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~🛁~
“Nnngh… seriously, how long is dis gunna take…?!”
Teruteru groaned in pain as he sat on his bed, struggling to make himself comfortable…
…but now that he was 36 weeks pregnant, it was hard to find any sort of comfort in the first place.
He could not sleep, his body ached from his chest to his toes, and his belly felt tight and heavy, not to mention he was dealing with other unpleasant and embarrassing symptoms no one needs to know.
Those were just some of the many symptoms Teruteru experienced while being pregnant with his daughter.
And as much as Teruteru loved being pregnant, today was one of those days where he just wanted it to be over and done with.
“E’erythang hurts…” Teruteru said to himself as his rubbed his chest, trying to ease the heartburn he was experiencing. “Why can’t ah go at least one day withou’ bein’ in so much pain an’ feeling’ like ah’m gunna burst?”
The chef sighed as he laid back against the strategically placed pillows, groaning as he continued to feel all those aches and pains.
“Argh… ah love ya, mah l’il bun…” Teruteru continued talking. “…but sometimes, growin’ ya can be so tirin’…”
He looked down at his baby bump - which had grown quite a lot over the past few months - and placed his hands on it. His baby girl was asleep right now, which explained why she was not moving around so much.
The sound of knocking could be heard coming from Teruteru’s cottage door, prompting him to glance up. “Who’s dere?” he asked, still grumpy from the pregnancy pains and discomfort.
“It’s… just me, Teruteru,” Mikan’s voice could be heard behind the door. “Can I c-come in…?”
“Sure…” Teruteru sighed. “Ah need help anyway…”
Mikan was quick to open the door and enter the cottage after hearing Teruteru’s response, her expression filled with concern. “I… I overheard you talking to yourself… about how y-you’re in a bit of p-pain…” she said as she glanced at the chef. “Is there anything… I need to ch-check over…?”
“Apart from dese darn cramps in mah legs? An’ mah feet lookin’ like overstuffed sausages? An’ mah belly feelin’ tight?” Teruteru said with a frown before shaking his head. “Nah… ah jus’ wanna get ridda’ dese pains… nuthin’ ah do helps…”
“Oh… I… I see…” Mikan replied. “It s-sounds like you’re experiencing n-normal pregnancy pains…” She then began thinking. “H-Have you tried d-drinking the tea I recommended? The one that’s for a-aches and pains…?”
“Ah’m outta dat tea,” Teruteru groaned. “Used da last bag yesterday.”
“Well, how about w-walking around for a bit…?” Mikan suggested. “It could ease some of the m-muscle tension…”
“Already did dat earlier,” Teruteru sighed as he rolled onto his side, his back turned to the nurse. “And yet e’erythang still hurts…”
“O-Oh…” Mikan uttered with worry, knowing that her friend was having a really bad day with his pregnancy symptoms.
The nurse continued to think about how to help Teruteru, her mind drifting towards other pain relief methods she could suggest.
As her mind wandered, Mikan glanced around the chef’s cottage until her eyes fell upon his bathroom, which had been stocked up with-
“Oh! I see you have some of the Epsom s-salt soaks you got from th-the market…” she said as she turned back to the chef. “H-How about I run you a nice warm bath and put one of th-those soaks in? They c-can help ease those p-pains of yours…”
Teruteru looked surprised upon hearing his friend’s suggestion. A bath! he thought to himself. A nice, relaxing, pain-relieving bath! Why didn’t I think of that sooner?
“Actually, ah think a bath coul’ work…!” the chef said as he turned to face Mikan, looking interested in a bath.
“Ah, wonderful!” Mikan said with a smile. “In that case, I’ll s-start running that bath for you n-now. You can rest up, and I’ll l-let you know when the b-bath is ready…”
“A’ight.” Teruteru nodded as he watched Mikan head into his bathroom to prepare the bath.
While waiting for Mikan to finish preparing the bath, he glanced around his cottage, taking in the changes he had made in the past few months.
The chef’s cottage had gone through many drastic changes; he remembered the week after finding out he was pregnant, Teruteru did all he could to make his cottage baby-friendly AND baby-proof.
He had started by clearing away anything that was deemed risqué; all those personal toys and lubricants, the magazines and old films, even that poster of the bikini-clad model on the wall.
All of those had been put into a box, which the chef taped up and tossed into the Fifth Island’s storage unit.
He still remembered the surprised looks on his friends’ and partner’s faces when they found out about this; they never thought that Teruteru would take such drastic measures for the sake of his unborn baby, and yet he did.
He even gathered the cooking supplies and boxes of food that were scattered around his cottage and placed them all in the restaurant’s pantry; he could not possibly imagine his baby falling victim to tumbling boxes or sharp kitchen tools!
The changes in his cottage gave Teruteru the ability to rearrange everything else in his cottage and make way for the baby furniture. The chef remembered him and his partner rearranging the couches in the cottage, then going out to buy some things for the baby months later.
Teruteru ended up buying so much furniture and baby products, that he was surprised he could fit it all in his cottage, yet he still managed. His cottage now partially looked like a dollhouse, since the furniture and baby products he bought were all in the colours pink and white, and decorated in frills and bows.
The chef also got plenty of baby clothes and products from his baby shower last week, all in the same pink and frilly aesthetics, which he was also able to fit in his cottage. Now he had a fully stocked nursery ready for his baby girl!
Looking back, Teruteru was surprised that Rocketpunch Market had so much baby products and furniture in stock, but then again, the market sold everything from ordinary groceries to - strangely enough - spaceship parts.
“Teruteru, the b-bath is ready…!” the nurse’s voice completely cut through Teruteru’s thoughts, causing him to look up at her.
“Ah, wonderful!” Teruteru smiled, slowly sitting up. “Just… give me a moment…”
The chef then slid to the side of the bed and carefully stood up, clenching his teeth as he felt the pain in his back and legs, as well as the sensation of his baby bump slightly weighing him down.
“Ahhh! P-Please be careful, Teruteru!” Mikan yelped out as she rushed to her friend’s side to help him. “Y-You don’t want to h-hurt yourself more…”
“Gh… d-don’ worry ‘bout me, Mikan,” Teruteru mumbled as he took a deep breath. “Ah’ll… be alright once ah’m in dat tub…”
The chef then headed to his bathroom - with his friend supporting him - and stopped to take everything in.
The moment Teruteru entered his bathroom, he was hit with a sweet floral scent that immediately calmed his nerves. The fact that the room was dimly lit also added to the tranquil feeling of the bathroom.
“Oh, wow…” Teruteru said as he approached the bathtub, glancing down at the warm water decorated with tiny flower petals. “Dis looks so nice! Now ah can’t wait ta’ jump in!”
“Hehe, I’m so h-happy that you like it…!” Mikan said with a smile. “I made sure to m-make it as relaxing for y-you as possible…!” She then stood back towards the doorway. “A-Anyway, I’ll leave y-you to it for a while… unless you n-need my help for something else…?”
Teruteru took a moment to look down at himself, his bump having grown to the point where he could no longer see his feet. Aside from that, he was dressed in only a plain lavender shirt and a pair of lounge shorts, which were easy to take off.
“Nah,” the chef told his friend, shaking his head. “Ah shoul’ be fine gettin’ dese off.” He then looked at Mikan with a nervous smile. “But ah may need help gettin’ in, if ya don’ mind.”
Mikan nodded in understanding. “Alright,” she replied. “In that case, I-I’ll stay put and l-look away until you’re r-ready…”
The nurse then gazed at the wall for a few moments, giving Teruteru as much privacy to get changed as she could.
Despite being sore and uncomfortable from all the body aches and the heavy belly, he was able to undress until he was as naked as the day he was born. Once he was fully undressed, he looked back. “‘kay, ah’m ready.” the chef said to his friend, catching Mikan’s attention.
“Alright, I-I’m coming over…!” Mikan said as she hurried over to Teruteru, making sure not to accidentally look in the “wrong spots”. “Are you r-ready?”
The chef nodded. “Ready as ah’ll eva’ be.” he replied.
“Wonderful…!” Mikan said with a small smile as she put her hands on Teruteru’s sides. “Now l-let’s do this…!”
The nurse then helped her friend step into the bath and sit down, making sure not to accidentally hurt him or his baby girl in the process.
The moment Teruteru felt his aching body make contact with the bath water, he immediately felt bliss.
Not only did the water smell pleasant thanks to the dried flower petals, but it was also at the right temperature; not too hot, but not too cold either. Perfect.
“Oh! Dis feels so nice~” Teruteru sighed contentedly as he laid back in the bath. “Thank you so much, Mikan…~”
Mikan smiled a little. “Y-You’re very welcome, Teruteru,” she replied as she made her way towards the door. “I’ll leave you to it for a w-while, and i-if you need anything, c-call out for me… a-alright?”
Teruteru simply nodded as he closed his eyes, hearing Mikan leave the bathroom. He breathed a lengthy sigh of relief and continued to lay back in the bath, feeling those aches and pains melting into nothingness.
He had been in so much pain all day, yet this relaxing bath brought him all the relief he needed. Of course, he knew the pain relief would be temporary, so he made sure to make the most of this blissful time to himself.
Teruteru’s gaze fell upon his baby bump, bringing his hands to it. He was amazed at how much his belly grew in only just a few months, now he looked like he was ready to pop! Growing a baby really was something.
Aside from the size of his belly, there were also a few other little changes; there were more stretch marks, along with a thin dark line going down to his navel, which had popped out from all the stretching over the months.
Teruteru smiled and rubbed his baby bump, his heart filled with love for his unborn baby girl. He looked up at the ceiling - dull beige from the dim lighting - and thought about his hopes and expectations for the future.
He was going to give birth to his baby girl in four weeks from now, and he would raise her on an island with many “aunts”, “uncles” and “cousins”. It all made Teruteru scared yet excited at the same time, and he could not wait for his daughter to meet everyone.
Teruteru then felt a prodding sensation in his belly, prompting him to look back down.
He immediately caught sight of the tiny bumps and ripples forming and disappearing on his belly - his baby girl kicking and rolling around. He remembered Mikan telling him that his baby girl’s movements would become less stronger as his due date approached, yet also mentioned that it was different for every pregnant person, which seemed to be the case for Teruteru.
“Mah l’il bun! Yer awake…!” Teruteru said with surprise, yet it was the pleasant kind of surprise. “Ya liking da water, l’il princess?” He placed his hands under his big baby bump, cradling his baby girl.
The baby girl made another little kick, and although it hurt a little, Teruteru could not help but chuckle at the sight.
“Mhmhm~ Ah’m glad ya do, l’il bun!” he said as he gently rubbed his belly, then he had an idea. “Hol’ on, let me just move for a bit…”
The chef carefully propped himself up, his baby bump half submerged in the warm water, then he looked back down.
“Dere we go, dat’s much better now…” he sighed contentedly as he placed his hands back on his swollen belly. “Do ya like dis, l’il bun?”
Again, the baby girl made a few more kicks and squirms, causing Teruteru to wince yet chuckle at the sight of his belly moving around. There was no doubt that she was liking the nice warm bath just as much as he did!
“Awww, my sweet l’il bun!” he said as he rubbed and cradled his active baby bump. “Ah love ya so, so much!”
Teruteru spent the next few minutes relaxing in the bathtub, the warmth of the water caressing him like a mother’s hug. He thought about his baby girl moving inside him, and realised that she, in a way, was floating in warm water herself.
He continued to rub his baby bump and talk to his baby girl, saying affirmations of love as he felt and saw all of her strong kicks and turns. Although those movements were a little painful (like Mikan had warned him months before), they were still amusing and adorable to watch!
He still could not believe how much time had passed, and how his baby girl’s movements changed from delicate flutters to powerful kicks; he felt like a proud “mother” already, watching his baby grow!
As much as Teruteru wanted to stay in the bathtub and feel his baby girl’s playful movements, he knew he had to get out eventually, especially since the bath water was starting to get cold.
He called out for Mikan, letting her know he was ready to step out of the bath. Upon hearing Teruteru call out for her, the nurse immediately stepped into the bathroom, her gaze fixated on the towels out of politeness.
“I-I’m here, Teruteru,” Mikan announced the moment she stepped into the bathroom, her hands on the towel rack. “I’ll… just g-grab this towel and h-help you out…”
The chef nodded as he slowly stood up and turned to Mikan, who grabbed a large red towel and held it up in front of her.
“Okay, here we g-go…” she said as she moved closer and wrapped the towel around Teruteru’s body, including his well-rounded belly, then she put her hands on his sides. “Now a-after me…”
Since he had Mikan’s support, getting out of the bathtub was just as easy for Teruteru as it was getting in.
The moment he stepped out of the bathtub, he sat on the bath stool with the towel wrapped around him, allowing Mikan to use another towel to dry his legs and puffy little feet.
“H-Hopefully you don’t m-mind me doing this…” Mikan said as she rubbed at her friend’s feet. “I figured this would be e-easier on you…”
“S'okay,” Teruteru chuckled as he gave the nurse a reassuring smile. “Besides, ah’m at a point where ah can’t reach mah feet…!”
Mikan giggled a little and smiled back, then went back to drying Teruteru’s legs and feet, which did not take long.
After that, the two left the bathroom, with the chef being supported by his friend again. Upon leaving the bathroom, Teruteru noticed that Mikan had made his bed.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I-I also made your bed for y-you,” Mikan said. “It looked a l-little bit untidy, so I fixed it up…”
“And thank goodness for dat,” Teruteru said with a small smile. “Ah was gunna do it mahself, but ah was too sore, as ya saw earlier…”
Mikan nodded at that. “That’s why I d-decided to give you a hand, take a few b-burdens off your back,” she replied before stepping aside. “Anyway, I’ll let you get into s-something comfortable… a-and I promise I w-won’t look!”
Teruteru nodded. “A’ight, ah won’ be long.” he replied, then went to his own chest of drawers.
Having the clothes he wanted in the first two drawers were a godsend; he could not imagine bending down just to grab some clothes, not after he just had a relaxing bath.
Getting his clothes on was easy as well; he ended up picking out a comfortable red dressing gown and cotton lounge pants, which were a perfect fit on his body.
Teruteru had also grabbed a pair of fuzzy red socks, which he asked Mikan to help put on. Of course, the nurse was more than happy to help out with such as task, even going as far as placing pillows under her friend’s feet after putting his socks on.
“There we go, th-that should be more comfortable n-now…” Mikan said with a small smile as she looked at the chef. “Is… is there anything else you need?”
Teruteru was about to say no… but upon feeling his baby girl squirming in his belly again, he smiled back. “Would you like ta’ feel mah belly?” he asked as he opened up his dressing gown, showing his baby bump. “The l’il bun is kickin’ again!”
“Oh! W-Well…” Mikan softly spoke, unsure of what to say at first…
…but when she saw Teruteru’s baby girl visibly moving in his belly, she gasped a little, then smiled again.
“Hehehe, she IS kicking in there!” the nurse giggled as she sat on the bed, her stutter slowly fading away. “Well, I wouldn’t mind…!”
The two friends soon spent the rest of the evening in Teruteru’s cottage, Mikan gasping and cooing as she felt the baby’s kicks, rolls and squirms beating against her palms.
“This is a good sign,” Mikan commented on the baby’s visible movements. “Your little one is healthy… and not to mention energetic…!”
“Mhmhm, ah figured just from the way she moves around in dere~” Teruteru chuckled as he rubbed the top of his active baby bump.
As the two continued to feel the baby girl’s movements, Mikan talked about how the baby was doing in the womb, including how she was fully developed and almost at full term. The baby girl was growing up so fast!
The nurse was also able to figure out where the baby was positioned; she pointed out that the baby was in the head down position, ready to be born in a few weeks’ time.
Again, Teruteru was a little scared about the idea of giving birth in just a few weeks, but Mikan reassured him that, as long as she was there to help him, he would be okay.
Oh, and she also reminded the chef that he had another appointment the next day, in which the latter mentioned that he would set a - actually, three - alarms before then.
Mikan stayed for a few more minutes, conversing with Teruteru about his hopes for the future, then she wished the chef well before leaving his cottage to check up on Peko.
Overall, the rest of the day night peaceful; not only was Teruteru relaxed after that nice, pain-relieving bath, but his baby girl was still active and playful as ever, a sign that she was healthy and strong.
Teruteru sighed contentedly as he laid back, his hands cradling his baby bump, where even his baby girl slowly began to cease movement and fall asleep from her “mother”’s gentle caress. He could not wait to finally give birth to his baby girl, and hold her in his arms. ❤️
~🛁~