A/N: Hello readers, call me Turtle. So the following story is part of an AU that I plan to return to every once in awhile. I hope you enjoy this and let me know what you think! Thank you!
Shuichi doesn't like the dark. His bed provided minimal comfort even if he was protected by his trusted entourage of stuffed animals and favorite blanket. All of the armor in the world couldn't dispel the primitive fear in his heart. It wasn't even the fear of the unknown that darkness brings that bothered the young boy. No, it was the eerie silence that followed it that fueled anxiety. A silence that left Shuichi alone with his own thoughts. Thoughts that replayed the chaotic events of the last two months like a movie. Events that brought him into a new home, comfort in the arms of strangers. The recent memory of his father's voice crackling in shame over the phone had been stuck on repeat in Shuichi's mind since the call this morning.
"I know you'll be a better man than me, Shuichi."
His father's words echoed through Shuichi's ears as he fidgeted with the unknowns of his fathers fate. Even months after the arrest all Shuichi knew was that father was in jail for "working with the wrong kind of people'' but to this day he's had no luck with gaining further clarification. Perhaps he knew his heart just wouldn't bear the details. A deep sigh escaped Shuichi's lungs as he began tossing and turning feverishly. Father did try to bond with him every once in a while. Sometimes he was treated to a movie at the cinema six and dinner at the diner by the river. Such pleasant days were rare, as more nights than not were spent alone waiting for the patriarch to return home by his lonesome. Shuichi did not miss the nights spent fighting sleep as he waited for him. It's not like father would even check on him when he did stumble home late at night.
Tears welled up in Shuichi's eyes, a hurricane of grief and repressed loneliness battering his heart. He missed his father greatly even if he was aware of the distance that grew between them even before the arrest. Shuichi didn't want to cry, and he especially didn't want to alarm his guardians down the hall either. But sometimes the pain is just too strong to repress.
There was a funny irony to it all, the boy who lost one parent to the grips of death and the other to the punishment of the law ending up with not just two guardians, but under the care of three loving individuals. He loved his two new dads in the stern but caring Hinata and the eccentric yet intelligent Komaeda. He even found a mother for the first time in his life in the kind, if lazy, Nanami. The boy frowned as his uncertainties with how he should address his guardians flared up, being too polite to address them by their first names like they've insisted since meeting him at the café in what seems like ages ago.
He thought back to his guardians. He knew at least one of them had to still be awake, the clock besides Shuichi reading 10:45 pm. Shuichi didn't want to feel alone anymore. All he wanted in the world right now was to be hugged and reminded he wasn't alone. He needed Hinata. He needed Komaeda. He needed Nanami. And he wasn't going to feel any better by wallowing by himself.
Shuichi sat up in his bed, having calmed down enough to take action. The bad thoughts would only return if Shuichi stayed in his room. He took one last deep breath before grabbing his favorite stuffed tiger and climbing out of bed. Shuichi slowly shut the door behind him as he entered the dimly lit hallway. He glanced to his right and confirmed Nanami's den to be empty before creeping slowly towards the master bedroom at the other end of the hallway. As Shuichi approached the room, he noticed light escaping under the door and took it as a welcome sign that his hunch was correct. As he approached the wooden door Shuichi felt a sudden wave of self doubt before he could knock on the door.
"What if they think I'm too old for this?" Shuichi thought to himself out loud, despite only being the tender age of six.
"Would it be weird to ask? I mean they're not my real parents and why would they want another body in that big bed they all share?"
Shuichi stood at the door like a statue as he spoke to himself. He got so lost in his head that he didn't notice the door opening revealing a mildly surprised Hinata, who was certain Shuichi had already fallen asleep by now.
"Hey there, Shuichi" the older brunette piped up, smiling softly at the visibly distressed boy. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" He paused. "Are you okay?"
Shuichi having been brought back to reality, he turned into a mumbling mess once his mouth opened again.
"O-o-hyeahIwasjustgoingtothebathroomto… uh. Brush my teeth" Shuichi spat out. Hinata chuckled lightly, seeing through Shuichi's lie. He continued however.
"Yep, I was going to brush my teeth and I… Uh…" Shuichi sputtered as he heard himself out loud. One look at Hinata and he knew he was going nowhere with his fibs. At least his guardian didn't appear to be annoyed, a rarity Shuichi mused to himself.
"I could hear you mumbling from the hallway kiddo." Hinata stepped into the hallway and got down on his knee to look at his foster son.
"Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"
Hinata asked, going with the easiest guess he could think of. That guess seemingly being on target as Shuichi's response to the question was an embarrassed, shifted gaze back to the ground. Hinata sighed in relief, the full picture being clearer to him now. Shuichi looked back up at the brunette.
"Y-yeah. Well, I couldn't fall asleep because I was thinking about… my f-father."
Shuichi's voice dropped as he spoke. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder, as he looked back at Hinata who wore a sympathetic face. Courage came back to the boy as he found his voice again.
"Could I maybe sleep with you guys tonight? If that isn't weird or anything of course but if it was I would understand."
Shuichi was cut off when Hinata placed his other hand on Shuichi's other shoulder, his hands gentle on the boy's small frame.
"If that's what you want Shuichi, of course." Hajime said softly, letting go of Shuichi as he got back on his feet and motioned towards the bedroom.
Entering the room, he saw his other two guardians on the massive mattress that took a significant chunk of space in the large room. Komaeda laid on the left side of the mattress, already asleep as small snores could be heard from him. On the right, Nanami sat up in bed fully immersed in whatever game she was playing on her Nintendo Switch. Hinata walked over to his longtime girlfriend and kissed her forehead, breaking her focus away from her game.
"Hey Chiaki, we're going to have a visitor with us tonight." Hinata announced.
The mauve haired women perked her head before looking over at the embarrassed child, smiling warmly at her foster son.
"Oh, that's fine by me, I think" She said, shifting towards the edge of the bed as Hinata climbed in through the foot of the bed, laying next to Komaeda who instinctively cuddled up on his boyfriend. Deciding standing around wasn't the best option, Shuichi followed and climbed the large bed, laying between Hinata and Nanami. Shuichi gripped his stuffed animal as Hinata grabbed the covers and pulled them over everyone.
Now that Shuichi is here, he still found himself being as restless as ever even if the memory foam mattress was noticeably more comfortable than his own. He looked over at Hinata, who was now reading a book while Komaeda was curled up on him. He then turned to Nanami who went back to her game, faint music coming from whatever game she was playing catching his attention. He glanced over at the console and saw the girl was playing Pokémon Sword, something that even he could have guessed if he thought about it beforehand. Shuichi watched quietly as Nanami took out a poor trainer's whole team with just one of her own Pokémon, small excitement escaping Shuichi's lips as he cheered softly as Nanami reaped in the rewards for her swift victory. This caught Nanami's attention as she motioned to Shuichi to come closer, which he did with zero hesitation.
Shuichi cuddled up on the lone matriarch as he watched Nanami play her game, her arm around him in a loving embrace. Nanami always has the best hugs. Between the warmth and Nanami softly nuzzling him occasionally, Shuichi quickly found himself completely relaxed. A relaxation that made him feel particularly tired, and soon enough he entered the realm of sleep with ease in his heart.
As interesting as Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas may be, the sound of the soft "hey hey" from his girlfriend caught Hajime's ears. He looked over and saw a now fast asleep Shuichi completely curled up on Chiaki, who had now turned off her game as she softly played with the boy's hair. The two adults' eyes met, and greeted each other with equally heart filled smiles.
Hajime felt at ease knowing Shuichi was adjusting to his situation faster than anticipated, knowing that every day his and his lovers' decision to take care of the child was proving more and more to be a good idea. Hajime chuckled to himself, looking down at a sleeping Nagito. He wondered if the luckster was sharing his talent even in sleep as the man just felt lucky right now. Lucky to share a moment with the three people in his life he loved more than anyone else. Lucky that he has found himself a happy if unconventional family. But it's a family everyone in the bed would never trade away.
"We made the right decision. " Hajime blurted out, happiness filling every inch of his body at the moment.
"I never thought we'd all adjust so easily, but here we are." Chiaki happily hummed. "I love him. I can't imagine a world without him now that he's here for good."
"You're speaking for all of us there." Hajime agreed. "I can't believe I can call myself a father if I'm being honest." He mused as he ran his fingers through Shuichi's hair. "I wouldn't give it away for anything."
Hajime and Chiaki shared another smile before leaning in for a kiss.
"Good night everyone." Hajime called out to the occupants in the bed. "I love you all."
Chiaki grabbed Hajime's hand as Shuichi shifted more onto her chest, looking peaceful while doing so. Sleep quickly took over the remaining awake adults and before they knew it, all four people slept soundly and happily together.