Chapter 70: Moving Day Part 1

Yuzu had tossed and turned all night, her lack of sleep although had been more regular over the past few weeks still had her being slightly grouchy in the mornings. And so when she woke up to the sound of their alarm a low grunt left her lips as she reached to turn the beeping off. That was until she stopped at not feeling her wife in bed beside her like she normally would.

Turning over while trying to soothe her daughters that were kicking her stomach, Yuzu's eyes narrowed at her wife who was in fact in bed, sound asleep at the edge of the bed with her back turned to the blonde. Taking her eyes of her wife for a moment as she slipped off the bed to walk around to face the sleeping beauty. Yuzu's eyes narrowed even more at the peaceful and fully rested look on Mei's face. She could feel the bags under her own eyes, she didn't have to look in a mirror for that, and not only was her wife fully rested and slept uninterrupted, but also was not spooning or touching her at all. She had left her in the night for a comfier sleep, and that is what Yuzu told her as she pulled the covers off of her slumbering wife.

"Mei, the alarms gone off, get up or we'll be late." Yuzu said in a low tone when Mei blinked and shivered at the blanket being stripped from her.

"Yuzu?" A still sleepy Mei said as she rolled over to the blonde's side of the bed while scrunching her eyes closed to shield from the sunlight that was pouring in from the blinds Yuzu had just pulled open.

"The alarm has only just gone off, I set it 20 minutes early for you so you would have time to wake up before we actually have to get out of bed. Come back to bed for a little while?" Mei said, obviously not fully awake and she nuzzled into her pillow some more, her arm still reaching for the blonde who was still out of reach. Yuzu, however, already in a sour mood from her lack of sleep and an unhappy wake-up call, knew she would not get a wink of sleep if she went back to bed.

"There's no point Mei, the twins are up and have been the entire night, I'm not going to get any more rest so just... tsk.. settle please... never mind it doesn't matter, just get up soon." Stopping her sentence halfway through, the young blonde tsked in slight pain as a hard kick was made to the inside of her belly. Standing back up straight while caressing her stomach, Yuzu finished her words as she made her way to walk out of the bedroom. The door slammed as she let it draw shut with the draft of the window.

It was only a few minutes of sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of green tea before Yuzu drew her head at the sound of her wife's soft and cautious voice.

"Listen, first of all good morning and I love you. Second, I'm sorry for whatever it is that I've done... What's the matter, what did I do?" Mei slowly approached the table as she looked to her wife who she could tell was in a mood just from the way she was gripping her mug.

Mei, on the other hand, had played this game before. She could already take a stab in the dark at what she had done, no even that was a lie. She knew exactly what she was in trouble for.

After a minute of silence, while Yuzu continued to stare at her wife without even a mumble, Mei gently rolled her eyes as she made up the distance between them.

Placing a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek, Mei lingered just a moment before she pulled back enough to look her wife in the eye.

"Yuzu you know I was asleep and there is nothing I can do when I'm asleep if I turn or roll around. It doesn't mean I don't love you or do it intentionally. I can see you didn't sleep well, and I'm sorry but it really is too late to go back to bed if we want to be there on time.. I'll drive us down to Tokyo and you can sleep in the car and you can go for a nap this afternoon at Mother's, and I'll be there next to you keeping the twins quiet so you can get some proper rest. How does that sound?" Mei asked, placing another kiss to the blonde's cheek, this time her hand rested upon her jaw. And her words had done just as she had hoped as the blonde grazed into that hand as she closed her eyes.

"... I know you can't but it's still so mean and unfair. I get woken up nearly every night with these two, and I look over and you're looking fresh as a daisy." Was all Yuzu said with a pout as she wiped her eyes, already feeling exhausted from her day to come.

"Yuzu... You know I love you more than anyone, but you only have yourself to blame. I told you last week when we had this exact same conversation and the week before that, that if the girls were kicking at night and kept waking you to wake me up so I could at least try and get them to settle. You know me talking to them works and so do I. It's not my fault you don't do that and are tired in the morning." Mei said with a sigh as she stepped back from Yuzu, and after a moment of not getting a response, walked to the kitchen to start making her morning coffee.

The young Aihara knew it was dangerous to speak to her wife in such a way, for the fear that she would either break down in tears with her hormones or start an argument between them. But what she said was true, she couldn't take the blame if Yuzu didn't wake her or let her help.

However, Mei seemed to be wrong as she came back to the table with her eyebrow raised at her wife who didn't say anything back to her at all. Instead, just continued to hold her stomach with one hand and her cup with the other, her gaze fixed on the table.

At the continued silence Mei began to panic, maybe she had been too harsh? She knew Yuzu didn't wake her because she didn't want to disturb her sleep. It was sweet really... until she had to keep having this conversation in the morning when her wife was grumpy.

"Hey, hey, hey..." Before Mei could figure out what to say to resolve their conversation, or rather what she had said, she quickly stood from her chair to join her wife at the other side of the table when she saw her eyes close and bottom lip start to quiver.

"Yuzu honey, no please, you don't need to cry. I'm sorry I didn't mean that, okay?" Mei said while trying her softest tone, and after giving the blonde a quick hug rested her hands on either side of the blonde's face to make her look at her. Mei had gotten used to Yuzu calling her many nicknames since they first moved out, and over the years had on occasion used some herself. One she noticed seemed to perk her blonde lover up was honey, and she found her wife was in current need of perking up.

And as she hoped, she saw a small smile pull at the sides of Yuzu's plump lips at her words, her eyes opening to meet Mei's. The smile widened when a soft kiss was placed on her lips, and soft thumbs swiped over her cheeks.

"That's better... I know you don't want to wake me, but it'll only be for a little while then we could both go back to sleep. You are already low on energy, this lack of sleep isn't helping you. I would rather I had less sleep so you could get even a little bit more at night... We can have breakfast now and that should leave us with fifteen minutes or so before we have to leave. Why don't we sit on the couch and you can get a power nap in and I'll try to settle them with a book? Should make the car ride easier for you, hmm?" Placing another kiss, this time on the blonde's temple, Mei offered a reassuring smile to her wife to have a quick nod.

Her gaze dropping from Yuzu's eyes to her stomach, Mei's smile brightened ever so slightly. "And good morning to you too. I expect you will sleep all day after keeping Mama up all night?" Mei spoke softly as she rested a hand on the bulging belly, giving two soft kisses there too.

Yuzu sat in her chair looking down at the woman crouched down in front of her, smiling as she listened. With her outburst having been swept aside, Yuzu focused on her wife, for a moment shocked at the scene. It was almost hard to believe that the strict woman she knew years prior or even her girlfriend from months ago, would be able to speak her down as she did or would be speaking to her tummy with such adoration. Sure she got impatient with Yuzu's mood swings, some were shockingly unnecessary, but she always came back to soothe her in any way possible.

The first time they had this conversation about Yuzu's lack of sleep and being upset in the morning, Mei had come home that afternoon with a book of miscellaneous children's stories. When she handed it to the blonde she had stated 'Next time you can't sleep because they are too active, wake me up and I'll read them one of these. You don't have to do it all alone' then gave her a warm kiss. And yet Yuzu had only done this once since, she hated the thought of them both sleeping poorly when it could just be one.

"You really have changed a lot Mei, the twins aren't even born yet and you're already an amazing mum," Yuzu whispered as she ran her fingers through the jet black hair.

A moment of silence filled the room as Mei stood, pondering the blonde's statement. "I suppose I have, but I would say this relationship and our family has changed me for the better. Wouldn't you?" A sincere smile graced her lips as she looked to her wife, who only smile back before nodding.

"Alright, I'll go make something for breakfast why don't you go get dressed so you don't have to just before we leave?" Mei suggested already helping Yuzu from her seat knowing she would do as she said.

"Mmhnm, thank you." Steadying her feet, Yuzu placed her own kiss on Mei's cheek before wadding through to the bedroom to get changed.

"Mei, can you open your windows it's too hot?" Yuzu grumbled as she rested her arm on her already open window. They were only half an hour into their drive down to Toyko to view their new home, and as much as Yuzu wanted to be in a good mood after a rough start to the morning couldn't with the sun beating down and making the small car even more stuffy.

Without speaking, Mei rolled down her window with a nervous look to her wife. She could see the sweat on her brow and the irritation that lined her face. Tapping her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, Mei gave a few moments before speaking up, "I know you aren't feeling that well today so what would you like to do with the move today?" A few glances more to the blonde beside her and could see her sigh before wiping her hand across her head.

"I'm sore and tired and really don't want to travel back up to flat today. When are the removal men supposed to bring everything down again?" Yuzu asked, and although Mei knew what Yuzu was about to ask, only gave the date she had been asked for.

"The day after tomorrow."

"Well, can we rearrange that for today and just get everything moved down now rather than later? I am not travelling up and down in this heat again. If they bring it down today we should be able to put the bed together in time for tonight and start on everything else tomorrow" Yuzu said, her tone picking up slightly at the thought of getting everything organised and being settled back in bed.

"I don't know if we will be able to rebook for today on such short notice Yuzu. The company we are with are very busy and I highly doubt they will have a free afternoon and possibly evening. We were planning on staying at mothers tonight anyways, if you prefer I can travel back up myself tomorrow and pack up what's left in the house for the removal men and you can stay at mothers an extra night?" Although hesitant at shutting down the blondes suggestion with her already temperamental mood. Mei knew it just wasn't feasible or necessary.

"Nothing is impossible Mei, I'm sure Gramps could get it done... If you want a night alone that's all you have to say. I'll stay at Mamas by myself." Fully turning her head away from Mei as she scoffed, Yuzu roughly tugged on the front of her shift trying to fan herself.

"I didn't say anything like that Yuzuko! I know it's hot, and I know you haven't slept but please don't have a go at me because you want to move the date we agreed on last week. This isn't my fault and Grandfather would not make such unnecessary changes either! Honestly, I know you are pregnant but there is no need for this attitude. If I wanted a night by myself, which I don't, I would tell you." Mei's temper shot up at the accusation. Her wife, however irritated and hot she was, did not need to throw accusations around or put words in her mouth.

With another sigh, Mei continued when she saw Yuzu clench her jaw and fist on the window. "We didn't pack up the bed, the desk or what is left on the coffee table, we can't have movers in there when the house isn't properly packed up. It is not that I want a night away from you Yuzu, that will never be the case, but one of us has to go back to get the last of things boxed up so we can move into this new house. Since you don't want to due to the heat, I will have to go back up. I don't have an issue with you coming back up it's your choice." Mei finished with what she hoped would get the girl to realised she didn't want an argument and left the conversation with Yuzu making the final decision. Therefore she couldn't get in trouble for making the wrong decision.

A low "Fine." Was all she got back as Yuzu closed her eyes and rested her head back, her free hand tracing small patterns on her stomach. A few minutes of tense silence later, Mei was not surprised to feel her free hand being touched and Yuzu looking at her. Once sure she had gotten the youngers attention, Yuzu took a deep breath.

"Sorry. I'm just so hot and it's making me... irritated. I didn't mean that and you are right there is no reason I can't just stay at Mama's." Her voice was sorry when she spoke, her apology evident in the way she spoke and gripped the hand in her own.

"I know," Was all Mei responded, a small smile on her lips as she brought the blondes hand to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. "It shouldn't be long before we get there and as soon as we've got the keys and go and see the house we can go to Mothers. It'll be cool there for you to get some sleep and I can make plans with mother about unpacking at the new house. Her and father should still be able to help assemble the furniture so we can get the majority of things done in the first day or so." Mei said. The build-up to this moment had been building up stress for weeks for the young Aihara, she was silently looking forward to finally getting the stuff into the new house and having the rooms unpacked so they could confidently say that the house was ready.

"I can help," Yuzu opened her eyes again to dispute her wife but was quickly shut down.

"I'm stressed enough as it is, the last thing we need is you getting stressed or lifting something heaving or doing too much and going into preterm labour. Even if it will be just a couple of weeks. We need to have the house ready and... I'm not sure i am ready. So you will stay firmly perched on the couch once it's down, or putting the dishes away in the cabinets." A small look of panic crossed Mei's face as the thought of Yuzu having the babies early. They have bought everything she thought they could have needed, from baby chairs to cribs to half a dozen boxes of nappies and wipes, along with a dozen tubs of the formula; per Yuzu's request that she had decided she wanted to bottle feed the girls. Mei agreed without hesitation, she didn't mind, if anything she thought it may make it easier for the pair. But just because they had all these things, didn't mean they couldn't wait patiently in their boxes until they were supposed to.

"You worry too much Mei, my due date isn't for 17 days, and aside from the lack of sleep, I'm fine. The twins are fine and I'm sure they are comfy and happy to stay in place a little longer..." With the silence growing and no change in Mei's expression, the blonde gave a light laugh, "... I'll make sure the dishes are put away and the magazines on the table are perfectly placed."

"Good, glad we sorted that out then," Mei said in what Yuzu thought sounded like sarcasm, she wasn't sure it wouldn't have classed as sorting it out rather than being told what she was doing.