Birdcage

I am drenched, I am rain

Original AO3 Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3445862/chapters/7775789

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Yuu bursts back into his life with an old bokken and a smile that can set the entire world on fire.

"'Niichan, Yukio-niichan!!" she says, jumping into his outstretched arms. "You're here!!!"

"Of course I am. Got to make time for my favorite girl, don't I?" Actually Yukio's only formally here because his dad had to talk with Yuu's dad about very important business stuff and he apparently has to learn the ropes of the business, being heir and all. But the reason why he's stayed behind while the dads broke out the alcohol is this - green eyes, warm smile, pretty much the only girl younger than him he could talk to without wanting to crawl into a hole and die somewhere. (Who also happens to be better with dealing with girls than he is, but that's neither here nor there.)

"Gods, Yuu-chan, you've gotten heavier. Has it really been so long?"

"Yes, niichan, it has! I mean, you even missed my last birthday." Yuu frowns. It's really supposed to be a scary, disappointed frown, the kind Yukio himself would shoot Kise when he didn't take their sparring seriously, but on her little face and chubby cheeks it looks more adorable, than anything. "If it were anyone but you, I think I would've never forgiven them. Consider yourself lucky."

"...yeah, I guess I really am," he says, hand raising up to fix the ornament in her hair more securely. It's a petal-pink cherry blossom, perfectly visible against the dark of her hair. "I'm really sorry I wasn't able to come celebrate your birthday with you, Yuu-chan."

"...and?"

"And, yes. First thing tomorrow, I'm gonna teach you how to use that bokken. Naginata are all fine and good, but I guess I could argue that you'd need some variety here and there."

"Aw, why tomorrow, niichan? You promised it could be today!"

...Yukio never actually promised they'd spar today, but he did promise they'd spar when they next met, so she could be considered right, in a way. "But it's really late at night, Yuu-chan. Little children like you should be asleep by now...does your handmaid even know you're still up?"

There's a way to how Yuu just tenses up immediately at the question that makes Yukio want to smile. Got you. "Um...uh...yes...?"

"Yuu-chan?"

"Yes?"

"You tend to trail off when you lie. You should learn to stop doing that."

"Niichan!"

"Don't tell me. You snuck out of the room again, didn't you? I already promised you that I'm not gonna leave Kyoto without having at least seen you. Why do you keep doing this?"

"It's just - I wanted to see you, niichan! I haven't for so long, so when I heard them say that you were passing time in the courtyard, I couldn't help my feet from bringing me here!"

"And how'd you get past your handmaids and retainers, hm?"

Yuu puffs up her chest. She almost sounds proud, all of a sudden. "Why, I left through my window, of course! I don't like that window much, but it serves my purpose here."

"But isn't that window the one with a fish pond underneath...oh." Yukio looks down. There's mud staining the hems of Yuu's lovely purple-colored sleeping kimono, and his own robes as well. If this were anyone else who'd gotten something so unsightly as this on his person Yukio would've probably decked them, but this is Yuu...so, he sighs. "I should've known."