A/N: Argh... Writer's block and lack of inspiration are a terrible combination. I really didn't mean for this story to tank the way it did. I had been working on this chapter for a LONG time (a couple of months in fact) writing and rewriting parts of it so it wouldn't be full of fail. I don't know how this one turned out, but I really hope its ok. This is the second of the scenario requests.

Anyways, sorry again! Any comments/criticisms are appreciated.

Chapter 11

Hide and Seek?

Orphanage, 2nd Floor Hallway – Daytime

The door slowly opened with an audible creak. It paused, as though the person holding onto the knob didn't know what to expect. A moment later, the silver-haired boy's head poked out from the entryway, gray eyes looking back and forth warily. The rest of his body followed soon after as he crept into the hall. When he was certain the coast was clear, Akihiko started running towards the stairs and almost reached the landing when…

"Onii-chan!"

He stopped in his tracks at once, turning his head ever so slightly to see Miki running towards him, wearing the brightest yellow shirt he'd ever seen with a denim skirt and white sandals. She came to a stop right beside him, her identical pair of gray surveying him with curiosity. "Onii-chan, what are you doing?"

"Shush!" Akihiko hissed, putting a finger to his lips. "You'll give me away!"

The girl's brows creased together. "But…"

"I'm tryin' to get to base before Shinji finds me!"

"… I'm right here."

"Gyah!"

Miki quickly stepped Akihiko as he jumped and made a beeline for the shaggy-haired brunette on the other side of the landing. "Shinji!"

"Yo," Shinjiro greeted flatly, gray-brown eyes focusing on the other boy. "And Aki, you fail at hide-and-seek."

Upon hearing the last three words, the small girl's expression suddenly brightened. "You're playing hide-and-seek? Ooh, ooh, Miki wants to play!"

"Eh?" Akihiko's jaw looked like it was going to drop to the floor. "But…"

"Sure," Shinjiro replied with a shrug.

"Shinji…"

"It's only the two of us, anyway. S'not like anyone's goin' out their way to play with her."

All other protest died in Akihiko's throat. It was true; no one else bothered to play with Miki. She was the youngest child in the orphanage at age four, and no matter how much she asked other children, she was either stood up, ignored, or flat-out refused. Mai and her friends reduced her to tears once by calling her a "tomboyish brat." It took all Shinji had to keep her older brother from fuming at the older girls and comforting Miki at the same time. When Reiko joked that the brunette would make a girl proud someday, he muttered something under his breath and pulled his burgundy hood over his head in attempt to hide his reddened face.

"Alright, then," the silverette said, "but you're the one who's 'it.'"

"No way," the other boy told him, his tone argumentative.

"Why not?"

"Because you're 'it.'"

"Eh? No I'm not!" Akihiko said defiantly. "You can't just go and say things like that, Shinji!"

"Oh, right." Shinjiro reached over and put his hand on Akihiko's shoulder. "There. Now you're 'it.'"

"… Eight… nine… TEN!"

Akihiko looked up and straightened his posture against the entryway into the playroom. Somewhere in this building, Shinjiro and Miki were hiding.

The boy looked left and right, making sure no adult was nearby, inhaled deeply, and bellowed, "READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!"

"Are we gonna hide here in the kitchen, Shinji?"

Miki sat at the kitchen table while Shinjiro stood in front of the open refrigerator.

"Not hiding," he replied flatly. "Your brother just won't think to look here."

The girl looked towards the door, then back at Shinjiro, leaning forward so that she could eye the contents of the large appliance. "I want some azuki ice cream."

"No."

"But I'm HUN-GRYYY!"

"Too bad. You're getting an apple instead." Shinjiro stood and lightly kicked the refrigerator door closed, holding two of the aforementioned fruits, one in each hand. "They're better for you than ice cream any day."

"You're no fun, Shinji," Miki pouted, although she took the apple from him and took a bite. After chewing for a minute, she spit out the peel on the table.

She thought the older boy didn't notice anything until he climbed into the chair next to hers at the table.

"If you don't like the peels, I can cut them off for you. Otherwise, don't do that, it's gross." He sank his teeth into his own apple and gave her a disapproving look.

Miki puffed her cheeks at him defiantly, but his expression didn't change. They continued to eat in silence until footsteps were heard just on the other side of the door. It suddenly swung open, and a breathless Akihiko staggered inside, glaring daggers at Shinjiro.

"THIS is where you've been hiding the WHOLE TIME?" he shouted furiously at him. "I've been all over the place wondering where you were!"

Shinjiro nonchalantly closed one eye as he took another bite from his apple, deliberately taking his time to chew. It only caused Akihiko to continue glaring at him, and, just as the silverette was going to say something, he decided to speak first.

"Wasn't hiding," he started. "Tell your sister to speak up more, Aki; right after you started counting real loud like a brainless twit she went and told me she didn't have breakfast this morning."

"Eh?" That grinded Akihiko's tirade to a fantastic halt. "Miki, is that true?"

The girl simply looked at him with her large grey eyes, biting into her apple to avoid speaking, much to his chagrin. Shinjiro climbed off the chair, stretching his arms over his head as though he were tired. "Well, whatever. You want an apple, Aki?"

"No."

"Look, you're not gonna make her talk," Shinjiro said grudgingly as he walked towards the refrigerator, "so you might as well shut your trap and take a chair."

"NO WAY! You didn't even call 'time out!'"

Shinjiro lifted one hand in front of Akihiko's face. "Don't have to."

"That's against the rules! You gotta call 'time out!'" Aki shot back.

"Says, who?" Shinjiro asked coolly.

"… Uh… um, well…" Akihiko was suddenly shifty-eyed, looking at Shinjiro, then Miki, who was standing behind him, then back to Shinjiro again.

Miki's head tilted sideways a bit. "Who made the rules for hide-and-seek, onii-chan?"

"Eh? That is…" Akihiko started scratching his head. "I… dunno."

Shinjiro huffed. "I'm tired of this. You an' Miki can do what you want. I'm outta here."

"Shinji doesn't wanna play with Miki anymore?" Miki gazed at the brunette with her large gray eyes.

Shinjiro paused, his demeanor suddenly becoming awkward for a change. "Eh? Th-that's not it," he said hastily, pulling his hood over his head. "I… just don't wanna play hide-and-seek anymore…"

Akihiko saw his chance. "Come on, Shinji. Miki would really like it if you kept playing."

Shinjiro looked like he wanted to disappear. He mumbled something under his breath, tugging his hood further over his head.

"What was that, Shinji?" Akihiko called. "I couldn't hear you!"

"I said I'll play," the brunette murmured, his voice still barely audible.

"Shinji…"

"I SAID I'LL PLAY, GEEZ!" Shinjiro finally yelled, sending Miki scurrying behind Akihiko. The brunette glared at him for a few minutes before crossing his arms and turning away.

"… Miki doesn't want to play hide-and-seek anymore…"

The comment caught both boys by surprise. Akihiko turned to his sister. "Eh? Why not?"

Miki's large gray eyes remained on Shinjiro. "Shinji's too scary…"

The boys exchanged looks again. Shinjiro started to look regretful. He started tugging at his hood again, a trace of pink on his cheeks. "… Um… sorry… Miki." He shifted uncomfortably for a moment. "I'm… gonna go now."

He started to turn away and walk down the hall, but he was stopped when Miki called, "Wait! Shinji!"

The brunette stopped, turning back to the siblings. Miki stood in front of her brother now, though she still held his hand. "… Thank you for the apple, Shinji."

She managed a small smile despite being slightly spooked. As Aki watched, Shinji's spirits seemed to lift a bit, and he didn't look quite as awkward.

"Don't mention it," he answered back, trying to sound like usual. "Next time you want an apple, I'll cut the peel off for you, since you don't like them."

"Uh-huh." Miki nodded again, and Shinjiro, without waiting for anything Akihiko was going to say, left them alone in the hall.