Chapter 22

Jag froze.

The moment Hunter brought him to the front door, he paused and turned to Jag rather nervously. "Uh… just a heads up, it can get a little crazy in my household to say the least. If you feel overwhelmed, let me know and I'll politely excuse us."

Jag laughed off the warning at first, he thought it was cute of Hunter to be worried about him meeting the family. "Relax, if you had met my WHOLE family, I am sure you would understand that I am use to it all."

Hunter shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you." And opened the door.

The house was far more chaotic than anticipated. Jag slowly walked in as the family appeared to be all over the place. Suiryu was sitting at the kitchen table but appeared oddly fat. Snek was trying to round up his kids who took a liking to their human forms now and were running around all over the place. Melee was in the kitchen along with Tempest cooking dinner. Garou hung back and was keeping an eye on everything. Everyone else appeared to be all over the place, just trying to avoid colliding into each other and just getting through. "Damn…" Jag muttered as he froze to it all.

"Yeah, I forgot to mention how many siblings I got… there are six that are adopted, then there five who belong to Snek. Everyone else you see are my siblings more or less… oh, if you are wondering about Suiryu, he's holding on to my sister since she's preggers."

"Wait… he's holding on to her?" Jag asked with great confusion as he pointed to Suiryu.

"Yeah, long story short, in this family or if a monster is ridiculously strong, they take care of their mate until she gives birth, then after, they take care of the children." Hunter explained. "My dad did that with all my siblings, even the adopted ones he took care of housing them in his own body… weird, but rather effective parenting."

"Oh…" Jag said with great confusion to it all.

"WILL YOU TWO PLEASE STOP TRYING TO TRAIN IN THE HOUSE!" scolded Snek, as his sons were attempting to spar with each other. However they were getting too quick on their feet, Snek was trying to get them to stop, but with little luck. However, Titan was quick to interfere as he suddenly snapped and coiled around the two boys and held them there.

"NO FAIR!" protested Pythan. "We're just training!"

"Not… in the house." Titan said gently. "Father even dictated that. Mother too. We abide by those rules, you do too!" Jag snickered as he watched Pythan and Bo trying to break free from Titan's coil. However they couldn't!

"Come on Titan, let us go!" protested Pythan. "We were just playing…"

"Yes, but when your father says something, shouldn't you listen?"

"Do you listen to Garou all the time?" muttered Bo.

"This isn't about me, now, I am going to let you go, if you want to train take it outside"

Titan uncoiled from the two, instead they lost their interest in training in the house and decided to sit and watch TV along with Pac, Goliath and Draven.

Tempest and Melee were still working on the meal, as others began to emurge from their rooms.

"Who took my favorite manga?!" demanded Akira. "It was on my bed, and now it's gone!"

"I didn't!" said Titan.

"All of mine are digital." Chimed Tempest.

"I learned my lesson from the last time in touching other people's stuff." Said Yuuma. "I wouldn't like it if someone did that to me."

"I've been at the Association all day," said Yuki.

"Rimuru hasn't gotten home yet…" called Titan.

"So Athena?" Akira asked.

"No, wait, didn't you led it to Jason?" asked Eclipsa. "Which manga was it?"

"Solo leveling."

"Jason has it." She said without a shadow of doubt. "Remember, Athena told you about the manga, you started to read it and became a fan and now you wanted Jason to join you in the fandom."

Akira sighed. "Damn it, I was just rereading that too… why did I led it out?!"

"You wish to share your passions… now, dinner is ready." Tempest called.

It was a mad dash to the table as everyone gathered around it. The dinning room appeared far more crowded than what he was expecting, yet Jag smiled as he took a seat. He didn't ask for any food since his plate was already taken and being filled as it was passed along the table.

When it returned, there was a pile of it!

"Wow…." He whispered.

"Eat up before my brothers devour everything…. Not to mention Suiryu, he's eating for more than one now isn't he?" Hunter asked.

"I don't know how this works…" Suiryu muttered as he patted his belly. "Am I eating food for her too? How is she getting it?"

"Not a dinner conversation we should be having" Hunter muttered under his breath.

"It's one of the more tamer ones." Muttered Goliath.

Jag smirked as the family talked about their day, what they plan on doing next. Rimuru came home a little later but there was still plenty to eat. However the family paused when he began to devour plate after plate of food and still needed more! "Where the hell have you been that is making you so hungry?" Garou demanded.

Rimuru gave his chest a firm pound to force the food down. "Oh… nowhere special… just working hard." He said as the food finally made it down his throat. "Say… odd question… does anyone who what happened to Silverfang?" he asked.

The table came to a strange pause. "Silverfang? Rank 3 in Class S right? Yeah… wait… I haven't heard much of him either. After he retired and the fall of the Heroes association, he fell off the face of the earth as it where." Jag said aloud.

"That's what he wants people to think." Said Garou. He looked to Jag oddly, but then shifted his gaze towards Rimuru. "What's with the interest? You do know Bang trained me in martial arts right?"

Rimuru nodded his head. "I do, I just wanted to ask him a few questions, that's all."

"What kind of questions?"

"Dad! You don't have to know everything!" Rimuru protested. "I just want to talk to him! Is that okay?"

Garou was taken aback by his tone. "You are hounding him a little," Melee said gently.

He sighed aloud and backed off. "Bang is with the Neo Heroes." Garou announced. "But he doesn't go by Bang, but Shaw."

"Wait, I've seen that guy Shaw. He's a thirty something hero… Bang was what, nearly 80?"

"He is beyond 80, but he is Shaw of the Neo Heroes. He's been turned young thanks to Alley and a friend of hers. Bang wanted to be sure the Neo Heroes didn't come after my family and joined them to keep an eye on them."

"Oh…"

Jag suddenly fell silent as the table filled with conversations he had no idea how to be a part of. So he just ate in silence and listened on. "You came from a big family too right?" came the voice of Melee.

He jumped a little as he found everyone was staring at him. "Yes…" he said awkwardly. "I'm the youngest and ironically the smallest in my family. I take up after my mother apparently."

"Smallest? You serious?" demanded Snek. "You're almost as tall as Tank Top Tiger. Not a big though, rather lean…"

"Snek it's sounding creepy now," said Melee.

He silenced himself rather quickly. "Besides that, what made you want to join the Association?" asked Hunter.

Jag smiled. "You saw where I lived, the place doesn't exactly make you grow in strength to say the least. Especially when my brothers get to a monster before I do. I chose to leave to find myself. Also, I wanted to find someone too. Not many people in my village or others are… you know…"

"Gay," said the whole table. "You don't have to tip toe around us on that, we don't care as to what your preference is." Garou insisted. "Besides, you make my son happy, I think that's a damn good thing"

Hunter blushed as Jag peered over to look at him, he too began to blush as well. "I… never though a son of Garou would give me the time of day. I mean… I am nothing special."

"Bullshit" came the voice of Pac.

"LANGUAGE!" protested Luna.

"It's called for," Pac said defensively. "Look, Just because we are these big strong monster like people. Doesn't mean we are looking for someone as powerful as we are… do you know how impossible that would be for us to find someone if we had that mindset?" he demanded. "No, we don't look at people we care and love for that way."

"Awww!" cooed Luna, Eclipsa, Athena, Conna and Angie.

"Of course the girls would think that's cute." Snickered Akira. "Besides the point, we want to find someone just like you do. Someone who likes us for us… not easy to say the least."

"Have you been looking for someone?" asked Melee.

Akira fell silent, he began to eat once more to avoid the question.

"It's not easy to have a relationship either, I know," said Pac.

"Doesn't help when Metal Bat breaths down your neck either…" said Garou.

"ANYWAYS!" called Max. "It's nice you two found each other, Hunter is a great guy, and I am glad someone looked beyond his physical changes and sees him for who he really is. A genuine, great guy who will have your back. Same with the family"

Jag smiled once more to their words. "I know that," he said.

The meal finished up, it was getting late and Jag decided to take his leave. Hunter walked him down the steps. The moment they were out of view of the house, Jag took a deep breath and appeared rather amazed. "Dude… your family…" he said.

Hunter scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah… they can be a lot…"

"They are amazing!" he said. "They are all so different and yet… I can tell they you guys all care about each other,"

"People think we are constantly battling each other for dad's approval. We bicker every so often but we don't have to fight to get mom or dad's attention. Come to think of it, all my siblings have been rather independent… except for Titan, that kid is in a league of his own!"

Jag snickered. "Yeah… I had a good time tonight. I got to meet your family and it appears they like me… at least, I hope they do…"

"If they didn't you would know, trust me." Hunter insisted.

They reached the bottom of the stairs. Jag sighed aloud as he turned to Hunter with a blushing smile. "Thank you for today…" he leaned in and went for the kiss. Hunter smiled, as he made certain to return it!