Only Mine

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"How long have you known about the baby?" Kichirou wondered as he watched Ren's deft hands dice and chop onions before throwing them into a skillet to carmelize.

As he moved on to cutting some fresh chicken into small pieces, Ren answered, "Less than two weeks."

"Hm, so he's due about the same time as I am." Kichirou muttered, his mouth watering at the scent of the onions caramelizing. Even as Ren added the chicken to the pan to sear, he started another pot and added some milk into it before turning the heat up slightly.

"My first ultrasound is in two weeks," a voice sounded out from the top of the stairs. Shouta stood there with Misaki on his hip, looking over the three in the cafe. Ren was adding basil, onion and peppercorns to the milk he had simmering on the stove. Walking down the stairs with Misaki, Shouta stood beside Kichirou, looking at the other pregnant man with a smile. "I will be two months along."

Kichirou's eyes lit up with mirth, his smile bright, "I now have a pregnant friend."

Misaki tapped Shouta on the arm as a signal he wanted down, so Shouta set him on his feet and watched as the boy began to run around the cafe, using it as a maze all to himself, weaving through and around chairs. Realising that Kichirou had said that last statement with joy in his voice, Shouta became slightly confused.

So he asked, "Why do you sound so happy about that?"

Giggling, Kichirou leaned in as if to whisper something, so Shouta did the same. What came out of Kichirou's mouth shocked everyone, "Because we can suffer together."

Kichirou pulled back and laughed loudly, his joy visible with every breath he took. He wasn't just happy about having someone to share his woes with, he was extremely happy that this person in front of him was Ren's. His friend needed someone to be with and he knew that Shouta was the perfect choice. Jun just shook his head at his mate, keeping an eye on Misaki who was still running around the tables giggling.

Stunned, Shouta just stared at the laughing man before he blurted, "I was not expecting that."

Thinking about it for a second, Shouta realized that he was happy as well, especially since if he needed any advice, he could go to Kichirou about a plethora of things, not just pregnancy advice. This was what it was like to have a real friend he guessed. Just as happy as Kichirou, Shouta's smile almost blinded Jun, who had just turned to look their way, until Shouta's next statement froze him to his seat, "I guess we both can grow our aliens together."

Kichirou grinned and reached a hand out to give Shouta a high five. The slap of their palms hitting was loud in the small space. Stunned, Jun couldn't even utter a word, but from the kitchen Ren's laughter exploded like a pistol shot, and he threw his head back, laughing with uncontrollable mirth until he dragged enough air into his lungs to wheeze, "Shouta, don't call our child an alien!"

He had laughed more in the week he'd known this mate of his, Ren realized, than he had laughed in an entire year. The happiness that oozed from his pores was due to this man infront of him, and he would have it no other way.

"But it's our alien." Shouta turned that blinding smile towards his mate, causing him to suck in a breath, holding back his lust. The look of absolute joy on Shouta's face was a memory that Ren would never forget for the rest of his life. It was their child and the best thing about that was the one carrying that child was his mate, no one else's. A wave of fierce possessiveness filled Ren, but he stamped it down and continued to cook their dinner with a smile on his face.