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“I might acknowledge your right to live, but I never ought to see you again"
Rei tossed to the other side of the bathtub.
Rei had several bleeding wounds on his body.
He never thought his own father -no boss - would turn against him. Scratch that, he did consider it once he started to feel a little bit too comfortable with Kazuki in his life, but at that point it was just an afterthought.
He was sure this was coming once Miri came into their lives.
Even more when he was ordered to come back and sever the "useless bond" he had formed with Kazuki and Miri.
"You're lucky I'm letting you live. Next time I catch you, you and that peasant won't make it"
He had just fought the best mercenaries money could buy, and he was alive. Barely, but alive.
"Let's not waste any more good material," his boss - no- father said, seeing he had run out of assassins to throw at him.
"What a waste of talent. You could have been the head of the family, excel at it even," his voice sounded tired, as if it was the only time he ever showed care towards his son, "but you decided to throw it all just to play house with a peasant and a bastard."
He even sighed disappointedly, so fatherly like.
"I … never… wanted to," Rei managed to let out in between breaths. He was tired, sore and bloody. He stopped counting after the twentieth faceless goon that went at him under bosses order.
Kazuki definitely never needed to find out about this.
"Throw away your name.” His father -no, boss- said, “You're a disgrace to the family.”
He stepped in closer to see his son’s bloody and bruised face for the last time.
“You're not a Suwa anymore."
His voice boomed through the silent warehouse.
Rei smiled. He actually had enough energy to smile at his boss upon those words.
"As you wish"
It was the last time he would follow a request from his father and the first time he felt actually happy to oblige.
-
"Ah!"
He woke up.
The smell of pancakes reached even the bathroom.
He heard small footsteps, and a huge noise that signaled the door being opened.
"Rei-papa!" Miri shouted, waking him up as it was her usual routine. "Kazuki-papa made breakfast!"
She proudly ran to the bathtub, engulfing him in a hug then pulling his hand to get him out.
"Right, right" Rei had been awake for a while, unpleasantly so due to recalling his unsavoury memory of two months ago. But seeing his daughter’s proud smile due to achieving the goal of waking Rei-papa up, made him go along with it.
"Let's go eat, Miri," he said, tousling her hair. She was still in her cat PJ's, matching with his own. It was a Sunday, so no daycare was needed. Her smile immediately made his day brighter, so he let himself be pulled down the stairs as the sweet smell intensified.
"Morning," Kazuki shouted while he was mid stairs with Miri. He expertly flipped one of the pancakes that was going to be added to the tower he had already made.
Rei couldn't be more grateful for his life at that moment.
Rei had never considered being grateful for having Kazuki and Miri in his life; but it was because of these moments, being woken up by his daughter and having breakfast already made by his partner, he wouldn't trade it for the world.
He already traded it for the “powerful Suwa" name, but oh it was so worth it.
Every bite of the tower of pancakes topped with juicy strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle made it even more worth it.
"Hey!” Kazuki interrupted his thoughts, “cut it back with the chocolate, it's too early for that amount of sweets!" his partner said, taking the bottle from his hands.
"It's what makes the food delicious" Rei seemed like a cat trying to get it back while Kazuki pulled it farther from his reach.
"Rei-papa!" Miri laughed, the whipped cream can on her hand, then passed it to him.
"Ah! Miri! When did you get that?" Kazuki yelled trying to sound authoritative, but all three of them knew better.
"It's Sunday, we can take it easy today," Rei shrugged while adding more whipped cream to the few pancakes he still had left and ignoring Kazuki's disappointed look.
"Ah, that reminds me," Kazuki started looking at his daughter in front of him, "you won't go to the daycare tomorrow Miri,” then turned to his partner, “and Rei we have the day off tomorrow"
Rei still had a mouth full of pancakes, "What about the kingpin-
"Aahahh, Kyu-chan gave us a few extra days", Kazuki quickly interrupted him.
"What's a kingpin?" Miri asked, of course she would not ignore a new word, Kazuki’s chest swelled with pride due to his very smart daughter.
"Ah, that's for… my comedy routine! Yeah" he said while scratching the back of his neck. He glared at Rei immediately afterwards.
It was surprising that he still had jobs at his father's "company". He was not a Suwa anymore, but still he was a big asset that his father spent so much money on. On top of that, he did cause a great loss by killing everyone that went after him while the big boss tried to dispose of him, so he brought that on himself. Understandably.
So Rei, and by extension Kazuki, had to cover and do double shifts to make up for the other assassins that could no longer complete their jobs.
Well, at least they had secured income for the next few months. After that, he needed to figure out how to break the news to Kazuki: that they would probably be kicked out of the apartment and no job to count on.
Kyutaro-san had been merciful due to still being able to provide them with targets but once they catch up he'll probably inform Kazuki of the bad news.
"We need to renew the paperwork for Miri's daycare for this year,” Kazuki continued while Rei was lost in thought. "The three of us need to go to the government office again. Anna-chan already gave us the forms so it's a matter of filling them out and submitting them again"
"Ehhhh that's so boring!" Miri pursed her lips at not being able to see her friends and beloved sensei for one day, "but Miri will go with you! It means we'll have an outing!”
Miri got up in the chair, jumping,“As a family! Miri and her two papas, going out together~" she sang excitedly.
Kazuki held back his tears, "yeah! We'll go out as a family" then pet his daughter's hair. “But sit back down! Be careful!”
"Ah."
Rei had already finished his pancakes. "I don't exist anymore".
"What?"
Rei thought he had more time and wanted to tell the news in a smoother way, but if he didn't come clean now it would have been a disaster when they checked the documents tomorrow, even with Kazuki's previous forgeries. Especially due to Kazuki's previous forgeries.
"I am not a Suwa anymore."
"What?" Kazuki couldn't find more eloquent words. "But... But we still... You know"
"They send the other assa-" right Miri was there still mindlessly munching the rest of her pancakes. Still, she is very perceptive so better be careful. Rei rephrased, "Boss sent the workers after me. They got ki- fired. So we are making up for them."
"That explains why we have been so busy…” Kazuki combed his hair back with his hand.
"Yeah, we'll need to move out once we finish with those," Rei deadpanned, "better if it's to a different city."
"Noooo! Miri already has friends here!" She pouted, "I don't wanna leave Anna-chan!"
"But you still need to," Kazuki softly explained, "after this year, you'll have to enter elementary school, and you'll have a new Sensei and new friends. It's inevitable."
"But what about Taiga-kun," Miri said, sadly, unaware of her parents’ scowl, "and Kotori-chan and Hina-chan," with that, they were visibly relaxed.
"They will also go to an elementary school. But we can always visit sometimes." Kazuki offered, "And it's not immediate, you still have the whole year to play with them before we move."
"About that.." Rei started.
"Leave the negotiations to me!" Kazuki proudly stated. "I still have some savings and we can make a budget for at least this full year!"
Rei felt proud of having Kazuki as a partner. Yes, that was the warm feeling he had every time he went ahead and followed his instincts knowing that Kazuki would always pick up after him.
Kazuki is reliable, bright, warm and goddamn meddlesome in the best way. Heck, they even had a daughter together. They lived a healthy, happy life thanks to him. This comfortable lifestyle wouldn't be possible without Kazuki.
Rei really had struck gold.
"Well that means I'll have to modify the documents,” Kazuki said, standing up and going to fetch his laptop. He checked the national database and effectively, they had erased Rei from the Suwa registry. He shook his head, as expected from this "company".
"How can I do this in the least troublesome manner.." he muttered in his breath. "The daycare would get suspicious if I file the new documents with only my name as a single parent-
"No!" Both Miri and Rei shouted at the same time. Rei surprised himself at that reaction.
"Rei-papa is Miri's papa!" Miri shouted. She is so smart. Rei smiled at that.
"I am not a Suwa anymore, but I'm still Miri's papa." He crossed his arms, a smug smile still in place.
"Well yeah, I knew this would happen so I didn't even consider erasing you from the registration," Kazuki tried to sound firm but his heart melted at their defensive reaction. His voice betrayed him.
"Cuz that would mean moms coming after me wanting the gossip and all that," He definitely did not wipe a tear from his eye. "And you wouldn't be able to pick Miri up and all that," he convinced himself while looking at the heartwarming smiles of his daughter and partner.
Kazuki cleared his throat.
"The only solution I can think of is… changing your surname to... Kurusu." Kazuki said in a small voice. "I mean, only to not raise weird questions for now!" His voice trembled, fearing his partner's reaction. If Rei didn't know better he would have missed the light blush on Kazuki's face.
"I can certainly forge a new ID for you with another surname but all the daycare staff knows you as "Suwa Rei" and having another different last name would be even weirder, and Anna-chan and the principal will ask even more questions and the gossip from the other moms will be endless so at least for this year-
"I don't mind" Rei stopped Kazuki's ramble.
Kazuki opened and closed his mouth wordlessly, dumbfounded.
"Kurusu Rei," He said out loud. "Has a nice ring to it."
"Re-Really?" Kazuki couldn't believe his ears.
"Yeah," Rei nonchalantly responded. "I think we should have done that last year, before enrolling Miri in the daycare." He continued, slightly amused at Kazuki's increasing blush. "Would have been less awkward. We just didn't think of that at that moment."
"I don't think it was even possible at that moment," Kazuki quipped. "But you ... you do know what I'm talking about, right?"
"Partnership certificate," Rei answered. "You can just forge one now with a recent date. Just say that I asked to have your surname." He spoke with such determination that it even surprised Kazuki.
"I don't think it's going to be that easy," Kazuki said in disbelief, slapping his own forehead with his hand. Was this even happening? Were he and Rei getting married -or the next closest legal certificate available at the time - just like that?
Rei’s nonchalant reaction made it even worse.
"Hey!” Kazuki said, fighting his embarrassment, “you're aware that I'm basically proposing to you?" Kazuki lifted his eyebrow, unnerved at how unbothered Rei was at their sudden marriage. It was just for pretense but still! He could show a little emotion at least!
"And I just said yes," Rei deadpanned. "I will marry you. You and Miri are my family. Don't families have the same surname?"
"Yeah, but, I mean-" Kazuki stuttered. He had no words.
"I am your partner already" Rei continued, "we just have to make it official. Through forgery but still official." He shrugged.
‘But - but not like that?!’ Kazuki wanted to shout but Miri was there. It was just unbelievable. His work partner just became his civil partner unceremoniously during an idle Sunday morning.
Did Rei even have an idea of what "that" kind of partner meant? Did he even have feelings for Kazuki in the first place? Was Kazuki ready to have another civil union, even if it was a fake one? His head was spinning.
"Unfair!" Miri shouted. "It's so unfair!"
Kazuki snapped out of his whirl of thought. "Eh ? What is it, Miri?"
"You two papas can have the same surname, but Miri can't? Miri is part of the family right?"
She was on the verge of tears. She was older now and of course she had noticed most of her classmates had the same surname as her parents. The three of them having different surnames she could vaguely justify. But now it was a different situation.
"Miri wants to be part of the family too!" She bawled by this point. Kazuki ran to wrap her in his arms, while Rei quickly went to the kitchen cabinet and offered her some chocolate cereal.
"You are part of our family!" Kazuki tenderly hugged her while wiping her tears, "no matter what surnames we have, we're still a family! You're still our precious daughter" he nuzzled his cheek against hers until she calmed down a few seconds after.
"But," she hiccuped, "but Miri wants to have the same surname too," she said in a small voice.
"It'll take longer, but I think we can adopt her the right way" Rei said, "Misaki won't oppose".
They had taken in Miri for a little bit more than a year, and yes, Misaki had already said she didn't want to be involved at all in Miri's life. Miri could become a Kurusu too.
"Then that's settled!" Kazuki spoke, squeezing his daughter and wiping his own tears that he didn't know he was shedding due to seeing Miri's sad face, "as soon as I get the real paperwork ready, you'll be Kurusu Miri!"
"Yay!!! Miri is part of the family!" She still had a few tears but the bright smile confirmed they were happy tears now.
"You have always been part of our family," Rei said with a very small smile on his lips. But a genuine one.
--
"Congratulations, Kazuki-papa! " Kotori's mom said. A few days had passed and Kazuki had submitted the new paperwork so Miri could continue her daycare as normal.
"Eh, thank you!" Kazuki reflexively responded, "but what for?"
"I knew you couldn't before because of the law, but finally you and Rei-papa got married! And you could give your surname to Miri-chan!"
"Eh?! How do you…?" Kazuki said. Due to their jobs and the forged documents, he hadn’t told a soul. Not even Kyu-chan was aware of their partnership certificate.
"Miri-chan was very excited and told everyone that she's "Kurusu Miri" now. Same as her two papas!" Now Hina's mom chipped in, giggling.
"When you have the party to celebrate your wedding, please tell us!" Kotori's mom said. "We can help you plan it and do a late bachelor's party while at it!" She winked.
"Also please extend the congratulations to Rei-papa!" Hina's mom said.
"I'll make sure to tell him," Kazuki said nervously. This is what he was afraid of. Now they felt like an official family. Like an official couple. Other people recognised them as an union. A couple.
Giving his surname to his family should have been easy. But after what happened to Yuzuko...
No. She wouldn't want him to be sad when remembering her. Karin said so. He needed to live on. He needed to be in the present.
For his family.
For his partner and daughter.
For Rei and Miri.
"Thank you!" Kazuki smiled genuinely.
‘ What the hell! Why can’t we celebrate? We’ll leave this life behind soon anyway! Who cares if someone else finds out about our family now?’
"I'll be in touch to plan that party! Not only about the partnership but also to celebrate Miri too."
"Ah! Miri-chan will be so delighted!" "I saw the cutest dress for a wedding for a child and it can double as an adoption party dress, I'll send the pictures to you!"
They continued talking and making plans already for the big party, asking Kazuki about his and Rei's tastes in food, colours, decorations, also planning to invite Anna sensei and other moms in the group as well.
--
"I'm home," Kazuki shouted, not expecting a response. Rei was probably too immersed in his games to notice him arriving. Nonetheless, he continued.
"The mom friends now know that we are technically married and we officially adopted Miri," he casually said while taking off his shoes, "they're planning a party to celebrate our partnership and adoption."
"It's great that they're not asking so many questions, they're just happy for us!" He laughed, still not believing he had gotten married for a second time. Or the closest thing to marriage that the current law can allow at least.
“So, you acknowledge we are married,” Rei said under his breath.
“What?” Kazuki couldn’t hear him, mindlessly hanging up his coat.
Rei paused his game and stood up, dragging his feet to the front door where Kazuki was still standing up.
"Welcome home."
“Eh?”
His hand reached for Kazuki's face, dragging him closer to his own, then placing a delicate kiss on his cheek.
"W-w-whaaat???!" Kazuki stepped back, perplexed. Rei actually stopped his game, got up from the sofa, then walked towards him , all in order to greet Kazuki.
And what on earth was that greeting?!
"I read somewhere that newlyweds kiss each other when saying ‘welcome back’" Rei explained in his usual unbothered tone. "Usually on the lips but let's wait until we're ready for that."
"Well- but - we - " Kazuki was about to have a stroke.
"We're married, technically," Rei continued. "I know what a spouse's duties are. And I don't plan on neglecting those."
"Hey! This is not just another of our missions!" Kazuki was starting to get angry, "A marriage involves feelings! It's not just duties and obligations, it's about .. love."
He felt so pathetic. He had pretended to follow Rei on his twisted idea of a fake marriage for their family's sake, but there were some lines that he just couldn't cross.
Rei remained unfazed.
"But I love you," he simply stated. Not an ounce of hesitation. "I thought that was pretty clear."
He had thrown away everything he knew, his name, his family, the company, his job, his heir life. All for Kazuki and Miri. It was obvious he loved them.
"I'm just waiting for you," he said, guiding Kazuki to the sofa, softly prompting them to sit down "and it's obvious you love me too anyway." He interlocked their fingers, his voice just an octave softer.
Was it obvious he loved Rei? Kazuki certainly enjoyed taking care of him even if he was an ungrateful bastard but still, being with Rei made him happy. Now even more that they had a daughter together.
But just what kind of love is it?
Did he even love Rei?
He hadn’t had the time to think about it.
He actually chose not to have the time to think about it.
Otherwise… Yuzuko’s memory…
"Kyutaro-san mentioned you were married before,” Rei trailed off, uncharacteristically showing embarrassment, “and I don't know if you are ready for another relationship just yet."
Kazuki melted. Rei was being considerate?!
This was a day of too many firsts.
"I don't know if I am ready for a romantic relationship at all, either." Rei sighed, "But I want to try, because it's you Kazuki. If I could ever be with someone, it has to be you."
Rei had actually put a lot of thought into their little charade. It was mostly for Miri's sake, yes, but having a little hope on establishing a real relationship between them was not something Kazuki had thought of, but clearly Rei had.
"Let - let me think about it, yeah?" Kazuki sniffled, too overwhelmed to stop his tears at Rei's heartfelt confession. He even confessed for the both of them!
"Well, we're already married so you don't really have a choice," Rei rolled his eyes, a small playful smile on his face.
"You little!" Kazuki took the nearest pillow with his free hand and hit Rei with it. The room then filled with both of their laughters, fingers still firmly interlocked, signaling the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
As the Kurusu Family.