-Chapter 73: A Rough Wake Up
"It is time for you to wake up," Masamune's voice tells me and I lift my head off the soft pillow that is under my head. "I see you look rough this morning. How's your stomach?"
"Do you actually care or do you just want to make me feel like crap?" I ask him.
"I actually generally care about you and your stomach, which is why I let you have my bed for the night. I can't believe you actually stayed the night," he answers, laughing a bit.
I sit up and bit, keeping the blankets over me. I don't have my jacket on anymore and I am going to have to get rid of him in order to slip it back on. Stupid me! I just had to take it off because it was too hot with it in under the covers!
"What's going on with you? Why aren't you getting out of bed? I have breakfast in the kitchen if you want some," he asks.
"Yeah, can you give me a moment to get myself looking somewhat decent? You know, alone?"
"I guess I can do that for you despite seeing every inch of you pretty much naked," he answers, turning away. "Take as long as you need. If you need a fresh set of clothes, I'll have some brought. Do you want me to make a call?"
"Yeah, go ahead and do that. Get something a bit baggy because I'm wanting to dress a bit more casual today. Besides, it seems like a breezy day is going to happen today so I want some nice, airy clothes," I tell him. I don't want to say anything about weighing a bit more. I'm probably putting on the pounds.
"Women..."
"I heard that!" I exclaim, rolling my eyes.
He snickers a bit as he exits the room and I push the covers off of my body. I reach over to the side of the bed and pick up my jacket. I pull it on, covering up my slightly obvious baby bump. I wish I was one of those lucky girls who hardly shows. But nope, got to show because of the twins.
I get off the bed and go to the exit of the room and look outside of it. "Masamune, am I allowed to shower before I go? Also, I'm going to tell people I didn't stay at your place. I don't want them to assume that I'm up to something evil again."
"Yes, I'm doing that right now so keep your mouth shut! Yes, she wants something that'll make her feel airy. She's a very peculiar person," Masamune replies. "I have no idea why my son decided to marry her. However, I can assume it was a shotgun wedding."
"Shotgun wedding?" I mutter out, laughing a bit. "Yeah, right! It was because of his evil plotting that we got married. I had no idea that he would play right into my scheming hands. He did exactly what I wanted him to do at the time. Foundation X would be proud of me."
"Okay, thank you."
I step towards the living room, looking around curiously. He could have slept in one of the many other rooms. But nope, he had to take the couch and make it my problem. Arrogant douchebag.
"There you are, AOE," Masamune says and I turn my head, staring at him as he stands outside the kitchen. "Come on, enter the kitchen. It is pretty much open you know."
"Right, I know that." I nod my head and turn, stepping towards him. "Did you sleep well despite not being in your bed?"
"I slept peacefully until I remembered that you were in my home."
"And why would that be a bad thing?" I smirk slightly. I love being inside of his house and I love being on his mind. It brings me some satisfaction, I guess.
"I sometimes wonder why I even wanted to start something with you. I get that you're a wonderful product to play with but I don't get it after I stop thinking about that."
"You think I'm beautiful." I look up at him and smile. "Am I beautiful to you right now?"
"You know the answer to that, AOE."
"You can stop calling me that right now because Serene is AOE and I'm not at the moment. I'm no longer you product until I get my hands back on my game," I tell him, entering the kitchen and spinning around. "Woohoo! The floor is perfect for this!"
He sighs a bit. "You're such a child sometimes. Okay, I made you something delicious to eat. It is a traditional breakfast meal that I learned how to make from a recipe online. Do you like traditional Japanese food?"
"Depends on what kind of food you have for me, Masamune," I answer, looking over at the table. "Is that fish?"
"Ah, yes, I made some. I'm a very capable cook at times. Especially since I don't like eating out much and I don't have my wife around to make me food. Besides, you're not capable of making anything besides instant meals," he tells me, laughing a bit. "Come on, let us eat."
"I would brush my teeth first but I don't have that here. Did I leave the old one?"
"You probably did. I didn't toss anything you left here last time out," he answers, moving towards the table. He sits down and he picks up his chopsticks. "Are you good with chopsticks? We're going to be using them today instead of your typical silverware."
"I'm capable of using them," I state. "I'm not that bad at things."
"Then show me how you can use them, Kara."
"I'm glad you can call me that." I smile and move towards the table, picking up the extra set of chopsticks. I sit down opposite of him and look at all the dishes. "Wow...I haven't done this before."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, I'm not. Your son isn't that good at being a husband," I answer. "We don't have meals as a family unless we're in the CR drinking some coffee and having some of Hiiro's cake. Occasionally, I bring in something. Anyways, is all of this cooked properly?"
"Doubting my cooking skills?"
I look up at him and shake my head. "No, I'm not. I'm sorry if I came off that way," I apologize. "I was just making sure I won't get sick from any of this."
"I can't promise that you won't but you will find it satisfying. Here, start with some of this." He points to the fish. "I made plenty. Also, have some of the omelet. That is what it is called in the USA, right?"
I nod my head. "Yeah, it is. Okay, I will have some."
"Dig in."
"I am."
"Faster."
"Why faster? Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"Do you want to find out?"
"No," I answer, pouting slightly.
He laughs. "Just eat."
I nod again, looking down at the food. "I will."
~.~
"Where were you?" Parad asks me, standing up from the bed. "Did you get lost or something? Did he hold you hostage?"
I shake my head. "No, I was sleeping over at his house because I got sick when I was out with him. Don't worry, he doesn't know as far as I know about the babies. Gosh, I'm foolish." I touch my stomach and move towards Parad. "He didn't drop me off here. I had him drop me off at the hospital and I lied by saying I was going to work. Hiiro isn't going to let me work at this rate."
"You're lucky I didn't tell anyone you were out with him! Emu even asked and I lied to him by saying you were enjoying a shower!" Parad exclaims. "Don't worry me about this next time, okay? I thought he got to you."
"The only thing he got was pissed off from me dodging his questions about me handling his needs. Boy needs to learn that it was all a mistake," I mutter out, rolling my eyes. "Anyways, Parad, I'm sorry and I'll make it up to you somehow. When I'm not sick, I'm going to have sex with you and it'll be the most magical sex in the world for you."
"Sex isn't going to make me forgive you for this. How about you tell me everything that happened at his place? I don't think you're cheating so don't assume that is what I'm trying to figure out," Parad states.
"You're hard to please." I move to his side and wrap my arms around him. "Do you like what one of his many female employees bought for me with the company credit card? I made up a bullshit reason about wanting something airy. I'm going to wear something sexier after this."
"Did he provide you with breakfast?"
"That and a shower. Oh, and his bed. His bed was nice," I answer. "Don't worry, I never slept with him on the bed. I mean, we did sleep with each other on a bed but not the bed you're thinking of. Parad, I'm sorry for bringing that up."
He looks down at me. "Don't worry about it, Kara. I wasn't with you at the time so it isn't my problem and I shouldn't be jealous about it. After all, I'm the only winner here because I got you."
"Damn right," I reply, grinning. "We didn't do much besides eat and chat about random things. He was wondering about a few things and I answered his questions. He asked me about a possible chance in another timeline with me and I told him it was possible if we didn't have our previous partners."
"I see."
"I still think I would be with you if we were ever to meet in another timeline," I tell him, getting on my tip toes and kissing his cheek gently. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Parad, can I ask you something? It is extremely random and odd for me to ask but I want to ask it anyways. Hear me out on it, okay?"
Parad nods his head. "Okay, I'll hear you out on it."
"Can I go on a date with Masamune? It won't be a date-date but I want to test something out."
"And why would you want to do that?" He looks at me questioningly.
"I want to see into his soul. If he has one, maybe I can try changing him from what he is now. I know it is a longshot but I have to think of my children. If Masamune survives all of this, he's going to find out about them. And I have to know what kind of father he'll be. Of course, I'm not going to come out and tell him I'm pregnant with his babies. I'm just going to test him by seeing how he treats me on a date. He'll probably play the part of a gentleman."
"I can see him pretending. Sure, go ahead. I'll monitor it from nearby. He can only touch your hand though," Parad states. "I refuse to let him touch you anywhere else. If he tries, I will interfere."
"And you have that right. Thank you." I kiss his cheek. "I really do love you. Think of this as figuring out what the father of my babies is like towards women in the long run."
"I just want you to have a happy family life with him if it is possible. They should be able to have their father around if he is competent enough to be around you all."
"I hope he is but we won't know until we try this. I want him to become someone my kids can look up to but I don't see that happening."
Parad moves closer to me. "Kara, I want the best for you and only the best for you," he says, smiling warmly. I love his smile.
"Parad...stop..." I close my eyes. My heart is racing just from his smile.
"Why? What did I do wrong?"
"You're making my heart race you idiot!"
"Sorry, I didn't know that I was. Why are your eyes closed?"
I open them, staring at him. "I swear, I love your childlike innocence. Why did I ever corrupt you?" I ask, lifting up a hand and placing it in his hair. I love his curly locks. "I shouldn't have corrupted you, Parad. Sex isn't something you were ready for."
"I was going to have it one day. We all have to grow up and for me, I have to emotionally. Physically I can't really change," he answers. "And don't think of it as corrupting me, Kara. You were simply teaching me about the ways of love."
"Sex doesn't always mean love, Parad. People sometimes do it just to do it."
"I understand that now. I don't care that you did it with Masamune since we weren't dating but it does trouble me when you're out with him. I don't trust him around you. What if he tries something again? Why did he even want to be with you?"
"I had something to offer and he wanted it. Besides, I probably had a sign on me that told him to have a taste of me," I say, looking away and taking my hand out of his hair. "Parad, don't ever have sex with me just to have sex with me. Have sex with me because we're in love."
"I'll pick out what you're going to wear. It'll be baggy enough to hide your stomach but it won't make you look pregnant and like you're hiding something."
"Parad, did you hear what I said?"
"I heard it and I understand it. I won't sleep with you unless it is for love. And I will do that soon. I love you with all of my heart, Kara."
My heart pounds. "Parad..."
"You're going to be a good girl, right?"
I nod. "Right."
"I'll pick out the outfit now."