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Tadashi was anxiously waiting at the airport for his boyfriends’ plane to arrive. Tadashi had been anxious enough when he had to ask Ainosuke to leave work early to pick his boyfriends up but everything went well. All too well if we asked him. He sighed in relief when he heard the landing announcement for his boyfriends’ plane, just on time. He walked fast to the landing gate and waited for his boyfriends there.
“Tadashi” Jules was the first of the two to emerge from the gate and Tadashi waved at him. Jules waved back as they saw him. He was wearing a huge smile, walking fast towards him and reaching for a hug.
“Happy Birthday!” Jules said as he hugged Tadashi. Tadashi smiled softly.
“Thank you, Jules. Did the flight go well?”
They separated after a long comforting hug.
“Perfect!”
“Great.”
“And you? Did you have a good day?”
“Nothing much happened. And you?”
“Good! Being in business class is… some kind of experience though.” Jules said in embarrassment.
“I can understand.”
“Hello.” Kaiba’s stern voice came. He was wearing fake glasses to conceal his identities, which somehow worked, and a simple long-sleeved gray shirt and black pants.
“Hello, Seto.” Tadashi replied.
Tadashi felt even at a loss of words now. He has yet to be used to having so much attention on him for his birthday.
“Let’s go?” Tadashi questioned.
Both nodded.
“We aren’t the old geezers you meet everyday so relax. Plus, Jules couldn’t care less if you were feeding him shit.”
“Hey- I mean, yes Seto is right. Don’t worry about anything with us! We can help you out anyway!”
“And Seto is just happy to see you.” Jules whispered to Tadashi.
“I can hear you.” Seto retorked. He didn’t bother denying the allegations.
Tadashi's face scowled. He should have checked the bedroom before they arrived. He felt like a failure for this.
“The bed isn’t big enough for the three of us, I’m afraid.”
Tadashi apologized when he showed the bedroom of his apartment — an apartment he would use whenever he had personal visits, something that doesn’t happen often. He would have never expected to have to deal with such an issue before he met Jules and Seto and he didn’t have time to resolve it.
“You don’t use that apartment often, do you?” Kaiba asked.
“Not much, indeed. I only use it for personal visits and you can guess it doesn’t happen often.”
“I don’t know how you aren’t going mad from living with that family.” Kaiba stated.
“Don’t worry about what he said, Tadashi! You know how he is! Plus, you have futons so we’ll take just that very well!” Jules reassured Tadashi.
Tadashi smiled, relieved.
“For the restaurant-”
“We found a good one already.” Kaiba interrupted.
Tadashi looked confused.
“And the reservation is done.” Kaiba continued, ignoring Tadashi’s confusion.
Jules patted Tadashi's back to try to comfort him. He knew he not only wasn’t used to leaving the lead to anyone else but also not to spending his birthday with anyone else but himself or Ainosuke.
Jules and Seto had decided that it was better if they were going to a more modest restaurant that night, to relieve Tadashi's anxiety in some way. That was why they were going to a popular restaurant. The street was busy but not too much.
Tadashi started to relax when he saw Jules enjoying the restaurant food. Later, he finally started to truly enjoy the night and found himself laughing at Jules and Seto’s antics, like he usually does.
“You are with us, finally. I was about to think we messed up badly.” Kaiba said when he noticed Tadashi’s smile.
“Sorry. I am just-”
“Just focus on us three for now. That’s all I ask.” Kaiba said with his harsh tone.
Jules looked at Seto and then Tadashi.
“I mean it’s your day.” Kaiba justified himself.
Tadashi proposed they could walk around the neighborhood before they went back to the apartment.
“The weather is so relaxing.” Jules said.
Tadashi nodded.
“It is usually a rainy month. I’m glad this weekend’s weather is great.” Tadashi said.
This was a peaceful moment until they were forced to be aware of the looks they attracted.
“That girl in the middle is so lucky!” They would hear a girl whisper to her friend.
Jules could only cringe at the misgendering.
“Hm. Being surrounded by two handsome guys… What a dream!” The girl’s friend nodded.
Haha if they knew what we were. They would have a heart attack! Jules thought with sarcasm.
Tadashi and Seto were about to turn and speak when another person interrupted the girls and them.
“Do you want to have a handsome guy for the night too?” The man, with tan skin and green hair, called out.
The man was as tall as Seto but was way larger.
“Joe?” Tadashi called.
“Oy Tadashi! I thought it was you!” The man, Joe, exclaimed.
The gossiping girls used this opportunity to flee the scene altogether. Joe sighed in disappointment as he saw the girls leaving.
“I should have guessed it.”
“Thank you for your help, Joe.”
“It’s nothing. Anyway Tadashi, relaxing tonight?”
Tadashi nodded shyly.
“I should do the introductions, I suppose. Joe, this is Jules and Seto, they are friends of mine.” He said, pointing to his two boyfriends.
“Oh! They are the friends Ainosuke keeps talking about.” Joe said.
“We also heard a lot about you from Tadashi.” Jules said, a little anxious.
“I’m honored.” Joe said.
Joe looked at Seto for a longer time which brought the latter to arch an eyebrow.
“A problem?”
“Sorry! I just thought I knew your face from somewhere.” Joe raised his hand in apology, looking away.
“Probably from Shindo.” Seto said with a hint of disdain.
“I guess it’s that.” Joe said with a smile.
“I should get going, I think. I wouldn’t want to bother you anymore. See you later, Tadashi!” He waved.
The throuple looked at the man walking away.
“Tsk. That was a close one.” Seto said.
Jules sighed.
“You must be tired. We should go back home.” Tadashi said.
Jules jumped on the couch as soon as they entered the apartment. He could fall asleep at any moment.
“The gifts!” He suddenly jumped out, running to the bedroom where his suitcase containing the gifts was. Seto followed suit, leaving Tadashi to wait.
“Happy Birthday!” Jules handed Tadashi his gift.
“Happy Birthday.” Seto said, repeating Jules’ gesture.
Tadashi opened Seto’s gifts to find a dark blue tie from a luxury brand, a golden tie clip from the same brand and a pair of anti-fatigue glasses. He looked at the glasses: they were of an elegant black and thin. Nothing too eccentric which was fitting Tadashi perfectly.
“It’s… too much.” Tadashi voiced out, mostly about the tie and the tie clip.
“Mokuba suggested I buy glasses for you too, since you also work a lot. For the tie, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to have a luxury one. It will please the deputies.” Kaiba explained.
“Thank you, Seto.”
He put the gits away on the room cabinet and went to open Jules’ ones.
“You shouldn’t have started with me. Mine will look so bland now.” Jules said, embarrassed.
“I’m sure it won’t.” Tadashi reassured, proceeding to open the gift wrap: Jules has gifted him a small stress ball, a shark plushie and a pastries cooking book.
“I noticed you hugging a cushion last time so I thought you would like something to hug! So I bought the cute little shark. I have the same one.”
“Your little shark isn’t that ‘little’. And you are working for some kind of plushie propaganda? “ Seto said.
Jules jumped out.
“Plushies are just too cute! And soothing! I need everyone to understand that!”
“I was just joking.”
Jules pouted over being the butt of the joke. Tadashi interrupted their banter.
“What are we going to do about the bed? Since we can’t sleep there.”
Tadashi was worried about any jealousy he could trigger. They were usually able to share the bed among all three in one way or another — whether it was at Kaiba’s with the immense bed or at Jules’ with the couch or futons.
“We’ll take turns?” Kaiba questioned
Jules took Tadashi’s arm and stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.
“Like Seto said, you don’t have to handle everything today. It’s your birthday, you get to let it go.”
“But-” Tadashi started to say.
“It won’t upset us that badly. If this is what you worry about… ” Jules interrupted him.
“Right Seto?” They looked at the other man for approval.
Kaiba nodded.
“If I can handle a three way relationship, I can handle that once.”
Tadashi lowered his head.
“Sorry…”
“Let’s just play rock paper scissors to see who gets to sleep on the bed first. With you, I mean.” Kaiba said.
“Me?”
“You aren’t going to sleep on the floor, right? At least none of us would agree with that.”
Kaiba walked to Jules with a newborn determination in his eyes.
“Anyway, let’s. Let’s do a 3 point match.”
“You are sure competitive tonight.”
“Hmph.”
After that Tadashi could only watch his boyfriends playing rock paper scissors with a certain seriousness. Kaiba came out as a winner and let out a boastful laugh.
“Whatever. I will get the bed tomorrow anyway!” Jules said.
Tadashi has come to understand one thing: Jules was secretly a poor loser — he coined it to the latter’s excessive perfectionism.
“Yes, you will get to bed tomorrow.” Tadashi said while shyly patting Jules’ back
“I wasn’t sulking…” Jules tried to deny it.
“Sure.” Kaiba laughed.
All three then finally prepared the bed and the futon for the night, the shark plushie was now sitting on the bedside table. They layed down on them after switching the lights off and continued talking about whatever subject that came to their minds. Tadashi felt his eyes becoming heavy faster than usual but didn’t want to fall asleep. But he seemingly has lost his fight, as Seto noticed him sleeping after a while. He covered him with sheets.
“Good night.” Jules whispered with a smile.
“Good night.” Seto whispered back.
Seto then turned around to sleep but later in the night he could have been found by someone entering the room hugging Tadashi from the back.
It was the morning and the three lovers were having their breakfast. They were eating a birthday cake, made of strawberries and cream, with it. A cake that was just perfect for Tadashi — not-so-secret from his lovers — sweet tooth.
“It’s truly absurd how much sugar you are putting in this, Tadashi.” Seto said when he saw the other putting 3 pieces of sugar in his cup of coffee.
“Tadashi has the ultimate sweet tooth.” Jules laughed.
“I usually don’t put sugar in my coffee at work.” Tadashi said.
Reki, Langa and Miya were at the skatepark before lunch when they noticed Tadashi skating.
“Oh look, Snake is here!” Reki exclaimed. Langa looked in Tadashi’s direction with sparkly eyes, admiring Tadashi’s skating skills.
“Seems like some others are watching him. Watch out what you say, slime.” Miya said, knowing Reki is prone to slips of the tongue when it’s about skating.
But Reki and Langa were determined to go watch Tadashi skating and ran to him. Miya sighed and followed the two teens. Tadashi was indeed not alone this time, with two people sitting on a bench looking at Tadashi doing tricks. The smaller person was delighted, clapping at every Tadashi’s perfect landing. The other was not showing much emotion on his face but was looking intently.
“Hm, hello?” The smaller person spoke with a hoarse voice to the teens group when they noticed them standing next to them.
They were looking way younger than Tadashi but the teens couldn’t picture Tadashi, nor the other man sitting next to them, to be the type to be friends with teenagers — or others than them for Tadashi — so they weren’t sure of their age. Tadashi stopped skating when he noticed the teens were here.
“Hello, everyone.” Tadashi greeted.
The stern looking man finally looked at their direction, above his sunglasses. Reki couldn’t help but notice the man’s striking — still not as beautiful as Langa’s — blue eyes. Tadashi just repeated the greeting he did the day before with Joe. Tadashi then went back to skating, trying to not mind the growing audience too much — he wasn’t used to it outside of S.
The teens would later overhear the conversation between Seto — the stern looking man — and Jules — the smaller person — and found out Jules was indeed older than he looked. They also found out Seto was less scary — he still was — than he looked and helped Miya pass a section in his video game he was painfully struggling with. The teens also skated along with Tadashi for some time. The group then separated for lunch.
“It seems like you liked Miya, Seto.” Tadashi would remark after the encounter. Tadashi was very much aware of Seto’s hidden fondness for children and teenagers, much to Seto’s dismay.
“He has some skills.” Seto admitted.
“We do know you have a soft heart inside you, Seto!” Jules joked.
“Hmph. Whatever you say.”
Joe was preparing the restaurant for dinner service and food for the “clients” who were gathering at his bar.
“Joe! You wouldn’t guess who we saw today at the skatepark!” Reki said, excited.
“Hm?” Joe inquired.
“Snake! And he was with some friends that weren’t Adam!” Reki exclaimed.
“Oh? A scary tall man and a cute little guy, was it?”
Reki yelped.
“Eeeeh how would you know that? You were there?!”
Kojiro laughed.
“I wasn’t spying on you three, no. I happened to see them last night.”
“They were kind of cool, right?” Langa said.
“Yes! The scar- I mean Seto helped Miya with his games quite a lot!”
“Hm.” Miya said in confirmation, still focused on his game.
“Seto…” Kaoru thought to himself.
“What is it?” Joe questioned his friend.
“Nothing.” Kaoru replied. He thought it was unlikely that Tadashi could be with that person.
Reki, Langa and Miya — who was still mostly focused on his game — kept talking among themselves with Joe and Cherry.
“Oh I unlocked the secret route.” Miya suddenly said.
“What?” Reki said, leaning to look at Miya’s screen. The others were also leaning to look at it with curiosity.
“Since when are you playing otome games, Miya?” Joe asked.
“Some girls were talking about it at school and I thought I could try one. The girls recommended this one, saying there was some ‘secret route’ in it.”
“Secret route? And what is it about?”
“I’m reading it so wait a second! And don’t lean on me so much, I'm suffocating!”
Joe leaned back but Langa and Reki’s eyes stayed glued to the screen.
“So the heroine ends up with two guys?” Reki asked.
“Looks like it. It’s kind of cute.” Langa said.
“I wasn’t expecting much to be honest but it could have been worse.” Miya said, unbothered. He had heard of otome games with a cast full of yandere boy vampires and other visual novels with darker premises so a throuple was nothing outrageous to him.
Joe smiled.
“You are quite open-minded, you three. I thought you would freak out more than that.”
“We aren’t living in a cave, you know. We know it exists.”
The restaurant door then opened to Ainosuke.
“Hey, I didn’t expect you here.” Joe greeted.
“I’m bored. Tadashi is busy with his boyfriends and I have nothing much to do.” Ainosuke said dramatically.
“His boyfriends?” Kaoru questioned.
Ainosuke shrugged and shook his head.
“My poor Kaoru, you are so out of touch.” He said with irony.
“If by boyfriends you mean Seto and Jules, we have met them already.”
“Oh? And when was that? I have yet to properly meet Kaiba.”
“The kids met them earlier today at the skatepark and I saw them last night.” Kojiro explained.
“I hate feeling this left out.” Kaoru complained. Then something ticked in his brain.
“Wait, did you say ‘Kaiba’?” Kaoru asked.
Ainosuke pretended to think a little.
“Yes I did say that.”
“So you mean Snake is going out with the Seto Kaiba?!”
“I knew I had seen his face somewhere.” Joe confirmed.
“Of course you wouldn’t have recognized him right away, gorilla!” Kaoru snapped.
“My bad, Kaoru, I didn’t mean to insult your idol.”
Kaoru lifted his glasses back in his eyes and calmed down.
“He isn’t my idol. I was just taken back, that’s all.”
“That’s my dog, pulling such a man.” Ainosuke said proudly.
“That’s not about you.” Reki said with sarcasm but Ainosuke ignored him.
Miya has put down his game for a moment.
“So…. Tadashi is in a relationship with both of them?” The young teen asked.
“You get it my little Miya.” Ainosuke said, still proud for some reason.
“Ooooh” The three teens said in unison.
“I didn’t expect you to take it that well,” Reki said.
“You don’t know me that well, then, Third Wheel.” Ainosuke shot back.
“You are the Third Wheel, now, Adam.” Reki retorked.
Ainosuke scowled at Reki’s remark.
“Snake is really the last person I would have expected to be in such a relationship. And with Seto Kaiba, no less!” Kaoru exclaimed.
“Want a drink to calm you down, Kaoru? It’s on the house.” Joe said, quite amused by Kaoru’s unusual ecstatic behavior.
“Whatever you say, gorilla, go ahead and laugh.”
“But… are we really supposed to know? Because mom told me once we shouldn’t share this kind of information on others’ behalf.” Langa finally spoke.
Ainosuke grinned at Langa.
“I’m glad you asked, Snow. To be honest, I wasn’t supposed to know either but Tadashi isn’t as subtle as he thinks he is. Maybe telling you will open him up to me. Plus, it isn’t not like you didn’t already know he was bi.”
Langa didn’t say anything back but still looked perplexed.
“That’s a bit… childish of you. But it’s nothing new coming from you.” Joe said.
“I’m just caring about my dearest dog.” Ainosuke said.
Tadashi profisiously sneezed as the throuple was sitting on the beach, taking in the sea air.
“Someone is really talkative about you.” Jules said.
“It is just the sand going into my nose, I think.”
“He was joking, you know.” Seto said.
Alone on the beach, they hugged each other.
It was now Sunday, meaning Seto and Jules were to leave on that day. They decided they would go out to buy some souvenirs and eat at another restaurant for lunch. Then the afternoon came and Tadashi had to accompany his boyfriends to the airport for their flight.
“It was so cool! We’ll be back soon, I promise!” Jules said.
“Like he said.” Kaiba said.
“Glad you enjoyed this weekend.” Tadashi said automatically.
“We just hope you enjoyed it too! It was your birthday afterall.”
Tadashi opened his mouth as if Jules had said something unexpected but to his surprise left fast to let out his smile.
“It was great. I wish it would have lasted longer.”
Tadashi was the one to reach first for a last hug before the two others had to leave. He sighed when he found himself all alone, once again. He stayed to watch the plane taking off and walked back to the airport exit. Riding back home, he found himself feeling lonely and decided he would stop at Sia La Luce before going back to the Shindo’s household.
“Hello.” He greeted as he opened the door of the restaurant.
“Hey, Tadashi! You missed the kids by a few.”
“Oh I see.” Tadashi said.
“What do I serve you?” Joe asked.
“Anything you would recommend.” Tadashi replied.
Kojiro looked at Tadashi.
“Something fresh and relaxing it is, then.”
Tadashi’s head lifted back up again, with his mouth open.
“Your boyfriends have already left, right? I figured you would feel a bit empty after such a weekend.”
Joe served Tadashi his drink.
“Happy Birthday, by the way. Sorry I didn’t think about it when we met that night.”
“It’s ok.”
Tadashi looked at Joe with anxiety.
“But what did you mean by ‘boyfriends’? I introduced them to you as friends, right?” Tadashi suddenly doubted his memory.
Joe put back the glass he was wiping and leaned on the bar, towards Tadashi.
“Sorry, my tongue slipped. You did say they were your friends. But Adam went by yesterday and he told us about them. ” Joe admitted.
“Us?”
“The kids, Kaoru and me?”
Tadashi looked even more confused. He had yet to tell Ainosuke about his peculiar relationship.
“But Ainosuke-sama only knows about Jules…”
“So you really haven’t told him.”
“I haven’t told him the specifics, yes, as it would sound… Weird.”
“He didn’t seem like he was minding it, though. He found it out on his own and he told us as if he was proud of something his kid would do.”
Tadashi gave Kojiro a confused look.
“I swear to you he didn’t say anything bad about that. None of us did either.”
“So Reki, Langa and Miya…?”
“They seemed already well aware of polyamory and everything. They may have been surprised it was you who would be of all people but they hadn’t any ill thoughts.”
“I see…” Tadashi said, relieved.
“Kaoru almost had a heart attack when he found out Seto Kaiba was one of your boyfriends, though. He is a fan of his, apparently.”
Tadashi laughed softly.
“I will tell him.”
“Just don’t tell Kaoru I told you about that.”
Tadashi drank the rest of his drink before getting up to leave.
“Thank you for the drink and the heads up. I guess I will have to talk to Ainosuke-sama.”
“I guess so. Good luck. Even if I know it will go well.”
“Thank you. See you later.”
Tadashi drove to the Shindo’s household, gripping the stress ball Jules gave him with one hand.