"You're WHAT?!"
Maka cringed as Blair and Kristen screeched in shock.
"I'm pregnant," she repeated. "I figured I should let you two know since you live here and all."
"Does Soul know?" Kristen asked.
"Not yet. I just took a test this morning and he won't be back for a week."
"I can't believe it. I'm going to be an aunt!"
"I can't believe I'm going to be a mother…"
"Don't worry, Maka! You have us to support you!"
"I know, but… I'm a bit worried about how Soul and Papa are going to react."
"Soul will be ecstatic and your dad will overreact, but if he tries to hurt Soul, he can go suck an egg." Maka laughed.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure! Soul will be happy that he's starting a family with you, trust me! He's always wanted to have kids someday! That day just came a little quicker than expected."
"And me and Kitten will be with you guys every step of the way!" Blair added.
"Thanks, you two."
Over the next week, Blair and Kristen did their best to help Maka along with her pregnancy. That included getting crackers and ginger ale for morning sickness, covering for her at school, and making sure the mother-to-be was comfortable. Kristen even looked up ways to help a pregnant woman out during her first trimester.
Maka still had to tell Soul, and her opportunity came the night he came home.
Kristen and Blair had prepared a special meal for Soul's homecoming, making the apartment's dining table very romantic. They excused themselves from the apartment once dinner was served, leaving Soul and Maka alone.
Now, as we know, Soul's an idiot, but not that much of an idiot. He knew that Kristen and Blair never cooked for when he came home from missions, nor did they leave the apartment together on those nights. He also noticed throughout dinner that something was up with Maka, since she kept picking at her food instead of eating it.
"Maka, babe, what's wrong?" he asked as they cleaned up from dinner.
"N-nothing's wrong…"
"Bullshit. You've been acting off. And what was with those two earlier?"
"They're… helping me with something. And as far as me acting weird… well, I have something to tell you."
"What is it? You're not breaking up with me, are you?"
"No! Why would you even think that?!"
"I dunno… it just seems like Kristen and Blair were trying to soften the blow with the fancy dinner."
"Well, they were trying to soften some big news… Soul, I'm… I'm… I'm pregnant."
For a minute, he just stood there, staring at her, jaw wide open. She stared at the floor, fidgeting under his gaze.
"Say something, why don't you?" she asked.
"A-are you sure?" he croaked. She nodded.
"I took a test last week and Stein confirmed it. We're having a baby." He went silent again. "Soul, are you—"
"YES!" He picked her up by the waist and swung her around the kitchen. "This is awesome!"
"Y-you're okay with it?!"
"I'm fine with it!" he laughed. "It's a little early, but we're starting a family!"
"I don't know how to be a mother…"
"And I have no idea how to be a dad, but we'll figure it out."
"You know Papa's going to kill you, right?"
"Yeah. Then my mom'll have Stein bring me back as a zombie so she can kill me again, but nothing's keeping me away from having this baby with you."
They hugged, Soul burying his face in Maka's hair and inhaling her scent.
"Maybe we can celebrate," he added suggestively.
"Sounds great to me."
"Hey, I was thinking," Kristen said to Soul and Maka over breakfast a couple days later. "How about instead of telling everyone one at a time, we tell them all at once?"
"That's not a bad idea," Maka commented. "We'll invite them over for dinner and announce it then."
"We can do it tomorrow night," Soul suggested. "We don't have anything going on."
"Good idea."
Sure enough, the following night, their friends, Spirit, Kami, and Holly arrived at the apartment. Maka felt nervous as everyone was eating, her morning sickness threatening to make an untimely appearance to ruin her news. Soul squeezed her hand gently to reassure her. Once dinner was over, everyone moved to the living room for dessert and after-dinner talk.
"Um, excuse us, everyone," Kami spoke up from her place next to Spirit. "We have an announcement to make." Maka tilted her head at her mother, wondering what the news could be. She knew her parents had begun dating again shortly after she and Soul had, but what was going on?
"As you all know, I got Kami to give me a second chance," Spirit began, a smile on his face. "I never thought it would happen."
"And we're happy to announce that we're getting married again!"
Maka's jaw dropped, all thoughts of her pregnancy flying from her head. Everyone else began congratulating the newly-engaged couple, Soul wrapping his arm around Maka's waist. His touch reminded her of her own announcement. Once everyone had calmed down a bit, Maka cleared her throat.
"Well, congratulations, Mama and Papa," she told her parents. "I'm happy for you both."
"In fact, we actually have an announcement of our own," Soul added, nodding to Maka. She took a deep breath.
"We're having a baby."
There was silence before a glass shattered. Spirit had dropped his drink.
"Well, it's about time you announced it," Kid snorted.
"Yes," Kami agreed. "We've been waiting to hear it for a week."
"Soul, can I talk to you outside? Alone?" Spirit asked through clenched teeth.
"Sure thing, old man," Soul replied.
"We're all listening for him being murdered!" called Kristen as they walked out of the apartment.
Spirit took a deep breath as he faced Soul.
"Before you say anything, I'm not a bastard like you," Soul informed Spirit. "I'm not going to cheat on Maka. She's the only woman I've ever loved that way and the only one I ever will love that way. I'm sticking with her."
"Are you prepared to be a father, though?"
"Oh, hell no. I have no idea how to be a dad, but I'll learn."
"That makes me feel better. Don't be afraid of coming to me for advice."
"Maybe I will."
Despite the fact that Soul and Maka were planning to conceal Maka's pregnancy during the remainder of the school year (since they were seniors and all), Black*Star is Black*Star and Black*Star has a huge mouth. Word spread through the school like wildfire after one of the biggest gossips in school (Jenny) overheard Black*Star discussing it with Tsubaki. Naturally, there were rumors that the baby wasn't actually Soul's; those rumors came from his thick-headed NOT class fanclub members. That died down once Soul and Maka were caught making out in a janitor's closet.
Even so, more change was on the way…
"We need a new place," Soul declared while he and Maka were making dinner together.
"Why?" she asked, a piece of cheese in her mouth.
"Um, I don't think five people, even if one's technically a cat, can live in a two-bedroom apartment."
"What do you suggest we do?"
"I think… we should find an actual house."
"Hmm…" Maka stirred the pot. "That's not a bad idea, now that I think about it. Are you sure Kristen doesn't want to live with Holly, though?"
"I don't. You guys are stuck with me," Kristen giggled. "It's not that I don't love Mommy; she's just really busy with her career."
"I'd prefer to find a nice place, if we can."
"And preferably before Peanut's born," Soul added, resting a hand on Maka's flat tummy.
House-hunting was quick and painless, thanks to their respective parents. Spirit and Kami knew the area, while Holly had an idea of what kind of house to get.
The house they ended up living in was in the suburbs—a two-story place with a small front yard and a large backyard. It had five bedrooms and three bathrooms, which worked just fine for Soul since he was living with three females who took a while. Kristen, Soul, and Blair set up the nursery while they were moving in. It happened quickly. Maka was still only three months in by the time it was finished.
"I love this place," Maka told Soul. "It's so perfect."
"I know, babe." He kissed her gently before they began full-on making-out.
"I love you," she whispered as they briefly broke apart.
"I love you too."
"So, I was wondering—" Kristen broke off as soon as she saw Soul and Maka's position. "Oops, sorry, guys! I didn't see anything!" She covered her tomato-red face with her hands.
"It's fine," Soul sighed. "What's up, Kris?"
"I just wanted to say congratulations on the baby again, is all! Bye!"
She dashed out the door.
So, for the next chapter, I was thinking of maybe celebrating Soul's birthday, since at the end of this chapter it's May and Soul's birthday's in June. I have an idea for it, along with a 'deleted scenes' story that will feature all the SoMa sex you didn't get to read in this story. Let me know if you want to see it!
So long and thanks for all the fish!