Work Text:
1.
The morning sun filtered through the blinds in warm, dusty streaks, landing across the cluttered kitchen where Yuuji stood barefoot in yesterday’s hoodie and a pair of wrinkled boxers, spooning rice into bento boxes. He was humming softly—some tune stuck in his head since last night’s movie—as he slipped Keiko’s favorite strawberry cookies into a ziplock bag and double-checked for the juice boxes.
His eyes were bleary, hair still wild from sleep, and his back ached from where Kota had kicked him repeatedly in the ribs during the night. But it was fine. It was their routine. Controlled chaos.
“Hey, Megumi, do you want me to—” Yuuji called out as he wiped his hands and walked toward the bathroom.
He stopped in the doorway and blinked, the familiar warmth blooming in his chest before he even realized he was smiling.
Keiko, seven years old and already so serious about her “morning salon appointments,” was perched on the closed toilet lid, her small fingers deftly brushing through Megumi’s sleep-mussed hair. Her tongue peeked out slightly in concentration, the brush pausing now and then so she could frown critically at a stubborn knot.
Megumi sat on the edge of the tub, one hand attempting to tie his hair into a ponytail and the other trying to keep Kota—currently clinging to his leg like a barnacle—from falling over.
“Come on, buddy,” Yuuji said cheerfully, crouching down and holding his arms open.
“Daddy’ll play with you, yeah?”
Kota didn’t even turn his head. Instead, the one-year-old tightened his koala grip around Megumi’s thigh and let out a warning grunt, eyes narrowing at Yuuji like he’d just insulted his entire bloodline.
Yuuji sighed and stood up straight again, leaning against the doorframe with a dramatic flop of his head.
“You’ve got groupies,” he muttered, though his voice was full of affection.
Megumi met his eyes through the mirror, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips as Keiko accidentally yanked a little too hard.
“I have fans,” he deadpanned.
He reached down and smoothed a hand over Kota’s fluffy bedhead without looking, already used to balancing a toddler and a preschool stylist at the same time. Keiko hummed thoughtfully and picked up a sparkly hair clip from her lap.
Yuuji watched the scene with an ache he couldn’t explain. Not the bad kind. The kind that swelled in his chest and left his throat tight. He was used to coming in second—or third, sometimes—when it came to the kids’ affection. And that was okay. Mostly. They were young. Megumi was the one who stayed home when they were sick, who read bedtime stories in that calm, steady voice, who somehow made getting shots at the clinic feel like a gentle adventure.
Still, Yuuji couldn’t help it sometimes. He was the fun one, sure—the jungle gym, the monster in hide-and-seek, the pancake flipper. But he wanted to be the comfort, too. He wanted Kota to reach for him without hesitation. He wanted Keiko to play with his hair, even if he had no hair to speak of. He wanted clinginess.
He also wanted to finish the movie from last night and maybe get ten more minutes in bed with Megumi before the kids took over the whole day. But that was a lost cause.
With a sigh, Yuuji pushed off the doorframe and padded over. He pressed a kiss to the top of Megumi’s head, careful not to mess up Keiko’s hard work.
“Don’t forget to eat before you go,” he said. “You always forget.”
Megumi tilted his head slightly, brushing his shoulder against Yuuji’s hip. “That’s what I have you for.”
Yuuji smiled softly, tiredly. “I’m clingy too, you know.”
Keiko didn’t even look up. “Get in line, Daddy.”
2.
Friday night was sacred in the Fushiguro-Itadori household. No work calls, no emergencies (unless
Yuuji absolutely had to respond to a fire), and definitely no distractions from their weekly movie night.
Yuuji had spent the afternoon perfecting his famous caramel popcorn, the sweet aroma filling their cozy living room as he arranged pillows and blankets on the couch to create the perfect movie-watching nest.
"Movie's all queued up!" Yuuji announced proudly, remote in hand as he settled into his favorite spot on the left side of the sectional. "I found that animated one about the animals that Keiko wanted to see."
Megumi entered the living room with a freshly bathed Kota on his hip, the toddler's hair still damp and curling slightly around his ears. Keiko trailed behind them, clutching her well-worn sketchbook and a box of colored pencils.
"Perfect timing," Megumi said, sinking into the middle of the couch.
Yuuji patted the space next to him, giving Keiko an encouraging smile. "Want to sit with Daddy? I can help you with your drawings."
But Keiko was already scrambling onto the couch, making a beeline straight for Megumi. She plopped herself squarely in his lap, flipping open her sketchbook with an air of determination.
"Mama, can you help me draw a cat? A really good one, like the ones you take care of," she asked, leaning back against Megumi's chest. "I want to draw one like the orange tabby we saw today."
Megumi shifted to accommodate her weight, his hand automatically coming up to smooth her hair.
"Sure. Start with the basic shapes first, remember? Circle for the head..."
Meanwhile, Kota had begun the delicate process of wiggling his way into the perfect position. With surprising agility for a one-year-old, he maneuvered himself into the crook of Megumi's side, wedging his small body between his father's ribs and arm.
Once satisfied with his position, he reached down and grabbed the edge of the throw blanket, pulling it up over both himself and Megumi with a look of supreme contentment.
Then, as was his habit lately, Kota grabbed a handful of Megumi's navy blue shirt and brought the fabric to his mouth, contentedly chewing on the sleeve like it was his personal teething toy.
Yuuji sat just three feet away, feeling strangely like he was watching his family from across a canyon rather than across a cushion. He held up the bowl of perfectly seasoned caramel popcorn—the same popcorn that had taken him thirty minutes to make just the way everyone liked it.
"Popcorn?" he offered hopefully.
No takers. Not even a glance.
Megumi was absorbed in guiding Keiko's hand through the curve of a cat's ear, while Kota had reached a zen-like state of sleeve-chewing bliss, his eyes already growing heavy as he snuggled against Megumi's warmth.
"I swear they think I'm the neighbor," Yuuji murmured under his breath, though he couldn't help the affectionate smile that spread across his face.
When the movie finally started, Yuuji found himself watching his family more than the screen.
The way Megumi's usually stern face softened around their children. The way Keiko's tongue poked out in concentration as she sketched, just like almost every morning how she brushes Megumi's hair. The way Kota's tiny fingers curled around Megumi's shirt like it was an anchor in a storm.
Halfway through the movie, Megumi glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow at Yuuji's untouched popcorn.
"You okay?" he mouthed silently.
Yuuji nodded, reaching over to ruffle Kota's hair.
The toddler screwed up his face in momentary annoyance before returning to his sleeve-chewing.
3.
The thirty-six-hour shift had been brutal.
A four-alarm fire at an apartment complex had stretched from yesterday afternoon well into the early hours of the morning, with Yuuji’s crew working nonstop to evacuate residents, contain the blaze, and fight back against a wind that refused to cooperate. His muscles ached with the dull throb of overexertion, his lungs still felt raw despite the oxygen mask, and no amount of scrubbing in the station shower had erased the faint scent of smoke that clung to his skin.
But none of that mattered now.
He was home.
Fumbling with his keys, Yuuji squinted against the morning sun as it bounced off the front window. He imagined it clearly: Keiko rushing him with a drawing she made, Kota bouncing excitedly with arms outstretched, and Megumi—warm, soft-eyed Megumi—giving him one of those small smiles that felt like coming home twice.
The key finally turned, and Yuuji pushed open the door. “I’m home!” he called, his voice hoarse but still hopeful.
There was a beat of silence.
Then the thunder of small feet.
Yuuji grinned, already crouching with open arms. “There’s my boy—!”
But Kota zipped right past him, his stubby legs pumping hard, his little fists clenched as he bee-lined down the hallway without even glancing at Yuuji.
“Mamaaaa!!” he shrieked with glee.
Yuuji turned slowly, catching a glimpse of Kota launching himself into the laundry room like a tiny missile. Inside, Megumi stood at the folding table in sweatpants and one of Yuuji’s old fire station sweatshirts, sleeves pushed up as he folded clothes. He barely had time to react before Kota slammed into his knees, clinging like a starfish.
“Hey, little monster,” Megumi said, barely blinking. He bent down and scooped Kota into his arms, the toddler immediately nuzzling into his neck and letting out a delighted sigh. “Did you miss me that much?”
Yuuji straightened, still kneeling, the grin fading just slightly. He rubbed at the back of his neck and tried to laugh it off.
At least Keiko would—
“Daddy!” Keiko’s voice rang out as she emerged from her room, wearing a sparkly shirt and a paint-streaked headband. She walked up with the same seriousness she applied to all things. She wrapped her arms politely around Yuuji’s waist. “You smell like burnt wood and tired.”
“Very accurate,” Yuuji chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. “There was a big fire. Everyone’s okay, though.”
“Did you save anyone?” she asked, looking up curiously.
He opened his mouth to answer, but Keiko had already drifted toward the laundry room, where Megumi now balanced Kota on one hip and attempted to fold a towel with one hand.
“Mama,” she said sweetly. “Can I paint your nails after dinner? I got a new purple and some tiny stickers!”
Megumi’s soft hum of approval was enough to send her squealing with excitement. She started detailing her entire manicure plan, fluttering around Megumi like a planet around a star.
Yuuji stayed frozen in the entryway, work bag slung over his shoulder, socks still damp from melted snow. He watched his whole universe orbiting around his husband and felt a sharp pang—not quite jealousy, but something close.
He let out a low breath, muttering, “Cool. Glad I risked getting crushed by a collapsing ceiling for this.”
He didn’t think anyone heard him.
But Megumi did.
Without missing a beat, Megumi turned, eyes meeting his. His expression shifted—softened—and then he was calling out, “Food’s in the oven. Lasagna. And there’s a cold beer in the fridge.”
That should’ve been the end of it. But as Yuuji trudged past toward the kitchen, Megumi reached out and gently snagged his sleeve.
Yuuji stopped.
“I missed you,” Megumi said, just quiet enough for only him to hear. His eyes flicked over Yuuji’s face, taking in the exhaustion, the soot smudges the shower hadn’t caught. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Yuuji’s jaw. “Come sit with us after you eat.”
Yuuji blinked, shoulders finally dropping as he exhaled slowly. “Thought I was chopped liver.”
“You’re tired,” Megumi said simply. “They’re clingy. I’m the pillow. You’re the hero. Kota just hasn’t figured out how to climb you when you’re in full gear.”
“You’re tired,” Megumi said simply. “They’re clingy. I’m the pillow. You’re the hero. Kota just hasn’t figured out how to climb you when you’re in full gear.”
Yuuji let out a low hum, stepping in closer. “You’re definitely a pillow,” he murmured, forehead resting against Megumi’s shoulder. “Soft, warm, smells good… Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d cuddle you all day.”
Megumi chuckled, his breath warm against Yuuji’s cheek. “Then you better be ready to fight Kota for the prime cuddling position.”
“Don’t tempt me. I’ve taken down bigger guys.”
Kota, overhearing just that moment, let out an indignant squeal and slapped a hand on Megumi’s thigh in protest. Keiko gasped like a scandalized duchess.
“Daddy,” she scolded, “you can’t fight babies.”
“Not with that attitude,” Yuuji said with a lopsided grin.
Megumi rolled his eyes fondly, leaned in again, and kissed him full on the lips—slow and grounding. “You’re home,” he whispered. “You’re loved.”
Yuuji melted.
Yeah, okay. That counted for everything.
4.
Sunday was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon at the neighborhood park. Yuuji had planned it perfectly—a picnic lunch, the new frisbee he'd bought for Keiko, and even Kota's favorite rubber duck for the small splash pad. Megumi had been called in for an emergency surgery at the clinic, leaving Yuuji with a rare opportunity for solo bonding time with the kids.
"Higher, Daddy! Push me higher!" Keiko squealed from the swing, her legs pumping enthusiastically. Yuuji grinned, giving her another gentle push.
"Not too high, princess! I don't want you launching into space!" he joked, keeping a watchful eye on Kota who was tottering around the sandbox nearby.
Everything was going well. Keiko had even held his hand on the walk over, chattering excitedly about the butterfly she'd drawn at school. Kota had gone nearly twenty minutes without asking for
"Mama," which was practically a record.
Maybe Yuuji was finally breaking through.
The peaceful afternoon shattered when Keiko jumped from the swing at its highest point, something Yuuji had specifically warned her not to do. She landed awkwardly, her knee skidding across the woodchip ground.
"Keiko!" Yuuji rushed over, heart pounding. As a firefighter, he'd seen far worse injuries, but this was his daughter, and that made it different.
Keiko's eyes filled with tears as she examined her scraped knee, blood beading along the shallow abrasion. Yuuji knelt beside her, already reaching for the mini first-aid kit he always carried.
"I've got you, sweetheart. Let me clean this up—"
"I want Mama," Keiko whimpered, pulling away from Yuuji's outstretched hand. "Where's Mama?"
Yuuji tried not to let his face fall. "Mama's at work, remember? But Daddy's here, and I know exactly how to make this better."
"No! I want Mama to fix it!" Keiko's lip trembled dangerously. "Mama knows how to make it not hurt!"
Yuuji fought the urge to point out that he literally saved people from burning buildings for a living and was quite capable of handling a scraped knee.
Instead, he kept his voice gentle. "Mama's helping a sick puppy right now. But I promise I'll be super careful."
Keiko sniffled dramatically, looking unconvinced.
"Mama puts the special cream on."
"I have the special cream too," Yuuji said, holding up the antibiotic ointment from his kit. "The very same one."
Before Keiko could issue another protest, a crash from the sandbox caught Yuuji's attention. Kota had tripped over someone else's abandoned sand bucket, landing face-first in the sand. For a moment, there was perfect silence—the calm before the inevitable storm.
Then Kota lifted his head, face covered in sand, and let out an ear-splitting wail. "MAMAAAAA!"
Yuuji looked helplessly between his two injured children. "Kota, buddy, Mama's not here—"
Kota's scream only intensified, little fists pounding the sand. "WANT MAMA! MAMAA!"
Yuuji scooped up his son, trying to brush sand from his face while Kota twisted frantically in his arms, as if Megumi might materialize if he just struggled hard enough. Meanwhile, Keiko was still sitting forlornly by the swings, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Look, I know I'm not Mama," Yuuji said desperately, "but I'm a firefighter! I help hurt people all the time!"
Neither child appeared impressed by this credential.
With an internal sigh, Yuuji pulled out his phone one-handed, still balancing a squirming Kota.
"Okay, how about we video call Mama? She can tell us what to do."
This suggestion was met with immediate interest from both children. Keiko limped over, her injury seemingly less debilitating at the prospect of seeing Megumi.
Megumi answered on the third ring, his face appearing on screen still wearing his clinic scrubs.
"Everything okay?"
Before Yuuji could explain, both children launched into competing tales of woe, with Kota's being mostly incomprehensible through his sobs.
"Mama! I fell and hurt my knee!" Keiko thrust her scraped knee toward the camera.
"Sand! Owie!" Kota contributed, finally holding still in Yuuji's arms so he could stare longingly at Megumi's pixelated face.
Megumi's expression softened. "That looks painful. But you know what? Daddy has the exact same bandages and cream I would use. He's really good at fixing owies."
Yuuji shot his husband a grateful look over the children's heads.
"In fact," Megumi continued, "when Daddy gets hurt at work, he helps himself and all the other firefighters. He's actually better at bandages than I am."
This revelation seemed to shock both children into momentary silence.
"Really?" Keiko asked suspiciously.
"Really," Megumi confirmed. "Remember how Daddy carried Mr. Tanaka's cat down from that super tall tree? And how he helps people get out of burning buildings? He's very gentle and very brave."
Yuuji felt his chest warm at Megumi's words, even as Kota continued to sniffle against his shoulder.
"So how about you let Daddy help, and then when I get home, we can check his work?" Megumi suggested. "If you're both very brave, maybe we can have ice cream after dinner."
The promise of ice cream, coupled with Megumi's endorsement, finally convinced the children to accept Yuuji's medical assistance. After saying goodbye to Megumi, Yuuji managed to clean and bandage both injuries with minimal additional tears.
As they walked home, Keiko slipped her hand into Yuuji's, examining the colorful bandage on her knee.
"Daddy?" she asked.
"Yeah, princess?"
"You did it almost as good as Mama."
Yuuji wasn't sure whether to laugh or sigh.
"Thanks, I think."
"But," Keiko added thoughtfully, "Mama doesn't make the funny faces you do when we cry."
Yuuji chuckled. "What funny faces?"
"Like this!" Keiko scrunched up her face in an exaggerated grimace of panic. "Your eyes get all big and scared!"
"They do not," Yuuji protested, although he suspected she might be right.
"S'okay, Daddy," Keiko said, squeezing his hand.
"Mama says you're just a big softie."
From his perch on Yuuji's shoulders, Kota patted the top of his father's head. "Soft," he agreed solemnly.
Yuuji smiled to himself. Maybe he wasn't the first one they called for, but at least he was doing something right.
Later that evening, after the kids were asleep, Yuuji flopped onto the bed beside Megumi.
"That 'Daddy's better at bandages' line was brilliant," he said. "Total lie, but brilliant."
Megumi didn't look up from his book. "Who says it was a lie?"
"The kids, obviously. Apparently, I'm nobody's first choice for injury management."
"Hmm." Megumi turned a page. "You do make those funny panicked faces."
"Keiko ratted me out, huh?"
"Every time." Megumi's lips quirked up slightly.
"It's why they want me. I look bored when they're bleeding."
Yuuji threw an arm over his eyes. "Is that my problem? I care too much?"
"Precisely." Megumi finally set his book aside.
"For what it's worth, I'd want you if I was hurt.”
"Really?"
"You'd carry me dramatically through fire. Very romantic."
Yuuji grinned. "I'd carry you anywhere."
"I know," Megumi said quietly. "That's why I married you."
5.
It was nearly 11 PM by the time they finally pulled into the driveway, everyone exhausted after an evening at Grandpa Gojo's house. As usual, a visit to Gojo meant the kids were overstimulated, overtired, and hopped up on whatever excessive amounts of sugar their grandfather had smuggled to them behind their parents' backs.
"I swear he does this on purpose," Megumi muttered as he unbuckled a half-asleep Kota from his car seat. The toddler immediately latched onto Megumi like a koala, burying his face in his father's neck.
"Your dad's revenge for all those rebellious teenage years," Yuuji replied with a yawn, helping a bleary-eyed Keiko out of the car. "Hey princess, can you walk or do you need a piggyback?"
Keiko rubbed her eyes dramatically. "M'not a baby, Daddy." Despite her protest, she stumbled slightly on the walkway, still clutching the glittery unicorn Gojo had presented her with that evening.
Inside, the house was quiet and dark. Yuuji flipped on the lights while Megumi struggled with removing Kota's shoes, the toddler refusing to loosen his grip even for a second.
"Nooooo," Kota whined when Megumi tried to set him down. "Stay wif Mama!" His little fingers dug into Megumi's sweater, and his face scrunched up in preparation for what they all recognized as his pre-meltdown expression.
"Just for a minute, Kota," Megumi said tiredly.
"We need to take off your coat."
"I DO IT!" Kota shrieked directly into Megumi's ear, making him wince.
"Inside voice, please," Megumi said, his own voice strained with fatigue.
Yuuji stepped in, trying to help. "Hey buddy, how about I help you with your coat while Mama takes his off too?"
The look Kota gave him was nothing short of betrayal. "NO DADDY! ONLY MAMA!" The toddler twisted away from Yuuji's hands with surprising strength, clinging even more fiercely to Megumi.
Keiko snorted from where she was carefully placing her shoes on the rack. "Good luck with that, Daddy. Kota's being a big-baby tonight."
"I not baby!" Kota protested, his face still firmly pressed against Megumi's chest.
"Are too," Keiko retorted, suddenly finding energy for sibling rivalry. "You're such a little baby."
"That's enough, Keiko," Megumi said, finally managing to remove his and Kota's coats one-handed. "Everyone's tired. Let's just get ready for bed without fighting."
Yuuji touched Megumi's shoulder gently. "Why don't you sit down? You look dead on your feet. I can handle bedtime tonight."
For a moment, relief flashed across Megumi's face. Then Kota let out another whine, sensing a potential separation from his favorite parent.
"Actually," Yuuji continued, "I have an idea. You relax on the couch, and I'll bring the kids to you after they're in pajamas. We can do a quick story there, then straight to bed."
"Good plan," Megumi agreed, carrying Kota to the living room couch where he finally managed to detach the clinging toddler by promising he wasn't going anywhere.
"Come on, Keiko," Yuuji said, steering his daughter toward the stairs. "Let's get your teeth brushed and pajamas on."
"I can do it myself," Keiko informed him with all the dignity a seven-year-old could muster. "I'm not a baby like Kota."
"I know you're not," Yuuji agreed, too tired to argue. "But humor your old dad, okay?"
Twenty minutes later, after negotiations worthy of international diplomacy, both children were in pajamas with mostly clean teeth. Kota had only agreed to brush his teeth after Megumi promised to supervise from the bathroom doorway, refusing to let his father out of his sight for even a moment.
"Story time," Yuuji announced, guiding both children back downstairs where Megumi waited on the couch, eyes half-closed.
"Can I pick the book?" Keiko asked, already heading for the bookshelf.
"Something short," Megumi requested, making room for Kota who immediately climbed into his lap and snuggled against him.
Keiko returned with a picture book that was decidedly not short, but neither parent had the energy to protest. She handed it to Yuuji, who settled onto the couch next to Megumi.
"I'll read tonight," Yuuji offered, opening the book.
"You just relax."
"No," Keiko said immediately, reaching over to take the book from him. She passed it to Megumi instead. "Mama reads better. He does all the different voices."
Yuuji raised an eyebrow. "I do voices."
"Not the right ones," Keiko explained with a patronizing pat on his arm. "Your princess voice sounds like a dying whale."
"A dying—" Yuuji sputtered. "Since when do you know what a dying whale sounds like?"
"Animal Planet," Keiko replied with a sage nod, as if that explained everything. She squeezed herself between Megumi and the arm of the couch, effectively bookending him with children.
"Mama read," Kota demanded, patting the book impatiently. His eyes were already drooping, but he was fighting sleep with the stubborn determination only a toddler could muster.
"You guys sure you don't want Daddy to read tonight?" Megumi asked, casting a sympathetic glance at Yuuji. "He can do voices too."
"Daddy makes the wolf sound scary," Keiko complained. "It gives Kota nightmares."
"It's supposed to be a little scary," Yuuji defended himself. "That's the point of the Big Bad Wolf."
"No scary," Kota mumbled, now fully horizontal across Megumi's lap, thumb finding its way to his mouth. "Mama nice wolf."
Megumi's lips twitched in amusement as he opened the book. "One story, then bed. It's very late."
"But Mama," Keiko began, her voice taking on the wheedling tone that suggested an imminent attempt at bedtime extension.
"Nope," Megumi cut her off. "One story or no story."
Keiko subsided with a dramatic sigh worthy of her theatrical grandfather.
Yuuji watched as Megumi began reading, his deep voice softening into the gentle cadence he reserved for bedtime stories.
True to Keiko's assessment, he did give each character a distinct voice, though Yuuji noted with mild indignation that his wolf impression wasn't nearly as impressive as his own.
Within minutes, Kota was completely asleep, his little body curled trustingly against Megumi's chest, rising and falling with each breath. Keiko was fighting it, but her eyelids drooped lower with each page turn, her head gradually leaning heavier against Megumi's arm.
As the story concluded, even Keiko was barely awake. Megumi closed the book and looked down at the sleepy children clinging to him.
"Bedtime," he whispered. "Yuuji, can you take Keiko? I've got Kota."
Yuuji nodded, carefully lifting his daughter. For once, she didn't protest, merely mumbling something unintelligible as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
They carried the children upstairs, separating to put each in their own room. Yuuji tucked Keiko under her covers, brushing hair from her forehead.
"Night, princess," he whispered. "Love you."
"Love you too, Daddy," she murmured sleepily.
Then, just as he was about to leave, she added,
"Can Mama come say goodnight too?"
Yuuji tried not to let his expression change. "Sure thing. He'll be here as soon as he puts Kota down."
In the hallway, he met Megumi coming out of Kota's room, looking even more exhausted than before.
"Keiko wants you," Yuuji said, stepping aside. "For the goodnight kiss, apparently mine isn't sufficient."
Megumi squeezed his arm as he passed. "Be right back."
Yuuji waited in the hallway, peering into Kota's room where his son was already fast asleep, clutching his favorite stuffed animal—a plush fox that Megumi had given him for his first birthday. Even in sleep, the toddler gravitated toward all things related to his beloved "Mama."
When Megumi emerged from Keiko's room, he found Yuuji leaning against the wall, a rueful smile on his face.
"Do I need to start wearing your cologne or something?" Yuuji asked, only half-joking. "Maybe they'd mistake me for you in the dark."
Megumi huffed a soft laugh, leaning into Yuuji's side as they made their way to their own bedroom. "They'd know instantly. You're much warmer."
"Is that why they prefer you? I'm too hot to cuddle?"
"Mmm," Megumi considered this as he put on one of Yuuji’s old sweatshirts"More likely it's because I smell like home to them."
"And I smell like...?"
"Smoke, usually. And that weird protein powder you put in your smoothies." Megumi crawled into bed, looking like he might pass out any second.
"Also, you bounce them too much. They get motion sickness."
"I do not bounce them," Yuuji protested, joining him under the covers.
"You absolutely do. You can't hold still to save your life." Megumi's eyes were already closing.
"It's fine when they're awake and want to play. Not so much when they want comfort."
Yuuji propped himself up on one elbow, watching his husband's face relax toward sleep. "So I should be more boring? Less energetic?"
"Just be you," Megumi murmured. "They love you exactly as you are." His breathing deepened, and for a moment Yuuji thought he'd fallen asleep.
Then one eye cracked open. "But maybe try sitting still when Kota's cranky. It's like holding a bomb—any sudden movement and boom."
Yuuji laughed softly, leaning down to press a kiss to Megumi's forehead. "Noted. No bouncing the bomb."
"Mmm," was all Megumi managed before sleep claimed him completely.
Yuuji watched him for a long moment, feeling that strange mix of emotions again—pride in his amazing husband, a twinge of jealousy at how easily the children gravitated to him, and overwhelming love for the family they'd created together.
+1.
The house was finally quiet. Dishes were done, toys picked up, and most importantly, both children were asleep in their beds. It had taken three stories, two glasses of water, one "monster check" under the bed, and a solemn promise that yes, but at last, blessed silence reigned.
Yuuji collapsed onto the living room couch, remote in hand, while Megumi finished loading the dishwasher.
"I was thinking we could watch that new action movie," Yuuji called out. "The one with the guy who looks like me but can't act."
"You mean the one with all the explosions and no plot?" Megumi replied, appearing in the doorway with two mugs of tea.
"That's the one." Yuuji grinned up at him. "Come on, it'll be mindless. Perfect for how fried our brains are."
Megumi handed him a mug before settling onto the couch. "Fine, but I reserve the right to fall asleep twenty minutes in."
"Deal."
As the movie began playing, Megumi shifted closer, resting his head on Yuuji's shoulder. He was wearing a pair of worn gray sweatpants and one of Yuuji's old college sweatshirts that practically swallowed him whole. Yuuji, always running warm, wore only shorts, his bare chest glowing in the blue light of the television.
Yuuji's arm slipped around Megumi's waist, pulling him closer. On screen, the protagonist was engaged in an improbable car chase, but Yuuji found his attention drifting to the man nestled against him instead.
"Comfortable?" he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Megumi's head.
"Mmm," Megumi hummed in agreement, snuggling deeper into Yuuji's side. "You're warm."
They sat in companionable silence for a while, the movie playing on with minimal attention from either of them. Yuuji's thoughts kept circling back to the events of the day—Kota's tears when Megumi had stepped out to take a phone call, Keiko's automatic gravitation toward Megumi when she wanted help with her drawing, the way both children had insisted on Megumi's bedtime story rather than his.
"Do they even like me?" The question slipped out before Yuuji could stop it, quiet but heavy in the dim room. "Or is it just you they want?"
Megumi shifted, tilting his head to look up at Yuuji's face. He raised a brow, wiped a bit of tea from his mouth with the back of his hand, and then settled even closer against Yuuji's side. He pressed a gentle kiss to Yuuji's cheek before responding.
"They love you," he said simply. "But I'm the snack dispenser and the human pillow. You're the hero. The one they brag about at school. Give it time."
Yuuji's chest tightened at the sincerity in Megumi's voice. "You hear them bragging about me?"
"All the time. Keiko told her entire class that her daddy can carry five people out of a burning building at once." Megumi's lips curved into a small smile. "I didn't have the heart to correct her exaggeration."
Yuuji chuckled softly. "And what does Kota say?"
"Mostly 'Daddy big' and 'Daddy strong.' His vocabulary is still developing, but the hero worship is clear." Megumi poked Yuuji in the ribs.
"Though he did tell his daycare teacher that you eat fire for breakfast, so there might be some confusion about what firefighters actually do."
Warmth spread through Yuuji's chest. "Still," he said, softly smiling, "I want to be your clingy one, too."
Megumi snorted. "Then fight Kota for the spot. Fair warning, he fights dirty. All teeth and fingernails."
"I could take him," Yuuji joked, flexing one arm.
"I've got at least a hundred pounds on the kid."
"Don't underestimate—" Megumi began, but was interrupted by the sound of shuffling feet from the hallway.
They both looked up to see Keiko standing in the doorway, an irritated expression on her face and a sniffling Kota. The little boy's face was blotchy and tear-stained, his breath still hitching from obvious crying.
"Keiko?" Megumi sat up straighter. "What's wrong?"
"Kota had a nightmare," Keiko announced with the long-suffering tone of someone who had been greatly inconvenienced. "And now he won't stop crying." She adjusted her grip on her brother, who was getting heavier by the day. "He woke me up."
"Bring him here," Megumi said, already making room on the couch.
Keiko trudged forward, but instead of heading toward Megumi as expected, she made a beeline for Yuuji.
"He wants you, Daddy," she said, practically thrusting the toddler into his arms. "He kept saying your name."
"Me?" Yuuji couldn't keep the surprise from his voice as he automatically accepted the bundle of sniffling child. "Are you sure?"
Kota answered the question himself by immediately clinging to Yuuji's bare chest, his little hands grasping for purchase on his father's shoulders. "D-Daddy," he hiccupped, tears still streaming down his chubby cheeks. "Bad dream. Scary m-monsters."
Yuuji's heart melted instantly. He practically bounced with joy at being the chosen comfort person, starting to rise from the couch. "Hey buddy, it's okay, Daddy's here—"
"Yuuji," Megumi's quiet voice stopped him. "You're moving too much. He just needs you to be still."
Yuuji froze mid-bounce, suddenly remembering Megumi's earlier advice. "Right. Sorry." He carefully settled back onto the couch, consciously relaxing his body and holding Kota securely against his chest. "No monsters can get you here," he murmured, keeping his voice low and steady. "Daddy's got you."
Kota's sobs gradually quieted to sniffles as he pressed his wet face against Yuuji's skin. One thumb crept toward his mouth while his other hand patted Yuuji's chest as if reassuring himself of his father's solid presence.
Meanwhile, Keiko had climbed onto the couch and was now wedged between Megumi and the armrest, looking sleepy but determined to be part of whatever was happening.
"Was it the wolf dream again?" Megumi asked her quietly, brushing hair from her forehead.
Keiko shook her head. "He said it was a fire monster."
Yuuji and Megumi exchanged a glance over the children's heads. They had been careful not to discuss the dangers of Yuuji's job in front of the kids, but children were perceptive.
"Well," Yuuji said carefully, "Daddy fights fires all the time, so no fire monster stands a chance against me."
Kota lifted his head, looking at Yuuji with wide, tear-filled eyes. "You fight monsters?"
"Every time I go to work," Yuuji confirmed. "And I always win."
This seemed to satisfy Kota, who laid his head back down on Yuuji's chest with a shuddering sigh. His eyelids were already drooping, the combination of emotional exhaustion and the late hour quickly pulling him back toward sleep.
"Can we stay here?" Keiko asked, yawning widely.
"Just for a little while?"
Megumi glanced at Yuuji, who nodded. "Just until you fall asleep," Megumi agreed, adjusting a throw blanket to cover both Keiko and himself.
Within minutes, both children were breathing deeply, having succumbed to sleep once more.
Kota was sprawled across Yuuji's chest, one hand still clutching his father's shoulder even in sleep. Keiko had migrated from Megumi's side to being fully curled in his lap, her head tucked under his chin.
"So much for our movie night," Yuuji whispered, careful not to disturb Kota.
Megumi's lips curved into a small smile. "This is better anyway."
"Yeah," Yuuji agreed, looking down at the sleeping toddler drooling slightly on his chest. "It is."
"See?" Megumi murmured. "Told you they love you."
"He came to me," Yuuji said, still sounding slightly amazed. "He actually wanted me."
"Of course he did. You're his hero." Megumi reached across the small space between them to squeeze Yuuji's hand. "Just like you're mine."
Yuuji intertwined their fingers, feeling a contentment so complete it almost hurt. "Does this mean I win the spot as your clingy one?"
Megumi's quiet laugh was warm in the dim room.
"I think I have room for three clingy ones in my life."
"Good," Yuuji said, "because I think all three of us are pretty attached to you."
As if to prove his point, Kota stirred slightly in his sleep, snuggling closer to Yuuji's warmth while simultaneously reaching out one small hand toward Megumi. Without hesitation, Megumi caught the tiny fingers in his own.
"And I'm attached to all of you," Megumi replied softly. "Even when you drive me crazy."
"Especially then," Yuuji grinned.
"Especially then," Megumi agreed, his eyes soft in the television's glow.
The action movie played on, forgotten, as the four of them remained huddled together—a tangle of limbs and love and family, all clinging to each other in the quiet of the night.