"Your brother's alive." Tam muttered the words, barely conscious of what he was saying, mind going a thousand miles a minute. "If he were dead, you'd know it. Your aura would know it. But he's alive. Your aura confirms it." The half fae started pacing. "I'm guessing this started about ten years ago... I was in Germany at the time, I'll look into events from then. I can then see where that trail leads, no trail is cold to a fae...."
I looked to the side. "Don't bother." I said, balling my hands into fists, I looked down and shouldering past him. "I don't want nor need your help, and there's no chance you'll find him in a million years, if... when he comes back, he'll come back of his own accord, not because of some nosey fairy that doesn't know when to leave people be." I said, with that, I descended the stairs and began to cook the bread and noodles, the sauce nearly fully cooked at this point.
No wonder he shuts himself off from everyone else... his parents are terrible.... Pictures of him in places he doesn't want to be, riches out the gazoo, but, it seems like they hold their kids as prizes... no better than their knicknacks on the mantlepiece...
After setting the dining room for the seven of them, I walked out to the living room where everyone was relaxing. "Dinner's ready, just go to the dining room." I said before turning around and walking back into the kitchen to grab the food.
I look up towards Joe as he comes into the room. "...Alright." I say getting up and looking towards Cindy and then Erza. "I guess he's calmed down a bit." I then quietly make my way into the dining room taking one of the chairs and sitting down. "It smells good...." I mutter.
Erza nods,"He just needed some Tam time." She stood up and went to collect Edgar who followed her into the dining room and sat down at the table with a sleepy expression. "It smells wonderful. I'm starving." Erza smiled,"It does. Good job Joe...it smells like Italy."
I came in with four plates, one in each hand and on each arm and set down one in front of four people, Chrysalis first, and then went back and brought in the last three plates and set the two down in front of the remaining two and sat down with mine last, on the plate were two pieces of garlic bread, baked until it was golden brown a serving of spaghetti. "Chrysalis has first dibs on the leftovers." I said simply before I began eating, just staring at my own food.
"Thank you." I quietly say towards Joe as he sets down one of the plates in front of me. I then begin eating quietly trying some of the spaghetti first. "Hehe It's good. Thank you for making dinner Joe." I smile continuing to eat to myself. "I think I really like this bread the most." I say happily.
Cindy sat next to Chryss and started smothering her spaghetti with parmesan cheese, which she then handed over to Tam, who had sat down with Noroi. "Thank you," Tam said. "If I may, pardon me, Joe, but, where are your drinks? I think a toast is needed, for Chryss."
I got up. "What does everyone want, I have all sorts of juices, soda, teas, water..." I said, I crossed my arms. "Or I can crack open the wine cellar doors in about five to ten seconds." I said shrugging, I had cracked that thing open several times, I knew that lock like the back of my hand, a while back I had tried alcohol to deal with my pain, but I just felt shittier the next morning and decided never to touch the stuff again, but to infuriate my parents, I'd hide bottles of wine all over the house, especially whenever company was coming over, in fairly obvious places where they'd be likely to find them. My father did have a drinking habit, however, they managed to keep it under wraps, hides the good stuff somewhere in his study, but... rumors do tend to spread through this community like a wild fire, so now they both seem like alcoholics.
"I think I'll have just juice...any kind is fine.....Though I cannot condone the alcohol for anyone....it just dulls the senses and provides no real benefit than the fleeting buzz one gets. But....I-I guess if others want it...I wont stop them. " I mutter being quiet again and just eating my food with a small sigh.
Erza winked at him whilst slurping up some spaghetti,"Sotty Chryss...but after the shitpile we call of a first mission. I am definitely thinking of parching my morals. Oi Joe, if your willing to spare some wine! I am in...just no one calls me mom." Edgar shook his head,"Water...should be..." Erza covered his mouth,"Forbidden...Wine. He wants wine." She let go of her hand and nudged him,"We drink together friend. It's a sign of kinship back in the home country." Edgar rolled, his eyes but shrugged,"Fine..only a glass..."
"Sake, if you have it," Noroi said. "Or a wheat beer." "I'll have wine," Cindy stated. "I'll have a spot of tea," Tam said. "Rose tea, please."
I nodded and walked off, coming back a few minutes later with a bottle apple juice, a bottle of sake, which I had to go to my father's study to fetch from his private stash, a bottle of water, and finally a bottle of 1985 Henri Jayer Richebourg Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, a fifteen to twenty five thousand dollar bottle of wine. I walked around and filled everyone's glass and then walked off and came back with a tea kettle and poured some hot rose tea for Tam. "There." I said simply, I put away everything aside from the bottle of sake and the bottle of wine and sat down with my water and began to eat. Outside there was the sound of a car pulling up, I didn't react and continued eating.
"Well, a toast to winning," Tam said lifting his cup of tea. "Kanpai!" Noroi cheered, raising his glass of sake. Cindy followed suit, then looked around. "Are your parents home, Joe?"
I nod my head to Joe when he fills my glass. "Thank you for all of this. I know you did not have to do this in anyway. We won't get you in trouble with um.... your relatives will we? " I say with a frown hearing the sound of the car.
Erza shouted taking a large gulp of wine,"HOT DAMN WE DID! WE RULE GUYS!?!" Edgar took a sniff of the wine then a small sip before spitting it back into the glass and licking his lips,"That's absolutely superb Joe. Beautiful choice, and yes I have to agree with Nia, thank you for housing us for the night. i am aware that we are an inconvenience."
I raised my glass silently, but inside I was toasting to a victory yet to happen. This next part was going to be fun. I knew they'd be walking up the pathway now... then the keys would be entering the door... and finally the door opened. "It's no trouble at all, well, they won't act like it at least." I said, an amused tone in my voice. "I'm in the dining room and we have guests." I called out as I removed my trench coat and put my elbows on the table, resting my head on my hands... and clearly showing off several cuts crisscrossed on my wrists, some were fresh while others were merely scars or were still healing and were in different stages of healing... including a few long ones going along my arms, a few of them looked like they only were a week old at best, I wanted them to squirm. A man in his mid to late thirties entered, he was around six feet tall and was wearing a plain black suit and tie, there was a definite resemblance between me and him, he had short neatly trimmed brown hair and brown eyes, everything about him was immaculate, not even a hair out of place. Same with the woman that entered next. She had long brown hair that went to her back and brown eyes, she was wearing a blue jacket, plain white blouse, and a black skirt, everything about her seemed... perfect. She had a slim build, nothing too skinny, but not an ounce of noticeable fat, her face was perfectly symmetrical, her nose was proportionate to her face, her nails were perfectly manicured and all of her make-up was done just right, not too much to cause a lot of notice, but enough to enhance her features, she couldn't have looked a day over twenty five. They glanced over at everyone. "Why hello there." The woman said, she turned to me. "Are these your friends?" She asked, it was evident that she was trying to hide surprise and... discomfort. "Nope." I said... I was... smiling, there was no warmth within it though. I was enjoying their discomfort, especially when she saw the cuts and turned her eyes away to one of the corners of the room. "Who are they then?" She asked, crossing her arms, seeming even more worried. "Acquaintances that needed a place to shelter for the night, you did teach me to be hospitable, did you not?" I asked, tilting my head. She merely bit her lip and then glanced at the plates. "Anything for your poor parents?" She asked, it seemed like she knew the answer already. "Nope, you can just cook yourself, can't you Sharon? Can't rely on your kid for meals now can you?" I asked, the smile on my face widening, knowing that she couldn't cook worth a damn. Finally her gaze fell to the wine and sake bottles left in the center of the table and pursed her lips. My father's gaze followed her own and saw the alcohol. "Joseph Nobunaga where did you get that?" He asked, pointing at the sake. I began laughing, a cold and cruel laugh that echoed through the dining room, putting the two on edge. "Don't act as if you don't know you old lush, your precious secret stash that you think is sooo well hidden, my guests just didn't want wine, so I merely fulfilled their request, you did tell me that a host must supply their guest with whatever they desire, no? It would be oh so rude." I said, my smile turning into a cruel sneer, knowing they wouldn't yell, not in front of others and tarnish their reputation. My father finally saw the label on the bottle of wine and he clenched his teeth and his fists, trying, and failing to, keep a calm demeanor in front of so many people. "Joseph, what were you thinking, giving alcohol to minors, and this was our wine for our twentieth anniversary!" He said, slightly raising his voice. I smirked. "Ah, but Gerald, you intend to flaunt it to those you'll invite to the inevitable party you'll have, it'll flow like a waterfall until every last drop is gone and all the while you'll gloat about how expensive it is in your subtle little way. I also don't see you scolding the minors there that sneak a drink from the table, oh no, because that would put a damper on your parties now, wouldn't it? Furthermore, you said that wine was for a special occasion. I don't see how celebrating twenty years of this unholy and empty union is anything special... mmm... I'm finished and the smell of hypocrisy is giving me a headache, I think I'll be heading off to bed before I choke on this rotten stench." I said stretching, making sure that my wrists were pointing straight at them, that they'd have no way to pretend that they didn't see them and then grabbed my trench coat and briskly walked out of the room, shoving past the two when they tried to get in my way. It was certainly a fun night.
After a wide gap of silence, Erza stands up and lifts her glass,"Well...Happy Early Anniversary." She sucked down the rest of the wine and rubbed her finger against the rim of the glass,"This is awkward." Edgar rubbed his hair back angry that Joe used the group as a bloody vendetta against his parents. He stood, trying to back up Erza,"We were unaware that our presence here would be an inconvenience or burden on your hospitality. Our school locked up before we could return and not many of us have enough money to afford a hotel for the night. Seeming as Joe offered we just assumed it would be alright with you. We are...like Joe, students at the school and highly appreciate welcoming us into your home, even if you weren't properly mentioned of our presence." Erza nodded,"Yah...I can whip up something in the kitchen if yer hungry. Me mom and I always cook together."
Cindy, in the meantime, was rummaging through her nearly invisible pockets, and pulled out a small card, holding it between her fingers. "French ID," she mouthed to Tam. "Legal to drink. In any country." Tam hid a grin, and focused on Joe's parents. They didn't seem like nice people, but, Joe also didn't seem like a good son...
Sharon looked down, her expression full of sorrow. "I don't know why he treats us this way... we try and get close to him but he just keeps pushing us away... he tells nasty lies about us... he's been so disturbed ever since his brother died... he insists that he's still alive... we're just so... so... worried for him, are we bad parents? Did we do something wrong?" She asked, a few tears rolling down her cheeks, eventually cupping her face in her hands and giving a few light sobs. Gerald just wrapped an arm around her comfortingly.
I quietly stand up from the table looking to both Sharon and Gerald. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure none of us can answer your questions unfortunately, since this the first time we have met you both. Though this is none of my business and I know this. But I advise you that Joe is his own person and therefore has his own thoughts. So whatever is going on with him with this rebellion then perhaps there is something you need to reflect on? Surely something caused this?"
"Leon's death." Gerald said. "After he died, he just wasn't the same... he just shut himself off from the world, he began to take his anger out on us, he's deluded himself into thinking that Leon is still alive." He said shaking his head. "He needs to just... let go like the rest of us, there's no way he survived, if he had, he would have come back to us." He said.
Tam frowned at the parents, thinking. Are they lying? His brother isn't dead... I know this... So why would they say he was... maybe they do think he's dead... Something just seemed off about the whole thing. And the mother cried at the drop of a hat too...
I frown a bit. "Well....that wouldn't be all if he is reacting that badly to you both. Unless you took hostile actions against his thoughts of his brother's death you should not be treated like this......One of the pictures with just you both and Joe seems to have him smiling." I say on the quieter side. "Something must have happened then."
