Part two~

"Listen kid. We got to talk." Cross stood in front of his godson, who seemed happy to ignore him to finally continue colouring in his clown themed colouring book. "What you just saw." Allen looked up as Cross armed himself with the two stuffed toys that he had brought to drive his point home. "This-" He was smacking the heads of the dolls against one another. Allen rapt with attention looking at the action with amusement on his features, "is a kiss. And it's between people who like each other. Got it." He looked at the dolls still held in his hands, frowned, and threw them aside.

Allen nodded and clapped. "Kiss! kiss! kiss!" He chatted, accompanied with kissing sounds, apparently he was paying more attention to what was going on with Cross and his lady friend than Cross wanted him to.

"Okay. Okay. I give up. Just don't go saying that shit to your dad."

Allen looked at him. It was the second time he heard the strange new word peppering Cross' words for the night. Allen opened his mouth. Cross' eyes widened in horror when he saw the shape the kid's mouth was making. He knew what word he was going to say. And the redhead would rather explain why his son knew one over the other and with that in mind- he made up his mind. Hands lightening fast to collect the dolls left abandoned on the couch- smacking their faces together.

The brown haired boy giggled and his attention shifted as he said, "kiss." And Cross ran a hand down his face but could live with it. It wasn't like the boy could go trying things out.

Mana didn't get back that day until late at night, much like he said he would. It was Allen's bedtime and he was caught between disappointment and relief when he saw his son was still awake. At least he would get to be a parent for the night and tuck his child into bed. He was amused when the toddler saw him and stretched his hands out to be lifted up. Mana easily complied, gathering the child into his arms.

It was when Allen started his chant of, "kiss kiss kiss," that Cross whipped his head around to see what was happening. But Mana only cooed at the boy endearingly, amused at his son's enthusiasm and he rained tiny kisses down on the boy's forehead and cheeks. Allen giggled happily and Cross internally sighed in relief.

As Mana saw Cross heading to the front door, he turned to him, "Are you certain you can't stay for dinner, Marian?"

"You know me Mana. I think I spent enough time with the brat for a day. Daddy needs some alone time."

Mana frowned but left it at that.

-oOo-

Cross was spared the next day when Mana had enough time to take Allen to the daycare himself. And it was the usual shenanigans between the kids as usual.

"Lavi!" Reever stomped after the redhead in his haste, "Not everything you read in a book, you try! I know Bookman didn't give you sugar. Calm down!" But the boy just laughed jovially, running circles around the man.

Kanda watched the scene unfold before him, completely unamused. Lavi's nonsense was making it hard for him to concentrate on his book. Even if it was filled with pictures. Allen as usual was glued close by, head poking over Kanda's shoulder to see the pages.

Tyki couldn't help the Australian man in his current endeavors because he was stuck turning the rope for a game of jump rope. His knees hurt, and his legs began going numb having to bend low to be height level to the other children. They merrily sang silly rhymes that matched and counted how many times they could jump.

Cinderella dressed in yel'low, went outside to kiss a fella...

Allen turned to the girls with their song. "Kiss a fella."

Kanda turned to look at the younger one's words, but Allen was no longer looking at the girls jumping rope. Instead, those big reflective gray orbs were focused upon him. "What?" he asked a bit wary.

-Kiss a fella...Made a mistake and kissed a snake...

The girls sang as another's turn to jump came up. Allen blinked up at Kanda, and Kanda blinked right back.

"For god's sake, Lavi! You're going to poke someone's eyes out with those scissors." The stressed Australian man was still yelling and running after the redhead.

"Yuu!" Kanda jumped not fully knowing why he was startled and suddenly the brown haired two year old was moving closer to him. And he didn't fully register it until a pair of soft lips pressed against his own.

"Oh!" Lavi stopped dead in his tracks.

"Ah-ha!" Reever wrestled the scissors from his tiny fingers, though it was very easy as the redhead's grip was so loose.

And then they were both staring at what was happening before them.

Kanda pulled away, eyes as wide as saucers. Allen looked up, a smile brightening his rosy cheeks.

Time seemed to still with only the jump rope rhymes lowly filtering through.

Cinderella kissed a fella. The words were mixed up, intentionally or not, the four trapped in their atmospheric bubble were unsure. Giggles rang out shortly after.

And that was when Lavi lost it.

The redhead fell to his knees, smacking at the floor in his fit of laughter, which triggered Kanda who could only sputter- still shocked. But little Allen was not finished as he began raining tiny kisses upon Kanda's cheek. Allen always felt happy and loved when his father did that to him.

At this point tears had gathered in the corners of Lavi's eyes. His breath trying to leave him.

Kanda had gained back some sort of composure and tried to push the smaller child away, but Allen was relentless. Kanda was only too happy when Reever pulled the child off, holding him beneath his arm. Kanda's face completely red with embarrassment.

"Oi. Come on Allen," Reever struggled to keep hold on the child as he twisted and turned in his arms to get free, "Stay still."

"I didn't know you two were that serious, Yuu." More howls of laughter and the red in Kanda's face transformed from embarrassment to anger. He got close enough to punch the redhead over the head and Reever had to somehow wrestle the two of them apart, taking hold of Kanda, before it evolved into an all out brawl.

"Time out!" The Australian man barked out. Lavi instantly became sulky, he spent more time than he ever wanted in the time-out corner. It should probably be named after him at that point.

When Reever set Kanda down, in true Kanda fashion, he kicked Lavi in the shin before stomping off to a corner in a huff. The redhead, ever the dramatic one hobbled off in another direction.

"See what you caused?" Reever held the brown haired boy at face level. The boy just pouted back.

And with that, the day passed by much more peaceful than it had started….

Until the guardians of the troublemakers showed up and Reever had to tell them about what occurred.

"If the two brats are the ones who got in a fight. Why are we here?" Cross folded his arms in front of his chest; motioning to himself and Mana. "And if the brat's dad is here, why do I need to be?" At that point he gave Mana a look which the man returned. He had conveniently forgotten that they had already been out together when the time to pick Allen up had arrived, and so he was naturally dragged along.

"Yuu started it!" The redhead argued and was swiftly clouted in the back of the head for 'talking back,' by his annoyed looking grandfather.

Cross raised a brow at the comment because he didn't yet realise that Lavi was not talking about him, and that the other child in the group was actually named 'Yuu.'

"Well, Lavi and Kanda did have a fight..." Reever scratched the back of his head, "And it started because of what happened between Kanda and Allen." The brown haired boy perked up at the mention of his name. So did Mana, looking at the one named Kanda- who happened to be the one that stole his little boy's attentions.

"The way I see it," Cross eased in for much unneeded commentary. "The brat's whose name came up twice is the one who caused the problems."

"What'd you say old man?" Kanda huffed at his own defence which only made Cross slide a cool look his way. He'd give the kid credit for guts as he was still scowling and hadn't looked away.

"Yuu-kun." The frizzy haired man, the last in attendance, finally spoke up. He looked kind but his voice was stern and Kanda was smart to say silent. "And, let's please not jump to conclusions and hear what Mr. Wenhamm has to say."

Cross snorted, but said nothing more. He saw where the kid got his guts.

Reever cleared his throat. "Right. As I was saying, I don't think anyone holds full responsibility."

"What exactly happened?" Bookman spoke up, face impassive.

Reever wondered why the guardians had to be as intense as their charges were troublesome. "Um, Allen-" they all glanced at the boy and he smiled sweetly, "how should I say this..."

Lavi happily offered his services. "He kissed Yuu-chan!"

Kanda went red in the face. Allen continued to smile. Cross' arms tightened and he tried very hard to avoid looking at the boy's father. Said man's eyes widened as he bent onto the floor to be eye level with his son.

"This is what they're teaching kids these days?" Bookman's voice held a bit of disgust and his hand lifted as if to take a puff of something that was not there. He frowned. "Then, me and the boy are done here."

"Well Lavi and Kanda did have that fight-"

"And that will be taken care of." He grabbed Lavi by the ear gaining a string of 'ow ow ow's.

Cross himself looked ready to book it out of the building and opened his mouth to say as much, but Mana's voice carried over and stopped him cold. "Where did you ever learn such a thing, Allen?"

"Kids pick that kind of stuff up like second nature these days," is what he was trying to explain, but Allen was pointing his chubby little finger in his direction and Mana was suddenly looking at him, eyes narrowed.

"Marian! What in the world-"

"Come on, Mana. The boy has a crush. Take it in stride like-" He turned to the frizzy haired man but what he saw was the last thing he expected to see. Tiedoll had a constant stream of tears rolling down his cheeks as he sobbed into his hand.

"My Yuu-kun is growing up without me!" More sobs followed.

All eyes fell back on Cross, and Bookman actually tutted at him.

Mana hadn't spoken again, but as he continued to stare at Cross, the look on his face promised that they would have a long talk about what happened later.

A/N: guardians of the troublemakers

Hah, I was slightly tempted to name the chapter this after writing it. So fitting. I actually think it might be fun writing segments of the adults together, and that will be their alias.