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Mutsuki had rolled over in his bed, hugging his stuffed rat tightly against his chest when he woke up to a small sniffle coming from beside him. He sat up and squinted in the darkness to make out the small figure lying on the futon next to his bed, slightly shaking with its back facing him.
“Hajime?” Mutsuki whispered, causing the other child to jump in surprise, “Are you ok?”
The room was silent for a moment until Hajime let out in a small voice,
“I-I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”
But Mutsuki was never one to leave matters unresolved, and carefully in the light of the moon shining through his window, he slid off his bed and knelt down next to his cousin still facing away from him. He put a small hand on his shoulder,
“Do you miss your mom?”
“No!” Hajime sprang up defensively until he remembered that it was the middle of the night, he lowered his voice to a whisper “Well maybe. I just, I’ve never spent the night away from home before...”
“What about your grandpa Kazuma’s place?”
“I mean,” Hajime was glad Mustuki couldn’t see him blush, “away from my parents.”
“Do you want me to wake up my mom and dad? They can call yours if you want?”
Hajime thought for a moment,
“No.” he said more determinedly, wiping his eyes with his wrists, “Dad says I’m a big boy now. I’m in elementary school, and I need to be brave and strong.”
“You are brave and strong Hajime!” Mutsuki said enthusiastically.
“Uh thanks?” Hajime always found himself puzzled at his younger cousin’s reactions. But he did find himself feeling a little better. He was going to grow up eventually. Sooner or later he was going to have to get used to not having his parents down the hall for him to see whenever he wanted. He really did have to be brave and strong. Not just for himself, but for them as well.
He looked out to the window and saw the full moon shining in the sky.
He wondered if his parents could see it too.
Kyo turned over in his bed, scratching an itch on his ear when he woke up to a small sniffle coming from beside him. He sat up and squinted in the darkness to make out the figure lying next to him, slightly shaking with their back facing him.
“Tohru?” Kyo whispered causing the figure to jump, “Are you ok?”’
The room was silent for a moment until Tohru let out in a small voice,
“I-I’m fine.”
Kyo knew immediately that was a lie. He put a hand on her shoulder, “It’s Hajime isn’t it?”
But unlike their 6-year-old son, Tohru wasn’t capable enough at the moment to put on an act and not embarrass herself, as immediately when she heard his name she sat up in bed holding her face in her hands as fresh tears sprang from her eyes,
“It’s just, he’s never spent the night away from home before!”
“He’s spent the night plenty of times at Master’s house.”
“I mean away from us ! What if he needs something!?”
“He has everything he needs,“ Kyo said trying to reassure her, “You checked his bag three times remember?”
“B-but what if he gets sick? Or if he has a nightmare?”
“I’m sure if anything like that happened they would call us right away.” Kyo scooted over and tenderly took her in his arms, “Do you want to call and check on him?”
Tohru thought for a moment,
“No.” she said more determinedly, “It’s like you said. He’s a big boy now. He’s in elementary school, and he’s brave and strong.”
“He is brave and strong.” Kyo agreed
“And...I need to be brave and strong.”
“You are brave and strong.” He squeezed her shoulders, “Geez, imagine what you’re going to be like when he moves out.”
Tohru jumped from his arms and shook her head, “No! I don’t even want to think about that! He’s already growing up too fast!”
“Relax, we have plenty of time before that happens.” Kyo then gently moved his hand off her shoulder and began rubbing a small bump below her navel, “And besides, you’ll have another one to smother with love soon enough.”
“And this one is not allowed to grow up,” Tohru said almost too seriously as she matched his movements. But she did find herself feeling a little better. She did know that Hajime and their soon-to-be second child were going to grow up eventually. Sooner or later she would have to get used to not having them down the hallway whenever she wanted to see them. She really did have to be brave and strong. Not just for her, but for them.
She looked up to the large window by their bed and saw the full moon shining in the sky.
She wondered if Hajime could see it too.