Chapter Text
Kyoko stretched under the comforter and looked up at the ceiling. There was a quiet splashing noise and she rolled over, pulling the comforter up over her shoulder. The rhythmic sound of the gentle splashes almost lulled her back to sleep, but she was curious as to what was making them. It didn’t sound like it was storming, and she hadn’t heard the waves sound like this the last couple of days.
She got out of bed, padded to the picture windows, and pulled the curtains apart a little.
And stared at the answer to her question, unblinking.
Kuon was swimming laps in the pool. She knew all his proportions -- perfect as they were, in her opinion, like an otherworldly being. She watched the play of muscle under the skin of his back as she had the afternoon before, but this was more. Each full stroke as it pulled him down the pool, each flex and extension of his legs as he kicked. He dove under the water and turned and she ducked to the side, hiding behind the curtain until she heard the splash of his diving turn again before looking back out on the pool.
She knew her heart was starting to race; she swallowed, and yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away. But then he stopped in the middle of the pool and headed to the edge, pulling himself out, his arms straight and the muscles bunched as he heaved his way up. He ran his hands over his hair, smoothing it back, and it was suddenly very much like watching Corn come out of the water in Guam all over again. The morning sun caught on each little drop of water in his hair and on his skin, and it all sparkled.
Kyoko gasped at the way it made her heart leap.
She turned from the window, grabbed her robe, and took off to the shower. She ran it perhaps a little colder than she needed to for a few minutes before turning up the heat, letting the water run down her body from the shower head. It felt like standing out in the rain, but better. She turned her face up and closed her eyes.
The cry last night and the talk with Kuu had started to heal a very broken part of her. The shaky hinges on that box she'd closed -- but not locked -- six months ago seemed to be fixed and ready to open again.
She might just be ready to let him back in.
*`*`*`*`*
Kuon shut the bathroom door as quietly as possible and leaned against the door. Damn it. He squeezed his eyes shut, but the image was burned into his retinas. He didn’t know whether to curse or thank the partially fogged shower doors. Instead of seeing all of Kyoko, he’d only caught glimpses: the curve of her breast, the dip of her spine and the line of her neck, her flat stomach and defined calves.
He took a deep breath. He should have knocked to see if she was in there. Should have listened at the door for the shower. But he hadn’t.
He turned and headed back to his room. She’d be done soon and he didn’t want her to catch him just standing outside the bathroom door. If she came out wrapped in just a towel… she wouldn’t, he was sure, but the image of it sprang easily to his mind. Kuon shook his head.
And his morning swim had done wonders for the tension that had been building up in his shoulders since he stepped onto that plane. Now it was back.
He missed her.
*`*`*`*`*
“So, since Kuu had to work today, you two are all mine! Isn’t it wonderful?” His mother was practically sparkling this morning, though that may have been because of the ridiculous Christmas earrings she was wearing. At least she hadn’t broken out the Christmas sweaters. “I thought we’d do a little shopping.”
And that would be why she was dressed as a sane person, though the amount of red and gold and silver in her outfit was much higher than it usually would be at any other time of the year.
“Country Mart?” he asked.
“No. I thought we’d do it proper and take Kyoko to Rodeo.”
Kuon groaned. “You have appointments?”
His mother shook her head and the bells on her earrings jingled. “I thought I’d see which stores could accommodate me.”
He tilted his head to the side. That sounded about right for his mother, and really it didn’t matter; most, if not all, of the shops on Rodeo would probably find ways to accommodate a surprise visit from her. And if they couldn’t, well, she probably would forget that they exist for a while. It wouldn’t be the first time. Juliena Hizuri was one of the most beautiful women in the world, and none of those retailers would take that lightly. There were only a couple of exceptions. Like Hermes.
Kuon turned to look at the person he, personally, thought rivalled his mother’s beauty. Kyoko was leaning her head on her hand with a soft smile on her face as she listened to them talk. As usual, she hadn’t said anything to him this morning, though he’d made a point to say good morning to her. He even bit his tongue before he could playfully admonish her for leaving the bathroom door unlocked. No, Kyoko wouldn’t have taken kindly to that.
Neither would his mother, for that matter, if she realized that he'd walked in on Kyoko.
“So I’ll drive,” he said. “But I’m not driving that car of yours. Out of all the options you could have gone with, you got the slowest.”
His mother put her hand on her hip. “I like my car.”
“I don’t. The SUV is here, we’ll take that. I know the way to Rodeo. Where did you want to park?”
Julie shrugged. “If you want to drive, fine. I thought we’d park under Via Rodeo, that’s the prettiest part of the Drive and they decorate it so nicely for Christmas. I’m sure Kyoko will love it.”
Kyoko set down her tea. “So what exactly is this place?”
Both of them just turned and stared at her. “Rodeo Drive? You have to know what Rodeo Drive is.”
She shook her head.
It clicked. Kuon put his hands over his face. “Ro-dee-oh Drive.”
And just like that, Kuon could tell that everything suddenly made sense to Kyoko; her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped open a little.
“It’s Ro-DAY-oh, sweetie. And we’ll have so much fun shopping!”
Kyoko found her voice. “But isn’t it terribly expensive?!”
His mother just dismissed her question with a wave of her hand. “I shop there all the time and you’re keeping me company.”
Kyoko nodded, and Kuon wondered if Kyoko could see the trap that she was falling into. He knew very well that his mother had every intention of spoiling her, but at least his mother figured out that this needed to be done slowly, in steps.
“Let’s go before traffic gets even worse than I’m sure it already is for LA.”
*`*`*`*`*
“Let’s start with a cup of coffee. I like this cafe.” Julie headed to the little cafe, but Kyoko hung back.
“Can I… can I look around a little?”
Julie smiled at her. “Of course, you needn’t ask. This is an especially pretty part of the Drive, so look to your heart’s content. I’ll be right here with my coffee.” She turned to Kuon. “Are you going with her?”
Kuon shook his head and sat down with his mother. “I think I’ll join you for coffee.” He did watch as Kyoko wandered a bit further away from the cafe, though. “What happened last night?”
His mother turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“You went to go get Dad and Kyoko so we could start decorating and came back without them, but you were white as a sheet. Said we should start without them.”
“Ah. That. Well.” His mother turned back to the menu. “They were talking. I peeked in and saw them. It was a serious sort of conversation that I couldn’t interrupt.”
He waited. A waiter came and took their orders; black coffee for both of them. His mother didn’t seem like she was going to continue. “What was it about?”
Julie shook her head. “Your father promised Kyoko that he wouldn’t tell another soul. Of course, he told me because we share one soul--”
“I’m going to stop you there, because I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”
His mother leaned over the table and pinched his cheek. “Is this the mouth that is talking back to me? Is it?”
“Nope, that’s my cheek.”
Julie tapped him a little hard on the cheek. “You never used to respond that way.”
He smirked. “No, I didn’t, but then I discovered how amazing an answer it is.” He sighed. “So you aren’t going to tell me?”
She shook her head. “I’m sure you’ve guessed that it was a conversation about you, but no, I can’t tell you what they talked about. But I really do understand the situation much better now.”
“Yeah, well, I wish I did.” Their coffees arrived and he took a sip.
“Give it time. Give her time. I’m sure that it will eventually make sense.”
“What do you think I’ve been doing for the last six months, mother? I’ve been giving her time. If I didn’t go out of my way to talk to her -- knowing she’s not going to say anything back -- or find ways to see her, I wouldn’t have seen her at all, and well, I couldn’t take that. But I’m keeping my distance the best I can.”
His mother smiled at him. It was a bit sadder than he was expecting. “You really love Kyoko.”
He sighed. “You knew this already.”
She patted his hand. “Just don’t give up yet.”
“Easy for you to say. She avoids saying my name at all costs. I think I’ve only heard it a handful of times the last six months. Literally. And then only when I’ve tricked her into using it.” He leaned back and took another sip of coffee.
“Kuon?” And like magic, the sound he was just complaining about not hearing was heard.
He turned his head. Kyoko was approaching their table. “Yes, Kyoko-chan?” He smiled at her. His heart ached seeing her with such a sweet smile on her face.
She paused next to the table. “I was hoping that you’d come with me.” She bit her lip. “There are steps just over there,” she waved in the direction of Wiltshire. “They’re decorated and there’s a fountain, and I sort of wanted my picture taken so I can show Moko-san and Chiyorin and Yashiro-san--”
He downed the rest of his coffee and stood up. “Of course.” He glanced over at his mother, who smiled up at him.
“I’ll be right here sipping my coffee. I might get a pastry, too. We have plenty of time.”
Kuon followed Kyoko out and they walked toward the steps. He took her phone and snapped a picture of her standing sweetly by the decorated fountain, then walked up to her and stopped in front of her. “I think we can make it a better picture.” He motioned her to walk up the steps a bit.
She looked up at him and smiled. “What do you suggest?”
He took a breath and wrapped his hands around her waist. He was probably pushing things, but she was talking to him again -- why the hell not push it? Eventually, she’d realise that she’d even walked somewhere with him and then she’d slam the door closed again. Probably on his metaphorical fingers. He lifted her and held her until she balanced on the banister, turning her toward the side a little.
He walked away and turned to look at her in the frame of the phone. “Lean forward a little and don’t be cute. You’re in the land of fashion models.”
She did as he told her, holding onto the railing and leaning forward, letting out a bit of Natsu as she tilted her head to the side. He pressed the button to take the photo. It was good. He wondered if she’d let him have a copy of it. Probably not.
He wrapped his hands back around her waist and helped her off the banister. He held on a second or two longer than he absolutely needed to, but then she stepped away.
He smiled as he handed the phone back and watched as she looked at the pictures. “It’s really good! You’re right, that’s a much better picture.” She looked up at him through her lashes. “Thank you.”
They walked for a little while in silence, right past the cafe and his mother.
“There is such an eclectic assortment of people.”
“Oh?”
“Well, there’s people like you and your mother and then people like me. You know, just normal tourists.”
“Why do you say me and my mother?”
“Clotheshorse models.”
He stopped and blinked. “I am not a clotheshorse.”
Kyoko covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. “I’ve seen your closet.”
She had a point, but he had a better one. “But you haven’t seen my mother’s yet. Remind me to show you when we get home. Note, I did not say my parents’. She has her own. It’s the size of a room.”
She bit her lip, but was still smiling. He really had missed her smiling at him like that.
Kuon had to look away before he did something stupid like try and kiss her. His eyes caught on a coat in the window of the Versace store. Yeah, he might be a bit of a clotheshorse. It’d look really good with some of his outfits and didn’t look too heavy either, so it’d work in Tokyo.
“Go on. I’m going to head back to your mother.”
He sighed and went in.
*`*`*`*`*
“Did you lose my son?”
Kyoko shook her head and sat down. “No, he spotted a coat at Versace.”
“Oh, well, then he’s lost to us for a while. And here I thought I was going to have to send him off to Armani or Dior Homme so I could get some quality time with you.”
Kyoko laughed a little nervously. The way that Julie dropped the names of stores that she couldn’t even imagine going into was a little daunting. “Where did you want to go?”
“Me? Oh, no, I come here whenever I want. No, this is all about you, Kyoko.”
“What?”
Julie smiled at her. “It’s a shopping spree with my daughter. I always wanted a daughter, but instead I had Kuon. I adore him, but he is very much a boy. Well, I suppose he is more of a man now, but regardless, I don’t think he’ll let me put him in a dress. He didn’t even let me when he was little.”
Kyoko giggled at the idea of a little Kuon in a dress. It was amazingly ridiculous. But she sobered quickly. “Julie-san.” She paused at the sharp look. If she wasn’t careful, she might be getting her cheeks pinched. “Mom. I can’t let you do that.”
“Of course you can. You just go in and pick out the things that you like and I’ll pay for them. Simple.”
Kyoko shook her head and Julie sighed.
“Kyoko. I meant it. I really did want a girl, but Kuu and I never… well, he did eventually bring me home a girl. You. You’re my daughter, whether you like it or not. And you always will be. Even if Kuon manages to get married some day, you’ll still be my daughter.”
Kyoko swallowed. “But--”
“Oh, I know what you’ll say. In this hypothetical situation where some woman wants to put up with his nonsense, she’d be my daughter-in-law, and that is not the same thing at all. So just this once, let me have my dream and go shopping with my daughter.”
Kyoko sighed.
Julie smiled. It was like she could tell that Kyoko was going to give in. “I promise, nothing that can’t fit in your baggage allowance.”
Kyoko nodded. Her suitcase was pretty full already, but she could probably fit a sweater or a another pair of pants.
*`*`*`*`*
Kyoko sighed and Kuon laughed as he organized bag after bag into the trunk of the Porsche.
“Your mistake was not understanding the term ‘baggage allowance’.”
Kyoko looked at him.
He smiled wide. “The baggage allowance for First Class on our flight is three thirty-kilogram suitcases. That would just be for checked luggage.”
“That’s… ninety kilos?!” Kyoko paused. “My suitcase only weighed eighteen to begin with! And I only have the one!”
Julie walked up with a small bag on her wrist. “Oh, really? You only have the one suitcase? I think we have time to stop at Dolce & Gabbana or Louis Vuitton before we leave for a new set!” She tossed the little bag into one of the others. “Come on.”
Kuon snickered and grabbed Kyoko’s hand. She really would need a new luggage set to put all the things that his mother bought her. He shut the trunk and pressed the lock button on the remote.
Then again, he might need a new suitcase, too. Maybe Kyoko was right and he really was a bit of a clotheshorse.
*`*`*`*`*
Kuon pulled into the marina. “So what exactly are we doing?”
His mother smiled, got out, and knocked on the window so that Kyoko would as well. She turned around and waved. “We’re meeting your father and going out on a yacht. Your father’s friend is letting us borrow it for a few hours.”
“A yacht?”
Julie smiled at her. “Yes! It’s even usually decorated a little for Christmas. A little too understated, in my opinion, but well, to each their own!”
“There you are!” Kuu came over. “You just missed Bobby, he pulled out about a minute before I saw the Porsche turning in. How’d Kuon convince you to let him drive?”
Julie smiled and gave Kuu a quick hello kiss. “He didn’t. LA traffic did.” She turned and smirked a bit at Kuon. “Made driving the faster car silly, didn’t it, honey?”
There was no way he would ever concede the argument that his mother’s car didn’t suck. “The handling on the Porsche is better; not as good as my Carrera, but still better than your Jag.”
Kyoko stood to the side. “So, he’s a clotheshorse and a petrolhead.”
Kuon’s parents both laughed.
“Are you incapable of finding things that are complementary about me, Kyoko-chan?”
Kyoko smiled up at him. “Well, you’re attractive, but then everyone knows that. You are a model after all.”
Kuon’s eyes went wide. How did she just manage to make calling him attractive sound like an insult? He couldn’t even appreciate that she had called him attractive because now he felt shallow.
Kuu snorted. “Decided to take pity on him and talk to him again, Kyoko-chan?”
Kyoko nodded.
“She is not taking pity on me at all.”
His mother linked arms with Kyoko and headed toward the catamaran that they were borrowing. “You’ll love it, Kyoko. Usually, we go out with Robert and his family, but occasionally we ask to borrow the yacht, and he never minds. He’s acted with Kuu a handful of times and the two are pretty good friends.”
The boat was indeed decked out for Christmas. Kuon settled into one of the seats toward the back.
“Bobby had his holiday party on here a few days ago, which is probably why it’s still decorated.” Kuu sat down next to him. “Just told the crew that we can leave when they’re ready.”
Once they reached the open ocean, a stewardess came up to them. By then, Julie and Kyoko had come back and they were all sitting around the table, though Kyoko kept twisting to the side to look at the water. “Mr Hizuri, my employer told me that you’re welcome to anything he has on board, as usual. It’s a bit more robust since he just had the party a couple of nights ago. Should I prepare some hors d'oeuvres? There are beef sliders, samosas, devils on horseback, crudites, paneer pakora--”
His father smiled at her. “Oh, you know me, Alicia, a little of everything, and all of anything that absolutely has to be eaten.”
The stewardess laughed. “I know, but I’m still required to ask. It’s my job.” She looked over at Kuon, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Anything specific for you?”
He leaned back, ran his hands through his hair, and sighed. “No, I’m good. Thanks.”
She smiled at him, her gaze lingering. “Well, let me know.”
Kyoko was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. She used to hate it when waitstaff flirted with him, but apparently today his discomfiture amused her. Of course it did. He was only uncomfortable because Kyoko was just on the other side of of his father.
“And for the two of you?”
His mother’s smile was sparkling. “A glass of rosé for everyone.”
“But--” Kyoko started.
“For everyone,” his mother cut her off.
Kuon put his face in his hands. “Don’t do that,” he said when Alicia the stewardess had walked away.
“Don’t do what?”
“She probably thinks you’re mad at her now, Mom.”
Julie sighed. “Well, I didn’t appreciate the obvious flirting. She could have been more subtle.”
Kyoko covered her mouth and laughed, and everyone looked at her. She stopped. “Oh, no, I’m sorry, I’m just surprised is all.”
Kuon looked at her curiously. Alicia set down the wine glasses and poured.
“Oh, I’ve just seen that exact smile on your face plenty of times. Why did you think that I’d try to run away half the time?” She paused. “You don’t do it anymore, of course, but it used to be a mainstay of yours.” She looked over at the stewardess for a brief moment. “There’s nothing quite like sitting in your car with you on the way to your apartment to make you dinner, seeing that particular smile, and wondering just what I did that made you angry this time.”
If Kuon didn’t know better, he would say that Kyoko was practically staking her claim on him. Which she wouldn’t. She’d never done such a thing in the past.
He frowned. It was only then that he realised that the last half was spoken in Japanese directly to him, and he wasn’t exactly sure why. He’d have to think about it. He switched the conversation back to English.
“Most likely you’d said something that either made me feel jealous or not special.” He leaned forward. “I never liked sharing you.”
Kyoko blushed.
“Remind me to not sit between the two of you now that you’re speaking again.” Kuu patted Kuon on the shoulder. “Let me out so I can go and sit next to your mother instead.” And just like that, the spell was broken. Kuon got out and his father slid past him and headed around the table; Kyoko took the opportunity to get out as well, and went over to edge to look out at the open water.
Julie looked over at Kyoko. “I didn’t know that you ever smiled like that, Kuon.”
He shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Ren did.” His father supplied.
“Ah.”
Kuon was getting annoyed with the way that everyone around him seemed to know what was going on and he didn’t.
“Oh!” Kyoko’s delighted cry distracted him, and he headed over to the edge as well.
“What?”
She pointed out to the water. “Is that what I think it is?”
The tailfin of a whale slapped the water a short ways away, making a splash. “It’s a whale. Can’t tell the species based on just that glimpse of tail, though.”
Kyoko smiled, and he leaned down and put his head on his folded arms. She was gorgeous. The wind was blowing her hair, and she lifted a hand to brush it aside.
“Look! Another one!”
He turned his head. Another whale -- or maybe it was the same one -- surfaced and splashed back down. “That’s a humpback.” He scoured his brain for anything he could remember about the whales around here. “There’s a slim chance we might see a gray whale as well. They’re smaller than a blue whale, but still really large; they’re just starting their migration down south. There might be others. It’s been a while, I can’t remember all the details.”
She smiled at him and then looked back out at the water. “Any whale is all right. I didn’t even realise it was a possibility. They’re majestic.”
He nodded. The awe and respect in her voice stilled his heart for a moment. He went back to watching her. She moved further down the railing as something caught her eye, but he didn’t move or follow, just watched.
His mother came up and turned his head. “The water’s that way.”
“The view was better before.”
“Was it?”
He stood up and stretched out, holding onto the railing as he did so. “Immensely.” He turned and put his back to the rail and looked at his mother. “This was a good plan.”
“You always loved going out on a boat, though we had to keep a close eye on you to make sure that you didn’t jump in to go for a swim.” She paused. “Should I still be keeping an eye out?”
He shook his head. “The ocean water is a little cold right now. Though I’ll probably go for a swim at home in the morning again.”
“We’re leaving early, aren’t we?”
He nodded. “Not too early, though. I see no reason to leave before eight, maybe nine.” He paused. “We’re all early risers. Well, except for dad, though he doesn’t complain about getting up early.”
“Your dad thinks that the 105 is going to be the fastest way there. I assume that we’ll take the Porsche again since the two of you hate my car so much.” His mother pouted.
“Hate is a strong word, but appropriate.” He kissed the top of his mother’s head and laughed.
“Kyoko’s going to be beyond surprised.”
He grinned. “That’s the plan.”
“Kuon! Dolphins! I swear those are dolphins!”
He pushed off the railing and went to go see if Kyoko was right. He was pretty sure he could dig up a myth or legend about dolphins that would entertain her.
*`*`*`*`*
Kyoko took the small mug from Julie and lifted it to her nose. It was hot wine. She sighed and watched as Julie sat next to her.
“Don’t say it. I don’t care. You’re in my house, and I say it’s all right. It’s just the one cup.” Julie lifted her own mug of wine to her lips and took a sip. “This is Christmas.”
“Hot wine?”
The beautiful woman shook her head. “Mulled wine. It’s spiced. I know I have many failings in the kitchen -- as much as I like to pretend that I don’t -- but mulled wine at Christmas time is something that I can do.” She smiled.
Kyoko took a small sip. It was good. It warmed her up in ways that the fire pit she was sitting in front of did not. It wasn’t terribly cold, but it was cold enough to enjoy a hot beverage.
“Both sets of my grandparents came over from different parts of Europe. I’m a bit of a European mongrel, but most of Europe does these Christmas markets outside during the season. And many of them have mulled wine.”
Kyoko nodded. “Tokyo sets up a European-style Christmas market, though I’ve never been."
“I’ve never been to one either, believe it or not. Europe at Christmas isn’t something Kuu and I have done. I really should make him take me.” She brushed a lock of hair out of her face. “Have real mulled wine from a vendor. Mulled wine and Christmas sweaters. There’s nothing cozier.”
Kyoko looked at the sweater that Julie was wearing and couldn’t help the giggle. It was ridiculous.
“Oh, you like my Christmas Beasts sweater?”
All sorts of animals were piled up on top of each other in a vague Christmas tree shape, wearing Santa hats. Some of the hats were actually pom-poms. It was… “it’s interesting.”
Julie laughed. “Kuon picked this out for me when he was eleven. I wasn’t so surprised that it was covered in animals. He loves them.”
Kyoko nodded. Ren had always seemed indifferent to animals, but Kuon… well, birds practically flocked to him, and there wasn’t a dog in a park that wouldn’t come up wagging its tail given half a chance. Taking him to a zoo would probably be dangerous. An image of a giraffe nuzzling the top of his head popped into her mind, and she laughed.
“Something funny?”
“Oh, I was just thinking that he was probably a handful at the zoo.”
Julie smiled. “Oh he was. Until he realised the enclosures were just elaborate cages, and then he refused to go.” Julie frowned for a second and then smiled. “So of course we decided that this meant we needed to take him on a safari. And we did.”
“A safari? Like in Africa with the jeeps and things?”
Julie nodded. “Just once. I about had a heart attack four or five times a day. He kept trying to run off whenever the jeep stopped. I was sure that he was going to be eaten by a lion.”
Kyoko laughed and took another sip of her wine, enjoying the way that it warmed her. “I don’t think I’ve heard many stories about him growing up from Kuon.”
“Well, it’s not like he’s had much of a chance to tell you. You’ve only known Kuon for a few months. There’s time.”
Kyoko looked at her and tilted her head to the side.
“Now you mustn’t be mad at Kuu, we share one soul, so he didn’t lie to you, even though he did tell me about your conversation.”
Kyoko’s mother opened in a small “o”.
“But I think that I understand. I never thought of that guy, Ren, as my son because he wasn’t. My son was adorable… well, maybe not when he left or for a time before that, but,” she glanced back toward the house, where Kyoko knew that Kuu had trapped Kuon for some father-son bonding of some sort. Something to do with a train. “I’m glad to have my adorable son back. Thank you for that.”
“Why are you thanking me?”
“Because without you, he never would have come home to me. He’d still be holding onto that watch, demanding to himself that he repent, stuck in a loop. Not living his life as he should. But he can now.” Julie looked at her. “So thank you.” She paused. “I do have one more favour to ask of you, though.”
Kyoko looked over at her.
“Well, two. The first is that you give Kuon a proper chance.”
Kyoko nodded. “And the second?” If it was something like “and then marry him” she’d have to refuse.
“Help me with Christmas Eve dinner? I wanted to do it properly, and I found some old family recipes, but…”
“Tell me about them?”
*`*`*`*`*
“You used to get so much more absorbed with putting the train together. It barely took us twenty minutes this year.”
His father came up behind him from where he was standing, looking out onto the deck, the pool, and the outdoor couch and fire pit where his mother and Kyoko were sitting, laughing and talking.
“I used to be thirteen or younger. The train was awesome then.”
“That and we never let your girlfriends stay over. Girls are a distraction.” His father pushed a cup into his hand. Kuon took a sip before looking around for the cookie tin that he knew had to be somewhere. If his mother made mulled wine, Aunt Abby’s vanilla almond cookie things wouldn’t be far off.
He spotted it on the side table. “Kyoko is not my girlfriend.” He went and grabbed a couple and handed one to his father, who popped it whole into his mouth.
“I’m well aware.”
Kuon shook his head. “Then why are you bringing it up?”
“Because I’ve never seen you this far gone over a girl before.” His dad chuckled. “Honestly, it’s pretty hilarious.” He paused. “It’s a nice sight, isn’t it? The two of them sitting there, talking. I really think your mother likes her.”
“That’ll be a first.”
“She never did like any of your girlfriends growing up.”
“They were always too something.”
“Too clingy.”
“Too whiny.”
“Too old.”
Kuon sighed. “Cassie was only two years older than me.”
“I think, back then, two years seemed like an incredible gulf.”
“And four years younger isn’t?” Kuon sighed and took a bite of cookie. It was more for nostalgia than anything else. Besides, if he had a mouthful of cookie, he couldn’t talk.
Kuu shrugged. “I don’t know. I think that Kyoko might actually act older than you sometimes.”
Kuon took a deep breath. “Really? You think that I’m that immature? I think I’m insulted.”
His father shook his head. “No, I think that Kyoko is too mature for her age sometimes. Not in all the ways, but I think in some, she’s like you. Grew up too fast. It’s one of the reasons that your mother and I wanted her here for Christmas this year. Give her a bit of family love.”
Kuon nodded. “Just don’t ever adopt her for real, please? That would be so very creepy. I’ve done the too-close sibling routine with her once before, and I never want to do that again.” He groaned.
Kuu’s eyebrows lifted as he looked at him. “Too-close siblings?”
Kuon shook his head. “Forget it. Please don’t ask.” His father didn’t actually ever find out about Cain and Setsu, and now he’d just blurted it out.
“Was it a Boss thing?”
Kuon nodded.
“Then I probably don’t want to know.”
Kuon breathed a sigh of relief.