Part 8
Daisuke and Ichijouji arrived at the apartment building several minutes later and stood outside, trying to get the last of their jokes and giggles out, before entering.
Over the past week, the Ichijouji family had gotten used to Daisuke hanging around all of the time. Ichijouji's father didn't like him very much, but his mother seemed to think Daisuke was a good influence. After all, since Daisuke starting showing up, Ichijouji had been on his best behavior, trying not to give his parents the slightest reason to kick Daisuke out and never allow him back. Ichijouji did nearly every minor and major chore for the apartment; the place was almost freakishly neat and Ichijouji was the example of model behavior. It was almost painful to watch him knuckle under. Maybe that was why Ken hadn't been around the past week, he wasn't the type of person to be so subservient.
As for Daisuke, he really couldn't stand around and do nothing, so he helped where he could, it made the work go faster. Ichijouji's mother saw the two of them working together as charming of Daisuke and good for her son. His father, on the other hand, saw something else.
His father saw how Daisuke never left Ichijouji's side. He saw how Daisuke was his son's only friend. He saw the way Ichijouji looked at Daisuke. And he did not like any of it. Daisuke was almost sure that was the reason he wasn't allowed to spend the night, but there was nothing he could really do about it. Daisuke had suggested, several times, that Ichijouji bring Miyako home to meet his parents, thinking it would divert his father's attention. But he was continuously shot down; Ichijouji insisted that his parents would completely 'freak out' over a girl. He said it had something to do with Osamu, Daisuke stopped pressing after that.
They entered the apartment quietly but, as usual, the effect was ruined when Ichijouji made his arrival announcement. "Mama. Father. It's Ken. I'm home and I've brought Davis over. Is that OK?" They took off their shoes at the door and waited for an answer but the usual reply from one of Ichijouji's parents didn't come.
Curious, Ichijouji asked Daisuke to wait by the door while he investigated. He disappeared into the apartment and a few seconds later, he reappeared with a huge grin and a sheet of paper in his hand.
"What?" Daisuke asked.
"It was in the kitchen," he said, thrusting the paper out.
It read:
Osamu and Ken and Davis of course
Your father and I have gone out for a show and dinner. Help yourselves to the rest of the leftovers We'll be back later night. Do Not Make A Mess Of The House.
"And I checked Osamu's room, he's out too," Ichijouji added.
"Cool, we have the apartment to ourselves! So, what do you want to do first?"
Ichijouji had a look on his face, and for a moment Daisuke was sure he was going to say something stupid like, "Let's jump on the beds" or something equally childish, but the moment passed.
His expression changed to thoughtful. "Well, I know she said they'd be back tonight but they might come home early, so we should clean up first, before we do anything else."
"Ok," Daisuke said, looking around. At first glance, he didn't see anything really out of place; it didn't look like anyone had been home all day. "Well, it's still pretty clean from yesterday."
"Um, I'll get the broom and you set up the cushions and straighten the coffee table, then I'll take the bathroom and you take the kitchen."
"Deal. First one finished gets first controller."
"You're on."
They scrambled but it was really unnecessary; the apartment was clean. The coffee table was fine, so Daisuke fluffed the pillows on the couch and sat them up properly, while Ichijouji didn't so much as sweep the floor, as wipe the broom over it. Then they both went to their separate rooms, Daisuke skipped rearranging the refrigerator magnets and cleaned off the countertops, while Ichijouji wiped down the sink and took the unnecessary precaution of scrubbing the toilet. It only took a couple of minutes, but Daisuke managed to finish first, by a half a minute.
When Ichijouji finally made it into his room, Daisuke had already set up the game and was holding out the second player controller. "Get ready to lose."
Ichijouji smiled ruefully and took the controller without argument.
Daisuke always bragged that if he had the first controller he could beat Ichijouji at any game they played. Unfortunately, Ichijouji usually insisted on taking first player, "My house, my game," and he usually won. But this time, the tables were turned. Daisuke wasn't winning every round but, he was doing significantly better than he had on previous days. Even so, he was concentrating a little too hard on having fun to rub it in. Besides, Ichijouji seemed a bit distracted as well.
Daisuke wanted to ask him what was up, but he was afraid of the answer he would get. If Ichijouji was thinking about the same thing as Daisuke, what they had been doing in the park, Daisuke had no idea of what to say. If Ichijouji called it a joke, or said that it had been a mistake, that he hadn't meant it, then Daisuke would be crushed. But if Ichijouji had meant it, if he wanted more than just friendship, then Daisuke knew he wouldn't be able do that, and it would crush him as well.
Nothing was ever that simple. He couldn't keep denying it, he wanted Ichijouji, but they couldn't be together. It would mess up the plan and Daisuke had obligations and an agreement to fulfill. Besides, couldn't be that way with Ichijouji while he was lying to his face. So Daisuke wouldn't ask about anything he could do nothing about and he hoped, at least for today, that Ichijouji wouldn't talk about it either.
Despite the weighted mood, they still seemed to be having fun. Ichijouji was taking his losses well and Daisuke wasn't showing off too much. But it seemed like they were both a little too preoccupied to joke around in their usual easy manner.
It was about forty minutes after they first started playing that the front door suddenly slammed open.
Ichijouji jumped as if he had been shocked, quickly turned off the T.V., motioned for Daisuke to be quiet, then turned to stare at the door.
Daisuke wondered what the hell was going on. Ichijouji's reaction had been so fast, about a second. It was almost like he had expected something like that to happen. Ichijouji crouched, tense and watching the door like he could see through it. Daisuke was about to ignore Ichijouji's warning but the front door slammed shut, cutting him off. Daisuke turned to watch the door of the room as well, and listened as hard as he could.
After a few seconds of silence, he could hear someone start to shuffle around, dragging feet heavily. Whoever had opened the door was still inside the apartment.
Daisuke started to worry. Who could it be? Ichijouji's parents said they wouldn't be home until later, but even if they had come home early, they wouldn't have come in like that. It had almost sounded like the door had been kicked in, but he hadn't heard any wood splintering. Whoever it was had a key, or had picked the lock. Was it a thief, or something worse? Suddenly, Daisuke remembered they had left their shoes at the door, the intruder would probably figure out they were in the apartment. Would they come in Ichijouji's room looking for them?
Daisuke turned to look at Ichijouji. He had been sitting next to Daisuke on the bed while they played games but when he had jumped he had ended up on the floor crouched next to Daisuke's leg. He was still there, he hadn't moved an inch, like he was petrified of what was on the other side of the door. Did he already know?
Daisuke's attention snapped back to the door at the next loud sound. Something hit the floor with a hollow *thunk* and rolled, it sounded like a glass bottle. Luckily, it hadn't shattered.
Then the person outside cursed.
Daisuke relaxed a bit. He'd only heard Osamu speak a couple of times but he was pretty familiar with his voice. At least it wasn't some random burglar. He turned back to Ichijouji to confirm it was his brother, but what he saw made him freeze.
Ichijouji looked even more tensed. He tilted his head up, shifted his eyes to Daisuke and shook his head, warning him not to say anything. Then turned back to the door, as if he expected it to blow off its hinges.
Daisuke was really confused. What the hell was going on?
There was a loud scrape and the horrible sound of something being smashed. Daisuke whirled around and looked at the door; it was still in place, but he could hear Osamu chuckling just on the other side.
There was some more shuffling, then a door in the interior of the apartment slammed shut; Osamu was in his room.
Ichijouji grabbed his leg, causing Daisuke to jump. He whispered, "Come on, we have to go out there and clean up whatever he did before my parents come home." He stood carefully, trying to move silently, opened his door and peaked outside.
He stepped out; Daisuke followed and got to see the damage for himself.
Apparently, Osamu had tipped over the coffee table and all of the magazines on top of it had scattered across the floor. Daisuke looked around for the crystal paperweight that sat on top of the magazines, but he didn't see it anywhere among the mess and he hadn't heard it shatter either. It had been there when he cleaned up earlier, had Osamu taken it? Why would he do that?
He helped Ichijouji pick up the table and set it on the floor quietly. Ichijouji showed him how to rub at the table so the scuffs weren't so noticeable and they did the same to the floor. Then, as Daisuke started to pick up and straighten the magazines, taking care not to ruffle the pages, Ichijouji crept across the floor to one of the shelves that were strategically placed around the walls, to display knickknacks, and picked up the crystal paperweight.
It finally clicked into place for Daisuke. Ichijouji had moved the paperweight because he had expected something like this to happen. It had probably happened before; after all, some of the scuffmarks on the table and floor hadn't really looked new. This was what Ichijouji had been worried about all day. Daisuke felt a little silly, Ichijouji probably hadn't even given the park a second thought.
Determined not to think about it, Daisuke stood up briskly and looked around for something, anything they had missed. He spotted the bottle he had heard earlier and went to pick it up. The bottle was oversized but the glass was so thick it made up for it; the bottle only held about twelve ounces. That was why it hadn't shattered; it was too thick to break from just being dropped.
Daisuke wondered what had been in it; the label had been ripped off. He experimentally sniffed at the bottle and nearly dropped it again in shock. It was strong, what ever it had been. No wonder the bottle was so thick; it had to be so the contents wouldn't melt through the glass. Daisuke turned to the kitchen to throw it in the trash, but Ichijouji grabbed his wrist and dragged him back into the room.
He closed the door behind them as softly as he could then turned back to Daisuke and whispered, "If you throw it away here my parents will find it. Can you just stick it in your bag and drop it in the trash when you leave." He grabbed some tissues and stuffed them down the bottle's neck to stop any of the stuff left in the bottle from leaking into Daisuke's bag. Daisuke was still holding the bottle when he grabbed it and he could feel Ichijouji's hands were shaking; he was scared, but of what? Osamu had already thrown a tantrum and it hadn't really been that bad. What else was he worried about?
They stood there for a moment before Daisuke pushed Ichijouji to sit on his bed, he didn't sit next to him; he leaned against the wall. Daisuke didn't think he should leave just yet, at least not alone. He wondered if he could get Ichijouji to come with him, just until his parents got back.
"So what now?" Daisuke whispered.
Ichijouji started to answer but Osamu's door burst open making another deafening smash in the quiet of the apartment.
They both turned to look at the door of Ichijouji's room; the door was shut but he hadn't locked it. Daisuke made a move to go lock it but Ichijouji just managed to grab his leg again. He was shaking his head and pointing towards the door. This time when Daisuke looked he noticed how the door jam was busted and poorly repaired. He guessed that even if he were to lock the door, it wouldn't stop anyone who really wanted to get into the room.
Outside of the door, Osamu had been shuffling around once more, but the sound suddenly stopped. They both tensed, waiting for the next thing to happen, and it did.
"Oh! You're here, aren't you Kenny-boy," Osamu called from the other side of the door. "And you cleaned up too, just like a good little boy! Well, I guess I'll have to give you something for doing what you're s'posed to and I have just thing! Come out here and get it, Kenny-boy! Where are you? Are you hiding, Kenny-boy? Maybe under the table," he giggled, it was the most menacing giggle Daisuke had ever heard. "Maybe under the couch," he giggled again. "Oh I know... Maybe you're in your room!"
The door kicked open and Osamu was in the room before it had time to bounce back off of the wall, he slammed it against the wall a second time and held it there. "Here you are, Kenny-boy!" He walked into the room right past Daisuke towards the bed. Ichijouji was definitely shrinking back from him; he had been sitting on the edge, now he was completely on it and his back was almost against the wall. Osamu smiled at this, "Come on, Kenny-boy, it's been a long time since I've given you something. Let's go back to my room." He made a grab for Ichijouji who managed to get out of the way.
Ichijouji was shaking his head, terrified.
Osamu frowned, "Why ya being so difficult?" He made another grab, "It'll be over in a minute," another grab, "unless you don't want it to be," another grab.
Ichijouji avoided all of them but Osamu was getting a little faster and more accurate every time he tried. Pretty soon Osamu would get him.
"Just stop! Can't you see he doesn't want to go?"
Osamu spun around like he hadn't even known Daisuke had been standing there. When he finally caught sight of Daisuke his mouth slacked and his eyes glazed over he said, "Tai?"
Behind him Ichijouji jerked and his eyes widened in horror.
Osamu was squinting at him, his eyes lost that glazed look and his mouth regained its cruel edge. "No," he said, "You're not Taichi. You must be Kenny-boy's little friend." He was walking towards Daisuke now, "Oh, he looks so much like Taichi... I know!"
"Please, Sam, don't. Just leave him alone."
Osamu turned to look at Ichijouji and grinned, "So you do want your present now."
Ichijouji tensed back up and starting shaking his head again.
Osamu turned back to Daisuke, "Then you can have it." Osamu's breath reached Daisuke first and he fell back against the wall. It was horrible; Osamu must have had more than one bottle of whatever that stuff was. Daisuke was surprised Osamu was even conscious let alone walking around and speaking so clearly, because he was obviously drunk out of his mind.
Because Daisuke fell back, Osamu's first grab missed but the second time he put his hand on Daisuke's chest to hold him still and his other hand grabbed just under Daisuke's chin, pushing his head up a little. Daisuke couldn't jerk away like Ichijouji had been doing but he wasn't being hurt, unless you counted the breath in his face.
Osamu said, "Yes, you can have it. I'll bet you'll love it, just like Taichi; he never wanted to give it back." He was starting to breath heavily and Daisuke was starting to get a little faint from the smell.
But he could hear Ichijouji begging from the bed, "Please, don't Sam. Just leave him alone, please."
"Or maybe," Osamu's eyes brightened and Daisuke felt his stomach drop. Whatever idea Osamu had was not going to be an improvement. "I'll just give it to you right here, and Kenny-boy can watch!" He started giggling again.
"Get the fuck off of him, Osamu."
Osamu jerked away from Daisuke like he had been burned, they both turned to look.
"Ken," Daisuke breathed. Ken stood off of the bed and looked practically murderous. Daisuke felt lightheaded; he had been so relieved to see Ken, but on second look, he wasn't sure if he should be. He'd never seen Ken look so pissed off; the air was practically crackling around him.
Osamu's eyes narrowed, "You Freak!" he spat.
Ken took a step forward and Osamu took a step back. "Get out of my room!" he roared.
"You little Shit!" Osamu was still backing up, "I could take you apart!"
"Stay out of my room! Stay away from me! And if you ever fucking touch him again you will be lucky to hobble away from what I will do to you!" He slammed the door in Osamu's face.
Everything was silent for a minute. Then the front door slammed again.
Daisuke slowly pushed away from the wall and took a step towards Ken who hadn't moved an inch since slamming the door. "Ken?" he asked softly.
"Damn-it, Daisuke!" he screamed as he whirled around to face him. "What the hell have you been doing?"
Daisuke took a step back.
Ken stood there for a moment, and then wavered on his feet. Had it been anyone else, Daisuke would have assumed he was going to faint, but with Ken, he knew that Ichijouji was about to come back.
"No wait, Ken!" he took a few steps forward, trying to get closer while staying out of the range of his fist.
Ken steadied and glared at him.
"Why haven't you... It's been a week and I-"
"I told you what you needed to do and what you shouldn't be doing." His words fell between them like bricks. Ken made it seem like he knew exactly what had been going on in Daisuke's head, and he probably did.
"It's not that easy."
"Yes! It is!"
"No it fucking isn't because if it was, you'd be doing it!" Daisuke exploded.
Ken took a threatening step forward and Daisuke just managed to hold his ground. Ken growled, "This is important, more important than the school, more important than playing games in the park."
He recoiled like he had been hit, "Shut UP!"
Ken took another step forward, "He can't even stand up for himself, not even to protect you."
"He tried."
He sneered, "Trying isn't good enough!"
"How am I supposed to help him if I don't even know what's going on? What happens every time he goes into Osamu's room? Why is he so afraid of his brother?"
"You are so thick, Daisuke," Ken said tapping his head rather hard, repeatedly.
Daisuke reached up to knock his hand away, "Don't-"
Ken grabbed his wrist, twisted it down and around to his back, spun Daisuke around and threw him into the wall. The impact knocked Daisuke's breath out and dazed him a little.
Before he had time to recover, Ken pinned him to the wall. It wasn't like how Osamu had pinned him a few minutes ago, with just a hand around his throat and Daisuke's unwillingness to move closer, this was painful and threatening. Ken had twisted Daisuke's entire arm until it hurt and with his other hand he grabbed Daisuke's free hand and pinned it to the wall as well, palm flat.
Daisuke was completely pinned to the wall by Ken's press, and to add insult to injury he put his knee between Daisuke's legs and pushed them apart. Almost his entire weight was supported by Ken's press, and there was nothing he could do.
Ken rested his cheek against Daisuke's, pressing his head against the wall. It would have seemed tender, if not for the way his grip tightened. Daisuke tried not to whimper when the pressure on his arm increased. Ken took a deep breath and let it out slowly, like he was trying to calm down; Daisuke's breath was coming out raggedly.
Very quietly, Ken said, "You ask why he's so afraid like you don't already know. You ask what happens like you haven't already guessed. One day, you're going to find out, whether you want to or not, and I hope it's me that shows you. But not today," then he released him.
Daisuke dropped to the floor like a lead weight. He rubbed his arm and his wrist and looked at Ken like he had never seen him before. Ken just sat on the bed like nothing had happened. They sat like that a few minutes, Ken looking like he had a lot on his mind and Daisuke just staring at him.
Finally, Daisuke asked, "Who is Taichi?"
"Nobody you need to worry about."
"Ken?" Daisuke wondered how he should phrase his words. He didn't want to set Ken off again, "I have questions about things that I can't ask Ichijouji and if you don't answer them..."
"Questions about what, Daisuke?" Ken snapped.
"Why won't Ichijouji bring Miyako home to meet your- HIS parents," Daisuke corrected himself, remembering that Ken did not consider the Ichijouji's his family.
"What makes you think that the answer I give you will be any different from the one you already received?"
"He didn't answer. He just said it had something to do with Osamu."
"He's right, and that should be enough for you. I'm not going to talk about Osamu, so stop asking. And stop asking him about it as well, he's not going to say any more about it."
"Well," he had a million questions over the past week but he was afraid to ask almost all of them. They all seemed so stupid now, "What about this Iori kid."
"I told you that you would get certain things if you helped me, in addition to what you asked me to help you with. He is one of those things."
"What do you mean 'he is one of those things?' You can't just give me a person."
Ken looked at him and said flatly, "I just did."
Daisuke goggled at him for a second, forgetting the pain in his arm and wrist. "What am I supposed to do with him?"
"Anything you want, he is yours to use or abuse as you see fit. Anything from doing your homework to being your personal sex slave," Ken paused to give Daisuke, who was staring at him in shock, an appraising look, "Though I wouldn't recommend either of those.
"You could really abuse this, Daisuke, though I don't think you are the type of person who would. You should be careful of what you say to him because he will do it even if he nearly kills himself in the process." Ken looked rather proud of himself, "Anything short of a felony. Wet work you'll have to do for yourself."
"What?"
"No murder, grand theft, that sort of thing."
"Ok?" Daisuke said completely not believing his ears. "Why would he agree to something like this?" A horrible thought struck him, "You're not blackmailing him or holding his family hostage or something?"
"No, I'm not. Why don't you ask him why he is doing it?"
"I did. He just said his reasons were his own."
Ken frowned slightly, "This is still a relatively new concept to both of you, but you should remind him that if you order him to tell you something, he is obligated to tell you without question."
"Sure, Ok, I'll do that," Daisuke said, having no intention of asking Iori again. "But why don't you tell me why he's doing it since, knowing you, the reason he thinks he's doing this is completely different from why he actually is."
Ken looked at him for a moment, deciding if he should. "Iori's father died a few weeks ago and his mother couldn't support herself and Iori on her salary alone, so she asked Iori's grandfather to stay with them. Iori's father and his grandfather had a major argument a few years before Iori had been born and they had still been estranged when Iori's father past way. Iori's grandfather agreed to come back to reunite what was left of their family and it is his mother's wish that Iori get along with his grandfather. The problem is, Iori has inherited his father's anger and he cannot stand in the same room as his grandfather without getting into an argument, which upsets his mother greatly. He does not wish to be a burden on his family. I agreed to help him." Ken said as if he were just rattling off random facts, not explaining someone's life story.
"And how exactly does Iori being... How do I fit into this?"
"I met his grandfather. He is an old man who believes in old traditions, all he wants is to pass on his knowledge to his grandson, but Iori is too stubborn and confrontational. All Iori needs is to sit, listen and absorb his grandfather's teachings."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"You're not. He doesn't really need help, he can do it on his own but he is too proud to help himself. But following your orders will perhaps teach him obedience and patience, which will also help him with his grandfather. This way you and I get something we need and Iori will also get something from this."
"This seems pretty weak."
Ken glared at him again.
"I mean," Daisuke put up his uninjured hand to pacify Ken so he could explain himself. "I can see how this would work for a little bit, like a week maybe. But... I mean... won't he just get sick of it. I mean, who would put up with being... well, being someone's slave willingly."
"He won't think of it like that unless you tell him to. I gave him a task and he agreed to it, and so he will complete that task on his honor. It will be the same with anything you tell him to do. He's not being a slave; he's following instructions of his own free will. Iori is the type of person who needs, craves, guidance. His father was his guidance and he absorbed all his father's teachings like a sponge. Above all else his father believed in honor and so it is Iori's honor that guides him. That is why I wouldn't suggest that you tell him to do anything that would conflict with his beliefs, because if you make him break his honor you will lose him. But also, his father is why, even though Iori has no problem with his grandfather, they cannot get along; it is his father's anger that motivates him, even though he does not even know the cause of that anger. I'm sure that Iori doesn't even realize this about himself."
"You're using him."
He nodded, "We are using him. He wants this, Daisuke; he needs it. I supplanted you in his father's place in his life. You are his guidance. If you do not give him something else to focus on he will never be able to get along with his grandfather and that is all he really wants. He'll get what he needs and you'll get what you need."
Daisuke didn't want to argue that Iori was getting the shaft, Iori had agreed to the situation after all. Instead, he asked, "What are you getting out of it?"
"I am not Iori," he answered, lying back on the bed and closing his eyes.
Daisuke continued to sit there and watch Ken long after he had gone to sleep.
Contact the author at Apple_qb@hotmail.com
