Work Text:
During afternoon, the maid café was full of people. There was not a single minute break. As you were to get the jasmine tea leaves you just noticed the can was empty.
ー Shin? Do we have any jasmine tea left?
ー Uh? ー He didn’t even raise his head from the parfait he was making as he gave you a half-hearted answer. ー It should be in the back storage.
ー Ok. I’ll go get it. Is there anything else we’re running out of?
He placed the finished cup on the tray for Ikki to come and get. Then he came back to the kitchen and turned his head to you.
ー Peaches.
You nodded. You went to the storage and sighed. Since a week or so you felt very tired and with the stomach a little upset. You sensed a stomach bug was on its way to hit you like a truck and you didn’t know what to do to avoid it. You tried to ignore the discomfort and forced yourself to keep on working even when you were counting the minutes before your schedule finished for the day so you could crawl into your bed and rest. You got the peaches and set them aside as you step on a small ladder to reach for the tea leaves. As you stretched as far as you could to get them, you felt a wave of dizziness that made you grab the shelf for support.
ー Hey! What’s taking you so much time? ー You heard Shin’s voice getting closer. ー You’re so slow that the water’s been boiling for a while now. Hey, are you ok?
You turned your head towards the sound too fast, and another wave hit you making you see black spots in your vision. You lost your balance. Luckily, he caught you before you hit the floor, crashing you between him and the shelf in his dash to avoid the fall.
ー Hey? Hey! ー He was filled with worry as his grip got stronger to keep you in place.
Little by little, you felt your vision starting to clear up and your strength returning.
ー I’m… fine. I just got dizzy. ー You replied weakly.
He furrowed his brows, not convinced. He loosened his embrace, but he kept his arms close to you in case you collapsed again. His eyes were piercing as he looked at you for answers.
ー What’s happening here!?
Both of you turned your head towards the door. Ikki was looking at you with a scowl.
ー Nothing ー you said calmly as you turned your back to him and gave Shin a warning glare so he didn’t say anything unnecessary that made Ikki to worry.
Shin pursed his lips but said nothing. He got the tea leaves and the peaches and left the room without word.
ー Are you going to tell me what happened? ー Ikki crossed his arms.
ー I told you. Nothing happened. I was about to fall from the ladder and he caught me. That’s it. ー You said as you passed him by.
He grabbed your arm before you could go out the storage. Then, he pushed you against him and he clashed his lips against you, as if he was trying to devour you. His hand rested on the back of your head, preventing you to break the kiss. Once he was satisfied with the state he left you, he turned and continued working as if nothing had happened.
During the rest of your shift, Shin did most of the work, allowing you to take it easy.
The following days weren’t better. On Monday, it was Toma’s turn instead of Ikki and you regretted not having asked him to change shifts for a day. You were feeling even more out of the weather and a day off sounded like heaven right now. You could feel Shin’s eyes following you while you prepared the sweets and drinks. You tried your best not to let your feelings shown, but all your efforts were in vain when you felt a nausea and had to run to the nearest trash bin, emptying your stomach’s content there. When you thought you had finished, you stood up and then you saw Shin with a bottle of water. You took it, thanking him with a weak voice.
ー Have you gone to the doctor? ー He asked in concern.
ー No… It’s just a stomach bug. I was feeling it coming for a while now. ー You half emptied the bottle.
His eyes were fixed on you before he spoke:
ー You should go. You’ve been sick for more than a week. It might be something else.
ー Don’t be like Google. Each time I check the symptoms of anything, it says I’m already 3 days late to die. ー You rolled your eyes and he grabbed you by the arm.
ー I’m serious. I don’t think it’s a stomach bug. ー He avoided your eyes for a moment and added. ー Haven’t you noticed? It seems you get sick each time you slice peaches.
You followed his gaze towards the table and realized that you were cutting peaches.
ー I don’t follow.
ー You… ー He bit his bottom lip as if pondering if he should tell you or not. ー You look like you’re about to puke whenever you smell peaches.
ー What? You’re overthinking it. Why would I do such a thing?
He looked back at you as if to ask: “Are you going to make me say it?”.
ー Are you implying that I… ー You started calculating dates in your head. ー No, that’s not possible.
ー Can you be 100% sure? ー He insisted.
ー Well, no. But I’m pretty sure it’s something else.
He sighed exasperated.
ー Anyway, take the rest of the day off. If you really have a stomach bug, we can’t let you work sick. I’ll let Boss know so go change.
You did as you were told because you weren’t getting any better. You changed to your casual clothes and took your phone out. The screen flashed with a text of Ikki asking if you could meet him after work. You texted a fast reply explaining you were going to meet Sawa. Even if you didn’t want to admit it, it was better to be safe than sorry. A pregnancy test was not that expensive and that way you could sleep that night. You grabbed your purse and left the café. To your surprise, Shin was waiting for you at the door, already changed.
ー What are you doing?
ー I’m taking you home. I don’t want you to faint on your way there.
You froze on the spot. You didn’t want him to know you were going to buy a test, but you also didn’t want to seem suspicious.
His short fuse burnt and he took your hand to drag you outside before you could come back with a good answer.
ー Hey! Wait! ー You complained.
ー More? ー He smirked.
You were too focused thinking in the excuse you could give him so you could buy the test on your way that you didn’t notice someone witnessed your exchange.
At the end, you couldn’t give him the slip and you had to go out again to buy it once he left. The longest 3 minutes of your life passed in your house bathroom as the lines slowly appeared.
ー Oh shit.
Positive.
False positive? It might be. The part of you that was freaking out really hoped for it. But there was another part of you that was in awe because it was something that Ikki and you did.
You felt your heartbeat deafening you as you pressed the doctor’s number to set a date on your next day off. As a regular check-up. Because maybe it was a false alarm.
As days were passing by and the doctor’s date was getting closer, your nerves was getting the best of you.
Shin didn’t say anything more, but his concerned eyes told you a different story.
By the end of the day, you were so on the edge that you jumped when you hear your name.
ー Tomorrow is you day off, right? It happens to be also mine so do you want to go somewhere? It’s been a while since the last time we could be all day together. ー Ikki smiled as he kissed you on your temple.
ー Uhh… I can’t in the morning. I’m going to meet Sawa.
ー Sawa? ー His eyes turned cold for a moment.
ー Yes. But we can meet later if you don’t mind, you can come to my house.
That seemed to lighten his mood.
ー Sure. I can’t wait.
If you thought the longest minutes of your life were the 3 of the test waiting, it was even worse the waiting in the doctor clinic. When they called your name, your throat was dry and your hands sweaty. Maybe coming here alone was a bad idea. Maybe it was just a bad idea coming here, in general.
You took air in your lungs and went inside.
The examination turned to be also positive: you were pregnant. You barely register what they were saying while they explained your options nor your way back home.
Ikki was already there. You had exchanged keys until the termination of your house contract. After that, you two were going to live together. His face turned from happy to worry in a blink.
ー Are you ok?
You looked at him, wondering how you should explain him the news.
ー Yes. ー You croaked.
ー …
You looked around and left your coat in its place.
ー … Are you hiding anything from me? ー Ikki muttered.
ー What? ー You turned.
He was looking at the floor, but he raised his head to meet your gaze.
ー Are you hiding anything?
ー What would I be hiding? ー You asked, fearing that Shin had told him something.
ー How was Sawa? ー He changed the topic catching you off-guard.
ー Uh? Fine? ー You replied as you seated next to him, on the floor cushions with your back on the bed.
ー Where you shopping like the other day? Did you have fun? ー He smiled.
ー Yes… it was nice.
He stopped smiling and stood up.
ー I saw you. You weren’t with Sawa.
The colour of your drained and you sprung up to grab his arm in desperation.
ー I-I wanted to tell you but I didn’t know how. I was waiting for the best timing for that.
He grabbed you and pulled you towards the bed.
ー Did you think I wouldn’t notice when we work together? ー His voice dripped so much pain that it was breaking your heart.
ー At first I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was normal. ー You tried to explain yourself.
ー Normal? How can that be normal? ー His grip on your wrists tightened.
ー I-I don’t know Ikki. I’m sorry. If I knew this was going to hurt you I would have told you since the beginning. ー You felt your vision blur as tears appeared.
ー Not hurt me? Since the beginning? ー His face twisted in pained rage. ー How long is it that you and Shin…
ー What, Shin? ー You interrupted him.
ー Yeah, Shin. I saw you together the other day in the storage and after that, you skipped my date with you, saying that you were with Sawa. But I saw her with her friends and when I went to the café I saw the both of you going out from there holding hands and today…
ー Ikki! ー You put your hands on each side of his head and made him look at you on the eyes. ー You got it all wrong. Shin was worried because I got sick so he took me home and today… I went to the doctor.
ー Doctor? Are you sick? Are you hurtin--
Here goes nothing...
ー I’m pregnant. ー You interrupted saying it directly.
His eyes widened at lightspeed and he almost chocked on his words.
ー Are you ok? ー You asked, worried.
ー Y-you are…
ー Pregnant. ー You repeated when it was clear he wasn’t going to finish.
He turned without a word and sat on the bed.
ー Ikki…?
As you sat down next to him, he pulled you in a tight hug and buried his head in the crock of your neck.
He started kissing his way up to your jaw until he reached your lips. He poured all his feelings into you through his touch.
ー Come live with me now. I can't wait anymore. ー He said with a husky voice, making you smile.