New Blood - Chap 30

"Happy anniversary~" Koichi sang as he woke his wife up in bed. He was carrying a tray of breakfast with a single rose in a vase on top. He smiled and sat the tray on the bed.

Sasuka yawned as she sat up slowly. "Koichi, my love... you did not have to go to this trouble..." She breathed, though a smile was spread across her lips.

Koichi smiled and shook his head. "Nonsense~ Besides, the girls helped out too." He looked back at the door to see his eldest daughter, Nyx, enter before Arine followed suit.

Nyx smiled softly at her mother. She was a gorgeous young woman of sixteen, sharing her mother's beauty and her father's hair. She took after her mother as she followed her clan's blood and embraced the moon and stary night sky as well as her Mother's odd speech pattern that made her sound like she was from a different time.

"I am glad you like it, Mother." Nyx breathed.

"I do, precious." Sasuka said and smiled.

"Arine helped too." Koichi added, smiling at their other daughter.

Arine shuffled to the bed. She was three years younger than her sister, Nyx, at thirteen and she wasn't like her sister or mother. She had darker skin than her father, but she shared more of his traits. She did possess moonlit blue eyes like her mother, but she had soft sandy brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. She liked wearing loose, baggy clothes and parading in just her socks. She wasn't very talkative, but when she did speak, her speech pattern was normal.

Sasuka smiled softly as she pulled Arine to her side. "You three are my angels... what a wonderful way to wake up."

"You're welcome, Mom..." Arine mumbled.

Nyx smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around Koichi. Despite having most of her mother's traits, she was a daddy's girl.

Koichi smiled as he hugged her back. "So, what would you like to do today, sweetheart~?" He asked his wife.

"Hm... I would like to walk down to the lake we first met."

Koichi smiled softly and nodded. "Sure, we can do that."

"Today is your day." Nyx stated. "Arine and I will go and play with friends today and give you two time together."

Koichi kissed her cheek. "Thanks, hunny~"

Nyx nodded. "Arine, let's get out of their way..."

Arine looked between her and their parents before giving a sigh and a shrug.

“Come on..." Nyx headed out of the room.

Arine nodded and followed after her sister.

...

"Hunny, I'm home~" Shinta called as he came home. He still hadn't gotten the courage to go back in the shinobi field, but in the past four years he and Kanon had been together, he'd opened up his own restaurant. He managed it during the day and let his manager take over for him at night. It was important for him to be at home and spend time with his children. He had had twins--a girl and a boy who were identical in appearance--and just recently, Kanon had given birth to a healthy baby girl, his mirror image.

"Daddy~!" A girl squeaked as the patter of her feet came towards the door. It was a small girl of four with Kanon's long green hair and Shinta's pewter eyes. Her name was Kukita.

"Kookie~!" Shinta knelt down to catch her and pick her up, balancing her on his hip. Their apartment was starting to seem a bit small. "How's my girl~?" He kissed her cheek.

"Good!" She giggled as she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. "Mommy fell asleep on couch~" She giggled.

"Oh dear," Shinta chuckled as he walked to the living room to see Kanon passed out on the couch and Kukita's twin, Shichiro, sitting on the floor playing with blocks. He put his daughter down and walked over to Kanon. She was laying on her back with their baby laying on her chest, sound asleep like her mother. "Kanon," Shinta called her name softly, not wanting to wake her too abruptly.

"Mm...?" Her one eye opened as she saw Shinta.

Shinta grinned at her before kissing her nose. "Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty~"

She blushed. "What... time is it? I didn't realize I passed out..." She said, sitting up as she moved to craddle their newest addition in her arms..

"Well...I got done my shift at the restaurant...so about six o'clock." He chuckled. "Just in time for dinner."

“Oh dear! I haven't even started making anything.... I'm sorry, Shinta..." She puffed out her cheeks. "Our little one takes all my energy..."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'll make something tonight." He winked at her.

"Mommy, look!" Shichiro smiled as he displayed his building he made out of blocks.

"How wonderful, sweetie." Kanon smiled.

Shinta looked over at Kukita. "Do you wanna help Daddy in the kitchen?"

She grinned and nodded.

"Alright, then follow me~" Shinta chuckled lightly and went into the kitchen.

She smiled as she got up and followed.

Shinta picked his daughter up and sat her on the counter. "Alright, Kookie, what are we making for dinner?"

"Grilled cheese!" She giggled.

"Grilled cheese, huh?" Shinta smiled. "I believe we can make that work~"

"Yay!"

Shinta kissed her head. "Would you hand me the bread?"

"Mhm!"

Shinta smiled as he took the bread from her. "Thanks, sweetie~" He chuckled as he pulled out the pans he'd need for frying.

She grinned up at her father.

"I'll teach you how to do this one day." Shinta winked at her as he prepped the cooking station.

"Okay!" She grinned as she jumped up on his back.

Shinta chuckled as he was now focused on his daughter and the food he was preparing.

She smiled. "Daddy~ When are we gonna see Aunt Seira again?"

Shinta chuckled. "When she's not too busy with the baby~"

She pouted.

"We'll see them soon~ I have to talk to her." He smiled, putting the bread and cheese on the hot pan.

"What about?" She tilted her head.

"To see when the perfect time to come over will be, silly~" He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Oh~" She giggled. "Silly me~"

Shinta smiled as he leaned over and kissed Kukita's cheek. "Yes, silly girl~"

She giggled. "Sorry~"

"Daddy~ Daddy!" Shichiro came running in, pulling Kanon along with him.

Shinta blinked, flipping the sandwiches on the frying pan. "What's up?" He asked Kanon at Shichiro's sudden urgency.

"Mommy can't keep up, Shichiro..." Kanon panted. She was still trying to drop baby weight. She had their newest addition in her arms.

Shinta blinked again as he directed his attention to Shichiro. "Hey, buddy, what's going on?"

"You and Mommy aren't breaking up, are you?" Shichiro asked, frowning as his pewter-purple eyes were as big as saucers.

Shinta's face was completely shocked. That came out of nowhere.

Kanon blinked. "Huh? What on earth?" She knelt down. "Why would you think such a thing?"

"No... don't break up..." Kukita teared up.

"It's okay, Kookie," Shinta picked her up and balanced her on his hip.

Shichiro sniffled. "Daddy isn't home so much and you and Daddy don't seem happy..." He mumbled. "Taichi's parents aren't together...and he said that that's what they did before they broke up..."

Kanon shook her head. "Sweetie... your father works during the day... and we are happy. I'm just a little tired from having a baby, hunny."

"But you aren't married..." Shichiro looked between his mother and father.

"That doesn't mean we don't love each other." Kanon laughed softly.

"But why aren't you?" Kukita sniffled.

"Well..." Shinta looked at his daughter. "We were going to...but things just kept getting in the way." He brushed Kukita's hair from her face as he smiled. "We've been saving that for a rainy day~" He chuckled lightly.

"Really?" Kukita blinked.

He nodded. "Mhm...The timing hasn't been right."

Kanon blushed.

Shichiro's eyes grew wide. "Is it our faults?"

“No, no!" Kanon shook her head. "Not at all!"

Shinta shook his head as well. "No, buddy...Your mother and I wouldn't want it any other way. You two were our special little surprise~" He smiled at them. "We'll get to it one day..."

“You should do it soon!" Kukita grinned.

Shinta smiled. "We're trying~" He kissed her cheek.

She giggled.

He put Kukita back onto the counter as he finished up the grilled cheeses. He'd also made a tomato soup to go with the sandwiches and helped his daughter down. He told her to set the table, which she did as he brought out their dinner.

"Mm~" She grinned as she dove in.

"Thanks for making dinner." Kanon said as she watched Shichiro go to join his sister for dinner.

"No problem." Shinta smiled. "Come on, let's go feed Shiori in the other room." He said, taking their newest baby from Kanon and headed towards the kids' room. Because it was only a two bedroom apartment, so the twins had to share with Shiori's crib.

Kanon nodded as she followed him.

Shinta placed Shiori down in her crib and turned around to face Kanon. "You know...I've been planning this for a while now, but with Shichiro's sudden outburst..." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I can't let it wait any longer." He smiled as he pulled out a small, velvet box from Shiori's crib. He'd hidden it within one of her stuffed animals.

Kanon blinked. "Shinta...?"

Shinta knelt down on one knee and opened the box. "So, what do you say? Will you marry me?" He smiled up at her.

She smiled. "Shinta... of course I'll marry you~"

Shinta smiled as he got up and put the ring on her finger. "It's official then~" He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "We're finally going to do this. It's been too long."

She smiled brightly. "Where did you get a ring like this?"

Shinta smiled. "I've been putting money aside~"

"You fox~" She giggled.

He smirked. "I have another surprise~"

"You do?" She blinked.

Shinta nodded. "Yup," he pulled out a piece of paper. It was a house listing with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a big yard for the children to play in. "Guess what I did on my way home~" He smirked.

"Oh, kami!" She grinned. "No way!"

"We were approved for a mortgage. I could picture our little family living there." He smiled.

“You've been busy~" She gigged

Shinta puffed his chest out. "I'm a provider~ Gotta hold up my end of the providing," he chuckled.

She smiled and took his cheeks. "I couldn't ask for a better man~"

Shinta placed his hands over hers and smiled. "And I couldn't ask for a better woman~"

She blushed. "Good~"

He leaned in and kissed her softly.

She closed her eyes as she melted against his lips.

"Ewwwww~!" Shichiro giggled as he and Kukita were standing in the doorway.

"Weren't you eating?" Kanon asked as she giggled.

"We thought you ran away...?" Shichiro shrugged and then giggled.

Kanon smiled. "Go finish your dinner~"

Shichiro giggled again before running off with his sister.

Shinta smiled and kissed Kanon again. "I can't wait to move~"

"When can we do it?" She smiled. "How soon?"

“Well, I signed the paperwork today, so that gives us about a month to prepare to move." He smiled. "The old tenants have to move out too, so a month seems reasonable~"

"Oh yay!"

"It gives us plenty of time to box things up and begin our transition." Shinta smiled. "And I want you to start planning your dream wedding." He took her hands. "I want it to be everything you've ever dreamed." He breathed.

"We don't have the money for my dream wedding." She smiled.

"I'll make it happen." Shinta smiled. "Take all the time you need~"

"Shinta..." She pouted.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'll make it happen."

"Oh you..."

Shinta smiled at her. "Make it the wedding of your dreams~"

"Okay, be ready for it then~"

He nodded. "Oh, I am~"