Babysitting Day

by: MrFoshizzlePro

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Nobuhiro Watsuki does :)

"Well, were off."

"Wait Yahiko!" Kaoru raced off the porch just as Yahiko and five-year old Kenji were leaving. Kenshin sweatdropped at his wife's nervousness. "Kaoru, honey," he tried coaxing her as he came to stand at her side. "They'll be fine, that they will. I know Yahiko will take good care of Kenji while they're over at the Akabeko for the day."

"Yeah busu, so don't sweat it, okay? I'll be sure to watch Kenji while you two just relax." Yahiko smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry. I got this."

"Still-" Kaoru frowned slightly. "-this is Yahiko were talking about."

Kenshin sweatdropped. "Now, now, honey. I'm certain Yahiko will be fine watching a five-year old boy-"

"But Yahiko's only fourteen!"

"So what?" A tense mark pulsated on Yahiko's forehead as he came nose-to-nose with his old instructer. "You got a problem with that?"

"Yes I do!" Kaoru retorted, a tense mark appearing on her forehead. "Your only a child yourself! And moreover, I don't think you can handle the responsibility. Watching Kenji takes a lot of work and dedication. You have to be willing to watch him. Meaning you can't just tell him to sit somewhere while you go off and do something else!"

"I won't!"

"Yeah, right!"

"Alright you two-" Kenshin intervened between the bickering ex-pupil and ex-instructer. He turned to Yahiko first. "Yahiko, please promise us both that you'll take care of Kenji."

"I will Kenshin!"

"I know you will Yahiko," he assured. "But you need to promise Kaoru that as well."

Yahiko turned to Kaoru begrugedly. Then, he looked her in the eyes as he said, "Kaoru, I promise to watch and care for Kenji while we're at the Akabeko for the day. Do you believe me?"

"Kaoru?" Kenshin glanced over to his wife with hope-filled eyes. Kenji looked back at the three, cocking his head to the side. At last, Kaoru folded her arms across her chest, muttering, "Fine. I believe you Yahiko."

"Alright, see ya! Come on, Kenji!"

"Yeah!"

The two parents watched their son and their friend walk out the gate and down the road, Kaoru's face showing no hidden trace of her troubles. Kenshin held her hand comfortingly, locking eyes with her with a warm smile.

Kaoru relaxed, smiling in return.

Finally, they headed inside, sliding the door shut.

Yahiko punched the air triumphantly. "Alright!" he exclaimed. "This is gonna be great!"

"Definately!" agreed Kenji, mimicking his friend's punching motion with a gaping smile. Suddenly, the young boy noticed a girl coming into view. She wore a striped outfit with a cream apron. When her big brown eyes landed upon the two, she smiled, blushing.

"Hello Yahiko! Hello little Kenji!"

Yahiko grinned in return. "Hey Tsubame!" he greeted upon stopping before her. "What's up? Is Tae around today?"

Tsubame frowned a little. She shook her head. "No. Tae is off visiting her relatives at the Shirobeko in Kyoto." Then, she smiled again. "Would you two care to come in? I could really use the company since Tae is absent."

Yahiko nodded hastily. "Sure!" he said. Without waiting for Kenji's say, the young teen headed inside with a giggling Tsubame. Kenji stared off after them and blinked.

Yahiko ran back outside, buggy-eyed. "Oh yeah! Sorry 'bout that Kenji! Almost forgot you were there...Well- come on!" He picked up the child and whisked away back inside.

"Here. Do you think you can sit still while I do some work around here, Kenji?"

Yahiko knelt down before the child whom he sat at a table, his brown eyes pleading. Kenji grinned, nodding quickly.

"Uh-huh!" chirped the child.

He sighed. "Great." He got back to his feet and straightened out his apron. Then, Yahiko flashed Kenji a smirk. "Don't get into too much trouble, alright? I have some work to do and I can't afford getting killed by your Mom."

Kenji bobbed his auburn head up and down in response. Feeling confident of his idea, the young teen took off down the row of tables to take orders. After only a few minutes after Yahiko's departure, Kenji was growing bored. The little toddler peered down at the floor. A black cat emerged from underneath the table, causing him to jump.

The cat looked up at him and mewed. Kenji giggled. "Funny cat!" he chimed. "Funny cat!" The feline purred in amusement and bounded away. Kenji hopped up and chased after it, laughing and beaming ear-to-ear with excitement.

Yahiko heard a small child running through the restaurant as he was carrying out a gentleman's order. The ear-splitting racus was making it difficult for him to concentrate on finding the gentleman's table. He thought he would never find the man's table until finally he caught sight of him and went over with a smile.

"Here's the miso soup, rice and tea you ordered, Sir," Yahiko said, taking the food off the tray one at a time to set it delicately on the table in front of the gentleman. The man smiled broadly at him. "You're pretty good at your work," he commented.

Yahiko chuckled. "Heh, well, I don't want to brag...but I do do a pretty good job, huh?"

"Yes indeed."

Yahiko was just getting ready to set down the man's miso soup when suddenly, from behind, something bumped into his legs, causing him to drop the soup onto the genteman's lap. He gaped in horror. The man hollered in pain.

"OUCH!"

"I-I-I am so sorry, Sir. Uh- here, let me help you clean up!"

He grabbed a handful of napkins and rushed to aid the man in cleaning up. Once again, another eruption of laughter sounded behind and he was knocked into the man's lap with a grunt. "Ow!" groaned Yahiko. He thrashed his head around, irritated. "Who keeps doing that?"

"That's it!" The gentleman got up from his seat, sending Yahiko smacking onto the floor on his butt. "Hey-!"

"I'm finished here!" He stomped out of the restaurant, grumbling and mumbling under his breath. Yahiko sat on the floor, bewildered by what had just happened. He rubbed the back of his head with a goofy look on his face. He murmured, "Damn, he sure could use an attitude adjustment." Tsubame ran to him, her eyes wide with worry.

"Yahiko, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she fretted as she crouched down by his side. Yahiko sighed deeply and climbed to his feet. "I guess so," he replied. Then, his eyes wandered around the restaurant. "Hey, where'd I set Kenji at again?" Instantly, Tsubame's eyes flashed with realization.

She said, "Oh dear..."

"What?" Yahiko's eyes suddenly clouded in concern. "Where did he go?"

"One of our servants saw a little auburn haired child chasing a black cat out the door just a few moments before I found you. They said they tried catching up with him, but by the time they reached the entrance, the little boy had already ran off." Tsubame shook her head. "I'm so sorry! I should have said something! I should have-"

"No, Tsubame." Yahiko took her hand in his own and locked eyes with her calmly. "It's not your fault," he told her. "Don't go blaming yourself. Kenji was my responsibility and it's my fault he ran out, not yours." He smiled sympathetically, adding, "Thanks for telling me, though, Tsubame. If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have a clue where to start looking." Yahiko untied the apron and handed it over to the young girl. "I have to go and find him. Please, please... if anyone asks, don't say a word. I'll be back in a little bit. I'll see ya later!"

Yahiko ran out the door and into town, racing down the road, fearfully searching for the young toddler. Come on, baka! he urged himself. The little guy has to be around here somewhere! He's the only one in all of Tokyo who has red hair for Buddha's sake! Surely it can't be that hard to find him!

Immediatly, the corner of his eye caught a flash of red hair nearby. He smiled, relieved. "There you are!" he hissed and sped off in the direction of the red haired child. "Kenji!" he called. However, as he proceeded to come closer and closer to the little red head...his eyes popped out of his head in horror. Standing there with a familiar ebony haired woman at his side, was Kenshin.

"Crap!"

"Hm?"

"Ah-!" Yahiko hastily ducked into a nearby flower cart, trying desperately to keep hidden as Kenshin's violet eyes swerved toward his direction. As he watched quietly from his hiding spot, Kaoru tapped Kenshin on the shoulder and was probably asking him what he was staring at. Yahiko could guess that his reply was something along the lines of, "Nothing," or, "I could have sworn I just saw someone familiar..."

Fortunately, Kaoru offered the rurouni a smile and the couple moved along away from where Yahiko was. "Whoo," Yahiko sighed. "That was too close-"

"Hey, kid?"

"Huh?"

Yahiko glanced up into a scolding woman's face. He sweatdropped and laughed nervously. "Heheh...uh...is this your flower cart?" The woman nodded. "And I would appreciate it if you got out of my cart before you stink it up!" Without hesitation, the woman knocked him out of the cart and wheeled off with a, "Hmph!"

Yahiko glared and called after her, "Fine! I was gonna buy one of your flowers, but you can forget that now! I'll just look elsewhere!" He picked himself back off the ground and continued his search.

"Aw, he's adorable!" squealed a ten-year old girl.

"Yeah!" agreed another girl, about the age of twelve. "I wish I could have a baby this cute!"

Both the ten-year old and a sixteen-year old girl nodded in unison. "Definately!" they squeaked.

Kenji gawked up at the group of young girls surrounding him with stupid grins and big glittering eyes. He didn't understand what was so great about him that these girls liked, but he saw no reason to complain.

"I could just eat you right up, cutie!" The sixteen-year old pinched his cheek with a giggle. Kenji wriggled away, blushing. "Aww! Look at that, Shika! He's blushing! How sweet!"

Yahiko skidded to a halt. His eyes traveled to a group of young, attractive girls all huddled around something that they seemed so amused by. Hopefully that's Kenji, he thought and inhaled before approaching the girls. "Excuse me," he started. Their eyes instantly flew to him. He blushed slightly under their stares but continued. "Have you girls...uh...seen a little boy with red hair and big blue eyes running around here?"

They all exchanged uncertain glances with eachother before hesitantly nodding. Yahiko smirked. "That's great!" he exclaimed. "Which way did he go?"

One girl piped up. "Oh, he went...um...that way!" She pointed a finger in the opposite direction from which he had come. Yahiko dipped his head in gratitude. "Thanks! See ya!" And he ran off down the road as the girls giggled mischieviously at his stupidity.

The sun was beginning to set. Yahiko had arrived back at the Kamiya dojo empty handed. He had failed in his search to find the missing five-year old, but moreover, he had failed Kenshin and Kaoru.

What are they gonna say when they realize I lost him? They'll kill me!

With a heavy heart, Yahiko slid the door open and announced his arrival. "Hey guys, I'm back-"

"...he was such a doll!"

"Yes! He was very sweet indeed! Oh you two are so lucky to have such an angel of a little boy!"

Kaoru and Kenshin chuckled. "Thank you," they both said.

Yahiko fell to the floor, astonished. The same girls he had met in town were there at the dojo! They had known where Kenji was afterall! The group of girls bowed and took their leave, leaving poor Yahiko to face the parents alone.

"Before you two start..." Yahiko bowed down on the floor in respect and closed his eyes. "I just want you guys to know that I'm really sorry I let you both down. I should have kept an eye on Kenji better. He was my responsibility but I didn't take it seriously enough and he almost got lost because of me. I'm sorry. I won't blame you if you never let me babysit him again. I clearly deserve to be punished for what I did."

Yahiko rose his eyes to meet their faces, preparing to see disappointed scowls waiting to greet him. Instead, they just smiled. Kenshin pat him lightly on the shoulder. Yahiko was deeply confused. "Why aren't you guys mad at me?" he questioned. "I thought you'd be furious at what I did!"

"Some of us are...!" Kaoru growled, balling her hand into a fist but relaxing herself. "But..." She smiled.

"...we're very proud of you for telling the truth, Yahiko," finished Kenshin. "You've taken responsibility for your actions and in the end, Kenji came home safe and sound."

His eyes gleamed with hope. "So does that mean I can babysit Kenji again?"

Kenshin sweatdropped and chuckled. "Well, maybe not for a while...but there's a good possibility that someday in the future, you will."

"So, does that also mean I'm off the hook?"

Kaoru and Kenshin shared a smile between eachother. Kaoru answered his question. "Not by a long-shot." And so, Yahiko's punishment was to clean the dojo for the remainder of the month, but he took on the punishment with a positive attitude.

"At least Kenji can keep me company! Right, Kenji?"

"Water!"

"Kenji, NO! NOT THE LAUNDRY! I WAS JUST ABOUT TO WASH THAT! KENJIIII!"

Owari