I am trying to make a comeback! Give me all the support that you know I am going to need for this story…considering I think it's going to be about 18 chapters. I already am thinking of a sequel to this one, and it's not even written yet!
Hey there! This is the sequel to 'Are bad things really good things in hiding?'! If you didn't read the first one, please go back and read it! You kind of need to know what happened in that oneshot for this multi-chapter story to make much sense (at least I think you do…)
Warnings: Yaoi, Yuri (Mao and Emily), 3some (Mao, Emily, and Kenny (Chief)) possible lemon further on, slight AU, Mpreg, Gay marriage, OC's (family and friends)
Rating: From T to M (Will most likely get up to there about 5th or so chapter)
Pairings: BryanxRei, KaixTala, RobertxLee, MaoxKennyxEmily (3some), TysonxMax, and more...
Summary: Bryan and Rei are now together and ready to start a permenate life together. Sequel to Are Bad Things Really Good Things in Hiding. MPREG. BxR, KxT, RXL
NOTE: Mao/Mariah-I dont know if her name is really Mao in the Japanese version, but that's what I'm going to refer to her as-hope that's okay with everyone
Disclaimer: I don't own the beyblade cast! I do own the OC's Juan, Nahini, and Loukono (If you wish to use something about one of my OC's, please just tell me before hand. I happen to love each of them in their own way. Also, for anyone that is reading Scattered Dream I plan on having Karsin and Luka in this story-What do you all think of that?)...and when I add more OC's I will say so at the beginning of the chapters!
Just Another Day in Paradise
Chapter One: Family...
Bryan sat at the table, watching Tala make coffee. 'If figures.' he thought. 'I tell him I need advice, and he turns it into a big production.'
This was the first chance he had gotten to talk to Tala. Kai was at college taking the last of his business classes so that he could rightfully take over his grandfather's company. Rei had just left to go pick up a few groceries that they needed. That was the important thing, having Rei out of the apartment.
He loved Rei, more than anyone, even Rei, probably realized. He's been dating the eighteen year old for almost fourteen months now and he need advice. (1)
"Bryan!" Tala snapped, glaring at him.
"What!" he snapped back.
"Coffee, cold..." Tala said, nodding his head toward it. Bryan blinked, looking down at the luke warm cup of coffee in front of him. He sighed, taking a sip of the dark brown liquid. "Sugar?"
Bryan looked at him, eyebrow raised. "What do you mean?"
"Sugar..." Tala said, glancing down at the bowl, and then watched Bryan blink. Tala sighed. He took the cup, adding a spoon full of sugar, then handed it back. "I figured the coffee would calm you down. What's wrong?"
"I don't know what to do." Bryan sighed, sipping at his coffee.
"About?"
"I..." Bryan sighed. "I want to propose to Rei."
Tala blinked, pinched himself, then blinked again. "Damn."
Bryan glared. "What's wrong with that?" he asked, finishing his coffee.
"Nothing...it was just unexpected." Tala told him. "So...what's wrong?"
"I want to do something special." Bryan got up, fixing himself another cup of coffee.
"Got a ring in mind?" Tala asked. He verily caught the ring that Bryan tossed to him. It was gold with a red stone about the width of his smallest nail. "This a real ruby?"
"Yeah." He said, sitting back down. "Dad gave it to me last week, it was his mom's."
"You told your parents?"
"Dad." he corrected.
"What'd he say?" Tala asked, sitting the ring down on the table.
"He wants me to bring Rei over for dinner." Bryan picked up the ring. He had had it sized down to fit Rei's finger, knowing the size from the ring he had bought Rei for his birthday.
"When?" Tala asked, looking at the calendar.
"Tonight."
"Damn."
"They think Rei's a girl." Bryan told him.
"Fuck." Tala committed. He stood up, getting himself a cup of coffee, pouring caramel from the container next to the pot. Bryan watched him, smirking. It took a lot to get Tala nervous enough to drink coffee. "What are you going to do?" Tala asked, sitting back down.
"I'm going to take him and see how it goes." Bryan answered. "I'm going to marry Rei, even if mom and dad don't approve."
"Alright." Tala said. He took a drink of coffee, wrinkling up his nose. "We drink hot chocolate next time."
"Whatever."
"So, do you have anything in mind for the 'special' proposal?"
"Not really."
"When do you want to proposal?"
"Some time in the next few days." Bryan answered.
"Give me the ring. I'll see what I can do." He held out his hand, and Bryan placed the ring in it.
"What do you think?"
"Well...I think a b-" He stopped as the front door opened, closing his hand around the ring. Rei entered the kitchen a moment later, setting the bags down. He looked between them, then at the cups. He opened one of the bags and took out a box, sitting it in front of Tala, smiling at him.
"I told you I would be right back." Rei teased, leaving the box of hot chocolate mix on the table while he put away the rest of the groceries.
"Bryan wanted coffee." Tala all but whined. "Then he stressed me out talking about you two."
Rei stopped and looked at Tala. He looked over at Bryan next, and Bryan wouldn't make eye contact. He turned back around, putting away the last few things.
"I'm going to lie down." Rei told them, leaving the room. Tala and Bryan watched him leave, then looked at each other.
"I better start dinner for Kai." Tala said, getting up, slipping the ring into his pocket for later. "You should shower and change. Don't let Rei sleep all day. He also should shower before you leave."
"Yeah." Bryan muttered, getting up. He headed down the hall to the one bathroom, sighing. He figured that they should join Kai and Tala in looking for their own place, maybe a house.
He undressed and got into the shower
Bryan entered the room, getting out a pair of dress pants and a nice white shirt. Even if it was his parents place, he wanted to look nice. This was an important moment in his and Rei's relationship. He put them on, and then towel dried his hair. He tossed the towel into the hamper, grabbing his brush and running it through his hair.
"Rei." he called, moving over to the bed. Rei was curled up on his side, back facing him. Bryan moved over to him, bending down and kissing his head. "Rei?" Rei shifted, curling up tighter, moving away from him. Bryan took a hold of Rei's shoulder, laying him onto his back. He looked down into red rimmed gold eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, whipping the tears away.
"You didn't have to bring Tala into this." Rei told him, his voice a little horse.
"What do you mean?" Bryan asked, motioning for him to sit up. Rei ignored the request.
"About us. About the fact that we're breaking up." Rei told him, tears starting to fall again.
Bryan shifted, laying down, taking Rei into his arms. "What makes you think I'd ever-EVER-let you go?"
"Because you've been distant lately." Rei whispered. The thought of Bryan ever leaving was heart breaking. To Rei, Bryan was already his life mate. If he left, it would be worse that if he had died.
"I have, haven't I?" He asked, and Rei nodded.
"More so today." Rei muttered. "You're so stressed out today."
"I'm sorry." He told him. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just..."
"You have a date." Rei closed his eyes.
"In a way." Bryan told him. "I was going to take the most beautiful person in the world out to a...special dinner."
Rei made an odd noise in his throat. "I see."
"Do you want to know who?"
"No."
"Rei...it's you." Bryan said, kissing his head.
"What?" Rei blinked, looking up at him.
"My parents want to meet you...I guess that's what's been on my mind. It was tonight, but I think I'll just call them and reschedule." Bryan told him, holding him close.
"Why?" Rei asked him, rolling over to face him.
"Because you're upset, and I fear what they will say to you."
"I'm alright." Rei muttered. "I love you."
"I know." Bryan told him, sighing. "Let me go call them."
"I want to go. I don't want them to think that I'm some kind of selfish person."
"Rei, you could never be selfish." Bryan stated, kissing him. Rei kissed him back, a slight smile on his lips.
Rei pulled away. "What should I wear?"
Bryan sighed, then smiled. "Go get a shower. I'll look through you're things for something." Bryan told him. Rei smiled, kissed his cheek, and then crawled over him to get off the bed. Bryan sighed, watching Rei leave, wondering why he even tried to convince Rei that they shouldn't go.
Rei brushed his hair, having just finished blow drying it. Sighing, he wondered what to do with it. He was wearing a classic red Chinese shirt and black pants. He picked up a pair of red hair sticks (the one that look like chopsticks), deciding to pull the top of his hair up with them. "You look nice."
"Thank you." Rei told him, smiling at him through the mirror. "It's been a while since I wore this."
"You should wear it more often." Bryan said, kissing his neck. Rei closed his eyes, leaning back against him in content. He loved when Bryan touched him.
"When are they expecting us?" Rei asked.
Bryan sighed, looking at his watch. "In about 45 minutes."
"When do we need to leave?" Rei asked him.
"Soon." He answered. Rei attempted to more away, but Bryan held onto him tighter. "Just a few more minutes."
Rei looked at him, wrapping his arms around Bryan's arms. "You're nervous."
"Yes." Bryan muttered. "I want them to accept you, but...it's just..."
"It's because I'm a boy." Rei supplied and Bryan nodded against his neck. "Are you ashamed?"
"Of you?"
"Yes..."
"No...Never." Bryan told him. "It's just that I lost them once when I was younger and I want them to be proud of me now."
"So you are ashamed." Rei muttered, turning around, wrapping his arms around Bryan's waist.
"Not of you...of myself."
"Why?"
"I'm not worthy of you." Bryan said. "After everything I've done...I'm ashamed of that and I'm afraid my parent won't want me with you because of all that."
Rei kissed him, laying his head on Bryan's chest. "I love you...and your parents can't change that, no one can."
"I know." Bryan told him. "But I don't want them to dislike you...or our children one day."
"If they do...then they can just stay away. It's their choice if they want to be part of our life." Rei told him, smiling up at him. Bryan chuckled. "Let's go."
"Yeah." Bryan agreed, pulling away. Rei smiled again, tightening his gold sash. He then looked Bryan up and down. He reach up and straightened his collar, then ran his hands down the shirt, making sure there were no wrinkles. "Thanks."
The two headed out, going down the hall towards the door. "Tala, we're heading out!" Rei told his red haired friend.
"Alright...see you later!" Tala called back. There was a sound of crashing and splashing. "AHH! SHIT!"
Rei giggled, sharing a look with Bryan. Looks like their friends would be going out to eat...once again...
They pulled their heavy coats on, heading outside in the early November evening. Bryan had started the car while Rei was getting dressed, so when the two of them got it, it was already nice and warm. Rei sighed, than smiled at Bryan.
"Are we on time?" Rei asked, buckling his seatbelt.
"Unfortunately." Bryan muttered, backing out of the parking space, heading towards the exit to the garage.
"Are we ditching?" Rei asked, knowing how his boyfriends mind worked.
"No." He said, smirking.
"So...what are we doing to annoy them?" Rei asked, looking at him. He knew that Bryan would do something to get back at his parents for making them come over.
"You...my truck."
"Me?"
"Hmm." he nodded. "They never asked anything but if I was dating."
"Bryan!" Rei whined, lowering his face into his hands. He had no doubt that Bryan's parents thought he was a girl.
"Don't worry...I doubt they can hate you more than this truck." He assured.
"Why?"
"I bought it without their help." he answered. "They wanted their little boy back but they got a full grown man."
"Ah." Rei muttered, sighing. "Then why won't they hate me...I just prove that you have your own life."
"Then let them...they can't change my mind or my heart."
Rei giggled. "Is that so?"
"Yeah...I'm not leaving." Bryan said, sighing. Bryan, though not fully understanding it, did know some about Rei's culture. He knew enough about it to understand that to Rei's people, there was no such thing as divorce. If Rei was taking the time to get to know him, spending more than 6 months with him, it was expected that they would be together for life. Rei smiled, leaning back into the seat. "Don't fall asleep."
"I won't." Rei told him, looking over at him.
Bryan glanced back, then smirked. "How's your driving classes going?"
"Stop making fun of me for not having my license yet." Rei muttered.
Bryan chuckled. "So...?"
"I get my permit next week." Rei told him.
"Alright...I'll teach you how to drive." Bryan said.
"What?"
"Well...better this truck then Tala's new car." He stated.
"Are you saying I'm going to crash?" Rei huffed.
"No...Just encase you do." He smiled Rei, then turned back to the highway.
"You make it sound like you expect me to." Rei told him.
Bryan chuckled. "I expect you to be you." He stated. "Which means try, try, and try some more till you get perfect at it."
Rei looked down, hiding his smile from Bryan. "I'll try not to disappoint you."
Bryan pulled off the highway, heading into a small town. Rei watch the road, looking at the houses as they past. Nice house from well off - not rich - people.
Bryan chuckled.
"What?" Rei asked.
"We're going to be a little late."
"What!"
"We we're supposed to be here twenty minutes ago." Bryan stated.
"I asked if we were going to be late and you said no!"
"I meant we were right on time."
"You...You...OH!" Rei whined, placing his face in his hands as Bryan pulled into a driveway. Sometimes he wondered why he fell in love with the older boy. "What now?"
"I've got it covered." He assured, kissing Rei's temple before getting out. Rei sighed. He unbuckled and followed.
In front of him was a two story house. It was painted a dark blue with light purple shutters. The door was off white and the down stairs windows were showing pale green curtains.
Rei walked around the green truck to Bryan's side. He gave Rei a slight smile, and then headed for the door. Rei looked the house over one more time before following Bryan to the door that had just opened to reveal a woman.
She appeared to be in her late thirties, early forties. She had short curly lavender hair and lavender eyes behind black rimmed glasses. She stood about 5'4", three inches taller than Rei, wearing a nice blue dress.
"Bryan!" She smiled at him. "Come in. We were starting to get worried."
Bryan shrugged. He held his hand out behind his back for Rei, which was quickly grabbed. They followed her into the house. She looked Rei up and down, a slight look of disappointment in her eyes. Rei quickly looked away, clenching Bryan's hand tighter. Bryan gave it a reassuring squeeze, heading into the room to the left. It was the same room that Rei had noticed from the outside- the one with green curtains- a living room.
A man, about forty-five, was sitting on the couch. He had short black hair, slight gray mixed in. He was looking up at them with silver eyes. "Bryan."
"Dad." he acknowledged. He removed his coat, motioning for Rei to do the same. The coats were laid over the arm of the empty couch. He then sat down on the couch opposite of his father, pulling Rei down next to him. His mom gave a look to his dad, and then sat down next to him. Rei had a feeling that they had just decided that they didn't like him.
"Dad, mom. Meet Rei." He said, glancing at Rei. He was playing with the hem of his shirt and Bryan knew that that lower lip was about to be abused by teeth.
"Hi." Rei managed, trying to appear strong.
"Rei what?" Bryan's mom asked.
"...Kon." He answered, glancing at Bryan.
"Mom." Bryan muttered. "Rei, this is my mom Nahini and my dad Loukono."
"It's nice to meet you." Rei said, bowing his head.
"You're Chinese?" Nahini asked.
"Yes ma'am." Rei told her.
"Bryan." she whined. "What are you thinking?"
Rei blinked, looking over at Bryan. Of all the things he expected to make them hate him, his nationality had not been one of them.
Bryan shrugged. "When have I ever?" he asked sarcastically.
"Never, it would appear." she told him. "You need to."
"Stop it!" Rei told her, eyes slitting. Rei was not going to let anyone talk to Bryan that way. Not a stranger. Not a fan. Not a friend. Not even his own mother. Rei wasn't going to let anyone offend the person he loved. "He's your son; you're supposed to support him."
Nahini went red in the face, while Loukono looked Rei up and down.
"You're an okay kid." Loukono told him. "It's been a while since I heard someone talk to her like that. Explains why Bryan puts up with you."
Rei blushed, eyes returning to normal. "Thank you. I can't see how he does."
"I've got my ways Kitten." He answered.
"...Kitten..." Loukono asked, then laughed. "I thought I recognized your name. Tala said Kai tends to spend more time with you then with him."
"Some days." Rei told him, smiling. "Kai tends to look out for me."
"After you." Bryan corrected. "He babysits."
"Does not."
"Does." Bryan told him.
"Not."
"Does." He kissed Rei lightly on the lips. "Now shush."
Rei flushed, looking down. "Fine."
"Breath Mom." Bryan sighed.
"But...But...Ta-Tala said Kitten was a boy!" She screeched.
Loukono blinked, looking Rei over. "I'll be." he whistled. "Nice catch."
"Thanks."
"Don't encourage him Lou!" Nahini scolded her husband. "Bryan, look. We've put up with your behavior enough. Its time you start to think of the future and find someone you're going to spend the rest of your life with. I was hoping that you realized this and gave up dating boys for few months, then finding a new play thing. You need to find a nice Russian girl...think of the family name. You need to have children...And you can't do it with that...that...that 'thing'!"
Rei flinched, looking down. He could never be what this woman wanted. He couldn't give her that perfect daughter-n-law that she wanted, the one she had dreamed about for years. Any children they had wouldn't be what she wanted, he was Chinese.
"Mother!"
"I'm sorry." Rei told her. There was only one thing he could do, only one thing he could do for Bryan. Bryan had said that he didn't want to lose his parents, and Rei would not let anything hurt his mate, not even himself. "I'll leave." he got up, bowing. "Thank you for having me." He grabbed his coat, than turned and left the room, going back outside to the truck. He put his coat on, than got in, lying down across the seat. Bryan probably wouldn't be out for a while anyway, he would eat dinner before they went home.
He bit his lip, wrapping his arms around himself. He closed his eyes, willing the tears away. Looks like he was right, they were breaking up. There was no way that he would ruin Bryan's relationship with his parents. Not only that, but like Nahini said, Bryan would get bored with him soon enough and move on. All Rei was doing was speeding up the process, no matter how much it hurt him to do it. He knew that Bryan was the only person that he would ever love.
Bryan gritted his teeth, shaking with anger. He closed his eyes, deciding to silently count, forcing himself to do so slowly. He ended up having to count to a hundred three times before he felt calm enough to even attempt to speak. Bryan opened his eyes and glared at his mother. "That was uncalled for."
"Well, it's true. At least now he knows and understands it won't work out. The two of you aren't right for each other." She told her son.
"How do you know if we are right for each other? You don't know him; you don't know anything about our relationship. You just met him. Besides, it's not your decision to make, its mine. It's mylife. And for you information, we work. That's why I brought Rei here. I brought him because dad said that he wanted to meet him before I proposed." Bryan told her.
"Pro-proposed?" she asked.
"That's right. So either accept him or that it, I'm gone. I will pick Rei over you."
"But what about children? The family name? The family honor?" she asked.
"Choose." he told her.
"Either let him in or lose your son again." Loukono told her. He loved his wife, but she could be a little closed minded at times.
"Fine." she muttered. "...But-"
"Ask Rei when I bring him back in." Bryan told her, sighing. How were they going to explain that one to his parents?
"How do you know he didn't take off with your truck." his dad asked, figuring that Rei had the second set of keys to the old thing.
"He can't drive." Bryan answered, getting up. "I'll be back."
"I'll set the table." Nahini said, leaving the room.
"Tell her that it's a secret...I haven't proposed yet."
"Sure." Loukono nodded. "Now go get that boy, I like him."
"Me too." Bryan grinned. That was why he liked his father more.
He headed out to the truck, not bothering with his jacket. He headed straight to the passenger door. He opened it, finding Rei lying on the seat. He could tell that he had once again cried, this time till he had fallen asleep. He pulled Rei into a sitting position, then lifted him into his arms.
"Bry?" Rei muttered, eyes opening to look at him.
"Yeah?"
"Where are we going?" he asked. Bryan sighed, heading into the house. He mom and dad looked at them as they headed into the living room, the older couple being in the dining room that was to the right of the door.
Bryan sat Rei on the couch, than helped his out of his jacket. He laid Rei's jacket with his, than kneeled on the floor in front of the younger man. "I told you today wasn't a good day." Bryan smiled, whipping Rei's face, riding it of tears.
"No, it wouldn't have changed anything." Rei told him. "I'm not what they want...but why should I be?"
"You're perfect."
"Am not."
"Yes you are." Bryan assured him. "You're perfect for the fucked up me." Rei laughed. "And the fucked up Kai. And the fucked up Tala. And this fucked up world."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Bryan chuckled. "And the way fucked up insane Lee."
"Lee isn't!" Rei giggled. It was a running joke of sorts between them. Bryan saw Lee as insane, since he had gotten pregnant not even two months after Ellica had died. Rei knew that it was just in need of closure from what had happened to Ellica and to Rei himself.
"I feel sorry for Juan (2)." Bryan muttered.
"You shouldn't." Rei said. "I think the three of them are perfect together."
"You hold no hate for them?" Bryan asked. The two of them had never talked about what Lee had done to Rei the year before. It was something that still caused them pain, so that wasn't a topic that was ever breached. The most they would talk about from that day was what had happened to Lee, and more of what happened on the days that followed.
"No. I love Lee, I could never hate him. No matter what he does." Rei said, smiling. Bryan smiled back, then kissed him. To him, Rei was the sweetest person alive. To him, Rei was the only person who could counter his gruffness. To him, Rei was his everything. Rei was his life.
Loukono and Nahini exchanged a look for three reasons. The first, their son seemed genuinely happy, and they hadn't seen that since he was really young. The second was from the confusion of who these people they were talking about. The third was that their son wasn't getting mad about Rei saying that he loved someone else. They figured that they would just have to ask their future son-n-law.
"Are you two ready for dinner?" Loukono asked. Rei pulled back, gasping. His eyes darted to Nahini, then to his lap.
"I'm sorry for what I said Rei." Nahini told him, though it sounded a little forced. "You were right, I'm his mother. I should support him in what he wants. I just...worry about him."
"If you didn't, you wouldn't be his mother." Rei said, smiling.
"Let's have a nice discussion over dinner to get to know each other better." Loukono said. "Sound good."
"Yes sir."
"Call me Lou, and I'll call you Kitten." he said, winking at the blushing boy.
"Rei will be fine, Lou." Rei said, blushing darker.
Lou laughed, leading the way into the dining room, liking the boy more by the minute. "Where are you from Mr. Rei Kitten Kon?"
They sat down, Rei and Bryan across from each other, with Loukono to Rei's left, and Nahini to his right. "A village in the mountains of China." Rei answered, not even bothering to correct Loukono on his middle name. They started to dish out food and eat.
"Ah...And money wise...where are you?" Nahini asked.
"Money wise?"
"Like...your bank account." she explained.
"Why do you want to know that?"
"Bec-"
"For no reason." Loukono told him, giving his wife a warning look. She was not going to drive this boy off. "She just wants to know what kind of job you have."
"I work as the head chief at a restaurant." Rei told them.
"Why?" Loukono asked, curious why he had chosen that to do.
"I like it. I enjoy cooking." Rei shrugged, eating.
Everything was quiet after that, at least till desert.
"Rei?" Nahini called, looking at the boy.
"Yes Ma'am." he asked, looking at her.
"Do you plan to adopt?" she asked him. She had to know. She had to know what was going to happen to their family. If she was going to be a grandmother, if Lou was going to be a grandfather. Most importantly, if Bryan would be a father, that their family name was not ending here.
Rei blinked, confusion written all over his face. "Why would we?"
"For children." she explained, her voice sounding that she was talking to an idiot.
Rei looked at Bryan, confusion clear in his eyes. "They don't know?"
Bryan shook his head. "Never told them." He hadn't told his family anything about Rei, especially about the child the two of them had lost. He didn't want his mom to know. He feared that she would hate Rei, and that wasn't something that he wanted to happen.
"Oh...umm...well...you see...I..." Rei stopped, looking down. He didn't know what to say, how to explain what he was to two people he didn't even know.
"Rei is a Neko-Jin. This means 'cat person'. He is able to conceive like human women can." Bryan told his parents, stepping in to save his boyfriend.
Nahini blinked, looking at Rei, then at Bryan. "You sound like...it's already happened."
Rei flinched, keeping his head down, while Bryan looked away so she wouldn't be able to see the hurt look on his face. "Something like that."
"When are you do?" she asked Rei, glaring. So that was how that Chinese boy got her son to stay with him.
Rei smiling sadly at her. "I'm not...I miscarried."
Loukono once again gave his wife a look that told her to back off. She was not going to use that to hurt this boy, to hurt either of them. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah...it's been a year." Rei told them, staring at his plate. He had missed carried the night Lee went into labor, and Ellica was born early the next morning, and her birthday was November 11. That told him that it was still 6 days till it had been officially a year since he lost his baby.
Rei missed the shocked and displeased look that Loukono shot at his son. "Bryan." his dad muttered. He could tell just by looking at Rei, that there was a few year between them. He wasn't sure how many, but that had to mean that Rei hadn't been fully legal – over 18 – when they had conceived a child, and the only reason he assumed Rei was over 18 now was because Bryan mentioned proposal. Bryan should have known better then to have sex with his underage boyfriend, and defiantly should have known better then to get said underage boyfriend pregnant. His son had been, and in a way still was, dating a child, for to Lou, Bryan was too young for marring and children, and his boyfriend was even younger.
"Don't start." Bryan muttered back. "I already know."
His dad nodded, and then looked at the sad Neko-Jin. "We look forward to your children someday, if you stay together that long."
"Thank you." Rei still didn't look up, his voice clearly showing pain.
"Bryan, how do you know it will even work?" Nahini asked, figuring that the boy was lying. Who was to say that these "Neko-Jin" things even exist? Who was to say that they could get pregnant even if they did?
"My brother just gave birth to a daughter in September." Rei answered for him. He looked up, grateful for something to get his mind off the lost life of their child. "Bryan?" Rei asked, holding out his hand. Bryan took out his wallet, handing it to Rei. Rei flipped through the few pictures there, then pulled one out. He stared at it for a moment, then handed it to Nahini.
"The dark haired one is my brother Lee, and the man next to him is his life partner Robert. The little girl's name is Juan." Rei said.
The picture was of their first family picture since their daughter was born, the picture only about two weeks old. Juan was only nine weeks old in the picture. Lee was holding her in his arms, Juan's little body pulled close to his chest. He was sitting on a stool, while Robert stood next to him; one hand on Lee's shoulder, the other was with Juan. Juan had both her little hands wrapped around his index figure, most likely pulling them towards her month, her black hair was laying in whips and blue eyes, that had yet to change in color, were half closed as she yawned (3).
Nahini handed the picture across the table to her husband. "Is he your only sibling?" Loukono asked.
"There's also Mao." he answered.
"Mao?"
"Our younger sister." He told her. "Well...if we get technical it's his younger sister."
"What do you mean?" Loukono asked, handing the picture back to Rei. Rei ran his thumb across Lee's face, the slipped it back into the wallet.
"When I was really young, my parents died. Lee and Mao's parents adopted me. They're really my cousins." Rei told them. "So even if we grew up together and were raised by the same people, some think that I should only think of them as my cousins and not as my brother and sister. The Elders happened to be some of those people."
"If you want to and they don't care, what does it matter what others think?" Bryan muttered, taking his wallet back. Neither made a move to explain who the Elders were to Bryan's parents, even if they both could see the confusion on the married couples faces.
"Do you have a picture of your sister?" Loukono asked.
"No...sorry." Rei shook his head. "I've got some at home...but well..."
"We don't get along to well with her most days." Bryan explained.
"She doesn't like Bryan after what he did to me in the finals." Rei told them when they gave him confused looks.
"Finals..." Loukono muttered, then gasped. "You were the boy he sent to the hospital before Mr. Dickson was able to free the Demolition boys?"
"Yeah." Rei said, nodding.
"Then, may I ask, how you ended up dating him?"
"Kai introduced us again on good terms. Kind of hard not to love someone like Bryan, especially when he is as dominate as he is..." Rei explained, blushing, knowing that Loukono and Nahini wouldn't understand why that was important to him. Bryan didn't even really know what that meant to him, the two never really talking about what it meant to him.
Rei, being a submissive Neko-jin -called just Submissive, looked for a Dominant partner. On the other hand, there was also Neko-jin who dominate-called Dominant-and then ones like Lee. Lee was a Neko-jin that was neither dominate or submissive-called a Nutural. There was a time that people thought that Lee and Kevin would end up together, as Kevin was also a Nutural. Nuturals wanted mates that would like to be dominated, but also ones that wanted to dominate. Rei, to this day, did not know how Lee ended up with Robert. Robert, to Rei anyways, seemed to fall into what they called Dominant, meaning that Lee was Submissive, but at the same time Rei knew that it wasn't possible. The three types of Neko-jin weren't just interchangeable, a Neko-jin was born one way, and the animal-the Neko part of them-made it so that they had to be that way. Rei would never be able to truly dominate-though he could every once in a while if he wasn't mistaken. In the same since, Lee would have to dominate at some point in both the relationship and in their bed for the Neko part of him to be satisfied, because he was a Nutural. (4)
"Ah."
"Rei, let's get going. It's getting late, and I want to get home before it gets to dark." Bryan said and Rei nodded. Bryan stood, moving away from the table. He went and retrieved their coats.
"Thank you for having me." Rei told him, bowing. He then accepted the coat that Bryan was handing him, putting it on.
"See ya." Bryan said, putting his own coat on.
"Drive safe." Nahini told him.
Bryan sighed, leading the way out of the house. "At least that's over."
"What's wrong?" Rei asked, getting in to the truck, buckling up.
"I...Well...It's just...this reminded me why I have so many issues with my mom." Bryan told him. He turned the truck on, turning the heater on full blast. They would have to sit for a few minutes so the car could defrost.
"I'm sorry." Rei sighed, looking out his window.
"You shouldn't be..." Bryan told him. "Well, at least Dad likes you."
Rei laughed. "Yeah?"
"Hmm."
(1) Say the first story takes place in '1994' (just a random year…go with it)...and in it Bryan says that Rei's birthday isn't for another month and a half, which would make his birthday on 'January 17, 1995' (since Ellica's-Lee and Roberts daughter that was still born-was born on 'November 11, 1994'). This chapter is taking place in 'early November, 1995'. Though they didn't start dating till after Ellica was born, they had been 'together' for 6/7 weeks before that. If that makes since...
(2) Juan- pronounced like Jue-ann.
(3) I believe all babies are born with blue eyes...but if not we'll say that all Neko-Jin babies are born with blue eyes...and by three years of age the eyes will change color to the color that they will have for the rest of their lives.
(4) I tried to explain this the best that I could. More or less, there are three types of Neko-jins and all Neko-jins-male and female-are born to be one of these. They are called Submissive, Dominant and Neutral. Submissive is a Neko-jin who is the submissive in the relationships (Rei/Gary). Dominate is a Neko-jin that is dominate in the relationship (Mao (becuase we all know that she is)). Natural is a Neko-jin that are both, but doesn't lean towards one over the other (Lee/Kevin).
Well...that is chapter 1 of Just Another Day in Paradise! Review and tell me what you think! Also, as I said before. Readers of Scattered Dreams-What do you think of my putting Karsin and Luka into this story? Do you like them as characters or should I leave them out?