A/N: I recently got a comment asking me to please finish this story. I honestly didn't think I could. It had been years since I'd written it. Years since I've seen the source material and my life is chaotic. I've had a miscarriage after ten years of trying to conceive, which led to the stopping of writing this story. Then followed by months of anger and depression. More months of just trying to find myself again. I found myself, then my grandmother got sick, then I lost my bunny, and a couple of months later my Mema passed. Now we are losing the home we shared with her and will be kinda homeless for a little bit. So honestly, I didn't think I could write. But I decided to reread my story, flinched at some of my typos and some stale moments in writing, and though it took a week for me to reread what I wrote (packing. Seriously I hate it.) well I finished the last chapter and I was like "let me sit for a little bit and see if I can at least get thoughts down. Four hours later, it's now 4:47 in the morning and I finished a whole chapter! I wrapped up this story! I hope it's satisfying enough. I'll be honest, I only had a vague idea of where I was headed, so I had to rethink some things. And I'm in a completely different place now, and I'm wondering if that will affect my writing. We will see. Anyway, I really do hope you enjoy the last chapter, and I hope that this finds you all well.
Ps. I'm okay. Really life has been hard, but I have an amazing husband and a great family. So I'm going to be okay. And this homeless business will only lead to better things! I believe that. Thank you all for reading my fanfic. It means the world to me.
Pps. seriously sorry for any typos. I'm an one band woman and not an English major lol. And it's really really late. And I'm dyslexic. You guys get it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romanica. All credit goes to the writer/creators of the show/Manga.
Chapter Twelve
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Misaki smiled as he walked into the living room, but paused when he realized Usagi wasn't alone. There was a rather good-looking man sitting in the chair, his black hair slicked back, a shadow of stubble on his rather handsome face. The two of them looked thick as thieves.
Usagi stood when he spotted him, going to him. "Misaki. How was your appointment?" He asked, just like always. He watched him, waiting for his reply as if their guest didn't matter.
"It went good." He replied, though he wouldn't go into detail with a stranger in the room.
Usagi nodded, pulling him to his side, then turned to their guest. Kenzo, this is my Misaki, Misaki, this is an old friend of mine, Kenzo. We were close while I was in college." There was a pause where Misaki's mind wondered what he meant by close. "Not in the way you are now thinking," Usagi assured him, placing a kiss on his temple.
"It's a pleasure to meet the man who has tamed this animal." Kenzo laughed. "I could hardly believe it when he was telling me he found the man he would bind himself to forever." He closed the distance between them, shaking Misaki's hand. "I have to say, Usami, Misaki is as handsome as you proclaim."
Misaki pulled his hand from Kenzo's, feeling a ping of unease at the man's closeness. "Will you be joining us for dinner?" Misaki asked, willing away the unease. This man gave him no reason to make him uncomfortable. He was friendly, in fact.
"Actually, I invited Kenzo to stay with us while in town. A few weeks, as long as you are okay with it. I already told him if you aren't comfortable with it, I'd kick him out in a heartbeat."
Misaki let out a laugh. "Geez. Way to make a guy feel welcome." No. He wasn't really comfortable with it, but if Usagi's friend needed a place to bunk, who was he to say no? "I don't mind."
"Awesome! Thank you both. My work will be much easier being closer to the site."
"What do you do for work?" Misaki asked as they all sat.
"I'm an author. I travel the world and write stories about the places I visit. I am currently interviewing a couple who live not too far from here. Saw a video of them on social media and after getting in contact with them, I flew out here to do face-to-face interviews." At Misaki's confused expression, he smiled kindly. "Sorry, I write true love stories. I like to be face-to-face with my subjects and involve them in the writing process as much as I can. We see so many stories about made-up romances, and some of the best kind are the real ones."
"That's…actually really cool. Where are you visiting from?"
"My last book was written about a couple in Scotland. Beautiful place, by the way. Well, most of it." He chuckled. "I stayed with this lovely elderly couple while writing. They were nearly cute enough to write about themselves. They've been together since they were fourteen and sixteen. Married when Sophie turned eighteen. Seven children, twenty grandchildren, and two great grandchildren later, they claim to love each other more now than they ever did."
"Seven children?" Usagi blanched, making Misaki laugh. "I mean, I understand one or two. But seven?" He shook his head in disbelief.
"I think that's romantic. Not necessarily the seven kids, but still actually being in love after all those years." Misaki's heart felt full at the thought of him and Usagi, old and gray, feeling more in love than they do right. Now. With how much he loved him, it seemed impossible.
"It will be that way for us, Misaki. I will love you a little more every day until the day we die." He pulled Misaki closer. "I promise."
"Well damn. How does someone find a man who makes a vow like that?" Kenzo joked as Nisaki grew flustered and blushed hot.
"You get lucky, I guess."
"Are you sure you're okay with Kenzo being here?" Usagi's voice was soft as they lay curled together. It had been a few days since Kenzo started staying with them, and Misaki still felt something was off about him, though he'd been nothing but pleasant.
"I've told you every night that you've asked, I'm truly fine with it." Usagi's ding gee glided up and down his spine, making him shiver. "Are you unhappy he's here?" Perhaps he was hoping Misaki would be unhappy about him being here so he had a reason to ask him to leave.
"Kenzo is a good friend. I do not mind him being here. I'm just worried it's bothering you, and you are just being kind and saying it's fine when it isn't."
Misaki let out a content sigh as Usagi kissed the top of his head. Kenzo had been so very right. Misaki was lucky to have such a man as Usagi. "I have moments where I'm a little uneasy. But that's only because Kenzo is a stranger. He has been kind and helpful around the house. I promise I have no objection to him being here.
Usagi grasped Misaki's chin, making him lift his head to meet his eyes. "You will tell me if that changes, yes? If you no longer wish him to stay?"
"You would kick him out? If I asked you to? Someone you claim is a good friend?"
Usagi stared into Misaki's eyes with so much love it made Misaki's heart skip a beat. "When will you learn that there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you? I'd bottle the moon for you if that's what you wanted, and it was in my power to do. The rest of the world be damned. If it's in my power to give and you want it, it's yours, Misaki."
The feelings of love overwhelmed Misaki as he shifted so he was straddling Usagi, smiling when Usagi's hands landed on his thigh, giving them a gentle squeeze. "I am the luckiest man in the world, did you know that?"
Usagi shook his head. "How many times do I have to tell you that it's me who is lucky?"
"Oh, I'll make you get lucky all right," Misaki said boldly, rocking his hips, getting that throaty groan he loved so much out of Usagi, without another word he shimmied down Usagi's body until his mouth hovered over his cock.
When he looked back up, Usagi stared at him with eyes glazed with desire, and when he took him into his mouth, those eyes darkened further before his head fell back with a groan.
This. This is what power felt like.
"That's suck shit!" Nanami said with a laugh. She and Misaki were both a little blitzed and currently trying to convince the other that their man was better in the sack.
"I'm telling you," Misaki said, his words leaving his mouth before he cared to stop them. Usagi's cock is glorious. And he knows how to use it."
Nanami laughed as she shook her head. "Eli is better. The man never stops at just one orgasm. He will have me tapping about and still try for more."
Misaki laughed with her, feeling way too okay with this embarrassing conversation they were having. Nanami was baby-free for an afternoon, and they were both taking advantage of baby-free time together. Not that their none baby free time wasn't precious in its own way.
They both let out a sigh as they recovered from that laughing. "Kenzo is quite the specimen." She wiggled her eyebrows.
Misaki let out a mock gasp. "You're married, young lady!"
"Yes. Very much so, and yet I still have a pulse. I am allowed to notice an attractive man."
"He is attractive." Misaki took a sip of his water. They'd stopped with the sake and switched to water when they couldn't stop giggling like schoolchildren.
Nanami sat up straighter at his tone. "Is something wrong?"
"He just…makes me uneasy. I can't say why. He's been here for two weeks and there's just something about the guy. He's charming and funny. He and Usagi are clearly close. They are always laughing about their adventures in college. Even my brother has hung sour a few times and has a couple of stories before he had to come take care of me. And most of the time, I swear I like the guy. But there's just something about him."
"Maybe it's residual? Just being uneasy around men in general?" She suggested gently. "Or maybe you shouldn't ignore what your guy is telling you. If he makes you uncomfortable, tell Usagi."
"He will ask Kenzo to leave, and he's leaving in two weeks anyway." Misaki shrugged. "I will just let it be. I'm sure it's just overactive nerves." He let out a laugh. "Way to bring the party down, huh?"
Nanami snorted and waved her hand as if to wave away his comment. "Not at all. I like to know these things. You matter. And if something is bothering you that matters. I'm here for the good times and the bad."
"Well, there's not a lot of bad times these days." Misaki smiled at that. "I have a lot of good times actually."
Nanami smiled. "Me too. Though I'm a lot more tired too." They both laughed. "You're goddaughter is a handful."
"You love it and you know it." She really did. She was such a natural mother. "I do. Speaking of, I heard Eli and Usagi talking about fatherhood. Me thinks Usagi might be more on board with parenthood than you thought."
"In time I hope. But I'm happy with where we are. I don't want to rush into anything."
"When it's time. If it's ever time, you'll know."
Yeah. If and when. That was the beauty of it all. There was time for all that. His future, which had once been empty and dark was so full and colorful. There were still dark spots, sure. There probably always would be. But with the people he loved around him, Usagi, Nanami, his bother. He could see beyond those spots and his future was bright.
Misaki yawned as he entered the apartment. It had been a long day. He had three deadlines to meet, one author who had been MIA for most of the day, another who had panicked because they didn't think they would meet the deadline, cried about it for hours, then beamed brightly when they did, in fact, finish on time. Author. Crazy. The lot of them. But…he wouldn't be lying if he said he didn't like them. He really did like most of them.
"These are really amazing." Kenzo's voice reached him first and he followed the sound and then heard Usagi's reply.
"Yeah. This artist is amazing. We've already agreed to turn the second book into a manga as well. Not that we will announce it until later. We still have another issue to get through before that."
"Are these the proofs for the next chapter?" Misaki asked as he approached. They sat at the kitchen table, the pages scattered about the surface. Misaki went right to Usagi, leaning into his embrace. "She's finished them after then I thought she would. She usually pushes the deadline." He chucked.
"This is a more exciting chapter." Usagi offered. "I certainly wrote these faster than others. Excited to see it in print." He held Misaki close. He'd been gone all day, and he missed him on those long days. "Have you had anything real to eat today?"
Misaki shrugged as he looked at the pages. "Had a sandwich a few hours ago. A power bar sometime before that. She did well on this page. This character's expression is right on point."
Kenzo laughed with a shake of his head, and Misaki stiffened at the smell of beer and…that cologne? The mixture made his pulse jump and he couldn't stop from stepping back. Oblivious to his reaction, Kenzo spoke. "He's like you when he's concentrating, Usami. He forgets to feed the body that's holding the mind."
Usagi eyes Misaki. He hadn't missed the sudden tension in him. "Misaki?"
Misaki shook his head and forced a smile. "I haven't eaten." Absentmindedly he scratched at his scar, the damn thing was sometimes so icky, not realizing he'd exposed it.
"What happened to you there?" Kenzo asked, his tone curious and soft. As if he realized there was a serious reason for the scare.
"It's none of your…"
"I was stabbed," Misaki said, cutting off Usagi's words. He wasn't sure why he said it, but doing so made him feel kinda free of the weight the secret held. He wasn't going to elaborate, but man it felt good to speak on it.
Kenzo's eyes held great sorrow. "I am sorry you had to experience that."
"Me too." He agreed.
Usagi's arm tightened around him. "Misaki?"
Misaki smiled at him, swiftly kissing him. "I need a shower and bed. Do you want to join me?"
Usagi smiled mischievously. "As much as I'd love that, you need food. You go shower, I'll heat up leftovers. You can tell me about your crazy day, I'm sure your authors gave you much to tell, while you eat. Then we will go to bed. Yes?"
Misaki nodded. "I could use food. And I do have some funny things to share. See you in ten?"
Usagi nodded and Misaki headed up the stairs. He heard Kenzo telling Usagi that he was going to bed for the night, and a few moments later he heard Kenzo's door close.
He felt bad that Kenzo made him feel uneasy. He was such a nice guy. And sure, the smell of beer and his cologne had triggered a response, but beer always did. And he truly seemed upset to learn he'd been stabbed. He was a good guy, and here he was, projecting onto him.
Misaki shook his head. He was just tired. He needed food and sleep.
Usagi: I'm going to be a little late. But I will sneak out of here as soon as I can.
Misaki frowned at his phone, sending it back, and "okay, love you." Before putting it back in his pocket.
"Everything okay?" Aria asked.
"Yeah. Just Usagi letting me know he'd be running late."
She nodded, studying him. "Something seems to be bothering you. You haven't been this quiet since the beginning."
Misaki nodded. He was feeling a lot of things. Usagi had to leave for a really early meeting. It happened. So he'd gotten up with him, had breakfast, and then fell back asleep on the couch. He'd had a nightmare. The rape. The stabbing. The sounds of the man's breathing. The smell of beer, piss, and the new addition of Kenzo's cologne. The glimpse of the tattoo. He'd woke screaming and Kenzo had been there. Tried to soothe him. He'd been too close for comfort. His hands on him, soothing as they were trying to be, had only worked him into a panic. He'd pushed Kenzo away and fled to his room. Later he snuck out of the house like a teenager. Though Kenzo didn't seem to be around. He felt bad for his overreaction.
"Misaki?"
Misaki let out a breath and explained his morning to her. The nightmare, Kenzo. The new addition of Kenzo's cologne.
"And I feel really bad because it's been weeks now and I'm just not getting any more comfortable around him."
"You have been through a lot. He's the first person to be in your space who isn't someone you know for sure you can trust. I don't think you should beat yourself up for feeling your feelings."
"But he's Usagi's good friend. A really nice guy."
"And you know nothing about him."
"I know some things. It's not like I haven't gotten to know him some."
She smiled gently. The smile eased him some. "Yes. I guess what I meant, is you don't know him enough. It's hard to be really sure you know someone. Sure enough to let your guard down with them. And while you've made amazing strides in your healing, there's nothing wrong with minor setbacks. This unease you're feeling is natural. You will likely always doubt new people. But doing your best to get to know someone before you judge is a good thing."
"But what if I can never be comfortable around him? He will be with us for ten more days and somehow the closer we get to his departure date, the harder it is to wait. Then I feel bad because he's been nothing but good to us."
"Misaki, if him being there truly makes you this uncomfortable, perhaps you should express this to Usagi and then ask him to find other accommodations. Sometimes our guts try to warn us. Maybe yours is trying to tell you something too."
His brow furrowed. "Do you think he's actually a bad guy?"
"From what I've heard, no. I'm not saying he's a bad guy. But your gut is telling you he is. Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, you shouldn't be uncomfortable in your own home. He kind to yourself. Tell Usagi how you are really feeling and then I'm sure he will ask Kenzo to leave."
"What makes you think is didn't already tell Usagi how I'm feeling?"
She lifted an eyebrow in question, making Misaki laugh.
"Okay. Yeah. I guess you know me well enough to know." He let in a heavy sigh. "I'll consider telling him."
They were laughing together. Misaki had gone home, and found Kenzo about ready to burn down their kitchen trying to cook dinner for them for allowing him to stay there, but turned out he was as bad a cook as Usagi.
After freaking out some about the state of the kitchen, Misaki had laughed hysterically when Kenzo had told him the mess in the pan was supposed to be Roman. How? He had no idea. But he'd had Kenzo clean that monstrosity as he pulled other ingredients together.
Then, He taught him how to make curry rice. He'd instructed Kenzo on what to do and Kenzo followed Instructions like he'd be graded. It had been a bonding kind of experience and Misaki was more at ease with Kenzo than he thought possible. It was a surprise, but a welcome one.
Now they were seated at the table, the food staying warm in the kitchen while waiting for Usagi, and they were laughing over Kenzo's misadventures.
"It was quite a scandal I assume you. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on Mr. Graham's face."
Misaki shook his head, his smile wide and genuine. "I can only imagine."
There was a pause, and with it, a shift in the air. It seemed to grow heavy as Kenzo looked at him. "It's so good to be back in a good place. Back on track."
Misaki frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kenzo took a deep breath as if to center himself. "I was in a dark place not too long ago. Well, I guess it was a bit over a year ago now, but still. In the grand scheme of things, it seems only yesterday. I was a mess. In a dark place. So fucking dark." Kenzo ran a hand through his hair, the action raising the sleeve of his arm just enough for the tip of a tattoo to poke out.
Misaki's heart fell, but kept himself in place. People have tattoos. Sure, not so common here, but Kenzo was well-traveled. Sure he'd have a tattoo. "What happened?" Where was Usagi? He would be home soon, right?
"I'd lost my husband. American, if you believe. We got married there. I was a duel citizen." He let out a humorless laugh. "He was a teacher. Killed in a school shooting. It's crazy. Truly crazy. And it seems so damned impossible. Like…seriously, how is that even a thing? I grieved him. Heavily. Then decided to bury myself in work. And when that didn't help, I tied booze. Then drugs. Drugs are some real fucked up shit, Misaki."
Misaki shifted uncomfortably when those eyes found his. Heavy with remorse and regret. His heart thundered against his ribs as if somehow he knew exactly where this was leading. And he knew where it was leading because suddenly he saw with clarity who the man was who raped him.
"It turns a good man into a monster. Makes them do horrific things he'd never do. Things he wished he could forget. Fuck, Misaki. It makes a man downright sick in the head. So sick he tried to end things. Only to mess botch that up. But then I was forced to get clean, and it only made what I had done worse."
Misaki's palms grew sweaty and he couldn't move. He could hardly breathe with the fear pumping through his veins. "What did you do?"
"I tried to find him. The man who is hurt in my lowest moments. I knew his name. He'd been nice to me in passing. Someone who kept his head down, but was always nice. But he was gone from that horrible place and I was glad for it. I figured it was probably for the better. After what I'd done. Why should I be allowed to apologize, ask forgiveness?"
There was a pause, both of them just staring at each other, both their eyes shimmering with tears. Misaki's from fear, and anger, Kenzo's from remorse and self-loathing. "Then I get my life back on track. Travel to Scotland to write a new book. Then here, and decided to connect with my old buddy. Only to find you. The man I hurt in ways I can never be forgiven for. But I am so sorry for that. I have no excuse, Misaki. None that will erase what I've done. None that will take away the pain I've caused. But I was sick. I was high off too many things to count. I was lower than low and you were, are, so bright. And I wanted to taint you. Make you feel how I felt. And maybe I hoped I could leech off some of the light that shone through you."
Red. He saw red as his once good friend had confessed to raping His Misaki. Of taking the feeling of control and safety from his Misaki. Of. Confessing to wanting to steal is light. His goodness.
Fury pumped through him as he attacked. There was no logic in this action, no time to reason with himself. All he knew was fury, and that the man who had put Misaki through so much trauma was sitting at his kitchen table.
They grappled, each of them trying to get the upper hand as they fought. Kenzo begging for him to listen. Hear him out. But he'd heard enough. Soon, he had Kenzo on the floor and he was straddling him, his fist meeting his flesh. "You son of a bitch!" He roared, rapping his hand around the monster's neck. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Who you've done it to? You nearly cost him his life! His spirit!"
Kenzo tried speaking, but couldn't. Then he tried scratching at his arms, but Usagi wasn't going to stop. This mother fucker didn't deserve to live!
"Usagi! Stop! You'll kill him!" The words reached him but sounded as if he were underwater. His rage stopped them from sinking in.
Hands pulled at his arms, but he ignored them. More pleas reached his ears, but he could not seem to break this need to kill the man struggling underneath him.
Then lips were in his. Soft, urgent, and Misaki. The kiss broke through the fury, pulling him back from the ledge. His hands loosened, and Kenzo drew in a raspy breath as Misaki pulled away, tears falling down his cheeks.
"If you know what's good for you, you won't get up." He growled at Kenzo before getting off him. He stood, pulling Misaki to his chest. "I'm sorry. It's okay." He whispered as Misaki let out sob after heartbreaking sob. "It's okay now. It'll all be okay. I'm sorry." He wasn't. He was sorry his actions scared Misaki. He's sorry any of this happened at all. But he wasn't sorry he almost killed Kenzo. He wasn't sorry that he would have if it didn't mean losing access to Misaki. Losing. The life they wanted. If he thought he could get away with it, he wouldn't be at all sorry to end that man's sick life.
Hours later, Kenzo was behind bars, his confession had surprised them both, and he was taken away to where he could never hurt anyone again. He'd apologized again and again as he was led to the car, but Misaki had been too numb to really hear it.
Now he sat on his sofa, Aria sitting on the opposite end, giving him at comforting patient look she always gave him. Knowing he would speak when he was ready.
She'd arrived not too long ago, a bit unexpectedly, but apparently, Usagi had called in the hope that he would talk since he hadn't been able to work through his emotions enough to talk to Usagi. She'd asked him what he was feeling in this moment, and now she'd been waiting for an answer.
"Guilty. I feel…guilty that Kenzo is in jail. And sorry for him. For the events that lead him to hurt me." He shook his head and looked away from both Aria and Usagi, who sat across the room. He'd tried to leave, to give them space to talk in private, but Misaki wanted him to stay. Needed him to say. "How messed up is that? To feel sorry for the one who hurt you?"
"You want me to condemn you for your compassion?" Her tone had him looking back at her. "Misaki, do you have any idea how incredible it is to have such a feeling for someone who did to you what he did? Amazingly, you can feel compassion for him. It's not something you should be angry about. I understand that it's confusing. You should be feeling anger, relief, victorious that justice has been served."
"Oh, I am relieved. And a part of me is glad he's locked up. He deserves to be in prison."
"He deserves to be dead." Usagi put in.
Aria glared at him. "We will get to your actions later."
He shrugged, not at all bothered by her glare. "You will get no apology out of me."
"I wouldn't think so. But we are still going to talk." She looked back to Misaki. "It's not bad or wrong to feel compassion. It just shows how wonderful you truly are. And it's okay to feel both compassion and happy that he's locked up."
"Is it okay that I hesitated? For a minute, I was going to let Usagi kill him. And there's a small part of me that knows if I wouldn't have lost Usagi, I might have let him."
"But you didn't. And it's natural to want that kind of justice. And an eye for an eye. But you didn't let it happen. You chose to stop him. How else you were feeling didn't matter. Your choice did."
Misaki nodded. "Okay." A few deep breaths later he nodded again. "Okay. I'm okay. Really. I'm…tired."
"We both are," Usagi said standing. "Thank you for coming, Aria."
"Oh no. You and I are going to talk. Misaki, if you don't mind?"
"I'll take a shower." With a heavy heart but a now much clearer mind, he headed upstairs to do just that.
Usagi climbed into bed and pulled Misaki close. "You still awake?"
"Yeah. Did she chew you out?"
Usagi chuckled as he buried his face in Misaki's neck. "She slapped me upside the head. Then asked me what I was thinking. Then hugged me before I could even answer her. She's glad that he's put away. Now you have some closure. She cares."
"She does. And I do feel that. That sense of closure. I feel like I can breathe a little easier. That he won't be waiting just around the corner." Misaki chewed his lip for a moment. "I'm sorry it was him though. That you lost a friend."
"He's not a friend of mind. Any good memory has been tainted. That bastard can rot."
Misaki sighed. He knew this already, but he had to say it. "I'm still sorry. But not sorry it feels..over."
"Like a closed chapter."
"More like a closed book, and now we can truly start a new one." Misaki turned so he was facing Usagi. "Let's start a new book, Usagi. Let's decide our future. Without the Weight of the past or the discomfort of others. I know I'll have wounds. But I don't want them to touch me so deeply. I want to start a new book."
Usagi pulled him close, kissing his forehead. "Then we will. And we will fill it with love, happiness, and sex. Lots and lots of sex."
Misaki laughed. Deep and hardy.
"And that," Usagi said, then kissed him deeply.
"And what?" Misaki asked a bit flustered when Usagi finally relented.
"Laughter. Lots and lots of laughter."
Some years later
Life wouldn't always be laughter. Heartache and loss are found even in the happiest of people. But life with Usagi? No matter how many years later, life with him was always good. Through the good. The bad. Through the sorrows of loss and the
moments of intense joy. Through all the changes and all the moments of worry and doubt. When you went through life with your soulmate, all of those times were bearable.
Even in this moment when their three-year-old was lying in the middle of the floor having a meltdown over not being able to wear overalls that were still in the wash. Or the fact that our grumpy goddaughter was in her wonderfully angsty teen years. However, the loss of her parents did add an extra dimension to that angst and was giving me dagger eyes as she made her lunch. Or our godson who was a constant annoyance to our six-year-old, who was always a little more sensitive than his peers. The two of them were the best of friends some days and enemies in others. Today was the ladder.
Arms enveloped me from behind, breath ticking my ear. "Good morning, husband." Usagi practically purred. He took in the chaos in front of them. "Do you regret anything?" He asked with a joking laugh.
Misaki smiled. Yes. It was a good morning. He had a home he loved. Children he adored and a husband he couldn't get enough of. "No. I have no regrets. You? Do you wish we didn't have grumpy teens, bickering six-year-olds, and a three-year-old having a meltdown?"
Usami chuckled. "Not in this lifetime." He kissed Misaki's cheek. "Nanami?" He called, and their three-year-old quieted down to throw herself into her papa's arms. She was such a papa's girl. "Why don't we put in your teddy overalls instead?" He asked, receiving a nod.
"Dad! Ren keeps calling me a sissy!"
"If the shoe fits!"
"Oh my god, would the two of you just kiss already!" Kaiya growled.
"Yeah! Kiss!" Nanami changed as she ran back into the room, teddy overalls falling down her legs.
"Nanami, we aren't done getting dressed!" Usagi called after her.
Misaki smiled. His life? It wasn't always perfect. But it was always beautiful, and he wouldn't change a moment of it.
………………….
The end.
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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks
