Somewhere on Autumn Woods Drive

By Rikku Minouke

Disclaimer: Don't own nothing.

Chapter forty one

As the days ticked down, I felt like I had to find things to distract me from the pregnancy and from the mental struggles I was dealing with. The more answers I got the more questions seemed to appear. If it wasn't one thing, then it would be another.

"You got something on your shirt," Yusuke pointed to my pink blouse. Leaning my chin down I looked at the fabric in search of some giant stain. "April Fools!"

"You're a dick," I rolled my eyes, placing my hands on top of my swollen belly. Shaking my head I looked over at Kurama and Keiko at our breakfast bar chatting away. Yusuke sat on the leather couch kiddy corner to me.

"Oh come on, it's my favorite day of the year," Yusuke laughed and I raised my eyebrows.

"Believe me, I know," I told him with little humor in my voice. "I've had my fair share of your pranks. The rubber bands on the driveway that my dad was pissed about for weeks. The bucket of water over the door senior year when I stayed with you, shaving cream in the hand, post-it's all over my car windows when I left school one year, the rubber bands covering my phone, the life size face in the toilet, the monster outside my window at night, and not to mention the baking soda donuts. That last one was just cruel."

He laughed and the sigh that left his mouth was one of pure joy. "I've gotten you pretty good over the years."

"I really hope I'm not the only one you do this to," I said looking over at the two in the kitchen. Keiko had this sparkle in her eyes so I assumed they were talking about her father's restaurant.

"Nah," he shook his head. "I've gotten Keiko a few times."

"Only a few?" I raised my eyebrows again at him.

"Yep," he looked down at his hands momentarily. "I stick to one every couple of years because pay back is really a bitch when it's from her. Seriously, I don't need to go through that every single time I pull a prank on her. Less is more in this situation."

Laughing I bit my lip picturing Keiko beating up Yusuke. "So how long have you known Kurama?" He stuttered for a moment at the change of topic before swiping a hand over his face. "Don't think too hard on this question."

"Oh hardy har har," he rolled his eyes. "Whenever he moved to town. He'd been here a few months when I met him. Maybe two… three tops, years now."

"I don't remember you guys talking about him," I gave him an awkward tilt of my lips.

"It was slightly before you met… that one guys," Yusuke flicked his wrist like he was just waving off his comment. "I delivered to him a lot. That was before he started Target. Just moved here, right out of college, and didn't have a job."

"Kind of a weird town to move to right out of college," I gave a sarcastic laugh. "There really isn't much here besides residential stuff. I mean yeah, there's town square. But unless you went for teaching… It's not like we have a lot of business around this area."

"I'm pretty sure he followed a girl," Yusuke reached for his drink at the table.

"A girl?" I admit, there was a bit of jealousy in my voice. "Was he dating her when you guys became friends?"

Yusuke took that moment to sip from his glass. "This is more of a Kurama or Keiko conversation. Why don't you ask one of them?"

"But I'm asking you?" I was slightly taken a back that he was edging around this. "Yusuke, why don't you want to talk about this?"

"I'm just an innocent bystander," Yusuke set his drink back down and lifted his hands up in defense. "It's in the past. He's with you now. Let's keep that shit buried."

"You guys hungry yet?" Keiko called over moments before her and Kurama approached. I smiled at Kurama as he held up a drink for me.

"Fuck man, I'm always hungry," Yusuke grumbled. That's when I reached up with my left hand to grab the glass. "What the fuck is that?"

"Yusuke, you are such a potty mouth today," Keiko scolded him.

"No, seriously," Yusuke looked back at Keiko with his jar hanging open and his eyebrows furrowed. "Look at that. What is that?"

Raising the cool liquid to my mouth I tried to hide my smirk. Kurama shifted awkwardly from his spot, but neither of us attempted to explain. I let the juice run down my throat before taking a deep breath into the cup. Then slowly I lowered it to the table.

"Botan, your hand," Yusuke pointed to the hand that had held my drink.

"Oh my, is that a ring?" Keiko gasped, a hand flying to her mouth.

"I think you are trying to give me a heart attack!" Yusuke jumped up from the chair to pace back and forth. "Is that why you guys invited us over?"

"Partially," I said honestly. A smile played on my lips as I looked down at the diamond on my finger. "It is really pretty." Glancing back I let my teeth show as I grinned at Kurama who was gave me soft smile in return.

"Fuck, shit, ugh," Yusuke thrust his palms into his eyes like he was trying to blind himself. "Did you at least tell your parents? Fuck."

"No, we haven't talked about that," I said watching him practically run circles around a silent Keiko.

"Damn it, Keiko," Yusuke threw his arms in the arm. "Talk to them. Tell them it's too soon."

She bit her lip and took a deep breath, letting it out through her nose. "Well, if this is what they want to do, Yusuke. I'm not one to stop them."

"Bullshit," Yusuke glared at her. "You would be first in line if she weren't preggers."

"I'm not sure how to take that," I mumbled to myself.

"I need a real drink," Yusuke walked to the kitchen and threw open our fridge. I listened to it slam shut before several cabinets where opened and shut. "Where is all the alcohol guys?"

"I'm pregnant," I called out to him.

"I'm not!" Yusuke retorted and Kurama raised an eyebrow at me. Biting my lip, I looked back down at the ring. He sighed before shutting one more cabinet and returning to the group. Throwing himself down on the chair again he closed his eyes.

"Yusuke?" I whispered and he slowly opened one eye to look at me. "Happy April Fools day."

"You have to be kidding me!" Keiko snickered behind him and Kurama held his hand up to his mouth. "All of you? Really guys?"

"You know if I had been further a long in the pregnancy I would have faked my water breaking," I said honestly before holding up my hand, wiggling the ring finger. "This came from the toy vending machine in Cub. Twenty-five cents. Win."

"You're a bitch," Yusuke said but a smile appeared on his face.