Disclaimer - If you recoginize it, then I don't own it.
Thank you to lalalalala2, FlamesOfFury, Tezi, Butterfly Ishida & Corn - The OTHER White Meat for reviewing.
A/N - Sorry, this is a week late. I usually update each Wednesday but I was suffering a major case of writer's block last week and my muses were of no help. All they can do is argue among themselves. One of you pointed out that I tend to ignore some of the characters. I am really sorry about that. Sometimes it is difficult to keep up with 14 chibis, 13 teens, 7 adults and 1 bit beast so someone is bound to be left out or overlooked.
Chapter Ten - Puppy Love
Hiro woke up after hearing what sounded like a stampede of bulls running past his door and groaned when he remembered where he was. It was now the afternoon of the morning that he had come to pick up Brooklyn, who had been forced to visit the emergency room after suffering an allergic reaction to a piece of candy that had peanuts. He had been tired and had planned on going back to the dojo but Brooklyn wanted to stay here and play with his friends. That had led to being given a room to nap in while the chibis played together. What he wouldn't do for a longer nap and wondered how the others teens and adults could sleep in this house with that much noise?
He tried to shift to get comfortable but saw and felt the problem immediately. Brooklyn was laying sprawled out horizonally across his chest as Hiro remembered why had stopped sleeping with him several days before. Brooklyn was using his right arm as a pillow while his feet hung off his left side. "Do you not have a life," Hiro muttered as Brooklyn's eyes fluttered open and he yawned cutely. "Hero," Brooklyn greeted with a smile so bright that it could power up the entire room, "have nice nap?"
"It could have been better," Hiro replied with a yawn of his own, "why aren't you playing with the others?" "Judy said naptime," Brooklyn informed, "me wike friends but decided would rather be close to you. Me luv you so much, Hero." Brooklyn then sat up and gave him an innocent peck on the lips. "I love you too, tenshi," he replied as Brooklyn straddled his chest happily and began to bounce.
Hiro closed his eyes and tried to will the feeling away. This was so wrong. "Brookie, don't do that please," Hiro pleaded as he groaned again but this time it was from his movement, "you have no idea of what you do to me, do you?" "Hurt you?" Brooklyn ask, his eyes wide and innocent, "me sorwy." "In a way," Hiro explained, definitely not going to explain the matter to a chibi as Brooklyn climbed off of him quickly, "but it is not all bad. Why don't you go and play with the others but you are not to do anything mischievous. Do you understand?"
Brooklyn nodded before pulling the door open and darting out into the hall. Hiro swore he heard a laugh come from his backpack that sounded like Zeus. Ever since the confrontation with Brooklyn's parents, Hiro found that he enjoyed the bit beast's company. He now carried the beyblade with him everywhere. He wondered if all of the bladers had a bond with their bit beasts like Brooklyn did with Zeus. Well, he knew it wasn't entirely true since he didn't share such a close relationship with Metal Driger.
"You love him and you know it," the deep voice added with another laugh, "don't pretend that you hate the attention that he lavishes upon you." "I know," Hiro admitted and didn't try to deny it since the minotaur had uncanny judgement when it came to the two of them, "I'm annoyed but I love it. Just don't tell him I said that, okay?" "Very well," Zeus replied, "I'm going back to sleep then. I might see you later." Hiro heard a yawn and then it went silent.
"What I wouldn't do to have the life of a bit beast?" Hiro muttered with a laugh as he turned back over to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get what he wanted. He was just about to drift off again when he heard more running in the hallway. The door then swung open forcefully, bouncing off the wall to reveal a white blurr that he knew only too well. Brooklyn was back again and he appeared to be in a really good mood.
"Hero, you gotta come!" he shouted, jumping on the bed and then on him, "you have gots ta see." "What now?" Hiro groaned as he tried to go back to sleep but Brooklyn wasn't going to let him. "Ty-Ty here," Brooklyn stated, pulling on the collar of his shirt, "and he gots a weally good present." That remark opened Hiro's eyes since he wondered what Tyson could have got from Grandpa that would make Brooklyn this excited. This peaked his interest as he managed to sit up with Brooklyn now in his lap.
Brooklyn quickly jumped away from him to wait impatiently by the door. His small foot was tapping and he had his arms crossed. Hiro had never seen him so agitated before and wondered what Tyson could have brought to make him jealous. Hiro rose and straightened his clothes from his brief nap as he walked to Brooklyn, who tugged on his pants to make him move faster. What he wouldn't give to have the seemingly endless energy that the chibi possessed.
Brooklyn took off at a sprint as Hiro followed behind him at a more leisurely pace. He definitely wasn't going to run and make a fool of himself. The voices grew louder as he walked down the stairs to see most of the other chibis crowded around Tyson in the hall. That did not surprise Hiro but the man talking to Judy and his Grandfather did. Seeing him was quite a shock.
"Dad," he called as Bruce turned toward his oldest son. "Hiro," he greeted with a smile as the older embraced the younger in a hug that was a bit awkward for Hiro at least, "did I surprise you?" "Yeah, you did," Hiro replied with a smile, "I didn't know that you were coming home." "Well, I wanted it to be a surprise," he informed with a smile of his own, "after Dad told me about what happened, I decided I couldn't miss the opportunity to spend some time with Tyson like I did before. That little one of yours is something else though."
He was pointing to Brooklyn, who had joined the crowd around Tyson. "Hero see!" Brooklyn called as the group parted and Hiro saw what the little prodigy was so excited about. Hiro didn't smile but grimaced. He then groaned but he wasn't the only one. Daichi did as well since their thoughts were on the same wavelength.
"I'm definitely staying here now," Hiro heard Daichi murmur, "there is no way that I am taking care of it. If I stay at the dojo, I will be responsible for it. It was bad enough that I had to pretend to be a dragon and play with Tyson." Standing beside of Tyson, who was holding a blue leash, was a Siberian Husky puppy. It had a dark gray and white coat with bright blue eyes that sparkled with life and mischief.
It was wagging its tail at everyone and panting with excitement as Enrique was patting its head. "Great," Hiro murmured, "something else to take care of as though I don't have enough to worry about." Bruce laughed from his remark and patted him on the back. "Don't worry, son," Bruce reassured, "I'll be the one taking care of him until Tyson returns to normal. Dad says that Brooklyn is enough of a handful for you."
"You don't know the half of it," Hiro murmured, darkly. "Ty-Ty, what his name?" Brooklyn ask as he stretched out a hand to touch the puppy, who licked it before he could pet his head. Brooklyn squealled in delight and it was so high pitched that it nearly shattered Hiro's eardrums. He had a very bad feeling that this pet was going to cause a great deal of trouble. "His name is Cosmo," Tyson said, proudly as the puppy's ears twitched but then went flat on his head when Kai got close. The adults turned to look when they heard the puppy growl at Kai, whose crimson eyes narrowed on the dog.
"Don't like dogs," he remarked with an air of indifference, "Me prefer cats." He didn't look impressed by Tyson's new pet but Tala was. Cosmo jumped up on him, almost knocking Tala over in the process and started to lick him all over the face. "Hero," Brooklyn whined as he looked down to see him tugging on his clothes, "me want one." "No," he replied, "you are definitely not getting a dog." "But Ty-Ty has one," Brooklyn protested as unshed tears glistened in his eyes, "Me want doggie too."
"I am not getting you a puppy, Brooklyn," Hiro repeated, "because I will have to walk, wash and feed it. Besides, I don't like dogs all that much. I prefer cats. You can just let them do as they please. They clean themselves and get their own exercise. Basically all you have to do is feed them."
Brooklyn ignored his little rant and continued to tug on his clothes. "Pwease," he begged on his knees as Bruce had to stifle his laughter from the way the chibi was begging, "me be a good boy from now on. Do anytwing you say and won't cause twouble." "The answer is still no," Hiro snapped, glaring at his charge. Brooklyn's bottom lip quivered as the tears started to roll down his cheeks.
A cry erupted from his throat that was so mournful that Cosmo started to howl along with him. Hiro wasn't buying the fake tears and definitely would not give in. If he bought Brooklyn a puppy, he would be the one stuck taking care of it. His chibified boyfriend was enough to handle at the moment without the added nuisance of a dog. "Crying is not going to make me change my mind," he stated, loudly enough as Brooklyn ceased his fit.
He sniffled for a few minutes and wiped his runny nose on his clothes but Hiro stood firm on his decision. "How come Ty-Ty get one?" he ask, woefully, "and me don't?" "Because our Father bought it for him," Hiro remarked, "I wouldn't get a puppy for him, much less you. Since you are my responsibility, you are not getting one." "If me had a daddy," Brooklyn added, "would he get me one?"
"It would be his decision not mine," Hiro remarked, knowing that his twisted logic wasn't going to work. His parents had left him and had made it quite clear that he was unwanted. Brooklyn stood up from where he had fell and looked at the adults. His sea foam green eyes intently focused on Bruce who was watching Tyson, who was desperately trying to get Cosmo off of Tala. Brooklyn smiled quite maliciously as a thought struck.
"Daddy, buy me puppy!" he demanded, throwing himself at Bruce, who was shocked by what the chibi had called him. Hiro's mouth had dropped open from the title as had nearly everyone else who had heard. "You Hero's Daddy," Brooklyn exclaimed, glomping the man who he had just met around the legs, "he take care of me so you my Daddy too." No one argued his logic since they were stunned but Bruce looked flattered that the chibi thought so highly of him. He blushed slightly as he looked down at Brooklyn and then turned to Hiro, who was still gaping.
"Pwease," Brooklyn begged on his knees, "pwease, pwease, pwetty pwease, pweaseeee. Me do anything for puppy." Bruce was looking between Hiro and Brooklyn with a confused expression since he didn't know what to do. Hiro finally snapped out of his shock and smiled. "Yeah, Daddy, what are you going to do?" Hiro smirked and crossed his arms, offering no help whatsoever with Brooklyn.
"I'm honored that you want to think of me as such," Bruce began, kneeling down, "but I am not your father." "You don't want me," Brooklyn whimpered as his lips began to quiver and he started to cry once again, "Daddy don't want me!" Bruce looked to Hiro, whose eyebrow arched and continued to smirk. His father was only getting a taste of what he had dealt with all ready. Bruce sighed since he could not calm the crying chibi.
Kai then came over to Brooklyn and pulled on his sleeve. "Come on, Brookie," he stated, "let's go play since Tala too busy with dog." "Don't wanna," Brooklyn cried, "nobody wants me. No one luvs me. Hero won't get me a puppy."
"Hiro, some help would be nice," Bruce begged, "you are the one who knows him best after all." "You are the one who started this," Hiro replied, "I wouldn't have bought Tyson a dog. He can't take care of himself much less care for it even as a teen-ager." "Dogs aren't that great, Brookie," Kai added, "cats are better or me thought you liked birds?" Brooklyn stopped crying as he sniffled again and looked at his playmate. "Birdie," he murmured, "but doggie bettah."
"No they're not," Kai defended, "they smell and eat anything they come across. You hafth ta bathe them all the time. Kitties and birds take care of themselves. They bettah." Hiro was wishing that Kai could sway Brooklyn to his opinion. It was worth hoping for to have only one dog at the dojo; especially one that he was not responsible for.
"But me still wants one," Brooklyn protested, "Me don't care if they stink or gots fleas or eats trash. Me wanna puppy." "I am so not dealing with this," Kai muttered, rolling his eyes and leaving his friend who was still crying to go over to Rei, "what so great about a dumb dog?" Rei didn't seem to like the puppy either but Mystel was entranced by it like Tala. The minature captain of the Blitzkrieg Boyz was currently rolling around on the floor with Cosmo and laughing of all things.
Brooklyn was still crying in front of Bruce as Hiro was going to let it continue. He had no intention of giving in to his demand. Bruce on the other hand was at a loss of what to do. Hiro wouldn't offer any help and he knew the child had been abused by his parents. There was no way that his heart would allow him to add to the neglect and abuse he had all ready suffered from them.
Bruce sighed as he picked the toddler up, who stopped crying immediately. "I'll see what we can do," Bruce stated, not giving in completely which made Brooklyn pout, "how about you just ask Tyson if you can play with Cosmo for now? That way you will be able to see what kind of work taking care of a dog is. Then you can decide if you want one." Hiro had to give his Father credit. He wouldn't have been able to handle the situation so calmly.
He was surprised that Brooklyn nodded his head in agreement as he rubbed his eyes. He then looked over to his guardian as he held out his arms. He might have wanted a Daddy to get things from but he still needed his Hiro. "Are you through with the tantrums?" Hiro ask, quietly as the chibi nuzzled into his neck. "Yeah," Brooklyn replied with his voice laced with drowsiness, "didn't get what me want. Not worth it."
Another startled cry made Hiro turn his attention to his little brother. Cosmo had been wrestling with Tala and the two of them had rolled into Oliver and made him fall to the floor. "Watch it," the French chibi warned with a glare as Kevin offered him a hand up. "Tyson, I think it would be best if you took Cosmo outside," Bruce suggested, "you can let him run loose in the backyard." Tyson pulled on the leash but it didn't have the desired effect on the hyperactive puppy. When Miguel stepped forward and pulled with him, Cosmo yelped from the yank and calmed down.
Tala was still in the floor on his back as Kai 'hmphed' and offered a hand up. Tala took it but then ran after Tyson to play with the puppy. Kai looked offended that his friend had abandoned him in favor of the dog. He hmphed again as his arms crossed against his chest and followed the others outside. The only two that remained with the adults was Enrique, who was still following Hillary around and Brooklyn, who was in Hiro's arms.
"Hilwary," Enrique called, tugging on her skirt and trying to impress her, "do you wike dogs? I'll buy you one if you wike. I have several at home." He smiled brightly at the brunette, who groaned. Unlike Hiro, who somewhat adored his chibified boyfriend, Hillary seemed annoyed with the minature Italian.
"Is he still following you around?" Johnny ask as he entered the hall, "I'll be glad when he turns back to his teen self and dumps you like yesterday's news." "I do believe that you are jealous," Robert noted with a smirk, "of the way that Enrique lavishes Hillary with attention and affection." "I am not," Johnny protested as his face turned red, "I just think that he can do better than her. What does he see in her anyway? All she does is argue with every male that is around."
"I do not," Hillary defended as another fight threatened to break out between them. Everyone sweatdropped and nearly fell over anime style when Hillary stalked toward Johnny. Everyone backed away from the two since no one wanted to be caught in the crossfire. Since the day was rather warm, Hiro thought a swim in the pool would be nice. The only problem would be convincing Brooklyn to join him. It could help the younger conquer his fear of the water.
"Do you want to go swimming, tenshi?" Hiro ask the chibi in his arms, "would you like me to teach you how to swim?" Brooklyn's face paled to a ghostly white by that question as he shook his head violently no. "Don't wike water," he murmured, hiding his face in his shirt, "don't make me." "I'll be right there to protect you," Hiro reassured, "I promise that I won't let you go under unless you want too. What do you say? Most of your playmates can swim."
Brooklyn looked thoughtful for a moment as his nose scrunched up. Hiro never did find out his answer since Johnny flung Hillary off and approached him in a rather foul mood. "Kinomiya," he snapped, "would you like to join us men for a rousing game of poker?" "You play poker," Hiro remarked as Johnny nodded. "Of course we do," he replied, "but we are down a few players since Enrique and Oliver are currently unable to play with us."
"How much money does it take to play?" Hiro ask. "The maximum amount per bet is five American dollars," Johnny replied with a smile, "we may be wealthy but Robert is quite cheap when it comes to gambling and that way anyone can play." "I'm in," Hiro remarked with a smirk, "who else is playing?" "Besides of us, Romero and Rick," Johnny informed, "and I believe your Grandfather wants to play a few hands as well." "Well that means that you can do whatever you want," Hiro stated, setting Brooklyn down, "your swimming lesson will have to wait for another day."
Brooklyn sighed with relief as he looked toward Enrique, who was trying to comfort Hillary from Johnny's mean words. Enrique was hugging Hillary around the knees when she got so frustrated that she pushed him aside. He fell to the floor with a thud and started to cry. "You don't wike me," he cried, "you big meanie. I don't wike you anymore. Nanny is even bettah than you and she mean too."
Everyone knew that Hillary felt guilty from the expresssion on her face. "I'm sorry, Enrique," she apologized, bending down to the crying chibi, "I didn't mean to push you away. Johnny just frustrates me to no end. Why do you have a nanny?" "Mama and Papa stay busy," Enrique explained through his tears, "they don't have time for me." "I will always make time for you," she offered, lifting the Italian into her arms as he stopped crying, "Do you want to go swimming with me and the other girls?" Enrique nodded his head yes and then hugged her tightly around the neck.
Well, asking Enrique if he wanted to play was out. If he was unwilling to go swimming with Hiro, he definitely wouldn't go into the pool with the girls. It seemed that his friends had forgotten about him as he frowned. What was he going to do? The adults didn't notice as a thought came to him, he smiled and darted up the stairs. If he couldn't have a puppy to play with, then he would play with something or someone that was better.
He pushed open the door to the room, Hiro had been given and went to his backpack that was fortunately open. He didn't like going through other people's things but he knew that something of his was inside so he had a right to plunder. He smiled as he picked up the black beyblade and held it in his hands. Wouldn't the others be jealous if he could get his bit beast to come out to play? Everyone would be then paying attention to him instead of Tyson and his dog.
"Zeus," he called, shaking the beyblade as though the god beast was just going to fall out of it. "Is something wrong, my child?" the deep voice ask that came from his bit chip and yawned, "what do you need of me?" "Can you come out and play?" Brooklyn ask, nicely, "friends forgot me in favor of Ty-Ty's puppy. Me need someone ta play with since Hero playing with adults." "You know that I will always be here for you," the bit beast reassured, "of course I will play with you."
In a flash, Zeus was standing before him in his black leather and stretching as Brooklyn glomped him happily. "You bettah than dumb puppy," Brooklyn exclaimed as Zeus sighed. Now, he, the head of the Greek gods was being compared to a mere pet and babysitter. The other bit beasts were probably getting a laugh out of his new duties. "So what do you want to do, my child?" Zeus ask, pushing his pride aside and putting Brooklyn's happiness first, "It has been a while since I have been able to play as you put it." "Don't care," Brooklyn replied with a squeal, "as long as it fun."
"Well if you put it that way," he remarked, thoughtfully and with his own smile, "let's go outside then. Hold on tightly to me." He lifted Brooklyn onto his back as his avatar cheered. It was too bad that he couldn't take the chibi version of his blader flying since he knew he would enjoy it. He was still too weak from the spell to try it and coming out of his blade in human form was tiring enough.
He was in a playful mood as he darted out into the hall with Brooklyn hanging on his back. When he reached the staircase, he didn't attempt to walk down it like a normal mortal. Instead he jumped on the rail and slid down it like a slide. When he reached the bottom, he jumped into the air, flipped and landed gracefully on the floor like a gymnast. Brooklyn was screaming happily as his arms tightened around his neck. "AGAIN!" he demanded, "that fun!"
His screams caused several of the adults to investigate the noise as Zeus darted past but stopped to get a look at Judy. It seemed that he still had some of the qualities of the Greek god he represented in the myths. "My word," she exclaimed as she gaped openly at him. "Excuse me, fairest of ladies," he stated, running by but not before giving the blonde woman a kiss on the cheek before he past. He grinned as most of the girls including Judy gasped and were drooling over the god with their mouths hanging wide open. It didn't help that some of the males were as well and they weren't even gay.
"Who?" Bruce began to ask as he took a second look at the pair before the leather-clad Brooklyn disappeared out the patio door into the backyard with the smaller on his back. "That was Zeus," Lei explained as every head turned to him, "Brooklyn's bit beast in human form. I met him the other day at the dojo and he is really well-mannered. He's not quite what one would expect from what we know of him." "He is hot," Michael murmured as his eyes twinkled strangely, "who would have thought Brooklyn would look good in leather." "I would definitely have to agree," Emily added as she pushed her glasses up on her nose, "Hiro is one lucky devil. I would make Brooklyn dress in clothes like that if he was my boyfriend."
"I have got to speak with him," Bruce remarked with excitement, "this is an archaelogist's dream come true. I have been studying bit beasts for the past couple of years and this is the first time I have seen one take human form. It is the opportunity of a lifetime." "But why does Zeus come out of his bit and the rest of ours don't?" Mariah ask as she came down the stairs in a pink bikini of course. "The others are more content in their bits I guess," Emily shrugged as the girls were going to sunbathe and swim, "besides, Brooklyn has a more personal connection to his beast than we do. Remember what happened during his match with Tyson."
While they were discussing bit beasts, Brooklyn was having a blast with Zeus. The group playing poker had briefly looked at the two of them as the past leaving Hiro to explain Zeus to Romero, Rick and Johnny. The other chibis were looking at the two with awe and the appearance of Zeus did make Kai return to Brooklyn's side. He was the only one besides of Tyson who had met the god beast and actually liked him. "Ty, who that?" Max ask as they watched the three play together for a few minutes, "does Brookie have big brother? He lucky."
Zeus was twirling Kai around by the arm and leg like an airplane. He had done the same to Brooklyn a few minutes before, who was currently sitting on the grass and looking quite sick. His face was nearly the same color green as the grass but Kai seemed to be enjoying the activity more. "That Zeus," Tyson explained, "Brookie's bit beast." "His bit beast come out," Max gasp, looking at Brooklyn with envy, "no fair, can he get Draciel ta come out too?"
Max abandoned his best friend to join Kai and Brooklyn with Zeus. Pretty soon most of the other chibis followed and Brooklyn discovered that his plan had backfired. Now, everyone was wanting to play with Zeus and not him. It still wasn't fair. Max was demanding that Zeus make Draciel come out of his beyblade as Brooklyn pouted and crossed his arms.
He had wanted to keep Zeus to himself but now he was being forced to share with the others. Brooklyn looked at the teens, who were mainly watching Zeus and drooling over him. Even Hiro's daddy was more interested in him as he was pushed aside. No one wanted him as he walked over to Hiro, who was on a winning streak with the poker game. He had a poker face that even Robert couldn't beat or figure out.
"Hero," he whined, tugging on his shirt, "play with me pwease." "Not now, Brookie," Hiro replied, pulling away from him and adjusting the cards in his hand, "I'm busy." Brooklyn couldn't understand what could be so important about the little cards he was holding. "Look at all pwetty hearts," he remarked, getting a look at Hiro's hand. "I'm out," four of the other five players said at the same time and throwing their cards on the table. Hiro groaned but then glared at Brooklyn, who looked confused.
"What me do?" he ask, "they pwetty and wred." Hiro grumbled something inaudible about a big-mouth boyfriend and threw his cards on the table as Johnny shuffled them for a new hand. "I thought you were playing with Zeus," Hiro remarked with a pointed stare. "He traitor," Brooklyn glared, darkly, "he playing with others instead of me." Hiro took a moment to look toward the god beast, who was currently sitting on a rock with Oliver and Mystel in his lap and appeared to be in the middle of telling a story.
He did have a way with storytelling since all of the chibis were hooked on every word that came out of his mouth. Their eyes would go wide when he got to a scary part and some of them would actually jump and cling to their significant other. Even his father was entranced by his words since he was sitting among the chibis with Tyson in his lap and Cosmo laying beside of him. Hiro could have cared less about what Zeus was saying and couldn't help but notice how the leather clung to Zeus in all of the right places, showing off his shapely body that mimicked Brooklyn's perfectly. He moaned slightly from the thought.
When Brooklyn returned to his normal age, he was going to have to buy him an outfit just like that and force him to wear it. He knew that he would refuse since if he was a vegan, then he wouldn't wear animal skin as well. He would have to find some way to blackmail him into wearing such an outfit. He knew he would look good in it since he was getting a preview of it now. His blood drained from his face and pooled elsewhere in his body as his pants grew tight and he rose suddenly.
"I have an emergency," he stuttered with a blush, before running off, "I'll be back in few minutes and don't you dare touch my winnings." The other five males burst into laughter as Brooklyn looked at them confused and innocent. "What funny?" he ask as they roared with laughter again as Grandpa pulled him into his lap. "You'll understand when you're older, little dude," he explained, inbetween chuckles of laughter and playfully tapping his nose, "right now, you are way too young to understand." Brooklyn figured it had something to do with what happened in Hiro's room earlier and nodded.
"Does it have sometwing ta do with me?" he ask, innocently and with wide chibi eyes. "Somewhat," Grandpa said with a smile, "but it is not all your fault. Hiro's at an age in his life that he can't go without loving from his boyfriend for too long. It makes him cranky and irritable if he does." Brooklyn looked thoughtful for a moment and remembered something that Kai had said about Hillary a few days before. "Hero PMSing?" he questioned, looking up at Grandpa as everyone around the table including Robert burst into rancorous laughter from the comment, "Kai say Hiwary go thwough that all time."
Brooklyn looked at the others with confusion since he didn't know what was so funny. Johnny was laughing so hard that tears were leaking out of his eyes. "I would have to agree with Hiwatari on that one," Johnny added, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as they quietened down after a glare from Judy, "she does act like that all of the time now that I think about it." "That is not a very nice thing to say, Johnny," Robert chastised with a smirk on his lips, "but I would have to agree with you. Just don't say it to her face or it will be trouble."
"A lot of women are like that, homme," Grandpa added, "and I would be lying if I said they weren't. Even my late wife had an attitude but I loved her all the same. You just have to ignore some things, ya dig." "That is very true, Grandpa," Rick agreed, "unless you are gay and then you don't have to deal with them at all. I have my eye on a certain young lady if I can persuade the older brother to let me date her."
His eyes turned to the pool, where the girls were sunbathing on the lounge chairs. He was looking at a certain girl dressed in a pink bikini that accented her curvy body. "If I was straight," Johnny remarked, "there is no way that I would even attempt to date Mariah. I wouldn't want one of those Neko-jins after my blood if I hurt her." "I don't know," Robert stated as he looked toward the pool, "there is something alluring about them and their nature. I like their animalistic side."
"Anyone here interest you, Romero?" Johnny inquired, digging for a little dirt as he took a sip of the lemonade that Gustaf had brought. "I wouldn't date anyone here," Romero added with a sigh, "I have all ready been turned down by Judy and the others are way too young for me. That would be like dating Julia and I think of her as a daughter. That would be very wrong." "I'm glad you answered correctly, dude," Grandpa Ryu laughed, "otherwise, I would be chasing you with my shinai, ya dig."
"Me would date Hiro if me older," Brooklyn spoke up, shocking the teens and adults, "me wike him best. Me bet he make good boyfriend." Hiro had overheard the remark by the tot and was uncertain if he was being sincere or if he was just saying it to score brownie points with him. Was his precog ability active now? When he looked at his cherubic face, he knew that he was being sincere and had meant what he had said.
He couldn't help but beam with pride from the compliment as he returned and took Brooklyn away from Grandpa. Every thought he had about cheating on him vanished in that one instant. "I am very proud that you think so highly of me, tenshi," he remarked, kissing the little boy on the cheek, "It almost made me change my mind and buy you a puppy." "Me try," Brooklyn shrugged with a laugh, "but don't need puppy when me have you ta love. Will ya wait for me, Hero?" "Of course, I will, tenshi," Hiro replied, hugging him tightly, "of course I will."
AS
R & R