AN: Hope you guys like this - it's a little one-shot of the series that I really just randomly felt like writing. So read, Review and tell me if you like it or not~ :)

Waiting

The door opened with a slight creek and I turned towards the clock, midnight.

'Missing for days and he comes back home at midnight? Why can't he tell me the truth? He acts as if I could readily believe him so easily.'

The lights turned on and he stepped into the room. His green eyes widened in surprise when he noticed I was still awake and sitting in the living room; waiting for him…always waiting.

"Mother! Why are you still up at this hour?"

"I wanted to make sure you got home alright. You did say you'd be home by 8."

His eyes seemed to soften and he apologized for, "Having worried you Mother. Something came up and I had to stay for a little longer."

He always gives excuses and apologies but I can never tell if he truly feels guilty. His face was always too collected for me to read any emotion other than what he wanted me to.

'Just like it's always been.'

He took off his shoes and coat and came over to my side and tried to pull me off the coach.

"Come, it's getting late. I'll walk you to your room and you can get some sl-"

"It's quite alright Shuichi dear. I think I'll stay up a little while more."

I wrenched my arm out of his grasp trying to remain calm in face of his habitual patronizing tone.

'Have I been so irresponsible that my son thinks he needs to be the parent figure and I the child?'

His fingers twitched slightly, as if they wanted to refuse my request to stay but they calmed and his arm fell limply at his side. His surprise was immediately seen on his face for I had never been so forthcoming in front of him. Maybe that's why he's grown up as he has. I've never shown him my true emotions. Rejection when he refused to call me mother, Wariness in the wake of his sudden change, Fear at what was once my eminent death, and Distain for his subconscious need to protect me from the simplest of things – When I should be protecting him.

"Mother, are you alright?"

"Shuichi," his name came out harsher than I intended so I quickly softened my voice, "How was your trip to the beach?"

"Perfect, we had a splendid time."

I internally screamed, 'LIAR!' We had gone through this so many times now. The fabricated excuses every time he disappeared had become easy to see through. They saddened me and made me wonder why he could not tell me the truth.

'Did he not believe that I would believe him? Or did he think I would stop loving him?'

"We both know that's not true."

There was a flash. Just a second of disbelief that rushed through his eyes but it was long enough to disband any of the lingering doubts that I had. Then his eyes narrowed and he smiled at me, a fake smile; one that tried to persuade me to belief in him. To believe in every word that he spoke. But how could I when I already knew the truth?

"What do you mean? Of cour-"

"I know Shuichi."

I've waited for so long for him tell me himself. To trust that I would always love him; however I've waited for such a long time. So many years had passed since I'd found out, since I was told that my child was different. For so many years I had known that Shuichi Minamino was not the human he pretended to be. Yet for just as long of a time, I had known that he was still my son and I wouldn't want him any other way.

"I know that you're a demon, Shuichi."

I was tired of waiting.