Thursday, July 13, 2017

Family encounters (Yuuri)

“Yuuri-Kun!” Someone yells and I open my eyes slightly, lifting my head off the table slightly before it comes crashing down again. Eugh, it's just my cousin and her family in from Mournhold. Great, a week of screaming small children and equally annoying adults, fun. “I'm too sober for this.” I mutter to myself as I stand up and go to greet them.

“Ah, Riko hi there!” I say with faux enthusiasm and an even faker smile. She gives me a large grin “It's so good to see you! How have you been?” Out of my extended family she and a few others are the ones who I genuinely like, and can tolerate. Her husband on the other hand...not so much. “Uh I've been good, busy though.” I put a hand behind my head and nervously laugh. Riko stares at me silently. I inhale sharply and exhale “well I'll see ya around.” I say before swiftly exiting the room.

Quickly walking down the corridor towards my uncle's room I walk into someone. Look straight ahead and see fabric of a shirt, and so I look up, to find Riko’s husband staring down at me menacingly. “Konnichiwa Seki Yuuri.” Kudo says staring at me with a slightly frightening expression. Attempting to be polite usually doesn't work with this guy, as he's a bit insane. Yes, that's how I describe him he really needs a psychiatric evaluation yet he refuses. I didn't go to university for nearly a decade and a half for nothing I know stuff!!!! I sigh and look him in the eyes “you're insane, Kudo Nagasada.” He picks me up by the material of my shirt so we're at eye level “I know.” He says so softly it barely audible before dropping me and walking away towards the kitchen, leaving me sitting on the ground. “I have one request, don't touch the top left cabinet!” I yell after him and he chuckles “Okay I'll go raid that now!” He yells back. I grit my teeth together. I swear if that man touches me and Takayama's stash of Sake you will have two very pissed off assassins.

Too lazy to get up I lay there on the floor for a while until getting kicked in the ribs by my mother who pesters me to get out of the way so she can clean. “Are you drunk Yuuri?” She asks and I look at her “No. Just a big hungover.” She pulls me to my feet and straightens my clothes and pats my head “Go get dressed and have something to eat.” She sends me off towards my room and goes back to cleaning. Whence in my room I strip and throw on whatever I can find laying around, making a mental note to clean my room later. Pfft, as if that'll ever happen. I ended up finding a button down shirt and corduroys along with a pair of mismatched socks, and while the pants are a bit worn they'll do. Now to find my uncle.

Wandering throughout the house I yell Takayama's name each time getting no response until I get the basement finding him finishing laundry. “What are you doing? I've been looking for you for nearly half an hour!” I explain as I help fold laundry into piles based on who it belongs to. “Hiding you saw the rest of them coming didn't you?” I look out the basement window seeing more of our extended family coming inside. The two of us sigh, “it'll be a long week.” Takayama says reaching into the dryer and pulling out more clothes and I nod my head and sigh. Indeed it will. “Wanna sneak out and get drinks later?” I ask already knowing the answer “Of course I do.” Takayama replies. The two of us work in silence until Takayama holds his hand up and I give him a high five chuckling and he starts to laugh too. “What in the world are you two doing down here go upstairs and say hello.” My mother pokes her head around the corner from the staircase, the two of us hang our heads “Yes Iri-Chan.” Takayama sighs and begins to walk upstairs. “If I'm going to see those sods you're coming with me whether you like it or not.” He calls back to me and I reluctantly follow.

The two of us get upstairs to a rather ugly and boisterous sight. Kids run amuck through the house, siblings fighting and pulling hair and clothes, yelling for their parents about how the others being annoying. Travel weary parents sigh and attempt to mediate the bickering children. Adults converse with each other about matters I don't know, or very much care, about. But the two of us stand together and make ourselves presentable, waiting for the onslaught of “Hello’s” and “How are you’s” that seem to come without end.

Eventually the social part of things turn away from us, allowing us to quietly slip away from the scene and down into the city below. I follow my uncle to a particular favorite restaurant of ours and we sit down in a booth near the kitchen. A waitress comes and takes our order, Katsudon and Yakitori. Takayama keeps turning around and looking at the door, or hid watch every few minutes. “What are you doing?” I ask leaning on the table and taking a sip of my drink. “Waiting for someone?” I swallow quickly, coughing because of the cold temperature of the liquid. “I'm sorry, what?” Who could he be waiting for?

“I didn't tell you your aunt was coming to visit too?” He asks me and I shake my head. “No recollection of any such telling.” He purses his lips and sighs “Well your aunt Sakura should be here any minute.” Just as he finishes his sentence the door opens and a little bell rings alerting the hostess leaning on the desk looking rather bored. She jumps up to greet her but the woman who'd entered points to us and says something to the hostess, who nods and moves out of the way with a slight bow of the head before going back to her desk. The women dressed in a red kimono approaches us and Takayama moves over. “Sorry I'm late.” She says sitting down and fixing her ponytail. She offers to shake my hand “My name is Sukiha, but you can call me Sakura. I'm your aunt.” She says with a kind smile. I shake her hand and smile in return. “You must be Yuuri.” I nod “Yes I am.” I point to Takayama. I'm guessing he's mentioned me in his letters?” Sakura nods “Many a time. Maybe even more than he's mentioned himself.” She gives him a playful nudge and he blushes and looks down. I get up to go to the bathroom and when I come out I see them chatting like they'd seen each other only yesterday. Awww, they're cute together, and it's nice to see Takayama smiling for once. I sit down and shortly after the food comes, Sakura says she already ate but gets a small bowl of miso soup while we eat our dinner.

After we've finished we walk my aunt back to where she's staying and bid her goodnight then head
back home to find the rest of our family gone, a note on the counter from my father says they've gone
 out to dinner and will be back in a few hours. The two of us look at each other with devilish grins and Takayama opens the top kitchen cabinet and withdrawals a bottle of Sake then pours each of us a glass. Might as well drink and have a good time then go to bed before the others get back. Besides, family encounters can be stressful, so why not take the edge off, just for a little? “Cheers.” Takayama says and we touch our glasses together. Cheers indeed.


Art by my good friend Jordan of Yuuri and two of his particularly bratty cousins who have popped up before, Kasai and Toki.

Until next time,
Max



2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Someone get that boy out of the house, same with Takayama. Let the sleepy gay boy and the grumpy bisexual drink in peace!

      This was written at very early hours of the morning when I was just like eh? Writing?

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