AN: I'm sorry for the length of time it took me in getting this done. I love you guys. Really. O.O
And a quick note that there's some 'adult themes' in this one. Nothing explicit by any stretch of the imagination. Just. You know.
Aruiteku Together Forever – Chapter Twenty-Two
"Aw, Sousuke, look isn't this just the cutest?" Kaname shoved an extra soft Bonta-kun plush toy in his face, the toy deviating from the usual coloring to be pink with purple spots and bow-tie along with a pale yellow hat. Sousuke drew to a halt to avoid running into her, and awkwardly reached his arms up to take hold of the toy. His ears were starting to ring from the sheer number of times Kaname had squealed something about some object or another being adorable since they had started this shopping trip.
Noticing she was staring up at him expectantly, Sousuke nodded slowly, "Ah, yes, cute," he had to avoid frowning. That was not a word he was accustomed to using, and he was not sure he ever would get used to it. Kaname was certainly expecting him to, constantly putting him in situations where he had to say it or risk her wrath – and she had that in spades these days.
Once Sousuke had finished fortifying their home to his satisfaction, they had begun decorating the house. They did not have too much to work with at that point however as Kaname had decided she did not feel like reusing most of the decorations from her apartment. First thing Kaname wanted to shop for however were things for the baby, not for the house. They had taken her old bed, couch, and television back from her father but Kaname was adamant those were only temporary.
Sousuke did not really understand her desire to replace things that were fully functional, but she said it was all about the atmosphere and aesthetics. The items were things that she'd had for years, and now that she was an adult and starting her own family, she wanted things of her own. Even Shunya had said she was being silly, since a child would jump on and spill things on their furniture, so why get something new? What Kaname wanted, though, Kaname got, as Sousuke found that he was completely wrapped around her little finger. Especially when she gave him a sad look with eyes threatening to spill tears, or when she pressed close to him and blew in his ear… Yes, she knew exactly how to get whatever she wanted from him.
If it was anyone else, Sousuke would likely be concerned by how easily manipulated he was. With Kaname, however, he knew he could trust her not to make him do anything crazy, and, really, when it came right down to the truly serious things Sousuke would put his foot down and not be budged. When it came to the matter of personal safety he absolutely would not be swayed and everything else Kaname could have her way with. That was how he felt, and, really, it was how their relationship had always been from the absolute beginning. Since the day they had met he put her safety first and let her win every other battle.
As they walked around the store, Kaname continuously picked things up and showed them to Sousuke, and he was beginning to think they were going to need to grab another cart. At least for this trip they had taken a car, if they hadn't there would be no way they could carry around all of the things Kaname was picking out. Luckily, it was a big car too, an SUV to be specific, not really a 'car' at all. Kaname had wanted something cute, Sousuke had wanted something practical, and that was what they had settled on. Not that they couldn't have bought more than one car, but since Sousuke was currently the only one that held a license it did not make much sense. When it came closer to the time that Sousuke would begin working, then, perhaps, Kaname would get her license and they would buy another car, as he would not be taking public transportation to his job. While Kaname could take the trains most places, it would be more convenient to have a vehicle when visiting her family, or if she had to take Shizuko anywhere more complicated than the grocery store.
"Kaname, there are other stores too," Sousuke spoke up as Kaname added another toy to the cart, "Also, what about that registry that Ayame and Tokiwa mentioned?" She looked up at him, first glaring at him menacingly, and then she glanced back down at the cart and grinned sheepishly.
"I guess I am putting a lot in this, huh? But it's all so cute, Sousuke, I don't want to have to decide! And I want it now," she pouted at him, giving him pause.
Staring at her for a few moments, he eventually just shook his head and sighed, "It's all right. I just don't know where you're planning on putting everything."
"Oh don't worry about that, I'm sure we can figure something out. You could always build shelves that I could put these on as decoration or something," she smiled sweetly up at him. Sousuke got the distinct impression that he would be doing a lot more building in the upcoming days. That was all right though as he actually enjoyed the work and it kept him busy. He was definitely not used to having idle days, so having something to do and accomplish would keep him satisfied. Not to mention if he was working on something he was usually able to escape the worst of Kaname's moods.
Sousuke managed to keep her from repeating the situation in the rest of the stores they visited, convincing her to do what Ayame and Kyouko had asked her to do, which was to make a gift registry so that people would know what to get, and to avoid repeats of the gifts. There had been much pouting from Kaname however, and she had still bought many of the things she saw regardless, to the point that the back of their vehicle was completely full by the day's end. Not a single thing for the rest of the house either, he noted with a quiet sigh as he closed it up after grabbing the last bags to bring inside the house. She had only been interested in stores and objects related to the baby that day, which meant they would have to go out shopping again.
Taking pause, Sousuke looked out over the tree line and the houses to where the sun was setting behind them, lifting his arm to wipe the sweat from his brow and he smiled softly. It was all right though. There was something calming about walking around with his wife, shopping for things for a child of his own, for a house of his own, for his family, all things he never would have thought he would know. Kaname poked her head out the front door and looked out at him, calling him back inside so he could help put things away. He turned to face her, taking in the image of her standing there with one hand resting on her belly as though to protect the little one growing inside and the setting sun shining bright colors on her form. He held the bags at his side, just staring at her with a soft smile on his face.
Kaname's expression turned into a glare from him making her stand there without saying a word, but as she lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the brightness of the sun she caught his expression and shook her head with a small sigh, smiling at him and turning inside. "Come on Sousuke, hurry up, you can look at me all you want when I'm sitting in a chair and being comfortable!"
Taking the hint, Sousuke rushed inside, removing his shoes before carrying the items he had left at the foyer into the room they would be turning into a nursery. He then went and found a chair to take into the room, setting it against a wall where Kaname would have a good look at the entire space. Kaname wrapped her arms around him after he had placed the chair, snuggling up close to him happily. "Thanks for being so patient with me today," she whispered into his chest. Once more grateful for his sharp hearing, he just smiled and placed one hand on the small of her back and the other on the top of her head to stroke her hair gently.
Ordinarily, she wouldn't have bothered saying anything, just shown him some extra affection, but she had grown more vocal about her thoughts and feelings since becoming pregnant he had noticed. Knowing what was going on in her mind was helpful, and he found he was making fewer mistakes lately. He just hoped that would continue after she had given birth. He had been told no few times that trying to understand women was beyond any man's capability, and that Kaname was even more difficult than most. She was prone enough to mood swings without the help of hormones! At least he was being clued in on what made her happy or upset these days, but it was probably too much to expect it to last.
Oh well, he was just going to enjoy the happy days they had. With their lives being the way they were, it was never good to assume they would be around forever. He would take what he had while he had it and enjoy it to the fullest. That was something he had learned during his time with Kaname, and was probably one of the most important lessons he had learned in his life. Everything before her seemed so empty and meaningless when he looked back at it. All he had done was survive, he had never lived. He just hoped the happy days would last for a very, very long time, and that he could put a stop to anything that tried to end them.
"Come on, come on!" Ayame shouted excitedly, tugging on Kaname's arm as they approached Kyouko's home. Laughing at her younger sister's antics, Kaname allowed herself to be pulled along by the girl as they went up the steps and knocked on the door. That morning the sisters had met up at the train station nearest Kyouko's house and had gotten breakfast together then walked around looking at shops as they waited for the call that everything was set up and ready for them to get there. Kaname had been happy when she learned what her best friend and sister had planned, though she could not help but have some doubts about the whole thing.
Those doubts seemed so silly though, when Kyouko's mother opened the door and congratulated her, then led her into the family room where so many of her friends from Jindai as well as some of her relatives from her mother's side were sitting there happily. It was a shock to see people from the Komura side there – it seemed that Shujiro's influence had finally affected the way they saw her. It was overwhelming to see so many people there wishing her the best especially when she had thought that at most it would be Maya, Shiori and maybe Ren. Most of the girls from year three group four were there though, as well as the entire girl's softball team and the members of the student council that had replaced her and Hayashimizu. It was quite crowded, and felt even more so when she began to cry and they all got up to surround her and check on her.
Wiping the tears from her eyes and sobbing, Kaname nodded many times before she finally found her voice again, "Thank you, everyone. Thank you."
Kyouko smiled and gently urged Kaname to chair front and center of the room, helping her get comfortable while everyone found their seats or a place to stand and watch, everyone buzzing with excitement. Many of the classmates walked up to her, gave her a hug and some kind words then left, especially since most didn't know her that well, they had just wanted to show their support for someone that had helped them in the past, and to show that everything was forgiven and forgotten. They also had other things to attend to, such as searching for work or returning to their jobs, or getting to work on college homework and projects. The fact that they had taken time out of their busy schedules to just show up was more than enough for Kaname though. She never thought that her classmates might be sympathetic and able to move past what had happened before.
It probably helped that they did not have much of an idea of what happened, and it was easy enough to get them to believe that it had been an episode from some kind of health problem or another. Whatever the reason, though, Kaname did not care. She had not believed that anything would get them to move past what had happened. It was nice to see she was wrong. While she likely wouldn't ever see them again, hearing what they had to say was all she needed to know all was well. Now it was just the classmates Kaname was closest to and her family members.
Sousuke sighed as Kurz and Mao each grabbed an arm and dragged him down the streets reluctantly. When Sousuke had made the mistake of telling them about the shower that Kyouko and Ayame had planned for Kaname, his friends had decided they needed to bring him out and make him 'live a little.' Not knowing what they had in store for him made him tense, unsure of just what kind of deprave things they might intend to pull him into. He also did not know whether to be relieved or more worried about what might happen when they met up with his few friends from Jindai.
Mao grinned and wrapped herself around Sousuke's arm, making him choke on air as she nestled his arm between her breasts and jabbed a finger at his cheek with a leer. "We're going to bring you someplace I doubt you would ever go to on your own."
It was far more disturbing when Kurz mimicked Mao's suggestive behavior, poking him right where the two lines of his scar met and blowing into his ear with a laugh. Sousuke very quickly freed himself from their grip and ran several meters ahead of them before stopping and turning to look at them incredulously, face red. Both doubled over with laughter, the expression on his face priceless, before they composed themselves and marched up to him, Kurz tossing an arm across his shoulders while Mao hooked hers around his waist. Kurz then picked up the conversation where Mao had left off, a huge smirk on his face "You'll probably never get another chance to, either, and it's something you have got to do!"
"That's right Sousuke, and I think when we come out of there you should have some things that would make Kaname a very happy lady," Mao grinned wickedly.
Nodding his head seriously, Kurz gave him a grave expression, "That's right. Keeping her entertained is extremely important."
If it was anyone else, Sousuke would have relaxed at the words. Coming from his squad mates however, it was all the more disturbing. Reluctantly, he spoke up, "And just where exactly are we going?"
"It would be no fun if we let you in on it, you'll just have to be surprised," Mao grinned and rubbed her cheek on his arm, making him twitch. The two had another laugh at Sousuke's expense before Kurz suddenly yanked a door open and Mao shoved him into the store with an excited "No running away sergeant, that's an order!"
Kaname found herself laughing more in just the few short hours she had been there than she had the past several months. As they had settled in, her friends and family had started excitedly asking questions about the baby, Sousuke, their home, their plans for the future, keeping to the lighthearted sides of the topics and sharing little pieces of advice they had learned or heard of. The laughs started coming in when the aunts would share tales of what Shizu had been like as a child, a very welcome treat for Kaname and Ayame, who had never gotten the chance to learn much about their mother.
They had remembered their mother as being very strong-willed, especially when faced her illness, but they had never realized just how obstinate she had been. At one point Ayame had laughed and quipped that Kaname had gotten the stubbornness of both of their parents combined, earning her a mock glare and a mostly empty cup of water poured over her head. All that had done was further prove her point, though Kaname looked rather pleased with herself regardless.
The stories of their mother made the two girls wish they had been able to spend more time with her and that their relationship with the Komura side had been better when they were younger. Shizu and Shunya were very contemporary, yes, but Shizu had been raised in a traditional home, and they would have liked to have experienced such things more closely. Living in America for so long, Ayame was even more separated from it than Kaname, and found the stories of antics at festivals and working as a shrine maiden to be particularly fascinating. At least Kaname had been able to experience those things, even if it was from a less traditional stand-point.
Ayame and Kyouko both kept their eye on Kaname as the day went on, noticing a huge improvement in her temperament. While she had been markedly improving it was nothing compared to the huge relief of stress they noticed when she had been assured that everything was well between her and her classmates. The chance to just relax and talk to some friends, getting out of the house and being with other people, all of it was something that Kaname desperately needed. She was a sociable girl, energetic and hard-working as well, being all but locked away from society was not good for her. The two girls watching over her vowed to themselves to get her out more often and to make sure she was getting enough human interaction outside of the home.
Sousuke decided it might be a good time to disobey an order. He turned to leave but Mao blocked the entrance with a menacing grin and a glimpse of a pistol at the ready. He knew better than to think Mao was above causing injury to even her friends. With a resigned sigh and a gulp to steel his nerves, Sousuke turned right back around to look over the sex shop nervously. He stood frozen in place, wondering just what in the hell he had gotten into this time. While over the course of the past year or so his knowledge in such matters had been drastically increased, he had no idea and no confidence with these kinds of things.
Once again taking up their spots at either side, Mao and Kurz dragged him further in, pulling him first over to some videos for some laughs. Sousuke looked around nervously, fidgeting in place. Looking up at him, Kurz smirked "What's the matter, afraid someone will see you or something?"
Sousuke stopped shuffling and glanced at his friend, shaking his head "That's not it. I'm just not… comfortable."
Mao chuckled, "Well, if we do our job right you'll be uncomfortable for a different reason by the time we walk out of here," she winked at him, and he started fidgeting again as he caught the meaning. The last thing he wanted was to get aroused in a public place. Switching back to the reason he was uncomfortable at that moment, Mao picked out a movie and held it up to him with a laugh, reading the title, "'Full Metal Jackoff?'"
Sousuke shook his head again, wincing and taking a step back. Kurz tugged another out, "How about 'Breast Side Story?'"
"Oh, I know, 'Forrest Gimp!'" Mao cackled, shoving the case at Sousuke, who was still slowly retreating. Taking pity on him, the two took charge of their friend and led him to the more 'fun' part of the store. At first, they continued to tease him, fighting to get a rise out of him. Mao held up an obscenely large dildo, grinning wickedly at Sousuke as she showed it to him with a slow and sultry wink, holding it in just the right place so that he had to stare at her chest to register what she had in her hands. He quickly averted his gaze, only to have Kurz twisting a pig-tail shaped butt plug right in his adjusted line of sight.
The two found themselves laughing at him once more as he turned his back to the wall, beet red and with sweat pouring down his body. It was made all the funnier when he yelped in surprise and chose to face the wall again after getting a look at a disturbing display of strap-ons. Kurz had to grab at his ribs, laughing too hard and clapping Sousuke on the back, leaning into him for support as tears streamed down his face from laughter. Mao was in similar straits, her back slamming against the display behind her and sending a cascade of dildos, vibrators, cock rings crashing down upon her. That only caused her and Kurz to laugh harder while Sousuke let out a long suffering sigh and bent down to begin picking up the items as an employee came over to check on them.
Finally calming down enough to breathe, the two wiped at tears and gasped for air, chuckling intermittently as they helped Sousuke clean up the mess. Mao grinned as they sifted through the items, thrusting a bright blue rabbit vibrator at Sousuke with a wink, "I think you should get this one for Kaname." Sousuke sighed and shook his head, turning his attention back to the mess. This time, however, she was persistent, shoving it at him again, "I'm serious Sousuke. Sex is well and good and all, but if you don't introduce new things it won't be as fun in the long run."
Swallowing past his nervousness, Sousuke tentatively reached out and flipped the package around in his hands, looking it over. "I don't really understand," he muttered, frowning at the object. Mao sidled up to him and whispered in his ear. Kurz leaned forward curiously as Sousuke dropped the vibrator with an even darker shade of red staining his cheeks and a faraway look in his eyes. Winking, she flashed a V sign to him as Sousuke seemed to be in a distant land of his own after whatever it was she had said. They finished picking up after themselves, leaving only Sousuke and that one vibrator on the floor as they moved on to look at other things.
As the day wore on and turned to night a few guys began to show up at Kyouko's house. Tsubaki had finally admitted defeat, and showed up to wish Kaname the best and decided to stick around to wish the same to Sousuke when he showed up. They began to wonder just when that might be though when Shinji and Onodera showed up alone. "Hmm, where's Sokkun?" Ayame asked them, glancing around and trying to see the door behind them.
They shrugged, looking at each other with confusion before turning back to the girls. "Don't know, Sagara-kun was supposed to show up a few hours ago with Kurz-kun and Mao, but they never did. When we called Sagara-kun's phone Mao picked up and said they'd be running late."
Kaname sighed, "I wonder what kind of trouble they've gotten themselves into."
Kyouko laughed nervously and smiled, "I'm sure everything's fine. They're probably just having so much fun they lost track of time."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Kaname muttered in reply, afraid of just what Kurz and Mao could be getting up to with Sousuke. She did not have long to wonder though as the trio came in, Sousuke walking stiffly in his assigned spot between them while they both wore 'cat who caught the canary' grins. Sighing, Kaname dropped her head into her hands before slowly bringing gaze up to them wearily, "Do I want to know?
Mao left Sousuke's side to wrap her arms around Kaname and kiss her on the cheek, whispering into her ear with a sultry expression. Kurz let out a cat-call while Sousuke grumbled something about accosting his wife. Not particularly used to Mao, even after the hot springs, the rest stared at the two girls in shock. Kaname flushed bright red and did her best fish-out-of-water impression as Mao smirked and pulled back with an exaggerated wink. Finally, Kaname shook herself out of it and glanced timidly at Sousuke. He took in a deep breath, eyes widening with shock and his own cheeks turning pink before they both looked away awkwardly.
Kyouko let out another anxious laugh and flapped her hands around frantically, "Well, ok, ah, so! Why don't we tell you boys about our day…," she giggled, looking about and hoping the change in conversation would put an end to the disapproving glares of Kaname's aunts and release the tension in the air.
Kaname yawned tiredly, eyes closing as they drove home, Sousuke having taken the car so they could bring home the presents Kaname got with ease. Kurz and Mao were staying at the safe house Sousuke used to live in, not wanting to intrude on Sousuke and Kaname's privacy. Sparing a glance towards Kaname, he smiled softly as the soft sound of her deep breathing drifted lazily into hearing range, indicating she was asleep. As embarrassing as the day had been for him, it had still been enjoyable. He had missed his friends, and Kaname had been missing hers for much longer. It was obvious to him that the day had done her much good, all the tension she had been living with seemed to have melted away.
He would have to remember to thank Kyouko for her care.
When they pulled up to their house, Sousuke got out of the car and went to open the passenger door, gently shaking Kaname awake. She woke up slowly, blinking sleepy eyes at him for a few moments as she tried to register what was going on. When she did, she smiled warmly at him, eyes shimmering in the moonlight as he gently helped her out of the car and into the house, putting her to bed before retrieving the items from the vehicle and locking up. Once he had put the items in their appropriate places he went to lie down with her, smiling at her peacefully sleeping form.
Gingerly, he reached up a hand to brush the hair out of her face, leaning down to kiss her gently on the cheek. She moaned slightly and he whispered an apology as her eyes cracked open. Her arms lifted to slip around his neck, drawing him down for long and languid kiss. After what seemed ages they pulled apart, both sighing happily and smiling at each other. Sousuke tilted his head down to touch his forehead to hers, staring intensely into her eyes before she giggled and lifted her face up for another kiss, this one holding delicious promises of a night with no sleep.