It has been totally manic for me at the moment, glad everyone's enjoying this so far.

disclaimer; see page one.


Chapter 3 ; Impromptu BBQ

Robert P.O.V.

"Come on everyone, single file down the stairs, oh it's a tragedy, all your creative vibes snatched away by the ghastly chimes of the fire bell, oh mercy me!" Caz's strangled opera sung in our ears. I think she's teaching the wrong art form.

"Come on Robert." Oliver called from the door; I jogged after him onto the campus.

Hundreds of people were standing around; we spotted Tala and joined him.

He was standing there in a clay smeared apron and had some of it on his hands.

"I was almost done dammit!"

Yeah, Tala, we're standing right here.

"What happened to Sculpture being icky?" I enquired.

"Can it Jurgen!" I really am playing with fire here. I do not wish to get burnt.

"Hey guys, fancy seeing you here!"

My Adonis has returned, and he's dressed! Caz must've warned him. I admire his style, Jeans, with white t-shirt and black waistcoat type jacket and a navy bandana covering his hair, he looked like a pirate, rather different to the type of clothing I last saw him in I'll assure you.

"Hey Spencer, I thought you were at work?" Tala enquired.

Oh he was wolf-boy, he was.

"I was, saw the commotion and came down." He cast a glance at me, Oliver and Bryan, I'll keep my mouth shut for the sole reason I can't trust myself to say anything smart.

After standing around for half an hour, I actually managed to uphold a conversation, Yay me! When some guy in a suit set off an air-horn to get everyone's attention, only problem was he set the fuckin' thing off right by my ear.

Remind me to sue if there's permanent damage.

"Ladies and gents, sorry for the wait. It seems what was meant to be a fire drill has become a serious incident, someone set the generator alight and now there's unfortunately no power. For the whole campus."

"What!"

Tala, I'm already half deaf thanks to that air-horn. Then again he wasn't the only one saying it.

"If everyone could please leave the campus. Thank you."

"Well that was intelligent. I better be getting paid still." Spencer said to us, I think I'm going to melt at the slight rasp to his voice.

"You work at the college Spence?" Tala, you honestly have no idea what's going on. And watch where you're throwing that apron!

"Yeah, I do odds and ends for the art department."

I quickly and discreetly rolled up my drawing so Tala didn't see. "Right." I said, taking control of the situation, as we were all standing here like a bunch of lemons. "I'm off home to murder a certain Scotsman and butler, then I'm going to hit the pool, anyone wants to join me, they can." I phoned my chauffer and asked for the car to pick me up. "Better still, Bryan, bring Ray, Kai, Tyson and the others and I'll get the chefs on the barbeque."

"No thanks, I'll stick with a burger." Bryan said to me and everyone cracked up, sorry did I miss the joke?

"Robert, think about what you just said." Spencer told me.

I'll get the chefs on the… ah.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it." And once again, the majestic blush blooms on my cheeks. Spencer started laughing, deep and rich and enough to make me feel giddy.

"Rob, the car's here." Oliver tugged on my sleeve.

Spencer P.O.V.

"Right. I'm off home to murder a certain Scotsman and butler, then I'm going to hit the pool, anyone wants to join me, they can."

That was totally out of the blue. Then again it must be lonely up in that castle. I studied him while he was on the phone to someone, he looked tense, now I think about it, he's been pretty tense all the time I've seen him today.

"Better still, Bryan, bring Ray, Kai, Tyson and the others and I'll get the chefs on the barbeque."

Wow, he's inviting Tyson back to the castle? Yeah I heard from Kai that Tyson nearly got decapitated after getting lost.

"No thanks, I'll stick with a burger." Bryan snorted; I had to laugh along with the others. Robert's phrasing there wasn't the best. Trust Bryan to pick that up.

Robert looks like he'd been left out the loop, bless him.

"Robert, think about what you just said." I told him, the lost look doesn't suit him and I have to crush the urge to hug him. Then again that blush of his just revived that urge.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know It." he sounded really small, aw! But I had to laugh, I don't think Robert realises how priceless he is right now.

Oliver tugged on his sleeve and announced the car was here.

"Right yeah, whose coming?" Robert asked, looking at me hopefully.

"Well if we go with you now, we can get Kai to bring our gear over with him. Cause if Tyson comes, and we know he will, Kai's obviously gonna follow." Aren't we the wise one this morning Tala.

"Tyson and Kai an item as well?"

Robert, I thought you kept in contact with Kenny; you sure are out of it.

And for the rest of you, I'll take it from the top about those I live with.

Kai and Tyson are together, as is Tala and Hilary, Max and Mariam from the Saint Shields. Ray and Bryan as well, Kenny's too busy obsessing over Ming-Minger to take any notice of anyone else. Ian keeps to himself mostly. And me? I'm just plodding along and wishing Robert would be a bit more sociable, and I might be getting my wish.

I mean, come on, I made an effort and look at me now.

"Yes Robert. They are." Tala answered that one.

"What, it's been a while and I don't always get to a computer." Robert's getting defensive now and all I can do is watch.

"Shall we get in the car now and phone Kai from there?" I'm glad you said that Oliver, I've been standing for about an hour now and my feet are beginning to ache.

"Yes lets. After you four." Robert said, leading us to the limo and opening the door for us to climb in, what a gentleman.

I could hear Bryan's 'ooh' at the layout of the car.

I'm kinda worried the guys are going to find out about my new job, and I don't think I can live with that. It was bad enough Bryan, Oliver and Robert found out.

"Robert, um… do you think you could keep today quiet, I want to tell the others in my own time." gods that was pathetic, but it got me an understanding smile.

"Sure thing."

"Will you two stop flirting and get inside!" called Tala.

"Stop PMS-ing." Robert and I were thinking along the same wavelength then, even if we were both bright red in the face.

Normal P.O.V.

At the Hiwatari Mansion, Tyson was playing with a paddle toy and Kai was attempting to read his book to the constant, tap tap tap, of Tyson.

Thank the gods the phone rang and put a stop to it as Kai reached over for the receiver.

"Hiwatari Mansion, Kai speaking." he said in a non-committing voice. "Hi Spencer, where are you? The noise is deafening."

Tyson got up to investigate; he could hear Spencer's voice telling the others (Bryan and Tala) to pipe down. And explaining the situation.

"Bloody hell Robert must be feeling generous." Kai laughed and hit the loudspeaker, seeing Tyson's curious gaze.

"I heard that Hiwatari!"

"Calm down Robert, Kai's just messin."

"Anyways, impromptu pool party and barbeque at Robert's castle if you lot are up for it, bring Max and the others and swimming gear for me, Tala and Bryan."

"Can we go Kai, please, please, please?" Tyson pleaded.

Kai looked at his partner with a patient expression, and then smiled.

"Sure, go rally the others."

"Yay!" Tyson ran off up the vast staircase yelling at the top of his lungs.

"We'll be there soon. Tell Bryan not to touch the antiquities." and he hung up before Bryan could say 'hey' in protest.

"What was thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…?" Ray, tray in hand like a waiter, came sliding in, probably because he just stood on one of Ian's roller-skates. Luckily the recliner armchair broke his fall. Kai hopped up, the thought of Ray injured and Bryan murdering Ian was motivation enough.

"Are you Ok?" he asked, taking the tray whose contents miraculously didn't fly off and helping Ray up.

"I'm ok. I think." Ray tried standing up and flopped back down in a cry of pain. "Maybe not."

"Shit, Bryan's gonna kill Me." groaned Kai as he examined Ray's ankle. "Can you move your toes?"

"Yeah. Just let me rest up a sec."

"What happened?" They both looked up to see Hilary in a pale yellow mini-skirt, teal coloured camisole and an orange shrug, and Mariam in her traditional orange and red tunic and short grey skirt, her navy hair braided out of the way.

"Ray's done his ankle in on Ian's skates." sighed Kai.

"I told him to tidy them away before someone got hurt…IAN!" the navy haired female groaned, then started up the stairs.

"Careful Mariam." Hilary told her.

"I can handle it. Plus I can hurry Max up as well."

"Did you get Tala's stuff?" Kai asked Hilary.

"Yeah and the others. Saved Ray a job and good thing too I reckon."

"Yeah, thanks Hil." grunted Ray, standing up and testing out his ankle again. "I should be ok once I'm in the water."

Soon Kai and Tyson had everyone's swimming gear in the boot of the limo, including a few things Ray had quickly prepared for the grill.

"I'm not going in the pool." protested Kenny, Max had confiscated his laptop and Kai locked it in his study's safe.

"Oh pipe down Chief, your obsession with Ming-Ming's not healthy." said Mariam as the limo drove off, she was sitting on Max's lap even though there was plenty of room.

"Besides, that jumped up tart's got engaged to some Texan twit with bullshit for brains." said Kai, being the only one to read the paper out of the eleven of them.

"Nice alliteration." laughed Ian.

"You're no better, you're always in your room doing god knows what." grumbled Ray, glaring at the small Russian.

"I'm working on something."

"Like what?"

"Ain't telling."

"Guys, leave it be, I want to enjoy myself, not play daddy day care." said Kai.

"Good film that." grinned Max. Kai rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I even sent a copy for the boys to watch." said Mariam.

"How are Ozuma, Joseph and Dunga nowadays?" asked Tyson. Knowing the bluenette left her village to be with Max after a year of leaving the bladebreakers to it. Turns out, Ozuma and Joseph practically yelled at her to stop moping and get moving; luckily Max was waiting with open arms.

"Ozuma, go figure, Dunga's discovered the play station and my brother is alive and well working at a library, which suits him, he can read books anytime he wants."

"Cool." Tyson nodded, taking Kai's hand and kissing the pale skin.

"Mr Hiwatari, we're approaching the castle." the driver called as the regal building came into view.

"Thank you James." Kai called back.


Whoo, here's chappie three and updates might not be as regular as this from now on as I have projects and holidays and exhibitions coming out of my ears.

Please review and I'll see what I can cook up for the next chapter, ideas welcome!