Meliora - Emanate - 32

[lady_mab]

Lionel Darcy

For Christmas eve, we ended up crashing at Rhys' apartment. Lia and I shared his bed while he took the couch.

It's a slow and quiet morning, as Christmas normally is for us. We don't really do presents so much as Rhys buys us things we need and we aren't allowed to protest. Kaito shows up a little after noon, bleary eyed from a late night at Temple, but still loud enough to protest that we don't have any sort of holiday cheer.

Which is the same as it has been for about four years.

So Kaito sets his phone to a station playing holiday music and hooks it up to Rhys' speakers and then shoves his way into the kitchen to make drinks.

Tradition is a welcome break from the strange, discomforting presence that Meliora has been the last few months.

But something seems a little off. More than just the tension that has been running high through our tiny little group. We've been knocked off-kilter by what happened this month alone, from the impromptu meeting at the start, to the event only a few days ago.

Rhys and Kaito had come hobbling back to our place with sour expressions. Dinner was canceled, and Kaito and I had to spend the rest of the evening watching over Rhys and Lia. My brother wasn't allowed to fall asleep for more than three hours at a time.

I spent most of the time in Lia's room as she slept, trying to see if I could find any clues in the map that the APM had sent with the message. Any indication of the creature, what it might have been, why it might have been able to disappear.

Down the hall, from my room, I heard an alarm go off every so often, and then Rhys and Kaito talking in low voices before fading once again into silence.

Now, none of that seriousness seems to remain, though I can feel it lingering just below the surface.

Liala, across the room sprawled out on her stomach and her favorite blanket wrapped around her, plays with a new puzzle game on her tablet. Every so often, I see a smile flicker across her face as she receives a text.

In the kitchen, Kaito and Rhys squabble about something that might vaguely be work related as they move around the kitchen in imperfect harmony. It doesn't help that Rhys constantly looks like he's being caught by surprise, even though this routine is nothing new, even though I know that they are constantly moving in each other's spaces.

I pick up my phone, which has been silent on the couch next to me, and send a text to Lia. Do you think that something's up w/Rhys & Kaito?

I watch her turn her head to see the incoming text, her forming smile turns into a confused frown as she glances up at me. An eyebrow lifts, but she plays along anyway.

Both her eyebrows go up as she reads the text. She looks to me, then to the two in the kitchen, before going back to her phone.

I always think that something is up with them.

I choke back a laugh, managing to disguise it behind my hand before it turns into something louder. ok ok true but that's mostly on rhys' end. i mean, do you think Kaito is acting differently?

Lia props her hand in her chin, looking for all the world like she's contemplating the puzzle on the tablet before her, and not the text I sent. She taps her fingers over her lips and gazes absently in the direction of the kitchen. A little, now that you mention it. Since like... November, honestly

We look at each other, as if trying to find an answer. I shrug, she tilts her head to the side, and we let the matter drop.

The day carries on in the usual fashion. Kaito presents us with mugs of his secret chocolate and eggnog recipe, each with a generous splash of bourbon in all of our drinks. We settle in to watch whatever is on TV. Lia crawls up on the couch next to me with her phone in one hand and drapes the blanket around both of us.

Her text message comes a second later. ok but now i can't stop noticing it

Lia and I have been aware of our brother's crush for some time, especially how it has never affected his relationship with Kaito -- work related or otherwise. Kaito, I know, is a friendly person overall and pretty much flirts with everyone because it is standard practice for him.

But now his normal behavior seems to stand out a lot more. Perhaps it is because Rhys constantly pauses to look away or stare with confusion. It draws more attention to all the little flirty things that Kaito does in Rhys' presence.

He can't be that dumb, I reply.

Who, Rhys or Kaito?

'Either' is what I want to reply, but I resist. Kaito.

You think he knows that Rhys has a crush on him?

I think he has to be a little bit aware of the fact, don't u?

Rhys glances over at us when Lia mutters a faint, "I guess" with a vague shrug. He's sitting on the floor with his laptop perched on his crossed legs. He had to take a few days off of work because of his head, and has been playing catch up with files since. "Are you two texting each other?"

"Maybe." I realize that this probably makes it sound as suspicious as it is, so I follow up with, "We didn't want to interrupt the movie."

Kaito is sprawled out on the loveseat, since Lia and I have occupied the larger couch. His legs dangle over the armrest. He looks like, if he had a straw, he would simply be sipping on his chocolate eggnog without interruption. "I'm pretty sure no one is actually watching the movie."

"That's not changing a thing." I return my attention to my phone, and text out, Quick, let's keep talking to make it look like we're talking shit about them.

I thought we were talking shit about them, Lia somehow texts with a straight face.

I choke on my sip, managing at least to spit it back into my glass before I spew it all over my lap.

She smirks in victory.

Some time later, we give up pretense of watching the TV and simply have it on as background noise. Lia goes back to her puzzle game and I go back to breaking down the message coding.

I glance up to see Rhys with his arm propped up on the couch cushion leaning in to see what Kaito is showing him on his phone.

Even from across the room, I can see the tension in Rhys' shoulders, the pinched corners of his mouth when he looks up at his friend.

Lord have mercy, but this needs an intervention.

I nudge Liala in the side and nod in their direction.

She frowns, looks to me for confirmation, then sets aside her tablet. "Rhys, I'm hungry. Let's get started on dinner."

Ah, the perfect distraction: The tradition of Lia and Rhys cooking the holiday meal. Cleaning is my duty, which I am fine with.

He glances at the time and makes a small sound that might be in agreement or surprise. But he sets aside his laptop and follows after her into the kitchen.

I give it a few moments before I scoop up my laptop and move to take Rhys' place on the floor in front of Kaito. "Hey, do you have any updates on the properties of the shot?"

Kaito pauses mid-text and glances down at me. "I found someone to look into it but... I haven't heard back from him recently. And he hasn't been at the bar."

"You know, when you asked me to set up that secure channel for you, I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait so long."

"You know, kid, I've got a lot of things on my mind and I don't write all of them into a planner like Rhys does to remind myself to do them." He at least manages to look guilty as he teases me.

It also offers the perfect lead into what I want to ask. "Things like Rhys?"

His brow furrows, and I can tell my reference misses its target. "Yeah, haven't you seen his phone's calendar? It is legit the most organized thing I have ever seen."

"No, I mean things like Rhys. On your mind." I'm no good at this, I know, but it has started to become too annoying to watch.

The lines in his brow deepen, then they rocket upwards. "Not particularly."

"Then you do realize that your behavior towards him as changed."

"I'm not too sure what you're getting at, Lio."

Frustrated, I shift so that I can face him completely. He has sat up and is leaning over his knees, hands clasped around his empty mug. "I want to know what your intentions are towards my brother."

"My what?" Kaito sputters, clearly not expecting me to say what we were both thinking. His hands fumble with the mug, dropping it on my foot.

"Jesus Christ, watch it!" I pick it up and set it aside, waving off the questions of concern from the kitchen. "If you're just fucking with his feelings, then stop. We're all fond of you, Kaito, so don't mess with Rhys if you don't mean it."

"I'm--" he starts, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You--"

"No." He holds up one hand to stop me, the other moving to pinch the bridge of his nose, "What brought this on?"

I glance towards the kitchen, where Lia has managed to wrangle Rhys back to helping prepare the food and not pay attention to us. "Liala and I have both noticed a change in behavior between the two of you. Well, you, more specifically."

Words start and fail in rapid succession before he finally forces a strained, "It's not like that." I can't read his expression, which is normally an open book. "I like Rhys. A lot. But it's not... I don't..." Kaito trails off and gives me a helpless shrug. "I don't know what sort of answer you're expecting from me."

I don't either, to be honest. But I don't have to let him know that. "I'm just expecting you not to disappoint him--"

He fails at smothering a nervous giggle. "I think I disappoint him quite a bit."

"And don't break his heart."

Kaito's expression immediately sobers, and he straightens his posture just a bit. He studies me, a slight furrow to his brow. Then he leans down to pluck his discarded mug from where I had placed it. "I wouldn't dream of it."

I remain quiet as he pushes himself to his feet. He makes his way towards the kitchen.

Lia uses the moment of distraction as Kaito barges in to make himself another drink to send me a text. Everything okay?

I sigh and shut my laptop. No more work is going to be happening today. As well as could be expected, I think...

Still, it would be worth keep an eye on any developments to ensure that we don't have to step in.