with the Easter Long Weekend and other plans. I hope that's not a problem. I will try though.

Hope you all had an amazing Easter!

Blessings,

-pp