Chapter 49: Reboot

[Scene: Chief Midori is in the kitchen making a sandwich.]

[Zoi and Kunzite come down the stairs. As they approach Kunzite waves his hand and his eyes glow white. Chief Midori stops what he is doing and looks at the unopened can of beer on the counter.]

Chief Midori: Beer and sandwiches at 7:00AM? I must be losing my mind.

Zoi: [Takes Kunzite's arm nervously] Dad. There's someone I'd like you to meet…You know Kunzite O'Sama, don't you? Well, …um… he's my boyfriend now.

Chief Midori: [A bit taken aback to see Kunzite there in person after his conversation with his son the night before] Welcome to our home, Kunzite.

Kunzite: [Nods respectfully] Thank you, Chief Midori.

Chief Midori: I must say I'm a little surprised to see you here.

Kunzite: I have grown very fond of your son, sir, and I would like your permission to date him.

Chief Midori: Pardon my asking, but aren't you a little old to be dating a highschool freshman?

Kunzite: [mumbles under his breath] You have no idea.

[Zoi kicks him in the ankle]

Chief Midori: What was that?

Kunzite: I said I had no idea how young your son was until recently. He is my lab partner in twelfth grade biology. By the time I found out he was only fifteen I had already developed strong feelings for him.

Chief Midori: Fair enough…. Have a seat there, Kunzite.

[Zoi grimaces as Kunzite takes a seat at the table. Zoi pours himself a bowl of cereal and sits at the far end and eats while watching them like a cat. Kunzite starts to reach for the beer, but Zoi shakes his head.]

Chief Midori: So I hear you're still in the closet.

Kunzite: Pardon?

Chief Midori: Zoisite tells me you haven't come out to your family yet.

Kunzite: [gives Zoi a confused look, then smiles a faint smile] I'm sorry I gave him that impression. You see, when I'd told Zoisite I'd never had a boyfriend before, he must have assumed I've dated girls.

Chief Midori: So you've never dated anyone?

Kunzite: Until I met your son I've never wanted to date anyone. Ask anyone who knows me.

Chief Midori: But your family knows you're gay? I don't want you dating my son if he has to keep it a secret from your mother.

Kunzite: I assure you my family is well aware of my sexual orientation, as well as my very deep and sincere affection for your son. In fact my mother insists I bring Zoisite over for Sunday dinner, so the family can get a chance to meet him properly.

[Zoi gulps his cereal.]

Chief Midori: I saw you bought my son a very expensive gift.

Kunzite: I assume you are referring to the promise ring I gave him. I wear a matching bracelet on my ankle as part of our pledge to remain pure outside of marriage.

[Zoi nearly chokes on his cereal and has to cover his mouth to keep from giggling.]

Chief Midori: So you're religious?

Kunzite: I don't know if I'm religious so much as spiritual, but I challenge you to find any man that is closer to his god than I am.

Chief Midori: You don't intend to sleep with my son?

Kunzite: I believe sex is a sacrament that should be reserved for married people.

[Zoi bites his lip and blushes]

Chief Midori: Well, I'm not sure I'd go that far…but no sex until he's thirty.

Zoi: Dad!

Kunzite: So, do I have your blessing?

Chief Midori: I must say, coming here and talking to me man to man shows you have real integrity. Well, you do have a solid reputation, so I suppose I'd be willing to allow you to see him if you respect my rules. One. No keeping him out past nine. Ideally, I'd like him home before dark on school nights.

Kunzite: Understood.

Chief Midori: No drinking or drugs. No smoking around my son, or encouraging him to take up smoking. No bringing him into clubs or wild parties. No taking him to get tattoos or body piercings.

Kunzite: I wouldn't dream of it.

Chief Midori: And do bear in mind that carry a loaded firearm at all times, and I'm not afraid to use it, so I'd think twice about cheating on him, breaking his heart, or hurting him in any other way.

Kunzite: I have absolutely no intention of letting anything harm your son.

Zoi: It's true dad, he's even more overprotective of me than you are.

Chief Midori: And no more ditching school.

Zoi: Dad-

Kunzite: I will see to it personally that he has spotless attendance.

Zoi: [washes his bowl in the sink] Speaking of which, we'd better get going, or we're going to be late.

Kunzite: Shall I tell my mother to set a place for Zoisite at dinner on Sunday? I have to warn you that my family will have a million questions for him, so they will make me violate his curfew by a few hours on this one occasion.

Chief Midori: Well I don't know. It is a school night, after all.

Kunzite: How about Saturday then?

Chief Midori: I suppose that would work.

Kunzite: Great. We'll set a place for him. My entire family will be delighted.

[Chief Midori follows them out.]

Chief Midori: Remember, no staying out late.

Kunzite: Don't worry. I'll have him home early.

Chief Midori: You take care of my little boy, all right?

[Zoi groans]

Kunzite: He'll be safe with me, I promise.

[Kunzite goes to Zoi's side of the car and opens the door for him.]

Chief Midori: Wear your seatbelts.

[Zoi gasps as Kunzite fastens Zoi's seatbelt for him. It starts as outrage, and he has to keep up that act as Kunzite's index finger covertly strokes its way down Zoi's collarbone to his nipple.]

Chief Midori: [heads back to the house] Drive safely.

[Zoi waits until his house is gone from view]

Zoi: So your mother wants me for dinner, does she?

Kunzite: Don't worry. I'll protect you.

Zoi: I thought they didn't like me. They voted 3-1 to have me killed.

Kunzite: I'm not actually bringing you to over there to have dinner.

Zoi: Then why are we going there?

Kunzite: We're going there because my bedroom door has a lock on it.