Polo! (how many RPs do you do at any one time? xD)

I was glad that Kougu agreed – for a horrible moment I was afraid that he'd back out of it, but thankfully he followed through with it. I cupped the hot chocolate in one hand and led him to the bedroom, as if he didn't know where it was, and got into bed. He tucked me in like a young child and sat down on the chair I had sat in just under twenty-four hours ago with the book open in his long, bony hands.
I sipped innocently on the hot chocolate – he'd made it perfectly, just sweet enough not to be sickly, and just warm enough not to burn – with my legs stretched out in front of me, listening to his soft voice as he read. His voice was rehearsed, fluent even though he was translating the language. He was a far better reader than I, although I'd missed six years of education. I wondered vaguely how he was so good at it, not just reading aloud, but knowing how to speak Japanese so fluently and sounding as though he was reading out of an English novel. It was yet another small secret I didn't know about him.
I finished the hot chocolate and turned on my side, watching him read with a slight frown. He was concentrating so much on the book that he didn't notice this, so I didn't feel embarrassed with staring at him so intently. It was a long time since I'd looked at him like this, noticing all the tiny things about him that I'd grown to love. The thin, snake-like scar that ran down his temple to the shadow of his jawline ((or wherever it ends. )), that pasty, almost flawless skin, those mesmerising, dark eyes... I couldn't understand how his father could have treated him so cruelly, especially having given him that scar when he'd only been a young boy. Who would shoot a burning lazer at their own son? Who'd name them a 'tool' in the first place?
I thought back to what Kougu had said at the park that previous day.
You must be the strongest person I know – to have gone through what you did and still come out a better person on the other side.
He was wrong. I'd gone through a car crash and suffered the loss of two loved ones, and the last one left had forgotten who I was. But he'd had a lifetime of torture with a father who'd treated him like dirt until he'd come to 'good use'. He'd suffered serious psychological harm and had to live with the possibility of snapping into a blood-thirsty murderer within seconds and wanting to kill everyone. Yet he could still sit calmly and tend to me, be with me, read a story to me like I was his baby sister, without so much as a sweating a drop.
“Kougu.” I murmured. “Don't translate it. Say what it reads.”
Who cares if I didn't understand it? I hadn't heard his voice in a long time, and Japan was a part of him – if not by blood, by heart. Plus, it was oddly mesmerising listening to people speaking so fluently in a different language.
I sat up and listened to him for a bit, hugging the covers, listening to his low, foreign-sounding voice as it rolled over each syllable, almost never pausing for breath or thought as he spoke.
After a while I stopped listening and wondered why on earth I was the only one snuggling in Kougu's only bed, and frowned.
“Do I smell?” I asked with a little smile and patted the bed beside me. “Come on, join me.”
I shifted away to give him more room – more than I'd give a normal person, in case he didn't feel like making much physical contact. I hoped he wouldn't, though, because all I wanted to do was curl up with him and rest my eyes whilst listening to the sound of his voice.
Come on, Kougu. Trust yourself again with me. Please...

Kougu had been reading a while, and was just starting to get into the rhythm of it, when Charlie suddenly cut him off. "Kougu," she murmured, and he glanced questioningly over at her, “Don't translate it. Say what it reads.” He frowned thoughtfully at her for a moment, considering this, then shrugged in agreement and turned back to the book, reading this time in Japanese. His pronunciation may not have been perfect, but at that moment he didn't really care. Charlie wasn't going to understand a single word he read anyway... He didn't exactly understand the point, but he supposed Charlie had some reason for wanting to listen to a story she didn't understand. His attention had begun shifting back onto the book when he heard Charlie's voice again, and looked up to find her smiling at him.
“Do I smell? Come on, join me.” Kougu chuckled and shook his head, then obediently stood up, setting the book down on the bedside table. "Okay then." He agreed quietly, stretching, then slipping into the bed beside Charlie. He was feeling a little uncertain about this, although he wasn't sure why. He had done this before... He supposed the difference was that Charlie usually got in beside him, not the other way around. It was very different making a choice to actively move so close to Charlie, rather than just making the choice to allow her closer to him. Still, it would be okay. He was getting better with these sorts of thing; and honestly, part of him wanted to learn to be 'normal'. He didn't like being so different; it reminded him of how he had come to be that way, and those memories were far from pleasant.

Casting his thoughts aside, Kougu shifted closer to Charlie and smiled at her, placing a cool hand gently over her cheek.
"Happy now?" He asked, almost teasing. His shining eyes met Charlie's, and he felt affection rush through him. He really did love that girl - just seeing her looking at him like that was enough to ease any pain in his heart. For most of his life, he had feared that he might never experience happiness. Now Charlie had showed up in his life, and it felt like he never stopped smiling.

((Sorry, that's all I had time for. Wish me luck for maths. -_- ))

((No worries. It's kind of good we're getting shorter anyway. XD How was Maths?))

For a horrible moment I thought he was going to say no, but when Kougu finally put the book down and stood from his chair, I saw the twinkle in his eye and knew he wasn't going anywhere.
I shifted further away from him and opened the cover for him to climb in, then smiled at the unfamiliar feeling of the bed dipping against me with his weight on the mattress - it was probably the first time he'd ever been the one to get into bed second - and I gave him a moment to get comfy. The bed instantly felt warmer with him in with me, and in return, I shifted towards it. Good excuse, really. Although it was obvious I wasn't cuddling up to him just because he was warm.
At the same time, I didn't bombard him with my body too much in case it made him claustrophobic. Instead I found his hand and laced our fingers together, cupping it in both of mine, and rested my temple on the edge of his shoulder. It was as bony as if had always been, but not a hint colder than I'd expected. He'd only awoken from a coma the day before, anyway.
"Happy now?"
I giggled quietly and nodded, pulling the covers up to our chests gently. I was most certainly happy, yes. Never mind that Kougu was here, but he was cuddling up to me in a bed, enjoying both our company, and he didn't look the slightest bit nervous.
A huge leap from when we'd first met, when he'd panicked because I'd accidentally grabbed his hand too tightly.
I turned my face towards his palm on my cheek and kissed it, closing my eyes for a moment. For a boy who'd been deprived of love, Kougu sure knew how to show it.
It amazed me, really, how loving he was. He'd been through so much, wanted to kill himself, loathed his very existence and lived a life of fear and nightmares. But he still took me in, those few months ago - helped a thief that really had very little to give in return - when he'd had no reason to whatsoever. I'd pushed him away so many times for my own selfish reasons and he'd come back, every single time, to bring me home. He'd risked his life for me, pushed himself for me, pulled me out of my own messes. And even with Jimmy - who had done nothing but bitch him about from the beginning - when he was in need Kougu was ready to help him in an instant.
I laid in that bed, curled up beside my lover, wondering what the Hell I'd done to deserve him, and I couldn't find a single answer. Shaking my head in bewilderment I rolled onto my side and hugged his thin arm, folding his hand up and pressing it against my lips as I spoke.
"You know," I whispered, "you're brilliant. D'you know that? Sometimes I forget we've only known each other a couple of months... I know so much about you, but I feel like there's so much more to learn."
I made a soft giggling sound and pulled my knees up to my chest.
"Whereas you'd already sussed me out in the first few minutes of meeting me, hadn't you? I must be so simple to you, hm." I wasn't sure why I was saying this, but Kougu had missed seven weeks of his life to a coma, and I'd been doing far too much thinking in that time. There'd been so many things I'd wanted him to know and that I'd been worried I'd never me able to tell him, and it had come out. But hey, now he was here it didn't matter, did it?
"Kougu," I asked suddenly, frowning thoughtfully. "How do you say 'I love you' in Japanese?"

((Oh, okay... I wrote more than I thought I would... XD

Music to set the mood: Two Sunsets - clicketh Don't listen to it when you're tired, though, it might send you to sleep it's that nice. ))

Kougu felt Charlie’s hand brush against his, and he automatically wove his fingers around hers, easily suppressing his instinctive urge to pull his hand away. Instead he smiled and squeezed Charlie’s hand, delighted to have her expressing affection for him so openly. He knew she loved him, but when he still wasn’t too fond of himself it was easy to fall into doubt, and it was times like this that restored his faith.

After a few moments of blissful silence, Charlie rolled over and hugged his arm, then brought his hand to her lips as she whispered, "You know, you're brilliant. D'you know that?” He uttered a sound of disbelief, but before he could object to this statement, Charlie went on; so he decided to let it go, and accepted the compliment with a feeling of spreading warmth, even though he knew he didn’t deserve it. Meanwhile, Charlie went on without missing a beat. ”Sometimes I forget we've only known each other a couple of months... I know so much about you, but I feel like there's so much more to learn."
He smiled at this. It certainly did feel like an eternity since that day on the street that, by some wild twist of fate, their paths had crossed. He didn’t believe in destiny, and he didn’t believe in ‘luck’ – but something had convinced him to go out that day. Any other day, he would have let Charlie run right on by – but not that day; and though he did not understand it, he was grateful for it each and every day.
“It really does feel like longer…” He mused quietly, then glanced at Charlie as she continued with a giggle, "Whereas you'd already sussed me out in the first few minutes of meeting me, hadn't you? I must be so simple to you, hm."
He wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to this, so he remained quiet. There was nothing simple about Charlie; she was more beautifully complex than anything he’d ever known, yet it was completely true that he had ‘sussed her out’ almost immediately. That was what he did, after all. He judged people, gauged their attributes and capabilities… But it was nothing like getting to know them. He wasn’t even close to knowing Charlie completely.

This thought made him chuckle, and he replied with a smile, “Charlie, I don’t think I’ll ever have ‘sussed you out’. You never cease to baffle me.” Amused, he tsked his tongue, shaking his head slightly.
Then, as if to prove his point, Charlie surprised him yet again.
"Kougu. How do you say 'I love you' in Japanese?"
He blinked in surprise, slightly taken aback, then thought for a moment and replied, “Aishiteru.”
Then, on a whim, he squeezed her hand and shifted forward to peck her forehead, ignoring the nervous, uncertain fluttering of butterflies in the pit of his stomach. His insecurities did not rule his actions any more… He simply wouldn’t let them.

"Aishiteru."
Ai-shi-te-ru. I went over it in my head. Aishiteru. Aishi-teru. Aishiteru...
Why had I asked him? Well, maybe just 'I love You' wasn't enough. It sounded far too common, too open. Too over-used. If I said it in another language that he understood, then it felt... Private. My little message to him. Anthony probably wouldn't get it, neither would Mum, and certainly not Pedro.
I closed my eyes when he kissed me and made a soft murmuring sound like a purring cat, and bowed my brow against his lips. It was such a simple gesture on his part, so gentle, it only proved more how caring he was. He acted like he was worried I'd break if he handled me too roughly.
"Aishi-teru... Kougu." I murmured softly, snuggling closer to him and wrapping one of my legs around his. I couldn't help it, in his arms I felt so... So safe. I knew he could protect me from anything, like he had done so many times before. I knew he'd rather die than hurt me, and his conscience had grown so much since we'd been together, that no matter what his father tried to make him do, he knew how to fight it with me around.
Then something occurred to me.
Yes, it was good to feel safe with him. It was good to trust him with my life. But what if one day he wasn't there? What if he was ill, wounded, or even nipping out to buy something from the corner shop and something happened? I had a baby and my mother to protect. I couldn't just leave it up to him to keep us all safe. He wouldn't go near Pedro as it is.
"Um... Kougu?" I asked quietly, frowning once more. "Could you teach me some, um, combat moves?" I lifted my eyes, still snuggling close to him, and creased my brow slightly. "Or at least some self defence? It's just, I know you're a good fighter and..." Why was I so nervous all of a sudden? "And I don't want to have to cower behind you whenever something happens. I don't mean that there's a problem with that, it's just... I have my Mother and a baby to look after, and it wouldn't be fair to leave you on your own to protect us all." I swallowed. "And I hate being helpless in bad situations. All I've done up until now is hide whilst you've taken the danger on your own, and I hate that. So... Well, could you teach me what you know? Or at least a bit of it?" I looked up at him hopefully.

((Way to kill the mood, Charlie. *facepalm* ))

"Aishi-teru... Kougu." Charlie murmured, and Kougu chuckled under his breath, amused by how strange the phrase sounded coming from Charlie’s lips.
“I love you too.” He replied quietly, lying still while Charlie snuggled closer to him. He still wasn’t totally comfortable with the closeness, but if it was what Charlie wanted, then he had no objection. He knew better than to push her away.
All the same, he wasn’t sure if he liked the feeling of her leg over his. It was too much too soon, he felt… But then again, it was probably normal – what did he know?
He was lost in thought when Charlie’s voice brought him back to reality, and his eyes met hers again.
"Um... Kougu?" She asked quietly.
“Hm?”
"Could you teach me some, um, combat moves?” Kougu frowned at this, but Charlie went on undeterred. "Or at least some self defence? It's just, I know you're a good fighter and... And I don't want to have to cower behind you whenever something happens. I don't mean that there's a problem with that, it's just... I have my Mother and a baby to look after, and it wouldn't be fair to leave you on your own to protect us all." Kougu opened his mouth to object, but then closed it again when Charlie carried on talking, "And I hate being helpless in bad situations. All I've done up until now is hide whilst you've taken the danger on your own, and I hate that. So... Well, could you teach me what you know? Or at least a bit of it?"
Now that he had a chance to speak, Kougu found himself silent. He looked away, drawing circles on the pillow with his pillow as he contemplated what Charlie was asking him. He supposed it made sense… She should be able to protect herself if he wasn’t around, or if – God forbid – he turned on her. But then again, the last thing he wanted was her trying to ‘help’ if trouble arose. He didn’t mind protecting her. In fact, he lived for it… If she was to somehow get caught up in the fray, he wasn’t sure what he could do…
With these thoughts in mind, he stewed in silence a while longer, taking his time to formulate an answer. This was no simple request, after all…
Eventually, Kougu looked back at Charlie, and replied cautiously, “I suppose I could teach you some basic self defence… You should be able to protect yourself, but-“ He paused, frowning, “If any more trouble comes our way, I don’t want to see you caught up in it. I just… I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you, and I worry that if I teach you to fight, you’ll put yourself in danger.” He smiled slightly, and added with a lighter tone. “I know how you are. If any trouble arises, you’re bound to get into the middle of it…” He chuckled, then rolled his eyes and concluded, “But I suppose you’ll do that whether you know any hand-to-hand combat or not, so I guess there’s no real reason why I shouldn’t teach you.”
He smiled - a slightly worried smile - and with a shrug, replied, “Okay. I’ll teach you.”

I waited anxiously for a reply, my nerves slowly causing my heart rate to quicken. Kougu never said no to me, but that only meant that if he said it now I'd feel far more rejected than I should have done. Seriously, only I could ruin such a wonderful mood by asking such a selfish question. Why couldn't I have just enjoyed the mood instead of making him feel uncomfortable?
Sighing, I opened my mouth to apologise and tell him it didn't matter, when he finally began to speak again. "“I suppose I could teach you some basic self defence… You should be able to protect yourself, but-... If any more trouble comes our way, I don’t want to see you caught up in it. I just… I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you, and I worry that if I teach you to fight, you’ll put yourself in danger."
Well, that wasn't quite a 'no'. I looked down, feeling insanely guilty, and clutched his shirt in one of my hands. I never intended to put myself in danger, it just seemed to follow me around. I couldn't help it... But he was right. If I had the knowledge I'd probably end up throwing myself into it without thinking, expecting to be able to handle it, then not know what was coming to me. But surely it was worth giving it a shot?
"I know how you are. If any trouble arises, you’re bound to get into the middle of it…"
I looked up at him again, grimacing, until I saw him smiling. He instantly made me relax. It was a joke. True, but a joke.
"But I suppose you’ll do that whether you know any hand-to-hand combat or not, so I guess there’s no real reason why I shouldn’t teach you."
My heart fluttered, lips rising slightly into a hopeful smile.
"Okay. I’ll teach you."
I gasped in surprise, then squealed in a girly fashion and hugged him tightly. For a moment I had honestly thought he'd say no, but of course he'd seen the reasons behind it and agreed. Maybe he was worried about it, but if he didn't want me to throw myself into dangerous situations then I would do my utmost best to avoid them.
"Thank you... Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" I squeaked, releasing my arms and kissed his neck lovingly. "I promise I won't let you down, or take on too much." I turned on my side and pecked his cheek, beaming at him. Never had I got so excited, and I wasn't quite sure why. Perhaps because I'd spent so long being a timid little girl, forced to put my trust in others to keep me safe, and now I'd finally be able to stand up for myself.
"I'd say I'd try and stay out of trouble, but..." I bit my lip, still grinning, and decided to leave the end of the sentence hanging. He knew why, anyway.

"Thank you... Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Charlie squeaked delightedly, and Kougu frowned at what he considered to be highly misplaced excitement. Still, he chuckled at Charlie’s enthusiasm, shaking his head in fond disbelief. She really was something.
Practically beside herself with excitement, Charlie kissed his neck in thanks and Kougu responded by patting her back awkwardly, not quite sure what else to do.
"I promise I won't let you down, or take on too much." She swore earnestly, kissing his cheek now, and leaving Kougu feeling a little overwhelmed by all the affection. He could feel his heart beating nervously faster, but he couldn’t quite decide if it was a good feeling or not…
Still, at least Charlie had promised to be careful. She would be careful… Right?
"I'd say I'd try and stay out of trouble, but..."
These words drew a smile to his lips, despite his nerves and his worries, and he felt himself relax slightly upon seeing the grin on Charlie’s face. It soothed him to see her happy. In fact, Charlie’s happiness was all he strove for recently. Seeing her smile that way, it made it all worth it. He would have done anything to see that grin again.
“Between you and me,” He muttered, smiling back at her, “I don’t think we’ll ever stay out of trouble.”
He winked at her, then ruffled her hair in a brotherly fashion, and pushed himself into a sitting position.
“Get some sleep.” He told her, getting to his feet, then straightening the blankets over her. “I’ll see about teaching you some stuff when you wake up, if it’s not too late.”
With that, he bent down to kiss her goodnight – or good morning, really – and left the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind him.
Charlie was tired, she needed sleep; and besides, he could do with a little space. He loved Charlie – but much as he enjoyed spending time with her and being close to her, he could still only take so much.


The morning was still young enough to be considered night, so when Pedro began howling around 6AM, Kougu rushed to hush the child. It was against his better judgement, but Charlie had been asleep barely an hour, and she clearly needed her rest – he wouldn’t have the baby stealing any more sleep from her when she was looking so tired.
That was how Kougu ended up beside the crib, staring down at Antonio’s son with obvious trepidation. The baby stopped crying when it saw him, and stared up at him with wide, unblinking eyes. It seemed fascinated by him, whilst he seemed rather intimidated by it. But when little Pedro started snuffling again, Kougu shelved his fears, and reached into the crib to pick up the baby.
Once he was in Kougu’s arms, he soon quietened; clearly his cries were more from loneliness than hunger.
For the next couple of hours, Kougu found himself sitting beside the crib, trying to keep the child quiet and get him to fall back to sleep. He tried to leave a few times, but like clockwork, little Pedro would wake and whimper at the sound of his footsteps. So eventually he yielded, and resigned himself to caring for ‘Charlie’s child’ for the rest of the morning.
By the time the sun began to rise, it was clear that Kougu was seeing the child in a new light.

"Between you and me, I don’t think we’ll ever stay out of trouble." Kougu murmured, and I had to laugh in agreement. It was true, really. The amount of times we'd got ourselves into situations that risked both our lives was almost impossible to count.
I pulled a face as he ruffled my hair, then watched tiredly as he sat up, beginning to shift away from me. I almost made a soft moaning noise, wanting him to stay with me, but I understood why he was leaving. He'd managed to snuggle with me for a while, but now I needed to sleep. Still, it would have been nice to wake up with him by my side.
"Get some sleep." He instructed, standing up and tucking me in like he had before. I yawned, feeling childishly comforted by the gesture, and shuffled into the mattress to get comfy. "I’ll see about teaching you some stuff when you wake up, if it’s not too late." ((*snickers* :3))
"Okay." He nodded faintly, rolling onto one side and pulling the covers up to my cheeks. "I love you."
What seemed like seconds after the light went out, I drifted off to sleep.

The sun was so powerful it lit right through the thick curtains, and when I awoke I could already tell it was furthering midday. It was the best sleep I'd had in weeks, the first time I hadn't been awoken by a crying baby since we'd had Pedro, and I rather enjoyed it. I yawned and stretched in the covers, rolling around in slight denial that it was time to awake, then groaned and sat up. My limbs were slack with a good, solid rest and I could tell my hair was all over the place.
I stood, shivering, and rooted through the upright wardrobe for a dressing gown. I pulled it on, wrapping it around my body, then shuffled tiredly into the other room to check on Pedro.
I'd barely gotten to the door when I saw something that took me by silent surprise.
Kougu was sat by the little boy's crib, slouched over his knees, watching the baby snooze and gurgle. He'd obviously made sure Pedro slept well as I had. It would have meant nothing to anyone who didn't know Kougu, but I'd seen him in that locked room, crying over his little sister, and I knew he didn't like being around children. Pedro probably reminded him or her, but he'd still stayed. Plus, he didn't look like he didn't want to be there, either. He looked as caring as ever, the older brother he'd always been.
I leant sideways on the doorframe, leaning my temple against the polished wood, and watched him with a warm smile.
"Hey." I murmured quietly to make sure I didn't wake Pedro up, but I didn't move from my spot. He was having his moment, I didn't want to intrude.

Kougu didn't notice Charlie arrive, and he jumped in surprise when he heard her voice coming from the door. Rather rattled by his fright, he scrambled to his feet and stammered quickly, "I-I didn't want him to... To wake you." He swallowed, trying to untwist his tongue, and forced himself to relax. There was no need to freak out. Still, some part of him hadn't wanted Charlie to see him with the baby. He didn't want her to think that he wanted to be involved, because he didn't. He didn't. The baby was her thing, not his - and raising for that child was not something that they were going to do together. Kougu was nervous just seeing it... It was so delicate, like a sick baby bird pushed out of the nest.
He swallowed again, forcing back his nerves, and managed an awkward smile as he said, "I'll leave you to tend to him now. If you want to learn some self defense when you're done, get dressed and come find me. Wear thick clothes; I don't want you getting bruised."
Finding his confidence again now he was speaking about something he understood, Kougu left the crib and walked toward the door. He patted Charlie on the shoulder as he passed her, then walked out into the hall - presumably looking for whatever he thought he needed to teach Charlie.
Naturally, he didn't find anything. His father's old training aids were at his 'office', and Kougu couldn't foresee any use for those in any case. Instead, he figured he'd just teach Charlie with a more hands-on approach. He only hoped he was making the right choice in all this...

Around ten minutes later, Kougu was sitting on a bench in his backyard waiting for Charlie. It was a nice secluded area, surrounded on all sides by tall hedges - unlike his front lawn, which was easily visible all down the street.
He watched the birds and insects fluttering about the garden as he waited; each doing their own little job. At one point a Ladybug landed on his finger, and Kougu watched it, turning his hand to follow its black- and red-spotted progress as it scurried loops around his finger. Eventually it reached the tip, and his eyes followed it as it flew away, until it flew in front of the sun, and he lost it in a blink.
Feeling pleasantly relaxed, he sighed lightly, and turned to glance at the door, waiting for Charlie.

I barely reacted at Kougu's stutters, I'd been expecting some sort of defensive comments or actions. If anything, my smile only widened at the sight of him. Whatever he wanted to deny, or wanted me to stop believing, it didn't matter because I'd already seen him next to that baby willingly, and there was no way he'd spent six hours sat beside the crib for my good alone.
"I'll leave you to tend to him now. If you want to learn some self defense when you're done, get dressed and come find me. Wear thick clothes; I don't want you getting bruised."
I nodded, although I was still smiling at the nervous look on his face. Funny how he'd looked perfectly content until I'd appeared in the room. My eyes dropped to my feet as he touched my shoulder and I shifted to one side to let him leave the room, but I couldn't stop thinking about how calm he'd looked by Pedro's crib until he'd seen me enter.
"I'll see you soon." I replied, picking up a small rattle toy from the basket and walking over to Pedro's crib to make sure he'd be entertained for a while.

A few minutes later I was dressed in loose joggers, a long-sleeved shirt and a bodywarmer I'd bought a while ago for the cold season. I'd also pulled my long hair into a messy ponytail and tucked it into the back of my shirt and was wearing the old trainers I'd been wearing the first time we'd met. I wasn't too sure what to wear for combat training and it wasn't like I owned many of my own clothes, but I made to. The joggers were stretchy so I was going to be flexible in them, and I could always take the body warmer off if I needed to.
I found Kougu in the back garden and went out to him, leaving the back door a fraction open so I'd be able to hear Pedro if he started crying, and stuck my hands in my pockets. The sun was out but it couldn't have been any warmer than five or six degrees. Oh well, I'd warm up.
There was a spring in my step from anticipation and excitement, but I tried to contain myself. It probably wouldn't do my learning any good if I got too giddy about the concept.
"Right." I said, jogging up to meet him. "Where do we start?"

Kougu saw Charlie coming, and stood up to meet her as she jogged over to him. He could still see the excitement in her face as she reached him, and asked eagerly, "Where do we start?"
He smiled slightly, pleased to see her looking so cheery, and replied, "It's hard to say; I don't know what you already know..." He considered this a moment, then shrugged and added, "I suppose there's only one way to find out..."
He backed up a few steps, finding a clear space, and took up a defensive stance. With his feet braced apart and hands ready in front of him, he said, "Come at me with your best shot. I want to see what you've got - and don't worry about hurting me; I'll block."

((Just going to do a bit of power-play here, because otherwise I wouldn't have enough to type. ))
Kougu casually blocked each of the attacks Charlie threw at him, clamly going through the motions of assessing every aspect of her technique. Strength, aim, defense, strategy... To be completely honest, she had none of those qualities. Not yet, anyway. She would probably deal more damage slapping him than trying to throw another puny punch.
"Okay," He said after a few minutes, catching her fist, and pushing it back toward her. "That'll do."
He considered her a moment longer, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, then said, "I think I'm going to try to teach you some basic martial arts. You don't have the strength to brawl around with fists, but that's fine; I think it's an unevolved fighting style anyway."
He stepped closer to Charlie, then walked around her - poking and prodding her into a correct stance. "You have to be aware never to leave any openings." He explained as he positioned her arms out in front of her, "You need to block any attacks with your forearms - or if you can deflect them with your hands, but that takes quick reflexes and a lot of training."
He stepped back to consider his handiwork, folding his arms over his chest and looking Charlie up and down.
"I'll start by showing you how to defend against attacks, then I'll try show you some easy ways to knock a person out."

Once he had finished talking, Kougu went through the motions of teaching Charlie some defensive maneuvers. To let her practice them, he simply attacked her in slow motion, and allowed her to block or deflect his attacks.

I stared blankly at Kougu's protective stance, a complete contrast to my slumped, loose position. I didn't even know how to protect myself. So I dumbly mirrored him, folded my hands into little fists and faced him sideways-on.
"Come at me with your best shot. I want to see what you've got - and don't worry about hurting me; I'll block."
That was easy to believe.
A while passed of me throwing blind punches all over Kougu's body, and not a single one got any further than his palm or forearm. I was shocked at how quickly he could block me - although I may have been hesitant in trying, because I didn't want to hurt him, despite what he'd told me - and it didn't take me long to realise how unprepared I was when it came to self defence. Kougu was swift on his feet, never seemed to take his eyes of mine, yet he could block or dodge any attack I threw his way. By the end of the exercise I was feeling pretty stupid, but I was ready to learn. Kougu obviously knew plenty, so all he needed to do was teach me.

He was a surprisingly good teacher. I never had any urges to flirt with him or try and make any move to hug him because I knew he'd probably just block my 'attacks' whether I had good intentions or not, so I remained serious throughout the class.
Kougu taught me many different techniques, from how to hold myself to simple kicks and which parts of the body to aim for. I was sweating bucketfuls by the end of it - funny, Kougu wasn't sweating a drop - and panting ridiculously. Being stuck in that house for weeks had made me really unfit, and I made a mental note to start doing morning runs around the block until I got back in shape.
"I'll practice that some more." I said finally, wiping my brow with the back of my hand. "So it's weaker hand followed by leading?" I practised the attacking motion once more, then swallowed some phlegm and collapsed on the grass, one arm draped over my head. "Thank you, you're a good teacher."
I smiled weakly and yawned, pulling myself back up into a sitting position.
"How did I do?" I asked, looking up at him with a twinkle in my eye. I knew I wasn't as good as him, or brilliant for anyone who hadn't done it before, but it didn't matter. I knew now what to do, and with some more practise I'd probably become better at it

Kougu was pleased by how much Charlie seemed to have learned - but it was just as well that she stopped when she did, because he seemed totally oblivious to how tired the poor girl was. Thus, he was slightly surprised when Charlie collapsed on the ground at his feet, and he blinked at her for a moment in a bemused fashion - then dropped his arms back to his sides, relaxing his stance.
"Thank you, you're a good teacher." Charlie said tiredly, and Kougu responded with a modest shrug, then sat down on the grass beside her, one knee bent and the other stretched out in front of him.
"How did I do?" Charlie asked, and Kougu smiled at the look on her face. "You did well." He answered, kindly brushing her hair away from her sweaty face. He held her gaze for a moment, then looked away, dark eyes studying the sky overhead. The sun had risen higher than he'd expected - it looked like it was almost midday.
"Sorry." He said suddenly, casting Charlie a sideways glance, and smiling sheepishly, "I suppose I worked you quite hard; you'll be sore tomorrow."
Again, he cast a glance toward the sun, shielding his eyes with his hand, and wondered what the time was. He had to get something for Charlie's birthday before he ran out of time, and he was starting to worry that it would get too late. It was not a simple task for him, after all - he had never been gift shopping before...
Shaking aside his thoughts, he leaned over to Charlie and kissed her on the cheek, then got to his feet and held out a hand to help her up. "Let's go inside." He said, pulling her to her feet and keeping hold of her hand as he walked beside her into the house, "I'm going to get you some cold lemonade - then I have to go out for a while."
He let go of Charlie's hand then, and took a pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge - pouring a glass for her, and one for himself. He quickly drank it down, then gave Charlie a quick kiss on the lips, and said with a sweet smile, "Enjoy your day. I'll see you later."

I sighed tiredly as Kougu brushed the hair from my face, blushing involuntarily. He wasn't an overly clingy or affectionate person, so when he did touch me it had that strange effect on me. ((Stop it, Dreameh. That's NOT what you meant. O.o)) Still, I was glad I hadn't done hopelessly bad... Or maybe I had, and he was too polite to say so.
I rested my head on his shoulder as he sat down beside me, trying to ignore the sweaty stench that was wafting off my body. I'd really need a shower soon. The pique sunlight was really warm, which hadn't helped my case.
"Sorry. I suppose I worked you quite hard; you'll be sore tomorrow."
I glowered teasingly at him, pouting my lower lip. "Don't tell me that now. I don't want to know how crap I'll feel when I wake up tomorrow." I teased, yawning and resting my head back against his shoulder.
Tomorrow... Did he know it was my birthday? Well, I couldn't see why he would, since he didn't seem to be all that into birthdays - or any celebration - really. I couldn't imagine him jumping around to music surrounded by balloons, anyway.
I grumbled in a childish fashion when Kougu mentioned going inside, but I allowed him to pull me to my feet with little resistance. It was surprising how strong he was, considering his thin figure, but then again, I wasn't exactly heavy. "I'm going to get you some cold lemonade - then I have to go out for a while." I was about to ask why, but then figured he probably wouldn't tell me anyway. Besides, I was too busy craving lemonade anyway.
I let go of his hand to drink my lemonade - it was wonderful and cold, he'd taken it out of the fridge - when he kissed my lips suddenly. I raised my eyebrows and finished my mouthful, then put the glass on the counter and stared at him in surprise. Where was he going in such a hurry?
I opened my mouth to ask him, but the smile on his lips was far too cute to question. I pouted at him then shrugged and pecked him back. "Have fun, whatever you're doing." I finished my drink then turned back round and added, "I'm doing dinner at five, so don't be too long. 'Kay?" I picked up the glass and dumped it in the sink. The washing up wasn't too underdone. "And Kougu?"
I turned back to him.
"Try not to disappear again, okay?" I giggled at him, then brushed my hand against his and headed off to the bathroom to have a shower.

"Have fun, whatever you're doing." Charlie replied, returning his peck with a smile, "I'm doing dinner at five, so don't be too long. 'Kay?"
"Mm." He nodded, straightening up, "I'll be back by then."
He was about to leave, but then Charlie's voice called him back, and he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "Try not to disappear again, okay?"
"When have I ever disappeared?" He asked, smiling in a slightly confused fashion as she walked past him, her fingers brushing against his. He watched her until she closed herself into the bathroom, then he shrugged and went off to find his wallet and some money before he left.

As he walked in the direction of the shops, Kougu was struck once again by the absurdity of the fact that he still did not own a car. Usually he would have taken Anthony's motorbike, but Anthony had clearly gone out - so that left him stuck on foot. Luckily, he was used to it - and the nearest big shopping center was not too far from his house.
He had actually ordered something for Charlie online - but he had arranged to meet with the seller at the center.
It was not difficult to find the man, and after a few brief exchanged words, Kougu found himself clutching a small leather box in the palm of his hand. Still, even as he looked at it, Kougu couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right choice. The gift had seemed like a good idea at the time, but thinking back over what Jimmy had said, he couldn't help but think it wasn't enough.
Jimmy had said the gift should show Charlie how much he loved her - but how was that even possible? He couldn't give her the world, and nothing else would suffice.
Sighing in frustration, he pushed the box into his pocket, and looked up at the big shopping center looming before him with trepidation. He didn't even want to go in there. Nothing was more unappealing to him than a mall; how was he ever supposed to find a perfect gift for Charlie in there?
A rose, a dress, jewelry... What else had Jimmy said?

"Amigo, can you-" Alfredo stumbled over one of the plastic carrier bags in his hands, and a plastic milk bottle fell out onto the pavement. He muttered something in Spanish - probably curses - and bent over to pick it up. The motion caused all the other bags - practically one on each finger - to topple and before he could understand what was going on, groceries were scattered all over the path.
"What?" Jimmy smirked, slipping both hands in his jean pockets. "I'm sorry, you wanted a hand?"
Alfredo whimpered at him.
"Oh dear..." Jimmy pouted his lower lip in mock sympathy, then shrugged. "Sorry, mate." He nodded to his hands. "Mine are full."
The younger boy grumbled and picked up the variety of food they'd bought from the shops, putting them back in their correct bags. Jimmy had to admit, he was rather enjoying having a little side-kick to bully. Since Alfredo owed him in the name of his father, he never argued.
Jimmy started walking again, but when Alfredo didn't follow he turned back round and, taking pity on the poor boy, picked up a bag to carry himself.
"Now hurry your arse up." He ordered, rolling his eyes. "We're nearly home."

They walked for a couple more minutes, when a familiar face stuck out of the small crowd outside the shopping centre. Jimmy frowned at the figure. What was he doing shopping? Didn't he hate public places? He'd been pretty obviously uncomfortable in the airport, anyway...
But wait, if it was Charlie's birthday tomorrow, Kougu was probably getting her something. The poor guy looked pretty lost though, probably hadn't been shopping in a bit too long.
"Kougu!" Jimmy jeered, quickening to a jog to catch up to the younger man. Alfredo scuttled on behind him, but he didn't much mind. When he'd reached the scruffy-head, Jimmy's face lit up.
"Heya, Ringo. ((Don't ask, it's Jimmy's new phrase. )) Present shopping?" He scanned what Kougu had already, which wasn't much. Still, that small leather box looked important, and expensive. Jimmy nodded in approval. "D'you need a hand? You look lost."
Alfredo grumbled behind him, probably complaining that Jimmy hadn't given him any help. This only made the older man grin further.

Kougu was still lost in thought when Jimmy came walking out of the shops, and upon hearing a familiar voice shout his name, he jumped in surprise; so shocked that he very nearly had a fist at the ready when he wheeled to face the rapidly approaching footsteps. When he saw Jimmy's face, however, he relaxed visibly and his lips arranged themselves into a slightly worried smile. He couldn't deny he was glad to see Jimmy. It seemed strange to think, but he had missed that man somewhat - thinking he might not see him again for a while. He hadn't expected it to be so soon, but he was glad.
Jimmy seemed pleased to see him, too, which surprised him even more - but he wasn't going to complain.
"Heya, Ringo. Present shopping?" Kougu blinked in confusion at the strange greeting, clearly not understanding, but he answered Jimmy's question anyway.
"Attempting to." He replied, smiling in a rather helpless fashion.
"D'you need a hand? You look lost."
At this offer, he uttered a relieved sigh and said, "You have no idea. I don't even know where to begin." He cast a brief glance at Alfredo, grumbling behind Jimmy - then frowned disapprovingly and turned his gaze back to the man before him.
"How's Amelia?" He asked, seeming to forget his own predicament for a moment as he remembered Jimmy's, "Have you got everything worked out now?"

((Well. That was short. And out of character. XD Kougu is weird around Jimmy - he tries way too hard to be normal. ... It must be love. ))

"You have no idea. I don't even know where to begin."
Jimmy chuckled at this, shaking his head in amusement. Poor Kougu, he really looked out of his comfort zone. How much of his life had he spent alone? Strange... Then again, old people could be like that, couldn't they? Maybe Kougu was just an old man at heart.
Kougu's eyes shifted over Jimmy's shoulder to Alfredo, and he frowned at him as if Alfredo were a little terrier trying to hump Jmmy's leg. Jimmy just lifted a hand as if to say 'ignore him' then slipped it back in his pocket.
"How's Amelia? Have you got everything worked out now?"
Jimmy nodded. He'd never thought he'd be able to have a casual conversation about such a touchy subject, but since Kougu had taken part in that whole mission - even if it had been Alfredo all along who'd resolved it - he knew he could trust the younger man.
"Yeah, she's alright." He looked over his own shoulder at Alfredo and smiled slightly. "We'll be having the police over tomorrow to go over a few things. Obviously she was announced unofficially dead, so there's the legal side to it all as well. Need to get her her human rights back." He made a soft chuckling sound and shrugged. They were making do, really. His mum's reaction to Amy had been pretty hectic, but by the next day she'd calmed down.
Jimmy turned back round to Alfredo and handed him the plastic bag back. "Go back to my place and give these to Amy." He instructed. "And stay away from Mum, alright? She still doesn't know about you yet. You could be a burglar for all she knows." He rolled his eyes, then ruffled Alfredo's hair roughly and sent him on his way. "Good boy!" He called patronisingly after him and grinned, turning back to Kougu with a cheeky swagger.
He nodded towards the young boy. "I'm breaking him in." He smirked. "You know, big bro style."
Yawning lazily he turned back to Kougu, raising his eyebrows. "Right. What d'you need?"

Kougu nodded mutely as he listened to Jimmy recount the issues of Amelia's apparent return from the dead, but he was pleased to hear that she was doing well. After hearing Jimmy's story up on that rooftop, Amelia had come to mean something to him. Perhaps not her as a person, but rather the abstract idea of her. Empathy had a strange effect on him, and he seemed to have compared Jimmy's experience to his own to such an extent that he almost believed - in a strange, fantastical way - that he had somehow managed to save his own sister.
His eyes tracked the exchange between Alfredo and Jimmy as the latter dismissed the younger man in a most patronizing fashion, then turned back to Kougu.
"I'm breaking him in." Jimmy explained, "You know, big bro style."
Kougu uttered a sound of amusement at this, and replied, "Good. He needs it."
"Right. What d'you need?" Jimmy asked suddenly, getting back to the problem at hand, and Kougu scratched his head thoughtfully as he considered this.
"Well, first I need the courage to actually set foot in that hornets' nest." He muttered, glancing at the mall in disdain, "But as far as gifts go, I don't have any idea. Nothing I can think of seems good enough..." He forced a smile, clearly rather tense and stressed out by the entire ordeal. After all, being in a place like this was asking a lot of him. He had improved a lot lately - but not this much, and it was clear that he was most displeased by his situation.
"This clearly isn't my area of expertise." He sighed, "What do you think? You seemed to have a lot of ideas when we spoke at the airport."
It still struck Kougu as strange that he could hold such a casual conversation with Jimmy. Even with Charlie, he generally didn't say any more than he had to. He had never been one for small talk; but somehow around Jimmy the words just came. Pointless words, casual words - strung together in that simple, common register that all normal people used, but he never thought he'd be able to master.
It really was like he was just some other guy - not his strange, messed-up self.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow when he was quickly reminded of Kougu's 'social retardedness' at the mention of a 'hornet's nest'. Was that what Kougu thought of the shops? Wow... Any normal person would walk in without thinking anything of it. How odd...
He noticed how stressed Kougu was getting and rolled his eyes. He could understand being scared of socialising - he'd already seen Kougu turn crazy several times before, that was probably why he was nervous. But why get stressed over friggin' birthday shopping?
"Jesus Christ..." Jimmy huffed, jerking his head towards the door of the shopping centre, gesturing for Kougu to follow. "We need to get you socialised." He said it matter-of-factly, as if talking about an unsocialised dog, and headed right for the first clothes shop he could see. He couldn't believe he was about to do this...
He stopped outside of it, then turned to Kougu.
"Right. There are two things girls love most. Take note:" he turned his own palm to the cieling and stuck up two fingers. "Attention," he tapped one finger, "and clothes." He tapped the other, then nodded to the clothes shop. "Now, it's a good job you've got me because I know what size she is."
Not that he'd ever looked at her clothes before.
He ushered Kougu in impatiently and trailed him round all the displays, pointing out different clothes on the mannequins, and then those hung up around the dress section.
"Now Charlie's a brunette, so we need something pretty dark. But not black. I don't know... Just pick something up and try and imagine her in it." He leant back coolly on one of the displays, looking extremely out of place. "I'll be right here, so go crazy."
As long as I don't have to pay, he thought with a little smirk.

"We need to get you socialized." Jimmy stated bluntly, and Kougu just groaned when the older man walked into the shop, gesturing for him to follow. He did, albeit reluctantly, but the whole ordeal still seemed somewhat unreal to him. It didn't feel like his life at all - in fact, it was more like he was dreaming...
But he had Jimmy to follow, so that was what he did: He followed blindly, putting total faith in the man who had once been his enemy.
After a moment, Jimmy stopped and turned to him, and Kougu - jerked out of his thoughts - glanced around at the clothes store with vague surprise, as though not quite sure how he had even come to be there.
Then, Jimmy began his 'lecture'.
"Right. There are two things girls love most. Take note: Attention, and clothes. Now, it's a good job you've got me because I know what size she is." Kougu nodded mutely, once again trusting Jimmy's judgement.
Kougu allowed himself to be shooed around the store and shown different items of clothing, until at last Jimmy left him to his own devices.
"Now Charlie's a brunette," He said knowledgeably, "so we need something pretty dark. But not black. I don't know... Just pick something up and try and imagine her in it. I'll be right here, so go crazy."
Still feeling rather flustered and unprepared, Kougu shrugged and scanned the store. Luckily, his logical mind somehow seemed to become useful at that point. He glanced around at the various dresses, and quickly drew up constraints in his mind, cutting down his options by a process of elimination until he had only a few left to consider. He honestly wasn't sure what he was looking at, because he had no idea what sort of dress Charlie would like. As for himself, he honestly had no preference, because as always, Charlie was perfect in his eyes, no matter what she wore.
Eventually, however, he selected an elegant forest-green dress from a nearby rack, and turned back to Jimmy.
"Good enough?" He asked, holding it up. He really seemed quite uncomfortable with everything. It simply wasn't his scene, and his stubborn mind was struggling to process such a bizarre aberration. Still, at least he was trying - and at least he had Jimmy to help. He didn't know where he would have been otherwise...

Jimmy's eyes followed Kougu around the store, and he shook his head in amusement. The poor guy looked even more uncomfortable than Jimmy was in a girl's clothes shop. He wasn't a drag queen, anyway. He would usually not even look at stores like these, even on the off chance that he'd need to go into the shopping centre. But hey, Charlie needed a birthday present and Jimmy couldn't just let Kougu forget about it, could he?
He watched the younger man make a bee-line back to him and glanced down at the green dress in his hand. It almost looked like he was buying it for himself, and the bad thing is it would probably have fit him, too. Jimmy smirked.
"It's a good colour." He nodded in approval, then checked the dress size. "Goes with her eyes. Is there a size smaller? If so, get it." He ran his hand down the fabric. It certainly wasn't cheap material. "And get the matching sandals that go with it. This is the sort of shop where they have full outfits on show so rich buggers like you can buy the whole lot." He winked, then began strolling towards the counter.
He then paused, frowned and turned on his heel ad stared at Kougu with a raised eyebrow. "Presuming you know how to buy something..."