Chapter Text
Hunk reached over and took hold of his mate’s hand. “Keith, you know I support you with whatever you decide, but this is a big step. We can’t go back once it’s done. So are you really sure about this?”
Keith squeezed Hunk’s hand softly. “I’m sure.”
Hunk smiled and pulled Keith’s hand up to kiss it. “I’ll give them a call then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hunk yawned softly as he walked in the front door. He had covered for two other people at work all day and was understandably very tired. As he wandered into the living room, he noticed Keith laying on the couch wearing the nicest pair of lace lingerie he owned. Keith was also very much fast asleep, making Hunk wonder how long Keith had been waiting for him like this.
He put his arms under Keith and lifted him up, carrying him to the bedroom and laying a blanket over him. He pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before turning away and heading for the bathroom to shower. He was sweaty from work and wanted to shower before even seeing what Keith wanted, though, he had a good guess as to what it was.
Hunk’s attention was soon grabbed by the sound of the bathroom door opening, followed by footsteps. He smiled and watched as Keith got into the shower with him.
”Now to what do I owe the honor of this special occasion?” Hunk asked as he wrapped an arm around his mate, kissing his cheek. It wasn’t often that Keith actually came to join him in the shower.
Keith smiled. “Well, I got some exciting news, so I thought we’d celebrate a little.”
”What kind of news?”
Keith smiled even more. “We got approved. I got the email this afternoon.”
”What!? Keith that’s fantastic!” Hunk started peppering kisses all over Keith’s face, making him laugh.
”I know. We can go in as early as Wednesday to sign papers and finish it all on Friday.”
”Keith, I’m so happy. It’s taken forever but it’s finally happening.”
”I know, I’m just as excited. So... What do you say big guy? Want to have a little fun in here? I can already see your answer, but I want to hear it too.”
Hunk smirked and kissed him. “Of course I do.”
”Good.” Keith pulled Hunk down just a little more to kiss him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
”Mom, it’s just a surprise for when I see you again, okay? I just want to know when you can visit us again so I can plan it right.” Keith smiled a little. “No, Pippin didn’t have puppies that I’m trying to sell. You have Lux, I’m not giving you more dogs to handle.” He sighed and waited for a moment. “Yeah. No, that’s fine. Yeah, bring him, I’d like to see him again. Later this weekend? That’s perfect actually. Mom, you can stay as long as you like. Okay, yeah, love you too.
Hunk laughed as Keith hung up the phone. “Man, I know you and your mom talk forever, but that was the longest one yet!”
”Yeah, sorry that took forever. She was trying to get it out of me. Ready to go sign?”
”You know I am.” Hunk smiled as he grabbed the car keys. “Let’s go.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keith took a deep breath as he stood in front of a large brick building next to Hunk. This was it. Today was finally the day. The one they had waited years for, the one they had spent months trying to obtain. It was finally here.
Hunk reached over and took Keith’s hand. “Ready to go in and get him?”
Keith nodded, walking into the building and over to the front desk with his mate.
”Keith, Hunk, so good to see you again! I’m glad this all worked out for you two.” The woman at the desk smiled brightly at them. “He’s a little nervous, so I’d suggest taking it slow at first.”
”Of course. We don’t plan on introducing him to everyone for a few days,” Hunk said. “We want him to get settled a bit first.”
The woman smiled. “Good to here. Now you two stay right here, I’ll make sure he’s ready to go.”
Keith looked at Hunk as the woman left them in the lobby. “It’s finally happening.”
Hunk pulled him close and pressed a kiss to Keith’s head. “Yeah, it’s finally happening.”
After a few minutes of waiting, the woman came back with a boy, about seven years old. Fluffy black hair, pale skin, brown eyes, and a stub for a right arm. “Well Hichiro, are you ready to go to your new home?”
The boy, Hichiro, nodded and walked over to his new parents. Hunk took the bag from Hichiro, while Keith offered out a hand to hold.
”Let’s go home, yeah?” Keith asked.
Hichiro nodded quickly and took Keith’s hand, waving goodbye to the woman before doing so.
Keith walked to the car with Hichiro and helped him get buckled in while Hunk put the bag in the trunk.
”Hichiro, we’re going to the store first to get some things for you. Is that okay or do you want to go home?” Keith asked him.
”I’m okay with the store first.”
Keith smiled. “Alright then, store it is.”
“So Hichiro, I’m going to make dinner tonight. Any requests?” Hunk asked as he drove.
“Can... Can you make tamales? I used to go to a friend’s house and her grandma would make tamales for us.”
”Hm... I’ve never made it but... No harm in trying, right?” Hunk smiled and glanced into the mirror, seeing Hichiro smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keith knocked gently on Hichiro’s door before entering and being greeted by piano music. He smiled a little. “I didn’t know you liked classical.”
Hichiro shrugged. “Not a lot. But I like this person. They gave me the cd as a gift before I left.”
”Well that was very nice of them. Do you want to listen to it while you sleep?”
Hichiro nodded. “Yes please.”
”Alright. Well, hop into bed. You’ll need your rest for tomorrow. We’re going to meet more of your family.”
”We are?”
Keith nodded. “Yes. I’m very sure you’ll like one of your uncles.”
”But I thought you and Hunk didn’t have brothers or sisters?”
”Well... It’s more of an... Honorary uncle. Hunk’s best friend married my best friend, and their kids call us uncle, so I don’t see why they can’t be your uncles.”
”How many kids do they have?”
Keith smirked at that question. “Eight.”
Hichiro’s eyes went wide. “Eight?”
”Yup. Twins and then... I think it’s sextuplets? That might not be the right word, but they had six about a year ago.”
”People can have six babies at once?”
Keith laughed at that. “Yes, they can. It’s rare, but it happens. Did you know, I’ve heard of some people having eight at once?”
Hichiro’s eyes grew even wider. “Whoa...”
Keith laughed softly again. “Alright, time to sleep. You can meet all of them tomorrow. You’ll meet my parents later this weekend. Okay?”
Hichiro settled down in his bed and pulled up his covers. “Okay.”
Keith bent over and kissed his forehead. “Sweet dreams darling.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hichiro looked out the car window at the large house in front of them. “They live here? It’s so big...”
Keith shrugged. ”Has to be when you’ve got eight kids. Good thing they make a lot of money.”
”They’re rich?” Hichiro asked.
”Uh... Kind of?”
Hichiro was confused by the answer, but didn’t ask anymore.
“Well, are you ready to go meet them?” Hunk asked as he got out of the car, going to help Hichiro out as well.
Hichiro got out of the car and went to hold Keith’s hand as they walked up to the front door. He was a bit surprised when Keith opened the door and simply walked inside.
”Knock knock kiddos!”
”Uncle Keith!” The twins shouted in unison as they ran over to them. “Who’s this?”
“Girls, this is your new cousin. Hichiro.”
“Hichiro?” Yuki, the elder twin, said and tried to think about it for a minute.
”I’m gonna call you Roro!” Yachi smiled.
Hichiro’s grip on Keith’s hand tightened. These girls were the same age as him, probably very nice, yet they terrified him.
Keith laughed softly. “It’s okay. They’re just a little loud, like their dad. Hey, I’ve got an idea, why don’t you go get him?”
The girls nodded and ran to the kitchen where Lance was trying to get the smaller ones to take their bottles.
”Victoria I swear with all the sleepless nights you’ve caused me. You will take your bottle. So- Just- No! Don’t throw it on the floor!”
”Want a little help there?” Keith asked, making Lance turn around.
”Yes.” Lance nearly begged. “Can you just make sure the others get burped when they finish. This one is being trouble like usual.” He narrowed his eyes at Victoria, who simply laughed and clapped her hands in response as if this were a game. “And of course Shiro is running late as usual.”
“Leave it to us buddy,” Hunk said, going to pick up one of the babies. “Oh, Lance, this is Hichiro. Our son.”
Lance looked at Hichiro and smiled. “Well hello there. I’m Lance.”
Hichiro ducked behind Keith to hide.
”Hey, I don’t bite, I promise.”
Yachi walked over to Keith and looked up at him. “Uncle Keith? Is Roro shy?”
Keith nodded and ruffled her hair. “Yes. He’s very shy. Hey, I’ve got an idea, why don’t you bring out some of your toys and see if he’ll play with you?”
Yachi nodded, liking the idea, and ran off to get some toys. When she came back, she was holding various Barbie dolls in her arms. She held out a Barbie doll to him. “Wanna play murder mystery with us?”
Hichiro looked up at Keith, who gave an encouraging smiled and nodd, before letting go of Keith’s pants and reaching for the doll. “Okay...” he said and followed Yachi into the living room, where Yuki was already waiting.
Yachi plopped down on the floor and spread out the dolls. “So, who should be murdered today?”
“Hmmm... Doctor Jupiter!” Yuki said, laid said doll on the floor.
”Awww, he’s my favorite.”
”Yeah, that’s why he has to die.”
”Fine. And he died...” Yachi looked around at all the doll props they had before picking up a popcorn machine and placing it by the ‘corpse’. “From a popcorn explosion!”
”But that’s not murder...” Hichiro mumbled. “That’s an accident.”
”It looks like an accident,” Yuki explained.
”But the popcorn maker was tamp... Tam-peired?” Yachi tried to remember the correct pronunciation.
”Tampered sweetie,” Lance called out.
”Yeah! Tampered with!”
”Okay... Who did it then?”
”That’s what we’re gonna find out!” Yachi beamed.
”Okay. How do we start?”
”Like this!” Yuki grabbed her doll and had it trot up to the ‘corpse’ before making it gasp. “Oh no! Doctor Jupiter! How did this happen! Gabby! The doctor is dead!”
Yachi moved hers over and made it gasp as well. “Oh no! How could this happen? We have to tell Miriam!”
Hichiro looked at the girls across from him. They were so friendly, it was weird. And neither of them had said anything about his arm. Most kids he’d met had always asked endless questions that he didn’t like. He started to scratch at the sock from habit when he became self conscious about it.
”Are you okay Roro?” Yachi asked, watching him scratch at it. “Does it itch? Mama has stuff for when we get itchy with poison ivy. Do you want some?”
Hichiro shook his head. Scratching at his arm was probably a mistake as he’d drawn attention to it now. “I don’t think I’ll be good at this game... I can’t move the dolls like you do with one arm...”
”Why does that matter?” Yuki asked. “One arm doesn’t make you different, just like-“ she paused and turned when the door opened. “Papa!” She and Yachi shouted in unison before running over to greet their father.
Shiro laughed and bent down to hug them. “There are my beautiful girls! Have you been good for mama?”
The twins giggled and nodded.
”Papa! We made a new friend!” Yachi turned to point at Hichiro, but he had already run off to hide by his parents, afraid of the big scary man who had walked into the house.
”Must be shy, huh?” Shiro asked. “Don’t worry too much, I’ll meet him before your uncles leave I’m sure.” He stood back up and started walking away. “You two play with your new friend while I get changed, alright?”
”Alright papa!”
Shiro smiled and watched his girls go back to playing as he walked into the kitchen. He grabbed Lance from behind, spinning him around and dipping him down before giving him a kiss. “And how is the most beautiful omega in the world today?”
”Dizy, and cranky from trying to get your daughter to eat.”
”How come she’s only my daughter when she won’t cooperate with you?”
”Because she likes you the most, obviously. Now let me up before you drop me.”
Shiro chuckled and did as he asked, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “Okay, let me change and I’ll help you out.”
”Thank you.”
It wasn’t long before Shiro returned to the kitchen, having changed out of his formal wear and into a simple tee-shirt and jeans. “So what problem is she causing today?”
”She refuses to take her bottle. I’m getting fed up with it and I wish she’d move onto baby food like most of the others have. It would be easier.”
”Okay, go take a break Lance, you need one. I’ve got this.” Shiro kissed Lance’s cheek before picking up Victoria and her bottle. “Look at you. You’re getting so big! I remember you fitting right in the palm of my hand. Now you need my whole arm.” He held the bottle to her mouth and smiled as she took it and drank. “There we go, that wasn’t so hard, now was it?”
”She really does like you, doesn’t she?” Keith asked. He had stuck around to talk with Shiro while Hunk and Lance watch the other five in their play area.
”Yeah. I probably spoiled her a little too much. I’m sure she’ll grow out of it eventually.”
Keith shrugged. “Maybe.” His eyes wandered over to the edge of the room where he could see Hichiro peaking around the corner to try and get a better look. He smiled softly. “Hichiro, you can come hide behind me if you want.”
Shiro followed Keith’s gaze, only to see a little boy run across the room to hide behind Keith. He smiled, trying to look friendly as he walked a little closer. “So you’re Hichiro? It’s nice to meet you.” He shifted Victoria into his left arm so that he could extend his right arm out. “I’m Shiro.”
Hichiro stared at the arm. It was... metal. Fake. Shiro had a fake arm. Did that mean Shiro was missing an arm? Just like he was?
Shiro watched as Hichiro just stared at it. “Uh... Sorry. You’ve probably never met someone like me before.” He started to move his hand away. “I’m not scary, I promise.”
Hichiro reached out to Shiro’s hand, keeping his right side still tucked behind Keith in case he needed to retreat.
Shiro saw this and smiled, extending his hand out again. “It’s kinda cool, right? You can touch it if you want.”
Hichiro looked up at Keith, who nodded at him. He took a deep breath and moved all the way out to touch it.
”Oh, oh.” Shiro said and smiled when he saw Hichiro completely. “I see, you’ve just never seen an arm like mine then.” He handed Victoria to Keith before sitting down on the floor next to Hichiro. “Do you like it?”
Hichiro looked up at Shiro and nodded as he touched the arm. It was warm, like a real arm, but also cold like metal would be. He’d only seen stuff like this in comic books. He pushed up Shiro’s sleeve to see how it was attached. “Whoa... Can you wear this all the time?”
”Yup, even when I’m sleeping. I still have to get adjustments though.”
“Do you have to do that a lot?”
Shiro shook his head. “Not really, only when it gets uncomfortable.”
”How does it get uncomfortable?”
”It gets itchy.” Shiro explained. “It has been a little bit lately, so I’ll have to go in soon for it.”
”Can I go with you? I want to see.”
”Well, I think that’s up to your parents buddy.”
Hichiro looked up at Keith with big eyes. “Can I go with him? Please?”
Keith smiled. “Of course you can.”
Hichiro smiled brightly and went to hug Keith. “Thank you!”
Keith laughed softly. “You’re welcome. Now why don’t you go enjoy the fun?”
Hichiro nodded and grabbed Shiro’s hand. “Will you play with me?”
”I’d be honored.” Shiro said and stood up.
Keith smiled as he followed behind them. This would be good for Hichiro.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hichiro sat on the floor looking at cds. Lance had told him to pick out something he wanted to hear while they ate dinner, except he didn’t seem to find anything he liked. Until his eyes landed on a familiar purple cover. He gasped softly and picked it up as Shiro walked up behind him.
”Find something you like?” Shiro asked.
Hichiro looked up and nodded rapidly as he held up the cd. “I really like this one!”
Shiro took it and looked it over. “Wow, this brings back memories. But you know what? I can do a lot better than this old recording.”
”No one can play piano better than Takashi!” Hichiro protested, making Shiro laugh.
”Oh really? That’s nice of you to say.”
”Takashi is the best!”
Shiro laughed more. “Okay, okay. But let me play one song for you okay? I’ll let you pick.”
Hichiro looked a little skeptical, but chose one anyway.
Shiro looked at the one Hichiro chose. “Oh, one of my favorites,” he said, walking over to the piano and sitting down. It wasn’t long after he began to play that Hichiro’s eyes lit up.
”No way... Keith!” Hichiro ran off to find his dad. “Keith! Keith! That’s Takashi Shirogane! That’s him! He’s just like me!”
Keith laughed and ruffled his hair. “That’s right. I thought I’d let it be a surprise for you. Excited at all?”
Hichiro nodded. “Takashi is just like me!” He shouted before running back to hear Shiro play. He watched him play with stars in his eyes, amazed that this was actually happening.
Keith smiled as he watched Hichiro, happy that his son was finally enjoying himself. This may have not been where he planned to be five years ago, but it was where he needed to be. And he was happy with that.