Hey all! Long time no post. Things have been very up and down lately, as I'm sure most of you can attest. But, I think things are finally starting to ease up. Somehow I made it through another burnout session and wrote this puppy. A good chunk of this chapter was prewritten, as in last year, haha so I hope the scenes still blend seamlessly. I've learned a lot about writing and grammar these past months so I'm sorry for how all over the place my dialogue ends and it's subsequent tags are. I've got it figured out now though so things should be uniform from now on.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings, enjoy the update. I'll update again when I can. Thank you to all who have stuck with this fic. Let me know what you think by leaving a review. ;)
Chapter Eighteen: Shifting Gears
Kai pulled up into the smoothly paved driveway of their new home, the memory trip his antsy mind sent him on finally coming to a close, the proverbial door shutting with a hard slam and clear click.
As hard as it was to do, he knew that letting go wasn't saying goodbye. It meant that he was setting himself free from all of the shame, guilt, and pain the memories caused him. He loved the women in those stories dearly, and that's all that should have mattered in the grand scheme of things. From here on he understood to treasure them and all they taught him, not the connecting circumstances.
Jerking the gearshift into Park, Kai spotted Max gleefully waving at him from the front porch. He melted at the smile, at the warm and welcoming actions. He wouldn't admit it, but he'd missed this. He missed the familiarity and someone being happy to see him on a regular basis.
Plucking the keys out of the ignition, Kai slid out of the car and did his best to carefully close the door. The moment he stepped away Max bounded toward him and gave him a tight, two-armed bear hug.
"Welcome to the city of Ikuwatchi, bro,"
Kai went rigid for a second but then gave his family the same type of hug back.
"Thanks, it's good to see you too,"
As the two gathered armfuls of bed parts and other furniture pieces, the boys came to, sitting up at the ringing slam of the big back's hatch.
Once they saw that it was empty, the two exchanged groggy glances and got out of that stuffy, dragon breath smelling wagon.
"Egh, did you fart in your sleep again? Mega-gross, man," Gou said, waving his hand side to side in front of his scrunched up face. Hungover or not a Granger's putrid gas was always deadly.
"Sorry, it happens," Makoto said, sheepishly grinning as he stood next to him, silently wishing he could remove that paternal trait from his DNA.
Come sunset, around six o'clock, the basics had been set up and plugged in. While Gou and Makoto decorated their bedrooms, which were on the second floor, separated by Kai's bedroom, and surrounded by literally dozens of other currently unoccupied rooms, Kai and Max talked over preparing dinner.
"Are you all ready to go, passports and all?" asked Max, chopping away at some bright, red and green bell peppers on the vegetable side of the college textbook thick and heavy, brown cutting board.
"Yeah, all set," Kai answered, scooping some finely diced onions onto a big bladed butchers' knife and using his left index finger to slide the pieces down into a heated pan drizzled with a thin layer of olive oil.
The sound of sizzling and chopping intertwined before only the steam and sizzling remained. As Kai melded the peppers and white onion together with a wooden spoon, a thought entered his head.
Covering the food with the pan's lid, he asked, "Did you plan this?"
Max flashed him a toothy grin and shook his head. Leaning back against the scratch-proof countertop, he added, "No, but Mr. Dickenson did,"
In the midst of laughing Kai slapped the dishtowel he had flung over his shoulders on the counter, "Figures. I should've seen it coming,"
"Then why didn't you?" Max jabbed, enjoying this little game of back and forth.
"Because I thought I'd made it clear for him to stop meddling. Meaning, if I need his help on something I'll try and ask," Kai admitted, lifting the lid to check the food. Ok, it was good, now they could cook the pasta.
While Max filled a big pot with water, adding salt afterward, he added, "And you honestly thought he'd stop? Bruh, he's been lookin' out for you since day one of your freedom,"
"I know, and don't think I don't appreciate it, I do to no end and can never thank him enough, but there's boundaries,"
Max waited for the water to boil before adding in the noodles. Once they were in, he stirred them and said, "He's not trying to control you, he just knows how stubborn you are. He also knows the over-arcing situation you're in better than I do, so maybe that's why he told me about the house,"
Kai deflated, "Yeah, maybe. I'll be sure to thank him,"
"Don't think too much on it. He just wants you to be happy. We can't fault him for that because I feel the same way if I'm bein' honest. You're too prideful for your own good. I know you didn't want to 'bother' me, but damn, man. Police academy or not I would've given it my all,"
Kai visibly sank, feeling horrible, "... I see, I never knew,"
With a weighted and shaky breath, Max finally said, "It's fine, all water under the bridge now."
Max gave him another mile-long grin before a long but comfortable silence settled in between the two.
Once dinner had been served and the dirty dishes piled high, the boys insisted on getting back to their "jobs" of decorating and unpacking. Meanwhile, Kai and Max stayed put in the kitchen.
Kai got up from his spot at the table and headed out into the adjoining lounge area, but at the sound of rushing water, he peered back over his shoulders to see Max soaping up a sponge with his half gone dish liquid.
Kai said, "You don't have to do any of that. Sit down, I'll get it in a bit,"
From his station at the already steaming and suds filled sink, Max playfully added, "And be a bad baby brother? I don't think so. I helped cook so I'm gonna help clean too," he paused, eyes laser-focused on the pan he was scrubbing, "Besides, you need to go tell the lil' troopers where you'll be runnin' off to come tomorrow. I know you're the Fort Knox of secrets but they deserve to know,"
Kai snorted, chuckling to himself while he loudly proclaimed as he sped off, "No shit Sherlock. I tried to at dinner but you all kept fanboying over Terminator."
Trotting up the carpeted stairs, he left a loudly cackling Max to himself. The gracefully aging man was laughing at his own obliviousness and donning that signature grin that rivaled even the Cheshire Cat.
"Boys," Kai called out, knocking on both the boys' doors.
The two came out into the hallway, outright annoyed that they'd been interrupted. Oh well, they'd deal.
"I need to talk to you, and don't interrupt until I'm done. This is important,"
The two exchanged perplexed glances and waited for Kai to begin.
"I'm going to China tomorrow. I'm picking someone up. Someone I've been trying to track down for many years,"
That thought jogged Gou's memory and made him think back to when his dad was filling him in on what he actually did as apposed to what he thought he did. Wow, that all felt like a lifetime ago, and in a sense even someone else's life, but it wasn't.
"So, you've been looking for this person along with doing your doctor stuff?" Makoto inquired, trying to put the pieces together.
"Yes," Kai said, a tad shocked, as he gave Makoto a curt nod. This kid was sharp when he wanted to be.
"Are you gonna wear your business suit again?" Gou cut in, his mind racing.
Kai put his focus on him, "Yes. I'll be donning that disguise until I return,"
"Is the person bad?" Makoto asked, feeling a mixture of curious and cautious.
Gou was most-likely feeling the same way, but he seemed to trust his dad more than he felt he should.
"No, she's- she's like you two, just in need of some help. Max is gonna watch you guys until I get back. Please behave and no unnecessary trouble. Remember, he's a cop,"
"Yes, sir," said the two in unison.
Kai went in to give them a big hug, one in each arm. "I love you, boys. I'll be back by Sunday night at the latest,"
"We love you too, dad," Gou happily answered, noticing that Makoto was taken aback by it. Now that was an amusing sight to see.
The following afternoon, Gou paced around their carpeted living room, expectantly looking out the small front window every few seconds or so. However, he wasn't excited. He was anxious and couldn't sit still. He'd been like this for what felt like hours. So much so that Makoto and Max, who were watching from the beige, three seater couch, thought he'd create a mote as he went and eventually sink into the floor.
"For fuck's sake, man. Uncle said he'd be home by tomorrow night at the latest. It's only been six hours. Calm your tits and grow a pair of brass. The yarn set doesn't suit ya,"
Max sent him a stern look and then slapped him on the back of his head. Gou turned to the boy, glaring and red faced. He hated being insulted but that wasn't the issue here. It seemed Makoto still had booze on him, and had been enjoying them in secret. So much for trying.
"Ugh, come on. That was funny and you know it. My best one yet,"
Gou rolled his eyes. As usual, Makoto didn't see the problem.
"Dude-" Max pointed to the big, nearly full jar sitting in the center of the coffee table near his friend's bare feet.
Makoto had been warned time and time again, all day thus far, about watching his mouth and so far nothing had worked. That is until Max had the old-fashioned idea of placing a wide mouthed jar in plain view. Digging into his pocket change would surely make him understand that you don't say crass things loudly in public or disrespect people.
Makoto rolled his big eyes back at Gou. Not this again. This was nonsense. They knew what kind of home life he'd come from so a little trouble was expected, right? His uncles were so suffocating.
"You can't be serious, they're just words," he said through laughter.
When he realized Max wasn't joking he groaned and pulled out his wallet while grumbling, "I can't believe this, stupid shits,"
"I can ya dick. You think you would learn," Gou spat, putting some more space between them.
Folding his arms over his chest, Gou leaned up against the wall by the front door. He watched Makoto place a couple of yen into the jar and unhappily put his light blue and silver colored wallet away.
"Why are you all like this?" He heard Makoto say, rather loudly. It actually bordered on rude. Seriously, did this kid not remember what an inside voice was?
"Hmm, let's see," Max started, pretending to really think about it.
Makoto huffed, seeing right through it.
"I don't know, maybe because you cornered a young woman while spouting inappropriate stuff and then proceeded to grab her 'tight, plump' ass in the middle of the grocery store this morning?!" Max shouted, becoming angry all over again.
"Oh, come on," Makoto said, laying back into the couch and lacing his hands behind his head.
To the others, it appeared as though he was pleased with what he did. And he was, but only because he was drunk.
"She was asking for it. You can't tell me that a fine piece of meat like that walking by didn't harden your rocks too. Look at what she was wearing, that outfit was like something out of Sailor Moon. Just one little grab was all it took and bam, she was mine," he let out dreamily. Remembering the statuesque brunette that he nearly had eating out of the palm of his hand.
"You pig! She was cosplaying and just trying to shop-"
Makoto sat up scowling, cutting Max off, "That was until you interfered, and pulled us apart. I was so close too! She would've felt amazing!" he heatedly whined, "Prick!"
He knew he'd just royally pissed him off but he didn't care. He was finally able to speak and not get hit and have an open opinion that was his own.
The sound of stomping and quick steps alerted him to someone coming toward him. But he wasn't quick enough to evade Gou's hard, backhanded pop to his mouth.
After Makoto had put his fingers to his stinging and swelling lips, Gou stood up straight, his arms refolding over his chest. He knew that pop wouldn't do much, if anything, considering Max had done it to him at least once every few hours since he woke up.
Makoto watched with stinging, watery eyes as Gou pulled out his own black wallet and put a couple of yen in the jar as well.
Couldn't Gou see that these rules were stupid and societal merits were just controlling? They were free from their abusers, they could do whatever they wanted. To hell with consequences, they deserved to live!
Gou leaned into Makoto's face, red eyes blazing, but he was far from fazed. "Unlike you, I'm thankful for where I'm at and don't want to risk losing it! I warned you, and I know it's far from easy, but if you don't put them down, we're through! I've had it up to here with your hiding, drinking, and other egotistical hotheaded bullshit!"
Max went up the stairs and soon came down with Makoto's huge, aged box full of his dad's old video games and their associated consoles. Maybe some fun would improve their moods, and no doubt kill some time.
Sitting the box down on the floor before them, Max lively said, "You two need to have some traditional fun. Play these while I fix us an early dinner."
Max made sure the old, console television was on the right channel and things were plugged in properly before making his way out.
While things were baking and boiling away in the kitchen, Max sneakily made his way upstairs, a thick trash bag tucked neatly underneath his arm.
He knew Kai wasn't one for being a helicopter parent considering he spent most of his life being a puppet on devilish strings. It appeared he wanted the kids to have some sense of self, but he'd clearly messed up. From training and experience, Max knew that with kids like Makoto, and their old school chum Johnny, you couldn't be lax. You had to stay on top of them, monitor all they did. He'd have a little chat with Kai about it later, but for now he needed to be slick and quick.
To Be Continued...