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"Tetsu."

It's been several minutes after the dispute. Your fist knocked against the wood of your door to announce your entrance before the boy can make a scare. When Tetsu aimed his crying eyes at your concern state walking, he buried his face so deep into the pillow. Endless tears and snot smeared against the butterfly printed pillow and you grimaced.

That one is your favorite.

"Hey," you eased, placing yourself at the edge of the bed to pat his shaking back. "Your daddy is leaving. Do you want to say 'bye' before he goes?"

"No...!" Tetsu hugged the pillow tighter, words muffling against the thread. "I don't wanna."

"Tetsu...," you tried to console him.

Despite his recent argument with his dad, you knew he wasn't going to get over it that quickly. It was almost dumb to even try to convince him to talk to Tooru but you just wanted to give it a try at least.

So you sighed while listening to his wails against the sheets, but you were also startled when Tooru's footsteps approached behind you, troubled eyes and lips in a tight line. He cautiously joined and sat with you as Tetsu jumped at the added weight shifting the bed and he knew that his dad is in the same room.

"I'm going to leave, Tetsu," he informed gently, voice almost sounding like honey to persuade the youngling to turn to him. Unfortunately he didn't, and Tooru didn't expect any more or less from him.

You felt the discouragement growing on the man's face when he saw that Tetsu remained unresponsive, unmoving and blubbered like there's no tomorrow. The boy hid himself underneath the cover to stow away his cries, avoiding him and you playing accomplice to speak up.

At this point, he wasn't going to comply.

"Take care of [Name] for me, okay?" Tooru lastly whispered before getting up from his seat. But when he looked back at his son's fetal form underneath the blanket, a frown seeped on his face. "Happy birthday, and I love you."

Strangely, his last words didn't sit right with Tetsu as his sobs lowered a bit to hear his dad leave the room with you. Shutting the door behind your back, the despair didn't leave on the man's visage. His copper eyes looked lost and empty, he was hesitant before he realized his mind was getting sidetracked and witnessed your face stirring in worry.

"Will you be okay?" you questioned him with a hand at his shoulder.

He glowered in sorrow, you caught, but a wretched smile painted his lips to give comfort to your tension.

Grabbing your hand, he brought your fingers to his lips and planted a few kisses against your knuckle. You felt your heart flutter at the sweet touch yet you were yearning to uplift him. It's supposed to be you to shower him with assurance.

"Don't worry about me," he instructed and pulled you closer so you're inches away from his chest. "Just make sure he has a great day tomorrow. Can you do that for him?"

It was no question, he didn't have to beg for it because you were already so willing to grant him his wish. With an urgent nod, Tooru silenced you with a kiss before you began to feast your concerns on him, making you forget about his well-being and focus on his sweet, feverish lips bruising yours, blinding with your raging hormones.

He knows what he's doing. What a bastard.

It was almost too late for you to be drowned in your desires as soon as Tooru broke apart from your lips, leaving you panting and warm. The look on your face didn't fail to impress him, touching your cheek to make your lashes bat in his direction.

"I definitely owe you one," he smiled, lacing your hands with his and kissing at your knuckle once more.

You swear he was doing this on purpose but you're such a sucker for him. So, you added a miniature laugh. "It better be good."

"It would be more than just good, sweetheart. You can count on it." His eyes narrowed, a bit of intent looming in his dark yet light eyes. It was hard to distinguish what he's thinking but he was pulling you out the hallway before you can question him further.

Tooru made his sweet goodbyes with you before he handed you Tetsu's baby bag full of his clothes and usual toiletries. He was prepared and knew you were going to be the one to take care of his child while he is away.

"I'll make sure to call this time," he prompted, kissing you one last kiss of the night - a lingering one.

Watching him pull out the driveway and into the street, you meandered your way back inside to take care of the other Oikawa who stayed at your bed.

The night was easy to say the least. It was no trouble to put Tetsu to sleep due to the full day you had with him, including Tooru's last visit before he leaves on his trip. It definitely took the last of his energy as exhaustion weighed onto his half-lidded eyes, you have to tell him to go sleep for his upcoming birthday.

Luckily, he stopped crying by the time you reentered back in the room, slipping yourself into the open spot on the bed next to him. By your mere presence, tiny hands instantly gripped at your shirt and Tetsu curled closer to your warm body, desperately needing and wanting your attention and love, and you just gave it to him without reason.

The poor kid was having a rough day before his big day, but you made it your duty to make sure he has the best time tomorrow and you simply shown it by making an itinerary throughout the night and you didn't care how long you have to stay up for.

>>>

Tetsu woke up to sounds of metal clinking each other and the smell of the breakfast wafting in the air. With dry and heavy eyes, he climbed down the bed to follow the alluring scent that led to the kitchen. His empty stomach grumbled gently as he gotten closer, his long sweatpants dragged under his feet against the hardware floor, a hint of drool oozed at the corner of his mouth out of starvation.

Once he peeked around the corner, the sweet aroma of blueberry waffles and freshly squeezed orange juice greeted him and made his stomach grumble once more, but when he searched for you, you were no where to be found.

"[Name]-"

"Happy Birthday!"

Your scream almost made the boy fall to his back but regained his feet when he saw your beaming face widen with a grin. Streamers came flying over the air and rained over his clutched head with hands over his face from the abrupt surprise. Once he slowly fluttered his eyes open again, the whole living was decked out in blue and white balloons, almost as huge as pregnancy balls, floating underneath the ceiling. A liner of a written 'happy birthday' hung against the wall decorated in your penmanship along with smaller balloons blanket the floor.

A long and tiring morning you had, it indeed took a lot of time and last minute shopping to make a birthday party look like one. Stress marks were known under your eyes but with the help and consumption of a triple shot latte made Tetsu's morning an exciting one.

And there it was, his familiar smile glowed like an annoying firefly. You thought you would never see it again.

"This is... so cool!" he ran to your crouched legs with the tightest hug he can give, almost feeling like an outstretched rubber band by how little his strength is. "Thank you, [Name]! Thank you, thank you!"

"It's all for you, buddy," you laughed at his tiny body clutching onto you and then gestured him to take a seat at a designated table that you pushed in the middle of the sea of balloons. Today, he will be treated like a king. "Your breakfast awaits, your majesty."

Confusion written through his eyes when he found the random table under the words of happy birthday, but most of all his attention flew on the gold crown resting on the cushion of his chair and a crafty pin with a label of Tetsu's birthday. It's a sad thing you made in the last hour, really.

He pointed, "Is that for me?"

"You betcha," you sang, helping him to remove the painted plastic and then placing him in his seat. "Do you wanna wear it?"

You didn't have to ask since his hands were already stretching out for the costume hat and pin. He was so eager, he was almost commanding you.

So, you decided to stop teasing the boy and give him the cheap crown that's too big for his toddler head, falling so loosely over his eyes that you had to tilt it. Either way, it still looked adorable on him and he proudly were your cheap gift.

"I like waffles! It's my favorite!" he breached once you uncovered the plate to reveal the belgium delight with specs of blueberry and whip cream on top. "How did you know?!"

Rolling your eyes innocently, of course you couldn't possibly tell him that you texted Tooru about his list of favorite breakfasts. You shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I guessed!"

"[Name] can read minds!" It was funny to hear him make silly assumptions but you just went along with it.

Tetsu made a cheesy smile for you while you were taking memorable photos from your phone. He even pose like his dad by the way he raised his two digit fingers up high, it almost made you feel nostalgic.

If only Tooru is present, it will surely make Tetsu ten times happier.

"Eat up, kiddo, so we can get on all the rides," you encouraged him so the day's not wasted being trapped at your place. The boy nodded at your words and shoveled the sweet waffle in his mouth at a pace he should not be going.

That was this morning, and now onto the bigger events of today; the amusement park. So far so good, Tetsu is behaving normally as if last night didn't happen and you weren't sure if it was your sheer distraction that made him forget, or if he's trying to be the best he can be for your sake.

It was embarrassing on his part but you treated it like nothing. You were sure all kids have a moment like it despite how good they are. It was bound to happen to see his whiny state.

Your hand gripped his when entering the massive park after shoving your lunches at a locker and Tetsu's mocha eyes shined with amazement. Cheeks blushed and mouth gaped.

"Look, look! A hero!" He urged, yanking your hand to speculate as his other hand pointed at a mascot taking pictures with the rest of the kids.

"Do you want to take a picture with him?" And he accepted it, running at the back of the line with you chasing after him.

"Hey! Make sure to wait for me," you called but he was too excited to even listen to lectures today. But you went easy on him, since it is his fifth birthday.

While you lined up with the kid, strangely you felt someone else's eyes gawking at you from afar in the middle of this busy space. But you had no clue where it could be.

Instead, you can sense a presence nearing you from your peripherals.

"Tamago-chan?"

And you turned by the sound of the voice, eyes almost popping out of your sockets to scan the man's new developed body and features.

It was Sugawara Koshi.

"Suga?" Your mouth shaped a perfect 'O', baffled but shocked to see him out of all places. "Is that really you? Look how much you've grown!"

He laughed at your mindless expression and grinned from ear to ear bashfully. "Of course, I've grown! It's been almost a decade! And look at you..."

Then his mind trailed and got lost when he took a good look at your stunning appearance, it nearly made him go red. You were cute back in middle school, but he was not prepared to see your fully bloomed form as an adult. It was too much for him to handle.

"I know, I know. I've gotten fat. You don't need to say it," you growled, taking his longing stare as a sign of disapproval. There were a lot things you could've assumed from his thoughts on you, all but affection.

"I-... There's nothing wrong with that!" His face reddened.

"So you are calling me fat!"

"Suga, why did you walk off all of a sudden?" A much manlier and deeper voice approached as a man with fair, short hair and dark eyes finally took notice of you and Tetsu standing in front of Koshi.

Once you began to look back at him, there were three others behind him and you instantly recognized their faces.

"Kiyoko!" You called and her hued eyes fell on you, puzzled at first but quickly washed by excitement. You haven't seen this girl since your last visit at Tetsu's school.

"Ah, it's Aomine!" You heard from Tetsu as he gave a frantic wave at the little boy who is also mimicking the same gesture. They instantly began to babble to each other.

"My, my. What a reunion," she walked closer to see that you were with the little Oikawa. Both the man she's with and her son, Aomine, looked curiously at your way.

"Who's this?" Her man who you assumed to be her husband shoved his hands to his pockets and stared at you with suspicious eyes.

"It's [Name]. She's Oikawa's-...," then she stopped and Koshi was listening meticulously. She didn't know what to call you but corrected. "She picks up Oikawa's son at school. This is my husband, Tanaka Ryuunosuke."

"Yo," he added. "Just call me Tanaka."

"I'm Daichi," the other male stepped in with a welcoming smile, stern and rigid. Then he peered down at your boy. "And who's this cute fella?"

Tetsu was not used to new faces, especially with this many surrounding him and they're all adults except for Aomine who he felt safe with. All eyes focused on him and you felt his tiny grasp held onto your leg tighter.

"Sorry, he's shy with strangers," you explained to Daichi who apologized for his rudeness. You dropped your hand on top of his head and encouraged him. "Do you want to tell them your name?"

No surprise that he was silent, hiding behind you when he saw Koshi kneeling beside your leg to make eye contact with the precious kid. You were astonished by his move.

"Hey, is it your birthday today?" the gray haired man started, pointing a gentle finger at the ugly pin you made for Tetsu on his shirt. "Is that why you're wearing a crown?"

It took a minute for the small brunette to make a nod, shyly but surely, and it won a smile from the crouched man.

"Wow~! Happy birthday, eh- erm... Great King!" He stuttered a bit but it was enough for Tetsu to make his eyes go big at him and grinned.

"Daddy's name is Great King, too!" Tetsu shouted, easing from his hideaway to stand proudly in front of Koshi's honey eyes.

"Oh yeah? You might be even better," he sang.

Watching the two converse was oddly satisfying, but you were at ease with Tetsu seeping out of his comfort cave to be brave with strangers. It was not all from Tetsu, but from Koshi especially. You never realized how good natured he is with kids so this is a new outlook you're getting from him.

Then your attention was turned to Tetsu when he tugged at your pants, forcing your eyes lower at him.

"Can we play with them for a little bit? I like them," He asked quietly to your ear which you bent down to his level to hear him, although his voice was clear enough for everybody to eavesdrop.

And you nodded, a bit taken back that he wants to spend his birthday with a few more people he doesn't know but you had no complaints about it. "Of course, whatever you want."

He seemed to be joyous of your answer and cheered. Everybody was so engrossed by Tetsu's behavior, having amusement by watching the little tyke express such innocent emotions.

"Shall we go?" We were just heading to the booth to play some games," Kiyoko obliged, pointing to a direction where they're supposed to be heading.

"Do you want to play games, Tetsu? I know you want to take pictures with a hero," you turned to him.

He nodded. "It's okay. I want to play games!"

"Cool! I want to show Tetsu how to catch fish!" Aomine announced to his parents while grabbing both of their hands.

It was a quick moment to catch but Tetsu stared so wondrously at the image of his classmate in between his mom and dad linking hands with them. You, however, noticed his dazed expression when he didn't follow you right away when the group began to walk.

So you lingered for a second before your brows curved at him questionably. "Everything okay, Tetsu?"

He blinked back to reality at the sound of your voice and snapped his head, catching up to your legs without an answer.

Kids. They're so hard to predict sometimes.

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Posted: 05-18-21