"It's extremely powerful to hear someone say, 'I get you. I understand. I see why you feel this way.' This kind of empathy disarms." -Daniel J. Siegel
It all began with a rather insistent knock on the door last weekend. Not the kind of knock that she'd expect from Daki needing something. A lighter, gentler knock.
"Hello there. I hope I'm not interrupting?" Kagaya's wife says. She had a thermos of some hot liquid, wrapped in a big cardigan, and a somewhat exhausted expression on her face.
"Oh, not at all, Amane. What's up?
"I have a favour to ask, its an emergency. Kagaya's health has taken a turn so we need to take him to the doctor's for an emergency checkup..." she smiles, but her expression is slightly downcast.
"You need a babysitter? I can take them." she instinctively knew what this was about. They talked about, plus she owed them for all their help. Amane tucked the thermos under an arm to shake marins hands in gratitude. "You are a lifesaver, thank you. I haven't had time to do the prep I would normally but I've done have a list of information about them I made for babysitters, and the twins said they can stop by after their tournament, if that's all right with you" "
Of course! The boys sound like they'd be a big help! And also I wanna thank you for erm.. your gift..." Marín gives a proverbial wink, but Amane seemed to miss it.
"Oh, you mean the window? It's no problem Marin," she waves, "you're a doll, and I know that ordeal was... stressful. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to knock." She puts a comforting hand on her shoulder, "thanks I will." so the box wasn't from Amane then...
"a-actually, Amane, there is something I'd like to ask about, i-if that's ok. Ita's about those contacts Kagaya said he had with the police...?"
"yes, of course. What did you need?"
She remembers knocking and being surprised that he answered the door, especially during daylight, for months he worked weekend, yet there he was asking her what she wanted from him. Not completely out of the ordinary, sure he wasn't pleasant, but he wasn't a dick either, quite chatty actually.
"where's your sister, grinch?"
"that's rude you know,"He glowered, "you're still knocking on my house door, don't you go acting like you live here." She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples.
"I have kids, ok? So if your sister wants dinner hot, she'll have to brave the fray."
"Y-you... have kids?" Her horrified face matched his puzzled one as she instantly turned red and corrected that she was babysitting. His confusion turned to understanding, "oh. since when did you start a daycare?"
"same way you did"
it was a snarky comeback for sure, and it only made the frown on his face deepen, but he offers a quip of his own, Babysitting kids Sounds like something you're real familiar with, huh" It is honestly hard to tell if that was a joke or curiosity. But it was oddly funny... was he was he actually engaging in... small talk?None of the things he was saying seemed like probing questions.
"" No, not really. my boyfr–my ex was good with kids though I kinda learned from him but you sure you dont have any kids I should know about?" he scoffs like that was the stupidest thing he's ever heard, shifts legs leaning against the other side of his door frame, "ah yeah, him, I heard about his little accident." She freezes, her blood running cold, her hands cracking as she balled them tightly. "what?" she was angry before she could control, "what the fuck do you know, huh?" She growling each word barely able to contain her emotions. Gyutaro actually seemed thrown off by her sudden aggression, his mouth parted slightly, and his eyes widened almost confused, Before steeling himself, meeting her angry gaze with an aggravated one of his own,
"my sister said a brick destroyed your boyfriend's urn or are you calling her a liar?" her face immediately dropped, oh my god... He was being sincere again she blinked rapidly, "oh y-ye-yeah, it destroyed my urn–" she rubbed her forehead with her forearm, feeling hot all of a sudden. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry... I don't know why... s-sorry." She repeated lamely.
He took a drag from a cigarette she hadnt realized hed been holding. (He always smells like cigarettes) " this time he made sure to give a sardonic reply, "Smart idea, bringing someone like my sister around kids that'll definitely be good on your reputation with their parents, "so... What is for dinner anyway?"
She blinked rapidly shocked, will he stop by? Or did he want her to save some for him? Sure sounded like it. "Spaghetti, stuffed cheese meatball, garlic bread, tossed salad, there's a bunch of us eating today so it's gonna be a lot" If he was a dog (which he sort of is in her mind) his tail would be wagging. He tried to look as apathetic as possible, but his demeanor changed the minute she mentioned food. He takes another slow drag of the cigarette, tapping it with a nail. "Fine. I suppose I could stop by."
"Holy shit did you actually just invite yourself over?" she smiles genuinely earning another sour look, "Can't wait to have you, jerk" she chuckles, "Whatever. There better be enough." He muttered slowly, as if he were playing the game. But his bussing phone stole his attention, he checks it and actually curses as if another problem just fell from the sky. "I'll have to take a rain check." Her face fell a little but she understood. "when do you have to go?
"Tch, 10 minutes ago." she slumps her shoulders, "Ok, Hold on." she races back home, since day one He always looked exhausted. She knew he was an asshole but she also knew if she worked seven days a week she would be too so...
she searches her fridge and ran back over where he was still waiting. "I can tell you're hungry so..." she hands him the bag, "You can eat one of my premades. I also got you several with caffeine so... Be safe out there, ok? I'll make sure there's enough food for you when you get back." He takes the bag slowly in his hand expecting its contents. It's only a wisp of one, small and quick, barely tugging the corner of his mouth, but she's pretty sure that Gyutaro smiles. A genuine sheepish smile, not out of cruelty or anything malicious, disappears the moment he realizes he's doing it. She smiles widely at the accomplishment. It may be the greatest victory she's won in her relationship with him.
"Well, see ya, round, handsome!"his eyes shifted to the ground, almost uncomfortable, just like in the parking lot, his hard exterior was cracking a bit. he blinked quickly as if realizing he was doing it again. She figured that was enough and left.
"Hinaki will pink construction paper be ok for the wisteria?"
"It's fine Marín, wisteria come in different colors, but the blue one is most popular. Hey, Did you know wisteria seeds are poisonous?" She teaches while watching Encanto in a rather impressive display of multitasking.
"Noooo, Kanata the youngest, yells, it's purple! You're confusing it with the spider lily!
No., Kiriya their only brother takes a deep breath closing his notebook having done all his homework you're both confused, purple is the most common, and I've told you before Kanata blue Spider lilies don't exist!"
"yeah-huh, Daddy says that's what Uncle is looking for!
"doesn't mean they're real. Dad only says that because uncle is a crazy person." Kiriya snides. Nuh-uh, yeah-huh, it went back and forth like that for a while before Marin had to break it up.
"So, Mar where is your boyfriend?" Daia teases flicking her hair over her shoulder with a sleazy gleam in her eye. Yuichiro immediately perks up, which didn't go unnoticed by both women, Marin eyed Daia telepathically telling her to watch it... Daia completely understood, but ignored her anyway. "you said you and Daki's brother were hitting it off '' Ok now Marin had to facepalm as Yuichiro fell to the trap like pigs to the slaughter,
"W-what? You're dating him!?" Even Muichiro tried to calm his brother down seemingly not getting where all this energy was coming from. None of the other kids seemed to care but Marin and Daia knew Yuichiro had a boy crush.
She realized it when Muichiro dry-snitched saying he's been asking a ton of questions about her since they first met at Kagaya's house. Poor Muichiro he didn't even realize why that his brother took inconvenient routes home because he was trying to get glimpses.
But she wasn't bothered (he was at that age after all) but she would respectfully reject him if his attempts to serenade went too far... kinda like right now. She didn't want to be a distraction from his shogi competition Muichiro said they had next week, but flat-out rejecting him would probably make him too glum to perform, so she chose a middle ground and waves them both down calmly.
Plus she really wanted to inquire more about this flower, Kanata Whats a blue spider lily?"
Yuichiro who had been playing cards with his brother explains, We all heard about it. In some cultures, the red spider lily is linked with death because it grows in cemeteries, but the blue spider lily is the opposite its supposed to grant life."Yuichiro how do you know this?"
"Our dads talk alot." He shrugs.
it's a special flower that can heal anything and ... I don't want daddy to die. She hugs her knees sadly, Everyone in the room was quiet not so secretly afraid for their father too.
The flower could save him, Kanata says her eyes wet with tears not yet fallen. but mom said to forget about it, because even if it existed it wasn't safe,"n safe marin assumed legally battle tested.
and its really really hard to find nichika says solemnly cutting up more construction paper. Yeah and even if we looked for it anyways uncle is looking for it too and hes a bad man," Kiriya finishes taking his seat next to Marin on the couch.
"Who is your uncl–"
Loud banging on her door cut her off, making all The kids jump (except the twins). She sighs heading to the door knowing who it was, "What took you so long, huh?" Daki stands with her hands on her hips, in a crop top and oversize coveralls. "I'm hungry."
Marin hugs her. She stepped to the side to let them in Daki doesn't even complain anymore that she touches her either. And reminds her not to swear in front of the kids.
Marin Hugs her tightly muttering how cute she looks before saying the food was done and also let her know Hikaru was coming to drop off her hair.
She was dripping with excitement. "I'm taking some things then!" She squeals in her shrill voice, running up the stairs. Sometimes she was more childish than the kids. Daia then sheepishly asks if she can smoke
In that moment little Kanata grabs Marin's sleeves and pulls her down to one knee to whisper into her ear, Is she your friend?" Marin laughs at that, and whispers back "think of her as a stray cat, you know how scared they are right? Just be nice and she'll be nice to you, ok? Quick go tell the others!"Her face lights up and she smiles a beaming smile at him, which he had no idea how to respond to, before running off to join her siblings on the couch. When Daki returns.
Kuina asks. "Do you wanna watch a movie with us? It's a spooky one. Mum and Dad haven't let us watch this one yet."
"Well, more like a spooky musical, but Hikaru loves musicals, so if it scares you, you can throw me under the bus," Kuina nods from her spot on the couch.
"What is it?"
"Sweeney Todd," the kids all say. But Marin also whispers, "we're gonna watch Moulin Rouge after the kids go home though, so if you have any sexy lingerie go get it, we're gonna have a girls night, well plus Hikaru, he says he'll install your hair when he gets here." Daki didn't get it, not really. But the instant underwear, sexy and hair did she was mentioned she was out the door at her house.
"So... Hikaru says he's stopping by. Something about weave? Did you order more hair from him?" Daia asks
"It's for Daki."
Daia smirked, "Oh, so is he coming tonight?" before inquiring about the demon siblings again, though her intentions weren't entirely pure Marin knew, "Honestly, it sounded like he passed." Daia pouted, "Damn" Daia glances back to see if Yuichiro was listening, but he was teaching Kiriya the rules of reversi. "So, any further issues with him?"
"No, I don't see him much, Daki says he's been busy with work ever since the arrest, seems they almost fired him." She shook her head exasperated. Daia chuckled "Yeahhh that'll do it."
"But between you and me I don't think that's entirely truth, I think he hates me."
Daki bursts through the door, with a duffel full of makeup, lingerie, and all the hair products she could bring. The girls sighed before shouting dinner was ready and getting the movie on.
—-
"BITCH! HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THIS SHIT!" Hikaru cried dropping Daki's half-sewn hair to dance with marin, daia and rune in Lady Marmalade. Hikaru was actually offended that Daki had lived this long without knowing it.
sio they did the routine together. Hikaru came straight from work so he was in a suit with a boa thrown around his neck and belted out Christina Aguilera like he was auditioning for the role. Marin wore her black Lobelia cosplay without the jacket or the cap, since it was the closest thing to the burlesque she had. Daia and rune both wore ruffled boy shorts with stockings and a garter. Daki of course upstaged them all in a beautiful high-waisted satin brief pink in color and a striped corset with black feather jutting from the tops, she also wore a crown she made of feathers that seemed to be from a previous OnlyFans video.
Afterwards they jumped into Moulin Rouge while Hikaru finished applying daki's extensions. They were about to sing 'Come what may' when there was a hard banging on the door. Marin paused the movie as they all looked at eachother confused. "Uh.. you expecting company, Mar?"
"Bitch, it's 1 am, this is drug-dealing hour, not 'OMG maybe its fucking nowa', hour" Hikaru chastised in a high-pitched exaggerated voice waving his hands. Daki sighs and grabs a butcher knife looking out the window. "UGH…Its just my brother, morons" she says.
Marin was beside herself with happiness, so much so she ran and opened the door before anyone could stop her... since they were clearly still in lingerie. "Gyu! You came!" He gleaned, yanking him inside while the others ran up the stairs quickly. "Huh? Oh, grow up!" She whines as Hikaru scolds her for being inconsiderate then at Daki for agreeing with Marin. "Oh relax, he sees me like this all the time."
he facepalms, "Daki, gurl, I don't even have time to explain how 'sweet home Alabama' that sounds when you say it." He puts a hand on Gyutaro's shoulder, apologetically.
He appeared confused and surprised by the chaotic scene before him. wondering why the fuck they were in underwear in front of a guy.
"Daki..." He gives her that look, but she shrugs, "it's Hikaru. Remember I told you about him."
His eyes stayed knit together before softening slightly in realization, "ah the f–" he pauses, his face reflective, as Marin looked like she wanted to strangle him "uhm... queer..." He tried. Hikaru looked at him stupefied, before turning to Marin, waving her hands around in the most conspicuous manner possible.
"... oh, Gawd, that's right, he's one of those..." He facepalms, remembering what Marín said about Gyutaro "ok, here's the deal, Stranger Things." He claps his hands together, "ask. It's OK, just get it off your chest."
Gyutaro eyed him with a peculiar look as if to test, before glancing at his sister. She didn't react beyond crossing her arms over her chest, but apparently, that was good enough, "I don't get why it's queer now, before fag and queer meant the same thing." Marin cringed visibly, looking like she wanted to cry, but Daki smacked her.
"depends on who you ask, hun, it's a jungle out there." Hikaru answered smoothly, he took a step back to assess Gyutaro properly, "shit, I was only joking about the crackhead thing, but I thought I smelled Craigslist and cat piss the instant you walked in here." He fanned his face with a look of disgust, circling around him. Oh, gawd Marin knew that look, he was about to roast his fit, the same way he roasts hers. She wished there was an emergency eject button out out the roof right now.
"Jesus Christ, and what's with that matted-ass hair? You're like Timothee Chalamet if he was on meth and he hit every branch on the ugly tree on the way out of his momma's coochie. Shit I'll bet even your DNA results would come back as crack-baby. I mean, are you fisting me right now?! Dry ass-hands, dry ass skin... "
Marin was dead. simply just dead. Her soul and her body wanted to running opposite directions. These two were the absolute worst people to come in contact like this. Gyutaro Was the most dangerous guy on the block to be saying that shit to and he was also the most ignorant, and hikaru was–he was fucking Hikaru is what he was. Now there was absolutely no fucking way this horrifically awkward homophobic exchange could end in anything other than a figh–
"Ah, oh I see now!" Gyutaro Pointed at him, his eyes lighting up with a big smile on his face before leaning his head back and laughing hysterically like a hyena. "H-he's laughing?" Marin asked nobody in particular, she absent-mindedly yanked Daki, "w-why is your brother laughing?!" Daki smacked her again, " obviously, he finds it funny, retar–Marin." She crosses her arms pouting. What the fuck? Why? How!? If she said that to him, he'd blow a gasket! How the fuck did hikaru manage to get away with it?
"My, my what a pretty home," Gyutaro suddenly remarks with a big grin on his face, as he looks at all the paper flowers the kids decorated earlier.
Hikaru hmphs still rattling off imperfections to Daki about her brother, grilling her for allowing him to be seen in public like that.
"uh... thanks?" She says eyeing the exchange weirdly as he walks into the kitchen no doubt looking for the food he was promised," she grabs it from the fridge and hands it to him, he takes it in his hands but his eyes were darting everywhere, face red, until he finally just averted his gaze altogether. That was her cue to put on some clothes. Though she did find it adorable that he was flustered again. "You can eat here if you want, the movie's almost done." She says exiting the kitchen to head upstairs with her friends, but when she came back down she half expected him to be gone, but miraculously, he wasn't.
Not at all, he was sitting on the couch eating spaghetti with his sister and talking with Hikaru of all people, asking him all sorts of cringe fucking questions she'd rather not repeat. But Hikaru answered EVERY question he had no matter how... bad. It was so crazy to her, she just could not understand. Gyutaro stayed to watch the rest of Moulin Rouge with them, then went out to smoke after the credits. a few minutes later Hikaru leaves as well. Gyutaro was gone for a very long time so again she figured he'd just leave without a word and head back home, but again he doesn't. He definitely didn't seem as tired as he did before he left, maybe those energy drinks she packed for him really did do the trick.
The girls were sleeping over her place tonight she she got the blankets ready while the siblings talked in the kitchen. Daki then runs off upstairs to join the others leaving Marin and Gyutaro alone downstairs. "Uh, so you leaving?" She rubs her shoulder awkwardly, she had a hard time reading that expression on his face. Cold, perhaps. Disdain, perhaps. But there is something a little softer to it than before he left for work today. "You let my sister go through your things" he says quietly, "stupid of you."
"I mean she has great taste,"
"Not what I meant," he scowls, "Why do you let her?" The question had a sharp edge, reminiscent of the parking lot encounter.
"I think we have more in common than you think," she said rather sternly, "I get it, really, you think no one else is worth being close to you, because you're rough around the edges, unapologetic and You have feelings you refuse to show because you're worried it will make you vulnerable. But as savior complex as it sounds, I wanna be worthy of that chance. So thank you for coming and the sooner you stop being a dickhead the better, She looks up at him a genuine smile on her face "Gyu~. " She squeezes both cheeks with her hands in a sort of kissy face motion.
And This time, she can see his smile right up close, a slight tug at the corner of his mouth, even as his fingers grip tight enough to worry about its durability. He looks at her, his eyes much softer and he speaks again gruff but hushed, "We'll see."
She knew it was a calculated risk to call him a dickhead, but she trusted he'd overlook it now. Don't look like an idiot. But of course she did, cheesing like she was posing for a selfie. So smiling brightly she did something she never would've dared do prior. She hugged him. He was stiff of course, and practically threw her off the minute it registered, flustered again, but she could feel his walls coming down finally. Daki came running down the stairs telling (more like demanding) Marin play the movie again so her brother can watch it. she turned to him, "You... want to? don't you have work tomorrow or something? you don't have to it's like passed midnight- "
"Just put it on princess." he says with a sigh and ruffles her hair on her head. Her neck burned hot when he did. She coundltn believe it. Not only did he stay all night and watch movies, just the 3 of them, but he came the next day and the day after too! She had finally laid solid hooks in him. Even Hikaru texted her saying "he's bad, but not that bad."
But then it all came crashing down. When she heard the banging, she panicked thinking there was a fire. She rushed down the stairs, opening the door to find Gyutaro standing there.
He spoke very quickly his voice wavering more than usual. She might have babbled a response, but she was so tired and confused she doesn't remember. She only remembers his warning.
"Stay away from me and my sister. Final warning. Stay away from both of us. I gave you some tools to help yourself. Don't come to us anymore." She woke up quickly after that.
"Wait a minute, what's gotten into you?" She fully opened the door.
but he turned and walked off to his home, "good night neighbor," she scowled, slamming his front door.