Work Text:
Nakamura Okuto furiously typed away on his computer at the office. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He stared at the clock and watched it tick.
‘These peer reviews are pure torture!’ He shook his head and stretched his arms before scanning the screen.
‘Okay, that’s wrong use of the Oxford comma, that word is misspelled, I don’t even know what that’s supposed to say…ARGGGH WHERE DID THESE PEOPLE GET DEGREES FROM THE BACK OF A CEREAL BOX?’
Okuto slammed his head on the desk and whined to himself. Why today of all days did he have to go to work? Don’t they know that it’s the most important day for him? But no, this was ‘Important for team building.’ According to his boss. Still, Okuto didn’t expect Marine biologists to suck at writing thesis papers. He stood up, walked over to a colleague’s desk, and handed a paper to her.
“Here you go, Hinata-san. I finished looking over your paper about Manta Rays.”
“Oh, thank you, Nakamura-san!” She brushed back her long, dark-brown hair, grabbed the papers, and flipped through them. Her expression slowly changed from excitement to outright disgust. “What’s with all the red marks??”
“Well,” He shrugged, “There were a lot of errors, typos, and misinformation. I marked everything that needed to be corrected before we could submit it all.”
He watched as she angrily slammed the papers on his desk and poked a finger at his chest. He could feel her nail digging into his skin.
“Listen here, punk, you might be the most knowledgeable of this group, but you’re still the youngest. I’m not going to let some brat tell me what I’ve been doing for years is wrong now-”
“Hey, Hey, Hinata-san…” Another colleague interrupted, stepping in between the two. “Leave the young man alone, already.”
“Fine…” She scoffed and sat back in her chair. “This isn’t over, Nakamura-kun.” Okuto could feel Hinata-san's words stab into him like a sharp knife. She was the only one of the group who wasn’t too keen on letting Okuto on board when he was only twenty years old. His credentials spoke for themselves, to be fair, but that didn’t save him from being ridiculed for being so young.
‘And yet-’ Okuto glared at her as he walked away. ‘After five years, she still has it out for me. It’s not my fault that my proposal was accepted over hers. Better luck next time, Hinata-san.’
Okuto sat back in his chair and jumped as another stack of papers was slammed on his desk by a different coworker. He smiled and slapped Okuto’s back.
“Mind look over these and make some copies, Okuto? Oh, and take these fliers to the Aquarium receptionist?”
“Don’t call me that…” Okuto glared. “Nakamura-san is fine.”
“Oh, sorry, sorry, I thought we were work pals!”
‘All you ever do is leave the work to me while you go gambling, idiot!’ Okuto shook his head and stared at the papers with disdain.
“Fine, I’ll get it done once I finish my work.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Nakamura-san! I owe you! I’ll meet you at the Aquarium later then!”
“But, why don’t you take those fliers if you’re already going to be there, and he’s gone. Great-” Okuto watched as his coworker walked away from him. He then slammed his hand on the table out of frustration, causing his pencils and pens to fall over.
‘Idiots. Making me do their work for them! I shouldn’t be here.’ He grumbled. He then heard the crunch of glass as he spotted the picture frame on the floor.
“Oh crap!” He got out of his desk and picked up the shattered frame. He carefully pulled the photo out of the frame and stared at the photo of his Husband and son.
“Aiki…Akeru…” He sighed as he thought back to earlier this morning. Okuto was in a rush to get ready for work, even though he had requested that day off. Work called, insisting he’d come in for something super important. Aiki was very understanding, to say the least, as for Akeru, poor kid. He wouldn’t let go of his Papa’s leg the entire morning.
‘But I don’t want you to go to work, Papa!! I want you to stay home and play with Dad and me!’ Akeru buried his face into Okuto’s leg, and no amount of shaking would release the little one from his Papa’s leg.
‘Ake-’ Aiki laughed as he pried their son from Okuto. ‘Your Papa has to work today, it’s super important he does.’
‘Yeah- it’s important Akeru!’ Okuto tried to ruffle Akeru’s head, but the young boy pouted and ran away, hiding behind Aiki’s body. ‘Ake’
‘Hmmph…’ Akeru didn’t bother looking at his Papa’s eyes, causing Okuto’s heart to shatter into a million pieces. ‘I hate you, Papa.’
‘I hate you, Papa…’ Those words echoed throughout Okuto’s mind as the ground opened up and swallowed him whole, subjecting him to an endless dark torment that he can never free himself from.
‘Aikiiiii!’ Okuto cried out while reaching out to his husband as Aiki laughed at him.
‘Looks like Akeru is hitting his rebellious phase early…don’t worry about it, honey, I’ll take care of him while you’re gone, just focus on your work, and then we can hang out together like we originally planned. Sound good?’ There was an air of disappointment in Aiki’s words. The Nakamuras all planned a nice trip to the beach and then the aquarium for the special occasion. Akeru was so excited to see his fave “Jellies,” as he calls them. But of course, nothing is ever easy for Nakamura Okuto.
‘I’m sorry…’ Okuto folded the picture of his family and put it into his pocket. The image of Akeru’s face was burned into his mind. This was the first time Akeru showed anger at him like that. It felt like Okuto was stabbed deep in the heart with a sword. He hated that feeling; he hated it when he hurt his family's feelings. He hated this even more.
‘Akeru probably hates me, now. He does hate me! I’m a terrible father!!!! I don’t blame him. I’d hate me too if I went back on my word like that. Aiki says things will be fine…but will they really? What if Ake grows up hating me forever! Oh my god, I can’t even face him now!’
Okuto cleaned up the glass shards and sat back at his desk. “I’ll have to make it up to them somehow…No, I will…for Aiki and Akeru.” He stood up, grabbed the stack of papers, and flipped through them. Most of the documents were correct. A few of them needed copies, and others needed adjustments, but nothing too intensive for the biologist.
‘Finally someone slightly competent here…’ He uttered under his breath. ‘Better take these fliers to the front desk then…and then make copies of these. I need my keys…’
Okuto got out of his car, carefully holding the papers and fliers in his arms as he pushed open the glass door to the aquarium where he worked. As the door opened, he smelled the familiar salty water akin to the ocean that filled his lungs. The sounds of families chattering and staring at the exhibits released all the tension that was within his body. The aquarium was his home away from home. His happy place. The place where all his precious memories were held. He greeted the receptionist with a nod and handed her the fliers, who looked shocked to see him there.
“Nakamura-san? What are you doing here? I thought you took the day off?”
“Well, I did…but work had other plans.” He laughed as she gently placed a hand on his. Her voice softened to a whisper so as not to arouse any eavesdropping people.
“You’re working so hard and get treated like crap. It’s a surprise you’re still here.”
“Well, I have my reasons.” He laughed as she raised a brow at him.
“And what’s that if I may ask?”
“Well-” Okuto jumped as a hand slapped his back. “Gah!” He looked behind him and saw the same coworker who had given him this annoying task.
“Nakamura-san! Thanks for carrying those papers with you for me!” Okuto watched as that coworker smiled at him, which pissed off the dark-haired man even more.
“N-not a problem,” Okuto responded, forcing a fake smile. “Where do you need these papers anyway?”
“Oh,” The coworker gestured for the young man to follow him. “You can take them to the office, and then make copies there, and then you have a tour you can do at 3 o'clock!”
“What? Why me?” Okuto asked.
“The kids love you! You’re the best of the best.”
‘More like you guys are all lazy as-’ Okuto stopped as he spotted a familiar tuft of brown hair, tanned skin, and upbeat, warm smile that he knew by heart. And in his arms was his son, who was holding his favorite Octopus plushie. “AIKI?? Oh my gosh! Aiki, Akeru!!!”
“Nakamura-san??” The coworker shouted. “Are you listening? Get back here!”
Okuto ignored his coworkers' cries as he gently pushed past the crowd, his eyes watering at the sight of his beautiful husband. He gave Aiki a warm and comforting embrace and planted a kiss on his cheek. “What- What are you doing here?”
“Well,” Aiki looked away and smirked. “Someone wanted to see you.” Aiki stepped aside and crouched down as Akeru nervously kicked the ground.
“Ake!” Okuto shouted in surprise. He watched as Akeru clutched his Octopus plushie in embarrassment.
‘I’m sorry-’ he muttered.
“What was that, son?” Okuto crouched down to his son’s eye level and tilted his head. “Can you speak up for me, Ake?”
“I-” Akeru blushed and felt Aiki’s hand, caressing his back in assurance.
“It’s okay, Ake! Your Papa isn’t mad at you!”
“Mad? Why would I be-” Okuto wondered as he felt Akeru run into him in a big hug.
“I’M SORRY, PAPA!” Akeru cried out as he embraced Okuto. “I didn’t mean to say I hate you! I don’t hate you at all!”
“Oh, Akeru…shh shh it’s okay.” Okuto hugged his son and massaged the back of his head as his toddler cried in his arms. “I knew you didn’t mean it.”
‘Well, I kind of did, but I’m glad that wasn’t true.’ Okuto thought as he smiled at Aiki, who smirked.
“I’ll tell ya, honey, Ake was sooo insistent in wanting to come here to apologize to you. He missed you a lot…not me of course.” Aiki blushed a little and tapped his foot to the ground as he looked away.
“Come here, Aiki.” Okuto took Aiki by the waist and kissed him on the lips. Aiki slowly pushed himself into the kiss and cupped Okuto’s cheeks while Okuto hugged him closer to his body. As they parted, Aiki watched as his husband’s eyes softened at him.
“Okuto…”
“I’m sorry, Aiki.”
“Don’t be sorry, honey. We know you’ve been busy with it, and things happen. We just gotta learn to live with it!”
“Yeah, for sure. I love you both.” Okuto picked up Akeru and hugged Aiki at the same time. “You both mean so much to me.”
“We- love you too, Okuto!” Aiki winced.
“Papa, you’re crushing us.” Akeru giggled as Okuto pulled away, still carrying his son in his arms.
“I still have some time till I have to go back to work, wanna take a walk around the aquarium with your Papa, Ake?”
“YEAH! Can we see the Jellies! And can you tell me more about them?” Akeru’s eyes lit up as Okuto laughed.
“Yeah, let’s go!” Okuto took Aiki’s hand with his other arm and began walking to the gate.
“Oh,” Aiki stopped as he grabbed his bag. “I forgot to tell you something, Okuto!”
“What’s that?”
“DADDD no!!” Akeru tried to reach for Aiki, but he was too high up since he was in his Papa’s arms. Aiki chuckled as he pulled out what looked like a drawing of an Octopus, and a crab, and in between them, they were holding a jellyfish. With the words ‘I love my dads.’ scribbled on the page.
“Look at what Akeru drew at Daycare earlier!”
“Oh, how cute, oh my gosh.” Okuto took the drawing and smiled as Akeru buried his face into his Papa’s shoulder. “Did you draw this for us, Ake?”
“Uh huh…I wanted to give it to you today because…” Akeru blushed as Aiki leaned on his husband.
“He told me when you left, he wanted to give you a present cause you know, today’s Father’s Day and all. So I decided we both should go visit the best dad ever.”
“Dad's ever!” Akeru piped up.
“Right, right, best dads ever.”
Tears began to form in Okuto’s eyes as he set down Akeru and stared at the drawing. “YOU GUYS ARE TOO GOOD TO ME!!”
“I think we made Papa cry again.” Akeru giggled as Aiki ruffled his hair.
“Not the first time we did, Akeru. Come on, let’s go spend some time together.” Aiki took his son’s hand with one and his still crying husband with the other and headed to the Jellyfish exhibit. He looked back at the receptionist and Okuto’s coworker and winked at them. “I’ll be borrowing him for a bit, hope you don’t mind!”
“Not at all, enjoy!” The receptionist giggled as she stared at Okuto, who was still sobbing with joy at his family.
“I MIND!” Okuto’s coworker shouted as he tried to grab Okuto, but was met with a glare by Aiki.
“Can you say that again, sir?” Aiki smiled as the coworker began to sweat a little. “'Cause it sounds like someone wants to interrupt our family time!”
“Uh… never mind, I can do these papers myself, yeah!” The coworker took the papers from the desk and ran off as the receptionist smiled at the family.
“So, that’s his reason why! You have such a loving family, Nakamura!”
(art by @kiwujoshi on twitter)
