When the Past Comes Back

Chapter 3

By Kasey Sanada and Madame Ruby

After the two had dropped Adrianne off safely at home, and much double-and-triple checking to make sure she was okay, Ken led Nikolas to some of the more dangerous parts of town. It was an area that even most of the high school gangs avoided, and yet here was Ken walking through it like he'd done it every day of his life. It was... disconcerting, to be sure.

As they continued to walk through the streets, Nikolas finally spoke after what seemed forever. "Ken, what are we doing here in this area?"

"I'm takin' you t'my place, Nikki-kun. Dun worry, I c'n avoid most of the drug dealers an' thugs around here. It won't be a problem, really!" the boy said, turning around to look at Nikolas with a smile on his face. It was a smile that hid his true feelings, and Ken wore that mask almost all the time to keep others from seeing his true self.

Not liking what was happening, Nikolas stopped. "Ken, we.... you don't have to do this..."

"It's no problem, Nikki-kun! I haveta walk through here every day anyways..." Ken would have said more, but Nikolas cut him off abruptly.

"Kenichi, that's not what I'm talking about and you know it," Nikolas snapped, making his hands into fists. "We've known each other for five years, and not ONCE have you brought me to your house. You never gave me a reason why, and I never pushed it. Why now?"

Sad green eyes looked into tiger blue, and Ken's face saddened. "It's 'cause I didn't want to show you... I didn't want you to see how I haveta live. You have such a great life, Nikki! And me..." the Jezaire boy shook his head, "I live in the slums, with just my Obaba, Okaasan, and sisters."

Walking up to Ken and stopping several inches from him, Nikolas cupped the side of his face. "Kenichi," he whispered, "if I cared about any of that, I would have listened to those kids that first day and completely ignored you. I had Adrianne, why did I need anyone else?" Nikolas let his forehead rest against the smaller boy's, making Ken look up at him. "Sure, I have a great life, but that doesn't always make someone happy. Kami-sama, I was in a gang. You.... you were the first person besides Adrianne that made me really happy. You didn't like me because my family was rich.... you liked me for who I was."

"I still like you, Nikki-kun. But... there's things that I can't ever tell you, 'cause you'll just..."

"Run away?"

Ken shook his head before leaning it on Nikolas' shoulder. "You'll kill someone."

Nikolas wrapped his arms around the auburn haired boy. "Ken, I already killed someone in order to protect Adrianne, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, especially if they hurt you... I... I love you that much..."

Burying his face into Nikolas' chest, Ken barely managed a coherent "I love you too, Nikki-kun. But I can't let you... I can't let you kill anyone for me."

Nikolas remained silent, knowing he couldn't promise anything. However, the silence was broken when Ken tugged at the taller boy's sleeve. "C'mon, I want you to meet Obaba..."

"...Alright..." Letting Ken go, he allowed the younger boy to lead him directly into the slums of the city.

Pulling Nikolas to one specific run-down house, he opened the door without any fanfare, took off his shoes, and yelled. "OKAACHAN! OBABA-SAN! I'M HOME!"

Nikolas winced slightly at the sound of Ken's voice bouncing off the wall, but said nothing as he bent to take off his shoes. As he did so, he took a look around, not really liking what he saw. 'Kami-sama, how can anyone live like this?' he thought to himself. 'It's not even fit for mice to live here...'

An old, scratchy voice drifted from the next room, gradually drawing closer. "Kenichi Ryan Jezaire! How many times have I told you... Oh, who's this handsome young man, Kenichi?"

A faint blush appeared on Nikolas' cheeks. "Oh, uh Kon'nichi wa ma'am. I'm Nikolas Chang," he bowed politely. "I've heard a lot about you..."

"And what relation do you have to my little Kenichi?" the old woman asked, a little more harshly this time.

"Obaba-san..." Ken whined, turning a bright red.

Standing up, Nikolas looked at Ken's grandmother and said simply, "I'm Ken-kun's boyfriend. I hope that's not a problem, ma'am...."

"As long as the bastard that's Kenichi's father doesn't find out..." Turning around and heading for what seemed to be the kitchen, she held up one hand and motioned for the two boys to follow her. "Come, it's time for tea."

Ken groaned. Time for tea meant he had to sit in seizan, and his feet always fell asleep after only five or ten minutes. Nikolas heard the sound and smiled slightly. "Come on Ken-kun, it's not that bad..." He went ahead into the kitchen, finding it set up with a low table and floor pillows, like a traditional Japanese dining area would be.

Walking over to one of the pillows, Ken sat down with his calves underneath his thighs, so he was literally sitting on his feet. Nikolas followed suit, not looking the least bit uncomfortable, as though he'd done this every day of his life.

A flurry of footsteps later, three young women joined the two boys and the old woman at the table. "Oooh, Ken-chan, who's the cutie?" one of them, who looked like the oldest, asked.

"Sasha! He's my boyfriend!" Ken snapped.

Giggles from all three of the girls made the lone male of the family furious. "What's so funny?" he whined.

Another girl, who seemed to be the youngest, giggled as she touched Nikolas' hair. "He's so kawaii! His hair is even prettier than yours, Kenichi!

"Ami!!"

Nikolas closed his eyes in irritation. Now he knew why Ken never introduced him to any of his sisters.... They were annoying little pests!

"It's just like one of Obaba's stories!" the middle girl squealed.

The old woman smiled at the girl, nodding her head slightly. "Well, Rachel, I wouldn't go that far. I've never written any story with an autistic uke."

"OBABA!" Ken wailed, clinging to Nikolas for comfort. "We don't know I'm autistic! And who said I'm uke?"

Nikolas turned his head and said softly in Ken's ear. "Kenichi, calm down, okay? We'll go to my house later if you're good...." The bangs of Nikolas' raven hair covered his mouth slightly, so no one was able to lip read what he was saying.

Sulking when Nikolas pulled away, Ken remained silent and endured his sister's relentless fawning. "Rachel, Ami, don't you think that Kenichi makes such an adorable uke?"

"Oh, hai, Sasha! He'd be even cuter if we dressed him up in one of Obaba's old school uniform! That adorable sailor outfit!"

Ken's head snapped up, his green eyes wide in horror. "Nikki-kun, don't let 'em!"

Taking a sip from the tea that Ken's grandmother had already served them, Nikolas froze for a moment and actually thought about what Ken would look like in a Japanese girl's school uniform. "Hmmm....."

"NIKKI-KUN!" Ken wailed, hitting his boyfriend on the shoulder, "YOU WOULDN'T!"

Bursting into laughter, Nikolas put down his cup. "Oh, wouldn't I?" He knew teasing Ken would probably get him in trouble later, but this was too good to pass up!

Jumping up from her seat, Ami yanked Ken up to his feet. "Come on baby brother! Let's get you dressed up!!"

"NIKOLAS ICHIGO CHANG! YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS!" Ken yelled as he was being dragged off to his room.

"This is payback for calling me Nikki all these years!" Nikolas gasped out, tears in his eyes as he continued to laugh.

*****************************

Ken walked back into the dining area, sulking as Ami pushed him forward. His hair pulled from its usual ponytail and put into a braid with a blue ribbon holding it together, he pulled down at the annoyingly short skirt of the sailor outfit. 'Nikolas isn't getting ANY sex for a month...' he silently swore to himself.

Nikolas heard soft giggling and looked up. His mouth dropped open at the sight of Ken. "K-Ken?!" he gasped out, feeling himself grow hard and thanking the gods no one could see.

"WHAT?" Ken snapped, his arms crossed and his head turned to the side. This was beyond embarrassing. If it were just his sisters home, he would have put up with it like he always did. But they were dressing him up in front of NIKOLAS! And he didn't even try to stop them...

Quickly snapping his mouth shut, he turned to the old woman. "Obaba-san, would it be all right if Ken showed me to the bathroom?" he asked.

"Go ahead, go ahead," she said, smiling knowingly.

Bowing quickly, Nikolas got up and grabbed Ken by the arm as he passed him. "Where's the bathroom?" Nikolas asked.

"Why the hell should I tell you after..." Ken started to retort, before being cut off abruptly.

"Where's the damned bathroom?" Nikolas growled softly, looking at Ken with darkened tiger blue eyes.

Squeaking ever so slightly, Ken led his boyfriend to the bathroom, which was ironically the cleanest room in the house. "Why...?"

Closing and locking the door, Nikolas pressed Ken up against the wall and kissed him hard on the mouth. Emerald eyes widening, the lone Jezaire male tried to push the taller boy away. "What the hell?"

Nikolas looked down at Ken, panting softly. "Do you have any idea how hot you look right now in that outfit?"

Whimpering slightly, the auburn haired boy squirmed out from Nikolas' smothering body. "I KNEW this was a bad idea! Obaba's probably out there laughing and telling the girls what's going through that dirty mind of yours!"

Smiling as he backed Ken up against another wall, Nikolas replied, "From the short amount of time I spoke to your Obaba, I know she isn't like that."

"NOT IN THE DAMN BATHROOM, NIKKI-KUN!" Ken screeched, pushing the taller boy away from him for all he was worth.

Nikolas winced slightly, but firmly took Ken's arm in his hand. "Fine, then I'm taking you home," he hissed softly, "because I'm not going back down there with this damned hard-on!"

"You're bein' a jerk, Nikki-kun. Get offa me right now!" Ken said in a low voice, yanking his arm out of Nikolas' grip. "Keep it up like this an' I'll tell Adrianne about this."

Nikolas blinked, realizing what was happening. 'What the hell is wrong with me? I'm turning into...' his eyes widened in fear and he quickly backed up against the door, sliding down to the floor and shaking.

Kneeling down next to his boyfriend, Ken gently put a hand on Nikolas' shoulder, a worried look on his face. "Nikki-kun? I didn't mean t'scare ya... You okay?"

Nikolas shook his head. "I... I want to go home..." he whispered, looking more more vulnerable than Ken had ever seen him in the years he had known him.

"Lemme get changed an' I'll take ya home, okay Nikki-kun?" Ken whispered, wrapping his arms around the other boy.

Japanese translations:

Obaba = Grandmother

Seizan = This is the proper way of sitting, with your calves underneath your thighs. It can get very uncomfortable if you're not used to it.

Kon'nichi wa = Hello/Good afternoon

Hai = yes

Iie = no

Kawaii = cute

Ichigo = word play off strawberry (as you might have noticed last chapter and this one, Nikolas' middle name is Ichigo, and he hates it with a passion when anyone uses it.)

Honorifics (credit to Del Rey's Gundam Seed manga volume 1):

-san = this is the most common honorific and is equivalent to Mr., Miss, Ms., and Mrs. It's the all-purpose honorific and can be used in any situation where politeness is required

-kun = this suffix is used at the end of boy's names to express familiarity or endearment. It is also sometimes used by men among friends or when adressing someone younger or of a lower station.

-chan = this is used to express endearment, mostly towards girls. It is also used for little boys, pets, and between lovers. It gives a sense of childish cuteness.

Chapter 3 finished on November 14, 2004