By Any Other Name

C.22

I woke up early the next morning and slipped out of bed, put some clothes on, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. It was only seven in the morning, I had tons of time.

I made a shit load of pancake batter, and washed different fruits as the pan was heating up. I put them in bowls, humming to myself as I did so. When the pan was hot, I went over and began cooking the pancakes, singing to myself. I couldn't help it, it's just something I did.

"Up on melancholy hill
There's a plastic tree
Are you here with me?
Just looking out on the day of another dream

Well, you can't get what you want but you can get me
So let's set out to sea, love
'Cause you are my medicine
When you're close to me
When you're close to me

So call in the submarine
'Round the world we'll go
Does anybody know her?
If we're looking out on the day of another dream

If you can't get what you want then you come with me

Up on melancholy hill sits a manatee
Just looking out for the day
When you're close to me
When you're close to me

When you're close to me..."

Arms wrapped around me, but they weren't L's. I looked around behind me and saw the head of white curls pressed into my back as Near hugged me.

"Again?" He asked and I smiled.

"Of course, honey." I said and started the song over again, cooking the last few pancakes as I did so.

I soon finished and turned the stove off, removing the pan from the heat. "What are you doing?" I looked and saw L at the doorway.

"Making breakfast." I said and he looked at Near, still hugging me tightly.

"What is he doing?"

"Hugging me. It's not my fault they love me, L." I grinned and pushed my hair over my shoulder. "Is everyone awake? Breakfast's almost ready." I said and he nodded.

"Need help getting them to the table?" He asked and I smiled.

"Yeah, thanks." I said and leaned in as he gave me a quick kiss as he grabbed two stacks of pancakes and went to the dining room. "Hey, Near, you wanna help L and I get all this stuff to the table?" I asked and he nodded and went to grab bowls of fruit.

I grabbed a third stack of pancakes, butter, syrup, whip cream, and powdered sugar and walked it out to the table, and L took some stuff from me. The smell wafted around and soon the kids came piling in. I looked and saw we were missing chocolate syrup, so I went and grabbed some along with milk and orange juice.

"What's this?" Roger asked when he and Wammy stepped in.

"Breakfast." I said as I sat down next to L and Near.

"You made it? You didn't have to do that." Roger said.

"Yeah, well, fight me." I grinned before taking two pancakes on my plate and grabbing some butter as well as strawberries and orange slices.

We got through a bit of breakfast before Mello asked a question that made me choke.

"So when you two get married, will you have kids?" He asked and I inhaled part of an orange slice and began coughing. L patted my back while looking nervously at me.

"We'll get back to you on that." L said and I nodded, wiping my watery eyes once my airway was clear.

I didn't want kids, that was for certain. But Lawliet? I had no fucking idea what he thought about kids. Maybe he wanted to pass on his genes and have some genius child of ours? Maybe he wanted a family? I have no idea, but all I knew is that I was totally not okay with the idea of pregnancy or childbirth now or in the foreseeable future.

The conversation changed, and after a while, breakfast ended, and the kids went off to play or study or whatever the fuck else they did. I took some stuff to the kitchen to clean and put away, and L followed me and just made me stop cleaning and dragged me to our room.

I lied on the bed and he sat next to me, soon lying down, his head on my stomach.

"So... kids?" He asked and I shuddered.

"I wanna know where you are on the matter before I say anything." I said.

"Well, I haven't really thought about kids before Mello said anything. I just always pictured us married, living here, taking care of the kids with Roger and Wammy, solving crimes as well." He smiled up at the ceiling. "I wouldn't mind kids, I don't think, but I also wouldn't mind not having them."

"That's a relief to hear." I sighed and he turned his head to look at me. "I am really not one for that whole cycle... pregnancy, childbirth... scares the shit out of me, to be honest." I said and he turned a little more and kissed my lips gently.

"Then it's settled. No kids. The family we have here is enough." He said and I smiled.

"I agree with you. That sounds perfect." I nodded and kissed him before lying back to relax, finally feeling stress free.