On Tuesday morning, Hiei awoke to painful cramps in his lower abdomen. He shifted around in his bed, just trying to get comfortable, but the ninshinsu really ached. When he remembered that the doctor's appointment was today, he rolled miserably over onto his back and groaned. Getting out of bed was the last thing he wanted to do this morning. His stomach felt nauseous, he had to pee, he was tired, he was sweaty, and now he was having cramps.

Hiei looked at the clock. 7:45, it said. Perhaps if he wanted to make it to the doctor on time, he should get out of bed. But he couldn't. It felt like there was an invisible hand inside his body, pulling and squeezing at the ninshinsu like it was a stress ball.

"Rise and shine," said Kurama, stepping into the room carrying a tea tray. "I brought you some tea and saltine crackers."

"Can't we reschedule?" Hiei moaned. "I feel like shit."

"I know it's hard, honey," said Kurama, smoothing Hiei's bangs back comfortingly as he sat down on the bed. "But we have to see the doctor to make sure everything's as it should be. Do you want me to help you get ready?"

"No," said Hiei. "I want to sleep."

"You can sleep when we get home," said Kurama. "Regular prenatal appointments are an important part of having a healthy pregnancy, Hiei."

"I'm not leaving!" Hiei pulled the sheets up over his head and gripped them tightly so Kurama couldn't pull them off him again.

"Hiei, please listen," said Kurama. "You've been through a lot of rough times, and you only became stronger as a result. You shouldn't let pregnancy get you down. That's not like you at all."

"How would you know?" Hiei demanded. "I'm going to turn into a fat pig!"

"I'm sure there are plenty of exercises you can do during pregnancy to stay fit," Kurama insisted. "I agree you probably won't be able to stick to your old training routine, but the doctor will be able to tell you what you can and can't do."

"Nobody tells me what I can and can't do!" Hiei snapped, even though if he was being honest, he was too exhausted to do any exercise, much less the intense routine he normally kept to.

"Look. We have to be able to leave the house by half-past eight today," Kurama said finally, "and it's almost eight. Just humor me, okay? I know I can't bribe you with food in your condition, but doesn't it sound nice to take a trip to Makai?"

"Well…maybe," said Hiei. "And I would like the baby to have been there before it's born. It needs to know its heritage."

"Yes, definitely," Kurama agreed, though Hiei suspected he was just relieved Hiei was getting out of bed. "Do you need any help getting ready, love? I've been all set since seven."

"Just some help walking to the bathroom," Hiei said in a small voice, poking his face out from underneath the comforter. "I've been really, really tired lately."

"You are so cute, Hiei." Kurama smiled warmly and kissed Hiei's forehead before untangling him from the bedding. "Of course you're tired! You're growing a baby!"

Hiei felt another cramp as he got out of bed, and he wondered if it was normal. Well, that was something he would ask the doctor; no need to bring it up now if he could get a professional answer in a half an hour. Kurama had already taken a shower, so they couldn't take one together, but these days, Hiei liked to sleep in, so he and Kurama hadn't shared a shower for some time now. Hiei washed his hair and totally scrubbed himself down, because he knew he would be getting a full-body exam and he didn't want to be dirty or smelly. After his shower, he brushed his teeth with mouthwash and floss (this time without being nagged to by Kurama) and tied on his headband. Then he left the bathroom in his black bathrobe to try and find something to wear.

Instantly, he looked towards his dresser drawer where his pajamas were and longed to climb right back into them, but no, he was going out in public today. Usually he would wear black pants, a couple of belts, and sometimes a black tank top. But recently, he had been having problems with the tank top and the belts, and he was surprised at how insecure he was because of it. All his life, he had been in extremely good shape, but now, even though he was barely eating anything, his abdominal area was changing, and not for the better. Several days ago, he had given up buckling his belts and had stayed in his pajamas all day, but this whole "going out into public" thing really brought his new body to light.

Staring into the mirror, Hiei frowned at his midsection. Was he showing already? Or was he just retaining water or something? His arms were just as toned as ever, as were his legs, but he seemed to have gotten so bloated and puffy around the stomach area, and as for his lower parts, it felt like everything had been jostled around down there; he couldn't quite put his finger on how, but it all just felt different.

Either way, Hiei didn't look like he was pregnant, but it did look like he was starting to let himself go, and he didn't like that. Even his face and ass seemed to be a little bigger. It caused his self-esteem to plummet, so he decided that since he was going somewhere today, he was going to wear his tight belts again if it killed him. His normal pants were stretchy to begin with, so he was able to get those on all right, but he was still struggling with his first belt when Kurama walked in.

"What are you doing, Hiei?" Kurama asked. "It's almost eight-thirty. Yusuke said we need to wait for our ride."

"Look," Hiei said tearfully, demonstrating how he couldn't buckle his belt, and grabbing a piece of disgusting flab that had certainly not been there a few weeks ago.

"Honey, you're pregnant," said Kurama, gently taking the belt from his husband and setting it on the dresser. "Your body is going to change."

"Yeah, but already?" Hiei was so annoyed about crying, but he couldn't hold it in. "I thought I had a few months before I got fat!"

"You're not fat, just bloated," said Kurama. "It doesn't matter."

"Look at my face!" Hiei cried in despair. "It's puffy!"

"You're exaggerating," Kurama told him. "I don't see any difference."

"Liar!" Hiei accused, tears in his eyes. How could anyone not notice the weight he'd gained? The pregnancy pounds were already happening, and he hadn't even had time to prepare! And why did it feel like such a big deal?

"Hiei—" Kurama began, stepping towards him.

"Why am I crying?" Hiei wailed. "What's wrong with me?!"

"Nothing's wrong with you, love," said Kurama, kissing him. "I think you just need a hug."

"Maybe," Hiei gulped. Usually he didn't even like hugs, but now he really wanted one. So he let Kurama give him a big hug, which they held until Hiei was able to stop crying.

"Tell you what." Kurama kissed Hiei again once before letting him go. "You can wear your pants without a belt to the doctor, and if you don't feel good about the way your body looks, you can just wear your cloak. You would wear your cloak anyway, right?"

Hiei took his cloak off the top of the dresser and threw it on. Once he was wearing it, he had to admit that—besides his rounder face—he didn't look any different. How long would that last? Not long, he guessed.

"Are you sure you can't see it in my face?" Hiei asked. "I think my ass is fatter, too."

"Honey, sometimes we look in the mirror and we can't help but criticize everything we see," Kurama said softly, giving Hiei another hug. "But our friends, family, and life partners love us for who we really are. That's what's important."

"I feel like such an idiot," said Hiei, throwing his scarf around his neck. "I try to control all this crying, but I really can't."

"It's your pregnancy," said Kurama. "You can cry if you want to. Now, it's almost eight-thirty, so let's wait outside."

They waited on the front porch for their ride, wondering what Yusuke had set up for them. Maybe one of Raizen's old friends? Hiei stole a glance at Kurama's watch. 8:28, it said. Hiei was looking down at the ground, feeling nauseous again, when Kurama spoke up.

"You know what?" he said. "We could have used your Jagan Eye to find the hospital."

"Not really," said Hiei. "The nearest portal to Makai is by Genkai's temple in the middle of nowhere, and it would still be a long walk to one of the cities."

"Good point," said Kurama, but that was when their ride arrived at 8:30 sharp.

"If it isn't my favorite demon pair!" Botan said brightly, hovering on her oar a few feet above ground in front of them.

"Botan?!" said Kurama and Hiei in shock.

"Yep!" Botan grinned cheerfully. "Yusuke said you needed a ride to a hospital in the biggest city in Makai, and I was more than happy to help. I hope you're feeling all right, Hiei."

"Oh, he's just a little under the weather," said Kurama. "The doctor will be able to help."

"That's smart," Botan agreed. "Hop on now, you don't want to miss your appointment."

"On that thing?" Hiei suddenly felt sicker than ever. "You want me to fly?"

"Just for a little bit, Hiei," said Kurama comfortingly. "Botan's oar is fast, so we'll get there soon enough."

"Oh, no," Hiei groaned, holding onto his stomach with one hand while Kurama held onto the other, helping him onto the oar.

"Away we go!" chirped Botan.

"Wait," said Hiei frantically, feeling his stomach lurch. "I'm not sure this is such a good ideeeaaaAHHHHH!"

Hiei would have fallen off the oar as they soared into the air, but thanks to Kurama's freakishly fast reflexes, he was saved. Hiei clung to Kurama with a death grip, trying to think of anything but throwing up.

I will not throw up, I will not throw up, I will NOT THROW UP…

"Botan, do you have any airsickness bags on here?" Kurama asked, possibly noticing how Hiei was turning green.

"No," she called into the wind. "Passengers have asked for air bags—but never barf bags."

Hiei felt like all his guts were mixing together like slimy worms. Even the air seemed to be bumpy, and the sensation of any movement, especially at such a pace, made his stomach churn. Not only that, but Botan seemed to be wearing some kind of fruity perfume, and Hiei knew by now what fruits did to him in his condition, even their smell. Hiei buried his nose in Kurama's chest, since the smell of flowers was very pleasant to him while pregnant, but it didn't block out Botan's strong fruit smell. And it wasn't even just plain fruit; it smelled like a fruity dessert (strawberry ice cream, he guessed) and that was about a million times more agonizing.

"Botan, hurry up," he moaned.

"Hiei, look, we've passed into Makai," said Kurama, apparently casting about for a distraction as they sped through the air. "Get some fresh air, it'll help."

"Prepare for descent!" said Botan, aiming the oar towards the ground, and they hurtled downwards while Hiei held onto Kurama for dear life, trying in vain to forget about his sickness. As if that wasn't bad enough, the sudden change of direction did a number on his newfound weak bladder, and he almost wet his pants.

"Look," Kurama said again. "There's the city, see?"

"Urgghhh," was Hiei's reply.

"It won't be long now!" Botan sounded worried, too. "Hang in there, Hiei!"

Only a couple minutes later, Botan arrived in one of Makai's biggest urban jungles, and they touched down in front of a huge hospital; Kurama helped Hiei off the oar as Botan hovered a couple feet in midair.

"Thanks for the ride, Botan," Kurama said, and the ferry-girl soared off into the sky again as Hiei fell to his knees and vomited on the curb. Hiei felt Kurama's hand in his hair, comforting him until he was done spilling his cookies, and then the fox-demon helped his newly pregnant husband to his feet.

"I'm gonna pass out," Hiei mumbled, clinging to Kurama's arm.

"Not yet, honey, come on," said Kurama, helping Hiei walk into the hospital, by which time Hiei was about to burst.

"Where's the bathroom?" he said. "I have to pee again."

"Can't it wait?" said Kurama. "The nurse has to do a urinalysis anyway."

Hiei stopped in his tracks. "W-What's that?"

"It's when the nurse hands you a cup and you pee in it," Kurama explained.

"In front of her?!" said Hiei, aghast.

"No!" Kurama rolled his eyes. "In the bathroom."

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway, because I can't wait that long!" Hiei said desperately. "Where's the bathroom?!"

"I don't know, Hiei!"

"Kurama!" said Hiei desperately. "I've got about five seconds before I wet my pants!"

"Just do it outside!" Kurama hissed, almost pushing Hiei to the door. "Hurry!"

As soon as Hiei got outside, he held his cloak up with his chin, tugged down the front of his pants, and peed against the wall of the hospital, sighing with relief—but he didn't even get to finish before someone grabbed his arm. It was a member of the city's demon law enforcement. In most Makaian areas, there was no such thing as law and ergo no such thing as law enforcement, but they usually had at least someone to keep order in the bigger cities, on a more local level, so that things wouldn't descend into total anarchy.

"Let go of me!" Hiei said angrily. "I'm not done!"

"Well, you may not know it, but public urination is not allowed in our city," the police officer told him strictly. "You are under arrest."

"Like hell I am!" Hiei was glad he had brought his sword, which was instantly at the man's throat.

"Hey, woah, I don't want any trouble!" said the police officer, taking a step back.

"I don't take orders from anyone, asshole," Hiei growled at him, "and I can take a piss wherever I goddamn well please. Got it?"

But before the terrified man could respond, Hiei heard his husband's voice.

"Hiei!" said Kurama, bolting out of the hospital. "What are you doing? Get your sword away from that police officer's throat right this instant!"

"Well, sorry," said Hiei, sheathing his sword, "but he thought he could arrest me, and I didn't feel like playing into his ridiculous delusions."

"Officer, could you just let us off with a warning?" Kurama pleaded, gently massaging Hiei's shoulders to calm him down. "My husband is pregnant, and he couldn't hold it."

"You don't look very pregnant to me, Mr. Scofflaw," said the cop suspiciously to Hiei. "How do I know he's not just making it up?"

"Officer, I'm very sorry I threatened you," Hiei said suddenly, surprising both the cop and Kurama. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me in all my life."

"Uh…right," said the police officer, looking a little alarmed at Hiei's sudden change in demeanor. "I guess I can let a pregnant youkai off with a warning. Have a nice day."

"You, too!" said Hiei, waving, as the man ran away from them as fast as he could.

"It appears that all your rushing was in vain," said Kurama sympathetically. "You're soaked."

"It's not my fault," Hiei said acidly. "I made it in time. That fool just didn't let me finish."

"Well, luckily, I planned for something like this." Kurama smiled and handed Hiei his messenger bag. "I've got a change of clothes in there for you, and I found the bathroom, so you can change."

"Thank you, Kurama," said Hiei gratefully, feeling so relieved that his husband always thought ahead. When he was done changing, they headed to the elevators. Kurama scanned the list of floors, so they would know what number to pick.

"Obstetrics…obstetrics…" Kurama muttered, scanning the list carefully.

"Floor twelve," said a voice from behind them. The speaker was a very, very pregnant demoness. "I'm familiar with it by now. Come on."

Once they got into the elevator, Kurama pressed the 12 button, and the elevator jerked up. Hiei suddenly felt like he was going to throw up again.

"Let me guess," said the woman, grinning at him. "First pregnancy, less than twelve weeks?"

"You're good," said Kurama. "Yes, this is our first child, and he's at seven weeks."

"I'm on week forty of my third pregnancy," she said. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll feel better once you reach the second trimester."

"Urk," said Hiei, clutching his stomach. He didn't think it was right that there were more floors leading up to the obstetrics department than there were weeks in his pregnancy so far. More patients got on, and since they were all going to different departments, the elevator kept stopping and starting, making Hiei sicker and sicker each time. Not only that, but all the demons in the elevator had different smells, and when one got on with a huge chocolate bar in his hand and stood right next to Hiei, the poor fire demon started casting around for something to throw up in.

"Here, take this," said their heavily pregnant new friend, handing her purse to him.

Hiei emptied his stomach into the woman's purse before she could change her mind, and all the other demons in the packed elevator started complaining.

"Oh, be quiet!" the woman snapped. "If that one smell bothers you, how do you suppose he feels?"

Luckily, the man with the chocolate got off at the next floor, and Kurama released some beautiful-smelling rose petals into the air. Hiei was relieved, because the smell of flowers usually soothed his stomach somewhat.

"I'm sorry for ruining your purse, ma'am," Hiei said guiltily, giving it back to her.

"Don't worry, honey," she told him. "That's just a dummy purse I carry around in case I get mugged. I haven't got anything valuable in there. Besides, I know just how you feel."

"Thanks," said Hiei weakly, and Kurama kissed him again.

It seemed to take forever, but they finally got to the obstetrics floor without a moment to spare. The forty-weeks-pregnant demoness let them go ahead at the check-in desk, and after they confirmed their appointment at nine and filled out a clipboard with questions, they went to sit down in the waiting area, which was full of pregnant youkai, visibly so or not. It wasn't long before Hiei heard someone say, "Minamino?"

"That's us," said Kurama, getting to his feet and helping Hiei stand up, too. (Since Hiei had never had an official last name, he had taken Kurama's human last name at their wedding.)

Before they could see the doctor, they had to do a standard check-up with the nurse, doing things such as testing Hiei's blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and power level (which had dropped to lower S-class already). Hiei explained that he'd already used the bathroom, and the nurse said he could give the specimen after the appointment. Once it was time to get weighed, Hiei felt ashamed when he took off his cloak and shoes. All he could think about was how fat he was getting.

"One hundred pounds exactly," said the nurse. "That's a healthy weight for someone who's 4'10", and all your other tests are healthy, too."

"How can I have lost weight?" Hiei demanded, throwing on his cloak as soon as he could and shoving his feet into his boots. "I was 105 last time I weighed myself, but I'm getting fat!"

"You're not fat, Hiei!" Kurama insisted.

"Listen," the nurse began gently. "When you're pregnant, your hormones slow down digestion so that the food you eat has more time to transfer to your baby. That causes bloating and puffiness, but you're not fat, and it will probably be a few months before you start showing."

"Let's just take this one step at a time, Hiei," said Kurama. "And for what it's worth, you'll always look great to me."

"Now that your tests are done, please follow me into this room," said the nurse. They followed her into the room, and she handed Hiei one of those paper hospital gowns. "Take off all your clothes and put on this gown, please."

"What if the doctor comes in before I'm done getting undressed?" Hiei asked, not at all sure.

"She'll knock first," said the nurse sweetly, shutting the door behind her with a snap.

"Wait!" said Hiei. "I thought I was seeing a male doctor!"

"Didn't I tell you?" said Kurama. "The doctor is Risho's sister, and she's an excellent obstetrician."

"But you know me," Hiei told him, embarrassed. "I'm…I'm shy. Especially now that everything's different."

"You'll be fine," said Kurama. "Now stop being silly and give me a striptease."

"Kurama, you're not helping!" Hiei shouted at him. "I'm really scared about this! I've never had a full-body physical before."

"Really? Never?" Kurama looked surprised.

"If I were to go to a doctor, it would be because of an injury I couldn't heal from on my own," Hiei explained, "and that wasn't often. If I get a minor injury, my body heals itself with a little extra demon energy. I don't end up half-dead at the end of all my fights, unlike some people we know."

"Not even a check-up, though?" asked Kurama, ignoring the jab at his fighting style.

"I told you, I stay away from cities, so I've never been to a big hospital like this," Hiei repeated. "Now you see, I don't really like getting naked in front of people I don't know, even a doctor."

"It'll be okay, hon." Kurama got up and gave Hiei a hug. "She's a professional, and she won't be getting off on it. Besides, this won't be anything she hasn't seen before. Do you want me in the room during the exam?"

"Yes," said Hiei nervously. For some reason, with the exception of Kurama, he just got embarrassed whenever someone saw him naked. He had no clue why, because he was in great shape (well, he was before the baby, anyway), and by demon standards, he was a little above average "down there" (and by human standards, according to Kurama, way above average). Hiei didn't care to wear a shirt a lot of the time, but being fully naked, especially in front of a stranger and a member of the opposite sex, was a different story.

"You look best without your clothes," said Kurama, grinning. "Just take them off and put on the gown. And if you have no interest in women, why are you embarrassed about being naked in front of them?"

"I have no idea!" Hiei said hotly. "I just am!"

"Calm down," said Kurama. "You know you're going to have to undress one way or another."

"Okay, just shut the hell up already!" Hiei kicked off his boots so that they hit the wall, took off his cloak and scarf, and had just pulled down his pants and underwear when they heard a knock at the door.

"Are you two ready in there?" asked the doctor. Her voice was deep for a woman's, very shrewd and professional-sounding.

"NO! DON'T COME IN!" Hiei bellowed, wanting to murder Kurama for laughing.

Now that he knew she was waiting out there, Hiei felt even more awkward and rushed. So he quickly wriggled out of his black pants and shoved them under a chair, but then he realized his underwear was hanging out of them, so he covered them with his cloak and scarf. Then he clumsily tied on the gown and jumped up on the examining table as Kurama picked up his boots and parked them under the chair with the rest of his clothes.

"Now that's my kind of gown," Kurama teased. "Every time you turn around, I get a perfect view of your cute little ass."

"Shut up, Kurama!" Hiei said again, turning red. The leather examining table felt unpleasantly sticky and cold on his bare ass, and wearing this paper gown made him feel more naked than if he actually was naked. It covered absolutely nothing.

"You can come in now," Kurama called, and Dr. Setchi, sister of Risho the former Shinobi, stepped into the room. Her hair was straight and dark, just like her brother's, except it was tied up in a no-nonsense bun; she had the same pale skin and dark eyes, but hers weren't cold and cruel like his had been. Overall, she seemed mysterious, but not threatening. Still, Hiei felt vulnerable wearing nothing but the flimsy paper gown.

"Good morning, my name is Dr. Setchi," she said, shaking both men's hands. "I recognize you two. Team Urameshi, right?"

"About six years ago, yes," Kurama replied with a smile. "Um—how is Risho these days?"

"Well, his body's healed, but his ego sure hasn't," she said, rolling her eyes. "I must admit, I lost some respect for my brother after he managed to get beaten into submission by a man who was barely alive."

"That's Kuwabara for you." Kurama grinned. "Anyway, we're here because we just found out Hiei's pregnant."

"Congratulations," she said. "I'm glad you're taking steps towards a healthy pregnancy. Now, there are a few things we need to talk about before the exam..."

They discussed Hiei's medical history and what little he knew of his family history, plus his general overall health. He was relieved to hear that none of the symptoms he was experiencing were unusual, but he was less happy to hear that most of them were going to be sticking around, and that he could possibly feel nausea the entire nine months. Then they started talking about the due date.

"When was your last fertile window?" Dr. Setchi asked Hiei.

"Five weeks ago," Hiei mumbled, clutching the gown tighter around him.

"We think he's about seven weeks along," Kurama added. "I've calculated his due date to be on or around June 16."

"That sounds about right," said Dr. Setchi, "although we can get some more accuracy after the physical exam."

"What are you going to do, exactly?" Hiei asked warily.

"I'm just going to assess your health before you continue on in your pregnancy," she replied matter-of-factly. "Please sit up straight and place your hands down on the exam table, and let's have a peek."

Let's not and say we did, Hiei thought, but it turns out she was just talking about his ears, mouth, nose, and eyes. Then she felt the sides of his neck and listened with the stethoscope to his chest and back while he took deep breaths.

"All normal up there," she said cheerfully. "So far, so good. Now just lay down on your back, and we'll examine your chest and stomach, okay?"

Hiei lay down like she asked; she peeled off the top of the paper gown and started examining his chest. That wasn't a problem for Hiei until he realized she was working her way downwards. First the head and neck, then the chest and stomach, and then…

"Let's see here," Dr. Setchi was saying. "Any tenderness or sensitivity in the chest area recently, Hiei?"

"Um, a little. Is that bad?"

"No, that's normal," she said, continuing her examination. "These seem to be all set for the milk production. Expect the breasts to start coming in around the tenth week of pregnancy, and be prepared for leaks. You may want to invest in some bras."

"Wait, what?" said Hiei. "I'm going to grow breasts?!"

"Well, yes," Dr. Setchi replied. "Once the baby is weaned, or you choose not to breastfeed him or her, the breasts will stop producing milk and you can work them off like any other fat."

"So after they stop producing milk, I'll have a huge pair of man-boobs?"

"Basically," said Dr. Setchi, and Hiei glared at Kurama, who was obviously trying not to laugh at that last comment. "Okay, I'll examine your stomach now, and be sure to let me know if you feel any pain."

Hiei wondered if it would be better or worse if she didn't tell him everything she was going to do right before she did it. The good news was that nothing in that area hurt, but he still felt self-conscious about his abdomen starting to get puffy.

"Now I'm going to examine the ninshinsu," Dr. Setchi continued, and he felt her hands pressing gently onto his lower abdomen, right where the baby was growing. "Let's see…firm, but not too firm…its own youki…Any pain there, Hiei?"

"Cramps," Hiei said. "They're a bit like gas, but not exactly. It's kind of a dull ache. Is that normal?"

"Yes," she replied. "You see, the baby's going to get much bigger, so the ninshinsu is getting bigger, too. When it changes size, you get cramps. You'll also get some cramps there after the pregnancy, as it shrinks back to normal size. They can get intense, but tea or a heat compress should help. All right, please get off of the table and stand."

Here it comes, Hiei thought miserably, and he climbed down from the table. Kurama was still watching them, though he looked slightly concerned. Hiei was so worried that his eyes and mouth were squeezed tightly shut, and his hands were in fists, his fingernails digging into his palms. What if she made some sort of comment or gave her personal, not-so-medical opinion? That would be unprofessional, but you never know. Or what if she didn't say anything critical, but she was thinking it? What if she was actually impressed, and she was getting off on it?

"Now," said Dr. Setchi, "I'm going to untie this gown, and then I'm going to—"

"How about not?" Hiei blurted out nervously. "I think we can skip it."

"Hiei, don't be immature," said Kurama sternly. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but this is his first physical examination and he's a bit nervous."

"It's important not to skip anything," Dr. Setchi said, "and this is the most important part of the exam, because this area goes through many significant changes during pregnancy. I'm sure you've noticed some of them already. My job is to make sure you're healthy before carrying a baby and giving birth, the same way I do with all my patients. I'm sure you have questions, besides."

As it turns out, she didn't say anything at all during the next part of the exam, except tell him what she was going to do next, but the worst part was that with her poking around "down there," Hiei's body ended up getting excited, and that really embarrassed him.

"I'm sorry," said Hiei. "I'm not getting off on this, even though I know it looks like I am. I'm not into women, no offense."

Hiei distinctly saw Kurama roll his eyes, but Dr. Setchi said, "That's just a physical reaction to the touch, Hiei. It doesn't necessarily mean you're aroused."

Well, at least she understood that! Hiei was beginning to feel a little more secure. Kurama was right; he wasn't Dr. Setchi's first male patient, and he wouldn't be the last. Plus, she really was a professional. He found himself trusting her with his body and his baby.

"All right, Hiei, now I need you to turn your head and cough," said the doctor, and after they finished that up, she asked, "Is everything normal down there as far as you can tell? No problems with arousal or ejaculation? Any pain during sex or urination?"

Hiei shook his head without meeting her eyes, feeling embarrassed again. Once they were finally finished with that, she went on to examine his legs and feet. Then she felt his bones to see how strong they were, tested his joints, made sure his spine was straight, and finally he got to sit on the table again. Even if he liked this doctor, he was relieved it was over—for now, anyway, seeing as this appointment was the first of many.

"I'm impressed, Hiei," said Dr. Setchi, and Hiei felt his face turning red again until she clarified. "You're healthy, strong, fit, and powerful. I only wish all patients going into pregnancy were in as good shape as you are. That's the good news."

"What's the bad news?" Kurama asked, because Hiei was afraid to.

"The bad news is that due to your small stature, the pregnancy and birth might be a little harder on you," she said.

"Well...giving birth..." Hiei tried not to look nervous. "Does it hurt much?"

"It's no walk in the park, but perhaps you won't be as frightened once you understand the process," said Dr. Setchi, and she took out an easel and a few pictures. The first one showed a medical drawing of a male demon's private parts, although Hiei would have only been able to name the more obvious ones. Kurama had so wonderfully introduced him to the prostate about a year ago, but he had never paused to think about what it looked like. The diagram labeled everything, from the womb to a bunch of other parts Hiei had never even known existed.

"So now I know what's inside me," Hiei said finally. "I guess."

"This is the reproductive system of a male youkai who is not pregnant, and going about his everyday life. And this…" Dr. Setchi replaced that drawing with another. "This is his body during the fertile window. You see the difference? Inside the ninshinsu is the demon energy waiting to be fertilized, and the ninshinsu is open a little. That's why you get those occasional little pains during the fertile window—that's the ninshinsu opening up. Then it closes again after the week's over."

"Oh," said Hiei. "I always wondered what those pains were all about."

Dr. Setchi replaced the drawing again, and this time there was something else inside the twice-as-large ninshinsu, something very small.

"This is what's inside of you right about now, Hiei," she said. "You see how the prostate and bladder have moved a little to accommodate the ninshinsu? That's why you have to use the bathroom so much, because the ninshinsu is right on top of your bladder. The prostate has moved a little farther down. And later in the pregnancy..." Yet another medical drawing. "Your body will have changed even more. Notice that the ninshinsu will take up even more room in your body, while the baby continues to rest on your bladder. And as for childbirth…"

Hiei was biting his lip, hoping it wouldn't be as horrible as movies and TV made it out to be.

"First, the ninshinsu opens up the way it does during the fertile window, only a lot wider, so that the baby can get out," she explained. "That's what contractions are—as the ninshinsu contracts to start squeezing the baby out, the entrance to the ninshinsu opens very wide, which many agree is the most painful part of labor. This process usually takes about six to twelve hours, though it's been known to last as long as forty-eight."

Okay, childbirth sounded even worse than movies and TV now.

"Then," Dr. Setchi continued, "once the ninshinsu opens all the way, it will continue contracting until the baby has started to make its way out. If you have an unusually big baby, the baby's head will force the ninshinsu open even wider than it has opened naturally…This is when you might get, shall we say, some relief from the pain."

"Relief?!" said Hiei incredulously. "That all sounds painful as fuck!"

"Don't you see where the baby's head is?" she replied, pointing. "It's quite common for male youkai to get an erection or even an orgasm at this point in time due to continued pressure on the prostate. It doesn't mean you're aroused by the birth, but the pleasure you feel may cancel out the sensation of the continued agony the ninshinsu is putting you through. Having an orgasm actually has been known to speed up contractions. With the exception of internal penetration, which can cause infection, stimulation during birth is quite a natural painkiller for both males and females. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you two are doing a natural birth."

The silence in the room was incredible.

"Well, they didn't teach us that in health class," Kurama said finally. Even he looked a bit embarrassed.

"It's a rather taboo topic," Dr. Setchi explained. "Anyway, once the ninshinsu is fully dilated, you'll feel a natural urge to push. Your pushes send the baby further down your birth canal until it finally comes out via the posterior. You see, the birth canal starts at the entrance to the ninshinsu and ends at the anal opening...but the baby doesn't come into contact with the rectum. After the birth, you'll feel some cramping and pain for a few days as the ninshinsu shrinks back to normal size and closes itself up again." She paused. "Have you thought any about your birth plan, Hiei?"

"Um…have the baby?" said Hiei. "That's my plan."

"What I mean is, how do you think you want to deliver?" she asked. "And where? I don't like to pressure pregnant youkai into decisions, but I do want them to know what their options are. You should be the boss on your baby's birthday, Hiei."

"I never thought I would have a baby, so I don't know," Hiei admitted. "What do you recommend?"

"On the one hand, you could deliver the baby anally, as males do, but with medical interventions," she said, "or you could even get a C-section, where they take the baby out surgically. But most youkai, male and female, simply choose to give birth in their homes or in nature—it's called homebirth, freebirth, or natural birth. You don't take pain medication, but some youkai like the freedom associated with that."

"Think of a nice, peaceful clearing, Hiei," said Kurama, "surrounded by trees."

"I like trees," Hiei said. "But how many babies are born this way?"

"Freebirth is much more common among youkai than it is among humans," said Dr. Setchi. "In urban areas, some babies are born at home, but most pregnant youkai have their babies wherever they happen to be when they go into labor, or perhaps a certain place that's meaningful to them. Many of them live in the wilderness and have never even been to a hospital."

"With kitsunes, babies are almost always born in natal dens," Kurama added. "Up to fourteen at a time, too."

"It's up to you, Hiei," said Dr. Setchi, and Kurama nodded in agreement. "Besides, you still have a long time to go before any decisions have to be final. You have a lot of pain management options, so we can discuss them all in length before the baby comes."

"Okay," said Hiei.

Another thing they did at the first appointment was look a little closer at the due date, as she'd promised. Kurama originally thought the due date was June 16, but after calculating in some other factors (age, height, weight, etc.), the doctor was able to determine that June 11 was a more accurate date. Hiei couldn't believe he'd been more than a month off in his prediction. Kurama promised to mark it on the calendar as soon as they got home.

"I'll make an appointment for you to come back in two weeks for your first ultrasound," Dr. Setchi told Hiei. "You'll be able to see your baby and hear its heartbeat. An unborn baby's heartbeats are much faster than your own."

"That's when the heart starts beating?" said Hiei. "At only nine weeks?"

"Actually…" Dr. Setchi smiled. "You're at seven weeks. Your baby's heart is already beating."

Hiei blinked. "W-What?"

"That's right, Hiei," said Kurama, walking over to Hiei and holding his hand. "Our baby's little heart is beating inside you right now."

At a complete loss for words, Hiei placed his hands on his abdomen again, his own heartbeat pounding loudly in his eardrums. Kurama set his hands right on top of Hiei's, and gave his beloved a kiss.