A/N: Have you ever looked through your old documents and seen your old plot bunnies? Oh God. Shoot me. (OMG. I LOVE YOU, REVIEWERS. I LOVE YOU. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH. *Melts into a happy puddle*) So here's a fresh and brand new chapter in which Kimiko tries to explain why bullying is bad to a nine-year-old that is certified in kick-ass.
On a side note... I would've updated faster if it weren't for the fact that this is a pretty important transitionary chapter that's gonna be ending the exposition phase of the story and I wanted to get it just perfectly?
Disclaimer: Xiaolin Showdown is intellectual property of Christy Hui, who was amazing enough to even buy out the copyright from Warner Brothers to bring us Xiaolin Chronicles. :D Kidd Death is Layla to my Micky. :3
"Pooh. You're right."
Shinki looked over at Kimiko. "Why are you standing all the way over there? We're unpacking and fixing up your stuff." She blinked, not realizing she'd been just standing there, simply observing everything.
"Yeah, girl," Raimundo smirked, making her heart flutter a little at the cuteness of it being directed right at her. "Get back over here before we drag you over."
Kimiko smiled and hopped down the last stair. She may not be as ingrained into the patchwork as they were, but she was at least starting to meld with the mix. Who knows? Two years might just be enough.
~*To Like or Not To Like*~
After setting her furniture up and covering everything with tarp, the boys (including Omi, who'd joined their mirth soon enough) helped them repaint the basement into brighter, more fun colors – she couldn't even begin to tell you the mess that became. She and Mari gave finality to the bathroom deal and Kimiko was given chores at her own insistence; she hated feeling useless while everyone else did work. After about a week's transitory period, she fell right into place with everyone else. In less than a blink of an eye, two days easily became two months. School was let out for the summer, Raimundo graduated, and Kimiko adjusted to life with this family relatively quickly, making connections and bettering her relationships with everyone - it was really hard not to feel welcome with these people. They cared for her like another of their own and her father's financial support helped get the villa some very necessary repairs going.
Today was one such day that found Shinki and father hanging on suspension cables with all the tools out, getting to fixing the leak in Nathalia's room. Kimiko, Keiko, Mari, the twins, and Andre all swam in the pool, enjoying the water and the reprieve from the heat. Keiko sighed as she laid her head on her shoulder, watching as the beads of sweat formed a layer of luster over the oldest son's skin and his muscles pulled and contracted as he hammered and ripped at shingles. "Are you sure it wouldn't work out, Mari? I just turned seventeen..."
"Pfft. Giiiiirl," Mari snorted, wringing water out of her hair. "I told you once and I'll telly you twice: way out of your league."
Kimiko smirked at her friend's rampant crush and swam around, comfortable despite the high temperatures. "Besides, I think he likes red-heads." Keiko gasped, her hands slapping at her cheeks.
"I can be a red-head! I can totally pull that off!" She piled her hair up. "You don't think I'd look good in red?"
Layla and Micky died in their peals of laughter, pointing at Keiko and ridiculing her. "You? You're dumber than a blonde!" Micky (who Kimiko had discovered was recognizable by the tiny birthmark below her left eye and had a tendency to be verbally meaner) jeered. "That's rich if you think Shin likes flat girls like you!" Layla howled in amusement.
"Yeah! He'd never go for a hag!" Keiko frowned and self-consciously adjusted the top of her swimsuit, shielding herself from their line of sight as her arms wrapped around herself.
"¡Cállanse!" Mari snapped at the twins, suddenly forced out of her good mood once she saw Keiko's face, "Shut up, both of you!" and started to go over before Kimiko stopped her and pointed at Keiko. Mari recognized this and drew back to hug their friend tightly as Kimiko swam over and pushed both their heads underwater, holding them for a few seconds before letting go.
"What is your problem?" Micky demanded, sputtering as she resurfaced. Layla coughed heavily over the pool edge, half-drowned and very dazed.
Kimiko's nose scrunched up, her baby-blues darkening. "No. The question is what is your problem."
Micky held her fists up angrily, gritting her teeth and standing up against Kimiko. "You just drowned my sister! She can't swim and you could've killed her, you stupid witch!" she yelled, swinging her fist. Mari's eyebrows shot up, furrowing in worry that this was about to get really out of hand, but she concentrated on muttering comfort to Keiko as Kimiko grabbed Micky's wrists and held them above her head, earning a frustrated yell.
"L-let," Layla coughed from her place, looking sick. "Let her go before I kick your butt!"
"Kim..." Keiko started, trying to catch her attention. "It's not that... Serious..." Mari watched, holding onto Keiko and biting her lip. She looked to the side as Raimundo snuck his way over, sliding in beside them. ("What's going on?" he mouthed. "Is Keiko okay?" Mari nodded. "Kim's trying to teach the twins a lesson." "Oooh boy.") Andre sucked on his thumb, floating around in his inner tube. Kimiko ignored her, holding onto Micky's wrists as she struggled before wearing herself out, weakly trying to kick at her.
"Are you done?" Kimiko demanded. Micky gave her a reluctant, but still vaguely defiant look, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry," she snapped at them, rubbing the bridge of her nose, trying to reign in her temper. Come on, Kim. Remember what Mari said when she told you about these two. It won't do anyone any good if you stay angry. Come on. You can do it. Just... Be... Cool. She took in a deep and cleansing breath before continuing, reiterating her apology. "I'm sorry to both you and Layla, but it's not so great when people just push you around, is it?"
"We didn't even touch anyone!"
"Micky. That's a problem if you think that's the only way you can push someone around," Kimiko chided sternly, her hands on her hips as she frowned on the girl before her. "Bullies don't need to punch and kick and beat people to be bad. How would you feel if I told you that you were ugly and stupid?"
Micky scowled and exclaimed, "I'd punch your face in!" (Raimundo's hand flew up to his mouth to hide a laugh - it was a very typical response of Micky's. Mari lightly punched his arm. "Shuddup," she hissed.)
Kimiko buried her face in her hands. You're dealing with a nine-year-old tomboy that knows martial arts, Tohomiko. Remember that. "Okay," she sighed, trying her absolute best to keep her patience in line. "What if it was a person who was a lot stronger than you and you knew you couldn't win?"
"I'd tell Lala to punch his face in!" Micky chimed, starting to smirk. Layla grinned widely from her place and beat her fists together to support her sister. Kimiko had to stop herself from beating her head into the concrete sides of the pool.
"Micky, you can't honestly expect to solve everything with your fists," she told her, putting a hand on her shoulders. "You and Layla said some things that were really out of line and you hurt Keiko's feelings."
Micky crossed her arms and muttered, "Why should I care about her stupid feelings?"
"Because I know you wouldn't like it if she treated you like you treated her," Kimiko emphasized. "Keiko has been nothing but nice to you and she deserves better. I know your parents taught you two better and I know Shinki wouldn't approve of you guys hurting anyone's feelings for his sake." Micky started to get uncomfortable. Kimiko inwardly grinned, keeping her outward disapproving mask as intact as she possibly could. YES! I'm getting through to her! The younger girl turned and looked at her sister, mirroring discomfort. After a few moments of what one could only call twin-telepathy, Micky turned and looked up.
"I guess you're right..." she admitted softly. She swam over to her twin and both of them walked up the concrete steps to near where Keiko, Mari, and Raimundo were camped out. She and Layla looked at each other one final time, holding each other's hand, before looking down. "We're sorry," Micky told her. "We said things that weren't nice and got carried away. We didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
"What she said," Layla chirped.
Keiko looked at Mari, who released her from the hug, and hoisted herself onto the surface. She hugged the twins, smiling weakly. "It's okay. I forgive you." They grinned and broke away to run back to the shallow end. "Cannon dive!" Micky shouted in glee, jumping in without really doing much of a dive. Layla simply took the stairs, not trusting the water enough to jump into it. Kimiko smiled to herself and swam back to the beat of Raimundo's rousing applause and whistles. She gave him a questioning look.
"When did you get here?"
Raimundo grinned. "Right about when you forced the terror twins' mouthpiece into submission." Mari giggled at Kimiko's blush.
"It wasn't anything like that."
"Whaaaat?" he laughed. "It was totally like that, girl! Kei, back me up on this one." Raimundo nudged Keiko, who only nodded with an amused smile. "You were all, 'You little brats!' VERBAL POW! 'Go apologize before I kick your little behinds!'" Mari giggled again as Kimiko rolled her eyes and looked to her long-time friend.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Keiko assured her before hugging her tightly. "Thanks, Kimi. For sticking up for me."
Kimiko hugged her back just as tightly. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"
Mari sniffed. "Oh! What a bello moment!" Raimundo stopped his exaggeration of Kimiko and Micky's scene and joined his sister, heaving out an exaggerated sigh and wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders.
"Hug me, irmã!"
"AH!" Mari cried as she turned to hug Raimundo tightly. "Te quero, Rai!"
"I love you too!" he fake-sobbed as he hugged her.
Keiko and Kimiko looked at them expectantly, not amused by their shenanigans. "You're both stupid," Kimiko deapanned, but smiled. Mari grinned and she and Raimundo both pulled her and Keiko into a big group hug. "ACK! LET GO!" she laughed, pushing at them. Keiko whined, "Ohh! You guys are squishing me!"
"Never~" Mari gushed, nibbling on Keiko's neck lovingly. "We're keeping you guys forever and ever and we'll always be together."
"Maybe a little less than forever," Raimundo amended. "Forever's a really long time." As the three of them shared a laugh and broke apart, Kimiko couldn't help but to feel really happy.
Time passed and all of them discovered their fingers to be akin to prunes. As they got out, Keiko looked to the golding skyline and told them, "Sorry guys, but I have to head home before my parents start yelling at me."
Mari pouted, crossing her arms. "They always yell, chica. Let us keep you para siempre~" Keiko grinned and dried herself off before she pulled on her shorts and her t-shirt. "You already have too many kids running around. I think I'll pass."
Kimiko hugged her in goodbye. "Remember to bring your stuff for Friday!"
"Will do!" She waved a single-handed goodbye to all of them after giving Raimundo a parting hug as well. "See you then!"
Mari checked the time. "Kim?"
"Hmm?"
"Mind letting me have el ba'emen para un tiempo?" she asked. "I have a project I kind of want to terminar."
Kimiko looked at her curiously. "How long is some time?"
Mari shrugged. "Maybe two or-"
"How about you don't worry about that and just be done by the time we come back?" Raimundo interrupted.
"Hah?" Mari blinked. Kimiko looked at him, just as confused.
He mused up Kimiko's wet hair. "Let's go hang out. Just you and me while this one here finishes up whatever she's doing. We've been in the pool all day and I haven't been out of the house in like a week or something." The Brazilian stretched. "I'm starting to feel restless, man."
"Would your parents let us?" Kimiko asked, warding off his hand and starting to dry off properly.
Raimundo grinned. "Let's find out." He walked over to the house and shouted up at his father, who was currently replacing their rain gutter. "PAI!"
"O QUE?" Gabriel shouted back, drilling some screws into place. Mari and Kimiko exchanged a look.
"CAN KIMIKO AND ME HANG OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT?!"
"DO YOU NEED MONEY?"
"NAH! I GOT IT!"
"ARE YOU GOING TO BE BACK BEFORE DINNER?"
"I DON'T KNOW, BUT I HAVE ENOUGH FOR FOOD!"
"BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT!"
"COOL! THANKS, PAI!" He walked back over and bowed. "Easy peasy."
Mari burst out laughing. "Only you, Rai." Kimiko shook her head and reminded him, "I haven't even said yes yet."
"But you will be saying yes," he countered with only his best and sweetest smile, playing the angel. "I mean... You can't resist this face."
She sighed and pushed him away, resisting the strong and growing urge to grin at his antics. "Whatever. I guess I'll go." She eyed him and the smug grin he was giving. "But you're buying, Raimundo."
"Yep."
"And you're driving."
"Uh huh."
"And you're opening my doors."
"Ah... We'll see about that." Kimiko started to open her mouth to respond, but stopped when she felt a hand clamp over her mouth.
"¡Niña!" Mari interjected, sighing and growing frustrated with the banter. "Just say yes and go already! ¡Dios mio! You ask way too many frikkin questions!" Kimiko scowled at Mari, prying her friend's hand off of her mouth, before she looked at him. "I guess my mind was made for me."
"I'll meet you at my car, alright?"
She turned and looked over her shoulder as she walked with Mari. "Mmhmm. I'll see you in a few minutes." As they walked into the house, Raimundo found himself beaming in the wake of his success.
"You like her," Shinki lightly accused, having gotten down from the cables to get himself a drink and a break.
"So? I don't think it's a bad thing to like a girl."
Putting an arm around his shoulders, Shinki smirked. "I think she'd be good for you, bro. She'll kick your butt when you start to get smart with her."
"Like Red does to you?" Raimundo responded smugly.
Flicking his brother's head at the comment, Shinki rolled his eyes. "No. Not like Red. I'm a perfect gentleman to her and any girl, thank-you-very-much. And how do you even know about that? Did Mari say something?"
"Come on, Shin," he teased, rubbing his head. "Mari didn't have to say a word; it's so obvious. You've never had the same girl in the house more than twice and she's around every other week."
"Go and get ready for your date and stay out of my business, lover-boy." Raimundo only grinned and ran into the house. Shinki shook his head and drank his water, breathing out deeply, before he walked back to the side of the house and hooked himself into the cables. Switching on the mechanism as it lifted him up, he picked up his tools and got back to work. "So when are we going to tell Rai?" he asked Gabriel, looking over to his father.
"When he comes of age," Gabriel answered. "He's still not at the right age to come into it."
"And the others?"
Gabriel chuckled. "Shinki, you know the answer to that: when they're at the right age."
He sighed. "I don't like hiding things. And I don't like being the only one to know."
"You only found out a little less than three years ago; Raimundo is near that age," Gabriel reminded him, looking over to his oldest son. "And you're not alone. Your sister and Ayame know. You can't expect us to reveal something that affected you all so dramatically when you're still not mentally prepared."
"Damn it," Shinki huffed, uncharacteristically frustrated. "They're smarter than that. Some of them might already know."
"Or they might think that they know."
"We sound like a cliche," he noted wryly. "Ominously talking about potentially life changing events. It's like a bad movie." He cemented some shingles back into place, replacing the roofing. "All we need is the eminent disaster that brings everyone in sooner than planned."
Gabriel knitted his brows and knocked on the still-exposed wooden parts of the roofing to ward off the ills of Shinki's statement. "Don't bring that kind of luck on us, Shinki Pedrosa-Watanabe."
"Sorry," he grumbled, retying his hair out of the way.
~*The "Date"*~
Taking a final look at herself, Kimiko looked at Mari as Luna watched from the bed and Bandido chilled, napping. "Do I look alright?"
"You look fine, chica," she emphasized. "Why does it matter that much? It's just Raimundo." Kimiko's face grew warm and Mari gasped. "YOU DO NOT."
"I don't!" she snapped back instantly.
"YES YOU DO!" Mari cried, startling Bandido on the bed and causing him to bark. "CALLATE, LIKE RIGHT NOW, BANDIDO!" She yelled at the dog as Luna psuedo-attacked him and bit at his ear to shut him up. "Oh mi dios en el cielo! You like my brother! EW!" Mari started to hop around, acting as if she'd touched something really gross.
Kimiko yelled back stubbornly, "I don't! I said I don't, so I don't!"
"You do!" Mari countered. "I know you better than that! Kimiko Tohomiko does not blush over any ol' muchacho!"
Damn my stupid skin, Kimiko inwardly sulked before snapping, "I do not like your brother, Mari!"
Mari wailed, pacing back and forth frantically as she ranted. "Deus! You can't be doing this to me, Kim! He's meu irmão! I can't just be the super-supportive amiga como siempre and gush with you over how lindo he is! That's so nasty and so wrong y no peudo creer you would do this to me! How could you?!"
Kimiko groaned, rubbing her temples and tuning her out. Leave it to Mari to be over-dramatic over everything. "Mari."
"You're the worst! The absolute worst!" Mari continued to wail.
"MARI!" Kimiko yelled, grabbing onto her shoulders. "CALM DOWN!" Mari shut up, but continued to pout heavily. "I. Do. Not. Like. Your. Brother." Kimiko emphasized. "Are we clear?"
"Whatever, Denial-Girl," Mari muttered. Kimiko glowered at her and she cowered a little. "Okay, okay. You don't like my brother. I get it, I got it, Kim."
"You supported me hanging out with him tonight," Kimiko reminded her. "For you to freak out now is ridiculous!"
"Hanging out and hanging out are totally different," she insisted.
Oh boy, Kimiko inwardly sighed. "Mari. Just shut up. I'm not 'hanging out' or whatever with Raimundo. I promise."
Mari sighed melodramatically. "Okay. I'll stop. You should go before you keep Rai waiting for too long." Kimiko hugged the pouty Mari tightly.
"I love you. Even if you're a huge drama queen," she assured her before heading up the stairs and rushing outside, past the kitchen to go through the French doors to get to the detached garage. Kimiko couldn't help but to laugh to herself as Kaiki sent a playful and teasing wolf-whistle her way as she left. Sparing a single look behind her to grin at him, she looked ahead and saw Raimundo goofing off with Omi.
"You will not catch me today, Raimundo!" Omi declared. "I will be victorious!"
"Gimme my keys back, Chrome-Dome!" Raimundo yelled, making a dive for him, but ending up falling on his face. He growled and glared at the grinning Asian. Kimiko couldn't help but to be amused.
"You are licked behind the fingers, Raimundo!"
"It's 'you're still wet behind the ears', dummy!" he corrected before snatching his keys back. "And I am not!"
"What you said," Omi agreed before looking up. "Oh. Good evening, Kimiko." Raimundo questioningly followed his line of sight.
She smiled at finally being noticed. "Evening, boys. Ready to go, Raimundo?"
"Ah..." He pushed Omi over as the teen started yelling his Chinese curses at him. "Yeah. Now I am." Raimundo grinned and noogied Omi before opening the passenger door as Kimiko rolled her eyes.
"Thanks," she told him before he hopped over the hood, avoiding Omi's tiny fists of fury. Omi frowned deeply.
"Am I meant to be here alone?"
Raimundo sighed as he leaned against the car door. "Go and see what Ki's doing. You guys can play video games or train in the backyard. Don't you have a new move that's just perfect for a big guy like him?"
Omi brightened again. "You are most correct!" he proclaimed and ran off to do that.
Chuckling, Raimundo got into the driver's side, ignoring Kimiko's curious look. "Ready?"
"I've been ready," Kimiko reminded him. With a grin, he started the car and started to drive out, the automatic gate opening wide for him before pulling itself shut again. "So..." she started as they drove. "What was that all about?"
"What was what all about?"
"You and Omi."
He shrugged. "He's been isolated all his life. He's bound to be immature in some ways, but he's a cool kid. We play around sometimes."
Kimiko eyed him. Despite that big mouth of his... "You're actually pretty nice," she stated.
"Just figuring this out?" He sounded amused.
She waved a hand off to the side. "Well, considering your reputation, I thought you'd be a typical jock. Rude and jerkish to a fault. All you really have is a blunt mouth, but it's not even that bad either. I guess you were just reacting to me not being all that agreeable before."
"Didn't your papa teach you to not judge books by covers?" he asked as he pulled up to an arcade.
"An arcade?" she asked incredulously, immediately distracted from his question as she leaned forward to get a better look. "Are you serious?"
Raimundo rose a brow as he killed the engine. "You got something against video games?"
Kimiko laughed at that. "No! I just don't want to see your face when I crush you!" Kimiko crossed her arms and grinned smugly. "I'm the best there is, bub."
"PFFT! You're so on, girl!" Raimundo laughed as he climbed out. "But don't cry when I beat your butt!" Kimiko followed in earnest as he locked the doors and led her into the arcade. "I'm the best."
"We'll see about that," she challenged, gravitating towards one of the traditional fighting games. "How about we turn this into a contest to see who really is the best?"
He grinned. "Is there a prize to go to the winner?"
She thought about it, tapping her finger against her chin. "Umm... Ah! The winner gets a free card."
"Free card?"
"Yep." Kimiko went into an explanation. "It means that the winner gets to ask the loser any question and they have to answer or you can use your free card to pass on any question you really don't want to answer or to pass on any favor that you don't feel like doing." She grinned a bit. "Or ask for a favor that the other person has to accept."
"Hmm..." Raimundo said, rubbing his jawline thoughtfully. "Sounds interesting... I'm in!" Kimiko grinned evilly.
"Great~"
Several virtual beatings later found a very depressed Raimundo and a highly elated Kimiko dancing around. "I told you I was the best!" she gloated gleefully, giggling. "Free card for me!"
"No fair!" he cried. "You're the daughter of a video game developer!"
Kimiko stuck her tongue out at him. "You should have thought of that before you challenged me, Raimundo." She beamed and he couldn't help but to be slightly dazzled by her bright grin. "Now you owe me a free card."
Raimundo sighed. "How are we even gonna keep track of these?"
Kimiko pulled out her smartphone and opened up an app. "I already thought of that and made something to help. Mari, Kei, and me use it to keep track of our free cards between the three of us." She held it up to show him. "See?"
"You programmed that yourself? Without any templates?" She nodded, still grinning. He grinned with her. "Nice design. I've played with making a few apps myself. Mine are more game-like though." Kimiko gasped in excitement, clapping in joy.
"Really?! I don't know anyone else outside of the internet that makes apps for fun!" OH MY GOD! she squealed on the inside, excited to find another programmer so close by. "Can I see some of yours?" she tested cutely, leaning forward a little as she hugged her phone to herself. Please let him be good and not just think he's really good~
"Is that you using your pass?" he asked hopefully.
"In your dreams," she laughed. "I wouldn't waste it like that. You don't have to if you don't want to." Raimundo dug his phone out of his pocket as Kimiko cheerily took a seat beside him.
"I'll warn you, they're more like joke apps," he told her.
"That's fine," Kimiko hummed as he handed her his phone, opening up his personal app folder so she could explore. She gasped. "You're the one that made the Inapprobutton?"
"Guilty as charged," he smirked, brushing off his shoulders proudly.
"That app helped me get through Sophomore World History with Mrs. Crud!" she laughed. "Mari and I had a ball with it! She doesn't know you make these?"
"Nope," Raimundo replied, shaking his head. "No one in my family does. Only Jermaine and my pen-pal, Clay, do." Kimiko felt something warm flutter through her at his admission. He trusted me with something he's never really told anyone about before?
"Well..." she drawled slightly, tilting her head to the side as she streamed her app onto his phone and labeled it appropriately. "Your secret is safe with me."
"Good," he grinned. "I'd hate it if Nat found out who keeps wirelessly locking up her phone." Kimiko laughed with him as she remembered watching the girl shriek and freak out over her phone and demanding that Shinki fix it while he tried to explain that he was a mechanic, not a programmer, and he wouldn't know how to fix that issue. She remembered having to intervene and unlock her phone with a few more ticks than she'd expected to encounter before Nathalia finally calmed down.
"She's never suspected you?"
Raimundo brushed his nails off on his t-shirt. "Everyone always assumes I'm too much of a jock to know how to play with technology like that." He smirked a little more. "I've never been the one to break people's hearts when they think they've got me figured out."
"You're terrible!" she laughed.
"Watch yourself," he teased. "I might start targeting your phone." Kimiko scrunched up her nose.
"Try me!" she challenged.
Raimundo tweaked her nose. "Maybe I will!" She started to respond before both their stomachs interrupted her. They blushed together and Raimundo scratched the back of his head. "I think we should go out and get something to eat." He looked at her. "Or maybe you'd want to go back home...?"
Seeing the reluctance on his face as he added on the last part made her smile. "No. I think I'd rather eat out for a change. I miss take-out with my Papa." He brightened and took her hands.
"Great! Maybe you can teach me about those 'functional' apps or whatever."
She grinned and allowed him to pull her up. "Sure. If you teach me how to lock up phones as well as you do."
"Maybe. Can't give away all the trade secrets, Kim." He frowned once he realized what he said. "Umm... Sorry. I didn't mean to get comfortable like that."
Kimiko shook her head, holding onto his wrists. "No. It's okay. Friends get to call me Kim, or Kimi. Whatever fits your fancy." He poked her nose, earning a wrinkle from her.
"Then you get to call me Rai. Since we're friends and all now," he declared, leading her to the nearest Chinese place. She smiled softly.
"I'd like that."
A/N: I combined the earlier events of the chapter and the date together because I wasn't going to write a lot on it anyway and I like longer chapters?
Onto my rant, continued from above. You can skip if you'd like. :X
Um... It's words and phrases like "Te quiero" in Spanish and "Te quero" in Portuguese. I'm Hispanic, so I can really only talk for Spanish, although I'm pretty sure it's a shared frustration?
Either way, English can't properly translate what that phrase means. The closest thing to "te quiero" is "I love you", but it's just not the same as "Te amo", which translates to the same thing. "Te amo" is typically reserved for passionate love between lovers. It's for people who are "in love" with each other. "Te quiero" is more versatile and we use it to speak to people who we feel very strongly for, but in a more platonic way, like family and close friends. IDK. I just really enjoy how seriously Spanish takes the concept and the usage of the words for "love" so seriously and there's so many different ways to express different kinds of love and affection to people in your life without getting tripped up over words and forcing the other person to just magically always know what you mean.
I kind of came across the issue when Mari and Rai were having their fun or whatever and I was thinking of how to help you guys get what she's saying by using Rai's response? But then I thought about it and it really bothered me that the only way I could translate without having to go into this whole extra crap to explain what is so different about it is to use "I love you". :/ IDK, English. You just need to get your life together and stop being so vague with people and stop this whole "lost in translation" thing. :(
Also, basemen is not a real Spanish word for basement. Do not be fooled into using Mari's Spanglish.
