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“Now, remember what I said about no speaking to strangers, okay?” Guren softly lectured the boy he was holding in his arms, carrying the five year old to the park. It was a bright sunny day, with barely any cloud in the sky and the wind cool enough to stave off the humidity.
Guren hiked the boy higher up on his hip and the child tightened his hold around his shoulders in turn. He glanced down at his little son. Unruly raven hair like his spiked up from behind his head, his skin almost white from the lack of sun exposure and the child’s eyes were the biggest green gems he'd ever seen, bright and innocent and full of wonder. He took that from his mother.
Guren’s heart clenched a little every time he looked into Yuu’s eyes and saw his now deceased wife. It was a little painful during the first few months after her accident when it was only he and Yuu together but realizing she continued to live on in the part of Yuu she left behind, Guren swore to protect the only family he had left.
But today, he could no longer keep his son hidden away from the dangerous world they lived in. Yuu had to learn to how to live in it too. He'd seen how much Yuu would glance out the windows or at the other kids running around the yard, standing on his tiptoes to get a better view outside.
Though Guren was very reluctant to place Yuu in a car or bring him around the city, his friends managed to placate him by letting him start easy, “the playground around your town is a good place to start. Yuu-chan could try interacting with the kids his age there.”
Guren wasn't really entirely convinced because what about those kid bullies that thought it funny to push children to the ground? He didn't want Yuu to have to interact with those kind of people yet. Maybe one day, Guren could teach him some moves to defend himself but for now, Guren decided on watching his entire move while he played. Just to make sure his son was safe and away from bad people of course.
“Daddy, where’re we goin’?” Yuu asked, turning his head this way and that to take in all the new sights he was seeing.
“To the park, son, where you'll find so many kids like your age there.” Guren rubbed circles around Yuu’s back when Yuu rested a cheek on his shoulder, his small fingers playing with the loose thread on his shirt.
“Kids like me?” Yuu seemed to perk up a bit at that but didn't sound wholly convinced yet. Guren continued walking until they finally came around a bend where the playground was now in sight. Yuu turned his head at the sounds of playful shouting and his eyes widened, staring gobsmacked at the swings, slides and monkey bars he could play around in.
Yuu started tugging on his shirt like he could direct Guren there by the force of his small fists, “Daddy look! More babies!”
He grinned, clapping his hands in front of him. Guren resisted the urge to pinch his chubby cheeks red as he found a bench to sit down on, Yuu now plopped on his lap.
Turning Yuu’s small chin to face him, Guren brushed a few raven strands away from his eyes, although the bangs that shaped around his round face looked really cute on him.
Guren scooped Yuu close and hugged him to his chest before he started running off on his own, not needing his father anymore–
No, he couldn't think that way. Yuu would always need his dad to guide him through tough times. Guren needed to stop thinking of the worst.
Yuu returned the hug with enthusiasm, nuzzling against his neck and clutching his shoulders tight, arms too small to wound around him.
Then finally, after so long, Guren extracted himself from Yuu and told him, “Remember Yuu, don’t go anywhere where I can’t see you, alright?”
His raven hair bounced around his head as Yuu nodded, glancing behind him excitedly. Guren sighed, then patted Yuu’s back. “Alright. Go. Have fun.”
“Yay!” His son cheered, jumping off his lap and walking as fast as his little feet could take him. Guren resisted the urge to run after him and scoop his son back into his arms again, keeping him safe and sound. With great reluctance and will, he stayed put and watched as Yuu climbed up the small steps of a wooden house to slide down an inclined plane. Yuu’s smile was so big and bright while he played, it almost rivaled the sun and Guren couldn’t help but grin as well.
“Hey, Guren! I’ve never seen you around here before.”
The older male stiffened, recognizing that voice anywhere. With a groan, he turned his head to the side to find Shinya walking towards him with his hands in his pockets, a pleasant smile on his handsome face.
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be doing business with your brother?”
Shinya shrugged, taking the seat beside Guren without permission. As always. “Nah, he gave me a day off for helping him with some stuff yesterday so I came here to accompany my nephew.”
Guren raised an eyebrow. “Nephew? I didn’t know you had one?”
“Yeah, he’s from my sister’s side. A real cutie too.” Shinya pinched his own cheeks for emphasis with a goofy grin.
Guren rolled his eyes, “Then let's hope this nephew of yours isn't as bad as you were when we were young.”
“Haha, that's harsh!” Shinya said, grin never once fading from his face, “He's much worse.”
~o~
Sitting on a bouncy ride, Yuu moved side to side to get the springs below the ride to move more. It didn't work.
He scrunched his eyebrows and tried again, even starting to jump on the seat himself.
“Hey, you shouldn't do that.”
Yuu’s head snapped up to find a pair of sparkling blue eyes staring at him. It was a boy, about his age. He looked taller than Yuu with really light, blond hair and a smile on his face.
The smiling made him feel uncomfortable so Yuu looked away and decided to ignore this stranger. His daddy said not to talk to strangers after all.
Concentrating back on his plastic horse, Yuu tried jumping on it again, feeling it slightly move side to side but not enough to be fun. Frowning, he tried moving his upper body left and right to get it moving more.
“You're really gonna fall if you keep doing that.”
Why is that blond kid still here? Yuu turned his head to the side and told him, “Shut up! Leave me alone already.”
And just as Yuu moved to sit further on his ride, the horse suddenly tipped forward and to the side, bringing with it its small passenger. Yuu released a yelp as he lost his balance, falling on his side and hitting his knee painfully on the dirt.
“Ow!” Yuu cried out, lifting himself up to a sitting position and whining at the soreness racing up his side and knee. A burn prickled at the back of his eyes and Yuu blinked as water filled his vision.
“Are you okay?!”
Suddenly, a shadow fell over him and Yuu looked up at the blond boy who must have seen his crash to the ground.
“You're crying.”
Yuu rubbed at his eyes, big fat tears already rolling down flushed cheeks, “I-I’m n-n-not crying…” He sniffed, avoiding looking at him so he wouldn't see that he actually was.
Mika’s heart melted at the sight and he crouched down to the boy's eye level and smiled when Yuu finally looked at him, “It's alright, you just fell.”
Yuu glanced back and forth between those blue eyes, pouting, “But it hurts.” He now glanced down at his knee that was scraped pink and black but wasn't bleeding at least.
“You're lucky you just got a scratch. Here, I'll kiss it away to make you feel better.”
Yuu watched as the blond boy soothed his knee with gentle fingers, brushing some of the dirt away before placing a light kiss on it.
“There!” He raised his happy, blue eyes at Yuu, “Does that feel better?”
It did. There was warmth spreading from his knee to the rest of his body and even though it still hurt, the good feeling from the kiss overpowered it. Yuu slowly nodded his head once, staring in awe at his knee.
“How did you do that?”
The boy giggled then waggled a finger at Yuu’s face. “It's a secret! You have to give me something first to let me tell you.”
Green eyes sparkled with curiosity before Yuu slouched at the bargain. “I don't have anything with me to give you.”
The blond boy tapped his chin and looked to be thinking hard and after a moment, his eyes lit up and he grinned down excitedly at Yuu.
“Your name!”
“What?”
“I want to know your name.”
“O-Oh.” Yuu stuttered. Completely forgetting what his father said about talking to strangers, Yuu tried enunciating his full name, “I’m Yuuchi– Yuuichi…rou”
“Yuuchi Rou?” Mika guessed.
“No! Yuuri– I mean-!”
“Yuuri Chirou?”
“Nooo! Yuuichichi...uh,”
At this point the blond boy was starting to giggle, muffling it behind a hand so Yuu wouldn't get mad at him again.
“Yuu Ichichi?”
Yuu finally exploded, “Yuu-i-chi-rou!” He panted afterwards, face red and stained with tear tracks but at least he wasn't crying anymore.
“Ah! Yuuichirou!” Somehow, Mika was able to pronounce it perfectly like his dad did. Yuu frowned at that but nodded nonetheless.
“It's too long so I'll call you Yuu-chan instead!” Mika declared proudly as if the nickname was a great idea.
Yuu furrowed his brows and pouted his lips, “But that's not my name.”
Mika began pouting too. “But Yuu-chan is so cute! I want to call Yuu-chan Yuu-chan! Pleaaaaase!” Mika begged with his big blue eyes wide and imploring to Yuu who looked at him in shock.
Crossing his arms over his tiny chest, Yuu turned his head to the side and made a small huffing sound, “...fine. But just you and no one else!”
“Yay!” Mika cheered, surprising Yuu by hugging him suddenly. Yuu yelped from the action but did not try struggling away. Instead, he wound his own arms behind Mika’s back and nuzzled his blond head like he always did with his dad.
It was so fluffy he had secretly wanted to touch it for a while.
Stepping back, Yuu faced the taller boy and asked, “So what's the secret?"
"Love!"
"Love?" Yuu narrowed his eyes at him, wondering if he'd been tricked.
"Yeah, it's what you feel for someone you like." Mika grinned toothily. "So you can only give boo boo kisses to the people you like." He nodded his head resolutely which made Yuu believe him 100 percent.
"Oh and I'm," Mika pointed to himself arrogantly, “Mikaela Shindo!”
Yuu's face scrunched up as he attempted to say it, “Mi-Mikae-ela?”
The blond shook his head with smile, “Mikaela.”
“Mika…”
“Mi-ka-e-la.” He carefully enunciated every word just like how his mom always did for him to get him to remember his name.
But then Yuu was starting to sniffle because he couldn't say it right and Mika, frantic to not make the cute boy cry again, said, “You don't have to say my full name! You can just call me Mika.”
Yuu looked at him with hopeful, green eyes and said hesitantly, “Mika.”
He nodded, breathing a sigh of relief when Yuu began to smile again. Taking the smaller boy’s hand in his, Mika took him from the dirt and dragged him to another part of the playground.
“Alright, Yuu-chan, let's play together!”
Yuu stared up at the blond boy and matched his grin, “Okay!” He decided that he liked the new kid after all.
He hoped his dad would approve.
~o~
Guren stared horrified at the scrape on Yuu’s knee, wondering how he could have missed it (he was going to blame Shinya for this) and sternly lectured his son while asking for Yuu’s well being at the same time. Yuu pouted at being told off but he nodded his head to show he was alright.
He tightened his grip in Mika’s hand who still hadn't let go of him yet. When Yuu had brought the blond along with him to his father, the older man had worn an expression of shock while Shinya beside him let out a hearty laugh.
“Shinya-san!” Mika exclaimed, waving happily at his uncle who wiggled his fingers at the small boy. There was a twinkle of amusement in his blue eyes when he looked to where Mika and Yuu were still joined hand-to-hand.
Guren sighed, having had enough of the playground already. Yuu just got injured and he didn't think his heart could take another. “Alright, Yuu it's time to go home.”
“No!” Yuu shouted. Guren started at the noise. He raised an eyebrow at his son who only looked down at his feet in embarrassment, huddling closer to Shinya’s nephew beside him.
The blond boy smiled radiantly up at Guren but knowing who's family relation he was, he could tell it wasn't a good smile meant to reassure him. It was a smile that said if he were to be separated with Yuu right now, he wouldn't like the consequences of it.
Guren narrowed his eyes. For a five year old, Mika was surprisingly keen and aware already. What kind of things were the Hiiragis teaching their children?
He shook his head then turned to Shinya who seemed to have already expected what Guren was about to ask.
“We'd love to visit your house, Guren. Isn't that right, Mika?” The white-haired male happily asked his nephew who nodded his head rapidly.
“Yes, very much.”
Yuu finally raised his head with a hopeful expression on his cherubic face, green eyes shining and bright on his father.
Guren face palmed. “Yeah, yeah come on.”
He was about to bend down to carry Yuu again but when the kids wouldn't stop holding hands, Shinya came up beside him to scoop up Mika in his arms too.
“Guess we’re just going to have to walk like this.” He giggled, patting his nephew’s blond head as the boy made funny faces to Yuu who laughed in delight.
Guren finally let a smile cross his lips, “This is fine too. Whatever makes him happy.” He looked fondly down at his son, caressing the back of Yuu’s now messy head of raven hair.
"Dad, can Mika be part of my family now?"
Guren stilled in his steps and dubiously glanced down at Yuu who was waiting for an answer with a big grin on his face.
Before he could say anything, Shinya suddenly stuck to his side and slung an arm over Guren's shoulders, his other arm still carrying Mika to him.
"We would love to be part of the family, Yuu-chan!"
"Hey! Only I get to call Yuu-chan that."
"That's not fair, Mika. Be generous."
Next time, Guren wasn't going to bring Yuu to the park.