Ichijiku (Tigress)
"What color do you think we should paint the nursery?" I hum, looking through the different color swatches in the store. Three colors draw my eyes to their soft, comforting tones: mint green, dusty blue, and a lilac purple.
"You seem to be eying the purple. Do you want that one?" Shoto brushes his hand against my back. "It looks nice."
"I'm leaning towards the lilac, but what do you think?"
He picks up the three shades and spends a minute looking between them. I can't help the smile tickling my cheeks at his focused expression.
"Let's take these three paint swatches home so we can get an idea of what it'll look like on the walls."
"Good idea."
. . . . .
We make it home and sleep calls my name. One long shopping trip has always been enough to tucker me out anyway, but with a full child growing inside me? My bottom finds the couch instantly and I puff out a heavy sigh as I flop into the cushions.
"Do you need me to get you anything, love?" Shoto takes a seat beside me.
"I'm just tired, Frosted Flames." I coo, stretching one hand to squeeze his as my eyelids flutter dangerously. "But I could use a peppermint tea if you don't mind."
"I don't mind. I'll get it started while I put away the groceries." He gets up again and kisses my forehead. "Don't try to get up and do anything. Let me take care of you."
Of course, when I hear the bags shuffling even my desire to sleep can't fight against my stubborn streak. Just the thought of Shoto having to put away everything and still have to make my tea makes me grunt and struggle to my feet.
I reach down for a bag, thinking he's got all the heavy items, and wince when I wobble at the unexpected heaviness of the bag.
"Stop, you're going to hurt yourself!" Shoto exclaims, catching me before I topple over into the table. After a breath, he cups my face. "I didn't mean to get loud. You scared me."
"Sorry. I hate seeing you have to do all the work." I frown.
"I know, Tiger, but you have to be careful. If you overextend yourself, you don't just hurt yourself now. You have others to look after." He kisses my cheek and squeezes my hands. "Now, go rest and I'll make your tea. Homura and Himari should be coming back from Mom and Dad's within the hour."
"Are you sure I can't help a little?" I pout, letting my kitten eyes glow up at him.
"If you're insistent upon helping, you can do the dishes. There's only a few in the sink. Will that satiate you, troublemaker?" He chuckles, pinching my cheek.
"I think so." I giggle, and head to the sink.
As I finish up the final few dishes, a flurry of white flashes outside the window showing the outside. I lift my head up and gasp, drying my hands and tapping Shoto's side.
"Shoto-kun, look!"
He comes up behind me and his head thunks on my shoulder as he looks with me, his hands coming up around my waist and resting on the sides of my belly. At first, I think he's missed it, but then I hear his breathing stop.
"Is that a rabbit family in our backyard?"
"There's been one that I've seen off and on in the garden, but I didn't realize she had a whole family!" I coo happily as the furry critters scamper under the rosebush.
"Looks like we're not the only growing family here." Shoto smiles and nudges me. "Now, come on. I've got your tea ready. You go rest while I finish the groceries and take a nap if you want to."
I'm halfway through my mug of tea before I'm passed out on the couch.
. . . . .
"Daddy! Daddy! Look what–"
"Shh, Mommy's asleep, Homura."
"Oops."
"How has Ichijiku been doing with the pregnancy, Shoto? No complications?" Mom's voice pulls me towards consciousness, though I keep my eyes closed and my breathing steady.
"No complications, just restless like she was last time." Shoto explains.
"Daddy, we played Rescue with Grandpa and Grandma let us help her make dinner, like Mommy." Himari's voice chirps softly. "Can we visit them tomorrow, too?"
"Well, we'll see." Shoto chuckles.
"You know we're more than willing to watch over them as often as you need." Dad's voice, always deep and stern, is surprisingly soft. I have a feeling he appreciates us giving him time with his grandkids. Natsuo's been pretty adamant about distancing himself. "Especially since she's in the 32nd week."
"I know. We appreciate it, Father." Shoto assures him. "Though the girls like helping Ichan around with things she still has trouble with. Don't you, girls?"
"Yes, sir!" They chime in unison.
A smile forces itself on my face, so I open my eyes and yawn. I stroke my belly absently as two little girls with their father's blue eyes barrel in my direction.
"Mommy! You're awake!" Homura is quick to crawl into the little hole on the couch behind my back, and Himari squeezes herself in there too. Both of them rest their head on my arm and look at me. "Grandma let us help her cook like you do!"
"Is that so?" I grin, reaching up to boop each of their noses. "What did you make, little loves?"
They turn to Mom, who laughs.
"Vegetable tempura."
"She helped me cut the kabocha!" Himari beams.
"And I got to mix the sauce!" Homura puffs out her chest. "And then before that, Grandpa let us play Rescue!"
"Really? Who did you rescue?"
"Grandpa!"
"He needed help being saved from a fire!"
"Yeah." Himari tries to whisper, but there's no doubt the whole house hears her. "It was make-believe, Mommy. Grandpa don't get hurt by fire."
"Oh, okay." I whisper in much the same manner. "I gotcha. You were very brave for helping him, anyway."
"You really think so?"
"I don't think, I know!"
A little more conversation and I do my typical workout of heaving myself off the couch. Of course, Himari and Homura help push and pull to make the effort easier. Then I waddle over to give the in-laws a hug before stealing a kiss from Shoto.
"We appreciate everything you both do to help." I reiterate, yawning once more for good measure as I head into the kitchen. Although I'm aching to feed my sweet tooth with M&Ms or chocolate-covered pretzels, my body craves fruit in this third trimester.
I pull out a few bananas and start slicing them as Shoto waves Mom and Dad out the door.
"You make your fruit, I'll get the girls' ready for bed." Shoto suggests, nodding towards the girls. "C'mon, girls. Let's go brush our teeth and put on our pj's."
"Aww!" Himari huffs.
"Can't we stay up a little longer?" Homura begs.
"Not tonight. You have school tomorrow." He picks them both up and hugs them against his chest. "But I'll tell you what. If you do well with your bedtime for the rest of the week, maybe I'll talk with Grandma and Grandpa about spending the night this weekend."
"Okay!"
When he sets them down this time, two sets of footsteps tear down the hall towards the bathroom. I pop a few slices of banana in my mouth as I shake my head with amusement. I love them so much.
The girls head towards me for bedtime hugs and kisses when I feel it. I wince after I pull back and hold my stomach as Shoto leads them to bed. Shoto's voice carries down the hall as he reads to the girls while I finish my snack. About ten minutes later, I'm walking down the hall to join him when another sharp, cramping pain crackles through my back and abdomen.
"Ichan?" Shoto's at my side in a moment. "Are you okay?"
"I should be fine for a bit longer." I assure him, breathing deep and steady. "But you might want to call the parents to come back and watch the girls for tonight. I have a feeling…"
"Is it already that time?" Shoto's eyes widen.
"I think so."
Car lights signal Mom and Dad's return when my water breaks. Talk about timing. I grip the kitchen counter and swallow thickly. Time flickers by in a blur as my sole focus suddenly becomes the steady ebb and flow of pain as three little boys plan to make their debut.
"It's gonna be okay, Ichan. We're almost there." Shoto reassures me as he helps me through the hospital doors.
One moment I'm in a wheelchair and the next I'm squeezing Shoto's hand so hard I swear I feel his bones creaking. It's 7 hours of remembering to breathe and Shoto's whispered encouragement and doctors and nurses and pushing until a cry cuts through the room.
For all that work through 7 hours, his brother comes three minutes later, and their youngest brother makes his debut in another four. The symphony of three wailing babies graces my ears and prompts me to relax. My eyes lock in on three little bodies with limbs flailing before I search for Shoto.
"They're here, they're here." Shoto whispers, wiping the hair out of my face and caressing my cheek before kissing me. "You did wonderful, love. They're going to clean them off so we can hold them." He promises.
Three bundled blankets with three heads of red peach fuzz return to us and tears glitter in my eyes as Shoto and I go to each boy in turn, giving them their fair share of love.
"We've got our work cut out for us." Shoto smiles at me.
"For sure. But the first task is to pick names."
"I know you had a few in mind."
"I do." I agree, thinking over the list I've been filing through in my mind. I look at the three little faces looking back up at me and it suddenly seems so clear. "Eiji, Enji, and Emiko."
It doesn't surprise me that Shoto snaps his head to me.
"Enji?"
"I know you're still working on your relationship with him, but they're my three little boys. My three little protectors. It seems only fitting." I explain, eyes fluttering as my body winds down from the effort and adrenaline. "Eiji is a name meant for protection through peace and prosperity. Enji, of course, your father has shown he's capable of protecting the masses. And Emiko is meant for protection through smiles and joy."
"You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"
"I learned from Himari and Homura that so long as I have a collection of names to pick from…their names will usually come to me after they're born."
Shoto looks at our three boys for a moment, then looks back at me, much softer.
"Our three little protectors…I like that."