It was a warm, cloudless night in the spring when the triplets decided to have their birthday sleepover. They had actually already turned 9 earlier that week, but the event had fallen on a weekday so celebrations were postponed until the weekend. Inside of the small Nishigori dwelling, a few wrapped presents sat in one corner of the living room, waiting to be opened once all the guests had arrived. The kitchen and dining area were decorated with a banner that read "Happy birthday, triplets!" and multicoloured helium balloons adorned with twisting ribbons floated gently against the ceiling. The pièce de résistance, a pink, lavender, and baby blue glass cake decorated with a glossy white fondant skating rink upon which three cute little figures performed various figure skating techniques around the words "Happy birthday!", sat in a white box in the fridge, not to be revealed until later that night. A few of the girls' friends from school and their skating lessons as well as one of their three cousins had already arrived at the residence and were enjoying the pizza that Takeshi had brought from the new Western style restaurant that had opened up near the skating rink when the doorbell rang. Just as Yuuko was getting up from her chair, the birthday girls in their pastel coloured pyjamas and animal plush slippers jumped up, abandoning their Italian-American dinner to follow their mother to the door.
"A new guest!" Axel said excitedly.
"Who could it be?" asked Loop, skipping happily.
"I wanna get it!" exclaimed Lutz, rushing in front of Yuuko to grab the door handle first.
"Calm down, girls!" their mother said. The three little ones were crowding her as she walked and she grew anxious that she might trip over one of her own daughters in their excitement. Finally reaching the door, Yuuko undid the lock and allowed Lutz to turn to knob and swing it open. On the other side stood three familiar faces.
"Meichan!" the twins exclaimed in unison at the 6 year-old Meiling in front of them. Beside her stood two cheerful looking men, the girl's papa and papochka, Yuuri Katsuki and Victor Nikiforov respectively. The tiny girl smiled back at the triplets shyly, her black hair in high braided pigtails on either side of her head and tied with two shiny sky blue hair bobbles, each in the shape of sweet konpeitou. She was wearing a yellow summer dress with an outlined sunflower pattern matched with little yellow sandals and a light orange cardigan to protect her from the cool spring night breeze. Meiling's little hand grasped her papochka's tightly and she almost seemed to hide behind him, her tiny body swaying slightly in a way that indicated both nervousness and happiness. Even though she was excited for her first sleepover with her three friends, she was also a little hesitant. After all, this would be her first night without papa or papochka!
"Hello, Yuuko!" Victor said in his familiar friendly way with a rather endearing Russian accent. Yuuko noted that his Japanese was getting better. He wore a fitted white tshirt and comfortable pair of black sweatpants which still complimented his athletic form quite nicely even though they were meant more for comfort than aesthetics. Slung over his shoulder was a baby blue children's Doraemon themed backpack no doubt belonging to his and his partner's adopted daughter. "And happy birthday, girls! It's hard to believe you three are 9 already."
"Hey guys!" Yuuko replied cheerfully. "Thanks so much for coming."
"Thanks so much for the invitation," said Yuuri. He was wearing one of Victor's thin red warm-weather hoodies which he had borrowed a long time ago and just never returned paired with his own blue jeans. Over his shoulder was a youth-sized pink duffle bag in the shape of a fluffy poodle. The bag seemed fairly full and Yuuko briefly wondered what could be inside. "Meichan's been so excited all week!"
"It's our pleasure!" piped Lutz, opening the door a little more to encourage Meiling to enter.
"We're gonna have so much fun!" Loop exclaimed.
"And we'll take good care of Meichan!" added Axel. Ever since she had immigrated from China 3 years ago, the triplets had treated Meiling as if she were their little sister and they took their jobs as self appointed big sisters very seriously. The three of them had even encouraged little Meiling to call them Axel-nee, Loop-nee, and Lutz-nee to seal the deal.
The two men chuckled at the girls' enthusiasm.
"We have no doubt you will," Victor responded. He turned then to the tiny person still clutching his hand, a warm smile on his beautiful face as he bent slightly to meet her. "Well then, malyshka? Are you ready to go?"
"Mm hm!" Meiling nodded, seeming to want to join the rambunctious noise from inside of the house but still holding Victor tightly. A bright mint green balloon floating about inside had caught the attention of her large brown eyes and she was suddenly a little more inclined to join in.
"Vicchan, wait a moment," said Yuuri as he knelt down and opened up the poodle duffle bag. He was addressing Yuuko now and pulling out items as he mentioned them. "We packed all the regular things – toothbrush, pyjamas, change of clothes and all that – but there are a few other things in here too just in case, like an extra toothbrush, her favourite board game, a flashlight in case she's afraid of the dark, a sweater in case she gets cold, her favourite snacks, a pair of ear plugs to help her sleep..."
He continued listing off a lot of the bag's contents, most of which seemed like things Meiling really wouldn't be needing for a small sleepover at a house which was only walking distance from the Katsuki-Nikiforov dwelling. The triplets' and their mother's eyes widened at the sheer amount of items contained within. No wonder that bag seemed so full. Eventually, Yuuko had to stop the anxious new father.
"Yuuri, do you really think Meichan will need all of that stuff...?"
"Uhh..." Yuuri looked at her then at his husband, who was giving him the same confused look as Yuuko. Slowly, he looked down at his shoes then, realization striking him as he smiled sheepishly. "Well... maybe I overdid it a little."
Yuuri's childhood friend giggled. "It's fine! I get it. This is her first time spending the night away from home so you're worried. Been there, done that."
The younger man nodded, still looking sheepish as he stood up. "It's just weird knowing that we'll go to sleep and she won't be with us tonight."
"Yuuri, we spoke about this," Victor lectured, but he did so warmly and shook his head at how adorable his husband was. "Our little girl is growing up. Sometimes, we just need to let her go."
Yuuri sighed. "I know, I know." He gently put his hand on the little head beside him to get the small child's attention, smiling lovingly at her. "Papa's going to miss you, Meichan."
Meiling let go of Victor's hand to hug Yuri's legs, burying her round face in his thigh. "I'll miss you too, Papa!"
"Don't worry, Meichan," Axel reassured the little girl and reached out her hand for the little one to take. "Remember – your big sisters are here to take care of you!"
Meiling lifted her head then to catch the triplets' gaze and after a pause, cheerfully took Axel's hand to let her lead her inside.
"Good bye, princessa!" Victor called out to his daughter as the children made their way into the house. "Papa and papochka love you! And we'll be back to pick you up at lunchtime tomorrow."
"Love you too! Bye bye!" Meiling waved and then disappeared with the sisters around the corner which lead into the kitchen.
It was just the three parents then standing together at the threshold.
"Well, I'll take these inside," Yuuko offered, reaching out for the duffle bag and the backpack. Yuuri handed the poodle shaped bag over and Yuuko bent a little bit, not anticipating how heavy it really was.
"Ah, sorry!" said her friend, apologetically.
"It's no problem."
It was Victor's turn to step closer with the backpack and a wink. "Well, Yuuko, you'll be happy to know that the only things in here are presents and Meichan's favourite Makkachin plush toy."
"Okay, I'll take that too," she responded, and took the Doraemon bag with her free arm as he passed it to her.
"Oh! And I can't forget this," the platinum blond Russian said as he retrieved a sheet of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it and handed it to Yuuko, who was surprised to see it was almost entirely full of numbers.
"Here's our home phone number and my cellphone number, and this is Yuuri's cellphone number. But if you can't get us, then that's the number for the inn and if you can't get them, this is Minako's number and the number for her dance class, but she probably won't be there right now, so here's her home phone number and..."
"Victor..."
The man stopped at his husband's voice and he noticed the awkward smiles which Yuuri and their friend were giving him. They said nothing and only stared at the man, whose blue eyes shifted back and forth between the two, the irony of his actions totally lost on him.
"... What?"