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Sunakawa Makoto is asleep under his kotatsu when Takeo bursts through his apartment door on a chilly mid-February night. He blinks the sleep from his eyes as Takeo gestures wildly making all sorts of sounds that don’t sound remotely like Japanese. It’s the worry he spots in Takeo’s eyes, the fact Rinko isn’t with him, as well as the time on the clock behind Takeo that really wake him up from his groggy half asleep state. Takeo is never awake this late unless something is bothering him. The last time this happened was the night before his wedding and he had to calm Takeo down from his panicked excitement.
“SUNAAAA! I-!” the rest that came out was jumbled gibberish that not even Suna could translate.
Realizing Takeo needs to get the jittering out before telling him what was going on, Suna crawls out from under the warmth of the kotatsu and heads to his kitchenette to make some tea. He has a feeling this conversation is going to take a while so he might as well prepare something warm to drink while waiting for Takeo to calm down enough to speak Japanese. Though, he is a bit worried himself at this point; Takeo usually can get the point across of what’s worrying him easily to Suna. He’s never seen his best friend this high strung in twenty years they’ve known each other. Not even before Takeo proposed to his high-school sweetheart and now wife, Gouda Rinko.
As the water boils Suna thinks back on the last couple of days, trying to come up with an explanation for Takeo’s behavior. Maybe Maki-chan was being bullied? Suna brushes that thought away. She gets along well with her classmates and many of the neighbor boys are too frightened of Takeo to risk bullying the little sister. Were either Gouda-san ill or hurt? Again he brushes the thought away. Takeo’s parents were healthy and strong like their children- especially Mother Gouda. Of course the only logical thought would be something about Rinko. She did tell him she was going to the doctor’s a few days ago…
Suna swallows and takes a deep breath.
He’s fond of Rinko. She’s practically his sister-in-law and one of his closest friends. Suna has known the woman for ten years. She’s as caring and kind and loyal as Takeo is. His heart would break to lose either of them.
When he’d seen her the other day she’d been on edge and she rarely never confided in him. This time she didn’t, only smiled and patted his hand before changing the topic. Takeo had also been worried about her health. Confiding in Suna, as his best friend and the fact Suna is a doctor, that he thought maybe the amount of children at the local kindergarten along with their energy might be causing Rinko stress. Suna doubted it. Rinko could keep up with Takeo’s energy easily after 10 years with him when even Suna felt tired some days. Besides Suna is a surgeon still in his internship.
He had noticed that their apartment next door had been quieter lately. Takeo was worried enough about Rinko’s health to keep his volume low. It was seriously worrying.
Takeo’s taking deep breaths through his nose as Suna serves the tea. He makes a hilarious sight and it puts Suna at ease a bit.
“Takeo, what’s up?”
Takeo takes another deep breath before focusing his intense stare on Suna, getting way too close as usually. Suna fights the urge to laugh.
“I'm going to be a dad.”
Oh.
Oh.
He doesn’t know why he didn’t think of it before or why he’s so surprised by the news. His friends have been married since graduating college and together for almost exactly 10 years this coming April. Maybe it’s because they’re a couple that have always moved as a snail’s pace in their relationship or because they tend to plan out things like this before doing them in an attempt to keep things special. It doesn’t really matter why he’s surprised so much as he suddenly feels this happy, proud bubbling in his chest and throat. He can feel tears prickle in his eyes and swallows again.
“Wow. Congratulations, man. How far along is she?”
“The doctor said five weeks.” Takeo takes a big swallow of air. “We wanted to tell you together but… I was too worried to wait!”
“Huh?”
“You know how big Maki and I were when we were born. Rinko-chan is so small compared to me…when we told the doctor he looked super worried! What if I lose them both, Suna?!”
Takeo has a good point about that. It’s true it is something to worry about, but he knows Rinko can handle it and that she’s never let Takeo down before. She’d give it her all and both he and Takeo would be watching her health very closely. They live in a modern age of medicine and he’s a doctor, albeit a surgeon, but he knows the important things from medical school. He’ll help in whatever ways he can. Like he always does.
“Rinko’s strong. She can do this Takeo. You know she can and she’ll have us looking out for her. I’m literally right next door. If she needs help I can hear you both through the wall. You both have wanted children together for so long. I know you’ve both thought of being married and having kids since high school. Rinko is not going to let something like that take away you two’s dream.”
There are tears in Takeo’s eyes and Suna understands that. He can feel tears in his own eyes. He doesn’t even complain when Takeo crushes him in a hug that’s way too tight for him to breath properly, he just hugs back the best he can. He’s so happy and proud of his best friends. They’ve been through so much together and he’s been with them all the way. Stood next to them at their wedding, was there when Takeo proposed, was there for their first and only fight, was there when they made up, he was there when they met, and was there when they confessed their feelings for each other. He’s so happy they made it this far. He loves them both so much. His two best friends in the whole entire world are making their dreams come true and he’s so glad they always let him be part of it.
When Takeo lets him go, his friend is openly sobbing with relief and joy. Suna pats him on the shoulder a few times his own tears quieter but no less there.
“Sunaaa! Rinko-chan and I are so happy to have you in our lives! Thank you! Thank yooooou!” Takeo sobs. Suna is happy too.
Though what Takeo says next floors him.
“You’re gonna be an Uncle Suna! The first person we planned on telling! Rinko-chan is gonna be so upset I told you without her!”
Fresh tears fall from Suna. An Uncle. The first person they were going to tell. The first person they did tell. He’s so honored and touched he has no idea what to do with himself but sniffle happily and pat his best friend’s shoulder as Takeo sobs in happiness. Loud enough to wake the neighbors and apparently his own wife because a minute later Rinko is coming through the door, a worried frazzled half-asleep look on her face as she sees her husband and friend sitting at a kotatsu crying in the middle of the night.
Suna smiles at her through his happy tears and she smiles back running at him and wrapping him in a much more gentle hug than her husband’s had been. They all laugh and cry together. Suna thinks they all should pick one or the other. Crying or laughing.
But he supposes sometimes it’s alright to do both.
As long as they’re all smiling together.