Work Text:
‘Gotta home, gotta get home, gotta get home!!’ Nakamura
Okuto thought to himself as he was furiously typing away on his computer at work. His eyes darted back and forth between the clock and his screen to the point his eyes began straining.
“Nakamura-san!” A coworker called; the taller man didn’t answer.
‘I need to go home, okay, so if we need to keep the temperature regulated well enough with enough flow, these creatures can-’
“NAKMURA-SAN!”
“Gah!” Nakamura jumped in his chair, causing all the papers on his desk to spill everywhere. “MY WORK!” He screamed as he frantically shuffled around the ground. He knocked over a lamp, causing it to fall, silently cursing to himself as he fixed his glasses.
“Are you okay?” The coworker asked while helping the tall man up.
“Yeah, I’m okay…” Nakamura sighed as he sorted his papers and picked up the lamp.
“You should go home, Nakamura-san.” Another coworker said from behind their desk. “You are looking a lot more annoyed than usual!”
“Was it that obvious?” Nakamura questioned as his coworkers laughed at him.
“You have the most piercing eyes in this field, Nakamura!”
“Oh…” Nakamura blushed and adjusted his frames while staring at a photo of his husband and son. “I guess I have been on edge today ever since I found out that Akeru is sick.”
“Oh no, little Ake is sick?”
Nakamura solemnly nodded at them. “Yeah, he was playing in the rain without a coat. So he ended up with a high fever; Aiki is watching over him right now.”
“Well, I hope he feels better.” The coworker turned back to their desk and began typing. “Still kind of irresponsible of a parent to let their child play in the rain without a coat…you sure got your hands full, huh, Nakamura?”
Suddenly, Okuto slammed his hands on his desk. “I think I’ll be heading home now. Have a good day, everyone.” With that, he bowed and put on his coat. He hurriedly headed out the door and into his car. He furiously fumbled with the keys before slamming his hands on the steering wheel.
‘Aiki isn’t irresponsible; it’s not his fault…they don’t know what’s going through his head…he just forgot…we all forget.’
Nakamura quietly drove as it began to rain. He turned down the radio and listened to the droplets hitting the windshield. He recalled that stormy day when he came home from work after a long day.
Nakamura happily greeted the two loves of his life, Aiki and Akeru. They were both soaking wet from playing in the rain. Everything was normal for them. Till Akeru collapsed in the hallway, coughing and burning up with a high fever. Okuto felt like his entire world nearly collapsed seeing his son in such a state; he nearly cried…but no one cried more that day than Aiki. He kept apologizing to him.
‘I’m sorry, Okuto…I should’ve given him his coat, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.’
Those words of desperation and pleading echoed throughout Okuto’s mind as he turned into his home and parked.
“We all make mistakes, Aiki…it’s okay.” Okuto kept replaying that line over and over again in hopes maybe Aiki could hear him from afar.
Okuto placed his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it open. Inside the house was eerily quiet, save for the rain pouring outside.
“I…I’m home.”
“Oh, welcome home, honey.” Aiki appeared from the other room. He took Okuto’s coat and bag and kissed him on the lips. “You’re home early?”
“I…wanted to be home for Akeru…both of you.” Okuto gave Aiki a warm embrace. “How’s Ake?”
“He’s sleeping right now… I gave him food, and his medicine just like the doctor said. Oh, and I changed his towel for the past few hours!” Aiki responded quietly, while letting out a small yawn. Okuto raised a brow at his husband. Something definitely felt off about him today. There was no smile, no sarcastic comment…just a deadpan silence. “Aiki, are you okay?”
“Huh? Yeah, I am. Why?” Aiki stared at his husband, who noted his eyes.
‘There are dark circles...has he been awake ever since last night?’
“Aiki…have you been up this entire time?”
Aiki’s eyes listlessly moved to the left a little. “Yeah, I slept a few hours…”
Okuto walked up to his husband and gently grabbed his wrists. It was gentle enough not to hurt him, but firm enough to get his attention.
“Let go of me, Okuto…” Aiki protested, weakly flailing his smaller hands.
“Not until you tell me the truth.”
“I said, I’m fine!” Aiki’s voice began to pitch a little as his movements became more erratic. “Let me go, I need to check on Akeru!”
“He’s sleeping; he will be okay. Please, you need your rest.”
“I CAN’T REST AFTER WHAT I DID!” Aiki shouted in desperation, his tired eyes letting out a few tears that spilled onto the floor. He took a few breaths and realized what he said and looked away. “I…can’t rest…I shouldn’t rest, not till he’s better.”
“What do you mean, shouldn’t?” Okuto questioned as he hugged Hirose from behind.
“It’s all my fault, Okuto…” Aiki held Okuto’s hand to his cheek and gently kissed it. “I knew it was going to rain, and you told me to put a coat on Akeru, but he was so excited to play that I forgot…again.”
“Again, this was the first time he got sick in the rain; lots of kids got sick, even me when-”
“No-” Aiki interrupted. “That’s not what I meant.” Aiki turned around and buried his cheek into his husband’s chest. “Remember when I forgot to get Akeru’s jellyfish plushie for the long car ride, or when I forgot it was picture day for him, or when I forgot to pack his bento, and you had to bring him lunch…or worse yet…when I forgot to pick him up from school, and I realized too late when I got home, and I saw you…holding him with an angry look in your face.”
“Oh…that,” Nakamura remembered getting a call from the daycare a few months ago…he could hear poor Akeru crying in the background. Aiki forgot to pick him up and left Akeru waiting for two hours. And when Nakamura came to pick him up. Akeru wouldn’t let go of him the entire day. Of course, Okuto was upset at his husband for leaving their son alone. Who wouldn’t be…Okuto knew Aiki was forgetful at times; he knew what he was getting into when they became boyfriends and husbands. Seeing Akeru like that really hurt, and Aiki apologized for being so stupid. And of course Nakamura forgave him. Mistakes happen.
“Listen, Aiki.” Okuto held up Aiki’s face and brushed his tears with his thumbs. “I already forgave you for all that. You had exams to deal with. You had so much going on.”
“I know, but I should’ve remembered…I should’ve called you instead to pick him up…It’s all my fault…and worse-” Aki began to cry once again. “Akeru still probably hates me.”
“What?”
“He hasn’t said it…but I can feel it…he hates me for forgetting so much…maybe I’m a terrible parent.”
“NO YOU’RE NOT, AIKI!” Okuto shouted, causing the shorter man to jump. “If anything, I’m also a terrible parent…I spoil Akeru so much. I let him stay up a lot. I barely have time to play with him at times! I’m not as strict with him and let him off easy…hell, I even let him eat an extra cookie before bed!”
“You what?” Aiki frowned as Okuto began to sweat.
“Uh…what I’m trying to say is…Aiki, no one is perfect.”
“Hehe, you’re right, Okuto…maybe we are too hard on ourselves. So what if we aren’t perfect…we are perfect for Akeru and that’s what matters.” Aiki chuckled. “Look at you lecturing a teacher.”
“There’s my Aiki…smiling and teasing again.” Okuto laughed as he gave his husband some kisses. “I like you better this way.”
“What, you don’t like boring ol’ me?” Aiki teased, causing Okuto to shake his head furiously.
“You’re not boring! You’re amazing!”
“Not as amazing as you!” Aiki took Okuto by the arm and pulled him closer to his face. “Have I told you that you’re such a handsome and wonderful husband?”
“Y..Y…YESSS!” Okuto nervously shouted, his face burning a bright red as Aiki winked at him. “Y…you…you’re so beautiful too, Aiki!”
“Let’s go check on Akeru.”
“RIGHT!” Nakamura followed his husband most robotically anyone could’ve imagined. His arms swung back and forth as they both slowly opened the door to Akeru’s room.
“Shhh…” Aiki put a finger to Okuto’s mouth, who began to blush again.
‘His fingers are so soft!! Wait… focus, Okuto! This is about Akeru!’
The two quietly crept over to Akeru’s bed and looked over at him. He was cuddled up with his usual Octopus and Crab plushies as well as a few of his favorite Jellyfish ones. His breathing was quiet but steady, which gave the dads huge relief. Aiki crouched down and brushed back Akeru’s hair and gave it a gentle kiss.
“Mmm.” Akeru slowly fluttered his eyes open as he let out a gentle cough. “Dad?” He rubbed his eyes and blinked. “Papa?”
“Hi, Akeru.” Okuto smiled as he got on the other side of the bed and gave him a big hug. “Sorry, did we wake you?”
Akeru shook his head and weakly smiled. “It’s okay, I was having a nice dream where I was playing under the ocean with an Octopus and a Crab!”
“Oh? What do you guys do?”
“Oh, lots of things; we played pirates, hide and seek, and went to this cool undersea amusement park! Can we go sometime?”
“I don’t think there’s any undersea ones, Ake…but maybe if you’re good we can ask your Dad?”
Both Okuto and Akeru stared at Aiki, who rolled his eyes at them.
“Well, we can’t go if you’re sick now, Ake…how are you feeling?”
“A little better!” Akeru pumped his chest but coughed a little. “I don’t feel hot anymore!”
“Oh, that’s great!” Okuto smiled as he ruffled Akeru’s hair.
“Yeah, Dad took good care of me! He held my hand when I was scared of the doctor! He gave me lots of juice and water, gave me some yummy soup, and he even got me to take that yucky medicine! ”
“Is that so? I’m glad then, Akeru! I’m glad you had someone to help take care of you then.”
“Yeah! I love him so much!”
“You hear that, Aki? He said he loves you-” Okuto looked over and saw Aiki, resting his head against Akeru’s bed. “Aiki?”
“I think Dad fell asleep.”
“Yeah, looks like it…here, let me take him to our bedroom and put him to sleep. He’s earned it.”
“Are you staying home, Papa?”
Okuto lifted Aiki in his arms and cradled him against his body. He smiled at Akeru and nodded.
“You bet, you just rest so the next time you feel better the three of us can do something nice together?”
“Okay! I love you, Papa!”
“I love you too, Akeru!”
“Oh, hang on!” Akeru kicked his tiny feet off the bed and slowly walked over to Okuto…he pulled on Aiki’s pants and gestured to his Papa to bring Aiki closer to him.
Akeru cupped his hands and whispered in Aiki’s ear. “I love you, Dad! Even if you forget sometimes!”