TW : Childbirth. I tried not to be graphic but I know some people can be grossed out so I prefer to warn ;)
October 1876
« I'm baaaack~ » yelled a joyful Souji when he got in, grinning widely « You're not gonna believe what I found at Shirakawa's marketplace ! Strawberries ! I bought way too much but I figured you'd want some since you have such a taste for fruits recently. It's the end of the season for the strawberries so I never expected I would come across... »
« Souji... » she cried, panting on the tatami.
Her husband opened wide eyes and dropped the strawberries on the floor, running to Haruhi without removing his boots.
« Haru-chan ! » he yelled « you're okay ?! You fainted ? Why is there water everywhe... Oh no. Oh fuck... Alright, don't panic ! »
He was completely panicked though and he lifted her in his arms, making her escape a gasping scream of pain. Panting heavily and feeling her belly contract itself quicker and quicker, she was unable to speak to him.
« It hurts ? » he asked « be brave, Haru-chan, I'm taking you to Chizuru. »
She nodded faintly and Souji ran at a frantic pace, carrying her as if she didn't weight more than a feather. He barged in the inn like a madman and some customers raised their head, perplexed.
« Souji ? » asked Tama, eyes wides, before she saw the face of Haruhi « Fujita-sensei !!! »
Hajime got out of the kitchen and understood the situation in a blink.
« Lay her in our room. » he ordered Souji before running upstairs « I'll get Chizuru. Tama, please. »
« Momoiro, sorry » bowed Tama « I leave you in charge. »
The girl nodded and Tama led Souji to the bedroom of Chizuru and Hajime. He laid her on the futon and wiped the sweat off her crying face. Haruhi, still heavily panting, was red as a tomato under the efforts.
« We need hot water, I'm gonna get some. » said Tama « Souji you can stay with her for now. »
« I'm not leaving her. » he agreed, panicked.
Tama got out at the same time Chizuru got in. Behind the shoji, Hajime was ordering Ayame to clean the common room which had been spoiled by Haruhi's broken water. The boy complied grudgingly, calling it gross.
« It's okay, Souji. » said Chizuru « I'm here. You can go and join Hajime. I'll call you. »
« S... Souji... » panted Haruhi.
I'm gonna die... Please don't let me die...
« I'm not going anywhere. » he stated, steel in his voice and in his eyes, resolved « I'm not leaving her. »
« This is women's business. » frowned Chizuru « you wait outside. »
« No way. » he said « try to throw me out, see what happens. I'm not afraid to fight an Oni. »
« Souji, get out. » ordered Chizuru « Haruhi probably doesn't want you to see her in this state. »
« That is my wife, my child. » he stated « Whatever battle they are fighting, I am too. »
Chizuru grumbled and pushed him on the side, covering Haruhi's legs with a sheet.
« You stay near her face, you hold her hand, you do whatever you want but you don't disturb me. » she said coldly « and if you faint, I'm leaving you on the floor. »
« Yare, Yare, Chizuru-chan » he smiled « I've seen blood before. »
« Sure. » she replied, disgruntled.
Chizuru took a look at the situation and smiled to Haruhi, encouraging her.
« Everything presents itself well. » she nodded kindly « it's gonna be okay. »
« It... hurts... » sobbed Haruhi, completely lost.
Yet, the conforting sensation on Souji near her, holding her hand, was lessening the pain a little. She was flustered to have him here, it wasn't his place, but she was also glad he was.
Chizuru took a bottle out of a cupboard and opened it, taking it to Haruhi's face.
« Don't drink it. » she ordered « just breathe. »
« What's that thing ? » asked Souji, anxious.
« Chloroform. » explained Chizuru « western medecine. She will detach a bit her spirit from her body and feel less pain. » she turned to Haruhi « not a deep breath, okay ? It is powerful. Just a small, single one, otherwise, you would be so high that you might not listen to my commands anymore, or worse, you could fall asleep. »
« I... I know... » she nodded.
She knew that bottle. Chizuru used it for Kaede and Tsubaki. Not for Ayame and Haruhi saw the difference since she was there for the three. That medecine will help her too. She breathed in the bottle and took her head away, jerking because of a contraction. The effect was instant. Already, she was feeling better, the pain lessen. It was like she was on a cloud. One small push and she could fall asleep.
« If you need more, just ask. » said Chizuru « the effects don't last long. »
« I'm bringing the water and towels. » said Tama in the entrance before she furrowed her brows « Souji, you should leave. »
« No way. » he shook his head, gaze focused on Haruhi's face that was more relaxed now « I'm not abandoning them. »
The woman, although startled by this vehement refusal, didn't object. If Haruhi and Chizuru were both okay with that, then it wasn't her place to oppose.
« Tama, it's okay. » said Chizuru « it's going well, I don't need any help. Go back to work and reassure Hajime. »
« Alright, Fujita-sensei. » bowed the girl.
A contraction a bit more powerful than the previous ones made Haruhi hiss in pain. Her forehead, her armpits, even the space between her breasts and her back, all her body was drenched in sweat. Souji took a towel to wipe it off under Chizuru's mocking gaze. It was cute, to see him want to help so bad, as if a man could understand what Haruhi was going through.
« Haruhi » she ordered « when you feel the contractions, you need to push. You're gonna exhaust yourself unnecessarily. Think about training, mesure your breath, make it coincide with your efforts. »
Training... Okay... Like wielding a sword except the blows would be the contractions. Listening to Chizuru's calming encouragements, she calmed her panting. Her sister brought the bottle back to her nose and Haruhi breathed in it, feeling on the cloud again.
« You're doing well... » commented Chizuru « It's perfect. »
Haruhi didn't feel like she was doing well. She wanted it to be out already. Her gaze was fixed on the ceiling, sometimes meeting with her husband's anxious face, with wrinkles of anguish all over it. With the dizziness induced by the drug, she thought for a second that he would still be handsome when wrinkled like old parchemin... He would still be handsome...
« Haruhi, you're not pushing anymore ! » scolded Chizuru « she breathed too deeply in the bottle... »
« Haruhi ! » said Souji, slapping her face a little « I forbid you to fall asleep, you understand ?! »
« Souji... » she smiled, eyelids heavy « You're handsome... »
« Yeah, I know. » he chuckled « come on, Haru-chan, there are more important things at hand ! »
« Souji, keep her awake. The effects are gonna fade, it's okay. » instructed Chizuru « it shouldn't be very long now. »
« Haruhi, stay with me... » he begged, panicked « Don't fall asleep. »
Haruhi tried to focus on her husband's voice and eyes, like two emerald comets guiding the way out of the sea of clouds. Slowly, she regained the link with her body and felt the pain again.
« Okay, welcome back, Haruhi. » chuckled Chizuru softly « please, keep pushing. »
Haruhi did as instructed, controlling her breath, pushing in time with her contractions. Souji never left her side, holding her hand. It was going well, she supposed... She wasn't really sure...
« I can see it. » said Chizuru with a smile « keep going, Haruhi. »
« You hear that, Haru-chan ? » said Souji, in awe « You're almost there ! »
That information gave her courage and renewed her volition. It was nearly over, the pain would disappear... She just needed a bit more efforts... a little bit more...
« It's here. » said Chizuru with a smile.
The baby, covered in blood and fluids was cradled in her arms in a towel and she patted the back of the small being. It began coughing heavily and Souji chuckled.
« Already coughing like Papa ! » he said with enthusiasm.
« Souji... » scolded Haruhi faintly « don't bring it bad luck ! »
The baby started crying and Chizuru turned it over, wiping it with another towel.
« Congratulations. » she said with a loving smile « you have a healthy little girl. »
« A girl... » whispered Souji before he regained his composure and turned to his wife with a sly smile « Seriously, Haru-chan ? What am I supposed to do with a girl ? I guess we can still sell her and try again... »
« Don't you dare, Souji. » she frowned.
« Give her to me. » ordered Souji to Chizuru, extending his arms.
« Wait a little. » she scolded « I still need to cut the cord and clean her up. And we also need to get the afterbirth out, you might want to get out for that part. »
« I'm staying, just cut the goddamn cord and give her to me. » he ordered « I don't care if she's not clean yet. Just hand her to me. »
Chizuru sighed and cut the cord, making a small knot and put the baby in another clean towel, handing her to her father. Haruhi turned her head with a smile, happy to see Souji completely in awe. How she wished she could know all the thoughts going through his head. The girl... She wanted it too... Why was he the one holding her ? It wasn't fair...
« Is it normal I wanna run away ? » chuckled Souji.
« Ask Hajime. » replied Chizuru with a bark of laughter « I don't think it ever happened to him though. »
« My daughter... » called Haruhi.
« Haruhi, please focus. » scolded Chizuru « You still need to push a little and then, you'll have your daughter, I promise. »
Haruhi nodded absently, her gaze captured by the sight of her husband's smile as he was cleaning the little girl that was their daughter. She did as Chizuru instructed and after her sister got rid of the afterbirth, the latter took the baby off Souji's arms to clean it up. Tama got in again to clean the rest, congratulating the both of them.
« Are you okay ? » asked Souji, carressing her face « you look awful. »
« I'm fine. » she smiled « I'm glad it's over... How is she ? »
« She's perfect of course. » he shrugged « she's mine. »
« And mine. » she smiled faintly.
« No way » he grinned widely « there's no doubt possible, it's Papa's girl. »
« Thank you, Souji... » she yawned « for staying. It was easier with you with me. »
Souji smiled and kept caressing her cheek. It was feeling nice... She was lucky it went that smoothly ! For Ayame, it had been super long for Chizuru, and when she helped her sister with girls of the village, it sometimes was terrible. For her, luckily, only a bit of pain, a few minutes and a healthy baby, so lucky...
« Are you disappointed it's a girl ? » she asked her husband, anxious.
« No. » he chuckled « But we're in trouble with a girl with both our stubbornness and pleasant demeanor. »
Haruhi giggled and Chizuru came back. She handed her the baby all cleaned up and instructed her not to sit up. Haruhi looked at the small being on her chest. She wasn't crying anymore but just seemed curious about everything around her. Her almond shaped emerald eyes were looking at her and her father who came lying next to her and was stroking the few mahogany hair the girl had on top of her head.
« See ? » he winked « Papa's girl. I can't deny that one's mine. She's gonna be trouble. »
« You may not have milk the first days. » explained Chizuru « It's normal, especially for a first one. She's gonna be hungry, it'll be painful and she probably will loose a bit of weight but it'll be okay afterwards with the milk. If you have any questions or problems, you come to me immediately. For now, you rest here. Souji » she furrowed her brows « listen because that concerns you too. She is gonna be weak a few days, even if it went incredibly well. I suggest you take care of the household while she rests. Also, no intercourses for at least 3 weeks. »
« Okay, Chizuru-chan. » nodded Souji absently, looking solely at his daughter « Noted. No problem. »
« Haruhi » she asked « can other people come in already or are you feeling weak ? »
« I'm fine. » she smiled at the small being, whispering « she's so beautiful... »
« Cute as a mochi. » added Souji « like a very cute one, like Tama's cat shaped mochi. Ara, now I'm hungry... »
« You can come and eat in the common room if you want. » smiled Chizuru « Haruhi's allowed to eat in bed but you're not incapacitated. Just help me put a few pillows under her back so she could sit up. »
Souji got up and complied and Haruhi felt better in a sitting position. She cradled her daughter in her arms and could have swear she saw her smirk for an instant. Chizuru went to tell the others that they could come now but one at the time ! Ayame and Kaede both seemed impatient but the first one to come in was Hajime.
« It's a girl. » smiled Souji.
« So I've been told. » nodded Hajime, kneeling « congratulations. »
« How does it feel like to be a grandfather ? »
« How does it feels like to be a father ? » replied his friend, face impassive.
« Damn scary. » he chuckled.
« I see. » Hajime smiled faintly.
Haruhi handed the girl to her father and he cradled her in his arms, thanking her. His movements were more assured than Souji's, already used to babies and how to handle them contrarily to the new father.
« She has your eyes. » he commented to his friend.
« Yep. » he replied, proud « seems like blue eyes just don't wanna pass to the next generation. Neither you nor your daughter can pass them on. A pity in my opinion. »
« I don't mind her having your eyes. » smiled Haruhi « She's yours after all. »
« Damn right, she's mine ! » he said, pulling the baby out of Hajime's arms « Ne, Katsu ? That's Papa's girl. »
« Katsu ? » repeated Hajime, surprised.
« Yeah. » Souji said, looking at his daughter « We battled and struggled so much to get her, she's our Victory, our Katsu. » he reported his attention on his friend and furrowed his brows « hey, that's a long face... What ? Ex girlfriend ? »
« No. » replied Hajime with a faint smile, escaping a bark of laughter « It's a beautiful name but you're not supposed to name her now, it is bad luck. »
« I don't care. » shrugged Souji « she doesn't need luck anyway. She has us and she has our blood. She's perfect. »
« I see. » nodded Hajime.
Souji was slowly rocking the calm little Katsu in his arms and Haruhi was looking at the both of them lovingly. Her father had been right in the end, she loved her as soon as she saw her. Little Katsu... Their daughter... Now they truly were a family.
Author note : Katsu
For those who haven't read « What I do not say, I still feel » and aren't familiar with Saito Hajime's family : Katsu is the name of his biological big sister, when his name was still Yamaguchi Jirô. No one in this fic knows it though so it is pure coincidence but that's why he got surprised !