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Naoto was antsy. She paced back and forth in the living room, so many times that she could dig a trench in the hardwood if she continued much longer. With one arm folded under her chest, the other propped up so her teeth can sink into her own pointer, her mind was scattered yet focused at the same time. There were about a million things that were going to have to change, actions to take, consequences to deal with, but there was one thing she had to do first; speak to Kanji.
Kanji was an unknown quantity in the situation at hand. After being with the man for years, she’s seen him deal with tons of problems and happenings throughout their relationship but this was new, different and very life-changing. There was nothing she could use as a precursor for how he may react and it made the detective incredibly nervous. She didn’t like the unknown. It disagreed with her mental system.
“Any minute now,” she muttered to herself when her eyes caught sight of the time. Kanji was due back from his errands with his mother and it would be time to talk to him. Her pacing had picked up speed with her turning twice as often as she had been only moments before. She had time to play over the conversation in her head again with a different possible outcome than the 10’s of other scenarios she had cooked up. Some ended well with agreement, others were a wash of numbness and lack of reaction, and the rest ended in…heartbreak. She shook her in an attempt to free herself from the latter. There was no way that everything would end from her admittance…
Right?
The sound of the door opening made her jump despite knowing it was bound to happen any second. She spun to the front of the house, eyes wide with alarm.
“Hey, Naoto! I’m home! I went and picked up din-hey, you alright? Somethin’ happen? You look scared,” Kanji’s happy-go-lucky tone changed quickly to worry when he caught a glimpse of Naoto’s shocked expression. Place his bags on the floor, Kanji made his way to Naoto’s side, feet heavy on the floor that had already gotten a workout that day from anxious footsteps. His furrowed brow and concerned look brought Naoto back to reality.
“Yes I’m fine. The door just startled me,” she explained as calmly as she could manage. Kanji’s hands found her waist and he pulled her close, making sure they didn’t break eye contact.
“You sure? Do I gotta beat somebody up for ya or anythin’?”
Naoto’s chest shook with a chuckle. “No, Kanji-kun. I promise, I just jumped because of the door,” she assured him. It was enough for him.
“Alright, if you say so,” he conceded before delivering a kiss to Naoto’s head and turning back for the grocery bags he had abandoned near the door. “Hope yer hungry! I picked up a few things from Aya so we didn’t hafta worry about cookin’ tonight. I got a few beef bowls, picked up a chicken bowl for you. I know you were tryin’ to eat leaner so I figured that was a good buy. Oh! And I got-“
“Kanji.”
The black haired man froze. He knew that tone. It was a tone he never liked hearing out of Naoto’s mouth so suddenly. He knew what it meant and he could guess the exact words that were to come. His thoughts aligned with each syllable as they left Naoto’s mouth.
“We need to talk.”
With a quiet but stressed exhale, Kanji left his dinner offerings once again in favor of his wife; this time wondering what he could’ve managed to do wrong that earned him those awful words. Or maybe something was bothering her when he came in. Maybe a coworker was harassing her at work or a new suspect? Could she be unhappy with her job? She had voiced concern about it taking her away from home so much.
Or maybe…she was unhappy at home. Kanji had always feared the day where Naoto realized that she was too good for him. She was gorgeous, brilliant and incredibly successful in everything she attempted. In Kanj’s eyes, he was married to the embodiment of the perfect woman and that he was coasting on luck having her. Maybe it had finally happened. Some guy she met out there somewhere stole her heart from him and she was going to tell him she was leaving.
Kanji shook his head. He couldn’t jump to such a conclusion. There were no inklings of such a ridiculous notion in the past that she was so miserable with him that she would leave. Matter of fact, she was always smiling and cheerful (as long as she wasn’t cortex deep in a case) and said she loved him every day and made sure to show it. There was no way.
But still.
Naoto finally managed to settle into a couch cushion, hoping to make the situation as painless as possible in all aspects she could control. She had made sure the house was a comfortable temperature and the ceiling fan on (but not too high). The curtains were drawn open to let the sun’s rays paint the room and brighten it up. The television was off and quiet, the radio as well; only their voices would be heard above the gentle whirring of the overhead fan.
Kanji made his way from the kitchen, swallowing the hard lump that had grown in his throat as he made his way around the couch and plopped down next to Naoto. He adjusted himself to face her as much as he could manage and looked her in the eyes.
“What is it, Nao? What’s wrong?” he asked, trying to keep his voice even. He watched as Naoto mulled over all of the versions of her practiced conversation as she could in a few seconds.
“Kanji, you need to know that there’s a change coming to our house,” she began, her vocal chords also having a tough time staying true to one key. She was nervous and it made Kanji’s stomach twist in a knot.
“A-A change?” he repeated. This wasn’t going to be good.
“Yes, a kind of lifestyle change. Something has been brought to my attention…by my doctor,” she revealed. Her eyes dropped to the side and her teeth found her bottom lip.
Kanji’s brown furrowed deep. “Doctor? Naoto’s what’s wrong? What’s going on?” His entire demeanor changed. He sounded almost demanding. It’s not that he meant to, but he needed to know what was happening with his wife that her doctor’s news was going to change their lives. Was she sick? Was it that bad? Terminal? He needed an answer and fast before his heart came to a screeching halt from the stress.
This shift in Kanji’s aura caught Naoto off guard. She hadn’t expected him to flip like a switch at the mention of the doctor. But when she thought about it, the way she had been acting and the mention of the medical professional was no doubt sending up all kinds of red flags in Kanji’s excitable mind and she needed to amend for her poor reiteration of the news.
“Apologies, Kanji, this is just the kind of conversation I don’t know how to properly have,” she explained. Her finger scratched at her cheek, a tell of her’s that she truly didn’t know quite how to put something. Kanji picked up on it and took a breath.
“C’mon, Naoto,” he picked up her small, delicate hands and cupped them in his large ones. “Whatever it is you can tell me. I’m your husband. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together,” he pledged with a smile. This declaration gave Naoto the push she needed to deliver the news.
“Well….Kanji….I found out today that I’m….I-I’m…”
“You’re….?” the vowels elongated from Kanji’s lips as he attempted to help his Naoto along with her message.
A quick breath in and with the exhale, the words came. “I’m pregnant.”
She watched as her husband’s eyebrows shot up as his eyes grew wide. They had become so enlarged that she could watch his pupils dilate. This she had predicted with almost every play through of this very conversation and it did not surprise her. What did was what followed.
After a few silent moments, Kanji began to stammer. “You’re….you’re…p-p-pregnant? Like….pregnant-pregnant? Like…with a kid inside you?”
“Yes, Kanji. That’s what that means,” Naoto watched with an almost confused expression as Kanji took a few more seconds to compute the apparent code she had laid before him.
“With…with my kid….you’re pregnant with my kid?”
“Well of course I am. Who else’s child would I be having?” Naoto had to laugh at the notion that she was having someone else’s child. She couldn’t even bear to think of being with anyone else but Kanji, in the bedroom or otherwise. So the idea that he had to confirm it was his baby was simply laughable.
Once it had fully been digested by Kanji’s brain what was happening, the largest grin his face could handle spread across his face. The last time Naoto saw such a heartfelt, genuine grin was when they got married; this was when she saw just how excited he was to be a father.
And if that hadn’t been enough, Kanji shot up from his spot on the couch and practically roared with delight before scooping Naoto into his arms bridal-style and spinning her around the room. “Oh my God we’re havin’ a kid! You an’ me! We’re gonna be PARENTS!” he hollered at the top of his lungs as Naoto could only giggle as she wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on for dear life. He grinned at her and pressed his lips to hers in an eager, passionate kiss. He spun with her until they were both dizzy.
Kanji collapsed back on the couch, allowing Naoto to stay on top of him. His face had become dreamy, as if he was living a fantasy that he just couldn’t believe. Even his tone was somewhat faraway in thought. “I can’t believe it….we’re havin’ a baby.”
Naoto smiled warmly. “Yes, and I’m so glad you’re so thrilled,” she sighed as her face found refuge in his chest. “I was so worried that you’d be upset…”
“How could I be upset at this, Naoto? The woman of my dreams is havin’ my kid! This is the happiest day of my life!” He paused. “Well, next to marryin’ you, that is,” his fingers found his wife’s chin and lifted her face to his. Another kiss before he pressed their foreheads together, both smiling so big that their cheeks hurt. “Oh man, I gotta tell Ma! She’ll freak out!” the father-to-be practically shook with excitement as he reached towards his pocket for his phone. But Naoto’s hand stopped him.
“Hold on a second, Kanji-kun. How about we just take some time to enjoy the news…as a family,” she suggested. A crooked smile perked up Kanji’s face.
“Yeah…as a family. That sounds perfect.” The two laid on the couch, reveling in the moment until the smell of homemade noodles and cooked meat wafted under their noses.
“Oh I already forgot. You had gotten dinner,” Naoto realized aloud as she pushed herself up and headed towards the kitchen.
“Hey, Naoto. Hold on!” Kanji pushed himself up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into his lap before she could disappear into the kitchen.
“Ah! Kanji!” she laughed out as she found herself once again attached to her man. He was impossible to escape once he decided it was time to be romantic in any way. But this was one of those times that she could not say no. They were going to be parents after all.
“How about we put that food in the fridge for tomorrow and go out into the city tonight to celebrate? I passed an awesome little place coming home from my last fashion show and I’ve been trying to decide on an occasion to take you there, and I think this is perfect,” he offered with eyes full of love, adoration and delight. “What do you say? Get a little fancy and hit the town? As a family?” The last sentence was coupled with his free hand finding Naoto’s still-flat stomach.
“How can I say no to the father of my child?” Naoto agreed with a kiss. “Come on, I’ll even let you pick my dress.”
“Oh hell yea! Gonna show off how hot the mom of my future kid is to everybody!” Kanji shouted as he followed Naoto to their room to get ready for their celebratory dinner date.