Comfort   von Gepo
                            (Twin-story to "Hurt")
================================================================================
                       Kapitel 13: A twinge of happiness
                       ---------------------------------


Kuroko had insisted on Kagami to come with him to tell his mother the news. His
mate seemed flustered for the first time, fidgeting and glancing at Kuroko on
the way. He did not budge from his side though and that was all that mattered.
“What if you are not pregnant?” Kagami whispered.
“I am. I went out of heat the same day. If I was not, I would have stayed in
heat for at least three more days” Kuroko calmly answered.
“Well … yeah.” He stayed silent for a bit. “Will your mother be
furious?”
“I don't think so. She was fifteen when she had me. She knows what it is like
to be an Omega.” He leaned to the side and was directly drawn into a half-hug.
“Normally you get mated off at fourteen or fifteen. You could say I am
actually old for my … first child.”
“Does she know about the others?”
“No” Kuroko answered immediately. “She would be heartbroken. Don't you
dare mention that to her.” He looked up, catching Kagami's eyes. “I mean,
don't even hint. You are my first boyfriend, there has never been anyone
else.”
“Why?” The other stayed calm, not asking in defence or anger, simply
asking.
“Because she is very proud she could spare me the fate so many Omegas have. I
can't tell her I threw all her hard work in the wind and actually agreed to
being raped over and over again.” He balled his fists. “I wish I could go
back and punch my stupid self in the face.”
“You aren't one for violence.” Kagami smiled and petted his head. “If you
could go back, you should offer yourself help to have the courage you have
today.”
Kuroko closed his eyes, trying his hardest not to cry. He really wasn't worthy
of Kagami. How that man simply accepted anything and tried to make the best out
of everything was beyond him. But no matter how hard the challenge, he always
rouse above himself. Where was the social idiot who made girls cry? That too
honest, good for nothing guy? Well, he was still very honest but Kuroko found it
endearing. He loved that sheepish oaf who somehow always found the right words
when Kuroko needed strength to carry on.
They got off at the right station and walked the rest of the way arm in arm. At
least Kuroko had both his arms around his mate's stomach while Kagami slung one
around Kuroko's shoulders. The people looking at them seemed surprised, some
disgusted, some aghast. Mothers changed the walkway to spare their kids from the
image. The blue-haired did not care as long as Kagami did not. And seeing as the
other was in no way ashamed of being with him, Kuroko did not see a reason to
hide. His Alpha was alright with showing everyone who he belonged to.
One of the reason Akashi had never fucked him was that he might have gotten
pregnant. Even if he did not, he might have claimed it was Akashi's kid. This
way he was unable to do so. No Akashi ever lowered themselves to copulating with
an Omega, they had more class than that. The redhead most likely thought Kuroko
should be thankful he was allowed to suck his captain's cock. Somehow he did not
even doubt that a lot of people were vying for that and were denied. Reo Mibuchi
for example. What was it with Akashi and teammates who screamed “whore”? But
Akashi would not sleep with him, Kuroko was sure of that. Reo had too much ego
for the redhead.
Midorima had no problem with showing who he was with. But that was more because
he did not know how to lie than because he wanted people to know. Aomine and
Kise would have rather been caught dead than honest about who they slept with.
Only Murasakibara would have stood by him but Kuroko had decided early on that
while that one had unbelievable pheromones, he was too unreliable as a mate.
Himuro was charming enough the get a job even with three bawling children
hanging onto him but Kuroko was not. He would have to depend on the one he was
with.
On that note, he should really tutor Kagami. Better today than tomorrow. His
mate was actually close to failing this year. Maybe he should make Kagami stay
with the kids and earn money himself. Nice vision … but no, he wanted to be
with his children and he would not be allowed to work when he was pregnant. He
had an inkling this would not be his only child.
He heard that in some countries being an Omega was completely alright. You had
to take your medication and that was it. In all other regards, you were just the
same as everyone else. He wanted to see such a thing one day. Here in Japan,
being an Omega meant you were sub-human. You were mated or married off and kept
inside to care for children. It wasn't as bad as it was a hundred years ago,
when Omegas were just a dirty secret you had next to your wife. Seeing an Omega
out on the streets for more than shopping, especially seeing them aside their
Alpha … that was nearly unheard of. But Kagami never cared for social norms,
so Kuroko did not worry too much. He simply enjoyed being with someone who had
no qualms about showing how much he loved him.
It was exhilarating.
He wanted to stuck out his baby-belly for the world to see but of course there
was nothing yet. Just a few months and he would be able to proudly show it off.
Hopefully Kagami would stay the same and not get cold feet. Up to now he held up
admirably. He had gotten stiff though when they stood in front of Kuroko's
door.
“We're home!” He called after opening the door.
“Tetsu!” His mother came out of the kitchen – the television could be
heard in the background. “Oh my … you've brought your handsome mate.”
“Have you told her?” Kagami asked in surprise.
“No, silly, I'm his mother, I know such things.” She stepped out with a
smile, throwing her arms around her son. “Let me see, let me see!” Kuroko
lowered his jacket and turned so she could inspect the bite-mark. She laughed in
delight and asked: “When is my grandchild due?”
“Nine months, you know that better than me” Kuroko necked her.
“Good thing you already have your middle-school diploma. I was thrown out of
school when I could not hide it anymore.” She sighed. “It is the great
beginning of manning conbinis at night and mopping company floors.”
“No way” Kagami spoke up. “They won't do that … will they?”
“Welcome to Omega life.” Kuroko just nodded. “At least I won't have to
live on the street. Kagami asked me to move in with him. Can I?”
“Really?” She turned to the redhead in surprise. “What does your family
say to that?”
“My father offered money and my mother said she is fine with anything as long
as I don't quit school. But how will you tutor me when you don't go to school
yourself?” Kagami looked conflicted. “I'm sorry, I didn't know that could
happen … I can't believe I was that careless.” He hung his head.
“Let us go and see your principal tomorrow.” His mother took his hands and
pressed them in support. “You know, maybe they are a bit more open these days.
We can at least try.”
“We should wait. It's only been a day. About eighty percent of pregnancies
fail in the first three months. We should not rush too much.”
“You are right.” She nodded and looked at her son's stomach. “You are
still too young but I hope you won't loose it. It's part of nature but it still
hurts. I don't think I ever told you but I was pregnant once before you.”
“Really?” Kuroko looked up in surprise.
“Yes. It only lasted two weeks though. But it made me sad enough that when I
thought about aborting you after your father ran away, I could not stand the
thought. I still feel guilty I even thought about that, so I am happy I could
not consider going through with an abortion. Even imagining that after loosing a
baby was unthinkable.”
“I can imagine” Kuroko plastered the most fake smile he could muster on his
face. “Do you have some food? I am a bit hungry.”
“You are too early for hunger pangs.” She winked and turned. “I have some
wakame and I can cook some rice. Are you hungry too, Kagami?”
“I'll take some rice, please. Just fill your cooker, I'll eat whatever is
left.” He looked at Kuroko for a few seconds. “We'll wait in your son's
room, alright?”
“Sure, I'll call for you!”
“Thank you, Miss Kuroko.” Kagami took his hand and dragged him to his room.

“I see why you don't want to tell her.” Kagami sat down and dragged a
sitting pillow next to him. “But I also fear what keeping this a secret is
doing to you.”
“I am alright” Kuroko mumbled.
“You are not.” The other shook his head. “You beat yourself up because you
think she would be disappointed and ashamed of you.”
He nodded. He knew for a fact that she would be. Shame. It was enough how
ashamed he felt about himself. She would be right to blame him for what
happened, for killing those babies. He had done that. Kagami must be ashamed of
him as well, he just did not say so because he loved him.
“Can we talk?” Kagami turned to fully face him. So this was it. His mate
must have finally realised what he had gotten himself into. Kuroko lowered his
head but Kagami drew it up again with a hand under his chin. “Why are you
suddenly so down?”
“You don't want a baby, do you?” Kuroko whispered. “You go along with this
because you know I would never, ever abort it.”
The redhead stayed silent. Of course. What else should he say? He could only
hurt Kuroko further or lie. Both would only make it worse. Kagami loved him, he
was sure of that, but this … this seemed unsolvable.
“Do you have Akashi's number?” The redhead's voice was trembling with fury.
“I can't hit the guy right now but I want to scream at him for doing this to
you.”
“Akashi never did anything, it was all me. You may scream at me.” Even
though he said that Kuroko curled in on himself. He did not want his mate angry
with him.
That one sighed deeply while all anger seemed to drain from him. It looked a bit
like meditating until he opened his eyes again and softly said: “I can't make
you believe that I love you, that I want to stay with you through thick and
thin, that I want to be with you and raise our baby with you. It frustrates me
so much that my words and actions don't reach you. What can I do to make you
believe me?”
Kagami could not mean that. He must not have thought this through. Why should
the nicest, best-looking, powerful guy want to stay with someone as tainted as
him? He trusted Kagami that the other had feelings for him. He had mated with
him after all. But more than that? He wasn't worth that much.
“Okay, even if you don't believe me: Yes, this was unplanned. I don't regret
it though. I hope it won't open too many old wounds or that if, I am somehow
able to close them, I don't know. I just want you to know that I support you. If
you want this baby – not because you feel guilty or ashamed or don't want to
disappoint people – if you yourself want to have this, I will support you in
any way I can. If you can't believe me, than at least know is not because I
don't mean it. I fully mean it. I … I don't know what more I can say.”
Kuroko closed his arms around his stomach and calmly stated: “I want this
baby.”
“Good.” Kagami took a deep breath. “Then we will have this baby. Not you,
we. I am part of this. We are partners, are we not? You are always right to call
me out when I start a one-man-show, now I call you out on it.”
“Aren't you afraid?” The blue-haired whispered.
“Afraid?” The other blinked. “Of what? The baby won't eat us, even if it
has my stomach.”
Kuroko simply shook his head with a smile. Right. What should they be afraid of?
It was only a baby. Kagami could make everything seem so easy. And hadn't he
been right before? He had said they would be the best in Japan and that was what
they did. How hard could raising a child be when you already became a national
basketball champion and threw all your former tormentor's arrogance in their
face? He was right. It was just a baby. Omegas had them all the time. And he
would not be alone.
“Stay with me”, Kuroko whispered, “I'll be sure to believe you some
day.”

They began packing the next day. Due to being poor and living in a
one-tatami-room, Kuroko did not own more than what the three of them could
comfortably carry. It was sad that his school textbooks were the heaviest thing
he owned, followed by a sport bag full of clothes that Kagami carried.
His mother was delighted by their flat. She most likely had never seen something
so big, coming from a fairly poor farming family herself. Her father had not
wanted to support a pregnant Omega daughter, so she had been in state custody
until she was old enough to support herself – being the competent woman that
she was, that had been three months after Kuroko's birth. She danced in circles
in the spacious living room.
“If you can stay in school, Tetsu, I'll watch your baby, yes? I can change my
shifts back to evening-shifts. I want to watch my favorite series on that TV.”
She clapped in delight, standing in front of the large plasma screen. “Hey, do
you think I should move too? Maybe I find something cheaper in the neighborhood.
I can live with one less room now.”
“I'd rather you look for something bigger. You'll have less expenses now.”
“Ah, don't worry. Having you live with me is not expensive, you don't eat
much. Just think how my life would have been raising someone like your mate. I
would never have been able to get enough money for school and food.” She
laughed. “No wonder Alphas tend to get rich. They'd never be able to raise
their children otherwise.”
Kagami looked like he wanted to sink through the floor. Miss Kuroko went up to
him and asked nicely: “Would you help me move, mister son-in-law?”
“What? Eh, sure. I'll help.” He scratched his head. “Just tell me what you
need, I'll do it. If money is a problem, I'm pretty sure my parents would gladly
pay for your help with the kid.” He looked at her annoyed face. “I'm sorry,
I didn't mean that in a bad way, it's just … they have nothing but money to
offer. They'll never watch a kid or anything. If you move and change your job
just for us, that's … I know that's most likely something you just do, you're
a great mother, but I didn't grow up with taking things like that for granted. I
just mean … it's only right if my parents do their part, even if it is with
money.” He looked down in shame. “I just wanted to say thank you.”
“Thank you is enough.” She nodded. “I won't take money for caring for my
grandchild, no matter how poor I am. That is just the right thing to do.”
Well, no one had ever done the right thing by her, so no wonder she adamantly
kept to that. “But I'll gladly call for you whenever I need help. I bet you
can repair our cupboard in no time.”
“Last time we tried I lifted my mother but we were still unable to secure the
top” Kuroko explained.
“How about I come over tomorrow and I try to fix it?” Kagami offered.
“Such a reliable young man!” She took his hand. “No show me where you plan
the baby room.”

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