Hiroki tiredly shuffled out of the kitchen, a steaming coffee mug in hand. He went to the living room, where Nowaki was laying a blanket over the limp form of Miyagi.
"Did he finally fall asleep?" Hiroki asked softly as he walked up beside Nowaki and handed him the coffee. Nowaki straightened and took the mug with a muttered 'thanks'.
"Yes. He just kept chanting the same thing over and over until he just… tired himself out, I guess. I put Shinobu in the guest room," Nowaki said. Hiroki glanced up at his lover, whose pale face was illuminated by the dim lamplight. The dark shadows circling his eyes seemed to waver as Hiroki swayed sleepily on his own feet. Nowaki looked down at Hiroki. "Go to bed, Hiro-san. You need to rest, it's been a very rough, long day."
"Just let me have some coffee so I can stay awake."
"No, Hiro-san. It's unhealthy for the baby," Nowaki sighed. Hiroki gently reached out to take Nowaki's free hand and interlace their fingers.
"I don't want you to deal with this mess on your own. You hardly know Miyagi, let alone Shinobu. I should be the one watching over them," Hiroki murmured. Nowaki turned to him, smiling feebly.
"I appreciate it, Hiro-san, but I can take care of it," Nowaki said softly, lowering his head to kiss Hiroki's forehead. "Please go to bed."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because you won't be there, and I'm already terrified over this whole ordeal. Once I'm alone I'll be wide awake again," Hiroki whispered, too tired and disoriented to be embarrassed. Nowaki's eyes softened.
"Don't be silly… I won't let anything happen to you," Nowaki murmured. Hiroki reached up to caress Nowaki's cheek.
"I promise I'll go to sleep as long as you let me sleep out in the living room," Hiroki said. He glanced down at his maternity shirt and jeans. "…and if you hold my hand on the way to the bedroom so I can change into some pajamas."
"Yes, Hiro-san."
They slowly walked hand-in-hand towards the bedroom, Nowaki sipping lazily at his coffee with Hiroki leading the way. They stepped into their bedroom, and Nowaki shut the door quietly behind him as Hiroki turned the lights on 'dim'.
There, on the bed, were several piles of folded maternity outfits with a piece of paper stuck on top. Hiroki went to the pile and picked up the paper.
Enjoy!
Aikawa Eiri
Hiroki half-smiled and set the note aside before digging through the piles to find a pair of pajamas he had chosen from Aikawa's closet. He went to the mirror and clumsily unbuttoned the buttons of his maternity shirt. Nowaki watched him, leaning up against the door and drinking his coffee in silence.
"I'm shocked Shinobu would say that," Hiroki commented, letting his shirt slide down his arms. He brought it around to neatly fold it. "He's the one who suggested Append-X in the first place."
"Well, Miyagi said something about him being in shock. He probably didn't mean it," Nowaki said. Hiroki wriggled out of his pants and straightened them before casting them to the bed.
"Maybe Append-X shouldn't have been released yet," Hiroki mused, pressing his hand to his pregnant belly and humming to the bundle within.
"Maybe," Nowaki sighed in response. "The Japanese public sure isn't taking it too well. The Americans and the Europeans adapted to it with minor resistance, but I think you're right. Japan just isn't ready for such a big leap in homosexual acceptance."
Hiroki pursed his lips and slipped a long, light yellow t-shirt over his head. The hem of the cotton pajama top danced about his thighs, brushing against the pale skin. He grabbed the matching pajama bottoms from the bed and stepped into them, stretching the elastic waistline and pulling it up onto his baby bump.
"We're ready," Hiroki said, frowning at himself in the mirror and rubbing his belly. "Shinobu and Miyagi are ready. Misaki and Akihiko were ready."
Nowaki chuckled grimly.
"It's mind-blowing to think that people are reacting so violently against this when everyone around us is accepting the change, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
There was a long silence before Nowaki stepped forward and put his hand over Hiroki's on his baby bump.
"This is the best thing that has happened to us. While the pill has caused some bad arguments between us, and has brought on a lot of anxiety, it has also given us another step in our relationship. This baby has brought on love between us I never knew could exist. I swear I will protect you. I will never let any harm come to you. This baby will be born into a safe, loving family, I promise."
Hiroki smiled softly into his and Nowaki's reflection in the mirror, leaning into his lover.
"Dummy. Don't repeat things that I have already entrusted you with."
The long night went on. Hiroki dozed in the armchair as Nowaki paced the living room, waiting for the agonizingly slow sun to rise. All was quiet, except for the shuffling footsteps of Nowaki, and the soft, breathy snores of Miyagi. Hiroki would wake up between short snoozes to adjust or to simply think.
He thought of the rapid emotional fluctuation of everything that was happening. It seemed like the times of angst and fear were coming faster and faster as the beginning of his third trimester approached. He found himself actually missing the days where the only thing he fretted over was when his belly was going to start to show or making jelly omelets. He wished everyone would just leave him and Nowaki alone, and just let them bask in the warmth of their love.
Hiroki cried every few hours, whether it be out of fear or just stress, and Nowaki would quietly comfort him with a kiss or a soothing whisper.
"I want this to stop," Hiroki whimpered into Nowaki's ear as he was brought into his lover's warm embrace for the umpteenth time that night. "I want to run away together. Let's run away, Nowaki…"
"It's alright, Hiro-san. I'm going to make everything all better for you."
And again, Hiroki was eased into uncomfortable slumber.
The next time Hiroki opened his eyes, he was in bed on Nowaki's usual side, the pile of maternity clothes sitting to his left. Hiroki yawned and turned his head towards the digital alarm clock.
4:39PM.
Hiroki launched out of bed, wincing as his abdomen stung with his quick movement. He hurried out of the bedroom and into the living room, glancing around the empty room for any signs of life.
"Hiro-san? Is that you?" called Nowaki's voice from the kitchen. Hiroki dashed into the kitchen, panting slightly. There, sitting at the dining table, was Miyagi with a newspaper in his hands. Nowaki stood nearby, leaning against the counter and rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Nowaki, why didn't you wake me up?" Hiroki questioned angrily.
"You needed the rest, Hiro-san," Nowaki said. Hiroki scowled but yelled at him no further, turning quickly to Miyagi.
"And you, where is your brat?"
"He left about an hour ago to get an abortion."
Hiroki's glower instantly faded as he stared at the back of Miyagi's head.
"Wh-What?" he choked. Miyagi set his paper down calmly and grabbed his nearby tea cup. He sipped from it, not turning to look at Hiroki.
"Hiro-san, Shinobu-kun and Miyagi had a very long talk this afternoon. They decided that, for their own safety, they would abort. It was a calm decision," Nowaki explained softly. Hiroki felt his heart skip a beat as his breathing became ragged. He clenched his fists at his sides.
"Calm decision? What the fuck does that mean?"
"Hiro-san, please rela-"
"There were no tears or yelling. We came to a quiet agreement. We're just going to forget everything that happened and go back to being lovers. Everything was fine until Append-X came along," Miyagi said flatly. Hiroki's eyes went wild as he flew forward and grabbed Miyagi by the back of his collar. Miyagi choked as he was roughly yanked back. His chair tipped back and he crashed to the floor with a shout. Hiroki straddled his stomach and fisted the front of his shirt, violently shaking Miyagi and slamming the back of his head against the floor. He was vaguely aware of big hands trying to pry him away, but Hiroki couldn't control himself.
"Are you fucking stupid?" Hiroki roared furiously. "He's going to kill your God damn babies, and you don't even care! There's no going back after an abortion! They're going to remove his appendix and you'll never have another chance!"
"Ka-Ka-Ka-mi-mi-mi-jou!" Miyagi gasped between yelps of pain as his head repeatedly hit the floor.
"How could you be so thick-skulled? THINK! He needs your love right now, not an abortion! His fucking house and all of his belongings have gone straight to hell, and you're here sipping your fucking tea! HE WANTS YOU TO CHASE AFTER HIM!"
Hiroki thrashed about, still bellowing in rage as he was finally wrenched off of Miyagi. Miyagi twitched and convulsed on the ground, sucking in breaths of air and blinking rapidly.
"CATCH HIM, MIYAGI!"
Miyagi inhaled sharply, his eyes widening.
"Oh God, Shinobu!" Miyagi gasped in dread, scrambling to his feet and sprinting out of the kitchen. A second later, the front door slammed open. Hiroki sagged in Nowaki's arms, his head lolling to the side.
"Hiro-san," Nowaki whispered, his voice stern but soft. "That was really reckless."
"I've been… waiting my whole life… to bash… his head in… like that," Hiroki panted breathlessly. Nowaki chuckled lightly, easing Hiroki down onto the kitchen floor and sinking down behind him. He rested his exhausted lover's back on his thighs.
"Don't do something like that again, Hiro-san. I thought you were going to over-exert yourself," Nowaki said, combing his fingers through Hiroki's hair.
"Nowaki, you don't know this, but Miyagi is the reason I forgave you so easily about the Append-X mishap. Miyagi is the reason I gave you that phone call to tell you to take care of me. Miyagi is the reason I've changed into a better lover for you. It's all because he supported me through all of my hardships. But just now… he was so unlike himself, so… submissive, that I just couldn't control myself. Sorry I worried you, but I needed to show that stupid fuck my point."
"Because you care about him so much," Nowaki murmured, thumbing Hiroki's cheek. "You got so angry because he's your friend, and you don't want to see him hurt."
Hiroki blushed, shutting his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Whatever. Friends with that nasty old man? He wishes."