Evenings

Chapter 3

[sunset]

A/N: I replaced the previous entry here, but it's not going to be deleted. I just wanted to expand it / reupload that snippet. Anyway, enjoy how Yamato got his harmonica in my headcanon. :)

"So, the boys are how old now?" asked Michel Takaishi as he set down his luggage in the guest room. The man batted away stray locks of blonde hair as he turned to face his son-in-law.

"Let's see... Yamato's just turned six. Takeru is three."

"I'm glad I could finally get an excuse through work to write an article here and come see them."

"Mm," Hiroaki agreed.

The two men were being tolerable of one another, although to everyone else, especially the watchful eyes of children, they seemed like good friends.

"Let me know if you need anything," the father said, then left the room. He never liked being around Natsuko's father. He had never approved of him, despite Natsuko's insistence to convince her husband otherwise.

When he returned to the living room, Hiroaki let out a sigh. His wife was lying on the couch with another migraine. How many had that made this week? This month? The entire thing had to be an act or she would have gone to the hospital by now. "Head hurts, does it?" he whispered, walking behind the couch and towards the kitchen. The boys trailed behind him and as Takeru stumbled, Yamato helped him with his balance.

Hiroaki stopped at where the carpet became tile, "You two stay in here. I don't want you getting hurt."

Yamato nodded and held Takeru back gently as the toddler whined to follow his father.

"How is he?" Natsuko called.

"He's settling in," her partner replied, taking a beer from the fridge. "Was it really necessary to let him stay here?"

"Where else would you have him stay, Hiro?" Natsuko whined. "It's just for a few days and he hasn't seen the kids since they were born... is that really fair?"

Hiroaki returned to the living room. "No, I guess it isn't. I don't mind him visiting, Nat, but staying with us? You know he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," Natsuko pressed, rubbing her temples. "I think I need to go lie down."

"I'm taking you to the doctor next week. This is ridiculous."

"I hate hospitals. I hate doctors."

"We're aware of that. I had to fight you to take the kids in for their appointments. Last time I took them myself."

"Hiro..."

"What, Natsuko?" the father snapped. He didn't notice his children jump at the raise of his voice.

Yamato lured Takeru into the next room to play. The living room opened up with two huge swinging doors into a large sitting room. Beyond that was a balcony and the light was pouring in from the early morning sun. Takeru made a whining noise and Yamato had just about had it up to here with his little brother that day. "What?" he demanded. "What is it?"

"Oniichan."

Yamato sighed, slumping to the floor as his brother proceeded to 'waller' him, which was something akin to mountain climbing. For a moment Yamato cursed his own name and began to whine himself, "Takeru... get off me."

"Play with me."

"No."

"Play!" Takeru demanded, throwing his fist at Yamato's shoulder. The older brother wriggled Takeru from him and checked the sore spot.

"You're hurting my bruise," the older brother warned. He then pulled away from his sibling entirely and stared across the room as the sun danced on the floor.

"You have a boo-boo," Takeru said curiously and poked Yamato. He seethed at the touch and glared at his sibling, who didn't know any better.

"Yeah, so don't touch me," Yamato demanded and shrugged away again. Takeru flopped next to him and stared at his brother's stoic stare.

"Play!" Takeru demanded.

"No."

Meanwhile, Natsuko had retired to her room and Hiroaki was enjoying his time off the best he could with an ill wife, an annoying father-in-law, and two young children making racket in the room over. Soon, Michel joined him in the large armchair. They could barely see the two children arguing, but it made them both smile. "How is he doing?"

"Which?" Hiroaki suggested.

"Little Yamato. I heard he had quite the incident at school last week."

"Oh, that..." Hiroaki laughed a little. "He was just being overprotective. He's a strange kid; treats Takeru like the biggest bother, but goes out of his way to make sure he's safe. I don't get it."

"He's just trying to be a good older brother," Michel explained as if he knew all of God's knowledge. He had His pride as well. "Still, I'm surprised the parents didn't sue you for what little you have."

And there it was, Hiroaki thought. The insults start pouring in. He had learned to shrug them off, but this was more about Hiroaki's ability as a father than a man and that was what was making anger burn in his stomach. "The brat probably deserved it," Hiroaki defended. "I'm proud of Yamato."

"I doubt Natsuko approved of that," Michel retorted.

"She didn't, not that she has had much time to pay attention lately."

"Oh? Those dizzy spells?"

"Head-aches, too. I'm taking her to the doctor next week. I can't raise two kids on my own."

Michel snorted, "She's been doing it for the last three years, Hiro."

The father cringed at his wife's nickname for him being squeezed between the lips of this jackass. "I'm worried about Natsuko, aren't you?"

"Deeply, but she's headstrong..."

"Well, she needs to be put in her place," Hiroaki breathed without thinking. He had never heard himself sound so sexist, but the work, the sleep deprevation, other depravations, were getting to him. "What I mean is, she needs to do what's best for her and the rest of us."

Michel didn't say anything more. Instead, he held a small harmonica in his hand. "You play?" he questioned.

Hiroaki nodded. "Not harmonica. You know I play bass, though. I know a little piano, too."

"This is a fine instrument," Michel said, waving the metal block in the air a little. Then he pulled another item from his bag. A vintage set of wooden blocks with the English alphabet on them. "This is for Takeru."

"They're nice gifts. But I wouldn't trust hierlooms to children."

"Natsuko's mother would want the kids to have them," Michel retorted. He took the items with him to the next room and Hiroaki watched carefully as the grandfather knealt down, seperating the two bickering children. They immediately stopped at the face of this strange man. Niether had any memory of the first time they met, but they knew that this broad shouldered, blue-eyed foreigner was important to their mother and he was being nice. He handed them the gifts. Yamato held the metal object awkwardly in his tiny hands. Takeru immediately spilled the blocks all over the playmat and began throwing them at one another. One hit Yamato in the leg, but he held back a cringe of pain.

"Yamato, this is a harmonica. I've had it for awhile now, but I would like you to have it."

"...why?" the tiny blonde wondered, staring at his reflection in the metal.

"Because, it will bring you good luck and who knows, maybe you'll be famous one day."

"Sounds dumb," Yamato admitted, stuffing the instrument in his pocket, but Michel reached for it. Yamato pulled away quickly with deadpan fear, but his grandfather grabbed the instrument anyway.

"It's okay," Michel whispered, puzzled by the kid's reaction. He took it as to them still being strangers and held the instrument to his lips. He arched it and showed Yamato how to hold his hands. "See? You try."

"No, I don't want to."

"Oh, well..." Michel chuckled, putting the gift back in Yamato's hand, "When you're ready then. At least Takeru is enjoying his gift from Grandpa Michel."

Yamato glared at his younger brother who was making loud noises and oo's as he built up the blocks and sent them crashing down again. Yamato then folded his arms. Takeru... always loved more than him. He wasn't punished... He wasn't 'special'... Yamato kicked the blocks prematurely and Takeru's eyes welled up and he began to cry. Immediately Yamato felt horrible and apologized, desperately trying to restack them.

"It's alright, Takeru," Michel said, patting the boy on the head. "See? Big brother Yamato is here to fix everything."

Yamato's blue eyes found their match in his grandfather's a moment before the tall man stood again, like the skyscrapers Takeru had only imagined, and then went back to the living room. Yamato shifted awkwardly on the floor and looked at Takeru, who was leaning far over to find a block.

"Let me... Let me get it," Yamato sighed and then went over and grabbed the wooden toy before handing it back. "Here you go."