Phi Brain one-shots because I feel like it. Sorry I've been a slacker, guys. I just really wanted to finish this anime, and so everything else kinda blurred to the background. PLease review, follow, favorite, whatever. :)

~Blaze

1.

Prompt: Hero

Timeline: Pre-Series

"Jin!"

The boy looks up from the Sudoku as the name rolls off of his tongue, a wide grin gracing his lips when he meets the warm brown eyes of his friend. The man smiles back in response, ruffling his hair fondly and taking the finished puzzle from his hands. Jin Makata's eyes trail over the numbers before going back to the younger puzzler, bobbing his head in an approving nod.

"Yup. Looks about right, Kaito."

He giggles in response before holding out his hand, motioning for another one. "Give me more puzzles, Jin! I'm still bored!"

"Patience, Kaito. See? Look at Rook." Jin points at the snowy ball of hair that is lying under the tree, his breathing quiet and his face serene and calm. "He's relaxing quite snugly back there."

Kaito sticks his tongue out, his eyebrows furrowing. "He's sleeping. That's different."

"Still. He's not jumping around." The older man then tilts his head up to the evening sky, feeling the wind brush his cheeks and tickle his nose. He breathes it all in, and the sniffling next to him tells him that Kaito is doing the same.

"Hey, Jin?" Of course, he can't sit still for too long. Jin looks over with one eye. "What's up?"

"Well, since I want to become a master solver, does that mean I'm going to be some sort of superhero?"

Jin chuckles. "What makes you say that?"

Kaito screws his face up in concentration. "Well, I'll be traveling the world and setting them – puzzles – free, right? I've read a lot of storybooks that have characters that do stuff like that. And I thought it would be cool if I could go on an adventure with you and Rook, just like those other characters."

"Well, you'll need a couple things." Jin scratches his stubble thoughtfully, rolling his eyes up in thought. "Like a catch phrase."

"What's a catch phrase?"

"It's something that a certain person always says or does that makes them special."

"Okay…" Kaito stands up and faces Jin. He copies Jin and scratches his own chin, then sticks out a peace sign and grins widely. "Does this work?" He says through clenched teeth.

"That's kind of overused. Think of something better."

"How about…" He stuck his tongue out, bringing his two fingers over his eye. He pulled down his eyelid and glared, standing with his feet out wide. "How about this?"

Jin laughs and sits up with his legs crossed. "That's kind of funny, you know."

Kaito stomps his foot stubbornly. "I think it's cool." He then gives Jin a curious look. "So what else?"

"You'll need a best friend."

"I have Rook, so I guess that's okay."

"You'll also need an enemy to fight with."

"… how about you?"

Jin makes a face. "Why me?"

"Just 'cause." Kaito smirks, throwing his hands behind his head. "Anything else?"

Jin gives him a cheeky grin. "You'll also need a girl."

"A girl? For mushy stuff?"

"For mushy stuff," Jin confirms. He's met with a groan.

"Eww! Yuck! I don't even know any girls! Well, there's Nonoha, but… she doesn't count!"

"And why not?" Jin swallows that laugh that's coming when Kaito turns an unhealthy shade of red, sputtering incoherencies.

"Well – she's my friend! And I haven't seen her in forever! And – and – she can't even solve puzzles!"

"She doesn't have to solve puzzles for you to like her – "

"SHUT UP!"

Kaito lunges, and Jin grabs the boy in midair, grinning madly as he flails and thrashes in the elder man's hold. Finally Kaito is exhausted, and Jin sets him down next to him, both of them sprawling across the grass.

"You think I'd make a pretty cool superhero?" Kaito asks.

At this, Jin looks the boy straight in the eye and smiles genuinely, leaning on one arm.

"To me, Kaito, you're already my hero."

It's short, I know. But they all start like that. Ah, Kaitoha. I just can't get enough of it!

Review, Favorite, Follow. You know the drill.

~Blaze