Fates Mistake

Chapter 7, Part 2: You're WHAT???

TW: This chapter contains mild mentions of blood, STDs, smoking and drinking
(Sorry I missed last and am a bit late this week xx)

 "I'm pregnant." I choke and spit out the sushi I was halfway through digesting. The chair slides out from under me and I knock my chin on the table on my way down to the floor. I feel blood dribble down my chin as I continue to choke on sushi.

Hina leans over the table to peer at me. "Uh, are you ok?" I wipe the blood and spit off my chin and nod. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just give me a sec." When I've finished, I slowly stand up and pull my chair back in, resting my eyes on Hina. "It's just that, I, um. Holy shit."

Hina nods, her smile now larger. "I-Wha-I-Uh, have you told Takemichi?" Hina rolls her eyes. "No, that's what I was going to tell you next, I'm thinking of running away and raising the child on my own." "How did he take it?" "He was ecstatic. Now he's being super careful with me, not letting me do anything that doesn't constitute as 'relaxing'. The only way I managed to get here today was because Mitsuya and Hakkai invited him over for lunch, so he wasn't at home."

I shake my head. "Oh my god, who else knows?" "Me! I was the first one she told, even before the husband." "Aside from you two and Takemichi, no one else knows." I blink at her, confused. "Not even your parents?" Hina shakes her head, looking guilty. "Naoto?" Another head shake. "H-How long have you known?" She shrugs. "I only found out the other day."

Now the far off distracted look she was wearing the day before makes more sense. "They're going to find out once I start showing, so I thought, why tell them now?" I shake my head, too tired to argue. "I'm happy for you, Hina. I really am." "Yeah, and the wedding was, what, three months ago? Pregnant within a month? That's gotta be some kind of record, you maniac."

Seijin gives Hina a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek, then glares at me playfully. "If you think you're getting one from me, furry boy, you got another thing coming." I grimace. "No thanks, stay away from me, crazy lady, I don't want whatever STDs you've been carrying." Seijin laughs and plucks a salmon roll from the table. "As your friend, I feel obliged to tell you that none of these have been properly sanitised."

Seijin crosses their eyes, giving me an exaggerated middle finger as they settle back into their seat. I reach over and grab Hinas hands, rubbing them softly. "You're going to be a great mother, I just know it." "Yeah, Tachi, you're like, the nicest person I know." Seijin shrugs, sucking wasabi off her fingers. "You know, besides me." I scoff and raise my eyebrows sceptically at her, deciding not to list every name she's ever called me.

"And what's up with you, Awasaki? You're in unusually high spirits this morning." Seijin beams at me and shrugs again. "It's nothing." "Is it really nothing, though?" "Can't I just be nice and happy without having an ulterior motive?" "As a matter of fact, you can not. Come on, spill" Seijin rolls their eyes again, but the smile doesn't fade. "If you must know..." She looks between Hina and I, practically on the edges of our seats. "What? What happened?"

Hina's wide eyes are trained on Seijin. "As you know, I've been looking into going through IVF. I mean, ever since I was young, all I wanted was to get pregnant and have a child of my own. So, the appointment I had yesterday was at the fertility clinic downtown." "And? What did they say?" "If you let me finish, I'll tell you." I swipe my pinched fingers over my lip and twist them at the corner, like I'm zipping and locking my lips up. Seijin nods and resumes her story.

"They were really happy with...Everything! They said that, if I do go through with it, the chance of anything bad happening is low." "Low?" "Better than nothing," Hina assures me. "So, what does this mean for you?" "Well, I have another appointment on Friday and...That's when I'm getting the insemination. I'm surprised they found a donor so fast." Hina and I both look at each other in shock, mouths hanging open. We continue to stare at each other, until Seijin laughs and punches us both lightly on the arm. "Come on, say something."

So I do. I say the first thing that comes to mind. "You do realise you're not meant to drink or smoke for the whole nine months the baby is inside you?" Seijin snorts out a laugh. "Oh god, don't remind me." My spirits lift a little at the sound of Seijins laugh. Even though she can be a bitch, Seijin is one of the best people I know. And after everything they went through...It's nice to see them happy. "And," Seijin says, interrupting my thoughts, "I already have an idea of what I'm going to call it. The baby."

I laugh softly and return Seijins punch from earlier. "Calm down, Awasaki, you're not even pregnant with the thing yet." "Aww, come on, leave them alone! What were you thinking? You know, name wise?" Seijin looks down at their lap, chewing on their lip. "Nokoribi if it's a girl." Hina blinks at me and I shrug my shoulders. "Wow, Seij, really?"

She nods her head, still looking guilty. I suddenly get a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. "What about...If it's a boy?" "I was thinking...Manjiro." I inhale a sharp breath through my teeth and look at Hina, who's knotting her fingers together under the table. Seijin and Draken have been the most affected by Mikey's disappearance. Even though Seijin was never an official member of Toman, she was always part of us.

Mikey was closest to them and he was the only one they ever opened up to. One time, when Kaz had a party at their place, I went looking for the bathroom and stumbled in on Seijin watching the news in tears. I didn't even need to look at the headline to know they were talking about Bonten.

"Are you, uh..." I clear my throat and try again. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Seijin narrows her eyes at me. "Why wouldn't it be?" I wish I could swallow my words now. "Well, I was just thinking, you haven't even told anyone, have you? Is it a good idea? Have you told Draken?" Hina tries to interject. "Woah, wait, we don't even know that it'll be a boy-" "What do you mean? It's not Drakens baby, it's mine." Seijin's pissed

"I know, I mean-" "If I want to name my baby after the friend that I lost, then I damn well will!" "If you let me finish, I just-" "It was me too, you know. Not just Draken, me as well. And I haven't even-" "We all lost a friend, Seijin. Not just Draken, not. Just. You. I did, Takemichi did, Mitsuya did, Baji did. I would do anything to get him back. Name your fucking baby after him, if you want, but don't talk about him as if it's only your loss!"

Seijin freezes and I almost choke on guilt as I watch every emotion leave their face. Half of me wants to take it all back and apologise, but it's too late. The damage is done. They open their mouth, before closing it again. "Ok, well, um, I have to go pick Kaz up now..." "Seijin..." But she's already hurrying towards the door. I sit down and bury my face in my hands as she runs out the door, slamming it behind her.

I wait a few moments before asking, "Did they get their shoes?" Hina sucks in her cheeks and nods slowly. I purse my lips into a thin line and look down at my lap, flicking pieces of rice across the table. Hina taps on the table and stares across the room like the curtains are the most interesting thing in the world. After a few awkward moments, I finally break the silence. "Wanna watch a movie?" Hina smiles gratefully. "Yeah, sure."