AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, thank you guys for reading. A very big thank you to those who took the time to leave me reviews and feedback. Very encouraging and very appreciated, thank you thank you!
Xxxxx
Raeger
Our second-place gift basket had various cooking spices and fruits. Klaus offered Veronica a polite thank you for her kindness, but Klaus handed the whole thing over to me.
"You'll make better use of this than I."
I didn't know if Klaus cooked. Regardless, he was right anyhow. I would make use of it. The first-prize place prize was a much larger gift basket, complete with spices, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, bread and a brand-new frying pan and cutting board to top it all off. Ibuki intended to divide it amongst the three of them, but neither of the other two wished to take away from the basket. Mistel was firm in his insistence Ibuki have his share, Fritz agreeing.
"I don't need any of this." Mistel encouraged, sweetly. "Why don't you have my share? I insist."
"You can have my share too!" Fritz piped up.
He made a flippant noise, waving a hand towards the basket's lavish contents.
"I don't need none of that fancy cooking stuff. I can't cook nothing special anyways. Not like I have a kitchen."
"See?" Mistel then insisted, pleased with Fritz's choice to also omit from claiming his share. "It's all yours."
Poor Ibuki didn't feel right taking all their earnings for himself, but the two didn't cave. Mistel placed it in Ibuki's arms in and rubbed his back reassuringly.
"No arguing. Make good use of it."
"Thanks guys... I owe you."
"Nonsense, you don't owe a thing."
Klaus watched the three and mentioned something about 'nothing truly ever being free'. It was unusually curt, even for him. Ready to question him, I couldn't get words out of my mouth quickly enough because then the three were approaching.
Ibuki was a good sport, congratulating us on our win. Fritz was jubilant, going on about Klaus and I having super strength. As sincere as Fritz had been with his praise, I knew I had some brushing up to do on my physical training. I'd lost a strength competition to an older man... At twenty-seven I'd lost to an older man. I didn't know for sure how old Klaus was, but I had a hunch he was closer to forty. Not that he even looked it, not really.
His body was deceptive to his age, large and sculpted like he hadn't aged. He was sturdy, but when looking at him, around the eyes he looked worn. A large brooding man whom clearly took care of himself, dressed to impressed and was never seen otherwise could have easily passed for younger...only, he carried his age around the eyes.
The one thing he couldn't hide gave him away... very tired eyes.
Xxxxx
Klaus
Still dressed from their performance, Fritz and Mistel excused themselves to go collect their things.
"We'll grab your stuff, too." They promised Ibuki.
Dressed as a lion, he teetered on the balls of his feet and smiled to Raeger and I, going on about how well we performed. He hadn't a clue how we'd managed to grow to the size we did. I was positive he'd never lifted a barbell in his life or where to begin.
"Do you two work out?" He asked us both, awaiting an answer.
"I can only speak for myself, I take care to preserve my body." I looked to Raeger meaningfully. "Youth is fleeting. Take note, Raeger."
For one still fairly young, he was taking his physical potential for granted.
"You make it sound as if you're old, Klaus."
"The years have caught up with me. I intend to be prepared for the ones I still have left."
Ibuki tilted his head to one side.
"Can I ask a question?" He began his statement.
Caught briefly at a loss, I paused. I honestly expected him to ask me my age. None ever gathered the nerve to ask. People were always curious, I could see it in their faces.
"When you lift heavy things, do you lift with your back at all?"
"...That's your question?"
"Well yeah... I've always been told to lift with my knees but you seem to know what you're doing. You lifted one hundred fifty pounds. That's heavier than me."
It wasn't a stupid question, which I appreciated. A stupid question didn't deserve an answer.
"Always lift with your knees. Back straight."
Xxxxx
Raeger
Mistel and Fritz returned dressed in their normal clothes. Ibuki was, ready to trek home and change, and put his stuff away. Veronica came walking over to get my attention, smiling faintly at Ibuki's costume.
"Raeger, could I have a word with you?" She ushered me away from the group.
Veronica was someone I didn't see much of. She never ate the restaurant. My grandfather always joked about how she and her daughter never ever went out to eat.
"That Veronica, I swear she thinks I'll poison her!" He'd laugh. "She never comes!"
He would try to invite Veronica for a meal. She always declined, even when Grandfather offered it to be on the house. At home, with her husband and child, she'd cook on her own.
And many years back when it became just her and Angela, grandfather was kind enough to cater the funeral. But still, she didn't eat. If I recalled correctly, it had taken her a while to eat again. It took years, but at least Angela came to eat every so often.
"I was wondering if you would be open today?" she asked. "I've had a fair share of people ask if you'd be willing to open on a Wednesday... I figured I'd come ask you on their behalf."
Xxxxx
Klaus
Whilst Raeger stepped away with Veronica to converse, Fritz playfully tugged on the tail to Ibuki's costume. Ibuki peered over his shoulder as fritz attempted to swing the little tail around and make it spin. Ibuki proceeded to swing his rear around, making the tail spin on his own.
Mistel raised a hand to his face at the silly antic. Fritz mimicked the manner in which Ibuki had swung his rear around. Mistel, despite himself, rolled his eyes away failing to hide he found the antics to be funny.
"Looks like I'm opening the restaurant today." Raeger announced. "Everyone's looking for food."
"Awesome! Dinner at Raegers!" Fritz cheered.
Everyone dispersed, going their own separate ways and tend to their respective errands before coming back for Dinner. Again, I found myself perched at the bar with drink in hand as Raeger bustled around his kitchen. Forgoing buying by the glass, I purchased a whole bottle to spare us each the tedious service of a refill. No use calling Raeger back all evening when he had so much else to manage.
Time ticked on and in came Ibuki. I hadn't known it'd been him who arrived until the tall stool next to me creaked with someone's weight. He climbed up, sitting with his legs dangling.
"When'd you get here?" Raeger hurried by with a stack of menus.
"Nice of me to show up, huh?"
Raeger chuckled and handed Ibuki a menu before going to fill orders. Left with me, Ibuki struck up conversation. He looked to me wearily at times, eyes drifting to the bottle I served myself from. It dawned on me perhaps I was drunk.
I'd been told by Mother I resembled my father in ways: a man who carried a significantly unwelcome with enough alcohol. Still, Ibuki and I conversed. As time went on, his weariness of me faded and it was noticeably easier for him to meet my eyes. Even with the occasional shift.
"So, you decided?" Raeger came back.
"I'll have that spaghetti, again." Ibuki passed back his menu.
The chef nodded to the bottle I'd managed to drink past the half way mark.
"Happy hour, Klaus?"
"In all fairness, I don't see what's so happy about it."
"Let me know when you do."
Raeger poured Ibuki a congratulatory drink before returning to work. Ibuki looked to his glass unsurely. He physically shied away from the wine.
"It won't bite, Ibuki."
"I know that..."
"You've never touched the stuff, have you?"
I already knew the answer.
"No... no one's ever given me alcohol before."
Ibuki was not one for waste. He didn't wish to let Raeger's goodwill go unappreciated, but he couldn't bring himself to drink it. He sat, legs dangling, twiddling his thumbs. Like a child, not a young man.
I shied away from my first drink. My father poured me a glass at the manor, I sat with him in his study. I had yet to taste liquor and I declined it. Unlike me, Ibuki had been poured a wine, not liquor. But somehow, through my building inebriation, my father's words came slipping from my mouth.
"Put some hair on your chest" I grunted to Ibuki brusquely, setting down my glass after a swig. "Be a man and drink it."
Ibuki flinched but did as I told him. He brought his lips to the rim. The wine was a mildly sweet and pleasant. I distinctly remembered the burn that flared in my throat with my first drink.
"It's good..." Ibuki cleared his throat. "Didn't expect it to be sweet."
Iris breezed in with Mistel, neither spotted Ibuki and I at the counter. We were the first people Fritz noticed upon arrival. He pranced over and sat next to Ibuki. From there, they carried on like the youthful chums they were.
Xxxxx
Raeger
"Raeger would it be troublesome to ask for some wine?" Iris flagged me down as I hurried off with a tray of dirty dishes.
"On it."
Making a note to grab two glasses for her table, I promised to be right with her as I hurried to the kitchen.
"I'm thinking of breeding Hanako soon, I could use the extra lifestock."
Walking back, I'd stumbled on Fritz and Ibuki talking about farm-related matters. When talking about his work Ibuki would light up. Fritz could banter right back with the mutual interest they shared. I enjoyed listening to Ibuki talk about his farm during our time together but I didn't know about the subject in general. It made me jealous that they had that connection.
House packed, I didn't have the opportunity to stay and chat with him. I settled for stopping to check in. Ibuki's eyes were vivid and bright and I saw he'd finished his drink. I intended to refill it when the oven timer went off.
Placing a pan on the stove, I turned to grab a serving dish and heard Fritz tell Ibuki something. It was a joke, one I just barely caught the end of. Ibuki laughed really hard and I was going to swing back around to ask what was so funny when a patron rudely hollered for service. One thing I did not miss about a full house, was the likely encounter of an asshole customer.
Xxxxx
Klaus
Somehow listening to Fritz and Ibuki converse left me bitter. What began as a conversation relating their work, turned to endless chatter from Fritz. ibuki was so invested in all the meaningless things Fritz had to say. The flow of nonsense came to a pause when Raeger set down his tray, leaning on the counter tiredly.
"Raeger, how are you holding up? You're looking pretty exhausted."
"I've got this, don't sweat it."
"But-"
Raeger refilled Ibuki's wine glass.
"Drink up, I'll have your food up in a few minutes. It's packed in here. Im sorry for the wait."
After a bit Fritz excused himself in search of the bathroom. Left alone at the counter with me, Ibuki very gently tapped a finger to my shoulder.
"Klaus, you look angry..." Ibuki was gravely concerned as if he'd done wrong. "Is it because I spent all that time talking with Fritz?"
Like it was juice, he'd finished his glass of wine in a few sips when I hadn't been paying attention. Ibuki was tipsy, I could see that. Even with my own intoxication. Ibuki rapidly succumbed to intoxication, alcohol easily having its effect on him. He rested his head on my shoulder.
"Don't be mad, Klaus. You're my friend too..." Ibuki rubbed my arm to console me.
Friends were not a familiarity of mine, nor were displays of affection. Friendships often slipped away. I never made an effort to stop it.
At the sound of a chair being scraped along the floor, Ibuki perked up. He must've thought Fritz was back. Ibuki's hand slipped on the counter top. For a second, in my peripheral vision, I saw him beginning to fall from his seat.
Without having to look, I reached an arm out and caught him by the bicep. I reeled him before he could injure himself. When resituated, he took his place back on my shoulder.
Drinking was not something Ibuki's small body took well to. Lucky him, it was me there with him. Not some lowly prowler as Ibuki experienced his first intoxication.
Xxxxx
Raeger
Fritz passed me on his way back from the restroom and I carefully avoided bumping him with the tray I had. He ducked for me to raise the tray over him, which I internally thanked him for it. I nearly cussed, however, when Mistel startled me.
I nearly walked in to him. The slender blonde balked with a squeak, bracing himself for a collision. When none happened, he sniffed haughtily, adjusting his bowtie.
"I'll get out of your way." He offered me a quick and somewhat stiff apology before breezing past me.
Where he was in such a hurry to left me wondering, but I had things to do. The dining room was given another run though before I stopped at Iris's table to see how she was holding up. Her eyes were drawn somewhere over my shoulder and she laughed softly to herself.
"They're so cute." Explaining herself, she pointed to where she was looking.
Ibuki sat in his stool, leaning heavily in to Klaus. The stoic man looked indifferent to Ibuki's weight pressing in to his side, the blonde's head rested on his shoulder. Iris was still chucking to herself when Mistel came in to view. Her brother tapped Ibuki on the arm and attempted to pull him down from the tall bar stool.
"Ibuki, if you're drunk enough to need and ean on him then you're drunk enough to need to sit closer to the ground." Mistel scolded Ibuki, hand still held securely around the bend of his elbow. "Come down right now. You can sit with me."
"Mistel, I'm okay though. Klaus-"
"Come down. Right now. You're going to fall!"
Iris giggled that her little brother was a worry wart. Although, Mistel's concern was valid. Ibuki was high off the ground.
"He says I'm overbearing." Iris commented in good humor. "He's such a worry wart, himself. I tell him all the time."
Ibuki relented to Mistel's order, but shook away Mistel's hand.
"I can do it."
Giving Ibuki some space, Mistel stepped back. Ibuki began climbing down when he lost his grip and fell to the floor with a decent thump. I flinched and Mistel held a hand to his mouth in shock.
"I'm okay." Ibuki bounded up easily before he could even reach out to help.
`"I need to get some food in him..." I mumbled more to myself than Iris. "He's drunk."
"He certainly is, I hope he's okay. He fell a decent distance..."
"He sure did..."
Mistel took Ibuki by the bend of his elbow again and began leading him away. Klaus watched after them before pouring himself another drink, the bottle surely almost empty. I wondered if Klaus had shared any with Ibuki, he was awfully gone for just the two glasses I gave him. Surely his tolerance wasn't so low?
Ibuki and Mistel appeared right away and Ibuki pulled away a bit as Mistel tried sitting him down. Ibuki was more interested in me, looking at me like it'd been ages since we'd seen each other. Oddly enough, that's exacty how he felt.
"Raeger, you're so busy! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever..."
"You saw me about fifteen minutes ago..." I assured him, blinking in surprise as Ibuki grabbed my arm to lean in to me. "Hey, what are you doing?"
Subtly trying to pull Ibuki away, Mistel tried coaxing him to sit. He hadn't even gotten to answer me. Ibuki didn't obey Mistel's cue to sit and pulled his arm away from Mistel softly.
"Raeger's my friend too, Mistel." he whined, hugging my arm. "Let go! I wanna say hi. I haven't seen him in forever, ya know."
"He just said you saw him like fifteen minutes ago!"
Ibuki blinked, slowly scrutinizing me with glossy eyes.
"I don't remember that... are you drunk, Raeger?"
"HAHAHA!"
I laughed really hard at that and Iris had to cover her mouth, almost spitting out her drink. Ibuki had asked so seriously, the irony lost on him. Mistel was not amused at all.
"No, Ibuki. I'm not the drunk one here." I wiped a tear from my eye. "Believe me, I'm not."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm pretty sure."
It was hard not to burst into laughter again as Ibuki lost his center of gravity, having to use me for support...further proving I was not in fact the drunk one.
"Why don't you sit down and I'll get you your food, okay?"
"You're the best, Raeger."
Ibuki hugged my arm more tightly and I smiled to him, appreciative of the praise. Even if it may have been drunken banter. Ibuki then tried to wrap his arms around my waist but stumbled. I barely got my hands on him to catch when Mistel got in the way.
Mistel smiled triumphantly when the opportunity to take Ibuki back arose. That quickly morphed to a frown. Iris worriedly coaxed Ibuki into her arms. She held him in a motherly fashion, rubbing his head soothingly.
"You poor thing, you fell awfully hard earlier. Is your head alright?"
"Iris! He's grown!" Mistel barked. "He doesn't need to be coddled like that."
"You sound jealous, do you want me to hug you too?"
Mistel's pale complexion turned red and he plopped his weight down in his chair. He glowered at his sister, her teasing having gotten the better of him. I was left stumped, unsure of why my stomach dropped so suddenly. My eyes darted to Ibuki.
"Mistel, your face will stick like that" Ibuki cautioned him. 'Don't make faces."
"Took the words right out of my mouth, Ibuki," she praised him, checking his forehead for any bruises of abrasions. "Mistel, do you remember when I used to hold you like this? Then you got too old for my love? You wanted to be 'a big boy'."
Iris laughed to herself and tapped me on the shoulder, drawing me from the stare I had on Ibuki. She launched in to a tale of Mistel as a child. Her lilac eyes twinkled with fondness.
"Mistel was about seven, Raeger. He said he was going to be too big for his sissy's hugs, he'd be big and tall and he'd have to hug me!"
"IRIS!"
"What a funny child he was!...Ibuki reminds me so much of Mistel somehow."
As funny as I found Iris's teasing of her little brother, I didn't laugh. I was distracted at the cozy hold Ibuki was held in, his face was a mixture of emotions. He didn't seem to mind Iris's hold, he looked pretty comfortable if anything. Again, my stomach dropped.
Xxxxx
Klaus
With urgency Raeger assisted patrons, setting their tabs straight. Nearly a third of the restaurant filed out, content with their service. As soon as the last one in line paid, he was back in the kitchen fixing up a dinner. Sitting alone, I'd slipped in to an unsarcastically sulky rut. Bottle done, I waited for sobriety to reclaim me.
Raeger hustled over a saucepan as pasta boiled away in a pot. Setting the saucepan aside, he turned off the corresponding burner and left the pasta to boil.
"Happy hour over?" Raeger placed the empty wine bottle in to the recyling.
"Can't end what never started."
"...You looking for another round?"
"Not in the least."
People filing out quieted the restaurant tremendously. The majority of those still around seemed to be wrapping up, enjoying the remnants of their meals. Had I been clearer in the head, I would have left as well. I'd seen enough, or so I'd thought. On the other side of the establishment I caught sight of Iris, with intoxicated Ibuki.
Held in her arms, the lad struggled in her hold as she unknowingly drew him closer to her ample bosom. Iris adjusted him in her hold and rubbed down his head very lovingly, presumably from the fall I'd heard him take. A wistful smile on her face, she rocked him back and forth in her motherly way.
Her younger brother sat stiff as a board, arms folded over his chest. He sat and stewed. For what reason I hadn't a clue. The eccentric lad, Fritz, seemed to have joined their table too, sitting next to Mistel.
They both watched Iris and Ibuki, Fritz's face perplexed. Ibuki almost looked ready to doze off when Raeger showed up with his food. Carefully patting Ibuki on the arm, Raeger set his food down. Ibuki's eyes lit up and he threw his arms around Raeger, thanking him. The chef's face quickly took on a startled look which shortly faded, turning to a visibly more flattered expression.
The full table in which Ibuki sat at was boisterous with activity, aside from Mistel's sour face. I wasn't one for social gatherings but when taking in the scene, it was depressing on my end. With such ease Ibuki could assimilate himself amongst others.
I quickly came to realize I missed his presence. I felt my chest ache. How horribly alone I was. I was not as used to it as I'd convinced myself I was.
Xxxxx
Raeger
It didn't take long after serving Ibuki for the rest of the restaurant clear out. All I had left was Ibuki's table and Klaus at the counter. Periodically I glanced to Ibuki's table where he ate, starting my cleaning. I
"Since it's going to rain tomorrow, we don't have to water the fields!" Fritz nearly cheered to Ibuki who nodded excitedly, pushing aside his empty dish. "We'll practically have the day off!"
"I still gotta take care of Hanako in the morning but after that, yeah! Free time!"
Overhearing, I couldn't help but think of the days Ibuki didn't show up for Lunch because his work got in the way. When his work ran late, he would eat at home. When he didn't show up, I always missed his company.
Knowing he was going to have a lighter workload left me convinced Id see him the next day. That assurance went out the window when Fritz spoke up.
"Since we're gonna be free we should hang out, Ibuki. "
Ibuki seemed perfectly down for the idea. I felt jealous. Furiously so. Shaking it off, I carried on loading the dish washer. But not without assuring myself Ibuki would probably swing by for lunch, anyways.
Slipping dishes in to the rack, I could hear Fritz and Ibuki going on about a fishing trip. Once the dishes were ready to wash, I opened the cabinet under the sink to fetch the soap.
"We'll catch a bunch of fish, we could have a bonfire for lunch!"
Xxxxx
Klaus
A large whack resonated from the kitchen followed by Raeger grunting in pain. Looking inside the kitchen revealed the chef had hit his head under the sink. Apparently, he'd been startled somehow and managed to jerk and whack himself. When coming out from the cabinet he looked vaguely frazzled.
"Raeger?" I questioned him. "Are you alright?"
He rubbed his head and held a hand up to assure me he was fine. He winced, rubbing a tender spot at the crown of his skull though. Soon footsteps were closing in with urgency and Ibuki ran to the entrance of the kitchen.
"Raeger!" Ibuki peered in to the kitchen, distraught. "Are you okay!?"
Ibuki took him by the arm, pulling him to bend down to his level. He tipsily inspected Raeger's head, prodding the scalp softly.
"You hit your head too, oh no..." He murmured, deeply concerned, as he began to smooth down chef's hair.
Raeger's face turned pink at the unannounced contact but he didn't pull away. Mistel and Fritz came in to the kitchen, hurrying to where Ibuki ran off to. They took in the scene before them and Mistel rolled his eyes.
"Ibuki, what are you doing?"
"Raeger hit his head!" Ibuki exclaimed, hand still on Raeger's injury. "He's hurt!"
"People hurt themselves, it happens. You don't have to hang off him like that."
"But, this is how your sister took care of me..."
It was true. Iris has coddled him.
"My sister sure knows how to cause trouble, doesn't she?" Mistel grumbled.
"Mistel, I can hear you, silly." Iris called to him, laughing to herself. "You're such a sourpuss, tonight. Come give your sissy a hug if you're going to act like a little boy."
"Oi!"
Mistel fumed at his sister.
"It was just a bump." Raeger took Ibuki's hands off his head, holding them. "I'm fine."
Ibuki still had doubts.
"I'm worried..." he whispered meekly, sad puppy eyes looking up.
Raeger smiled like he hadn't just nearly cracked his head open, carelessly.
Ibuki ripped his attention from Raeger when Mistel made an indigent noise of aggravation. Iris goodheartedly taunted him to which Mistel resented. He flared at patronizing nicknames or any reference to a child. Iris was used to her brother, calmly and collectedly taking his annoyance with ease.
Fritz watched on, scratching his head, unsure of what to do. Ibuki hugged Mistel snuggly from behind, silencing his brewing implosive tantrum.
"Mistel, why are you so mad?" He worried. "You've been frowning all night, stop that."
"You're clearly still drunk..."
With a sigh, Mistel relaxed a bit at Ibuki's touch. The two embraced, all eyes on them. Ibuki was unaware, Mistel was fully aware. Mistel met my eyes from over Ibuki's shoulder.
He stared at me before a faint smirk formed on his lips and he hugged Ibuki tighter. Perhaps to others Mistel's behavior wasn't yet blatantly obvious, but I had a moment of complete understanding as he stared me down cockily.
I felt anger bubble at Mistel's huberous, the petite man carrying himself as threatening. The assumption he made of my interest in Ibuki was undoubtfully wrong. I didn't crave the lad.
xxxxx