AN: I like this chapter, myself. Hope you do too. Sorry it took so long, it's been done for awhile, just sat unedited. Enjoy. ^_^
Aruiteku Together Forever – Chapter Seventeen
It was Christmas, and there was a party on Merida, no missions to keep the Tuatha de Danaan battle-group from holding one for once. It was summer in Merida, something that felt extremely odd to Kaname. Just a few months ago it had been summer in Tokyo. Reliving the season gave her an odd feeling, and she almost, almost, missed the cold. Really, what she missed at that moment, was wearing baggy clothing. None of her summer clothes even fit her anymore, she had to have Sousuke get some brought in from off base.
They still hadn't told anyone. They were planning to do it that day, though. For some reason, the idea of announcing that she was pregnant on Christmas had appealed to her. She didn't know why, but that was what she had told Sousuke was her wish on the matter, and he always let her have her way. He had really wanted to share, though, and she could see it whenever someone came to visit them. He would wrap an arm around her and rest his hand on her hip, fingers itching to stroke her belly. He really was so excited. She smiled as she thought about it, taking a sip of the water Sousuke had brought to her earlier.
At the moment, she was sitting with Sarah, Tessa, and a mix of people from the research center and operations that she did not know. Sousuke had been dragged somewhere by Kurz, despite his protests, and Kaname could only sigh as she thought of just what kind of things they could be doing. With Kurz, it always paid to be paranoid. He was always up to something. She sighed again as she remembered the hot spring.
Sarah turned to her with a smile, "Are you all right, Kaname? Bored?" she giggled when Kaname made a face and nodded, pounding back her water. "Do you want to try to find Mister Sagara? I'll come with you so you don't get lost."
Tessa turned to the two, hearing that, and beamed, "I think that's a great idea! Why don't we go find him?" she stood up immediately and excused them without even waiting for a response.
Kaname was towed from the table by the two with a laugh. The girls walked on either side of her, looping their arms through hers and acting very much like they would if they were just normal girls in high school. The previous day had been their birthday, eighteen at that and now it was Christmas, so they were in high spirits. They walked outside, grateful it was night and the air was beginning to cool somewhat. It felt good to be out of the crowded hangar they had turned into a party area and someplace where they could breathe fresh air.
Laughing and smiling, Kaname insisted they find someplace nearby to sit down. She was feeling tired, and she did not want to go far in case Sousuke went looking for her. They found some rocks they could use as seats, settling in and talking about random things. At times they touched on business, such as the completion of the ARX-8 which Sousuke would begin testing in just a few days. They all wondered how he would react to it in its entirety. It lacked functions he had grown to take for granted, and knowing his way of handling things, he'd probably immediately start by calling it all kinds of useless.
Kaname laughed as she imagined his reaction when Al would come on and ask if Sousuke meant him when he said useless. The AI was a surprise still, even if the existence of the system wasn't. She really wondered just what he would say when it came on. Would he be happy or would he start swearing at it? Either seemed viable, considering his past with Al. She smirked and shook her head.
Tessa stood up suddenly and walked forward to greet someone. Sarah stood up politely and Kaname turned to look over her shoulder to see who had arrived. Sousuke, Melissa, and Kurz walked up to the girls. Kaname went to stand but Sousuke shook his head and motioned for her to stay sitting. Far too tired to disagree, she sat and impatiently waited for him to make his way to her. He sat awkwardly on the rock with her, pulling her close and kissing her cheek.
Sarah was introduced to Kurz and Melissa, the girl completely baffled when Kurz grinned and bowed to her, taking her hand kissing it. Or he would have, if Melissa hadn't swept his legs from under him with a boot to the heel and tug on his shoulder. Tessa tried to show concern, biting her cheek to keep in the laughter. Kaname laughed around, while Sousuke shook his head and sighed, "Honestly, Kurz. I would think by now you would have learned."
Melissa agreed emphatically, Tessa succumbing to her giggles. Sarah slowly sat back on her rock, watching the scene with a mixture of bewilderment and amusement. Kurz groaned and rose to his feet, swiping the dirt off of his clothes. Kaname had fallen silent after Sousuke spoke, and he turned a questioning look on her. Seeing his confusion, she grinned and shook her head, "That must have really hurt Kurz, coming from you."
"What do you mean?" he tilted his head to the side, eyeing her curiously. The others laughed knowingly, Kurz trying for an offended look in Sousuke's direction.
Giggling, Kaname answered, "Who is it that I had to beat with a harisen constantly until he finally got it through his thick skull that you do not point guns at teachers? Or students, or arcade machines, or vendors, or," Sousuke scowled and put a finger on her lips.
"I get it," he muttered. Kaname laughed and kissed the tip of his finger, pulling his hand down after so she could lean in and kiss him.
Kurz turned to Melissa and winked, opening his arms to her, "Hey babe, give me some love! I'm feeling lonely and wounded over here!"
"You don't know what wounded is yet Kurz. But don't worry. I'll teach you," she grinned widely, showing off the whites of her teeth with a dangerous gleam in her eye. "By the time I'm through with you, you'll have a whole new vocabulary."
He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "A whole new vocabulary, eh, Lieutenant Hotpants? Is it in a language like the cavemen, with lots of grunting and groaning," an elbow smashed into his smirking face.
Sousuke looked over at him, and then turned a meaningful look to Kaname. "I rest my case."
Kaname nodded in agreement, leaning against him with a happy sigh. He twisted so he could wrap both arms around her, tucking her head under his chin. "How are you feeling?"
"Mm, tired," she yawned as though to prove her point, snuggling closer against him. He smiled and kissed the top of her head, smoothing down her hair and stroking her back.
"Do you want to go home?"
She shook her head, "No, I'm okay for now. I want to try to have some more fun before going to bed."
He twisted his fingers in her hair, pulling gently on the long strands so they ran across his hands. He kissed her temple and whispered in her ear. She blushed and nodded, pulling back a little, and turned nervously to their friends.
Kurz had picked himself back up and was about to find himself in trouble with Melissa yet again when Sousuke cleared his throat to get their attention. They turned to the couple, who they had decided to leave in their own little world, and looked at them curiously. Kaname's face was red and she had her hands clasped tightly together, her knees drawn together and her feet fidgeting. Sousuke had one arm around her and he had his head tilted to whisper something more to her. She shook her head violently and he smiled, kissing her cheek before looking up at his friends.
Not one to mince words, Sousuke came right out with, "Kaname's pregnant."
She flinched and smacked his shoulder, glaring at him. "What was that, Sousuke?! I leave it up to you and that's what you come up with?"
He stared at her, pulling back slightly, shifting his legs to prepare for escape, "Kaname? I thought that telling them was-!"
"Idiot! Where was the build-up? You know, the leading words, the alluding, the emotion?! You sounded like you were just saying something stupid, like 'It's hot today' or something!" she growled.
Sousuke began to sweat, his eyes darting back and forth as he contemplated the benefits and ramifications of retreat. Oh yes, the ramifications. He could feel the ghost-sensation of the harisen now, smacking against the top of his head with a sound that was likely comical to anyone witness to the event. Their antics were interrupted by laughter. Kurz, Melissa, and Tessa were doubled over, wiping tears from their eyes or holding their guts. Melissa stood up straight first, taking in a deep breath, "Oh, you guys are just too cute! Congratulations!"
Kurz snickered and gave Sousuke a thumbs-up and a wink. "You never would shoot blanks, eh, Sousuke?"
Sousuke blushed, ducking his head in embarrassment. Tessa walked up to the two, wrapping her arms around Kaname's shoulders with a shy smile, "I'm really happy for you both. Congratulations."
Kaname smiled back at her, grateful that she took it so well. She had been worried how Tessa would take the news. It was one thing that they were in a relationship; it was a completely different thing that they were going to have a child. That made everything all the more real, there was no going back now. Things would permanently change between them, no matter what happened in the future. "Thank you, guys, really. Thank you," Kaname found she was crying, and she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
It felt so good to her, to have it out like that, and for it to be accepted. She still felt nervous about how her family would react. She and Sousuke were going to visit Tokyo in a few weeks, but at least she knew there were people she could count on to be there for her when she returned, if things went bad. Sarah smiled from her rock, feeling out of place with the way they had all fallen into their familiar routine with each other. She stood up and walked over to them, giving Kaname a hug of her own, "Congratulations, Kaname!"
"Thanks, Sarah," she smiled up at the girl. Sarah straightened and nodded to them, voicing her happiness again to Sousuke before excusing herself. Kaname leaned against Sousuke, closing her eyes in contentment.
Melissa smiled and settled down since Kurz finally started to behave. "So when's the baby due?"
"The end of May," Sousuke answered, kissing the top of Kaname's head and holding her close. She squirmed and sighed happily, and her head began to slip from his shoulder. He smiled and shifted, lifting her up carefully so he could settle on the rock and hold her in his lap while she napped.
"Mm, just how far along is she, anyway then? Four months, huh, you've been keeping out on us?"
Sousuke nodded, "We wanted to wait until the second trimester to say anything, then Kaname decided she wanted to do it today."
Melissa nodded. It made sense, really, and she couldn't fault them for it. She propped her head up in her hand, resting her elbow on her thigh. She looked at Kaname carefully, and smiled when she saw the distinct lines in her clothes that showed her stomach.
"Showing a bit, hm? I'm almost jealous," she smiled at the couple. She never really had wanted children, she didn't have the patience for it, or the wish to really settle down and make that commitment. Sometimes, though, her hormones would kick in and make her think about it for just a little bit, and seeing someone close to her pregnant stirred those instincts.
Kurz grinned at her, "You know, if you want one of your own, all you have to do is ask!"
Unconsciously, she swung her arm in his direction, her fist connecting with his face painfully. "If I wanted to have kids, I'd make sure to have them with someone who wouldn't give them any bad genes, dumbass."
Tessa giggled and helped Kurz up, patting his shoulder. "I think you should give up Mr. Weber, it doesn't seem to be working."
He sighed theatrically, his shoulders sagging forward dramatically. Kaname stirred in Sousuke's hold, and she lifted her head drowsily. "I'm sorry, Sousuke, I didn't mean to fall asleep."
Sousuke shook his head, "It is not a problem. You got little sleep last night, and it's getting late, of course you're tired."
She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck for a quick hug before standing. She stretched carefully, resting her hands on her lower back with a wince as she twisted slowly, trying to ease some of the pain. Sousuke got up and kneaded at her back and she sagged with relief. She leaned back against him and looked up, "I think I'm ready to go home now."
He nodded, excused them from their friends, and led her away. On their way out they ran into Peggy, who handed them an envelope with a smile and a wink. "What's this?" Kaname asked, turning it in her hands curiously.
"The genetic test I ran gave another piece of information," she was talking about a test they had decided would be a good idea, since Sousuke's medical history only included information on him. Not knowing anything about his family, it seemed the wisest course of action. Better to avoid any nasty surprises, and they were relieved when it came back with nothing but good news. "I wanted to wait to give this to you for Christmas; since it's far earlier than you would have thought you would have it. It's the gender of the baby," she gave Kaname and Sousuke a quick hug each and then left them with the intriguing paper.
After eyeing it for several long minutes, Kaname finally forced herself to slip it into her pocket. "Let's get home, Sousuke," she smiled up at him, sounding anxious. She really wanted to know. He smiled and nodded, leading her back to their small house. He was not in as much of a hurry as she was to learn the sex of the baby, he was equally happy no matter what it was. But Kaname's impatience meant his impatience or his pain, so he got them back as quick as he could.
Kaname put the envelope down on the bed and quickly undressed, slipping into her pajamas and sat down on the bed, patting the spot beside her for Sousuke to take. He had changed into a pair of sweatpants, tying them when she had already finished and called him over. He smiled at her excitement and took his place before she could get any more riled up. She lifted up the tiny package, unsealing it and sticking her fingers inside for the paper. When she grasped it, she paused, biting her lower lip.
Sousuke watched her with amusement, taking in the way she was a bundle of energy one moment and then complete inertia setting in at the moment of truth. He grinned and nudged her slightly, turning his face to her so he could kiss her before whispering in her ear, "Are you going to open it, or do I have to?"
That got her moving like he knew it would. It was a challenge, and she always rose to a challenge. She huffed and stuck her nose up in the air. Still though, it was with slow, shaking fingers that she removed the paper, eyeing it almost nervously. Coming across a blank paper, she blinked, turning it over. When she realized it was folded, she cursed, and Sousuke did something he never had before.
He laughed, falling back onto the bed, his hands settling on his stomach to ease against the unfamiliar expression. Kaname dropped the paper, staring at him agape. She shook her head with a rueful grin, then leaned over to poke him in the side, smirking. "Aw, honey, it's your first laugh! Are you all right, is there pain? I hear the first time hurts."
Sousuke tried to scowl, though the unusual feeling of laughter made it difficult. "It is not a problem. You were quite gentle," he grinned up at her as she laughed, shaking her head at him. "Although perhaps next time it could last longer," she squealed in mock rage and grabbed a pillow, beating him with it. He lifted his arm to protect himself, laughing more as she did, the hits gentle – for Kaname, anyway.
After a few minutes she lowered the pillow and tossed her hair with an indignant huff. "Was that long enough for you, missy?"
He sputtered at being called that, and she smirked victoriously. The battle was hers. Now, business over, she could return to the task at hand. Feeling more resolute, she leaned down and picked up the paper. He sat up again, pulling her into a hug and resting his chin on her shoulder so he would have a better view when she finally opened the paper.
Kaname took in a deep breath and turned to Sousuke. "Are you ready?" he nodded, knowing full well she was really asking herself the question. With shaking fingers, she slowly unfolded the paper, chewing on her lip. He tightened his hold, watching the sheet intently, her excitement contagious. Peggy had decided to write it in Japanese, and one lone character sat on the page, three neat strokes of a pen giving the answer.
They were having a girl.
Kaname yelped with delight, twisting in Sousuke's arms to tackle him into the bed. He adjusted carefully, catching her so she didn't squash herself against him, and smiled up at her tenderly. She leaned in and kissed him, thoroughly and enthusiastically. After some time, she pulled away, still grinning from the news, and whispered breathlessly, "I always wanted to have a girl."
He reached up and brushed the bangs from her face, then leaned up to kiss the corner of her mouth sweetly, "I'm glad."
They settled in to bed, Kaname lying on her left side with Sousuke behind her, enveloping her completely in his warmth. He reached out and turned off the light, letting the familiar blanket of darkness settle over them. Kaname sighed happily, leaning back against him, "Mm, Sousuke?" He kissed her neck in response, making her giggle, "What do you think of the name Shizuko? After my mom?"
Sousuke smiled softly, sleepily trailing his fingers along her side and stomach, "I think it's wonderful, Kaname," he murmured in her ear. She reached down to intertwine her fingers with his, resting their hands delicately on her swollen belly. She was happy he had given in so easily, as she was really dead set on the idea. After her mother died, after she had been able to look at things in a new light, she had decided that if she ever had a daughter, that would be her name. It was important to her, and Sousuke obviously saw that. Knowing him, though, he would have said it was fine either way. She just hoped he didn't resent her not giving him a chance to think of any names of his own.
He stirred slightly, letting her know he was still awake, and probably thinking of something. After a moment, he let out a breathy puff of air against her ear, twisting their hands so he could stroke her stomach with the back of his. "Hmm, Shizuko," he kissed her under the ear, "I can't wait to meet her." Slowly, he sat up, remembering something that the excitement of finding out the sex of their baby had pushed far from his mind. Kaname looked up at him curiously, tilting her head as he reached across her to grab something.
"Sousuke, what is it?"
He found a small battery operated lantern and flipped it on, hiding it under the bed so that there was only enough light to see by. Turning on the bedside lamp would have hurt their eyes, and he had no wish to ruin what he hoped would be a good moment, "Kaname?"
"Yes?"
Sousuke smiled softly at her, brushing her hair away and leaning down to press a soft kiss against her forehead. His other hand grasped one of hers, gently pulling down her fingers so he could slip something into her hand. He was unsure of himself, and could only hope that even if he did this wrong, she would still accept him, "Would you marry me?"
She blushed, looking up at him in wonder. His face was as red as hers, but he kept his eyes locked on her, hoping she would say 'yes.' "Oh Sousuke, of course I would," she giggled when he heaved a sigh of relief, bending down to kiss her neck and run his hands along her. She smiled at him, reaching her free hand to tangle in his hair. Marriage had been something she was worried about, not wanting to give birth out of wedlock.
Kaname giggled happily as he trailed kisses along her neck and shoulder, hands roaming across her as though feeling her for the first time. His enthusiasm in everything happening between them lately had her bubbling with excitement of her own. It hardly seemed real. She had found the man she loved, and who would always love her with everything he was, she was pregnant with his child, a girl as she'd always hoped, and she was going to marry him. Even if she was too young, too much to do in her life, it all seemed perfect in that moment.
A little teasing would make it even more perfect, "But, silly, you're supposed to put the ring on my finger, not in my hand. And it's the left hand, not the right," she laughed when he pulled back with a crestfallen expression. He stammered out an apology and she shook her head, slipping him back the ring and holding up her left hand expectantly, "It wouldn't be you if you didn't get something wrong dummy. Now hurry up, what are you waiting for?"
Kaname fidgeted nervously on the plane. She kept looking around, glancing out the window, down at her feet, her hands, at Sousuke, rifling through her bag, anything but sitting still and thinking. They had made their stop over at Hachijojima and would be arriving in Tokyo soon enough, the closer they got the more anxious she was. She did not even have the courage to tell her father that she had something to tell him when she had spoken to him about visiting.
Sousuke sighed, wondering just how the news would go over. It was not as though Kaname would be able to hide it. She was nineteen weeks along and even the sweater she wore was doing nothing to conceal her stomach. There was also the problem of marriage, since they would need Shunya's permission. They had found the paperwork and Tessa, who always signed off on anything needing parental consent when he was at Jindai, had been the one to fill it out for him. They still needed Shunya, though.
They could have had Mithril deal with all of the issues for them, but Kaname wanted to do it right. Although, she had admitted to herself, if Shunya did not concede, she would let Mithril handle it. Sousuke was more important, she felt, and she wanted to be married before the child was born, not wait until she was twenty and no longer needed permission. Her dad would come around eventually, anyways, she believed. It was just the initial explosion that she was not looking forward to.
After they landed, Sousuke had urged her off the plane, through the airport, and to a taxi. She was deep in thought, afraid of what was to come. She started shaking, Sousuke wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close, rubbing her back on the drive to her father's house in Musashino. He did not know what he could say to make her feel better. They had already told everyone that he was close to, and as expected, they had all congratulated him and wished him the best. The people he knew were a completely different breed of people from Kaname's family, however, so he really had no idea what to expect.
Kurz had him greatly concerned, and Melissa had said he should be sure to pack riot gear just in case. When he mentioned that to Kaname, she had thrown a fit, saying there was absolutely no way she would allow him to pull weaponry of any sort on her family. That did not mean he did not take Melissa's advice, however. He just made sure to hide the equipment from his girlfriend.
Fiancée, he corrected himself, kissing her on the top of her head with a small blush. She leaned into him with a tiny whimper, clinging onto his shirt almost desperately. It was all too soon in her mind that they pulled up to Shunya's house. Sousuke helped her out of the car and she held her pink Boston bag in front of her while he grabbed his own rucksack and a suitcase she had packed as well. He offered to carry her bag but she shook her head violently, using it as a shield to hide the incriminating evidence. With a shrug, he led the way to the door, Kaname trailing behind him shyly.
He rang the doorbell and there was a thunder of footsteps inside. Ayame threw the door open and tackled him, "Kana-nee!"
Sousuke steadied himself and shook his head, trying to ease the girl off of him. Kaname giggled, her sister's mistake cheering her up, even if she was still so nervous she felt sick. It was the first time she had felt nauseous since the morning sickness had worn off, and she swallowed past the unpleasant taste of bile at the back of her throat. Sousuke looked over at her, concerned, seeing she was turning green. "Kaname, are you all right?"
Ayame looked up from Sousuke's chest, having burrowed her face there even after realizing she had hugged the wrong person. She pulled away and took a step towards Kaname, placing a hand on her arm, "Kana-nee, you okay? I thought travel didn't upset you?"
Kaname laughed nervously, "Ah, maybe I got a bug or something. I'm going to go use the bathroom, I'll give you a hug after," she rushed past them, quickly removing her shoes and running to the bathroom, bag still clutched firmly in front of her.
Tilting her head to the side in confusion, Ayame looked up at Sousuke, "Hey is she okay?"
Sousuke sighed and motioned her inside, not answering the question. He followed her in and she showed him where to bring their belongings. Shunya had set them up in the same room, though he wondered if that would last. Not that taking him out when she was already pregnant made any sense, but Melissa and Kurz had given him a long string of things an overprotective and angry father might do. He desperately hoped the man would accept it. Kaname had enough to worry about without facing her father's disapproval as well.
He had no doubts Ayame would be excited. The girl was an endless fountain of excitement and optimism; no doubt she would find the prospect of being an aunt amazing. Sousuke walked into the living room, glancing around for any sign of Kaname or Shunya. "Daddy's at the office, he'll be back really soon though, you got here earlier than he expected. I think Kana-nee is still in the bathroom. Are you sure she's all right?"
Sousuke nodded, "She's fine."
"If you say so," Ayame trailed off. The front door opened and she perked up immediately, bounding over to greet Shunya, "Daddy! Kana-nee and Sousuke are here!"
Shunya's low voice didn't carry and Sousuke did not bother to strain to hear. Instead he looked around, trying to figure out where the bathroom Kaname would be at was. Another door opened and he turned towards the sound to see her walk out, holding her stomach with a grimace. Shunya and Ayame had emerged from the foyer and looked over at the two, as Sousuke moved to her to steady her and ask if she was all right.
Kaname was holding her bag off to the side, forgetting she had wanted to cover herself. Ayame gasped, covering her mouth with her hands, then immediately took a step away from Shunya. The man was boiling with rage, his fists clenched tight and his body shaking. He took one meaningful step forward, slamming his foot to the ground loud enough to startle the couple, who had been unaware up until that moment. Kaname's eyes grew wide and round, her pupils becoming pinpricks of fear in the face of her father's anger. With a whimper, she dropped the bag and slid behind Sousuke, who stood protectively in front of her.
"Just what exactly is the meaning of this?!" he wasn't shouting. His voice was, instead, a low growl filled with malice. He had never expected Kaname to wind up pregnant so young, she was smart and responsible, and he knew she knew better. Sousuke had seemed to be a decent kid, if a little unorthodox because of his life, and seemed to have a heavy sense of responsibility. This was a completely unexpected turn of events, one he had not thought to see, and he was livid.
Sousuke met his eyes defiantly, "Exactly what it looks like, sir. Kaname is pregnant."