08. Domestic

Something popped in Tsuneo’s back as he stretched after getting off the train. He didn’t think he was ever going to get used to rush hour in Tokyo.
Maybe we should get a car, he thought, not for the first time, as he tried to stop a yawn. He hadn’t really minded the walk home much at first, but he had barely slept last night and after putting up with some of his colleagues all day the walk seemed like a chore. Especially when it was raining. Or hailing. It had done that once.
At least after several month he was finally getting used to his work, and to the school in general. He was even starting to get used to dealing with his fellow teachers. Well, some of them at any rate. Some had their own opinions about him, and liked to share.
“That was like being a student again,” he muttered to himself as he finally turned onto his own street. He nodded pleasantly to a woman who passed him. He couldn’t remember her name, but he vaguely remembered that she was part of the couple that owned the Japanese sweets shop near them. Apparently it was important to know other shop owners in the shipping district, so he was trying to remember people.
He was still getting used to the neighborhood as a whole really, though it wasn’t a bad place. Just living in the shopping district was a very new experience, though Eikichi had slipped in as easily as if he’d always been here.
Tsuneo steps speed up unconsciously when he caught sight of the restaurant they were living in. He hadn’t been sure that he would be able to get used to in a place like that at first, but he had adjusted. There was a strange peaceful feeling he got when he saw it now, and he was still trying to place what it meant.
As he got nearer to the building, his steps slowed then stopped. He allowed a small smile to form on his face. Something had seen different about the place, and he could finally make out what it was. There was a fluttery blank thing hiding something on the front of the building.
The sign was finally up. Eikichi had shown it to him proudly a month before, but hadn’t wanted mout it out front until things were closer to the restaurant's official opening Before he left for work he had been informed someone was supposed to come by to see it hung, but he must’ve left before they arrived.
It was covered because his partner was trying his hardest to preserve what he called the ‘mystery’ of what the shop was going to be. He didn’t want people figuring out what was going to be there until opening.
‘Trying’ being the operative word here. The black cloth that was clearly supposed to be hiding the proud Gatten Sushi sign hadn’t been secured properly and flapped up slight at each gust of wind. Half the people that had walked by on the street were probably wondering about it ,or at least wondering why it was on this particularly building. Eikichi had gone with a more old-fashioned look for the sign, paying homage to his roots in his own way. It wasn’t at all bad, just completely different than the flyers in the windows with ominously spiky lettering proclaiming ‘coming soon’ on them. The black curtains they’d hung in the windows to hide the inside while renovations were going on really wasn’t helping.
“At least we’ll have people wondering about us,” he said as he headed around to the back entrance so he wouldn’t have to fight past the curtains himself to enter.
As he opened the back door quietly, he was greeted with soft music. There was a radio on somewhere, with Eikichi singing along. Which was weird, if slightly adorable. Not the radio or singing parts - Eikichi sung along to radio songs frequently - but the volume was off. It wasn’t like anyone had ever accused Eikichi of being quiet.
Normally he would have been able to hear it from outside the shop itself.
He traced the source of the music to the main room of the restaurant, and found Eikichi sorting through some papers on a table. He looked usually focused on...whatever he was doing. Tsuneo wasn’t sure if he should be scared or not.
“I’m home,” he called out when his partner didn’t even look up at the sound of footsteps. Eikichi glanced up at him finally and looked at him in surprise for a moment before gracing him with a smile. “Welcome home, babe,” he said, but his voice was quieter than usual. He looked happy about something though, so Tsuneo wasn’t worried. Only curious.
“Saw the sign as I came up,” he said, walking over to join him and see what Eikichi had been doing, “it looks good.”
His partner looked proud at that, “told you it would be awesome,” he said excitedly, “I got that last of the permit crap done so I figured it was time to let everyone know something was coming. Let the anticipation build up before we floor them with our grand opening.” He gestured grandly outside, as if he could already see the crowds. That sort of unbound self-confidence was completely normal for Eikichi, but Tsuneo still found himself drawn to it and couldn’t help but smile.
“You’ll blow them out of the water either way,” he still couldn’t help saying, “but it’s not that much of a mystery. When I said I saw the sign when I walked up I mean saw it. Everyone on the street probably has. It’s not really hidden.”
For a long moment Eikichi stared at him in shock then whirled around to look toward the front door, even though you couldn’t see anything from here without the curtains. “I told those assholes to leave the cover on it!”
“It’s kind of still there?” He slipped an arm around Eikichi’s waist before he could go charging out there to correct it right this minute. He wasn’t really worried about his partner hurting himself trying to fix it himself. He wasn’t worried about him being hurt, it took a lot to injure Eikichi, but he’d only just gotten home. He was already exhausted enough without having to deal with it right then “The bottom just came loose? I’ll help you but it back after dinner.” Because he was not climbing around until he’d finally had something to eat.
Eikichi glanced at him, then back at the door as if he was going to fight him for a moment, then relaxed against him slightly.. He still didn’t look that happy though. “Thanks, babe,” he finally said, “I knew should have been keeping a better eye on those bastards though! It was just a simple request!”
“They did they job they were here for,” Tsuneo pointed out, “it’s not like it’s the sign that’s hanging off to one side or anything. Though I am surprised that you left them alone. You were being stupidly protective about the sign when it was delivered.”
“It’s the Gatten Sushi sign, of course I was!” Eikichi declared, pulling away and gesturing at the front of the shop, “it’s a matter of family pride!” There was a lot unsaid in those words. Getting to use the name Gatten Sushi, the same as the restaurant he had grown up in, had been incredibly important to his partner when they had decided to move out here. Tsuneo suspect that to him it represented his father’s seal of approval on the whole venture, and was a sign the difficult old man actually believed that he could honor the name. Tsuneo still wasn’t entirely sure his partner would have agreed to come if he hadn’t been able to convince his dad it was a good idea. He was just glad that was one thing they hadn’t been forced to deal with.
“And don’t act like you don’t get it,” his partner said, poking him in the side ,”you’re part of this too.”
“I know,” Tsuneo managed to get out, his voice soft, “that’s why I said I would help.” Eikichi said the words so easily. For him and Miyabi it was an obvious there was an ‘us’, and Tsuneo knew that of course he was included in that ‘us’ in their minds. They were a family, part of each other. He felt the same, but even after all the years they had been together, sometimes that easy acceptance would just sideswipe him and he would realize he had a place with them. It was a lifeline he hadn’t realized he had missed, or needed, until he had it again. Putting words on what that meant to him was impossible.
“And it wasn’t like I wasn’t keeping an eye on them,” Eikichi was used to his silences and just kept going. He paused to tilt his head and sighed, “I just...heard Himari fussing and felt like I had to go check on her and Miyabi during part of it. They said they were done by the time I came down again”
All thoughts about signs flew out of his head, “Is Himari all right?” he said quickly, “I thought she was doing better when I left this morning.”
Eikichi sighed again and shrugged, “Maybe?” he said helplessly, “or at least she seems better than yesterday? She’s managing to get some sleep at least. I left her and Miyabi napping upstairs.” He pulled away and leaned against one of the counters, rubbing his forehead. Tsuneo stepped closer and brushed a hand across his cheek. “You could have joined them. You look exhausted yourself.” Eikichi put up a tough front, but the double burden of preparing the shop and a restless five-month-old was clearly weighting on him.
“Like you look an better,” his parenter huffed, “and you’re going to work even though you barely had any sleep last night! I’m not going to let you put up with it alone,” he gestured upstairs. “Besides, I didn’t want to wake them up. Miyabi needs the rest. I figured I needed to start planning the grand opening anyway.”
He gestured towards a table that was covered in sheets of paper with scribbled notes on them, and ran a hand over his face.
“You’re working as hard as I am,” Tsuneo crossed the few feet to the table and picked one of the pieces of paper. He glanced at it for a moment, then put it down again. Just because he was used to deciphering messy student handwriting at school, that didn’t mean he had enough brain power left to do it once he was home for the day. He would ask Eikichi was he was plotting later, just to remind him they were working with a budget here. “Besides, she’s just teething, right?. We just have to...stick it out for a bit longer.” How much longer he wasn’t entirely sure, since tiny infants weren’t really his area of expertise here. They were all flying blind when it came to their daughter, and trying to roll with the punches when something unexpected came up. He had know before Himari was born that dealing with a baby was going to take a lot of energy.
Everyone had been quick to mention that to him multiple times.
But even that had failed to convey the exhaustion of having a kid really meant. It rivaled the worst times from his teenage years. He hadn’t thought that was possible.
“Do you think she’s going to really be fine?” There was the anxiety he had been sensing behind Eikichi’s nervous energy. “Are we sure something’s not really wrong with her? She felt really warm the last time I held her. Is that really okay? What if she’s really getting sick?”
They were questions Tsuneo had been asking himself, even when he was supposed to be concentrating the other kids, the ones at school. “Miyabi took her to the doctor a couple days ago remember?” he said, repeating the line of reasoning he had been using on himself to try and keep him focused all day, “She said that she was doing fine, right? If she’s starting to feel better then we should just keep an eye on her for a few more day to make sure she’s not getting worse.”
“I know, but, urgh, I hate not knowing what to do, you know?” Eikichi sighed, “I know that she’s a baby and all, but it would be so much easier if she could just talk.”
“It would make things easier,” Tsuneo said. Further conversation was cut off by a faint sound from the living spaces above the restaurant itself, followed by a familiar wail. Both of them jumped a little.
“Guess she’s awake,” Eikich said, sounding exhausted, and Tsuneo realized that he and Miyabi had been dealing with this all day.
“I should be heading up anyway,” he said, grabbing his bag off the counter. “You all right getting things straightened up here on your own?”
That got him a snort, “Do I look like a little kid?” he said and made a shooing motion with his hand. “Go help Miyabi. I’ll be there in a sec.”
Tsuneo left him trying to gather his papers and headed up the stairs behind a door at the back of the shop. There was no one in the living room, but the wails were coming from the rooms deeper in the house.
“Come on sweetheart,” he could her Miyabi’s almost desperate voice over the crying, “I know, I know, it’s bad. It will be okay though, okay? So please just…” he could hear her making shushing noises as he poked his head into the bedroom. She was sitting on a futon, cradling their daughter gently He knocked on the doorframe as loudly as he dared to get her attention. “I’m home,” he said softly, but she still jumped at the sound of his voice, causing Himari to give out a fresh well of protest.
“Tsuneo?” she stammered out, tried yes wide and her hair still going in ever direction, “what are you?” She glanced around frantically, “...I fell asleep didn’t I? What time is it?” “It’s not that late, I just got back,” he dropped his satchel on the ground as he kneeled next to her, “besides, you needed the sleep. You look like hell.” None of them had really been able to sleep well for most of the last week because of Himari, but he thought that Miyabi looked worse than even he did.
Still she gave him a brief glare before sighing, “You know, even if that’s true I thought you’d learned not to be so blunt about it,” she grumbled, shifting the baby in her arms when she started to wail again.
“Sorry. I meant let me have her so that you can take a break,” he took a proper seat next to the futon and held out his arms. Miyabi blinked at him in confusion.
“You just got back though,” she said, “don’t you need too…”
“I’ve been hanging around with Eikichi downstairs, it’s fine,” he motioned to her, and after a moment, she carefully passed Himari over to him.
Even after five months, Himari was still so tiny to him. Small, and delicate, and even as he took her he was moving slowly so he didn’t drop her or jar her. She actually quieted a fraction once she was in his arms though, which was a wonder in and of itself.
At least he wasn’t afraid the was going to break her just by moving or breathing while holding her anymore. Miyabi had teased him so much for that right after Himari was born. She sat back and watched them with a smile on her face for a second. Himari chose that moment to start fussing louder again,apparently having decided that she wasn’t as thrilled about the change in who was holding her.
It snapped both of them out of the moment. “Come on sweetheart,” he cooed gently to her, “it’s just me. It’s all right.” Himari just cried louder.
“W..wait, I have something...,” Miyabi scrambled to her feet and darted out of the room. He stared at after her, alarmed. “Miyabi?” he called out. There was no answer from her. Cautiously he got this feet, trying his best not to jar his vulnerable burden. Himari liked that even less and started crying harder as he padded after his partner. She was just coming through from the kitchen when he reach the still box-cluttered living room.
“What are you doing?” she said sternly when she saw him and waved in his general direction, something small in her hand, “I was going to be right back! You didn’t have to come after me.” “Yeah, but..” he managed to stammer out. Miyabi just gave him a look and gestured for him to sit down.”I didn’t know what you had in mind,” he said once he had taken a seat next to the low table in the living room, Himari voicing her displeasure all the while. He wasn’t even sure his lover heard him.
“Something to keep her quiet, hopeful” Miyabi held out the tiny thing she’d fetched from her kitchen. It took him a second to register what it was.
“It’s cold,” he said in surprise as he took the pacifier.
“I put in the fridge earlier, since it’s been helping her calm down, but I forgot about it when she went down for a nap on her own.”
“So it’s still working on her,” it took a couple tries before he could get the pacifier in Himari’s mouth, but one he did she froze then settled down with a slight whimper. The sweet silence made both of them sight in relief Miyabi leaned over and collapsed against his side, her head coming to resting on his shoulder.
“Thank god,” she muttered softly, “it doesn’t work forever, but maybe this time she’ll forget she’s supposed to be upset for a while. And fall asleep again. We both need it.”
He shifted, trying to let her be more comfortable. “You deserve a long vacation,” he told her. “If Himari is sleeping more, that means she’s getting better?”
“I’m not sure if getting better is the correct term, but she’s improving, yeah,” Miyabi muttered, “at least she’s starting to be a little more calm and isn’t fussing as much.” She chuckled weekly, “Or at least I think so. I’m finally starting to remember what sleep was like, anyway.”
He turned his head a little and gave her a soft kiss on the top of her head. “You really do deserve that vacation,” he said to her. “Let me handle her more at night. I can…”
She just chuckled a little. “Didn’t we already have this argument? You need the rest. You’re the only one who’s making us any money right now, so you need that energy. Eikichi has been working non-stop to get the restaurant up and running so he can help out with the money situation too. I don’t want him getting sick from staying up all night with the baby and trying to do everything. You know how he is.”
Tsuneo had been with both of them since high school and understood exactly what she was getting at. Eikichi could be incredibly stubborn once he made up his mind about something. He just wasn’t the only one in the family with that particular quirk though.
“He’s like that,” Tsuneo agreed, “but you’re kind of like that too sometimes. You push yourself too much and you’ll end up getting sick yourself.”
That got small laugh out of her, “You’re starting to sound like Eikichi,” she said. “The two of you have to stop being that over protective of me. I’ll be fine, I’m stronger than I look you know.” She flexed a little, and even he had to laugh at that.
“You’re probably the strongest here,” he said aimably, “but we’re still going to worry. If even Eikichi is saying something, you should probably listen. It’s rare that his common sense kicks in like that.”
“He’s not that bad,” she started to laugh when there was a thud from the doorway. “What do you mean rare!?” Eikichi walked over to them waving a plastic bag around, “I’m full of common sense!”
“Shush!” Came from both him and Miyabi. He could have said something about that, but apparently the sound of one of her parents forgetting to use his indoor voice was too much for Himari. She started to make little unhappy noises and squirming again. They all froze for a moment.
“Crap, sorry,” Eikichi dumped the plastic bags that he had been carrying on the table and kneeled next to Tsuneo. “Come on Princess, Daddy’s sorry. It’s okay,” he leaned over to rub the side of her cheek with his thumb, and she slowly calmed down. He seemed dumbfounded by that response for a moment and Tsuneo couldn’t help chuckling at his expression. “You’re getting good at that,” he said.
“Of course!” Eikichi immediately sat up, looking completely confident, “she’s my daughter after all, isn't she?”
There was a rustled behind them as Miyabi, apparently having decided they had the baby situation under control, went for the bags. “What is all this? I’m starving and it smells amazing.” “Oh, stuff I got from that beef bowl place up the street,” Eikichi leaned around to look at her, “I got everyone’s favorites to celebrate the sign finally being up.”
Tsueno shifted Himari carefully, hoping that she would stay calm for a little while longer, and peered at the pile, “They deliver that fast?”
“I ordered before you got home,” Eikichi waved the comment away, “I knew you would be back soon, and wanted it there in time.”
“Are you sure you just didn’t get hungry while you were downstairs?”
“Does the reason really matter? We have food, and I had to go out to greet the guy and carry it all up here by myself.”
Tsuneo couldn’t help smiling a little, “you could have asked someone to come down,” he said, “are you sure you didn’t want to go out of and check on the sign?”
“What that about the sign?” Miyabi looked up from sorting through the bags, “They finished it putting it up, didn’t they? I want to see it!”
“We can all go see it after dinner?” Tsuneo looked up from Himari. “I told Eikichi would go help him cover it up after dinner anyway.”
Miyabi’s slightly confused “cover it up?” was almost covered entirely by Eikichi pointing at him accusingly.
“Ah! The sign! That’s right! It wasn’t as bad as you said it was! I thought it was completely uncovered! It’s still covered!”
“Sorry?” Tsuneo shifted slightly so Miyabi could reach over and set his dinner down. “It’s been a long day, I was paying more attention to getting home than I was exactly what it looked like.” Tsuneo started to reach towards his bowl, then paused, realizing that holding a baby and eating at the same wasn’t going to be easy.
“Still,” Eikichi stood up and grabbed the baby bouncer they kept around the living room without even having to be asked.
“I said I was sorry,” For once Himari let herself be transferred into it with a minimum of fuss ,much to everyone’s relief.
“Did something happen at school then?” Miyabi asked as both he and Eikichi went back to their food.
Tsuneo thought about it for a second, “nothing important,” he said at last. “Just Ushimaru-san, one of the other teachers, cornered me at the end of the day with a lecture. He said he was giving me advice, but he was just complaining about me being too casual with the students.” Eikichi looked up from his food then. “Hold on, did you say he did that last week too?” As his partner went off on grumbling rant about people being jealous he just knew how to connect with people, Tsuneo realized what the strange feeling that had come over him as he walked up had been.
After the death of his parents, he had stayed a...lot of places. They had ranged from places he would rather forget to outright luxurious. But all of the had just felt like places he was staying, living at in the moment. He hadn’t exactly mourned any of them once he was gone because, however grateful he was for them, he hadn’t had that much of a connection. Now though, with this place, it was different. Maybe they didn’t have a restaurant yet, but this place was somewhere he finally felt like he belonged. It was peace. It was calm. This was where the people that meant the world to him where. He wanted to be here. Maybe that was what people meant by a place being home.