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How was it possible that three generations of Echizens all looked exactly the same?
Kazuya looked down to the child in his arms, up to the man sitting beside him, then back to the child. It was the eyes they all had in common. Ryouga’s were a slightly darker shade than his brother’s, but Ryouga, Ryouma, Nanjirou, and now Ryouma’s son all had the same exact eye shape.
If the world was lucky, this one would at least have a better personality.
“Man… hard to believe I’m an uncle.” Of course Ryouga had plenty of time to process this fact, it wasn’t like Ryouma’s wife had just suddenly popped out a baby this morning with no forewarning. He tacked on, “Uncle Kazuya has a nice ring to it.”
Wait. No. They had been on like… two dates, there was no “Uncle Kazuya” happening in this relationship. Kazuya took a deep breath to center himself as was so often necessary with Echizen Ryouga and replied softly, “I believe we would need to be married for him to be my nephew.”
Ryouga looked at him oddly, then laughed. “No, Kazuya…” Whatever he was saying was lost to laughter and he put his hand on Kazuya’s shoulder to steady himself. Now Kazuya was starting to wonder if maybe this was something that had a different meaning in English than in Japanese? He was still trying to get used to life in New York and the unique English spoken there.
“No, uncle is like… something you call your friends when you have a kid. You know, like how that stern guy with classes is going to be ‘Uncle Kunimitsu’ or…”
That stern guy with glasses is a grand slam champion, Kazuya thought with annoyance closing his eyes. He was less annoyed that Ryouga had apparently abandoned the prospect of taking tennis seriously (also something that seemed to run in the Echizen family) and more annoyed that he was so quick to jump to the conclusion that Ryouga was suggesting their two dates meant that they had a deeper relationship. Of course he didn’t think that.
He opened his eyes to look at the tiny life in his arms - a tiny life full of infinite potential. It reminded him of the first time that he laid eyes on Echizen Ryouma - also a boy full of infinite potential.
“What’s that face, Kazuya? You look so intense.” Ryouga put his finger in one of the baby’s hands - small, chubby fingers wrapped around his finger as intently as a newborn could.
Maybe it had only been two dates, but Kazuya was sure that he had found his way into the right family. Ryouma who he had seen as both a protégé and a rival. Nanjirou who had so long ago paved the way for Japanese tennis on the world stage. This little one who had infinite potential.
And somewhere in there was the vagabond that was Echizen Ryouga. Someone he never quite understood, but was willing to keep trying.