Author's Note: I think a few people wanted to see a scene of Jay's pregnancy, so I went ahead and scribbled one up for you guys. Enjoy!

Ninjalogy

By: Mad Betrayal

Chapter 9 ~ Worrisome Husband

"Jay! What are you doing?!"

Startled by his husband's sudden consternated shout, Jay yelped and fell back on his butt from his squatted position. "Oww…" The blue ninja winced as a numbing pain shot up from his rear to his spine. The kitchen floor wasn't soft, after all. Plus, the added weight from his pregnancy didn't help either.

"Oh crap, you fell!" Jay started to try and get up, but soon felt Cole's hands on his body. "No, wait! You'll never be able to get up yourself, I'll do it!" Jay rolled his eyes exasperatedly as he was lifted effortlessly off the ground by the strong arms of his husband. Still cradling the pot he had managed to grab before his abrupt tumble, the pregnant brunette frowned at being taken out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Placing him down on the soft cushions of their sofa, Cole continued to fret. "Okay, tell me where it hurts. Are you okay?"

Jay looked into worrisome emeralds calmly. "Yes, I'm fine."

"But you were hurt before. You could be in shock." Still using the utmost care and tenderness, Cole gently began to probe his wife. "Do you feel any lingering pain anywhere?"

Jay sighed and pushed aside his long, chestnut bangs. "No."

"Are you woozy?"

"No."

Cole promptly lifted his hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Thoroughly exasperated, Jay tried again. "Cole, I'm fine."

"Will you please just answer the finger-question?" Cole persisted, and Jay—not wanting to argue—relented.

"Three."

Emerald eyes widened fearfully, and the black ninja shot up from the couch in a panic. "No! See? Something's wrong with you! We should go to the hospital immediately! Look, I have one…two…three…?" Jay smiled wryly and shook his head at his husband's perplexed expression. "Wha…? Why did I think I had five fingers up?"

The ninja leader sat back down. "Oh…you're okay then. But, what were you trying to do, Blue?"

"Hello?" Jay raised the pot from his lap expectantly. "I was just trying to make us dinner, sweetheart. It's getting late, and I'm hungry. I was thinking something simple, like chicken and rice."

But Cole frowned and shook his head. "No Jay, you know what the doctor said, "No strenuous activities." I'll continue to cook our meals for us."

"Tch! It's not like I'm going outside to a field to harvest the rice myself, Cole," Jay huffed. "It's in a freakin' box! And it takes like two minutes to cook! Well, the chicken would take longer, of course, but—"

"That's beside the point, Jay," Cole interrupted sternly. "It's dangerous, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

Feeling his temper flare at his husband's obstinate behavior, Jay snapped. "Well your wish has been granted because nothing's been happening to me since I got pregnant five months ago! You've taken over all of the household chores, you run all of our errands, you cook all our meals, and you're even working overtime at your job when you don't have to!" Stunning sapphires glared heatedly into equally irate emeralds. "You're making me feel like a burden, Cole! All I want to do is help out like I usually do!"

Cole's brow creased in confusion. "A burden? You're not a burden, Jay. You're pregnant."

"Yes!" Jay countered matter-of-factly. "I'm pregnant, Cole. Not an invalid. I can still do things. And this is my body! Not yours! Not the doctor's! Mine! I am well aware of what I'm doing and what my limits are! So if anything were to happen to it, I would be the first to know about it!"

"But I…I just…" Jay's anger immediately extinguished upon seeing the melancholic and overall tiredness creep onto his husband's face. Putting the pot aside, he ran his fingers soothingly through thick, noir locks and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Sweetheart…I know you're excited—so am I but, you've been running yourself ragged doing things for me. I initially found it sweet and…kinda funny, but now it's gettin' out of hand. I'll lean on you, but you also have to lean on me too. I'm your partner for life; it's what we're supposed to do no matter what."

Cole sighed heavily and leaned forward to touch his brow to his wife's. "Ahh Jay…I just want to keep you happy and healthy… I want to protect you…both of you…"

A beautiful blush touched Jay's fair cheeks at Cole's loving devotion and he placed a chaste kiss to the full lips just inches away from his. "I understand…but you don't have to kill yourself while doing it… Now sit back and relax…"

Cole blinked languidly as Jay eased him away until his back touched the pillows of the sofa. The brunette then rose from his seat and grinned adoringly down at his lover. "…It's time for me to cater to your needs now…"

Pleased with the compliant silence that followed, Jay padded to the back-end of the sofa, behind Cole and placed his hands on the other man's shoulders. At the very first squeeze to the tightly wound muscles, Cole moaned in bliss.

"Oh Jay…"

Smiling ever so gently, the brunette proceeded to rub and knead his husband's shoulders with thoroughness and expertise. "I should've stopped you sooner… I'm sorry, Cole."

But the earth ninja shook his head, a lazy and gratefully relaxed smile turning his lips. "Nah…you were right… I should've kept a level head… But Jay…?"

Jay's eyebrows lifted at Cole's sudden serious tone. "Yeah…?"

One of Cole's hands lifted and fell on his shoulder, atop of his wife's. "…I don't think I'll ever stop wanting to protect you… I love you too much… You too little guy…or girl… We don't know yet…right?"

Jay's heart swelled, his emotions getting the better of him as he felt the hot prick of tears sting the corners of his eyes. "…The feeling is mutual, sweetheart… I love you too… and…no… We decided to find out when he or she comes into the world…

"Mmmm…what are you hoping for…?"

Jay bit his lip. "I…I want a girl… Even though we're both men, and it may be difficult to raise one because of that…I really want a girl…"

"…I think we'd be okay…"

A lapse of silence ensued, and experienced hands continued their soothing ministrations. And soon…Jay could hear his husband's deep and steady breathing. Removing his hands, Jay came back around the sofa and carefully maneuvered Cole's body to lie down. He lifted the other's legs and removed his boots, smiling all the while. He then gathered the pot from the table he had placed it before earlier and made a silent trek back to the kitchen, leaving his worrisome husband to his much deserved rest.

Author's Note: I think I like writing at night the best… :)