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Yuuri’s morning was great.
He had stayed in bed until 9am before Victor had pulled him out and made him breakfast. The kids, for some reason he doesn’t want to question, had eaten everything without fighting. They had even helped clean as he went to wake a young Yuri up.
It was great, really, until Victor left.
Then hell started.
“Dad!” Yuuri was helping Leo with his homework when Minami screamed from the kitchen. He was too silent when sneaking in. Yuuri has raised that 5 year-old, he knew what he was up to the moment he saw him from the corner of his eyes. “There’s nothing to eat.”
“There is, Minami,” Yuuri said entering the kitchen. He looked inside the refrigerator and checked for the chopped fruit he left for the kids in case of emergencies. Like this one. “Here,” he took out a small Tupperware with “Minami” written on it and handed it to his son. Minami received it excitedly and opened it. Yuuri doesn’t know what his son expected to be inside the Tupperware but there he was, his smile fading as he analysed the contents of it.
“Those are apples.”
Yuuri smiled. “So?”
“Those aren’t snacks,” Minami pouted. “I want cookies.”
“I want cookies too!” Guan Hong’s voice came from the living room. “I want cookies!” he repeated entering the kitchen. Yuuri’s smile faded. The only thing left in the kitchen were cereal, lunch, and fruit; things the kids wouldn’t like for an evening snack and he was not ready for a fight with his children. He heard tiny light footsteps coming to the kitchen and he knew what he was getting himself into.
“Dad! I wanna cookies!” a long haired Yuri had ran from his spot on the living room to the kitchen because of the forbidden word. He might be 3 already, but that kid knew what he wanted and when.
“There are no cookies, and I can’t go buy them and leave you all alone. So-” Yuuri cringed. He had hoped for a stern “no” to come out of himself but his kids had heard him. He knew that he had to go shopping anyway.
“Then let’s all go!” Guang Hong said, making the other two pair of eyes shine brightly as if it were the greatest idea ever.
It wasn’t. He had to endure breaking his kids’ hearts and say no to whatever weird thing they wanted this time.
Ever since the twins had arrived to the family, it was really hard to go shopping with two impatient kids. Now with Yuri as a fourth child, Yuuri had created a way to manage his large family when he was left alone. The moment he pulled a cart, the kids already knew what would happen. Minami and Guang Hong sat inside the cart, one playing with an action figure and the other colouring in his colouring book. Yuri was getting too old to be carried in his parents’ arms, so Yuuri decided to hold his hand until he got tired – which was about ten minutes later – and Leo helped him push the cart.
Everything was relatively fine until Minami’s eyes caught a new brand of cookies. Yuuri was busy handling Yuri in his arms, but that didn’t stop him from catching his son getting a few more packs of cookies. “Minami, leave that there.”
“You weren’t even looking!”
“Leave it back.” Yuuri seriously tried to be stern this time. The kids have been spoiled by Victor so much he had to make a balance.
“Papa would have already said yes.” Minami pouted.
“I’m not Papa,” Yuuri started. “Things aren’t that easy kids.” Leo nodded.
“Anyway, you don’t like plain cookies Minami-chan,” Leo said smiling to his younger brother.
“I’ll sleep when you say I should.” Yuuri sighed, he had heard this a million times. He had even believed it the first few times, but Minami would always try.
“You’ve said that before Minami,” Yuuri kept walking down the aisle with Yuri in his arms; Leo trying to follow behind with the cart, failing when Minami grabbed on to the nearest shelf.
“I’ll help you with Yurio.”
“You don’t need to, it’s not necessary.” Last time that happened Minami had put his then 2 year-old brother in the bathtub, filled up until water was overflowing and Yuri was crying his lungs out. According to Minami, he wanted to teach his brother how to swim. Such thing could not happen again, not when Yuuri had them all to himself for the time being.
“Then I’ll clean up after I finish playing.”
“Will you though?” Yuuri was satisfied with Minami’s promise, he wouldn’t make it for more than a week but it was worth trying.
“I will.”
“ok-“
“And I’ll also eat all my vegetables, even the tomatoes.”
“Ye-“
“And I’ll stop bothering Yurio and Guang Hong.”
“Say yes Daddy!” Guang Hong said looking up from his book.
“Oka-“
“And I’ll help Papa when he asks me for help! And I’ll do my homework!”
“Okay sure, but you have to do what you’re saying.” Yuuri smiled fondly at his kid. He knew Minami wouldn’t survive a day doing everything he had promised, but at least his son had good intentions and he tried. Then he noticed Minami taking six packages of cookies. “Just two Minami.” Minami groaned.
“Two or nothing.” Minami then asked Leo to help him put back the other packs.
Things were quite easy afterwards. The family went through the aisles, Yuuri dropping an ingredient here and a plate of meat there. He kept checking the kids whenever they were being too quiet. He had gotten used to the fact that silence meant trouble, especially coming from Minami.
“Dad.”
“Hm?” Yuuri turned around and found his worst nightmare. He doesn’t know when or where Guang Hong found the teddy bear. He didn’t thought that the more behaved twin would be able to stand up inside the cart like his twin brother did. Apparently Guang Hong could and did just that. “Ah, we can’t.”
“But we got Minami’s cookies,” There he goes showing his signature pout.
“No, honey no,” Yuuri started sweating when he saw his son tearing up. “The cookies are for everyone, not just for Minami.”
“But I want this one.” He hugged the teddy bear closer to his chest. Yuuri looked at Leo to see if Leo would ask for it or help him out. The oldest of the four focused on the teddy bear too.
“Guang Hong,” Leo started, and Yuuri let out a relieved sigh. Leo might be 7, but he was capable of managing his younger siblings. He was an angel, according to Phichit, and Yuuri couldn’t agree more. “You already have this one.”
“Do I?”
“Yes, Uncle Phichit got you one like this for your birthday!” Leo smiled sweetly at his younger brother.
“Leo is right, he got you one.” Yuuri said catching on what his son said.
“Oh. Okay!”
Yuuri smirked, he couldn’t help imagining his husband in this situation. If it were Victor, he would have gotten the six bags of cookies, probably two teddy bears and five albums by now. He looked into the cart again at checkout and started counting the groceries he was about to buy. Everything looked to be in order with the exception of a few... unpredicted items.
Four packs of that brand of cookies Minami wanted. One chocolate brown teddy bear. An album - of course Leo couldn’t help himself but sneak something in too. There was also something what looked like a sticker album labeled as Felines of the Jungle . Yuuri looked at Yuri and wondered when the three year old snuck that in.
He let out a deep breath. A mortified look formed on his face as he stared at the super market’s ceiling, debating whether he wanted to bargain with his kids or just please them this time. He guessed he could pay some more than he had expected to see the smiles he loved so much on his kids faces.