I love pregnancy angst.
“Ha. You cool having a killer like me here?” Seidou grabs a cup of coffee from a smiling Touka.
“We’re all killers,” Touka says softly as he glugs it down. “Except her, maybe.”
The door opens again. Seidou jumps, because he’s always jumpy, because he can’t quite believe Houji’s demon isn’t back to to slaughter him.
“Seidou?” asks a soft voice.
Seidou stares at the figure in the door. That sad smile, those wise eyes that held him when he felt insecure, those gentle curves he’d spent nights lost in – her hair is longer, but Natsume looks the same as he remembers.
And here he is, a half-ghoul, pale-haired, hunch-backed, with coffee dribbling down his disformed face and oceans of bloodshed in his past.
A toddler peeks her head out from behind Natsume’s ankles. With the same light brown hair Seidou used to have.
He feels the world whirl around him.
“We’ve found the Owl’s weakness,” jokes Nishiki from behind the counter.
Natsume picks up the child and strides across the cafe to Seidou. Her eyes plead with him.
“I’m a monster now,” he says bitterly. God dammit, why can’t he get it together enough to be nice to the woman he loves?
“You’re scared of me,” she states, running a hand down his face. “But you don’t have to be. I never stopped loving you.”
She holds out the little girl. “This is Seina. Named after her aunt.”
Seidou stares at his…his little girl. She waves shyly at him.
“I though I ate you,” he says bluntly. Kanou…that bastard.
“Nah, Kanou tried but I escaped. That’s how I found out you were still alive.” Natsume lowers her eyes. “I’ve followed, well, everything. I know what you’ve done. I still love you and I never stopped believing in you.”
“Why?” he gapes at her.
“I couldn’t very well abandon Seina’s dad, could I?” Natsume shrugs.
Seina reaches out to pat Seidou’s chest. “Daddy?”
Seidou is utterly overwhelmed. What should he – should he kiss Natsume – should he say hi – what –
He reaches out to pat Seina’s hair, that beautiful brown hair. His voice cracks. “Hi, baby girl.”