Green Eyed Boyfriends
While Hypnos did there best to make plans to find out who was trying to take over the Digital World there was another meeting being held to discuss the leak in Ireland and the abduction of one of the Tamers. It had become apparent through research that the odds were high that classified information was likely in the hands of Theodore David Logan, a teenage street rat who none the less was known as more then an adequate hacker with the ability to access and find out exactly what kind of information he had if he knew to look. Information had also brought to light that he had a connection to Hypnos through Alec and Alice McCoy which suggested a possible explanation as to how the boy and his family had disappeared so quickly and efficiently. He would be found though and taken out of the equation along with his family, the information found and destroyed. While that was being dealt with plans were also being put into motion to acquire a game piece against Hypnos, a bargaining chip so to speak. The target had already been decided upon and the target's abduction would take place shortly once everything was in place. Their plans would go ahead as planned, no more mistakes or barriers would be tolerated now.
)
Takato and Simon walked to the bakery on foot from Hypnos after the meeting was done, the Wong children and Teddy the only ones to remain at Hypnos to help with the decoding. All the hackers agreed that this was going to take a while and it was doubtful they'd crack in any time soon. The two quiet as they walked Takato couldn't help but be a little intimidated by the tough Simon even though he thought Simon was sorta cool too. Like one of those action heroes in the movies who were bad asses but did the right thing too while they saved the day and got the best look girl. Like James Bond or something only blonde. "So you once worked in a bakery?" Takato said carefully, hoping to start some conversation since he really did want to make friends with Simon, especially since they'd be living together for a while. He'd always wanted siblings, this would kinda be like having one for a little bit.
"A couple of years ago, ya." Simon said with a shrug, well aware that the kid was a little intimidated and not really surprised. It just said the kid had good instincts about people "I've no doubt things are done a bit different here but I'll work hard for your mum and da. At the very least I'm pretty good when it comes ta grunt work."
"Well another pair of hands is always welcome and I'm sure it will be like riding a bike, you just need to get going again to remember." Takato said, trying a smile and was pleased when Simon smiled back. "I work there too by the way, in the bakery when I can. I can show you the ropes and stuff, teach you my tricks if you want."
"Sounds good ta me." Simon said with a grin then winked at Takato with a little mischievous gleam in his eyes. He couldn't help but tease the lad just a little bit, the boy was just askin for it after all and he'd never been good at avoidin temptation. "And what would you be wantin in return? Me ta stay away from yer girl perhaps? That's a fine lookin girl ya got there, mate."
)
"Actually I was just offering my help to be nice but not flirting with Jeri would be a nice bonus too." Takato blurted out then went red as he realized what he'd just said. "Not that I think you're the type to steal someone's girl or anything. I mean..I mean...uhm I don't know what I mean."
Laughing hard Simon patted Takato on the back in a friendly sort of way thinkin that the boy was goin be a real trip ta live with. "If you could see yer face, boyo, tis priceless. And dunna worry your goggled head about the fair Jeri being lured away from ya by the likes of me. I dunna think I could manage it even if I used ever bit of charm in by being." Simon said with a good natured chuckle, deciding to set the boy's worries at ease. "You've got a lass that loves ye there, boyo. I dunna think you've got anythin to worry about in that area."
"Yeah, I know." Takato said with a beaming smile on his face, the reminder perfectly timed. He was being stupid letting Kazu and Kenta's words get to him and even stupider to think that Jeri would ever dump him just because there was someone better looking then him around. After all there were lots of other guys around and she'd never looked anywhere but at him. Just like he'd never looked..okay never seriously looked at any girl but Jeri. "And hey my room is right next to yours so you want to play video games or something when we get back?"
"Sounds like a fine idea, Takato." Simon agreed with a grin and just like that the tough street rat and the happy go lucky preppy became friends.
)
"I hope Simon is okay at Takto's. I wish he could have stayed here too." Alice said as she lay on her stomach on her bed, talking to Henry who'd stopped by to drop Teddy off. Looking over at her boyfriend Alice couldn't help but notice he seemed deep in thought as he sat on her desk chair. And whatever he was thinking about wasn't good from the body language she was picking up on. "Something wrong?"
"No, nothing." Henry said with a shrug, not about to admit that the idea of Alice sleeping under the same room as that slick Irishman was enough to make him see blood red. He wasn't stupid, he knew he was being irrational and overprotective but damn it she was his and he felt like he needed to stake a claim or something. And that was stupider then the way he was acting, Henry thought with a sigh. "Anyway I should likely head home, Grandmother and Ice have likely hit the point where they're ready to kill each other by now and need a referee."
"You have to go already?" Alice said with a down look that had Henry feeling a combination of an extreme ego boost and smugness.
"Did you want me to stick around for a while?" Henry asked cautiously, not about to get his hopes up and trying to act cool about this. He just needed to hear her say she preferred and wanted his company just once, then he could get over the whole Simon thing.
"So I was right." Alice said smugly as she got up, sitting cross legged on her bed, crossing her arms in front of her with a smirk on her face. "You're jealous."
"I am not..what on earth do I have jealous about?" Henry demanded to know, flustered by the unexpected and admittedly accurate deduction.
)
"Because Simon and I use to date. Because he's older, badder and has an incredibly sexy accent. Because I said I wished he was living here with me, sleeping in the same house with me, under the same roof." Alice said as she got up, wandering over as Henry looked increasingly deflated with every little point. "Because that would mean I wanted him close by, right down the hall for me to see whenever I want. That's why you're jealous." Alice said as she came to a stop in front of him, poking him in the chest to drive her point home. "You're so jealous you look like a leprechaun, you're that green."
"Maybe, but I'm not that short." Henry said grudgingly, looking sheepish when Alice broke out laughing at the admission. "And hey, I'm allowed to play the jealous boyfriend every once in a while." Henry said with a hint of bite when she just continued to laugh at him as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. Getting out of the chair Henry was all set to let her have it for making fun when she launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Uhmm...uh....thanks." Henry said sheepishly, hugging her back.
"I do love Simon but not the way I love you, Henry and you should know that. He's more like a brother now, he isn't the one for me. You are, you big idiot." Alice said as she nuzzled her face against his neck. "You always will be, even when you're acting like an idiot."
"Same goes." Henry said as he kissed the top of her head. "And this is mostly Kazu and Kenta's fault for your information since they've made it their mission in life to make us guys fear the Irish, women stealing Micks." Henry added with a chuckle, feeling much better now that everything was centered again.
"Actually I think Micks are Scots but that's beside the point." Alice said as she pulled away to grin up at him before leaning up for a kiss that led to a lot more as the two put a whole new spin on kissing and making up.
)
"Thank God Simon isn't living here." Mr. McCoy said to the cat as he made himself a slight snack before heading to bed. "I mean I know it's over between him and Alice but just in case...I'd have never slept a wink knowing those two were in the same house with easy access to the other. Now Henry I could handle, Henry I can trust with my little girl. Simon is just too slick for his own good."
"Whatever ya say, Mr. McCoy." Teddy said as he came into the kitchen in his boxers, a smirk on his face. He'd gone ta see if Alice wanted to split some popcorn but she'd been too busy makin out with her boyfriend ta hear him even knock or open the door. Ah well, he wasn't a rat and since the boy had been in there with Alice for twenty minutes without clothes comin off Teddy was willing ta bet there wasn't much ta be worrin about. "So are we really gonna have ta be goin to school here like the suit said?"
"Yes you will." Mr. McCoy said firmly, knowing that Teddy wasn't going to like the idea at all. "Both you and Brit are going to school while you're here whether you like it or not."
"But what if they pick on her? She doesn't talk much and she's just a little thing, easy ta pick on. Back home no one was stupid enough ta pick on her cause they knew they'd be dealin with me and my mates but the kids here won't be thinkin anything of makin her life miserable." Teddy argued, figuring that there was no way he could get out of school, especially given things but it was Brit that worried him more. His sister and people tended not ta mix well and kids were always pickin on the ones that were different. As it was Brit's japanese wasn't all that great either. She found school hard enough as it was without not bein able to understand things. "Couldn't she be home schooled or somethin? Alice and I could do it if we had the materials seein as she's only in grade one."
"She's going to the same school as Yamachi's kids and I promise you that if things don't work out there we'll pull her out and find her another place to go." Mr. McCoy said as he leaned forward to ruffle Teddy's head. "And I'm sure she'll do just fine, Teddy. You'll see."
)
"So when are you going back to school?" Rika wanted to know as she and Ryo set their trays down before sitting down to eat. They'd stopped at a local fast food restaurant for some food and the lines had been hellish, not that they'd minded terribly.
"Well I'll need to head back Sunday night but I've only got a couple more weeks of school before I'm free until September." Ryo said as he dunked one of his fries into ketchup, practically drenching it. "But with everything that's been happening I'll come down as much as I can, get my friends to cover for me note wise and stuff. Kami and John are actually going to come home with me when school ends by the way. Since John's family is in Canada he's staying with me until summer and then he's going home to see them for a bit and taking Kami with him to meet his family and stuff. Needless to say she's already bought a guide book and started a list of all the things she wants to see."
"I'll bet. I haven't been there in a while but it's a beautiful place." Rika agreed as she unwrapped her burger. "So everyone's good at school?" She'd met a lot of Ryo's friends during the tournament and she'd gotten along well with the majority of them.
"Yup and you'll be glad to know that Arisa is looking a lot better now." Ryo said after taking a sip of his pop. "Apparently she's really taken your words to heart and she's eating the way she use to according to Spikes. By the way, you might want to watch out for that guy now since I'm pretty sure he intends to lavish you with thanks next time he sees you and I'd hate to have to hurt him."
)
"Why would you have to hurt him?" Rika wanted to know, sending him a confused look before understanding hit. "Would that need to maim have anything to do with jealousy?"
"Change that to possessiveness and you'd be right." Ryo said with a casual shrug, not afraid to admit it. After all if he tried to lie she'd see through it anyway and hurt him.
"No offense to Spikes but if I were to dump you it most certainly wouldn't be for him." Rika said with a laugh, amused at the idea of Ryo feeling like he needed to be possessive. She should probably at the very least elbow him for thinking she'd be easily lead astray but she was too busy being smug over the idea that he was possessive.
"Oh is that so?" Ryo said as his eyes narrowed slightly. That almost sounded like she was saying she could be taken.
"Yeah, he just isn't my type." Rika said with a smirk, completely missing the fact that Ryo had taken her comment the wrong way.
"And who else would you say is your type? Simon perhaps?"
"Well I've never actually found blondes all that appealing but I suppose that it would be safe to say that I could live with being stuck with someone like Simon. At least from a first meeting and the times we've chatted online." Rika said as she dunked some fries into her ketchup. "I think you'll like him too once you get to know him."
)
"Well that would depend." Ryo said dryly, stewing over her comments. Right now it didn't look like Henry was going to be the only one who greeted the Irishman with fangs bared, Ryo thought dryly.
"On?"
"Whether I were getting dumped for him in the near future."
"Huh?" Rika said as she looked up from her burger to look at him questioningly, her eye brow raising in confusion. What had she missed while she'd been chewing? Analyzing the conversation Rika could only shake her head when she caught on to what he was getting to. The dumb idiot. But what the hell, he was her idiot, Rika thought with a small smile. "Well even though Simon is sooooooo gorgeous and sooooooo sexy I think I can restrain myself from throwing myself at him." Rika said dryly as she smirked at him. "Seeing as if already stuck myself to a mildly good looking and sexy guy like yourself."
"Mildly?" Ryo seethed out, insult and jealousy plain in his blue eyes.
"Well I am trying to be nice here." Rika said with an innocent look on her face as she leaned over to pat him sympathetically on the hand. "But don't worry, I won't leave you."
)
"You're just playing with my head." Ryo said as his eyes narrowed as he sent her a not funny look even though he doubted it would deter her in the least from rubbing this in. "Very funny, Wildcat. Not."
"Actually it was very funny, Akiyama. I really should hit you for entertaining the idea but luckily for you I'm in a good mood from watching you make an idiot of yourself." Rika said with a chuckle as she smirked at him before leaning forward to wipe a bit of ketchup off his upper lip. "But I digress, you had ketchup on your face, Mr. Perfect."
"Well wiping it away certainly makes up for your little manipulation of feelings." Ryo said dryly though he was smirking a bit now too. He'd made that way too easy for her, he'd deserved to be led around by the nose on that one. "Besides, I know you're hopelessly in love with me. There's no way you could ever bear to be parted from me, especially since you need me to keep you in line and out of trouble."
)
"In line..out of trouble?" Rika grounded out, her eyes flashing dangerously at the very idea. She answered to no one and she did whatever she wanted, when she wanted and to hell with everything else. How dare he suggest that he needed to keep her in line and even worse that he seemed to think he could actually do it too. "And since when have I said I'm hopelessly in love with you? The only thing that's hopeless here is you!"
"You know you are." Ryo said with a smug grin of his own as he took her hand and gallantly kissed the back of it grinning when her cheeks went a little pinker then normal. "You're hopelessly, completely, in love with me, Wildcat."
"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Rika wanted to know, within inches of whacking him upside the head. How dare he say something like that in public. There were people here who knew her for Christ sakes.
"Because I'm hopelessly, completely, in love with you and it's only fair that you be in the same boat." Ryo said as he squeezed the hand he still held, smiling at her when her face went red and she looked more then a little shell shocked by his little confession. "See, I'm the only guy that can make you speechless too. If that's not a sign of true love when it comes to you then I don't know what is."