...Great Expectations?
Damn the sun for bothering me now,when my body is not willing to cooperate with normal morning hours.
I try to scrunch my eyes, so that they're shielded from the sun and I can sleep a miniscule bit longer. And then there's Pi, who essentially moved into my room a few weeks ago when this had all just started. It surprises me that he didn't move out when the novelty wore off. But that is not my biggest concern as of now; I can't sleep because Zihuan has to open my robes, move the blankets and shift until he's propped over me. I know he's staring, but if I ignore him he may desist and let me rest.
"...Zhongda, have you noticed how swollen your nipples are?" ...I suppose it's to be expected that Pi be the first person to notice that change.
"Why are you saying this Zihuan?" I open my eyes and squirm off a bit when the boy starts pressing and rubbing them.
"Stop that, Pi. They're sore." He stops and looks up at me for a minute before speaking.
"I think you should go and get checked up on by Dr. Kongming; you're beginning to show."
"I am not. I still look perfectly normal, especially compared to say, Xu Zhu."
"I didn't mean it that way Zhongda. It's just that look-" Pi places his hand on the lowest part of my abdomen, just above my nether regions- "I can already feel something- our child- growing here; be responsible and see the doctor." I shut my eyes a moment, and take notice of how my body and flesh feel at where Pi has his hand; Zihuan is correct that its formation is far along enough that I can begin to feel it. But: "Zihuan, Kongming's an ass. I hate him. You owe me for going along with your choice of doctor. So now go fetch me a plate of baozi and let me sleep a bit longer."
Pi sighs: "...I will, for our child." Zihuan exits, and I can resume my rest.
There is one upshot to my condition: I can finally order Zihuan about.
I'd finally gotten back to sleep when there is a tapping at my door followed by "Zhongda, you've been sleeping for hours and the Doctor doesn't want to wait any longer."
Hours? It certainly does not feel like that, damn Zihuan and his little devil spawn for making me this ill. I sit up to fix my robes and blankets, so that I am covered once more. I run my hands through my hair to comb it, a bit. "You may enter, Zihuan."
And Zihuan comes in, leading that blasted Kongming and his traitorous lost-puppy protege, Jiang Wei. At least the latter two made the effort of wearing medical robes this time. Should I bother with glaring and scowling at them right now? Hmmm, probably not. Zihuan walks to stand besides me, while those Shu stand and watch from the foot of my bed. After a moment of this stand off, Pi speaks up:
"Zhongda, do you mind?" what does Pi speak of-
Zihuan pulls my robe down from my shoulders to my waist, before he starts speaking and pointing to my chest, at what I've come to realize is one of his favorite parts of my anatomy.
"See how they are, Doctor. This is what I was telling you of. And look down here." Zihuan pokes my abdomen. I bat his finger away and pull my robes back up before reprimanding Pi: "Stop poking there, Pi. ...And you, Kongming, do you have any useful medical observations to make?"
Zhuge Liang raises his fan over his face and squints, looking over it before speaking.
"...Congratulations on being your Prince's pregnant woman, Sima Yi."
"Zhuge Liang! You self-important, arrogant ass hole! What is wrong with you that you get off on insisting I'm a woman! You'll pay for-"
"Do not insult the Prime Minister! Or you will face my prodigious spear!" ...I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth, right there. Zihuan waves his hand before Jiang Wei:
"That sounded... lewd. Don't say that to my Zhongda, it's most... disturbing. Now, Doctor, what can you tell me of Sima's condition?"
Zhuge puts down his fan before proclaiming "Jiang Wei, the patient's chart." Zhuge reads over the clip board he's given, before looking back up to Pi and speaking: "Sima is at his tenth week; meaning that your child looks slightly more like an alien and less like a fish, is the size of a kumquat... and Sima Yi's uterus is now the size of a grapefruit." I snort at Zhuge's choice of words.
"Do you have anything worthwhile to tell me, Zhuge Liang?" I interrupt. Zhuge looks off and ponders before saying: "If you come to my office at Xuchang, I could let you both listen to your baby's heart beat."
I... I freeze up then, upon hearing him mention my offspring's heart beat. It... it is still new and strange for me to think of the concept that I do, indeed, have a child of Zihuan and myself inside my body at the moment. Before, I'd been thinking of such in terms of what physical symptoms I felt, but that mention of a separate entity that I am merely carrying is... this once, I do not know what to say, or feel or think for that matter.
I can only sit there, looking a slack jawed fool; staring at my lap without focusing on anything at all. I try to notice if I'm breathing normally, like I should be, or if I've just stopped altogether. I don't know
when it is that arms wrap firmly about me, and Zihuan places my face by the crook of his neck while nuzzling the top of my head. It is somewhat difficult for me to admit that I need this being held and shielded, right now. It must be the hormones. But, Zihuan's not being an ass about it. No, he just sits there and cuddles me until I can catch my voice.
"Zihuan, do you want to go hear it today?" He kisses the top of my head and places a hand upon my cheek before speaking a "Yes, Zhongda. This after noon, in an hour or two?"
I nod and exhale, tangling my fingers in the back of his shirt.
And then, before leaving that damnable Zhuge has to proclaim "don't forget to wear the maternity dresses from now on, Sima Yi."
I hate the people of Shu; despite their prattling on about benevolence, they are most rude.
author's note: Wow, I'm so shocked at what a hit this story has become... When I first started this I was expecting to get spammed. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing and being so damn positive. Thanks!
See my attempt at writing mushy-stuff at the end?
And Zhuge Liang is China's most epic troll.