looking for the little crying boy in blue pajamas
Title: Shingo's Birthday
Theme: Birthday_Cake (1a) – written for usako_mamoru's 2nd anniversary
Genre: Drama-ish
Rating: PG
Usagi sat on the edge of the bed, kicking her feet and bouncing energetically. Her short pigtails sprung frantically in response.
Sleepily, Ikuko said, "You know you now have two children to spoil, right?"
Kenji smiled guiltily but unabashed. "I told her it was Shingo's birthday; she didn't understand why I didn't love him enough to buy a cake."
Ikuko rolled her eyes. "And you fell for that?"
"How manipulative can she be at her age?" he reasoned arranging the blankets around his wife's worn form.
Deciding not to disillusion him on the birth date of his first son, Ikuko changed the subject. "Her sweet tooth's going to be ridiculous when she grows up…"
Usagi tried to crawl up between her mother's legs to lay down next to her, but Kenji picked her up and gently deposited her to the floor, more preoccupied with his wife than with his daughter.
Making a face, Usagi saw slices of cake that the nurses had not wanted. Taking one, she went through the door, with one last glace over her shoulder at the bundle distracting her parents.
Wandering in a direction that looked vaguely familiar, Usagi peered in each open door looking for the little crying boy in blue pajamas.
The rose had seemed to help. Maybe cake would too.
But all the rooms held people Usagi had never seen or were completely void of crying blue eyes beneath shaggy black hair.
"Aren't you supposed to be down that hall?"
Usagi looked up at the nurse, placing the cake own in the current room and nodding wordlessly. Taking the outstretched hand, she returned to Shingo's room, turning her head in one last final attempt to find her lost friend.
---
Mamoru returned to his room, even more desolate than he had been before.
Fiore was gone. His parents were gone. His memory was gone. Even his rose was gone.
He didn't mind that so much, though. Fiore had looked happy.
Mourning all his losses, he climbed onto his bed, his hand almost embedding itself on a piece of cake. With disregard only a child can have, Mamoru promptly pulled himself upright, set the plate on his lap and took a big bite.
Mamoru decided it was birthday cake, because the accident had happened on his birthday, and even if he didn't know what day it was now, he knew his birthday was supposed to be a good thing.
Everything was so bad right now, but the cake was good. A sad smile tilted the edge of his lip.
And thus began the love of chocolate.
end