Chapter Text
Satoru glanced between the two children across from him as they sat around the dining table, eating the soup Tsumiki and himself had made for Megumi. The boy was still pale and running a fever but insisted on joining them at the table rather than eating in bed. Maybe it had something to do with him offering to feed the boy.
“So,” he spoke up, earning both of the children’s attention, “Anyone want to explain how you’ve both met Su-Geto?”
“Your boyfriend,” Tsumiki said with a cheeky grin.
“No,” Megumi sniffled, “Satoru’s too good for him.”
If Megumi wasn’t sick and looking two seconds away from passing out in his soup, he would have cooed at the boy before scooping him up in a hug. Instead, he reached over and patted the boy’s head gently.
“I don’t think calling him my boyfriend-“
“Geto-san said he isn’t your ex because you never broke up with him,” Tsumiki cut him off.
He simply stared at Tsumiki, unsure how to respond to that. He should have been declared dead after his disappearance. There was no evidence he survived his last mission, he had made sure of it. Sure, Suguru had gotten a letter from him after being declared dead but that shouldn’t have stopped the other from moving on beforehand.
Suguru was young and their love could easily be put down as puppy love. Nothing but young teens experimenting and experiencing love outside their parents control. And yet, Suguru had not only refused to move on but also still believed they were dating.
“Okay, ignoring our relationship status, please explain how you both have met him. Better yet, please explain how you even managed to get a letter to him.” He watched the two children glance towards each other before turning back to him.
“So,” Tsumiki started while pointing towards his full bowl, sue him for being a bit too distracted to eat, “I took your letter once you finished writing it and was trying to figure out a way to get it to Geto-san for you.”
“You made it impossible,” Megumi piped up with his mouth full with what he could only assume was ginger by the way he was happily chewing away.
“It was meant to be impossible,” he stated simply.
“Wellllll, during my, uh, search, I met someone who knew Geto-San and offered to deliver it for me,” Tsumiki said while shifting in her chair in what he could only compare to a happy wiggle.
“And that would be?” He questioned with an arched eyebrow, picking up his bowl and taking a sip at the pointed look he was given. The soup was good, though a little strong on the ginger. He didn’t really mind, after all, the soup was to help Megumi feel better.
“Nanami.”
He choked on his soup, immediately putting the bowl in his hands down and turning his head to cough off to the side. Of all the names he expected Tsumiki to say, that wasn’t one.
He remembered Nanami as a fresh first year with potential but a lacklustre drive to push himself. He always believed the kid would go far but could never quite figure out to what degree.
Nanami stuck to the rules heavily, so he never would have thought he would interact with a child talking about a dead man, especially one of his children. His children. They really were his now, weren’t they.
…actually, maybe Nanami would believe it was a curse.
“Nanami is better than Geto, but he still sucks,” Megumi mumbled, sounding clearer than he had before.
He picked up his glass of water and took a sip once his coughs were under control before turning back to the two children.
“Okay, that wasn’t who I was expecting you to say,” he admitted, earning a delighted giggle from Tsumiki.
“Yeah, Nanami seems to also like the bakery you do,” Tsumiki explained.
“He also exorcised a curse with a flick of his hand. Kinda cool,” Megumi pipped up while sitting his bowl down and leaning heavily against the back of his chair.
“Feeling okay?” He couldn’t help but ask while meaning over to press the back of his hand against the boy's forehead.
“Mm-fine,” Megumi mumbled while leaning against his hand. His fever hadn’t gone down yet but he didn’t feel as hot as earlier in the day. He left his hand there for a moment before pulling away and returning to his soup while Megumi slumped against the back of his chair again.
“Anyway, apparently Megumi met Geto at some point.” Tsumiki said while shooting a glare at her brother, for what, he could only assume.
“There was a curse at the aquarium,” Megumi mumbled.
“What?” He said in surprise. Why had Megumi not said anything earlier? Sure, he had noticed the boy had been more tired than normal that day but he had just assumed that Megumi had just let his divine dogs out in the darkness of the aquarium despite telling him not to. He understood that both the kids were young and wouldn’t listen to him one hundred percent of the time, so he chose to turn a blind eye every now and again when he knew the children had done something they were told not to.
“Yeah. Had to save Geto cause he was stupid and didn’t move out of the way of an attack. Also punched him.” Megumi said the last part with a proud smile and he couldn’t be angry at the boy.
“You did what?” Tsumiki gasped.
“Deserved it. Made Satoru sad.”
Silence took over the room as the two children turned their full attention to him.
“What are you talking about? Why would I be sad when I have you two?” He asked while setting his now empty bowl down on the table.
“Liar,” the siblings said at the same time while giving him a blank look.
“I’m hurt. My own children-“ “We aren’t yours” “-don’t believe me.”
“I met Geto today,” Tsumiki said while beginning to collect the dishes from the table now that everyone was done, “Geto is looking after two girls like you are looking after us.”
“… two girls?” He questioned softly, earning a nod from Tsumiki as she took his dishes from him.
“Mimiko and Nanako, they helped me get all the groceries.”
Satoru sat there for a moment, just absorbing the information just dumped on him.
He was happy to begin with, thankful that both kids had met Geto and had returned to him with no issue, but, the longer he sat and thought about it, the more the feeling of panic grew inside him.
He trusted Suguru but after what he did, what is stopping the other from ratting him out. It would only take his family finding out for his recent peace to be destroyed.
That wasn’t even considering what the school, council and any and all other sorcerers would do once they hear about him being far from dead.
He wasn’t concerned about himself but rather Tsumiki or Megumi. They couldn’t protect themselves and he refused to abandon them like everyone before him. He had promised them he wouldn’t.
He felt his breath catch in his throat as something wrapped around his stomach, bypassing his infinity that he knew was up seconds ago.
“Satoru, I don’t feel well,” Megumi’s voice broke through his panic and drew him back to the moment.
He was seated at the dining table with Megumi half draped across his lap, arms wrapped around him.
“What’s wrong?” He asked while gently pushing his chair back before leaning down to scope the boy into his arms.
“Head hurts,” Megumi mumbled while burying into his chest.
“Nap time, I think,” he said while beginning to walk towards the bedroom with Megumi held close.
“Only if you stay,” the boy spoke in barely a whisper and he couldn’t help the smile that rose to his lips.
“Couldn’t get rid of me even if you wanted to.”