Chapter Twenty-Five: Family Breakfast
Monday came with delightful weather, beaming through the windows, stirring the sleeping men awake. The older of the two grumbled, gripping hold of the pillow and burying his head beneath it. The other man however slowly sat up, sleepy eyed from his spot upon their bed.
"Hiro-san, wake up," he shook the other lightly by the shoulder, but his hand was swatted away.
With a sigh, Nowaki got up from the bed, stretching his arms above his head, leaving the room, placing his arms back down, still in nothing but his pajama bottoms in order to prepare breakfast for his stubborn lover who often slept far too much, especially on his own work days.
Once in the kitchen he opened cupboard after cupboard, brows furrowing until finally, he had something in his hands. "Pancakes," he smiled, thinking Hiroki might like to have some, though it was not a typical Japanese breakfast, but he'd learned to make them during that year he was over in America.
Back in the bedroom, the older of the two lovers stirred, taking in the scent of something which had his stomach rumbling.
He was not the only one to awake at the tantalizing scent that permeated the air within the apartment, belonging to one Kamijou Hiroki and one Kusama Nowaki, though there was a third male present, a precocious five year old, Niro.
Niro walked into the bedroom, teddy bear in one hand and crawled up onto the bed and jumped beside Hiroki, "Papa get up! Daddy's making duck and book shaped pancakes."
Hiroki tossed the pillow behind him, propping himself up to glare at Niro, "Don't jump on the bed!"
Niro quickly stopped, sitting down, "I'm sorry Papa," he crawled toward him and wrapped his arms around Hiroki's waist.
Hiroki's frown soon turned upside down and he hugged the child. "Well you're going to have to let go so I can get up, lets go greet Daddy with a good morning kiss."
Niro grinned, "Okay!" And ran off into the kitchen, Hiroki following slowly behind.
Niro, "Daddy!" He stared up at Nowaki, tugging on his pajama pant leg.
Nowaki had just finished making the last of the pancakes and bent down, "What is it Niro?"
Niro quickly gave him a peck on the cheek, "Good morning!" And then turned to find a chair. Where once the couple had only had two they now had four, the fourth to make things even, Niro usually now putting the teddy-bear in it and sitting across from the stuffed animal.
Hiroki stood beside Nowaki, both glancing at Niro as he waited for his plate, then looked into each others eyes with a smile.
Hiroki brought his arms around Nowaki's waist, as had Niro done, though Nowaki was standing now. Tilting his head back he mouthed, "Good morning."
Nowaki's hand rested against either of Hiroki's cheeks, bending his head down to brush a soft kiss over his lips before the two picked up the plates to set the table.
Nowaki and Hiroki sat across from one another.
Niro spoke, "Itadakimasu," which the two grown men echoed before digging into their breakfast.
Hiroki's foot found Nowaki's beneath the table.
Nowaki's eyes widened, but his Hiro-san seemed intent upon his breakfast, but he just smiled across at that all to telling red faced assistant professor of Japanese Literature.
Niro was unawares of the undercurrent between his two fathers as the three, or rather the four of them since he insisted they include his teddy bear, enjoyed their morning together.