181: Pregnancy Dilemmas

"Ugh!" I-pin crinkled her nose in disgust while she fanned at the wind that so assaulted her sensitive nose. Her husband who was only a few inches away to her side was clearly offended. He had just taken a bath. Maybe not "just", about some three hours ago and he had not done any strenuous activities. How he could have been stinky, he had no idea.

Still, the young wife did not stop her exaggerated motions. To further infuriate her husband, the pregnant young woman backed away and her face was that of distaste. "Kyo-san, you st—"

Kyoya kept a straight face, believing that it was just the pregnancy talking, and it is. Expecting something to happen and he was quick to react, the man easily pulled the emergency puke bin from beside him. His other quick hand was to her back as I-pin lurched forward.

Poor woman, vomiting the last of her lunch. She was visibly tired when she pulled back, though her voice was not. "This is your fault! Why can't you be the one who's pregnant?" said she in her exhausted fury.

The husband had no answer, left to his silence as he passed a glass of water after he had gingerly wiped away the acrid smears on the sides of I-pin's lips. His lack of answer brings another knot to the young woman's brows. Although Kyoya still held his tongue.

First, the answer was because he was a man. Men cannot bear children. Second, it was his nature to be quiet. To be honest, if he knew that pregnancy would be such a disaster, he would not wish it. Not only is he sexually frustrated, but the recent irritability and puking of his wife was starting to get to him. He still has a full seven months ahead. Seven months of pure horror.

And to that, he's been drinking himself to stupor almost every night. At least he would really stink if she smells him.

"I tell ya," began Kyoya, his eyelids barely covering his eyes, "I'm tired of smelling all that puke!" He had just gotten over another important meeting and now that it was over, he was holed in his office, a bottle of vodka like a baby in his arm. The boss, Tsuna, was not very happy about it and he was not letting a rabid, and tipsy, Cloud Guardian have a chance of ruining their pristine HQ. So a pacifier was sent.

It was hard deciding who was going to be the sacrificial lamb as Kusakabe was not going to tell his boss what to do, nor does he have the strength to back up his words. It's also good to note that Hibari does not follow orders from people he deems weaker than him.

The Vice-president was quickly crossed out. Gokudera and Ryohei were a no-go. Lambo was too scared. Mukuro would cause a war to erupt. Chrome would be hand-waved. Reborn shot him. So, the boss was left with the Rain. He hoped that the rain flame attribute actually does what's said on the tin: calm down the raging terror. Hence Yamamoto's presence in the president's office.

The Rain was impressed that his fellow guardian was still up. He also cannot stop himself from rubbing the issue in, "I'm glad my wife isn't like that!" The man laughed as he took a swig that was meant for the drunk guardian. Never had he regretted anything more than what he just did. "Gawds, just how strong is that? Is it supposed to do that?" His voice was raspy and he couldn't stop running his hand over his burning throat.

Not only is vodka bitter and somewhat foul-smelling, it was also like battery acid against a virgin throat, innuendos aside. The burning heat that soon blooms in the stomach will surely unsettle the inexperienced. So much for trying to be a drinking buddy.

"Can't handle it? Go home!" Hibari said, pointedly mocking the other man. But he was met with a laugh. Still the Cloud Guardian poured another shot of vodka, steeling his innards for the heated fluid. The other guardian stops him from downing the drink though,

"Hibari-san… I-pin-chan would be worried if you keep on drinking like this." Yamamoto chided the other man and took the shot glass away. Inciting the name of the Cloud's wife in the same sentence with the word worry quickly shuts off the raging terror, and he was nothing but a limp body against the swiveling chair.

Then, almost comedic, Hibari begins to sob in his drunken state, "You don't know how it feelsh… I get pushed away by my own wife!" His large hands covered his tear-streaked face and his small sobs echo in the quietness of the night. All this while Yamamoto stifled a laugh. "She used to hug me when we slept! Now I sleep so far you could put another futon between us…"

The younger man was holding up his cellphone, recording the whole embarrassing scene. Of course he would regret it if it spreads and the Cloud hears of his mischievous deed. That is, if the Cloud knows. He wagered against it anyway. "Hibari-san," Yamamoto spoke, still trying to keep his laughs in, "You're so wasted right now. What is it that you'd really like to do right now?" He took note of the other guardian's body language so he could quickly hide the gadget away.

Yet the sobbing man kept his hands to his face. Self-deprecating, self-pitying and self-wallowing in despair, the man sobs uncontrollably into his hands, "I wanna hug my wife!" Over and over he chanted.

"What was that? I can't hear you through your hands!" Yamamoto goaded. His cellphone hovered closer for a clearer audio capture. "What did you want to do?" For him it was the pinnacle of courage and nothing made him itch more than a fun game. A game where he could lose his life.

"I said I wanna hug my wife!" screamed Hibari as he bent forward from his repose on the chair. His forehead hit the table after his cry, sending him to dreamland.

Still holding up the camera, Yamamoto guffawed to the point that his sides were stinging and he was breathless and tears lined his eyes. This would be the branch point of their amicable relationship. Either Hibari kills him or this incident makes them friends. "This is… This is… Wait till they… see this!" And he continued laughing as he walked to the unconscious guardian's side. He was breathing, alright. He huffed, "I thought you died," then he pulled the man back to the backrest of the chair. It would be a more comfortable sleep that way.

Hibari woke to the sound of his phone ringing. He didn't answer right away. Instead he looked at the clock. It registered three in the afternoon. He didn't care. Returning to his sleep without rejecting the call, the ringtone just got louder and louder until it finally got him to pick up the call, "What the he—"

"Shut up, you useless man!" shouted the woman on the other line. It baffled Hibari.

Who could that be? So he checked the screen: Mom. Oh shit. He shot up from where he slept, the couch in his office, and frantically answered to the cursing woman on the line, "Yeah, Mother, what is it?"

"Where are you!? I-pin's about to give birth! Get your ass here this instant!" screamed his mother and he could also hear the shuffling of many people. They were also screaming wildly.

"Hey you, ready the car!" This was his father.

"Get madam into the car, quick!" This would have to be Kusakabe.

"There's blood!" He heard I-pin shout. And it made his blood boil. It shook him. It rendered him motionless.

What's going on? Will she be alright? Will the babies be alright?

Only the voice of his mother brought him back to the present. "Clean it!"

"Kyoya!" The scream was more than enough to make Hibari pull the phone from his ear. She wasn't in pain that much he can tell. More like angry. "The babies are coming!"

"Kyoya, you better get your ass moving! Gawds, I didn't give birth like this! Get—" he didn't have to hear the rest of it.

Nine months flew by like a whirlwind and the days of torture has passed for Hibari Kyoya. Not only had his wife overcome a lot of trials in those months, but so did he. It was rewarding in a way.

"Kyo-san… look at them…"

Little faces emerged from under the fluffy wrappings as Kyoya stepped closer to I-pin's bed. At that point, everything seemed to stop. Their sparkly eyes were like jewels on their alabaster faces. The rush of blood on their cheeks and forehead brought life to their doll-like features. Strong eyes, frowning brows and taut lips. They were just born and anyone who were to look at them would be able to say that they were his.

"Kyo-san, since you've been stubbly lately you can't kiss their little faces," I-pin reminded the dumbfounded husband. One could say that she was reprimanding him for neglecting his hygiene. But I-pin was not a sadist. "But you can kiss their little heads," she said.

The husband did as he was told, lingering a few moments on each of the twins and as gentle as possible. He sat by the edge of the bed, offering a caressing finger. His heart raced when he felt the heat on his skin as they touched. They were so tiny that Hibari was afraid that they would break under his finger. When he looked at I-pin, the woman could barely keep her laughter in.

"What is it with that face, Kyo-san?" she asked as she lightly rocked the babies in her arms. "I know, why don't you carry one of them?" She then offered the older twin. "Take him. Carry Kirio first."

"How?"

Guiding him was her soft voice and Hibari Kyoya was finally able to cradle his first son in his arms. It was soft and pink and small and it held his breath. It stared at him with those lifeless orbs that held so much potential. Soon, it will burst with life—laughing, crying, and glaring, all the same. This will be his heir.

"I-pin," called the man as he held his child. "Would I make a good father?"

"Yes, an overprotective one at that!" And I-pin turned his face towards her and gave him a kiss.

Without looking away, Hibari confessed his feelings one more time, "I love you."

Heat coursed through I-pin's cheeks and his words incited a feeling so strong that it felt like it was the first time she felt it inside her chest. Hibari Kyoya was always straightforward. And she loved that along with the other things that she has grown to love in him.

"I love you, too." Then she giggled at his expense, "Makes that embarrassing incident worth while, don't you think?"

Hibari Kyoya swore that he'd kill Yamamoto Takeshi and all his descendants if ever that one video spreads.