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Akari, curled up on a plush velvet sofa, gently rubbed her small belly in thought. At three months pregnant, her condition wasn’t immediately obvious, but Sylus had insisted she keep it a secret, even from Luke and Kieran, his crow-masked henchmen. While his reasons weren’t entirely clear to her, she deeply trusted him—a trust built through countless shared battles and quiet, vulnerable moments. Still, secrets like this were heavy, even for someone as strong as her.
Sylus’s sharp, confident footsteps echoed through the grand hall as he descended the staircase. His tailored black coat swayed behind him, and his silver hair glimmered in the dim light like threads of liquid mercury. Despite his intimidating presence, the sight of Akari waiting for him softened his expression, revealing an uncharacteristic tenderness.
“They're late,” he muttered, referring to Luke and Kieran, who were supposed to arrive to “watch” Akari while he dealt with some urgent business. “Typical,” he added, his voice laced with faint exasperation.
Akari chuckled, looking up at him with her bright eyes and playful smile. "You know they can't resist making a dramatic entrance. They probably stopped to terrorize some poor shopkeeper with their pranks.”
Sylus smirked, the faintest upward tilt of his lips. “Eccentricity isn’t a crime, kitten. Annoying me, however, might be.”
Before Akari could respond, the double doors burst open. Luke and Kieran strode in, crow masks firmly in place, their synchronized strut exaggerated for effect. Each held a bag of dubious snacks they had likely looted from an unsuspecting convenience store.
"Fear not, for we have arrived!" Luke declared dramatically, extending his arms like a herald announcing royalty.
"Uncle duties, here we come!" Kieran added, nudging his twin knowingly, though the implication was lost on Sylus and Akari. At least, for now.
Sylus sighed, running a hand through his disheveled silver hair. “You’re late.”
“And yet, we’re fashionably so,” Luke quipped.
Kieran leaned forward, placing his index finger against the beak of his mask in mock seriousness. “If you ask me, it’s better this way. Your lady had a moment of blissful silence beforehand.”
Akari rolled her eyes, stifling a giggle. While Luke and Kieran danced in the realm of chaos, she found their antics strangely charming.
“I trust you’ll keep her entertained?” Sylus asked, his crimson eyes narrowing.
“Oh, we’ll do more than entertain," Kieran replied.
"Think of us as caregivers, confidants, and court jesters all rolled into one," Luke added, bowing flamboyantly.
“Good. Keep her out of trouble,” Sylus said, giving Akari a look of quiet affection before turning back to the twins. "And don't... Don't break anything." His tone carried ominous weight as he grabbed his coat and exited into the moonlit shadows beyond the manor.
~
The evening started innocently enough. Kieran and Luke tried (and somewhat failed) to teach Akari how to play cards, though her experience with the kitty cards game meant she was sharper than she let on.
“Another win for Miss Hunter!” Luke groaned, slamming his cards on the table dramatically.
“I think she’s cheating,” Kieran said, squinting accusingly while Akari mock-pouted.
“You’re sore losers,” she teased, her laugh light and melodic as the twins bickered.
But as the evening went on, their sharp eyes picked up a few peculiarities. From the way, Akari subconsciously cradled her stomach to the subtle exhaustion in her posture. It didn’t take long before Luke and Kieran shared a glance, silent communication sparking between them like static.
“Akari…” Luke began cautiously, his tone echoing rare sincerity.
“You’ve got a bump!” Kieran suddenly blurted out, unable to contain his curiosity.
Akari froze her hand midway to a glass of water. For all their antics, the twins were sharper than daggers, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. Denial would be useless—Kieran was already leaning over the table, pointing at her, while Luke sat back with a triumphant expression under his mask.
“You’re pregnant,” Luke concluded with the same gravity one might use to declare the sky blue.
Akari sighed, setting her glass down and folding her arms. “Fine. Yes. But you can't tell anyone—especially Sylus.”
“Ha! As if we’d ever risk the boss’s wrath,” Kieran said, though his excitement was palpable. “But… does that mean we’re uncles?”
“No,” Akari said firmly, fighting back a smile. “It means Sylus and I are going to be parents. That’s all.”
“Oh, nonsense,” Luke chimed in, waving a dismissive hand. “We’re absolutely going to be uncles. The cool kind. You know, the ones who buy the kid ridiculous toys and teach them how to prank their parents."
“Kieran, we need to start brainstorming Uncle Nicknames,” Luke added excitedly.
“Crowmaster Kieran and Lord Luke! Too much?"
“You’re both insane,” Akari muttered, though her smile betrayed her fondness for them. The idea of her child growing up surrounded by loyalty and laughter warmed her heart.
“We’ll teach it everything we know—”
Akari interrupted quickly, holding up her hand. “No offense, but please don’t."
~
Much later, the twins reluctantly left Akari to rest in her room, which meant Sylus's Bedroom, at Sylus’s insistence. When he returned from his business, his sharp crimson eyes immediately landed on her reclining figure in the large, luxurious bed. She was nestled in a mountain of silk pillows, flipping lazily through a magazine.
“Did I miss anything?” he asked, his voice deceptively casual as he shed his coat and placed it on the couch in his room.
Akari glanced at him, her expression innocent. “Not really.”
“Oh?” Sylus raised an eyebrow and climbed into bed, moving with an elegance that belied his imposing frame. Sliding next to her, he leaned on one elbow, his hand supporting his sculpted jaw. “Because Luke and Kieran were awful smug when they left... and you're terrible at lying, Miss Hunter.”
Akari bit her lip. Before she could respond, Sylus placed his hand gently over her belly, his fingers brushing against the soft fabric of her shirt. For once, his elegant smirk was replaced with something rawer—something vulnerable.
“They know,” she admitted softly.
Sylus closed his eyes briefly, sighing through his nose. “And I take it they’ve already declared themselves uncles?”
“Of course," she replied with a laugh.
His pout was immediate and unmistakable. He dropped his head to her shoulder, grumbling something under his breath.
“Oh, don’t pout,” Akari teased, threading her fingers through his silver locks. “You know they’d find out eventually.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he murmured sullenly.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Maybe.”
When he lifted his head, his expression softened again. He shifted lower, resting his head against her stomach. For a long moment, he was silent, simply laying there with his hand protectively covering her midsection.
Then, without a word, he pressed a soft kiss against her stomach—a delicate gesture so unlike the fierce, powerful Sylus feared by the entirety of the N109 Zone.
“You’re going to make a fantastic father,” Akari whispered, placing her hand against his cheek and smiling softly at him her gaze showed her love for the man currently showing her his cute side even though he say being cute isn't his forte.
"Sweetie, you don't have to flatter me, I don't have to tell you that you will be a great mother because you're already showing me you are one."
"hm just be prepared for my mood swings and random moments of odd cravings" she complains While Sylus chuckles "I can handle it my Beloved"
"that means you can handle carrying me when I'm too lazy to walk and when you need to rub my feet?" she asked giggling when he kissed her cheek softly.
"still will not be a problem Kitten"
"my hero" she smiles brightly leaning down to meet his for a chaste kiss. after pulling away Sylus grinned "hmm I like this side of you" he teased.
.
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"Boss lady, we made a small crow mask for boss baby" (see what i did there)
"Aw how cute-"
"I don't want the baby wearing that-"
"Sylus dont be mean beside i didn't turn down your need for giving our baby a toy gun"
"Its good to train young"
"......" (=_=)