Till the end

Chapter 49

Akashi's Pov

A few more weeks passed with everyone on high alert. Nobody believed that the headman had given up or that he had completely accepted Momoi's story about Kuroko and I running away together. I stayed within the settlement leaving the others to the patrols. I felt guilty but I didn't want to risk running into any of the villagers.

It seemed that my fears were uncalled for. There were no signs that the headman had left anybody to watch for us. So, I returned to my patrols. Now Mayuzumi and I both ran two a day. Kuroko's pregnancy was drawing more and more of them towards us. Some of the people in the settlement had begun to notice in increase in the undead movement but luckily, they put it down to the fact that they were inexplicably drawn to the warmth of our bodies.

Kuroko's belly had begun to show more. Aomine teased him saying it looked like he had eaten too much. That was also true. He was eating much more than he used to and finally the skeleton that he once was, was now a distant memory.

It was a lovely warm day and a group of us had decided to go to the settlements pool to relax. I sat at the edge, simply dipping my feet in as I looked at Kuroko swimming with Aomine and Kagami. Murasakibara was of course, eating, with Himuro in his lap as they reclined underneath a tree. Momoi was sunbaking with Kise while Midorima had his nose buried in a book underneath some shade with Takao sleeping next to him, his head in his lovers' lap.

The day was beautiful, a cloudless sky and a cool breeze but all of it lost to Kuroko. The bluenette had truly gained a pregnancy glow. His azure locks curled at his neck and the side of his face from the water, a pink flush to his cheeks as he laughed, his cerulean orbs sparkling. His skin was no long shallow looking but instead was flawless and luminescent. I saw some of the women nearby casting him envious looks and nobody could blame them. He was stunning.

"Do I have to go on patrol?"

I shaded my eyes and smiled up at Mayuzumi.

"Sorry."

We had slowly been getting better at shielding our emotions so that neither of us was bombarded all the time by what the other was feeling but when it came to Kuroko, he simply overwhelmed us.

"I can't exactly blame you. He is captivating. Hard to think that just a month ago we thought we would lose him."

"Hhmm."

I continued to watch Kuroko swim around. When he met my gaze, his face lit up in a smile and my heart thumped in my chest. I loved him so much.

Mayuzumi gave a sigh and got to his feet.

"I am going to be home late tonight. I am going to spend some time around the settlers, get an idea on how they think of Kuroko and the increase in the infected."

I frowned up at him.

"Why? We have been getting our information from Kiyoshi and Izuki. Do you really think something might be slipping past them?"

He shook his head, a smile on his face.

"For someone with such a clever mind you can be so slow. I am telling you that I am letting you two spend some alone time together. It hasn't been just you two since your wedding."

My mouth formed a silent oh and I felt my cheeks warm up. the fact that he knew what I wanted and was giving us space was a little embarrassing but I was thankful for his consideration.

"Don't get me wrong. You owe me. a day of my patrols."

"No way! I will take two of them, over a week."