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

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

redfalcon

Of course, we mustn't wake Megumi. I lower my voice to a whisper, "You don't think he's joined a gang?" It doesn't seem like something Katsumi would do, but you never know with kids. He's never really had a rebellious stage so maybe he's having it now.

From:

yellowlion

My eyes go wide. I know I'm idealistic sometimes. I hadn't -- I really hadn't thought of that.

"I don't think so?" I say doubtfully. "He's a good kid, Yuusuke. I just don't know."

From:

redfalcon

"If we ask him for any more details, he'll stop talking. We just have to keep an eye on him." We can't really follow him ourselves, nor can we ask his brothers to do it. I'll think of something.

From:

yellowlion

"Yeah," I sigh miserably. "He doesn't respond well to pushing."

I roll closer to Megumi's warmth, with an arm across her so I can touch Yuusuke, too. "I just don't know, Yuusuke."

From:

redfalcon

"Have we been neglecting him?" I know, I know, I sound like Megumi. But it's worrying me, "what with Joe and now Gai ... maybe he feels left out. We should keep an eye on Kazari, too."

From:

yellowlion

I guess if you spend enough time around anyone you'll start to sound like them. I hide a rueful grin against Megumi's shoulder.

"Maybe. Guess we should try to spend extra one on one time with all four of them."

From:

redfalcon

"Yeah, definitely. Maybe you should take out Katsumi somewhere. You spoke to him, so it'll be easier for you." Katsumi sometimes acts like he's too cool to hang out with us, but I know he cares.

From:

yellowlion

"You're right," I murmur sleepily, feeling a bit better now I've unburdened myself and we have a plan of action. It's not over. We still don't know what's wrong with him. But I do feel better.

From:

hotshotlightning

It's not hard to avoid Jou in the morning, not with how hectic it is trying to get everyone out the house on time, but he obviously talked to Yuusuke at some point because he's giving me frowny looks when he thinks I don't notice.

Megumi at least doesn't seem to know anything so I spend as much time around her as possible before leaving the house. I know I'm going to hear more about this later but I can at least put it off for a while.

From:

yellowlion

Where the hell did he go?

Oh, hell with it, I'll walk to school today. Maybe I'll catch him on the way.

From:

hotshotlightning

I make sure to get a good headstart once I'm out the house so he can't catch up with me. Even if I'm early I'm sure I can find some way to pass the time before school starts.

From:

yellowlion

He's fit enough, but I still normally out-energy him in the mornings.

But I make it all the way to school without seeing him, huh.

From:

hotshotlightning

I just about make it to school before he does. It takes some doing since he has way more energy than anyone should first thing in the morning, but when I pass through the school gates it's without him catching up with me.

And now I have time to waste. Wonderful. Hm, head to the gym for some quick kendo practice or the library, with the all the bookshelves for cover.

From:

yellowlion

I wonder if he remembers he has his brace on.

From:

hotshotlightning

I browse through the library to kill some time, flipping through some of the chemistry books, although it's not as if high school science books are going to be any use against the virus.

Still, it's something to do until the bell goes.

From:

yellowlion

Oh, son.

I'm feeling more amused than pissed off today. I'll let you stew for a while.

Not too long.

From:

hotshotlightning

I sag a little with relief as the bell goes for the start of school. I was half expecting him to track me down but I guess he didn't look here.

I sling my bag over my shoulder and make my way to class, keeping a wary out for him, just in case.

From:

yellowlion

I find Yuuki and give her a note for Katsumi. She's in his first class.

No point in letting him think he's gotten away with anything.

From:

hotshotlightning

I blink in surprise as Yuuki hands me a note, flicing through it briefly before Oosugi-sensei arrives to start the class. Not that he'd notice if I read it in class anyway.

It's from Jou. Of course it is. I scowl and scrunch it up. Unfortunately I can't reach the bin from here otherwise I'd toss it in. Damn it, why can't he just let this go?

From:

spacenerd

I lean close to him and prod at him gently, while looking at the board. "Is everything okay?" I hiss.

From:

hotshotlightning

I jump as she pokes between my shoulders and I lean back in my chair to see what she wants.

Oh, to know if everything's okay. I give her a brief smile and a nod. She has enough to deal with with the KRC, she doesn't need my baggage on top of that.

From:

spacenerd

I tsk at him, because everything is obviously not okay, but he thinks he's being really calm and putting up a good act. I'll get it out of him later.

From:

hotshotlightning

I scowl at that little tsk because she sounds just like Jou and the others parents when they're not buying something. And that's really not a good association right now considering Jou's on the verge of finding out.