On Friday, two days before the induction, Kurama's circadian rhythm woke him just as early as always, despite the fact that he had temporarily closed his plant store down due to his injury. (Since his injury didn't prevent him from actually making his products, the mail-order service was still doing well, and they were advertising all over the place for tenants to live in their old house.)
The new apartment bedroom was smaller than the old one, and it didn't have a bathroom attached, either, but Kurama liked it all the same. It had been incredibly convenient for both him and Hiei to not have to deal with stairs anymore, and not having to drive, due to living right on a rail line, was fantastic. Not to mention they were now living in the same building as Yukina and Kuwabara, so visits with them would become much more frequent.
Kurama put his arms behind his head and gazed at the sun gleaming through the freshly-cleaned window. He loved the summertime, at least when it wasn't too hot. As he closed his eyes again, planning to get some more sleep, he sensed movement from Hiei.
When he turned to look at his husband, he was surprised to see that although Hiei appeared to be still asleep, he was holding one of the baby's new teddy bears in his arms, the way he would be holding the baby during co-sleeping. More than that…well, he wasn't just holding it, judging by the fact that the stuffed toy now had a familiar sticky purple liquid all over its furry face and nose.
Is Hiei trying to breastfeed that bear in his sleep? Kurama wondered, feeling himself smile. He remembered Hiei telling him once that towards the end of his mom's pregnancy, he had been able to not only hear, but to understand the things people around him were saying. Maybe their baby had the same ability. And if that was the case…he had probably heard that he was going to come out whether he wanted to or not, and now Hiei's body was preparing. One of the most obvious signs, of course, was that Hiei would be able to make that much milk before delivery, and that he'd be starting to breastfeed in the first place.
When he closed his eyes again and scooted a little closer, Kurama noticed another sign: the way Hiei smelled, especially from his head. At this point in his pregnancy, he was basically a walking pheromone, smell-wise. But today it wasn't so much stronger as it was…well, different. Hiei smelled unmistakably like a demon about to give birth.
Even in his human form, Kurama had a strong sense of smell, the kind that only an animal-type demon would have. And that could be quite advantageous if you were having a sexual relationship with an elemental demon—someone who had a chance to get pregnant every thirty days, no matter what time of year it was—because Kurama could always tell with his nose alone where on that thirty-day spectrum Hiei happened to be. Three out of four weeks he didn't smell much like anything in terms of pheromones, but the fourth week, when he was incredibly horny, Kurama was too, and it was partly because of the smell. That was when elementals simply had to have sex, and when other demons wanted to have sex with them. By no coincidence at all, that was the only week out of a month that elementals were able to get pregnant. The pregnancy smells were easy to pick up, too, and the fact that Kurama was the baby's father only boosted that ability.
It was a smell that made Kurama want to be closer to Hiei, and to protect him. As he tried to get some more sleep, Kurama thought about what the baby might look like. He hoped his son would look like Hiei. They would find out soon. Even though Hiei hadn't wanted to give birth in the hospital, at least they were able to plan when Hiei would go into labor. No more surprises.
Only about thirty minutes or so had passed when Kurama heard Hiei sit up in bed. He opened his eyes to see his husband staring down at his swollen breasts, and the milk trickling out. His nipples had been perky for a long time, but now they were somehow even bigger than before, comparable to small pencil erasers.
"Since when did I make so much milk?" Hiei said in disbelief.
Kurama didn't want to tell Hiei his theory about his body preparing for labor after the baby heard about the induction, because it might make him nervous, and he needed to be calm and relaxed before giving birth. But at the same time, it didn't seem right to make something up.
"It's just your body preparing for labor," Kurama reassured him. "Or, in this case, for motherhood."
"But they hurt," said Hiei. "It's like there's almost too much milk in them. And they won't stop leaking."
"Well, that's something I think I can help with," said Kurama, and he spent the morning giving Hiei some pleasant relief from the engorgement.
As the day went on, Kurama noticed more signs of approaching labor in a pregnant demon. For one thing, if Hiei's nesting instinct had been strong for the past week or so, now it was off the charts. Even when Kurama insisted that he get some rest before the "big day," Hiei always seemed to be rearranging or cleaning something, even if it was completely pointless. Kurama even caught him meticulously sorting their VHS tapes in alphabetical order, something he never would've bothered to do before.
At one point Hiei went insane and decided he needed to go to the baby store to buy the baby an entire new wardrobe, set of toys, and furniture, even though they already had all those things. He was relentless, so Kurama had no choice but to go, although he tried to put his foot down when it came to spending too much money. Hiei wanted a gargantuan fluffy pink rabbit with a red silk ribbon around its neck—probably the most un-Hiei thing in existence—and he threw a fit when Kurama wouldn't buy it.
"The baby needs this!" Hiei insisted, clinging to it desperately.
"Why on Earth would he need that?" said Kurama. "Why would anyone need that?"
"For cuddling," said Hiei stubbornly.
"Hiei, that thing is almost twice as tall as you are," Kurama pointed out. "And it's creepy, too."
"But it's on sale!"
"No wonder, they've probably been trying to get rid of it for months."
Hiei finally caved when Kurama suggested they get lunch, since Hiei was showing yet another sign of impending labor, for a demon, at least—an increase in appetite. He would need to build up his strength for the birth, so he was very hungry and thirsty all the time.
"Remember to chew, Hiei," Kurama would say teasingly, as Hiei devoured an entire cheeseburger in about thirty seconds.
Hiei seemed to have more energy just on that one day than he had in the past several months combined. It was just another fascinating part of the process, the way his entire body just seemed to work in harmony as it prepared him to give birth. That included the way Kurama felt. It was sort of like the way he had felt when he first found out Hiei was pregnant—protective, ecstatic, and full of much more love than usual.
It was a challenge for Hiei to sleep that night, for many reasons, but mostly because the baby had more energy too. He was kicking like crazy; even Kurama could tell just by placing his hands on the baby bump. Kick, kick, kick. The baby's small feet pounded against his hands as he massaged Hiei's belly, all while enjoying his scent, giving him kisses, and every so often letting his fingers stray from the baby bump all the way up to Hiei's heavily leaking breasts. Clearly, his son was just about ripe and ready to be born.
Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny, just like Friday. Hiei had some trouble getting out of bed; he complained of the baby weighing too heavily on his pelvis, and when he was standing up, Kurama could see that the bump had "dropped." This resulted in even more trips to the toilet than usual, and Hiei had a problem; standing was almost impossible, of course, but lying down or sitting was equally difficult. It was just the new position of the baby in Hiei's body, closer to exiting. Kurama spent most of the day feeding and massaging Hiei, all while making sure he stayed calm. Recently, he had been using his arms to get out of the wheelchair and onto the couch, so he could sit next to Hiei and cuddle him, still.
"It's almost over, Hiei," he would say reassuringly. "Just a few days from now, you'll be holding the baby in your arms instead of in your body." And he'd repeat the first part as much as Hiei needed to hear it: It's almost over…it's almost over…it's almost over…
…
Yusuke wasn't normally one of Hiei and Kurama's "helpers," but he asked to come over starting after lunch when Kurama left for physical therapy. Kurama wanted to pick up a few last-minute items for the baby, so he left around one in the afternoon instead of three, promising to be home around five-thirty, as usual.
"I'll see you later, honey," Kurama said, giving Hiei a kiss before he left. Yusuke came in around the same time, apologizing for being late. Hiei coughed.
"What the hell is that stench?" he demanded.
"Oh…sorry," said Yusuke, sniffing his arm. "Keiko and I were visiting a perfume shop."
"Well, you know all smells are stronger for me," Hiei told him. "Go wash it off."
Since he was smart enough not to pick a fight with Hiei, Yusuke went to the bathroom to wash off the perfume. Hiei was feeling just as heavy and strange as ever, and he struggled to keep still on the couch. Once Yusuke came back, he sat down next to Hiei, looking curious.
"So, why did you come over here to visit?" Hiei asked. "Playing nursemaid to an overdue pregnant youkai isn't really a recipe for fun times. You might have to help me off the toilet."
"Well, you're having the baby tomorrow, right?"
"They're going to induce me tomorrow," Hiei corrected. "I don't know how long the labor is going to last. They say induced labor could possibly take longer—and it might not even work on the first attempt." Hiei groaned and leaned back, still trying to get comfortable despite the baby's new position. "You still didn't answer my question."
"I guess I just wanted to see the baby one more time before it's born," Yusuke explained. "So let me get this straight—it really comes out your butt?"
"He's not an it, and yes."
"Won't that hurt?"
"I'm sure it will," said Hiei, beginning to feel annoyed. What kind of question was that? Of course it was going to hurt. "What's your point?"
"I don't know." Yusuke shrugged. "But Keiko said that before the baby is born, I should try to feel him kick."
Yusuke hadn't felt the baby kick throughout the whole pregnancy, but Hiei wasn't really against it. So he took his hands off of his belly and nodded, leaving the space free. Although he looked extremely nervous for some reason, Yusuke still set both his hands flat on the bump. Hiei couldn't help but grin a little through his discomfort when he saw the look of shock on Yusuke's face.
"He's got a lot of energy," Hiei explained. "I'm sure he wanted to stay in my body forever, but I got sick of it and now he's going to come out whether he wants to or not." Hiei set his hands on his belly again and smiled down at the baby. "Did you hear that, little guy? Forty-four weeks is long enough. You're coming out."
They spent the next couple hours watching TV, punctuated by frequent bathroom breaks. But Hiei couldn't concentrate on the shows they watched, because around three-thirty, he got a very small pain. It felt like the "practice contractions" he'd been getting, but at the same time…no. Mother's intuition was strong, and it was telling Hiei, It's time.
But it was okay. It was more than okay—it was wonderful! Hiei wasn't nervous or scared; he was too busy feeling excited, happy, and, most of all, relieved. Of course, he had a long time to go yet before the actual birth, but labor had started naturally, and he could call Dr. Setchi to cancel the induction tomorrow. Now he could give birth just the way he had planned. He leaned his head back on the couch, feeling such a sense of peace.
"Uh, Hiei?" said Yusuke, turning away from the TV to stare. "You all right?"
Should I tell him? Hiei wondered. What if he freaked out? But then, what if Hiei needed his help? Besides, they were friends, and it didn't seem right to continue to labor without telling him.
"Yusuke," said Hiei calmly, "it's time."
Just like Hiei had predicted, Yusuke freaked out. In fact, he made a sort of raw gasping noise and fell off the couch.
"But…but I thought you were getting inducted!" he sputtered, his face white as snow.
"Yes, I was, but there was always the possibility that I could go into labor naturally," said Hiei, massaging his belly. Don't worry, little one, I'm here, he thought. I know you want to come out now.
"We've got to call Kurama!" Yusuke insisted, reaching into his pocket for his communication mirror, but Hiei stopped him.
"No, we don't," he said. "Kurama has to go to physical therapy today, remember?"
"His son's being born!" Yusuke argued. "I think he can skip!"
"I don't want him to skip!"
"Well, if you're not going to tell him to come home, we should at least tell him you're in labor," said Yusuke. "He needs to know about it."
"No, he does not," Hiei said back. "You know how he is. If we tell him, he'll be thinking about it the whole session, and he won't be able to focus on recovering. He's not going to physical therapy for shits and giggles, you know. We have to prioritize. Kurama needs to recover, and the baby's not going to be born for hours and hours. I only felt one small pain yet, and it didn't even hurt. Kurama's going to be home in two hours. The baby won't come before then."
"But Touya—"
"Trust me, Touya was the exception." Hiei sighed. "Now it's just a waiting game. We can tell Kurama when he gets home."
"Hiei…" Yusuke was still in disbelief. "You're…you're in labor. You seem a little bit too calm."
"There's nothing to be worried about," Hiei told him, but when the former Spirit Detective continued to look confused, he added, "Look, Yusuke, it's like this. My baby is almost four weeks overdue. And even then, I was ready to be done with this pregnancy. I had all those months to get ready, and now I am. My body knows what to do. I'll be fine."
"Well…all right," said Yusuke, getting back onto the couch, and finally giving Hiei a reluctant smile. "I guess this baby really is like you, huh? He didn't want to come out, but once he finds out about the induction, he does anyway, just so he can be born on his own terms."
"And more importantly, on my terms," Hiei agreed. "This is what I wanted."
"Is there…is there anything I can do to help?"
"Just wait with me, if you can, until Kurama comes home," said Hiei. "I-I don't want to be alone right now."
"Okay." Yusuke's smile widened and he gave Hiei a pat on the shoulder. "We can just hang out until Kurama gets here."
Over the next two hours, Hiei tried to relax as he waited for his husband to come home. He only had a few more contractions, and they were very mild and short. But he was completely sure he was in labor. Yusuke was a good help, too; he brought food and drinks for Hiei, to help him keep up his strength, and he helped him keep cool in the steaming-hot July weather. About a half an hour before Kurama arrived home, Yusuke helped Hiei change into a yukata, so that he would have something to wear while giving birth. Hiei didn't wear anything underneath it, not even a bra or underwear, but just like Homura, Yusuke acted like it was no big deal, so it wasn't.
Hiei wasn't in pain, at least not yet, and although his level of discomfort had increased, he was mostly excited for the baby's birth. It had just been so long, and now the baby was finally on his way out! He could still feel the kicking, the weight of the baby, and every so often a contraction that was barely noticeable. Finally, at 5:25, the door opened, and in came Kurama, along with some shopping bags.
"Oh, good, you're here!" Yusuke shouted in relief, getting up and running all the way to Kurama. "Guess what? The baby's coming!"
"Wha—really?" Kurama turned to Hiei, looking quite as shocked as Yusuke had been, minus the panic. "Now? Do we need to get going?"
"No, not yet," said Hiei, rubbing his belly. "I only felt the first contraction about two hours ago. I just want to stay here until the pains get…well, until they actually get painful."
"All right, honey." Kurama made his way over to the couch and set his hands on top of Hiei's. "Whatever you want."
Kurama and Yusuke stayed with Hiei the rest of the day while they waited for labor to progress. This was the one time Hiei actually wanted to be in pain; as Kurama said, the ability to feel pain was a strength, not a weakness. Kurama canceled the induction appointment (Dr. Setchi sent her congratulations), timed the contractions, gave Hiei massages, and cooked for him, while Yusuke helped out with everything Kurama couldn't. He even helped Hiei walk around and around the apartment for what seemed like hours (Kurama said that would help get the baby moving).
Night fell, and bedtime approached. According to Kurama and his stopwatch, Hiei's contractions were, on average, thirty-five seconds long and twenty minutes apart. They hurt a little now, about a three on Dr. Setchi's pain scale from the childbirth class, but he still wanted to try to get some sleep before he actually had to birth the baby. When he and Kurama were in bed and Yusuke had gone home, Hiei curled up against Kurama and squeezed his hand whenever he felt pain.
If this is what labor is like, Hiei thought to himself, maybe it won't be so difficult after all.
Oh, how very wrong he was.
TO BE CONTINUED...