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When Ethan said he was bringing his boyfriend home, Mr. Nakamura, an honest to goodness Japanese businessman, dreaded to meet the son of an infamous criminal.
Mr. Nakamura still has nightmares about that time when a 7 year old Ethan hid at the Stolls mansion with Sarah Stoll (A WORLD FAMOUS THIEF!). Ethan was playing with his new classmates in the playground when monsters started to attack them. His nanny, who could not see through the Mist, did not understand what was going on. Poor little Ethan and his two new friends, who turned out to be also demigods, had to fend for themselves. Luckily, Ms. Stoll arrived in time and rescued the children. She took the children to her home to hide them. Ethan’s nanny adamantly refused to take Ethan to a stranger’s house (even if she was his classmates’ mom) but Ethan was wailing in fear and the two kids would not let go of his hands so she relented in the end. Sarah Stoll eventually did manage to drive the monsters away.
Mr. Nakamura did not know how a mere mortal could do it.
But then again, this was a mortal who had two children with one god. Whichever god fell madly in love with a criminal must have been insane.
(Must be an Olympian. They have low standards. His Nemesis would never.)
The mere thought of Ethan being in love with one of her children makes him shudder.
The week before Travis arrived, he installed security alarms around almost everything in their house: the china cabinet, the heirlooms, the art. Every room had brand new locks. He also hid every spoon and fork in their house and brought out chopsticks that were hard to use instead. He asked the cook to prepare Traditional Japanese food that foreigners hate and the most bitter tea they have. He did everything he could to scare the boy (son of a criminal!) away.
To say that Ethan was both extremely shocked and embarrassed when they arrived was putting it lightly. He excused himself and his father after an alarm sounded off when Travis tried to touch a vase.
"What is wrong with our house?!" Ethan whispered aggressively to his father.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with our house, Eita. This is the best our house has been." He replied calmly.
"You had an alarm set. For a vase. That we bought at a department store for 70 percent off!" Ethan hit the door with the back of his hand. "Why is this door locked?!"
"I installed a new lock in every room in this house."
"Oh my gods!" Ethan rubbed his face with both palms. "He's not going to steal anything here, you know. Not from me."
"You don't know that. Thieves do not distinguish between friend and foe. He still might steal from you."
"He might now. From you.” Ethan spread his arms. “Because of all these!"
Ethan grunted and walked away before his father could respond. They went back to the living room when Travis came out of the powder room on their way back.
The door automatically locked behind him.
Both Nakamura men raised a brow. Every door in this house was locked.
"Hey. Everything okay?" Travis asked.
"Yes." Ethan replied, eyeing the door behind his boyfriend. "I'm hungry, should we go have dinner?"
"Sure." Travis replied. He smiled at Mr. Nakamura. "After you, sir?"
Mr. Nakamura led them to the dining room and Ethan cursed in Greek when he saw what was being served.
"Really? I'm going to cook fried chicken." Ethan said.
"No, it's fine." Travis held Ethan's hand to stop him from going to the kitchen. "These look nice. Very... oriental."
"We're an Oriental family." Mr. Nakamura replied.
"Of course you are, sir." Travis replied back, smiling.
They sat down and it seems like his father wasn't done from pissing Ethan off.
"Travis doesn't know how to chopsticks." He told his father.
"He shouldn't have dated a Japanese man, then."
"Oh my god." Ethan replied in indignation. "What is wrong with y-"
"I'm just saying, I thought your boyfriend would appreciate the best we have. These are the most exquisite chopsticks we have, the best menu we have to offer. And if he cannot-"
"I agree, sir." Travis cut him off, the amusement in his blue eyes has not faded once since he came into this house, which is honestly pissing Mr. Nakamura off. What on Earth does it take to annoy this kid, gods help him.
"These are very exquisite indeed, I appreciate it." He caressed the chopsticks with two fingers gently. "4097 Yen a pair, yes?"
Mr. Nakamura's mouth opened slightly in shock. "How did you know?"
"Hmm, I'm good at figuring out an object's worth. Son of a thief, remember?" He smiled.
Mr. Nakamura was dumbfounded. The boy wasn't even trying to deny it. He was going to reply something snarky when Ethan interrupted. "Let's just eat, I'm starving. Also, I hate this menu."
He put his hands together, received his food*, and picked up his chopsticks to start eating. Travis followed those movements with his eyes: the way Ethan picked up the chopsticks, how he held it, how he picked up the food, how he brought it to his mouth... This action did not escape Mr. Nakamura's attention. What was surprising to him was Travis did it to him too. He eyed his fingers, his arm, his elbow, his wrist as he took his first bite-- as if he was trying to imprint into his mind every hand movement.
Mr. Nakamura scoffed. As if someone could learn how to use chopsticks merely by obsevation.
"I guess I'll start eating too." Travis said.
"You have to receive the food properly in this table." Ethan reminded him.
"I know." He put his hands together. "Itadakimasu*."
Mr. Nakamura waited as Travis picked up the chopsticks. He cannot wait to see how this boy would fumble with the utensils.
But he was deeply disappointed. Travis used the chopsticks with elegance and grace and didn't seem to be to be having a hard time with it.
"You said he didn't know how to use it." he told Ethan.
"He's good with his hands." Ethan smirked. "And excellent at mimicking hand movements."
Mr. Nakamura glared at his son. "An inherited trait from his mother, I suppose?"
He heard Travis chuckle.
"Gods, no. Mom's bad with her hands, she uses her words to fool people instead." Travis still has that annoying smile on his face. "These are daddy's skills."
"Daddy? The god?"
"Yep."
"And who is your godly father, Travis?"
Travis looked him straight in the eyes and grinned widely. "Hermes."
Mr. Nakamura swallowed and blinked slowly. "Hermes?"
"Yeah. You know. Messenger of the gods, god of travel, trade, wealth." He picked up a mushroom with his chopsticks. He started speaking in perfect Japanese. "Communication, sports, borders."
He smiled and winked at Mr. Nakamura. "And thieves." He put the mushroom in his mouth and chewed.
"And thieves." Mr. Nakamura repeated.
Travis swallowed and smiled. "Hai."
That was the most awkward family meal Ethan ever had in his life.
"Eita, show your boyfriend his room." Mr. Nakamura told his son after dinner. "The servant upstairs will tell Travis the code to his room."
"Oh, don't worry about it sir." Travis opened the locked china cabinet he was inspecting. "There is almost no manmade lock in this world I cannot open."
Mr. Nakamura’s jaw dropped. The boy had the audacity to do a jazz hands in front of him
The cabinet locked itself under Travis’s hand. "Goodnight, Mr. Nakamura. Thank you for you hospitality. Sleep tight tonight."
Mr. Nakamura did not sleep tight that night.