CHAPTER SEVEN





It feels a little ridiculous for Sion to admit at his big age that this is the happiest he’s been in about a decade, but it literally is. A lot of the skepticism he’s been feeling over his relationship with Riku melts into acceptance relatively quickly and while not all of the terror is gone, Sion considers it a win that he’s feeling more settled these days. Like, the deep-seated fear and insecurity is still there but it’s always there, isn’t it? So that’s… it’s fine. 


Everything is fine. That’s the crazy part. Things are even going well and it’s been six and a half years since Sion’s last been able to confidently say that without it being a complete fucking lie, so he’s certainly not taking any of this for granted. Sometimes he still can’t believe that this is his life now, dating someone so kind and being surrounded by people who support him and Megumi without any hesitation at all…


But it’s very real, he knows. And it feels like he can finally breathe for the first time in three and a half years. It’s incredible.


After his talk with Riku, Sion’s feeling a lot less doubtful over his decision to pursue their relationship. Riku heard every terrible thing Sion has to be ashamed about and yet he still stayed. And sure, Sion figured he would - Riku isn’t really someone who prioritizes self-preservation in dating, is he - but it’s still nice anyway. It’s nice to be with someone who isn’t afraid of who he really is because this is the first time Sion hasn’t had to go back into the closet for the sake of his safety or keep quiet about what it was like growing up in Mokpo. He was never going to tell any of the women that he dated that he was bisexual, and never once has he been around people he thought wouldn’t weaponize his queerness against him. So all of this is very new for him, you know, dating Riku and hanging around nonjudgemental kids like Sakuya and Ryo and tending to his developing friendship with Daeyoung, who is both incredibly gay and in an incredibly homosexual situationship with Sion’s best friend. And they’re all so doting on Megumi, too, which is probably what Sion’s the most relieved about. 


He’s both relieved and a little in disbelief, like this is all too good to be true. Sion hasn’t been able to make friends since the divorce because eventually they’d want to know about everything that happened with Tsuchiko and it’s just- it’s not something he’s proud of, that explosive chain of stupid decision making, and sometimes pretending it never happened is just easier for Megumi’s sake. But Riku and all of their friends are just as accepting as ever and that, too, is… it’s still very new to him, the easy acceptance. The love, the support, the unflinching kindness they’re showing him and his kid. All of it is new and a little terrifying. 


Sion’s trying to let himself indulge in the affection like any normal, well-adjusted person would. He’s trying. Sometimes his mind still tries to dissuade him, but as always, that’s a never-ending battle. So there’s just a bit of a learning curve to this all, quelling the doubt when he has no real reason to be doubtful. Especially with Riku. Sion’s boyfriend is as unrelenting as he’s always been. But Sion knows he should still be a little weary, at least. Yushi thinks he’s being hard on himself but Sion is only being realistic about the things he still needs to work through. 


Like, he’s not even being delusional. Sion’s still a little too self aware about what’s lurking under the surface, he knows his own hang-ups, he’s got a lot more to get over than just dating someone. But Sion’s great at compartmentalizing and he knows that Riku can basically smell the self-loathing on him, and so he forces himself to focus on the good things as much as he’s able to. 


And, well. There are plenty of good things for him to focus on.


Take, for one, how Riku blends so seamlessly into his routine. At this point they’re basically spending every day together; Riku’s babysitting the kids on the weekdays and the two of them try to go on dates every Saturday. Sion can’t get someone to watch Megumi every single time they go out but they make do. He and Riku get dinner at Takeda’s, they hang out at the diner, they go on picnics at some scenic spots in rural Kyoto. Doing things around town is kind of very lame and repetitive, but again, their time alone together is limited and Sion’s trying the best he can to work around Megumi’s schedule.  


So Sion manages to find the time to take Riku into the city a few weeks after break starts. It maybe isn’t the most romantic thing ever to go out in the late morning (they have no choice considering Megumi’s separation anxiety), but it’s still nice to spend the day together. And it’s not like Riku seems to be very picky anyway. He knows the area better than Sion does and so they go to bakeries and check out some stores under his guidance. They also get matching keyrings from a gift shop. 


(And as a born and bred Korean, Sion is over the moon to have any kind of couple item at all, even something as small as this.)


“So you like this kind of thing too?” Riku grins as he clips a little Squirtle keychain to Sion’s belt loop. Then he runs his hands over Sion’s shoulders, laughing a little. “Aw, Sion-san, you look cute.”


Sion can feel his ears go red but he’s hardly complaining. He clips a Charmander to Riku’s bag and squeezes him by the elbow. “You look cute, too. And now we match.”


It’s bad. Sion has always been a super cliche kind of boyfriend - he wouldn’t really call himself a romanticist but he loves big gestures and very affectionate, cutesy things - so this kind of thing is right up his alley. Especially when they pass by a clothing store not even twenty minutes later and Riku stops them both in their tracks. 


“Wouldn’t it be fun to have couple clothes?” Riku turns to him and gestures vaguely at the store. “Or are you not into that kind of thing?”


Sion has to hold his tongue because he doesn’t want Riku to know that having matching clothes would make him so happy he could die, probably. “No, that sounds good.” Sion smiles and hopes it comes off nonchalant enough even though his insides are screaming in joy.


Riku smiles back, something mischievous twinkling in his eyes. “Alright, then. Let’s check it out.”


They pad into the store and are immediately overwhelmed with all the potential clothing choices in front of them. Riku takes the lead because Sion is keeping his mouth shut. He’s trying to make sure that he doesn’t make any stupid suggestions even though a very big part of Sion is chomping at the bit to have any kind of symbolic claim on Riku that he can. And that’s probably not very well-adjusted of him, no, but Riku already knows that Sion’s a little needy. So.


“You should choose what we wear.” Sion isn’t trying to play indifferent, not really, but Riku doesn’t need to know that the two of them going out in matching clothes without shame would mean, like, the world to him.


Riku takes the responsibility on easily, though, so if he notices how strained Sion’s grin is he doesn’t comment on it. “Hm, then let’s see…” 


As expected, Riku is better at choosing this kind of stuff. They peruse the store for a bit and he’s easily able to flip through the racks and eliminate anything that doesn't match either of their styles. But then Riku finds two grey Henley shirts in the same size. They’re very subtle in terms of matching couples clothes. Riku holds up the shirts and smiles at Sion. “What about these?”


“Sure,” Sion smiles back. A part of him is damn-near salivating to see Riku in a shirt that is decisively his. But Sion already knew that he was a loser so it’s fine, this insane reaction isn’t anything he wasn’t expecting from himself.


So:


They go into the fitting rooms to try the shirts on. It fits well, Sion thinks, not too baggy but not too tight. But then they reconvene back outside and it’s not lost on him that the size Riku chose fits them both differently. It hangs just a little looser on Riku, which is funny, because the only time Sion’s seen Riku wear any kind of loose shirt is that smock he has to don at work.


But as always, Riku has no qualms with pointing out the obvious. He straight-up ogles Sion’s chest. “Wow. You look great.”


“Stop it,” Sion complains, his ears red. He’s a little overwhelmed by all these compliments Riku showers on him because he hasn’t given much thought to his body over the past few years. Getting proper nutrition is still an uphill battle even at this age and having a young kid makes him more prone to indulging in sweets even when he shouldn’t, not to mention that Sion doesn’t even make attempts to get to the gym anymore. But ever since they started dating, Riku has been very, very appreciative of his body…


Sion’s curious about what it is about him that Riku’s so smitten with, although he won’t ask, because he’s afraid of what the answer will be. It may be his dad bod. And sure, maybe that’s a good thing, but Sion is in a little bit of denial that he’s no longer twenty-four with more abs than he can count. So alas. 


Riku only grins, though, stepping in closer. A purposeful hand runs over Sion’s shoulder, his chest. It squeezes. Which is- Riku only laughs when Sion sends him an admonished look.


“Sorry,” his boyfriend says innocently, as if he was not just copping a whole handful.


Sion’s face is bright red. “You’re really- you’re such a menace.”


But Sion’s still a little too overjoyed, you know, about the matching shirts as well as all the other cute things Riku has done in the time since they’ve started dating. A few days ago he raided Sion’s closet and took some shirts and hoodies and whatever he pleased and Sion let him because most of them are warped from Megumi’s habit of stretching them out anyway. But Riku’s got this obsession with, like, smelling him. He’s always leaning into Sion’s shoulder or nosing into his neck and inhaling. It’s incredibly weird. Sion wishes he was disturbed by it but the smile Riku gave him when Sion gifted him a bottle of his cologne was incomparable to… well. It’s a highlight of his life.


They leave the store and very predictably, Riku rubs his shirt over Sion’s chest like his scent will get picked up. “You know that’s useless,” Sion sighs even though he finds it endearing. And then, because he’s a dad: “Besides, you need to wash it first.”


“You’re so strict,” Riku complains with a little pout. Sion wishes they weren’t in public so he could kiss him. He’s so cute. “You never just let me have my fun…”


“I don’t,” Sion agrees. Though he reaches out to squeeze Riku’s shoulder very, very briefly because he’s so fond of him. He smiles when Riku’s bottom lip juts out at him. “Aw, okay, I’m sorry. Don’t pout. Let’s go eat before we have to leave.”


That’s kind of the whole reason they came here anyway - there aren’t really any choices of “fancy food” back home and Sion wants to treat his boyfriend to something nice at least once. “What are we eating?” Riku asks, leaning into his side just a smidge.


“I dunno. I’ll treat you to something fancy.” Sion brushes the hair out of his eyes. “Let’s look something up.”


For a minute they idle on a bench and scroll through Sion’s phone together. As Kyoto is pretty touristy, there are all sorts of things. Traditional and street Japanese and Western and every kind of cuisine imaginable. “How fancy are you thinking?” Riku asks, a suspicious edge in his voice. He stops on a Western restaurant with three dollar signs under their name. “This is probably too- it’s too expensive, right?”


Sion only smiles. “No, we can go there.” And then he stands up, dragging Riku to his feet by the hand. It’s not a far walk, only a few blocks away. “If it sounds good to you, it’s good to me.” 


Riku only blinks when Sion drops his hand, following the map on his phone to determine which street he needs to turn down. Riku trails after him. “Are- are you sure?”


His concern is sweet because it’s true that Sion doesn’t usually splurge, and even then, this is probably the nicest place he can realistically afford. Sion’s not an especially stingy person but he’s raising a growing kid who eats him out of heart and home at every chance she gets. And so Sion only smiles back at him: “I’m sure. It’s not gonna be all the time, so let me spoil you while I can.”


He’s only being honest. Sion couldn’t possibly afford to do this more than very occasionally and Riku, at least, is appeased by the explanation. He sticks closely by Sion’s side. “Okay, if you say so…”


So off they go, navigating the streets of Kyoto. It’s not a terrible walk. And by the time they arrive at the restaurant, the lunch rush is in full swing. The place isn’t especially crowded but there are a lot of white tourists occupying most of the tables. That’s a little funny. 


The host looks them up and down. “Table for two?”


Sion nods and ignores the mildly judgemental look they get in return. It could be for the several stains on Sion’s shirt of Megumi-origin or because they are two men eating alone together, he has no idea. They can only follow when the host turns on his heel and gestures: “I’ll show you to your table.”


And so they get seated. The two of them settle down across from each other at a table towards the back of the restaurant and scan over the menus the host left them with. “This looks good,” Riku says. He’s not particularly picky even though he has a vast preference for bland, simple foods. Which Sion… he has mixed feelings about that. But Riku likes noodles, so this is perfect. 


“Yup.” Sion tries to ignore the prices on the menu. He’s not even that much of a penny-pincher - or at least he used to be a lot stingier back when he was newly-divorced and Megumi hadn’t hit any of her huge growth spurts yet - but it’s been ages since he’s spent this much on food. He usually only splurges on groceries…


Riku sends him a Look across the table. His smile is sly. For a second Sion thinks he’s going to needle him about money again, but instead Riku only asks, bizarrely enough: “Don’t you think we should be sitting next to each other instead?”


And that is- Sion can only blink, because he’s confused, immediately taken right out of his head. “What?”


It’s a genuine question because he’s genuinely confused. But Riku, as always, is so good at playing coy. “Like at the ryokan, I wanna sit side by side.” Riku stands up and rounds over to Sion’s side of the table and settles down in the extra space next to him. “Like this. Isn’t this more romantic?”


Sion is… he’s a little too pleased by the proximity because he’s an idiot, you know. But then there’s the usual prickling of self-awareness at the fringes of his mind. So Sion only points out: “Now it’s obvious we’re on a date, though.”


He doesn’t mean anything in particular by that. Riku blinks at him. There’s a flash of something in his eyes, but then his smile turns a little sheepish. “I just figured we’d never see these people again. But I can- I can move back if you want me to…”


Sion doesn’t know what to say. Of course he doesn’t want Riku to move back. Not at all. He actually prefers this by miles, having Riku close to him - they don’t have many opportunities to really spend time alone together and the closer they are, the better. But Sion’s never… he’s never dated a guy who didn’t care about being seen with him out in public before. 


It’s new. Sion has had a lot of years to learn to feel indifferent about how he presents, especially when he had no one but Megumi to focus on, but never before would he have indulged like this. There’s no way; he was so afraid and so were all of the other guys he involved himself with. It’s the principle of the matter in a society like theirs, with the legislation breathing down their necks, with everyone watching and staring and whispering, with his past nipping at his heels and Megumi to protect and-


But this is different, isn’t it? Sion knows that much. He’s ten years older than he was when he was hiding in the shadows of Itaewon and he’s not trying to live up to his parents’ expectations anymore. And Riku is so… he’s shameless. Sion loves that about him, actually. No one has ever been so shameless about him before.


“...It’s fine,” Sion decides, because it is. He laces his fingers with Riku’s even when Riku looks down at the ground like he’s embarrassed. Sion feels guilty for it but he doesn’t- it’s just habit to be paranoid. “Sorry. I’m not- I’ve just never done this kind of thing before.” Sion squeezes Riku’s hand. “But I don’t mind it. Seriously.”


Riku leans into his side and his expression is a little distant. Normally he comes across as so confident and unabashed but Sion remembers, vaguely, what he said a few weeks back. Riku’s used to dating people who’d disregard him at the first chance to present as straight. Sion hopes he doesn’t come off similarly because he certainly isn’t the type of person to do any of that. It’s just… it’s been so long and the fear is so innate, is the thing, the fear is the loudest voice in his mind. But that doesn’t mean he’s ashamed. 


“Are you sure?” Riku asks in a small voice. “I don’t want to- I don’t want you to be uncomfortable...”


Sion shakes his head and leans in a little closer, close enough for him to lower his voice as Riku’s eyes meet his. “No, this is perfect. I’d love to show you off like this.” Sion doesn’t say it but he thinks it: then no one else will think you’re single. As they should.


He hopes his expression comes off as earnest as he feels. And it must, because Riku smiles. It’s a small thing but he rests his head against Sion’s shoulder and he squeezes his hand back. 


“Okay, then. Good. ‘Cause I wanted you to hold my hand.” Riku’s smile widens when Sion leans over to press a kiss to his cheek.


“Then I’m not letting go,” Sion warns him. “You’re gonna have to learn how to use your left hand, baby.”


Things are good after that. Their lunch is nice, and while they get weird looks from the staff, that’s fine - Riku’s right in that they probably won’t come back here ever again. The food was okay but not really anything special and also the place is filled with very loud tourists. But the mediocre meal is worth the bill because they don’t have many opportunities to be so obvious while eating out together, especially not back in town. So Sion tells himself to not be so stingy when Riku’s this happy. He even holds his hand on the way back to the car and tries not to sweat too much when they get stares.


It’s fine. Riku’s grinning down at the ground, his ears red. “It’s nice to hold hands in public… I’ve never gotten to do that before…”


Sion resists the urge to pull him in even closer and kiss him. But it’s a lot easier to not worry so much about the looks they’re getting when his boyfriend, who is usually so shameless, gets all soft and subdued like this just from them holding hands. Sion laces their fingers tighter together and tells him: “Yeah, and now you’ve only done it with me.”


Sion doesn’t usually let his possessive tendencies bleed through but Riku likes it when he does, for some bizarre reason. His face turns even redder and he looks up at Sion with a very, very wide grin. “And- and you, too!” Riku looks away when Sion laughs, but he’s still grinning. “You’ve only- with me!”


“That’s true,” Sion tugs him in closer into his side. “So don’t ever do this with anyone else, baby.”


Yeah, the fear is worth it. Riku smiles into his shoulder. “I won’t…”


All in all, their date ends up being a decent one. They get back to the car and drive back to town in Sion’s three-row SUV, which many people (Sakuya) have described as a little too stereotypical of him. You know, being a dad and all. But Subarus are the cars of strong, capable men and Sion finds it very comforting to know his car is chockfull of safety features rather than being flashy or cool, thank you very much. 


“Are you coming over at the normal time tomorrow?” Sion asks just before dropping Riku off at his place. He doesn’t want to leave him just yet but if he lingers much longer, Megumi will have Yushi spam-call him. And Sion just wants one day without dealing without her petulance. Just one.


“Yeah, I’ll be there around eight,” Riku tells him. “Now I’ve got a curriculum planned. ‘Cause otherwise Megumi just wants to laze around. Can you believe that? I’ve never met any kid that age who likes to sleep so much!” He sounds so aghast by it, as if this hasn’t been the very thing Sion’s been struggling with for years and years and years now.


“I know,” Sion sighs as he turns onto a sidestreet. “I would try taking her to the park and stuff, even when she was just a baby. But all she wanted to do was nap in my lap...”


“Aw, that’s cute,” Riku grins. “She’s taking after you!”


Sion sends him side-eye. “Are you calling me lazy?” He pouts when Riku only laughs in return, though it’s true that he is indeed a very tired man, especially as a parent of a kid whose temperament is as subdued as Megumi’s. But still, Sion has his reasons. He frowns. “Oi, baby, that’s not nice.”


But Riku only grins at him. “I mean, isn’t it true?”


Sion pinches him on the ear. “You’re being a brat.” He smiles when Riku giggles, though. God. Sion’s so fucking whipped. 


They arrive at Riku’s apartment complex only a few minutes later. It’s unfortunate that their date has to end so early but it’s not anything they’re unused to by now. Sion parks his car and Riku, of course, leans over the console to give him a kiss goodbye. His hand curls over Sion’s jaw and he mumbles: “I only need one…”


“What are you saying? C’mere.” Sion takes him by the nape so they can kiss properly. For some reason this is the only time Riku ever gets shy, acting like he isn’t dying to kiss him or that he doesn’t need much. It’s funny that Sion’s the one who is less hesitant with physical affection between the two of them but it’s also just- it’s ridiculous. Sion tells him in a firm voice: “Kiss me properly, baby, before you go.”


“M’kay,” his boyfriend breathes, his cheeks pink. And then Riku kisses him.


It’s innocent. Of course it is. Sometimes Sion has an inclination to make their kisses less innocent but then the implications of that freak him out, so he doesn’t. Riku lets himself be mouthed at, only keening just a bit and pressing in for more. And then, when they separate, he presses his forehead to Sion’s cheek. His arms loop around Sion’s neck despite the stretch of the seatbelt. God, he’s so sweet.


“I don’t want you to go,” Riku murmurs, sounding incredibly forlorn. How someone his age can be so fucking cute is something Sion is struggling to figure out. But Riku just presses in closer, closer, closer.


So Sion squeezes an arm around his waist. “I don’t wanna go either. But I’ll see you tomorrow.” He presses a kiss to Riku’s forehead. “You can eat dinner with us. I’ll feed you. And then you can stay a little later and spend some time with me…”


Riku smiles something shy into his jaw. “Sion-san, are you seducing your daughter’s babysitter?”


Sion rolls his eyes as Riku giggles at his own joke. Of course. That’s his and Yushi’s favorite thing to tease about now, the fact that Sion is dating Megumi’s babysitter. For god’s sake, Riku’s already her teacher. Is that not arguably worse?


“You think you’re so funny,” Sion dips down to kiss him again. He squeezes Riku’s waist. “God. And you’re cute.” He runs a thumb over Riku’s hip. “You have to leave now or else I’m gonna keep kissing you and my kid’s gonna be pissed at me.”


“Maybe your boyfriend’s pissed at you,” Riku mumbles. And when Sion sends him a look, his smile goes sheepish “Sorry. That’s a joke.”


Sion huffs. He still- he worries, sometimes, that his insecurity is too obvious and that when he’s too sincere that Riku can see right through him. Sion’s insecure about the fact that he can’t prioritize Riku in the same way he has to prioritize Megumi and it’s something that’s easy to feel guilty about. So he only says: “I don’t mean that she’s… that that’s more important.” Even though, to be fair, Megumi’s needs are a little more important.


Riku actually pulls away this time. He grins. For a second Sion’s worried it’s just a facade but the crinkle of Riku’s eyes are unmistakable. “No, I know. I’m just teasing.” He leans in for one more peck, and then he reaches for the car door handle. “It’s okay, I’ll let you go. ‘Cause I get you again tomorrow. And I expect a lot of kisses, Sion-san.”


Sion’s ears redden. God, Riku’s so good to him. “Okay, then. Be good and I’ll see you…”


“I will!” Riku grins. And then, with a wave, he leaves the car.


Sion watches him walk up to his door, beep in the passcode, and go inside. He also stays there for a few moments more as the lights inside flicker on. He doesn’t know why he feels so uneasy. Riku’s a teacher - he understands the burden Sion carries, or at least he has an idea of how much work it takes to raise a kid by yourself. Riku doesn’t hold that against him, either, which is good. Sion personally wouldn’t want to date another single parent even if that makes him hypocritical. He doesn’t want to take on the burden of another kid. Caring for another person who isn’t Megumi feels impossible most of the time… 


And yet Riku is different, isn’t he? Sion just has a feeling. And maybe that's naive of him but it’s still true. 


Sion’s trying to resist his impulsives and not dive into things too fast, though Riku makes it very easy to trust him and want him around and generally ask for more, more, more. So Sion’s really- he’s being a little more reckless than he thought he’d be. Not in terms of how fast they’re moving - though you could argue he’s doing that, too - he’s just surprised by the intensity of his feelings. It’s not like he’d value Riku’s opinion more than his kid’s, but Sion just… he wants to take care of both of them. In equal measure. Though that’s not exactly a good thing, or at least he doesn’t think it is, but Sion also doesn’t know because he’s never had to care about someone as much as he cares about Megumi before. When he was with Tsuchiko there was the illusion they both cared, so he never had to- this is all just- it’s new. 


God. He’s an idiot, isn’t he? Plenty of single parents date around, don’t they? So is he being too cautious or too reckless or what…?


Sion groans, hanging his head. His forehead bonks against the steering wheel. Is he even capable enough to care for both of them? He doesn’t know. That’s the part that sucks. That’s the part of him that’s inadequate, that is so insecure, that is still twenty-nine and left alone with Megumi in his arms and-


Before Sion can spiral, he’s interrupted by the buzz of his phone. It’s Riku: Stop being dramatic and go home. Sion looks up and sees his boyfriend staring at him through his window. Of course he- of course he noticed Sion lingering. He always does.


So Sion smiles something sheepish through his windshield. He sends a text that’s more or less honest: I just hate to see you go…


Riku’s text back is simple: Go take care of Megumi. I’m excited to see you tomorrow. And then he’s closing his curtains with another wave.


And, well. Riku is right - as he always is - and Sion needs to focus more on the good things instead of his anxiety. So he listens, shifting into reverse and driving home.


It’s not so bad anyway, this set up they have. Sion arrives home not even twenty minutes later. Megumi is in a bit of a better mood than she usually is after he’s been gone, though that could be because it’s still only the mid-afternoon. “Appa!” She squeezes him into a hug.


“Hi, honey. Appa missed you.” Sion pets over her hair and sends Yushi a look. “Was she good?”


Yushi smiles. Sion doesn’t miss the look Megumi shoots him, which is- that’s suspicious. But Yushi only says: “She was.”


It’s fine. Megumi’s less demanding than she usually is for cuddles, though Sion suspects it more has something to do with the fact that with Riku keeping her and Maku so busy during the day, she’s more worn out than usual. Megumi curls into his side while they watch Running Man together. She prefers watching Korean shows over Japanese ones by miles. Sion tells himself not to feel guilty about that, and so he… he isn’t.


“Do you know what you want for dinner?” Sion asks while smoothing over her hair. “Appa will make you anything. Er, as long as we have the groceries.”


Megumi’s cheek smushes to his chest. “Bulgogi.” And so bulgogi it is…


That night passes much the same as ever, cooking and managing the kid and exchanging texts with his boyfriend. And the next morning, too, is as typical as ever. As usual, Sion wakes up to the doorbell ringing and he sleepily meanders to the door. Maku and Tsugumi are waiting on his doorstep. He tried the first week of them doing this to be awake and presentable for their arrival but for some reason these kids are ridiculously early risers. So Sion gave up on the idea very, very quickly.


“Hey kids,” he yawns. They stare back at him with matching stares and Sion tries, to no avail, to comb through his bedhead. “Uh. You guys sleep well?”


“Yup,” Tsugumi smiles. She’s a sweet kid even though over break she’s still bogged down with study groups, club activities, all the works of a suffering high school senior. She nudges Maku when he says nothing.


“Um. Yeah…” Maku echoes his sister in a much quieter voice. Sion isn’t put off by his cageiness or anything. He mostly finds Maku to be a very sweet, very well-intentioned boy, and it’s not like he can always say the same for his own kid. So in many ways Sion respects Sachiko more than he respects, like, anyone. 


“Well, come in,” he steps out of his doorway and beckons them inside. “I’m not gonna make you guys stand out there!”


It’s a nice routine they’ve made for themselves. Sion offers some snacks - which both kids, as always, decline - and after the usual pleasantries Tsugumi hurries off to school. Maku sits down all demurely on Sion’s couch. He’s so well-mannered that it makes Sion feel a little self-conscious about Megumi’s manners in comparison, though Maku has the advantage of being raised by fierce women who don’t tolerate nonsense and Megumi has been raised by… well.


You know, Sion does try his best. But even he’s not that great with social cues and that hasn’t helped Megumi’s tendency to strut everywhere as if she owns the place. So really he can only blame himself though he has no idea how you actually enforce that kind of thing…


Er, well. Eventually he’ll figure that one out. If not for his sake, definitely Megumi’s. So.


“I’ll go wake Gumi up,” Sion says once it’s the two of them, again uselessly trying to manage his hair. “Did you eat, Ma-kun?”


“Not yet…” Maku’s still shy when he talks to Sion, though much less than he was a month ago. Which is a good thing. At least Maku doesn’t cower in his presence anymore. Sion doesn’t think he’s very intimidating - and neither does anyone else - but he knows the kid is a little weary of adult men, so fair’s fair. 


“Well, I’ll make some eggs,” Sion hands Maku the TV remote before going off to wake his late-riser of a daughter. “Feel free to watch something, okay? You know how Gumi is!”


Maku sends him a stilted nod and Sion pads down the hall to Megumi’s room. He pokes his head inside after a cursory rap at her door. But Megumi, as usual, is still dead to the world. Keeping her schedule consistent has been a god-send because she struggles without structure, but to be honest Sion kind of loathes having to wake her up so early. He goes to shake Megumi awake. “Gumi-chan,” he kisses her on the forehead, “it’s time to get up…”


“Eugh,” Megumi says first, which is only typical. She squints up at him and makes a very sad face when she realizes that she’s been woken up early yet again. “Appa, I wanna sleep.”


“Sorry, baby. Ma-kun’s already here and Sensei’s arriving in…” Sion checks his watch. “He’ll be here in half an hour. You gotta get up.”


“Ugh…” Megumi groans dramatically into her pillow, which Sion mostly just finds to be very cute. Most kids her age aren’t so petulant or angsty, not in the same way Megumi is. But then she’s immediately nodding off again. Of course she is.


Sion huffs and shakes her back awake. “Yah, you sleepyhead,” he chides. “Come on, you need to get ready.”


It takes a few seconds of him prodding her, but she eventually groans again. “Fine.” God, Megumi’s really mastered that severe pout. But at least she actually gets up that time. It does help that she’s not made to wear a uniform like she usually is - half the time Sion has to beg her to change out of her PJs but that’s better than trying to convince her to wear a skirt to school.


“Don’t go back to sleep. I’m gonna make breakfast.” Sion kisses her on top of the head and goes to the door to leave her to change. His voice turns a little sterner as he levels her with a Look. “Gumi, seriously, don’t get back in bed.”


Megumi sends him an admonished look. “I wasn’t gonna!”


Sion doesn’t believe her. But he appeases anyway: “Okay, okay, I’m going…”


Back in the living room, Maku’s blankly staring at the TV. Of course he never touched the remote. So Sion presses the power button and flips to cartoons for him. Maku’s the kind of kid who always chooses the more polite thing. As a new Anpanman episode starts up, Sion asks: “Do you like watching cartoons, Ma-kun?”


Maku doesn’t meet his eyes but he still nods. “Yeah…” And, well, at least there’s that.


There’s no time to dilly-dally, and so Sion heads into the kitchen to make breakfast. He’s got enough time to make pancakes - Megumi will be better behaved if he satiates her cravings early on in the day - and so he mixes the batter before setting it aside to make some eggs, too. The eggs end up finishing first. Sion switches his focus back to the pancakes, pouring batter into a hot pan and flipping them over and over and over and-


The doorbell rings. That snaps him out of his focus, Sion blinks once before realizing who that must be. So he calls: “Can you get that, Ma-kun? Your Sensei’s here.” Sion lost track of time while cooking but the microwave clock says it’s already almost eight. 


God, how is he still so bad at keeping a handle on the time every morning? There’s even less pressure now than during the school year, too. Sion might be doomed. 


“Okay…” A meek voice calls back. Sion sighs. He needs to finish breakfast so he can get ready for work and- and feed everyone. But Megumi’s still in her room, so she probably fell back asleep. Lord have mercy on his fucking soul.


But out in the other room there’s the sound of the door opening, and then a sweet, doting voice is heard from the genkan. “Good morning, Ma-kun!” And, well. Riku is always so cute when he talks to the kids in his Teacher Tone. A smile fights its way onto Sion’s face despite the fact that he’s gonna have to go bother Megumi again. His anxiety dies so fast that it’s almost comical.


Because, well. It’ll be fine. You win some, you lose some, right?


Sion’s busy cooking so he can't go greet his boyfriend himself, but soon enough there are footsteps approaching. “Sion-san.” The voice Riku uses with him is less of a coo than it is with the kids, though it’s no less sweet. He presses up against his back and a chin hooks over Sion’s shoulder. “Good morning…”


Sion turns his head a little so they can make eye contact. “Good morning, Riku.”


Riku smiles. It’s something a little coy as his hands sneak around Sion’s waist, which normally Sion would dissuade around the kids. Riku doesn’t seem to be worried, though, and his voice is light. “You know, Megumi’s in her room. And Maku’s in the bathroom…”


Ah, so that’s why he’s being so shameless. “Alright, then,” Sion smiles. He presses a kiss to his lips. “Hi, baby.”


He, too, sounds so doting. Sion would be embarrassed by the tone his voice takes on whenever it’s just the two of them but he can’t really dissuade himself when that makes Riku smile even wider. He squeezes around Sion’s waist and rocks up on his tiptoes, pressing in even closer. “I missed you…”


Sion’s smile is way too fond. “Baby, it’s been less than a day.”


Riku’s expression goes petulant. “What, you didn’t miss me?”


Sion laughs. He flips off the burner, turns around, and properly takes Riku into his arms. “No, I missed you too, kitty. Come here.” He gives Riku a kiss and smiles when his boyfriend nuzzles into him and not-so-subtly sniffs at his neck. “I just woke up,” Sion reminds him.


“I know,” Riku grins into his jaw because he’s a weirdo. “Y’know, you’re sexy like this…”


Sion’s ears redden. “Seriously, you’re so strange.” But he still squeezes Riku in closer and lets out a tired sigh as his eyes slide closed. It’s so nice to have this time to indulge, you know? If he was restricted to seeing him only during the weekends, during their dates - which largely take place in public - Sion thinks he would literally die because keeping Riku close like this is his favorite thing ever. And even beyond that, it’s not often that they get to-


Sion’s eyes fly open when he hears footsteps very, very, very quickly running down the hall. If he didn’t have the reflexes of a single parent he’d probably be fucked, but luckily Megumi stomps her way around, so Sion yanks Riku off of him in an instant. 


Riku teeters. “Wh-”


Sion steadies him before stepping away. “Sorry.”


And then, only seconds later, Megumi slides on her socks into the kitchen. “Hi, Sensei!” She beams. And then: “Wow, Appa, pancakes!”


Riku laughs nervously as he gets a hug from her, sending Sion a grateful look. Sion turns the burner back on and tries to ignore his burning red ears. It’s hard not to be a little upset by his kid interrupting him from doting on his boyfriend, but alas. They got a few kisses in. That’s better than nothing, especially since Megumi is normally latched onto him like a leech.


But Sion still jolts when small arms loop around his waist. “Gumi, careful, the stove’s hot!” He scolds because for the love of god, he’s warned her about this what feels like millions of times already.


“Sorry,” she doesn’t sound sorry at all, of course. A face buries into his lower back. “Appa, you’re making pancakes. I’m so happy.”


Sion sighs as he flips the last of the batch. He reaches a hand back to pat over Megumi’s head. “Of course. You were good last week, so…” The validity of that statement is questionable but the lie is convincing enough because Megumi doesn’t need to know that Sion will appease her as easily as he does. And a little boost to her self esteem can’t hurt, right?


Megumi sounds very, very pleased as she squeezes in closer. “Really?”


“Yeah. So if you keep being good, Appa will keep making them…” Sion piles a few too many pancakes onto one plate and with that, also picks up the eggs. “Come on, let’s eat. I’m sure you’re all hungry.”


Sion sets the food down on the table while Megumi gets out some more plates and silverware, which Sion appreciates. Then Riku and the kids sit down at the low table and say thanks before descending on the meal like vultures. Sion watches them with a smile. He’s hungry, too, but he really needs to go get ready for work…


“I’m gonna get dressed,” Sion leans down to pinch Megumi’s ear. “Don’t make a mess.”


“I won’t,” she smiles up at him. Sion can’t help but question if she really means that or not. But alas.


In reality Yushi couldn’t give two shits about Sion being late or not, but even so he tries to hustle anyway. You know, it’s about the principle of the matter and everything. Sion stands at the bathroom mirror and puts on sunscreen and moisturizer, he shaves, he brushes his teeth. He doesn’t really grow a lot of facial hair but the last few weeks he’s been slacking and he’s kind of disturbed by how scruffy he’s been letting himself get.


And in front of Riku, too, Sion sardonically reminds himself as he flosses. He may be nearly a decade removed from the dating game, but there’s no reason that Sion’s been letting himself slip up this much. For god’s sake, you’d think he’d be on top of these things after already getting through a literal marriage. Especially when he was martied to someone with as high standards as Tsuchiko did…


Sion can only sigh at his reflection in the mirror. He can’t help his dark circles but otherwise he’s not doing too bad. At least there’s that.


Unfortunately enough, there’s no time to dilly-dally. Sion changes into his uniform quickly, he sprays on cologne, he attempts to make sense of his hair. Sion feels like he should be trying a smidge harder at looking good now that Riku is in his house almost everyday, but there’s only so much he can do when he could very well end up knee-deep in a sewer pipe or something worse. So Sion sends himself another skeptical glance in the mirror, deeming his hair is- ugh. Well, this just has to be good enough.


When Sion heads back to the kitchen, the others are still eating. Or, well, Megumi is eating, Riku and Maku are talking. But then Riku watches Sion hustle around and get his things together for work, and then he orders: “Sion-san, eat.”


“I’m gonna be late,” Sion is a little exasperated as he stuffs his wallet into his pocket. But then Riku raises an eyebrow at him and it doesn’t take much to cave after that because Sion doesn’t want to upset his very well-meaning boyfriend. He sighs. “Alright, alright…”


Skipping meals is a bad habit, he knows, but sometimes being a single parent doesn’t give him much wiggle room. And yet Sion slides in next to Riku at the table and shovels an egg into his mouth. He doesn’t even really get hungry in the mornings. And yet, he needs to… he should start getting better at feeding himself. Sion’s too old to still be eating convenience store junk. And yet it’s just easier that way. Plus Yushi is a very bad influence on him…


Sion’s chewing slows to a stop as he eyes Megumi’s plate. There’s an egg she took one bite out of before abandoning it. Her ability to stand the texture of a runny yolk changes by the day. And so Sion steals that, too, only stilling when a hand rests on his thigh.


He glances at Riku, who appears not even a little bit suspicious even as his thumb rubs over the jut of Sion’s knee. But Riku doesn’t even acknowledging him, asking Maku: “So your birthday’s next week?” He smiles when Maku nods. “Ah, we should do something!”


Okay, so… so that’s fine. Sion pretends the hand isn’t squeezing at him and looks back over at Megumi, who is stuffing her face. He only chides: “Gumi, come on. Use your manners.”


She blinks at him. And through a full mouth: “I am, though?”


And as usual, Sion can only sigh. One day, maybe she’ll pick it up. Maybe. He fucking hopes so.


Sion would much prefer to stay here and hangout with Riku and the kids, but he has to leave soon after that. Sion squeezes Riku’s shoulder before getting up. Then he tries gathering up the empty plates only for his boyfriend to stop him. “I’ve got it, Sion-san.”



Sion narrows his eyes. “You’re in my house.”


Riku’s smile is innocent, though. “But you’re late!”


God. It’s moments like these Sion wishes he could chide him in front of the kids - which he can’t because of, like, manners - since he’d really love to. Sion already has to cope with the fact that Riku does house chores for him while Sion’s at work. Sion has earnestly tried to convince him not to, but he’s slowly learning that Riku is a neat freak and apparently nothing pleases him more than vacuuming. Allegedly. Sion sometimes can’t tell if his boyfriend’s just making up excuses or not. But Riku’s hand circles his bicep and squeezes.


“Sion-san, go to work,” he says. “I can do this.”


Ugh. Sion can’t argue, so he doesn’t. He only grumbles a little as he gives Megumi a hug. “You, be good,” he kisses her cheek. He looks at Riku. “You, too.” He turns to Maku: “I don’t have to worry about you.”


Riku’s ears go pink. Maku’s does, too. Megumi complains. “What does that mean!”


“It’s because you take too much after me,” Sion sighs as he pinches her cheek. “You’re a troublemaker.”


He leaves quickly after that, though. Sion’s got a job to get to and he can worry a little less about his kid than he usually does when Riku will be watching her all day; Riku’s a lot more trustworthy of a babysitter than Sion’s usual helpers. Though he’d never tell any of them that. Riku only waves after him. “Have a good day at work!”


God. Sion wants to kiss him so, so badly. He only waves back and says: “You, too.”


It takes about twenty minutes to get to the ryokan. That’s both a blessing and a curse. It’s not a terribly long walk, but on muggy days like today it feels like he’s walking through a fucking sauna. When Sion arrives, Yui is already sending eyes over the counter. Sion opts to ignore that. “Sion-kun, good morning!”


“Good morning…” Sion runs a hand down his face. God, now her flirting attempts just make him think about Riku. His boyfriend claims he isn’t jealous but he’s extremely interested in the plethora of women around town who routinely hit on him, and Sion has been having a hard time dissuading him because Riku, apparently, can weasel anything out of him. Though it’s not like that’s a shocker to anyone, not even him, so.


Yui only makes one attempt to start up a conversation. “Sion-kun, today you look very-”


“Sorry, I gotta hurry or else the bossman will kill me,” Sion lies with a sheepish smile, laughing a little awkwardly. Though that’s definitely a lie. Yushi barely checks in on him. But Sion would really rather not deal with this bullshit right now, and so he waves her off: “We can talk later, yeah?”


“But-”


Sion’s smile is as kind as ever, though one of his eyes twitches in annoyance. “See you!”


At least it’s not hard to escape conversation when there’s work to be done. Yushi’s already waiting in his office by the time Sion arrives to clock in. Yushi himself only grunts in acknowledgement as he slides the door open, slides it shut behind him, exhales a long sigh. Then it only takes one look for Sion to realize: “Are you playing Minecraft again?”


“Stardew Valley,” Yushi mumbles. “It’s a slow day, don’t get intense.”


And, well. It’s not like Sion ever really gets intense about his work here - he gets more locked in if anything, determined to finish each day’s chore list - but still, not having much to do is both a good and bad thing. He sits down in his usual chair and sighs into his hands. “Okay. But if anyone asks I’ve got a lot going on.”


Yushi doesn’t even have to ask. He merely blinks up at him, the slightest tilt of his head.


“Riku found out that Yui likes me,” Sion explains. “And she’s about to ask me out again, I can feel it.”


Sion’s not really looking for sympathy, perse, but he’s still a little offended that Yushi grins like he finds that funny. “Oh, that’s why. Does he know half of the women in town ask you out?” That annoying, teasing tone is really not helping anything.


Sion’s ears turn red, though, because it’s not like he can lie or anything. “...He does.”


Yushi smirks, looking a little too pleased by this information. “And he’s not jealous?” 


Sion only shakes his head. “No, he thinks it’s funny.” He had though that maybe Riku was lying when he said he never gets jealous - he certainly likes to pretend that he does, even if only just for the bit - but quite honestly, all Riku ever does is lament the ways Sion’s been constantly flirted with since moving here. But Sion still doesn’t know if he prefers that over Riku being jealous, though, to tell you the truth.


It’s just… Riku just comes off as so laid back about those kinds of things. Sion wishes he were a little more concerned, at least on principle, because it just makes him look insanely jealous in comparison. But alas. 


Yushi only chuckles a fond little thing. It isn’t fair. Recently he and Riku have been getting along suspiciously well all by themselves and Sion’s not jealous of them, really, except he is. And sure, maybe he should be more worried that they’re conspiring against him - because they most certainly are - but instead Sion’s a little petulant that Yushi’s so friendly to Riku when he’s never friendly to anyone. 


“You should be glad he isn’t jealous,” Yushi tells him, though he mostly just seems amused by all of this. “And I’ll talk to Yui. She can’t be harassing you at work. How many times have you already rejected her?”


And, well, Yushi’s definitely right about that. But on instinct, Sion says: “She’s not harassing me.” It’s half because he hates making waves, half because Yui’s several years younger than him and Sion knows better than to hold this kind of thing over a kid. 


But Yushi only clicks his tongue. “And if it was the other way around?” Which, unfortunately enough, he’s right about, too. Yushi smiles at Sion’s silence. “That’s what I thought. Just focus on work.” Yushi’s better at the boss thing than you think he would be and it’s just… Sion can only sigh.


“Thank you,” he runs a hand down his face. “But go easy on her, okay?”


Yushi huffs out a tiny exasperated thing. “I go on easy on everyone.” And, well, that’s true enough.


So:


Sion opts to just get to work and focus on his chores rather than try to micromanage Yushi on the social front. It’s not like he’s great at sitting around anyway. Today, Sion’s main tasks are fixing up some things in the onsen changing rooms. It’s a relatively painless task bar a few disappointed tourists when he has to close the area down for a few hours. But it’s fine. There are a few tatami mats that need replacing, some leaky faucets, some housekeeping stuff that fall under his jurisdiction…


He once again loses track of time and Sion doesn’t even realize that he sped through his morning until Yushi tracks him down for lunch. “At this rate you’re not gonna have anything left.” Yushi drags him back to his office by the arm because Sion hasn’t had to get elbow deep in any questionable substance today, or at least not yet.


“Sorry,” Sion smiles sheepishly as he’s sat back down in his chair. Yushi passes him a fruit sando with a very no-nonsense look on his face.


“‘S fine. Just slow down or else I’ll have to send you home early.” Yushi takes a bite out of an onigiri. “And you need to actually take your breaks, hyung. Otherwise you’re gonna pull your back or something.”


Sion sinks a little into his chair. “Yeah, you’re right…” He’s not a workaholic on principle but he just gets into the groove, you know, it’s easy to sink into work and forget his body aching at him.


Yushi’s frown is unconvinced, though. “If you don’t take your fifteen, I’m telling Riku.” And, well, that’s a big enough threat to make him comply.


Sion sighs and takes a bite of his sando. “Don’t drag him into this…”


But Yushi isn’t joking about snitching on him to Riku, is the thing, so Sion slows his speed after they’re done lunch and spends his afternoon doing tiny fixes. There’s not much to do - he already spent all last week working on the hard stuff with a local plumber from town - but Sion manages to find things here and there. He even convinces Yushi to let him fix the wobbly leg on his desk. And to be honest, that’s a bit of an achievement for him. Sion was actually not very good at the handyman stuff when he first got here, but he’s picked up so much over the last year that it’s all instinct now, even the questionable furniture modifications. Sion just can’t stand letting things linger, so...


Around three, Yushi finally gets tired of him bouncing around the office and demands: “Okay, go home.” He shoos Sion away from where he’s hovering. “Go hang out with your boyfriend or whatever, I literally don’t have anything else for you to do.”


Sion blinks. “But-”


“I’m sure five things are gonna break overnight, but today we’re good,” Yushi huffs. “Seriously, go spend time with Riku. You’re annoying me.” And he doesn’t relent until Sion backs off, so Sion goes.


During the summers Sion usually works longer hours for extra cash (and to help Yushi out during tourist season) but now it’s only around two or so. And walking back home in the heat of July is… it’s not fun, not at all, but he needs to go pick up some food. He’s too tired to cook and Riku is a disaster in the kitchen so he stops in town to get them all some katsu. Sion would like to set a better example by not ordering out so much, but considering he’s spend his whole day running around and craning over things, his back will kill him if he ever dares to stand at the stove now. So Sion compromises just this once and swears to himself that he will cook tomorrow.


Right? Right. He just has to. Or else Megumi’s gonna start thinking Sion makes eating-out-everyday money and he doesn’t need her using that against him. 


By the time Sion gets home, it’s almost three. He normally gets off around five. But now it’s- it’s nice to be home early, he supposes, though it admittedly goes against everything Sion stands for to be skipping out on work like this. But even so, he unlocks the front door and peeks his head in, unsure what everyone would be up this time of day.


“I’m home…”


The house seems suspiciously empty. Sion shuts the door behind him. It’s not unusual for Riku to take the kids out to do something but usually he’ll text Sion that they’re going to be somewhere first, and so far today has been radio-silence.


Sion slips off his shoes. He stares around his living room. There is the significant absence of seven year-old mess or any mess in general. But then there’s what sounds like a thump against the sliding doors to the backyard. Sion blinks again, confused, creeping to the dining room because he can’t get a good angle from here. But then he rounds the corner to see water splash up against the back porch, two child-like shapes running around, a Riku-shaped figure sitting on the stoop, and-


Oh, they must be playing with the hose again. Of course.


Sion sighs in relief. He doesn’t like being paranoid but Riku, being a teacher and all, is overcommunicative even when he doesn’t need to be. Normally he texts Sion updates, like, religiously. But this is- this isn’t anything to be worried about. Sion pads over to the dining table and sets the food down. He can see more clearly through the glass now - Riku’s lounged across the porch while Maku and Megumi run around in their swimsuits. They’ve done this a few times already but Sion’s never been home to see it in action.


He can’t help his smile. Well. The kids seem to love it and he certainly prefers this over them making a mess inside. Riku really is a genius with kids, isn’t he.


So, without any hesitation, Sion sticks his head outside the back door. “Hi.” The kids are distracted but Riku startles a little at his sudden appearance.


“Oh, Sion-san,” he says, turning back to him with a smile. “Hi. You scared me...”


Sion surveys the mess outside. There are… are those water balloons? He mowed the lawn recently to combat the weeds but Megumi doesn’t like bugs so they don’t use the space much. He smiles. At least someone is putting the backyard to use. “Sorry. I got let off early.” Sion steps outside to join him. “I’m kinda surprised. Megumi doesn’t usually like playing out here.”


“Really?” Riku asks as Sion settles down next to him, then he leans into Sion’s shoulder. “She was excited to play in the water.”


That’s curious. For a second, Sion surveys the kids to make sure neither of them are paying any attention. Then he leans in to press a kiss to Riku’s head and says, quite honestly: “She listens better to you than me.”


Riku blushes. “Wh- that’s not-”


“Appa!”


Er, well, maybe they weren’t as distracted as Sion thought they were. He puts some space between himself and Riku as his daughter comes barreling at him, wet and muddy and all the works. “Argh, really…” Sion makes a face but he still catches her easily, of course. “You’re getting me dirty, honey.”


“You’re already dirty,” Megumi slings her arms around his neck. “Yushi-nii says you have a dirty job.”


Sion frowns. “It’s not a dirty job.” But then he thinks about how he’s usually reaching down into drains and wading through the overgrown Kyoto flora even on really easy days. And, well, it’s hard to argue much against that. 


“Now we’re both muddy,” Megumi grins. It’s a little ridiculous how much the idea seems to please her. “Can we bathe together, Appa?” 


Sion sighs, exasperated but fond all the same. “I don’t know about that…” But then Megumi nuzzles into his jaw and he smiles. “Are you guys done playing?”


“Yup,” Megumi chrips.


“Yeah,” Maku nods.


Riku passes towels to both of them. “Let’s dry off, then. Try not to get any dirt inside!”


At least the kids are tired out, which is great. Sion is out of energy and he can much more easily manage a sleepy, subdued Megumi over a Megumi whose bouncing off the walls, though admittedly it was Riku who had the foresight to let them exhaust themselves with the water balloons and everything. Maku takes a bath first, then Megumi. She tries once more to get Sion to bathe with her, but he’s trying to help her gain some independence, so Sion has to let his kid down as gently as he can. 


“It’s good practice to shower by yourself,” Sion tries. “You’re already gonna be eight in a few months, baby. Big kids like showering without their Appas there to help them…”


Megumi’s bottom lip wobbles like she’s thinking about really causing a fuss anyway. “But I wanna wash up with Appa…” Sion has a suspicion that’s mostly because Megumi likes him fussing over her; she’s never liked showering all that much and she’s much more agreeable when Sion is there to keep her entertained. That makes her a little harder to dissuade.


But Sion still shakes his head anyway. He’s trying to be firm about this and the co-sleeping, which you could argue is coming many years too late, but Megumi hasn’t had a normal childhood by any metric. “You need to do grown-up things now, honey. If you shower by yourself, we can get ice cream for dessert. How about that?” Sion laments having to reward her for what are basic things to most kids, but Megumi, again, isn’t exactly known for hitting her milestones when she should’ve. 


Megumi perks up a little at the mention of dessert but the look she sends him is still vaguely suspiciuous. “Really?”


Sion smiles, as tired as he is. He can’t get frustrated over these things when it was only this year that Megumi got brave enough to sleep on her own but that doesn’t mean his patience is endless. “Really,” he says. “We can go to the convenience store after dinner.”


She needs a few seconds to consider that one. But then: “Okay.” Megumi’s still pouting a little bit but that’s fine. “You better keep your promise, Appa!” 


God, she’s really stringent about these things. Sion can hear Riku chuckle from the dining room, which he ignores. He promises: “I will.” And then they shake on it. 


So, you know. Now Sion’s fate is sealed. 


Megumi showers quickly - a little too quickly, actually, though Sion doesn’t know how he’s possibly supposed to check that she actually washed herself off - and then Sion showers last. As he expected, there are signs of a clumsy seven year-old in here, namely bottles knocked over. But that’s fine. Sion will pick his battles and he has no choice but hope that she’ll eventually learn some spatial awareness. He doesn’t linger much in the shower, and by the time he’s dried off and changed into fresh clothes, Megumi and Maku are sleepy on the couch and cuddled up together. The kids are barely even awake. Riku is heating up dinner in the kitchen. At first Sion’s peeved because Riku’s the guest here, but then an annoying voice echoes in his mind: at least you can get some alone time. 


And, well. That’s definitely true. And Oh Sion is not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so.


It’s not his fault that he is perhaps a little too shameless as he pads into the kitchen to the sight of Riku’s broad back leaning over the stove. It’s just very- Sion’s lucky, isn’t he, to have this kind of domesticity with a man like Maeda Riku. So he approaches his boyfriend by pulling him into a backhug, squeezing him tight, and nuzzling into his nape. Sion sighs. “Kitty, I missed you.”


He keeps his voice low because of the kids - they have no direct eyeline into the kitchen and you can never be too careful - but it’s hard not to coo when Riku relaxes into his arms almost immediately. “I missed you, too.” Riku turns his head so they can kiss.


This is bad. Sion smiles into his mouth. He’s tempted to scold Riku about heating up the food all on his own instead of letting Sion do it, but he’ll let it slide just this one time. So he squeezes Riku close when his boyfriend leans back against his shoulder. “Mm. How was the little one?”


Riku hums. “She was good today.” He nuzzles back into Sion’s jaw. “She’s always good...”


Somehow Sion doubts that. “Are you sure?” 


He’s being serious. Megumi can come off as very subdued but as any seven year-old is, she’s perfectly capable of running someone ragged. But Riku, as usual, only chuckles. “Yup. She was good. Better than you.” Sion squeezes him again, tight around his waist, and Riku giggles. “Okay, sorry. I’m sure you were good too.”


Sion plays petulant though he’s over the moon at the- the domesticity of all of this. “She’s better with you than she is with me,” he presses a kiss to the side of Riku’s neck. “Hm? How’s that fair? I’m her Appa.”


“Eh, that’s not true.” Riku keens when Sion squeezes him again. “Oof, old man, you’re too strong.”


There it is again, the fucking old-man-thing. Sion eases off of him, though still he has a few choice words about his boyfriend’s insult. “Old man? I’m thirty-four, you know.” He nips at Riku’s jaw. “I’m young and spry. My kid’s still in elementary school. I still-”


Riku only grins though, leaning hard against him because he’s a menace. “Then stop acting old.” He laughs when Sion uses that opportunity to squeeze him again. He really can be so annoying when he wants to be, huh. 


“I think I go too easy on you. All you do is tease me and I let you ’cause you’re so cute.” Sion mutters as he pulls Riku back into his arms. He noses into his neck. “No wonder Gumi’s so well-behaved for you, baby. Just like her Appa, she’s obsessed…”


Riku’s ears go a little pink, and distantly Sion is kind of smug about getting a reaction like that. But then Riku turns around in his arms so they can kiss properly. Sion lets him, though he’s careful to avoid the burners of the stove as he presses Riku gently, gently against the stove. There’s not much room to go elsewhere and Sion wants him close, so.


Riku’s arms loop around his neck. His cheeks are red but he still smiles. “So you’re obsessed? Is that what it is?”


Sion kisses him. “Yup.” His hands creep up Riku’s waist his sides. Somehow he even tastes sweet. “You drive me insane. And all I need to see is your pretty face to have a good day…”


Riku grins into his cheek as Sion kisses him on the jaw, the chin, the corner of his mouth. “Wow, Sion-san. It sounds like you like me a lot.” But he still cranes his head up when Sion guides him by the jaw. The kissing turns a little firmer, more purposeful. “Mm,” Riku’s hands run over his shoulder. “‘S good.”


Sion smiles. “Is it?” He squeezes his palm around Riku’s hip; his thumb pulls at a beltloop; Riku shivers a little and nods.


“I think I’m obsessed with you, too.” He rocks up on his tiptoes and his arm loops across Sion’s nape to pull him in closer. “So let’s just… let’s keep doing this…”


Admittedly, Sion might be a little too eager. They’ve made out before but it’s never been anything pointedly needy, and yet this is… this is toeing the line. Riku mouths at him and makes a tiny, tiny noise when Sion licks into his mouth. He’s so cute. And so Sion does it again and so they kiss again and again and again and again-


“Sion-san,” Riku breathes, pulling away only for a moment. The look on his face is a little dazed and that makes Sion’s belly swoop.


“Yes, baby?” Sion murmurs right back. He smiles when Riku only pulls him into another kiss.


“Nothing,” he mumbles. “I just like you so much.”


Even Sion lets himself get distracted because Maeda Riku is perhaps the greatest temptation he’s ever had to dissuade himself from. But after what can only be a few more minutes there’s the sound of socked feet on hardwood, which is- Sion is pulling Riku off of him. “The- she’s coming.”


Riku blinks, still a little dazed. “What?” But there’s no time to explain. It’s just instinct, you know. Sion lunges to the side to put distance between them and yanks the fridge door open. Seconds later Megumi is standing in the doorway to the kitchen.


As usual, she doesn’t pick up on their stilted energy at all. “Are we having dinner soon?”


“Oh, Gumi. I-it’s… it’s almost ready.” Riku stutters, still leaning against the stove with a very red face. “Your Appa is…” He looks over at where Sion is staring at his condiment collection, pointedly ignoring them both. “We’re heating it up right now.”


And, well. You can always count on Megumi to be absolutely oblivious. “Yay! I’ll set the table!”


Riku goes off to help her with the plates, his face still bright red, and Sion lets out a long, long sigh. That one was close. They’re lucky. Even for a young kid Megumi is very oblivious to most social cues and she has no reason to think that her Appa and her Sensei are anything more than very good friends. Or maybe that’s the one upside to same-sex relationships, huh. Sion pulls kimchi out of the fridge and runs a hand down his face. Once again he’s caught himself playing with fire by letting Riku into the core of his life and letting himself get swept away by that sweet voice and cute face and everything else…


They need to be more careful. Megumi is none the wiser, sure, but if if anyone else were to see them there’s no way they wouldn’t be caught. Even Maku is probably sharp enough to realize that something suspicious is going on. And that’s- Sion’s worked too hard to make stupid choices now. A lot of things are hanging on the line right now and he’d really prefer his relationship with Riku to be the one thing he’s doesn’t fuck up, you know, because they’ve only been dating for a few weeks. And yet Sion can already feel his impulses starting to rise. What happened to being careful? Didn’t he only agree to this whole thing because he swore to himself that he’d be careful? 


God, isn’t he already too old to still be toeing the line like this?


Sion knows he won’t make the same mistakes he made with Tsuchiko because that was literally ten years ago and he is smarter now, he is more mature, he knows himself better. But that also means Sion knows when he’s getting too reckless. And he can’t be reckless about Riku or Megumi or- or any of this. He just can’t. Sion hasn’t been acting reckless just yet, but it’d be very easy for him to get overeager about Riku and it’s better to nip that in the bud while he still can. And that sounds simple enough, right? He just needs to have some self control. But now Sion’s worried that he still doesn’t know how to control himself even now, even after everything. Which is… that’s not great. 


So, you know. Now he has something new to contend with on top of everything else. Sion sighs again as he shuts the fridge. He can deal with all of that later; his paranoia, his fear. But that will be later. Right now, Sion turns to the dining table and smiles at where everyone is already seated and patiently awaiting their food. He needs to focus on them and keeping everyone fed and doing the next right thing.


Sion’s smile comes off as calm and affectionate and doting as ever, he thinks. “Who’s ready to eat?” His grin only widens when they cheer back at him. Riku’s face is still flushed but the look he sends Sion is so- he’s so sweet.


“Let me help you with that,” Riku offers, reaching for the kimchi. “Sion-san, you worked all day, just sit down and relax…”


Yeah, Sion can focus on the bad things later. For now he can only do what feels right, which is feed his kids and his boyfriend and enjoy this little bubble of fondness. And so that’s what he does. 


Dinner is nice with the four of them eating together. And the potent feeling of domesticity isn’t lost on him either, but that’s more because it’s impossible to ignore. Riku’s here almost everyday and Sion always feeds him, always sneaks some kisses, always keeps him close. And yeah, this is definitely a little selfish of him - especially when you consider that Sion was the one who said they needed to take things slow - but honestly speaking, even just the close proximity eases so much of his anxiety. Riku has no issue with indulging in him and Sion’s feeling more brave these days, he thinks. Riku sits knee to knee with him and Riku leans over to wipe at Megumi’s face and Riku is here and Riku doesn’t ask him to be anyone he isn’t and Sion is so happy he could die. 


And that’s a new feeling, he thinks. Being this happy is new to him.


“Ma-kun’s birthday is next week and Sachiko-san is gonna be too busy working to celebrate with him,” Riku tells Sion. “I was thinking I could take them somewhere. But I might have to use your car because Daeyoung’s truck is…” He frowns. “The kids are not riding in that thing.”


“Let’s go together, then. Yuu-chan wants me to take a few days off anyway.” Sion’s quick to make the suggestion. He wouldn’t mind Riku borrowing his car but he doesn’t want his boyfriend to have to wrangle both kids by himself on top of taking whatever kind of road trip he’s thinking of. Sion takes a bite of katsu and looks to Maku. “Where do you want to go, Ma-kun?”


“Um. I don’t know.” Maku looks embarrassed once they all turn their attention on him. “We don’t have to do anything…”


“Nonsense. You’re turning eight years old! That’s a big deal!” Thank god for Riku. He’s much more convincing than Sion is, that’s for sure. Riku leans in to ask, his voice as gentle as ever: “There’s nowhere you’ve wanted to check out?” 


As anyone could’ve predicted, Maku shakes his head. Frustration flickers across Riku’s face for a brief second - the kid’s nonstop indifference must frustrate even him sometimes - so Sion rests a hand on his knee.  


“Then let’s brainstorm,” he offers. He turns to Megumi, as it’s rare she doesn’t have opinions on something. “Do you have any ideas, baby?”


“What about the beach?” It comes off a little self-serving, and so Megumi cowers a little when Sion sends her a Look. “Ku-chan likes the beach too, Appa! It’s not just me!”


It’s his fault for asking, Sion supposes, though that doesn’t mean he doesn’t doubt her intentions here. Megumi isn’t exactly a selfish kid but she likes what she likes and there are times when she makes that everyone else’s problem. But when Sion turns to Maku for confirmation, the boy nods. “I like the beach. Okaa-san normally takes us every summer but she’s busy this year…”


Oh. Well, as long as this isn’t Megumi’s doing. Sion looks to Riku. “Which beach do people usually go to?”


Riku smiles. “We go to Fukui, actually. The beaches are bigger and more kid-friendly.” He laughs when Sion sends him a confused look. “What’s that for?”


“I-is Fukui near here?” Sion is flabbergasted when Riku nods. “Really?” God, he needs to learn more about Japan.


“Under three hours,” Riku smiles. “It’s a perfect day trip!”


And, well, all of that sounds pretty doable for the four of them, so it’s decided. They’ll go to the beach for Maku’s birthday and hopefully give the kid a good birthday. Sion was expecting all plans for the beach to be Megumi’s scheming at work but Maku seems pleased, too, because he’s grinning. And that is- he doesn’t usually look so happy, does he? Sion is but a dad. He’s gonna do whatever he can to make sure these kids have the time of their lives at the goddamn beach.


“Then we’ll go next week,” he confirms. The kids cheer and Riku’s fingers lace with his. Yeah, things aren’t bad at all.



 ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 



And okay, well. Sion knows he was the one who said this was going to be a grand venture for Maku’s birthday, but he was also kind of hoping it’d be more low-key on the shenanigan front. But apparently not. Because wherever he and Riku go, it turns out, a gaggle of children must follow.


“Why do we have to ride in the death truck?” Ryo is incredulous. He and Sakuya turned up to Sion’s house already dressed in flip-flops. And with them is Yushi and Daeyoung, who are both similarly dressed, which means this will be an ordeal at the very minimum. Sion mentioned the outing to the boys more as a courtesy but unfortunately three out of the four of them have nothing better to do and Yushi is willing to leave the ryokan for a day if it means a day out on Sion’s dime.


So, you know. Now there’s eight of them instead of four and the chances of something going terribly wrong has increased exponentially. But that’s… that’s fine.


“Sion-san and I are bringing all of the stuff,” Riku is entertaining none of this nonsense though, adamant about splitting the group up. He pats the hood of Sion’s car. “We’re full. You’ll be fine in Daeyoung’s truck.”


Daeyoung sends the kids a thumbs up, which is honestly not reassuring at all. Sakuya makes a face. Ryo sighs. “Okay, then we’re listening to Doyoung on the way there.” A chorus of complaints rise, but alas, when the baby makes a decision they have no choice to follow. So that’s that.


It’s better this way anyway. They’re going out to celebrate Maku’s birthday and yet the birthday boy himself is rather intimidated by all the strangers hanging around him; Sion can’t really blame him for that. Maku’s always been pretty shy and Sakuya and Ryo are loud and calling Yushi scary would probably be an understatement to a socially anxious seven-now-eight year-old. Maku’s been hiding half behind Sion with a hand twisted in the back of his shirt ever since the others showed up. And it doesn’t seem like he plans on moving any time soon, so Sion’s gonna have to figure out a way to keep the older boys calm. Or at least… they need to be at least a little calmer than usual. 


Sion rests a hand on Maku’s back, as his other arm is full of a squirming Megumi, and Maku only presses in closer. Sion’s half glad because he’s pretty sure this means Maku at least trusts him - Sion never would’ve thought Maku would go to him for comfort over Riku, for one - but it’s hard to be proud of himself when he’s got two anxious kids to manage. Sion smooths a hand over Maku’s hair and he doesn’t even shy away.


Goodness, these children are terribly neurotic for their age. Sion loves them dearly but it’s still just a little insane how Maku presses in even closer when Ryo needles Riku for snack money. Besides, Sion never should’ve invited these gremlins on his trip to begin with, but alas. 


He was the one who allowed this to happen so he may as well be the one to fix things, right?


“Riku,” Sion gets his boyfriend’s attention with a low voice, as both of his hands are occupied by the kids. And when Riku’s eyes meet his, Sion asks him in a very patient voice: “Can you tell the big babies that they need to be calmer around the little babies?” Normally he wouldn’t make a fuss about these things but Maku is as nervous as it gets and the bickering coming from the other four certainly isn’t helping things.


Riku’s gaze falls to where Maku is pressing his face into Sion’s back. His eyes soften. “Of course.” He sounds so self-assured that Sion doesn’t doubt him even for a second. But then Riku cracks his knuckles, his voice hardening in an instant. “Sakuya, Ryo! C’mere! And you guys, too! We’re having a family meeting!”


Sion loads the car while Riku gives the four boys the rundown. Sachiko had dropped Maku’s booster seat off a few days ago and so Sion straps it in next to Megumi’s. Maku’s pretty tall for his age but he’s not quite at the right size to fit snugly in an adult seatbelt just yet. Though he certainly dwarfs Megumi in comparison, which would probably matter more if Maku wasn’t the one who ducks behind her like Megumi’s someone he can hide behind. But that’s more cute than anything else, to be honest... 


“Appa…” Megumi mumbles into his stomach while he adjusts the straps. “I wanna go back to sleep…”


Sion smiles. “In a second, honey.”


Working with practiced ease, he turns the engine on and straps both kids into their booster seats. The two of them are subdued despite the early morning. Though for Megumi it’s more because she’s sleepy and nodding off into little snores. Maku is wide awake and as polite as ever, if not visibly nervous. That poor kid. 


“Don’t worry,” Sion tells him. “This is gonna be the quiet car. We’re gonna chill ‘till we get to the beach.”


Riku is still talking very sternly to the others, which is hopefully a good thing. So Sion takes it upon himself to load the chairs and towels and various other bags into the trunk while they’re busy. The amount of stuff they’re packing is a little excessive but if Maku and Megumi both like the beach as much as they say they do, then Sion will actually be putting this stuff to use in the long run. Considering Megumi’s aversion to the outdoors as a whole, he’s kind of desperate to find places that she actually likes. It’s one of the hardest things about raising her, actually, getting her moving and playing instead of lazing around while drawing or reading…


So, you know. Sion’s willing to go all-in if necessary. Hopefully Fukui is as nice as Riku says it is.


He settles in the driver’s seat after everything is secured in the back. Sion still doesn’t love driving in Japan for the simple reason that the sides of the road are switched, but he can make do. And when Riku and the other boys disperse from their huddle, Riku raps a knuckle on his window. “You don’t want me to drive?”


It’s true that Riku always claims he only wants to help out, though sometimes he starts getting a little excessive with the things he volunteers to do. Sion levels him with a look, as Riku has never expressed any interest in driving, like, ever. “Do you want to drive?” 


Riku makes a face. “Well. I wouldn’t hate it…”


And, well, that’s just what Sion expected. He smiles. “Riku, just get in.”


It’s bad. Normally when they drive on their dates Sion is free to keep a hand on Riku’s knee or thigh or something, as physical touch is his kind of something he desperately craves. But now he wouldn’t dare to. Riku slides into the passenger seat and Maku is wide awake even as Megumi snores in her booster seat. So Sion ignores the pressing urge to dote, pops his phone into its holder on his dashboard, and asks: “Ma-kun, what kind of music do you like?”


“Um… I like anything…” Normally Sion wouldn’t mind getting an answer like that but it’s literally Maku’s birthday, so Sion sends him a look in the rearview mirror. Maku’s eyes meet his and he blushes a little. “Er. I also like kpop…”


And, well, that makes Sion perk up immediately. “Kpop?”


Riku slumps in his seat. He drags a hand down his face. “Not kpop…”


Sion ignores him and turns over his shoulder to ask Maku: “Where’d you find out about kpop?” He’s not someone who thinks kpop is a great representation of Korean culture as a whole, but he grew up listening to a good bit of the older gen groups. Megumi likes some of the music too, but neither of them are fans of any particular groups.


“My Nee-san likes girl groups,” Maku says, his face still a little pink. “And I like them too…”


“Ah, I got you.” Sion clicks his tongue, turns back to his phone, and immediately searches up IVE. He plays the first song that comes up. “Do you know this one?” He grins when Maku nods. “Awesome. You and Ryo-chan have something in common.”


Riku sends him a weary look. “Well. I don’t know about that.”


Sion waves him off. “Nonsense. Surely Ryo knows more artists than Doyoung.” But even though he’s the one who says it, Sion actually isn’t sure if he means it or not.


Maku looks out his window. “My Nee-san likes Doyoung too.” At least there’s that, right?


They don’t leave until after confirming with Daeyoung that their routes are the same. Sion is feeling a little nervous about whatever’s going on in the other car, you know, given that that combination of kids simply can’t bode well for anything. Especially with Yushi being the eldest amongst them. But when Ryo starts shouting at them across the driveway, Riku grumbles and rolls his window up. “Ignore him and just drive.”


Sion breaks into a grin. Riku’s haughtiness with his little cousin has always been very funny to him. “Alright, then. Let’s hit the road!”


So off they go. It’s a nice morning to take a trip, as it’s not too humid or hot just yet. It’s also only eight AM, so they’ll get plenty of time at the beach. Sion’s glad they decided to leave early because that gives Megumi some time to sleep in. The more she sleeps the less hyperactive she’ll be, and Sion can handle a lazy kid much easier than a loud one. Once they’re on the highway Riku passes out breakfast; they’re just some sandwiches from the convenience store but they’re better than nothing.


“And this monstrosity,” Riku brandishes a gigantic iced coffee and offers it to Sion, “is for you.”


“Really?” Sion is a little too overjoyed by the surprise but that’s because he didn’t have time for a cup this morning and he needs the caffeine desperately, so help him. “You’re so-” Sion wants to say a lot of affectionate things but he can’t. So he only squeezes Riku’s knee and says: “Thank you, Sensei. Seriously.”


Riku grins when Sion’s hand, very briefly, rides up his thigh. He puts the coffee in the cupholder. “You’re welcome, Sion-san.”


The roadtrip goes by easily enough. Traffic isn’t too terrible on a weekday and about an hour into the drive Megumi finally wakes back up and immediately starts chattering away. Sion smiles at the sight of her talking Maku’s ear off in the rearview mirror. Riku has always said that they don’t talk much when they’re at school, but as usual, Megumi is comfortable enough to chatter on and on and on when it’s just the four of them.


“Aigo, baby, take a breath,” Sion chides in Korean when she starts going on a tirade about some macabre deep sea diving facts. “And what’d Appa say about talking about death?”


“Oh.” Megumi at least looks sheepish. “I forgot I’m not supposed to. Sorry, Appa.” Sion accepts the apology easily enough because it’s probably his fault for letting her find out about these things to begin with. But when Riku sends him a confused look - Sion only scolds in Korean because that’s the only way Megumi listens to him - he just shakes his head.


“The only books she can find at her reading level are about dark things,” Sion explains. “At this rate she’s gonna traumatize someone.”


Riku chuckles. “Ah, I think she’s fine.” But he doesn’t sound convinced about that either, so therein lies the issue. Sion is suddenly very glad that Megumi’s so anti-social at school. 


(The last thing he needs is her going around rattling off accidental death statistics. Sion already doesn’t have a great reputation as a parent, so maybe this is for the better…)


At least the tail end of the drive isn’t too bad. They get to Takasu Beach in under two hours. Apparently Riku grew up going to this beach, so he directs Sion where to park. They claim a spot before the others arrive. Yushi texts him: We’re still 30 mins away cuz we stopped for snacks. Sry.


“Of course,” Sion shows Riku the message after they climb out of the car and unbuckle the kids from their booster seats. So Sion asks, as he opens the trunk: “Do you know how to get to the beach?”


“Yup,” Riku smiles. “I’ll lead the way.”


He leads them to the shore, carrying half of the load while Sion carries the other half. Sion would like to do the gentlemanly thing and balance it all by himself but that’s literally impossible. At least the beach is pretty much barren on a weekday morning - Megumi’s instantly running out onto the sand and Sion can only sigh as the rest of them wobble after her.


“Gumi-chan, where do you want to set up?” Riku calls out. He grins when Megumi gestures right at the waterline. “No, not that close!”


Megumi runs back a little more. “Here?”


Sion smiles something exasperated. “No, honey, a little farther back…”


Megumi huffs but she relents, tracing back her steps even more. She digs a foot into the sand. At least being this far out won’t get them swept away by the waves. “What about now?!”


“That’s perfect,” Riku sends her a thumbs up. “Let’s set up.”


Sion’s relieved to get to put everything down, namely the beach chairs, as the kids lay out their towels to the best of their ability. The sheer amount of stuff they have is a little excessive for what’s typical of Japanese beach-goers but Sion’s not taking any chances. He wants today to be as simple as possible, and that includes plenty of places to rest in the shade. Hence the giant umbrella he stubbornly had to carry back from the general store the other day.


Riku makes a hole for the umbrella and wedges it into the sand. “This’ll help,” he says as Megumi and Maiku run off into the water. Good thing they applied sunscreen before they left because they’re impossible to corral now. Sion’s wouldn’t normally let them run off on their own but considering that no one else is here… it should be fine, right? At least for a little bit? Megumi knows ocean safety pretty well after growing up in Mokpo, and so she should know to stay out of the tide if it turns aggressive. 


Sion squints again at their silhouettes out on the shoreline. Yeah, they’re not wading very deep into the water, mostly just screeching as the cold waves lap at their toes. He’ll just give himself five minutes to relax before checking on them or getting in himself…


So Sion sighs and plops down into a chair. “Thank you, Riku.” He closes his eyes for a second. “I shouldn’t have told the others about our plans. Maku’s gonna be all nervous and it’s his birthday.” Sion runs his hands down his face and sighs again, this time his exhale much more deep and guttural. “Ugh.”


“It’s okay.” Riku sits down next to him and Sion just cracks an eye open as Riku leans into his shoulder. His smile is as soothing as ever. “I think being around older boys will help desensitize him. Ryo and Sakuya are harmless anyway. They’ll keep their distance.” Riku presses his cheek to Sion’s shoulder. “And he’s comfortable with Daeyoung… and Yuu-chan is tiny, so…”


Normally Sion would grumble about his nickname getting co-opted by someone else, but Riku’s an exception to most things, even his lifelong codependent friendship with Yushi. “You think so?” He rests an arm across Riku’s shoulders.


Riku’s cute face digs into his arm. “I am. So focus on me instead.”


Sion snorts, though he turns his head to give Riku a proper and good, hard look. His ears are kind of pink but his smile is sweet as it always is even as he inches in closer. This is the first time in a while that they’re getting a real moment alone. So while Maku and Megumi are paying them no attention, Sion curls a hand over Riku’s bicep. No one is around to see them; he pulls Riku in even closer, whose smile grows and grows.


“Before the others get here,” Sion murmurs. “Hm? I’ll give you all of my attention. Let’s kiss a little.”


It’s funny. Riku blushes even though he’s normally the one who jumps at this kind of thing. “Why’d you have to say it like a pervert…”


Sion just rolls his eyes and Riku cracks a grin, though, leaning into him. Sion’s hand slides over his nape. “You’re such a handful,” Sion tells him, their lips just inches away. “I’m starting to think you don’t want a kiss after all.”


Riku leans hard into his side. “I do.”


Sion smiles. It’s a smug thing. “Do you?”


“I do,” Riku doesn’t whine but his voice is petulant. He leans all the way into Sion’s space and stares at his lips. “Sion-san. Please?”


And, well. Sion’s not turning Riku down if he asks so politely. His palm slots over Riku’s nape and pulls him into a very brief peck. Thank god. He hasn’t gotten a kiss yet today and Sion just wants to eat him. 


“More,” Riku breathes.


“More?” Sion kisses him again. He smiles when Riku whines, stroking over the baby hairs at his nape. Then Riku shivers and that is delightful. Sion kisses him again and his voice lowers: “Baby, you need more?”


Riku whines into his mouth. “I do. Please, I-”


“Ew! Here? Now?!”


It’s by instinct alone that they separate in an instant when a very, very familiar voice shrieks behind them. Sion groans. Of course the others have the worst timing ever. Ryo and Skauya are pulling faces while Yushi and Daeyoung aren’t far off in the distance, dragging bags full of snacks with them. Sion glares at the two teenagers. “Do you mind?”


“There are impressionable children around,” Sakuya puts a hand to his chest.


“Yeah, like me,” Ryo pouts. Then he points off at Megumi and Maku, who are playing in the water. “And in front of them, no less! How irresponsible!”


“What do you know about responsibility,” Riku scolds, his face red but still looking very miffed. He ignores the two of them for a second to sneak a quick peck to Sion’s mouth. “There. That’s better.”


Sion grins. The babies both make faces. “Ew.”


“You’re too old to be acting like that,” Sion says wryly. But his grin doesn’t falter because Riku rests his chin on his shoulder and Sion keeps a palm firmly wrapped around his knee. Sion levels the two boys with a stern look: “What are you guys gonna be like when you finally date, hm? Are you still gonna get all grossed-out?”


The question is more hypothetical than anything because Sion isn’t very concerned with the dating lives of teenagers. But for a second, the two of them actually look pretty thoughtful. And then Sakuya answers honestly: “I dunno. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”


Even Ryo looks contemplative. He brings a finger to his chin. “Well, if Doyoung wanted to-”


Riku kicks sand at him. “Enough of that! Doyoung is twice your age, you strange boy!”


The boys cackle, ducking when Riku throws even more sand. Yushi and Daeyoung catch up to them in the meantime. Daeyoung’s carrying a six pack of Pocari Sun and Yushi has two shopping bags full of chips and snacks. Neither of them pay much attention to Sion and Riku cuddling - they’re used to it by now.


Daeyoung smiles. “You set up already!”


“Is there a chair for me?” Yushi asks, ignoring Sakuya and Ryo already bickering over the sunscreen as Riku’s given them the stern order to put some on. Yushi plops down in the only remaining seat before anyone can answer.


Daeyoung stands over him like a petulant little puppy. Yushi pats his lap. Daeyoung shakes his head. “That’s not happening...”


“Aw, why not?” Yushi grins. Daeyoung goes pink. Sion ignores them. He’s heard what they get up to together, which is a lot of outrageously charged sex, and he likes to pretend that he has no idea what’s going on. It’s for his own sake, you know, because eventually Yushi’s gonna want more than casual sex and it’s gonna take some kind of heart-to-heart for Sion to make him realize that. 


At this point it’s just inevitable. Tokuno Yushi doesn’t put this much energy into people unless he really cares for them and it’s usually Sion’s job to remind him of that. And he’d like… a few more months of peace, at least, would be nice. So. 


“I can give you my seat,” Riku offers immediately. Then he’s getting up and- well, of course he plops himself right down into Sion’s lap. His grin is cat-like and smug and very, very cute. 


Sion blushes. “Riku...” Though he’s not complaining, is he.


Yushi makes a face. Daeyoung also looks a little perturbed. He sits down in Riku’s chair, though, because it’s better than being stuck on the already-sandy towels. Daeyoung only asks: “In front of the kids?”


“Megumi knows her Appa and I are very good friends,” Riku says innocently as he slings an arm around Sion’s neck. Sion rests a hand on Riku’s waist and squeezes, unable to help his smile when Riku noses into his cheek. “What, Sion-san, do you want me to move?”


God. Sion knows he should say yes, you know, for the sake of their public image. But it’s not that weird of a thing for guy friends to be doing. Not really. Or at least it wouldn’t be if Riku wasn’t arching into his hands. Though when his boyfriend squeezes in closer, Sion caves immediately. “No. Stay here.” His fingers dig into Riku’s hip so he can’t get away because Oh Sion is a weak, pathetic man.


Daeyoung frowns at them. Yushi similarly seems disturbed: “Now you’re in the way...”


Sion looks over at him. He’s of the belief that Yushi can suffer a little since the one who’s all staunch about not-dating Daeyoung, never mind the fact Yushi is, like, fully obsessed with him. Sion smiles. “We’re in the way of what?”


“The puppy,” Yushi grumbles. “He’s all the way over there…”


And, well, you can leave it to Yushi to get all petulant over that kind of nonsense. Daeyoung blushes a deeper red. Sion laughs as Riku smushes their cheeks together, pressing in close enough that it’s impossible to tell where one of them begins and the other ends. His grin is a little too obvious, too, but that’s fine: “I think you’ll live, Yuu-chan.”


Yushi’s frown deepens. But even so, he looks away with pink ears. “You’re annoying…”


Their bickering settles down eventually, though. After Riku makes sure everyone slathers themselves in sunscreen, Sakuya and Ryo go off to play with the kids. Sion appreciates their willingness to accommodate the little ones - their roughhousing has to subside a good deal but Sakuya and Ryo are both very good at stooping down to the kids’ level. Sion knows that Megumi’s gonna want him to play with her at some point but for now he prefers sitting in the shade while his coffee kicks in. And also Sion wants to keep his boyfriend in his lap. There’s that too.


Riku scrolls through reels on his phone. Sion rests his chin on his shoulder and watches him, staring blankly at the screen. Riku’s algorithm is extremely predictable. Dance videos, fit checks, bakery recommendations, kids playing with animals, a lot of cute crafts and things like that…


His feed is more interesting than Sion’s, which is almost exclusively recipe videos and cute animal compilations. Sion doesn’t even use social media much anymore. He doesn’t have any friends he’s interested in keeping up with and the only photos he takes are of Megumi. And if solo-parenting a young girl has taught Sion anything, it’s that the last thing he should be doing is posting pictures of his daughter online. So. 


“Do you use Instagram much?” Sion asks as Riku switches apps. Wordlessly, Riku shows him his profile, which is predictably very well-curated and full of artsy photos and carefully-poised photos. Sion only blinks.


“Follow me,” his boyfriend says. “Then I can tag you in stuff.”


“Uh. I don’t really use social media, but sure…” Sion cringes to himself but he obliges anyway because he enjoys the idea of his boyfriend’s followers knowing that he’s taken - Sion doesn’t doubt a beautiful man like Maeda Riku has his share of reply guys and if that means he has to use this app every now and again, sobeit. But god, Sion’s had Instagram on his phone since high school but he hasn’t touched it, like at all, since before the divorce. 


He types Riku’s username into the search bar and presses the “follow” button. There’s a lot of cute photos of him on there, at least. Sion smiles when he scrolls through the latest post, a selfie dump interlaced with photos of food. A lot of Sion’s cooking is in there. The caption says: Life is good ♡


But then Riku laughs and it’s such a loud cackle that Sion startles. “Sion-san,” his boyfriend wipes tears out of his eyes, “when was the last time you used Instagram?”


Sion blushes when Riku turns his phone screen to him and Sion has to reckon with the fact that his feed is incredibly dated after being untouched for- it’s been at least five years or more. The last time Sion posted anything was when Megumi was a toddler. There are photos of Tsuchiko but Riku slides over those, instead scrolling down to when Sion was in college. He keeps cackling to himself, very obviously delighted. “This is crazy! You were- you were so twinky!”


Sion frowns. “What does that mean. I’m still beautiful and young and skinny…” 


Riku won't stop laughing, though. “No, you were so tiny…” He zooms in on a bunch of group photos. “And you dressed like a douche!”


“I was in the closet!” Sion complains, never mind that it’s true. He huffs when Riku scrolls to the more recent photos, namely the photos of himself and Tsuchiko and Megumi. A part of him is extremely embarrassed but he mostly just feels apologetic. “I hope you’re not bothered by that. I haven’t opened this app in years…” Sion opts not to mention that his main social media usage is just Youtube Shorts. He doesn’t need to give Riku any more ammunition on the Oji-san front.


“No, it’s okay,” Riku shakes his head. He’s still smiling though it’s a little more subdued this time. “Your ex is pretty. And Gumi was so…” Riku zooms in on a few photos. “Wow, she really is your twin.”


Sion blinks. “No, she’s not. She looks just like-” But then Riku shoves a photo in his face where every single one of Megumi’s features is his. Sion blanks. “When was that?”


“Five years ago. Except she still looks like that,” Riku’s voice is wry though he does have a point. Megumi’s nose is rounder and flatter than Sion’s, but other than that… “You always said she looks like your ex. But I knew it, Sion-san. She’s your twin.” 


Sion blinks. He’s a little confused. His family always teased him that Megumi’s cuteness came from Tsuchiko’s side, but their eyes and eyebrows and mouth are pretty much exactly the same. He stares over Riku’s shoulder as he scrolls through a few baby photos. “Aw, she’s so grown up now… our Gumi-chan…”


Sion is- for a second, he doesn’t know what to say. He wasn’t expecting to have to grapple with any kind of poignant realization today, but it’s right in his face now. Was he really so delusional after the divorce that he believed his family’s teasing? They always said it to tease, they never really meant it. But Sion started believing them at one point because it was just easier to lie to himself, or he- it’s something like that, you know, it got easier to attribute everything good about her to Tsuchiko. Right? Megumi is pretty because she looks nothing like him, Sion has done nothing to do with Megumi’s sweetness, she is as smart as she is because she has Tsuchiko’s genes. It’s that kind of thing. That’s what Sion’s been telling himself for… for a very long time now.


Except in almost every way Megumi is pretty much exactly his twin. What the fuck. It feels like his world has been turned on its axis. Sion hadn’t realized just what- what has he been able to convince himself of? And why did he do that? Was it just to make his self loathing worse, what the fuck?


He can only stare as Riku coos at a video of baby Megumi snuggling into Sion’s chest. “She really has always loved you so much.” Riku smiles and he, too, seems so fond.


Sion’s heart lurches a little bit. It’s been a while since he’s looked at any of Megumi’s baby stuff. But her whole childhood was closely documented by him because there was no one else to do it. Memories come flooding back when Riku swipes to another video, this one of Megumi babbling: “Appa… Appa, Appa, Appa…” She was so tiny, she was barely the length of his arm, she was impossibly small and delicate and she only had him. 


Then there’s Sion’s own voice, nearly a decade younger and much more naive and far less exhausted: “Good girl, Gumi. Appa’s so proud of you!”


Wow. Sion inhales. God, he didn’t- why does that make him so emotional? It’s not like he doesn’t often think back to those days. Sion’s mind always leads him back to the time he’d have to walk everywhere with Megumi strapped to his chest and when everything he did was with her development in mind and how sometimes he’d spend days ignoring the fact that Tsuchiko hasn’t come home, laying Megumi out on her back and prodding her to speak. Sion’s eyes feel watery. He pulls away, just a tiny bit, just so he can breathe.


But Riku notices. Of course he clocks Sion’s sniffles immediately, turning his head with a sheepish, apologetic look on his face. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t think- I shouldn’t have been so nosy…” He turns his phone off and drops it into his lap. God, he’s so sweet.


“It’s not that,” Sion reassures him, though, because it isn’t. He manages a smile when Riku wipes at his eyes for him. “I just haven’t seen any of that in a very long time. It’s a little… it just reminds me of how hard things were for her. And that she was so young when her mom left.”


Riku hums, leaning in closer. They both look across the beach to where Megumi is mounted atop of Maku’s back, the poor boy wobbling in the shallow water. Megumi’s cackling as the older boys chase after them. Sion doesn’t know the last time he’s heard her laugh like that. She’s really happy now, isn’t she? When Megumi was a baby he doesn’t ever remember imagining that one day she’d laugh so loudly. He had always imagined she’d never laugh at all.


The force of his memories - and his fear - was so strong. It still is, but not to the same extent. Five years ago Sion had been scared that Megumi would always be mute, that she would always struggle in school, that she’d never make any friends. Sion had been terrified that no one would love her besides him. He was scared shitless that he was the only one willing to love her and that his love alone was not enough. And sure, those fears seem a little dramatic in retrospect, but Sion hadn’t known five years ago that one day he’d be surrounded by people who his kid trusts. It’s always been just the two of them and in a lot of ways that makes this recent influx of love and friendship feel genuinely terrifying.


But Sion would do anything for Megumi. That’s the bottom line. And if embracing this new life of love and acceptance and affection means she’s happy, no matter how scared he tells himself he is, he has to embrace it. It’s about time Sion realizes that it’s no longer just the two of them struggling by themselves. It’s about time he let other people into the core of his life, where it has always only just been him and Megumi and their fear. They can’t- he can’t let her suffer forever. And she’s not suffering anymore. 


That’s the thing, right? Megumi isn’t suffering. Everything is good and this is the first time things have ever really been good for them.


Sion exhales, the sound long and shaky. He closes his eyes. Riku presses their foreheads together. He leaves a gentle kiss at the corner of Sion’s mouth and says: “Well, you raised her well.” His voice is gentle and sweet as it always is, as he always has been, as he’s the first person to ever break through the wall Sion hastily built around him and his kid because he thought the only way to protect her was to make sure no one else could ever leave her again.


So in a way it’s kind of funny. Sion wants to deny himself this, too - normally he doesn’t believe it when someone says he’s a good parent - but Riku isn’t a liar. Riku is his boyfriend and of all things he has found a way to worm under Sion’s skin and make him hear things like you’re a good man, Sion-san, you raised her so well. Riku is so good to his Megumi and Riku curls into his lap at the beach and Riku kisses him.


Sion squeezes his hands on Riku’s hips. “You… you think I did well?”


He knows the answer innately, very deep down, no matter how in denial he is. But the proof is right there, Megumi slung over Sakuya’s shoulder as she shrieks in delight. Riku kisses him again. “Sion-san, you’re the best parent I’ve ever met.”


Wow. In many ways Riku’s affection feels like an impossibility and like something Sion does not yet deserve, or maybe even something he never will. But he smiles a very small smile as a tear tracks down his cheek, and then he laughs: “Yeah. I guess I didn’t do too bad, huh.”


Things are a little more subdued from there, but that’s not a bad thing. Riku is very easy to cuddle even as Daeyoung and Yushi bicker while laying out on the towels, background nonsense to Sion’s boyfriend nuzzling into him and showing him cat videos. It’s not long before the kids, soaked and laughing, return for a break from the water. Sion and Riku get looks from the older kids - you know, for how blatant they’re being - and there is one single double-take from Maku. But Megumi, of course, is none the wiser. She tries climbing on top of Riku’s lap. “Lemme join in!”


“Gumi, don’t…” Sion groans. But Riku lets her crawl into his lap, of course, because he’s an enabler. Sion grunts at the additional weight. He just hopes they won’t make this kind of thing a habit or else he actually needs to start going back to the gym. 


“Ah, you’re all wet,” Riku towels off some of Megumi’s hair. “Did you have fun?”


Megumi is as docile to Riku as she always is. “Yes, Sensei. Now I’m hungry.”


Riku just smiles, letting her nuzzle into his cheek. “Ah, then we gotta get you fed. You’re a growing girl!”


So without much preamble, the kids start eating. Sion just has to deal with the two people in his lap because neither of his so-called babies are giving him much choice in the matter. Megumi has absolutely no reservations about climbing all over Riku. Sion has asked his boyfriend before if he minded Megumi’s onslaught of affection, and Riku’s response was more or less “I don’t if you don’t.” So, well. It is what it is. Sion only demands to be let free when Megumi starts doing the thing where she goes all limp and sprawling and- god, Sion’s gonna get crushed.


“Aigo, let Appa breathe,” Sion hisses, relieved when they let him slide free. Though both Riku and Megumi have matching grins when Sion lays out on the sand, his chest heaving. This might be worse, though, because Megumi curls up in Riku’s lap with a little satisfied look on her face like, you know, a traitor. Sion would be more offended if it weren’t for the fact that his constant need to dote on Riku appears to be genetic. If anything, these days he’s competing with his kid for his boyfriend’s attention.


And that is… it’s not something he’s proud of. But Megumi is obsessed with her Sensei and Sion doesn’t think he’s above using his authority as a parent to get one over on her every now and again. Eventually Megumi needs to learn that if you snooze you lose, you know, that kind of thing…


“Sorry, Sion-san.” Riku doesn’t seem very apologetic, though. He brushes some sand out of Megumi’s hair and tucks her bangs behind her ear. “How does the Melona taste, honey?”


Sion barely even registers the petname. Riku says it to his students at school and Megumi loves that kind of shit, you know, being doted on with cutesy names. She grins. “I like that it’s strawberry…”


Sion lets them be. He can’t- she’s Riku’s business now and he needs to take advantage of this because it’s rare that Megumi isn’t clinging to him like a leech. So Sion rids himself of his shirt since it’s starting to heat up. He drops it into one of the bags and holds out a palm to Sakuya for the sunscreen. “Can you pass it over?”


Sakuya’s grin is innocent. “Can you say ‘please’?”


What the- Sion almost causes a fuss. Almost. Because yeah, he teases Sakuya incessantly but that doesn’t mean Sion enjoys being teased back. But he manages to grit out: “Please? Can I have the sunscreen please?”


Predictably, Sakuya’s smile is smug and very, very pleased. “Here you go, hyung.”


Sion ignores the way he mispronounces the word. He’s used to it. Instead he stands a bit away from the rest of them and slathers sunscreen down his front, down his arms, his legs. God, he’s pale. Sion spends a lot of time working outside but usually he’s covered up so he does have a bit of a farmer’s tan on his arms. Which is… it’s not exactly flattering, is it. 


But that’s just part of the job, so whatever. Sion fixes his swim trunks. Then he offers the sunscreen to Yushi. “Do my back.”


Yushi’s grin is evil. “Can you say-” 


“Please.” Sion resists the urge to kick him. Yushi cackles but relents, helping rub sunscreen all down his back. God, these kids are gonna send him to an early grave….


Sion closes his eyes. This isn’t so bad. Yushi’s hands are cold but he’s getting coverage, he thinks, which is better than burning to a crisp. So Sion looks over at Megumi. “You wanna swim with Appa?” That way they can go deeper into the water and she can actually swim around. 


And, well. Megumi bolts off of Riku’s lap. “Yes!”


Sion smiles, accepting his daughter throwing herself back into his arms. Then he sends a look to his boyfriend - just to check on him, you know - but Riku is… Riku is not looking at him. Actually, Riku’s whole face is red. Sion stares at him a little harder and Riku turns his body away.


“Riku?” Sion tries in a confused voice. He balks when his boyfriend ignores him. “Oi, what’s your deal?”


“It’s nothing,” Riku curls up in the chair. He looks back at him so quickly that it’s barely even a glance. But then Riku covers his mouth with his hand and he reddens even more.


Sion squints. “What do you-”


“All done,” Yushi pats him on the ass, which is- Sion ignores that. Yushi passes the sunscreen back over. Sion takes it and drops it back into one of their millions of bags.


“Thanks,” Sion says. Though he’s a little distracted with whatever act it is that Riku’s trying to pull on him. Sion scoots in closer to take a better look at his boyfriend, who only leans away. Sion puts a careful hand on his jaw and tries to tilt his head so they can make eye contact. Riku refuses him.


“I don’t wanna.” He’s so petulant. Sion clicks his tongue.


“What’s up with you,” Sion chides, his tone disapproving. Riku’s gaze meets his and he only turns redder. Sion’s about to ask what’s wrong with him, again, because this is unusual behavior even from a weirdo like Riku, but then his boyfriend’s eyes are ogling at his chest. And that’s- oh. Oh, okay. Sion gets it now.


So that’s what it is, huh? It’s just because Sion’s shirtless. He sighs an exasperated thing and Riku looks away again. “Just go swim...”


It’s- this is so dumb. Sion smiles something both fond and embarrassed. “Riku, you really… are you actually-?”


Riku’s cheeks puff out. “Just- just go swim!”


It’s funny. For the life of him Sion can’t figure out why the hell Riku is so obsessed with his chest. Sion’s not exactly built out; he doesn’t spend nearly enough time working out to be doing that. But he’s a little thicker there, yeah. He only asks again, his smile widening: “But you- you sure you don’t wanna come with?”


Riku pushes him away by the shoulder. He sounds even more annoyed now. “Later.”


Sion doesn’t even mean to tease, not really. But then Megumi pulls at him, “Appa, let’s go!” and Sion’s not gonna force Riku to come along even though he really, really wants to. Sion’s deathly curious what this chest-obsession leads to, mostly, because Riku’s bizarre reactions to his torso are always so jarring.


Except, well, you know. Sion isn’t gonna push. So he only ruffles Riku’s hair before pulling away and telling his kid: “Okay, sorry. Let’s go.”


Sion’s still a little tired but he’s resigned himself to his fate as Megumi and Maku pull him to the shoreline. He hisses at the cold water, though it warms up the deeper he goes. Megumi only comes up to a bit above his elbow, so when she wants to keep going deeper into the water, Sion offers his back. “Come up here, baby.”


“Kay,” Megumi climbs up easily. Sion offers his hand out to Maku, who takes it.


He steadies him and tugs his kids along. “Alright, let’s go in.”


Earlier they were playing pretty rowdy with Sakuya and Ryo, but now the two little ones are much more subdued. They’re mostly sticking close to Sion and letting him guide them into the water. “We have to go deeper,” Megumi insists even when they get deeper than Maku can comfortably stand.


Sion’s not quite sure how to dissuade her. So he offers to Maku: “I can carry you if you want.”


Maku’s a little hesitant, though that’s not surprising at all. But eventually he nods. Sion picks him up in his arms and is surprised to find that Maku’s actually not much heavier than Megumi is. At least there’s that. Though that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily easy to carry by himself…


“Aigo,” Sion murmurs. “They treat me like I’m a playground, huh.”


For some reason the kids prefer just being carried around a little deeper in the currents instead of swimming around. The waves are pretty low this time of day, but when one rises up to Sion’s chest, they both screech. “Hey, hey, I got you guys,” Sion laughs. “Don’t worry.”


“It’s not that…” Maku grimaces.


“It’s cold!” Megumi yelps as another wave comes. 


Sion just rolls his eyes, still grinning. “You two are fine.” He goes in a little deeper and they both screech again. Goodness, how dramatic. 


“Appa!” Megumi pulls at his neck.


Sion laughs. “Seriously, you’ll be fine!”


After a while the older boys are joining them. That makes the two little ones seem a little more excited, at least, with more of the group in the water. Though Ryo similarly hops onto Sakuya’s back without a care for his best friend’s grumbling. Yushi and Daeyoung arrive not long after. Yushi only gives Daeyoung a glance and he’s lowering to his knees. “Here you go…”


Sion ignores their blushing faces and asks them: “Oi, did you leave Sensei all by himself? Where’s Riku?”


But then Riku himself approaches the water, shirtless, and Sion’s question answers itself. Which is… well. Well. Sion can just say that he is a very, very lucky man. 


It’s just- it’s not fair. It’s not. Because Riku gets so shy around Sion like he’s embarrassed by the mere sight of his chest, but now Sion has to act normal about his shirtless boyfriend. And as everyone knows, Sion isn’t particularly good at acting normal. Without a shirt you can see just how wide Riku’s shoulders really are, how soft his stomach is. He usually looks so skinny because he wears those tight-fitting shirts. But now Sion can see that Riku is surprisingly muscular in his chest and biceps. And his skin’s so beautifully tan. And he’s just…


He’s so sexy. Wow. Sion might die.


“Eek, it’s cold,” Riku yelps as the water comes up to his ankle. Oh, god, and he’s cute too. He pouts over at Sion. “How are you in so deep…” He makes grabby hands, and so Sion wades back to the shore despite the protests of the kids in his arms.


Sion is a little breathless from all the affection he’s feeling, actually. “Come here,” he smiles, offering out a hand to the shore after securing Maku in one of his arms. “Don’t worry, Sensei, I’ve got you.”


Yeah, this is terrible. Riku looks up at him through his eyelashes and takes his hand. “You promise?”


Sion’s face goes red, he knows it does. But he nods and his world narrows in on Riku’s face and he holds Riku’s hand firmly in his. “Of course I promise.” Sion takes him deeper into the water and doesn’t waver in the slightest. He’s got three people in his arms but that’s fine, Sion’s pretty sure he can handle it. No, this time he’s certain.


Riku clings to his waist when it comes up stomach, burrowing his face in Sion’s shoulder. “Cold…”


“I’ve got you,” Sion laughs, and he means it. “You’ll be alright.”


Riku pouts a little but he follows anyway. “Okay. Because you promised.” One of his hands is in Sion’s and the other is in Megumi’s and he has no qualms about listening. And that’s good. You know, Sion always keeps his promises. 




 ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 



They wrap up in the late afternoon, packing everything up and going back to the car covered in sand. Riku’s taking them to a place he usually likes eating at for dinner as he and Sion decided on a few days ago. “Meet us there!” Riku calls to the others while Sion packs up the car. 


“Okay!” Daeyoung calls back. Then the sound of the truck’s engine turning on is terribly frightening - Sion’s starting to understand why the kids aren’t allowed in there now.


Riku drives the Subaru because he’s adamant he can get them there by memory and Sion lets him because he so rarely gets to play passenger princess. The reprieve is quite nice. He only turns back to Maku before they head out: “You like chocolate, right?”


Maku’s a little sleepy after the long excitement of the day, but he nods through a yawn. “Yeah.”


“Okay, good,” Sion grins over at Riku. They’ve got a very important surprise under wraps and they can only hope that Maku will enjoy it as much as they hope he will.


It takes another half hour to get to the restaurant, a small mom and pop spot in town that’s apparently much closer to where Riku grew up. It’s mostly seafood, which bums Megumi out, but Sion scoured the menu ahead of time to make sure they’ve got a few things she likes. Sachiko told him that fish is Maku’s favorite, especially during the summer. So that’s more important than Megumi’s pickiness. Sion’s already prepared for a mild tantrum on his hands, too, so it’ll be fine. 


They all meet at the restaurant. Megumi insists on sitting in Sion’s lap. Maku sits next to Sion, Riku on his other side. The others fill in around the table, though Megumi demands Yushi sits next to her on Sion’s other side.


“So bossy,” Yushi teases. Then he cackles when Megumi makes an offended face. It is very funny of her. 


“Yushi-nii!” Megumi scolds. “That’s not nice! I’m not bossy!”


“You are. And I don’t have to listen to you.” Yushi pulls on Megumi’s ear with a little grin. She swats him away though it’s more petulant than genuinely upset. “You’re like your dad, you know, you have poor manners…”


Sion is offended enough for both of them, never mind that it’s true. “Hey.”


Except: “He’s right,” Riku adds. Which is worse. His boyfriend just smiles when Sion shoots him an incredulous look and appeases: “Look, she only learns by example!” 

Sion huffs. He has half a mind to start a whole argument about this - because someone needs to defend both his and his kid’s honor, right? - but then the waiter comes by and Sion drops his annoyance immediately. He has to order for the table as the only person here who has all of their preferences memorized, so he will- so he’ll revisit this later. 


These boys and their ungratefulness… one day he’ll make them learn…


At least this place serves yakiniku don, because that’s the only thing Megumi will eat on the menu. Everything all together will end up being a little expensive but Sion and Riku agreed to split the bill for Maku’s birthday; this is their gift to Sachiko. Tsugumi told Sion a few days ago that their mom usually prepares a feast for Maku’s birthday and this year he refused to admit how sad he was about missing it. Those poor kids, seriously, they’re both ungodly sweet.


“Sion-san is splurging for us,” Ryo wipes a grateful tear from his eye when Sion’s done ordering for the group.


Riku squints at him. “Hey, I’m paying too.”


It’s only true. But Ryo ignores him, for some reason, turning to Maku even as Riku scoffs at his little cousin glossing over him. Ryo leans in, his voice very friendly: “Ma-kun, do you like fish?”


Maku leans a little into Sion’s side, curling his fingers into Sion’s shirt sleeve. “Yeah…”


“Maku, pick out something for your sister. Ah, and your mom.” Sion looks over the menu with him, flipping through the pages so Maku can get a good look at everything. “What does Tsugumi like?”


“Um.” Maku blinks. “She likes fish, too…”


“Then we’ll get her something,” Sion decides. “Do you think she’d like tuna? Or what about eel?”


At least their day at the beach wore everyone out. The typical troublemakers are much more subdued than usual which makes it easier on Maku, who doesn’t like talking even around people he really likes. Sachiko has expressed to Sion that she’s deathly worried about him, but both Sion and Riku think his quietness is really just Maku’s natural temperament. Like Megumi, he was a very quiet baby. Though Maku’s definitely not autistic. He’s just shy, if not socially anxious, though he’s perfectly adept at conversation when he needs to be. That’s certainly more than Sion can say for his own kid. Maku and Megumi balance each other out in that way. Sion really wants them to be best friends forever and ever and ever and ever and-


Soon enough the food comes out, and Maku’s eyes widen when it arrives. Sion may have gone a little bit overboard with his ordering. You know, just a tiny bit. They’re a hungry group so it won’t take much to finish everything, plus it’s worth splurging for the special occasion. Sion nudges Maku in the side. “Does this look good?”


Maku looks up at him with something like wonder in his eyes. There’s a very giddy, happy lilt to him that Sion's never seen Maku have before. “Y-yeah!”


Sion smiles. He smooths over Maku’s hair. “Go on, then, eat all you want.”


The birthday boy gets first dibs. Riku helps Maku serve himself while Sion mixes the yakiniku don for Megumi. She licks her lips when he places the bowl down on the table. “Thank you, Appa.”


“Of course,” Sion smiles. He himself can eat almost anything, and so his stomach growls when Yushi passes over some kind of regional fish soup. “Oh, this looks good.”


Megumi side-eyes the dish and makes a face. “Looks yucky.”


“Yah,” Sion pinches her in the cheek. “That’s not nice to say about someone’s food.” Yushi snickers and so Sion pinches him, too, because they could both use the scolding. “Aigo, you two. Just eat.”


Everyone is more than happy to stuff their faces to their heart’s content. Megumi wants extra rice, so Sion tracks down the Oba-san who owns the place to ask for more. She coos over Megumi’s cute face, which is nice to hear when the elderly back in the village are usually shit-talking her manners. Sion wipes Megumi’s mouth with a napkin and manages a weary smile. 


“It’s good, you know,” Maku tells Megumi when she sends his grilled mackerel skewer a skeptical look.


“There’s no way,” she mumbles. And, well. Maybe one day Sion will get her to be open to new foods but the prospect seems pretty unlikely, so. 


It’s at the very end of the meal when Sion distracts the two little ones while Riku leaves to talk to the Oba-san about a surprise they planned in advance. It took a few confused phone calls to organize it, but Sion and Riku felt they needed to coordinate something special for Maku’s birthday at the restaurant. After all, neither his mom nor his sister could make it, and similarly to Megumi Maku misses his mom dreadfully whenever they’re apart. So he and Riku decided to try and make up for their absence - Maku is such a good kid. He deserves something grand being done for his big day. 


Sion pulls out his phone and hits the record button when the Oba-san approaches their table with a little chocolate cake that’s adorned with a lit candle in the shape of an “8”. “Which one is the birthday boy?” She coos.


Sion laughs. “Ma-kun, look. It’s for you.”


It’s wonderful. For a second, Maku is much more shocked than his usual perpetually embarrassed. “F-for me? Really?” He beams up at Sion and that’s the widest he’s ever seen this kid smile.


“Yeah, kiddo, it’s just for you.” Sion squeezes his shoulder. And then, to everyone else: “Now sing!”


All of it is extremely cute. The group sings happy birthday in low voices as to not disturb the restaurant and Sion makes sure to get a clear shot of Maku blowing out his candle to send to his mom. Sion smiles and smooths a hand over his hair, pinching his cheek. “What’d you wish for, Ma-kun?”


Maku’s face is pink. “I’m not supposed to say…” His hand curls over Sion’s wrist. Wow, even now he’s such a serious kid. 


“Probably infinite Chocoshrooms,” Megumi interjects. God bless her heart. She leans into Maku’s side to hug him and that’s cute, too, how much they adore each other. “I’m gonna make your wish come true, Kuu-chan, okay?”


Maku’s face is red but he hugs her back. “Okay...”


Riku makes sure that Maku gets the biggest slice of cake though he’s only able to eat half of it. The rest of them share the cake amongst themselves. Sion scoffs indignantly when Riku gives him a similarly ginormous slice. “Oi, I’ve been trying to lose weight.”


“That’s not a problem,” Riku blinks innocently. “You could still put on a few more pounds, Sion-san. The cake won’t hurt you.”


It’s terrible that Riku is so convincing even when Sion is perfectly aware that he’s being manipulated - he’s not even quite sure what his boyfriend’s playing at, to tell you the truth. But that doesn’t matter because Sion does, in fact, devour his slice of cake. It’s so good. What the fuck. Being a fit adult is so hard.


“No more,” Sion glares when Riku moves to pick the knife back up. “I’m serious. Or else I’m gonna have to start going to the gym again.”


Riku’s bottom lip juts out but he relents. “Fine. I’ll let you off just this once.”


They all eat as much cake as they can, which is honestly more than Sion thought they would. But both Maku and Megumi are basically passed out once the table is clear. Sion has to carry both of them back to the car because apparently Maku is prone to sugar crashes and Megumi, as she does everyday, gets sleepy once her stomach is full. He wipes both of their mouths free of icing and crumbs and heaves them out of the restaurant while Riku pays.


“I’ll bank transfer you,” Sion says as he straps the kids into the car. “How much was it?”


“Don’t worry about it,” Riku says smoothly, acting as if it’s no big deal at all. And when Sion shoots him an annoyed look, he feigns confusion, smiling innocently. “What?”


“Riku. Come on…” Sion sighs. He closes the minivan door behind him and turns to run a hand down Riku’s arm. “You’re on a teacher’s salary. We were supposed to split it.”


“And you’ve got a kid,” Riku says matter-of-factly, lacing their fingers together. “You can pay me back with dinner or something.”


He leans in with a smile, a loose arm around Sion’s waist in lieu of a proper hug. And honestly, Sion doesn’t quite believe him in that that was an easy spend. He just doesn’t. But Riku doesn’t seem the least bit bothered. Parking himself in the driver’s seat. Sion looks down at him and tries in a low voice: “Baby, really…”


“It’s fine.” Riku rocks up on his tiptoes to kiss him. And then a slides up his stomach, farther and farther and farther until it’s groping his chest, and-


Sion laughs. “What are you doing?”


“You’re so sturdy,” Riku sighs. “It’s great.”


The drive home is painless, thank god. Riku gets back behind the wheel and he’s a smooth driver all things considering. They drop Maku off at his house first. Sion unbuckles him out of his seat and carries the kid to the door; Sachiko answers after the first knock. “I didn’t realize you’d be out so late!”


“Sorry, we got dinner.” Sion sets Maku back down to the ground. Maku wobbles on his feet and Sion settles him with a steady hand on his shoulder, the other petting over his hair. “Sleepy boy, you’re home now.”


Maku hardly even blinks. “Mama…” he mumbles, instantly going to his mom’s arms. Sachiko’s smile is slightly exasperated.


“You didn’t need to get him dinner,” she says to Sion. “Sion-san, you already do so much for him-”


“I got cake, too,” Maku mumbles. Sion grins when Sachiko sends him a look.


“Sion-san! Seriously!” Sachiko’s a very old-fashioned woman, the kind who believes in a deed for a deed and everything. Sion waves her off because it’s really no big deal at all. For god’s sake, Sion had probably double the free time she does with two times the help to boot.


“He’s a good influence on Megumi, you’re busy, I want to do something nice for him,” Sion puts his arms up in surrender. “You’d do the same for Megumi, Sachiko-san. Don’t pretend otherwise.”


Sachiko frowns but it’s true - every time Megumi comes over here she waddles back home with a full stomach and a million tupperwares in tow. She smooths over Maku’s hair. “I know. But how do I repay you, when I don’t even…” Her eyes cast down to the ground. 


“You don’t,” Sion tells her. “We can be in it together. For our little ones.”


Sion doesn’t think anything he says is particularly poignant because he’s only just being honest. Megumi and Maku have each other’s backs and neither of their kids showed any signs of making friends until they got close, so it’s just- it’s a given, never mind that Maku and Tsugumi and Sachiko are a very selfless family who deserve to be helped out. But Sachiko smiles something very watery. She reaches out for Sion, she pulls him into a hug. “Ah, you kind boy,” she sniffles. “You’re such a good man, Sion-san…”


“I just- it’s no big deal.” Sion’s a little embarrassed now but he grins when Sachiko pinches him on the cheek.


“It is! You know how- my kids love you.” Sachiko laughs a watery thing. “You know what they’ve been through. I could never thank you enough.”


And, well, that’s true. Maku and Tsugumi’s dad was at minimum an abusive asshole and Sion knows it’s made Sachiko very adverse to reaching out for help because of the shame her ex-husband left behind on their family. The people in town talk; it’s not fair on her. It’s not fair for the kids either. There’s a reason they act so unfailingly polite and well-mannered and Sion knows why. But that- that doesn’t matter. Or at least it’s not something he judges.


Sion lets Sachiko ruffle his hair. Even though they’re both parents there’s still a generation between them. “I could never thank you enough, either. So don’t keep score…” He hopes that can convince her, because it’s true - both Tsugumi and Sachiko have helped Sion out with Megumi countless times.


Sachiko’s smile softens. “Okay. I won’t. Thank you, Sion-san.”


Sion grins back. It’s good that she understands, at least, that he doesn’t take Maku and Megumi’s friendship lightly. Sachiko sends Maku over with several tupperwares Sion isn’t allowed to refuse; she’s advised Sion on places to get secondhand clothes and cheap groceries; she, similarly, has been shamed by this community and yet she still gives whatever she can spare to Sion. Their kids may be the same age but Sachiko’s got the better of two decades on him and she has been doing this alone for so, so much longer. Sion’s own kid isn’t exactly prime best friend material, and yet Sachiko’s taken her into her home like Megumi is one of her own. Sion just… he wants to do the same. 


“Get home safe!” Sachiko calls as she ushers Maku inside. “And thank Maeda-Sensei for me! Really, the both of you are- thank you so much.” Her smile, again, is a little teary as she brings Maku into her arms. 


Sion waves. “I will.”


And, well. This is a great conclusion to a good day. Sion’s glad to do something nice for that family, regardless of all the help they give him with Megumi. He’s grinning when he climbs back into the car. Riku raises an eyebrow.


“Sachiko-san is my fan,” he says smugly. He giggles when Riku slaps him on the knee.


“You and the women in this town…” He grouches. Though a smile plays at his lips. “At least Maku’s happy.”


Sion smiles, too. He reaches for Riku’s hand and laces their fingers together. “But you’re my biggest fan, I hope,” Sion tells him in a low voice. He brings Riku’s hand to his lips to leave a kiss on his knuckles. “Or at least you’re my favorite.”


Riku grins something smug. “Yeah, I am your biggest fan. So don’t forget it.” He even glances over to level Sion with a firm look. He drives the point home: “Got it? No one likes you more than I do. So don’t forget who you belong to, Sion-san.”


Sion feels- he’s so fond that it’s a little helpless. He loves getting to belong to Riku. “I won’t.”


He melts into his seat, a little sleepy and very relaxed and feeling way too affectionate. Riku seems a little too pleased by that response, though, squeezing Sion’s hand even tighter. He praises: “Good Appa.” 


And, well, that’s- Sion’s ears burn and he immediately turns his head to stare out the window instead. He doesn’t need to figure out why that makes something flip over in his belly. He doesn’t. Because he refuses to find out new things about himself, because he’s not ready to have any new revelations, because Riku is so good at toying with him and it’s not fair. 


Sion only loses it when Riku laughs at his reaction: “S-stop it! Just focus on the road!”


Riku still cackles, though. “But that was- you’re so cute!”


Sion hides his face in his hands. “Don’t- don’t do this to me. Please, baby. I’m weak.” Sion’s fully whining and he doesn’t usually whine because he is thirty-four years old and spends all of his time with a whole group of younger kids who whine at him incessantly on a daily basis, his own daughter most of all. But this is- this is far too much.


Riku’s grin is wide, though he relents. “Okay, okay. I’ll stop.” And his smile doesn’t fade the entire way home. 


It’s only about a fifteen minute drive. Megumi stirs when they get back home and Sion unbuckles her. She yawns. “Appa?”


“We’re home, baby,” he hoists her up. “Aigo, you’re heavy.”


He and Riku just take the necessities out of the car because they’re too tired to unpack everything. It’s not hard to pack it away for now, as the rest can be dealt with tomorrow. Sion is busying himself dumping their sandy clothes in a pile until he notices Riku idling in the doorway. Right, he- he has to go. But it’s so late already, isn’t it?


Sion just sighs, running a hand down his face. “Don’t walk home at this hour. Stay the night. We can have a sleepover.”


Riku blinks at him. “You want me to- you want me to stay the night?” He seems surprised, which is fair. Having sleepovers is kind of the opposite of taking things slow but it’s been weeks of them playing house and Sion isn’t going to try and stave off the inevitable.


It’s not a big deal either. “Eh, it’s just a sleepover,” Sion prods Megumi, who nods.


“Sleep in Appa’s bed,” she advises, of course not realizing that her Appa and her Sensei are very much romantically involved. Megumi yawns. “My bed’s comfier and I don’t wanna share.”


Sion chuckles. Riku makes another attempt to get out of his hair (he gestures at the door and stutters, “but I can- it’s fine if I- I’ll just-”) but Sion’s having none of it. “I’m gonna give her a bath. And then you’re gonna bathe.” Sion parks Riku on the couch. “Stay here. And don’t try to leave or else I’ll be very upset.” 


Riku deflates a little. His face is a little hopeful, if not very nervous. “Are you sure?”


Sion squeezes his shoulder. He has to fight the urge to give Riku a very loving kiss. “Trust me, I’m sure.”


Besides, he’s gotta deal with Megumi first; bathing a barely-awake seven year-old is a bit of a challenge but Sion manages as he always manages. She slumps through her shower, yawning as Sion scrubs shampoo into her hair. And as soon as he has Megumi toweled off and dry, he wrestles her into her PJs and tucks her into bed. 


“Appa, sleep with me,” Megumi whines a little, pulling at Sion’s hand. 


“I still have to wash off,” Sion smooths over her hair. “And if I sleep with you, Sensei’s gonna be all lonely.”


Sion shouldn’t be fishing and he knows it. Of course if it came down to it he’d crash with Megumi but Sion is trying to get her less reliant on co-sleeping. And also, very selfishly, he wants to spend at least one night cuddling his boyfriend. Though hopefully this will be the first of many…


Megumi pouts, but given that she’s half-asleep, she relents. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”


Sion smiles. He presses a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t worry, we won’t.”


He leaves her room quietly and as usual, Megumi’s snoring within seconds. Sion pads back to the living room. Riku looks up at him from his phone, and so Sion smiles and tells him: “It’s your turn now.”


Riku is sleepy, too. He slowly blinks back at him. “You don’t wanna bathe with me?”


For a second Sion can’t tell if he’s joking or not. But Riku’s face is unchanging and on impulse Sion wants to say no, because that’s like- that’s very forward. But Riku knows his hangups and he respects them. Sion comes in closer and rests both of his hands on Riku’s shoulders. “Mm. Maybe if you behave...”


Riku yawns. “I will.”


Sion smiles. He strokes the hair out of Riku’s eyes, he flicks his thumb at the corner of his mouth. “So you won’t try anything? And you’ll be good?” He doesn’t know why he feels so hopeful at the prospect when normally it would scare the shit out of him but Riku, still very sleepy, nods.


“I just wanna wash up with you,” Riku mumbles. He noses into Sion’s palm. “Not in the sexy way… but, like… it’s kinda romantic...”


Oh, well. From that perspective the idea makes more sense. Sion wouldn’t normally entertain this kind of thing because he trusts Riku’s self control as much as he trusts his own, which is not at all. But Sion is tired too. And so he relents, hoping that he isn’t making a very stupid mistake: “Okay. Then let’s go.”


They both stumble into the bathroom. As promised it’s not sexual in nature, though bathing isn’t really all that sexy to begin with. Sion’s eyes avoid looking anywhere he hasn’t seen before as they both stand naked in the bathroom and Sion turns the showerhead on. “Turn around,” he tells Riku as he guides him under the water. “I’ll wash your hair.”


Riku’s smile is a little shy but he listens. “Wow. I’m so spoiled…”


Sion holds his tongue. Truth be told, he doesn’t spoil Riku nearly as much as he wants to. He’s not really in the position to, not yet. Neither financially nor with how packed his schedule always is. But he sprays Riku’s hair down and the sand drips down into the drain and Riku is obedient as ever as Sion scrubs through his hair. Riku tilts his head back with a tiny, pleased smile.


“It feels good…” he mumbles. “You’re good at this...”


“I have a lot of practice,” Sion reminds him. “Close your eyes.” He runs the showerhead over his head and smiles when Riku listens to him, his eyes sliding shut easily. “There you go. Good boy.”


Sion’s not even thinking all that much about the things he says, because to be honest, it’s not often that he thinks that hard before speaking in general. But he notices how Riku stills. And then his boyfriend asks, his voice a little weary: “Do you… do you do that on purpose?” He’s still soft under Sion’s hands but his expression is a little pained.


And Sion can only blink. “What?” He has no idea what Riku’s saying. But even still he washes him down very carefully, making sure every sud is sprayed out of his hair.


But:


“You’re always telling me to be good,” Riku mumbles. “And calling me good… I didn’t know if you- I dunno if you do it on purpose…” His voice trails off, almost sounding embarrassed, and Sion can only stare.


What? Since when did he- he’s been saying all of that? To Riku? Sion’s been doing what?!


Sion doesn’t know what to say, his mouth suddenly clamped shut. He didn’t even- he hadn’t even realized that what, he’s been telling Riku to be good? Since when was he doing that? Sion usually spouts that at Megumi a hundred times a day, not at his- not at his boyfriend.


“Oh…” Sion is honestly kind of speechless. “I guess I didn’t realize.” He licks his lips. “Um. Sorry?” He doesn’t know how to apologize for this kind of thing because it’s so unbelievably stupid that he’s half speechless. 


But Riku stiffens a little. “Well. I don’t mind. As long as you don’t think I’m, like, your kid...”


And that is so- that’s so absurd, somehow, despite all of this. Sion laughs. “What are you saying? Of course I don’t.” He presses a wet kiss to Riku’s nape and squeezes his shoulder. “You’re my kitty, remember? Hm? I wouldn’t- it’s not like that.” 


Sion only says it because it’s true, and then he moves the showerhead out of the way so he can reach for the conditioner next. Riku sends him a long, hard look over his shoulder. It’s not one of suspicion, perse. But it’s- “I’m not Megumi,” he pouts. “So ,aybe I don’t need to be good….”


Is this Riku’s attempt at what, being a brat? That only makes Sion smile. He squirts some conditioner into his hand and chuckles. “No, but you are good. I can stop saying it if you want me to. But you’re really good, baby.” Sion massages the conditioner into his hair and presses in a little closer. “You’ve always been so good for me.”


Riku’s ears are pink. He looks away, staring back to the shower wall. “Well. You don’t have to stop…”


Sion grins. He works the conditioner into Riku’s hair next and presses another kiss to his neck. “No?”


“No,” Riku squirms. “But don’t say it here. Or else I’m gonna misbehave.”


And, well. That’s fair. Sion filters that information to the back of his mind - Riku enjoying praise is hardly surprising though it’s also… it’s mostly just very cute. “Okay,” Sion relents. He presses another kiss to Riku’s shoulder. “You’re so good, though, just so you know.” And then he kisses him again and again and again and-


Riku squirms, batting Sion off. “Don’t do that either, pervert!”


They’re in and out of the shower relatively quickly, all things considered, as they’re not getting into the actual bath or else Sion will genuinely just pass out from how tired he is. He helps Riku into his clothes, he dresses himself. Sion usually sleeps without a shirt but that’s- for now he’s going to keep things nice and slow. Though he smiles when his clothes fit just a tad looser on his boyfriend. 


Riku’s not even all that small, but still… how cute…


“I never see you in anything baggy,” Sion says as he sits at the edge of his bed and watches Riku rifle through his closet. And then he reminds him: “Baby, you already took half my stuff.”


“I’m just perusing,” Riku insists. But he doesn’t seem to find anything because he turns back to Sion with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I’m a little nervous. We’re having a sleepover…”


Sion smiles. “We are.” He holds his arms out and his grin widens when Riku crosses the room to bury into him. “I’m glad. I’m used to cuddling in my sleep because of Gumi.” But then Riku presses his whole weight onto him and they topple over. “Oof.”


“It’s good that she’s sleeping on her own, though,” Riku points out. He lets Sion manhandle him, rolling them both under the covers. Riku grins. “You can cuddle me instead.”


“Yup,” Sion agrees. He pulls Riku back into his arms. “C’mere.”


Riku goes easily, flopping across Sion’s chest and nuzzling into his neck. It’s funny how perfectly he fits there. Sion hasn’t felt this at peace in own bed for a very, very long time. He’s surprisingly sleepy, which is new. He didn’t even… he didn’t even take his meds…


Sion doesn’t want to dislodge his boyfriend. So- well. Maybe it’ll be fine if he goes one night without them. Riku’s warm and his weight is so nice. Sion melts into his sheets with a hand splayed across Riku’s back. “Comfy, kitty?”


“Yup,” Riku noses into his neck. “You’re so warm.”


Sion smiles. He runs a hand through Riku’s hair. “You, too, you’re… this is… this is nice…”


He’s dozing off before he even realizes. And for the first time in maybe his entire life, Sion sleeps without any issue at all.



 ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 



Though maybe it’s not surprising when he wakes the next day to a heavy weight plopping down on him. “Appa!” Sion is very used to this, the Megumi sized body flopping across him with no care in the world. That’s not the thing that scares him. 


What makes Sion startle is the arm around his waist. But then there is a very familiar groan and- oh, right. Riku. Riku slept over. And Megumi caught them cuddling.


Fuck.


But she doesn’t seem to have noticed, which is- Sion doesn’t know if that’s more relieving or more concerning. “Appa! You’re sleeping so late!” Megumi damn-near yells in his ear as Sion tries to sit up.


“Am I?” His voice is groggy. His alarm clock says it’s already ten. Oh, what the fuck. Sion hasn’t woken up this late in…


He has no idea. Not since high school, at least. How is that even possible.


“Gumi, honey, indoor voice…” Riku, too, is groggy. He sits up and his hair is a mess. Though he smiles when Megumi comes in for a hug. “Oh, baby, hi.”


“How was your sleepover with Appa?” Megumi asks innocently. She slings her arm around Riku’s shoulder, who yawns, and then nuzzles back when Megumi presses her face into his cheek.


“It was good,” Riku smiles something lovely. “Your Appa’s very cuddly.”


“He is,” Megumi says sagely, as if Sion isn’t in the room with them. Sion, half-asleep and still kind of confused by everything going on, just huffs out a laugh. He leans over to ruffle her hair.


“Give Sensei some space,” he chides gently. Though Riku doesn’t seem to mind, his arms around Megumi’s shoulders tightening.


“It’s okay,” Riku strokes over her hair. “Gumi’s cuddly too. It must run in the family, hm?”


And, well. Sion leaves them be. He needs to start on breakfast, as is his main job in this house, meanwhile Megumi pulls Riku into her room to show him all of her things. Sion paces around the kitchen while he waits for the coffee machine to warm up. He is both very happy and very worried, and also incredibly confused at the clashing feelings within his sternum on top of everything else. Is this too intimate of them? Is it too soon for Megumi? Or, well, it’s not like Riku’s really stepping into any kind of parenting role. She’s on him like she’s on Yushi, just a little more affectionate. Yushi doesn’t particularly enjoy cuddling, so maybe this is just… maybe this is just how Megumi is?


Riku’s her teacher. That makes it both more okay and also a lot weirder. But Megumi loves him and Riku is good to her - hell, now he’s her babysitter - and he and Sion have already been dating for more than a month. And if things keep being good, then… then what does that mean for them? How long should he be holding out, how slow should he go?


Sion runs a hand down his face. God, no, he shouldn’t even entertain that thought. It’s tempting, though. Things are good and when things are good he gets very tempted. But that’s- he can’t, not yet.


All Sion can do is focus on the feel-good part of him, the part of him that is overjoyed by the prospect of waking up after a full night of rest with Riku in his arms and Megumi barreling her way between them. It’s not hard to be enchanted with the idea. And when Riku joins him in the kitchen, two big hands circle Sion’s arm as a very familiar weight leans into his side. There’s the sounds of the TV coming from the living room. So Riku managed to distract her that quickly. 


That’s… that’s better than what Sion can do. So therein lies his temptation, still. Fuck. 


“Good morning,” Riku leans up for a kiss. He is as sweet as ever, rumpled from sleep and soft and eager to curl into Sion’s side. 


“Good morning, baby,” Sion murmurs back. He kisses him. “You’re very pretty when you wake up.” His hand cups Riku’s jaw; a thumb smooths over his dark circles. “How are you so good-looking, hm? How are you so handsome?”


It’s bad. Sion’s not all the way awake yet and his default mode is to dote and praise incessantly. But Riku just smiles as he nuzzles into Sion’s shoulder. A few months ago Sion would be stewing at this time, as the coffee pot pours into his mug, but right now Riku’s so steady against him that not a single bad thought is circulating around in his mind. Sion blows on his coffee and takes a sip. This is domestic, sure, but it’s also… it’s really peaceful. He will focus on that more than anything; Sion gives his boyfriend another kiss.


“You taste like coffee,” Riku mumbles, his arms looping around Sion’s neck.


Sion kisses him again. “Sorry.” Though he’s not sorry at all. “I’ll make you tea, how about that?”


The morning moves on like that, warm; slow; steady. Sion makes his boyfriend tea, he makes his kid pancakes, he has one arm around either of his babies as he sits at the table and it’s a nice feeling more than anything else. That’s the part that Sion’s swept up in. Of course he’s still terrified deep in his bone marrow, misery and terror is woven into his DNA and fear always comes and finds him like an old friend. That’s just how things are. But this isn’t so bad, Riku dabbing at Megumi’s face with a napkin. It’s not so bad, Megumi nosing into his hand like the three of them have been doing this her whole life. It’s not bad at all.


“You, too, Appa,” Megumi wipes Sion’s coffee mustache away. She giggles when he sighs at her.


“Ah, yes, we can’t forget Appa,” Riku joins in on her older side. One of his palms is big and firm against Sion’s lower back and he leans in with a wide, wide grin. “Aigo, Appa, you made such a mess.”


Megumi laughs. “You know ‘aigo,’ Sensei?”


“I do,” Riku pats over her head. “Your father has taught me so many things, you know.”


This is maybe bad, Sion thinks, but it’s mostly really, really good. He smiles a terrible, fond, in-love smile as Megumi and Riku dote on him and giggle amongst together because at this point they’re teaming up with each other more often than they’re letting him in on their little secrets. “Thank you, the both of you,” Sion squeezes them both into a hug, letting himself feel the- the good things.


They both hug him back and somehow this feels like the most natural thing that’s happened to Sion, like, ever. Really, it’s… it’s good. Things aren’t so bad at all.