.*Chapter 2*.

The shower took much more time than Kondo expected—not that he'd harbored any particular expectations to begin with, but Hijikata had certainly had some of his own. So, the water ran a little longer and the monthly bill would be a bit higher in consequence…however, far was Kondo to deny his better half anything within reason. The trouble there was that almost anything could be justified as such.

Okita liked to call it spoiling, while in one of his irascible moods and seeking to trade so-called therapeutic barbs with Hijikata, but how quickly he could forget the ways he, himself, was doted on. Or perhaps it was never a matter of amnesia as it was envy; for as long as Hijikata and Okita had been fixtures in Kondo's life, a certain possessive tension both bound and repelled the two. Affection existed between them without doubt, but it was also tough and complicated, and often easily mistaken for contempt by anyone looking from the outside in.

And then there was Kondo: stranded as the nucleus with a husband on his right arm and adoptive son on his left, each berating and arguing across the way like he didn't even exist…which was ironic, considering he was the ultimate reason for their bickering. In any case, it was the fate Kondo had resigned himself to, dawdling in the crossfire of loving two very emotional men in two very different ways. But it was also a fate he accepted in full. There was enough room for both and he needed both, just as they needed him in turn—and each other, even if they wouldn't admit it.

Whether it was the result of his so-called coddling or not, Kondo left the shower quite clean and splendidly unwound, strutting at a leisure pace into the bedroom for comfortable attire. The closet doors were thrown open and he sorted through the garments, first deciding on a pair of dark trousers and donning them. As he began making his next selection, Kondo found himself treated to the sight of Hijikata joining his company, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped about his hips.

They exchanged a smile before Kondo pulled two tops from the closet and tossed one over. "Here."

Hijikata caught it, his brow furrowing as he peered down. "This is yours."

"It was, uh, what did you say before...?" Kondo tossed the form-fitting black t-shirt over his head and pushed his arms through with a quiet heave. Once settled, he finished his thought with a mischievous grin. "Oh, yeah. Convenient."

"…Cht."

Kondo laughed softly at the flash of Hijikata's teeth with that wordless reply, and walked barefoot across the hardwood floor to press a kiss to his lips with a murmur. "I like you in my clothes, Toshi." He stroked a blush-dusted cheek, pushed locks of damp hair behind the nearest ear, and bumped noses with his husband. "Besides…" A huff. "I think you like wearing them, too."

The scoff and denial were as further amusing as Kondo had expected them to be, and with a smirk, he left Hijikata to his own devices in their bedroom. Toward the kitchen his steps carried him with intent to begin making good on his promise of cooking—and when Hijikata showed up a few minutes later wearing the very shirt that had been tossed his way, Kondo couldn't help but allow himself another grin.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Dinner that night was salmon with a horseradish apricot sauce, just the way Hijikata liked it…because if Kondo had it his way, everything in the world would be suited to his husband's preferred fashion. A happy marriage meant a happy life, and the spouse Kondo had chosen for himself wasn't at all difficult to please. From where he stood before the stove, he stole what he'd intended to be a quick glance over the shoulder and felt his eyes soften further.

Hijikata had situated himself at the table, haphazardly chopping vegetables for a salad in no elegant fashion; it was a seemingly simple task of no particular importance and yet, the sight caused warmth to bloom within Kondo's chest.

Isn't that just how it always is…Toshi's talented with any blade, unless that blade happens to be in a kitchen…

The smile pulling outward to his cheeks was just as unstoppable upon the thought, not that Kondo was trying particularly hard to hinder it in the first place. And then, fate was at play as it always seemed to be when it came to the two of them, as Hijikata looked up at that very moment to find he'd been the object of undivided attention.

He huffed and quickly diverted his eyes back to the task at hand, but apparently couldn't prevent his own mouth from twitching at the corners. "...What?"

Kondo exhaled through his nose, knowing full well he was incapable of honestly answering that question in a graceful manner; however, his keen mind recognized the opportunity that had risen from it, and it was one he'd be sure not to miss. "Toshi, come here." He procured a spoon from a nearby drawer and dipped it into the pan to take some of the sauce he'd thrown together.

"Mm?"

"Try this and let me know if you like it."

"Hah?" Chop, chop—a tomato rolled away with a curse—chop. "Of course I will."

Kondo's lashes fell and he shook his head. "Are you going to make me say please?" The puppy eyes came out. "…Please."

A light scoff fell from Hijikata's lips, before the corners pulled a little further yet into his cheeks. He relented without additional protest, standing and wiping his hands off on a dish towel before making his way over. Their gazes remained locked as the space between them closed, and Kondo blew on the spoon to ensure it had cooled enough to not burn.

Hijikata leaned in, his mouth closing on the utensil and then withdrawing with the raise of a brow. He paused in consideration and then slightly canted his head. "It tastes like it always does. Did you try something new—?"

Kondo's mouth immediately found his, effectively cutting off the puzzled inquiry with his tongue pushing through to tease against Hijikata's a few times before taking a slow retreat. He touched Hijikata's bicep and let his hand run down the length of his arm to entwine their fingers, while pulling back only far enough to purr, "Just wondered how it tasted on you."

"Kat-chan..."

And that was that.

The spoon slapped down on the counter and Kondo blindly reached to the lower the stove as their next kiss deepened. His white apron taken in rough fistfuls, he was tugged forward so his body pressed flush to Hijikata's while their lips met over and over until both were breathless and erring on the brink of going lightheaded.

"Toshi..." Kondo panted, leaving a trail of kisses as he moved toward Hijikata's jaw. "Dinner—"

"—can wait."

Thusly, without an inkling of debate, the flame was extinguished. That meant one problem had been solved, and the next seemed as easy a fix… Walking Hijikata backward until he gently bumped against the counter, Kondo lifted him to sit on it. While slender legs wrapped about him, he leaned forth to nuzzle against Hijikata's chest, his arms encircling his husband's waist in a possessive hug.

"I missed you," Kondo mumbled against him, reveling in the comforting sensation of nimble fingers threading through his hair. "So much."

"Ngh." Hijikata's thighs spread wider and he offered an encouraging nudge, his voice airy and soft. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, mm…"

"Oh, I can't agree with that." Drawing away so he could lift his chin, Kondo looked up to find eyes with wide-blown pupils aimed directly at him. His own fell half-lidded. "Mine's already too fond. Absence only makes it hurt."

Dark lashes blinked several times before blotches of pink stained over Hijikata's cheeks and he tossed his face aside. "Oh my God, Kat-chan, shut up."

A chuckle. "Nope…" Kondo freed one hand from the embrace and let it wander along his husband's waist, up his side and back down, then walking fingers along his thigh. "Not a chance," he sang over a whisper and then at last relented to give Hijikata the touch he wanted.

"N—ne, we should—"

Pin-pon.

A doorbell had never sounded so damn intrusive until now and they each jolted back to reality with shock, staring at the other in polarized confusion as the perfect moment dissipated into a void. And then, just to add insult to further injury, that was when Okita's voice rang out.

"Hi~jikata-san, open up!" The bell chimed again three times in a row and a fist started to beat against the door. "I know you're home!"

Kondo blinked slowly as he felt Hijikata's body go stiff in a way he hadn't intended, the instant transformation of his expression serving as the final nail in the coffin. Unbridled lust turned to fury in the bat of an eyelash…and Kondo simply groaned, momentarily let his head fall over Okita's incessant hounding, and then pulled Hijikata free from the counter.

The stove was turned back on. The apron was adjusted. At the front of their apartment, the door was thrown open with an enraged bark.

"What the fuck do you want?!"

An amused laugh. "That's not your shirt."

"Fuck off."

"Come on now, Hijikata-san, I promised Ko—" Okita's eyes apparently caught movement in the background then and went wide. "Kondo-san?!"

A palm pressed hard to Hijikata's chest and with a hard shove, he was removed from standing in the way. Shoes went flying into the air while Okita flew over the threshold and thundered toward the kitchen. "Kondo-san, you're back!"

"Souji!" His eyes falling closed, all Kondo could do was bellow a laugh. "So I am…" Over shoulder claps and a slew of questions of when and why and how and why didn't you text me, he returned to sautéing and wondered if he'd need to add more fish to the pan now. Through the corner of his eye, Kondo caught the sight of Saito bowing to Hijikata and barely heard soft-spoken words begging for the pardon of his fiance's rudeness.

"Hn?" Okita hummed after a few moments. "Look at you, setting the table all fancy…" He plucked an unlit candlestick from its crystal holder. "Kondo-san, you never put these out when you cook for me!"

Baring his teeth upon his approach with Saito in tow, Hijikata snatched it. "Because you always just God damn show up uninvited and shove your way in here."

Over the sound of Okita's boisterous laughing, Saito stepped up to Kondo with his shoulders lowering along with his head. "Kondo-sensei, please accept my humble apologies. Had I known you were back and making dinner, we certainly would not have intruded." A firm hand pressed to his shoulder and stopped short his quest for atonement.

"Hey, there's no need for that. You know you're always welcome here." Kondo could feel Hijikata's glare piercing through his back at that reply. …Mental note. Make it up to him later. Also set some rules for Souji. "And uh, by the way. It won't be long until you're basically my son too, Hajime-kun. Let's loosen up a little and drop the sensei bit when we're not at the dojo, okay?"

At the mention of his imminent marriage, Saito flushed and swallowed hard, only nodding once in reply. "Thank you…Sir."

Kondo's lashes fell and he chuckled. "That's a little better, I suppose. We'll work on it."

"Speaking of weddings, it's getting close, huh?" Taking Saito's shoulders, Hijikata silently guided him over to sit at the table. "Two months away now. I'm guessing you have all your shit sorted out and taken care of."

"Aa…" Dropping his chin, a barely-there smile appeared and Saito's cheeks took on an even rosier shade.

"Not everything. Some matters are still under debate." Okita plucked one of the sliced tomatoes and studied it before popping it in his mouth. He then reached for the knife Hijikata was using and twirled it about his fingers. "I wonder if Hajime-kun will ever agree to change his last name to mine…"

"Souji—"

"And why in the hell would he do that?" Hijikata lashed out at Okita's wrist, stopping the movements of his hand and retrieving the knife from his possession before any harm was done.

"Maybe I want us to share a familial name?"

"Souji, now is not the time," Saito firmly declared and sat tall in his seat.

"You're damn right it's not!" Hijikata echoed. "And while I'm at it, let me also say it'll never be the right time for Saito to go changing his name just to take yours for some idiotic social decoration. I certainly didn't." A thumb was thrust over his shoulder toward Kondo. "And he didn't either. Why should it be any different for you?"

Okita gave a prolonged hum, his voice steadily climbing. "Interesting way of looking at it."

"Please drop it for now, Souji."

Green eyes rose to their fiance's.

"Okay—" Kondo began, just for Okita to interrupt him.

"Are you saying you don't like Kondo-san's name, Hijikata-san?" Despite framing his question to make it about Hijikata, he kept his attention directly on Saito—who stared back with equal intensity. "And that's why you wouldn't take it?"

"All right." Turning from the pan before another argument erupted, Kondo rubbed at his brow with the back of his hand. "Are you guys staying for dinner? If so, I need to make more than what I've got going here."

The pair provided opposite one-word answers, a no and yes coming forth at exactly the same time while Hijikata groaned.

"Souji, we have dinner plans."

"But Kondo-san is offering—"

"Souji, would you get the hell out of here?!" Hijikata snapped. "You're making Saito uncomfortable, you apparently have other plans, we've been cooking for two and not four. What more needs to be said?"

"Toshi—"

"Wow, what's all this about, Hijikata-san?" Okita narrowed his eyes. "After all the trouble I went through to look in on you every day while Kondo-san was gone…"

"No one fucking asked you to do that."

"Toshi." Before further chance to rebuke was taken, Kondo stepped between them, placed the spatula in Hijikata's hand, and pivoted him to face the stove. "Please take care of this for me, okay? Don't let it burn." Over an irritated tch, he turned back to Okita still slouched in the chair and began untying his apron. "As for you guys. You're always welcome here but if you have a plan already, why not go through with it? I'll text you tomorrow and we can meet up."

A pensive moment went by. "Hajime-kun?"

Saito nodded his consent.

"Fiiiine," Okita sang and stood, stretching his arms up and then draping them at the elbows behind his head. "I'm just glad to see you're back, Kondo-san. That's enough for me."

"Thanks, kid," Kondo said as he led him to the front door. "I'm sorry for not telling you I'd arrive earlier but it was actually a spur of the moment thing. I only got here an hour or so ago."

"Heh, you never have to apologize." Peering back at Saito exchanging quiet words with Hijikata, Okita looked to Kondo again and his shoulders nudged into a shrug. "I'm sorry for just showing up and causing you a headache with that storm cloud over there."

Breathing out through his nose, Kondo shook his head. "Come on, stop that. But really. Thank you for looking in on him while I was gone." His expression turned serious then. "Souji, it looks like there's something you need to get off your chest, though. Will you be all right waiting until tomorrow?"

"Mm! Of course!" Though Okita was now well into his twenties, the grin that accompanied his statement was a splitting image of the one he'd worn in his youth, and the sight of it helped Kondo feel more at ease to believe his answer. "Don't worry about me, okay?"

"All right. I'll be in touch tomorrow."

Saito neared and wasted no time in taking the initiative to speak. "I apologize again for the interruption. It was a pleasure to see you've returned, Sir."

Kondo gently clapped his shoulder twice. "No need, no need. And thanks." He gave Saito a friendly push in Okita's direction. "Now you two go and enjoy yourselves, all right?"

"Will do, Kondo-san."

"Yes, Sir."

In the future, he would really have to do something about Saito addressing him as sir…however, for the present, Kondo simply nodded and watched them step into the elevator. Before it closed, Okita finally called out, "Bye, Hijikata-san." Unsurprisingly, it went ignored and when the pair were gone at last, Kondo shut the door with a heavy exhale. His hand remained on the lock, taking a moment before making his way back to the kitchen.

He returned to silence, with Hijikata still watching over the pan as he'd been requested. Kondo stepped up behind him, placed his hands on hips narrower than his own, and pursed his mouth against a shoulder. "I'm sorry, Toshi."

"Welp." Oh, no… The infamous clipped tone of disapproval had him wincing. "Dinner's basically done, so I guess we should eat."

"You're mad at me…" Kondo couldn't exactly blame him. "I'm really sorry. I'll have a talk with him about just showing up here, okay?"

Hijikata huffed. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't annoyed. But look…" He turned the stove off and placed the spatula down, then about-faced with eyes that were much kinder than Kondo had expected. "I definitely will be mad if we don't pick up where we left off later." A brow raised. "Got that?"

Relief washed over Kondo and his posture relaxed. "That's quite a threat, Toshi-san…" Cocking his head, he stroked Hijikata's cheek and chuckled beneath his breath. "And it just won't do. We'll have to eat quickly so I can start making it up to you as soon as possible."

If Hijikata had wanted to fight the subsequent grin that graced his features, he hadn't tried hard enough. "Kat-chan…" A snort fell along with his lashes. "It's just good to have you home."

"It's even better coming back to you."

For a second, Kondo thought Hijikata might deflect as he often had upon receiving such an open admission of feelings…but all he did this time was step forward to initiate an embrace which lasted much longer than either had expected.

Dinner had to be reheated as a consequence, but it still tasted great and Kondo was all too convinced that fact was attributable to the company he shared it with. He was no lefty, but his non-dominant hand guided the fork while his right fingers remained entwined with Hijikata's beneath the table while they ate.

Yes, the challenge was certainly worth it. Kondo held Hijikata's hand a little tighter, and smiled when the gesture was returned.