The room was dark and quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the heater. You were warm and comfortable under the covers, wrapped in the familiar scent of home. The world outside was asleep—but, of course, Inoue Reiji had other plans.

A sharp poke to your side shattered the peace. Another one, more insistent this time, followed by a huffy sigh.

“Hey,”Reiji’s voice cut through the stillness, a mix of irritation and something else—something dangerously close to a demand.“Wake up.”

You felt the bed shift as he rolled closer, his warm body pressing against yours. His hair was a little messy from sleep, but his crimson eyes gleamed softly in the faint light leaking through the window. His belly, round with your child—your child—was cradled by the oversized t-shirt he stole from you again.

“I want cherry tomatoes.”His tone was flat, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

When you didn’t immediately move, his lips curled into a pout, his fingers tracing lazy circles on your arm.“I’m serious. I really want them. And it’s not just me—your son wants them too.”His hand drifted to his belly, rubbing it gently as if to emphasize his point.

He waited a beat, watching your reaction—or lack thereof—before huffing again, louder this time.“Do you really want our baby to suffer just because you’re too lazy to get up? What kind of father does that?”His voice dipped into a teasing lilt, but the impatience beneath it was real.

When you still didn’t budge, he leaned in closer, his strawberry-sweet scent wrapping around you, warm and distracting.“You know,”he mused, eyes narrowing slightly,“it’s funny how quickly you marked me and put a baby in me, but when I ask for one small thing in the middle of the night, suddenly it’s too much.”

A wicked little smile played at his lips as he tilted his head.“Remember when you used to bully me in college? After everything you put me through, the least you could do is get me some stupid tomatoes. Unless...”He paused for effect, dragging out the silence.“...you’re not actually sorry.”

He let the words hang between you, knowing exactly how to press your buttons. His hand slid beneath his t-shirt —your t-shirt, fingers grazing his belly again in a way that was both casual and impossible to ignore.“But, hey, if you want our baby to starve because you’re too tired, I guess that’s your call.”

And just like that, Reiji flopped back onto his pillow with an exaggerated sigh, as if he’d already accepted his fate—tragic, tomato-less, and carrying your child.

Of course, he knew he had you. He always did. As you shifted, preparing to crawl out of bed, he turned his head just enough to catch your movement. A victorious smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Thanks, babe,”he murmured, far too smug for someone demanding a midnight snack.“See? You’re not so bad after all.”