Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Shoelaces ❯ Shoelaces ( One-Shot )

WARNINGS - MPREG. MALE PREGNANCY. SLASH. YAOI. FICLET. ONE-SHOT. 3X4.

Pairing - 3x4 (5xS mentioned)

Warnings - Mpreg (male pregnancy, Preggy-Quatre, Slash/Yaoi, Pointless Fluff/WAFF.

Summary - A ficlet, with shoelaces and concerns about becoming a parent.

Author's Note - This was meant to be just a teeny-weeny lil' drabble with the shoelaces bit and some fluff. Quatre, however, had other ideas, and decided that actual thought (that belongs in a story with a plot, not a ficlet) was necessary. This is the result. Also, please note that the Mpreg is not really explained - it's only a ficlet, not really a story.

And yes, I am aware that men do not possess the ability or equipment necessary to become pregnant. Nor do they fly gigantic machines around earth, space and space colonies.

Trowa crouched on the floor, nimble fingers working the pristine shoelace into a secure bow, completing the first then switching his attention and repeating the process for the other shoe. With a small grin, his eyes trailed up the grey, trouser-clad leg, finally coming to rest where small hands lay comfortably on a rounded belly.

"Cat," his grin widened as he glanced up at his sleepy husband, "when you can no longer tie your own shoelaces, don't you think it's time to go on paternity leave?"

He couldn't help but laugh as he was met with a playful swat and cry of mock outrage.

"It's hardly my fault if I can't bend that far any more!" Quatre laughed, running fingers through his lover's hair as a tender kiss was placed on his stomach, "You just want to domesticate me."

"Mmm … I won't deny it," came the contented rumble, "but I can't take all the credit for this." Yet another kiss was pressed to Quatre's belly.

The smaller man gently tugged Trowa upwards, until the tender lips were attending to his own and the warm body was leaning over him, comforting in its presence. It was partially for pleasure and partially to distract the brunette - though he had been joking, paternity leave was a topic Quatre would rather not discuss again.

Quatre's decision to continue work until the end of his pregnancy had proved to be somewhat of a constant issue between the couple, Trowa insisting that his job presented him with more stress than was sensible, even without the addition of his pregnancy to consider. The blonde was inclined to agree with that. His job was often tiring, filled with demanding and frustrating business associates, all bent on draining the money they desired from the company's funds. The paperwork seemed endless, accumulating in teetering mountains that towered over his desk, and the hours didn't leave much to be desired either. Usually he'd jump at the chance just to have time off, let alone hand over the majority of the workload to his eager sister. Long term.

Following the paternity leave, he intended to become an "at home dad" when their baby finally arrived. Even before Quatre had had the male womb implant he'd made the decision that he wanted to be a full time parent (not, as Wufei had jibed, a "house-husband" - Trowa found it amusing) and after discussing it with Trowa it was agreed upon. Neither man was keen to put their child into day-care or hire a nanny, simply because they both wanted to be able to relish their baby's youth and just be there; Quatre supposed it may have to do with the absence of loving parental figures in their own childhoods. Besides, they intended to follow this child with several more, so Quatre would be taking paternity leave frequently in the following years.

Yet despite his dislike of his job, despite his desire to be rid of it … he couldn't help but feel a little reluctant. No, not reluctant, hesitant. Since the conclusion of the first war he'd been working for WEI, finally taking his place at the head of the corporation following his eighteenth birthday. He'd always been unhappy with the career he was expected to pursue, but he did it nonetheless, using his tactical and communicative skills to bring the company success and become the polished business man he was required to be. He held no passion, or particular affinity for it, but it had become his routine and structure for the past few years. He knew the job well and he knew that he was competent at it … parenting was another matter.

He'd never been a parent before. I mean, sure, he'd looked after Wufei and Sally's baby before and he'd reasoned with his slightly spoilt niece and survived an encounter with his boisterous young nephew. But they weren't his own. He could give them back at the end of the day. Giving up his job like this, no matter how much he wanted to do it (and he did), felt like a massive jump in the dark, a leap into the unknown.

What if he couldn't hack it as a full time parent? What if looking after his baby full time wasn't as stimulating as he expected it to be? What if he got bored? Or lonely, lacking the social aspects of his job? And what if the baby didn't take to him? Or …

The baby kicked. Hard.

And clinging to the last few months of his job was going to help any of that? Quatre sighed, moving his hand in soothing motions across his swollen abdomen. No, of course it wasn't. Avoiding his paternity leave was just a way of postponing that final step, of taking that final leap into the unknown and taking that risk; it was stopping him from moving forward.

The baby moved again, and this time Quatre smiled, affectionately running a thumb over the area. He definitely wanted this much more than a job he'd never enjoyed. Maybe he would miss the sociality his job offered, and the structure it bought him, but he was going to be spending his time raising his child. He glanced at his husband. Their child. And that was infinitely more important and fulfilling.

There was a reason he'd chosen this, he recalled, and he wasn't going to let cold feet ruin it.

"Trowa?" His lover looked to him and the blonde gave an apologetic smile. "I've been thinking, and it looks like I'm going to be late home a lot this week."

Trowa frowned, obviously not happy. "Quatre …"

"It's going to take a lot of meetings and late nights," he paused, a slow smile spreading across his face "if I want my sister to be in control of the company by Friday."

Quatre laughed as Trowa's jaw dropped.

"When I can't even tie my own shoelaces, I think it's time to go on paternity leave …"

Feedback, comments and constructive criticism greatly appreciated.

Rachel