“Is she asleep yet?” Hakkai walked quietly into Tsubaki’s room. In the corner, lit by a night light, Gojyo sat in the huge rocking chair. The chair creaked softly as Gojyo rocked back and forth, Tsubaki’s head nestled into his shoulder, her breath whispering in his ear. The toddler had cried herself to sleep in Gojyo’s arms as the storm had raged on outside their little house.

She was wrapped up in her favorite blanket, an old red and green plaid one that she had found at a second hand store. Squealing at the first sight of the old blanket, Tsubaki had grabbed on to it and held it to her. The old lady behind the counter frowned as Tsubaki gathered up the blanket, dragging Gojyo over to the pottery section of the store where Hakkai was looking at dishes.

“Poppa! Ook, ook!” Tugging on the fringe of Hakkai’s scarf, Tsubaki finally got Hakkai’s attention. “Banky. ‘Baki banky.” She held out the blanket to Hakkai and he took it.

“What’s this?” Hakkai looked at Gojyo, confusion on his handsome face. “Did you promise to buy this for her?”

“No, she picked up the ratty thing and dragged me over to you.” Gojyo held out his hands for the blanket and Hakkai gave it to him. “Oh, Baki. You don’t want this old thing. It’s yucky.”

The blanket was old. It looked as if it would fall apart the first time Hakkai washed it, which he would do the second they came home from the store, if Gojyo knew Hakkai. That is, if Hakkai would let her even take the thing home. Gojyo went to give the blanket back to Hakkai but Tsubaki was too quick for him. She snatched up the blanket and held it to her heart again.

“Baki banky. My banky.” A stubborn look set on the little girl’s face. Although she wasn’t related to either of them, Hakkai had to laugh, for the look on Tsubaki’s face was the same look Gojyo got on his face when his mind was made up.

“Tsubaki, why don’t we buy you a new blanket? This one is old and faded.” Tsubaki held fast to the blanket. “Poppa and Daddy only want the best for you.”

Letting most of the blanket drop to the floor, Tsubaki grabbed Hakkai’s index finger. With his finger firmly in her grasp, she pointed to the green threads. “Poppa.” She pushed his hand to his shirt, pointing to the green fabric. “Poppa.”

“Yes, I’m Poppa.”

Tsubaki grabbed Gojyo’s hand. “Daddy.” She pointed to the red threads in the blanket. “Daddy.” With his hand, Tsubaki touched Gojyo’s long red hair.

Realization dawned on Hakkai. The green threads in the blanket represented him and the red threads represented Gojyo. To Tsubaki, the blanket reminded her of her fathers.

“We’re taking the blanket.” Hakkai stuffed the blanket in his daughter’s arms. “Along with those dishes on the third shelf.” Scooping up the dishes, Hakkai motioned his head in the direction of Tsubaki. “Gather your daughter and her blanket and meet me at the register.”

Standing in the middle of the second hand store, Gojyo watched Hakkai walk towards the counter. He’d lived with Hakkai for several years now and just when he thought he knew the man, he went and did something like this. Buying a threadbare blanket for their daughter. Shaking his head, Gojyo scooped up Tsubaki and followed his mate.




“Gojyo?” Hakkai’s voice penetrated his thoughts, rousing Gojyo from his memories.

“Yeah, I think so.” A tiny hiccup came from the bundle of blankets Gojyo held in his arms. “She was so scared.” Another flash of lightning brightened the toddler’s room. “The storm was pretty bad.” Readjusting the blankets a bit, Gojyo shifted in the chair to make himself more comfortable. The arm holding his daughter was falling asleep but Gojyo wasn’t ready to put her down just yet.

Running his hand over Tsubaki’s downy red locks, Hakkai smiled gently as they sprang back up again. No matter what he tried, her hair never stayed down or in one place for long. A hint of curl twisted the longer hairs at the back of her neck and Hakkai was itching to put bows and barrettes in Tsubaki’s hair.

“It stormed like this on the day we found her.” Hakkai’s fingers ghosted over the slightly pointed tips of Tsubaki’s ears.

“Do you think she remembers?” Gojyo kissed the top of Tsubaki’s head and the baby sighed in her sleep. “About the day her mother died, I mean.”

“I wish I knew. It’s been six months since we found her.” Hakkai whispered. “She stopped asking for her mother a month ago but the storm could have brought back bad memories of that day.”

Shifting Tsubaki to his other shoulder, Gojyo laid his head back on the rocking chair.

“Why don’t you lay her down on her bed?” Hakkai pushed a lock of Gojyo’s hair behind one ear. “She’ll sleep now. The storm’s passed.”

“I’d like to stay here for a bit more with her.” Pulling Hakkai’s hand down, Gojyo kissed the open palm. “I’ll come to bed in a bit, ok?”

They kissed softly, Tsubaki bundled between their bodies and she sighed in her sleep. Hakkai kissed his daughter’s cheek, told Gojyo he would be waiting for him in their bed and left the room.

The rain drummed on the roof of the house. Hakuryu shifted in his little bed that Hakkai had made him so long ago. The rocking chair squeaked. Tsubaki’s breathing was deep and even in Gojyo’s ear. A song that he had once heard played in his mind and he softly sung it to Tsubaki.




I'm finding my way back to sanity again
Though I don't really know what
I'm gonna do when I get there
Take a breath and hold on tight
Spin around one more time
And gracefully fall back to the arms of grace

'Cause I am hanging on every word you say
And even if you don't want to speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
'Cause I want nothing more than to
Sit outside Heaven's door and listen to you breathing
Is where I want to be, yeah...
Where I wanna be...