Author's Note: Thank you all so much for reading! I don't know how many more chapters this story will have, but there will be more! Also, be sure to check out my new story 'Affliction'. It has Mukuro and Hibari in it! Thank you so much for reading and you're all amazing!
"So…uh…" Tsuna awkwardly glanced to Kaere and then away, not sure what to think. He had known there would be a wedding and here it was, taking place in May as expected. What he had not known was that they were already expecting a baby. His eyes shifted to her stomach and then quickly away. "Um…d-do you know the gender yet?"
"Uh…" Kaere frowned, not sure what she should say. "No…we don't know yet. Sorry for not telling you sooner." Her hand absently went to the bump of her lower stomach. It was weird to be wearing her wedding dress, a beautiful black lace gown, with a baby creating a bulge in it. This is awkward. I should walk away. The ceremony had already taken place and she had heard many gasps as she had walked up the makeshift aisle in the yard of the new house. Her eyes were still oddly teary from when she had glanced up and met her new husband's crimson eyes. Xanxus had watched her walk down the aisle with such an intense, burning love in his gaze that it had almost made her stop in her tracks. It's like he was saving it up for that moment…
"What the hell?! Why didn't you tell anyone?" Gokudera demanded, storming over with Yamamoto close behind. "It's his, right? What hell kind of life is that kid going to have?!"
"J-just shut the hell up and be happy for me just this once!" she growled.
"Congratulations!" Yamamoto said. "Well, more like double congratulations! Can I feel it?" Without waiting for an answer, he put his hand on her stomach and his eyes went wide. "Wow. It's just so weird to think of you having a kid. Wait, so this means Tsuna's going to be an uncle, right? Congratulations, Tsuna!"
Kaere gaped at him for a moment. Damn it, you're weird. You're so weird. Everyone else was freaking out and here you are…just happy for me. But that's what I wanted, right? I wanted someone to be happy for me. "Um…I have to go…sorry…" She walked away, wandering aimlessly into the crowd of guests. People congratulated her, but a deep melancholy was beginning to set in. I wish my parents were alive to see this day. I wish they could meet their grandchild. Would they be proud of me though? What I've become? This inorganic human body I created…this weird life I've made for myself…I'm still the Vongola medic. I still treat wounds and do organ transplants; Xanxus had to lift that ban.
"Kae! Hey, what the hell is that thing in your stomach? You make that yourself or what?" Kuromaki greeted her with a grin. The tall redhead was wearing a red-speckled white shirt and tattered jeans, her usual attire. "I haven't seen ya since December and then you spring this on me? So that guy you married is the dad, right? Congrats!"
"Y-yeah…thanks." To Kaere irritation, her cousin put an arm around her. "So? What did you bring as a wedding present?"
"A nice big bottle of sake and some sweets, of course! Nothin' better for the baby than sweets, Kae! It's what my mom ate when she was carrying me!"
Good advice. Kaere couldn't help but smirk. "Anyway. When did you get here?"
"Well I missed the ceremony! Ran into some bitches on my way here that needed dealt with! Ya couldn't tell by my lovely blouse? So where's the groom? I gotta meet him and make sure he's good enough for my cute little cousin!"
"Kaere-chan!" Chrome nearly tripped on her way over, frowning at the long hem of her black maid of honor gown. "Um…Mister Squalo asked for me to find you. He said you should meet him in the garden around the back. Do you want me to tell him 'no' or-?"
"No…it's fine. I needed to talk to him anyway. Um…oh! Chrome, this is my cousin Kuromaki Maki. Maki-chan, this is Chrome. My best friend." Seeing Chrome blush pink and smile, she grinned. "Can you guys check on the hounds? I'll meet up with you after I talk to Squalo, okay?"
"Sounds good!" Kuromaki agreed. "If ya don't mind though, I'm helping myself to some of that food. I haven't eaten since I left Hokkaido."
Kaere walked alone, glancing over her shoulder every so often to be sure that Xanxus had not seen her leave the party. When she had last seen him, he was at the open bar with Levi at his shoulder trying to tell him what a huge mistake he had made. She snorted. That bastard Levi. I should have poisoned him yesterday so he would miss the wedding. As Kaere rounded the corner of the house, her arm was grabbed and her back pressed against the brick exterior. Fingers threaded into her shoulder-length brown hair and Squalo's mouth covered hers. She kissed back, her arms going around his neck. When he pulled away, she frowned up at him. "We…can't do this today…"
He smirked. "That didn't stop you just now, woman."
"R-really though! It's my wedding day…to your boss…it's the worst possible day for this!" Nonetheless, she leaned in for another kiss.
"You know the gender yet?"
"Not yet…Xanxus wants it to be a surprise…"
"Voi! That's a stupid idea! How the hell will you buy clothes for it?" His right hand went to her lower stomach, feeling the bump. Seeing her blush, his smirk grew. The man's lips trailed to the side of her neck and blew warm air lightly over her skin, making her shudder in pleasure. "It's a boy. I know it is."
Kaere closed her golden eyes and leaned back against the bricks. "He's…hoping for a daughter…for some reason…"
"He's not getting one! Even if it is a girl; he's not taking her from us!" Squalo growled. He nipped at her ear and felt her arch her back. Awkwardly, her bump pressed against him and he took a quick step away. "Don't do that! It's weird!"
She snickered. "You're saying that now?"
"What? Did someone say something to you?!"
"No…just…Yamamoto said it was weird…to think of me having a kid…" The girl ran her fingertips over the bump, wondering if the baby could feel it. Every time Squalo shouted, she could feel it move within her. It seemed to startle very easily.
He put his hand over hers, feeling the baby stir ever so slightly. "Voi! Are they supposed to be moving this early?"
"I mean…it's not uncommon." Again, she snickered. Xanxus had been reading every parenting and baby book she gave him, to the point that she had started to discover him asleep at his desk with three open in front of him at once. They had picked out names already and Lussuria was starting to plan her baby shower.
"He's a tough little one," he muttered, feeling the baby seem to kick harder.
"Yeah…well…takes after me, I guess." Hearing Squalo growl at that, she leaned up to kiss him. "I have to go soon…before he notices I'm gone…"
"I'll find you later," he stated. "We're not done here! I'm not letting him take my son from me!"
As she walked back to the party, Kaere frowned. What will he do if the baby is Squalo's? He hasn't said anything about it. That's a good thing though, right? Although, I know he knows. That time he shot Squalo and I had to patch him up…it was because he had found out. What's going to happen if it's not his child? She rejoined the party and saw her husband at the bar. He abruptly shoved Levi away from him, scowling. A smirk grew on her face as crimson eyes met hers. "So…what did I miss?"
"Where the hell were you, woman?"
"Just talking to some friends." She let him pull her close and leaned up to kiss him. "Xanxus…you're still hoping with a girl…right?"
"Shut up." His hand went to her stomach and felt the baby kick. "She's moving."
"Yeah…she's doing it kind of early though…" Kaere glanced at Levi and tilted her head. "Oh…? I'm sorry…were you napping there on the ground…? Didn't mean to disturb the beauty sleep you so desperately need." She was glad when Xanxus laughed. His arm wrapped around her possessively and she felt a rush of euphoria. I'm…happy. Aren't I? I'm really, truly happy right now. It's so strange to think of this though; I'm at my own wedding…pregnant…sitting here with my husband. My husband…even that is weird to think about. I'm married now.
"Where the hell is that long-haired trash?"
"Why would I know? Or care?" She saw the man coming around the corner of the house and frowned. I hate him seeing me like this. But…I can't let it ruin this day…Kaere's eyes went from Squalo to the guests. Spotting Tsuna's mother, she felt another rush of happiness. "Ah. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Fine." Xanxus lifted his glass of wine and leaned back against the counter of the bar, watching her move through the crowd. Even in her current state, she looked beautiful in the black lace wedding gown that Chrome and Lussuria had helped her pick out. The bright purple bouquet she had carried down the aisle had only made it better and when she tucked one flower behind her ear, she looked like a goddess of death and love. He hated that it made his heart skip a beat. He hated that when he watched her walk toward him down the aisle, he felt such an intense love for her that he almost met her halfway. He had almost wanted to sweep her up and carried her the rest of the way. But he had a certain image to maintain.
Reaching Tsuna's mother, Kaere was immediately pulled into a hug. "Kaere-chan! You look so beautiful in that gown! Wow! And you're having a baby! I'm so happy for you!" Nana pulled away just enough to look down at the girl's stomach before pulling her back into a hug. "Kaere-chan, your parents would be so proud of you!"
The words brought tears to the girl's golden eyes. "Th-thanks, Nana-san…it means a lot to hear you say that."
"I'm proud of you, too, of course! It's been so long since I saw you though! Ah! Do you know the gender yet? I still have some of Tsuna's old baby clothes; I was going to give them to him if he ever had a child, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind if-"
"N-no, that's alright. Thank you though. Um…we don't know the gender yet, but…my husband is hoping for a girl."
"Really?! Most men want a son! That's so strange!" She hugged the girl tighter. "You have to visit more often, Kaere-chan!"
"I will. I promise." She hugged back, smiling. "It's really nice to see you again, Nana-san. You've…really been like a mother to me…"
"Oh! Kaere-chan, your makeup!" The woman rummaged in her purse and produced a tissue. "There you go! Oh, you look so pretty today!"
"Th-thank you…" Kaere carefully wiped at her tears, trying not to smudge the makeup that Lussuria had so expertly applied. She saw Chrome chasing Kuromaki, who was chasing the hounds. "Are you kidding me?! I'm sorry, Nana-san, but I have to stop my cousin from giving the dogs a heart attack."
Nana laughed kindly. "That's fine! I'll see you later, alright? I'm not leaving without a farewell hug!"
Smiling, Kaere left her. She managed to get the dogs back into their pen and scolded Kuromaki for chasing them, all the while with Chrome trying to desperately apologize for letting the dogs get loose. When the party had ended and everyone left, Kaere remained outside in the garden. She was sitting on one of the iron benches, watching the sun set, and after it had set she found herself staring at the flowers as they blew in the night breeze. The air was cold, but it didn't bother her. It never had. Touching her stomach, she wondered if the baby would be the same. The body she was in was not her original one. The original was in a tank in the basement laboratory, locked securely within a hidden room. She felt an odd urge to check on it, but chose not to. Instead, she let her head tilt back and gazed up at the stars as they began to appear.
"You shouldn't be out here alone." Xanxus stood beside her for a moment and lifted his head to look up as well. Scowling, he turned his eyes back to her. Kaere was half-smirking.
"I made you look…" she taunted. The girl released a quiet yelp when he lifted her in his arms and started for the door. "What? That eager to get me out of my wedding dress?" They both knew that their wedding night was not going to end the way it should. There would be no love-making; he was worried about hurting the baby. It was oddly sweet that he was so concerned, but at times she found it sort of vexing. Kaere leaned her head against his shoulder as he carried her through the door and into the house. "So…where are you taking me?"
"You'll see." He smirked down at her and she leaned up to kiss him, her arms going around his neck.
"Oh! You look so cute together~" Lussuria squealed from the doorway.
"Shut up, trash. We're going to my room. Don't let anyone bother us." Xanxus pushed past him to the foyer and started up the stairs, his hold tightening on Kaere. There had been threats made against the baby already, mostly from Levi and Belphegor, but so far no one had acted on them. He was determined to keep her and their child safe so he rarely let her out of his sight. When they reached his room, he set her down on the bed and locked the door before lying beside her. Kaere immediately moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest.
"You know…she can hear you…if you talk to the baby," she remarked.
"I'm not talking to her yet. That's stupid."
She snickered. "I guess so. But when you do, what are you going to say to her?"
His arm draped over her lazily and he closed his eyes. "I'll tell her to be strong. What else is there?" Xanxus yawned and drew her closer. "Go to sleep, woman."
"In my wedding dress? Really?" Kaere slipped out of his hold and went to open the door to her room. "I'll be back~"
He listened to her quietly go into her bedroom and heard her open a drawer. His mind wandered to the baby, wondering if it really would be a girl and if it was what she would look like. What she would be like when she got older. Her bedroom door closed and the mattress dipped as she rejoined him. His arm went around her again and he felt silk beneath his fingertips. Crimson eyes slid open and looked over at his wife. Kaere had changed into a short black silk nightgown. She smirked up at him. "What the hell is that?"
"Just something that I got for tonight~" The look of satisfaction in her golden eyes made him scowl and pull her against his side.
"After you have that kid, I'm going to get you back for this," he growled quietly.
Kaere, quite content with the reaction her nightgown elicited, closed her eyes and sighed happily. "Xanxus…I just want you to know that I've never been happier than I am right now…"
