Paradisi. July.

Standing in the near empty apartment, Tatsumi groaned as he lowered the last box. Maki and Li were staying on base while Tatsumi was setting up what would be there new home.

“Oi. What are you standing around for? These boxes aren’t going to unpack themselves”

Rolling his eyes at Samara, Tatsumi then took his glasses off to rub them tiredly. The apartment complex had elevator services, yet it was still a walk from there to their apartment on the fifth floor. With Samara using the moving trolley, Tatsumi had been lugging things around by hand

“I’m not allowed to unpack. Maki and Li want to do it on the weekend”

“As if they’re going to get time off so soon”

“I’d like to pretend the chance exists. What are you complaining for? You’re the one who left Mizune at home with Kenta”

“My best friend has fucked off to the Desolate Belt, how was I not coming and making sure this place actually existed?”

Samara was having trouble letting him go. Mina had cried herself stupid in the arms of Eve as Tatsumi left to board the passenger ship with Samara. His husband and Li had arrived after a week of staff training, and a week earlier than himself, basically meaning two weeks apart. Samara hated that they’d moved out to the Desolate Belt where his insane contact network didn’t seem to reach. He didn’t know anyone on base, nor did he know someone who knew someone who knew someone on base. They’d definitely shuffled the balance of power with Maki not the only person on the fast track. When Samara had no contacts he’d suggested Tatsumi finish the year on Terra where he had them and a stable job. The alpha so paranoid that he’d insisted on researching the apartment complex and calling the agent to confirm it wasn’t a scam. The only things not included were the mattresses for the beds, which Tatsumi didn’t mind as he didn’t want to think about what the previous owner had gotten up to.

Failing to answer, Samara grinned

“See, you still need me”

He needed him to talk less and move more. By the time the weekend came Tatsumi wanted all the boxes stacked neatly against the living area wall, and his own things in his half the main bedroom and his office

“I need you to move some boxes. The only room I’m setting up today is my study”

“I’m still coming to check this school out. You went to all the trouble of getting your degree and now you’re teaching outside a classroom where you won’t be appreciated”

“I’m not teaching outside a classroom, I’m tutoring. I’m still working in the school, it’s just with the worser off students”

Tatsumi had no other way to spin things so they sounded so positive. The only offer he got came with a very sad paycheque and an equally bad class. Not only was he not teaching at Rage Fire the class he actually wanted, but now he would be teaching a room full of teenagers who didn’t want to be there. Still, a job was a job. The world was filled with as many beautiful dreams as there were people, but beautiful hopes and dreams didn’t put food on the table and pay to keep a roof over his head.

“You could have your pick on Terra”

The whole time they’d been travelling out to Paradisi, Samara had been yo-yoing between nagging and being encouraging. Now they’d arrived he was stuck on annoying mode. The apartment building and the apartment were nowhere near as nice as his house, but they were really good for a starter apartment and not too far from base to walk to. Hooking his glasses onto his shirt, Tatsumi lifted the box he’d put down back up and headed towards the room that would be his office

“And you could have stayed with Mizune and Kenta. I want to leave the past behind for a while and try something new”

“If anything goes wrong I expect a call the moment it does. I don’t like you being out here with no friends”

“I have my husband and Li. Besides, pulling my weight in somewhere as difficult as the Desolate Belt will look good on my resume in the future”

“I know, I know. I worry. This isn’t like Terra and help can take weeks to arrive”

Tatsumi wanted to roll his eyes over needing such a large amount of help, but it was possible that something major could go wrong. Still, it was better for something to go wrong with him on the same planet as Maki and not stuck on Terra worrying himself sick

“No, but it’s better than some of the other places out here. At least they have a police force that seems to do something and none of the neighbours have come to scope me out so hopefully they don’t give a shit and keep it that way. Donny also told me to contact him if he can be any help, and I have Maki. All that’s changed is my location. I’m still doing the same job”

“Make all the logical arguments you want. My best friend is now days away and I have to suck it up”

“Exactly. If it wasn’t for your connections as it is then you’d be stuck out here until the next domestic passenger ship came in. I’m surprised you could pry yourself away from Kenta this long”

Samara sighed heavily. Tatsumi knew Samara was tied around his son’s tiny finger. Placing the box down on the small tower he had made, the omega turned to watch the way Samara’s expression melted over his son

“I miss him. He’s so chubby and Mizune’s smitten face. I… Let’s not talk about it”

There it was. Nearly a year on and Samara still couldn’t process, let alone fathom, Tatsumi making any big life choices. He really liked the way Samara looked when thinking of his baby and wished his best friend would stop using his trauma as a reason to not enjoy every moment of Kenta’s little life. 

Dusting off his hands, Tatsumi returned to the living area with Samara trailing after him

“I wish you’d stop. Every time you stop yourself you remind me of why. I’m happy for you both and Kenta is gorgeous. I’m in a good place. Maki and I are in a good place. I’m going to be teaching full time and he’s got work, but at least we’ll be on the same planet and that’s the important thing. If something goes wrong again, he’s right down the road. Besides, you also forget I’ll be back for my mech in November when we’re going to have an early Christmas and I’m looking forward to being the cool uncle with it being Kenta’s first Christmas. I’ll be home a couple of weeks to fit the parts in the Goliath before shipping, and if I don’t get it done in time I’ll bring it back to work on it”

The doorbell rang to the apartment and Tatsumi took the chance to escape. He was secretly sure the boxes he’d packed had increased several fold during the flight. Opening the front door there was a loud pop and something wet hit his face. Standing there was Li and Maki, Li holding a bottle of champagne he’d just gone and popped. The alpha’s expression screamed that he knew he’d fucked up, yet he tried to play it cool

“Um… Surprise?”

“Do you go popping off on the face of every omega that moves in here?”

Instantly Li blushed. Tatsumi ignoring him and hugging husband as he kissed his cheek. Maki had said he probably couldn’t come, and Tatsumi hadn’t believed him for a moment… well, he had, but deep down he didn’t want to

“Come on in, mind the boxes. You two have great timing we only just finished bringing everything up. Samara’s in dad mode so go easy on him”

Dragging Maki into what would be their apartment eventually, Tatsumi then leaned against his alpha. With the stress of moving he was definitely feeling it, yet now he had his husband and his tiredness was coming crashing in. His body and his omega knew they were safe to relax with Maki there. His husband sounded confused

“You guys brought a lot”

There it was. Confirmation that Tatsumi wasn’t imagining things

“I only packed the boxes we agreed on. What Samara packed… I have no idea”

Samara puffed up 

“I packed essential supplies. Dried food, extra stationary, water… personal defence supplies. There’s a blaster rifle for each of you and a vault for safe keeping. There’s also personal shield bracelets that are good for one solid tank attack. An advanced medic pack, with an emergency responder unit… Oh! I’ve put in a few blades too…”

Tatsumi’s eyes went wide. No one around them would be this well armed and it was hard to be a normal part of society, like Tatsumi wanted to be, knowing there was a small arsenal in the apartment. No wonder there was so many boxes of crap around, Samara had packed a bunch of his crap!

“What the fuck?”

“We’re in the Desolate Belt. Help takes too long to arrive”

Samara should have kept his damn money! Though most of what he’d given them would have been skimmed off other deals, gifting them on wasn’t necessary. Loading an ex-military pilot up with a small arsenal was asking for trouble if actual trouble came up! Tatsumi groaning 

“Maki and Li live literally 10 minutes down the road!”

“Oi! What are you going to do if you’re sleeping, someone breaks in and you can’t get to your comms in time”

“Who’s breaking in to attack a teacher? And my comms are on my wrist, they’re right there on my wrist. Are you asking a blind man to keep a blaster under his pillow? I’m wholly devoted to my husband, not wholly devoted to putting a hole in my husband”

Maki chuckled and kissed Tatsumi’s cheek

“Good one, babe. We don’t need this stuff, but we might as well keep it handy. Or we can take it to base and dispose of it”

“And how do intend to explain that your husband’s best friend is paranoid?”

“Just like that. We brought your passes so you’re allowed on base. I’m sorry we didn’t get here in time to help bring everything in”

“It’s fine. I’m only setting up my office today. What did you skip out on?”

“Combat drills…”

Li had had enough of waiting

“If we’re all done here, I’ve got champagne. Let’s celebrate our new apartment. Now, where are the glasses?”

Tatsumi looked at Samara who looked at boxes around them then back to him. Tatsumi felt like he’d done his fair share of the work

“Don’t give me that, I don’t know what happened to the kitchen things. I labelled them. I don’t supposed you put a few hollowed out sound grenades in there?”

“No, but I should have. Li, it looks like you’ve got yourself a new job. I don’t suppose you want to head back to base and get us a few?”

Li genuinely sounded confused as he asked 

“Grenades or glasses?”

Before Samara could tease Li, Tatsumi cut in

“Ignore him. He’s winding you up about the grenades. You two should take a look around, Samara and I will look for the glasses”

Maki kissed Tatsumi’s cheek again

“Are you sure? You look exhausted, babe. I can look”

“I’m tired and I’m relieved to be here, but you haven’t taken a look yet. If you could take photos that’d help too”

“Photos?”

“Property condition photos. We’ve been too busy to take them. I want some for Eve and Mina too of before we unpack, and Suzu said that she’d come out here herself and give me a lecture if I don’t send them. Adam was still trying to get me to sign another six months”

“He’s a goddamn pest”

“He is. Suzu packed that kit too and I’ll need to talk you through how it works” 

“What kit?”

Snorting, Tatsumi let his husband go. Suzu had rigged up her own emergency breathing system for him incase he went to heat during the middle of the night and missed the start of the symptoms. She’d also set him up with emergency suppressants, normal suppressants, pregnancy tests, gland cream, patches, and emergency contraceptives. With how much she’d pushed onto him anyone would think he’d never had his estrus, and that he didn’t know how to take care of himself. All of his friends had zero faith in him and Tatsumi wasn’t salty at all. Giving Maki’s hand one last squeeze, he smiled with a small shake of his head 

“Don’t worry about it right now. I’ll set everything up in my office today and call it there. Explore, enjoy? Negotiate the purchase of military armaments and a range of sundries…? Because apparently we need our own small arsenal”

“Can I negotiate two hours with my husband?”

With such a limited time away from base Li wouldn’t know exactly what Maki wanted to negotiate two hours for. Having his husband home for so long had been healing for both of them. Maki no longer insisting on knocking him up with no future plans around his career, which was a relief in Tatsumi’s eyes. He’d dreaded that the truth of Maki pushing so hard was to cover the pain of the miscarriage by forcing a happy future down his throat. Shaking his head, Tatsumi leaned in to whisper 

“Not in front of the children”

“Booooo”

“I love you and we can do that once you come home”

“Fine, but I’m going to be thinking about that until Friday”

“You’d better be, we have a lot of surfaces to christen”

“Both here and the base”

Samara rolled his eyes at the pair of them

“We can hear everything you’re saying. Maki, step away from the omega. Li, help me find glasses. Tatsumi… you sit down and behave. I have a tranquilliser packed and I’m not afraid to use it on you”

Both Maki and Tatsumi ducked their heads as they laughed. Their separation had only been three weeks, but that was more than enough. Now they’d be living on the same planet again and they’d finally be able to see each other when they wanted… around Tatsumi work hours and Maki’s military hours…