Goldfish

Yamato first heard the news his mother was sick again after he had just moved in with Jyou. He was wondering what more could go wrong, considering he would be dealing with a horrible divorce at the same time as well. Jyou was running late and Aiko would be home soon from school. Yamato always felt like a burden to the father and son, so he tried to at least keep the place clean when he was home. He had left some mocchi on the counter for Aiko, too.

Still, he rested his chin on his knuckles and stared at a small stain on the carpet he hadn't identified. It was probably so old it had been there since before Jyou got the place. The blonde tapped his toes and stood with a huff. "What am I supposed to do? Feel bad?" he spat, running a hand through his hair.

Then he heard a key in the lock. Aiko stepped inside and greeted his father's new friend. The blue haired boy kicked off his shoes. Yamato faked a smile. If Aiko was any more similar to Jyou than looks, then he would be able to sense the blonde's anger from ten feet away.

"How was school, buddy?" Yamato asked.

"I have a lot of extra credit work I can finish," Aiko replied. "Since I finished my homework already. Still, it's not required so I'm in no rush."

"That's good. Jyou doesn't want you to push yourself too hard. He never had a break as a kid," Yamato replied. "Don't tell your Dad, okay?" he started, pulling some cigarettes from his back pocket and heading out to the porch. "I made you a snack," Yamato replied, closing the door behind him.

Aiko watched the man carefully. He was so different from Dad. He never seemed happy. Although, Dad had said he was in a bad place and not to bother him, Aiko had the same need to help people as his mother had. He grabbed a few mocchi cakes and then went to knock on the glass. Yamato turned, "What?"

Aiko opened the door and stepped out, staying upwind so he wouldn't smell of smoke. "Here, I thought you might like one."

"T-Thanks, kid," Yamato replied.

"You're a good cook," Aiko said.

"I've always had to cook," Yamato explained, "Ever since I was your age."

"...something bad happened. You've only been here a few weeks, but I've already been able to make note of your mannerisms."

"What are you on about?"

"Usually you don't smoke, but when you're stressed out, you can smoke a lot."

"Ha, blame my father for that," Yamato replied.

"So, what happened? Maybe I can help."

"Aiko, I shouldn't talk to you about these things," the blonde sighed, dousing the cigarette on the rail. "I don't think your father would appreciate it."

"Aren't you... like my father, too?"

Yamato blushed. Sure, he and Jyou had messed around a few times. "W-Well, it's complicated."

"Adults say things are complicated only when they are trying to hide something," Aiko said. Yamato patted the boy's head, knocking his glasses to the side.

"You're a smart little bastard you know that?"

"So, can you tell me what's bothering you now?" Aiko pressed.

"Ugh, you sure have Jyou's persistence," Yamato remarked, stepping back inside. He had barely eaten half the snack cake. Aiko had slowly and surely finished his and stepped back inside behind the other. He hung around Yamato all the way into the kitchen where the blonde pulled out something for dinner from the freezer. Blue eyes met the kid's dark eyes, "You know what death is right?"

"Death is the end of all functions that keep living things sustained. It is also a mysterious hooded figure who comes to take you when you pass away."

"I didn't mean the definition," Yamato said, putting his face in his palm. "I meant... have you ever had someone close to you pass away?"

"My goldfish died when I was little," Aiko announced. "Dad said that death is something we all learn to accept and that my fish was in a better place. On the physical side of things, I learned my fish helped our garden grow, too. Some people believe-"

"Aiko," Yamato seethed. "I'm losing someone in my family right now."

"Someone close to you," Aiko stated.

"Uh, y-yeah, I guess," he breathed. "Look, I gotta make dinner for when your Dad comes back. Go play in your room or something."

"Okay..." Aiko said, taking another mocchi and heading to his room.

"Kid's probably gonna go study..." Yamato chuckled.