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Blood. Lust. Family. Chapter 11
Pairing: Sakumoto
Genre: Vampire AU, fantasy, drama, mpreg
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Contains violence, gore, blood.
Summary: Nino and Jun have a heart-to-heart talk.
Previously: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10
“I'm fine, Sho. My father just always manages to get under my skin.” Jun wiped his eyes and hastened to reassure his mate who was panicking on the other end of the phone. There was no way that he would ever tell him fully about what had just occurred, but he was able to say enough, so as to not arouse Sho’s suspicions. “Please don't worry. I'm perfectly fine, just a little emotional.”
The vampire who had served as a spy had been taken away by Council agents, to give a formal statement, and to be placed into a protection program. King Matsumoto would not tolerate him passing on incriminating evidence to Nino without attempting retribution.
After he hung up, Jun turned towards Nino, who was driving him away from the King's residence. “Thank you Nino. I don't know how things would have ended without your intervention.”
“I don't deserve your thanks. I failed you once before.” Nino’s words were barely audible, as he hung his head. “Matsuoka could have destroyed you. I don’t know why you aren’t angry with me.”
“Nino, pull over.” Jun ordered. “Now.”
“What?” Nino looked at him with confusion. “Is something wrong?”
“There absolutely is,” Jun said sternly. “Don’t you dare to think that way. You have never failed me or Sho either. It was me who disobeyed your strict instructions, so actually you should be the one who is scolding me for putting myself in danger, not the other way around. I will only get angry if you continue to blame yourself.”
“The Ninomiya family have faithfully served the Royals since time immemorial…” Nino began, only to have Jun cut him off.
“You are no servant. Your family have acted as the leading agents of the Vampire Council since its inception. We are no longer living in the dark ages. It was my choice to do what I did; and it was something which anyone would do for their mate. Even the Council acknowledged that fact at their meeting where the case was discussed.” Jun said firmly.
Nino relaxed back into his seat and looked at Jun properly for the first time since sitting in the car. A slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “It wasn't just because of that. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you. You are my friend, and I don't have enough of those to be able to afford to lose any.”
“You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that.” Jun returned Nino’s smile. “And you have no idea how glad I was to see you walk into the room today. I have little doubt that the King wouldn't have hesitated for a second to dispose of me if he’d been convinced that I was about to bring disgrace upon our family. But there is one thing that I’ve been wondering about today. How did you even know that I was there?”
“Aiba alerted me the moment that you left the house. Your father was speaking so loudly and angrily to you over the phone, he couldn't help overhearing.”
“So, are you and Aiba-chan friends now? Because if so, then I think that is really cute,” Jun nudged Nino and grinned at him.
“If this friendship thing is to continue, then I suggest that in future you refrain from calling me ‘cute’,” Nino replied with a grin of his own.
****
Nino’s car had barely stopped before Sho was pulling the passenger door open. “Satoshi felt it too. You were deeply sad and crying. The only reason why we didn’t race over there was because Aiba assured us that you were with Nino. What actually happened between you and your father?”
Jun released the breath he’d been holding; it appeared that his father’s mental block had worked in his favour. Sho only knew about his emotional reaction after leaving his father, and not of his father’s actions which had resulted in his split lip, thankfully already healed without leaving a trace.
“My father called me to go and see him so that, as usual, he could tell me what a disappointment I am to him. We had a disagreement, and I got upset. That's what you felt.”
Sho bristled, and a red ember ignited in the depths of his eyes, and so Jun hastened to reassure him before any damage was done. “He was quite clear about the fact that he will never see me as anything more than an insurance policy to ensure the continuation of the Matsumoto line. It is unnecessary for us to ever meet again.”
Sho wrapped his arms around Jun and pulled him close. The calm beat of his heart reassured him that Jun was fine. “But why did he wish to speak with you in the first place? And why was Nino there?”
“King Matsumoto learned of your purchase of the house for Aiba, and wanted more information. He cannot understand why you would do something like that for a human.” Nino answered before Jun could speak. “I discovered that a member of your security team was spying on you and feeding him information. Or rather, I should describe him as an ex employee. I took the liberty of firing him for you, before taking him into custody.”
“Nino gave me the courage to stop seeking the approval of King Matsumoto, and walk away. I will never again acknowledge him as my father, and I will ensure that our youngling never comes into contact with him,” Jun said firmly but shakily, as a wave of weakness overcame him. He clung tightly to Sho until the dizzy spell passed.
“Aiba has prepared dinner, perhaps you should go to bed and I will bring you a tray,” Sho offered with a worried frown.
“I will be fine once I have eaten.” Jun straightened up and took a few deep breaths. “And I would like to invite Nino to stay and eat with us.”
Nino opened his mouth to argue that he didn’t eat, but Jun beat him to it.
“And yes, Nino, I know that you don’t eat, but you can partake of some blood with us and Sho can open one of his bottles of red wine to share with you.”
The steely glint in Jun’s eyes brooked no argument and Nino found himself nodding meekly and following them into the house.
****
After he placed the last dish down on the table Aiba headed back to the kitchen, but was surprised by Jun who followed behind him and said, “Please join us for dinner, Aiba-chan.”
Aiba’s cheeks burned and he shook his head frantically. “I couldn’t possibly. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Today you were courageous enough to call Nino, and by doing so you saved me from a terrible situation with King Matsumoto. You are my friends, and friends should sit and eat together occasionally.” Jun winced and rubbed his belly as his youngling expressed their displeasure at the lack of food by kicking him hard. “Even my youngling is urging you to come to the table. Please?”
It was impossible to resist Jun’s huge pleading eyes, so Aiba untied his apron and followed him back to the dining room, relieved that Jun had arrived home safely and touched beyond measure by the gesture.
****
Another guest had arrived while Jun and Aiba were in the kitchen.
“Satoshi?” Jun said, a second before being engulfed in a bear hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you,” Satoshi said softly enough for only Jun to hear. “I spoke to our father, and I didn’t like what I heard.”
“I’m fine, truly. The thought of no longer having to deal with him makes me feel so much happier than I ever imagined,” Jun replied honestly.
Satoshi leaned back and looked into Jun’s eyes, and apparently reassured by what he saw, released his brother and took his seat at the table. “You always have the best food, so I invited myself to dinner.”
“You’re more than welcome,” Sho replied with a smile. “It seems as if we are having an impromptu housewarming party for the two new houses.”
“I heard about the extra house purchase at great length from my father,” Satoshi said with a sigh. “Congratulations on your new residence Aiba-chan. You deserve it for looking after these two,” he added as he gestured to Sho and Jun.
“It’s not so difficult. I'm used to dealing with children,” Aiba chirped. A moment later his face turned fire engine red and he clapped his hand over his mouth. His voice was muffled as he said, “Sorry, sirs.”
“Well said, Aiba-kun,” Satoshi said. He poured Aiba a glass of wine and gestured for him to sit down beside him. “Even though Jun and Sho both like to think that they are grown-ups now, they still have a long way to go.”
Sho stiffened, but Jun squeezed his shoulders on his way to his seat in a gesture of warning to not take things too seriously.
Before Jun could sit down, there was a knock at the front door, so he diverted over to answer it. Only someone known to them would make it past the guards, so he had no concerns about who might be asking for entry.
Shun-sensei was standing on the threshold, dressed casually and not wearing his glasses. A shy smile graced his face and he held a small cooler in his hands. “Nino told me that you had a hard time today, so I took it upon myself to drop in on my way home to check on you. I hope I’m not intruding?”
“Of course you’re not intruding.” Jun wasn’t surprised to hear that Nino had contacted the physician; he had the suspicion that the relationship between the pair was more complex than they let on.
After casting a professional eye over Jun, Shun tutted and handed over the box. “You still look sallow. Tomorrow I will return and give you a proper examination and take some blood.”
“You really need to work on how to compliment someone, no wonder you’re still single,” Jun joked in an attempt to deflect Shun’s attention away from him, and his anaemia. He was well aware that if things didn’t improve then a hospital stay was in his future, something which he wished to avoid at all costs.
Shun wasn’t easily fooled. “Nice try, but I’m still going to be here. In the meantime, I brought you something which will help.”
Jun scowled at Shun before he opened the lid of the box. His eyes lit up as he saw the contents. There was a beautiful fillet of raw dark red meat nestled in a bed of ice. “Venison?”
“High in iron and low in fat, and something which everyone can enjoy raw. If you let me into your kitchen, I can whip up a tartare, if you have the ingredients I need.”
“I’m sure we do, and if not then I am perfectly happy to eat it as is.” Jun’s eyes glowed lilac and his stomach rumbled loudly.
Shun slipped off his shoes and took the box back. “You should go and sit down and grab some food. If you point me in the right direction, I’ll have this done in no time.”
Nino appeared out of nowhere and snatched the box out of Shun’s hands. “Allow me. I know where everything is in the kitchen.”
Jun watched the pair of them disappear into the kitchen with an amused smile.
****
“Spinach?” Aiba offered the plate to Jun who shuddered and shook his head. Not one to give us easily, Aiba picked up some with the serving spoon and placed it in Jun’s bowl anyway. “If you eat just a few mouthfuls you can have dessert.”
Jun was amused. “Is that how you do it with your children?”
“Little Genki is the worst. He refuses to eat anything which isn't deep fried.” Aiba added a few mushrooms to the spinach. “I'm serious though. You should try to eat at least a few bites. Every little bit helps.”
Until now, Jun had happily eaten all of the iron rich foods which Aiba had prepared for him, but now the only thing which appealed to him was the venison tartar which Shun placed on the table within easy reach.
He forced down the spinach, fighting his gag reflex, aware that everyone's eyes were on him.
Sensing his mate’s discomfort, Sho provided a distraction by asking Aiba about how his family was enjoying the new house. As Abia pulled out his phone and produced a string of photographs of his children, Jun gave Sho an appreciative nod, before helping himself to a large portion of the venison.
It was easier to eat without everyone watching, and the raw meat gave Jun an immediate boost. He turned to Nino who was sitting quietly at the end of the table observing the conversation but not joining in. As usual, he only consumed blood, but he also had a glass of the fine red wine Sho was so proud of.
“Nino, do you mind me asking you something personal?”
After appearing to consider for a moment, Nino shook his head and sipped his wine. “Go ahead.”
“Have you ever given any thought to taking a mate?”
“I like solitude too much. Perhaps in a few hundred years, when I tire of my own company, I might consider it.”
“And breeding?”
“I have always said that I wish to be the last of the Ninomiyas, but I may be mellowing with age. Although every time Aiba tells me another nappy blowout story, I pick up another package of extra durable condoms on my way home,” Nino said with an exaggerated shudder.
Shun leaned across the table and made a snipping motion with his fingers. “I can fix that for you permanently, and save you a lot of money in the process.”
Nino squeaked and held an empty plate over his crotch as a shield. “Even I am not that obsessed with being thrifty.”
Jun giggled and took another bite of spinach; as everyone relaxed and began to enjoy themselves, he found his appetite returning.
Sho could tell by the lingering traces of distress pricking at the back of his mind that there was more to Jun’s encounter with King Matsumoto than he had told him. Rather than ruin the impromptu party by bringing up the subject now, he was happy to wait for Jun to tell him when he felt ready.
Even as recently as the early days of Jun’s pregnancy, Sho would have found it impossible to restrain himself in this way, but now he was more aware of the damage which could be done to their bond by acting in an overprotective and smothering fashion towards his mate.
For now Sho was content to sit back and watch the beautiful expression on Jun’s face as he enjoyed himself with all of the people who were most important to him.
****
After a pleasant dinner and the promised dessert of dark chocolate brownies, they had moved to the large and newly furnished living room for liqueurs. At that point Aiba had excused himself with the intention of washing the dishes, which had been firmly vetoed by Sho, who had sent him home with the rest of the brownies for his family. With the transition to larger living quarters, a new maid had been employed to undertake the cleaning and laundry, freeing Aiba to concentrate on his secretarial duties. Sho was still guilty about all of the extra hours which Aiba had contributed over the years and planned a large bonus to be included in his next monthly salary payment.
“We should be going.” Shun tugged at Nino’s sleeve to attract his attention away from the conversation he was having with Satoshi.
Satoshi protested. “It’s still early.”
“Not for some of us,” Sho said quietly as he pointed to the sofa.
Exhausted by the emotional roller-coaster that the day had been, Jun was stretched out fast asleep.
“I'll just check on him, and then I’ll catch up with you outside,” Shun said.
Nino and Satoshi nodded and made their way out, after quietly saying their goodbyes.
Jun’s hand was cold as ice when Shun placed his fingers on his wrist to check his pulse. Unable to take a reading due to the ring of scar tissue, he frowned and tucked it under the throw rug which Sho handed him to drape over his mate, before swapping to the other arm.
“He’s still struggling,” Sho said softly. He brushed a stray hair off Jun’s face, which was tangled in his long eyelashes. “I try my best to encourage him to eat, but he has good days and bad days.”
As he straightened up, Shun nodded. “I noticed that his colour was bad when I arrived. This pregnancy is taking an obvious toll on his body, and he still has a long way to go yet. I believe that his long exposure to silver during his abduction fifteen years ago is one of the major contributing factors to his increasing weakness. I will return after my hospital rounds tomorrow evening, for a more thorough examination. It would be a great help if you could reconcile him to the possibility of a hospital admission before then.”
Raw anger flooded Sho’s body and mind; Yokoyama was dead, but still enacting revenge upon Jun, who had never done anything to him except win Sho’s heart. He took a steadying breath and bundled Jun into his arms, carefully carrying him up the stairs to their bedroom as Shun let himself out.
Genre: Vampire AU, fantasy, drama, mpreg
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Contains violence, gore, blood.
Summary: Nino and Jun have a heart-to-heart talk.
Previously: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10
“I'm fine, Sho. My father just always manages to get under my skin.” Jun wiped his eyes and hastened to reassure his mate who was panicking on the other end of the phone. There was no way that he would ever tell him fully about what had just occurred, but he was able to say enough, so as to not arouse Sho’s suspicions. “Please don't worry. I'm perfectly fine, just a little emotional.”
The vampire who had served as a spy had been taken away by Council agents, to give a formal statement, and to be placed into a protection program. King Matsumoto would not tolerate him passing on incriminating evidence to Nino without attempting retribution.
After he hung up, Jun turned towards Nino, who was driving him away from the King's residence. “Thank you Nino. I don't know how things would have ended without your intervention.”
“I don't deserve your thanks. I failed you once before.” Nino’s words were barely audible, as he hung his head. “Matsuoka could have destroyed you. I don’t know why you aren’t angry with me.”
“Nino, pull over.” Jun ordered. “Now.”
“What?” Nino looked at him with confusion. “Is something wrong?”
“There absolutely is,” Jun said sternly. “Don’t you dare to think that way. You have never failed me or Sho either. It was me who disobeyed your strict instructions, so actually you should be the one who is scolding me for putting myself in danger, not the other way around. I will only get angry if you continue to blame yourself.”
“The Ninomiya family have faithfully served the Royals since time immemorial…” Nino began, only to have Jun cut him off.
“You are no servant. Your family have acted as the leading agents of the Vampire Council since its inception. We are no longer living in the dark ages. It was my choice to do what I did; and it was something which anyone would do for their mate. Even the Council acknowledged that fact at their meeting where the case was discussed.” Jun said firmly.
Nino relaxed back into his seat and looked at Jun properly for the first time since sitting in the car. A slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “It wasn't just because of that. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you. You are my friend, and I don't have enough of those to be able to afford to lose any.”
“You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that.” Jun returned Nino’s smile. “And you have no idea how glad I was to see you walk into the room today. I have little doubt that the King wouldn't have hesitated for a second to dispose of me if he’d been convinced that I was about to bring disgrace upon our family. But there is one thing that I’ve been wondering about today. How did you even know that I was there?”
“Aiba alerted me the moment that you left the house. Your father was speaking so loudly and angrily to you over the phone, he couldn't help overhearing.”
“So, are you and Aiba-chan friends now? Because if so, then I think that is really cute,” Jun nudged Nino and grinned at him.
“If this friendship thing is to continue, then I suggest that in future you refrain from calling me ‘cute’,” Nino replied with a grin of his own.
****
Nino’s car had barely stopped before Sho was pulling the passenger door open. “Satoshi felt it too. You were deeply sad and crying. The only reason why we didn’t race over there was because Aiba assured us that you were with Nino. What actually happened between you and your father?”
Jun released the breath he’d been holding; it appeared that his father’s mental block had worked in his favour. Sho only knew about his emotional reaction after leaving his father, and not of his father’s actions which had resulted in his split lip, thankfully already healed without leaving a trace.
“My father called me to go and see him so that, as usual, he could tell me what a disappointment I am to him. We had a disagreement, and I got upset. That's what you felt.”
Sho bristled, and a red ember ignited in the depths of his eyes, and so Jun hastened to reassure him before any damage was done. “He was quite clear about the fact that he will never see me as anything more than an insurance policy to ensure the continuation of the Matsumoto line. It is unnecessary for us to ever meet again.”
Sho wrapped his arms around Jun and pulled him close. The calm beat of his heart reassured him that Jun was fine. “But why did he wish to speak with you in the first place? And why was Nino there?”
“King Matsumoto learned of your purchase of the house for Aiba, and wanted more information. He cannot understand why you would do something like that for a human.” Nino answered before Jun could speak. “I discovered that a member of your security team was spying on you and feeding him information. Or rather, I should describe him as an ex employee. I took the liberty of firing him for you, before taking him into custody.”
“Nino gave me the courage to stop seeking the approval of King Matsumoto, and walk away. I will never again acknowledge him as my father, and I will ensure that our youngling never comes into contact with him,” Jun said firmly but shakily, as a wave of weakness overcame him. He clung tightly to Sho until the dizzy spell passed.
“Aiba has prepared dinner, perhaps you should go to bed and I will bring you a tray,” Sho offered with a worried frown.
“I will be fine once I have eaten.” Jun straightened up and took a few deep breaths. “And I would like to invite Nino to stay and eat with us.”
Nino opened his mouth to argue that he didn’t eat, but Jun beat him to it.
“And yes, Nino, I know that you don’t eat, but you can partake of some blood with us and Sho can open one of his bottles of red wine to share with you.”
The steely glint in Jun’s eyes brooked no argument and Nino found himself nodding meekly and following them into the house.
****
After he placed the last dish down on the table Aiba headed back to the kitchen, but was surprised by Jun who followed behind him and said, “Please join us for dinner, Aiba-chan.”
Aiba’s cheeks burned and he shook his head frantically. “I couldn’t possibly. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Today you were courageous enough to call Nino, and by doing so you saved me from a terrible situation with King Matsumoto. You are my friends, and friends should sit and eat together occasionally.” Jun winced and rubbed his belly as his youngling expressed their displeasure at the lack of food by kicking him hard. “Even my youngling is urging you to come to the table. Please?”
It was impossible to resist Jun’s huge pleading eyes, so Aiba untied his apron and followed him back to the dining room, relieved that Jun had arrived home safely and touched beyond measure by the gesture.
****
Another guest had arrived while Jun and Aiba were in the kitchen.
“Satoshi?” Jun said, a second before being engulfed in a bear hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you,” Satoshi said softly enough for only Jun to hear. “I spoke to our father, and I didn’t like what I heard.”
“I’m fine, truly. The thought of no longer having to deal with him makes me feel so much happier than I ever imagined,” Jun replied honestly.
Satoshi leaned back and looked into Jun’s eyes, and apparently reassured by what he saw, released his brother and took his seat at the table. “You always have the best food, so I invited myself to dinner.”
“You’re more than welcome,” Sho replied with a smile. “It seems as if we are having an impromptu housewarming party for the two new houses.”
“I heard about the extra house purchase at great length from my father,” Satoshi said with a sigh. “Congratulations on your new residence Aiba-chan. You deserve it for looking after these two,” he added as he gestured to Sho and Jun.
“It’s not so difficult. I'm used to dealing with children,” Aiba chirped. A moment later his face turned fire engine red and he clapped his hand over his mouth. His voice was muffled as he said, “Sorry, sirs.”
“Well said, Aiba-kun,” Satoshi said. He poured Aiba a glass of wine and gestured for him to sit down beside him. “Even though Jun and Sho both like to think that they are grown-ups now, they still have a long way to go.”
Sho stiffened, but Jun squeezed his shoulders on his way to his seat in a gesture of warning to not take things too seriously.
Before Jun could sit down, there was a knock at the front door, so he diverted over to answer it. Only someone known to them would make it past the guards, so he had no concerns about who might be asking for entry.
Shun-sensei was standing on the threshold, dressed casually and not wearing his glasses. A shy smile graced his face and he held a small cooler in his hands. “Nino told me that you had a hard time today, so I took it upon myself to drop in on my way home to check on you. I hope I’m not intruding?”
“Of course you’re not intruding.” Jun wasn’t surprised to hear that Nino had contacted the physician; he had the suspicion that the relationship between the pair was more complex than they let on.
After casting a professional eye over Jun, Shun tutted and handed over the box. “You still look sallow. Tomorrow I will return and give you a proper examination and take some blood.”
“You really need to work on how to compliment someone, no wonder you’re still single,” Jun joked in an attempt to deflect Shun’s attention away from him, and his anaemia. He was well aware that if things didn’t improve then a hospital stay was in his future, something which he wished to avoid at all costs.
Shun wasn’t easily fooled. “Nice try, but I’m still going to be here. In the meantime, I brought you something which will help.”
Jun scowled at Shun before he opened the lid of the box. His eyes lit up as he saw the contents. There was a beautiful fillet of raw dark red meat nestled in a bed of ice. “Venison?”
“High in iron and low in fat, and something which everyone can enjoy raw. If you let me into your kitchen, I can whip up a tartare, if you have the ingredients I need.”
“I’m sure we do, and if not then I am perfectly happy to eat it as is.” Jun’s eyes glowed lilac and his stomach rumbled loudly.
Shun slipped off his shoes and took the box back. “You should go and sit down and grab some food. If you point me in the right direction, I’ll have this done in no time.”
Nino appeared out of nowhere and snatched the box out of Shun’s hands. “Allow me. I know where everything is in the kitchen.”
Jun watched the pair of them disappear into the kitchen with an amused smile.
****
“Spinach?” Aiba offered the plate to Jun who shuddered and shook his head. Not one to give us easily, Aiba picked up some with the serving spoon and placed it in Jun’s bowl anyway. “If you eat just a few mouthfuls you can have dessert.”
Jun was amused. “Is that how you do it with your children?”
“Little Genki is the worst. He refuses to eat anything which isn't deep fried.” Aiba added a few mushrooms to the spinach. “I'm serious though. You should try to eat at least a few bites. Every little bit helps.”
Until now, Jun had happily eaten all of the iron rich foods which Aiba had prepared for him, but now the only thing which appealed to him was the venison tartar which Shun placed on the table within easy reach.
He forced down the spinach, fighting his gag reflex, aware that everyone's eyes were on him.
Sensing his mate’s discomfort, Sho provided a distraction by asking Aiba about how his family was enjoying the new house. As Abia pulled out his phone and produced a string of photographs of his children, Jun gave Sho an appreciative nod, before helping himself to a large portion of the venison.
It was easier to eat without everyone watching, and the raw meat gave Jun an immediate boost. He turned to Nino who was sitting quietly at the end of the table observing the conversation but not joining in. As usual, he only consumed blood, but he also had a glass of the fine red wine Sho was so proud of.
“Nino, do you mind me asking you something personal?”
After appearing to consider for a moment, Nino shook his head and sipped his wine. “Go ahead.”
“Have you ever given any thought to taking a mate?”
“I like solitude too much. Perhaps in a few hundred years, when I tire of my own company, I might consider it.”
“And breeding?”
“I have always said that I wish to be the last of the Ninomiyas, but I may be mellowing with age. Although every time Aiba tells me another nappy blowout story, I pick up another package of extra durable condoms on my way home,” Nino said with an exaggerated shudder.
Shun leaned across the table and made a snipping motion with his fingers. “I can fix that for you permanently, and save you a lot of money in the process.”
Nino squeaked and held an empty plate over his crotch as a shield. “Even I am not that obsessed with being thrifty.”
Jun giggled and took another bite of spinach; as everyone relaxed and began to enjoy themselves, he found his appetite returning.
Sho could tell by the lingering traces of distress pricking at the back of his mind that there was more to Jun’s encounter with King Matsumoto than he had told him. Rather than ruin the impromptu party by bringing up the subject now, he was happy to wait for Jun to tell him when he felt ready.
Even as recently as the early days of Jun’s pregnancy, Sho would have found it impossible to restrain himself in this way, but now he was more aware of the damage which could be done to their bond by acting in an overprotective and smothering fashion towards his mate.
For now Sho was content to sit back and watch the beautiful expression on Jun’s face as he enjoyed himself with all of the people who were most important to him.
****
After a pleasant dinner and the promised dessert of dark chocolate brownies, they had moved to the large and newly furnished living room for liqueurs. At that point Aiba had excused himself with the intention of washing the dishes, which had been firmly vetoed by Sho, who had sent him home with the rest of the brownies for his family. With the transition to larger living quarters, a new maid had been employed to undertake the cleaning and laundry, freeing Aiba to concentrate on his secretarial duties. Sho was still guilty about all of the extra hours which Aiba had contributed over the years and planned a large bonus to be included in his next monthly salary payment.
“We should be going.” Shun tugged at Nino’s sleeve to attract his attention away from the conversation he was having with Satoshi.
Satoshi protested. “It’s still early.”
“Not for some of us,” Sho said quietly as he pointed to the sofa.
Exhausted by the emotional roller-coaster that the day had been, Jun was stretched out fast asleep.
“I'll just check on him, and then I’ll catch up with you outside,” Shun said.
Nino and Satoshi nodded and made their way out, after quietly saying their goodbyes.
Jun’s hand was cold as ice when Shun placed his fingers on his wrist to check his pulse. Unable to take a reading due to the ring of scar tissue, he frowned and tucked it under the throw rug which Sho handed him to drape over his mate, before swapping to the other arm.
“He’s still struggling,” Sho said softly. He brushed a stray hair off Jun’s face, which was tangled in his long eyelashes. “I try my best to encourage him to eat, but he has good days and bad days.”
As he straightened up, Shun nodded. “I noticed that his colour was bad when I arrived. This pregnancy is taking an obvious toll on his body, and he still has a long way to go yet. I believe that his long exposure to silver during his abduction fifteen years ago is one of the major contributing factors to his increasing weakness. I will return after my hospital rounds tomorrow evening, for a more thorough examination. It would be a great help if you could reconcile him to the possibility of a hospital admission before then.”
Raw anger flooded Sho’s body and mind; Yokoyama was dead, but still enacting revenge upon Jun, who had never done anything to him except win Sho’s heart. He took a steadying breath and bundled Jun into his arms, carefully carrying him up the stairs to their bedroom as Shun let himself out.
no subject
The chapter was interesting. I liked the heart-to-heart talk of Jun and Nino :)
They are cute. I hope Jun will be fine though
no subject
I am being terrible to poor Jun in this fic 😊
I think that Jun becoming friends with Nino is good for the both of them.
no subject
Jun has to suffer a bit much yes but we all like to let our faves suffer. I mean look at my stories and Nino XD
I love Suezu friendship so I am all up for more