Work Text:
9:35 am.
A clap of thunder woke Daisuke from a relatively peaceful slumber one Saturday morning. He bolted upright, heart hammering inside his ribcage at the echoing sound. Hail pelted the window of their master bedroom in tandem with the beat of his racing heart. He inhaled deeply. He kept a shaky hand on his chest and started to let go of slow but shaky breaths until he eventually evened out. The cracks of thunder didn’t help but he deemed himself well enough when he managed to get his breathing under control. Once he relaxed enough, a frown etched itself onto his face.
Kambe Daisuke hated the rain.
His mother was murdered on a rainy night, his children were almost murdered on a rainy night – therefore he had every right to hate the rain so vehemently as he did. It wasn’t romantic, it wasn’t ‘aesthetic’, it was sopping wet hell on Earth.
He looked over at the sleeping lump beside him starting to rouse with annoyed groans.
“Turn it off…,” his husband mumbled, trying to bury himself in their covers.
“It’s the rain,” Daisuke deadpanned.
Haru hummed and turned over. After a few beats, he also bolted upright and snapped his head in Daisuke’s direction. “It’s raining.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Are you okay?” he asked, leaning over and taking his hands in his.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? I can tell the kids not to bother you or I can get your headphones and –”
“I’m. Fine,” he reaffirmed gently, rubbing the back of his husband’s hands, “I’ll be fine, I mean.”
Haru frowned, largely unconvinced but he didn’t push the issue further. He understood why Haru was worried. In the past both before and after they had children, he had experienced pretty bad panic attacks – a handful of which had landed him in the hospital for a day and a half and once discharged, passed through the next week in a state of apathy. But, he was fine. Mostly.
He at least understood his limits a lot better. He knew when he was pushing those limits, he knew when he was close to having a panic attack or was about to spiral, and he knew when he needed a break from everything. He had the tools to help himself when he knew he wasn’t doing well. Plus, he had an extremely understanding husband, some pretty sweet kids, and a usually available support system back in Japan. He was set. He would be fine.
He was pretty sure he would be fine.
Pretty sure.
He pecked a quick kiss on Haru’s lips, pressing their foreheads together to soak in each other’s presence. They stayed that way for all of five seconds before the painful screech of furniture against the wood floor interrupted their piece.
Haru groaned, “Oh god, what are they doing now?”
“Let’s find out.”
They got out of bed. Daisuke slid his fingers between Haru’s as they made the trek downstairs. About halfway down, they came upon an interesting sight. Three out of four of their children were in the living room, still in their pajamas, on either side of the sectional. Kokoro was shoving the coffee table out of the way with her foot (no doubt that was going to leave deep marks on the floor), Haruka was sitting cross-legged on the floor unscrewing the brooms with a pile of folded bed sheets beside her, and Masayuki was half trying to move the sectional closer to the center while on his tablet.
An amused smile played on Haru’s face, that knowing glint in his eyes that told Daisuke that whatever this was that was going on in front of them was a good thing and something that required them to replace all of their furniture for the umpteenth time.
And so he smiled too.
Kokoro was the first to notice them. She waved to them, a big grin stretched across her face. “Morning!”
“Morning,” Haru replied with a chuckle, “What’s going on here?”
“Building a fort,” Masayuki said, looking up from his tablet.
“A fort?” Daisuke questioned.
Masayuki nodded, “Yeah. Can’t go outside because of the rain/hail and we were bored, so we’re building a fort.”
“Right, and the broomsticks are for–?”
“Holding up the blankets for the roof. Duh,” Haruka interjected, popping off the end of the broom and handing it off to Kokoro.
Daisuke nodded, “Of course, my mistake.”
“Have you kids had breakfast yet?” Haru asked, continuing his descent down the stairs with Daisuke in tow.
“Haruka made us pancakes. They were pretty good.”
“Hell yeah, they were pretty good,” Haruka murmured, popping off the last broom end and handing it off to Kokoro, “Okay, that’s it. If you need me, I’ll be upstairs working.”
“Working?”
She stood, “Yup. Got an idea for a dress I have gotta get out before I lose it. I can show it to you when I’m done.”
“You’re not going to try and do it all in a day again, are you?”
She shrugged, “We’ll see.”
Daisuke frowned at that. She ignored it, already jogging up the stairs to her room before he could say anything.
“Be sure to eat!” Haru shouted just as she slammed her bedroom door behind her.
“She probably won’t,” Masayuki deadpanned.
Haru sighed, “I know. I’ll make her a sandwich or something. Leave it in her room while she works.”
Daisuke shook his head. He loved how passionate his daughter was about her projects, but she often took way more after Haru’s workaholic nature than he would like her to have. Any opportunity she had to throw herself head-first into the deep end with just about anything, she would do it. He’s walked in on her burning her eyebrows with extra schoolwork at her desk on more than one occasion, probably running on 5 hours of sleep most days – which is two hours more than their eldest got in a given week.
Speaking of which, “Is your brother still asleep?”
Kokoro nodded, “Yeah. He’s in his room this time too. Kinda weird.”
“Must have been really tired this week,” Haru said, “He’ll be up in an hour or something.”
Daisuke nodded in agreement, taking a seat at the table. Weekends were Asahi’s saving grace. For a severe insomniac such as his son, it was one of the only opportunities for him to get a full night's (or day's) rest and function at a higher percentage level than usual.
Most Saturdays, they expected to see him up around 11:30, maybe 12 if he was really tired (which he usually is) but it was a gamble if he would actually feel better after sleeping like the dead.
"Are you guys gonna have breakfast here?" Masayuki asked.
"Uh, that was the plan? Why?"
" 'Cause, it's supposed to be a surprise! It can't be a surprise if you guys are just sitting here watching us!" Kokoro exclaimed.
"We already know about the fort though. How would that be a surprise?"
"Oh, you'll see father," Masayuki said, "You shall see."
Daisuke’s interest was piqued.
“Okay, okay. You kids can have your secrets. Just let your dad and I have breakfast and then we’ll be out of your hair. Sound good?” Haru said.
Kokoro let out an exaggerated sigh, “Fine.”
“Thank you. Jeez, so dramatic.”
“I wonder where she gets that from.”
Haru playfully smacked his shoulder, ”Just for that, no pancakes for you.”
“That’s cruel, other father. That is cruel. ”
“Tough but fair is what you’re looking for, son. I am tough but fair.”
Daisuke hid his smile behind his hand.
He would be fine. He was sure of it.
12:25 pm
Daisuke and Haru decided to occupy their time working together in their shared home office. Daisuke was doing…moderately well.
He’s doing marginally better than usual, which was a good thing. He did have to covertly insert his noise-canceling Bluetooth earbuds when the rain did pick up and started hitting the window so hard you’d think it was still hailing (it wasn’t) so as not to alert and cause Haru to worry over him (because he was fine) but he was managing.
His husband didn’t seem to notice from his spot on the floor – yes, he worked on the floor because he liked to spread out his case files into piles, and apparently, you couldn’t do that on a fairly sizable desk that could also fold outward but fine. Whatever. It didn’t matter. If his husband is happy, he’s happy.
But yes, Haru didn’t notice. He rarely did notice anything outside of the bubble of casework unless you either got up in his face or he sensed something off within their home. They existed in comforting silence, sharing a few small smiles in the fleeting moments they managed to both look up and catch each other’s attention. And every time it happened, Daisuke wanted to throw everything off his desk, say ‘fuck work’, and just stay with him, entangled in his arms while listening to his heartbeat on repeat.
And he was close. At one point when Haru stood up on wobbly legs after two hours of mulling over the same stack of papers, Daisuke had an iron grip on the edge of his desk, his own half-asleep legs ready to pounce on him until he watched him walk out of their shared office in the direction of the stairs. He was a bit confused (and a tad bit disappointed) since there was no chance in hell Kokoro would let him ruin their surprise – that girl was a hardass when it came to her surprise, but ultimately decided to ignore it. Maybe he’d persuade her to grant him entry into their living room.
Not even three minutes passed before he felt someone tug on his sleeve. He turned to his right to see Masayuki, showered and in different pajamas. He took out an earbud and turned his full attention onto his son, brown hair still dripping wet. “Yes?”
“Can we use your comforter?” he asked.
Daisuke quirked a brow. “I’m sorry?”
“Can Kokoro and I use your comforter? Dad wants to make lunch but Kokoro doesn’t want him to see the fort and dad refuses to cook with his eyes closed and rely on his other senses.”
Daisuke suppressed a laugh. “And you want to use our comforter as sort of a revealing curtain?”
“Precisely.”
He stood from his chair and immediately made a b-line for his and Haru’s bedroom. Masayuki followed closely behind him, leaving a trail of water droplets behind him. The rain was drumming hard against the house. The windows shook at the sheer force of the wind blowing outside. He almost couldn't hear the whirring of Haruka's sewing machine.
His hands curled into tight fists.
He kept walking.
The second he opened the door to the master bedroom, Masayuki pushed past him like an excited five-year-old and made a move for the comforter of their California king.
"Do you need help with that?" He asked.
"I got it!" His youngest exclaimed, already stumbling back as he tried to strip the bed.
Daisuke nodded. He watched the pillows collide with the floor as the blankets underneath came undone as he tugged at the sheets.
He was a bit bummed that his children didn't offer him a chance to be in on the construction of the said fort. He and his mother made one when he was little. He was 5, maybe?
He was bored, it was raining hard – much like on this day — and he was forbidden from going outside because of it. So he opted to make a fort out of his star-covered bed sheets that he was obsessed with at the time.
He remembered getting frustrated because he just couldn’t get it to stand up no matter how hard he tried or how many pillows he tried to prop up. He was on the verge of tears and then his mother…
His mother, in the doorway of his room, while he sat on his bed on the verge of tears over a stupid fort he couldn’t get up. She asked him what was wrong with the sweetest smile on her face and he could barely tell her without his voice breaking. And then, with that same smile, asked him, “Do you need my help?”
He nodded, face red from embarrassment. But that embarrassment quickly melted away in favor of joy and laughter. At some point, the fort was made. He wasn’t sure when or how – he assumed his mother was magic because of how quickly it came into formation. All he remembered was one minute, they were peek-a-boo with his blankets, and the next, they were under a sky of faux gold stars, reading the same old stories that Daisuke would make her read a million times before bed.
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and suddenly he was back there.
On the balcony of the apartment, his mother had run off to after arguing with his father that night. Stuck in the rain, getting soaked because he wanted to see where she had gone, see if she was okay. On the other side of the sliding glass door was his mother, on the floor of the strange apartment, an ocean of blood staining her favorite white dress as a man who looked scarily like his father, stood over her with a long kitchen knife wrapped around his fingers.
He couldn’t move. He was frozen in place. Blood gushed in his ears. His heart went haywire in his chest.
‘Mom…?’
“Dad? Dad! ”
A hand gripped his wrist. He glanced down. Masayuki stared up at him, concern pooling in his golden eyes. He’s almost as tall as him. Only three more inches and they’ll be the same height.
Huh.
“Dad, are you okay? What’s wrong?”
‘I’m fine, Masa. I’m fine.’ That’s all he needed to say. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t speak. The words were stuck in his throat. His mouth was glued shut. He was just..stuck.
‘I’m fine, Masa. I’m fine.’
Masayuki let go of his rest and took off running. He wanted to turn around, to stop him but he melted to the floor.
He was a statue.
His vision started to swim.
Footsteps. Fast, frantic footsteps from behind him. Someone’s hand gripped his shoulder. He flinched, his entire body seizing for half a second.
“Hey.”
He managed to get his body to turn a little. Haru had a firm grip on his right shoulder. His eyes went a little wide – he noticed something that Daisuke wasn't aware of.
Haru looked back at Masayuki, a small, reassuring smile playing on his lips. “Masa, could you give your dad and me a minute? I’ll bring the comforter down when we’re done.”
Masayuki hesitated for a second. He gave a slow nod.”O…okay.”
“We’ll be fine,” he said, “I’ll be back with you both soon.”
He nodded again. He turned and jogged out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Haru turned back to Daisuke, resting his other hand on his left shoulder. “Hey, can you hear me?”
He nodded with a hard swallow.
“Do you know where you are?”
He gnawed at the inside of his cheek to loosen his jaw. “...our bedroom.”
Haru nodded, “Good, yeah. Our bedroom. Can you move?”
Daisuke’s eyes went to his arms. He lifted them and flexed his fingers. “Looks like it.”
“Do you want to move to the bed?”
“...yes.”
“Okay. We’re going to bed now.”
His hands moved to hold Daisuke’s. He led him to the bed. They sat down on the edge. Daisuke’s face felt uncomfortable, almost sticky. He reached up to wipe his face and – oh.
They were tears. He was crying.
That’s what caught Haru off guard. That’s what scared Masayuki.
He hadn’t noticed.
For a while, they were just sitting there on the edge of the bed with the sound of falling rain and some cracks of lightning flashing across the dark bedroom. They sat there like they had done so many times before, holding each other’s hands as some sort of grounding method. They didn't say anything for the longest time and it made Daisuke feel…guilty, more than anything.
His son had caught him in the middle of an episode, unable to speak or move an inch. He needed to talk to him. He needed to be wherever he was and tell him that he was fine, that he was going to be fine at the very least.
But instead, he was just sitting there. In the place he didn’t want to be with only half of the day gone.
Haru straightened, gently squeezing his hands. “Do you…want to talk about what happened?”
Daisuke shrugged limply, “I…I remembered my mother. It was a…good memory. A really good memory – it was the time we built a fort in my room and then—” another crack of lightning. He flinched at that, “--God fucking damnit, that– ”
“Hey, hey. It’s okay–”
“No. No, it’s not. I can’t remember anything good about them without going back to that night, or that time in my life when everything was just shit and I think – is this how it’s going to be for the rest of my life? Am I just never going to be able to remember my parents in those good moments? Am I just doomed to be stuck in that nightmare forever? Am I…Am I going to end up burdening my family–?”
“Woah, Woah. You are not burdening us with anything. Let’s get that fucking clear right now,” Haru interjected, “Sorry, but I didn’t want you to do that yourself.”
“I scared our son.”
“He was worried about you.”
“Same difference.”
“No. Not the same difference. Masa–” Haru took a breath, “It is hard. When you can’t remember someone the way you want to because of something bad that happened. Your mom…your parents, meant a lot to you. Because they were parents, obviously. And I know you hate that you can’t remember the good without the bad ramming its way into your head. I wish that didn’t happen to you, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”
“I wish it wasn’t, but…it’s not always going to be like that. It isn’t always going to be shit, sometimes you’ll get to have the good memories without the bad following right after. If they still do, well – you’ve got me, Suzue-san’s usually a phone call away, ‘m sure everyone at Modern Crimes is bored without us–” Daisuke chuckled at that, “--our kids are articulate enough to talk about this sort of thing and, let’s be honest, create some pretty interesting memories themselves.”
“That’s true.”
Haru’s hand moved to his back, “We’ve got you, Dai. You’re not stuck anywhere. Not with us. Not with me.”
His muscles started working again. He managed a small smile and leaned forwards, his arms wrapped around Haru while he buried his face in his shoulder. Haru reciprocated, hands tightly gripping his shirt.
“Thank you, love.”
“Of course. It’s what I’m here for.”
“I need to talk to Masa.”
“He’s probably with Haruka. You want to head over now?”
“In a minute. I…I need a minute.”
He felt Haru smile against his hair. “Take as long as you need.”
12:47 pm.
As predicted, Masayuki had taken up residence in Haruka’s room. They found them in there, on the floor with reflective tiles scattered around and pieces of silver fabric strategically placed in the shape of a dress. The light from the hallway bounced off the reflective tiles and shone brightly in their eyes. Masayuki was sorting through the little tiles, arranging them into tiny towers while Haruka straightened out the pieces of silver. They were talking. They looked…mostly normal.
The two look up, finally acknowledging their parents’ presence.
“Hey,” Haruka said, giving them a small wave.
“Whatcha got there, sweetheart?” Haru asked.
“Disco ball dress,” she replied, almost immediately, “Well, it’s not exactly going to be in the shape of a disco ball, but in concept, it’s meant to be a disco ball dress. For parties, you know?”
“Mmhm. Yeah. ‘Parties.’”
“Innocent high school parties, papa. Have a little more faith in me. I didn’t take judo and aikido for 4 years for nothing.”
She playfully rolled her eyes.
Daisuke turned to look at Masayuki, who was looking directly at him. His face was largely neutral – something he inherited from him – but something in his eyes was telling Daisuke something else. He stood up from his spot on the floor. Daisuke reached out his arm that held the folded-up comforter in front of him. Masayuki didn’t take it. Not immediately.
Instead, he walked up to him, lunged forward, and hugged him tightly.
He was getting taller. Daisuke could rest his chin perfectly on top of his head. He was growing up so fast.
“Are you okay?” he asked with a tight squeeze.
Daisuke patted his head. “I’m…I’m better.”
“Are you sure?” Haruka prodded.
He nodded. “I’m fine. I mean it this time. I’m sorry for making you worry. For scaring you.”
“It’s okay. It happens,” he replied with a much stronger squeeze, his long fingers gripping at his waistcoat.
Daisuke carded a hand through his darker sandy hair, moving the messy locks out of his face. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Masayuki shook his head, “Nah. I already talked with Ruka-chan. I’m good. Promise.”
He pulled back, pulling the comforter out of Daisuke’s hands. “I gotta get this to Kokoro. Thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome–” Daisuke didn’t finish. Masayuki already ran off with the comforter downstairs, Kokoro exclaiming ‘You got it!’ upon seeing him.
Daisuke’s shoulders fell in defeat.
“It’s okay, dad. We talked about it with each other. He’s just…processing, I think? In his way, at least. He didn’t know what to do and how to help and I guess he’s ‘saving it for later.’ His words, not mine.”
Daisuke nodded, still down but he had some confirmation that his son would (maybe) be open to talking a little later and figuring out the details.
“Has Asahi been around?” Haru asked.
Haruka shrugged, “I think I heard him come out of his room, like, once? Like, footsteps to the bathroom one minute then back to his room. Though that could have been Kokoro going to put makeup on him or something…”
“That’s…weird. He’s usually up by now.”
“Maybe a bad night?”
“Maybe we should go see—”
Daisuke was already walking out of his daughter’s room across the hall to his eldest son’s sanctuary. He popped open the door – which only opened about halfway before it was stopped by a pile of junk that had accumulated over the past month or so. It was a collection of clothing– both his and of his friends (he hoped) – school supplies, and other personal items. He squeezed himself through the opening, being careful not to knock into his desk (which he swears changes places every five days)
He found Asahi in bed – mostly in bed. His lower half was. His upper half was hanging off the side, arms splayed out on the floor, and his head inches away from colliding with the floor. Daisuke quietly approached the sleeping boy, carefully grabbing hold of his shoulders and pulling him back onto the bed. He did not move once as he did this. He didn’t stir, didn’t jolt awake.
Asahi slept like the dead. (But he wasn’t. He checked. Asahi wasn’t dead. He was fine.)
His head rolled to the side the second it hit his pillow, which was stained with his drool. It was disgusting but that puddle of drool was how you knew Asahi was really sleeping and sleeping well, something that sadly was not a constant in his life.
Daisuke considered waking him just to check if he was doing alright. He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, knuckles grazing his skin in search of signs of sickness. But he found nothing.
His breathing was normal. According to HEUSC, his heart rate was normal. He was just..sleeping.
Still concerning, but not ‘clear traffic and drag him to a hospital’ concerning.
Another flash of lightning cracked past the bedroom window – he could see it through the small crack in the blackout curtains. Daisuke bristled at the sight. Thunder started to rumble. The sound made Asahi flinch under his touch, mumbling something into his pillow in distress.
“Hey, hey. It’s okay. It’s just the rain,” he whispered reassuringly, massaging circles to his cheek (and doing his best to avoid his scar.), “It’s just the rain, Sunshine. I’ve got you. You’re safe…”
Not even a second after he said that, Asahi’s breathing went back to normal and he slept peacefully once again despite how concerningly long he’s been asleep, it made Daisuke smile. One because when he’s not running on an entire pot of coffee, energy drinks he didn’t even like, and thirty minutes of sleep, Asahi Kambe was adorable.
Maybe it was because he was a dad and parents, in general, think their children are always adorable or doomed to see them from when they were cute and didn’t hate them with the fury of a thousand suns, but Asahi could be cute when he wanted to be or when he least expected it. Light freckles that only appeared in a certain light, softened features that are often hidden by a constant shit-eating grin.
And secondly – awake Asahi would never have let him call him by that nickname. Probably.
He didn’t really know – never really asked him if it did embarrass him or made him uncomfortable. At some point, he simply recognized that he stopped calling him by that name and assumed that, being a teenager, he would hate it immensely if he did on top of ‘embarrassing’ him in other ways.
Asahi turned over, once again burying his face in the covers and cocooning himself. Daisuke smiled, pressing a kiss to his dark hair before silently slipping out of the bedroom.
3:25 pm
Work had been abandoned in favor of cuddles.
He wasn't sure when and honestly, he didn't care. Cuddles reigned supreme and there was nothing either one of them wanted to do about it.
They were in bed, sans comforter. Their legs were entangled together. Daisuke rested his head against the center of Haru's chest. Haru ran his fingers through Daisuke's hair, undoing his slicked-back style. The t.v. was on in the background, but he couldn't tell what was on. He didn't really care. Exhaustion had seeped through into his bones, pooling in his muscles and weighing them down like the anchors of a ship.
His eyes started to drop. He was fully prepared to allow sleep to wash over him as it did his son though a small part of him itched with fear that he would end up back there again, helpless and small in the dark, soaked in invisible rain on the other side of that glass door.
Haru's fingers massage his scalp a bit harder than usual. He must have sensed him thinking too much. Maybe that was his signal to let him know he would be okay. That he'd still be there when he woke up as he always does.
His eyes were just about to fall shut. Sleep welcomed him in its embrace but just as he was about to allow himself to be taken away when the door to their bedroom swung open, the knob hitting the wall with a loud thud. He flinched, seeing Kokoro standing in the doorway, menacingly.
"It's finished," she said.
Daisuke blinked, "What…what's finished –"
"The fort," she replied immediately.
"Can I see it?" Haru asked.
She nodded slowly.
Haru chuckled, pressing a kiss to Daisuke’s hair. “You wanna stay here?”
Daisuke shook his head, yawning into the crook of his arm. “I’m…I’m fine. I want to make sure they didn’t destroy the living room.”
He managed to pry himself off the bed with Haru’s help and followed their daughter down the hall. She knocked on her older sister’s daughter to coax her out as well. She was about to the same as Asahi's door but Daisuke stopped her just as she was reaching to knock.
“He’s asleep,” he said.
Kokoro pouted, “But he’s been sleeping forever! ”
He gave her a gentle look. She sighed but ultimately decided to leave it alone. The concern tugged at his chest though. It was pushing both him and Haru to grab the knob and throw open the door to ensure his safety. But, out of either trust or a flimsy attempt to push down the anxiety building in their chests, they continued behind their daughters. Halfway down the stairs, Kokoro whipped around and said, “Close your eyes.”
“What?” Haruka questioned.
“Close your eyes!” she repeated adamantly.
“Koko, you know we could fall if we can’t see where we’re going.”
She scoffed, “You’ll be fine! I’ll guide you!”
That didn’t make anyone feel better but seeing that Kokoro was steadfast in keeping this a surprise until the very end, they complied. With a hand on the banister of the staircase and eyes shut, they precariously made their way down the stairs with Kokoro guiding them with her voice. She stopped them once they got to the landing.
“Okay, one sec,” Kokoro said, running past them. After a few seconds of rustling, she exclaimed, “Okay! Open your eyes.”
Daisuke blinked, his eyes going wide at the sight in front of him. Haru's mouth gaped open as well.
Their entire living room and half of their kitchen were covered in every single blanket and comforter in the entire house, tented up around the section which had disappeared underneath the sea of patterned covers decorated with fairy lights that they weren't even sure they had.
Kokoro was beaming, her grin ear to ear. "So, whaddya think?"
"Ko, this…this is amazing! You guys did this by yourselves?" Haru exclaimed.
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! Didn't break a single thing either!"
Oh, thank God. "You two have outdone yourselves but, where's your brother?"
"He's inside," she reached toward the front of the structure and pulled back the entrance. She slipped inside, beckoning the others to follow her. And follow they did.
They crawled inside. The floor was cushioned by more blankets. The coffee table was suspiciously absent in favor of various piles of pillows and stuffed animals. More fairy lights were strung along the 'walls' of the fort.
They found Masayuki sitting against a collection of pillows. Half-lidded honey eyes lazily started at his tablet screen. He barely noticed them enter, and when he did, he didn't say anything.
"It's pretty roomy in here," Haruka said, scanning the inside, "Can't believe you guys managed to keep all of this standing for so long…"
"As long as you don't touch or lean on the walls, it'll be fine," Masayuki finally said with a yawn.
"I don't get why you're so tired. You barely did anything!"
"I got the blankets. And I supervised. I'd call something."
Kokoro stuck her tongue out at her twin. Masayuki returned the gesture half-heartedly, falling back into his bed of pillows. Daisuke crawled to his side, settling down against his own pile. He leaned his head against a squishmallow plush that was supporting Masayuki's bed.
"Hi," he said.
"Hey," Masayuki replied, not looking up.
Daisuke tried swallowing a bit of hurt, "What are you watching?"
"Nothing. I'm reading. Sort of."
"What are you reading?"
"Don't remember. Kinda tired today…"
You and me both. "You've had a busy day…"
Masayuki shrugged limply, his head bobbing up and down. Daisuke reached for his tablet. He slid it out of his thin fingers, settled it on his lap, and scooted closer to his son.
"Why don't I read it to you until you fall asleep? Like old times?"
"Sure."
"Heck yeah! Storytime!" Kokoro said, crawling next to Daisuke. Haruka and Haru did the same, settling beside Masayuki.
“Comfy?”
“Mmhm!”
“Yup.”
He nodded, turning back to the story on the tablet, “She never received letters. Being adopted into a small family on a smaller farm didn’t bless her with mail of any kind…”
7:30 pm
They woke to the sound of sizzling.
Daisuke was the first to rouse, blinking a couple of times so that his eyes would adjust to the fairy lights. He assumed Haru had gotten up to cook dinner but when he turned his head to the side and saw Haru right beside him starting to stir as well, he was a bit more alarmed. They locked eyes, sharing equal looks of confusion once they were alert enough to comprehend what was going on.
“Did you leave the stove on?” Daisuke questioned, pushing himself up.
Haru shook his head.
“Mm…maybe it’s just…a kitchen ghost or somethin’,” Kokoro mumbled as she turned over.
Both men got up, crawled out of the fort, and once outside, found a somewhat relieving sight. Their eldest son had finally awoken from his prolonged sleep and was standing at the stove, casually cooking.
They shared a smile before deciding to approach. Asahi picked up on the sound of their walking immediately and glanced behind him. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself. We haven’t seen you all day,” Haru said.
“I was asleep.”
“For 17 hours,” Daisuke deadpanned.
Asahi shrugged, “I was tired.”
Haru sighed, coming up to him and resting his chin on Asahi’s shoulder. “I know, hon. I know. Are you feeling okay, though?”
Asahi nodded, “Think so, yeah.”
“Do you need us to call your doctor and ask them to update your prescription?”
He shrugged again. “I dunno. Maybe? Was just tired today.”
Daisuke nodded, keeping that in the back of his mind for later.
“How about you guys? You doin’ alright?” Asahi asked, looking directly at Daisuke, “It’s raining and I know things get… ’weird’ when it rains ‘nd stuff.”
They exchanged a glance with Haru putting more emphasis on his worry. Daisuke smiled reassuringly in response before he turned back to Asahi. “We’re fine, Asahi.”
Asahi smirked awkwardly, “Okay. That’s…good. Glad you’re…good. Uh, I’m making stirfry stuff, but I think I might be fucking it up–”
“I’ll help you,” Haru said, already starting to take over.
“Thank you.”
“Asahi!” Kokoro shouted from inside the fort, “Make sure he puts the beef in there! The good one!”
He turned back to them, “You heard her.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m on it.”
Asahi started on his way to the fort, whipping out his phone and thumbing through it. “Storm’s supposed to stop tomorrow. Think I might go out with Kyo and Fred if it does.”
“Do you need a ride if you do?”
“Nah. I’m good. Thanks though.”
The tall boy retreated into the fort alongside his siblings. Daisuke turned his head to the window. It was still coming down hard, rain and harsh winds shaking the window panes. He took a deep breath, walked to the kitchen island, and took a seat, facing Haru’s back. Haru looked over his shoulder, smiling.
“What? You just gonna sit there and watch me?”
“You’ve never had a problem with that before,” Daisuke quipped with a wiggle of his brows.
Haru rolled his eyes, “Sure, hon. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
Daisuke just chuckled, resting his chin on his hand with a stupid, adoring smile plastered on his face as he simply watched and listened to his family exist in the middle of a stupid rainstorm.
He still hated the rain, that fact remained true. But this time with his family–the family he and the love of his life cultivated – made it way more bearable.