InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ With Meaning ❯ Waiting ( Chapter 2 )

Kuwabara stood at an angle in the phone booth, a cautious eye on the boy as he crouched on the sidewalk to stare at the water trickling in the gutter as it carried leaves and twigs down the road. He listened to the ring of the phone before Kurama's calm voice answered with his customary greeting- he was so polite it was almost painful for Kuwabara sometimes-

-He hadn't grown up with anyone being so kind to him on a regular basis.

“Kurama, can you meet me at the general store on the corner instead? Something came up and I might need you help.”

He could hear Kurama shifting into his jacket. “Is it dangerous?”

Kuwabara chuckled and shook his head, “No, not life threatening- but some little kid lost his mother.”

There was a pause before Kurama's soft voice carried through the line. “And your senses are that wild right now?”

Kuwabara blushed and turned so he could completely face the boy bouncing up and down, trying to catch a puff of dandelion pollen that seemed set on tormenting the kid. “I'm not good for much of anything right now, but if the mom's where I think she is the kid wandered pretty far and I don't want to risk it.”

Kurama sighed and spoke, “You're always good for something, and I have no doubt the mother will greatly appreciate your concern for her child.” There was some shuffling and the plastic of a zip-up bag. “I'll just bring your tea mix with me and then we'll set out looking okay?”

“Yeah, thanks Kurama, you're the best.”

A rich laugh followed, and then a calm farewell.

Kuwabara sighed and hung up the receiver, his hands going to his hair to ruffle it in frustration before he stopped near the child, watching him play with the mote quite happily- though his soul still contained that little bit of fear and despairing hope.

Kuwabara rubbed the back of his neck and sat down, his sigh lumbering out of his chest as he stretched out his limbs.

“How tall are you?” Came the innocent question, and he startled and turned to meet wide awe filled eyes before he blushed.

His height was always a sticky point for him, but it was an entirely different thing for the boy to look at him like his height made him somehow more awesome. “Ah, I'm about 6'3”.”

“Sweet! I want to be tall just like you when I'm older! Mommy says I'm fine just as I am, but the other kids say I'm too short.” He pouted and puffed out his cheeks as he folded his arms across his chest.

Kuwabara let out a surprised chuckle, his form relaxing as he smiled at the young boy, “I think you're mom's right.” The boy had other things that made up for his lack of height (if that would ever present a problem); he had the blinding aura of someone who cared deeply and loved intensely, someone who looked at your soul instead of at your physical shortcomings (even as he lamented his own). Kuwabara smiled wider as the boy shrugged.

“Yeah, well…she's usually right. She's no fun to play riddle games with because she's so smart.”

Kuwabara chuckled, felt it shake his entire torso as he tried to keep it low and quiet. “Women usually are more observant- maybe she just understands the way you think.”

Wide green eyes were suddenly staring happily up at him, and the child smiled brightly before sitting himself down right beside Kazuma- the tall man blinked down at the child as he closed his eyes and grabbed his toes while leaning forward. “That's right! Mom always pays attention to me!” Then his posture deflated, his eyes lowering to the ground as he leaned into Kuwabara's side. “But she was getting harried by some people, and she didn't like the way they jostled me.” Shippou grinned up at him forcefully, trying to explain how his attentive mother had lost him- “She asked me to stay off to the side so I wouldn't get pushed around. But she still got pushed around- she puts up with that a lot.”

Kuwabara stared at the boy with gentle eyes, his hand coming up to brush back his bangs before the smile overtook his face; she must have put up with it a lot for the naïve child to notice it- “Well there you have it; she cares enough to make sure you don't get pushed around in the crowd, I'm sure she's still looking for you.”

Shippou nodded firmly, his eyes sparkling as he looked around and then focused on Kuwabara's hands- the large man bore his examination with an indulgent amusement, he'd never been examined by the innocent scrutiny of a child before. Shippou's eyes darted up to his hesitantly, and Kuwabara smiled as the boy steeled himself and then took his hand into both of his own- the child was very tiny. He could understand how his mother would worry about him being harmed in the press of crowds.

But it sounded like the mother was also easily pushed around in the crowds, if the boy knew she got harried a lot then it would mean she put up with it and was used to it. If she let herself be pushed around in the crowd and only worried for her child instead of sticking up for herself…Kuwabara wondered if she'd had a life much like his own- only, it had gotten to her.

Shippou remained oblivious to Kuwabara's worried thoughts, and instead he patted the hand between his in some game as he measured each finger against his own and traced the fault lines and knuckles.

Kuwabara settled and, despite his mental meanderings, couldn't help but smile at the occupied child.

…