Work Text:
“I need you to go with me for a business trip tomorrow.”
All eyes turned in Hela’s direction, who was standing at the entrance to the breaking room. Noe stood behind him like an obedient puppy, his hands always occupied with a stack o papers. Everyone looked surprised, but the most shocked one was Shiu, whose cigarette hung limply between his fingers.
“Why?”
“For a week I’ve been trying to strike a new deal to gain another partner for my company and I want you to come with me. You helped me build this business from scratch. And you’re my best friend!”
Hela smiled brightly clapping his hands happily. Shiu stared at him for a while in silence, face devoid of any emotions. At last, he sighed heavily, taking the last drag of nicotine, before stumping the cigarette in the ashtray.
“How long would it take?”
“Two, three days top. The man I want to talk to is throwing a fancy gala. We have an appointment with him the next day at dinner.”
Shiu’s face scrunched in contemplation.
“I can’t leave the girls alone for two days.”
“I’ll stay with them!”
Sero jumped from his chair, waving his arms enthusiastically. Shiu looked at him, skeptically.
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s no big deal. You should go, if Mr. Hela insists.”
“It’s Ms. Hela.”
Their boss mumbled, one eyebrow twitching. Shiu was still thinking about it, and that was the moment where Mikke and Hugh decided to join the conversation.
“Relax. We’ll gladly help. Leu and Nero are going to be fine.”
The purple haired man looked around over his friends – their determined faces indicating clearly, that his daughters were in good hands.
“Alright. When we’re leaving?”
“We have a train tomorrow morning at 9 A.M. Take something nice for the gala.”
Hela winked at them, than left the room with a swirl of his pink hair. The room fell silent again, each men trying to understand what just happened.
The next day, Sero came to Shiu’s house with a small bag packed with personal essentials to stay the night. For a fact, that Hela and Shiu were leaving for two days, he gave everyone a time off. The Spirytus Company will be closed until everyone was back. Mikke and Hugh were pleasantly surprised with this gift, planning to catch up on all the things they were putting aside.
Sero woke up early today, too giddy to sleep and with a goofy smile plastered on his face, got ready to leave. Shiu welcomed him with the same passive expression, but Leu and Nero made up for it with their energetic chatter. They were ecstatic to spend those two days with their favorite uncle, not worried that their father was going away in the slightest.
“Sero!”
Nero jumped on him the moment he walked inside, latching on his leg like a little monkey. Leu grabbed him on the other side, her wide smile shining in the morning light.
“Hi!”
He pulled them into a big hug, squishing the girls strongly to his chest. Shiu watched their interaction, feeling like something was ripping him apart and then pulling everything back together. He wasn’t sure how long he would be able to control his expression, so to hide the smile which was forcing itself onto his lips, he went for the bag – using those precious seconds to slap himself internally to get a grip or else.
“Are you going to stay with us, while papa is away?”
Leu chirped in, now making grabbing moves with her hands, so Sero would take her up. The younger man was way too glad to make her wish come true and peaked her in one swift motion. Nero’s face scrunched in a small pout – she also wanted to be held and tagged on Sero’s pants. Laughing, he knelt down and took both girls into his arms, smiling like an idiot he was.
Shiu, with a bag hung over his shoulder almost had a heart attack. He covered the blush creeping onto his face with a fake cough, wiping over it nervously.
“Alright. I’ll be back tomorrow evening. You have to listen to Sero and stay out of trouble.”
The kids nodded energetically, smiles as big and blinding as burning sun.
“And you.”
Shiu pointed a finger at Sero, who’s face was locked in the same goofy grin since he came.
“Be careful. Watch over them. If anything happens, call me right away.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll gonna be fine. Right, girls?”
He lifted his arms up, making the pair jump and giggle.
“Yes!”
“We promise!”
Shiu shook his head with a fond sigh. He could already imagine what his apartment will look like, when he’ll come back. Nevertheless, there wasn’t another person on this world (well, beside Hela), that he would trust to leave his children with. Shiu had many occasions to witness the special bond between Sero and his daughters. He knew they were in good hands.
Something heavy settled on his heart when he was standing in the entrance, hand hovering over the doorknob. The girls were already planning what they will do, after they’ll come back from the kindergarten. Sero was leaning on the door frame, eyes shining with a mix of sadness and excitement.
“I’m going to protect them as if they were my own. You go help Mr. Hela strike that deal.”
I know you will.
Shiu sighed one last time, sending his coworker a small smile.
“See you tomorrow.”
The heaviness grew with every passing second, so Shiu didn’t wait for any replay. Turning around, he went downstairs. His ears ringing with his daughters cheerful laughter.
Sero watched Shiu walk away and couldn’t help frowning a little. His heart thudded like an incoming thunder – longing already settling deep inside his chest.
I’ve got this.
Finally closing the door, Sero looked at his charges who were running around the house, preparing to leave. Shiu already made sure they had breakfast and packed them lunch.
“Ready to go?”
Plastering another wide and honest smile over his face, Sero helped them put the shoes on. Few minutes later, they were on their way to kindergarten.
~*~
While the girls were at school, Sero used that time to do some shopping for dinner. Obviously, Shiu made sure that the fridge was full, but Sero planned something special today. He craved pizza for a while and this would be a perfect opportunity to include Leu and Nero in cooking. He bought everything he needed, came home and too wired up to sit still, he decided to clean the house.
Shiu’s apartment was always in perfect condition, despite having two little girls, but Sero felt wrong just sitting around. He wanted to do something special for the older man, proving that he was a person worth trusting.
Although, the fact that Shiu accepted his offer was proof enough. The amount of times he called him over, whenever Shiu took the girls out should be obvious, that he wanted Sero close to his kids.
I wish there would be something else, too.
Falling again into a sour mood, Sero shook his head to clear it off of all those negative thoughts. Trying to stay positive, he used that energy to wipe the dust off the furniture and vacuum the floors.
When the house was shining and spotless, he started on the dough for the pizza. By the time, he’ll bring the girls back, it should be nice and fluffy – perfect for them to put whatever they liked. Sero looked at the amount of food he bought just for this purpose and winced a little.
“Yeah, I over did it.”
Shiu won’t have to go shopping for the rest of the week. And he’ll very likely rip Sero a knew one, when he’ll open his fridge.
Well… at least he can’t say I’m a bad uncle for the girls.
His hands worked steadily by mixing the ingredients while his mind was slowly getting lost in his thoughts. A sudden ping from his phone, pulled him back into the reality. Dirty and sticky from the dough, Sero checked the new message and a big smile immediately brightened his face. He cleaned his hands quickly to write back.
Shiu: Is the building still standing?
Sero huffed a laugh, hopping on the counter and smiling like an idiot to the screen. His fingers went fast over the keyboard.
Sero: The evacuation went smoothly. The girls are happy to live with me from now on. Don’t know about you, though.
The blue haired man couldn’t help laughing out loud from the joke. He could imagine the look on Shiu’s face – the same solemn expression with a hint of amusement hidden in the corners of his eyes. How he would try hard to cover the incoming smile, by turning his head to the side. Warmth spread in Sero’s chest on the thought and went straight to his cheeks. With anticipation, he watched the dots dance on the screen, waiting for the reply.
Shiu: You’re an idiot. Obviously, you will sleep on the couch.
Sero burst up laughing again, swaying on the counter and almost falling from it. Tears prickled the corners of his eyes and his face hurt from the constant smiling. He knew that Shiu would respond to his stupid joke, but the implication of his answer made something twitch in Sero’s gut. Shiu didn’t even deny the possibility of them living together. He accepted that fact like it was a weather forecast.
Fuck. I’m in trouble, am I?
~*~
Shiu put down his phone and looked through the train’s window, covering his mouth with his hand to hide the widening smile. Hela sat opposite him, watching his friend closely, not even pretending like he didn’t know what was happening.
“So? Are they okay?”
Shiu’s stare turned back, composure partially maintained.
“Yeah.”
“I told you, it’ll be fine. It’s not a first time Sero watches over them. You should put more faith in him.”
“That’s the problem. I think I trust him way too much.”
Hela’s eyes shone brighter. Smiling like a predator which just spotted its pray, he leaned closer, his stare burning holes in Shiu’s conscience.
“And why is that a problem?”
His voice was laced with clear suggestion, each word like a purr. Shiu bared with the intense stare, before he had to turn his head again. His cheeks got warm all of a sudden and he tried to hide it behind his long hair.
“Stop it.”
“But, I’m not doing anything.”
Hela sat back, crossing his legs leisurely. Noe sat beside him, keeping his focus on the phone, though both men knew, he was listening closely to their conversation.
“You’re fucking with me.”
“No, I’m just helping you get out of that cocoon you wrapped around yourself. It’s about time, you found someone.”
Shiu wanted to protest, but the words died halfway through his throat. To be honest, he had nothing for his defense. If Hela was giving him hell over his emotions towards Sero, it was as clear as day, that he wasn’t subtle at all.
“Did you invite me for this gala for support or to lecture me over suppressed feelings?”
Hela hummed, the smile widening.
“Both? Although, I’m glad you realized you were an idiot for trying to pretend like nothing was happening.”
Shiu huffed exasperatedly.
“Shut up.”
A delicate laugh passed through Hela’s lips. Noe giggled next to him and Shiu couldn’t help but smile too.
Yeah, maybe he was falling down for Sero. Maybe he already fell so hard and deep, there was no turning back. But, did he feel bad about it? Only time would tell.
~*~
The short panic attack that came after Sero finally acknowledged his feelings for Shiu, almost made him late to peak the girls from school. He ran from the house, cursing his stupid heart, crossing the roads on red lights. Once he was almost hit by a car, the horns blasting behind him, but in the end he made it on time. Nero and Leu were already waiting for him at the entrance and when they saw him, they ran straight into his arms.
“Sero!”
“Hi! I’m not late, am I?”
“No. We just finished.”
The girls latched onto his sides, each kid grabbing one of his hands. Their teacher stood near the doors, smiling at them adoringly.
“Have a nice day!”
She waved at them, and Sero bowed slightly down, smiling back. It kind of made him wonder, that the kindergarten didn’t make any problems for him, to peak up the kids, but he came here so many times with Shiu, that maybe they already knew, he wasn’t an outsider for them.
Or maybe Shiu called beforehand, telling the teacher I’ll be coming over.
That thought made him giddy again, his broad grin only intensifying.
“What’s so funny?”
Leu tagged at his hand to get his attention. Sero looked down at her, smiling brightly.
“Nothing. I’m just happy to spend some time with you. I’ve prepared a surprise for today’s dinner.”
The girls perked on that, eyes big and shining.
“What is it?”
“Yeah, yeah, what is it?”
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now, no?”
Nero and Leu pouted, demanding answers all the way back.
The pizza was like a lottery win. The girls were ecstatic to put their own ingredients on the dough and then watching how it baked in the oven. Sero let them chatter happily through the meal, listening on how their day went in the school. Later, all three cleaned the kitchen and played so many different games until it was time for bed. They were barely standing and halfway asleep, Sero helped them wash up and stayed in their room, until both girls were sleeping soundly.
He didn’t leave immediately, deciding to sit for a little bit longer. He watched each girl, hugging the plush toys he won for them some time ago and just couldn’t stop smiling. It was different from the time when he took care of his younger brother. He loves Luc dearly, but watching over Nero and Leu made his heart stutter on a different level.
He loved spending time with them. Sitting in this house, watching Shiu interact with his daughters – for the first time feeling like he belonged somewhere. There were times when he thought about starting his own family, but that emotion got stronger yet farther away, each time he came here. He wanted to be in this family. He doubted he’d find such happiness anywhere else than here.
“Idiot.”
Sighing, Sero stood up and quietly left the room. The house was dark, all the lights turned off, leaving only the street lights to illuminate his way to the balcony. Outside, he took out the cigarettes, lighting one with slow motions. Leaning over the railing, he watched the streets below, still energetic and bustling with life. People were rushing to or from the work, cars were driving by, occasionally honking on each other.
Inhaling deeply and keeping the smoke in his lungs for a second, he blew out a gray cloud back. He watched it disappear in the air, feeling his nerves calming down. The high of the day was slowly fading away, leaving him tired but in a good way. He felt fulfilled – like taking care of the household while your husband was away for the business trip, was his only dream.
Sero laughed bitterly, heart beating fast in his chest. His hand itched to grab the phone and write to Shiu. Check how his day was going. Was he still at the gala? Was he having a good time dining with rich people? Did Hela make him dance?
Such questions started running around his head, pushing very vivid images before his eyes.
Shiu in a tuxedo.
Shiu drinking and smiling.
Shiu dancing with Hela, whining about it.
Fuck, I wish I was there.
Sero sighed heavily, head hitting the railing, the cigarette between his fingers forgotten. He threw the butt and ignited another one. Sitting on the floor, back toward the streets, he took out his phone to see if he got any new messages.
There weren’t any notifications and he tried to ignore the slight stab that went through his heart. Still, he unlocked the screen and clicked into his conversation with Shiu. The last message from the older man made him smile again. They didn’t talk since than, although Sero send him a picture of the girls making their own pizza’s. Shiu’s only reaction was a thumbs up on it, but he didn’t comment on it.
“He’s busy, you imbecile.”
Yet, Sero typed down a new message.
Sero: Are you drunk already? Should I expect embarrassing photos of you dancing with some strangers?
He clicked send, but wasn’t expecting a reply. Staring into the screen, puffing out cloud of nicotine smoke, he flinched when the dots danced again on their chat. Sitting straighter, eyes glued to the phone, he awaited the answer.
Shiu: You wish. Hela tried his best, but I won’t fall into his trap that easily. But the wine is good.
Sero’s lips spread into a fond smile, the tension easing off him in waves.
Sero: Shame. And here I hoped to see you wasted.
Shiu: I can only let loose when I’m with you.
Sero choked on the next inhale, coughing out the lingering smoke. Doubling over, he looked back at the screen, doing a double take at the message.
“What the fuck?!”
Heart jumping into his throat, he stared dumbly at his phone, disbelieve taking away all the color on his face. Panic started to settle deep in his chest, squeezing and crushing.
Shock clashed with rising excitement. Is this really happening? Sero tried to type back, but his head went blank. Words mixed together, making it impossible to build one coherent sentence. He started writing his answer, delete it and started again. Yet, nothing normal came to his mind – nothing that wouldn’t break that invisible line between their friendship and… something else.
Conflicted and confused, Sero whined in resignation. A quick vibration informed him of a new message and his eyes darted to it.
Shiu: How are the girls?
“Are you fucking kidding me?!”
~*~
Shiu wanted to punch himself in the face. He almost did, slapping the phone hard to his forehead. Wincing – although from pain or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure – he leaned over the table they were sitting at. Hela watched his friend amused, giggling into his glass of wine.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m a fucking idiot.”
Shiu frowned, eyes glaring at his own drink, blaming his stupidity on the alcohol.
“I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
Without warning, Hela grabbed Shiu’s phone and read through their conversation. When he finished, he made a silent oh sound and put the device delicately back on the table.
“I’m taking it back. You are stupid. How come you went from the almost clear declaration of love to how are the girls?!”
“I don’t know. I panicked. He wasn’t responding.”
“He’s probably having a mental breakdown right now.”
“You’re not helping.”
Shiu growled, taking the phone back and staring at it, mind empty and blood rushing in his ears. Dread filled his heart. Did he just ruined their relationship before it even started to develop into something deeper?
“I didn’t plan to. As your best friend I need to be honest with you.”
“Fuck.”
Wiping over his face tiredly, Shiu gazed back on the phone, through the fingers. Sero’s silence was too long and it made him worry. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. Not through the phone. He wanted to talk with him in person, sober. Resignation started to settle between his ribs, until the phone vibrated with a new message.
Sero: They’re fine. Sleeping after wringing me through every known game.
“Fucking hell.”
“What? What did he write?”
Shiu showed Hela the screen and the pink haired man winced.
“You two are worth each other. This will be interesting to watch, after we come home.”
“I hate you.”
Standing up, Shiu clenched the phone in his hand and went outside for a smoke. His nerves were fried to ashes and he needed to relax. Finding a quiet corner on the big balcony, he lit the cigarette and only after the first hit of the nicotine let his heart rate calm down a little, he unlocked the screen and typed back.
Shiu: You volunteered for this. We’ll see each other soon. Good night, Sero.
Leaning his head on the wall, he stared into the night sky, sighing tiredly.
Yeah, this will be a fucking comedy to watch.
~*~
Sero couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night. He was too agitated, mind racing with hundreds of thoughts. Shiu’s replay – I can only let loose when I’m with you – burnt into his retinas. What’s that supposed to mean? Was Sero going crazy? Did his pinning over the purple haired man finally fried his brain, making unbelievable scenarios? Or Shiu really felt the same way.
“This can’t be happening.”
Sero mumbled for the tenth time, rolling on the couch (because yes, he wasn’t brave enough to sleep in the master bedroom) and whining miserably. Wiping tiredly over his face, he stared into the ceiling, wanting nothing more than to talk with Shiu to clear the sudden tension between them.
He didn’t replay to Shiu’s message, being in too much shock to process their conversation. He was still hung onto this one sentence, which made his heart thud painfully in the chest. He wanted to feel happy about it, but in the same time, it felt like the matter moved way too fast for either of them to really acknowledged the truth.
On one hand, Sero liked to believe that Shiu was just drunk and wrote whatever came to his mind at the moment. Maybe he wanted this to seem like a joke and Sero was simply overreacting.
“But you don’t say something like that and change the topic like nothing happened! What am I supposed to do now?!”
What do you want from me, Shiu?
“Fuck.”
The darkness in the living room was broken by the shy rays of sunshine, indicating that Sero spend all night tormenting himself over some stupid words. They could be meaningless. Shiu will come back home today and Sero will pretend like he wasn’t having the worst gay panic in his life. Hope simmered deep in his chest, battling with the rest of rationality, to which Sero clung like a drowning man.
“If he’ll deny it, I can always punch him in the face.”
Coming to that conclusion, Sero stood up and went to the balcony. The day barely started, the air was fresh and crisp. Taking a deep breath, the blue haired man let it calm him down. The pack of cigarettes laid on the floor – the same place he left it yesterday, when he tried to wrap his head about Shiu’s confession. He grabbed it and took one out. Placing the stick in his mouth, he snapped the lighter to life. The bright flame illuminated his face with an orange hue.
Taking the first drag of the day, Sero let it burn his throat and linger in the lungs, before slowly puffing the smoke out. On the horizon, he could see dark clouds gathering, threatening the city with the incoming rain. Roads were still empty and quiet – the hour too early for people to be roaming around.
“This will be a long day.”
Waking the girls, Sero put the same broad smile, acting energetic and hoping that they wouldn’t notice the stiffness at the corners of his eyes, or how the grin wavered occasionally when they weren’t looking. Preparing breakfast helped Sero anchor himself in the moment. Nero and Leu’s chatter made a nice background when he was placing the food on the plates. Their bentos for school were ready and already waiting in the fridge.
“Sero?”
Nero’s meek voice pulled him from yet another dark spiral of thoughts. He turned around with a pan in one hand, the pancake almost falling of the spatula in the other.
“Yes?”
Standing before them, he was met with two pairs of intensive, honest eyes. The girls observed him carefully and that look didn’t suit them for such young age at all.
“Are you alright?”
Sero’s breath caught in his throat and he tried to mask it by the fake laugh.
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”
He put the pancake on the plate and went back to the stove to flip another one.
“You’re weird.”
“And you have dark bags under your eyes.”
Shit! Is it that obvious?!
“I, uh… couldn’t sleep.”
Silence fell over the trio. Sero was too scared to look at the kids, so he stayed near the stove, watching how the pancakes were sizzling on the pan. He didn’t saw how Nero and Leu exchanged concerned glances.
“Dad’s gonna be fine.”
“Yes, you don’t have to worry about him.”
Sero flinched, hand squeezing the spatula harder.
What gives?
“I know that! I’m not worried about him.”
He turned the stove off and begrudgingly sat down at the table. To hide his nervousness, he clutched his mug of coffee and started to play with it.
“Are you sure?”
“Papa looks the same sometimes when you have to stay longer at work.”
Give me a break!
Sero’s head smacked the table, the coffee spilling over it. His whole body shivered with suppressed laughter and scream, which almost tore from his throat. When he was sure, he won’t cry, he finally looked at the kids – their expressions the pure picture of innocence.
“What?”
“He gets all gloomy and pouts.”
“Yes. He looked sad while he was packing.”
Shiu… pouting? Am I dreaming? Or maybe there’s a hidden camera recording everything right now.
It was hard to believe that Shiu – the least expressive person Sero knew – would be pouting over something as stupid as business trip. No. Impossible.
“Nah. You must’ve been imagining things.”
Sero wiped the table with a paper towel, laughing the matter off for his own sanity. The girls frowned, upset for being brushed off.
“We’re telling the truth!”
“You didn’t see his face, when–”
“Okay, okay! Let’s say I believe you. Now, get ready or you’re be late for school.”
Sero pushed them toward the bathroom, the smile stiff and trembling on his face. Nero and Leu hesitated for a moment, but when he nudged them again, they reluctantly stood up. In the meantime, he cleaned the table of the left overs, putting the dishes in the sink to wash them later.
This must be some kind of fever dream.
Two hours later and one long walk around the neighborhood, Sero came back to Shiu’s house. Still digesting the news he heard earlier, he made the kitchen spotless again and stood in the living room idly. There was no need for cleaning, because he did everything yesterday and having nothing else to do left him scared.
Being alone with his thoughts was dangerous right now, but he had no idea of how to unload the tension which kept him awake all night. His eyes were constantly going to Shiu’s bedroom, heat pulling over in his gut.
“This is such a bad idea.”
His mind screamed it was a terrible idea, yet his legs moved on their own and led him to the room. Opening the door like he was walking into the cave of a beast, Sero stood at the entrance and looked around. He saw it before and it was your usual bedroom of a grown man. Modern, but simple design, nothing unusual to see. Though, some invisible force pulled Sero inside, straight toward the bed.
He sat tentatively on it, his breathing quickening. Everything smelled like Shiu and it drove him crazy. One palm went over the soft covers, fingers curling around the material. Sero knew that what he was about to do, was outrageous but his body said otherwise. Burning waves of desire made him shiver, the tightness in his gut intensifying. Laying down, he pushed his face into the pillows, breathing in the mixed scent of clothes softener and Shiu’s shower gel. The smell of cigarettes lingered like an undertone, making him moan quietly.
Pushing the face more into the bed, he put his hand under the pants, legs spreading a little. His dick was already half hard and touching it sent electric bolts up his spine. Gasping, Sero grabbed himself and squeezed, palm going up and down with one slow, but strong pull. His stomach twisted, body trembling from adrenaline when he pumped his fist faster. Nails grazed over the sensitive skin like teeth would, if he wasn’t alone.
Precum leaked from the tip, so he smeared it with his thumb down for better friction. He was already panting, mouth agape, heart beating like a drum. Sero pulled his pants lower, legs bending more to the sides. His moves became erratic rather fast, the incoming orgasm just around the corner. Whimpering, Sero covered his face with the pillow, the images before his eyes taking shape into the man this bed belonged to. Shiu’s passive face flashed in his mind, his deep voice whispering dirty nothings into his ears.
“F-Fu...ah…”
Squeezing hard, Sero jerked himself few more times, tagging on the skin until he felt the rush going down between his legs. He came with a loud cry, body shivering – hot and sweaty. Tears prickled the corners of his eyes, rolling down the cheeks and disappearing on the pillows. Panting heavily, Sero stared into the ceiling, slowly going over his orgasm. The bliss from it was pushed aside by guilt and dread. He just jerked himself off to Shiu’s smell, on his bed.
“This is so fucked up.”
He mumbled, while looking at his dirty hand. It was sticky and uncomfortable. His clothes and the sheets also covered with the sperm were revolting, but Sero was too tired to care right now. His eyelids got heavy, the lack of sleep finally catching up to him.
With the last conscious thought, Sero pulled his pants up and curled over himself, hugging one of the pillows close to his chest. He’ll clean this mess after a quick nap.
~*~
“You look like you want to murder someone. Fix that expression or get out before our new investor comes in.”
Hela admonished Shiu with a frown over his cup of coffee. The purple haired man scoffed, sighing tiredly. He was still fuming over his own stupidity from yesterday and couldn’t help but think about his conversation with Sero. Like a coward, he changed the topic, acting like nothing happened. What’s worst Sero didn’t write to him this morning and Shiu was too scared to do it first. He wanted to go back home and have a proper talk face to face.
Sitting in the conference room, waiting for their new business partner felt like the worst torture.
“Tch. What do you want me to do?”
“Stop acting like a child. We’ll be back soon, so just bare with this for a little while longer.”
Shiu sighed again, crossing his arms in annoyance.
“Fine.”
~*~
Sero woke in a panic, bolting from the bed as if burnt. He searched for his phone and only when he checked the time, he was able to take a normal breath. He had two hours before he has to peak the girl from school. With the amount of food still kept in the fridge he’ll be able to make something for dinner, but what was more important, was changing the sheets and taking a shower. There’s no way he’ll leave it like this.
He cleaned the room in an express time, than spent thirty minutes under the shower – scrubbing the shame and dried cum from his body. Another cup of scolding black coffee made him feel like a human again, and only than he left the house.
The weather worsened, the dark clouds he saw this morning were now hanging over the city, drowning it with heavy rain. People rushed on the streets, wanting to get home as fast as possible. Puddles splashed under his shoes, soaking his socks. The umbrella did a poor job of protecting him from the downpour and before Sero got to the school, he was already soaking wet.
He waited near the entrance to the building for Nero and Leu to come out. They came a few minutes later, faces flashed with bright smiles despite the awful weather. Sero made sure they wore rain jackets and wellies, umbrellas ready in their hands.
“Hello, Mr. Sero.”
“Hello.”
He bowed to the teacher which brought them outside. The girls waved their goodbyes and all three went on their way back home.
“How was your day?”
He asked to kill the silence. The kids jumped over the puddles, laughing happily.
“It was good.”
“We were making decorations for the spectacle we’ll be doing next week.”
“Oh! That’s nice.”
“Yeah! It’s for the open day for our parents.”
Sero imagined Shiu sitting on a chair in the gym, watching his daughters perform whatever their spectacle was about and he smiled.
“You must be excited.”
“We are. I’m playing as one of the knights!”
“And I’m going to be a local farmer!”
Jesus.
“I’m sure you will do fine.”
The girls chatted over their spectacle, but Sero’s attention went elsewhere. About ten minutes ago, he noticed that someone was following them, their eyes burning holes in his back. Sero did a quick glance back, feigning looking over the display in one of the shops. In the corner of his eyes, he saw a man dressed all in black, standing few meters away from them. He didn’t even pretend to be a passerby, his focus solely on them.
Anger bubbled inside his chest, face locked in a dark frown. Nero and Leu walked next to him, unaware of the possible danger and he made sure it stayed that way.
When they were a street away from Shiu’s apartment building, the man following them got closer. Sero could hear his steps behind them and his hand squeezed harder around the umbrella’s handle.
“Nero. Leu. Whatever happens, stay right beside me, okay?”
The girls looked at him quizzically, but they nodded. It seems like they could feel the sudden change in his mood, their eyes darting around the street. When they finally noticed the mysterious follower, they stayed silent and hid behind Sero’s back.
Fear started to crawl over his spine, but it wasn’t for him. He was scared that something would happen to Shiu’s daughters. This possibility made him nauseous and furious. He would never forgive himself if anyone touched the girls on his watch.
“Okay, that’s enough. Who are you and what do you want?”
Sero barked, pulling the kids closer to his sides. The man who followed them from the school stood before them, his face shadowed by the hoodie of his jacket. When approaching, he pulled it off, showing a furious expression. His face was littered with scars, beard uneven and had bald head.
“I finally found you, asshole.”
Sero looked over their stalker, but he had no idea who he was.
“Do I know you?”
This seemed to anger the man even more. The hand which he kept inside the pocket came out flinging with a knife grabbed firmly in it. Sero frowned deeper, taking a step back.
“You fucked me up this way!”
Oh. He must be one of my victims. It’s surprising he’s been let go.
“Someone put a note for your head and I did my job. Now, piss off.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I get my payback.”
He walked closer, arm stretched threateningly with the blade. Sero huffed frustrated, throwing his umbrella to the side.
“Leu. Nero. Take a step back and cover your eyes, okay? Promise me to not look until I say so.”
“Alright.”
Their voices wavered, but they did what he asked. One quick glance back, proved that they indeed covered their eyes, so Sero stopped pretending to being nice. Knuckles itching to punch something, he met the stalker at the entrance to the alleyway. The man flinched back, arm shaking in the air. Sero saw the fear stealing away the color on his face and smirked.
“Not so cocky now, are we?”
Fists clenched, he waited for the first blow. He wanted nothing more than to jump on the man and rip him to pieces, but that would mean he wasn’t better than him. He liked to think about himself as someone who could control his emotions, not going overboard even on the job. Once or twice, he got so angry, he lost it, but he wasn’t proud of it. The situation was different right now, though. Someone came deliberately and threatened not only him, but Nero and Leu, too. There’s no mercy for those kind of bastards in Sero’s dictionary.
“You fucking piece of shit. You’ll pay for this!”
The man swung his arm, the knife pointed straight onto Sero’s face. He dodged easily, taking the hand and pulling the man behind him. The stalker yelped and lost his balance, which Sero used to his advantage. He tagged the man close to himself and kicked him in the stomach. The air whizzed from his lungs and he bend over, coughing. While on knees, Sero punched him to the side of his head, sending the man on the ground.
“I’ll make sure you’re never going to walk again.”
He growled, kicking the man on the stomach again. He knelt on him, pushing his knee into the man’s windpipe, hands grabbing his throat. The stalker grabbed his hands, trying desperately to get him off, but Sero was too far gone to let go. He was determined to kill the man if needed.
“You scared the kids. I’ll never forgive you.”
Sero’s face was relaxed, but his eyes were burning with blazing fury. The man chocked and whimpered, words unintelligible. One hand started to pat the ground around him, searching for the knife. When he found it, by the spark of bravery he flung it toward Sero’s face. He managed to turn his head away, but the blade still caught the side of his cheek. The slash burned hot, the seeping blood quickly sliding away mixed with raindrops.
Sero looked at the knife, rage drowning him in an instant. A crooked smile appeared on his face, while he leaned down.
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
Pushing harder on the man’s neck, he grabbed the hand with a knife and squeezed hard. His victim gurgled, letting go of the weapon. Sero intensified the grip until he heard the bones snapping. The man screamed, wriggling under him.
“I guess, one leg for one girl should be enough, right?”
Sero stood up and stepped on the stalker’s knees. Each of them broke under the pressure, making the man wail in agony. He wanted to kill him. Leave nothing more than a bloody mess. But, Sero was aware Nero and Leu were watching They promised to not look, but he wanted to spare them the gruesome view. When he was sure, the man won’t follow them anymore, he turned around and went back to the kids. They waited patiently, eyes covered, but bodies shivering under the umbrellas.
“Are you okay?”
He knelt beside them, placing his hands on their shoulders. The kids flinched slightly from it and something broke inside Sero.
“Can we open our eyes now?”
Sero did a quick look back, deciding that taking them farther away would be better.
“In a moment.”
He pulled the girls into his arms, lifting them and walking away. When they were next to their house, he put them down.
“Alright. You can look now.”
Nero and Leu took away their hands and blinked at Sero confused. Although, when they saw the slash on his face, they frowned, eyes filling with fear.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
“Where is the bad guy?”
“He won’t bother us anymore.”
Shiu is going to kill me.
“Let’s go home. You’re get cold.”
He pulled them inside and let go when the door to Shiu’s apartment closed behind him. The three stood in the corridor, silence filled with tension. Sero helped them take off the clothes, than promised to prepare the hot bath. The girls nodded in agreement, not saying a word. The nausea got heavier in his stomach, acid going up his throat. He gulped it down, clenched his teeth and focused on making sure that the girls were okay.
After they came back from the bath, clean and warm, the dinner was already waiting on the table. Sero prepared a bunch of different dishes, not really feeling like eating himself. They ate silently, cutlery clinking on the plates. Sero just sat there, watching, mind going into an overdrive of how he was going to explain this to Shiu. There was no way, he’ll let him stay with his daughters ever again. Sero won’t be surprised if Shiu kicked him out of the Spirytus, too.
Fucking hell. It’s all my fault.
“Sero.”
The blue haired man jumped, so far gone in his thoughts he didn’t hear them calling his name before.
“Yes?”
“You know it wasn’t your fault, right? This man was bad, but you protected us.”
“Yes. Dad would have done the same.”
Sero watched them, shocked. Were they reading his mind?
“But…”
“It’s not the first time, this happened.”
“Yeah. That time dad also told us to not look.”
“You two are very similar. He’s not going to be mad.”
So many emotions rushed over Sero, he almost cried. These kids were amazing. Truly astonishing. Not sure, if what they said was true, Sero strained a small smile, the stone pushing on his heart easing a little.
“Thank you. What do you say, we watch movies for the rest of the day?”
Leu and Nero agreed happily, listing all their favorite movies they wanted to watch. Later, Sero promised to himself, to at least write to Shiu about what happened today.
~*~
When Shiu found out about some stalker who threatened Sero and his daughters while they were going back home, he was close to crushing the train window and running the rest of the way home. Fury boiled so hot in him, he almost broke his phone. Hela immediately asked what happened and when he read the conversation, a dark shadow covered his face. His usual cheerful voice went deadly cold. Noe also got silent, fuming himself. Unfortunately, by the time they were back, the sky went completely dark.
The moment his feet touched the train station, Shiu ran to the closest taxi he found, not uttering a single word of goodbye to Hela and Noe. They understood his haste and only watched him disappear in the crowd.
It was almost one in the morning, when Shiu closed the door to his apartment. Leaving his bag in the corridor, he went straight into the girls bedroom, but found it empty. Freezing cold fear stole his breath for a second, but than he heard voices coming from the living room. What he saw, immediately helped ease the crushing panic.
Sero and his daughters were laying on the couch, the TV flashing with some animation, sound lowered. The girls were curled on Sero’s both sides, faces pushed into his chest. Blankets were pulled under their chins, their favorite plushies hugged securely between them.
Each of Sero’s arms kept the kids close to his body, head leaning on Leu’s. Shiu saw a white bandage on his left cheek and the anger which simmered in him for the past few hours, boiled again. Closer inspection proved that no major injuries were on either of them. Sero’s face was pale, tiredness visible even in the semi darkness.
Shiu let out a heavy sigh, knees suddenly weak. All the tension left his body, the rush of adrenaline and constant worry leaving him exhausted. He sat carefully on the back of the couch, looking over his family. And he didn’t mean only the girls. Their relationship was weird and got even more complicated after that fateful message, but Shiu was sure now. He didn’t want to leave Sero out of his sight for the near future and than more. He wanted him close by, preferably in this house. He wanted to come back from such trips and be welcomed by the people he loved the most.
Leaning down, Shiu watched Sero closely, taking in his steady breaths. A tentative smile came over his lips, sudden desire to kiss the younger man punching Shiu in the gut. Before he could talk himself out of it, Sero fidgeted, eyes blinking sleepily. They focused on the view over him and a tired smile brought some color to his face. Shiu reciprocated the gesture, placing his hand over Sero’s slashed cheek.
“I’m back.”
“Welcome home.”