A/N: Hi again, this is for a quiet little fandom, known as Beyond the Beyond, a little fantasy manga that was rather cliche but very sweet. I rather liked it, so here is a tribute. For the Diversity Writing Challenge: B27. Write a fluffy piece
Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
Futaba doesn't mind babysitting little Midori after school.
Callback after callback to once being the baby makes him more determined never to screw it up. Plus, the kid's cute and clings to him like a leech to an open wound.
.. Okay, that description isn't quite as cute.
But every school day, he waits for Midori to come running out with the other kindergarteners, laughing about whatever game they were playing in class and Futaba digs through his pockets to make sure his cell phone is there and he is free to be tackled by the small child. It's inevitable, because somehow he's learned the ability of 'brat attack' that Takumi-nii claims is passed down from child to child. (He doesn't remember learning it though... hmph!)
"Futaba-nii-chan!"
"Hey!"
Midori's an easy smiler, like Futaba, and the older boy often wonders if he taught him that handy skill by pure accident.
They walk together, sometimes with Midori's little hand in his or with the boy skipping circles around him on the sidewalk. Sometimes they splash through rain and puddles together, both laughing like there was some fun they used to have together. But today is sunny, so Midori is traversing from fence to fence, black hair tied in its ribboned ponytail and humming a song.
"Was today more fun than usual?"
"I got a rare card!"
"Lucky!"
Midori grins, and not for the first time, throws Futaba off-balance. He loves the little kid for it because it's never spiteful. It just happens.
"Neh, Midori, why do you follow me around?"
Midori blinked his big green eyes. "I thought you followed me!"
Futaba thought about it, then shook his head. "You clung to my hand!"
A pout, heavy set in the bottom lip, and Midori burst into laughter again. "I saw you in my dreams Futaba?"
"Again?" He assumed Midori would stop doing that when school started.
"You bandaged my wounds again."
His young, matter-of-fact voice was as calm as ever. Futaba rubbed his eyes as he let the two of them into his house.
That was the dream Midori always had. An older him with long legs and sad eyes being bandaged by a younger him with his missing medicine pouch
Futaba didn't remember his dreams half as well. He always recalled the smell of flowers and that he had once gone on a journey and known someone. For him, that was enough.
But when Midori smiled at him, he knew there was supposed to be more.
He knew there were supposed to be mermaids and illusions trapped in water, of twin children who were forced to fight and a hand in his and an important mage and the magic of flowers.
Midori smiled at him like Futaba and his friends (because he had some but they didn't feel like enough) were the best thing in the world and he hadn't known it until just now and all that made him think of was traveling.
And a girl.
The girl whose name he just couldn't remember.
He glanced at Midori, who was now unashamedly rummaging through his cabinets. "Midori, no sugar. Get an apple."
"Aww..."
Futaba decided not to worry about it. He would worry about it when it came up!
In the meantime, time to water the flowers.