The Troubles with Cat-Sitting

Hej! This is totally {NOT} inspired by Buddy Daddies;)

...

December 20th, Friday at 8:00AM.

Amu Pov:

With the first winter break starting on Monday of the upcoming week, a huge sigh of relief escaped the pinkette's lips as Amu walked alongside her guardian characters for the last school day; the weather was cold but manageable to trudge through as other local students joined the girl through the pile of sparkling white snow alongside inner-Tokyo's busy streets. As she continued to stroll through the snow, though the sidewalks were thankfully cleared enough to step on safely without the risk of slipping, Amu adjusted her scarf round her neck and fixed the top button of her coat while turning the corner leading up to Seiyo Academy grounds.

However, a surprise visit from a certain someone was just waiting nearby outside of a local convenience store.

"~Huh? Oh! Is that Yoru over there?~" Ran exclaimed excitedly as the group came closer to the store to have a look. The same black stroller Tsukasa was using to transport Ikuto around sat next to the automatic glass doors, Yoru floating in the vicinity near the baby carriage.

"~Looks like it! Does that mean Ikuto and Tsukasa are here too?~" Miki questioned out loud as Amu and the Charas walked towards the stroller, with the oblivious Yoru snoring loudly whilst lazily resting on the stroller's handle.

Bending down for a closer look, Amu gently lifted the canopy of the stroller to see a peaceful, sleeping Ikuto strapped to his seat holding his cat toy and sucking silently on a black/grey pacifier. Appropriately dressed in a black wool coat and a matching set of blue and black striped mittens and hat, Ikuto continued to snore as the suckling sound from the pacifier kept to a steady pace of ease and comfort.

"Oh, good morning Amu! Heading off to school, are we now?" a familiar voice suddenly appeared as Amu and the group of Charas turned their attentions to a well-dressed Tsukasa coming out of the convenience store, a small cup of coffee in his hands as he grasped a plastic bag of necessary goods next to him.

"Good morning Tsukasa! What are you doing out here so early in the morning? Are you taking Ikuto to the school?" Amu curiously inquired as she sat back up and readjusted her book bag around her shoulders; Ran, Miki and Suu were working on waking Yoru by flying about the cat Chara chanting "WAKE UP, WAKE UP!!!".

"Oh, no; I'm actually taking Ikuto to a daycare interview today! It just so happens that the daycare is also near Seiyo Academy, which works out perfectly for me to pick him up once school finishes" Tsukasa happily shared as he placed the plastic bag down into the open compartment of the stroller while sipping his hot coffee carefully.

"Wow! But why would you put Ikuto in a daycare? Do you have to return to work soon?" Amu asked as she kept her attention not only on the rambunctious activities her Charas were presenting but also to the sleeping Ikuto nearby.

"Yes, unfortunately. I don't think it would be a good idea to have Ikuto with me at the school; I wouldn't be able to get any work done! " Tsukasa sighed tiredly as he placed the coffee cup on the cup holder of the stroller and adjusted the canopy, making sure to check on Ikuto before getting the stroller ready to move from its adjustable brakes.

"So, are you taking Ikuto to the Azora Daycare on Minori Ave? That's the closest one to Seiyo Academy, isn't it?" Amu asked as she walked alongside Tsukasa and the four Charas, Yoru having been rudely awoken by Amu's characters. The sound of the wheels scruttled across the sidewalk as the group waited their turn to cross at the stoplight.

"That's the one! I checked for reviews online and Souko said she would be alright for Ikuto to attend there during the weekdays. Plus, I already explained the scenario about Ikuto to the receptionist; she seemed optimistic to meet us so that makes me feel a little better" Tsukasa explained (though Amu noticed he had some hesitancy while talking) as he pushed the stroller across the streets with Amu and the characters close behind.

"Is Mrs Tsukiyomi still being held up in the courts? Does she plan to return home anytime soon?" Amu inquired; the group was slowly coming to the four-way section that would divert the directions to opposite sides between the school and Azora Daycare.

"Unfortunately, Souko still needs more time to handle out the legality issues regarding the lawsuit: at the moment, the outcome for complete compensation is looking favorable on our end regarding Ikuto's wellbeing, but there was some issues with medical document accuracy and the head of EASTER, which would be Mr Hoshina has a good law team backing him up. However, I do believe that all good will come about this! In the end, the most important piece is that Ikuto is cared for properly this time!" Tsukasa stated enthusiastically, his gaze towards Amu now a sigh of relief to the girl.

Strolling up to the intersection, Amu bent down towards Ikuto, who was still sleeping and gave his free hand a gentle, encouraging squeeze as the Charas hugged Yoru goodbye.

"Well, I wish you all the best of luck with the interview process! Maybe I can stop by after school today? I would love to hear how it went!" Amu cheerfully stated as the girl and her respective Shugo Charas prepared to go the other direction towards the academy; Tsukasa would head the other way to the daycare, which was relatively close by.

"That would be wonderful! We'll expect your arrival then, Amu! Do well in school today!" Tsukasa proclaimed cheerfully as he waved his arm in the sky, Amu doing the same gesture as she walked up the path to the school's entrance.

"Hopefully Tsukasa's interview will go alright; I can already see Ikuto being trouble for the daycare as is" Amu thought to herself jokingly as she approached the school in eager optimism, catching up to The Guardians nearby as the students prepared for the last day before winter break!

...

Tsukasa Pov:

The interview was scheduled to be at 8:30AM, but Tsukasa wanted to arrive as early as he could manage in order to do a quick scan of the infamous daycare. The receptionist setting up the appointment mentioned that a tour would be provided; Tsukasa just wanted to be sure that Azora Daycare would be the perfect fit for Ikuto and his peculiarities.

Coming up to the tall, bright, yellow gates surrounding the daycare's playground, Tsukasa pushed the intercom button and awaited for a response.

"Hello? How can I help you, sir?" a muffled, feminine voice rasped from the intercom.

"Good morning! This is Amakawa-Tsukasa coming for the 8:30AM interview for Tsukiyomi-Ikuto!"

"Oh! Good morning, Mr Amakawa. I'll let you in shortly" the voice responded.

BUZZZZZZZZZZ

The sound of a vibrating buzz emanated off the yellow gates as the entrance to the yard opened and Tsukasa strolled right in, Ikuto still sleeping soundly and Yoru floating behind!

"~We have ten minutes before the meeting starts. Should we go inside? It's getting too cold for me to handle!~" Yoru shivered as the Chara flew next to Tsukasa, the group making their way to the daycare's entrance through the freshly paved sidewalk.

"Good idea, Yoru! This weather is becoming too cold even for a walk now" Tsukasa mentioned to the Chara as they came towards the daycare's entrance.

Approaching the automatic glass doors, the doors split open and allowed for Tsukasa to enter the foyer to take off his and Ikuto's outdoor shoes and escape the cold from outside. Bending down towards the ground, Tsukasa lifted the canopy back and shook Ikuto's shoulder gently in order to stir the boy awake; the pair of azure, blue eyes blinked opened as Ikuto stretched his arms above his head and yawned loudly.

"Hi, Ikuto! We made it to the daycare; let's get your boots off now so that we can go inside!" Tsukasa kindly stated as he slipped the black boots off of Ikuto's feet, setting the pair on the provided shoe mat next to the wooden sets of coat and bag cubbies. Sitting on the edge of the floor divider, Tsukasa slipped his own shoes off (Yoru having taken Tsukasa's shoes to place next to Ikuto's) as the man guided the stroller closer for him to unbuckle the teen from his seat and get him out.

"Can I offer any help? I see you have your hands full here!" a masculine voice approached from behind the trio suddenly. Tsukasa, having turned his attention to the man chuckled to himself as he attempted to slide Ikuto out of the stroller.

"That would be very helpful, thank you! Ikuto's kinda heavy to handle by myself!" Tsukasa laughed alongside the man as the two men gathered the teenager in their hold; once Tsukasa managed to stand on his feet, he placed Ikuto on his hip with the other man pushing the stroller to the side of the wall. In the hectic process of getting Ikuto safely out of the stroller, the boy accidentally dropped his stuffed cat toy on the ground: the man bent down and grabbed the toy by its arms, brushing any dirt off of its wool fur.

"Here you go, buddy. I think you dropped your friend here on accident" the man giggled as he handed the stuffy to Ikuto, who cautiously took the toy back and squeezed it close to his chest.

"Thank you for your help again! My name is Amakawa-Tsukasa and this here is Tsukiyomi-Ikuto! We came to do an interview process at 8:30 this morning!" Tsukasa said as he bounced the antsy Ikuto on his hip.

"Well then, you two are in the right place! My name is Sashino-Hiroto; I'm the director of Azora Daycare! I apologize for I won't be joining you two in the meeting today; I leave all questions for the teachers to answer! However, I can already tell Ikuto will be a great addition to our daycare- I can't wait to see him again hopefully soon!" Mr Sashino kindly stated as he rubbed his large hand atop Ikuto's blue hair, tossling the already messy do about playfully.

"We can't wait to meet everyone! Thank you Mr Sashino for your support" Tsukasa smiled graciously as he adjusted his hold on Ikuto with Yoru floating right beside his owner quietly.

"You're absolutely welcome, Mr Amakawa. Our goal at Azora Daycare is to help lighten the burden off of busy Japanese families. In this day-in age I feel it's impossible to work and raise a family now, but we're here to support and educate your children with the best quality care from our teachers in place! I hope we meet your satisfaction today and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns" Mr Sashino offered kindly as he guided the group down the long corridor towards the empty daycare rooms (the daycare was currently on winter break and was not in session for students).

"If Ikuto is to be a good fit for the daycare, as he will be evaluated by one of our teachers in the room today, he'll most likely be joining the BUNNY ROOM; this is our youngest classroom offered at the daycare. Our teachers will explain the interview process and all other details to you so that it's not so overwhelming" Mr Sashino stated as he knocked on the opened door to the BUNNY CLASS and left the trio with gentle encouragement as the director was promptly needed back in his office.

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPAAAAAAAA

A set of footsteps approached the door to reveal a young woman, around her late-twenties and heavier set wearing a lavender-colored dress and beige smock with embroidered flowers and bunnies plastered on the edges. The woman smiled brightly, welcoming as she placed her hands by her side in formality.

"Good morning! My name is Ms Anna; you must be Mr Amakawa, correct?" Ms Anna kindly asked as she diverted her attention towards the teen in Tsukasa's arms, who was becoming wigglier and antsier by the minute! The director wasn't kidding about how she was to be conducting an interview process for a teenage boy today!

"Yes, good morning Ms Anna! It's a pleasure to meet you and thank you for interviewing us today! I'm hoping Ikuto will be a good fit for the daycare" Tsukasa awkwardly laughed as he attempted to firmly hold the squirming boy on his sore hip.

"Oh! So this is Ikuto, huh? What do you have in your hand, Ikuto? Is that your kitty?" Ms Anna playfully questioned out loud as she pointed her finger at Ikuto's stuffy, a big smile plastered across her face as she hoped to gather Ikuto's attention towards her.

1.) Most children will be anxious coming to the daycare, especially when being interviewed by total strangers! So, in order to help ease the child's comfort the teacher must make a commitment to be kind, soft and gentle towards the child: asking about their toys is a great introductory question, especially when said child isn't talking yet. A verbal response is not necessary so long as the child can look at the teacher, thus displaying attentive verbal cues when commanded.

Ikuto stared curiously at Ms Anna, then he immediately turned his face away towards Tsukasa's shoulders in nervousness as the two adults giggled and walked into the classroom.

...

"So, how the interview works is that I'll be asking general questions regarding Ikuto's health and background to you, Mr Amakawa. Our other BUNNY ROOM teacher, Ms. Shiro will be evaluating Ikuto in the classroom across the hall and taking notes regarding what she sees based on his skills during his playtime. Do you have any questions before we begin the interview?" Ms Anna asked as she took a seat at the toddler-sized wooden table, Tsukasa joining on the opposite side with Ikuto in his lap.

"I don't have any questions; I'm just nervous that Ikuto will get upset if I let him go- he has his favorite people he likes to cling onto!" Tsukasa worriedly stated as Ms Shiro approached him, arms open wide to take the teenager from Tsukasa's hold.

"I understand your concerns; please trust us that Ikuto will be in the best care during our interview! Ms Shiro is excellent when it comes to engaging playtime with the younger students, Ikuto being no exception to that!" Ms Anna gently encouraged as Tsukasa nervously handed the boy over to the awaiting Ms Shiro, the teacher adjusting her hold on the heavier "toddler" as she scooped him up firmly with a hand supporting his bottom and her other hand gently rubbing his back comfortably as Ikuto started to whine and kick his long legs.

"NO NO NO!!!!" Ikuto cried loudly as Ms Shiro took him away from Tsukasa (Yoru close to Ikuto in secrecy!) to do her evaluation in the other classroom across from the BUNNY ROOM. With the door having closed shut, Tsukasa could already hear the tearful fit Ikuto started up from behind the walls.

"I'm sorry about him; it's been a rough couple of weeks since he left the hospital. His mother, Souko Tsukiyomi left sometime ago to deal with the lawsuit, in case you haven't heard" Tsukasa tiredly exclaimed as he crossed his legs together, hands in lap with a sad, exhausted expression currently on his face.

"Don't worry, we were informed about the scenario ahead of time. It must be difficult for the both of you; have you needed to take time off of work to care for Ikuto?" Ms Anna sympathetically asked as she offered a paper cup of water to Tsukasa, who graciously took a sip as he coughed suddenly.

"Yes, but now my break is coming to an end. I knew it would be that way once I took responsibility for him, but those couple of weeks off sure went by fast!" Tsukasa exclaimed as he continued to sip on his water, Ms Anna writing some notes down on a pad of paper near her.

"I suppose it must have been challenging needing to accommodate Ikuto's needs from when he was in the hospital. Has he previously displayed these "infant-like" behaviors to you before, or was this a new occurrence from the accident?"

"No, he was just a normal teenager in a bad home environment. He behaved like a regular boy his age, although I do believe that he acted more mature due to his circumstances. That accident completely changed everything about Ikuto; sometimes I don't even recognize him anymore!"

Scribble Scribble

The sound of pen hitting paper reverberated off the pad as Ms Anna wrote down her notes, Tsukasa sipping his water anxiously. Ikuto's crying from across the hall continued and seemed to only keep distressing Tsukasa even more so now.

"What has changed about Ikuto? Can you talk to me more about his speech, any skills gained or lost since the accident?" Ms Anna inquired as she smiled at Tsukasa, awaiting for a response.

"Well, he has slowly started to say some words though he doesn't use sentences and prefers to say only one word at a time. He is not toilet trained- he wears diapers and freaks out about the idea of potty training though he's recently been more upset about needing to be changed too. He sits in a high chair at home and I feed him all of his meals and offer bottles of milk throughout the day. He does take naps, though that's also been a challenge recently, and he is crawling a lot but not walking yet" Tsukasa thoughtfully shared to the exasperated Ms Anna across from him. The teacher was too stunned to write down anything as she carefully thought out her next set of questions.

"Ok, that's very good to know! Does Ikuto use soothers to help calm him down at all? I believe I saw a pacifier in his mouth before" Ms Anna asked as she adjusted her seat.

"Yes, all the time! That's how I've been able to stop his tantrums from distressing our neighbors; in case you aren't aware, Ikuto cries very loudly and his whole "demeanor" doesn't help when we're trying to have some privacy." Tsukasa jokingly added as he uncrossed his legs and reached for the pitcher of water once more.

More scribbling continued as Ms Anna kept asking questions regarding Ikuto's physical and mental health, particular home-habits and any other important notes to take. Meanwhile, as much as Tsukasa tried to stay attentive to the interview he kept on glancing behind him towards the door. Ikuto's crying seemed to have quieted down now to where Tsukasa couldn't even make out any conversations occurring in the classroom across the hall.

"Mr Amakawa, did you hear me?" Ms Anna asked as she gazed longingly at the older man, patiently awaiting for a response to a question Tsukasa obviously didn't hear.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Ms Anna. Could you repeat that for me, please?" Tsukasa apologized profusely as he turned towards the teacher across from him, a set of nervous jitters and butterflies in his stomach appearing abruptly!

"That's ok, Mr Amakawa! I believe I gathered all the necessary notes needed for my end of things; shall we go see how Ikuto is doing? I can see that you're quite anxious about him!" Ms Anna kindly asked as she stood from her chair, pen and paper in hand as she led Tsukasa out of the BUNNY ROOM across the hall to where Ms Shiro was evaluating Ikuto.

...

Knock Knock

Opening the door leading to the FROGGY ROOM, Ms Anna and Tsukasa quietly slipped into the room and stood near the corner of the wall as the two adults observed Ms Shiro in the corner, sitting underneath a wooden play structure as she wrote her own notes down while talking to Ikuto.

Ikuto was busy focusing his attention on a toy farmhouse, holding a small cow figure as he kept placing it in different spots of the farm.

"Wow! So where is the cow going to sleep, Ikuto? Is he going to share the mud pen with the pigs, or is he going to the chicken coops?" Ms Shiro cooed to the teen boy as she observed where her observant would place the animal next. However, having grabbed a tiny, plastic bed from the dollhouse nearby Ikuto placed the cow on the bed instead and put his focus towards the kitchen set around the corner.

Crawling on all fours, Ikuto made his way to the kitchen area and started to play with the food items and cookware provided while Ms Shiro stood up and walked towards the boy. Having caught a glance at the two adults in the corner, Ms Shiro walked towards them with a huge grin on her face.

"Well Mr Amakawa, it seems you have a remarkable boy on your hands! Considering all that he has went through, it's amazing to see this much progress from him in only three weeks" Ms Shiro commented as she patted Tsukasa's shoulder emphatically, smiling at her co-teacher nearby.

"That's good to know! Everyone has been worried about him ever since he left the hospital; his mother will be happy to hear your input, Ms Shiro." Tsukasa warmly added as he observed Ikuto playing about in the room, completely oblivious to his presence currently (though Yoru saw Tsukasa once he came into the room, but quietly chuckled to himself and kept near Ikuto).

"Wonderful! Well, and I believe Ms Shiro and I can agree on this but Azora Daycare will be more than willing to take Ikuto off your hands! From what you shared with us, Mr Amakawa as well as the observance notes Ms Shiro has wrote, we believe Ikuto will do great at our school! " Ms Anna happily stated as the three adults looked over at the new student to the BUNNY ROOM, Tsukiyomi-Ikuto!

"Thank you so much, Ms Anna and Ms Shiro! I'm so happy that Ikuto will get to spend time here at your lovely school and it will definitely help me out when I need to go back to work soon!" Tsukasa gratefully stated as he breathed a huge sigh of relief to himself!

"We are all happy that Ikuto will get to be apart of our school! I believe he'll do fantastic in the BUNNY ROOM, and we'll also be able to meet his needs there too! We'll provide daily updates in his take-home notebook regarding how his day went so that you won't have to worry about him when you're gone!" Ms Anna said as she led Tsukasa over to Ikuto, smiling to herself as the man bent down and gave the teen a huge hug, Ikuto giggling loudly as Tsukasa picked him up and bounced him up and down playfully!

...

December 20th, Friday after school. The time is 5:00PM.

Amu Pov:

Once the last day of school concluded, Amu happily bounced out of the building and sprinted towards the Tsukiyomi house alongside her Charas following suit! The downfall of snow sprinkles had stopped midafternoon, allowing for snow plows to push the piles of the white, compacted substance away and opening the sidewalks and streets once more for safe transportation.

After ringing the doorbell, Tsukasa opened the front door and escorted Amu inside as she went about taking her outdoor shoes off and slipping her coat and outdoor accessories off, placing them securely to the coat rack near the entrance.

"How was school, Amu? Are you excited that winter session has started?" Tsukasa happily asked as he led the girl and her Charas towards the living room, where Ikuto and Yoru were playing together on the play mat. As Tsukasa went to collect the hot cocoa mugs he prepared earlier for the group, Amu sat down next to her blue-hair companion and gave him a tight squeeze.

"Amu, Amu!" Ikuto cheerfully laughed as he laid in the girl's lap, Amu slowly rocking the teen back and forth as Ikuto played with the long, pink hair in front of him.

"Hi, Ikuto! How are you? Did you have fun at the daycare today?" Amu giggled as she played with Ikuto's long fingers.

"~Ikuto is going to start next week, full time! Tsukasa said that he needs to catch up with all of his work that he put off these past couple of weeks; besides, since it's winter break there won't be a ton of kids at the daycare, so Ikuto will get extra special attention his first week there!~" Yoru proclaimed as the cat Chara flew near Amu and Ikuto and sat down on the couch next to Amu's characters.

"Wow! So Ikuto is going to daycare, huh? I bet he'll be the oldest kid there" Amu thought as she continued to rock the boy in her hold. She could tell that Ikuto was going to fall asleep soon as his eyelids kept blinking, his face relaxing as he yawned quietly.

"Hot cocoa is done! Everyone come get a mug; do you want your bottle now, Ikuto?" Tsukasa asked out loud as he placed the tray full of drinks down onto the coffee table, the Charas immediately flying to get their cups. Walking towards Amu, Tsukasa picked Ikuto up and carried him to the matching armchair near the tv and lamp, turning the light on and adjusting Ikuto to prepare him for his nightly bottle. Amu went towards the couch and grabbed a mug for herself, sitting next to the characters on the couch and comfortably leaned back on the accent pillows, taking a sip of the chocolaty drink and enjoying the moment of peace in the room.

"So do you have any special plans for the break, Amu? Are you and your family traveling anywhere?" Tsukasa inquired as he held the baby bottle upright, allowing Ikuto to suckle slowly as the teen closed his eyes and enjoyed his nightly bottle.

"Yes, my family and I are heading up to Sapporo for the week. We have family there, plus there's lots to do in the city and around the ski resorts nearby. I'm so excited, especially for the onsens!" Amu gleefully shared as she continued to drink her cocoa, watching Ikuto drink his bottle soundly as Tsukasa rocked him back and forth.

"That's wonderful, I hope you and your family have a great time! Oh, do we need to change your diaper again, Ikuto?" Tsukasa suddenly questioned the boy as he sniffed the teenager and determined the outcome immediately. Setting the bottle on the side table, Tsukasa shifted Ikuto towards his hip and stood up as he started walking towards the staircase.

"I'm sorry, Amu; we'll be right back, it'll just be a few minutes!"

"That's ok! How about I help out; Ikuto looked liked he was ready for bed anyway" Amu said as she left the Charas in the living room and followed Tsukasa upstairs to Ikuto's bedroom. Turning the light on, Amu went towards the closet to get some pajamas for Ikuto as Tsukasa started to change the boy on the changing table once more.

"So, will the daycare be able to help with all of Ikuto's "quirks"?" Amu asked nervously as she continued to search for the pajamas while Tsukasa undressed the boy and took the soiled diaper off, tossing it into the diaper bin next to him. Having wiped Ikuto clean, Tsukasa started to adjust the new diaper as Amu came near the table, having found some blue and black star pajamas.

"Yes, I'm so thankful that the daycare is accommodating in helping Ikuto out. I thought that it might be an issue due to his size and age, but the teachers and director are understanding about everything." Tsukasa thoughtfully stated as he quickly dressed Ikuto in his sleepwear and picked him up, placing the boy in his crib for the night. While Amu turned the lights off, Tsukasa brought the crib bars up and tucked Ikuto into his blanket; then, Amu joined holding a pacifier and the toy cat as she placed the soother into Ikuto's mouth and gave him his special toy.

"Good night, Ikuto. Rest well and I'll see you in the morning, buddy!" Tsukasa whispered as he and Amu tiptoed out of the room, the set of snores already present as Amu closed the bedroom door closed.

...

Hej everyone! Definitely a longer chapter than planned, but I feel it helped set some interesting plot points for this story. Plus, who doesn't want to know how Ikuto would do in a daycare? :)

I still have a certain storyline I want to follow, and I'll elaborate some important points in future chapters to come!

Hope you're all enjoying the story and see you soon! Hej då et tack !!!!