꧁ LIFE and DEATH ꧂

SUPRISE

There's a little bit of dark humor at the end, sorry.

"I'm home!"

Nene looked up from her book. "Hey, Amane."

The raven-haired man smiled. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Yes. So much. But I don't know how to tell you . . .

But Nene didn't say any of that. "Oh, nothing much. I made donuts, though."

Amane's eyes lit up. "Really?" He quickly planted a kiss on her forehead before heading to the kitchen. "And this is why I married you."

Nene blushed. "Is that really the only reason?"

Amane laughed. His mouth was stuffed with donuts, so he couldn't respond.

And that was probably a good thing.

"I'm going to see Aoi-chan soon," Nene said nonchalantly. "But I'll be back for dinner, don't worry."

Amane walked back into the living room, where Nene was seated. "Aww-- you really waited for me to get home from work to go hang out with your friends?" He fake-pouted. Nene rolled her eyes.

"See you later, Amane~"

She swiftly left.

~~_~~

"Nene-chan!"

Nene waved to her friend.

"Hello, Aoi-chan."

The two met up at Kamome Park, just a block or two away from their old school.

"This place has so many memories," Aoi said, trailing her fingertips over the rusting swing sets.

"How's married life treating you?" Nene asked, smiling sadly. The purple-haired woman looked back at her friend.

"Akane's just so sweet to me," Aoi smiled.

"Even the name Aoi Aoi hasn't spoiled it?" Nene joked. Aoi grinned.

"Oh, Haru's made the entire thing worth it," Aoi said. "He's almost a year old, too!"

Nene bit her lip at the mention of Aoi's son.

"Actually, Aoi-chan . . ."

"Mhh-hmm?" Aoi asked. Nene blushed.

"I'm, uh . . ."

"Nene-chan?" Aoi frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm pregnant."

Aoi blinked once. Twice.

Then she broke into a grin. "Ara ara, that's amazing!"

Aoi hugged her friend.

"Aoi-chan, you're squeezing me--"

"Sorry Nene-chan!" Aoi leaned back and held her friend at arm's length. "But how long have you known?"

"A little less than a week," Nene blushed. Aoi looked shocked.

"And you hadn't told your best friend until right now?" Aoi laughed. "But I forgive you. But what did Amane-kun say when you told him?"

"Ahh . . ."

Nene looked away. Aoi raised an eyebrow.

"Nene-chan, you've told him, right?"

Nene slowly shook her head.

"Nene-chan! You haven't told Amane-kun yet!?" Aoi exclaimed, eyes wide. "He's going to be a dad and he doesn't even know?"

"I'm planning to--"

Aoi let go of her friend and pulled out her phone. "That's it, I'm calling him right now."

Nene grabbed the phone. "No, wait!"

"Do you promise to tell him?"

"Y-yes--"

"Will you tell him today?" Aoi clarified. Nene nodded. "Then go!"

Aoi gave her friend a gentle shove in the direction of her home.

"See you soon, Nene-chan!"

~~_~~

"Amane?"

Amane looked up. "Oh, Yash-- I mean, Nene!"

Nene rolled her eyes. "It's been two years since I've become Nene Yugi, and you still call me 'Yashiro'?"

Amane laughed. "Well, old habits die hard. But you know that I've loved every second of those years."

Nene blushed. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Amane looked back at the plates he was holding. "Well, you've seemed a little stressed lately. So I thought I might . . . I don't know, do something nice. So I made dinner for you." He placed the plates on the set table before turning back to his wife. "Also, there are strawberry-filled rice cakes in the fridge. I know those are-- Nene?! Are you crying?!"

Nene tried and failed to wipe the tears from her eyes. "A-Amane--"

"Nene, what's wrong?" Amane hurried to embrace her. "Did I--"

"Y-you're s-so good t-to me," Nene sobbed. "A-and I've b-been hiding t-things f-f-from you!"

Amane quickly turned serious. "It's nothing bad, right?"

Nene nodded, still crying. "N-no."

"Whatever it is can't be that bad," Amane said. Nene pressed her face into his shoulder and kept crying. "It's okay, shh, it's okay," he comforted. Nene sniffled.

"I'm . . ."

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant."

Amane froze.

"A-Amane?"

He still didn't say anything.

Nene leaned back to see his face.

Amane was grinning.

"Y-you're . . . for real?" he exclaimed.

Nene nodded and began to smile as well. She'd stopped crying. "Y-yeah--"

Amane hugged her tightly. "That's . . . wow." He laughed and pressed his face into his wife's hair. "That's amazing."

"Do you think I'm cut out to be a mom?" Nene asked quietly. Amane pulled away slightly and held the woman at arm's length.

"Are you serious?" he asked in disbelief. Nene nodded. "Nene, you're intelligent, kind, sweet, and caring-- you're going to be an incredible mom." He laughed. "Me, on the other hand . . . I'm not sure I could pull off this whole 'dad' thing." Amane's face lit up as he said it. "I'm going to be a dad . . ." he mused in delight.

"An amazing one," Nene smiled. Amane kissed her forehead.

"Just wait until we tell Tsukasa," Nene joked. Amane laughed quietly.

"What are the chances that, if we left him alone with a child, he'd find a way to light it on fire?"

Nene shook her head. "Pretty high. But . . . he'll be excited."

Amane kissed the woman's forehead again. "But not as excited as I am." 

A/N:

I'm sorry for not posting in a while! 🥺 Moving's just been kinda stressful, and I haven't been motivated to write.
But I've got ideas for more oneshots, and I'll (hopefully) be updating Nene and The Water Dragon God soon. Plus another Choices!

Stay safe and healthy!

~~ Author-chan ~~