"Sasha, Sasha, it's time to wake up. We're supposed to have lunch with your family, remember?" Niccolo informed his wife, as he nuzzled his face into her shoulder.
Sasha said nothing but only groaned, while turning in Niccolo's arms to hide her face from the rays of sunshine coming through the large window of their bedroom. She and Niccolo had been married for almost two years and lived in her hometown of Dauper. Sasha's father had insisted they live close to them after they married and the couple had no problem obliging.
During their engagement, Niccolo and Mr.Braus built them a spacious log cabin that was only about a twenty minute walk from her parents. After their marriage the couple settled into their new home, and Niccolo opened up a restaurant in Dauper that immediately became a local favorite. And Sasha retired from the Scouts since the threat of the titans had finally been eliminated, and she began hunting with her father again to sell the meat throughout the neighboring villages.
This was Niccolo and Sasha's routine until their life took an unexpected but welcomed turn, Sasha was pregnant. The couple was extremely excited for the baby but also scared at the same time. They were still very young in their 20s but at the same time, Niccolo and Sasha had been through so much that they knew it would all work out.
Sasha was now six months along and finally getting over all the symptoms from her first trimester. Now nearing the end of her second trimester, she was beginning to put on weight and show and with that came a lot of fatigue and exhaustion. Due to this, she stopped going on hunts with her father and started spending most of her time at home with Niccolo.
But today they were going over to her childhood home for lunch with her parents and younger sister but to do that, she had to get up first.
"Nico, can you help me up?" Sasha asked with a yawn.
"Of course" Niccolo replied, as he quickly hopped out of bed and walked over to her side.
Niccolo then tugged the covers off of Sasha and intertwined their fingers and slowly pulled her up to the seated position. Sasha rubbed her eyes as she woke up more and Niccolo couldn't help but chuckle at his wife.
"Hey, what's so funny?" Sasha asked, confused as to why he was laughing.
"Nothing, I just love you" Niccolo said with a smile, as he kissed her forehead and rubbed his hand over her swollen stomach.
"I love you too, are you excited for today? It's been a while since we've all been together" Sasha said warmly, while running her hands through his blonde hair.
"I am and I'm sure Kaya will be happy to see you since she's been so busy with school lately" Niccolo pointed out, knowing how special their relationship was.
Sasha agreed and the couple talked for a while longer until it was nearing the time for them to leave. Niccolo walked Sasha to the bathroom so she could shower and get ready, while he got dressed and prepped some side dishes to bring.
About an hour later, Sasha came out of the bathroom dressed in a light brown sweater, a long white skirt, her usual boots, and she had her hair tied up in her signature ponytail. Niccolo was also dressed simply in a white button up shirt, brown pants, and a pair of brown dress shoes.
"Are you ready love? Your carriage awaits" Niccolo announced, while gesturing to the horse saddled up outside in the stable.
"I appreciate it Nico, but I was hoping we could just walk there. It seems all I've been doing lately is sitting" Sasha said, feeling slightly embarrassed at her request.
"Well you are carrying around another person with you 24/7, so you do need your rest. But you're right, a walk does sound nice" Niccolo affirmed, while reaching his hand out for her own.
Sasha grabbed onto his hand with a small blush adorning her cheeks, Niccolo's thoughtfulness was not lost on her. He had always put her needs before his own, and now with a baby on the way Niccolo was always trying to find ways to make things easier for her.
The walk took a little longer than usual, due to Sasha experiencing shortness of breath from the added weight. The couple made it to her parent's house later than they planned, but when they finally made it, they were greeted by Kaya who was sitting on the doorstep waiting for them.
"Big Sis!" Kaya exclaimed, while running up to her and wrapping her arms around Sasha's shoulders.
"I missed you so much!" Sasha said back, as she returned her sister's embrace.
"It's good to see you too, Big Brother" Kaya added, letting go of Sasha and then hugging Niccolo as well.
"You too Kaya, how has school been?" Niccolo asked, both of them wanting to be caught up on Kaya's life.
So Kaya began telling the two all about her classes, her good grades, the friends she's made, even the boy she had a crush on. Niccolo and Sasha listened intently until the conversation was interrupted by the front door opening loudly.
"Sasha, Niccolo, how long have you two been here?" Sasha's mother chided with an exacerbated look on her face.
"Sasha, you shouldn't be on your feet too much, you three get inside" Sasha's father directed them all.
Once inside, Kaya pulled Sasha to her room so she could show her big sister the new decorations she'd added, but also to give her a gift.
"Kaya, you didn't have to get me anything" Sasha said as she unwrapped the small box that was encased in gold wrapping paper.
When she opened it Sasha's eyes widened, as she looked down at three matching dark green knit beanies. There were two adult sized ones for Sasha and Niccolo, and a tiny one for their baby to wear once they're born.
"Do you like them?" Kaya asked anxiously, concerned by her sister's lack of response.
At her question Sasha burst into tears and threw her arms around Kaya, and began rambling through her sobs and hiccups. Kaya was able to make out many "thank you's", Sasha saying she was already the best aunt, and that they would all wear them home when they left the hospital.
Once Sasha calmed down, she and Kaya went and joined everyone in the kitchen and Sasha showed off the beanies to her husband and parents. Who all praised Kaya's work and thoughtful gift, and the teenage girl couldn't help but blush at all their kind words.
"All right, is everyone ready to eat?" Sasha's father asked aloud, as he took his seat at the head of the table.
Everyone agreed in unison and sat down and began filling up their plates with all the food Niccolo and Sasha's father had prepared together. There was roasted pork loin with gravy, mashed and roasted potatoes, mixed greens salad, and loaf of bread for them all to share. And
then for dessert Sasha's mother and Kaya had baked a cinnamon apple pie and brewed hot tea to go along with it.
After dinner, the family went to the living room and Niccolo sat down on the couch and Sasha followed suit. She leaned her head on his shoulder and let out a quiet yawn, "Tired after eating so much?" Niccolo couldn't help but tease, as he leaned his head against her's.
"Hey give me a break, the baby was hungry too" Sasha said sleepily, giving his arm a light punch.
"I know honey, I'm just glad you both liked it" Niccolo said softly, as he ran his hand across the swell of her stomach.
When he received no response, Niccolo looked down and saw that his wife had fallen asleep against him. Niccolo admired her sleeping form and was careful not to move, knowing that she needed her rest.
Niccolo spent the rest of the afternoon talking with Sasha's parents and Kaya, most of the conversation revolving around the baby and if they thought it was going to be a boy or girl. Niccolo also discussed his upcoming plans for his restaurant and insisted that they all come by sometime soon so he could prepare a meal for them.
"Niccolo, you start trying to wake Sasha up, I don't want you two going home in the dark. Kaya, come help me saddle up a horse for them" Sasha's father instructed them both, as he put his hat on and went out to the stables with Kaya following him.
"I'll pack some food for you both to take home" Sasha's mother told Niccolo, as she went back to the kitchen.
"Sasha, it's time for us to go home" Niccolo murmured, while placing a kiss on her head and giving her hand a squeeze.
A few beats later, Sasha's brown eyes slowly opened and she rubbed her face against his bicep as she woke back up. "Nico you were right, we should have rode the horse here" Sasha admitted through a yawn.
"Well your father is saddling up a horse for us, so we'll be home before you know it" Niccolo assured his wife, as he stood up and offered her his hands. Sasha took them and once she was up, she buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply.
She nodded before asking, "Can we cuddle when we get back home?" in a hushed tone.
"Of course we can Sasha" Niccolo replied back simply with a small smirk, he then nudged her to look up at him. And once she did, Niccolo leaned down and softly pressed his lips to her's.
The sound of a door opening broke the two apart, "The horse is all ready to go" Sasha's father called out to the couple. So everyone began saying their goodbyes and Sasha made plans with Kaya for her to come over and spend the night with them sometime soon. Sasha's mother hugged her tight and gave her some tips to help ease the fatigue she's been feeling, and her father sternly told Niccolo to keep doing what he was doing and taking good care of Sasha.
The couple went outside and Niccolo helped Sasha onto the horse and then hopped on in front of her. It was a pleasant ride home and Sasha kept her arms wrapped around his waist from behind and rested her head on his back.
Once they arrived home, Niccolo took the horse to the stable and then helped Sasha down and led them both into the house. It was still a bit early but the pair went ahead and put their pajamas on and settled into bed together.
They both laid on their side with Sasha's back against his chest, Niccolo had his arm draped over her stomach and was running his thumb across her bump. Niccolo had hoped to speak with his wife some more since they hadn't had much alone time but when he spoke, Niccolo heard nothing but Sasha's quiet snores.
He chuckled to himself, before deciding to just speak aloud anyway, "I had a really good time with your family today, Kaya really seems to adore you no matter how much time goes by, but I do too, so I get it. And watching you enjoy the food I make never gets old, and I hope the baby will be the same way. I've told you this before, but when I was brought to Paradis I thought that my life was over, but then I met you and it felt like it was just beginning."
Niccolo paused whenever he saw Sasha stir in her sleep, but the woman just rolled over and tucked her head into the crook of his neck without waking up.
"I've said enough for now, I love you, sleep well Sasha" Niccolo whispered, while placing a kiss on her head and then drifting off to sleep as well.