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“Tou-chan is coming home~ Tou-chan is coming home today~” Ushijima Himeko hums to herself as she straightens out her favourite dress and readying herself for a routine trip to the grocery store with her papa for their dinner ingredients. They were going to make something special tonight to celebrate her father's coming home!
She picks out a hair tie—a pale goldenrod to match the little blossoms on her dress—before gathering up a small bit of hair to the side of her head and neatly tying it in a bow. She makes sure that the hair tie is extra tight so that her hair doesn't come loose on their trip. She checks herself one last time in the mirror before bounding out of her room in search of her papa.
“Papa! I’m ready!” She calls before entering her parents’ bedroom. Her papa stands in front of his own mirror, brushing out his blond hair and making a face at a clump that just wouldn't stay down. “Papa! Look! I tied my hair all by myself.” She eagerly points at the tuft of hair sticking out, grabbing at his shirt.
“I can see that. What a good girl.” He coos, patting the top of her head lightly, careful to not disturb her hard work. “Wanna go grab the shopping bags?”
“Okay!” Himeko wastes no time and darts out of the bedroom and straight into the kitchen, where their shopping bags laid neatly folded and tied on the counter.
After one last once over in the hallway they take their leave. Himeko excitedly chattering away about snacks she wanted from the store as the keys jingled in the lock.
They stop at a local café halfway between their home and the supermarket. Tucked away behind a busy street and beside a little bookstore. It was a favourite spot for her and her papa, they often ate there at least once a month when they were out and about doing errands. “Let's have lunch here.” He suggests, already holding the door open. She quickly scuttles in and greets the waiting hostess.
°°°
“Do you want dessert?” Her papa asks, when the plates are cleared away—already flipping through the little dessert menu in hand. Himeko nods eagerly.
He turns to address their waitress, smiling as he handed back the menu, “We'll share a slice of cake then. Thank you.”
It doesn't take long before their waitress returns moments later with a slice of sponge cake, piled high with whipped cream, topped with berries and shaved dark chocolate. Himeko patiently waits for the nice waitress to hand her a fork and leave before digging in with the excitement only a child was capable of.
The cake is delicious, she thinks, but not nearly as tasty as the one uncle Tendou makes when he comes to visit. She likes his homemade ones best. Right after papa's that is.
With the bill paid and their bellies full they continue on their trip. Himeko grasps her papa’s hand tightly as they weave through the afternoon weekend crowd. She doesn't want to get lost again. Her parents had been worried sick when she wandered away from uncle Hayato that one time, and he had also gotten an earful from papa after they found her.
The supermarket is quiet when they arrive, it isn't the usual bustle since it was early enough to avoid the evening crowd right before dinner. Himeko helpfully snatches up a basket as they enter, insisting on carrying it as they milled around the aisles—or at least until her arms grew tired from the increasing weight.
Her papa shows her how to pick out the best fruits and vegetables, checking their firmness with gentle fingers before making selections. She helps him fill their basket with the essentials for dinner—they’re making her father's favourites—checking off their little list as they go.
Once all the necessities are accounted for her papa let’s her pick out a few snacks and sweets as a reward. She makes sure to grab a box of strawberry Pocky (it was hers and papa's favourite flavour) on the way to the check out counter.
On their way back home, arms full of bags overflowing with fresh vegetables and assorted other purchases a particular little shop catches Himeko's eyes. They’d passed it a dozen times before but that day there was something especially alluring calling her. She tugs hard at her papa’s sleeve, halting him in his tracks and dragging him over to the window display. Rows of simple paper boxes filled with beautifully crafted wagashi sit on display, drawing in passerby’s with their delicate charm.
All it takes is a single pleading look met with an amused raised brow and they enter.
They leave the shop with a modest box, nine elegantly handmade sweets resting inside, waiting to be shared as a special treat over tea when her father was home.
°°°
“I’m home.” Comes a familiar baritone from the direction of their door.
“Tou-chan is home!” Himeko shrieks, quickly hopping off her stool, dashing straight toward the entrance and into her father’s waiting arms, “Welcome home Tou-chan!”
He swoops her off her feet with a low rumble of laughter, his strong arms easily lifting her and twirling her around before pressing a kiss to her crown and letting her down. He allows himself to be tugged farther into their home, his bags still sitting neatly at the door.
“Papa! Tou-chan is home!” she announces excitedly as they enter the kitchen.
“I can see that,” Semi chuckles, “Welcome home, darling.” He teasingly murmurs as his husband leans in for a quick kiss.
“I’m glad to be home.” Ushijima whispers against his lips, pressing another—longer—kiss to them before turning back to their daughter. “I’m going to put my things away and be right back.”
“I’ll help!” Himeko declares, eagerly following him out of the kitchen, right on his heels and leaving Semi to finish the rest of the cooking.
Dinner is wonderful. Himeko regales her father in stories from school, she talks about the friends she’s made and all the fun activities she’s tried since he’s been gone. He was especially curious about her stories about PE class and she had plenty to share. They trade stories back and forth, about all the little and big things that couldn’t be squeezed into the already too short weekly video calls or quick texts during the weekdays. The dinner table had never felt more full.
After dinner and a bath their little family gathers in front of the TV, watching Uncle Tendou's program as they sipped at hot tea and nibbled on the pretty little wagashi Himeko had picked out all by herself.
Sweets really were tastier when shared.
°°°
“She's missed you.” Semi whispers, a fond smile on his lips as he watched Ushijima tuck in their rambunctious child. Finally worn down from all her excitement and tuckered out enough to fall asleep as soon as her precious little head hit the pillow.
Ushijima finishes pulling the comforter up snugly under her chin before dropping a feather light kiss to her forehead. His features soft and loving, “I can tell.” He whispers backs as they flick off the lights, closing the door behind them, and making their way to their own bedroom.
Once back in the familiar confines of their room Ushijima wastes no time in wrapping his arms around Semi, pulling the blonde in close for a soft and slow kiss.
They part just as slowly, unwilling to relinquish the sweet taste of one another after too much time apart. Semi smiles against his lips as he leans in for another, less chaste kiss. Ushijima happily obliges him.
“I’ve missed you too.” Semi murmurs against him.
“I’ve missed you as well.” Ushijima whispers back, pressing another kiss against Semi’s lips before nuzzling into his hair. He takes in the familiar scent of jasmine and spice from the shampoo Semi had been using for years intermixed with his own subtle scent. He was finally home.
Semi makes a content almost purring noise, pressing himself impossibly closer and basking in the warmth and familiarity of his husband's embrace. “Mm, is there anything in particular you want to do tomorrow?”
“Mmm.” The little noise of acknowledgment is all Semi gets in return, Ushijima busily savoring their long-awaited contact, his hands splaying on Semi’s back, content to just feel his husband again.
Stifling a laugh Semi runs his fingers through neatly combed hair, twirling little olive locks around his index, “That's not at all an answer Wakatoshi.”
Ushijima grunts this time, not even bothering so much as to spare Semi a glance, continuing his indulgence of simply having him in his arms, deft fingers tracing nonsensical shapes on his back.
“Alright, I guess we'll save this conversation for later.” Semi concedes, attempting to pry his husband's arms from around his waist—a difficult task that he was well accustomed to after nearly a decade. “C'mon, let’s change and get ready for bed.”
After another long second Ushijima begrudgingly relents and allows himself to be peeled away, though not before ducking down for another kiss. Receiving a playful swat on the arm and a ‘oh, so now you listen to me.’ from Semi.
Falling into each other’s arms had always been as easy and natural as breathing. Curling up under their blankets and listening to one another’s light breaths and steady heartbeats, basking in the simple pleasure of just being. Ushijima clutches Semi close, arms tightly wound around his body, trapping him against his chest. As if Semi would ever want to leave such a delightful warmth in the first place. Semi pressed feather light kisses along his husband's jawline, huffing out little laughs whenever Ushijima’s nose scrunched up when he got too close to a sensitive spot.
Sometimes in moments like these they exchanged hushed whispers, filling the little air between them with nothing and everything all at once. But tonight was a different kind of moment, a rarer kind, one of just laying together, bodies intertwined, slotting together like two pieces of a puzzle, heartbeats syncing and breaths mingling as they relearned what it meant to be whole again.
While it was difficult adjusting to having a husband away more often than usual, it was days like these, with their little family of three, reunited, enjoying themselves over the mundane of a daily routine does Semi think he is the luckiest man in the world.