Tohka's Anticipation

It's been a little over a few months since Tohka and Shido's wedding and their day to day lives have barely changed at all. The only differences to them were Tohka taking the last name Itsuka and having the apartment to themselves now. Kotori had moved out so they could use her old room as a nursery when they felt ready to have a child and they already had the room painted yellow, bought a crib, a couple of stuffed animals, and got a rocking chair. Some days Tohka would even sit the rocking chair and fantasize herself rocking a child in her arms. Tohka was even beginning to feel like she was ready, but she wasn't sure how Shido felt yet, but she wanted to know. She was eating lunch alone while Shido was at his job when she decided.

"I'll ask him when he gets home and if he's not ready I won't force him…(but I hope he is)"

At the office were Shido worked at he was working on the newest project when he overheard one of his co-workers talking about how he and his wife felt about seeing their daughter going to her first day of school. After hearing this, he daydreamed about doing that with Tohka someday seeing their child wearing a uniform and going off to school for the first time. Shido actually hoped that soon Tohka would be ready for parenthood since he wanted to be a dad, but he wouldn't ask if she wasn't ready.

"(If Tohka isn't ready she isn't ready and I have to ask if she isn't)"

Shido continued the rest of the day and when he got home Tohka was sitting on the couch and rubbing her thumbs together. When she saw him she got a little nervous and had a flushed look.

"Uh Shido there's something…I'd like to talk about"

Shido puts down his stuff and sits next to her to hear what she wanted to talk about and she was getting even more nervous until Shido gently grabbed her hand and said.

"Calm down Tohka and let's talk"

"Okay (takes deep breath) Shido do remember before we were married and I wanted a baby even though I wasn't ready and I didn't know about….you know"

Shido blushed when he remembered that day and was hoping she was going to say what he thinks she's going to say.

"Yeah and what about that?"

Tohka grabs Shido's hand with both of her own

"Well, Shido…I think I'm ready"

"Are you saying you're ready to be a mom?"

"I wanted to ask you first since this is a decision we both need to make but yes I feel ready now"

Shido hugged his wife and after he pulls back and asks one more time.

"Okay, but you're sure? Because when it happens we can't go back"

Without a second of thinking, Tohka nods her head.

"Shido I'm sure of it"

The couple kisses one another since they had decided they were both ready to accept one of lifes great responsibilities raising a child. One month later Tohka was confirmed to be with child and naturally Ratatoskr did regular checks on her body to see if any unusual changes would occur. But in that first month she discovered something that everyone neglected to tell her, the side effects. One moment she would be home alone rubbing her stomach and wondering if it was a boy or a girl and then.

"I can't wait to se…(puts hand over mouth)"

Tohka runs to the bathroom and begins throwing up in the toilet and doesn't know why. She was worried something was wrong and called Shido at his office to ask him what's wrong. Shido could barely understand what she was saying.

"Tohka just calm down and tell me what's wrong"

Tohka takes a deep breath and tries to calm down.

"Shido I was just throwing up is something wrong with our baby!?"

Shido takes a second to gather his thoughts and sighs with relief.

"No, you're just having morning sickness that's all"

Tohka calmed down a little since he seemed okay and not worried, but she had teared up a bit in her worry.

"Morning sickness?"

"Yeah, it's natural for a woman to experience during pregnancy. Didn't anyone tell you?

"No"

"Oh boy…uh I'll give Reine a call and ask her to help you"

"Why not you?"

"Because I won't get until later and I don't you worry about anything that can happen"

Shido sighed again as he hangs up his phone and then realizes something.

"We should have told her about this earlier. Hold on why didn't the special quake alarm go off?"

Shido felt like an idiot for not giving Tohka the run down for the symptoms she could experience and also a little mad at Ratatoskr crew for the same reason. He also realized that maybe there's more to having a child with a spirit than her realized. At the apartment Tohka somewhat worried continues rubbing her stomach. After some time waiting she hears a knock on the door and she answers it and it was Reine and she was carrying a book under her arm.

"Shido called and asked me to tell you about the symptoms and I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner"

Tohka let Reine in the apartment and after a few hours of being told the changes Tohka would experience and the symptoms she would face. When Shido got home Reine was just about to leave and she whispered something in his ear while Tohka was reading the book Reine had brought since it was filled with information in case Tohka forgot anything she was told.

"Shin I brought over something you'll need later. It's outside in a van also this is something you should look at right away"

"Yeah thanks again Reine I owe you for all your help"

Reine smiles a little as she hands Shido a piece of paper with notes on it.

"Just take of her and that baby"

Reine exits the apartment and Shido walks over to Tohka who was now feeling so much better.

"So you're feeling better now Tohka?"

"Yes much better now I feel stupid about this whole thing maybe I'm really not ready after all"

"No, we didn't tell you about what could happen. You're not the one to blame"

"Really so do you think I'll be a good mom"

"I think you'll be a fantastic mom besides if you worried that just means you care"

Tohka became more emotional at Shido's words and hugged him.

"And I definitely believe you'll be a wonderful dad"

Tohka yawned of all the sudden.

"Shido..I feel tired"

Shido smiled bigger.

"That's just another sign so you should get some sleep"

"But …I don't want go to sleep until… you do "Yawn""

"I know, but it's better for the baby if you get plenty of rest"

"Okay..but..I..don't…zzz zzz zzz"

Tohka felt asleep sitting up on the couch do to her fatigue. Shido carries her into their bedroom and puts her in their bed to rest. Then he remembered the piece of paper that Reine gave him. He looked at it and basically what it said was that they did a scan on Tohka to see if any unusual changes and to his surprise it read that Tohka's sealed powers are partially leaking into the unborn baby and that Tohka can no longer access her powers or cause spacial quakes.

"So that's why the alarm didn't go off."

Shido thought it was for the best since he expects more incidents like the one earlier and if Tohka can no longer cause spacial quakes. He then remembered the other thing that Reine gave him.

"Oh yeah Reine said she got something for us"

Shido leaves the apartment and looks for the van that Reine mentioned earlier. Once he found it he opened the front door since it was unlocked and inside there were three crates once of which was emitting cold air. Shido managed to open them and inside the first one was a three month supply of pickles, the second had a supply of peanut butter and Shido was beginning to get it.

"Oh for Tohka's inevitable cravings good thinking…but what's in the other one?"

Shido opens the final crate and inside was a freezer and in that freezer was a supply of ice cream with a note inside. It was from Reine and read.

Dear Shin

This supply may not last long due to Tohka's appetite so if you need more contact me or Kotori immediately. The reason I am so secretive about this is because of where I got this stuff do not ask where I got only know that Kotori is the only person besides me who knows about this and please don't tell anyone else especially about the ice cream.

"….Why do I have a bad feeling about this"

Shido never found out how or why Reine got him and Tohka that supply of food which he appreciated during Tohka's cravings since she ate all of it during the course of her pregnancy. After the first month, things went much smoothly since Tohka knew what to expect and eventually the day finally came. Only there was one last thing Reine neglected to tell Tohka. That while giving birth is an amazing experience it still hurt like hell. During the delivery, Tohka trashed her hospital room and destroyed at least $6000 thousand dollars worth of equipment due to her strength and because she kicking like crazy and pounded her fist against the wall a few times. But even after causing a mini earthquake inside her room everyone was happy when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Tohka was crying tears of joy with Shido at her side since during the entire evening he held her hand as she gave birth despite problems.

"Look at him Shido our baby"

"Yeah and you did great"

Shido kisses Tohka on the cheek. The newborn baby cries for a good while until he falls asleep and Tohka tries talking with him.

"Can you say, mommy?"

Shido rubs his child's head.

"It'll be a while before he can talk Tohka"

"Oh but I want to hear him call me mommy now"

"Remember Tohka it takes time, we just need to be patient its part of being a parent"

"Okay I'm just happy that he's healthy then"

"And so am I"

Tohka lives her fantasy as she rocks her newborn child in her arms completely filled with joy. A few years later Shido and Tohka still living in the same apartment were excited for the day since they were getting their son Akihiko ready for his first day of elementary school. Tohka was acting like a doting mother and making sure he had everything. His clothes were clean his purple hair was combed and he had his backpack, lunch, and utensils ready.

"Okay, are you sure you have everything, Aki?"

"Yeah momma I do"

Shido was in the other room grabbing a camera to photograph this memory. He got everyone together and sat the camera on the counter with a timer counting down. He was living the day he dreamed about since his son was born. He had his arm around Tohka and their son smiling in front of his parents with a big grin. The timer finally hit zero and took a photo of the family that couldn't be happier and Shido was so proud of his wife and his son for all that they gave to him.

Authors note

I'd like to thank a.k.a. Kusabi and NaLi4TheWin for their continued support and criticism and I will make further revisions to my future work and continue to produce better quality fics thanks to a new grammar checker.