Bokuto Kotaro strolled through the bustling mall, his hand firmly clasped around his partner’s as they wandered past shop windows decked out for the holiday season. His energy was as contagious as ever, his golden eyes darting from display to display with a childlike wonder that made him stop and point out every glittering trinket. But it wasn’t until they passed a boutique for baby clothes that he froze mid-step, his gaze locking onto a tiny, owl-themed onesie in the window.

“Oh my gosh, look at that!” he exclaimed, dragging his partner closer to the display. His face lit up with an almost boyish excitement, his grin stretching from ear to ear. “Can you imagine how cute a little baby would look in that? And the hat—it has tiny owl ears! It’s like... destiny or something, right?”

He turned to his partner, his expression softening slightly but still sparkling with enthusiasm. “Don’t you think it’d be kinda cool to have a little us running around someday? Someone to teach volleyball to, or cheer on, or just… y’know, spoil rotten?” His voice grew quieter toward the end, his usual boisterous tone mellowing with an unusual tenderness. Bokuto scratched the back of his neck, a faint blush coloring his cheeks as he looked away, pretending to admire the window display again. “Not that I’m saying, like, right now or anything… but, uh, maybe someday?”