I don't own any rights to CCS or Cardcaptors
The Foundling
It was bliss! Lick, lick. Yukito didn't quite catch the trickle of strawberry icecream melting off the side of the cone. He cocked his head to the side and delicately traced the edge with his tongue but, a few drops splattered onto the pavement below. Yukito looked down wistfully at the little pink puddle on the cement. Big brown eyes looked up pleadingly at the rest of Yue's cone from about knee level.
"PEEEEAS! PEEEEAAS!!! PLU!!!! SSSS!!!!!!" the toddler said frantically bobbing up and down clutching onto Yukito's pants. Yukito surveyed the park quickly for its parents, but the park was abandoned except for the two of them. "PEEEAAASSSS!!!!" Yukito lowered the cone to allow the toddler to share and two pudgy hands seized the ice cream cone. The toddler opened its mouth wide and smashed the ice cream into its face. Yukito beamed happily at the kid. The child smiled back clutching its prize. The ice cream drippled off its nose onto its little green overalls. Yukito called out "Is anyone missing a child?"
Then, at the worst possible time, he felt that certain pull. He closed his eyes and folded his hands over his chest as wings enclosed him. When he looked down again at the toddler, it was through light blue eyes. The child looked up into the unearthly slit eyes and began bawling. Yue was clearly distressed by the turn of events and after a careful assessment, he firmly picked the squalling child, unfurled his wings and took to the sky. The call was urgent and nigh irresistible, but the guardian was used to defiance. He steeled himself and willed himself towards a different target.
Touya managed to skid the bike to a stop a few feet from where Yue alighted on the sidewalk wings drawn over the toddler protectively. Touya got off the bike strangely delighted by the unexpect visitation. Yue looked into Touya's eyes intently as though trying to read the thoughts of his mistress' brother. Once again, the pull of Yue's duties asserted itself. He almost physically winced. Touya returned Yue's gaze questioningly. Yue knew he had little time and from under his wing he thrust the squirming toddler into Touya's arms.
Touya looked at the toddler in disbelief. The toddler cried. Touya protested "I'm on my way to work! I have a part time job tonight." Yue could postpone no longer. Without a word, Yue swiftly returned to the sky soaring towards his mistress. Yue turned his face in regret towards Touya just in time to catch. "Are you EVER going to OWE me!" Yue arrived just in time to catch the blast directed towards Sakura that fell him to the earth.
Keroberus in all his glory pounced on the red headed moon guardian only to have it tumble away gleefully still clutching onto a small pink staff with a star mounted on it. "Why are you stealing my staff?" asked Sakura. Ruby Moon just giggled maniacally and fled followed by a large winged panther at its heels. Sakura ran to where Yue had fallen. "Yue, are you ok?"
Yue raised himself on his elbow. Keroberus burst out in laughter. With the utmost of restraint, Yue kept himself contrained to merely glaring back at Kero.
"Indulged yourself a little on your way here, huh!"
To his chagrin, he noticed that what Keroberus was pointing at and howling hysterically about were pink smudges from where the foundling had smeared ice cream on his robe. Yue turned to Sakura, "Mistress, I have other urgent matters to atend to." Which just made Keroberus laugh so hard he rolled around on the ground. "Yeah...they aren't completely out of chocolate ice cream yet!" Sakura gave Kero a warning glance and told Yue, "Of course you should go. Kero and I will get the staff back." Keroberus just smirked.
At least with Yue's departure, Touya was able to console the child. He jury rigged a little sling and convinced the toddler to relax long enough for Touya to bike them both to the sushi shop he was working at that night. After a few sheepish explanations to the proprietress about the kid, he set the child in front of the stock fish tank and donned the white apron and hat. He chopped up squid viciously attempting to ignore the pointed comments he overheard the proprietress make to a waitress she assigned to look after the kid. The waitress gave the toddler a plate of noodles and patted it on its head.
Touya stole a glance at the child. The kid was enraptured by the fish swimming back and forth. Quite clearly there was no resemblance between the brown eyed child and Yue. Maybe there was a little of Yukito in the smile, Touya thought. No, they just had the same innocent expression. But how much did he really know about the angel? Of course, what did it mean that Yue wanted him to take care of his child? Was this some sort of akward attempt to....Touya left that thought unfinished. He smiled to himself. They could be so cute—Yue and Yukito.
Touya took a garbage bag of waste to the dumpster behind the shop. There, against the darkness, was the unmistakable white clad Yue waiting beside the back door with his arms folded. Touya looked at the stinking garbage bag he held at arm's length as it slowly oozed dribbles of fish guts on the pavement and felt mortified. He quickly shifted it to the hand furthest from Yue. He thought that Yue might not have noticed it as the moon guardian continued to stand there silently until Yue finally arched an eyebrow. Touya quickly came to his senses and disposed of the bag.
"I have returned for the child. It has been an imposition to you. I will repay you in whatever manner you desire."
"That's alright. I was happy to help you. You know you can come to me if you need anything. It's just...Well, there is one thing you can do for me." Touya grinned.
"What do you require?"
Touya disappeared into the sushi shop and came back cradling a sleepy toddler in his arms. He held him out towards Yue with a comical plea in his eyes. "Here, I don't think I want to explain this kid to my Dad."
"Of course," Yue pouted. "He's my responsibility. I will now return to my borrowed form." Yue encircled himself within his wings and attempted his transformation but gave up. "Something is blocking me."
Touya looked at Yue in anguish "What about Yukito! You have to change back."
Yue folded his arms and looked away from Touya "This is not the first time something like this has happened. Sakura will be able to nullify the effect of whatever is blocking my transformation."
"Hey, don't be disturbing my sister this late at night!" Touya softened his voice, "I'll bring her by Yuki's house tomorrow, is that Ok? Oh, and I think you have something on your robes..."
Yue stiffened and abruptly took the child and without another glance at Touya spread his wings and flew into the sky. Touya sighed. He was always doing just the wrong thing where Yue was concerned. He'd make it up to him in the morning. Sakura didn't get up that early and he knew Yukito certainly didn't have any baby food at his house. Or bottles. Or diapers. Touya wondered if he would get there in time.
By the time Yue had flown the baby home, it was asleep. He put it on Yukito's bed and then turned to the mirror. He concentrated on the large pink blotch. Nothing happened. He passed his hand over it, but that had no effect. Yue tentatively held his hand out expecting crystals to gather in it. He clenched his empty fist and resigned himself to removing the outer robe. More was wrong with him that simply not being able to transform, but it was only a temporary situation. Sakura would take care of it in the morning. He sat on the floor next to the bed and fell asleep.
Touya was waiting outside the market as the shopkeeper opened the metal rolling door screen over the entrance. He quickly covered the check out counter with all the items Yue would need and winced as the clerk rung up almost a month's salary. Yue probably wouldn't even realize what kind of sacrifice this was. Touya somehow stuffed it all into his backpack and ran back to his bike.
He could hear the howling as he approached Yukito's house. Touya knocked, but noone answered. The kid hadn't stopped crying. Touya knocked again and then opened the door a crack. There was a thud as a little body hit the floor on the other side and the wailing increased. Touya slid the door open and picked the toddler up off the floor. The toddler demanded "OUTside! OUTside!" Touya carried the child into the kitchen and sat it down on the floor. Touya fetched a few things from his backpack and made some oatmeal and placed it in front of the baby.
The baby began eating ravenously. It stopped to smile at Touya. "Ummmm" it said appreciatively. Touya grinned. He hadn't taken care of a baby like this since Sakura.
The baby ate all it wanted and then preemptively dumped the rest of the oatmeal and milk on the floor. Touya went to the closet in the hall to get a mop and found a long silk scarf on the floor. A few strands of silver hair still clung to it. Touya picked it up and raced upstairs to Yukito's room.
There, sitting on the floor, was the hair binding's owner, fast asleep. His silver hair fell over his face and spilled all over the floor. Sleep lent a softness to Yue's face. Touya brushed Yue's hair away from his eyes reverently. Without the outer robe on, the shirt beneath was exposed. The soft silk hinted at the slight build beneath it as Yue's chest slowly rose and fell. "Hi," came a shy little voice as the toddler finally made it up the last step. Touya watched as it awkwardly toddled across the floor carrying something in its fist and flung itself onto Yue with a giggle.
Yue's eyes startled open. He looked up at Touya in alarm and opened his mouth in protest only to have a chubby hand deposit a glob of oatmeal mostly on his mouth. To his chagrin, it dribbled slowly down his cheek and then onto his shirt. Touya grabbed the child and took it to the bathroom to wash its hands. He let the child follow him back to Yukito's bedroom and pressed a wet washcloth into Yue's hands.
"I could wash that for you, if you wanted," Touya offered indicating Yue's shirt.
Yue hesitated. "Very well..." he ventured eventually.
"You'd have to take it off."
Touya had picked up the baby again and was zooming it around the room. It laughed hysterically. Yue felt a certain pull at his heart. He stripped off his shirt while Touya was distracted. Touya landed the toddler next to Yue. Touya took the shirt and after a second thought, the outer robe and went to the doorway. He stole a glance at the moon guardian wistfully. The toddler was demanding "Up! Up!" hugging Yue around the neck and rocking back and forth on its tiptoes. Yue cast about his eyes completely at a loss. Touya caught his glance and smiled encouragingly before disappearing down the stairs.
Yue gave in. He picked up the child. The baby poked his eyes. "EYES!" it informed Yue. It put its finger in his mouth. "MOWTH!" it informed Yue helpfully. Yue was just fast enough to keep it from grabbing his blue and silver earring. "PEAAASSS! PEEEEAAAAASSSSS!!" the child wailed flailing its hand at it. Yue looked around hopefully for Touya, but he was nowhere to be seen. Emulating Touya's strategy,Yue changed his grip on the child and started to zoom it around the room, but the kid was starting to sniffle. In desperation, Yue called his wings forth fully intending to fly the toddler around the room. As the child saw the wings, it giggled and clutched at them. Yue gratefully sank down onto the floor holding the child on his lap. The toddler grabbed at his wing and, catching it, methodically pulled out one feather after another. When it had collected a satifactory number, it brandished a handful in each fist and ran squealing around the room pumping its hands up and down.
Yue heard laughing and saw, to his relief, that Touya had returned. Yue looked at Touya expectantly, but Touya had returned empty handed.
"My clothes?"
"You have to wait for the washing machine to finish with them."
Yue tried not to betray his distress. "I can deal with it myself once Sakura has restored me. Where is she?"
"Hey, she probably hasn't even woken up yet. I'll call her up on the phone."
Touya picked up the phone on Yukito's night table and dailed his home number. He handed the phone to Yue.
"Mistress..." he began.
"Oh, Yue is that you? What happened last night?" Sakura asked sleepily.
"Something is blocking my transformation. You can remove it as before with the shield card."
"I can't, Yue. Kero and I followed Ruby Moon back to Eriol's house after she took my staff. Apparently she had misplaced it, so until she can find it, you'll have to stay Yue. I hope it isn't inconvenient for you."
"Why did she steal it in the first place?" Yue asked, dreading the answer.
"Oh, Eriol said they were having a scavenger hunt. He's really sorry about it."
Yue hung up the phone. Touya put a comforting hand on the moon guardian's bare shoulder. The baby squatted down and began crying. Touya, perceptive as always, took Yue aside and asked him "Did you mean it, when you offered me anything I desired?"
Yue whispered "Yes," as he looked at the floor.
Touya cupped Yue's chin with his hands and brought it upuntil their eyes met.
"I think he needs a diaper change."
Yue pretended not to hear.
"UH OH!" came a little voice breaking the impasse. The toddler began crying and tugging on Yue's white leggings. "UH OH!" The toddler pointed at the diaper on the floor. Somehow, it had managed to pull it off itself and having alerted the proper authorities, the toddler ran screaming naked through the house. Yue somehow managed not to be the one who caught him and Touya insisted that Yue give the child a bath after he had cleaned him up. As Yue stoically accepted joyful splashes from the child, Touya stood just outside the door.
"What is the story anyway with this kid?"
"Yukito found him lost in the park. I will find his parents and return him."
"Have you tried the police? I'll go call them for you."
Touya extracted the boy from the bathtub and turned to leave. A small brown handprint on the side of Yue's knee brought Touya to a stop.
"Umm..Yue, I hate to tell you this, but..." Touya trailed off and just pointed out the stain. Yue followed his eyes and his face flushed slightly.
"Naturally, you can just take it off and I can add it to the load I already started."
Yue closed the bathroom door. After a minute, the soiled leggings were proffered to Touya delicately from behind the door.
"I can't do your laundry and watch the kid at the same time."
"........"
"We're both guys! Would you get over it!"
"But Yukito would not--"
Touya interrupted Yue "You're the one who is always saying that you aren't the same. So you're just another guy, right?"
Touya set the toddler down to wait Yue out. Timidly, Yue stepped beyond the door's threshhold. Touya turned to the moon guardian and without realizing it, voiced the only thought in his mind.
"Wow..."
Yue bolted back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Touya instantly regretted it. He went to Yukito's dresser and, after some hesitation, pulled out a long sleeved shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. He left them folded neatly outside the bathroom door and after soothingly informing Yue of their availability, Touya took the baby and the guardian's clothes downstairs. Touya called the police as the toddler systematically rifled through the kitchen cupboards, but noone had reported a boy missing.
The boy had just finished a tower almost three pans high when Yue finally ventured downstairs in Yukito's borrowed clothes. Yue shrank back from Touya shyly. The little boy turned and knocked over his tower sending it crashing to the ground in his excitement over Yue's return. He raced to Yue's knees and began his frantic calls for "Up! Up! Up!" Yue picked him up and the toddler cuddled up to him placing his head on Yue's shoulder.
Carefully keeping a casual glance, Touya watched the two of them. He hung up the phone with a secret smile and in a neutral tone informed Yue that no missing child reports had been filed. Yue made no reply, but began to rock the child in his arms. He gently reached up with his other hand and caressed the boy's head. A knock came at the door. Touya stole away to answer it and ushered in Eriol.
Eriol smiled tenderly at the scene in the kitchen. Yue looked up at his visitor and was startled at his identity. "Clow Reed?"
"You've handled this so well, Yue. It's awakened much in you."
"Then this was your doing?" Yue replied in awe and gratitude.
"Hey! If you did this then what about this kid's parents!" Touya interjected angrily glaring at Eriol.
"I would not allow them to suffer. They have remained in stasis and will remember nothing of their son's disappearance."
"You stole their kid!!! What kind of monster ARE you? You can't do that!" Touya turned to Yue for support.
Yue looked down at the sleeping child fondly "Clow Reed, I cannot take him from those that love him."
"If that is your decision." Eriol gestured at the toddler and the child disappeared. Eriol turned to leave.
Yue called out "Wait! Why did you do this? Did you want me to care for him only to take the child away?!"
Eriol approached Yue and stroked the reluctant guardian's hair. "You were my children. I loved you so much. Clow had just returned from the Medici court and was in the throws of an obsession with Italian food. He created a card just to get the seasonings right. Yue, you made the worst expressions about his breath, but you let him kiss you anyway. And Keroberus! He 'borrowed' the card and flavored your soup with the pure essence of garlic! The last time you ate, as I recall. I also seem to remember that the card disappeared afterwards and I always wondered if you knew anything about that. There were some sort of paper chunks in Keroberus' next meal.
You want to understand how I feel about you. This was the only way you could experience what it was like for me. How much I love you, Yue. I'll always love you."
With that, Eriol simply left. Touya muttered something uncomplimentary about Eriol under his breath. Unnoticed, Yue sank to his knees. Touya gathered the things he brought and turned to the moon guardian to say his farewell. Touya caught a glimpse of the sadness in the other's purple eyes before the hardness he was acustomed to asserted itself and postponed his departure.
"I have not yet repaid you for all that you have done." Yue stated.
Touya sat beside the lonely figure kneeling on the kitchen floor. For a change, it was he that remained silent taking Yue's hand in his own. Yue snapped out of whatever reverie occupied him. "My clothes! Clow Reed saw me like this..." He snatched back his hand and stood up.
"They aren't dry yet." Touya fetched the robes out of the washer and put them in the dryer.
"My false form may deal with it then."
"No, wait. There is something I want." Touya raced out the door and onto his bike. Yue waited resolved to fulfilling the obligation and thus bring this episode of his life to an end. His clothes had dried before Touya finally returned. Touya had a small package.
"I want you to take care of this little guy for me."
"Isn't having me watch over your sister and Yukito enough?" Yue frowned.
Touya just smiled and opened the lid. He scooped up the little white rabbit inside and put it in Yue's arms.
"It's just that it looks so natural with you." The rabbit flicked its ears and reared up to smell Yue's face. It buried itself into his neck. Touya quickly left before Yue could react.
Yue solemnly regarded the helpless creature. He tentatively fingered its fur. The next morning, Yukito woke to the errie feeling that a whole day had slipped away from him. He wandered down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and found a box with a rabbit in it on the counter. A note was attached.
It read; "You will care for this rabbit. Its name is Clow. Tell Touya thank you."
The Foundling
It was bliss! Lick, lick. Yukito didn't quite catch the trickle of strawberry icecream melting off the side of the cone. He cocked his head to the side and delicately traced the edge with his tongue but, a few drops splattered onto the pavement below. Yukito looked down wistfully at the little pink puddle on the cement. Big brown eyes looked up pleadingly at the rest of Yue's cone from about knee level.
"PEEEEAS! PEEEEAAS!!! PLU!!!! SSSS!!!!!!" the toddler said frantically bobbing up and down clutching onto Yukito's pants. Yukito surveyed the park quickly for its parents, but the park was abandoned except for the two of them. "PEEEAAASSSS!!!!" Yukito lowered the cone to allow the toddler to share and two pudgy hands seized the ice cream cone. The toddler opened its mouth wide and smashed the ice cream into its face. Yukito beamed happily at the kid. The child smiled back clutching its prize. The ice cream drippled off its nose onto its little green overalls. Yukito called out "Is anyone missing a child?"
Then, at the worst possible time, he felt that certain pull. He closed his eyes and folded his hands over his chest as wings enclosed him. When he looked down again at the toddler, it was through light blue eyes. The child looked up into the unearthly slit eyes and began bawling. Yue was clearly distressed by the turn of events and after a careful assessment, he firmly picked the squalling child, unfurled his wings and took to the sky. The call was urgent and nigh irresistible, but the guardian was used to defiance. He steeled himself and willed himself towards a different target.
Touya managed to skid the bike to a stop a few feet from where Yue alighted on the sidewalk wings drawn over the toddler protectively. Touya got off the bike strangely delighted by the unexpect visitation. Yue looked into Touya's eyes intently as though trying to read the thoughts of his mistress' brother. Once again, the pull of Yue's duties asserted itself. He almost physically winced. Touya returned Yue's gaze questioningly. Yue knew he had little time and from under his wing he thrust the squirming toddler into Touya's arms.
Touya looked at the toddler in disbelief. The toddler cried. Touya protested "I'm on my way to work! I have a part time job tonight." Yue could postpone no longer. Without a word, Yue swiftly returned to the sky soaring towards his mistress. Yue turned his face in regret towards Touya just in time to catch. "Are you EVER going to OWE me!" Yue arrived just in time to catch the blast directed towards Sakura that fell him to the earth.
Keroberus in all his glory pounced on the red headed moon guardian only to have it tumble away gleefully still clutching onto a small pink staff with a star mounted on it. "Why are you stealing my staff?" asked Sakura. Ruby Moon just giggled maniacally and fled followed by a large winged panther at its heels. Sakura ran to where Yue had fallen. "Yue, are you ok?"
Yue raised himself on his elbow. Keroberus burst out in laughter. With the utmost of restraint, Yue kept himself contrained to merely glaring back at Kero.
"Indulged yourself a little on your way here, huh!"
To his chagrin, he noticed that what Keroberus was pointing at and howling hysterically about were pink smudges from where the foundling had smeared ice cream on his robe. Yue turned to Sakura, "Mistress, I have other urgent matters to atend to." Which just made Keroberus laugh so hard he rolled around on the ground. "Yeah...they aren't completely out of chocolate ice cream yet!" Sakura gave Kero a warning glance and told Yue, "Of course you should go. Kero and I will get the staff back." Keroberus just smirked.
At least with Yue's departure, Touya was able to console the child. He jury rigged a little sling and convinced the toddler to relax long enough for Touya to bike them both to the sushi shop he was working at that night. After a few sheepish explanations to the proprietress about the kid, he set the child in front of the stock fish tank and donned the white apron and hat. He chopped up squid viciously attempting to ignore the pointed comments he overheard the proprietress make to a waitress she assigned to look after the kid. The waitress gave the toddler a plate of noodles and patted it on its head.
Touya stole a glance at the child. The kid was enraptured by the fish swimming back and forth. Quite clearly there was no resemblance between the brown eyed child and Yue. Maybe there was a little of Yukito in the smile, Touya thought. No, they just had the same innocent expression. But how much did he really know about the angel? Of course, what did it mean that Yue wanted him to take care of his child? Was this some sort of akward attempt to....Touya left that thought unfinished. He smiled to himself. They could be so cute—Yue and Yukito.
Touya took a garbage bag of waste to the dumpster behind the shop. There, against the darkness, was the unmistakable white clad Yue waiting beside the back door with his arms folded. Touya looked at the stinking garbage bag he held at arm's length as it slowly oozed dribbles of fish guts on the pavement and felt mortified. He quickly shifted it to the hand furthest from Yue. He thought that Yue might not have noticed it as the moon guardian continued to stand there silently until Yue finally arched an eyebrow. Touya quickly came to his senses and disposed of the bag.
"I have returned for the child. It has been an imposition to you. I will repay you in whatever manner you desire."
"That's alright. I was happy to help you. You know you can come to me if you need anything. It's just...Well, there is one thing you can do for me." Touya grinned.
"What do you require?"
Touya disappeared into the sushi shop and came back cradling a sleepy toddler in his arms. He held him out towards Yue with a comical plea in his eyes. "Here, I don't think I want to explain this kid to my Dad."
"Of course," Yue pouted. "He's my responsibility. I will now return to my borrowed form." Yue encircled himself within his wings and attempted his transformation but gave up. "Something is blocking me."
Touya looked at Yue in anguish "What about Yukito! You have to change back."
Yue folded his arms and looked away from Touya "This is not the first time something like this has happened. Sakura will be able to nullify the effect of whatever is blocking my transformation."
"Hey, don't be disturbing my sister this late at night!" Touya softened his voice, "I'll bring her by Yuki's house tomorrow, is that Ok? Oh, and I think you have something on your robes..."
Yue stiffened and abruptly took the child and without another glance at Touya spread his wings and flew into the sky. Touya sighed. He was always doing just the wrong thing where Yue was concerned. He'd make it up to him in the morning. Sakura didn't get up that early and he knew Yukito certainly didn't have any baby food at his house. Or bottles. Or diapers. Touya wondered if he would get there in time.
By the time Yue had flown the baby home, it was asleep. He put it on Yukito's bed and then turned to the mirror. He concentrated on the large pink blotch. Nothing happened. He passed his hand over it, but that had no effect. Yue tentatively held his hand out expecting crystals to gather in it. He clenched his empty fist and resigned himself to removing the outer robe. More was wrong with him that simply not being able to transform, but it was only a temporary situation. Sakura would take care of it in the morning. He sat on the floor next to the bed and fell asleep.
Touya was waiting outside the market as the shopkeeper opened the metal rolling door screen over the entrance. He quickly covered the check out counter with all the items Yue would need and winced as the clerk rung up almost a month's salary. Yue probably wouldn't even realize what kind of sacrifice this was. Touya somehow stuffed it all into his backpack and ran back to his bike.
He could hear the howling as he approached Yukito's house. Touya knocked, but noone answered. The kid hadn't stopped crying. Touya knocked again and then opened the door a crack. There was a thud as a little body hit the floor on the other side and the wailing increased. Touya slid the door open and picked the toddler up off the floor. The toddler demanded "OUTside! OUTside!" Touya carried the child into the kitchen and sat it down on the floor. Touya fetched a few things from his backpack and made some oatmeal and placed it in front of the baby.
The baby began eating ravenously. It stopped to smile at Touya. "Ummmm" it said appreciatively. Touya grinned. He hadn't taken care of a baby like this since Sakura.
The baby ate all it wanted and then preemptively dumped the rest of the oatmeal and milk on the floor. Touya went to the closet in the hall to get a mop and found a long silk scarf on the floor. A few strands of silver hair still clung to it. Touya picked it up and raced upstairs to Yukito's room.
There, sitting on the floor, was the hair binding's owner, fast asleep. His silver hair fell over his face and spilled all over the floor. Sleep lent a softness to Yue's face. Touya brushed Yue's hair away from his eyes reverently. Without the outer robe on, the shirt beneath was exposed. The soft silk hinted at the slight build beneath it as Yue's chest slowly rose and fell. "Hi," came a shy little voice as the toddler finally made it up the last step. Touya watched as it awkwardly toddled across the floor carrying something in its fist and flung itself onto Yue with a giggle.
Yue's eyes startled open. He looked up at Touya in alarm and opened his mouth in protest only to have a chubby hand deposit a glob of oatmeal mostly on his mouth. To his chagrin, it dribbled slowly down his cheek and then onto his shirt. Touya grabbed the child and took it to the bathroom to wash its hands. He let the child follow him back to Yukito's bedroom and pressed a wet washcloth into Yue's hands.
"I could wash that for you, if you wanted," Touya offered indicating Yue's shirt.
Yue hesitated. "Very well..." he ventured eventually.
"You'd have to take it off."
Touya had picked up the baby again and was zooming it around the room. It laughed hysterically. Yue felt a certain pull at his heart. He stripped off his shirt while Touya was distracted. Touya landed the toddler next to Yue. Touya took the shirt and after a second thought, the outer robe and went to the doorway. He stole a glance at the moon guardian wistfully. The toddler was demanding "Up! Up!" hugging Yue around the neck and rocking back and forth on its tiptoes. Yue cast about his eyes completely at a loss. Touya caught his glance and smiled encouragingly before disappearing down the stairs.
Yue gave in. He picked up the child. The baby poked his eyes. "EYES!" it informed Yue. It put its finger in his mouth. "MOWTH!" it informed Yue helpfully. Yue was just fast enough to keep it from grabbing his blue and silver earring. "PEAAASSS! PEEEEAAAAASSSSS!!" the child wailed flailing its hand at it. Yue looked around hopefully for Touya, but he was nowhere to be seen. Emulating Touya's strategy,Yue changed his grip on the child and started to zoom it around the room, but the kid was starting to sniffle. In desperation, Yue called his wings forth fully intending to fly the toddler around the room. As the child saw the wings, it giggled and clutched at them. Yue gratefully sank down onto the floor holding the child on his lap. The toddler grabbed at his wing and, catching it, methodically pulled out one feather after another. When it had collected a satifactory number, it brandished a handful in each fist and ran squealing around the room pumping its hands up and down.
Yue heard laughing and saw, to his relief, that Touya had returned. Yue looked at Touya expectantly, but Touya had returned empty handed.
"My clothes?"
"You have to wait for the washing machine to finish with them."
Yue tried not to betray his distress. "I can deal with it myself once Sakura has restored me. Where is she?"
"Hey, she probably hasn't even woken up yet. I'll call her up on the phone."
Touya picked up the phone on Yukito's night table and dailed his home number. He handed the phone to Yue.
"Mistress..." he began.
"Oh, Yue is that you? What happened last night?" Sakura asked sleepily.
"Something is blocking my transformation. You can remove it as before with the shield card."
"I can't, Yue. Kero and I followed Ruby Moon back to Eriol's house after she took my staff. Apparently she had misplaced it, so until she can find it, you'll have to stay Yue. I hope it isn't inconvenient for you."
"Why did she steal it in the first place?" Yue asked, dreading the answer.
"Oh, Eriol said they were having a scavenger hunt. He's really sorry about it."
Yue hung up the phone. Touya put a comforting hand on the moon guardian's bare shoulder. The baby squatted down and began crying. Touya, perceptive as always, took Yue aside and asked him "Did you mean it, when you offered me anything I desired?"
Yue whispered "Yes," as he looked at the floor.
Touya cupped Yue's chin with his hands and brought it upuntil their eyes met.
"I think he needs a diaper change."
Yue pretended not to hear.
"UH OH!" came a little voice breaking the impasse. The toddler began crying and tugging on Yue's white leggings. "UH OH!" The toddler pointed at the diaper on the floor. Somehow, it had managed to pull it off itself and having alerted the proper authorities, the toddler ran screaming naked through the house. Yue somehow managed not to be the one who caught him and Touya insisted that Yue give the child a bath after he had cleaned him up. As Yue stoically accepted joyful splashes from the child, Touya stood just outside the door.
"What is the story anyway with this kid?"
"Yukito found him lost in the park. I will find his parents and return him."
"Have you tried the police? I'll go call them for you."
Touya extracted the boy from the bathtub and turned to leave. A small brown handprint on the side of Yue's knee brought Touya to a stop.
"Umm..Yue, I hate to tell you this, but..." Touya trailed off and just pointed out the stain. Yue followed his eyes and his face flushed slightly.
"Naturally, you can just take it off and I can add it to the load I already started."
Yue closed the bathroom door. After a minute, the soiled leggings were proffered to Touya delicately from behind the door.
"I can't do your laundry and watch the kid at the same time."
"........"
"We're both guys! Would you get over it!"
"But Yukito would not--"
Touya interrupted Yue "You're the one who is always saying that you aren't the same. So you're just another guy, right?"
Touya set the toddler down to wait Yue out. Timidly, Yue stepped beyond the door's threshhold. Touya turned to the moon guardian and without realizing it, voiced the only thought in his mind.
"Wow..."
Yue bolted back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Touya instantly regretted it. He went to Yukito's dresser and, after some hesitation, pulled out a long sleeved shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. He left them folded neatly outside the bathroom door and after soothingly informing Yue of their availability, Touya took the baby and the guardian's clothes downstairs. Touya called the police as the toddler systematically rifled through the kitchen cupboards, but noone had reported a boy missing.
The boy had just finished a tower almost three pans high when Yue finally ventured downstairs in Yukito's borrowed clothes. Yue shrank back from Touya shyly. The little boy turned and knocked over his tower sending it crashing to the ground in his excitement over Yue's return. He raced to Yue's knees and began his frantic calls for "Up! Up! Up!" Yue picked him up and the toddler cuddled up to him placing his head on Yue's shoulder.
Carefully keeping a casual glance, Touya watched the two of them. He hung up the phone with a secret smile and in a neutral tone informed Yue that no missing child reports had been filed. Yue made no reply, but began to rock the child in his arms. He gently reached up with his other hand and caressed the boy's head. A knock came at the door. Touya stole away to answer it and ushered in Eriol.
Eriol smiled tenderly at the scene in the kitchen. Yue looked up at his visitor and was startled at his identity. "Clow Reed?"
"You've handled this so well, Yue. It's awakened much in you."
"Then this was your doing?" Yue replied in awe and gratitude.
"Hey! If you did this then what about this kid's parents!" Touya interjected angrily glaring at Eriol.
"I would not allow them to suffer. They have remained in stasis and will remember nothing of their son's disappearance."
"You stole their kid!!! What kind of monster ARE you? You can't do that!" Touya turned to Yue for support.
Yue looked down at the sleeping child fondly "Clow Reed, I cannot take him from those that love him."
"If that is your decision." Eriol gestured at the toddler and the child disappeared. Eriol turned to leave.
Yue called out "Wait! Why did you do this? Did you want me to care for him only to take the child away?!"
Eriol approached Yue and stroked the reluctant guardian's hair. "You were my children. I loved you so much. Clow had just returned from the Medici court and was in the throws of an obsession with Italian food. He created a card just to get the seasonings right. Yue, you made the worst expressions about his breath, but you let him kiss you anyway. And Keroberus! He 'borrowed' the card and flavored your soup with the pure essence of garlic! The last time you ate, as I recall. I also seem to remember that the card disappeared afterwards and I always wondered if you knew anything about that. There were some sort of paper chunks in Keroberus' next meal.
You want to understand how I feel about you. This was the only way you could experience what it was like for me. How much I love you, Yue. I'll always love you."
With that, Eriol simply left. Touya muttered something uncomplimentary about Eriol under his breath. Unnoticed, Yue sank to his knees. Touya gathered the things he brought and turned to the moon guardian to say his farewell. Touya caught a glimpse of the sadness in the other's purple eyes before the hardness he was acustomed to asserted itself and postponed his departure.
"I have not yet repaid you for all that you have done." Yue stated.
Touya sat beside the lonely figure kneeling on the kitchen floor. For a change, it was he that remained silent taking Yue's hand in his own. Yue snapped out of whatever reverie occupied him. "My clothes! Clow Reed saw me like this..." He snatched back his hand and stood up.
"They aren't dry yet." Touya fetched the robes out of the washer and put them in the dryer.
"My false form may deal with it then."
"No, wait. There is something I want." Touya raced out the door and onto his bike. Yue waited resolved to fulfilling the obligation and thus bring this episode of his life to an end. His clothes had dried before Touya finally returned. Touya had a small package.
"I want you to take care of this little guy for me."
"Isn't having me watch over your sister and Yukito enough?" Yue frowned.
Touya just smiled and opened the lid. He scooped up the little white rabbit inside and put it in Yue's arms.
"It's just that it looks so natural with you." The rabbit flicked its ears and reared up to smell Yue's face. It buried itself into his neck. Touya quickly left before Yue could react.
Yue solemnly regarded the helpless creature. He tentatively fingered its fur. The next morning, Yukito woke to the errie feeling that a whole day had slipped away from him. He wandered down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and found a box with a rabbit in it on the counter. A note was attached.
It read; "You will care for this rabbit. Its name is Clow. Tell Touya thank you."