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"Morning sleepyhead," Mizuki Okiura hears as the smell of breakfast wakes her up. She was surprised, normally she's the one that wakes up early and cooks. Her roommate Kaname Date is supposed to be her guardian but she's typically the one taking care of him, especially lately. He hasn't quite been the same since the events of last November. Who could blame him, he finally got his memories back as well as his old body, but in the process is now 12 years older, and has the guilt of his past life to cope with. Mizuki didn't mind though. It was weird to get used to for sure, but as long as she still had Date she didn't mind. That said…..
"Ok who are you and what have you done with Date?" she groggily jokes.
"Really? Just cause I'm making breakfast?"
"Well the stupid old man I know only knows how to make crappy stew."
"Rude, you love that stew! Besides," Date adds while plating their food, "I've been teaching myself to cook. Don't give me that look, I promise it's actually good!"
"That why you've been gone so much lately?" Mizuki mumbles before tentatively taking a bite.
"..........it's one of the reasons yeah," Date winces at her question. It's true he had been distant lately. He'd been working way more than usual. He'd also been going to see Hitomi and Iris. Mizuki was happy for her friend, truly she was. But she missed Date. He was there, but he wasn't the Date she knew. He was Iris's Uncle, Ms. Sagan's boyfriend, Boss's childhood friend……but sometimes it felt like he wasn't the Date she loved.
"Hey….you ok kid?" Date asks, breaking her from her forlorn trance. Mizuki knew she should just tell him. If he was still Date then he wouldn't be upset, and he'd comfort her and try and make it better (though he'd mess up and do something stupid instead and it'd almost work better than if he'd done something smart.)
"Of course I am, you're just going senile old man" she says while stuffing her face with the surprisingly good food. She couldn't bring herself to actually say how she felt. She was too afraid of Date being gone, being completely erased by Hayato Yagyu. And his being increasingly distant made this fear even worse. Mizuki just couldn't handle losing another family member. Not now. Not so soon after her Mama and Papa.
"Hmph well if I'm so senile then how come I remembered today is a certain pain in the ass's birthday"
"Wait you actually remembered this year?!" Mizuki was genuinely shocked. He'd always do something for her birthday but was always completely off on what day it was. So she really wasn't expecting anything today, not from him. "So that's what the breakfast was for?"
"Well yeah, I wasn't gonna make you cook on your birthday,"
"Didn't stop you the last 4 years,"
"Hey I tried my best to remember, " Date sheepishly says. He's still ashamed it took him this long to remember, "You know what they say, 5th time's the charm!"
"That's not the saying! Stupid Date!"
"Hey you keep that up and I wont give you your gift!"
"Wait, you actually got me a gift this year?" In the past he'd just give her money or take her somewhere to shop because he couldn't figure out what to get her, "Woooooaaaaah and it's a big one!" she says as he brings it out. He'd managed to hide it under a bunch of dirty clothes and porno mags knowing there's no way Mizuki would touch it if he put them there. Date gestures to open it and she slowly rips the wrapping paper off, worried its gonna be something stupid knowing him. As she prepares to pretend to love it she finally unwrap enough to see what it is.
"Oh my god Date you didn't?! How did you even afford it?!" Mizuki questions as she opens the box to make sure it is what she thinks it is. It's a high end Clione tank, and it's a really big one too. She knew even the small ones could go for at least 100,000 yen, and that Date didn't make enough extra to afford even that between bills, food, and his porn addiction.
"Why do you think I was working so much over time? Plus I cut back on my, uh literature, for a while. Also when helping me research the best brand Hitomi helped me find some sales. So it should be a pretty good one. If it's not I got a warranty on so we can get a better one. Plus now I can fit actual food in the fridge and feed you proper meals. Wait Mizuki…..are you," before he can finish Mizuki, with tears in her eyes, runs over and hugs him. She feels like such a fool for doubting him.
"S-stupid Date…..*sniff* making me worry" she buries her face into his stomach and tries to stop crying but the tears just won't stop.
"Man if you're already this emotional I'm kinda scared to give you your other gift." Date says while patting her head and reaching into his jacket and pulling out an envelope. "Here, something I should have given you a long time ago. Sorry it took me so long to get my act together Mizuki."
Mizuki reluctantly breaks her embrace, feeling scared she'll lose him if she lets go, and slowly opens the envelope. Inside are adoption papers. Everything is ready, she just has to sign her name.
"There's 2 sets in there, one for me to adopt you, and one for Hitomi for if we….well you know. And you don't have to let either of us adopt you if you're not ready. But if you ever are then everything's already ready. And don't worry you still get everything of your parents, so it's not like I'm trying to steal all your money or anything, " Date keeps going to fill the awkward silence of Mizuki just staring at them, "look….I know I've messed up a lot lately…..I'm not just trying to buy your forgiveness."
"I….I…I thought you were gone Date….." Mizuki says weakly trying not to cry again.
"Ugh….I'm sorry kid, I know I haven't been home much lately, I just"
"No I thought YOU were gone"
"Huh? What do you-?"
"Argh why are you so….I thought…I thought Date was gone!"
"Oh…..oh god Mizuki….I'm so sorry," Date hugs her tightly realizing what he's done. "I….I wasn't avoiding you…..or spending time with Iris and Hitomi instead of you because of my memories coming back……I….I was struggling a lot. Having a new body that didn't feel like my own anymore and that hurts like hell cause it's old, suddenly remembering a lifetime's worth of memories most of which weren't pleasant, thinking I'd lost my partner……" tears come to his eyes but he keeps it together for Mizuki's sake, "I didn't want to add to your stress, you're going through so much too…..I wanted to be here for you but……I didn't want you to worry about taking care of me…..I'm so sorry Mizuki,"
"Date……" normally Mizuki would punch him for being so stupid, but with how she's handled everything she knows she's no better. Besides just knowing all her worries were for nothing she couldn't bring herself to be mad. She simply hugs him back and says "I love you Date. Or I guess I should start calling you Dad since I'll be Mizuki Date from now on."
"Oh well you can call me Date still. And you can keep your last name if you,"
"No I wanna be a Date!" Mizuki interrupts. She wants to explain how he's been more of a parent to her than both her parents combined, and how he's like a dorky dad, a protective big brother, and a pathetic but lovable kid brother all in one, and that basically he's the best family she could ever ask for. But she can't seem to find the words.
"Well if you're sure, it's up to you after all kid," Date tries to hide how happy and embarrassed he is but his red face is a give away, "as long as you know I'm never leaving you kid, even if I marry Hitomi and become part of their family, I'll always be there. Because we're family,"
"Hey no need to get sappy on me old man," Mizuki says with a laugh, very lightly punching him after wiping away her tears.
"Says the little cry baby!" Date adds wiping his own face. And just like that everything is back to normal between them. Date tries to get her to rush with her Clione. Mizuki tells him it's her birthday and she can do what she wants. Aiba finishes her system update and helps with set up but complains about not getting a bug terrarium for her birthday. Date gets bored with how long it takes and tries to watch an "animal husbandry" video only to get punched into a wall by Mizuki. All in all a typical day in the Date household. But for Mizuki it was the best birthday she'd ever had, and she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.