Hiroki yawned and rolled onto his back, rubbing his eyes. He glanced over at Nowaki's side of the bed, where there was a note on his pillow. Tiredly picking it up, Hiroki smacked his lips.

Went to work- will be back at around three. Your breakfast is in the refrigerator.

I love you.

-Me

Hiroki mumbled in protest, wishing Nowaki didn't have early morning shifts on Mondays. He sleepily sat up and slid out of bed. The baby nudged Hiroki, silently asking for something to eat as Hiroki's stomach growled.

"Thanks for not waking me up last night, you brat," Hiroki muttered, patting his belly. He took a step forward, but froze as he heard something plop to the ground. He looked over his shoulder at the stuffed cat toy that had fallen to the floor. Sighing, he groaned as he very slowly stooped down to retrieve it. It took a few minutes of work, but soon Hiroki was straightening once more, the toy cradled in the crook of his elbow. He shuffled out of the bedroom, yawning as he went. He trudged into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. His eyes immediately caught a bento box kindly placed on the top shelf. He retrieved it and went to the kitchen table, where he sat down and happily unwrapped the food.

He ate in silence, absentmindedly staring at the stuffed cat sitting on the tabletop. It stared blankly back at him, smiling cutely. Hiroki finished his breakfast and put the plastic box in the sink to be washed. Grabbing the stuffed cat from the table, he went back to the bedroom to get dressed. He slipped into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a simple white maternity t-shirt.

Oh, how he hated it when Nowaki went to work. It left him with nothing to do and no one to talk to. He thought of calling Shinobu, but he glanced at the alarm clock, where it read 11:57AM. Realizing that it was 3:57AM in Sweden, Hiroki groaned. Bored, he trudged back into the kitchen, where he retrieved a piece of bread. He slathered it with honey and pouted as he nibbled on the bread. He went to the living room and flopped down onto the couch. Just as he was about to turn on the television, though, the doorbell rang.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Hiroki mumbled around a mouthful of bread. He reluctantly hauled himself to his feet and waddled to the front door. He threw the door open, wincing against the chilled wind.

There, on the terrace, stood Akihiko, wringing his hands to keep them warm. Hiroki furrowed his eyebrows at him, looking him up and down.

"Who the fuck are you?" Hiroki said wryly. Akihiko rolled his eyes.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. Let me in, Hiroki. I've got a very cold, grumpy Misaki with me. Plus, I have a little something I want to show you."

Hiroki raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He moved aside and gestured for Akihiko to enter. Akihiko bowed his thanks and shuffled inside, revealing his smaller lover behind him.

…and the toddler balanced on his hip.

Hiroki's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Misaki smiled and stepped inside, shyly thanking him for entry.

"Who's that?" Hiroki asked dumbly, shutting the door. Misaki handed the toddler to Akihiko to take off his coat and shoes.

"This is Hitomi, our adopted daughter," Misaki announced. Akihiko grinned goofily at a gaping Hiroki.

"Tah-dah," he said stupidly. Hiroki blinked, flapping his lips speechlessly.

"We like to call her Tomi-chan for short. You can call her that too if you'd like, Kamijou-san," Misaki said, smiling as Akihiko passed the toddler back to him so he could also take his coat and shoes off.

"Tomi-chan…" Hiroki echoed dazedly, staring at the toddler. As if on cue, Hitomi looked up sleepily from her adopted mother's shoulder, blinking around the room with huge, beautiful amber eyes. She had silky, copper hair that matched her eyes and curtained around her face, reaching just above her earlobes in a tousled style. Her lips, rosy red and pouty, were small. In fact, everything was small about her, and her tiny, tiny galoshes-clad feet hung down from Misaki's arm.

Hiroki fought to maintain composure and not melt when Misaki helped Hitomi out of her little pink coat and revealed her snow white, lacey dress with a printing of a baby duck on the front.

"Isn't she adorable?" Akihiko cooed, easily catching the enamored look on Hiroki's face. He scowled, but his eyes immediately softened as Hitomi babbled and fisted a lock of Misaki's hair in her little hand.

"She's very cute," Hiroki said, somewhat stiffly. Then, he shakily gestured for Misaki and Akihiko to enter the living room. "Um… please, take a seat. I'll make some tea."

Hiroki herded the little family into the living room.

"Oh, Kamijou-san, we actually brought some tea. Please, allow me to make it," Misaki said. Without another word, he handed Hitomi to Akihiko and pulled a plastic bag full of tea leaves from his pocket. He bowed briefly to Hiroki before flouncing into the kitchen.

Relieved by Misaki's kindness, Hiroki sank down onto the couch beside Akihiko. He watched him sit Hitomi down in his lap and pull her galoshes off, revealing little white socks with baby ducks printed on the ankles.

"When did you two adopt?" Hiroki asked. Akihiko allowed Hitomi to play with his hands, glancing at Hiroki.

"About two months ago. We would've contacted you or something, but as you can imagine, we were quite busy. She's about ten months old now, so we have a lot of responsibility already. I was a little worried at first, with me working and Misaki at university and whatnot, but it's actually working out great. I find myself wanting to spend time with her more and more, and Misaki comes rushing home right after school to come see her. We just… fell completely in love with her."

Hiroki stared at Akihiko, who gazed down at his adopted daughter with unrestrained adoration and love. Hitomi crawled around in Akihiko's lap, crawling up his chest, patting his arms, and playing with his hands. Akihiko puckered his lips and made kissing sounds, and Hitomi immediately clambered up Akihiko's chest and put her tiny hands on his cheeks. She kissed him, then wrapped her arms halfway around her adopted father's neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Akihiko nuzzled her, scooping one hand under her bottom for support and affectionately patting her back with the other hand.

"You've changed," Hiroki stated. Akihiko looked up at him, raising a silver eyebrow.

"Eh? I don't think so," Akihiko said. "You're the one who has changed."

"How so?"

"You're much mellower. You're gentler. And you're glowing so much it's blinding me," Akihiko said wryly out of the corner of his mouth. Hiroki scowled.

"I am not glowing!" he bark-whispered, not wanting to startle little Hitomi.

"Yes you are. You look like a man who has fallen in love with something that doesn't even exist yet," Akihiko said. Hiroki's lips parted and he instinctively put a hand on his belly. The baby fluttered, as if knowing it was being talked about.

"I… you… really?" Hiroki asked, squinting. Akihiko nodded.

"Mhm. Be prepared when that baby comes. You'll be head-over-heels in love. You'll be so in love that you will hardly be able to see straight. You'll get up at three in the morning just to stand over your baby's crib and stroke its beautiful hair… you'll find yourself doing things you never thought you would've done," Akihiko said, chuckling slightly. He looked down at Hitomi, who was sleepily running her hand over her daddy's neck as she dozed on his shoulder. "That's how me and Misaki are. I can only imagine the strength your maternal bond holds."

Hiroki stared at his best friend, blinking. He shook his head.

"Tomi-chan has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn't she?" Hiroki asked.

"Yes," Akihiko replied without a second's hesitation. "She means as much to me as Misaki does. I don't think I could live without her."

Hiroki was about to say something more, but Misaki walked in with a tray in his hands. He set it down on the coffee table.

"Alright, the tea's done. Was Tomi-chan good?" Misaki asked, immediately going to Akihiko.

"If there's one thing that's wrong with Tomi-chan," Akihiko breathed to Hiroki, too quiet for Misaki to hear. Misaki walked up to Akihiko and snatched up Hitomi, bringing her into his own arms and turning away from his sighing lover. "…it's that she always hogs Misaki, and Misaki always hogs her. I don't know who to be frustrated with!"

Hiroki laughed, reaching down to take a cup of tea from the tray.

"Thanks for the tea, Misaki-kun," Hiroki said gratefully. Misaki sat down in the armchair and smiled at him.

"Oh, it wasn't a problem. I bet it's hard to maneuver with that baby bump," Misaki said, combing his fingers through Hitomi's downy hair. Hiroki nodded.

"It is. Luckily I'm on my ninth and final month, so soon I won't have to worry about this gigantic belly being in the way all the time," Hiroki said, patting his stomach. "It's really uncomfortable, too. It feels like there's a bowling ball in my stomach."

Misaki laughed.

"Ha, I bet!"