A/N: Bwahaha! I updated sooner than you thought I would didn't I? Didn't I?! Ahem . . . yeah, I suck at writing long chapters. I try, trust me I do . . . but for some reason I find it quite difficult! And I just type away not really thinking bout what I'm doing and then I get to a spot where I think "Oh! This would be a great place to stop it!" So yeah . . . (smacks self) Stupid people and their short chapters. On a side note, I'm currently listening to Mimi's theme song thingy "Super Girl" . . . and it kinda scares me with the big techno beat and sqeaky singing voice. It makes me giggle when they sing things in English. Tehe. Gah . . . err . . . if boogers creep you out you might not want to read further. Tehe. Cute kid. Oh, Koumi for SoratoFan! It was really weird trying to write since the only pairing with Mimi I'm really fond of is Mimato and Mimi and Michael, whatever that one's called. But hey, Izzy's cute. (ruffles kewt spiky red hair) The question is: Is Izzy still shorter than Mimi? Will their children be cursed having to wear stilletto heels to look normally sized? Who knows? Not me! Tehe!
Chapter Seven:
I'm bored!!!
His back was beginning to ache as he sat hunched over on a stool in front of the sprawled out body on his couch, but it was easily ignored. This man intrigued him, made him think, made him wonder. Same color hair, yes . . . cut shorter and way too mussed and tangled to be his. That was his prize possession wasn't it? He didn't really get a chance to get to look at his eyes, but he thought that they may be the same shade of blue. So scrawny, skin and bones really. The guy he remembered used to be quite lean and his skin just wasn't so pale as this. But still, it ate away at him and Tai found it hard to pull himself away as the injured man slept upon his couch.
It was quite the surprise to find him laying underneath that stairwell the previous night. He'd just been taking Naota to meet Mimi and her family for some good old fashion pizza when suddenly he heard the commotion downstairs and found the bleeding man who'd assaulted him the week before. How queer meaning odd.
Speaking of little Naota, why he knew nothing of why his father was so infatuated with he scary man on their living room couch. The boy had remembered him from the week before, but being so young he held no grudges. Instead he simply sat on the floor beside his father and imitated his chin in hand position and intense gaze . . . for about a minute or so until he grew bored.He had theattention span his father used to have . . . still does . . .
With an exaggerated sigh the boy looked up imploringly at his father and tugged on the edge of his shirt. This did not stir him from his reverie, so the boy stood up and tugged harder with a small whine building in the back of his throat. Still nothing. Naota began to hop up and down impatiently then as he quite nearly pulled his father from his seat as his whines grew more insistent. Finally Tai looked down upon his son witheringly.
"What is it Naota?!"
"DADDY I'M BORED!" The boy screamed and continued his jumping.
"Go play with the spoons or something Naota, I'm busy." Tai returned to his former pose.
Naota, quite miffed by this trounced off into the kitchen where a crash was soon heard. It wasn't too uncommon of an occurrence, so Tai paid little attention. The small boy picked the phone up off of the floor and dialed a certain well known number.
"Hello? Izumi residence Mrs. Izumi speaking." Came the sweet voice
"MimiMimiMimiMimi! Daddy ain't wanna play with me! He's bein neglectitative!" Complained the boy as he heard his father stir from the living room and peek his head into the kitchen.
"Oh is he now Naota? Should I come over put him in time out?" She asked slyly.
"And put a pointy hat on his head!" Naota looked over . . . and up to see Tai hovering over him. A sharp screech was heard as Naota dropped the phone and ran off towards his room while screaming "Help Mimi Daddy's gonna kill me!" whilst trying not to giggle. Shaking his head Tai picked up the phone.
"Hey Meems, sorry bout that, I really don't know how he managed to use the phone on his own." Tai apologized while scratching his uncombed hair.
"Oh, that's fine hun, you know I love the kid. I was meaning to call you anyway, why didn't you show last night? Iz, the kids, and I were waiting for hours last night and ended up eating a cold pizza without you! You may think it tastes good but I think it's absolutely gross! And Koumi stuck a pepperoni up his nose because he was bored without Naota to play with and I couldn't take it out so we had to go to the hospital to get it taken out! Do you know how embarrassing it is to see all the doctors and nurses standing around hiding their snide little giggles and nodding knowingly as your son is still trying to take it out and eat it?! Boogers and all?! Gross!" Ranted Mimi. He could hear her pacing the kitchen floor and vividly imagined her waving her free had around frantically.
"Sorry I missed such and interesting night . . ." Tai laughed as he pictured the innocent looking boy with a pepperoni . . . he couldn't finish the thought without laughing and restrained himself for fear of upsetting the pre Madonna further. " . . . but I had a little excitement of my own."
"Oh really? And what is more important that meeting your dear friends for pizza?" She humphed as she pouted.
"Well, I found this really interesting bleeding guy under the stairwell that looks a lot like . . . well, why don't you come over and see for yourself. Bring the whole family for that matter, Naota is driving me nuts! The kid can't sit still for more than five seconds, I don't know where he gets it from! Anyway, no pepperoni, I promise."
With that they said their "fair wells" and "see ya soons!" and Tai hung up the phone that didn't quite fit on the receiver anymore. Who's fault? I wonder . . .? Naota peered his head outside of his bedroom door grinning evilly.
"They's comin over?" He asked excitedly. Tai sighed.
"Yes Naota. Now, how in the world did you manage to call Mimi?"
"Spid deawl!" Naota giggled before ducking back into his room and closing the door. Damn kids and their technology.
Well, he had peace and quiet for now and decided to take advantage of it. Trudging towards the loveseat he let his body collapse into its feathery softness and drew a throw pillow onto his lap to rest his arms upon. Try as he may to think of other things, he caught himself letting his eyes wander back towards that strange man's body upon his couch. Then he would sit there and curse himself for getting so obsessive over a complete stranger.
Tai's eyelids drooped slowly as he lounged; he'd gotten no sleep the night before and it was starting to catch up on him. Then, nearly leaping out of his very skin he landed roughly upon the floor as the doorbell rang.
"Come in!" He shouted weakly from the floor as he pushed himself to a sitting position.
Before Mimi or her husband could step through the door the little boy with the hair color of honey darted through their legs and ran into Naota's room and closed the door behind him with a bang. Their older girl Aiko merely strode purposefully towards an empty room near the back of the apartment with her laptop tucked under her arm. With a giggle Mimi finally stepped through the door with her arm linked lovingly within her husband's.
"Why is it every time we ring the doorbell here we hear a crash and a loud thud before anyone answers?" Mimi teased.
"My apologies Tai, it seems our children have forgotten their manners!" Koushiro said as they shut the door behind them.
"Oh, cut it with the formalities, let's see the body!" Mimi explained as she wiggled her way free of his grip. "Oh . . . he'd be cute if he weren't covered in bloodstained bandages and looking half dead!" Koushiro merely shook his head, though he did step closer to the man upon Tai's couch.
"So, Tai, Meems was previously informing me that this man resembled someone and in this she implied it was a person we all know. Do speak up." Izzy asked as he rubbed at his chin thoughtfully.
"Well, I first met the guy about a week ago when he tried to choke me to death cuz he thought I kidnapped his daughter, but that isn't really the important part. It may not seem very revealing to you but as he was yelling at his daughter (very cute girl by the way) and storming out the door with an all mighty look of death in his eyes, and throwing a 'whatever' over his shoulder he reminded me of, well . . ."
"Of Ishida Yamato." Mimi finished knowingly for him. Tai looked over at her with his mouth hanging slightly agape. "Wondering how I know? It's completely obvious you miss him! I mean, every time you see some blonde walking down the street you say things like 'hey, doesn't he kinda look like Matt?' or if you hear a rock song on the radio you say 'I wonder if Matt ever made it anywhere with his band?' or even if some hobo sits in a corner playing a harmonica you're all 'nobody can play harmonica as good as Matt'! Sheesh, you might as well have it tattooed on your forehead!"
"We all think you loved him. And still do." Supplied Izzy, saying in few words that which Mimi would've ranted for hours upon.
"Am I some kinda of sideshow freak or what?"
Everyone's eyes snapped over to the groggy voice. He was awake. Just then Naota ran into the living room dragging Koumi behind him . . . with a crayon stuck up his nose.
"Daddy! Koumi stuck my favorite blue crayon up his nose and now it's stuck and he's blowing blue boogers!"
A/N: Tehe, cute kids. I'm growing quite fond of lil Naota, and Koumi too (the kid that is) even though he's appeared in only one chapter! What is up with kids sticking things up their noses? Yeah, nother short chapter from Miss ShortChapterWriterer. Yay! Sleeping Beauty woke up! But how much of the converstation did he hear? (looks around) Don't look at me I was asking if you knew! Gah . . . err, yeah . . . more good stuffs next chapter! Till next time, don't ferget to brush yer teeth! Cheerio.