#which means that rei and kazuki are STILL PARTNERS and that they still raise miri together

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Now that Buddy Daddies is finished, I’m gonna say it: SPOILERS!

Buddy Daddies really is for the aces, aros, queerplatonic partners, and platonic life partners out there. 

I know, 100%  that there are going to be some people out there that are going to say, “See! It really was just queerbait all along” or some who are going to bemoan the fact that there were no declarations of romantic love or kiss or whatever. I’m sure this part right here:

Miri: “Didn’t you slip out yesterday to go drinking with a girl again?” 

Caused some frowns and I do get it. Because of this, the queerbait and Kazuki and Rei are just friends dialogue will continue and follow the series around. But, this episode has made it clear that Kazuki and Rei love not only Miri, but each other as well.

They are a work partners (相棒 - aibou)

They are partners raising a child together. (相方 - aikata).

They’ve moved (I’m pretty sure their diner is in Okinawa for reasons I’ll get to in another post), they’ve opened a business together, one which has a part of Kazuki’s last name in it (来栖 - Kurusu is his last name, the 栖 (su) part of his name means “nest.”), and Rei’s words to his father: Miri, Kazuki, and I share a bond stronger than blood. 

They are a family. They love each other.

Of course, friends can be a part of a family. Friends can love each other, but there are also reasons why people who are in situations like co-parenting, queerplatonic relationships, platonic life partnerships, and etc. don’t refer to their bonds as friendships and the people they are co-parenting or in a partnership with as their friends, but as words that give some space for those grey areas in-between.

Friendships are strong, deep, and beautiful. Platonic love is love and is powerful.

But, there are definitely still different sets of expectations and boundaries that come with friendships vs. other relationship dynamics. 

Kazuki and Rei’s situation falls outside of the usual friendship expectations and boundaries and sits somewhere between that, family and partnership.

I know this topic has been talked to death about. But, I felt like I needed to write about and address it one final time since Buddy Daddies has come to an end (though, who knows about a potential Daughter Daddies!) Especially after Miri’s line to Kazuki. (I feel I could also go into open relationship dynamics, polyamorous relationships, and etc. but that feels like it would be derailing). 

Basically, I just wanted to get one final post out on this. I was very pleased with this ending episode. It made my heart so happy and warm, and I know I’ve said it before, but this series really speaks to me as someone who is aroace. Aroace characters and our relationship dynamics have basically no rep, so even if this series wasn’t intended to be written with a queerplatonic relationship dynamic in mind, they ended up writing a beautiful depiction of one that makes me and what I would want from a relationship of some kind, finally feel seen.

[heartlessfujoshi]

flufftober day 7 - kazurei 'say it back'

Title: Say It Back Chapter: 2 of 6 Fandom: Buddy Daddies Pairing: KazuRei (Kurusu Kazuki x Suwa Rei) Rating: Teen (Love Confessions - Domesticated Fluff - Fluff - Kisses) WordCount: ~2,545 Prompt: Porch Swing

Read Chapter 1 here

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As expected, Rei conveniently forgot what he’d said to him, which Kazuki found only mildly amusing. The next morning, it was as if the confession hadn’t happened, Rei helping Miri get ready for the day, while Kazuki got everything ready for their day out for their hit. He had thought about bringing it up to him as they were on their stake-out, but there was never a good opportunity, leaving Kazuki feeling a little morose. 

“I have an idea.” Rei said, as they drove back to the city, their job on the outskirts of where they lived. 

Turning his head, he looked at Rei. “What’s your idea? If you suggest an all night gaming marathon, I’m going to say hard no.” 

Rei reached up towards his head, and tugged on the elastic holding his hair back. Kazuki liked the way Rei looked with his shaved sides, but had never come out and said anything about it. Seeing his hair return to how he normally wears it when they’re not out on a job with his chosen black outfit he’d worn for today’s assignment was almost jarring. He would rather have the illusion stay, but then that would make his partner uncomfortable. 

“So mean.” He shook his hair out, it falling out of the hold it had been in with the elastic. “Let’s go to the country this weekend.” 

He raised an eyebrow up. “What? Why?” 

“Why not? Miri might like it.” 

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Kazuki began to panic, wondering if the reason Rei wanted to leave was because they’d botched the job. “We did what we were supposed to do, right? Kyuu-chan isn’t going to be mad at us, is he?” 

“No.” 

“So why?!” His voice was on the edge of hysteria. It wasn’t like Rei to suggest something so mundane and easy to do. He usually requested doing something that would take a lot of effort. Going out to the country would take minimal effort. “What aren’t you telling me?” 

He saw a half smirk on Rei’s lips. “Relax, Kaz. It’s nothing. If you don’t want to go, we don’t have to.” 

“I didn’t say I didn’t want to go!” He held tight to the steering wheel, as traffic began to get a little bit more congested now that they were back in the city. “I want to go to the country!” 

“Then, it’s settled. I’ll book the cabin.” 

“Cabin?!” 

“Don’t worry, Kazuki. I’ll take care of it.” Rei pulled his phone out, and started to look at an app that he didn’t recognize. “You should pay attention to the road.” 

Kazuki turned his head back, and just in time too, as the car in front of him came to a stop, which made him slam on the brakes. “Why you…” He muttered under his breath, his fingers still clutching tight to the steering wheel. They were almost home. It was fine. He wouldn’t murder his partner in the car. Not when he could just as easily murder him back at home. 

They swung by the school to pick up Miri on the way home, Kazuki carrying Miri to the car in his arms. “Miri-chan - how would you like to go away for the weekend?” He asked, getting her buckled into her car seat in the back. They had purchased one for when they’d be using a car, which seemed more often than not lately. Kazuki refused to buy a vehicle, so they either borrowed Kyu’s car, or rented one out for the day. Having a car in this business meant it was a liability - an easy way to track them. Renting was preferable for this reason. 

“Where?” Miri asked, yawning. Miss Anna had said that they had had a long day of playing in the yard, and that Miri might be extra tired tonight because of it. “Can we go to the moon, Papa?” 

“The moon?!” A nervous laugh left his mouth. “No, Miri. We can’t do that. We don’t have the proper training to do that.” 

“I want to go to the moon.” Rei commented from the front seat. 

“Let’s go to the moon!” Miri chimed in. 

Kazuki sighed. “Maybe one day we will. But no, I was thinking we’d go and stay in the woods. Would you like that, Miri-chan?” 

“Ooooo trees!” Miri yawned again, then nodded her head. “Okay, Papa. Trees are nice. Moon is nicer.” 

He got into the front seat, and shot Rei a look. “What’d I do?” Rei asked. He looked at the rearview mirror and saw that Miri had already fallen asleep. 

“The moon.” He clucked his tongue, as if bothered by the fact that Rei seemed to encourage Miri to dream big. “You know that’s not possible.” 

“Not yet. Maybe when she’s older, it will be. Dream big, Kaz.” 

“You are literally the worst, Rei.” He turned the car on, and drove them back home. 

Two days later, he was packing up the car with the items they would need for their long weekend away. He had told Miss Anna that Miri would be gone on Monday, as they had a short trip planned. She told Miri to have a nice time, and said she would see her again on Tuesday. Kazuki shoved the last suitcase into the trunk, then slammed it down. 

Rei was pulling his motorcycle out from the garage. “What are you doing?” Kazuki asked, clearly confused by the motorcycle’s presence. 

“Thought I’d ride the motorcycle up there.” Rei had his gear on, as if going out for a ride.

“Absolutely not.” He shook his head. “Put it back, and get in the car.” 

“Aww.” Rei looked at him. “Really?” 

“Really!” The weekend getaway hadn’t started yet, and Kazuki was already wishing they were staying home. 

The motorcycle was returned to the garage, and Rei got into the driver’s seat, clearly showing Kazuki that he wanted to drive. Fine. He didn’t care how they got up. After getting Miri buckled in, making sure she had plenty of things to occupy her time, he got into the passenger seat. “I’m ready - but remember, we’ve got Miri-chan in the car.” 

“I wouldn’t put her life into danger.” Rei turned the car on, revving the engine for a minute. Miri clapped her hands in the back, cheering for what Rei was doing. “See? She likes it.” 

“I don’t.” Kazuki crossed his arms over his chest, and prayed that they would get to their cabin in one piece. 

Three hours later, and multiple renditions of playing the game ‘I Spy’, they finally pulled up to their home away from home for the weekend. It was an impressive cabin, about ten kilometers away from the main highway, so away from the noise and traffic. A small, secluded paradise in the woods. Kazuki had to admit, Rei had done a good job with picking the place. 

“Rei Papa, nap time?” Miri asked, yawning as Rei undid her car seat. 

“Yes, Miri.” Rei nodded. “Nap time.” He also yawned. “Let’s go see your room.” 

“Yay, okay!” 

While the two of them went into the cabin, Kazuki began to unpack the vehicle. He got the perishables into the provided fridge, and took a quick look around. It was a three bedroom place - which made sense, but there was a small part of him that had hoped for a two bedroom place. He wasn’t about to suggest Rei sleep with him, as he knew that that wasn’t how it worked back home. Miri had always been the one to say she wanted to sleep with her two papas. Asking him to do it felt strange. 

He set Rei’s bag down in the one bedroom, then took his own items to the other. He left Miri’s items outside her door, as he could hear Rei telling her a story to help get her to sleep. Figuring Rei had it, he went to the back of the cabin, and felt his mouth drop open in shock at what he saw there. 

The backyard view was stunning. There were mountains not too far off in the distance, and he could see a creek running through the woods. He went out to the back, and sat down on a rather nice porch swing, which took his weight without protest and gently rocked him back and forth, as he listened to the sound of the babbling brook. It was serene. Peaceful. 

Perfect. 

“She’s asleep.” Rei came over to him, holding two beers in his hands. He took one, and then felt the swing shift as Rei sat down next to him. “What do you think?” He cracked open the beer, then tapped it against the one that he’d given to Kazuki. 

Leaning back on the swing, he let his feet dangle as the gentle rocking motion brought a sense of calm over him. “How’d you find this place?” 

“You don’t want to know.” 

Rei was right. He probably didn’t want to know. This place had to be expensive, but that wasn’t something he was going to think about right now. “Okay, I'll take the question back.” He sipped on his beer. 

“Why’d you put my bag in the other room?” 

If he had been taking a sip, Kazuki would have choked on his beer. As it was, he was trying to swallow his own spit, and wound up having a coughing fit, as he was not expecting Rei to ask that question. “Isn’t that why you got a three bedroom?” He asked, finally able to breathe again after coughing away for almost two minutes. 

“It was the only one available.” Rei shrugged. “If you want me to sleep in there, I will.” 

“I don’t.” Kazuki felt his heart jump, wondering if now was a good time to return to the conversation they’d had a few days ago. Or rather, the confessions that had happened. “I want you to stay in my room. Or, our room.” 

“Our room.” His partner was staring out at the woods, a contemplative look on his face. “I like that.” 

“Do you?” He asked, almost afraid to keep this conversation going. It could end nice, or it could end very badly. 

Rei reached over, and put his hand over his, which had been resting on the bench of the swing. He felt his fingers slide between the grooves of his fingers, and felt the tips of his fingers touching the top of his palm. He flexed his fingers, and gave Rei’s fingers a strong squeeze. He took a risk, and slowly brought his head down to where Rei’s shoulder was. Their arms were touching, and a few seconds later, he felt the weight of Rei’s head resting on top of his own. 

“I do.” Rei spoke quietly. “Kaz, look, I’m-” 

“It’s okay.” He really didn’t want to know what Rei was about to say. Not when things were going so well right now. “It can wait.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yes.” 

“Okay.” 

They drank their beers in comfortable silence, the sounds of the woods filling the space with enough noise to remain pleasant. Kazuki got up to go and make dinner, but not before he gave Rei’s hand one more squeeze, then left him alone on the porch swing. He got into a groove, making food, that he didn’t notice that Rei had snuck up behind him. He felt two arms wrap themselves around his waist, and he stopped what he was doing as he felt Rei rest his head against his shoulders. 

“Papa! What are you two doing??” Miri came up to them, smiling as Kazuki was stunned by her appearance too. “Is Rei Papa sleeping on you?” 

“He’s comfy.” Rei commented to Miri, which made her laugh. 

“I need to finish making dinner.” He uttered, shaking his head as Rei pulled away, but not before he left the barest hint of a kiss to the nape of his neck. Kazuki’s brain all but shut down at that touch, and had to be reminded that he was cooking when he could smell the bread he had put in the toaster beginning to burn. “Crap!” 

He finished making dinner, the three of them sitting down to enjoy the meal together. Afterwards, he did the dishes while Rei went out to the back area with Miri. Kazuki had to remind them to be careful, as they weren’t prepared to fight a large animal - that was a lie, he knew Rei was carrying as a precaution. Miri was fast asleep in Rei’s arms when they returned. 

“I’m going to go put her down.” Rei nodded towards her room. 

“Okay.” 

Figuring now was a good time to go and get ready for sleep, he went to the room he’d chosen for himself, and saw that Rei had put his bag next to the left side of the bed. The same side he slept on when they slept together back at his apartment. Kazuki tried not to read into it as he got ready, then laid down on the bed, waiting for Rei to join him. 

Rei turned off the lights, and then he heard the soft rustle of clothes, letting him know that he was getting into his own pajamas - no doubt it was the underwear he was wearing, and that was all. The weight of Rei’s body against his was soon difficult to ignore, as Rei draped himself over his body. 

“I know we haven’t talked yet.” Rei mumbled. “You are probably thinking about it, aren’t you?” 

“W-What?” He laughed, a nervous yet almost a squeak of a sound. “N-No? Why would I be nervous?” 

“Because I know you, Kaz.” Rei spoke quietly. 

“You’re right. We haven’t talked. But it’s okay. We don’t need to say-” 

“I love you.” 

He felt his heart jump again at how casually Rei said the phrase. “Are you sure?” 

“I brought you to my family’s cabin. Pretty sure that means I love you.” The weight on his chest disappeared, and then he felt a pair of lips touch the corner of his lips. “What do you say?” 

“I love you too.” He whispered the words before turning his head, and caught Rei’s lips with his own, leaving a strong kiss on them. He felt Rei’s hand touch his face, and soon they were moving into a better position to continue this kiss, as neither of them seemed ready for it to come to an end. 

But, like all good things, it had to finish. Rei pulled away, the two of them softly panting in the dark. Rei returned his head to his chest, Kazuki slightly worried he would hear how fast his heart was beating. “Good night, Kaz.” 

“Good night, Rei.” He lowered his head and left a kiss near Rei’s temple, and felt him squeeze his arms with a little more strength, which Kazuki appreciated. 

Maybe there had been no reason to worry about Rei. First, a love confession, and now, a kiss. A kiss to rival all other kisses. He’d never kissed someone like Rei before, and after sharing that intimacy with him, he hoped that there would be another opportunity to kiss him again. But Rei was now snoring in his arms, which meant the time had passed. 

For now. 

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Cross-posted to AO3