The Tenmas
Another Amazing Astro Boy fanfiction by Emily the Artist and Kaitlyn Draws Manga (aka Kaitlyn Kaidraman)
Chapter Ten: Bittersweet
The next day, Astro was back in the nurse's office after hurting himself while putting books away in the library.
"I swear it wasn't my fault this time, those huge ladders are like old as hell, not to mention totally not safe…." Astro said, if only he could fold his arms, he would.
"Not to also mention that I was carrying a large stack of books. So you can blame the librarian for that…"
"So um… how long am I staying here?" he asked.
"Until your father comes to pick you up… again." The nurse replied.
"You know, you should have his number on speed dial." Astro joked.
She rolled her eyes and continued filling out paperwork.
"What? I'm just trying to lighten up the mood, sheesh!"
"Is it possible for you to sit still and wait quietly?"
"No can do, I'm quite the hyper child, actually."
"I don't know why I even asked."
"Because something in your brain found me really annoying, causing you to question why I am….."
"Ugh, my arm hurts and I can't even move it, isn't that nice?"
"That's because you probably broke it."
Astro gasped.
"Really?" He said in a sarcastic tone.
"You also could have strained it. Which is a less serious injury."
"Oh my gosh! I didn't know! Thank you so much, miss!"
"Be sarcastic again and I might not give you a bandaid the next time you get a papercut."
Astro bursted out laughing.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Brianna walked into the nurse's office.
"Brianna!" Astro happily greeted.
"Das mah bae right there, miss!" Astro said as he pointed at Brianna.
Brianna blushed.
"Great. Just wonderful."
"Oh don't be so sad miss, he's a great boyfriend." Brianna smiled.
"Aren't you suppose to be in Health?" Astro asked.
"Yeah, but I had to drop off a book and I asked the Librarian where you were and she said you were here so I decided to stop by…." she said as she walked over to Astro and sat down.
"This is pookie face." Brianna said to the nurse as she playfully put an arm around Astro.
"Wow. Pet names. Amazing."
"Gee miss, if you're really done with life, you can just quit, i'm sure they will find another nurse…." Astro commented.
"I can't quit and I don't intend to, thank you."
"So they call your dad?" Brianna asked.
"Yeah, he should be coming soon, don't know why he always takes so long…."
"Maybe he's trying to poop?"
"That's what I thought!"
"Or maybe he's trying to find the perfect pair of pants…..or maybe he was trying to fix his hair and it got stuck in the comb?"
A moment later Tenma walked into the nurses office.
"Gah!" Brianna moved her arm away from Astro and scooted away from him, trying to look casual.
"Pfft, I definitely wasn't putting an arm around your son, what kind of person would do such a thing! Oh my gosh!" Brianna chuckled nervously.
"You're a very strange girl." Tenma chuckled.
"Ah why thank you, I believe I got it from my dad's side of my family."
"Well, come on Astro. Let's go. I signed you out in the office."
"Yeah, I better get back to Health class too. See you." Brianna got up, almost sad she didn't get to give him a goodbye kiss.
Astro watched her leave and then got up.
"She is strange, but that's just what makes her special…" Astro said.
"Haha. Yeah. She's a keeper alright."
Astro chuckled.
"I think that's enough chit chat. Now can you get that child out of here please?" The nurse said with an annoyed tone.
"Yeah she doesn't like me anymore, I thought we were friends!"
She sighed.
"We were never really friends, Astro."
"W-what?" Astro sounded disappointed as Tenma escorted him out of the room.
"So you hurt your arm this time?" He asked him as they walked down the hall.
"Well it wasn't my fault, the large ladders are really old and not safe, and I was carrying a huge stack of books!"
"Maybe you shouldn't carry so many books at once."
"But it makes it easier…"
"But it isn't safer."
"Fine, i'll keep that in mind the next time I help out in the library…."
"Good."
Astro smiled.
"So uh, what took you so long this time?"
"You do realize we don't live right around the corner, right?"
"Yeah, but even still…. that was quite some time…."
"There was a small traffic jam on East Avenue. That's probably why."
"Seriously? Traffic jam?"
"Yes seriously."
"Man, I guess not much has changed since your time."
"Yeah. Not too much."
"You know, Atom hasn't called me in a while, and he usually calls me like everyday, I say there's some serious shit going on…."
"Maybe he's just busy."
"Pffftttt, Atom busy? Hahahaha!"
"I should pay him a visit and see what's wrong…"
"Why not?"
Astro shrugged.
"Hmmm, speaking of Atom, I still haven't finished that book he gave me…. but I feel so weird everytime I read it…."
"It can't be that bad. How long is it anyway?"
"I have no idea, all I know is that it's the most uncomfortable book I've ever read to this day besides my Science textbook…."
"Hmm. Well maybe next time you go to read it keep in mind that you're reading it for him."
"Hmmm, I guess I could try that…"
They walked out of the school doors and to the car.
"So how's Cindy doing? Must be boring just lying in bed all day…"
"She's trying her best to be patient."
"Yeah, nine months is quite a while…"
"Tell me about it."
"Do you even have an idea as to when it's due, I'd imagine it'd be like April or something…."
"It's very soon. We're not sure of the exact date."
"Haha, wouldn't it be funny if it was like two A.M. and you're like running into my room to tell me and i'm like half asleep trying to figure out what the fuck is going on…." Astro laughed.
"Let's hope that doesn't happen."
"Haha yup, wouldn't want that…."
"Is it just me, or does everyone question poop?"
"What?"
"Is it just me, or does everyone question poop?" Astro repeated.
"No... Why are you asking that question?"
"I dunno, it just came to me…"
Tenma facepalmed.
Soon enough, they were back home.
"Ugh, c-can you open the door, i'm right handed and I can't move my arm!" Astro complained.
"Sure. And I'll fix that up for you as soon as we get inside."
"Hahahaha, I actually lied, I'm ambidextrous, i'm just too lazy to open the door." Astro chuckled.
"Surrreeee." Tenma opened the door.
Astro proudly walked in with a smile.
"But its' true though, I really am….."
"Everyone can open a door with either hand."
"I know that, but when I write and draw too….You want me to prove it?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure you were programmed to be right handed."
"Well i'm not, i'm both right and left handed….."
"Hmm. Strange."
"Yes, very strange…"
"Blame it on Elefun?"
"Sure, ta heck with it!"
They both chuckled.
Astro left off to his room, opening the door with his left hand since his right arm was broken and he was unable to move it.
He came back a few hours later after finishing his homework, out of Tenma's lab after just getting his arm fixed.
"Man, humans must be so jelly they have to wait months for their arms to heal and i'm just here good as new in like an hour….." Astro said as he made it back upstairs out of the basement.
"I'm sure they are." Tenma said as he followed close behind.
"But wait, aren't you human too?"
"Haha. Yes. I am also included. But I'm not as jealous. I don't get hurt often."
"Hmmmm, humans are strange….."
"You're weird too, kiddo."
"Well I don't mean it like that, I mean like you know, different."
"I know what you meant."
"Oh, well then…"
Astro sighed with admiration before hiccuping.
"Uh- oh." He said.
"What?"
"I got the- hiccups!"
"Yes. I realized that." Tenma chuckled.
Astro continued to hiccup as he made his way to the fridge to get a glass of water.
After finally getting water and taking a few sips, the hiccups stopped, Astro sat down at the table.
"You good now?" Tenma asked him.
Astro nodded, trying to stop himself from blushing again.
It became a little too much and he blushed a little.
Astro sat there looking a little embarrassed with a hint of shame.
"You OK?"
"Uh….." Astro stuttered.
"Yep, totally fine, splendid!"
"Are you getting flustered because you had the hiccups?"
"Maybe, maybe not…"
Tenma chuckled again.
"Gah! I can't! This is seriously getting out of hand…" Astro put his head down.
"You're so silly." Tenma ruffled his hair as he left the room.
Astro looked up again and swore he heard a pounding in his ears.
"Eh, I should just go back to my room now…" Astro got up from the table and went to his room.
Getting close to midnight, Astro put his camera away and crawled into bed to sleep.
"Ugh. Can't sleep." He complained.
He tossed and turned until he fell off his bed.
Astro rubbed the back of his head as he slowly got up from the floor.
He decided to just venture out of his room until he got tired.
He walked out of his room, wearing a blanket like a cape, and slow and casually walked around the house.
When he was in the living room, he heard a strange noise from the kitchen.
Astro got up from the couch and walked over to the kitchen.
The closer he got, the more he saw a light coming from the fridge.
"C-Citizen?" Astro questioned.
"AHH!" Tenma almost dropped the drink he had in his hand as he jumped back.
Astro folded his arms.
"It's almost one A.M. and you're midnight snacking?! Shame on you Citizen, shame…."
"Well. ah… I feel a little anxious and I can't sleep so…." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.
"Well I do too, and you don't see me eating…"
"We all have different comfort items, Astro."
"Hmph." Astro walked away as he continued to hold his blanket like a cape.
"Well mines is that couch and this blanket, if you were wondering, I feel like a superhero!"
"That's great, Astro."
"Yup." Astro closed his door.
Tenma muttered something to himself as he leaned down and moved more things around in the fridge.
The next day Astro walked out of his room, dressed and in somewhat of a hurry.
"AM I LATE?!" He yelled as he ran out of the hallway.
He stopped and tried to catch his breath.
"No. But we better get out the door this second before you are." Tenma got up from the couch and walked quickly over to the door.
"WE GOTTA HURRY!"
Tenma and Astro hopped in the car and drove away.
Astro seemed like he was in a serious rush.
"THANKS, SEE YA LATER!" Astro yelled out as he ran inside.
"Where is she, where is she?" Astro frantically looked around.
"Pookie?"
"BRIANNA!" Astro turned around.
Brianna laughed.
"You seem like you're in a hurry?"
"Well uh…. I just wanted to uh…. ask you something." Astro blushed.
Brianna chuckled.
"Sure, hit me with it." She said as she took his hand and walked with him down the hall.
"Ummm, so I was thinking of going downtown today…"
"And you want me to tag along?" Brianna asked excitedly.
"If you want." Astro shrugged.
"Pfft, why the hell would I say no?"
"I dunno, maybe you're busy doing something or you think Ken's parents will say no or you're secretly pissed off at me and don't want to go."
Brianna rolled her eyes and chuckled.
The two of them walked the hall as Astro had a proud smile on his face.
Later on after school, Astro and Brianna were walking the sidewalks, heading downtown.
"So did you ever try out for the school Drama club?" Brianna asked.
"Eh, I changed my mind at the last minute, not really much of an actor….."
"Pffft, not much of an actor?! Astro you act better than the actors on TV, You'd be a perfect candidate, you can go from happy to angry to crazy, to evil to depressed, not to mention everything in between!"
"Hmmmm, you do have a point…."
"You see!"
There was a moment of silence as the two walked side-by-side next to each other.
"Hey, uh, how far are we from-"
Astro noticed something in the distant.
"Uh, I think we should turn back…"
"What do you me-"
"HEY!" a voice yelled in the distant.
Astro gasped and the two of them quickly turned around.
"HEY! HEY GET BACK HERE! THE HELL YOU DOING?!"
A was a sound of a gunshot heard in the distant.
A few minutes later, with a panic, Astro knocked on the door of his house, with Brianna clinging onto him, her face too, showing panic and fear.
Tenma opened the door and looked puzzled when he saw them. His expression slowly turned to concern.
"What happened? You two look like you saw a ghost. Or ten." He asked as he let them inside.
"Ummm… well we almost died if that's what you're asking." Astro replied.
"You what?!"
"We went downtown and there was like this thing going on and we just happen to accidentally pass by at the wrong place and the wrong time."
"Are you OK? Did you get hurt?"
"No we're fine, cuz I'm a ninja with mad skills! Haha just kidding, I'm trained to deal with bullshit like that…"
"Well, thank god you're both fine." Tenma sighed with relief
"Yeah, but now I think Brianna is traumatized." Astro said as he looked down at Brianna who had her eyes tightly shut and forcefully clinged onto his shirt.
"I'll get her something to drink. In the meantime you should both sit down and relax."
Astro nodded and both him and Brianna went to go sit in the living room.
Tenma came back and set a glass of water down on the coffee table.
"You can take that whenever you're ready." He said to Brianna.
"It-It was scary!" she whined.
"We were just walking and then I hear this thing and I'm like 'wha?' and then this dude was like 'HEY! HEY GET BACK HERE! THE HELL YOU DOING?' And then we turned back and I hear this loud boom and it was really scary!" Tears almost formed in Brianna's eyes.
"Hey now. It's ok. You're safe here." Tenma patted her shoulder lightly.
She picked up the cup from the coffee table.
"I guess you're right." She said before taking a sip.
He sat in his chair and looked over at Brianna and Astro.
"I'm sorry, kids, but I'm not really sure what I can do about this….." He said after thinking for a moment.
"Pfft don't worry, bet you anything that old careless shit Tawashi's gonna call me and stuff, you know how he is, he hates my guts, not that I mind but you know…. ugh."
Astro's phone rang.
"Well that's my cue, see you all in a few."
Astro got up and left the living room.
"Yellow?"
"Yep?"
"Hmmm I see, and when is that?
"Uh huh"
"No no, It's ok, don't worry."
Astro hung up the phone.
"Yep, he called me in." He said, sitting back down on the couch in the living room.
"When do you have to be there?" Tenma asked him
"Ass soon as humanly possible."
"I can drive you there, if you want."
"No no i'll go by myself, not gonna leave Brianna home alone." Astro got up again and headed for the door.
"I'LL BE BACK LATER!" He called out before closing the door.
Brianna and Tenma awkwardly stared at eachother before Tenma picked up a book and began reading it.
"It's been a while….."
"I know, haven't been here in two weeks."
Astro sat down in a chair in front of Tawashi's desk.
He sighed.
"You wouldn't happen to have been downtown recently, hmm?"
"Yes."
"What do you know about the fights downtown?"
"Nothing, all I know is you're an asshole and that's the end of it."
Tawashi sighed.
"Astro, I'm being serious, were you downtown today."
Astro sighed.
He got up.
"You listen here, and you listen well you damn fool! I was there, I passed by there with Brianna and a dude with a weird ass buzz cut pulled out a gun and almost shot us, thankfully he missed, but we almost got killed and you dare accuse me of committing a crime I almost got killed by, you and the authorities are nothing but jackasses pointing fingers at the innocent with your cold, helpless souls, and I hope someday you and the law meet me in hell so I can whoop your helpless ass and let you feel the pain of the innocent." Astro furiously ranted at him in a threatening tone through his teeth.
He soon after stood up and left the police station.
Astro stormed inside the house and with a look of anger and annoyance, walked himself to his room and slammed the door.
"Gee, wonder what got into him..." Brianna said as she turned around.
Tenma shrugged.
Brianna sighed and got up from the couch.
She walked over to Astro's door and knocked.
"Astro?" Her voice sounded soft and sweet.
Astro didn't respond.
Brianna knocked again, this time a bit louder.
"Astro?" She called out.
After giving up, Brianna took her hand off the door, sighed, and walked back to the living room, sitting herself back down on the couch.
"Just leave him alone for now. He'll calm down and come out soon." Tenma said to her.
Brianna just nodded and took her final sip of the cup Tenma had given to her previously.
She put the cup back down on the table.
"Woah." She put a hand over her forehead and leaned forward.
"Are you ok?" Tenma looked up at her.
"Ah...not...sure..."
"Do you need to lie down on the couch or anything?" He asked, concerned.
Astro walked out into the hallway.
"Not sure..." She sounded a bit drowsy.
Tenma got up and walked in front of her. He lifted her head up to see her bloodshot eyes.
"Maybe you should just lie down." He looked alarmed.
"Brianna?" Astro walked into the living room.
"Something's wrong." Tenma looked over at him.
"Well she looks like she's about to faint..."
"No... No I-I'm fine... I should...just...go h-home..." Brianna sluggishly Waved her hand and shook her head.
"Would you like me to drive you back home?" Tenma looked back at her.
"I...I don't." She leaned in forward and collapsed.
Tenma caught her before she fell to the ground.
Astro took a step back, slightly spooked.
"Ah…." Tenma looked over at him again.
Astro didn't know what to do.
"Ah… Go…. Go get your stepmother, Astro."
Astro walked out of the living room and into Cindy's room.
"M-mom?" He asked as he slowly opened her door.
"Hmm?" She looked over at him as she slowly woke up.
"ummm... Citizen is calling you..."
"Why?" She asked drowsily.
"um, something happened to Brianna in the living room..."
"What happened to her?"
"I-I think she fainted..."
"Mmmm. Can you come over here and help me up?"
"S-sure." He walked over to her.
After helping her out of the bed, they walked into the living room.
Tenma had laid Brianna down on the couch. He looked over at Cindy with a nervous look on his face.
She walked over and looked at Brianna.
"Seems as if her blood sugar was lower than normal." She said looking at Tenma.
"Do you know when the last time she had something to eat was, Astro?" Cindy looked back at Astro.
"Hmmmm..." Astro tried to think.
He shook his head.
"Was she with you all day?"
"Yeah, I had her during lunch, but she never ate anything, she just said she wasn't hungry." Astro shrugged.
"Put a cold compress on her head and when she wakes up, give her some soda and a spoonful of honey." Cindy said to Tenma.
He nodded and she left the room.
Astro sat down on the ground and sighed.
"You alright there, buddy?" Tenma looked over at him as he walked towards the kitchen.
"Yeah." He replied as he began to itch his arm.
Tenma made his way into the kitchen and came out a few moments later with a cold damp towel in his hands. He lightly placed it on Brianna's forehead then sat back down in his chair.
"so, how's it going?" Astro asked.
"Ok." Tenma replied.
"Hmm, that's fun."
"Yup."
"Can you believe Tawashi thought I was the one causing trouble downtown?! I almost got killed!"
"I actually can believe it. Once you've made his 'list', he'll even arrest you for simply sneezing in public."
"Pffft, he's no better than Elefun, I'll tell you that?!"
"This city is full of grouchy old men."
"And you?"
"What?! I'm not old!"
"I didn't say you were old..."
"Pft. I know you meant it."
"what?! Come on, you're not old you're 'middle-aged'"
"But I'm not even 40 yet."
"What? Woah, I need to seriously rethink my life then..."
"I can't believe you forgot my age!"
"Well let's see, how many years have I known you?"
"As many years as you've been alive."
"Hmmmm, that's still not long enough. And you also have to remember most of that time was spent with Elefun and the Underground City."
"Mmm. I guess you wouldn't really think about it since my birthday hasn't come around yet."
"Hmmm, speaking of birthday, I hope certain people haven't forgotten someone's special birthday because that would major poopy..."
"Who's?"
Astro facepalmed.
"You're kidding me?"
"No. Who's birthday is coming up? If it's so important then you gotta tell me."
"A ghost across the street that wears an eyepatch!"
"Come on, Astro. Be serious."
"I am being serious..."
"No you're not."
"Mmhm." Astro nodded before chuckling.
Tenma sighed. "What. Is it one of your friends'."
"I hope not because I ain't got no money to buy them a gift."
"Well it can't be mine, of course. It can't be Kaitlyn's or Cindy's or Atom's. I know those are later in the year. Is it Emily's? I'd feel terrible if it's hers and I forgot."
"No, I think her's passed already in October..."
"Oh…. It's not… your's…. is it?"
"Ummmm... I dunno, maybe yes, maybe no..."
"... OH. Now I remember. It is your's."
Astro facepalmed.
"Yes." He muttered.
"Ok good. Looks like im not losing it after all. Maybe I really am an old man."
Astro just stared at Tenma.
"She's been out cold for quite a while." Astro said as he looked over at Brianna.
"She'll wake up soon enough."
Astro sighed.
"I just hope she's okay."
"She'll be fine."
"I'll just have to take your word for it."
A few short moments later, Brianna slowly opened her eyes.
She mumbled something indescribable.
"Hmm?" Tenma looked up from the book he was reading.
"Oh! You're awake." He got up and walked over to the couch.
"Huh, what do you mean? Something happen?"
"You just fainted, that's all." Tenma took the towel away from her forehead and helped her sit up.
"Oh. Well that's surprising, never really fainted before..."
"Well it's because you didn't eat anything today."
"Oh... Well... I can um, explain...you see um..."
"Yes?"
"Ummmm... I wasn't hungry?" Brianna shrugged as she spoke in a higher pitched voice.
"Is that all it was?"
"Uh, yeah totally, not like I haven't eaten in days haha... That's so not me." Brianna laughed nervously.
Tenma raised an eyebrow.
"Haha. Ha." She continued to nervously laugh.
"Brianna… Is there something you're not telling me?"
"Noooooo... Of course not, never told a, lie, except this one time in Kindergarten when I lied about stealing the teacher's Apple, those were the days man, those were the days..."
"I'm going to trust that you aren't lying to me." Tenma looked her dead in the eye.
"Pffft, I never lie to adults, trust me, that's a lesson my mom taught me, real fast."
"I'll be right back." Tenma got up and walked into the kitchen.
"Hmmmm, wonder where he's going..."
"so how's it going?" Brianna asked Astro.
"Pfft, you little liar."
"What? I'm not lying?!"
"Sure, and that high pitched nervous voice of yours isn't lying either..."
Brianna sighed and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Ok fine, you got me, but I'm not gonna tell him that or he'll freak! I'm just not really having any appetite lately."
"But you still need to eat, you know that right?"
Brianna sighed again.
"I know I just..." She began.
"Last thing I need is for someone to mistake me for having some sort of eating disorder, because last time I checked, I didn't have any."
"That's still not an excuse..." Astro folded his arms.
"I know, I know, I ju-"
"How could you?"
Brianna sighed.
"I don't know okay, I'm sorry!"
"And you do this at Ken's house?"
All she could do was nod.
Astro sighed, got up and left the living room.
He sat down at the table.
"I'm worried." He muttered.
"Why?" Tenma sked him as he poured a glass of soda.
"she's lying."
"I know."
"Wait, you knew?"
"It was a little obvious. I'm not stupid, you know. I was a teenager once. I know how these things go."
"I know, I know..."
"She doesn't have to be afraid of telling me."
"Well, she just didn't want you to freak or to think that she had some sort of eating disorder." Astro shrugged.
"I wouldn't have freaked out."
"Well that's just what she said, I have no part in this..."
"Hmmmm. It's her choice to tell me or not. So if she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to."
"Hmmmm I see, you make a good point."
A few minutes later, Brianna looked over her shoulder to see Astro and Tenma walk into the living room.
Tenma handed her the glass of soda.
"Huh? What's the soda for?"
"To raise your blood sugar to normal."
"Oh." She grabbed the glass from him slowly and took a sip.
"How are you feeling now?" He asked her as he sat back down again.
"Hmmmm... A little better."
"That's good."
Brianna nodded and out the cup down.
"I think that's enough soda for me."She began.
"Drink the whole thing."
"Nah, I think I'm good."
"Do you want to pass out again?"
"Um, yeah, you make a good point." Brianna reached over for the soda again.
((END OF CHAPTER 10))