Chapter Text
“Mom, I can’t find my drawing.”
“Didn’t you put it on the table in front of the TV last night?”
“Right! Thank you, Mom!”
A colt with a crescent so akin to her father beamed when she remembered. Toukai Teio was always excited to go to kindergarten. The girl enjoyed being surrounded by others her age, and her parents were more than happy to have a place where Teio could let out all of her excessive energy in a positive manner. Air Groove made sure her eldest foal went and checked the TV before she continued packing Teio’s bento for the day.
“Papa.”
Admire Groove, sitting on her father’s lap by the dining table, looked up to meet her father’s magenta eyes. She had a Kyoho grape in her hand—a hand still so small it could only hold one—and lifted it for her Papa to peel. Aruve was still too young to attend kindergarten and, compared to Teio, a lot more docile. She did not run around knocking things the moment she could stand, for example. It was such a given, since Teio totally took most of Air Groove and her husband, Symboli Rudolf’s, energy. Aruve still wanted a lot of attention, though. She always tailed her mother and father. She would want to be carried, or asked a thing or two, though she mostly enjoyed just being with her parents. Rudolf was often very busy, so times like now, when they could spend the whole morning having breakfast together, Aruve always wanted to sit in Rudolf’s lap. Rudolf, of course, would not have it any other way.
“There you go, Princess.” Rudolf gave back the peeled grape to her filly. Aruve smiled, a small one, but Rudolf knew it was genuine. Aruve rarely smiled, so whenever she did, Rudolf was overjoyed. The stallion took another grape from their fruit basket.
“Do you want more?”
“Un.”
“The purple one?”
“Un.”
“The green one is nice too. Want to try?”
“But Papa won’t peel that one.”
“You can eat that one just like that. But do you want Papa to peel?”
“Un.”
It seems for some reason, Aruve just wanted to see her Papa peel the grapes.
Teio the eldest already bounced back to her mother, still with her beaming smile. She held out her hand, waiting for her bento. Air Groove put the neatly wrapped bento in her hand.
“Can you put it in the bag yourself?”
“Of course!”
“Really? Let me see.”
“Hmph! Behold, my genius and valiant effort, Mom!”
“... Rudolf. What did you teach her?”
“I… uh… I don’t know what you’re talking about, love.”
“... at least it’s good for her vocabulary…”
Just when Teio was about to show her “genius and valiant effort” of putting her bento box neatly in her bag, a faint baby cry could be heard from the room next door. Air Groove immediately reacted, passing a look at Rudolf, who smiled and nodded at her.
“Tsuruchan is awake!”
Teio beamed, following her mother to the baby room happily. Inside the baby crib, the youngest of the three siblings, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi, woke up with a cry. Unlike her two siblings, Tsuyoshi was born with a weak body. Air Groove and Rudolf could count how many times Toukai Teio and Admire Groove got a fever until now, but even with the years and both babies combined, baby Tsuyoshi's instances of getting into the hospital already outnumber them. Air Groove gently cradled Tsuyoshi in her arms and checked her temperature for a bit with a thermometer they always had ready by Tsuyoshi’s bedside.
Normal, just slightly elevated and on the higher side, but not a fever. The good days, for Tsuyoshi. The baby’s cry immediately stopped the moment she was in her mother’s arms. Purple eyes, so akin to her father’s, blinked as they looked into her mother’s greyish-blue ones. The baby giggled when her mother gave her a gentle kiss.
“Mom, I want to see Tsuruchan too!”
“Okay, but keep your voice low. Promise?”
“Promise!”
“Still a bit too loud there, Teio. Promise?”
“Promise.”
Only a demon would not smile at Teio’s whisper. Air Groove slowly kneeled to level the height of the baby in her arms and her eldest. Teio’s face shone with wonder and excitement when she looked at Tsuyoshi. Tsuyoshi raised a small, fat hand at Teio and started making baby noises. It appeared Tsuyoshi also liked seeing her eldest sibling.
“Teio, it’s time to go.”
Rudolf peeked from the hallway, Aruve on her arms. Teio briefly turned back at her father and looked back at Tsuyoshi with a grin, “See you, Tsuyoshi!”
As if she understood, Tsuyoshi giggled.
Teio bolted to the dining room, ever the boisterous girl. Air Groove tailed after with Tsuyoshi in her arms now, watching how her husband put down Aruve—who appeared quite sad—and Teio put on her bag and her yellow cap.
“What time will you get home today?”
“I think around six,” Rudolf took her suitcase and kissed her wife gently on the lips. Aruve still held on to her pants somehow. “There will be a meeting with the stakeholders for the new track in Kochi. We have tried to liven up the regional events, but the stakeholders still appear quite hesitant about investing more.”
“What did the board think about your last proposal? The centrally sponsored event?”
“Their words are polite, but it seems bleak. You are right that it would be better to somehow improve the regional fervor, instead of direct intervention.”
Rudolf’s eyes lingered on Air Groove a while longer. Love, wonder, longing, various emotions mixed inside her eyes.
Two years into their marriage, once Teio was born, Air Groove finally gave up her position in URA. Having excellent work ethic and outstanding work result, Air Groove's future was bright as a career woman. Being partners since their highschool year up to their adulthood, Rudolf knew that more than anyone. She knew just what a big decision it was for Air Groove to step down from her position, on the road to their dreams. However, the one who seemed to not be so bothered was Air Groove herself. Ever so firm in her decision, Air Groove fit into their new life as a family and eases Rudolf's burden. They may not have worked side by side in the office anymore, but they still supported each other in so many other ways.
Air Groove smiled and returned her husband’s kiss, breaking their wordless exchange.
“You’ll be late.”
“Yes. Yes, you’re right, love.”
Rudolf looked down at her baby in her wife’s arms and nuzzled her nose on the small tuft of white crescent hair by Tsuyoshi’s forehead, before giving a gentle kiss. Tsuyoshi giggled happily at the sensation.
“Aruve, Papa will have to go to work now.”
Still gripping Rudolf’s working pants, Aruve looked up with a displeased expression.
“Aruve?”
Reluctantly, Aruve let go of her grip and went to grip her mother’s pants instead. Rudolf's heart melted at her silent obedience. She bent down to level her face with Aruve.
"No goodbye kiss for Papa?"
Aruve let go of her mother's pants for a second and cupped her father's face before giving a kiss on the cheek, which earned her a gentle return kiss on her forehead. Rudolf chuckled when Aruve snuggled close to her one last time.
"Be a good girl, okay, Princess? Papa will be back."
"Un."
With that done, Aruve went back to her mother's side, hugging her mother's leg this time.
By the entrance of their house, after slipping into her work shoes, Rudolf held out a hand for Teio to take. Once the eldest gleefully grabbed her hand firmly, she looked back at her wife and two kids again.
“We’ll be off, then.”
“See you later, Aruve! Mommy!”
“Be careful.”
“Un.”
With the door sliding shut, a new day officially began for Air Groove and Symboli Rudolf’s family.