Omg yas. 

The moment of truth

Ui paces outside CCG’s medical unit. Hairu collapsed on Arima Squad’s latest mission, and now he, Arima, Hirako, and the kids are gathered in the waiting room.

A nurse appears.”Are you the boyfriend of Ihei Hairu?”

Ui colors. “Well, I, uh – yes.”

“Come with me.”

Now Arima looks truly concerned, and Shio opens his mouth to ask something, but Ui’s already running after the nurse. 

But instead of a dying Hairu on life support, he finds her sitting at the foot of her bed, eating a melon bun and chatting with a doctor.

“H – Hairu. Are you okay?”

“Better than okay.” Hairu stands and takes his hands in hers. She smiles from ear-to-ear. “I’m pregnant, Koori.”

Now Ui nearly faints. Hairu catches him. 

“I – I know it’s a surprise, but I’m really happy. We’re having a baby, Koori.” 

“I’m scared,” he whispers, clinging to her. But her excitement is damn contagious. 

Someone taps his shoulder, and Ui turns around to see Arima and Hirako staring down at him. “You better be.” 

———————————————————————

Two Months

“I’m the luckiest girl alive.” Hairu has to say before she finishes her vows and kisses Ui.

All of CCG claps, and bridesmaids Saiko and Hsaio hurry forward to fix her train. 

Ui looks out to see Arima glowing with pride for his squad members, and he knows that if Hairu is the luckiest girl, he’s the luckiest boy.

———————————————————————

Three months

“Ooh, it’s cold.” Hairu giggles and grabs Ui’s hand. She’s lying on a table with her mostly flat belly exposed. 

A nurse slides an ultrasound along. “Well, it looks like you’re having a baby boy.”

Ui gasps, and Hairu cheers. 

He doesn’t deserve this level of happiness. Ui fights tears. 

Hairu turns her head to him, and he sees she’s crying, too. 

“Happy tears,” he assures her.

“I know.”

———————————————————————-

Five months

“Koori!” Hairu gasps. She bolts upright in the bed they share.

“What’s wrong?” Ui wakes up immediately. What if she’s dying? Losing Masanori? 

“Here.” Hairu presses his hand to her belly.

His son kicks him. Ui cries out and presses his face against her stomach. Masanori will know he is loved.

———————————————————————

Six months

Hairu slides into her desk chair. “I feel like a whale, Koori.”

She frowns. “An ugly whale.”

Ui gasps. “You’re beautiful!”

“I can’t stop eating.” Hairu blinks. Her voice tears up. “I’m a whale. Worse, I’m like the binge eater from all those years ago.”

“Hey there, human, you’re not eating people.” Ui rubs her shoulders and makes  a mental note to insist Saiko bring her makeup kits over for his wife.  

———————————————————————

Seven months

“What do you mean, our baby is part-ghoul?” Ui freezes.

Arima closes his office door. Hirako stands outside, guarding.

“I’m a failed ghoul,” Hairu sobs, sinking to the floor. “We all are. All the Washuus.”

“Me too,” Arima says, hoping Ui will understand. He advised Hairu against revealing the truth, but she was insistent.

“I’m sorry.” Hairu looks up at her husband. “I hurt you.”

Ui sees his wife kneeling on the office floor, fat tears rolling down her lovely cheeks, her belly swollen with their child.

He can’t believe it.

But he couldn’t believe it when she told him she was pregnant, either. This is really how life changes – in an instant. 

He kneels beside her and – tentatively – touches her shoulder. “Tell me everything.”

————————————————————————

Eight months

“Our baby will be part-ghoul in a world that hates him,” Ui sobs. “Someday we’ll need to tell him what we did.” 

“He’ll forgive us.” Hairu swallows. What if he doesn’t? “If you can learn to forgive me, he can forgive us.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. You can’t help how you were born.” Ui knows it’s logical and believes it with all his heart.

But he can’t help regretting it took Hairu and their baby to show him his bigotry.

————————————————————————

Nine months

“Ui, you might want to come pick up your wife.” Saiko sounds like she’s enjoying this. “We think she’s in labor.”

Ui shrieks and throws the phone across the room.

“Go!” Arima doesn’t even need to ask what’s happening, from the streaking figure leaving his office, Ui didn’t even wait for permission. 

At the hospital, Hairu crushes his hand in hers. “Why did we do this again?”

“Because we love each other?”

“Masanori’s trying to eat my lady parts.”

“Hairu!” Ui cringes. He wishes he were the one in pain. 

And then another nurse is here, telling her to push, and Ui is crying already. 

A new wail joins the room, and in an instant, Ui is a father and Hairu a mother.