Work Text:
"Hey, Dad? That lady's not gonna be my new mom is she?"
Yokozawa could only watch as Kirishima froze at his daughter's question, shock plastered across his face. Yokozawa knew the question would come, hell Hiyo had asked him the same question only minutes ago, it was only a matter of time before she'd follow up by asking her father just as Yokozawa had suggested. Kirishima needed to know if she was upset about something, especially if that something had to do with the possibility of him remarrying.
"Why would you ask that all of a sudden?" Kirishima asked after his initial shock wore off. "Of course not! No way, no how!"
"Really?" Hiyo asked, a sliver of hope breaking through her anxiety.
"Absolutely not, never!" Kirishima's answer seemed to finally quell the worry in his daughter. Her brows softened with relief, her frown fading away as she leaned onto her father's shoulder, receiving a hug for her efforts. "You have nothing to worry about, Oosaki-sensei is a work colleague and that's as much as she'll ever be."
Hiyo wrapped her arms around her father's shoulders as best she could, gripping the back of his blazer as she hugged him tight. Kirishima ran a hand over her hair, kissing the crown of her head before resting his cheek there.
Yokozawa felt like a voyeur witnessing the scene, even more so when Kirishima opened his eyes just wide enough to make eye contact with him. This was a moment that should be just for the two of them, for the father daughter duo to work through their feelings and concerns. He shouldn't be a spectator to this. And yet, there was no chance he could slip away. That eye contact alone told him how much Kirishima wanted, no needed, him there in that moment.
"Hey Hiyo," Kirishima started as he pulled back just enough to meet his daughter's gaze. "Don't feel like you have to answer my question okay? Is it the idea of Oosaki-sensei being your mom that's making you uncomfortable? Or is it the idea of a new mom at all that's upsetting you?" Kirishima's eyes flickered back to Yokozawa, like he was checking on Yokozawa's reaction to the question as well.
Yokozawa broke the eye contact, looking away as he dug a furrow between his brows. These were questions that needed answers, questions he should at some point know the answer to so he could prepare himself for the future if nothing else. He and Kirishima may have put to rest his fear of needing to leave for Hiyo's sake in the not so distant future, but if Hiyo herself wanted a mother? There was absolutely no way he could stay, no matter what Kirishima said. Hiyo's happiness came first. She'd told Yokozawa she didn't want a new mom earlier, but what if that was because Oosaki had been the only option presented to her?
"You don't have to answer now if you don't want to," Kirishima said with a pat to Hiyo's head, clearly intending to comfort the girl. "But when you do tell me, I don't want you to consider me or my feelings, okay? You're always worrying about me and my work, you deserve to be selfish and consider your own feelings first, especially when it comes to things like this."
Hiyo bit her lip, still holding tight to her father's back. She nodded as he spoke, clearly turning his words over. She looked over her shoulder at Yokozawa, who gave what he could only hope was a reassuring smile. "I…" she murmured, voice trailing off.
"It's okay, Hiyo, take your time. Takafumi and I aren't going anywhere."
She looked between the two again, sucking in a determined breath before she spoke. "I don't want a new mom."
"Then we won't worry about getting one," Kirishima reassured. He moved to tap their foreheads together, clearly expecting the issue to be as resolved as it could be for now.
Except Hiyo wasn't done. It was as though her one sentence had been enough to break open the dam she'd built, unable to keep her emotions bottled up any longer. "Everyone keeps saying I need a new mom, that you should remarry and have a wife again, that I'll be happier when I have another mom. But I already have one! But they keep talking like we should just, just, replace her, like they can just take her spot and we'll act like there's nothing wrong." Her hands fisted against Kirishima's shoulders, the fabric of his blazer bunching up within her grip, shaking where she held it. "But when I tell them I don't need a mom they always tell me I do because there are things you don't know or can't understand because you're not a girl but that's stupid and wrong, I know it is! I'm not missing something just because I don't have a mama at home. I see how they all look at me and talk about me like I can't hear them, like there's something wrong with me or that I'm missing something important or like they can just use me to make you love them, but I'm not!" Her words were coming a mile a minute, her voice rising as she let out everything she'd kept bottled up. Tears rolled down her cheeks, undisturbed in her frustration. "I don't want a new mom. I have you and Yokozawa Papa and Sora-chan and my grandmas and grandpas and that's all I want. I don't need a new mom to be happy, I already am happy!"
Her breathing turned to sobs as her emotions finally caught up to her. Kirishima pulled her to his chest, squeezing into the car's backseat as he pulled her into his lap. "Ssh, ssh, it's okay Hiyo, it's okay," he murmured as he rocked them back and forth. "Just breath for me, can you do that for your papa?"
She nodded as best she could, her small form shaking as she sobbed against her father.
Kirishima kissed her head, continuing to sway, his murmured reassurances breaking through her hiccups and sobs. "You don't have to worry about a thing. I have no intentions of finding another wife. I don't need anyone else, not when I have you and Takafumi and Sorata." He looked up to Yokozawa with a request in his eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere Hiyo, and neither is Sorata," Yokozawa said as he ran a hand over Hiyo's back. "And if anyone tries to sneak their way in and be your new mom I'll fight them off, how's that sound?"
A chocked laugh was her answer. Hiyo shook her head, a small smile breaking through the tears. "Fighting's not nice," she said as she took his hand.
"It's not, but trying to be your mom when you don't want them to be isn't nice either. Or would you prefer Sorata do the fighting?"
"Sora-chan's too small!"
"Tell that to your papa's ankles at two in the morning."
Kirishima's indignant huff could barely be heard over Hiyo's giggles. Her giggles eventually gave way to a yawn. She leaned farther into her father, her red rimmed eyes growing heavy.
"Go to sleep Honey," Kirishima whispered. "That was a lot of emotions you let out right there. You need to recover."
"But…"
"No buts. Takafumi can drive while I stay here with you. Is that alright?"
"Hmm," she hummed her affirmative, nodding weakly.
"We'll figure out lunch when we get home. Or maybe dessert first? How about that pudding you like so much?"
Hiyo's snores were the only answer either man would receive.
Kirishima adjusted Yokozawa's jacket where it rested on Hiyo's shoulders, treating the article of clothing like a blanket as he wrapped it around her small frame. Careful not to jostle her, he wiped what tears he could reach from her cheeks.
"I had no idea this was eating at her so much," Kirishima said after a few moments, guilt dripping from his voice. "She mentioned the comments at the wedding and what she'd heard from her friends, but…she always seemed to just brush them off or make a joke out of them. If I'd known…"
"Kids are more perceptive than we give them credit for," Yokozawa offered, brushing a loose strand of hair behind Hiyo's ear. "She probably picked up on Oosaki's intentions, even if she didn't have the words for it."
"Yeah but…" Kirishima's grimaced, frustration in his eyes. "How many times has she heard that I should remarry? That she needs a new mom? That she's somehow incomplete without one? I know she tries to be considerate of my work and my feelings, but I'm her father. I should be able to tell when something's wrong."
Yokozawa didn't know how to console Kirishima with this guilt. Kirishima was the eldest of them, he's the one that's supposed to offer advice and guidance, not Yokozawa. And yet, Yokozawa could remember his own struggles as a child, how he'd sought not to cause problems for his parents. So often he'd tried to hide his struggles and pains from them, but that always ended with his own emotional breakdowns, much like the one Hiyo just had, to which he could only offer profuse apologies for after the fact. Even now he still struggled with it, he knew he did, and it was something he was working on albeit with frustratingly slow results.
"I think we should tell her," Yokozawa said, taking himself by surprise, "…about us."
Kirishima looked at him with shock. Finding nothing but calm acceptance on Yokozawa's face, he nodded.
"It would at least give her some additional reassurance, right? That she doesn't have to worry about someone else coming in or me going anywhere? And she'll know what to say when the school and police ask who I am, and we won't have to be as secretive anymore."
Kirishima took his hand, holding steady even as Yokozawa avoided his gaze. "Are you sure? You know once we tell her we can't take it back. And once she knows, then so will-"
"I know!" Yokozawa interrupted with a half hearted glare. "Damn it Zen, I know what will happen if we do, but we also just saw what could happen if we don't." He shook his head, taking a few calming breaths. "I love you both so much. I know we can't protect her from everything and I know telling her could bring with it more problems, but not telling her could lead to even more. She deserves to know."
Gentle fingers ran through his hair, pulling him in for a kiss. The heat from Kirishima's hand ran down his jaw, straight to his chest, amplifying the pounding of his heart as he sank into the kiss. He couldn't breath, could barely think straight, but Kirishima's hand and lips held him in place, kept his panic at bay. "We'll tell her tonight," Kirishima murmured as he broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against Yokozawa's. "How's that sound?"
Yokozawa nodded his agreement, not fully trusting his voice. He took the keys back from Kirishima, kissing him on the cheek and Hiyo on the forehead before moving to the driver's seat. Seat belt in place and key in the ignition, he looked in the rear view mirror to meet Kirishima's eyes, understanding and gratitude in their brown depths.
He was making the right decision, just as he had done all those months ago when he'd agreed to see where this relationship went. He wouldn't regret this, because there was nothing to regret.
Kirishima's soft hums filled the car, old lullabies falling from his lips that hadn't been uttered in years. Unconscious as she was, Hiyo still managed to press her face further against her father's shoulder, seeking the sounds of his love and comfort.
"Uwah! Your pudding's the best Onii-chan!"
Yokozawa chuckled at the praise, relieved to see Hiyo in such high spirits again. "Would you believe me if I said your father helped?"
Hiyo looked to Kirishima skeptically, checking his hands for any signs of the usual injuries he would incur when trying to do anything in the kitchen. The man could barely manage to peel an apple without slicing a finger off, of course she'd be suspicious.
Kirishima took on a face of mock offense. "Hey! I can handle a few things myself. Besides, Takafumi had me on whisking duty, even I can't mess that up."
"I don't know," Hiyo teased, "You've managed to do it before."
"Bah, that was one time!"
"Definitely not."
Yokozawa smiled at the duo, content to eat his own pudding as they laughed and teased each other. Hiyo had still been asleep upon their return home, allowing Kirishima and Yokozawa the time to make the pudding and have a certain conversation Yokozawa had been putting off. They'd already had talks about their relationship, of their intentions for a future together, but those discussions had been sparse and hardly concrete. This time was different, it had to be. Kirishima wanted him here and Yokozawa wanted nothing more than to stay for the rest of their lives, but what did that actually look like? What did they need to do to make this work in the long run, not just for them but for Hiyo too?
Kirishima admitted his parents already knew about their relationship but had chosen not to say anything so as not to upset Yokozawa's peace of mind. Hiyo's maternal grandparents had also seemed to be aware, having asked Kirishima about this Yokozawa Onii-chan their granddaughter told them so much about. According to Kirishima, they seemed to accept his answer that Yokozawa was a precious person in both his and Hiyo's life, one that he planned to make a permanent fixture come hell or high water. They had expressed their relief that Kirishima had finally found love after their daughter's passing, asking Kirishima to give their gratitude to Yokozawa for taking such good care of their granddaughter.
The acceptance of Kirishima and Hiyo's side of the family only made his worry more pronounced. What of his own parents? Would they accept the relationship as easily as Kirishima's? Accept that their only son was in a same-sex relationship, never to give them the grandchildren they'd started to ask about, never to have the wedding his mother had always hoped for for her precious son? He was kicking himself for not telling them sooner. Not to mention, same-sex marriages were still not recognized in Japan. Kirishima seemed to take that as a challenge, stating the second it was legalized they'd take at least a month off from work, cycle be damned. Although, since Isaka had taken over as president he wouldn't be surprised if the whole company was given a holiday.
Kirishima refused to explain why that was. Given the scheming look on his face, Yokozawa decided it'd be better if he didn't know.
And with that came the question of work. Thus far their relationship hadn't caused any issues since they worked in different departments, their work only overlapping when it came to meetings and pushing sales for the books Kirishima edited. There were a few that knew, Yasuda for one and most likely Takano even if Yokozawa hadn't gathered the courage to tell his friend everything just yet, but how would they deal with everyone knowing? Yokozawa's lease was up in a month, giving them the perfect opportunity to move him in to the Kirishimas' apartment permanently, but they both knew the second his address was changed in the employee directory to match Kirishima's there would be utter chaos. Kirishima was a high priority target for those women looking for marriage, they would no doubt become enraged at hearing he'd been "claimed", even more so once they found out it was Yokozawa of all people. Not to mention the fact that Yokozawa was a man which could fuel a whole other kind of fire if they weren't careful.
The idea almost made him consider looking for work elsewhere, if for nothing else than to avoid causing a scandal for either of their careers, but Kirishima had shot that down immediately. The worst the company could do was require Yokozawa be moved to a different sales division so he was no longer responsible for selling any of the titles Kirishima oversaw. And as far as harassment campaigns went, they had too many allies for that to go far, Kirishima arguing that Emerald and Japun would likely be enough to stomp out such attempts. And when that line of reasoning still failed to fully calm Yokozawa's anxiety, Kirishima pointed to Isaka. They were too valuable to Marukawa's bottom line, Kirishima himself being a top hit-maker and Yokozawa being one of its best salesmen. Isaka had no problem cutting what he saw as dead weight upon taking over as president, chances are he wouldn't be too keen to keep anyone on who could cost him such money makers.
For all their talks of work and moving and the logistics of making this work, the most important piece of this conversation would always be Hiyori. According to Kirishima she absolutely adored Yokozawa and there was nothing he could possibly do to make her dislike him other than maybe take Sorata away. As reassuring as his words were, they only did so much to calm his fears. She loved him as Onii-chan, but could she still love him knowing he was involved with her father romantically? She made it very clear she didn't want a new mom, would Yokozawa technically be filling that role in her eyes? Or would she see him as something else? Kirishima had been quick to remind him of Hiyori's slip up earlier, having called him Papa instead of Onii-chan during her breakdown. Perhaps she already saw him as something more akin to a stepfather and she just didn't know how to put that feeling into words.
Papa. Yokozawa had considered the title for only a brief period in his life. It sounded nice, having the opportunity to be someone's father, to help them grow and mature into their own person, to love and support them through every stage of their life. But then Masamune had come into his life and those ideas of fatherhood had been kicked away in favor of helping the man he loved. He'd known there was no chance of children with Masamune, they were both men and at the end of the day no matter how much Yokozawa loved him he would never love him back. But now? Thinking of Hiyori's shining brown eyes and her smile that radiated with pure joy, he could accept that maybe this was where he was meant to be. He could never stand in as Kirishima's replacement, not that he'd ever want to, but maybe he could be there as a second father, someone Kirishima could share the joys and burdens of fatherhood with, someone that Hiyo could trust and lean on when she wasn't comfortable talking to her father.
The ring on his finger felt heavy despite its thin, cheap material. It didn't fit quite right, barely able to hold its shape after Yokozawa purchased it at Kuma Park with Hiyo all those months ago. He hadn't worn it since that picture of him and Kirishima was spread around the office, but he hadn't been able to throw it away either, instead giving it to Kirishima for safe keeping. And now here he was, wearing a cheap promise ring as Kirishima wore a matching ring across from him. It had been a spur of the moment thought, an embarrassing itch in the back of his mind throughout their discussion, and Kirishima had been more than willing to oblige.
"You're allowed to be selfish too, you know," Kirishima had told him as he pulled the small box of keepsakes out of his bedside table. "It's not fair that I'm the one always getting jealous and possessive. You get to claim me just as much as I claim you."
He'd made Yokozawa put the ring on his finger, just as he'd done when first presented with the jewelry, then proceeded to do the same for Yokozawa. Such cheap souvenirs had no right to feel so sentimental, they were the kind of generic rings found at every theme park after all, and yet they'd both gotten chocked up at the sight. They'd promised to get the real deal the following day if Hiyo wanted to come, or the following week if she'd rather not.
Everything felt like it was moving so quick. Maybe that was simply because Yokozawa had been dragging his feet so much, the what ifs holding him back for so long, that he now had to run to catch up. Yet despite that, Kirishima's reassurances kept him grounded, ensuring he knew there was no rush even now.
"You still have your rings?" Hiyo's excited question pulled Yokozawa from his thoughts. She was looking at Yokozawa's hand where he'd been twisting his ring, a look of pure joy in her eyes when she noticed Kirishima was wearing his own. "You should have said we were wearing our rings! I'll go get mine." She scampered off to her room, Sorata following on her heels with an excited little meow.
Once Hiyo was out of sight, Kirishima reached across the table, placing his hand atop Yokozawa's. "Ready to break her heart? 'Cause no offense, I am not doing the matching rings thing with our daughter when it comes to our wedding rings."
"You say that like you won't cave and buy her something anyway," Yokozawa shot back as he returned to his pudding. "And wouldn't we technically be getting engagement rings? Seeing as we can't actually get married."
"You and your specifics," Kirishima chided with a wave of his hand. "We could get her a bracelet or a necklace if she really wants something. She's responsible enough that I wouldn't be too worried about it. Could maybe get her one of those necklaces that you put pictures in. You think she'd like that?"
"A locket would be good, yeah. Gives her the opportunity to change the picture whenever she wants, and if she takes good care of it it should last her well into adulthood."
Kirishima squeezed his hand with an adoring smile, cutting off his train of thought. "I love you."
Yokozawa squeezed his hand back with his own smile, that nagging voice in the back of his mind going silent at Kirishima's words. He brought Kirishima's hand to his lips, kissing right above where the ring sat. "I love you too," he murmured, voice taking on a quiver as the thumping of his heart got louder. This was it.
"Oh Takafumi, you're such a romantic," Kirishima cooed.
They heard a triumphant yell from Hiyo's room, her squeals of, "I found it! See Sora-chan, it still fits," telling of her return.
"Ready?" Kirishima asked, ever the rock that Yokozawa relied on.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"Jeez, wasn't this your idea?" Kirishima teased. "Chin up, Hiyo might even call you Papa again if you play your cards right."
"Someone in this family has to be the Papa seeing as you've lost that title," Yokozawa joked back, reminding them both of how Hiyo had been referring to Kirishima as Dad and Father of late, forgoing Papa now that she was a mature eleven years old.
"Low blow."
"I can go lower if you'd prefer."
"Oh, I know you can."
Hiyo returned to the table, childish glee decorating her features as she sat back down. "Found it, see," she said, holding her hand out for show. "We all match again! Do you think they make any for Sora-chan's size? Then the whole family can match."
"I don't think they make rings for cats, but we could probably get a tag made for one of his collar's to match," Yokozawa offered. He fought to keep his laughter at bay, imagining the terror in Takano's eyes at the sight of Yokozawa sporting matching rings with his cat.
Kirishima huffed, poking Yokozawa between the eyes. "Watch it, you're gonna spend me out of house and home if we keep buying anymore matching sets."
"Sheesh Dad, are we suddenly broke? The rings weren't that much, right Onii-chan?" Hiyo asked.
"No, they weren't," Yokozawa answered. "But your father and I are planning on getting another set for just the two of us."
"Why? Are your rings not the right size? Maybe we can take them back and they can make them fit better?"
Ah, the innocence of children.
"No, these rings are nice and fit well enough. But Takafumi and I want to get a set that better represents our relationship," Kirishima said, easing his way into the subject at hand.
"But people only get matching rings when they're about to…" her eyes drifted back to their hands, zeroing in on the Kuma Park rings. An understanding quickly replaced her confusion as she looked back up to Kirishima's face.
"You remember how you said you don't want a new mom earlier? And how I said I don't want a new wife?" Kirishima asked her softly, clearly trying to steer her towards the answer.
Hiyo nodded slowly, eyes flickering over to Yokozawa before going back to her father.
"Well, I can't have another wife, mostly because Takafumi would murder me if I called him that."
"Oi!" Yokozawa tried to glare as best he could, the usual heat only a mere simmer as Kirishima chuckled at his indignation. "Are you trying to confuse her?"
"Not at all," Kirishima answered, patting Yokozawa's fist where it lied on the table. Turning back to Hiyo they found her deep in thought, clearly trying to piece together the information before her.
"So you mean you two are…" she trailed off, looking between the two men like she was trying to find the final piece to the puzzle.
"I love Takafumi," Kirishima stated. "He's the first person I've truly loved since we lost your mother."
At the mention of her mother, Hiyo looked to the ever present shrine sitting in the dining area. She bit her lip, growing a furrow between her brows to match Yokozawa's own. Uncertainty marred her features which Kirishima sought to ease immediately.
"He's not a replacement for your mother, I would never put that kind of expectation on either of you."
Hiyo nodded, staring at the table in thought. Kirishima and Yokozawa held their silence, giving her time to process as best she could. "So you two are…dating? Like how Yuki's sister is dating her boyfriend?"
"Exactly," Kirishima said. "But we're at the stage where we'd like to make our relationship more permanent, for our sake and yours."
"You're not just saying this because of what happened earlier, are you?"
"Not at all," Yokozawa answered for the both of them. "Ki- Zen has wanted to tell you for a while. I did too, but I was scared."
"Why? Dad's gone out for drinks and to meet other people before." She looked between them, confusion giving way to understanding. "Is it because you're both boys?"
He nodded. "I was scared it could cause problems for you. I love you and your father so much, I couldn't live with myself if our relationship hurt either of you."
"But we realized not telling you was causing more problems," Kirishima said so as to give Yokozawa a chance to breath. "If I'd told you the truth you might not have been so upset today. Granted, you still might have hated Oosaki-sensei, which is fair, if I never have to see her again it'll be too soon, and you'd still be upset that she got in the way of our outing, but you would have already known there was no chance in hell of her becoming your mom." He paused, just long enough to reign his annoyance at the author back in. When he finally regained his composure, he looked back up at Hiyo, a pain crossing his features that Yokozawa had never seen. "You're my precious daughter, the most important person in my life, if anyone should know who I fall in love with it's you. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." He bowed his head, all joking pushed aside for his apology.
"Papa…" Hiyo's voice shook as she got up from her seat, wrapping her arms around her father for the second time that day. "Thank you."
"Thank you for always being so understanding Hiyo. But please, tell me when things bother you. And if it's something you don't think you can talk to me about you can always ask Takafumi. We're a team. If one of us doesn't know the answer then the other will."
"And if neither of you know the answer?"
"Well then I guess it's a good thing my parents live so close, huh?"
Hiyo giggled at the joke, the heavy feeling in the air finally dissipating as she let her father go to walk around the table to where Yokozawa sat. She reached for him as well, wrapping him in a hug far stronger than any eleven year old should ever be capable of. Yokozawa just hugged her tighter, fully aware of the "bear hugs" comments he'd receive later.
After the longest hug of his life, Hiyo pulled back. "Does this mean you'll be able to live with us all the time soon?" she asked.
"My lease ends next month," Yokozawa answered, watching her face for any signs of discontent with the idea of him moving in. "We talked about maybe moving my stuff a little at a time over the next few weekends, although aside from clothes and books I don't think I have much else to bring."
Hiyo's face lit up at the news, practically bouncing where she stood. "Really?"
"Yes, really. I'll start boxing things up after work on Tuesday."
"Yes!"
Usually when one mentioned children bouncing off the walls, they meant it as a metaphor. Watching Hiyo run around the table, jumping sporadically along the way, he began to worry the phrase was supposed to be taken literally.
Kirishima met his eyes, a smirk playing crossing his lips. "Told you so."
"Quiet. I'm not here for your lip."
"Well if you're not here for my lips, what are you here for?" he asked, voice dropped low enough that Hiyo wouldn't hear.
Yokozawa didn't bother answering the question. He scooped up their plates and utensils and headed for the kitchen sink. Kirishima followed soon after, content to watch his daughter wear herself out.
"How long do you suppose she'll go on for?"
"Considering your stamina? She might be running around all night," Yokozawa answered as he filled the sink. He froze, turning to look over his shoulder. "Not a word."
"I didn't say anything."
Shaking his head, Yokozawa got to work scrubbing the dishes and handing them off to be dried. It was simple enough work, something to keep him busy while he processed everything that had happened today. As he handed the final plate to Kirishima, he felt Kirishima grip his wrist. Looking up, he found those brown eyes he loved so much looking at him with an adoration so sweet he would surely get cavities.
"You did great," his lover praised, rubbing his thumb against Yokozawa's wrist.
"I barely said anything," he countered, reaching to drain the water.
"But you said what mattered. And now look at her. Our little girl is so happy." True to his words Hiyo was dancing around the living room, Sorata on her heels.
"I'll try not to mess it up," Yokozawa grunted sarcastically as he fought to stop the blush from crossing his face.
"That's the spirit! Now, what kind of rings should we get?" Yokozawa was unceremoniously dragged to the sofa with Kirishima squished into his side, the website of a local jewelry store already pulled up on his phone. "Figure we should have an idea of what we're looking for before we go to the store. The less time we spend looking the less likely you are to start crying."
"Excuse me? If anyone's going to start bawling over some jewelry here it's you."
Kirishima pointedly looked down to the ring on his finger, then down to Yokozawa's, then back up to Yokozawa.
"My point exactly," he growled.
"Dad," Hiyo called out with a warning tone, coming up behind him. "You're supposed to be nice to the people you love."
"I am! I'm just thinking of Takafumi Papa's pride, that's all."
Hiyo froze at his words, her grip on the couch going tight. "I called you Yokozawa Papa earlier, didn't I?" she asked slowly, a look of horror dawning across her face. The silence dragged on as Kirishima realized exactly what Pandora's box he'd just opened.
"It's okay, just ignore your father Hiyo," Yokozawa said, glaring at his lover.
"…you're not mad, are you?" Hiyo asked.
"No, not at all."
"But I only asked if I could call you Onii-chan," Hiyo reasoned. "And I don't want Dad to think I'm replacing him or something…"
"You don't have to worry about either of those," Kirishima answered, bringing her around to their side of the couch. "It'd be kind of silly for me to get upset when I'm the one who brought him home. If anything, you calling Takafumi Papa so easily let's me know I chose the right partner. Not everyone has such amazing taste."
"Dad," she whined at his attempt at humor, biting her lip in an attempt to hold back her embarrassment.
Yokozawa reached over to ruffle her hair, earning his own squawk of indignation. "You can call me Papa, I don't mind. But only if you want to, alright? There's no rule that says you have to call me Papa or Dad just because I'm in a relationship with your father."
She nodded then leaned her head on his shoulder. She smiled as she took his hand, running her fingers over the promise ring. "Can I come see the rings with you?" she asked.
"I'd love for you to," Yokozawa answered.
She looked to Kirishima expectantly.
"I suppose you can come," Kirishima said. "But the matching rings are only for me and Takafumi this time."
"Please tell me you're not getting jealous over your own daughter," Yokozawa said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Nope, just telling her like it is."
"Don't worry Hiyo, we'll get something for you too."
Her cheer was barely heard, already half asleep on Yokozawa's shoulder. Carding his fingers through her hair, feeling Kirishima at his side, he finally felt like he was home.