Anna had just finished jotting down her final notes when the garden door slid open again and Riley marched in, Ralts floating dutifully behind her. She stopped short when she saw everyone still sitting in the living room, her eyes immediately darting to Satoshi—then Anna.
She tilted her head. "Are you still asking questions?"
Anna raised a brow. "Just finishing up. Do you have any concerns you want to speak before I leave?"
Riley blinked before frowning and thinking hard. "No? I love them and they love me, I think. I just wish they were more affectionate."
"Oh?" Anna smiled at her gently, nodding as she listened. "Do you think they don't offer you enough affection even if you're happy with them?"
She shook her head. "It's not that. I mean, they show it to me, but not that much to each other."
Satoshi turned the color of a tomato.
Shirou asked slowly, "You think we don't show enough physical affection between each other?"
Riley pouted and nodded. "Yeah, I mean, you don't do much of that."
Satoshi tried to smile. "That's because we didn't want to make you uncomfortable."
"Why would I be?" Riley asked, folding her arms. "You're married. You should kiss more. That's what married people do, right?"
Satoshi's smile turned brittle. "W-Well, not all married people—"
Anna looked intrigued now. "Do you feel they don't express love enough, Riley?"
Riley shrugged. "They kind of do? It's mostly in the little things, though. Like, how Dad makes food and hums and makes tea for everyone. Shirou-Dad always keeps watch to make sure everyone is safe and how Ash-Dad fixes stuff without anyone asking."
Then she looked pointedly at them. "But you could still kiss sometimes."
There was a beat of silence.
Before Anna could respond—likely with another set of probing questions—Ashwatthama shifted from where he'd been leaning silently against the wall. His steps were steady as he crossed the room.
Satoshi looked up at him, confused. "Ash—?"
He didn't get a chance to finish because Ashwatthama leaned down and—gently, deliberately—pressed a kiss to his lips.
Satoshi stiffened immediately. His heart leapt into his throat, panic flickering across his eyes until Ashwatthama tugged lightly on his ear, leaned close enough to obscure his expression from Anna and Riley, and whispered just loud enough for only him to hear against his lips: "Showtime. Relax."
The reminder, bizarrely, worked.
Satoshi exhaled shakily. His shoulders loosened. He managed to kiss back—softly—before Ashwatthama drew away with no more than a proud little flick of his brow.
Then, without pause, he turned to Shirou.
The second kiss was shorter—bare, almost businesslike. But Shirou, true to form, didn't flinch. Didn't blink. Just met Ashwatthama's gaze with calm confidence and let him do it. Unfazed.
Ashwatthama turned back around with the faintest glint of satisfaction in his eyes. He looked at Anna, then at Riley. His expression said: See? Everything's fine.
Riley giggled, clapping her hands once. "That's better!"
Satoshi, still very much processing, gave a smile that was about 60% flustered and 40% panic—but he didn't object. Shirou simply leaned back in his seat like nothing had happened, lips untouched, ego intact.
Anna smiled as she finally stood with her clipboard tucked back under her arm. "I've seen enough."
Satoshi wasn't sure if that was good or bad… but judging by the little curve on her lips as she walked out the door—Maybe it was enough indeed.
After a round of goodbyes, the door finally clicked shut behind Anna, the sound oddly final despite her cheerful "See you next week!"
Riley had already skipped off to her room, hand-in-hand with Ralts, excited to draw something "about the big family now." The house finally settled into quiet.
Satoshi let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"She said she'll be coming once a week until we move to Brockton," he said aloud, mostly to himself. "Then someone else will pick up our case."
There was a short silence.
"…So do we have to kiss in front of Riley now?" he asked weakly, looking between the other two. Then, quickly, "Sorry. Especially you, Ashwatthama. You just got here and already had to act like—like—"
Ashwatthama rolled a shoulder. "I don't mind playing a part."
His tone was even, but something sharp lingered in it. "Just don't ask me for more than I'm ready to give."
Satoshi blinked, about to respond—until he noticed Shirou's expression: He was glaring at Ashwatthama. Not subtly. Not even passively. His arms were folded tight and his jaw was tense.
Satoshi's brows pinched together in confusion. "Shirou—?"
Before he could ask, Shirou was moving—quick steps across the living room, his eyes now fixed squarely on Satoshi. Focused. Intense.
Satoshi stood dumbly, unsure whether to be alarmed or not. "Wha—"
He didn't finish, because Shirou leaned down and kissed him. Not a peck like Ashwatthama did. Not rough, either. But real. Intentional. Certain. His hands didn't touch him—he didn't need to. Just the press of his lips against Satoshi's was enough to short-circuit his thoughts completely.
Satoshi's breath hitched. Then the moment passed, and Shirou pulled away, gaze unreadable—but calm.
"We should practice from time to time," he said, voice low but steady. "To look natural."
Satoshi stood there, blinking, his fingers twitching at his sides. "O-okay," he managed. "Uh. Sure. Yeah. For practice."
Off to the side, Ashwatthama snorted. Not a mocking one—not quite. More like amused disbelief, rough around the edges but not cruel.
"Practice," he echoed, crossing his arms again. "That what we're calling it?"
Satoshi opened his mouth. Closed it. Looked at Shirou, then at Ashwatthama. His face was as red as a tomato now. "I—I didn't mean—"
Shirou ignored Ashwatthama entirely, eyes still on Satoshi. "You need to stop apologizing for everything. We're all here because of choices. Yours included."
Ashwatthama shrugged from the side. "He's not wrong."
Satoshi rubbed the back of his neck, muttering, "Sorry."
Both of them sighed at the same time.
"…Force of habit," Satoshi added sheepishly.
Shirou's expression softened ever so slightly. "You did good today. With Riley. With the worker."
"Your food probably sealed the deal," Ashwatthama added, smirking. "Pretty sure she saw god halfway through dessert."
Satoshi laughed despite himself, rubbing his face. "Okay, okay… just—thanks. For playing along. For being here."
He looked at both of them, more genuinely now. "I know it's weird, and rushed, and not what you signed up for—but I'm glad it's you two."
The room was quiet for a beat. Then Shirou said, "We should start prepping for the move soon."
Ashwatthama nodded once. "And maybe buy a bigger bed."
Satoshi sputtered again, flustered anew, while both of them shared the same look: Amused. Grounded. And maybe, just maybe, starting to feel a little like home.
.
Riley had finally been tucked into bed, after water, a bedtime story, and five extra hugs for Ralts. Now the house had quieted.
Mostly.
When Satoshi stepped into the bedroom, Ashwatthama was already sprawled on his side of the large bed, the soft glow of the Company tablet lighting up his face. His thick fingers swiped across the screen with audible skepticism.
"Some of these missions are psychotic," he muttered. "Seriously—'Fuck Leviathan', 'Get Carol pregnant', 'Have six children with Glory Girl', 'Rape—'? What the hell."
Satoshi sighed and rubbed his temples. "Don't dig too deep. You'll give yourself a migraine."
Ashwatthama glanced up at him. "You really picked the tamest options."
"I picked the ones that didn't involve questionable morality or body fluids," Satoshi muttered as he climbed into the middle of the bed.
Ashwatthama just grunted, scrolling again, only to grimace and turn the tablet slightly away from his face. "Gross."
Shirou entered a second later, having turned off the hall lights. He didn't say anything—just moved silently across the room and slid under the covers. Satoshi expected the usual routine: Shirou giving him space until later in the night when he inevitably ended up wrapped around him like a cat that refused to admit it liked cuddles.
Instead, Shirou slid in behind him immediately, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close in one smooth, practiced motion.
Satoshi froze.
Warmth. Chest to back. Hot breath ghosting over his neck. He turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder. "Shirou…?"
Shirou's face was unreadable. "We should start practicing now," he said simply.
"P-Practicing what?"
"Sleeping like a married couple. She'll keep checking, after all."
Satoshi blinked. But the firmness of Shirou's arm said he wasn't kidding. So he exhaled, awkwardly trying to relax even as the proximity made his heart race.
Behind him, Ashwatthama snorted.
"What?" Satoshi muttered, cheeks heating.
"Nothing," Ashwatthama said, still scrolling. "Just watching the two of you rehearse domestic bliss while I read about… whatever this is."
"You could stop reading," Shirou said calmly, chin lightly resting on Satoshi's shoulder now. "It's late."
"I'm not tired."
"You're squinting at the screen like a grumpy grandpa," Satoshi mumbled.
"I'm studying," Ashwatthama snapped—but not with any real heat.
Satoshi smiled faintly, more amused than annoyed now. He was warm. Nestled. Shirou's hand hovered near his stomach, not quite touching, but close enough he could feel the heat.
He yawned.
"You can finish reading tomorrow," he murmured, already feeling sleep tugging at his limbs. "Now it's sleep time."
Ashwatthama didn't respond for a long moment. Then the screen dimmed, and the quiet sound of the tablet being placed on the nightstand followed.
"Fine," came the grumble. "But I'm not spooning anyone."
Satoshi was too far gone into drowsy comfort to do more than chuckle.
"Wasn't asking you to," he mumbled sleepily, eyes slipping shut. "But thanks…"
For the warmth. For staying. For trying.
Even if he didn't say it, it lingered in the silence between them—like something beginning.
.
Satoshi stirred slowly.
Something felt… off. Not wrong, just strange. His body was warm, comfortable, thoroughly tangled in blankets—and pressed into something solid. No soft pitter-patter of feet. No Riley jumping into bed or Ralts humming in his ear.
Odd, but that wasn't the strange part. The strange part was the… firmness against his lower back.
Satoshi's eyes snapped open.
No.
Very slowly, carefully, he shifted his hips—just an inch—to confirm what he already dreaded. The thing nudged more insistently against him.
He went stiff.
Oh no. Oh no, no, no—
"Don't move," came Shirou's gruff voice, still thick with sleep and just a touch of embarrassment. His arm around Satoshi's waist tensed, then loosened with a quiet sigh. "It's… nothing. Just morning wood. Sorry."
Satoshi couldn't even breathe, much less reply.
He felt the warmth of Shirou's body pull away as the man sat up behind him, sheets rustling softly.
"Going to the bathroom," Shirou muttered and stood, his footsteps quiet as he padded across the room and slipped inside, shutting the door with a click.
Satoshi stared at the ceiling, face fully red, heart hammering.
And then…
A low chuckle.
He groaned and slowly turned his head. Ashwatthama was already awake, lying on his side, one arm tucked under his head and smirking at him like a lion who had just watched another predator trip on its own paws.
"Sleep well, Princess?"
Satoshi shoved his face into the pillow. "Shut up."
"Didn't hear you complain when he was wrapped around you like a blanket all night," Ashwatthama drawled, clearly enjoying himself.
"I was asleep!"
Ashwatthama raised an eyebrow. "Sure. And here I thought you two were just practicing."
Satoshi let out a muffled groan.
Ashwatthama chuckled again, low and warm. "Don't worry," he added lazily, stretching his arms over his head. "It happens. You're just lucky he's polite enough to retreat. If it were me…"
He trailed off, letting the suggestion hang in the air.
Satoshi sat up, glaring at him with a pillow mark on his cheek and murder in his eyes. "You're the worst."
Ashwatthama huffed. "You picked me."
And Satoshi had no comeback for that.
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Also, if you want to support me and read chapters ahead, go to my p@treon: JorieDS