Everyone up for a second chapter? I hope so, cause here it is. Tell me what you all think of it so far. Yomi and Kurama in character?
Title: Meetings at the Park
Summery: Kurama, a single mother. Yomi, a father with limited visitation rights. A chance meeting. GenderBender. AU. YomixFemKurama. First time trying this pairing. YusxKei, KuwaxYuk, HixMu.
Rating: T and will most likely stay as such. (Rated such for bad language in future chapters, thanks to Yusuke.)
Warning: Modern AU. Gender Bender. Het. Yaoi (if you want to consider it that – the yaoi pairing is the gender bender pairing). Original Character's (OC). May also be Out Of Characters (OOC).
Pairing: YomixFemKurama, KuwabaraxYukina, YusukexKeiko, HieixMukuro.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Yu Yu Hakusho gang, but I do own all of the OC's. (so please don't steal!).
OC's: (I'll bold the ones that appear in the chapter): Yuriko, Tori, Nyoko, Akeno, Maemi, Kei, Tamae, Machiko, and Teiljo.
Take Two
Kurama smiled at Yomi, taking her usual spot next to him on the bench. She was usually there a good half hour or more before he would come, so she spent that time playing with Yuriko in the sand box. They had been talking for nine months now, meeting up every other Friday, sometimes going out after Shura got there. "You weren't here two weeks ago."
"Shura was sick, so I didn't get him." Yomi explained.
"You didn't get him last weekend either."
"No, were you here last Friday?"
"I bring Yuriko to the park three times a week, and one of those is always Friday." She explained.
Yomi nodded. "That's why I must have caught your attention in the first place."
"That's right. You were only here every other week, and I could not figure out why." She smiled over at him. "I didn't offend you, did I? The first time we talked?"
"No. I am used to parents approaching me for the same reason. I've lived in my apartment for two years now." He motioned behind him with his arm. It was vague, since the park had five apartments surrounding it. She nodded, as if knowing. "So every other Friday, I was here at the park. Of course, then I was getting Shura for the whole week, twice a month. Technically still do. School makes it so that I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"I would have to move into the school district. I would, but I don't want him to have to go through that. One week at his grandma's, the next at dad's, then back to grandma's. This is just easier on him. I get him for two week in both June and July though. Back to back weeks, the social worker said that was fine. Just don't know if it's the first two weeks of each month or if it will be four weeks straight. First week of August to."
"You seem excited about it." She smiled at him. Yomi's eyes were singing with excitement, seeming to glow.
"Just found out this morning. I get to tell Shura tonight." Yomi smiled, full and wide, white teeth showing.
"Do you have something planned?"
"Not yet. Shura will get to make the plans." Yomi glanced over at the parking lot. "I just hope I have enough vacation time saved up to take off five weeks."
"Where do you work?"
"Believe it or not, I'm a lawyer." Yomi smiled at her surprised expression. "I work for a company that is on the payroll for a lot of big shots."
"You keep companies and their bosses from being sued into the ground." She rolled her eyes.
"You sound like you don't approve."
"It's not that. It's just…Now that you have said it, it makes perfect sense." She smiled.
Yuriko came running up at that moment, crying. "Mommy."
"Yuriko, sweetie. What's wrong?" Kurama picked her up, placing the three year old on her lap. She hugged her daughter, rubbing her back.
"Me fell." Yuriko sobbed, lying against her mom.
"Where does it hurt?" Kurama pushed Yuriko back slightly. "Show mommy." Yuriko pointed to her elbow. Kurama raised it, kissing it. "That better."
"Yea." Yuriko lay back down against Kurama.
"You ready to go home? It's nap time."
On a few occasions, Kurama and Yuriko would leave before Shura got there. It usually had to do with Yuriko not having her afternoon nap yet.
"No nap." Yuriko shook her head, black pig tails flying. She crawled out of Kurama's lap and into Yomi's. "Stay 'ere."
"We can't stay here."
"Ya hm."
Kurama and Yomi both laughed at her. "I think she picked that up from Shura."
"Sounds like it." Yomi agreed. Shura and Yuriko played together on many occasions, in fact he now asked about Kurama and Yuriko if he didn't get to see them.
"Shu come?" She asked, looking up at Yomi.
"Soon." He told her.
She smiled up at him, nodding. "Kay." She leaned back against him.
"Sorry about that." Kurama reach over, laying a hand on her daughter's head. "She gets her stubbornness from Hiei."
"I don't mind." He smiled at her. "She's no trouble."
"She's asleep." Kurama corrected, laughing. Yomi blinked, looking down. Sure enough, she was sound asleep. "I'll take her. Best to get her home."
Yomi nodded. "Shura's going to ask about you."
"Is he?" Kurama stood, taking Yuriko from him.
"Yes. He asks about you every time you leave early." Yomi stood as well, noticing the car pulling in.
"I'll wait then." Kurama sat back down, shifting Yuriko slightly.
Yomi nodded, going over to the car. He got Shura out, slinging Shura's backpack over his shoulder. An older woman got out, hugging Shura goodbye.
She had her brown hair in a bun, brown eyes were narrow. Shura's grandmother, Kei. Yomi and she never spoke to each other, unlike Yomi and Tamae. Tamae hadn't disprove of her sister's relationship with Yomi like her parents had, and would talk to him for a while when she dropped Shura off. She would also bring him over to Yomi's place during the week if she was out with Shura.
Kei got back in her car, driving away. Yomi smiled at his son, bending down and giving him a hug. Shura hugged his father back, faced buried in his shoulder. Yomi then pulled back, smiling at his son. Shura returned an identical smile. Shura then turned, eyes quickly finding Kurama and Yuriko. He left his dad's side, running up to Kurama.
"'Rama. Yuri." Shura crawled up onto the bench, kneeling next to the two.
"Hi Shura, it's been a while." Kurama smiled at him. It had been a month since she last saw the five year old.
"Ya hm. Forever." Kurama and Yomi both stifled their laughs. "Yuri?"
"She's sleeping." Yomi told him, sitting down on the bench next to his son.
"Is it her nap time?" He asked, looking up at Kurama.
"Yes. I was getting ready to go home, but I wanted to see you first." Kurama told him, pulling him into a one armed hug. Shura smile, hugging her back.
"Do you have ta?" He asked.
"Yes. I'm afraid so. We'll see each other soon." She told him. She shifted Yuriko better into to her arms, the stood up. "Goodbye you two." She walked away from them, down the path leading out of the park.
"Did they have ta?" Shura turned to his dad, sitting in his lap.
"Yeah. She had to take Yuriko home." Yomi stood, holding his son. "We'll see them again. Don't worry." He carried Shura, heading towards his apartment building.
"Kay. I like them."
"Is that so?"
"Ya hm." He nodded. "You do too, right?"
"Yes. So do I."
The first week of June came along four weeks later. Yomi was once again sitting on the park bench, waiting for Shura to get there. He would be getting Shura for two full weeks, without having to let Kei see him at all.
"It's rare for you to get here before us." Kurama sat down on the park bench next to him.
"You're just later than usual." Yomi told her. He glanced over at Yuriko. She was playing with a boy about Shura's age. He had brown hair and brown eyes. Yuriko seemed to know him quite well, crawling all over him. "Who's that?"
"That's Akeno. I've got him for the weekend. Keiko is out of town and Yusuke is working double shifts." Kurama smiled. Keiko was a junior high teacher's assistant, working on her teaching degree. Yusuke was a police officer. "He didn't want to wake up from his nap."
"Ah. How old is he?"
"He's four. We'll have to get together tomorrow so that he and Shura can play together." She told him. "Sound good?"
"That would be fine. We can meet here at the regular time?" Shura was always dropped of between three thirty and four o'clock.
"How about three?" She asked. "If that is alright?"
"Sounds good. You want to join me and Shura for dinner? He wanted you to last time." Yomi told her.
She shook her head. "I would normally, but since I have Akeno this time." She shrugged.
"I don't mind. My treat."
"You treated last time." She sighed, it was a mute point. Yomi always treated, he insisted since he was the one to invite them out. "If Shura still wants us to, then we can. If you really don't mind."
"I don't. Why would I?" He glanced over at the parking lot. "Tamae this time." The blond had already parked her car. She and Shura were on their way over to them. Yomi stood up, taking a few steps towards her.
"Sit down." She told him, shaking her head. "I can come to you."
He smiled at her, but made no move to sit back down, instead kneeled. Shura ran forward, hugging father. "Hey kiddo."
"Hi dad."
"You excited?"
"Ya hm."
Tamae sat Shura's kids suitcase on the ground by the bench Yomi had been sitting on, eyes never leaving the father and son. "I volunteered to bring him this time. That alright?"
"Of course." Yomi stood up, hugging her. Shura's hand was wrapped in Yomi's shirt tail. "I'd rather see you then your mom any day."
"Who wouldn't?" She asked. "Mom said that she packed four sets of clothes, and Shura packed a few of his toys."
"'Rama!" Shura grinned, moving away from his dad. Tamae looked surprised by his outburst. Shura had been standing next to his dad, looking around the park. Tamae knew that when Shura was with his dad, he didn't want to be with anyone else. Shura wanted to stay with his day, though he couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed to. Tamae now watched as he moved over to the red haired women sitting on the bench she had placed Shura's suit case by, a women she hadn't even noticed till that point.
"Hi Shura." She pulled him up into her lap with practiced ease. "How have you been?"
"I'm okay. You come to dinner?" he asked her.
"Do you want me to?" She asked him. He nodded. "Go get Yuriko for me then."
"Sure." He slipped off of her lap, running off to the playground.
"Tamae, this is Kurama." Yomi introduced. "Kurama, this is Shura's aunt Tamae."
"It's nice to meet you." Kurama stood up, offering her hand to Tamae. Tamae smiled at her, taking the hand, shaking it. She seemed like a nice lady, and both Yomi and Shura liked her.
"I didn't realize that you were dating." Tamae turned to Yomi. Both of the other two blinked, looking at each other.
"We're not dating." Yomi told her. "We're just friends."
"No!"
All three turned when they heard Shura's voice. Shura was taking slow steps, carrying Yuriko, her back to his front, arms wrapped around her chest under her arms. Akeno was fallowing behind them.
"Get back her'!" Akeno yelled at the bigger boy.
"NO!"
"Brin' her back!"
"No!"
Akeno caught sight of Kurama in front of them. He ran forward, leaving Shura behind. "Aun' Ku'ma, he took her."
"I told him to go get her, its alright Akeno." Kurama bent down, ruffling his short hair. "Thank you for looking out for her."
"I got her." Shura told Kurama, coming to stand before them.
The two children must be her niece and nephew, from the looks of it. Tamae watched, waiting to see what she would do to Shura. She, herself, had yelled at Machiko a few times for carrying her brother in a similar way. It was a worry about the older dropping the younger.
"Thanks Shura. I think it would be easier if you held her hand though. She's a little big." She stood back up, calm as could be, smiling at the two of them. Shura sat Yuriko down, taking her hand in his. "Shura, this is Akeno. Akeno, this is Shura."
"Shura?"
"Ya hm. Tis Shu." Yuriko told her cousin. "Shu, tat Keno."
"Oh." Both boys said at the same time, understanding on their faces.
"Keno, tat Yomi." Yuriko told him, pulling away from Shura. "Yomi, up." She held both arms out.
"Hey Yuriko." Yomi smiled, picking her up, holding her close to him. "Tamae, this is Kurama's daughter Yuriko and her nephew Akeno."
Her daughter? Tamae nodded. Now that she was closer, Tamae could see the resemblance between them. "Yuriko." She looked at the little girl, then smiled. 'Rama and Yuri. Now that she thought about it, those two names did sound familiar. "Yuri. Shura's been talking about her for weeks now."
"Ya hm." Shura grinned. "'Rama dad's friend. Yuri's mine."
"I see." She smiled at Shura, then Yomi. She glanced at her watch. "Oh. I've got to go. I don't know if I will pick him up or Mom. It will be the Friday after next."
"Alright. Thanks Tamae." Yomi told her. She hugged Shura one more time, then left. "Shall we get going?"
"No." Yuriko whined, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.
"You're coming too." Yomi told her. "You ready for dinner."
"Yay!"
"All of us?" Akeno asked, hand finding his Aunts.
"All of us." Kurama smiled, taking Shura's hand in her other. "The diner?"
"Sounds good." Yomi and Kurama had gone to the diner down on the corner before, this not being the first time that they had had dinner together.
"Table for five, three children." Yomi told the waitress. She smiled, nodding. She checked her chart. She grabbed a hairchair, then lead them to a booth. Kurama and Yomi each took an end, Akeno next to his aunt, Shura next to his father, Yuriko in the highchair at the end of the booth. The kids were left to color, while Kurama and Yomi read over the menu.
"Are you ready?" The waitress asked, coming to stand by the table, smiling at Yuriko.
"Yes." Kurama nodded. "A mac and cheese kids meal, a chicken nuggets kids meal, and a hamburger kids meal. I'll take your Caesar salad and potato soup combo."
"And you sir?" She turned to Yomi.
"Steak, well done. Bake potato."
She nodded, turning to leave.
"Is that going to be enough?" Yomi asked her.
"It's more than enough." She smiled, rolling her eyes. "I can tell you're a father."
"Sorry. Cant help it." Yomi explained.
"It's fine. I don't mind." Kurama assured him. She picked up a crayon, helping Yuriko color her place mat for a moment, then turned to Akeno, giving him her attention.
"Dad." Shura called, offering him a crayon. He took it, helping Shura with one of the puzzles.
"Your food." The waitress said, placing the tray on the stand she was carrying. She handed the hamburger to Kurama, who handed it to Akeno. Next came the mac and cheese, Yuriko, and the chicken nuggets, Shura. The waitress sat their food in front of them, then left. Kurama picked up a spoon, scooping some of Yuriko's mac and cheese onto Shura's plate, then took two of his nuggets and some of his fries, putting them on her plate. The two always shared their meals.
Dinner was simple. They spent half an hour eating, Yomi, of course, insisted on treating, then they left the diner, splitting up to go their separate ways. Yomi and Shura heading to the convience store across the street to pick up a few groceries Yomi needed for his apartment. Kurama headed the other way, taking Akeno and Yuriko back to her apartment.
That's Take Two (Story: 2,590 words). Good? Bad? Review.