A/N: ... sorry for this late update... m==m *bow down* Anyway, I wanna apologize to Cherryblossom86 for not waiting for you to finish up your beta-reading. My readers are getting really impatient and I'm getting more and more private messages asking me to update... so yeah... enjoy~ :D
Chapter Three: Protect You
Akane's eyes fluttered open when she was greeted by the bright sunshine that hit her straight on her face. The brunette slowly got up from the bed and let out a blissful sigh when she smelled the delicious aroma of ginger tea and pancakes.
Through the first week, Kougami had never left her side. He had decided to move in to her apartment ever since he knew about her pregnancy. Of course, Akane was freaked out that morning when she was welcomed with the sign of Kougami Shinya standing in front of her door early in the morning with his luggage beside him along with a pissed off Ginoza.
Akane had just finished having breakfast and was about to make herself comfortable on her couch when she heard her holographic jellyfish sang out.
"Akane~ you have visitors~!"
The brunette frowned before she stood up from her comfy seat and went to see who it was. Maybe it was the landlady who wanted to inform her something or her best friend who had just came back from her honeymoon.
However, when she opened the door, she was not expecting what she saw.
"Kougami-san? Ginoza-san?" Akane blinked her eyes in surprise at seeing the two men. One was having a displeasure look on his face as he had his arms crossed over his chest while the other held a plain expression on his face with a luggage beside him.
"I'm moving in from now on." Kougami said to answer Akane's confused look before he walked into her apartment.
"I'm sorry. What did you just said?" the young Inspector asked in disbelief as she spun around to stare at the Enforcer who was looking around at her apartment. Hazel brow hues were wide as the brunette's mouth was slightly parted open to show her shock.
"I'm moving in." Kougami said once again as he placed his suitcase on the floor and slumped on the couch, stretching his arms.
"You are moving in here?" a frown formed at the edge of the brunette's lips as she asked in both confusion and annoyance. Kougami was surely acting weird and she wasn't really sure how she should deal with it. Usually, he was always serious and calm. But now, she just doesn't know how to deal with his sudden almost unreasonable actions.
"That idiot keep bugging me this morning to bring him here. I was about to shoot him with the Dominator for being a fucking annoying scumbag." Ginoza explained in a low, almost dangerous tone as he fixed his glasses. Tiredness and annoyance was written all over the other Inspector's face clearly and there were dark circles under his eyes. It makes Akane almost felt pity for him who always becomes the victim of being disturbed by Kougami.
"A-Ah… I'm sorry that he had caused troubles for you, Ginoza-san…!" Akane immediately apologized as she bowed her head a few times at her colleague. Ginoza just glared darkly at her before he thrust a glittery gift bag tied with curling yellow ribbons. "This is a little gift for the brat in your stomach. I'm going to forgive Kougami this time for waking me up from my sleep… but make sure he is not going to disturb my peace for the next nine months before you give-birth his brat." With the last threaten, Ginoza turned around and walked away, leaving a dumb-struck Akane behind with the small gift bag held protectively in her arms.
'I will never think that Ginoza-san will have such a cute side…' Akane chuckled as she recalled back that surprising morning before giving the baby-blue colored rattle in her hand a light shake. It amazed her that the other Inspector could buy such a loving gift for her unborn kid. However, she still stifles back a laugh whenever she imagines the prideful, grumpy Ginoza testing the rattles in the baby shop.
"Akane?" A familiar voice called from the door before the person knocked the door softly. "Breakfast is ready. Are you going to come out eating or should I bring it in for you?"
"Just leave it on the dining table! I'm going to be ready in a few minutes!" she immediately responds his call before she got up from the bed and makes herself to the bathroom to take a shower.
Ginger tea and pancakes are the only food that Akane can digest in the morning. It soon become a daily routine for Kougami to prepare breakfast for both of them since he often complain about how she should take healthier food instead of those fast food she used to eat every day before he moved in to her apartment.
On this day, just as Kougami was cleaning up the dishes while Akane was sipping her tea peacefully, the raven haired ex-Inspector wrapped his arms around her and placed his left hand on her belly before giving out a heart-warming chuckle. "It's either you are too healthy or this kiddo really is forming quickly."
A vein popped on the brunette's forehead as she really wanted to hit him for calling her fat (even when he didn't say it aloud). So, she swirled around with her fist ready to hit her insensitive lover before she suddenly notices the tender look on his face. There was barely a smile on his face, but the gentleness that shone in his dark blue hues are enough to let her realize how much he treasured her.
Her belly was slowly growing bigger every day and currently, it was barely a bulge. It was enough to make her usual clothes become uncomfortable to be worn, yet he still loves her like she's the only woman in his life. He glanced at the barely noticeable baby bump, feeling how hard, yet warm it feels against his touch.
"Uh… is it… painful…?" Kougami asked out of blue. Worried and uneasy were swelled on his face this time as he gently caressed her stomach as if she might break down in any time like those nightmares he recently dream about.
Oh, the nightmares are terrible and plain torture! They came haunting him every day, and it's all about Akane falling down from her chair or from the stairs. In his nightmares, their kid was saved, but unfortunately, his beloved brunette dies instead. He was left behind by her, mourning over her death and their baby was placed in the special medical room, with tubes attaching its fragile small body, struggling to live.
Akane blinked her eyes at his sudden question before she gently chuckle as she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a soft kiss on his forehead like a mother will do to comfort her child. "Silly, it didn't hurt, not even a bit. Though, as I read from the pregnancy book, it's said that the baby might start to kick in their mother's tummy when they reached a certain month." A giggle managed to escape from her lips when surprise was written all over his features before it was replaced with excitement at the thought of feeling how their naughty baby started to kick in the brunette's stomach.
"… I can't wait for that." A faint, almost unnoticeable pink blush slowly swelled on Kougami's face as he resuming caressing her stomach. It didn't take long for him to use his other hand to pull her closer to him before he stroked her cheek, watching as Akane slowly turn into different shades of red.
"Akane…" He had a predatory gleam in his eyes. She felt small under such an intense gaze, like a little sheep before a wolf. He moved in closer, and soon, their lips were just an inch away from each other.
Just as things were about to get wild, they heard the clicking sound of door being opened and the unmistaken heavy clunking metallic jangle of Masaoka's fake arm. Akane gave out a surprised squeak and quickly shoved Kougami away from her. The Enforcer blushed madly in embarrassment as he quickly turned away.
"Oi, Ko! We come bearing gifts!" Masaoka announced loudly. Only then did he and Ginoza notice Akane's blushing red face and Kougami's annoyed glare. "Oh my. Did we come on the wrong time?" the older Enforcer asked teasingly as a playful smirk quirted on his face.
Kougami huffed before storming away to continue cleaning the breakfast dishes. "You should try knocking the next time before entering as if it's your own house! And Akane, it's better to keep your holographic jellyfish on the next time! At least she will inform us some rude barbarians had just barged into the house!"
Ginoza raised a brow at the other's childish side before a nervous laugh was heard.
"Don't mind him." Akane tried to laugh it off as she dragged the older Enforcer to the living room, leaving Kougami and Ginoza alone. She's pretty sure the two old friends might need a little talk.
There's an awkward silence filled the small dining room once Akane and Masaoka were out. Ginoza stared hard at his ex-colleague for a few seconds, before swallowing down his pride and bowed his head down in apology.
"About that day… I'm sorry." The Inspector muttered out softly, but loud enough for the other to hear it. "I was freaked out and… and… I don't know what's going on my mind."
"You bastard...!" Ginoza growled out as he marched towards his used-to-be good friend. For once, his emerald hues were like a fiery flame, flashing anger yet they also held a gleam of jealousy.
"... I'm sorry." Kougami sighed miserably as he said. His dark blue orbs looked sad and sorry as he dropped his head. "I never know that something like that will happen. It was an accident, we are both drunk. We clearly didn't know what we are doing that time."
"I don't give a damn care!" the green eyed Inspector scowled, before he threatened the ex-Inspector. "Listen here, Kougami. " His grip around the other's collar tightened. "If she was ever killed for breaking a rule that both you and I know too well, then do me a favor." Ginoza hissed out, leaning so close that his nose almost touched with Kougami's. "Because I'll hunt you down and let you die in the cruelest way you will ever know. For every pain she was going to suffer in the future, I'll inflict it to you ten-fold. "
Ginoza was ashamed over himself for being childish and unreasonable. He knew that Kougami never meant to drag Akane into this mess. He knew Kougami treasured the brunette girl just as much as he did. But... somehow... he envied them.
"Nah, it's fine." Kougami waved it off without turning around, but a hidden assuring smile was shown on his face. "After all, I kind of deserve it. I guess."
Ginoza looked in shock at how easily the other had accepted his apology. He smiled a bit in relief before he paused, with a debate ranging on his face. "Then... what do you plan to do on the future?"
Kougami titled his head to a side in confusion. Ginoza sighed out before he decided to explain the current mess that Kougami and Akane had caused more clearly. "You know... plans for the future. You do know that it's impossible for you two to be together. The Chief is going to know about this mess sooner and later, I can't shield you two for long. "
The ex-Inspector frowned, his grip around the plate in his hand tightened. "I don't know, honestly. I've thought about it long ago. I really treasure her, and I... really, really want to have a family with her. But... but I already break the rule, marrying her will only put more troubles for her in the future. I'm not sure if it's safe for her if I continue to stay around with her."
Ginoza saw a dark sadness pass across Kougami's face before it was replaced with struggling. "You must have it hard on you, don't you?"
The chain-smoker looked aside, his dark blue hues dimmed. "Maybe... should I leave her after the baby was born?"
Ginoza's eyes widened from the other's sudden decision. "Kougami, you-"
Heavy footsteps were heard before a certain brunette figure walked into the dining room. "Kougami-san, Ginoza-san?" Akane called out for the two men.
Kougami quickly turned around, immediately giving the brunette girl one of his mystery smiles as if nothing wrong had ever happened. "Is there anything you need?"
"Well... there's a sudden call for an emergency mission and today Kougami-san and Masaoka-san are on duty. So, I'm here to inform you guys about the mission." The girl explained, before giving a smile.
Ginoza felt relieved deep inside to see her smiling brightly from the top of her heart. 'Even if I could never tell you my true feelings for you, it's alright. Because... maybe this is all that I really wanted... to see you smiling happily to who you really loves.' He stuffed his hands into his pockets before started to walk out from Akane's apartment, but paused at the door before turning around. "Kougami." He called over the Enforcer behind him. "Don't ever leave her, okay? I want her to be happy and so, you better be there by her side, no matter what's going to happen in the future."
The black-haired Enforcer nodded his head firmly. He walked up towards Akane and kissed her forehead before assuring her that he will be back safely after finishing his mission.
Ginoza watched at the couple for a moment longer. How could Akane not realize the gleam of sadness that was flashing in his dark blue eyes that filled with love for her? Or did she actually did see it, but simply refrained from saying anything that might make him uneasy?
And at that moment, Ginoza's and Masaoka's eyes met, and the father gave his son a silent nod of approval. He knew how his son felt. He had seen the longing flashed on his face when they were on a mission. It was why he often tried to talk more about his son to the younger Inspector. Yet, Kougami was a step faster than him. Masaoka knew that Ginoza's heart was crushed, he understand why his son was furious and attacked Kougami when he heard the sudden news. Yet now, to see him acting so mature, helping and protecting them, he felt proud over him.
'I'm proud of you, my son.' The old Enforcer mouthed the words, and Gionza shrugged his shoulders. Well, he had decided. As long as Akane was happy, he could be happy for them as well.
"Well... good luck then!" Akane watched the others leaving from her sight before the smile on her lips immediately dropped to a straight line. Her hands quivered as she tried to fight back the urge of letting hot tears slipping down her face as she turned around and walked to her room.
She kneeled down, and looked under her bed for a certain item. Once her hazel brown eyes found the book she had hidden from Kougami ever since last week when he moved in, she immediately reached her hand out for it.
The book was light brown and there's a teddy bear icon pasted in front of it, the words 'Baby Book' was written in baby blue color and it was covered by a golden yellow colored pacifier. Opening the book, she flipped through the pages and slightly smiled at those notes she had scribbled down all along in secret whenever Kougami was busy. Finding a pen nearby, she started to write out everything she had in her mind, just like how she had always been doing.
'Right now, you're about one and a half month and you're as big as a grain of rice! You're so small, yet Mama still loves you the same. In the earlier time when I just realize your presence, I was mostly scared, even if I often tried to laugh it off. Well, the thought of the pain of delivering you on the next nine months worried me, but now, I figured that I had go through a lot of battles and I've still survived, so maybe delivering you might not be as painful as I thought it would be. However, I feared I'd make a horrible mother, one of those young, inexperienced mothers out there who end up with delinquent punks for kids. Except… your Papa isn't a delinquent punk.' She stopped writing for a second as a faint smile quirked on the thin line of her lips, before she started once again.
'Your papa is a lovely man, although he can be rather stubborn and overprotective for both you and me from time to time. And… I'm not scared over the law anymore. Today, when I accidentally heard the conversation of your Papa and Uncle Ginoza, I realized that Mama had become a burden for Papa… once again. Mama hates to become a trouble for Papa. And that was when I suddenly realized, you are a blessing for me.
And they can never take you away from me, or Papa.
Papa is always the one who protected Mama, so this time; I'll do the same as well. Everything is going to be alright in the end, because we have you and Mama will protect both you and Papa.'
Akane loves the words; 'Papa' and 'Mama'. It reminded her about her own loving parent and also… because she's currently a 'Mama' too.
"You'll be alright…" she placed a hand on her stomach, smiling in pure bliss. "No one can hurt you… or Papa. Mama will protect you two."
To be continued.
Ending note: *dodge flying weapons and rotten apples* Eeeek...! OvO" I already expected being hunted down from my readers... h-hahahaha... *grabs head and sat under a few dark clouds* I feel like this is the worst I've write... ;v; I'm a perfectionist myself, so please understand why I want this story to be as good as possible... yet when I can't write it out as perfect as I want... this is how I am. Anyway, you guys can thanks a certain person who keep bugging me everyday in Facebook. *sigh* Hope no other readers are gonna add me on Facebook or I'll be... dead.