Little Boy

Chapter 14 ~ Searching for Answers


Ryu sat on the couch, cradling Manta. He smiled gently while looking down at the blonde, who was holding on tightly to his teddy bear while he slept.

“My, don’t you look cute,” Faust said with a soft laugh.

Ryu looked up, then blushed some when he found the doctor was watching him. “What do you mean?”

“You just look so happy to be holding him,” Faust said quietly.

“Well... Uh...” Ryu looked away, still blushing. “He’s sorta like a little kid, you know? I mean, I know he isn’t that young, but he sometimes feels like it.”

“I know. Don’t worry about it,” Faust said gently. “Anyway, have you seen Yoh-kun?”

“He’s preparing some fried rice and juice for Little Brother,” he replie

“Ah. I see. Well, could you ask him to come and see me when he gets a chance? I need to speak to him.”

“Of course,” Ryu replied, then looked to Manta wad sad stirred a little in his sleep.

In the kitchen, Yoh was adding green onions to the fried rice. He sighed, then looked up when he felt a familiar presence enter the room he turned and found gerogero floating there. “What do you want?” he asked cooly.

“Hey, you don’t have to get all pissy-assed with me when I’m trying to tell you something!”

“Like what? That you were the one controlling one of the people who hurt Manta and you were happy with how tight he was?!” Yoh snapped angrily, then whipa spa spatula at him.

“Hey! That’s not what I...”

“Get out!” Yoh yelled, his patience almost completely diminished after finding out what had been happening to Manta. “B “But Yoh, I...” He yelped when a length of blue beads surrounded him. “Hey, let me go!”

Anna glared at the ghost. “Yoouldouldn’t have come back after what you did to Manta and Mosuke,” she growled.

“You’re on to talk! You’re the one who... GAH!” He yelped as Anna whipped the beads and sent Tokagero sailing through the wall. “Filthy bandit,” she muttered.

“Anna, I didn’t ask for your help,” Yoh snapped, then looked to the rice that had just finished cooking. He carefully scooped some into a bowl and placed it on a tray, then quickly retrieved a pair of chopsticks and a glass of orange juice, then took the tray out to where Manta wait.

He smiled seeing that Manta had awaken, and now Ryu was reading him a story. The cover read ‘King Midas and the Golden Touch’. He cleared his throat to gain their attention, then said, “I made you dinner, Manta.”

The blonde looked up from the book and looked at Yoh curiously for a few moments, a soft blush highlighting his cheek bones. “Sankyuu, Yoh-chan,” he murmured.

Ryu smiled at the two, then gently placed Manta on the couch so that he was propped up against a pillow. “I will go prepare our dinner, Big Brother,” he said as he stood up. “Oh, and when you get a chance, Faust would like to see you.” When the younger shaman nodded, he bowed slightly, then quickly left the room.

Yoh walked over and sat on the couch, being careful of Manta’s feet, then looked at him. “Manta-chan, we really need to talk about something important,” he said as he placed the tray on the boy’s lap.

“W-What is it, Yoh-chan?” he asked quietly.

Yoh’s expression saddened. “Manta... I know that people have been hurting you and forcing you to do bad things... I need you to tell me who they are.”

Manta became pale, then shook his head. “N-No. Nothing is wrong.”

“Manta, saying that only tells me that it’s worse than you believe it isoh soh said gently. “I need you to tell me what happened at school after you went in at lunch.”

“N-Nothing,” he whispered shakily, then looked at the tray.

Yoh sighed. “Manta, you love me, right?”

“Of course I do,” he said in panic as he looked up, tears immediately forming and rolling down his face. “Of course I love you. I love you with all of me, beyond everything. I... I’m sorry Yoh-chan! I didn’t mean to... mean to... to...” He buried his face into hands, sobbing in confusion and fear. “I’m so sorry, Yoh-chan!”

“Manta,” Yoh said in alarm, then quickly placed the tray on the floor and scooped Manta into his arms. “Manta, don’t cry. Please don’t cry. I’m not angry. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He looked at him sadly. “Manta, I didn’t mean that I was angry or didn’t love you. I meant that if you love me, you shouldn’t be scared to tell me what’s wrong. I’ll understand. Honest.”

Horo watched from the doorway, his eyes rimmed with tears of guilt. ”How could I have been so terrible?” he thought. “Yoh? May I speak with you?”

The brunette looked up, then nodded slowly while looking back to Manta. “Manta-chan, please don’t cry. I love you,” he cooed gently while rocking the boy.

Manta looked up with small whimpers, then slowly calmed down. “I love you, Yoh-chan,” he murmured, then nuzzled his face against Yoh’s shoulder, not wanting the shaman to let go of him.

Yoh gently laid Manta back down on the couch, then retrieved Sakura, which had been knocked off the couch. He smiled as Manta accepted the teddy bear, then gently held one of the tiny hands. “Manta-chan, I’ll be right back, okay? I’m just going to talk to Horo Horo.”

“Hai,” he whispered softly, then reluctantly let go of Yoh’s hand.

“Why did you refer to Manta as a little whore?” Anna inquired as she placed a pot on the stove.

Ren cocked an eyebrow. “Why do you care?”

“Because I would like to know,” she replied.

“Hmph. For starters, the little bastard decided to suck my boyfriend. And after I made him feel good, no less.”

Anna looked over with interest after pouring some apple juice into the pot. “Oh?” She smirked. “So the little rat is playing Yoh for a fool, is he?”

“Well let’s see. He slept with me twice. He sucked Horo twice. Now that I think of it, he had called Hao’s name the second time he was with me,” Ren said, leaving out the fact that Manta had said ‘stop’ before using Hao’s name.

Anna smirked. “Is that so? My, he is a little whore, now isn’t he?”

“And I take it your beef with him is Yoh?”

Anna snarled. “Some little midget is not going to take away what is rightfully mine alone. And there is no way Yoh is going to get away with that attitude of his. Now, did you get the tape?” she asked as the apple juice began to boil.

“Sure did,” he replied with a smirk.

“Good. Oh, Ren. Once we get those two apart, you can have Manta. I do not need that little rat hanging around here if he’s going to endanger my engagement to Yoh.”

“Quite generous of you,” Ren said with a smirk.

“Go get that tape ready. And make sure nobody sees you or this will never work.”

“Right.”