A/N: Okay, I'm really really really sorry it took so long. It just did not come out the way I wanted so I had to re- and re-rewrite it over and over again. This is the first iteration I am actually happy with. So, once again I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long. I hope you deem the chapter worth the wait.
"I... I have some trouble at home." Ayase looked down at her hands in Kyousukes' and continued "My father used to drink a lot of alcohol when he was a teen, but had been sober for decades now. Until lately, when, apparently at work, while he must have thought that he was completely cured from his addiction, he took a sip of sake. That seemed to trigger the whole addiction over again and since then, he has been drinking. A lot."
Kyousuke wondered what she was getting at and wanted to ask a question but Ayase raised her hand so he stopped. She then continued.
"Now, my mother knew immediately what was wrong with him, but I have never been told about his past before he met my mother, so I was just confused why he was acting like he was. Hollering and ordering everyone around, that is. When I wanted to ask him what was wrong, he looked at me and suddenly started yelling 'Who are you to question what I do and why I do it? Go back to your room now and stop thinking about it!'. I was really taken aback because he never shouted at me. Ever. Well, I went to my room but the next day when my father was at work, I went to talk to my mother about his behavior. She told me about his past and promised that she would end his drinking like she had the last time. And that is, when it all got worse..." Ayase pulled one had back to wipe a tear away from her cheek and then started fumbling with the tablecloth. She started sobbing and Kyousuke stood up, walked over to her and laid his arm around her while crouching beside her.
"It got worse...? Ayase, please, tell me about it and I will find a way to help you. I promise." Kyousuke said while stroking her shoulder.
Ayase continued, her eyes still wet.
"I went home this day, and everything was a mess. The whole garden was destroyed. Flowers were torn out, pots broken and even the door to the house was wide open. Ayase heard her dad inside the house, yelling, but she didn't know who he was yelling at.
"I thought it would be an intruder" Ayase explained, "what else would one think in this situation?" She laughed slightly hysterically. Kyosuke took her hand but remained silent. "Then...I heard someone yelling. It was my father, and I assumed that he'd yell at the intruder. So i went in...and...my father...there was no intruder, it was...my mother..."
"It was your mother?" Kyosuke asked confused. Ayase glared at him though her gaze wasn't as intimidating as usual, given the fact that tears rolled down her cheeks.
"It wasn't my mother, you idiot" she snapped, sounding quite similar to Kirino at this moment.
"Who was it then?" he yelped, but regretted it as he saw how Ayase flinched. Her anger was suddenly gone, and so was his. He waited patiently until she spoke again.
"It was my father...who had made this mess. And when I came in he was beating my mother and shouted at her...I tried to stop him, but he was stronger than me...and he..." her voice cracked.
Kyousuke tried to make sense of what Ayase had just told him. Her father, an alcoholic? Beating his wife? Then turning on his own daughter? That seemed incredible.
He realized that she was done. At least for now.
Just when he thought that, Ayase started talking again. Quietly, she voiced her concerns "My father... when I could finally go to my room, he said one more thing: 'Go, Ayase! You are the reason all of this is happening. If you had just not told your mother what I said, then everything would have been fine' …. I thought telling my mom was the right thing! I'm so sorry, Kyousuke, but I don't know how I can make things better again. Since that happened, everything is so different at home."
Ayase looked at Kyousuke, hoping to find answers to her questions she never asked, but he knew were being thought about. He met her gaze, thinking about what to say now. There were so many things he wanted to ask, wanted to know, but there was no way he was going to keep digging, making her remember more uncomfortable memories, hurting her more. She had already been hurt enough. Too much! He knew he had to say something.
"Ayase, you don't really believe what he said, don't you? I can tell you, you are not the reason for any of what happened. Please, don't let him make you feel guilty. You were concerned and did the thing you thought was right – tell your mother." Kyousuke said. He hoped that this was the topic that bothered Ayase the most. It did seem that way, seeing her eyes light up and suddenly there was a bit of hope in her. Then, after just a second of what he thought was improvement, her smile immediately dropped and was once again replaced by sadness.
"But... but.. What if he is right? What if this is all my fault? Maybe he was just upset over something that I did not know about or .. Kyousuke I don't know what to think! Maybe it would have been better, if I would have just kept silent..." Ayase's voice was full of doubt, her face showed regret.
"Ayase.. how should I say this..." Kyousuke started talking "While I have never had anything like that happen to me, we all know what you have to do. You have to break the circle. And you can only do that by telling someone, doing something to fix it. Trust me, Ayase. I'll make some tea and then we are going to find a solution."
Kyousuke looked at Ayase, waiting for her to respond, but found her crying uncontrollably, rocking in her chair, her head on her arms, looking directly at the table.
Kyousuke, still thinking about all that had just heard, started making some tea. After he switched on the water cooker, he went to sit down at the table with Ayase, but he had not heard her getting up. When he turned around, he found Ayase standing right in front of him, her head down but with her hand reached out to him. She started looking up at him, tears still running down her cheeks, and quietly whispered "Hold me, Onii-san."
A/N: So, that was that. I hope you liked the chapter and are looking forward to the next one. It should not take me as long to write it, but you never know what kind of obstacles turn up :)
