Chapter 36

They were relatively the same age; although, one would never guess. Even though Kuon wasn't a big eater, he was a healthy eater thanks to Kyoko. He did drink occasionally, but didn't make it a habit. As a model for R'mandy he kept fit and had a regular workout routine. Cedric did not eat healthy by any stretch of the imagination, and he indulged in fad diets to lose weight when he needed to for a part. In the past he was well known to drink too much, too often and indulge in drugs. Finally, he only worked out if he had a part in a movie that required a certain look, he did not make a habit of it. So all in all, Cedric looked considerably older than he actually was, and his body was older than it should have been. Not only that, due to his past self-medicating, his mind wasn't as quick as it should have been for a 21 year old man.

They had only just started filming, and he had seen Kuu and Juli more than a couple of times off set, visiting Kyoko. He was completely shocked when she entered the set for the first time after she'd finished making the changes for her character. He'd honestly not met that many people that were willing to actually make that many physical changes for acting. Not that many were actually made. She'd only changed her hair color to a beautiful copper red, had it permed, added extensions, and was wearing contacts that made her eyes look like a magical emerald green. She exuded Irish born Lady. Changing her hair impressed him somewhat, but there were quite a few actors and actresses out there that were absolutely not willing to use the contact lenses. Even he had more than a few complaints about how uncomfortable they were. He just couldn't see how people could tolerate having something in their eyes all of the time.

He knew that Juli and Kuu knew her, but to what extent he wasn't sure until now as he entered the garden of his grandfather's mansion for the Duris family reunion. He wondered if his aunt and uncle had adopted her, right up until the point when he saw the tall, well-built, green-eyed, blond hand her a drink then lean down and kiss her on her cheek. "Crap... She's Kuon's girl?" He groaned, silently lamenting. Now he understood completely his position in this little scenario. He could only imagine what she'd been told and warned about him. Not only was he co-starring in this movie with her, terrifyingly enough... he would have a rather steamy love scene with her. However, that reality had not hit him yet. At the moment the only thing he was seriously concerned about, was avoiding Kuon as much as possible or at least trying to make a semblance of peace with him.

There had actually been more than one person he desperately wished to avoid at this little get-together, and now she seemed to be making a wobbly, drunken bee-line to him with a wine glass in hand, and a self-satisfied, smug look on her face. He honestly really didn't want to know exactly what the vile woman was thinking. After Kuon left Kuu and Juli, she just couldn't shut the heck up about it. She'd been so proud of her successful son. At the time, he'd reveled in the attention, not knowing the entire story, but now it literally made him sick to his stomach thinking about it.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down. You are my wonderful son." She leaned on him and slurred, breathing her alcohol laden breath on him. It was times like this that actually reminded him of why he went through rehab, and at the moment he had absolutely no taste whatsoever for the liquid courage.

He gently pushed her away from him. "Grandpa asked me to come. I came because he asked me." He glanced across the garden at Kuon and Kyoko. "Don't cause trouble..." He finished by addressing her with her given name instead of the affectionate term of mother.

She looked over to where Cedric's gaze fell and scowled. "I can see my slut sister's mutt son shares the same taste as she does." She slurred, waving her glass in Kuon's direction and sloshing the wine, referring to Kyoko. "Hmph." She'd added a few more derogatory statements about the young couple and it made his skin crawl to think that he'd ever been that way. In this day and age, one really can't afford to think like that in the entertainment industry. Well, they can't afford to give voice to those thoughts.

Cedric grimaced in anger. Kyoko was actually cute, nice, and very talented. He could see this even if she did avoid him like the plague. "That's enough! Why do you always have to do this?! Does it make you feel like less of a failure?! She and Kuon have more talent than I could ever even dream of having! It is my blessing to even be considered her co-star! Don't insult the people that I work with! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't even be in this film! And if Kuon ever decides to work with me I would consider it a god-given honor!" He'd been thinking about this ever since he'd been given that folder by his grandfather. He'd spent days looking up the works of Ren Tsuruga and The Kyouko.

The drunken woman, that now had all eyes on her, grimaced, pouted, turned and flipped her hair in his face, then stomped off like a petulant child. Juli looked on in shame, comparing her behavior to her sister's. Kuu stood rubbing her shoulder to comfort her. Kuon stood in shock at what his cousin had bellowed at his aunt, and Kyoko looked on in concern for the little family that she was accompanying on this interesting little voyage.

Eltra Duris shook his head, cleared his throat and brought the attention of family and friends to him. He chuckled. "Well, I suppose it really wouldn't be a complete family reunion without a little bit of a dinner and show. We are all entertainers, after all." He joked and lightened the mood of the party. "Don't forget, the real fireworks will start in about an hour so find a good spot to watch." He reminded before temporarily dismissing himself and deciding to commend his wayward grandson for standing up to a very ferocious beast. Perhaps it wasn't too late for the boy, after all.

Kuon froze a little at the display. He really hadn't expected to see Cedric so soon. Well he kind of did, maybe not in that particular way, but he now knew he'd not mentally prepared himself properly for what he might see. Cedric had been so much more when they were younger, in his mind's eye. What he saw now was a beaten down 21 year old that looked as though he was at least 10 years older than he actually was. He certainly didn't expect the outburst or the loud declaration, and he definitely didn't expect the words of respect the man had for Kyoko or himself.

"Kuon… Kuon, are you alright?" She asked a little worried about him.

Kuon look down at his girl in a daze, only just feeling her warm hand gently on his arm. He nodded. He gave her a small smile and a chuckle. With her there, everything would always be okay, no matter what. "A-okay, Princess." It wasn't as bad as he'd expected, but he certainly wasn't going to walk up to him, forgive him and pull him into a best-friend/bro hug. Something like that may never happen, but this was tangible progress. He didn't feel that tightness in his chest anymore or that stuffy ember-like feeling in his head that made him want to run. He felt free. Maybe the Rick in his dreams had been right. Maybe it really was time to start living again and finally let go.