May cause confusion if you haven't seen episodes 56 and 58.
Am I the only one who treasures the moments between Yuya and Reira? I love seeing Yuya being so gentle toward Reira and fill in for Reiji until they find him. Yuya's way with children inspires me to treat children the same way. I love Yuya's goal of bringing Reira's smile back, so I broadened on a scene from episode 58 and wrote this. Enjoy! I would really appreciate it a review. I'm critical of my own writing and hearing others like it means the world to me. :)
Selena uncrossed her knees and stood from her position on the couch, striking Crow with a sharp glower. "So the city is covered in Security, you're saying?" She mockingly lifted her arms at her side into a shrug and closed her eyes while looking away. "That's why you came back with your tail between your legs."
Crow's eyes narrowed. "What was that!?"
Yuya shot out of his chair, shocked by Selena's incivility. "Hey!"
Selena looked back toward Crow, fearlessly meeting his eyes. "You have no information on Yuzu?"
"Selena!" Yuya rebuked. "Crow has already done so much to help us…" He didn't want to yell, but inside he could only think, You ungrateful brat!
"Even if you work hard, if you don't get any results, it's meaningless!" Selena turned and walked toward the front door.
"Where are you going?" Yuya demanded.
"Isn't it obvious?" she replied. "I'm going to search for information on my own."
"If you want to get caught that badly, then go right ahead!" Crow challenged warningly.
Sawatari stood from his seat. "Then I guess I'll go right ahead as well. Being cooped up in a place like this is suffocating!" He walked over to join Selena. "I'm going to find leads to where Akaba Reiji is."
Reira, who was on the floor against a wall with his knees tucked to his chest, raised his head with hopeful eyes. "Brother?" He rose to follow the LDS student.
"Hold on!" Yuya insisted as Selena opened the door. "If you just go off on your own like that, we'll be split up again—" He ran over to the door and grabbed Reira by the shoulders. "Reira!"
Sawatari glanced back with a huff of defiance and slammed the door shut.
"Ah jeez, now what do we do…" Yuya held Reira in his arms from behind as the child struggled to escape with panicked whimpers. Yuya looked down at Reira, his expression pained.
Yuya wanted to search for Yuzu and Reiji just as badly, even if it was unwise. He had been itching to do so ever since arriving at Crow's place. But it wasn't only dangerous…Reira's safety was in Yuya's hands. Serena and Sawatari didn't concern themselves with him at all. That made Yuya feel obligated to care for the child.
As much as Yuya wanted to find Yuzu, Yuya wouldn't take Reira into such danger, and neither would he leave Reira alone with children and adults he was uncomfortable with. Reira was nearly silent with everyone, but Yuya felt that Reira was more comfortable with him than the others. He had seen this when first arriving in Synchro and being walled off by Security and forced to duel. He had to put Reira in the midst of an action duel to fight the officers. Although Reira was still frightened by the end and he hadn't smiled or laughed at all, Yuya noticed that he boy's screams had quieted and he had started to duck closely behind Yuya in danger, sometimes clutching his jacket. To Yuya it signified a basic trust had possibly formed between the two.
If that were true, Yuya wouldn't break that trust. He would stay behind and look after Reira in Akaba Reiji's place. He could look for Yuzu when it was safer, as much as that logic killed him inside. She was with Yugo now, and hopefully he was taking care of her. He would wait a few days to search, and by then perhaps Security will have calmed down.
Yuya slightly loosened his hold around Reira. Glancing down, Yuya could see the longing in Reira's eyes and hear the desperation in his small cries. It was heartbreaking. Reira…quiet, scared, withdrawn, and lost without his older brother. His eyes looked so sad and hollow. Yuya felt a powerful determination to cause Reira's smile to surface again. All children should smile and be happy. But suddenly Yuya realized why he felt so obligated to make Reira happy.
Looking at Reira, scared and withdrawn without his brother there, Yuya suddenly realized why he was so concerned for the boy. Reira reminded Yuya of himself after his father went missing. Yuya would cling to his mother like Reira clung to Reiji, but outside of her he was just a longer, quiet and lonely, like Reira. He wasn't confident in himself, and couldn't take harsh words from anyone, so his mother's praise meant the world to him, like what Reiji's meant to Reira. As a child, Yuya had retreated within himself in the same way that Reira currently was for unknown reasons. And Yuya yearned to pull Reira out of this state like he had had to do himself not too long ago, to rebuild Reira like he had rebuilt himself. Yuya didn't know exactly why Reira had lost his smile. He just knew that he wanted to bring it back.
Yuya's hold on Reira turned into a gentle hug before he let go. Reira turned to face Yuya with tears in his desperate eyes.
"I'm sorry, Reira." Yuya set his hand on Reira's left shoulder and smiled softly. "I can't have you get caught and sent away. For now we have to stay here until things calm down. But I promise we'll find your brother soon. Just trust me."
Yuya thought he saw something kindle in Reira's eyes. Was it hope? Trust? Before he could discern it, Reira dipped his head, hiding his face beneath the brim of his hat. The boy nodded in understanding and returned to sit against the same wall as before while clutching his teddy bear in silence. Yuya stood and looked on sadly. He set his jaw in determination.
Reira, I'll get you back to your brother, Yuya swore. And when I do, someday…I'll bring back your smile.