Kurapika x Reader One-Shot Collection - Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Red used to be my favorite color. To me, it symbolizes love and courage. Above all, it reminds me of my husband's beautiful scarlet eyes. However, as I sit here, I realize the color red has a lot of negative meanings. It conveys danger and rage. It is also the color of fire and...blood. The blood that I am wiping away, reminding me of my failure. My failure to conceive.
Kurapika and I have been married for two years now. We both wanted to start a family right away. He's excited about repopulating his clan. This thing is...it's not happening for us. What's frustrating is the doctors keep telling me everything is fine with us. There's no medical reason why we can't conceive naturally.
I'm not opposed to IVF. Kurapika and I have talked about it before. It's not the cost that's an issue. We can easily afford it with his hunter's salary. He just prefers not to use science. He believes it will happen when it's meant to.
This is usually when I crawl on the floor. I hug my knees and allow myself to cry. Month after month, like clockwork, I get my period then spend the next hour crying in the bathroom. Kurapika gives me time alone before walking in to hold me.
Every month I swear to myself I won't cry, but here I am. Crying into my husband's shoulder while we sit on the cold tile floor.
"(Y/N), everything is going to be fine. It will happen next month," Kurapika says, running his fingers through my hair.
I've lost count of how many times he has said that to me. I know it kills him, too. He wants a baby just as much as I do.
He picks me up and eases me on our bed. "What would you like to eat? I'll make you whatever you want."
I pull at a piece of thread from the blanket. "I'm not hungry."
He sighs. "(Y/N), you have to eat. A healthy diet is important for conception."
I'm tired of hearing him tell me what's important for conception. I've read all the books.
"Kurapika, I'm not hungry! Just get out of here."
He jumps back. I didn't mean to yell at him. He's just trying to help. Great, now I feel worse.
"I...I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."
He closes the door behind him. I bury my face into a pillow. I've put so much stress on him. He's always busy with work, which is stressful enough. He has canceled missions a few times just because I was ovulating. He's so close to his goal of retrieving the eyes of his clan, but I feel like I'm holding him back. I've been such a terrible wife.
I pull the blanket off and get out of bed. I find Kurapika in his office, doing research. He spins his chair around when he notices me.
"Hey, my love. Feeling better?"
I sit on his lap. "Not really. I just feel bad for yelling at you."
He offers me a soft smile. "No need to apologize. Do you want to talk about it?"
I shake my head. "No. Not really." I motion toward his computer screen. "Making any progress?"
He pulls the chair closer to his desk so I can get a better view of the monitor. "Yes. I actually am." He points to a map on the screen. "There's a place in this area that holds promise. The only problem is it is a very restrictive area. With my license, I am allowed to go; however, only during certain days." He looks at me with sadness in his eyes.
I furrow my brow. "So? Go. What's holding you back?"
He looks back at the screen. "The dates always fall on the times when you're ovulating."
I take a deep breath. "Go. Nothing is happening, Kurapika. What's another month?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Go get the eyes of your people back."
He presses his lips against mine. He puts his hand on the back of my head. I can tell how grateful he is by the way he is kissing me. Slow and intentional. I miss this.
He pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. "Thank you, (Y/N). I love you."
I don't know why I bother to check to see if I'm ovulating this month. Kurapika is thousands of miles away. I guess it's become a habit.
I regret letting him go. I know it's selfish of me, but this is a critical time for us. He has three days to return if we want a chance at conception this month.
Just when I throw the ovulation test in the wastebasket, I hear the front door open. I pull up my jeans and run to the front door.
Kurapika is grinning from ear to ear. I notice he's hiding something behind his back.
I give him a kiss on the cheek. "Did you find them?"
He nods. "Yes."
"Where are they?"
He motions toward his bag on the floor. I open it and take out two glass containers. I gasp as soon as I see the scarlet eyes.
"Congratulations, Kurapika!"
He starts to laugh. I give him a puzzled look. He never laughs like this.
I get up to give him a hug, but he pulls away. He still has his hands behind his back.
"Kurapika? Are you hiding something from me?"
"Why would I be hiding something from you?" He continues to laugh.
"Kurapika!"
I run behind him, but he keeps turning away. I grab his tie, pulling him close to me. I tickle him under his arms and he starts to laugh harder.
"No fair, (Y/N)! You know I'm ticklish."
I start to laugh with him. It feels so good to see Kurapika happy.
"Maybe if you weren't acting so sneaky, I wouldn't have to resort to tickling."
Kurapika leans forward in an attempt to stop me. "Okay...okay...I give up. You win."
He extends one of his hands. Sitting on his palm is the fluffiest little white kitten I've ever seen.
"Kurapika? What's this?"
"It's a kitten, silly."
I take the kitten out of his hand. It meows at me. "I know, but what are you doing with it?"
"I know it doesn't come close to a baby, but I thought it might make you feel better."
I take my eyes off the kitten to look at Kurapika. "You're the most thoughtful human on the planet. Do you know that?"
He wraps his arms around me. "I love you more than you can fathom."
The kitten continues to meow. I pet its little head. "Do you think she's hungry?"
"Probably. I'll go out and buy some food and supplies for her. I can also pick up some dinner for us if you'd like," Kurapika says.
"Are you sure? You just got back from a long trip. I can go instead."
Kurapika shakes his head. "No. You stay here and bond with our new kitten."
The next two days are spent at home with our kitten.
"Have you thought of a name for her?" Kurapika asks, swinging a cat toy in the air.
"Hmm...how about...Fuwafuwa?"
Kurapika lets out a chuckle. "You mean...Fluffy?"
I throw one of the cat toys at him. "Hey! I think it's cute."
The kitten jumps on Kurapika. "I like it," he says.
The three of us settle down on the couch to watch a movie. Fuwafuwa falls asleep on Kurapika's chest.
I hop off the couch. "I'll be right back. Just gotta use the bathroom."
Kurapika pets the kitten. "We'll be right here waiting for you."
I take a few steps backward to admire Kurapika holding our kitten.
After I flush the toilet, I notice the ovulation test I took earlier sitting on top of the wastebasket.
I gasp. We still have a chance at conception this month.
I run out of the bathroom. Kurapika looks at me with a confused expression on his face.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes. Put the kitten down and follow me."
Kurapika does as he's told and follows me into our bedroom. I shut the door behind us.
I start undressing him, throwing his clothes on the floor as if they're on fire. I do the same with mine. I push him on the bed and start kissing him. He doesn't ask questions.
I pull away to leave a long trail of kisses from his neck down to his lower abdomen. I stare at him for a few seconds before taking him into my mouth. He lets out a moan.
"Oh...(Y/N). You know I love it when you do that."
I give him a few minutes of pleasure with my mouth before pulling away. He sits up and grabs me, laying me on my back. He opens my legs and pushes himself all the way inside of me. It feels so good I almost forget my purpose for bringing him into the bedroom. I stop him.
"Uh...is something wrong?" he asks me.
"No," I answer him while reaching for a pillow. "I forgot...I should prop my hips up on a pillow. Gravity will help move your sperm toward my uterus."
Kurapika pulls out of me. I lift my head and stare at him with a confused expression on my face.
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" he asks me. "Dammit, (Y/N). I just want to make love to you without feeling like it's a science experiment."
"But...I thought you wanted a baby."
He starts to put his clothes back on. "I do."
I sit up on the bed. "Then what's your problem?"
"My problem is...we never have any intimacy. You treat sex like it's a task to check off your list." He runs his hand through his hair. "Answer me. Can you remember the last time we actually made love?"
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
Kurapika nods. "Exactly. I can't either." He looks into my eyes. "(Y/N), nothing would make me happier than for us to have a baby." He looks away and clenches his jaw. "It kills me. But...you know what? You're enough for me. I just wish I was enough for you."
"Kurapika...you are enough."
"I wish I could believe you." He reaches over me and grabs his pillow. "I'm sleeping in the spare bedroom tonight."
"Kurapika? Please. I'm so sorry." I reach out to grab his arm, but he pulls away.
He covers his eyes with his hand while walking out of the room. He closes the door behind him, leaving me alone. I hear him open the door to the spare bedroom. The one we were planning on using as a nursery.
I allow the tears to stream down my face as I repeat Kurapika's words in my head. He's exactly right. We've lost all intimacy.
I pull on my clothes and walk to the living room to grab Fuwafuwa. I take her into the bed with me and cry myself to sleep.
Two weeks have passed and Kurapika and I have barely spoken to each other. He pulls out a coffee cup from the cupboard while he waits for the coffee to brew. I watch as he pours it into his mug and mixes in some cream and sugar.
"(Y/N)," he says, making eye contact with me. He's wearing a determined look on his face. "I'll be working today. Will you be alright?"
Why is he asking me if I'll be alright? It's not the first time he leaves me to go on a mission.
"Of course. Uh...are you going somewhere dangerous?"
He takes a sip of his coffee. "I'm a hunter. Everything I do is dangerous."
His voice is monotone. Is he acting like this on purpose? Maybe it's his way of saying we shouldn't be parents. Okay...I'm reading way too much into this.
He puts his mug down on the counter and walks toward the front door. I follow him.
"Kurapika?" I straighten his tie. "Be careful out there. I love you."
He pulls on his jacket. I'm surprised when I feel his lips touch mine. "I love you, too. Should you need anything...call one of our friends."
I hand him his bag and he crosses it over his shoulder. He gives me a half smile before walking out the door. I rest my back against the door after locking it. Fuwafuwa rubs her head against my leg, purring. I slide down to the floor, taking her into my arms.
"It's just you and me for now, little one."
Two more days have passed and I haven't heard from Kurapika. I'm beginning to worry about him. After several failed attempts to reach him by phone, I call Leorio. He sounds happy to hear from me.
"Have you heard from Kurapika?" I ask him.
"I wish I had better news...but you know he doesn't answer my calls."
"Did he tell you where he was going?"
"Nope. Wait...he didn't tell you?"
"No. We're...kinda not speaking to each other," I say.
"Is he acting stubborn again? I'll be more than happy to give him an ass beating for you."
I laugh into the phone. "No, but thank you. It's actually my fault. Anyway, I won't take up more of your time."
"Hang in there, (Y/N). He'll be home before you know it."
"Thank you, Leorio."
I sigh as I end the call. Fuwafuwa meows at me, reminding me it's her dinnertime.
I pour some food into her bowl when I hear the front door open. My heart drops to my stomach when I see Kurapika. The scratches on his face and his torn suit tells me he's been in danger. I drop the bag of cat food and run to him.
"Kurapika! Are you hurt?" I ask with widened eyes.
The corners of his lips move upward into a reassuring smile. "I'm fine." He wraps his arms around me. "I missed you, (Y/N)."
I hug him back. He smells like dried blood and smoke.
"Baby...you don't know how happy I am to see you. I'm so sorry for everything."
He runs his fingers through my hair. "No need to apologize. I shouldn't have left the way I did."
I just want to hold him forever. Much to my dismay, he pulls away.
"I have another surprise for you," he says.
I tilt my head to the side. "It's not another cat, is it?"
"No. It's a little bigger than a cat."
I look behind his back. "Where is it?"
He laughs. "It's actually sitting on the porch."
I run outside. I cover my mouth with my hands when I see his surprise. "Kurapika...what are you doing with a real child? Please tell me you didn't kidnap him."
Kurapika walks toward me. "Of course not." It looks like he's holding back tears. "It's a tragic story."
I kneel in front of the small boy. Half of his face is red and swollen. He's hugging his knees, shaking.
"What's your name?" I ask him.
He stares at me with his big brown eyes. Instead of answering, he points to Kurapika.
Kurapika kneels beside me. The little boy jumps up and wraps his arms around him.
Kurapika picks him up. I bring myself to my feet. The little boy looks back at me with his thumb in his mouth. My heart melts. I don't know what happened to this child, but I can tell he feels safe in Kurapika's arms.
"I saved him," Kurapika says, swaying the child back and forth. "I saved him from a terrible fire. I tried so hard to save the rest of his family, but I arrived too late."
He hangs his head, hiding his teary eyes behind his bangs. I close the distance between us.
"Oh, Kurapika. I'm so sorry."
He lifts his head and looks at me. "He lost his family and home, (Y/N). I know what that feels like."
"I get it, Kurapika." I run my hand up and down his arm. "But...what if he has an extended family? I'm sure they're worried about him."
"I'll take care of everything. For now, he's staying with us," Kurapika says, pulling the child tighter to his chest.
"Sounds good." I assess the two of them with my eyes. "Uh...Kurapika? Maybe you two should go to the hospital...you know...just to be safe."
"I'm fine, but you're right. We should get him checked out." He kisses me on the cheek. "I always knew you'd be a good mother."
When we return home, the little boy is asleep on Kurapika's chest. Whenever Kurapika tries to move him, he wakes up.
"Don't worry, little one. I'm not going anywhere," Kurapika whispers to him.
"Does he know his name?" I ask while sitting down on the couch next to them.
Kurapika shakes his head. "I asked, but he couldn't remember. He just experienced a traumatic event. It's not uncommon for a child to lose memory after something like that."
He's staring out at nothing. I wonder if he's talking from experience.
"Kurapika? Did you lose any of your memories?"
"No. Unfortunately for me, I remember every single detail. Those memories haunt me every day."
I brush away a few loose strands of his hair with my fingers. "I'm so sorry."
"Please. I'm not looking for pity. I just want to give this little boy a good life. I hope you do as well."
"Of course. We're in this together."
Kurapika wraps him up in one of his shirts before tucking him in our bed.
"We should buy him some clothes tomorrow," Kurapika says.
"Absolutely. Whatever he needs."
"I hope you don't mind if he sleeps here with us tonight. I don't want him to wake up in the middle of the night alone and afraid."
I crawl into the bed. "I don't mind at all."
Kurapika turns off the bedside lamp and the three of us fall asleep.
The next morning, I wake up to the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. My heart skips a beat as I watch the tiny boy sleeping soundly on Kurapika's chest. Afraid to wake them, I quietly pull myself closer to give my husband a kiss on his forehead. He opens his eyes and smiles as soon as he sees me.
He wraps his arms around the little boy. "Looks like this little guy is sleeping well."
"I'll say." I pull the covers up over him.
"Ready to do some shopping?"
"Sounds like fun."
When we return home, Kurapika takes all of the shopping bags to the spare bedroom. The little boy wanders around the house, looking for him.
"Dada?" he asks when he doesn't find Kurapika.
I jump back. "Uh...Kurapika? He's looking for you."
Kurapika runs out of the room. The little boy's face brightens as soon as he sees him.
"Dada!"
Kurapika opens his arms for him. "Come here, little one."
Our moment is interrupted by a knock at the door. As soon as Kurapika answers it, an older lady walks in.
"Is this the child?" she asks Kurapika.
"Uh...who are you?" Kurapika turns the little boy away from her.
She shows us her badge. "I'm a social worker. I'm here to take this child."
Kurapika tightens his grip on the boy. "No, you are not. Not without a valid reason."
"He doesn't belong to you," she says, voice stern.
"Does he have any relatives?"
She shakes her head. "No, but we still need to take him."
"For what purpose? You do realize I am the one who saved his life, right?"
I interrupt their conversation. "Uh...can you give us any information about him? Like...do you know his name? How old is he?"
She shows me the file in her hand. "His name is Pairo and he's four. He lived with his parents and three older siblings."
Kurapika's eyes widen. "Pai...Pairo? His name is Pairo?"
She nods.
I know Kurapika isn't going to give up on this child. He'll hire a lawyer if necessary. If I don't intervene, things might get messy.
I pull the lady aside. "Look...it's obvious this little boy formed an attachment with my husband. You and I both know this is the best place for him right now. Just tell us what we need to do to get custody of him."
She doesn't look happy, but she gives me information anyway.
"I normally don't do this," she says. "But I can tell this is a loving home. Fill out the documents and have them on my desk tomorrow morning."
"Will do," I say, walking her out of our home.
Six months pass by and Kurapika and I have officially adopted Pairo.
The three of us go to a family fun center to celebrate. After we eat, I watch as Kurapika helps Pairo play the games. It feels like we have always been a family. As sad as I feel for his biological family, I'm glad Kurapika was there to help little Pairo.
I'm also happy to say that the emptiness I once felt inside of me is almost gone. Kurapika and I are officially parents now, and that makes me the happiest woman in the world.
That night, Kurapika and I take turns reading bedtime stories to Pairo until he falls asleep. We turn off the light and slip out of the room.
"It's still early. Would you like to watch a movie?" Kurapika asks me.
I yawn. "I'm actually feeling a little tired. I might just go to bed."
"Yeah, we had a big day."
We both decide to call it a day. We both let out a moan as soon as our backs touch the soft mattress.
Kurapika laughs. "Is this what parenting feels like?"
"I guess so. I didn't realize how tired I was."
Instead of turning off the bedside lamp, he reaches over and presses his lips against mine. He pulls away, staring deep into my eyes. Like magnets, our lips meet again. This time, our lips part and we share a passionate kiss. I can't remember the last time our lips met like this.
When we finally break away for air, he still stares into my eyes. His eyes must have changed color while we were kissing because they are now a deep crimson. I'm so lucky to get to look into his beautiful eyes for the rest of my life. No one else in the world has eyes like Kurapika.
He closes his eyes for a few seconds. I gasp when I feel his soft lips touch the delicate skin of my neck. He leaves a trail of tiny kisses down to my collarbone. Before going any further, he looks back at me with questioning eyes.
I give him a slow nod. Yes, even after exchanging our vows years ago, he still asks for permission.
He smiles as he unbuttons my pajama top. I feel the soft touch of his fingers as he runs his hand up and down my torso. Just minutes ago, I wanted nothing but sleep. Now, all I want is to feel my husband inside of me. I arch my back, letting him know I'm ready for him.
He pulls his pajamas off while I squirm out of my bottoms. He reaches down and takes one of my breasts into his mouth. He grabs my other one with his hand.
"Have I told you...you're the most beautiful woman in the world?" he asks with my nipple in his mouth.
"No...not today." I answer while grinding against him.
He releases me from his mouth. "Well...you are. I love you, (Y/N)." He looks at me with glistening eyes. "And I'm not just saying those words out of habit. I'm saying it because giving my heart to you was the best decision I've ever made."
I wipe away one of his tears with my thumb. "Then...show me."
I spread my legs while Kurapika positions himself above my entrance. I kiss his lips while he pushes himself inside of me.
I close my eyes, giving in to the pleasure that is overcoming me. He starts with slow thrusts. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper.
"(Y/N)...my love...open your eyes."
I slowly open my eyes. His pupils are larger than before.
He combs my hair back with his fingers. "I want you to keep your eyes locked on mine. You'll see my love for you through them."
I feel myself blush. I usually hide my face when I have an orgasm, but I can tell he's serious.
He slowly picks up the pace, and I can feel his thrusts getting harder. I place my hands on his shoulders and run them down his perfect back. It's been so long since we've made love, it feels like we are discovering each other for the first time.
He finds the spot deep inside of me that sends waves of pleasure throughout my entire body. I grip the sheets as he continues to hit it. I don't know if I can keep my eyes open anymore. I suddenly feel intoxicated.
I hold my breath as I anticipate the sweet ending, but Kurapika slows down. He presses his forehead against mine.
"Love...I told you to keep your eyes open. You're about to miss the best part."
I blink. "I...I'm sorry. It just feels so...good."
He thrusts a few more times. "I can tell you're close. Don't hold back."
He's right...I'm close. My walls contract around him as the feeling of ecstasy runs through my veins.
I stare deep into his eyes while I scream his name. Before I have the chance to recover, I notice his eyes change a deeper shade of scarlet. Tiny flames burn in each one.
He moans through clenched teeth as he fills me. He collapses on top of me, the both of us breathing heavily. I run my fingers through his sweaty hair as I take in the magical moment we just experienced. I feel his erratic heartbeat against my chest.
"Kurapika...your eyes...I've never seen them like that before."
"They only do that for you."
"But..."
He places his finger on my lips. "Shhh. Let's just enjoy this moment together."
He's right. The moments we share after making love are almost just as good as the act itself.
Our moment is quickly interrupted by a knock on our door. Kurapika jolts up and pulls his pajamas back on. I cover myself with the sheet while Pairo slowly opens the door. He's holding Fuwafuwa.
"Mama? Dada? Are you still up? I heard screaming."
Sweat drops form on Kurapika's forehead. "Uh...everything is fine. Let's get you back to bed."
Kurapika turns around to smile at me before walking Pairo back to his bedroom. I slide back into my pajamas and fall on the mattress. A satisfied smile spreads across my face as I drift to sleep.
Three months later, Pairo is sitting on the floor playing with Fuwafuwa when I get a call from Kurapika.
"We are doing great. When do you think you'll be home from work?"
"I'm hoping to wrap things up before dinnertime," Kurapika answers me.
"Sounds good. We miss you."
"I miss you all as well. Love you."
"Love you, too."
I walk to the kitchen and begin searching the refrigerator.
"I forgot to go grocery shopping!" I say, staring at my empty refrigerator.
I strap Pairo into his carseat and start to drive to the grocery store.
Luckily the grocery store isn't too far from our house. Looks like I'm having luck with traffic because I'm not getting any red lights.
I pass the last light when I hear the sound of squealing tires. All of a sudden, I hear a scary crashing sound and glass shattering. It takes me a few seconds to realize I've been hit by another car. My first instinct is to check on Pairo.
He's staring at me with confusion in his eyes. Luckily, he doesn't appear to be hurt. My car was hit on the driver's side.
Blood is dripping from my head. I'm afraid to look down. My door is smashed against my left side. I reach over to the passenger seat to grab my phone, but it sounds like someone already called an emergency. The sound of sirens and the flashing lights cause Pairo to scream. Poor little guy. It's probably reminding him of when his house caught on fire.
I blink a few times. It's getting harder to keep my eyes open.
"Pairo...everything is going to be okay," I say, voice hoarse. I try to find Kurapika's number on my phone, but blood keeps getting in my eyes.
I finally get a hold of Kurapika, but my voice is completely gone. I can hear him screaming on the other end. Everything is so loud until...I hear complete silence.
I open my eyes and immediately shut them. The light above me is too bright. I feel someone grab my hand.
"(Y/N)? Are you awake, my love?" Kurapika asks me.
I can't help but smile when I hear his sweet voice.
I swallow hard before attempting to speak.
"Kurapika? How's Pairo?" My voice is still hoarse, but at least I can talk.
"He's fine. They're just running a few tests to make sure."
"Thank goodness. What happened?"
"Someone ran the red light and hit you. The paramedics said you're lucky to be alive." He squeezes my hand. "I'm the lucky one. I don't know what I'd do without you, baby." He kisses my forehead. "Are you in any pain?"
I move a little in bed and wince. "Yeah. My head is throbbing and my side feels like it's been run over by a train."
Kurapika presses the nurse call button. A nurse comes in a minute later.
"My wife is in pain. Is she due for anything?"
A look of sadness crosses her face. "Yes...but...we're waiting for her test results to see if it's safe for us to give her strong pain medication."
Kurapika furrows his brow. "What kind of tests? And when is she going for her CT?"
"That's the thing...we prefer not to take pregnant women to radiology unless it's an emergency."
Kurapika jumps back. "Pregnant? My wife is pregnant?"
I can feel the tears stream down my cheeks as I watch my husband interact with the nurse. He's pacing the room, running his hands through his hair.
As soon as the nurse leaves the room, he walks back to me. He's wearing a proud smile on his face.
"(Y/N), did you hear that? We're going to have a baby!"
I grab his arm. "Don't get too excited. Even if by some miracle we did get pregnant, there's no way he or she would have survived that car crash."
He takes both of my hands into his. "Stop saying things like that."
A few minutes later, a transporter walks into our room.
"Are you (Y/N) Kurta?" he asks me, looking at a slip of paper.
"I am."
"I'm from transport. I'm here to take you to CT," he says.
Kurapika holds his hand out. "Wait...I thought they didn't want her to go to CT because of the baby."
The poor little transporter guy looks scared. "Oh...they didn't mention anything to me. Let me check with them." He runs out of the room.
I try to take deep breaths, but it feels like my left lung has been deflated. I turn my head to look at Kurapika. He's staring at the door as if it's going to give him answers. I want to take his mind off the possibility of me being pregnant.
"Who's looking after Pairo?"
He turns his attention back to me. "Alluka. She's keeping me updated on everything."
Someone else walks into the room. She's pushing a machine and parks it next to my bed.
She smiles at me. "I'm here to do your ultrasound. I'm going to squirt some jelly on your stomach."
I pull my shirt up. Kurapika grabs my hand and squeezes it. The ultrasound tech prepares me and places a wand over my abdomen. Kurapika and I anxiously wait for an image to appear on the screen.
We wait for what feels like twenty minutes. Finally, Kurapika speaks up.
"Is everything okay?"
She doesn't respond. Instead, she keeps her eyes focused on the screen.
I try to see what she's so focused on, but all I can see is black and white.
She takes her wand off my abdomen and pulls her gloves off. "I'll get the doctor for you."
I feel the tears well up in my eyes as she leaves the room.
"That's never a good sign," I say to Kurapika.
Sweat drops are forming on his forehead. He knows I'm right.
Minutes later, the doctor walks into my room. I've lost count on how many people I've seen walk in and out of my hospital room.
She grabs the wand and presses it on my abdomen. Within seconds, I hear a whooshing sound.
"That's your baby's heartbeat," she says.
The tears make their way down my cheeks. "Our baby?"
She nods. "You're about twelve weeks along."
A huge smile spreads across my face as I turn my head to face Kurapika. He is still looking at the screen. His eyes are moist.
"Are you certain?" he asks the doctor.
"Yes. Congratulations."
He releases my hand and turns to leave.
"Kurapika?" I call out to him as he walks out.
The doctor prints out a picture before wiping the jelly off of my abdomen.
"Your baby is very tiny, but I was able to get a good picture for you," she says, handing me the picture.
"Thank you so much," I say to her as she leaves the room.
I sit there and stare at the picture in disbelief.
Why did Kurapika leave? Doesn't he want to share this moment with me?
I hear another knock on my door.
"Come in," I say, wondering who else it could be. I gasp as soon as I see my friend run toward me. "Alluka!" I show her my ultrasound picture.
"I know! Kurapika told us. I've never seen a happier man in my life."
"Really? He just ran out of here. I didn't know if he was happy or disappointed."
Alluka searches the room for a basin and washcloths. When she finds a basin, she pours some of the hospital soap in it and fills it with warm water. She sets the basin on my bedside table. She rings out a washcloth and begins to wipe away the dried blood in my hair. I just realized I must look like a complete mess.
"They're discharging Pairo," she says. "I don't mind looking after him until they release you. I'm sure Kurapika would rather be by your side."
"Thank you, Alluka. You're such a good friend. I'll let Kurapika make that decision."
She pulls the washcloth away from my hair. "He already accepted. He went home to pack a bag."
She unbuttons my bloody shirt and starts to clean my chest. She jumps back. "Oh...I'm sorry. Would you rather Kurapika give you a bath?"
I shake my head. "It's fine, Alluka. To be honest, he'll probably freak out when he sees all of my cuts and bruises."
My sweet friend continues to give me a bed bath. It's crazy how the simple tasks in life suddenly become so hard.
Just when she's about to snap on my new gown, Kurapika walks in.
He blushes. "Oh...uh...did I come at a bad time?" He turns around so his back is facing me.
Alluka giggles. "There's no need to feel shy...she's your wife."
Kurapika gulps. "I still respect her privacy."
Alluka covers me with a blanket after dressing me. She gives me a kiss on the forehead before turning to leave.
"She's all yours now," Alluka says to Kurapika.
"Thank you. I appreciate everything you're doing for us."
"There's no need to thank me. It brings me joy. Just remember me when your baby is born...I want to be your personal babysitter."
Kurapika smiles. "The job is yours."
Alluka skips out of the room. Kurapika places his bag on the recliner before taking a seat on my bed.
"You look beautiful," he says, taking my hand into his.
My heart flutters the same way it did when I first met him. "Thank you." I look down at nothing. "Are you happy about the baby?"
He pulls himself closer to me. "Happy? No. Happiness doesn't define how I am feeling." He places his chin in between his thumb and index finger. "Maybe ecstatic, overjoyed, or in raptures." He shakes his head. "No. I simply can't define it."
I take a deep breath of relief. I don't know where all these tears came from. "I thought you were upset. You just left the room without saying a word."
Kurapika wipes my tears away with his thumb. "I apologize...I just couldn't believe it. I ran to the hospital chapel and fell to my knees, thanking the Heavens above for this miracle."
I'm discharged from the hospital a few days later. Kurapika walks by my side to our bedroom. He pulls down the covers for me.
I let out a laugh. "Kurapika, I'm pregnant...not incapacitated. I can do things for myself."
He pulls out a change of clothes from my drawer. "Don't be ridiculous. From this moment on, I'm your personal hunter."
I change into the clothes he hands me. "I didn't know taking care of pregnant women was part of a hunter's job description."
He plants a kiss on my lips. "It is when the woman is you."
As soon as I change, he picks me up and places me on the bed. Pairo runs into the room.
"Mama!" he shouts while jumping onto the bed. He rests his head on my abdomen. "How is a baby going to fit in your belly?"
I rub his back and smile. "It's like magic. My belly will grow to make room for the baby."
His eyes widen. "That's amazing. I can't wait to meet my new baby brother or sister."
Kurapika picks Pairo up. "Okay...let's allow mama to rest." He reaches down and kisses the top of my forehead. "Let me know if you need anything. We'll just be playing outside."
The next time I'm discharged from the hospital, it's with a newborn baby in my arms. Kurapika opens the front door for us and runs back to the car to gather our things.
I walk straight to the room that was once Kurapika's office. He converted it into a nursery once we found out I was pregnant. I sit down on the glider, staring at my precious baby Kurta. I rub my baby's head, placing a lock of her golden hair in between my fingers.
Kurapika walks into the room holding Pairo. He puts him down and kneels beside me. "She's absolutely perfect."
Pairo furrows his brow as he looks at his new little sister. "Is that all she does? Sleep? I want to play with her."
Kurapika and I laugh. "For now...yes," I say. "She had quite the journey."
Pairo leans in to give her a kiss. "Well...I'm going to go play. Let me know when she wakes up." He runs out of the room.
I turn my head to face Kurapika. I watch him as he stares at his new daughter. The proud look on his face surpasses the one I see when he retrieves a pair of his clan's eyes. My heart skips a beat when I realize we actually made this happen. For years, I called myself a failure. However, as I stare at Kurapika, I feel like I won the world's greatest contest.
"What are you thinking?" I ask him.
His eyes never leave our baby. "I'm thinking...is this happening to me? What have I done to deserve so much happiness?" He finally looks up at me. "I found the most amazing woman on the planet and somehow managed to get her to marry me. And now...we have two beautiful children." Tears well up in his eyes. "Thank you. Because of you, I now have a loving family to welcome me home whenever I complete a mission."
"Kurapika, if anyone deserves to be happy, it's you. I'm glad the universe conspired for us to be together."
He blinks, allowing his tears to fall down his cheeks. His eyes turn a deep crimson. "Yes. You hold the end of my red string."
Red. The color of love. The color of my husband's beautiful eyes when his emotions are heightened. I will no longer associate red with negativity, for it is once again my favorite color.