❣ Forelsket ❣ Keigo Takami/Hawks

[Book 2] ↬ Pregnancy

Light Manga Spoilers

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The saturnine stream, the most crystalline form of sorrow, kindled a furious fire within his heart. Although it wasn't in his line of vision, your incessant sobbing had alerted him, and now he wanted nothing more than to scream for the remainder of eternity. Why must you be so very removed from his loving embrace? The comfort resonating from his voice, through that despicable phone, could only extend so far.

This was an extremely sensitive time, for both parties! Lolling around in the waters of your womb, was a being that would surely invoke a careful balance between your supernatural beauty, and the untainted personality he had retained in his era of innocence. In the beginning of your relationship, he couldn't have ever fathomed missing out on such crucial moments. Hero work really sucked, sometimes. He cradled the phone closer, lapping up all the sad little sniffles emanating from the other line. This wasn't your first long-distance call, but it was your most painful. After all, this pregnancy had come as an incredibly welcome surprise - despite having been high-school sweethearts, the two of you always agreed to consider children in your thirties...not now. Your euphoria was soon quelled, however, when news of Keigo's secret mission reached you.

Neither of you wished to be separated.

...Not now.

"Hey, angel." He cooed, in an effort to reassure your shattering hearts.

"Once this is over, I promise we'll be the best parents ever! I'll buy us a bigger house, and I'll take some time off, to be with you and the baby. It's gonna be fine. Just breathe for me, dove."

You ached to soothe the cracking of his voice...but you couldn't. Instead, you cursed the fates, wondering why he had to be the one with the dangerous job, with so little time for an expecting girlfriend. For a fleeting instant, you had imagined terminating it - Keigo's nightmares were haunted by the chains of his many responsibilities...adding a child into the picture wouldn't make life any easier for him. But...upon recalling his wide, teary-eyed smile, which brimmed with an unbridled love at the prospect of a family...you simply couldn't bring yourself to do it. He wanted this baby...you both did. And...Keigo deserved the utmost happiness, even the devotion of the sun! You wouldn't ever deny him something so precious.

He wasn't sure if you had actually acknowledged his words, or if your near-silence was purely spiteful. This situation could only be blamed on him. It was his fault. He couldn't skew the facts. Sharing your tears was his greatest desire, but he knew that he was your pillar. He couldn't afford to crumble. Not now. If he could liberate your mind from the unpleasant circumstances, even for a mere moment, then relief would flood his system.

He needed to ensure that you would continue to thrive in his absence, and safely raise your child. "I know this is tough, baby bird. I know, and I swear I'm gonna make it up to you."

The taste of bile, sour and sickening, settled on his tongue.

Though, his words didn't stop flowing. "I'm gonna miss you so much, gorgeous. But when I get back, we'll get married...This is such bad timing." He chuckled through the thundering of his heart - it begged to lie beside yours...but it couldn't. Not just yet.

"I bought you a ring months ago, but I was really nervous. I had planned to propose the day we found out about the baby, but I was just too happy, too caught up in the news. I love you, and nothing's ever gonna change that. We'll get married, and then we'll be a proper family. Have you thought of any names yet?"

It was a stab in the dark, a hopeful question.

He craved a response of any kind. He waited, breathless.

"Y-Yeah, but I didn't w-want to-" A few seconds of strangled weeping later, and you fought to answer. "-to decide w-without...w-without y-you!"

His voice was slowly, but surely, toning down your anguish. "I get that, angel. How about you tell me what you've chosen, and I'll give you a name if I can think of one?"

There was a pause, a hesitation, as you choked back the rest of your cries. "O-Okay..." You composed yourself, to the best of your ability.

"I was thinking, maybe...Aika, or Fumiko, for a girl..."

"And for a boy?" He prompted, desperate to maintain your concentration.

"For a boy...Osamu, or Kazuhiko?"

Your tone finally sounded free of those wretched sobs, and he chuckled again, relishing in your perfection. He truly couldn't have found a partner more wonderful, nor one who radiated more beauty. For a while, he had assumed you a very vivid fantasy - the embodiment of everything he longed for. Your compassion knew no bounds, your love for him was unrelenting. You moved in together almost immediately after becoming heroes. Unless there was a job or patrol, each evening was pure bliss. You snuggled into each other's embrace, Keigo's wing folded securely around your smaller form. He snored, but it didn't bother you. In fact, it was endearing...like a lullaby. You listened intently, whenever sleep evaded you, and the gentle rhythm fostered warmth, enough even to ward off the harshest winter chills.

You sipped on the hot milk procured for you by Midnight. "I think they sound great, dove. I could definitely see a little Fumiko running around the place. You put a lot of thought into those names, didn't you?"

"Yeah...I wanted to find the perfect one."

He laughed, loving the softness of your voice. "You did, (Y/n). By the way...have you had any weird cravings lately?"

"...Hot milk, and lemons." You mumbled, glancing down with shame-infested eyes.

"Whole lemons?" He asked, stopping mid-flight.

You sighed. "Yeah..."

"Why not chicken?"

[Word Count: 969]