Images of children, silver and rusty-furred kids with bushy tails and happy two-toned eyes danced through his head, making his heart kick in his chest. He wanted, more than anything, to believe she was pregnant. But he didn’t want to be disappointed. Scrubbing his hair with shampoo, then conditioner, he quickly sudsed up and then dried off. Dressing in a loose button-up and tight black jeans, his eyes were alight with excitement as he headed into the kitchen. He paused in the doorway, looking at her. “Phoebes…” His voice was softly uttered.

When he found her, she was sitting on the counter in the kitchen, biting on her lip in worry. Her brows furrowed before looking up at him and forced a smile on her tattooed face. Every year, she added another star. And she would do so until she died. She didn't want to say she was pregnant, because if she wasn't, and she told Patch she was..... Feelings would get crushed and that was something she didn't want to happen. "Feel better?" She asked, getting of the counter and handing him a glass of tea, wanting to make her way past him to get to the couch again.

Patch watched her slide off the counter, her lithe body moving with the grace of a tigress… He got images of her, round with a little of kittens, trying to clean the house and he couldn’t suppress a chuckle. He took the tea from her and sipped at it, but his body blocked the door. “Phoebe… Can we talk?” His eyes gleamed with hope and adoration. He wondered if she was worried about bringing it up…if she was pregnant. Or maybe she was as confused as he was.

She looked confused when he stopped her. She looked up to him, arching a brow and then backed up. The glass of tea would go on the counter, arms crossing over her stomach. She had a feeling about what it was, but she didn't really want to talk about it. "What're we talking about?" She asked, adjusting the shirt so it was nice and loose, not caught on any of her curves.

Patch felt the distance between them, her hesitation. Was she afraid? A frown creased his forehead. “Well…” He took a breath, blew it out through his mouth. “I don’t want to get our hopes up...but…is there any way we could be…expecting?” His gaze slid down her rounded belly and back up to her eyes. His heart hammered in his throat as he watched her, unsure of how she’d react. But he couldn’t just…sidestep the issue. He had to know.

Biting on her lip at his question, she sighed. So he thought so too, hm? ".... Maybe... I don't know. I mean... I .... could be?" She looked down to her stomach and sighed. "I've been eating a little more than usuasl, but I thought it was from working out or something. Maybe the tanning..." Her reaction was mixed. She looked nervous about it, and happy, and scared all at the same time.

He nodded, nibbling on his own lip even though he wasn’t a typically nervous person. “Any other symptoms besides increased appetite? Morning sickness?” His head tipped to the side and he raked both hands through his ruby hair. “I…I’m scared to hope, Phoebes…but…I’m too stubborn not to dream. Kids…” His words trailed off, a smile across his lips. “Ours…”

"I've been a little more queezy right when I wake up, but it passes after I eat something. Uuh.... Hell, I don't know. I lost some weight before this happened, that's why it confused me." She said, motioning to her stomach. "But... it'd explain why..... I, you know.. heat and all that..." She hadn't gone into heat for a while. "....I have been craving like... cheeses lately."

A thin eyebrow rose up, excitement bubbling with it. “Hmmmm…” He tried for contemplative, but it failed. He ended up laughing and reaching for her, tugging her into his chest. “Cheeses… Well, let’s buy you some then. Splurge. Whatcha wanting, Brie? Colby? Port Wine? Name it, girlfriend.” He grinned widely, but sobered quickly. “Should we…test? To make sure? …God, Phoebes, we’ll have to buy all sorts of baby stuff!”

The girl saw the hope bubble up and explode in her mate and it took her nervousness away a little bit. Her ears flicked before laughing and leaning against him. ".....I don't know. The stringy kind you can fry? It's white. I don't know what it is... And. .......Yes about the test and hold off on the baby things. I dont...." She sighed and rubbed her face. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

He wrapped both arms around her, nuzzling her ear. “Mozzarella? I can do mozzarella,” he promised, feeling her weariness just by holding her. He added fatigue to her list of symptoms. “Okay. Okay, baby,” he said softly. “No baby things. Not until we know for sure.” He paused, pondering a quick trip to the store for a pregnancy strip test kit. Couldn’t be too expensive… “Should I…go get one?” he asked, ears pulling back against his head in a way that made him look almost innocent.

The innocent look, combined with that soothing voice made her laugh and smile. Nodding, she bit down on her lip and rubbed her cheeks. "...Yeah. Get one with two in it? So... I can take more than one to be sure, right?" She flicked her tail and kissed his cheek softly.

“I will,” he promised, taking her face in his hands, kissing her tenderly. “I love you, no matter what, okay? Don’t worry…” He pulled away, casting a lingering glance towards her before heading out of Yorino Apartments and into Ikebokuro. It didn’t take him long to find the nearest quicky-mart, buying a two-pack of pregnancy tests. His heart and hands jittered as the woman checking out beamed at him. “Expecting?” she bubbled and he beamed like a ray of sunshine. “God, I hope so.” He thanked her, paid for the purchase, and ran all the way home. ******** the heat. He skidded into the apartment, then slowed to catch his breath, holding out the bag to her like a peace offering. “Let’s…do this.”

She was nervous the whole time he was gone. Phoebe had also forced herself to drink a ton of water to go with the tests. She had to pee on them, right? When he came back in the apartment, and held out the bag, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her hands erached out and grabbed the bag, nodding. "Well... you wait out here while I do this," she murmured softly. Carefully, Phoebe inched toward the bathroom, opened the door and locked it behind her. A few minutes later, she came out with the stick, biting her lip and looking ready to cry. There was a huge smile on her face, though. "Ahah... I'm... well.." She held out the stick for him. It read with a pink plus, which was positive.

“Okay,” he assured her and as she slipped to the bathroom, he sat down on the edge of the couch. His fingers drummed a beat against the back of his hand. He checked the clock every two seconds. Ohlord, if he was this anxious now at the possibility, think of how strung out he’d be when she gave birth. He grinned at the thought and then she was there. Tears brimmed in her eyes and his heart sunk—until he saw her smile. “Oh Phoebe…” he breathed, crushing her to his chest. He didn’t even bother to read the test. After a fierce hug, he pulled away and grinned goofily at her. “Ohgod… We’re gonna be parents…”

She laughed against his chest, keeping close to him and letting the tears flow. She was happy about this, despite her worries. When he pulled away, Phoebe rubbed her nose and cheeks, trying to hide her tears and laughed at him. "Oh god, Patch... I didn't think it'd be this soon." She laughed as she talked and put a hand on her stomach.

He felt his eyes burn and let tears drop into her pink and blond hair. He chuckled a little hoarsely. “Today is perfect. We’re gonna be parents… We need to get the house ready.” A chill shivered down his spine, in a good way and he grinned. “And…while we’re at it…” He backed up a step and dropped down on one knee. The ring he’d bought for her, he pulled from his pocket. He’d always carried it around, but now was perfect. “Phoebe, Master of Yorino… Would you be my mate?”

The tears caught her by surprise and she looked up to him, reaching out to try to dry them up. However, he spoke and dropped to one knee. Her heart stopped and she sucked in a breath as he produced the ring from his pocket. Biting on her lip and laughing, she nodded slowly at first, and then quickly. "You dumb...." She sniffled and laughed a bit more before laughing. "Of course..."

Patch grinned and mauled her gently, nipping at the lobe of her ear. He reached for her hand, sliding the diamond ring onto her finger and squeezing her hand in his. “I love you, Phoebes,” he said softly, a grin on his voice. “And come what may…even if you have seventeen kittens…I will stand by you.”

Seventeen kittens? He wasn't serious was he? Looking at the ring, she held it to her chest and leaned in to kiss him gently, nipping his bottom lip for good messuge. "If I have that many... I'm getting myself fixed after the pregnancy. Or getting you fixed."