-New Place-

"Are you sure I can't help?" Yaone asked from the bed.

"Yes," Hakkai said firmly.

Her pride told her she should get up and help anyway, just to prove she could, but weariness dragged at her bones. Plus, she'd spent the whole day arguing with people to let her actually move things into his - their- new house. Once, she'd tried to pick up a box of china and both Dokugakuji and his brother had practically flung themselves across the box to prevent her from doing so. It would have been cute, if it hadn't been so annoying.

She was just proud of herself that she'd refused to let any of them touch her alchemical equipment; those items they'd let her deal with alone, but only because she'd told them that any amateur handing her things would blow themselves up, and they couldn't figure out if she was bluffing or not.

So now she reclined on her new bed, in her new house, and watched her not-so-new lover dust off the bookshelves and start putting books away, neatly organizing them by author.

She rubbed her hand over her distended stomach, feeling the familiar prickle of anxiety combined with love as she trailed her fingers across her skin and Hakkai's daughter kicked in response.

Hakkai was reaching the end of the books, and he had to lean far over to get the ones loitering on the bottom.

His movement stretched the khaki of his trousers tight over his rear end, and Yaone tilted her head to the side to get a better view of the taut fabric and his tighter ass.

She felt a smile tugging at her lips.

The last books put away and their clothes already hanging in the closet, Hakkai started folding up the cardboard.

He came to the side of the bed, placed a kiss on her forehead and then turned to go.

"Wait," she said, "what are you doing?"

"I thought I'd start on the living room," Hakkai explained.

"It's late," she said in a low voice.

"Yes, but if I start now, I should be able to move on to the kitchen by three."

Yaone propped herself up on her elbow, and Hakkai automatically put some of the extra pillows behind her.

She would have snapped at him for it, but the pillows felt nice supporting her back.

"Hakkai, everything does not have to be put away tonight," she said seriously.

"I know," Hakkai said in Yes-they-do-but-I-won't-argue-with-you way.

He kissed her briskly on the lips and started to turn away.

Yaone caught him by the shirt.

"But there's other things that should be set to rights first," she protested and he turned back toward her.

"Should I start with the kitchen?" he asked, looking concerned.

"It's the bed," Yaone said coquettishly.

"Is it not comfy? Should I return it? Do you need more pillows?" He was looking worried now, and it took every ounce of self control Yaone had not to smile.

"It needs to be broken in," she said seriously, drawing him toward her.

"Oh," Hakkai said in a tone of enlightenment. "I see. I should probably help with that right away."

"I think you should," said Yaone.