OLD AN: Amberraven, if you're still reading sweetheart, here's your cameo chapter. Hope it pleases.

Cerberus

The Uke Flu

Chapter Forty-four: Dinner Party Part II

Clean up

When everyone had finished eating, Hiroki noticed Nowaki beginning to gather the dishes around him.

"Nowaki…" Hiroki called out from where he was sitting, stopping his giant mid-rise as Nowaki prepared to get up from the table. He stood and walked over, taking the dishes from his partner's hands.

"Those of us who didn't help prepare the meal will clean up, so sit back down." From the end of the table Hiroki had just vacated, Kisa and Serizawa rose too.

"It's only fair." Kisa shrugged looking down at Yukina.

"And I think you should stay off your feet, Keito-kun," Serizawa added, grabbing several bowls and heading into the kitchen.

Hiroki looked down when he felt a gentle nudge on his hip. Hiyori looked up at him with earnest eyes.

"Umm…Kamijou-san, may I please help in my Papa's place?" She added in a loud whisper, "he's a disaster in the kitchen." This comment caused both Yokozawa and Kirishima to snort, Yokozawa in agreement, Kirishima, amusement.

Hiroki was a bit apprehensive, but he thought Hiyori had conducted herself exceedingly well throughout the evening so far. So with barely a moment's consideration he nodded. Having received her host's permission, Hiyori looked across the table for confirmation from Yokozawa, since he had told her to stay out of the kitchen earlier.

"Onii-chan, may I help?"

Yokozawa was embarrassed that Hiyori had deferred to him and not her father, though this had been happening more frequently lately and didn't seem to bother Kirishima in the least. In fact, if anything, it rather seemed to please him.

Looking at the ukes in the kitchen, Serizawa and Kisa's size being so much more diminutive, Hiyori's chances of being overrun seemed greatly reduced, so after glancing at Kirishima who smiled a little wider, Yokozawa slowly nodded.

"Just try and stay out from underfoot."

Hiyori gave a slight roll of her eyes as though such advice was unnecessary, but her tone was more than appropriate when she answered, "I will, Onii-chan."

"I was going to make fresh tea and get the desserts together, Hiro-san." Nowaki tried this last attempt to join the others in the kitchen. Hiroki offered Nowaki a very Hiyori-like eye roll of his own.

"Stay there, Nowaki, I got it."

Nowaki sighed happily and turned back to the table where Yukina had just started what quickly became a lively conversation about baseball. Soon the seated men were amicably arguing about teams, listing the stats of their favorite players, and reminiscing about games they had seen. The conversation came to a halt however, when Keito suddenly gasped and put both hands, palms down on the table bracing himself.

"Are you okay, Keito-san?" Nowaki's voice was concerned. Keito raised his large eyes shyly; his color had gone pale.

"Babies are kicking," he panted. "T-They always seem to get a bit stirred up after I eat."

Down the table Kirishima had a careful eye on Yokozawa, who at seeing Keito's reaction to the kick, had lost some color himself.

"Babies? You mean more than one?" Yokozawa breathed.

Keito winced a bit as another kick jarred him. "Mmmmm… I'm having twins."

"Me too," Nowaki supplied happily.

Yokozawa eyed Nowaki, suspicious of anyone who thought twins was something to be pleased about.

Keito stammered as he tried to regain his breath. "M- My doctor told me when I saw him last week that pockets of semuke outbreaks are starting to be noted in different parts of the world. A-And that a double birth seems to be the norm for semukes, rather than the exception."

"I hadn't heard that." Nowaki was rather stunned by this news.

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor drew the men's attention away from Keito as Yokozawa quickly pushed himself up from the table.

"Excuse me, I need some air." Yokozawa's voice was strained and he had gone deathly pale. He turned and went out onto the balcony. Kirishima's usually bright face was grim; his eyes were filled with concern as he watched Yokozawa pace the balcony a few times and then come to stand completely still.

"I need a smoke, so I'm going to go out there with him. If you don't mind, gentleman?"

The three remaining men watched Kirishima leave the table and cautiously approach his lover outside. Then Keito and Nowaki looked at Yukina.

"Is that true for you as well then, Yukina-san?" Nowaki's medical curiosity was aroused.

Not since Kisa had fainted had Yukina's face looked so serious that evening. He looked down at the table, all his sparkle seemingly evaporated. He nodded slowly and then looked up past Nowaki's shoulder at Kisa in the kitchen. His petite editor was handing the dish he'd just washed to Hiyori to dry. A rather sad look came over Yukina's handsome face. He brought his gaze back to Nowaki and Keito.

"Please don't say anything," Yukina whispered. "I haven't told Kisa-san yet. He's been so busy with work he hasn't been able to make it to any of my doctor's appointments." He looked at Nowaki particularly. "He's been so worried about things at Emerald lately; I haven't wanted to cause him any undue stress."

"Besides," Yukina murmured, "I think it's been hard enough for Kisa-san to imagine just having one child… He's not really a big fan of children. So I have no idea how he'll react to finding out he's going to have two daughters instead of one."

Nowaki and Keito both looked at Yukina sympathetically and promised him their silence.

"You should tell him though, Yukina-san." Nowaki advised. "The longer you wait, the harder it will be… For both of you." Yukina considered this a moment and then slowly nodded.

"We're having girls too," Keito confided. The he grimaced as another kick rocked his exceedingly tight belly. He tried to joke through the jolt. "My guess is they're going to be gymnasts."

"Maybe the three of you would be more comfortable on the couch," Nowaki suggested to Keito. He was seriously concerned with how uncomfortable the teen looked. Keito offered Nowaki a weak smile.

"Thank you, Kusama-san. You may be right." He struggled up off of the hard dining chair.

"Do you know what you're having yet, Kusama-san?" Yukina remained seated, while Nowaki rose to accompany Keito to the living area.

"Not yet, Yukina-san. But I'll find out Monday when I have my next appointment."

"Are you excited to find out?" One of Keito's hands automatically went to cradle his low back, the other his belly as he moved towards the sofa.

"It really doesn't matter to me as long as they're healthy." Nowaki's handsome brow furrowed a bit. Sometimes having so much medical knowledge wasn't necessarily such a wonderful thing. He knew far more than most, all the possible things that could go wrong.

In the kitchen Hiyori had just finished drying the last dish.

"Thank you for all your help, Kirishima-chan."

"Thank you for having us, Kamijou-san," Hiyori smiled, Hiroki's normally stern expression not intimidating her in the least. Sensing she was no longer needed, she wandered out of the kitchen. Standing at the dining table and looking out onto the balcony, Hiyori could see that her papa and Onii-chan were having another "grown up's" talk.

The little girl sighed. They had been having an awful lot of these since her papa had brought Onii-chan home after he'd run away. It worried her because usually after one of these talks they both seemed so sad.

Yukina had watched Hiyori come out of the kitchen as he'd remained seated at the table, contemplating how he was going to break the news of the twins to Kisa. He followed the little girl's gaze and saw she was watching her family out on the balcony. It was obvious to him the conversation, though very quiet, was also very intense. Yukina noted the look of concern in Hiyori's eyes.

"Hiyori-chan…" Yukina drew her attention as he stood up. "I seem to recall you have a scrunchy with my name on it."

Even a girl as young as Hiyori was could not escape the effect of Yukina's sparkles. She bit her full bottom lip, eyes wide, and nodded.

"Well, I hope you can help me tame this mane of mine then; it's got more snarls than a whole circus full of lions." Hiyori giggled at this as she followed Yukina out into the living room, glowing at the prospect of playing beauty parlor with him, her worries momentarily forgotten.

Hiroki was arranging the last of the teacups on a tray for serving when he heard a soft knock on the door. He frowned as he stepped out of the kitchen.

"There wasn't anyone else coming, was there, Nowaki?" Hiroki asked as he passed by his giant on his way to the entry hall, motioning that Nowaki should remain seated.

"No, Hiro-san." Nowaki's face had look of questioning. He couldn't think of who it might be and it wasn't as if their party was loud enough to draw complaints from the neighbors.

As he moved to the door, Hiroki hoped it wasn't Miyagi seeking solace after another spat with his brat or, god forbid, even worse, Akihiko. He sighed with relief then when he opened the door to see one of the Pandasan's staff at his door.

"Amberraven-kun," Hiroki greeted with a slight bow after the girl addressed him. "I don't understand," he said upon seeing the bag in the young woman's hands. "Nowaki and I didn't order anything in this evening."

Amberraven straightened from her own bow and stepped nervously into the entry way as Hiroki ushered her in. "I know, Kamijou-san, and I apologize for intruding, but since it's Friday night and you didn't call or come in Sasaki-san got worried."

All the girls at Pandasan knew now of the couple's situation because of what had been on the news, so the battle to see who would get to bring Sasaki's mothering gift bag had been particularly fierce that evening. Amberraven had the scratches on her arms to prove it.

The young woman followed Hiroki further into the house. All the while she was craning her neck trying to get a good look at the professor's midriff to see if he was showing yet.

"Do you know what it is she sent?"

"I believe it's your usual. Oh and some sweet cakes, Kamijou-san," Amberraven replied. "Sasaki-san said Kusama-san has been coming in to get them lately."

"Really?" Hiroki's frown deepened. In the whole time he'd known Nowaki the man rarely ate cake.

This must be something that Nowaki has been craving.

Now that he was no longer sick all the time, over the last few days, food cravings had become a new aspect of Nowaki's condition. Hiroki turned and took the bag from the delivery girl. Amberraven was disappointed to see the professor's belly looked as flat as ever.

"Let me set this in the kitchen, Amberraven-kun, and then I'd like to give you something for the delivery."

"Oh, Kamijou-san, that's very kind, but you don't have to…" Amberraven's mouth dropped open at the sight that met her. It was the greatest tip any fangirl could ask for.

Nowaki and Yukina were sitting on the floor on either side of the coffee table drawing on some tablets that Yokozawa had put in Hiyori's pack. Nowaki had been commissioned by Hiyori to draw a picture of a Panda doctor and was complying to the best of his non-artistic abilities. Meanwhile, Yukina, whose bump was visible even sitting as he was, was deeply engaged in drawing a much more complex scene to Hiyori's specifications.

The little girl was sitting on the couch behind the cinnamon giant brushing his hair as she dictated her scene. She'd put Yukina's hair into little braids at his temples, clasped with neon green kitten clips, and was getting ready to pull the rest of his hair into a ponytail.

On the other end of the couch Serizawa was sitting on the arm of the sofa, an obviously pregnant Keito positioned between his boyfriend's thighs. The teen giant's arms were resting atop one of Serizawa's lean legs, his head, rested on these, and he looked as though he was almost asleep. Serizawa was absentmindedly running his fingers through chestnut hair and stroking the back of Keito's neck.

Kisa was sitting cross legged in a cushioned chair nearby avidly watching his talented boyfriend sketch.

It was a picture of semuke/ukeseme tranquility straight out of fangirl heaven.

Hiroki left the kitchen and the disappeared down the hall towards his study for a moment. In his absence the young woman tried to memorize every detail to relate to her envious co-workers later. When Hiroki reappeared, he brought a tip for the delivery and a hand written note of thanks to deliver to Sasaki for the gift of the food and the cakes. As he handed these to Amberraven, he peered at the delivery girl closely.

"Umm, excuse me, Amberraven-kun…" Hiroki looked concerned. "But I think your nose is bleeding."

If the Kamijou- Kusama living room was a momentary heaven, then out on the balcony was hell or at least purgatory.

Kirishima had approached Yokozawa quietly. He stood next to him silently, waiting for Yokozawa to say something. There was absolutely nothing teasing in the editor's expression at the moment.

"Did you come out here to make sure I wasn't going to throw myself over the railing?"

"Should I have?" Kirishima said softly, his voice warm and laden with apprehension. "I thought you were past that point, Taka."

"Is it true what Keito said?" Yokozawa's voice was hardly more than a whisper. He looked over and his gray eyes saw the truth in Kirishima's gaze before his lover even uttered a single word.

"Give me a cigarette, Zen." Yokozawa's expression was incredibly dark.

"Taka…." Kirishima started. Yokozawa growled low but viciously cutting him off.

"I said give me a god damn cigarette!"

Kirishima sighed and pulled the pack out of his pocket and tapped out two smokes. He handed one to Yokozawa. Then he lit his and stuck his lighter back into his pocket.

"Let me use your lighter, Kirishima, I don't have one on me."

"No."

Yokozawa frowned at his lover. "Don't play with me; I'm not in the mood!"

"There's only one way you're getting that cigarette lit, Takafumi, and you know what that is." Kirishima's own gaze challenged back. He took a deep drag and exhaled, returning his cigarette to his sensual lips. The furrow in Yokozawa's brow grew deeper.

"Fine," he said hotly, surprising Kirishima by grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling the taller man to him, touching the two ends of their smokes together.

Their eyes locked in this indirect kiss. Yokozawa was stunned to see, after his initial look of surprise, how lovingly Kirishima looked at him. His sense of success quickly slipped away and he found himself feeling foolish somehow, once again. Yokozawa released Kirishima's shirt and stepped away as his smoke finally caught. He took a drag and coughed slightly. It had been over a month since he'd had a cigarette. While the act of smoking was soothing, he was taken aback by how different the cigarette tasted. It was awful.

Not that I should be surprised.

Yokozawa looked at the smoke between his fingers. Along with the sickness and the moodiness, the increasing sense of being uncomfortable and feeling invaded, his sense taste, like his sense of smell, had also dramatically changed. Just another side effect of the "miracle" he'd been blessed with. He glanced over at Kirishima.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"After all that's happened, Takafumi, I wasn't sure how much more you could take." Kirishima's eyes were filled with concern. He added softly, "Besides, you know you could have known from the beginning if you'd wanted too."

Yokozawa looked away and out over the flickering lights of the city. What Kirishima said was the truth.

He'd returned to the Kirishima household a little over a month ago. Even after all that had transpired, he'd tried to maintain his denial of his situation by any means necessary, despite his acquiescence to Kirishima's requests. This included agreeing to go to the numerous medical appointments that Kirishima scheduled for him on the condition that the doctor's tell him nothing about how things were progressing.

At every ultra sound he'd had so far he'd demanded that it be conducted in silence. And as soon as it was over, the doctor and Kirishima would go out in the hallway to discuss the results while he re-dressed.

"I hate this!" Yokozawa snarled.

"I know." The usual raucous light in Kirishima's eyes had dimmed. "I've told you a hundred times how sorry I am for what I did, Takafumi, and I'll tell you a million more. But that won't change anything.

Finally Yokozawa managed to say the words that had been weighing on him for weeks now.

"I feel so trapped."

Kirishima sighed. As he studied Yokozawa closely, his handsome face became extremely sorrowful. He knew that this aversion to feeling confined was one of the reasons Yokozawa had thriven in sales. The man loved and needed to be constantly moving: being held stationary just grated on him. Kirishima had realized just recently, that this was one of the things about the pregnancy, and what would happen afterwards, that ate at his lover relentlessly.

There was only one thing he could offer that would bring Yokozawa relief from this crisis.

"I realize that now, Takafumi. I shouldn't have forced you… In anything. I was- I was careless. I should have listened to you more." Usually confident, Kirishima ran a hand nervously through his hair. He started his next words with a rare hesitance.

"Look, I know what I said to you previously, but I want you to know I have been checking some things out lately too… I… I've found a reputable physician who is willing to do late Flu extractions."

Yokozawa looked at Kirishima with shock. It took him a moment to find his words, but when he did he whispered, "You mean you would agree to an extraction?... Of both?…"

Kirishima's face was grave. His normally light voice was so weighted with emotion he choked with the effort of lifting his words to the surface.

"I don't want to lose the family I have now and if that's what has to be done to keep it intact… To keep you… Then so be it. I love you, Takafumi."

Yokozawa was completely stunned by what Kirishima was saying. After all that had happened, given how desperately Kirishima had pleaded with him to keep the fetus when they had found out he was pregnant, after all the manipulations he'd employed to prevent him from doing an extraction previously, Yokozawa studied his lover suspiciously. But no matter how closely he looked at Kirishima, in this moment, he could not detect any guile in the man.

Though he did not show it, Yokozawa was incredibly moved by the freedom Kirishima was offering him, knowing what it cost Kirishima, given his feelings about the baby (or babies as it now stood). Dropping his eyes, Yokozawa looked at the cigarette he held in his hand. He'd taken exactly one drag and though his nicotine revived nerves were screaming for another, he walked over to the ashtray Hiroki kept out on the patio table for Akihiko's visits and stubbed out his smoke.

"I felt them really move for the first time today, Zen" he muttered. "I mean really move." He waited for Kirishima to say something and when the man remained silent, he sighed softly.

Yokozawa stiffened then, when he suddenly felt Kirishima's strong arms wrap around him from behind. One big hand pulled him back into a comforting expanse of chest. The other slid down and came to rest on his ever increasing bump. Yokozawa glanced nervously through the open patio door and saw to his relief that everyone inside was occupied and no one was paying any attention to them.

"What are you saying, Takafumi?"

The note of hope in Kirishima's voice was painful. Yokozawa allowed another long exhale, realizing there was just no way he was ever going to win with this man. He plucked Kirishima's cigarette from between the fingers that were also occupied holding his chest. Kirishima released him only long enough to allow Yokozawa to bend and stub this smoke out too, before gathering him up again.

Kirishima was delighted to feel Yokozawa willingly lean back into him. He could feel the man's tension ebb as Yokozawa allowed himself finally, after all these weeks, to melt into him a bit.

"What I am saying, you bastard," Yokozawa growled. "Is that is the last cigarette for either of us if we're going to keep this family healthy." Behind him Kirishima laughed.

Yokozawa felt Kirishima bury his face in the back of his neck. He soon felt a wet heat on the sensitive skin there; he was startled to find this was not from a kiss, but from tears. Despite his sudden urge to pull away, Yokozawa remained still and allowed the man he loved, standing behind him, to silently weep in gratitude and relief.

New AN:

Ah X, my ever observant one. Yes, that was a change I made. Given the changes in my own life of late it seems appropriate. No? So glad it moved you and thank you so much for your review.

Sakurayuri89, I hope to do a Trifecta UF at some point and flesh out this story, but I have been given strict instructions by my readers not to start anything new until I get caught up on my old ones, so it will have to wait.

TBF101- Thank you darling. Here's the second course. Dessert will be next I think and then back to the JR crew. These guys will pop up again in future chapters though so keep your eye out. And yes, I have always thought Kisa to be a complex character. He and Yokozawa both actually. Men who struggle with severe insecurity. On Kisa's part, being the only JR character that openly admits he has always preferred men, I think may be part of his complex. Even Hiroki never openly asserts that this has always been his preference, despite his long standing love with Akihiko, the Shinoda adventure and then his pairing with Nowaki.

Thanks to those of you who have recently read of reviewed! Hope you'll chime in sometime. And also my gratitude for all you silent readers hang in here with me.

Cerberus

OLD AN:

It's the never ending party. I promise it ends with part three and then all you egoist readers who have fallen silent in the reviews can resume commenting… If you're still on speaking terms with me that is.

I do love Egoist, but monogamy has never been my strong point (obviously).