Thread by @pearlsephoni

#kagehina as dads, ft the second of Sino's delightful kghn kids

One of Shoyo's favorite pieces of advice that he received as a new father regarded the importance of talking with one's child to accelerate their language development.

https://twitter.com/sinopiah/status/1631638693059629056

Or something like that. He was just happy to have a comeback whenever Tobio asked why he had one-sided conversations with Lili before she could even say "Papa."

Now those questions were replaced with a bemused gaze that was easy to ignore while he chatted with Luka.

"What do you think, Lukinho?" he hummed as he stared into the fridge, bouncing the 1-year-old on his hip. "Will Papa and Lili want chicken or salmon?"

"Apa!"

"My thoughts exactly." He slid a container of marinated salmon leftovers from the fridge to the counter.

"Gotta make some fresh rice before they get home."

"Hee," Luka burbled, grabbing Shoyo's collar with a grip that felt more like lobster pincers than baby hands.

"No, I don't think Lili wants to share your porridge, but I love your sharing spirit! I wish Natsu were so generous."

"Chuuuuu."

"Yeah, Auntie Natsu!" Shoyo cooed. "Aren't you so smart? Our little genius." He gave in to the temptation of pressing kisses all over his son's chubby cheeks before he slid him into his walking harness. The toy bells jingled cheerily with Luka's bounces and kicks.

Luka was chatty where Lili had been restless. While their daughter had been quiet and stealthy when she began crawling around, Luka was happy to sit in place and get his wiggles out with kicking feet and loud attempts at syllables.

Shoyo adored getting responses to his cheeky questions, especially when the monosyllabic answers came with a cooed giggle.

"God, he's gonna be as talkative as you," Tobio had groaned with a smile the previous week, after Shoyo and Luka had a full minute of "conversation."

"Why're you saying that like it'll be a bad thing?" Shoyo had gasped, affronted. "You should be excited to have a mini-me running around!"

"Uh-huh. All he'll be missing is your tangerine hair."

Luka's hair *did* look like a brunette version of Shoyo's messy waves, though with that typical baby wispiness. Miwa was already excited to work her magic on him once he was old enough. She had a loyal fan in Lili, so it was only a matter of time before Luka became obsessed, too.

The rice finished cooking just as Shoyo got a text with a simple, "Heading home now."

"Yayyy, Lili's done for the day!" he cheered quietly. "Think they'll like lunch?"

He waited for another babble, and heard silence instead.

He turned from the cooling rice to see his son nodding off in his harness. "Aw, kiddo," he laughed, quickly lifting Luka out of the walker and tucking him into his side. "Is it naptime again?"

He got more silence as a response, and the feeling of Luka nuzzling into his shoulder.

"Papa always says you'll be like me," he murmured, carrying Luka to the nursery, "but look at you. Already so clingy, just like him."

"Pa..."

"That's what I told him."

He loved naptime, when the kids got all sleepy and snuggly. He loved rocking them in his arms and quietly singing lullabies that used to be sung to him.

The familiar tunes rose easily to his lips, and he could feel Luka sagging more and more into his arms with every note.

He roused a bit when Shoyo quietly slid the nursery's shoji screen shut behind him, and even opened his eyes when Tobio called, "We're home!"

"Shh sh sh, you're so close, keep listening to me," Shoyo whispered, catching Luka's lifting head and tucking it back into his shoulder.

He wasn't sure how long it took for soft, snuffling snores began sounding from the baby. All he knew was that, when he carefully lowered Luka into his crib, his arms were trembling from his weight.

"There you are."

Shoyo bit back a squeak of surprise as he whirled towards the door and saw his husband right there, leaning on the sturdy edge of the screen.

"Ah, welcome home," he whispered, urging Tobio out of the room and sliding the door shut behind them. "Did you eat?"

"Not yet. Figured you hadn't eaten yet."

"You don't know that!"

"Oh, yeah? Then did you eat already?"

Shoyo winced. "...No."

Tobio's snort was softened by the fondness shining from his eyes. "Dumbass. Come eat. It looks delicious."

"Of course it does! I made it!"

Another snort, this time accompanied by a sweet kiss to Shoyo's temple. "Sure. Let's eat, get Lili to nap, and enjoy some time to ourselves, yeah?"

Shoyo just hummed in agreement, wrapping his arms around Tobio's waist and holding tight as they walked back to the kitchen.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Shoyo mumbled. "Just...sleepy."

"Me, too."

He looked up at Tobio with a grin. "I think I have some ideas for our alone time, then."

"Oh, yeah? Care to share?"

"Naptime!"

A real laugh burst out of Tobi. "God, you're so dumb. Of course that's what we're doing. What did you think?"

Shoyo flushed, framing his frown with pink cheeks. "I dunno...what do we usually do with free time?"

Tobio's smile softened. "...Sleep first, then sex."

"Okayyyy."

For all his whining, Shoyo had to admit: laying in bed, curled into Tobio with warm arms around wrapped him...it was perfect.

Besides, what better way was there to bond with their kids than by taking part in their favorite pastime?

//fin

oops, there ended up being less of Luka himself in this than I'd anticipated, but in my defense, there's only so many ways you can write baby babbling 😩 I hope this is enjoyable regardless!!