So I posted a new story, then deleted it in the high light of my writer's block... I'm so sorry, the 12 readers who read it. We had our sad losses too this week... :'( Rest in peace...

I just... I'm going to try this again. You can say this is a extra or something like that, since school starts for me next week and I might be slow on updates.

Heading towards Masamune's birthday and the two weeks off.

"Dr. Takano," Masamune looked up at his door to the nurse. "You have someone coming in. He says it's personal."

Raising a brow at that, he puts some papers to the side. "Okay. Bring him here." As he waited, his glanced around his room, a proud storm brewing up in his being. His room was just right. It made some people stare and stay a little too long, but it was just right. As long as they didn't take any pictures.

"Masamune." He directed his attention to the door, surprised to see Saga. As the door closed shut Saga made his way to sit in front of him, and Masamune scolded himself inwardly. If someone comes in and it's personal, it had to be for something like this.

He couldn't help but be disappointed though, seeing that the old man didn't look around his room. He simply faced forward and was now looking through his wallet.

"What is this about?" he asks, wanting to get this over with.

"Masamune, I... My wife and I have been talking for a long while now, and we would like to extend an invitation for you to join our family. I have tried to call your home, but you never picked up."

"Oh. I'm sorry." 'I forgot we had a phone in the apartment... it's probably not connected.'

"It's fine. We also want you to come to our home for Christmas this year. Everyone will be there."

'Everyone huh?' Masamune couldn't help but think, feeling that familiar bitterness rising up.

"Ah yes, I remember hearing you're married. We would love it if you were to bring her along as well."

"..." Masamune stared at him for a long while. "You were there at that convention, were you?"

"Yes."

"And you did hear that Ritsu was a successfully awakened coma patient, right?"

"Yes. We don't get a lot of those."

"Hai... Dr. Haitani went around with pictures, did you ever see those?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I see..." 'Well, Ritsu is a unisex name...' "I have some of his pictures over there, I'm surprise you didn't look at them," he gestured to the walls.

Confused at the 'his' pictures, Saga turned to look. His eyes widened as he turned between both sides of the room. Four pictures framed at a medium size were on both sides of the room. It had all different pictures, and Masamune affectionately referred to them as his top 8.

Facing Masamune on his desk were smaller framed pictures, one that was Ritsu at the park, and the other the one he had taken with him when Ritsu had fallen back asleep. It was odd, but he liked looking at that picture. He felt happy seeing his picture self happy being with Ritsu.

"I'm sorry," Masamune says eventually, "But Ritsu and I have plans to be with his family on Christmas."

Saga turned back to him. "What about Christmas Eve?"

"I will be busy spending my birthday with Ritsu." Masamune paused in thought before adding, "Thank you for the gesture though. This must have been hard to do considering it's been about a decade." On his lap, he tapped endlessly on his cell phone.

"That.. That's not..." Saga sighs, and looked at Masamune. "I've had a lot to think about with my stepdaughters. I also understand that years ago, I have been unfair to you. I really am sorry."

"..." Masamune stared at him carefully before he sighed turning his cell phone forward and back in his hands on his lap. "I see. Well..." he paused. "Thank you for telling me that."

"Masamune," Saga began, his expression downcast realizing Masamune didn't quite forgive him, "I want to make things up to you. I would really like for you to join our family." He pauses. "Unless, did you reconcile with your mother and joined back with her family?"

"No. I haven't seen her in years." Masamune answers honestly, trying to think things through, "And... I'm sorry, but I want to decline your offer."

"Decline?" Saga frowns. "Is it Ritsu?"

"No, it's not." Masamune states, a little irritated now at him for saying that. "I'm declining because I don't wish to be part of your family."

"You don't...? But," Saga raises his voice slightly, "We are family! Where you are now proves that!"

"You mean being a doctor?" Masamune laughs, surly. "Is that it? If you saw me out of that profession, you wouldn't even approach me as you do now." 'I knew it seemed too good to be true. But... why do I feel so relieved? Is it because he still apologized anyway?'

"That's...!"

"You did influence me, I assure you- as the reason why I didn't become a surgeon. But the ones who helped me reach this point, encouraged me... Was Ritsu, my friend and his family, and some people here. Believe me, I think I could have ended up being a bartender or maybe somewhere involving books."

Masamune waited in silence afterwards, watching Saga debate inwardly. Since the older man decided not to reply, he beat him to it. "You may leave now. I have an appointment in a few minutes."

'Two weeks off soon,' Masamune thought happily, taking out his keys and getting inside. It was around 9:30. He curiously looked on when he entered, seeing Ritsu reading through small albums on the living room floor. "I'm home."

"Welcome back!" Ritsu says in turn, smiling up at him. "You're early."

"Today wasn't that busy for me since I had appointments up until 5," he takes off his coat and hangs it up in the small closet. "Around 6 though, Haitani and I ended up helping Dr. Sakurai with his foot patients."

"What happened?"

"These young men were walking along this old bridge barefooted. I had to hold them down while Dr. Sakurai froze their feet to take the warts out. Since he had to take around three centimeters off on both of the bottom of their feet, they're staying at the hospital for a week just in case."

"O-oh..." Ritsu trails off. "Okay." That kind of grossed him out.

Chuckling, Masamune went to sit next to him on the floor. "What are you doing?"

"Looking through some old albums, and one of Kazuto's." Ritsu smiled down at them. "I'm thinking I can somehow figure out what to name their daughter."

"From these?" He picked one up, snickering in fondness seeing a toddler Ritsu in the tub. "You're so cute."

"!" Ritsu did a double take before taking the album away. "D-don't look at that one..."

"Come on," Masamune took it back from him and turned the page. "It's not like it..." He smirked seeing a another picture of toddler Ritsu running away from his mother naked. "You were such a naughty little boy," he laughs, the laugh doubling more seeing Ritsu flush a bright red. He then planted a small kiss to the younger's cheek.

"I-I-I'm going to get d-dinner ready..." Ritsu shakily got up, red and retreating to the kitchen.

Deciding to spare the brunet from more embarrassment, Masamune switched onto another album. Going through the pages, he eventually stopped on one, staring at one of the photos in fascination. "Ritsu?" he calls out.

"W-what?"

"You played at a sandbox when you were little?"

"Yeah." From the kitchen counter, Ritsu looked in his direction for a moment before going back to whatever was in the oven. "Why?"

"Why is this picture smaller than the others?"

"Which picture? I played in the sandbox a lot, so I don't know which one you mean."

"Oh. This picture..." Masamune continued to look at it. "You're smiling at someone off camera."

"Um... I think that's the one where I was playing with this boy. I don't really remember."

"A boy?"

"I think so. I think maybe he didn't want his picture taken? If the picture is small like you said my Mom probably cut it out or something."

"Oh," Masamune replied, a little dejected. He grazed his thumb along the photo, noticing seconds later that it seemed a bit bulky compared to the rest of the photos. "Ritsu?"

"Hm?"

"Can I take one out real quick? It looks like it was folded."

"I guess. I have to return half of them later though, so don't rip anything."

"I won't. What do you take me for?" he says, smiling when Ritsu laughed a little in response. Carefully, he pulled the photo out of its tight confinement, sure not to leave in any air bubbles. To his happiness, the photo was indeed folded in half, and he unfolded to see what was on the other side. "..."

"Okay, I think I got everything, Masamune," Ritsu calls out to him, putting the plates on the table one by one. "I tried that meat recipe where you roll it up and tie it after putting in some things. My Mom gave us some pickled turnips and radishes, so we'll eat that too, along with..." he trails off, feeling arms wrapping around him. "...? Masamune?"

"Can we take a bath together?"

"H-huh?!" Ritsu turned to look at him, about to protest until he saw the earnest expression on his husband's face. A faint blush on his cheeks, he turned back to the table. "On... Only if we take separate showers."

"Got it." The brunet shivered receiving a kiss on the back of his neck.

...

"You can sit on my lap."

"Are you sure?" Ritsu gulps, the steam floating all around him only added to his hazy sight. For some reason, he couldn't stop staring at his husband, but was hesitant to get within a foot near him.

"Of course," Masamune held out a hand, "Come on." After Ritsu got in, Masamune securely wrapped one arm around him. "Comfortable?"

Ritsu swallows. "Y-yes..." Slowly, the brunet leaned back with shut eyes, and Masamune used a hand to push him back more gently against his chest before running that hand through the brunet's hair.

"This feels nice, doesn't it?" Masamune says after a while. Ritsu hummed softly in response, and the older puts his head back against the tub, sighing in relaxation.

"Masamune?"

"Hmm... What?"

"Do you think Natsuka is a nice name?"

"Natsuka?"

"Yeah... Cause An and Kazuto like Summer- well, they like the other seasons but Summer won for their wedding. And growing up I know An likes flowers... not more than shopping and all that but..." Ritsu paused. "What if the baby won't like Summer? Or flowers?"

"It doesn't have to be too literate. I think it's a nice name."

"Are you sure?" Ritsu looked down at the other end of the tub.

"Yeah. Summer is when school's out, I'm sure she would love that. There are many things about Summer to love. Like hot weather."

"What's so good about hot weather?"

"We can sleep together naked." When Ritsu didn't respond the older laughed, running a hand through those brown locks again. "In our boxers."

"Pervert."

"Says the one who couldn't stop looking at me once we stepped in here. I can feel your eyes."

"L-like you weren't doing the same!"

Masamune laughs again. "Yeah, you're right. We're both perverts." He sighs. "I love you."

The younger tilted his head up at him, an eyebrow raised. "A pervert like me?"

"Yeah," he chuckles, hugging him close on his lap. He kisses the wet brown hair. "I love you so much."

Ritsu hummed, turning his head to rest against Masamune's chest. "I love you too-" he stopped, jolting when he felt something bump up under him. "...Masamune?"

"Sorry, sorry," the older muffled his laughter against Ritsu's head. He nudged the brunet up along with himself. "Let's get dry."

"So you said no?" Ritsu guesses, the next morning at breakfast after Masamune told him about Saga.

"Yeah. Do you think I should have said yes?"

"Hmm... I don't know. I've only heard his voice at least twice back in high school. If you said yes though, I wouldn't mind."

"Oh, he didn't even know about us back then, huh? He was really surprised when he saw your pictures." He smiles at the memory, smug.

"Really?" Ritsu smiles as well before he blinked in confusion. "Wait, what? Pictures?"

"You got it. My office feels so wonderful to be in now." Ritsu blushes. "New nurses don't even try to hit on me now."

"I-I see..."

"Ritsu?" he asks suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay with riding in a car?"

The brunet contemplates this, taking a bite out of his eggs. "It's been a long time since I rode a car, but I think I'll be fine. Why?"

"I want to take you somewhere in my birthday."

"Huh?" Ritsu looked up at him. "What time?"

"Ritsu, I told you not to plan anything."

"I know. Just... what time?"

"After we go out for dinner, so a little after 8 or 9."

"Okay..." he nibbles a bit on his chopsticks, "Got it." He catches Masamune's questioning gaze. "You have to open my gift too, do you remember?"

"Ritsu..."

"Hey, if I told you not to get me anything, would you?"

"..."

Feeling smug for the first time in a while, Ritsu focused back to eating his food with satisfied huff. 'I actually got him this time!'

When footsteps passed his seat, he turned, planning to say his daily goodbye until lips pressed against his. His eyes widened and he swallowed, horrified that Masamune decided to do this while he was eating. He shivered as he felt a tongue against his, his eyes closing until his husband was satisfied.

"Ha..." He opens his eyes to see Masamune's lips curved up into a smirk. "You sure got me." Ritsu flushed, and as he spotted a grain of rice at the edge of his lover's lips, he became mortified when the older licked his lips in glee.

"Y-y-you..." Ritsu incoherently begins, Masamune's eyes softened at his flustered husband.

"See you," the older kisses his forehead before heading out. "And thank you for the meal."

I'm really glad a lot of you guys like this story. And thank you for finding it so sweet, Anon who loves the sweet. You made me feel so light and happy inside.

What do guys like about it?

Next case, my goodness... I should get back and re-read Takafumi's novels again to try and get character right for Hiyo and Zen.