Creating a new family (Chapter 21)
Previous Chapters: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20
Nagase woke the next morning the boys on both of his sides and he groaned quietly when he sat up. His back hurt like hell! Carefully he rubbed his neck and untangled himself from the tight grips on his shirt. He needed a shower before he could face the day and best before Satoshi or Kazu woke up. He stroke Satoshi's head when he whimpered in his sleep and stood finally up. Nagase put the blankets over them so that they were covered by them and left them for the moment.
In his room, he looked for new clothes and entered the bathroom to shower and get ready. Afterwards, he peeked into the living room where the boys seemed to gravitate to each other and held hands now. He smiled a little and decided to make breakfast before waking them. He took the empty mugs from the table and cooked bacon and eggs since it has gotten a little late and eating brunch would be the best call for them to start the day.
While cooking Nagase tried to call Lara and grinned amusedly when she answered her phone.
"Good morning, Tomoya, is everything alright?"
"Yes. I just wanted to inform you that I will take the boys shopping today. We talked about getting Kazunari some new clothes and today might be the best day for it."
"Of course, do you need help?"
"No, I just wanted to tell you because of the costs. Is there anything you could use from his old clothes or things?"
"No, sadly not. It all got destroyed. But we were able to find a copy of a picture of his mother. They are drying it now so if you could get something to put it in."
"Of course. Thank you, Lara. I should wake the boys up. Talk to you later."
"Yes... One more thing, though. I just got the confirmation for the appointment with a child therapist. It's on Monday morning at nine. Will that be manageable for you?"
"Yup. Satoshi will be at school then and I can take Kazu there. I will call after that then. Goodbye, Lara."
"Goodbye."
Nagase sighed a little and looked into his living room. He didn't know if Kazu would talk to somebody but he hoped that it would help him. Shaking his head he turned the stove off and went to wake both of them up.
"Good morning sleepyheads," he whispered when Satoshi blinked groggily up to him and helped Kazu to sit up without falling off of the sofa.
"I made breakfast for us. After that, you should wash and then we will go buy some clothes for Kazu,"he explained their plan for today and smiled when Satoshi just nodded. The kid really wasn't one for many words shortly after he woke up. It was endearing.
“I has clothes at home,” Kazu said adorably, rubbing his eyes sleepily and Nagase shook his head sadly.
“No, I’m sorry, Kazu. Lara told me that most of your clothes were destroyed because of the fire, the rest got destroyed when the firemen put it out. But that’s fine. We’ll get you new ones today. You don't have to worry.” Kazu nodded and thought hard for a moment before he watched Nagase shily.
“Can… May I have a doggie?” he asked in a whisper and Satoshi giggled a little at the cute question.
“A cuddly toy?” he asked and Kazu nodded.
“My doggie at home got destroyed because daddy wasn’t happy that I left it in the living room. But mommy promised I’ll get a new one. I will only use it at my room, I promise,” he said wistfully adding the last part quick and wide-eyed.
Nagase put his hand onto his head and nodded. “Of course, you may have one. You can choose the one you like today. But for now, you should come into the kitchen to eat something and then we’ll get ready.”
Both nodded and chased each other into the kitchen to their respective chairs. Nagase shook his head a little amused and breathed in deeply before he joined them.
After breakfast, the boys went to the bathroom to wash and Nagase used the short time to write the happenings of the last two days into his report for Kazunari. After he was finished he stepped into the bathroom with new clothes for Kazu that were a little bit too big but it would do for the time being.
"You got all wet," he said amused to them and Satoshi giggled while Kazu looked a little bit worried.
"We had a water fight, dad," Satoshi explained and Nagase rolled his eyes good naturally.
"I can see that," he joked and ruffled their hairs. "Get some dry clothes, Satoshi, please. I'll help Kazu to get ready and then we can go before the stores are packed in the afternoon." Satoshi nodded and ran out of the room to get ready himself.
"Me is sorry," Kazu mumbled and Nagase shook his head.
"It's fine. Don't worry, Kazu. I'm happy you had fun. Come on, let's get you out of those wet clothes." Kazu smiled happily and lifted his arms so that Nagase could help him to get rid of his shirt and shorts and to get dry once more. He hopped into the living room when he wore his new set of clothes and waited there for the others. So that they could go.
When they were sitting in the car Nagase looked at Kazu and smiled a little. "Have you already been to a shopping arcade, Kazu?", he asked and the boy shook his head.
"Mommy brought new clothes home sometimes."
"Then it will be a little adventure, ne? Just stay close to me and Satoshi so that we won't lose you, promise?"
Kazu nodded seriously and Nagase started the car. After a really short drive - the streets were mostly free today - he helped Kazu to hop out of his car and took his hand. Satoshi smiled when he realised how nervous Kazu had become and held his other hand. Kazu grinned happily feeling protected from both sides and looked around curiously.
They stopped at a few stores to get the most important things for Kazu before they stopped at a store where he could choose his very own cuddly toy.
"Hello, how can I help you?" A young woman kneeled in front of Kazu who looked around curiously and the boy hid behind Nagase when he realised that she spoke to him. Nagase smiled amused and put a hand behind his head to bring him carefully to the front again.
"Kazunari here decided to adopt a little friend, isn't that right?" he answered and Kazu looked up at him with big eyes. He nodded when the woman looked at him questioningly and he held onto Nagase's pant leg as tight as he could.
"I want a doggie," he said in a low whisper and watched her hopefully. She smiled a little and stood up.
"That's great. We have dogs who are waiting for you. Will you come with me to choose one?" she asked and held out her hand. Kazu looked unsure at Nagase who smiled encouragingly at him and pointed at the front.
"Satoshi and I will wait there. Don't worry. You will be fine, okay? We will look after you, I promise." Kazu nodded slowly and Nagase sat onto a little stool with Satoshi to wait for him.
Kazu went with the woman who showed him the kind of dogs they had and decided for a black and white dog. He carefully took it out of its box and hugged it close.
"May I have this one?" he asked carefully and she nodded.
"Of course, if you like him. Now we have to make him alive, ne? He can't speak yet. Do you want him to speak?" she asked and he looked curiously at a big board where he could push some buttons. He giggled a little when he heard songs and different noises.
"Is there one where it goes woof woof?" he asked excitedly and she nodded. She pushed two buttons one after the other and Kazu listened carefully. "That one, please?", he asked her. She pulled a little device out and showed it to him.
"I will hold this for now, okay? So that you can hold onto your doggie without losing him." Kazu nodded and followed the woman to another part of the shop.
"Now we will have to fill your doggie so that you can hug it even better ne?" Kazu nodded once more and watched her curiously as she put the device that made the dog bark and some cotton wool into it. "You have to hug it really tight so that the doggie will be happy and so you can see if it is just right, okay?"
Kazu nodded and took the doggie once more to hug it against his chest and giggled when it tickled his chin. He pushed the button curiously and laughed when the dog barked. "Me likes it," he decided and gave the stuffed toy back.
"Good. Now we have to do one more thing. For your doggie to be really alive he needs a heart, ne?" She gave him a little heart and smiled. "So that he feels good you have to tell the heart that you will love your doggie and promise it to take care of him and protect him. Put it in between your hands and whisper to it."
Satoshi grinned from his chair when Kazu nodded seriously and did just as the woman told. Nagase watched his son and shook his head amused when Nino ran up to them.
"Will you protect him and love him too?", he asked hopefully and Satoshi nodded, now being completely serious. Nagase hid a smile when Kazu hold out the little heart to Satoshi and then to himself to tell it a few nice words. Nagase closed his hands around it carefully once more and smiled while he held his hands.
"He will have a warm home with you, little one," he promised and Kazu looked at the little heart that got really warm in his hands and smiled.
"Yes!" He ran back and looked at the woman who had waited patiently for him. She smiled and showed him the back of the dog.
"You have to put the heart inside," she explained and he did as she told. A little anxious he watched as she stitched the back. "Can you help me? You have to put your finger on the thread," she explained and he did as told watching her tying a knot and cutting the rest of the thread. He got the dog back and was made to follow her once more.
"Now we have to wash him and brush his fur," she explained and he was led to a bathing station where he could play clean the dog. When he was finished he grinned happily and hugged him close.
"Do you need anything else?" she asked and he looked a little bit lost at all the clothes. Dogs didn't wear clothes. He shook his head slowly when Satoshi came to him.
"You will need a lead." He pointed at a blue and yellow one and Kazu nodded while he took it.
"Yes, to go on walks," he mumbled and Satoshi nodded.
"Yup. Now you will have to give it a name. You are its daddy now."
He looked confused at the woman who nodded and helped him to sit beside Nagase in front of the computer.
"You'll get a birth certificate. I will get his house ready while you decide for a name, okay?"
Kazu nodded and looked a little bit lost at Nagase who pulled him onto his lap so that they could use the same computer. "What do you want to call him or her?"
"Doggie is a boy like me!" Kazu decided and Nagase nodded.
"I see. And what would be his name."
"Can I call him doggie?" he asked and looked up to him.
"Of course. If you want. It's doggie-kun then?" Nagase asked and Kazu giggled a little bit.
"Yes, please."
"Of course," he promised and ruffled his head. "It's a great name." He typed the name into the field and clicked okay before he helped Kazu down so that they could pay for his toy and Kazu watched carefully as the woman put him into his house.
"Can you carry him?" Nagase asked and Kazu nodded even if the cardboard box was a little bit to big for the boy. Satoshi smiled and helped him to carry it to their car to go home.
When they arrive their Satoshi helped Kazu to bring the box into his room where Kazu lifted the dog out of his box and climbed onto his bed where the bear he got at the police station was lying. Nagase watched him introduce the stuffed toys to each other and to show the dog around. He smiled amused and ruffled Kazu's hair.
"Will you be fine for the moment?" he asked and Kazu nodded.
"I will show doggie around," he explained and Nagase grinned before he left him with Satoshi.
He hugged his son for a moment and sighed when Satoshi hid his face against his chest. “Is everything okay?” Nagase asked him and brought him with him to the bathroom to prepare the newly bought clothes for washing.
“Yes, no... I don't know," he answered after a while and continued to hold onto his dad.
"Do you want to tell me? I'm worried about you."
"I don't really know dad. I'm just confused, I think. I didn't sleep well and I am worried because Kazu was so scared this night. It scared me. What do you think his father did?"
"I don't know, Satoshi, and I won't ask him. And the important part is: It's the past. He is here now with you and me. And I will look after him. You don't have to be scared of his father. The man will never get near you or Kazu. I promise."
Satoshi watched his father for a few minutes till he embraced him tightly. "Thank you, dad," he breathed relieved and Nagase put his arms around him.
"I will protect you," he whispered again and felt Satoshi nodding against him. They stood for a few minutes like that before Nagase lifted his chin up.
"Do you still want to go to your dance group this afternoon. Or should we skip it?" he asked.
SSatoshi thought about it for a moment and shook his head. His dad managed a dance group for youths with behaviour problems for a few weekends and took Satoshi with him because he couldn’t leave him alone at home and nobody could look after Satoshi for so many weekends in a row. Satoshi had fun participating there and begged his dad afterwards to be allowed to join a regular group. Of course, he was allowed to and he went to a semi-professional hip-hop course now for two hours each Saturday. It was fun more so because he loved dancing and the fact that he didn't have to think about anything but his movements when he was there. Something that he was looking forward right now. “Yes, if that’s okay.”
Nagase nodded once more and ruffled his hair. “It is. I will bring you take Kazunari with me to the playground nearby.”
Satoshi smiled happily and kissed his cheek before he left him alone to do the washing and went to his room to do his homework he didn't finish the day before.
I hope this is okay... And I'm sorry for taking so long at the teddy store. Next chapter will be at the dance studio and I'll try to bring Sho into it, too
Nagase woke the next morning the boys on both of his sides and he groaned quietly when he sat up. His back hurt like hell! Carefully he rubbed his neck and untangled himself from the tight grips on his shirt. He needed a shower before he could face the day and best before Satoshi or Kazu woke up. He stroke Satoshi's head when he whimpered in his sleep and stood finally up. Nagase put the blankets over them so that they were covered by them and left them for the moment.
In his room, he looked for new clothes and entered the bathroom to shower and get ready. Afterwards, he peeked into the living room where the boys seemed to gravitate to each other and held hands now. He smiled a little and decided to make breakfast before waking them. He took the empty mugs from the table and cooked bacon and eggs since it has gotten a little late and eating brunch would be the best call for them to start the day.
While cooking Nagase tried to call Lara and grinned amusedly when she answered her phone.
"Good morning, Tomoya, is everything alright?"
"Yes. I just wanted to inform you that I will take the boys shopping today. We talked about getting Kazunari some new clothes and today might be the best day for it."
"Of course, do you need help?"
"No, I just wanted to tell you because of the costs. Is there anything you could use from his old clothes or things?"
"No, sadly not. It all got destroyed. But we were able to find a copy of a picture of his mother. They are drying it now so if you could get something to put it in."
"Of course. Thank you, Lara. I should wake the boys up. Talk to you later."
"Yes... One more thing, though. I just got the confirmation for the appointment with a child therapist. It's on Monday morning at nine. Will that be manageable for you?"
"Yup. Satoshi will be at school then and I can take Kazu there. I will call after that then. Goodbye, Lara."
"Goodbye."
Nagase sighed a little and looked into his living room. He didn't know if Kazu would talk to somebody but he hoped that it would help him. Shaking his head he turned the stove off and went to wake both of them up.
"Good morning sleepyheads," he whispered when Satoshi blinked groggily up to him and helped Kazu to sit up without falling off of the sofa.
"I made breakfast for us. After that, you should wash and then we will go buy some clothes for Kazu,"he explained their plan for today and smiled when Satoshi just nodded. The kid really wasn't one for many words shortly after he woke up. It was endearing.
“I has clothes at home,” Kazu said adorably, rubbing his eyes sleepily and Nagase shook his head sadly.
“No, I’m sorry, Kazu. Lara told me that most of your clothes were destroyed because of the fire, the rest got destroyed when the firemen put it out. But that’s fine. We’ll get you new ones today. You don't have to worry.” Kazu nodded and thought hard for a moment before he watched Nagase shily.
“Can… May I have a doggie?” he asked in a whisper and Satoshi giggled a little at the cute question.
“A cuddly toy?” he asked and Kazu nodded.
“My doggie at home got destroyed because daddy wasn’t happy that I left it in the living room. But mommy promised I’ll get a new one. I will only use it at my room, I promise,” he said wistfully adding the last part quick and wide-eyed.
Nagase put his hand onto his head and nodded. “Of course, you may have one. You can choose the one you like today. But for now, you should come into the kitchen to eat something and then we’ll get ready.”
Both nodded and chased each other into the kitchen to their respective chairs. Nagase shook his head a little amused and breathed in deeply before he joined them.
After breakfast, the boys went to the bathroom to wash and Nagase used the short time to write the happenings of the last two days into his report for Kazunari. After he was finished he stepped into the bathroom with new clothes for Kazu that were a little bit too big but it would do for the time being.
"You got all wet," he said amused to them and Satoshi giggled while Kazu looked a little bit worried.
"We had a water fight, dad," Satoshi explained and Nagase rolled his eyes good naturally.
"I can see that," he joked and ruffled their hairs. "Get some dry clothes, Satoshi, please. I'll help Kazu to get ready and then we can go before the stores are packed in the afternoon." Satoshi nodded and ran out of the room to get ready himself.
"Me is sorry," Kazu mumbled and Nagase shook his head.
"It's fine. Don't worry, Kazu. I'm happy you had fun. Come on, let's get you out of those wet clothes." Kazu smiled happily and lifted his arms so that Nagase could help him to get rid of his shirt and shorts and to get dry once more. He hopped into the living room when he wore his new set of clothes and waited there for the others. So that they could go.
When they were sitting in the car Nagase looked at Kazu and smiled a little. "Have you already been to a shopping arcade, Kazu?", he asked and the boy shook his head.
"Mommy brought new clothes home sometimes."
"Then it will be a little adventure, ne? Just stay close to me and Satoshi so that we won't lose you, promise?"
Kazu nodded seriously and Nagase started the car. After a really short drive - the streets were mostly free today - he helped Kazu to hop out of his car and took his hand. Satoshi smiled when he realised how nervous Kazu had become and held his other hand. Kazu grinned happily feeling protected from both sides and looked around curiously.
They stopped at a few stores to get the most important things for Kazu before they stopped at a store where he could choose his very own cuddly toy.
"Hello, how can I help you?" A young woman kneeled in front of Kazu who looked around curiously and the boy hid behind Nagase when he realised that she spoke to him. Nagase smiled amused and put a hand behind his head to bring him carefully to the front again.
"Kazunari here decided to adopt a little friend, isn't that right?" he answered and Kazu looked up at him with big eyes. He nodded when the woman looked at him questioningly and he held onto Nagase's pant leg as tight as he could.
"I want a doggie," he said in a low whisper and watched her hopefully. She smiled a little and stood up.
"That's great. We have dogs who are waiting for you. Will you come with me to choose one?" she asked and held out her hand. Kazu looked unsure at Nagase who smiled encouragingly at him and pointed at the front.
"Satoshi and I will wait there. Don't worry. You will be fine, okay? We will look after you, I promise." Kazu nodded slowly and Nagase sat onto a little stool with Satoshi to wait for him.
Kazu went with the woman who showed him the kind of dogs they had and decided for a black and white dog. He carefully took it out of its box and hugged it close.
"May I have this one?" he asked carefully and she nodded.
"Of course, if you like him. Now we have to make him alive, ne? He can't speak yet. Do you want him to speak?" she asked and he looked curiously at a big board where he could push some buttons. He giggled a little when he heard songs and different noises.
"Is there one where it goes woof woof?" he asked excitedly and she nodded. She pushed two buttons one after the other and Kazu listened carefully. "That one, please?", he asked her. She pulled a little device out and showed it to him.
"I will hold this for now, okay? So that you can hold onto your doggie without losing him." Kazu nodded and followed the woman to another part of the shop.
"Now we will have to fill your doggie so that you can hug it even better ne?" Kazu nodded once more and watched her curiously as she put the device that made the dog bark and some cotton wool into it. "You have to hug it really tight so that the doggie will be happy and so you can see if it is just right, okay?"
Kazu nodded and took the doggie once more to hug it against his chest and giggled when it tickled his chin. He pushed the button curiously and laughed when the dog barked. "Me likes it," he decided and gave the stuffed toy back.
"Good. Now we have to do one more thing. For your doggie to be really alive he needs a heart, ne?" She gave him a little heart and smiled. "So that he feels good you have to tell the heart that you will love your doggie and promise it to take care of him and protect him. Put it in between your hands and whisper to it."
Satoshi grinned from his chair when Kazu nodded seriously and did just as the woman told. Nagase watched his son and shook his head amused when Nino ran up to them.
"Will you protect him and love him too?", he asked hopefully and Satoshi nodded, now being completely serious. Nagase hid a smile when Kazu hold out the little heart to Satoshi and then to himself to tell it a few nice words. Nagase closed his hands around it carefully once more and smiled while he held his hands.
"He will have a warm home with you, little one," he promised and Kazu looked at the little heart that got really warm in his hands and smiled.
"Yes!" He ran back and looked at the woman who had waited patiently for him. She smiled and showed him the back of the dog.
"You have to put the heart inside," she explained and he did as she told. A little anxious he watched as she stitched the back. "Can you help me? You have to put your finger on the thread," she explained and he did as told watching her tying a knot and cutting the rest of the thread. He got the dog back and was made to follow her once more.
"Now we have to wash him and brush his fur," she explained and he was led to a bathing station where he could play clean the dog. When he was finished he grinned happily and hugged him close.
"Do you need anything else?" she asked and he looked a little bit lost at all the clothes. Dogs didn't wear clothes. He shook his head slowly when Satoshi came to him.
"You will need a lead." He pointed at a blue and yellow one and Kazu nodded while he took it.
"Yes, to go on walks," he mumbled and Satoshi nodded.
"Yup. Now you will have to give it a name. You are its daddy now."
He looked confused at the woman who nodded and helped him to sit beside Nagase in front of the computer.
"You'll get a birth certificate. I will get his house ready while you decide for a name, okay?"
Kazu nodded and looked a little bit lost at Nagase who pulled him onto his lap so that they could use the same computer. "What do you want to call him or her?"
"Doggie is a boy like me!" Kazu decided and Nagase nodded.
"I see. And what would be his name."
"Can I call him doggie?" he asked and looked up to him.
"Of course. If you want. It's doggie-kun then?" Nagase asked and Kazu giggled a little bit.
"Yes, please."
"Of course," he promised and ruffled his head. "It's a great name." He typed the name into the field and clicked okay before he helped Kazu down so that they could pay for his toy and Kazu watched carefully as the woman put him into his house.
"Can you carry him?" Nagase asked and Kazu nodded even if the cardboard box was a little bit to big for the boy. Satoshi smiled and helped him to carry it to their car to go home.
When they arrive their Satoshi helped Kazu to bring the box into his room where Kazu lifted the dog out of his box and climbed onto his bed where the bear he got at the police station was lying. Nagase watched him introduce the stuffed toys to each other and to show the dog around. He smiled amused and ruffled Kazu's hair.
"Will you be fine for the moment?" he asked and Kazu nodded.
"I will show doggie around," he explained and Nagase grinned before he left him with Satoshi.
He hugged his son for a moment and sighed when Satoshi hid his face against his chest. “Is everything okay?” Nagase asked him and brought him with him to the bathroom to prepare the newly bought clothes for washing.
“Yes, no... I don't know," he answered after a while and continued to hold onto his dad.
"Do you want to tell me? I'm worried about you."
"I don't really know dad. I'm just confused, I think. I didn't sleep well and I am worried because Kazu was so scared this night. It scared me. What do you think his father did?"
"I don't know, Satoshi, and I won't ask him. And the important part is: It's the past. He is here now with you and me. And I will look after him. You don't have to be scared of his father. The man will never get near you or Kazu. I promise."
Satoshi watched his father for a few minutes till he embraced him tightly. "Thank you, dad," he breathed relieved and Nagase put his arms around him.
"I will protect you," he whispered again and felt Satoshi nodding against him. They stood for a few minutes like that before Nagase lifted his chin up.
"Do you still want to go to your dance group this afternoon. Or should we skip it?" he asked.
SSatoshi thought about it for a moment and shook his head. His dad managed a dance group for youths with behaviour problems for a few weekends and took Satoshi with him because he couldn’t leave him alone at home and nobody could look after Satoshi for so many weekends in a row. Satoshi had fun participating there and begged his dad afterwards to be allowed to join a regular group. Of course, he was allowed to and he went to a semi-professional hip-hop course now for two hours each Saturday. It was fun more so because he loved dancing and the fact that he didn't have to think about anything but his movements when he was there. Something that he was looking forward right now. “Yes, if that’s okay.”
Nagase nodded once more and ruffled his hair. “It is. I will bring you take Kazunari with me to the playground nearby.”
Satoshi smiled happily and kissed his cheek before he left him alone to do the washing and went to his room to do his homework he didn't finish the day before.
I hope this is okay... And I'm sorry for taking so long at the teddy store. Next chapter will be at the dance studio and I'll try to bring Sho into it, too