Two months in and everything, for the most part, had gone well. A visit to a (very confused but still kindly) doctor showed that the baby was growing normally; though both parents had their breaths held, praying that the rest of the time would be a calm ocean. Greece had already grown attached to the little bundle, grinning when he thought of the fact that it had all of its organs, even fingerprints.

Japan, well, he wasn't really quite sure how he felt yet. Everything was so completely new, so foreign… It was like being opened up to the world once more. Throughout his daily routines he might stop to think – that vase is different because I am pregnant, or, someday that outlet might be plugged for the child's safety, or, I wonder how I will tell the rest of the world. Despite everything, all of his efforts, he too was becoming attached to the idea of a child.

They were both starts, very good starts, sparks for a firestorm.

America had been slurping on the slushee he bought at the 7-11 (at two AM, no less, but that particular wonder of the United States was nothing that Kiku wasn't used to) when Japan "casually" slipped the fact into their conversation.

"Y-you're what?" the younger had stammered, not completely blind to the facts of being a nation; it was more like he was completely shocked that Japan, well – "I didn't even think you'd ever have sex! I mean, all that porn, dude! I figured it was all because you're lonely and horny! … Whaaaaat? Who's the father? Wait. Wait. Don't tell me it's Artie! … it's not? Good! Well? Who is it?"

Kiku blinked, took a breath. Alfred's rants were always supremely stressful for him. "It is… It is Greece." He mumbled, flushing red and avoiding Alfred's eyes.

"Dude."

Kiku blinked, looked up to gauge the other's reaction. He looked… really, really happy, for some reason.

"I LOVE THAT GUY! HE'S MY FAVORITE! OH MY GOD!"

"… N-nani…?"

"Well, not my favorite. We watch movies and talk and drink beer together, like, all the time! And he makes me food and hits me and teaches me about philosophy! This is great! WE'RE HAVING A BABY, KIKU, AREN'T YOU EXCITED?"

About to hiss something about people hearing, dammit, America just shook his head, taking his friend's arm cheerily. "This is New York, man, at three in the morning! Nobody gives a shit!"

"Well… Wh-where are we going?"

"On an adventure."

After a few hours of running around, bumping into drunk, fuzzy-haired blondes and addicts on the latest high; after they bought a plastic hula girl and a can of tuna at some sort of all-night store run by a very nice man in a bright yellow shirt, they collapsed on the curb in front of an art gallery belonging to someone who, Alfred assured Kiku, was his friend. "He'll open up for us soon! We can catch naps under the sculptures and then go get bagels and eat the tuna for breakfast!"

Kiku, busy on his DS, just shook his head and clucked his tongue absently. Though he didn't mind the all-nighters he tended to pull with Alfred, he figured that maybe it was about time to learn to take responsibility and really start caring for his body and the baby inside. One last time, though, couldn't hurt a bit.

In an attempt to get comfortable enough to get some sleep, America stretched out in the gutter, sighing with contentment; it was a rather warm night, for early June. Japan rested his feet on the other's outstretched legs, content in the warmth and odd security of the morning. Silence stretched out between them as Alfred drifted in between sleep and not-sleep, and Japan intently trained his Mareep.

"So, Mister… Wise Old Man…" Alfred yawned after a while, rolling over a little – he was using his old leather jacket as a pillow. "What… do you think is gonna happen, with that little bastard inside of 'ya?"

"I…" Kiku gnawed his lip gently, wondering that himself. He knew what he hoped would happen, and he knew what he wanted to happen, but being realistic…

"I really do not know, Alfred-kun… time will tell. Though I certainly hope that… all will go well…"

"Heh." Alfred laughed softly, his grin pale in the dusk light. "You look… healthy, though, I think… I mean, if I was pregnant, I'd want to look like you. Do you even have a little bumpy?"

Kiku nodded, remembering how he'd spent an hour just looking in the mirror before he jumped in the shower that morning – though his hips were still sharp as usual, the gentle slope of his stomach was a little unexpected. Usually he looked like a malnourished child, or a young man who worked out but didn't eat properly at all; usually his stomach was very flat.

"It's only ever successfully happened once or twice, though, y'know."

"Hm?"

"Us having babies!"

And that was true. The most infamous pregnancy was that which happened to South Italy. His was with Argentina, when he was still so young, barely seventeen, and Spain was always away; Gino was the first baby to not only survive to birth and grow up a healthy child, but the first (and only) to become his own independent, lasting nation.

Most often the nations who were 'children' of their elders or empires were born of their own lands, looking like their supposed parents; they were always found and raised like precious things. So despite his crabby exterior, the Italian had done his absolute best to care for his child, mostly alone, and it seemed to have worked (at least semi-successfully). Argentina still liked to complain about his mama every now and then, though. But what kind of child doesn't?

After pondering that for a moment, Japan shook his head slowly – he realized instantly that it was how Greece did it. "Nobody has kept a child, or… at least, the fetuses don't make it very far past three months. This is not a time of war, Alfred. I am not going to rid myself of the baby, either. Like I said: time will tell, and only time."

America blinked; then chuckled in an almost 'oh, you!' (or perhaps and ironic) way. "God, you're a stubborn bastard, aren't 'cha?"

"I take pride in the fact."

"Good luck to everyone who's gonna protest this!" the younger chortled; Kiku stiffened. He'd forgotten about the others…

"Wh-what do you mean by that?"

America cracked an eye open, looking up at his friend in surprise. "Well, you didn't think they'd just… be happy for 'ya, didja? There're gonna be pissed off old ones at your door, preaching the word that, oh… your baby will be the nation that brings everyone else down! Also, nobody really will know what to get 'cha for your baby shower."

"I…" Kiku could not speak, damn his good imagination! He instantly saw images of people shunning him and Heracles, shunning the child… despite how much Japan hated it, he didn't want to go through with such a new, different thing, with only a support team of two or three people. To have the rest of the world against him- literally- would be nothing short of a horror story.

"But don't worry. I'm in your corner. There'll be a lot more friends comin' out at 'cha than you'll know what to do with... but then, probably a lot of new enemies, too. Just remember. I'll always be here, and Greece'll always be there. You're never alone, bro."