Title: Like mother, like son…
Author: kira
Rating: K
Word Count: 388
Summary: Ritsu has something important to tell his mother…

Prompt: I managed to use all three… Mother, garden, firsts

888

Ritsu found his mother in her small private garden, just off her room, at the family onsen. He had been searching all morning for her and she always seemed one step ahead of him. He knocked softly on the open shoji so as not to startle her and stepped through it into the garden, where he waited for her to look up. When she did, he blurted out, "I'm sorry, Haha-ue, I don't want to disturb if you're busy!" He bowed low to her.

"No, no, no!! I'm not too busy for my son! Please forgive me if I gave you that impression!!" she replied as jumped up from the garden bench she was sitting on, watching the plants grow, and returned his bow.

"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!!!" they chorused for several minutes, before they both laughed sheepishly.

"Like mother, like son…" she said, smiling ruefully at him.

Ritsu nodded. "Haha-ue, I ummm…"

"What is it, Ri-chan?"

"I umm… I…" Ritsu swallowed nervously under his mother's concerned gaze.

"You can tell me… It hasn't come back, has it…?"

Ritsu shook his head. "No, Haha-ue… I'm sorry to worry you like that…" He nervously chewed on a fingernail.

"I'm sorry to upset you!" she countered.

"Now I've gone and upset you! I'm so sorry!!"

His mother took a deep breath and let it out slowly, breaking their cycle of apologies. The unexpectedness of it did the trick and they both calmed down.

"Haha-ue… I just wanted to tell you, I found a nice girl. I like her a lot."

"Really…?"

"Yeah… You'll like her." Ritsu smiled. "Her name is Mitsuru…" His eyes went wide. "I can't believe I forgot to ask her family name…" He looked like he was about to panic.

His mother smiled. "You both must have felt as though you've know each other forever, no? Just like me and your father…"

"Yeah…"

"You must bring her here so I can meet her," his mother said softly.

"Yeah… I think she would like you very much, Haha-ue."

"I feel as though we will like each other too." His mother hugged him for the first time since the curse had been lifted. It was an awkward embrace but it was so full of love, that neither minded. It was to be the first of many for them both…