A/N – I didn't really know if I should have stuck to calling Akashi and Kuroko by their last names since after getting married, Kuroko has technically become an Akashi ^_^ But in this story, Akashi will be referred to as 'Seijuurou' and Kuroko will be referred to as 'Tetsuya'.
A/N2 – Akashi Atou is Akashi and Kuroko's adopted son. He resembles both his fathers, having Kuroko's eyes and deadpan expression, and Akashi's red hair. Akashi and Kuroko's friends say that Atou could probably even pass off as being their biological son.
Akashi Atou was grumpy. It was a Saturday morning, and he had been waiting all week for that day, for his father was going to take him to the court to play basketball. But it was currently raining, so he had no choice but to stay indoors until the rain stopped. At least, he hoped it was going to stop raining.
There was another reason Atou was grumpy. His lower right canine tooth was loose, and that had been bugging him for two weeks now. It had now gotten to the point where it was so shaky that Atou wanted to yank it out and be done with the unsteady feeling in his mouth.
Atou grumbled as the spoon he shoved into his mouth with his cereal brushed against the loose tooth.
"Atou-chan, why are you so sulky?" Kise asked from the stove, where he was frying some eggs. He had dropped by to return a CD to Tetsuya, but upon Tetsuya's invitation to stay for breakfast, had decided to stay.
"Pre-midlife crisis," said Aomine, smirking. He was leaning back against the chair he was seated on, observing Atou. His presence in the Akashi household was justified by his being Kise's partner.
"Don't say such nonsense, Aomine," Seijuurou told Aomine. He didn't look up from the newspaper that he was reading. "My son is only 7 – he hasn't even reached a pre-midlife to have a crisis."
"Yeah, Daikicchi," admonished Kise. He flipped an egg over on the frying pan. "Don't tease Atou-chan."
Aomine shrugged. "Just expressing what I'm observing," he said cheekily.
Just then, Tetsuya entered the dining hall. He had just come from Atou's room, where he had picked up Atou's favourite stuffed dragon. "He's upset because Seijuurou promised to take him to play basketball but it's raining, so they can't go," Tetsuya announced.
"Daddy!" Atou cried, clearly embarrassed that his excitement over basketball had been revealed.
Tetsuya laughed and handed Atou his stuffed dragon. "Everyone knows that your passion for basketball is comparable to Aomine-kun's, Atou-kun. You don't have to hide it."
"Ugh," grunted Atou as he stuffed another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
Seijuurou looked up from his newspaper and peered at his son. "Come to think of it, I have never seen you so irritable," he told Atou. "It's not just about basketball, is it?"
All the adults in the dining hall turned their heads to look at Atou questioningly.
Atou shrank back under the gaze of four adults. Finally, he said in a small voice, "No, not really."
Tetsuya extended his arm forward to gently stroke his son's hair. "Then what is it?"
There was a pregnant pause before Atou opened his mouth to speak. "It's my tooth. It's really annoying."
"Oh!" Kise exclaimed, bringing the plate of freshly cooked eggs to the dining table. "Atou-chan's milk teeth are coming off!"
"It's just a tooth for now," Tetsuya told Kise. "But open your mouth, Atou-kun. Let me see."
Atou opened his mouth so that his father could look at his tooth.
Tetsuya reached out to touch the tooth. It wiggled. "It's really loose," he said. "I know I said it would come out eventually, but since it's frustrating you, do you want Papa to get it out now?"
"Won't it hurt?" asked Atou fearfully.
"Yes! It's going to hurt a lot!" cackled Aomine gleefully. He leaned forward to rest his chin on the table so that he could observe the child's terrified appearance more closely.
Kise smacked Aomine. "Stop scaring the kid, Daikicchi!"
Tetsuya shot Aomine a dirty look. "No, don't listen to your Uncle Aomine," he told Atou. "Considering the tooth is already this loose, it shouldn't be too painful to pull it out."
"But it will hurt," stated Atou glumly.
"Yes." Tetsuya looked at his son apologetically. "I expect it will hurt a bit."
Atou sighed. "That's okay, I think…" he said. "I just want it out."
"Okay," Seijuurou replied, lifting his back from his chair. "I'll go grab some thread."
Atou looked at Tetsuya in confusion. "Why does Papa need thread?"
Tetsuya smiled at his son. "Papa is going to tie the thread around your tooth and pull it out. Your saliva might make it too slippery for his hand to get a good hold on your tooth to be able to pull it out," he told Atou.
"Oh."
Seijuurou returned shortly with a length of thread. "Ready?" he asked Atou.
Atou nodded. He leaned forward and opened his mouth so that his father could manipulate the thread around his loose tooth.
When Seijuurou had tied the thread around his son's tooth, he took Atou's hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "At the count of three, I'm going to pull, alright?"
Atou squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.
Seijuurou looked at Tetsuya, Kise and Aomine, who were watching him. He smirked and winked at them.
"Aka-" Kise began, but Aomine clamped a hand over his mouth.
"One," said Seijuurou.
Atou sucked in a breath.
"Two." And without any warning whatsoever, Seijuurou yanked on the other end of the thread, effectively dislodging Atou's tooth from his gum.
There was a gasp from Tetsuya and Kise.
Seijuurou grinned and took the tooth in between his fingers. He held the tooth in front of Atou's face. "Are you sure you're ready?" Seijuurou asked his son.
Atou nodded fervently. His eyes were still squeezed shut.
"Open your eyes, Atou," encouraged Seijuurou.
Atou opened an eye to see his father brandishing a tiny white object between his thumb and index finger in front of him. Both of Atou's eyes widened when he realised that his father had pulled out his tooth without him even realising. "That's my tooth!" he cried.
"Indeed," replied Seijuurou with a gentle smile.
"I didn't even realise! It didn't hurt!"
"Well, that's good then," said Seijuurou.
Tetsuya gave some cotton gauze to Atou. "Bite on this – your gum is bleeding," he told Atou. "Don't worry, okay? It will stop soon."
Atou obeyed his father, while Tetsuya took away his bowl of cereal.
"Such a brave little man, aren't you?" Aomine nudged Atou and ruffled his hair. "I'm sorry for teasing and scaring you."
Atou shrugged. In all honestly, he was used to Aomine's teasing, and never took it to heart. But it was nice to see the big and macho Aomine apologising to him.
"Why don't Ryouta and I take you for some icecream after breakfast? To reward you for being so brave," Aomine suggested, wagging his eyebrows at Atou.
"Icecream!" Atou squealed. Or at least tried to squeal. With the gauze in his mouth, he couldn't form a coherent word, so it came out as, "Iskink!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Seijuurou said, waving a hand dismissively. "Go out and have icecream with Uncle Aomine and Uncle Kise. Leave Daddy and I alone at home…"
Tetsuya laughed at his husband's antics at trying to make their son feel guilty.
"You and Kurokocchi can come too, you know," Kise told Seijuurou with a raised eyebrow.
Seijuurou chuckled. "I'm just kidding," he said, going back to his newspaper. "Tetsuya and I are going to enjoy some alone time together." Seijuurou smiled seductively at Tetsuya.
"Akashicchi!" Kise wailed. "Too much information!"
"Don't pretend you don't act like this with Aomine-kun," Tetsuya countered.
"At least we don't do it where there are innocent eyes around!" retorted Aomine.
Seijuurou and Tetsuya exchanged a knowing smile.
