Ok I no the title really isn't original but it does xplain wat happens in the story! Special shout out to As Silent As The Shadows – love ya huny!! Have agr8 Christmas n New Year!!
Italics - thoughts
… … … - new scene
Christmas with the Bladebreakers
Christmas morning draped its arm over China as Ray stood by the window looking out at a sight that made his stomach fume. His mum laughed along with Kari as they both watched Ray's eyes go narrow and his fists tighten. Kai sat on the sofa partially ignoring Ray's tantrum while he reflected on past Christmases. The long wooden table and squeaky clean china that looked lost in the extensive echoing room that had a heart of loneliness whose beats echoed long and hard in the form of the little Japanese boy. He had long sat by himself at the head of the table with his legs swinging from the chair with only the professional chef and waitress as his company, not that they cared much, they had to do their job. Kai looked up from his thoughts as Ray began to pace up and down while Kari and his mum teased him. He gave a sly smile at Ray's reaction.
"I can't believe you let this happen!!! She's only a kid!" Ray lectured his mum who waved her hand dismissively at him.
"That's just the big brother in you talking."
"No it's the teenage guy in me talking! I know what we think of when we see young girls that like us."
"Who do you do it to?" His mum asked smirking. Ray turned red.
"No one!!!"
"Well you did just say, 'I know what we think of' " Kari quoted Ray who started to get flustered over how many holes there was in what he'd just said. He opened his mouth to talk back when the front door clicked open and Rina's laughter heated the winter chill that encircled the house before she closed the door behind her.
"Mum?" She called as she walked through the hall and into the living room hand in hand with a tall nice looking guy. Ray crossed his arms taking an instant dislike to him. "Everyone this is Chen - Chen this is everyone." She gave her boyfriend a small squeeze around the waist as he smiled making Ray glower at him.
"Nice to meet you." Chen put his arm around Rina's shoulder but when his eyes meet Ray's fiercest tiger glare his arm snapped back down to his side.
"Ray." Rina growled in a low warning tone; she distinctly remembered warning him of being unreasonable when Chen came and it looked like he hadn't taken any heed to her numerous threats of cutting his hair or shaving off his eyebrows as he slept.
"What?" He plastered on his old charming smile. "I'm just teasing!" Ray walked over to Chen giving him a subtly hard pat on the back. Chen laughed nervously pretending to be ok with the whole situation as he rubbed the upper part of his back that stung with the impact of Ray's hand. Kari shook her head instinctively sniffing the air that was filled with a slightly burnt smell.
"Is the oven still on?" Kari asked sending Ray's mum rushing off in a frenzied blur to the kitchen. Kari laughed. "Come on Rina we better help." Rina nodded giving her boyfriend a short kiss on the lips before following her mum's footsteps with Kari behind her. Ray cleared his throat not liking the thought that this guy had dared to touch his sister's lips right in front of him. Kai slumped down on the couch.
Let the show begin He thought smirking as Ray gave Chen a smile that was the very epitome of mischief.
"So you're going out with my baby sister?" Ray started gesturing to a seat. Chen nodded an unwilling gratitude taking the seat directly opposite the White Tiger who scrutinized his prey as he waited for the answer to his question with an intimidating big brother aura spilling from him.
"Eh, yeah. Do you not want me to?" Chen asked catching Kai smirking. Ray gave a small laugh getting to his feet and picking up a can of beer.
"What do you think?" He tossed it over to Chen who caught it giving an iffy smile while Ray turned his back on Chen beaming at Kai as he gave him a can. The beer hissed open as Kai pulled the cap back looking over at Chen who put the can down by his feet with a slight sweat of dread.
"Do you not drink?" Ray sat himself back down while Chen shook his head.
Damn it! Stupid wee bugger! Ray put his can down on the table wishing the little runt had an instant flaw, now he'd have to dig deeper.
"D'you not like it?" Chen shook his head again. Ray bit his teeth down hard on each other; now it seemed like it was going to be a challenge to even get the guy to talk! "So what do you like?"
"Um, basketball." Chen sat back feeling a little more relaxed as Ray gave the conversation some soft momentum.
"That it?" Ray's voice showed just how unimpressed he was.
"Uh well…I like being with Rina." Chen said honestly knowing his comment could go either way with Ray.
"What do you do with her?" Ray shot in a calm tone as Kai took a sip of his beer. Chen looked up at Ray with a confused look on his face but he had to answer the question if he was gonna get Ray's approval.
"Watch movies, go on walks, go to parties, normal stuff a guy does with his girlfriend."
"What's the normal stuff?" Ray pressed trying to make Chen uncomfortable which amused Kai who never thought Ray could be so manipulative.
"Nothing that's wrong." Chen said starting to get some courage behind him.
"Hey chill out, I was only asking." Ray shot Chen's momentum as he looked over at the door seeing the unmistakable shadow of his little sister and smirking playfully. "What d'you get for your exams?"
"A's." Chen answered shortly knowing Ray was about to play more games but not knowing they were for Rina's benefit.
"What was your best subject?"
"English."
"So you know what an acronym is?"
"…yeah." Chen looked over at Kai who tilted the can back up to his lips wondering what Ray's point was.
"Good, so you'll know about HIV." Ray grinned as Rina gave a huge squeal of disbelief from outside that made Kai half choke on his drink as he tried to contain his laughter. Chen reddened and gave a quiet laugh thinking now Ray'd gotten a reaction from Rina he'd stop. But he wasn't even half way there. "Well do you or don't you?"
"…well…yeah.."
"How?"
"Sex ed."
"So you've never had the chance to have it personally?"
"No!"
"You planning on it?"
"Do you really need to know this?"
"Do you really have to go out with my little sister?"
"…" Chen paused knowing the next thing he was going to say was very unwise, "Yeah one day."
"Who with?" Ray gave him a glare that could have scared Kai.
"Definitely not Rina!!"
"So your messing my sister about????" Ray jumped to his feet making Kai smirk. He knew it was wrong to let Ray wind the poor kid up but it was too irresistible to stop watching.
"No! I really care about her!"
"So you lied a few seconds ago?"
"No!"
"Pick what your answer is then! Cause one of 'em has to be a lie." Ray finished his sentence as Rina stormed into the room grabbing Chen's hand and pulling him up from his seat.
"RAY!!!! I told you to leave him alone!!" Kai and Ray burst out laughing while Rina raged on and on about how they were both so insensitive. Then to all of their surprise Chen joined Ray and Kai laughing.
"He was just messing about," Chen gave Rina a quick stroke on the face, "He's only being you're big brother n looking out for you." Rina looked at Ray and then back at Chen before sighing and accepting that Ray probably was doing it out of some kind of twisted goodness.
"Ok. Come on Chen I wanna go out for a walk."
"Food's gonna be out soon." Ray tried to change her mind but failed as she pulled Chen into the hall towards the front door. Ray sighed and quickly overtook Rina giving her a tight hug. "You watch yourself yeah?" Ray looked at Chen who straightened himself to his tallest height and extended his hand. Ray took it waiting until Rina was out of ear shot before turning again. "A quick warning," He tightened his grip on Chen, "You break her heart and I'll break your legs." Ray smiled letting go of Chen's hand that throbbed as it felt Ray's fingers still crushing down on his hand. Rina skipped over fixing the collar of her jacket,
"Coming?" She asked. Chen nodded opening the door and making his escape. Rina raised her eyebrow, "Did you say anything?" Ray pulled an innocent face that Rina didn't really pay attention to because she was more interested in being alone with Chen. Ray caught the door before it closed leaning his head against the cold wood as he watched them both wander off with each other hand in hand. It was a sickening sight; but whether it was because it was too lovey dovey or because of the sense of loss, he didn't know. His little sister was growing up. She wouldn't need him to protect her anymore…now that she had Chen. Kai slunk into the background and spoke his friend's thoughts.
"I never thought she'd grow so fast." Ray tried to answer back but couldn't bare to comment on the true words that pierced the outside of the small world he'd always known. He sighed and gradually shut the door, hoping that Rina wouldn't get swept away with a happiness that could lead to an excruciating fall.
… … …
Hiromi checked her make up for the final time before fixing her skirt and taking a deep breath as she looked up the garden path that led to Ren's house. Her shoes cut into her baby toes giving her an excuse to wait and gather more courage to go up to her crush's door.
Ok let's do this Hiromi took a daring stride forward in her three inch heels which clicked up the garden path surrounded by rose bushes and ordinary hedges. She stopped about three yards away from the front door as fear grabbed her tightly in the gut and her heels cemented her to the floor. She couldn't go to the door but she couldn't run away. Hiromi felt a clammy dread settle into her skin as panic started to take over. She couldn't do this anymore…
"Psst!" A distinct voice hissed from the rose bush. Hiromi looked over straining her eyes to see through the mild night darkness. No one was there and the only movement was some out of place branches with one or two leaves on them. She shrugged and bent her leg to force herself to move either backwards or forwards when hiss came again more urgently. "Psst!!!"
"Huh??" Hiromi done a full three-sixty to see who in the hell was making the noise. But yet again nothing was there, she shook her head and decided it was probably a cat making some messed up noise in its sleep when she saw someone bob up for a split second. She raised her eyebrow as a small figure rolled onto the well lit paving. "Oh-my-God" Hiromi's worst fears came true along with the nastiest headache she'd ever experienced.
"Are you deaf??" Daichi scowled lying on his stomach in full army camouflage, a water pistol, dark green marks on his face and a helmet with ripped off leaf branches attached to it. Hiromi rubbed her head wishing the ground would swallow her up as she watched Daichi give random hand signals before crawling like a master soldier back into the depths of the bushes, his hiding place. Hiromi sighed correctly guessing he wanted her to follow him. Her heels scrapped along the ground as she dragged herself unwillingly in the direction Daichi had gone.
Oh for the love of Gucci!!! She put her hands on her hips at the sight of Takao in a matching outfit.
"Don't you have someone else to stalk??" Hiromi hissed kneeling down so no one could see her. Takao laughed and fumbled through his pockets.
"Don't be stupid Hiromi, you know Kai's in China." He successfully yanked out a small headset. "Here you go." He held it out for her to take but she looked at it half puzzled and half annoyed.
"I don't have time for your army games!"
"Yeah we know that's why we brought it to you Fluffy Duck." Daichi grinned proudly bringing out a walkie talkie while Hiromi glared at him for giving her the code name Fluffy Duck. "We can talk to you through that."
"Help you get Ren."
"Takao you can't do anything!" Hiromi snapped in a sad tone.
"Can so!!" Takao said indignantly, "He's my big brother's best friend's little brother's cousin." Hiromi looked up at him confused. He shook his head as she looked at him blankly and fixed the earphone into her ear. "I'll tell you what to say."
"Tell her the code names!!" Daichi piped excitedly as he looked out of his binoculars into the next door neighbours' homes. He gave a whistle
That is one big Christmas tree
"My name's Hawk Eyes and Daichi is Dragon Dung." Hiromi sniggered at Daichi's code name.
"Hey my name's Scorpion Nest not Dragon Dung!!!" Daichi swung around angrily forgetting to take the binoculars away from his eyes and seeing the magnified version of Takao's face so unexpectedly he gave a girly squeal.
"Na you've gotta be Dragon Dung." Hiromi put her pinkie under her eye as tears of laughter started to ruin her mascara.
"Enemy mobilised!" Takao alerted them as he and Daichi both glued themselves to the ground and used their water guns to pry open the bottom branches. "He's taking out the garbage." Hiromi rolled her eyes at Takao's commentary. "Go Fluffy D go!" Hiromi stayed stalk still. Like hell was she going to respond to the name Fluffy D. Daichi looked at her impatiently before going behind her and pushing her out over the bush.
"Eeee!" She sat up in a more lady like fashion and checked her shin that had a massive scrape across it. Ren looked over.
"Hiromi?" His smouldering voice came out with an allure that made Hiromi flush. She smiled as she noticed the smoky wisps his breath gave as it hit the cold winter's air. "What where you doing behind there?" He watched Hiromi clumsily get up while hastily sorting herself out as the reddening in her cheeks began to become more noticeable, but he thought nothing of it, it was probably just the coldness getting to her skin.
"I..uh…lost my," She looked down at her hand to see the ring her mum had bought her. "I lost my ring." Hiromi held up her hand flexing her fingers so the small stone in her ring caught some of the light emitting from his house, "But I got it and fell when I was coming back over."
"Oh." Ren smiled wondering why she was near his house anyways. "D'you live around here or something?" He asked putting Hiromi on the spot before noticing her leg and wincing at the small bits of blood that started to protrude from the raw scratch. "You wanna get that cleaned? Mum's a nurse, she'll be able to help you out with the antiseptic and stuff." Hiromi accidentally stepped back as her heart fluttered and dashed about at his sudden offer for her to go into his house. He gave a friendly laugh at what he had perceived as her being cautious, "I'm not asking you to marry me, just to come inside." His eyes gave a loveable shine which, along wit his words, made Hiromi's heart drop.
He only meant it as a joke, stop being an ass! Say yeah and then get him! Her mind urged her but her insecure heart jumped in first.
"Uh…I'm ok, but thanks for-"
"Fluffy D this is Hawk Eyes - accept the enemy's offer. Over" Takao's voice made its debut into the ear piece followed by Daichi's mumbling comments about the neighbours Christmas decorations. Hiromi sighed; now it was going to go from bad to worse. "Dragon Dung shut up!!" Takao yelled at Daichi making Ren shift his weight to look behind Hiromi at where the abrupt mumble had come from.
"What was that?" He asked. Hiromi shrugged and laughed nervously making Ren smile at the sweetness it brought out in her.
"I am not Dragon Dung!! I'm Scorpion Nest!!" Daichi continued to argue with Takao while Hiromi tried to ignore the buzz in her ear and compose herself for her next move.
"Actually could I get my cut seen? It's kinda starting to hurt." She stroked her leg as she felt the blood tickle her leg as it began to drip down. Takao and Daichi stopped arguing at the sudden development. Takao scrunched his face up as he took her action as something it wasn't.
"Fluffy D stop the flirting, it's kinda sickening." Daichi nodded and added,
"Very un-lady like." Hiromi furrowed her brow in confusion not knowing what they were talking about at first, but then it clicked and she smirked wanting to wind them up.
"Well how else will I get him out of his pants?" Ren went red and laughed nervously.
"What did you say?"
"I uh.." Hiromi froze as her wind up went seriously wrong. Her brain just wouldn't think, all it could do was blame stupid Takao and dumb Daichi for thinking she was flirting when she just wanted to clean blood from her leg.
"MAYDAY!!!! We have a collision!! What rhymes with pants???" Takao shouted down the walkie talkie even though he was talking to Daichi who was right next to him.
"Elephants?" Daichi suggested without thinking and earning himself a vicious whack.
"Elephants??? How is she meant to bring elephants into the conversation?? Plus it doesn't even rhyme with pants!!!!" Takao raged at Daichi. Hiromi listened to a scuffle followed by a thump and then silence. She was left on her own by the sounds of it. What in the hell was she gonna say to get herself outta this one?
"Um.." She looked at Ren who waited for her answer, "…I uh..I said well, how else can I avoid one of my mum's rants." Time stopped as Hiromi's heart deafened her ears while she waited to see if Ren bought it.
"Ah." Ren laughed feeling stupid, "For a second I thought you said something about me getting out of my pants." Hiromi grinned apprehensively as Ren turned around and led her to his front door.
"Ooo la la Fluffy D we have a visual!" Takao's voice came from the silence and Hiromi listened to Daichi muttering as if his mouth had been cello-taped shut. Hiromi glanced over to see the conspicuous yellow toy binoculars pop over the rim of the hedge. "And it's name is Madam Mistletoe!!" Takao put on an insane French accent that made Hiromi laugh.
"What's funny?" Ren stopped and turned suddenly making Hiromi bang into him and they both mumbled half hearted apologies. Ren twisted on his heel and dug in his pockets for the house keys. Takao watched from the bushes as Hiromi's lover boy seemed to take forever to open the door. He shook his head and turned to look at Daichi who rolled about on the floor trying to release himself from his clear and sticky prison.
"Sh, you'll get us caught." Takao gave Daichi two patronising pats on the cheek whilst Hiromi and Ren seemed to start getting along more smoothly as they stood beneath the mistletoe. "Finally!" Takao grunted as Ren opened the door slightly before looking up at the mistletoe. Takao grinned as he herad Ren's voice come out in a hot and bothered tone.
"I don't really like this stuff…there's never anyone good enough to...well- you know…" Hiromi nodded in a dishonest agreement. She liked mistletoe, especially now when he was underneath it with her.
"Can I…?" Hiromi moved towards the threshold of the door to get her leg fixed. The hope of telling him the lost words she had planned out earlier that day had now slipped from her grasp; he didn't feel that way about her…she wasn't good enough to kiss, so that was it but before she knew it Ren had bent slightly and pressed his lips on hers while taking a gentle hold of her chin.
BLEUGH!!! Takao shook his head closing his eyes. That was just so wrong!!! He stood up not caring about being noticed anymore when he felt like he was gonna die of exposure to the whole smooch scene that played itself out before him. Ren opened his eyes as he softly stopped the kiss, at the sight of Takao he almost fell and pointed over at him. Hiromi turned around cringing at the sight of the soldier that walked away followed by a small bouncing red headed bundle of cello tape. She laughed nervously.
"Uh…I can kinda explain that…"