Yixing jolted awake with a start, the blanket falling to settle around his waist. Out of the corner of his sleepy eyes he saw Xiuying rushing to the bathroom, one hand clamped across . A few second later there was the sound of retching and Yixing sighed.

As quick as his sleep-muddled body could function he tumbled out of bed and went to the bathroom, frowning when he caught sight of Xiuying hunching over the toilet, chest heaving up and down with the violence of her vomiting. He crouched down behind her, holding her hair back while his other hand rubbed her back, trying his best to comfort her. Once she was done he flushed the toilet and helped Xiuying to stand up, worry and concern warring inside him at the sight of her teary eyes and exhausted face.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” Her voice was weak and hoarse. “That was gross.”

He quickly shook his head. “It’s not gross, you’re not gross. Just pregnant.”

“This ,” she tried to joke, putting on a wry grin. “I don’t know why they call it morning sickness when I’m sick all the time.”

Yixing only hand her a glass of water to rinse out, before pulling her close and pressing a soft kiss on her temple.

It was still dark out and they didn’t have to get up for a few hours more so he guided her back to bed, pulling her close to his side until they fell asleep again. It seemed they had only close their eyes for a second before Xiuying jumped out of bed again, running to the bathroom and the whole process was repeated.

When morning finally did come Xiuying was too pale for Yixing’s liking and almost at the edge of collapsing from sheer exhaustion. She tried to head to the bathroom for a shower but Yixing gently pushed her back to bed.

“You’re staying home today. I’ll call in sick to the university for you.”

“But I have a class to teach at noon.”

“You’re in no condition to do anything, I’m sure your office will understand.”

Yixing knew Xiuying was at her limit when she offered no further resistance and just nodded weakly.

“What about you?”

“I’ll call my manager and tell him to give me a day off too. It’s alright,” he quickly added when she looked like she wants to protest. “There was nothing major scheduled today anyway. Now just take some rest while I’ll cook us some breakfast, okay?”

Another thing that worries Yixing was how Xiuying lost all appetite due to her nausea. Every bite that she managed to swallow seemed to just being vomited out immediately and this morning was the same. After just a few sips of the hot tea Yixing almost had to force her to take  Xiuying declared herself full and retreated back to the bedroom. Yixing watched over her until she was deep asleep, pulling the blanket up to her chin before tiptoeing out of the room and pulled out his phone.

He needs some reinforcement, and fast.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The reinforcement came in the form of Yixing’s mother who came up to Beijing the next day. Within ten minutes of her arrival she had hugged Yixing, exclaiming in distress over Xiuying’s state and had her on the couch bundled up in the warmest, softest blanket they have with a cup of hot herbal tea in hand.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I have just the right thing to treat those nausea of yours,” she patted Xiuying’s hand lovingly while making sure the younger finish up her tea.

Xiuying looked on gratefully as the older woman fussed over her, clucking in disapproval over how much thinner she’d gotten before she urged Yixing to go to work.

Yixing had tried to resist but his mother was adamant. “I have everything under control and it won’t make any difference whether you are here or not.”

Before he could retort his mother barreled on. “Besides, when the baby is born you will take some time off anyway, so it’s better to get work done as much as you can before that time.”

He took his own sweet time to get ready, still reluctant to leave until his mother had to practically shove him out the door. Xiuying’s soft laughter was the last thing he heard before the door close and he locked the happy sound in his mind to help him get through today.

His manager seemed surprised to see him when Yixing came to the office, barreling through his door with a grumpy cloud hovering above him. “Yixing? What are you doing here? I thought you were taking today off, too.”

He huffed as he plopped himself down on a chair. “I got kicked out of my own house, believe it or not.”

The older man raised his eyebrows, urging him to continue. The loud bark of laughter that welcomed his explanation didn’t exactly put his mind to ease and Yixing glared as his manager continued to laugh.

With some difficulty did the older man finally stopped though burst of chuckles still escaped his mouth. “I’m sorry to say this Yixing, but your mother is right. I’m sure Xiuying is in very good hands with her there and she had a point; what with you’re planning to take some months off when the baby is born it’s better to do more work now.”

Yixing sighed. “Fine, fine. So what do you have in plan?”

The next few hours gone by quickly as the two men discussed over future works. Yixing planned to release a mini-album just before the baby is born so the majority of his work is going to be centered on that, though his manager told him of an offer to do a soundtrack song for an upcoming film.

It was already dark out when he left the management agency and his chest tightened with guilt at seeing how much time had passed since he left his wife. He had called home twice during the day but both times he didn’t get a chance to speak to Xiuying. She was taking a shower the first time he called while on the second one his mother told him Xiuying was taking a nap and reassured him that everything was fine. Still, he missed his wife.

He closed the front door softly when he entered the house, searching for sign of his wife and mother. Low murmurs of conversation directed his foot to the living room and just behind the corner, sitting side by side on the couch was the two most important women in his life.

Xiuying looked so much better than when he left her this morning, face still pale though there was a hint of healthy rose coloring her cheeks as she smiled at his mother.

“Thank you māma, you were right; those tonics are wonderful! I don’t think I ever managed to eat that much after the nausea started.”

His mother looked on fondly as she patted Xiuying’s stomach. “No need to thank me, honey. You are my daughter too; it’s my job to take care of you and my future grandchild.”

“Māma…”

“I know that your mother is far away and I’m not trying to take her place or anything like that. But I want you to think of me as your second mother too, and to never hesitate if you ever need anything, alright?”

Xiuying nodded rapidly and even from this distance Yixing could see how her eyes watered as she hugged his mother. Feeling a smile breaking his face he made his way towards them, coughing softly to catch their attention. Xiuying pulled back from the embrace when she caught sight of him, her own smile lighted up her whole face as her arms reached out to him.

Yixing leaned down for a hug, burying his nose in her soft hair and inhaling that coconut shampoo she liked to use, before he felt small hands pushing his chest and he stumbled back in shock. 

Xiuying’s smile was gone; instead her button nose was scrunched up in discomfort and her eyes narrowed to slits. “You stink.”

Yixing blinked. “W-what?”

“You stink,” Xiuying repeated, a hand came up to cover . “It made me nauseous again. Go take a shower or something!”

From the corner of his eyes Yixing saw his mother chucking in amusement but his whole attention was still riveted at Xiuying, who was now pointing a finger towards their master bedroom insistently.

“I’m serious, Yixing! Go take a shower or don’t come anywhere near me today!”

Still gaping in shock he felt himself being pulled by his mother down the hallway that leads to his room.

“Māma, do I really stink?!” he whined, discreetly trying to sniff his armpits. “But I didn’t do much today! I stayed in an air-conditioned room the whole day and didn’t even have any dance practice or anything!”

His mother looked much more amused than he likes. “No, dear, or course you don’t stink.”

“Then why…?”

“Pregnant women can be more sensitive and they react differently to normal things or smells that usually don’t affect them. Trust me, I know; I couldn’t stand the smell of your grandmother’s chicken soup during the whole nine months I was pregnant with you.”

“So…Xiuying….”

She nodded. “Don’t let what she said get to you; it’s just because of the pregnancy. Still…” she nodded towards the bathroom. “I think it’s better if you do what she said.”

Yixing sighed dejectedly. He didn’t even get a chance for a welcome home kiss before his wife had pushed him away.

“Oh, and Yixing….”

His mother looked as if she was trying to stifle her laughter. “This is just the beginning. Don’t be shocked when the mood swings or weird cravings happened later on.”

Yixing swore his eyes almost bulged out of his sockets. “There’s more??”

“Of course! And you need to deal with it on your own because I’m not going to be here the whole time. What, did you think I would come here to Beijing while I leave your father and grandparents in Changsa all by themselves?” There was an almost exasperated pity in his mother’s eyes as she patted his cheek. “Just be patient with her and keep her happy, alright? After all, it is your child that she’s carrying.”

Yixing washed himself with extra care afterwards, making sure to pay attention between his fingers and toes, scrubbing at his skin with the loofah until he felt like he’d been sandpapered to an inch of his skin.

When he went back to the living room both his wife and mother were missing so he went searching to the kitchen. There he leaned on the doorway, watching fondly as Xiuying was chopping the vegetables side by side with his mother who was stirring something brewing on the stove.

He didn’t notice it before but Xiuying had on a light blue sweater of his, something she likes to steal when the weather gets to be a bit cold. It was much too large on her, always drowning her smaller frame; the sleeves too long that it went past her fingers, the top was hanging off her shoulders, but for the first time ever the rest of it was somewhat snug against her now that her belly was starting to swell. She had only just starting to show, the pull of skin around her tummy prominent and, if Yixing was being honest with himself, pleasing and heartwarming.

It was one thing to know his wife was pregnant. It was another altogether to see the physical proof.

Slowly he walked over, reaching out his arms to hug Xiuying from behind. She shrieked in surprise before turning around, her annoyed expression quickly turning to a grin as she burrowed into Yixing, face nuzzling in his neck.

Yixing chuckled at the slightly ticklish sensation. “Have I met up with your standards now?”

Xiuying nodded, still inhaling deeply. “You smell nice.”

“I’m glad, then.” His fingers threaded through her hair so he could pull her up for a soft kiss. “I miss you today.”

“But you’re home now.” Xiuying leaned up for another peck before nuzzling his neck again. “And you feel nice.”

Yixing caught his mother’s amused eyes and had to bend down to hide his blushing face on Xiuying’s hair.