Haruka's Fanfiction

This is the result of a request my wife had for a specific story in which Makoto got to be happy. I also used a prompt, which is stated at the end of the fic.

Shopping Day (RH Plus)

By Haruka (haruka@ymail.com)

--

Kiyoi was on a mission.

After the recent garage sale he and the boys had held, he had promised Makoto that they would go out on the next free day and fill his room with new things. The sixteen-year-old had come to their family six months ago with nothing, and Kiyoi was ashamed of himself to have realized that even now, Makoto still had next to nothing. Oh, he had the essentials, but it wasn’t until Masakazu and Ageha had needed to get rid of piles of accumulated ‘stuff’ from over the years that he noticed Makoto had nothing to clear out. That was an unforgivable sin on his part, and he vowed to correct it.

When he’d broached the idea of their going shopping, Makoto had seemed surprised, the way he always did when Kiyoi or anyone else showed him special kindness, but he had also seemed shyly pleased. Today would be that day.

“You’re going to have a great time, Makoto!” Ageha assured him at breakfast. “Kiyoi, you be sure to take him to the mall, okay? It’s got the best concentration of stores so you can get almost everything in one place.”

“And while you’re there, go to Seams Unique,” Masakazu waved a fork at Kiyoi. “They have the best clothes – I shop there.”

Ageha stage-whispered to Makoto. “So you go there if you want to look like baka Kazu.”

“Hey!” Kazu protested, standing up to show off his patterned jeans and intricately embroidered shirt. “Who else do you know who dresses as well as I do? I’m a great example to follow if he wants to get lots of girls!”

“Haruka-san gets more girls than you, and he just dresses nicely, not oddly, baka Kazu.”

“Haruka CHEATS!”

Kiyoi chuckled softly. “In any case, neither of you has to worry – Makoto and I will make a thorough coverage of stores in the mall.” He gave Makoto a warm smile and the boy returned it tentatively. Kiyoi hoped that by the end of the day, that smile would come easily.

--

Makoto was a little nervous at going out with Kiyoi by himself. It would be the first time. Usually, with Ageha and Masakazu along, a steady stream of chatter, bickering, and laughter would keep conversation moving. With just him, maybe Kiyoi would be bored and wish he’d brought the others.

Once they were in the car, though, it didn’t appear that he would have anything to worry about. Kiyoi asked him probing questions that kept him talking about school, his classes, and the video games that he and Ageha were currently playing. Kiyoi also asked his opinion of the recent missions they’d gone on for Mister. All in all, it was an enjoyable ride, and Makoto was almost sorry to see it end.

However, that was when the fun of shopping began. Makoto could hardly believe it when they walked through the doors into the busy, noisy, bustling mall and Kiyoi asked him where he’d like to start.

“Um …,” he said uncertainly. He really didn’t want to ask for anything; Kiyoi had done so much for him already.

The older vampire smiled at him. “How about we begin with the closest stores and just work our way down?”

Makoto smiled back and nodded.

The closest store happened to be a book store, and while Masakazu was a reading junkie, Makoto had never owned any books of his own besides schoolbooks before. Kiyoi asked the cashier where the young adult section was and when she brought them over to it, he told Makoto that he could pick out as many as he would like. The two of them deliberated over various volumes, keeping some and rejecting others, until Kiyoi was satisfied that Makoto had enough to make a good start in finding out what type of reading material he liked. They carefully delivered an armful of books each to the front counter for purchase.

“Of course this means we’ll have to get you some nice bookshelves,” Kiyoi told him, touching his finger to Makoto’s lips when it looked like he might protest. “And I won’t take no for an answer.”

Once they’d taken care of that and had brought the books and shelves out to the car, Kiyoi said, “We’d better take you clothes-shopping next or Masakazu won’t forgive us.” Makoto could only agree with that.

Since he already had a practical wardrobe, this was more to fill it out with fun clothes, Kiyoi said. He and Makoto went through several clothing stores that catered to teenagers, getting advice from the clerks on what was in fashion coupled with Makoto’s own taste. Kiyoi had him change into one of his new outfits before they left the store.

“You look wonderful,” he told the sixteen-year-old. “How does it feel?”

A couple of girls passed by and gave Makoto an appreciative look, then turned to whisper to each other animatedly. Makoto grinned at Kiyoi. “It feels great!”

A few minutes later, Makoto was surprised when Kiyoi wanted to take him to the electronics store. “You’ve already got video game systems that you play with the others, but I also want you to have some personal toys, like those little music players the kids all use these days and a laptop.”

“A laptop?!” Makoto repeated in shock. He was still reeling from hearing he’d get his own MP3 player and wasn’t sure he’d even heard this part correctly.

“Yes, Ageha and Masakazu both have a laptop, so you should, too. The only thing I require is that you don’t spend ALL your time glued to it – that’s why there’s only one tv in the house is so we can watch as a family. I don’t want a computer to steal you away from us, understand?”

Makoto nodded in silence. This had to be too good to be true.

But Kiyoi was as good as his word, and by the time they left that store, he not only had the laptop and an MP3 player, but a stereo system, a new cell phone with the latest gadgetry on it, and a digital camera.

“I think we’d better make another trip to the car!” Kiyoi laughed as they struggled with the boxes.

“You mean we’re not done?” Makoto asked incredulously.

“Not yet, I still have a couple of other things in mind.” The older vampire winked. “But before we take care of those, we’ll have something to eat in the food court.”

It wasn’t long before they were settled at a table with their lunch. Makoto hungrily ate the hamburger, thinking that it wasn’t as good as Kiyoi’s home cooking, but somehow still tasted wonderful. Kiyoi himself was having some kind of pasta, but took a moment between bites to smile at Makoto. “Are you having fun so far, Makoto-kun?”

Did he even have to ask? The teenager nodded emphatically. “I really am. Thank you so much for everything.”

“We aren’t finished yet,” Kiyoi reminded him. He paused for a moment, then said, “Makoto-kun, have you been happy living with us?”

“Yes,” he answered, wondering again why Kiyoi even had to ask. Wasn’t it obvious? “I’m sorry if I haven’t seemed grateful –“

Kiyoi startled him with a hand on his arm. “I’m not talking about gratitude. I’m talking about your happiness. Do you enjoy living with us?”

“Yes,” he said firmly and smiled. “I’ve never been happier, Kiyoi-san, really.”

The older vampire sat back, looking relieved. “I’m glad.”

Makoto gazed at him in wonder. It was amazing to him that anyone, let alone someone as wonderful as Kiyoi, would worry about him so much. It made him feel warm and comfortable inside.

When lunch was done, Kiyoi said that he now wanted Makoto to look around and decide on how to decorate his room. Posters, bedspread, curtains – anything he wanted to make the room more ‘his’ would be fine. Makoto had never done any sort of decorating before, so he didn’t know where to begin. It took a good couple of hours in various stores before Kiyoi was satisfied that he had found all that was needed to transform the bare walls and old-fashioned décor of Makoto’s room into something a teenager would love to call their own.

“Are you getting tired yet?” Kiyoi asked him with concern as he re-adjusted the bags he held.

“Not tired, but worried that you’re spending too much on me,” Makoto admitted.

“Nothing to concern yourself with,” Kiyoi assured him. “Let’s bring these things to the car and then there’s just one last thing I want to do here.”

What could possibly be left? Makoto wondered as they made their way back to the car.

Once they’d returned, Makoto followed Kiyoi curiously. He honestly couldn’t think of anything else there was for them to do.

“Here we are!” Kiyoi said finally, and gestured toward a photo booth. “I would like to get some pictures of the two of us to commemorate our first day out on our own, what do you say?”

Makoto looked at him and saw the warmth in his eyes, feeling the love behind them. He felt his own eyes welling up and nodded happily.

“Come on then.” Kiyoi smiled and put an arm around his shoulders as they stepped inside the photo booth together.

--

As they rode home, the back and trunk of the car laden with gifts from Kiyoi, Makoto studied the strip of photos they’d taken and barely recognized himself in them. Never before had he smiled so genuinely, without hesitation.

“We can both keep two of those pictures in our wallets,” Kiyoi suggested.

“I’d like that.” Makoto grinned. It wouldn’t be hard to divide the pictures – he was beaming equally in all of them.

Kiyoi glanced toward him and smiled. “I really enjoyed myself today.”

“So did I,” the younger vampire assured him, then paused for a thoughtful moment. “Kiyoi-san, can I tell you something?”

“Certainly, you may tell me anything. What is it?”

Makoto bit his lip and looked over at him. “It’s been ten years since I knew what it felt like to be loved, but I remember now. And it’s not all those nice new things, although I’m excited about fixing up the room.” He smiled shyly. “It’s that YOU bought them for me, and that we got to spend the day together. Thank you.”

Kiyoi gave him a one-armed hug. “You’re welcome.”

“On the next free day, maybe we can ALL do something together,” Makoto suggested eagerly. “As a family.”

“I would like that,” Kiyoi told him. “We’ll suggest it to the others and see what we come up with.”

Makoto sighed contentedly as he settled against Kiyoi’s shoulder. It had taken a while to get to this point, but he finally felt like he knew where he belonged.

--

(Prompt – Starting over)

(2008)

RH Plus belongs to Ayako Suwa

This fic is not to be re-posted.