Tuesday morning Akane and Kyohei returned. Akane greeted her children with hugs and happy tears.
Sora observed quietly to Mizuki, "You weren't kidding about how much she cries."
Mizuki giggled as she shook her head.
Breakfast continued despite the tears and greetings. A while later Mizuki was startled when Kyohei swept her into his arms, as she headed into the kitchen with her breakfast plate.
"Are you okay Mizuki?" Kyohei asked quietly and seriously without any extra words.
"I'm okay," she assured him after a startled moment.
"Your mother told Akane when she called to talk to Shusuke," he explained.
"Oh," Mizuki replied with embarrassment.
Kyohei scolded her gently, "You don't have to be embarrassed about it Mizuki, you wouldn't be embarrassed if you had been attacked with a knife or a gun would you? This is no different. It was an attack meant to cause you pain, and only that."
"I love you Kyo-nii-chan," Mizuki confessed suddenly.
He grinned and kissed her cheek and replied affectionately, "I know darling, I love you too."
"Stop snuggling in the kitchen like newlyweds," Akane complained.
Mizuki rolled her eyes at her sister and informed her, "I'm going to do more than snuggle in the kitchen when I'm a newlywed."
"Are you?" Sora asked with interest. "What sort of kitchen will we have?"
Mizuki blushed, but replied seriously after thinking for a minute, "I don't care, but it needs a real refrigerator, and an oven. And a dishwasher would be really nice."
Sora laughed and told her, "I'm afraid of what the list would sound like if you did care then."
Mizuki walked over and snuggled into his lap. A few minutes later the baby crawled over and patted Sora's leg demandingly.
Sora looked down at him and asked plaintively, "Is he learning to communicate from Tama-sama?"
Mizuki laughed and scooped him up so that they were both cuddled into Sora's lap.
After a little while Sora complained mildly, "Both of you together are surprisingly heavy. And if you're going to work shouldn't you get dressed Mizuki?"
Mizuki reluctantly extricated herself and set the baby back in Sora's lap before she walked over to her room.
Shinichi looked at Sora's betrayed expression and asked, "Can I try holding him for a little while?"
"Absolutely!" Sora replied and transferred the baby to him quickly, before he changed his mind. He stood up and followed Mizuki without a word of apology.
Shinichi cuddled the baby hesitantly and the baby looked at him with a worried expression.
Akane told Shinichi, "You need to relax, you're making Keishi worried too."
"It's my first time holding a baby, or any small child," Shinichi admitted nervously.
"Why did you decide to, all of a sudden?" Kyohei asked with amusement.
Shinichi shrugged and glanced at his wife's expanding belly.
When nothing bad happened, and with both of his parents talking cheerfully with this person, the baby relaxed and settled down in Shinichi's lap. A few minutes later he fell asleep.
Shinichi gazed at him with amazement and held him carefully. Shizune watched her husband fondly and grinned at her older sister.
--
The apartment felt crowded that night at supper.
Sora had helped Minori cook again, and quietly listed his contributions to Mizuki when she asked.
After Shusuke fell asleep, Akane confessed, "We're pretty sure I'm pregnant again, and that's why I've been getting upset so easily lately."
"Just take a test?" Mizuki suggested with wide eyes.
"Again, so soon?" Minori asked anxiously.
Kyohei admitted with embarrassment, "We haven't been being as careful as we could have been. We were just using the rhythm method while she was nursing."
Akane blushed and added, "The home test said that I am, but I want to go in for an exam when we get home to be sure."
Mizuki informed her sister and brother-in-law dryly, "I don't think that you should hope that you'll get upset less often if you're having three children."
Kyohei laughed at her and hugged his wife affectionately.
"More of a problem is where we'll put another baby," Akane told them anxiously. "A two bedroom apartment is barely large enough for the four of us, even with the bunk beds. We'll be forced to get a bigger place, and not just that but everything will get more expensive."
Kyohei leaned over to kiss her and told her firmly, "It will be okay Akane, we'll manage."
"Weren't there three of you here?" Sora asked after a moment.
Mizuki nodded. "My bed used to be the top bunk, but when Keishi was born, we sanded and repainted the bunk beds and gave them to Aka-nee-chan."
"Our place right now is a little smaller than this," Kyohei explained.
--
Wednesday morning they had Christmas breakfast before Mizuki went to work. They had talked about pushing it out another day, until Mizuki was off work, but since Friday was the New Year they decided to go ahead.
Tama-sama reigned regally over the proceedings. He accepted the tidbits Shusuke fed him, when he thought no one was looking, as his due. His reliable minion Shizune also contributed to his feast. Even Junshiro gave him a scrap of fat.
Mizuki told Sora quietly, "I can't tell if you're excited or nervous?"
"Both," he replied promptly.
"Why are you nervous?" Mizuki asked.
"I don't know, I keep wondering if I chose the wrong things, or forgot anything," he replied quietly.
"That stuff doesn't matter, just being here matters," Mizuki replied promptly.
"Easy for you to say, when you already know what you're getting," Sora teased her.
She grinned at him and handed him her present a little nervously. "Okay," she admitted, "I'm a little worried you won't like it too."
He opened the packet and stared at the T-shirt for a moment. Mizuki watched his face anxiously. After a minute he asked hesitantly, "Did you have Shizune-chan bring it?"
"No," Mizuki replied nervously. "But I figured I could use it as pajamas if I never saw you again. I got one in my size too, so we can match?" she added hopefully.
Sora didn't reply and she pointed out a little unhappily, "You agreed it was the best of those. You don't have to wear it if you don't like it."
Sora dropped the T-shirt and pulled Mizuki into his lap. He squeezed her tightly and buried his face in her hair. "Of course I'll wear it with you sometimes," he said roughly. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long Mizuki. I'm really sorry."
She tilted her face up and demanded quietly, "Stop apologizing, and just kiss me Sora."
He kissed her thoroughly until Shizune complained, "Will you two stop making out at the table, it's embarrassing!"
Junshiro laughed at his daughters, and kissed his blushing wife while they were distracted.
When Mizuki showed her family the little dragon ear rider they all exclaimed over it. With proud enthusiasm, she explained how her friend's girlfriend had created the design.
--
When it was time for her to go to work, Mizuki left reluctantly.
She laughed and patted him affectionately when Sora admitted, "I'm glad to escape for a little while. I love your family Mizuki, but it's a little tiring."
"You could take a nap when you get back?" Mizuki suggested.
"In that noise?" Sora asked incredulously.
"Things will be quieter," Mizuki promised.
"Because you're gone?" Sora teased.
Mizuki laughed and protested, "I'm not that noisy! But the baby will probably nap soon, after so much excitement. And Shusuke will play with his new toys. My parents will do the dishes and then go out for a walk like they always do."
Sora kissed her for a minute before she got out of the car and promised, "I'll be waiting when you get off."
"I love you Sora," Mizuki told him seriously once more, before she let go.
