Title: Memories Live (Unfortunately) Forever.
By: Kaara.
Prompt: Childhood.
Disclaimer: I don't own PoT. Konomi-sensei owns all those glamorous tennis-playing gay boys.
Rating: PG. Very safe. XD
Note: Featuring Kid!Shishido and Kid!Atobe and their mommies! XD And a special cameo appearance of Choutaro. I don't know anything about the state of their families, so I just invented the lot of them. Feedbacks are very much welcomed, appreciated and cherished!

xxx

Memories Live (Unfortunately) Forever

xxx

Shishido Ryou stared at his play date. And frowned.

"Mom," Shishido tugged furiously at the hem of his mother's brand new Gucci dress, eliciting a grimace from the young woman. "Mom, I dun wanna play with 'im!"

Shishido-san sighed, and gently pried small fingers away from her dress. "I'm sure you and Keigo-chan will get along just fine, Ryou."

"But he doesn't look fun!"

Atobe Keigo, perhaps annoyed at being ignored and hearing people complaining about him as though he's not there, decided to chime in at that remark. "At least I don't look like a girl!"

Shishido frowned harder. "I don't look like a girl!"

Atobe stuck out his pink little tongue. "Do to!"

"Keigo, mind your manners now." Atobe-san smiled apologetically at her guests. "He gets cranky if he doesn't have his favourite blankie with him. Kids, you know."

The women laughed at that, as though they had just exchanged a private joke known only to the population of mothers. Shishido and Atobe continued glaring at each other from besides their respective mothers, in between making faces and sticking out tongues. It was quite beautiful actually; their earliest memory about each other was that of intense dislike.

"Well, I think I'd better go now," Shishido-san said, checking her watch. "You know how particular the Yamadas are about being on time. Here are Ryou's things. And some cookies for Keigo-chan."

Atobe-san took the offered small bag and placed a hand on Atobe. "Thanks, but Keigo's on a special diet. He's been having problem with indigestion."

"Mama, you don't need to tell them that!"

The mothers laughed again.

Shishido joined in this time around (though he didn't quite get what indi-whatever was), just to spite the other boy.

"Now, be good Ryou, when Mom's not here." Shishido-san warned, kneeling in front of her son. She straightened his bright blue jumper and shoulder-length hair, and pinched the boy's cheek. "Listen to Keiko-san and don't get into fights with Keigo-chan, okay?"

"But, Mom—"

"Okay?"

Shishido sulked, glaring at his shoes. "Fine."

"That's my good boy." She petted his head affectionately and stood up, nudging the petulant boy forward. "I'll pick him up around four. Thanks again, Keiko."

"It's not a problem, Natsume," the other woman gallantly replied, wise enough to ignore the dark looks she was getting from her temporary charge. "Keigo needs to socialise with people around his age too. He's getting unhealthily involved with Araki's friends."

"I'm sure Keigo-chan has the making of a great Atobe," Shishido-san crooned, smiling down at said boy. "He's learning the art of networking already."

"That's what Araki said," sighed Atobe-san, placing a palm against her cheek. "But I do wish that he'll go out and play like other boys sometimes."

Shishido-san checked her watch again and made a throaty surprised sound, a look of panic crossing her face. "Oh dear, I'm late! We should get together sometimes, so much to catch on." She leaned down and dropped a kiss onto Shishido's forehead. "Be good. See you later, Keiko, Keigo-chan."

Shishido was still sulking, as he allowed himself to be led inside the sprawling mansion. He could see his reflection on the polished marble floor as they walked through the entrance hall, and it made his face look funny and weird and so not like him. Atobe was walking a bit ahead, whining at Atobe-san about him, and Shishido wished that he was anywhere but there. He agitatedly rubbed his hands over his shorts, because his palms always get sweaty when he's nervous and he hated sweaty palms. Shishido groaned quietly; he didn't want to be there.

"Here we are." Shishido looked up when he heard Atobe-san's exclamation, and was greeted by the sight of a huge room decorated to look like a jungle. His jaw dropped open in awe. "This is your playroom. I'm sorry it's such a mess," her hand waved in a sweeping gesture towards numerous piles of toys and soft plushies and everything a rocket scientist could build on the carpeted floor. "But Keigo always forgets to put things back in place after he finishes with them." She flashed him a charming smile, and Shishido hesitantly smiled back, before remembering that he was supposed to be sulking. "Ryou-chan, do you want anything else?"

Yes. I want my Mom, my Dad, my sister and my Kamen Rider action figures. "Um… no?"

Atobe-san nodded and turned to Atobe, who was busy fluffing up what looked like a giant version of Totoro. "Keigo, please remember that you have piano lesson at five, and violin at eight. I've a meeting after this, so Nanny will come and look after Ryou- chan and you."

Atobe stopped attending Totoro, and looked at his mother with something akin to horror and disbelief. "But you said you're gonna be home today, Mama! You said we're gonna play together!"

"Don't fret, dear. I'm sorry, but it's an urgent meeting." Atobe-san put her hand around the boy (who had started sniffling) in a pathetic semblance of a hug and released him after a second or two. "Ryou-chan will play with you and you'll have so much fun that you won't even realise I'm not here."

"But I want you! Not him!"

Shishido briefly wondered if maybe he should go away or something. Because he wouldn't mind playing with himself at the park. At least he could get as dirty as he wanted and no one would yell at him.

"You're being extremely unkind towards Ryou-chan, Keigo," reprimanded Atobe-san, who looked increasingly uncomfortable with her son's sad whimpers. She moved quickly to the door, and said, "I'll see you later, boys. Have fun!"

The door closed soundlessly, leaving the two boys staring at it.

Shishido thought that Atobe looked like he was going to cry, but the other boy simply stood still for a few seconds, before moving back to Totoro with a blank face. Shishido frowned, and looked at Atobe. "Oi!"

"My name's not 'oi'," Atobe snapped back, punching Totoro. Shishido didn't think that toys-abuse was healthy; Dad told him that he shouldn't punch anything or anyone. Atobe continued punching the toy with his small fists, and gritted out, "I'm Atobe Keigo. A. To. Be. Kei. Go."

Shishido shrugged. "Oi, 'Tobe!"

"It's Atobe!"

"Sheesh, whatever. Just stop punchin' the doll, 'kay?" He opened his bag, and took out two cookies that his mother had packed inside a cute paper box earlier. He offered one to Atobe. "You want?"

The grey-haired boy plopped onto the floor, and shook his head. "Can't. Mama said I can't."

"She also said she'd be here."

Atobe bit his bottom lip, and snatched a cookie from Shishido. "I still don't like you."

"I don't like you too." Shishido munched thoughtfully, before adding, "And I don't look like a girl."

Atobe giggled around a mouthful of cookie and pointed at Shishido's hair. "You do. And your hair's too long for a boy. Father said that boys shouldn't have long hair."

"I like my hair long," Shishido retorted, tugging at his brown locks. "My sister has long hair too. Why can't I?"

"Because it makes you look pretty," said Atobe. "Like a girl."

Shishido blinked. And punched Atobe.

xxx

"And that's why I hate that overbearing snob so much," Shishido finished his story, towelling his hair dry. He glanced at Choutaro, and asked, "Can you believe that guy? He's annoying even as a kid!"

The silver-haired junior shifted uncomfortably on the bench. "But, senpai… Did Atobe-buchou really call you, um… pretty?"

"Damned well he did!" Flinging the wet towel into his bag, Shishido slipped on a shirt and reached for his cap. "I think that's the first time I ever punched anyone that hard. Atobe cried like a big baby. It was freakin' awesome."

"I'd like to point out that you cried harder when I punched you back, Shishido."

Choutaro jumped onto his feet, looking at his seniors like he had just been caught doing something extremely dirty. "Buchou!"

Shishido merely frowned. "I didn't cry."

"You did." Atobe glanced sideway at the second-year and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. "Ohtori, don't believe anything that Shishido tells you. He tends to exaggerate and leave out important details."

"Yes, Buchou." Choutaro gathered his things and smiled at Shishido. "I'll wait for you outside, senpai."

The long-haired senior nodded, still frowning at Atobe. "I didn't remember crying, or you punching me. What I do remember is that you called for your mommy real loud."

"And my nanny came instead," Atobe replied dryly, and walked past Shishido for the locker. "Yes, I recall that clearly."

Shishido awkwardly nodded, and shouldered his bag. He paused for a second, before reaching into his pocket and brought out a paper bag, crumpled slightly from its earlier position. Shishido flipped the top open, and shook out a partially complete-looking cookie. "Hey."

Atobe looked away from his locker, and stared at Shishido, annoyed. "What?"

"Want a cookie?"

Atobe stared at the offered treat and smirked. "Is it raisins?"

END