It Will End In A Kiss

Lesson Learned

(ZANE AKAGE)

"I'll give it to her, she is gutsy." I said while massaging Gilbert's right calf and feet. My love is lying face down on our bed while I sat next to his legs to knead the stress knots out of them. Gilbert usually spend his days standing up doing chores while I sit around my work office everyday.

Should I urge Gilbert to go to a spa to have a genuine massage? Or should I hire a masseur to make a regular house call here in the penthouse so Gilbert won't have to travel elsewhere to get a massage?

Hmmmm, things to ponder about.

But I think a massage is the farthest thing on Gilbert's mind though. Misaki visited our home to talk to my lover and Gilbert has been regaling me of the words spoken in that conversation he had with Robin's mother.

"She thinks she can come here and tell me that she wants Master Robin back in her arms and expect me to just nod my head and say "sure, take him". She is as insane as anyone in your family," Gilbert grumbled.

I winced. "If that's her expectation, that we will hand over Robin that easily to her, then she is not crazy. She is stupid." I said.

Gilbert turned his head to glance at me. "I told her you will make it hard for her to get what she wants. You won't make a liar out of me, right? We will fight for Master Robin to stay with us..."

"Of course," I gripped Gilbert's ankle and press my fingers carefully into his skin. I'm no massage expert but I do know how and where to touch my lover. "Who else can care for Robin as efficiently as us? No one, Gilbert. We know Robin best. We know what he needs and what he wants. We know his routine and everything that could comfort him. Misaki or anyone else doesn't have that knowledge."

"What I'm afraid of is her demanding emotional and psychological understanding from Master Robin that the boy couldn't possibly give. Master Robin needs people to look after him, not him giving care to other people." Gilbert mussed loudly.

"You are spoiling the boy," I groused in a grumpy tone.

Gilbert scoffed at that. "I'm the one spoiling the boy? Really? I seem to remember a certain Uncle who didn't even blink twice while signing a cheque to buy the boy a Porsche. Don't go this way, Zane...I have a pantry filled with ammunition if this is the hill you decided to die on," he chuckled at me.

I ran my palm along the back of Gilbert's calf. I'm using a special blend of oil that smells citrusy as well as woodsy that sooth Gilbert's muscles as well as smelling nice.

"We need her though," I told Gilbert after some silence stretched between us. "Our plans are already on the move. Otosan is about to launch Akage Airline early next month and if that happens, almost nothing can stop our plans from proceeding. She is a big part of it." I added.

"But she couldn't demand Master Robin as payment for her participation in your plans, Zane." Gilbert said in an insisting tone. "She is unstable and an unreliable mother. Cruel as that may sound, she is about the last thing Master Robin needs aside from not needing Master Daimo back into the boy's life."

"At least she cares about Robin," I said. "Daimo doesn't care about hurting anyone as long as he gets his way. Misaki is different. She cares for her son..."

With that, Gilbert scrambled to sit up on the bed to face me. "I get it, you love her." My lover stared into my eyes. "You grew up with her. You lived basically next doors to each other. For years, she was your bestfriend. You spent your youth with her. But your young bestfriend is not the same as this adult Haruma Misaki. This adult one is damaged."

"I know that," I sighed. "I just...I should have stopped her from marrying Daimo. I should have done more for Misaki not to be swept away by my brother's charming manipulations. But I didn't. She married an Akage and that's about the biggest mistake she had ever done."