As the (h/c) haired woman woke up, she was surprised to find she was all alone. It had been ages since she'd had even a bit of silence, and further still when she had woken up of her body's own volition. Typically, her sleep would have been interrupted by the uncontainable shrieks of her two baby boys. They wouldn't let her rest, kicking their legs and whining at the lack of attention they were given. When they were up, they wanted to be held by their mother and only their mother.

Yawning, (Y/n) stretched her legs and sighed, throwing her feet over the bed. She continued to ponder why it was that her husband was nowhere in sight. Most every day he would wait for her to wake up in bed with her breakfast already made. Of course, he was a mess in the kitchen, but he knew how to cut up fruit and make a bagel. It was also a talent of his to pour juice in a cup. So much so that he could even pull off pouring tea, coffee, or even water! She chuckled, her stomach rumbling and begging for a delicious breakfast to start the day off right.

She wandered out of the bedroom in her nightdress with a hum, heading straight to the kitchen. That being said, as she turned the corner, she gave a quiet and surprised gasp at the sight she saw. Her husband lay on the couch, holding their two baby boys in his arms. They squirmed a bit but hadn't woken up just yet. Rather, they were on the verge of it, their father in a state of being half-awake and half-asleep. He placed his arms on either side of the two babies. The older of the two rested on his father's chest, the younger one tucked between his father's side and his arm. No doubt it was because the older of the two, Elidae, was a very greedy baby.

The young woman chuckled at the sight. It warmed her heart. The blonde must have taken the boys out of bed earlier to give her a bit of solace in the morning. He never ceased to surprise her. Moving further to the kitchen, the (h/c) haired woman took out different ingredients from the fridge, taking special care with the eggs. She also ventured into the pantry to find sugar and flour but emerged quickly when she heard one of the babies screeching for dear life. Peeking her head out, the woman gave a loving but somewhat irritated sigh, noting Elidae slapping his father's face to get away from him.

"Mumma!" he repeated again and again with gurgles, the only word he ever wanted to say.

"Shh, mm...shh, baby boy," the blonde murmured drunkenly, trying to bounce the baby to satiety, "You're going to wake mumma up. Go back to sleep...please."

At the sight of her husband trying to ease their brat-like firstborn, the younger woman chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. She walked silently towards the two, her baby's crying lessening with each step she took forward. It was like he could sense her even when he wasn't able to see her from his angle. His father, on the other hand, with eyes desperately shut, had no idea she was even there. As such, she kissed the male's lips, surprised when he began to do so back with great passion.

"Good morning, Zuki," she smiled, nuzzling his nose before picking up her excited eldest.

The baby bounced in his mother's arms, placing his curious hands around her face. It was as if he had completely forgotten what she had looked like, trying to memorize it for times when she wasn't with him. His mother smiled, sending him into a squealing fit. He then leaned forward, pressing his forehead to her mouth. Taking the hint, the young woman kissed him all over his face to his utter delight.

"Mm, if only he liked me a quarter as much as he likes his mother," the blonde huffed, taking care of the younger boy, "Then maybe I could get away with stealing him from you in the middle of the night."

"Mumma!" Elidae shrieked, immediately overcome with jealousy of his father.

"Yes, yes, mumma. Your poor mumma, Eli."

(Y/n) snickered almost sinisterly, the baby in her arms mimicking her. For some reason, the way he chortled was far more intimidating. Perhaps he was born to be evil, but either way, his mother loved him more than anything else. Aside from his father and brother, of course. It was only a shame he couldn't be around all day, every day. In fact, Fridays, a day Elidae rather despised, was one in which his "evil" father would take him away from him to a "special class".

"Do you want pancakes, Eli?" she cooed, smiling joyfully as he responded with absolute glee, "If Eli wants pancakes, can he say 'pappa'?"

Giving his mother a strange look as he tried to understand her words, the boy cried, shedding dramatic tears. It was as if she had told him it was the end of the world. He grabbed at his mother's nightdress and shook his head while she tried to bounce him to happiness. While it would have typically worked, for some reason, he always became such a diva when he was reminded of who his father was. A total momma's boy, he only ever wanted to be acquainted with her. His father wasn't in the picture he envisioned, but then again, neither was his brother - of whom he was incredibly jealous.

As the (h/c) haired woman attempted to cheer the baby up, Kazuki began to tend to Iripius, the younger of the two babies. He was a far tamer, gentler child than his brother had ever been. And though he, too, preferred his mother - for a reason only his father knew - he nonetheless adored his father, too. He wouldn't scream and pout over sleeping with him, and preferred to be in between both of his parents than just one of them. Not picky with the new foods he was being introduced to, he didn't even cry when he accidentally fell over. In fact, the only thing he would cry for was to be fed. It was for that reason that his parents took special care to ensure he was unharmed or uncomfortable.

Iripius attempted to murmur out what his mother wanted to say, but he couldn't find a way to vocalize it. All that came out were gurgles and hiccups, the boy falling back into his father's arms. He looked up with a giggle as the man stuck out his tongue, moving his tiny arms up and down with adoration. The boy always was very playful, reaching up to grab at his favorite toy - a golden-colored teddy bear with a red bow. It had been a gift from his great aunt on his father's side, the woman more than happy to provide luxurious presents to her great-nephews - and as she liked to "subtly" suggest, a future niece as well.

"You really shouldn't take the boys after staying up doing work," (Y/n) huffed, finally getting the older baby to calm down from his dramatic outburst, "I'm perfectly fine snuggling with my babies."

"But I'm not when they wake you up and make you so tired you fall asleep and - "

"I get it. But you have to go to the baby gym on near-zero sleep and have to work on that big project your company is starting on. Why don't...Why don't I take them today?"

The blonde gave a bewildered stare at her suggestion. He paused for a moment, almost horrified at the very prospect of letting her take on the class by herself. She hadn't been out of the manor since Elidae had been born, and her performing any kind of social interaction was beyond what he could conceive. Why? She had an intense case of social anxiety, caused by...well, by her surroundings in the past. That was precisely the reason Kazuki took it upon himself to not only take on responsibilities outside the house but to purchase a home far away from the rest of society, nuzzled in the woods.

"I'm not a child, Zuki...I can do it."

Further still did the male give a disapproving glance, almost glaring at her. His need to keep her safe from the rest of the populace never stopped, not even when he slept. Rather, he often woke up in the middle of the night just to ensure she was still there with him. So believing that he would just let her waltz out of the protected property was fairly naive of her. Though it was worth a shot.

"I disagree."

Sighing, the (h/c) haired woman took Elidae towards the kitchen, ignoring the conversation's end. She still felt the blonde's eyes on her back as she moved away, but it was to be expected. Though she had stopped speaking, that thought on her mind was far from fading away, and it was that which brought him worry. Perhaps some part of her mind was still spinning, thinking of a way to ignore his warning. He knew her all too well.

As (Y/n) began to make pancakes, letting Elidae bounce on the floor while holding onto the hem of her nightgown, she looked up and gave a wink to her husband. He blushed and muttered something under his breath before lifting up Iripius and grabbing his brother as well. Though he fussed and whined repeatedly, his father ignored it, no doubt changing the two of them in the bathroom. Considering the sound of water rushing through the hallway, the young woman assumed they were also getting a morning bath, especially since they skipped out on theirs the previous night.

When they finally did come back, the older of the two rushed down the house with a burning passion. He escaped his father, running for dear life to cling to his mother. Even putting his grabby hands in the air, he demanded something to do, the young woman letting him carry his own plate to the table. In the shape of an owl, the boy only ever wanted to eat on such childish adornments. His brother, on the other hand, preferred plain colored plates and bowls. For some reason, Iripius was very minimalistic and abstemious, but that may have just been him mimicking his father's tastes.

Kazuki placed "Eri" - as they called him - in his booster seat, giving him a gray plastic plate. He picked it up and began to observe it closely, only letting it be placed down when he could find no interesting cracks or stains on it. The boy was then served a single pancake and bananas, both cut into tiny pieces and the former cooled by his attentive father. As his brother practically shoved his face with all the fruit and pancakes on his plate, Iripius looked on with a blank but somehow judgemental stare before taking a small handful of pancake. When he decided he liked it, he turned back to his mother and babbled lovingly.

"You like it?" she questioned, patting his head gently while placing her plate next to the blonde, "I thought you - Zuki!"

Surprised to the point of exclamation, the (h/c) haired woman shrieked as the blonde in question pulled at her waist. She was sent to sit on his lap, his arms immediately locking her in. He playfully treated her as a child as well, bringing a fork full of pancake bits to her lips. Though she did eat it, she regressed in embarrassment. Still, the male clinging to her was more than delighted at her actions. Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he ate his own breakfast, yet did not let her leave his lap.

It was precisely because of his need to embarrass her for her adorable reactions that she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. Stealing a kiss first to test the waters, the young woman noted the faint pink hue of the male's cheeks. For however much he wanted to tease her, he never could take his own medicine. How could she not take advantage of that? As she trailed down kisses on his cheeks, jaw, and even neck, the male practically burst into a burning lump of bashfulness when she nipped at where his neck and shoulder met.

That was his sweet spot. Every time she so much as grazed it, he would melt in her hands and shiver with ecstasy. It was also something that she exploited whenever he mildly irked her. The poor male was entirely at the mercy of her every whim, attending to her and being at her beck and call. But if ever she was given the indication she wasn't, she always took advantage of that one little spot for her own advantage. Amused at the way he shivered and murmured with flustering shame, she pressed a kiss on his forehead in apology.

"You can't do that out of nowhere," he quivered, too embarrassed to look in her eyes, "We've talked about - "

"I'll do it again. Maybe you should let me take the boys today."

All feelings of shame and pleasure faded away in an instant at the thought of the (h/c) haired woman going out into the middle of the city. He tightly pulled her back flush against his chest, resting his head on her shoulder with a frown. That possessive grasp he had on her demonstrated his thoughts on the matter, but then again, she could tell he wasn't certain of his objection. Rather, the way he stroked her stomach with his thumb told her he was lost in thought. Unusual though it was for him, he nonetheless could change his mind occasionally. It would take a lot to convince him though.

"C'mon, Zuki," she cooed, petting the male's head, "It'll be alright. Eli and Eri will have fun at their baby gym and have some mommy time. Then we'll come to meet you at work with lots of love. We can even pick up some tortellini for you? I know it's your favorite."

"Mumma!" Elidae squealed, smacking his hands on the table with excitement as he followed the conversation.

"See? The boys are excited!"

The blonde quieted himself. He grumbled in discontent, kissing the girl's neck to help him thin. That being said, it did make her squirm and his firstborn squeak in strong opposition. His brother, however, irritated by the firstborn's constant whining, took his plate and smacked him on the head. It immediately silenced the boy, turning his head slowly before grabbing at the boy's plate and letting it drop to the floor. It didn't shatter, instead making a dim noise as it plotted on the floor. He then grumbled before closing his mouth. His brother gave a sigh of relief at the lull, giving his mother a lazy smile.

"He's just like you, isn't he?" the young woman chuckled, holding onto the blonde's hand with bliss, "Keeping his brother in line."

"More like you. I don't use violence against my siblings."

"I don't have any siblings."

"Then he's his own breed, but Eri's a good boy, isn't he?"

Taking a moment to recognize the words his mother hummed, the brown-eyed baby gurgled in agreement. At least, from what he gathered from his name and "good", he believed his mother was commending him on his behavior. He bounced up and down in his high chair, taking a banana slice from his brother's plate. Elidae didn't seem to care, not wanting to touch the mushy fruit. He far preferred blueberries anyway. Irirpius adoringly patted his older brother on the head, thanking him for allowing his theft.

"I suppose...you can take them for today," the blonde finally grumbled, holding tighter onto his wife's waist, "but I would prefer you to keep on a call with me the whole time. Just so I know if you need help."

Overwhelmed with victory, the young woman pressed kisses all over her husband's face, his expression lighting up. For a split second, he was almost overcome with the need to let her have her way all the time, but he shook his head quickly. Still, he let her pamper him with her love, willingly accepting all she had to offer. From petting his hair to the small kisses she peppered along his tanned ivory skin to her murmurs of how she loved him and everything he did. His heart tore apart when she separated him in order to get the boys ready for their gym session. They put their hands in the air, making a grabby motion to their mother. Kazuki grumbled. If only he could get away with doing the same.

Hesitantly, he finished up the rest of his breakfast and gathered the remaining plates on the table. Washing them thoroughly to ensure no syrup remained, the male kept his wife's kisses in the back of his head. Iripius would have been very irate to see his favorite plate have any residual meal on it. As the blonde thought of him, he found his youngest tugging on his pants, looking up with fascination. He was the kind of child to trail around his mother or father alike, performing the same chores they did.

When his mother cooked meals, he would try to help wash vegetables on the counter - but more often than not, lost balance and almost fell into the sink. When his father vacuumed, he would stand in front of her, holding onto the handle to "help". Even when his brother forgot to put away his toys, he would do it for him, but would often struggle to carry them while crawling. So as he returned them to his brother's designated toy bin, they often were covered with tons of slobber.

Reaching down to pick up the boy, the blonde placed him on the counter before giving him his favorite plate. It was the only one that was break-resistant, considering how much Iripius liked to "help". The boy mimicked his father, scrubbing the gray, plastic plate with tons of soap, his eyebrows furrowed in great concentration. He worked very robotically, starting from the top and working down incredibly slowly. Every now and then, his father would peek at him from the corner of his eye to see the boy frown before scrubbing furiously. It was quite obvious he was a perfectionist even though he was so young.

"Poor baby," (Y/n) chuckled, carrying Elidae into the living room, the diaper bag on her shoulder, "Are you ready to have some fun with mumma?"

At the sound of his mother, the boy looked up with sparkling brown eyes, immediately giving the plate to his father. He held onto it tightly, giving a serious look to the male. His father scoffed and patted him on the head, knowing just what he was trying to convey. Iripius was a very expressive baby. Kazuki placed the plate in the sink, washing his hands before thoroughly drying them. He then picked his youngest up and bounced him on the way to their second car. Though the young woman hardly used it, it was hers, through and through.

After the babies were buckled up, they sat still, expectant to see where they were going. They had little sense of time, not knowing they were going to their baby gym simply because their father only ever took them. Happy, even Elidae showed restraint in throwing a fit when the blonde stole kisses from his mother. In fact, he looked over at his brother, kicking his legs playfully with his favorite toy - a doll that had (h/c) hair. He had insisted on getting it when he saw it at the store, his father ultimately caving in when he continued repeating "mumma" chaotically.

"Alright, don't hang up, but if you do, call right back," Kazuki sighed, ensuring the car let the call become hands-free for safety's sake, "And if you can't handle it anymore, tell me, I'll get you."

"I got it."

Giving a somber look, the male's eyes darted down in worry. He was fearful to allow her to go out on her own, but it wasn't as if she wanted to be cooped up for all time. It was good to get out of her comfort zone every now and there. He just wished he could be there by her side to ensure nothing happened. Still, as she kissed him and gave an excited beam, he couldn't hold her back. Overjoyed and plenty proud, he stepped back, watching the car leave the garage slowly.

Despite her lack of experience in driving during the previous few years, it felt completely natural to her. Her babies gurgled and swayed to the music playing, behaving just fine. Even when they saw the gym they were so accustomed to, they nonetheless remained filled with smiles, holding tightly onto their mother as she picked them up. The area was familiar to them, so when their mother showed visible confusion, Iripius tugged on her shirt and pointed to the entry door. Kazuki, listening on the phone, also instructed her on how to check in.

"Good morn - ," the receptionist paused, taking a moment to gaze at the children before looking up at their mother with great surprise,