Chapter Text
As Gou held her sleeping daughter, she felt keenly the absence of her son. She realized this was the longest she had been apart from him since he was born. The only thing missing around her now was his curious green eyes, his affectionate hugs and kisses and his downy brown hair.
“I think he’s asleep already,” Makoto kissed the top of his wife’s head, guessing her thoughts.
“But I didn’t get to say goodnight. He wouldn’t sleep without saying goodnight to me. Rin, call Haruka,” she pleaded with her brother. “Ask him if Minoru’s asleep yet.”
~
At Gou and Makoto’s home, Haruka napped lightly on the couch. Minoru had been put to bed, but Haru suspected his nephew was too excited with the imminent arrival of his sister to sleep.
He was right; when Rin called, Haru checked on the boy to find him huddled under his blanket, reading a picture book with a flashlight.
“I’m sorry, Uncle Haru,” he blushed, with a sheepish look Haru was very familiar with.
“It’s alright,” Haruka patted his nephew’s head. “How would you like to see your mama and papa?”
~
When Haruka arrived with Minoru at the hospital, Makoto was waiting for them in the lobby, a small gift bag in hand. He caught his son in a hug, realizing as he lifted the boy that he would soon be too big to be picked up.
“Papa!”
“You should be asleep,” Makoto smiled at Minoru, kissing the boy’s round cheek. “But I guess today is a special day, isn’t it?”
“Yes! Because my sister is here!” Minoru grinned.
“That’s right,” Makoto put his son down, and held up the gift bag. “This is for you, from Maiha. She hopes you’ll take good care of her.”
Minoru took the package carefully, as though he was holding something sacred. “But Papa, I don’t have anything to give to my sister!”
“You’re her present,” Makoto assured his son. “You’re the best present anyone could ask for.”
The present was a shirt with the phrase “Best Big Brother!” stamped across the front. Minoru puffed out his little chest and showed the shirt proudly to his uncles, before Makoto took him to the maternity wing to see Gou.
“Mama!” Minoru let go of his father’s hand and ran to the bed, stopping short when he noticed the various machines around Gou. He approached carefully, green eyes scrutinizing the machines warily.
“It’s alright, Minoru,” Makoto urged. He took Maiha’s gift and gave his son a little push.
Gou opened here arms. “It’s ok, baby, come give me a hug,” she could tell Minoru was trying to be brave, but the hospital was making him wary. He came to her and she pulled him onto the bed, inhaling his soft smell that had changed so much since he was a baby.
“I missed you, Mama,” he burrowed his face in the crook of Gou’s neck. Makoto joined them on the bed, his large hand smoothing his son’s hair.
“We missed you too,” Gou pressed a kiss to Minoru’s temple. “Did you have fun with your uncles? Did you listen to grandmamma and grandpapa?”
“Yes!” Minoru nodded. “Uncle Nagisa brought ice cream and we played games.”
Gou shot Makoto an expressive look that said Nagisa was in for a scolding. Makoto smiled apologetically and turned to his son.
“Do you want to meet your sister?”
“Can I? Where is she?”
Makoto led him to the bassinet on the other side of the room. Standing on tiptoe, Minoru peered over the side, at the tiny bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. His eyebrows furrowed as he studied the small figure.
“This is Maiha,” Makoto crouched down to Minoru’s level, his expression soft. “This is your little sister.”
Minoru stared, eyes burning with fasciation. “She’s so tiny,” he said quietly, incredulous.
“You were tiny like this once too, when you were first born,” Makoto ruffled his son’s hair. “Do you want to hold her?”
He may as well have asked Minoru if he wanted to go to Disneyland. “Is it really okay for me to hold her?”
“Of course,” Makoto smiled. “Go sit on the bed with Mama, and I’ll bring her to you.”
Minoru scrambled on the bed, careful of his mother’s legs. Gou instructed him to sit cross-legged.
“Hold your arms like this,” Gou showed him, spreading his little fingers.
“And hold her head,” Makoto placed the baby carefully in her brother’s arms, adjusting his hold so he cradled her head in his elbow.
Minoru’s little face positively glowed with awe and admiration. “She’s sleeping,” he said in wonder. “Hello, Maiha. Thank you for my present.” Maiha wiggled her fingers in sleep, and Gou nudged Makoto to get the camera. “We’re going to have lots of fun, and I’ll teach you how to do everything, so don’t worry.”
Maiha made a quiet grunting noise, shifting her little face and opening her mouth in a yawn. “She’s cute, like the dolls that the girls play with at school,” he told his parents. Gently, he reached a hand up to touch Maiha’s small palms. Her slim fingers curled around his, grasping his thumb. Minoru smiled.
“She loves her brother,” Gou swallowed back the lump in her throat as Makoto snapped a picture of the pair.
“And he’s already taking good care of her,” Makoto took a last picture. “I know he’ll take good care of her, won’t you, Minoru?”
“I will, Papa,” he kissed his sister’s beanie covered head. “I promise.”