Chapter Seventeen

After Nowaki left the bedroom, he called the doctor on his cell phone. It rang for awhile before he answered. Dr. Sato's voice was dry and scratchy, like he'd just woken up.

"Uh, hello? This is Nowaki Kusama…" He hesitated before continuing. "I… I'm sorry for bothering you so late, but something happened." Nowaki told him everything from that night, including Hiroki skipping lunch and bloody vomit. Before, when he was around his lover, he pretended not to be worried for Hiroki's sake, but inside he was wracked with anxiety.

The doctor listened patiently before responding.

"I told you something like this might happen. Although I want you to come in for tests, I don't think you have anything to worry about. The growing fetus is putting pressure on his stomach and intestines, mostly his stomach. As the stomach is being pushed around a bit, it creates blood."

"Oh," Nowaki sighed, relieved, "That's all then?"

"Well, yes, but also no. I don't know how long this will last. It will probably be about a week as his stomach adjusts. Whenever he eats he will get sick because the stomach isn't used to digesting in its new shape. Just be careful that he drinks enough fluids to make up for what he loses."

Nowaki didn't know how to respond. His voice rose with frustration. "He can't throw up every time he eats. How will he get any nutrition? And calories? He needs energy? And the baby needs him to eat too."

"Well… It's not that simple. You have several options. The best, in my opinion, is just to let this phase run its course. A week or so won't hurt him drastically. Whatever nutrients his body takes in before his body regurgitates it should be enough to keep him going."

"I don't know…" Nowaki chewed the side of his lip as he thought. He knew the doctor was right, but he couldn't help worrying. He didn't want Hiro-san to be throwing up constantly.

"Well, you could have him stay in the hospital for a week. If we do that, then he could receive nutrients from an IV."

He flopped down on the couch and ran his fingers through his hair. "I want to say yes to that… but I don't know how Hiroki would feel… He wouldn't like staying in a hospital… but if it would be better for him…" He debated back and forth until the doctor cut it.

"Better isn't always what is best. He should be comfortable."

After a few more words the conversation ended, and Nowaki went to bed.

Lying down, Nowaki watched his sleeping lover. Though Hiroki was completely still, Nowaki had plenty to look at: the way that Hiroki's abs moved up and down as he breathed deeply, the way his lips were parted open just the tiniest bit, and the way his head rested on the pillow lightly and carefree.

Watching the sleeping man, Nowaki soon felt his cock swell. It perturbed him; after all, Hiroki was sick and defenseless in sleep, and yet he was thinking of sex? He tried to push the carnal thoughts out of his mind and concentrate on sleep.

He lay perfectly still for several minutes, but he couldn't stop imagining how beautiful Hiroki was, especially when Nowaki was on top of him and thrusting into him.

"Ahh," Nowaki groaned in frustration. He had to stop thinking about that!

He turned away from Hiroki and closed his eyes. Despite his mental protests, his imagination kept on turning back to Hiroki. Sleep overcame him much later, and all the while he thought delicious thoughts of his lover.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

The next morning.

"The hell I'm staying in a hospital for a week!"

"But Hiro-san, you will get all the nutrition and food your body needs there."

"No. Not gonna happen." Hiroki turned around and began to stomp away, signaling the end of the conversation.

Nowaki grabbed his arm. "Please! Just think about it," he pleaded, "You won't get sick there and it will be healthier!"

Hiroki jerked his arm away and frowned. "I told you already. No."

"But Hiro-san—"

"No!" he exploded. "I don't need to feel like any more of a freak than I do already!"

"Wha…" he said, softening, "Hiro-san, you're not a freak…"

"Yes, I am! I'm a pregnant man!" Hiroki clenched his eyes and whispered through gritted teeth, "How is that normal?"

"No, it's not normal, but it doesn't make you a freak. Besides, I don't want you to be normal."

Hiroki didn't respond, so Nowaki walked over to the smaller man and hugged him tightly to his chest.

"Besides, my opinion is the only one that matters. And I love you being pregnant." He leaned down so that he was looking straight into Hiroki's face. "I absolutely adore it." Hiroki's eyes opened with surprise when he felt a soft kiss on his lips. "So don't worry. Nothing could ever change how I feel about you."

Nowaki encircled Hiroki's waist with his hands and rubbed. "Soon," he continued, looking down at his lover's abdomen, "you will grow with my baby, and I must admit, the thought of you growing full and round with my child makes me unbearably excited. So excited," he whispered into his ear, "that I feel as if I am going burst any moment."

Hiroki's eyes lowered at the confession. Why did Nowaki have to be so comforting?

"I… ah… I feel the same."

"I know," Nowaki said affectionately as he nuzzled the soft skin of Hiroki's neck, "I can tell."

At those words, Hiroki decided that he had reached his daily quota of fluffy love talk. He pushed Nowaki away and strengthened his voice. "But don't think that just cause I'm pregnant it means that I'm gonna be all sappy with you. I'm not that hormonal."

Nowaki smirked. "Of course not, Hiro-san. However, you are on some pretty intense hormonal supplements; you never know what will happen."

"In your dreams," Hiroki replied tersely.

"How'd you know?"

Hiroki's jaw dropped.

"Because," Nowaki continued as he leaned down," just last night you were in my dreams."

He waited a moment for dramatic flair.

"Do you want to know what you were doing?"

Hiroki quickly cleared out his shock. He flapped his hands side to side to reject Nowaki's question as he shook his head. "No,no, no, that's quite alright."

Nowaki ignored him and began to relay the events of his dream. "It was really quite scandalous. I didn't know you had it in you. I mean, usually I'm the one in control. But nonetheless it was hot. Actually, it was more than hot. It was absolutely scorching." He said the last word so sensually and slowly that Hiroki froze.

"Do you want me to continue?"

"I… ugh…" Hiroki didn't know what to say. A small, very small, part of him wanted to know more, but he couldn't admit that.

"Hmm… maybe I'll show you later this week, or maybe even tonight what happened in my dream. I'm sure you'll enjoy it just as much as I did." Nowaki was speaking lower now as he replayed the events of his dream in his head."

Nowaki gave a long sigh as a smile graced his face. "Yes, I'm sure you will enjoy it."

"Don't imagine me naked!" Hiroki screeched indignantly.

Nowaki played innocent. "What? Who says I was imagining you naked?"

"Don't pretend you weren't?"

"Oh, Hiro-san, when did you become so feisty?" he teased.

Hiroki became red and flustered as he scrunched up his face. "You are like a giant over-sized five year old! Remind me again why I'm with you?"

Nowaki suddenly became serious. "Because you love me."

Hiroki just crossed his arms and looked away. An awkward silence fell upon them.

After several long moments, Nowaki spoke.

"You don't have to stay in the hospital if you don't want to."

"Stupid," Hiroki mumbled, "I wasn't going to stay there in the first place. It's not like I need your permission to do what I want."

"No, you don't need my permission. But I know that you want my approval to stay here for the next week."

"Yeah, well…"

"Hiro-san, I love you so much! Just promise me that you'll be careful here."

"Of course I'm being careful!"

"I know you are, but for my own sanity please just…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

Nowaki smiled and leaned down to kiss Hiroki lightly.

"Thank you."

So, it's been awhile, but I had finals and I had so many end of the year concerts/recitals and I got a part time job! I am now an assistant pointe instructor. Which is weird, but apparently you don't need a degree to be an assistant in dance. I did ballet/pointe all the way up until I entered college, and they just tested me on my skill level and I got the job! It's just beginner pointe, so nothing too interesting, but I'm still very excited! Sorry, I'm so excited that I couldn't help but share, even thought you folks probably aren't reading this…

Delia Cerrano, yes, Hiroki is older and smaller. :)

Purplegurl156, I'm trying to prepare it, but I feel like what I did didn't suffice, so I'll probably have to think of something different...