Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights to respective owners.
A/N: Well here's another series from Tumblr my readers. I swear this is the last one for a while-ish so I hope you guys like this series because it's all about...wait for it….MAMORU! Yes this is MamoChiba Week 2018 people and I'm here to do snippets of Mamoru and only Mamoru! (with some other characters thrown in for good measure) These are just some random moments I came up with so no real thread, fare warning. Just some Mamo moments that my mind connected with the themes lol so enjoy hopefully?
So the first theme, and I think my favorite aspect of Mamoru's life: Childhood. Now I know it's the typical damaged past of a character but I mean it's different from others because it wasn't a person who necessarily did this, some big castrophoe, it was an accident, it was real and natural and something that happens all the time. And it majorly affected his life in cannon so I always love when fic dives into his life before that. There isn't a lot of fic out there about his time before but let's see if I can whip up something nice and heartbreaking with a side dish of sadness.
Promise of My Little Knight
His small fingers traced the race cars that were stitched in the comforter that laid across him. He had gotten it for Christmas, after months of badgering his parents for it when he first laid eyes on it at the store front.
Little animal shadows danced across his dark room, the night light rotating around at the base of his vast bed where a ridiculous number of stuffed animals were housed as well. The bedroom was one out of a little boy's wildest dreams, with all the newest action figures, a working toy train track that encircled the entire space, sports memorabilia of all kinds, everything a little boy could want and a successful - habitually absent thus apologizing - father, that had endless funds to make his son's dream come true, could write checks for.
Finally, the little boy heard a creak echo and saw his door widen to reveal the long dark-haired woman.
"How's my little man," she asked, her smile shining brighter than his night light as she approached his bedside, kneeling and setting her chin on her arms as she spread them on his bedspread.
"He's tired and needs a bedtime story Mommy," he responded with a small smile.
"Oh of course," she stated matter-of-factly. Her fingers danced over the covers, tucking him in and sneaking in some tickling time that was widely protested by her giggling boy.
"Alright, alright," she said, showing her hands in surrender of the tickling attack, "I'm done. So what story do you wanna hear tonight my brave little man?"
He thought for a second, tapping a finger against his chin in mock thinking, "Leeeetttt's go with….the one about the knight!"
The woman laughed. "'My Little Knight'?"
"Yes that one!"
"I'm starting to think that's your favorite one," she accused with a smirk and a wink.
"Pleeeeaaaaassssseeee?," he asked with wide puppy eyes.
"Alright, alright, let's get started." She shifted on her knees, getting more comfortable for the long storytelling and the boy snuggled up more into his bed, watching his mother with all his attention.
"Once upon a time," she recited with a soft, soothing voice, "There was a boy, a little knight, the youngest of all in the land, very short but well aged into his very young adult years. He was so brave and strong even as a young boy. He had respect of all the people, he had friends, and the King of the land owed him everything for protecting everyone in the kingdom. But…
The boy's face dropped and he pulled his comforter closer to himself, knowing what came next.
"The little knight was lonely. You see, when he was younger, he had gotten lost from his family. He didn't know where they were or who they were. He wanted to find his family, who he was, where he came from. And all he remembered was a special song that his mother used to play for him. All he could remember was a beautiful melody.
"So one day, he decided to go out and find his one true family. The little knight was really strong and could get past any obstacles. So he roamed the lands, keeping his ears perked up for any noises and songs that would play through the villages, hoping that one time, he would hear the song of his family.
"He searched and searched, through all the villages, and through all the fields, up, down, sideways, forwards, backwards, and around, but could not find anyone or that song."
"Did he find them," the child asked, fearful that maybe the story would veer off course.
The dark-haired woman gave him a light scowl for interrupting and he receded back into the fluff of his pillows.
Seeing her son relax, she continued. "It wasn't until the last days of his journey did the little knight find himself roaming a random village's streets did he hear something."
The little boy's midnight eyes blew up, waiting for the evitable climax of the bedtime story, as if he hadn't heard it for the umpteenth time.
"He followed the noise, a string of notes, a melody so beautiful, it captured your ears and your heart."
"The little knight followed the sound, and it grew louder and louder until finally he could hear the song so clearly." The woman plucked something out of her pajamas pocket, a star-shaped locket of some sorts. Working the tip of her nail into the little slot, she flicked open a hatch, a melodious tone filling the child's bedroom. The boy immediately zeroed in on the locket in her hand, watching the glowing crescent-shape circle around in the middle.
"The beautiful song was coming from a little cottage off the path, smoke coming from the chimney and the windows open. The little knight went closer and closer to the home and nearly fell backwards when the door creaked open and a woman came shuffling through it with a big black pot full of hot soup."
"'And who might you be little boy,' she asked, her voice smooth and sweet like honey."
"'What is that song that is playing,' he asked, ignoring her question almost completely."
"'Why the music is coming from my locket on the windowsill,' the woman answered, her cheeks rosy from the hot steam in the pot that she eventually put down on the ground.
"The little knight felt an emotion wash over him in waves. The woman, the house, it all seemed so familiar. Then a phrase echoed in his mind."
"'If you are ever to become forgotten, or lost in the world, and can't remember the way home, know of the song that brings you to family.' The woman stopped rubbing her hands on her apron and was shocked to hear the quote, and her eyes shined with realization."
"'Where did you hear that little boy,' she asked, praying for her thoughts to be right."
"'I do not know,' the little knight answered, tears building in his eyes. 'But I do know that the song, from your locket, I know it, I remember it and I promised myself if I ever found the song, that I could find my family.'"
"The woman stepped closer and dropped to her knees so that she could see up into his eyes, her own glossy and wet. 'What is your name child?'
"'I do not know. I lost my family and my name but I call myself the little knight.'"
"'The little knight,' the woman repeated, no longer able to keep the emotion out of her voice and the tears in her eyes. 'That is what I used to call my son, before I lost him. Wandered into the woods and never came h-home.'"
"The little knight let himself believe, he hoped that maybe just maybe…"
"'Do you know where my family is,' he asked, tears spilled."
"'Yes, yes,' the woman choked out. 'They are right here. I will be your family now, my little knight. I promise.'"
"The woman and boy embraced in a hug, so tight and loving that neither wanted to let go ever. They lived happily ever after, with the locket still playing the song."
"The end," the dark-haired mother whispered, watching as her son breathed in and out in his deep sleep. She positioned the star locket on his nightstand, the notes playing still as she fixed the comforter and sheets around his body, placing the barest of kisses on his little forehead.
A shadow covered them and she twisted around to see the tall and handsome figure of her husband, dressed in a dashing black suit and briefcase in hand.
After snapping off the night light, she slowly, in the lightest of steps, creeped out of the room, finding safety behind the thick door that she kept cracked open slightly so that they both could observe the boy that slumbered peacefully in the folds of the grand bed.
"He just fell asleep," she whispered, "You just missed him."
"I know," he sighed defeatedly, scowling at himself for missing yet another chance to say goodnight to his son. "What story did he request?"
"Take a wild guess?"
The man amusedly shook his head. "That boy is going to be obsessed with heroes and princes one day I'll tell ya."
"Oh come on, it is a cute story I made up," she defended with a smile, still watching through the sliver as the boy shifted in his sheets. "Plus he loves that song my grandmother's locket plays."
It was a minute or two later of just parental staring and cooing before the two decided to turn in for the night, walking to their bedroom.
"You do know his birthday is next week right," she joked with a half smirk, shuffling out of her slippers and climbing into bed.
"I would never forget my only child's birthday Kireina," the man said, slipping off his necktie and slinging it onto the vanity's chair.
"Well you better have a plan because he is very much excited to finally have his father present for his birthday," she chided, with a hint of annoyance.
"I know, I know," he agreed, coming out of the closet in a t-shirt and sweats. "But the company needs me with all the success it's been having and we need that, we need that reassurance and safety net for our son. To have a good life."
She shifted in her sheets, turning to meet his midnight eyes. "I'm sorry I know but - your family needs you too. Our son needs both parents."
"He does and he'll have both next week for a whole day - that's all about him."
She snorted a laugh. "You sure you have everything under control," she asked, black eyebrow upturned as he climbed in.
"Don't worry alright, I got everything planned to a T," he affirmed, slipping under the covers and settling in. "It's going to be a birthday Mamoru will never forget."
Yea its kind of cheesy in some parts but I so do hate/love Mamoru's backstory cuz it so gets me choked up but I love the humanity in it all. Also wanted to attempt to write his parents and I hope I didn't completely bomb it? Review and tell me ya?
Next day: Fatherhood! And yea it's emotional.