Author's note: This is part two of the prologue. Basically, I'm setting it up so that the next few chapters go together. FYI, Staind does a lot of songs that are really good for angst.
Warning: Yaoi and straight couplings. Minor cussing.
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Title: Break the Cycle
Everyone finished within seconds of each other, and soon, they were in separate areas of the picnic section of the park, split into little groups to catch up on new gossip, and swap past stories.
Izzy and Joe were discussing an upcoming trial with Cody, who was studying to become a lawyer. He had a year and the bar exam (a/n: Don't know if they had a bar exam before, but they do now.)
Kari was chatting with Yolei, Mimi, and Sora about their prospective jobs. Mimi was telling them about her newfound interest in cooking, and about her new social life. Sora and Yolei were listening, since Yolei didn't have a profession, and Sora worked enough that she didn't really want to talk about it.
Ken and Davis were off to the side, talking to Tai. Matt had hung around the table to help TK take care of everything. He looked grimly at Tai, then snapped another lid into place with a growl. TK looked up with a smile. "Welcome home, brother."
"Thanks, TK. I'm glad someone's happy that I'm here." He looked again at Tai, ignoring the curious looks that Ken was giving him for his effort to get the brunette's attention. As the blue-haired man frowned, Matt looked away again, sighing.
"I think we're all glad that you're here, even if they refuse to say so." TK put a bowl of salad in a cooler and shut the lid, using the plastic container for a seat. "You've been gone a long time, Yamato." He used his brother's full name to emphasize that point.
"I know, TK. It's been a really busy time, though. And it's not like I don't come back every couple of weeks." He said defensively, sitting on the end of a bench facing his sibling.
"Yeah, but when you do come home, it's normally only long enough to use my couch, take a shower, eat, and run. You barely even have a chance to say 'hi' to the others, let alone figure out what's going on in their lives." TK stopped smiling to look with disapproval at the older blonde. "You really need to talk to everyone, even if you have to force them to listen. You've let things go on in some ways too long without talking about it. There are so many things that you don't know, but that you should."
"Like what?" He looked with concern at the younger man. "Are you okay?"
That brought the grin back. "I'm perfectly fine. I miss my older brother like hell, but I'll live. This picnic was a really good idea, and I'm glad that everyone could make it. Thank you for suggesting it."
"No prob. I knew that if I invited everyone, only half would show, since I missed half the things that I've been invited to in the last eight years." His band had made it to success, and had at least two hit singles a year, keeping them in the competition. "But that's going to change. I'm retiring at the end of this summer, and I'll be coming home."
"Really?" TK jumped up and hugged his brother, forgetting for a moment that he wasn't a kid any longer, and that it was odd for two grown men, siblings, to embrace each other in the middle of a park. Davis didn't count. "That's great, Yama! Do you have a place to stay? If not, you can stay with me, I've got the room."
"Thanks, Takeru, but I might have another place to stay. It just might take me a little effort to get them to agree." They both looked to where Ken and Davis were watching them with amusement. Tai had glanced over, and then looked away, so he didn't see the glance that the blondes sent him.
"Good luck, you'll need it. I would suggest that you start begging and pleading soon, before you lose your chance. But before you do that, I think that you should speak to your fiancee." He gestured to where Sora was standing with the other women. She caught Matt's eye and separated from her friends. "Excuse me."
"Hi, Matt." She spoke softly, looking at him with calm brown eyes. "We need to talk."
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End note: For the intent and purpose of this fic/these fics, everyone is dressed in casual clothing, like jeans and T-shirts. Except Sora, who's wearing high-heels for some reason.
Warning: Yaoi and straight couplings. Minor cussing.
_______________________
Title: Break the Cycle
Everyone finished within seconds of each other, and soon, they were in separate areas of the picnic section of the park, split into little groups to catch up on new gossip, and swap past stories.
Izzy and Joe were discussing an upcoming trial with Cody, who was studying to become a lawyer. He had a year and the bar exam (a/n: Don't know if they had a bar exam before, but they do now.)
Kari was chatting with Yolei, Mimi, and Sora about their prospective jobs. Mimi was telling them about her newfound interest in cooking, and about her new social life. Sora and Yolei were listening, since Yolei didn't have a profession, and Sora worked enough that she didn't really want to talk about it.
Ken and Davis were off to the side, talking to Tai. Matt had hung around the table to help TK take care of everything. He looked grimly at Tai, then snapped another lid into place with a growl. TK looked up with a smile. "Welcome home, brother."
"Thanks, TK. I'm glad someone's happy that I'm here." He looked again at Tai, ignoring the curious looks that Ken was giving him for his effort to get the brunette's attention. As the blue-haired man frowned, Matt looked away again, sighing.
"I think we're all glad that you're here, even if they refuse to say so." TK put a bowl of salad in a cooler and shut the lid, using the plastic container for a seat. "You've been gone a long time, Yamato." He used his brother's full name to emphasize that point.
"I know, TK. It's been a really busy time, though. And it's not like I don't come back every couple of weeks." He said defensively, sitting on the end of a bench facing his sibling.
"Yeah, but when you do come home, it's normally only long enough to use my couch, take a shower, eat, and run. You barely even have a chance to say 'hi' to the others, let alone figure out what's going on in their lives." TK stopped smiling to look with disapproval at the older blonde. "You really need to talk to everyone, even if you have to force them to listen. You've let things go on in some ways too long without talking about it. There are so many things that you don't know, but that you should."
"Like what?" He looked with concern at the younger man. "Are you okay?"
That brought the grin back. "I'm perfectly fine. I miss my older brother like hell, but I'll live. This picnic was a really good idea, and I'm glad that everyone could make it. Thank you for suggesting it."
"No prob. I knew that if I invited everyone, only half would show, since I missed half the things that I've been invited to in the last eight years." His band had made it to success, and had at least two hit singles a year, keeping them in the competition. "But that's going to change. I'm retiring at the end of this summer, and I'll be coming home."
"Really?" TK jumped up and hugged his brother, forgetting for a moment that he wasn't a kid any longer, and that it was odd for two grown men, siblings, to embrace each other in the middle of a park. Davis didn't count. "That's great, Yama! Do you have a place to stay? If not, you can stay with me, I've got the room."
"Thanks, Takeru, but I might have another place to stay. It just might take me a little effort to get them to agree." They both looked to where Ken and Davis were watching them with amusement. Tai had glanced over, and then looked away, so he didn't see the glance that the blondes sent him.
"Good luck, you'll need it. I would suggest that you start begging and pleading soon, before you lose your chance. But before you do that, I think that you should speak to your fiancee." He gestured to where Sora was standing with the other women. She caught Matt's eye and separated from her friends. "Excuse me."
"Hi, Matt." She spoke softly, looking at him with calm brown eyes. "We need to talk."
______________
End note: For the intent and purpose of this fic/these fics, everyone is dressed in casual clothing, like jeans and T-shirts. Except Sora, who's wearing high-heels for some reason.