[Mushverse, mostly for Liveman family] Throwing Kamen Rider Gaia into the mix

[hotshotlightning]

The parents are finally in bed and I sigh in relief as I hear the light get switched off. It's about time, I thought they were never coming up. I just need to wait a bit now, give them time to go to sleep before I do this. Eventually though, I get out of bed and make my way downstairs, careful to avoid the creaky stairs.

I should probably tell them I'm working with Gaia and EYES now, but they'd just try to talk me out of it and I need to do this, for any number of reasons; getting paid is only one of them. I rummage inside my bag and pull out the envelope before heading into the kitchen. That's where Megumi keeps her purse and she does the groceries so she gets more. There's a lot of us to feed, after all, and I know she worries about it, even if she won't admit it in front of us. I split the rest of the wages between Jou and Yuusuke before ripping up the envelope and dropping it in the bin.

There. All sorted for the week. I dust my hands off in satisfaction and head back to bed.

Comments

[yellowlion]

I yawn as I make my way back out of the bathroom, drying my hands on my pyjama'd butt. Never fails. I lie down thinking I don't need to go, two seconds later I do.

...Katsumi's coming up the stairs. "Everything okay?" I murmur.

[hotshotlightning]

Oh crap, what's he doing up? He's supposed to be asleep.

"Fine," I say hurriedly, hand automatically sneaking up to rub at the back of my head before I yank it back, hoping he didn't notice. It's a tell, one I've yet to break myself of. "I, ah, couldn't sleep. Thought I'd walk around a bit, see if that helped."

That has to be the worst excuse ever, there's no way he'll believe that. Idiot.

[yellowlion]

Rubbing the back of his head.

Riiiight.

"Y'know, I probably would've believed that if you'd put some actual effort into it," I say glibly. "In my day, kids at least tried when they lied to the adults in their lives."

[hotshotlightning]

I twitch at that, fingers curling in on themselves so I can't give myself away anymore. At least until I yawn, catching myself by surprise. Juggling school and EYES is hard work.

"I'm just tired," I retort, glancing over at my door and wondering if I'll be able to bolt for it. "That's all." He's blocking the top of the stairs, though, so it would be difficult.

[yellowlion]

"Often take your bag with you when you're 'just tired'?" I enquire, leaning back against the wall, effectively blocking the stairs. I fold my arms, making it clear I'm not moving.

[hotshotlightning]

...Well damn. I should have just left it down there.

"I left it downstairs when I got back," I hedge. "Thought I might as well bring it back up so I'd know where it was in the morning."

[yellowlion]

"Yup. And my Liveman name is Lavender Axolotl," I say. "C'mon. Give."

Jou's face there is excellent. :D

[hotshotlightning]

"You renamed?" I ask brightly. "Do Megumi and Yuusuke know yet? I don't think Lavender Axalitl would really fit with theirs."

Come on, think. What excuse can you come up with that he'll believe?

he makes the best faces. <3

[yellowlion]

"We could stand around here and smartass at each other all night," I drawl, staring at him. "Or you could just come clean."

He really does. :D

[hotshotlightning]

I give my door a longing look, judging whether or not I could duck under his arm. I don't think I'd make it.

"Alright, fine," I sigh. "I was pranking Kazari. Can I go back to bed now?"

Re: He really does. :D

[yellowlion]

...

I'm starting to get genuinely worried/irritated now. But I'll give him a chance. "Show me."

Re: He really does. :D

[hotshotlightning]

Damn it. I really thought he'd believe that one.

"It was a careful balancing act," I tell him. "I'm not doing it all over again."

Come on, just drop this already.

Re: He really does. :D

[yellowlion]

I frown. "What is it? A girl? A boy? This is late, but it's not so late that I'd set a rocket off under you, you know that. If you're sneaking out to meet someone we can talk about it."

Re: He really does. :D

[hotshotlightning]

Oh no. He's got that look on his face, the one he gets when he's trying to explain how sex works.

"Like the time you tried talking about puberty?" I counter. "And how to deal with sex in public?" I frown. Or was that in private? I don't remember, it was kind of garbled.

Re: He really does. :D

[yellowlion]

I roll my eyes at him. I try, I really do, and no one appreciates it sometimes. "Stop trying to divert me. You're making me more and more worried about what you're doing, so stop it, and tell me, or I'll investigate further."

I grin. It's not the nicest grin. "You wouldn't like it if I investigated further."

[hotshotlightning]

"I'm not doing anything wrong," I snap defensively. "Leave it alone, Jou."

That's not going to make him less suspicious but it's not like anything else has either.

[yellowlion]

I raise my eyebrows, and stay silent. I can wait all night if I have to.

Well, now I've peed, I can.

[hotshotlightning]

I fold my arms and glower right back. He's not waiting me out this time.

[yellowlion]

I start whistling one of my 'old fogey' songs, with a really irritating, repetitive chorus.

[hotshotlightning]

I grit my teeth and sit down on one of the stairs. I can always go back down if I have to. I can sleep on the couch or something.

[yellowlion]

"I can talk to your friends tomorrow at school," I say sweetly. Not that they'd particularly tell me if he's got some big secret, but they might tell me about a boyfriend or girlfriend.

I'm getting particularly worried now because he just hasn't told me. I don't expect him to tell me every detail of his personal life. He's his own person, plus he's an adolescent, and I'm not completely stupid. But I'd expect him to tell me 'I visited a friend' or 'I've got a part-time job' or 'a friend was driving me home and the car broke down' even if he won't go as far as telling me, say, what the friend's NAME is.

But there's been none of that.

[hotshotlightning]

I stare at the bannister running down the stairs, wondering how long I'll need to keep this up for when he mentions talking to my friends. I bite my lip, then shrug. They might mention Yuuki if he does ask, but they don't know anything about the rest of it so they can't tell him.

This would have been so much easier if he'd just stayed in bed where he was supposed to be.

[yellowlion]

I sigh. "You're worrying me. I don't like it when you worry me."

I move theatrically out of his way. "Go to bed."

[hotshotlightning]

I bite my lip again but I take the out he's giving me anyway. I don't want to worry him, him or the others, but this is too complicated.

I drop my bag onto the floor by my bed and climb in. Tomorrow's going to be awkward.

[yellowlion]

Dammit.

I trust him. I do. I know it's nothing terrible. He's honest to a fault, though not incapable of lying. I'm worried that he's gotten himself into trouble somehow, or he's doing something that he doesn't want us to worry about, that we could FIX for him.

So I'm not disappointed like some parents might be with some kids, but hell yes, I'm disappointed.

I head back to bed with Megumi and Yuusuke, wondering what to tell them.