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Work never seemed to leave Milo alone. It wasn't that he forgot that other ailments and illnesses existed before the Rust, but his clinic had an abnormal influx of people over the past few days. It was likely due to the winter weather that swept over Imihama. While some people loved the cold, others found themselves staying inside as often as they could. And as for …many… others, they ended up sick, asking Milo for medicines and herbs, leaving him swamped with work.
“Mama!”
Oh, yeah.
Then there was Sugar, an unexpected new member of Milo and Bisco’s family who required more attention than Milo had prepared for. He secretly wondered how Pawoo was able to care for him when their mother passed away many years ago. Nonetheless, he still loved Sugar to the moon and back, and he wouldn’t let a single thing harm her.
“Yes, Sugar Plum?”
“Can I go play in the snow?”
Milo looked out of the window and back at her. “Okay, but you have to ask Papa to go with you.”
Sugar frowned. “Why can’t you come too, Mama?”
“I’m making dinner. If I come too, we will have no food, and you need to eat to grow up big and strong!”
A smile replaced her frown. She thought for a second. “Maybe you can come out and play too when you’re all done! Then we can all play together!”
Her happiness was infectious. He returned a soft smile. “Maybe. But if not, then that just means you and Papa have fresh food ready when you get back.”
“Okay! I love you, Mama!”
“I love you too, sweet girl. Now go ask Papa before it gets too dark!”
As Milo continued to cook dinner, Sugar bolted off, excited to go out and play. He chopped up carrots, onions, and mushrooms (how could he forget the mushrooms?) and added them to the pot. He knew Bisco loved meat stews, especially during weather like this.
A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. “Do you have your gloves?”
“Mhm!”
“Hat?”
“Check!”
“Scarf?”
“Papaaaaa…!!”
“Hey, we don’t want ya to freeze! Then you wouldn’t be Sugar Akaboshi, you’d be Popsicle Akaboshi!”
Sugar giggled. “I have my scarf.”
“Alright, you ready to rock ‘n’ roll?”
“Yeah!!”
“That’s my girl.”
Milo heard them high five, and the sound of footsteps soon followed, getting louder and louder. A gasp escaped from him as he felt an arm slip around his waist and his partner’s chin rest on his shoulder.
“You sure you don’t wanna come?”
Milo sighed, resting a hand on Bisco’s. “I want to, but… I’d rather have a well-fed family.”
“You’ve been workin’ yourself to the bone, Milo. You should take a break.”
“You two go ahead.” He gestured toward the window, a spoon in hand. “I’ll watch from right here.”
“Alright, but don’t get upset when you see us havin’ more fun than you…” Bisco replied, turning his head to press a small kiss under Milo’s ear. “Sugar loves her Mama, too.”
Milo flushed a deep red. “... And I love Sugar, so I need to cook d—"
“Eww!! Mama and Papa are gross!!”
Both Mushroom Keepers turned their heads to see Sugar pouting, crossing her arms.
“I was waiting for you at the door, but you abandoned me to be all kissy with Mama!”
Bisco laughed. “You caught me. I won’t do it again. Let’s go, Sugar Plum.”
As Sugar pulled Bisco toward the door, he turned back to Milo, mouthing, ‘I will. I will do it again,’ and then he smirked.
‘Idiot,’ Milo mouthed back. “Stay warm you two!”
The stew simmered in its pot as Milo took a short break. The long day had taken a toll on his body. He took a deep breath in and stretched, his back aching though grateful for the relief. His neck cracked, his fingers popped. He let out a sigh of relief. He needed more than just a quick stretch, but he took what he could get.
Milo took another deep breath in, savoring the smell of the meat and vegetables mixed together. With the heat of the stove, he felt cozy. It reminded him of his first adventures with Bisco, of them stopping for warmth and a hearty meal. He closed his eyes, leaning against the counter. He hoped Sugar loved adventure as much as they did. One thing Milo didn’t realize about parenthood was just how much you thought about your child. From the moment Sugar burst into their life like a firework, the only things he could think about were Bisco and her. Them. Together. A family. He honestly couldn’t wrap his head around it.
He would be lying if he said he hadn’t considered having a family with Bisco. Ever since they met those kids who lived in the abandoned Tetsujin, he noted how good Bisco was with children and kept that idea tucked away in his brain, never to be shared with anyone. Then Sugar appeared, and the idea quickly became a reality. Not that he was complaining—him and Bisco being parents together made him all giddy.
Fate decided Milo was to never be left alone with his thoughts for too long as the door opened and the sound of child’s laughter filled the room.
“That was so much fun, Papa, but I’m cold…”
Bisco kicked off his boots and helped her out of her winter gear. “Well, you wanted to go out there and play, didn’t ya?”
“Yeah…”
“Maybe you’d be less cold if you hadn’t lost our snowball fight.”
“I didn’t lose! You cheated!” She kicked off her wet boots, running into the kitchen. “Mama!! Papa cheated!”
Milo gasped and placed a hand on his chest. “Bisco! You cheated? I can’t believe you…!!”
“Oh, so now you’re pickin’ sides, huh?”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing. Come here, honey.” Milo reached out his arms to Sugar, lifting her up and resting her on his hip. Bisco noted the tiny grimace on Milo’s face as he lifted her. “You should get more food than Papa for winning.” They both committed to their playful banter in front of Sugar because they knew she always laughed at their theatrical arguments.
Sugar turned her head back to Bisco, sticking out her tongue. Bisco feigned offense. “Do ya see this, Milo?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Milo smirked. “Sounds like you’re upset she gets more dinner than you. Maybe she should get extra dessert too since Papa is a big ol’ cheater.”
“Fine. But when I starve and die, don’t be sad that I’m gone!”
Milo rolled his eyes. “So dramatic… Anyway, can you help her run a bath, Bisco? Dinner is on low, so we can eat whenever you both are warmed up.”
“Do you wanna help her? I can take your place so you can rest for a minute.”
Milo gave Bisco a tired smile. “It’s fine. I can handle it.”
Bisco didn’t respond; he simply shot a concerned look at his partner. He took their daughter off Milo’s hip and put her down. “C’mon, Sugar Plum. Let’s get you all washed up before dinner.”
“Papa, I’m a big girl now! I can wash myself without any help. I give you permission to be gross with Mama while I’m gone.” Before either of her parents could react, she ran off.
Bisco looked at Milo and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you’re a big girl now, huh?” He called out to her over his shoulder. “Hurry up then, or else I’m gonna eat your extras!”
Milo chuckled. “Were you both okay out there? Not too cold?”
“Nah… Why? Worried about us, Doc?”
“I’m just making sure I don’t lose the two people I love to hypothermia or frostbite or pneumonia—”
“Hold your horses, Doc. It’s not that cold. You think I’d go rawdoggin’ it out there?”
“Oh my god, please never say that word again.”
“What, rawdoggin’?”
“Bisco.”
“You got a problem with the word rawdoggin’, Panda?”
Milo’s lips pressed into a thin line, though Bisco knew he was secretly trying not to laugh. “Bisco. Our daughter is in the next room over. She has a tendency to repeat—as we discovered—everything you say. So yes, I do have a problem.”
“Hey,” Bisco raised his hands. “In my defense, she learned fuck from Tirol.”
“Papaaaaaaaa?”
They both froze. They had been so caught up in their conservation that they had failed to realize the water for Sugar’s bath wasn’t running, which means she heard everything they said.
Bisco slowly turned. “Y-yes, sweet girl?”
Sugar poked her head out from behind the door. “I forgot how to start the water again. Can you show me?”
“Yeah, gimme one sec, okay?”
“Okay, Papa.”
Bisco said nothing as he made the walk of shame over to the bathroom. A few seconds of silence passed before Milo heard a gentle tutorial on how to start the bath from Bisco. He sighed in relief. They were in the clear.
Bisco’s figure appeared in the door frame, still facing Sugar. “And if you need anything else, you call for me or Mama, got it? Don’t be afraid to ask for anything.”
“Thank you, Papa. I love you.”
“I love you too. We’ll be in the kitchen when you’re all done.” He gently shut the door behind him on his way out. On the walk back to his partner, his smile faded once he noticed the amused look on Milo’s face.
“Shut it, Milo.”
“Wasn’t gonna say anything…” Milo giggled, making his way back to the dinner on the stove. “You want to eat now, Bisco? I can wait and eat with S—”
Bisco wrapped one arm around Milo’s waist again, but this time his other hand brushed away the hair covering his neck to press a kiss against it. Milo sighed. “Being affectionate isn’t going to distract me from your language in front of our daughter earlier.”
“Shh.” Bisco’s breath tickled the back of Milo’s neck. “I’ve moved on from all that.”
“How convenient. Kissing me to avoid getting in trouble?”
“You’re smarter than you look, Panda.”
They both laughed, enjoying each other's presence. Bisco then wrapped his other arm around Milo, who brought his hands down to cover his. The Panda Doctor shifted his head to lean on his partner’s chest, their height difference preventing Milo from fully resting his head on Bisco’s shoulder. He took a deep breath in, fatigue slowly taking over his body as both Bisco’s warmth and weight relaxed him. Fighting off sleep felt increasingly difficult; it had been a few days since he had gotten a decent night’s sleep. But suddenly, Milo’s stomach grumbled so loud that it startled the both of them.
“Have you eaten at all today, Milo?”
“Yeah, but I guess my body has been burning through all its energy this past week...”
“You should sit and eat. I can eat with Sugar.”
Milo shook his head. “I want to sit together. All of us.”
Bisco simply hummed in response, unhappy but understanding of Milo’s answer. He gently turned Milo to face him, pulling him into a warm hug. Too tired for words, Milo leaned back into his partner’s embrace and closed his eyes. Bisco tightened the hug and softly rubbed circles into Milo’s back. He had gained more experience with the whole dating thing, slowly figuring out what Milo liked and didn’t like. What Milo found most comforting was physical touch, especially after Tetsujin. Milo sighed deeply at his partner’s warmth.
The wind outside grew harsher, rattling the window above the stove. In a way, it seemed comforting: The outside world was cold while they were safe and warm in each other's arms. Despite all the outdoor clatter, the two Mushroom Keepers still noticed the absence of a running faucet and the small pitter patter of wet feet approaching. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. The feeling of small arms hugging their legs caused them to look down.
“All done, Sugar Plum?” Milo smiled.
“Mhm! I told Papa I would hurry! And then when I was all done, I got dressed super fast and ran to the kitchen for dinner. But then I saw you and Papa being gross and had to stop it.”
Bisco chuckled, lifting Sugar onto his hip. “Me and Mama huggin’ is gross?”
“It’s gross when I’m not here to hug you too because then you and Mama could be all kissy.”
“Don’t worry, sweet girl.” Milo squished her cheek. “Papa and I will only be kissy when you’re not looking.”
“Eww!!!”
Both Mushroom Keepers laughed at their daughter’s look of disgust. Milo gave both Akaboshis a kiss on the cheek before turning to the stove. “Okay, who’s hungry?”
Sugar quickly disregarded Milo’s kissy comment and raised her hand. “Me!! Mememe—!!!”
“Hold on, I have to serve the plates first.”
Bisco set her down. “How about you help out your Mama and set the table? He’s really tired today.”
Despite being called out, Milo lacked the energy to fight back. Sugar beamed. “Can we eat on the couch, then?”
“Will you promise not to make a mess?” Bisco asked. Sugar nodded excitedly, running off to set the coffee table instead.
Milo turned his attention back to serving food. “Bisco, how much do you—” Upon noticing the look on his partner’s face, he smiled. “... Is there a problem?”
“No problem from me, Doc. That is the best food I’ve ever smelt in my entire goddamn life—”
“Bisco!” Milo glanced at Sugar, who was happily arranging the table, and back to his partner. “What did I say about watching your language?”
“I watched it. It ain’t goin’ anywhere.” Bisco stepped closer to the stove, positioning himself next to Milo, who was rolling his eyes. He placed his arm back around Milo’s waist and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Anyway, what else ya got for dinner?”
“You and your bottomless stomach…” Milo chuckled. “There’s also rice cooking. It will be served with the stew.”
Upon hearing the word rice, Bisco’s eyes lit up. “Rice too?”
“Well, yeah,” Milo replied. “It’s an important part of the recipe. Plus, I know how much you love rice so I—” He was cut off by another kiss to the cheek. “—made extra for you.”
“Shit, Milo… Do you know how much I love you?”
“I love you too, Bisco. Now go sit down before our daughter kills us both.”
Sure enough, as soon as Bisco turned around, Sugar was standing on the couch, staring daggers at them. She had been standing there for quite some time (30 seconds is a loooong time for a kid, okay?), waiting for her dads to see her hard work. Bisco simply chuckled, grabbing both of their bowls and making his way to her.
“Mama. Papa. One day I am going to die, and you won’t notice because you’ll be too busy being all kissy.”
Milo soon joined them. “What a grim thing to say, Sugar Plum! Here, sit down and start eating.”
After getting comfortable—Bisco squeezed between Sugar and Milo—they began to feast on their meals. From their ravenous snorts and grunts, Milo could tell just how much the Akaboshis loved it. He slowly began to pick through the meat, vegetables, and rice in his bowl, mentally telling himself to take a bite, to eat something, but he was just too tired. He slumped over onto Bisco’s shoulder, who almost didn’t notice Milo fell asleep.
“Mama, you should make this all the time!”
“Yeah, Panda. Sugar is right.”
Instead of giving a response, Milo gently snored.
“... Milo, did ya fall asleep…?”
“Mama’s sleeping? But it’s not even his bedtime!”
“It’s okay. Your mama has been workin’ too hard. Let him sleep.” Bisco sighed, “We can pack up his food later.”
“Wait! We have to magically move him to his bed!”
“... Huh?”
“Every time I fall asleep on the sofa, I magically wake up in bed!
Bisco chuckled. “Alright, alright. But I ain’t magical, so Mama’s gettin’ carried.”
Sugar pouted, but was happy with her Papa’s answer nonetheless. Bisco carried Milo to their bedroom as she cleaned up their dishes and grabbed a blanket. As she made herself comfortable in her parents’ bed, Bisco gently got Milo into his pajamas before tucking him in. As soon as Bisco made himself comfortable—squeezed between Milo and Sugar again—she spoke up.
“Papa… Can you tell me that story again?”
“... The one about how I met Milo? But I’ve told ya that one a whole lot.”
“But I like it a whole lot..”
He sighed. “Alright, c’mere.”
She snuggled into his side. He wrapped his arms around her and Milo, and began to reminisce. “Once upon a time, a Panda Doctor and a Mushroom Keeper became best friends. The doctor was really good at helping people, and the Mushroom Keeper was really good–and still is–at archery. Despite their differences, they complimented each other. One day, there was an evil man—”
“Can you skip to the part where—” She yawned, “—you and Mama saved the world…”
“The world? You’re givin’ me and your Mama too much credit, sweet girl. We just saved a few places, is all.”
“But you’re still superheroes…”
“Yeah?” Sugar nodded. He smiled. “Okay, fine. Um… Then one day, the Mushroom Keeper went to go fight the evil man alone, but was badly hurt, and asked the Panda Doctor to—” Bisco paused. Telling your daughter about the time you died right before bed was not his best idea. “—He asked the Panda Doctor to help him fight the evil man. But when they beat him, a giant, large, extra evil robot came to life. But the Panda Doctor and the Mushroom Keeper weren’t gonna let that happen.”
She yawned again, snuggling deeper into Bisco’s side. “This is my favorite part…”
“With the Panda Doctor’s strong will and the Mushroom Keeper’s super sick and awesome archery skills, and with some pretty cool people, like Aunt Jelly, Aunt Pawoo, and Grandpa Jabi, they saved the town of Imihama, and cured many sick people. And then, a few years later…” He yawned this time, “... The Doc and the Keeper fell in love and were given a daughter. And she was the coolest little girl in the whole freakin’ world.”
Bisco looked down, only to see Sugar fast asleep. He pulled the blanket up closer to her and leaned over Milo to turn off the lamp. The movement caused Milo to stir, but instead of waking, he cuddled into his partner’s side. Bisco smiled.
“The end.”