Title: Playing House

Author: Hawk Clowd

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Let's just leave it at that, all right? The midgets (you know, the kids), on the other hand, do.

Blood Type: vodka. It's good for you, really.

Warnings: very few.

Part: four

Author's Notes: Wow. I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long for this chapter (like anyone cares overly much!), but you know how writer's block can be... Unless you're really optimistic, I would expect a wait on the next chapter, too. Also, this part is very, very short--as in, shorter than all of the other ones. I wrote the beginning shortly after writing part three and then wrote bits of pieces of it at work over the summer... and just got around to putting them together now. Sad, isn't it? Yes. Anyway, just feel free to enjoy the chapter.

---

Miho was five years old and she arrived at Eiri's apartment around seven-thirty with both her mother and stepfather in tow. Mawako Nanimen, Namiko's mother (and apparently Shuichi's number one fan), had left reluctantly, although only after receiving Shuichi's autograph, a lock of the singer's hair, concert tickets, and the singer's left shoe (which she grabbed on her way out). Hibiki and Namiko were being suitably entertained by Shuichi when Eiri opened the door for Miho Amawa and family.

Hakana, Miho's stepfather, made a point of ignoring Eiri, who imagined the man resented him for having had illicit relations with Miho's mother. If Eiri remembered correctly, Hakana and the former Amawa-san had been engaged when the pregnancy had been discovered. Eiri did not quite understand why Hakana had been so upset with him; after all, it was not as though he could turn off the infamous Uesugi charm.

The Hakana husband and wife bowed dutifully. Miho stood between them, staying absolutely still with her eyes locked on the scene behind Eiri, where Namiko and Hibiki were climbing all over Shuichi. The singer was trying to be both friendly and polite at the same time and so he threw a smile in the girl's general direction. Miho's frown deepened, and Shuichi's smile faltered. He turned his full attention back to the other two children, brow creased in deep furrows. Eiri noticed this with a certain degree of concern, but did nothing about it. His main problems, at this point, were the Hakanas themselves. While both Hibiki and Namiko's mothers had been rather easy-going and friendly toward Eiri and Shuichi, Miho's parents were not quite so open.

"Thank you for being so good as to spend time with your daughter," the former Amawa-san said stiffly. Eiri was not surprised by the formal tone. The woman resented him for having 'seduced her' and for refusing to take full responsibility for Miho when the girl had been born. She also harbored a grudge; she had been disowned as a result of her pregnancy. "We understand that you are a very busy man, and Miho does love to spend time with you."

Considering the girl's expression and stance, Eiri sort of doubted that. "I enjoy having her here as well," he lied, giving the family a terse smile. He really did hate them. All of them. Even the midget.

The stepfather was glaring at Eiri, who didn't really care--or, at least, convinced himself that he didn't. He looked back toward Shuichi, who was doing his best to keep the other two children entertained. When he looked back toward Miho and family, his gaze met that of Miho's mother. She flushed and looked away quickly.

Eiri hid a smirk. Well, at least he hadn't lost his touch.

"You will take good care of her," the former Amawa-san murmured. It was neither a command nor a request.

Looking down at Miho, Eiri frowned and nodded his head in response. The girl stared up at him; she did not look at all pleased. Seemingly satisfied with that, however, the husband and wife left. As they did, Eiri stared down at Miho. At five years old, she was slight and pretty, and, for the most part, she took after him. She was the only one of his four children who did; looking at her was somewhat unsettling. She had his features--and Mika's nose--and his serious expression. Her blonde hair served as a cruel reminder of Eiri's own childhood and of the teasing he had endured from most everyone around him.

Her eyes, though, were her mother's, and they were dark and soulful. Eiri was thankful for such small things.

On the past few Father's Days he had spent with her, she had been mostly silent. She would stay out of the way, playing with her toys, until he got around to feeding her. The two of them ignored one another for all intents and purposes. When Hibiki had shown up the previous year, things had changed. Hibiki had decided that, if Eiri-daddy wasn't going to pay attention to him, he wouldn't stop talking until Eiri-daddy went crazy and tried to kill him. Miho had eventually taken pity on Eiri and dragged Hibiki away, but only after Eiri had swallowed half a bottle of aspirin and tried to feed the boy beer. He had eventually taken the two of them to the park out of sheer desperation.

This year, he hoped the three kids would take a liking to Shuichi, thus leaving him free to write while the singer kept the brats entertained. That didn't look like it would be a problem with Hibiki and Namiko, who were already delighted by Shuichi's bad impression of an avocado, but Miho was an entirely different story. She didn't really seem the Shuichi type.

Eiri decided, finally, that he should at least try to make nice with Miho, so he feigned a smile. "Good evening, Miho."

Miho shifted her gaze to meet his, but she did not respond with anything more than a slight nod of her head and a look.

Uh-oh. Eiri knew that look--Mika had used it on him a hundred thousand times and it seemed that all females could muster it up at a whim. It was the look that quite plainly said 'I don't like you right now and you'd be smart to just go away'. Seeing it on his five-year-old daughter was a bit disconcerting.

Looking down at the girl who shared his genes, Eiri decided to lose the fake smile. It didn't seem to work on her anyway.

"That's Shuichi," he said finally, jerking his head back toward Shuichi.

The little girl spared a glance at the singer and then set down her bag and nudged off her shoes. "I don't like him."

Eiri just shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"I don't like you, either."

To Eiri's surprise, he found that he took offense to that. He quelled the feeling carefully; the girl had every right to dislike him, after all. So, instead of getting angry, he frowned and stepped back from her.

"That's just too bad, isn't it?" he asked.

Miho's frown deepened and lines set deep into her face. She looked much older than she was, Eiri noticed. She hadn't gotten that from him. Without another word, she walked past him and into the living room, where she settled in on the couch. She had a book in her hands, which impressed Eiri. He hadn't realized that she knew how to read.

He turned away from Miho, toward where Shuichi was still entertaining Hibiki and Namiko. He watched them for a minute and then approached, putting a hand on Shuichi's head. The singer looked up at him and they exchanged a few silent messages, then Eiri retreated into his office. It was a good deal. He would get some work done and Shuichi would make sure none of the midgets tried to kill themselves.

Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad weekend after all.

---to be continued---