Mara left the Kamiyas and made headed almost directly home, stopping only
at the store for a few items and then Wendy's for a chicken sandwich combo
and a coke. She ate in, staying only long enough to enjoy her sandwich.
She made her way home in good time despite the traffic. Once she pulled
into the parking lot, she realized that she had too much stuff for a single
trip. Mildly irritated, she set her coke on the hood of the car, vowing to
return for it after she took the much heavier suitcases up to the
apartment.
She returned from the second trip with the bag of stuff and her coke. She huffed and shut the door and flipped off her heels. After a short break to recoup on the couch she took the two suitcases into her son's room and heaved them up on to the bed. She took a look around his room and got to work, thankful that Koushirou didn't have a lot of things in his room. man, why didn't we get him one with wheels, she thought as she started to push his computer desk a few feet to the right.
"Finally," she exclaimed and plopped on his bed to relax, pushing her hair out of her face. "Stupid oak desk," she said and slapped it. Mara left the room and went back into the living room to wait for a knock on the door.
Across town Koushirou and Tai arrived at the gym in plenty of time for TK's game, mostly because of Koushirou's constant mantra of 'hurry up, Taichi, we'll be late.' As they stepped into the gym they saw that it was nearly empty. TK and Iori were at one end shooting baskets while a few of the other team were messing around at the other end.
Actually, it was TK who was doing the shooting while Iori was playing ball gopher for him. Tai and Koushirou watched as TK hit shot after shot from outside the three point line, making it look so easy, as if he was shooting from three feet instead of twenty three feet. Most of Iori's time was spent standing under the net with only a few dashes for the occasional clanger.
"Are you sure that TK's game was at noon, Koushirou?" Tai asked as they stood in the doorway.
"Um, maybe it was at twelve thirty?" he replied sheepishly.
"Maybe it was at twelve thirty," Tai said in an imitation of Koushirou's voice and playfully punched Koushirou on the shoulder. Koushirou only shrugged his shoulders and grinned at him. Tai smiled back and they started heading toward TK.
Iori had just tossed the ball back to TK when he saw Koushirou and Tai walking to them. He pointed in their direction and TK turned. He waved at them and started dribbling while they approached. The two of them and Iori arrived at about the same time, Iori sticking to TK's side like glue.
"Hey guys, how'd everything go last night?" he asked. Tai and Koushirou exchanged glances and TK noticed the slight mouse under Tai's left eye. "Not well I take it," he said after neither boy said anything.
"Not well is a large understatement," Tai told him with his hand unconsciously going to his eye.
"Your father--" Iori started to say before Tai interrupted him.
"No, my mum, actually." Tai went on to give the details of the previous night, starting with his trip through the park in the rain and finishing with his conversation with Koushirou's mum.
"I don't believe she did that," Iori told him, looking sad and feeling hurt for Tai.
"Me neither. I thought that they might take it bad, but not this bad." Tai looked away into the empty bleachers while he composed himself.
"He's staying with us for the while," Koushirou told the other two while he wrapped an arm around his koi.
"So, how did things go with the two of you?" Tai asked with a barely noticeable hitch in his voice when he first started speaking.
"My mum was a little surprised but took it well over all. We had a long talk over dinner and she told me that she'd need a little time to get used to it, but she wasn't mad," TK said, almost wishing that it had gone a little worse so that Tai wouldn't have been the only one.
"Iori?" Tai asked.
"Well, when I first went home I was really nervous so I took a long shower to calm down. Afterward, I got out and went to dinner. I dropped the news while we were eating pasta. At first I thought that my grandfather was mad, but he okay with it. I mistook his emotions. My mum just smiled at me and told me that she had an inkling all the while. When I asked her how, she told me that it was the way that I acted when I was around TK and that it reminded her of how she was around my, father," Iori choked up at the end of his little speech and lowered his head. TK pulled him close.
"Thanks," he said after a moment. TK smiled at him and let him go. "I didn't mean to get emotional."
The other three were at a lack of words to tell the small boy. Finally Koushirou broke the silence. "Don't be sorry, Iori. Never be sorry you have emotions." Koushirou sort of half frowned, because that hadn't come out exactly how he wanted it to.
"Thanks, Koushirou," Iori told him, letting him know that the message was received. Koushirou nodded and they chatted about the upcoming game and a few other inconsequential matters while TK started shooting again. Slowly the gym began to fill up as the correct start time drew near. The other three boys left the court as more of TK's teammates showed up, heading to the sideline in order to get good seats on the bleachers.
The gym filled up quickly after they'd sat down and the game started at twelve thirty sharp. Tai nudged Koushirou in the ribs and pointed at the clock as the whistle blew.
"Ha ha, Tai," Koushirou said quietly and grinned at him. Iori looked at them in wonderment as they shared the inside joke. "Don't worry about it, Iori," Koushirou told him and laughed as the game started.
The game was over almost before it got started. TK and his mates put on a clinic, both on defense and offense and it was a blowout before halftime. The second half was a mere formality, twenty minutes of continued drubbing. When the smoke settled the victory was the most lopsided of the season for the team. After the obligatory handshakes with the other team, TK's team returned to their bench and heard the typical speech from the coach. "Well, we played a great game, but the season's not over yet, and blah blah.."
TK tuned the coach out unintentionally. He'd heard the same thing countless times before. He was looking instead over at the bleachers where his friends were sitting. Iori was waving madly, just as energetically as he'd been cheering throughout the entire game. On the few occasions that TK had a chance to look his way, Iori looked like a little dervish dancing around. He smiled at the sight of the three of them.
"Takaishi!" The coach's voice was booming right next to his ear, causing him to jump back into reality. "Oh, sorry coach," TK said and turned to face him. He then realized that the rest of his team was gone, already having headed off to the showers. In fact, he'd been spaced out long enough for the last of his team to have made it through the doors a little while ago.
"Are you going to just stand there and stink or are you going to go and get cleaned up, Takaishi?"
"Um, yeah. A shower. I'm on the way." TK picked up his duffel bag from behind the bench and headed on his way. He made a little stop on the way to talk to the others for a moment.
"Great game, TK," Iori said as he nearly jumped into TK's arms. TK grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.
"Thanks, Iori." He set Iori back down, nearly grabbing a quick peck in the process but thought better of it. Too many people around still he thought.
"Yeah, it was wonderful. You guys owned them," Tai told him as he patted him on the back.
"Well, we've already beaten them three times this year, so we knew we could. The games are going to get harder from here on out," TK said as he pulled his sweaty jersey off his skin. (A/N: I hate that feeling..yuk.)
"Are we still going to have lunch, TK?" Iori asked expectantly.
"Of course, Iori-chan. Do you two want to come with us?" he asked Tai and Koushirou.
"Well, I don't know about Koushirou, but I sort of want to know what's going on back at the home front," Tai told TK. Koushirou nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay then, let me grab a shower first, Iori, unless you are terribly hungry and can't wait that long," TK joked, waving his arms just enough for the scent of sweaty boy to float over to Iori.
"No, you go on, TK. If I get that hungry I'll eat the lining of my shoe. You need a shower. Now go." Iori was waving back at TK, but whether it was to get the smell away or to tell him to leave no one could be certain.
"Alright. I guess I'll see you two later," he said to Tai and Koushirou, "and you, Iori, in a just a bit."
"See you after while, TK," Tai said as the two boys started to walk off.
"Oh, Koushirou," TK called before they'd left earshot, "let me know what the situation is." Koushirou nodded and then he and Tai left.
"I'll be back," TK said and started off to the locker rooms.
TK had dropped his bag on the bench and pulled a towel out and then shucked his clothes, wrapping the towel around himself, more out of defense against the cold than modesty because this locker room was as cold as any in existence. As he neared the warmth of the steam from the actual showers he shivered and picked his pace up. He nearly ran in and about dove under the water, pausing only to toss his towel on the rack above the showerhead. He savored the feeling as his body warmed up under the spray.
aaahhhh, this is great. TK quickly became lost in his cocoon of warmth. He let the water take all the fatigue from his soul and utterly relaxed. This was arguably better than hitting a game winning shot in his opinion. He was pulled from his utopia by the voices of a few of his teammates from a few stalls down.
"Yeah, and did you see those two guys in the front row? They were all but in each other's laps during the game."
"Tell me about it. How gross is that? I mean, yuk. Damn fags."
What are they talking about? TK wondered, not quite catching the whole conversation.
"People like that make me sick to my stomach," a third member of his team exclaimed in disgust.
Are they talking about Koushirou and Tai? TK wondered, becoming hurt and indignant the more he heard them talking. He listened further and his indignation turned to tears as the talk turned to what should be done to people 'like that'. TK was nearly paralyzed in shock and fear. He soon was openly bawling at what he heard. I can't believe this TK's mind was numb. How could they even think thoughts like that? The voices shut off their showerheads and walked out, still continuing their tirade. TK leaned against the wall and let the water wash over his face, hiding his tears.
He was finally able to move again. He reached a hand up and shakily turned the water off. He pulled his towel down from the hanger and shrouded himself and slowly walked out and into the midst of the spiteful talk once more. The five of his mates engaged in the conversation looked up as he walked out of the steamy room.
"Hey TK, great game, huh?" one of them, Alex, told him. TK was shaking again and started crying anew.
"What's wrong?" another, Rod, asked him. TK glanced in the mirror hung above the bench and saw his eyes were blood red and how pale he looked. TK simply stood there and looked at the five of them, shaking his head slowly from side to side. "Are you okay?"
"How, how dare you?" TK asked once he found his voice. It was shaky but he found it. He looked at them, one by one, fixing them each under his gaze. "How dare you say those things?"
"What things? The things about those fags?" Alex asked. TK simply nodded his head in the affirmative. The other boys seemed unsure what to say next. They'd not seen TK this way ever, and they'd been playing together for years.
"You're talking about my friends," he told them and he watched as the color sank from their faces. "And," he continued, "you're talking about me." TK's voice was gaining strength from pure contempt for them. They looked at him like he was a being from another world.
"How dare you?" TK repeated again and shivered, not from cold but from being in their presence. "I can't believe what I just heard." TK began to dress quickly, not making eye contact with any of them, while they stood rooted in place in various phases of dress. He was done in less than a minute and once he'd donned his shoes he looked at them again.
"I hope you all have a good time playing next week without me," TK croaked and fresh tears began to roll down his cheeks, "because I'm done with you." He stuffed his towel and dirty clothes in his bag and flew from the room, leaving five startled faces and silence behind him.
TK nearly bowled Iori over in his blind dash from the locker room. Iori was standing by the doors when he busted out.
"TK, what's wrong?" Iori asked, seeing the obvious tears streaming from his boyfriend's face.
"Iori, I need.. I need to get out of here, now." Iori grabbed TK's hand and led the boy out of the gym as fast as he could, past the coach whose eyes were full of question marks as they passed. He led the two of them down the road, wanting to put distance between whatever had done this to TK before he asked a single question.
What is wrong with TK? Iori wondered. I don't know what I should do. Iori led them down one street and up another until TK seemed to be getting control of himself. "TK, please tell me what's wrong, please?" Iori pleaded as they rounded a corner. He was getting a little scared himself now.
"Okay, let's get inside first," TK motioned to a small pizza place and Iori nodded. They stepped through the doors and were hit by the warm air and the smell of baked cheese and pepperoni.
"I'll order for us, you go get a table, okay?" Iori asked and TK gave his approval. "One large pepperoni and two cokes, please." He took the two cups and the little buzzer thing back to where TK was sitting, wiping his eyes with his sleeves.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Iori asked in his most caring voice, tilting his head ever so slightly to one side. TK eventually started, and between hitches and tears, had just finished the story of what he'd heard in the showers when the buzzer went off. Iori politely excused himself and came back with the pizza.
"I'm sorry I've ruined our lunch, Iori," TK said as he wiped his eyes again.
"TK, our lunch isn't ruined. You're here with me, so it is perfect," Iori told the blond boy.
"You know what I mean, Iori. It wasn't supposed to be like this, me all crying and everything. This was supposed to be a happy lunch, and well, it's really not. "
"Right, and I meant what I said, TK. You're here with me. I don't care if you're crying, laughing, whatever, as long as you are here with me." Iori reached a little hand across the table and attempted to cover TK's with it. The smile he gave TK was like a shaft of sunlight falling on the blond boy; TK's face lit up with a smile and much to his chagrin, a few more tears.
"You're crying again, TK, but this time they're not sad tears, are they?" Iori asked him and smiled even bigger.
"No, they certainly aren't. They're happy tears. I'm so glad you're with me right now, Iori."
"And I'm glad I'm with you too, TK. Do you want to know the only thing that might make this day even better?"
"What?"
"Pizza. Oh, look, we have some." Iori hit TK with another earth- shattering grin and released TK's hand just long enough to pick up a slice. Instead of putting it to his own mouth, Iori put it to TK's. "Go on, take a bite, it's not poison," Iori said when TK hesitated for reasons of his own. Four more teardrops escaped, the last that TK would shed in the restaurant, rolled down his face and dripped off his chin. TK took a bite and then picked a piece and put it to Iori's face.
Had anyone been paying attention to the little scene at one of the back tables, they would have sworn that they were looking at a piece of a bride and groom's wedding album, the obligatory picture that shows them feeding each other the first bite of cake. And had anyone been watching, they would have been moved by the sheer beauty of the moment.
Well, I didn't get quite as far as I meant to, but there was some takori sweetness at the end, right? I'd like to thank the craptastic MSWord for crashing in mid story, causing me to have to start all over. If that hadn't happened, I'd have gotten back to where I wanted to be. It's not that much further, really, so don't sweat it. I'd also like to thank Faith Hill for giving me the awesome new song 'Cry' to write to. You go girl. And of course, thanks to all you guys (and girls, of course) out there in cyberspace.
She returned from the second trip with the bag of stuff and her coke. She huffed and shut the door and flipped off her heels. After a short break to recoup on the couch she took the two suitcases into her son's room and heaved them up on to the bed. She took a look around his room and got to work, thankful that Koushirou didn't have a lot of things in his room. man, why didn't we get him one with wheels, she thought as she started to push his computer desk a few feet to the right.
"Finally," she exclaimed and plopped on his bed to relax, pushing her hair out of her face. "Stupid oak desk," she said and slapped it. Mara left the room and went back into the living room to wait for a knock on the door.
Across town Koushirou and Tai arrived at the gym in plenty of time for TK's game, mostly because of Koushirou's constant mantra of 'hurry up, Taichi, we'll be late.' As they stepped into the gym they saw that it was nearly empty. TK and Iori were at one end shooting baskets while a few of the other team were messing around at the other end.
Actually, it was TK who was doing the shooting while Iori was playing ball gopher for him. Tai and Koushirou watched as TK hit shot after shot from outside the three point line, making it look so easy, as if he was shooting from three feet instead of twenty three feet. Most of Iori's time was spent standing under the net with only a few dashes for the occasional clanger.
"Are you sure that TK's game was at noon, Koushirou?" Tai asked as they stood in the doorway.
"Um, maybe it was at twelve thirty?" he replied sheepishly.
"Maybe it was at twelve thirty," Tai said in an imitation of Koushirou's voice and playfully punched Koushirou on the shoulder. Koushirou only shrugged his shoulders and grinned at him. Tai smiled back and they started heading toward TK.
Iori had just tossed the ball back to TK when he saw Koushirou and Tai walking to them. He pointed in their direction and TK turned. He waved at them and started dribbling while they approached. The two of them and Iori arrived at about the same time, Iori sticking to TK's side like glue.
"Hey guys, how'd everything go last night?" he asked. Tai and Koushirou exchanged glances and TK noticed the slight mouse under Tai's left eye. "Not well I take it," he said after neither boy said anything.
"Not well is a large understatement," Tai told him with his hand unconsciously going to his eye.
"Your father--" Iori started to say before Tai interrupted him.
"No, my mum, actually." Tai went on to give the details of the previous night, starting with his trip through the park in the rain and finishing with his conversation with Koushirou's mum.
"I don't believe she did that," Iori told him, looking sad and feeling hurt for Tai.
"Me neither. I thought that they might take it bad, but not this bad." Tai looked away into the empty bleachers while he composed himself.
"He's staying with us for the while," Koushirou told the other two while he wrapped an arm around his koi.
"So, how did things go with the two of you?" Tai asked with a barely noticeable hitch in his voice when he first started speaking.
"My mum was a little surprised but took it well over all. We had a long talk over dinner and she told me that she'd need a little time to get used to it, but she wasn't mad," TK said, almost wishing that it had gone a little worse so that Tai wouldn't have been the only one.
"Iori?" Tai asked.
"Well, when I first went home I was really nervous so I took a long shower to calm down. Afterward, I got out and went to dinner. I dropped the news while we were eating pasta. At first I thought that my grandfather was mad, but he okay with it. I mistook his emotions. My mum just smiled at me and told me that she had an inkling all the while. When I asked her how, she told me that it was the way that I acted when I was around TK and that it reminded her of how she was around my, father," Iori choked up at the end of his little speech and lowered his head. TK pulled him close.
"Thanks," he said after a moment. TK smiled at him and let him go. "I didn't mean to get emotional."
The other three were at a lack of words to tell the small boy. Finally Koushirou broke the silence. "Don't be sorry, Iori. Never be sorry you have emotions." Koushirou sort of half frowned, because that hadn't come out exactly how he wanted it to.
"Thanks, Koushirou," Iori told him, letting him know that the message was received. Koushirou nodded and they chatted about the upcoming game and a few other inconsequential matters while TK started shooting again. Slowly the gym began to fill up as the correct start time drew near. The other three boys left the court as more of TK's teammates showed up, heading to the sideline in order to get good seats on the bleachers.
The gym filled up quickly after they'd sat down and the game started at twelve thirty sharp. Tai nudged Koushirou in the ribs and pointed at the clock as the whistle blew.
"Ha ha, Tai," Koushirou said quietly and grinned at him. Iori looked at them in wonderment as they shared the inside joke. "Don't worry about it, Iori," Koushirou told him and laughed as the game started.
The game was over almost before it got started. TK and his mates put on a clinic, both on defense and offense and it was a blowout before halftime. The second half was a mere formality, twenty minutes of continued drubbing. When the smoke settled the victory was the most lopsided of the season for the team. After the obligatory handshakes with the other team, TK's team returned to their bench and heard the typical speech from the coach. "Well, we played a great game, but the season's not over yet, and blah blah.."
TK tuned the coach out unintentionally. He'd heard the same thing countless times before. He was looking instead over at the bleachers where his friends were sitting. Iori was waving madly, just as energetically as he'd been cheering throughout the entire game. On the few occasions that TK had a chance to look his way, Iori looked like a little dervish dancing around. He smiled at the sight of the three of them.
"Takaishi!" The coach's voice was booming right next to his ear, causing him to jump back into reality. "Oh, sorry coach," TK said and turned to face him. He then realized that the rest of his team was gone, already having headed off to the showers. In fact, he'd been spaced out long enough for the last of his team to have made it through the doors a little while ago.
"Are you going to just stand there and stink or are you going to go and get cleaned up, Takaishi?"
"Um, yeah. A shower. I'm on the way." TK picked up his duffel bag from behind the bench and headed on his way. He made a little stop on the way to talk to the others for a moment.
"Great game, TK," Iori said as he nearly jumped into TK's arms. TK grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.
"Thanks, Iori." He set Iori back down, nearly grabbing a quick peck in the process but thought better of it. Too many people around still he thought.
"Yeah, it was wonderful. You guys owned them," Tai told him as he patted him on the back.
"Well, we've already beaten them three times this year, so we knew we could. The games are going to get harder from here on out," TK said as he pulled his sweaty jersey off his skin. (A/N: I hate that feeling..yuk.)
"Are we still going to have lunch, TK?" Iori asked expectantly.
"Of course, Iori-chan. Do you two want to come with us?" he asked Tai and Koushirou.
"Well, I don't know about Koushirou, but I sort of want to know what's going on back at the home front," Tai told TK. Koushirou nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay then, let me grab a shower first, Iori, unless you are terribly hungry and can't wait that long," TK joked, waving his arms just enough for the scent of sweaty boy to float over to Iori.
"No, you go on, TK. If I get that hungry I'll eat the lining of my shoe. You need a shower. Now go." Iori was waving back at TK, but whether it was to get the smell away or to tell him to leave no one could be certain.
"Alright. I guess I'll see you two later," he said to Tai and Koushirou, "and you, Iori, in a just a bit."
"See you after while, TK," Tai said as the two boys started to walk off.
"Oh, Koushirou," TK called before they'd left earshot, "let me know what the situation is." Koushirou nodded and then he and Tai left.
"I'll be back," TK said and started off to the locker rooms.
TK had dropped his bag on the bench and pulled a towel out and then shucked his clothes, wrapping the towel around himself, more out of defense against the cold than modesty because this locker room was as cold as any in existence. As he neared the warmth of the steam from the actual showers he shivered and picked his pace up. He nearly ran in and about dove under the water, pausing only to toss his towel on the rack above the showerhead. He savored the feeling as his body warmed up under the spray.
aaahhhh, this is great. TK quickly became lost in his cocoon of warmth. He let the water take all the fatigue from his soul and utterly relaxed. This was arguably better than hitting a game winning shot in his opinion. He was pulled from his utopia by the voices of a few of his teammates from a few stalls down.
"Yeah, and did you see those two guys in the front row? They were all but in each other's laps during the game."
"Tell me about it. How gross is that? I mean, yuk. Damn fags."
What are they talking about? TK wondered, not quite catching the whole conversation.
"People like that make me sick to my stomach," a third member of his team exclaimed in disgust.
Are they talking about Koushirou and Tai? TK wondered, becoming hurt and indignant the more he heard them talking. He listened further and his indignation turned to tears as the talk turned to what should be done to people 'like that'. TK was nearly paralyzed in shock and fear. He soon was openly bawling at what he heard. I can't believe this TK's mind was numb. How could they even think thoughts like that? The voices shut off their showerheads and walked out, still continuing their tirade. TK leaned against the wall and let the water wash over his face, hiding his tears.
He was finally able to move again. He reached a hand up and shakily turned the water off. He pulled his towel down from the hanger and shrouded himself and slowly walked out and into the midst of the spiteful talk once more. The five of his mates engaged in the conversation looked up as he walked out of the steamy room.
"Hey TK, great game, huh?" one of them, Alex, told him. TK was shaking again and started crying anew.
"What's wrong?" another, Rod, asked him. TK glanced in the mirror hung above the bench and saw his eyes were blood red and how pale he looked. TK simply stood there and looked at the five of them, shaking his head slowly from side to side. "Are you okay?"
"How, how dare you?" TK asked once he found his voice. It was shaky but he found it. He looked at them, one by one, fixing them each under his gaze. "How dare you say those things?"
"What things? The things about those fags?" Alex asked. TK simply nodded his head in the affirmative. The other boys seemed unsure what to say next. They'd not seen TK this way ever, and they'd been playing together for years.
"You're talking about my friends," he told them and he watched as the color sank from their faces. "And," he continued, "you're talking about me." TK's voice was gaining strength from pure contempt for them. They looked at him like he was a being from another world.
"How dare you?" TK repeated again and shivered, not from cold but from being in their presence. "I can't believe what I just heard." TK began to dress quickly, not making eye contact with any of them, while they stood rooted in place in various phases of dress. He was done in less than a minute and once he'd donned his shoes he looked at them again.
"I hope you all have a good time playing next week without me," TK croaked and fresh tears began to roll down his cheeks, "because I'm done with you." He stuffed his towel and dirty clothes in his bag and flew from the room, leaving five startled faces and silence behind him.
TK nearly bowled Iori over in his blind dash from the locker room. Iori was standing by the doors when he busted out.
"TK, what's wrong?" Iori asked, seeing the obvious tears streaming from his boyfriend's face.
"Iori, I need.. I need to get out of here, now." Iori grabbed TK's hand and led the boy out of the gym as fast as he could, past the coach whose eyes were full of question marks as they passed. He led the two of them down the road, wanting to put distance between whatever had done this to TK before he asked a single question.
What is wrong with TK? Iori wondered. I don't know what I should do. Iori led them down one street and up another until TK seemed to be getting control of himself. "TK, please tell me what's wrong, please?" Iori pleaded as they rounded a corner. He was getting a little scared himself now.
"Okay, let's get inside first," TK motioned to a small pizza place and Iori nodded. They stepped through the doors and were hit by the warm air and the smell of baked cheese and pepperoni.
"I'll order for us, you go get a table, okay?" Iori asked and TK gave his approval. "One large pepperoni and two cokes, please." He took the two cups and the little buzzer thing back to where TK was sitting, wiping his eyes with his sleeves.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Iori asked in his most caring voice, tilting his head ever so slightly to one side. TK eventually started, and between hitches and tears, had just finished the story of what he'd heard in the showers when the buzzer went off. Iori politely excused himself and came back with the pizza.
"I'm sorry I've ruined our lunch, Iori," TK said as he wiped his eyes again.
"TK, our lunch isn't ruined. You're here with me, so it is perfect," Iori told the blond boy.
"You know what I mean, Iori. It wasn't supposed to be like this, me all crying and everything. This was supposed to be a happy lunch, and well, it's really not. "
"Right, and I meant what I said, TK. You're here with me. I don't care if you're crying, laughing, whatever, as long as you are here with me." Iori reached a little hand across the table and attempted to cover TK's with it. The smile he gave TK was like a shaft of sunlight falling on the blond boy; TK's face lit up with a smile and much to his chagrin, a few more tears.
"You're crying again, TK, but this time they're not sad tears, are they?" Iori asked him and smiled even bigger.
"No, they certainly aren't. They're happy tears. I'm so glad you're with me right now, Iori."
"And I'm glad I'm with you too, TK. Do you want to know the only thing that might make this day even better?"
"What?"
"Pizza. Oh, look, we have some." Iori hit TK with another earth- shattering grin and released TK's hand just long enough to pick up a slice. Instead of putting it to his own mouth, Iori put it to TK's. "Go on, take a bite, it's not poison," Iori said when TK hesitated for reasons of his own. Four more teardrops escaped, the last that TK would shed in the restaurant, rolled down his face and dripped off his chin. TK took a bite and then picked a piece and put it to Iori's face.
Had anyone been paying attention to the little scene at one of the back tables, they would have sworn that they were looking at a piece of a bride and groom's wedding album, the obligatory picture that shows them feeding each other the first bite of cake. And had anyone been watching, they would have been moved by the sheer beauty of the moment.
Well, I didn't get quite as far as I meant to, but there was some takori sweetness at the end, right? I'd like to thank the craptastic MSWord for crashing in mid story, causing me to have to start all over. If that hadn't happened, I'd have gotten back to where I wanted to be. It's not that much further, really, so don't sweat it. I'd also like to thank Faith Hill for giving me the awesome new song 'Cry' to write to. You go girl. And of course, thanks to all you guys (and girls, of course) out there in cyberspace.