Ah, kept my promise- this one is most definitely longer than the last one! Happy reading!
Rei spent the next several hours sitting curled up on Bryan's sofa, staring at the wall. The Russian made him coffee, made him hot chocolate, offered him biscuits and chocolate...everything he knew Rei liked to eat. The Chinese refused to eat it. He stroked Rei's hair, and he was ignored. He spoke to him, and Rei just kept staring straight ahead.
After a while he gave up, dragging his typewriter into the sitting room and settling himself on the floor in front of Rei. "When you want to talk," He said gently. "I'm here."
About an hour after that, Rei got up to go to the toilet. And then he was back again, staring at the wall, that blank, horrible expression on his normally beautiful face. "She doesn't mean it, you know. She's just angry. She's hurt and she wants to lash out at you in any way she can...and she knows that's the way that'll hurt the most." No response. "Why don't you phone them? I mean...you should explain to them yourself, because her version of what happened will be exaggerated...bits of it she'll miss out, or make up..." He sighed. "Children need to be told what's going on. Speaking from experience, of course. ...It's no good hiding things from them and lying to them..." Sighing, he went back to his latest chapter.
"Even if I did phone them..." Rei replied a minute or so later. "What would I say? 'Sorry kids, I'm gay and your mother won't let me see you any more'?"
"You could try telling them why everything's happened like this. Why you've never told them before. Why their mother is so upset."
"They won't listen. You heard Niu. She hates me."
"No, she said she hated me, and that I can understand. Look, give me your mobile."
"Why?"
"Just give me it. Trust me." Rei handed it over, doubtful. "Menu...Phonebook...Niu. Right..." He muttered, holding the phone to his ear.
"Dad?"
"Nope. Don't hang up!" He commanded, before she had a chance to. "Look, you and your Dad need to talk, okay?"
"About -what-? I don't want to talk to him about anything!"
"And why is that?"
"Because he cheated on Mum! With -you-!"
"Yeah, so he did. But he's gay. Why don't you take a second to think how hard it's been for him, having to live a lie all these years?" Silence. "Like I said, you need to talk, you and him and your brother. There's a fast food place down the road from your house, isn't there?"
"...Yeah..."
"Meet him there in half an hour?"
"If he wants to talk to us, why isn't he phoning me himself?"
"Because he thinks you hate him." Bryan paused to let that statement take effect. "Half an hour, then?"
"...I suppose..."
Twenty minutes later, Rei was sitting at a wobbly table on an uncomfortable plastic chair. It was about six o clock, so it was quite busy...which by all accounts was a good thing. It meant Niu and Jin wouldn't notice Bryan, who had installed himself on a table at the other side of the room.
Rei sipped his horribly weak coffee and looked around at the garish pink and yellow decor. Hideous. And the food was no better. He could see people chomping on burgers that literally oozed grease, and it made him feel ill.
And then the door opened. "Niu! Jin!" People turned to stare at him as he opened his arms, grabbing his children and hugging them tightly. "Are you two alright?"
"We're fine, Dad..." Rei found himself choked up with emotion.
"Good." He whispered. "I'm glad..." He sniffed. "I didn't think you'd come..." He confessed, letting go.
"We wanted to hear what you have to say for yourself." Niu said, sitting down. Jin and Rei followed her lead, and there was a short, awkward silence.
"Is there...anything in particular you want to ask me?" Rei offered. Shrugs all round. "Look...I'm sorry I've never told you before. About...things. But I never told you mother either..." He sighed. "Shall I tell you the whole story?"
"Yeah." Jin said solemnly. Rei took a deep breath, trying to marshal his thoughts and put them together in a child-friendly way.
"Well...when I was fifteen...I knew I was gay. But I kept it quiet and I didn't tell anyone, and then...when I was sixteen, I was at a party at someone's house. And I was drunk. And I...slept with a girl. And...that was your mother. And she got pregnant...with you, Niu...so..." Rei sighed heavily. "I married her. Because that was the right thing to do- I wasn't going to abandon her if she was having my child. But I never told her about being...gay. Because at first there were a lot of problems during her pregnancy, and I didn't want to worry her or upset her...and then as time went on, it got harder and harder to think of a way to tell her...until it got to the point where I just couldn't do it. Are you with me?" Nod, nod. "But because I'd never told her, I couldn't let her find out because then she would know I'd never had the guts to tell her, do you follow me? And so I pretended that I was just any other normal guy with a wife and a baby daughter. And then we had you, Jin, and it got even harder.
"I'd considered breaking it to her, but at that point I had two children and I couldn't leave you both...because I loved you and I wanted to keep you safe. But I was going crazy from having to pretend all the time, so I...started seeing men. If you know what I mean. And that made it better. It balanced everything out again, and the pretending was okay because then I had the reward of being able to cut loose and be myself at weekends and stuff. But that didn't last. I went through cycles of it, of being a reckless tart and a depressed, worried husband. And that was going on until a few months ago...when I met Bryan."
Rei blushed at the memory of that night. Meeting at someone's house, lots of single gay guys all looking to have some fun... Rei remembered having incredible amounts of fun with a certain lavender-haired Russian...and then calling him the next day and asking to meet up for more. And that lavender-haired Russian asking if he wanted a relationship, and Rei explaining his situation, and the lavender-haired Russian saying 'I don't mind about any of that'.
"And I was out more and more seeing Bryan after that, because...I...I love him. And I was happy and I felt...right. He makes me feel right. And I...well, with the amount of time I was spending out of the house, your mother noticed that there was something wrong. But she assumed I was seeing another woman, and so I had to lie to her again and make up more excuses...and she found out about the excuses and everything just...well, now we've come to where we are now. And your mother knows everything about me being gay, and...about Bryan. I kind of had to introduce them before she'd believe me...but..." He looked down at the table, unable to look at Niu and Jin any more. "At least now you know."
"If you're not living with Mum and us any more...when are we going to see you?" Rei's head shot up, jerking his braid behind it.
"You...um...I..." He blinked, recovering quickly. "Evenings, maybe? Weekends? But...your mother..."
"She said we're not allowed to see you." Jin put in.
"But you still came-?" Rei felt tears fill his eyes. He sniffed, holding out his hands and grasping theirs over the tabletop. "I love you two. Do you know that? I love you so much..." Niu looked down at their joined hands.
"As much as you love Bryan?"
"That's a different kind of love. You two are my flesh and blood, and he's my boyfriend..." Beep beep. Niu produced her mobile and looked at it briefly.
"It's Mum. She wants to know where we've gotten to. We said we were going to the corner shop for sweets..."
"You'd better get back, then. Tell her the queue was long or something..." They stood up. "I don't know when I'll see you two again, not in the very near future anyway...but if you need me you've always got my mobile number, okay? Call me any time."
"Okay Dad." Niu stretched up and hugged him, then Jin did the same. "See you later."
Rei watched them go, smiling sadly. At least they didn't hate him.
A hand closed over his shoulder and he looked up to find Bryan hovering behind him. "Come on, we'd better get home. No use sitting around in this dump..."
"Rei..." Rei was dozing on the sofa hours later when Bryan shook him awake gently. "Rei, your mobile's ringing..."
"What?"
"Niu's phoning you..." Rei sat up, blinking around at the dim room. Then what Bryan had said sunk in and he scrabbled for his phone. 'Calling: Niu' Flashed on the screen. He clicked and held it to his ear. "Niu? Is everything okay?"
"Dad! It's Mum! I don't know what to do! She's locked herself in the bathroom and I...she won't answer me and I'm -scared-, Dad!"
"Right...I'll come over...I'll be there as soon as I can, Niu..." He rang off, standing up and grabbing his car keys. "It's Mariah, Bryan...she's locked herself in the bathroom and she isn't saying anything...oh God this is all my fault..."
"Give me the keys. I'll drive."
"What? Why?"
"Because you're in a state, and you'll end up in a ditch somewhere. Come on." Rei reluctantly handed over the keys and they descended the stairs of the apartment block to the car park outside.
"Dad!" Niu was at the door as they arrived. "We've tried to break the door down but it won't budge...I think she's put something behind it!"
"Right. It's okay Niu, I'm here now, I'll sort it all out." He assured, not feeling as if what he was saying was at all possible. But Bryan seemed to appear beside him and zoomed into action like some kind of superhero. "Rei, you go and talk to her, see if you can provoke a reply. I'm going to try and get into the bathroom through a window. Which is the nearest one to the bathroom?"
"Um...Jin's room...but he's being all funny...he's hiding..."
"Which one's his?"
"Left as you go up the stairs."
"Okay."
And Captain Bryan shot into the house, charging up the stairs. Rei watched him go then followed at a sprint, up to the bathroom door. "Mariah? Mariah, are you in there?"
"I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
"Mariah you're terrifying the kids! Come out!" Rei cried, trying to shove the door open, to no avail.
"I'm not coming out...I'm never coming out...you and that -bitch- can have the kids!" Niu gasped and backed away slightly, and Rei fumed.
"What the hell are you saying?" An almighty creak and a hissed scream from Mariah.
"YOU!"
"Take it easy, Mariah...I'm not here to hurt you, okay?" Bryan's voice was low and coaxing. "It's okay...look, just give it here... No, no, it's okay...think about what you're doing...come on...calm down..." Mariah started to sob. "Hey, think about your kids...Niu, and Jin...if you kill yourself, how do you think that'll make them feel? You're their mother...they depend on you...can you remember when they were just babies, just little newborns and they needed you for everything? They still need you now, Mariah..."
"Twelve -years-..." Mariah's voice came back, small and weak. "T-Twelve years of my life has been a complete -lie-! He never wanted children with me! He hated me!"
"He never hated you, Mariah...he loved you, just not in the same way you loved him...but it's all going to be fine, because you're going to give me that razor and when you walk out of the door he'll be there and your kids'll be there and everything will be okay..." Shuffling. "There...whoa, calm down. I'm just putting it out of your way, just in case you change your mind. Now come on, lets move this cabinet-" Desolate sobbing from Mariah. "Hey, come here..." The sound of something being shoved, and the door seemed to relax on it's hinges. The click of the bolt in the lock, and...
"Bryan..." The Russian appeared, Mariah held against him with one arm. Then he swallowed, smiling strangely.
"My first foster mother...yeah. That was her health problem. A kitchen knife and a bath. I couldn't... Look, just..."
"Mum!" Jin was suddenly among them, grabbing hold of his mother with a grip of steel. "Mum..."
"Jin..." She sobbed, face shining with tears. "Jin...Niu?"
"I'm here..."
"Niu..."
Rei watched the three of them, a lump in his throat. This was all his fault. If he hadn't lied to her... "She needs to see a doctor or a psychiatrist or something..." Bryan muttered to him. "Phone for one now while she's still a bit confused..."
"Dad?"
"They're keeping her in for the time being..." Rei replied, exhausted. "Come on, I'll take you home..." He yawned, practically dead on his feet. "Actually...no, we came in the ambulance, didn't we? No car..." He sighed, sitting down on one of the chairs and closing his eyes. "I'll have to ring Bryan..."
"Dad, you're falling asleep...give me the phone..." He obliged, slumping into the seat further.
"Dad's falling asleep in A and E, we need a lift home. He was going to phone you but he's too tired. Right." Rei nodded.
"See? He's lovely. Obliging. And pretty as well..."
"Mm?" The next thing Rei was aware of was being carried by a pair of strong arms. "Bryan?"
"Yep. Just dropping you and the kids off. I'll...go home for tonight, let you look after your kids..."
"No." Rei protested, grabbing Bryan's front in a weak grip. "Don't go..."
"I...don't think Niu and Jin are going to appreciate me moving into their mother's place, Rei..."
"Don't go..." Rei repeated, plaintive.
"Look...here, Rei, bed." The Chinese was vaguely aware of being laid onto something soft.
"Don't go home...stay...stay with me..." He begged. Bryan sighed.
"Okay, I'll stay. But only for tonight, and I'm sleeping on the sofa."
"Then I am too!" Rei protested, sitting up. "I don't want to be alone...not now..."
"Rei...I..."
"Dad?" The door swung open and Rei fought to keep his eyes open. "Oh."
"No, look, I'm sleeping downstairs, this isn't-"
"Why?" Niu replied.
"Why what?"
"Why are you leaving him on his own up here if you and him are so -together-?" Bryan looked at her carefully.
"You wouldn't mind me sleeping in here?"
"I don't care if you do or your don't." Bryan looked at her, unsure if she actually meant what she was saying, In the end, he decided she did. And if she didn't, well...
"Okay then. Thanks." He looked down at Rei, who was now fast asleep and snoring. "Um. I guess it's not much use asking him anything right now. Er...can I help?"
"Not unless you can stop Jin being all weird. He's gone all babyish on me." Her voice was harsh, forcedly so, and Bryan could see she was almost at the point of being babyish herself...
"About your mum, right?" Tucking the blankets up around Rei, he sighed. No Rei, and no Mariah. So that made him the responsible adult around the place... "Well, I can try talking to him."
"Hey Jin." The heap of bedclothes on the bed wriggled. "You want to talk?"
"Not to you!"
"...Okay." Bryan sat back, wondering what to say next. "I used to have a blue bedroom." He tried.
"So?"
"Just saying, I used to have a blue bedroom. Yours is nicer though." And-? "Did your parents buy you all this stuff?"
"'Course they did. Parents always buy you stuff." Well. Maybe so.
"I never had parents. Well, I had them, but they gave me away when I was little. So I wouldn't know."
"Why?" The bedclothes grew a head. Bryan shrugged. "I bet you're lying."
"Nope. I'm not. That's why I said I used to have a blue bedroom. I had one when I was in foster care one time."
"Did you move then?"
"Yeah, I had to go to another family." Jin looked puzzled. "Oh...no, they never moved, just me. My...foster mother...she died, you see."
"Mum nearly died before."
"I know."
Awkward silence, and then... "But you stopped her."
"If your father didn't dither so much he would have as well." Bryan suddenly realised that he was slandering Rei in front of his son. "I mean, uh..." He tried to think of some way of backtracking, but Jin spoke.
"He does dither!" He giggled. "And he sings in the shower!"
"Really?" Bryan snorted. "Doesn't surprise me."
"...Are you really his...boyfriend?" Jin asked, blushing as if what he'd said was rude.
"Yeah."
"Do you -kiss- him?"
"Yeah." Jin giggled and pushed his blankets away.
"Kissing is so gross!"
"Uh...yeah..." Bryan said, humouring Jin as best he could. Because of course, kissing Rei was not gross. Kissing Rei was -hot-. Clearing his throat, he looked over at the clock. Eleven. Surely Jin should be in bed by now? "It's...time you were in bed." He tried, half-hearted.
"But Mum isn't here to tuck me in!" Jin protested. Bryan sighed and ruffled his mop of dark hair.
"Well she isn't here and your Dad isn't awake, so I'll have to do. Come on, straighten out your blankets a bit...yeah, that'll do." When Jin was under the blankets, Bryan ruffled his hair again and walked to the door. "Night Jin." Click, and off with the light, click, and shut the door.
"Niu?" She appeared, mobile in hand. "You might want to...get to bed. You might need to be up in the morning to see your mother or something." She nodded, still not speaking. "Um. Night."
Bryan drifted into the bedroom feeling distinctly tired and found Rei curled up on one side, snoring. Smiling, Bryan stripped off his shirt and shoes and joined him.
Next chapter: Bryan wonders about inappropriate jokes, Mariah induces a slight crisis, and violence comes in the form of vengeful in-laws.
R&R...please?