Acting Your Age

Well, Syaoran is the most mature one in the whole group sometimes… Kurogane and Fai can act their age, but they usually don't. Ah well, they're cuter that way.

Syaoran grimaced as he watched his companions (who were supposed to be the older, more mature ones, right?) chase each other around the crowded park. He glanced left and right at the people who were watching the goings-on and sighed. Why couldn't he have been stuck on a never-ending journey with people that were a bit more… reserved? Frankly, he wasn't even sure what had caused the game of tag this time. Because that was all it ever was, a game of tag, and no matter how many death threats Kurogane shouted, anyone who knew either of the two men could be completely certain that he did not mean them in the least. Syaoran patted his bag, which emitted a squeak, notifying him that Mokona was still in there and had not escaped to wreak more havoc. He supposed he should stop the two older men before the park authorities caught them.

After all, there was a big sign that Fai conveniently ignored which told passerby not to climb on the spindly, brittle-looking trees. Well, if the branch broke and Fai broke his leg or something, Syaoran was just going to say "I told you so" and also possibly laugh. Actually, he would probably not laugh; that would be rude. He would just be laughing in his head. In any case, Syaoran highly doubted that would happen, because Fai seemed like he was skinnier than some of the branches on the tree. And, according to Kurogane (who had to carry him around when they were in Tokyo), Fai was as light as he looked.

Syaoran wondered for a moment how the magician even managed to look like that, considering all the sugar he tended to eat.

A few nearby women with young children were staring at the scene. And then they walked away, dragging the children with them and telling them not to talk to the crazy people. Syaoran considered leaving Kurogane and Fai there, but he sighed and took a few steps forward, trying to stop them from causing more trouble without getting hurt. At the moment, Kurogane was trying to get Fai out of the tree. Apparently he noticed the sign. "Kurogane," Syaoran called, "perhaps if you let him fool around now, he won't keep us up all night."

Kurogane rolled his eyes.

"I've learned to sleep through his idiotic babbling," he replied.

The instant Kurogane stopped to turn and look at Syaoran, Fai dropped out of the tree and landed squarely on the ninja's back, wrapping his arms around Kurogane's shoulders to hang on. Surprisingly, Kurogane was altogether unaffected by the impact and barely stumbled. Apparently, in addition to being used to Fai's voice, he was used to being jumped on without warning by the wizard.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Come on, you two. We have to go before we get in trouble. Again."

Kurogane started walking, and Fai wrapped his legs around Kurogane's waist, perfectly content to remain on the warrior's back as long as he was allowed. "Sometimes I think the kid's more mature than you are," Kurogane pointed out, twisting his head a little to look at Fai as he slid his hands under the blonde's knees to keep him from falling off.

"Yeah," Fai replied, ignoring the jab at his maturity, "our little boy is growing up, hm?"

At that, Kurogane let go at let Fai fall onto the pavement.

Syaoran sighed heavily, almost ready to tell the two to act their age. He didn't bother to do so, knowing that it would do no good.