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Shoyo had never thought this specific chapter of his life would kick off so early, even though he always knew it was destined to start someday.
In the Center of Hinata Shoyo’s life there is a volleyball, a weird force that keeps spinning as time passes by. But around the volleyball, around Shoyo’s heart— is the sound of joyful giggling, whining, high pitched screaming that just won’t leave him alone.
Obviously alongside a second gender there’s more urges and instincts than the normal person has. Needs to protect, needs for comfort, hearts set to find comfort in another’s, and.. aching wombs.
Shoyo wouldn’t say it sucks.
Wanting children and seeking out a lifestyle surrounding professional volleyball are two things known among many to have a hard time coexisting.
That is what sucks.
When you officially become an adult, you’re met with a bundle of choices. For Shoyo, well, it had not affected him at the time. While too focused on volleyball, every other aspect of life naturally came in second. So even if his body ached for something more, and even if it became harder to ignore when Kageyama came rushing back into his life— there wasn’t much to be done.
He had time, he was still young.
What the spiker hadn’t expected was for time to stop, and for bigger mistakes than the ones from his past, to be made.
But is he mad about them, can they really be called mistakes? Not really.
“Board 27 open, please follow the lit up signs.”
Shoyo groans, head falling limp on his shoulder as the voice barely filters through his muted ears. It’s way too early to be even moving. But even as his limbs stay unmoving, something doesn’t by his side.
“That’s our call.”
It’s not obnoxiously loud, yet the spiker still grimaces at the words. Maybe it’s his subconscious being fed up with the idea of getting up, or something else, but Shoyo can’t help but feel even more exhausted than he felt some seconds ago.
He grimaces even more when a hand gently grabs his upper forearm, pushing him out of his slumped down state.
For some odd unexpected reason the airport is as bustling with commotion as it is during the day, even if it’s almost midnight. A lot of children, carts and luggage fill up the hallways of the airport that Shoyo deems is unusually big.
It’s a miracle they managed to get some seats, by their designated gate nonetheless.
And after multiple long nights of almost no sleep, paired with far more physically straining practices than usual— Shoyo’s pretty well spent, so what’s there to rebut about feeling aggravated from being rudely woken up from his well deserved slumber?
When the hand continues to push and probe, the spiker’s eyelashes flutter. Slowly but still hurried, against his own will.
But as Shoyo takes in the sight in front of him, blinking away the bleary light of his eyes and focusing as hard as he can, a familiar figure takes form.
First, a pair of blue eyes. Then, the rest of his boyfriend’s hunched down state. Third, a small fluffy ball of dark curly hair, and the rest of a tiny body inside a baby carrier— right there on Tobio’s broad chest.
It’s still blurry from his prior clouded vision, but Shoyo manages to see the amusement in Tobio’s face.
“You’re not the only one that would rather be sleeping.” The setter says, voice showing neither exhaustion nor annoyance. As soon as Shoyo manages to nitpick the tone, a familiar force of competence starts growing, but something breaks him off before he can burn.
A whine, followed by a high pitch sound of emotion comes from the tiny bundle of black in the baby carrier.
The small smirk that had been on Tobio’s lips disappear, now replaced with the start of a pout as he moves his attention to the source of the small sounds.
Shoyo doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to this.
It’s loud in the airport, even more so now that their gate is officially boarding, yet somehow Shoyo still manages to catch the small whisper from Tobio. Every soothing sound, every hush and every noise that comes in reciprocation.
A gentle hush, followed by more whining. Tobio straightens his back slightly. “You didn’t get that pitch from me,” he whispers, letting the small bundle of energy in his hold grab into his finger. The small hand barely covers half of its width.
Another whine, this time a lot softer. Shoyo’s eyes can’t help but catch how Tobio’s eyes crinkle as his smile grows. It’s so unbelievably soft, something the spiker has missed ever since stepping a foot into the sterile looking walls of the airport.
“Yeah, you agree with me. Don’t you, Himari?” Tobio whispers, not only to the little girl in his hold— but also to Shoyo.
Ah.
The strain in Shoyo’s eyes is still evident. Sore, dry and tired from everything that’s happened to him the past couple of weeks.
It has come to his attention that blinking it away stopped working hours ago. But that’s fine, because just one look at Tobio rocking back and forth with their baby in his arms is enough for everything else to lose its anguish.
As soon as Himari settles down, Tobio’s on him, keeping a hand watchfully on the back of Himari’s head as he drags Shoyo with them.
The pair packed lightly. Not because they didn’t have a lot to bring themselves, but because Himari has a lot she needs to bring. The little bundle of joy got a whole suitcase for herself.
Shoyo drags his own hand luggage to the gate, ignoring how his alpha shoots him a disapproving stare. When the brooding doesn’t stop, Shoyo cuts him off with a stare of his own.
A vacation is just what they need. Sun, beaches, and not having to cook for two whole weeks.
Tobio loosens the hold he has on Shoyo’s arm as they near the queue to the gate. Yet, the omega’s heart doesn’t get the smallest taste of Tobio’s warmth disappearing— because it stays there, by the lower of his back.
When Shoyo tilts his head to look up at him, he’s not looking back, the alpha is staring at the baby on his chest.
Shoyo’s heart melts.
“She’s tired, but I think she’ll wake up soon.” Tobio says, lips forming a thin line as he takes in Himari’s small state. “It’s a long flight, she won’t sleep through it all.”
He’s right, Shoyo knows for sure she’ll wake up at the worst time imaginable. Himari is almost three months old, but he remembers her sleeping patterns since the day she was a newborn as if it was yesterday.
As a newborn she reeked chaos whenever it was bedtime. Always hungry, always energised, always wanting something more than the pair could manage at the moment. When Himari did fall asleep, after hours of cooing and awful singing, she’d only sleep for an hour or two.
It was hell.
Shoyo thinks he’ll never forget all the gossip and chitter chatter about the dark circles he and Tobio wore for a month straight.
But then, when she hit the three week old stage, the nights grew quieter. It wasn’t just an hour or two anymore. It was much more. During the day the naps grew longer and fruitful and finally, they could at last catch a break. Something small such as cuddling had become rare. Moments of relaxation were excruciatingly hard to come by, so this? Time to be with Tobio, to actually take time to lay back? It was heaven.
But the biggest problem these days have to be the inconsistency of Himari’s sleeping pattern.
Sometimes she’ll sleep through the night perched on top of Tobio’s chest— now her personal pillow. But when she does, she refuses to go to sleep during the afternoon.
Then other days are different. Suddenly she’s keeping the both of them up through the night. Those nights are the worst, especially when all the omega wants to do is throw himself into Tobio’s arms and relax, while he holds a sleeping Himari between them.
Today though she slept through the entire car ride. Which was a relief on its own, it can't be nice driving a car with a baby crying in the backseat. Shoyo had sat in the back with her, doing all in his power to keep her calm.
The days following booking the vacation had been unnerving.
It was something Shoyo had been looking forward to for months, even before the birth of their little girl. While it wasn’t exactly planned that they’d take a break to replenish their energy, it was certainly there lurking— deep down his sacket of want.
It had been a while since he and Tobio could escape for a while, away from all the troubles of adulthood, and from the pain of media.
But this is Himari’s first plane ride, and that is a troubling thought.
“Shoyo, you have our passports— right?”
The queue shortens quicker than Shoyo thought it would. With no second thought, he starts fumbling with the zipper to his bag in search of their boarding passes and passports.
Tobio keeps his eyes on him while he struggles but doesn’t move to intervene. Instead he checks on Himari, who’s still sleeping soundly on his chest.
“Ah, I’ve got them.”
Shoyo gives Tobio his passport before closing his bag, letting the alpha set their pace towards the gate again. When they’re second pretty far down the line the omega takes a moment to marvel at Himari's peaceful face.
Unbeknownst to him, Tobio watches him with content. Eyes flickering from Shoyo’s face to the smaller one of their baby, then back to the omega’s.
She truly is tiny. Of course that’s expected from a literal baby, at three months nonetheless, but something about her screams petite. Tobio sometimes whispers it to Shoyo at night— how he believes her growth spurt will catch them off guard when they least expect it.
And the omega always snorts, pushing his face into the crook of Tobio’s neck.
Because her body is so tiny her eyes look enormous. They’re big and round— like her chubby cheeks. It’s familiar, and all too tender.
A small gurgle interrupts both of their separate thoughts.
Shoyo gasps softly when a small hand starts grabbing at Tobio’s shirt. Somehow he had been too lost in thought to notice the twitch in her thin eyebrows, and the change of her breathing.
Apparently Tobio wasn’t as distracted as he was, because he’s on the waking baby in a second.
While Himari’s still impossibly tiny, the alpha is as large as he’s ever been. The humbleness his hands bring to anything in comparison is something Shoyo has always envied, but when he watches the alpha cradle Himari’s head with his hand— her small bundle of black curls fitting right into his palm like it’s nothing— he can't help but feel slightly weaker than he was before.
Himari babbles incoherently while she groggily tilts her head up to look at Tobio with curiosity. Shoyo knows they’re gonna have to start moving soon, if they want to get on the plane, but he can’t help the need from his heart.
For a second everything else is forgotten and the spiker knows to prioritise his mate and pup, before anything else.
“There you are, Himari.” He says, standing on his toes to get closer to her precious face. Somewhere above him Tobio tries not to laugh out loud— the spiker’s not sure if it’s to avoid alerting their baby or to avoid unsettling him.
But Shoyo doesn’t pay it much attention, he’s too focused on their baby.
Their baby, Himari, who’s staring intently at Shoyo’s face.
Adorable.
She coos, unoccupied hand moving to flex in the air in front of Shoyo’s face. It’s so small, just like the rest of her, all the spiker wants is to suffocate her with his embrace.
Then, her big eyes wrinkle together to form a face the pair’s both familiar with.
Oh, no..
Panic starts to bloom inside the spiker, and one look thrown towards Tobio’s shocked face tells him his mate feels the same.
Himari bursts into tears with no seconds to waste.
Immediately Tobio starts hushing, pulling her up inside her baby carrier and rocking back and forth again— trying to calm her down. “Shh,” a pause, “you’ve been so good—“
Another wail, this time a lot louder.
Tobio takes in every move of her small body and every pitch of her voice. He’s seen this version of her a lot, and he means it: a lot.
Whiny, craving, in need of something much greater— something only someone even better than him can grant her.
When her hands continue to flex and grab, grip vice and hard, Tobio’s sure he knows what she wants.
Beside him Shoyo is anything but the calm Tobio’s obtained. The spiker stresses as Himari continues to wail. “Is she hungry, wait— I think I’ve got some of her formula in my hand baggage—“
“Dumbass, stop fussing.” The setter interrupts.
“What?” Shoyo sounds incredulous, almost like he’s too tired to even function properly. Tobio’s eyes cast downto his hands, taking note how they fidget slightly on the zipper of the spiker’s bag.
People all around are watching closely. Tobio knows the two of them are recognisable, of course they are, but a baby crying also draws a lot of attention. Sometimes even the unwanted kind.
The alpha rounds his side and starts walking towards his mate, rocking Himari back and forth while Shoyo stares at the two of them. When he’s close enough to see the way his mate’s eyelashes flutter, and how his shoulders straighten slightly at the attention— he whispers:
“She just wants your touch, Sho.” It’s crowded and loud, but Tobio knows the spiker heard from the way his eyebrows raise. “That’s all she needs.”
And it is what she needs. After Tobio unclips the clasps of the baby carrier, hands precise and working with ease even if the baby is moving around haphazardly, he hands over Himari to Shoyo’s waiting embrace— and almost right away her wails start quieting down.
“See?” The setter whispers, hands holding onto Shoyo’s shoulders, rubbing them up and down. The omega breathes shakily, but he’s anything other than shaking.
Himari whines, breath hitching and eyes still wet with tears. But she keeps them open, like her father, fighting against the urge to keep them closed.
Shoyo steadies his feet and pushes Himari up under his neck to get her comfortable. Then he rocks her softly, moving back and forth while she starts to coo softly. Once she starts snoring again —just a few seconds after she landed in his arms— Shoyo sighs heavily in relief and reaches for his bag.
Tobio’s already waiting for him, their luggage behind him and the baby carrier in his arms. He’s smiling, lips turned up in a tender expression.
It’s their turn to show their boarding pass, and Tobio takes a quick look to confirm it before motioning for Shoyo to follow him.
Even if they’re surrounded by chaos, which is mostly what has been life these past few months, Shoyo’s always pleasantly surprised at how calm Tobio can keep himself.
And when he passes the setter with Himari still soundly snoring in the crook of his neck, it’s hard to miss the words muttered by his mate.
“Told you all she needed was you, idiot.”
—
Tobio throws their last bag up into the luggage deck above their seats, closing the door and making room for the other people in the crowded aisle.
The setter hadn’t really been on a lot of plane rides during his childhood. It wasn’t as if he was surrounded by people that did, either. Shoyo sure didn’t fly around, that's something Tobio knows for sure.
But it changed after Highschool.
Suddenly he was being thrown into flights here and there, travelling around the world to meet different, stronger teams. And it was weird, something extremely hard to get used to for someone like Tobio.
Maybe, just maybe, the heights freak him out. No, freaked him out— just a little. But he didn’t have time to fear for long, because suddenly Shoyo was flying too. Across the whole world.
So yeah, it’s not about being scared, it’s about being tougher than his mate.
Yet.. this time around that isn't the main objective of the plane ride.
“Tobio— did you take out Himari’s formula before putting the bag up?” Shoyo says from his place by the window, both arms occupied by the little girl herself.
It takes a second for Tobio to realise what he’s been asked, but when he does, he reaches his hands back up to the storage deck and mumbles quietly. “Forgot, I’ll get it.”
While both of them have a lot of money to waste— for some reason— choosing to fly in the middle class is what the pair usually turns to. And even now with Himari that still hasn’t changed. There’s nothing wrong with flying middle class, but there’s one thing the setter rather dislikes.
The crowdedness of it all.
Tobio’s tall, always has been, and the ceiling above the seats are not.
After minimal struggle the setter finally manages to grab Himari’s formula and closes the door for the hopefully last time this hour.
A small giggle comes from underneath him.
“Already becoming forgetful, Yama?” Shoyo giggles, head falling back against his seat with a soft thud. “Just how old are you?”
Another giggle, this time much higher pitched. “See, even Himari agrees.” Shoyo says with obvious excitement leaking through.
Himari is finally starting to giggle instead of endlessly crying, it makes a single snort the highlight of the hour. Not only because it’s a healthy sign of her growth, but also because it’s so unbelievably cute.
Tobio lowers himself down into the seat next to his mate, being observant of all Himari’s baby blankets and her rather expensive pacifier.
“She woke up?” He asks, running a hand through Shoyo’s curly locks. The spiker gives him a hum in return.
They stay like that for a while, basking in the small chirps and giggles from the small girl until the sounds grow more and more quiet. After a minute or two she starts fidgeting with her small fingers, grabbing onto Tobio’s thumb with impressive strength.
The setter doesn’t have time to react before she goes to attack, mouth closing in around the big digit.
It’s hard to miss how Shoyo’s eyebrows rise ten stories, and how his mouth opens with a smack.
“Tobio—“
But before he can continue, the alpha silences him with the soft push of his lips, closing in on Shoyo’s own with little strength.
Tobio smiles against the spiker’s lips when he feels the attempt —from the girl molesting his finger— to bring his hand lower. He does it almost instinctively, all the while he presses another soft kiss on top of Shoyo’s lips.
After one last peck they move apart, but tobio stays a mere centimetre away from his mate— unmoving.
“I washed my hands just ten minutes ago.” He mumbles, eyebrows tightening when Shoyo starts to pout.
The omega grumbles, “We don’t know if you’ve touched anything filthy! She can’t suck your hand— because you touched, touched..” he falters slightly, eyes moving away from Tobio’s as he struggles to come up with something. Tobio sees it in his eyes when he finally comes up with something.
“..The luggage deck.”
Enjoying this far too much, the alpha levels Shoyo’s resolve.
“We both know she won’t let go of my thumb easily, both today and tomorrow.” Tobio whispers, eyes staring into Shoyo’s. The spiker stares back, confused but buzzing with anticipation. “Guess that calls for a solution.
“Would you rather put the luggage up next time?”
Shoyo’s expression; slightly taken aback, soft pink dusted cheeks and elevated eyebrows, says it all.
No, he would rather not.
Himari whines for the first time in a while, suddenly wanting her dad’s attention. Like second nature, Tobio lowers his hand closer to her, allowing her full access to his palm. While he’s occupied with the baby in Shoyo’s arms, he misses how the spiker has regained most of his face.
“Don’t blame me for taking advantage of my freakishly tall boyfriend..” Shoyo mumbles, voice muffled by Tobio’s shoulder.
“What.”
Like an infectious disease the red spreads to Shoyo, making the spiker even more red than before. “What?”
Tobio stutters, taken aback by the bluntness. “You can’t just—“ a pause, the setter lets out a shaky breath. “Watch your words, dumbass.”
Like a miracle coming to save Tobio’s poor soul, Shoyo doesn’t say anything in the following seconds.
But then his mouth forms an O shape, before stretching into a menacing grin. Tobio holds his breath for what’s to spill out of Shoyo’s mouth.
“What?” Shoyo teases, leaning as far as he can into the setter without disturbing the baby in his lap. “You like it when I state the obvious, Yama?”
Tobio shuts him up with another kiss, this time holding the tiniest bit of urgency. It’s hard to keep it chaste when Shoyo sighs so lovingly against his lips, eyes fluttering shut to fully grasp their connection.
“It’s true though..” The omega says when they break apart for air. “You’re so tall, it’s convenient.”
“Convenient.” Tobio repeats.
Shoyo lets himself smile a little wider. “Yeah, not everyone has such a tall boyfriend to put their luggage away so easily.”
At that, Tobio starts to believe that the sleep deprivation must be getting to his mate. While yes, it’s true that reaching that far is a walk in the park for the setter, Shoyo would reach it with no problem on his own.
Tobio sighs, forehead falling to rest on Shoyo’s own. Himari has stilled where she’s resting in the spiker’s hold, still clutching Tobio’s thumb— but with less strength than before.
“You could reach it yourself, you know.” He mutters. And it’s true, Shoyo could, anyone can see that— the spiker himself included. It’s not like height has ever stopped him before.
Yet, Shoyo just smiles. His eyes flicker down to the baby in his arms before they return to Tobio’s confused ones.
“Ah.. don’t want to.”
So that’s it.
A small cooing sound breaks them out of their haze. And when Tobio looks down at their baby she’s already staring back, pouting and hands grasping Shoyo’s shirt with dedication. Jealousy, perhaps.
Very adorable jealousy.
Tobio wants to say something, maybe join in on his mate’s giggling and praising, but the distinct ping of the seatbelt sign turning on interrupts him.
Shoyo takes his hand as a flight attendant gives them instructions for Himari during takeoff and landing, and Tobio gladly holds her when the plane starts speeding— one hand still grasping Shoyo’s.
—
It only takes an hour for Himari to start feeling uneasy.
First it was the jolt of the plane’s takeoff that threw her off. The pair had kept their eyes intent on her the whole time, and it was easy to make out the details of her facial expression. So when her tiny nose scrunched up and eyebrows tensed— it was easy to guess what was coming.
Crying, lots of crying.
It started surprisingly slow and easy. She wailed for a minute but didn’t scream that loud. Tobio’s scenting and Shoyo’s doting worked for the time being, and she managed to get some quality sleep.
Then, as if someone turned the faucet in her eyes to max, the dam broke.
“Sho, do you want me to ask for warm water?”
The omega bristles and turns his head with one sharp twist. He’s met with deep blue, concerned eyes.
“..What?”
Tobio lowers his eyebrows like he’s just realising something, almost like he’s calculating what to say, or do, next. “Do you want to ask for hot water, for her formula?”
Right, maybe she’s hungry.
Why didn’t he think of that?
“Yeah—“ Shoyo swallows, nodding his head sharply. The syllables sound slurred. “Please.” He adds.
It’s not like Himari to be this unsettled over hunger. She’s small, and they both realised pretty early on that it wasn’t just genetics. She doesn’t eat much, hence her size. While Kozume’s kid was screaming non—stop for her food, Himari was screaming for her pacifier.
It can’t be hunger, can it? At a time like this?
Himari continues to scream against his chest, tears wetting down the omega’s thin shirt. Shoyo tries to soothe her with his own scent, it’s something that has always worked in the past, but this time it feels unfruitful.
Wait.
Shoyo pushes Himari closer to him and presses his head back against the seat, body rolling down as he does. He stares dazedly at the back of his alpha who’s trying to get the flight attendant’s attention. With some fight he forces out his next words.
“Tobio, do I smell weird? Is it my scent?”
The setter straightens in his seat and turns to stare at his mate and crying baby.
“What?”
Shoyo swallows thickly in his throat. “Do I— do I smell distressed? Do you think it’s ticking her off?”
Now that he’s saying it out loud, it sounds even more likely. The past couple of weeks have been anything but relaxing, and while Tobio continues to practically feast on his scent, it could have soured as the days grew worse.
And if it has, why wouldn’t Himari be affected? She’s so sensitive, what if he reeks to her?
God no.
“Idiot, where is this coming from?”
Doubt rises like a tidal wave, all the while Himari’s screams grow louder— whinier, needy. She needs him, but Shoyo’s not sure he can even stop something as small as keeping his eyes open.
When the omega finally focuses his eyes on his alpha, eyes still partly closed with exhaustion— Tobio isn't anything like he expected.
The alpha has his hands on their baby carrier, carefully clasping it around his waist and shoulders.
It’s confusing.
“Shoyo, did you catch that?”
“Huh?”
Now though, Tobio looks more like what he expected. His eyes are locked on him like he’s a target, all of him outright screams serious.
Somehow, like it always does, the intensity of it is enough to melt Shoyo even more.
Tobio doesn’t answer with words. Instead he sighs, softly, eyes downcast. Shoyo doesn’t have time to react before he’s leaning forward.
“Shoyo,” he says quietly, just for the omega to hear. One of his hands roams from his mate’s knee, dragging itself up slowly against Shoyo’s bare skin.
The omega’s hooded eyes follow the movement.
It’s intoxicating how easy Tobio’s hands slide against him, it’s intense, intense enough to make his grip weaker around Himari— who’s still crying and thrashing around.
Right when panic starts to spread inside the omega’s unbearably alert body, Tobio’s hands go from his waist to his arms, then down to where he’s clutching Himari.
Oh.
“Let me,” the setter whispers, and just like that Shoyo feels himself let go of her little by little, eyes growing more and more hooded as she’s slowly taken from his arms.
It’s hard to miss the unmistakable squeeze of Tobio’s hand— it being something the omega has felt multiple times before. Warm air hits his cheek, “Go to sleep, Sho. I’ll take care of her.”
Without realising what he’s doing, Shoyo breathes out air he didn’t know he was holding in. He’s faintly aware that while Tobio would always listen to him, there’s no way he can get that baby back. She’s already tucked into the baby carrier, wailing profusely.
Even though she’s been crying non stop for a while now, with no signs of stopping, the setter doesn’t treat her like a lost cause. He hushes her, pats her back softly, and whispers soft soothings into her small ears.
And Shoyo watches everything unfold, betraying the need to close his eyes so he can continue looking.
Tobio stands from his seat when Himari is safely tucked into her baby carrier. Confusion takes over the omega at first, but it doesn’t take long for him to realise what Tobio is planning.
“Let’s let Shoyo get some sleep, hm?” The alpha whispers when he’s up in the aisle between the seat rows.
So soft.
Tobio pushes the baby carrier further up his chest, slowly starting to rock back and forth on his feet. “It’s just us now— Himari.”
And then, like a miracle, her wails start decreasing.
Shoyo feels himself breathe normally for the first time this hour.
Their row only has two seats, so the distance between the window seat and the aisle isn’t long. From where the omega is leaning against his seat, he can see every small detail of Himari’s face.
She suddenly starts grabbing at Tobio’s shirt. It’s identical to what she was doing to him an hour ago, the same need of attention.
When Shoyo finally flickers his eyes up to his alpha’s face, the answer to his question is there for him to easily grasp: Himari is upset because Tobio isn’t paying enough attention to her, because he’s looking at Shoyo.
The alpha’s eyebrows sharpen when Shoyo meets his waiting eyes. “Stop staring, dumbass.” He grumbles, but he quickly continues. “Go to sleep, you need it.”
Warmth piles inside the omega’s stomach.
Maybe he’s becoming delirious from sleep deprivation, but Shoyo swears he can feel the change in the air. There's that distinct scent of hardwood and dewdrops that he’ll never fail to recognise.
Tobio doesn’t look a bit bothered by the scenting. All there is for Shoyo to take is the determination burning inside his eyes.
“I got this, and you need to rest.”
Shoyo feels almost bare under the alpha’s tone, stripped down to his bare skin with nothing to offer but his obedience.
He huffs the best he can with the last of his energy, but it’s not enough to showcase any ounce of sarcasm. Tobio’s eyes are relentless, and his scent is strong.
Shoyo feels safe.
Safe enough to leave Himari alone without him, safe enough to actually relax, safe enough to only think about what tomorrow has to offer their little family.
The last thing he sees before letting his eyes droop closed is Tobio’s smile towards their daughter, and Himari’s curious eyes.
Sleep has never felt any more welcome.
—
When he actually does wake up, it’s to the image of a very tired alpha— head rolled back against his seat and a baby softly snoring in tandem with him.
Shoyo gladly goes back to sleep with them, head resting against Tobio’s shoulder.