Parents, a gravitation fanfic

Parents

Summary: Riku contemplates on his parents, and how they aren't like most other kids', with the innocence only a child can have.

Riku sat quietly in his assigned seat, watching the other kids in his new daycare gather around the storyteller that had come to visit. He scooted his seat a little closer, wanting to listen, too.

"Shintaro couldn't find his lunch for the day," the woman said, turning a page in the book. "So he knew he must have forgotten it at home. He lived a short ways from the school, so he went on his way to go and pick it up."

The other children, engrossed in the story, listened quietly. Riku, on the other hand, wondered what kind of idiot forgot his lunch.

"When Shintaro came home, he saw that his lunch had, in fact, never been made! Now, who do you think is to be blamed for that?"

"His mama!" one kid called out.

"Yeah! Mamas are supposed to remember to make lunches," another kid agreed.

Riku thought about that for a moment. Whenever his Mama tried to make lunch, his Papa would show up and kick him out of the kitchen, saying that he'd hurt himself. Therefore, in Riku's family, Mama didn't cook – that was Papa's job.

"Shintaro knew that his Mama was home, though, so she could make his lunch for him. So Shintaro found her doing laundry out back, and explained what had happened…"

Riku was confused. Why was Shintaro's Mama home? Didn't she have a job? In Riku's family, it was Papa that stayed home. Mama was the one that left for work. However, Papa did do a lot of stuff on his computer, so maybe he was working, too?

Riku thought a little more deeply. He remembered that, just before he began living with his Mama and Papa, he had lived with his Aunt Yoshiki. He didn't remember before that. He knew that he did have a Papa and Mama before that, but he didn't remember them. Therefore, the Papa and Mama he had right now were his Papa and Mama. The other two didn't count, because he couldn't remember them being his Papa and Mama.

"After eating lunch with his Mama, Shintaro had to go back to school," the storyteller continued. "He gave his mom a hug, and hurried off back to the school, so he wouldn't be late."

The storyteller continued to tell the story of Shintaro. Riku found him rather dull. He went to school, he found simple logic questions hard, and went home. That was about it.

"As Shintaro lay down, yawning from how long his day had been, his Mama and Papa came in. His Mama gave him a kiss on the forehead and a hug; his Papa tucked him in. While Shintaro's mother sang him a lullaby, his father sat close by him, smiling. After the song was done, Shintaro's parents and Shintaro hugged one another. 'I love you, Mama,' he said to his mother. 'I love you, too, Shintaro,' she replied. Shintaro looked at his father, and said the same thing. His father ruffled his hair. 'I love you, too, Shin. I'll see you in the morning.' Shintaro snuggled up into his blankets, and fell asleep soon afterwards, glad that he had the best Mama and Papa in the world."

Riku found that last part troubling.

Mama would sometimes tuck him in – if he wasn't tired from a concert, or home late, like he was a lot lately, that is. But Papa never tucked him in. Not once. Mama said that Papa just had trouble "expressing himself". Riku thought he was perfectly capable of doing that – he was certainly capable of showing his dislike of Riku, in any case.

Riku sat in bed, his knees curled into his chest. This bed had once been Mama's, before Riku had come to live with his Mama and Papa. Of course, when Riku had come to stay with them, Mama had insisted that he needed his own bed, and that he wouldn't allow Riku to sleep on the couch. The clock on the table nearby had the numbers 1, 2, and 7 on them, with two little dots in-between the 1 and the 2. Riku wasn't sure what that meant, but he knew that since the 1 was first, it was really early.

He heard the door open down the hall, then close quietly. Mama was back from his concert. He looked up, hopeful. Would Mama come tuck him in?

No such luck. As soon as Riku saw his Mama outside the door, Papa came out of their room. Mama smiled at him apologetically. Papa would have none of that. He leaned in, kissing Mama roughly. Mama let out a quiet gasp, but then gave up.

Of course… Papa was always Mama's priority.

The next night, Riku heard his Mama come in. Late again. This time, he'd been recording. Riku looked at the clock. The numbers before the dots were 1 and 0. Mama was a lot earlier tonight…

He heard the door to his room open, and looked over as Mama entered.

"Hey, Riku," he greeted, smiling. Riku gave him a quiet smile back. "Sorry I haven't been by lately," he apologized.

"It's okay," Riku replied, just glad that Mama was paying a small amount of attention to him.

Shuichi reached into his jacket pocket and took out a CD. "Hey. I got you a copy of our latest single – it's not even in stores yet," he laughed.

"Thanks," Riku says, taking it eagerly. It's from Mama – therefore, it's special.

Mama leans down and places a kiss on Riku's forehead. "I know you must have been lonely, since I've been working late every night and Yuki doesn't do much…"

Riku looked away, and shrugged. "It's okay, Mama."

Mama turned a little pink at the name, but let it slide. "It's late, Riku. You should get to sleep."

"Mama?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Would you…" Riku stopped, feeling stupid and childish.

Mama smiled. "Sure." He sat on the bed, folding his legs and lifting Riku into them, putting his arms around Riku's small frame. Riku was now roughly half lying, half sitting in Shuichi's lap – not that there was a lot of room.

He took a breath, and began singing in a soft voice.

"Nighttime has come,

Gone is the sun,

Dream sky is spun,

Stars, one by one… Oyasumi, hush my love,

Oyasumi, hush my love,

Oyasumi, hush my love…

Hush, hush, hush…

Oyasumi, close your eyes,

Sleep, sleep, sleep…

Oyasumi, dream of me,

Dream, dream, dream…

Oyasumi, hush my love,

Hush, hush, hush…"

Riku felt his eyelids get heavy. Mama laid him down gently, and pulled the covers up to his chin. "Night, Riku," he said gently.

"Mama?" Riku asked, just as Shuichi turned to leave.

"Yeah?"

"Think it'd be too much for me to ask Papa to tuck me in tomorrow night?" he asked sleepily.