Chapter Text
When Kuya had finally amassed enough essence to start transforming, the last things to change were his paws. He couldn’t say what it was; something about human fingers and toes being too frustratingly detailed to form, he supposed. And so he’d spent a few days still grappling with his claws and paws with his human body.
A trait he once found an annoyance, he could only find endearing now.
Tiny paw pads brushed over his cheeks and eyelids as he leaned into his kit’s soft belly and rubbed against it, spreading his scent. He’d done the same to his other three children that laid in the nearby nest of blankets, their human-shaped mouths babbling joyfully and little human bodies wriggling. The only fox-like features to remain were their tails and ears, as well as their paws — their fur all the same shade of warm brown. The little eyes gazing up at him, becoming crescent-shaped through their smiles, were a bright yellow.
A fond laugh brushed against his ear, Eiden’s voice murmuring affectionately over his skin, “They have your eyes.”
Kuya awoke, the afternoon sunlight streaming in directly on his face. He frowned with displeasure, withdrawing into the shadow as he sat up from his bed in Aster’s mansion. At present, the only ones beneath the blanket were himself and a deeply slumbering young master.
Kuya absently brushed a hand over his own cheek, tracing the places those little paws had touched him. Ah. He’d been dreaming. And what a domestic dream it had been. He couldn’t recall such soft images occupying his unconscious mind before.
He gazed down at Eiden who remained curled up in the blankets, a hand splayed over the heavy swell of his belly. His shoulders were bare, and his kimono was discarded haphazardly to the foot of the bed with the rest of their clothes.
Kuya closed his eyes again and exhaled deeply through his nose. Well, he supposed he had no one to blame but himself for that dream — he was the one that wove this illusion, after all. Not that he expected visions of a soft, domestic life to be a consequence of that. Though he supposed that, normally, when it came to matters of having children with one’s beloved, one would of course feel a certain endearing excitement for the future.
Not that Kuya viewed Eiden as his beloved.
As always, he shut that direction of thought down before he could travel its saccharine path too far. But he never really did close the box fast enough, the sweet scent of tenderness and love hitting his nose, tempting him with promises that he convinced himself could not be. At least, not for an immortal yokai like himself and a weak little human like Eiden.
The closer something got to his heart, the further at bay he had to keep it. It came much too close to human emotion, unbefitting a yokai of his standing. Though by creating this illusory pregnancy, he did in consequence tether Eiden to him, and he did treat him with a certain care by continuously scenting him and feeding him and clothing him.
It was one of many contradictions he had created by his own hand. Usually such contradictions brought him amusement since they made his playthings so entertainingly frustrated as they tried to piece the puzzle of him together.
Now though… He was the one being forced to puzzle himself out.
“Kuya. Why do you want me to have your kids so bad?”
“I think until you can be honest about what you want, I can’t actually have kids with you.”
If Kuya’s tail was out, he’d surely be thrashing it in agitation. How dare the young master make him think about his actions? How dare he force him to consider others’ feelings? And worse, his own feelings? Was it not enough that he simply wanted to do something, so of course he did it? Was it not enough that Kuya found him entertaining and charming enough to bear his children? Did the little master think an honor like that came easily?
So irritating. So naïve.
That’s Eiden for you.
Even still… He couldn’t help but ponder Eiden’s wording. Could it be that he was indeed thinking about a future with Kuya? He would have to be even more foolish than Kuya thought if he honestly was considering living his short life by his side.
Kuya opened his eyes again and slowly trailed his gaze back to Eiden.
But I suppose that I'm being just as foolish. He’d taken off on his own that day he and Eiden had argued so that he could sort out his own intentions about this illusion and their future. He’d thought he’d known what he wanted from this (entertainment, control, possession, indulgence). But now, just because of the young master’s words and that beseeching expression on his face… Kuya was once more forced to try to understand the human heart.
Understanding was such a big deal for Eiden, after all. How many times now had he attempted to bridge the differences between humans and yokai? Kuya used to enjoy mocking his efforts and made it clear that he would never help Eiden in his endeavors. He would only spectate and watch the young master get eaten alive, literally and figuratively.
Except somehow, every time, Kuya would look up and still see Eiden by his side, never disillusioned or scared away. He was always there, smiling at Kuya. Never belittling him. Never hating him.
And without thinking, Kuya would extend his hand towards Eiden’s…
Back at the lake, in the aftermath of the double eclipse, he remembered thinking fondly, If we walked the same path… Perhaps it would not be so bad.
Eiden began to twitch and stir slightly, ending Kuya’s musings. The sun had rolled further down the sky and now the rays were tickling the edges of his eyes.
Kuya finally climbed out of the bed and headed to the window. Along the way, he plucked up his translucent top from the floor and draped it loosely around his shoulders. Once he got to the window, he closed the curtains completely, bathing the room in warm shadow. When he glanced back, Eiden had stilled once more, his breathing deep and even. Occasionally, a soft snore came from his parted lips.
Kuya resisted the urge to pinch his nose closed, though he didn’t doubt Eiden’s startling awake would be quite amusing. The young master was in his eighth week of pregnancy and spent most of his time sleeping, all his energy going to nurturing the kits inside him. He needed all the rest he could get.
He sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall. Really… It wasn't like Kuya to fall for illusions, much less one he made himself. Within the week, the illusion would have run its course and Eiden’s body would return to normal, as if nothing had ever happened. Eiden had seemed surprised when Kuya had revealed that.
"Just like that?" he'd asked.
"Did you expect something different?"
"Well, I…" Eiden shrugged lamely. "I guess I was just expecting the next natural thing. You know, like seeing the babies or something…" His voice got quieter towards the end, embarrassment catching up to him as he realized what he was saying.
Kuya chuckled deep in his throat. "My, my, young master. If you're that curious about giving birth, we can try making this pregnancy real right now."
"That's not what I said! Don't you dare make me give birth, real or otherwise!"
His teasing had done the job in distracting the young master, and Kuya himself. Because the fact was, if he did conjure the images of their kits, made them into beautiful, breathing illusions that would only fade away…
Kuya knew he'd never be able to rest until they were real, until he could have the reality that dream teased him with.
He thought again of dream Eiden’s tenderness against him, their kits perfect and tiny… They might've had his eyes, but their smiles were definitely Eiden’s. Large. Sweet. Silly.
When a gentle smile began to tickle the corners of Kuya's lips at the memory, his fist promptly shot out against the wall, where the stone cracked upon impact.
Whoops. He hadn't meant to do that.
Wait. Forget that. Was he embarrassed!?
"Huh? What? What happened?" Eiden quickly sat up in bed, unsurprisingly woken up by the bang.
Kuya lowered his slightly throbbing fist and gave Eiden a bright, false smile. "A pesky bug was flying around."
The young master’s sleepy gaze went from Kuya to the cracks in the wall. "Uh…huh…" He was unconvinced, but laid back down in the bed.
Kuya joined him, spooning Eiden from behind. The position came naturally and comfortably to them now after spending the past few weeks thus. Kuya hated being touched, but he couldn't deny how perfectly Eiden fit in all his empty spaces. Soft and warm, and even softer now thanks to the pregnancy. Were it real, Kuya knew his scent would change too to something sweeter.
How he craved nuzzling into such a scent from Eiden's nape.
Kuya leaned forward and bit his fangs into Eiden’s ear lightly, tugging on it just enough to rouse a whine from the young master.
"Don't fall back asleep just yet," he said. "I have something to share with you."
"Mmn? What is it?" Eiden’s words were slurred with sleep. Kuya bit his ear harder, enough for Eiden to shout, "Ow, Kuya! What the hell!"
"I have to make sure you're paying attention, young master. Unless you don't want an answer to your question."
"My question?"
Kuya let out an exaggerated sigh. "About you bearing my children.”
Eiden stilled at that. Then he turned himself around to face Kuya with more alertness, a rather amusing feat to watch him pull with the size of his belly.
“We will play a game: two lies and one truth.”
“Isn’t it two truths and… You know what, no,” Eiden gave a soft scoff, “your version fits you.”
“It seems you’re familiar with the game. Good. So then you know I will speak three statements. Only one will be true. The other two will be false. If the young master guesses correctly, perhaps you’ll have the answer to your question.” Kuya smiled. “Are you ready?”
Eiden nodded, hanging onto every word.
Kuya considered his words carefully, then began:
“First… Though I didn't consider myself the sentimental type, I do find myself envisioning more and more a future that we can share together. I suppose all your advocacy for human-yokai relationships bore fruit in unexpected ways. Aren't you happy?
“Second… I am a yokai of high intelligence and power but I do still possess animal instincts. Most of which I ignore or find troublesome, but I don't mind indulging in my natural instinct to breed, especially with such a charming vixen in my view.
“Third… I really am bored and having you give birth to my kits will surely bring some entertainment for a few years. After all, the cross-breeding of a human and a yokai is extremely rare; I’d be intrigued to see the result. A disappointing outcome for you, I'm sure.
“Now, young master,” Kuya smiled, “care to tell me what is a truth and what is a lie?”
Eiden looked at him, searching his face the whole time he spoke for any tells of what was true and what was false. A fruitless endeavor, as Kuya had mastered the art of deception long ago. His tone was even as he’d spoken and he kept eye-contact with Eiden the entire time. If he was relying on his five senses to see Kuya’s lies, he’d be embarking on an impossible mission.
Let’s see how well you truly understand me after all, young master.
Finally, Eiden gave a nervous laugh. “I hate how they all sound kinda plausible coming from you. But even if they all have a bit of truth to them, only one is the full truth.”
Kuya only gave a hum in answer. He couldn’t deny that he had worded each statement carefully in order to throw Eiden off. But of course he did; he couldn’t make this too easy, now could he?
“The second one is a lie,” Eiden said.
Kuya gave no indication if he was right or wrong. He only said, “Is that so?”
Eiden gave him a wary look, as if he had to think of his words wisely. “You didn’t seem fond of your animal traits like your ears and tail when you first showed them to me. And during the double eclipse, you were clearly agitated to be out of control. I don’t think you’d give into something like animal instinct. Or at least, instinct wouldn’t be your reason for indulging in something. You like control too much.”
A lengthy explanation. But an impressive one. Kuya hummed again in a neutral manner. “Assuming you’re right, the stakes have risen higher. Which of the last two statements is also false?"
The contemplation returned to Eiden’s face. Kuya couldn't help but further taunt him: "Am I fond of you? Or am I using you?" He reached out, delicately tracing Eiden’s cheek with his fingertips. "I think this is something you’ve been afraid to know the answer to for a while now. Is it because you know, deep down, what the truth was even before playing this game?”
Kuya could practically hear how Eiden’s heart skipped a beat, the young master’s breath halting momentarily. He was right on target. As usual. Eiden was a very entertaining book to read, but his pages were as open as always.
The outcome was clear. He wouldn’t believe for a second that Kuya genuinely held any tenderness for him. It may be something he foolishly hoped for and searched for in each of Kuya's elusive, inexplicable actions and riddle-filled words, but deep down, Kuya knew that he'd played his role as the villain to perfection this past year.
Eiden was just his toy, after all. That was what he said over and over.
“The first one,” Eiden said. He met Kuya’s eyes with a certain determination. “The first one…is true.”
The taunting smile Kuya wore tightened, his lips pressing together in a thin line. He repeated, “Is that so? You continue to have too much faith in me. Or is this vanity? Because all the rest of the clan just flock to you adoringly, you must assume that I too want to kiss your feet and am in love with you?"
Eiden frowned. “No. But you going on a rant like that makes me know I’m on the right track. The closer something gets to you,” a hand slowly moved and splayed open on Kuya’s chest, right over his heart, “the more you have to cover it up with illusions and venomous talk.”
Kuya only narrowed his eyes. It seemed Eiden was quite steadfast today. How annoying. “So is this your final answer?”
“You want me to doubt it. But I’m getting better at reading through deception thanks to a certain teacher.” Eiden's voice was infuriatingly confident. But his touch was gentle as he grasped one of Kuya’s hands and brought it to his pregnant belly.
Kuya caressed it, the dream he’d woken up from flitting through his mind again.
A small and fond smile bloomed on Eiden’s lips. “Yeah,” he said quietly, as if Kuya had done something worth agreeing to, “that’s my final answer.”
Kuya exhaled through his nose. A few heartbeats passed where he forced himself not to think and not to speak. He pulled his hand away and a flash of uncertainty filled Eiden’s eyes. While the young master was still confused and pliant, Kuya rose up and removed the blankets with a flourish. Eiden jumped at the cool air hitting his naked body and a blush filled his cheeks as he reached for the blanket again.
“Whoa, give that back! What’re you—? Ah! What’re you doing!?” Eiden yelped as he was turned on his back and his thighs were forced open.
Rather than answer, Kuya placed a hand down and rubbed a fingertip to Eiden’s warm, puckered hole. His cum from earlier that afternoon was still there, mostly dried around the rim but as he pushed the fingertip in, there was a wet squelching sound.
Eiden jolted, his blush darkening. “Nngh!” He attempted to close his legs but Kuya only opened them up once more with a firmer grip. Eiden gasped. “What’s happening? Why’re you…touching there—ah!” He looked down to see what Kuya was doing, but the round hill of his belly got in the way.
"Is it not obvious, young master? I'm punishing you." To punctuate his words, he shoved two fingers inside that pliant hole, familiar heat surrounding him.
Eiden moaned, eyelashes fluttering. His hole tightened around the intrusion, then began to twitch, trying to instinctively suck Kuya’s fingers in deeper.
"Punishing?" he gasped. “Wait, did I guess wrong?"
"Did I say that?" Kuya’s tone was composed, a direct contrast to the sudden thrusting of his fingers. He moved at a quick pace, fingertips stroking that softened passage that his cock had pounded into just hours ago. A triumphant smirk crossed his lips as he noticed Eiden’s own cock begin to swell and grow flushed.
Eiden whined; it sounded half in pleasure and half in annoyance. “So was I right? Nngh! Why…ah!...why are you, mmn, punishing me if I’m right? Ah!”
“Well, I never said I would reward you if you figured it out, now did I? Though judging by this,” his free hand wrapped leisurely around Eiden’s cock, “this might be a reward for you anyway.” He stroked Eiden to full hardness, hot and swollen against his palm. His asshole too was becoming a lovelier sight — Kuya’s thrusting fingers had moved his cum around, drops flooding out of Eiden little by little.
Moaning, Eiden fell into the caresses. Like a good boy, he kept his legs open of his own accord, falling apart as Kuya touched him. The look in his warm brown eyes grew hazy, highlighted by the flush in the sweet apple of his cheeks.
Kuya drank in the vision with heated breaths. Yes, fall into it. You look beautiful, vixen. And he murmured as much aloud.
Eiden shivered and shook his head. “I-I can’t… This position is…”
“I know. Have I not made sure you’re comfortable every time we fuck? We mustn’t harm you and the babies, hm?” Kuya pulled his hands away and began to help Eiden maneuver to his side and against the pillows still set up from their earlier session. To his pleasure, the young master was still obedient, moving along with Kuya and seeming just as eager to keep going.
That was, until Eiden looked over his shoulder and opened his mouth. “I did guess right though, didn’t I?”
Kuya didn’t want to, but he froze. He’d hoped he’d distracted Eiden enough for the matter to drop. But it seemed the young master was indeed getting better at seeing through deception. Kuya glanced further down Eiden’s body and brought one of his legs up and over his shoulder.
“...So what if you were?” he eventually said.
Silence.
Then:
“...Pfft. Haha… Hahaha…!”
Kuya narrowed his eyes once more, prepared to bare his fangs and snarl. He did not take kindly to being looked down on and being mocked. And he knew, he knew all along that if he tried looking the truth in the eye, if he warded off the illusions around his heart, then there was no way that a human like Eiden would ever—
As if sensing Kuya’s mounting displeasure, Eiden quickly apologized, “No, wait, sorry, sorry. I was just thinking…that we finally see eye to eye on something. And in your own way…you were finally honest with me. Thank you.” His voice grew affectionate as he spoke, and it prompted Kuya to look up at him again.
Eiden’s eyes were shining. His smile was breathtaking and wide.
“Kuya, I want a future with you, too.”
Kuya wouldn’t ever admit how his heart skipped a beat at that statement. Or that a breath caught in his throat. All he knew was an overwhelming desire flooded his chest and body and soon he was slotting his bare hips between Eiden’s thighs. In a single motion and with a deep groan, he shoved his cock inside Eiden’s body. He barely gave the young master time to adjust before moving at a fervent pace that caused the sound of squelching inside that loosened hole to grow louder in the room. Eiden’s own moans weren’t far behind, surprised but drenched in ecstasy.
It riled up Kuya in every way. His heart pounded with as much fervor as his body did against Eiden’s. He shivered at the feeling of Eiden tightening around his cock, accepting him and smothering him with heat. With hoe perfectly he squeezes around him, it damn near felt like Eiden was made just for this, just for him.
And he was. He was made to belong all to me.
“Mark your words, young master,” Kuya said with a lustful grin that showed his canines. “And know that you’re mine.”
“I-ah!-I thought…nngh, hahh!...that I already was,” Eiden gasped. He managed a mischievous smile in his blissful delirium. “Your toy…your vixen… Isn’t that, ahhn, r-right? Ah~!”
A trill of delight trailed down the yokai’s spine and his grin widened to a feral degree. “So you know your place. How wonderful of you to remember it. But understand that now, soon…” Kuya reached down, splaying a hand over the curve of Eiden’s heavy belly, “you’ll also be the father of our children.”
Spurred on by his own words, Kuya’s hips snapped forward and back faster, his cock shoving into that delicious hot passage again and again. His grunts and groans of pleasure became tight and raspy, his cheeks flushed from the exertion. Below him, Eiden clutched onto the sheets desperately, tears springing in his eyes.
“W-Wait, wait!” he cried, writhing from the sensations. His swollen middle, full of their four kits, made moving difficult, every twist and arch a greater effort and Eiden panted and moaned helplessly. “K-Kuya, wai-ahh-wait! T-Too much…! Slow down, nngh, you, ohh, you might hurt the babies!”
My, my, it seemed the young master was also in deep with this illusion. But Kuya was more than fine with that if it meant Eiden said such pretty things. Really, he would make a wonderful pregnant vixen; he couldn’t wait to make it a reality. After all, that was the agreement, wasn’t it? Kuya would be honest, and Eiden would seriously think about having children with him.
Soon. Soon.
“Not to worry, young master, I know your body can handle it. You’re quite durable for a human, you know. Mmn, not just anyone can handle a yokai pregnancy.”
Eiden made a helpless whining sound. He bit his bottom lip before crying out, “Ungh, ah…s-so…mean… Are you gonna be this way when I’m actually pregnant?”
Kuya stopped moving, stunned as his eyes grew wide. He’d almost think he was dreaming again but Eiden’s eyes were wet and full of confusion as he looked up at Kuya.
“H-Huh…? Why’d you…stop?”
“‘When.’”
Eiden blinked in a haze. “Wha…?”
Heat pooled beneath Kuya’s belly as his excitement came flooding back. “You said ‘when’ you’re actually pregnant, not ‘if.’”
Somehow, Eiden’s cheeks grew even more red and he averted his gaze. “I…well, I…”
The grin returned to Kuya’s lips. Eiden unfortunately wasn’t as flexible as he once was thanks to his condition, so instead of against his ear, Kuya settled for peppering possessive kisses along Eiden’s thigh he held up. He bit down on the soft flesh and murmured against it, “Well, why keep you waiting? Like I said, you’re quite a durable vixen. Let’s put another kit in you now.”
“Huh!? N-No, I— aahn~! Ahh, K-Kuyaaa~,” Eiden moaned as the cock inside him began pounding away once more. “Kuya, you’re so—greedy! You already put—hahh!—four babies in me! I c-can’t carry any mooore!”
“Then I’ll just have to impregnate you again, now won’t I? Nngh, yes…there’s a good idea.” Kuya chuckled, a dark and sensual sound. He shoved his cock in deeper, imagining he could knock right inside Eiden’s womb that he’d created. “After you have our litter…I’ll knock you up with another…and then another litter after that, and another after that… Fufu…ahh, we’ll keep going just like that, until you’re always full and round with our babies.”
“K-Kuyaaa,” Eiden sobbed, but his cock was redder and staining his belly with pre.
Kuya bit and sucked at Eiden’s plump thigh again, moaning in rapture at the thought of the young master always looking just like this. “Yes, do you like it, vixen? Do you enjoy the idea of existing just to be bred? Of waiting for that moment when we know you’re pregnant all over again with our precious kits?”
His hand wrapped around Eiden’s cock again, stroking him until his palm was sticky with the fluid leaking from the tip.
“Ah, ah, ahhhn, Kuya, gonna—gonna cum!”
Kuya’s breath came out in hot puffs. He wanted to just keep taking in the gorgeous image of the man below him, but he surrendered to letting his eyes briefly fall closed as he let himself swim in the exquisite ecstasy of it all — of Eiden’s heat, his softness, the scent of his sex, the song of his essence and blood…
“You didn’t answer me, vixen. Do,” thrust, “you,” thrust, “want to be bred?”
Eiden’s whole body quaked and trembled under Kuya’s hands. Delirious, unfocused, he moaned, “F-Fuck, unngh, I… Yeeees~! P-Please…! S-So hurry and…fill me with your cum!”
Another shiver raked down Kuya’s spine. His whole body felt aflame in the best way. And in the middle of it all, he opened his eyes to see that lovely mouth making such sweet sounds, all he could think was,
I want to kiss him.
He was off the edge before he realized it, tossing his head back and burying his cock as deep as he could as he released a large load of cum inside that hot passage. It squeezed him so tightly as Eiden too was sent to orgasm, crying out loudly for the yokai until his voice broke and he could only make incoherent noises of pleasure. Kuya had to admit, he wasn’t in any different shape, a name falling from his lips over and over like it was the only thing he knew.
Eiden, Eiden, Eiden…
Kuya might not like staying in the mansion longer than he had to, but he had to admit that it had its good qualities. A bathtub large enough to fit not only himself but a fully pregnant man was one such quality.
The tub was full to almost overflowing with crystalline water, scented with the sweet, floral oils that Kuya had poured in. He’d helped Eiden climb inside, not wanting the young master to slip and injure himself or the kits. An illusion, yes, they both knew it painfully well by now and that it would be over once sunrise arrived. It seemed to be all the more reason, especially in light of their recent honesty over what they wanted for the future, to treasure this moment all the more.
As Eiden laid back against Kuya’s chest, both their hands resting on his belly, he said, “I want to adopt first.”
Kuya tilted his head slightly, but remained silent to let Eiden continue.
And so he went on, “I was an orphan, in the system all my life until I came of age. I always thought that if I had kids, I definitely wanted to adopt. Actually, I…I always wanted a big family." Eiden's voice was full of a vulnerability that Kuya hadn't heard before, and it stole his words.
Eiden continued, "I don’t… I don’t want any kid to experience the kind of loneliness and pain that I did. And I wonder, is it possible that there are young yokai out there going through the same too?”
Kuya found an intense sudden interest in watching a drop of water slip down from Eiden’s shoulder. “It wouldn’t surprise me,” he said. “What with the fear humans still hold for yokai, it often leads to a brutal fight. Sometimes the yokai might not survive, if they’re weak enough. It might also be true that said yokai might have offspring that they’d be leaving behind in the wake of their death.”
“...That sounds awful.”
“It’s the reality of the world.”
Eiden was silent for a heartbeat, then said with some hope, “But not forever. I mean…there’s us, right?”
Kuya still had difficulty trying to push any agreement and genuine affection past his lips. Thus he only reached for the bottle of shampoo and poured a generous dollop into Eiden’s wet hair. “You’re still dreaming, young master, if you think that fear will be erased in your lifetime. It’ll be impossible even in mine.”
“Yeah, I already know it’s an uphill battle. But I know now what we both see eye-to-eye on when it comes to us having a future. And it’s that we want one together in the first place. That desire alone makes all the difference.” Eiden tilted his head slightly, humming in contentment as Kuya lathered in the shampoo. “So, yes. I want to adopt first, and I hope you’ll want to take care of the children with me. But afterwards, we can talk more seriously about, um…about…”
Kuya slowed his movements, then started to grin. “What’s this? You’ve been under this illusion for weeks now, you’ve begged me to breed you, and you’re still so shy to say it?”
“An illusion is different! When we talk about it again, it’ll be about me actually being… A-About actually carrying.”
A low chuckle rumbled in Kuya’s throat. He combed back Eiden’s bangs with his long nails then prompted Eiden to tilt his head back to place a kiss on his forehead.
“Well, at least you know what to expect now, no?”
Eiden scoffed, but there was a fond smile on his lips as he looked up at Kuya. “I never know what to expect with you.”
“Hmm. I could say the same thing.” Another kiss. “But I am quite charmed by that part of you.”
As Kuya began to wash out the shampoo, Eiden made another humming sound. Then, “I’m going to kinda miss the illusion. I know they weren’t real, but… I grew attached to the babies anyway. Don’t laugh or tease me, but… I kinda had dreams about meeting them.”
“Oh?” was all Kuya could say without revealing that he, too, had dreamed of them. That he, too, was going to miss this.
“Yeah…” Eiden looked over his shoulder, a grin on his face. “I even thought of names. Can I tell you them?”
Kuya raised an eyebrow. A suspicion grew in his chest. “Young master, were you not the one to name my old friend’s little,” he waved his hand dismissively, “weasel creature thing?”
“Heh-heh, I did~!”
There was way too much pride in that voice. Still, if anything, Eiden was sure to come up with rather amusing names to entertain him with. It’d likely earn some cheek from their future children, but that too, was something to look forward to and laugh about.
Perhaps — no, definitely — with fondness.
“Alright, Eiden. Let me hear them…”