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Maki woke up silently, like she usually does. Her eyes fluttered open to the ceiling above her, the sounds of the world flooded her senses.
She could hear the birds chirping outside, the children playing ball and coloring on the outer walls, the shrill of a teapot in the kitchen, the clinks of ceramic plates and silverware being passed around the dining hall, even the wood on the walls had a sound. Maki has long grown attuned to her enhanced senses, it’s a part of what made her so powerful.
It certainly had its perks in the heat of battle, but the current fight she was facing was her husband’s light snores in her ear and an all too eventful estate. She could usually just tune every unnecessary noise, she’d trained her body to do it without even thinking over the years. Maki brought her hand to her abdomen and gave a slight rub, it was becoming increasingly harder to subconsciously dull her senses, it made her especially nauseous in the mornings.
Like she wasn’t already experiencing enough nausea in the morning.
Maki gave a small groan and turned to her right to face her sleeping husband. Yuta was fast asleep and bundled under the covers, there was even a slight drool falling from his lips. Maki couldn’t blame him, he was particularly overworked these past few days. From missions and managing the Gojo Clan, he rarely got a break. There was only so much Maki could do to help him, he always says that just being next to him is enough.
Today was Yuta’s birthday, the only reason he’s currently sleeping in instead of in his study or off on a mission. He was turning thirty too, no small feat! When Maki had suggested a big celebration, the only answer her husband gave her was a pensive glance and a low whine. She took that as a pretty positive ‘no’, and thinking about it just a second later made it clear. He’s been ridiculously overworked the past few weeks, why would he want to spend an entire day socializing with people who aren’t just his wife or close friends?
She was able to convince him to cut a small cake with their friends at their beach cabin later that night though. Maki was genuinely glad he agreed, despite how exhausted he was, she didn’t like the idea of Yuta going unnoticed just because he needed sleep. Yuta was a humble man, he’s never had a taste for material gifts or grand parties. If he were to receive a gift, he’d want it to be something meaningful or sentimental. Hence why Maki encouraged him to celebrate with friends, he needed love and support right now.
The only material gift Maki had ever given Yuta was his wedding ring, and that was five years ago. Maki couldn’t help but smile to herself, now she finally had another surprise and worthy gift to give him on his birthday.
Maki held her breath as she slipped out from under the covers, it was easier to sneak around when you sleep on a futon. She crawled across the tatami mats as softly as possible before bringing her hands to the sliding door leading into the hall. Being sneaky and quiet wasn’t difficult for Maki, it was her forte really, but she couldn’t say the same from the scratchy tatami or the squeaky doors, it was easy to forget how old the Gojo Estate actually was. Once Maki slowly slid open the door, she cast back an anxious glance to her husband. Yuta grumbled a bit, she almost thought he’d wake up. Yuta finally flipped away from the direction of the door and Maki could see his breathing even out again with her powerful eyes.
Maki let out a small sigh of relief as she crawled outside on all fours like a rabid animal. Moving so much in the morning was definitely taking its toll on her, but she had a job to do. Maki skidded down the halls, barely stopping to greet Clan members as she passed. Some looked at her with amusement while a few others looked bewildered at her rush and panic. She’s sure she looked ridiculous, she hadn’t even brushed her hair yet!
Maki finally got to her destination when she could smell rice and miso soup. She slid on her tabi socks to the front of the opening to the main kitchen. Maki slipped past the thick curtain separating the kitchen from the rest of the estate and she was immediately suffocated with a faceful of steam. As Maki rubbed her eyes and resisted the urge to throw up, she took the moment to examine the room. There seemed to be more people in the kitchen than normal. Servants and Clan members alike were leaning over countertops and stoves as they procured this morning's breakfast.
She had learned to avoid the kitchen in the past few weeks. Certain smells now had a tendency to make her nauseous, but there was nothing now besides the intense heat that made her feel dizzy and irritated. The smell of miso was also extremely comforting to Maki. She used to never have a taste for it, thought it was almost plain at times, but now she couldn’t help but gravitate towards it like a dog to a juicy bone. She drank it with everything, and she fears her habit will only get worse in the near future.
Maki was broken out of her trance when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. “Maki? What are you doing up?”
She turned to recognize a familiar face. Junko was a middle aged Gojo Clan Elder who had been nothing but kind and accommodating to Maki ever since she first stepped foot into the Compound. After Maki and Yuta got married, she could truly say that Junko has become a true friend.
“I need something from the fridge, a small cupcake I set aside for Yuta’s birthday!” Maki tried to whisper yell over the loud kitchen, but avoid causing a stir over the Clan Head’s birthday.
Junko elegantly placed her hand over her lips and smiled. “Oh of course, let’s get that and a candle too!” Junko then reached into her kimono sleeves. “And here are your daily supplements.” She handed Maki a small capsule with two pre-natal vitamin pills inside.
Junko was the only one who knew of Maki’s condition. Yuta was on a mission when Maki found out herself just a few weeks ago. She had woken up feeling like hell, everything was too loud, too bright, too much in general. Like her senses were of fire. She barely had enough time to register and control her body before she was racing to her bathroom to throw up. At that point in time she and Yuta had agreed they were open to the possibility of children, but it all felt so sudden, so soon.
The worst part was that Yuta wasn’t even there with her. Not to hold her hair or rub her back. He wasn’t there. Maki knew it wasn't his fault, that if he knew what was happening and what she was feeling, he’d ditch a Special Grade threat to tend to her. But he wasn’t here, because Maki couldn’t tell him, because she was too busy throwing up last night’s dinner. Maki didn’t have much time to panic before there was a light knock at her bathroom door, and she heard the comforting voice of Junko on the other side.
Apparently she had been passing by in the hallway when she heard the crashing and rushed panic of Maki desperate to get to the bathroom. Out of concern she entered Maki and Yuta’s room without permission only to find Maki hunched over the toilet bowl puking her guts out. Junko wasted no time in helping Maki strip and get into the shower, feeling the cold water on her skin definitely helped her feel like a person again.
When Maki stepped out, she found a warm bath towel waiting for her and a clean bathroom. Her soiled yukata was removed and taken to the wash, and even the awful smell that was present just a few minutes earlier was gone in favor of the fresh smell of lemon scented cleaner and a candle. It made Maki want to tear up, to have someone who was just a stranger a few years ago treat her with such kindness. Maki never had a good relationship with her mother, even if she found out she harbored love for her daughters after her death. It didn’t erase the absence of it through Maki’s entire life.
So Junko rubbing her back, cleaning her hair, washing her ruined clothes, and erasing any trace of her embarrassing moment comforted her. Though Junko did insist that there was nothing embarrassing about such a normal and natural process, Maki still felt gross about it. That’s when she was handed three separate pregnancy tests and instructed to take them all. It was an agonizing fifteen minutes as she slowly watched two lines appear on all three of them. The room was silent for a few moments before Junko wrapped her arms around Maki in a hug.
“Congragulations Maki! You’re going to be a mother!” The thought initially terrified Maki, but seeing Junko’s smiling face and imagining Yuta’s reaction calmed her.
Ever since then Junko has been meticulously checking on Maki, which included giving her vitamins and checking on her health. The previous shock and fear that Maki first felt when she learned the news had completely worn off, and all she felt coursing through her veins was excitement and anticipation. Junko respected Maki’s wishes to keep the pregnancy a secret from everyone, including Yuta, until she was ready to tell him on his birthday. It was hard to hide her early symptoms from him, but Maki was anything but unskilled.
She was around seven weeks now, and she didn’t have much time before she started showing. A part of her also felt bad about keeping it from Yuta for so long, she just really wanted to surprise him.
Maki graciously accepted the small glass of water offered to her and swallowed down the pills with a gulp.
“Now the cake!” Maki exclaimed as she handed the glass back to Junko.
Junko nodded with fervor, “Then follow me! I’ll get you a lighter and a candle.”
The two women walked past lines and crowds of people who were running around the kitchen like chickens with their heads cut off. Were the Clan members planning on celebrating Yuta’s birthday? She could even see a couple of his favorite dishes being prepared. She knows that Yuta has made it clear to many Clan members that he’s not the kind for big celebrations, but it seemed they were still making a pretty elaborate breakfast for just any regular day.
A part of it warmed Maki’s heart to see her husband be so loved by his family.
Maki and Junko finally reached the small fridge located in the very corner at the end of the kitchen. Just like she had predicted, there it was, a single vanilla cupcake with baby blue frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Maki scooped it up and turned to find Junko already standing there with a single candle and a lighter.
“Here you go, dear!” Maki took the items graciously.
“Thank you so much again, Junko. For everything.” Maki had really put Junko through the wringer by making her the only person who knows and forbidding her from telling anyone else.
Junko blushes and gives Maki a wave of her hand. “Oh you don’t worry about a thing, Maki dear! Just go and knock his socks off!”
Maki laughed and waved Junko off as she began to make her way back out the kitchen. Some Clan members stopped to say hello and good morning, while others just looked at the cupcake in her hand with a teasing and knowing smile. It seemed they really were doing something for his birthday after all.
As Maki raced back down the hall she caught sight of the inner courtyard, there was a group of children playing ball. They were all standing at various points and taking turns throwing the ball to each other at random. One of the older cousins seemed to be taking extra care of one of the younger girls, showing her how to properly throw and catch. It was a sweet sight, Maki definitely never experienced anything like that in her own home.
The young girls of the Gojo Clan were soft in a way Maki could never be growing up. They were loved and sheltered by their family in a way that allowed them to be feminine and sweet. They would serve tea to their fathers, brothers, and grandfathers with a smile, not because they had to, but because they felt inclined to. They grew up believing men were kind and well-mannered, before the reality of the outside world eventually hit them.
Part of it’s why so many Gojo Clan born women never married. Sure they would date around when they went to school, university, and whatever time they spent as a sorcerer, but rarely did they ever settle down. It would mean they would have to leave the Clan, and why would they want to leave their family? Junko was one of these girls, now a forty three year old woman.
It scared Maki sometimes. Especially if she had a daughter. She greatly preferred for her potential daughter to be living in luxury, not just financially, but emotionally. She would have considered herself a good parent if her daughter didn’t want to leave her or Yuta. But Maki didn’t want to keep her daughter stagnant either, it was natural to leave the nest, healthy even. It wasn’t good to live life in a bubble either.
Maki shook her head as she continued speeding down the hallway. If she had a son? She’d be tough and make sure he turns out to be a fine gentleman to any and every woman he comes across. Simple as that. She’s never really considered the possibility that she might have a boy, but it didn’t seem likely, she was having a girl. She just had one of those gut feelings. Maybe it was mother’s intuition.
Maki fondly caressed her abdomen where her little life grew. She didn’t really care if she had a son or a daughter. She just wanted them to be happy and healthy. She wanted long dinners that extended into the late hours of the night because everyone was too busy talking and laughing. She wanted the cheesy photo album with all her baby’s little and big moments. She wanted the marker lines on the random post in the house with each centimeter her child grew. She couldn’t wait for the days her little one needed her to stay in the room until they fell asleep as they transitioned to sleeping on their own. She wanted everything motherhood offered her. She wanted to do it right. Right in the way that wasn’t done by her own mother.
Maki’s daydreams were broken when she finally got back towards her room.
She slowly slid open the door to find Yuta still snoring away, in the very same position she left him in. Maki let out a low laugh as closed the door and crawled over next to him. She stuck the candle into the blue frosting before lighting it. The soft orange glow of the flame was the only thing illuminating the room besides the trickle of morning light seeping through the screens to the engawa.
“Wake up… Wake up, Yuta…” Maki whispered over and over while shaking her husband’s shoulder with her free hand.
Yuta gave a firm grunt, as if telling her to back off. Maki rolled her eyes at his grumpy display and gave him a harder shove. “Wake up! I have something for you.”
Yuta let out a loud exhale, signalling that he was awake. He groggily turned around in Maki’s direction, his face was contorted in confusion before his eyes landed on the small flame and the cupcake it was attached to.
“Maki, Wha-”
Maki didn’t let him get a word out before she smashed her lips against his. It was probably awful, neither of them have even brushed their teeth yet. Yuta didn’t seem to mind though, as he was grinning into the kiss like a schoolboy. Maki laughed and pulled back to get a good look at his face.
“Maki? What’s all this?”
“What do you think? It’s a cupcake, dumbass.” Maki leaned down to place a soft kiss on her husband’s cheek. “Happy birthday, love.”
Yuta hummed in satisfaction at the affection. He looked like he was about to pull Maki back in for another kiss before she presented the cupcake to him in his face. “Make a wish!”
Yuta was a little starstruck, gaze shifting between the candle and Maki. Maki looked particularly excited and eager, so he sucked it up and closed his eyes. There were a million things he could wish for, but right now, the only thing he wanted was for every birthday to be just like this. A little hanky panky would’ve been nice, but this was great too. As long as she loved him.
With the person he loves most in this world, to always be here to kiss him good morning on his birthday. That sounded wonderful. Yuta blew out the candle and Maki let out a soft ‘yaaaay!’. It made Yuta blush at her childlike enthusiasm.
Yuta opened his mouth to say something before Maki shoved the entire cupcake into his mouth. He would’ve choked if it weren’t for his reflexes. She gave a hearty laugh before standing to get something from across the room.
“I have a gift for you…”
Yuta let out a sound of protest and disapproval. Maki knew he didn’t like gifts! Even if it was his thirtieth, he didn’t want her to wrack her brain about some special gift. Maki and his friends giving him love was more than enough.
“Oh calm your tits!” Maki wagged an accusatory finger at him as she reached into her underwear drawer, digging. Yuta raised his eyebrow at her as he finally swallowed the part of the cupcake that was in his mouth. “It’s a good gift, you’ll really like it.”
Yuta licked the sticky frosting off his fingers. “You know I don’t like you stressing about this kind of stuff.”
Maki finally returned to their futon and sat down. “Oh I wasn’t stressed at all actually, it came pretty naturally!”
Yuta cast her a questioning glance as she finally put the mystery gift in his hand. It was a box. A long and thin box. The box itself was a navy blue and wrapped in a baby blue ribbon. A whole lot of blue today, huh. He cast one final look towards Maki, asking for permission to open. She gave him a small nod as he slipped off the ribbon with a tug. He reached for the lid and set it aside. Inside…
Well at first he didn’t really know what he was looking at inside. He almost thought it was a thermometer. Then his eyes caught those two little lines. His eyes grew wide and his jaw went slack. There was no doubt what those two little lines meant. Yuta grabbed what he now thought was a pregnancy test and brought it closer to his eyes.
That confirmed it. It was true. It was a test. A positive test.
Yuta finally brought his eyes back towards Maki, his wife. She had a wide grin on her face, her eyes were little smiles as she stared at him.
“You’re pregnant?" Yuta all but whispered out loud.
“Seven weeks and counting. Happy birthday, Yuta.” She gave her abdomen a light pat.
Yuta practically threw the test on the bed, not caring where it fell. He lunged forward to embrace his wife.
“We’re going to be parents!” Yuta cried.
Yuta separated himself from Maki just to capture her lips in a deep kiss. Maki hummed in surprise and approval at his display of affection. Everything felt so right, and now they were starting a family. They kissed for what felt like forever, his hands wrapping around her body and Maki’s digging into his shoulders. They only separated to catch their breath.
“I take it you’re happy then? Good gift?” Maki questioned, a teasing smirk on her face.
Yuta had to give it to her, she knew how to keep him on his toes. Yuta dragged Maki closer to him before placing his palm on her abdomen, she was still too soon to show, but he swears he can feel the difference. “Yeah, best birthday gift ever.”
Maki hummed happily before she crawled forward to sit between Yuta’s legs. Her back was flush against his chest when she gently guided his hands to her abdomen. She placed her own hands on top on his own and pressed softly. Yuta couldn’t help the satisfied sigh that left his mouth, this felt so intimate.
Yuta let out a light chuckle as he nuzzled his face into her neck. “Might have to change my wish though…”
Maki turned her head over her shoulder to look at him. “Why?”
“I might have wished for every birthday to be just like this one.”
Maki took a second to process before her face changed into a bright shade of red. “Oh shut up!”
Yuta let out a deep laugh, relishing in the way he could feel Maki’s back against his chest. It certainly would be nice to have a birthday as nice as this every year, but he doesn’t think he or Maki could handle the amount of children that promised.
Yuta turned Maki’s face to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. “Doesn’t matter anyway…”
He gently rubbed her abdomen with one hand and clutched her free hand in his. “I got everything I’ve ever wished for right here.”