The sound of retching could be heard echoing in the hallways of the first biotope. Two bodyguards were waiting next to the women's bathroom, which was where the origin of the sounds was. Even from a mile, a hint of nervousness could be seen etched into their faces. One of the bodyguards shuffled uneasily on his spot before talking:
"Hey, it's already been minutes. When is she finally going to stop?" he whined to the other bodyguard.
"No idea" the other replied with the same uneasiness.
Suddenly the door burst open. A young woman with short dark hair got out of the bathroom. She hung her head low, her left hand was covering her mouth while the other clutched her stomach, and she had her eyes shut in disgust. The bodyguards immediately rushed to her side looking shocked:
"Chief Rin! Are you alright?" the second bodyguard exclaimed.
Rin raised her head to glare at the man: "Do you really think I'm alright, after puking all of my guts out?" she growled vehemently.
The bodyguards stumbled back looking scared, she usually didn't act this way and it was enough for them to understand that it was really bad. Rin huffed and stomped away, her hand still covering her mouth in case of more bile rising to her throat. It had already been more than a week since she began to feel sick: every morning she woke up with a head-splitting headache, which was followed later in the day by fits of nausea. And she felt tired, so tired. The regular paperwork was turning into a nightmare as she started to act poorly day after day; so much that for some time she thought that Mansdam was giving her more work, which resulted in her complaining loudly to the new IGO president and him denying it with confusion. At first she thought that it would pass, that she was alright.
---------------
"Are you sure you're alright?" asked Toriko when it first started.
It was the middle of the night. Rin had sprung from the shared bed and rushed to the bathroom when a violent urge to throw up woke her from her sleep, her husband followed her shortly after and held her in his muscular arms, his thumb making comforting circles on her back. He asked her when she finished, she could hear the concern in his voice.
Rin shook her head as she cherished the close contact: "It's fine. I'm sure it was something that I ate at work." She laughed a little.
But the bishokuya kept frowning. The next day he would go to space with Komatsu to discover new ingredients; he didn't know when exactly he would be back, and leaving his wife alone in this condition wasn't an appealing thought.
Rin noticed this and quickly added: "I'll be alright! If it gets worse I will go straight to Life and get treatment! I'm sure that baldy wouldn't mind!"
Toriko looked at her in silence for a while before smiling "Can't be helped then." he sighed.
He picked her up bridal style (even when they were married for a few years Rin would still mentally squeal) and brought her back to bed, immediately holding her tight next to his chest.
"But promise me you'll get yourself checked up once it's worse." Toriko kissed her forehead, making Rin blush. Then she hummed in response and smiling she snuggled closer.
---------------
Rin cupped her red cheeks smiling dreamily at the memory, having momentarily forgotten her sickness:
Toriko worrying about me is the best! she squealed with ecstasy, but her daydreaming was cut short when a strong headache suddenly emerged.
She groaned as she pressed her temples. This couldn't go on. The IGO Gourmet Facility Chief immediately speed walked towards the president's office, determined to resolve this problem the sooner possible. Rin knocked hard on the door receiving a slurred 'come in,' for then slamming it open without grace. Mansam was sitting with a dozen or more bottles of sake sprawled on top of the office desk, he was drinking from a thirteenth one when he raised his eyes towards the door. Rikky raised his head surprised, but then returned to his nap when he realized who it was.
"What is it, Rin?" he asked as the woman stomped dangerously towards him "You don't seem very well, what do you think of some booze to cheer you up-"
Rin slammed her hands to the desk "Mansam, this will be the only time that I am going to ask you this, and you need to know that it's because I'm at my wits' end."
The drunkard tilted his head grinning "Did you call me handsome?"
"I didn't!" she yelled, before demanding "I need a week of vacation, I'm going to Life."
"Life?" Mansam asked "What for?"
The idea of telling the previous Chief about her sickness irritated Rin. But she figured that it was best to tell him the gravity of the situation if she wanted to get herself cured, and he would never understand if she didn't explain what she had felt.
"Just know that I've been feeling like shit all week. No, more than all week!" She began with a huff "I wake up with either a headache or nausea, and they last all day! I can't sleep for more than four hours! Work is becoming tiring! And I'm starting to get weird cravings that will definitely make me fat!"
She also noted that she skipped her period, but there was no way in hell that she would talk about something private like that. Especially with the drunk man in front of her.
To her surprise Mansam just raised an amused eyebrow before muttering "You'll probably look fat anyway, in a few months."
"Wait, what did you just say?" Rin glared as he took a casual drink from his bottle.
"Nah, it's nothing." Mansam wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then said: "Alright, you can get the week off. Get treated or whatever you want."
Rin sighed relieved, then said: "Thanks, then see ya in a week!"
But before she could reach the handle Mansam interrupted her: "Oh, another thing." the woman turned slightly annoyed towards a smirking president "First be sure to buy a pregnancy test or something."
Her face turned from irritated to strongly disgusted. She yelled a 'screw you' before slamming the door shut behind her.
What the hell is his problem? She thought angrily as she stomped towards her office. 'Be sure to buy a pregnancy test'? Yeah right! as she entered her office she quickly picked up her stuff and put it in her bag. Also how in the world does it relate to my symptoms? What I have is nausea, headache, cravings-
She paused abruptly in closing the zipper of her bag. Her mind raced to the vomiting, headaches, and parfait cravings that she had during the week; then Mansam's words danced in her head. One of her hands unconsciously traveled towards her abdomen before resting on her stomach.
Nausea and headaches. Buy pregnancy test.
Nausea. Headaches. Pregnancy test.
Nausea. Headaches. Pregnancy.
Pregnancy.
Rin suddenly clapped her hand to her mouth. And it wasn't because of an attack of nausea.
YOU ARE READING
Delicious Waiting
Fanfiction"Toriko had been away for roughly a week. The last time they thoroughly spent the night was right before he left. Rin should have probably cursed herself for forgetting to monitor her cycle; and yet, all she could think about was the delicious warmt...
