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Last chapter! I hope you enjoy reading it.

Chapter 9:

Grasping the hand of his ever strong and patient lover in his two hands, Raul glances up and down the increasingly busy streets of Beycity, a light blush on his cheeks. This is the first time he's held onto Tala's hand as they walk out in public and he's now beginning to understand how it isn't really a big deal. A couple of people glance at their hands, but most people ignore them, too busy going about their own ways.

He glances to his left and realizes that he's just being silly. Walking next to him are the ever loving couple of Miguel and Kai, Miguel's arm around Kai's waist pulling him against his side while Kai rests his head on his shoulder. Miguel whispers something into Kai's ear which earns him a smile in return and a quick peck on the cheek. They're so sweet together.

A soft smile appears on his lips as he takes a moment longer to look at the two before boldly laying his head on Tala's shoulder as he leads him towards the dojo. The rain has finally stopped falling and the sky above is starting to clear; only scattered clouds fill the blue sky above.

"Are you sure you're ready to face her now?" Tala asks, concern etching its way into his voice as he places a soft kiss to the top of his head.

Raul is silent for a moment, thinking. Is he ready to face his sister? His own flesh and blood who so readily turned on him while insulting his boyfriend? Is he ready?

Not really, but if he doesn't do it now, when will he finally find the courage to do it later?

"Yeah, I am…" Raul replies with a shaky breath before tilting his head back to look up at the taller male with a small sense of fear in his eyes. "If you could come with me."

Tala can't help but smile down at him and he nods. "I'm not going anywhere."

"We're here," Kai says, interrupting the two as they all come to a standstill in front of the dojo, which is surprisingly quiet for once. No doubt everyone inside is still reeling from yesterday events. Raul can't help but wince when he remembers the events as well. That must have been quite a sight, watching siblings scream at each other like that, in front of everyone no less.

"Is there anything you would like us to do?" This time Miguel's is the one who interrupts his thoughts.

Raul swallowed thickly, his nerves showing through as he licks his lips. "I think I need to do this with just Tala and Julia," he says before giving the two slightly older males a grateful smile. "Thanks for everything, though."

Kai simply tilts his head to the side to give him a gentle smile, his eyes softening with understand. "It's alright," he says.

"Don't hesitate in asking for help if anything happens," Miguel adds as he and Kai walk past them and inside, no doubt hoping to deter anyone from getting in their way. Everyone inside probably have questions of their own they want to ask.

"I will," Raul says as he watches the two disappear.

Raul is grateful that Kai and Miguel are going in first. No one in his or her right mind would defy Kai, or Miguel for that matter. After this, they probably won't even have the guts to ask him what happened at all.

Suddenly, he hears Kai's voice yelling at Julia to get into the kitchen while everyone else either wait outside or in the lounge room. Of course, he gives the threat of unbelievable pain if anyone defies him.

He's truly wonderful, isn't he?

But the really funny part is when he hears the sound of thundering feet, all heading in different directions.

"Well, I guess we know where we can find Julia now, don't we?" Tala says as he shakes his head in amusement, a half smile on his lips.

Raul can't help but giggle, some of his nerves disappearing. "You're right," he says as Tala places another kiss to his forehead and they walk inside the eerily silent dojo. Raul has only been here a few times himself, but he has never, ever been here when it's so quiet. It's almost unnerving.

"Raul!"

Raul jumps at the sound of his name and he snaps his attention to the sound of the voice. There, standing in the doorway of the kitchen is his sister. He feels instantly shy and tries to hide behind Tala as he grips his hand in a death like grip. However, when he gets a good look of his sister, his eyes widen in surprise. She looks like a wreck. Her eyes are red and swollen, and looks like she didn't get a wink of sleep last night.

His fear and nerves soon melt away at the sight of Julia and he feels tears begin to sting in his eyes. "Julia…"

Tala, too, sees the state the female Fernandez sibling is in and despite his obvious annoyance at her, his eyes soften as well. He can see that she has very little fight left in her. "I'll just be outside if you need me," he tells Raul, knowing that he needs to speak with his sister first, without him there.

Raul understands what Tala is trying to do and he nods. "Thanks, Tala," he whispers, boldly leaning forward to place a kiss to his cheek before moving into the kitchen. Tala watches him for a moment before he takes a step backwards and out into the hallway, closing the door to give them more privacy, but he lingers just outside, pressing his ear against the door to listen. The first sign of trouble and he's stepping in.

"Julia?" Raul whispers timidly as he approaches his sister.

Suddenly, Julia lunges forward and throws her arms around his neck in a hug, pressing her face into his shoulder as she sheds a few tears. "I am so sorry," she murmurs through the tears. "I didn't…I mean…"

The sudden tears and apologies startle Raul greatly. Julia has never been the type to apologize first, yet alone shed tears so freely. This must have affected her more than he realizes. "Julia," he says as he returns the hug for a moment before pushing her back slightly to look into her eyes. "You have to tell me the truth. What do think of Tala?"

"I…" Julia stutters for a moment before she looks away in shame. "I don't know what to think of him…," she finally confesses.

"Then why did you…?"

Julia removes her arms from around his neck and takes a step back, nervously wringing her fingers in front of her. "I don't know…"

"Julia, listen for a minute, please," Raul says as he takes a deep breath, feeling oddly at ease with himself. "I love you, but I love Tala as well. I want to be with him for the rest of my life, if possible."

He can tell that his confession surprises Julia greatly as she reels her head back physically from the shock. She takes a moment to gap at him, never in her life had she ever witness Raul so firm, so determined about something. "You really love him, don't you?"

"I really do," Raul says as he gives a sharp nod. A small, content smile suddenly appears on his lips as he takes a moment to think about his redheaded boyfriend and a light blush adorns his cheeks. "And he loves me as well."

"I…want to talk to him," Julia says, finally after a moment of uncharacteristic silence from her.

This time Raul reels back in surprise. "What?"

Julia gives him a stern look as she folds her arms over her chest. "Look, if he's going to be my future brother-in-law, I think I should spend a bit of time with him, don't you agree?"

Raul immediately blushes darkly at her choice of words and he flails for a moment. He, however, calms down when he sees that though his sister is serious, there's a promise in her eyes that she will at least try to be civil to the redhead. "…Okay," he says as he turns to the door and calls out, "Tala?"

A split second later, the door opens and his lover walks in, appearing like he wants to speak with Julia as well. "I'm right here," he says as he walks over to him.

Raul smiles at him, a sense of genuine happiness in his expression as he leans forward and gives him a gentle kiss to his cheek. "You two please be nice to each other," he asks as he pulls back, a grin on his lips. "I'll go get Kai if you don't."

The two immediately wince at the thought and Raul can't stop a laugh from escaping his lips as he leaves the room. He feels so much better now, like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He can't wait to tell the others that he and his sister have made up!

Tala watches his young lover leave before he turns to the only female in the room with him and he meanders over to the kitchen table, lazily taking a seat as he gazes at her with a look of mild interest in his icy eyes. "So?"

"So…" Julia says as she moves to stand on the other side of the table, her arms still over her chest. She gives the redhead a firm look that has a hint of sisterly protection to it. "I have a few questions I want to ask you."

Tala inclines his head towards her and waves his hand for her to proceed. "Very well then."

Julia's eyes twitches at Tala's antics, the male looking too smug for her liken. "How did you and Raul 'meet' as it were?" she asks.

"Raul had an encounter with a street blader and was hurt," Tala tells her quickly and to the point, seeing that she probably doesn't want a longwinded reply with unnecessary details. "I took him home and took care of his injuries as he slept in my bed-," he smirks when he sees her twitch before adding for good measure, "-while I slept in the spare room."

That response satisfies Julia for the moment but then she presses her lips into a thin line, looking reluctant to question him further, but his sisterly instincts ordering her to, but this is going to be embarrassing, especially if he tells the truth. "Have you, you know, gone further than kissing?"

Tala just sits there in a long and drawn out silence, his expression or body not moving an inch. He's just sitting there, looking at her with an oddly blank look on his face.

Julia physically twitches, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "Well?" she says, her voice sounding stressed.

Finally, after what feels like an hour of uncomfortable and awkward silence, Tala shifts to lean back casually in his seat and sends her a grin. "…No, we haven't."

Julia feels like screaming at him for causing her unnecessary stress, but she restrains herself. "Ok."

"Not yet," Tala adds with a smirk.

Once again, Julia bristles as her blush darkens. "Don't you dare!"

Tala chuckles as he waves his hand at her, finding amusement in her reaction. "Relax, when we 'do the deed' as it were, it will be on Raul's terms," he reassures. "I would never force him into anything he's uncomfortable with."

Julia seems to relax a little, but then stiffens again when Tala's look of amusement suddenly hardens. "Unlike someone people, I don't demand things from him," he adds.

"That was a shot at me, wasn't it?" she says as she visibly winces, feeling ashame of her outburst yesterday.

"Believe or not, I'm pretty pissed off with you, regardless that you're his sister," Tala says as leans his elbow on the table and casually rests his chin in his hand. Even though his posture and appearance looks like he's relaxed, the hard and stern look in his eyes tells otherwise. "What would you have done if I did the same thing to him? You'd be pretty ticked off as well, wouldn't you? It's just the shoe is on the other foot here."

Julia nervously plays with her hair, her face downcast with shame as tears once again threaten her eyes. She knows her behavior yesterday was unacceptable, but hearing it come from the mouth of someone she right out insulted with a vicious tongue only brings that fact home. Every little argument she might have with Tala in the future, this event will no doubt arise again at some point.

"And if you hurt him like that ever again, I swear to God, you will live to regret it," Tala mutters lowly under his breath, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Is that a threat?" Julia asks, just as softly, knowing that Raul could be listening just outside the door.

"It's a warning," Tala points out quickly. "Whether you choose to believe this or not, it's entirely up to you, but Raul means the world to me. If he didn't, would we be here having this conversation?"

Julia pauses and presses her lips into a thin line. "…I guess not…"

"Face it," Tala says suddenly, leaning back in his seat to send Julia a teasing smile, amusement in his eyes again. "You're happy that he's gay, aren't you? That way, you don't have to worry about those deranged fangirls getting a piece of him."

Julia's eyes widen and she blushes immediately as her arms flail about her sides. "Shut up!" she orders, which only makes Tala laugh aloud. She glares at him for a moment before turning her head away and pouts. "But you're right," she says after a moment. "I rather have him dating a guy that I know than a girl that I don't. Little tarts aren't good enough for him, anyway…"

Tala throws his head back as laughs, a part of him beginning to like the female in front of him already. "True, true. I literally had to poison one of them with castor oil to get rid of her."

Julia blinks her eyes slowly, before a grin spreads across her face and she takes a seat in front of him, her hands curling under her chin. "Do tell," she says with a hint of sadistic pleasure.

--

A content smile appears on Raul's lips as he presses his ear against the door. Inside, he can hear both his sister and his boyfriend laughing. He never expected that. He has no idea what the two are talking about, but he doesn't care. They're getting along, that's all that matters.

And he couldn't be happier!

"Kai!" Raul says happily as he bounces over to Kai and gives him a big hug. None of this would be possible if it wasn't for him. "They're getting along."

"That's good to hear," Miguel says as he pats his head, a bright smile on his lips.

Raul smiles at him and turns to Kai, and a look of confusion appears on his face. Kai hasn't said a word and looks like he's in a state of bewilderment. "What's wrong?"

Miguel chuckles as he wraps an arm around Kai's shoulder and pulls him close, seemingly snapping him out of his thoughts. "We just found out how inspirational Kai really is."

"What do you mean?" Raul asks as he tilts his head to the side in question.

"Apparently there were a lot more secret relationships going around then we originally thought," Miguel says as he continues to smile, amusement shimmering in his eyes. "For starts there is Bryan and Garland, Max and Enrique, Spencer and Robert, and surprisingly most of all, Rick and Eddy!"

"What?" Raul asks, his eyes widening considerably and he covers his mouth with his hand in shock.

Finally, Kai pulls himself out of Miguel's arms to throw his own arms into the air in disbelief. "It's insane!" he yells.

Miguel laughs at Kai's reaction, his face brightening in amusement. "Some of them are quite surprising, huh?" he says as he walks over to Kai, wraps his arms around his waist from behind and nuzzles his nose into the back of his neck. "And to think, its all because of you."

"What an achievement," Kai snorts as he folds his arms over his chest. But he then lifts one of his hand to press his index finger and middle finger against his forehead as he shakes his head. "I mean Rick. I punched him on the nose because I thought he was homophobic!"

Raul chuckles into his hand as Miguel continues to laugh at Kai's reaction. "Just the push he needed!"

Still chuckling quietly to himself, Raul realizes that though he doesn't really like truth or dare, it does have it's uses. True, the truth can be unexpected, and the consequences of them can sometimes hurt, but in the end, it's worth it. He found the courage to be with his boyfriend out in public, he has a better relationship with his sister, and two of the most important people in his life are starting to get along because of him.

Playing Truth or Dare isn't so bad after all.

"We should play truth or dare again," Raul says happily, ignoring Kai's bristle at the statement.

"Oh, like hell!"

There, another fic finished and done with! A few chapters more than expected, but I'm still happy with it none-the-less. I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Please review.