EveryKindOfNerd13

And while he may only be 7 at the time, once he’s 9 at least he’ll want his own room, so Kotaro stops sleeping with Ryuuichi every night, in favor of staying in his own bed in the apartment. This meant that there was a special opening in Ryuuichi’s bed that Hayato was all too happy to take. There were nights that Kotaro would wander into the room, looking frantic, and Hayato would have to scoot away from Ryuuichi to allow the still surprisingly small child to snuggle between them.

It reminded Hayato of their first year dating, back in highschool. Kotaro was still only 4 years old and he still slept in the same bed as Ryuuichi. Hayato had stayed the night a couple of times, and had of course been forced to let his annoying little brother tag along, the toddlers always ended up tucked between Ryuuichi and himself, sleeping like, well, babies, while the teenagers smiled cheerily at eachother over their heads.

“Kotaro, can you go get Ryuu please?” He asked quietly one evening. Kotaro was sitting on the kitchen counter watching Hayato stir a pot of ramen. He looked up at the request and nodded dutifully, just like he would have when he was three.

“Thank you Ko!” He exclaimed after him then turned back to the pot.

Not even five minutes later Kotaro was hopping back up on the counter and Hayato felt his arm being pushed up as Ryuuichi wormed in between he and the stove to look at the pot of ramen.

“Well hello,” Hayato grunted, resting his chin on Ryuuichi’s head. Ryuu hummed and leaned back while Kotaro leaned over to put his head on Hayato’s shoulder. He chuckled, deciding to cherish these few years that Kotaro would join their cuddly moments rather than scrunch up his nose and make a face the way Taka did.

“Your mom called,” Ryuu muttered, pulling his two favorite quiet boys to attention. He almost laughed when they gave him practically the same look.

“Yeah, she was wondering if we could take Taka this weekend, apparently she made plans and forgot that you wouldn’t just be there, again.” Hayato groaned at the prospect of keeping his brother at his apartment for a weekend but when he saw the look in Kotaro’s eyes he felt his resolve practically disappear.

“Fine...” Hayato grumbled and Ryuuichi laughed.

“That’s good, because I’d already accepted,” Hayato glared at the pot of ramen but figures he couldn’t very well argue, considering he’d just accepted.

“You shouldnt make decisions without talking to Haya-nii, Nii-Chan,” Kotaro pointed out from next to his brother and (practically) brother in law. Both Hayato and Ryuuichi looked surprised at his words of wisdom but Ryuu actually looked down at his shirt in thought, brows pulled together in that cute way he always had when he was thinking particularly hard. He looked up apologetically at Hayato after a few seconds.

“He’s right, sorry Hayato,” Hayato only shook his head and kissed Ryuuichi’s forehead.

“It’s fine Ryuu, you didn’t do anything terrible,” Hayato conceded, “But I think it’s a good thing that Kotaro is so observant, otherwise I’d probably just let you push me around,” Ryuuichi laughed , pulling a similar chuckle out of Hayato’s lips. They bantered together for only a few minutes more before sitting down at the table to eat the now finished Ramen.

•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•

Ryuuichi wasn’t home when Hayato heard the apartment door open and close, and the telltale sound of Kotaro trudging to his room. This wouldn’t be so strange if Kotaro didn’t usually come to Hayato to ask for a snack, and then sat on the couch to eat it, not bothering Hayato for about thirty minutes before he would come in and ask for help on homework.

Hayato stood cautiously and walked quietly to the now 10 year old’s bedroom. It was decorated with pandas and ladybugs mostly, as those were his favorite things. There was nothing wrong with the childish room other than the clearly distressed child sitting in the middle of his bed, knees pulled to his chest as he choked back sobs that were racking his body. Hayato’s heart clenched seeing Kotaro like that, he rarely ever saw him cry, let alone son, and that was usually when Ryuuichi was in some kind of danger or he had been scolded.

“Kota?” He asked softly and the mint haired child gasped as he looked up at Hayato, eyes bloodshot and cheeks wet from tears.

“Hayato...”he muttered, voice far too deep and raspy for a ten year old boy.

“Can... I come in?” He asked carefully. Kotaro wasn’t very territorial, but if there was anything that both Hayato and Ryuuichi wanted to get across to him it was that this room was his space, he didn’t have to let Ryuuichi or Hayato in here, and he was free to do whatever he wanted in here, as long as he didn’t make it too big of a mess.

“Yeah...” Kotaro has muttered and Hayato had carefully walked over to the bed and sat down. He had never been much good at comforting, but he’d had a little practice with Ryuu and his stressful fits or frustration. He opened his arms, once again offering Kotaro the hug, in case the quiet kid didn’t want to be touched. Luckily, he practically sprang into Hayato’s arms, beginning to sob into his chest.

“What happened Kota?” He asked softly and the boy sniffles , still buried in Hayato’s chest. He began to rub up and down his back and run his fingers through his hair, this is what always calmed Ryuuichi down and it seems to work well for Kotaro as well.

“There were some kids at school...” Kotaro explained and Hayato immediately tensed, willing his overprotective senses to weaken, he needed to comfort Kotaro first.

“What did they say?” He asked softly and Kotaro hiccuped again.

“They said it was weird that I talk about you and Nii-Chan so much...” he elaborated, still shaking with silent sobs, “Then they said it was weird that I lived with my brother instead of my parents, and they wouldn’t stop calling me an orphan, but I’m not because you and Nii-Chan are my guardians, and I’ve still got Saihara and Obaa-Chan on top of that, I don’t understand why they would say that!”

Hayato hugged him tighter and kissed his head while Kotaro sobbed violently again.

“Kotaro, you’re not an orphan okay, and you’re not weird, and it’s okay to talk Ryuu and I, you’re in a unique situation and that’s okay, because you’re doing great,” he assured the child in his arms, “Don’t listen to those kids, some kids just don’t believe that you can be happy with a sibling, you saw how convinced Taka was when he was younger, and they’re probably angry that you’ve got such a good relationship with Ryu, okay?”

“I don’t want people to think I’m weird because my parents aren’t around, I can’t control that!” Kotaro shouted, and Hayato was admittedly taken aback, he had never seen the boy so angry.

“You’re right Kotaro, you can’t, but you also can’t control how other act, and what they say. What you can do is control the way you react,” Hayato soothed, rubbing Kotato’s back.

“When those kids say those things, ignore them, and tell a teacher, okay? And if the teachers don’t help, tell Taka, I’m sure he’d have plenty to say about it.” Kotaro nodded into his chest and then confused to cry. Hayato tried his hardest to be as comforting as possible for the next few minutes. Kotaro eventually fell asleep, curled together against Hayato like the man was a pillow.

Hayato heard the door open and close not even ten minutes after Kotaro fell asleep.

“Hayato?” He called, clearly confused by the lack of welcome from his fiance and brother sitting in the living room.

“In here!” Hayato called, trying to stay quiet but wanting Ryuuichi to hear him. He heard Ryuuichi appraching the bedroom door and when his fiancé popped his head in and saw Kotaro curled against Hayato, he was immediately not only confused but confirmed.

“What happened?” He asked quietly, sitting carefully on the bed next to Hayato and moving his hand to also run his fingers through Kotaro’s hair.

“Some little assholes making fun of him for living with his and not having parents,” he explained and saw the immediate anger on Ryuuichi’s face.

“That’s awful.”

“Yeah, like I said, Assholes.” Ryuuichi sighed and leaned his head on Hayato’s shoulder, looking concerned at his little brother.

“I knew it was almost inevitable that kids would question it but... that they would make fun of him baffles me...” Hayato hummed in agreement and kissed Ryuuichi’s forehead, moving the hand in Kotato’s hair to Ryuuichi’s running his fingers through his hair.

“Relax Ryuu, we can go talk to the teacher about it tomorrow when we pick him up, okay?” Ryuuichi nodded reluctantly and closed his eyes, falling asleep on Hayato’s shoulder.

•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•

Hayato was standing at the sink doing the dishes when he heard the all too familiar sound of a gaggle of teenagers entering his home. He sighed and turned off the water, placing the pan he’d been holding on the drying towel and reaching for the cupboard, he already knew what was to come.

He pulled down 6 mugs and started the kettle just as the teenagers came in to collapse at the counter. Kotaro stared off into space looking exasperated, Taka and Kirin dropped their heads onto the counter, and Takuma, Kazuma, and Midori all huffed and dropped their faces into their hands.

So hot chocolate it was then...

“What’s going on guys?” He asked and they all groaned in unison. He pulled down the box of hot chocolate mix, then also the whipped cream from the fridge and the marshmallows and chocolate syrup from the pantry.

“Middle school sucks, he heard his overdramatic younger brother grumble, causing him to snort.

“Yeah, imagine having to watch a demonic younger sibling through it all,” he jabbed at his little brother, who only glared back.

“Shut up Nii-Chan! This is an actual problem!” Hayato sighed and nodded.

“Okay okay,” he emptied all the hot chocolate packets into their mugs, and turned to look at the teenagers while he waited for the water to boil.

“What’s going on?” Everyone erupted into complaints, except for the all-saint, Kotaro.

“Woah! Guys he can hardly help you if you all talk at once!” Ryuu exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen. He stepped over to Hayato, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, drawing a fake gag from Taka, some coos from Kirin, Midori, and Takuma, and uncomfortable silence from Kotaro and Kazuma.

“Welcome Home Honey,” Hayato whispered and pulled Ryuuichi up to kiss him again, simply because he knew that it would annoy Taka. Ryuuichi laughed and swatted at his husband’s chest.

“Stop purposefully embarrassing your brother,” he scolded then turned around to look at the teenagers at the table while Hayato kept one of his hands around his waist, rubbing his hip with his thumb.

“You two are disgustingly... what’s the word Kirin?” He asked, looking at the evergreen haired girl expectantly. She huffed and glared at Taka, but there was no heat in it.

“Domestic?” She asked and he nodded.

“It’s gross.” He concluded and Kirin rolled her eyes.

“No Taka, it’s cute, you’re just a stupid boy who knows nothing of love,” she scolded him, and he just rolled his eyes at her. Ryuuichi and Hayato shared a knowing glance with each other then the same look with Kotaro, who looked absolutely exhausted by his friends.

“Anyway, what’s going on guys?” He asked them all and then picked up his hand as they all began to talk at once. The kettle began to whistle so Hayato turned away, begrudgingly taking his hand off Ryuuichi’s hip as he began to pour the hot water into the mugs. Ryuuichi stayed turned around and pointed at Takuma who was sitting on the far left.

“You first Takuma, what’s your conundrum?” He decided and Takuma took a deep breath.

“I’m stupid.” He decided after a moment and Ryuuichi glared at him.

“None of your are in any way stupid, and I’d honestly prefer if you stopped saying such awful things about yourselves, but what’s going on?” He asked, then turned around to start putting the whipped cream on the mugs full of hot chocolate and marshmallows, then dribbling chocolate syrup over them.

“I’m doing really badly in my math class, and if I fail this next quiz they’re not gonna let me play in the next practice match!” He exclaimed, clearly very stressed by the consequences of failing, rather than the prospect.

“Well, what are you having trouble with?” Ryuuichi asked as he set a mug of hot chocolate in front of each he and his twin brother. Hayato set one in front of Midori and Taka, then Ryuuichi set one in front of Kotaro while Hayato brought his over to Kirin.

“It’s not that I’m bad at the math, when the problem is laid out I can solve it, but understanding the question is the problem!” He groaned and threw his face into his hands.

“Well, why don’t you just start studying as a group, it always helped me to sit down with Maria, Yuki, Nezu, Yagi, and of course Hayato when I was struggling, why don’t you?” Takuma looked around at his friends and they all nodded encouragingly so he nodded as well.

“Okay!” He exclaimed, and Hayato couldn’t help but think about how some things really never changed.

“Right, next, Kazuma, what’s on your mind?” The muncher more docile twin sighed deeply.

“I have art block, and that’s stressful because I have a whole canvas painting due in a week!” Kazuma brought his hands up and entangled his fingers in his hair, pulling, hard. Ryuuichi panicked slightly and rushed over to grab his hands, encouraging him to let go. Kazuma eventually did and Ryuuichi sighed, moving his own hands to the blonde’s hair and running his fingers through it comfortingly. Hayato moves over to the kitchen counter and sat on it, waiting for Ryuuichi to ask the next question.

“Alright, Kazu, is there a prompt? Or a subject I guess?” The boy sighed, and nodded.

“The prompt is comfort, but it has to be a scene, and I know that everyone else is gonna paint like, a hug, or their own canvas, but that’s just not what I want!” He exclaimed frustrated again. Ryuuichi hushed him and patted his head.

“Kazuma, you are one of the most creative kids I know, I believe that you can figure this out, okay?” Ryuuichi kissed the top of Kazuma’s head then walked over to stand between Hayato’s legs, facing the 14 year olds.

“Alright, Kirin, you’re next,” he said while Hayato wrapped his arms around his chest.

“Alright, so we’ve got that new music teacher this year right?” Ryuuichi nodded, and she continued, “Well, apparently she heard about me before she came here, and now she expects more from me than the other students! And like, I know that I can be better than the other guys in a lot of things, but I’m not perfect! Now she’s getting angry when I can’t get something and I don’t know what to do!” Kirin threw her hands up in the air hysterically and then fell back onto the counter. Ryuuichi looked sad for a second, then took a deep breath and began to speak.

“Kirin, you are very talented, and it is true that you are above most people with your skill, and maybe that makes it seem like she should push you harder, and I agree with her, you need to be challenged so that you can improve, but if you genuinely believe that what she is doing is too much, you need to tell her that, and explain that you have limits just as much as the other students do.” Kirin smiled at Ryuuichi and nodded.

“Okay...,” his eyes moved down to the next teenager, “Kota?” He asked his brother shook his head.

“I don’t have problems Nii-Chan, their problems are my problems, and your problems are my problems, but I don’t have my own problems...” Kotaro explainer, pulling a laugh from Hayato and the other kids. Ryuuichi just looked at him for a monent.

“Okay, but if you do,” Kotaro held up his hand, but before Hayato could scold him for being rude he spoke.

“If I have problems I go to my friends first, because maybe they can help solve it without getting an adult involved, then I need to come to you if it gets worse, if I don’t want to tell you I should talk to Hayato, I know, Nii-Chan.” Ryuuichi blushed and Taka snickered. Hayato also let out a small laugh at his husband and brother in law.

“Alright, well um... Taka, you’re next then,” Ryuuichi pointed out, looking to his brother in law. Taka nodded and then dropped his head again.

“Okay, so this problem is...” Taka trailed off and Hayato and Ryuuichi immediately got worried.

“Well... I’ve wanted to play baseball like Nii-Chan for... years, like forever basically, but I know that I’m not as good,” Taka explained and Hayato felt his chest clench. So it was this kind of problem.

“The problem is that the coach thinks I should be as good or better because I grew up with the legendary Hayato Kamitani as a brother and mentor...” Taka explained, getting quieter and quieter.

“And I want to play but it seems like everyone knows about you and I’m just... here, and they expect me to be more than I am and I just don’t know what to do.” Taka brought up his hands to press the heels to his eyes as he began to cry, whether out of frustration or distress neither Hayato or Ryuuichi knew but they didn’t really care. Hayato tapped Ryuuichi’s wrist and walked over to Taka.

“Don’t cry, you oversized toddler, it’s fine,” he assured his brother, rough-love always being his strong suit. Taka took a deep breath and nodded, but didn’t look at his brother.

“I don’t want to disappoint you...” he muttered and Hayato felt his chest clench again.

“Taka, just because my thing is baseball doesn’t mean it has to be yours, you’ve been doing MMA since you were like, 6 and you’re better than some of your teachers, it’s okay to be average at some things,” Hayato reaches his hand up and began to run his fingers through Taka’s hair.

“Taka, do you want us to talk to the coach, do you want to?” Ryuuichi asked softly and his brother in law looked up at him in surprise,

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Well, I took a major in education and a minor in child psychology, I know how things effect children, I’ve been studying child psychology practically since I was ten, and I know that expecting so much from you isn’t good for you, I want to talk to your teacher, but if you don’t want me to, you can,” Taka gasped and looked at Ryuuichi with wide eyes then he looked at Hayato.

“I want... I want you guys to...” he concluded and Ryuuichi nodded, walking over to hug Taka.

“Do you want us to talk to your teacher too Kirin?” Hayato asked and she hesitated for a moment before nodding. The two adults nodded back and then looked at Midori.

“Alright, what about you Midori?” Ryuuichi turned, asking for her to elaborate on what her problem was. Ryuuichi pulled out the bench on the other side of her and sat down, Hayato taking his place behind Ryuuichi, hands around his waist and chin on his shoulder.

“Mm, it’s not such a big deal compared to these guys...” the significantly younger girl muttered and Ryuuichi shook his head.

“No, if it’s enough to trouble you, it’s enough to solve, now tell us,” Kotaro and Taka cracked a smile at Ryuuichi’s words.

“Well... there’s these girls in my class, and they started talking to me at the beginning of the year, and I thought that they actually wanted to be my friend, but lately they’ve been asking a lot of questions about Taka, Kotaro, and the twins and I don’t want to just sit around and talk about the boys! I wanna do other things too!” Ryuuichi looked down and smiled, shaking his head. He then looked up at Hayato who averted his gaze. He practically cackled before turning back to Midori.

“Drop them, they’re interested in the boys, not you, and they don’t deserve your attention,” Ryuuichi suggested and Midori nodded, Hayato spoke up next.

“You should hang out with the boys specifically in their sight, just to rub it in their face,” he suggested and Ryuuichi swatted at him.

“It’s kinda funny that you four kinda became the equivalent to Hayato, Nezu, Yagi, and I when we were in middle school.

“But the weird thing is that Kotaro is more similar to myself, and Takuma is more like you,” Ryuuichi laughed, ignoring the bewildered faces the teenagers gave them.

“And Taka is like Yagi!” He pointed out. Hayato threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh.

“What are you guys talking about?” Kirin asked and Ryuuichi struggled to catch his breath so he could explain.

“When we were in highschool, Hayato, Yagi, Nezu, and I were what people called the Favored Four. We were always being asked out and confessed to, Hayato even had upper class men into him,” he explained and Taka stuck out his tongue.

“Gross.” He said and Ryuuichi giggled.

“Yeah, I was exhausted, imagine being in love with your bestfriend and everyone just keeps asking you out, everyone but him!” Hayato complained and Ryuuichi smacked him.

“Hush!” He scolded while Taka, once again, fake gagged at his brothers’ antics.

“You’re really good at giving advice Ryuuichi,” Kazuma spoke up and the man was stunned.

“Uh, thank you Kazuma,” he muttered and cast his gaze down, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

“Mama always said you’d make a great parent...” Midori said and Ryuuichi blanched. He’d never thought about having kids.

Or, well he’d never talked to Hayato about it, they had enough on their plate, with Kotaro and work, but he’d definitely thought about kids before.

“It’s true! And Kotaro will be gone soon! You two should start thinking about it!” Kirin said and Ryuuichi blushed brighter. Hayato huffed and looked at the teenagers annoyed. It was funny how one of his expressions could say an entire sentence.

Like, “Shut up you idiots, you’re embarrassing him and we’ve got other things to worry about right now.” Everyone of the kids mouths were shut and they didn’t talk any more. After a couple seconds Hayato walked to the closet.

“So, what are we watching this time?” He asked as he pulled down a few blankets and pillows. Taka, Midori, Kirin, and Takuma lit up, and the other two got about as excited as it gets with the two of them, and they rushed over to the living room.

“Let’s watch a horror movie!” Taka shouted and Hayato rolled his eyes.

“Absolutely not.” He growled and his little brother glared back. Hayato kicked him lightly as he walked over to drop the pillows and blankets on the floor. He then went back to the closet and grabbed some metal poles and the same amount of metal plates with small holes in them.

Ryuuichi smiled at him as he took the poles and set them up on four corners. Two next to the couch, and two next to the tv stand. One more was placed in the center. They began pulling a string of thin but strong rope through the holes at the top of the poles and then they began to put blankets on top. The metal plates were used as bases at the bottom of the poles, and they had a drawer in the corner table that had a box of rubber bands in it. With the kids help, Hayato and Ryuuichi put the blankets on top of the poles then secured them in place with rubber bands. The girls were inside setting up pillows and blankets in a comfortable way while the boys were outside, helping the adults with the fort. Kotaro was also inside the fort, looking through movies and trying to find one he thought both Kirin and Taka would agree on.

They’d started doing this regularly when the kids were ten years old, hence the ready and waiting closet of fort supplies, and Hayato had quickly designed a kind of easily set up structure for the blankets to rest on. Using kitchen chairs and furniture was not doing too well for them. The Kamitani-Kashima apartment was the usual hangout for the kids, though Ryuuichi couldn’t help but dread the day they decided hanging out in the same house as their older siblings wasn’t cool.

The adults both settled on the couch, Ryuuichi cuddled into Hayato’s chest. Kotaro and Taka were sitting on the other side of the couch while the other four teenagers sat on pillows on the floor in front of them. They watched a random movie that Kotaro had put on and just chilled out for a couple of hours before Ryuuichi insisted on driving the twins, Kirin, and Midori home, Taka just stayed with them.

•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•

“Nii-Chan!” Kotaro shouted from his bedroom, where he was doing homework. Ryuuichi jumped up from where he was laying down with Hayato. Hayato folllwed as well.

“If you don’t control your overenergetic brat of a child, I’m moving in with the Kamitanis.” He growled. Kotaro was never very aggressive, so Hayato was immediately very confused by his words. When they came into the room, they saw Kotaro’s chemistry homework on the bed, Kotaro standing next to his bookshelf, his panda ceramic they’d bought him when he was young, shattered, and Akari sitting on the ground looking on the verge of tears as Kotaro glared at her. Ryuuichi gasped and rushed over to get Akari away from the broken glass while Kotaro just continued to glare.

“What happened Kota?” He asked as he passed Akari off to Hayato.

“That- f-...” Kotaro took a deep breath.

“That brat, wandered in here while I was trying to do my homework, and decided to try and climb my shelf! She shattered my panda, and started wailing, which has definitely completely thrown me off and I’m honestly just getting more annoyed.” He explained, all in one breath and fuming. Ryuuichi took a step forward to begin scolding Kotaro because Akari is only young but Hayato put his hand on his shoulder, silencing him. He offered Akari to him and gestures for him to leave then turned back to Kotaro. The 16 year old was still visibly fuming as he grabbed the trashcan next to his desk and began to throw away the remnants of his panda ceramic.

“Kotaro, look at me,” Hayato commander, trying to stay calm and understanding. Kotaro looked up at Hayato, anger, hurt, and, terrifyingly, fear in his eyes.

“What’s it gonna be Haya?” He asked, still mindlessly throwing the glass into his trashcan.

“Kotaro, I understand that you’re annoyed, but she only 4,” he reminded him and Kotaro couldn’t help but grimace at his words. He knew that. He knew that Akari was only 4 years old but he was annoyed, that was one of his oldest possessions, and one of his favorites, he couldn’t help the anger.

“I know, Haya, but this is the sixth f-,” Kotaro has to catch himself again, he didn’t like to curse in front of his brothers, “this is the sixth thing that she has broken this week, and I’m just getting sick of it!” He exclaimed, clearly feeling awful as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. Hayato sighed and nodded. He walked over to kneel down in front Kotaro, avoiding the broken ceramic.

“Why don’t you just shut the door? She can’t reach the handle,” he pointed out, and Kotaro shook his head.

“No, because I only shut the door whenever I’m made at you or Ryuuichi, and I don’t want No-Chan to think that I’m mad at him,” he gritted out and Hayato nodded in understanding.

“Do you want to... put away some of the more fragile things until she’s older or you move out?” Kotaro took a deep breath and shook his head again.

“Okay, well we can hardly keep her locked in her room, this is her house too,” Hayato pointed out and Kotaro nodded with a sigh.

“I just, I want her to stay away from my things, I don’t mind if she’s in here, which is why I put the fragile things higher up but she just, climbs the shelves!” Kotaro was getting frustrated again so Hayato reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

“What about a glass cabinet, I’ll get you one so you can keep things on display, but the cabinet would have magnetized doors, she wouldn’t be able to open them.” Kotaro took a deep breath and nodded. Hayato nodded as well and went to go get the broom.

“Is he okay?” Ryuuichi asked from where he was sitting in the kitchen, watching Akari carefully as she sat in her high chair eating orange slices.

“He’s frustrated, Ryuu, he’s 16 years old and feels like his space isn’t being respected,” Ryuuichi nodded in understanding, worrying his bottom lip. He looked at the ground, casting his gaze away from his husband.

“I almost yelled at him Haya...” he muttered, Hayato could barely hear him. But when he did, he was shocked, Ryuuichi didn’t yell at anyone, let alone at his little brother.

“I don’t know what came over me, but I just got so angry when he talked about Akari like that...” He muttered and Hayato sighed when he watched a sob rack his husband’s body.

“Ryuu, do you remember when Taka drew all over my autographed baseball?” Ryuuichi took a deep breath, brows furrowing in thought before he nodded.

“Do you remember what you said to me?” He asked next and Ryuuichi shook his head softly.

“Well, it was something to the affect of, ‘You can get angry over things like this, but you can’t punish them, they don’t understand’, and you’re right, and I was the bigger person, but you also have to understand that Kotaro doesn’t get angry like that easily, he’s genuinely upset that Akari keeps breaking stuff, and I think that’s even more upset that neither of us made a move to prevent it.” Ryuuichi nodded in understanding then fell forward, resting his forehead against Hayato’s chest. He began to cry softly, and Hayato wrapped his arms around him.

“It was so much easier when he was still a baby, and he didn’t fight with me...” Ryuuichi whispered and Hayato laughed.

“He still doesn’t fight with you, he just has things of his own now,” Hayato pointed out and Ryuuichi let out a breathy laugh.

“Daddy sad?” Akari asked from behind them and Ryuuichi sat up and wiped his tears.

“No, honey, I’m not sad,” he assured her and she furrowed her brows.

“Daddy angry?” She asked this time and he shook his head again, she nodded then pointed down the hall of their home.

“Ko-Chan angry...” she elaborated, and Hayato sighed, letting go of Ryuuichi to walk over and pull Akari out of her high chair. He held her to his chest and bounced her as he spoke.

“Yeah, Ko-Chan’s angry, but that’s because you weren’t being very nice,” he said and tears welled into her eyes, Ryuuichi rushes forward to take her but Hayato turned away giving Ryuuichi a stern look. Ryuuichi looked kinda upset but backed down.

“Akari, you really hurt Kota’s feelings when you break his things,” she sniffled and Hayato patted her head.

“Just wanna play...” she muttered and he nodded in understanding.

“I know that baby, but those are Kotaro’s things, and when you break them it makes him very sad, how would you feel if Kotaro broke your toys?” He asked and she gasped. Looking at him with shiny eyes. He nodded with a matter of fact face.

“Yeah, I know, that feels bad doesn’t it?” She nodded and he nodded back at her.

“Do you want to apologize?” He asked and she nodded quickly. Hayato looked back at Ryuuichi with a face that basically read, ‘She needed that,’ Ryuuichi nodded in understanding.

“Okay, lets go,” he said and pointed at the broom and vacuum. Ryuuichi nodded in understand and reached for both, following Hayato and Akari to the bedroom. When they reached the doorway, Hayato knocked softly.

“Kota?” He called, drawing Kotaro’s attention to him, “Can we come in?” Kotaro looked wearily at the toddler in Hayato’s arms but nodded, shutting his chemistry book and ushering all of his papers into a pile on top of it. Hayato came and sat down, setting Akari on the bed next to him. She looked up at Kotaro with wet eyes and crawled toward him. She wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him. Kotaro looked shocked by the action, but wrapped his arms around her in return.

“I’m sorry Ko-Chan!” She shouted into his chest and his eyes widened.

“I forgive you Akari...” he whispered and she snuggled into his chest. He sighed, resting his head on top of her’s, and looking up at his brothers.

“I’m sorry...” he mouthed and Ryuuichi shook his head quickly while Hayato did so much slower. After a minute, Hayato have Ryuuichi a look, and he nodded while Hayato carried Akari out of the bedroom, he laid her down in her bed to take a nap then went to sit outside the door in case he needed to step in and moderate.

“I’m sorry Kotaro,” Ryuuichi muttered and he heard Kotaro sigh.

“No, it’s not your fault...” he insisted, he heard what he assumed was Ryuuichi sitting down on the bed.

“Kotaro, this is your space, and those are your things, and I’m sorry that she broke them, I need to take responsibility, because admittedly, that’s what I did when you did something wrong as a baby,” Kotaro took in a shaky breath and it sounded like Ryuuichi hugged him.

“I’m sorry that I expected so much for you, I forget sometimes how hard I worked so that you didn’t have to grow up too fast, but I think I might be comparing you to me at your age, and I’m so sorry...” He heard Ryuuichi begin to cry and poked his head into the room, making eye contact with Kotaro who moved one of his hands grasping Ryuuichi to reach out for him. Hayato smiled and stepped closer to his boys, pulling them into a hug.

“It’s true that you had to grow up too quickly Nii-Chan, but I’ve always been really mature, so I don’t blame you for expecting better from me,” Kotaro muttered and Ryuuichi cried harder. Hayato sighed, hugging them both tighter, he didn’t interject, he just acted as a comfort.

“You’re still a child Kotaro, no matter how much you don’t act like it, you’re a child, growing into an adult who wants what’s to have his own space and things because you have that ability and I don’t know why I didn’t think about it...” Ryuuichi muttered and Kotaro spoke up again.

“Because you never experienced that feeling Nii-Chan. You’ve always been so giving and incredible, you never wanted to inconvenience anyone, and you never wanted to see me unhappy, so you sacrificed a lot...” Hayato rubbed both of their backs as they cried.