A/N: Written for the

Prompts in Steps Challenge, 4.07 – fruit
Yugioh All Seasons non-flash version, #156 – bird
The Halloween Trick or Treat Bag (Advent 2015), day 23 - toilet paper: write a fic that is harmless fun
Diversity Writing Challenge, c14 – write a fic that is K rated

Under the Shade of the Hospital Trees

Kouyou is supposed to be teaching Juudai how to duel.

Not that Juudai doesn't know how to duel. They've already covered the basics, and more. If Juudai cared to, he could compete in the regional competitions they held for kids his age and come away with a rank and maybe a trophy too but he doesn't care about such things. Not yet.

At his age, Kouyou wasn't dreaming of trophies either, and Midori still doesn't. There's plenty of time for all that, later in their lives when they can't keep up with their childhoods… Or other people's childhoods in Midori's case, as well. He doesn't have the right temperament for a teacher, apparently. He can handle one-on-one tutoring with Juudai but a class of students walk all over him. Still, he visits Duel Academia at least once every year because they still love to see a professional duellist in their midst but he doubts he teaches them anything, duelling wise.

Maybe if he'd had younger siblings… But he kind of does now, doesn't he?

And look, he's even been sucked into procrastinating with Juudai. Trying to spot the birds in the tree above them instead of concentrating on their duelling – but they're both pastimes, so what does it really matter? The nurses will come and fetch him if they need bloods or to run some test or if the doctor's here to see him, and Juudai's here because he hasn't got school –

Although… 'You haven't done your homework yet, have you?'

'Nope.' Juudai pouts. 'I can do that later, Kouyou-san.'

He always says that, and Kouyou always humours him and Midori always makes him do it after she's dropped him back home after dark and it winds up being pretty effective. Midori has lots of experience in convincing kids to do their homework, after all, and neither of them feel comfortable in leaving Juudai at home alone after dark, even if that's his parents' responsibility.

They care, though, so they make it theirs. And maybe it makes Juudai's parents more relieved as well because they're always thankful to home and find Midori still there. But that will only work for the holidays. Soon, she'll be back at Duel Academia and Kouyou wondered what would be more irresponsible of him, keeping Juudai until his parents realised he wasn't home and came to pick him up, or letting him go home knowing full well he'd be alone?

Or maybe he'll be out of the hospital by then and it'll be come a non-issue. But however will he convince Juudai to do his homework? They'll wind up staring at clouds and birds in trees or watching some sort of sport or duelling and talking about what sort of deck Juudai had built this time…

Funny how he's stopped wishing to leave the hospital for himself. Juudai really has become the third member of their family and it all began with a coincidental meeting in this very hospital, after a broken leg from Juudai's part and… well, they still don't really know what's wrong with him.

'I see it, Kouyou-san!'

Kouyou blinks at the trees. He sees nothing where Juudai points… And it sounds to him like the sound is coming from the other side of the tree. 'Juudai,' he scolds.

The boy grins. 'You weren't paying attention, Kouyou-san.'

Well, that was true. And Juudai was readily admitting to attempting to pull a fast one on him.

He ruffles the boy's hair. He doesn't protest anymore. He didn't protest much to begin with and so Kouyou and Midori both do it. And it doesn't make much difference to his hair. He knows because Midori's combed it before. It sticks up in all directions anyway and the look is fine on Juudai.

Kouyou's hair, on the other hand, looks ridiculous when his hair is everywhere. Like when someone ruffles it (Midori; always Midori). Or when he's tossed and turned too much in his sleep… But he doesn't do that much anymore. Hospital beds aren't really made for tossing and turning on. Or when he's outside like today and the wind plays its own symphony with his hair as the instrument strings. And, of course, the nurses come calling for him before he can do something about that most times.

'The bird's in your hair!'

He feels his hair, even though he's sure Juudai's just pulling his leg again. 'It's not,' he protests.

'It could be.' And Juudai giggles. He thinks the hair looks ridiculous as well, when whipped by the wind.

Kouyou ruffles his hair some more. It really doesn't do much except make Juudai giggle more.

'Is this how you two duel?' Midori's amused voice suddenly interrupts them.

Kouyou shrugs. 'Juudai is convincing.'

Midori shakes her head, still smiling. 'One of these days, you'll get over this problem of letting kids walk all over you.'

Juudai is giggling some more, but he's watching them with interest to. He always does that when they tease each other, or share barbs, and they're always careful to not descend into true fighting even if they feel like it in front of him. Juudai is an only child and they're his siblings: older and role models for him. And they certainly don't want to let him thinking fighting is good – even when their own tempers rule them, sometimes.

But that's how their more serious sibling quarrels go. They fight alone and make up alone and nobody else has any idea they've fought alone, despite how much in the public eye they both are (or at least in the duelling world).

And Juudai is always watching how they interact when they're together.

'It's okay.' Juudai's feet don't quite reach the ground so he swings them instead. 'It's Saturday. We've got loads of time. And there's a bird in the trees.'

'Is there?' Midori asks, looking up herself. 'Ah, I see it.'

'What?!' the two boys exclaim, standing up. And once they've stood on either side of her, they can see the bird easily. When they sat, it had been hidden by the branches and it's so silly, all that time they spent trying to peer through the leaves and all they'd needed was a different angle…

They groan together. That was disappointing.

'And now that that's done…' Midori looked sternly at Juudai. 'Have you done your homework, Juudai-kun?'

'Umm… nope,' Juudai replies, looking more sheepish than when he'd replied to Kouyou. 'I'll do it when I get home?'

Midori sighs and shakes her head. 'I should be immune to those eyes by now.' And as Juudai cheers, she adds: 'But you will do it when you get home, won't you?'

'Of course, Midori-san,' Juudai promises. 'Otherwise you'll give me that scary look tomorrow and make me do it then.'

Kouyou remembers that look well. But he's laughing anyway because he's picked up something else from that exchange as well. And when Juudai and Midori stare curiously at him, he explains: 'It's your eyes. Or your stares. Whatever. You've held an entire debate and agreement with it.'

'But we didn't fight.' Juudai's face scrunches up as he tries to make sense of it.

'He means we compromised.' Midori ruffles his hair. 'You don't need to fight to compromise, sometimes.' And when Juudai still appears confused, she explains: 'You don't want to do your homework now, and I don't want you to leave it till the last minute and we both already know this, so we didn't bother saying it. Instead, we've settled on tonight, which is between now and tomorrow night where you really need to be done by.'

'Ooh,' says Juudai, processing that. 'I get it. And I guess it's a good thing people don't compromise on their duels, otherwise Kouyou-san wouldn't be so famous.'

'Well, that's a different thing,' Kouyou shrugs. 'Some things can be compromised on, and other's not. Everyone who plays professionally plays for things they can't compromise on. Your parents can't compromise on their work because they'll lose their jobs. It's either work or don't work.'

'I know.' And Juudai looks sad for a moment before brightening up. 'I'm going to find a job with less working hours when I graduate.'

They laugh, because Juudai's still at that young and impressionable age where he has a list of jobs he might want to be and probably wind up as none of them once he's actually all grown up.

'And what will you do in the spare time?' Midori asks.

'Spend time with my family and friends, of course,' Juudai replies proudly. 'Maybe not bird watching though. That was a bit of a letdown.'