The wedding preparations took longer than they expected. By the time Makoto finally noticed, the girls were already four months pregnant. The four-month mark brought hormones, expanding waistlines, and logistical nightmares all at once: Morning sickness had started to fade for most of them, though Yuna still glared at anything that smelled like fish.
Makoto's household grocery bill had tripled, the fridge was stocked with pickled plums and pickles, some specific brands of chocolate, and what he could only describe as an alarming amount of beef jerky (for Ayane).
His apartment had been transformed, too. Mafuyu's spare room was a construction zone of cribs and pastel paint, while the living room had become a minefield of maternity pillows, half-finished knitting projects courtesy of Mafuyu, and discarded cosplay props scattered in every corner.
It was a Saturday morning, two weeks before the wedding, and Makoto was in the kitchen trying to make coffee when he heard a thud followed by a curse.
"Dammit! Nothing fits!"
He walked into the bedroom to find Yuna standing in front of the mirror, looking absolutely devastated as she tried to zip up her favorite pair of jeans. It wasn't happening, of course. Her belly, now an undeniable rounded bump, was firmly in the way.
She looked at Makoto, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm fat, big bro," she wailed. "I'm a whale now. My cosplay career is over. You're going to leave me for a skinny girl."
Behind her, Ayane was lounging on the bed, wearing one of Makoto's oversized shirts and eating a bag of chips. Her own bump was prominent, pushing the fabric out. "Chill out, main wife, you're pregnant. You're supposed to be round and majestic like a planet."
"I DON'T WANT TO BE A PLANET!" Yuna shrieked.
Mika entered, carrying a tablet, still looking elegant. "We have a fitting today for the wedding dresses. The seamstress needs final measurements." She announced calmly, glancing at her own waistline, a proud smile touching her lips.
Mafuyu peeked in, holding a tray of herbal tea. "I think you all look beautiful."
"Easy for you to say, Mafuyu-nee," Yuna grumbled, finally giving up on the zipper and letting her jeans hang open. "You were already soft. This just looks natural on you. I look like a snake that swallowed a basketball."
She turned to Makoto, her lower lip trembling. "Tell me I'm still cute, Makoto. Tell me you still want to bang me even though I can't see my feet."
Makoto set out two cups of decaf coffee and two of decaf tea on the table. "Yeah, you're still cute even with your baby bump, my Yuna." He giggled as he caressed her belly and kissed her neck.
Yuna shuddered as his lips met the sensitive skin of her neck. An involuntary gasp escaped her, and she leaned back into his touch, her body betraying the angry words she was about to say.
"S-Shut up, idiot," she stammered, her voice losing its venom as he rubbed her belly. "Don't touch it like that, it's weird." But she made no move to stop him. Her hands came up to cover his, holding them there.
"Ooh, a preggo neck kiss! That's like, a +10 affection point, husband!" Ayane called out from the bed, chip crumbs flying everywhere. She patted her own stomach proudly. "He's right, you know. Your bump is hot, Yunnie. It's like a big, shiny target that screams FERTILE."
"Plus, pregnant hormones make sex AMAZING. I can't wait for our post-wedding bang-a-thon." She winked at Makoto. "Right, boss?"
Mafuyu set down the tray of tea, her eyes filled with gentle warmth. "She's right, Yuna-chan! You're glowing. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Mika sighed, tapping her pen against her tablet. "Ayane, we have an appointment. The seamstress, Madame LeBlanc, is a French artist who takes her work very seriously. She doesn't appreciate tardiness."
She walked over to Makoto, her movements graceful despite the shift in her center of gravity, and took his chin, turning his face away from Yuna and toward her.
She gave him a slow, deliberate kiss on the lips. "That's for being a good partner and managing Yuna's meltdowns," she murmured, releasing him. "Now, get dressed, all of you! The car will be here in ten minutes."
Yuna, finally pulling herself away from Makoto, grumbled and wrestled her jeans off, kicking them into a corner with a loud thump. She crossed her arms over her chest, her face still flushed.
"Fine!" she snapped. "But I'm wearing my biggest, baggiest hoodie and sweatpants to this fitting. And if that French lady looks at me wrong, I'm telling her I don't approve of her designs."
===
Makoto drove them all to the boutique, piling them into the seven-seat car he'd bought with part of his salary and some money "loaned" by Mika. He still needed to pay that debt off with massages and unspeakable favors at night, a fact she reminded him of on a near-daily basis.
"Tch, this seatbelt is strangling me," Yuna grumbled from the passenger seat, pointedly looking out the window so he couldn't see her pout. "It's all your fault, you pervert. You and your super-sperm. I can feel the baby kicking my ribs already. And I crave pickles dipped in chocolate ice cream like Ayane now. It's disgusting!"
Makoto chuckled at her grumble. "Don't blame Ayane for your weird taste. We need to get another ultrasound in the afternoon, too. How are you all feeling?" he asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Ayane, sprawled in the middle row, stretched her arms over her head, making Makoto's old t-shirt ride up over her belly. "Feeling awesome! My little Asuka is training in there! I swear I felt her do a hadoken last night. Plus, my boobs have gone up a cup size. It's a permanent stat boost! It's awesome!"
Mika sat calmly beside Ayane with a tablet in her hand, already cross-referencing color palettes for the wedding reception. "I am feeling large, but comfortable. The appointment is at 10:30. The ultrasound is at 3:15. That leaves us four hours for lunch and relaxation."
She glanced at Makoto in the rearview mirror with a cool, teasing smile on her lips. "Speaking of which, darling… you still owe me 127,000 yen for the down payment on this vehicle. I'm thinking we can work out a payment plan for tonight. After the girls are asleep, of course."
From the very back, Mafuyu's soft voice cut through the noise. "I feel full in the best way," she said, her hand resting gently on her belly. "It feels like my heart is too big for my chest. I felt a little flutter this morning. It was the most wonderful thing."
She looked at each of them, her eyes shining. "Are you all drinking enough water? I brought snacks and herbal tea, and wet wipes, just in case."
Ayane groaned. "Mafuyu-nee, you're turning into a real-life Support-class character."
"I'm just being prepared," Mafuyu replied with a small, happy smile.
Makoto parked in front of the shop, gently helping the girls down one by one, and carried all the heavy bags himself. "Let's go. Am I allowed to watch then?"
"EHHH?! YOU WANNA WATCH?!" Ayane cheered, grabbing his arm. "YES! OF COURSE! You gotta give your final approval, boss! I'm gonna try on the one with the see-through back! I wanna see if it makes you drool!"
Yuna's face turned the color of a tomato. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! YOU PERVERT! THIS IS A SACRED, PRIVATE MOMENT! …Unless," she added, her voice dropping to a whisper, "you promise to only look at me and tell me I'm the prettiest. And no cameras!"
"I don't mind, honey," Mafuyu said softly, clutching her hands together in front of her. "I would like you to see me."
Mika sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Your reaction will be the most honest feedback. But you can only watch, and don't think about touching any of us, darling. Unless you want us to be banned from her boutique."
Makoto led them into a pristine, white-walled boutique that smelled of expensive fabric and subtle perfume. A tall, severe-looking woman with a silver-streaked bun and a measuring tape draped around her neck greeted them with a critical eye.
"Mika," Madame LeBlanc said, her voice crisp with a heavy French accent. "You are on time. 'Owever… you did not mention you were bringing a zoo." Her gaze swept over Yuna's scowl, Ayane's wide grin, and Mafuyu's timid wave.
"They are my bridal party, Madame," Mika said smoothly. "And he is the groom," she gestured to Makoto, "He will be observing."
Madame LeBlanc raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Observing? Is h's opinion necessary? A groom's job is to simply say 'I do' and pay ze bills." Despite her words, she gestured to a plush velvet chair in the center of the fitting area. "Fine. Sit. Do not get ze fabrics dirty."
Mika nodded elegantly. "Thank you for your understanding, Madame. Now, all of you, strip. Madame has work to do."