#kn8

he had been the one to bring it up, the talk of children, that is, which took you by surprise. it wasn't something you often introduced into your daily conversations. the responsibilities you had on your shoulders were far too much to begin thinking about a family, but on the day where no one was out to bother you, hoshina had somehow mustered the courage to confess a different form of love for your future.

"we'll have to carry on the names, of course," he grinned. "since my brother has the kanji for 'ichi' and i have it for 'shi', maybe we can have somethin' like that?"

you tilted your head to the side. "what, like, hoshina sogoro?"

digging his head into the crook of your neck, his laugh was like a remedy, soothing the knots in your stomach. "we'll think about it."

at that time, you didn't know whether that meant he was ready or if he was simply fond of the idea. maybe it was a small mix of both, but you were never sure.

yet around two months ago, you found yourself sat deathly still on your bed, pulling your brain apart for ideas on how you're going to tell him that you're pregnant with his kid. since that talk, neither of you had the time to bring it up again and still, you didn't think that this would become your reality so soon.

and so now, you find yourself lingering outside the operations lab where hoshina's currently stationed. judging from the roars and crashes, you can only assume that he's battling out his limits with weapons 10.

"vice-captain!"

you lift your head up at the sound of okonogi's voice echoing throughout the lab. then, the clanging from inside the simulation room comes to a halt.

"sorry for the interruption," she announces, "but (name) is here to see─"

you bolt up from your seat and slap your hand to your earpiece, whispering in frantic hushes. "konomi! nonono! i'll wait, i'll wait!"

"─you, uah!" she interrupts herself and you hear her stumble about. "vice-captain! nevermind!"

there's incoherent murmurs coming from the end of your line and you stay rooted to your spot until okonogi enters the call again. you can only sigh, rubbing your temples as she scrambles through her speech.

"uh, she... is not ready yet!"

it's not the best save, but you hope that it does at least buy you some time to think this through.

another buzz rings and your stomach drops at the sound of someone else.

"bring her in, i wanted a break anyway."

there's a pause before okonogi babbles a rapid cycle of apologies and you watch the door hiss open, revealing hoshina standing in the centre of the room. he's in the middle of reprimanding 10 again, his face contorted into a deep frown as they squabble back and forth.

once you start walking, though, his face lights up like a flash, as if the stress concerning the sentient suit goes flying out his head. he looks up at the window of the lab and shoots a quick thumbs up, signalling that he's finished with training for the day and within minutes, the screens surrounding him power off.

he grins as he meets you in the middle, tail swishing about like it's been eagerly waiting. "hoh, i didn't think i'd be visited by my lovely lady here of all places."

you don't miss the way the dot in his chest drills its glares into your skull or how hoshina has his head tilted with interest. honestly, with the way they're both staring─you have essentially interrupted their training, the fact that you haven't thought of single way to tell him hits you harder than you expected.

hoshina notices you waver and reaches out to touch your elbow. "everythin' ok?"

"yeah," you answer, but hoshina doesn't look convinced. "i mean, i have something to tell you. can we go back to my room?"

you bite your lip and his eyes flick down to them. he takes a step forward and opens his mouth, but 10's obnoxious growl takes over.

"clearly not important enough that she isn't saying it right now," it scoffs, but hoshina clicks his tongue and pokes its eye with the end of his blade.

"it's important enough that she came to find me," he argues, his expression scrunched up as he hisses at his chest. "don't speak like that about her, ya stupid suit."

"it's not my fault," it bites back, tail dangerously lurking around your feet until hoshina kicks it to the side. "besides, this could be a trap. something hasn't awoken within her."

the colour drains from your face as 10's eye flicks towards you. "woman, are you hiding some sort of innate power?"

hoshina huffs. "what the hell are ya talkin' about? did training make ya more dumb?"

dread seeps into your bones as the shield of courage you built up for this moment starts shrinking under their loud volume. you know exactly what 10 means by that, but you wonder if hoshina caught onto it too or was ignoring it as one of its usual nonsense.

you're viciously pulled out of your thoughts as 10 raises its tail past your legs, but luckily for you, hoshina grabs and chucks it away again.

"don't touch her!"

"i'm pointing out the thing!"

hoshina exhales through his nose, angrily. "what thing?!"

"soshiro," you call and the two stop. "let's just go─"

suddenly, the tail whips up and points at your stomach. "there's something in there!"

you feel your world stop as hoshina goes silent. his lips are parted as his stare lingers at the very spot where 10's tail hovers and you watch, without a word, at how his mouth trembles ever so slightly as if he can't devise a proper structure of words, as if nothing he'll say will make sense to him.

there's only one answer as to what it could be, there's only one thing that repeats in hoshina's mind because you literally had a deep conversation about this. it's too convenient, the timing is too right.

a long pause ensues as the two of you─three, or if 10 wants its way, four of you stay absolutely still. only the whir of the machines around you fill the room.

"soshiro," you whisper, looking down at your palms. "i'm sorry, you've always made it clear to me that communication is important, and i know that, so i wanted to tell you as soon as possible."

you sense his eyes on you, right on the top of your head like the usual affectionate pokes he gives you, and it's light with no blame to hold, no grudge or any drop of resentment. it doesn't feel heavy and you're tempted to look into his eyes and start this whole conversation from the beginning again.

you've known hoshina for a long time and throughout those years, he's never raised his voice and even now, he mirrors the same look he gives you when no words are exchanged but the message and emotions are so clear.

he'll dedicate his everything to you, and he means it.

impatient under the gruelling stillness, 10 grumbles. "how long are─"

"(name)," hoshina breathes. he sucks in a deep breath. "you're being serious?"

hoshina sounds... hopeful. his delicate tone just about reaches your ears and you find yourself looking up, searching for the small joke he normally makes, but all you see is how he yearns for an answer he wants to hear from you.

you nod. "i'm being serious."

it happens gradually, but hoshina winds his arms around your waist more gently than ordinary. he looks down as he traces lines on your hip, but when he stops just there, you watch him let out a shaky sigh, his thumb hesitant to inch any closer.

"it's ok," you say, calmly. you glance up with a small smile, catching his cautious gaze and take a hold of his hand. "i mean, he or she isn't completely there yet, but it's real."

"i swear, i'm gonna make 10 pay for this," hoshina murmurs, his body close so that only you can hear. "lemme get this off and we'll go back, ok?"

shockingly, 10 stays strangely quiet throughout the process of removing the suit, like it realises its mistake of blurting out what was meant to be a happy surprise. it returns to its glass pod and soon, you're walking back to your room with hoshina besides you.

you hear him chuckle to himself and when you turn to him he has his forehead pressed to his palm as he lets out puffs of short laughter.

"what?" you ask and he stops, letting his hand slide back down to his side.

he tilts his head back and stares up at the ceiling with a wide smile. "ah, nothin'. i just... can't believe it, can't believe that stupid suit."

"soshiro, trust me," you start, running a hand through your hair. "i wanted to tell you, but it─"

"i don't blame you for that, love, don't worry," he says, shaking his head as you both turn the corner. "it's my bad, i should've taken it off sooner."

"well, i guess no that it knows too, we can attach a baby strap to 10 and teach it how to handle babies, yeah?"

hoshina bursts out laughing as he playfully nudges your shoulder. "ya think that stupid suit's gonna agree to that?"

"why not?" you shrug, letting the smile on your lips run free. "our baby will be well-protected from anything!"

mimicking each other's jokes, you enter your room and as soon as you do, hoshina has his arms around you again, his nose tucked into your collarbone as if you hold the most precious scent he's ever known. he mumbles into you, sending streams of tingles up your neck as you nestle into his tenderness all the same.

"we might not be perfect," he whispers, "i might not be, but we'll do our best. i'll do whatever i can."

"me too," you reply, resting your chin on his shoulder. "gotta make sure vice-cap hoshina knows how to use baby straps and baby talk."

you hear him scoff as he pulls back, sliding his hand up and down your arm with squeezes. you can still feel his breath on your skin as he glances between your face and stomach with a bright shine in his red hues.

"i'll make sure the both of you are always loved," he promises, then he catches your eyes again and shoots you a smirk, "well, not that i wasn't good at that before you became the mother of my kid anyway."