Hi Guys! Thanks for the reviews, especially for my dear Guest, whom I can't thank it personally, but I hope you know it. :)
So let's continue with the next part.
* Home for Christmas *
- Part 2 -
In the hallway Takao was walking towards the source of noises. When he opened the door of the boys' room his eyes went wide. In the whole room was a big chaos, toys tossed in all directions. It was like after a beybattle. In the middle of the room were Gou and Makoto wrestling. Gou, who was a year older than Makoto and a bit taller, was pinning down his brother on the floor while he was pulling his hair. At the same time Makoto's fists were on Gou's collar, trying to choke him as a payback.
"You're going to give it back!"
"No way!"
"But it's mine!"
"No it's not!"
"Boys cut it out!" Takao leapt across the mess to separate them. He lifted Gou up by his waist when he tried to hit Makoto and dangled him in the air so he couldn't jump back on his brother. "I leave you guys alone for a few minutes and you already start a new fight." he scowled at them.
"He took away my Superman figure!" Gou shouted as he pointed accusingly at Makoto.
"No I did! It's mine!" Makoto retorted as he sat up on the floor. He had the same outlook as Takao did at this age and was wearing now his dad's favourite baseball cap. "I won it from you in the card game after you lost so it's mine now." he grinned cockily.
"That's because you cheated!" Gou lashed back vehemently. Whenever he was angry his crimson eyes resembled very much to Kai's death-glare, not only his dual hair.
Not that it scared Makoto. On the contrary, he enjoyed provoking his older brother. He sent him a triumphant grin and stuck out his tongue.
Gou gasped with indignation and attempted to avenge on his pesky brother. "Why you little –" but was held back by Takao.
"What did I tell you boys about taking a bet on games?" he looked reproachingly at them.
"But you and Papa often did." Makoto pointed out innocently.
"Yeah, but we never jump on each other's throat when one of us lose. We deal with it in a different way." he explained warily.
"Like how?" Gou tilted his head up at him curiously.
"I know!" Makoto piped up excitedly. "They probably do it when they lock their room at night. I heard Dad making weird noises when I sneaked out my room to steal chocolate puddling from the fridge…" he clapped a hand to his mouth when the last part of his sentence slipped out.
First Takao's face flushed horribly then glared at him with rebuke. "I guess I have to lock you in the room too."
Makoto pulled his cap lower on his head sheepishly. This made Gou satisfied and he smirked.
Takao blew out a sigh. "I think you two need a little work to let out that lot of energy from your system." he put a hand on Gou's shoulder after put him down on feet. "You son come with me to help grocery shopping, and we need to buy a Christmas tree. Till then, Makoto cleans up this mess in the room."
Makoto's jaw dropped in horror. It was well known that he hated everything that had to do with house cleaning. Even though the boys still shared a room, Gou's part was always tidy and neat while Makoto used to leave his stuff everywhere, as if a storm rushed through.
This time Gou stuck out his tongue victoriously before he turned to follow his Dad.
x ~ * ÷ ~ Ö ~ ÷ * ~ x
Takao liked picking up Gou most of the time whenever he went shopping. While Makoto was way too wriggling and noisy when it came about shopping, he was running up and down along the shelves with his hungry eyes glued to all delicious sweets he saw, on the other side Gou was more disciplined and self-conscious. He helped carrying the grocery bags for Takao and had a good taste checking out the perfect Christmas tree.
It was odd how much Gou resembled to Kai's personality, not just his outlook. Makoto's wild character reminded Takao very much of his own childhood, therefore he trained Makoto Beyblading most of the time while Kai did the same with Gou. The perfect matches. However, Gou's mature company was a bigger help for Takao when he needed him around house-business and shopping, like now.
And Kimi… well, she was the bond of them. She was a mix of Takao and Kai in every way. She was their only daughter, a little angel, who spent most of her time following Kai everywhere like a puppy. Takao didn't mind, though, he was glad that Kimi's clinging gave company for Kai when Takao was busy away.
After they had bought everything they needed and picked out the perfect Christmas tree that Gou chose, they packed up on the horse-drawn sleigh. Ever since Takao had found it in the old shed and renewed it for Kai's sake, he took good use of it every year of winter. At these times, when there was big snow, it was cozier travelling on a horse-drawn sleigh than driving a car. On the way home Takao bought a strawberry bagel for Gou and another two bags for the others later.
They were half on the way home when Gou spoke.
"Can I lead the sleigh Dad?"
Takao looked down at him surprised at first then smiled. "I guess you're enough old to learn it."
He handed Gou the rein and showed him how to handle them. "You shouldn't pull so hard because horses can feel it if you're tense and they might plunge… leave it loose but hold it firm and secure so they feel you're determinate… that's it."
Gou gave the order to left and the horses obeyed him. The sleigh turned in the next corner.
"Look Dad! It works!" he exclaimed happily.
Takao laughed and ruffled his hair. "Very good son."
Back in the Hiwatari Mansion Kimi was sitting on the ledge of the window in the living room. She was peering out eagerly as she waited for them to arrive. When she spotted the sleigh at the gate she shrieked up excited.
"They are here! They are here!"
She quickly jumped down and ran out the room, and up on the stairs, to whoop the news in the whole house. Makoto hurried out curiously from his room, after he'd packed his toys away (better to say he stuffed them under his bed) and even Kai perked up his head from his paperwork.
Gou helped to carry the grocery bags and when they stepped through the door Kimi and Makoto were already in the hallway waiting.
"What did you bring? What did you bring?" Kimi jumped up and down with bouncing excitement. Her long plaits dangled in the air.
Takao laughed. "Easy little bunny. You'll see it soon." he maneuvered into the kitchen with the heavy bags and put them down on the counter.
By the time Kai had walked down the stairs, too, and poked his head casually in.
"Have you left anything for the other shoppers, or did you rob everything out from the shelves?" he asked in his usual sarcastic tone.
"Well we have a big family to feed. And don't forget we're waiting Gramps and Max for holiday." Takao pointed out jovially.
"So I assume there was no place for the tree." Kai stated dryly as he folded his arms.
"On the contrary. Gou picked out a pretty big one."
"You mean the best one." Kai corrected teasingly.
"Can't except else from a father's son right?" Takao gave him a cheeky wink.
Kai smirked proudly. "Hn."
"Come on, I show you." Takao led them all out to the sleigh while Makoto sneaked back behind them.
He waited till everyone was out, then he rushed up on the counter and started fumbling through the bags. Outside Kai helped Takao carry the tree in the house. Gou and Kimi followed them excitedly as the two adults maneuvered cleverly the evergreen into the living room on the empty spot of the corner.
"It's so huge!" Kimi cried cheerfully.
"It's my choosing." Gou bounded his chest proudly.
After they managed to place the tree on its proper place Kai wiped his sweaty forehead. "You were intending to give me the hardest job again, didn't you?" he marked acidly to Takao as he took a full look at the tall tree.
"Oh come on, stop being a grouch." Takao scowled at him. "Like you don't enjoy decorating it every year… and the kids will help you."
"We will!" Gou and Kimi exclaimed in chorus.
"And you?" Kai raised an eyebrow at his beloved mate.
"Someone has to make all the baking. Unless you want your family and friends to die in hunger at Christmas." Takao retorted teasingly.
"We? You mean you and Makoto. It's lucky that we don't have to worry about livelihood because then I had to exchange the whole wardrobe of jeans of yours." Kai's lips curved up in a smirk at Takao's indignant red face.
"You say I have a fat ass?"
Getting bored of listening his parents bickering, Gou rolled his eyes and walked out the room. When he stepped in the kitchen his eyes bulged out. Makoto was sitting on the counter, his legs happily dangling in the air, while he was chewing his third strawberry bagel.
"Daaaad! Makoto is stuffing his mouth again!"
In a few seconds Takao came rushing in the kitchen with Kai and Kimi close behind him.
"Jeez, this kid is worse than a vacuum cleaner." Takao said bewildered. "Lucky that I bought another bag which I hid." he shook his head at the sight of Makoto's fatty cheeks.
"He didn't inherit from me." Kai stated denied.
Kimi started chuckling when she noticed the red smear around her brother's mouth. "Hehe… Makoto looks like Santa Claus."
The little imp swallowed down the last bite he had in his mouth, then held up a piece of bagel in his hand with a sheepish smile. "Does anyone want a taste?"
Next part will come…
I know it was a little short, but there will come more. I try to update as fast as I can. Um, review? :)
