Wolf's Rain Fan Fiction ❯ My Cousin, Toboe ❯ Sidewalks are streets too. ( Chapter 11 )

A.N: Woo hoo, next chapter is the first kiss. Enjoy sorry it took so long to update but my internet has fucked me over again. Fantasy

…………………

Chapter 11.

Kiba followed listlessly behind Toboe and his little friend that continually glanced at him when she thought he wasn't looking. It was so irritating. Stuffing his hands into his pockets he grabbed a hold of his wallet. He had forgotten all about money and things like that over the confusion of yesterday.

Pulling the wallet from his pocket, he took the necessary steps forward and tapped his cousin on the shoulder. "Toboe, can you count this for me. I'm not sure how much I have, my Dad took my money and exchanged it without telling me how much it is."

"Hm? Let's see." Taking the wallet the young boys fingers went over each bill, widening with every one they passed. "Wow! Uncle Quent must really like you."

"What do you mean?"

"There's two hundred dollars in here."

This time it was Kiba's turn to be amazed as his eyes widened in shock and he took his wallet back from the boys hands as though his own cousin might think to steal from him. "You're kidding. I only had about fifty."

Toboe shrugged. "Maybe he's hoping for a nice gift when you come back." Turning back around, he fixed his red eyed gaze on a corner sign across the street. "We're a couple streets away from the shopping area but the park is right around the corner. Where do you wanna go first cousin Kiba?" Placing a finger to his chin, he looked up into the sky thoughtfully. "Because we could go all the way out to the shopping area and then check out the park when we come back that way we won't have to make two trips. But then again- Hey! Kiba? Where're you going?!"

The older male was already a few steps across the light traffic street, hands in his jeans pocket still holding his relaxed posture. Last thing he wanted was a million sceneario's of how this super fun day was going to pan out. If anything he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. They've already been around two parts of the city, up and down looking at this pointless thing and that; the day was pressing well into the afternoon. He wanted to grab a bite to eat, maybe find something that Tsume would like- if such a place had anything that a guy like Tsume would like- and possibly buy something for his father and aunt since the guy was nice enough to give him so much money, and since well, he was Cher's favorite nephew and she's being so cool about his orientation and everything.

Just as he was hitting the curb, he felt a hard jerk stopping his pace; his cousin was joined at his elbow with his little friend attached to him by the shoulder. "What's with you?" He asks as though he has done nothing wrong. "I was just making up your mind for you."

"Uh-huh, and what would happen if you'd gotten lost?" His grip on his brash cousins arm tightened. "I'd never forgive myself and my Mom would be really mad!" He made sure to make that part clear.

Kiba smirked with a shake of his head. "Toboe, I'm 16 years old. I can take care of myself." He tried to pull himself free. "Besides, if I get jumped I'm sure they'll back off when they find out about me."

"Huh?"

"I was just crossing the street," he assured. "I didn't plan on walking any further. And besides, Aunt Cher told me not to lose you either."

"Yeah, but who's the one that lives here." Toboe fixed his cousin with a noble and protective glare.

"Hahaha, fine. Whatever. Lead on, brat."

"I'm not a brat." Toboe steps onto the sidewalk hesitantly freeing his captured cousins elbow. "To the shopping area, forward march." Just as he began to walk he stopped abruptly being slammed into by his cousin who was hit by his best friend.

"What?!" The two of them shouted.

Turning around with authority written all over his girlish features, Toboe takes Kiba's hand and slaps it down on his shoulder. Then turning back around he speaks. This is to ensure that you don't wander off, you'll keep your hand on my shoulder."

Kiba raised a finely sculpted brow. "You're joking? I'll look like an ass."

"It's not up for discussion." Raising his fist into the air, he says. "Forward march!"

Rolling his eyes, Kiba reluctantly follows his cousins lead. Much to his surprise, a hand attaches itself to his belt loop, looking over his shoulder the young girl giggles shyly.

"You heard the man, March!"

His edge sagged a bit as he trudged on, lead by a half pint while being nearly shoved by a love sick twit. Today really was going to be the worst day of his life. But at least the boy wasn't shouting out some humiliating army chant.

"Left! Right! Left, right, left!" The boy began.

Please... as barren as these streets are, let a car jump the curb and kill me. Pleaded the anguished brunette.

....................

The shopping center was huge! Small buildings lined the streets: some tall, some wide, some of them had open doors while others were closed, though, had friendly looks on the outside of them.

"I've only got so much, but I'm gonna get something for Uncle Quent too." Toboe declared to no one in particular.

"Wait for me!" Leara insisted as she tottered off after the excited young boy.

So much for watching the foreigner. Kiba mused. Turning his head, he sees a stand that carried little meat filled wraps. It smelled so good that his stomach decided to enlighten him that he was hungry. A low growl sent him right toward the little stand. He just prayed his English was good enough to converse with someone other than family and that Hubb guy.

Upon approaching the stand, the person who ran it became a bit more clear. He was actually pretty young. He looked to be almost Kiba's age, maybe a bit younger judging by the goofy grin he had slapped upon his mouth. The boys hair is a ginger ale brown with a shiny cast of some other color in the shady weather. His eyes were like something out of a badly taken picture where everyone has red eye only his was natural. It looked nice in Kiba's opinion. The puff in the boys face said that he had been working the stand for sometime and didn't mind telling the customer how good everything taste due to first hand experience.

Smiling, he looked his customer over with a quick glance. "Hi. Want something?" He asked directly.

Kiba blinked, confused at what the boy just said minus the 'hello' that he heard from Toboe's friend. Blushing, Kiba spoke as clearly as he could in plain English so the boy would get the hint that he didn't know the lingo. "I... don't speak... Swedish, so..." he trails, hoping his embarrassment isn't showing as much of itself as he feels.

The boys smile grew broader; Kiba was just waiting for the laugh. But it didn't come, instead the male brought out his very practiced English and said. "Hey it's cool, I dig the foreign scene. Are you on holiday?"

Kiba took a moment to wash over the boys speed English, but getting the gist of it he replies. "Something like that. I'm staying with my Aunt for a while."

"Oh, parents away on romantic weekend or something."

"No parents, just parent. My Dad's away on business."

"Mm."

The two of them silently weighed each other, faces thoughtfully liking the other persons appearance and friendly disposition. Up close, Kiba noted that the boy was really attractive, he has creamy skin and a good complexion. He was like Toboe with the big bushel of hair and the pudgy cheeks. That face of innocence like he wouldn't smoke, let alone know what a cigarette or alcoholic beverage is.

"So.... what'll you take?"

"What do you have?"

Smiling, he proudly held his hands out toward a large haul of some type of meat. "All the way from the makers of Greece, we bring you meat wraps. Available in steak, chicken or pork."

"Available?"

Blinking with confusion, the boy smirks again. "You really are foreign, even to Enlgish. where are you from?"

"Kagoshima."

"Where's that?"

"Japan."

"Cool! Hey, I've got family out there."

Kiba considered that. He's met a lot of people in that small area he lives in but none look like this boy. "Really?"

"Nah, I just like to say it."

That earned the cart boy a smile from the usually sullen and brooding face. "I'll take a pork, a chicken, and a steak."

Laughing, he filled the males orders. "You're my kind of guy. I thought only I was bold enough to do it in public though, my Mom always gets on me about it."

Kiba watched as the boy worked away some meat to place on a toasted or fried bread he's never seen before. "You talk funny, haven't you hit puberty yet." It wasn't really a question he was supposed to say out loud but once it started he didn't stop.

The boy only laughed. "You don't know how tired that gets," he hands the waiting customer his first order. "I talk like this because the all mighty thinks it's funny. I finished that whole puberty deal at thirteen."

This boy was so good natured he was actually making Kiba feel better about being in this place. In fact, he was sure that the only other person who made him feel this comfortable was Tsume.

"Here you go." He hands over the last two. "You sure you can carry them by yourself? I could help you if you want."

Handling them like a pro; Kiba smirks at the boy playfully. "I don't know if that's a good idea if you've been known to eat so much in public. I may end up buying another one."

"Huh?" It took him a minute to get what he said because it was so choppy but he laughed at the joke he'd made. It was a pretty good one. "I guess you would."

"What do I owe?"

Waving a hand across his face, he shrugs casually. "Any guy as cute as you with a clear liking for food can have it on the house."

"I don't understand."

"It's free man. Take it and run."

Cocking a brow, he shakes his head from trying to figure out the boys oddly contagious happiness. "You're really weird."

"Thank you." He pipes with a guile grin and chin in the air. "Say if you need help eating those, just give a yell."

"No thanks, I'm with people."

"Oh right, you're Aunt."

Kiba nods; in a way he was right. He could feel the woman watching over him making sure he took care of his, now missing cousin. "Bye."

"Bye- oh wait!"

Kiba stopped his exit plans, turning to face the boy yet again. "Yeah?"

"Names, Hige. What's yours?"

"Kiba."

"Kiba, huh? Cool name."

Kiba nods, then adds. "You're is weird." Turning to leave again, he calls over his shoulder. "Bye, Hige of Sweden."

"Ha. See you around, Kiba of Japan!" He waved a hand.

Kiba located Toboe and Leara easily enough. The two knuckle-heads were trying on clothes in a nearby store. He would have missed them had he not glanced into the window when a woman began to laugh hysterically over something. The laughing female was losing her composure over the young boy's friend wearing an over-sized hat and too large for a little girl, ladies clothes. Toboe was dressed in an over-sized suit and looking just as foolish as the young girl. Stepping into the store, he walks over to the two kids with a sigh.

"You two look as though you would make a good couple if you were to marry." Said the clerk as Kiba approached.

"No way!" Toboe waves his hands.

The woman turned the two toward a mirror to show them off to each other.

Toboe looked at the sight of him and his friend then laughed. Slipping a hand behind his head he retracted his statement. "I guess we do."

Leara laughed shaking her head. "Yeah right, you can't marry your best friend."

"Why not?"

"Because who would be my best friend?"

Deciding that now was as good a time as any to interrupt them, Kiba clears his throat, turning around a startled room. "What happened to not losing me?" He teased, though he was serious about the fact that the boy just took off with out even looking over his shoulder to see if he were following him or not.

"Ahaha, hey Kiba." The boy greeted as though he hadn't a care in the world. "Don't me and Leara look spiffy?"

"I don't know what 'spiffy' means." He replied, dryly.

"It means 'good'."

"Oh." Holding his hand out. "I got us something to eat. Here."

"Thanks Kiba!" The girl nearly busted a lung shouting as she reaches out, mostly to touch his hand, rather than take what's in it.

"Uh-uh-uh." Says the sales woman taking the snack from the young girl. "First, you and your friend will remove these clothes before you stain them and have to buy them, then you will eat this else where since there is no eating allowed in the store."

Kiba listened to the woman speak, and could tell by the way the two kids retreated to the dressing room, she had told them to take off the clothes they were wrongfully playing 'dress up' in. The foreign boy looked around the store at the odd Swedish fashion. He wondered momentarily if his father gave him so much money because he wanted him to buy winter clothes since he has none of his own.

"Come on, we can eat them on the way to the souvenir shop. Then you can get something for your friend."

"Whoopie."

The three of them head out of the store and down the street. Something compelled Kiba to look over his shoulder for, Hige, but he and his stand are nowhere in sight. Shrugging it off, he followed right on his cousins heals. Last thing he needed was to get lost again and bump into another cute guy again, right?