Chapter Thirty-One: Storge

Storge: An Ancient Greek word referring to unconditional, familial love.

Aki had an early shift that morning. Miyuki was still on summer break, so Ash decided he'd take the initiative to make breakfast for everyone in Aki's place. Aki had been teaching him to cook since he'd arrived in Japan, but they typically made dinners together and Ash had no idea how to prepare the fish Aki typically served with rice and miso soup for breakfast. Plus, he'd certainly grown accustomed to it since moving to Japan, but if he was being honest, he would always prefer American breakfast foods. So, he decided to make something he knew he couldn't mess up: pancakes.

Eiji woke up not long after Ash. He had already showered and was now helping Ash by slicing fresh strawberries for the pancakes' toppings. Ash had already cooked all the pancake batter, a covered pot upon the stove kept them warm as they waited for everything else to be ready.

"I'll go wake, Mi-chan," he said as he wiped his hands on a dishtowel.

"Okay," Eiji replied, never looking up from the strawberries he was busy slicing.

Ash climbed the stairs and knocked on Miyuki's door. "Hey! Miyuki! Breakfast!" Ash called, mimicking the way Aki always woke everyone. He stood at the closed door, listening for movement. He didn't hear any, so he knocked again. "Miyuki! Breakfast!" he called a second time. He waited again but still heard no signs of her waking. He started to worry. Why wasn't she waking up? He'd certainly knocked loud enough. What if something happened to her? What if she had- No. He wouldn't let himself think such dark thoughts. She was probably just in a deep sleep. Maybe she was stuck in an episode of sleep paralysis. Ash was certainly no stranger to that. It is, after all, often triggered by stress, so it was something that plagued him back when he lived with Dino and she had certainly been stressed last night.

Ash raised his fist to the door for a third time and knocked even more loudly than he had previously. "Miyuki! I made breakfast! Wake up!"

Still nothing.

Now he did start to think the worst. He hurried down the steps and into the kitchen.

"Eiji!" He called anxiously.

Eiji looked up from his strawberries to find Ash looking pale as a ghost. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Ash shook his head, breathing hard, "It's Miyuki. I knocked three times. Three. She isn't waking up!"

Eiji smiled.

"Did you hear me wrong?! I said-"

"Ash." Eiji interrupted. "She slept in Mom's room. You were knocking on the wrong door."

Ash's face turned cold as stone and then, seconds later, he laughed at his ridiculous mistake. "God, what a fuckin' relief."

Eiji chuckled along with him. "Did you think she'd died?"

Ash rubbed the back of his head and laughed awkwardly, "Don't ask me that, Ei-chan."

Eiji smiled. "I guess...everything you've been through...that's understandable." He focused his attention on preparing the strawberries again. "Now, go wake her up, you goof."

Ash smiled and walked down the hall to Aki's room where Miyuki was currently sleeping. His hand hovered above the door. He hesitated. Just because she wasn't dead upstairs, who's to say she wouldn't be dead downstairs.

"Just knock, Ash!" Eiji called from the kitchen after not hearing a knock for a suspiciously long time. "She's not dead, I promise!"

Ash grimaced. He'd been caught. He finally knocked on the door, only this time, he did so somewhat softly, and with his own words.

"Hey, Mi-chan, I made pancakes," he called gently. "Come on out, whenever you're ready."

To his relief, he heard the bed squeak slightly as she stirred. He returned to the kitchen and poured himself some coffee as they waited for her.

Eiji walked up beside him as he added half-and-half to his coffee. Some days he took in black, but today he felt like cream. Eiji snaked his arms around the blond's waist and rose on his tiptoes to kiss Ash's cheek. Ash smiled ever so slightly.

"What?" he inquired humorously.

Eiji smiled and leaned his head on Ash's bicep. "Mmmm. Nothing. I'm just so happy you're mine," he muttered sappily.

Ash smiled and wrapped the arm that wasn't attached to his coffee cup around Eiji. He squeezed him tightly before releasing him. "I fuckin' love you," Ash told him softly through smiling lips.

They parted and turned around as they heard Miyuki shuffling sleepily into the dining room. She was still in her pajamas, with messy hair and a puffy face that was still slightly swollen from crying.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Ash asked her. He set his coffee at his seat and returned to the kitchen to grab the pancakes. Eiji had already set all the toppings on the table.

"Like shit," she said honestly as she pulled out her chair and sat.

"Well...we can't have that," he said, urging his voice to sound light and uplifting. He forked three pancakes onto her plate and spooned some strawberries and syrup on top. "Sugar?" he asked, holding a spoonful of powdered sugar. Miyuki nodded and Ash sprinkled a generous amount onto her pancakes. She didn't smile, but her face neutralized, which was certainly a step in the right direction.

Ash and Eiji served themselves and they all began to eat.

"This is why Americans are fat," Eiji tried to lighten the mood by cracking a joke. "So much sugar at the start of the day."

Ash pretended to be offended by the silly comment. "Wow, and here I thought Japanese people were supposed to be polite!"

Eiji stuck out his tongue, and Ash flashed him his favorite finger. Miyuki smiled.

Score.

"So," Ash said, changing the topic, "I was thinking maybe we could go back to the beach today? Miyuki?"

Eiji's face twisted just slightly. As much as he would love a beach day,, he still had a lot of packing before they moved the day after tomorrow. He should really focus on that today, but he could tell Ash was already planning on devoting this day to making Miyuki feel better.

Miyuki shrugged, "Not today, Ash."

Ash looked actually shocked. He knew she was in a bad mood, but he expected her to jump on that offer. "What? No? Come on, it'll cheer you up. No one's ever gone to the beach and regretted it." That was almost certainly a lie but did it really matter?

She shook her head. "I don't wanna," she said sedately.

"You sure? We could pack a picnic or get food at one of the-"

"I don't wanna. I'm in too much pain."

Ash's pretend happy face fell, like a wounded knight dropping his shield.

Eiji tried to keep up the act Ash had just abandoned. "Come on, Mi, you'll feel better once you're out in the water."

"No," she shook her head again and looked at the pair of them. "I mean physical pain. I'm bleeding out my fucking vagi-

'Okay, okay! Gosh!" Eiji interrupted, wincing at his sister's words.

Ash turned bright red. "Shit, sorry."

Miyuki smiled and stabbed her pancakes. "Point for me. I got you, Ash."

Ash smiled. "Yeah, alright, you got me. I was not prepared for that. I don't have much experience with girls," he said awkwardly.

"Clearly," she smiled. She turned to Eiji, "It's just a bodily function, Eiji, you don't have to get so worked up."

Eiji scowled, "Bodily function or not, I don't want to hear my little sister say the word vagi-"

Ash poked his ribs, causing Eiji to squeal. "Hey. No one wants to hear you say it either."

Eiji gazed down at his plate, "Fine. That's fair...but my point is that poop is a bodily function too and we all still don't want to talk about that at the table."

"Hey! Can't we just eat the food I made in peace?" Ash complained.

Miyuki and Eiji shared a humorous glance. "Wow, okay, Mom," Miyuki teased.

She and Eiji both chuckled at the lame joke. But so did Ash. No harm done. Plus, Ash had made her smile, even laugh, again without even trying.

Score.

"So what would you like to do today, then?" Ash asked Miyuki.

Eiji answered with his own agenda. "I really need to pack, Ash. We're moving the day after tomorrow and I've still got a lot to box up."

For the briefest moment, so brief he may have missed it, Ash shot Eiji a look that screamed 'Are you crazy?! That's the last thing that will cheer her up! She hates that we're leaving!'

Eiji felt guilty, but it was true, he really did need to spend the day packing.

Miyuki caught the brief look Ash had given Eiji. "It's okay, Ash, I don't feel like doing anything anyway. I'll probably just watch some movies and lay on a heating pack all day."

"How bad does it hurt, I've always wondered?" Ash asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and sympathy.

Miyuki shrugged. "Sometimes not that bad and other times it feels like someone is…" she shut her eyes and tried to think of the word in English, which was a rare occurrence for her, but this was a rare word. "Like someone is…" [Eviscerating me] "I don't know the word in English."

"Well, saying it in Japanese doesn't help. I don't know what that means either."

Miyuki put down her fork and plugged the word into Google Translate. She held out her screen so Ash could see. "Evis- Eviscerate," she sounded the word out.

Ash grimaced. "Shit...shit that sucks...every month?"

She smiled at his ignorance, "Every damn month."

Eiji carded his hands through his hair, biting his tongue to keep from saying anything. He felt sorry for his sister, really he did, but it really wasn't the most pleasant topic for the table.

After breakfast, Eiji and Ash made their way upstairs so Eiji could finish packing up his room while Miyuki settled onto the couch with a heating pad and the TV remote. Upstairs, Ash scrolled his phone for a long time on Eiji's bed while Eiji boxed up his clothes. After a half-hour, Eiji urged him to stop being lazy and help him pack. Reluctantly, Ash did so. They finished with his clothes and moved onto his bookshelves. Ash found an old high school yearbook and had a grand time looking at all the pictures of baby-faced Eiji.

"Oh my God, look at you…" Ash ogled over a picture of Eiji and his pole vaulting team.

Eiji smiled at the fond memory. "That's the year we won national's. Our coach was the most uptight dude you'd ever meet but even he cheered when we won."

"Ha," Ash exhaled a laugh. Ash flipped the page and saw the school's choir. "You have a crush on any of these girls?" Ash teased.

Eiji shook his head. "No, Ash," he chuckled.

"Really? Not even her?" He asked, pointing to a particularly attractive girl in the front row.

"Definitely not her," Eiji said with an eye roll.

Ash raised a questioning eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Let's just say there was nothing she couldn't do...and to top it off, she did everything well...really well. Which is fine, but it went to her head," Eiji explained.

"Thought she was hot shit, huh?"

Eiji laughed at the phrase. "Yeah, sure, that basically sums her up."

"Soooo, I really am the only person you've ever liked?" Ash asked.

"Well…," Eiji began. He turned the book away from Ash and towards himself. He flipped back several pages and then stopped on one of the faculty pages. He flipped the book back towards Ash and pointed at one of the female teachers. "I would be lying if I didn't admit I thought she was pretty cute," Eiji said with a faint blush gracing his cheekbones.

"A teacher?!" Ash laughed. "No way!"

"My first-year literature teacher. But then my second year, she started dating this doctor and she got engaged a year later."

"Awww, and poor baby Eiji never stood a chance," Ash teased.

"Ha," Eiji said with a casual wave of his hand, "definitely not."

Ash's face saddened. "Man, I wish I had pictures of my younger self that I wasn't getting railed in."

Eiji's face shot up from the yearbook. "Ash, please!" The harsh, although accurate, words made him squeamish. "I know I have no place to talk...you're the one who had to live that...but please...you don't have to say it like that!"

"Sorry." He guiltily returned his attention to the book, flipping back to the page he'd been on before Eiji showed him his teacher crush. He studied a few more pictures before closing the book.

"I have to get going," he said with a stretch.

"Oh, shoot, you're seeing Iku-san today? I completely forgot." Eiji stood from the floor. He went each week with Ash. Sometimes Ash left feeling pretty upset, so he liked to be there for him just in case.

"No, you stay," Ash offered. "Finish packing. I'll be alright on my own today."

"You sure? I don't mind coming, you know that."

"No, really, it's fine."

"Okay, well, call me if you need anything," Eiji said sweetly.

Ash smiled lovingly, "Okay."

Eiji kissed his cheek and wished him good luck and then got back to packing.

Ash made his way downstairs. Miyuki was still curled up on the couch in obvious pain as she watched some guilty-pleasure TV show. Ash pulled on his converse at the door.

"Feeling any better?" He asked as he laced his shoes.

"In which way?" She asked.

"Either. Both."

"A little less shitty...but I still have cramps from hell."

Ash frowned. "Need anything while I'm out?"

"Nah." She smiled half-heartedly. "Where are you going?"

"Therapy."

"Eiji's not going with you?" She asked with surprise.

"I told him to finish packing. I think I can manage on my own," he replied with a wink.

"Oh. Well, have fun...er...see you later," she said awkwardly.

Ash smiled and grabbed his car keys. [Later.]

Following his appointment, he stopped at the store on his way home. Miyuki had said she didn't need anything and Ash didn't actually need anything for himself, but she would be having a bad day even if she didn't have cramps. He felt she deserved something to cheer her up.

As he came in the front door, he set aside his keys and shoes and walked wordlessly to Miyuki, who was exactly where she'd been when he left. He stood in front of her and she paused her show. Out of the paper bag, he first pulled out a box of chocolate-covered almonds. She grinned from ear to ear. Then Ash removed a bag of dried mango, which Miyuki was admittedly addicted to. If they were in the house, she and Eiji would fight over them, tooth and nail. Miyuki squealed with joy.

Score.

"All for me?!" Miyuki asked excitedly.

Ash nodded. Finally, he pulled out a bottle of Rosé.

Miyuki's eyes widened in delight. She reached for the bottle but he pulled it out of her reach.

"Uh-uh," he shook a finger at her, "I will be the keeper of this bottle. One glass, and one glass only. We do not want a repeat of Tokyo, now do we, Miss Lightweight?"

Miyuki frowned. "Why'd you even buy it if you don't think you can trust me."

"I did some googling earlier. Alcohol is supposed to help. Relaxes your muscles and shit."

Miyuki's face softened into a sappy smile. "For a guy engaged to another dude, you sure know how to make a girl feel loved."

"Hey," Ash teased warningly, "don't go fallin' in love with me now."

Miyuki shook her head, the same sappy smile still on her face, "Don't worry, I won't."

"Good, I'll hold ya to that," he said goofily. He walked into the kitchen and poured two glasses of wine, one for himself, and one for Miyuki.

"Don't tell your Mom," he said as he handed her the glass.

Miyuki sat up to make room for Ash on the couch. He sat beside her and handed Miyuki the remote. "Now, what are we watching?" he asked, sounding totally invested.

"Oh it's so dumb, Ash, but I love it," she told him excitedly. "It's one of those shows where you hate it but love watching it, ya know?"

He looked at her like she had three heads. "No, I don't know."

"No? Like a guilty pleasure?"

Ash shrugged, "I get what you mean, I just can't relate."

Miyuki sipped her wine, "Mmmm that's so good," she said blushing slightly. "You don't have to watch it, Ash, it really is quite stupid."

"Well, now I have to watch it," he teased.

Miyuki shrugged and pressed play and then paused it again instantly. "I'll guess I'll give you the rundown on the characters and the plot." She took a deep breath and brought Ash up to speed on the stupidly complicated plot. She rattled off about fifteen Japanese names and explained who was dating who and who was cheating on who.

Ash laughed and shook his head, "Just play it, there's no way I can keep all that straight."

"Okay, okay," she hit play. She was midway through an episode in the third season, Ash really had no chance at keeping up.

They sipped their wine and Miyuki munched on her dried mango and chocolate-covered almonds, indulging in everything all at once. Ash watched the show with a somewhat disgusted face. Everyone in this show was a swine, he didn't know how Miyuki found this even remotely enjoyable. But beside him on the couch, she laughed and gasped at predictable plot twists. She was a smart girl, Ash knew there was no way the twists surprised her that much. It must be part of the whole "suspend disbelief" mindset required for plays and such. Or maybe it was the wine. But she wasn't even through her glass, and not even she could get tipsy that quickly.

The show cut to a sex scene and Miyuki scrabbled at the blanket covering her lap, searching desperately for the remote, blushing furiously with embarrassment the whole time.

"Relax," Ash drawled, "I can handle it." He'd certainly seen worse. No, he'd certainly done worse. Still, he averted his eyes.

But Miyuki ignored his words, frantically looking for the remote. She plunged her hand into the couch cushions and fished out the remote, along with a handful of crumbs. She skipped what was left of the scene, which turned out to be not much.

"Sorry about that," she apologized awkwardly.

"It's fine," he reassured her.

The episode finished on a cliffhanger. Someone had just been killed, Miyuki was on the edge of her seat. She flashed Ash a questioning glance. "Another?" She asked.

Ash, who still hated the show, now somehow understood what Miyuki meant. It was oddly intriguing in the strangest way. Every character was deplorable, save one or two, but he still wanted to see what happened next. "Yeah, we have to see who killed Tomoko."

Miyuki smiled and chugged the remainder of her wine in one dramatic swig. "Now you're gettin' it."

She set her glass on the floor and, for the first time that day, removed the heating pad from her lap not because she was hot, but because she was no longer in pain.

"I guess alcohol does help," she said smiling at Ash.

"Looks like it."

"Can I have just a little bit more?" She asked with wide puppy-dog eyes.

"No," he replied before she even finished asking.

"Aw, come on, pleasssssee?"

"Absolutely not," he sounded so definitive but she could see weakness in his eyes.

"Come on, Mom still won't be home for several more hours…And that wine hasn't affected me at all so far," she reasoned.

Ash bit back a smile. He stood and swiped the empty glass from the floor. He sauntered into the kitchen and refilled his own glass, as well as Miyuki's, although he filled hers only a quarter of the way.

"First sign of tipsiness and I'm cutting you off," he told her, holding the glass just beyond her reach. "Deal?"

"Deal!"

He handed her the glass and sat back down beside her on the couch.

Halfway through the episode, Eiji wandered downstairs looking for Ash. He knew he must be home by now but he hadn't seen him since he left earlier that morning. "Oh my gosh, she did not sucker you into watching this garbage!" Eiji laughed at the sight of Miyuki and Ash sipping wine in front of the trash television.

"Oh my God, Eiji, it's the worst!" Ash laughed. Miyuki elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Ow!" He glared at her briefly, before adding, "But I can't stop! It's so entertaining!"

Eiji rolled his eyes. "Heaven help us," he muttered to himself, unsuccessfully biting back a smile. "Where'd ya get the wine?" He asked curiously.

"Bought it on my way home. Don't worry, I won't let her drink too much."

Eiji chuckled to himself, "Yeah, I know that. Mom would not be happy with you if you let her get drunk." Eiji meandered into the kitchen and poured himself a glass. "What's the occasion, then?" He asked as he returned to the living room and sat on the other side of Ash.

"Cramps," Ash and Miyuki answered in unison.

"It's supposed to help," Ash added.

Eiji smiled widely, "So that's what you were doing on your phone earlier. I knew you were up to something." He sipped his wine. "What part are you at?"

"Tomoko just died," Miyuki answered.

"Oh, it's about to get good."

Ash sat forward and met Eiji's eyes. "Hold up, hold up! You've seen this show too?"

Eiji blushed, "Come on, Ash, everyone's seen Secrets of Shinjuku."

"Oh really? All the guys at your high school watched this trash?" Ash challenged, knowing full well this show was targeted towards girls.

"Okay...no…but I couldn't do much after my injury so I watched a ton of trash TV once I ran out of good stuff," Eiji defended himself.

"Ah, okay, okay," Ash laughed.

"We all love this objectively shitty show, so can we just get on with it?" Miyuki asked irritably.

"Press play, then, you're the one with the remote," Ash replied.

Miyuki pressed play. They blazed through two more episodes. Ash poured himself and Eiji more wine. Miyuki bartered for another fourth of a glass. Eiji rustled up some snacks. Miyuki fell asleep with her head on the armrest. Aki returned home from work, zapping them all back to reality.

She'd been worried about them all day. After last night, she wasn't sure how they would be feeling today. Her stomach settled the second she saw them. Three empty wine glasses, abandoned snacks wrappers and paper plates, and Miyuki's heating pad lay at their feet. They all looked full and happy sitting there in front of the TV.

Aki smiled. "Shinjuku, huh?" She asked, glancing at the screen. [Didn't think you'd be one for something so frivolous, Ashu?]

Ash simply shrugged. "What can I say, it's stupidly entertaining."

[How'd you buy wine, Ashu? You don't turn twenty until next week.] Eiji could legally purchase alcohol, but she correctly assumed he wasn't the one who had bought it.

Ash smirked, "They didn't card me."

[And if they had?] She asked with obvious amusement.

"Then I would have lied, said I forgot my license at home."

[And if they didn't believe you?]

"Well, no one's ever challenged me before...but I guess I would've had no choice but to put it back."

Aki rolled her eyes. "Chh!" she tsked, "No one's ever challenged him before…" she mocked under her breath as she walked to the kitchen for a glass of her own.

[Had a lot, have we?] She scoffed, holding up the now-empty bottle after she'd poured the last little bit of it into her own glass.

Eiji and Ash both turned red.

"Don't worry," Ash began hastily. "Eiji and I drank most of it. Miyuki only had a glass and a half."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Good boy," she said mockingly.

Ash's stomach churned. He'd heard those words far too many times from the worst people. "Oh God, please do me a favor and never say that again." He tried to make the words sound humorous but pain seeped through.

Her eyebrows knit together painfully. "Sorry, Ashu." She downed the little wine she had and returned to the kitchen. "Want dinner? Or did you fill up on snacks?"

"I'm good!" They said in unison.

Aki nodded and began to make herself something. She ate in the armchair in front of the TV with them. Aki disappeared after eating. She showered and then retreated to the solitude of her own room.

The episode they were currently on ended and Miyuki woke up as the credits played. She sat and stretched. A giant sleepy yawn escaped her.

[Aw, I fell asleep? How much did I miss?] she asked sleepily in her native tongue.

[Two episodes,] Eiji replied.

Miyuki groaned and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"I'll be right back," Ash said as he rose from his place on the couch.

When he returned, he had his arms filled with blankets. "Few things are better than falling asleep in front of a movie," Ash explained as he began making a bed of blankets large enough for the three of them on the floor.

"I'm one of those things, right?" Eiji teased, hoping to get a rise out of Ash.

Ash laughed loudly, "Yeah, baby, you're one of those things."

Miyuki cackled as Eiji turned bright red.

"Wha- Come on Ash! How did that not get you!?" Eiji demanded. He was counting on that earning him a point in their ongoing game of flustering Ash.

Ash laughed, "And I got you instead," he pointed out.

Eiji flipped him off and Ash retaliated with his own finger, right on cue.

After a few laughs, they all changed and got ready for bed and returned to the living room with their own blankets and pillows. Eiji laid in the middle, with Ash and Miyuki on either side of him. They decided to watch one of the DVDs the Okumuras owned, settling on From Up On Poppy Hill, which happened to be one of the siblings' favorite Ghiblis.

Miyuki sat and looked across the floor at Ash before pressing play. He was the reason they were all going to sleep happy tonight, instead of with tear-stained pillows and faces. Today should have been shitty, but because of him, it wasn't. In fact, it was actually kinda fun.

"Ash?" Miyuki got his attention.

"Yeah?"

"You'd make a really good dad," she said honestly.

Maybe too honestly, because all happiness fell from his face. She could have sworn she saw the life leave his eyes, making her instantly regret her innocent compliment.

"Ah, well, that's not really an option, now is it?" He closed his eyes, perhaps in an attempt to blink back tears. When he opened them again they were still devoid of life, but at least no tears spilled out. "But thank you," he added. He knew she meant well. She always meant well.

Eiji looked a bit sad too, she noticed. "I- I'm so sorry that was so stupid of me. I shouldn't have said that."

"Don't worry about it, you didn't mean anything by it," Ash said calmly, too calmly for Eiji's liking.

"No. That was shitty. I'm really sorry."

"It's alright, really."

Miyuki stared at him for a moment, searching his face for anger or sadness, but he masterfully returned his expression to a neutral state, hiding away all his true feelings.

"Press play," he prompted.

Miyuki shook her head to break her stare and finally pressed play.

"You're really okay?" Eiji whispered to Ash as the movie started.

Ash nodded, "I'm okay," he whispered calmly in return.

Ash nestled into the crook of Eiji's arm so that Eiji could cradle him comfortingly. Eiji saw through him, he knew exactly what he was doing. And his heart ached for Ash. Miyuki's comment had obviously hurt him more than he was letting on, but there wasn't much Eiji could do about it right now. So instead he did all he could in that moment; he held him tight and stroked his hair lovingly as they watched the animated romance unfold upon the screen.

If you were to ask Ash if he wanted children someday, he probably would have told you he'd never given it a moment's thought, which was true. But for some odd reason, Miyuki's words opened a wound he didn't know he had. As the movie played, his thoughts were far away. He was thinking about what he and Eiji's children would look like if it were physically possible for them to procreate. He imagined them with a mix of their features. Eiji's dark hair and olive complexion would likely override Ash's fair skin and blond hair, but maybe they'd have green eyes, or Ash's height as they aged. He imagined several baby Eiji's waddling around, learning to walk in the home they'd just purchased. Eiji would be their father so they would, without a doubt, be good just like him. Angels living amongst humans.

But that was a pure fantasy that would never come to fruition. If he thought about it much longer, he'd break down. So instead, he returned his undivided attention to film the Okumuras loved so much. It was clear why they liked it; it was a sappy love story as pure as them. Maybe babies weren't in his future, but these sweet angels were, and he was beyond happy to have a family as wonderful and as wholesome as them. He pressed a silent kiss to Eiji's t-shirt. He loved them so much it hurt.