Archive of Our Own

“I'm the one carrying the baby. Of course I know who's it is. But, it doesn't matter to me, nor should it matter to you.”

“I'm only concerned for you Riko.” 

“And, I know that, but I'm a big girl and I can handle myself.”

She is a big girl. Almost 22 already. He still can't believe it.
Kagetora takes a swig of his water and thinks it over. It's hard to imagine that the same little girl who he had pushed on the swing and made lunches for would be sitting here, asking for his blessing to be in a polyarmourous relationship-- With two immature boys that knocked her up, no less. But he loves her too much and she looks determined to make him accept her decision.

“I always knew no man would be good enough for you, but maybe two will.” He concedes, with a forlorn sigh.

She relaxes visibly, but kicks his foot under the table.
“I don't appreciate how you phrased that. I'm glad we're done arguing though. Promise me you'll try to be good?”

 “I make no promises.” He says sincerely. “But, for your sake, I will try.”

And Riko accepts that as she knows she has other no choice.
She sees the boys come in through the diner door and waves to them. They look sheepish and scared, and that makes Kagetora smirk.

Riko gets up to hug them both and she can see him pulling faces behind them. But, She ignores that, and all three of them slide back into the booth, Riko taking her place in the middle.

With their shoulder pressed against hers on either side, Riko feels strong. Stronger than she ever has. And maybe her father can see that, because he acts relatively civil and she only hears a few minor concealed threats throughout dinner .

Alex flies to Japan for a visit and Kagami takes Reika to the airport to pick her up.
The last time Reika had seen her she was probably not much older than two, but they talk quite often on the phone. Alex is an only child, so she thinks of his and Tatsuya's kids as her nieces and nephews. She keeps in contact with them, sends them presents on their birthdays, and generally spoils them rotten.

“Auntie Alex!” Reika shouts in joy, as soon as she sees blonde hair, and runs towards Alex, her red pigtails bouncing against her teddybear-backpack. It took some serious pancake bribery in order for Reika to let Kagami do her hair, but he's actually rather pleased with the outcome. He sticks his hands in his coat pockets, following after her and apologizing heavily to the people she bumps into as she makes her way to Alex.

Alex laughs boisterously when Reika bowls into her and spins her around. Reika giggles manically and wraps her arms around Alex, burrowing her head into Alex's neck.

Kagami feels something clench in his chest.

“How's my favorite niece?” Alex asks kissing the top of her head.

Reika gasps and pulls away from Alex's neck, placing one hand on each of Alex's shoulders, her big, deep-blue eyes wide with indignation.
“Auntie! You shouldn't say things like that!”

Alex cocks an eyebrow.
“And why not?”

“What about Seiki-chan?” Reika demands, her voice full of concern. “You'll hurt her feelings!”

“No I won't.” Alex says matter-of-factly as she sets Reika down. “She's my other favorite niece.”

 Reika stares up at her, bewildered.

“But you only have two nieces.”

Alex pats Reika's head affectionately.
“Exactly. That's why you two are my favorites.”

Reika snorts in delight.
“You're so weird Auntie Alex.”

“You have no idea.”Kagami comments from behind them.

Alex wheels around and grins widely, as if just realizing he was there as well.
“Tiger.” She says in English, holding her arms open for a hug.
Kagami thinks this is the first time in his life that she's ever actually asked for his permission.
He really has missed her, but thankfully she says it so he doesn't have to.
“I've missed you.” She murmurs into his ear breathily and he blushes. Kagami hates that she can still have this effect on him after all these years. It's jokingly coquettish play, but it still makes him uncomfortable.

He picks up her suitcase from wheres it's laying on the ground and rubs his neck awkwardly, not liking the way she is smiling at him.
“I'll go get the car.”

~~~~ 

The ride back is peaceful. Reika chats away, telling Alex all about school and her adventures with Koukiro and Natsuo. Kagami has always been slightly envious of Alex's natural ability with kids. Reika sometimes gets so frustrated with him and Aomine. They frequently get overwhelmed when she talks to them, not able to keep up with her exuberance, and she mistakes it for disinterest. Alex seems to have no such problem, she nods and gasps at exactly the right parts in all of Reika's stories-- even though Reika's talking a mile a minute and gesturing wildly.

Kagami carries Alex's suitcase up the stairs and Reika carries her purse, still talking up a storm. Once they get in the door, Kagami takes Alex's suitcase to the guest room. When he gets back, Reika is still talking.

“Hey.” He says covering her mouth one of his hands and tickling her sides with the other. “Give your Aunt Alex a second to recover from her flight.”

Reika giggles and fights off his hands.
“Okay, fine! But, you promised me pancakes, remember?”

 Kagami shakes his head and smiles.
“Yeah, I remember. I'm going to make them right now.”

"Yay!" She grins widely, but stops to concentrate, furrowing her eyebrows.
“May I please go watch some TV?” She asks in English.

Kagami laughs and pats her on the head.
“Good job. Yes you can.”

“Her pronunciation is pretty good.” Alex says, also in English, watching Reika disappear into the living you. “Are you teaching her?”

“She's learning some things at school, but yeah, I give her some lessons.”
He winks at her. “Not everyone can learn an entire language from just watching Soap Operas.”

 She chuckles at that and sits down at the kitchen table.
“True, but my vocabulary is still rather trashy.”

“That's to be expected.” He says with a laugh, turning around to get some things out of the fridge for the pancake batter and turns the stove on. 

“Is she playing basketball yet?” Alex questions him.

He snorts and brings down a bowl, some plates, and a pan down from the cabinet.
“Alex, she's only six.”

“From what everyone has told me, that husband of yours was practically born with a basketball in his hand.” 

“That's true." Kagami replies as he puts everything in the bowl and begins to mix it. “But, we want to give her the chance to make her own decision.”

 “Yes, but with both of you for parents--” Alex looks wistful. “Imagine the possibilities. Imagine how good she'd be if you trained her up. She could come to America, stay with me, play for the WNBA--”

Kagami smiles at her enthusiasm and pours some of the batter into the pan
“I'm sure this was your plan the second we told you we were having a girl.”

Alex's eyes are still sparkling behind her glasses.

“Of course. Besides, she's my only chance. Seiki is too much like Atsushi. That is--unless you're planning on having another one?” She asks, hopefully.

Kagami pales.
“No. And don't tell that to Daiki. I don't want him getting any ideas.”

Alex looks slightly put out, but smiles at the mention of Daiki again.
“Speaking of Daiki, where is that devil?”

“He had an overnight shift at the station.” Kagami says flipping the pancake in the pan. “But, he should be home soon.”

Almost as if on cue, there's the sound of the door being unlocked and Reika bounds into the kitchen, almost as if summoned. Aomine opens the door and steps onto the landing, kicking off his shoes and dropping his bag off in the foyer.

“Daddy!” Reika shrieks and runs towards him, Aomine smirks and bends down to scoop her up, hugging her to his chest and kissing her all over until she dissolves into breathless laughter.

Alex gets up from the table and saunters over to the two of them, waiting her turn.

She clears her throat.

Aomine looks up at her from Reika's hair and reels her in by her arm for a hug too.
“Alexandra.”  
She smacks his arm playfully when he pinches her on the ass.
“Daiki!”

Kagami makes a gagging noise over by the stove.
“Oi! Can you two stop flirting in front of our daughter?”

Aomine lets go of Alex and sets Reika down, turning his smirk on Kagami.
“I think you're just jealous.” 
Kagami tries to rebuff him when Aomine walks over and snakes his arms around him, but it's kind of difficult to play hard to get when someone has you wrapped around their finger.
He turns his head to kiss and bite at Aomine's bottom lip needily. Aomine growls at the rough display of affection and squeezes his waist.

“Someone's happy to see me.”

Kagami grunts.
“I hate when you have night shifts.” 

Aomine noses into his hair.
“Me too." He says. "But, I managed to get the weekend off so we can all be together.”
Kagami nods in approval and they kiss once more.

Alex makes an appreciative noise behind them and Kagami blushes again, pulling away from Aomine. They turn around to see Alex with her hand on Reika's head, watching them.
“I think you two need to stop flirting in front of your daughter.”

Aomine's face breaks into a rather grotesque smile.
“Well she's lucky, because it's our 'flirting'  that--” Kagami shoves a pancake in his mouth before he can finish.

“He's--” Kuroko is choosing his words very carefully. “Special.”

Midorima shifts uncomfortably in his chair and Kuroko muses about asking the janitor to bring him a normal, adult sized table for future occasions. But, then again, he rarely ever has to have parent-teacher conferences-- although Takao and Midorima seem to be in here a lot lately.

“Does that mean he's stupid?” Takao asks tearfully, turning in his seat to face his husband. “Is he saying our son is stupid? Oh Shin-chan!” 

Midorima doesn't look surprised and he crosses his arms.
“He has at least stopped eating the glitter, right?”

Kuroko nods. “Yes.”

“And the other teachers have said he is no longer boycotting nap time.”

“Yes," Kuroko starts, "But--” 

“And the underground snack trafficking has ended? 

Kuroko sighs patiently.
“Yes.”

“Then what is it now?”

Kuroko pauses, trying to think of the most succinct way to explain it.
“Well--He's taken up reading tarot cards at recess. It's all rather dark and bleak, and frankly, it's scaring the other children.”

They seemed stunned into silence for a couple of seconds.

Then Takao starts to snicker.

Midorima stands up. Kuroko can't see behind his glasses, but there is a light blush gracing his cheeks.
“We will have a talk with him about that.”

 And Takao is now full on giggling at this point and Midorima pulls him up by his arm.

Kuroko watches them curiously as Midorima begins to drag Takao to the door.
“Dinner next Thursday, Tetsu-kun?” Takao chokes out breathlessly as he waves goodbye, tears in his eyes. 

“Yes.” Kuroko says calmly before the door slams behind them. “I will tell Ryouta.”