Feather Bound

Chapter 46

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" He asked, his eyes quickly snapping up from his paperwork at the sound of movement. Haruki groaned, turning to face him with her arms crossed before letting out an annoyed-sounding exhale. She tapped her foot, the file folder in her hand bouncing with the moment as their eyes met.

"You're being ridiculous," she stated, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Having my desk moved into your office was completely unnecessary."

"It was absolutely necessary since the Commission has insisted that Mamoru start working from the agency. He needed somewhere to work from, so moving you in here and giving him your old desk only made sense. Plus, with your condition, I want to be able to keep an eye on you as much as possible."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes before letting out an agitated groan. "My condition? Hawks, I'm not crippled–"

"Just sit back down. I can do whatever you need done; you just have to tell me," he insisted, and he watched as she clenched her jaw in frustration. She stalked towards him until she was directly in front of him, eyes blazing with agitation.

"I don't need you to do anything but let me do my job." She reached forward, flicking him on the nose, and he whined, reeling backward, rubbing it as he glared at her. "I'm three months pregnant, not disabled. I'm perfectly capable of filing paperwork without your help. Tell your little birdy brain to chill it the fuck out."

He clenched his jaw, letting out a snort. "Isn't it possible that I'm just trying to be nice? Besides, you're not Y/N; my 'birdy brain'," he started, putting air quotes around the term "isn't telling me to do anything for you. This is all just me, being the loving, caring boss that I am."

She rolled her eyes before reaching over and pulling him in for an awkward hug around his head. "I appreciate it, I do, but you need to relax. I'm allowed to do everything I was before I got pregnant, except drink," she said before pausing and letting out a mournful-sounding sigh, her cheek resting against the top of his head. "And eat sushi."

He chuckled, shooing her off him before letting out a sigh. She ruffled his hair slightly before finally making her way from the office to file her paperwork, and he watched her go with a frown. She was so incredibly stubborn; it was driving him nuts. Though, maybe she had a point; he might be overdoing it just a bit.

But it wasn't his fault; he'd never been around a pregnant person before. In fact, when Haruki had told him a few weeks ago, it had almost blown his mind. He'd never thought about them ever having another child; it was always just them and Chiyo. A family, complete in every way. But he'd been so excited for her anyway, immediately wrapping her up in a hug and promising her that he would make sure she was taken care of. Anything she needed, he'd make sure she got.

He'd mostly been telling the truth about moving her desk. It was partly so he could keep an eye on her and partly so Mamoru could use the desk outside his office. He frowned at the thought of Mamoru; anxiety clutched his stomach, but he couldn't comprehend why. The official reason for the move made sense, yet he always felt like Mamoru was hovering, constantly around Haruki and himself like he was waiting for something. It was making him uneasy, plus he was already dealing with enough drama at home, the upcoming Christmas celebration with Y/N parents in a few days had them both a little on edge.

He honestly needed something to lift his spirits. Sighing, he rested his head on his hands before glancing down at his desk drawer, nibbling his lip. Just looking at it couldn't hurt, right? Checking the doorway to ensure nobody was watching, he slid the drawer open and reached inside. Sucking in a breath, his fingers curled around the small box inside, pulling it out and leaning back in his seat to examine it. His thumb ran across the soft velvet, tracing the seam before flipping it open to gaze at the ring with a soft smile.