You hadn’t expected your morning to involve driving across town to the 8th Fire Station in your pajamas under a hoodie, but here you were—Akitaru’s phone and locker keys sitting in your hand like evidence of a crime.
A crime he committed. By walking out the door without them. Again.
You sighed as you stepped inside the building, the familiar scent of smoke, metal, coffee, and whatever Maki had set on fire that morning swirling together. The front lobby was quiet, only the soft hum of the fluorescent lights overhead.
Nobody here knew you. Nobody here even knew Ōbi had a wife.
And honestly… you were curious to see how this played out.
You made your way down the hall, hearing voices near the common area. Laughter. Something crashing. Someone yelling, “LIEUTENANT! SHINRA SET THE MICROWAVE ON FIRE!”
You stopped right outside the doorway just in time to see smoke billowing from the small kitchen and Hinawa calmly spraying the smoking microwave with a fire extinguisher while Shinra stood there grinning nervously, sparks still crackling from his feet.
Yep. Typical morning at Company 8.
Before anyone noticed you, Akitaru suddenly stepped into view—jacket off, sleeves rolled up, sweat already beading on his forehead from wrangling his chaos crew.
He opened his mouth to scold someone—
Then froze.
“…Honey?”
Six pairs of eyes snapped toward you.
The entire room went silent.
Shinra’s teeth clicked audibly shut. Maki almost dropped the dumbbell she was curling. Iris blinked like she wasn’t sure if you were real. Tamaki tripped over absolutely nothing. Hinawa straightened so fast he might’ve given himself whiplash. Arthur pointed dramatically. “Captain! You’re hiding a wife?”
Akitaru looked like someone had hit pause on him. Then his shoulders sagged with a soft, hopeless laugh.
You stepped inside, holding up the forgotten items. “You left these on the counter again.”
A flush crept up the captain’s neck. “Right. I, uh… definitely noticed.”
“You definitely did not,” you teased.
Shinra leaned forward, stunned. “Captain… you’re married?!”
Ōbi rubbed the back of his neck. “I wasn’t hiding it. It just… never came up.”
“It never came up,” Arthur repeated, scandalized. “You say that like you didn’t hide an entire wife from your squad!”
Maki beamed. “She’s so cute! Captain, how did you manage that?”
“She has questionable taste,” Hinawa deadpanned.
You snorted, and Akitaru shot him a betrayed look.
Before he could respond, you crossed the room and placed the phone and keys into your husband’s large, calloused hand. “There. Returned safely.”
The captain’s expression softened instantly—eyes warm, voice low enough that it clearly wasn’t meant for the squad, even though they were absolutely eavesdropping.
“I don’t deserve you.”
From behind him Shinra whispered, “He really doesn’t.”
Akitaru swiveled around. “Shinra.”
“Sorry, Captain!”
Ōbi turned back to you and sighed. “I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”
You smiled, leaning up on your toes to kiss his cheek— and the entire squad exploded like they’d just witnessed something forbidden.
“CAPTAIN?!” “THEY’RE SO DOMESTIC—” “I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS—” “Oh my, they’re adorable…”
Akitaru cleared his throat, suddenly all business again. “Everyone! Back to your duties!”
The team scattered like startled pigeons.
He looked back at you with that warm, slightly shy smile—the one he only ever showed when it was just the two of you.
“Thank you,” he murmured. “Really.”
You shrugged playfully. “What kind of wife would I be if I didn’t rescue my forgetful husband?”
He raised a brow. “And what kind of husband would I be if I didn’t walk you to the door?”
He slipped an arm around your waist—subtle, but unmistakably affectionate—and guided you down the hallway.
And as you left the station, you heard Shinra’s voice echo behind you:
“GUYS. CAPTAIN ŌBI IS MARRIED. I STILL CAN’T—”
Akitaru groaned softly, burying his face in his hand.
You laughed.