The Cat and the Crow

Epilogue (Part Two)

[Present Day, Early November, 2021]

{Residence of the Tsukishima's and the Bokuto's}

Tetsu entered the house after a long business trip, excited to see his family. He was about to call out to them, but was met with unnatural silence, which was odd considering part of his family didn't have the word 'silence' in their vocabulary. He changed out of his shoes and into a pair of slippers, and took a step up onto the landing. He was taking off his jacket when someone met him there.

"Fair warning: Kei and Megumi are asleep in the living room. We have the rest with us in the backyard," Kou said quietly. "Welcome back, by the way."

"Thanks," Tetsu replied, smiling at his best friend and older brother. A fact that Kou still hadn't let him forget after all these years. "But why is Kei asleep so late in the afternoon?"

"The baby woke him up early, the rest of us were collateral damage. We were all up and at 'em since 6am."

"Surprising," Tetsu muttered as he followed Kou into the house. "Jun is just as bad with mornings as Kei is."

"Akira wouldn't let him sleep. Kaoru and Chika wouldn't either."

"Why do I feel like we're raising the next generation of us?"

"Why do you ask that every time they do something we've done?" Kou laughed. "You're not wrong, though."

At the door to the living room, Tetsu stopped, his hand ready to slide open the door. He took a deep breath, and smiled at Kou, who knew exactly what he meant without saying a word.

"We'll tell them you're home in fifteen minutes. Will that be long enough?"

Tetsu nodded. "I'd be surprised if they waited that long."

"We're teaching them volleyball."

"Maybe we should come outside and save the kids, instead," Tetsu joked. "You still practice forever."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go wake up Kei."

"Easier done than said," Tetsu replied, carefully sliding the door open and then closed behind him.

His eyes immediately found Kei, reclining against some pillows on the sofa. He still wore his glasses, but they were crooked from sleep. On his chest, cradled in his arms, was their youngest child, Megumi. Tetsu was tempted to just leave them be; it was obvious they'd only been asleep for a short time. However, he'd missed Kei and the kids so much while he was gone, so he couldn't wait for them to wake up.

Crossing the room, he knelt on the floor next to Kei's head. He leaned in for a kiss, and was surprised when Kei reacted, kissing him back.

"Welcome home," Kei said sleepily. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too. And the kids." He smiled as he gently laid a hand on Megumi's little head. "I can just imagine how much of a handful they were, especially with the seemingly bottomless reserve of energy Kaoru and Chika have."

"Yeah, well, it's expected with two pairs of 5-year-olds," Kei answered sarcastically. "It'll be quieter once they start school."

"Don't rush things. We still have another year until they go."

"True."

Kei smiled up at him, and Tetsu lost his heart all over again. He leaned in for another kiss, this one deeper than the one before, and only ended it when Megumi woke up. Tetsu gently took her from Kei and held her in his arms. Only moments later, he heard the thundering sound of little feet pounding across the house. The door slammed open, and in rushed two pairs of twin boys, all screaming and excited to see him. They would have tackled him, as they usually did when he came home, but seeing the baby in his arms, they all skidded to a stop around him. Well, except for Akira and Jun, who tackled Kei instead.

In a moment of silence, Tetsu heard the sound of a camera snapping a picture. No, make that two. Both Keiji and Kou had their phones out and were taking pictures of them, and both immediately sent them to friends and family, and no doubt posted to social media.

"Sent, shared, and copies made. We're definitely putting these in the family album," Keiji said, looking as happy as ever. "I'll go start dinner. Mom and Ni-san are coming over. Tenma, too."

"In that case, I'll help!" Kei called after him, and started to follow, but it was difficult with two boys wrapped around each leg. "You two stay with your dad," he told them firmly. "We'll call you when it's time to wash up, okay?"

"But we want to help Uncle Keiji, too!" Jun cried.

Kei smiled at his sons and knelt down to speak with them. "Maybe next time, okay? Your dad just got home from a long away trip. He really, really missed you. And I know you missed him, too."

Akira, the more level-headed of the two, quickly took Jun's hand and started leading him back to Tetsu. "Come on, Juni! Maybe daddy has presents for us!"

"Oh yeah! Right!" Jun replied, and they both took off back to Tetsu and their cousins.

Kei laughed as he stood up and then winked at Tetsu, sending a flying kiss his way. "Revenge!" Tetsu growled, even as his eyes sparkled. Kei laughed harder as he left the living room and went to help Keiji fix dinner. "I'll look forward to it!" Tetsu heard him say.

Kou, who had been at the door through the entire exchange, entered the room and sat down next to Tetsu. He reached over and took the baby from him, and watched as his brother was summarily tackled by four little boys.

"It's been three years, and I still can't wrap my head around us being parents," he said over the noise.

"Awesome, isn't it?" Tetsu replied, alternately hugging and tickling each little boy, and all with the happiest smile Kou had ever seen on his face.

"So much it wins out over volleyball."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear you say that," Tetsu said automatically. It had been an ongoing joke between the four of them for the last three years. But this time, it looked like Kou was completely serious. Tetsu rose up from the floor, the boys having decided to resume whatever game they were playing and ran off to the backyard. "You're not joking this time."

Kou shrugged. "I still love volleyball, but I can't keep leaving them. I don't want to miss anything, you know? I've been thinking about taking it down a notch, and playing part-time for the V2 League. Like Kei."

"Yeah," Tetsu agreed softly. He'd been thinking the same thoughts, sort of. There was a position at work opening soon that, if he took it, would keep him closer to home. It even offered a telecommuting option, so he could work from home, if he wanted to. He'd still have to travel occasionally, but staying home was becoming increasingly desirable. It was something to discuss with Kei later.

"Well, come on!" Tetsu said after a moment of silence, standing up. "Let's go keep an eye on the boys."

"Easier done than said, bro," Kou replied, handing Megumi back to her dad and standing up.

The two of them left the living room, following the boys out to the backyard. As they passed through the kitchen they both snagged something off a plate, earned squints from their husbands, and winked back as they went outside. They sat down on the porch, keeping an eye on the boys, and Megumi as she crawled around between them.

"Just wait until that little one starts using her legs. You may have a track star on your hands."

"Wouldn't that be super cool, though?"

"Not as cool as volleyball."

"You've already hooked the boys on volleyball. If Megumi wants to be a track star, then I'm all for it." He bent down and gave his daughter a kiss, and smiled brilliantly when she giggled. "Of course, if she wants to play volleyball, too, I'd have zero problem with that."

"You're hopeless."

"Nah. I'm just unconditionally in love with my entire family."

"Same, bro. Same."