As a few weeks passed and Daisuke's diet improved the child within him grew rapidly, quickly coming back to a good size and making the curve in his body more pronounced. Dark had indeed taken up a night job and was stuffing the extra money into a savings account. He barely had time enough to eat dinner and sleep, and even though Daisuke understood how important it was to be able to buy everything they would need for the baby, he was concerned for him.

Dark never once complained, but… The thief and the redhead now sat on his couch and continued to mull over the problem of his mortality.

"Y'know if I just stole the 'Mahou Shukkou', I could put it in the basement and offer up all the artworks there. That would probably be enough to convince it…"

Daisuke's feline ears perked up. "But isn't it kinda large? There's no way you could carry it out of the museum…" Dark shook his head. "No, it's just about as big as a floor-length mirror. I'll be able to get it out of there. Especially now that I have these." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder and Daisuke's tail flicked. "But…"

The phantom's arms suddenly went under his arms and he lifted the redhead into the air, "Hey, I can pick you up, and it's gotta weigh less than you so…" He wriggled,

"I don't weigh that much! Put me down!"and Dark did, only to wrap him in a hug. "How are you doing, Dai…?" His ears went down and he stopped thrashing. "Fine…?" The Kaitou touched the swell in his abdomen and clarified, "I mean, with this." Daisuke got quiet and admitted,

"It's…kinda scary. It feels like he… or she, I guess- gets bigger every day." His cherry-red eyes darkened and he put his hand over Dark's on his belly.

"But I should be asking you how you are, I mean, I would…"

His fingered twined themselves into the thief's. "I would give almost anything… To have your baby inside here instead of…" He broke off and Dark lifted Daisuke's small head up until he was looking straight at his lover's eyes. These last few weeks he'd come to terms with the fact it was another man's kid and decided…that it was ok.

It wasn't like he didn't know Krad at all; in fact he knew…pretty much every nook and cranny of him. He'd like to believe that unpredictable personality wasn't an inherited trait. "Daisuke, I've been thinking about this. Are you absolutely sure you don't want to tell Krad somehow, like calling him or…" He looked terrified.

"N-no! Because then he'll want me back even more, and he'll know where I am because of the call, and-" He stroked a hand through wine-colored locks.

"Ok, ok, I was just…I know he's a bastard, but…" He let that train of thought go. Daisuke was obviously terrified by him, and Dark didn't want the redhead to get hurt any more than he was already, regardless of the fact that Krad didn't even know of the child. If Daisuke was this afraid of him then maybe …

...he didn't even deserve to know. "Alright, then I guess I can finally ask you." He fingered the tiny box in his pocket-they didn't have enough money to go buy a fancy ring but he's received this one from his foster mom on his fourteenth birthday. Since she hadn't had any girls she'd decided to give it to Dark instead, and as she's placed it in his hand she'd said ~Take special care of it, because you don't want it to be all scratched up when you give it to the woman you love.~

He'd laughed at her seriousness, ~Girls are gross mom, that ain't never gonna happen!~ and kept it in this little box since then. In a way, it was still true.

"Ask me what?" Daisuke said and stood up just as Dark knelt down on one knee in front of him, grinning a nervous grin.

"Daisuke…would you marry me, and let me be the father of your child?" He opened the black box. It was a simple curling gold ring with a moderately sized diamond on the middle, not stunningly impressive but sure to get the job done. "I don't need fancy gifts or wedding bells or any of that. I just need you." He knew it was soon, but…he'd never been surer of anything in his life. ~And since Dai is already preggers…~ "Wha-Dark…" He understood what it meant of course, he'd spent enough times observing the humans to know.

Instinctively his hand went around his belly as Dark's words rang through his mind. "You would…you would be its father?" The thief reached out and stroked his knuckles across the swelling. "Of course. Like I said, I've thought a lot about it and…" His voice got quieter as he finished.

"Even if he comes out looking just like Krad, I'll –I'll love him. Because he's yours." Daisuke dropped down onto his knees and his long tail went around his legs like a red ribbon. He felt like crying, he was so happy. ~My… baby will finally be able to call someone 'daddy'…~ "Of course I will, I-" Instead of finishing his sentence he kissed Dark full on the lips, blushing as he did so, and the phantom slipped the ring on his smaller middle finger, chuckling. "I knew you wouldn't reject me." Daisuke pulled back and joked, "On second thought…" and Dark feigned shock. "No Dai, I'm begging you!" They hugged again and after a brief make-out session Dark said,

"So, I guess it's settled then. I'll go and steal the Mahou next weekend and then…" He nuzzled his face across Daisuke's own and finished,

"…we can get a room ready for the-for the baby." It was a hard word for him to say, but weirdly exiting too. Would he grow to be a good kid or bad? A boy or a girl?

A redhead or a blonde? Right now, all he wanted was for him or her to be healthy, but if how big Dai's belly was becoming was any sign, than it was just fine.

"And we should probably start reading up on all of this, so we know what to expect." Daisuke nodded but his ears were down and the thief asked, "What is it?"

He put his head on Dark's thick shoulder. "I'm just worried- I don't want you to get hurt and Krad…" He wrapped an arm around Daisuke's middle.

"I'll manage. I just want you to stay here and stay safe, ok?" The redhead sat back down and the thief's arms slowly slid down until he was hugging around Daisuke's lower back. He placed his lips near the artwork's skin and murmured, "Do you think it can hear me?" Daisuke put his small hand on Dark's purple hair and petted his head. "I…think so. Dark, I'm sorry… this happened." Before he could say anything more the Kaitou pressed a kiss to his stretched skin through his shirt.

"I'm not, Dai." Daisuke felt him smile and blushed, his tail curling affectionately around Dark's arm. He grabbed said appendage and ran his hand along its length.

"You know for a pregnant guy you're pretty damn sexy."

He blushed deeper and Dark chuckled, leaving him there on the couch all hot and bothered as he toddled off to bed.

Aww! ...the marriage was totally random, my apologies. Read and review please!