"Surprise, Tohru!"
To say Tohru was surprised was an understatement. She was vaguely aware of Kyo smiling at her, and Momiji gesturing for her to go into the dining hall. But she was too stunned to move, too stunned and too happy.
Her hands were back up at her face, and it was hard to see properly through the new tears filling her eyes. But she could see that the room was full. She could see Master Kazuma, of course, and Ayame and Mine, with little Hibika. Kisa, and Hiro, along with Hiro's five-year-old sister Hinata and two-year-old brother Hikaru. Ritsu and Mitsuru. Kagura and her boyfriend Ichiro. Hatori and Mayuko, with little Kinu in Hatori's arms. Shigure. Haru with a mildly uncomfortable looking Isuzu. Yuki and Machi. And several more Sohmas, all of them smiling at her.
Tohru didn't know what to do, or to say. All she could look around, bewildered at the assorted smiling faces, faces that were now starting to laugh at her shell-shocked response. Then she could only look at Kyo, who was standing beside her, grinning at her with laughter in his eyes.
"Did you know about this, Kyo?!" It was the first thing she could think of to say, and even that took a great deal of effort. He had to have known, but how had he managed to keep it so completely hidden from her? He'd made no sign, not even let on the tiniest hint!
Kyo was unrepentant. "I might have been told to make sure we were back here at five." He was removing her gloves and scarf, then helping unbutton her coat. "It's like I told you, everyone was perfectly fine coming here." He took the last of her outerwear, then gestured into the room. "Go on, then, you wanted to visit, right?"
Tohru was overwhelmed as she made her way into the room. Kisa was the first to reach her, giggling as she took in Tohru's expression.
"You look so surprised, Tohru! Did you really have no idea?"
Tohru shook her head, giving Kisa an amazed smile. "None! Kyo didn't give me even a clue, not the smallest hint." She hugged Kisa tightly, as happy as always to see her 'little sister,' a poised young woman already in her second year of teacher's college. "Whose idea was this, anyway?"
"It was a joint effort, dear Tohru," Ayame said as he swept up to her, Hibika balanced on his hip. "You see, we had gotten to talking about how excited we all were for you and your new addition," as he swept his gaze over her pregnant body, "and about how positively depressing it was that this New Year's was the only chance most of us would have to delight in your fecund form and share in your excitement."
Kisa reached out to take Hibika, who had been giggling and playing with the lacy trim on the front of her father's coat. Ayame smiled, handing Kisa a silky handkerchief for Hibika to play with before hugging Tohru as well. "And I do have to say, you're looking remarkably well, Tohru. Though we'll have to see about getting you something better to wear," he added with a critical eye at her dress.
Tohru laughed, shaking her head at him. "I'm fine, Ayame, really! You only just sent me this dress three weeks ago, and I've only worn it once! I promise, I have enough clothes. Really."
"Nonsense, Tohru, a woman can never have too many clothes! Especially not when she's busily blooming a new sprig of humanity. Why, when Mine was expecting, I made it my business to ensure she never had to rewear a single outfit! So at some point tonight, we'll just have to get your updated measurements-"
"Can't you give the poor woman even five minutes before you're trying to dress her, Ayame?" Mayuko's voice was dry as she cut in, and her clearly dismissive attitude earned her a reproachful look from the former Snake.
"Dear Mayu, I'm shocked and hurt that you'd think me so cavalier as to even be capable of neglecting to show the proper concern and care to Tohru at this delicate time. Especially as a woman who's gone through the same thing, I would think you'd be more sympathetic!"
Mayuko was very, very sympathetic, actually, though not quite for the same reasons Ayame meant. She and Hatori had been the first family among the former Zodiac to welcome a child, and by virtue of living nearby and being married to Ayame's dear friend Hatori, she'd had the dubious pleasure of having Ayame around constantly, always trying to get her to accept something new. She had been extremely successful in turning him down...mostly.
"Contrary to your apparently popular belief, there are actually some women who prefer to choose their own clothes, Ayame." Hatori's tone was oddly reminiscent of his wife's as he joined the little group around Tohru, Kina perched in his arms and devouring a cookie. It was a strange sight, Hatori with a little trail of crumbs on his shoulder and his suit jacket mussed, but in a good way.
"Anyway, it's good to see you, Tohru. You're looking very well," Mayuko said with a smile at her former student. One of the hazards of teaching high school is that your 'kids' are adults before you really realize it, going straight from graduation into the adult world. And having four of her former students all part of her husband's family had made the transition weirder, especially when it came to Tohru, who she'd always been particularly protective about. Even though it had been five years and Tohru was a married adult, it still seemed strange to see her so...pregnant.
"Thank you, Mayuko!" It had been easier for Tohru to make the jump from 'Sensei Shiraki' to 'Mayuko' than Kyo, though she was still far, far away from the far more familiar 'Mayu.' And it was nice to see her, especially as another woman who'd been through the same thing. "I don't quite feel as though I do, though; it's hard to believe that I have two more months to go when I'm already as big as a house!"
Mayuko nodded sympathetically, reaching over to brush some of the crumbs off of Hatori's shoulder. "I know the feeling, that third trimester was tough. Just when I felt like I couldn't get any bigger, suddenly I couldn't' even find my own feet."
Tohru looked down at the comment, relieved by the sight of her own sock-footed toes. "I guess that's something else to look forward to," she said with a sigh.
Hatori passed Kinu to Mayuko and straightened his jacket. "Well, it's all natural and part of the process, but you don't need me to tell you any of that." He looked Tohru over, smiling as he did so. It was nice to see her looking so healthy, and so happy; out of everyone he knew, there were few people so deserving of happiness than Tohru. "How have you been feeling, Tohru?"
Tohru had been guided over to a chair now, and she sat down with a comfortable sigh. After walking and standing for so long, it was a relief to finally be off her feet!
"I've been well, Hatori. Tired, mostly. Achy. The baby apparently wants to be a martial artist too, so I feel like I'm being churned from the inside out on a regular basis." They all laughed at that, the image a familiar one to those who had children of their own. "And I really miss solid blocks of sleep. But otherwise..." She smiled. "I've been really lucky. Considering all you hear about morning sickness, I've never thrown up once!"
Mayuko grimaced at the memories brought up by that word, and Hatori shot her an apologetic expression. Her morning sickness had been so bad that she'd ended up admitted to the hospital, a nerve-wracking experience for both of them even knowing why. It was nice that Tohru hadn't had to deal with any of that...even if it did make Mayuko a little bit jealous.
"Well, I'm glad to hear it," Hatori said with a clasp of Tohru's hand. "Hopefully this means that the rest of your pregnancy will pass just as uneventfully. When was your due date, again?"
"February 27th, but we know there's a little flexibility. Some days it feels like it's just around the corner, and some days it feels like an eternity away," Tohru said with another sigh.
"Well, just remember that it's Kyo's job to ensure you're taking full and proper care of yourself, dear Tohru," Ayame said with conviction. "As a man, unable to truly experience or understand what you're going through, he has a duty to look after you and make sure you're feeling suitably safe and cherished. So, are you feeling suitably cherished, Tohru? Or do we need to have a word with Kyonkichi?"
The idea of Ayame giving Kyo expectant father advice was both amusing and terrifying, and Tohru was quick to put any ideas on that score to rest. "Oh yes, Kyo has been absolutely wonderful! I don't know if it's possible for a person to be more excited to be a father," she said with a warm smile. Then she realized who she was talking to, and laughed. "Or maybe it is."
Mayuko and Hatori were smiling at each other, and Ayame was giving Hibika a fond look. It was strange, thinking of either of them as fathers, but probably no stranger than it was for them to think that way about Tohru and Kyo! And if Ayame could manage to settle so easily into fatherhood, then how much more confidence should that give her in Kyo?
"So...Honda is looking really good, all things considered. But how's she really doing, Kyo? I know if we asked her, she'd say good, but what do you think?"
Kyo chuckled at Hatsuharu's question. "Are you ever gonna stop calling her that, Haru? That hasn't been her name for a while now, you know."
Haru simply shrugged. "I know, but it's been her name for so long that calling her anything else feels weird. Besides, what else am I gonna call her, 'Sohma?' That wouldn't be confusing at all."
"You could always just call her 'Tohru' like the rest of us, you know," Momiji said with a chuckle. "I bet she would like it."
"Eh, I'm sure she's just fine with 'Honda.' It's like our thing, just between us."
"As if you need a 'thing' with Tohru." Kyo snorted, then looked over at Tohru and smiled. She looked happy, especially given the bonus presence of so many little kids. And she'd even managed to stop crying, at least for the time being.
Turning back to Haru, Kyo shrugged. "Honestly, she's actually...doing good, I'd say. She's tired a lot, and she cries a lot. Even more than usual," he added when he saw Haru about to make a comment. "Mostly she'd feeling pretty uncomfortable right now, and a little self-conscious about how big she's getting."
Momiji nodded at that. "Ja, when I saw her outside and told her she was adorable, she actually told me she felt like a cow. Can you believe that, Haru? You never looked nearly that cute."
Hatsuharu looked over at Tohru thoughtfully, then shook his head. "Yeah, if she's a cow, then she's a lot cuter cow than I was."
Even though he knew it was Haru just being Haru, Kyo immediately bristled defensively. "Just so we're clear, Haru, do not make a single mention of literally anything cow-related around Tohru, got it? She's a little sensitive right now."
Haru gave Kyo a thoughtful look, then nodded. "Don't know why she would be, though. Isn't it normal to get big when you're having a baby?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean she has to like it."
Momiji was looking at Kyo suspiciously now, and Kyo gave him a look. "And what's THAT look for, Rabbit?"
"I was just thinking. You haven't done or said anything to make Tohru feel insecure about herself, have you? Because that would be a truly rotten thing to do to the woman carrying your baby."
"NO!" Kyo's denial was so explosive that several people turned to look their way, and Kyo immediately flushed. But he stood by his denial; any issues Tohru might have on that score were entirely in her own head. And he took back everything he might have been thinking about how Momiji was no longer annoying. "I think she looks as beautiful as ever."
"Have you made sure to tell her that?"
"Of course I have! I tell her she's beautiful, amazing, gorgeous, sexy as hell. Pick a positive adjective, I have used it." Kyo was practically seething as he glared at Momiji, but then Haru interjected with a nod.
"I can see it. Her boobs have gotten massive, haven't they?"
"I will punch you if you don't stop staring at my wife's chest, Haru."
"Hey, I'm just making an observation. It's not like it's hard to see, they really are massive. I'm pretty sure they're even bigger than Rin's now."
Kyo hard turned the full force of his angry glare on Haru now. "Last warning, Haru."
"Fine, I won't look anymore. But I'm just saying, if she's feeling insecure about things then maybe that's something that would cheer her up. Someone could tell her that, besides you. You never know, she might like it."
Haru was saved by the sudden appearance of Yuki.
"I haven't had a chance to properly congratulate you yet, Kyo." Yuki stepped between Haru and Kyo with an air of casual innocence, offering his hand to Kyo as Kyo's own hand started to twitch in Haru's direction. For a moment Kyo simply stared at Yuki, trying to process where he'd come from, then gave Haru one last glare before accepting the handshake.
"Yeah, well, thanks." Kyo looked from Yuki to Haru and back to Yuki, then snorted. "You heard him, didn't you?" More of a statement than a question, and it was confirmed by Yuki's nod.
"I thought it best remind you it's bad form to punch someone in a social setting, especially when there are small children present."
"Yeah, well, not as much bad form as certain other things," Kyo said with another glower at Haru.
Haru just shrugged and draped an arm over Yuki's shoulders. "I still don't get what the problem is, I really think it might help."
Yuki gave him a raised eyebrow look. "You really need to step back and think about what is and isn't 'help' if you want to make it through the rest of your life unscathed."
"Well, who wants to be unscathed? Sounds pretty boring if you ask me."
Kyo sighed again, reminding himself as that he was a grown man who did not need to be flying off the handle over stupid comments. If only some of these dumbass other grown men could just refrain from making them...
"So with Tohru and Kyo expecting ein baby, are you and Machi feeling broody yet, Yuki?" Momiji's teasing voice, directed at someone other than Kyo, was a welcome chance for Kyo to collect himself. Especially since the comment apparently struck a nerve on the normally composed Yuki, who suddenly blushed.
"Ah, well, not necessarily broody, exactly, though we're of course very happy for them."
Momiji latched onto that 'exactly' with interest. "Ooh, so if not exactly broody, then what exactly are you?"
"So Hans couldn't come along on this trip, then?" Yuki's attempt to redirect the conversation was so painfully obvious that all of them had to laugh. And that was enough for Momiji to take pity on him and call off his line of questioning.
"Nein, unfortunately. He had a big project to do over break that's due next week, so he's been very busy. It would have been nice to bring him; he loved getting to meet you all at the wedding."
Yuki smiled, thinking back to the summer and his wedding. That had been the last time they'd all been together; before that, it had been even longer. Haru still lived in the area, but Yuki and Machi were in Kyoto, Kyo and Tohru lived all the way up in Aomori, and that didn't even begin to factor in the distance to Germany. It was hard to believe that they'd once seen each other every day at school, and now...
He glanced over at where Machi was talking with Kagura and Mitsuru, then over at where Tohru was 'holding court' and smiled. They were all growing up, that's what it was. No, he corrected himself; they weren't 'growing up,' they were grown up. Even Hiro was going to be graduating high school in the spring; none of them were children any more. Now, they were having them.
"Well, maybe next time you're back you're able to bring him," Haru said to Momiji. "You'll be done in the spring, right? Is that when he graduates, too?"
Momiji nodded. "Ja, we'll both be done in May. But we still have to talk about what the next steps are." He realized the other three were all looking at him with variations on surprised or expectant looks, and he smiled and waves his hands. "Nein, not like that. Or at least, not specifically," he said with a soft smile. "More like...where do we each see ourselves going after graduate school? I have the chance to keep working where I am in Berlin for longer, and it might not be a bad idea to get more experience overseas. But Papa has said there is a place for me back here, if I'm interested...and naturally, I am. Very interested." He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "So you could say that it's complicated."
They could all understand that. It had to be hard, having one foot in two countries.
Momiji sighed, trying to shake off the funk that the thought of weighty future decisions had brought on. "But enough about me. Haru, how are things going with you? Have you and Rin decided to make things legal yet?"
Haru cracked a smile and shook his head. "Nah, we're still having way too much living in sin. I don't get why you two were in such a rush to tie yourselves down," he said to Yuki and Kyo with a chuckle. "It's a lot more fun when you're sticking your thumb in convention's eye."
Kyo snorted and Yuki rolled his eyes, but both of them were smiling. It was hardly a surprising attitude, not from Haru and Rin.
"Considering Machi and I were dating for four years before we got married, I'd hardly say we 'rushed' anything," Yuki said. "And honestly, haven't you and Rin been together since you were sixteen? Fifteen? You've got the longest streak out of anyone here when it comes to relationships. In fact..." Looking around the room, Yuki brought his gaze back to Haru with a raised eyebrow. "Except for Shigure, and possibly my brother, you two have been together the longest out of any of us."
Haru shrugged again. "Still sounds hotter when you're not throwing around the word 'wife.' But as long as you guys are happy, right?"
Yuki and Kyo each glanced in the direction of their respective spouses, smile. 'Happy' was definitely a fitting descriptor these days, for both of them.
"And Kyo and Honda are having a baby. It still seems weird to think of you with a kid, Kyo, not gonna lie."
Kyo could understand that; it wasn't all that long ago that the idea felt weird to him, too. "Well, crazier things have happened. Ayame has a baby, after all, and somehow that works." The four of them all looked over at where Ayame had reclaimed Hibika and was helping her play peekaboo with Tohru and Kisa. It a happy sight, if a little surreal; nobody would have picked Ayame to be the doting father type, but Hibika had him wrapped around her little fingers.
Seeing the smile on Tohru's face as she played with the baby lifted Kyo's heart. He'd been a little worried that it would be too much for Tohru, having this party after the long day with her grandpa. Especially when she'd refused to let him call a taxi. But she looked like she was enjoying herself; hell, she looked positively thrilled. Getting to see everyone was like the biggest mood boost he could have hoped for for her, and he was delighted at how well it was all working out. Every day seemed to be getting harder for her; a little harder to sleep, a little harder to move. So if he could help her find even the tiniest little bit of extra joy, he'd do it, no questions asked.
"You two are keeping it a surprise, right Kyo? Whether it's a boy or a girl?" Yuki's curious question brought Kyo's attention back to the group, and for a split second his distracted mind almost tripped him up.
"N-yes. Yes, we're waiting until the baby is born."
There was a moment of silence, then Momiji's eyes widened. "You know, don't you?"
Haru crossed his arms and nodded his head. "Looks like it. So...you gonna share, or what?"
Kyo blushed, kicking himself for his absent-minded fumble. There weren't a lot of things he could do for Tohru this pregnancy, not things that truly meant something. Keeping his mouth shut about the baby was one of the few things that did; it should have been easy, since all he had to do was not do something. Figures that this was one of those rare occasions when not doing something was harder than the opposite.
He opened his mouth, then closed it. Then he ruffled his hair in irritation before finally figuring out what to say. "Yeah, I know. But Tohru really wanted the surprise, so this is how we're compromising, so I'm keeping my damn mouth shut and none of you are gonna try to get it out of me, got it? Unless you want to make my very pregnant wife cry."
Haru might still be tempted even with that threat, but there was no way either Yuki or Momiji would let him. The Tohru card was a very powerful one, even now, and the subject was quickly dropped.