Chapter: Little One's Movement

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A Couple Months Later

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A hand rested against the rounding pregnant bump and a pair of lips laid against the side of Ana's neck. She took in a sharp inhale and a loud exhale from her mouth before her eyes fluttered open.

A grin came upon her lips as the lips continued to press against the side of her neck. A solid, warm body pressed up against her backside and curled around her body. The hand upon her pregnant belly began to move in a slow circular motion.

"Good morning, Ujio." Ana said softly.

"Morning, Ana." Ujio whispered into her ear.

It had been five months since the trip back from Tokyo where the Emperor accepted Katsumoto katana, and had put an end to Omura's greedy goals to build train tracks for his own personal gain. For the past five months, Katsumoto, Ujio, Nobutada, and Nathan had teamed up together to make strategies to keep the village and its villagers safe from any revenge by Omura. They knew that Omura would not forgive easily; thus, he would find a way to make them pay in some way.

"Haven't you had enough of me last night?" Ana could not help but let out a few laughs as Ujio nuzzle his face into the side of neck.

"No. I simply cannot keep my hands off of you." Ujio mumbled lowly into her ear while he tucked one of his legs between her own.

Ana smiled. She wiggled around his arms until he loosen his hold up. When he separate his arms a little bit, Ana managed to turn herself over to face him. She reached up with her right hand and she brushed strands of his shoulder length hair back. Her eyes flickered down between them. She watched his hand move in small circles on her belly.

"The little one is moving." Ujio grinned.

"Yes, the little one is very active." Ana said.

She stared at Ujio's hand on her belly in the area where their little one was moving around.

"What do you think the baby will be?" Ujio asked while he looked up from her pregnant belly to meet her eyes.

"I do not know. What do you think?"

"A son."

"I have a feeling it will be a boy too. I can only imagine if it was a girl. She would have you wrap around her fingers."

"If she looks like you, I will need to chase the boys away." Ujio said with a low growl at the end.

Ana could not help but laugh as she could picture Ujio chasing boys away with his katanas. She shook her head to clear her mind of the image. She stared back at Ujio, but she shut her eyes when he brought his hand up toward her face. His fingertips brushed beneath her eyes and then slid down to her lips. Her eyes flutter open to meet his eyes.

"If it is a girl, she would be simply beautiful." Ujio whispered as he moved as close as he could to Ana to rest his forehead against her own.

"A boy would look like you. He would be a miniature you." Ana said softly and she lean forward to brush her lips against his own.

Ujio smirked against her lips until he put pressure down onto her lips to deeply kiss one another.

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A Couple Days Later

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Alongside Ana, Higen was helping her to carry a basket filled with vegetables. She tried to assure Taka she could do it on her own, but Taka pointed out the weight of the basket when it was filled. Higen assured Ana he could do it and he did not complain about helping her.

The two came to a stop to stare at the grassy field to watch the men train against each other with their bokken sword. Ana hands rested against her pregnant belly when she felt the little one start to move around. She glanced away from the field to take a peek down at Higen and she could see how eager he was to learn and train. She knew the moment Higen was old enough, he would learn and train as a samurai.

"One day you will be learning and training, Higen."

"You think so?" Higen looked up at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh, I know so." Ana smiled as she rested her hand on top of Higen's shoulder.

Ana began to walk toward the house with Higen beside her. Once they arrived at Ana and Ujio's home, Higen helped Ana to unpack. She was thankful for Higen's help, especially when she could feel herself become tire very quickly. When Higen left, Ana started to make dinner. She hummed underneath her breath and she would unconsciously rub her right hand over her pregnant belly, where the little one moved around.

By the time Ana finished dinner, she held back a gasp as Ujio appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He held her close. His lips pressed to the side of her neck while his hands ran over her pregnant belly where he moved his hands in circular motion on either side of her belly.

"How has everything been going?" Ujio whispered into her left ear.

"We have been good." Ana answered as she rested a hand on top of one of Ujio's hands.

Ujio pressed his lips against the side of her head before he pulled away. Before Ana could pick up the tray with food, Ujio did so for her. Without questioning him, Ana walked to the other room where the low table was. Since being pregnant and her belly growing with child, Ujio has been helping her with everything.

Halfway through dinner, Ana finished the food in her mouth and her eyes flickered over to Ujio. He seemed to be focus on his eating, but upon feeling her eyes on him, his eyes came up to make connection with her own.

"Is there something wrong?" Ujio asked.

"I was simply thinking about names for our child."

"Oh?" Ujio lowered the bowl and his hashi.

"I thought of a couple of names for a girl, but I did not want to say anything."

"Why not?"

"Because I assume it was the role of the father to name the baby, especially if it is a son." Ana pointed out.

Ujio stared at her for a few seconds before he looked away.

"I understand. It is usually that way yet I do wish to hear of your thoughts." Ujio said as he began to resume eating.

Ana clenched the bowl in her left hand a little tight, but she relaxed as she could see Ujio waited for her to say anything. Since being married to Ujio, he had been understandable. She saw a softer side of him more than anyone else in the village.

"Ryoko, Reika, Akiko, or Kiyoko.

The hashi paused in mid-air with a sliced pickled cucumber between the two sticks. Ujio lowered them down to turn his head to stare at her. Ana stared back. She did not want this conversation to be awkward.

"Taka and I had talked about names, going through a list and picking out what sound lovely. I completely understand if none of them—" Ana stop speaking when Ujio held up a hand for her to stop her babbling.

"I do not understand why you would think I would disagree with you."

Ana continued to not speak, simply stared.

"How about we make a deal?" Ujio stated.

The comment made Ana to perk up a bit. She gave a nod as Ujio gave her a small grin.

"If it is a girl, you can name her. If it is a boy, I get to name him. Deal?"

"Deal." Ana grinned as she found this an even deal.

The two resume their dinner, but Ujio glanced at her, which caused Ana to pause in eating.

"I do like Akiko though."

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Two Months Later

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"I feel like a whale."

"You look uncomfortable."

"Try carrying a tiny human inside of you, Nathan."

Nathan winced at the thought. His eyes looked away from his little sister to stare out at the grassy field. Although his eyes settle back on Ana. She was rubbing her seven month pregnant round belly while also talking to the baby in a gentle tone to calm down the kicking and punching.

"You do have to remember it is Ujio son or daughter. They are going to come out fighting."

Ana let out a short laugh and she shook her head.

The two were staring out to the sunset and were simply catching up with each other in conversation. After today's training, Ujio had gone to talk with Katsumoto. Ujio mentioned he would be back while Ana sat with Nathan to talk.

"So, Nathan…"

"Oh no, I do not like that tone of voice and the fact you are smiling like the cat ate the cannery." Nathan sighed as he rested his hands behind his back and he leaned back on his hands.

"I am simply wondering what is going on between Taka and you." Ana smirked.

Over the months, Nathan and Taka got very close. Ana could see there was chemistry between them. Since Nathan apologized to Taka about her late husband, Taka have been seeing Nathan in a new light. The two were talking more, and Nathan was always helping to do chores, no matter how many times Taka told him not to. Ana pointed out the relationship to Ujio, who did not reply at first, but after a while, he could not help but agree.

"We are understanding one another and I am helping around the house."

"That is bull and you know it. You two like each other. Step up, Nathan."

Nathan quickly looked away from her at the last part of her sentence. Ana sat up straighter and she lean over toward him. A wide smile was on her lips.

"You did step up. You kissed her, didn't you?"

There was still complete silence causing Ana to let out a happy scream and slapped Nathan on the shoulder. He groan as he fell backwards on his back. He covered his face with his hands. Ana laughed as she could see the redness appearing on Nathan's skin.

"Oh! This is exciting!"

"What is exciting?" Ujio appeared behind them while staring down between them with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, great." Nathan muttered.

"Nathan and—"

"Ana! Don't tell him."

"He already knows, Nathan." Ana shot at him.

She held her hands up toward Ujio. He grabbed her hands and he slowly helped her up from the ground. Once she was off the ground, she brushed the dirt and grass from her clothes.

"Are you talking about the Taka thing again?" Ujio asked with his arms crossed over his chest.

Nathan shot up in an upright position and stared at Ujio in shock. Nathan began to wonder how many people knew about this.

"Yes!" Ana smiled.

Ujio snorted as he looked down at Nathan. Ujio turned away from Nathan to start to walk home. He was not one to be a gossiper or get into the mushy drama theatrics.

"It took you long enough. Everyone was waiting for it to happen. Now, everyone can say finally." Ujio said as he held his arm out.

Ana laughed at the horrified look upon Nathan face. She patted her older brother on the head while laughing a little. She waved at Nathan before she walked up to Ujio, who rested a hand on her lower back. The two walked away, but Ana looked back over Ujio and her shoulder one more time.

"Is he still in shock?" Ujio asked.

Ana watched as Nathan dropped backwards on the ground again, throwing his hands up and letting them drop, spread out on either side of him. She laughed again and she faced herself forward. She rested her head on Ujio shoulder.

"Yes, and he will be for a while."

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