Chapter 18 Coll'ottava (Or, With the addition of the octave note above or below the written note)
Asuka stared at the plus sign on the pregnancy test. This couldn't be real, could it?
No. The test is wrong. It's a cruel joke.
She closed her eyes to steady her emotions. When she opened them, her eyes wandered down to the test. It still said, "positive".
I need to take another.
Asuka left the bathroom dazed—and went to the kitchen. Coffee was her best bet. She got out the kettle, put it on the stove, and then dug through the cabinet. Towards the back was some decaf coffee. It was old, but she was paranoid because she had lots of caffeine already.
Her movements were purely reflexive as she poured hot water into the Chemex. She stood there, still dazed, and waited for it to drip. Then she got her cream, mixed it into the coffee, and downed it in two large gulps. After the coffee, Asuka drank an entire glass of water.
There was nothing to do except wait, and it was bizarre to be hypervigilant about peeing. When she felt the urge, she waited just in case there wasn't enough in her bladder.
Asuka grabbed her iPod and tried to focus on some music. She listened to several songs before going to the bathroom and to use the last pregnancy test.
It also came back positive.
Her hands started trembling again. This was crazy. Absolutely bonkers. The IVF procedure failed! Her body hadn't produced viable eggs. How was it she got pregnant the old-fashioned way? When she and had been trying for over two years?!
Asuka ran her hand through her long chestnut hair and exhaled. "What are you doing, body?" she asked, half-exasperated. Then, her mouth curled upward, and she laughed. There wasn't a logical explanation. It was something of a miracle.
She went back to the bedroom and slumped on the bed. So many emotions were running through her, and she needed to sort them out. Confusion, elation, and being overwhelmed were a few.
We're going to be parents. She had joined the pregnant party—just when she'd been accepting she'd never have a baby. I'm going to have a baby around just after Keiko. And they will both be similar in age to Maeko.
It was a delightful thought. All the children were going to grow up together and were going to be there for each other.
Asuka's hand moved to her lower abdomen. She cupped it and then smiled.
She heard the door open.
Kurama.
The need to be in her husband's arms turned into a fierce ache as she ran down the hall. She had missed him and now she was about to deliver the news to him. News that would change everything.
He was unbuttoning his black spring jacket when she came into the living room. His raspberry hair contrasted with the black, and his emerald eyes sparkled when he saw her. "I missed you."
Asuka's heart caught in her throat. "I missed you, too." She stood there and stared as he took off his shoes. When he finished, he stepped up into their apartment and tipped her head back.
His lips caught hers in a slow, sensual kiss, which made her mouth tingle. He surrounded her body with his. She felt his biceps flex around her as he moved to cup her cheek. When she felt his tongue swipe her lip, she gasped.
She loved him so much. Needed him so much. And she needed him to understand. But how to say it? And how was she supposed to pull away when he was being so tender?
Tears streamed down her face as she moved her hand up to cup his jaw.
Kurama pulled away. "What is it, Love?" he looked deep into her eyes and wiped a tear with his thumb. "You're trembling."
"Kurama I—" her voice caught. She was going to say it out loud. She was going to tell him. Saying it made it feel more real.
"Yes?" he gently prodded.
"I'm pregnant." The words were an emotion-filled whisper. One that was barely audible even to Asuka.
Kurama's body stilled. His emerald eyes moved back and forth as he scanned her eyes. His hand still cupped her cheek. Finally, he swallowed and wet his lips. "You…are?" His words also came out in a choked whisper. He brought up his other hand to cup her other cheek.
Asuka nodded in his hands. "Yes. I took two tests."
Kurama stuck his nose into the crook of her neck and inhaled. "I can smell the change in your hormones," he murmured. "How is this possible?"
"I don't know."
Kurama folded her into his chest. "Oh, Asuka. I'm…I'm overwhelmed. Was it our trip? Is that when it happened?"
"I think so."
His hands moved through her hair before he pulled away. "May I?"
"You don't need my permission."
Kurama slowly bent to one knee before her, and with gentle, precise movements, pulled down her leggings just enough to expose the bottom of her belly. He placed his hand on her, and Asuka felt a small amount of his ki enter her body.
He swallowed, and his eyes fluttered. Then he looked up at her, his emerald eyes wet with tears. "I can already feel a tiny spark," he whispered. "Life, that we created, inside you."
Asuka started crying.
"Hello, Tiny Love," he said, now looking at her abdomen again.
Tiny Love.
He kissed her stomach before standing up.
Asuka and Kurama went into each other's arms simultaneously. Kurama started kissing her again, and she felt his overwhelming joy.
Asuka wiped the rest of her tears when they pulled apart and grinned.
"That was not the news I was expecting when I came home today," Kurama said with glittering eyes.
"Me neither."
"What made you take a pregnancy test?"
"Something Himari said. I only did it because I wanted to tell myself I wasn't pregnant. I wasn't expecting it to come back positive. That's why I took another one. It was too hard to believe."
"Yes," Kurama said. "It still doesn't feel quite real."
"It's the same for me. I feel so dazed."
Kurama kissed her lips lightly. "Well, how should we celebrate?"
Just then, Asuka's phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and opened it.
Yusuke: Help
Asuka laughed and then showed Kurama the message.
He chuckled. "Keiko's only been gone a couple of hours and he's already asking for help?"
Asuka began typing a response.
Asuka: With what?
Yusuke: With the demons, what else?
Asuka: Are you looking for an exorcism?
Yusuke: Yes
Asuka laughed.
Yusuke: And also a hand with babysitting. I was gonna be with them tonight but one of my cooks called out sick. Gotta work
Asuka: Lucky for you, we're free
Yusuke: Thanks. Come hungry
"One of his cooks called out sick, so he needs to work tonight," Asuka explained. "He said to come hungry."
"Shall we?" Kurama asked.
"No better way to celebrate becoming pregnant than wrangling some demons."
Kurama laughed.
-* ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ *-
Kurama's heart fluttered when he stole another glance at Asuka just before knocking on the Urameshi's apartment door above the ramen shop.
Everything felt different.
"Uncle Kurama! Aunt Asuka!" Raiden shouted after he opened the door.
"Hello, Raiden," Asuka and Kurama said at the same time.
"Genki!" Raiden shouted over his shoulder. "They're here!"
Heavy footsteps thudded down the hall. Genki came into view wearing a Batman mask, a costume shirt, and no pants.
"Dude!" Yusuke groaned. "Put your pants back on!"
"You can't make me."
"There's a lady in the house! And nobody wants to see your underwear." Yusuke looked at Asuka. "Sorry."
Asuka shrugged.
"Still can't make me," Genki said.
"Yes, I can," Yusuke said. "Pants. Now."
Genki stuck out his tongue. Yusuke grabbed him and flipped him over his shoulder.
"You're such a jerk!" Genki spat.
"Because I want you to wear pants?" Yusuke asked as he walked with Genki down the hall. "You're such a god-damn brat."
"No I'm not!"
"Yes, you are."
Yusuke shut the door, but Kurama could still hear muffled arguing.
"Uncle Kurama, guess what?" Raiden asked. "Genki and me came up with the best game."
"Oh? What game is that?"
"Ki tag. Genki can do a rei-gun now. Well, not a rei-gun. He has yoki." Raiden made a face. "Yo-gun? That sounds weird."
"Wouldn't that sting?" Asuka asked.
"Duh," Raiden said. "That's why it's fun."
Kurama chuckled.
"No rei-gun tag," Yusuke said firmly as he came down the hall with Genki, who was now wearing superhero pajama pants.
"Come on, Dad!" Raiden whined.
"Nope. We can play tomorrow, and your ass will be mine."
"You swore again!" Raiden pointed an accusing finger at Yusuke. "I'm gonna tell Mom."
"You tell Mom and I will tell her you ate through her secret cookie stash."
Raiden's eyes widened at Yusuke. Then he slumped.
Asuka laughed again.
"Seriously, I gotta replace that before she comes back," Yusuke said. "Okay. Be good, you two," he said to Raiden and Genki. "Asuka and Kurama are here as our guests, so don't be troublemakers. I'll be up later tonight. Goodnight."
The boys hugged and kissed their father. Yusuke smiled at them and said, "Love you crazy demons."
"Love you, too," the boys said.
"There's tsukemen in the kitchen for you," Yusuke said to Kurama and Asuka. "You can leave at about nine. Once they're asleep, they're dead to the world, but if they really need me, they can always come down into the restaurant once you've left."
"Have a good night, Yusuke," Asuka said.
The door shut behind him.
"Sooo rei-gun tag?" Raiden asked.
"I think your father said that wasn't an option for tonight," Kurama said.
Raiden wrinkled his nose. "You don't have to tell him."
"First, we're going to eat. Then we'll figure out a game to play," Asuka said.
The boys acquiesced and went to their Lego table. Kurama and Asuka went to the kitchen where they found tsukemen broth on the stove with a note that the noodles were in the fridge.
"I love tsukemen," Asuka said as she opened the fridge and found the noodles. "It makes sense this is what Yusuke made for us. He'd hate for our normal ramen noodles to get overcooked sitting in hot water. Cold noodles work best."
"Yusuke is certainly particular about his ramen," Kurama agreed. "That's why his restaurant is so popular."
"I can't wait to dig in," Asuka said as she poured the broth into some bowls and set the noodles on the table.
Kurama smiled as he watched Asuka dip the noodles into the broth and eat them. Her face filled with delight, and he delighted in her because of it. So beautiful. The way her hair hung around her face and flowed down her back. Her smokey purple eyes and supple lips.
Kurama didn't think there was a way for Asuka to be more beautiful, but he had been wrong. It didn't matter that she wasn't showing—just the knowledge his child was growing within her made him see her in a new light.
There was a tangible difference in Asuka's countenance, as well. The weight of sadness had been lifted from her shoulders and had been replaced by feather-light happiness. He hadn't seen her like this in so long. That broke his heart.
He understood why Kuwabara had been paranoid about Yukina. He already wanted to take Asuka back to their island and make her stay for the entirety of her pregnancy…or maybe just forever.
Feeling the hum of life inside of her—so small and faint was doing other things to him, too. Was it possible to love someone you had never met? Was it possible to love someone this quickly? He'd never experienced this before.
He was overwhelmed.
"What is it?" Asuka asked.
"I love you, and…" he stopped. He couldn't voice his feelings for their child just yet.
"And?" Asuka asked.
Kurama gazed at his wife again. "I've missed you."
Her eyes softened. "I've missed you too."
"I want you," he said in a low voice.
The corner of her mouth moved upward. "We seem to be of a similar mind, then."
After they finished their dinner, Kurama and Asuka went back to the living room where Raiden and Genki were doing handstands.
"What is happening here?" Asuka asked with a stifled laugh.
"We're training on Dagobah with Yoda!" Genki exclaimed. His face was red, both from exertion and from being upside down.
"I bet I can stay this way for longer," Raiden said.
"No way," Genki huffed.
"I can use my ki better than you can."
"I can do a handstand better than you can!"
"No, you can't!" Genki shouted.
"Can too!"
The argument caused both boys to fall to the ground. They scrambled upward and demanded to know who fell first.
"I think you did at the same time," Asuka said.
"No, Genki totally fell first," Raiden said.
"No you did!"
"You did!"
"You!"
"You!"
"Asuka!" they both whined.
"Maybe we should do something else," Asuka said.
"If you weren't a sore loser—"
Asuka held up her hand. "How about Mario Kart: Double Dash on the GameCube?"
Raiden and Genki looked at each other.
"I call Kurama," said Raiden.
"Good 'cause I want Asuka," said Genki.
Raiden set up the game and soon everyone was playing and laughing. Kurama glanced over at Asuka, who was holding her controller awkwardly because Genki made himself comfortable in her lap.
She'll be such a good mother to our child.
More sparks stirred within him. It was going to be an adjustment, but he now fully understood why Asuka wanted to have a family. He also wanted nothing more than to raise a family with Asuka.
But something nagged him. The visions. She hadn't mentioned them since getting back from Tahiti. Had she stopped trying to figure out what they meant? He hoped so. She couldn't go back to wherever those dragons were calling from—especially now. If Asuka didn't know why they were calling, she couldn't feel guilty about not answering.
The next chapter of their lives was beginning, and they both needed to focus on that.
Asuka sensed he was staring, and she turned her head to smile at him with glittery purple eyes.
He smiled back and hope for the future bloomed in his chest.
Author's Note:
Hello! I don't have much to say this week except drop me a comment if you're reading this. I love hearing from you!
Cheers
-Arielle