Apt. #632A- The Spenser Residence

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I sorry. I done bad job of been you niisan, big broter. Will try harder, yeah."

"Aw, Aidousan, that's not it... you didn't do anything wrong, really, I just..." She sighed, hating the awkward feeling of being in the wrong and knowing that she totally was. And to really explain herself, she was afraid that she would have to explain why it was she jumped on him so quick about insulting himself. It was difficult enough making herself look like an idiot to Yukito, but to add more to the ranks of those that knew how truly hopeless she was... it was just an awful thought. So she hoped he'd be okay with her slightly lame and vague response. "It just kind of bothers me when people call themselves stupid like that... because it's not true, they're calling themselves stupid when they don't even know what that really means, and...About snapping at you on the internet... I dunno, I was just worried about Yukito and defensive and on edge and stuff, and took it out on you... sorry..."

"I... I no can...helped," responded Aidousan with a shaky breath. God, seriously, what had she done to make him this upset? She couldn't figure it at all. And that worried her-- that Aidousan would react so strongly to a couple of thoughtless comments, it really did make her worry about the reasons behind it. "Saikochan, please try... try uns-s-sand." He leaned back and took her hands in his but did not meet her eyes. "I... I try... helped Yu-k-k-itok-kun... he... he no wants me helped wit tat. We... we no do-done. Tat. Uns...unsand?"

Erin shook her head, feeling sorry that, no, she didn't understand it at all. She didn't understand a lot of things about him and about Yukito, and Erin wondered if she ever would. "I'm sorry." It shouldn't be any of my business anyway how they get along or how their friendship works, as long as it does. I need to shut up and mind my own business about it, I know, and I'm sorry.

"Imouto..." he continued, "You... you... you is... okay, wit... me... love... Cassiechan? I... I do... Love her."

The fact that he had to ask nearly floored her. Had she acted otherwise? Had she said otherwise? Hadn't Cassie told him how crazy she was about going on double dates and other such lame couple things? "Aidousan, of course I am! You're all she ever talks about, and she's so happy with you, why would I want anything else for her?" She smiled softly, tone equally quiet. "I love that you love her, really, I do."

Just as the words left her mouth, another whispered voice joined hers: "Please don't leave."

Jumping a little at the suddenness, Erin's eyes shot up, searching for the source of the voice. "You can't. You can't leave."

"Cassie!" Erin breathed, relieved. "Holy crap, you scared me." She couldn't help but giggle at her own nervousness and jumpiness, letting out another relieved sigh. "Cassie... he's--" Then Erin thought that maybe they'd want to kiss and make up or whatever, and since apparently Erin was the source of all the drama, that maybe she should bow out. "Guess my part's done..." she looked to them both with a knowing smile. "So unless you need me, I'll..." she trailed off, gesturing to her doorway before standing to her feet.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"About snapping at you on the internet... I dunno, I was just worried about Yukito and defensive and on edge and stuff, and took it out on you... sorry..."

"I... I no can...helped," he said, trying to steady himself but having no strength to do so. "Saikochan, please try... try uns-s-sand. I... I try... helped Yu-k-k-itok-kun... he... he no wants me helped wit tat. We... we no do-done. Tat. Uns...unsand?"

"I'm sorry." was all she said. Why? The simple fact was, him and Yukitokun helped each other by not talking about it. They managed to get stronger by not talking about it, and they also found strength in each other when there were no probing questions.

"Imouto... You... you... you is... okay, wit... me... love... Cassiechan? I... I do... Love her."

Saikochan seemed upset by this question, but it was the one he had been dying to ask every seen he'd seen other people not approve. He just needed someone else to think it was a good idea. Just one other person. He lived for people and needed people's support. "Aidousan, of course I am! You're all she ever talks about, and she's so happy with you, why would I want anything else for her?" she asked, and he saw her smile. This gave him the strength to smile in return. "I love that you love her, really, I do."

Kagayaki opened his mouth to say how relieved that made him - even though he didn't know what to say - someone else spoke. "Please don't leave." Him and Saikochan both jumped and looked up at Cassiechan, shocked by the sudden sound. "You can't. You can't leave."

"Cassie! Holy crap, you scared me." Saikochan cried, and Kagayaki had a feeling this was an English mirror of his exact thoughts. "Cassie... he's-- Guess my part's done... So unless you need me, I'll..."

"No go." he said, running to Cassiechan and pulling her into a tight hug. "No meaned maked you saded, Cassiechan... Demo... Saikochan..." He looked over at Saikochan and smiled sadly. "Thank you. Maked me talked about. Been good. Been okay." Then he kissed Cassiechan and held her close. "No go. Me no go." He ran his hand down her cheek. "Pomis."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"You... you... you is... okay, wit... me... love... Cassiechan? I... I do... Love her."

"Aidousan, of course I am!" Erin said, sounding surprised. You're all she ever talks about, and she's so happy with you, why would I want anything else for her? I love that you love her, really, I do." I love that you love me too.

She had to say something. It was killing her that they didn't know she was there, that she had suspected those things of him and Erin, that she could see those two bags Kagayaki had been carrying packed and lying on the floor next to them. Who said you could leave? Who said you could come into my life like that and make me love you, and then just turn around and leave me the moment things started to go wrong? You can't just do that! You can't go back, you can't leave me! "Please don't leave. You can't. You can't leave."

They both jumped, and Cassie could have slapped herself across the face for her stupidity. Smooth as always. Now they're gonna be upset because I scared them, everyone hates each other, and I'm probably acting like a mental patient. Excellent.

"Cassie! Holy crap, you scared me," Erin said finally, and Cassie looked away. "Sorry," she murmured.

"Cassie... he's-- Guess my part's done... So unless you need me, I'll..."

Cassie smiled at her. "Erin, you're my best friend. If there's ever a time in my life when I don't need you, hit me or something. Because I always will."

"No go." The next moment Kagayaki's arms were around her, and some of Cassie's anxiety vanished. Just please promise not to leave, at least not without saying goodbye...I thought you were happy here, aren't you? "No meaned maked you saded, Cassiechan... Demo... Saikochan...Thank you. Maked me talked about. Been good. Been okay." He kissed her then, finally, and Cassie didn't even care that Erin was probably still there. After all, didn't she and Yukito kiss in front of me often enough?

No go. Me no go. Pomis."

"Good," was all she could say as she fought to keep the tears from tumbling down her cheeks again. She'd had enough crying the last few days to last her a lifetime. Or at least for the next month. She pulled away from him slightly, the words she had never spoken out loud threatening at any moment to slip from her mouth. I have to...but what if I can't? What if I can't do it?

Yukito's words came coming back to her in her mind, and she felt that much braver. "I--I love you."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Cassie... he's--" She cut herself off, not really sure how to explain that Aidousan wasn't going anywhere... mostly because the whole ordeal still made no sense to her. Why would you pack your bags whenever someone snapped at you? I'd be moving three times a day if that were the case... There was a lot of underlying stuff about Aidousan, was Erin's only conclusion. "Guess my part's done... So unless you need me, I'll..."

Cassie smiled at her in the darkness. "Erin, you're my best friend. If there's ever a time in my life when I don't need you, hit me or something. Because I always will."

Erin echoed her smile, suddenly feeling a little weird about being in the middle of such a mushy make-up moment-- one that wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for her big mouth. "Yeah, I know, Cassie, but you don't need me for you to talk to him, so my point still stands..." Plus, now you have to kiss and make up even though you weren't mad at each other, and an audience for that is weird, especially if the audience is me.

"No go," Aidousan started to explain to Cassie, and Erin took an experimental step back to see if they'd notice and force her to see their fluffy-mushy-talk-then-kiss moment. So far so good. "No meaned maked you saded, Cassiechan... Demo... Saikochan...Thank you. Maked me talked about. Been good. Been okay."

Erin's smile eased more fluidly at that. But it also felt really weird to have "helped make him talk". That's not what she'd been trying to do, she just didn't want him running away over some stupid comment of hers... since she'd probably make a lot more of them, he couldn't keep doing that every time. So, still trying to bow out without feeling like some kind of spotlight was on her, Erin tossed up a quick peace sign in response. That was it, though, since Aidousan and Cassie definitely didn't need her there, anymore, and as they started a kiss Erin smiled to herself and ducked back inside her home.

She shook her head, still smiling inside. They're something else, definitely.

Erin's done here!

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Guess my part's done... So unless you need me, I'll..."

"Erin, you're my best friend. If there's ever a time in my life when I don't need you, hit me or something. Because I always will."

"Yeah, I know, Cassie, but you don't need me for you to talk to him, so my point still stands..."

Kagayaki sighed, putting his arms around Cassiechan and trying to explain it as well as he could with his horrible English and bad apologizing skills. Then he kissed her, because that always seemed to make her feel better. But he saw Erinchan's peace sign out of the corner of his eye, and took one hand off of Cassiechan for a second to send one back to her, along with a wink. Then he slowly pulled away from Cassiechan, holding her close. "No go. Me no go. Pomis."

"Good," she said, and he placed his cheek against hers, closing his eyes. A few moments of silence pressed them together. Then she surprised him. "I--I love you."

Kagayaki's heart leapt into his throat, and the only movement he could make was opening his eyes. He tried to swallow down the feeling inside that told him Cassie didn't mean it - Yumichan hadn't, ever - but it stayed, so he just closed his eyes again as a smile slipped onto his face. He wasn't going to let what could happen make him unhappy right now. Kagayaki moved back just enough to press his lips fervently against Cassie's, not pulling away until he was sure they were both breathless. "Love you." he whispered into her ear, kissing her again.

'Because you won't hurt me like she did... will you?'

[GGJ5]

OOC: interaction for Erin/Kagayaki! Yay! So excited for serious. :3 BIC:

Erin Spenser

She'd talked to Aidousan-- or Niisan, as per his request, which Erin found even more natural to say anyway-- earlier, about helping him plan a totally epic date with Cassie. ...And she kind of wanted to prove to herself that the Yumi issue was a non-issue...

Erin had gotten a few things to help in potential preparations: a pack of oreos, a bag of Hershey's chocolate chips, and some cream cheese. She also found one of the jars that used to hold jam at one point, now pristine and clear and waiting to be filled. It would be a really easy recipe, especially with how Erin planned on relaying it to Niisan so he could make the oreo truffles with Cassie on their date. And you had to let them chill for a half hour or an hour, depending, so it gave them more time to do her other ideas. Now she just waited for him to come by. In fact, she kept peeking out the window and down the balcony on each side to see when she spotted him.

And as soon as she did, while Niisan still had a ways to walk to her door, Erin pulled it open and stepped outside, waving to him eagerly. "Come on, everything's ready, I want to show you!"

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

Kagayaki got to the hallway, breathless.

How was he going to tell her? He'd gone and done something so stupid and now he had to tell Cassiechan. And Saikochan.

So, in an effort both to do something nice for Cassie because she deserved it, to spend time with Saikochan, and to figure out a way to say what he needed to, he'd told Saikochan he needed help planning a date with Cassie.

If only that was the only thing he needed up with!

How was he going to tell her? 'Hm, Saikochan, I messed up and kissed my ex-girlfriend, Yumi, who you really hate. Yeah. Twice. And now I have to tell Cassie. You know, my girlfriend, your best friend, the most wonderful person I know and the person I love the most in all the world? Yeah, I'm totally going to break her heart and she's going to hate me even more if I do anything nice because she'll think I'm trying to mess with her. And she'll probably bring up how she trusted me. Know any way I can get out of it?' That would go over well.

'She's going to kill me...'

He ran a nervous hand through his hair, messing with his sweatshirt that was laying open.

'Um... How about this... Saikochan, I love you... You are... my imouto! I love you. But... um... please don't kill me! I... Oh, forget it. I can't get around the killing part, no matter what I do.'

The door flew open before he even got there. Good thing too, because he was so flustered that he'd forgotten her room number. "Come on, everything's ready, I want to show you!" she cried, waving at him excitedly. He sighed, unable to help how silly she was.

"Okay," he murmured, coming inside after her. He looked around with a lingering smile. "Imouto..." 'No, don't start that yet. Wait.' Swallowing to try and stay calm, he made himself focus. 'Cassie... think... Cassie... I love Cassie. I'm doing something nice for Cassie. She comes first. Then how stupid I am.' "Wha' you have has, for me, for Cassie?" He turned to her with curiosity. "I es'cited!" He let out a little laugh and made a little jump with an excited expression. "Wha' you have has, wha' you have has?"

'There. Whew, I feel much better now. Smiles help so much. Now your turn, imouto! Smile! Help me feel better!'

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Come on, everything's ready, I want to show you!" Erin called down to him, waving excitedly to get his attention. Not that she didn't already have it, but she needed something to do anyway.

Aidousan followed her inside with a reserved, "Okay." Erin clicked the door closed with the heel of her foot as she immediately headed back into the kitchen, assuming he'd follow. Erin started fiddling with the stuff she'd laid out on her counter, stealing a piece of the chocolate meanwhile as she heard Aidousan say something to her. Her eyes bounced up to look at him. "Hm?"

"Wha' you have has, for me, for Cassie? I es'cited!"

Erin laughed brightly. "I kinda figured that out when you started doing that happy-puppy-getting-a-new-toy thing... Come see!"

"Wha' you have has, wha' you have has?"

Erin snuck another piece of the chocolate and leaned onto the counter with her elbow. With her free hand, she gestured to the layout of sweet ingredients. "Stuff to make Oreo truffles," she explained airily, and looked over at Aidousan-- Niisan-- with a content smile. "Like these..." she added, meanwhile crossing over to the fridge and peeking in the top part at her own creations she'd been waiting to chill. "I hope they're done now..." A poke. "Yes!" Her expression brightening, Erin plucked out two of the truffles and bit into one, holding out the other to her friend. "It'll make these," she said once she could speak again.

"But look, you don't even have to worry about actually making them... see, it's like those little cookies-in-a-jar that they all had us make in like second grade for our mother's day presents.. Only better." She smiled proudly as she showed him the jar they'd use. "We're gonna stick it all in here. I hope..." If it fits, she added mentally with a glance at the stuff she was going to use.

"It's just crushed up cookies and cream cheese and chocolate chips. So in here we're just gonna put the cookie crumbled parts and chocolate chips and you're just gonna have to bring the cream cheese separately, but, see, you give it to Cassie and y'all can make it together! And then you have to let 'em chill in the freezer for, like, an hour-ish-sorta-time, so then you and her can do whatever while you wait." Another proud smile. "Don't worry, I have ideas for that, too," she added with a playful expression.

Erin then turned her attention to the Oreo cookies that needed t be crushed. "Okay, come help me crush them all. You wanna put them in a bag and smash 'em or I can dig out the food processor we have somewhere in here... I think..." She started to peer into one of the cabinets below the cupboard, forgotten papers and potholders slipping out onto the floor.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Come on, everything's ready, I want to show you!"

At first, he was kind of quiet, his heavy thoughts weighing down his spirits. "Okay." She scuttled about, and Kagayaki tried to tell her what was on his mind. "Imouto..."

"Hm?" came the quick and unknowingly unnerving answer.

Deciding now wasn't the time, Kagayaki switched gears, pasting on a smile and bringing energy back into his voice. It helped him forget what a horrible friend and boyfriend he was. "Wha' you have has, for me, for Cassie? I es'cited!"

She laughed. That was good; it meant he was doing a good job of distracting her from his previously stupor-like state. "I kinda figured that out when you started doing that happy-puppy-getting-a-new-toy thing... Come see!"

He followed her with a happy repetition, trying desperately to keep up the facade. "Wha' you have has, wha' you have has?"

Erinchan leaned on the counter with a piece of chocolate in her mouth - he decided if there was chocolate involved, she had entirely the right idea of how to break bad news to someone, even if she had no idea that was what she was doing - showing him all the cool stuff she had. "Stuff to make Oreo truffles." She smiled at him even though he sent her a confused look, showing him a few little sweets - obviously a batch of what they were going to make. "Like these... I hope they're done now..." Kagayaki felt a smirk slip onto his face when she poked one of them, without fear of ruining them. Letting out a triumphant cry, she popped one into her mouth and handed him one. Kagayaki looked down at the sugary thing with curiosity. "It'll make these."

Still getting used to the ability to eat whatever sugar-infested treats he wanted, he took a careful bite. Not the best thing he'd ever tasted - though he knew he was biased towards Cassie's cookies - but definitely something wonderful. "Mm, joozu," he cooed, following her lead and popping the entire thing into his mouth.

"But look, you don't even have to worry about actually making them... see, it's like those little cookies-in-a-jar that they all had us make in like second grade for our mother's day presents.. Only better." Well, he didn't know what she was talking about, but trusted her, especially with the smile she sent him as she presented a jar full of something that resembled the treats. "We're gonna stick it all in here. I hope..."

Kagayaki laughed. "I no know 'bou' t'a, imouto..." he warned, "I no good wi' t'is." He stared curiously at the jar.

"It's just crushed up cookies and cream cheese and chocolate chips," she assured him. He only understood a few of those words, but he had a feeling they could all be linked back to a lump of sugar and that he liked. "So in here we're just gonna put the cookie crumbled parts and chocolate chips and you're just gonna have to bring the cream cheese separately, but, see, you give it to Cassie and y'all can make it together! And then you have to let 'em chill in the freezer for, like, an hour-ish-sorta-time, so then you and her can do whatever while you wait." She beamed at him but Kagayaki felt a blush cross his face. He didn't need to be a master at English suggestions to realize that could totally be taken difference from the way she'd probably meant it. "Don't worry, I have ideas for that, too."

Good, it hadn't been what he'd thought at first.

Erinchan turned to the cookies, a determined look in her eyes. "Okay, come help me crush them all. You wanna put them in a bag and smash 'em or I can dig out the food processor we have somewhere in here... I think..." She turned to a drawer and sifted through it a little before he waved his hands a little, telling her it wasn't necessary.

"Iie, iie," he assured her. "Can smash." He punctuated 'smash' with a fierce look and pounding a fist into his open palm.

'Maybe I'll get some frustration out in the process.'

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"But look, you don't even have to worry about actually making them... see, it's like those little cookies-in-a-jar that they all had us make in like second grade for our mother's day presents.. Only better. We're gonna stick it all in here. I hope..." she explained-- well, more of rattled off-- as she showed Aidousan-- niisan-- the theoretical jar.

He responded with a laugh. "I no know 'bou' t'a, imouto..." he warned, "I no good wi' t'is."

Of course, Erin thought. Most guys had some silly complex that they sucked when it came to do with anything involving food, unless it involved eating it. And really, this idea was pretty hard to screw up. She told him so, explaining, "It's just crushed up cookies and cream cheese and chocolate chips."

Her answer seemed to satisfy him, so Erin continued,
"So in here we're just gonna put the cookie crumbled parts and chocolate chips and you're just gonna have to bring the cream cheese separately, but, see, you give it to Cassie and y'all can make it together! And then you have to let 'em chill in the freezer for, like, an hour-ish-sorta-time, so then you and her can do whatever while you wait." Niisan didn't answer her, and Erin realized the potential for double meaning in her words. She laughed a little, editing, "Don't worry, I have ideas for that, too."

She moved back onto actually making the truffle ingredients ready. "Okay, come help me crush them all. You wanna put them in a bag and smash 'em or I can dig out the food processor we have somewhere in here... I think..." Erin started shifting things around, looking for said processor, then popped her head back up when she heard the protests.

"Iie, iie," he assured her. "Can smash." He punctuated 'smash' with a fierce look and pounding a fist into his open palm, making Erin laugh as she scrambled back up to the counter again. "Okay!" Erin handed her friend a large Ziplock bag and a hammer. "Stick as many as you can in here and smash 'em. I don't even care if you burst the bag and crumbs go everywhere-- a pack will seriously make like over a hundred truffles, so it's all good." She smiled at him brightly.

"Okay, you do that and I'll dump the chocolate chips in here..." She tugged the bag open a bit more and started pouring them into the glass jar, the little chips making clinking sounds until they'd coated the bottom of the jar. She looked up and over at Niisan... Niisan, I like this better than Aidousan.. it's more fun! "How's it goin'?"

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Okay, come help me crush them all. You wanna put them in a bag and smash 'em or I can dig out the food processor we have somewhere in here... I think..."

"Iie, iie," he told her. "Can smash." He punched his fist into his open palm with an intense face, earning a laugh from Erinchan.

"Okay!" She handed him a bag and a hammer, the last of which he looked at with a little reverence. He'd never been able to handle such a weapon his whole life. "Stick as many as you can in here and smash 'em. I don't even care if you burst the bag and crumbs go everywhere-- a pack will seriously make like over a hundred truffles, so it's all good. Okay, you do that and I'll dump the chocolate chips in here..."

He looked at the bag of cookies curiously before he stuffed a few of them in the other bag he had. It wasn't full, so he put a few more in. Afraid to make it too full, he didn't fill it as much as he thought he could. His first move was to pound on it a little too softly. Gaining a little confidence, he was soon crumbling cookies. It was almost like... stress relief. Amazing!

"How's it goin'?" she asked, turning around.

He let out a laugh. "Joozu! Good, good!"

'Cassie's gonna love that we did this for her... I just know it!'

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She saw from the corner of her eye Kagayaki's ginger use of the hammer, and smiled. Like he was afraid of breaking the cookies or something. "Niisan," she tried, copying how he would say it and hoping she wasn't sounding too American-accented. "It's okay, the cookies don't have feelings." She laughed a little, pouring the right ingredients into the jar.

"How's it goin'?" she asked, turning around.

He let out a laugh. "Joozu! Good, good!"

"Joe... joe-zuh?" She shrugged, smiling, knowing she'd botched the word but unable to fix it now. "Does that mean good? So, like, you can say, 'how are you' and I can say 'joe-... whatever you said?" Erin laughed, turned back around, picked up the now nearly complete jar, and handed both it and the cream cheese to Aidousan. "Okay, now on top of all this--" She shook lightly the jar. "Pour the cookies in and close it."

"And you know what else y'all can do?" Erin asked meanwhile. "Pick a movie and put it on mute and then make up whatever the people are saying... It's so funny," she told him, laughing at her own memories of the game. "I totally have movies you can use, too!"

She set the jar down on the counter and wandered off into the living room to find some DVDs suitable for a date. "Okay, do you want an awesome movie or a blah movie? 'Cause awesome movie means you're actually gonna watch it."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Yukito led the way up to the familiar doorway. A lot of things had happened just after he stopped before the Spenser's front door. This time was no exception. His hand reached out for Erin's as an attempt at reassurance. He had to admit - he'd sort of warned Jacob Spenser to his face, the last time he'd been reluctant to halt at this very spot with Erin on his arm and no real 'good news' for her parents to take. Last time had been when Erin had ended up staying the night at his place after a very long, very emotional night. This time, they would be announcing that they were living together. Wow. I tried to warn you, Mr. Spenser. You can't stop this. 'Whether you like it or not, Erin and I are together, Mr. Spenser.'

"Well, this is awkward," he echoed with a smile, looking over at Erin, "Let's hope against hope they aren't home, so we can get your stuff and get out." Under one arm was a pile of cardboard boxes and packing tape, ready for use on the majority of Erin's belongings. He was ready for more of her things to be in the apartment. He needed more of her things to be there, or it felt like a prolonged visit. Yukito leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Maybe it's best if you do any talking we have to do. I suck at it."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

They'd come back because Erin wanted her things-- more things besides the same two sets of clothes and the same one shirt and shorts for pajamas, and her phone and iPod were dead now that they didn't have their chargers. And she wanted her pillows and blankets and music and clothes and jewelry and pictures and computer and instruments and...

Well, she just needed things.

And besides that, Erin did feel guilty about leaving her parents in the dark. For all they knew, she was still staying at Cassie's, moping and neglecting school. She knew they'd probably worried themselves sick. And really, if she thought about it too much, Erin would become weighed down in sadness knowing the things she'd said and done to hurt them... Still, she didn't want to come back-- she loved being with Yukito. She could breathe with him, and it was so good. She just wanted to let them know she was okay, so they wouldn't have to worry so much... She loved them. It hurt to think how she hurt them...

She wondered if Yukito sensed her thoughts, since at that moment he took her hand in his. It was comforting, the silent gesture that he was there with her and not letting go of her. He wasn't going to leave her.

They just stood there for another minute. Erin looked up at Yukito and smiled weakly. So, what now?

"Well, this is awkward." Erin giggled nervously, grateful for the hint of humor. And that she wasn't the only one that felt the way she did. "Let's hope against hope they aren't home, so we can get your stuff and get out."

"Right..." She kind of wanted them to be home, and kind of didn't... Partly because she, like Yukito, didn't want to face the reaction. But the other, slightly larger, part wanted to give her parents a sense of relief, of rest, of... something, to let them know she was better than okay, and that it wasn't really their fault. She was just happier with him... was that really so bad? Well, it is when you word it like that, idiot...

Yukito leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Maybe it's best if you do any talking we have to do. I suck at it."

For a moment, Erin looked at him with a pleading expression, then the realization sank that he was probably making the better judgment in this case. It was her responsibility to fix this up a bit, right? Definitely. It was. She had to do it, and she could. Especially with Yukito still holding her hand. A deep breath. "All right." She knocked. (Erin had left her copy of the key in her bedroom when she'd tossed her things together to leave.)

It didn't take too long for the door to open, and for Erin to find herself in a very familiar hug, her cheeks and forehead being kissed. Just as quick, a second hug followed, one that pulled her hand away from Yukito's. Several versions of apologies, affirmations of love, variants of "I miss you!", and other things she couldn't really make out since they were both gushing so much out at once.

Suddenly feeling guiltier than before, Erin pushed away a little until she could see both her parents at once. "Y'all, stop..." She bit her lip. That sounded bad, didn't it? Erin's hand searched for Yukito's again. "I mean... I'm sorry, about being such a jerk and everything like that... I didn't mean to, I--"

She was silenced by another hug and her mother's insistence, It's all right, baby, we're just so happy you're home again."

Her dad joined in the hug, making her feel like the squished middle of a sandwich. He kissed the top of her head. "We missed you too much." Now he looked up and over at Yukito. "Thank you for bringing her back.. again." A little smile. He really thought I was coming back... I shouldn't feel so GUILTY about this!!

She pulled away again. "Uh... actually..." Again, she took Yukito's free hand.

That's when Jacob Spenser registered the packing boxes in Yukito's arms. His face fell, and so did Mandi's. "You're not..." she started, the already sounded like she was choking up. Oh god... this wasn't supposed to be so hard... I just want my own clothes...

"I'm staying with Yukito." Not "I want to stay with Yukito", but "I am". She was determined. The guilt would just have to be worked through. Erin looked toward Yukito for a sign of encouragement, a positive word... something.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki


"Well, this is awkward." he muttered, an echo of last time. Erin giggled a little nervously. "Let's hope against hope they aren't home, so we can get your stuff and get out." The comment was honestly spoken - he was never really prepared to deal with Erin's parents at anytime. Much less when he was a co-bearer of bad news. But one look at Erin told him she didn't agree on this. At least not completely.

"Right..." His smile faded, and he leaned over to kiss the top of her head tenderly. He knew how fate dealt with these things. They would be hope. And from what he could figure, Erin needed them to be.

"Maybe it's best if you do any talking we have to do. I suck at it." He said, again trying for some sort of ironic humor. Maybe he was picking up characteristics from Kagasan, after all. Even if it became twisted once he touched on it. Erin sent him a look that made his mood drop considerably. Helplessly he added, "I'm here for you." It sounded so lame and useless in their situation. But sometimes cheesy was the truth.

She let out a sigh in preparation. "All right." She knocked, unleasing on herself the onslaught of kisses and exclamations from her parents from the instant the door was opened. Apparently the first time Erin went missing, they'd given a warning. This was a full-on assault of overbearing parental behavior. Somewhere in the hugs and kisses, Yukito's hand was pulled from Erin. Or maybe she'd dropped his hand on purpose. It was impossible to really tell. Yukito stood a little ways away from the family, feeling like an outsider yet again, even while an invisible lifeline kept him hovering near Erin's form among the embraces. He knew he couldn't have left now, even as his legs begged him to.

"Y'all, stop..." Erin's voice cut through those of her parents. Yukito watched her hand, seeming to search for something...maybe him. He slowly started to move forward, unsure. "I mean... I'm sorry, about being such a jerk and everything like that... I didn't mean to, I--" She was cut off from another mom-hug. Yukito felt a flash of irritation. Maybe jealousy. Don't they ever give it a rest?

"It's all right, baby, we're just so happy you're home again."

She's not home again. She's not going to be. His face fell. Unless she wants to. Looking at her cuddling, sugary family pressing in on her, just trying to hold onto her because they needed to as much as he did, he felt a pang of icy uncertainty. Maybe she needed to be home. He loved having her there, and did what he could to let her know that. Personally, he was sure that parents like that would have driven him off the deep end a long time ago. But this was who Erin had been, this was where she had belonged. Before she had met him, this scene wouldn't have happened the first time, much less now.

"We missed you too much." Now he looked up and over at Yukito. He felt the sensation of being under the radar again, despite the relieved look on Jacob's face. "Thank you for bringing her back.. again." A little smile. Probably one of the first he could remember having sent his way from that face. A heartfelt thanks at last, and he didn't deserve it. Yukito felt at a loss as to what he should be doing here. He wanted to correct him, and at the same time wanted Erin to have to do it, while simultaneously he didn't want to utterly crush this little sitcom moment of happiness before it had really begun.

Don't thank me. I didn't bring her back for you. Not this time. I'm sorry.

Erin pulled away from their hold, reluctantly being the first to try and set the record straight. "Uh... actually..." Her hand reached out again, and he took it this time. Don't go back. Please.

That's when Jacob Spenser registered the packing boxes in Yukito's arms. Yukito was surprised at how quickly the cardboard started to weigh heavily in his arms, as if they were made of lead. Jacob's face fell, and so did Mandi's. "You're not..."

"She's not," Yukito murmured.

"I'm staying with Yukito." Erin looked toward Yukito. He was relieved at the straight-forward way she'd said it. It helped bring back a little determination to his voice that he seemed to lose every time he spoke with Erin's parents.

"We have an apartment. It's small, it's cheap, it's ours. And she's happy there. We came to get the rest of her things." Yukito squeezed her hand more tightly in his, pulling her behind him as he started past them, heading to Erin's room and calmly setting the pile of folded boxes on her bed. Wordlessly, he picked the top one up and opened it, taping the bottom together before turning to Erin, looking to her for the next cue. It felt wrong the way he worded it in his head, the fact that he had to let her deal with the brunt of this. But this was her parents. He would have just ignored his mother completely, gotten his things, and gotten out. That was what he had done, pretty much. But things here were different. People randomly hugged, talked at length about each other's issues, and never let an argument fizzle out. He didn't know how to face that for her, or how to protect her from it. Yukito felt helpless when it came to her parents. Just tell me what you need me to do.