The Gun and Guitar Part 2
Part 3: Going to the Zoo
Feeling exhausted after such and eventful day, Hiro had to leave K and go to his own room. Kissing each other goodnight, the blonde stated he was going to check on Michael first, and that he would see him in the morning.
It was pitch dark when Hiro opened his bedroom door and he felt around for a light switch. Palming the wall to his left, he found the switch and the room was washed in a soft glow. The room was a fair size, the bed in the center of the room, blanketed in rich burgundy and pillows of the same colour to match. The walls were sage green with two paintings of ocean on the wall in front of the bed. Two nightstands rested on either side of the queen-size bed, one had a clock radio, the other a vase of fresh white roses. A set of flowery sconces hung on either side of the wall above the stands.
Hiro guessed they'd be good for reading in bed.
He spotted the small bag of his stuff and the end of the bed. It was a good thing he brought a few things, but he didn't bring that much. They would have to stop by that hotel and get the rest of their things. Hiro slipped out of his clothes and flipped on one of the lights above the nightstand and turned off the main light. Grabbing a book from his bag, he climbed in bed. K had given him the book "Introduction to English."
Hiro rest his head on the pillow, holding the book in front of him. But he found it hard to concentrate, he was still thinking of that disturbing shadow that stood in the window downstairs. He tried not to think about it. K was right, probably just some stupid reporter looking for a scoop. Hmm, but he was so tired…instead he turned off the light and went to sleep.
K was vibrating with unease, he was sure the shadow outside the window was indeed not a cat.
But he knew the rules.
One should not to panic and scare everyone else in a situation. He talked himself into believing it was just some pervert, a reporter or something. Meh, it was nothing…he was just being paranoid, he thought and smirked as he stood in his room. It was funny he thought, looking around his 'guest' room in his old house.
This was the first time he was actually sleeping over. Normally when he came to visit, he stayed at a hotel and saw Michael during the day.
He undressed quickly and crawled under the blue covers of a grand bed. The soft white walls made the room bright, even at night time. He switched off the lamp on his nightstand and turned to lie on his stomach. From the nightstand he picked up his gun and stuffed it under his pillow, his hand clasped firmly around it.
Finger ready at the trigger, he fell asleep.
Morning came with a door flying open and a seven year old jumping on his father.
"Wake up Daddy!" cried Michael, sitting on his father's back.
K groaned and turned over quickly, tossing Michael off. The boy landed on the other side of the bed, squealing and laughing. K put his gun on the nightstand and smiled now. He lunged after Michael; his fingers tickled the boys sides which made Michael scream happily. The boy yelled for him to stop but he didn't really mean it, because when K did the boy yelled, "More, Daddy!"
They played around, churning the blankets on the bed into a huge heap. K brushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled at his son. "Come here," K said and motioned with his hands for Michael to come closer. The boy did and K crushed him with hugs. "I've missed you so much," he crooned.
But soon the boy whined, "You're just like Mom."
"That's because we love you so much," his father replied, not loosening the embrace.
"Your hair is tickling my nose," Michael said blowing the strands from his face with long animated gusts.
Laughing, K ruffled his boy's hair, which was gnarly and wayward from their playing. "You want breakfast?"
"Yeah!"
K watched Michael race out of the room and heard the loud thumping as he ran down the stairs. Smiling, K got up put on some fresh clothes. He had chosen a blue shirt and black slacks, and then rushed downstairs before his kid burned the house down.
Hearing raucous laughter from the other room, Hiro woke up. Lazily he had just laid there, listening to K and his son. It was hearing happy sounds in a house. It was also nice to see how good of a parent K was. He heard them go downstairs; K was going to make breakfast. He wanted to partake in their morning ritual and hurried to get dressed.
Hiro walked into the kitchen, sending a lazy hand through his ruffled hair. Something smelled heavenly.
"Hiroshi, guess what?!" cried Michael.
"What?" Hiro asked, padding over to the table and took a seat across from Michael. He watched K smile at him and he winked back.
"We're going to the zoo!" Michael said and was about to stand on his seat in excitement.
"Don't stand on your seat, Michael," warned K, who busy cooking something at the stove and didn't even turn around.
Maybe when you're a parent you do have eyes in the back of your head, Hiro thought amused. But he looked at Michael, "Really, the zoo. I not been to a zoo in long time," he tried to say in English. "What for breakfast?" He asked.
"Pancakes!" cheered the boy.
Hiro wondered what a 'pancake' was. He guessed he'd find out as he got up for some coffee that K had already brewed. "Mmm, what a guy I have…err, I mean you are," Hiro stammered in Japanese and quickly found a cup. He was blushing.
K, who was busy flipping a flapjack, snickered at Hiro's mishap. He doubted Michael had heard that since he was too busy watching a cartoon on the kitchen television. "Glad you appreciate my skills," the blonde said to him.
When breakfast was finally dished out, Hiro stared at the doughy round thing on his plate. It was golden and had spots of berries in it. K gave him some maple syrup, and Hiro poured some on. He took a bite. Very sweet, but it was hot and yummy like cake. It didn't seem like something to eat at breakfast, but Hiro shrugged, this was America after all—what did he know?
Just then there was a knock at the front door.
K told them he'd get it and left the room. Hiro and Michael watched the cartoon on the television and ate their food.
"Do you like Yu-Gi-Oh?" the boy asked him.
Actually, Hiro had seen the show before and nodded yes, "I like Dark Magician Girl."
"I have that card!" Michael claimed happily.
Hiro knew then, that he and Michael would get along just fine. And for the first time in days, he felt himself truly relax. But he could hear K's voice coming from the other room, actually he was curious and got up to see who it was that K was talking too.
"Leon is not feeling well and the agency sent a replacement?" K was asking.
"Yeah, he's got a terrible case of the flu. I'm Paul Smith," spoke a man with a deep voice. He was a stocky man with short dark hair, but he was clean shaven and wearing the same kind of butler's uniform as Leon wore.
Hiro watched K studying the man carefully. He also noticed the man had a scar on his cheek and a tiny tattoo on each finger.
"Well, I guess. Judy is not here, so I don't know who she deals with exactly. Just do whatever it is that you guys do then. We won't be here for most of the day anyways," K told the man and spotted Hiro watching. He looked back at the butler, "Have I met you somewhere before?" K asked perplexed, holding his chin between his fingers in thought. He couldn't place it, but the man looked familiar.
"Um, no…I don't think we've ever met," said the man.
The butler looked at Hiro and he bristled. What is it about these guys? Why were they all so creepy? Did he have some kind of unknown fear of butlers? He was just glad he didn't have one, he laughed at that thought and shrugged, he returned to breakfast.
After everything was settled and cleaned up, they made their way to the rental car.
"Michael why don't you sit up front with your dad," Hiro offered, not wanting to hog all of K's attention. Michael deserved to spend as much quality time as he could with his father.
Michael let out a, "Yay!"
This time when they drove, K was surprisingly much calmer about it. He had to be because Michael was here, Hiro guessed. Michael fiddled with the radio and settled on some loud, thumping rap music.
K looked over at Hiro and shrugged.
Hiro barely understood a word that was being sung but Michael was singing along, word for word, he chuckled to himself.
"Sing, Hiro!" the boy said looking back at him.
"I…I err, I don't know how to sing like this," claimed Hiro, holding up his hands.
"What about those karaoke places you always go to?" K offered.
Hiro snorted, "They definitely don't do rap, K."
K laughed, imaging Japanese rap. It was out there, he knew, but still it was a concept that made him chuckle. They listened to Michael humming to this music all the way to the zoo.
The afternoon was great but hot. Hiro forgot how hot it was after being in the air conditioned house. He tugged at his t-shirt that was starting to stick to him when he stood outside of the car.
Michael ran off to the entrance and K and Hiro had to chase after him.
They pretty much chased after the boy all the way through the park. The three walked through almost every sector of the zoo, each sector dedicated to a part of the world and the animals associated with them.
Right now they were looking at the otters. It was cool, being in this underground walkway with a submerged view of the creature's world.
Fanning himself with a pamphlet about the banning of shark fining, Hiro explained, "Otters are the only water creatures to use tools like rocks to break open crustaceans or mollusks while swimming on their backs."
K blinked at Hiro who was seemingly a fountain of information when he chose to divulge it. No wonder he graduated school with honours!
"Cool!" claimed Michael after K told the child what Hiro said. "How'd he know that, Dad?" the boy asked his father.
"National Geographic," Hiro said before K could attempt an answer.
"The books with naked people," giggled Michael.
"Michael!" wailed his father, taken aback.
"Get over it, dad." The boy shrugged and ran off to look at some huge snakes.
Hiro howled with laughter, Michael could be so blunt. But it did reassure Hiro's thought that kids were smarter than their parents gave them credit for.
Kids! K thought shaking his head as they followed his cheeky son.
At some point while walking down a nice trail towards the gorilla emporium, Michael held his fathers hand. K beamed at the boy happily. Even if Michael had grown so much, he was still his little boy. He squeezed Michael's hand fondly, but he felt an enormous warmth envelope his heart when Michael clasped onto Hiro's hand too.
K watched Hiro look down suddenly at Michael, clearly surprised by the offering. But Hiroshi's face warmed in a way he'd never seen before. K knew right then he'd be nothing without these two people right here with him.
"Daddy, can we have ice cream?" asked Michael blinking his big blue eyes at his father.
"Of course we can," K said smiling.
Michael had let go of their hands as K and Hiro went to an ice cream stand. K bought them all a double-scoop of strawberry ice cream on a cone. But when they turned around Michael was nowhere to be seen.
"Michael!" K called out, nothing. "Where is he, did you see where he went?" K asked Hiro.
"He was here just a second ago, I didn't even realize he took off," Hiro offered worriedly.
"MICHAEL!"
"Geez Dad, why are you hollering so much?" Michael said meekly from behind them.
"Michael! Why did you just take off like that?!" K yelled, freaked out and feeling the sudden spike of adrenaline.
"I'm sorry, but…there were some pigeons on the grass over there," the boy said, pointing to a spot behind the ice cream stand. He just had to go chase them off. The boy scuffed his foot on the ground.
K calmed down, there was nothing worse then when you feared your kid had been stolen or had gotten lost. He knelt before his son and said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you but it scared me to death when I couldn't see where you were."
"I know, I won't do it again," Michael said and spied the strawberry ice cream Hiro was holding. He looked hopeful at his father.
K laughed now and said, "Go ahead, take one."
Michael cheered all was well again.
Lastly, they visited the gorillas and Hiro said snickering, "Look Michael, there's your father." The guitarist was pointing to the biggest gorilla, who at the moment was also watching them. Hiro laughed some more.
Michael was screeching with amusement and K looked at them indignantly, "Yea, yea laugh it up." He didn't mind, he was to happy watching Michael and Hiro bonding—even if they were calling him a big ape. He'd fix Hiro later for it, he thought grinning to himself.
By the time they left the zoo, Michael was complaining about being hungry again. Somehow, Hiro wondered if K was busier now then he was managing their band. Now he had to cook all the time, clean up after Michael, see that he got dressed etcetera. He wondered if he could do anything, but K told them he'd prepare supper. So Hiro joined Michael in the livingroom, the boy was knelt of the carpet playing a video game.
Hiro took a seat on the couch and watched Michael playing Xbox 360's new Mercenaries 2, a military tech, shoot-em' up type of game.
"Wanna team up? We can go co-op," Michael asked Hiro.
The brunette nodded 'ok' and Michael tried to explain the game. But Michael sat surprised and Hiro clearly began suiting up his man with the best weapons and gear. Alright! Michael beamed at Hiro.
Hiro wasn't a newbie when it came to video games. It was what he and his brother did most of the time they hung out together.
They played until K came to tell them dinner was ready.
"Ooo…this must be the new game you were talking about," the blonde said and watched them play for a moment. He was surprised at how well Hiro and Michael had their men skulking around some crates, setting up some kind of ambush on the bad guys. Together, Michael threw a grenade and Hiro pulled out a sniper rifle and blew the head off a mean looking bad guy.
"Yeah!" cried Michael, "We got their captain. Now all we have to do is find the last bomb on the ship before it blows, or, we lose the mission."
"Can I play after you guys are done?" K asked hopefully. "But after dinner, you two have exactly five minutes to find the last bomb or dinner will get cold."
Hiro and Michael waved their hand at K, not really paying attention.
Hrmph, K stalked off to the kitchen.
Fifteen minutes later, Hiro and Michael appeared in front of a frowning K who was sitting at the table reading some junk mail. He placed the mail down and shook his head at them.
They all ate their dinner.
Too be nice, and since K had done all the work, Hiro did the dishes by hand. Michael took off to continue playing his game. K was busy clearing the table.
"You know all this running around…I'm tired," whined Hiro, he'd felt like he'd just performed at a concert or something.
K, who looked tired as well but wasn't admitting to it, placed a dollop of bubbles he'd scooped out of the sink and placed it on Hiro's nose. The blonde grinned cheekily. "That's for calling me an ape today and for being late for dinner," K said with mischief.
Hiro grinned back and snapped his tea towel off K's ass. The man screeched and rubbed his bottom. "Leave my ass alone," K muttered, but he laughed and dodged another towel-snap.
"But it's too cute to leave alone," Hiro replied, giggling evilly at K's surprised look.
If Michael wasn't in the next room, he'd bend Hiro over the counter and give him a righteous fucking.
Together, they managed to finish the dishes, after much fooling around, and joined Michael in playing the video game. Hours flew by and soon K got Michael ready for bed and Hiro decided he'd just wait downstairs tonight. He was staring out the livingroom window, looking over the beautiful lawn and palm trees, when he thought he heard a voice coming from the kitchen.
"K?" he called, but no one answered.
Hiro quietly followed the sound and peeked into the kitchen. There was the replacement butler on his cell phone. Straining to hear what he was saying Hiro found he could understand a little of it.
He heard, "Boy…bed…not tonight. Tomorrow…" There was a pause as someone on the other end of the phone talked. "Fucking hate job...work finished…see you soon Carlos."
Hiro frowned; at first he thought the man might be talking to his girlfriend, but it was a guy friend. He couldn't understand, but it annoyed him that someone felt disgruntled working in this house. Paul should be lucky to have a job and if he didn't like it, he should find something else to do. When the man looked up, Hiro realized he'd been caught eavesdropping—hrmph, he was getting to be as bad as K. But Hiro narrowed his eyes at the man, he wondered if the guy realized he couldn't understand all of what he said.
The stocky butler frowned, "You don't speak English very well, do you?" he asked.
Crossing his arms, Hiro replied, "No, not good English."
The man smiled triumphantly. "This is too perfect," he muttered and laughed.
What was this guy's problem? Hiro felt like he was being laughed at.
"I'm off for the night, drink with the guys," the butler told Hiro who caught the drift and shrugged.
"Goodnight," Hiro said to him out of politeness, and if nothing else, to look normal.
After the man left, Hiro wondered if he should tell K what he heard, but it really wasn't that important. A disgruntled worker with an attitude problem, Leon would return soon he imagined.
It was dark by the time K returned and Hiro had fallen asleep on one of the couches. The TV was blinking a blue glow over the darkened room. The blonde stood there watching his lover sleep, it had been a long, hot day. Letting Hiro rest, he stole the remote and flopped onto the other couch. K channel surfed a little, but in no time at all he too succumbed to slumber.
A/N: Things change a lot after this chapter. I'm trying to iron out the kinks in the coming chapters...so much more work than I thought! Actually after this chapter..most of the story takes place in a 48 hour period. I hope you enjoy!
