Tempus Fugit
Time Flies
Haru blows out forty candles, and Kyo realizes, with a start, that he's still there to witness it.
A miniature cloud of smoke wafts slowly from the cake that sits before the former ox-cursed. The black and white haired man's mouth is open in an "O" shape to extinguish the flames of the birthday candles, slender fingers gripping the armrest of his favorite old leather chair. He closes his eyes, lips pursed as he makes his wish, and Kyo is certain that it's for time to stand still. He also knows that Haru has long since realized that it won't - can't even- but the wish has been the same for the last twenty years, and he doesn't imagine that it will change any time soon. The ox may be gone from his body, but in his soul, he was still just as stubborn and hardheaded.
"What did you wish for?"
A small girl –barely five years old – asks the black and white haired man as the lights are turned back on and he finally opens his tired eyes.
Her hair is long for a girl so young, cascading in waves of shimmering brown down her tiny back and resting at the backs of her knees. Chocolate curls frame her porcelain face, as large violet eyes blink innocently up at her now smiling elder.
"Did you wish for money?"
She questions, eliciting light, feminine laughter from a figure standing close by. Kyo finds himself chuckling softly as Yuki scoops up his curious daughter.
"It's not nice to ask those kinds of questions."
The former rat cursed reprimands quietly. His smile betrays him, however. "If he tells you, it won't come true."
His child erupts into a flurry of rampant apologies, sputtering wildly and waving her small arms about.
"Calm down kid, it's fine."
Kyo draws out, amused despite himself.
"You're starting to sound like your mom."
Haru laughs openly at this and Yuki soon joins him. The young girl's eyes are wide with confusion.
"What's wrong with sounding like Mommy?"
She asks meekly, and as if on cue, the woman in question steps through the threshold of the kitchen door, arms full with freshly-cut cake and little black and white party plates.
Even as she's aged, Kyo still thinks Tohru is beautiful. He beams at his makeshift sister as she passes him, bumping him slightly with her large belly, swollen with the baby that grows inside.
"There's absolutely nothing wrong with Mommy."
Yuki speaks softly; smile tender as a grin breaks out across Tohru's flushing face.
"Mommy is amazing."
They kiss briefly and their daughter faux-gags. Haru laughs, lacing his and Kyo's fingers together. Tohru distributes plates, then cake, and they spend the rest of the evening complimenting Tohru's exquisite baking skills and speaking of the long life that Haru has ahead of him.
"Just about twenty more years until I'm old, I guess."
Haru jokes in his soft-spoken way, laughing good-naturedly when Tohru and Yuki's daughter mentions that he's already old.
Kyo is a year ahead, sure, but he's never felt younger. He can see his life stretching out before him, vast and hopeful without the loneliness and guilt that stained his childhood. He is happy, finally, after all these years.
Haru blows out forty candles, and Kyo is still there to witness it. He wishes for time to stop, and Kyo realizes, with a start, that if the former ox were to get his wish, well, that would be just fine.
As it is, the years seem to fly by, and Kyo is content to grow old, if only he can do so with Haru by his side.
Fin.
My step dad is gone, so I'm sneaking on his computer to post this. Am I really so desperate? (yes.)
I've recently moved (again) and as I was unpacking, I came across this old clock that I'd gotten from my Grandma when she passed away. The words "Tempus Fugit" were engraved on its front, which is Latin for "Time Flies". It was ironic because the batteries were dead so the clock stopped. I guess that's really the only way to freeze time. Oh well.
By the way, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY FLYINGDAGGERS!
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