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Shouta was a stubborn, headstrong man who wouldn't let a project go unfinished. He knew it was one of the reasons both of his husbands were initially attracted to him. He hoped his husbands were proud of him for this specific project the most.
Shouta knew what it was like to be ridiculed, bullied, and antagonized for his quirk. He could still hear faceless bullies in the back of his mind screaming at him that he would amount to nothing but a filthy villain. Hence why his passion project wasn't something he cut corners on.
Him and his husbands single handedly opened the first villain rehabilitation center in Japan. This specific center specialized in teenagers and young adults who had either been taken in by villains at a young age, or born into a family of them. Shouta knew that, more often than not, villains weren't truly bad people. Rather they were just hurt people who felt like they had no where else to turn. He hoped his facility would one day be that place they turned to.
Silver Linings, lovingly named by Hizashi, was in its second year of operation when he came through their doors. Shouta, Hizashi, and Oboro all poured themselves into the center when they weren't doing other work. Oboro spent the most time there, since he had never fully recovered from the building collapsing on him, hence he became a therapist instead of a hero. He had been the one to get him settled in.
Tenko Shimura, alias Tomura Shigaraki. Age thirteen, quirk unknown. All they knew was that he was taken in by a gang of villains at age five. He was a scrawny little kid, shaggy blue gray hair, dull red eyes and an untreated skin condition. Tenko wouldn't speak for the first six months he was at Silver Linings, and Oboro was at a loss. Normally he was awesome with the teens that came through their facility.
That's part of the reason Shouta was at the facility today. He rarely actually sat down with residents one on one, opting for more of a group therapy deal. He didn't have the same way with words that his husbands did. But Hizashi had mentioned that the group of heros who found Tenko had found newspaper clippings involving him and a busted up set of yellow goggles in what they suspected was the teenager's room.
He tangled his fingers in the end of his capture scarf, a self soothing motion he had since he learned how to use the weapon. He wasn't nervous per se, just trying to piece together what he was going to say to the kid to get him to talk. Oboro walked out of the door with a smile, "He didn't talk, but I think I almost saw a smile when I mentioned someone was coming to visit! Try to get him to say what his quirk is so we can get it registered and get him into proper quirk counseling."
"Okay." Shouta simply said, leaning in to briefly peck his lips against Oboro's. The taller man chuckled, wrapping his arms around Shouta and squeezing him lightly. "You'll be fine, Kitty Cat. Hizashi swears he has to be a fan of yours." He said, playfully ruffling Shouta's hair before walking off down the hall, leaving the tired man grumbling as he smoothed down his hair again before walking into the office room.
He heard a surprised yelp before his dry eyes zeroed in on the kid. Tenko seemed to try and make himself as small as possible, curled up as far as his lanky body would allow him in the corner of Oboro's overly plush couch he kept in his office for their residents. He had a pale yellow blanket pulled around his shoulders, and was clutching a small corgi plush, likely given to him by Hizashi. The man loved to spoil their residents with as many comfort items as he could get his hands on, and Shouta agreed that they all should have some kind of comfort while undergoing their rehabilitation.
"Tenko?" Shouta spoke slowly, his voice monotone and smooth. He opened his body language, letting his arms fall to his sides and his head to lift as he looked at the teen. "Eraserhead." Tenko whispered, eyes wide in awe as he stared at the hero. Internally Shouta was freaking out, he hadn't even been in the room for two minutes and the kid who hadn't spoken a word for six months said his name.
He let the corners of his lips lift into a slight smile, "That's me. Are you a fan?" He asked as he walked to the center of the room, casually sitting on the floor in front of Tenko. He figured the kid would appreciate them being on similar levels. Tenko squeezed the stuffed dog to his chest, but uncurled his legs slightly as he nodded. "Y-you're a real hero… a good one." He whispered, his voice hoarse and cracking from disuse.
Shouta smiled a bit wider, it wasn't often he'd meet a fan of his, what with him being an underground hero. "I'm glad you think that. I pride myself on being able to protect those who often get overlooked. That's why I opened this facility." He explained, causing Tenko's brows to knit together in confusion. "This is your place? To help? Why would heros want to help people like me?" He asked, trying to subtly scratch at his wrist which already looked raw and irritated.
Shouta winced slightly as he reached over to a box under Oboro's desk, he rummaged around until he found a fidget toy he thought would suit Tenko's needs. He handed the boy the lava rock covered with puffy paint, not mentioning his scratching as he continued with their conversation. "My husbands' and I are firm believers that people aren't inherently bad. I've found that most of the time people who are involved in crime have no other choice. I believe in second chances, Tenko."
Tenko's eyes widened again as he was given the toy. Shocked at how casually Shouta was treating him. He turned to picking at the paint that coated the rock instead of his own skin. He shook his head at the mention of second chances. "Some people were born to be villains, Eraserhead." He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as visions of his dog, his sister, and his mom flashed into his mind involuntarily.
"Come back Tenko." Shouta said, his tone a bit firmer than he had been using. Tenko flinched, his eyes opening again as tears flooded them. "If people were born to be villains, I'd be one of them. So would one of my husbands. I have a quirk that takes away other people's quirks. My husband has a quirk that can level a city block in minutes. No one is born bad, Tenko. No matter what you may have done in the past, I don't think you're bad. I think you're a scared kid who's been through a lot." He said, extending his hand towards the teen, letting Tenko decide whether he wanted to be touched or not.
Tenko gasped softly, staring down at Shouta's hand. He looked at his own hands, rough and calloused. He slowly extended his hand and latched it around Shouta's, keeping his pinky lifted so his quirk wouldn't activate. The small detail wasn't lost on Shouta, who filed that bit of information away for later. He stroked his thumb against Tenko's knuckles. "You deserve happiness and love, just like everyone else, regardless of your quirk." He said firmly as tears finally spilled from Tenko's eyes.
"Even if I've done evil things?" He whimpered, curling his knees back up tightly but keeping a death grip on Shouta's hand. "You're a kid, Tenko. Whatever you've done in the past doesn't define you. Whatever your family had you do doesn't define you." He promised. Tenko sobbed quietly, "I… I ki-killed… I killed people! I'm evil! Bad! Bad bad bad…" he wailed. Shouta shook his head as he quickly moved to the couch, scooping Tenko into his arms. Logically he knew he shouldn't be this touchy with a resident, but he felt a certain kinship with this kid.
"You are not irredeemable, Tenko. You were a child, are a child. Whatever has happened doesn't make you bad." He said, resting his cheek against the top of the kid's head as he rubbed his hand up and down Tenko's back. "I killed my family… I destroyed them…." Tenko admitted, burrowing into Shouta as much as he could to soak in as much affection as he possibly could before the hero shoved him away. Because Tenko knew he was bad. He was vile, a filthy disgusting murderer.
Shouta had read Tenko's case file multiple times since he had come into their care. He knew the details of the Shimura family deaths. Authorities had chalked it up to a home invasion gone wrong. "Tenko, you were five when your family died. How could you have done that?" He asked, still holding the teen tightly. "Quirk. Decayed… crumbled… my fault… my fault… killed them!" Tenko sobbed between guttural cries of anguish.
That's when it clicked, this boy's entire situation was all an unlucky draw of an inopportune quirk manifestation and incompetent heros and police who hadn't found him before a gang of villains did. Shouta felt his own tears prick at his eyes as he held the kid even tighter. "Shhh… shh Tenko. You were just a kid. You were a baby. You didn't mean it. You're not evil, it's not your fault sweetie." He murmured, gently rocking them back and forth as he soothed the boy in his arms.
After what felt like ages, Tenko's cries turned into hiccups and shuddering breaths. Shouta pulled back and used his sleeve to wipe Tenko's cheeks, "I'm here for you, Tenko. I hear you, I see you. Dr. Oboro is here for you, Present Mic, every member of staff in this facility is here for you. All we want is to see you happy and thriving." He said, brushing Tenko's hair away from his damp face. The teen sniffled as he nodded, "O-okay… okay, Eraserhead. I-i trust you."
From that day on, Shouta was at the facility nearly every day, assisting Tenko in his daily tasks, overseeing his therapy sessions. He was incredibly proud of his kid. Tenko willingly participated in the various group therapies offered. He took special interest in Music Therapy which was provided by Hizashi, and Art Therapy which Nemuri hosted twice a month. His skin condition was being treated with medication and creams, he gained a proper amount of weight and slowly began to grow into his lanky body.
That was his kid, Shouta realized after a while. He didn't have this kind of connection with any of the other residents. Not that he didn't care about them, but because Tenko trusted him, came out of his shell because of him. Tenko was healing because of him, and fuck if that didn't make Shouta feel things. So Shouta did the only rational thing he could think of. He sat his husbands down about six months before Tenko's rehabilitation would be over and gave them a twenty minute presentation of why they should adopt the now almost fifteen year old.
Oboro chuckled softly at the end of Shouta's rant. "I do think it'd benefit him to be placed with people he already knows well." He said as he wrapped his arm around Hizashi's shoulders. "I could use an extra person to pour all my love into. Tenko is a great kid, how else am I gonna continue our guitar lessons if he doesn't live with us?" The blonde grinned.
Shouta stared at his husbands for a moment before sighing. "I didn't have to prepare a whole speech, did I." He grumbled as Hizashi grabbed his arm and pulled him into their laps. "Nah, you had us at 'We should adopt Tenko,' I'm glad you put so much thought and research into it though," he said, stroking his fingers through Shouta's hair.
"As if our Kitty Cat would ever half ass something as serious as this. The commission will be happy to expedite the process. Placing a kid with such a strong quirk as him with people like us is really the best case scenario for them." Oboro murmured as he cuddled further into his husbands, rubbing his cheek against Shouta's shoulder.
"It's settled then. We'll be bringing our son home in six months when his rehab is finalized. As long as he agrees, of course." Shouta said, his lips quirking up into a pleased smile. Hizashi squealed softly, nuzzling into Shouta as well, "I finally have a reason to repaint the guest room! Do you think Tenko would like lavender? No! A soft green! Ohh Sho! There's so much I gotta ask him!"
Shouta shook his head, burrowing further into the welcoming arms of his loves. "Just don't overwhelm him. I'm not even sure if he knows all three of us are together." He yawned softly, eyes growing heavy with drowsiness. "I'll introduce the idea tomorrow during our one on one. Though I doubt he'll have a problem with us all being men. I've been watching him make heart eyes at the Todoroki kid for almost a month now." Oboro commented, pressing a sweet kiss against Shouta's jaw. "Hmm… good. Kiddo deserves to be a teenager. I'll beat up Touya if he hurts my son though." Shouta mumbled breathily before falling asleep completely.
"Is it just me, or is mama bear Sho, like, super hot." Hizashi whispered as to not wake their husband. Oboro snorted softly, "Nah. It's cute to see him all protective. I always knew he was a giant softy." He said looking up at Hizashi adoringly. "We're gonna have a son. I'm pretty stoked about that," he said. Hizashi just grinned, leaning over to kiss him, "Me too, Bo."
Over the final six months of Tenko's rehabilitation, all three men warmed him up to the idea of coming home with them. They confessed that they were all together, which the teen had hardly batted an eye at. He claimed he figured it out ages ago. Subtly Hizashi asked how Tenko would like his bedroom decorated, and what his favorite things were. Oboro gently brought up the idea of adoption, and Tenko seemed receptive to being adopted, his healing journey having come so far from where it was.
Finally, just a few weeks before Tenko was due to graduate from the facility, Shouta sat him down personally to ask. He drew in a breath before handing Tenko a packet of adoption papers. "I want to preface by saying whatever your answer to this is, I still care about you. I'll always be in your corner no matter what, Tenko." He said firmly, bit fidgeted with the end of his scarf nervously.
Tenko blinked in confusion, "Don't sound so serious old man." He tried to joke as he tucked his stubborn hair behind his ear so he could read the papers. He opened the packet, and his eyes immediately widened. "Adoption papers? For…Me?" He read further, tears flooding his eyes. "You, Oboro and Hizashi want to adopt me?" He asked incredulously.
Shouta took a hold of Tenko's trembling hand. "You have grown into a fine young man. I am so, so incredibly proud of you. Me, Hizashi and Oboro want nothing more than to officially make you our son. Hell, you're smart, I'm sure you've noticed how much I favor you even though I'm not supposed to," Shouta said, his voice cracking ever so slightly before he cleared his throat to hide his onslaught of emotion.
Tenko chuckled softly sniffling as he allowed his hair to fall back in front of his eyes, hiding his tears. "I still don't know who I am yet. Are you guys prepared for that? I know I'm still a handful. I have flashbacks, panic attacks… my quirk is still unpredictable sometimes." His voice was rough with tears. Shouta squeezed his hand before taking the papers and setting them aside. He moved to sit beside Tenko, wrapping him in his arms. The freely given affection was a relatively new development, but he was thrilled with it nonetheless.
"Oboro and I still have nightmares of the building collapse. Hizashi has panic attacks and loses control of his quirk more than a kid who's quirk just manifested. No one is perfect, and we love you, Tenko. Flaws and all." He promised, sniffling as his own tears began falling down his cheeks as Tenko tucked his head under his chin.
"You love me?" He whimpered, sounding scarily similar to the terrified thirteen year old Shouta had first met when he arrived here. "With my entire heart, Tenko. Dare I say I love you more than coffee and cats." He teased, causing Tenko to let out a wet laugh. The teen snuggled further into Shouta, his partially gloved fingers coming up to find comfort in tangling in the man's long dark hair.
"I think… I'd like to be your son. Officially and all. S-so yes, my answer is yes." Tenko said, his voice muffled as he hid his face in Shouta's chest. Suddenly the door burst open, causing Tenko to jump and look up at Hizashi and Oboro who waltzed into the room, both holding up an 'It's a boy' sign. Tenko burst into laughter, holding his sides as Shouta glared at his husbands. "You've been right outside the whole time haven't you," he sighed, smiling fondly up at the men.
"Well duh! We had to know when to come in and celebrate the arrival of our baby!" Hizashi grinned as he plopped on the couch beside Tenko and wrapped his arms around him also, even though the teen was still laughing. "God you guys are such dorks. Can't believe you're gonna be my parents." The teen said, grinning as he wiped away the remnants of his tears.
"Touya isn't gonna believe this. I can't believe this." Tenko couldn't wipe the smile off his face if he tried, he didn't know he could even be this happy. "Touya huh? Boyfriend?" Shouta asked with a smirk, causing Tenko to blush furiously. The teen stood up quickly. "No! Nope, not talking about this right now. I gotta go… walk my dog!" he declared before running out of the office, leaving the three men to laugh. Shouta knew they were going to be okay, and he couldn't be happier to have Tenko in his family.
A few hours later Shouta was getting ready to leave for his patrol shift when he went to say goodbye to his son (son!). He walked into the common room only to find Tenko wrapped up in Touya's arms, a soft smile on his lips as Touya just watched whatever was playing on television. Shouta smirked, "I'll see you tomorrow Tenko." He said before narrowing his eyes at Touya, the scarred teen staring at him with a fake nonchalance. Shouta's face split into his signature eerie grin. "Have a nice night, Touya." He said, waving at the two boys before leaving.
Touya shuddered, "Jeeze, Ten. Remind me to never piss him off." He muttered, lifting one of his hands from around Tenko's waist and ran his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. Tenko snickered, leaning into the welcome touch, "Something tells me Shouta isn't the one you need to worry about. I have a feeling Hizashi is even scarier." He said, smiling happily. For the first time in his life, he looked forward to what his life had in store for him.
Two more weeks passed, and Tenko was given a certificate of completion for his rehabilitation. He smiled down at the paper presented to him by Oboro, it was officially stamped by the Commission and everything. "You're welcome to stay until lights out when Sho and I leave, kiddo. I'm sure you'll want to spend a couple more hours with Touya." He teased gently, grinning as he watched his son blush ever so slightly. "Yeah, I'd like that. D-did Hizashi get my room all finished?" He asked, almost shyly.
Oboro nodded, "Worked like a madman all night, claimed it had to be absolutely perfect for his baby." He laughed softly, "He was stringing fairy lights and rearranging pillows and blankets until Sho forced him into bed. Everything is all ready for you, sweetheart. We're very excited to have you," Tenko smiled a bit more, "I'm excited to go home… to have a home. But um, I have a question…" he said, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "Well two questions really," he added.
Oboro hummed as he sat back in his plush office chair, relaxing his posture in hopes of relaxing Tenko. "You're always welcome to ask as many questions as you'd like, whenever you'd like, Ten." He said with a soft smile. Tenko smiled back, lifting one hand up to twirl his hair around his fingers. "Okay. Question one, Can I have a haircut?" he said, nodding once, proud of himself for freely asking a question that had been weighing on him a bit.
Oboro nodded, "Of course, kiddo. Whatever you do with your appearance is up to you. Within reason of course." He laughed softly, "We can't let you go get a bunch of tattoos, and piercings would have to be within reason. But your hair is no problem. Would you like us to set up an appointment for you? Or would you rather Hizashi do it? He's been cutting both Shouta and I's hair for forever." Tenko's shoulders slumped in relief. "Big Sis Magne said hair holds memories. I don't want to forget everything by any means…. But I think having one of you three cut it, it would help me forget the bad memories. You know?"
"That's very sound logic, kiddo. I'm sure Hizashi would be thrilled to do that for you after dinner tonight. Thank you for telling me your reasoning, we will do everything to make this a good experience for you." Oboro said happily, his smile never fading. "What's your next question?"
Tenko continued twirling his hair, drawing in a breath as he regained courage for his next question. "Wh-what do I call you guys?" He asked, watching Oboro's brows knit together in confusion before realization dawned on him. "You are more than welcome to keep calling us by our first names. Or if you're comfortable, and only if you're comfortable, you can call us any form of Dad. I'll let you know Hizashi is partial to Papa." He chuckled softly. Tenko smiled faintly, bowing his head slightly.
"Thanks… for everything, Pops." He said, his voice almost a whisper. Oboro's breath caught in his throat, tears instantly springing to his eyes. "Damn, kid. Can I give you a hug?" Tenko grinned, lifting his head and standing up. He opened his arms and shrugged, "I do believe good loving dads are supposed to give their kids hugs. So yeah, bring it in, old man."
Oboro practically jumped out of his seat and quickly enveloped Tenko in a firm hug. One hand cradled the teens head against his chest as he sniffled. "Shit, I'm so proud to be your dad. You don't even know. I know you're already fifteen and you're probably not gonna want you Pops hanging around all the time, but I don't even care." He said, squeezing Tenko lightly before letting the kid go. He smiled down at him, tears sliding down his cheeks. "Go hang out with Touya, kiddo. I may or may not have excused him from therapy all day today so the rec room is all yours for a couple hours."
Tenko grinned, squeezing Oboro in return before pulling away. "Thanks, Pops. I'll see you later," he said, grabbing his certificate to show Touya before heading out the door. "Shouta is on the prowl. Don't let Touya get too handsy," Oboro called teasingly, making Tenko squeak in embarrassment before slamming the door behind him.
Tenko proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon with Touya. He knew he was being annoyingly clingy, but he knew he wouldn't see his partner nearly as much as he had been. Touya didn't seem to mind, the scarred teen simply snaked his arms around Tenko, one hand cradling his head against his chest and stroking his hair while the other arm squeezed pleasantly around his waist.
"Gonna miss you… not gonna be the same without you," Touya mumbled, looking down at Tenko with tears in his turquoise eyes. Tenko lifted his head up, bumping their foreheads together. "I'll make my dad's bring me back here every day after school. And if they don't, well I'm a rebellious teenager after all." He joked. Touya sniffled, nuzzling their noses together, "Gonna get through this program, shove the certificate up Endeavor's ass and then take you on the best fucking date you've ever been on."
Tenko snorted softly, "It'll be the first date I've ever been on. So I'm sure it'll be perfect." He said, lifting his head up and kissing Touya's lips softly. Touya couldn't help but smile into the kiss, tangling his fingers in Tenko's hair as he deepened the kiss. However, they both jumped when they heard someone clear their throat from beside them.
The teens scrambled apart, Tenko falling onto the floor with a thud as Touya looked up at the person who had interrupted them. Hizashi stood there in full hero gear and a wide grin on his lips. But the grin was just slightly off, and his eyes were those of a predator. He was simply staring down at Touya like he was prey. "You have a ways to go before you're able to take my son on a date, Touya Todoroki. Also, keep your hands to yourself and those kisses rated PG, ya dig?" His voice was menacing and unnerving, and his smile widened ever so slightly.
"Jeeze Papa, you don't think Dad scared him enough?" Tenko grumbled as he stood up and rubbed his behind where he had fallen. Hizashi's body language instantly snapped back in surprise when he heard his son talk. "Ten, baby. What did you just say?" He asked, his voice soft and almost shaky. "I said Dad already scared him, why are you scaring him even more, Papa?" Tenko reiterated before Hizashi very nearly burst into tears.
"Y-you called me Papa!" He sniffled as he ran around the couch and enveloped Tenko in a tight embrace, peppering kisses against the top of the teenager's head. Tenko rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless as he hugged Hizashi back tightly. "Yeah, Pops said you'd prefer that. Can you not scare my boyfriend anymore though?" Hizashi sniffled dramatically, "Yeah. Of course little love. I'll stop. I'll see you at home tonight, be safe. I love you!" He said, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes, pressing one more kiss against Tenko's forehead, before rushing out of the door.
Touya stared at him with wide eyes, "I swear to the Gods I just saw my life flash before my eyes, Ten. Good call on calling him Papa. If you hadn't I'm sure he would have liquefied my brain before I even knew what was going on." He said, holding his chest. Tenko giggled, falling back onto the couch and pulling Touya with him. "You'd have been fine, Hizashi is a softy. He just plays the part of being scary sometimes."
Touya sighed, burying his fingers in Tenko's hair again, willing his tense muscles to relax. "Last person I dated, I only had to deal with one dad, you've got three. I'm a little intimidated." He smiled down at him. Tenko snuggled closer, closing his eyes and shrugged. "They're the best thing that has ever happened to me. Aside from you, of course." He chuckled.
"They're good for you. We didn't run in the same circles for very long before you got caught, but I remember how miserable you looked. Even if your group was good to you. Magne took care of everyone, but Yamada, Aizawa and Shirakumo? I'm so glad they scooped you up and brought you here when they did. You deserve nothing but good things, babe." Touya murmured, smiling as Tenko buried his face into his stomach.
"Thanks Touya. You do too, you know? I'm glad you're here so you can get the same help I did." Tenko said softly, his eyes falling shut as he was lulled into a doze by Touya's hands in his hair. Touya smiled, "Thanks, babe. Sleep well." He murmured, still playing with Tenko's hair even as he slept.
Tenko didn't sleep long, and when he woke up again he and Touya spent the rest of the day playing card games and drawing with the crappy felt tip markers they were provided. Tenko grinned when Touya gave him his drawing. It was a portrait of him concentrating on his own drawing, and it was beautiful. It was as well done as it could be. "Thanks, I love it," he said, grabbing Touya's hand and kissing his knuckles.
Before either of them would have preferred, the lights in the REC room dimmed, and Tenko's parents walked into the room. "Time to call it a night kiddos." Oboro said with a smile, practically vibrating with excitement. He was so happy to finally bring Tenko home. Touya wrapped his arms around Tenko tightly, kissing his forehead. "See you tomorrow. Let me know how your first night home is, yeah?" He said with a smile. Tenko grinned, nodding happily as he lifted his head and connected their lips in a quick chaste kiss before pulling away.
"Sweet dreams, Touya!" He said as he walked out of the facility with his dads. Oboro wrapped his arm around Tenko's shoulders as they walked, "I'd ask if I needed to have the shovel talk with him as your Pops, but I bet Hizashi already found him on his way out for patrol today. Didn't he?" He grinned. Touya laughed, "Yeah. I think he's got the message. What is Papa making for dinner tonight?" He asked as he loaded himself into the back of the car.
"Someone told him pizza was your favorite meal. So he went all out on making it homemade." Shouta smiled as he sat in the passenger seat, burrowing down into his capture scarf. Tenko smiled, relaxing back into the seat. "Thanks Dad." He murmured, just loud enough for Shouta to hear. Shouta smiled to himself, beyond pleased with the new title of Dad. "Of course, kiddo." He murmured, leaning his head against the window as Oboro started the car and drove off towards their home.
Hizashi was already almost done cooking when they got home. He had changed out of his hero outfit and his hair was woven into a braid that draped over his shoulder. He had loud rock music playing that he sang along to, making Tenko smile. Oboro grinned, "Introduce him to the other children and give him a tour, Sho. I'm gonna help finish dinner." He said, pecking Shouta's cheek and ruffling Tenko's hair before walking to the bathroom where the music was quickly turned down.
"You didn't mention other kids…" Tenko said, suddenly nervous. He hadn't anticipated anyone else but him and his fathers. Shouta smiled as he nodded his head towards a large cat tree that occupied almost an entire wall on the other side of the living room. "Furry children. I know you prefer dogs, but we're a cat family," he explained. Tenko breathed a soft sigh of relief. "I like cats just fine. How many do we have?" He asked.
Shouta smiled a bit wider as one of the cats, a tiny little black ball of fluff, came out of hiding from under the couch and climbed his leg until he grabbed her and cradled her close. "Inside, right now, we have six. But four of those are kittens and we're looking for good homes for three of them. This little one is Pepper, she's staying here. But if we're talking outside cats that me and Oboro feed, at least a dozen."
Tenko stared at the purring kitten in Shouta's hands. "That's a lot… I've never been around cats before. Wh-what if they don't like me?" He asked quietly as the kitten opened her blue eyes and slowly blinked up at him. Shouta shrugged, "They call me the cat whisperer and not even all of them like me. Cats are very independent. If they don't like you, they'll leave you alone and if you leave them alone too everything will be fine. But I promise the two adults we have are bonafide snuggle bugs." He explained as he motioned to the couch. "Come sit, and I'll grab the others for you to meet."
Tenko was left to sit on the couch, awkwardly picking at a loose string on his jeans as another little kitten crawled out from under the couch. He stared at it warily, unsure what to do as the little thing began to climb up his leg. "Oh! Don't fall," he panicked slightly as the kitten let out a little meow and fell back onto the ground. Tenko leaned down and ever so carefully picked up the creature, pinkies still raised even though he was wearing his special gloves. The kitten immediately curled into his hand, purring like a motor boat, and Tenko's heart melted.
He cooed softly, cradling the kitten to his chest as he scratched behind its ear with a finger. Shouta quickly returned, carrying two older cats, trailed by the other two kittens Tenko had yet to meet. "Oh, you met Sorbet?" He asked, brows raised in shock. Hizashi stuck his head out of the kitchen. "Excuse me, what? Sorbet came out from under the couch? Willingly?" He asked incredulously.
Tenko blushed in embarrassment, "I-i didn't… I don't… it just came out and tried to climb up my leg." He said quietly, curling in on himself slightly, thinking he had already done something wrong. Shouta sat beside him, wrapping his arm around Tenko's shoulders, "Hey, it's okay kiddo. We're just a little shocked because she never comes out of hiding. Not even for me. We usually have to pick up the couch and pull her out so she can nurse."
Tenko chewed on his lip "I'm sorry… I don't…" he whimpered, tears pricking at his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to upset his parents, he didn't mean to let the little kitten climb on him. He didn't even do anything! "Tenko, breathe for me buddy," Oboro was on his other side now, gently brushing his fingers through his hair, "Come on, sweetheart. Breathe like we do in therapy, yeah? In for four counts, out for eight." He instructed, purposely making his own counted breathing loud enough for Tenko to hear.
Tenko sniffled, taking in shaking breaths and letting out stuttering sobs as he breathed out. "Don't be mad. I didn't mean to." He whined. "We're not mad, baby. Just surprised," Tenko heard Hizashi speaking, and he could feel the man's presence behind him. "Sorbet just doesn't like being social. We're thrilled you got her out honestly." Shouta promised as he gently stroked his fingers against the kitten's head while she was still being cradled against Tenko's chest.
"I didn't even do anything." Tenko tried to laugh, but he came out more like a sob. "We know, sweetheart. But you know what this means?" Tenko watched as Shouta looked up at his husbands with a cocky smirk. "We get to keep two of the kittens from this litter!"
Hizashi playfully groaned, "We went from two cats who we thought were both ladies, to having four. Yeah, okay. That's fine." He laughed, gently putting his hand on top of Tenko's head, scratching his scalp ever so slightly. "I… get to keep her?" The teen asked incredulously.
"She chose you, kiddo. She's yours. That's how it works here," Oboro snorted, pointing at the disgruntled long haired gray cat in Shouta's arms. "Moth Ball, chose me. Found her, well we thought she was a her, on my way home one day with his head stuck in a pickle jar. She's been attached to my hip ever since." He explained as Moth Ball finally leapt out of Shouta's arms and primly landed on Oboro's lap.
"Majesty was half starved by a dumpster when I found her." Shouta said, burying his fingers into the cat's long white fur. The admittedly ugly, squish faced persian purred in delight. "I think she came from a backyard breeder and she was deemed too ugly to sell so they dumped her." He added. "And Pepper has been my jam session buddy since she was old enough to explore the apartment. I'm more of a dog person too, but you gotta admit, these suckers are pretty cute, huh?" Hizashi cooed softly as he picked up Pepper, nuzzling his cheek against her head.
Tenko sniffled, wiping away the rest of his residual tears. "She's not a corgi. But she's pretty cute I guess," he said with a short laugh as he cuddled Sorbet closer. "Thank you… for letting me keep her." He said, feeling Hizashi's fingers run through his hair. He leaned into the touch. "Our pleasure, sweet pea. How about you let Sorbet go for now while we go eat some grub, yeah?"
As if on cue, Tenko's stomach growled quite loudly, causing all three other men to crack up. "Come on, bud. Let's tame that beast in your belly." Oboro teased as he patted Moth Ball, nudging him out of his lap before standing up. "Go lay down, my darling." Shouta cooed down at Majesty, kissing her squished nose, causing the feline to snort then sneeze before wiggling out of his arms and high tailing it to the highest point of the cat tree.
Tenko smiled slightly, ever so carefully pressing a kiss against Sorbet's little head before setting her on the floor again. "Let's eat then, thank you for making dinner, Papa." He said, looking up at Hizashi who was grinning happily. The blonde man was still unused to being called Papa, thus still completely thrilled with the title every time he heard it.
"Of course, little love." Hizashi cooed as he ushered his family into the dining room for dinner. Tenko gasped softly, eyeing the spread of food that was laid out on the dining table. It could only be described as carbohydrate heaven. There were four different pizzas, bread sticks that smelled like garlic and cheese, even pasta! Tenko grinned, "Thank you! It looks delicious," he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Hizashi tightly.
Hizashi smiled, tears instantly coming to his eyes. He was an emotional guy okay? He wrapped his arms around his son in return and kissed the top of his head. "It was my pleasure, darling dear," he murmured sweetly as Oboro patted Tenko's back. "I bet it tastes at least ten times more delicious than it looks, bud. Let's sit and eat, yeah?"
Tenko pulled away from Hizashi, still smiling as he nodded, "Yeah! Let's eat." He said, claiming one of the chairs at the dining table. Shouta took the chair on his left while Hizashi sat beside him and Oboro flanked his right. "Well, dig in kiddo." Shouta said, bumping his shoulder playfully against Tenko's as he reached out and grabbed his own slice of pizza.
Tenko didn't have to be told twice. He grinned happily as he loaded his plate with pizza and pasta, eating however much he could stomach. The rest of his family made idle chatter. The space created was warm and comforting, so much so that Tenko found himself leaning against Oboro's side after he finished eating. He blinked slowly as he relaxed, and for the first time in his life he finally felt completely safe and cared for. It was an amazing feeling.
Oboro smiled, he had finished eating a while ago, but didn't want to move his son. So he simply wrapped an arm around the teen's shoulders and held him close. "Did you get enough, bud?" He asked. Tenko's eyes drooped with drowsiness, but he nodded. "Yeah, I'm full. Thanks Pops," he murmured. Hizashi beamed from his seat. "Do you still want to cut your hair tonight, darling dear? Or wait until tomorrow?" He asked, finishing up his own meal.
"Tonight… gotta cut off the bad memories before I go to bed here the first night." He mumbled. Oboro squeezed the teen a bit firmer, looking up at his blonde husband. "How about you guys go to our bathroom so Sho and I can clean up in here yeah? Give us all enough space to move around." Tenko nodded slightly, willing himself to sit up. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and smiled over at Hizashi slightly.
"That sounds great, Bo. Come on, darling dear." Hizashi grinned as he stood up and held out his hand for Tenko. Tenko briefly leaned into Shouta's side for a quick cuddle, just because he could and wanted to show his affection for his dad. Shouta chuckled softly, "Go on, kiddo. Maybe after you get done we can have a good long cuddle on the couch. Sound good?" Tenko smiled a bit wider, "Yes please." He said, yawning softly as he stood up and took hold of Hizashi's hand.
Hizashi guided him into the adult's bedroom, which was huge and nearly full to bursting with blankets and pillows. Tenko smiled at the sight, pleased that there seemed to be a never ending supply of comfort in this apartment. He was led into an equally large en suite bathroom. "Have a seat over at my vanity, little love." Hizashi murmured, squeezing Tenko's hand gently before letting him go while he rummaged in a cabinet for his supplies.
Tenko sat down at the vanity as instructed, looking down at the collection of skincare items, hair products, and makeup that was neatly organized in little plastic baskets. "You wear makeup?" He asked, almost shyly. Hizashi returned to his side, setting down a plastic case on the vanity before draping a towel around Tenko's shoulders. "I sure do. Shouta will too on the rare occasion we all go out on a fancy date. Why do you ask, sweet thing?" He asked, keeping his voice light and calm despite his internal disco he was having over his one on one bonding time with his son.
Tenko leaned back into the seat comfortably. "I um… I didn't know that boys could wear makeup. Big Sis said she used to be a guy, but that's because she was born in the wrong body. So her wearing makeup doesn't count I don't think." He explained, his shoulders slumping in bliss as Hizashi began to brush his hair, removing any tangles that had accumulated throughout the day.
Hizashi smiled, "Anyone can wear makeup, darling dear. It's just face paint but more expensive." He snorted softly, "I'll teach you how to put it on some time, if you'd like? But first, talk to me about how you'd like your hair cut." Tenko smiled at the idea of learning how to do makeup, he wondered if Touya would like it. "I haven't really thought about it. Maybe a little shorter than it was when I first got to the facility?" He asked, wanting Hizashi's opinion.
"So about here?" Hizashi asked, holding his hands just a bit below Tenko's ears. "I hadn't realized how much it grew out," the blonde chuckled softly, running his fingers through Tenko's hair soothingly. The pale blue strands had grown well past his shoulders in the two and a half years he had been at Silver Linings. The teen suppressed a hum, feeling boneless from all of the gentle affection he was receiving. "It has grown a lot. But yeah, that length is fine. I trust you to make it look nice, Papa."
Hizashi leaned down and kissed the crown of Tenko's head. "That means a lot to me, little love. Now, just sit back and relax for me. I got you," he said happily, running a comb through Tenko's hair before clipping some of it out of his way. Tenko just smiled, eyes growing heavy with sleep. Before he even realized it, he had fallen asleep before Hizashi even began the haircut.
Tenko felt like he had barely closed his eyes when Hizashi was nudging him awake. "Hey, sweetheart. Can you wake up for me? Tell me how you like your hair?" Tenko jumped slightly, snorting on a snore briefly before rubbing his eyes. "Huh? Oh…" he murmured sleepily as he looked at his reflection blearily.
He ran his fingers through his hair, a soft smile lifting his lips. His hair was cut short, layered to be effortlessly messy how he preferred it. It wasn't hanging in his eyes annoyingly, and it was comfortably light. He looked like himself again, and it was an amazing feeling. "It's perfect. Thank you, Papa." He said, turning and hugging Hizashi yet again.
Hizashi held Tenko close, stroking his fingers through his hair lovingly. "Thank you for trusting me, darling dear." He said, kissing his forehead lightly before pulling away from the hug. "Go ahead and take a shower in here, I didn't have time to set up your bathroom. I'll bring some pajamas for you to wear. Then we can have a big cuddle like Sho said." He grinned, cupping Tenko's cheek tenderly.
The teen nuzzled into the touch, humming sleepily. "Okay. Sounds nice," he yawned out his words as he stood up and stumbled towards the shower to get it started. Hizashi smiled even wider, tears pricking at his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time that night. He just loved his kid so much, and he was so thrilled to have him home.
"I'll be right back with some clothes, sweetheart." Hizashi said, quickly cleaning up the hair scattered on the ground before exiting the bathroom, leaving Tenko to shower in peace. Tenko stepped under the hot water with a sigh. He felt totally boneless, relaxed and finally at ease. He wondered how he would have turned out if he had had this his entire life. He shook his head, no point in dwelling on it now.
He didn't take long to shower. When he exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around him, he easily spotted the pajamas that Hizashi had set out for him. He got dressed, reveling in the soft and pleasantly scented clothes. He ruffled the towel through his hair once more to remove the excess moisture before joining his family in the living room once again.
They already had a movie set up and waiting to be played. All of the cats were curled up around them, and there was clearly a space left for Tenko right in the middle. "Your hair looks really nice kiddo!" Oboro grinned, patting the empty space beside him. Shouta smiled also, holding Sorbet up. "Little Miss demands cuddles. And so do we." He snorted softly. Tenko laughed, "Yeah yeah, I'm coming." He said, pretending to be exasperated as he plopped down on the couch.
He immediately leaned into Shouta's side, curling his legs up and grabbing Sorbet to cuddle. Shouta wrapped his arm around Tenko's shoulders while Oboro leaned against the teen slightly, just enough for his presence to be known.
Hizashi plopped down on the other side of Shouta, Pepper perched on his shoulder. "Doors are locked, AC is turned down to practically freezing, and the blankets are all beside Bo when y'all inevitably get cold." He teased as he laid his head against Shouta's shoulder.
"You guys are pretty great," Tenko murmured, eyes once again growing heavy. Shouta stroked his fingers through Tenko's hair, smiling, "You're pretty great too, Ten." He said, holding his son close while Oboro pressed play on the movie. Tenko snuggled down into the pile of limbs and warmth, nuzzling his cheek against Sorbet's little head as he drowsily watched the movie that was playing.
Tenko had a family. A boyfriend, a cat. He was loved, he was cared for unconditionally. He had never imagined he'd ever have this in his life, no matter how late in his life it finally happened. He glanced up at his new dads. Shouta was already half asleep, Majesty and the two other kittens curled up in his lap. Oboro was watching the movie intently, Moth Ball wrapped around his neck and purring loudly. Hizashi was mostly reading something on his phone, Tenko assumed this wasn't his type of movie. Pepper batted at his hair playfully while she sat on his shoulder.
Tenko was happy. So unbelievably happy, he almost couldn't believe all this was his. He smiled, letting out a soft sigh as he nuzzled into Shouta's side. "I love you guys," he muttered before finally allowing himself to fall asleep fully for the first night of his new forever.