Bokuto chuckled, holding Emiko up. "Keiji! Look!"

"Ah careful." Akaashi laughed and watch Bokuto hold Emiko and help her mimic a walk across the living room. Emiko giggled, trying to move with him. She was nearly one at this point and had gotten a lot better at moving, including walking.

Bokuto loved helping her walk everywhere in the house even though it wasn't even really walking yet.

"Emiko."

Emiko yelped at the sound of her name.

Akaashi bent down and eased her close as Bokuto stood. Emiko leaned against Akaashi, pulling at his hair lightly. Akaashi adjusted his glasses and patted her back. "Time for dinner."

Emiko held on loosely and was carried to the kitchen. "Ba!"

Akaashi chuckled, putting her in the high chair.

"Ah! Ba!"

"You trying to say something?" He kissed her forehead. "Silly…"

"Da!"

Bokuto opened the fridge. "Silly, silly Emiko."

Emiko threw her hands up and slammed them back down on the little table for her highchair. She giggled. Akaashi took her hands and tapped them. "What're you trying to tell us princess?"

"Pah!"

"Well then… we're gonna give you that chicken and carrot thing you like so much…"

"Ba! Ba! Babababa!"

"Is she trying to say banana?"

"I can try that word." Akaashi mumbled. "Emiko. Hey…" He tapped her shoulders. "Are you trying to say Banana? Bah- nah- na."

"Bah!"

"Nana."

"Na! Nanananana!" Emiko squealed. "Banananana!"

Akaashi smiled. "Close enough. Your first word was Banana. How strange." He kissed her head. "Love you."

"Bananana!"

Akaashi took a bowl from Bokuto and a spoon. He started feeding Emiko, stopping to let her babble.

"She's so cute!" Bokuto leaned down with Akaashi and tapped Emiko's head. "Hey Emmy~"

Emiko threw her hands back up. He smiled.

"What're you doing silly girl." He kissed her head. "Hm?"

"Banana!"

"Mhmm. You are so strange." He kissed her head again and stood. "Ehhhh. Keiji."

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry too."

"Make yourself something to eat then." Akaashi mumbled.

"So mean." Bokuto whined.

"Oh quit it." Akaashi stood and wrapped his arms around Bokuto's neck. "There's no reason for whining at me."

Bokuto smiled. He put his arms around Akaashi's waist.

"Ah, watch your hands. Just cause she can't see doesn't make it inappropriate."

Bokuto snickered, raising his hands back up.

Emiko yelped, having put her hands in the baby food.

Akaashi stared for a second. "Don't you dare."

Emiko moved her hands around, messing with the food before sticking a fist in her mouth. She kept doing that, making a mess all over herself and the table. Akaashi just let her, not minding it.

Babies were messy anyways.

****

Akaashi yawned, pushing a shopping cart around. It was pretty much silent in the store, it being a sleepy Sunday. Emiko sat in the baby seat, playing with a teething ring.

"Banana!"

Akaashi snorted, not expecting her to talk out of no where. "Shhhh, shhhh."

Emiko stuffed a part of the teething ring in her mouth. She whined and started banging on the shopping cart handle.

Akaashi put his hand in place so she wouldn't hurt herself. "Hm… let's see." He reached up and got a jar off the shelf. "I should try to give you bananas since you keep saying it."

"Banana!"

Akaashi chuckled. "Hush princess, hush." He kissed her forehead.

Emiko reached up and held his face, cooing at him.

Akaashi hummed. "Hi there Emiko." Emiko exhaled softly. She cooed again. Akaashi kissed her nose. Emiko giggled. "Hi…"

Emiko cooed at him.

"It's just me. It's just mommy."

Emiko whined. "Mimi."

Akaashi lifted her out of the cart and rocked her gently. "Mhmm. Later Daddy is gonna get home and he can help you walk around some. And don't worry, when you get older you'll have your own guide dog too. We're saving up for one. Just for you." He kissed her forehead. Emiko leaned against him. "Someone's sleepy…"

Emiko rubbed her eyes and whined.

"Oh I know… shhhh. Shhhh." He rubbed her back. Emiko relaxed, tired. Akaashi kept walking, careful that Emiko was still relaxed and could possibly fall asleep a bit.

When he stopped at the cashier's and unloaded his cart, the cashier tried talking to him.

"Aw… she's adorable. How old is she?"

"Nine months."

"She looks so sleepy. You must be tired too." She said, smiling.

"Mhmm." Akaashi glanced at the person bagging his groceries.

The cashier wiggled her fingers at Emiko. "Hi!"

Akaashi held her closer. "She doesn't really like strangers. Sorry."

"Ah I'm not doing much harm. Babies like this."

Akaashi took out his card. "She's also blind so please stop." He signed off and walked out. Emiko whined softly as she was put in her car seat and Akaashi got in the driver's seat. "Well that was interesting."

Emiko listened to the radio, relaxed. "Mimi!"

"It's "mommy". But it's okay. It'll take you a bit. I'm mommy and when we get home you'll see Daddy."

Emiko kicked. "Banananana!"

Akaashi laughed softly. He pulled out of the parking lot.

"Banana!"

Akaashi kept driving, knowing that Emiko was okay as she repeated the fruit over and over. When they got home Emiko was taken inside and set her in her play area. He brought the groceries inside and picked her back up, sitting on the couch and bouncing her to keep her entertained until Bokuto got home.

But an hour after he'd gotten home Bokuto still wasn't back. Akaashi called him and it went straight to voicemail. Immediately, he called Sugawara.

"Hello!"

"Hi. Has Kotarou left yet?" Akaashi questioned.

"Um… I dunno. I've been busy today. Why? Is something wrong?"

"He was supposed to be here an hour ago."

"I'll check his office." There was shuffling. "Walking… walking. Walking…"

Akaashi shifted Emiko.

"Here's his office. Okay. Heyyy Bokuto- fucking dumbass."

"What's wrong?"

"He fell asleep at his desk again." There was more shuffling. Then a whine. "Hello there. Why are you sleeping here?"

"Leave me alone."

"Eh. Rude."

Akaashi shifted. "Okay. Put it on speaker."

"Done!"

Akaashi sighed. "Koutarou. Do I need to pick you up? Why are you sleeping in your office?"

Emiko shifted. "Banana!"

"Hush."

"Emmy! Sorry Keiji. I was trying to take a nap but I forgot to set a timer."

"He's right he forgot to save the timer. It's right here." Sugawara said, sounding like he was smiling.

"Ah okay. Do I need to pick you up?"

"Nope. I'm awake now. Sorry. I'll make it up to you. You sounded like you were really worried."

Akaashi set Emiko on the floor as she started to whine. "Of course I was."

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Akaashi got up. Emiko started crawling around, babbling.

"What's Emmy doing?"

"She's just crawling around right now." Akaashi waited a moment. Emiko found a toy on the floor and started banging it against the coffee table. Then she hit her hand and dropped the toy, screaming.

"What happened?"

"She hit her hand on the coffee table. Hang on." Akaashi leaned down and picked her up.

"Aw Emmy…"

"It's okay. Shhhh. It's okay." Akaashi rubbed her hand. "It's okay princess." He kissed her hand. "I've got you."

Emiko cried against him.

"Whew… just come home, okay?"

"Will do. Love you."

"Love you too."