CHAPTER ELEVEN





authors note here. hi guys. lmao. a fewwww things if you are like Jay why not do one of the million easier alternative websites. it’s because this fucking fic is too long it wouldnt even work on ellipsus reader docs. im sorry this readability is terrible. styling did not copy and paste and i wish i had the time to be able to re italicize this chapter but i dont. im sorry. soon i will find somewhere better to post these LHUDGYVUFILJHF

but anyway back to the fic. lots of smut. i hope we all saw the updated tags on twt but if you didnt it gets a little crazy :33333 




After a very exciting and hectic winter break, Riku returns to work in the new year with a tiny yet very real pep in his step. It’s kind of difficult to not feel worn out as exams and end-of-the-year festivities continue to loom over them but everything is going well enough. The chill of winter presses on, slowly fading into early spring, and Riku really just needs to end the school year on a bang instead of a whimper. Is that so much to ask for? 


Well, maybe. Though that’s entirely hinging on the attitude of the kids at school and Riku isn’t feeling super confident about keeping the chaos reigned in. After all, even his Big Kids are keeping him on his toes. 


Take, for example:


“I told you we were geniuses!” Ryo is bursting into Sion’s house on a nondescript Saturday morning after he spent nearly an hour spam-calling the both of them to make sure they were home. “We got into Tokyo University!”


“O-oh?” Riku’s reaction is a little more lukewarm than appropriate, but in all fairness, he’s only half-awake after spending all morning cuddling Megumi on the couch. Ryo’s letting all the cold air in, too, and Riku’s kind of tempted to scold him for it.


But Sion, on the other hand, just pokes his head out of the kitchen. “Really? Good job!”


And, well. Riku’s still a little confused about where the “we” is coming into the equation but almost ten seconds later Sakuya is also stumbling in, heaving as he puts his hands to his knees. “I told you to- why can’t you ever wait for-” He looks sick. “We should’ve told them together!”


But Ryo only grins something very pleased, never mind for his best friend’s suffering. He clasps Sakuya on the back. “It doesn’t matter, we’re both going to college!”


Sakuya, his face a little green, squats to the ground. “Y-yeah…”


“Let’s celebrate with food, then,” Sion calls them in to eat. “I made pancakes! Who’s hungry?” 


Of course that gets a decent rise out of Megumi, who could realistically not care less about her Nii-chans going to college, and in turn gets the boys’ attention. Ryo beams. “And we’re getting fed, too!”


Sakuya just groans and plops down onto the couch. “Gimme a bit…”


So, really, the chaos persists though it always manages to persist. The boys are going to university and they’re gonna do damn well there and Riku’s sure of that because he raised them himself. So maybe they don’t need the semester to end on a bang after all, right? Quite frankly Riku doesn’t have the energy to keep up with everything the kids are throwing at him and everything will be fine as long as they survive long enough to make it to the next term unscathed… 


“Nii-chan, you look dead,” Ryo comments off-handedly when Riku joins them at the table.


Riku just sighs and pinches his cheek. They’ll never have to know just how much teachers suffer for them this time of year, huh. “Just eat your pancakes.”


Things aren’t going so badly though, especially as things wind down with the kids. January very quickly turns into February, and while Riku doesn’t usually pay much mind to Valentine’s Day, apparently Sion wants to celebrate it this year. And really, a proper date would be a nice change of pace, wouldn’t it? This is the first time Sion’s ever been able to sleep over at Riku’s because Megumi is finally agreeable to being babysat overnight by Yushi and Daeyoung instead of waiting for her Appa to come home, too. So now they actually get to have a date all by themselves. Like, they’re finally by themselves for real. 


“Are you sure she’ll be okay?” Riku only double checks fifty times before Sion comes over. “Do you really think she won’t ask you to come home? Really?”


“Riku,” Sion laughs over the phone, “I’m sure. And if I have to come home a little early then at least we gave it a good first attempt, right?”


And, well, he has a point there. So the plans are decided and Riku very quickly decides that the end of the school year struggle actually doesn’t even matter anymore - he gets quality time all alone with his man, and for once, not even their usually-overbearing eight year-old can take that from him. And he’s sure as hell isn’t complaining about that!


“Okay,” Riku rolls over in bed with a grin. “Then head over soon!”


It’s really nice getting time alone together because their Valentine’s date ends up being pretty chill anyway. Dinner isn’t anything especially fancy but Sion makes some pasta and Riku bought some of the nicest wine he’s ever had for the occasion and it’s rare enough that they even get to eat alone without Megumi being there with them, let alone get wine-tipsy and laze around without a needy daughter to worry about. They’re skipping out on gifts this year but that doesn’t matter either because Riku’s already scheming for Sion’s birthday in May. But only a little bit, you know, for now. It’s just a small plan here or there for Sion’s big thirty-five since the guy hardly ever celebrates himself…


Thirty-five years old may not be a big deal to most people, but Riku’s gonna make sure it’s at least a spectacle. It’s what his boyfriend deserves, you know? And wining and dining him on Valentine’s Day is only the first step to his long-term plan of doting on Sion so hard that he has no choice but to elope with him to Thailand, so, like, you know. Maeda Riku can be very patient when he really puts his mind to it.


“This is so nice,” Sion sighs something long and tired as they cuddle on the couch after dinner, snuggled up in each other’s sides with their wine glasses in hand as some reality show plays on the TV. They’ve been here ever since they finished eating, actually, because they both work enough hours that they’re more exhausted than anything on a Friday evening date-night. 


“It is,” Riku agrees as he leans his head on Sion’s shoulder. God, Sion’s so warm and sturdy and it makes Riku just want to, like, purr at him. “You’re not worrying about Gumi too much, right?” He asks mostly because he’s curious, but also the selfish part of him wants Sion’s sole attention all to himself.


But Sion just smiles a wry little thing. “For once, not really. As long as she behaves for Yuu-chan I’ve got nothing to worry about but maybe we can call her later…” He presses a wine-stained kiss to Riku’s cheek. “I wanna focus on you instead.”


And well, you know. Riku certainly isn’t complaining about that either.


Their fingers tangle together and it’s so nice to spend time with each other without having to worry about anyone else interrupting; they’ve never gotten an opportunity like this before and Riku can’t help but go a little pink because he’s thinking of the possibilities. But it’s not like they’re gonna have sex or anything like that, right? Or, like, not real sex. But still, Riku finally gets to indulge in a way he’s never been allowed to indulge before and it’s hard telling himself not to get too eager. 


Alas, he's feeling pretty damn eager. But Sion really doesn’t have to know that, so… 


“Well, you don’t have to worry about me either,” Riku tells his boyfriend as he nuzzles his face into Sion’s shoulder. “I’m doing just great. And I’m glad we got to do this, too…” He squeezes Sion’s hand and smiles. God, he feels so fond that it’s stupid, nerves and possibilities be damned.


Sion smiles back at him. Then his head dips down to kiss give Riku a kiss. “Are you?”


“Yeah,” Riku breathes. He lets himself be kissed, his face tipsy-pink and expression a little too eager. Sion doesn’t escalate anything but his mouth is warm and he tastes like wine. “I’m so happy now that you’re here...”


Sion takes him by the jaw and grins into his cheek. “I’m happy too.” Then there’s another kiss. “You’re so cute, did you know that?” And then he’s kissed again. “And I finally get you alone.” There’s another kiss and- “Gumi’s always hogging you, so-”


Riku has to squirm away so he can just, like, breathe. It’s too early in the night to get riled up and so he whines and tries to wriggle out of Sion’s grip. “You’re too-” He’s buzzed just enough to lose his filter. “You’re so sexy, it’s too much!”


Sion laughs but he lets him go easily. It’s not fair - he knows just what he’s doing, doesn’t he? Riku takes a long sip of wine and pouts into his glass. He doesn’t mind being teased but Sion knows how easily he can get riled up, doesn’t he, especially with how they’ve been messing around every now and again. Sion’s never given him anything more than a handjob, but even just that’s enough to make Riku feel a little crazed…


It’s just hard not to get drawn in when he’s kissed like that, okay? Oh Sion is a very alluring man and touches him so purposefully and Riku’s trying to tamp down his suffocating need for more. So.


“Sorry.” Sion’s arm lays across the back of the couch and he smiles as Riku takes another sip, still pouting. He reaches out to run a hand over his hair. “You’re just so pretty. And you get so cute whenever I dote on you…”


Sion must be a little buzzed because normally he doesn’t say those things so blatantly, but still, Riku shouldn’t even be surprised. This is the kind of shit his boyfriend loves cooing at him the second there’s a drop of alcohol in his system, though considering it takes way more than this to get Sion anywhere close to tipsy, maybe he’s just thinking these kinds of things anyway…


Wow, that’s an embarrassing thought. Riku blushes. “Really?”


A hand squeezes his nape. “Really, really.” Sion leans in closer and pecks him on the cheek. “See? I can’t even stay away. I think I’m obsessed with you.”


And, well. That’s good. Riku turns his head so their lips meet. “You better be.”


Sion just smiles and takes him by the chin, pecking at Riku’s mouth with his own. “Trust me, I feel crazy about you…”


Admittedly it’s a little insane that they’ve been dating for seven months and yet this is the first opportunity they’ve really had to do this; Megumi’s usually lurking around and whenever Sion came over in the past it’d be in the middle of the afternoon, which is a very not intimate time of day to have a date. But this is… this is new. And it’s wonderful, too, because there’s no heat or worry or anything. They can finally take their time with each other.


“Pretty,” Sion murmurs. “You’re so pretty.”


Riku smiles into his mouth. He can’t help it. “You really only know one compliment.”


“No, I know a ton,” Sion insists. He pecks him on the cheek, the nose, the chin. “You’re handsome and beautiful and gorgeous and sexy…”


“Those are all-” Riku closes his eyes when Sion noses over his jaw. “Those are about my looks. What about my personality?”


He’s joking, mostly, though a smidge of him has always been curious what Sion likes besides his face. He’s said several things before - like Riku’s passion and optimism or whatever - but either way Sion isn’t really the type of boyfriend to say sappy compliments all the time. He’s more of an action-speaks-louder-than-words kind of guy, which Riku enjoys, and he’s good at reassurances too. But just once he wants to hear something new…


“Your personality?” Sion pulls back. Riku opens his eyes to see his boyfriend giving him a long, hard look. He doesn’t seem perturbed by the request, more contemplative; Sion licks his lips. “Well, you’re kinda greedy. And a little selfish. And…” He grins. “And you get very demanding.”


Riku blinks, hard. And then he pulls a face. “That’s mean!”


“No, those are good things. You’re loud about what you want and you’re passionate about everything and you have big emotions…” Sion grins even wider, cupping Riku’s jaw with his hand. “And you’re so obvious, you know? Everything you think is on your face. I love it.”


Huh. Riku’s not exactly sure how to take that but he averts his eyes because Sion’s gaze is- well, it’s always unrelenting but in these moments it gets even worse. “Really…?”


“Mhmm. That’s how I knew you were really into me. You were so-” Sion laughs. “You were so obvious, Riku, and that’s what made me obsessed with you.”


Wow. Riku wasn’t fully expecting a straight answer to that but he quite likes that he got one. Sion mentioned before that he enjoyed the way Riku chased him, yeah, but it’s still a little hard to believe. He likes all of that? For a second Riku thinks back to those relationships in college where he wanted too much, felt too deeply, loved too passionately… 


But now Sion likes that about him, huh. It’s made him obsessed. Holy shit.


Riku’s ears turn red and he scratches at his neck. “I-” It’s rare that Sion can fluster him so badly these days and yet this man still always finds a way to get him. “That’s really sweet, Sion.”


He glances up at his boyfriend. Sion’s pinker than he was before but his eye contact, as always, is firm. So he really means it, then. Sion’s the type to get embarrassed over these things, but if he has enough to drink he’ll be honest about anything you ask him to be honest about. Riku glances away. Even now those eyes still drive him crazy…


“I try to say sweet things to you,” is all Sion says. “You know I’m not really good at it, though.”


He has a point there. Oh Sion’s the most intentional-actions-first kind of person to ever exist and again, Riku really likes that about him because it makes his boyfriend impossible to doubt. But Sion’s also good at talking things out and giving advice and comforting people and doting. Isn’t that a little insane when this well-rounded man is all his, too? Wow.


“I think you do just fine.” Riku takes a long swig of wine before leaning over to set it down on the coffee table. And then he ambles forward, as he always does, plopping himself right into Sion’s lap. “And you’re always sweet to Gumi, so…”


Sion’s smile is wry, taking Riku into his arms easily. “I have to be. She’s eight.”


“But don’t you know that how a parent treats their kid reveals everything about them?” And okay, Riku is a little more tipsy than he thought he was, maybe. “You’re a good dad and a good boyfriend and a good man…” He stares at Sion for a long second. “You’re a really good man.”


And somehow, of all things, that’s what makes Sion look away. “I thought I was complimenting you, baby.” His cheeks are a little red.


Riku grins. He dips down just enough to kiss Sion on the nose. “Well, I like complimenting you.” His hands run down Sion’s shoulders, his arms, his wrists; their fingers tangle together once again. “You’re my favorite, you know.”


Sion huffs a laugh. “You’re mine, too,” he says. And then, after a second: “Er, my second favorite, sorry. I have to put the baby first.”


And, well, of course Riku can accept that - it’s hard to compare to an unearthly force like Megumi. He just grins. “Yeah, I know. And now that I’m thinking about it you might be my second, too...”


Sion smiles as Riku kisses him. “Gumi’s first?”


Riku laughs into his mouth. “Obviously.”


Their cheeks smush together. It’s a little silly how clingy they can both get considering they spend pretty much every second they’re not working together, but Sion likes that he clings and so Riku clings. It’s hard not to when Sion lets him; it’s even harder not to when Sion encourages him. Though, in all honesty, Sion has become the much more affectionate one out of the two of them anyway. There always needs to be a hand on Riku’s nape, Riku’s back, Riku’s thigh, Riku’s shoulder. There always needs to be a kiss every two seconds. There always needs to be proximity and if there isn’t he’ll get a very incessant spam of texts that are all something like baby, I miss you so much today, I need to see your pretty face or else I’ll wither away and die…


Wow. It’s funny in retrospect that Riku had initially fallen for Sion because of his looks - er, well, and also because being a super attentive parent is really hot - but that’s because now Sion’s so endearing that Riku feels, like, helpless but to dote on him. His boyfriend’s changed so much in these small ways, now needy and demanding and petulant. It’s great. Riku just squeezes him tight and grins, grins, grins. 


“You’re cute,” he says. “My husband is soooo cute.”


Sion leans into him. “Riku, you’re drunk.” He sounds a little embarrassed, though. Does Riku not tell him that he’s cute very often? He must not.


“But you are. You and Gumi both have the cutest faces ever, it makes me want to-” Riku rubs his face into Sion’s temple. “I want to eat you.”


Sion’s hand slides up his back. “You’re-” He huffs another laugh. “You think I’m as cute as Gumi?”


“Yup,” Riku tells him. “Maybe even cuter.”


He’s not joking about that at all but Sion just holds him and very slowly lets out a long exhale as his arms wrap around Riku’s waist; it’s not a deep nor an exhausted thing, not like it normally is, but then Sion too leans forward to set his wine down. “That reminds me of something. We need to talk about the little one,” he says. Then he pulls away just enough so they can look at each other. “The school year’s almost over, right?”


Riku blinks down at his boyfriend. The mention of a “talk” has flipped the mood from cozy to something a little more clinical. He doesn’t know if he should be worried or not - or at least not yet - but he still nods. “Yeah.”


And yet Sion doesn’t seem to be in any kind of somber mood or anything, does he? He just smiles and it’s something almost shy. “And she’s doing well, yeah?”


Riku nods again. “Yeah, I… I think she’ll do just fine on her own next year.” Normally when they have anything difficult to talk about Sion gets a little cagey, so this must be something else. Or, well, it could really be about anything…


But this doesn’t seem to be any kind of difficult thing; Riku watches Sion carefully as he exhales again but he’s still smiling and even his sigh just sounds fond. “See, you’ve been so good to her. And you’ve been so good to me, too.” Sion looks down at their joined hands and this is when Riku notices that his boyfriend’s ears are pink again. “If it was alright with you, I was hoping to introduce you both when the school year finishes.”


And, well. Riku’s a little confused about what that means. He tilts his head. “Introduce us?”


Sion huffs out a laugh. “I mean formally.” Very slowly, his eyes draw up to meet Riku’s and he squeezes his hands again. “I want to tell her that we’re dating.”


Oh. Oh, so that’s what that means. Riku can’t help his embarrassment, too, nor his surprise. “Really?” He has to look down at his lap even as he goes redder, feeling both shocked and pleased all at once. His mind had run off a bit with the idea that they were going to talk about something bad, but this is… he wasn’t expecting this.


Sion wants to tell Megumi that they’re dating. Isn’t that crazy? It feels a little bit crazy. Riku didn’t think- he never expected that they’d- he didn’t know that Sion would eventually want to- and so soon, that they’d-


“Yeah.” Sion seems rather nonplussed about all if this, if not a little embarrassed, as his head leans up so Riku can look him in the eyes. “I want us to be… well, we don’t have to be a family. But you know, it’d be a little…” He trails off and goes even pinker.


Wow. So he’s even thinking that far ahead? Riku’s face is so, so red. “Wouldn’t you have to come out to her?” He’s mostly asking out of curiosity; even as a teacher Riku doesn’t know the right order of these things and given how unconventional their relationship already is, things only get even more complicated. Is that a risk Sion wants to take?


Though, of course, his boyfriend doesn’t even waver. “Well, I’m fine with that.” Sion’s voice is low. “Are you?”


So he really means it, huh. Riku can’t help but feel a little intimidated by the prospect even though he knows he shouldn’t be. Before Sion’s family left, his mom had given Riku her contact information. And after they left, Sion told him that he may or may not have gotten his parents’ blessing. In a way, kind of, except not really. But it’s good enough, you know? That’s how he worded it, which surely can’t mean they gave any kind of explicit support. But Sion’s mom has passed along some family recipes, and that seems kind of…


It seems like everyone is expecting him to join their family, right? It’s intimidating but Riku is also as ready as he could ever be, he thinks, because he knows exactly what he wants now that he’s allowed to have it.


There’s no doubt in him at all - at this point he’s spending his entire weekends at Sion’s house, and while he’s definitely not moving in any time soon, sometimes he feels like he may as well. Riku’s always with them and now they’re basically a family and he has no issues playing the role as parent-except-not-actually and he’d much rather spend his time with Sion and Megumi than alone, and all of that are very new things for him to be feeling. Riku isn’t doubtful and he wants to be theirs more than anything and even seven months in, his feelings are only getting stronger. So doesn’t that mean…?


“I’d like that,” Riku says, and when he voices it out loud he feels more sure of himself. “And we wouldn’t do anything until the school year’s over, right?”


Sion nods. He reaches forward to brush Riku’s hair out of his eyes. “Yeah. That way we can make it more official…”


This is kind of crazy, actually - Sion says ‘official’ in a very specific way. Riku just blushes a little more before he asks: “And you’re really sure?” About me, is what he means, but it feels too daunting to voice that. 


And yet Sion doesn’t waver at all, again and even now, because he’s relentless. “I am.”


Wow. There’s something oddly attractive about Sion in the way he’s always so sure of himself; he’s called himself doubtful many times before but around Riku he never comes off like that, does he? Sion never lets doubt win over his logic, either, he never loses focus on doing what’s right. Even in his moments of insecurity he knows himself so well and he always knows what he really wants and he always knows the decision he should make. It’s just- Riku feels small and surprisingly needy as Sion presses in closer. This man isn’t doubtful about him at all, is he? 


That’s kind of hot. It makes Riku feel… god, well. He feels loved. He feels really loved. But he can’t voice that just yet, so.


Riku lets himself be pulled in by the jaw and Sion kisses him. It’s just a peck but his boyfriend’s still smiling something smug and fond and handsome. “You’re so red, kitty. It isn’t anything to be embarrassed of.”


“I’m not embarrassed,” Riku mutters, because he isn’t. But his arm slings around Sion’s neck and he presses in closer, too. “I just didn’t realize that you’d want me to be yours like that… and with Gumi, too…”


He averts his eyes as Sion kisses him again and again. Then his eyes slide closed, everything suddenly feeling overwhelming all at once. There’s nothing sensual about the way they’re touching but this kind of affection feels oddly intimate and Riku shivers when a hand squeezes over his hip. Sion’s voice is so low: “Is it too soon? ‘Cause personally, I’ve been dying for this.”


Sion sounds certain, is the thing, not even the slightest bit doubtful. Riku shivers again. “It’s not that…” His voice is tiny and almost a whisper as Sion kisses his cheek, his jaw, his neck. “I just didn’t realize how much you l-liked me…”


He only realizes how dumb all of that sounds when Sion stills. But then he chuckles. “You didn’t?”


Riku, still looking away, nods. “Yeah...”


But really, he should’ve known better. Both of Sion’s hands wrap around his waist and they squeeze, they’re firm on him, they yank him in closer. “Come here,” Sion’s voice is even lower, deadly low. “Come here and I’ll show you how much I like you.”


And it’s just- the mood, again, flipped so fast. It’s a little insane. Riku’s never had the opportunity to indulge like this before, sitting in Sion’s lap while his boyfriend pulls him into a long, open-mouthed kiss; his boyfriend pets up his sides, massages at his shoulders, brings him in closer by the hips. It’s so insane. 


A hand palms at his ass, squeezing hard enough to sting. Riku whines. God, he’s losing his mind.


“Sion…” He can’t help the keen that comes out when Sion nips at his jaw and gropes at him again. “I- you’re so-”


“I like you so much, baby. Did you know that?” A familiar hand squeezes over Riku’s nape and drags him in for a kiss, more tongue than anything else. 


I did, Riku thinks. But instead all he can do is moan as he’s touched roughly, and this is the first time he’s ever been so- Sion’s not usually so firm with him, not like this. It feels like he’s owned, too, and that is-


“You’re so cute,” Sion keeps saying into his neck, inhaling and petting him everywhere. “You’re so pretty. You’re mine.”


Riku’s lightheaded. He’s a little surprised because usually Sion’s pretty reserved with the possessive stuff - he’s reserved in saying this stuff, at least - but at the same time they’re both very much buzzed off of wine. Riku moans into his mouth and laments the fact that he can feel himself getting hard, the length of his cock slowly digging up against Sion’s stomach. “Sorry,” he slurs. “I just- you’re so-”


“‘S okay,” Sion tells him, his voice low and claiming. He pets over Riku’s hair. “You need Daddy to touch you? I can do that.”


For a second Riku wonders if Sion is, like, actually drunk or something - his face is flushed red and his pupils are wide, blown out, like he wants to eat him. Riku whines when a hand squeezes over his cock. “You’re drunk,” he accuses. “I thought you didn’t want to-”


“I’m not drunk and I can definitely do this much,” Sion kisses him again before nosing down his neck to suck a mark into Riku’s skin. He’s scarily adept at the motions of getting someone off, unbuttoning Riku’s jeans and freeing his hardening cock from his boxers.


“But-” Riku gasps when Sion’s big, calloused hand squeezes down on him. The other gropes his ass again, again, again. “Are- are you sure?”


He can feel Sion grin into his neck. “I’m sure, kitty. So just let Daddy take care of you.”


They have messed around a decent bit over the last few months but this is somehow just about the sexiest thing that Riku’s ever had done to him, a handjob on his couch while his boyfriend remains both fully clothed and soft. But Riku is hardly in the state of mind to worry about those things, really, not when Sion breathes into his neck and kisses and nips and mouths at his skin. “So good,” Sion groans. “You’re so good, baby. How does it feel?”


“It’s so- I- it’s good.” Riku’s having a hard time getting his mouth to work alongside his mind, clinging onto Sion’s shoulders and afraid to let go. He bucks into Sion’s fist, his hand calloused and firm and so, so warm. “Daddy, I love it…”


“God, you’re so cute,” Sion groans into his neck. This isn’t the first time he’s done this but this time he seems to be enjoying it even more than he usually does. Sion’s hand slides from Riku’s ass, up his back, over his shoulder; it lays over his nape and squeezes. “It’s just us, honey, moan for me.”


Riku whines. It feels so- it’s so good and he feels like his mind is melting out of his ears or something because Sion rocks him down into his lap with a dirty grind that’s hard enough to make him keen. God, Riku’s never been so keyed-up in his life. “I- I can’t be too loud,” he whines again. “The neighbors will hear…”


“Really?” Sion doesn’t sound convinced, though. “Then I‘m gonna have to make you.”


Riku is half convinced that this is a wet dream and absolutely not real life when Sion slides him off of his lap, but that’s because Sion then drops to his knees. And then, with a little too much ease, he pulls Riku’s jeans and boxers off of his hips and down his legs and spreads his thighs and leans in to- to-


Riku’s face is bright red. “Wh-what are you doing!”


“‘M gonna blow you,” Sion says like it’s obvious, and maybe it is. His fist strokes up and down the length of Riku’s cock, and unfortunately for him, he’s already leaking from the tip. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but I wanna- I wanna taste you.”


Riku doesn’t even know what to do with, like, his body. Both of his hands dig into the couch cushions and he watches his own thighs shake as Sion strokes him up and down, as he licks his lips and looks at Riku’s cock with his usual unrelenting stare. “I-” Riku can only ask, his voice weak: “You’re really sure?”


Sion’s gaze meets his and his eyes are even more intense than usual, holy shit. “I am,” he says. “So just be good and let me get you off.” 


Riku’s helpless but to let Sion do exactly as he pleases, pressing back against the couch cushions as Sion leans in to lick at his tip. Riku didn’t think in the seven months they’ve been dating that he’d ever be privy to the image of Sion sucking him off, but Sion mouths at the head of his cock and kisses at it once and he’s- he’s really gonna do it, huh. 


“Sorry, I’m out of practice…” Sion’s fist squeezes Riku cock and he takes it into his mouth, their eyes meeting as he slowly, slowly, takes him in deeper.


“It’s- god. Wow.” Their gazes meet and Riku feels like he’s melting again because he- had no idea Sion’s eyes could get even more fiery, what the hell. He wants to use his words but it’s hard to even think when Sion sucks him down his throat; you can tell it’s been a while because he’s not particularly skilled or anything, but as he is with everything else, Sion is outrageously meticulous. He gags, once, but then he tries again. Riku keens. “Daddy, y-you really don’t have to…”


But it feels so good, really, because Sion’s the one doing it. He squeezes Riku’s shaft before his tongue runs down his length, top to bottom, then takes him back into his mouth. Riku moans. One of his hands moves from the couch to Sion’s head, but that’s just- Riku just wants to hold onto him. It’s not to force him in anyway, really, because surely Sion isn’t the type of person who’d like that kind of thing…


Except:


“Like that, baby,” Sion pops off to encourage him. “Come on, grab onto me. Use Daddy’s mouth.”


What the- what the fuck? Riku couldn’t possibly do that. But he whimpers when Sion takes him back inside and two of his fingers reach down to rub at his- at his hole. Holy shi. Riku can’t possibly tell his boyfriend just how much he’d fucking love to be fingered at this very second - it’s mildly humiliating when he’s as tipsy as he is - but his free hand clasps over his mouth because he- god, he wants it. 


Sion notices, though. He pops off again to stroke Riku in a hard fist and rub at his hole a little harder. “Oh, you like this? You’re so pretty here. I wanna-” He leans in and Riku stops him with his fist in Sion’s hair. 


“No, I- I didn’t try to-” He can’t even use his words but he didn’t clean himself out in preparation for today and he doesn’t- fuck. There’s just no way Sion tries to eat him out in this state, right? Right?


“It’s okay. I’ll just eat you out,” Sion says in the same kind of tone he offers Riku water or tea when he comes over to his house. “C’mere.”


Riku is speechless. He has no idea how he ended up here nor what he did in his past life to deserve this as Sion hauls his thighs in closer, digging his face between his legs to lap at his hole. It’s just- holy shit. Sion jerks Riku off in one hand, the other clamped around his thigh to keep him spread, and all of this is just fucking insane. Riku’s hands both twist in Sion’s hair; he’s helpless but to tug at him as Sion’s mouth grinds down against him. 


“D-Daddy, you’re- I’m so-” Riku can’t keep his volume down as Sion slurps at him with no reservation at all. He couldn’t tell you if he’s ever been properly eaten out in his life before, because Sion is- it’s never felt this fucking good, what the hell. “Please, more,” Riku can’t stop himself from begging. He doesn’t know what ‘more’ would be, nor if he could take it, but he still wants it anyway.


Sion groans in response. He digs deeper into his skin, his tongue working at him. Riku’s kind of scared for his life because they just ate and so he’s just- he’s nervous, you know, hygiene-wise. But Sion doesn’t seem to give a shit about any of that, moaning into his hole. 


“Sion,” Riku warbles. “Daddy, it’s so- it’s so good.”


Really, this is crazy. Sion only leans back to take a breath, his mouth running up the inside of Riku’s thigh and nosing into his balls, of all things. “You’re so cute,” Sion pants. “Riku, how can Daddy make you come?”


“Um, I- I don’t-” Riku honest-to-god mewls when Sion rubs at his hole again, except this time it’s soft and he- they can’t do anything right now, holy shit, but it’s still tempting. Riku squirms anyway. “I don’t know.”


“God.” Sion’s eyes meet his and his gaze is as firm as ever, something in his expression even more fiery. He squeezes Riku’s cock hard, hard enough to make him jolt. And then Sion says: “I wanna make you whine.”


“I-” Riku is helpless, again and again and again. Sion leans back in to lick at his hole, groaning when Riku pulls him back in by his hair. And when Sion groans again, Riku yanks him right to where he wants it so, so, so badly. “Daddy, there, please.”


Sion makes a noise of acknowledgement, still jerking Riku off and eating him out. Riku uses his grip on Sion’s hair to drag him in closer, grinding up against Sion’s face. Normally he wouldn’t feel comfortable essentially just using his boyfriend’s mouth like this but Riku is edging on desperate and he just- he wants more and he needs more, is the thing, he really does.


“Daddy, it feels s-so good,” Riku breathes as he grinds down, hard, on Sion’s mouth. “I feel like ‘m gonna come.”


Sion groans. He spreads Riku’s thighs wider, pulls his ass to the edge of the couch cushions. Riku goes easily, just moaning when he presses his chin to his chest and watches Sion’s eyes meet his, his gaze dark and demanding even without speaking at all. His eyelids flutter shut when Riku’s fist tightens in his hair. Fuck, that’s so good.


“Please, I- I need it.” Riku’s wet everywhere and he can’t tell what’s from him and what’s from Sion’s mouth. In Sion’s fist he can see his cock leaking like a fucking faucet and Riku’s eyes close, too, on a long drawn-out moan. He’s never seen himself leak like that before. “God, please, Daddy. I’m so close, I-”


But then he yelps when Sion fucks his fist harder and his nose digs hard into Riku’s perineum. It makes something in Riku’s stomach jolt and immediately warning signs are blaring in his head. Because he’s had that feeling before and that was when he- the first time he ever-


Holy shit. No fucking way. Not now, what the hell!


“Wait, wait, no, I’m gonna-” He tries yanking Sion off of him. “If you do that, ‘m gonna squirt. Daddy, don’t-”


He should’ve known that would only make Sion double down, though - his boyfriend groans like the idea drives him crazy and he nips at Riku’s hole with his teeth, then buries himself even deeper. Sion’s hand on his cock squeezes his balls, drags up his shaft, and Riku is going to-


“Daddy, I’m gonna- I’m gonna make a mess.” He’s half terrified, half so horny that he could die. “Daddy, please-” Does Sion really want him to, what, squirt on his face? Does he really?


Sion pops off him, then, but not in the way that Riku wants. He pants once before his hand slides from Riku’s thigh to his perineum. “You gonna squirt for me, baby?” Two of his fingers dig deep, deep, deep into his skin and Riku feels his belly kick.


“I- I might-” Riku feels like he should really be dissuading his boyfriend but he’s helpless as he’s played with, as he’s just- just fondled with. How can Sion toy with him so easily? Sion’s mouth reattaches onto the head of Riku’s cock and he whines. “No, if you do that, then-”


But it doesn’t matter. Sion’s mouth closes around him and he sinks down, down, down. His throat is so tight and Riku’s so close that he might just- in his mouth, too? No fucking way. Either this is a dream or his boyfriend is a freak or he- or he really-


“Daddy, wait- p-please-” Riku yanks at his hair, but Sion resists. “I’m gonna- in your-” His eyes squeeze closed.


But Sion just groans, sucking him down into his throat. And Riku, helpless, comes.


At least it’s mostly cum, he thinks, though to be honest it could also be piss or whatever the hell squirt is. And that, too is- it’s bad. There’s a lot of it. Riku moans helplessly as he squirts and Sion swallows him down like a fucking freak. He takes him in easily before sliding off his cock with a groan. “Good boy, Riku.”


Riku’s not done, though. In Sion’s fist he keeps coming and Sion just lets him, licking idly at the tip. “Daddy, I’m sorry,” his voice warbles. 


“No, you’re perfect,” Sion’s voice is a growl. “You’re so cute.”


This is just fucking crazy. Sion doesn’t relent with his grip, and Riku comes so much, and after a few more tugs he goes limp. It feels like he’s been squeezed of every drop of cum in his body and this is just a little humiliating in retrospect. He even got a stain on his couch, for god’s sake. But now isn’t the time to worry about that because Sion smiles up at him, his mouth red and his chin wet with- oh, god, what is that.


“I’d kiss you right now,” Sion says, “but you’d kill me.”


“I-” Riku’s head pounds from the force of his orgasm. “I can get you a toothbrush…”


His legs feel like literal jelly and so he points Sion in the direction of the closet where he keeps extra toiletries. The faucet runs in the bathroom while Sion brushes his teeth. Riku’s mind is blissfully empty and he just… he sits there. A minute later, Sion reemerges, this time clean and dry. 


“C’mere,” he leans down to give Riku a kiss. “You were so good.”


Riku distantly notices that Sion actually did get a little hard today, which is- it’s kind of offensive because Riku would prefer his boyfriend get fully hard instead. But this is fine because progress is still indeed progress, right? Though, as usual, Sion doesn’t seem to have any intention of getting off himself as he helps Riku put his boxers and jeans back on. That’s unfortunate. 


“Daddy,” Riku breathes, still a little light-headed. Sion settles back down and pulls him back into his lap like nothing happened at all. His cock rubs into Riku’s ass but it seems like it’s softening. How disappointing…


“You were so good,” Sion’s hands slide up his back, his sides, they massage at his shoulderblades. He kisses Riku again. “My kitty, you’re perfect. Daddy’s so proud of you, hm?”


Riku’s not usually the type to linger in a headspace after sex, but as with most things, Sion sort of just drags stuff out of him. He floats a little in his mind as Sion pets at him and brings him back down to earth, back into his body, back onto the couch with just the two of them.


“Come here,” Sion nuzzles him. “Who’s my good boy, hm?”


Normally this would be humiliating and it should be, Riku thinks, because that’s the kind of thing you say to a dog. But his mind floats and floats and he says: “I am…”


Sion chuckles and kisses him on the cheek. “That’s right.”


Riku’s honestly more sleepy than anything as he curls up in Sion’s lap and his boyfriend holds him in close, though his mind turns much clearer as time passes. Still tipsy, yes, but clearer all the same. Riku noses into Sion’s shoulder and he can understand the cat thing when he’s like this; Sion squeezes his nape.


“I… I’ll help you, too. When you want it.” Riku’s struggling to speak cohesively but he means it even still, of course. “You know, I’ve never come like that before.”


“Really? Good for me, then.” Sion is as indifferent about his own dick as he always is; he only pets at Riku, still so doting. “Maybe… I don’t know about soon. But eventually, yeah.”


Riku closes his eyes. “Good. ‘Cause I wanna make you come, too…”


Sion huffs out a laugh. “You will, baby.”


Riku’s subdued but it’s not bad at all because Sion holds him tight, tight, tight, and in the afterglow things are calm and peaceful and fond. And hell, there’s finally no Megumi to worry about either. They’ve never gotten to mess around without her also being in the house before, albeit usually only when she’s dead asleep. Riku noses into Sion’s cheek and he’s only brought out of his post-nut daze when Sion clears his throat: “Er, actually, I have a gift I wanna give you.” But his voice, unsure, makes it sound more like a question.


Riku pauses. He blinks. It takes a second for that to register, but then: “We said we weren’t doing gifts!”


When he leans back, Sion’s face is a little guilty. “I know. But it’s not a Valentine’s gift, really, and now is the best time…”


Riku stares at him. For a second he’s not sure what he’s supposed to think of all of this because Sion, while definitely being the gift-giving-type, isn’t usually the kind of boyfriend who springs surprises on him very often. “Really?” Riku asks. He’s a little peeved but mostly curious. 


“Yeah.” Sion’s hands squeeze on his hips. “Do you want me to go get it? Or I could save it for another time…”


Riku considers being genuinely upset for a moment because again, the no-gift thing. But Sion is pink in the face and there’s no way it’s from the wine and Riku is so, so, so intrigued. “I wanna see,” he says. “Why are you acting so nervous?”


He lets himself fall wayside off of Sion’s lap and Sion gets up while running his hands down his chest, his stomach, his jeans. “I’m not nervous,” he lies. And, well, what the hell does that mean?


“Okay…” Riku’s a little entranced by this version of Sion he’s never seen before, more twitchy than usual and avoiding eye contact entirely. His boyfriend gets up to go hunt down his backpack from the kitchen table. Riku only calls: “It’s not anything weird, right!”


At least that makes Sion scoff. “Why are you- of course not!” 


And, well, Riku just grins. Now he’s kind of excited.


Sion quickly returns with two rectangle-shaped boxes in his hands and sets one down in Riku’s lap. “This one’s for you. And this one’s mine.” So these are couple items, huh. Riku’s excitement is only growing.


“What is-” He unwraps his and is surprised to see a jewelry box. “Sion- you- was this expensive?” And now he’s scared to open it, too, because he wasn’t expecting to receive anything expensive today either.


“No…” Well, Sion is obviously lying. He scratches at his neck and looks away, away, away. “I wanted something more meaningful, so necklaces seemed kinda nice…”


Oh. Oh, wow. Riku thinks this would be kind of a lame time for him to get overly emotional, but still, it’s hard not to be touched. Jewelry is kind of intimate, isn’t it? It’s usually expensive and definitive and an item that means something. Riku’s never gotten a gift like that from anyone before; Sion’s already his longest relationship ever but he didn’t think that his boyfriend would get him this kind of thing so soon. Sion isn’t the type of person to go all-in on jewelry only seven months in, is he? Isn’t Sion the one who’s so terrified of commitment and ready to run at the first sign of trouble? Isn’t he the one who’s been dragging his feet and unsure and scared?


And yet- and yet with Riku he always makes these kinds of exceptions. That’s just kind of insane. Oh Sion is an insane man. 


“This is…” Riku opens the box. There’s a silver chain, a tiny cross pendant of some kind. It’s more stylish than it is religious, he’s pretty sure, but it’s still much more something he’d wear than Sion would. Riku’s fingers run over the chain. “Sion, really, this is…” He’s not quite sure what to say because he’s so, so, so deeply touched. This is for him? This small, precious, expensive thing is his?


“Is- is it too much?” Riku looks up to see his boyfriend looking the most nervous he’s ever looked. “I didn’t know if it was too early to get you something like this, but I thought that you’d-”


“No, it’s not that I- no, I love it.” Riku can’t help his grin and he rocks forward to give his boyfriend a hug. “I just didn’t-” He pulls away just to pick the necklace up out of the box. “Seriously, how much did you spend on these!”


“I got some allowance, it’s fine,” Sion says. And that’s cryptic as hell, to be honest. But he looks much more relieved now, taking the necklace from Riku’s hands to unclasp it with a shy smile. “Here, I’ll put it on you…”


On instinct Riku bows his head but his heart is going at a jackrabbit’s pace because matching jewelry is so, so, so romantic and he didn’t think Sion would splurge on him for seemingly no reason. But he already has, hasn’t he? Riku grins when the chain rests against his neck and he leans up to look Sion in the eyes. “Does it look good?”


Sion leans down only to thumb at the pendant. His fingers are so gentle, his smile a little wry. “Seeing you in a cross is a little funny,” he mumbles. “I’m trying to reclaim it. You look good.”


Riku smiles even wider. “Then let me do yours.”


Wow. All of this was- wow! Riku’s so touched he doesn’t even know what to say, putting the very same necklace around Sion’s neck. He’s not going to look up how much these cost for his own peace of mind, but still, he- Sion’s so frugal! And yet, just for him-!


“So you like it,” Sion settles down next to him and takes his hand. He’s still shy, albeit visibly less anxious.


“Of course I do,” Riku climbs back into his lap with zero hesitation because this is his thing now, and also Sion is his, period. “Now it’s like- it’s like I’m yours, right? It’s more obvious…”


Of course Riku only says that because he’s greedy, though. He’s always been greedy with Sion’s time and attention and affection, so the fact that they go out in public and people still think his boyfriend’s single makes him feel kind of pissed off. But jewelry changes this, right? Doesn’t it mean they belong to each other? This is a visible sign of ownership and Riku’s getting a little too excited and Sion just brings him in close with a smile. 


“I gotta cover you in my jewelry,” he murmurs. “I gotta make more money and work harder…”


It’s a very Sion thing to say; Riku tries acting indifferent even though his eyes feel a little watery. “Sion, you really don’t have to do that…” 


They hug, long and sweet. And it’s so, so, so great. It feels like a real affirmation of sorts since Sion, who has always been hesitant about letting things get too real, wants this with him. So he’s really in it for the long haul, huh? This must mean he is. Sion isn’t the kind of person to buy expensive things frivolously. Riku doesn’t cry but he’s just- he’s overjoyed.


A kiss is pressed to his cheek. “I’m glad you like it. I wish I could splurge more, but…” Then Sion sighs.


“No, I- I love it,” Riku says. He tilts his head down so he can give his boyfriend a proper kiss. “Next time I’ll get you something, okay?” Then his hands cup Sion’s jaw and Sion smiles up at him, his face similarly relieved.


His boyfriend closes his eyes. “I would say you don’t have to do that but it’d actually make me really, really happy…” Sion slowly noses into Riku’s palm with a cutesy little smile to match. And that is-


Woah. Really, since when did he get so cute?


This is- this is a new side of Oh Sion that’s been unlocked, right? This unbearably cuddly, affectionate, needy side of him? Riku leans back because Sion nuzzles into him and he’s so, so, so fucking cute and Riku wants to eat him and if anyone else ever got to see his man like this, he’d kill them.


“I- I’ll get you everything!” Riku reassures him. “What do you want, I’ll buy it. Really.” It’s a pressing urge, now, because Sion is his and it’s damn-well staying that way forever.


But Sion just smiles even wider. “I want this,” he grins before squeezing Riku into a hug. God, how is one man so- he’s so cute! 


It’s insane, all of this. Riku has to calm his racing heart because this is getting his shoujo senses tingling and never before has he ever been so certain that one person is indeed perfect. But his man is so, so, so perfect. Even Sion’s flaws are so cute and endearing and personable and he’s tall and handsome and strong on top of all of that! And he’s kind and smart and loving! Sion’s like- he’s like if all the best tropes came to life. Or wait, no, maybe he shouldn’t be equating his real-life boyfriend to manga. But still.


“I-” Riku breathes. “I think we should get married.” But that only makes Sion laugh again. “No, I really- I need to lock you down, now.”


“You’re so silly,” Sion leans up to kiss him. “You have me, baby.” And, well, that’s true too. Sion doesn’t seem to want anyone else and Riku only comes second in his favorite-people list because of course Megumi reigns over everything. So maybe he can hold off on marriage for a little while longer. Maybe. 


Riku purses his lips. “I guess you’re right.” He strokes over Sion’s hair a little firmly because he just- he’s overcome with a feeling he’s never felt before, wanting to whisk this man away to somewhere where it’s just the two of them and also Megumi can be there, too. Riku just sighs. “You’re really mine, aren’t you…”


Again, Sion’s being so ridiculously cute. He smiles. “I am.” 


Of course Sion’s only ever honest about these things, is what gets him, and also Riku knows that he can be insane on principle. So, like, he settles down and tries not to get too overeager. This isn’t the first time he’s felt disillusioned because of how much he wants to lock Sion in his room and keep him there forever, but it’s also fine that he can’t. Sion’s his, huh? And there’s no way he’s ever getting away. There just- Riku will make some contingency plans to make sure of it. 


“Okay,” Riku gives him another kiss. “So don’t marry anyone else until you marry me...”


Sion grins. “Riku, I won’t.”


“So don’t look at anyone else, either.” Riku presses in closer just to make his point clear. “Seriously, you can’t.” He’s joking but he’s also not joking at all. It’s just hard not to get a little demanding when this man, perfect in every conceivable way, is his. So.


“I won’t, baby.” Sion’s smile is so handsome and for a second Riku can’t even breathe. What the hell, why’s he so good? 


Immediately, Riku’s hackles rise again. “But you’re always so nice to people that they fall for you and then they try to-” He can name like five people off the top of his head. “Sion, every time we go out there are women falling left and right, so I get a little-”


“Riku, seriously!” Sion laughs. “Seriously, you watch too many dramas. Get that nonsense out of your head.” He pulls at Riku’s ear. “I belong to you, baby, don’t I?”


And, well. He does. “Yeah,” Riku says. “You’re only mine.”


That just makes Sion smile something terribly, dangerously fond. “Exactly. So stop worrying.”


And, well, it’s hard to cause too much of a fuss after that, huh? After a bit of a rollercoaster of different emotions, from there on the night is mostly just subdued. Sion finishes his wine and Riku abstains, though that’s because he’s happy as-is; now they’re both feeling a little giddy and overly affectionate and silly, even more so than usual. It’s the first time they’ve known this kind of peace, too, since Sion sends Yushi a video of the two of them to wish Megumi good night and for once she seems fine without them there. Their reality show finishes and it’s getting close to their bedtime and Sion leaves him only to clean up in the kitchen. Riku tries once: “But you’re my guest…”


“Too bad,” Sion responds, immediately heading to the sink to do the dishes. “Just sit there and look pretty for me.”


When Sion’s done, they finally head to bed. It’s not even that late but they’re both tired since they both had work on top of the usual child wrangling. So Riku shows Sion to his room - he finally gets to see the manga collection, which he only calls very cute, baby - and then they quickly change before passing out. Sion brought some clothes; he gets dressed and then he helps Riku put on his own pajamas. 


“I’m not a baby,” Riku complains a little when Sion tells him to hold his arms up. Though of course he secretly likes it, duh, he loves nothing more than the fact that Sion dotes on him all the damn time.


“You are, though,” Sion smiles. He puts his shirt on for him. “You’re my baby, at least.”


And okay, yeah, that’s true. And it’s kind of hard to argue with that, huh? Riku’s bottom lip juts out but he accepts the help nonetheless. “I guess I am…”


They slip into bed and Riku ends up in the crook of Sion’s neck, though he always ends up here in some way or another. He’s never had a real Valentine’s date before, either, and when he tells his boyfriend that much, Sion only hums and pulls him in closer. 


“It’s been about five years for me,” Sion says in a tired voice. “And to be honest, this is the best one I’ve ever had.”


Riku can’t help his surprise. “Really?”


“Yeah. I don’t usually like doing super grand things, like- well, Tsuchiko had high standards and that was fine for her, so I did whatever she wanted.” Sion huffs a laugh. “But I like that you and I are both homebodies. So if you wanted something grand, I’d do it. But I prefer this, just cuddling…”


Sion’s voice trails off. He yawns. Riku can’t even help how he smiles into his neck because god, Sion’s so cute. “Next year, then,” he says. “You can do something grand for me then. Maybe we can go abroad or something....”


Sion hums again. “Mm. Where do you wanna go?”


Riku thinks about that one. He’s considered the possibility before but the money he makes as a teacher is mediocre and he knows that for Sion, too, that kind of vacation would be a pipe dream. But it’s fun to pretend like they could go on a foreign trip together, right? “Maybe Paris,” Riku yawns. “Or Barcelona…”


“Mkay, then,” Sion kisses his cheek. “We’ll start a bucket list."


As usual, it doesn’t take them long to drift off. When Riku dated people in the past he’d sometimes hate sleeping with them because when he woke up they’d always leave too soon; he’d never be entirely sure they were coming back, was the thing, and that was a fear that plagued him until a little too recently. But the next morning he wakes up to Sion, shirtless and with an atrocious bedhead, staring down at his phone. He’s frowning. 


“I gotta go check on the kid, she hates Yushi’s cooking,” Sion says. But then he leans in for a kiss. “I don’t wanna leave you, though. Wanna come with me?”


Riku’s arms loop around Sion’s neck. “Can I really?” It comes out coy even though he doesn’t mean for it to. But he’s just happy, you know, Sion isn’t leaving and even if he was he’d always come right back. 


It’s so nice. Sion nuzzles into his cheek and the indent of a cross, of all things, presses right over his heart. “Anything you want, I’ll give it to you.”


Riku’s stomach tumbles. He really, really knows better than to trust anyone who says that kind of thing to him. But Sion never says anything he doesn’t mean and Sion always keeps his promises and Sion wants to tell Megumi about them and Sion wants to date him for a long time and Sion is- sometimes it feels like he really does love him.


So Riku smiles. And he drags Sion into one proper kiss, just one. “Okay,” he says. “Then let’s go.”



 ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 



February bleeds into March quicker than Riku even realizes, the end of the school year comes so abruptly that it’s a little disorienting. The twelve seven year-olds who entered his classroom a little under a year ago are now older, bigger, stronger, more mature. Even Megumi. Or maybe it’d be more apt to say especially Megumi.


Riku is so, so, so unbelievably proud of her. In terms of the meltdown-things, Megumi’s well-equipped for school now that she’s aware of her own warning signs and has those coping skills down pat. It’s too much to expect an eight year-old to dissuade themself from a meltdown - especially an autistic eight year-old - but she’s done as well as Riku could hope and he’ll always be around if he’s needed. Suzuki brought up the issue only once but the conversation died when Riku got Misato, the third grade teacher, on board with him.


So more issues will come up, he knows, but for now it’ll be fine. That’s a fucking relief!


The last day of school springs upon them within a blink of an eye; as usual, the closing ceremony is pretty emotional for the older kids. The third year high school class isn’t very big but Riku speeds through packing things up with his own students before going back outside to give a proper goodbye to his boys. Maku and Megumi come with - Maku needs to find Tsugumi, who is also graduating, and Megumi is eager to congratulate her Nii-chans. 


Riku gives her a bouquet to give to Sakuya and Ryo and they both swoon the second she presents it to them. “Ryo-nii, Saku-nii,” Megumi runs up to them. “Congratulations!” 


“Gumi-chan!” Both boys are immediately wailing. “You’re so sweet!”


Megumi lets herself be smushed into a hug between them and Riku is happy to see his kids all dote on each other like this. Sakuya and Ryo grew up faster than he can comprehend, sometimes, but he’s proud of them. They’re gonna do well in Tokyo - he just knows they will.


“You did it,” Riku steps in only seconds later to kiss his cousin on the forehead and squeeze him into a hug. “Ryo-chan, you’re so big now. I’m so proud of you.”


Ryo sniffles. “Thank you, Nii-chan. I’m gonna miss you…”


Riku laughs and wipes his tears. “Don’t miss me. I’m always gonna be here, waiting for you.” And then Ryo only bursts into more tears.


So, you know. For better or worse the school year is over now. It was a bit of a rollercoaster but pretty damn good all the same, huh?


They have about a little less than a month off of school. Riku refuses to do any work at all and he’s just really glad to once again be Megumi’s babysitter and nothing more than that. As usual he’s just basically living in Sion’s house now that he doesn’t have to go to work and that’s fine with him because Megumi is still the most perfect kid ever; Sion is still lovely and doting and the most perfect boyfriend ever. And also they’ve been messing around a little more often as of late, which is…


Well. Riku loves the man, obviously. But he also loves his mouth and hands. So.


They decide to throw a going-away party for the kids a week into break, as they’ll be leaving very soon for their first semester of college. Sion’s house is the obvious option so they can be as rowdy as they want; while the two of them prepare for the party, they have Sakuya and Ryo take Megumi and Maku out for a day of soccer since it’s starting to warm up outside. Yushi and Daeyoung are bringing the food and drinks so Riku and Sion only need to clean and get the house ready, thank god. They’re both glad for the break from doing all the adult work, though admittedly Yushi and Daeyoung have been moving very strangely as of late. They seemed a little too eager to go get that food, right? 


Hm. It’s just a little curious considering what the past few months have been like…


“You know, I’m a little scared about those two,” Riku says off-handedly to his boyfriend while they relax on the couch after a long morning of cleaning. “I don’t know what’s been up with them. Have you?”


“Who?” Sion looks up from his phone with a blink. “Which two? The little ones?”


“No, Yuu-chan and Daeyoung.” Riku closes his eyes and thinks. Recently Daeyoung’s been a little more cheery, yeah, but surely if they made things official he’d know. Right? There’s no way that puppy could keep that from him. But for a month or two he was so down about their situationship only to swing back around to being Yushi-obsessed a few weeks ago, so who knows…


“I wish I knew.” So Sion’s in the same boat, huh? He smiles when Riku looks over at him: “You know, Yushi doesn’t usually keep me updated on his dating life.”


Riku blinks. “Really?” Off the dome he can think back on about fifty times he and Daeyoung, in contrast, had spilled every facet of a hook up to each other in intimate detail. Daeyoung has recently taken it upon himself to speculate on Sion’s real dick size and they’re in agreement that he must be hung. So, like, you know. There’s an interesting cultural difference there…


“Yeah, no, he’s super possessive so I don’t get to know anything...” Sion trails off for a second before sending him a Look. “You tell Daeyoung everything, don’t you.”


Riku goes pink. “How did-” Sion can always just read these things off of him and it drives him crazy. “I- well.”


“It’s on your face, you know,” Sion grins and reaches over to thumb at his nose. “You looked so guilty, baby. What, do you tell him all about me?”


For a second Riku isn’t sure what to say because this is a part of, like, gay culture. Right? In his experience they all spill these kinds of things to each other no matter what. But on the other hand Sion’s kind of sensitive about sex stuff. Should he- should he have kept quiet?


Riku scratches at his neck. “Maybe just a little bit…”


Sion only smiles, though. “It’s okay as long as it was only good things.”


Well. That’s kind of both good and bad news, actually. Riku knows his face is guilty this time because just last week he had felt a decent dick imprint while he and Sion “messed around” and Riku, of course, had immediately told Daeyoung in excruciating, excruciating detail about it. But it was hard not to, okay? Sion’s dick is still somewhat of a mystery to him and he just wanted to theorize…


God, now he sounds insane. Riku looks away. “Yeah, it’s only good things.”


Sion just sighs a fond thing, though there’s some exhaustion in there too. “Riku, really. When you look that guilty I can only assume the worst.”


And, well, there’s no way Riku’s spoken the worst about his boyfriend to anyone, himself included, ever. “It’s not that,” Riku insists, turning back to Sion with pleading eyes. “Daeyoung and I are both just… we’re into similar things, you know...”


Sion raises an eyebrow. “Uh-huh.”


Riku only turns more pleading. “I mean, we both prefer bottoming. So it’s, like… it’s camaraderie, kind of!”


For a moment he just stares at Sion with desperation on his face because Riku knows this is his fault, sure, but he still only talks up Sion’s game because the game is- it’s pretty damn good, okay? Riku’s never had anything to complain about at all! But he’s not sure what exactly Sion is thinking - or, like, if he’s mad or not - and yet after a second his boyfriend just breaks into a grin.


“Sorry, I’m just messing with you,” Sion pinches his ear. “I figured you guys were like that.”


“I-” Riku doesn’t know if he’s offended that Sion was teasing him or more embarrassed that apparently he and Daeyoung are, like, what? Stereotypical bottoms? Is that what he means? But Sion scoots in closer and he’s coming in for a kiss and he’s still, still, still smiling. Riku blinks. “You’re not mad?”


“No. But only tell him good things, okay?” Sion reminds him. Then he kisses him. “If you have critiques, you have to tell me instead of using it as gossip.”


“Okay…” Riku mumbles. His arms wrap around Sion’s neck. “I don’t have anything to complain about. And I don’t gossip about you…” And then that makes him pout a little, seriously, because why would he gossip about the love of his life!


But Sion only smiles. “Well, just keep it that way.”


Bickering aside, they kiss and they cuddle and it’s so nice, actually, that for once they barely have to do any of the hard work today; usually they’re busy cooking and child-wrangling and cleaning and everything else. Riku smushes into Sion’s side and they scroll on their phones in shared, comfortable silence. Or, well, Riku is scrolling like a normal person. Sion is watching funny animal reels on Youtube Shorts because he’s a boomer. 


“How long do we have until they all come back?” Riku asks. Sion was the one who figured out all of the logistics so he’s just curious.


“We still have… hm. An hour and a half or so?” His boyfriend checks his watch. Then Sion closes out of the Youtube app to smile down at him. “Why, you wanna do something?”


Riku blinks. “I dunno…” What in the world would they do in an hour and a half?


But Sion’s smile just remains unchangingly normal and handsome and fond; he squeezes him in closer. “Really? It looks like you might have something naughty in mind, though.”


And, well, Riku didn’t before but now he definitely does. “I don’t know,” Riku echoes, blinking up at his boyfriend as innocently as he can. “Do you wanna do naughty things with me?”


He always asks if it’s okay for them to mess around but Sion initiates most of the time since Riku doesn’t want to feel like he’s hounding him. But he doesn’t seem hounded at all, does he, because Sion pockets his phone and he’s still smiling and an arm comes around Riku’s shoulders. “We can,” he says, flicking the bangs out of Riku’s eyes. “Or we could just cuddle instead…”


For a second Riku is flabbergasted that he has to choose between, like, arguably the two best activities in the world. But then Sion looks away with a grin and he was- he was messing with him!


“That’s mean,” Riku says with a frown. “You were- you know I get horny, so you shouldn’t be so mean to me about it! That’s not nice!”


And this is a ridiculous thing to get worked up over, he knows, but the two of them are always ridiculous together. Sion grins and swoops in for a kiss. “I’m sorry,” he says, cupping Riku’s jaw. “You’re just funny. I know how much you love it when I touch you.”


And, well. He says it in such a loaded way, too, never mind that it’s true. Riku kisses Sion back and he’s just a little hungrier than usual. “It’s your fault,” he mumbles. “You’re so sexy…”


Sion pulls him in closer. “Seriously, Riku. Just c’mere.”


It’s no surprise that Riku ends up back in Sion’s lap, but this time they’re back-to-chest and almost immediately Sion is squeezing at Riku’s hardening dick. It doesn’t take much to escalate things these days and sometimes Riku wonders if Sion has realized just how desperate he is for him, like, all of the fucking time. He must, right?


Sion’s tone lowers an octave and thumbs at the button on his jeans. “You wanna take these off?” Like this his voice is damn-well at Riku’s ear and it makes him shiver.


“In- in the living room?” The light of the day is a little intimidating but that’s because they’ve only ever messed around, like… late at night. Riku looks around like they’ll get caught even though he knows there’s no chance in hell they will. But still! Megumi sleeps on this couch everyday!


“No one’s coming back for a while,” Sion says. “And I locked the door, so.”


Oh. Oh, okay, wow. That information makes Riku feel a little lightheaded because the insinuation there is that Sion wanted this to happen, right? He usually keeps it unlocked when they’re home because there’s a whole plethora of people allowed to intrude in on their lives whenever they damn-well please. But today, he- he wanted them to-


“Riku,” Sion tells him again. “Take off your pants.”


And so, obviously, he does.


Riku should maybe have some shame about being completely pantsless in his boyfriend’s living room at one o’clock in the afternoon but he absolutely doesn’t. He stares down at his lap and Sion’s keeping his thighs spread with one hand, slowly rubbing at his half-hard cock with the other. Riku knows his hands are bigger than his boyfriend’s but Sion’s palms look huge like this, gripping at him and digging into his skin. He’s big all-around, but…


“Is this what you want?” Sion asks at his ear. “You like it when Daddy touches you?”


Riku’s eyes flutter closed. He’s just- this is so good. “I do,” he whines a little. “I love it when you touch me, you’re so… you’re so big…”


Sion huffs out a little laugh. He always does whenever Riku says that type of thing. “Am I?” As usual there’s a smidge of something digging into his ass, but also as usual, Sion’s still mostly soft. God, Riku fucking wants it.


“Yeah,” he breathes. “I really-”


He’s kind of lost in the doting touch of it all because of course Sion is just sexy as hell - nothing he does is ever not-sexy, really, and even if he was bad at any of this it’d probably still be hot just because Sion’s the one touching him. Riku’s cock hardens to its full length and he keens when Sion gets a little rougher, a little meaner, just in the way he loves it. Riku gets lost in that, too, softly moaning and letting Sion squeeze at him and just feeling, feeling, feeling so good-


But then his boyfriend’s fingers skid from his thigh to his hole and press there. And Riku is immediately paling because oh, god, wait, earlier he was- 


This is bad, honestly. This is really bad. Riku may have started his day doing something nefarious to himself and he managed to forget about it because he’s an idiot, so he immediately knows he’s been caught when Sion presses at him again and stills. And this is entirely Riku’s fault, yeah, but foresight isn’t exactly his biggest strength in life. So.


“Riku,” Sion slowly, slowly says in that same low tone. “Why’re you loose here, baby?”


“I-” Riku feels like a trapped, tiny prey animal all of a sudden. This is just- really, he’s an idiot. “Sion, I can explain…”


It’s a bad look. Sion’s pointer finger nudges at him and obviously there’s a difference from the usual because he’s very much soft and too loose and very, very, very clean. “Honey,” Sion says again. “Tell me, really, did you finger yourself when I wasn’t looking?” And, well, when he words it like that it sounds like a bad thing. 


“Um.” Riku bites back a whine when Sion’s other hand squeezes down his cock. “Yeah, I did…”


Then Sion squeezes harder. “When?”


Riku closes his eyes. This is humiliating, but alas. “This morning…”


Again, it’s a bad fucking look. Obviously he’s been hanging out here ninety-nine percent of the time but Sion’s vacuum recently died, and so while Sion was busy with breakfast and the kids this morning, Riku peaced out to go get his own vacuum from his apartment. And considering that he skipped a meal and he, maybe not very sharply, had left some toys on his bed back at home, some ideas got into his head. And it was very easy to just roll around for a bit and maybe get a little silly with his dildo, okay? That’s it! It’s not his fault, recently Sion’s made him horny as hell and it’s gotten unbearable.


“So in the hour you were gone,” Sion deadpans. “You fingered yourself?”


Riku nods. “And I used a dildo…”


He wouldn’t normally let himself look this lame but unfortunately Sion’s always able to drag everything out of him and it feels wrong to not be honest, at least. But Sion doesn’t seem to be mad. He just makes a vaguely thoughtful noise and squeezes at his cock again.


“You’re…” He breathes. “You’re kinda wet…” Sion’s fingers press harder. He’s not wet enough to be fingered, but- “And you’re empty?”


Riku squeezes his eyes shut. “Y-yeah.” He’s not sure if this is going where he wants it to go, but if it is, today he could die a very happy and satisfied man. Dear Kami-sama, please, please, please…


Sion hums again. For a second he presses at him and squeezes his cock all thoughtfully like he’s considering something. “I don’t have lube,” he says in his ear. “But you can make some, baby, can’t you?”


And Riku is- he blinks. “Make some?” He’s not sure what that means.


But Sion’s palm just squeezes at his cock. “Right here. Make me some so I can finger you.”


Oh. Oh, okay, wow. Wow, for as often as Sion calls him a pervert or a weirdo isn’t he also a literal pervert and very much a weirdo? This isn’t even an idea Riku would’ve come up with on his own but Sion is stroking down on him, hard, and that’s- he jolts. “You wanna d-do that?”


“If you’ll let me,” Sion tells him. “You want it?”


God, does Riku want to be fingered with his own cum? The conclusion he comes to is slightly humiliating. “Yes,” Riku moans. “Daddy, please, I really-”


This is bad. This is really, really, really bad because Riku has come to find that even with handjobs Oh Sion gets people off like a man on a fucking mission and it’s just- it’s crazy how locked-in he gets with it. Riku chokes on a moan when Sion noses into his ear and nips at his cheek and his hand squeezes him so tight that he leaks.


“Fucking hell, Riku,” Sion groans. “Baby, you always get so wet.”


“I-” He doesn’t even know what to say because there is no possible way to defend himself. He does, doesn’t he, and it’s Sion’s fault. “It’s ‘cause of you, Daddy.”


It’s funny. They’ve never really messed around in the daytime or, like, someplace so visible. Riku feels oddly exposed, pant-less and small in Sion’s hands as his boyfriend literally just, like, plays with him. “God,” Sion strokes down his cock, squeezes his balls. There’s something a little more pointed digging into his lower back now. “God, how are you so fucking cute?”


“C-cute?” Riku’s voice is more like a warble but that’s because he can’t look away from where Sion is jerking him off, where Sion is tugging at him like he knows what feels best, where Sion has his legs spread like he owns him. “I- I’m not-”


“You are,” Sion groans into his ear. “Fuck, baby, you drive me crazy.”


There are times when Sion says these things and Riku kind of wishes that his boyfriend’s own dick would get involved in the matter because Sion’s, like, mostly hard now. But Sion doesn’t grind on him or really do anything to get himself off, he just spreads Riku wider and jerks him off meaner. And, to be fair, Riku has zero complaints about that.


“It’s so-” It’s too good, actually. Sion’s learned his body, hasn’t he, and Riku couldn’t tell you the last time someone was able to get him this close so quickly. “Daddy, you-” Riku’s eyes squeeze shut because that’s when Sion’s thumb presses at his leaking tip and the visual is gonna make him pass the fuck out. 


“You’re so good, baby,” Sion rumbles in his ear. “It’s only for me, right? You’re only this good for your Daddy, huh?” His hands turns rougher and he squeezes so tight that it- fuck, it hurts so good.


“Yes,” Riku whines. “It’s- Daddy, I’m yours…”


He can’t stop making noises, actually, keyed-up beyond repair and so horny that he feels like he’s lost his mind. Sion’s breath is heavier than usual. And then, he asks, for some reason: “Riku. Have you called other people Daddy?” 


It’s such a random question that for a second Riku doesn’t even register it. But then Sion’s grip on him is tightening so hard that Riku yelps. “Wh- what?” Then he moans. “Oh, I-”


“Riku,” Sion’s voice is nearly a growl, “have you ever called anyone else your Daddy?”


Riku’s mind feels like it’s melting because Sion’s tone is- he’s never sounded like that, so mean and demanding. Unfortunately he loves it. “J-just, um-” Riku whines. “One or two or-”


“Two? Two people?” Sion jerks him off so roughly it aches so, so, so good.


Riku whines. “Or three?”


It’s bad. He knows he’s fucked up but of course he’s not going to lie, is he. But Sion makes a very short, very upset noise and his hand wretches his thighs apart so wide the stretch hurts. “Fucking hell,” he growls. “That- fuck.”


“I’m sorry,” Riku whines. “I didn’t- I-”


“I’m just mad other people have heard you like this,” Sion says. “You’re too cute and everyone’s gotten to hear you call them Daddy.”


And, well. Not everyone. But Sion’s hand squeezes down on him and Sion knows just what gets him off, his fist rough and tight and so, so good. “I’m sorry,” Riku whines. “I’ll- I didn’t-”


“No one else,” Sion tells him. “No one else, ever again. Only me, okay?”


“Yes, Daddy,” Riku pants. He’s so close now but that’s because he loves it when Sion gets mean and possessive, holy shit, it’s so good. His boyfriend isn’t usually like that but during sex he can be so demanding and it’s- fuck, that’s a turn-on. Sion, who’s selfless to a fault, getting selfish with him? Riku moans, long and wounded. “Oh, please, Daddy, ‘m sorry.”


He’s fishing a little for more, he knows, but Sion noses hard into his ear and his voice may as well be rumbling in Riku’s brain stem. “It’s okay, baby. You know who owns you, don’t you?”


Riku shakes. “Yes, I- yes, it’s- Daddy, please, I’m so-” He whines. “I’m so-”


Sion groans in his ear. “You’re close, kitty? Just for me, right?”


God. The unfortunate truth is that Riku has, in fact, called several people “Daddy” since he has a chronic disease called addicted-to-fucking-older-men. But this is- no one has ever dragged it out of him like this before, the visceral need to obey. He feels like putty in Sion’s hands and he’d do whatever his boyfriend wanted. He’d- he’d do anything to be good. He’d do anything to come, too, and that’s-


“Daddy, please,” Riku cries. “I- it’s only you who can- I’m so close, I- can I-?”


Sion tugs at him harder, meaner, rougher. “Only me?”


“Yes,” Riku pants. “Yes, I promise, I don’t want anyone else to-”


“Riku,” Sion buries his face in his nape and groans. “Fuck, baby. You’re so-” He sucks a mark there. “You wanna come for me? Are you ready?”


“I-” Riku’s eyes squeeze shut. “Yes. Please?” He’s so desperate for it he could die.


Sion squeezes his cock and moans a growl into his skin. “Riku. Riku. Come on, baby.” No one has ever said his name like that before. Riku moans and squeezes his eyes shut because that’s- holy shit, Sion is so- “Princess, come for me.”


“Oh, god,” Riku mewls. And somehow, just like that, he comes.


It’s mildly humiliating because Sion is somehow always able to wring him out in a way that no human should be able to be wrung out. But Riku spills into his boyfriend’s hand and Sion just groans into his neck as he spills and spills and- seriously, what the fuck. The fact that he knows what’s coming next almost makes it worse, though, because then Sion’s fingers are sticky and wet and nudging at his hole.


“You still- you still want it?” Sion’s breath is heavier. Riku feels like he might die, but if he does, he wants it to be while getting fingered. He cranes his neck to look at the clock above the TV.


They still have- they have forty minutes. Fuck it, right?


“Please,” Riku breathes, only to keen as Sion presses at him. He’s soft enough that his middle finger nudges inside without any effort at all, and admittedly this is the first time Riku’s been fucked with his own cum. But it’s good, is the thing, knowing that he- that it’s because Sion got him to-


“You take it so easily,” Sion groans. “Riku, god. You really went all out this morning, huh?”


Riku whines. “I didn’t.” He did.


But Sion doesn’t relent either way. “How big’s your dildo? Does it stretch you out?”


Riku doesn’t even want to- god, this is humiliating. “Six inches, I think.” Then he jolts when Sion fucks deep enough in him to rub at his prostate. “Fuck, that’s-”


“I’m bigger,” is all Sion says. “Is that a good thing?”


Holy fucking shit. Riku squeezes his eyes closed. “Y-yeah…”


It’s rare that he can come from his prostate alone but there’s a real fighting chance today, because again, Sion is meticulous. For someone who’s gone without any gay sex for a decade he sure seems to know what he’s doing, stretching him out before adding a second finger. Fuck, Sion must’ve gotten around a lot in Itaewon, right?


“You’re so good,” Sion mumbles. “Wow, look at you…”


Riku refuses to look. “You’re- how-” He wants to ask how many twinks Sion’s done this same exact shit to but the answer might make him mad. “You’re not out of practice, what the-” It’s not an accusation, really, but he’s a little incredulous.


Except:


“Riku,” Sion coos. “Did you not know that I’m vers?”


Sion’s voice kinda echoes on those words and immediately that information drops like a goddamn bomb on Riku’s brain. Because, like, wow. Because okay, that’s worse in terms of his sanity. Because Sion is- he also- so when he said he didn’t jerk off very much since his divorce, he was also- he’d still-


Riku whines. “Y-you are?” Because then this is like if Sion was fingering himself, right? Does Oh Sion, the sexiest man on this earth, really finger himself? Does he?!


But much to his horror, Sion only honest-to-god laughs. “Wow, you’re so cute.”


This is actually- holy shit. Riku can feel his mind spin. So Sion also, what, opens himself up like this? Or have other people done this to him? Maybe Riku shouldn’t have assumed that his boyfriend was a stone top but he just kind of has that energy, right? Or, well, maybe not. No, definitely not. Oh, god, so he-


That makes him even hornier. The image of Sion fingering Riku the same way he fingers himself is- “What the fuck,” Riku whines. He clenches down on Sion’s fingers and when he unclenches a third presses in and all three rub at his prostate hard, hard enough to feel so, so, so good. What the fuck!


“So you like that I’ve bottomed, huh,” Sion observes easily, you know, because he’s an asshole. “Really, baby? That’s what gets you?”


“I- yes,” Riku moans. He feels crazed because he has his own preferences but he, too, is vers when needed and before he dies he needs to see what his boyfriend looks like when he’s fucked. “D-Daddy, you’re so sexy, ‘m gonna die.” 


Riku can’t even explain it; everything about Sion - everything - makes him feel like he could explode. It’s just that every single thing about Oh Sion is perfect and so deliciously him and shows just how good of a man he is. But even more than that, he’s great at sex too! He’s great at sex in every conceivable way! How is that even possible!


“Wow,” Sion breathes. His fingers grind into Riku’s sweet spot and it feels so good that his thighs shake. Then Sion spreads him again, spreads him wider. “God, Riku, you really love it. You do this a lot? Or would you want to do this to me?”


Riku pants. “No, I want you- want you in m-me.” It’s a little shameful to admit even though that’s kind of obvious, huh. “I just- when I’m at home I fuck myself ‘cause I get so- you’re always- I want you to-”


“What about me?” Sion’s voice is so, so close to his ear. “You think about me? Do you- do you imagine it’s me fucking you?”


He asks like he’s curious even though surely the answer to that must have been obvious for the past, like, five months. “Yes,” Riku whines. “I- I want you to-” He’s never admitted it before but now Sion’s fingers are in him and he so, so, so badly wishes it was his cock. “I want you to fuck me, Daddy.”


He’s not sure if that’s crossing a line, admitting something so selfish when Sion hasn’t even let Riku touch his dick. But then Sion takes in a breath and it comes out as a little growl. “God,” he says. “You do?”


“Yes,” Riku cries, because that’s just about the most obvious thing in the world. “I’ve wanted you to- for months, for- ever since I saw you, I-”


Sion’s fingers grind into him. His voice goes deadly, deadly, deadly low. “Ever since you saw me?”


“I’ve wanted you,” Riku tells him in a pant. “I’ve always- always needed you, Daddy.”


He never would’ve admitted any of this an hour ago but Sion’s hard against him and Riku just, like, wants him. He so, so badly wants him. He knows his boyfriend needs more time and that’s fine but he’s just also being honest, you know, because sometimes Riku wants Sion balls-deep in him so badly it hurts.


“Fucking hell,” Sion mumbles. He presses a kiss to the side of Riku’s neck and it’s just so surprisingly sweet. “Riku, god.”


“I’m sorry,” Riku cries. “I- no pressure?”


It’s such an absurd moment. Because he’s close, you know, and Sion is scarily good at fingering him of all things and also it’s just so- god, Riku loves him. But Sion’s hand lets go of his thigh and it slides up his stomach, his chest, his neck, his jaw. It grabs him there and Sion turns his head so they can kiss.


“Riku,” he says. “I- one day, I’m really gonna ruin you, baby. I’ll fuck you just like you want me to, okay?”


It feels less like a threat and more like a promise and god, Riku wants it. He moans into the kiss and he’s so fucking close, what the hell. But then Sion’s hand slides back down to grip at his cock, and so he- he jolts. He’s gonna come twice from this? He must be crazy, right?


“Please,” Riku moans into Sion’s mouth. He’s so fucking hungry for it. “I want it. And I’m-” He clenches. “Please…”


“You wanna come?” Sion’s voice is gentler this time, more affectionate. “Can you come from this?”


“Yes,” Riku grabs at Sion’s wrists with his hands and pants into Sion’s mouth. “Please, Daddy.”


It’s bad. Sion redoubles his efforts and Riku mewls again and again and again because not even his goddamn dildo can get him this riled up just from the feeling of being full, of his sweet spot getting incessantly teased at. But both of Sion’s hands are warm and calloused and they feel so big on him, in him, all over him. Sion licks behind his teeth. “Baby,” he murmurs. “Show Daddy how you come, okay?”


Riku’s cock kicks. He wants to. “I- I’ll be so g-good,” he whines. He’s so close, what the fuck. 


“You will,” Sion noses into his jaw. “You’re always perfect. Are you ready?”


Riku’s feeling brave - and horny - enough to finally look down at where Sion’s hand is circling his cock, where his fingers are spreading him open. That’s Sion, right? That’s Sion fucking him? He knows him so well already, he can play with him so easily, he’s the sexiest and best and most perfect man to ever- in the whole fucking world. He is.


“Please,” Riku moans. “I- Daddy-”


“Come for me, honey,” Sion kisses him. And, of all things, a kiss is all it takes.


Riku makes a wounded noise as he comes because this is, like, an oddly romantic way to get fingered and jerked off and of course Oh Sion, the bastard, is the one who did this to him. He whines as he spills, way less than before, but still enough that Sion’s fist goes sticky.


“So good,” Sion praises even as his hand slows down with each stroke. “You’re so good. You liked that?”


“I-” Riku’s floaty and mostly speechless. But Sion’s fingers slowly sink out of his hole and the stretch is- oh, god. Riku melts into his chest. “You- you killed me.” He keens again when Sion lets go of his cock, too, and it goes soft against his thigh.


Sion huffs a laugh and even now he’s sweet, kissing him on the cheek. “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.” He’s still hard but as always he avoids all acknowledgment of his own dick entirely, using two dirty hands to pull Riku to his feet. “I should’ve thought this through. Let’s go wash off.”


“M’kay,” Riku says. But his thighs are shaking and he can barely walk and oh, god, what the fuck just happened? And then, even worse, two arms pull at him and Riku yelps when Sion swings him into a familiar bridal carry. How can- after that, he can still do this? “Sion, careful!”


“I am,” Sion kisses his forehead. “Don’t worry. You did so well, baby, let me take care of you.” He’s so doting, wow, and his arms are so steady. 


“O-okay,” Riku’s heart is pounding from the jumpscare but he still hides his face in Sion’s shoulder. This is really the most loved and cared-for and safest he’s ever felt, like, ever. Oh Sion is really such an insane man but he’s also his man…


Distantly this feels like a disproportionate amount of work because Sion is always the one who gets him off during sex and is also extremely attentive during aftercare and does, like, most of everything in their shared life in general. But Sion’s the same as he always is, easy smiles and gentle touches as he first washes his hands off and then undresses both of them so they can shower. “We’re gonna have to be quick,” Sion presses a kiss to his cheek. “Sorry, honey, I should’ve timed this better.”

And even then, Oh Sion being the best sex partner on top of the best boyfriend and dad and general citizen is what makes Riku’s legs feel the weakest. “I-it’s fine…”


Sion has said before that it’s good that they mess around because a part of it feels like exposure therapy to him. And maybe he’s right about that; he’s soft by the time they’re under the water so Riku keeps his eyes to himself, though more than six inches is curious. But they just wash down their bodies, mostly, since cum is kind of an unpleasant sensation on the skin once it dries. Then Sion dries them off, changes both of their clothes, and it’s like nothing ever happened.


Within ten minutes Riku ends up back on the couch in a fresh pair of clothes and his boyfriend cuddling him. It’s kind of insane, right, how good Sion is at taking care of people. Riku sends him an incredulous look.


Sion notices after a moment or two. “What’s that face for?” He puts down his phone and pinches his cheek.


“I don’t know,” Riku says very slowly. His eyes narrow. “I just don’t get what your flaws are…”


He’s being serious. But Sion blinks, once, before chuckling. “You know my flaws. I’m cagey and I’m stubborn and I’m annoying and-”


“But those things just make you cute.” Riku is, again, still suspicious. “Do I really know all of your secrets?”


That’s mostly a joke. But for a second Sion stares off and scratches at his neck. “Lemme think.” He thinks for a long, long moment. And then he reports back: “No, you know everything.”


Riku’s eyes narrow even more. “There’s no way…” He’s dated a handful of men and none of them held a candle to the man he’s dating now, and he- he needs to make sure this isn’t too good to be true. Is Oh Sion really real? Is he? Has this all just been a dream of some kind?


But Sion just smiles something exasperated. “Riku, you know me. I grew up Christian and I get hung up on morals.” And, well, that’s true. And Sion even just leans closer into his side and tells him seriously: “One time I was late for high school so I tried to jump the fence and immediately got caught. That was the only time I’ve ever gotten in trouble in my life. And you know I’ve always just kinda been like that...”


Sion says it like he’s embarrassed but quite frankly that isn’t surprising in the least. Riku sighs, but it’s fond, because of course it is. “That’s so you…” He agrees. “And I bet you’ve never broken a law, have you. When did you start drinking?”


Sion’s cheeks go pink. “Not until I turned the legal age.” Of course he did.


God. So he’s just like this, isn’t he. Riku knew that but that doesn’t make it any less insane because no wonder Sion’s been married before, right? He’s the kind of guy you want to marry young and have fifteen babies with. Or at least Riku would. He’s never thought that he really wanted to have kids before but if it were biologically possible he’d probably be offering right now. Those genes are just perfect. Megumi’s proof of that and Riku wouldn’t mind having more Megumis. It’s a shame they can’t, huh…


Riku closes his eyes, leans into Sion’s shoulder, and smiles. “You’re really so cute.” He laces their fingers together and squeezes. “And you’re good, too.”


Sion sounds surprised. “Me?” How in the world is that shocking? “I… You think I’m good?”


Riku, a little petulant, only stares up at him. “Of course. I don’t know anyone as good as you, Sion.”


For a second Sion just stares back. He looks speechless, his eyes wide. But then he blinks and turns away, his cheeks turning even pinker. “I don’t-” He licks his lips. “Well. If you think so.”


Riku’s not going to harp on him because he knows the way Sion has talked to himself for most of his life and sometimes it’s still a work in progress to get him to, like, actually hear these compliments. But Sion just looks shy, mostly, instead of scared or intimidated by the praise. And that’s an improvement, isn’t it? Riku squeezes his hand again. 


“That’s why you’re my husband,” Riku says, “And if anyone else tries to take you from me, I’ll bite them.” That isn’t even really a joke, either - Riku may not care much about the endless women around town who swoon in Sion’s mere presence, but he’s certainly unafraid to nip at anyone who comes too close. 


But threats aside, Sion smiles. He runs a hand down his face and turns even more red. “You’re so- you’re silly.” But really, he looks pretty damn happy.


The kids will be here any minute so they try to compose themselves, like, romantically, because whenever they get too cutesy with each other in front of the boys those annoying children start making fun of them. Riku’s a little petulant about it - he wants to do nothing more than sit in Sion’s lap for the rest of the day and also for the rest of his life - but only ten minutes later there’s a knock on the door. So alas, duty calls.


“We should just leave them out there,” Riku whispers. “Don’t you think?”


Sion only smiles and goes to answer the door anyway. “You know I wish we could.”


They expected Yushi and Daeyoung to be back with the food by now, but to their surprise it’s the kids. Megumi comes in and runs at her dad like she always does. “Appa!” The others poke their heads in.


Ryo frowns. “No food yet?” He’s petting over Maku’s head and the younger boy seems to be very, very pleased by it.


“Soon,” Riku tells him. They can be such brats sometimes but today he’ll let it pass. But then he’s caught off guard when Tsugumi, too, comes up behind them in the doorway. “Ah, Tsugumi-chan! You’re here!”


He’s a little surprised because Tsugumi doesn’t spend time with the kids like Sakuya and Ryo do, as in she usually will just bring Megumi back to Sachiko’s place to watch both her and Maku if Sion’s running late from work or the kids want to play together after school. But she doesn’t seem out of place in this group at all and it’s a very welcomed surprise, actually. 


“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” Tsugumi bows her head. “But Ryo-kun invited me…”


“What are you sorry about, come inside,” Sion opens the door wider while Megumi hangs off of him. “I’m glad you game, Tsugumi! Your mom’s busy and we’re celebrating all the graduates anyway. And besides...” Sion settles a hand down on his daughter’s head. “You’ve helped me with this one so much.”


“Ah, but it was so easy! Gumi-chan’s an angel!” Tsugumi tells them. And that is… it’s a little questionable of her to say that, really, because they all know how Megumi is. But Tsugumi really insists: “No, really, she’s so well-behaved!”


“Really,” Sion’s voice is wry. “Well, all of you, come in.”


Everyone settles into the house while Sion floats off to the kitchen to do whatever it is he needs to do, still, and it’s nice to have the older kids around anyway. The high schoolers are always a tight-knit group and Tsugumi has a bit more of an edge to her with Sakuya and Ryo here - they all grew up together, didn’t they? Of course they start bickering immediately about this and that and a whole plethora of other things while they’re at it. “You’re headed to Tokyo too, huh?” Riku asks Tsugumi when Megumi finally gets bored of bothering her Appa and decides to climb onto him next.


“Yeah, I’m going into criminal justice,” Tsugumi smiles. And the thought of that smile putting away criminals is terrifying, but just like her mom, Riku knows this girl is far from a pushover. Honestly, the prospect is horrifying to him.


“So you wanna be a lawyer?” Riku asks. And when Megumi nuzzles into him: “Hi, baby.” Megumi doesn’t even answer him though, she just clings and clings and clings…


“I’m thinking about it. Or maybe working with the district attorney, something like that…” Tsugumi’s voice trails off a little as she looks over at Maku, who’s sitting between Ryo and Sakuya and staring at both of them with wonder in his eyes. “Oi, why are you being so weird?”


It’s funny. Neither Maku or Tsugumi seem like siblings who squabble but it’s clear that Maku really prefers hanging out with the older boys and that’s admittedly pretty out of character for him - usually he’s stuck to his sister like a leech whenever a lot of people are around. But Maku now just sends her a look. “I’m not being weird!” It’s rare for him to be so petulant, too.


Sakuya pets over his hair. “It’s okay, Ma-kun’s so cute.”


Ryo joins in, pinching his cheek. “Yeah, he’s the best!”


Maku’s face goes red. Tsugumi’s expression is confused - and Riku’s confused too, to be honest, because it’s not often Maku talks back to his Nee-san - but Tsugumi just sighs anyway. “Well, if you say so.”


Things are surprisingly calm despite all of them having to huddle around Sion’s living room (the area’s small enough that they’re all just a little bit stuck on top of each other), but Ryo and Sakuya tell Riku about how they brought the kids to the park and they kicked around the ball and Megumi, of course, is still a little soccer prodigy. Megumi herself doesn’t seem to have much of an opinion on this; she just nuzzles into Riku’s side and squeezes him. And she’s getting too big to be in his lap at this point, really…


Wow. In that way Riku can understand why Sion gets so teary-eyed over her growing up. Just last summer she could still curl up on him, right?


“Did you have fun with your Nii-chans?” Riku smooths over Megumi’s hair and smiles when she smushes her face to his shoulder. “You miss playing, huh? Should we find you some more soccer teams to play on?”


“I dunno,” Megumi says in her usual petulant tone. “It’s kinda tiring, Sensei…”


“But that’s why you have to do it,” Riku tells her. “Your Appa’s worried, he says you laze around too much.” Though, to be fair, Riku does the same. Most of his and Megumi’s day is spent horizontal in some way, so maybe he’s the bad influence here…


Megumi pouts. “I don’t wanna.”


Riku just hugs her close. “Well, it wouldn’t hurt to get a little exercise.”


The kids continue to bicker and talk about nonsense as they always do, and soon Sion comes back from the dining room where he was setting out plates and getting everything organized for the party. “Aw,” Sion coos at all of them, “everyone looks so cozy today!” He really is a dad; he stops to take a photo and grin at all the kids in his house. 


“You’re embarrassing,” Ryo tells him. But even then the kid only grins when Sion swoops down to peck him atop the head. “Seriously, you act like my mom!”


Sion smiles. “I can’t help it, Ryo-chan, it’s ‘cause you’re so cute.” Then he reaches over to pinch at Sakuya’s cheek, too. “I don’t want you guys to leave. Stay here and I’ll adopt you and you’ll never have to want for anything...”


Sakuya only leans in when Sion smooches his head, too. “We already have loving parents, hyung.”


And, well, he’s got a point there. But it still makes Sion frown, poking at the kid’s baby fat. “Yeah, well, humor me. We can split custody.”



It’s sweet. Riku didn’t expect Sion to get so close to the boys in the short time he’s been here but the three of them still manage to squabble like family despite the fact that Sion is sixteen years older than both Sakuya and Ryo. He sits down beside Maku and smooths his hands over the boy’s hair; Maku, too, is unbothered by the affection. He’s not really a touchy kid - even with Riku he’s stingy with hugs - but for some reason he vastly prefers when Sion dotes on him. Though at this point Sion’s basically adjacent to a father figure for him, huh…


“At least I have my Maku,” Sion sighs when the little one leans back into his arms. It’s funny how Maku will let himself be cuddled, now, when just over the summer he was so skittish. “You’re not gonna leave me, Ma-kun, right?”


Maku slow-blinks as Sion hugs him around the shoulders. “I wanna go abroad for college.”


Right, that’s been his thing. Riku still finds the fact that Maku has that figured out very amusing considering his age. But even though they all know this, Sion makes an admonished face; the boys snicker; even Tsugumi, sitting at Riku’s feet, grins. “Maku!” Sion says. “How could you!”


“Jobs in the US pay more,” Maku says as if that’s obvious, his cadence more of that of a middle-aged man than an eight year-old. But he still smiles when Sion squeezes him in even tighter. “But Meg-chan can-”


Megumi detaches from Riku’s neck upon hearing her name. “What? No, if Ma-chan’s going, then so am I!” And that is- that is surprising information to all of them, actually, because Megumi’s never talked about this kind of thing before. She’s never mentioned a dream job or any plans for higher education or even what she wants to do when she grows up…


“What?” Sion is flabbergasted now. “You’re going abroad too?”


Megumi just nods, self-assured. “We’re going together!”


It’s hard to take any of this seriously when they are in fact still young enough to need booster seats in the car. But Sion blinks once, twice, and of all things his eyes go teary. “Baby,” his bottom lip wobbles. “You’re gonna leave me…?”


Oh, jeez. It’s kind of ridiculous for Sion to be acting like this when Megumi is barely in the third grade and still ten years distant from even applying to college. But most of the kids just groan and make faces and roll their eyes as Sion honest-to-god sniffles and Megumi, bless her heart, climbs down from Riku’s lap.


Maybe it’s only apt that she has the most experience with Sion’s dramatics out of all of them. “Appa,” she says. “I’m eight.” But it’s still very sweet, though, because she crosses the group to wriggle into her dad’s lap next to Maku. Which, you know, they’re both too big to be doing. But it’s still sweet.


“But you guys are growing up so fast," Sion squeezes both Maku and Megumi into his arms. “I don’t want you two to get big and evil like your Nii-chans.”


The Nii-chans both make offended faces. Ryo swats at Sion on the shoulder. “That’s mean!”


“I’m not evil,” Sakuya pouts. “He’s the evil one. I’m only ever nice.” But then the petulance breaks when Ryo smacks at him too, Sakuya laughing a little in admonishment. “Come on, Ryo, it’s true!”


But Ryo just shakes him by the collar. “It’s not! I’m literally angelic!”


Sion, still sniffling, reaches out to smooth over Ryo’s head. “You’re not,” he says. “But that’s okay. We still love you anyway.”


All of it is just very silly, to be honest, though there’s never a time they aren’t all silly together. Riku just watches as Sion attempts to hug all four of his kids at once. It’s a struggle but he manages. Er, well, kind of - Megumi and Maku both get squished but they seem fine with that. Somehow this isn’t anything out of the usual and yet there’s just a little hint of bittersweetness in the air. They all know that next week half their babies are leaving town for maybe the rest of their lives…


Riku only looks down when Tsugumi shakes at his knee. “Sensei,” she whispers, “is Sion-san normally like this?” She seems a little shocked at Sion’s petulance, which is funny, because it’s insane that she’s managed to only see a side of Sion that’s cool and suave and infallible when he always tends to get a little unhinged about the kids.


But still, it’s hard not to be fond. Riku grins over at the ridiculous man he loves and tells her: “Trust me, he’s always like this.”


At least the lamenting doesn’t end up lasting very long; all three boys end up escaping Sion’s grip when he inevitably tries smooching all of them again. “Do you ever stop, seriously!” Ryo lunges away while Maku rolls in the opposite direction.


Sakuya escaped before the rest of them and is now busying himself with turning on the TV. “Gumi, go get your Switch,” he says. “If we keep enabling your dad he’s gonna just keep getting worse.”


But Megumi, of course, loves the doting. She’s sandwiched between Maku and Sion and is clinging onto both of them. “But Appa’s being cute!” Megumi insists. Wow, of all things for a little girl to say about her dad.


Sion smiles. Ryo blanches. Sakuya, too, makes a face. “Cute?”


Megumi just nods, turning to her dad. “Don’t you think so?” She reaches up to pinch at his cheek. “Appa’s been such a crybaby recently. It’s sooo cute.”


And, well, of course Megumi would say that. Riku laughs, unable to help himself. Sion’s grin fades a little but that seems to be because she’s embarrassing him. It’s rare that Sion’s ears turn that red. “I’m not- I’m not a crybaby!” He sounds so petulant, again, which is even funnier. 


“You are,” Megumi says sagely. “But that’s okay, Appa. You’re still really cute!”


As usual, the chaos continues to reign on with all of the bickering and teasing and typical shenanigans. Of course Megumi’s compliment only makes Sion coddle her even more incessantly; of course that only spurs the boys on, in return, who run off to find the Switch themselves so they can play Mario Party without Sion’s affection suffocating them; and of course Megumi rips out of her Appa’s arms once the game starts, you know, because she has her priorities straight. “Lemme play, too!” 


So Sion ends up in Riku’s side instead, who wipes at his eyes and coos at his pouty face. “Gumi’s right. You’ve been so cute recently,” Riku tells his boyfriend without any shame at all. “Who let you be so cute, hm? You’re even cuter than usual. Even when you cry you look so, so, so cute…”


And, well. It’s hard to reign in the praise once he starts so Riku has no qualms about showering Sion with all of his compliments, though his voice stays low with everyone else around them. They’re being a little too obvious with Tsugumi hanging close, but that’s… it’s fine. These days Sachiko treats the two of them like one entity - and like they’re both Megumi’s parents to boot - so it’s not like they haven’t already spent the past eight months being way too blatant already…


But still. They should keep it low-key, right? Except they’re both pretty bad at keeping things low-key. So.


Sion leans into him. His hand circles Riku’s wrist. “You think so?” Normally he gets embarrassed when he’s called cute but now he seems to enjoy the compliment even more than usual.


“Yeah,” Riku tells him. He brushes the hair of Sion’s eyes. “My cute hyung.”


Really, his boyfriend is being even more cutesy than usual - that gets him a blush and Sion looks away, away, away. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that, seriously…” He grumbles a little but his ears are bright red.


Riku just grins. “Sorry, I can’t help it. I love it when you make that face, you know.”


And, well, that earns him another grumble but Sion is cute like this, red and embarrassed and a little clingy. “I can’t believe you…” He leans into Riku’s side even closer and god, Riku wants to eat him in one bite.


He leans down to peck his boyfriend on the cheek. “Cute.” And really, he’s only getting more and more obsessed by the day…


Sion sighs into his shoulder. “You’re insane.” But still, he only presses in closer. 


It’s nice to sit in the ruckus, too, because Sion is being even more cuddly than he usually is while the kids are busy yelling at each other over Mario Party. Tsugumi has even been roped into their antics, albeit from the sidelines, helping Maku during the minigames because apparently he’s not very adept with a controller. There’s incessant bickering and squabbling and arguing but it’s all light-hearted. Er, well, most of it is. The older boys go easy on the kids, which is funny, because when they play with Yushi it oftentimes gets physical. 


And speaking of Yushi…


Sion gets a text ten minutes before they arrive, something akin to be there soon, some stuff happened, the food is safe. That’s a message that perplexes both of them, really, but it’s not long after that when Yushi and Daeyoung finally arrive with plenty of food in tow. For a second Riku is scared to ask what that said “stuff” was - did they get up to something nefarious, maybe? - but Daeyoung looks particularly dismayed. 


“The truck broke down on us.” He settles down in Riku’s side and looks so, so genuinely dismayed. “They said it’s unsalvageable. We had to leave it abandoned outside of town…”


And, well. Riku has always been a very empathetic friend but he and this truck have a very contentious relationship, and so he can only point out: “Well, I told you it would.” And maybe now isn’t the time for “I told you so” but it’s just hard not to remind Daeyoung that, like, that demonic truck has been alive longer than he has. Even when he got it from Takaya-san the older man had warned them that it may not last through the season. And yet it’s already been a year and a half…


“That’s not nice,” Daeyoung whines into Riku’s shoulder. But he’s easily placated by Yushi rubbing at his back, which is unsurprising but still curious nevertheless. “I loved that truck so much, Kuu-chan. It feels like I lost my son.”


“If anything, it was your grandpa,” Riku says. And then he winces when Sion pinches him in the side. “Er, I’m sorry for your loss.”


“You’ll be okay,” Yushi tells Daeyoung. “Really, there are so many trucks in the world.”


“And it was a death machine,” Sion agrees, though his tone is much more sympathetic than theirs. But Riku notices him sending a very particular look in the other two’s direction and it’s pointedly at where Yushi’s resting a hand over Daeyoung’s nape. So he noticed them being weird too, huh, though it’s not like either Yushi or Daeyoung are particularly subtle people by most metrics. 


It’s curious. Yushi’s being so obnoxiously doting and Daeyoung is only acting like this is very, very normal of them. Riku’s eyes meet Sion’s when the other two lean in even closer. Surely this means they’re dating, right? Like, it just has to.


“Uh-huh. And there are plenty of other ways to get around, like Yuu-chan’s fancy car,” Riku says slowly. He looks at Yushi. “You’d give Daeyoung plenty of rides, right?”


Yushi blinks back, very slowly, like he’s suddenly realizing he’s being watched. But then he nods. “Of course.” And that’s even more curious! That’s such a passionate response coming from a man like Tokuno Yushi!


Daeyoung pouts but he concedes, leaning into Yushi’s shoulder. “Thank you, hyung.”


Hyung, he says. Riku immediately turns to Sion, who is already looking at him, and they both have the exact same expression of okay, yeah, they’re dating now. The other two are busy coddling each other so they don’t notice how Riku very slowly leans up to his boyfriend’s ear and says: “Yushi was the one who confessed, right.”


Sion shakes his head. “There’s no way.” But then he pauses. “Well, maybe…”


“Let’s bet on it,” Riku whispers. “If I win, we get married. And if you win, we get married.”


He’s joking, of course, except only kind of. Sion just huffs a laugh and pinches his side again. “You know what? Let’s do it.”


So Yushi and Daeyoung seem rather cozy today and Riku elects to leave them be for now, at least, because he can investigate more later when there isn’t a barrage of hungry children chomping at the bit for an early dinner. And thus they gather up the food and the kids in the dining room and keep everyone in line so they can at least have a moment for the graduates; Sion makes the three of them sit at the head of the table while the rest of them crowd around for a moment of applause. Tsugumi tries scooting away. “I don’t need to-”


“No way,” Sakuya pulls her back so she can sit between him and Ryo. He loops his arm with hers. “You need a party too, Tsu-chan, you almost beat Ryo’s ranking this year.”


Ryo loops in with her other arm. “And also,” he says, “you’re cooler than both of us.”


It’s funny. Tsugumi is pretty meek around most people so Riku expects her to blush, maybe, or bat them away. But it’s clear they’ve all been close since they were kids because she grins. “Ryo-kun!” She leans into him. “I never thought you’d admit it!”


The rest of them laugh at Ryo’s pout. “Yeah, well, it’s true…”


After a few photos and well wishes from the adults, they all sit around the table and dig into the food - it’s sashimi, mostly, at Sakuya’s request. To save space Megumi is allowed to sit in Riku’s lap while Maku squeezes between him and Sion. Megumi doesn’t eat seafood but Sion, as usual, prepared something else for her. This time it’s the japchae he slaved over all of last night. Riku had no idea the noodle dish was such a torturous process to cook, but for hours he just watched Sion slice things and dice things and season each ingredient individually…


Really, the fact that Sion is such a devoted father makes Riku feel so many crazy, insane, ridiculous things. “Thank you, Appa!” Megumi beams the second she’s given her plate.


And Sion, of course, just ruffles her hair like making her this hours-long dish was no trouble at all. “Anything for my Gumi. Eat a lot, okay?” He looks happy, too, even though just this morning he was complaining about his back.


So Megumi digs in and Riku, perhaps a little too whipped, leans behind Maku to rest his head on Sion’s shoulder. How can one man be so perfect? Sion just doesn’t feel real sometimes, not with the way he dotes and so easily does whatever is asked of him and always gives and gives and gives…


“You need to eat, too, you didn’t have breakfast,” Sion sneaks a kiss to his temple and loads Riku’s plate up with his usual favorites. Then he sets it down and prods it in a little closer and, of all things, picks up a piece of tuna with his horrible chopstick skills to bring to Riku’s mouth. “Here, I’ll keep you fed. Say ahhh.”


God. Riku’s gonna melt just from how fond he feels. But still, he grins a giddy thing and listens. “Ahhh…”


Sion’s smile is so handsome and happy and affectionate. “Good boy.”


Dinner, while chaotic on pretty much every level, is still just as jolly as it usually is. The mood isn’t as bittersweet as Riku thought it’d be, though admittedly he might have been thinking wishfully because Ryo isn’t really sentimental at all and Sakuya, while being a pretty sensitive kid, seems to be in upbeat spirits today. Halfway through eating Yushi goes into the kitchen and comes back with sake. “You need to prepare for college,” he stares the kids down.


All three teenagers stare right back, wide-eyed. “R-really?” Sakuya asks. His head swings to Sion, then Riku.


Sion shrugs. “I mean, you’re eighteen.”


Riku, just this once, relents. “I won’t tell anyone. But this is the only time!”


Ryo looks a little scared of the sake cup placed in his hands. “Woah...” On his other side, Tsugumi fidgets. 


“My mom would kill me,” she mumbles. Then she looks pointedly at Maku. “She’d kill me, right.”


Maku is indifferent as always, but he’s also a literal child so it’s hard to take his opinion much into account; he just shrugs. “You don’t have to drink,” Sion tells her, though it’s obvious that Tsugumi wants to. “But you’re doing it safely while you’re here. And Maku was gonna spend the night anyway, so you can stay over and we can keep this all very quiet to your mom…”


And, well. Tsugumi immediately takes her own cup, so easily persuaded that it’s hilarious, and then bows her head. “Sion-san,” she says in a reverent voice, “you’re the coolest parent ever...”


It’s silly, all of this and all of them. Sion laughs and his ears are a little red as he, too, gets a drink. “Aw, I don’t know about that. But you know, it doesn’t hurt to have your first drink around family.” Then he looks over at Riku. “You want some?”


Riku stares wearily at the sake bottle. Sion and Yushi and Daeyoung all drink like monsters and if he tried to keep up with them, he’d die. But still, it’s a little tempting. “Just a bit,” he slowly decides. “So someone stays responsible…”


Sion smiles. “I’m not gonna get drunk either.” But even so, he pours Riku a cup and they down their sake in tandem.


The fact that they’re all drinking together is actually pretty funny considering that all three of the teens, for better or worse, are staunch rule-followers. Sakuya and Ryo have always been mischievous while staying out of trouble, but even Riku’s surprised that they’ve never drank considering how easy it is to sneak a cup or two at their normally rambunctious family functions. And yet the two boys down their sake with icked-out expressions, looking mildly disgusted at their first taste of alcohol. “Bleh,” Ryo cringes his face. “You like this stuff?”


Sakuya stares down at his sake. “It’s…” He slowly takes another sip. “I mean, it’s fine.” But then he, too, scrunches up his nose.


“I don’t mind it.” Tsugumi seems to have an easier time with the drink but all three of them look flabbergasted anyway. God, they’re so cute. How can three eighteen year olds be this well-behaved and pure-hearted? Riku snuck a ton of beer on his trips in high school so this is very intriguing to him. 


“You know, it never hurts to be prepared to drink,” Yushi says to them as if that is anything that makes any sense at all; but he’s already on his third shot because he’s insane, so maybe he’s not trying to make much sense anyway. “You gotta build your tolerance starting now...” 


Sion, also electing to only drink in moderation, nods sagely as if that’s advice worth following. “It’s just a good learning experience,” he says as he strokes over Megumi’s hair despite the fact that he, too, didn’t drink until he was the legal age. “In Korea we can start drinking in high school so we were all drunk babies when uni started.” 


And that’s- Riku didn’t know that. “Really?” He turns to Sion and tilts his head. “But I thought you had to be twenty. You didn’t drink until twenty, right?”


“It’s eighteen in international age,” Yushi tells him. “So we got to have a lot of fun.”


Oh. Yeah, that’s right, the insane age system in South Korea is something Riku will never be able to comprehend in his life. “So in high school, you were…” He can imagine it distantly, Yushi with the same exact bowlcut downing sojus like he does now. “Yuu-chan, you’ve always been crazy, haven’t you.”


Yushi just grins a mischievous little thing, awfully cat-like and coy. “Well, maybe.” And, well, that’s not surprising in the least.


The addition of alcohol to the party actually isn’t as chaotic as Riku was a little fearful it might be; they’re not letting the kids get drunk, obviously, but very soon all of their faces are flushed and they’re acting a little loopy. Daeyoung plucks the sake from both boys when they go dazed in the face. “Already? You only had two cups.” He, too, seems more amused than anything else. 


“I still feel fine,” Tsugumi says. But she looks a little more unfocused than usual too. “Maku, don’t tell mom. Okay?”


Maku leans into Sion’s shoulder. “I won’t.” Even he’s amused, huh.


But Tsugumi just stares at him, hard, and her face is deadly similar to Sachiko’s. “You promise? Seriously, if you tell her, I’ll be so mad.”


Maku just sighs this time but he doesn’t seem very bothered anyway. “Yes, Nee-san, I promise...”


It doesn’t take long for them to all finish eating. They got some desserts for the party but they’ll wait until everyone’s a little less full from the food to eat those, instead opting to crowd back into the living room. Yushi and Daeyoung and Sakuya and Ryo start the next game of Mario Party while Megumi rolls around on the floor and shows Maku something on her iPad, a video game or maybe a Youtube video. They both seem entranced, whatever it is.


“You’re a little pink,” Sion pokes Riku’s cheek. They’re both a little buzzed, though Riku’s definitely feeling it more than his boyfriend is.


“‘Cause you made me drink,” Riku curls into his shoulder with a pout. Sion thumbs at his nose and then nips at him. And okay, maybe that’s his fault for exaggerating. But still!


“I didn’t make you do anything,” Sion says at his ear, though he still sounds fond. “But it’s okay. You’re cute like this. I can’t believe how bad your tolerance is, too, it’s really…” Sion trails off with a sappy little grin. “I don’t know. Everything about you is cute.”


Again, Sion gets so soft when he drinks. Riku blushes a little and presses into him even more, curling an arm around Sion’s bicep. “You’re so embarrassing,” he says. “Whenever you drink you start saying all this nonsense…”


He looks up to meet Sion’s eyes, who is of course already staring back at him. “It’s not nonsense,” Sion says without a second’s worth of hesitation, his smile unrelenting. “Really, Riku, you’re perfect.”


God, how can one man have so little shame! And only when he drinks, too! Riku’s bottom lip juts out and he leans up just a tiny bit so he can get even closer, closer, closer. “You’re just trying to flatter me,” he mumbles. “‘Cause you’re a pervert and you wanna touch me again...”


Er, well. Maybe he’s a little tipsier than he thought. Sion just laughs, though. “What does that mean?”


“You know that I wanna be good for you,” Riku accuses. He leans up even more. “You’re- you know that you own me.” He’s saying nonsense but it’s all true, anyway, Sion has way too much power over him and Riku, in return, is way too happy that he does.


Sion cracks a smile. He dips down so their noses touch. “Do I?”


Riku only leans in enough to kiss him. “Yeah.”


It’s nothing heated, and even if it was this would be a bad time and place to let themselves indulge. But the little ones are busy with the iPad so for a second Riku just kisses his boyfriend once, twice, three times. It’s nothing too pointed. But Sion smiles into his mouth and curls a hand over his nape.


“Cute,” he says. “You’re cute.” 


God, he’s embarrassing. Riku’s face flushes. “I- I guess.”


Sion pulls away with a little laugh and that’s that, really, Riku leaning back into his shoulder with an indignant little huff. But then, after a second, he realizes someone is staring at them. He looks down to the floor and Tsugumi is grinning a bright, bright smile.


“Sensei,” she coos. “You guys are so cute together!”


Right, of course, they forgot about Tsugumi. Riku’s face goes so red that he’s speechless and Sion, similarly, stutters. “Um.” He says. “Well.”


“It’s okay, really,” Tsugumi pats Riku’s knee. “You know my mom wanted you two to get together, yeah? She wouldn’t stop talking about how close you were.”


And, well. Well, quite honestly, that’s insane news. Riku closes his eyes and Sion runs a hand down his face. “R-really?” He sounds like he’s in disbelief and really, disbelief would be an understatement. 


“Yeah!” Somehow Tsugumi is completely nonplussed. “So she’s happy that you’re so happy!”


Wow. Neither of them really know what to say because it’s so absurd that they got found out so easily as it is, but by Sachiko of all people? Though, again, they really do struggle with subtlety. But still, surely it couldn’t have been that obvious to a woman in her forties. There’s just- all of this is honestly coming off as a pretty big shock in terms of, like, cultural norms…


“Um,” Sion says. “Well, that’s… that’s good…”


He looks to Riku with a slightly lost expression. But really, they’re both feeling similarly about this. 


Tsugumi, still a little tipsy, doesn’t seem to notice their admonishment. “Well, just so you know, none of it’s weird to us. My uncle lives in Tokyo and he has a husband!” She says it so simply that it sounds like everyone has a gay uncle in Tokyo. But that’s also… well, you know. You know, that explains that. Tsugumi just smiles, her face still pink. “So I guess it’s more obvious to us, heh. He and my mom are superrr close…”


Well. Then that makes a lot of sense, huh. Riku nods. “I-I see…” He had no idea Sachiko’s brother was gay but that explains a lot of things in retrospect because that woman has never asked them a single question about their relationship nor seemed to pay their situation much mind to begin with. So she’s- she’s an ally? That’s relieving. 


(But also, yeah, they really need to get better about being low-key. Even if Sachiko’s gaydar just so happens to be impeccable, their track record with hiding their relationship is already bad to begin with…)


Sion looks surprised by this news but he, too, is also more embarrassed than anything. “So your uncle is also…”


“Gay?” Tsugumi asks with a sunshine smile. “Yeah!”


This is already somewhat of an insane conversation to be having with her, never mind that Sion and Riku’s sexualities and life experiences are much more complex than the gay or straight labels. But again, this is… well, really, it could be worse. Sachiko knows they’re queer and yet she’s still their friend and lets her kids come over to their house and play with their daughter. Most people aren’t like that at all - most people would be weary, if not hostile, if not hateful. Riku’s expression softens. No wonder these kids are so good and polite and well-behaved if they were raised by such an open-minded and loving woman, huh…


But then, out of all things in the world, Tsugumi glances at her brother. “So just- you’re good examples for Maku, which makes me really happy.” Then she turns back to them with a tired smile. “It’s just that I’d be surprised if he wasn’t… well. You know?”


Her voice fades like whatever she’s talking about is obvious; Riku is flabbergasted by all of this but the fact that Tsugumi’s so certain that her little brother is gay - or at least something close - is kind of insane. Is she really? Is that a conclusion most older sisters come to? Riku’s older sisters never seemed to give him that much mind but now he’s a little curious.


“You- you think so?” Riku’s personally beyond shocked, but when he turns to Sion, his boyfriend just looks contemplative. Riku balks. “You too?!”


“Well. I don’t really know, he’s eight,” Sion says very slowly, scratching at his neck. “But he’s also…”


He nods over at the kids. Megumi is chattering away while scrubbing through a video on her iPad and Maku, laid down next to her, is staring wide-eyed at the older four boys. It’s not damning but you could say he has a few specific tendencies, you know, such as staring up at Sakuya and Ryo like they’re the coolest things he’s ever seen at any given chance. And really, they’ve never seen Maku be like that with anyone else. He’s always been indifferent to women, if not just straight-up obedient, so Riku had thought maybe he just never had exposure to being around older boys. 


But it’s… it’s kind of specific to those two, isn’t it? He didn’t cling to the boys on the soccer team like he does to Sakuya and Ryo, which is admittedly kind of funny because Maku’s just generally weary of older men. And yet… hmm…


Riku, very slowly, nods. So that’s why Sion has no qualms about Maku and Megumi having sleepovers, huh. Well, amongst other things - namely Megumi’s complete and utter disinterest in everyone, ever - but now this all seems glaringly obvious. “I see...”


Tsugumi, clearly tipsy, squeezes his knee again. “He loves you guys, you know. You’re really the best.”


And, well, it’s hard to be too bothered by all of this when Tsugumi’s always been so well-meaning. Both her and Maku are incredibly sweet kids who have never been anything besides polite and hard-working and agreeable and even their mom, for god’s sake, is basically an angel on earth. Riku still remembers when Sachiko first pulled him aside and lamented about Maku’s social struggles in light of what he went through with his dad leaving, with his dad’s abuse, with the crushing weight of expectations he and his sister are always too aware of when there is so much debt to their family name. And yet Maku is such a good boy, isn’t he, and both siblings have been nothing but lovely to Megumi on top of all of that. It breaks his heart when he sees his kids struggle, but to know such sweet children have already been through so much…


God. It pulls at his heartstrings. Riku reaches down to squeeze Tsugumi’s hand and Sion leans over to ruffle her hair. “We’re just doing our best,” his boyfriend says. “And you know that if you ever need anything to reach out, right? Even while you’re in Tokyo. Your mom’s strapped but I’ve got plenty of free time.” That’s most definitely a lie, too, but of course Sion would offer anyway.


“I will,” Tsugumi leans into his hand. “Thank you, Sion-san, you’ve really been the best to us. This is the most help we’ve gotten even before my dad was-” She closes her eyes. “Well, you know. My mom’s so worried all the time…”


Sion just pinches her cheek. “I know. But you’re family, okay? If you need anything, we’ll come running.”


Tsugumi has always been personable and even-keeled and even happy-go-lucky, to an extent, though Riku’s always assumed that she had no choice in that matter. But she smiles as Sion squeezes her shoulder and she sighs something relieved. “Okay. I’m glad we’re family…”


Sion just grins. “Of course we are. So don’t ever forget it, okay?”


Things are just nice and comfy from there on out, afternoon bleeding into evening and the sky slowly, slowly turning dark as the house stays bright and lovely and loud. Most of everyone has sobered up, though that’s because Sion forces water on everyone. Then they have dessert and pass out their graduation gifts - money, mostly, as much as they could manage - and Riku promises Tsugumi: “Just wait for yours.”


Sober this time, she shakes her head. “Really, it’s-”


“Nonsense,” Sion says. “You’re one of ours, we’ll get you something nice.”


Everything calms down into the night. Sion sets up the guest room for the boys and sets out an extra futon in Megumi’s room for Maku and Tsugumi; the kids play video games until they’re worn out and Yushi and Daeyoung leave with hugs in their wake. They’re all seeing Sakuya and Ryo off before they actually leave for Tokyo next week, but still.


“Drunk baby, you’re gonna do great,” Yushi pats Sakuya on the head. “So enjoy your break, okay?”


“Yes, Nii-chan,” Sakuya’s eyes are a little watery. “I’m gonna miss you…”


Yushi hugs him with a sigh. “I’m gonna miss you, too.”


The goodbyes are bittersweet but really, Tokyo isn’t that far away. Yushi and Daeyoung leave arm-in-arm and Sakuya and Ryo head to bed early and at least Megumi is excited to have a sleepover with the Imada siblings, though that’s mostly because Tsugumi’s always been very doting on her. But that’s good, really - Megumi isn’t very close to any other girls, so. 


Tsugumi sits on the floor and tries braiding Megumi’s hair. It’s gotten a little longer over the winter but it’s still pretty short. “Are you ever gonna grow this out, Gumi?”


“No,” Megumi chirps. “I don’t like long hair. It feels ticklish.”


And, well, that’s not surprising. Riku sends a look to Sion, who nods - so that explains why she’s never had long hair before, huh, not even in her toddler pictures. Tsugumi just hums, though, brushing through it. “You know, I have some old clothes that would fit you. My mom kept a ton of stuff.”


“Really?” Megumi seems curious. Tsugumi isn’t really girly either, so at least their styles would overlap. Then she looks to Sion. “Can we?”


“I mean, if Sachiko-san wants to,” Sion shrugs. “I don’t know if she gets sentimental over that stuff…”


Tsugumi just shakes her head. “No, she’s been wanting to get rid of it. That was back when-” Her smile strains. “Well, you know. My mom doesn’t want to hold onto it and I don’t either.”


It’s easy to forget that Tsugumi was way older than Maku currently is when her dad left. Maku never mentions any of it at all but Tsugumi, on the other hand, must be all too aware of what happened with her parents. What did Sachiko say, Maku was only three when he left? Or maybe even four? Tsugumi would’ve already been in middle school, huh…


Riku’s smile dims. Those poor kids, really.


“Well, we can come over and look,” Sion agrees. He’s so good at this kind of thing, though, glossing over uncomfortable things even in a way that Riku isn’t. He pinches Megumi’s cheek. “It’d help me out a lot, too. This one’s growing like a weed.” 


Megumi just grins. “I’m gonna be as tall as my Appa.”


And, well, that makes Tsugumi laugh. “Really? There’s no way!”


It’s not very late when everyone trudges off to sleep, but really, that’s because the teens are recovering from drinking and Maku and Megumi are both low energy in general. Sion tucks everyone in - he insists on it, too - and Riku heads back to the bedroom. He changes into his PJs; he settles in bed; he rests his phone on the nightstand.


Wow, he has a whole routine at Sion’s place and everything. And all of his stuff is here, too. It’s a weird thing to think about but it’s nice to feel at home when now he’s more familiar with sleeping in this bed rather than back at the apartment. They haven’t even discussed moving in together considering they’ve been dating for under a year, but still, they’re kind of…


Well. Doesn’t it just kind of feel like Riku already has?


Sion joins him after he does his rounds. He seems tired, too, albeit not as tired as he usually is after a day of work. Sion comes over to give Riku a kiss before shedding his clothes and as usual, he’s relentlessly doting: “Are you feeling okay? You don’t need any water, right?”


Wow, he’s really so consistent. Riku just shakes his head and lays back in bed and watches Sion pull on his sweats. And as he always does: “I’m good here. I like this angle of you.” Sion’s shirtless and as handsome as ever, and really, those legs go on for miles and miles and miles…


Well. Either way he doesn’t mean to tease, really, it’s just true. Sion sends him a wry smile in response. “Oi, don’t try anything. There’s too many people in this house right now.”


Riku just grins right back. “I’m not trying anything, you pervert. I just like you.”


He’s being silly. Er, well, they both are. Sion pads over to the bed and there’s a grin on his face as he cranes down over top of him. “Really,” he cups Riku’s face. “I’m not the pervert out of the two of us. But I like you, too, baby.” Then he kisses him; it’s just a peck but it’s still sweet.


“We both are,” Riku disagrees on principle because it’s true, the both of them like doing insane things and they’re only getting worse. “Do I need to remind you what you did to me earlier? You made me come and then you used my cum to finger me, and then you-”


Sion goes pink. “I didn’t make you do anything.” But at least he has some shame, right?


“Yeah, ‘cause we’re both perverts,” Riku cranes for another kiss. He smiles. “Just admit it, you like doing weird things to me, Sion…”


And, well, he’s half-joking but Sion sighs into another peck and squeezes his hips like Riku’s got a point about that. “I guess I do,” he relents. “You’ve made me into a weirdo, okay? It’s not fair.”


Their bickering is usually nonsensical at this time of night but really, Riku’s just happy to have alone time together. He hums and wraps his arms around Sion’s shoulders and drags him into a hug. After a day like today he’s mostly just feeling fond, what with the party and getting to dote on the kids and everything. “You’re so good to my cousins,” Riku eventually noses into Sion’s cheek because that’s making him feel fond, too. “I’m so happy, Sion, you treat them so well…”


“They’re good kids.” Sion rolls off of him and onto his side but still, they hug tight. As usual he downplays his good-doing but that’s fine - for now - because Riku will make sure he gets better. “You know, Saku’s always helped me out with Gumi and Ryo’s really been good with her too. And the soccer thing was really…” Sion sighs. “When you’re a single parent you gotta rely on the community. And they’ve been good to me.”


Riku smiles into his neck. “Well, they better be.”


It’s nice to just lay there for a second after doting on everyone else all day because it’s still weird to think about how next week Sakuya and Ryo are leaving, too, and even after a goodbye party it still doesn’t feel real. For so long they were tiny, and even when they got big they were still so immature and bratty, and even now he can hardly see them as adults. But in the past year Sakuya and Ryo have proven their maturity in so many ways, like going above and beyond for Sion and Megumi even with college applications and entrance exams looming over them. They’ve babysat and watched Sion and Riku’s relationship grow and remained steadfast through it all. But then that makes Riku think back to the night they came over to his apartment back in June, and that’s…


Riku huffs out a laugh. “Well, isn’t it funny how we wouldn’t be dating without them either? Even though they’re babies, we kinda owe them everything…”


And that’s just an honest feeling, really, because it’s true. Without Sakuya overhearing Sion’s crush on him and Ryo telling Riku all about it, he’s not sure he would’ve ever had the confidence to confess otherwise. So Riku expects Sion to laugh, too, but his boyfriend just blinks. “What do you mean?” He sounds confused. 


Riku blinks back because he doesn’t know why Sion’s confused when these are, like, just established facts. He leans back to look at Sion a little more properly. “Well, you know, Saku told me you liked me. So that’s why I pursued you…” Riku trails off when Sion only blinks again. “Right?”


For a second he’s deeply confused by Sion being deeply confused because that is indeed how they got together, the kids scheming, and they both know that. But Sion blinks once more, long and very slow, and says: “Saku was- he was- what?”


Riku stares. “Did- did I never tell you? Saku heard you tell Yushi that you liked me and he told Ryo, who told me…” He goes quiet when Sion’s confusion only grows. “Did I really not tell you?”


Sion stares back at him. And then, once all of this has sunk in, he groans. “Riku, really, don’t-” He runs a hand down his face. “That’s how you found out? Really?”


He doesn’t seem mad or anything but in the low light of the bedside lamp Sion’s ears are pink and it’s hard to tell if this reaction is a good or bad one. “Yeah, well, it was an accident,” Riku says. “He just overheard you, so…” He trails off. Should he have kept this to himself?


But Sion looks at him through his fingers. And his voice is low, flat: "Actually?"


Riku manages a tiny smile. He doesn’t know why this is funny to him but it is, honestly, because he can’t believe that in eight months they’ve never talked about this. “Yeah. I thought I told you but I guess not…” He purses his lips. “Why? Do you not like that?”


Sion’s hands don’t move from his face, but he shakes his head. “No, it’s not that. I’m just…” He sighs. “I’m a little shocked.”


Well, of course Sion is always a little dramatic about these things; Riku leans back in to needle at him, now curious how much of a shock this all really could be. Really, were either of them ever very subtle? “Then how did you know that I liked you? Was it because I was being obvious?”


The curiosity’s eating at him and Riku just naturally figures that’s the reason because Sion tells him nearly everyday how obvious he is, how blatant he is, how cute it is that he can’t hide anything. But Sion immediately looks away with an embarrassed face and his voice, low and quiet, is guilty too. “Well, not really. Daeyoung told Yushi… who told me…” Then he closes his eyes because fucking hell, talk about being a hypocrite. 


Maybe he should be mad that his boyfriend’s causing such a stink over nothing, but it’s mostly just funny. Riku laughs and reaches his arm across the bed to smack Sion with a pillow. “Then why are you moping! You found out the same way I did!”


“But still,” Sion groans. “I didn’t- it’s embarrassing. I thought I charmed you or something, not…” He sighs again, his face a little pouty. “But it was because of a scheme.”


Goodness. It’s crazy how petulant he’s being when on every level their feelings have always been mutual and pretty damn consistent. But this makes sense for Sion - he can get insecure about seemingly innocuous things, namely how he comes across. It’s always been curious to Riku how he gets like that when Sion acts so self-assured otherwise, but as always, Sion has some insanely neurotic tendencies. So, you know, maybe this is just par for the course. 


“No, you charmed me too,” Riku insists to his boyfriend, though that’s because now he feels bad and also because it’s actually true. “Remember? I was so charmed. I thought you were sexy the first time I saw you.” And he’s only being honest about how much he wanted Sion right off the bat, though admittedly Riku doesn’t feel nearly as ashamed of that as he should.


It’s silly. They’re always silly but right now they’re being extra ridiculous. Sion’s hand reaches out across the sheets for Riku’s, still sighing again, though this time he seems to be more accepting. “That’s true.” But he doesn’t seem as mad as he is flabbergasted. “I just can’t believe it’s because of those damn kids, though.”


He’s got a point there, but Riku just grins and laces their fingers together. “That’s not a bad thing. It was a group effort, right?”


At least there’s that, huh. Sion huffs a tiny chuckle and squeezes his hand. “I guess it was.”


It’s not that big of a revelation for them to have, though, not really. Sion ends up scooting back into Riku’s side and they lay in bed hand-in-hand, mostly just breathing and talking about inane things as they always do. This is honestly how it goes most nights and they prefer it this way, especially when they usually spend everyday looking after their own kid and also many, many other kids. “Well, I guess it’s sweet,” Sion decides after they inevitably trail off into easy silence.


“Hm? What’s sweet?” Riku mumbles back. He’s sleepy but he still smiles when Sion squeezes his hand again. 


They turned the lamp off already but Riku can hear the grin in Sion’s voice. “You still chased me down anyway. So it doesn’t really matter what happened.”


Wow. So that’s what he’s thinking about, huh? Even now? Leave it to Sion to ruminate only on the dumb things, huh. Riku grins into his shoulder. “I didn’t chase you. I pursued you from a distance.”


“You think so? It was a really close distance,” Sion reminds him. “You were right on my heels. I’ve never met anyone so happy to text me about how my work day was.”


They’re being silly again but Sion still sounds as fond as ever, which is good because at this point Riku doesn’t really have any shame at all. And hey, maybe a month ago he would’ve. Er, well, maybe. He at least should’ve, definitely. But now he and Sion are settled and he knows that this never could’ve happened unless he chased his boyfriend into a hypothetical corner. That’s a little funny because Riku has done that to many people before and it was usually what turned them off, actually, almost every single time and to a fault. But Sion is… 


Well, you know. As usual, Oh Sion is different from everyone else; as usual, Oh Sion is better than everyone else. 


“But you liked it,” Riku points out, still smiling. “You liked me.”


“I did. I still do.” Then Sion leans in and kisses him on the forehead, sounding much more amused this time around. “And you got me, you know. I’m not complaining. This is the happiest I’ve been in…” He chuckles a little. “I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been.”


Goodness, Sion can be so cute in these moments. Riku flips onto his side to lean into him harder, to needle at him closer. “Me too,” he says. “I’m so happy you let me into your life with Gumi. And hopefully next week, we can-” He’s not sure how to word it, but that’s when they’re thinking of telling her about their relationship, so.


“Next week is good,” Sion squeezes his hand. “I can prepare her for it, then…”


Riku just leans in even closer, closer, closer. “You’d have an easier time if you just told her it was me.”


And, well, he’s only being honest. But Riku can’t forget that his boyfriend is indeed the most stubborn man in the world. “I don’t wanna culture shock her right now,” Sion insists anyway. “She doesn’t know about gay people.”


“But she also doesn’t want to share you,” Riku reminds him. “She’s gonna throw a fit.”


Sion pauses for a moment, thinking. “I- it’ll be fine.” Again, he isn’t going to concede and it definitely isn’t Riku’s place to tell him how to parent, either. But still, isn’t he being a little ridiculous? Riku keeps the thought to himself and Sion only pulls him in closer by the shoulder. “Riku,” his voice is dead serious, “I need you there to explain homosexuality to her.”


That’s- Riku grins. All of this is fucking ridiculous, isn’t it. “You want me to do it?”


It’s just funny, this whole thing, because neither of them have any idea how to explain gay people to Megumi. But in the dark he can see Sion nod, just barely. “You're a teacher. You can explain things.” And, well, that’s true. “I’m not that good at talking to her about new stuff ‘cause I’m scared I’m gonna fuck it up…”


That’s not surprising at all. Riku just rolls into Sion’s chest with a smile. “But you’re always a good dad, you know,” he says. “And Megumi listens to you. She really trusts you, too. You never fuck that up.”


He closes his eyes when Sion pets over his head. “I know,” he sighs. “I’m just worried. She thinks me dating means I’m trying to give her a new mom…”


Riku holds his tongue, you know, or else he’d reiterate that Megumi would take this way better if Sion just told her his “special friend” is her Sensei. But alas. “It’s okay. She’ll be alright. And if she’s not, we’ll figure something out…” Riku smiles again when Sion squeezes him in close.


“Yeah. But I’m not compromising,” Sion tells him. “I need both of you.”


He’s really gotten more honest about that stuff over these past few months. It’s very sweet, in all honesty, because Riku never assumed Sion would be the kind of boyfriend to tell him these things at point-blank. “You don’t need to compromise,” Riku reminds him again. “You can be selfish, too.”


And, well, at that he can feel Sion grin into his hair. “Yeah. I guess I can...”


They doze off with little more than a shared goodnight and a very indulgent kiss. And then, in the morning, Riku wakes to sunlight and Sion’s handsome, sleeping face. The house is surprisingly quiet but for once he’s opting not to dwell on the kids at all; Riku turns in Sion’s arms and gives him a kiss.


“Hyung,” Riku coos. “Good morning.”


As usual, it doesn’t take much to wake Sion up. His face scrunches up but he is quickly bringing Riku in closer, nipping at his cheek the second he’s conscious. “You’re- you’re naughty.” And then, with a surprising amount of early morning finesse, Sion rolls onto him and pins Riku to the mattress. “Baby. Are you really gonna misbehave this early?”


Normally Sion needs a while to wake up and he’s groggy through most of the morning. But today he immediately stares down at Riku with a deadpan look on his face and Riku squirms. “What- what’ll happen if I misbehave?” He doesn’t know if he’s more excited or scared. Is Sion already like this? This early in the morning?


It’s bad. Sion’s hand runs down Riku’s chest, down his stomach, slides under the waistband of his boxers. “Then I’m gonna have to punish you,” he says. “Until you’re good again.”


“I-” Riku squeezes his eyes shut when Sion’s fingers circle his cock and stroke down on him, just once. Riku has to keep quiet but he’s loud - he’s always loud - and god, he wants to moan. “I’ll- I’ll be good, Daddy.”


Sion noses into his cheek. “Really? I don’t think you will.”


No, this is really terrible. Sion indeed has way too much power over him but Riku loves it, is the thing, he loves being wanted and being owned and belonging to someone who loves him. He keens into Sion’s jaw and pants: “Please? Daddy, I-” he falters when Sion squeezes again. “I’m sorry, I’ll be good...”


Sion’s so mean; Sion kisses him. “Will you? I think I need to hear that one again.”


The way they mess around isn’t anything crazy, though, and these days it never really is. They spend a little too long indulging in each other, and then after that they make breakfast, and then they rouse the kids (most of whom are hungover). But at the dining table Megumi squeezes between them and Sion keeps an arm around Riku’s shoulders, never letting him get very far away at all.


Soon, Riku realizes. Soon we’re gonna be like a real family…


Seriously, that’s a very exciting thought, and Riku really doesn’t think he’s ever wanted something so badly in his life. 



 ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 



Sion is the one who decides to make Riku and Megumi’s formal introduction the week after the party; of course Riku is wracked with endless nerves, but that’s because this isn’t anything he’s done before. He’s never met any family in any past relationships, let alone their kids, let alone someone who was as important to them as Megumi is to Sion. That’s the thing, right? Megumi is so important to Sion that it’s impossible not to be nervous. And sure, Riku maybe-kind-of-not-really has Sion’s parents’ blessing, but Megumi is a completely different matter. She’s the light of both of their lives and integral to Riku’s very existence and she’s- she’s really just- 


Megumi is, like, everything. And that makes this whole thing incredibly terrifying and risky and crazy. But Sion’s also right when he says that she loves Riku more than she loves anyone besides her Appa, so at least there’s that. Just last night Megumi was clinging to Riku’s neck and asking for a kiss goodnight and for both of them to tuck her in together. These days he’s much less like her Sensei and more like- well, it’s hard to say. He’s not a parent at all, is he. But he’s important to her and Megumi loves him and even Sion is feeling pretty confident about all of this. 


And when Sion is confident it’s hard to be insecure, right? That’s why things will (probably) be fine and Megumi will (probably) be accepting solely because her Sensei is the one her Appa’s dating! Or, well. Hopefully. 


So:


On the morning of their designated meeting, Riku leaves the Oh family house while Megumi’s still asleep. He’s planning on getting ready at home and mentally preparing himself while he’s there because he and Sion thought that the idea of springing it on her together in the house seemed like… well, it’d be a lot. Every plan they came up with was some variation of randomly sitting Megumi down on the couch and saying something like hi, we’re dating, is that okay? Sion’s gonna break the news that she’s meeting his so-called “special friend” while Riku’s out of the house and hopefully this just doesn’t end up backfiring on them.


But again! It’ll probably be fine!


“I’ll be back around lunch,” Riku promises his boyfriend before he leaves. Sion has him backed up against the door in the genkan but at least the kid is still asleep; they can be openly annoying like this, Riku’s arms looping around Sion’s neck before he rocks up on his toes for a kiss.


“You promise?” Sion doesn’t seem that nervous outright but he’s being twitchier than usual. Though he smiles when Riku noses into his cheek. “Aw, now I just want you to stay…”


“It’s only a few hours,” Riku reminds him with a peck. “And then after that we don’t have to pretend anymore, you know.”


He only mentions it because it’s true, isn’t it? After today they can be as lovey dovey as they damn-well please around the little one, and really, that would relieve about half of their daily anxiety as a couple when it’s already enough of a pain that they have to tiptoe around Megumi as it is. But Sion just says nothing for a very long moment, like, a really long moment. And that’s…


It’s curious. It’s very, very curious.


Riku pulls back just enough to take a good look at his boyfriend’s face. Sion’s expression is a little dazed and really, he has no idea what the hell that’s supposed to mean. So he’s just- Riku blinks. “You okay?” He’s not sure if it’s because of something he said or if it’s because he was… was he too presumptuous, maybe? He wasn’t, right?


But to his surprise, Sion only shakes his head. “No, it’s just that… it’s crazy, right? We don’t have to pretend anymore.” Sion’s still being a little weird as he inhales and then exhales with that dazed look still in his eyes, but then he grins something so wide it’s a little terrifying. “That’s- wow. I’m so excited, Riku, I could eat you right now.”


Well, okay, maybe Riku should’ve figured that’s all Sion was thinking about. He blushes a little but he can see why his boyfriend’s excited - Oh Sion is a very doting partner and he just loves and loves and loves to cling. The more he gets to cling the more agreeable he is, and quite frankly, Sion being agreeable is only something that will benefit their little family unit since normally he’s so goddamn stubborn…


So, like. At least there’s that. Riku just smiles when Sion swoops down for another kiss, though this time it’s more of a nip.


“Be patient,” Riku chides his boyfriend despite the fact that he really wouldn’t mind being eaten right now. Even though, you know, it’s also unfortunately not the time to tempt fate. “I’ll text you before I head over, okay? It won’t be long.” Really, Riku has to go now or else he’ll never goddamn leave. 


Sion, in return, just takes him by the jaw and kisses him one more time. “Alright, baby, I’ll see you…” 


And okay, sure, they actually kiss a little more than that. But eventually Riku manages to pull away from his boyfriend’s clutches - Sion, Gumi’s gonna wake up soon! Let me go! - and then he bolts out the door, straightens his clothes, and swiftly heads back home. There are chores to do; there are things to clean; there is an outfit to figure out. Riku gets back to his place within the half-hour and ignores his nerves and immediately gets to cleaning with his favorite anime soundtrack playing on in the background. 


But wow, it’s a little weird to be back here now. It’s been weeks since he was last alone, really, plus he hasn’t really lingered here since the school year ended. This apartment doesn’t even feel like his place anymore… he’s never here and most of his stuff is at Sion’s… and god, he hasn’t slept in his own bed in weeks…


The fridge is basically empty and the bathroom is spotless and most of the things Riku uses everyday are, in fact, living at Sion’s house. He’s a little in disbelief about how he’s basically moved over there when his apartment used to feel something akin to a sanctuary to him - Riku’s always enjoyed living in his own space, hasn’t he, and so he likes being alone and having somewhere to decompress and relax and ignore all of his adult responsibilities. But now Riku relaxes and decompresses at Sion’s place, and if anything, he’s running in the direction of more responsibility. He’s babysitting Megumi and she’s always clinging to him and Sion needs his help more often than he doesn’t and all of it is very, very chaotic. Riku used to hate the chaos but now he kind of thrives in it, huh. 


And, well. That’s just a little funny in retrospect, honestly. Riku grins to himself as he dusts off his coffee table because he quite prefers how things are now than how things were a year ago, he prefers the chaos to always being alone in his own space… 


Wow. What a strange thought. So that’s what love does to you, huh?


As usual, Riku gets into a bit of a flow state while cleaning because he enjoys the methodical movements of it just a little too much; it doesn’t take long to clean his apartment, either, not when this place has been empty for most of March. But after dusting his apartment from top to bottom he puts on something a little nicer than the stuff he’s been wearing as of late, usually sweats and hoodies while lazing around during his babysitting shifts. But in his closet he finds a nice sweater that suits the weather and one of his trustiest pairs of jeans and the usual jewelry. Riku looks in the mirror and grins at the necklace resting over his sternum, the same one his boyfriend hasn’t taken off since they put them on each other - he wears his everyday, too, but usually under his shirt so it can’t get tangled on anything. That’s probably why Sion basically foams at the mouth every time he sees it, huh. That’s just so cute.


After swapping clothes back and forth and messing with tucking his shirt into his pants and then finally assembling his look together, Riku sends a picture of his outfit to Sion: How do I look~? 


Of course he’s fishing just a little bit for compliments, but still, it’d be good to have Sion’s approval anyway. Megumi is indifferent to these things but first impressions are good, aren’t they? Er, well, except this isn’t a first impression. And she usually sees him look much worse than this, too. Megumi’s witnessed Riku with a fucked-up smock at work and lazy clothes at home and also swimming in Sion’s baggiest clothes on his really lazy days, so…


Okay, well. Well, it’s still good to dress nice!


As usual, Riku barely has to wait any time at all for a response. You look like mine, his boyfriend immediately says. Riku blushes but he’s very pleased by the message, still, because Sion never really wavers with the constant flirting. 


Hehe, Riku replies, grinning down at his phone like an idiot. I am~ It’s just hard not to flirt back, okay?


Of course you are, Sion answers. And, well, that’s a very Sion kind of thing for him to say. But Riku is blushing and smiling and feeling way, way, way too fond when another text comes through, this time not flirty at all: Btw Gumi’s blowing a gasket at me right now. But I think it’ll be okay. Probably? Lol. 


And, well. That doesn’t sound good, does it?


Riku plops down on his couch and blinks down at his phone, his smile fading a little. He has a feeling like he knows why Megumi’s upset - again, Sion really should’ve just told her that his so-called “girlfriend” is Riku - but that doesn’t make things any better in the meltdown department. And unfortunately enough, Sion isn’t the type of person you wanna say I told you so, you stubborn man, to. Or at least not unless you want to be on the receiving end of an hour-long silent treatment or at the very minimum the whims of an incredibly petulant thirty-four year-old man.


So Riku opts to hold his tongue for now, at least, though he still feels like a big part of this issue was easily avoidable. He asks his boyfriend: Why’s she mad?


She thinks I’m giving her a mom and that she has to share me. Lol. Okay, well, at least Sion’s being calm about all of this. He’s not usually this relaxed, though that may have more to do with the fact that they’ve been gearing themselves up for this for a month already. But then Sion only asks: So maybe you should come soon… if that’s okay?


Riku manages a tiny, exasperated smile, but that’s because he could’ve seen all of this coming from a million miles away - hasn’t Megumi been combative ever since Sion first brought up the idea of him dating to begin with? Is it really all that surprising that she’s only getting even more combative now? But it’s slowly starting to near noon anyway, so Riku may as well just go and deal with the fallout sooner rather than later.


Okay, Riku replies. I’ll leave now. Just be a little patient…


Sion response comes after a few seconds: I’ve always been very patient. And, well, that’s not even worth a response because it’s a lie. Riku just smiles and pockets his phone; he’s got no choice but to just go for it, right? 


And so, nodding once to himself, Maeda Riku smooths his hands down his clothes and heads out of his front door and marches his way on over into his future.


The walk isn’t that bad, at least. Some days thirty minutes feels like an incredibly long time but on other days Riku is glad for some quiet to accompany him. Today it’s the latter. Riku isn’t an anxious person by nature, really, but now that he knows Megumi’s already upset it’s hard not to get in his head. He knows he’s walking into a situation he’s never put himself in before; he’s walking into a situation Sion’s never put himself in before. His boyfriend isn’t worried but Riku still isn’t certain that this will go how they expect it to when Megumi’s relationship with her dad is so sacred and complicated and precious to her. You’re the exception, is what Sion always says, but is he really? Megumi’s just like her Appa in that way - she can be unbelievably stubborn when she wants to be and if she suddenly decided Riku isn’t as important to her as she thought he was, then that would just be that.


Megumi has just been through so much, hasn’t she? She’s been through so much and Riku doesn’t want to be the person who puts her through even more. The last time she saw her dad with someone, it was the woman who would inevitably abandon her; the last time she had two parents all she knew was arguing, crying, fighting; Megumi only remembers her Appa crying and she thinks that’s what relationships are, arguing and crying and fighting. She has no idea that that’s not what relationships are supposed to be like at all and Riku doesn’t know if he could change her mind. He doesn’t know if it’s his place to change her mind, either, so it’s just- all of this is very intimidating.


Riku’s hands wring together as he walks down the drag into town, as the mid-March chill seeps into his skin, as he passes slowly-blossoming trees and dead yards and a sleepy village. His mind isn’t a mess, really, but he’s scared. And he knows that Sion thinks he’s a good influence, too, but that’s also scary. Riku isn’t quite sure how Megumi would feel if he were to… if he were to step into a role of sorts. Riku’s always been her Sensei and Megumi is resistant to the idea of having two parents on principle and she has no idea that for months Sion and Riku have been feeling each other out, learning to trust and love, willing to overcome their fears for her sake. Is that something she even needs to know? Maybe it isn’t. But Riku’s dedicated most of this last year to crawling under her Appa’s skin and proving himself and seeing Sion prove himself in return, and he wants that to mean something. He just wants it to be as real as it can get, the three of them occupying one space without any reservations at all…


And, well. Maybe that’s a selfish desire to have. No, it definitely is. But Riku’s always thinking about Sion and his smile and his hands and that low, fond voice: Baby. My Riku, my baby. You’re so pretty. Do you even know how pretty you are? For months Riku’s had that and now he doesn’t know if he can live without it, Sion’s smile and his hands and his voice and him, period. He doesn’t know if he can live without Sion ever again and it both scares him and makes him feel even more desperate for today to go well. 


Riku crosses through town and stares down at his feet shuffling along long, worn lines in the asphalt. The closer he gets to the house the closer he feels to home, is the thing, it feels like he’s on his way back home. Sion and Megumi both have become so integral to his life and Riku’s worried, sure, but Sion was right that he seems to be the one exception Megumi’s willing to make. He’d be an idiot to ignore that, huh? Riku couldn’t possibly disregard the fact that she has basically already adopted him into their family. But even then, you know, nerves still eat at him. This is Riku’s first time being formally introduced to anyone’s family - even with the women he dated he never got to this stage in the relationship - and the fact that Megumi is so young somehow makes it even more intimidating. She can be very particular about change and she’s very territorial over her dad on instinct, and that’s fine because Megumi is a child who has every right to be codependent with their parent. It’s just terrifying, the thing they’re committing to and everything that could go wrong and what would happen if she didn’t accept them. 


But Megumi also trusts him, doesn’t she? That’s the crazy thing, and that’s why Sion isn’t worried, and that’s what he needs to focus on. Out of all people, Megumi really trusts him. Riku runs two sweaty palms down his jeans and tries to pick his chin up because even louder than his doubt is the truth, right? And the truth he knows is that if he can’t fill that space, then no one could.


Right, she loves me, it’ll be just fine. Riku only says it to himself because it’s true.There’s no way it won’t be fine. We’re basically family and she doesn’t care when people call me her parent and she said she wouldn’t mind having a mom like me… whatever that means to a kid her age…


So, like, Riku has nothing to fear. Right? Exactly!


It’s not long before he gets back to the house, at least, and the familiarity of everything is soothing to his panicked mind. But then, when Riku steps up to the doorstep, he can hear two loud and familiar voices coming from inside. And that’s… that’s not good, huh. That’s really, really, really not good.


“I don’t wanna meet whoever you’re dating, Appa, you’re being mean!” That’s definitely Megumi yelling. “I don’t want a mom! So, I- I don’t care! Leave me alone!”


Er, well, she certainly sounds mad. In fact she’s much angrier than Riku thought she would be because Sion didn’t make it sound like that big of a deal over text, but Megumi’s loud enough to be heard outside. That’s definitely a bad sign and all at once Riku’s anxiety dials all the way back up. 


Because what the hell is… what exactly is he about to get himself into? 


“You’re gonna like them, though!” Of course Sion doesn’t yell back but he’s clearly admonished. “I’m not making you have another mom, Gumi, come on. You know it’ll always just be us…”


Wow, so this is a lot more tense than he expected. Riku raises his fist as if to knock but now he’s unsure how he should go about this. Whatever he does he’ll be walking into the direct line of fire, and while this wouldn’t be the first time he’s been put right between Sion and Megumi unrelenting on either side of an argument, it’s still a little-


“I don’t wanna! I told you I don’t care!”


Sion’s voice turns a little sterner. “Megumi. Appa finally found someone and I’d appreciate it if you could be nice.”


“No! You’re being- you’re so mean!”


God, okay, he needs to step in. Megumi knows just how to push her dad’s buttons and if it escalates any further, those two will start genuinely fighting; Riku raps on the door decisively and his heart drops to his ass when there comes Megumi’s voice. “That’s- no! Tell them to leave!”


There’s a brief pause. But then Sion tells her: “No, baby, go answer it.”


Riku stands there, feeling conflicted and very overwhelmed. But after a few more moments of silence he hears footsteps stomping their way to the door and then it’s opening. Megumi, eyebrows furrowed and tears streaming down her face, swings it open. “I don’t- Sensei?” The shock on her face is more obvious when she flips from angry to surprised so, so quickly. Or maybe she’s more relieved…?


“Hi, honey,” Riku says a little nervously. But Megumi comes in to hug him while sniffling and crying and it’s hard to be nervous when she’s just as clingy as she always is. Riku rubs a hand down her back. “Gumi, baby, what’s wrong?”


He asks even though he knows, obviously, as this is just for the principle of the matter. But Megumi only clings harder. “Did you know Appa’s dating someone,” she sniffles into his stomach. “But I don’t wanna meet them… I don’t want another mom… Appa’s being so mean to me…”


Riku’s hands run over her shoulders and he makes weary eye contact with Sion, who waves him in. Really, they could’ve avoided this entirely by just telling her the truth, but of course Sion still went the difficult route. Sion himself only clears his throat to interrupt their reunion: “Megumi, let your Sensei in the door.”


And at least Megumi obliges - she pulls him into the doorway with tears still in her eyes - though she’s being pretty damn petulant about all of this. And then she clings onto Riku even tighter once he’s inside, really, seeming more sad than angry now. “Don’t leave,” she begs. “Sensei, stay here with me, please…”


Riku smooths over her hair. “I’m staying, baby. You know that I’m always here with you…”


Er, well. His voice trails off because he’s not sure if she does know that, actually, that Riku’s always around no matter what. Is that something an eight year-old even keeps track of? But Megumi sniffles into his side as he toes his shoes off and she nods, rubbing her snotty face into Riku’s poor sweater.


“Sensei,” her voice warbles. “You’re the only one I want to stay here… not Appa’s girlfriend…”


Goodness, she’s even more distraught than either of them thought she’d be. Sion looks a little flabbergasted by all of this, only running a hand down his face as Riku coos down at their baby and picks her up into his arms. “Aw, Gumi, it’ll be okay,” he tells her. “Should we sit down and calm down? Hm? Wanna cuddle?” He noses into her cheek and her arms circle his neck, clinging on tight. 


But still, this is a little funny in a very, very roundabout way. Megumi turns to send a scathing look to her dad, her dad who is still standing all by himself off to the side. “Only if Appa- Appa, you can’t bring anyone over. You can’t.” Then she buries her face into Riku’s shoulder and sniffles again. Goodness, she’s just as dramatic as her Appa.


It’s hard for Riku to hide his smile just because of the irony, you know, as Sion sinks his hands into his jeans pockets and sighs. “I won’t,” he says as he belatedly follows them over to the couch. “No one else is coming over, honey...”


Megumi curls up in Riku’s lap after he sits them both down with an oof. “So you won’t date anyone either, right?” She’s being even more indignant than usual, even scooting away when Sion settles down next to them.


“Gumi, I-” Sion rests a hand on her back and exhales out a long, long thing. “I’m still gonna be dating, baby. But it’ll-”


Unfortunately for both of them, Megumi just frowns even harder and bats her poor Appa’s hand away. “Then- then I don’t wanna talk to you!” She huffs a little and turns back into Riku’s neck. “Sensei, tell Appa that he’s not being fair.”


“Ah. I… um.” Riku looks at his boyfriend with a concerned look. You should just tell her, he urges with his eyes. She’s only gonna keep getting more mad…


Sion blinks back, then he scratches at his neck. It’s not really a decisive movement but all of this has been weighing on them as Megumi huffs again, sniffles again, tears up even more. The more they beat around the bush, the more she just gets all-


“Megumi…” Sion presses back in close. “I… well, the person I’m dating is your Sensei.”


And, well. That’s certainly one method to go about this, huh? A part of Riku was hoping Sion would say it in a more tactful way but he supposes ripping the metaphorical bandaid off is better for a kid like Megumi, never mind that Sion is absolutely awful being tactful anyway. It takes a second for Megumi to even acknowledge that he spoke at all, but then she stills in Riku’s arms before turning back to her dad. 


Her eyes are wide, red-rimmed. “What?” Then her head whips back at Riku. “Wh-what? What’d you say?”


“Well, I-” Sion laughs nervously. “Your Sensei is my boyfriend. We’ve been dating for a while. Um.” Then he scratches at his neck again. “So that’s why he’s here. He’s the one I wanted you to meet…”


At least Sion was right in that this would be a gigantic shock to Megumi’s system; she stares, gobsmacked, the confusion stretching on and on on her face. Riku’s not really sure if she’s really- is she understanding any of this? Or is this actually a bad reaction…?


“I-” Megumi blinks, hard. Then she says nothing else, her expression still perplexed.


“I’m sorry, honey,” Riku decides to help ease some of the confusion as he tucks some of her hair out behind her ear. He hopes this helps, at least, considering she was just so angry and teary-eyed. “Your Appa and I had to keep it a secret...”


This is honest-to-god the most tense moment of Riku’s life because never before has he dropped a bomb on one of his students like this. Or, well, any child for that matter. For a long second Megumi says nothing, doesn’t move at all, and just stares. But then her arms are tightening around Riku’s shoulders and she’s asking, very, very slowly: “You… you guys are dating…? Like-” Megumi blinks again. “Like, you love each other?”


That’s an interesting way for her to ask that but Sion smiles, his ears red. “Yeah.”


Riku is similarly red. “We do…”


Megumi looks aghast, probably still processing all of this information. “But you’re- you’re both guys.” Right, she doesn’t know about the gay thing. Er, the bi thing. Whatever.


“It’s- well.” Sion looks a little overwhelmed even though they both knew this was coming. “We need to have a bit of a talk, I guess...”


At least it’s easier to do this with all three of them cuddled together, Megumi sideways in Riku’s lap as Sion’s hand tangles with his and they try their damn best to explain any of this at all. “So, honey, the thing is that not only men and women can be together,” Riku takes the lead at Sion’s nudging. “Two men can date, or two women. And anyone could be attracted to either gender if they want to be. Do you understand that?”


Riku’s never had to put the concept of queerness into words before but he tries explaining it in the way he would if he had to, like, teach his kids. Megumi stares up at him and her expression mostly seems awed. Which is… that’s probably not a bad thing? Hopefully?


“Really?” Megumi tilts her head. “You can just… you can like just anyone?”


And, well, sexuality and gender are very complicated subjects that they couldn’t possibly get into now. But Riku nods. “When a man only likes other men, they’re gay. When a woman only likes other women, they’re a lesbian. But when you like both, you’re bisexual.” Riku takes a long pause to let that sink in and also because he has to gloss over the nuances of many different sexualities existing on many spectrums because again, she’s eight. “Your Appa and I are both bisexual, Gumi. So we like both genders...”


Megumi looks more surprised than anything. She turns to Sion, next, wonder still on her face. “You do?” Again, she tilts her head like a little cat. “So you liked my mom and now you like Sensei… ‘cause you’re…” She blinks. “What’s the word?”


“Bisexual,” Sion says slowly. “I- I’ve dated both men and women before.”


And, well. That’s somehow the even more shocking thing to her, apparently. “You- but you-” Megumi blinks again, twice. “Since you divorced Mama? You dated guys then?”


Sion smiles something exasperated. “No, before I met your mom. Sensei’s the first person I’ve dated since we got divorced.” And at least Sion, just for the record, has stayed relatively calm throughout this whole thing. But now he reddens and runs a hand down his neck and then looks away. “You know, I lived a full life before you were born…”


But Megumi needs to process this, too. “Really? You’ve dated so many people, Appa.” That makes Riku have to swallow down a laugh because god, of course that’s what she’s stuck on. “I thought it was just Mama…”


“I really haven’t,” Sion hides his face in his hand. “I just never told you…”


But all things considered Megumi seems to accept the concept of bisexuality without much hesitation, though they probably could’ve expected that. This is probably just new information she’s excited to learn, right? “And so the person you’re dating is Sensei, not a woman…” Megumi says that even more thoughtfully. But then, even more bizarrely: “You guys like each other? You like-like each other?”


Riku is red, too, but he still nods. “We do,” he says. “I- Your Appa makes a very good boyfriend. I like him a lot.”


Wow. Wow, he didn’t realize just how embarrassing it’d be to explain this all to an eight year-old girl since having to admit these things so plainly doesn’t help their embarrassment, either, so they both turn even more red. But Megumi seems almost fascinated. “Do you kiss?” She asks. And when Riku nods: “Then kiss. I wanna see.”


“Wh- what?” Sion is aghast. But then Riku turns over to him and leans in and he pales. “Do you really-?” How’s he so frazzled about this and not, like, coming out to his child? Sion’s such a ridiculous man, really.


“She wants us to kiss,” Riku reminds his boyfriend. He slides an arm over Sion’s shoulder and drags him in closer. “So you have to kiss me, Appa…”


“I-” Sion blinks, once, and sends a glance at where Megumi’s staring at them. “Okay, fine.”


So, well, they kiss. It’s just a peck, really, because Megumi is eight and even if she was an adult that wouldn’t make this situation any less humiliating. But Sion reddens even more when they separate, reaching out to squeeze a hand over Riku’s nape and press their cheeks together. Megumi’s eyes shine.


“So it’s like that,” she says, whatever the hell that means, though she also seems much more excited now. “Appa, you’re not dating anyone else besides Sensei, right?”


“Wh- of course I’m not!” Sion’s still admonished, and honestly that just makes Riku laugh a little. Though he tries to behave when Sion squeezes at him again: “Oi, you’re not helping anything.”


“Sorry,” Riku appeases. But he smiles when Sion presses a kiss to his temple. See, it’s nice that they get to do this now…


And, well, at least Megumi seems to be overjoyed about this outcome. “So I just- it’s just Sensei I had to meet. ‘Cause you’re not kissing anyone else.” She grins when Sion shakes his head, and then her arms wrap around Riku’s neck. “Wow, Appa, you should’ve just said that.”


Right? So even Megumi knows! Riku sends Sion a pointed look, who avoids both of their eyes. “Okay, sorry…”


So at least all the tears and yelling is cancelled out by the revelation that Sion and Riku are dating, apparently, though they’re a little surprised by just how accepting Megumi ends up being; she seems nonchalant about the bisexuality of it all, if not very excited and supportive, which coming from a kid as young as her is a little shocking. But it’s also not that unexpected…


“So I’m not getting a mom,” she seems overjoyed about that, too. “I’m getting a- I’m getting Sensei?”


Megumi sounds excited by the idea. Which is- neither of them are really sure how much she’s taking this in on, like, a deep level. But that’s fine. “That’s right,” Sion tells her. Then he smiles something wry. “Megumi, really, I told you so many times that I wasn’t gonna make you have another mom…”


At that, she turns away with a sheepish look. “I guess. But I dunno, it’s just…” Megumi leans into Riku’s chest. “You were, like, dating Mama. And it was bad.”


Really, you can always leave it to Megumi to say such insane things so plainly. Sion sighs but he doesn’t seem embarrassed, at least, because it’s just true. “It was,” he agrees. “But things with your Sensei are very different. There won’t be yelling or arguing or fighting…”


Megumi turns back to Riku when Sion says that. “And you- you won’t make Appa cry, right?”


God, it’s so sweet that that’s what she cares about, but it’s also a little funny because the idea of Riku yelling at Sion is already absurd in every conceivable way. But even so, Riku just nods and links his pinkie with hers. “I promise. I’ll only make your Appa cry happy tears.”


Megumi smiles; Sion makes a vaguely affronted sound. “Or maybe you won’t make me cry at all, Riku.”


And, well, Riku turns to his boyfriend to send him a little pout. “But you’re always cute when you get emotional, Appa.” Then he looks back to Megumi. “Right, Gumi? Isn’t your Appa so cute when he’s a crybaby?”


Of course Megumi just nods. “He is!” And that makes Sion groan, really, but at least they’re in agreement about that.


This conversation ended up being much easier to navigate than either of them thought it would be, but maybe that’s more due to the fact that Megumi is very accepting about most things in general. You know, at least in terms of learning new things, that is. They cuddle together and tell her that they’ve been dating since June; that they like each other a lot; that they plan to be together forever and it won’t be like how things were with Tsuchiko. And of course there are other complicated things to talk over, such as boundaries, though all of this ends up feeling very surreal either way. 


But again, Sion was right - Megumi is, indeed, making an exception for Riku.


“Sensei will be around like he always is, but we’re gonna… um…” Sion squeezes Riku’s hand. “It’ll be like before except we’ll be more affectionate, I guess. But it’s not like we’re getting married like your mom and I were or anything. So…”


“Okay,” Megumi accepts that a little too easily. “But you’ll be kissing a lot? Can you guys kiss again?”


Both of them are slightly perturbed by the fact that this is what she’s so eager about, though by Riku’s best guess Megumi probably doesn’t have any memories of Sion being affectionate with her mother. So maybe it has something to do with that? Sion is exasperated but he leans over to pull Riku in by the jaw and kiss him. It’s a little more purposeful that time, lasting a smidge longer, but still very tame.


Riku’s cheeks are red. He turns back to their kid. “How’s that?”


“That’s so awesome. You’re so red.” Megumi leans in closer, between the both of them, and loops an arm around each of them. “Now me.” And, well, it’s very easy to swoop in and kiss her cheeks because she’s their baby.


“Megumi, really,” Sion scolds. “You’re being greedy.”


She only grins. “I’m not!” But then they swoop in again, and then again, and she seems too happy to argue much at all.


At least this didn’t go too badly. Now that they’re officially a Thing - and also since Riku is no longer Megumi’s teacher - it’s easier to navigate all of this since there’s no weird dynamics at play between work relationships and personal relationships. “Since Sensei isn’t your Sensei anymore, let’s give him a new nickname,” Sion suggests. That was something they agreed on last week; it’d be better to have a more personal name for when they’re at home. “Do you have any ideas, baby?”


“It can be whatever you want,” Riku tells Megumi. “I’m not trying to- I’m not replacing your mom or anything, so…”


It’s a little tricky to explain any of this to Megumi, whose idea of family and traditional familiar roles is a little fucked-up on principle. She nods sagely, though. “Yeah, ‘cause you’d be my dad.”


And that’s- well, okay. Riku doesn’t even know what to say to that. “Um.”


“Sensei is- Riku’s not your parent, really,” Sion pets a hand over Megumi’s hair. “Or maybe down the line it would- we need time to adjust to that, right, Gumi? We…” He has told Riku before that they might have moved too fast, sure, and maybe that’s a little true. And yet Megumi seems to have no qualms with taking him in as a parent, huh…


“Oh, okay.” At least Megumi doesn’t seem off-put by that either, but again, it’s hard to tell how she feels about the idea of having two parents or if she understands the weight of their relationship to begin with. “A name, though. Hm…” Really, how is she so nonchalant about all of this?


Riku exhales a long breath because while this all turned out fine, today has still been a fucking rollercoaster. “Don’t make it too formal,” he tells her, too. Riku smooths a hand down Megumi’s back and he’s not sure if he’s helping anything, but god, this is still a little scary in many ways. “I want a cute nickname, baby, okay?”


Megumi just leans into his shoulder. “Something cute, huh?” And then she screws her face up even more. So she’s really pondering on it, then.


“Hm. What about something like… uh. Kuu-chan?” Sion tries. “It’s like Riku, but-”


“Kuu-chan?” Megumi sits up a little more. “I like it.” Then she turns to Riku. “Do you wanna be Kuu-chan, Sensei?”


And, well, Kuu-chan is… it sounds so sweet when she says it. Wow. And Yushi already calls him that but that’s fine, really, because it’s still cute coming from the both of them. Riku squeezes Megumi’s hand and he really can’t help how soft this is all making him feel. He really never could’ve imagined she would take him into their family this easily. Again, all of this is just- wow.


“That sounds good, baby,” Riku grins, pecking Megumi atop the head and squeezing her in close . “I love it.”


And so it’s all agreed upon - Riku is not her Sensei, but her Kuu-chan, and the parenting of it all is… that’s something they will think about later. Megumi seems a little too pleased by all of this. “I’m so happy,” she loops her arm around Riku’s neck and leans into another tight hug. “This is so cool. I have two of you now…”


Riku goes pink. “I guess.”


Sion pinches her cheek. “Oi, don’t get ahead of yourself. Kuu-chan’s more like your-” He falters. “Your uncle?”


Megumi blinks back at her dad. “But then he’d be your brother, Appa.”


“I don’t mean literally!” Sion scolds her. But Megumi just grins anyway, giggling a little when her Appa pinches her again. “Gumi, seriously, I thought you didn’t want two parents.”


“I don’t,” she tells him. And, well, at least there’s that. “But Kuu-chan lives with us and everything!”


Riku only pinkens even more. “That’s-”


“He doesn’t live with us,” Sion sighs. “It’s- I-” He looks at Riku, specifically, like he needs help. “He’s just hanging out with us. Right, Riku?”


“Um. Yeah!” Riku tries to dissuade her, too, but as usual he’s much worse at it than Sion is. “But at school I still have to be your Sensei, okay? We have to keep it a secret.”


And obviously that’s not anything crazy to say, right, because that’s just a given in queer relationships - they’re always gonna have to be low-key around town and it only gets more pressing that they stay secretive when they have a kid to worry about anyway. But despite all of the preparations they made for today, both Sion and Riku forgot to factor in the fact that Megumi, aged eight and still pure-minded and unmarred, is completely unfamiliar with the concept of homophobia. 


“We have to keep it a secret?” She blinks back at him. “Why? I wanna tell everyone!”


Oh, god. Really, how did they completely forget that this would be something they’d have to explain to her? Riku looks over at Sion, whose expression is similarly lost. “Um,” Sion says. Then he looks back at Riku. “Well. So. It’s just, um-”


“Well, Gumi,” Riku cuts off her dad because he’s clearly not going to be any help with this. “We told you that you could like anyone you wanted to, right?” He smiles when she nods back at him. “There are a lot of people who don’t think that. So they don’t like it when two men date like your Appa and I…”


God, he kind of wishes he didn’t have to explain prejudice to Megumi like this, though admittedly she knows better than any kid her age what it’s like to be judged. “Really?” She looks confused now. “But… why would people not like that?”


Er. That’s a pretty complex question that Riku doesn’t think he has the know-how to answer. “Well.” He licks his lips and looks to Sion, who only blinks back at him once again. “Well, in Japan it’s not often that people support gay relationships. There’s a lot of reasons why, too. But your Appa and I have to keep it secret so we can keep you safe, okay? It’s just better if people don’t know because they’ll disapprove.”


Megumi blinks very, very slowly. “Oh. So…” She turns to Sion this time, her lips turning down into a frown. “People would be mean to you, Appa?”


This is definitely a necessary evil to explain to her but it’s still kind of devastating because Megumi sounds so, so sad at the idea that anyone would be mean to her poor Appa. But Sion just runs a hand over her hair and nods. “Yes, they’d be- they’d be really mean. So it’s just easier this way, honey, especially when you’re at school…”


Megumi takes a second to digest that, too. But then she abandons her place in Riku’s shoulder to lean into her dad’s chest and hug him next. “That’s not fair. I wanna-” She pouts, hard, her eyes a little wet. “Everyone at school gets to talk about their parents. But I don’t?”


Of course Megumi is being sensitive about this; family stuff has always been complicated for her and the fact that Riku is now included in her family seems to have made her feel all- it really seems to be making her happy, right? Riku can feel a deep, deep pang of guilt in his heart but Sion just hugs their kid tight and smooths a hand over her back. “It’s okay, baby. It might not have to be forever. But you know that Kuu-chan and I still love you no matter what, right?” He kisses her on the forehead.


Megumi nods this time though she still sounds pretty sad. “Yeah…” God, that just pulls at Riku’s heartstrings.


“That’s what’s more important, okay? ‘Cause when you get home we all get to cuddle and it doesn’t matter what other people think.” Sion noses into her cheek and squeezes her in closer, closer, closer. “And maybe one day everyone will be nice to us instead…”


“Okay…” Megumi nuzzles into her dad and sends a look to Riku. She’s still frowning but it’s more of a pout and less like she’s about to cry. “But you still… you still love each other, right? Even when you have to keep it a secret?”


So that’s how she’s deciding to ask that, huh. Maybe they should’ve figured that Megumi - who has only ever seen couples suffer together, really - would word things so plainly, but Riku still makes nervous eye contact with Sion; his boyfriend just turns a little red over her shoulder. They couldn’t possibly explain to an eight year-old the intricacies of telling your significant other “I love you” early on in a relationship, especially with the hang ups they both have over their pasts and exes and everything else…


But Riku inhales; he exhales; he squeezes Megumi’s hand. “No matter what,” he promises, “I’ll still love your Appa more than anyone.” And that’s just true, isn’t it? It’s really- it’s true.


Sion avoids his eyes, but he dips down to kiss her head. “And I’ll love your Kuu-chan, too.” At least he seems more embarrassed than upset about having to say something like that, but again, Sion’s got a lot of angst surrounding this kind of thing. Hopefully he’s not mad or intimidated or nervous or gets flighty about it, right, because suddenly Riku’s worried that-


But Sion’s free hand then reaches out to squeeze Riku’s. His gaze slowly meets his and he doesn’t look scared, not like he used to, so maybe he’s not upset at all. And Megumi herself seems very pleased by their answers anyway, because then she grins. “That’s good! ‘Cause you- ‘cause you better! Don’t get mad at each other or breakup! Okay?!”


Goodness, this kid is so ridiculous. Sion smiles and Riku huffs out a laugh and Megumi, it turns out, is honestly just that accepting. So really, all in all - and despite everything they still are leaving unsaid - today went even better than expected.


Despite the very formal intention behind this meeting, things end up being the same as they always are. Or at least in terms of Riku spending time with Megumi nothing has really changed at all; they all slip up with “Sensei” a few times but that’s really the only main difference. Or, well, that and Sion’s affection. He’s a lot more blatant now that he’s able to be, never letting Riku out of the arm that’s wrapped around his waist. “We should build the LEGO now!” Megumi insists to them.


Riku blinks. Then he looks to Sion. “You haven’t done it yet?”


Sion shakes his head. “We were saving it for a special occasion, actually.” But he glances back to Megumi, who’s pulling her big boba eyes, and of course he immediately caves. “Okay, fine. Go get it. But you can’t make a mess, okay?”


She’s already running off, though. “I won’t!”


There isn’t enough time for them to debrief on what just happened, not actually, though Riku is already drained from just having that damn talk. But Sion pulls him in closer and Riku just goes easily, resting his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. 


“So. I told you it’d be fine, huh,” Sion murmurs. Though he looks away when Riku turns back to him with an unimpressed face because he’s so good at acting like he didn’t almost completely fuck up their whole plan by being so vague with her about who he was dating, huh.


“And I told you to just tell her it was me,” Riku deadpans. “Really, you’re so stubborn. It drives me insane.”


He’s not genuinely mad or anything - he’s more just taking the chance to keep Sion humble while he can - so his boyfriend’s expression goes sheepish but he still smiles when Riku noses into his cheek. “Sorry, baby...” Then Sion exhales. “You’re always right, aren’t you? From now on I’ll just do everything you say.”


Really, of course that’s what Sion would say. Riku smiles a pleased thing because even if that’s not gonna happen, he appreciates the idea anyway. “You really should,” he leans up to give Sion a kiss. “I’m your wife, aren’t I?”


Sion’s own smile is wry. “I thought you didn’t want me calling you that.”


He’s got a point there, sure, but now that they’re basically locked into their relationship long-term with Megumi’s approval, it’s hard for Riku to not get greedier. Now he’s allowed to have basically everything he wants from Sion and their relationship and their family unit and there’s, like, nothing for him to be afraid of now; Sion and his kid are taking him into their arms and even Megumi wants him to be a dad, kind of, and that’s so close to- well. It’s not like they could get married anyway. But now no one besides him can have that title, can they? Only Riku has earned Sion’s trust and he’s gonna make sure no one else even gets a chance.


“Well, I changed my mind,” Riku says. His voice is mildly haughty but that’s only because he feels very selfish about Sion’s affection, actually, and he wants to be his wife preferably forever. Riku’s eyes narrow. “Why? Were you gonna call someone else your wife, huh?”


He’s joking. Mostly, kind of, though maybe he’s being a little more serious than he’d like to be. But Sion just huffs a laugh and leans down to kiss him, too. “You know I’m not,” he nuzzles at Riku’s jaw. “You’re our Kuu-chan, aren’t you? My kid wants you to be her mom, of course no one else could be my wife…”


Riku closes his eyes when Sion noses at the underside of his jaw, then down his neck, then over his adam’s apple. “Don’t call me Kuu-chan,” he grumbles a little. “‘Cause you say it in a sexy way. It’s not the same as when Gumi says it, I’m gonna start thinking weird things…”


Sion kisses him once, right over his pulse. “Really? What should I call you, then?”


God, this is a bad time to mess around and of course they aren’t going to. Like, obviously not. But Riku’s hand reaches up to curl into Sion’s hair and he keens as his boyfriend mouths over his skin. “I-” he breathes. “I wanna- I’ll be your kitty, right? And your- your baby?”


Sion smiles into his throat. “That’s right,” his teeth scrape over his skin. “You’re mine, Riku, aren’t you?”


Riku feels a little too lightheaded a little too quickly. “I am. I’m- I also-”


“You’re my wife, too,” Sion voice is low. “And I’m your husband. Is that what you wanted, baby? You want me to be your husband?”


Sion sucks a mark into his skin and for a second Riku wonders if he should just, like, get on his knees or something. “I- I really-”


“Who wants to build this with me!” Megumi quickly runs back up the hallway. “I’m so excited!”


Of course they separate in an instant - they’ve been doing this for months, haven’t they, carefully sneaking around - as she slides into the room on her socks. Sion has immediately put a whole foot between them before Megumi can even take a good look at what they were up to. “Um,” Sion says. “Sorry, honey, what do you need?”


Riku, who instantly turned bright red, averts his eyes down to the ground. God, why’d he let himself get so overeager at such a bad time…


But it doesn’t matter, though, because Megumi’s lugging in a box that’s nearly the same size as her and pays their weird behavior no mind. “You gotta help me!” She insists as she happily rips open the box and dumps plastic packs of LEGO brick all about the ground. Well, her knowing about their relationship didn’t make her any less oblivious. At least there’s that, right?


Sion slowly scoots back into Riku’s side but his neck is a little flushed and he looks surprisingly embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs as he wraps his arm back around Riku’s waist. “I had a lapse in judgement.”


“You did,” Riku agrees in a whisper. And that was definitely his fault, too, but it’s- well, whatever! “Just don’t do it again, perv.”


Sion smiles something amused. “I won’t.” And that’s fair, honestly, because it’s already pretty amusing how things aren’t any different from how they usually are; Sion and Riku are still pressed together side-by-side; the three of them are still snuggled up together as they snuggle everyday; Megumi still makes a huge mess, of course, despite her dad’s wishes. Riku just leans back into Sion’s shoulder and smiles as Megumi leans over to tug at Riku’s leg. “C’mere,” she pulls at him. “Come play with me, Kuu-chan!”


“I- your Appa is holding me hostage,” Riku complains a little as Sion’s arms around him only tighten. So he then turns to said Appa and scolds him: “Come on. You’re being naughty.”


Sion juts his bottom lip out. “I’m not.” But he only just brings Riku in closer, closer, closer.


“Don’t keep Kuu-chan to yourself!” Megumi scolds her father, which is both funny and also insane because now Riku’s starting to realize that both of the Oh family members are equally possessive over him. Which is- that’s fine, right? It’s just that Riku thought it’d be him and Megumi fighting over her dad, not the other way around…


Though he probably should’ve expected this; Sion makes a face but he still lets Riku go anyway. “Fine. But don’t hog him too much.”


Goodness, they’re both whiny and petulant in the exact same goddamn way. Riku sends his boyfriend an exasperated look but slides down to the ground to kneel next to their kid, helping Megumi sort the LEGO bags together and everything. Sion sits at the edge of the couch and leans over to prop his chin atop Riku’s head, massaging at his shoulders. Of course he’s still clinging like this, huh. 


“I dunno where we’re even gonna put this thing,” Sion seems amused. He tilts his head, his cheek rubbing against Riku’s hair. “Maybe the spare room can be more like a play room…”


Riku’s hands come up to squeeze Sion’s wrists. “She doesn’t have enough toys for a play room.”


“A LEGO room!” Megumi offers as she tears open the instruction manual and gets to work. “Or an- an art room!”


“Let’s aim for an art room,” Sion agrees. “We don’t need a LEGO room. But your easel came in, so we gotta set that up, first, and maybe we can get you one of those big art desks…” His voice trails off like he’s thinking. Sion really is as attentive as a parent gets, huh, if he’s already having big dreams like this. “If you’re not gonna be a soccer superstar, I want you to keep making your art.”


Megumi grins down at her LEGOs. Her hands are surprisingly adept at this, following the instructions easily. “Really? Am I-” She squints down as she flips the page, apparently confused by the next step. But then she looks up at them. “You want me to be an artist, Appa?”


Sion just shrugs. “You can be anything you wanna be.” Then his arms tighten around Riku’s shoulders and pull him back into his knees for a hug. “No matter what you do, Appa and Kuu-chan are gonna cheer you on…”


“Yup,” Riku agrees. He grins when Sion leans down to kiss him. “So when you go abroad, we’ll support you!”


Sion frowns into his cheek. “Oi, I didn’t say that.” But Riku just laughs. Sion says that but the second Megumi asks, there’s no way he doesn’t immediately cave to wherever she wants to go or whatever she wants to do or whatever support she needs later in life. 


But Megumi only smiles, looking back down at her LEGOs. “Okay. That sounds good.”


Time passes like that for maybe an hour or so. Megumi gets even more sucked into building the LEGO set, eventually teetering out of conversation entirely as she cranes over the instruction booklet and snaps endless pieces together. As expected, she picks up the patterns of the set very quickly; Sion soon joins Riku on the ground, again taking hold of him in a very obvious claim. Riku lets him, resting his head on Sion’s shoulder.


“You’re too much,” he mumbles. Every now and again he takes the initiative to ask Megumi a question or comment on the set she’s building, but for the most part she seems pretty focused and Riku doesn’t want to interrupt too much. He only cranes his neck to look up at his boyfriend and he gets to be a little more teasing since the little one isn’t paying attention to them: “Really, you’re obsessed with me.”


“I am,” Sion agrees. He pecks at him. “But you’re stuck with me, aren’t you?”


Goodness, he’s just so doting. Sion holds Riku even closer and kisses him, once, twice, three times, and it’s just- of course he’d be like this. Riku only squirms when Sion kisses him a fourth time. “Except now you’re being ridiculous…”


But nothing about them has really changed from this revelation either way, huh? Sion nuzzles into his cheek and he’s being awfully cute about it; Riku only smiles as he’s nosed at. Sion’s getting even clingier these days, even cuter, even more needy. That makes him feel so unbearably happy. Riku didn’t think his boyfriend would ever start acting openly needy with him but lately Sion’s been pretty damn shameless.


“But my wife is so pretty,” Sion murmurs at his ear. “My wife’s so pretty and takes care of our baby so well. How am I not supposed to be ridiculous?” He kisses him again. “Really, I can’t believe I get to have you like this…”


His voice is low enough that there’s no way for Megumi to hear, thank god. Riku blushes a little bit but that’s only because- wow, seriously, when did Sion suddenly get so comfortable with saying these crazily sappy things? He didn’t used to be like this, right? But now he doesn’t even need to be tipsy to start going on these tirades about how cute he is, how good he is, how perfect he is. And it’s just- it’s a little overwhelming. 


“You’ve always had me,” Riku tells him, though it comes out a little petulant-sounding because he’s embarrassed. He tilts his head to give Sion a more proper kiss. “I’m- you can have whatever you want.”


Sion’s eyes shine a little. He smiles. “Whatever I want?”


Riku turns even pinker as two strong arms squeeze his waist even tighter. But even still, he nods. “I’m yours,” he reminds his boyfriend. “And now that Gumi knows, I have to be yours forever…”


“Wow,” Sion kisses him just one more time. “Forever, huh?”


It’s hard not to get a little lost in each other when they’re allowed to be shameless now. Er, well, maybe they shouldn’t be too shameless, but unfortunately they both tend to be over the top in the exact same ways. Riku smiles when Sion noses into his cheek, hard, squeezing him in close; it takes him a little too long to realize there are eyes on them.


When he finally tears his eyes away from his boyfriend, he makes eye contact with Megumi. She’s watching them closely, her face a little inquisitive. For a second Riku’s not sure how to take that, and so he says: “H-hi, baby…”


It’s hard to forget that Megumi is always watching and listening, huh. Her eyes linger on Sion’s hands wrapped around Riku’s wrists and Riku half in his lap and Sion digging his face into Riku’s like he wants to merge them into one being. Then her eyes meet his and she smiles. It’s not one of her usual beams, this time it’s small and a little shy, but it’s a smile all the same. 


“Wow,” Megumi closes the instruction booklet and scoots in a little closer. “You guys love each other a lot…”


God, so that’s what she’s thinking about? Riku makes a wounded noise and Sion, of all things, huffs a laugh because this just seems to be Megumi’s thing, now, that they apparently love each other so much. But it’s also true, huh. Riku’s embarrassed by the observation but he still smiles when Megumi crawls over to them.


“I guess we do,” he says as she plops herself into his lap.


“You guess?” Sion grumbles. He asks that as if they- well, they haven’t ever said that kind of thing before, so obviously it’s hard to go along with this! But then, before Riku can even be offended, he just smiles too. “I’m kidding, Riku.”


Riku sighs a fond, tired thing but it’s fine. He’s used to the teasing and Megumi noses into him, too, and now he’s literally being sandwiched by this father and daughter he adores so much. “You’re really mean to me,” Riku mumbles. “Gumi, your Appa’s so rude.”


He smiles a little when Sion pinches him. But Megumi, as usual, just nods empathetically. “I know.”


“Oi, what does that mean,” Sion’s genuinely grouchy this time. “I’m so sweet to the both of you, aren’t I! Huh? You’re my babies!”


And, well, that’s just Sion being Sion. Riku grins and pulls Megumi in closer. “Your Appa’s so ridiculous, too,” he murmurs. His voice is low, a whisper, so Sion can’t hear him. “And he’s the best thing to ever happen to me. I love him so much, Gumi.”


He only says the confession because he can understand what Megumi is feeling, he thinks - she’s watching them like she has to make sure something bad won’t happen. That’s what that look was, right? Riku doesn’t really attempt to psychoanalyze this kid but Megumi talks about her mom like everything that bad happened was just bad, straight-up, like there was no love. And maybe there wasn’t, or at least not enough that she could’ve felt it. But Riku wants to tell her that much; no matter what happens, he will always love her Appa. 


Megumi beams, then, at his words. The smile isn’t cautious as it was before but happy, but overjoyed, but excited. “Really?” 


Sion makes a confused noise but Riku ignores him, just nodding. “But don’t tell him, okay? We don’t want his ego getting too big…” He just can’t help but tease, you know, for now. Until he can really say it to Sion’s face, he just wants to play things a little coy…


Megumi nods. “You’re right.”


But Sion, of course, scoffs. “Now what does-”


As always, they bicker and tease each other and just enjoy each other’s presence. The LEGO set is too big to get done in one sitting anyway, and so Megumi is just happy to continue to take her break in Riku’s lap. She’s really gotten too big to fit here as comfortably as she used to but of course neither of them stop her, both of her arms squeezing around Riku’s neck as she leans in close, close, close. “Let’s cuddle,” Megumi suggests. 


And so, of course, they do just that. They always do whatever their baby wants, don’t they?


Sion holds both Riku and Megumi in his arms and admittedly it’s not like this is new for the three of them, not really, but the blatant level of affection is still something to get used to in front of the kid; the position they end up in has Riku leaning in one of Sion’s shoulders and Megumi leaning in the other and Sion just squeezes them in close, close, close. “Ah, this is so nice,” Sion sighs. Though that’s only to be expected considering the kind of man that Oh Sion is, always loving and adoring and so, so good… 


“It’s nice to finally do this,” Riku agrees. Megumi only hums.


“‘S like Kuu-chan’s in our family now,” she yawns. “I’m so happy…”


Riku tilts his head to the side to look at his boyfriend; during this whole thing Sion’s stayed very level-headed as he does about most things. But Riku can see it now that he’s really looking at him, all the emotions on Sion’s face and his misty eyes. This really must mean so much to him, huh, even more than he’d ever admit. But Sion still only just smiles at Riku before leaning in to kiss him. 


“I’m happy too,” he says. And, well, it’s hard to fight against the force of both of their fondness, right? Sion squeezes him tight and Riku can only blush and let them both dote as they please. 


But that’s not anything new either, really; that’s why he’s theirs. 


The afternoon presses on and on and on and Riku eventually excuses himself from their cuddle pile, but that’s only because he’s already decided that he’s the one who’s cooking dinner tonight. Riku had the idea weeks ago, actually, since usually Sion is the only one in this house that even touches the stove and Riku would like to pay things forward in a way; his boyfriend went to the store and got the ingredients and so Riku’s been practicing the bulgogi recipe he recently got from Siyeon, and by extension, Sion’s mom. And while he knows that he doesn’t have their explicit approval, surely the recipe-sharing is a good sign nevertheless... 


“This is my house, you know.” Sion only tries one last time to dissuade him, standing in the doorway as Riku flits his way all over the kitchen to gather all his ingredients and supplies. Megumi has returned back to her LEGO after recharging from the snuggling, but now Sion’s decided to annoy him. 


“I can do it myself!” Riku quickly waves his boyfriend off but that’s because he can, you know, do it himself. He made a batch of bulgogi earlier this week and it turned out okay-enough. Maybe not as good as Sion’s, sure, but relatively okay! Yushi even came over to try it and gave him tips on seasoning, so he thinks he can do even better this time!


But much to his chagrin, Sion only uses the opportunity to invade his space. “Riku,” he says in a low voice, coming up to crowd him up against the counter and murmur into his nape. “You can just let me cook, you know… we gotta keep the safety of the family in mind…”


“You’re being mean,” Riku pouts, though Sion’s hands fold over his waist and his touch is still so warm and familiar and nice. Riku tilts his head to the side to let Sion kiss his neck and that’s just- he’s not giving in, okay? He just likes affection from his boyfriend and that’s fine!


But Sion kisses his way to his jaw, his cheek, the corner of his mouth. “I’m just saying, I’d be happy to do it.” His hand comes up to tilt Riku’s head so they can kiss properly. “I don’t want you setting the stove on fire.”


“Well, I… I’m not as bad as you think I am, so…” Riku is distracted by the kisses, pressed again up against the counter and mouthed at so intently that it feels like he’s melting. He clings onto Sion’s arms and his voice goes tiny. “Sion… Gumi’s in the other room…”


“‘S okay,” Sion smiles into his mouth. “I’m just appreciating her Kuu-chan.”


The implications of that - of Riku being hers, of him being both of theirs - make him feel a little dizzy. His arms loop around Sion’s neck as he’s kissed more, harder, more meanly. “I-” Riku doesn’t gasp but he pants a little. “Stop distracting me.” It comes out as a whine but that’s no one’s business besides his own, thanks. 


Sion smiles and nuzzles into his cheek. “Sorry. Just let me help you, okay?” His hand is so tight on Riku’s hip that it’s hard not to keen when he squeezes even harder.


Riku sighs as he’s kissed again. “Okay...” God, he’s so weak to Sion’s face and his voice and his hands and his- ugh. It’s just not fair! He just got manipulated into letting this overbearing man boss him around!


Eventually Sion leaves him be, but it’s only enough so he can cook and not much more than that; his hawk eyes follow Riku as he gathers up everything he needs from around the kitchen and he is, indeed, so overbearing. Sion then hands Riku a knife to cut the sirloin with and his eyes are immediately glued to Riku’s hands. How fucking unrelenting can he get, really?


“You’re intimidating me,” Riku mumbles. He’s slower at this kind of thing than Sion is, less certain, but he’s not actually that terrible at cooking. That’s the thing - he can do things well-enough if he takes it slow and easy and careful, but his boyfriend has enough practice to always act like a perfectionist. 


“Just ignore me,” Sion hums, though he still doesn’t relent because of course he doesn’t. Then he balks when Riku kicks at him. “Oi! Careful! You have a knife!”


“Then stop being so- you’re being annoying!” Riku huffs to himself, indignant. He finishes slicing the sirloin and then sends Sion a dirty look, dropping the knife into the sink and washing his hands. “I’m not invalid, you know. I’m trying to do something nice for you and Gumi…” Riku’s voice trails off as he grumbles, scrubbing incessantly at his hands. 


“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.” Sion comes in close to squeeze his shoulder and kiss his cheek. “I’m just happy you’re here, baby. And I worry a lot, you know, about you hurting yourself...” That’s an understatement but at least he’s being honest. Though Riku suspects it has less to do with injury and more the fact that Sion’s convinced himself that Riku has never cooked in his life.


Er, well. It’s not that far off, is it. But he can cook just fine! Mostly!


Riku’s ears go a little pink but he still huffs because he really shouldn’t give into Sion’s affection so easily. Even though, sure, he still always does. “Yeah, well. Just let me try my best...”


Sion steps aside at his request; he even puts his hand up in surrender. “Okay, I’ll stop.” And, well, at least there’s that.


It’s true that Riku may not be the most experienced cook in the world, but similarly to cleaning there are calm, soothing, methodical methods to this. He works on the marinade next and at least these ingredients are easy to come by - garlic, green onion, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, etc, etc. And, right, he can’t forget the black pepper. Riku can still feel Sion’s eyes watching his every movement as he measures it all into the bowl, but that’s fine. Sion might know better than him anyway… his mom was incredibly vague with measurements so it’s a little hard to tell if he’s doing this correctly or not…


Riku mixes until the sugar is dissolved and then he offers it for his boyfriend to try. “Tell me how to make it better.” And then, after a second, he leans into his side. “Please?”


Sion raises an eyebrow but relents, dipping his clean pinkie to taste. “Hm,” he hums. “It’s pretty good. It needs more sugar, though.” Then he squeezes Riku on the hip. “You did well, baby.”


But Riku only blinks. “Even more?” It’s not that crazy, he just didn’t know Korean food was supposed to be sweet at all.


His reaction just makes Sion chuckle, though. “Yeah, even more. Don’t be afraid to put too much when we can balance it out later.” He picks up the sugar and nudges Riku in the side. “Come on, I’ll show you. Gumi likes it really sweet.”


And, well. Normally Riku would be indignant at Sion taking over for him but he watches as Sion adds sugar, then more sesame oil, and then more garlic of all things. Unfortunately Sion definitely knows what he’s doing so it’s hard to dissuade him too much. After adjusting the marinade a few times, Sion dips his pinkie into the sauce again and holds it up to Riku’s lips. “See?” He asks. “It tastes more balanced, right?


Riku’s a little hesitant about tasting anything off of his boyfriend’s finger but he relents, his tongue darting out. “Oh.” Then he takes Sion in by the wrist and licks at it again. “So it should be like this…” It’s actually pretty interesting, huh, how all those ingredients work together. His lips close around Sion’s pinkie and then he…


Oh, wait. Somehow Riku didn’t seem to realize just what he was doing. But when he looks back up at Sion his face is red and his finger flexes in Riku’s mouth, running behind his teeth. “You’re ridiculous,” Sion mumbles.


Riku lets go of him at the realization. He wipes his mouth. “Sorry.” He’s not that sorry, though.


But Sion only shakes his head, his ears pink. He drags Riku into another kiss with a hand curled over his nape. “‘S my fault. I should’ve realized you’d want something to suck at.”


And that is- Riku tries pulling away. “How could you-”


Sion laughs. “Sorry, sorry. You’re just funny.” And with another kiss, Riku subdues. Though it’s not without getting some revenge first; he nips at Sion hard enough to leave a mark on his jaw.


“You’re annoying,” Riku says, nuzzling into him. “So let me finish this.”


Sion rubs at his jaw but he doesn’t look mad, his ears pink and his mouth still curled into a smile. “Okay. Sorry.”


It took double the time necessary to prepare and marinate the beef with Sion’s interference, but Riku can’t be mad as Sion kneads the meat into the sauce for him - Riku’s got a thing about touching raw meat - and then sticks it in the fridge. “You did good,” Sion reassures as they both wash their hands again.


Riku pouts. He thinks of Sion taking over his seasoning and he’s not sure if he agrees on that. “But I could’ve done better…”


“I’ll help you practice,” Sion nudges him in the side. “And next time it’ll be even easier, right?”


And, well. For a second Riku wonders if Sion is, like, using some kind of parenting magic on him if he’s able to comfort him over something so small and seemingly asinine. But Sion’s smile is kind and his voice is soft and it makes Riku blush a little. “Then I guess we’ll do that…”


They have thirty minutes to let the beef soak in the marinade; more time would be better, Siyeon (er, Sion’s mom) told him, but thirty minutes is good enough. Back in the living room Megumi has made progress on her LEGO mineshaft. “It smells good!” She tells them. “Are we having bulgogi?”


God, her nose is strong. Riku nods. “Yup.”


“Kuu-chan’s cooking just for you,” Sion decides to embarrass him anyway, because of course he does. “So get excited!”


Thirty minutes isn’t very long with a hungry kid on their watch anyway, never mind that Megumi is always hungry. She chatters on for a while about the LEGO set and the Minecraft easter eggs hidden all over it or something or other and soon Riku’s timer on his phone is going off. He heads back to the kitchen and manages to dissuade Sion from following because he’s, like, pretty sure he won’t burn the meat while cooking. It seems easy enough, right? So Riku lugs a large pan out of the cupboard and turns the stove’s heat on high; once the pan is hot enough, he starts carefully grilling the beef. Sion’s mom said the sirloin cut would be best since it doesn’t release very much liquid. So this should be-


“Too hot!” Riku yelps when oil pops at him. He leaps back.


From the living room, Sion calls: “You okay, kitty?”


Riku’s ears redden. Right, now Sion’s allowed to call him that in front of Megumi and everything. “It’s fine!” Riku calls back weakly. It really is fine, he thinks, some hot oil never killed anyone…


There only comes Megumi’s pout: “You call Kuu-chan your kitty? I wanna be a kitty, too!”


“You already get all the pet names in the world, baby.” And, well, at least there’s that.


The grilling goes by pretty fast and Riku turns the fan on Sion’s range up as high as it goes, cracking open the back porch door just a little bit to let out smoke. Now he realizes why those barbeque restaurants have those-ass big fans, huh. And he may have burnt a few pieces but otherwise it’s fine, er, mostly. Riku nibbles at a piece of bulgogi and is surprised by how good it tastes. So he’s not too bad at this after all, huh…


“Dinner’s done!” Riku calls into the living room. He brings the plate out to the dining table and laughs at the twin looks of staunch hunger on Sion and Megumi’s faces. “Smells good, right?”


“Looks good,” Sion agrees.


“It smells really good…” Megumi’s eyes, even, look ravenous.


And, well, that’s great. Riku’s cooking, for maybe the first time ever, seems to be a success!


Before they dig in, Sion gets out the things they normally serve with bulgogi - lettuce wraps and rice and ssamjang. Then he brings out a plethora of side dishes. Sion said they’re called “banchan” which Riku remembers from the Korean lessons he’s been watching on Youtube. It gets confusing but he’s keeping up a little more by the day just by listening to these two… but maybe he should be studying harder…


Riku needs to get fluent in some way or another, he knows. Sion and Megumi speak Japanese for his sake but he knows they much prefer to converse together in Korean. So he just needs to learn faster, right? What’s the fastest way to learn a language? Should he go all-in on immersion or what?


“It tastes really good!” Even Megumi seems surprised by his cooking, which Riku in turn tries not to feel hurt about. But at least he doesn’t have to do much to earn her approval, huh? Or maybe that was already a given... 


“It’s really good,” Sion nods with a full mouth. He just reaches over to squeeze Riku by the nape: “You did good, baby.”


Riku reddens at the petname but Megumi hardly even blinks at it. “Thank you...”


It doesn’t take long for them to eat, either, and afterwards Sion and Megumi take over the cleaning despite Riku’s best efforts to insist he can do it on his own. Though he should’ve known better than to think he could dissuade them of anything, huh, especially something like doing the dishes. Megumi has a stool she stands on at the sink and she stands side by side with Sion; unlike her dad her shoulders are narrow, even for an eight year old girl, but they giggle amongst themselves and their laughs are exactly the same. 


For a second Riku just sits at the dining table and watches them. He’s surprised by just how happy he feels right now, or at least how settled he is.  Of course he knew that this thing with Megumi would probably go well - Riku’s been hanging around for a while now and she’s never been anything besides elated that he spends all his time here - but still. This is going so well and now it feels like he really is part of their little family. And that’s… really, it’s such an honor. It’s an honor because Riku knows that the trust they have in him didn’t come easily and he knows the significance of what it means for them to let anyone else into their lives and he knows the shoes he will fill, as is an inevitability; he knows what that means for him to even try to fill them. He knows what it means that he’s even allowed to try.


It’s just a little crazy, isn’t it? It’s been almost one year since Sion first walked into his classroom with a terrified little Megumi in his arms, and even a year ago Riku never would’ve imagined that his innocent - er, maybe not innocent at all - crush on a hot dad would morph into this. But Riku’s so, so, so happy it did. He loves being theirs and that is… it’s just nice. It’s really nice, the fact that he’s theirs and they’re his in return. 


It’s not long before the dishes are all done, either, and as expected Megumi gets hit by her usual food coma once they’re done cleaning everything up. They crowd back on the couch together, the three of them, and some Korean variety show plays on in the background as Megumi’s head lolls onto Sion’s shoulder. And then, like the little adult she is: “‘M gonna go hit the hay...”


“Already?” Sion asks. It’s fair that he’s surprised - it’s only eight. 


“Sleepy, had a long day,” Megumi explains without any fanfare. She hugs her Appa, then her Kuu-chan. “G’nite.”


“Good night, baby,” Riku kisses her on the forehead. “Sleep well.”


It’s a little funny. Megumi trudges off to bed like she isn’t eight years old but rather, like, fifty-six. Sion sends Riku a wry look as her door distantly rattles shut down the hallway. “I’m raising an elderly little girl.”


“You are,” Riku agrees. But he still grins when Sion pulls him in closer. “But at least you get me to yourself now, right?”


That makes Sion smile. His hand strokes at Riku’s hair, flicking hair out of his eyes. “I do. Thank god, I can’t believe just how much she loves hogging you…” Then he leans in for a peck, a very innocent one. “I was getting a little jealous, you know.”


Riku grins. “I could tell. You both are-” His grin grows even more when Sion nuzzles into him. “You guys are really so similar. It’s funny.”


Sion huffs into his cheek but he seems more amused than anything. “Yeah, well. Like father like daughter, I guess…”


It’s nice to be alone together after a long, long rollercoaster of a day. Riku molds himself to Sion’s side and the arm around his shoulder is firm and warm and strong. Riku closes his eyes for a second as Sion stares off at the TV and squeezes at Riku’s bicep in a pattern, over and over and over again. It’s hard to say just what Sion’s thinking when he’s like this, quiet and seemingly contemplative but still so doting. So Riku speaks first: “Did you… did you want to talk now that she’s gone?”


He peeks an eye open after he asks, turning his head just a hair so he can get a good look at Sion’s face. Sion looks down at him; his smile dims just a smidge but the affection is still there. “We should, huh.” Then his hand slides up Riku’s arm, his shoulder, his nape. “I guess today went pretty well and we don’t wanna mess anything up…”


Again, he mostly just seems contemplative. Riku nods. “We should.” Then he presses in closer, just enough to nose back into him. “I just… I don’t want to overstep, either.”


At that, Sion smiles a little wider. It’s fond, is the thing, fond and a little silly. “God, right. You’re so good.” Then he swoops down to give Riku a kiss. “Talking is good. Let’s do that in bed, okay? Appa’s tired.”


Seriously, he’s ridiculous. Riku smiles as Sion gets up, as he holds out a hand, as Riku takes it. “You’re acting old again,” he reminds his boyfriend as he’s pulled to his feet. 


Sion just squeezes his hand. “I’m actually young and beautiful, you know.” And that just makes them both giggle like idiots.


Before they head to the bedroom they turn off all the lights and the TV and make sure the house is shut down; then they return to Sion’s room and change into their PJs and sit side by side in Sion’s bed, the room dimly lit by his bedside lamp. It’s strangely domestic. Sion’s shirtless, too, which is mildly distracting but even Riku can think with his mind rather than just his dick, thanks. They hold hands and the night is so calm and peaceful and tranquil. Riku really, really, really hopes that this is what the rest of his life will look like. 


Sion sits up against his headboard and he’s smiling a tiny smile as his thumb smooths over Riku’s knuckles. “I guess it’s kinda funny. She’s a lot more happy about this than I thought she’d be…” Sion sighs a little but it’s a gentle thing. “I’m surprised. And worried, I guess, since she pretty much just wants you to be her dad...”


Riku squeezes Sion’s hand. “It’s a lot, isn’t it?” He’s keeping his voice slow and calm and gentle because neither of them are worried enough to cause much of a fuss right now - they’re tired, mostly, thoughtful and subdued and recovering from everything that happened today.


Sion’s smile is a little wry. “Yeah. It’s not bad, it’s just a lot. But you’re good for her, so…” Then he laughs a little. “I’m not worried. We just have to be careful.”


Riku nods. “We do. And we can… we can do it together, right?”


He’s not unsure of that, really, but Sion sends him a sideways look and again he’s still smiling. “We do. It’s a bit of a learning curve, but…” He takes in a breath. “I’ve never done this with anyone else, Riku. So I’m just gonna trust you.”


That’s- it’s not surprising, actually, it’s just that Riku’s used to Sion catastrophizing over his parenting. But they trust each other, huh, and things have been easier for him since their talk in December; Sion’s as level-headed as always, holding Riku’s hand as he closes his eyes and leans back against his pillows and smiles. “You can trust me,” Riku tells him. “I wanna be here for both of you.”


“I know. And I know that I said that planning in the long-term would be fruitless,” Sion exhales. “But now it’s just… we gotta be in it together. You know?”


“Yeah,” Riku agrees. “Well, I’m in for the long haul.”


He’s not even exaggerating about that at all, is the thing, but Sion just squeezes his hand. Months ago he would’ve been aghast by Riku’s easy acceptance; he would’ve been trying to deny him of the inevitable; he would’ve been terrified. But tonight he only smiles: “Are you really? It’s okay if you’re not.”


Riku nods even though Sion isn’t looking at him. “I am. I don’t need to be Megumi’s parent, you know, but if she wanted me to…” He trails off because it’s still hard to say it now, isn’t it? He’s still not sure if Sion would want him to stand in the place Tsuchiko is supposed to. He doesn’t know if Sion would want anyone to be Megumi’s parent, is the thing, not even if she asked him to be.


But Sion, so calm that it’s almost funny, only nods. “With time, we can… I don’t want to overwhelm you. Or her. But I don’t hate the idea.” His eyes open and he looks at Riku with his usual fierce gaze. “And I’m not trying to dissuade you, you know. But Riku, you’re only twenty-nine. So if we really do this…”


Riku shakes his head because he knows what he wants, of course, and so does Sion. “I’m not even a dad. I’m just Kuu-chan.” Then he smiles. “Besides, I’m sure about you. So I’m sure about Megumi. And I’m old enough to help raise a kid, Sion, you act like I was just born.”


It’s funny. Riku’s only being honest and none of this should be surprising because it isn’t surprising to him - how certain he is, how much he wants this, how deeply he’s willing to commit to them - and Sion has always been good at reading Riku better than he can read himself anyway. But then Sion inhales and exhales and for the first time in the eight months they’ve been dating, he doesn’t seem scared of the idea. 


“Okay,” Sion says. “I don’t really have the best track record. But really, I trust you.” 


And, well, neither of them have good track records if they’re gonna compare their pasts, do they? Riku just grins. Then he turns onto his side to nuzzle into Sion’s shoulder and to get closer, closer, closer. “Do you trust me? With Megumi?” He knows the answer but he wants to hear it, is the thing, he wants to know for sure. Riku’s hand skates up Sion’s arm and squeezes at his bicep. “Do you trust me with you, too?”


It’s not really a poignant question but considering everything Sion’s been through it’s just worth asking. “I… I do. I trust you more than I trust me, to be honest,” Sion huffs a little smile. “You’re good for her and you’re good for me…”


Riku squeezes him again, again, again. “I try to be. And you’re good for me, too. I want us to- I just want us to have each other.”


Normally Riku would feel a little greedy about everything he wants, or at least how openly he’s admitting to it, but that’s mostly because Sion’s been through so much and the last thing he needs is to appease his younger, needier, more demanding boyfriend. But he feels no such shame today and Sion doesn’t seem to be perturbed by his greediness, either.


“You can have me,” Sion squeezes him back. But then he looks away before admitting, this time even quieter: “You know, Riku, I’ve… I’ve been thinking that I’m ready.”


Okay, well, that’s a little cryptic of him to say out of context. Riku only blinks, though his smile doesn’t waver because Sion is seemingly awfully shy for what seems like a benign confession. “Ready for what?”


His question is perfectly innocent but Sion averts his eyes and in the low light of the room his face is pink. “I’ve decided that I’m ready, um. You know. To have sex…” He licks his lips. “Like, real sex. I wanna have sex with you.”


Oh. Oh, wait, so that’s what he meant. Sion wants to- he wants to finally- Riku needs a second to take that in and then he, maybe not so tactfully, stares. “You- you wanna have sex?” Maybe he’s an idiot for sounding so disbelieving but this isn’t where he thought this conversation was going, like, at all.


Sion’s still red; he’s still looking away; in fact, he turns even redder. “I do…” He sighs. “Don’t make it into a thing.”


God. God, so he even means it. For another second Riku is stunned because he hadn’t really been expecting that to be the revelation they’d have tonight. But then his grin widens because he just can’t help it, can he, not when Sion’s being so cute. “Really? Are you sure?” He just needs to make sure - Sion won’t meet his eyes, either.


But after several long, long moments Sion glances up at him and his gaze, as always, is unwavering. “Yeah. I’m sure.” Then he squeezes Riku’s hand. “Really, don’t ask again. I’m not a virgin.”


And, well, it’s hard not to- okay, maybe Riku is a little too excited by the idea. Maybe. He just can’t help it, squeezing his arms around Sion’s shoulders and pulling himself into his lap to kiss him. “You really-” Then Riku realizes he could’ve used some more self control, reddening. “Er, sorry. I got excited. I just- I didn’t think-”


His hand is still clasped with Sion’s over his chest, over his heart. Riku sits sideways in his lap and looks down at his boyfriend and he can feel it, the beat of his heart. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. It’s pounding. But Sion doesn’t seem nervous anymore, really, just more shy. He’s still pink and a little twitchy but the eye contact is as firm as it always, always is.


“Well, I don’t- I’m not ready right now. Not this second. But-” Sion breathes, one hand reaching up to brush the hair out of Riku’s eyes. “I’m not gonna stop you from getting excited, though. If you wanna get excited.”


Riku grins. “Really?” He wasn’t planning on pulling any schemes tonight, honest to god, but he’s still thrilled when Sion nods.


“Really,” he brings Riku’s mouth down to his. “So c’mere. I wanna see you get riled-up for me.”


It’s a little ridiculous. It’s ridiculous because they’re too old to be getting so crazed over something like this, and it’s ridiculous because this is far from the first time they’ve messed around, and it’s ridiculous because Riku should not be this excited. But he straightens himself in Sion’s lap and he turns to face him and he kisses him; he’s much more eager this time around; he lets his greed build and build and build as he dips his head down and Sion meets him for every kiss head-on. Firm hands grip at Riku’s hips, Riku’s waist, Riku’s ass. Riku keens.


He can feel himself getting hard just from a bit of groping because this is what Sion does to him, isn’t that crazy? “Is this okay?” Riku asks though he’s biting back the urge to whine. Just from this, really, he must be insane...


Sion nods. “It is. I’m also-” He rocks his hips up and god, he’s hard, too. “You feel that?”


This is genuinely- this is actually crazy. Whenever they’ve done this Sion has always been in charge and Sion has always been firm and Sion’s voice has never been as meek as it is now. But Riku nods and he feels lightheaded with want. He leans back just to free his cock from his sweats. “Can you- I want you to-”


“Yes, baby,” Sion smiles. For some reason, he’s smiling. “Let Daddy take care of you, okay?”


It’s bad. It’s bad how good it is because, like, Riku didn’t know he could be so easily pleased. This is much less calculated than the other times they messed around but Sion takes both of their cocks in one of his hands and jerks them off together in a rough, rough fist. It’s bad because like this Riku realizes how big his boyfriend is and he’s just- Sion’s big, okay, wow. He is indeed bigger than six inches and he is indeed hung like Daeyoung speculated and that thing is gonna be inside of him. Holy shit. Riku can’t stop moaning.


“It feels- feels so good.” Riku’s hands cup Sion’s jaw and he presses their foreheads together, moaning into Sion’s cheek. “Daddy, your hand is- I-”


“You like it?” Sion’s voice is breathless. He squeezes down, hard, and Riku keens again. 


“Yes. And you’re so- ‘s so big…” Riku rolls his hips up into Sion’s fist, feeling helpless and so horny he could die. They’re both fully hard now and he is very, very, very humiliated how in this one way Sion completely dwarfs him. 


Sion pants back into his mouth. “You’re so pretty. I wanna- I wanna- god.” His fist tightens. “You want Daddy inside of you, honey?”


“Yes,” Riku whines. “N-need you to fuck me.”


“Oh my fucking god,” Sion breathes. Then he leans in, kissing him mean and eager and open-mouthed. “Wanna ruin you,” Sion says between kisses. “Wanna- gonna- I’m gonna-”


“Yes,” Riku keens. “Please, Daddy. Please…”


Compared to the other times they’ve gotten each other off this is much less coordinated and far more keyed-up. Riku’s so light-headed he could pass out and Sion is fucking relentless, fucking both of them in his fist and praising him and- and it’s just addicting, is what it is, because Riku wants this thing inside him now.


This is the first time he’s gotten to witness Sion at full hardness, or at least see him fully hard, and Riku feels like he’s losing his mind. Sion’s good at sex - that’s the terrifying thing. He goes on and on about how he’s rusty and it’s been so long but every time he gets him off it’s like the sexiest thing ever and suddenly Riku’s worried that when they fuck he’s gonna, like, literally die. Will he die? How worried should he be about dying? 


“Daddy,” Riku keens long and loud because what the fuck, this is so good. Sion’s palm is calloused and rough and big and- “God, I- I need it- I really-”


“What do you need, Riku?” Sion asks. And the way he says his name is even worse, drawling out two short syllables into something fond and loving and possessive. “You want me to- you need me to fuck you?”


“Yes,” Riku pants. Sion’s hand squeezes his ass hard, then it sneaks under his briefs, and then it thumbs at- “Please, right t-there.”


It’s unfortunate that he’s not loose - or clean - enough to be fingered because Sion’s good at that, too, fingering him and making him lose his mind from that alone. But Sion breathes into his jaw heavy and wounded and presses two fingers at his hole. It feels like a promise.


“You’re so cute,” Sion groans. Then he noses down Riku’s cheek, his chin, his jaw, to dig his face into his throat and suck a mark there. God, even his teeth are mean. 


Riku clings onto his shoulder and mewls. “Daddy, please,” he begs. “I need you. I-” He whines again when Sion’s hand squeezes at the head of his cock and then drags down his shaft. “Please?”


Sion moans into his throat. He seems keyed-up too, probably the most keyed-up he’s ever been. “You have me,” Sion tells him. Then he leans back up to kiss Riku on the mouth: “Baby. My baby, I’m yours.”


This is fucking insane even though they really aren’t doing much other than frotting, to tell you the truth. It’s just that every time Sion touches him Riku reaches a new level of horny he was unaware was possible and it’s driving him fucking crazy because he didn’t know that he’d be so turned on by Sion jerking them both off. But he is, is the thing, and- and the next time they do this they’ll- they can-


Holy shit. Is Riku really gonna come from this? He thinks he is. 


“Please,” Riku pants, a little too close a little too soon. How is he so close when it’s been two fucking seconds? “Please, I’m so-”


“You wanna come?” Sion’s voice is gruff against Riku’s jaw. “Princess, you’re so sexy. Lemme see you.” Then he leans back to get a good look at Riku’s face and groans. “Jesus, you’re pretty.” He squeezes Riku’s ass even harder and his fingers press again at-


Riku keens. He’s so- he really might come right now. “C-can I-” He whines a little too loudly. “Daddy, I’m so- am I allowed to-?”


“Your words, Riku,” Sion tells him. That gaze is stuck on his face, watching every feature of his twist up in pleasure, and it’s all just so much. “Tell Daddy what you need, baby.” He squeezes down on their cocks a little harder and groans.


“I wanna come,” Riku pants. Or maybe he’s whining. “Can- can I?”


Sion’s stare doesn’t falter. It’s a belated realization that he’s using his Dad Voice, and then that’s even worse: “Ask politely, honey.”


“Daddy,” Riku mewls. “Please let me- please let me come.”


It’s bad. Sion grins something fond and smug and very, very possessive and pulls him into another kiss. “All over me,” Sion tells him. No, he demands it: “Let Daddy see you come.”


And, well, somehow that’s enough all on its own to make Riku spill. It hits him fast and hard and desperate and he’s ashamed by how much he spills, indeed, though in retrospect it’s probably still a lot tamer than him squirting in Sion’s mouth. He cries as his orgasm burns through him: “Daddy, I-”


God, it’s so good. Riku gasps at the crest of it because it’s been a while since he’s come this hard and it’s just- wow. He whines a little when Sion hugs him to his chest and presses a kiss to his cheek and asks in a gruff voice: “Feel good, Princess?”


It- it really, really does. Riku just whines pathetically into Sion’s neck. “S-so good…”


Fucking hell. Sion’s still stroking him through it, but that’s because he hasn’t come yet and his fist has yet to ease off of either of them. “Sorry, Daddy needs just- just a little more,” Sion hisses. “Sorry, baby, does it hurt?” His grip falters only for a second, but then Riku clings on tighter.


“No,” he mewls. And normally he respects Sion’s no-touching rule, but Riku reaches down between them and begs: “Lemme help. Please.”


Wow, this is- this is crazy. Sion lets go of both of them and honest-to-god growls when Riku squeezes at him, stroking down his cock that’s already slick from his own spend. His hand fits around them a little better but his grip is a little looser, a little nicer. “Fuck,” Sion moan-groans. “Your hand is so- it’s s-so soft-”


Riku breathes heavily into Sion’s cheek. His mind is floating a little but somehow he still feels desperate. “Daddy,” Riku whines. His hand tightens. “Please, want it in me…”


Sion lets out a long, wounded noise. His hand slides up Riku’s back, up to his nape, and squeezes. “‘M close,” he groans.


“I’ll be so good,” Riku keens. “Daddy, please?”


Sion makes a devastated noise. He’s never been this loud while they messed around before but today he can’t seem to shut up. Both of his hands slide down to Riku’s waist, his hips, his ass. They grip onto him and rock him up into his hand and that’s- fuck. It’s still like- it’s like Sion’s fucking him, or-


Riku whines. Now he’s getting hard again and he doesn’t know if he wants to be hard again, is the thing, but he refuses to let go of himself just to get Sion off. It’s pathetic but Sion’s grip on him is so firm that he feels desperate again; he’s hungry for it. “Riku, baby. My- my baby.” Sion brings him into another kiss. Their tongues meet and that, too, feels electric. 


Making out while frotting into a handjob is pretty low on the deranged-ways-to-have-sex scale but Riku feels so fucking boneless and horny and needy as Sion mouths at him. It’s so- how is it so good? Now he’s close again and it’s a little scary how fast he got to the edge just from this. 


Really, it’s just from this. What kind of power does Sion have over him?


There’s a string or two of saliva connecting their mouths when Riku pulls away to hide back into Sion’s jaw. “Daddy,” his voice slurs. “Daddy, please, I want it…”


Sion’s hands grip onto his ass, they spread his cheeks, they grind him down meaner. “What d’you want?” He asks. “You wanna come with me?”


God, this is so much. Riku nods and moans again. “Please,” he begs. “Please, please, Daddy, I’ll be so good…”


“Gonna come,” is all Sion tells him. Then he kisses him on the forehead, so sweet that it’s absurd, and nuzzles into him. “Are you gonna come with me, kitty? You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”


Riku nods again. “Y-yeah…”


Sion smiles into his temple. “You wanna come now?”


How the hell is he able to do this? Riku squeezes his eyes shut and squeaks out: “Yeah.” And then, of all fucking things, he comes.


It doesn’t feel real because he doesn’t slow down his fist, for one, and it also doesn’t feel real because just that is enough to get Sion to spill too. He groans out a sound a little too loud and visceral and his cock bucks up hard into Riku’s hand, coming right into his fist. It’s- it’s a lot, too, holy shit. Sion’s head hangs forward and he pants into Riku’s shoulder as Riku just moans back at him.


“Daddy,” he whines. “Daddy, I-” He’s out of it enough that he forgets to stop jerking them off until Sion’s pulling his hand off of them both. Oops. 


“Riku, jesus christ,” even Sion’s voice is unsteady. “No one has touched me in- I- fucking hell.” Though his head tilts to the side when Riku comes in to kiss him, and Riku just moans when Sion bites into his mouth. “Thank you, kitty.”


“I-” Riku can’t think of, like, anything. “You’re welcome.” But he also can’t help but have the very distant suspicion that whenever Sion fucks him, he might genuinely die…


“You were so good,” Sion kisses him again. “You’re perfect for me, baby, did you know that?” Then he kisses him again, again, again. “God, you’re the cutest thing ever, I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you-”


The praise piles on and on and on as Riku floats back into his body. He sighs into Sion’s jaw and clings on tight. “No, you…” 


So, you know. All of that happened. It takes a moment for both of them to recover but in the aftermath their clothes are stained and useless, so Sion eventually untangles their limbs and trudges around in his closet to find new things for them to wear. Riku is subdued enough to just let himself be dressed. “But you- so you- you liked it?” He’s a little belated on the uptake, but still.


Sion leans over to turn his lamp off but even in the dark his smile gleams. “I did, Riku. Thank you.”


This is bad. Riku didn’t realize how susceptible he was to Sion being in control because he lets himself be rolled into a firm chest and his mind is a little… it’s still a little floaty. The good kind, he thinks, but floaty all the same. 


“When are we gonna…” He yawns. “How soon? Your dick in my butt?”


Riku’s head lolls into Sion’s neck, who pets down his back with a chuckle. “Soon, if you want. I can get a babysitter.”


And, well. If that makes Riku grin like an idiot it’s no one’s business besides his own, okay? He smiles into Sion’s bare skin as a hand pets over his waist. “Yay… I’m so excited…”


Wow. It’s been a long day. Riku would like to talk more - because he loves talking to Sion, you know, it’s his favorite thing - but he dozes off much sooner than he can stop himself. And then, when he wakes up in the morning, it’s to a very familiar eight year-old nosing her way into his arms. What a switch-up, holy shit, the two twin faces in this bed with him.


“Kuu-chan, wake up and play with me,” Megumi demands, demanding and clingy in the same way her Appa is. Really, they’re exactly the same!


“Wh- how-?” Riku’s hand is petting over her hair before he’s even awake enough to process what’s going on. But then he sighs with a fond smile. Right, this is his life now. “Good morning, baby...”


In all honesty, he’s a little too happy. Or maybe he’s not happy enough. Megumi rolls between them and Sion wakes up to complain about her hogging his boyfriend, thanks, and Riku can only laugh. Really, he’s both of theirs. And he doesn’t think he’s ever been so happy to belong to anyone in his life. 


“Kuu-chan, come on,” Sion and Megumi both pull him out of bed together. They have the same expression; mischievous smiles and cute noses and firm, fierce, unrelenting eyes. Wow.


“I- I’m coming!” Riku ambles after them. And really, he wants to have this forever.





authors note again. did we enjoy. i hope we did. omg i couldve had more things to say about this but scrambling for a posting alternative has left me like genuinely brain dead Lets just love syonkul guys






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