Chapter Text
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The pavilion of the Prince Park Tower in Tokyo—at six o’clock on a spring morning was a concrete arena full of headlights, smoke and shouting. A couple of vans were parked nearby while men and women were busying around preparing the place for an event. The facility had a breathtaking 270-degree view and was usually used for wedding ceremonies. But that specific day, in March, the pavilion was not going to host a wedding but a police ceremony.
A few months after the Slasher-Gasher started his stabbing bonanza in the early winter of the previous year, he had been finally apprehended. The arresting detective had been Suguru and this feat had earned him a promotion and a Medal of Valour. The Medal was something that was annually awarded to public safety officers who had exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life. And that was what Suguru had done.
Come evening, the entire police department was there, including their families and friends, all waiting for the 'coronation'. The event had taken a few good hours and included having Suguru sit on the stage for some time, dressed in full police ‘class A’ suit rather than his typical suit. The formal attire included a dark blue dress jacket, dress pants and a custom insignia communicating Suguru’s level of authority and his experience. On the other hand, Satoru had been grinning at him from the first row, with Nanako and Mimiko in his arms, while Suguru’s valiant deeds had been recited for the entire town present at the event.
Then finally he had been awarded the Medal of Valour and the venue exploded in cheers, with the twins screaming the most even if the girls had no idea what was going on. When Suguru finally walked off the stage, he went straight for Satoru who was waiting for him. But as things went, Suguru had to stop more than a couple of times to shake hands with colleagues and superiors. Nanako ran to him and stopped only when she bumped against his legs, wrapping her arms around them. Her arrival was a good excuse for Suguru to walk away from two of his colleagues and finally head for Satoru who carried Mimiko in his arms.
He picked Nanako up with a small grunt and she snatched the police hat from his head while giggling, so Suguru kissed her cheek. He watched Satoru walk up to them and Suguru had to draw in a deep breath. He always had been and still was breathtakingly handsome. Knowing himself, Suguru knew he was going to find him so even in twenty years. If Satoru would really want that, too. His thoughts were interrupted by Todo’s, Panda’s, Yaga’s and Aoi’s arrival, the dogs calmly walking behind Satoru. But as expected, Aoi and Yaga needed a pat from Suguru before settling down at his feet.
Satoru stopped in front of Suguru, reached out, cupped his face in his hands and gently pulled him into a kiss. It made the girls giggle again and Nanako placed Suguru’s hat on Satoru’s head instead. Then she hugged her father and placed her head on his shoulder, content and calm, lightly swinging her legs while looking at Satoru. The past month had been eventful for both Suguru and Satoru. Firstly, it had been the apprehension of the Slasher-Gasher, secondly, it had been Suguru’s promotion to the rank of Sergeant.
Thirdly, and probably the most important thing to both Satoru and Suguru, Nanako and Mimiko starting to call Satoru ‘Da’—short for ‘Dad’, Mimiko had explained very serenely to them. So now Suguru was ‘Pa’ and Satoru was ‘Da’ and if anyone tried to deny or go against that fact they would get as sour as a lemon. What mattered to Suguru was the fact that Satoru had been accepted in their lives and above all, that the girls seemed incredibly happy about it. God knew he was happy—happier than he had ever dreamed to be.
“Where are you?” Satoru asked and Suguru needed to refocus his eyes and thoughts.
“Here,” he said and smiled, his eyes turning to Satoru.
“Liar,” Satoru faintly chuckled and leaned in to kiss him again.
“No, no,” Suguru shook his head when they parted, “I was just wondering if all this is real,” he said and gently squeezed Nanako to him.
She was wearing one of her favourite dresses, a bright lemon-yellow with a beautiful pleated skirt and the faux fur trim as a top. It had two sunflower-yellow bows on each side of the waist and printed yellow flowers in different shades across the skirt part. She had a pair of black boots and a black jacket and her hair was styled in two buns on either side of her head, so she looked like a bee and was just as happily buzzing around, while her sister, Mimiko, was sort of matching the vibe, but in blue and yellow.
“It’s very real,” Satoru assured him and Suguru smiled. “And you deserve every bit of recognition for it,” he added, his eyes proud.
“Thank you,” Suguru smiled and this time he leaned in and kissed Satoru. “If it weren’t for you being here, I would have not made it,” he added.
“I am sure you would have,” Satoru smiled.
“Lies,” Suguru chuckled but Satoru simply wrapped his arms around him, hugging him and the girls, both happily squealed.
Satoru chuckled and pulled back to be able to see them both before he leaned in once more and kissed Mimiko’s temple. Someone walked towards them and Suguru turned his head, smiling a little when he recognised Ino Takuma. He had fully recovered from the attack last year and apparently, he had taken the time to come and see the ceremony. He firstly nodded at Satoru as though to ask for permission to approach them then finally headed for Suguru, shaking his hand.
“Detective Geto…,” he said and smiled, “or actually, Sergeant Geto,” he added and Suguru pursed his lips a little.
“If it isn’t Ino Takuma himself," Suguru lightly bowed his head, "glad to see you’re doing well."
“Well, I owe you for that one,” Ino smiled and eyed Nanako, then Mimiko. “The daughters?” he asked and Suguru nodded.
“The gremlins in person,” he said and switched her on his other arm so she could be closer to Ino.
He watched him reach out and Nanako and Mimiko grabbed two of his fingers—at the same time—and they all sort of shook hands, with the girls looking very proud of themselves. Then Ino let Satoru’s dogs sniff his hand before engaging in further conversation. And so, between Takuma, the other victims of the Slasher-Gasher who attended the ceremony, random officers and superiors and just as random civilians, the day had gone by pretty quickly.
Many hours later, Satoru and Suguru were sitting on the bench in the dog park, watching Nanako and Mimiko play with the dogs. They had stopped being afraid of Aoi some months back. It had happened after Aoi had chewed off and ripped to smithereens one of Mimiko's plush toys. Mimiko had been so upset and mad about it that she had scolded the beast in such a manner and to such a degree that even now Aoi had issues going near their room.
“So…,” Satoru smiled and drew in a deep breath.
“So…,” Suguru smiled and looked at him.
“Yuki is back in town, huh?” Satoru sighed loudly.
“Apparently…,” Suguru said and rolled his eyes.
They had found out about it that very day. That was why Ino Takuma had approached them, had come to say ‘hi’, to bring Suguru the warning. Ino had recognised her instantly when she had shown up at the club he was working at the previous night. She had not been alone but had some ‘guy’ with her and she was wearing a wedding band, but a different one than the guy she was with.
“You think she’s after the girls?” Satoru asked.
“Doubt it,” Suguru smiled.
“After you?” Satoru said and turned his head to look at Suguru.
“As though she stands a chance against you,” Suguru snorted and Satoru made a soft sound, leaning his head against Suguru’s shoulder.
“Why do they still lurk around?” Satoru muttered and sighed.
Satoru had seen Mahito at the ceremony as well, but he had pretended to be oblivious to him and Mahito had made sure to keep his distance. He had applauded though every time one of Suguru’s achievements was mentioned during the Medal of Valour speech. Maybe the guy had finally realised that he was safer because of Suguru and making an enemy out of him was a very bad move.
“Their business,” Suguru said and took Satoru’s hand in his. “As long as they leave us alone they can jump off a cliff as far as I’m concerned,” he added.
Satoru chuckled and straightened up, looking around the park, at his dogs and the girls playing. They were like a family now and Satoru really wanted to keep it that way. And then it dawned on him, where they were and what they were doing and even what he was thinking. He turned his hand, palm up and looked at Suguru’s hand in his. Once, he had taken off Suguru’s wedding band and had promised himself he was going to be the one to put a new one on it.
“This is where it all started,” Satoru suddenly said and Suguru turned his head to look at him.
“You’re right…,” he smiled after pondering for a moment, the light of recognition shimmering in his eyes. The dog park had been their starting point, where they had met, the place where they both ran to when life served them sorrow, where they had gotten used to finding each other. “This is where we met for the first time,” he chuckled.
“And look where we are now,” Satoru exhaled as though relieved.
“Imagine where we will be,” Suguru added and Satoru smiled widely.
“I’m imagining Mr Gojo-Geto,” Satoru didn’t hold back and just nodded, lips pursed but not daring to look at Suguru.
“Already?” Suguru smiled.
“Since that day when I took that blasted wedding ring off your finger,” Satoru admitted.
The statement made Suguru laugh, so he leaned in, cupped Satoru’s cheek in his hand, turned his head and made him look at him before leaning in to kiss him. “It…” he paused, “has a nice ring to it? I guess?” he whispered against Satoru’s lips.
“Don’t encourage me,” Satoru replied just as quietly, lips quivering.
“Or what?” Suguru didn’t back down. “You might do it?”
“Propose to you?” Satoru swallowed hard and Suguru faintly nodded.
“Yeah… I just might,” Satoru gulped drily again.
“Scary…,” Suguru grinned.
“I took that ring off, I will put the right one on, too,” he firmly said.
“Not if I do it first,” Suguru grinned again and finally pulled back.
Those words made Satoru remain silent, letting the whole thing sink in. He said nothing more but simply gazed at Suguru, a faint smile on his lips. If he trusted someone with that promise, it was indeed Suguru. But neither was in a hurry and oddly, neither feared the other would leave. It was as though, for the first time in their lives, they truly had time, time to grow, time to be and when the right time presented itself, they would both take it, grab it and make it their own ‘right time’. Because for the first time in their life, they both believed that everything was going to be alright, just fine, blissfully so and they would have their happily ever after, just like in fairytales—their fairytale.
THE END.