โ โ โ โ โ โ .... โ delicate digits play with the hem of his red shirtใnot yet finding the words to answer his dad. he was quite upsetใbut not because of toji.
โ โ โ โ โ โ she's ... she's still ... โ megumi turned tail and ran off to his roomใabruptly.๐โคท
toji closes his eyes, realizing he might be upsetting the child. adjusting his posture, he kneels down in front of megumi, getting eye level.
"hey, you're not in trouble. what's the emergency, kid?"
looking at his son patiently, expression void of the panic he had moments ago.
โ โ โ โ โ huh... .แฃ โ the child remarksใstaring up at his dad. โ did i do somethin' bad.แฃ
..you said it's for emergencies. โ his little face fellโhe doesn't know what he did wrong. a step or two taken away from tojiใonly now megumi avoids eye contact.
it's too quiet. . .
he finally looks around, pinpointing the location of his son and rushing over to the phone, grabbing it out of his tiny hand.
"hello, sorryโ my son picked up the phone. sorry for the inconvenience."
putting the phone down, turning towards megumiโ
yeah.
he's the bestโbut ... there's this guyใtoo.
โ he picked up a black and white figure that resembled some twisted form of a spider. โ
he's like you ..
( he's surprised at how megumi responded to the toy, continuing to clean up the floor. race cars, Legos, all putting them in the toy box that rests against the wall. )
ohโ okay, then.
is he your favorite?
โ and pick his toys up he did. scooping some of the blocks into a sphere casing with a lid. at leastโhe did until the action figure caught his attention.
black panther.
a small hand took it from toji'sใalmost snatching it. โ
that's mineโdon't touch him.
( toji shakes his head, guiding megumi to begin picking up the toys scattered around the living room. )
you have so many cool toys, though. they'll get sad if you replace them, y'know.
( picking up an action figure, waving it around )
look how cool this guy is!
โ and there goes his other handใindex finger right in his nostril while he stood there.
he at least holds onto his father's large handโhis tiny one swallowed up. โ
โ โ โ โ nuhใi want a new one.แ
( cringing, reaching to gently pull the boy's hand down. )
quit diggin' in your nose. your toys are all over the house, megumi. we should clean up. . .
thankfully ใthe urchin took the block from the other boy's hand and clutched it close to his chest.
โ don't touch. you got all the blocks thereโsee.แ โ he's pointing at the red and yellow ones featuring other shapes.
he stepped a little closer until he was right at kawaki's handใlooking at the blue block and how it was carved into a bridge. like most kidsใhis attention span wasn't fleshed out. he could get happyใsadใor angry over the smallest change.
๐โคท
kawaki was still not familiar with the area, so being outside with someone else's kid sounded like a nightmare.
โhaah? it's far too late for that. besides, you have all these cool toys right here.โ he picked up a few blocks.
his arms dropped back into default positionใturning his head to get a good look around the houseโit looked lived in at least. clothes thrown everywhere. crayons scattered with blocks and stuffed animals.
โ mm ... can we play outside.แฃ โ
it's past midnight.
โno. hell is the current state of this damn world.โ perhaps a conversation for when the brat was older.
โlisten kid, we have a few hours to spare. anything in particular you wanna do?โ
โ his eyes were brimming with tears in the cornersใwrists held in protest to stop his pestering jabs. โ
โ โ โ โ โ when is mom comingโshe'll get you. and say 'm not soft. you're soft. โ
โ all that bickering .. he forgot to watch the cartoons. they're going off ... ๐ง.โ
โ every time his hands were pushed asideโthey came back up againใyanking and jabbing at his fatherใrepeatedly. โ
โ when mom gets home you're in big troubleโi'm gonna tattle everything.แ โ
โ he doesn't know she's not coming back... โ