A/N: Fluff delivery with a bit of angst!
The evening sun was dipping low past the treeline when Rin crept into the city with a determination to see Arata again.
Sure enough, the boy was walking home when he spotted her. His dark eyes lit up and he grinned, and a painful ache went through her heart as she recognized that face.
"He looks so much like you, my love," she mourned as she touched down into the street.
"It's you! My angel!" He exclaimed happily as he hopped up and down. "What are you doing here? Is the pretty lady still with you?"
"I'm afraid she's not here, she's on a very important secret mission." She gave him a wink.
He gasped, covering his mouth with his hands. "Is it like, ninja stuff?"
"I can't say," she crooned in a sing-song voice as she patted his head.
Arata pouted and started to walk with her. "Well, thank you for the presents. Mama really liked the teddy bear you gave me. She 'specially liked the bow."
Teddy bear? Rin wrinkled her nose as she tried to recall. "I never gave him a teddy bear. Who could've…-"
Then she realized. The thought made a soft smile creep onto her face. "Still watching over him from there, are you…?"
"Well, anyway, how is school going for you?" She asked instead as they neared his home. "Anything interesting happening?"
This made the boy grow quiet. Arata's eyes dipped to the ground and he frowned at the street.
"What did I say?" She thought for a moment, alarmed.
"I'm… homeschooled," he answered carefully. "I can't go to academy because I don't weigh enough. That's what Daddy said."
Frowning, Rin looked closer. To her dismay, she realized as she stared at his loose-fitting clothes that his limbs looked thinner than they should have been. If the rest of his body looked to be the same…
"He's malnourished," she realized sadly, "and not by choice."
"I do have friends though." He seemed to brighten a bit as he talked. "Souma-kun is really nice. So is Hinata-kun."
But then the light in his eyes dimmed, and he hung his head. "I had Ino-neesan, but… then she went away."
Her heart sank as she realized just who he was talking about.
"I miss her," he admitted with a kicked-puppy look up at the woman. "I wish she didn't hafta leave. The others aren't as nice to me now."
"I'm sorry," she tried to soothe, resting a hand gently atop his hair. "I'm sure that she's alright. She'll come back soon."
"You promise?" He inquired.
"Mm-hm," she nodded with a smile. "I promise."
As she glanced back up at the sky, she realized it was getting late.
"Oh, we're back home already," Arata noticed at the same time. He frowned. "Do you have to go?"
"I'm sorry, I can't stay long." She apologized. "I'll come back to talk to you again, okay?"
"Okay," he grumbled. Then his eyes widened, apparently remembering something as he fished around in his pockets. "Oh! I almost forgot! I wanna give something to the pretty lady!"
Pulling a slightly-wrinkled envelope out of his pocket, he handed it to her with a determined expression on his little face. "Can you give it to her? Please?"
"Of course I can." She accepted it with a nod and a smile. "The next time I see her I'll give her your letter."
His face broke into a beaming smile again, one that made her heart ache. "Thank you! You're really cool! I gotta go, but I'll see you again!"
"Good luck in your studies," she offered, patting his head.
As he turned and rushed inside, throwing a wave over his shoulder, she headed away from the storefront, a new levity to her heart and a smile on her face.
"He's growing up so fast," she realized with a light sigh, clutching the letter tighter in her hand. "They've raised him up as a fine young boy. I'm… I'm glad I can at least sleep knowing he's in capable hands."
A/N: Please tell me what you think!
