Odoroki
thirty-four.
“I've been living in this apartment for three years. It's so weird to see it packed up like this.” Natasha frowned as she surveyed the boxes before her, and she sighed as she leaned against the doorway leading into her bedroom. “Thanks for helping me out, Kiera. I'm packed up a week early; would've gotten back to Tokyo a month late if I'd done it by myself.”
“You're not gonna cry again, are you? I know you're hormonal and all, but there's a better apartment waiting for you- one with a much better view.” Kiera grinned over at her friend, and she only grinned wider as she saw Natasha rolling her eyes. “I meant the city, not the guy, but I guess he's nice too.” She laughed as Natasha sighed and shook her head, walking toward the few bags she'd packed for the next week. “Oh no you don't. I'm getting those. Yuu will fly to New York and kill me if he hears that I let you lift all of that.”
Natasha laughed, but let Kiera walk past her and watched as her friend shouldered the bags with ease. “Thanks, Kiera,” she said, and she chose to ignore the quirked eyebrow and haughty smirk. “Gee, Kiera, you're so butch,” she teased, and laughed as her friend carried the bags out the door. “And I guess you're kind of awesome for letting me stay with you until I fly back.”
Kiera merely smiled, making Natasha follow her to her car so that she could put the bags in the back seat, and then leaned against the car door, crossing her arms. “Get in the car, you hormonal mess,” she said, and Natasha merely laughed and shook her head. “And stop feeding my ego, yeah? I can't let you sleep on the streets, can I? Yuu would murder me for that too.”
“He wouldn't murder you,” Natasha said as she got into the car. “He might glower and simmer a little, but he's too nice to kill.”
“Mm, so you say,” Kiera countered, and waited until Natasha's seat belt was buckled before she made to close the door. “Just sit tight, okay? I'm going to get those boxes you wanted, and then we're off.” She gave another smile, and then she closed the door, heading back to Natasha's former apartment.
And Natasha watched almost sadly as she looked upon her apartment building. It was strange for her to be leaving behind the place that had been her home for so long, but she would be somewhere much better for her within a week and a half. She took comfort in that, and she couldn't help a sigh as she thought of how much she and Yuu would have to hassle to get her things shipped or stored in a storage unit. She let her hand rest on her stomach, rubbing gently, and her smile softened as she felt a nudge against her hand.
That particular kind of movement had started up a few days after visiting her parents, and while she'd called Yuu in excitement and had told him how amazing it felt, she knew that it would be even better when he could experience it too. “Took you long enough, little guy,” she said softly. “Twenty-two weeks old, and you're just now moving enough for your daddy to feel it.”
She felt the nudge under her hand again, and she could feel tears pricking up in her eyes.
“Let's call your daddy,” she said softly. With one hand resting on her stomach, she reached into her purse with the other, taking out her phone. She flipped it open, smiling as her favorite picture of Yuu smiled up at her. Then she found his number in her contacts, pressed the call button, and held the phone to her ear. The line rang a few times before Yuu picked up, and her smile widened when she heard his voice. “Hey, you.”
“Hey, Natasha-chan,” his soft voice murmured, and she could hear his smile. “Perfect timing, baby, you caught me getting dressed to go to the shop. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything's okay. I just miss you a lot, is all.” She smiled a bit, and a glance upward allowed her to see Kiera coming back down with three small boxes stacked up in her arms. “I'm officially out of my apartment today, and the stuff that can be shipped'll be on its way to you soon.” She heard him hum softly in response, seeming quite content with the idea of her being one step closer to living with him, and she smiled as Kiera opened the rear door and put the boxes down on the seat. “I can't wait to be back in Tokyo with you, Yuu.”
“I can't wait until you're here, either. And I have a surprise for you, for when you get back. I think you'll really like it.” She could almost see his proud smile as he spoke, and she laughed softly when he paused for a more smug effect. “I think I've just become the best boyfriend you've ever had, actually.”
“You've been the best boyfriend ever for quite a few months now,” she said softly, and she glanced over at Kiera with a smile as she climbed into the driver's seat, rolling her eyes and starting the car. “Even Kiera's gushing over all of the sweet things you do for me now. That's got to mean something, yeah?” She laughed softly, and Yuu chuckled, but Kiera merely smiled and shook her head as she began the drive back to her place. “I miss you so much, Yuu,” she added quietly, and she rubbed her stomach in an attempt to keep her hormonal flares at bay.
“I miss you too, baby,” he said softly. “But ten days is a lot shorter than thirty days, so it won't be long.”
“Yeah, you're right.” She sighed a bit, watching the scenery as the drive to Kiera's apartment continued, and bit her lip as the conversation became quiet. “I'll let you finish getting ready for work, though. I just wanted to hear your voice. Give Takanori a big kiss for me, hm?”
Yuu chuckled. “All right, I'll see if I can manage a kiss before he slaps me.” He laughed, and the sound made Natasha's wider smile return. “I love you, Natasha.” His voice seemed so soft, even with the playful undertones, and Natasha wondered what kind of a man he'd been before he'd met her. “And because I know you love me, see if you can give Kiera a kiss for me, since I'm apparently kissing Takanori.”
Natasha glanced over at her friend, smiling wider, and Kiera raised an eyebrow. “I'll see what I can do,” she said, and she wondered if Kiera could hear Yuu laughing. “I love you, Yuu, and I'll call you a little later, okay?” She glanced away from her friend, gazing off to the side instead, and she felt a happy flutter in her stomach. The baby seemed pleased that his mother was talking to his father, and seemed to be much more at ease now. She heard him murmur something in the affirmative, and then she whispered, “I love you so much,” before the call ended and she closed her phone, letting it rest in her lap.
“I hope you two get married the instant that baby is born,” Kiera said, and Natasha looked over at her in surprise. “What? I'm just saying, is all. You two are already nauseating, so you might as well make it official and have wedding rings to gush over.” Natasha's eyebrow lifted, and Kiera returned her gaze to the road ahead of them so that she could get them to her apartment without crashing. “And honestly, you and him and your baby are going to make a really great family.”
“That's the nicest thing you've said since you threatened to beat Yuu into being supportive of this pregnancy.” She smiled, and Kiera scoffed. “You're going soft on me, Kiera,” she teased. “Maybe I should set you up with Yuu's brother after all.”
“Mm, and what good would that do me?”
“He's attractive, for one thing, and you're always back to your old self after a couple of dates.”
Kiera sighed, turning the car into her apartment complex's parking lot, and she parked the car a few moments later. “Sometimes I really hate you, you know,” she said, though the smile that she flashed at her old friend said quite the opposite. “You're too damn good at teasing me. Maybe you being in Tokyo and being busy with the baby'll give me some time to harden up.”
Natasha laughed, depositing her phone in her purse, unbuckling her seat belt, and carefully climbing out of the car. Her center of balance was thrown off for a few seconds as she adjusted to standing up, and she leaned against the car as she waited for Kiera to be ready to go up. She felt the baby moving around more, and she almost cursed Yuu for passing on the genes that he had as she rubbed her stomach, intending to calm the shifting baby boy down.
“You all right, Natasha?”
She looked up, not realizing that she probably looked strained as the baby rested right against her diaphragm again, and gave a small smile. “Yeah, I'm fine,” she said. “He's just back to his favorite resting place. He'll move in a minute.” She gave another smile, and Kiera watched her for a moment before reaching out to rub her arm. “You go on ahead with a few of the bags, and I'll be up with the rest in a minute.”
“All right, but let me carry those boxes, okay? They're really heavy.”
“You got it, boss.”
Kiera rolled her eyes, smiling, and then she went to the back of the car, opening it up to take the first of the bags.
When she was gone, Natasha ran her hand over her stomach, and she sighed. “One more step closer to home, little guy,” she said. Only ten more days, and then she would be back with Yuu, and hopefully it would be for good this time.
“You're not gonna cry again, are you? I know you're hormonal and all, but there's a better apartment waiting for you- one with a much better view.” Kiera grinned over at her friend, and she only grinned wider as she saw Natasha rolling her eyes. “I meant the city, not the guy, but I guess he's nice too.” She laughed as Natasha sighed and shook her head, walking toward the few bags she'd packed for the next week. “Oh no you don't. I'm getting those. Yuu will fly to New York and kill me if he hears that I let you lift all of that.”
Natasha laughed, but let Kiera walk past her and watched as her friend shouldered the bags with ease. “Thanks, Kiera,” she said, and she chose to ignore the quirked eyebrow and haughty smirk. “Gee, Kiera, you're so butch,” she teased, and laughed as her friend carried the bags out the door. “And I guess you're kind of awesome for letting me stay with you until I fly back.”
Kiera merely smiled, making Natasha follow her to her car so that she could put the bags in the back seat, and then leaned against the car door, crossing her arms. “Get in the car, you hormonal mess,” she said, and Natasha merely laughed and shook her head. “And stop feeding my ego, yeah? I can't let you sleep on the streets, can I? Yuu would murder me for that too.”
“He wouldn't murder you,” Natasha said as she got into the car. “He might glower and simmer a little, but he's too nice to kill.”
“Mm, so you say,” Kiera countered, and waited until Natasha's seat belt was buckled before she made to close the door. “Just sit tight, okay? I'm going to get those boxes you wanted, and then we're off.” She gave another smile, and then she closed the door, heading back to Natasha's former apartment.
And Natasha watched almost sadly as she looked upon her apartment building. It was strange for her to be leaving behind the place that had been her home for so long, but she would be somewhere much better for her within a week and a half. She took comfort in that, and she couldn't help a sigh as she thought of how much she and Yuu would have to hassle to get her things shipped or stored in a storage unit. She let her hand rest on her stomach, rubbing gently, and her smile softened as she felt a nudge against her hand.
That particular kind of movement had started up a few days after visiting her parents, and while she'd called Yuu in excitement and had told him how amazing it felt, she knew that it would be even better when he could experience it too. “Took you long enough, little guy,” she said softly. “Twenty-two weeks old, and you're just now moving enough for your daddy to feel it.”
She felt the nudge under her hand again, and she could feel tears pricking up in her eyes.
“Let's call your daddy,” she said softly. With one hand resting on her stomach, she reached into her purse with the other, taking out her phone. She flipped it open, smiling as her favorite picture of Yuu smiled up at her. Then she found his number in her contacts, pressed the call button, and held the phone to her ear. The line rang a few times before Yuu picked up, and her smile widened when she heard his voice. “Hey, you.”
“Hey, Natasha-chan,” his soft voice murmured, and she could hear his smile. “Perfect timing, baby, you caught me getting dressed to go to the shop. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything's okay. I just miss you a lot, is all.” She smiled a bit, and a glance upward allowed her to see Kiera coming back down with three small boxes stacked up in her arms. “I'm officially out of my apartment today, and the stuff that can be shipped'll be on its way to you soon.” She heard him hum softly in response, seeming quite content with the idea of her being one step closer to living with him, and she smiled as Kiera opened the rear door and put the boxes down on the seat. “I can't wait to be back in Tokyo with you, Yuu.”
“I can't wait until you're here, either. And I have a surprise for you, for when you get back. I think you'll really like it.” She could almost see his proud smile as he spoke, and she laughed softly when he paused for a more smug effect. “I think I've just become the best boyfriend you've ever had, actually.”
“You've been the best boyfriend ever for quite a few months now,” she said softly, and she glanced over at Kiera with a smile as she climbed into the driver's seat, rolling her eyes and starting the car. “Even Kiera's gushing over all of the sweet things you do for me now. That's got to mean something, yeah?” She laughed softly, and Yuu chuckled, but Kiera merely smiled and shook her head as she began the drive back to her place. “I miss you so much, Yuu,” she added quietly, and she rubbed her stomach in an attempt to keep her hormonal flares at bay.
“I miss you too, baby,” he said softly. “But ten days is a lot shorter than thirty days, so it won't be long.”
“Yeah, you're right.” She sighed a bit, watching the scenery as the drive to Kiera's apartment continued, and bit her lip as the conversation became quiet. “I'll let you finish getting ready for work, though. I just wanted to hear your voice. Give Takanori a big kiss for me, hm?”
Yuu chuckled. “All right, I'll see if I can manage a kiss before he slaps me.” He laughed, and the sound made Natasha's wider smile return. “I love you, Natasha.” His voice seemed so soft, even with the playful undertones, and Natasha wondered what kind of a man he'd been before he'd met her. “And because I know you love me, see if you can give Kiera a kiss for me, since I'm apparently kissing Takanori.”
Natasha glanced over at her friend, smiling wider, and Kiera raised an eyebrow. “I'll see what I can do,” she said, and she wondered if Kiera could hear Yuu laughing. “I love you, Yuu, and I'll call you a little later, okay?” She glanced away from her friend, gazing off to the side instead, and she felt a happy flutter in her stomach. The baby seemed pleased that his mother was talking to his father, and seemed to be much more at ease now. She heard him murmur something in the affirmative, and then she whispered, “I love you so much,” before the call ended and she closed her phone, letting it rest in her lap.
“I hope you two get married the instant that baby is born,” Kiera said, and Natasha looked over at her in surprise. “What? I'm just saying, is all. You two are already nauseating, so you might as well make it official and have wedding rings to gush over.” Natasha's eyebrow lifted, and Kiera returned her gaze to the road ahead of them so that she could get them to her apartment without crashing. “And honestly, you and him and your baby are going to make a really great family.”
“That's the nicest thing you've said since you threatened to beat Yuu into being supportive of this pregnancy.” She smiled, and Kiera scoffed. “You're going soft on me, Kiera,” she teased. “Maybe I should set you up with Yuu's brother after all.”
“Mm, and what good would that do me?”
“He's attractive, for one thing, and you're always back to your old self after a couple of dates.”
Kiera sighed, turning the car into her apartment complex's parking lot, and she parked the car a few moments later. “Sometimes I really hate you, you know,” she said, though the smile that she flashed at her old friend said quite the opposite. “You're too damn good at teasing me. Maybe you being in Tokyo and being busy with the baby'll give me some time to harden up.”
Natasha laughed, depositing her phone in her purse, unbuckling her seat belt, and carefully climbing out of the car. Her center of balance was thrown off for a few seconds as she adjusted to standing up, and she leaned against the car as she waited for Kiera to be ready to go up. She felt the baby moving around more, and she almost cursed Yuu for passing on the genes that he had as she rubbed her stomach, intending to calm the shifting baby boy down.
“You all right, Natasha?”
She looked up, not realizing that she probably looked strained as the baby rested right against her diaphragm again, and gave a small smile. “Yeah, I'm fine,” she said. “He's just back to his favorite resting place. He'll move in a minute.” She gave another smile, and Kiera watched her for a moment before reaching out to rub her arm. “You go on ahead with a few of the bags, and I'll be up with the rest in a minute.”
“All right, but let me carry those boxes, okay? They're really heavy.”
“You got it, boss.”
Kiera rolled her eyes, smiling, and then she went to the back of the car, opening it up to take the first of the bags.
When she was gone, Natasha ran her hand over her stomach, and she sighed. “One more step closer to home, little guy,” she said. Only ten more days, and then she would be back with Yuu, and hopefully it would be for good this time.