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"It was good catching up with you, [Name]," Iwaizumi parted after picking up his hot coffee from the pick-up station. His lips touched at the sippy hole to give the hazelnut latte a taste, letting the hot foam and burning temperature from the drink coat his tongue.

He nodded in approval as he examined the cup, and then turned his body around to give you a thumbs up.

The gesture itself made you flattered, grinning from ear to ear while you simply waved back at him behind the counter. As soon as he left, you averted back in doing your soft opening of the bakery and assort pastries for preorders.

An hour or two passed by and it became a slow opening g shift for you. A typical weekday that only office workers came in to grab snacks and drinks for their staff.

Another chime came through the door, which it immediately brought your attention up from the register. The person you least expect made an appearance, walking in through the entrance with a single pastel pink gerbera daisy in his hand, wrapped in brown paper and filled with green and white fillers.

Tooru didn't take long to find you, searching for your head and your chef coat behind the counter and you became a deer in headlights. A smile stretched on his lips, approaching you at the end of the counter for you to meet him in private.

"Hey," Tooru leaned with elbows planted on the surface and made a flirtatious face.

"Hey," you smiled back. "I thought you had work."

"My modeling gig got canceled," he stated with a shrug. "I thought maybe I want to pay a visit and give you these."

His hand waved with the miniature bouquet and handed it to you over the counter. It was so small and delicate - a bit of a touch of femininity and rustic style that you wanted to keep forever. His gift gave you a wide smile that you couldn't resist to squeal internally.

Then his brown brow quirked a brow at you after examining your face.

"Hey, love, are you okay? You look kind of pale."

He noticed, and you hoped that Iwaizumi would be the only one to comment on it, but the exhaustion must've been obvious for anybody to see without glasses.

So you chuckled to lighten up his worries while you scratched a finger at the surface of your cheek. "Oh, I've been having a hard time sleeping. I think work is getting me overwhelmed too."

Tooru seemed to overlook at it as he hummed in thought, tweaking the corner of his mouth to give a baffled face but he sighed. His large hand reached for your face and brushed a thumb over your cheek in comfort.

"Leave all that to me, sweetie. I don't want you to be worried about your fair share," he offered kindly as his voice spoke in tenderness. He cocked his head to the side while he stared at you lovingly along with a gentle smile. "I want to provide for you."

You felt your heart beating slowly when hearing those placid words. Being reminded by Tooru about his caring and thoughtfulness is always a treasure to see. He always wanted to impress you.

Then he brought your lips to his, making you two kiss over the counter at the corner of the room. The kiss felt so long yet so short after Tooru pulled away in matter of seconds, clearing his throat and rubbed at the back of his head in embarrassment - completely forgotten that he is in a public setting.

Luckily nobody paid attention to what you and Tooru were doing.

"Am I picking up Tetsu today?" you asked, leaning back to glance at the man who is still dazed by the kiss.

"I'll get him this time," he replied while checking the time on his smart phone and then aimed his eyes at you. "I have to coach in the afternoon, but I'll make it on time to take him home."

Your head nodded as you spoke with encouragement, "Okay, I'll cook dinner for you when you get home, and I'll even wash the dishes so you can go to sleep right after."

"You're such a mommy," your offer to care for him made him grin in relief, thinking how lucky he is to have a partner who genuinely cares for his well-being. He sent an amusing smile, "I gotta head back soon and talk to my agency about my next modeling shoot. I'll text you when we're on our way back."

Before he turned away, his hand stuffed in his pocket in search for his brown wallet. He dug a finger in a slim cardholder and pulled a silver plated key. The item itself was strange to you as you immediately recognized what kind of key it is - his house key.

Another item was hooped with the ring as you saw a mini Polaroid covered in clear acrylic - a picture of you, Tetsu, and Tooru at the amusement park for his son's birthday.

"I think it's annoying to always hide the spare key underneath the potted plant, so here. It's yours."

He tossed it in your unready hand as you clumsily juggled it from dropping and then stared at it in confusion - unknown what this could mean, but the key shown nothing but significance.

You knew what this meant, catching you surprise that he is asking you to move in with him. So, you looked up. "Tooru-"

"Think of this as the next level to our relationship," he cut you off before you can even conjure a statement. His hand raised to stop you from talking, remaining to keep his excited smile. He finished, "My home is your home after all."

Overwhelmed by the generosity, there were no words to describe how you were feeling in the moment, not even a word to express your gratitude towards him. You were just utterly speechless.

"Come here," then you suddenly pulled at the collar of his shirt and locked lips with him, catching him off guard as he stumbled over the counter to regain his composure.

By your bold move, Tooru's hands were placed on both sides of your face to angle his head comfortably with yours. Sucking and kissing your lips in return, he gotten lost into your absorbing mouth with a join of his tongue intwining with yours.

He reluctantly pulled an inch away with a short breath and eyes looking hazy by the lust emitted from his body. His forehead touched yours, urging his body to lean over the annoying counter that is blocking in between you two from coming in contact like magnets.

"Damn, do you want to take me to the back room instead?" He chuckled as a seductive smile approached on his lips, showing a bit of his pearly white teeth.

His index finger traced your jawline to your neck, and then in between the collar of your chef coat to slightly tug on it. Tooru seemed to notice that your cheeks were brightening, and hummed in satisfaction.

"Oh, I see that you're no longer pale anymore. How did that happen?"

Your face was flushed red, feeling that your body growing warm in temperature by his suggestion and hitched a breath. You were attracted to temptation but you have more dignity to refuse such a lewd idea.

"Stop and get out of here. I'm at work," you warned jokingly, forcing him to turn around with your hands at his shoulders and urge him to start walking.

"Okay, okay," he laughed defensively before he faced you again and given you a flirty wink. His lips puckered to make a small smooch sound as an invisible kiss was sent your way.

Somehow, you felt that imaginary kiss and then sighed, watching him depart by exiting through the door as a gush of fall wind intruded inside the bakery for a brief moment.

When you thought about your conversation with Iwaizumi this morning, you can't help but to recall what Tooru had in mind and the reason of his pursuit in overloading with work. His proposal in asking you to move in is a leap in your relationship with him, and you can only guess it will only progress from here on out if things continue to be this good.

You can only wish for it to come true.

I really do want to marry him.

>>>

A block away is Tetsu's school, hearing the bell ring from the distance as many kids exited through the doors like a flock of birds flying out of their cage. Many parents and guardians surrounded the school to pick up their beloved child and being dismissed by their home room teachers.

Tooru peeked through the gates before entering the grounds and seeking for a particular brown headed child. It was easy for him to scope him out like a diamond in the sky since his features are very dissimilar to his. Tetsu's laughter captured his attention as it erupted in a prominent glee in a sea of random voices at the school's yard.

There he was, chatting it up with his friend in their school uniform and running around in Kiyoko's supervision. Seeing his joyous self brought peace to Tooru and washed all his stress away from work.

"Tetsu," Tooru called gently and the boy stopped in the midst of his chase to blink his brown eyes at the man.

A beaming smile stretched on his lips and he came running towards him with a hug at his left leg.

"Daddy!" he greeted joyfully while Tooru crouched down to meet his eye level. Tetsu scanned the area behind him to find another head, realizing that there was someone missing. "Where's Mommy?"

"She's still at work right now. Hopefully she'll be home soon so she can make us dinner."

By his reply, Tooru watched his son's expression changed into a small frown. It was odd to say, but he's glad that Tetsu is back to loving you again without a distracted thought. So seeing him be disappointed was a positive reaction.

"If you want, Tetsu, we can help her cook when we come home," the older Oikawa added cheerfully in hopes that'll ease the kid's mind temporarily.

The idea appeased him as his cheeks grew pink, smiling widely to give a helping hand. "Ah, yeah! Let's do it!"

"Are you leaving already?" Kiyoko asked while she picked up Aomine in her arms.

Tooru held onto Tetsu's hand beside him and smiled warmly at her eyes blocked with frames. "Yeah, I at least when squeeze in some rest before dinner."

The short haired woman nodded and bid them a pleasant goodbye by waving behind them.

Once Tooru and Tetsu walked from the school grounds, a familiar head caused him to stop his tracks and halt at the image in front of him. Tetsu directed his eyes at hum in puzzlement and then followed his direction where his attention is at. Even he was almost at a loss of words.

"It's Ri-chan," the boy peeped quietly.

From a far, she leaned against the brick pillar in front of Tetsu's school as if she was waiting for someone to recognize her in her sleek checkered pattern suit. Her short bangs were clipped back with a black bobby pin as her short bob cut is tightened in curls. As always, she did not look less beautiful since the last time everyone saw her.

Tooru's face grimaced, asking himself if he should turn the direction to avoid contact or confront her to ban her from Tetsu's life. Although, he was also curious as why Rina would make an appearance.

Unluckily, she already noticed them walking in her direction before he can make his decision. By her raised brows, she was slightly surprised to See Tooru standing from a far.

"What are you doing here?" His voice didn't show enthusiasm by her presence, and he made sure that it was obvious for her to hear.

Her body stiffened at the tone he gave, but she kept a strong face as if it didn't affect her. Once her eyes fell down on Tetsu who is wondrously staring at her, she thought deeply how she wanted this conversation to go.

"Lets go somewhere and talk in private," Rina suggested, making her statement sound like a question.

Tooru's lips turned as it slanted sideways to give her a pondering look. It took him a few minutes to think, making the awkward silence even more unpleasant by the suspense. He should refuse, but he shouldn't.

"Sure."

They found themselves in the middle of a nearby park, not too far from the direction from where they're supposed to be heading home. Tooru sat at a wooden bench, watching Tetsu from a few feet away playing in the monkey bars with other children.

Rina warily took a seat next to him but cautiously scooted an inch away to give the man his personal space - like resting by a sleeping lion.

Tooru started by pacing his hands together and leaned his elbows over his knees, "Today I'm short on time so let's make this fast."

The other woman gulped, sending the urgency in his tone didn't sound welcoming to her so she stiffened. "I want to formally apologize."

He quirked a brown brow at her.

"I was expecting to find [Name] so I can face her as a mother. She should know what it's like to not give up on Tetsu. I just can't."

He can feel the guilt oozing from her voice, quivering from the thought that she might lose Tetsu forever. But Tooru can only remember how the events occurred when she was involved.

Although, he can only understand from a parent's perspective.

"Are you asking for another chance?" He questioned suspiciously and she froze.

The confidence in her eyes stilled, turning her head at him. "I want to try. I will always try until he no longer wants me to."

If he could make an expression, Tooru would be rolling his eyes but he knew he's more civil than that. He's in a loop.

"He's still so young. Tetsu is already set with the life he already has, and I don't want you to intervene," it was almost his words are reflecting yours. If you were in his place, you weren't be able to give her the time. Words will be wasted.

"How do you fully know that?" Her charcoal eyes reflected in anger as she turned her head again, slightly raising her voice. "I know he still needs me. I can tell whenever he looks at me."

It was Tooru's turn to be stiffened. It reminded him of a time when he almost had a similar argument with her in the past. But he saw himself in her. Before, she would refuse to raise Tetsu and gone through with the pregnancy. Now, it's ironic to see that the tables have turned.

Seeing her in this outlook definitely turned her into a different character.

"I have every right to be with him, too. I'm trying, can't you see? I don't want to abandon him again."

Despite how quiet they are keeping the conversation, a certain pair of ears was more intrigued between the two, seeing the body language are starting become more active and the expressions became more serious. Tetsu peeked from the swings to analyze.

No matter how much he wants to play, Rina's presence took his interest away.

He eavesdropped.

"Rina, you should stop randomly showing up," Tooru scolded, standing up to his feet to end the discussion. "I don't know what else you can do to change our minds but [Name] and I are happy with the way things are."

If he keeps continuing to have Rina in their lives, he doesn't know exactly what the future may hold. In upmost, he doesn't know how it'll affect between you and him when things have been looking up.

"Daddy!" The boy called and ran towards his father's legs. His face shown desperation as if he was about to cry. "I want to be with Ri-chan too. Please don't send her away. I want two mommies."

The brunette was indeed shock to hear it out from him.

It was unnecessary for him to think that having two mother figures will fix everything. If Tooru become authoritative, it will only bring Tetsu to resent him about the choices he wants to make for himself.

"Tetsu, why?"

Tetsu began to stutter as if the question shocked him, unaware on how to answer it. "I-I don't know. But don't send her away. I need her."

Never have Tooru ever felt so defeated, and can't decide whether he should allow Tetsu to make his own choices or have you and Tooru make the choices for his own good.

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Posted: 09-19-2022

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