Their apartment door loomed like a shadow. Yu hesitated, fingers twitching around Taichi's hand, but said nothing. Taichi noticed the faint hitch in his step yet said nothing either—just unlocked the door and held it open for him.
Inside, Yu slipped his shoes off and busied himself with setting down the small hospital bag the nurse had packed. He tried to smile, to make it seem normal again. But Taichi's eyes drifted to the door—the faint stains still visible on the wood where slurs had been scrubbed, the dent in the frame where he'd broken it down.
The silence stretched.
"Yu."
Taichi's voice was quiet, but it had weight.
Yu froze, his back still to him.
"…Yes?"
"I need the truth."
Taichi's footsteps padded closer, slow but steady.
"What I saw on that door before the ambulance came—the trash, the writing… that old neighbor lady yelling at me like I was one of them…"
His throat tightened.
"How long has this been going on?"
Yu hugged himself, shoulders curling inward.
"Taichi, I…"
"Don't say 'it's nothing.'"
Taichi's tone sharpened, though his hands when they rested gently on Yu's shoulders were steady.
"Don't smile like it's fine. I know it's not fine. Tell me. Please."
Yu's lip trembled. The smile he tried to plaster cracked. Tears welled and spilled, and he shook his head as if denial could erase the weight of a year's torment.
"I didn't want you to worry… You already work so hard, and I—I thought if I just cleaned it all, you'd never have to know, and we could just be happy inside our little home…"
Taichi's chest burned. He pulled Yu into him, wrapping his arms around his trembling frame.
"Yu, you don't ever—ever—have to carry that alone. You hear me? If someone hurts you, they hurt me too. I should've noticed. Damn it…"
His voice broke, ragged with guilt.
Yu pressed his face into Taichi's chest, muffling his sobs. For the first time, the truth spilled raw between them, no longer hidden by plastered smiles.
Yu's sobs had tapered to soft hiccups, his face damp against Taichi's shirt. His arms clung desperately around Taichi's waist, as though loosening even for a second might make him disappear.
Taichi smoothed Yu's hair, rocking him slowly.
"You never had to hide it from me, Yu…"
He whispered, voice roughened with guilt.
"Even if the whole world turned against you, I never would. You know that, don't you?"
Yu nodded faintly, his voice a broken murmur.
"I… I just didn't want you to hate me. Or think I was weak. Or…"
His words faltered, swallowed by another shiver.
"Idiot."
Taichi muttered, his forehead resting gently against Yu's.
"If anything, you're stronger than anyone I've ever known. You survived this… and now, you're carrying our baby."
At those words, Yu's breath caught. He didn't reply, but his hand moved between them, pressing lightly over his stomach. Taichi's gaze followed the gesture, and for the first time it truly hit him:
Inside Yu, fragile and impossibly real, was a life born from their love.
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
88 - 92
A shiver ran through him—not of fear, but of reverence.
'Yu isn't just mine… he's a miracle.'
Taichi held him tighter but gentled his grip, afraid of harming what was now more precious than his own heartbeat.
'This world was cruel enough to break him once. I won't let it happen again.'
He kissed the top of Yu's head, lingering there.
"You don't need to worry anymore."
He said softly, with a conviction that steadied Yu even as it concealed the storm beneath his calm.
"From now on, everything will be safe. I'll make sure of it."
Yu sniffled and whispered.
"You promise?"
"I promise."
He tucked Yu into bed a little later, watching as sleep pulled him under, face softened at last into something peaceful. Taichi lingered, his hand resting protectively over Yu's bandaged wrist and then over his stomach.
Jezebel. Those bastards at the door. Whoever thought they could torment him.
The thought of Yu alone, crying silently while he smiled for Taichi's sake, made bile rise in his throat. Rage coiled hot and sharp in his chest. But as he watched Yu's breathing even out, he swallowed it back. He couldn't let Yu feel the weight of his vengeance. Not now. Not when stress could harm the baby.
So Taichi made his decision in silence:
Yu would never know what he planned. He would fight this battle alone—digging into the filth, confronting Jezebel, rooting out every last coward who had dared to touch their home.
But when he turned back to look at Yu, asleep and safe for now, his expression softened again.
"You're mine."
He whispered, brushing his thumb over Yu's cheek.
"And I'll protect you… both of you… no matter what it costs."
---
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, painting soft gold across their apartment. Yu sat at the table with a cup of tea, his phone face down beside him. The weight of its silent buzzing pressed against his chest; unread notifications had piled up over the last week. He hadn't dared look. The thought of facing everyone—his friends, his old group chat, even Sakura and Fumiko—made his stomach twist with guilt and shame.
When he finally flipped the phone over, the screen lit up with dozens of unread messages. The group chat's title blinked at him insistently, a reminder that his world had gone on spinning while he had stopped. Yu's thumb hovered over the chat, hesitating.
Taichi emerged from the bedroom, hair still mussed from sleep. He noticed Yu's expression immediately and came up behind him, looping his arms around Yu's shoulders in a gentle embrace.
"What's wrong?"
He asked, his chin resting against Yu's head.
Yu shook his head, embarrassed.
"It's just… them. I can't answer. I disappeared for so long. They'll think I'm pathetic. Or worse… they'll pity me."
Taichi's lips brushed the top of his hair.
"Or maybe they'll just be happy to know you're safe. They care about you, Yu. More than you realize."
His voice softened, coaxing.
"You don't have to write anything long. Just… tell them you're okay."
Yu hesitated for another beat, but with Taichi's hand squeezing his shoulder in reassurance, he tapped the chat open.
Fumiko: Where are you, Yu-chan?? We're worried!!
Sakura: You better not be ignoring us! You owe me a café date!!
Haruka: Yu!! I wish I were there! I'm making you a get well scarf and sending it over asap!
Souma: Taichi said you've been under the weather. Rest, but let us know you're okay.
Yamato: Don't vanish again, Yu. I was so scared!
The tears blurred before Yu could finish scrolling. His chest tightened with a mixture of relief and guilt. With trembling fingers, he typed:
Yu: I'm sorry. I've been… not well. But I'm safe. Thank you for worrying. I love you guys.
The reply notifications came instantly, a flood of words filling the screen until Yu couldn't keep up. Sakura sent a string of crying emojis followed by a demand for a selfie to prove he was really alright. Fumiko sent a paragraph so long it nearly crashed the chat app, full of scolding, affection, and promises that she'd camp outside his door if he ever scared her like that again.
Yu's cheeks warmed despite himself. He pressed the phone close to his chest as though holding their words physically against his heart.
Taichi, walking over and watching from the kitchen counter as he poured himself coffee, caught the fragile smile tugging at Yu's lips. It wasn't the bright, carefree smile he wanted to see, but it was real. It was healing.
"You see?"
Taichi said gently, meeting Yu's gaze when he looked up.
"They love you almost as much as I do."
Yu's face went crimson, ducking his head back into the phone, though his shoulders trembled with a laugh. For a moment, the apartment felt lighter, their fragile cocoon warming just enough to hold back the shadows pressing at its walls.
---
The days after Yu's hospital stay took on a rhythm that was almost delicate in its simplicity. Yu would fuss over Taichi before he left for school—straightening his collar, tucking a lunchbox into his hands, stealing one last kiss at the door before locking it with the chain, just as Taichi insisted.
Inside, Yu kept himself busy with small things:
Crocheting new patterns, experimenting with recipes, arranging flowers on the table. When the quiet got too heavy, he would curl into Taichi's hoodie and wait for the sound of his footsteps in the hall. Taichi, for his part, came home each evening with a determined warmth, as though pouring every ounce of his energy into making Yu feel safe. They cocooned themselves in this world, fragile but theirs.
But their friends weren't content to be kept at arm's length anymore.
It began with Sakura and Fumiko blowing up Yu's messages every morning and evening, alternating between scolding him for disappearing and smothering him in affection. Eventually, they insisted on visiting. Yu panicked at first, but Taichi only smiled and said softly.
"They love you too, you know. Let them remind you."
And then there was Haruka Minami, cheerful even across oceans. She set a daily alarm just to video call Yu at the same time, no excuses, no cancellations. The calls became routine—Yu in his apron, Haruka grinning at him through the screen, trading silly jokes until Yu laughed without realizing it.
---
One evening, with Sakura and Fumiko sprawled on Yu's couch and Haruka propped up on Yu's phone screen, Yu's heart began to race. He had carried his secret for years—long enough that the weight of it ached more than the fear of telling.
"I… I need to tell you something…"
Yu began, twisting his hands in his lap. His voice trembled.
"Since the whole time you've known me—even back in high school—I… I'm actually a boy."
The words tumbled out, and Yu braced himself, praying for the best while expecting the worst. His throat tightened when the silence that followed lasted too long for his liking.
Sakura and Fumiko exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter—not mocking, but warm, almost relieved.
"Yu,"
Fumiko said, leaning over to squeeze his hand.
"We knew."
Yu blinked, stunned, tears welling.
"You knew…? I-Is it because I wasn't pretty enough to pass? Was it obvious?"
"Of course not! Yu, your prettier than any girl out there!"
Sakura teased.
"That's right! We're not blind. But we met you before you ever started dressing up back in high school. Did you forget? The first day of school you were dressed in the guys uniform! It was tragic! Me and Sakura were wondering how to approach you first to give you a makeover and fate just worked in our favor I guess."
Haruka chimes in from through the phone.
"Well I had no clue! Yu, you're so pretty even more than most of the girls here! Heck, you could wear sweats and you'd still look amazing. Don't doubt your looks for a second."
Fumiko and Sakura both nodded in agreement.
"We only played along with the whole "transfer girl" because we thought you were like, transitioning and wanted to rebrand yourself. But that doesn't change anything."
Fumiko added gently.
"You're prettier than any girl I've ever met. And I mean that. And even if you weren't—your kindness, your courage, that's what makes you beautiful. My little sister's transgender, Yu. I've been an ally for years. You don't think I'd drop you for being yourself, do you?"
Yu's tears spilled freely, but for once they were born of relief.
But Yu wasn't finished. His heart pounded, but he swallowed hard and forced the words out.
"There's more… I'm also intersex. And… I'm having Taichi's baby."
The room exploded. Fumiko screamed. Sakura flailed her arms. Haruka nearly dropped her phone.
"Godmother, that's me!"
Fumiko declared instantly.
"Agh, alright fine but I'm the aunt!"
Sakura shot back.
Haruka chimed in from the screen.
"In that case, I'll be the cool older sister type! You can't stop me!"
Yu laughed so hard through his tears his stomach hurt, his chest lighter than it had felt in months. The conversation turned into a joyful, chaotic storm of laughter, planning, and playful bickering over titles.
For the first time in so long, Yu felt warm all the way through—like maybe the world wasn't all claws and shadows after all.
Yu sat curled on the couch, still flushed from crying, while Sakura and Fumiko bickered playfully over who would claim which honorary title in the baby's life. Haruka laughed so hard over video chat that her screen shook.
"Yu, I'm dead serious, I'm going to knit the baby's first blanket!"
Haruka declared with mock solemnity.
"Excuse you!"
Fumiko huffed.
"I've already promised I'd make the baby's first blanket. You can do second blanket."
"Unfair!"
Fumiko cried.
"You two are hopeless."
Sakura said between giggles.
"I'll just be the cool aunt who sneaks the kid candy when you're not looking."
Their laughter was infectious. Yu laughed too, even as he wiped at his damp cheeks. It was lighthearted, ridiculous, and exactly what he needed. For months, the world had seemed nothing but sharp edges and shadows. Now, surrounded by their teasing warmth, the darkness began to recede.
For the first time in a long while, Yu didn't feel broken. He felt… loved.
---
That warmth lingered even after the visits ended and the screen went dark. Yu found himself humming while cooking, smiling without realizing it, moving with a new kind of energy. He opened his phone again, not with dread, but with curiosity—researching prenatal nutrition, safe recipes, and remedies for morning sickness. He ordered baby books, some practical, some whimsical, and stacked them proudly on the coffee table.
When Taichi came home, Yu tugged him down to read passages out loud, giggling when Taichi turned red over diagrams of pregnancy.
"You don't have to learn all this."
Yu said softly one night, when Taichi was leaning over a book with furrowed brows.
"Yes, I do."
Taichi insisted, brushing his thumb over Yu's hand.
"I want to know everything. I want to do this right—for you, and for our baby."
Taichi threw himself into it as only he could. He read about pregnancy cravings and stocked the fridge with Yu's sudden whims—pickles, strawberries, rice crackers, even marshmallows dipped in miso. When Yu winced from aches in his back, Taichi gave him massages, careful and patient, even when his own hands grew sore.
"You're spoiling me."
Yu murmured once, hiding his shy smile against Taichi's chest.
"Good."
Taichi replied firmly, kissing the top of his head.
"You deserve it."
Bit by bit, the cracks in Yu's fragile heart began to mend. Their cocoon wasn't perfect—threats still lurked outside—but inside their shared home, Yu glowed again, carrying not just life, but hope.
Late at night, after Yu had drifted off against him, Taichi quietly opened the notebook he kept hidden beneath his textbooks. Inside, page after page was filled with his meticulous handwriting—lists, budgets, sketches, even timelines.
He had already begun cutting back on little luxuries, putting aside every yen he could for the future. Tuition, rent, groceries—all accounted for. But now there were new categories:
Baby supplies, hospital bills, engagement ring, wedding fund, future home.
Several pages were devoted to sketches—some rough, some detailed—of the kind of house he wanted for them. A small garden for Yu to grow flowers, a cozy kitchen where Yu could cook without feeling cramped, and a nursery filled with soft light. Every detail mattered.
Between the lists and sketches, Taichi had doodled dozens of ring designs. He'd researched jewelers, metals, stones, the works. He wanted it to be perfect—not too flashy, but undeniably theirs. Something that would reflect Yu's delicate beauty and resilience.
As Taichi looked down at his pages, the steady weight of Yu leaning against him pulled his gaze away. Yu's face was soft with sleep, his pale hair spilling like silk over Taichi's shoulder. His lips parted slightly with each slow breath, and his hand rested unconsciously over the faint curve of his stomach.
For a moment, Taichi forgot about the lists, the plans, the urgency that usually consumed him. It was as if time itself had slowed just for them. All he saw was Yu—his love, his partner, the person carrying their child.
His chest ached with a fullness he couldn't put into words. Gratitude. Awe. Love so fierce it frightened him.
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
92 - 93
Taichi lowered his gaze to Yu's slight baby bump, barely there but unmistakable. His child. Their child. Something so small, so fragile, yet already more precious than anything else in the world.
His fingers brushed lightly against Yu's hand, careful not to wake him, and he felt his resolve sharpen. He would give Yu and their baby the world. He would build a life so steady and so safe that nothing—and no one—could ever hurt them again.
With that silent vow burning in his chest, Taichi turned back to his notebook. The pages filled faster now, his photographic memory ensuring he could carry every plan, every detail forward. For the first time, planning didn't feel like a burden. It felt like joy.
He had never been happier. Never more grateful.
---
Yu always noticed things about Taichi that others overlooked—the way his jaw tightened when he was stressed, the softness in his voice when he was trying to hide worry. So when little changes began to creep into Taichi's habits, Yu couldn't help but pick up on them.
Taichi lingered longer on his laptop in the evenings, the glow of a jeweler's website reflected faintly in his eyes before he hastily closed the tab when Yu leaned over. His wallet seemed thinner lately, even though their finances should have been steady thanks to Yu's online side income. And whenever Yu mentioned something frivolous he wanted—new yarn, cute clothes—Taichi's lips tightened, and he'd steer the conversation toward necessities instead.
Yu tilted his head at these moments, watching quietly, never pushing too hard. He didn't need DK01's commentary to know Taichi was up to something.
One afternoon, Yu came back from hanging laundry to find Taichi hunched over his notebook, sketching something with a rare intensity. Before Yu could peek, Taichi slammed it shut and grinned too wide.
"Homework!"
He said too quickly.
Yu blinked at him, unimpressed.
"Since when does homework make you blush?"
Taichi sputtered, ears turning red, and Yu laughed softly, deciding not to press further. But the sight stuck with him.
At first, Yu was worried—what if Taichi was secretly drowning under debt? Or hiding stress so Yu wouldn't worry while pregnant? But over time, watching how Taichi's gaze softened whenever it drifted toward Yu's belly, or how he'd absentmindedly trace circles on Yu's hand while staring at the closed notebook, Yu's fears shifted into something warmer.
He's planning something… for us.
That thought both embarrassed and thrilled Yu. He didn't call Taichi out directly—he knew how earnest and terrible at subtlety his beloved could be. Instead, Yu cherished the moments, letting Taichi think his secret was safe, while inside, Yu's heart fluttered with anticipation.
Sometimes, as they curled up together at night, Yu would whisper into Taichi's chest, half-teasing, half-sincere.
"Don't work so hard… I already have everything I want right here."
Taichi would chuckle, kissing his hair, but Yu swore he felt the way his chest tightened at those words.
---
It happened on an ordinary morning. Yu had been tidying the apartment, folding laundry while Taichi showered. When he went to set Taichi's wallet back on the nightstand, something slipped out—a small folded receipt.
Curiosity prickled. Yu unfolded it carefully, eyes widening when he read the name of a high-end jewelry store, the purchase labeled vaguely as "reserved item."
Before he could dwell too long, Taichi emerged, towel draped over his head. His gaze snapped instantly to Yu's hand.
"Ah—! That's…uh…"
Taichi stammered, reaching for the paper.
"I-it's nothing! Just… I was, uh, helping Souma pick something out for his girlfriend. You know how clueless he is."
Yu arched a brow, unimpressed. The excuse was too quick, too flimsy. But instead of pressing, he smiled softly, folded the receipt back into Taichi's hand, and let it go.
Inside, his heart fluttered. So that's what he's been hiding… But he didn't want to ruin Taichi's effort. For now, he'd wait.
---
Weeks later, Yu lay back on the cushioned bed of the hospital's ultrasound room, shirt lifted and belly slicked with cool gel. His eyes were wide, transfixed on the half turned monitor as a grainy image of their baby appeared.
"Taichi, look!"
Yu's voice cracked with awe.
"That's them… that's really them!"
The doctor chuckled softly, pointing out the tiny features.
"Here's one. Healthy heartbeat, steady growth. Do you want to know the gender of this one?"
Yu's breath caught.
"You can tell already? While they're still inside?"
Taichi chuckled at his wonder, brushing Yu's bangs out of his eyes.
"Yu, you're so smart, but you didn't know this?"
Yu puffed his cheeks, half-pouting, half-glowing.
"Well, this is different! I didn't even know a man could have a baby without magic!"
The doctor joined Taichi in a soft laugh at Yu's earnestness. Taichi pressed a kiss to his temple, murmuring.
"You're amazing, you know that?"
Yu's pout melted into a shy smile, his hand drifting instinctively to the faint curve of his belly. He didn't say it aloud, but in that moment, seeing the proof of life inside him, he felt something he never thought possible:
Hope, real and shining, blooming in his chest.
But then Taichi, after a moment, spoke uncertainly.
"Wait, doc…you said 'this one'? W-what did you mean by 'this one'?"