"She's getting along fine. You've got yourselves a lovely kitty. Keep her that way,".
The vet's words played in Yuto's head. He was happy that they were raising Yuna well. After two weeks, she had grown quite comfortable with both of them and even began sleeping on the bed with them. Of course, Yuto insisted that Yuna slept in her own bed first but Nagisa always gave in to their kitten's big beady eyes and adorable mewing. Yuna was growing up well with both of them raising her properly. Well, sort of.
________________________
"Mew!".
"Of course furry princess! You get a treat!".
"Nagi, you can't keep giving her treats. She's going to want one from you all the time,". Nagisa pulled out a few sticks of Yuna's treats from the resealable bag before he tucked it away. "But she's been such a good girl. She deserves all of the treats,". Yuna laid on her back, exposing her small belly to both of them. "She's so cute..I love her,"Yuto whispered, picking her up and cradling her in his arms.
Both of them always fell prey to their kitten's cuteness.
________________________
While sorting through their trash, Yuto had something to ask Nagisa. You see, he had asked his best friend Jaehwan to come over to see and play with Yuna. Jaehwan agreed but told Yuto to inform his partner first so that he wouldn't be unwanted company.
"Nagi,"Yuto began, peeling away his thin plastic gloves. "Yeah? What's wrong baby?"Nagisa asked, poking his head out from the laundry room. "I've invited my friend over to come and play with Yuna tomorrow. He can come right?". Nagisa laughed and went back to ironing his clothes. "Of course. He's your friend after all,". Yuto rolled up his gloves, throwing them in the pile of plastic recyclables before smiling to himself. He would tell Jaehwan that his company was welcomed and that he could bring his partner over. Nagisa was happy that Yuto's social life was improving. Yuto had a father figure he could lean on now. He was also getting along well with Satoushi. Now, he had a close friend that he could confide in too.
What a change compared to a year ago where Yuto could only manage to speak with Nagisa. He was slowly becoming more and more sociable and that made Nagisa happy. Of course, he still struggled with going into crowded spaces on his own but with enough help and time, he'd be able to trek to the market alone. These were all milestones that Nagisa wanted to celebrate with him. He was quite satisfied that Yuto was making a lot of progress and could only hope for more pleasant surprises to come in the future. He hung the button up shirt he had just finished ironing before peeping out of the laundry room again. Yuto had already finished sorting out a weeks worth of their garbage in an hour. 'He truly is amazing'.
Tying the trash bags up, Yuto labelled them with a designated tag before he hauled them outside. After he had washed his hands, he picked up his phone and rang Jaehwan up to tell him the good news. "Good evening, Ryu,"He greeted politely, as he picked out some dried anchovies and shrimp to put in a broth filter. "Good evening, Kirishima. So, what's the verdict?". Yuto just smiled to himself as he stuck plenty of big anchovies and shrimp into the broth filter. He would use the broth to make miso soup when it was done. "You can come over tomorrow,"He replied and Jaehwan squeaked on the other side of the phone. "Yay! That's great news!".
Setting the broth filter into a pot of boiling water, Yuto closed the pot with a lid before he continued talking. "Is there anything that you want to eat in particular? I'll make it for you,". Jaehwan chuckled and his partner whispered something to him before he could get back to Yuto. "There's no need for that. We're not very picky with food. Just make what you usually make,". "Okay,". Yuto was cutting up tofu into small cubes and Jaehwan could hear his knife skills from the other side of the phone. "Hm, I should probably allow you to for prep dinner in peace. I'll see you tomorrow, Kirishima,"He chirped and Yuto wished him goodbye before hanging up.
Emerging from the laundry room, Nagisa looked at all the ingredients piled on the kitchen counter. A big grin spread on his face and he hugged Yuto from behind. "Making my favourites? Baby, you're spoiling me at this rate~"He cooed, watching his partner work his magic with the kitchen knife. Yuto just smiled his small adorable smile and kept cutting away at the seaweed and green onions. "You worked so hard today, you deserve it. Go wash up first. Dinner should be ready by the time you've finished,". Nagisa pecked Yuto on the forehead before leaving the kitchen to get changed.
Pulling his shirt off, his back was completely drenched in sweat. He really did work his ass off today. Wiping down all the windows and fans as well as washing the bathtub and even mopping the floor. Yuto didn't want to let him do it at first, but Nagisa insisted that he had to do more in their household than just washing the dishes, ironing the clothes and changing the cat litter. Exhaustion clouded his mind yet that was barely 5% of what Yuto usually did around the house. He wondered how Yuto did it all the time. It really was hard labour on your body. 'No wonder he's absolutely beat all the time. Housework is hard. I think I just gained more respect for him by doing that'.
'I think it'd be nice for both of us to relax with a nice hot bath later'. He turned to the water heater that his father had helped him install last week while Yuto was over at Fujikawa's place to study. It was newer and definitely more convenient to use. He set a timer on it as well as the temperature before he clapped his hands in excitement like a seal in a circus. Yuto would be thrilled to know that there was a new water heater for their bathroom. "Time to get changed,"He muttered and wiped the sweat off his back with a dry towel. He looked to the kitchen and set out some fresh clothes for Yuto to change into after their bath.
He left the bedroom, making his way to the kitchen. Yuto had just finished cooking their last dish, taking it to the dining room. "Dinner's ready, Nagi. You can set the table now,". When both of them sat down to dinner, Nagisa slurped up his bowl of miso soup, the authentic taste making livening up his tastebuds. "This tastes heavenly! Your cooking is what keeps me going,". Yuto smiled and gestured to the dishes in front of them. "Eat up, Nagi. They're all your favourites. I'm pleased with the job you did today on the windows,". Nagisa beamed at the compliment. "I was a bit hesitant, since you've never done anything like that before. But, they've never looked cleaner,".
Nagisa extended his hand and pet Yuto on the head tenderly. "Well, it was easier for me since I'm much taller than you. But for someone as small as you, to have to drag that heavy ladder around and wipe down all the windows, it must have been difficult,". Yuto simpered and turned to the windows, his posture relaxed. "It strains my shoulders a lot but I get used to the pain after a few windows,". Nagisa shook his head, setting his empty soup bowl down. "No, from now on, I'm cleaning them. It's better if I do it,". Scooping the larger one of the chicken cutlets, Yuto put it into Nagisa's rice bowl before he responded. "But work is already tiring enough for you. I'll handle it,".
Biting into his crispy cutlet, Nagisa grinned as he continued talking. "It's just something that has to be done once every 6 months. You clean the house every week, baby. Give yourself a break,". Yuto giggled and dinner progressed peacefully. After Nagisa did the dishes, he lead Yuto to the bathroom and surprised him with a hot bath waiting and ready for them. "I got a new heater installed for our bathroom. I wanted it so I could draw a nice bath for you even when I get home late,". The bath was at the perfect temperature and Nagisa pulled off his shirt, excited. "What are you waiting for baby? Hop in,".
Shyly clutching at the hem of his hoodie, Yuto's face was crimson. Of course, it wasn't the first time that Nagisa had drawn a bath for him but, it was the first time they were taking a bath together. He discarded his hoodie onto the floor, his face beet red. Taking his clothes off, Nagisa gave him a nod of approval and held out his hand, helping Yuto into the bathtub. He sat in between Nagisa's muscular legs, letting the heat of the water relieve his aching back. He leaned against Nagisa's chest, letting out a sigh of contentment. "Thank you, Nagi. It feels nice to sit with you here,". Nagisa kissed him on the head, massaging his shoulders firmly. "You should loosen up, baby. Let the water wash away all the tension in your body. Relax...like that. There's a good boy,".
"Mew!".
They looked to the floor and saw that Yuna wanted to join them as well. "Princess! You can't! The Seven Seas is a dangerous place!"Nagisa gasped and sloshed the water around to simulate waves rising and crashing.
Yuna sat down and shot them her best puppy eyes, curling her tail around her body. Nagisa gave in and reached for her. He lowered her into Yuto's arms and she relaxed in the water, her paws moving about gracefully as if she were really swimming. "Oh look! Your paws are moving about! You're quite a natural at swimming, aren't you? You take after me,"Nagisa exclaimed, pleased. He took both Yuto and Yuna into his arms, chuffed as he looked at them like they were the sole reason he is who he is today. He pecked Yuto on the head, satisfied. He noticed Yuto smiling that good old small smile of his and his heart melted, cuddling him while they bathed in warm water. Even being around him felt pleasant.
That surprise really made Yuto's night. And after spending their entire day on housework, both of them could finally take it easy. Before going to bed, Nagisa watched an episode of the webdrama he'd been following with Yuto. His partner had never really caught up with any shows before so it was a treat for him. Wrapped under a soft layer of blankets, in Nagisa's arms while he watched an episode of that lovely webdrama, Yuto just felt so safe and calm. 'Nagi really kept his promise from last time. Even after getting us a little angel to love, he continued to put effort into understanding me'. Yuna had been curled up on Yuto's chest, fast asleep.
"Nagi, I'm getting sleepy,"He murmured, pulling Yuna and Chitose into his arms and Nagisa sat up. "Shall I switch the lights off for you?". Yuto shook his head and huddled into Nagisa's arms, yawning. "No, but I'd like to cuddle please,". Nagisa gave into his requests and continued watching his webdrama with the volume lowered. "Please tell me what happens in the morning,"He yawned and that made Nagisa chuckle, his arms coiling themselves around his waist. He planted a kiss on Yuto's forehead and Yuna mewed sleepily, demanding for a kiss as well. "I will, darling. Both of you are always undeniably adorable to me~"He cooed, pecking Yuna on the head as well before she sank back into Yuto's arms. "Good night, Nagi,"Yuto whispered and his older partner just smooched him on the forehead once more. "Get some rest baby. Your friend is coming over tomorrow,".
Closing his eyes, Yuto felt calm yet there was a lilt of excitement building up in him. Because tomorrow would be the first time he'd ever had a friend over.
________________________
"Would you prefer it if I left the house? Both of you need your space," Nagisa asked, about to take his coat from the coat rack. Yuto shook his head, pulling on the sleeve of Nagisa's shirt. "No, please stay with me. I want you to meet him too,". Nagisa pecked him on the forehead and nodded. "Okay then. Is there anything you want me to pick up at the market? I'll do it for you,". Yuto shook his head once more, nuzzling into his gentle embrace. "No, I don't have anything I need at the moment,".
*Ding dong*
From the peephole, Nagisa could see that Yuto's friend had arrived. Not just that though, but he had also brought a beautifully decorated basket of assorted goodies. How sweet of him. Yuto opened the door and greeted him. "Good morning, Ryu,". Jaehwan reciprocated the greeting before he slipped off his shoes and motioned to someone who was hiding in the car. "Ah, my partner didn't feel like interrupting us,". Nagisa shook his head, smiling. "Nah, not at all. Tell them to come in,".
While Nagisa left to invite Jaehwan's partner into their home, Jaehwan was rummaging his bag for a file. "There you go. While you were away from school for being ill, I collected and took notes for you. Professor said that he'll make the paper much easier to accommodate you since you've had to miss so many classes,". Yuto gaped at all the notes. He pulled them out and sure enough, they had Jaehwan's neat and small handwriting. He didn't expect Jaehwan to do something as kind as that for him. "Thank you, Ryu,"He beamed, his small smile creeping onto his lips. "I'm glad you've recovered well,"Jaehwan chuckled, putting the basket of assorted fruits and snacks down.
Small pitter-patter of feet interrupted them and Jaehwan turned to the small, fluffy figure; Yuna! She cowered behind Yuto's legs and sneaked a look at Jaehwan's face. "Yuna, he's my friend. He's a good person,"Yuto smiled, picking her up. Yuna meowed at her owner and glanced at Jaehwan again, her ears twitching. Jaehwan slowly approached her, extending his palm to her nose. She sniffed, her pink nose familiarising herself with his scent before she licked his hand, almost as if he was her kitten. Jaehwan was delighted that Yuna had grown to trust him so quickly and pet her behind her ears. "She's a darling. Look at how friendly she is,".
The smaller of the two turned to the door and noticed Nagisa taking his shoes off, a man about his age following him. "Yuto, you never told me that his partner is my colleague,"He laughed, arranging their shoes on the rack. "I never knew that. That's nice to know,". Yuto shifted Yuna in his arms and bowed to greet Jaehwan's partner. "Good morning. I'm Kirishima Yuto. It's nice to meet you,". Aki smiled sheepishly and bowed as well. "Good morning to you too, Kirishima-kun. I'm Nakanishii Aki. I work part-time as a coach at Keisetsu Academy and I often see your partner around since he's my sister's homeroom teacher,". Yuto nodded, listening to him intently. "I see. I suppose you also attend our university?". Aki chirruped in response and everything finally came around full circle.
"Mew!". Yuna meowed to Jaehwan and tried to catch his feet as he walked. "She wants to play with you,"Nagisa chuckled and Jaehwan crouched on the floor. "You want to play with me? What kind of game do you want to play?". "Meow!". Yuna ran to her toy box in the corner of the room and began pawing at her favourite toy. "What's that? You wanna play with the teaser?"Yuto giggled and she looked at them adamantly, mewing. Jaehwan picked up the black rod with a fluffy mouse at the end of the stick. "Do I just dangle it in front of her?". Yuto nodded and Jaehwan did as he was instructed. The lot burst into fits of laughter while they watched Yuna try to catch the mouse and Aki even had a go with the teaser himself. Yuna knew her charms and used them effectively, even falling down dramatically on purpose so that she'd be pet and fawned over before playing again.
After playing with Yuna, Yuto sat them down to a healthy yet scrumptious lunch of a tri-coloured soboro rice bowl and some hot green tea. Salty, tender bits of panfried pork that had been coated generously in shoyu, cool and crunchy cubes of cucumber and delectable soft eggs on a bed of fluffy rice was enough to make anyone's tongue dance. "Wow! Your cooking is seriously out of this world!"Aki exclaimed when he took a bite, his eyes glimmering like they held the entire galaxy inside them. "I can't even cook as well as him,"Jaehwan admitted, agreeing with him. "Staff members are usually quite jealous of Shinji-san because he brings a well cooked and prepared bento box with side dishes and they're stuck with riceballs from the konbini,"Aki began after swallowing his bite of the mixed rice.
"He treats his bento like they're his treasures though. For good reason of course,"He chuckled, before looking to the ring on Nagisa's left ring finger. "I always thought he was married because of that ring. And whenever he's in a hurry to go home, he'll announce that he needs to rush home to his wife. In short, everyone's jealous of him for having such a perfect life,". Yuto's cheeks and ears felt as if they had burst into flames. A shade of crimson innocently painted his face. What? Nagisa blushed as well, holding Yuto's hand under the table, their fingers intertwined. Yuto's heart was beating a hundred miles a minute.
Sure, he had expected nothing less from this hopeless romantic who functions on half a braincell. But to hear all this from someone else? He felt warm on the inside. He knew that Nagisa was so madly in love with him, he'd travel to all ends of the earth if it meant seeing him. But he wasn't aware of the fact that he was quite literally Nagisa's whole world. That kind of validation, that kind of reassurance, meant everything to him. "Well, it's not wrong to call him my wife, isn't it? He's the only one I have eyes for,"Nagisa winked at the other pair, letting Yuto hide his face in his chest. "Plus, it's good that the staff think I'm married. Keeps their noses out of my business and my private life,".
Both Aki and Jaehwan laughed politely and lunch proceeded smoothly. Aki talked with Nagisa at the dining table while Yuto and Jaehwan sat in the living area, chatting to themselves, Yuna snug in her owner's lap. "Ryu, are you okay? What's bothering you? When you called me the other night, you just seemed to be masking your sadness with a happy voice,"Yuto asked carefully, looking into Jaehwan's hazel eyes. "Ah, that,"Jaehwan smiled and the twinkle in his eyes disappeared instantly. "Someone I loved hurt me, tossed me aside and deceived me. Not Aki of course,".
"It may not be my business to ask, but is it the older man you've been telling me about?".
Jaehwan just nodded through teary eyes and wiped at his tears with the sleeve of his sweater. "It's okay though, I've been trying to cope with the pain for the past few days now. But it still hurts to think about it,". Yuto plucked a few tissues from the tissue box and handed them to Jaehwan, hugging him. "It's totally normal and okay for you to feel like that. Don't try to surpress your feelings, Ryu. The faster you let it all out, the less you have left to cry about,". Jaehwan sniffled and took Yuto's skinny shoulders into his equally bony arms. "Thank you, Kirishima. I'll try,". Yuto nodded and pat Jaehwan's back softly. "If it helps, we can go shopping in a few days. It'll help you relax and take your mind off things,". Jaehwan nodded in response and kept hugging him tightly. "That'd be lovely, Kirishima. Thank you,".
Whisking away all of his sadness, Yuto and Yuna comforted Jaehwan with a hug. After all, what are friends for?
☆___________________________☆
"Well, that was certainly a discovery, wasn't it?"Nagisa laughed as he washed the dishes. "Who would have known that his partner was my very own colleague?". Yuto chuckled quietly and was about to reply when the jingle of his ringtone cut him off. He answered the phone and Fujikawa's gravelly voice greeted him cheerily.
"Kirishima-kun? Remember that restaurant I showed you when you were over at my house a few days ago? I managed to get us a table!".
"Thank you, Fujikawa-san,".
"Well, I thought I'd ask your boyfriend to come along with us. I didn't really get the best first impression of him. I want to give him a chance to introduce himself properly to me. What do you say?".
Yuto turned to Nagi, happy that Fujikawa was asking to bring him along. "Nagi, my father asks if you'll be a dear and join us for dinner tonight". "Eh? I don't want to be a wedge in between your father-son relationship,". "What kind of nonsense are you spewing? Of course I want to meet my future son-in-law properly!"Fujikawa laughed, slapping his thighs so loudly, you could hear it from the other side of the phone. "I guess it can't hurt. I'll accept the invitation, Fujikawa-chichi,"He chuckled politely and heard Fujikawa's "mhm" of approval. That would have concluded the call but Yuto had another plan.
"Fujikawa-san, how large is the table for tonight?".
"Hm? Big enough for four people. Your grandmother decided to back out of the dinner since she wanted to go and have a round of sake with her friends,".
"In that case.....could my father-in-law tag along too?".
That stunned Nagisa. He wanted to ask Satoushi to join them? His busy bee of a father-in-law? Why his schedule was so packed it was probably the reason he and Kaoru stopped having any more children!
"If he agrees to, of course! The more the merrier,".
Innocently calling Satoushi and telling him about their plans, why, he was absolutely gobsmacked and quite literally dropped everything he had planned that evening. He was all smiles to think that he'd get to meet Yuto's adoptive father as well as spend time with his future son-in-law and his son.
Of course, when they got to the restaurant they saw Satoushi waiting for them at the entrance, dressed up in his favourite coat and tie. He wasn't usually one to show affection physically but he hugged Yuto the minute he saw him and thanked him for the invitation.
Anyone could tell that Yuto had gained the approval of his father-in-law. It wasn't very like Satoushi to put off any meetings to spend time with his family. Yet, he did it in a heartbeat for him. In his mind, a business meeting or two could wait but the memories of him spending time with them would be irreplaceable to Yuto.
Just for that night, Shinji Satoushi, who was usually known as a busy bee, working until the wee hours of the night, put his busy schedule aside to become an understanding and sweet father-in-law to a boy who'd never had one before.