15-1-2049

"so. we got you a little something, nothing too big. not a big deal. it's a huge deal, i'm so excited, kuroo, give it to him."

"fine, fine," kuroo chuckles, pushing the alien-wrapped gift towards their son — it's an uneven year, which means alien wrapping, even years are for cat wrapping — "we hope you like it."

"i'm sure i will," kazuhiko says excitedly, tearing the wrapping paper away to reveal a state-of-the-art telescope that he's been talking about for two months now.

"seriously? this thing is hideously expensive!" he exclaims, looking up at his parents with stars in his eyes.

"you worked your ass off at school this year. you deserve it," oikawa laughs, "i'm glad you like it. however, one of the conditions is that i'm using it too."

"i wouldn't expect otherwise," he grins. "thanks dads, you two are the best." he smiles at them, more heartfelt than before. "i know i'm adopted, and i don't know what living with my real mom would be like, but... i'm damn glad you two took me in. i have the best parents in the world."

"kazuhikooo," oikawa whines, trying to distract his family from the built-up tears. kuroo wraps an arm around him, laughing happily.

"we're happy we got you. you're the best son we could ever have wished for."

"well, i did learn from the best!" he grins.

the doorbell rings and interrupts them, and oikawa frowns. "anyone expecting someone?"

"nope," kazuhiko replies, and kuroo shakes his head. oikawa stands up, tells them he'll go get it.

he makes his way to the hall. when he opens the door, an unfamiliar man stands there at six feet something, spiky black hair and a certain energy that sends shivers down oikawa's spine, shivers that he's only felt for his husband before.

"how can i help you?" he asks breathlessly, looking at him with widened eyes.

"my name is iwaizumi hajime, and this may sound weird, but i just found out i have a son. and i've been told he's sitting inside of your living room right now."

15-1-2049

"kazuhiko?" oikawa says quietly when he enters the living room, "uh, you have a surprise visitor."

"hm? who is it?" he asks, the two at the table looking up at the brunet.

"it's... your dad," he replies, as he beckonsfor him to come in.

the four stand in silence, until iwaizumi finally speaks up. "i know i'm a bit late, but happy birthday."

"you... but... you didn't even know i existed," kazuhiko says, confused, "how did you find out?"

"i moved back to japan a few years back. i ran into naomi in a cafe last week, and she told me all about you. i had to see you." he sighs, seemingly frustrated. "i'm sorry. if i had known, i would've been there for you. i sure seem like a shitty dad now, huh?"

kazuhiko stands up and walks right over to him, crying instantaneously, before taking his father into his arms and hugging him. oikawa and kuroo look at each other, feeling lost and misplaced, not knowing what to do.

"i'm sorry," kazuhiko hiccuped as he stepped back, wiping his face to rid himself of his tears, "i... i'm just happy. that you came to see me. i never knew if you'd care that i existed."

"of course i do," iwaizumi chuckles, "you're my son. and even though i've missed seventeen years, i care about you. and, if you'd let me, i'd like to get to know you better. i'd like to take you out to dinner, for a little birthday celebration. if you'd let me."

kazuhiko looks over at his dads. "can i?"

"of course," oikawa smiles, "we'd be more than happy to arrange this. iwaizumi, do you have a place to stay?"

"oh, uhm, i'm staying in a hotel just out of town."

"then i insist you stay in our guest room. it's late, and you probably have a lot of catching up to do," he smiles his signature friendly smile.

"oh, no, i've already intruded way too much—"

"nonsense. you're the father of our son," he laughs, "we'd be delighted to host you. right kuroo?"

"yeah," kuroo says quietly, eyeing the way his husband smiles at this sudden stranger. "right."

15-1-2049

"you're not happy he's here, are you?" oikawa asks pointedly as they're in their bedroom later that evening, leaving kazuhiko and iwaizumi to catch up.

"it's fine," kuroo shrugs indifferently, "great for kazu."

"okay, talk," oikawa insists, pulling kuroo to sit down on their bed next to him, "tell me about all of your feelings as literally as possible."

"we don't even know that man, and no he's staying in our guest bedroom. what's going on with you? you hate people staying over."

"he's our son's father."

"yeah, and he's been gone for seventeen years. we're his fathers."

"that's his real father!"

"we're his real fathers too!" kuroo shouts at oikawa, causing him to jump back. the brunet stares at his husband, who's breathing heavily.

"tetsu..?"

"that's my son. i haven't raised him for seventeen years and poured my heart and soul into doing exactly that just to have some random guy walk by and destroy seventeen years of hard work and love."

"are you jealous?" oikawa asks.

"i'm not jealous. i'm just not happy either," he mumbles, "it feels like he's getting what we've worked so hard to achieve. and i mean, i know, he couldn't help not knowing but still..."

"it's gonna be fine," oikawa says, wrapping an arm around him, "he's not gonna stop loving us. that's crazy, tetsu."

"i know."

18-1-2049

"kazuhiko will be back from school in a few minutes," oikawa says as he invites iwaizumi in, who'd found a place close by on airbnb. "would you like something to drink?"

"water will be fine, thank you," the shorter replies, following oikawa to the kitchen, "i love the tatami, by the way."

"that's nice to hear!" oikawa beams, "tetsurou says he would like a modern dining room, but i like the traditional style."

"who needs chairs, right?" iwaizumi chuckles as oikawa hands him a glass, "thank you."

"no problem. and exactly. i find it a much more social practice. luckily, we kept it this way."

"where is kuroo?" iwaizumi asks him, raising an eyebrow.

"he's at work," oikawa says, "doing good work as usual."

"and you're..?"

"unemployed," oikawa chuckles, "i, uh, had a serious heart condition until sometime before kazuhiko was born. i never really picked up a career after that. maybe i should go work at starbucks..."

"starbucks?"

"oh, it was the first place i went to outside for fun. it was a do-and-die heart condition. so yeah. that sucked. i'm good now though."

"that's great to hear," iwaizumi tells him earnestly, "if you need any help..."

"i'm cured. but thank you so much," oikawa replies, "speaking of work, you worked in korea, right?"

"yeah, but under a japanese company. i didn't really pick up any korean there," he explains, "it wasn't that different. i'm glad to be back in japan especially now that... he's in my life." he sighs. "i can't help but feel like kuroo'd prefer me to not be in this picture."

"kuroo's having a tough time processing the change," oikawa says sympathetically, "i think it's great that you're here. i'm happy to have you."

iwaizumi glances up at him. "i'm happy to be here."

there are those shivers again, caused by the chills that iwaizumi's intense gaze sends not only down his spine, but from head to toe as well.

"good," oikawa says quietly — too quietly — before the door opens and kazuhiko interrupts whatever that was.

31-1-2049

"how would you feel about going to dinner?" iwaizumi asks oikawa.

they're sitting downstairs, just after iwaizumi brought kazuhiko home from their sushi outing. oikawa looks at him, raising an eyebrow.

"how so?"

"i'm trying to get to know my son. i might as well get to know the man who raised him. i don't think your husband wants to, so..."

"i'm sorry about that. he's behaving horribly. you're not doing anything wrong," he says, kuroo's grumpiness further encouraging his own willingness. "i'd love to. let me know the details."

"will do," iwaizumi grins, and oikawa wonders about what he just got himself into.