丸井ブン太 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
volleygenius) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synergetic2025-02-15 11:39 pm
volleygenius) wrote in synergetic2025-02-15 11:39 pm
Entry tags:
Drunken Confessions
The day was already impossibly long at 2. By the time he puts Yukiko to bed, it's felt like a small eternity. But the kitchen is clean, everyone has bathed, the toys are put away, the homework is checked, and the foreheads have been kissed. He even got in a good conversation with Keita about becoming a big brother after bedtime story.
Frankly, he's so tired he could go straight to bed, but drinking with Yukimura on the couch has become a cherished nighttime ritual, and he isn't about to start skipping something so hard-earned and enjoyable now. Never mind the value it had in maintaining good rapport; that was never something to take for granted.
So to the couch he goes, where Yukimura is already waiting with Hima tucked comfortably in her bassinet by his side. For a moment, Bunta is struck all over again with admiration for this man who generously opened his home to them and who has given Yukiko and Keita the same patience and care that he gives Himawari. He didn't have to come home and straight from the genkan target handling the crying toddler instead of the snuggly and content infant he'd missed all day. He could have taken Hima and left Bunta to juggle Keita's meltdown and cooking dinner. Instead, he went to the fire. He's a good father and a good person.
"We made it....!" Bunta says with as much celebration as fatigue and flops down beside him.
Frankly, he's so tired he could go straight to bed, but drinking with Yukimura on the couch has become a cherished nighttime ritual, and he isn't about to start skipping something so hard-earned and enjoyable now. Never mind the value it had in maintaining good rapport; that was never something to take for granted.
So to the couch he goes, where Yukimura is already waiting with Hima tucked comfortably in her bassinet by his side. For a moment, Bunta is struck all over again with admiration for this man who generously opened his home to them and who has given Yukiko and Keita the same patience and care that he gives Himawari. He didn't have to come home and straight from the genkan target handling the crying toddler instead of the snuggly and content infant he'd missed all day. He could have taken Hima and left Bunta to juggle Keita's meltdown and cooking dinner. Instead, he went to the fire. He's a good father and a good person.
"We made it....!" Bunta says with as much celebration as fatigue and flops down beside him.
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"Maybe he looked for you in your bedroom first and got scared," Yukimura finally offers, after a solid minute of forcefully applying cold logic to the scenario. In which case: "Keita-kun, you're going to make yourself sick if you don't stop carrying on."
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Yukimura's suggestion thus earns a pronounced nod of confirmation from Keita.
"He isn't there, so I came here."
That seems to trigger a small light bulb moment for Bunta, and his annoyance melts away into a smidge of guilt.
"I see. You were looking for me and I wasn't asleep up there, but I also wasn't awake down here. Sorry to scare you."
Pushing himself up to a sitting position, he collects Keita and stands up with him in his arms. "Why were you looking for me?"
"I wanted to sleep by you..."
Bunta blinks, then despite it all, he's grinning through Keita's tears like this is the best thing he's heard all week.
"Well why didn't you say so?! Let's go back upstairs and do that right now."
"O-kay..."
Bunta looks to Yukimura with an expression that is only half-apologetic. "Well, you heard the little man. We'll be back later."
Exactly why Keita isn't wanting to finish sleeping in his own bed isn't a subject he feels compelled to clarify, nor is it one Bunta thinks to ask about. The request is simply too good to question.
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For a moment, he can't tell if he wants to join them or copy them, but with the baby fed, she seems a little too bouncy to go back to sleep. So, he settles her in a nearby playpen with her nearby toys to work herself out to her heart's content.
So what is he going to do?
He's been awake too long to go back to sleep. And starting to feel hungry.
Yukimura eyes the stove. There's eggs, and pancake mix? He hopes. Bread to toast, and butter, and the toaster to do it with. He likes his toast dark, and isn't sure how far to turn the toaster's setting, but Marui used it last, so maybe he needs to set it higher?
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It takes even less than that for the smoke alarm to wake him right back up. Keita, who had just stopped crying, starts screaming in terror again and digs his fingers into Bunta's sides as though clinging for dear life. Bunta sucks in a breath through his wince; it is definitely time to cut those nails!
Bunta sniffs the air-- clear in the bedroom. Holding Keita, he gets back up and opens the door, hallway is clear, no smoke in sight, but he can smell the burning. He knows that particular burning smell, too. Toast.
Well, this is kinda his own fault because he jumped at the chance to go back to bed instead of getting up and making breakfast for everyone. He put Yukimura in a bad position.
Honestly, smiling and going back down to make everything right is the absolute last thing he feels like doing. Literally everything hurts, and he is about as grouchy as he gets from it and the lack of sleep. Recognizing that, he takes a moment in the hall, even with Keita screaming in his ear and the alarm still blaring, to close his eyes, take a deep breath, and mentally reset.
Always remember your priorities. Taking care of Yukimura and kids is Number One. That means helping Yukimura with breakfast. Doing it while exhausted and hung over is just another special talent on his already impressive repertoire. It might feel like hell, but isn't it also just the result of having everything he wants and needs in life? It sure is.
Ok: let's do this. Game on!
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Keita, now distracted by the prospect of delicious sugar and with the scary loud noise stopped, accepts the bribe and quiets down with it, allowing Bunta to settle him into one of the chairs at the table.
"On second thought, you've got the right idea down here. Let's eat! Leave it to me."
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It all happened so fast. He'd guessed at where to dial the toaster's dial to, thinking he wanted it both dark and instantly. Then came the smoke, and when unplugging it didn't work, and he had Himawari's distressed cries from the smoke, the burning, and the alarm all in his head, he'd done the first thing that came to mind, and thrown a cup of water over the appliance.
At least he'd unplugged it first...
Yukimura coughed and scooped up the baby again, too irritated with how idiotic he looked to think of something else to soothe her. She was never going to walk at this rate.
"Am I still--" he glanced at Keita curiously. Were you supposed to talk about waking up still drunk in front of children?
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"You're right, that toaster was pretty past its time. We'll pick up a new one today."
Keita, ever helpful, looked back at Yukimura. That glance said to Keita that Yukimura wanted his help finishing the sentence.
"Cool?" Doubt, Mr. Yukimura, sir. Doubt.
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Wait, that was real, wasn't it? Did he actually want follow-through? Or did he just need coffee?
He looked over at Bunta, settling into his self-appointed domestic duties.
Did he actually mean that?
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"What're you saying? Yukimura-kun's the coolest person you know. He's even cooler than me."
"You're not cool."
"Sure I am. We're all cool in this house."
"Nuh-uh..."
"Ah, I see. It's not cool to make pancakes with whipped cream and sprinkles and strawberries."
"Those are cool. You're just not."
"But how can I not be cool when I do such cool things?"
"Because you're old!"
Bunta bursts into laughter. "You think so? Well, everyone must seem old for you. But people can get much, much older than I am."
Spill cleaned, the towel is dropped in the sink, and Bunta fills the coffee maker to start a brew. "Anyway, let's try cinnamon toast in the oven. Eggs and sausage on the side. Yukimura-kun--"
He looks back in Yukimura's direction, and all at once, the night prior comes rushing back to mind, bringing a light blush to his face. That kiss...
Well, nothing he can focus on right now. They'll have to follow up on that later. But his voice is a bit softer with the smile he sends back to him.
"Eggs the usual way?"
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His half-listening to Keita catches up to him about then and he tries not to sigh. He's never been thought uncool before. There were people in the world who actually had his autograph, Keita. They offered to pay for it, sometimes.
He takes his seat at the table just as a well-rested, dressed, and hair-brushed Yukiko takes hers. Has she really slept through all the recent chaos? Magic, Yukimura thinks. Needs to teach Keita. If they'd woken up naturally, maybe...
"Yukimura-san? Do you have a fever?" asked an innocent little angel, and Yukimura tried to think of an answer that wasn't 'Ask your father.'
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"Oh! Good morning. How's my snowflake?"
He's as cheerful as usual, but her question to Yukimura has Bunta looking him over. He does seem a little flushed. With Yukimura's fair complexion, it doesn't take much.
"Do you want to lie down until breakfast is ready? It's okay, I'll call you." Whether he was exhausted, embarrassed, still feeling the alcohol, or actually falling sick, Yukimura deserved the chance for a small escape.
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Because he could see it, the way it was unfolding. The way he felt right when Bunta was nearby. The way he felt so comfortable that they just... apparently kept falling into each other's laps at this point. That couldn't all be exhaustion, could it?
"What is everyone doing today?" he asked quickly.
"I have homework," Yukiko said importantly. This was new, perhaps. "But I have a few days to do it," she added, leaving space for someone to ask her important questions.
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Well, if Yukimura didn't want to take it, that was his call to make, and he drops the subject. He starts spreading the cinnamon butter mixture over the bread, coating them crust to crust.
"Do you? What day is it due? Is it a big assignment?" If the teacher was allotting several days, that begged the question of why. Most of Yukiko's assignments were next-day due. It smelled like time management practice to him.
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"Have you thought about babysitting?" Yukimura joked, as he moved a glass of milk out of Himawari's reach.
"Never," she said firmly, but she moved his glass a little further for him, just in case.
Honest but still considerate. Bunta did a good job raising her. Already, Yukimura was feeling like he couldn't get anywhere without him to lean on. It wasn't a feeling he particularly enjoyed, but it was satisfying, too. It was the sweat and tears from when he was in rehab-- the work was painful, but the results were satisfying.
Here, Yukimura was just constantly embarrassed, but Bunta's attempts to ease him made him feel... well, what, exactly? Cared for, that was the main one.
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"What about a recipe? Pick something you wanna try and we'll make it together. Then we can all eat it as a family for dinner."
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Because Bunta wasn't going to be so exclusionary as to not include people who were sitting right in front of him (and especially not people who happened to own the house). But that apparently-inclusive word had to be deliberate, right? Especially after what he said last night. Had Yukimura agreed to that without really remembering? Well, if that were the case, he... was probably smarter and more honest drunk, and wasn't that odd? At least about the first part.
He couldn't really back out of that without losing face, could he? Or hurting someone's feelings. He didn't want to do either, although he'd be lying to himself if he said the one hadn't been the first he thought of.
Granted, he also didn't want to act like a lovesick teenager if he hadn't agreed to anything...
It is a damn shame he's having interpersonal relationship issues with the only friend of his he trusted to ask for advice about interpersonal relationships, he mused. He briefly entertained the thought of asking Sanada, but he thought Sanada's advice for anybody in love with someone else would just be "Marry them and quit complaining," and that wasn't legal yet, let alone helpful. Was he in love?
Had he gone so long without talking that the children were suspicious and about to comment on it? How would they feel about this nonsense?
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Yukimura... Yukimura looks like a man in quiet crisis. And Bunta hasn't so soon forgotten his misstep from just a minute ago. Asking is out of the question right now. Not in front of the kids. Hm.
He turns back to the breakfast in progress, frowns, and puts his hand on his hip as he stares at the toast across the baking sheet. Then he breaks into a grin and checks over his shoulder again for volunteers.
"I just had a good idea for this toast. Who wants to try it?"
"MEEEEE!" Keita broke in first. What was he trying? Who knew, but like heck he was missing out on it.
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"Your father wouldn't do anything weird to breakfast, would he?" he asked her. "I trust him."
She wrinkled her nose. "He'll see toast like a blank canvas. He'll probably suggest weird recipes, too."
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Bunta smiled, satisfied with the answers. This was a good exercise. Life is all about learning-- do you like taking risks for potential reward, or do you like a known outcome? Neither was wrong. And in playing these games with his kids, Bunta can understand them better, and see how their personalities are growing.
"Got it-- so that's two surprise toasts, and one safe toast. No takebacks!"
This baking sheet was about to get a lot emptier, but that was okay. He was happy with the answers. Three new-idea toasts including his own was plenty to play with, and already he's thinking through the variations he wants to do on them. He rummages through the refrigerator for the cream cheese, caramel sauce, and some strawberries and a peach from the produce bin, then sets them on the counter as he collects the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, a banana, and maple syrup from cabinet storage. Everything goes on the counter and another skillet goes on the cooktop.
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Yukimura was, too, but for different reasons. "Anything there you think Himawari will take to, Master Chef?"
"Maaa!" she echoes at the sound of her name.
"She won't want anything too complicated either," says Yukiko thoughtfully. "And toast has too many crumbs, it'll irritate her throat."
She isn't babysitting but someone has to think of these things.
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Keita, having finished his cookie and fully oblivious to any sense of caution in the room, kicks his dangling feet gently back and forth and looks across the table, eyes full of hope.
"Yukimura-san," he started, speaking the name more slowly because it was a lot of syllables. "Today can we do tennis again?"
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The idea was surprisingly exciting. But it was hard to really devote his attention to it when said father was a constant distraction-- not that it was entirely burdensome, being distracted by someone he enjoyed looking at, someone who seemed to fit so seamlessly into his previously-disused kitchen.
"Maybe Yukiko-chan would enjoy it too," he said idly. She seemed to look thoughtful, but didn't commit.
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Over the next half-hour, eggs, sausages, and many varieties of toast made their way to the table. Yukiko got her traditional cinnamon toast baked separately in the oven while the other slices cooked in a skillet as three grilled sandwiches filled with sweetened cream cheese, each topped with peach slices and maple drizzle, banana with caramel, or strawberries and cream. A modest stack of French toast accompanied them for Hima and anyone else interested in seconds. Personally, Bunta thought it came out pretty well. Sure, it was a little strange having a grilled sandwich of sugar for breakfast, but it tasted like a cinnamon roll.
He did cut off one bite from the middle of his and pass it to Yukiko in a small dish. It was okay to like what you liked, but it was important to be comfortable trying new things, too. You never knew when you might be surprised with a new favorite!
Speaking of new things... He's pretty sure he isn't imagining the looks he's getting from Yukimura. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't sneaking a few himself. Things took a real turn last night, didn't they? Of course, he doesn't really remember much about it except that there was a kiss and they slept on the couch together until Keita woke them.
It feels strange in a way. His heart hasn't stopped loving Leia so much as it's made room for a new chapter-- just as it did over a decade earlier in reverse. Time really is a circle.
Yukimura has done so much for his family these last months, though. He's given Jackal his life back, and he's given Yukiko and Keita a warm, safe home. It means more than Bunta will ever be able to put in words. More than that, he's become a staple of daily life, providing structure and economic stability. Most of all, he's been a companion and teammate in tackling life's needs and struggles. Life has just been better since they joined forces. Referring to everyone in the home as family hadn't been accidental or deliberate, but simply natural.
As the day progresses and finally winds to a close, it's once again time for their celebration with drinks. He feels an unusual edge of something this time. Nervousness? Excitement? Something like that. He isn't going to bother trying to name it. It's their first real chance to see each other and talk since... everything the night before.
After getting Yukiko tucked in, he comes back downstairs and, instead of sitting down, starts wordlessly collecting the booze set-up into his arms.
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He didn't need the answer to be one way or the other, he thought. He wasn't affected by a preference. He couldn't tell which answer would be more awkward to move forward with, if he was being honest, but that in no way swayed the preference he did not have.
He was simply driven by a desire for a final answer, and to put the whole question to bed. He was not at all anticipating getting themselves to bed. He had no preference, not until he saw Marui getting ready for their little evening ritual and thought about how cozy it was, how familiar it became.
He moved across the room as if possessed and pinned Marui to the liquor cabinet.
"Either you kiss me or we never bring this up again."
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Seems Yukimura is thinking the same thing, and actioned with his unmistakable personal brand of overwhelming confidence and aloof command. The same energy that helped him dominate the courts and ensnare the hearts of an entire school. Bunta himself had been no exception. The pin startles him, but despite its aggressiveness it sparks only appreciation. Knowing what you wanted was attractive.
Eyes fearless and engaged, he wriggles a hand free to cup around Yukimura's jaw and nape.
"Well, that'd be a shame. I hope that isn't all you're expecting, though."
With a gentle pull forward, Bunta tilts his head and leans in with his answer.
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