Shinkai loved food, that wasn't a secret nor a crime. But with the way his sister carried on about it one would think it was the end of the world.
"Do you know how much sugar are in those things? Your teeth will rot out if you're not careful." Waving his little sister off with a casual smile, the brunette licked his sticky lips clean.
"Says she who eats two pounds of melon bread a day." Tisking as she gently kicked him in the thigh, the dark haired girl scowled.
"I go to the gym twice a week and work it off, you barely lift a finger."
"I ride to work every day!" Scoffing at her brother's outrage Yuuto Shinkai rose on her knees to lean over the sofa and pluck the power bar straight from her brother's mouth.
"And that's what? A thirty minute ride? Hardly what you did in high school or university." Settling back on the sofa, Yuuto sighed. "You're getting chubby nii-san."
Owch. That was a low blow, regardless of how true it was. He had noticed of course, the slight squish around his middle and thighs. His thighs of course had always been thick but the now with the lack of training and racing his tone and definition had lessened.
"So?" He said slowly. It wasn't such a bad thing, his health was strong and stable and from the amount of female attention he acquired almost every weekend his physical appearance wasn't lacking.
"So" the slim girl said slowly "you might want to start thinking about hitting the gym or something, running after work. I don't know something." Waving her off, Shinkai flipped through his phone, intent on changing the subject.
"I'll think about it" he said finally, feeling Yuuto's intense ruby gaze still on him.
"Good." Satisfied with his reply, she switched on the TV before kicking him again playful. "Gotta get you a hot body for Thailand."
A week later Shinkai was convinced Yuuto had forgotten their little chat about his increasing waist line, that was until Fukutomi and Arakita had arrived. Spending time with his childhood friend was a blessing these days, especially as Fukutomi's time tended to be torn between his daughter and husband. Family life suited the bleach blond, far more then Shinkai had expected. It was heart warming and a goal he could even set for himself in the future.
Fukutomi had always been prime daddy material. Especially throughout their time in the high school cycling club. The real surprise had been Arakita. The slender, foul tempered man had on all accounts been the one to suggest adoption and had expressed an intense desire for children. Now three years on they had the happiest little girl in the world, loved by her dads and spoiled rotten by all her uncles and aunts.
"Ino honey, please don't chase the rabbits. They get scared and then they get sic. If you ask uncle Shinkai nicely he'll pick one up for you." Watching the little girl in the bright sun coloured dress come to a skidding halt, Shinkai smiled as she came running up to him.
"Bunny bunny bunny" she repeated, jumping up and down on his knee. Shooting Yuuto a thankful look, the brunette heaved himself up, ignoring Arakita's snark remark about rabbits and the amount of diseases they carried.
"We have to catch one first, but then you have to sit very still, okay?" Watching her run back to the chair and promptly sit down, he chuckled. Kids and rabbits were easy and fun, he liked having one and maybe sometime in the future he'd get the other.
Sneaking up on the rabbits wasn't usually that hard, but since Ino had stirred them up, his young pair of Rexes seemed none to be happy to be petted and played with. There was literally no choice but to chase them around the small backyard, decreasing their running space, inch by inch until he managed to pick the squirming male up and offer it to the young girl.
"You okay nii-san?" Kneeling beside the little girl and trying in vain to catch his breath, Shinkai glared at his little sister's all to gleeful question. She appeared far too pleased with herself, especially as he coughed and tried to cover his desperate need for breathe.
"I'm fine" he said calmly, reigning in the snappy tone that almost escaped his lips. It wasn't that Yuuto was trying to be mean, but she had such a superior tone when she knew she was right. Maybe he really should think about hitting the gym. Running was a struggle these days since he'd all but destroyed his ankle falling down a flight of stairs last summer. Petting the small rabbit behind the ear, he shot a glance at his sister as she smiled cheekily. "Wipe that smile off your face, you're the worse sometimes."
Bidding the small family good bye later that evening, Yuuto began upbraiding the long plaits from her hair in the second they were out the door. Ino seemed to love playing with her hair and the toddler had all but fallen asleep with her hands tangled in the older girl's hair, job half finished.
"She's so cute, but I wish she hadn't done them so tight." Yawning as he attempted to help but succeeded only in making it worse, Shinkai searched the fridge for some left over snacks.
"All children are like, thanks for keeping her occupied by the way." It'd been good being able to chat to the dad duo without constant little interruption and he was thankful to Yuuto for creating the distraction.
"That's fine, didn't want to run any more?" Glaring at her, he shook his head.
"No and don't be like that." He paused, watching her unbraiding struggle continue. "I think I'll start at the gym next week."
Surprise spreading over her face, Yuuto perched on the edge of the sofa pleased.
"Good, I'm glad. You should check out the one on high street, they have a weekly deal going at the moment. So even if you just want to check it out for the week, it won't cost you an arm and a leg." Snorting at her quick, almost rehearsed run down, Shinkai raised an eyebrow.
"Are they paying or something?" Finishing with her hair, Yuuto grinned.
"Hardly, but it's where Ashikiba and Kuroda go and they speak very highly of it."
Well if it was good enough for his sister's boyfriend and his work out crazy partner, it should be good enough for him to try and shed some extra pounds.
"Well that's a plus, you're really pushing this aren't you?" Smiling sadly at him, Yuuto shrugged.
"I just don't want you getting sick or slowing down anything." Pulling a face at her, Shinkai tisked.
"Don't talk like that, I'm twenty eight years old not eighty. Calm down Yuuto." Rolling her eyes before hopping off the sofa, she ruffled his hair.
"I'm allowed to be worried about you, it's not like you have a girlfriend for that or anything."