Hi guys!!! Sorry it took me a bit longer than usual to update. Lately I seem to have less time on the computer. The following chapter is a lot lighter than the last couple and mainly just about Domon and Rain. Hope you're not disappointed. Jen
CHAPTER 16: LIVING WITH A PREGNANT RAIN
A few days after Gaho had been taken under the Japanese Government's custody, the Kasshu's friends had left for their own nations. The young, expecting couple had discussed amongst themselves the seriousness of what they had been through because of the old man. It had been a conversation that they would each never forget, and that had kept them up till very late one night. They had been in the living room of their house as their voices and emotions flared up while they uttered how they felt and what each thought they should do. To keep Rain out of the public eye, the King of Hearts had actually expressed that he should consider giving up his title and not fight in the next Gundam tournament. Knowing what his title meant to him, especially since his master had given it to him, Rain shook her head no refusing to listen to him, which angered Domon. She then insisted that she should just stop her work at the hospital and on the Burning gundam. However, the longer they discussed things, the more they realized that they had to live their lives like they truly wanted to. They couldn't change their lives because of fear, and they had to have faith that things would work out like they had so far. Gaho or anyone like him would not be allowed to rule their existence. Domon did express however, that if he saw anyone as a threat to his wife and child that he would end that enemy's life before they could even attempt to hurt his family.
By the end of Domon and Rain's serious discussion, they were clinging to each other in silence. Once again they accepted how lucky they were to have the other since they had been truly ready to sacrifice what they loved for one another.
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Too early one morning, an eighth month pregnant Rain awoke lying on her side in bed. Still unclothed from the night before, she slowly and quietly lifted her body from the bed so that she wouldn't disturb her sleeping husband.
Though she didn't know it because the room was still quite dark, Domon's eyes had opened and followed her figure across the room. When she entered into the bathroom and then closed the door, he let his eyes shut as he once again found it almost unbelievable how many times a night and day his wife now had to relieve herself. Before being pregnant, Rain could sleep a whole night without getting up even once but now she was up at least three times a night. He had to smile as he remembered what she had told him when he had mentioned to her a week earlier how many times she used the bathroom. "Domon," she had said as she folded her arms and glared at him. "If someone had their foot in your bladder, you would have to use the bathroom all of the time too!"
Upon hearing the bathroom door open, Domon waited for his wife to make her way back into their bed. By now he knew exactly what she was going to do when she returned to his side. After she moved into the bed, like always she moved her body against his and no matter what way he was facing, she wrapped her arms around him. This time he was facing her as he took in the feel of her arms around him and the rest of her soft body against his. Feeling the rounded part of her, the baby, he wrapped his arm around her and they allowed themselves to fall back into sleep. For it was even too early for Domon Kasshu to rise up for the day.
About two hours later, Rain awoke in her bed alone but her husband was still there in their room and had just pulled up his pants.
"Going to train?" she asked just before realizing it had been foolish to ask since that was what he did just about every morning.
Nodding his head yes while he buckled his belt, he turned to see his wife's big, blue eyes on him.
Eyeing up her husband's attractive chest and his flat, hard stomach, Rain said with a sad tone in her voice, "You still look the same and I look like I swallowed…a watermelon."
Not able to stop himself from laughing out loud at her comment, Domon then noticed that Rain didn't think it was funny at all because of the serious look on her face. "Rain," he said as he moved to their bed. "You don't look like you swallowed a watermelon. In fact from the back, you don't even look pregnant."
Feeling self-conscious since her hormones still had her emotions making her think crazy things at times, she asked, "So you're still attracted to me?"
Making a strange face at her, he asked, "Don't you remember last night?" There had been unmistakable passion in their lovemaking, especially since the last couple of months they had enjoyed experimenting in ways that made Rain comfortable the further she got into her pregnancy.
Smiling, Rain knew that she had been impossible for him to resist and she blushed at knowing how often she had let him know she wanted him since being pregnant. Even before she became pregnant she had let her husband know how he made her feel, and she knew without a doubt that she drove him out of his mind with desire for her as well, which only did good for their marriage.
Wanting to prove his point that he was still very much attracted to his wife, Domon lifted the sheets from her and at seeing her body, he let out a very pleased grunt. It was a grunt that she had heard often though he had no idea. Every morning just before he left to train, he'd always kiss her sleeping face but often he had also done something else just before kissing her. Little did he know that she had felt the many times that he lifted the sheets to just look at all of her, and that she had heard his little grunt of pleasure each time. Of course this made Rain feel special since her husband's pulse obviously raced from just looking at her. He'd then place the sheets back over her before kissing her good-bye.
Feeling their baby move within her, she suddenly said, "Give me your hand."
Knowing why she wanted his hand, Domon leaned down and placed his hand over their baby.
Putting her hand over his, Rain watched for what expression he would make but he didn't make one since the baby's movements had stopped. In frustration, she said, "I can't believe this child stops kicking every, single time you put your hand on me."
"I guess it will be as stubborn as me," Domon joked.
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Late that afternoon, the King of Hearts was to meet his wife at the Neo-Japan warehouse. She had just finished her work for the day on the Burning Gundam and was telling her new assistant, Akino, good-bye when her husband showed up.
Nodding his head to acknowledge Akino, she nodded back, and as she walked away, Domon asked, "Rain. Are you ready?"
"Yes," the pretty, blue-eyed female said looking up at their gundam.
"Akino's been helping you enough?" Domon asked concerned. He had been pleased that Karato had kept his word about getting Rain an assistant in her later stages of pregnancy. The last thing the fighter wanted was his wife to push herself too hard.
"Akino's been a great help, Domon," Rain said calmly. "Don't worry."
"So you still feel fine, and you 're not too tired to go tonight?"
"No," the female mechanic said looking forward to picking out furniture for the baby's room.
The baby's room had already been painted with bright, bold colors that would work for a boy or a girl. The main color was a bright yellow, and Rain thought decorating the room with Chinese Panda Bears would be cute, though there were no cute painted bears in the room as of yet. She had given up on the idea of asking her husband to attempt drawing one after the experience he had at just covering the walls with paint.
Smiling, Rain thought back to the day that her husband painted the baby's room. Though it had been Domon's first time to paint any room in any house, he had decided it would also be his very last. Rain hadn't been able to help or even just go into the room to observe while he was painting because she couldn't expose the baby to the dangerous paint fumes. However, she had been able to hear just what was going on upstairs in the baby's room even though she was downstairs in their living room. She had been leaning over her dinner tray eating a beignet when she realized she had never heard her husband grunt with anger so much since the 13th Tournament. He had called the paint, the paintbrush, and even the walls every curse word known. It was more than obvious that painting wasn't going to become a hobby of his. He had even mumbled that their child better like the color of the room forever because he had no intentions of ever painting it again.
When he had stormed down the stairs to deposit an empty paint can into the garbage outside, Rain wasn't about to tell him about the yellow paint that he had managed to get on his butt. After he returned into the house, he said in frustration, "No. I'm not finished yet." He then stormed up the stairs fussing over the tape that he had forgotten to put on the baseboards to keep the yellow paint off.
Blowing him off, Rain had then stared at the beignet she was holding and smiled because her craving was being satisfied even though her poor husband was miserable at the moment.
"What are you smiling about?" Domon asked interrupting her thoughts while they were making their way out of the Neo-Japan building.
Smiling as she moved her pretty, blue eyes to her husband, she said, "I'll never ask you to paint again."
"Please don't remind me of that day," Domon said with frustration as he recalled how hard it had been to get the yellow paint out of his dark hair.
"That had been quite a day."
"Yeah," Domon said remembering what else had happened earlier that day.
Flashback to that day before Domon painted the baby's room:
Standing beside his wife who was wearing a hospital gown and lying back on a cot in the doctor's office, Domon forced himself to wait patiently for Dr. Watanabe to enter the room. "Rain. What is Dr. Watanabe going to do to you today?"
Smiling, Rain said, "She wants to do a new and improved 3-D Ultrasound."
After realizing what she meant, Domon said with amazement, "I read about that in the pregnancy book. We'll actually be able to see our baby. Right?"
"Right," Rain said trying to control her excitement. "Technology has come a long way since way before the Gundam fight came to be. Back then looking at the old ultrasound scans it was hard to tell what was what of a baby unless you were someone in the medical field. Now today, we'll be able to see it quite clearly."
"But, Rain," Domon said very seriously as if he just realized something she hadn't. "I thought that we weren't going to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl till it's born."
"That's something else that's so good about technology today," his doctor wife said. "Upon our request, that part of the baby can be hidden."
Getting lost in deep thought, Domon tried to imagine just what they were going to see.
When Dr. Watanabe finally entered the room, she announced happily that the ultrasound was indeed going to happen that day.
As she opened the lower part of Rain's gown and began to prepare for the ultrasound, she asked the parents to be, "Would you like to know the sex of the baby?"
Both Domon and Rain looked at each other both tempted to say yes but then smiled and shook their heads no to one another.
Looking at her doctor, the pregnant female said with a smile, "We would prefer to be surprised."
"I understand," Dr. Watanabe said continuing her work. She knew that most new parents wanted to be surprised about their first child. "We'll just block a certain part of the baby out so that you won't be able to see it on the TV monitor." After a few more seconds, the doctor said, "Let's start."
Domon and Rain's hands locked together as they both looked at the TV monitor.
Within seconds, the baby appeared on the screen. As tears came to Rain's eyes, Domon was rendered rather speechless. Unlike Rain who was a doctor, he was quite surprised by what he saw. There may have been a baby on the screen but it didn't look how he had expected. The skin looked a reddish color and its skin was wrinkled. Upon seeing the face, Domon thought it didn't look like anyone he knew at all.
Looking at her husband to see such a surprised look on his face, Rain asked, "Domon. What's wrong?"
As his eyes squinted at the screen, he meant to only think but actually whispered, "It looks like a space alien." Upon realizing that he had said what he was thinking out loud, his eyes widened as he looked back at his disappointed wife. The King of Hearts knew that if there was one time in his life where he had totally said the wrong thing, it was now as he looked into his wife's sad eyes.
Smiling as if this wasn't the first time that a father to be said the wrong thing, Dr. Watanabe said, "Mrs. Kasshu. Do not become too upset with your husband. I've heard men say worse."
Feeling Rain's hand going limp in his, Domon only squeezed it tighter as he said to the two women, "I didn't know what to expect."
"Mr. Kasshu," Dr. Watanabe said, wanting to explain just what he was seeing. "Remember. Your baby isn't fully developed yet. What also makes it look…strange to you is the Vernix caseosa, which is a heavy, protective, creaming coating around the baby." Fooling with the ultrasound, she zoomed in on the baby a little more and as she pointed to the screen, she said, "There you see of course a foot."
As Domon became more comfortable with the appearance of his baby at this state of his wife's pregnancy, he also became amazed. He watched as the doctor moved her finger on the monitor over the baby's leg. There was a small box that hid the sex of the baby and as the baby's face was zoomed in on Domon began to feel so proud that he was a father.
End of Flashback
During their shopping for baby furniture in one of the biggest, baby stores in all of Neo-Japan, Rain and Domon got quite a few stares, though they didn't notice. The King of Hearts was too busy following behind his wife who was too busy happily looking at the differently styled baby cribs and matching dressers. After a while she thought she found what she was looking for so she stopped to give the furniture set a closer look.
Two Japanese women who worked in the store smiled as they watched the Kasshu couple looking around their work place. The younger woman with the long, black hair said in awe to the other, "I can't believe that Domon and Rain Kasshu are shopping in our store."
Quite honored because of that fact, the older woman with much shorter, dark hair said, "They are expecting."
"I know!" the younger girl whispered with excitement. "It's just hard to believe that the tough Domon Kasshu is shopping with his wife for baby furniture."
"Yes," the older woman said finding it hard to disagree. "And I must admit that he is very handsome in person."
"And Rain Kasshu must be the prettiest, pregnant woman I have ever seen." Giggling the young woman added, "From what I understand, we can't even hate her for her looks because she's known to be such a kind person."
"Ump…when the press tries to interview her husband he doesn't seem too friendly. I hope he's nice to her."
"Shhh…They're coming this way."
"Excuse me," Rain said with a smile as she approached the two women. "We think we see something that we like."
Standing just behind her, Domon didn't say anything as he wore a very serious face, looking just as he did on TV when a reporter tried to interview him. However, when Rain took a step back after apparently losing her balance, Domon's face became full with concern as he put his arms around her to support her. "Baby," he said with worry so obvious in his voice. "Are you okay?"
Brushing off what had just happened, the sweet female said, "I'm fine, Domon."
"I don't know about that. I thought you were just going to faint," he said sounding upset as if she should be more worried.
"Domon," she said as the two women watched her put her hand on the side of his face. "I'm eight months pregnant. You should know from reading the pregnancy book that fainting for some pregnant women is normal at this time, especially since I had been standing in the same spot looking at the same piece of furniture. I just need to move around some."
"Are you sure?" Domon asked in a soft voice.
"Yes," Rain said just before turning her head back to the two women.
"Please," the older woman said, "show us what you're interested in."
"It's right over here," Rain said with a smile.
With one of his arms still securely around her back, Domon began walking with his wife as the two women followed behind.
The younger woman leaned to her friend and whispered, "Too bad the press couldn't have seen the King of Hearts just now."
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About an hour later, Domon and Rain were sitting in a restaurant having dinner and discussing the next Shuffle Alliance reunion. "You know, Domon," she said feeling rather guilty. "It upsets me that Argo and Nastasha's wedding will be here in Neo-Japan."
"Why?" Domon asked since she hadn't mentioned being upset about it when she had first been told.
"Because they're only doing it because they're worried about me flying to Neo-Russia."
"And they're right. That's a week before the baby's due."
Letting out a frustrated breath, she knew that her husband was right, that it would be better not to fly at that time. "Well…Nastasha's Bridal Shower didn't have to be here."
"Rain," Domon said as if she was crazy. "When George's princess suggested that you have it here, you didn't seem to mind."
"That was before I knew the wedding was going to be here as well." Becoming a bit emotional, she said, "I hate that they felt they had to rearrange everything around me."
"They should have changed the wedding date."
"Domon," Rain said since she would have never expected them to do that. "Miss Marie Louise had that date picked out before I even knew I was pregnant."
Afraid of the potential of his wife's mood swing, Domon said, "Calm down, Rain…before you have the baby here."
At first it looked as if Rain was going to blow up, but then she found herself laughing as she put both of her hands on her growing abdomen. "I'm sorry," she said with a smile. "Lately I must be driving you crazy."
Grunting, Domon said, "You just worry yourself for nothing."
"I just don't want to take attention away from Argo and Nastasha's wedding, and I doubt she really wants to get married here."
"Listen, Rain. You're Nastasha's Matron of Honor because she likes you. You know she's not the type to care where she gets married. She just wants to marry Argo."
Tilting her head as she looked back at her husband, Rain asked, "Aren't you worried about what Argo thinks? You are his Best man."
"Trust me," Domon said with a smirk. "He doesn't care where the wedding is either. All he's worried about is the honeymoon."
"Domon!" Rain said with a smile just before feeling the baby kick. She had to wonder if the kick had been a result of hearing the high pitch in her voice.
"Well…it's true," Domon said trying to keep a straight face as he remember how eager he had been to start his own honeymoon night.
Rolling her eyes, Rain said, "I guess I should just concentrate on the wedding shower." Rain had never done such a thing and thanks to Chibodee's crew and the Princess, she knew just what to do. She just hoped that Nastasha would like the surprise and not state how foolish she thought a wedding shower was.
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Later that night, Rain was dressed comfortably in her thin, white, loose nightgown, resting back in the lounge chair in the bedroom.
Wearing only a pair of dark boxer shorts as he stepped out of the bathroom, Domon wasn't surprised that his wife had fallen asleep even before making it to their bed. It had been clear to him in the restaurant that the pregnancy once again had made her extremely tired.
Actually awake though she was lying there with her eyes closed, the pretty female was about to allow herself to fall asleep when she felt the baby move against her. Opening her eyes she was going to move her hands over the baby till she caught Domon staring at her lower abdomen with a look of shock on his face. Looking down at herself Rain smiled when she saw what he was so shocked about. Though she didn't know what body part it was, the foot, hand, or something else, the baby's movement could be seen moving against her, against the thin gown. Afraid that she might disturb their child, Rain didn't say a thing as she smiled and held out her hand to her husband.
Walking over to his wife, Domon fell down on his knees before her and then let her take his hand. She then gently pressed his large hand on their baby.
Feeling his child move against the palm of his hand down to his fingers, the King of Heart's mouth fell open.
There was no doubt to Rain that Domon had felt the baby moving.
So captured by the moment and lost in amazement by the discovery, Domon lifted his other hand and placed it on the baby as well.
The sweet female was overwhelming happy and had to force herself not to shed tears when he lifted his eyes to meet hers. The astonishment on his face and in his dark, captivating eyes was something she had never seen before.
"Rain," he said, his eyes still wide, "Does that hurt?"
Lifting her hand to run it through the front of his dark hair, she said softly, "No. Not at all. I actually like the feeling."
To that Domon smiled as he looked back down at his hands. Still sounding amazed, he said, "It's moving around inside of you like crazy."
"I'm so glad that you finally got to feel it."
Again, Domon lifted his eyes to his wife's. "Now I know why you've been wanting me to feel it."
"I know," she said understanding. "Though you know that I'm carrying our baby, it makes it even more believable to feel its movement."
After another few seconds, the fighter said very seriously, "It stopped moving."
"Maybe it fell asleep."
"Or just got comfortable in its mother," the father to be said totally understanding.
As they smiled at each other, Domon then hugged his wife. So swept up in emotion at what they had created through their love, he then whispered so truthfully, "I love you, Rain."
"I love you, too," she whispered.
Seconds later, he stood up and said, "Let's go to bed."
Taking his hand that he was offering, Rain let him pull her to her feet.
Domon couldn't help but smile again since as of lately she had to scoot to the end of a chair and then push herself up with her hands very carefully in order to get up.
As her other hand moved to her back, Domon asked, "Your backs hurting again?"
"A little," she said though not sounding too bothered. "Imagine yourself carrying something but never being able to put it down."
Smiling, Domon said, "I never quite thought of it that way before." Just after Rain scooted herself onto the bed and laid down on her side, Domon moved behind her back. Surprising her, he started to rub the lower part of her back and asked, "Feels better?"
Letting out a pleased sigh, she whispered, "Yes."
When he knew she had fallen asleep, his hand quit moving on her and he moved his chest against her back. Putting his hand on their baby, he kissed Rain's shoulder and then laid his head behind hers as he imagined what it would be like when their child was born.
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I hope you liked it. I know it may not have been what you expected.
Also, sorry for the short thanks for reviews. Lately, I seriously need more time.
Just know I really appreciate the time you take to review. There are so many others on this site that deserve more reviews than what I receive. Also, sometimes this site doesn't e-mail me my reviews so it was nice to see some on the site that I didn't know existed.
Thanks to Goldangel2 for giving me the correct spelling for Akino. Thanks Redlion2—I'm glad you enjoyed the
"nothing without Rain" part.
Thanks to Ryan—Do you still have that message board?
Lady WolfBane—Thanks for reviewing! Domon trying to protect his daughter from boys could be quite interesting.
Thanks for the complements because I really and truly appreciate them: Starangel100890, Shawn Provoncha, Kairiyna14, Gemini, Maxter's Angel, SecretPerson/ShadowLiger (Sorry it took me awhile to update.)Following Reader and Hawk Sage (I know you're busy. Don't worry.)
Thanks to Emmanuel Jones—Also, I let Black Joker Lady know that you want her to update her story.
Thanks for letting me know that you're getting into this story: BlackJokerLady, Fang, CryingOverWill, Cat and her alter ego Henry, OverDose44, SoCalGirl5590, Erica6060, Aelita89(Zaira), Here4the party and Cuz I Can
Though it's rare, sometimes I update my profile if I can't update the story.
Thanks for reading, Jen