Childhood Nostalgia
By: Snowfox and Redwolf

"Excuse me Mr. Peasant Sir, can you take our picture?"

Disclaimer: Not yet… I think.

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KADSUKI: A man in a girl's world

[…and an over protective Juubei]

Chapter Summary: A little bit of breathing space was all he asked for.

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It was a while before he noticed the sway of his father's hips and the grace he used when walking or running. Of course, he was already used to it but that never made it alright in his young mind. Men were not supposed to run around looking like his mother.

For the second time that day he accidentally called his father mother, which earned him a look and a long homily about watching out for those minute details. Then his father had left him standing there outside the house once more, in that bothersome long, pink kimono Juubei found gorgeous on him. Such traditional things were not meant for his eyes, Kadsuki swore, it was just hassle acting like a woman when he knew very well he was a male. If Juubei liked it so much why couldn't the other boy wear it instead of him?

Speaking of the other boy…

"Kadsuki!" They stood next to each other, long haired youth looking up slightly at the taller doctor-to-be, "Hey Kadsuki. You want to go down to the river today?"

"If it will keep me from my koto lessons," Kadsuki joked, laughing. Juubei commented that it would be for his best if he had his koto lessons but joined in the laughter after his friend told him he was too serious about things. They made their way merrily through the bamboo forest just outside the Fuchoin clan's main home; towards the river Juubei had announced his role as protector to the young Kadsuki only a few weeks back.

"Ne, Juubei," They were sitting by a dip in the ground, their feet creating swirls in the calm waters, "Were you serious that time when you told me my kimono looked good."

The Kakei heir just peered at his friend, a small smile on his face, "Yep. I think pink is your color."

Oh, god… Juubei don't say that. What was left of a man inside Kadsuki's brain swirled with confusion, to be a man or to go gay with the rest of his miserable world?

"But don't you think it's weird that I'm a boy and I have to wear a kimono?"

"Sure," Juubei made a funny face, "It was weird to me at first but if it's supposed to help you with your training you should do it anyway."

Kadsuki retaliated with an even funnier face, lips pursed in annoyance; there was no speaking politics with a boy who refused to see the other side of the tradition, "I guess…"

His friend noted the still unsure and depressed look in his face, and in an attempt to stand and make those gestures Kadsuki found endearing; Juubei the still not yet stick-up-the-butt man he will become, toppled into that cold blue body of water that was the river.

The look of uncertainty left Kadsuki's face immediately, breaking into harsh fits of laughter when his wet friend poked his head out of the river with a fish in his mouth, looking adorably dazed and confused.

"PFT." And with a "plop" the fish fell back into the river, swimming away urgently from the boy that had just tried to devour it whole, alive and kicking.

"Aw, Juubei," Kadsuki was trying hard to suppress his laughter, "We could have had that for lunch!"

The poor drenched boy attempted to climb out of the cold water, trying to gather as much dignity one could muster when one was sopping wet and looking shaken. Unfortunately, he lost his hold on one particularly smooth rock, causing him to topple back in a second time.

"Here," Kadsuki decided that laughing this time wouldn't be nice, instead, offering his hand to his wet friend, "Let's go back. You should get out of those clothes. Your mom will get mad…"

"Hey, yeah." Juubei accepted the offered hand, pulling himself out and shaking the excess water from his hair, wetting his other brunette friend in the process, "You think she'll make that funny noise again?"

"I hope so," So the two weren't as nice and innocent as they let on. They were still young boys after all, Fuchoin, Kakei or no.

As they trudged back, one soaked, the other only slightly wet, a thought occurred to Juubei, "Kadsuki?"

"Hai, Juubei?"

He looked at his string wielding friend, "Why did you ask me about the kimono anyway?"

"Oh, just to see if there was an excuse to get out of it, "The young boy pulled, exasperated, at the kimono, "I can't breathe."

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Note: LOL. Revvie!