It was already evening in Rio de Janeiro.
The family has spent the whole day out and about, going to the beach, eating some delicious snacks and going shopping.
Now the sun is beginning to slowly pass behind the horizon and Shouyou smiles as he stares out of the big window, leading to the small balcony.
He's utterly content. You couldn't make someone much happier than this.
He has two of his kids around him, well more like adult kids by now but Shouyou can't accept the fact yet that the tiny babies he once played peekaboo with are now all grown up.
Miko and Leo are helping him unpack the few groceries they bought from a local store just now.
They will spent two more weeks minus a day here. Eating out everyday would be a bit too much, so every person in the family had to decide which meal they wanted to prepare and then get the ingredients for it.
Miko said he will do a Risotto. Aiko chose Spaghetti Bolognese (probably for simplicity's sake) Leo went for fries and burger (even though he's really sporty, his taste isn't aimed at the healthiest food. Shouyou and Tobio weren't any different in their youth)
Katsumi chose feta-spinach muffins. (She got inspired by those from the cafe) Shouyou went for his favorite Tamago Kake Gohan. And finally Tobio, - he wants to make curry. A classic and his absolute favorite.
So in total six different meals. Leo said he will do his meal today.
Even if they probably could have gotten a burger from around the corner ready in five minutes. It's nice to see he's excited to cook for his family. Miko will help him too, as he likes cooking the most, rivaling his parents in expertise by now.
Shouyou doesn't know how they are planning to do make french fries. Whether they want to get them into the oven or use up most of their newly bought oil to fry them.
Either way, he has enough trust in them to not have to constantly observe them. After all, Leo is fourteen and Miko is nineteen.
It makes him both feel immensely proud and also very sad and nostalgic that they are so mature and grown up already, remembering the old days when they were still so little they easily fit into Shouyou's arms.
He finishes unpacking and looks over to the living room in which both Aiko and Katsumi, the fraternal twin girls are laying on the couch checking social media on their phones.
"Tobio?" he shouts into the apartment, searching for his mate.
"Bedroom" he receives as an answer.
He looks for him and sure there he is. Loomed over his luggage, folding both their clothing neatly so it can be put into the wardrobe.
"Come outside, the balcony has the perfect view to see the sun going down" Shouyou explains and reaches his hand towards Tobio.
The alpha stares at it for a short moment, thinking whether he should finish this first or take up Shouyou's offer. Looking up at his mate's warm smile his decision is determined quickly and he takes his hand in his, stands up and let's himself be dragged to the balcony.
And his mate wasn't lying when he said that the balcony has the perfect view. Over a few other housetops they can see the beach and the large glowing sun setting down. The sky is colored in a wonderful reddish-orange tone. Birds are chirping their melodies, the people on the streets engaged in conversations, the melody of the portuguese language in their ears.
Shouyou steps closer to his mate's side and lays his head on his arm, too short to reach his shoulder. He encircles one arm around his waist and let's out a sigh. "Beautiful mhm?" he says, his voice filled with fondness.
"It's never like this in Tokyo" Tobio answers, admiring the sunset and also wraps one arm around his mate, softly caressing his side.
"Tomorrow, we should take a walk along the shore during this time."
The alpha agrees with a hum.
They stand there for a while in comfortable silence, enjoying the intimate moment between them, before there's a scream of pain coming from inside. They both turn their heads in union.
"I told you to not turn the heat up so high!" Miko complains, while fumbling with the stove.
"What happened?" Shouyou asks as he's back inside in an instant.
"The hot oil burned my skin" Leo, their youngest son answers with a whine. Tobio observers the scene at the balcony door, seeing that they tried to pan fry some potatoes. Shouyou scrambls for any cold thing in the fridge. The coldest thing they have was the bottle of milk Tobio bought this morning. He hands it to Leo who quickly presses it to his arm. "Fucking hurts"
"It's easier in the oven. I told you" Miko says. "But they don't end up as crispy that way" the young alpha answers in annoyance.
"Do you need help?" Shouyou asks with raised eyebrows.
"No!" Leo immediately shouts, turning around to face the kitchen again, still pressing the milk against his skin.
He likes having everything under his own control. It is already a wonder that Miko is allowed to help him and Leo also only agreed because he knows that without him he wouldn't be able to make a good dinner and this would make a rare exception of things you can't possibly tolerate.
Leo is very extroverted but still has some "Tobio grumpy mindset" Shouyou thinks.
"I'd rather receive, spike and toss all by myself" Shouyou quietly giggles to himself. "What was that?" Tobio immediately reacts, towering over the omega from behind. "Huh? Nothing" Shouyou grins up at him.
"I heard you" he grumbles. "Stop quoting Highschool me". "But it's just too funny" Shouyou laughs, giving their two sons one last glance before explaining "I might not have been able to memorize English vocabulary but I memorized all the things you said" he whispers into his ear, while standing on his tip toes.
Tobio stares into the fire in Shouyou's eyes but only mutters back "weirdo".
Just as Shouyou focuses his gaze on Tobio's soft lips there's another complaint "When's food ready? I'm starving!"
Aiko, the blond beta girl comes from the living room and is giving the obviously empty dinner table a judgmental stare. Her sister, dark haired and blue eyed like her father also agrees "Me too!" back from the sofa.
"You need to wait. I haven't even gotten the hamburger buns out yet!" Miko shouts back after which Leo immediately retorts "Hey! Don't talk as if you're doing all of it by yourself. I'm doing most of the work here". Miko looks at him for a moment but retaliates quickly enough, fighting with his brother is always so exhausting it's like there's no end to it once they begin. "Sure" he says instead.
Shouyou looks at the situation curiously, wondering yet again where he got all the patience from. It must be his grandmother, so his own mother. She is the only one who can keep her calm even when it's getting very heated.
He remembers her reaction to finding out when the couple accidentally bonded in third year too well. She was angry, furious even but she knew that starting a shouting-fit would lead to nothing. So she sat her omega son down and gave him a long speech, detailing all the further consequences of his and Tobio's actions.
Essentially getting married at the age of seventeen with no way out might have been the worst decision to be made for some people but for the two of them it was and will always be the best thing that could have happened.
Shouyou's mother soon realized that herself as her son came back from two years training in Brazil, with no other thought in his head than to run into his mate's arms.
"I don't care who's cooking but you need to hurry up" Aiko answers with a hand on her waist.
Shouyou frees himself from Tobio's arms around his waist and walks towards the cupboard with all the kitchen utensils. "If you want to eat sooner let's get the dinner table set" he hums, sounding a little to happy for the broody atmosphere in the air, mostly coming from Leo. But the fact that he's here, in Rio, with all his family around him just makes his mouth turn into a smile all day long.
Aiko huffs, not sounding as excited but still does as she was told.
Later on Shouyou helps his mate put the last pieces of clothing in the wardrobe. (Tobio is very specific about the way everything has to be sorted and folded so it takes a while)
The omega steals a quick kiss from the alpha's lips before getting back up on his feet and speeding towards the kitchen area again where his two sons seem to have made some progress by now.
Dinner is ready in another ten minutes and everyone finds their seat around the big table. Without much further ado they begin eating, Aiko is sharing some stories from her university volleyball team and Leo listens carefully, even giving her unwanted advice on what to improve, much to his sister's annoyance. "Just because you want to go pro doesn't mean you're playing any better than me. I still have eight years more experience than you" She comments with an eyeroll.
Tobio, usually rather silent when he's eating now joins in as well and adds "It's up to the setter to bring the ball to the spiker. If she can't do that you shouldn't blame yourself".
"I told her that. She's just too inexperienced. I wish we still had Kaori on our team but she dropped last semester" Aiko grumbles, stirring a French fry in the ketchup on her plate.
Afterwards Miko mentions a book he read. It's for his university entrance exam but he still liked it a lot even if it was a difficult read. Katsumi is the only one who really gets it as she had to read the same one.
English doesn't come easy for either of them but Shouyou reminds them how he and Tobio both practically couldn't speak a word when they were dropped off into the jungle of foreign volleyball teams, media and interviews.
It was hard at first, felt almost impossible to understand what the other person is trying to communicate when all you were used to was the broken few words from the Highschool teacher but with practice they both succeeded.
After dinner they all help cleaning up. Then they play a round of board games while sitting on the big sofa together (Tobio had to endure accusations of being "an old grandpa". But Shouyou is right by his side and protects him against the evil voices of the "too cool to play board games" youngsters)
There are many laughters and Katsumi ends up winning the first round. She's a quick analytical thinker with the perfect poker face. Shouyou comes in second "just by luck", according to Leo, sore loser who makes it to third place.
It's completely dark outside when they go to bed.
Shouyou closes the window to their bedroom when he lets out a whine as a familiar sound enters his ear.
"Tobio! A mosquito flew inside". "Another one?" the alpha mumbles, barely comprehensible as he's brushing his teeth. He's standing under the door of their little bathroom, looking at his mate with unimpressed eyes.
"What do you mean another one?" the omega questions, voice high, as he closes the bedroom door to keep the mosquito from flying away. His eyes searching for it on every square of their ceiling.
"I just killed one" Tobio mutters after he spits out the toothpaste.
"They always want my blood!" Shouyou screeches.
The redhead gets a bottle of Anti-Mosquito spray in his hand and stands tall on their bed, ready for a fight.
Tobio helps him look for the insect, inspecting every corner on their two night tables.
"Ah- I heard it!" Shouyou suddenly exclaims and makes some stupid hand clapping motions into the air. Tobio doubts that this is a good strategy but he lets his mate do as he pleases, while continuing to look for it by himself.
They spend another five minutes trying to find and kill it. At the end it's Tobio who ends the war with a quick coordinated hit of his hand against the wall. "Nice kill!" Shouyou laughs and jumps on the bed.
He finishes up in the bathroom, also brushing his teeth and washing his face. Tobio turns off the bright light and waits for his mate to join him in bed.
They cuddle close whisper a few more words to each other, ending with good nights and two or three kisses on the forehead, lips and bond mark.
It takes another minute before they find the perfect sleeping position.
With a freckled leg spread over his hip and a ginger head on his shoulder Tobio closes his eyes, and falls asleep, feeling warm, regular breathing against his neck.
_____
The next day they wake up at the same time again. Point 7 o'clock
This time it's Tobio who is triumphant and hits the alarm clock first. He pushes Shouyou back into the bed and soon enough it turns into a little wrestling contest. Shouyou manages to overthrow his mate by giving his neck a playful bite, surprising Tobio who then suddenly sees his world turn upside down as his omega rolls them around so he can sit on top of him, grinning down at him like a proud king.
"Idiot" Tobio huffs in defeat, not feeling awake enough yet to continue their competition.
"Mhm, morning to you too" Shouyou whispers against his lips and steals a warm, short kiss.
"It's still my win, you know?" The other one clarifies, stemming himself upwards, pushing the omega off himself.
"Details, details" he laughs and hugs his partner tightly just as he wants to get out off bed. He's hanging like a koala around him.
"Honey, you are heavy..."
"Huh? I'm not! You've just gotten weak"
Tobio tries to push him away but Shouyou has a strong grip. "Don't make me fall!" he warns him. "I will if you don't get off and let me go pee!"
"Ah Tobio!"
Shouyou's ass hits the bed.
"Idiot" Shouyou grumbles but isn't mad at him as he watches his mate leave into the bathroom.
He loves their little playful banters, not as wild as they were at twenty but still the same feelings for each other, showing the other one your love by lovingly teasing or challenging them. It never gets old.
___
Uhh I might write a third chapter about their holiday. (When they meet Niece and Heitor) but I wanna know what you think otherwise I would jump back to writing about their life before kids , Highschool or Olympics
Orr if you have any suggestions tell me!!