10

Heracles gazes around the store, staring lovingly at the falling sky outside. His dreams steer off track when he feels a vibration disturb the pocket of his jeans. He moves it outward, seeing just another pointless text from Sadik. It's something about him coming for him at work again, and he just blows it off. Honestly, Heracles thinks it is foolish of Sadik to text that he is coming. Still, he keeps his eyes open, in case he drags Kiku into the situation once more. "I hope he's doing okay..."

"Why am I doing this? I feel so ashamed." Kiku holds peeks around the door he just unlocked, peering down the hall. Seated in the kitchen, he sees Sadik looking down at his phone, waiting patiently. He steps out, crumbling his body inward from awkwardness. In a new kimono, one a very dark blue with silver lining and thin gray stripes, he pulls back his ebony bangs with caution, avoiding the fresh imperfections now painting his reflection.

Sadik grins down at his hands, then pulling his chin up to see Kiku exit his room. His mind draws a little blank, and his thoughts take a pause before he starts back up and says nothing. He goes to the door, holding it open for the little guy. Kiku hesitates, considering the possibility of him not going, but that would be very rude of him. After a deep breath, he nods like a mini-bow, and shortly tells him, "Thank you."

As they wander the streets, Kiku inches away at half the rate Sadik is swaying to his side. He tries to walk quickly, but he still is hurting from his fall and is subconsciously walking slower to avoid another incident. Sadik wants to start a conversation, but Kiku seems so shut away, almost like he is trying not to be there. Normally Sadik would start to push his limits a bit, but he already has had a tough day, he can let him think for a while.

They are about to cross the street in front of the town grocery, an intersection with a rusted stop light. Before that, Sadik pulls out his cell phone, dialing for his rivaled sibling. He does not press it to his ear though, he lets it ring while he slides it into his free pocket. Both men halt, and Kiku is about to step onto the darker pavement, when Sadik slips his fingers into Kiku's.

Kiku immediately jumps back a step, rejecting the feel of another person's skin. He is about to say something along the lines of a professional apology, when Sadik cuts in. "Oh, right sorry. It's just I'm used to holding hands when I cross the street." He does a purposeful side glance with a little stubbly smile.

Sadik is easing his palm again closer to Kiku's while he thinks with wide eyes. Awkwardly, he brushes the back of his hand against Sadik's, soon being grabbed once again. Sadik slows his pace when crossing, and Kiku shuffles along. The moment they step back onto the sidewalk Kiku whips his hand back to himself, noticeably stepping out at least six inches. Sadik is quite content, grinning widely.

Heracles twists his chestnut split ends with glassy vision. The day has slowly ticked by, with no more excitement then a recent text from his stupid brother. The intention of a threat has not crossed his mind. Suddenly his pocket begins to vibrate again, only longer then it would for a text. Someone must be calling him, and he can take a guess. Heracles fishes the cell phone out of his pocket once more, purposefully declining. His eyes wander the perimeter, lazily searching for Sadik. There he is, out the window, crossing the street. But why isn't he heading this way?

Then his eyes instantly widen, his heart taking the loudest beat it has in many years. His mind has drawn a blank, his eyes sponging up the scene. There's Sadik, hand in hand, with Kiku. Kiku is walking with Sadik, they are going somewhere... together? He can't see Kiku's face, and can only wonder what his expression is. Is he threatened, happy? Heracles stumbles up, when someone prestigiously marches into his check out lane, holding his chin high. Tino was not here this evening, Heracles is running the whole place currently.

The customer does a snooty cough, pulling back his dark brown locks and re-adjusting his glasses. Heracles turns back, slightly scowling, eyes narrowed. At a rather quick pace, Heracles scans each individual, rather lavished, item of food. This particular guy stops by sometimes, always grabbing the best he can find at the store, because he could afford it. He seems pleased that Heracles is working at a decent pace for once. They exchange goods and a credit card, and Heracles again twists upward, but by now Kiku and Sadik are far out of sight. Heracles slumps into his stool, grabbing his forehead with blank thoughts. He is so very tired.

After a bit a of a walk past the grocery store, Kiku and Sadik enter the town square's Noodles & Company building. There is a small line directly from the entrance inside to the cashier/ order station. They both gaze up to the menu hanging above the kitchen, which is packed and filled to the brim with various pastas and spices. The workers are quick and serious, with one exception.

Feliciano dances around a pot boiling on the main stove, he is clearly slacking at the rush hour. He hums a little tune that he wrote for Ludwig what seems like a lifetime ago. While reaching over to grab some ingredients to his left, he glances to the line of customers. Going down the line he recognizes each face, with one exception. There is a new face, one tan and fairly well groomed with a sharp line of stubble defining his chin. His eyes, much like the grocer's, are a bold green. But, who is that with him? Why is Kiku with him, and why does he have a face painted in fresh bruises and scrapes? Feliciano drops his long spoon in the boiling pot, ready to rush to his japanese friend.

"Vargas, you better not be slacking off again! You know what happened last time!"

The voice of his boss in the back stops Feliciano, and he hesitates to continue his work. He doesn't wish to be fired again. But, he does continue to cook in the way, watching Kiku and that guy every other second. His expression is a bit rushed and scared with a lot of worry- a classic Italian. He counts the time left until his short break frequently.

When Kiku and Sadik reach the cashier, Kiku recognizes this girl. She was in line at the grocery store this morning, she had those big green eyes and sloppy, short, blond hair. Her voice was still high-pitched with the hint of a Germanic accent. "Thank you for waiting sirs, what may I get you tonight?" She reminds Kiku of this morning, which slightly upsets him a bit more.

Sadik grinned at the cute little employee, "Yeah, one Thai noodle thing. And..." He turns down to Kiku who stayed stern and professional up to this point. He lost his mental order after silently drowning in the memories of early today, triggered by a happy little girl. "May I please, eh, have the..." He trails off, seeming preoccupied. "Now is no time to think of him! What was it? I must seem so foolish!"

"He'll have what I'm having." Sadik tells her, before Kiku troubles himself any further.

The employee nods and smiles, repeating the order. "Okay, that is two Thai noodles, which are $6.50 each, so that will be thirteen dollars total." She doesn't bother to fidget with the register.

Kiku feels out of breath at the moment, his chest aching horribly. Still he reaches through his grey shawl's pockets in search of his wallet. "Kiku," Sadik starts. Kiku glares up to him. "I got this dude." Kiku shakes his head, still rummaging through his clothing.

"No, that is quite alright, eh..." Again, he is lost on a name to address him by. "It is only fair that I pay for myself." As he finishes that sentence, he goes completely hallow. He forgot his wallet at home. His damaged face has gone even paler, his stomach twisted into a tighter series of knots, and his emotions just one step further out of line.

Sadik has already handed the adorable employee payment in full. He sighed, looking down at Kiku so flustered. His smile is partially from laughter, and partially from pity. He is unaware of the rarity of Kiku's current external state of being. Usually he always appears business-like, even in the most stressful of times.

The noodles are ready surprisingly quickly. They each grab their full bowls and Sadik leads the way to a window table. On the way to the seat, Kiku snags a disposable pair of wooden chopsticks near the beverage machine. Sadik manages to slide cooly into the chair, whereas Kiku looks before he sits with his regular caution.

The atmosphere of the room is a bit noisy and cramped, not an air that Kiku prefers. He stays quiet, not averting his eyes upward from the food his consumes with raised shoulders. Sadik, however, is quick to conversation. "So Jappie," A new nickname? "You must really have a thing for honor, but I didn't mind paying. I insist!"

Kiku nods into his noodles, feeling a tad ashamed for not addressing him politely. Still, he continues to not look upward during the conversation. He is quiet, "Hai."

Sadik glances around, impatiently waiting for himself or Kiku to speak. "I saw those swords on your wall. They were really cool."

"Thank you Mr..." Still no name to fill the void.

"Where did you get them?"

"A festival, back at home."

"Where's that?"

Kiku hesitates, uncomfortable with his level of curiosity. "Tokyo."

"Dude that is so cool you know! I was born in the Turkish Republic, but raised by my father across the country. Haha, that is until he met my step-mother."

Kiku doesn't react. He shows no interest in furthering the conversation, so Sadik stops a moment. That is until he thinks of something else to say after scarfing down a fork of his pasta. "So you got your blanket back good, right?"

Now Kiku stops what he is doing. He cocks his head ever so slightly to the left, lifting his chin to glare to Sadik's face. His voice lowers in pitch, nearly a whisper due to a sinking, confused, soul. "How... How do you know about that?"

The ends of Sadik's lips curl upward into a condemned smirk. He is quite pleased to finally see a bit of light on a darkened, bruised face, even if it is mere confusion. "Yeah dude. I got it from my bro who was hogging it yo. He can be such a jerk you know? Done some bad things..." His voice is persuasive, and there is still interest from Kiku, so he plans to continue. He has plenty of things to say about his brother.

Sadik opens his grin, looking back to Kiku with ferocious pupils. "And he-" He stops. His heart feels a slow drop the longer he observes Kiku. Kiku appears so sunken and blank, his dark eyes a depressing glaze on the table. Was he always so pale? Was it the patches of purple on his empty expression that troubled Sadik, or the fact he feels responsible for something he wasn't sure he said?

Kiku isn't too hungry. Aside from his aching, he feels sunken as well. This man was talking badly about him. Why is it troubling Kiku though? He isn't angry, no, not in the least bit. Again, that hollow feeling. The reality of the moment hazes back into sight, and Kiku is suddenly ashamed. "What am I doing here with this guy? Why did I agree to this? What about Karpu- oh." He refuses to think to deeply upon it. How his manners have escaped him tonight.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me for a moment." Kiku wobbles to his feet, and Sadik doesn't react quite positively. For once, it isn't anger in his expression. He is ready to speak, when something flashes by. Well, not flashed, but quite quickly for the matter. There is no time for words during this 'flash', because it took Kiku by his elbow and raced him to the back of the restaurant.

Feliciano hasn't removed his struggled grasp on Kiku, though he is panting. Kiku's eyes are wide and a bit scared and he shakes a tad in his spot. Before he can speak or move his friend away, Feliciano babbles out his words like the worried Italian he is.

"Oh no Kiku are you alright! What happened to you and who is he and what about the cute cat guy? Did someone hurt you?! I can take him- but perhaps I should call Luddie first.." His words are loosely glued together, and hard to understand due to the rapid pace. His expression is a level beyond worried, and even distressed on his own part.

Kiku shakes his arm free of grasp, and Feli takes it back apologetically. He can't seem to look one of his closest friends in the face, and analyses the geometric flooring tiles instead. "I assure you, I am fine Vargus-kun. Thank you for your concern. But, I thought you were fired again form this building..." His voice is weak and shaky, and it is painfully obvious he wants to hide it.

"Nevermind that. Why are you with this guy? Really, did he kick you? I, I..." He stops, confused under thick ginger locks and lidded eyes.

"No, no." "Why would he think that?" "This is all my fault, I agreed to this outing..." His soft tone easily trails off to silence. He feels like a liar, even when speaking the- truth?

Feliciano can't help but wonder. Then again, sometimes Kiku can be fairly easy to persuade. "But, what about the grocer?"

Immediately Kiku shakes his head in rejection. "No, I'm sorry but I do not desire to talk about it, Vargas-kun." There is silence, in which neither know what to say. Kiku starts to turn back shamefully. Once more Feliciano places a hand on Kiku's arm. He, of course, jumps in reaction. The Italian speaks softly for the first time tonight, "If you change your mind, I'll be home tonight." His pitch has dropped, which is unusual.

Kiku's heart has skipped a beat, and he nods back to Feliciano to return his pulse after freedom from his grasp. He walks slowly and weakly, almost quiet in a way, back to the table with his head looking downward.

Sadik has been watching his movements suspiciously, with an intent of care. "Yo, who was that?"

There is a pause, not one of hesitation, but one of consideration. "It was nothing, ah-" Kiku stops his words. He can't seem to think of anything important to say. His dark eyes glance from one empty bowl to another, and he gulps. Thank goodness this is almost over, he just wants to go home.

"Eh, thank you very much for the meal, but I think I should get going." He bows, shuffling to get back up.

"Ah, Kiku? Na it's cool don't you wanna stay and chat bro?"

Kiku looks uncomfortable, even more so then before. His voice remains clear and shaky. "Thank you, but no... My kitty must be quite hungry by now and I have places to be tomorrow." He really doesn't like the sound of "no", yet hates the thought or "yes" more.

Sadik appears displeased, but grunts his way upward and tosses the bowls to the side. "Okay."

"Oh, no," Kiku starts, "You don't need to walk me home, I can manage." He can almost crack a grin, to politely show his gratitude but also assure his prior statement. Sadly Sadik can see straight through his depressing smile.

"Ey it's no trouble buddy, besides, I want to!"

Kiku hesitates once more, but it's hard to argue with that. At least he no longer seems to displeased by him.

They wonder to the door, being eyed by the Italian in the kitchen. Sadik holds the door open for Kiku, and he bows respectfully before exiting. It is basically a natural reflex by now.

The sun is nearly set, but the street lights have not flickered alight quite yet. Their pace is slow and distanced due to awkward silence, settling aches, and full stomaches. Sadik whistles a bit, only to find it makes the atmosphere more uncomfortable.

Kiku is kept to himself, quiet. He feels so hollow and sore, primarily in his front chest. His mind is not so happy either, but he chooses to set it aside until he can't help but curl forward in pain. Sadik turns his head to see him, and stops his pace. "Yo Jappie, you cool?"

Now Kiku has stopped as well, he moves to seat himself on a conveniently placed wooden bench to the side. He feels so disgusted with himself when he gets these aches, but also remains stern and decent.

He nods to the question. "Ah, I am just fine thank you."

Sadik takes the opportunity to break the ice and joke around. "You sure? I can carry you bro." He chuckles a bit.

"Ah, no no really I am great." Kiku answers immediately, wide eyed and on his feet. The humor flies right over his head, and is taken as a threatening romantic advancement instead. "Thank you."

Sadik is a bit bored by his answer, but he also finds it kinda cute how he completely misread him with those dark eyes and pitiful marks on his face. Still, it is confusing to him. "Right,".

Still awkward.

They walk a bit more, reaching the stoplight in front of the grocery. There are clearly no cars in sight, but they both still wait for the light to let them go. They take a step off the pavement when Sadik quickly remembers to take Kiku's hand. When he grabs it he is rough and unpracticed. Kiku jumps a bit, and rushes to the other side of the street to remove Sadik's grasp.

The rest of the walk to the house is dark, and Kiku is a ball of nerves. Before turning the shrubs to Kiku's home, Sadik swoops down and snatches a grown tulip from his lawn. Kiku eyes him for doing something so impolite.

Right before the doorstep, Kiku sharply turns and bows to Sadik, who was following behind. "Well, thank you for this evening. I assure you I will be alright now. Sayonarra, ehh," He still can't address Sadik properly. Nonetheless, he can now enter his home.

Sadik blinks, slightly surprised by how quickly Kiku can recite his goodbyes. "So Jappie, when can I see you again?" He smirks, shoving the stolen flower into Kiku's hand.

Kiku purses his lips, trying to think of a polite way to put this. "Ah, I'm sorry I don't know, but thank you." "Besides, he's from out of town, right? Will I ever have to see him again?"

"Aww come on Kiku," Sadik groans, "We'll have lots of fun again, yeah?"

Fun wasn't the first word that came to mind. "I don't think we will meet again, perhaps if you stop by on your next visit, eh..." This isn't how Kiku wants to come across. He should start over, but it is a tad to late. Sadik has responded with a stubbly grin.

"Alright. See you soon." He waves. Kiku quickly shuts the door to finally separate him from Sadik. He analyzes the lovely tulip being gently grasped in his long fingers. The stem has been ripped up by the roots, and torn at the grassy rims.

"I shouldn't have done this, I feel so shameful. Ah well, a good night's sleep and community service tomorrow morning should take my mind off it." He tends to Yuki, making sure she is well taken care of before setting his alarm and readying himself for bed.

Sadik grins, chuckling as he turns back around the dark corner. Abruptly he is taken by the collar out of the night and rammed against the light post, just now flickering alive.

Heracles is angrily wound up, gritting his teeth and glaring poisonously under his chestnut tangles. His grip is terrifying strong for a man who constantly sleeps and tends to cats. Sadik's smile has not faded. Heracles speaks first. His voice isn't quite as soft as usual, but it is more dark and deep by far. "Why are you hurting my friend Sadik?" It is not asked like most questions, but more towards a demand.

Sadik is in no place for his cocky reply. "Hurting? No, I like him very much." His tone rises, as do his thin eyebrows. He implies that Kiku is more then his friend by now.

Both of Heracles' hands take a quick jerk, throwing his brother back and forth suddenly in a shake. Sadik is slightly less happy now. "Since when are you even into guys?" Heracles asks, "When I came out in high school you were one of the worst about it." He pauses, "So, why would you do this now? What happened to that short-haired girl, who was it? Ka-"

"Don't you talk about her!" Sadik attempts to push his brother back, but not hard enough to get him away just yet. He stops, replying to Heracles' question. "Besides, Kiku wanted to go."

Heracles raises a fist, taking in a short breath upward, ready to strike powerfully. "No, Kiku wouldn't. I saw him. You hurt him, didn't you?" However, doubt slowly lowers his fist downward to his side. His step-brother is an ass, but he wouldn't do this. Would he?

He releases Sadik, stomping across the street towards his home. Sadik grins, heading the other direction to his motel in town, happy as can be.