Fires And Family | Paradox Live

Reo Comes Home - 3

Spring break ended with Iori taking everyone sakura viewing the day before Himari was set to return to university. There was a new sense of awkwardness between her and Iori as they settled into the new relationship between them. They kept it subtle, not letting anyone in the house catch on. Himari was thankful for that. She was enjoying having this between just the two of them. It made it easier.

They hadn't so much as touched hands again since their first kiss, choosing to take things slower now that they were sure of each other's feelings. Even when Himari was leaving all Iori did was lean close to her and whisper, "See you for Golden Week?"

That one question breathed into Himari's ear was what sustained her through the days until Golden Week. She wanted to see Iori again so badly.
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"Himari-nee!" Reo came hurtling out of the house into Himari's arms as she walked to the front door. "I wasn't expecting you home so soon after spring break!"

Himari laughed, struggling to stay upright as Reo put his full weight against her. "What can I say? I couldn't stay away."

"Himari..." Hokusai's happy voice floated to them from the doorway. "Reo, let her come inside first."

"I'll take your bag, Himari-nee." Reo grabbed the bag Himari had slung over her shoulder and took her hand, pulling her into the house. "Aniki and Zen-nii are out at the moment, but they'll be back soon."

"Mhm. Where's Satsuki-kun?"

Just as she asked this, Himari noticed Satsuki standing behind Hokusai, hands in his pockets. He looked a little wary of her. Himari smiled and waved. Satsuki coloured and turned away.

"Satsuki-kun is really shy with girls," Reo snarked.

"I am not!" Satsuki snapped. Then his eyes met Himari's again and he shut up. Himari's smile widened. Satsuki seemed to be settling in well.

When everyone was seated in the living room, Himari listened as Reo chattered on about how he was preparing to sit the entrance tests of a well renowned high school. He wanted to eventually go on to study fashion design in university, so he absolutely wanted his high school diploma.

"What about you, Satsuki-kun?" Himari asked during a break in the stream of Reo's words. "Don't you want to finish high school?"

Satsuki, whose face had slowly been returning to his normal complexion, blushed as soon as Himari addressed him. He looked down at his hands as he answered her. "I guess it doesn't matter. I'm not that smart anyway."

"Well not everyone is smart in the same ways, Satsuki-kun," Himari said reassuringly. "But with the right help you can still do it."

Hokusai nodded. "Himari can help. She's a teacher."

"Not yet," Himari laughed. "I've still got two years of university left. But I can help, even so."

Satsuki continued to stare at his hands and mumbled something about giving it a thought. Himari decided it would be best to leave it at that for the time being.

They continued to talk until Zen and Iori arrived home about an hour later. Stepping into the living room, Zen was the first to react.

"Himari-chan! Welcome home!" He gave her his customary one armed squeeze and then held her at arms length to look her over. "You're looking a little thin. Haven't you been eating?"

"I have, Zen-san. But it's been a busy semester so maybe I could have been eating a bit more."

"Not to worry. We'll feed you up before you have to head back."

"S-sure," Himari said with a nervous chuckle. She glanced sideways to where Iori stood by the door of the back corridor with a smile on his face. He motioned with his head towards the bedrooms and disappeared.

Himari felt her cheeks warm but nevertheless she said to everyone, "Well, we'll have to start dinner soon, right? Let me go put my things away and then I'll come help."

Without another word being said, Himari ran in the direction of her room. When she turned the corner, she found Iori leaning against the door of her room, lazily dragging at his pipe. Himari went up to him, cheeks beginning to burn.

"Himari," Iori said. "How are you?"

Himari smiled tentatively. "Good. I've missed you."

Iori's eyes widened. Then he smiled as well and nodded. "I've missed you too."

Himari opened the door to her room and went in. Iori did not follow her, leaning against the doorframe and watching her instead. Himari busied herself with unpacking. "You know, I feel like Satsuki-kun may not like me very much."

"Hm? What makes you say that?"

"He can't even look at me straight. And he only ever answers in the least possible words."

"Haha. No, no. The kid's still learning how to talk to people without picking fights. And he's pretty interested in you, don't worry."

Himari glanced at Iori as he said this. "What do you mean?"

"A few days after you went back to uni he came to me and asked about you. Calls you Ane-san when he's talking about you. Reo's started picking up on it too."

"Ane-san?" Himari stopped what she was doing and looked up. She'd never been acknowledged as any part of the Suiseki group before. Having someone use the female equivalent of Iori's 'aniki' in reference to her made her feel elated but at the same time left her dumbfounded.

Iori laughed at her expression. "Yeah, I told them to be careful about calling you that to your face. You don't mind though, do you?"

"Mind?" Himari went forward excitedly. "Iori-san I'd love it if they called me that! Do they really see me as a sister?"

"Uh-huh. They get pretty down when you have to leave and all excited when I say you're coming to stay."

Himari teared up. She'd been convinced that she was just a passing presence in Reo and Satsuki's life since they'd come to Iori only after she had left. To hear that that wasn't the case really meant so much to her.

"Oi... Are you crying?" Iori looked a little concerned.

Himari shook her head, which was a little silly because she immediately followed that by wiping tears from her eyes. She'd never had anyone look up to her before. Between Iori, Zen and Hokusai, she was the youngest. She had been the one helping Hokusai catch up on the schoolwork he was missing, but it didn't change the fact that he was a year older than her. And Himari did really love children. All her maternal instincts were crying out in joy that the two boys Iori had adopted had accepted her as well into their world.

"When you're done sniffling to yourself," Iori said in an almost laughing voice, "have you gone to greet Boss yet?"

Himari turned back to her unpacking. From her silence, Iori immediately deduced what she had hoped wouldn't be brought up during her stay.

"Oi," he said. "Oyaji knows you're here, right?"

Himari continued to say nothing. She heard Iori sigh, and then the floorboards creak as he came into the room. "Himari," he said softly, turning her to face him and letting his hand cup the back of her neck. "Why aren't you telling him? I've told you before, this isn't a place for you to hide from him."

"I've only got a few days here," Himari said with a pout. "I want to spend it with you guys. Dad will call me back to the house like with Christmas or spring break."

"That's not such a bad thing, is it? He wants to spend time with you."

"I know. And I love spending time with him. But right now," Himari paused and leaned into Iori's chest. "Right now, I want you."

Iori sighed and wrapped his arm around Himari. "You know we'll have to tell him eventually though, right?"

Himari nodded against Iori, breathing deeply to take in his scent. Iori ran his hand back up to her neck and into her hair and said, "Look at me."

Himari raised her face. Her breathing stopped when Iori leaned in close to her and brushed his lips against the corner of hers. "Don't go saying things like 'I want you' so easily," he whispered, his voice low and husky. Then he pressed another kiss to the corner of her mouth and left.