The Mark

I got a prompt for a Naegiri fic but instead I wrote this thing that goes on around them and about them but really not. Like the previous one, based on a one line joke that just got out of control.

Pairing: Naegiri. Featuring everyone else.

It had been a struggle, but by some miracle, here they were. Waiting together. In one of the few waiting rooms in one of the few hospitals rebuilt in the area in all the years since the Tragedy. Like an extended family, here to support two of their greatest, they gathered—well, except for 'Hiro Hagakure, who was still absent, presumably from picking up the donuts he promised to bring for his mom who was on call that day downstairs. She had returned to nursing afterall, and it was her turn to provide for the breakroom. Everyone did what they could, even now. Those who had been reunited were closer than ever. Those who had survived together, even more so, in many ways.

"EHEH! Special Delivery, dudes! Look what I brought ya!" The man in question had arrived, a Misses Donut box in hand.
"Agh! Speaking of deliveries, did they—is the Mini Naegs here yet?"
"Do you really think we'd all be sitting around out here if the baby was already born?"
Byakuya Togami was pretending to be preoccupied with what he now noticed was some embarrassing magazine Toko had shoved at him.
"Well, I don't know! There's only two of you out here now. How do I know Tokes isn't visiting back there with the Future Future Foundation member or somethin'….Heh! Get it?" He laughed at his own joke.
As if on cue (because it totally is in a fic) Toko appeared, looking presentable as though she'd recently brushed and styled her hair, and took her seat, chewing on her nail. She made an aggravated face at the joke but otherwise acknowledged nothing.

Two and a half donuts, 6 cups of water, 4 bathroom breaks, 1 nurse's palm read, 2 crosswords and three quarters of a magazine later, there was still no word on when the baby would arrive. Apparently this was the norm with first time parents, a slightly droopy Makoto explained to the group when he stepped out of the delivery room for a minute. Kyoko was doing well, nothing out of the ordinary to report, which in itself was rather ironic, if one were to think about it. He seemed a little embarrassed that they had asked everyone to come so early, but that was quickly forgotten when he was called back in.

Silence fell on the group once more, until Aoi spoke up, "Kyoko's going to be OK." She seemed to say it out loud to convince herself.
"Obviously. Makoto just got through telling us that."
"Right." Toko said uneasily, glancing around. "Why wouldn't she be?"
"Well obviously! If the baby isn't really theirs and was implanted by an alien life form and it has to bust out of her abdomen to be born with its sharp, oozey—!"
"Shut. UP." Byakuya commanded, Hiro stopped his grotesque hand motions and inevitable gushy description just in time to avoid any reappearances of breakfast and/or serial killers.
"B-B-Besides," Toko began again after a time, "it's not just the mother you have to worry about in these situations," she said, trailing off to a whisper, looking down and twiddling her fingers.
"That's right!" Hiro piped up, pointing at Toko, which made her cringe and let out a squeak, "What if the baby has… The Mark!"
"You had better stop polluting my senses or I will be forced to silence you myself."
"No, no dude! For serious! What if the kid has… that ahoge!"
"That's it." Byakuya was about to come over to the other island of chairs where Hiro and Aoi sat with the box of donuts.
"No listen! Think about it! Makoto and-and that Hajime guy? They both got that exact same weird hair thing going on. And they both got stuck being at the center of a crazy war against despair!" He looked around wildly, fixing on Toko again, "Even Tokes still kinda has one, and she and Komarooney were caught up in the middle of another battle the same way! It's like…. People with that hair… They're like the protagonists in a story or something!"
"That's crazy!"
"Yeah but the odds are pretty good. I mean, the kid's got two blood relatives with The Mark!"
"This is ridiculous."
"Well, it will be the child of two Ultimates too," Aoi conceded, suddenly looking upset. "Say the baby ends up being born with the mark thingy, what if that means there's going to be some kid that's got double the Ultimate Despair in them, like some kind of weird prophecy?"
"Dude! I'd better go burn some of this incense in there before the baby comes out-" he took a questionable little sack from a coat pocket and actually thought he was going to charge back there and purify the place when Makoto peeked out into the room again smiling a goofy smile and motioning for them to come in.
"OH NO! It's to late! What if it's really going to happen now! Everybody cross your right big and second toe…" He reached out toward Byakuya to put his hands on his shoulders and got Toko instead, immediately getting pushed off out of the way by both of them.
"We're doomed!" He scuttled in after them, toes crossed.

"Congratulations! Oh my goodness you guys!" Aoi was the first into the room, giving Makoto a huge hug before squealing her way over to Kyoko and fawning over her and the baby. Makoto reached out and hugged a reluctant Toko next, who muttered some kind of congratulations to both new parents. Even Byakuya gave him a pat on the back before the both of them were nearly bowled over by Hiro, demanding to see if the baby had "the Mark."
Makoto and Kyoko were both confused, "A… birthmark?"
"This simpleton is under the delusion that your baby has inherited your idiot hair and that somehow the world will end, again, as a consequence or something."
Makoto Naegi was at a loss for words, if only for a minute.
"No, that's wrong…."
"T-tell them Naegi!" Toko said. "I mean, you, Kyoko. Kyoko N-Naegi." She corrected, under her breath.
"She's bald, Hiro." Kyoko said, lifting the little cap and replacing it.
"Oh." He blinked.

"Apocalypse averted! Well then, congratulations guys! Mini Naegi, welcome to the world! Hey, you guys decided on a name? Give me a list and I'll give you a special discount on my seimei-handan service! Only 90000 yen for as many as you like!"
"Er, that's not-"
"Well fine then, for you two, I'll consider 80000 yen!"
"We're fine."
"Well I'm here if you change your mind, yeah? Hey…. Anybody else? Come on! I know you want to! Going once…."
"Ehheh-"
"Don't you dare!"

AN: Wow you made it through this one? I am not really sure what to say about it except it was fun to write. It was based on the observation about the ahoge being the Mark of the Protag and also based on the "baby born with pink hair destined to be an anime protagonist" thing. Comments of all kinds welcome.