[shooshoo]

Stas watched Khasan walk away, feeling worried and unsure. He got up and started to clean up the kitchen, knowing that would bother Khasan all night. He packed up the rest of the pelmeni, concerned that Khasan had eaten very little of his dish.

Mentally he ran through everything they needed ready for the birth as he did the dishes. He had lists in his briefcase, but he knew them by heart by now. Khasan's obstetrician wasn't thrilled that they were doing a home birth, but understood the cultural background enough not to argue much. They had promised up and down that if there were any complications or if the labor seemed to take exceptionally long that they would come to the hospital. In Russia, men had their babies at home and Khasan and Stas were not going to deviate from that if they didn't have to.

Stas dried his hands and headed upstairs, unbuttoning his dress shirt as he went. He could feel the fluttering kicks of his own little girl, picking up on his nervousness.

Khasan was on the bed, resting on his side with his back to the door. Stas quickly got undressed and pulled on a pair of sweats before sitting on the bed next to him.

"My love," Stas murmured, resting a hand on Khasan's belly. "Do you think it might be time?"