"I'm sorry," Suga started, "a what?"

"A baby." Hajime kept his voice low. "A baby who is currently sleeping and could start crying at any moment. Help a guy out, yeah?"

Suga could be heard moving about the room and there was the faint jingle of keys. "Calm down, okay? You're not gonna make this any easier by panicking." The sound of a door opening and closing was drowned out by the rain. "I'll check him out when I get there but he doesn't look sick, does he? Any lacerations? Bruises? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"Not that I could see," Hajime said.

"Good. I'll be there in a little bit."

The phone call ended shortly after that, and Hajime took a deep breath when the baby rustled in his arms and let out a soft whimper. Keep it together, Hajime. You are a grown ass man – you can handle this. He looked at the baby, moving the blanket over an exposed shoulder – ignoring a twinge of something in his chest – and brushed back the small tufts of hair atop the baby's head.

He sat down on the couch and waited for Suga to arrive.

What else was he supposed to do?

Suga arrived about 15 minutes later, using the spare key Hajime had given him and letting himself in, immediately shedding his jacket and shoes so as not to track water further into the apartment. He dropped his umbrella and a duffel bag near the door.

"Sorry it took me so long," he said. "Traffic. Not to mention the storm's getting worse."

"You can just stay here if it gets too bad," Hajime said, slowly getting to his feet.

Suga moved easily towards Hajime, staring at the infant in the other's arms. "Holy shit, you weren't kidding."

"Why would I joke about something like that?" Hajime raised an eyebrow.

Suga didn't respond and instead went to the kitchen to wash his hands. "So there was no note when you found him?" he asked when he came back, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He moved his bangs from his eyes as they now favored the right side of face instead of being parted down in the middle like they were in high school.

Hajime nodded. "Right."

Suga held out his arms. "May I?"

Hajime carefully moved the baby out of his arms and into Suga's, noting how natural the other was at this and how the baby barely even registered the transition. With Suga being one of the best nurses at the nearby hospital and one who also worked on the maternity floor, Hajime trusted his friend to the utmost as he watched the other glance over the infant with calm, experienced eyes – something that Suga only got when visiting patients at the hospital, Oikawa once said.

"Judging from just holding him, he doesn't seem to be malnourished. He's a solid weight – maybe seven pounds, eight at the most." He set the baby down on the couch and pulled the blanket back, exposing the baby's body and making him shiver. Suga ran his hands along the torso, being careful of the small leftover stump from the umbilical cord. "No protruding ribs or swollen stomach." He carded his fingers through the brown curls. "Hair is soft. And he's got a lot of it, so that's good."

The baby started sniveling and whimpering when Suga continued moving arms and legs to make sure everything was okay. Suga looked at the bottom of the baby's feet and ran his thumb over the prominent, almost leaf-shaped birthmark. He hummed in thought. "That's interesting."

But Hajime couldn't stop the eerie feeling of what he could only describe as familiarity that shuddered through him upon seeing it. Because Oikawa had that exact same birthmark in that exact same place. Oikawa had always been embarrassed about it and was very adamant about covering it up, and the only reason Hajime even found out about it was because he happened to catch Oikawa barefoot one day when they were in middle school. It took him forever to get comfortable enough to show Suga.

And Hajime's heart clenched in his chest.

The baby started crying the more he was shifted about – large, fat tears cascading down his round cheeks. And his cries only grew louder the more he trembled.

"Okay, little guy, I'm done. I'm done," Suga cooed in a warm voice, wrapping the blanket back around him and lifting the baby into his arms. He kept his words in a low and calm tone. "There, there."

"How old is he?" Hajime asked.

Suga patted the baby's back gently and the crying started to subside. "He's very young. Probably just out of the hospital, if the fact he's still got the stump from the umbilical cord is anything to go by."

Hajime's stomach twisted in irritation. "What kind of irresponsible parents would just leave their newborn on some stranger's doorstep?"

"Better you than some orphanage. We don't need another child getting lost in the system." Suga sighed. "We'll have to take him by the hospital to get some bloodwork done and be seen by a doctor, just to make sure he's actually okay, but from what I can tell, he's as healthy as a horse."

"That's good." Hajime released the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

A clap of thunder vibrated through them and rattled the windows as the rain pelted it, streaking diagonally across the panes from the howling wind, and the lights flickered for a moment before steadying.

"But we're not going anywhere if this storm holds out," Suga said. He handed Hajime the baby again before getting up and padding over to his duffel bag and opening it. "It's a good thing I brought all this stuff, then."

Hajime, his curiosity peaked, tried to peek around Suga's body and see what the latter was talking about. The baby wriggled in his arms, whining a bit before snuggling into the man's chest. He got an answer when Suga turned around with three tin cans of powdered formula stacked on top of a sack of diapers and a plastic bag with three baby bottles held in his hands.

"Where did you get all of that?" Hajime asked.

Suga set the items down on the coffee table. "Remember my sister?"

Hajime nodded, her face a vague memory in his head from the two times he's met her.

"Well, she had her baby a few weeks ago, and they come by to visit often enough that I just started keeping supplies at my place just in case she forgot anything at home. And because I babysit. I like to be prepared."

Hajime snorted. "I'll say."

Suga held up the formula. "This is the best brand of formula I recommend so the little guy will be getting the proper nutrition for the next couple of days while things get sorted out. Newborns usually eat every two to three hours, so depending on the last time he ate, he should be getting hungry here pretty quick."

Hajime nodded, taking note of what Suga was saying.

They were quiet for a few minutes, the rain and thunder the only sound between them, as Suga watched his friend cradle the sleeping infant. Hajime fidgeted under the gaze, unable to figure out the look on Suga's face. He'd gotten pretty good at reading Suga this past year as they spent more and more time with each other, but whatever face that was went right over Hajime's head.

He finally caved. "What?"

Suga didn't say anything for another moment. "This is probably a ridiculous question, but what're you gonna do?"

"What do you mean?"

Suga sighed, annoyance brushing across his features. "What are you gonna do in regards to the baby, Hajime? Are you gonna keep him? Are you gonna give him to someone else? What're you gonna do?"

As someone who went through the foster system as a child, Hajime knew for a fact that he wasn't going to drop the baby off at an orphanage with only hopes that he'd find a good family to take him in. Hajime was fortunate enough to be taken in by a wonderful family, especially after hearing some of the stories about the friends he made while there in the orphanage weren't so fortunate. But Hajime couldn't keep him either. He didn't know the first thing about raising a child, and he was busy with work so he wouldn't be able to stay home anyway. There was just no way.

Keeping him was out of the question.

"I'm not gonna pawn him off to some orphanage," Hajime said, staring at the baby's sleeping face. "But I can't keep him either."

"Why not?" Suga asked.

Hajime looked at the other man like he'd grown a third head. "Koushi, I can't keep a baby. I can't raise a child. I'm not cut out for that."

"Why not? You're great with kids. Amazing, even." He chuckled. "I remember Tooru coming home complaining about you being so much better at teaching kids volleyball than he was."

Hajime remembered those countless days of volunteering at the Children's Athletic Center with Oikawa and teaching volleyball like it was yesterday. He still did it from time to time when he was free on the weekends, but he hadn't made it a habit of going back, especially when some of the kids asked started asking where Oikawa was.

"While I appreciate your faith in me, there's gotta be someone else out there who's better suited. Who can give him the life I can't."

Someone who won't feel… whatever this is every time I look at him, he thought.

Hajime looked at his friend. "Why don't you take him, Kou? You're great with kids."

Suga shook his head. "My shifts are too sporadic at the hospital. And since I work most nights, I won't be able to stay with him."

"Is there anyone you know who's looking to adopt? Or maybe just add another munchkin to the family?" Hajime shifted on his feet. He didn't like this sinking feeling in his stomach. He didn't like how snugly the baby fit in his arms, or how utterly content he looked in his sleep. He didn't like this burgeoning guilt in his chest. Like he was doing something wrong.

"Actually, I do," Suga said. "I have a coworker who's been trying to adopt for years now but he and his husband just keep getting the run-around. I'll bring them by at some point so you can meet them."

Hajime nodded.

"And if you are truly certain you don't want to keep him, I'll see if at least one of them can shift their work schedules around so one of them can stay home and take care of him until he's old enough," Suga explained. "But this probably won't happen by tomorrow, or even in the next couple of days. My friend's schedule is almost as screwy as mine is and I know for a fact that if he's taking the baby home, he'll want to be able to focus on taking care of him."

"How long will it take for the adoption to be official?"

"Getting all the necessary paperwork approved takes time, especially since they're a two men, so maybe a little less than a month? At best?"

Hajime tensed. A month? That was too long. That was far too long. Hajime couldn't keep him for a month – there was just no way. Out of the question.

"And until that's settled, I know they would much rather him stay here with you where things aren't so unpredictable."

Hajime was quiet.

"Think you can handle it?" Suga asked. "I know this is asking for a whole lot, and you didn't sign up for this, but I'm going to do everything I can to help speed this process along, okay? My dad's a lawyer so he might be able to help, too."

Hajime nodded again. "Okay."

Afterwards, when the baby started crying and mouthing at Hajime's chest looking for food, Suga showed Hajime how much formula to prepare and how to test it on his wrist for a temperature check. (Of course, this was after Suga laughed his ass off for a good five minutes and called Hajime "mom". And if Hajime hadn't been holding the baby at that moment, he would've thrown something at Suga's head.)

Hajime was now sitting on the couch, a pillow stuffed under his arm so it wouldn't get too tired, watching the baby suckle greedily on the bottle. Large, cocoa, and no doubt curious eyes met his own dark green ones and that ache in his chest was back again. But he couldn't look away. The baby never took his eyes off of Hajime's face, seeming to take every detail in and memorize it.

The rain had started to lighten considerably, though it was still thundering every now and then, so Suga went out to get some clothes and more blankets for the baby. Hajime offered to come and help, but Suga was worried about the baby getting sick so he ordered the two of them to stay put.

"You know, you kind of remind me of someone," Hajime muttered. "I just don't know who."

The baby stared at him in complete awe, like he was trying to understand what Hajime was saying, and his mouth fell open, causing some formula to run down his chin. Hajime quickly wiped it away and shifted him upright and against his chest and patted his back to have him burp.

When that was done, Hajime swooped his legs up on the couch, his head lying on the pillow with the baby resting on his chest, not once noticing how absolutely tired he was. He placed his hand on the baby's small back to hold him steady, and they were both asleep within minutes.

Hajime woke to the sound of a camera snap and opened his bleary eyes to find Suga grinning at him, phone in hand.

"What the hell?" Hajime rubbed his eye with his free hand as the other was still resting on the baby's back. "Koushi?"

Suga snickered. "That was probably the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my entire life." He smirked. "That's definitely going to be my new contact picture for you."

Hajime huffed. Just great. "Did you just get back?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just walked in the door," Suga said. "I got clothes and blankets and more formula and diapers. Body wash, too. The little guy should be good to go for the rest of the week."

"Thanks a lot, Kou. I really appreciate it."

Suga waved his hand. "Don't even mention it. Besides, you paid for it. Why're you thanking me?"

"Because I'm an idiot who doesn't know what he's doing."

"You're not an idiot. Just inexperienced." Suga started unpacking all of the items and gave Hajime a pointed look when the other tried to get up. "You sit your happy ass right there, Papa Bear. You're gonna wake the baby."

Hajime grumbled. "Don't call me that."

And Suga just laughed.

They ended up making the tofu after all, since they had no safe way of taking the baby with them, and Suga only gave Hajime's portion a slight pinch of spice, to which the latter kicked his shin under the table and accused him of ruining good food. The baby was snuggled comfortably in Hajime's arms since he absolutely refused to be put down and started crying every time Hajime tried. They watched The Lovely Bones afterwards, too, and while Suga did shed a tear at the scene where Susie meets all of the previously murdered girls in heaven, he nowhere near cried as much as Hajime did. It never failed every single time he watched that damn movie.

Hajime emailed his boss to let him know he'd be taking some vacation time that he'd racked up over the two and a half years he's been busting his ass at that physical therapy office and got the green light about 30 minutes later (with a comment at the end of the email saying that his boss was glad he was taking a break because he worked too hard). He could breathe a little easier.

Suga went ahead and prepared another bottle and put it in the fridge, explaining that the baby will wake up in the middle of the night starving and Hajime's not going to want to hassle with making a bottle half-asleep, and Hajime thanked every deity there was to have a friend like Suga.

"I should probably go. It's getting late," Suga said, slipping on his shoes. The rain had stopped a little over an hour ago, and the clouds were gradually rolling away from the city. "They put me down for an early morning shift right when I had my sleep schedule all in order." Suga's chuckle was dry.

"Damn, that sucks," Hajime said.

"Eh, what can you do." Suga shrugged. "Oh, and I have an extra car seat that I'll bring by in case you have to go anywhere since I forgot to bring it today. I'll stop by tomorrow after my shift to drop it off and come check on him. Mainly on you, though. Just to make sure you haven't burned the house down trying to heat up a bottle."

"Get out of my apartment."

Suga grabbed his jacket and grinned. "See you tomorrow!" And then he was gone, leaving Hajime alone. With a newborn baby. For a whole night.

Hajime sighed.

"Fuck."

This time, Hajime woke up to the sound of a piercing wail.

At first he thought it was his alarm clock and slammed his hand right down on it, groaning loudly when it didn't shut off. He opened his eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness of the room and where the fuck was that noise coming from – oh right. There's a baby here. A now very hungry baby whose cries only grew louder and more intense.

Hajime sat up and turned on the lamp, kicking his legs from under the blankets before picking up the baby and bringing him close to try and soothe him while trekking to the kitchen, turning on lights along the way. He put the bottle in the microwave, and it was if the baby could smell it because he started crying even louder, his chubby cheeks turning red in his upset.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Hajime's voice was soft and a little hoarse from sleep. He pulled the bottle from the microwave after a bit, checking the temperature on his wrist, and placed the bottle to the baby's lips.

Once latched on and seemingly content, the baby brought his eyes back to Hajime's face again, not once looking away. It really was such an intense gaze, even for a newborn, and Hajime thought he'd be uncomfortable under the scrutiny. But instead he found himself draped in that familiarity. A familiarity that he hadn't felt for an entire year.

"You remind me so much of someone I know," Hajime said.

And as the baby continued staring at him, only one name came to mind:

Tooru.

He stared up at the person currently holding him, enveloping him in warmth, and found that he wasn't afraid anymore. He wasn't sad. And he wasn't lonely. There was no more darkness. No more pain.

Just safety and warmth and happiness.

Yes, he was safe with this person.

But he didn't smell like milk, and his voice was low and rumbling as he said words he couldn't understand, but it wasn't terrifying. It brought comfort and security. It made him happy.

Only one word came to mind:

Papa.

Yes.

This man was his father.