(c)Hetalia - Himaruya Hidekaz
This a gift fic are my awesome friend PhantasmalEminence aka spainswaifu. She came up with the idea, I wrote it.
Warning: it's not exactly like my usually IggyChu/Tea Family stories (sorry, love! I tried!)
"Xiang! We have to go!" Arthur shouted to his son from downstairs, fixing his tie. "I'm going to be late for work!"
"Then you can leave me at home!" Xiang shouted back to his father from his room. "I don't need to go to daycare!"
Arthur sighed, making his way to his son's room. It was like this nearly every morning. "Xiang, you know I can't do that. You're only six and can't stay home alone," he said when opening Xiang's door. The room was empty.
Arthur took a deep breath in, Xiang's antics growing old. The Englishman looked around the room, under Xiang's desk, his sheets, opening his closet, but Arthur could not find him.
"Alright, fine. I'm going now Xiang," Arthur said. However, instead of leaving, Arthur snuck into Xiang's closet that was by door. He partially closed the closet door to conceal himself before pushing the room door shut.
After waiting a few seconds, Arthur saw Xiang slowly pop out of his toy chest. The young boy first looked around to see if his room was really empty, then coming out. As Xiang was straightening his clothes, back to the closet, Arthur sneaked out, picking up Xiang from behind.
"Oi!" Xiang yelped, struggling in his father's grasp, but Arthur would not let go. The Englishman continued getting their things as if his son wasn't striving to break free.
"Let go! I don't want to go!" Xiang shouted as they walked out the door, Arthur somehow managing to lock the door while holding his difficult child in one arm and the other holding both their backpacks and lunches, at the same time ignoring Xiang's cries. Everything was going just as routine, until Arthur was forced to stopped.
Right as Arthur was walking though the gate, Xiang grabbed a hold of it.
"Xiang, let go!" Arthur said, pulling a bit. This was new.
"Uh uh!" Xiang wouldn't budge.
Arthur took another breath. "Then you leave me no choice." The Englishman put some of the bags down, tickling his son.
Xiang did his best to not laugh and keep his grip, but failed, laughing.
"Alright, let's go," Arthur said, quickly picking up the bags again and reaching his car. He put Xiang in the back with the boy's backpack and lunch, the boy begrudging buckling in. After getting in the driver's seat himself, Arthur started the car and drove off to Xiang's daycare.
As they drove, Arthur noticed the angered atmosphere around Xiang, the young boy pouting with crossed arms. "Is there a reason why you know like going to daycare, Xiang?"
"I don't like it," Xiang mumbled, looking out the window.
"What's not to like? The teachers are very nice, there's a big playground, fun activities, and there are many other kids to play with. Better than staying home alone during summer vacation."
"I don't like it there," Xiang repeated more hostilely.
Arthur sighed as he turned into the parking lot. He looked at the time and noticed he was running later than usual because of Xiang's new grate-grab tactic. "Ready to go?" the Englishman asked, turning to Xiang. The young boy was silent, opening the door and getting out of the car with his things. Arthur followed his league.
"Good morning, Leon," one of the nice staff members greeted as Arthur and Xiang walked up to the front counter to get checked in. They used Xiang's English name in public places such as daycare and school. "Arthur."
"Good morning, Ms. Hedervary," Arthur greeted.
The Hungarian lady giggled. "Arthur, I told you it was fine to use my first name."
"Oh, right, my apologies, Elizabeta" Arthur chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. He then kneeled down to Xiang's height. "I'll pick you up the usual time, okay?"
Xiang stayed quiet, looking down at his feet. Slowly, he nodded his head.
Arthur smiled softly. "Have a nice day, lad," he said, giving Xiang a kiss on the head before leaving.
Xiang watched as his father walked back to his car, the Englishman giving one last encouraging smile and wave before driving off.
"Ready to go in, Leon?" Elizabeta asked. "It's craft time."
Wordlessly, Xiang followed behind Elizabeta, staring in at the horrors of daycare.
Arthur slouched in his chair, finally getting to work. He was even more late do to some road construction he was unaware of. The Englishman looked at his desk clock, deeming that if he worked through lunch, he could possibly still be able to pick up Xiang on time.
After staring at his clock, Arthur's eyes lingered a bit to a family photo that sat beside it. It was of Xiang, himself, and his late wife at the beach four years ago.
Arthur reached and picked up the photo, sighing. "Chun Yan, what am I supposed to do...?" Arthur asked aloud. It was just him in his office. "I've never see Xiang so dead set against something like this before, and you know how he is?" He sighed once again. "Should I just wait it out? Please, show me a sign."
"Kirkland!"
Arthur jolted up right, struggling to catch the photo that flew out of his hands when he jumped. It was the head supervisor at the door.
"Good, you're here. I need to you to stay late today to do Laurinaitis'share. He's out sick today."
"Y-yes, Mr. Adnan."
The Turkish man smiled gratefully. "Great, carry on with your work." With that, he left with a loud door slam.
Arthur sat in silence, turning back to the photo in his hand. "...T-that wasn't the sign, was it?"
While Arthur was cramming to finish his work plus another's before having to pick his son up, Xiang was having his own problems back at daycare.
After craft time, all the kids were allowed to play outside and Xiang never did like the excitement. Everyone was running around, climbing the playground, sliding down the slides, and so on.
" 'It's summer' she says. 'You need sunlight to grow' she says. 'Just 10 minutes' she says," Xiang mumbled to himself what Elizabeta said to him whenever he asked to stay inside alone. Instead of joining the others, Xiang opted to sit by the door and wait to be allowed back in. Because of this, the young boy stuck out, thus a bully magnet.
"Hey, Leon!" Xiang heard a familiar voice call to him in false friendliness. He looked up to see the three boys who had been picking on him since the beginning of summer and daycare: Orjan, Cemal, and Kevin.
"Leave me alone, Orjan..." Xiang mumbled, staring down at his feet.
"Aw, come on, we just want to play," Kevin said. "It's a nice and warm day out."
"You must be warm with your hair so long," Cemal added, tugging on Xiang's hair.
"Stop it," Xiang said louder. He knew he couldn't really fight back or else he'd get in trouble and his father would be upset. He didn't want to be tattletale either.
"You're so weird, not playing and your hair looks like girl hair. Weirdo," Orjan teased.
"My hair looks fine and I'm not a weirdo."
"Leon's a weirdo! Leon's a weirdo!" the three chanted. Xiang bit his lip, trying to stay calm.
"Ai!"
Xiang looked up, seeing the three of them instantly stop and go rigid.
"Busted..." Kevin mumbled under his breath.
As the three bullies turned around, Xiang noticed someone he didn't recognize walk up them with a crossed look.
"May I ask what you three are doing aru?" the person asked sternly.
"Nothing..." they mumbled, looking at the ground.
"Are you sure? It didn't looking like nothing to me. It looked like name calling and hair pulling aru."
"I-it's just a game we play!" Cemal tried to make up an excuse.
"Really? Because bullying should never be a game aru."
"Well Leon's weird!" Orjan huffed. "He won't play with anyone and always looks bored! And his hair is weird like a girls!"
Xiang, still seated on the ground, hugged his knees to his chest, hurt by the other's words.
"Orjan, just because someone does things differently than you and likes to do things a different way, doesn't mean you should pick on them. Look, my hair is long aru. Would you pick on me just because of that without knowing me first?"
"No..." Orjan mumbled.
"We're sorry, Mr. Wang..." Cemal mumbled as well.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."
Xiang watched as the three boys turn to him, all saying they were sorry before running off.
"You know," the stranger known as Mr. Wang started, gaining Xiang's attention, "if someone is hurting you in any way, you really should tell an adult aru."
Xiang turned back to the ground, silent.
Mr. Wang sighed a bit before sitting besides Xiang. "I don't recognize you. You must have came after all the introductions aru. My name is Yao Wang and I'll be working here starting today aru. What's your name?"
Xiang was still silent.
Yao pursed his lips a bit, wondering how to get Xiang to talk. He had noticed Xiang during craft time, the young boy quiet and not enjoying his time as much as the other kids. Yao remembered one of the other staff tell him the young boy was different.
As Yao watched Xiang curl up more, an idea popped into his head. "Is there something you would rather be doing than be out here?" Yao asked in Chinese. Xiang's head shot to him, eyes wide. Yao couldn't help but chuckle. "So you do understand Chinese."
Xiang nodded his head. "I... I haven't talked in Chinese in a long time. And I can't speak that well."
Yao let out a cheerful laugh. "You speak very well. Now, may I know what your name is?"
"Le-" Xiang paused for a bit after cutting himself off before answering for real. "Xiang. Like the city, fragrant harbor."
"That's a very nice name, Xiang," Yao said, holding a hand out. "I'm sure we will get along wonderfully."
Xiang cracked a smile, shaking Yao's hand. "Mmhmm!"
"Oh no. No no no no," Arthur said under his breath. He was running very late, on his way to pick up Xiang. "Even after working through lunch and breaks. Stupid traffic!" Arthur looked at the clock in his car, then at the dimming sunlight. "This is the sign to get him out of daycare, huh, love?"
Arthur groaned as all the cars were moving slowly. "I'm so sorry, Xiang," he cried out.
0x0x0x0
"Thanks, Dad..." Xiang mumbled, the last kid, besides him, left a long time ago. Xiang was always the last to get picked up, but today was ridiculous.
"How about you wait inside, Leon," Elizabeta suggested, guiding Xiang in. "That's strange; your father is never this late," she said, looking at the clock with a worried look.
"Elizabeta," Yao started, pausing from cleaning the tables, "do you have to be somewhere today aru?"
Elizabeta sighed, walking over to Yao. "You really do know how to read people. I have an anniversary dinner tonight," she said only loud enough for Yao.
Yao offered a smile. "I can watch him until his father gets here aru."
"Don't you need to get home, too!?"
"That's alright. I have to wait for the bus anyways, and I'm sure he'll get here before it comes."
Elizabeta turned to Xiang, seeing the Chinese boy staring out the window. Xiang never caused anyone any trouble, besides his father in the morning.
"Alright. Thank you so much, Yao!" Elizabeta said thankfully before she left, also saying goodbye to Yao and Xiang. The two both waved goodbye as well.
"So, what time does your father usually pick you up, Xiang?"
Xiang turned to the clock. "He should have been here about an hour and a half ago."
"Eh!? Is he always this late!?"
Xiang shifted his weight from one foot to the other, shaking his head. "I think I made him very late this morning..." he said softly.
Yao gave him a gentle smile, patting Xiang's head. "I'm sure there is just traffic. Would you like to play on the playground until he gets here?"
Xiang thought about his answer for a minute. He never really played on the playground, hating the crowd, so now was his chance to play by himself. Xiang nodded his head excitedly. Yao let out another laugh, guiding Xiang outside.
The young boy ran up and down the steps of the playground, actually enjoying himself. He slid down slides, climbed up rope ladders, played on the monkey bars, and more while Yao watched from the bench. The Chinese man happily watched until Xiang pulled him up, wanting the man to play with him.
"Let's play on the swings," Xiang said, out of breath, yet still dashing for the swing set.
"You have a lot more energy all of a sudden," Yao cheerfully said as Xiang hopped on one of the swings, slowly swinging higher and higher. Yao sat on the swings besides the boy, only weakly swinging back and forth.
That was when Arthur finally arrived.
After hastily parking his car, Arthur dashed to the entrance of the daycare, trying to open the doors. Sadly, it was lock and the lights were off. "Oh no, Xiang..." Arthur panicked, looking around the parking lot. It was the later hours of twilight, so the street lights were on.
Just as Arthur was about to run around the perimeter of the daycare to see any lights inside, he heard some laughter and talking. The Englishman turned to the source, noticing two people on the playground: Xiang and another adult.
"Xiang!" Arthur shouted, sprinting to his son.
Xiang turned when hearing a voice, seeing his dad coming towards him. Arthur swiftly leaped the fence, making his way to Xiang. "Daddy!" Xiang called hopping off the swings. He hadn't even taken that many steps when Arthur reached him, engulfing him in a giant hug.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, Xiang! There was so much traffic and I had to cover one of my coworkers' work. I promise, you don't have to go to daycare anymore," Arthur said all together, already a bit out of breath from the dash.
"Eh? But I like it here," Xiang whined.
Arthur instantly released Xiang, hands still on his shoulders, with a look of disbelief.
"I made a friend," Xiang explained, pointing back to Yao.
Arthur looked to where his son was pointing, eyes widening even more at who Xiang was pointing to walked over to them. "C-Chun Yan...?" Arthur mumbled.
Yao stopped before the two, his head tilted. "Excuse me?"
"Uh, nothing!" Arthur gathered himself, standing back up.
"You must be Xiang's father. It's nice to meet you. My name is Yao Wang," Yao introduced, holding a hand out.
"Y-yes, the pleasure is all mine," Arthur said first, taking the other's hand. "My name is Arthur Kirkland."
"Daddy, Yao played with me all day and while we were waiting for you," Xiang said excitedly, sharing everything he did that day in speedy sentences. "I like daycare now," he finished.
"That's wonderful, Xiang," Arthur said with a content smile. He then realized what he said, and what Yao said before. "Wait, you didn't use your English name?"
Xiang shook his head. "It's probably easier for him to use my Chinese name anyways," he said highly of himself.
Arthur stared down at his son, confused, as Yao hid a laugh behind his hand. Arthur wasn't at all fluent in their language.
Suddenly, beeping alerted the three, distracting them from Xiang's use of Chinese and Arthur's confusion. It was Yao's phone alarm.
Yao pulled out the devise, checking the screen. "Aiyah..." he groaned quietly.
"Is something wrong?" Arthur asked.
"No, I just missed my bus. I can catch the next one aru," Yao answered, pocketing his phone.
Arthur couldn't help but smile nostalgically. 'They both have the same speech tic...'
"Do you need a ride?" Xiang asked, eyes fill with childish innocence.
"Oh, no! I'm fine aru!"
"It's really no trouble, Yao. Think of it as a thank you for looking after Xiang," Arthur reassured.
"I can't possibly-"
"Come on!" Xiang instantly cut the other off, pulling him to his dad's car. Arthur chuckled, following behind.
"Where do you live?" Arthur asked when they got in his car. Bashfully, Yao gave him his address. "Oh, that's on the way to our house, right Xiang?" Xiang nodded enthusiastically.
"I suppose it's not that big of a problem then aru."
"It was never a problem, Yao," Arthur said with another content smile.
As they drove to Yao's apartment, Xiang was talking animatedly about his day again. The two adults gladly listened with open ears, though, it didn't take too long for them to reach Yao's apartment.
"Right over here aru," Yao instructed.
"Did you just move here?" Arthur asked as he pulled in.
Yao nodded his head. "Yeah, this town is a lot more nicer than my old town."
"Then, maybe I can show you around sometime," Arthur offered, blushing a bit. "O-or at least tell you about all the nice spots to visit in town. Over some coffee?"
Yao hid another laugh, getting out of the car. "That'd be nice aru," he said, agreeing to Arthur's plans as he closed the door. "Thanks for the ride!" Yao added as he went inside.
Arthur couldn't help but smile, then noticing the crossed look on his son's face. "What?"
"Daddy, I'm not going to share Yao with you," he huffed.
"Eh!? Xiang, I'm just showing him around town! He's new in town!"
"Yeah, yeah..."
What is this...? I'm sorry, I don't know what I did with this! Hope you still like it, dearie!