"No. I mean, it's pretty, there's no doubt about it. And the guy has wonderful technique...but it doesn't have anything more. Yours has so much feeling and depth to it."
The headmaster of the school stepped up to the large dias errected at the front of the room, calling for everyone's attention. "Now, the moment everyone has been waiting for: the prizes for these wonderful painings." He paused to allow the loud applause to die down. "Third prize goes to...Akuyo Kimi for her painting: "Flower of the Sunset"." There was a thunderstorm of applause as the excited girl dashed to the platform for her prize. "Now, the next two prizes were extremely difficult to award as each of these artists displayed wonderous talent. In a VERY close second place...Namae Hiro for his painting: Flutest in the Midsummer Night."
Hiro didn't seem to be upset by the second place ranking. He was smiling as he walked to the podium to get his award. "And, finally, our first place ribbon goes to...Yoshi Camael for her painting: Temptation!" Cam's family burst into loud, roarous cheers.
The principal gave her a large smile as he shook her hand, giving her the large ribbon. She accepted it and went to stand by the other two winners. "Told you you'd beat me this year," Hiro said to her quietly, smiling at her. "Congratulations."
"You're lucky to have such a large family that loves you." Cam glanced over at him but before she could say anything more to him, she was dragged off by a group of photographers who all wanted to take a picture of her next to her painting. After about ten minutes of posing, she was surrounded by her family, each of whom wanted to hug her.
With her family surrounding her, she failed to see the figure with long white hair standing near her painting next to a handsome man with dark hair and eyes. "She painted you well." "I don't know. I think I look better in person." Lucifer grinned at his general. "Are you going to talk to her?" "You know I'm not. Her whole family is here and I doubt a crowd would stop them from ripping me to shreds. Besides...I promised. No more." He glanced back at the smiling girl. "Come. Let's go before she sees." Beelzebub nodded and the two dissappeared. ********
A few weeks later Cam woke up feeling awful. She ran to the bathroom and threw up. "Oh, god..." She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the side of the toilette. She didn't really feel sick.
Her brothers and sisters were sitting at their usual places, chattering like a flock of birds while her father buzzed around, giving each their breakfast. "There's the sleepy-head." Eiro kissed his daughter's forehead in passing.
Once that was done, she dashed downstairs, grabbed the disk from her dad and hurried out the door. ***** "Come on in, Cam." Mei smiled and stepped aside to let the young woman enter.
"Nautious?" Mei felt her forehead. "You don't have a fever or anything." She paused for a moment. "Cam...let me ask you something. When did you last have your period?"
Mei turned and hurried out the kitchen. She returned with a little box in her hands. "Here. Take this into the bathroom." She held it out. A home pregnancy test.
Mei pulled the girl as close as possible--something made slightly difficult by her swelling belly--hugging her tightly and shushing her gently. "It'll be alright. I promise. Tell you what: why don't you stay here with me while you're pregnant? I'll let you see Lucifer as much as you want."
"No problem. It'll be nice to have some adult company when Gabrial's working." Mei handed her a cup of tea. "I'll call my doctor and make an appointment for you. We need to make sure you really are pregnant before we talk to your parents."
"That's what sisters are for." Just then, they heard the key in the lock. Quick as a whip, Mei grabbed the pregnancy test, burying it in the trash along with the box. "Let's not tell Gabrial yet either," she whispered.
"Hello!" Gabrial appeared with bags on his arms. Sammael toddled after him, carrying a tiny bag of his own. "Mommy!" He ran to his mother with a giggle. She laughed and scooped him up. "Hi, sweetie."
"A pepper. See?" He held open the bag so she could see the green vegetable. Gabrial laughed. "It's what he wanted to carry. Hi, Cam." he kissed his sister's cheek.
"Yeah, yeah." Mei laughed and scooped up her young son. "Come on, squirt. Let's go play with Auntie Cam in the livingroom." "Kay." She kissed her husband's cheek as the three left the room.
Mei smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes. He told me I was having a girl too a few weeks ago." She laid a hand on her swelling belly. "He can read the soul of the growing child."
"Oh, don't worry. He has to find Lucifer before he can do anything to him and do you really think he's stupid enough to hang around with impending death?"
"Sit down, please." The two parents slowly did so. "Is everything alright?" Eiro asked. "Well...it depends on what you mean by 'alright'." Mei took Cam's hand, holding it tightly. "You two should know...you're going to be grandparents."
"Wait a second. Before you get carried away, Eiro and start screaming," Mei said very quickly. "You have to know this obviously wasn't planned." "I'm going to kill him."
"Cam, look at me." Lucifer tipped her face up. "That's not how it works. You're needed just like I am. I'm the other half of the scale. Your father is never going to let me forget I'm saying this but...he's right. You are very young and I don't think you yet understand what that means."
Tears ran down her face. "Luci... I-" She closed her eyes and leaned into him. "I want to be with you. But, I DO know...that I can't. I don't like that. But I can't do anything about it, can I?" She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Move out?" Eiro looked at her quickly. "Maybe she should try it," Mei said. "I've already offered to let her stay with me while she's pregnant. A change of scenery might be good for her."
He returned the hug. "I love you too, Cam." He looked up at Lucifer. "But you have three seconds to leave with your head attached." "Noted." He bowed and quickly disappeared.
"You realized, Cam...that we'll have to pull you out of school once you start showing. They won't let you stay." "That won't be a problem. Asuka and I can tutor her. We'll tell the school she's visiting relatives in America or something."
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1 – 200 of 246 Newer› Newest»Cam laughed. "You aren't?"
"No. I mean, it's pretty, there's no doubt about it. And the guy has wonderful technique...but it doesn't have anything more. Yours has so much feeling and depth to it."
Cam blushed. "You really think so, Mei? You aren't just saying that because you're my sister, are you?"
"You know I don't sugar-coat the truth with anyone. Not even family." Mei smiled and kissed her cheek. "Yours really is better."
Cam hugged her. "Thanks."
"Your welcome." Mei smiled at the younger girl again.
"Shall we head back over to mine?"
"Good idea. It looks like they're about to announce the prizes anyway."
Cam took a deep breath. "Oh...now I'm nervous."
Mei smiled and took her hand, leading her back to the large family that was waiting for them.
Cam smiled at everyone and smoothed her dress as she waited for the prizes to be announced.
The headmaster of the school stepped up to the large dias errected at the front of the room, calling for everyone's attention.
"Now, the moment everyone has been waiting for: the prizes for these wonderful painings." He paused to allow the loud applause to die down. "Third prize goes to...Akuyo Kimi for her painting: "Flower of the Sunset"." There was a thunderstorm of applause as the excited girl dashed to the platform for her prize. "Now, the next two prizes were extremely difficult to award as each of these artists displayed wonderous talent. In a VERY close second place...Namae Hiro for his painting: Flutest in the Midsummer Night."
Camael's jaw dropped. She hadn't really looked at anyone else's paintings. Someone had done better than Hiro? Was it her?
Hiro didn't seem to be upset by the second place ranking. He was smiling as he walked to the podium to get his award.
"And, finally, our first place ribbon goes to...Yoshi Camael for her painting: Temptation!" Cam's family burst into loud, roarous cheers.
Her cheeks flushed red as she walked up to get her award. "A-arigatou..."
The principal gave her a large smile as he shook her hand, giving her the large ribbon. She accepted it and went to stand by the other two winners.
"Told you you'd beat me this year," Hiro said to her quietly, smiling at her. "Congratulations."
"Arigatou, Hiro-san." Her cheeks were still pink.
"Your family certainly seems overjoyed," he added with a laugh. "They're the loudest in the room."
"Well, there are a lot of them..."
"You're lucky to have such a large family that loves you." Cam glanced over at him but before she could say anything more to him, she was dragged off by a group of photographers who all wanted to take a picture of her next to her painting. After about ten minutes of posing, she was surrounded by her family, each of whom wanted to hug her.
She gave them all hugs and wondered what Hiro had meant. She smiled at the congratulations on her painting and wished Lucifer was there as well.
With her family surrounding her, she failed to see the figure with long white hair standing near her painting next to a handsome man with dark hair and eyes.
"She painted you well."
"I don't know. I think I look better in person." Lucifer grinned at his general.
"Are you going to talk to her?"
"You know I'm not. Her whole family is here and I doubt a crowd would stop them from ripping me to shreds. Besides...I promised. No more." He glanced back at the smiling girl. "Come. Let's go before she sees." Beelzebub nodded and the two dissappeared.
********
A few weeks later Cam woke up feeling awful. She ran to the bathroom and threw up. "Oh, god..." She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the side of the toilette. She didn't really feel sick.
She just felt...nautious.
"Cam?" She heard Kokoro knocking on the bathroom door. "Breakfast."
"I'll be down in a minute."
"Okay!" Kokoro's skipping footsteps faded down the hall.
She took a deep breath and flushed the toilet. She rinsed out her mouth and splashed water in her face. She was glad she didn't have school today.
Of course, it also meant her father was going to home all day today and if he even suspected there was something wrong, he'd pounce.
Maybe she'd go to Mei's for the day. Mei and Gabrial would leave her alone if she needed them to.
It would probably be for the best. She could also escape from her many siblings there too.
She took a deep breath and went into her room to change clothes quickly, then went downstairs.
Her brothers and sisters were sitting at their usual places, chattering like a flock of birds while her father buzzed around, giving each their breakfast.
"There's the sleepy-head." Eiro kissed his daughter's forehead in passing.
She smiled at him. "Good morning, Daddy."
"So then, what do you have planned today?" he asked as he scraped more eggs onto Narikage's plate.
"I was thinking about heading over to Gabrial and Mei's."
"I think they'd like that. Gabrial was telling me the other day they haven't seen you in a while."
"I know, I've been a little busy." She took a bite of her eggs and felt her nausea subside a little.
Maybe she was just overly hungry. She hadn't eaten much the night before after all.
She ate somemore of her eggs, then excused herself from the table.
"When are you heading out?"
"I was going to give them a call then head over. Why?"
"I just need you to take a disc over there with you. Gabrial wanted some pictures of the award ceremony."
"Oh, Dad... I don't know why you had to take pictures..."
"That's silly." He smiled. "Of course I would take pictures. It's not every day your daughter wins such a presigious award."
She blushed. "It wasn't anything thrilling, Daddy..."
"Oh, hush. Yes it was."
"Alright, well, I'm going to give them a call while you get that disc." She went into the living room and dialed Mei's number.
It rang twice then clicked.
"Hello?" It was Mei.
"Hey, Mei. Do you guys want some company today? I need to escape the horde."
"Oh, hi, Cam! And sure, come on over," Mei said with a laugh.
"Thanks Mei. I'll be over in a bit with the disc of pictures Dad promised Gabrial."
"Alright then. I'll see you in a little while."
"Okay. Bye." Cam hung up and went to grab her purse from her room.
Once that was done, she dashed downstairs, grabbed the disk from her dad and hurried out the door.
*****
"Come on in, Cam." Mei smiled and stepped aside to let the young woman enter.
"Hi!" She hugged her sister-in-law. "Is Gabe here?"
"He'll be back in a little while. I sent him out to pick up some groceries. Sammael went with him so I'm enjoying the rare moment of silence."
"Oh good. Quiet is nice." Cam came in. "Have you heard from Lucy lately?"
"No, she hasn't been around lately. I think she's trying to avoid being slaughtered by your father."
Cam chuckled a little. "I figured...but..." She frowned a little. "Oh, geeze..." One of her hands went to her stomach.
"What? Is something wrong?" Mei frowned at her young sister-in-law.
"Oh. Its nothing, really. My stomach is just acting up a little."
"Acting up? How so?" Mei lead her to the kitchen as she spoke to make her some tea.
"I felt nautious this morning and its coming back."
"Nautious?" Mei felt her forehead. "You don't have a fever or anything." She paused for a moment. "Cam...let me ask you something. When did you last have your period?"
She blinked at Mei. "Well...I..." She fell silent and looked down at her hands. "About eight weeks ago..."
Mei turned and hurried out the kitchen. She returned with a little box in her hands.
"Here. Take this into the bathroom." She held it out.
A home pregnancy test.
Cam opened her mouth then shut it. She silently went into the bathroom.
Could she really be pregnant?
There was only one way to find out.
She followed the directions on the box and came out to wait.
Five minutes later, she went back into the bathroom. When she came back with the applicator, her face was pale.
Blue.
She was pregnant.
She closed her eyes as she held it out to Mei. "Dad's going to kill me."
"Oh, honey..." Mei leaned forward, hugging the girl gently. "It'll be alright."
"How can you say that?!? I'm pregnant with Lucifer's child..."
"You know he won't be angry with you. He'll probably try to slaughter Lucifer, but not you." Mei hugged her again. "Why don't I talk to him for you?"
Camael nodded. "I'd appreciate it..." She put a hand on her belly. "I just can't believe it..."
Mei smiled.
"You're going to be a Mommy, Cam. A little younger than most but..."
She suddenly burst into tears.
"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you!"
"I-I'm p-pregnant an-an-and I c-can't even b-be with the m-man I l-l-love!" she sobbed.
Mei pulled the girl as close as possible--something made slightly difficult by her swelling belly--hugging her tightly and shushing her gently.
"It'll be alright. I promise. Tell you what: why don't you stay here with me while you're pregnant? I'll let you see Lucifer as much as you want."
Cam lifted her tear-streaked face. "Really?" She hugged Mei tightly. "Thank you!"
"Just don't tell your parents about that last part." She smiled and winked.
She laughed. "Oh, of course not. Thank you, Mei."
"No problem. It'll be nice to have some adult company when Gabrial's working." Mei handed her a cup of tea. "I'll call my doctor and make an appointment for you. We need to make sure you really are pregnant before we talk to your parents."
"Okay." She nodded. "Luci's going to be tickled about this, isn't he?"
"Just TRY to stop him from spoiling the child," Mei laughed.
She laughed a little. "Thanks, Mei..."
"That's what sisters are for."
Just then, they heard the key in the lock. Quick as a whip, Mei grabbed the pregnancy test, burying it in the trash along with the box.
"Let's not tell Gabrial yet either," she whispered.
"Good idea," she whispered.
"Hello!" Gabrial appeared with bags on his arms. Sammael toddled after him, carrying a tiny bag of his own.
"Mommy!" He ran to his mother with a giggle. She laughed and scooped him up.
"Hi, sweetie."
Cam poked her nephew in the side. "What do you have there, kiddo?"
"A pepper. See?" He held open the bag so she could see the green vegetable. Gabrial laughed.
"It's what he wanted to carry. Hi, Cam." he kissed his sister's cheek.
She hugged him. "Hey. Treating your wife right?"
"Of course. I went ouit and got all the crazy food she wanted, didn't I?" Mei smacked him.
"Shut up. It's your fault I'm pregnant anyway."
Cam hid a giggle behind her hand. She was glad her brother had someone as kind as Mei to love.
"MY fault? How is it my fault?!"
"It's always a man's fault. Don't you know that?" She smiled sweetly.
"Its inevitable, Gabrial, just accept that fact."
"I can't win against two of you!" He threw up his hands in defeat.
Cam giggled again. "Oh, go put the groceries away so Mei and I can talk more."
"Yeah, yeah." Mei laughed and scooped up her young son.
"Come on, squirt. Let's go play with Auntie Cam in the livingroom."
"Kay." She kissed her husband's cheek as the three left the room.
Cam sat on the floor with Sam.
He ran to his toychest and dug out his tub of blocks.
"Will you help me build a castle, Aunt Cam?"
She laughed. "Okay."
He grinned and dumped out the wooden blocks. Mei laughed as she pulled out her sewing.
"He's quite the little archetect."
"Yes, he is." Cam handed Sam another block.
Sam suddenly stopped, looking hard at Cam.
"Girl!" he finally said, a wide smile appearing on his face.
Cam blinked at him. "Yes, silly, I'm a girl."
He shook his head.
"No. Girl." He pointed to her belly.
Cam blinked at him. "O-oh..." Her hand went to her belly. "Has he done this before?" She looked up at Mei.
Mei smiled slightly and nodded.
"Yes. He told me I was having a girl too a few weeks ago." She laid a hand on her swelling belly. "He can read the soul of the growing child."
Cam looked down at her own belly. "I'm having a little girl?"
"It looks that way. I've never seen Sammael be wrong."
A tear slid down Cam's cheek, then was dashed away by her hand.
"Why are you crying? Do you want a boy instead?" Sammael asked, looking nervous.
"No. I'm not crying because of that, Sam." She smiled and hugged him. "I'm just being silly."
"Oh. Okay." Sammael smiled and hugged her back.
Cam sighed a little. This wasn't going to be easy.
***
"Cam, just take a deep breath," Mei said quietly as they approached her house. "I'll handle everything."
"Dad's going to yell...I just know it. He's going to go apoptic."
"I know..." Cam sighed. "I'm just afraid of what he'd do to Lucifer."
"Oh, don't worry. He has to find Lucifer before he can do anything to him and do you really think he's stupid enough to hang around with impending death?"
"Lucifer doesn't know, Mei... You never know...Dad might find him."
"You're working yourself up. Take a deep breath, okay?"
Cam took a very deep breath and exhaled. "Okay..."
Mei kissed her cheek and took her hand, leading her into the house.
"Hello! Anyone home?"
Kira came out of the kitchen. "Mei, Cam, hello! Eiro's in his study and the children are all out back."
"Well, that's probably for the best. I need to talk to you guys," Mei said with a smile.
"About what, Mei?"
"Well, maybe we'd better wait until you're both together."
Kira frowned. "Alright, I'll go see if Eiro can be interrupted." She walked to his study door and knocked.
"Yeah, come on in," Eiro called. She opened the door and saw him sitting at his desk sorting papers.
"Mei and Cam are here. Mei said there's something she wanted to talk to us both about."
He frowned a little, standing.
"Is everything alright?"
"I'm not sure." Kira smiled a little. "She said its something we should both hear at the same time..."
"Oh...alright." He removed his glasses. "Let's go then."
Kira kissed his cheek. They walked out of the study. "Alright, now out with it."
"Sit down, please." The two parents slowly did so.
"Is everything alright?" Eiro asked.
"Well...it depends on what you mean by 'alright'." Mei took Cam's hand, holding it tightly. "You two should know...you're going to be grandparents."
"Mei...I don't understand... We already know that you're pre-" she broke off and looked at Cam, whose face was red. "Oh..."
"What?" Eiro looked at his wife then looked at his daughter. His eyes bulged. "WHAT?"
Cam bowed her head. "Gomen..."
"Wait a second. Before you get carried away, Eiro and start screaming," Mei said very quickly. "You have to know this obviously wasn't planned."
"I'm going to kill him."
"Daddy...its as much my fault as it was his..."
Eiro's hands were curled into fists.
"No. It's MORE his fault. You're only fifteen! He should have known better!"
"Daddy. Stop it..." Cam took a deep breath to try to push back the tears that were coming.
"Look...both of you. I know its hard to maybe understand...but...Lucifer and Cam belong together. They really love one another."
Kira looked at her daughter. "Is this true, Cam? Do you love Lucifer?"
Cam nodded slowly. "Yes," she said softly.
"No."
"Eiro--"
"No."
"Daddy..."
"Cam...I understand that you love Lucifer. But you don't understand that you two canNOT be together."
"Daddy...WHY NOT?
"He's Lucifer, Cam. A fallen angel."
"So? Daddy, I love him. I want to be with him..."
"You can't." Everyone looked up quickly. Lucifer was standing there, a slightly sad look on his face. Eiro leapt to his feet, eyes flashing.
Cam stood slowly. "Luci..." Her eyes filled with tears.
"You've got some nerve showing up here--"
"I'm well aware you're going to rip my wings off with your bare hands, but may I say something first?"
Cam's lips trembled as she tried not to start crying. Kira touched her husband's arm. "Eiro..."
Lucifer stepped forward, taking Cam's hands.
"Cam...I...I love you too."
She flung her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder. "Then why can't I be with you?"
He held her tightly.
"Because your dad is right. I'm a fallen angel. Earth is as far as I'll ever be able to go. You can go beyond the clouds."
"I don't care! I don't want to go unless I'm with you! And if you can't go, then I won't either!"
"Cam, look at me." Lucifer tipped her face up. "That's not how it works. You're needed just like I am. I'm the other half of the scale. Your father is never going to let me forget I'm saying this but...he's right. You are very young and I don't think you yet understand what that means."
Tears ran down her face. "Luci... I-" She closed her eyes and leaned into him. "I want to be with you. But, I DO know...that I can't. I don't like that. But I can't do anything about it, can I?" She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
He shook his head slightly.
"No, Cam...you can't."
She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. "Then what are we going to do about the baby?"
"I don't know. But there's no way I'll be able to take care of it."
She nodded. "Then I will..."
"Cam, you're forgetting something. You're only fifteen," Eiro said.
"I'm not giving it up, Daddy..."
"Cam--" Kira quickly shushed him.
"I can't, Daddy... I can't get rid of it. Like it or not, it is an angel. I can't kill it and I can't give it up."
"She's right," Mei added softly.
"I guess the only question really is, should I move out?"
"Move out?" Eiro looked at her quickly.
"Maybe she should try it," Mei said. "I've already offered to let her stay with me while she's pregnant. A change of scenery might be good for her."
She looked at her father. "Daddy...I just think it would be better for everyone concerned."
He slowly nodded.
"Alright, Cam. If...if it's what you want."
She hugged her father. "I love you, Daddy..."
He returned the hug.
"I love you too, Cam." He looked up at Lucifer. "But you have three seconds to leave with your head attached."
"Noted." He bowed and quickly disappeared.
She tilted her head to the side and arched her eyebrow. "Daddy..."
"What? I didn't do it, did I?"
"You're still being mean to the father of your granddaughter."
"Granddaughter?"
"Sammael diagnosed her," Mei said with a small laugh.
Cam smiled at him. "Beats an ultrasound."
"And more accurate," Mei added.
"When did you want to move out then, Cam."
"Within a few weeks..."
"You realized, Cam...that we'll have to pull you out of school once you start showing. They won't let you stay."
"That won't be a problem. Asuka and I can tutor her. We'll tell the school she's visiting relatives in America or something."
"Well, you've certainly thought of everything, Mei." Kira smiled at her daughter-in-law.
"She's my little sister. Of course I thought everything through."
Kira hugged her daughter. "You know you can still come to visit any time after you move out."
She nodded.
"I know, Mom."
She hugged her mother again. "I think I'm going to go lie down for a bit."
"Good idea. You need to take it easy." Mei hugged her. "I'm going to run home. God only knows what Gabrial and Sammael are doing by themselves."
Cam smiled. "Thank you, Mei. I'll call you tomorrow." She went up to her room.
"You two handled that pretty well."
Kira shrugged. "I'm just impressed with Eiro."
"I'm still going to have his head on my wall. I just wasn't going to do it in front of Cam."
"Eiro..." Kira gave him a look.
"I'm entitled to give him at the very least, one beating. I'll let you have a couple shots at him too."
Kira raised an eyebrow. "Except I don't hate the boy."
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