/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46014878
next chapters later today! Sorry for turning you guys into a NPC all of a sudden; I'll pay the therapy...

>>45307277
hey, it's okay if I use Suzu in the Keine chapter? Figured would ask, so I don't get in the way of your plans!

>>45099904 (2/-)
—
Nuclear fallout has lasting effects; not telling—better: not being able to tell—the truth also has immense consequences.

Like an excited Mokou dragging you through the village, voice as loud as a Chinese ballista. "Since it's going to be twins, we'll need two cradles—or just one, and we cram them together! Gah, won't that be cute? Two bundles of joy holding each other~"

For the millionth time, I try, "Mokou, please, I'm not—"

"It's on me, dummy! Don't worry about money! You'd be surprised at the number of offerings people leave after I help them. Gratitude is a way to make a living, after all, and I don't have—oh, we're here!" The villagers stare at Mokou as she runs inside the weirdly populated store. I'm sure it's not rush hour still, and even though, would a store that only sells baby wares be so busy…?

A bit red when eyes fall on me, I follow Mokou inside, annoyance and frustration giving hands as I hear a whisper; 'oh, that's my son's teacher—I heard she is pregnant' in the background.

It's been only four, five hours since all that mess in the morning and the entire village already knows… How the hell am I going to explain this is a fucking lie!?

"OI, Keine! Look at this!" My eyes broaden as I see what she's holding, her smile shining. "We don't know the genders of your twins yet, so green and red would make a great neutral choice, right? Or we bet and buy all pink, or all blue—or maybe even all of them!!" Why is she so goddamn excited about MY pregnancy, anyway—a pregnancy that doesn't even exist?!

My body trembles, accelerating my pace towards Mokou with a new, growing fire. Okay, it MAY have been funny—it wasn't—at the start, but it's growing out of control! I clasp her shoulders; the height difference about two heads, yet my eyes on hers should've made the immortal feel small. "Mokou…" I start, voice deep. "I. Am. Not…" I stop, looking at the sides like a hawk. Nothing to disturb… Good. "I'm not pregnant. There are no kids inside of me. I am NOT pregnant." I finally say it after being thrown around like a doll by a bunch of kids and this overly excited gran the entire day.

Feels great.

Mokou stares at me. I stare back, the cogs turning behind her eyes visible. Great, so she got it—now, to clean the rest of this—

"HAHAHA!" Oh fuck… "Great joke, sis! No need to be ashamed of what’s growing inside of you! It's life! It's beautiful—I've decided: Let's get everything! Blue, pink, green, red, rainbow!" She picks up an empty basket from the ground and starts to fill it with everything that catches her eyes.

I growl, feeling the migraine in the back of my skull pulse like a wound. How dense can one's head be!? Will I need a fucking nutcracker to get through her? Preparing to try again, I'm stopped in my tracks when a gentle hand touches my shoulder, and I turn, frustration getting the best of me and scowling at whoever is—

A tiny rat lady looks at me from below, her belly protuberant and smile warm. The scowl hits that, bounces back to me, and melts away like ice cream, leaving only embarrassment behind. "Excuse me—is this your first pregnancy?" She asks softly.

"I-uh-sorry for that—but—I-I'm not—"

"Yup, this dummy here's a first-time mama!" Mokou barges in, arm around my neck. The rat youkai laughs a bit, the immortal laughs too, and the red of my face grows like a volcano. "You too, missy?"

"Oh, no, this is my second—like the first, 'twas unexpected," even though, she caresses the belly with utmost care. "Can I make an educated guess and say it was also unexpected for you, Miss…?"

"Keine. It's a pleasure…" Feeling weak, I don't try to correct her; just keep on listening.

"It's hard, Ms. Keine, and feeling anger is all right. But take it from me—when they finally arrive, all there'll be is smiles and joy. There may be postpartum depression, but with a friend like yours, I doubt it'll last long! So…" She hovers her little hand over my belly, and, sighing, I just nod. She touches it and gives it some fond slaps. Mokou 'awww's on my side. "While it won't be easy, try to keep your head up and your mind at ease; what's to come are the best years of your life!"

"Gaaah, this is too cute! Your first motherly counseling in the middle of a store, Keine! You've passed the ritual, and your children are blessed!" The rat lady—who presents herself as Pín—and Mokou laugh all bubbly and do a tad more small talk before the first waves and, with a bow exchange, leaves to keep on shopping. "Isn't this nice, Keine? I wish I could also get lovely advice from other pregnant women… Oh, well! Let's keep on! We still haven't discussed if it'll be one or two cradles!"

And Mokou sets off, basket in hand, smiling wide.

I sigh, facepalming…

… Then, I caress my belly, feeling the residual warmth of the mouse's hand, and soon enough, my blood circulation—and only that.

Groaning in dress, I lightly tap my belly and go after the immortal. So many problems because of such a small miscommunication…

>>35270965
That smile, that look they throw at you... That picture is making me sweat more than the entire buthu thread.