Family Affair

Chapter 9 ~ An Old Friend


“I’m home!” Ryu called as he walked into the estate. He frowned when he received no answer.
“Hello?”

“Uncle Ryu!” Kibo cried while charging around a corner, and then tackled the brunette to the
ground and hugged him tightly.

“Hey there, Princess,” he said with a grin, and then pushed her back so he could get off the
floor. “Where is everybody?”

“Gramps is downstairs, developing an anti-aging potion and Shizuka-san is out training,” she
said while rolling her eyes. “Anyway, want some breakfast?”

“Actually, I already ate,” he replied, frowning slightly. “Where’s your mom?”

She was quiet for a moment, and then shook her head. “Still in bed. I called him for breakfast,
but he’s in one of his usual moods.”

Ryu frowned some, and then stood up and walked towards the bedroom. “I’ll be with you in a
minute. I just want to make sure he’s okay.”

“Ryu-san, something feels weird,” Tokagero said with a frown as he appeared, following the
shaman to Manta’s room.

“Something always feels odd,” Ryu said with a sigh. “It’s only more noticeable because Danna
isn’t here to counter Little Brother’s aura.” He quickly made his way to Manta’s room, and then peered
in quietly. When he spotted the blonde, hidden under his blanket, Ryu quietly walked over and took a
seat next to Manta. He watched for a moment as Manta slept, and then smiled gently. “Little brother...”

“Kibo mentioned that you were here,” Faust’s voice spoke up. When the brunette looked to
him, he smiled. “How was the trip?”

“Not bad, actually,” Ryu replied after a moment, and then looked down. “How has he been?”

Faust was silent for a moment, and then sighed while leaning against the door frame. “I have to
sedate him when it starts getting dark, but other than that he’s hanging on.” He looked to Manta quietly.
“He’s starting to get into old habits, though. Sleeping in until noon, and then falling asleep again around
seven or eight. Won’t eat or drink anything but rice and water.”

Ryu ran a hand through Manta’s hair quietly, and then sighed. “Better than starving himself,” he
replied. “I got a call from Danna. He said he would be home over the next couple of days. That should
perk him right up.”

Faust sighed while glancing away. “Hopefully not too much. Yoh-kun’s liable to convince
Manta to have home-coming sex or something.”

“Danna won’t do that,” Ryu said with a stern tone while looking up. “He knows Manta isn’t
able to handle it.”

“You haven’t been around in a while,” Faust said with a frown. “He and Manta were sexually
active for a month before Yoh-kun left.”

Ryu snorted. “You’re old age is making you have bad dreams, Faust. Aren’t you the one who
said Manta’s...”

“I was wrong,” the doctor interrupted angrily, receiving a confused glance from the younger
man. “Shizuka’s spell fixed Manta. He’s been redeveloping since he gave birth.” He looked down with
a sad expression. “And judging by what Yoh-kun told me, I’d guess that Manta started puberty around
late spring or summer.”

Ryu frowned a bit, studying the doctor. “How do you figure?”

There was a long silence, and then the doctor squeezed his eyes shut. “He’d been acting
differently. He stopped wearing so many layers of clothes, and he ate more. Yoh-kun even got him to
drink milk again.” He let out a long sigh. “On his birthday, Horo Horo tried to sleep with him. It scared
him, but in the same night he wore a nightgown for Yoh-kun... He even let Yoh-kun touch him.”

Ryu frowned a bit, and then looked down as a smile formed. “Isn’t that a good thing, then?”

Faust grumbled for a moment, and then looked up to Ryu again. “Manta is still only a child. He
went from a newborn to a mother. Nothing between. Yoh-kun just automatically assumed it was alright
to make Manta sleep with him.”

“Sounds to me like you just don’t want him to grow up,” Ryu said as he stood up.

“What is with you people?!” Faust demanded while looking angrily at the floor. “You all think
that he can be better just like that?! He’s still only...” He came to a stop, and then looked up slowly to
Ryu, who had come to a stop by him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He stared silently at the
younger man for several minutes, finding a sad look in the dark green eyes.

“I know how you feel, Faust,” Ryu said quietly. “I still remember holding Manta in my arms
after Big Brother brought him home. It felt like he would shatter at any moment.” After a moment he
smiled gently. “Since then I’ve shared your anxieties. Some nights I lay awake and wonder if I should
be back here in case he has a bad dream. But you have to remember, though, that Manta is
twenty-five now, Faust. If he consents, that is his choice, not matter how much either of us or Mosuke
worry. But if Big Brother can make him feel good, isn’t it better that Manta know those things can be
good, rather than to let him go on believing it’s bad? Wouldn’t you rather see your son live a happy,
normal life again, rather than spend the rest of it in fear?”

“There are a lot of things I would rather see,” Faust said quietly while looking away. “None of
which you could understand. Don’t talk to me as if you are a father.”

There was a long silence as Faust fell into thought. Ryu watched the man quietly, unsure of what
to say. He spent several minutes, considering, until finally he cleared his throat. “I’m not a father, Faust.
But if a person desires something badly enough, he can understand. Now stop worrying yourself.
You’re going grey,” he laughed.

“Don’t remind me,” Faust groaned while letting his head drooped.

“Uh, Gramps?” Kibo said while peaking in.”

Faust and Ryu looked up towards the door and smiled when they saw Kibo standing there.
“What is it?” Faust asked after a moment.

“There’s some guy at the door. He says he’s an old friend, but...”

Ryu tilted his head. “An old friend?” he asked curiously, and then followed Kibo out of the
room, Faust just behind him. When they came to the door, the older shamans stared confusedly at the
purple-haired man that stood there. “Can we help you?” Ryu asked while studying the man.

Golden eyes glanced to Ryu, and then a small smile formed. “Ryu. You look well.” A moment
later his gaze shifted to Faust. “You look older though...”

Faust grumbled a bit, and then pointed an accusing finger at the man. “Who are you and what
do you want?”

“And they say I’m rude,” Kibo muttered.

“Hmph,” he replied with a slight smile, and then his expression became serious. “Before you
guys turn this into Salem’s Lot, let me start by telling you I’ve grown out of my previous behavior.
Second of all, Yoh is the one who invited me here.”

Ryu was quiet for a moment, and then frowned while crossing his arms over his chest. “We
haven’t heard word from Big Brother that somebody would be visiting.” A moment later he noticed a
tiny red spirit floating behind him. It took him a moment to think, and then he whipped his gaze back to
the man. “Tao Ren?!”

Faust’s eyes widened, and then he growled. “What are you doing here? Further more, why
would Yoh-kun invite you here?!”

“Faust, Faust,” Ren sighed while shaking his head. “I just finished saying that I’m a changed
person. I’m over that rather distasteful phase.” He looked up quietly to Ryu. “Ryu, do you really think I
would risk confrontation with Yoh? He sent me ahead because he was finishing some business.”

Ryu looked quietly at Ren, and then sighed. The younger man was right. He was too smart to
risk unexpected confrontation. “Why would Big Brother let you come here?” he demanded angrily.

“Because he felt Manta would be more comfortable here than at Funbari,” Ren replied. “We’ve
had a chance to talk. The only reason I accepted his invite was so that I could apologize to the little
one.”

Mosuke appeared and glared at the Tao. “Why would the ‘great’ Tao Ren be willing to
humiliate himself with an apology?” he demanded.

“Moron,” Ren said irritably. “Why is it so humiliating? I did some stupid things when I was
younger, and I want to make up for it. People do change, you know. Yoh will be home in a day
or so. If you don’t trust me, I can stay outside until he gets back.”

There was a long silence, and then Faust straightened up. He was about to say no when Ryu
raised an arm in front of him. “Ryu-san, what are you doing?” he hissed to the brunette.

“You will share my room,” Ryu said quietly. “You are not to be out of my or Faust’s sight.
Have I made myself clear?”

“Of course. I’m not a child,” Ren replied quietly, and then smiled slightly. “I assume you won’t
want me around Manta?”

“You’re not to be in the same room with him, whether or not it’s supervised,” Ryu replied. “He
is not to know you are here until Big Brother is home.”

Ren’s smile faded as he looked at Ryu. A moment later he shifted his gaze away. “I have no
interest in harming or scaring the little one,” he mumbled, and then looked up. “Where is your room?”

Ryu was quiet for a moment, and then sighed. “Down the hall. Third door on the left.”

“Alright, then,” Ren said as he lifted his single duffle bag off the ground, and then walked passed
the older shamans.

“Ryu-san, what are you thinking?!” Faust hissed angrily. “You don’t really believe...”

“People change,” Ryu said quietly. “I don’t necessarily trust him, but it’s been almost twelve
years, Faust.” He looked up. “He wouldn’t risk angering Big Brother. We’ll wait until he’s home, and if
Ren was lying, we’ll let Big Brother decide what to do.”

Ryu frowned angrily, and then looked at the ground.

Meanwhile, Ren had come to a stop outside a bedroom door and peered in. He smiled some
when he spotted Manta curled up in his futon and sleeping quietly. He looked up the hall quietly, and
then set his bag down and crept into the bedroom. Slowly he crouched down and watched as the
strawberry-blonde slept, and then smiled a bit more. “You’ve grown very beautiful,” he whispered
while shifting a lock of hair from Manta’s face, and then he leaned slowly and placed a kiss on his
forehead.

“Master,” Bason said quietly while appearing next to him, “this is a dangerous situation for you.
For your sake I must ask that you keep your distance from this human.”

Ren chuckled, and then stood up. “Bason, you worry too much.” He turned and walked out of
the room, and then became curious when he found Kibo looking up at him. “Hmm? You’re his
daughter, aren’t you?” he asked quietly.

“Uncle Ryu said to stay away from Mom,” she said quietly.

“Yes, well, I made sure he was asleep,” Ren said quietly, and then placed a finger on her lips.
“Let’s just keep this between you and I. I won’t go near your mother again.”

Kibo was quiet for a moment, and then nodded. “Okay.”

Ren smiled some, and then lifted his bag up. “Now, this was the third door on the left, and it
wasn’t Ryu’s room. Could you show me where it is?”

The blonde was quiet for a moment, and then smiled with a nod. “Uncle Ryu meant the third
bedroom. The second door was the bathroom. Come on.”

Bason watched concernedly as his master followed the girl, and then sighed while disappearing.