Temper: Deliverance (+18)

Chapter 3 - Finding Strength in Each Other

A too familiar pressing feeling woke Lana up. Repressing a groan, she stared at the darkened ceiling. Come on, I don't really need to get up, right? I can hold it, I'm sure I can... It's too damn cold to go to the bathroom...

Her body signaled that resistance was clearly futile. With a heavy sigh, she disentangled herself carefully from Yuki's limbs. Her companion mumbled in her sleep, and rolled away under the plush cover.

With a yawn, Lana threw her an envious glance. Full nights of sleep were now a thing of the past. She grabbed her pyjama pants and thick hooded sweatshirt, and left their warm cocoon. There was no way she would walk to the bathroom with only a flimsy négligé on.

After her business was done, Lana realized she was thirsty and hungry, and that as wide awake as she was now, sleep wouldn't come back easily. Another common occurrence these days... or rather these nights. She threaded to the dark kitchen in search for sustenance. A mug of hot milk with grated ginger would certainly help.

A look outside while the microwave did its magic revealed that a thin blanket of snow covered the garden, illuminated by the couple of lights they always kept on. Snow was falling hard. It was going to be beautiful in the morning. She frictioned her arms, shivering in the unheated kitchen. Way too cold, but beautiful. It's not even -1°C outside, but give me winters in Canada every day. At least, they've heard of central heating!

Her numb fingers welcomed the hot mug. Sipping her beverage, Lana headed back to Yuki's room, but stopped in the hall. Light filtered between the reading rooms sliding doors. Hesitant at first, her curiosity got the better of her, and she knocked softly on the panel before stepping inside. Delicious warmth greeted her.

"Goshujin sama, good evening, you are already back! I thought you wouldn't be home before tomorrow afternoon."

Sitting in the leather armchair closest to the kerosene heater, Honda glanced up from his book, and removed his rimless reading glasses. Lana groaned inwardly. He wore her favorite black turtleneck; it flaunted that large and thick upper body of his so well that he had to do it on purpose.

"Yes, we all decided to drive home early when we saw the snow forecast. But the roads were already slippery. I got home less than one hour ago."

"It's good to see you. But why are you still up? You should have joined us, it's warm under Yuki sama's covers, although her room is not," Lana smiled, and sat in the reading chair opposite of him.

With its plump sofa and cozy armchairs, along with the thick carpet covering the cedar flooring they had taken out at the end of November, the room had a distinct Western touch. The only nod to Japanese traditions were the katana and its shorter companion blade hanging on the wall behind Honda. His family heirlooms, as sharp today as the day they had been forged, 553 years before.

Honda gave her the playful half-grin that always quickened her heartbeat. "I would have been thrown outside in the snow, straight naked, if I had even tried. I know when it is time to let you and Yuki be, and last evening belonged to the two of you." They shared a chuckle. "Anyway, sleeps eludes me tonight." He glanced at his wrist watch. "And what about you? It is 1:30am. Your new snack hour, right?"

Lana rolled her eyes. "Rather, the upcoming snack hour of this little boy," she pointed at her belly. "I guess I'm getting ready for my new sleep schedule from hell. Also, my bladder has been reduced to the size of an almond now, so..."

Just two weeks earlier, her checkup had disclosed the baby's gender. That first 3D echography had been remarkably sharp and detailed, and she had shamelessly burst into tears. Ten toes and ten fingers, including one stuck in his mouth, and the cutest little nose she had ever seen. Honda had kept his emotions under a tight lid during the whole time, but his crushing fingers had told her another story.