Ch. 2

When the Trio met up with the Grumpy Bear

An hour later, a sopping wet Hikaru came out of the bathroom holding an only partially clothed Yoko. He knocked wearily on Akira's door.

"'Kira…please…" He whined. The door opened to show his lover's amused and still dirty face.

"Oh good. I was wondering when you two would be…done?" The green eyes widened. "What in heaven's name?" The door opened wider and Akira walked out of the room heading to the bathroom instead of helping poor dripping Hikaru.

"Dessert! Dessert now! Yes? Yes?" The little girl sang in his arms. The half bleached hair young man followed Akira and winced as he saw the other take in the bathroom.

"It looks… like a war zone." Akira whispered, his eyes widening even more. The ceiling was dripping with water and was that, Soap? Yes, yes it was. There was soap up there as well. The walls had been redecorated with sponge animals. He removed his foot from the bathroom floor. It was now soaked. "Well…" Akira started. "…" He turned to face Hikaru and shook his head. "I don't know how you do it Hikaru. You always manage to render me wordless."

"Very funny 'Kira. And I'd prefer rendering you breathless than wordless." Hikaru pouted, ignoring the green eyed glare he received because of that comment. Instead he shifted Yoko's weight in his arms as she continued to wiggle around, demanding her promised dessert. "I need help. Taking care of her is harder than it looks."

"Obviously." Akira muttered dryly. He looked at the little girl for the first time and blinked. "Why is she still not clothed, Hikaru? It's not that warm in the apartment." Hikaru looked about to cry and Akira finally caved in, not needing Hikaru to actually say anything. He held out his arms with a slightly understanding yet puzzled look. Babiesdanger. But he'd never expected this much chaos because of one child.

"She won't stop moving! I get one arm in her shirt and then when I try to do the next… its gone. And… then oh god, 'Kira… she peed on me! I ripped two of those so-fantastic diapers…" The young man moaned. "Akari said it would be soooo easy. I'm so gonna get her back. I don't know how or when but I will!" Akira made no comment as he brought Yoko to the couch. At least Hikaru had managed to get the diaper on at his third or so try. A smile made its way on the pale face. He wondered how many times the other had actually tried to do that before he had gotten it right. "Here are her clothes…" A pile of tiny, doll like clothes were placed next to where he deposited the little girl. He looked at Yoko sternly.

"Now Yoko, be nice. Lets get you dressed and then we can go, ok?" The little girl pouted at the severity she heard in the voice but she remained still enough for Akira to get her small arms through in the sleeves of the t-shirt that had been dangling around her neck. And then he tried to tackle her pants. There she started to get restless and didn't really want to obey. One leg went up, one leg went down. One foot got stuck in the middle of the pant leg. "You have got to be kidding me." Akira grumbled. He felt Hikaru kneel beside him and suddenly the little girl was pinned.

"This help?"

"Much. Thank you." The two ignored the little girl's vehement protest at this sort of handling.

"Mm-hmm." Hikaru let his head fall onto Akira's shoulder, resting it there as the little girl was finally fully clothed. "Thanks Akira."

"Dessert now?" The little girl blinked her wide eyes at them. Once she'd been liberated, the smile had returned to her small round face.
"Yes…but first… your 'uncles' have got to get washed." He sighed and then shifted his shoulder so that Hikaru would move. "Come on Hikaru. I'll watch her and at the same time I'll try to clean the kitchen." Hikaru's head lifted and his cheerful exclamations were somewhat punctuated as he kissed his lover's cheek between each word. "Ack… Hikaru… just go!" Yoko giggled at the sight and clapped her little hands. "And hurry up!"

…

Another hour later found the three clean and clothed, walking down the street to the nearby park. There was a small ice cream stand there and it was Hikaru, energy renewed, that ran to it to order two cones of ice cream. Akira had asked if he could share Hikaru's instead of getting his own and of course, Hikaru had agreed.

Akira continued walking at a leisurely pace, Yoko in his arms. She was completely attached to his hair. Literally. She was softly giggling in his ear as she continued to grab at his hair and tickle her palms with it. He kept the sigh that was building in his chest within himself. So much for studying today.

"Touya?" A voice came from behind him, sounding shocked. "I can't believe it." He turned around.

"Yes, Waya?" He greeted with his own question. He kept his glare level and shifted the little girl in his arms.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" He rose his eyebrow at Hikaru's redheaded friend that had had in the past a particular dislike for him. The dislike had somewhat disappeared once it had been clear that Hikaru and he were going to remain together and that Akira was not going to hurt the bleached banged young man. He still wasn't quite sure what he had done in the first place to create such a dislike in the otherwise friendly Waya but he was sure that he would never know. He had asked Hikaru about it once but the other had shrugged, shaking his head and then muttered… "It's Waya… who knows?"

"Walking Yoko-chan and getting her dessert." He bit off the 'obviously' that was at the tip of his tongue. He was just slightly frustrated with the whole situation. Taking care of a child was definitely harder than it looked and required more patience than he had thought was humanly possible. And Yoko was well behaved. Thank god for that. He didn't know how he'd react if she was as bratty as some children he'd seen before. "She's Shindo's goddaughter." He added at the blank look he was getting, immediately switching to calling Hikaru by his last name when they were in 'public'. He really didn't have to since it was Waya and he knew about them. But still. Old habits were hard to kill. "And you?"

"Waiting for Isumi to get back from his family visit. We're supposed to meet at the park." He pointed out the direction with a shake of his head, sending his unruly hair flying.

"How is Isumi-san?" Akira asked and winced a minute later as Yoko went flying against his grasp.

"Dessert! Dessert!" She tried to wiggle her way out. "Dessert! Dessert!"

"Yoko!" Hikaru scolded gently, jogging back up to them with the two promised cones of ice cream. "Patience is a virtue." He handed the little girl a small sugar cone with one scoop of vanilla ice cream.

"Which you never had." Waya commented dryly before going on to greeting his friend. "Hey Shindo." He tapped the younger man on the back. "So… I hear you're babysitting the goddaughter?" At his friend's nod, Waya shook his head and gave a sympathetic grin. "Poor you." At that point though he took a side glance at Akira who was keeping a watchful eye on the youngster who was currently on her own two feet, having wiggled out of his hold completely.

"Cars are bad, Yoko-chan. Cars can hurt. Stay away from cars ok?" Now Waya had seen and heard it all. Akira talking baby talk. He had to bite his lip hard to keep from laughing out loud.

"Maybe I should rephrase that and say poor Touya." He gave his friend a look. "Isn't she your goddaughter?"

"Yes." Hikaru muttered, giving Waya a pointed glare. "And don't give me that! I've been taking care of her all day!"

"And making quite a mess." Akira added, his face with a half exasperated, half amused expression.

"I thought so." Waya shook his head, smile on his face and hands stuffed deep in his jean pockets. He could only imagine the disaster the usually clean apartment of theirs looked like now. "Poor Touya."

"Mou! That's not fair, 'Kira. And you Waya… shut up!" Hikaru half growled, half moaned, making Yoko-chan look at her godfather with a perplexed expression. She ran to his side, her small hand coming to clutch at his leg.

"Be nice!" She scolded as much as a two year old could a twenty-one year old and a twenty-two year old. She shook her one finger at them, imitating no doubt, her mother who had probably scolded her in much the same fashion. Hikaru looked at her with wide eyes before starting to chuckle.

"Thanks sweetie." He glared at the other two. "At least one person loves me." He knelt down to pat the little girl on the head who turned to him with a big smile full of trust and affection. Waya who'd been staring at the little girl with a blank look on his face just ignored his friend, turning instead to Akira.

"Some character the kid has. I feel for you man, I really do. If you need a place to stay to be in peace for awhile… my home is open to you."

"Thank you, Waya." Akira stated calmly, taking everything that had been said without so much blinking in surprise. He ignored Hikaru's 'Don't be mean…ack… 'Kiiiiiiiiiiraaa… Waya! Don't give him any ideas.' "But that won't be necessary. Shindo already has prepared his new bed… on the couch."

"Ooh… ouch." Waya nodded his agreement to the decision even as his face screwed up in sympathy. "How long is she staying with you two anyway? I mean her parents are coming to pick her up later on today, right?" Hikaru looked down, preoccupying himself with trying to wipe the little girl's chin. His ice cream, by the way, had long been done miraculously fast as everything else had gone on. Akira didn't mind. He knew how much Hikaru liked ice cream and truth to be told… he'd been 'fed' some by Yoko a few minutes earlier. And that had been enough. It was a good thing that Yoko had finished her cone as well. Though her clean shirt was definitely not clean anymore. Akira's eyes had become cold at the question making Waya take a step back before chuckling. "Oh my…that long, huh?"

"A week." Akira answered finally, realizing that Hikaru would keep quiet. "He agreed to take her in for a week. As practice he says for the future." Akira shook his head. "I don't think spreading it, is going to do much at this point, Hikaru." He muttered, finally switching back to first name basis. He held out his hands. "The bathroom is over there. I'll take her… if I let you go… you'll look like a drowned rat again." Hikaru gave him a hurt look but said nothing, watching his goddaughter go to his lover with a smile on her face. He then stood up and turned to face Waya's now perpetually amused face. He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling weakly.

"You are…" Waya shook his head. "…impossible. I can't believe you."

"What!"

"Practice? Practice?" Hikaru turned bright red. "Why?"

"It's cute!" Hikaru defended himself.

"What?"

"Seeing him… taking care of her like that. It's cute. It feels like a family again." Hikaru's voice faded near the end of his words and Waya winced. It had been a months since it had become common knowledge that the two 'rivals' in the go world… the two dragons, were more than just rivals… more than just friends… A lot of things had changed since then. Not only in the Go world but in the two boy's personal lives as well. Hikaru who'd been the baby in his house, his mother's little boy… he'd lost all that. Like that. Waya felt his hands clench into fists as anger and pain for his friend filed in. What an idiot he was to not have made the connection.

"Sorry." He said contritely, giving his friend a slightly friendly punch. "I'm an ass." Hikaru looked up, surprise widening his eyes.

"Eh? For what?" They stared at each other for a minute before understanding filtered in the usually cheerful face. "Oh that… no matter. Come on lets sit. I'm tired. I thought it would be so easy taking care of her but its not…" He chuckled a bit forcedly. "I have been making a mess though. Even if I've been trying." Hikaru sighed as he let himself fall back onto a wooden bench, slouching, his long body molding itself slightly so he'd be comfortable on the hardened surface. Waya followed suit, quiet for a moment or two before he just shrugged.

"You know he doesn't mind. He probably thinks you're adorable as heck anyway. He always does even though he acts like an ass about it." Waya said dryly, wincing as his last comment got him an elbow into his side. So there was still some tension between Waya and Akira. But just a little. "You two are disgustingly cute together and you know it. And he's still an ass at times." Hikaru rolled his eyes, not bothering to reply to the comment that was making him blush.

"Akari and I could have picked a better time though. He has a game against Ogata-sensei tomorrow." Waya winced at the reminder and then shrugged.

"Knowing Touya… it won't even hurt him. He's probably been holed up in your room for the past week reviewing Ogata-sensei's most recent games." At the slightly amused yet frustrated smile that tugged at Hikaru's lips, Waya knew he'd guessed right. "See! Nothing to worry about then." He started to slouch a bit too and was startled as he always was, when Akira seemed to appear out of nowhere by their side with Yoko holding his hand. "Jesus!" Waya sat up straight. "How the hell do you do that!" Akira looked at him strangely but Yoko at the loud outburst buried her face in Akira's leg, letting out a soft whimper. "And with a kid too!"

"Not so loud." Hikaru punched his arm. "And Akira's always quiet. You should know that by now." Waya made a grumbling sound of dissent as Hikaru looked to his goddaughter.

"I don't care if he's always quiet. It's simply not normal." Akira chose to not say anything and instead moved to sit where Hikaru had already made room for him by his side on the bench. He moved slowly, detaching Yoko's arms around his leg to bring her into the safety of his arms. But since she was scared and she was more familiar with Hikaru, she quickly moved from Akira's arms to Hikaru's. "And that shouldn't be allowed either." Waya muttered in a disgusted tone of voice. "Too damn cute. The three of you." Hikaru once again chose to ignore some of Waya's commenting and went on to reassure his goddaughter.

"It's ok Yoko-chan, Waya's just like the grumpy bear in that story I read you this morning. Do you remember the grumpy bear?" Apparently the little girl did to Waya's utter horror because she lifted her head up and looked at Waya for a minute, assessing if he did indeed resemble the grumpy bear. Too soon, the twenty two year old had the two year old in his lap and his hair was being tugged.

"Grumpy bear?" Yoko asked sweetly, pressing her small inquisitive face next to Waya's startled one.

"Yeah…" Hikaru chocked on his own laughter. "…grumpy… bear…"

"Grumpy bear! Grumpy bear!"

"Ack… Shindo… get it off of me!" Akira brought a hand up to cover his mouth, starting to laugh as well.

"Grumpy bear should be happy. Happy is good. Grumpy is bad. Grumpy bear happy now?"

"No!" Waya answered, trying to remove the two year old from his lap as gently and as efficiently as he could.

"Bad bear." She bopped him on the head lightly. "Be good." She muttered sternly and then placed a wet kiss on Waya's cheek as the twenty two year old remained speechless.

"…"

"Grumpy bear is happy now. Look, look 'karu. Look!" Hikaru laughing so hard there were actual tears running down his lips could do nothing but nod. The little girl seeing her godfather laughing so hard, joined in as well, her giggles filling the air. Akira was actually now facing the other way, shoulders shaking. And poor Waya…

"I hate you all." He announced slowly, frowning.

"Grumpy bear shouldn't hate anyone… especially when a little girl has turned him into a happy bear." Isumi's voice, amused, came from behind. The eldest go player of the four bent down and kissed Waya's cheek before his blue eyes focused on the little girl that was still residing in Waya's lap. "Hello." He waved his hand, still in a bent position, leaning over Waya's shoulder.

"H-hi." Hikaru managed shakily. "Yoko, that's Isumi… Say hello." Yoko smiled at the newcomer and waved at him.

"Hello Isumi-san." Akira greeted, finally having calmed himself enough to be able to face them. Although one look at Waya's face made his lips quiver again. Isumi nodded to each of them.

"Grumpy bear is happy now." Yoko patted Waya's head proudly. "Like grumpy bear, yes? Yes?" Isumi nodded.

"Yeah I like Grumpy bear." He poked Waya's cheek only to have the amber eyes look at him angrily.

"Grumpy bear says harrumph to all of you. Would you like to be the source of her new amusement? Here Yoko-chan go to Isumi now…Grumpy bear indeed." Waya grumbled.

"But you're so cute." Isumi and Hikaru drawled the words out at the same time. The two shared a look and Hikaru went back to laughing. Isumi joined him but he still opened his arms, inviting Yoko to come to him. She did after giving Waya a last pat.

"'Sumi?" She asked. He nodded and twirled her around, sending her into fits of giggles. "Again! Again! Yes? Yes?" She cried out when he stopped.

"Oh god." Waya muttered, covering his eyes. "You're going to get us all to be as disgustingly cute as you and Touya are, Shindo. Argh…"

"Idge." Hikaru muttered. "As if you guys weren't disgustingly cute before…" Waya glared at him through his fingers.

"Shindo… where'd this sweet girl come from anyway?" Isumi asked, a bit out of breath. He told the little girl that he was done spinning her around for the day as he made a big show of walking in a zigzag as if he was drunk. The little girl giggled. Apparently she'd adopted Isumi as well.

"Goddaughter." Hikaru announced, proudly.

"She's adorable."

"Dangerous." Waya muttered after his lover pronounced his say.

"Both?" Akira said, not really making a question out of it. Waya tilted his head to the side and sighed.

"Yeah… both." He agreed. Then he looked at Isumi. "Getting out of shape there buddy." Isumi batted at Waya's head with his free hand and Waya was left to duck, his own hands coming up to try and protect his head. "Wah! Abuse!" The sound of a child's laughter rose, surrounded by laughter of young men. And this sound did more than just sooth slow to heal wounds… it healed.

A/N- Does this fic have a point? Hmm… Not really. It keeps me from going insane.  I love these characters… and I enjoy writing them. I wanted to write a story with them that wasn't necessarily all angst. I hope you guys are enjoying reading it. I certainly enjoy writing it. Reviews are most welcome. (And yes… no worries. I will be continuing to write Only You. In fact I'm working on the next chapter! Cheers!)