Chapter 14
Coming to Conclusions
Disclaimer- I own nothing!
And I promise you, there is nothing I won't give
To see this through
Return the soul to where it lives
I promise you, I'd go everywhere I've been
To find a way to make atonement for my sin and see
See your smiling face
Kyouya walked into the house around nine. He hadn't slept well last night and decided once the sun started to come up he would head home. He had to talk to Tamaki, he had to make things right. It was strange to hear the house so quiet, Michelle was home from school on summer vacation so there should have been some noise. As he walked upstairs he debated who to see first, should he try Michelle's room or his? Tamaki, he had to try to see if he could apologize.
When he walked in their room Tamaki was nowhere to be found. He froze as he saw a liquor bottle on the night stand. Vodka no less, had Tamaki really drank last night? It wasn't like him to turn to alcohol; he really hurt Tamaki yesterday for him to do something drastic. He had to find him, sooner now; both knew how he was affected with it in his system. And was he still drinking? Kyouya knew he had to find him before he hurt himself. He walked out of the room, beating himself up again for leaving. If he could control his temper better none of this would have happened. Hopefully Michelle was in her room and would know where he was.
Kyouya hadn't even gotten the door fully opened when Michelle ran to him.
"Daddy K, you came back!"
With one look of her face he knew he scared her last night. She must have known everything that happened. He really was a monster, how could Tamaki put up with him for all these years?
"Michelle, I'm sorry if I hurt you last night. I messed up big time, can you forgive me?"
"Yes! I forgive you daddy. I was scared you wouldn't come back home and would be living far away and I wouldn't see you as much. Please stay with me and Daddy T, please."
He watched as tears filled her eyes, she had been really worried. Again he thought of the monster he was. If it wouldn't make her cry more he would leave so he couldn't cause any more pain. He bent down to wipe away her tears, she nestled her head in his chest.
"I'm so sorry Michelle." He brought her arms around to keep her close while she cried.
When she stopped crying she pulled away and wiped her face with her arm.
"Michelle, do you know where Daddy T is?"
"He went out in the backyard after breakfast. He didn't look good do you think he is sick?"
"Maybe, come on Michelle let's go find him." Fear flooded through him as they headed downstairs. If Tamaki had been drinking than out back would be the worst place for him, with a pool that had up to twelve feet of water to dive into, disaster seemed to scream out to him. If anything happened to Tamaki he would never be able to forgive himself.
They walked on the back deck, Tamaki stood on the diving board.
"Tamaki!" Kyouya ran down the stairs, leaving Michelle on the deck so he wouldn't have to worry about her too.
Tamaki was about to dive in when he heard his name.
"Kyouya?" Losing his footing from stopping suddenly he felt the board bounce, suddenly he slipped off the edge and into the water.
"Tamaki!" Kyouya kicked his shoes off as he ran to the pool and dove in from the ground after him.
Tamaki tried to get his senses together as he attempted to go up for air. Falling caught him off guard and he just barely inhaled as he hit the water. He grasped as he felt something grab him, losing the rest of his air. Feeling an arm around him, he was taken to the surface. Gripping to the side of the pool he coughed up the water he swallowed.
"Daddies are you both okay?!" Michelle ran down the deck and around the side of the pool to them. She held a towel that had been lying on the deck's railing.
"I think so." Tamaki wiped his eyes and noticed Kyouya was next to him in the water only there was a large gap between them. So that was who called his name, he didn't have a chance to see before. He wondered if he just got home. Tamaki pushed up to get out of the water, he handed the towel to Kyouya as he got out as well. Tamaki noticed he was still in his work suit from yesterday. Kyouya wrapped the towel around the back of his arms and attempted to dry his glasses that managed to stay on his face when he dove in.
"Michelle can you go wait for Angela, she should be here in a few minutes."
"Sure Daddy T." She ran to the gate so she could wait out front for her.
Tamaki didn't move from his spot, he stared at his feet dangling in the water. His chest hurt from the water intake and his right side hurt from hitting the water.
"Are you okay Tamaki? Your side is beat red."
He looked at his side, well it was red, he hit harder than he thought; so much for it going away sooner.
"Yea, I'm okay."
"Are you sure? Did you hit any other part of your body?"
"No, I'm fine." He watched as Kyouya was closely examining him for any other marks. He moved away as Kyouya leaned over to look at his back.
"Just stay away, don't touch me!"
Kyouya quickly snapped back to how he was previous. He couldn't say anything, sorry didn't cut it. Tamaki wasn't about to forgive him so quickly, not that he wanted him too.
"Michelle said you didn't look well. Tamaki, why did you risk going near the water if you had been drinking? I…Michelle would have been devastated if something happened to you."
"Who told you I had been drinking?"
"I saw the bottle by the bed, I…"
"So you just assumed I was drunk or hung over? Kyouya I know you think I'm stupid and okay while I may not make the smartest decisions all the time I'm not a complete dumbass!" He would have gotten up to walk away if his side didn't burn. "For your information the bottle never touched my lips, actually the seal was never broken. I brought it upstairs thinking I would but I decided against it after."
"I'm sorry Tamaki, I overreacted. I didn't check to see if it was open, I saw it and couldn't find you and Michelle said you didn't look well so."
"Is that why you dove in after me? Did you think I was drunk and not thinking straight?"
"Yes, and no, I saw you on the board and panicked, I dove in when I saw you fall and hit the water, I was scared you were hurt. I realize now that you knew what you were doing and by me scaring you, you got thrown off and fell. No matter what I do I hurt you. I'm the dumbass, I always have been. I'm probably the reason you were choking too." He looked away, and thought he whispered under his breath, "I am such a monster."
Tamaki looked at him, "I don't think you are a monster, I never would have stayed with you if you were." He stopped until Kyouya looked back at him, "We both screwed up big time, and I want us to try and fix it. I don't know if we can but I want to try. A part of me doesn't trust you but I know I still love you."
Tamaki stopped again and looked back at the water; everything was so messed up and hard to sort out. He could tell Kyouya was thinking the same thing.
Haunted by the past
A nightmare that seemed so unreal
I wish that I could turn back time
And spare the pain that we both feel
And now we've changed
Things will never be the same
(Things will never be the same)
"Do you think starting over would help?"
"I don't know; I know I messed up and lied to you again and again but, Kyouya I've known you for years and yesterday was the first time you have ever scared me. It makes me question everything."
Kyouya stood up, "Your right, when you see the terror you place in the one you loves eyes you questions everything. I understand that you can't forgive me, and I don't want you too."
"Kyouya…"
"I'm going to make it up to you Tamaki, somehow I am. Right now I think that terror you saw in me should be placed elsewhere. What do you say in me helping you get back what is yours? Let's show Yoshio what happens when he messes with others lives and dreams!"
"Kyouya what are you planning?" Tamaki got up, worried of what he was thinking.
"Together we can prove to him that he holds no power over us. He can't tear our friendship apart, he couldn't than and he can't now. Could you get the records and statements to the centers and all the papers involving the buyout and takeover?"
"I guess so, yea they are here, but, what are you planning to do?"
"I'm going to pour my anger into something constructive until I can get help to deal with it better. I need to find a way to channel it better so I never make you worry about your safety when you are near me again. With what we both know I believe we can make this work. Tamaki, would you be willing to help me do that?"
"I don't know really how to help you with something like that but I will try."
Tamaki watched as Kyouya headed to the house to change out of his wet clothes. He wanted to thank him for diving in after him. To know he had been worried about his safety and to try and help; it meant a lot. He could tell Kyouya hated himself for yesterday and wanted to change to save not only their marriage but their friendship as well. It did pain him to hear Kyouya sat that Yoshio 'couldn't tear their "friendship" apart' but he was probably scared to upset him if he said love. He knew he would love Kyouya no matter what. After the life they had already gone through he could never fall out of love with him. Kyouya was the reason he still had a life to live and he wanted him to never forget that.
Kyouya stood in their room and just stared, not really at anything but he didn't move. He thought about how he would change, his marriage and relationship with Tamaki depended on it. He also needed to make sure Michelle didn't learn his horrible behaviors, and to make sure that she wasn't scared of him. He wanted her to know she could always go to him for anything; that she would never be put down. He wanted to make sure he always encouraged her to follow her dreams. While he never told her not to, he feared that if he didn't change he would one day. As he changed into just plain jeans and a t-shirt he wondered if Tamaki still loved him. He knew he would always love Tamaki, he owed him so much. Tamaki had already changed him so much over the years, all for the better. He hoped Tamaki still loved him but he would understand if he didn't last night every previous fight played back in his mind, Tamaki always forgave him but he didn't have to.
"Hey Kyouya, I have all the paperwork you were looking for. Are you sure about this?"
Tamaki walked into their room and stood by the door. Kyouya seemed to be staring out into space.
"Of course I'm sure Tamaki." He got off the bed and moved to the door. "I want you to know I would do anything for you, no matter what it would be."
Tamaki smiled as he heard that, though Kyouya had his back to him as he left the room and headed downstairs.
"Miss Michelle, it isn't nice to spy on your parents." Angela laughed at her attempt to scold Michelle for peeking into the kitchen where Tamaki and Kyouya sat to go over everything.
"But Angela I can't help it. I want to make sure they stay together."
"I get that but you can't decide that. You must trust that they can fix any problems they create." She looked through the crack in the door Michelle was using. She could tell neither had completely forgiven the other, both sat close but not as close as they usually had in the past. She could tell they were trying to give each other space.
"Come on Michelle, no more spying." She pulled her away from the door.
Both men looked up at the door as they heard it close.
"So what do you think Kyouya?"
He put down the stack of papers he had just gone over. This would be hard to fix, but not impossible.
"It will take time but I believe we could do it."
"Kyouya, we don't have the money to buy them back. Yoshio has already changed so much making the value of each increase. I tried to buy them back before but we would have lost everything. I love the centers but not if it means I'm not able provide for my family and force us to live on the streets."
"We can fix this Tamaki. The deal isn't official yet correct?"
"Nothing went though yet but by the end of the week I'll have no choice. I'll have to sign them over."
"That will be plenty of time. I need you to do me a favor though."
He told Tamaki what had to be done, he agreed and got straight to it.
Michelle stopped playing the piano; she finally figured something out and needed to talk to Angela. She treated her like her big sister, someone she looked up to and could go to for advice. Not that she couldn't go to her parents but at times she felt they wouldn't understand and right now she didn't want them to worry about her while they worked out their own problems.
"Michelle do you need something?" Angela stopped with the floral arrangement she was working on outside when she saw Michelle.
"Angela, can I talk to you about something and can you tell me what you think about an idea that I have?"
"Sure kiddo, what is it?" She motioned to have her sit next to her at the picnic table.
"I want to do something for my parents; last night Daddy T and I spent the whole night together. It was a lot of fun but I could tell he was upset and missed Daddy K. I have an idea but, I don't know how to get it together."
Angela listened closely to her idea, it could be pulled off. She wasn't sure if it would really help though.
"Michelle," She tried a few times to get her words in order to explain her feedback properly.
Your idea is fantastic but your parents need to work this out on their own. We both know they love each other. It's hard to explain why they can't just forgive each other and move on but they will do it."
"So you don't think I should do it then?"
"Not for this situation." She watched as Michelle's face saddened. "Michelle, I've been in your exact shoes so I know it's tough but I know your ending will be a happier one than mine was."
"Really Angela, do you really think so?"
"I do, hey isn't your parents anniversary coming up soon?"
"Yep, it's in the first week of September, I read in on the calendar in their office."
"Then how about you and me expand on your idea a little and plan it for their anniversary?" Michelle's face brightened.
"Really?!"
"Yep, we could even ask your grandparents to help, I'm sure they would."
"What do want to add it my idea?" Angela began to explain what she was thinking about to her. Michelle couldn't contain her excitement, it sounded to be the perfect addition.
That night before Angela left for the night she went to speak to Tamaki and Kyouya.
"Look, I understand that you both are upset with each other. Frankly, I don't blame either of you for you both weren't thinking. But, you both need to decide what you are going to do, now, whether you split or stay together you need to decide because you have a little girl that is worrying about you both. She will do anything to make this better. I have been that girl growing up, watching my parents fight constantly, fists thrown at each other, objects broken. It changes people, you lose respect for your parents, and you can never get it back even though you may yearn for it. Don't let it change Michelle; don't let her go through it. She can see the distance you both are placing around each other, she feels like she will have to chose a side, don't make her chose, even if you can't fix this make sure you both can be near each other. Tamaki you fear for her future and facing depression, keep this up and the chances she will, will dramatically increase. Go seek marriage counseling, go seek anger management, do what you have to. Make your final decision and then tell and explain it all to her."
Both men looked at the ground, Angela was right; they couldn't keep going like this. It was obvious that something happened between them, they needed to decide what they were going to do and they had to do it soon.
"Stop hiding everything from each other, talk it all out, every last detail, all that happened yesterday and in previous events if you had to. That is the only way you both will decide what is the right choice." With that she walked passed them and out the door. She couldn't hide the smile for her face, she wasn't really mad at them; she just wanted to open their eyes. Push them in the right direction.
They looked at each other, she was completely right.
"Kyouya let's go upstairs and talk. She is right."
"I know we need to figure out what is going to happen to us."
They walked to their room to talk in private; it was the only room in the house besides the bathrooms that had a lock.
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I didn't think I would be updating this fast, I'm torn with this chapter. I know the next one will focus on them trying to save what they both cherish so...fingers crossed that I do it right. Review please.
~Femalefighter~