In Smaller Proportions

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Hola. Back again.

I felt guilty for making people wait like this, so I attempted to hurry it up. But my Grandfather came over from Puerto Rico, and someone had to keep the old guy company. Mom decided it should be me. (I love him, but he's the only man I know who can make golfing look like a sin.)

So yeah, guys, here it is.

PJ

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"Indeed, my dearest little brother! ME! And hello to every one of you! I trust you are all hale and hearty?"

For a minute, all they could do was blink.

Unaffected by the circumstances, Chibi-Kyo squeaked again and reached for the newcomer.

"Aw... Hello again, my little angel! You remember me, don't you?"

In a flash of silver, the character we all know so well as Sohma Ayame fully entered the house, and swept the toddler up into the air.

"A..." Shigure finally started. "Aya?!"

"'Gure-kun!" Ayame replied, in all his usual cheer and humor. Proudly, he held up Chibi-Kyo. "How did you like my little present?"

"Present? You mean..." Shigure pointed at Chibi-Kyo as he spoke. "You're the one who brought him here?"

"Of course! You have no idea how much planning it took! Now I remember why I let Tori do all the paperwork back in high school!"

Chibi-Kyo cooed and played with a few strands of silver hair that had come his way. Ayame immediately turned to nuzzle him affectionately and answer him in nonsensical phrases. (now why is that looking so familiar?)

Yuki's blood vessels started to go on the edge of popping once again. With a strained smile, he advanced toward the older version of himself. "Da...Ayame. Big brother of mine."

"Yes, what is...OUCH!"

Maintaining his hold, Yuki hauled Ayame all too "gently" toward the kotatsu.

"We. Need. To. Talk... Now!"

"Unhand my ear, varlet (1)!"

#thwack!#

"For shame, big brother! Not in front of the baby!"

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"As I was saying," Yuki dusted his hands off as he spoke, looking a little more satisfied, "we need to talk. Now would be nice."

Ayame whined a little as he rubbed his sore ear and the equally sore spot on his head. Chibi-Kyo had switched seats, and was currently comfy on Shigure's lap.

"Aya," Shigure started, staring wide-eyed at the kid once again. "How on earth did you manage to find this little guy?"

"Elementary, my dear 'Gure!" Ayame exclaimed, his voice heavy with a fake British accent. "Eyes and brains! To be PRECISE, it was all about being in the right place at the right time!"

"...huh?"

"Let's just say little Kyoshi - that's his name - jumped me in the street and followed me around half a day before someone came to collect him."

"Ah..." That explains why he answers to "Kyo".

"Hold there!" Shigure's eyes widened some more. "You didn't...kidnap him, did you?"

Ayame laughed. "Of course not! His acting guardian was the matron of the local orphanage! She was taking him out for a short walk when he got away from her in attraction to my sensational aura!"

"Sensational aura, my left hind limb," Kyo muttered, absent-mindedly petting Chibi-Kyo, who had become bored and made his way towards him. Then he realized what he was doing, and hastily took his hand away.

Then Yuki remembered his next suspicion. "Regarding his appearance..."

"Oh don't worry about that!" Ayame replied, obviously recovered from his earlier pain. "He has absolutely no blood ties to the Sohma clan whatsoever. I just gave him that hair color to throw you guys off."

"You DYED a toddler's hair?!"

Ayame shrugged. "He didn't seem to object."

"Yeah, well, won't the welfare people complain about you, being the acting guardian, leaving the adoptee with other people?"

"Nope! Simply because 'Gure here is the second guardian!"

"What?" Shigure pointed at himself. "I am?"

Ayame nodded solemnly. "Do you remember the time I carted you off to get some papers signed?"

"You said it was necessary paperwork for my birthday present!"

"It was!" Ayame paused to rise to his feet, and continued in all somberness. "Sohma Shigure, as a show of how much you mean to me, for your coming birthday, I GIVE YOU A SON!"

Shigure's comeback took five seconds.

"Aya, my heart! I never knew you cared so much! Perhaps we could try for a daughter too?"

"'Gure my love! You honor me so!"

In alarm, Yuki grabbed Chibi-Kyo and covered the child's eyes and ears the best he could.

"YOU SICK IMBECILES! YOU HAVE A G-RATED AUDIENCE HERE, YOU KNOW!" Kyo yelled, his capillaries being tested to the very limit.

"Which reminds me!" Ayame changed the subject as though nothing had happened. "You have another week before Kyoshi goes back."

A moment of silence.

"What?"

"That's right. The form 'Gure and I filled out was on temporary basis. 'Gure will have to sign another one if he wants to make this arrangement permanent. Or, of course, you could just return him and let him wait for another set of parents."

Yuki's cover having slackened on their young charge, Chibi-Kyo had heard every word of it. As though he understood what might very well be his fate in the coming seven days, his wide eyes widened even more, and he desperately sought shelter under the rat boy's legs. (For that, Yuki had to disentangle them from their crossed position.)

"There you have it: one week to decide," Ayame announced solemnly. "The decision lies upon your shoulders now.

Will you keep him?"

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(1) : Varlet: servant, attendant

Quoting from F.B. 5

"'As your big brother, I ORDER you to SUBMIT to me!'

'SUBMIT THIS!' #whack#"

No one said he stopped trying, did they?

I must plead you not to quote me in regards to adoption procedures. I wasn't adopted, I never adopted anyone (not yet, anyway),and I'm basically adlibbing.

Yeah, well, I'll do my utmost to get the next chapter in ASAP. Grandpa will be headed back to Puerto Rico two days from now, so it should be possible. Bear with me, everyone!

I know some of you have been wondering where the msn conversations ran off to.

Well, I've stopped talking to Howling WereWolf for a while. She went on vacation to South Perth, and I had to entertain Grandpa. So yeah, we were both busy.

Oh, and answering one of the reviews, I'm a guy. (as in the male of the specie homo sapien. NOT the one with the 'a' in it. YES, HW, I'm STRAIGHT. The opposite of what your sister was thinking. Take that, missy!)

I'm also young, single, and living alone in an apartment looking out onto the street.

My first and only one true love was a hamster named Moonie. She drowned in the toilet one night, and I'm still loyal to her memory. (And in case you're wondering, she was this light gray ball of fur that would look like Rat-Yuki with no tail.)

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