#hirako

It was the dead of winter, and there was nowhere to go.

Nowhere but home, with the sick little ones who cuddled up against their dad, who was now late for work.

You walked into the room with some hot tea and soup. You noticed your husband wasn’t even ready for work. He didn’t have the heart to move the sleeping kids from his chest.

“You are going to be late for the meeting,” you reminded him.

He put up his hand to silence you so you wouldn’t disturb the kids. He looked back down at the two little versions of himself, blond heads poking out from the blanket. His heart ached to see his little babies succumb to a seasonal illness.

Shinji was a supportive husband and father. He would drop anything, even a mission (if he could), to come be with his growing family.

Growing, with a third on the way any day now.

You set the meal tray aside and rubbed your expanding belly. Shinji was trying to protect you from the contagious illness and slept with the little ones all night. Now it was time for work and he did not want you to handle the sick kids alone.

“Listen, if you are worried so much, I can have Hiyori-”

“Absolutely never!” that certainly triggered an automatic response. He didn’t trust the rascal to babysit his own flesh and blood. Not because she would be mean or bully them, but because she would fill the little ones’ heads with ideas on how to harass their poor daddy. He could not tolerate another foot to his beautiful face.

“How about Lisa? Or…”

“I can miss a meeting. You rest up ‘n let me take care of….”. He looked down and watched the two stir in their sleep, slowly opening their little weary eyes. “Sorry. Was Daddy loud?”

The two little heads nodded at him.

One of them yawned, a tiny fist rubbing at an eye, while the other blinked up at him, already half-awake. He leaned closer, brushing a thumb gently over their flushed cheeks.

“Go back to sleep,” he whispered. “I’m right here.”

Work hardly mattered when the things that mattered most were suffering at home.

“I’ll call in. Momo can handle things.”