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“I want to have a baby.”
Looking up from his computer screen, Dr Araya turned toward him with his eyebrows raised, “I was under the impression you were here to discuss general health.” He stated and Kageyama took a seat.
“I didn’t want to tell the receptionist what I really wanted to discuss.” He admitted and his Doctor slid his glasses off of his nose and slipped them into his top pocket.
“I see. And why’s that?” He gestured, “This is a Doctor’s office, Kageyama-san. Having a baby isn’t – ”
“I don’t have an alpha.” Kageyama interrupted him, making his point clear, “And I don’t want it to be some random stranger in a bar or an app either. I’m at the peak of my game right now and if I have a baby later, I won’t be able to play, and I might not be able to be there for it as much as I’d like either. So now is the perfect time to have a baby. And I want one.”
Giving him a long look, Araya leant back in his seat, “You’re talking about Artificial Insemination.” He realised and Kageyama nodded, “Well. That is a big step. You’d need to do a lot of research to be sure that that’s what you’re – ” He stopped when Kageyama reached into his bag and pulled free a wad of paper on the subject.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while.” He said, “And I want advice. That’s why I’m here. I want to know how I can do it, if it always works and how anonymous it is and whether I can do it here or whether I have to go to hospital.”
Adjusting his seat, Araya shifted and cleared his throat, “I’ll answer those in the easiest order, if that’s alright.” He said and at Kageyama’s nod, he continued, “You would need to find a clinic that offers this service, as neither our surgery nor a local hospital would offer it. Secondly, each clinic has a different policy on anonymity and so on, so you would need to discuss that with them too, along with the likelihood of it working. And thirdly, Artificial Insemination is quite simple. Sperm is taken, preserved until use, and then inserted much like a chlamydia test or a heat-pod.”
“I don’t use pods.” Kageyama said, and Araya nodded.
“Well it’ll just be a little uncomfortable but nothing too painful.” He said, “But again, you’d need to confirm all this with a clinic.”
“Do you have any recommendations?”
Giving him another long look, Araya paused, “Are you sure this is how you want to do this? You don’t want to just go out and get an alpha?”
“I don’t trust very easily.” He said, “And it would take too long to find someone I’d trust to have a baby with.” He pat the wad of paper on his lap, “I’d like to have an alpha and a family but it’s not happening so I looked into this.”
“… alright.” Turning to his screen, Araya searched for a while before eventually printing out a few sheets of paper, “There are three clinics in town. I wouldn’t call them recommendations as I don’t know much about them but they’re there for you to look at.”
“Thank you.” Taking the papers, Kageyama stood and bowed his head in thanks, leaving as he shoved everything back into his bag. Once in his car, he scanned over the names of the clinics and the information on them that Araya had printed off.
The nearest one was only a few miles away and he had the day off anyhow. Putting the address into his phone, he turned the radio on and started the drive up toward it. He hoped they wouldn’t ask for appointments as it was hard to get a day off and he didn’t much like getting them anyway. As he pulled up, however, he noticed that the carpark was pretty empty and when he stepped through the automatic doors, there was only one lady sitting in the waiting room and she seemed to be waiting for a taxi.
“Can I help you?” A young omega asked, smiling at him from behind a huge white desk. He turned to her, his voice low despite the clinic likely used to the request he had.
“Yes. I’d – um. I’d like to speak to someone about artificial insemination.”
She nodded, “Do you have an appointment?” He shook his head and she nodded again, “You’re lucky, we’re quite free today so we can squeeze you in.”
“Oh. Good.”
“Before I can however, I need to ask, do you prefer an omega or alpha doctor?” If the clinic was made for this then he didn’t mind either way, and he’d already spoken to Araya about it too.
“I don’t mind either.” He said and she smiled.
“Good. I can slot you in with our only alpha doctor then,” She said, “He’s the only one free right now, which is a rarity I'll tell you.” Clacking at the keyboard, she pursed her lips, “So. Full name please.”
He cleared his throat, “Kageyama, Tobio.”
“Date of birth?”
“22 December 2002.”
“So you'd be," She paused as she calculated, “Twenty-four.” He nodded and she continued, “Perfect. And address?” He gave it to her, glancing around the room curiously, “Phone number.” There was a beep as he spoke and the lady in the waiting room stood to meet her taxi, “And you just want a consultation, right?”
He nodded again, before thinking to ask, “How much does a consultation cost?”
“Oh the consults are free,” She said, writing his name on a card with a number on, “The procedure is what you pay for.”
“Right,” He took the card, noting the number 304.
“When that number shows on the screen,” She pointed at the television in the corner, “It’ll tell you what door number to go to and then – ” Before she could finish, 304 flashed on the screen with Door 2 written beneath it and she laughed a little, “Well there you go. Door number 2.”
“Thank you.” He hitched his bag over his shoulder and turned toward the doors that he assumed would be behind him. Door 5 was the first and as he walked, he left the reception area and went down a carpeted corridor until he saw Door 2.
Knocking once, he heard a low voice telling him to ‘come in’ and he slowly opened the door, nervous now that he was so close and wondering if this was the right decision after all.
Maybe Araya was right.
“I’ll be right with you!” That same voice called from behind a curtain, and Kageyama paused with uncertain recognition, but took a seat nonetheless and glanced around. The room was cooler than the reception area, with a fan running steadily on the desk, and he saw that almost every bit of stationary in here was pink. He lifted the stapler up, turning it over and noting that a smudged black marker had written the initials OT on its side.
OT? He paused when his brain whirred to life and suddenly he knew he couldn’t be here.
“Oh shit.” He hissed to himself, standing quickly with his heart racing.
OT. Oikawa Tooru. Oikawa had left Volleyball when his knee had given up, he’d studied in University and he’d heard from Sugawara that he was working in a clinic in Miyagi.
He’d not clicked those facts together until now but now that he had, he knew he needed to leave.
He opened the door, trying to slip out, but the curtains opened and he froze.
“Sorry about that,” Oikawa said, “I had to double-check a few – ” He paused and Kageyama shut his eyes, trying to duck out despite being caught, “Tobio?”
He shook his head, “Nope. Not me.” He opened the door a little more, “I just – had the wrong room. Sorry.”
“Oi,” Oikawa called after him and he stopped instinctively, “Relax, I’m in the medical profession here, what do you think I’d do if I met you?”
Slowly, Kageyama turned toward him and he beckoned him in, “Get back in here. And shut the door.” Doing as he was told out of sheer surprise that he’d not been mocked, Kageyama sat back down once the door was shut and squeezed his legs together nervously.
A second later however, Oikawa simply cleared his throat and said, “So anyway. You must be my consult.”
“I can come back another time,” Kageyama said, “When there’s an omega clinician free.”
“Don’t be stupid, you’re here now,” Oikawa said, waving a hand, “So. Let me know what you’re after and I’ll give you a run-down of what you need to know and what it’ll cost.”
Staring at him for a long moment, Kageyama felt his cheeks burn but Oikawa’s professionalism seemed to help force the words, “I um. I want a baby. This year - or next, because – if I wait any longer than this it’ll be hard. For both my body and my career.”
“Your career in volleyball.” Oikawa clarified, needlessly, and Kageyama nodded, “And why did you decide to go down this route?”
“I – uh.” Somehow, saying the words ‘I don’t want an alpha’ was a lot harder when looking at his old senpai, “I didn’t want to wait until – I found someone.” He said and Oikawa nodded, writing this all on a pad of paper in his lap.
“So there’s no alpha in your life, right now?” Kageyama shook his head, “Do you understand the difficulties you’d have in raising a child alone?”
“I don’t care about that.” Kageyama said, “Most alphas don’t respect the sport I play or how I live. They’d want me to sit at home all day and quit my job.”
“And if you met an alpha that did respect the sport?” Oikawa asked, “One that didn’t want you to quit and who could sit at home with your baby on part-time hours?”
Kageyama gave him a look, “Are you offering to be a babysitter?” He drawled and Oikawa paused for a moment before smiling.
“Of course not.” He looked down at his pad then, continuing, “So you’re completely content with having a child alone?”
“I don’t see any other choice.” Kageyama snapped, though that wasn’t true. He’d wishfully thought that he’d find someone and love them and have a family but the reality was too constrained and no one ever stayed long enough to earn his trust, “Of course I’d like to date and bond and then do it that way, but I don’t have time for that.”
“Because you don’t trust people?” Oikawa asked and he huffed.
“Yes.”
“Would you trust me?” Oikawa asked and when he blinked, he added, “As your clinician. To give you advice.”
“Oh. Um. Yes. I would.” He shrugged, “I mean, you – I’ve known you for years. And after my second year … yes. You earned my trust.”
Of course he had. After they’d beaten Shiratorizwa back in school, Kageyama had seen Oikawa around a lot more than he’d used to, and they’d spoken some few times in the queue at a supermarket or café.
At one point, Kageyama had been upset over an argument with Hinata and had walked to calm himself, meeting Oikawa and stupidly telling him that it was all because he’d had a crush on his best friend but had known that he’d been dating someone else.
The next morning, he’d torn at his hair with regret over what he’d said, sure that Oikawa would have spread the knowledge around in spite. Instead, however, Hinata had come to him to apologise for the argument and had spouted some story about how he knew Kageyama had only been upset because Oikawa had yelled at him.
He’d asked Oikawa about it afterward and had gotten a shrug.
“When he got mad at me, he forget he was mad at you.” He’d said and after that, Kageyama had decided to trust him. He’d even missed him when he’d gone to University and had sent a card after he’d hurt his leg, but after a few years they’d lost touch. He’d often toyed with the idea of contacting him again but had ultimately gotten embarrassed and had assumed Oikawa wouldn’t care either way.
He’d never meant to meet again like this, though.
“Okay.” Oikawa said, smiling as he heard that he was trusted, “So you can trust people then.”
“Oikawa-san, this is different.” Kageyama said, “Every date I’ve had is against me playing and – I really want children. But I don’t want to give my career up for them. I don’t think I should have to.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” Oikawa agreed, “It’s a tough choice a lot of my clients make, career or children, and it isn’t fair. But it doesn’t always have to be like that. Some of my clients have partners that are understanding and who share the load, so the both of them can work and have children.”
“Well when you find someone like that for me, let me know.” Kageyama complained, folding his arms across his chest, and Oikawa snorted softly.
“Alright then. On that note, maybe we should discuss this a little further at a proper appointment?” He asked and at a blank look from Kageyama, his smile widened, “Maybe … at eight?”
Frowning, Kageyama gave him a look, “Are you even open by that time?”
“No.” Oikawa said, “But most restaurants are.” It took a second for Kageyama to catch on, and then he ran hot and leant back, away, “Unless you don’t want to.” Oikawa quickly added when he noticed, “I mean, if you want to go full insemination, I can give you the costs and procedural information right now and we can leave it as it is – ”
“Oikawa-san – ”
“And completely forget what I just asked. I mean – you said yourself, you don’t want an alpha – ”
“I never said that.” And he hadn’t.
“You pretty much implied it,” Oikawa countered, “So okay. The procedure can be a little – ”
“Oikawa-san.” Kageyama stopped him, his tone firm, “Please stop fluttering, it’s making me dizzy.” Oikawa paused, confused, before he realised that his hands had been flapping along with his words in his haste to expel his embarrassment, “And I don’t want a pity date.”
Oikawa put his hands down, “A pity date?”
“Yes, because you know I want to have a baby but don’t have an alpha,” Kageyama explained, “You don’t have to date me out of pity.”
“Tobio.” Oikawa gave him a long look, “Are you an idiot? Do you have any idea how busy the only alpha in an all-omega gynecologic clinic gets?”
“No?”
“Very!” He snapped, “So why on earth would I want to waste time doing something out of pity when I could enjoy time doing something for real?” Kageyama stared at him and he softened, “You don’t still think of me as ‘Idiot, idiot’ do you?”
“I’m not 12 anymore, Oikawa-san,” Kageyama rolled his eyes, “But – we were never friends either, were we?”
“What do you call all the time we spent together, back when I was at Uni, then?” Oikawa asked, “And I sent you a message on Facebook to catch up about a month ago too but you never replied.”
“Facebook?” Kageyama blinked, “Oh, I uh. I don’t use it. I forgot I even had an account.”
Oikawa sighed, “Of course you did.”
“Wait – you messaged me? You wanted to catch up?” His heart singing, Kageyama leant forward, “Seriously?"
Oikawa gave him a dry look, “Seriously. I thought that’s why you were here at first but then you tried to sneak out so – obviously you didn’t know I worked here.”
“I didn’t.” Kageyama admitted, “But I wanted to – you – are you asking me out for real then?”
“Tobio-chan.” Oikawa sighed, “I honestly think I asked you out at least a hundred times years ago and you never seemed to get it.” He said, “And now, seeing you here, I had to try again. So yes. I am.”
“But – I want kids.”
Oikawa snorted, “Yeah I know,” He said, “And I do too. But – if you still don’t want to wait, I’d understand that as well. It would take longer if you wanted to date me and we might not even be compatible or – ”
Kageyama leant out of his seat and kissed him. Impulsive in a way he'd not been since school. Without even reacting, Oikawa kissed back like he’d expected it all along and Kageyama fell forward until he was in his lap and the notepad was scrunched beneath him. Oikawa hitched him up, pushing the pad away, and shifting until Kageyama’s legs could hang by either side of his hips, his hands tangled in his hair.
He had absolutely no idea why he’d acted on instincts he would usually quell and yet, despite only thinking of Oikawa now-and-again, to hear that he’d wanted him and that he still wanted him … he kissed him harder, his hands running under the collar of his shirt.
A knock at the door didn’t stop them as it was barely background noise but as soon as it opened that changed.
“Oikawa-kun, are you fin – oh!” Kageyama turned to stare at the receptionist and she blushed a deep red, turning and shutting the door after her.
“Oops.” Oikawa laughed but Kageyama cut that off with another kiss.
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The new year started chilly and despite living in a complex that had central heating, Oikawa refused to use it because of the bills and piled blankets over Kageyama whenever he shivered instead.
“I’ve got work in ten minutes, have you got practice?” He asked as he nursed a coffee in his hands and Kageyama shook his head.
“Day off.” He said, yawning, “Could you do me a favour?”
“Mm?”
“I left the remote in the bedroom, could you go get it?” He looked up at him when there was a pause, “I’m comfortable.”
Oikawa rolled his eyes, tapping him on the head as he passed, “Tobio-chan, you’re spoiled.” He commented, his voice fading as he entered the bedroom. Kageyama waited for another minute before he heard it, “Tobio!”
“Yeah?”
“Tobio, Tobio!” Running out of the room without his mug, Oikawa held a test in both hands, eyes wide, “Tobio-chan! I found this in the room!”
Kageyama laughed, “I left it there for you, obviously you found it!”
“You left it – it’s – oh my god.” He sat down slowly, staring at the test, “I need to call off work. Oh my god. You’re pregnant.” He stood then, racing to the thermostat, “We need heating. Now. You’ve been shivering all morning and you’re pregnant.”
“Tooru,” Kageyama watched him panic, beyond amused, “Tooru, calm down. I’m only five weeks.”
“Five weeks?” Oikawa shouted, running to the test again and checking it over, “Where’s it say that?”
“It doesn’t!” Kageyama laughed, “I went to the Doctor to double-check and he told me.”
“Oh my god. Five weeks. Five weeks.” He knelt before Kageyama, staring at him, “And it’s mine, right?” Kageyama gave him a look, “I mean, you didn’t inseminate anyway.” Another look and he laughed with disbelief, “Oh my god. I love you.” He crawled over the blankets to kiss him, “I’m going shopping.”
Kageyama blinked at that, “What?”
“We need clothes. And a pram. And a cot, and food and – ”
Grabbing him by the hand, Kageyama yanked him down, “We’ve got months yet and you have work in five minutes.” He scolded, giving him a kiss when he pouted at the tone, “Go tell all your colleagues I’m pregnant.”
At that, he immediately brightened, “Oh my god, you’re right! You got pregnant naturally and I work in the insemination-line of the clinic.” He shook his head, standing and straightening his clothes, “I need to go now.”
Kageyama rolled his eyes as he rushed out to his car, leaving for work, and he switched the television on with the remote he'd had hidden under the blankets.
About half an hour later however, he got a text message and once he’d read it, he put a hand over his eyes with embarrassment that this man was his alpha.
I told everyone you’re pregnant and they keep asking which sperm I used.
Their FACES when I say it’s mine!
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