Author's notes: The idea for this one-shot occurred to me a few months ago, and I've only just got around to writing it. I just love the Ishida-Kurosaki extended family friendships, and I thought that this would be a funny/adorable conversation for the Kurosakis to have with Ryuken. Unfortunately I couldn't actually fit Kanae into it, for reasons, but if my track record is anything to go by it's not beyond the realms of possibility that I might eventually write a follow-up chapter. :)

I would just like to get it on the record now that I know very little about pregnancy type stuff other than what I was taught in school, so most of this chapter is guesswork based on stuff I've seen posted to Facebook by various sprogging Facebook-friends. PLEASE EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE O.O

Oh, also, I don't normally use Japanese honourifics in my fanfiction because it feels a bit like the Gratuitous Japanese trope, but I've left in Masaki's use of "Ryu-chan" here, because it's a nickname, and it feels like a really fundamental part of Masaki's personality to have her referring to Ryuken in such a familiar way, especially in this sort of fairly intimate setting.

It was the meeting Masaki knew Isshin had been dreading; as openly and genuinely enthusiastic as he was about the prospect of becoming a father, he had been remarkably squeamish about the idea of childbirth. His childish revulsion was quite adorable, really, she thought, especially considering he had dealt with far worse at the clinic.

And so, four and an half months into her pregnancy, she had finally dragged him to Karakura Hospital, where her cousin was training to become a surgeon, so he could set Isshin's mind at ease.

Masaki marched her husband into the building, ignoring the reception desk and heading straight for the ward she knew Ryuken was training in. After a few minutes of wandering the labyrinthine corridors and tugging Isshin away from the very distracting food-court, she eventually found her cousin emerging from an automatically-locking door, peeling a pair of latex gloves from his hands.

"Motomiya's on break right now. I'll tell him Yutaka wants to discuss Izumi's anaesthetic situation," he called back over his shoulder. Spotting Masaki and Isshin, he nodded in acknowledgement. "I won't be a second, Masaki, I just need to pass on a message," he said, striding purposefully down the corridor in the direction of the food-court.

"See?" said Isshin. "I knew the canteen was the place to be!"

Masaki raised an eyebrow. "I thought I was supposed to be the one with the food cravings."

However, before Isshin could do more than pout in response, Ryuken breezed back down the corridor. "Okay, I'm free for a bit. Would you follow me to my office?"

The Kurosakis followed as Ryuken led them away from the ward and up a flight of stairs. "Ooh, Ryu-chan, I didn't realise you had an office already!" exclaimed Masaki.

"I have a clinic," Isshin helpfully pointed out.

Ryuken ignored this interruption, turning down another corridor. "Well, it's not much, but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get something better when I qualify."

The three came to a badly-maintained door in between a stairwell and a disabled toilet, and Ryuken held the door open. Masaki entered first, peering through the gloom and taking in the ratty-looking wooden desk, two semi-broken swivel-chairs and a stack of medical books piled on the floor.

"This is just a redecorated cupboard, isn't it?" asked Isshin, as Ryuken fumbled for a light switch and the windowless room was illuminated in flickering light, revealing just how small it was. Masaki thought that if she had stretched out her arms, she could have touched opposite walls.

"Kindly put a sock in it," intoned Ryuken, setting both chairs out and motioning to them before perching himself on the edge of his desk, facing them. "I'm a trainee, what did you expect? I'm lucky to have been given anything. Now, Masaki, what can I help you with? You were a bit vague when you called yesterday."

Masaki drew up one of the chairs and smiled pleasantly. "Well, I think Isshin's a bit worried about the idea of childbirth. I was just hoping you could reassure him."

Ryuken blinked, before turning to Isshin. "You are aware that you won't be the one giving birth, right?"

"Oh, shush, Ryuken," said Isshin. "Maybe I'm just concerned for my wife."

Masaki took Isshin's hand and gave it a small squeeze. "It'll be fine, love."

Ryuken gave a small cough. "Perhaps I'm not the best person for you to be having this conversation with. Have you been assigned a midwife?"

Masaki shook her head. "No, we haven't really seen anybody yet."

She didn't think Ryuken could have looked any more surprised if Isshin had stripped naked right there and started dancing the can-can on his desk."Not seen anybody? But... how far along are you?"

"Somewhere around four and a half months," she admitted.

Ryuken's mouth fell open in shock, and he eyed her abdomen with concern. "You're halfway through your pregnancy already, and you still haven't seen anybody? What about scans, or antenatal classes, or..."

"Well, Isshin's been keeping an eye on things," Masaki explained. "And besides which, this is why we came to see you. I knew you'd know what needed doing."

"Right, we're finding you a midwife," said Ryuken.

"So long as it's not you," Isshin chipped in, good-naturedly. "I don't particularly want you going anywhere near my wife's equipment."

Ryuken's jaw clenched. "Believe me, I have no desire whatsoever to go anywhere near your wife's... er, equipment. In case you had forgotten, Shiba, I am happily married, I have eyes for nobody but my wife, and, for the record, Kanae is pregnant herself."

Masaki's ears pricked up. "She is?" she squealed, completely forgetting to rebuke her cousin for calling Isshin the wrong name. "Oh, Ryu-chan, that's wonderful! I must give Kanae a ring, this is amazing, we can all be parents together! And our children can be friends, too..."

"Wow, Ryuken, I had no idea you were capable," Isshin interrupted cheerfully, clasping the irritated man's shoulder and seizing his hand to shake vigorously, earning himself a glare. "Congrats, man." Ryuken's eye twitched.

"When did you find out?" asked Masaki, eagerly.

Ryuken shrunk away from Isshin's grip. "Last night," he said. "We think it's been two months. We weren't going to tell anybody for a few more weeks."

"Oh. Our lips are sealed, in that case," grinned Masaki, placing a finger to her lips in a gesture of secrecy as though proving the point. "I can wait to phone Kanae, if it would get you in trouble."

Ryuken sighed. "No, it doesn't matter. I would be very surprised if she didn't change her mind and phone you about it this evening; she was terribly excited, and honestly, I think she expected me to slip up and tell somebody in the first place. Besides which, it seemed that the pair of you were somewhat of confidantes before you moved out of my parents' house, Masaki."

"Heh. More than you know," Masaki replied, giving him her best inscrutable smile. "Right. So. Midwives?"

"Of course," he said, reaching behind his back and opening a drawer on the other side of his desk, carefully removing a sheet of blank paper from it. "Well, I have a friend in this hospital who is a midwife, and when Kanae and I got married we decided that if we had children, we would want her to deliver them. Would you like her number so you can make an appointment?"

Masaki beamed. "Please."

As Ryuken took a pen from his pocket and began writing numbers, Isshin chimed in. "This friend of yours knows what she's doing, right? I don't want trainees playing with the lives of my wife and child."

Ryuken finished writing with a flourish and handed the paper to Masaki, who pocketed it. "No, she's just finished high school and is about to start a theatrical studies degree. But she's a really good actress, you won't know the difference."

"There's no need to be sarcastic," Isshin responded in mock dejection.

Ryuken quirked an eyebrow. "She has been delivering babies for thirty years".

Masaki smiled, glancing across at her husband, who was, himself, wearing a grin. However, she knew Isshin well enough to understand the trace of uncertainty behind his cheerful expression.

More to her surprise, it seemed that Ryuken had also somehow picked up on Isshin's doubt, for he deigned to remove the forced hostility he usually wore around her husband and regarded him with an understanding expression. "Everything is going to be okay," he said, his voice free of disdain, and Masaki also understood that he was trying to reassure himself as much as he was Isshin.

She was inordinately glad that they were all such good friends.