Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Toji Fushiguro had never considered himself a good man. He hadn’t. Now that he knew his son had grew up so well without him, he was Megumi Fushiguro. Fushiguro! Not Zenin. Not that accursed name, not Gojo either. Fushiguro.

Like his mother. Like Her.

Death was strange, there had been some waiting involved, his body was detached from his soul but there was something strange about this time. This specific time, he didn’t find himself being taken into a grave or even cremated. It was was different indeed.

You have lived a life.

Two, actually.

Cheeky, I like that.

Are you some kind of supreme being or a God?

No, I am not… I am a person who has been cursed with knowledge. I wish to give you a choice.

And my answer is already no.

Too bad. You’re already in the process.

So, I didn’t have a choice in the first place?

Yes, Fushiguro Toji. You did not. Now, your child will fall to a third grade spirit and have an incomplete life, you must give yourself a chance at life too not allowing things to be taken from you.

Toji had never been told this. He was a wild dog, they always took and took and took from him without an apology. He grew up expecting this. He was used, misused- the Zenin Clan always made sure that in his head he knew that he was just a pawn and will never escape their grasp. Toji, at the time, thought he was doing the correct thing. Selling Megumi would have given him the chance to be raised as a clan member, to be treated better since he had the Ten Shadows Technique. Megumi was a Miracle. One that Toji didn’t know how to care for after his wife died. His body was used to hurt from the beginning, he was a Sorcerer Killer for God’s sake. He didn’t know much about doing anything else in life.

Life always seemed to do him dirty each time he tried, he was born in a clan that looked down on those with no cursed energy, you could guess what happened since he had not a single but of it. They gave him the worst treatment, worser than a dog chained to a post in winter. His forced education, the constant ridicule- he made sure they all knew who he was. He showed Naobito, that fucking prick. He had the Divine Blessing and he knew how to use it. In body and instinct. That was the only thing he gained from that family.

Your time is running out here, Fushiguro-San. Ask for help. Your pride and ego may be scorched by the act but I assure you that it will help you.

Now… you’re pushing it.

There is a man who lost his friend, the lines between professionalism and friendship blurred between you too. Find him. He’s a man that will do you good.

Who are you talking about?

You will know. Goodbye, Toji. If you need advice, I will do my best to help.

Will I get to know who you are?

Call me, Naona.

So… where am I headed?

To before you killed Amanai Riko. I’m sure you realise what you need to do.

What if I don’t-

Toji never got to finish his words, he was casted away into a body. A body that hummed as it resonated with his soul. His soul latched onto its counterpart, the knowledge of the future settled in his younger mind, his feeling came back next. His hand was warmed onto the cold base of his gun, having popped in the magazine and taken off the safety. It was outstretched and ready to fire with a clear view of Amanai.

The thing is, was the money they were offering for Amanai’s really worth it? Is it really? In the end, he never got to use it anyway, call him petty but he went through all that going against the Gojo kid just to not even get a glimpse of his pay. Truly, fuck this.

Upon closer observation, the girl had wanted to live, to not be used as a tool. But to live as a person, by taking her life right now, was he taking away the chance of someone who wanted to choose how they want to lay out their life? Could he be like that too? Could he live like that too?

His body knew the answer before his mind could catch up, his gun lowered, and grip loosened its hold around it.

“Fuck this.” Toji grumbled to himself as he brushed a hand through his hair, moving it away from his forehead, it was starting to get warm, and it was making him antsy. He didn’t like it, his body was so used to getting the target no matter the cause, honestly, it churned in his stomach. It was foreign, something he was not used to at all.

Was this really the correct choice?

Had he chosen well?

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“Fushiguro,” A deep voice made its way closer, the scent was mixed with a muted oak-ish scent addled with a faint smell of cigarettes, a clear indication that the man had been smoking  a few hours ago. “Why are you in my apartment?” Kong Shiu wasn’t exactly mad, a bit confused, a bit more annoyed but slightly okay. That was a good thing, maybe? Toji wasn’t sure.

“You weren’t home when I knocked so i let myself in.” Toji said, he was sprawled over the couch Shiu had and had picked up a book that was laying on the coffee table, he wasn’t sure if it was interesting or not, but he had it open, though not really reading it.

“I hear that you didn’t complete your job.” The handler said, slightly exasperated. “Didn’t you need the money?”

“There are other jobs.” Toji said flippantly, shifting slightly on the couch. He felt sick. Saliva began to coat up his throat, the bile that slowly began to creep up his throat wasn’t make him feel any better. Soon enough his feet had landed onto Shiu’s carpet, and he blitzed off to the bathroom slamming the door open before Shiu could compute what was happening. A violent wretch wracked through his body as he crumbled over the toilet, his body began to empty out the contents of his last meal, a prick of pain lingered after each wretch.

The man blessed with the Divine Blessing wasn’t the type to fall to illness easily. He could count using his fingers and toes how many times he’s been seriously ill and it had not been that many. He didn’t know why his body was starting to revolt against him, it instinctively adapted to whatever Toji did. Maybe it wasn’t his body but an external thing.

His soul maybe?

“So, you didn’t do the job because you felt sick?” Shiu was propped against the doorframe of his toilet looking at Toji with a water bottle in hand, he walked in and crouched next to the man who’d started to press his cheek against the toilet seat, tired and looking pale with a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead. “Should have just said so, asshole. Could have saved me from the calls of anger.”

“Fuck you.” Toji huffed slightly, his eyes wanting to slip shut.

“Oi, you muppet, up you get, I’m not having you sleep in my bathroom.” Kong lifted his arm and held his torso, trying to urge Toji to stand up. “Come on, Toji, use your legs- there we go.” Shiu basically dragged him to the couch, letting the man fall onto it.

“I’m not going to thank you for this.” The man slurred with sleep with glossy eyes.

“That would be disgusting.” Shiu puffed out a slight laugh and draped a blanket over Toji. “Water is on the table.” He gestured to the coffee table that had the water bottle from before standing tall on it.

The Korean man was not necessarily a good man. He was a handler for the Time Vessel Organisation and so happened to stumble across Toji. Their partnership became a bud for a lot of things, it gave way to having to pay for dinners for Toji, who in turn got targets and gained Shiu more money in a way. Money was a common factor between the two of them but they didn’t really just do it for the money. Kong Shiu and Toji Fushiguro are both people that usually kept to themselves, Shiu interacted with clients for business and not much was known on what he did with his money plus, Toji hardly bothered to ask in his first life. He just wanted information and he would do the job. Though,, being a hitman kind of made you not want to leave traces behind at all.

Anyway, the two were good together, Kong had offered Fushiguro a job and that set him back on his feet after the loss of his wife and they’ve been working together ever since.

The next morning, Toji was looking worse when Shiu woke up, he was trembling under the blanket draped on him and had sweated through his shirt, he looked absolutely rough. He’d never seen Toji like this before. It had to be serious because the man never bared any weakness like this in front of anyone.

“What’re you staring at?” Toji slurred out in delirious confusion. The room was swirling around, Shiu was warped in his vision but he could feel the stares.

“Good morning to you too.” Shiu used the back of his hand to check the temperature on Toji. He was burning, sweating buckets and shivering. “You need to have a shower, you’ve sweated through your shirt.”

“It’s cold?” The man seemed confused.

“You have a fever.” Shiu sighed. It was going to be a long day.

A couple hours later, the fever was still there but Toji could finally keep down some food without gagging and feeling sick. Shiu had given Toji some light soup which he made from the things he had in the kitchen. Thank God he had bought some at the beginning of the week.

“Kooong!” Toji drawled out from the couch, he was dressed in some of Kong’s clothes, they were slightly tight around him but comfortable enough. Kong was getting some water from his water filter jug.

“What?” Kong called out.

“I want more.”

“More what, idiot?” Kong left the kitchen to see.

Toji lifted his empty bowl, “This.”

“Give it here.” Shiu grabbed the bowl with a sigh, a small speck of pride lifted in his heart, Toji had asked for seconds. Usually they ate out, they hardly ever had homemade food together so this was nice. Very even.

Shiu came back with a fresh bowl with some rice in the soup and some meds for him to take. “Take those.” Toji gave the pills an incriminating look, he didn’t like taking medication, he was a firm believer that his body could fix itself. “Oi, take them after eating or I’ll shove them down your throat.” Between the two of them they both knew Toji was indefinitely the stronger one.

“Whatever.” Toji said taking the bowl and spooning in mouthfuls like a rabid dog, afraid someone would take the food away from him. Shiu just shook his head with a resigned look and walked off to do his business in the apartment.

He must have fallen asleep after taking the meds after glaring at them for a long while because a spread of numbness spindled through his body, his mind felt more clear and the headache that pounded behind his eyes had lessened, he felt okay.  He thought about what he needed to do next.

There was Megumi and Tsumiki he hadn’t seen in God knows how long.

Maybe he’ll pay them a visit.

When Shiu woke up the next day, Toji was gone.

Chapter Text

“Hello, squirt, squirtle.” Toji placed both hands on both kids heads, while Megumi batted the had away, Tsumiki practically beamed like a sun ray.

“Dad!” Tsumiki chirped up in excitement, it kind of lit up the place. Toji glanced around and realised that the place they were staying at looked like a right organised mess. It seemed that his other wife had fucked off somewhere else, by the looks of things, for months now.

“Where’s your mom?” Toji asked.

“Why do you care?” Megumi shot him a glare, one he did deserve. “You both left us.”

“Megumi!” Tsumiki hissed at him with eyes blown wife at his bluntness.

“But it’s true! They did leave us!” Megumi scowled hard, turning away from Toji. The man didn’t know what to say. He really didn’t know how to handle kids, he had help before but right now? He had absolutely no clue. He had abandoned them. He remembered them from time to time but that’s not good enough. He wasn’t there. They were independent kids, but they were still kids weren’t they? He couldn’t make promises that he wouldn’t leave them, he couldn’t. He was the Sorcerer Killer after all.

There was one thing he did need to do first and foremost. Cancel the deal with the Zenin clan. Megumi isn’t going to that fucked up place, if he has to fight Naobito about it, then so be it. He will. The same goes to the clan elders too that sit on their asses and decide every fucking thing without raising a finger. The old geezers were nothing but old sand bags no one had time to get rid of. Maybe he should do them a favour and get rid of them? Toji shoved that thought away. He couldn’t get distracted again. He has two kids relying on him.

“Hey,” Toji crouched in front of the two, turning Megumi to face him. “You did good staying alive.” Toji didn’t know what he was doing at all but it was the best he could think of. Tears erupted from Tsumiki and she practically dove into his arms, she had been so brave and grown up looking after herself and Megumi the whole time Toji was away. Toji managed to snap out of his stupor and wrapped his arms around her, “You were very good kids.” He pulled Megumi into the hug. The boy protested for a few seconds but melted against him. He was still a kid despite the way he acted, Megumi sniffed slightly into his neck, trying to control himself in a way a child should never have to while Tsumiki let her wails be heard.

He could try. Toji began. No, he would try. Just for them.

So that’s what he did.

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The Zenin clan estate was always a place that looked beautiful but was filled with the filth of all the snobbish prideful people that claimed residence there. There was, of course, the good lot, like the servants that snuck him food during his punishments, tended to his wounds even though he fought and screamed at them to leave him alone, the ones who made an effort to get him new clothes using their pay. Those ones.

“For fuck’s sake.” Toji grumbled as he trudged into the gates, white stones crunching beneath his feet as he made his way through the courtyard to find the main residence.  He could go find the family head to cut off the deal.

“What’s the mutt doing back here?” The annoying, grating, ear tearing voice of Naoya Zenin spoke up. You could just hear the arrogance in his voice passed down from his father.

“Where’s your dad, Naoya?” Toji said flatly, he really didn’t want to deal with Naoya’s antics at the moment. He had shit to do.

“Why?” For fuck’s sake. Toji thought, it was going to be a long day. He just wanted to get in, take away the contract deal and get the fuck out of the place.

“Fine, I’ll find him myself.” Toji blitzed away, not a single stone rolled or moved out of place, it was like he wasn’t there. It infuriated his cousin deeply, a mutt without any cursed energy shouldn’t be able to possess such abilities, good thing Toji didn’t care.

He found the old geezer close by, he was taking the time to nurse some tea with his wrinkling hands. He had been a key factor to the misfortune within Toji’s life after his father’s and brother’s death, if anything he could have been responsible for both of their deaths. Against all odds, Toji isn’t stupid, he knows when people don’t like him and when murderous intent is expelled from someone. He could sense it, he could feel it in his bones, Naobito always had that ugly look of jealousy within him that just seeped of hate and murderous intent.

Toji’s father was a better man than Naobito, in all ways, he had a better sense of justice, his technique was powerful and the whole clan loved him a lot more than Naobito, he had a distasteful personality that thrived on pride. When Toji’s father bore an heir worthy of the clan, Naobito’s hate began to spindle into a ball that continued to prosper each time people expressed admiration for Toji’s father, then Toji was born. The clan’s biggest misfortune- apparently. Naobito began to plot from there, whispers of a defect in the clan began to spread among members and servants alike.

Being clan head and warped in responsibility, Toji’s father could not do much about the petty rumours his brother had started and had no time in proving that it was his brother who had begun them. The night he was murdered was the day he truly understood how much his brother wanted power, it didn’t take long for his first born to follow him to the afterlife either. Naobito was truly an evil man.

“Old man.” Toji sauntered into the room.

“Toji.” The man didn’t even try hide his displeasure. “You did say you were not going to return.”

“Things change.” Toji said flippantly, not hiding his hate towards the man. “Where’s the contract?”

“Changed your mind? Don’t you need to pay off your debt or have you forgotten?” The smirk on the man was infuriating.

“I can deal with that myself.” Toji snarled, “So, I suggest you get the contract out, its being terminated.”

“I’m afraid you cannot choose that yourself. If you had read the contract, it clearly stated that both parties have to agree.” Nabito set his cup of tea on his saucer.

“Then you will.” Toji regurgitated the worm taking out a cursed blade. “Whether you like it or not.”

“Oh, the mutt has finally grown a conscience?” The old geezer’s cursed energy began to rise.

“Where’s the contract?” Toji shifted his stance, curling around the hilt of his blade, ready. The battle had already been set in stone. Toji was not one to be shackled like he had been in the past. Being predictable was never his strong suit and he won’t let it ever become that.

It didn’t take long for the building they were in, to tremble between blows, the windows shook, books fell off shelves and sliding doors drummed against each other. Toji could win, despite his body trying to delve back into its old ways- not fighting back even though it knew it could. His soul, now fully integrated pushed his body to move, block, parry, advance. He is strong. He will never let things go on where he can change things about it.

By the time Toji left the clan estate, the main buildings had become the epitome of chaos, Naobito subdued and bleeding in defeat, Naoya, with his pride bruised when he had tried to play saviour for his father. With the contract now terminated and destroyed, Toji was going home.

Oh. Home.

That’s right, home. His kids were there waiting for him. If anyone saw Toji buying a pack of small star candy, no they didn’t.

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The house was more liveable now. Toji had cleaned up the place with the help of Tsumiki, the little one was so grown for a seven-year-old, it definitely was his fault. Anyway, now that the house was clean, there was just a problem. The fridge was empty which brought them to now, they were in the supermarket pushing a trolley while Toji had Tsumiki reading out the list and Megumi was sat inside the trolley looking angry. Megumi had gotten distracted and wandered off, which made Tsumiki panic and was on the verge of tears, so Toji made the choice to keep the peace and to keep Megumi safe and plopped him into the trolley.

“We need the potatoes next!” Tsumiki skipped next to the trolley, Toji pushed it along the aisle, it was such a drag, but it was necessary.

“Toji?” A voice startled the man, his body locking up preparing for a fight. His brain jumpstarted slightly at the familiar voice, the pace of their steps. It was Shiu. “Hello, Megumi, Tsumiki.” The man greeted the little ones.

“Hello, Mr Kong!” Tsumiki beamed as Megumi just scowled at the man.

“I see you’re doing shopping.” Kong said with a slight smirk, seeing Toji doing something so domestic was so unnatural to him. It was oddly human of Toji, but he looked so out of place.

“What’s it to you?” Toji narrowed his eyes at the man.

“Nothing really.” Shiu smiled at the man. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, one a bit annoyed and the other with a slight teasing look growing on his face. You can guess who each are.

“Dad, we need to get the potatoes, it's on the list.” Tsumiki interrupted the two, making them both look at her.

“Okay, we can get the potatoes now.” Toji resumed pushing the trolley but now they had an addition with them, Shiu. “Don’t you have something better to do?”

“I need potatoes too actually and it’s my day off.” Toji finally took a look at Shiu’s attire, the man was dressed casually but in the way that showed he had money, a black button-down shirt, black jeans, with the only accessory on him being a silver watch on his wrist. It suited the man really well. A light tap onto Toji’s arm brought his attention away from Shiu, they had reached the potato aisle and Megumi had tapped him to make him stop walking. His daughter hoisted up a bag with her tiny arms and plopped it into the cart with a tiny huff of satisfaction.

“Good job.” He patted her head as she preened in pride, happy that her strengths were acknowledged. Shiu was pleasantly shocked to see this, he would have never expected for Toji to give praise, he rarely ever accepted any.

“I want star candy.” Megumi grumbled at Toji.

“You haven’t finished the last bag, squirt.” Toji said plainly as Tsumiki dumped a bag of carrots into the trolley too, he was on a budget just enough to cover the groceries and a little bit more.

“I can get it for him.” Shiu offered, like he knew more than he let on, which he kind of did. Toji had been complaining about losing money due to his gamble on the horse racing before he was given the job to kill the Star Vessel. Toji glanced over his face trying to read it. He let out a breath of air through his nostrils and gave a shrug, who was he to stop someone from spending money on his kids.

Once they got their groceries ringed up, Shiu passed Megumi the pack of star candies he wanted, the boy gave him a small ‘thanks’ and began to pop some in his mouth, passing the packet to Tsumiki so she could have some. “Why’re are you walking this way?” Toji asked after a while of the two walking side by side as Megumi and Tsumiki  walked ahead of them. Shiu’s apartment is in the other direction, so he had no reason to walk with Toji.

“Can I not take a detour?”

“Not your style.”

“Who says?”

“Me.” Again, Toji wasn’t stupid, he had a good read on Shiu, the man was lying which meant he had a different motive.

“You’re doing fine, right?” Shiu asked, looking at the man. The last he had heard and seen from him was when he basically fell ill and broke into his apartment.

“One-time thing.” Toji caught onto his drift. Shiu had the slightest, the teeniest bit of concern in his eyes. He raised a hand making sure Toji could follow its movements, wary like approaching a stray dog before he pressed the back of it onto his forehead. A twist of confusion waved onto his face and it might have been obvious because Shiu began laughing at him.

“Just checking.” The man said with a smile, letting his hand fall, “I have another job for you if you’re up for it.” Shiu glanced at the kids before looking back to Toji. He would understand if Toji didn’t take the job

“Okay... but with a condition.” Toji said slowly. He’s used to doing things for money without a thought but lately, he’s had too much time to think about things. Megumi and Tsumiki to be in fact. “You have to babysit while I’m on the job.”

“W-what?” Shiu spluttered in disbelief. That was a lot of trust being thrown around way too easily. He had thought that Toji would have been more wary about his kids or that he wouldn’t care what happened to them.

“You heard me, babysit, I’ll do the job.” Toji said, shifting his hold on the grocery bags that he had in his hands to carry more comfortably.

“I have work with clients I can’t just-” One look from Toji was enough to shut him up. This was the best hitman he had contact with, plus the man knew where he lived.

A smirk stretched across Toji’s face, “Good, call me when you get intel and targets.” Toji said breaking their synchronised walk pattern and moving towards his kids as they reached the end of the street. “Wave bye-bye, kiddos, Mr Kong is going home.”

“Bye Mr Kong!” Tsumiki waved enthusiastically while Megumi gave him a slight wave, only enough to show his gratitude for the sweets in his other hand. Maybe it was a good thing that Toji had let Shiu buy the kid some sweets.

Chapter Text

A couple had months had passed and Toji was on a job, this job was the one that could pay of the rest of his debt, so he had to complete it. It was in a rural area, it took a long few hours to get to there, but he had done it before. The target was to kill some curses. It wasn’t his usual kind of job, but the client was paying good money for grade three curses to be slain.

What he didn’t expect was to find two Tokyo Tech students fighting a special grade curse, and they were losing horribly. Not his problem.

Help them.

You again.

Help them.

What’s in it for me?

You’ve become greedy with the life, I have given you.

You said to take chances, which I am.

I see...

What? Having second thoughts?

 Not at all.  Anyway, the boy in blonde is important, however, that other child is important to him too. I wish not to see his path end in the way it did before.

I just save them, and you’ll stop pestering me?

Yes.

Fine.

His worm spat out his inverted spear of heaven, he gripped it, testing the hilt in his hand before he began pacing forward towards the special grade curse. It looked humanoid save for its pasty white skin and the curls of black swirling around it. It shot up shards of rock sending them flying towards the two boys who were narrowly dodging them, and pulling each other out of the way, the were both trying their hardest. Toji could see the fear in both their eyes but one of them despite that, a smile- not out of hysteria but out of reassurance. He was reassuring his friend in the midst of battle. It was commendable.

The curse screeched in manic laughter, thriving on the fear expelling from the kids. Toji’s body unlocked in instinct and shot forward, grabbing the collar of the brown hair boy before thrusting him away from a jagged shard was going to most likely end his life from his misstep. It would have gone straight through his abdomen without having anything to stop it, the boy was unprepared. Not ready to face such curses but who said the world was fair? Toji knew unfairness like second skin and hated it.

The eyes of the curse latched onto Toji, anger was heard in their next screech, it was annoyed that more blood hadn’t been spilled and the fact that Toji had saved their plaything. It ticked off Toji on another level, the high screeching was really annoying due to his pitched sense of hearing. He was quick to silence the curse with swift graceful flicks of his wrist, decapitating the curse into pieces as blood splattered upon his inverted spear of heaven. The infused cursed blade hummed as it was used as it was intended to be. The man relaxed his stance as the curse began to fade away, brushing off the blood it splatted on him.

“Haibara!” The blond child was at his friend’s side. The kid had passed out from the looks of it, oops. Toji may have thrown him out the way a bit too hard. Hey, it was either the kid dying or being with some injuries.

“Oi kid, call your handler or a hospital.” Toji offered the kid a spare burner phone that Shiu had given him that he hardly used.

The blond boy was wary, but he didn’t have the time to stay that way, he took the phone and began calling a number while Toji put his blade back into his worm. Once the boy was done, Toji gazed over the kid as he passed back his phone. “Keep pressing on the severe bleeding, kid. He’ll live.” The boy was quick to heed his words.

“Thanks.” The boy said to the man who didn’t answer or give any acknowledgement if the gratitude given. “Who are you?”

“Nobody.” Toji trudged off around the shards of rock, which was the only trace of the curse left, his eyes glanced at the veil that kids had put up. A solid good one in fact. He scouted the area for anymore stray curses just to make sure he gets his pay since he’s done his job. A thought itched at him, who let those kids fight a special grade by themselves? He brushed it off. He had a long way home to get to.

“Job’s done.” He called up the client.

“Perfect, I hope it wasn’t too much of a hassle.” The other voice on the line said, “The money should come through by 2pm.” Toji cut the call on them after the guarantee of his pay.

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It had been a few months since Kong Shiu had become the babysitter for Toji, the kids were all good and right now, he was helping Tsumiki and Megumi with their homework. Megumi had just begun first grade and Tsumiki was in second grade, they were going through numbers. He began to read out a question to Megumi, “If Shiro had five apples and Nara gave him two more, how many does Shiro have?” He said slowly, sat next to the boy. They began to count slowly with Megumi’s fingers before Megumi picked up his pencil and began to draw a seven on his sheet. “Good job!” The man praised. Seriously, what was going on with his life? First, he was a man of business, second a babysitter.

“Mr Kong, I need help.” Tsumiki came over from her spot and shoved her homework book in his face, timetables, she was doing the 2 timetables.

“Okay, whats the question?”

“It says, what is two times eleven.” Tsumiki said a little bit sad, she had written all the way to 20 but didn’t know what was next.

“It’s okay, ‘Miki.” He told her, “You know what two times ten is, what else do you know about the two times tables.”

“It goes up in twos!”

“That’s right!”

“Eleven looks like a scary number but let’s look at it in this way.” Shiu found some blocks, “Okay, we have these blocks, now let’s but two blocks together and make them a group.” The two began making groups of two blocks until they reached eleven groups. “Now, let’s count how many twos are in the group.”

“...Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two!” Tsumiki finished counting. “There are twenty-two twos in eleven groups!” She beamed, happy she finally got the answer, she picked up her own pencil and jotted the answer down.

“Well done!” He gave her a high five, “If you get stuck, use the blocks, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Kong.” Megumi pulled at his sleeve, “I wan’ food.” Shiu glanced at his watched, dinner was definitely approaching and he hadn’t cooked anything.

“Hmm, what do you guys want to eat?” He was so ordering the food.

“Rice.”

“Ramen!”

So, the kids were disagreeing on choices. Shiu was going to order the food anyway, “We’re getting both, come on get your jackets and shoes on, we’re going out for food.” Shiu sent a quick text to Toji making sure he knew that he was taking the kids out. With Megumi braced up on his hip, and Tsumiki’s hand in his, they left the house after having locked the door.

Tsumiki hummed a nice tune as they walked while Megumi rested his chin on Shiu's shoulder, looking bored out his mind until he saw a lady and her dog. The boy’s eyes tracked the dog, it was a Shiba Inu, Megumi wiggled in Shiu’s hold, twisting to look at the passing dog. “Megumi, you like dogs, don’t you?” Shiu said with a smile in his voice. The boy gave him a muted nod, not taking his eyes off the dog.

“He does.” A low voice tickled his ear, startling him. Toji had managed to appear out of nowhere. He was in his usual fit, black shirt with grey sweatpants, this time he had a hoodie on though. The man ran warm, so the spring weather didn’t bother him, even with the lingers of winter weather that still remained.

“Toji!” Shiu snapped out of his shock, his grip adjusting around Megumi, who’s attention was finally brought back by his father’s appearance.

“Dad!” Tsmuiki grinned, heir pigtails bouncing as she ran to him. “We’re going to eat at a restaurant!”

“Is that so?” He clasped her hand as soon as she held it. “I could use a meal.” The four continued walking to the local family-owned restaurant close by, they settled in a booth with Shiu sat next to Tsumiki, helping her look through the menu.

“Megumi wants the shogayaki beef on rice.” Toji said, “Beef ramen for me.”

“I don’t even know why I’m considering in paying for you.” Shiu sighed before turning to Tsumiki, “What would you like Tsumiki?”

“I don’t want ramen anymore, I want omurice.” She beamed, the illustrated bear on the omurice illustration had caught her eye, she thought it was very cute. Shiu relayed their order to the waiter adding his own bowl of ramen he wanted. He didn’t mind paying for the lot of them, he was used to it at this point, treating Toji just with a few additions.

“They were good today.” Shiu said as he carried Megumi, the boy had fallen asleep after having finished his food in the restaurant, Tsumiki wasn't far off either. Noticing her slow pace, Toji pciked the girl up into his arms and carried her, walking in step with Shiu. “Picked them up and made them do homework, they just have reading to do for tomorrow, so you have to sign their reading log.”

Toji huffed, “Do I have to?”

“Yes, you prick, you have to.” The kids had fallen asleep, so Shiu was free to swear like a canary.

“I could have you do it for me.”

“I have work, Toji.”

“You didn’t say no, Shiu.” They didn’t really know when they had switched to first name basis, somewhere along the past few months, they just never corrected each other- no, they just didn’t feel like correcting each other. Shiu and Toji. Toji and Shiu. It just balanced out and felt right.

“I have important meetings racked up for the rest of the week, so the kids are yours and I know you have no jobs because I would have given you them.” Shiu glanced at the man, surprised to find that Toji was already looking at him. “What? What is it?” He narrowed his eyes. Toji gave him a scoff and a smirk walking ahead. “Toji?!”

“Shiu.”

“Toji?”

“Shiuuu~” Toji drawled, amused.

“Oi, don’t say my name like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know what you’re doing.” Shiu said with a slight scowl, the betraying twist of his stomach was ready to out him and he knew it wasn’t from feeling sick. His hands grew clammy as his heart slowly began to up its tempo. Toji just held his stare, the slow burn of embarrassment began to sheath over Shiu, growing up his neck. He glanced away. “Forget it, asshole.” He mumbled.

When they got back to Toji’s, Shiu put Megumi to bed after having taken off his outdoor wear, Tsumiki had woken up magically knowing the turn into their street and Toji had put her down to go get changed and ready for bed.

“Alright, I’m off. Remember to sign their reading log.” Shiu walked past Toji without looking him heading to the door.

“Yeah, yeah, what else do you wanna add?” Toji said trailing behind him.

“Nothing.”

That night, Shiu’s mind was racing like a busy train station. It was annoying, it felt like evry single line of thought began to crash against his skull, his eyes hung heavy but his  mind was seriously not getting the memo at all. Seriously, fuck Toji.

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It was a school night and Toji was sat helping Tsumiki make a project which she told him about last minute. She had pulled the waterworks on him, they didn’t work on him but the glare Megumi was giving him was annoying him for some reason. It was to make a volcano, and Toji didn’t know how to do jackshit when he came to making things. He knew how to destroy and kill but creating? Not really his strong suit.

“Dad, it doesn’t look right.” Tsumiki frowned sadly as she looked at the... lump on the coffee table.

“We need help.” Toji heard Mugumi talking to someone, his head snapped to his direction and he noticed his phone in his hand.

“Oi, squirt, who’re you talking to?” Toji’s brows narrowed at the kid who gave him a flat stare.

“Shiu.” Oh, right. Shiu could help! Toji gave him a solid nod of acknowledgement, that was definitely a good idea. His son trudged over to give him the phone with Shiu still on the line.

“Oi, do you happen to know how to make a volcano?” Toji asked.

“Do you know what time it is, Toji?!” Shiu spluttered through the phone in anger.

“Hm, its seven.” Toji said looking at the time on his phone.

“They should be getting ready for bed, Toji.”

“Tsumiki told me last minute.”

“You should have asked her about her school projects, you idiot.”

“I forgot, prick.”

“You say that all the time.”

“Help us.”

“What- no?! I’m at home! I’m not just going to-” He was cut off by Tsumiki who brought her face closer to the phone.

“Shiu, we need help! The volcano is not very good!” The girl’s voice wobbled through the speaker and he was caught, hook line and sinker. He had the biggest soft spot for the kids, Shiu cursed himself for getting so soft.

He let out a slight huff of displeasure and tinge of disbelief, “I’ll come by, fuck you, Toji.” That brought out an amused huff from Toji making Shiu cut the line.

Within twenty minutes, Shiu was over with a bag full of crafts, just some old newspapers, glue, bicarbonate soda and some vinegar and food dye. “Mr Kong!” Tsumiki opened the door for him, pulling him inside before he could begin to take off his shoes.

“Woah, ‘Miki, I’m coming.” He managed to kick off his shoes and shut the door with a swift kick back.

“What took you so long?” Toji was on the couch, slumped next to Megumi who was playing with a small dog figurine.

“Shut up.” Shiu swatted a hand at Toji lightly on his shoulder, the man grinned up at him making Shiu annoyed. The scar on Toji’s lip pulled slighty as his grin widened, Shiu hadn’t noticed before. It was kind of... adorable.

What the fuck?

What the fuck?

Shiu shook his head, taking his eyes off Toji forcibly, a slight tremble of his hand could be seen as he brushed his hand through his hair that made Toji give him an inquisitive look, “Right, let's see how- what is that?” He looked at the slump of... whatever it was on the table. That was meant to be a volcano?

“It doesn’t look good.”

“No no, it's okay, ‘miki, you tried very hard.” Shiu assured her. “I’m here to help, aren’t I?” So, they got to it while Toji took Megumi and swung him over his shoulder to give him a bath after Shiu shooed Toji off after he had made many comments on how the volcano looked like.

The remaining two were now painting over their papier-mâché volcano while Shiu also held a hand fan to increase the drying process. “Thank you, Mr Kong.” Tsumiki said with a shy smile, “You helped me a lot.”

“You’re welcome, Tsumiki.” He smiled at her, the corner of his eyes crinkling at the gratitude. “Next time, do tell Toji about your projects, okay?”

“I will, I just forgot!” She giggled.

“It’s okay, your dad forgets a lot too, maybe you get it from him.” He teased her, brushing on some red paint onto her nose making the girl shriek out in laughter, doing the same to him with her own paint brush. Their fun was cut short when Toji came back down, having put a warm bathed Megumi to bed. “We’ve made quite the mess, haven’t we?” Shiu smiled at the girl, “Go on, I think we’re done here, I’ll clean up, and you can go have a bath, okay?” The girl scurried off to the bathroom to wash up while Shiu began to clean up the table.

“Why?” Toji asked Shiu after he’d binned the newspapers that covered the coffee table to decrease the mess load.

“You’re going to have to use your words, Toji.” Shiu said as he began washing his hands and forearm free off paint with warm water at the sink.

“Why do you help us?” Toji asked him as he began to wash his face.

“Because you asked me to?” Shiu paused and looked at the man.

“You could have said no.” Toji leaned against the counter. “You could have quit, you could have left... why do you...” Toji struggled to find his words, his face had become unreadable and quite frankly, Shiu could have done all that. Upped and left. Broke their ties after he had repaid the debts, but he hadn’t. He didn’t understand. The deal was to take care of the kids while he did jobs and that was usually on Shiu’s days off, so he just couldn’t fathom why.

To be fair, Shiu was stumped as well. He could have complained to Toji more, he could have set more boundaries, he could have cut contacts with the man. He scrambled for an answer but in truth, he liked being around the Fushiguro’s. More than he should really, Megumi was a funny kid, very very blunt kid who didn’t hold back his thoughts, he was a carbon copy of Toji despite his sea urchin hair, he was a cute kid. Tsumiki was a bright happy kid, more extroverted and open to things unlike her introverted little brother, she did worry Shiu sometimes, but she was a good kid. Now Toji, he was a hard man to read on, despite his gambling tendencies that always most definitely didn’t go his way, he was trying. He put in a lot of effort. Taking the kids to the park, listening to them read, he was trying.

He did get some things wrong, like packing Megumi and Tsumiki the wrong things for lunch, forgetting which days his kids have PE, giving them sugary juice instead of water in their water bottles, forgetting to pick them up from school- he had his mistakes but he was getting better.

“I... they’re good kids.” Shiu managed to offer to Toji as an answer, said man moved in closer to him, until they were eye to eye. Shiu’s back pressed against the sink counter as he glanced into the man's shiny green eyes. Toji brought a hand up to his face, wiping a streak of wet paint from it, Shiu jerked back, startled by the sudden movements, a shocked breath leaving him.

“You had paint there.” Toji smirked, it was only then Shiu blinked out of his stupor, turning to wash his face. Shiu’s ears burned. He spun around to finish washing his face and to cool down the flush that was threatening to pool into his face.

“Ahem- thanks.” Shiu said giving Toji a quick glance over, it was then he noticed that Toji was wearing the shirt he had given him when he was sick all those months ago. He had kept it. “I should be heading off.” He dried his hands with kitchen tissue.

“It’s late.” Toji said after a bout of silence.

“Yes?” Shiu said slight confused. Toji shook his head slightly before he shrugged and walked out the kitchen. “What is going on?” The man said under his breath.

On Shiu’s way home, he popped by the convenience store, buying a bottle a few bottles of Soju they surprisingly had there. He was not having a repeat of a night of overthinking whatever was going on between him and Toji. They were... friends, right?

Right?

Chapter Text

Oi, Nana, Nona, Nina? Whatever your name is.

It’s Naona but whatever you say pretty boy.

...Anyway, you haven't meddled in a long time.

You don’t really need me, you’re doing good.

...Shiu is avoiding me.

Pfft- sorry, okay go on. Do you want a free therapy session?

Forget it- fuck you.

No no, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I’ll be serious, go on.

I don’t want to talk to you, get out of my head.

No thanks. You called me so that means you need me so go on.

Shiu’s been avoiding me. You probably know why.

Who says?

You did. You’re cursed with knowledge or whatever.

I’m surprised you remembered.

Tell me why and get to the point.

It’s not my place to tell, Toji.

I want to know. It must be something I did to Shiu if you’re not telling.

Hmm, why does it bother you so much?

I don’t know? It’s Shiu!

Maybe think about it, I have things to do.

You said you’d help me if I needed to.

Fine. I can give you a pidge of help. Observe him more, find out his day off day this week and I think you know the rest.

That’s it?

You’re a smart man, Toji. Not to put more logs into your burning ego, but you’ll figure it out some time. Bye, times up.

Fu-

Someday, Toji was going to find this Naona one day and seriously give them a piece of his mind. His kids were still asleep, and quite frankly he was annoyed by Shiu. Maybe because Toji was so used to having him over nearly every other week to take care of his kids, to be honest, Shiu was a great help. Had he finally had his fill and wanted to leave? The thought peeved Toji, a small quiet ache that had settled in his heart was making itself known. He rubbed a fist on his sternum to soothe the pain, he curled in his bed an annoyed scowl settled on his face that was pressed against his pillow. What a drag.

By the morning, his kids could tell something was bothering their dad. He kept rubbing at his chest but they knew better than to ask. “Squirt, your shoes are the wrong.” Toji said bending down to take out Megumi’s feet out from his school shoes that were on the wrong foot. The boy braced his weight onto his dad’s shoulder, he was still a bit sleepy. “Squirtle, pass me his bag.” Toji sighed, picking the boy up, he swung on Megumi’s school bag before using his other arm to pick up Tsumiki, who smiled warmly. He noticed, he carried the kids a lot more now, he hadn’t done that a few months back- hell he had hardly even remembered how old they were.

The school run was quick, but Toji hadn’t gone home, he popped by the casino. Sure, it was early in the morning, but he was bored out his mind. He wanted some kind of stimulating activity. Maybe he could find a pretty lady somewhere and have a good time with her, but it really didn’t sound quite appealing. The company is nice and all but he just… he doesn’t know how to explain it.  It’s Shiu’s fault, why did he come into his life and fit so perfectly just to start distancing himself? What had Toji done?

The thought of the missing man made his stomach feel weird, he didn’t like it nor could he put a word on it. The casino was a bad idea. That annoyed him more, every time he thought he won, he’d always end up back to zero with every single bet. It was like the universe had given up on him and was giving him shit again. If Shiu was there, he’d probably know what he should bet on, the man always had some kind of intuition when it came to this plus he hardly ever gambled as much as Toji did. It ticked Toji off again, thinking about Shiu.

Toji left the casino, pockets feeling a lot more emptier than before and three times annoyed than before. So, Toji did the most obvious thing. He broke into Shiu’s house. Again.

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Shiu’s heart shot out his chest finding Toji in his apartment again. “What’s wrong with you, Toji?!” The man shrugged, he looked like a lazy cat lounging on his couch at the moment, just watching Shiu walk around his apartment doing his own thing in the living room.’the man was cleaning up slightly, conscious of the other uninvited man in his apartment. When he was headed to the kitchen, it was surprising that Toji had gotten up and was tailing him.

The ache that had been causing Toji such a pain was beginning to soothe over. The scent of Shiu was nice, and more predominant in the room now that the source was there, Toji liked it. It was calming and it was the scent he had been mis- oh. He had missed Shiu. Oh?

The realisation wasn’t accompanied by anger or annoyance. It wasn’t. His body began to settle down and relax more. He leaned against Shiu’s counter and watched the man make him some tea. He let his eyes trail over the man, he looked alright, he wasn’t afraid or anything, just a bit awkward. Toji wondered why. The backs of Shiu’s hair had grown longer, Shiu was a well kept man, it was often due to the appeal for clients. He had mentioned before that he pays for only women at restaurants, the fancy ones. Toji wanted to go to one, one day. Shiu only hangs out with him in the local restaurants which isn’t as exciting but still good. Eh, he’ll go one day.

Toji continued watching the man who was now pouring some tea into a mug for both Toji and himself, as Shiu kept his attention on making sure he didn’t spill anything, Toji got a glance of Shiu’s neck. A mark on there, the bruise looked a few days old but the burn of annoyance that rushed into Toji once again. “Who did that?” Toji asked out loud, he shifted and moved over to look at the mark. It looked wrong. It looked wrong on Shiu.

“What are you talking about?” Shiu asked looking at him with a slight twitch of his brows.

“This.” Toji pressed down on the offending mark on Shiu’s neck.

“Oh, some woman.” Shiu said not really bothered by the mark. “A client.”

“Do you let all your clients do that?” Toji asked him moving his finger off the mark.

“What’s it to you?” To be fair, they never really spoke about their personal relationships outside their work. Sure, Toji had mentioned his late wife from time to time and mentioned the terminated marriage his ex-wife left him with, they didn’t really speak much about it. It’s none of Toji’s business anyway.

“Nothing.” Toji grumbled and grabbed a mug of tea, swigging it back and letting the scalding drink run down his throat without a flinch. Shiu hadn’t done anything serious with the client, she had been very forward and clear what she wanted and honestly Shiu wanted to take his mind off a few things, but the lady wanted to try dating and that paused everything. Shiu didn’t want to date. He apologised and left the woman, the mark on his neck the only reminder of their last encounter. Shiu couldn’t figure out why he detested the idea of dating the woman, she was nice, pretty and had a good personality but it was different. Each time she did something, Toji popped up in his mind. It was weird. “It looks ugly.” Toji said slamming down the mug hard on the countertop, which didn’t break against all odds.

“What? It’s not meant to be-“ Shiu glanced at the man very confused until he properly gave him his attention. Toji looked mad, staring at the mark.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” Toji said with a glare, finally letting his eyes flicker up at Shiu’s.

“Seriously Toji? Is that what this is about?” Shiu looked astounded. “Toji I have things to do too. I have work and-“

“Time to get marked up? I see.” Toji rolled his eyes.

He couldn’t be serious. He was mad about that? “Maybe you’re just mad because it wasn’t you-“ it had just slipped out. He didn’t mean to say it. It just… made its way to the front of his brain.

Toji’s face looked thoughtful, not disgusted by the idea as Shiu thought he would be. “Yeah, I could do better.” A cocky smirk drifted the scowl away from Toji. Before Shiu knew it, the soft- surprisingly soft warm lips of Toji’s covered the mark on his neck, he scrambled back to hold himself against the counter, a slight tremble wracking through his body as the graze of Toji’s teeth brushed over the pulse point of his neck. The sharp bite tore out a small grunt that caused a flush to form from the base of his neck as Toji soothed the site with his tongue.

When Toji pulled away, a satisfied look was on his face as he looked over the artwork upon Shiu’s skin. The mark was noticeably bigger than the original, the pinky red colour that spread out from the mark was a beautiful sight too, the ache that pressed at Toji’s heart before hummed in contentment.

“What is.. wrong with you?!” Shiu’s face was flushed in anger as he left the kitchen to look at himself in the bathroom. That’s when things dawned on Toji. He fucking marked Shiu. Blood rushed through his ears, it had felt so good and right- but it was strange? A guy doing that to another guy? Toji pressed a hand over his mouth. What had he done?

By the time Shiu had come out of the bathroom to lay his frenzied emotions on Toji, the man was gone. Again.

Shiu was so fucked. In the bathroom the mark was so prominent and eye catching. He had brushed his fingers over the flared skin of his neck, it looked go- the thought stuttered his heart. He liked the mark better. Definitely better.

What could this mean for the two? How could they move past this?

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Tsumiki and Megumi could tell their dad was more off than he was in the morning when he came to pick them up from school. When they had gotten home the man had laid flat over the couch, motionless and buried into the pillow. He didn’t even move when the kids turned on the TV and sat on him since he’d taken up the whole couch.

“Dad?” Tsumiki leaned over his shoulder to his ears, “Are you okay?” She got an incoherent grumble from him as a reply. “Are you hungry? I can make some onigiri with the rice from yesterday.” She was such a considerate little girl, Toji was blessed to have her but in all truth he didn’t really want to eat.

“It’s okay, make some for Megumi.” Toji told her.

“Okay! But I’ll make you some just in case!” She told him before climbing off his back, her little feet padding to the kitchen.

Tsumiki used the leftover rice in the rice cooker and opened a can of tuna and spooned some mayo into a bowl mixing them together, she was good at making onigiri even though they didn’t look perfect, they tasted nice. She liked cooking. She made a a few and put them on plates one for her and Megumi. After washing her hands she came back to the living room to find Toji had shifted and Megumi was sat on his stomach. The man’s face was mushed with a pillow on top. “Here, Megumi.” She passed a plate that had two onigiri to Megumi, who began eating quietly. Tsumiki climbed up and sat on Toji’s legs, he wasn’t moving much this time either so it was fine.

When it’s as time for bed, Toji hadn’t really done much. Taking initiative, Tsumiki and Megumi had both washed up and headed to bed, they didn’t really need their dad to tell them what to do.

Naona.

…Yes?

You can’t laugh at me.

Who says I haven’t?

Ugh fuck you. I don’t know what to do now…

What do you want me to tell you?

Did you know that I… gave- I marked him?

Yes… I do know. Okay, Therapist Naona here. Why did you feel the need to give him a mark?

Because the mark from whoever he was with annoyed me.

Why did it annoy you?

I don’t know. It’s just- he didn’t call or text or answer any of my messages and when I DID see him he had a mark that wasn’t- I hated it.

Let’s look at it this way. Did you feel like Shiu was yours in a way?

He’s my friend I guess?

So you felt protective. You do realise that you’re friends, as you say you two are.

I know that! Something has to be wrong with me- my heart, no, my soul hurts when I think he’s with someone else.

Oooh, someone’s got a big fat crush!

How old are you again?

Good question, I’m not answering that.

So you’re a woman.

How’d you come to that conclusion?

You speak like one.

Right… anyway you’re right. I am a woman, I do have a solid form too not just some voice in your head.

Great, I’ll find you and kill you.

Oh… oh dear that’s very sad isn’t it?

Well then figure things out because how can I face Shiu?

Use your instincts that put you in this predicament in the first place.

Do you hear yourself?

Loud and clear.Your soul knows, your heart knows, give your mind time to catch up. Everything will be fine.

Is this from your knowledge or is this just you spewing shit, you prick?

Whatever you want to think. Invite me to the wedding! Bye!

W-what?!

Chapter Text

They were both avoiding each other, Toji’s already dry phone was drier than the Sahara Desert and picking up dust. That was until he had a call from the school. “Hello, this is XXXXXXXX Elementary, your children, have not attended school today. Is there a reason why?”

Strange. He was sure his kids had gone off to school by themselves this morning. His daughter had said that he could sleep in and take a rest, and she would take Megumi to school. They had done it many times before- before Toji decided he wanted to stay in their life. Where the fuck had his kids gone? “They’ve fallen sick, fever.” Toji said, it was an excuse that would buy him a few days.

“I’m so sorry to hear that, I hope they recover well. Thank you!”

“Bye.” He cut the phone and got his shoes on, already dialling a familiar number, one in which he had been avoiding.

“The kids, they’re missing.” Toji said into the phone once it was picked up after a few rings.

“What?!” Shiu’s voice boomed out his phone. Whatever issues they had for each other were smoothly put aside. The kids were missing.

“They wanted to go to school themselves, tsk. I should’ve went.” Toji told him, the regret in his voice shone through.

“Hey, none of that shit, we can still find them, I think I can pull a few strings with some security people. I’ll call you back in twenty, okay?” Shiu said waiting for Toji’s response.

“Fine, you do it your fancy way, then if that doesn’t work, I’ll find them my way.”

“That’s alright with me.” Within those twenty minutes, Toji walked around the streets, trying to find a single trace of his kids, going their usual route to school, he steered clear of cameras, but he noticed the cameras around. They must’ve caught something. They had to.

He noticed something, one of Megumi’s charms, a Shiba Inu charm that he had wanted two months back. He could tell it was Megumi’s from the Fushiguro name written in sharpie behind the charm, the man picked up it up in his hand, it was slightly scrapped up meaning that the charm and fallen harshly, that could only be done if someone had grabbed his kid fast enough to make the charm fly off and get scrapped. Someone had taken his kid. His phone rang in his pocket.

“The Gojo kid. He took Megumi. Tsumiki tried to stop him, but he took her too.” A haze filled Toji’s ears. He had forgotten all about that kid. He truly had forgotten about the kid he basically put to the brink of death. He hadn’t had his revenge like last time. Was he going to use Megumi against him? What did he need his kids for? Why was he-

Warm hands cupped Toji’s face, a noise a familiar voice began talking to him. He couldn’t make out the words, but the voice was soothing. When coherency came back, he heard. “Toji, we can get them back, alright?” Shiu told him, now face to face. “Oi, you bastard, did you hear me?” The man’s warm fingertips brushed against his ears.

“Shiu?”

“Yes, it’s me. You finally back?” Shiu moved his hands off Toji. The cold air brushed against the remaining warmth he had left leaving Toji feeling somewhat cold.

“Do you know where they headed?”

“Yeah, the decided to take a route away from school, Megumi wanted to get some star candy from one of the stalls open. That’s when that Gojo kid saw Megumi.” Shiu must have seen something in Toji because he placed a hand on his shoulder pulling him closer. “Don’t assume the worst.”

“How can I not- I left the Gojo kid for dead, what if he decides to use Megumi-“ Toji hated how weak he was, before it was different. So different, he didn’t have the responsibility of his kids, he hadn’t really cared, he was a fucking deadbeat of a dad and someone who didn’t keep anyone close after his wife’s passing. He wasn’t an amazing dad, he knew it but at least he was better than he was before, that also came with its own consequences. He loved his kids. And now? He’s going through a parent's biggest fear.

“Oi, stop spacing out.” Shiu said softly, “We can find them, okay? I’ve got the security on the phone, they shouldn’t be too far from here.”

“Hm?”

“Yeah, they’re in some sort of café. An expensive one.” Shiu began to head off in the direction, he knew Toji would follow.

He was getting his kids back, if he had to fight for them, so be it.

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“I don’t like him.” Megumi whispered to his sister, they were sat in a coffee shop with a teenager with white hair being shouted at by his friend with black hair. “I want to go home.”

“I know, ‘gumi.” Tsumiki was very much afraid. The teenager with the white hair had wanted to take Megumi and he had a look of surprise and horror when he’d seen Megumi’s face. He spoke something about ‘Sorcerer Killer’ with his friend. He looked at Megumi like he was something unimaginable.

“Let’s go.” Megumi shifted out his seat with his backpack, now that the two teens were distracted by each other. Tsumiki followed her brother’s direction and grabbed his hand and slipped through the front door of the café. The only problem was that they didn’t know where they were. It was a rich area, and they hadn’t been around them. It didn’t help that the white-haired teen had taken them a two hours ago and cannot even recall which paths they took to get to the café.

“Do you think Dad will find us?” Tsumiki asked after a while of walking around, crossing roads and trying to find a familiar place.

“Dad can find anything.” Megumi said, “He’s… he won’t leave us like last time.” Hope lingered in his voice. He hoped he was right. His dad had changed, he was more attentive, he got things wrong but he was around more. When he wasn’t, Shiu was there on dad’s behalf.

“Shiu will probably be with him.” Tsumiki said with a smile, “Do you think Dad loves Shiu?” Kids were attentive and Tsumiki was the embodiment of that. She was at the age where little girls spoke about romance with their friends even when they couldn’t understand it.

“I don’t know.” Her brother shrugged. He didn’t really mind the thought of it anyway. Shiu was the only one who could cuss out his dad and get a laugh out of him, a genuine laugh from his dad. Even if Shiu had been someone from Dad’s work, he was his dad’s friend. Someone he liked more than his stepmother who had left them. Shiu wasn’t like her, he wasn’t mean to them, he didn’t make it seem like they were a hassle to be around. He looked after them and made sure they had food and had lunch to take to school, he helped with homework. He played with them sometimes and took them for drives in his fancy car. Even when Toji wasn’t around, he treated them good.

“I think Dad likes him.” Tsumiki giggled, “He always looks at Shiu and tries to find a way to grab his attention. It’s so so cute!” Mind you this is her dad’s relationship she was talking about. The girl had picked up on his cues around the house when he was with Shiu. Toji followed the man around, he was always close to him even when he didn’t mean to be. For Shiu, he always was conscious of where Toji was, he’d check if Toji was still there, even when he was taking calls in the kitchen for his work.

“Does this mean Dad will marry Shiu?” Megumi asked his sister.

“I don’t know but I hope they will!” Tsumiki’s eyes practically glowed with excitement. “I would be a flower girl again! You could be ring bearer!”

“What’s that?”

“You carry the rings to the bride and groom.”

“Wouldn’t it be groom and groom because Dad and Shiu are men?”

“Hmm, I guess so.” Tsumiki said with a shrug.

“Where are we?” Megumi asked looking around, they had walked and walked and quite frankly, he was getting tired of it.

“I don’t know but let’s wait at the park there. We can play while we wait for Dad.” Tsumiki said pulling her brother along to the park. They set down their school bags under the slide and began to play.

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Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru were in a bit of a predicament. The kids had disappeared from the café they were in. They were so fucked. Geto had been arguing with Gojo on the ethical ways into asking kids questions, not basically kidnapping them!

“Brat, where’s my kids?” Toji fucking Fushiguro came out of nowhere. The same man who’d basically left Gojo to die. The teens stiffened up ready for a fight right there on the street. That was until the man rolled his eyes at their readiness to fight. “Look, whatever shit I’ve done has nothing to do with my kids, now where are they?” Toji growled out.

Gojo gave him a scowl, “They’re gone, we don’t know where they’ve went. Why is it that no one knew you had kids?” Gojo asked. So, the small boy really was Toji’s son. Great. Though it didn’t seem like Toji was going to kill him, he looked genuinely so lost until a man came running at him, catching up to him.

“You idiot, don’t just run off like that.” Shiu must have seen something in the blank face of Toji. “Oh dear.” He looked around and into the café shop window and it seemed like he noticed the missing presence of his kids. The man dialled a number and began talking to someone on the phone.

Gojo had a few choice words for the other man but he brushed them away. Gojo wasn’t that cruel. “Oi, Sorcerer killer or whatever, I didn’t mean to lose them.”

“But you did.” Toji scowled, ticked off by the boy already. He hated him. He hated the brat so much. His kids were now missing because this idiot decided to take them. “If you hadn’t touched my kids they wouldn’t be missing.” Toji had every right to be angry. He did. He kind of blames himself for not taking them to school. He was sorting his shit together and his kids must’ve caught onto that.

“We weren’t going to do anything! We wanted to ask them questions.” Gojo tried defending himself but even that sounded weak. “Do you know your son is so rude! He called me ugly first thing he saw my face.”

Toji gave him a flat stare, he couldn’t care less if his son was rude. He was one step away from getting out his blade and just- too many people watching. Maybe a bad idea.

“Sir,” The black-haired kid began to talk, “We didn’t mean to cause harm.” Toji was so close at losing all composure, it was a surprise he hadn’t a long time ago. Maybe it was because Tsumiki didn’t like sudden loud noises, or sudden shouting. Regulating his tone of voice had become a thing. HIs chest felt tight, like it was trying to cave into itself, he couldn’t hear a single thing. It hurt but he couldn’t show it. He pressed his lips together in a line and stopped trying to respond or listen to whatever the teens were trying to tell him.

He didn’t know how long he was in that state but once the smell of Shiu travelled closer, a hand patting him on his sternum, “Toji, they’re at XXXXXXXX park.” His legs were moving before Shiu had finished talking, pacing already towards the direction his kids should be in.

It didn’t take long for Toji to find his kids playing on the swing set, his shoulders relaxed, the pressure on his chest began to deplete. “Dad! Shiu!” Megumi’s little legs ran across the park, that was the most energy he was getting from the boy for the whole year. Tsumiki wasn’t far behind.

“The weird people took us and then they kept asking questions, but we didn’t answer and then they began to argue and then we left-” Tsumiki began to ramble out without a breath being wasted.

Toji brought them into his arms, “Good job.” He nuzzled their faces.

“You kids worried your dad a lot.” Shiu leaned over the crouched Toji to give a gentle head pat to the two.

“The grandpa grabbed me.” Megumi said with a frown, showing Toji the still irritated pink of his skin on his arm from being grabbed harshly.

“I’m gonna-” Toji was cut off by Shiu’s hand on his neck, soothing him instantly, he let out a sigh, “Let’s go home, squirts.” He picked up his kids while Shiu grabbed their bags from under the slide.

The teens that had been following along, knew they had done enough harm, Gojo had wanted a rematch with Toji but Geto stopped him, it definitely wasn’t the time at all. To be fair, Geto could tell that Toji hated Gojo even more than he had before. They left and headed back to their own school where they were berated heavily by Yaga-sensei for skipping.

Deserved honestly.

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Toji and Shiu were in Shiu’s kitchen together, they hadn’t been in close proximity since that day. The reason they hadn’t gone back to Toji’s was because Megumi needed the toilet and Shiu’s apartment complex was close by, they had popped into the convenience store and grabbed some sausages, instant ramen and a pack of eggs. Toji was chopping up the sausages to put on the ramen, mindful on Megumi’s because they boy tended to wormhole them down his throat and nearly end up choking. Shiu had finished steaming some remaining veg to put in the ramen, claiming that it was essential for the kids to have an actual filling meal.

“Toji, stop it, Toji!” Toji was flicking eggshells at Shiu.

“What’re you going to do about it?” Toji grinned at the man, scar stretching at the act.

“You’re so annoying.” Shiu laughed as he was thrown another eggshell, he grabbed some of the remaining ones and crushed it over Toji’s head, hands firmly threading into his hair to massage the crushed eggshells in.

“Hey, it's a hassle to get those out you know.” Toji’s face was a hair’s breadths away, their eyes locked onto each other, the soft breath Toji let out from a laugh of his own brushed against Shiu. Toji’s green eyes twinkled in something Shiu wanted to figure out, his lashes brushed against his cheek, Toji moved first. Soft lips gently slotted over Shiu’s, his brain blanked out before his fingers threaded through Toji’s hair, one of his hands moved from Toji’s hair, pressing into the small of his back instead, pressing him closer while Toji’s arms settled on his waist. It felt like their two worlds that were surrounding each other had finally coalesced. A warm pink flushed brushed onto both their cheeks like watercolour, Shiu pressed his tongue against the seam of Toji’s plush lips which accepted the asking hum that rumbled out of Shiu.

For once, Toji wasn’t just the one in control, he felt like he was an equal with Shiu. The man had never asked much from him. He knew his flaws, he didn’t care for his bad choices in life, he accepted them. He wasn’t afraid of him, Shiu made him feel like... he didn’t have to prove anything, he didn’t have any expectations he had to follow or know. Shiu made him feel known.

For Shiu, Toji was the only exception in his life. The man was prideful man, at the beginning he had thought the man was arrogant but so was Shiu. They clashed on so many things and had differences that may never change but he didn't want Toji to change. Then, it wouldn’t be Toji. His Toji.

For both of them, it was perfect. No words could express how they felt, both of their hearts thudded in tandem with each other, their lips moved perfectly, tongues intertwined in synchrony. It shouldn’t be contained with words, it wouldn’t do it justice at all.

When they pulled apart, lips pink in colour and cheeks alike, they looked at each other, Toji’s hair askew, a lopsided kiss-dazed smile on his lips which Shiu could perfectly match. A beautiful mess, the both of them.

“Does this mean I can leave bites on you more often?” Toji, unsurprisingly was the first to regain his ability to speak.

A startled laugh stumbled out of Shiu, “Now you’ve just ruined it.” He shook his head, he could get used to this.

“What are you two doing?” Megumi’s voice made them scramble apart.

“Ugh, Megumi!” Tsumiki scolded, the girl had an excited look on her face though.

“Ahem- nothing.” Shiu gave them an awkward smile, dumping the steamed veg and the cut-up eggs hastily into the bowls of ramen. “Here, you two.” He basically shoved the bowls into their awaiting hands., pushing the two out the kitchen, as soon as they were back in the living room, Shiu felt the warm arms wrap around his waist and the graze of Toji’s teeth over the same place his love bite had been before on his neck. He welcomed it with a resigned sigh.

He was so going to return the favour later on.

Chapter Text

Shiu woke up warm, it wasn’t the normal kind when you wake up, it was from a warm blooded man, an absolute furnace of a man, a shirtless Toji. The man had been littered in love bites peppered over his neck, collarbone and the top of his chest. Said man was pressed up against Shiu, face nuzzled into his chest with his arms wrapped around Shiu.It didn’t help that it was reaching summer. The Korean thread his fingers through the other man’s messy flop of hair. It was embarrassingly intimate but Shiu couldn’t bring himself to stop.

“Toji.” Shiu said softly, “I want to get up.” He knows the man could hear him from the subtle shake of Toji’s head against him. “No?” The tightening of the arms around him, increased.

“No.” Toji mumbled out.

“Too bad, I’m getting up.” Just as Shiu was going to sit up, Toji basically went slumped his weight over Shiu, the man was clingy in the morning. Very clingy. “Oi!” Shiu said as he struggled with the weight of the muscled man.

“We have twenty minutes. They’re not awake yet.” By they, Toji meant his kids. Shiu had stayed over late at Toji’s and due to Tsumiki’s insistence, he had to stay over. So there he was, with Toji’s clothes and in his bedroom. It was definitely Toji who started things, Shiu was actually going to be sensible before it. It didn’t reach to the point of having intimacy, they both didn’t run like that surprisingly despite their past. To be loved is not to be lusted over and that’s what they both understood about each other. They could share kisses and bites in the night, they didn’t feel like it was necessary to show that they loved each other. It had been three weeks since their first kiss now in the month of June.

“Ten minutes.” Shiu bargained.

“Twelve.”

“Ten.”

“Fifteen.”

“You know just because you’re going up isn’t going to make me change my choice.”

“If I…”

“No, don’t kiss me.” It was a weakness that Toji knew Shiu was going to enjoy and hate later. “Toji-“ he pressed a hand over Toji’s mouth when he began to move, bracketing his legs around Shiu.

Toji flashed his emerald eyes, “mmpeaaaase” Toji muffled against his hand. The only time he uses manners is for getting what he wants. It was funny.

“No.” Shiu’s hand placed itself at the side of his abdomen and tickled him, making Toji jerk away. It was surprising to find out the man could be tickled, he thought with his Divine Blessing, it would be impossible. He thought wrong and was happily using it against the man.

“You fiend!” Toji said with a playful grin.

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” Shiu sat up, finally. Toji paused for a second before his eyes flickered back to Shiu, “They’re awake?” Toji gave him a small nod, “Fine, one kiss, and I mean it Toji. Just one.” The man took his chance like a blessing, eclipsing their lips together, they both couldn’t help melting into the kiss. It always invoked a feeling beyond words and truer than the sky.

Shiu let Toji pull away first, it was something he did a lot. Letting Toji initiate something and allowing something to end, Shiu took control of what happens within the moment but Toji controls the before and after. It just fit and they weren’t constantly fighting for control, it just matched with what they both wanted. Even without the use of words.

“I want more.” Toji’s eyes sparkled with want which made Shiu laugh slightly.

“Later okay? We have to make them breakfast and wear a shirt okay?” The constellations of bites he’d left on Toji were cute and all but Megumi was a boy who questioned everything and was very blunt about it.

“I don’t want to get out of bed.”

“Well then, you can stay here and I’ll do morning run and you do afternoon, deal?” Shiu had a few client meetings after 11am, he would rather have have time with the kids in the morning and give them most of his energy before the energy sinks after work.

“Not happy about it.” Toji flopped over back onto his pillow.

“You’re never happy.” Shiu got out of bed grabbing one of Toji’s shirts to wear, hiding his own constellations of bites that Toji left on him.  Only one was above the collar, as agreed, he would have liked none for the sake of his client-based work but Toji, insisted last night.

The bedroom door shot open, “Shiu, you’re still here!” Tsumiki beamed.

“Yes, I’m still here, what’s up?”

“Megumi doesn’t want to wear his summer uniform. He says it’s itchy.” Tsumiki pulled Shiu out the room, slightly making him stumble a bit. Toji liked Shiu being over, a great help with the kids and lets him have a break too. He… loved it.

Naona.

Whaaaat?

Is he the person you brought me back for?

Well, yes and for your kids.

Im not thanking you.

You and your pride.

Whatever. If you need anyone to kill, I can do it.

That would be amazing but I’m good, buddy. Anyway, you’ve got your maaaaaan!!

Oh, shut up. Im not talking to you.

Hush, I’m talking to you through your soul, so it doesn’t count.

You’re annoying.

I could be an amazing wine aunt. Ugh I wish I could see you lot.

Why not?

Um… anyways.

Right.

My business is my business.

And mine happens to be yours too?

Exactly.

Doesn’t seem fair.

I’m lying, I only know bits and pieces, not everything, I’m not omniscient.

Alright.

I’m guessing you’re bored of me, bye-bye.

WAIT-

Yes?

I’m doing the right thing, right?

You feel right, you’re happy, let yourself live Toji, not everything is out for you, but if you’d like, if I get any knowledge, I’ll talk to you, okay? Now your boyfie will be back soon so you might as well get in your quality time with him before he goes home.

...How do you always know...?

Girl intuition, mate. It’s instinct. Bye, Toji.

Toji didn’t give a goodbye like usual, he shuffled out of bed to use the bathroom, then he was brushing his teeth, he glanced in the mirror, his eyes caught sight of the marks over his top half. He traced over one on his collar bone, pretty pink in colour that was starting to blend with a soft purple. He admired it for a while, all of them were unique to one person, it was all Shiu’s work. A warm feeling blossomed in Toji’s heart, something he hadn’t felt in a while. He felt loved.

The front door swung open and the familiar steps of Shiu made its way through the house, Toji rinsed his mouth and walked out the bathroom, Shiu had a few bags of groceries with him, and he set them on the counter. He had around two hours before he had to go to his apartment, get changed and head off for some client meetings. “Megumi said he wants something gingery later today, figure out something.” Shiu said to Toji.

“If I don’t?” Toji said, smoothly sliding to his side, placing a jar of spices Shiu had bought onto the top shelf of his cupboard.

“Then you don’t but I’ll know because Megumi knows how to use the phone.” Shiu smiled.

“No punishment?” Toji was pushing it and he knew it.

“What punishment would I give to a perfectly capable man?” Shiu laughed lightly.

“Hmm I don’t know.” Toji rested his chin on his shoulder, Shiu’s hand caressed his face slightly, a warm palm brushing against his jaw.  Toji nuzzled into the kind hand, it felt good. Something he had been missing for a long time. Softness. His world was one filled with violence and pain and unfairness, now it had opened up to softness that had been buried away for a long time, he felt like his world was finally getting back it’s flourishing colours again. He was afraid, to be honest. What if this was just temporary? A temporary sick joke and that Naona was just messing with him, making him live a life of “could be”’s just for their own shits and giggles.

“You okay?” Shiu asked him, his gruff voice was mingled with the scent of smoke, he must’ve smoked before he came back home, Toji filed it into memory.

“Mhm.” Toji pressed their lips together a soft fleeting moment before he ended it. If Shiu wanted to ask anything else, he didn’t say it as Toji made his breakfast. More often than not, Toji never spoke about what was going on in his mind, Shiu wasn’t going to expect it or force it out of him now either.

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Kong Shiu was really busy for the following weeks and hadn’t been able to see his partner in a while, they still called to check if the kids were alive, if each other was alive but it wasn’t the same as being able to see each other in person. They both understood they each had their lives, Toji, taking care of the kids and Shiu doing his client based work. Not to mention some clients were truly horrid creatures that managed to spill out the crack of hell and onto Earth. It took so much patience for these specific ones. They were the worst of the worst, but Shiu couldn’t express his contempt, he had to keep professional.

It was a long day at work and Shiu just entered the apartment, he knew who was already in his apartment before he stepped in, though he didn’t expect the two additions, it was a Saturday he recalled.

“Mr Shiu!” Tsumiki came over, “Welcome home!”

“Thank you, Tsumiki.” He patted her head as she grabbed his briefcase and ran off to put it where he usually kept it. She must’ve memorised the layout of the place already. She was a sweet girl, Shiu thought.

He walked into the living room finding Toji and Megumi sat on the couch, next to the couch was two bags, a big one and one small one. “You guys staying the night?” Shiu asked giving Megumi a pat on the head.

“Dad said to.” Megumi looked up at him.

“Is that so…” Shiu’s eyes flickered to Toji who was keeping his face hooked onto the TV, though a small grin was peeking through.

“We made dinner!” Tsumiki told Shiu, “We hope you like it!” She said with a beaming smile. These kids are making him so soft, Shiu loved them.

“If you guys made it, then I’m sure it’s going to be delicious.” Shiu said, a smile on his lips. The fatigue he was feeling was finally melting away, “I’ll go change and I’ll be right back.” When he came back his coffee table had four bowls of steaming chicken katsu curry and rice.

Megumi was already chowing down on his food, he couldn’t blame the kid, the food looked amazing, once Shiu sat down, Tsumiki clapped her hands together, followed by Toji and Shiu, an ‘itadakimasu’ before they all joined Megumi in eating. The meal was good but there was so much more to it, Shiu had not expected it at all, the surprise made it all better, a meal built with affection and someone in mind, him in mind. That meant the world to him.

Later on, Shiu had the kids take his bed, he didn’t want them sleeping on the floor at all and he took out an extra futon he had for Toji, setting it up in the living room for him, Shiu was planning to take the couch. “Sleep with me.” Toji said with a grin.

“You really think we’re going to fit the futon, you dolt.” Shiu shook his head with an amused smile.

“Stop being a prick, it’s not going to be that bad, plus you never gave me any kisses today.” Toji said pulling Shiu closer to him, pressing a kiss onto the corner of his lips.

“Well, would you have wanted me to kiss you in front of your kids?” Shiu rolled his eyes, turning his face to plant a kiss on his lips.

“The squirts couldn’t care less.”

“Well, I care.” Shiu laughed.

“I don’t.” They had long moved onto the futon, tangled up in each others arms. Shiu brushed some of Toji’s hair out of his face.

“You should probably trim this.” He settled his hand onto his jaw, thumb brushing the scar on his lips.

“Then you do it.” Toji turned his face to plant a kiss on his palm.

“I guess I could.” Shiu smiled at him, “Night, Toji.”

“Going to sleep already? I haven’t had a proper make out today.” Toji shifted his face closer, Shiu felt like rolling his eyes once again but something about those endearing green eyes just stopped him. He pressed their lips together, it was soft at first before it developed into a searing kiss, hands wandered, pants became more frequent. They were truly absorbed by each other.

When they pulled apart, Toji chased some soft kisses to commit the taste into his memory. The silence that grew between them was a comfortable one, not one you needed to fill with words as it already had thoughts of affection flying between them. They fell asleep, intertwined by body and soul.

What cuties.

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Dad loved Shiu. Megumi came to the conclusion, he had woken up early and wanted some breakfast when he found Toji plastered over Shiu on a futon in front of the couch, Megumi wandered off to the kitchen and looked through Shiu’s cupboards to find the cereal they bought the day before, he found it on a shelf high up, so, taking initiative, he began to climb onto the counter before standing on his tippy toes to grab the box.

His fingers pulled at the sides, slipping slightly but managing to move the box out of the shelf slowly, he kept at it until the box was halfway out, lifting it from the bottom so it could tip back into his arms. It was going great until the box shifted out of Megumi’s predicted trajectory, falling way off. He caught it though. He did. The thing is... now he was falling backwards too. A small gasp shot its way through Megumi’s throat as his heart began to beat fast, he clutched the stupid box of cereal and screw his eyes shut.

He tipped.

Tipped.

Tipped over

Into warm arms, “Squirt, are you trying to hurt yourself by purpose?” His dad’s voice reached his ears, the startled look in Megumi’s eyes were clear to see. “If you wanted cereal, you could have woken me up, not try get yourself a gravestone.” Toji brought Megumi closer to his chest before setting him down on his two little feet.

The boy swayed on his felt slightly, still clutching the box of cereal. Toji crouched down before him, “Let’s do a check, okay?” Megumi could feel himself nodding.

“Feet, okay?”

A nod. He could feel his feet fine.

“Head, okay?”

A nod, his head felt a bit mushy, but it didn’t hurt.

“Arms, okay?” HIs arms felt a bit sore from holding the cereal box tightly, so he gave a shake of his head, “Okay.” Toji plucked the box from his arms, seeing the small smears of pink on his arms, he gave them a quick massage with his warm hands. “Better?”

“Uh huh.” Megumi finally said, Toji picked him up and got out a bowl for Megumi, then he opened the cereal single handedly and poured some into the bowl, just enough for a little boy. “Not a lot.” Megumi said as his dad began to pour milk into his bowl.

“Alright.” Toji stopped pouring at a certain point and placed a spoon into the bowl before setting his son down and passing him his cereal. Upon getting the bowl, the boy scurried off to the living room to the coffee table to eat his breakfast. There, he found Shiu awake and folding up the futon. He must’ve woken up at the same time Toji had.

“Good morning, Megumi.” Shiu smiled at him.

“Morning.” Megumi scooped up some cereal and began to shovel it into his mouth. He was hungry and now his mission to his stomach’s pleasure was getting fulfilled, he didn’t want to talk until he was done,

He must have zoned out because now Tsumiki had woken up, and she was talking animatedly to Shiu, who had a coffee in hand. His dad brushed a hand over his hair, “Go brush your teeth, squirt.” He passed him a toothbrush and the kids' toothpaste for him, his son grabbed the items and left the coffee table to go wash his face and brush his teeth.

Fushiguro Tsumiki was a lot of things, she was funny and intellectual and right now she was spitting out questions faster than Shiu could get his head around, it was embarrassing on what the nature of the questions were, romance. “Are you going to take my dad on a date to a fancy restaurant?” That was her latest question. That had Toji laughing. Shiu had said a while back that he’d never take a man to a fancy restaurant when he’d asked, things have changed now.

“Slow down, Tsumiki.” Shiu said slightly flustered by the questions.

“But will you? I can make sure that Dad dresses pretty!”

“Oi, my choice of clothing are already good.” Toji cut in.

“It’s okay dad, I can help you, I’m an expert.” Tsumiki said cheekily making Shiu stifle a laugh behind his hand.

“You’re not funny, squirtle.” Toji said with playful annoyance.

“I think I am.” The girl must’ve gotten her cheek from someone else, (it was definitely from him) because he was left astounded by her audacity.

Toji sighed, “I’m looking forward to that date, Shiu.” A smirk settled on his face as he saw the look in Shiu’s eyes, it was a resigned sweet look that showed he was bested by both the Fushiguro’s.

“Who’s going to look after the kids?”

“I have someone in mind that could watch over them.”

“Really? Who?” Shiu wasn’t aware of any close friends of Toji, he didn’t think he had friends besides him.

“Her name is Naona.”

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Ain’t no way you just popped up my name to take care of your kids.

What do you expect me to do? Take them with us?

Right... fine, okay. I can show up for you.

I don’t see why you wanted to start complaining, its an easy job.

I’m not getting paid so its involuntary labour.

Mah, I don’t care. Take care of my kids.

Fine.

On the day of the date, a black woman dressed in a white tee and a beige cardigan with brown slacks was at the door, she had daisy earrings, and her curly black hair was put up in a bun, eyes framed by glasses holding a designer bag. “You.” She said to Toji, her voice was the exact same as her other kind of communication.

“Naona.” Toji smirked at her, eyeing her, she was taller than most but still a head shorter than Toji, she looked young like late 20s.

“One thing, I’m scared of kids.”

“Well, get over it.” Toji let her inside, “What’s in the bag?” He asked her.

“This, is yours to wear, you have to look nice, and I know for a fact that with the clothes you have you’ll get kicked out of the restaurant.” Naona smiled at him, her smile lines stretching to accommodate her smile.

He took the bag, “It looks expensive.”

“Because it was, and I’ve bought you some jewellery, it’s gold, you better not sell it to gamble.” She said. “Now go have a shower and change, you have an hour and a half before Shiu comes to pick you up, passenger princess.” Toji’s brow twitched at the title but didn’t say anything about it.

“I don’t like you.”

“I think I’ve got it.”

“You hurt my kids,” Toji added, “Consider your life in danger.”

“I won’t hurt them.” Naona rolled her eyes, “Now go, I’ll meet them.” Naona walked into the living room where the two kids were sat up straight and trying to look as likeable as they could- well more like Tsumiki was.

“Hello, my name is Tsumik and this is my brother Megumi.”

“Hello, you two, my name is Naona.” She smiled softly at them, “Do you want to know what my biggest fear is?”

“What is it?” Tsumiki asked.

“Birds.” That caught Megumi’s attention as he began to laugh with Tsumiki.

“Why?” Megumi asked with some curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

“I got chased by too many different kinds of birds, I just have bad luck with them.” Naona was glad that her fears were something that was letting the two come out of their shells and interacting with her.

Around an hour later, Toji was finally out of his bedroom, wearing the clothes Naona had bought him, he was wearing a dark blue button up shirt, the undershirt he had on was white which could be seen from the top unbuttoned part of his shirt, along his neck was a gold chain necklace, the white slacks he was wearing to keep the outfit not too dark which would be too dark and for God’s sake it was summer, the light colours needed to be there. Naona was glad that Toji had matching dark blue slip-ons, it put his outfit together.

“What’s this?” Toji held up a golden accessory, it was too small to go around his wrist properly.

“It’s an anklet.”

“Why tho?”

“You probably wouldn’t like rings, so I got you that instead, gives that... y’know.” Naona waggled her eyebrows. “Shiu will like it.”

“You’re plotting.” Toji narrowed his eyes at her.

“Am I?” Naona’s eyes twinkled in mischief.

“You-” He was cut off by a knock at the door, it was Shiu. Early and all.

“Oi, lift your leg, I’ll put it on for you.” Naona said snatching the anklet from his hands to put it around his ankle.

“Hurry up.” Toji said huffed as she wrapped the anklet around his raised ankle. Once she was done, Toji went off to open the door.

“Make sure to use protection, have fun!” Naona called, Toji flipped her off in response.

“Hey.” Shiu said as Toji opened the door, he looked more formal than Toji, a full three-piece suit with a dark blue tie, a golden tie clip and gold cufflinks, “Didn’t know you owned anything formal.”

“I didn’t until today.” Toji smiled and left the house, Shiu lead him to the car, opening the pasenger door for him, letting him settle in, the distant words of ‘passenger princess’ clinked through his brain making his ears burn slightly at the reminder and the treatment he was getting as Shiu shut the door and went round to the drivers’ side.

The drive to the restaurant was uneventful, when they had gotten to the restaurant, it was fancy alright. You could tell from the building in itself, it looked expensive, the doormen dressed in formal attire, the red carpet leading to the staircase, the golden lining on the doors. Shiu had his car valeted by one of the doormen and the two walked up the steps to get their reservation check in. They were twelve minutes early which was good as their table had already been prepared and they got seated at a table for two.

Toji felt so out of place, the plates had way too many cutleries around it, he didn’t know which ones to use when their starter came out a good few minutes after they had ordered, “Is it like this every time for you, Shiu?” Toji asked the man, who passed him the correct cutlery to use. It was a small dish which Toji managed to eat quickly.

“First time I came to a place like this was when I was undercover back when I was a detective. I had to learn impeccable elegance and manners, it was an interesting case.” Shiu replied with a smile, eating his starter slower than Toji.

“What was the case about?” Toji asked leaning back in his chair.

“A delivery of arms coming from Russia had to be stopped, the rich snobs were having a party for being successful in their smugglings. My role was to find the leader, well, leaders.” Shiu told him which stemmed more questions from Toji about the past Shiu had lived. To be fair, it was a long time since anyone asked Shiu about his past, the fact someone he trusted wanted to him made it all the better.

Their cuts of wagyu steak accompanied by a few golden crusted potatoes came over, and their starter plates had been taken away swiftly, glasses of red wine were poured into their glasses, Toji had taken medium rare from Shiu's suggestion while Shiu himself took a medium steak. It was a great suggestion because Toji was already chowing down once he’d picked up the knife and fork. If they were the wrong ones, Shiu didn't say anything, he was too busy observing the man in front of him surreptitiously.

“You need to take me out more often.” Toji said after he had shovelled a slice of his wagyu into his mouth.

“You really want to get into my pockets, don’t you?”

“It’s a free meal, ‘course I would.” Toji grinned at the man.

“So, I have to get used to this?” Shiu picked up his glass, taking a sip of his wine.

“Mhm.”

“I didn’t know you liked dabbling on the rich side.”

“If it’s food, then yes.”

“Wow, I see the kind of man you are- oi!” Toji had swiped a slice of Shiu’s steak.

“You’re eating too slow.” The man chewed on the stolen delicacy.

“Didn’t realise it was an issue.” Shiu put two more slices of his steak onto Toji’s empty plate, he was getting full anyway and a wasted meal is basically a waste of money. “There’s still dessert to come.”

“What did we get again?”

“I got the vanilla-raspberry mascarpone cheesecake with the lemon curd and raspberry compote with a quenelle of vanilla ice cream, and you got the chocolate semi fredo with a vanilla quenelle topped with a tangy raspberry sauce as it said.” Shiu smiled at Toji.

“How do you remember all that?” Toji said slightly in awe.

“Former detective, remember?” Shiu blossomed with pride.

“Huh.” Toji just stared at the man. He was the complete opposite of him in some ways, Toji couldn’t remember stuff like names whereas Shiu remembered the smallest details, like how Megumi likes things with ginger in them, and how Tsumiki likes here hair to be and what her favourite colour is, or how Toji likes his weapons and how he likes them cleaned and sharpened. Shiu knew all of that.

Fuck. He really had it down bad.

They left the restaurant, belly full and giddy with joy, Shiu had driven somewhere close to home before he wanted to take a walk to get a few steps in. It was a good idea because now.. the two were laughing at a man who looked like he was having a fit on the street, when he tripped over the two laughed harder. It was Toji who started it! And began commentating on what the man would do next. Maybe it was the wine from earlier but Shiu was finding it all too funny, maybe it was because of how it was late in the evening too. Maybe.

“Stop laughing!” Shiu hissed at Toji as they kept going down the street, laughing himself.

“I’m not stopping you.” Toji laughed slightly swaying onto Shiu.

“He’s going to hear!” Shiu felt like a kid again, just laughing at the most stupidest of things.

“I don’t care.” The man was full on belly laughing, that was until Shiu grabbed his hand and began running, the man they had been laughing at finally noticed them two laughing at him and had began to give chase, literally throwing curses at them and shouting at them.

The two couldn’t hold back their laughter as they continued running, they swerved around a corner and Shiu pulled Toji into an alley. “SSH!” He clamped a hand over Toji’s mouth which was quivering to laugh. The two were pressed up against each other in that damn alley, waiting for the man to pass by the alley. Shiu’s leg was slot in between Toji’s, Toji’s back pressed against the wall, arm and chest pressed against Shiu who was glancing at the entrance of the alley.

The man’s opal eyes were alluring as he turned back to Toji, grin of success on his face which slipped into something softer. “I know that look.” Shiu gave Toji a knowing look.

“Do you?” Toji smirked.

“I do.” Shiu moved first, pressing a kiss onto his lips, it was a good kiss, perfect even but… Toji wanted more than that. A whole lot more than just kissing. His body was already reacting to his needs.

“Your apartment is close right?” Toji asked as he pressed his forehead against Shiu’s shoulder. “If you don’t fuck me tonight, I’m going to kill you.” Toji was a blunt man in what he wanted and right now he didn’t want no fucking misunderstandings. Not this time. He wanted Shiu, all of him.

Who was Shiu to deny the man that?

“Of course.” Shiu gave him a kiss that promised more.

.

.

.

.

Who knew sex with Toji would be this world changing? Shiu had loved it. The fact Toji allowed himself to be vulnerable with him was the biggest solidification of trust he’s ever been given. It was both their first time and it couldn’t have been any better, a thing about Toji was that he didn’t know if he was allowed to voice his opinion during it, Shiu made sure beforehand that if Toji wanted to stop or he didn’t like something, he should say it. Shiu would back off. It wouldn’t make Shiu feel good if only he enjoyed it, he loved Toji, scary as it is, he actually did love the man. Maybe it was too quick but who’s going to stop him from following his heart?

Shiu found out a lot about Toji, with what he likes, what he enjoys but one thing he’s come to the conclusion of, he loves biting. On their second round, Toji had locked his teeth over Shiu’s shoulder, clutching him in his arms with his legs around his waist to muffle his moans. Shiu liked the sounds he made, they just tickled his ears in the most perfect way. It was beautiful and gave Shiu more encouragement to continue as they went on.

Anyway, it was safe to say that the two had a great night, the two had taken a bath together and had gotten breakfast but Toji was laying flat on his stomach on the couch, wearing Shiu’s clothes. “Is it meant to ache like this?” Toji grumbled. His back hurt, sure, he hadn’t used it in that kind of way before.

Shiu settled a heat pack placed in a towel over his lower back, “Apparently yes.” He brushed Toji’s hair out of his eyes with a finger. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, I was the one that wanted you to fuck me, I don’t fucking regret it either.” The man had a loopy grin on his face.

“Well then, I’ll take the apology back.” He smiled, “oh right, did you tell your babysitter you were staying over?”

“Pretty sure she doesn’t care, she’s just taking care of the kids since she owes me for psychological distress.” Toji said flippantly.

“What did she do to cause that?” Shiu sat at the end of the couch, Toji moved so his head laid on his lap.

“She let me go crazy when you were avoiding me and wouldn’t tell me why.” Toji bit his leg through his trousers making Shiu hiss and whack him over the head, “I’m still mad you for that.”

“Give me a break, I didn’t even know why I liked you back then, I was going through a midlife crisis.” Shiu threaded his fingers through Toji’s hair.

“Excuses.” Toji mumbled against his thigh.

“Oh shut up.” Shiu rolled his eyes, he could so get used to this.

He would.

(By the way, Shiu loved the anklet on Toji if you were wondering!)