Chapter Text
Summer drifts through the air, accompanied by the distinct scent of the sea. Heat billows from the sidewalk and Shouta readjusts both his hat and sunglasses. They’re going to need to reapply sunscreen, he idly notes. Last thing any of them wanted is to deal with sunburn. Hitoshi would be insufferable--but he'd definitely put up a fight when Shouta pulled out the bottle.
Hizashi entwines their fingers together as Hitoshi skips ahead of them, eagerly consuming the snow cone melting in his hands and wanting to make it last.
Shouta snorts aloud at the utter mess on Hitoshi’s fae and hair. Purple stained shaved ice is smeared along the lower part of Hitoshi’s face, dripping onto his fingers. Hizashi coos, snapping nearly a bajillion photos while the Little is distracted with the snow cone.
A good thing, too, as Hitoshi despised being photographed.
“Don’t walk too far, Hitoshi,” Shouta warns as they slow to a shady area. “And don’t run while you eat, either.”
Hitoshi pouts at the instructions, the little brat, but nods with a chirpy, “Okay~!”
It seems his icy treat has eased his previous behavior. It wasn’t bad behavior, per se, but the little brat seemed to make it his mission to cause as much mischief on their trip before Shouta decides enough is enough and curtails it.
“He’s such a sweet boy,” says Hizashi.
Shouta rolls his eyes, though no one can deny it’s not fond. “He’s a brat.”
“I mean, absolutely,” Hizashi snorts. “But he’s still sweet.”
“He is.” Shouta takes a bite out of his own cone, and snickers at the way Hizashi shudders. “What? You don’t like how I eat my snow cone?”
“You shouldn’t take a bite out of it like it’s a burger, Shouta!” Hizashi sounds – and looks – so scandalized, Shouta couldn’t help but take another chunk out of his treat. Hizashi squawks. “Hitoshi~! Come save me from your Daddy’s horrible eating habits!”
Hitoshi looks up from where he’s been inspecting a – snail (?) crawl across the sidewalk, blinking slow. There’s a piece of snow cone on his nose. Shouta inwardly grimaces at the thought of cleaning him up later. “Huh?”
“Your Daddy is committing a crime against snow cones, Hitoshi,” Hizashi informs the Little in a solemn tone. “Look at how he eats it!”
Hitoshi stares at Shouta, who smiles and gives a demonstration—and then laughs at the utter disgust and incredulity of Hitoshi’s expression.