019

The drive back to the Suna home was grueling. You didn't know what to expect when you got there, moreover, you weren't sure what would be waiting there. It wouldn't have surprised you to see Mei at the house to spend more time with her kids after their heartfelt reunion at the park.

In fact, it surprised you even more to see that she wasn't there. Instead, the kids were alone in the kitchen making an absolute mess, bickering over who was going to be the one to mix the concoction that they were whipping up.

"What's this?" You ask, concerned but curious as to why they were left here without supervision.

Well, at least that's what you thought... until Rin's head pokes out from around the corner, his clothes covered in food as he wipes at his shirt that most definitely had been stained by some sort of condiment.

"The kids wanted to make you dinner." He says, continuing to dab the napkin onto his white tee.

"Daddy said you had a bad day today, we wanted to make you feel better!" Reiko smiles excitedly, triumphantly holding the spoon that she wrestled away from her brother, before plunging it into the mixing bowl.

Given up on salvaging his clothing, Suna makes his way over to you before giving you a once over. Your makeup is smudged and your eyes tinted red - he could easily tell that you had been crying. The vacant look in your eyes told him everything he needed to know. After all, it was a look he recognized all too well.

His brows furrow, expression laced with concern. Genuine concern.

"You told me something was bothering you earlier, I should've been more sensitive to that. I'm sorry." He apologizes, his hand carefully caressing your shoulder in an attempt to console you. "That's why you left, right? Because of what happened with your mother? If you need some time off - "

"No, that's okay. I'm fine, really." You lie, just thankful that he was unaware of the real reason why you left. You didn't want to him to press it any further, so you decided to change course. "What about you? Are you okay?"

His eyes float over to the twins who are aggressively shoving random ingredients into the bowl, arguing over who's 'the most like uncle Samu' with their overzealous attempt at culinary perfection.

Seeing how they were well occupied, he turns back to you and frowns, his grayish-green eyes glazing over with despondence. He leans in closely, speaking so lowly that the kids couldn't make out what he had to say.

"She wants to start picking them up on weekends." He says, his voice calm but filled with sorrow.

"Oh, well that's a good thing, right? She'll be making more of an effort to spend time with the kids." You try to sound encouraging, though your voice falls a bit flat. Luckily, he doesn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, it would be... if she actually means it." His focus returns to the two little Suna's who have finally settled down, putting the final touches on their masterpiece.

"She always says stuff like that, but it never happens. I don't wanna tell them and get their hopes up incase she doesn't come through."

His gaze pierces through you as he faces your direction once more, expression softening as the words fall from his pretty lips - "what should I do?"

This was the most vulnerable he's ever been with you, and it takes you by complete surprise. So much so, that you haven't even answered his question - not that you were even sure you could answer it.

How were you supposed to give him parenting advice? Sure, you were great at your job- feeding, cleaning, playing and looking after the kids... but shit, you had no idea how to be a parent. You certainly didn't have the best example of parenthood growing up.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that." He mutters, returning to his ever familiar nonchalant demeanor as if his earlier display of emotion was simply just a figment of your imagination.

"Daddy, it's ready to go in the oven!" Reiko calls out to her father, who quickly makes strides towards his daughter who struggles to hold the dish in her tiny little arms.

"Wow, this looks delicious. You guys did a great job." He praises his kids happily, despite the fact that he's struggling with his own heavy burden. He does it so effortlessly, you would never know that anything was even going on if you didn't know any better.

You feel a little tug on your sleeve, to which you find Reiki at your side looking up at you with a solemn face. "Thanks for making me dinner tonight, you're so thoughtful." You say, flashing a widened smile at him. He doesn't say anything back, he just continues to look at you, as if he was pondering something.

Suddenly, he wraps his arms around your waist and hugs you tightly, looking up at you with innocent eyes.

"You hugged me when I was sad, it made me feel better. So, here." He says it roughly as if pained him to do so, but the softness in his expression and the way he gripped onto you tightly, told you otherwise.

Hugging him back, you relish in the warm, happy feeling until you're soon joined by his sister - "Hey! Let me in!" She whines as she squeezes her way in between the two of you. You chuckle, the two of them attached to you like magnets as they cling to you, neither wanting to let go before the other.

All Suna can do is watch from the sidelines, but he does so with a smile. A genuine smile. This scene looks awfully familiar, just earlier the twins held onto their mother like this - except, this time was different.

Reiko and Reiki held onto their mother out of fear - the fear that she would disappear again if they let go, the fear that she would forget about them again if they didn't remind her that they're still here.

They held onto you out of comfort. They held onto you, because you made them feel safe. You made them feel noticed. You made them feel loved.

That made Rintarou realize something - in this moment, he was feeling something much different as well. It was something he hadn't felt in a very long time, it wasn't lustful or sexually charged like his previous actions had portrayed... and that scared him.

The dinner that the twins made was hardly edible, but you still ate it with a forced smile as you swallowed every last bit of it.

"Wow, that was... great!" You say enthusiastically, not wanting to degrade the little chefs' hard work.

Reiki grimaced at his plate that remained untouched, except for that small bite he took to test the waters. Even he had to admit, it tasted horrible. "You don't have to lie, it sucks."

Suna laughs, pushing his plate aside as he looks at his kids intently. "It definitely sucks."

"Daddy!" Reiko whines, pouting at her father's honesty, but even she can admit that this wasn't her best work. It's all her brother's fault, obviously.

"It could use a little work, but I think it's a great start." You say, picking up the the plates off of the table and placing them into the sink to wash. She grinned, much happier with your sentiment then her father's version.

Soon enough, the kids were running off to their playroom to enjoy the last couple of hours they had before bed, while you and Rin were left to clean up the mess they made in the kitchen. With your arms elbow deep in soapy water, you scrub away at the dishes, until you feel rough hands grasping at your hips from behind.

Startled, a plate slips from your hands, crashing into the pile pots that had yet to be washed. You wince, the deafening 'clang' ringing through your ears as Rin continues to press his body up against yours, while pressing gentle kisses at the nape of your neck.

"Do you enjoy messing with me?" You ask, tone slightly sharpened out of frustration. This little game of cat and mouse with Suna was causing your head to spin, even though you couldn't help but to melt into his touch, despite yourself.

"Really want me to answer that?" He coos, his lips ghosting the shell of your ear, husky voice setting your body aflame with featherlight touches.

It pissed you off, how easy it was for him to get you like this - flustered and nervous as if you were a shy virgin who'd never gotten a taste of dick in her life. It was embarrassing, and you couldn't stand for it anymore.

Turning around to face him, his tall frame hovered in front of you without moving a muscle, just that sly fucking smirk on his face that makes you feel things you shouldn't.

"What is it that you want from me?" Your arms folded, body language speaking volumes for you without the use of so many words - Guarded.

It was a loaded question, although hypothetical. You weren't expecting an answer, and he didn't give one. You were far from finished though, everything that had happened today that led up to this point had boiled to the surface.

"Do you need a nanny, or someone to get your dick wet? Because I can assure you, there are others more suitable to hire for that type of service." You spit, words dripping with unintentional malice, but it was too late.

You said what you said, there was no going back.

Suna's lack of words concerned you - you were sure that the next line out of his mouth would be "you're fired," or something along those lines. Instead, he simply backed off, retreating upstairs to his room without uttering a single sentence.

You found it odd - typically he would have some snarky comment to tease you with. You thought about going up to apologize for snapping at him, but the knock at the door beckoned you else where.

Wiping the excess water that was still dripping from your skin, you made your way to the front door, opening it calmly despite your otherwise unsettling demeanor - only to be faced with one particular face that you would rather not see, standing in front of you.

"What are you doing here?"