It was only four o'clock on Tuesday morning when Hiei woke up, feeling shittier than he ever had. He just barely made it to the toilet before he threw up what little he had managed to keep down from the previous evening. He tried to eat something, like Kurama said, but it didn't help; he was in the bathroom again by six, which was made even worse when he heard Kurama knocking on the door.
"Hiei?" he called. "Are you okay in there?"
Was he okay? What kind of stupid question was that? He was kneeling on the bathroom floor, vomiting into the toilet for the second time in two hours. How did Kurama suppose he felt?
When it was finally over, Hiei sat down on the toilet and put his head in his hands, trying to stop the headache that was coming on. Seriously, it didn't feel like he was going to have a baby. It felt like he was going to die. Why else would his body be so determined to purge every food and beverage from his system almost as soon as he consumed it?
"Yeah," he croaked, doing his best to sound energetic and well. "I'm fine."
Hiei flushed the toilet before he opened the door and made sure to wipe his mouth, since he didn't want Kurama to know he had been sick. He had been worried lately that Kurama would be disgusted by him, so he was trying to hide his more unsavory pregnancy symptoms from his husband, especially his "morning sickness" (because it was always morning somewhere).
"Are you sure?" Kurama asked, as Hiei was leaving the bathroom. "You don't look so good."
"I'm fine," Hiei insisted. "Just had to pee again, that's all."
"It sounded like you threw up." Kurama crossed his arms. "Listen, Hiei, you don't have to—"
"I feel wonderful," Hiei lied. "So just get in the shower and stop babying me."
"As you wish," said Kurama, though he still looked a little perturbed. "Just try to get your shower by eight, okay? We don't want to be late."
"Late for what?" Hiei asked.
"For your first prenatal appointment, Hiei," Kurama reminded him. "It's at nine."
"That was today?!"
"Yes," said Kurama, frowning. "Have you forgotten?"
"Maybe." Hiei shrugged, trying not to make it seem like a big deal. "But I can be ready on time."
"All right." Kurama gave Hiei a kiss and headed into the bathroom for his shower.
The sickness was trying to get out of Hiei again, so he ran back into the bedroom and buried his face in Kurama's pillow before it could escape. Luckily, the smell of flowers soothed his nausea somewhat, so he was able to wait until Kurama was in the shower to go throw up in the downstairs bathroom. And as long as he was down there, he took care of his bladder problem as well. He still had to go every hour, on the hour, so it was a great cover-up for the disgusting fact that he was still sick at both ends.
As he lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, Hiei was not just feeling exhausted and sick, but also concerned. For the past few days, he had been feeling mild cramps in his lower abdomen, but today they seemed a little bit worse than normal. It felt a little like gas pain, but not quite; more like a giant hand was squeezing the ninshinsu like a stress ball. With this on top of everything else, it was getting so difficult to pretend everything was fine. And for what?
So your husband won't leave you because you're disgusting and weak, he reminded himself.
It was a nagging, terrifying thought, but Hiei knew that Kurama was under no obligation to stay with him, especially since they'd only been married for about six months. And while Hiei would go to great lengths to convince others that he didn't care what they thought, the truth was that he had a very strong, innate desire to please. After all, in his experience, people had no problem tossing him out if he wasn't good enough for them. First his mother's people tried to kill him for being a boy. Then the closest thing he ever had to a family shunned him because they believed he'd be a danger to them. And now, if he lost Kurama too…Hiei couldn't stand the thought.
Somehow, Hiei managed to get a little sleep after that, but it must not have been very restful sleep, because when Kurama woke him up two hours later, he felt even worse. It was not easy to put on a chipper face for this, but he felt like he managed.
Hiei felt another cramp as he got out of bed, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was normal. Oh well, he supposed that was something he could ask the doctor. No need to bring it up to Kurama now if he could get a professional answer in about an hour. Hiei washed his hair and completely scrubbed himself down, because he knew he would probably be getting an exam of some sort, 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 black bathrobe. Then he headed back into the bedroom to find something to wear.
Instantly, he looked towards the dresser drawer where his pajamas were, and longed to climb right back into them. But no, he was going out into public today. Pre-pregnancy, he would wear black pants, a couple of belts, and sometimes a black or blue tank top. But recently, he had been having problems with the tank top and the belts, and he was surprised at how insecure he felt because of it. All his life, he had been in extremely good shape, but now, even though he was barely eating anything, he was feeling puffy and bloated. He'd given up on buckling any belts, and he tended to wear his black pants with a loose T-shirt instead, that is, if he didn't stay in his pajamas all day (which was happening more and more often). But now that he was going into a big Makaian city, he was forced to reflect upon his new self.
Staring into the mirror, Hiei frowned at his reflection. Was he showing already? It didn't quite 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 didn't make him feel very good about himself, so he decided that since he was going somewhere today, he was going to fit into those tight belts again if it killed him. His normal pants were stretchy to begin with, so that wasn't a problem, but he was still struggling with the first belt when Kurama walked in.
"What are you doing, Hiei?" Kurama asked. "It's almost eight-thirty. Koenma will be here soon to escort us to Makai."
"I—just need to—buckle—this—goddamn—belt!" Hiei told him, straining harder with every word.
"Maybe we should just skip the belts for today," Kurama suggested gently.
"No! I know it fits!" Hiei insisted, but his arms were starting to hurt, and it was becoming clear that he would not get the belt to do what he wanted. It was blocked by disgusting flab that had certainly not been there a few weeks ago. Hiei chucked the belt onto the floor and turned away to hide the frustrated tears welling up in his eyes. He hated everything about this situation.
"Honey, you're pregnant," said Kurama, picking the belt up and setting it on the dresser. "Your body is going to change."
"Yeah, but already?! I thought I had a few months before I got fat!"
"You're not fat, Hiei," said Kurama. "It's probably just bloating."
"Look at my face!" Hiei continued, not even hearing Kurama's words. "It's puffy!"
"You're exaggerating," said Kurama. "I see no difference."
"Liar!" Hiei accused, pointing his finger at Kurama. How could anyone not notice the weight he'd gained? And why did it seem like such a big deal?
"Listen to me, Hiei," said Kurama, pulling his husband into a hug. "Sometimes when we look in the mirror, we can't help but criticize everything we see. But our friends, family, and life partners love us for who we really are."
"That's a bunch of shit."
"Tell you what, Hiei." Kurama opened the dresser drawer and reached for one of Hiei's T-shirts, the ones he had been wearing for the past several days. "If the changes in your body really bother you, we can see what the doctor has to say about it. Working together, I'm sure we can find a way to make sure you stay fit during pregnancy."
"Yeah…" Hiei took the T-shirt from Kurama and put it on over his head. "I guess we can do that. I just need to pee one more time, and then we can go."
"Actually, Hiei, you might want to save that," said Kurama, grabbing Hiei by the shoulder. "They'll probably be doing a urinalysis at the hospital."
Hiei stopped in his tracks. "W-What's that?"
"It's just like it sounds," Kurama explained. "The nurse hands you a cup, you do your business, and then they analyze it."
"I'm not doing that in front of the nurse," Hiei protested. "I need my privacy."
"You take the cup into the bathroom, Hiei," said Kurama. "Then you give it to them when you come out. Now let's go, we don't want to miss our appointment."
Kurama and Hiei were outside by 8:28, so they sat on the front stoop to wait. Hiei was staring down at the ground, trying his hardest not to be nauseous, when he had an idea.
"You know what?" he said. "We could have just used my Jagan eye to find the hospital."
"Well, we might have been able to find it that way, but this portal is a much faster way of getting there," Kurama told him. "The nearest portal to Makai is by Genkai's temple in the middle of nowhere, and even after we got there, it would be a long walk to the city where we need to go. It's just faster to set up a Reikai portal."
"You're right," said Hiei, and they were silent once more until Koenma, in his teenage form, arrived at 8:30 sharp.
"Good morning, Kurama and Hiei," he said with a slight bow. "Yusuke told me you two needed a portal to Makai, and I was happy to help. I hope you're feeling all right, Hiei."
"I'm just a little under the weather," said Hiei, using a term he'd heard on ningen TV. He supposed everyone would eventually find out he was pregnant, but he wanted to keep it under wraps for as long as he could. Besides Kurama and Hiei, Shizuru and Touya also knew, and Touya had probably told Jin. That was already too many people, especially if they weren't even keeping the baby.
"Yes," Kurama agreed, taking his cue from Hiei. "The doctor will be able to help."
"Let's hope so," said Koenma, and he pulled out a plastic baggie. "Botan also suggested that I bring you some snacks, so I brought all your favorites, Hiei—brownies, chocolates, dried fruit…"
It was coming back up. There was no stopping it. To spare himself the shame, Hiei ran back into the house, slamming the door behind him. What an idiot, he thought as he vomited into the toilet, hoping against hope Kurama wouldn't come back in the house, and that he wouldn't tell Koenma about the pregnancy.
When he got back out, the snacks were gone, thank goodness. Koenma gave Hiei an embarrassed smile.
"Don't worry, I threw the sweets out," he said. "Kurama tells me your stomach is a bit sensitive at the moment."
"Whatever," Hiei mumbled. "Let's just go. Where's the portal?"
"On the back porch," said Koenma. "You're allowed to have it open until you come home from your hospital visit. But after that, we need to close it."
"Not a problem," said Kurama. "Ready to go, love?"
Hiei didn't reply, which was enough assent for Koenma, who quickly led them through the portal. Seconds later, they were in front of a huge hospital, surrounded by the fast-paced backdrop of one of Makai's biggest urban jungles.
Since he had never been to a hospital before, there was a lot for Hiei to get used to. But he couldn't concentrate on the environment too much, because by the time he and Kurama got to the elevators, he was like a dam about to burst. Why had he listened to Kurama about the stupid urinalysis?
"Kurama," he said nervously, "I don't think I can hold it for much longer."
Hiei was afraid Kurama would tell him to wait, since they hadn't seen the nurse yet, but luckily, he seemed to realize that it was an emergency.
"All right, Hiei," he said. "Let's find a restroom."
"You don't know where the restroom is?!"
"I've never been to this hospital either," Kurama said. "But we can argue later. I'm sure I saw a map here somewhere…"
They couldn't move very fast, though, because Hiei could only walk in tiny, mincing steps, and they didn't want to get even more lost in this huge hospital. It was getting to be unbearable for Hiei, and Kurama was starting to look a little uncomfortable himself.
"Oh, dammit," Hiei moaned. "I really, really have to pee."
"So do I," said Kurama. "There's got to be someone we can ask."
Finally, Kurama managed to flag down an orderly, who told them the nearest restroom was in the cafeteria. And since they were by the elevators, that meant a five-minute walk in the opposite direction. Hiei actually thought he might make it, but when they entered the cafeteria, they crossed paths with a demon who was spraying air freshener in every direction—and he caught Hiei right in the face. Before he could stop himself, Hiei sneezed, which unfortunately meant that he did not, in fact, make it.
It was bad enough that Kurama had to hear him throwing up every morning. And there were all kinds of other embarrassing symptoms—constipation, bloating, gas—that made him feel totally gross, even when he found it so difficult to control them. But wetting his pants in front of not just his husband, but everyone in the immediate vicinity of a busy hospital cafeteria, was by far the most humiliating thing that had happened to him during pregnancy. Kurama said he also needed to use the restroom, but he wasn't the one with the soaking-wet pants.
"Hiei—" Kurama began, setting one hand on Hiei's shoulder, but Hiei shook it off.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shouted, and ran off to the restroom in tears.
Several seconds later, the newly pregnant demon was crying in a bathroom stall. Last time he was in a public bathroom, he had been enjoying something he knew he shouldn't be doing…and now he was paying the price for it. Was his whole pregnancy going to be like this? He didn't think he could stand it.
When he heard the restroom door open again, Hiei figured it must be Kurama. Whoever it was used the facilities first, so Hiei had a minute or two to calm down, and he was able to stop crying completely by the time he heard the person washing his hands. He still didn't want Kurama to find him, though, so he put his feet up on the toilet seat. Hopefully, that way Kurama wouldn't know which stall he was in. But he was still surprised when, instead of knocking on the stall door, Kurama pushed his messenger bag through the space between the stall door and the tiled floor.
"W-What's this?" Hiei sniffed.
"There's a change of clothes for you in there and some baby wipes," he heard his husband reply. "Just come out when you're changed, okay?"
Hiei picked up the messenger bag and looked inside. Sure enough, along with the baby wipes, there was a T-shirt, pants, and underwear in there for him, all of them clean. He didn't really need to change his shirt, but he used the baby wipes on himself and then changed the rest, all while wondering, how did Kurama know he would need these things? Had he expected Hiei to have an accident like this?
"This is your fault," Hiei mumbled as he opened the stall door.
"I know, Hiei, and I'm sorry," Kurama said. "But now that you've cleaned up and changed your clothes, no one will ever know it even happened."
"Those demons in the cafeteria all saw."
"I'm sure they're much more focused on whatever brought them to the hospital," Kurama told him. "They've probably already forgotten."
"Well, I'll never forget." The words came out shaky; Hiei was struggling not to cry again.
"It's really not a big deal, Hiei," said Kurama, and before Hiei knew it, he was in another of those soft, tender embraces that felt so different and new. It might have actually been meant to calm Hiei down, but by the time Kurama let him go, he could feel hot tears leaking out of his eyes against his will.
"You must think I'm so gross," he muttered.
"Of course I don't, Hiei," Kurama said gently. "This could happen to anyone."
"But it didn't. It happened to me," said Hiei, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Besides, it's not just that. I've been really sick these past couple of weeks…and now I'm getting fat, too. This isn't what you signed up for when you married me."
"Yes, it is. This is absolutely what I signed up for."
Hiei looked up, still blinking back tears. "Huh?"
"I signed up for everything when I married you," Kurama explained, setting one hand on Hiei's shoulder. "I love you, Hiei, and that means I want to share the hard times with you as much as I want to share the good. I understand things are going rough for you right now, but I promise, someday you'll look back on this as just another bump in the road of marriage." Kurama smiled slightly. "No pun intended."
"Very funny," said Hiei, sniffling again. "You…you really mean that?"
"Indeed," said Kurama, giving Hiei's head a kiss. "I have never found you 'gross,' nor will I ever. I know you've been sick, I know you can't help it, and I just want to make you feel better."
It was probably dumb, Hiei realized, to think he could hide his sickness from Kurama. He could never hide anything from Kurama. After all, the fox-demon didn't get to be thousands of years old and feared by the entire population of Makai by being idiotic and not noticing things. Maybe it was the thought of Youko Kurama (the form Hiei had to admit he preferred), or maybe it was just Kurama's green eyes and kind smile, but Hiei suddenly felt…well, "horny" was the first word to come to mind, but it didn't seem to fit, somehow. It was only when he had grabbed Kurama and pulled him into a kiss that he realized what it was: Hiei was feeling romantic.
Kurama was more than receptive, and he and Hiei were furiously making out within a matter of minutes. Hiei felt Kurama grab his ass and he deliberately pressed himself into Kurama so that the other man could feel how hard he had gotten. It was beyond strange, but the romantic feeling coursed through Hiei's veins like a powerful drug, just as strong as the random flashes of rage and sadness he had been feeling for the past couple of weeks. But this felt so good and hot and wild. How had Hiei's pregnancy hormones managed to elevate his emotions in such a manner? Was this normal? For the first time, he was actually enjoying it.
Hiei grabbed Kurama's erect penis through his pants and squeezed it tightly, leaning into the smell of flowers that was so incredibly strong to his sensitive nose. They fell back against the restroom sink, never breaking their kiss, when they heard the door to the restroom open. They each turned to stare at the demon in the doorway.
"I…I didn't know this kind of thing went on in this hospital," he said finally, his eyes wide. But it was Hiei and Kurama's turn to be shocked when he approached them and added in a whisper, "How much for an hour? My wife's with our daughter at her doctor's appointment."
"Shame on you," Kurama scolded. "Married to a woman and the father of a young girl, yet soliciting another man for sex."
"And offering to pay for it, no less," Hiei growled at him. "What's wrong with you? What kind of demon do you think I am, you perverted fool?"
"Hey," said the man, raising his hands in the air, "I'm not the one feeling up another guy in a public restroom."
"If you had your way, you would be," Kurama said. "Come on, Hiei, let's go."
"Hn," said Hiei, as they left the bathroom. "It's too bad we got interrupted, isn't it?"
"It's probably for the better," said Kurama with a smile. "Don't forget what happened last time."
…
Kurama was glad Hiei seemed so much happier by the time they left the restroom. Having an accident in front of the whole cafeteria had to have been humiliating for him, as it would be for anyone. But that part at the end had been very nice. It gave Kurama hope that Hiei would feel better as he got further along in his pregnancy. Still, he was surprised when he felt one bandaged, calloused hand casually slip into his. Hiei actually wanted to hold hands? In public? It was as if Kuwabara had suddenly announced that he hated kittens.
"You're unusually affectionate today, Hiei." Kurama gave Hiei's hand a squeeze. "Touching me like that in the restroom is one thing, but hand-holding?"
"Don't get used to it," said Hiei gruffly. "It's just these dumb hormones."
"I'm fine with that," Kurama replied, his heart dancing at the prospect of Hiei being so much more receptive to gestures that were more romantic than sexual. Hand in hand, they headed back to the elevators.
"So where do we go?" Hiei asked.
"Hmm…" Kurama scanned the list of floors carefully. "Obstetrics…obstetrics…"
"Floor twelve," said a voice behind them. When they turned to look, they saw that the speaker was a very heavily pregnant demoness with a cheery smile on her face. "I'm familiar with it by now. Follow me."
…
Once they got inside, Kurama pressed the 12 button, and the elevator jerked up. Hiei's stomach jerked up with it.
"Let me guess," said the woman, grinning at him. "First pregnancy, less than twelve weeks?"
"Correct." Kurama nodded. "This is our first child, and he's about seven weeks along."
"Well, don't worry, sweetie," she said, addressing Hiei. "I know it's rough now, but you'll feel better once you reach the second trimester. This is my fourth pregnancy, and I'm due next week, so I would know."
"Urrggh," Hiei answered, 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. As they ascended, more patients got on, and since they were all going to different departments, the elevator kept stopping and starting again, 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 chowed down on it right next to Hiei, the poor fire demon started casting around for something to throw up in.
"Here, take this," said their 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?"
"Sorry about that," Hiei mumbled, feeling guilty as he handed the purse back.
"Don't worry, honey," she told him. "That's just a dummy purse I carry around in case I get mugged by someone. There's nothing valuable in there. And now a mugger definitely won't want it, so in a way, you did me a favor."
Hiei knew her words were supposed to make him feel better, but somehow he just felt worse.
It seemed to take forever, but they finally got to the correct floor without a moment to spare. Their new pregnant friend let them go ahead of her at the check-in desk, and the nurse gave them a form to fill out. Kurama answered the questions while Hiei tried not to focus on all the stimuli around him, especially all the different smells. The waiting area was filled with pregnant youkai, both male and female, visibly so or not. Finally, they heard a nurse call, "Minamino?"
"That's us," said Kurama, getting to his feet and helping Hiei up, too. (Since Hiei had never had an official last name, he had taken Kurama's last name upon marrying him.)
Before they could see the doctor, they had to do a standard check-up with the nurse. She tested Hiei's blood pressure, heart rate, and power level, which had dropped quite a bit (which did not make Hiei feel any better). Just as Kurama predicted, the nurse asked him to give a sample, but he told her he'd just used the bathroom, and she said he could do it after the appointment instead. After that, it was time to get weighed. Hiei felt ashamed as he took off his shirt and shoes. All he could think about as he stepped onto the scale was how fat he was getting.
"120 pounds," said the nurse, as if Hiei couldn't see it himself. "Normally, that would be a little overweight for someone who's 4'10", but I can see that weight is in muscle, not fat. All of your other tests are healthy, too. The doctor will be very pleased."
"How can I have lost weight?" Hiei demanded, throwing on his shirt and slipping his feet back into his black boots. "I was 130 last time I weighed myself, but I'm still getting fat!"
"You're not fat, Hiei!" Kurama insisted.
"Look," 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. This causes bloating and puffiness, but it's not fat, and it will probably be a couple of months before you start showing."
"You see, Hiei?" said Kurama, smiling. "Your body knows what it's doing."
"Whatever," said Hiei, glaring at them both. "Are we done yet?"
"Yes," the nurse replied, smiling in spite of Hiei's attitude. "Now that your tests are done, please follow me into the exam room." They followed her in, just like she asked, and she handed Hiei a paper hospital gown. "Take off all your clothes and put on this gown, please."
"What if the doctor comes in before I'm done getting undressed?" asked Hiei, not at all sure.
"Oh, she'll knock first," said the nurse, shutting the door behind her with a snap.
"Wait, she'll knock?" Hiei looked at his husband. "I thought I was seeing a male doctor!"
"Didn't I tell you?" said Kurama. "The doctor is the Shinobi Risho's sister, and she's an excellent obstetrician."
"It's bad enough that I have to undress here, especially now that everything's different," said Hiei, feeling his cheeks get warm. "But if it's in front of a woman, that's even worse."
"Really?" said Kurama. "Why is that?"
"I don't know, it just is." Hiei shook his head, as if to rid it of unwanted thoughts. "And it was always like that, even before I found out I was…what's the word again? When you like both?"
"Bisexual," Kurama supplied. "But it's okay, Hiei. You're definitely not her first male patient, and by this point, it's probably no different than opening the oven to see how a roast is doing. She's a professional, and she certainly won't be getting off on it."
Hiei was getting frustrated. Maybe Kurama was right, but his mind refused to be reasonable. All he could think about was a total stranger seeing him naked, possibly even putting her hands in places where a stranger's hands certainly should not be going. He felt his heart rate speeding up, his palms getting sweaty, and it was becoming a little difficult to breathe. He was starting to feel a bit lightheaded when he felt Kurama's arms around him.
"Do you want me to tell her you decline to undress for the exam?" he asked gently.
"You can do that?"
"Of course." Kurama frowned. "If someone forces you to undress, that's assault, Hiei. Even if it's a doctor. It might be better for you and the baby physically if you let her do the entire exam, but that can't come at the expense of your mental health. Should I tell her you just want to keep your clothes on?"
Hiei sighed, remembering that he had responsibilities now. Priorities.
"No," he said finally. "I'll be fine. The baby shouldn't have to suffer just because of my dumb hang-ups."
Kurama still looked a little concerned, but Hiei just wanted to move on from this. The less he thought about it, the better. He kicked off his boots with such force that they hit the wall, took off his shirt, and had just pulled down his pants and underwear when they heard a knock at the exam room 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.
Now that he knew she was out there, Hiei felt even more awkward and rushed. So he 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 it with his shirt. Then he clumsily tied on the gown and jumped up on the examining table. Kurama picked up his shoes 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, turning red again. The leather examining table felt 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, the sister of Risho the former Shinobi, entered the room. Her hair was straight and dark, just like her brother's, except it was tied in a no-nonsense bun. She had the same pale skin and dark eyes, but hers were warm, not cold and cruel like his had been. Overall, she didn't seem threatening, but Hiei still felt vulnerable wearing nothing but the flimsy paper gown.
"Good morning," she said, shaking both their hands. "My name is Dr. Setchi. I recognize you two. Team Urameshi from the Dark Tournament, right?"
"Almost three years ago, yes," Kurama replied with a smile. "Um—how is Risho these days?"
"Well, his body has healed, but his ego hasn't," she said wryly. "He wasn't happy about being beaten into submission by a man who was barely alive." She cleared her throat, glancing down at the clipboard she was holding. "Anyway, you're here because Hiei is pregnant, correct?"
"Yes," said Kurama. "And one of the first things I wanted to do was find a good family doctor to oversee the pregnancy."
"You're going to be a great father," she said, giving him a smile. Kurama smiled back, though it looked rather forced. "Now, there are a few things we need to talk about before the exam."
They discussed Hiei's medical history and what 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 would be sticking around, and that he could possibly feel nausea for the entire pregnancy. 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, "but we can get some more accuracy after the physical exam."
"What are you going to do, exactly?" Hiei asked, still feeling wary.
"I'm just going to assess your health before you continue on in your pregnancy," she told him 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 couldn't help thinking, but it turned out she was just talking about his ears, mouth, nose, and eyes. Then she felt the sides of his neck and listened to his heartbeat with the stethoscope while he took deep breaths.
"All looking great 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, and she peeled off the top of the paper gown to examine 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. "Have you experienced 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 might want to invest in some bras, too."
"Bras?" said Hiei. "I'm…I'm going to grow boobs?"
"Only temporarily, since you're a male youkai," said Dr. Setchi. "When you're pregnant, the ninshinsu releases estrogen and progesterone, which is what causes the breast growth, among other things. Once the baby is weaned, the breasts will stop producing milk, and you can burn them off by exercising, the way you would with any other fatty tissue."
The idea seemed kind of strange, but it only made sense, Hiei supposed. How was he supposed to breastfeed if he didn't have breasts? Granted, he was giving the baby up for adoption, so he wasn't going to be breastfeeding anyway, but he could understand why this was happening.
"I'm going to examine your stomach now," Dr. Setchi was saying. "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 a little self-conscious about his abdomen starting to get puffy.
"Now to examine the ninshinsu," Dr. Setchi continued, and Hiei 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 instantly. "It's kind of a dull ache. Is that normal?"
"Yes," she replied, and Kurama's "you-didn't-tell-me-about-that" look turned to relief. "You see, the baby's going to get much bigger, so the ninshinsu is going to get bigger, too. And when it changes size, that can be a little painful. You'll also get some cramps there for a few days after the pregnancy, as it shrinks back to normal size. They can get intense, but tea or a heat compress can help." She paused, then gestured with her hand. "All right. Please get off the table and stand."
Here it comes, Hiei thought miserably, and he climbed down from the examining table. Kurama was watching them, looking concerned again. Hiei's eyes and mouth were both 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 that didn't mean it couldn't happen, did it? 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? Hiei honestly didn't know which would be worse. Kurama had insisted doctors didn't think of their patients that way, but Hiei's trust was difficult to earn, and Dr. Setchi hadn't done so yet.
"Do you want me to hold your hand, Hiei?" Kurama said, and then, addressing Dr. Setchi, "This is his first doctor's appointment."
Hiei would normally have said No way to Kurama's offer, but he was just so nervous, so much that he didn't even care that Kurama felt like he had to explain the situation. But Dr. Setchi didn't seem to mind. In fact, she seemed to understand his concerns.
"It's normal to be embarrassed during this part of the exam, I know," she said, "especially if the doctor is a member of the opposite sex. But for me, this is just another part of the job. It's really no different than any other part of the exam. I won't make you do anything that causes you to feel uncomfortable, but I hope you can learn to trust me here, because this area goes through many changes during pregnancy. I'm sure you've noticed some of them already. My job is simply to make sure you're healthy before carrying a baby and giving birth, the same way I do with all my patients. For those reasons, it's best that I don't skip anything."
"You're right," said Hiei, reaching out and grabbing Kurama's outstretched hand.
As it turned out, Dr. Setchi didn't say anything at all during the next part of the exam, except tell him what she was going to do next, but that didn't make it any less unpleasant. It got even worse when Hiei's body had a very embarrassing reaction to what she was doing.
"I'm sorry," Hiei apologized, his face feeling as if someone had set it ablaze. "I'm not getting off on this, I swear. Even though it looks like I am."
Kurama winced, making Hiei wish he hadn't said anything, but Dr. Setchi didn't seem fazed.
"An erection is physical, Hiei," she told him. "It doesn't have to mean you're aroused."
"Well, at least you understand that," said Hiei, feeling just a tiny bit better.
"Yes," said Kurama with a slight grin. "It's almost as if she's done this hundreds of times before."
"Thousands," Dr. Setchi corrected, without missing a beat.
The mood was just a little lightened then, and while this still wasn't exactly a lot of fun, Hiei was beginning to feel more secure. Kurama was right; he wasn't Dr. Setchi's first male patient, and he would not be her last. Plus, she really was a professional. Hiei found himself trusting her with his body, and even with his baby.
"All right, Hiei, now I need you to turn your head and cough," said the doctor, and after they were finished with that, she asked, "Is everything normal down there? No problems with arousal or ejaculation? Any pain during sex or urination?"
"No," Hiei mumbled, feeling some of the embarrassment return. But after that, the worst was over. Hiei tied the gown back on and hopped back up on the examination table, taking deep breaths to calm himself down as she examined his legs and feet. Then she felt his bones to test how strong they were, tested his joints and reflexes, made sure his spine was straight, and finally, it was over. Even if Hiei liked this doctor, he was glad she was finished—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. "I can tell from both my examination and the nurse's notes that you are incredibly healthy, fit, strong, and powerful. I only wish all of my pregnant patients were in as good of shape as you are. Although your small stature might make things a bit more difficult, your body is strong and healthy." She smiled. "The fact that you had that eye implanted into your forehead is more than enough proof of a high pain tolerance."
"You're right," said Hiei, relieved. He hadn't been able to get the childbirth video out of his mind since he watched it, and he had also watched Hollywood births that made it look like the worst thing someone could ever possibly experience. He told the doctor about it, and she laughed.
"Ignore the births on television," she advised him. "Most of the time, they're horribly inaccurate, and they only serve to make mothers afraid to give birth. As for the home videos, it might have seemed painful to that woman, but the fact that she delivered safely is proof that it can be done. Overall, the more informed you are about pregnancy and childbearing, and the less afraid you are, the better it will be. And as I said, you already have a head start, because a healthy youkai is much more likely to have a healthy baby, and a bigger one, too."
Hiei was glad to hear that. It was important for demons to have big, strong babies. If his baby was weak and sickly, or even just a little small, it would be seen by other demons as a poor reflection of him and Kurama. And even if that wasn't right, Hiei wanted the baby to be healthy and happy, anyway.
"While we're on the subject, Hiei," Dr. Setchi continued, "have you thought at all about your birth plan yet?"
"Um, have the baby?" said Hiei. "That's my plan."
"What I mean is, how and where would you like to deliver?" she asked. "I don't like to pressure pregnant youkai into decisions, especially when their pregnancies have first begun, but I do like them to know what their options are. I would like you to take my medical advice into account, of course, but in the end, you have final say over the birth plan."
"Well, that's great, but this baby was kind of a surprise," Hiei admitted. "So I don't know."
"What do your patients normally do?" Kurama asked.
"Unless their pregnancy is high-risk in some way, most pregnant youkai choose to give birth wherever they feel most comfortable, or in a place that's meaningful to them," Dr. Setchi replied. "That usually means in their homes, or in nature. If you'd rather give birth in the hospital, you can do that, too, with interventions or without. C-sections, where they remove the baby surgically, are incredibly rare with elemental demons, but they do happen. It isn't often that I have demons with low-risk pregnancies giving birth here in the hospital, and sometimes they don't even have prenatal visits. Many of them live in the wilderness and have never even been to a major city, much less a hospital."
"I was like that until today," Hiei told her. "So I guess I'm going to need more time to write my birth plan."
"That's perfectly fine," Dr. Setchi replied. "You have a long way to go before any decisions have to be final. You have a lot of options, and they can all be discussed at length before the baby comes."
After they'd discussed the birth plan, Dr. Setchi helped Kurama and Hiei get a more accurate due date, factoring in things like Hiei's height, weight, age, and certain lifestyle choices, such as caffeine consumption, exercise level, and whether or not he smoked. She informed them that the due date was based on the average elemental gestation period of forty weeks, but that it was just an estimate, and babies could come early or late, sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot. She said he could predict what his pregnancy might be like based on his mom's pregnancy, which of course was no good, since his mom was dead. But he didn't tell her that.
Finally, they concluded that Hiei's most accurate due date would be June 14, 1997. Hiei couldn't believe he had been more than a month off in his prediction, but of course, he hadn't known then that he was already halfway through his second month. Kurama promised to mark the date on the calendar as soon as they got home.
"There's another date you should save, too," said the doctor. "I'll make an appointment for you to come back in two weeks for your first ultrasound. 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 baby's heart starts beating?" said Hiei. "At only nine weeks?"
"Actually, it's much sooner than that." Dr. Setchi smiled. "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 again. "Our baby's little heart is beating inside of you right now."
At a complete loss for words, Hiei placed his hands on his abdomen again, his own heartbeat pounding loudly in his ears. Kurama set his hands on top of Hiei's, and gave his beloved a kiss.
