TOD ZUYO – You don't have to bite me. I just like to write that. With any luck Bakura will survive. I do have the nasty habit of killing him.
Tootsieroll90 – Yep, cravings are the best.
Don't own Yugioh. Never will. Bite me.
The first thing Ryo registered when he woke up was pain. Ryo cursed mentally and whimpered, shutting his eyes tightly and putting a hand over his lower abdomen.
Ryo rolled over to see if Bakura was awake yet. He was startled to see that Bakura was not in bed with him. It was rare that Bakura woke up before him.
His muscles contracted again and he wondered if he should get up and go get a painkiller. Then he wondered whether or not painkillers would hurt his baby. Eventually he just decided to lay there and go back to sleep, trying to ignore it.
After roughly ten minutes of ineffectually ignoring the pain, Bakura came into the room.
"Good morning, Ry," he said cheerfully. "How are you—oof!" He broke off as a pillow collided with his face.
"Stop being happy," groaned Ryo.
"What's your problem?" asked Bakura, picking up the pillow off the floor.
"I have the worst cramp I have ever had in my entire life and I really want to curl up and die," said Ryo, wincing. "I'm not in the mood for happy."
"Okay, okay," said Bakura, raising his hands in surrender. "I just came in to tell you that the Pharaoh called. He's coming over to check on our son. Maybe you should take a painkiller or some—Ahg!"
Ryo had unplugged the alarm clock next to him and chucked it at Bakura. Bakura held his forehead and gave Ryo a look that plainly said "why?"
"Um, ow!" Bakura said indignantly.
"I am not risking our daughter's health by drugging myself," hissed Ryo.
"Alright then, don't," said Bakura, removing his hand to check for blood. He saw none and continued to hold his head. "But the Pharaoh's still coming over."
"Whatever," Ryo muttered, rolling over so his back was to Bakura and attempting to fall back asleep.
Bakura sighed and bit back when he was going to say, reminding himself that it wasn't Ryo's fault he was moody. He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him silently.
He hadn't taken two steps when he was alerted by a very loud, muffled mew and he nearly tripped over Tsumi. Mahogany eyes met green as she stared up at her human patiently. Her empty food bowl was clamped tightly between her teeth.
Bakura crouched down and stroked her between the ears, smiling as she leaned into his touch. It was beyond him how a cat that small could carry a bowl that large, up the stairs no less, but she did it every time she demanded food.
"You're such a freak, cat," he laughed, taking the bowl from her and starting down the stairs, Tsumi slinking after him.
Bakura had just placed a freshly-filled bowl of meat in front of Tsumi when the doorbell rang. Tsumi turned her head towards the door and growled low in her throat.
"Welp, Pharaoh's here," said Bakura, petting Tsumi to smooth down her fur. He found it amusing that she shared his taste in people.
Bakura left the kitchen and opened the door to reveal the former Pharaoh on his doorstep. "Pharaoh," he said.
"Tomb robb—" Yami broke off as a hiss sounded behind Bakura. Bakura looked over his shoulder and Yami leaned to the right to see past him.
Tsumi was in the hall behind Bakura, crouching. Her claws were out and her fur was fluffed up. Her tail was lashing. Her bright emerald eyes never left the Pharaoh's face. Yami blinked and wondered how such a small, innocent kitten could look so intimidating.
"Tomb robber, have you been training her to be an attack cat…?"
"No, she hates you on her own," Bakura replied. "But, yes, I have. Start the training young and they'll be pros by adulthood."
Yami blinked at him. Yugi walked in just then, murmuring apologies for falling behind. He looked Bakura in the eyes and an unspoken agreement passed not to mention the threats Yugi had given Bakura. "Oh, is this your cat?" he asked Bakura casually. "I haven't seen her yet. Aww, she's so cute!"
"Aibou, wait—" started Yami.
But Yugi had already gone inside and picked her up, heedless of teeth and claws. Tsumi relaxed instantly and was purring in his arms. Bakura laughed and made for the living room, touching the tip of Tsumi's ear as he passed. Yugi followed him.
Yami sighed. "Where's the justice in this world?" he said to himself before following the retreating backs of his hikari and Bakura.
"Now then," said Bakura, flopping back on the couch, "I know you came over to check on Ryo, but I wouldn't suggest bugging him just now."
"Why not?" asked Yugi, settling down with Tsumi on his lap and raising an eyebrow at Bakura warningly.
Bakura held his bangs up to reveal a dark bruise on his forehead before letting them fall back into place. "Nailed me with an alarm clock about twenty minutes ago for bugging him. He's trying to sleep off a cramp or something."
Yami laughed. "Ryo managed to hit you? I see your cat-like thief's reflexes have faded with age, tomb robber."
"Ah ha ha, you're not funny," said Bakura, rolling his eyes. "My reflexes are fine; I just let my guard down around Ryo."
Without warning, Yami grabbed the pillow next to him and flung it so that it spun at Bakura's head. Bakura not only ducked it easily, but caught it as it flew past and returned fire at Yami, hitting him dead in the face.
Yugi laughed as Bakura folded his hands behind his head and leaned back, a satisfied smirk on his lips. "I rest my case," said Bakura. Yami scowled.
"Well," said Yugi, moving Tsumi from his lap to Bakura's, "I'll go get him for you."
"I recommend you duck at regular intervals," remarked Bakura as Yugi started up the stairs.
Bakura pet Tsumi while they waited for Yugi, ignoring a loud "What now!" from Ryo and a crash upstairs. Yami watched the kitten. He hesitantly reached out a hand to pet her, but she hissed at him and he quickly withdrew his hand, much to Bakura's amusement.
"Are those my leather pants?" asked Yami suddenly.
"Yup," said Bakura casually.
"When did you…nevermind."
Yugi came down the stairs just then with a grumbling Ryo in tow. Yugi and Ryo sat on either side of Bakura.
"Thanks for the advice to duck," Yugi whispered in Bakura's ear.
"No problem," Bakura whispered back.
"You're here to check on my daughter," stated Ryo, touching his stomach. "So hurry up and check so that I can go back to sleep."
"Son," Bakura muttered.
"Daughter!" shouted Ryo.
Yami smiled. "It won't be long before I can tell you the baby's gender."
Ryo and Bakura looked at each other in silence for a few moments, having a hurried discussion through the mind-link.
"No," said Bakura, looking back at Yami.
"We want to be surprised," added Ryo.
"Really?" asked Yami. "You argue so much about the gender, I would think you'd want to know."
"No," said Ryo, shaking his head. "It's more arguing for fun. I'd like a girl, but if we have a boy that's okay too. I'm going to name her if she's a girl, but I've decided to let Bakura name a boy."
"You did?" asked Bakura in surprise. "I can name our son?"
Ryo nodded. "If he is a son."
Bakura's face lit up. Tsumi moved from Bakura's lap to Ryo's, rubbing against his stomach.
"Anyway, Yami," said Ryo, wincing. "When the hell are these cramps going to go away?"
"They'll be on and off until the baby's born, I'm afraid," replied Yami. "They're not fun, but think of it as preparation. The real nightmare is birth."
"Oh," said Ryo quietly, looking at his hands. "O-okay."
His outside appearance was calm, but Bakura could feel the pure fear radiating through the mind-link.
"Ryo," said Bakura gently, touching Ryo's shoulder. It was trembling slightly. "Why don't you and Yugi go up to your room and play Duel Monsters? Yami and I need to have a quick chat."
Ryo glanced up, but the look in Bakura's eyes left no room for argument. "Okay," he agreed quietly, picking up Tsumi from his lap and getting up.
"Go easy on him, kay, Yugi?" said Bakura lightly as the shorter boy walked past.
Bakura waited until he heard the bedroom door shut before rounding on Yami. "Yami Atemu Mutou," he said slowly.
Yami rolled his eyes at his full name. "Yes, Bakura Akefia Touzoku?"
"I'm going to kill you now, is that okay with you?"
Yami blinked. "Um, what?" he asked.
"How in Ra's name could you say that to Ryo?" Bakura asked angrily. "I thought we should be avoiding stressing him out, not telling him how much labor will hurt!"
It suddenly dawned on Yami that he had been expecting a Bakura-like reaction from Ryo. "Well, you would've been fine with it."
"Well, guess what, Pharaoh. Ryo's not me. You and Yugi are alike in almost every way. Marik and Malik are the same way. You'd get a similar reaction from either one. Ryo and I are polar opposites. Never assume that you can tell him something just because I'd be okay with it."
Bakura was suddenly aware that he was on his feet. He couldn't remember standing up. He sank back onto the couch and cleared his throat. "Did you know that he's terrified of pain?"
"Really?" asked Yami in surprise. "It doesn't seem like it. I've seen him in pain many times."
"Well, he's not afraid if it comes suddenly, or if he's already hurt," said Bakura, crossing his legs. "It's the anticipation that something will hurt that scares him. Thank you for giving me something to deal with for the next six months."
"Sorry," apologized Yami. "I didn't realize. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a three month exam to give."
"Try not to mortify him too much," muttered Bakura, standing up to follow Yami.
"I really wish Yami hadn't told me that," said Ryo quietly, lowering himself onto the bed and setting Tsumi down.
"Yeah, he can be a bit…blunt sometimes," agreed Yugi.
"I mean, I was already nervous about the whole situation, and then to go and tell me that…" Ryo trailed off and looked down at his hands, gripping his pant legs tightly.
Yugi say down next to him and put an arm around his friend. "It'll be okay. Just remember, Bakura's always here for you, and I'm just a phone call away."
Ryo mumbled his thanks. Tsumi hopped onto his lap and rubbed against his stomach, purring. Ryo stroked her back and she headbutted him.
"Oof, Tsumi, be gentle," Ryo scolded softly. "She's been doing that a lot lately."
"Do you think she can tell there's a baby in there?" asked Yugi.
Ryo shrugged. "Who knows? All I know is that she gave Bakura all the attention before I got pregnant."
"What about giving me attention?" asked Bakura, opening the door and walking in, followed by Yami.
"Ryo, really, I apologize," said Yami, holding his hands up in surrender.
Ryo nodded. "It's okay," he whispered.
"Alright, then, let's get started so I can leave before Bakura kills me."
"Idiot," said Bakura. "I'm not going to kill you as long as Ryo needs you. I'm going to maim you."
"Oh, that's reassuring," remarked Yami, rolling his eyes.
Making no further comment, he moved over to Ryo. Ryo obediently lifted up his shirt. Small orbs of Shadow Magic glowed under Yami's hands as he examined Ryo and the baby. They sat in silence as Yami did his work. After a few minutes, he pulled away.
"It's perfectly healthy," Yami announced, "and developing right on schedule." He smiled at Ryo.
"I'll see if I can get a stethoscope so you two can listen to the baby's heart beat," offered Yugi.
"I'd like that," said Ryo.
Bakura wrapped an arm around Ryo's shoulders as Ryo leaned against him. "How far along do I have to be before you can tell me whether or not I'm having twins?" Ryo asked Yami.
"Twins?" echoed Bakura and Yami in shock.
"Well, yeah," said Ryo, looking from one to the other. "I'm a twin. Don't parents who are twins have a better chance of having twins or something?"
Yami nodded. "Yes, they do. I didn't know you were a twin though."
Ryo shrugged. "My sister died when we were seven, so you wouldn't. Anyway, when will you be able to tell?"
"I would've been able to tell when you first came to me, since both would've been there. You're only going to have one baby," said Yami.
Ryo nodded. "Okay," he said.
"Well," said Yami, standing up, "Yugi and I are going home. Call me if something goes wrong."
"Come on, Pharaoh," said Bakura. "What could go wrong?"
And one would think, after so many examples, people would just stop using that phrase.
Ryo is twelve weeks along. Totally skipped a month there. I didn't mean to, it just…happened.
Sorry for everyone who was expecting me to give him twins. I can't picture Ryo having twins, and I vowed not to use them in this or any future mpregs. Well, maybe one. But in my opinion twins are a lazy way of avoiding picking a gender for the baby. "Oh, I can't decide on a boy or a girl so I'll just give them both!" I've picked a gender and a name. No twins this time around.