Chapter Text
Keiji wraps his arms tighter around the small bundle huddled beneath his chin. It’s so dark he can’t even see his nose in front of him. The space is cramped, but Keiji knows it’s too late to hide somewhere else. He tries to keep his breath steady and quiet as well as keep the small child he has from wriggling around too much. Keiji is worried their scents will lead the enemy straight to them if he doesn’t calm down soon. He releases some calming pheromones for his baby boy. “Mama… do you think he’s gone?” the child mumbles into his mother’s neck. Keiji buries his nose into his pup’s soft curls, “I’m not sure. Just keep still a little longer.” They sit in silence for what feels like hours but could only be a few seconds when the sound of an opening door breaks the deathly still air. The tension swells as heavy footsteps slowly make their way around the room. Keiji can smell the alpha pheromones dripping with resolve, determined to find and catch its prey. The boy gasps as the scent gets closer. Keiji quickly puts a hand over the boy’s mouth, afraid they’ll be found. The footsteps abruptly stop and Keiji can hear the alpha shift in their direction. Keiji is overwhelmed with fear and tightly shuts his eyes in hopes that the alpha will move along. Suddenly, Keiji opens his eyes and can no longer sense the alpha’s presence nor detect any pheromones.
“I think he’s––”
“RAAWWRRRR!!!”
“AAAHHHHHH!!!!”
Keiji doesn’t think he’s ever screamed so loud in his life. The pup in his arms is screaming as well. Koutaro is holding the doors of the kitchen cabinet they were hiding in wide open. Koutaro is laughing so hard he has his arms wrapped around his sides, his upper body towering over Keiji and his pup.
“Koutaro! You scared me!”
“I know! That’s– that’s kind of the point!” Koutaro can barely breathe, he's laughing so hard and his eyes are tearing up.
“Daddy you found us!” The pup is smiling up at his father holding his tiny hands out, all fear forgotten.
“Of course I did. I will always find you no matter where you are.” Koutaro grabs his omega and pup and heaves them out of the tight cabinet. “I couldn’t leave your mother to cramp up in that tiny cabinet you call a hiding spot.”
“Well it still took you long enough,” Keiji says as he stretches out his arms and legs. He hears a knee pop and lets out a groan. Maybe next time he should pick the hiding spot.
“Well I did have to search an entire castle, and it only took me five minutes this time.” Koutaro lifts his child into the air. “What do you think Koji? Is that enough hide and seek for today?”
“Ummm,” Before Koji could deliver the final verdict he’s interrupted by a yawn.
“Now, now, no more playtime. You sir need a nap.” Keiji takes Koji from his mate’s arms and starts heading toward the stairs leading to the second floor.
“But mama I’m not tired!” Koji pouts and looks like an exact replica of a certain owl-haired alpha. “Yes, you are. I’m your mother, I know everything.” Koutaro follows his mate and smiles at the two loves of his life. “Koji, you need to save your energy for dinner tonight. We’re expecting visitors remember?” Koji’s eyes widen and nods his head at his father.
“Okay daddy, but only because I want to go to sleep.” Koji makes a determined face. Keiji lets out a puff of breath through his nose in a laugh at his son’s antics. “Atta boy” Koutaro smiles and ruffles Koji’s hair.
Once they reach Koji’s room, they find Shirofuku and Suzumeda inside organizing the young prince’s clothes.
“Good afternoon your majesties.” The two ladies bow politely.
“What’s with the formalities ladies?” Koutaro laughs and motions for them to stand.
“Oh you know we don’t mind, it’s only proper,” Suzumeda says as she resumes folding the tiny garments.
“Hi, Yuyu!! Hi Riri!!” Koji shouts at his two nursemaids.
“Hi, Koko!” The two girls laugh and hold their arms out toward the little prince.
Keiji lets Koji down so the pup can run up to them and hug them.
“Is it nap time already?” Shirofuku asks as she begins to look for a pair of pajamas for the prince.
“Yes! So I can have lots of energy for dinner!” Koji plants his little fists on his hips and beams at his audience.
“But Koji you always have so much energy, you could probably go a whole day without a nap.” Shirofuku sends a sly look towards Keiji. Keiji narrows his eyes at Shirofuku knowing her scheming ways.
“But Yuyu, mama says I need to take a nap because he knows everything!”
“Of course I do my love. I would never lie to you. Yuyu doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
Keiji smirks at Shirofuku and playfully stage-whispers to Koji, “why else do you think she looks so sleepy all the time?”
Koutaro and Suzumeda begin to laugh while Shirofuku gasps with a hand on her chest pretending to be offended. Koji makes a face like he suddenly understands now.
“Mama’s right Yuyu you should take a nap with me” Koji waddles over to his bed and pats the empty space. Which is not much since half the bed is covered with different stuffed animals that the prince collects from his travels with his parents.
“Maybe next time Koko. For now, I think we’ll let you get some sleep.” Shirofuku and Suzumeda excuse themselves to allow the royal family some privacy.
Koji uses his step stool beside his bed to climb onto the huge mattress. “Daddy you’ll wake me up before dinner right?”
“Of course! You are the guest of honor after all. Can’t celebrate your 4th birthday without you now.” Koutaro runs a hand through his son’s soft hair. Koji is the spitting image of his father. It warms Keiji’s heart to see so much of his mate in Koji. Koji, however, can be very soft-spoken at times, and shy towards new people but once he gets to know someone he loves them with all his heart.
“You’re becoming such a big boy Koji. I’m so proud of you. But you’ll always be my little prince.” Keiji rubs noses with his pup as he tucks the blankets around Koji’s form.
“One day I’ll be big like daddy right?”
“Yes, already just as handsome as he is. Maybe a little more.” Keiji whispers the last part and winks at Koji.
Koutaro gasps in mock offense at Keiji’s little jab, leaving Koji in giggles.
“One day I’ll be big just like daddy and I can help take care of mama and—“ Koji pauses and a look of distress appears on the pups face. “Oh no, you’ll still tuck me in when I’m big right?” Koji looks at his parents with worry and the couple can’t help but be amused at their son.
“Koji, we will always tuck you in at night no matter what” keiji reassures the pup.
“And you and daddy will always be there when I wake up?”
Koutaro holds his son's tiny hand, lays a kiss on Koji's palm and holds it against his cheek.
“Koji, sweetheart, I want you to know that nothing could stop me from always being here for you. From the moment you wake up til the moment you fall asleep. Because it’s my job to protect you and your mama, I would never leave you alone. Okay?”
Koji nods his head with wide eyes. “Okay daddy”
“We love you so much Koji. You can’t believe how much we do.”
“I love you too mama. And I love you daddy.”
“I love you Koji. Now get some sleep”
“Yes. You need a nap or you’ll never last through your birthday dinner.”
Before Koji can protest, a yawn escapes him. “Okay. I can’t wait for cake and presents.”
Keiji and Koutaro smile at each other as their pup falls asleep, cuddling his crocheted fox plushie. Once they’ve left the room and assigned a guard to keep watch outside the door, Keiji leans into his husband as they walk hand in hand back to the ballroom to oversee the preparations for Koji’s birthday dinner.
Keiji is known for being the overthinker between the two of them. However, Koutaro is being unusually quiet at the moment.
“What’s on your mind, my love?”
Koutaro simply beams at Keiji and squeezes his hand.
“I want another one.”
Keiji’s mind blanks for a second, unsure of what his mate means. Then he blushes and can’t help but laugh at Koutaro.
“Another baby? Koji’s endless energy isn’t enough for you Kou?”
“oh keiji you know I want at least four!”
“I’m not denying you more children. I’m just saying that we have all the time in the world for that, no need to rush things.”
“But I don't want the children to be too far apart in age. What if Koji gets lonely?” Koutaro turns a pout in Keiji’s direction. “Besides, can’t you imagine having a little girl around here.”
“Oh Kou, you’d spoil her rotten. She’d have you tied around her little finger.”
“Damn right I would. Only the best for my little princess. And so what if I was? As if you don’t have me wrapped around your pinky.” Koutaro smirks at his husband.
Keiji shakes his head fondly at the alpha.
“She’d be the most beautiful baby in the kingdom. It’s my dream to see my little girl with your gorgeous looks. To see her wake up and open those beautiful blue eyes.”
“I can admit I miss being pregnant.”
“YES!” Koutaro pumps two fists in the air.”Baby number two! Mission in progress!”
Keiji laughs at his husband’s antics.
“Well, aren’t you very confident? You know I have to actually get pregnant before the mission is really considered in progress don’t you think?”
“Oh Keiji, ye of little faith. I only need one heat cycle to make it happen.” Koutaro smirks and winks at the omega.
Keiji smacks Koutaro’s shoulder. “No need to be so cocky about it.”
Koutaro wrapped Keiji in a strong embrace. Keiji always felt safest when he was in Koutaro’s arms, like nothing could touch Keiji as long as he had his mate wrapped around him.
Koutaro leaned his forehead against Keiji’s, nuzzling the omega’s nose with his.
“Oh Keiji, my love, my life, my whole world. I’m just trying to fulfill my promise to you about having a big family. Like you said, we have all the time in the world.”
20 months later
Osamu has only spoken with Bokuto Keiji once. When he was officially meeting and introducing himself to the queen of Fukurodani. Osamu’s brother had always been the one to represent the Inarizaki clan during royal events. Atsumu, after all, is the one next in line to lead Inarizaki. And so, Osamu had first met the queen during their son’s 4th birthday celebration. Atsumu had informed him that King Bokuto insisted on introducing his mate to Atsumu’s twin brother. Osamu was not originally planning to attend the party, he had somehow managed to excuse himself from being at any of the other extravagant parties the Bokutos threw. He even skipped their royal wedding; he was the only Inarizaki royal who didn’t attend. Unfortunately, Atsumu had decided enough was enough and practically dragged his brother to Fukurodani.
—
Osamu had not known what to expect, honestly. The fact that he declined every invitation since their wedding didn’t make him look good. What if they were upset with him? Why did they even bother continuing to invite him to these things? Osamu had not seen Bokuto in almost 5 years.
The entire kingdom adored the Bokuto’s. King Bokuto Koutaro was intimidating yet the kindest person Osamu had probably ever met. The alpha had an overwhelming presence. When someone spoke to him the king gave them his full attention like nothing else mattered. His golden eyes penetrated you, made you feel special and important. The king was so nice it made people wonder what it was like to see him angry.
And he’s even more handsome since the last time I saw him.
The queen was known as the glowing jewel of Fukurodani, the only omega to have captured the king’s heart. They were always described as soulmates, two people who fell in love at first sight. Their love was so greatly admired that engaged couples would go to be blessed by them before getting married.
The couple was well known for how loving they were not only to each other but to their people as well. It was what kept Fukurodani so prosperous and whole. A kingdom made up of clans that were brought together to form one state.
Osamu remembers losing his breath at the full force of the queen’s beauty. Atsumu would laugh in his face for it later. “Ya always fall for the wrong ones, don’t ya Samu.”
Story of my life.
The omega had the most enchanting eyes. Endless oceans were held in those eyes. Oceans that Osamu had no choice but to drown in.
How could I ever compete?
“Welcome to Fukurodani Myaa-sam!” King Bokuto greeted, breaking Osamu out of his trance. His heart skipped a beat at hearing that voice again.
Osamu quickly averted his gaze and turned back towards the alpha, expecting a defensive look reminding Osamu of his place. However, the king only looked amused, almost as if he knew exactly what Osamu was thinking about the omega.
His eyes were saying “I know right? Isn’t he just amazing?”
“Thank ya for inviting me, Bokuto-sama.”
For a moment, the king's eyes looked sad.
“No need to be so formal Samu-samu, we’re friends after all.”
Osamu’s breath hitched at the old nickname. It had been so long since he’d heard it by the only person to ever use it.
Stop it. Don’t look at me. Don’t make me think you still care.
“Heh, right.” Why am I so stiff? Am I sweating?
“I really am glad you decided to be here, it’s been a long time Osamu.”
Bokuto’s voice took on a softer tone, and his gaze was as if piercing through Osamu’s soul. Osamu was having trouble just maintaining eye contact, he couldn’t help but shift his eyes away from that sweet smile.
“I apologize for not visiting when given the chance. Congrats on the uh engagement, and the wedding… and, uh, Koji.”
Suddenly the queen joined the conversation.
“Well I hope you know you never need an invitation to visit us, Miya-san. Atsumu-san is practically family which makes you family as well.”
The omega’s eyes were just as compelling as his mate’s. Osamu felt like he needed to reveal a secret he didn’t know he was hiding when he looked into those eyes.
Except I do have a secret. A horrible secret.
“Thank ya, yer majesty. Yer very kind.”
“Oh gosh, I suck at this introducing people thing huh? Samu-samu, this is my mate, Keiji. Keiji this is Myaa-sam, Atsumu’s brother as you know.”
Osamu lowered his head, “It’s nice to finally meet ya. I’m sorry it took so long.”
“I’m just happy you could make it to the celebration today, Osamu-san. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Koutaro has always had such lovely things to say about you.”
“Ah right.” Osamu wanted to barf.
Osamu turned back to the king, who wore a wide grin on his face.
“I can’t wait for you to meet Koji. He should be waking up soon for all the fun.”
Oh great.
—
Osamu remembers thinking on the way back home that night about the royal family and how much love surrounded them. Osamu used to never imagine ever being able to love someone like that. Until he did. Until it was snatched away from grasp. It made him a little jealous, knowing Bokuto Keiji was living the life Osamu used to dream of.
The universe seems set on making Osamu feel as bad as possible, even now. When many Alphas would give anything to trade places with him. Yet, Osamu can’t help but feel horrible riding in a royal carriage, with Suna and Atsumu, on their way to Fukurodani. On his way to visit his future bride. Bokuto Keiji.