Chapter Text
"So, where should I begin?"
"Po already told us how you met at the coffee shop where he worked as a barista, and then about the semester break. So now- the kiss?"
Sky lifts his head to meet his daughter's gaze, her eyes wide and her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. He raises an eyebrow and turns to his husband.
"You didn't tell them the whole story?" he asks, and Nani tilts his head in confusion.
"I told them everything from the beginning. What you're talking about?"
Sky leans back in his chair, his teenagers leaning forward in response. "So, here's the thing…"
♡
Sky had been searching for this place for months, maybe even close to a year. Ever since his first year of university, ever since that night. And here he was, finally.
To be honest, he found the address two weeks ago, but he never worked up the courage to go in. He always felt like he wasn’t presentable enough, or maybe it was just his excitement holding him back. But today, he was going to do it.
He took one deep breath, then another just to be safe, and pushed the handle.
The door opened and he stepped inside. The sweet smell of pastries and slow music enveloped him. He quickly scanned the cafe, noting that it was relatively empty for this early in the morning.
There were only a few students drinking coffee, one who had ordered a salad, and-
Bingo.
There he was.
The reason he came in the first place, the reason his heart was pounding so fast in his chest right now. The person who had been on his mind for all these months, who had managed to get Sky interested for the very first time.
Sky wiped his hands on his shirt, ran a hand through his hair, hoping he hadn't messed it up even more, and began walking toward the counter.
The barista suddenly turned to him, a wide smile on his face. "Good morning!" he said, "What can I get for you?"
Sky froze in place. For one annoying, tiny moment he thought about turning around, running out of the cafe, and never coming back.
He had thought about this moment so many times, imagined it dozens of times in his head, but nothing could have prepared him for the radiant smile that was aimed directly at him, without him even having said a word.
The same smile he saw that night…
The student night for the start of the year was going to be a disaster at best and boring to death at worst. Sky leaned against the wall of the club, exhausted even though the event was only starting in 20 minutes.
To be honest, he didn't even know why he was there. Maybe it was an opportunity to meet new students, sure.
Or maybe it was because he lost a game of rock-paper-scissors that determined which students were going to help the student council organize the event, pretty sure.
Damn him and his bad luck.
After they arranged the club, checked the sound, and talked to the managers of the place- the event began.
Students from all over the university, people Sky had only met on campus and people he hadn't seen at all- began to trickle in in droves. The music was turned on, the bartenders uncorked the wine bottles, and the back-to-school party began.
Much to Sky's introverted dismay.
He stayed nearby, sipping a can of beer while he waited for a few friends to arrive. He sat on one of the bar stools, as far away from the center of the room as possible. There, drunk people danced to loud pop music which personally gave him a headache.
There were many like him who preferred the quiet that the bar offered, so even if his initial desire was to be alone, he couldn’t really do that. He was squeezed between a student in a denim skirt and a punk who was busy on his phone.
Sky sighed, this was going to be a long and annoying night.
He took another careful sip from his cup and glanced to the left, only to find a pair of big, brown eyes staring back at him.
Sky didn't move for a moment, and then the punk with the long, black hair looked away and went back to his phone.
His throat suddenly dried up, and he took another gulp from the cup, which suddenly felt too heavy in his hand.
He still couldn't tear his eyes away from the person sitting to his left, something in him wasn't able to.
They sat close on the bar stools, thigh to thigh. Shoulder to shoulder. And when they made eye contact? Their heads were almost touching.
That wasn't what was on Sky's mind, anyway. Not at that moment. What he thought about was how the man in front of him... was interesting. Yes, that would be the right word.
He wore a black leather jacket and an indifferent expression, with his hair falling over his face.
But there was something in his eyes that didn't match his entire attitude. Because, well, his face was pleasant. His eyes were soft. and sparkling.
And generally, he didn't sit with an exaggerated spread of limbs as the other punks Sky had met usually did.
There was something so modest about his posture, his back straight but his limbs close together as if he didn't want to disturb, didn't want to take up too much space.
It did something painful to Sky’s heart.
And something much stranger to his mind- because ever since that moment, the man hadn’t left his thoughts.
The months felt longer and longer, the days stretching into infinity. And during all that time, he didn't see that guy again.
Until one day he walked into the campus coffee shop,as he promised to buy coffee for a friend.
And there he was. Behind the counter, his hair pulled back, his face always smiling at customers.
Sky walked out of the coffee shop immediately, the coffee for his friend forgotten. His heart was pounding like crazy and he didn’t even understand why.
And then, a few weeks later, he finally worked up the courage and went in.
Sky cleared his throat, trying to sound as nonchalant and calm as possible. "Good morning," he replied to the barista.
"maybe you've got a fruit shake?"
♡
''So, Pa was the one who fell first?!'' Neona's eyes widen.
Smyle stirs his soup, frowning. ''I don't think so,'' he said. ''Papa might have met Po first, but he was only interested in him, not in love…''
Neona turns to her brother, her gaze fixed on him combatively.
''Papa. Fell. in. love. With. Po. First.'' she says threateningly, emphasizing every single syllable.
Smyle rolls his eyes. ''Wrong, Po fell in love first. Love isn't something you just understand out of nowhere."
Neona opens her mouth to say something else, but Sky cuts her off. ''I can't exactly pinpoint when I fell in love with your father, all i know is that i love him now and that's enough.''
He sends a small smile to Nani, who almost chokes on his soup. Sky chuckles.
''I think I knew I loved you pretty early on,'' Nani said in a thoughtful tone. ''But I never really had the courage to confess, you know?'' he says, shy.
Smyle and Neona were silent, watching in awe as their two fathers shared knowing looks.
Sky went back to eating in silence, but added something a few minutes later. ''I had never been in love or in a relationship before you, I realized I wanted you by my side, every minute of every day, every moment til’ the end of my life, only when you said you loved me.''
Smyle jumps out of his chair, the fork in his hand in a triumphant gesture. ''I was right!'' he yells, ''Po fell in love first!!''
Neona also stands in her place. ''No, you weren't,'' she takes a step forward, ''you weren't,'' she says again.
And then the two of them started to play tag all over the house, Smyle still holding the fork as Neona chased him.
Nani looked at his children and began to laugh, a gentle and sweet sound that made Sky laugh too, unable to stop himself.
Suddenly, Neona stops in her place. Her brother immediately stops after her when he realizes the threat has passed.
She stares at nothing for a moment, crinkling her forehead like a person who has forgotten something important.
She walks back toward the dining table, her hands on her hips.
"Wait a second..." she says, Smyle panting behind her.
"You still haven't told us about the kiss".