Title: Shattered Reflections

Authors: DragonSapphire and Mary-chan

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Original characters belong to DragonSapphire and Mary-chan respectively. Do not use without either of our permission.

Summary: Part III; Sequel to "Scars." Simian and Haru return to Sapphire's castle to recover from the devastation brought on by Kahoku and his wolves with a new and potential future in front of them. However, a darkness more powerful and terrifying than the ookami lord has been released to take revenge for what has been wrongfully taken away from it, throwing the world into a path that could end in destruction.

Warnings: Violence, language, Alternate Universe (AU), sex, slash, and now: m-preg (male pregnancy)! If you are underage, are uncomfortable with any of these subjects, or just not a fan of male/male relationships, please do not continue.

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Marianna noted Simian's understanding of the situation and then put her hand on Haru's head again. "Haru-chan, wake up. You have a visitor," she said softly with motherly compassion.

Haru was still for a moment, and then he moved, making little waking noises. His eyes, heavy-lidded, began to blink and then he yawned. Violet orbs looked sleepily at Simian, half-unconscious for a moment, before recognition finally set in.

"S-Sim-chan?" the small familiar voice said wonderingly, partly out of habit for inquiring after his misplaced lover every time he’d awoken after Simian had been taken away from him. But this time… Oh, OH! Simian was...he was really right here!!

Haru was instantly awake. He pinched his cheek just to make sure he wasn't still dreaming.

"Sim-chan...Sim-chan!!" And Haru was suddenly all over the poor prisoner, kissing his brown face and petting his ears with abandon. "It IS you!"

Simian received the enthusiastic attention patiently, petting Haru's slightly rumpled ear as he underwent a feeling of deja vu...but without the feathers. Guilt and worry still pulled at him, but Haru's reaction had more strength and validity behind it and drew him in as he nuzzled Haru's cheek with a hitched breath.

"Sim-chan, I missed you so much. Are you okay now? Do you feel...okay? Has anyone hurt you?" Haru was a squirming little thing, still weak, but unable to hold in his absolute exuberance at seeing his moody lover again, and in one piece.

He leaned into the slow petting almost like a cat.

"I'm fine, Haru," Simian murmured, relief tinting his slightly roughened voice.

He then shifted so that he was gently cradling Haru against his chest with his other arm lightly sliding around his little waist, but remembering not to squeeze too tightly more out of consideration for Haru's occupied tummy rather than seeming suspicious to his wardens. He absorbed in the other's warm, sleepy scent deeply, wondering how he could have been so stupid to ever let the bunny go from his arms.

Haru's effusive expression of love and joy began to slow as he tired out very quickly. He seemed content to settle in as Simian placed him, but couldn't stop running a hand over Simian's chest underneath the blanket.

"You're...fine? Really?" he asked quietly. "I was so scared for you, Sim-chan. They said...it was for the best, but I don't think it was. I'm afraid they are going to take you away again, Sim-chan, but I won't let them, okay?"

Simian shivered at Haru's touch and pressed a soft kiss to his fluffy ear. He carefully guided Haru to lay back down with his head cushioned on a plump pillow before his gaze flickered up to those belonging to the two women and soldiers he had been trying to block out for a moment, and then returned back to Haru's, his own eyes lightly tinged with a sad grayish-blue.

"They may...have to, Haru-chan," he spoke softly, not wanting to ruin his lover's happiness at seeing him, but knowing Haru would read it in his expression if not his mind anyway.

"No!" Haru said, fear in his eyes...

And just when it looked like there might need to be an intervention, Haru's stomach growled. Loudly. It even stunned Haru, whose eyes opened wide for a minute, before his face shrank into a sheepish grin.

"I'm hungry," he said, pointing out the obvious to the others in the room, but smiling in a cute way just for Simian. A little joke between them.

Simian blinked his eyes a little at Haru, before his face dissolved into a hopeless smile which he smothered against Haru's soft white hair, pressing a kiss to the sweet-smelling strands. //SO precious...// Simian thought, and then stroked Haru's rumbly belly affectionately.

"Then you should eat. Real food, Haru," he added when he could feel the other's frisky retort.

"Okay, Sim-chan," Haru said, and got distracted again by Simian smiling so nicely and melting his tender bunny heart even more.

Marianna, though, was going to have to get Haru nourishment.

"What are you hungry for now, Haru-chan?" she asked with a smile. All of the aloofness from her conversation with Simian earlier had melted into true affection.

"Ano," Haru thought for a moment. "You said anything, right?" Marianna nodded.

"Okay! I want more pickles. And...a cabbage maybe. And a muffin. Um...one with carrot chips in it?"

Simian suddenly smothered a cough and turned away so he wouldn't get Haru all showered with spittle, but heard soft laughter in the background at Haru's unusual order.

Heavens...he was precious...

Marianna smiled and a guard went to go relay the order.

"Oh, and some pink cotton candy too, please? Pink," he said again, as if the color was just as important as the food itself. The guard smiled and nodded. Haru was looking very pleased with himself.

"It's weird...I don't even really want carrots as much anymore..." he told Simian.

"Which is a good segue to discussing something very important with you, Haru," the priestess began somewhat seriously.

Haru abruptly flung his arms around Simian’s neck possessively. "No!" he said shortly, guessing what this conversation might entail.

If Simian didn't have a stronger inkling about what Marianna was referring to, he'd be feeling uneasy himself... He was feeling uneasy anyway. "It's okay Haru-chan," he murmured, stroking his hair soothingly. //It's not...what you think.// He hid a nervous expression, but hoped his nerves didn't transfer over to Haru.

Haru looked at Simian, searching for any signs of deception. Finding nothing, he looked back to Marianna.

"What is it?" he asked in a cute, curious voice, as if the answer to that might be "cabbage cupcakes and carrot pancakes!!" which didn't sound too bad to him either right now.

"Well, Haru, it has a bit to do with your sudden diet change..."

Simian wondered if Marianna had prepared some perfect way to break the news to Haru because she seemed a little put out now that it had come right down to it.

"Oh yeah, you said that it was 'perfectly normal', right?"

Sheila coughed. Marianna cleared her throat. "It is perfectly natural considering your condition. You see, carrots don't have a lot of calories. They don't have a large amount of nutritional value period. Your body is craving these other foods because it needs it, but not just for you."

Haru looked at her blankly. He shifted to look at Simian when he sensed a wash of nervous emotion from the creature that just made him more confused. "Huh?"

Simian fidgeted, unconsciously tugging a little on Haru's gold earrings in an anxious gesture as he felt that inquisitive purple gaze settle on him. He took a breath and knew there wouldn't be anymore delay this time - finding out was inevitable. Simian didn't know how to be the most...delicate... in saying something like this, but it was his fault, somehow, so...

"Haru," he finally said, looking almost comically confused but trying to be serious, "I'm going to be a...f-father..." he paused to gather himself, but quickly so Haru didn't think he'd betrayed him and gotten a girl pregnant or something.

"Andyou'regoingtobethemother."

Haru stared at Simian.

For several seconds.

Blankly.

"Hee hee," he suddenly giggled.

"Hahahaaa!!" Haru started to laugh. "HAHAAAAA!!!!!!!" Haru began to laugh really really hard. He held his tummy, which felt a little tight when he laughed, and tears came into his eyes. "Th-That’s...that's so FUNNY, Sim-chan! And I was so worried about you. But you...you..." he broke into laughter again and couldn't complete the sentence.

Simian looked terribly taken aback by Haru’s outburst and looked up at Marianna who seemed...not as surprised by Haru's reaction.

"Haru..." he began weakly, but paused when Haru seemed as if he was about to roll off the bed from laughing so hard, and caught Haru carefully before he tipped over.

He sighed a few minutes later when Haru finally seemed to calm enough to take a shaky, giggling breath...but then resumed absolutely howling with laughter again, clutching at Simian's chest as the deer/tiger watched on, perplexed but unable to keep his mouth twitching upwards at Haru's infectious amusement anyway.

"Oh...oh Sim-chan, you're the...the best! Just when I was worried all day..." He giggled to himself and seemed to manage to get a hold of his mirth for more than a few seconds.

Marianna schooled her expression into something serious and cleared her throat.

"Haru," she said, waiting until the usagi youkai had calmed enough to look at her. "What Simian says is true. As strange and bizarre as it may seem, you...you are actually pregnant."

Haru blinked. Marianna wasn't laughing. She always laughed when she told jokes...

Haru stared at her. The room went dead silent. After several seconds, and several blinks from the bunny Haru spoke again, his voice very quiet. "Wait. I may not be the smartest person, but...even I know that boys can't...only girls can...can have babies." He surreptitiously pinched his cheek again, as if not completely certain he was awake.

"Normally you would be right, Haru-chan," she said slowly, "but...you and Simian are a different case. I can't explain it, but I can tell you, on the name of Fatima, my goddess, that it is true. Very true."

Haru blanched. Marianna's devotion as a high priestess was never to be questioned. Never. Unconsciously, a gloved hand went to his stomach. He had been feeling kinda...different.

Simian watched Haru with open concern, uncertain how the bunny would react to learning of his...condition. He had taken the news rather well himself, Simian thought, but maybe because he was still in some sort of shock. He absently chewed on his lower lip, not knowing what he should say, what he could say, but he couldn't imagine leaving Haru now with such a burden resting in his belly.

"Oh," Haru said simply, though it was clear the mechanisms in his little bunny brain were in high gear. "So...um...h-how long till...um...he...or she is born?" He leaned against Simian's chest, an unconscious gesture, but so genuine that half of Simian's worry began to ease a little.

"Well...it's more like...boys or girls," Marianna corrected carefully.

"What?" Haru asked.

"Triplets, Haru. You are...pregnant with triplets." she explained.

"Trip..." but Haru's expression became vacant at that moment and his thoughts seemed to drift off.

But soon a soft snort broke the silence that followed after the Big News, and Haru blinked and looked up at Simian who had clapped a hand over mouth and looked a little startled. However his efforts, the same noise sounded again and this time Simian’s hand wasn't nearly enough to muffle himself as his eyebrows turned up and he shook against Haru, unsuccessfully trying to contain his bubbling laughter that seemed to increase the more he tried to stop it.

Haru dragged his thoughts back to the present, and now it was his turn to look dumbfounded.

But the look only lasted for a moment. Seeing Simian laugh for any reason, just to smile, was wonderful. Haru grinned, a little hopelessly wondering what exactly had set him off and hoping he'd share.

Simian tried to say something so everyone wouldn't think he'd lost his mind, although he wasn't quite completely certain he hadn't, and gasped around his slightly hysterical laughter, tears beginning to stream down his flushed cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry...Ha! Ha-Haru..." but he couldn't continue verbally and relapsed back into the utter ridiculousness and strange hilarity of the situation, shaking his head uselessly behind his hand as he pressed his forehead against Haru's shoulder.

Haru started to giggle too. He couldn't not laugh if Simian was laughing. It WAS funny, a boy getting pregnant, with TRIPLETS. A boy! Where were they living? In his belly? In a womb? A boy being a MOMMY? That was totally...totally ridiculous.

"Hahaha!" Haru laughed too. "No wonder I've been feeling so hungry but so full lately! Hahaha!!"

Sheila eyed the two unhinged creatures laughing themselves silly on the large bed, hoping that both of them hadn’t lost their sanity, but she much preferred this reaction over scared or painful tears that may yet be inevitable. She started a little when a soft knock came at the sealed and heavily warded door, having forgotten that they'd sent out a guard a little while ago who was likely back with Haru's...interesting selections.

Marianna, a small smile of relief on her face, got up to open the door. The first thing the occupants noted was the scent...

Haru went from laughing to gasping with joy. "Ahhhhhh!" he said in a tone of only slightly exaggerated bliss. "Food for me!"

Marianna set the tray in front of Haru, his violet eyes fairly glistening with lust.

"Mmmmm," he said, picking up a still-warm muffin and devouring it in several quick nibbles.

"You see, Haru, carrots alone aren't enough. Your body is dictating the sort of nutritional needs you have now, and that's a good sign."

"A gooth fine?" Haru asked, crumbs dribbling from his chin.

Marianna smiled. "That's right. The pickles have a lot of salt. The muffins have bulk and the cotton candy," she said as Haru practically nose-dived into the fragrant pink stuff, "has plenty of sugar."

Haru came up looking like he had grown a pink beard. "Mmmmm cotton candy never tasted soooooo good!" He looked at Simian grinning. "Pink is my favorite flavor though."

Simian's laughter gently faded as he quietly watched Haru eat with as much enthusiasm and gusto as he did for everything else he loved in life, but a soft, genuine smile still lingered on his face. When Haru seemed to come up from air, sticky pink sugar clinging to his mouth and chin, Simian felt a surge of love and adorableness at his mate's antics and leaned over and attentively licked Haru clean again, although Haru was by far much sweeter.

Haru stopped eating suddenly. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh," he said in a low hungry voice that would have made the most prudent living creature practically melt.

Haru seemed to completely lose interest in the food. He threw his hands around Simian's neck and at once started to kiss him hotly.

Marianna and Sheila blinked in unison.

Simian didn't know WHAT happened or how he suddenly ended up pinned back against the bed with Haru wiggling his way on top of him, but his eyes went wide as Haru took advantage of his gasping mouth and unsuspecting body that, even though limited by Marianna’s magic, was working monumentally quicker than his brain at that moment. Simian's hands unthinkingly went around Haru to cup the back of his head and his pert little bottom.

Marianna looked over at Sheila who appeared riveted by the display. Soft ears and pink and white hair were practically melding into each other at that point. She looked back, feeling her cheeks redden slightly, but one glance at their auras informed her that, at this point, nothing short of a global catastrophe was going to pry the usagi youkai from his new meal.

The priestess, aside from Haru's fervent pleas to her when they had been alone, had not witnessed the strength of the bond that had seemingly grabbed a hold of them both at some point. Unconsciously she had considered Haru's concern nothing more than a display of his usual soft-heartedness and affection.

Now, however, she was starting to believe there WAS more...

Simian groaned, powerless under the passionate onslaught, and had to pull back slightly to suck in a breath of fresh air instead of straight from Haru's lungs as he turned back for his mouth to be claimed yet again by his bunny. The thick duvets may have covered their essentials from public view, but the blankets were slowly sliding down due to the meaningful motions beneath that barely left anything to the imagination.

Marianna was caught not knowing what to do at that point. Haru was clearly in love. Not just puppy love either.

Sheila was very amused by the priestess' befuddlement, but that didn't make her any less concerned for Haru. If things declined the slightest with the bunny’s condition Sapphire was probably going to end up killing them all.

"Hey...is this...okay?" she asked quietly.

Marianna sighed, still a little taken aback. From this angle, she could occasionally see the faces of the two lovers. Haru's...was so filled with unadulterated passion and longing and desire that she had to look away again. Simian couldn't make any sudden moves, so this limited the activity somewhat, but...

It felt so strange to be watching them, completely going at it with not a thought for the fact that there were others in the room.

"Haru will...likely get tired out soon enough."

How soon? He was weak still. Was there a chance he could hurt himself? If everything was working as it should, his body would tell him its limits.

Marianna coughed to cover her amazement and embarrassment. "I think...if you have things covered here...I will...go...check on something," she said, standing. Sheila wanted to burst into laughter right there. She didn't, but she did allow herself a small smirk.

Marianna left the room, then, turned around and pressed her back to the door, breathing out as her face turned red.

Sheila's eyes shifted from the rambunctious pair devouring their very favorite flavors of pink on the bed to the guards that had brought in Simian and were required to stay there as protection if the deer/tiger lost his mind again. And to take him back...if Haru would ever let him go again by the way he'd wound himself around his lover, who only seemed to encourage that captivity.

Sheila's smirk widened at one of the guards who didn't try to look politely elsewhere, utterly struck dumb by the two. "Pervert..." she murmured coyly, and the young man jumped, startled, and resumed an abrupt posture that would have put a statue of the greatest general who ever lived to shame, his face a vivid red.

Sheila did peal into laughter that time, but tried to cover it so she wouldn't disrupt Haru and Simian...although they were so enraptured in each other that they likely noticed nothing else.