Forever With You

Sixteen

"Oh, thank god!" Prince Tsuki exclaimed as he hurried over with Yuki in his arms. "You're both alright! We were worried, Yacchan!"
"I'm sorry, your highness," she dipped a curtsy, and then another when Prince Kuroo came over with Haru. "Someone wouldn't let me leave without her Very Important stuffy."
The two of them gazed at her child fondly, sound asleep with her tear-stained face, snotty nose, and her stuffy practically squashed between her baby and her chest. Prince Tsuki reached over to play with a little curl of blonde hair.
"I'm glad you're both okay," he said softly. "We'll let you get settled in the nursery before unleashing the boys on you, if that's alright?"
"Thank you, your highness," she curtsied again. "Am I keeping them overnight, or..."
"Up to you. You know how they can be."
Hitoka smiled as she gazed at two worried little faces. It looked like she had her mind made up for her already. Chuckling softly, she nodded.
"Just let me put Aiko down for a nap, and I'll get their futon ready."
"Wait a sec," she heard Eita's baritone interrupt quietly. Hitoka turned around to face him, smiling. "When was the last time you ate?"
As if on cue, her stomach growled, and she flushed so hard, averting her eyes with embarrassment. Eita chuckled and then looked behind her at his friends.
"Think you can spare us some time for her to get settled and eat something?"
Hitoka grinned and ruefully shook her head. Prince Tsuki looked bemused, and Prince Kuroo raised an eyebrow.
"It's fine, Eita," she said, gaining a surprised smile from him, and then turned to find two pairs of princely eyebrows raised in astonishment. "I can still put her in her cradle, and spend time with the boys." When they didn't respond right away, she tilted her head, befuddled. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all," Prince Kuroo said, taking hold of his husband's arm and pulling him back. "You two go do what you need to do. We can keep the boys for the rest of the day."

Hitoka watched as the pair made their way back to their suite, playing with their sons to distract them, all while Prince Kuroo whispered something into Prince Tsuki's ear. The door started closing, but not before Prince Tsuki turned and winked at them with a look of complete understanding. Though, she wasn't exactly sure what he understood at all. She was about to turn back to Eita, when she found him standing next to her.

"What was that about?" she asked him. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt his hand settle at the small of her back.
"I can only guess," he replied, walking with her as they went to the nursery.

She walked in and went straight to the cradle, carefully settling her daughter inside. Noticing Eita watching her, she suggested he sit down for a bit while she puts her things away. Instead, he left to go speak with someone, and then came back into the room. Since they were only supposed to be down here for a few days, she was nearly done with putting her and Aiko's stuff away. What she was currently pondering was the stuff she'd brought for the kids.

"Need some help?" Eita asked quietly, just a few steps away. Hitoka had to keep herself from squealing.
"You startled me!" she chided him, though she was grinning. "I was just trying to figure out where all this," she indicated the toys, blankets, and other accoutrements, "needs to go."
His eyes widened a bit and he exhaled dramatically, looking at everything like it was some sort of monumental task, and making her giggle like a smitten school girl with the boy she had a huge crush on. Which wasn't that far from the truth, really.
"Well, if we split it, maybe Tetsu and Kei will take some of this to their room?"
"Maybe. Though, I'm not sure if they will."
"Why not?"
"They need their rest to be able to run the principality and chieftancy with clear heads, especially now with the storm raging around us. Besides, I usually have the boys with me most of the time, anyway."
"No wonder they call you mama," he teased. "Well, then, I guess we got our work cut out. Let's do what we can," he said, moving past her and picking up a few toys. "Got a toy box handy?"
"Over in the corner," she laughed, gathering up more toys.

~*~

"You mean to tell me you've only been Grand Duke for five years?" Hitoka exclaimed as they finished folding the spare blankets and towels. She looked at him like she couldn't believe a word he just said.
Eita chuckled, felt his face heat with a flush and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck "Yeah. And to be honest, I never thought I'd inherit. It still feels surreal. I mean, I only ever thought I'd take over for my dad at his music shop, not be the Grand Duke."