Disclaimer: I own none of these characters.
"So, what are we going to do today?" Michael asked, his tone was playful. He put David on the edge of the bed while Jasdero stood not far away from his little brother.
David grinned at him. "We have to wake him first, Michael." The kid whispered as he looked at Neah who was still peacefully sleeping on his bed. Interestingly, his usual mop of white hair secured in a pony tail was now strewn everywhere, hiding his beautiful face.
David suggested early that morning that they wake Neah together in which Michael eagerly complied. Well, he couldn't really deny the kid's sweet request. Nor he would miss a chance to wake Neah himself.
Jasdero sat beside David and gently placed his small hand on Neah's face. "Neah looks like a polar bear. Only thinner," he said with his small voice.
"And smaller! And kinder! And cuter, too!" David giggled.
Michael smiled. He was more than glad for David's fast recovery of yesterday's event. Jasdero stared at his brother like he was wondering the same thing. Then, he looked at him and coyly smiled. He didn't say anything but Michael knew that the older kid was now slowly reaching out to him like his little brother. And that made Michael very happy.
Michael ruffled David's dark blue hair and grinned. He ushered the vivacious kid to the other side of the bed.
"We have to wake the prince now. Or we can't have breakfast." He winked at them and David's giggles grew louder.
"Neah's gonna munch all of the food again, so make sure you have a bread or two hidden under your plate, David." He heard Jasdero whispered to his brother and Michael couldn't help but chuckle.
"Neah?" Michael called to the sleeping young man, his fingers were on Neah's white, silvery hair. "Wake up now, sleepy head. We're gonna go boating this morning and we have to eat our breakfast now."
"Hey, no one said about boating. I thought we're gonna go to Uncle Sheril's place today?" David pouted his lips.
Michael almost groaned in frustration. How come all the kids love that distorted, perverted man? He was about to voice out his not-so-good opinion about his older brother when a cold hand brushed on his cheeks.
He found two wide gray, silvery orbs staring at him.
Michael momentarily forgot about the two tykes in the room and smiled. "Good morning, Neah."
"Morning, Mike," came the slow, almost muted reply.
"What do you want for breakfast today?" he asked.
Neah stopped and breathed in slowly. "Anything."
Michael chuckled as he gently patted Neah's head. "Alright then." He was about to stand when he felt a gentle yanking on his sleeve. He turned his head around and smiled. "Yes?"
Neah looked like a small kitten wrapped in sheets. "I haven't received my morning kiss yet, Mike."
Michael barked a laugh and that was when David jumped on his back, planting lots of small kisses on his cheeks.
Michael almost hit his face on Allen's forehead.
"Me too! Me too!" David shouted.
Jasdero just smiled, eyeing Michael panting and coughing, searching for his lost breath.
...
"You knocked down everything in your office with your fists, Yuu, and now you're telling me it's nothing?"
"Bad day."
"Bad day?" Tiedoll incredulously stared at his son's bandaged hands and shook his head. "I'm no fool, Yuu. I know Lavi had been here earlier and you two talked." He waited for his son to tell him what happened but Kanda remained silent.
Kanda had never been opened to him and somehow, this didn't surprise Tiedoll.
He sighed.
"You lost control. That, at least, I'm sure of. The question is; why."
Kanda scratched his head, seemingly uninterested in the conversation. "It's just a bad case of a very bad day. Nothing more." He stood and nodded at him before leaving his office.
Tiedoll slumped on his black leather chair.
Yuu wasn't always like this. There had been a time when he was as carefree as others (though immeasurably pert and rude, he believed). He rarely smiled, yes, but that was just because he was born like that. He was a quiet boy, quite mature for his age. But he could tell that his son was happy. Kanda then was a picture of a healthy young man with a healthy dream. He had a beautiful girl beside him, someone he trusted, someone he loved.
Then one day, everything changed. He didn't really know what happened back then, but when Allen Walker, the only son of the most celebrated pianist of the world, died, everything changed. The usual grumpy son of his became more withdrawn to the world. He could still remember that polite white hair kid. Allen was a good boy and he could tell that Kanda liked the kid. In fact, Allen was the very first friend he had and given his son's temperament, he still couldn't believe the friendship of the two lasted years. He, too, felt really bad upon learning what happened to him.
Tiedoll tried talking to his son but Kanda just won't speak about the awful incident. Back then, Tiedoll reckoned it was only because the memory was still fresh and he even castigated himself for being so insensitive. His son lost a precious friend and it was only normal for him to grieve the loss.
But then five years had already passed and Kanda seemed like he was still blaming himself for Allen's death. Of course, it was only a speculation in his side, and as a father, he knew that what happened to Allen was just an unfortunate accident.
It was an accident, yes, but these kinds of things, they were never logical, weren't they? Everyone seemed already moved on with their lives but he was afraid that his son was still seeing the same nightmares he saw and experience that day for some reason.
And that scared Tiedoll.
...
"I'm telling you, he's so good!" Dasiya shouted at his phone, pissed because his friend and classmate, Krory wasn't taking him seriously.
But Daisya was having none of it.
"I've never heard of his name before. Have you searched him in the internet? There must be something, an article or whatever, about him and his music."
"Unfortunately, there was practically nothing about him but he has so many freaking fans all over the world! Can you believe that? It's like he is purposely hiding his true identity! Isn't that freaking awesome?"
"Er... no? Where did you first heard about this mysterious pianist anyway?"
"From Fo. She lent me her CD."
There was a long pause.
"From FO? The FO?"
Daisya raised his eyebrows. "Uh, yeah? What of it?"
"I see. It's all clear now. She's fucking with you, man. That pianist isn't real. That bitch must have been messing with you. You know her. She's insane. I'm off. See yah tomorrow."
"Wait! Kror – damn!"
Daisya almost threw his phone across his room.
He stared at the white CD on his bed and sighed.
He pushed the play button of his iPod and played the music he ripped from Fo's CD.
Daisya closed his eyes and let his body fall on the comfort of his bed. The music began filling his ears, his mind, his heart.
It was still hauntingly beautiful.
He couldn't believe that someone who could make music like this was fucking unknown to the world.
He tried calling Fo but she wasn't answering his calls so figured she was mad.
Well, after listening to the CD, he could now fairly understand why.
He felt it, too, when Krory disregarded him a few moments ago.
...
"Michael."
"What?"
"Where are the kids?! I thought you guys are going here today? I even cooked so that we can eat together like one, big happy family!"
Michael's eyelids drooped.
"Shut up," he said.
Michael hanged up on his brother and eyed the two guilty heads on the table. They were currently eating their breakfast when the man called.
"Who called Sheril? Hmmm?" he asked, his eyes were glinting.
This made Jasdero smile. David was munching his last hotdogs and was now having a difficult time swallowing his last bite.
Neah just stared at them.
"We did," said the two brothers after recovering. Jasdero was now having a hard time hiding his growing grin and so did David.
"Why do you guys like that man so much?" he asked, defeat was apparent in his voice. He slumped on his chair again and started eating his pancakes.
"Uncle Sheril's toasts are not burnt, Uncle Michael," David said with a toothy smile.
Michael almost sputtered his food.
"T-they are not always burnt! And besides, they taste good!"
This made Neah laughed much to the kids' hilarity and Michael's growing frustration. Well, it was true that Sheril was a better cook than him...
He ought to murder Sheril this evening. Or else he would lose his sanity.
...
"How are your wounds?" Michael asked at Neah while inspecting the scratches on his face. The two of them were left after Sheril came in the house, begging for David and Jasdero. He wanted to take the kids in a marine park and as much as he wanted to bring Neah, too, they both knew it would be best for the young man to just rest in the house at the moment.
Neah didn't seem too adamant in tagging along with Sheril much to Michael's relief. He didn't know what he would do if Neah decided to come along with them.
"Fine."
"They don't hurt?"
Neah gently shook his head.
Michael smiled. "That's good."
"Can we play the piano? Together?" Neah asked shyly, his hands were fidgeting on his lap.
Michael chuckled. "Of course, we can." He was about to ruffle Neah's hair when his phone rang again.
It was a text message.
I'm going to Ireland first thing in the morning. See you, it said.
"Who was it, Mike?" Neah asked.
"Noise Marie. An old friend of mine. He said he's visiting tomorrow."
TBC