AN: The cml tag in my profile has new art of Mura and Tetsu hugging.

The hardest part about eavesdropping was having to pretend that he didn't know anything when the people he'd been eavesdropping on came and talked to him later. This was not something Hiroshi had expected to learn at the ripe age of thirty-nine, but life was full of surprises. And he absolutely did not look guilty when Akashi sought him out in the office, because he hadn't been listening in the hall, nope, of course not, he was far too mature to do something so childish.

"Kagami-san, am I interrupting?" Akashi stopped in the doorway, precisely polite as always. He was even polite enough not to notice that Hiroshi wasn't working on anything, his phone nowhere in evidence, no documents on his desk, computer screensaver flashing photos across the screen.

"Not at all," Hiroshi said. "What can I do for you, Akashi-kun?"

"We were wondering if you'd like to go for a walk with us down to the convenience store." Akashi hesitated, his eyes falling, and shook his head. Not at Hiroshi, but at himself. Then he looked up again and met Hiroshi's eyes again. "No, that's not quite true. Murasakibara wants to go to the convenience store, but it's Tetsu-kun and I who want you to come along. Tetsu-kun is nervous about leaving the apartment, and your presence will be soothing for him."

"Ah." Hiroshi felt himself softening toward this boy even more. Akashi had done him the honor of giving him more than a polite untruth. It must have taken great courage for such a reserved and careful person to be that vulnerable. If it were for himself, Hiroshi had the feeling Akashi would never do something like that. But for Tetsu, he would make sacrifices. "Of course, Akashi-kun. I would be delighted to come."

He stood up from the desk and moved toward the door. To his surprise, Akashi did not step out of the way immediately. He looked up at Hiroshi, almost as if he was taking his measure.

If so, Hiroshi must have passed the test. Akashi opened his mouth again. "I think you should know that Tetsu-kun just had a panic attack."

Hiroshi nodded slowly. He already knew, since he'd been standing in the hall listening, but he greatly appreciated Akashi telling him. "Do you know why?"

"Murasakibara grabbed his arm, and he suffered a flashback."

Hiroshi stiffened. He knew exactly what Tetsu had flashed back to. His hands clenched into involuntary fists. He had known that Tetsu was having a bad moment from what he'd heard in the hall, but he hadn't known the cause.

That bastard... And I never even got a chance to punch him...

Akashi tilted his head, watching him. "You older son told me that you stepped in when Tetsu-kun's father was trying to force him to leave the restaurant where they met to talk. Is that the moment Tetsu-kun remembered?"

Hiroshi nodded, his throat too tight for speech. Akashi must be very observant and intelligent to have figured that out just from Tetsu panicking when Murasakibara gripped his arm. If only Hiroshi had been a few seconds faster that day...

But Akashi only nodded back in understanding, unbothered by Hiroshi's failure to prevent that moment from happening. Indeed, Akashi might have relaxed. "That explains it, then."

Hiroshi couldn't help himself. "Explains what?"

"How important you are. You rescued him. In the moment when Tetsu-kun felt the most fear that he'd ever felt in his life, the terror of being dragged against his will back to the horrors he had thought he'd escaped, now rising up around him in all their hideousness... You arrived at precisely the right time. You tore through the awfulness and shredded it like paper. You proved once and for all that Tetsu had nothing to be afraid of, because you were stronger than his fear. The good father overcame the bad father and took his place for all eternity."

Hiroshi was incapable of speech.

Akashi closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in it. "No wonder he wanted to be a Kagami. No wonder he wanted to belong to you forever. Who could blame him? Anyone would, after something like that."

"Akashi-kun..."

Akashi opened his eyes and gave him a smile. "Do you know what truly conquered the panic attack? What gave him the strength to calm down, find his center, take deep breaths again?"

Hiroshi shook his head.

"It was easy. I mentioned your name."

Hiroshi caught his breath. He had crept away before that moment, aware that Akashi had the situation in hand and he would only complicate matters if he tried to interfere. It had itched at him to do that when he would have preferred the ability to leap into the situation and solve all of Tetsu's problems with a wave of his hand, but he had trusted Akashi to care for his son. And now...

"Why...why are you telling me all this?"

Akashi blinked. "I wanted you to understand why Tetsu-kun might seem a bit shaky and unlike himself for the next little while. Why he might stand closer to you than usual, look to you more often. And I wanted you to know that your presence is enough. He will feel safe because you are with him."

Hiroshi nodded.

Akashi looked away for a moment, then back to him. "I know this has all happened very fast, not only for Tetsu-kun, but for you, too. Two weeks ago, you had one son and a high-level career in America, and you had not the slightest inkling that any of that would change. Now you have two children, one of whom will face enormous difficulties for a time, perhaps for the rest of his life. It is impossible to step into that sort of situation without tremors, without misgivings about your ability to deal with it. So I wanted you to know... You are enough. You are more than enough. One look to Tetsu-kun's face at the mention of your name is proof of that."

Hiroshi pulled in a breath. He had not allowed himself to think about that. About his failures, about the way he had lost... All he had lost. It would have terrified him too much, so he had not allowed himself to doubt. He was the only person who could do this, who could protect a battered child from the monster who had tortured him, so he had done it. There had been no other choice. Not that he would have sought an escape, if it had been available, but the lack of anyone else had made it easier to forge ahead.

Now that the pace had slowed and Tetsu was on the mend, his friends all gathering around him, Hiroshi's doubts could have had the space to rise inside him. He had kept himself busy filing paperwork, making phone calls, doing all he could turn this parental leave into a permanent move. And whenever he was with his boys, when he sat with them and felt their warmth and saw their smiles and heard their laughter, every incipient fear faded away.

But when he was alone, he was in danger of falling into the trap of too much self-reflection. Hiroshi had enough regrets to fill an ocean, more than enough to drown in.

And now this.

He stared at Akashi in undisguised wonder. "You... How did you know that I needed to hear that?"

It was Akashi's turn to falter. He leaned against the doorway one shoulder, his eyes wide. "I...guessed."

"You..." Hiroshi shook his head. "That was amazing. You're sixteen years old. How are you so intelligent, so well-spoken? So wise and kind? No wonder you're the captain of your team, even as a first-year. There could have been no better choice."

A faint wash of color began to rise in Akashi's cheeks. "That's...that's not why..."

"I know Taiga has not been very welcoming to you. I would apologize for him, but you've been handling it very graciously, so I thought it better to let you boys work it out between yourselves. Still, you should know that while I love Taiga dearly and he is the best son and brother any family could ask for, he is not without faults. He holds grudges and is quick to anger, slow to forgive. No matter what he says and how he may act, you are welcome in this household. Now, and any time you would like to return."

Akashi looked stunned. "But... But I deserved..."

Hiroshi shook his head, hard. "I know there is history between you and my boys. Taiga has discussed almost everything with me, so I know he has his reasons to be suspicious of you. I won't even say that he's wrong. But Tetsu-chan has forgiven you, and I only see the boy before me. So I'll say again: You are welcome here. Visit whenever you like, for as long as you like. The door will always be open to you."

"I..." Akashi's chest heaved. "Thank you. I...I gratefully accept."

Hiroshi thought he was done, then. But the words burst out of him like an explosion from a grenade. "What kind of idiot father doesn't tell you that he's proud of you ten times a day? When you do things like this, when you talk someone down from a panic attack and then have the insight to reassure a man twice your age? Is his brain made of porridge? I don't understand it!"

They both went very, very still. Hiroshi felt his face turn red as a tomato, hot enough to rival any of Taiga's worst blushes. He had just admitted that he'd been eavesdropping in the hall. Not just today, but yesterday, too.

Wow, he was just succeeding at being an adult all over the place, today.

After a moment of shocked silence, Akashi's face opened into a smile. And he laughed, surprised and happy. "Kagami-san, you..."

Hiroshi covered his face with his hands and groaned. "Ugh. Just call me Hiroshi-san the way Tetsu-chan does. I embarrassed myself in front you, and you are precious to my son. We're hardly strangers."

And Akashi needed an adult in his life who wasn't an idiot and wasn't emotionally abusive and would tell him that he was proud of him. Hiroshi couldn't adopt another kid, but he could damn well invite this one into his home and tell him he was amazing if he wanted to. Tetsu liked calling Hiroshi by his given name, so Akashi could go along with it, too.

Akashi was quiet. After a long moment, Hiroshi lowered his hands and looked at him again. The boy was staring away down the hall, and his cheeks were flaming almost as red as Hiroshi's.

So he understood what it meant.

"Akashi-kun?"

Akashi trembled where he stood. "...Sei-chan."

It was a whisper.

Hiroshi strained to hear him. He took a step closer. "Can you repeat that, please?"

Akashi cut him a glance out of the corner of his eye, then stared down the hall again. "Sei-chan. If that's where this is going, we might as well be thorough about it."

Hiroshi laughed. "Sei-chan." He ruffled his hair, gently, making sure that the boy had plenty of time to see his hand coming and prepare himself for the touch. Hiroshi hadn't forgotten the way Akashi had flinched in his sleep when he brushed his forehead yesterday.

Sei endured the touch. He might have even leaned into Hiroshi's hand, a little. Then he pulled himself away and started walking down the hall, still unable to look in Hiroshi's face. "Tetsu-kun..." He cleared his throat. "Tetsu-kun and Murasakibara probably think we've died, this took so long."

Hiroshi laughed and followed him down the hall. "Then we should go and reassure them. And we should hurry to the convenience store so your giant friend doesn't starve to death."

"Hiroshi-san is wise," Sei murmured.

Hiroshi smiled wide enough to crack his face.

Sei was right about Tetsu. He was obviously pale and shaken, but still determined to go outside. He almost halted on the threshold, but Murasakibara, right behind, shoved him through with a grumble and a whine, and once Tetsu was in the hallway he did a little better. Hiroshi was careful to stay close, though.

On the street, walking to the store, Tetsu drifted closer and closer to Hiroshi, his steps gradually slowing. His shoulders were hunched, his hands jammed into his pockets, and his eyes kept darting all around, watching for...something. Hiroshi could guess what it was. He didn't say anything, just put an arm around Tetsu's shoulders and pulled him into his side. Tetsu didn't relax, even then, but he did give Hiroshi a small, strained smile.

Sei kept up a running commentary with Murasakibara. Occasionally he asked about some recent snack flavor that some company had brought out, and Murasakibara would go into his opinions. Sei's knowledge of snacks seemed inexhaustible. Hiroshi didn't know why he was surprised. He suspected that Sei's knowledge of pretty much everything was close to inexhaustible.

Sei had also picked up one of Taiga's basketballs from the entryway as they left the apartment, and he dribbled it casually as they walked. His control of the ball was almost mesmerizing to watch, so complete it was, so seemingly effortless. Hiroshi enjoyed the sight.

Murasakibara and Sei slowed their pace to stay with Tetsu instead of going on ahead. By the time the four of them reached the store, it could barely be called a walk, having reduced in speed to something much closer to an amble. Or perhaps a crawl. No one commented on it.

Inside the store, Tetsu relaxed a bit. He and Murasakibara perused the snack aisles, discussing which to buy now and which to buy later. Murasakibara declared that everything was on the buy later list, he just needed certain very urgent purchases right now. Like potato chips. And rice crackers. And strawberry, matcha, and wasabi Kit Kats.

At this point, Tetsu brought a package of purple sweet potato Kit Kats to Hiroshi and solemnly placed them in his hand. "Taiga-nii said you like these." Then he went back to his friend to continue their discussion. Hiroshi pressed his free hand to his chest to keep his heart from exploding. Sei smiled.

Hiroshi gave him a helpless look. "Was he like this in middle school, too?" He was almost desperate for stories of the son who had spent so many years apart from him. Taiga could only help a little, since he'd only known Tetsu for not quite a year. It had been a very, very full year, though.

Sei tilted his chin up, considering. "Yes," he said after a moment. "Tetsu-kun has always been incredibly aware of everyone around him. Ironic, considering that most of the time everyone around him is completely unaware of him. He has always been generous and kind, performing small gestures to lift other people up. If you mention that you like a certain manga, he will buy the new volume for you the day it comes out and give it to you at school with a small nod, like it means nothing. If he learns that you like sweet potato Kit Kats, he will bring you a package even though you could get them yourself with only a few steps. And if you quit the basketball team, he will chase after you and try to keep you from leaving."

Hiroshi wanted to hear more, so much more. But Murasakibara and Tetsu had completed their choices, and they moved to the register with Murasakibara's arms piled high with treats, Tetsu trailing after him holding one bag in each hand. Hiroshi hurried up to pay the bill, ignoring Murasakibara when he tried to open his own wallet.

"You are my guest," he told the boy cheerfully. "I insist."

Murasakibara acquiesced with almost indecent speed. His wallet must have been grateful for the relief.

On the way back, Murasakibara carried all the plastic bags, letting them hang from his elbows as he opened a bag of potato chips and began to munch away, pulling out chips by the handful. Then he gave the bag to Tetsu, who carefully removed one chip, ate it, then gave the bag back. Murasakibara paused mid-chew to frown at him. Tetsu didn't seem to notice. Hiroshi and Sei hid their smiles behind their hands.

Murasakibara was distracted, though, when they passed by the little playground on the other side of the street. Again, he paused mid-chew, and he passed the bag of potato chips to Tetsu so he could shade his eyes with his hand and stare over the playground. "Oi, there's a basketball court over there."

The group paused to look. It was a small court, tucked into the back of the playground. A few elementary-age children were playing ball there, mostly just passing the ball back and forth and attempting shots on the basket. It was hard to see if you didn't know it was there, but Murasakibara was uncommonly tall, and apparently more observant than he looked.

Hiroshi nodded. "That's one reason Taiga and I chose this location back when we were looking for apartments. He wanted to be near a streetball court. That one doesn't get a lot of use, but it's nice and well-maintained."

Murasakibara grunted. Then he turned to Sei and casually stole the basketball Sei had been bouncing mid-dribble. "Hey, Aka-chin, let's all go shoot some baskets."

Sei raised his eyebrows. "Really, Murasakibara? You want to practice when you don't have to? That's not like you."

Murasakibara bounced the ball against the ground, his plastic bags shaking. "Don't be a jerk, Aka-chin. I'll crush you."

Sei laughed and began to cross the street, Murasakibara at his heels. Hiroshi started to follow, then paused at the tug on his sleeve. He looked down to find Tetsu standing stock-still, his fingers clenched in the fabric over Hiroshi's forearm. His face was pure white, and his eyes were pleading.

Hiroshi froze. "Tetsu-chan? What's wrong? Don't you want to play with your friends?"

Tetsu shook his head. "No. Please. I don't..."

He swayed. Hiroshi wrapped a hand around his arm to hold him up and waited. He didn't know what this was about, so he didn't know what he could do to help. It tore at his heart to see Tetsu looking afraid again, though.

Tetsu looked up at him. "I don't want...them to know... They're the only ones who don't know..."

"What, Tetsu-chan?" Hiroshi prompted gently. "What don't they know?"

Tetsu bit his lip. "They don't know my basketball is gone. They think I'm okay, or I will be soon. I don't... I don't want to spoil that for them."

Hiroshi held still. Taiga had told him something about this, but Hiroshi hadn't really understood it. How could someone's basketball just be "gone?" And yet Tetsu had been convinced that his was, that every skill he had learned over years and years of slow, agonizing, hard-won improvement had been taken away by his father.

Taiga's best guess was that all of the pain and heartache Tetsu had suffered had caused a mental block for him. So Tetsu had told Taiga that he felt a brokenness inside himself, that he didn't think it could be fixed. But Hiroshi refused to believe that. They had to be able to fix it, or Tetsu would never be whole. That was unacceptable.

But for now, Tetsu still felt that brokenness, that loss. They had to deal with the world as it was, not as they wanted it to be. Hiroshi nodded, a lump in his throat, and raised a hand to ruffle it gently through his son's hair. "It's all right. We'll just tell them that you're getting worn out and you need to rest. You can sit on the sidelines and watch. They won't question it, especially if I'm the one who says it. Your friends care about you and they'll want you to get the rest you need. All right?"

Tetsu nodded, weakly at first, then a little stronger. The relief in his eyes was almost as heartbreaking as the fear had been, earlier. Hiroshi forced out a smile and looked across the street. "Ah, they already reached the court. Let's go join them."

Tetsu pulled in a deep breath and closed his eyes to steel himself for a moment. Then they went.