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noira-l · 9 months ago

Text

𝐁𝐞𝐝𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

⋆ ★ '𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞' - 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

chapter summary: Satoru tells a bedtime story for Megumi and Tsumiki. Every fairy tale contains a small kernel of truth, doesn't it?

warnings: fluff, family moment, slice of life.

author's note: I wonder if this bedtime story reminds you of something? c;

cute weakling ❤︎: Gonna be late. Can you tell a bedtime story tonight?

9:53 pm

His phone buzzed beside him, and he glanced over at the screen. It was a message from you.

Satoru lay sprawled on his stomach across the plush carpet of Tsumiki's room, the soft peach-pink walls around him bathed in the golden glow of a bedside lamp. The room was a gentle contrast to the world outside, filled with warm hues and comforting details - a scattering of stuffed animals, shelves filled with picture books and games, and the faint scent of lavender from the candle burning on the dresser. Tsumiki had always been drawn to soft, feminine colors, and her room reflected that. Even the curtains, a delicate blush shade, seemed to frame the night outside with a sense of calm and peace.

you: oh, now you're trusting me with the bedtime stories?? risky move

9:54 pm

you: guess that means i get to make it up… should it be about an all-powerful sorcerer who’s also really really good-looking?

9:54 pm

He grinned softly, shaking his head.

Of course, you were always thinking about the kids, even when you were caught up in the chaos of missions.

cute weakling ❤︎: Please don’t traumatize them with one of your “I saved the world” stories. Keep it simple. And PG means no curses.

9:55 pm

He chuckled.

you: me? curses? i’m a role model, remember?

9:55 pm

cute weakling ❤︎: Sure. A "role model" who once told Megumi that all vegetables were cursed objects

9:56 pm

you: hey, they could be. u never know what’s hiding in that broccoli

9:56 pm

cute weakling ❤︎ : Satoru...

9:57 pm

you: fine, i’ll keep it chill. no world-saving tonight. probably

9:57 pm

you: but u owe me one for this. storytime isn’t free, you know. i accept payment in snacks or… well, i'll think of something ;)

9:57 pm

He felt a small weight shift on his lower back.

Megumi, always so quiet and focused, was lying beside him with his head resting on Satoru’s spine, a children's science book in front of him. He was completely absorbed in the intricate diagrams and simplified explanations of how volcanoes worked, his little brow furrowed in concentration. Every so often, Megumi’s feet would twitch, the way they did when he was deeply engaged in something, but he never once moved from his spot against Satoru.

Tsumiki was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her fingers rapidly clicking away at Satoru’s old gameboy. Her brow furrowed in concentration, but a smile played on her lips, clearly enjoying the challenge of the pixelated world in front of her.

Satoru shifted slightly, adjusting himself under Megumi’s weight before propping his chin up on his hands.

"So..." he started, glancing between the two kids, his voice cutting through the calm "Looks like your mom’s running a bit late tonight. Guess it’s up to me to entertain you two."

Megumi barely looked up from his book, muttering something under his breath about having read enough stories on his own to last a lifetime. Typical Megumi - always more interested in facts than fantasy. But Tsumiki, on the other hand, paused her game just long enough to glance over at Satoru with wide, curious eyes.

"A bedtime story?" she asked, her voice soft but hopeful.

Satoru flashed her a grin "That’s right. I’m the backup storyteller tonight."

He could see the excitement flash across her face, even if she tried to hide it behind a casual shrug. Tsumiki always pretended to be more grown-up than she actually was, but Satoru knew better. She still loved the idea of fairy tales, of fantastical worlds where anything was possible. And while Megumi acted indifferent, Satoru could tell he was listening - he always was.

"Well ~" Satoru continued, rolling onto his side to get a better view of the both of them "How about I tell you a story about a powerful sorcerer who was so strong, even the curses were afraid of him?”

Megumi snorted, finally lifting his eyes from the pages of his book "Is this story about you?"

"Who else could it be about? You think there’s someone stronger than me out there?" Satoru grinned, that familiar playful glint returning to his eyes.

Tsumiki giggled from her spot on the bed, her gameboy forgotten in her lap "Boring~ Can you tell another story?" she asked, leaning forward, eager for something new.

Satoru was thinking for a moment.

"You’re just going to make something up, aren’t you?" aked Megumi, who was not so interested.

"Making things up is half the fun, Megumi! But..." he said, stretching his arms behind his head and settling into the carpet like a lounging cat "If you’re so smart, maybe you should tell the story tonight."

Megumi just rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he went back to his book.

"No, thanks." he muttered.

Tsumiki glanced between the two boys "Okay, okay." she said, her voice soft but filled with anticipation "What story are you going to tell us then?"

Satoru sat there, dramatically crossing his legs like a storyteller about to recount an ancient legend. Megumi sat down on the bed, next to Tsumiki. His expression was unfazed and sceptical of the idea.

Satoru rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes sparkling with mischief "Alright, kids. Tonight, I’m going to tell you a tale - one full of love, betrayal, darkness, and light. A real fairy tale." he emphasized the last words dramatically, leaning in as if sharing a grand secret.

Tsumiki’s eyes widened with excitement, while Megumi, ever the skeptic, muttered "You’re just going to make it up as you go along."

Satoru gasped, putting a hand to his heart "How dare you! This is a story full of truth and wisdom, young knight. Just listen." he paused, the room filled with that perfect hush that happens just before a story begins.

"Once upon a time..." Satoru started, his voice low and mysterious "...in a kingdom not far from here, there was a young girl - let’s call her a Star. She had magical powers beyond anyone’s imagination. But she didn’t live in this kingdom alone, oh no. She had a friend, a wizard, the Moon, who was always by her side. They were inseparable, as close as they were twinkling in the same sky."

Tsumiki’s eyes gleamed with interest, hugging her stuffed bunny tighter "What kind of magic did she have?"

Satoru grinned, loving the attention "Ah, well, she had a very special kind of magic." he said, waving his hand theatrically "She could take other people's powers and use them as her own. A rare and powerful gift, don’t you think?"

Tsumiki nodded eagerly, while Megumi, though pretending to be uninterested, was clearly listening closely.

"Star and Moon grew up together, laughing, learning magic, and protecting their kingdom from danger. But they had another friend - another powerful wizard - let's call him a Sun." Satoru continued, gesturing grandly as if revealing a critical plot twist.

Tsumiki giggled, Satoru pressed on, his voice growing more animated.

"The three of them were the best of friends, their magic combining to protect their land. But then, one day, our little Star had to leave. She was sent to train with a master sorcerer in a distant land, to become even stronger. For an entire year, she couldn’t speak to anyone - not even her closest friends. It was a harsh and lonely training, full of cold winds and long, silent nights. But she knew it was her duty, and so she left, trusting that her friend and beloved one, would be waiting for her when she returned."

Megumi shifted again, leaning closer to the story despite himself "What happened while she was gone?"

Satoru’s expression shifted, becoming more solemn, more serious "Ah, well... this is where the tale takes a darker turn. While the Star was away, the Moon went on a dangerous mission. But the mission didn’t go well. The darkness of the world consumed him, crept into his heart, and he became the dark version of himself. The darkness twisted him, made him do terrible things. He burned down villages, destroyed homes... including the village where the Star and he himself was born."

Tsumiki’s face fell, and even Megumi’s usually stoic expression shifted into a frown.

"Why did he do that?" Tsumiki whispered.

Satoru sighed dramatically, his eyes full of faux sorrow "It wasn’t really the Moon anymore, he lost his way. The darkness had taken his judgment. When the Star returned, she found everything gone - her home, her people, her family. And worst of all, her friend and love of her life, Moon, was lost by her, consumed by that very darkness. She was devastated."

Megumi furrowed his brow "So, what did she do?"

Satoru leaned forward, lowering his voice "She didn’t want to see anyone. Not even the Sun. She felt like everything was her fault, beacuse she was gone when Moon needed her and she couldn't save him, so she locked herself away, not wanting to face the world."

Tsumiki’s face scrunched up with sympathy "That’s so sad."

Satoru nodded gravely, though a playful glint remained in his eyes.

"Indeed it was. But this is where the Sun comes in. You see, he wasn’t just going to let her be sad and alone forever. Oh no. He knew that she still mattered, not just to him, but to the world. So he stayed by her side - whether she liked it or not."

Tsumiki grinned "That sounds like you."

Satoru smirked "I told you it’s based on a true story." he winked before continuing, his voice growing softer, more serious "Sun reminded Star that he is just the same. That he is also a star... the brightest in the entire celestial sky. He showed her that he understands her in his own way. He reminded that she was loved, that she was needed, and that even though things were hard, she wasn’t alone. Slowly, she began to realize that her life wasn’t just about the past or what she’d lost. She had new people who cared about her. That soon, she will have a new family. And so, they made a promise to each other - a promise never to leave each other’s side, no matter how dark the world got, no matter how far apart they were."

The room grew quiet as his words sank in. Tsumiki looked at Satoru with wide eyes, while Megumi was quiet, processing the story in his usual thoughtful way.

"So..." Satoru said with a flourish "the Sun and Star, well, they lived in a world filled with challenges, but they faced them together. They became friends, family even, stronger because they chose not to face things alone."

Tsumiki tilted her head, a question brewing in her young mind "What happened to Moon?"

Satoru’s smile faltered for just a moment, a shadow crossing his features. He didn’t answer immediately, and when he did, his voice was softer, more careful "He’s still out there, somewhere. But that’s a story for another day."

The kids sat in silence for a while, digesting the story.

Eventually, Megumi broke the quiet "What’s the moral of the story?" he asked.

Satoru smiled, this time a little less teasing, a little more genuine "The moral is that no matter how difficult the experiences we face, we can always find light in them. The Moon forget that. Even when things are hard. And even when you feel like you’re alone... you never really are. You can find light even in the gloomiest darkness."

Tsumiki nodded, her eyes shining softly "That’s a good story, Satoru."

He grinned again "Of course it is. Now, it’s bedtime. And no complaints!"

Megumi rolled his eyes, but a small, almost hidden smile tugged at his lips "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Satoru carefully tucked the blanket around Tsumiki, his fingers brushing gently through her hair, as she blinked sleepily up at him "Sleep tight, little one." he whispered, smiling softly as her eyes fluttered shut.

Next, he turned to Megumi, who stood by the door, arms crossed, his usual cool composure in place.

As they stepped into the hallway, Satoru slung an arm around Megumi’s shoulders and asked with a teasing grin.

"So, want me to tuck you in too? Maybe even tell you a bedtime story like Tsumiki got?"

Megumi shot him a flat look "No, thanks."

"Thought so." Satoru chuckled, but despite Megumi’s resistance, Satoru gave his hair a quick ruffle anyway, much to Megumi’s annoyance "Goodnight, kiddo."

Leaving Megumi to retreat to his room, Satoru wandered into your bedroom, the soft click of the door closing behind him. He flopped onto the bed and grabbed his old gameboy, the one he took from the nightstand in Tsumiki's room, knowing full well that if he didn’t keep an eye on it, she’d likely sneak out of bed and play until morning.

Lying back, he thumbed the controls absentmindedly, the sound of pixelated beeps filling the room as he focused on beating her high score. Minutes turned into an hour, his eyes still glued to the screen, when he heard the door creak open behind him.

You entered, looking exhausted, already dressed in your pyjamas. You didn’t say anything, just collapsed onto the bed next to him with a groan.

Satoru glanced over at you with a smirk, still tapping at the buttons on the gameboy "I left your clean clothes in the bathroom" he said, his teasing tone gentler now "Figured you’d need them."

"I know, thank you." you murmured, barely keeping your eyes open.

He set the gameboy down and watched you for a moment, eyes softer than usual as he took in the weariness etched on your face "You want a bedtime story too? I’m on a roll tonight."

You laughed "Funny."

You were too tired to say much more, and after a long pause, you sighed and rolled onto your back, staring up at the ceiling.

Satoru leaned back next to you, the playful energy draining away as a comfortable silence settled between you both.

tl (open): @kalopsia-flaneur