Hikaru, as she so often loved to point out nowadays, was a big girl.
She could go to the bathroom all by herself, even being able to reach the toilet paper without needing anyone's assistance.
She had gotten into the habit of refusing her dad's help when getting herself dressed in the mornings too, because big girls didn't need help picking out their clothes, especially not from boys (and, okay, maybe they were secretly thankful for that one because Rei hated getting up so early to coordinate outfits and Nagisa was an utter failure at it in general).
She could even get herself all cleaned up and ready to be tucked into bed, though, it was important to note, she would occasionally allow her fathers in to tell her a bedtime story because they did all the silly voices and faces.
To be completely honest, it hit Rei the hardest. He thrived on responsibility (which explained his perfect 4.0 when they graduated high school); he loved having people depend on him because he knew he'd never disappoint, so of course, one of his greatest joys was tending to each and every one of his daughter's needs. It was difficult for him to let go of it though. There were many times when Nagisa would hear, from somewhere in the house, "Daddy, no, I'm gonna do it!" followed by Rei's hurt response of "Okay, sweetheart, I'm sorry. You can do it."
Rei would approach Nagisa after dropping Hikaru off to school with an expression the blonde could only describe as distressed and confused.
"I thought their defiant stage only came when they reached their teenage years."
Nagisa could only laugh in response. "She's not defying us, she's just becoming more...Self reliant. Y'know, 'I'm an independent woman and I need no man' kind of thing."
But, they understood that was just another part of growing up for Hikaru. Learning to do things on her own was healthy and completely normal (as Gou had stressed out to them with every opportunity she got).
And, in all honesty, it wasn't without its perks.
Nagisa and Rei were still curled around each other one night, tangled together after thoroughly and enthusiastically celebrating one of those said perks. It had been several months since Hikaru had come into their room after her bedtime, so the two were relatively confident that she wouldn't walk in on them like this, pressed together in a way they hadn't been able to enjoy in a long while.
When Hikaru knocked on the door, just a light sound of knuckles hesitantly tapping on wood, neither of them stirred. She gave a little sniffle, calling out a soft, watery, "Daddy? Papa?"
But, when there was no response, Hikaru pushed open the door and poked her head in, pushing he bangs out of her face with a sleepy, impatient sound. There must've been something wrong since Rei always reprimanded her for being out of bed so late, so she quietly darted across the dark, empty space between the foot of the bed and the door and climbed onto the bed, carefully picking her way across the sheets until she was curled up between the two men.
Rei was the first one to wake when Hikaru began crying softly and was quick to pull her into a tight hug. "Hikaru, sweetheart, what's wrong?" He whispered blearily, not quite fully awake just yet. Her faint sniffles turned into louder sobs as she clutched at Rei's shirt and suddenly Nagisa was wide awake, turning on one of the lights.
"Hikaru? Why are you crying?" The blonde asked, his voice rough from sleep. Rei reached for his glasses, eyes narrowed and irritated by the sudden brightness.
"I had a bad dream." Hikaru whimpered, wrapping her tiny arms around Nagisa's neck and pulling him in closer. Rei sighed gently and pressed a kiss into her blonde hair.
"What happened in your nightmare, sweetie?" Rei questioned as Nagisa stroked their daughter's back. Hikaru gave a little hiccup and Nagisa made a helpless sound, scooting forward so their child was wrapped protectively in his arms.
"I was walking on the beach and then...And then I saw you. I went up to you and your eyes were open but you wouldn't say anything and I tried to ask Papa what was wrong but he wouldn't open his eyes! I got scared because you weren't breathing and didn't wake up! Both of you wouldn't wake up! I was so alone..." Hikaru wept. She tried to pull her fathers in closer and Rei gave a soft chuckle as he took his cue to move forward as well, holding her between them. He was concerned that she could suffocate being so squished between them, but she seemed to take comfort in having them both so close and warm and alive. So, Rei and Nagisa rearranged themselves so their knees and elbows weren't digging into one another.
"Hikaru, we're right here, see?" Rei murmured against her hair.
Nagisa nodded, petting her blonde locks and taking her tiny hand in his. She squeezed it tight, like she was holding on for dear life, like if she let him go she would wake up and they would be dead again. "We're both awake now, sweetie; we're not dead, you see?"
"Why would you even be having nightmares about seeing us dead anyway, silly little girl? I don't think you've ever seen a dead person in the first place."
Nagisa tried to silently stop what he knew Hikaru was about to say, but unfortunately, she hadn't quite mastered the art of telepathy yet. "Papa told be a story about it." She mumbled, her little voice already getting sleepy again.
Rei's eyes shot up to Nagisa's guilty face, narrowing behind those red framed lenses. "Oh? And what story was that, sweetheart?"
"R-Rei, it's really not that important-"
"It was about the one time you and Papa and Uncle Mako and Uncle Haru went to that training camp. He said that you guys almost drowned and you'd be dead if you did." Hikaru was almost asleep again, her death grip on Nagisa's hand loosening by second increments as she drifted off.
Rei was not amused.
"Nagisa Hazuki, you said you would never bring that story up ever-"
Rei's scolding was cut off by Hikaru's soft snore and Nagisa shushed his husband with a kiss, muttering, "Yell at me in the morning, let her sleep now."
The fact that Rei let it drop did not stop the blue haired man from growling, "You are not in the clear yet, Nagisa Hazuki."
Hikaru didn't stop claiming to be a big girl and if asked a week later she would adamantly deny being scared at all by Papa's old story, adding that nightmares and crying were for babies and she was definitely not a baby. And when, as if to prove a point, she sat down to listen to Nagisa tell it again, neither of them stopped her.
But, they made extra sure to leave their bedroom door unlocked that night.