Tsumiki has her fully anticipated meltdown that evening. She tries to get Toji to drive them out to the reserve right then and is only pacified when they call Noah and Noah tells Tsumiki himself.

Toji apologizes multiple times for calling him, but Noah assures him it's fine- he sounds a little amused, actually.

"I promised Megumi already that we would go to the reserve and you can see Alisa yourself this weekend, okay?" Toji bargains.

Tsumiki crosses her arms over her chest, a rebellious frown on her face. "I guess."

She still looks worried and unhappy so Toji relies on his default- he grabs Tsumiki around her middle and pulls her into his lap. Tsumiki makes a grumbling noise of irritation, but she curls up and puts her face in Toji's shirt.

"Thank you. For saving Alisa." Tsumiki mumbles.

Toji squeezes her tighter. "Hey, of course. She's our wolf. You saved her before. It was my turn."

"Do I have to keep hugging you?" Tsumiki mutters.

"Yep." Toji says and he can feel Tsumiki relax.

"Hey, hey are you guys doing hugs?" Megumi asks. "I want hug."

"Get up here," Toji says, holding out his arm. He remembers when both of them could fit in his lap, no problem. Now, it's sort of more like a big pile of limbs, concentrated in his lap.

"Blanket," Tsumiki demands. Toji manages to tug the blanket off the back of the couch over them as much as possible.

"But like, we're going first thing Saturday morning, right?" Tsumiki pushes.

"Breakfast," Megumi points out.

"Okay, breakfast first," Tsumiki concedes.

"Breakfast and then to see Alisa, I promise." Toji tugs them both in until they whine.

________________________

Toji is woken up at the crack of dawn by the kids jumping on the bed and yelling „HI WAKE UP IT'S MORNING IT'S TIME FOR BREAKFAST AND ALISA!" He gets an elbow straight into his solar plexus; he's suddenly and painfully awake. The kids harass him through getting showered and dressed. Toji wonders why this happens on the weekend, not the weekdays, when it'd be useful instead of cruel.

Toji is ordering the first of many cups of coffee while Megumi and Tsumiki are still arguing the merits of waffles versus pancakes when he see Y/N walk in with- with her father, the officer.

"Dad, look!" Megumi says. "Hi, Ms. L/N!" Megumi waves helpfully, as if he hadn't shouted loud enough for Y/N to figure it out.

Y/N waves back and Toji thinks that'll be that, but then no, Y/N walks over, the officer in tow.

"Hey Megumi, Tsumiki, Toji," Y/N says. "You guys are up early! This is my dad, Officer L/N. Dad, I was telling you about the Fushiguros."

"Dad's taking us out to see Alisa," Tsumiki explains while Toji's feeling extremely strange about the idea that Y/N talks to her dad about them.

"But first, breakfast!" Megumi says cheerfully.

"Hey, Ms. L/N, you should have breakfast with us! I wanna ask your dad about being a police officer!"

"You don't have to-" Toji is quick to start, but Y/N glances at her dad, then shrugs.

"Sure," her dad agrees.

"You can sit by me, Officer L/N," Megumi says solemnly, like he's bestowing a great honor on him. Looking bemused by the whole thing, the Officer sits down next to Megumi. Which means that Y/N sits down next to him.

Tsumiki scoots up against the wall to make room, but that "room" still means that Toji is sitting elbow to elbow and thigh to thigh with Y/N; that's a lot to ask of Toji, first thing in the morning on a Saturday.

"Sorry, we hijacked your breakfast, do you mind?" Y/N asks quietly, as Megumi starts grilling the officer.

"It's fine," Toji says. "I don't want you to feel like you have to hang out with us because you're Megumi's teacher. This is your free time."

Y/N blinks. "Of course I don't hang out with guys because I'm Megumi's teacher, I do it because I like spending time with you." Y/N explains.

Toji freezes.

"Megumi and Tsumiki are great," Y/N goes on, oblivious. "But I don't have to tell you that."

"I like them," Toji agrees, heart rate settling.

Y/N laughs. "And thanks again for coming in the other day. Everything still okay with Alisa?"

"She's fine, although apparently no one believes me when I tell them," Toji says, eyeballing Tsumiki.

"You're supposed to get a second opinion from a doctor!" Tsumiki insists.

Y/N looks like she's holding in some laughter. "And did you get one?" she asks.

"She had me call Dr. Noah at home." Toji explains.

"Dad," Tsumiki sighs, like Toji's embarrassing her.

"No, no, very sensible," Y/N tells Tsumiki, winking at Toji.

Toji is thankfully saved from having to take Y/N into his own hands by the waitress arriving with his coffee and asking them if they're ready to order. When all the exact changes to menu items have been made- bananas instead of strawberries, eggs scrambled, over hard, egg whites only- the officer leans back against the seat and leads with, "Good to see you again, Toji. How's everything at the reserve?"

"Toji actually had an adventure the other day- one of their wolves was missing and he went out to rescue her- and he still made it to Career Day afterward," Y/N says promptly, before Toji can even open his mouth.

The officer shoots Y/N an amused look. "I asked Toji, daughter," he says, not unkindly.

Y/N blinks then laughs. "Right, right, sorry! I just realized I'd forgotten to tell you about it. Your show, Toji," Y/N apologizes.

Toji shrugs, feeling a little embarrassed that this story is still news- it's just his job. "That's pretty much it. She broke a leg, but Dr. Noah says she'll make a full recovery."

"The kids at school are obsessed with wolves now," Y/N adds. "The playground is a mess of howling."

"They're not good at like you are, Dad," Megumi says, like it's a huge disappointment to him. "But I'm not good at it either yet, so maybe it's just an old thing."

"It's a Dad thing. Not all grownups can do it," Tsumiki points out.

Toji really can't believe they're discussing his howling abilities at breakfast with company.

"You're good at it?" Y/N prompts, looking fascinated and Toji really can't handle this morning at all.

"I'm passable," Toji allows. "It can be useful for figuring out where the pack is, that's all."

"Dad is good at lots of things," Megumi says loyally. "He's really tall, so he can reach stuff on shelves without getting a ladder. He's also the best at hide and seek."

Tsumiki rolls her eyes. "More importantly, sometimes he lets us stay in our pjs all Saturday and watch cartoons." Tsumiki says this like Toji cured cancer. He sort of wishes there was a way for him to politely die at the table.

"Oh, and he makes really good peanut butter and jelly. And hamburgers," Megumi adds.

"Now, that one I can vouch for, Dad, they were amazing." Y/N confirms, grinning. "What else is great about Toji, guys?"

This is seriously going to be the most embarrassing breakfast Toji has ever had.

"Well, he doesn't read stories as good as you do, Ms. L/N, but he's pretty good at that." Megumi offers.

"Ah- that does not count. I went to school for that. I'm sure I wouldn't be good at taking care of wolves. I am a pro-storyteller, that comparison isn't fair. Keep going," Y/N says.

"He can lift really heavy stuff, he lifts weights in the basement," Tsumiki suggests.

Their food really needs to arrive to totally derail this conversation.

"Oh, oh! He _does_ do a super amazing Optimus Prime voice. For Transformers time." Megumi tries again.

"Why don't we talk about things that Ms. L/N does that are great?" Toji suggests, keeping as much of the desperation out of his voice as he can.

"Dad, everything Ms. L/N does is great," Megumi says, totally dismissing the idea. The officer looks like he's killing himself trying not to laugh.

"You know I'm going to make you do that Optimus Prime voice some time, right?" Y/N asks him.

Toji shakes his head. "No." He's already embarrassing enough around Y/N, he doesn't need Optimus Prime to add to that.

Y/N is grinning at him and she's just stupidly close- "It's gonna happen." Y/N says and Toji is so distracted by the way Y/N's nose wrinkles that he misses most of whatever embarrassing thing Tsumiki says after that.

"Megumi, didn't you have a bunch of questions for the officer about police work?" Toji tries in a last-ditch attempt to reroute the conversation.

Megumi looks torn for a second, but caves and asks the officer if he has handcuffs on him right now.

"Nice deflection," Y/N tells him when both Tsumiki and Megumi are entranced by the story of a petty thief who could pop his thumbs out of joint to escape cuffs.

"Thanks for egging them on," Toji says, but he can't even pretend to be annoyed with Y/N.

Y/N chuckles. "C'mon, you're like a man of mystery. It's good to know you understand the importance of Saturday pjs and toons. It's a philosophy more dads could get behind." She raises her voice loud enough for the officer to hear.

"Nice try. You're still helping me fix the porch when we get home," The officer says before smoothly segueing back into his story for the kids.

"Busted," Y/N sighs, but she's still smiling, and Toji wants to stretch his arm along the back of the booth and play with the soft-looking hair of Y/N.

The food finally arrives, which thankfully stops Toji from doing anything stupid. There are an absurd number of plates and they spend a good minute or two just trying to get everyone's food onto the table.

"Dad," Megumi gestures at his intact waffle and while Toji is trying to think of a way to politely reach across the table to cut it up for him, the officer just reaches over and starts.

"Ten-four," he tells Megumi, who looks delighted.

"Are you sure?" Toji asks.

The officer rolls his eyes. "I can handle this, go on, start your breakfast."

Toji does, pausing when he notices Tsumiki isn't digging into her pancakes like normal.

"Everything okay?"

Tsumiki starts guiltily. "I just um, wanted to eat my bacon first," she tries.

Toji raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, sorry, Tsumiki, I just kept cutting- do you want my pancakes instead?" Officer L/N has cut Tsumiki's pancakes into equally bite-sized pieces.

"No, these are fine, thank you," Tsumiki says, like getting the officer to cut her pancakes up wasn't her angle the whole time as she takes a bite with extreme satisfaction.

Toji snorts and just starts eating his eggs. Neither Megumi nor Tsumiki can stand the other one getting any "special treatment." Megumi had once insisted on being put in time out too.

The conversation lapses as everyone is busy eating, which Toji appreciates. First, because that means no one is currently trying to embarrass him, and second, because breakfast foods are for eating and not talking over. He always forgets that he doesn't eat more than two bites of his hash browns, and should really order something else instead. Megumi has demolished his waffle and is back to grilling the officer, who is good-naturedly answering between bites of his egg-white omelet.

Toji glances down at his plate and two-thirds of his hash browns are gone. He frowns, but then he notices Y/N' fork scooping them up absently as she listens to her dad.

"Y/N," Toji says and Y/N blinks.

"Oh my god, sorry, sorry, I didn't realize! Um, I ate mine, but do you-" Y/N starts.

"Don't really eat potatoes, you can have them." Toji says, sticking a fork in Y/N's Canadian bacon.

Y/N stares at him. "You actually eat that?" she asks.

Toji shrugs. "It's breakfast meat."

"All right, you're the one getting the bum deal here," Y/N says, reaching over and taking another forkful of Toji's potatoes.

Toji catches the officer glancing away, eyebrows raised, and knows the officer has to know how he feels about Y/N.

And he'd thought this breakfast couldn't get any more awkward.

Which is when Megumi knocks over his orange juice, most of it spilling into his own lap, the rest flying across the table to soak into Toji's shirt.

"Sorry, sorry!" Megumi yelps, scrambling as far back from the table as he can in the booth.

"It's okay, Megumi," Toji says, passing his napkin over. "I keep a change of clothes out in the truck, I have a shirt in there too." He turns, expecting Y/N to get out of the booth to let him up, but Y/N blinks and then puts a hand on Toji's shoulder to keep him down.

"No, no, let me. It's our fault the table was so crowded, anyway. I'll grab you your shirt, too." Y/N says and holds her hand out expectantly. It takes Toji a moment to realize Y/N wants the keys to his car.

"No, I can-" Toji tries.

"Keys," Y/N insists.

"She won't give up, you should probably just give them to her." Officer L/N suggests.

Toji feels a little like he's been steamrolled after all, but he just hands Y/N his keys.

"Come on, Megumi," Y/N says, taking him out to the parking lot.

Officer L/N just coughs politely. "So, Y/N mentions you guys a lot. She really appreciated that dinner invite. Your burgers must be something else." he offers.

Toji tries to make a face that suggests that he's never thought of the officer's daughter in a sexual context. "Well, Megumi idolizes her. What do you think, Tsumiki?" he asks, because he figures whatever Tsumiki will say won't be as damaging as anything he might say.

"Ms. L/N is pretty cool, and Dad likes her a lot, so she's okay with me." she says, mopping up the last of her syrup with her pancakes. "Also, you're her dad, which is really cool."

"Thanks, Tsumiki," the officer says as Toji is wondering what he did to deserve any of this.

"You know, we lost someone really important to us, too. And Y/N took care of me a lot more than I took care of her when that happened. She likes to take care of people, to feel like she's needed. I think she's looking for someone, or some people who might need that, too."

Tsumiki looks confused and Toji thinks he probably looks the same.

"Family is really important to her, that's all I'm saying," Officer L/N takes a long sip of his coffee.

"Of course," Toji agrees, wondering if he is interpreting this conversation right at all, because if he is- if he is- "To us, too."

"Good," the Officer nods.

"Hey," Y/N says, holding out a park button down to Toji, Megumi climbing back up to sit next to the Officer. "You guys look serious."

"Your dad was giving Dad advice," Tsumiki says, and then her nose wrinkles. "I think."

Y/N's eyebrows fly up. "Oh?" she asks. Toji takes the shirt, swapping places with Y/N.

"Just shop talk," the Officer says easily.

Toji is kind of worried about what other embarrassing stories will come out while he's in the bathroom, but his shirt's getting cold and it'd be weird not to use the shirt after Y/N got it for him.

He changes as quickly as he can, but by the time he comes out, they're all laughing and Officer L/N has already commandeered the check.

"So apparently, you can swing someone around so fast, they almost throw up," Y/N says, looking really amused. "We just ate, otherwise I'd make you prove this. Right after the Optimus Prime voice."

"Not happening," Toji has a lot of things he'd like to do to Y/N, and none of them involve throwing up.

"Well, how about this instead- I've been trying to figure out another field trip for the kids- do you think we could possibly bring the class out to the reserve?" Y/N asks as Toji sits back down next to her, sandwiching Y/N between him and Tsumiki.

"I don't see why not. We've done it before, I'll talk to my boss about it." Toji says with a shrug.

Y/N grins brightly and it's still way too early for Toji to have to deal with that just inches from his face. "Great, let me know about it on Monday?"

"Sure," Toji agrees.

"Oh, do you have my cell number? It's the easiest way to get a hold of me," Y/N explains, pulling out her phone. "Here, tell me your number and I'll text you."

_________________________

And now you have my number :) pops up on his phone.

"Good," Toji says, reflexively. Y/N's smile in return makes Toji's heart pound.

The check comes and they reluctantly part ways, mostly because the kids are anxious to get out to the reserve and check on Alisa.

"See you in school, guys," Y/N says cheerfully.

"Nice to meet you both," the Officer says solemnly.

The kids chirp their thank yous and goodbyes, piling into the truck.

"Thanks for breakfast, sir," Toji repeats, shaking the officer's hand.

"Any time, Toji," Officer L/N says, nodding goodbye and getting into the cruiser- leaving Toji and Y/N alone.

"Thanks again for letting us crash your family breakfast," Y/N says, squinting into the sunlight in a way that crinkles her nose and purses her mouth into something that Toji just wants to take.

"It was good," Toji counters when he remembers that a response is required and kissing Y/N isn't an appropriate option.

"Yeah," Y/N agrees, smiling up at Toji and Toji is rapidly losing his self control when there's a loud and sudden honk from his car and he can hear his kids fighting already.

"Sorry, have to run-" Toji starts, relieved.

"No, no, go. Talk to you tomorrow?" Y/N asks.

"Count on it," Toji says, already turning to break up Tsumiki and Megumi's fight.