Family
"Did you remember the gifts?"
"Yes? Why would I ever forget our grandchildren's gifts?"
"Need I remind you what happened when we took a car and when we were half way to the house you made me pull over and check the trunk."
"...You'll never let me live that down will you?"
The car itself was an old, small one that was well known for hitting a lot of bumps especially with the snow coming down.
In the driver's seat, a man with wild white hair, scars on his face and a beard grips the wheel as he's giving a smirk at the other man in the passanger seat. His long hair was a salt and pepper color and tied back in a braid. The driver wore a red sweater with a heavy jacket and gloves with dark pants and snow boots, while the passenger wore a blue button up polo shirt under a fleece jacket and around his neck was his glasses.
The drive leaned in and kissed the passenger's cheek, his beard and mustache scratching softly against the other's skin, "With fucking love, Tomioka."
"...You can call me Giyuu, you know. Since we're together and all," Giyuu deadpanned at his long time companion, "Thank the gods our children don't mind.."
"Well why would they? We raised them right didn't we?" Sanemi huffed, slowly slipping his hand into the other man's. On his ring finger, above his old wedding ring now sits a silver one with windmills carved into it. On Giyuu's was a silver one with waves on it above his own as he turned his hand to intertwine their fingers in the privacy of their car.
Honestly if anyone had told these two that one day there would be machines like the car the two would probably have scoffed or well Sanemi would have while Giyuu would just stare at the person. It had taken a lot of time learning from their children how to work the damn thing and surprisingly Sanemi worked it better than Giyuu thankfully.
Sanemi sighed as he looked back at his old wedding ring. Thinking about his late wife and how perceptive she was...well he's just glad she wasn't someone to air out other's business. Even at her angriest she never revealed his feelings for Giyuu and made sure he knew that should she go before him, he could go be with Giyuu. When she had passed away four years ago, about a year after Giyuu's wife, he couldn't felt feeling a little guilty at first...but knowing their children supported them helped the two come together.
"Well either way i am excited to see the grandchildren," Giyuu smiled as a little glimmer comes to his blue eyes, "Oh...I wonder how much little Keiichi has grown now...he's...six now yes?"
"Seven and well he's definitely growing like a weed if the photos Aika has sent us are anything to go by...hmm."
Giyuu tilted his head, "It's sweet your daughter doesn't want us to miss out on the grandchildren growing up. My son and daughter in law are excited to bring the new baby. Oh..I heard he's gotten so big..." He leaned on Sanemi's shoulder, "And I heard your son Masa is bringing some ohagi."
"Hmm he better. I want those grandkids to know what proper Shinazugawa ohagi tastes like after drilling him in how to properly make it..." Sanemi sighed as he pulled into the drive way of the nice sized house.
There were already Christmas lights up and a big snow man waiting out front as well as three small children dressed in winter clothes run about giggling; two boys and one girl, one boy in a green jacket with a knitted beanie, the other in a red one with a warm checkered scarf and the little girl in a blue winter suit with little fox ears on the top.
Giyuu smiled as he opened the door, "Keiichi, Tadao, Shinju!" He called to them...and yelped when the one in green, little Keiichi with his grandfather's white hair and smile charged forwards like a blur and hugged him around his middle.
"Giyuu-oji! You caaaaame!"
"Oi oi, what about me you little spitfire?" Sanemi huffed...only to wheeze when the other boy runs up and hugs his leg, "At least Tadao is happy to see me, aren't you you little hurricane?"
Tadao giggled and smiled his short dark hair blowing in the wind. Though he had his late grandmother's brown eyes the rest of him resembled Giyuu very very much. Except his smile was untouched by the horrors of war or fighting demons...Sanemi picked him up and then hummed when little Shinju, the girl, made her way over to him as well.
She resembled Genya so much. From the innocent smile to the dark hair under he hood. She reached up to him with a smile showing her new baby teeth and giggled happily.
"Jiji!"
"Yes yes, Jiji is here with Giyuu-oji," Sanemi sighed as he managed to pick up both children in his arms.
Tadao giggled and reached towards Giyuu who carried Keiichi in his one arm and walked over, "Hello little treasures...We missed you. Were you all good for your parents? Being helpful with the baby? Hmm?"
A sheepish smile comes to the kids faces before Sanemi squinted his eyes. A wicked grin comes to his face as he tickled Tadao's feet.
"Come on now, tell Jiji and Giyuu-oji now. We want to know!"
"Sofuuuu make him stooooop! Hehehehehehehe!" Tadao laughed loudly, squirming and wiggling, "Tousaaaaaaan!"
Giyuu shook his head before the door suddenly opened. A man with long black hair tied half up rushed down with a grin. He could be Giyuu's clone if not for the beard and having heterochromia; one brown eye and one blue. Plus he had a little more softness around his belly as he rushed down to pick up Tadao from Sanemi's grasp.
"Never fear my son, Tou-san has arrived to save you!"
Sanemi snorted before he made sure Shinju was comfortable in his arms and then takes Keiichi to hug him when the boy starts to get squirmy in Giyuu's one arm.
"Nobuo," Giyuu walked to his only son and gently pulled him into a hug, "You look well my son...I'm glad to see you're doing all right."
"Hello Oto-san," Nobuo smiled softly as he hugged his father back while Tadao was giggling happily, "I'm glad you guys made it. Aika and Masa are arguing again and I'm not sure my poor Sango can keep them from starting a fight. Plus Aiki's husband is absent...again."
Sanemi sighed heavily before he carried his two grandchildren towards the house, "Damned bastard can't be bothered to come with his wife and children...I tell her she can do much better than that..."
The two watch him go inside as Tadao leaned on his father's shoulder and closed his eyes with a happy hum. He was tired from running around with his friends and travelling with his parents and his new baby sister Chika to the Shinazugawa's household. Nobuo sighed and shifted his grip on his son before giving his father a smile.
"How are you holding up, Oto-san?"
"Ah as good as I can be. You're Okaasan would be gushing over Chika right now and telling Nemi to shave his face before letting him even hug her," A soft laugh leaves him.
Nobuo nodded and sighed, "I miss her too."
He couldn't have asked for a more understanding and kind woman to call his wife. Giyuu had loved her. Maybe not as deeply as he had Sanemi or Sabito, but she had a special place in his heart. Maybe in another life they could be good friends with each other while being with those they truly love.
"So, do you need help carrying in the presents?"
"Yes, they should be in the trunk. I'll take Tadao and pray there isn't a bloodbath going on."
As if on cue, the door opens as a petite and stout young woman comes out with a baby carrier in her hand while there was loud shouting from inside.
"AT LEAST I DIDN'T USED TO WIPE MY SNOT ON KAASAN'S FURNITURE!"
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS BRING THAT UP NEESAN?! AT LEAST MY FARTS AREN'T AS RANK AS YOURS!"
Giyuu and Nobuo both wince a bit, before Tadao perks up and smiles at the woman approaching. Her hair was tied up in an intricate bun as she holds a carrier with baby Chika in it. The baby was fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos going on in the house behind her mother as she was brought over. Her little tufts of black hair were tied in two little blue ribbons as she was all swaddled up.
Instantly, Giyuu's heart melted at the sight of his new granddaughter.
"is this little Chika?"
"Yes," Sango smiled, gently holding up the carrier to give him a good look at her.
She opened her little eyes and smiled gurgling happily as her eyes seem to glimmer at the sight of meeting her grandfather. He leaned down and gently reached up a hand for her to grip on to his finger.
"...She looks like her Obaasan..." he whispered, smiling softly.
By now Tadao had nodded off on his father's shoulder at such a peaceful moment outside.
"IF YOU TWO DON'T KNOCK IT OFF I'LL GIVE YOU BOTH SOMETHING TO REALLY YELL ABOUT!"
And then it ended with Sanemi's familiar roar.
A sigh leave Giyuu before he smiled softly, "I better go make sure Sanemi's blood pressure doesn't rise any further. Then when I'm done I'll come back and help unload presents."
Nobuo laughed softly as he held on to his son and felt a strange sense of nostalgia watching his father walking up the steps and into the house. Even though their mothers weren't with them, he couldn't help but feel like they were here and watching over them as their fathers were like a married couple.
He wouldn't have this family any other way.