A/N: I know, I know. You're wondering what I'm doing posting a fic from a completely different fandom when I should be working on Fortune's Wheel. But I've had this fic on the back burner for years now. And since Fortune's Wheel is slow-going right now, I figured, why not post it now? This is a three-shot, so you only get the first chapter today (gotta leave some suspense, you know?) If I get a good response, I'll post the other two parts soon, probably with my next two updates for Fortune's Wheel.

Anyway, enough from me. Enjoy!

Part 1

Makoto was five when he first met Takashi. His parents had pulled him aside and explained that Takashi's father had just passed away, and his mother had already died, so the boy needed somewhere to stay until a relative could be found to take him in. Makoto's father was a friend to Takashi's family and had offered to take him in for a short while, and would Makoto be all right with that?

Makoto, of course, was ecstatic. His mom said it would be good practice for the future, with a secret smile at his father and a gentle hand on her belly. Makoto couldn't wait to meet his "little cousin."

The day Natsume Takashi came was a gloomy one. It was raining lightly in the morning when Makoto's father left to pick him up. When he came back, it was pouring rain and dark as night. A tiny, scared-looking boy with ashy hair and wide golden eyes peeked around the man's leg.

"Takashi," Makoto's father prompted. "Say hello to your cousin Makoto."

"—lo."

"Hi!" Makoto replied. "I'm Makoto, and I'm going to be your best big cousin ever!" Makoto wasn't actually very big. In fact, he was shorter and skinnier than average. His best friend Haru-chan was taller than him—but only by a little bit! Makoto was older, though. So he puffed out his chest and tried to look smart and strong.

Little Takashi smiled shyly. Makoto's father gently detached the small boy from his leg and gave him a little push toward Makoto. Makoto immediately grabbed his hand and began the grand tour of his house.

"And here's my room and there's mom and dad's room and here's the kitchen and the bathroom and here's your room!" Makoto rattled off quickly. Takashi trailed along behind Makoto, his eyes wide. Slowly, he started to come out of his shell. He shyly admitted he had just turned four, and he liked cats and trucks and the color blue.

By dinnertime, he was eagerly recounting, with Makoto's help, the grand game of tag they'd played in Takashi's room with make-believe creatures that, according to Takashi, looked like little balls of soot with big, bright eyes and didn't like the light. Both boys excitedly waxed eloquent about their misadventures throughout the day. Makoto's parents indulged them as any parent of young children will indulge the grand, fantastical stories that children that age are prone to telling.

Once night fell, however, it was different.

Even though both boys had their own rooms, Makoto insisted on sleeping with Takashi for the first night, "so he won't be scared of the dark." Smiling, his parents allowed it. The two little boys lay on their futons for a while, still chatting about their adventures. But finally, Makoto's father made them turn the light off. In the dark, falling asleep was easy. But just as Makoto was drifting off to sleep, he heard soft whimpers from the futon next to him.

Like the best big cousin he had vowed to be, Makoto crawled over to Takashi's futon.

"Are you scared, Taka-chan?"

Takashi shook his head bravely, but his sniffles gave him away.

"What's scary?" Makoto asked, looking around the room. It was completely dark, and the only sound was the gentle, steady tap of rain on the roof and window.

Still sniffling, Takashi pointed to a spot in the corner of the room, where it seemed darker than the rest of the room. Makoto looked, but he only saw shadows of the raindrops. A little scary, but not scary enough, Makoto thought, to make his little cousin so afraid. But maybe, because he was littler, he was more scared? Or maybe he was scared of the dark? Makoto was a little scared, because the kids at preschool sometimes told ghost stories. But he was the big cousin.

"It's okay, Taka-chan. There's no monster. And even if there was, your big cousin Makoto would chase it away!" He tried to sound extra-brave. But Takashi still looked scared.

"Ba-bakemono," Takashi whispered, still staring something behind Makoto.

Makoto's eyes got big and his heart beat harder. He wanted to turn around, but Takashi's eyes were even bigger, and very scared. And Makoto was the big cousin! He wasn't supposed to be scared! So, slowly, he turned around and—

Nothing. There was nothing there. Same shadows, same corner.

"There's nothing there, Taka-chan," Makoto began, but he didn't sound quite as brave this time. And his little cousin still looked terrified.

Makoto's heart beat harder, faster. Was it a ghost? Was it invisible so Makoto wouldn't know it was there until he was eaten?

Makoto whimpered and crawled under the covers beside Takashi.

"It won't eat us if we're together, right?"

Takashi didn't speak. He latched on to Makoto's sleeve, whimpering. Makoto pulled the blanket over both their heads.

"If we can't see it, it can't see us," he declared with flawless childish logic. And his voice only wavered a little bit.

Takashi buried his face in Makoto's sleeve and started crying. Somewhere in his muffled sobs, Makoto thought he heard, "I miss my dad."

"Yeah. But you've got me now," Makoto declared. He would be the best big cousin ever.

Takashi stayed with the Tachibanas for six weeks, until one of his relatives agreed to take him. It was over summer vacation, so there was no preschool for Makoto to go to. He and Takashi could play together all day, every day.

During that time, the two boys got to be as close as brothers. But the longer Takashi stayed, and the more they played, the more Makoto became convinced that Takashi really could see things he couldn't. Like most children, Makoto had a great imagination. But he was also very logical. The games they played, and the creatures Takashi described, were all very detailed. And when Makoto would play along and talk to the creatures, Takashi always corrected him. "There's nothing there. He's over here," he would say. "You're talking to air, Mako-chan!" Plus there were the creatures—or maybe just one creature—that made Takashi too scared to sleep alone.

But despite Takashi's slight strangeness, it was a sad farewell when Takashi had to leave. And it would be years before they saw each other again.