Evenings: Part 10
Photograph
Summary: Yamato and Kazuki find they have more in common each day.
A/N: Takes place after their kids' adventure in the Digital World.
"I'm a little rusty, but shouldn't be too difficult," Yamato started, looking at the cord extending across the room. The amp was a little moth eaten, but whatever. Kazuki was awkwardly holding the bass and Yamato walked over to adjust the strap. "Don't hurt your back. There."
"Thanks Uncle Yamato," Kazuki replied, blushing with embarassment. Then his eyes drifted across the living room to a long, slender table near the couch that had several pictures sitting on it. Kazuki didn't have anything like that in his home. Each one was wrapped in a black criss-cross cloth. "What's with those pictures?"
Yamato followed his nephew's gaze. "Oh. Those are friends that have passed away. Mostly."
"Is that grandma?" he questioned, setting down the guitar. Yamato sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, and how would you know?"
"I met her a few times," Kazuki replied, walking over and picking up the photograph. "She didn't look like this though."
"...oh, in the hospital," Yamato breathed, sitting down on the bed. He really wished he hadn't started giving up smoking.
"N-no, she was at her house. It was before she died."
"Yeah, so what's your point kid?"
"She was really weird."
"...that's an understatement."
"She kept putting her hand on my shoulder or ruffling my hair. I gotta keep my hair pretty for Russell right?"
Yamato tried not to think about Russell sometimes. He wasn't a bad kid, but Digi-Jesus he couldn't shake his fear in the prescence of his Digimon, even if they weren't the same ones. "Uh yeah... wait." His mind drifted to what Kazuki had said. "Wait."
"What's the matter?" Kazuki insisted. Yamato rushed over to the boy and brushed back his bangs and Kazuki felt equally as uncomfortable. "What's wrong?" Kazuki asked again, wondering if his Uncle might cry. He had only seen him cry once before when he had been reunited with his own children.
"She didn't do anything else to you, did she?" Yamato whispered, pulling the boy close to him. Kazuki had the breath knocked out of him and his cheek brushed the scar against his uncle's chest.
"N-no, I just thought she-"
"I may have to kill your father you know," Yamato growled.
"Please don't," Kazuki said, finally let loose from the embrace. "It was nothing, really. What's the big deal?"
"N-nothing, Kaz," Yamato sighed. "Come on, let's get back to practice."
"Um, okay," Kazuki replied, setting the photo back down. For the remainder of the afternoon they pissed off all of Jyou's neighbors and practiced in the living room, but Yamato seemed distant. Kazuki could pick up that the blonde was at least trying to appear happy- he had seen it enough with his own mother. Still, he intended to question his father once he got home on the matter.