Title:Nervous (Part 7)
Pairings:AibaxNino, ShoxAiba
Genre/Rating:Fluff, Family, Romance, AU / G
Word Count:1560
Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plot
Summary:Aiba visited his old home to tell his parents about Kazu, and feared that they would disown him for sure this time.

Aiba showed himself in since his mother wouldn’t budge. Instead, stared at him and Kazu like she was watching an intense tennis match, and was closed in a tight line that paled her naturally pink lips. He expected that she would scream at him, or disown him right on the front steps once she laid eyes on Kazu, but it never happened. She continued to linger at the entrance as if she was expecting someone.

Seeing this, Aiba panicked and dialed a number in his phone. His first intention was to call Ohno, but his finger betrayed him and decided to call Sakurai instead without his own knowledge. He answered within the first ring and the first question he asked was: “are you ok?” He was reminded of the time when Sakurai had offered between coffee or dinner to owe him back… He shook his head, thinking this wasn’t the time to reminisce the first time he invited the doctor to his apartment.

“I-I’ve decided to tell my parents,” Aiba told him weakly and nervously, still thinking that he called Ohno. “Can you come over? My address is…” After telling Sakurai his address, he hung up and took a seat on the beige couch at the living room that faced the entrance. He can tell his parents never changed it because it’s been there even before he moved out, but the leather was clean, and it gave off the smell of a new couch.

It was when he heard the front door suddenly come to a close, gently, yet with so much force that he almost dropped Kazu from his lap. His legs began to shake, his teeth began to chatter, his heart raced faster, and every nerves in his body shook. He had never been this nervous ever in his life, not even when he took the important test to be a nurse. However, it was Kazu’s soft moans in his sleep that immediately calmed his nerves, and he found himself hugging the child closer to his chest.

His mother sat opposite of him in the identical couch, but she didn’t say anything. She continued to stare at Kazu with suspicious calm eyes as if she was trying to figure out what he was, and remained that way until the doorbell rang. Aiba sighed in relief as his mother got up and answered it, but when he saw who the guest was, his heart raced as fast as a racing car.

“I’m sorry for intruding. I’m--”

Aiba stood up in surprise, holding Kazu tightly, when he heard that familiar voice. It wasn’t Ohno’s voice, but it belonged to Kazu’s doctor and the man that made him feel like he’s walking on air. “Sa-Sho-san!” His heart thudded loudly against his chest when the man gave him a worried look, before giving the same look towards Kazu.

“I’m Sakurai Sho,” Sakurai resumed introducing himself and handed his business card to his mother.

Aiba was surprised to see that she accepted the card without blinking, and gestured Sakurai to the couch. He sat back down when Sakurai took the seat besides him and his mother claimed her spot back on the opposite. Neither of them said a thing, making the silence in the air more awkward and unbearable. Aiba couldn’t stand quiet since he lived most of his life in different kinds of noises. Just as he was about to say something, Kazu writhed on his lap before letting out a shrill cry.

He panicked, unable to do anything when he saw his mother’s expressionless face. She must hate him now and Kazu and the doctor that--

Aiba was stunned, shocked, lost, and confused when his mother suddenly got up, her face showing nothing but worry as she ran to Kazu and scooped him up in her arms. She disappeared to the first floor bathroom, just near the entrance door, and all he could hear were Kazu’s cries behind the closed door. He had the urge to follow his mother, but his feet wouldn’t move no matter how much he tried to. However, the crying stopped and he saw his mother step outside after opening the door.

He saw his son, snuggled in his mother’s arms comfortably, stare at her face with so much interest, just like he did with the Ohno’s. Kazu let out a soft coo when his mother smiled and made kissy faces.

“M-Ma…” Aiba stuttered nervously, wondering what she was thinking of, “is Kazu ok?”

“Of course,” his mother answered sweetly, surprising him yet again, “he just needed someone to change his diapers. Thank goodness Yuusuke left some in there from his last visit.”

Aiba looked down at his toes as he wriggled them in his green slippers. His mother always made sure to have them, even when he doesn’t come over as much as Yuusuke does. He felt Sakurai’s hand land on his knee and made small circles on his knee, as if reassuring him to speak up. “So… you’re not mad at me?” He finally asked his inner fears, “that I have a son, but am not married?”

“Masaki, marriage is when you find love,” she says, taking the opposite seat again and played with Kazu on her lap. “It was wrong for your father and I to pressure you into finding someone, but it would be nice if you did.” She laughed lightly, sending happy waves across Aiba’s body.

“But what about papa?”

“He was done trying to find you a girlfriend,” she replied and cooed as she bounced Kazu up and down her lap. “What’s the name of my grandson?”

“Kazunari… he’s adopted…”

“Good,” she sighed in relief, “I thought you impregnated a woman and she left the child to you.”

“O-of course not mama!” he blushed at the same time he heard Sakurai let out a small chuckle. “I’m not that careless.”

“Well, I don’t know your relationship with my son,” she pointed out bluntly as she nodded her head towards Sakurai. Aiba made an embarrassed noise, wishing his mom wasn’t so blunt all the time.

“I happened to be his boss, and Kazunari’s pediatrician.”

“Is that so?” her eyes twinkled, and somehow Aiba saw the tiniest bit of mischievous in her eyes. “Are you seeing my son?”

This time, Aiba groaned loudly and covered his face with his hands as her mother guffawed unlady-like. Out of all the mothers in the world, he ended up with one that had joy in embarrassing him. Once, when he brought over a classmate for a project they were working on in chemistry, his mother showed his classmate most of his baby albums. He thought, at that time, that his classmate was taking his time in the bathroom, but when he came downstairs, he found the two of them snickering, and laughing out loud. Since that day, Aiba never brought anyone to his house.

“Actually, I am.”

Sakurai’s answer ceased his mother’s laughter and Aiba sharply inhaled when he released his face from his hands. As he sat there, staring wide-eyed at Sakurai, he felt butterflies flutter in his stomach and a stampede running back and forth in his chest.

He found himself speaking up. “He’s just kidding ma. He just means that he sees me at work everyday.”

Her face from before no longer had its mirth, but was replaced by something Aiba recognized as anger. It only lasted for a second before she resumed her laughter. “I see. Well, you did a fine job taking care of Kazunari, doctor.”

“Thank you,” the man bowed from his seat, “every children that are born into this world are more important than myself.”

Aiba couldn’t help but gasp in awe at the man’s words since he’s never thought of him that way. It was no wonder that every night at the hospital, when Aiba gave him a cup of coffee, there were dark circles under his eyes, and he always seemed out of shape. But the next day came, the doctor looked even more lively when the news of a successful delivery reached his ears. Even Aiba wouldn’t sacrifice himself like the man did. He never thought about it that way, either, even after having Kazu. But every single thought or small glance at his son, he wanted to give everything up for him.

“Stay over for dinner, Masaki. You too, Sakurai-sensei.”

“Ok,” Aiba answered hesitantly and sneaked a glance at the doctor. He was hoping he’d say no, as much as he wanted him to stay, for fear that his mother might show him his photo albums. But the man’s reply weren’t what he was hoping he would say.

“Sure, Aiba-san. I don’t have a shift tonight so I can stay.”

“Good,” she smiled kindly, but Aiba could sense that the devil was hidden somewhere in the room. “Sakurai-sensei, do you mind helping me with cooking?” And the devil came out.

Aiba’s had very bad experiences with his mother in the kitchen, even Yuusuke and his sister-in-law, since she practically owned the kitchen. Whenever he made a single small mistake, he would feel her icy glares on his back and she would immediately scold him for doing whatever it was incorrectly. He just hopes that Sakurai can survive his mother’s wrath.

When his mother handed him Kazu, hell began. Well, for Sakurai, that is.

TBC