Wolf's Rain Fan Fiction ❯ My Cousin, Toboe ❯ Dear Toboe.... ( Chapter 19 )

A.N: Thanks for the reviews! I forgot to tell you that yup, I made up ‘color code’ right as I was gonna type that chapter out the next day because I couldn’t sleep that night ^_^. Enjoy the chapter, this fic is almost done. And to anyone who wanted to know, yes there is gonna be a sequel to “Love Object” titled “Italian Sushi”. Fantasy

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Chapter 19.

Dear Toboe,

I'll be going home in a week and... I just wanted to write something to you that way you can understand why I did what I did. I know you're going to be upset about it all but listen, I never loved you. Not in the way you'd think judging by our actions but as a person I care for you very much.

I know this might be hard to understand because you're young and confused but... you have to, for both of our sake. It's the only way we can remain friends and family. What I mean is, you have to forgive me for what I've done to you and you have to forget about it too. It wasn't right, I took advantage of you and I'm so very sorry. I don't know what got into me then but I understand it enough to have written this to you when I did. So please..... I think it may be hard but.... can you forgive me and forget about this whole thing? Can you?

your cousin,

Kiba

Sitting back on the quilt he looked over the words of his letter, which seemed too short and impersonal in his taste but what he wanted to say he couldn't translate it well enough and he would never ask Cher to read it to the boy if he had to put it in his native tongue. It was out of the question. So he settled for short, sweet and to the point- NO MORE!

Why do I have a sinking feeling about this whole month? He wondered. I feel like I've been kicked by a horse.

Lunch had ended a good while ago, and with Cher around it made it very awkward due to the two boys recent activity before she interrupted. Kiba was kind of glad that she did, the soap the suds it was a little trippy; kind of like having a psychic look inside one of those 'Spin Art' toys and you can feel yourself spinning out of control. And he thought the hill was bad. Toboe hadn't said a word; Kiba was surprised to see the boy in his pajamas as well; and Cher was on the phone most of the time, but started in about their day when she turned it off.

Toboe spoke about how bad Kiba was and how much practice he's gonna need and Kiba defended himself because he thought for a beginner he did pretty well. Cher thought they were both cute, patting them on the head before heading upstairs to take a nap. She told Kiba on her way out that the cake should be baked if they were gonna have it tonight after dinner. He agreed that he and his cousin were going to make it right now.

Baking a cake, Kiba discovered, isn't that hard; his father always bought a cake for him but only if he wanted one, in this case Kiba didn't want a bought cake because the Lebowsky family seemed so geared up on home made. So with assistance of bringing out the mixer that appeared to be too heavy for the young boy to carry all on his own, the cake baking was underway.

"Hmm.... Box says, two eggs- room temperature,"

"What does that mean?" Asks Kiba, popping the whisk onto the machine.

"Beats me-.." he rushed out before sucking in a breath of air. "MO-..." The rest was muffled by a hand slapped over his mouth.

"Ssshh, aunt Cher is probably trying to take a nap or something. We can figure this out."

Glaring at his cousin in mock anger, he reached up and removed his hand. "Okay.... then any ideas of what 'room temperature' means?"

Going over to the refrigerator, he pulls out the carton of eggs and the milk incase they needed that as well. Setting the items onto the counter, he flipped open the carton of eggs having to dodge the younger boys 'touch all' fingers coming across his path. Taking out the two eggs he held them in one hand then raised his other hand into the air. "See, it's warm in here and the eggs are cold,"

"So?"

"I guess we have to wait until the eggs are warm too." He ended his theory with an almost ghost like pushing up of his invisible glasses.

Toboe blinked at that, "well, what are we supposed to do till then?"

"What's the box say?"

Looking it over, he says. "Vegetable oil."

Kiba scrunched his mouth, looking around the kitchen with a sigh. "We could measure that."

"One third... oh that'll take up some time."

Shoving an egg into each of the boys hands, he turned his nose up at him saying. "Than give them your warmth mother hen, while I do the measuring." Turning to the first cabinet nearest him, he opens it with a sigh. "Hm?"

Toboe watched as his cousin hunted down the measuring cup rather than ask him for it. It's funny. After checking about two more cabinets, he finally turned to his cousin and said, "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Where's the measuring cup?"

Chuckling, he moved his head and opened the cabinet. "Tada!" He grinned widely. "Hold your applause till the end, because I also know where the whisks are." Hopping down from the counter he pulled open the first drawer by the stove bringing out a semi-shiny metal whisk.

Giving his cousin the ever popular 'Golf clap', Kiba took the plastic measuring cup from the boy and placed it on the counter. "Oil's in the pantry, right?"

"It might be," he smiled again.

Someone's in a joking mood. He strolled over to the pantry and searched the shelves for the vegetable oil as the box instructed. Olive oil, Crisco.... What the heck is Crisco? Popping the lid off the thing, he had to take a step back from the strong smell of- FAT? He wasn't sure, but it made him wanna hurl. Re-capping it, he moves a couple things over unsure of what the label said on half of them when he finally located the cooking oil. Finally... I think. Emerging from the closet with oil in hand, he held it up to his cousin. "Is this right? And don't lie."

"It's right. See the little vegetables on it."

This was too much. "Hey twerp, why are you so happy?"

"You'll see later on- can I lick the bowl when we're done mixing it?"

"I don't care." Pouring the oil into the measuring cup, he checks to see if it's the right height before dumping it into the mixer. Looking back at Toboe he noticed the eggs were missing. "Toboe, where's the eggs?"

"I put them in my shirt pocket. See," holding down the flap he showed off the white ovals. "They should be warm in there; I've melted lots of things in my shirt pockets before."

Reaching in for one of them, he held it for a moment and nodded before returning it to the boys shirt. "Good idea. What's next?"

Looking over the box, Toboe shoved the milk Kiba's way. "It says nothing about milk. I think we just need the oil and eggs."

"Won't it be kind of dry?"

"We'll have to double it up anyway because we're making marble- remember?"

"Oh yeah! Where's the other box?"

Pointing to the pantry, he hopped from the counter. "I'll get it."

Kiba looked after him with worry. What did he mean by "I'll see later on"? What could that brat be planning.

"Got it." He placed the box on the counter. "You want me to get a pan?"

"Yeah, a big one... I think we'll have too much batter."

While Toboe looked around for another pan, Kiba measured some more oil. The two boys worked moderately well, having to wait on another pair of eggs to get warm, this time Kiba held onto them while Toboe dumped the powder into the mixer.

"Hold on... when do we do that swirling thing?" Asks Kiba with his finger twirling an example above the powder that he was watching hang out with the oil.

Thinking about it, Toboe shrugged. "I think the mixer does that part." He stood beside him peeking in as well.

"I'm sure it won't kill it if he we add the eggs now, I don't want the oil drying out so that we have to put in more."

Placing one egg to the counter, he cracks open the other one on the rim of the counter. A little of the slimy yolk crept out onto his finger, but once opening it over the bowl, he wiped his hand on a towel next to the stove. Toboe cracked his eggs like an old pro but chose to rinse his fingers at the sink instead. Kiba wasn't about to be upstaged so he cracked his the same way Toboe had, pleased with the 'less of mess' result.

"How do you turn it on?" Kiba asked looking over the controls.

"Right here," he pulled a little handle so that it was on level one function. "Then press start," he flipped a switch to the right and the machine came on.

The two boys watch in a trance as the dry contents melded with the wet ones in the silver bowl but something was wrong.

"It's all turning brown," Kiba notes.

"That can't be, we added the vanilla too." He turned off the mixer and peered into the bowl.

"They should make better instructions, or just make a cake with only marble ingredients."

He looked over the vanilla box, then the chocolate; neither box showed a picture of a marble cake. Looking into the mixer, he frowned at a large bubble that swelled and popped out of nowhere.

Toboe dunked in a rubber scraper to check for dry spots; seeing nothing wrong with it, he detached the bowl from the mixer and poured it into the long, high sheet pan. Giving it a shake once all the mixture was inside to even it out, he pouts.

"What?" He noticed the boys face.

"I forgot to spray the pan."

"With what?"

"When you bake something you have to spray or butter the thing it's in so it doesn't stick." His face looked as though he was really hurt by it.

"Don't cry about it, we can just pour it in a different pan."

".........." He thought it over, then tipped it back into the bowl. "We can clean this pan and then spray it."

"Which ever." Shrugs Kiba, thinking his idea wasn't that asinine.

Fingering a little taste, he smiled with satisfaction. "At least it taste marble," scooping some to his finger he held it out to Kiba for a taste. "See."

Scooping his own finger full, he stuck it in his mouth and nods. "Yeah. It taste okay.... even if it doesn't look black and white." Bringing the sticky pan over to the sink, he gives it a cleaning before drying it out, then he goes over to the pantry for the cooking spray. "See."

"Yeah."

Giving it a once around, he dumps the contents of the bowl back into the pan then stuffs it into the oven. "350... Now we just wait." He turned the knob on the stove. "So... what do you wanna do?"

"I have to go upstairs for a minute. I wanna be alone."

"......For long?"

"For a while. Then we can do something." He messed the boys hair around on his head, then walked out of the kitchen.

Kiba's been upstairs since then trying to figure out what to put down in his note to him. Not to mention, he hoped that Toboe wouldn't be dopey enough to leave it out somewhere once he's read it. In fact, throwing it away would be a much better option; he should include that in the note at the bottom. Opening the piece of paper, he adds his p.s. then nods at the finished product.

Checking the clock, he noted that it's been at least a half an hour and he should go check on the cake. With any luck he could get out of this little gathering without too much of a fuss on his behalf. Nothing more embarrassing then people making a big deal over you, it's different when the shoe is on the other foot. But being the man of the hour sucks.

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

"Happy birthday to youuuuu." The Lebowsky's sang the end of the song; Kiba couldn't have been happier, especially when they didn't go on with that- "How old are you now," crap.

"Blow out the candles, cousin Kiba!" Says Toboe smiling bigger than anyone has ever smiled before.

Sucking in a breath of air, he blew out all 17 candles in one puff before backing away from the cloud of smoke about to rise. Bowing from the mini applause, he smiled to himself at how incredibly silly it was and how Tsume was gonna laugh his ass off if he told him about it. "Let's eat."

"Hold on, we don't cut cake around here until after presents." Interrupts Cher. "Here you are my favorite nephew. Something I know you really need."

Peeling away the paper and praying that there isn't another set of wrappings underneath, he blinks at the object before his eyes widen in happy surprise. "You got me a cell phone!"

"Yeah well, your father can be such a little ass. I figured he wouldn't have bought you one, so it must be an aunts job."

Taking it out of it's case, he flips it open. "This is the best present I've ever gotten. Thank you."

"You can get a service when you get back to Japan. I doubt you'd understand Swedish billing systems."

"Yeah, haha."

Hubb cleared his voice before passing his gift across the table to him. "I don't know if I can top a cell phone in a boys eyes, but it's practical."

"Thank you uncle, but you didn't have to- if you didn't want to."

"But I did."

Nodding another thank you, Kiba opened the small box and smiled. "This is nice. I've never had a watch this expensive before. Thank you."

"It's a mans right to have something nice on his wrist when he goes for job interviews and such." Though he was clearly humbled by his nephews liking of it, especially when he started slipping it on.

"What do you think? Do I look grown-up?"

"Very." Answers Cher.

Toboe, who sucked a swiped dollop of icing from his finger slid his gift over to him. "You probably won't like mine."

"I'll like it." He picked it up. "Hmm... it's small so, I guess a game boy is out of the question."

"You'll never guess it. Just open it."

"Okay." Peeling away the paper; Toboe looked about ready to do it himself.

"I had Leara bring it over when we were ice skating. It was a good thing you got distracted for so long."

"Yeah, good thing." Opening the small, suede, black box he was taken aback a moment before he pulled out the long chain, gold necklace with a tooth as the pendant. "This is nice. I hope it didn't cost too much?" Cher helped him slip it on.

"Naahh," he blushed wiping a finger past his nose. "I looked it up on the internet; Kiba means Fang, right?"

"Yeah, it does. Thanks cous'." He opened an arm to hug the boy.

"Now that that's done, let's get some cake!" The excited boy threw his hands in the air.

The small family talked about this and that while they ate cake and kept each other company. Finally, the two adults departed upstairs to get some rest for work the next day while the children cleaned up.

"That went off pretty okay."

"What did?" Kiba covers the cake with a line of foil.

"I thought for sure someone would comment on the cake."

Kiba chuckled to himself as he moved the cake to a more secure area of the counter tops. "Yeah, I guess we got off easy." On a second thought he added. "That, or they're up there saying 'Did you see that nasty looking cake, I thought it was supposed to be marble', too bad it came out fudge colored."

"Heey Kiba, come to think of it," he licked the icing from his dad's plate as he walked it to the sink. "I have a part two to my gift. But that's for when Mom and Dad go to sleep." He winked at him.

"Yeah, about that.... maybe we should cool off for a while- I mean, you and I have been kind of... a lot." He cleared his throat. "Aren't you tired?"

Toboe looked sad for a moment, but then perked back up. "Not really, but if you're tired you can just sit there and I'll do everythi-..."

Holding up a hand to silence him, Kiba shakes his head. "Please, I just can't hear you speaking like that, you're thirteen!"

"A very mature thirteen."

"Just thirteen...." He squeezes some dish liquid into the sink. "Seriously Toboe, don't come into my room."

"Humph!" He frowns.

Washing dishes was silent from then on and the two boys went their separate ways when finished. Kiba looked around his bedroom at the balls of paper he had crinkled up wondering if he would ever get it right. He had to because Toboe was beginning to get weird about it. Almost like he wants to- not as two people who just happen to wanna... well, there's really no right way to depict what it is, but it's like the boy wants to do it with him as his cousin. Does he really wanna be close to him that much?

He got his question answered when the door opened later on that night. Toboe walked in, highlighted by the bits of moonlight showing over the closed curtains. The thin boy was walking cautiously through the semi-lit room over to the bed almost instinctively. Kiba watched him, pretending to be asleep until the blanket at the foot of the bed rose and the young boy snaked underneath it.

"Toboe, what the fuck!?" Kiba spat in his native tongue, when the boys hands touched the rim of his pajama pants.

"What's the matter Kiba?" Toboe said in perfect Japanese. "Don't you like it anymore?"

Kiba could feel the boys breath on his member, dusting it with bits of warmth and cold from under the blanket as it rose and fell with his steady movement around his waist. "Stop it! Cut it out!" He shoved at the boys shoulders when the lump under his blanket sat up. "Will you get out!"

Kiba opened his eyes, searching the room for the heap of his cousin that he just tossed to the floor but he was nowhere in sight. “I was dreaming,” that’s when he heard something coming from the bathroom. Getting out of bed, he walked into the hall seeing the door opened, hearing voices from the other side.

"Just tilt your head down, you'll be fine."

Reaching the bathroom, Kiba's jaw dropped seeing Cher holding her son's hair from his face as he shook from exhaustion from the vomit coming from his mouth.

I didn't do that.... there's no way.. Kiba backed away from the bathroom.

"He's got 104, he must have caught a cold today."

No. He's getting me back. Thinks the Yaiden boy.