New Life

**New Life** is the seventh Tim x Azusa fanfic. It was posted in 2015 along with 6 other fanfics on the Notes section of his Facebook page. It is the third 'main story' of the series.

## Notes

* A couple of years after getting married, Azusa and I decide to take on the biggest commitment as a couple.

## Text

**Click expand to show the full *New Life* fanfiction**

The Sunday sun beat down through the cloudless sky. Waves crashed onto the shore one after the other. People filled the beach, all enjoying themselves in various ways. A drink in each hand, I made my way back to my waiting wife, who was sheltering beneath the umbrella we'd managed to find. It was now almost 2 years since Azusa and I had married. She had finished her studies and was now playing the role of the housewife, relieving me of some of my responsibilities. We still shared the load, as I refused to let her do everything. I was still working, but had increased my work hours to earn a bit more cash.

We had held off the thought of having children while she was still at college, as we both agreed that, although it would be a blessing, it would also place a huge burden on both of us since one of us would have to be at home all the time. Our parents also agreed that it would have been unwise. Yui and the others (we no longer called them our sempais) were all either working or still studying. We still stayed in touch with them, and had the occasional meetup. Mio and Mugi had found boyfriends and were very happy in their relationships. Yui and Ritsu had less luck. We all cheered them on and said that they would both find someone.

I spotted Azusa huddling tightly under the umbrella. I knew for a fact that she got sunburnt very easily, so I could hardly blame her. When she returned from one of the band's training camps while at high school, I acted like I didn't know her as a joke, much to her dismay (see 'Young Love'). We had come to the beach since we really had nothing else to do, though Azusa was a little reluctant. I myself wasn't really much of a beach goer, but I insisted that the fresh air would do us good, and the time together would be nice, so she agreed. Reaching her, I pressed one of the drinks against her head, catching her attention. "Thank you." She took the can, and I sat down. We watched the other beach goers for a while. Azusa had lathered sunscreen on beforehand, but was still hesitant to go out into the sunlight.

I remembered when the Light Music Club had gone to Natsufest. She had put sunscreen on, but it did absolutely nothing, and she came back as brown as chocolate ice-cream. She was so dismayed that she was the type who burnt so easily, I chose not to joke about it that time.

We listened to the sounds of the waves and the other people. "Sure is nice, don't you think?" I said.

"Yeah, I guess." Her tone was kind of bland.

I looked over at her. "You really don't like the beach, do you?"

"It's not so much the beach I don't like. It's the..." Her voice trailed off.

"Yeah, I get it." I think I knew what she was going to say. Time passed, then I set my drink aside and stood up. "Come on, let's go for a swim." She looked up at me with a reluctant look, which I interpreted as 'I don't really want to'. Smiling, I held out a hand. "Come on, we're already here. Might as well do something beachy. We'll be in the water anyway. I don't think you'll burn that quickly."

After contemplating it for a bit, she reached out and grasped my hand. Pulling her up, I led her to the sea. It was chilly to say the least, but also quite refreshing. We waded out a bit until we were treading water. Looking out over the waves, I spotted a ship in the distance. "That's a ferry, if I had to guess." I said.

"Would you want to go on one sometime?" Azusa asked.

"\*chuckle\* I think it would be nice, if we could afford it that is."

"I guess so." Swimming through the waves, I splashed her. Her look was one of shock.

"Gotcha." I sniggered. Smiling, she then splashed me. The next half hour or so was spent water fighting. Azusa really let loose, finding her enthusiasm. After that, we did some actual swimming, then went back to shore and made (sloppy-looking in my opinion) sand castles. The time seemed to fly by, because the sun soon began setting.

Packing up, we got changed and headed back to the apartment. After dinner, we relaxed in each other's arms while watching TV. It wasn't long before the fatigue began setting in, so we headed in early. Lying in bed, I had just closed my eyes when Azusa spoke up. "Thank you for convincing me to go out today. I had a lot of fun."

I looked over at her and smiled. "Anything to see that gorgeous smile of yours." I grasped her hand gently. We were both so happy with our lives right now. Sleep soon took us.

When I woke up the next day, I noticed that Azusa was facing away from me and was curled up, but didn't think anything of it, so I went through my day as normal. When I got back, I found her on the sofa. "I'm back." I called. I received no reply. "Azusa?" I called again. She had her head down, and her expression was partially masked by her hair. Something told me that all was not well. I put my bag aside and went over to her. "Azusa? Everything okay?" She had her hands balled together.

Sitting down, I got a good look at her. She looked extremely down. I placed my hand on hers. "Azusa, please talk to me. What's wrong?" I hadn't seen her like this since Yui and the others had graduated. She tightened her hands.

"Um... Could you be honest with me, Shigure?" Her voice was extremely quiet. "If... if something happened to me, like... like if I fell into the sea from a ship... would you try to save me?"

I was stunned. "What kind of question is that? Of course I would."

"Really?”

I took hold of her face and turned it towards me. Her eyes were filled with sadness and fear. "What's brought this on?" I was officially worried now. Something had clearly shaken her.

"Last night... last night, I had a dream."

[Nightmare sounds more accurate] I thought.

"We were on a ship together, when a storm came in. I fell overboard into the sea."

"Yeah?"

"I called out to you, but..." She looked away as her eyes began misting over. "But you didn't even look at me. You were with another woman. You two were hugging. Then you left, while waving back at me... \*sob\*" She put her hand over her face as tears started flowing.

"Hey, hey, hey." I pulled her close and held her. This was clearly a big deal. I kept my upset wife close and quietly hushed her as she had her breakdown. I knew that some nightmares could really shake people up, but I'd never experienced it in person. Since Azusa had always been the insecure type, this one had hit her really hard. She had often worried about being alone, especially during her last year with Yui and the others. She sometimes mentioned it to me during our early days together, but I tried to avoid the subject if possible, as I could tell it really upset her.

After a few minutes, Azusa began calming down. "Feeling any better?" I asked, stroking her head.

"\*sniff\* I guess." I could still feel her trembling a bit. I grasped her hands.

"Azusa, look at me." She slowly gave me her gaze. "Let's say we were on a ship and you did fall overboard. I would jump in straight after you without hesitation."

"... You really would?"

"If I didn't, what kind of husband would I be? You are everything to me. If you got into danger, I'd do everything in my power to help you. I told your parents that I would look after you, and I don't go back on my promises."

I saw the light returning to her eyes. "And you wouldn't leave me for someone else?" I felt there was only one thing I could say.

"'Will you, Shigure Saruwatari, swear to love, support, and devote yourself to this person, in sickness and in health, as long as you live?'" I quoted. A small smile began to show itself. "What was my answer?"

"... You will..."

I hugged her again. "I swear to you, Azusa. I will not break that vow."

She slowly put her arms around me. "Thank you, Shigure." We fell silent for a bit, then she looked at me again. "I'm sorry I doubted you. It's just that I couldn't stop thinking about it. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get that dream out of my head." She was becoming her old self again, but was still a bit shaken.

"It's alright. Some nightmares will do that. It's a lot harder than it actually sounds, but you have to remember that they aren't real. Okay?"

She wiped away her tears and gave me a smile. "Okay. I'll try to remember that." We spoke no more of it after that. I decided to make dinner that evening so Azusa's nerves could fully heal. As we lay in bed, I held her close by me until we were both asleep. After a couple of days, the nightmare had become a mere bad memory, and Azusa returned to her usual self, much to my relief. Weeks passed without further incident. Then one night, once we'd finished cleaning up after dinner...

"Um, Shigure?"

"Yeah?" I'd just put the last few dishes away.

"We've been together now for nearly 5 years, right?"

"If you count the time before we got married, yeah, that's right. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." When I looked at her, she had an awkward look on her face, like when she'd asked to hold hands during our first date (see 'First Date'). "I've been thinking. I'm really happy with how things are going between us, but..."

"'But...'?"

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "But... I'd like to go further." She then gave me a serious look. "I'd like to start thinking about having children." I was completely blown away by this admission. "I'm not studying anymore, so if we decide to have a child, I'd be able to look after it since I'm at home now."

I struggled to think of what to say. "Uh, okay. Um..."

"You don't want to?"

"No no, it's not that." I hurriedly assured her. "It's just a bit of a shock for me. I just need a second to get my thoughts together." My mind was reeling right now. "Let's sit down and properly talk about this." Once we were seated, I closed my eyes and tried to gather my thoughts.

"Are you okay, Shigure?" Azusa asked, sounding a bit concerned.

"Yeah, just give me a sec." I breathed deeply, which helped to partly calm me down. "Okay. I think I'm good." I then looked straight at her. "So, you would like to take the next step in our relationship and look at having children?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Right. Let me just say one thing. I'm really happy that you feel you're ready to take on that challenge. To be perfectly honest, I'd actually like to start thinking about it myself. However, having a child is a huge responsibility. You do understand that, right?"

"Yes. I've thought long and hard about this for weeks now, and I'm more than certain. This is a step I'd like us to take. But if you think it's a bad idea..."

I raised my hand and cut her off. "When did I say it was a bad idea? I'm all for it, Azusa. I just really think if we're going to do this, we need to do it right."

She smiled and held my hand. "That's one of the reasons why I love you. You're willing to try new things, but you also try to factor in the potential risks. I understand your concern fully. If it helps, I can talk to my parents about this."

"Yeah, that might help. I should probably inform mine as well. We are going to need help with this. Let's see..." I stopped to think. "How about this? Let's try and get all of us together this weekend to talk things through."

"That sounds good."

"Okay. Let's ring our parents and see what we can arrange." With that, we grabbed our phones and dialed our home numbers. After some back and forth, we arranged to meet up on Saturday at our apartment. We didn't tell them what was going on, thinking it better said in person. When Saturday rolled round, we were up early. While waiting, we occupied ourselves with housework. Azusa's parents arrived first. I made drinks for us all and we exchanged a bit of chat. My parents showed up not long after.

We all crowded into the living-room. "So, what did you want to discuss with us?" My mom asked.

I looked at Azusa. "Do you want to tell them or should I?"

"Well, I'm the one who suggested it..." She breathed deeply. "Um, the thing is..." I could see she was nervous about this, so I gently grasped her hand and smiled at her, which helped to settle her nerves somewhat. "The thing is, Shigure and I have been together a few years now, and we're really happy with what we have, and that you guys support us."

"Of course. We're all really happy for you two. Seeing our children so grown-up fills us with joy." Ms. Nakano said.

"So, the reason we called you all here is because... we'd like to go to the next level, so to speak."

Our parents were genuinely interested now. However, my mom seemed to pick up on what Azusa was saying. "So, you'd like to...?"

Azusa nodded. "We'd like to start looking at having children." Silence filled the room as this sank in.

"Um, you two haven't already...?"

I stepped in. "No, no, of course not. We both agreed to hold off until the right time, you know that. Doing it while Azusa was still in college could have had dire consequences. If we had, I can assure you all that we would have taken precautions."

"Well, you have been a bit of a risk-taker, but never reckless." My dad said.

"So, you two feel ready to take that step?" Mr. Nakano asked.

Azusa and I nodded. "I will admit, I was completely shocked when she suggested it." I admitted. "We know that there are real challenges to be faced with this, which is why we've come to you. But I've thought about it, and I've decided that if Azusa feels ready, then I'm game as well."

Our parents seemed a little impressed with this statement. Then my mom spoke up. "Do you think you two could maybe wait outside for a bit? Let us parents have a discussion?"

"Sure. I know this is a lot to take in, so please take your time." Azusa and I then stepped out. "Come give us a yell when you're done." I called back before closing the door. We put some distance between ourselves and the door so we couldn't hear the parents. Leaning on the rail, I looked out over the neighborhood. "So now we wait." I said plainly.

"Yeah." Azusa agreed. We didn't say much else. Cicadas buzzed loudly as the minutes passed by. Soon, the door opened and we were called in. Sitting down again, we gave our full attention. Azusa's mom spoke first.

"Okay, we've talked this through. First, it's really good that you two have been so responsible about this and not just jumped in without thinking."

I nodded. "It's like I said to Azusa. If we're gonna do this, we need to do it right. I have heard about people having kids without thinking it through. It doesn't normally go well."

"Yes, some people fail to think about the consequences."

"Anyway..." My dad piped in. "You two do know about the challenges of having kids, right?" He then looked at Azusa. "Azusa, you are aware of what comes with raising a baby, right? Late night feeding, constant diaper changing, lots of crying, little sleep? It's not easy."

Azusa gave a determined look. "I'm fully aware of that. I know it won't be easy, but it's a challenge we feel we're ready for, right?" She looked at me. I gave her a nod.

"I think the time is right. I'm aware that this is probably the biggest challenge any couple faces in life. Some make it work, some don't. I believe we can make it work, as long as we know that we have you guys for support."

"Of course. We'd support you to the best of our abilities." My dad said.

"Let us ask just one more time." Ms. Nakano then said. "Are you absolutely sure you feel ready for having children, and all the challenges that come with it?"

Azusa and I exchanged glances. I then took her hand in mine and held them up. "We're ready." I said.

"We're ready." she repeated. Silence followed for a few moments, then our parents all smiled.

"Very well then. If you have no doubts about this, then go for it. We'll back you up as much as we can." My mom said. With that, it was settled. We were wished luck, but also advised to be careful. Later on, Azusa and I sat alone.

"Well, that's that done." I said.

"It's really great they're all so understanding." Azusa agreed, leaning onto me.

"I'm pretty sure they would have said something if they'd had any problems about this."

"Yeah." She then reached up and kissed me. Slowly, I might add.

"And that was for?" I asked, smiling.

"I think I can see where you got it from." She then looked away. "Say, um... Do you... do you have experience in the subject?" A blush crept onto her face.

"'The subject'?"

"What I mean is, have you ever... done it with another person?"

I suddenly caught on. "No. You'd be the first."

She returned her gaze to me. "Really?"

"Yeah. Up until I got together with you, I'd never had so much as an admirer."

"Oh." I thought about asking her if she'd done it, but decided that would just make her feel more awkward. Getting up to stretch, I heard Azusa speak again. "Do you want to try?" Looking back at her, I saw her blush had deepened.

"Sorry?"

"... Do you want to try... doing it?"

That question completely blew me away. "Do you mean actually try for a child right now? Or just, how do I say this? ... Practice?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you want to try..." The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I was really hesitant in saying them out loud. "Sorry. I'm not sure whether you'd be comfortable hearing it."

She got up and looked at me seriously. "Go ahead and say it. Please."

[I guess I have little choice.] "I mean, do you want to try having sex with protection, which means you won't get pregnant, or without it, which means you most likely will?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just making sure really. I know I tend to overthink and overcomplicate some things. Sometimes I wonder why I can't be a bit more 'act first, ask questions later'." I had always had that tendency. Sometimes it really frustrated me.

Azusa took hold of my hands and smiled. "It's okay. I actually kind of like that part of you. It shows you're cautious and won't just jump in headfirst." That smile helped lift my spirits. "Let me be more specific. Do you want to try for a child, right now?" I wanted to say yes, I really did. But part of me was still hesitant about the whole thing, despite the fact that I had actually said that I was ready. Sometimes I hated being so indecisive. "Shigure?" Azusa's voice brought me back to reality.

"Sorry. Just overthinking things like usual, I guess." I closed my eyes and took a couple of breaths. "You want to try?"

"Yes, if you're okay with it too."

I had to make a decision. I could not keep her waiting like this. [Well, fortune favors the bold.] I then made up my mind. "Alright. Let's do it."

She kept her gaze on me. "You sure about this?"

"Yes. I did say that we were ready, and you seem eager about this. I can't keep standing here like an idiot, so let's go for it."

A smile appeared as she hugged me. "Thank you, Shigure. I know you must still have some reservations about this. I do too actually, but I'm willing to accept the risks. I just need to know whether you're behind me."

I put my arms around her. "Of course I'm behind you." After sharing our hug, we decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it. Setting up one of the futons (as the sofa would have been too cramped), we got ready. There was some very noticeable nervousness from both of us, as it was our first time doing this. "So should I lead, or you?" I asked. Azusa very gingerly took hold of me and we began kissing. While we were at high school, we'd have some passionate time whenever she came to my apartment to visit. When she started college after moving in with me, we did cut back a bit, but still managed to find time.

After several minutes, we'd reached the point where we could not keep our hands off each other. We paused several times to remove each other's clothing, and were soon in our underwear. Seeing Azusa like that made my heart soar. Curling herself up, she blushed. "I'm sorry I don't have much to offer. My breasts aren't as big as Mio's or Mugi's. Even Yui's bigger than me."

I planted another kiss on her soft lips. "Doesn't matter. I don't care much for breast size. You're amazing just the way you are." Her eyes glistened brightly. I then reached under her and felt for her bra strap. "Ready to go further?" Still blushing, she nodded. Unclasping her bra, I tossed it aside. I felt my face grow warm as I looked down at the 2 mounds in front of me. I gingerly touched one, feeling Azusa twitch slightly. Placing my whole hand on the breast, I gently began massaging it. Azusa's eyes closed as my hand moved. I kept my movements as precise and gentle as possible, for fear of hurting her.

I soon felt a sudden urge, so I removed my hand and slowly put my mouth over her breast. I also moved my hand down and stuck my fingers between her legs, maneuvering my fingers around her panties. I heard a sharp intake of breath from her as I began sucking and fingering. She grasped my head and held it down, her breathing becoming louder and deeper. As I moved my fingers, I felt her start to get wet. I kept at it until I felt her try pushing me away. I looked up at her. Her aroused expression made me want to melt. "Something up?"

"I... I want you..." she whispered. Her eyes looked so seductive as she grasped my shoulders. Realizing what she wanted, I allowed her to flip me over. As she moved down my body, I felt extremely awkward, but I wanted things to be even, so I remained still. When she removed my boxers to reveal my semi-hard member, I felt my face heat up again. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle." I heard her say. Her small hand then grasped me and slowly began pumping. I felt my heart start pounding as I started becoming aroused.

Bunching the futon blanket in my hands, my breathing deepened as my eyes closed. I could feel myself becoming harder and harder. My stomach felt like it was doing flips. My awkwardness had left, replaced by a longing for more. Then, it stopped. "Shigure?" I opened my eyes and saw Azusa looking up at me. "May I?" One look in her eyes told me everything. I gave her a nod. Smiling, she whispered, "Itadakimasu". She then stuck out her tongue and touched me before engulfing me with her whole mouth.

Running her tongue over the member, she began bobbing her head up and down. The sensations from before returned in force. I felt myself starting to tremble. [This is amazing.] I had no idea that this could feel so good. As she bobbed faster and faster, I felt a pressure start building. [Oh man, here it comes.]

Squeezing the blanket, the pressure grew and grew until I finally climaxed. The pressure released, a cold shudder rippled through my body, and I whispered “Azusa!”. I then relaxed as my member throbbed. Panting, I stared at the ceiling. I felt Azusa lick me clean before pulling her mouth off. She then came up and lay on top of me.

"How was that?"

"That was incredible." It really was. I stroked her head, savoring the moment.

"Um, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"You said that this is the first time you've done this sort of thing with someone. Does that mean... you've done it by yourself? I know it's a really personal thing to ask, but I'm just curious."

I was really surprised that she was asking me, but at the same time, part of me didn't want to say it. "Well..."

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I probably shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's fine." I decided to come clean. "To tell you the truth, when we were going out in high school... I used to do it by myself... while thinking of you." I suddenly felt really ashamed.

Azusa stroked my face. "Is that true?"

"Yeah."

She then kissed me. "I did as well. Whenever I got the chance, I would do it with just you in mind." She gave me a smile, which eased my feelings. "How does it compare?"

I returned her smile. "I think it feels better doing it with someone else."

We lay there for a bit while I recovered. Then she sat up. "You wanna go even further?"

"If you feel ready for it."

"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't." She got up and headed to the cupboard. Pulling out a towel, she returned and spread it out, then removed her panties before lying down again. I quickly scooted over next to her.

"Don't want to mess up the futon, huh?"

"Pretty much." She then pulled me in closer and we started kissing again. Without our clothes on, we could feel each other's warmth much more. After giving me another handjob to "stiffen me up", she said "I'm ready when you are" before spreading her legs apart.

Shifting position, I lined up. [Here's hoping it doesn't hurt too much.] I then penetrated her. It felt a bit tight. Pushing deeper, I felt something warm trickle down my leg. Azusa had a pained expression on her face. "You okay?" I asked, still worried I might hurt her.

"I'm... alright." she said, forcing a smile. I held her close and gently stroked her until she said the pain had gone.

"Ready?" She nodded. I began slowly thrusting. I felt rather clumsy as this was my first time, but I soon settled into a rhythm. Azusa wrapped her arms around me.

"Harder... faster... deeper." Her breathing became deeper as she threw her head back and forth. I kept my rhythm up, upping the pace and intensity as requested. All thoughts of getting it right disappeared from my mind. Grabbing her head, I crushed our lips together, intertwining our tongues. We were both in sheer heaven. I then grabbed one of her breasts and began groping it again while she started planting kisses around my neck. Safe to say, we were running on animal instinct right now.

I soon felt the pressure building again. "Here it comes, Azusa." We both tightened our holds on each other.

"Please, shoot your warm cum into me." Azusa whispered. I kept on pounding, until...

"Azusa!"

"Shigure!" I released my load into her as she tightened around me. We then simultaneously collapsed, panting and sweaty. Once I'd stopped throbbing and had pulled out of her, neither of us moved for a while. "You were right." Azusa then said.

"About what?"

"It does feel better doing it with someone else." I couldn't help but laugh. Once we had both recovered, we took a bath to clean ourselves up. After throwing the towel in the wash and putting the futon away, we decided to get some air.

We located a nearby park and had a stroll, hand in hand. There were a few families around. "Think that might be us in the future?" I asked, watching kids running around.

"Yeah. Hopefully not too far." Enjoying the breeze, we found a bench and sat down, cuddling up close.

"Hey, mind if I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"I'm just speaking hypothetically. Say we didn't meet up at high school, like, I went somewhere else. How different do you think your life would be?"

Azusa stopped to think. "Well, I'd probably still be single for starters. I'd have finished high school and gone to join Yui and the others at college..." She then gazed at me. "Remember when you proposed to me? You said 'I really don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you'. Well, I think I'm the same."

"So your life would have also felt emptier?"

"Yes. I feel like I've become a bit more confident since being with you. If we hadn't met, I'd have probably stayed the insecure and shy coward I was before. I guess you could say... you helped bring me out of my shell."

I gave her a smile. "Glad I could help."

"Also, during my second year with the Light Music Club, and when they graduated, you were there to support and comfort me. I'd have been all alone without you." Her expression then dropped. Sensing that I had maybe crossed the line, I hugged her tightly.

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's okay. I'm glad you did."

I still felt that I should say something. "I can promise you this though, Azusa. As long as there is still breath in my body, you will never be alone. I will not allow it."

"... There's that thoughtfulness I love again." She looked at me again, smiling. "I'm so glad we found each other." We then shared a kiss. She cheered up again after that. As the afternoon wore on, we strolled around some more, then headed home.

Over the next few weeks, we had sex every few days. I told Azusa that we didn't have to do it every day, saying that moderation would be good enough, and she agreed that daily sex was probably a bit much. As we grew more experienced and comfortable, we experimented with different positions. Each session also served to strengthen our bond.

Then one morning, we received a surprise visit from Mio and Mugi. We told them about our attempts at having children, which delighted them. They also shared stories about their boyfriends. Mio was with a guy named Hizashi Arisawa. He sounded to be kinda similar to me, being as equally protective and caring with her as I was with Azusa. Mugi had gotten together with someone named Naoki Yoshikuni, and was now living together with him. Mugi had come from a rich family, so hearing that she had moved out of home was a huge surprise for us.

As we were talking, Mio suddenly spoke up. "Azusa, is something wrong?" Looking over at Azusa, I saw her looking green. She then jumped up and raced to the bathroom, hand over her mouth. The next thing we heard was her throwing up.

"Azusa?" I hurried to her side and began rubbing her back. She hurled about 3 times, then kept dry heaving for a couple of moments. "Is that all of it?" I asked, flushing the loo. She kept still, panting.

"I... I think so..."

My mind raced. "Can you stand?"

"I'll try." She struggled to her feet, then collapsed.

I quickly grabbed her. "Mio, our futons are folded away in the bedroom. Can you set one up?"

"S-sure." The bassist hurried away.

"Mugi, can you give me a hand with Azusa?"

"Yes." Each taking an arm, we carried my sick wife to the bedroom. Laying her down, I felt her forehead.

"I don't feel much of a temperature."

"So what could it be?" Mio asked.

"I don't know. Either she's caught something, or she's eaten something dodgy. Aside from that, I have no idea." I pulled out my phone. "Just give me a minute." Dialing the Nakano's number, I prayed that one of them was home.

"Hello?" It was Azusa's mom.

"Hi, Ms. Nakano? It's Shigure."

"Oh, hello. Is everything alright? You sound a bit distressed."

"\*chuckle\* Is it really that obvious?" I quickly quit the humor. "Listen, we've got a bit of a situation."

"What kind of situation?"

"Azusa's just thrown up."

"What? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, just worn out from it. I don't have a clue what's wrong, so I'd like to get her checked out. Don't suppose you know anyone we could call?"

"Well... There is our family doctor. Do you want me to come over?"

"Actually, that might be best. Can you?"

"Yes. But first..." She lowered her voice. "Have you two had, you know...?"

I quickly picked up on what she was asking. "Yes, for a few weeks now. Why do you...?" A light went off in my head. "You think it's because...?"

"I'd say it's the most likely explanation." I was stunned. It was really that? "Would you like me to come over and check her out just to make sure?"

"... S-sure. Please do."

"Okay, I'll be over as soon as I can."

"Thank you. See you soon then." Hanging up, I struggled to gather my thoughts.

"Is everything okay, Shigure?" I looked back and saw Mio and Mugi looking worried. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Her mom thinks she knows what it is."

"Do you think you could tell us? Maybe we can help."

"I don't think there's much any of us can do right now, besides keep her comfortable. Her mom's on her way." I looked over at Azusa. She had fallen asleep. Leaving her to rest, we sat in the living-room. I was in complete shock. I could not think of anything to say. After some time, Ms. Nakano arrived, carrying a small bag. I felt I knew what was in there.

"Where is she?" she asked immediately. I showed her the bedroom. Azusa was still asleep. "Okay, I'll give her the once-over. Could you wait out here?" I didn't need telling twice. Leaving them alone, I returned to Mio and Mugi.

"So what's going on, Shigure-chan? Is it really bad enough to call her mom?" Mugi asked.

"If it's what she thinks it is, yes."

"Why don't you tell us then? I know we can't really help, but could you at least fill us in?"

Thinking about it, I felt it couldn't hurt. "Okay." I looked straight at them, trying not to think about what was happening in the bedroom. "Azusa and I have been together for a few years now, you two know this." They nodded. "First off, I just wanna say thank you for looking after her while she was in college."

"She's our friend, it was the least we could do. She basically looked after us in high school."

"Right." I gathered myself together. "A few weeks ago, Azusa and I decided to... up our game, so to speak. Our relationship has become a lot more... intimate."

Mio quickly caught on. "So you decided to start having..." She blushed brightly. I spoke up to ease her awkwardness.

"Yes. We began... doing that, basically."

"So now, she's...?"

"I don't really know myself. I don't want either of us getting our hopes up in case I'm wrong. Which is why her mom's here." Right on cue, the bedroom door opened. Ms. Nakano stepped out and motioned me over. "Well?" She held up a tube for me to see. When I saw what was on it, my heart skipped a beat. "So you were right..." I was in total disbelief.

"What's going on?" Mugi asked.

Ms. Nakano looked at me and smiled. "Do you want me to tell them?"

"No, no. It's fine." I struggled to pull myself together. "Are you sure it's accurate?"

"They rarely lie."

Still stunned, I looked at Mio and Mugi. "... I'm gonna be a dad." Their eyes widened. The realization finally sinking in, I felt a smile creep up. "I'm actually gonna be a dad." I seriously couldn't believe it.

Ms. Nakano placed her hand on my shoulder. "Yes you are. Congratulations."

Mugi ran over and hugged me. "Shigure-chan, that's great. I'm so happy for you."

Mio was just as stunned as I was, but she pulled herself together, hugging me as well. "Congratulations, Shigure."

My mind then switched to Azusa. "How is she now?"

"I had to wake her up to do the test, but she's sleeping again." Her mom said.

I stopped to think. We had covered sex and the like in school, so I knew one or two things about pregnancy. "Okay, the first stage is morning sickness." I hit my forehead, groaning. "I won't be able to stay here and look after her during the week because of work."

"That's okay. I can come over and look after her while you're out until the morning sickness passes. It wouldn't be any trouble at all."

"Are you sure?" I was really grateful for the offer, but it made me feel bad nonetheless.

"Married or not, she is still my daughter. It's my duty as a mother to help her out when necessary."

"I think you should take it, Shigure. If we weren't so far away, we'd help as well." Mio said.

I realized there was no other real option. I bowed to Azusa's mom. "Thank you. That would be a huge help."

"Of course." We then sat down to sort things out. Once that was done, she left. Mio and Mugi also decided to leave. They wished me the best of luck and apologized for not being able to help more. After they had gone, I heard a small voice call out.

"Shigure?"

I went in to see Azusa. She was sitting up, and looked more human than before. "Hey. How you feeling?" I asked.

"Does 'pretty dreadful' answer that question?" She gave me a smile.

"I guess so. Do you want anything?"

"Just some water or tea, thanks."

"Sure. I'll be right back." Leaving the room, I quickly got some tea made, then headed back to her. "You know, this takes me back to when I caught that cold and had you taking care of me." (See 'Sick Leave'.)

She smiled. "Yeah, except now we've kind of switched places." As the day rolled by, I stayed around the apartment to keep an eye on Azusa. Her nausea diminished over time, but that was normal. According to what her mom had told me, it was usually at its worst in the mornings. When I went about making dinner, I set aside some smaller portions for her.

For the next few months, Ms. Nakano came over every weekday to keep an eye on Azusa until I got home. I was really thankful for her help. Both of my parents worked, so I couldn't ask them. Azusa's "attacks" would vary in their timing, sometimes occurring early morning, therefore waking us up, sometimes later on. While I was at work, there was always a small part of me that kept worrying about her. It was a bit of a challenge to keep focused. I broke the news about our pregnancy to everyone. They were all over the moon for us, but I requested that visits waited until the morning sickness phase was over.

Eventually, by the 14th week, it did end, much to our relief. Azusa was able to get up and move around. She also developed cravings for certain things, which I had been told was also part of pregnancy. I looked up some recipes that included what she felt like and tried them out. Now that she wasn't throwing up anymore, she could eat without worry. It was great to see she had her appetite back. We also decided to cut down on the sex now that we knew a baby was on its way, but we still had "passionate time" together. She was also overjoyed that she would soon be a mother.

One night, while we were in bed, something came to mind. "Hey, how do you feel about things at the moment? Knowing that we'll eventually have a little one?" I asked.

"Well, it is a new experience. I guess the whole thing does make me a bit nervous, and I am wondering if we can really do this, but I'm happy. We decided to take this on, so we have to see it through. I'm just glad that we have our families and friends to help us." She then looked at me and smiled. "And I also have you, which makes me even happier." That smile of hers always managed to lift my spirits. It was probably her best feature. "Say, um, do you have any regrets?"

I was surprised. "Regrets?"

"Yeah. Like, is there anything you wish you'd done, or not done?"

I looked up at the ceiling as I thought. "Uh... I guess the only thing is approaching you sooner. I mean we were, what, almost halfway through the year before I did anything?"

"Yeah."

I looked back at her. "I remember whenever I watched you. My heart always ached, and I really wanted us to be friends. But I couldn't think of how to approach you because I was always scared I might scare you off or make you think I was some kind of creep. I just wish I'd swallowed my fear and done something sooner."

Azusa stuck out her hand, which I took hold of. "That's actually kind of sweet. You were always thinking of me, and wanted to do things right. To tell you the truth... I was the same. Part of me was always thinking of you as well. I actually wanted to invite you to join me at lunch, but I kept fearing you might say no. I think Ui must have suspected something, but she never said anything."

"Yeah. She did say she didn't want to intrude." I gave her hand a squeeze. "I guess we should just be glad we conquered our demons and came clean with each other."

"Agreed. You know, back in high school, when you said you wanted to meet me to talk, part of me thought you were actually going to confess to me. And I was right."

"Fancy that. Although, after I'd said it, you were pretty quiet for a while. I thought you were about to reject me."

"Hey, what would you have done if I had?"

"\*chuckle\* I'd have been devastated, to put it mildly. I know I said I would try my best to accept it, but in all honesty, I probably would have asked to transfer classes to avoid seeing you. I could very well have tried to switch schools, since seeing you would have been too painful."

"Um, I'm sorry I didn't say anything straight away after you'd confessed to me. It probably did feel like I was gonna say no, didn't it?" She looked a tad guilty.

"Hey, getting confessed to is a big deal. Yes, I did think you were going to reject me, but it was a lot to take in when you think about it."

"I guess. I'm pretty sure I seemed really unsure about the whole thing, considering how difficult it was for me to finally open up to you."

"Well, I guess what's important is that it actually happened. And I'm really happy it did. Good thing there were no other guys there to take you first, right?"

She let out a giggle. "Yeah, that's a good point." Her expression then dropped a bit. "We'll always be together, right? If something happened to you, and I found myself all alone..."

"Hey, don't go there." I moved closer and wrapped my arms around her. "We [will] always be together. I promised you I would not allow you to be alone, and what did I say about me and my promises?"

"... You don't go back on them." She put her arms around me. "I guess I haven't completely let go of my insecurity, have I?"

"It's just who you are. It's nothing to be ashamed of. To be honest, ever since getting together with you, I've realized that I'm a little similar."

"How so?"

"Back in high school, when we were apart for your training camps and Natsufest, I would always be eagerly waiting to have you back. Even though we were only apart a few days each time... you always crossed my mind. I just really missed you, and was always happy when you messaged me saying you did too. I know it sounds pathetic."

Azusa shook her head and gazed at me. "Mm-mm. It's not pathetic at all. I would always count the hours down while I was away. I did my best to have fun with Yui and the others, but I always thought of you as well. I would wait until they were asleep before saying 'I miss you'. I would have done it earlier, but..."

"But that would have been too embarrassing if they'd found out, so you'd wait." I finished.

"Yeah. At least we don't have to worry about that kind of thing anymore, right?"

"Right. If we go anywhere from now on, we go together."

She smiled. "Thank you, Shigure." Talk stopped as we settled down to sleep.

As the months passed, a bump grew on Azusa. It really hit home the fact that we would soon have a child. We went out with our parents to start looking for things to buy. One day, all 4 seniors dropped by for a visit. "Azu-nyan~" Yui went to throw herself on her old friend. I quickly stopped her.

"'Scuse me. Baby on board." I said, pointing at the bump. Yui rubbed her head and giggled. She had clearly not changed much.

"Yui, we're not in high school anymore. Is the nickname really still necessary?" Azusa asked blandly.

"Eeeeeh? But it's cute." Yui pouted. I couldn't help but smile. Azusa had once told me about the nickname she'd been christened with by Yui. I did make a few jabs with it when she and I started going out, until she gave me the kitten eyes, which made me feel so bad, I stopped.

"So how's it feel, Azusa? Becoming a mom and all?" Ritsu asked.

"Well, the baby hasn't been born, so I'm not technically a mom just yet. But I'm definitely looking forward to it." Azusa replied, smiling.

"By the way, how are you and Yui doing relationship-wise, if you don't mind my asking?" I asked.

Ritsu puffed her (still rather modest) chest out. "Good news. It's taken a while, but I now have a boyfriend." she announced. We were all surprised by the news.

"Really?"

Ritsu looked a bit offended. "What, you don't believe me?"

"No, no. It's great news. It's just a bit of a surprise."

"Yeah. You never really struck me as 'girlfriend material'." Mio said, smirking.

"Mio, that's mean. I thought we were friends."

Azusa decided to step in. "It's okay, Ritsu. We're all really happy that you've found someone. How has it been going?"

"Pretty good, though he can be a bit strict. He actually reminds me of Sawa-chan." We all thought of what a male Sawako would be like, then broke into fits of laughter.

"What about you, Yui? Had any luck with the guys?" I asked once we'd calmed down.

"No, I don't have anyone."

I was a little surprised. "No-one?"

Yui gave me a smile. "Nope." She didn't seem to be particularly bothered about it.

"She's back living with Ui." Mio said.

"Wow, it's like very little has changed." Azusa commented. "Although a part of me isn't really surprised."

"Well, it gets better. They're even back living in their old house. With Ui taking on the motherly role again." We all looked at Yui, who still had a huge smile on her face.

"Very little has changed." I said. Ui had mentioned that she would probably not look at finding work, but I didn't think it would really happen.

"Say, do you what you're having yet?" Mugi asked.

"We went for a scan a few days back. We think it's a girl, but we won't know for sure until it's born." I told her.

"Ah." We switched our gazes to Azusa, who had her hands on her abdomen.

"Something up?" I asked.

She smiled. "I think I just felt a kick."

I put my hand on her stomach, then felt a little bump. "Yup. You felt right." I couldn't help smiling. A new life would soon be entering the world.

"Can I feel too?" Yui asked, eyes sparkling.

Azusa sighed. "Alright." The guitarist quickly came over and touched her. After several seconds, she smiled.

"I'm so happy for you, Azu-nyan. Will I be able to come play with your baby sometimes?"

"We might allow it. What do you say, Shigure?"

"I say wait a few years until it's grown up a bit. Then, if you promise to restrain yourself, we'll see."

Yui's eyes sparkled even brighter. "Thank you." We all smiled at her. Mugi then offered to make tea as she had brought some over. Everyone accepted as it reminded them of old times. We then shared more stories about our lives and our future plans before the seniors decided to leave.

As time went on, we went out with our parents and bought what we would need for our child. There was an approximation made as to when the birth would happen, but I'd read that sometimes it could happen earlier or later, so I kept my phone on me at all times just in case. One evening, while I was doing the dishes, Azusa came up to me. "Hey, Shigure?"

I looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"Do you, um... do you still find me attractive? You know, with this?" She rubbed her swollen abdomen. Drying my hands, I hugged her.

"Azusa, you could have horns, a tail, and bright yellow skin, and I'd still be attracted to you."

"Really?"

"Of course. This..." I touched the bump. "... changes nothing. It's only temporary. Once the birth happens, you'll go back to your old self, so don't worry about it. Besides, you're still as beautiful as the day I first saw you."

She looked up at me and smiled. "You always know just what to say to cheer me up." Her expression suddenly changed and she hurried away.

"Azusa?"

"Bathroom."

[Oh yeah.] I remembered reading that having a baby growing could put pressure on other parts of a woman's body, particularly their bladder, which is why Azusa had been using the loo more often. I couldn't resist smiling, even though I felt it was a bit mean. I then returned to the dishes.

When month 9 rolled round, we began wondering when the birth would happen. Yui messaged us constantly, asking if our baby had been born yet. Azusa subsequently sent her a stern phone call, which slowed her down. Then, it started. By some cosmic twist of luck, Azusa's parents were visiting. We were chatting about pretty much nothing while Azusa was making tea. As we were talking, we heard a sudden intake of breath. Looking over at her, we saw her looking a bit bewildered. "Something wrong, Azusa?" Her dad asked.

"I just felt a bit of a jolt." she replied. She suddenly grabbed her abdomen and dropped to the floor, looking very uncomfortable. Her mom hurried to her side and sat her down.

"It's okay, sweetie. Just try to breathe." she said quietly, grasping Azusa's hand. Alarm bells went off in my brain. Was it really happening? Ms. Nakano noticed me staring. "Shigure, I need you to relax. It's probably not what you think."

I looked at her. "What?" 'Not what I think'?

"You said you've been doing research on pregnancy, right? What was one of the things you found?"

I racked my brains, trying to think back. Struggling to remember, I got my phone and pulled up my Internet's history. "'What happens during labor?'" Scanning the one website I'd visited, I came across one section. "'False labor'."

"Yes. Azusa is my daughter, remember? I've been through childbirth before. I'm pretty sure this is just her body preparing her for when it really happens."

The statement did little to calm me. I frantically kept repeating [Don't panic, don't panic] to myself.

The contractions continued on and off for a while. Azusa remained on the floor, trying to control her breathing. There was little any of us could do. I kept the website up and kept re-reading it to brush up my knowledge. We would no doubt need it. As time went on, they slowly stopped and Azusa was able to get up, her mom supporting her. "Okay Azusa, this will no doubt happen again. Try not to think about it too much." she assured her.

"Okay." Azusa replied quietly.

Her dad came over and peeked at the website I still had up. "Is there anything helpful on there?"

I took another look through. "Uh... 'How to cope': 'Resist calling everyone and saying you're in labor', 'Prepare mentally for the challenges', 'Don't wear yourself out', 'Be sure to eat well', 'Get plenty of rest', 'Try to find distracting activities', 'Keep your spirits up'." I read aloud.

"Alright, we should get going now, leave you two alone." Ms. Nakano said. She grasped Azusa's hands. "Honey, I know it's going to be rough for you now, but it will all be worth it in the end, I promise you."

Azusa smiled. "Thanks, mom."

Her mom then looked at me. "Shigure, the birth should not happen for another few days. I know you still have work to think about, so I'll be taking over the caregiver role again."

I nodded. "Your help is incredibly appreciated, Ms. Nakano. I'd probably be panicking right now if we were on our own." That was the truth. I was immensely grateful for the assistance.

She smiled. "I wouldn't blame you. It's a big time in a young person's life." So that's how it was. It was almost like déjà vu. I went to work, Azusa was looked after by her mom until I got home, then her mom left. We were all anxiously wondering how long the false labor would go on for.

We got our answer days later. I was having my lunch break at work when my phone went off. "Hello?"

"Shigure? It's Azusa's mom." She sounded composed, but I could just pick up a bit of distress. I could also hear someone groaning and panting in the background.

"What's going on?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"Uh, yes."

"Good. Here you go, Azusa." The next voice I heard was my wife's, sounding very pained.

"Shigure... Ah..."

"Azusa? What's wrong?" My work colleagues were all looking in my direction.

"It's... it's coming... AHHH!!!"

"Coming? What's coming?" It suddenly hit me like a sledgehammer. "You're having the baby now?!"

I then heard her mom next. "Shigure?"

"Where are you guys now?" My mind was in panic mode right now.

"Just nearing the hospital. Are you able to come?"

"... I don't know. I'm still technically at work." I heard a scream from Azusa. I was torn. I wanted to be there with them, but...

"Shigure." One of my work colleagues called out. "Go. This is important. She needs you."

"Are you sure?"

He smiled. "We'll be fine without you. Get going. We'll explain what's going on."

I held my place for just a second, then spoke into my phone again. "I'll be there as soon as I can." Hanging up, I stuffed my things in my bag, said a hurried "Thanks", then left. Adrenaline took over at that point. I ran like a maniac to the hospital, sending a hurried text to my parents.

When I got there, I found Azusa's dad waiting. "Shigure!" Once we met up, we quickly made our way to Azusa's room. The scene in there was unreal. Azusa then spotted me.

"Shigure..." She gave me a smile, even though I could clearly see that she was in pain. I hurried to her side and grabbed her hand.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late." She was really starting to sweat. One of the nurses then spoke up.

"Okay Azusa, we're gonna need you to start pushing soon." I knew Azusa was dreading this. The hardest part was about to begin.

"Hey, Shigure?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for being here with me. I know I have my parents, but I don't know if I'd be able to do this without you." She cast her gaze downwards. "I've never told you this, but whenever you're away at work, even though I always tell myself you'll come back, I always feel lonely, being by myself at home."

I grasped her face and put her eyes on me. "It's alright. Part of me is always thinking of you as well. I always wait eagerly for it to end so I can get back to you." We shared a brief kiss. Then, the fun began. Keeping Azusa's hand clasped in mine, I braced myself. Even though I wasn't the one giving birth, I still felt insanely nervous. She began the battle of pushing the baby out. Pushing, groaning, panting, sometimes crying out. Being there as a witness was unlike anything I'd ever been through in my life. It went for almost 2 hours.

"Okay, I think I can see the head. Keep pushing, Azusa." A nurse instructed. Azusa took some breaths and pushed with all her strength. Although she wasn't overly strong, she was squeezing my hand quite firmly, but I forced myself to shake it off. My discomfort was nothing compared to what she was going through. As time crawled by, the baby began to appear. "Okay, the head is out. Just breathe for now." A nurse said.

"It's almost over, sweetheart. You're home free." I encouraged my exhausted wife. She struggled to get her breath back. Her parents waited in the background with bated breath.

After a couple of minutes, a nurse spoke up. "Okay, Azusa. We need you to push again so we can get the shoulders." Azusa nodded and gathered all her strength.

"You're almost at the finish line." I whispered. She took a few deep breaths, then the nurse said "Push." Putting everything she had into it, Azusa gave one last effort.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"Waaaaahhhh. Waaaaahhhhh." The sound of crying filled the room. The baby slid out, then Azusa's whole body slackened.

"You did it." I said. One of the nurses then delivered the news.

"It's a girl." After the umbilical cord had been cut, our new daughter was wrapped in a towel and placed in Azusa's arms. We all crowded round to see.

"Sweetie, I'm so proud of you. She's gorgeous." Ms. Nakano said. Azusa lay still, catching her breath.

"We're all proud of you, Azusa. This was a big thing to go through. I just know it will all be worth it." Mr. Nakano said.

"Thank you." Azusa said, cuddling her child. After the rest of the procedure had been done and she had recovered a bit, she was helped into a wheelchair, and we headed out. My parents were waiting. They jumped to their feet and came over when they saw us.

"It's a girl." I said. They crowded round.

"Oh, she's adorable." My mom said.

"Have you thought of a name?" My dad asked.

I stopped to think. "We actually haven't really thought about that, have we?"

Azusa looked back at me. "You wanna try thinking of one now?"

I thought about it, then shook my head. "Let's wait until you've recovered a bit and are able to go home." I had read that heading home straight away was impossible.

So for the next 2-3 days, Azusa remained in hospital while her body began recovering and our daughter was checked by doctors. I called my boss at work and explained the situation. He was thrilled at the news and told me to take time off until we were home and everything important had been taken care of. I did ask if that was really okay, but he insisted, so I agreed. By the third day, Azusa was discharged and allowed to leave. I did more research on what happened after childbirth and was blown away by how long it could take before she would be back to normal.

Azusa was taken back home so her mom would be close by if anything happened. Ms. Nakano also informed me on things to expect and urged Azusa to take it easy. I therefore had the apartment to myself for a while. I really wondered whether Ms. Nakano was taking on too much as she had two people to take care of, and did express my concerns. She was touched that I was worried about her, but said that it was her motherly instincts driving her.

After about 6 weeks, Azusa's post-natal bleeding had pretty much ceased, and she was able to return. She still felt discomfort below her waist though, so we both agreed to no sex. The early morning feeding was pretty tough for us both. Occasionally, Azusa would be too tired, so I would be up instead, which meant I would yawn more often while working, though I tried my best to stifle them.

We invited the seniors, Ui and Jun over to see the baby, who we had named Hanako. They were all overjoyed that things had gone smoothly, and all commented on how cute she was. I was very insistent that Yui not throw herself over her or Azusa, who was still in recovery. The airhead clearly wanted to, but I made it very clear that I would not allow it. As time passed, Azusa kept improving, and we settled into the parenting role. It soon became automatic, and once we had honed our skills, we rekindled our love life.

5 years later...

Azusa and I watched Hanako playing with other kids in the playground. It had been a rough ride for us both, but with continued support from our parents, and through our own determination, our small family was blossoming. We were so happy things had worked out. "What do you think, Shigure?" Azusa asked.

"About what?"

"Do you think we've done a good enough job with her?"

"I think we've done the best we can. She's happy and healthy, that's all that's important." I put my arm around her. "I don't see much need for worry."

"Yeah, you're right." She looked up at me. "Thank you for always staying by me. I know it must have been rough for you too."

"It was worth it. I have two special girls in my life right now. Well, 3 if you count my mom." I planted a kiss on her head. "We've really come a long way. It doesn't even feel like yesterday that I confessed to you, does it?"

"I know. The years seem to have flown by. We changed from nervous highschoolers into lovers, then parents." She put her arms around me. "I wonder what the future has planned for us next."

"Whatever it is, we'll be ready for it. As long as we back each other up, there's nothing we can't do." Azusa nodded. We continued watching Hanako for a while. We couldn't know what was in store for us next, but as I'd said, we'd face it head-on. I had a family to watch over now, and I would see the rest of life's challenges through to the end. For both of them.

THE END

## References

1. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/timothy.gregory.923/posts/1234897376624386