New Home, New Life

[Demeter]

Zach stretched out and rolled onto his back. One hand reached out, groping around until it touched warm flesh. Zach followed the direction of the arm and snuggled up next to his bed partner. He grinned when Kyo, a vampire of pure, Japanese descent, flung an arm over his waist and snuggled closer. “We really should get up. My grandfather is expecting us.”

Kyo opened one eye and stared at Zach. “Not for a few more hours. How long has it been since you’ve spent all day in bed?”

“About a week, I think. I seem to recall spending all of last Sunday rolling around in this very bed with a very naked man.”

Kyo grinned, fondly remembering their last, lazy Sunday. “See, it’s been a while. You should do it again.”

Zach sighed. “What you’re really saying is I should do you again. I need to bathe, not jump your bones. You need to bathe as well.”

Kyo frowned, watching as Zach climbed out of bed. He admired the view Zach presented him with but would have like it even better if that view remained next to him in bed. “Oh, very well but save some hot water for me, will you?”

Zach poked his head out of the en-suite bathroom. “You could always join me. You’d get hot water while I jump your bones.”

Ryo considered his options. Did he want to sleep or a wet and frisky Zach to entertain him until they had to go over to Katsu’s place? “Sleep. I’m so going to stay in bed.”

Zach chuckled as Kyo rolled and buried his face in the pillows. He retreated into the bathroom. Since he’d worn nothing to bed, Zach bypassed the outer room of the bath and quickly scrubbed himself clean in the wash room. Once rinsed, he hopped into the long, deep tub for a decent soak.

While he reclined in the water, Zach reflected on the past six years. He'd fled to Japan to escape his feelings over Cade. When the half vampire had moved his young man into the apartment, Zach had moved out. He'd been jealous and resentful of Josh Williams. He'd been Cade's fuck buddy for years but never his lover. There'd been no special moments in the kitchen, no afterglow cuddling. Their time together had been hurried. He'd been Cade's dirty little secret and, when Cade announced that he was in love with Josh Williams, he'd left for Japan.

Where he’d been discovered and seduced by Kyo Maki.

Kyo turned out to be the Japanese version of Uncle Lysander. He’d badgered Zach, who was, at the time, still very confused about many things, until he’d given in. Once he’d discovered that Kyo shared Lysander’s personality, he’d known his fate. And, he thought as Kyo ambled into the bathroom, he didn’t regret a moment of it. They’d been together for two years, living together for a year and half. Of course, he’d yet to tell his parents about Kyo. Everyone else knew, though.

Zach shifted, resting his head against the wide ledge of the tub. “I thought you wanted to sleep?” he asked while Kyo played with the water temperature.

“The sheets went cold. You weren’t in them. Stay put for ten minutes.”

Zach chuckled and leaned back to wait Kyo out. Sure enough the man was clean and in the tub within ten minutes. Zach reclined against his chest and idly toyed with Kyo’s damp hair. “How shall we kill the time before we go to dinner?”

“I want you naked.”

Zach groaned. “I’ll just have to take another bath.”

“I want you naked in my studio. You seem to be a favorite bit of subject matter.”

“When you’re rich and famous, you’d better remember that it was my naked ass, also known as your favorite bit of subject matter that caused it.”

Kyo grinned and dropped a kiss on Zach’s shoulder. “Zachariah, I’m never going to forget you because you’re mine. My light. My muse. My treasure. And yes, I realize how corny that sounds but its true. Now, out before you get all pruny.”

Zach looked over his shoulder and pouted. "Why do I have to get out and you don't? Won't you get all pruny as well?"

Kyo dropped a second kiss on the opposite shoulder. "Because no one cares if the person behind the camera is pruny. They like it when your ass is nice and smooth." He grinned when Zach heaved himself out of the tub. "And put that cowboy hat on. I like the way you look in it!" he called after Zach.

***

Zach snuggled next to Kyo on Katsu's couch. The couch, brought over from America, was old, plush and tried to eat most of the people who sat on it. It just gobbled up couples who snuggled together. As such, Zach was content in his warm sofa-and-blanket-and-Kyo cocoon to wait for Dasan to finish dinner. When he heard his grandfather's deep chuckle, he opened one eye and glared across the room at the old man. "What do you want?" He asked.

Katsu shook his head. "Nothing. Just amazed at the difference six years make." and, he thought, I'm enjoying this last moment of peace and quiet. Saiyuri and the rest of her brood, his great-grandchildren and Saiyuri's ex-husbands family included, would be arriving any moment for a two week vacation. And he'd never told Zach about this gathering.

And so, expecting complete chaos to happen at any moment, Katsu swirled his sake around and watched as Zach remained completely at ease in Kyo's arms. He liked Zach's young man. He pushed Zach out of his comfort zones and made him smile at the same time. He knew that Zach looked better now then six years ago. He fully expected Zach to stop speaking to him after this.

He knew the moment Zach knew that chaos was coming. He heard the babble of raised voices by the doorway. He'd already told Saiyuri that they should just let themselves in.

Zach stiffened when he heard his mother's voice directing everyone to take off their shoes. He groaned and buried his face against Kyo's chest when he recognized the voices of his siblings and their spouses. He turned and glared at Katsu. "I Hate You," he hissed out a moment before Saiyuri swept into the room.

He had no time to wiggle away from Kyo and their intimate position as Saiyuri ignored her father to bear down on the son she hadn't seen for six years.

***

Cade was miserable. He hated flying and that was a god-awful flight. The only good point to this family trip was that he got to see Zach again. He took off his shoes as directed by Aunt Saiyuri, and because his father would have skewered him if he hadn't, and followed her into the house proper. And there was Zach, stretched out on the couch and wrapped in someone else's arms.

And his heart hit bottom.

***

Kyo blinked as people poured into Katsu's living room. He recognized them from the photos he'd seen. Zach's relatives and they'd had no clue they'd be here. Which explained why Zach was currently trying to hide.

He scanned the growing crowd, not without a bit of panic, and narrowed his eyes when he came across the young man standing just beyond the doorway. Kincade. He tightened his hold on Zach and eyed Cade. Zach was his.

[Maira]

It had been six years since she'd seen her baby and Saiyuri just wasn't going to wait any longer for him to contemplate coming home for a visit. It was time to take matters into her own hands and so with a few phone calls, and a rather short discussion with Thiery, everything was set into motion for a very large family "outting" to Japan.

After a very very long flight, the horde of her family in tow, Saiyuri walked up to the front door of her father's house. The house had belonged to Katsu's father and eventually would have passed down to her younger brother Kiyo but since being bitten and turned vampire, Katsu had made no idication of giving up the house to anybody. He seemed much more at home in Japan since his Turning.

The moment she opened the door, Saiyuri sniffed the air and couldn't help but smile. Zach was here. She was finally going to have all of her babies in one place again. Along with all of her grandchildren... Grandchildren? When had that happened? Saiyuri was still trying to adjust to being a grandmother instead of a mother and her oldest grandaughter was already 8.

Shaking off the slight chill that always crept up her spine at that particular thought, Saiyuri left her bags at the door and slipped out of her shoes before practically running to where her nose told her that Zach was. She was already bending down to smother him in a hug and plant a kiss on the top of his head when she noticed the person wrapped around her son. The person had long hair and for the briefest of instants she thought Zach had gotten himself a girlfriend and hadn't told her. Only after she had pulled back from her son's perpetually messy hair, did Saiyuri get a nice good look at Zach's "girlfriend". HE was a very handsome young man.

Without missing a beat she leaned in and hugged the young man as well before introducing herself, "I'm Saiyuri, Zachariah's long lost mother and you must be the reason he's not been home in six years." Her smile was warm and genuine as she looked at the man wrapped somewhat possesively around her son.

[Demeter]

Zach cringed at the use of his full name. Mom only ever did that when she was pissed about something. Since she wasn't having a heart attack, Zach could only assume that it was because of the whole six years and no visit home thing. He rolled over and smiled at up at his mother. "Hi Mom. Kyo, this is my mother, Saiyuri."

Kyo unwrapped one arm and extended it to the woman standing in front of them. He shook her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Greenwood. I'm Kyo Maki and I'm part of the reason why he hasn't been home recently." He untangled himself from Zach but kept a hand on his thigh. Cade was still in his line of sight and he wanted to the man to know just who Zach belonged to.

Cade swallowed when he heard Kyo's words and he very nearly twitched at the sight of the man's hand on Zach's thigh. He'd come here with the intention of seeing Zach and to try and heal the wounds between them, what ever those wounds were, but now he doubted that he would have any success.

Zach wanted nothing more then to curl up and die. Uncaring of how his family might react, he pressed his forehead against Kyo's shoulder and twined his fingers around the hand on his thigh. Instead of removing that hand, Zach gripped tight. Kyo was a source of comfort. Especially now that he'd gotten of wiff of Cade's scent. Why did he have to come as well?

Theiry stopped short at the sight of Zach with another man. He quickly assessed the situation and, noting that Saiyuri seemed to be staying calm, introduced himself before the rest of the family. He took in the way his baby boy seemed to cling to man and wondered, for the millionth time, what had driven Zach to stay in Japan for six years. He also wondered why Zach thought that he couldn't have told anyone the reasons.

Gareth, five year old Ethan gripping his hand and year old Jordan perched on his hip, grinned at his youngest sibling. He got the finally that the heat would finally be taken off his and Lani's little fling and placed on his brother. He, like his father, watched as Zach seemed to suction himself closer. Zach had always been a mystery to him. He leaned over, Jordan reaching for his mamma, and whispered to Lissa, who'd never met her youngest in-law, "This is gonna be good."

Lysander didn't watch Zach. He watched Cade. Like he had with Lani and Gareth, Lysander was the only one who knew about the heartbreak between the two boys. He d seen them together once. He also considered his son a idiot for the way he'd treated Zach six years ago. And now he was getting his share of the pain. Zach looked extrememly comfortable with Kyo.

Dasan, not knowing the drama playing out in her living room, walked in, spatula in her hand. "Its about time you all got here. Lets eat. Kyo, keep your hands off the squid until the others have their share. I've got my eye on you." When no one made to follow her, Dasan sighed.

[Maira]

Considering the hell all of her older children had put her through over the years, Saiyuri had perfected the art of saving her characteristic freak-outs until later when she could either a) find somewhere private to do it, b) call her friend Cian, or c) pour herself a nice strong drink. The best option, in her mind, was to be able to have all three. As it was, it would likely be a while before she could excuse herself or use the phone, so she would just have to settle for some sake.

Once Thiery had intoduced himself to Zach's boy, and had greeted his youngest son, Saiyuri latched on to her husband and moved them a short distance off toward her father. The older man was in -serious- trouble and Saiyuri had every intention of giving him a piece of her mind at the first opportunity. As she maneuvered herself and Thiery away from Zach and Kyo, Saiyuri watched as all of her older children practically descended on their baby brother and she couldn't help but watch her ex-husband out of the corner of her eye for his reaction. The vampire had once run from her side because her family was so overwhelming (yet in the end he was a part of it anyway) and she couldn't help but wonder if poor Kyo would do the same to Zach. For her baby's sake she seriously hoped not.

Brielle, Lani, Shay and Livvie had waited politely while their parents had said their hellos but as soon as they moved away from Zach, the girls practically pounced. Well, three of them practically pounced, one actually did. "Zach I missed you!!" Brielle shouted just before she landed squarely in her brother's lap. Only once she was comfortably seated did she realize that Zach's lap wasn't the only thing she was sitting on. With a soft squeek, Brielle launched herself up off of Zach and turned to face him, her cheeks flaming red. Looking to Kyo, all she managed to say was a slightly squeeky, "Sorry."

Lani, Shay and Livvie all took their turns greeting their baby brother and his boyfriend. Many kisses and hugs were bestowed upon both men before the girls moved on to go visit with their grandfather.

Lissa, feeling suddenly very shy, just looked at Gareth with wide eyes when he said something along the lines of "this'll be good". She had a vague idea he was referring to his mother and her rather typical spaz attacks when faced with the unexpected, but he could also be referring to the reaction of the poor man that Zach was so incredibly attached to. If he didn't run screaming for the hills with this onslaught of family, he was just as crazy as she had been so many years ago. She still remembered clearly her reaction to Gareth telling her everything about his family and couldn't help but laugh over the fact that the thing that scared her the most was that Gareth had planned to get himself bitten by a vampire so he wouldn't be the only member of his family not to die. It had scared her witless at the time, but now it just seemed like another regular day.

[Demeter]

A lesser man would have bolted for the back door by now, Kyo thought as his fixed a smile on his face. He was not about to leave Zach to this ravenous hoard, not after the hell Zach had run him through just to get to this point. Those first six months, when Zach's attitude had ranged from burning hold to artic cold, were the result of just how badly Kincade had messed up Zach. If he left Zach, Kincade would probably try to fast talk him into something. The young man looked like he was a talker and he looked absolutely desperate at the moment.

So, in the face of Zach's ravenous horde of a family, Kyo sat up next to him, drapped an arm around his waist, tuck fingers through a beltloop on his jeans and rested a thumb just under his shirt and above the waistband of those jeans. He fixed his gaze on Kincade. He sneered, just slightly, as if to say, go ahead and try it. He's mine and I can treat him better then you.

So, naturally, when someone plopped down on their laps and screeched about how she'd missed Zach he jumped. Zach felt when Kyo jolted and he couldn't help but laugh when Brielle squeaked and scambled away from them. He leaned against Kyo as his laughed. Once he caught his breath, Zach grinned up at Brielle. "Gods but its good to see you again Brielle. This is Kyo Maki. I'm sure you remember our conversation about him."

Kyo grinned. He recalled the conversation with Brielle. This Brielle was the one who already knew about Zach's nuddie pictures, as he called them. Of course, the one he'd sent to his older, adopted sister hadn't been a complete nuddie picture but others in that series were and those were locked in his safe along with the original and negative of the photo hanging in their entryway. That day, about a month before their year mark, had been the first the Kyo had seen Zach in his cowboy hat.

He'd come home from a day of photographing snooty models to find Zach digging through some boxes recently shipped from America and wearing a cowboy hat. He taken one look and ordered Zach into the studio and he chased him there. In the studio Zach had procedded to what Kyo would call a Strip Tease. The photo Brielle had featured Zach down on his knees with the cowbat hat tipped back on his head. He'd been unzipping his jeans, tight, old, groan-worthy jeans that day, when Kyo had snapped the photo. He'd only been wearing the jeans and hat.

He grinned up at Brielle and watched for what he predicted to either be a major giggling fit or a complete freak out.

***

Ethan goggled at Grandma Dasan. Squid?!?!?! People actually ate Squid? He didn't bother with the drama over Uncle Zach. He didn't know the man and seeing men with other men wasn't that new to him. His momma often claimed that he'd be the well-rounded child in his preschool class. She'd even said that he'd calmly pat her on the head and tell her that everything would be fine he was so well-rounded.

Squid, on the other, was a subject he could get interested in. He leaned closer to his older cousin Maya, whom he knew already ate weird English food. "You think they really eat Squid?" he asked

***

Cade growled. He could easily read the messege the other vampire sent. He claimed Zach as he owned and was just daring him to do something about it. His heart hurt at the way Zach leaned against the vampire and laughed. He hadn't heard Zach laugh like that for so long, longer then the six years he'd been in Japan.

[Maira]

Elise could hear Brielle giggling and starting to chatter a mile a minute all the way from where she was hanging back by the door. She heard a few key words that were enough to give her the nerve to enter the fray that was Brielle's family: Kyo Maki. She had already slipped out of her shoes like everybody else, but she had still been wearing her backpack and camera bag, the first got dumped with all the other luggage and she couldn't help but cling a bit to her camera bag as she slipped through the crowd to where she could hear Brielle still talking. She slipped up behind the other woman and nudged her in the ribs to get her attention.

When Brielle felt the finger in her ribs, she looked over her shoulder long enough to see it was Elise and then she dragged her to the foreground and introduced her, "Zach, Kyo, this is my friend Elise. She too is a photographer, I believe you've both seen some of her work. That is, if Zach showed it to you Kyo." This last was said with a questioning glance at Kyo.

Elise just smiled and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you both."

*****

When her mama had run away, Maya had stayed at her father's side. She watched curiously as her mother and aunties all gathered around somebody she didn't really know. Her mama had said that they were going to see Grampa Katsu and Uncle Zach and that she had met them when she was much smaller but honestly Maya didn't remember them.

So, when Ethan said something to her, Maya's attention was easily diverted from the grown-ups. "Eww, I hope not!" she said in answer to her younger cousin's question. "That'd just be yucky." All Maya could think about now was the pictures of squid she'd seen and the little sucker feet on their legs.

*****

Dominic had been watching the spectacle before him and he felt both ashamed and proud. He was proud of Zach's apparent boyfriend for not bolting at the bombardment of Saiyuri and her daughters, and ashamed of himself for not being strong enough when it had been his turn to meet Saiyuri's family.

Turning to L, to praise Kyo, Dominic noticed that the older vampire wasn't even paying attention. Instead his gaze was fixed on Cade. That was when Dominic noticed the look on Cade's face and he looked once more at Zach and Kyo and noticed Kyo's possesive hold on Zach. Leaning in, as if to kiss L on the cheek, Dominic whispered to his lover, "Is that why Zach left and hasn't been home?" He knew L would know what he meant as he too was now watching Cade.

[Demeter]

Lysander, because Dominic was right there, kissed his lover's cheek. He grinned when the man squawked. He returned his gaze to his son. "Yes, I believe it is. I don't know all the details but I saw them once, together in Cade's bed. They were definately more then friends at the time. My only child is an idiot. I wonder if that's his mother's doing?"

When he had a moment alone, he'd rake Cade up one side and down the other for answers to his mystery. For one, Lysander wondered how long it would be before he and Dominic could go to their hotel. Their luggage would have arrived by now. He like Saiyuri's family and at all but figured it be a little more then cramped if they all stayed there. Since he had connections in Japan, he'd booked a room at a nearby hotel for the two of them.

***

Kyo grinned up at Elise and Brielle. "Yes, I saw that. I liked the way you, uh, lit the photo." He considered the way Elise clung to her camera bag. "Would either one of you like to spend time in my in-home studio?" he purred at the both of them.

Zach elbowed Kyo's side. "Oi, no drumming up business right now. Ladies, where will you be staying?" He swept a glance around at the crush if people, "I can't imagine that everyone will be comfortable here. We've got room at our place."

***

Cade swallowed down a growl. Our Place?! They had a place together? He would have demanded information then and there but he caught a look of his father's glare and shrank back. The old man knew. Somehow, Lysander always knew everything. He had his fingers on the pulse of this family.

Cade settled for leaned against a wall and shooting glares at Kyo, snarling and sneering when the full vampire flaunted the fact that he got to touch Zach. He watched as the man's thumb played on Zach's skin.

[Maira]

Both Elise and Brielle smirked at Kyo's comment about the lighting on a certain photo of Brielle. It was a very lovely shot of Brielle's new full length tattoo. Of course, to get the shot she'd had to be completely naked. And the lighting... Well, shooting photographs in a graveyard when it was just getting ready to storm had proved to be quite an interesting challenge.

When he asked if either of them wanted to spend time in his studio, Brielle had to resist the urge to bend down and kiss the man and Elise's smirk turned into a smile instantly. At the same time that Brielle blurted, "That'd be fun!" Elise answered more professionally, "I'd love to take you up on that offer. While she may have been a photographer by trade, she didn't mind being on the other side of the camera either and if Kyo Maki was the one taking the photos she would be damn ecstatic.

At Zach's offer of a place to stay, instead of staying with Katsu and the rest of the family, Brielle gave up on any sort of dignity she had left and plopped herself back in her little brother's lap. "You know Zach, we'd love to stay at your place." Looking back up at Elise, who was very obviously trying not to laugh at Brielle's affectionate attitude, Brielle asked, "You don't mind do you?" Elise shook her head and answered, "I don't mind at all." Then, with a soft laugh she added, "It'll make it that much easier for us to monopolize Kyo's studio when he's not too busy with his own work." Brielle just grinned like a cat with a saucer of cream.

Lani was watching Brielle and Elise with Zach and Kyo and she couldn't help but notice that the boys probably weren't the only couple in the group. How she had missed it on the flight over was beyond her as she was normally pretty perceptive but now that she knew she coudn't help but giggle. She'd have to corner Brielle later to confirm her suspicions but the way that her sister kept looking at Elise pretty much gave it away.

Until she could satisfy her curiousity first hand, Lani left Shay and Livvie to their own devices and wandered back to where her father and Uncle Lysander were standing. She poked her dad in the ribs and told him to go talk to Larkin for a few. Dominic looked at her funny but only for a moment before sighing, kissing her cheek, and wandering off to find his son.

Once Dominic had wandered away, Lani gave L a quick hug and then asked quietly, "Did you notice Brielle's friend? She seems to be a bit more than just a photographer to Brielle."

[Demeter]

After dinner, Zach grabbed Kyo, Brielle and Elise to escape home. His nerves felt like blistering hot live wires. Cade had stared at him throughout the meal. He wanted to spend just a few hours with people who already knew and didn't stared at him like he was an animal in a zoo.

His mother had spent most of the meal grilling Kyo. He loved his family but he mostly wanted to kill them at the moment, especially Katsu. A little warning would have been nice. How he had to spend his own vacation shuffling his relatives around.

He unlocked the front door and let the two girls in. Kyo was handling the bags. He glanced at Brielle and Elise, grinning when he saw their gobsmacked faces. He knew what they saw. Kyo had titled the image "The Portrait." At first, Zach had been embarresed to have a full body nude on display in the entry hall. Now, he thought of it as one of Kyo's master peices that was, Zach absently noticed, in need of a good dusting.

In the photo, he sat on a simple black bench with his back to the camera. His arms were braced against the bench as he leaned back and his legs were stretched out to the front. Kyo's artsy friends commented on framingm compostion, and lightning. Most wanted to know how he'd gotten his model to look over his shoulder with such a look of love and lust. Kyo always replied that it was the first time him and the model exchanged "I Love You" statements.

Kyo, acting as a packmule, watched Zach and he watched the two women stare at "The Portrait." There were no copies of that image. he kept it for himself. His Zachariah who let him take nude portraits and was completely at ease with the public seeing those images. That was trust to Kyo's way of thinking. Zach trusted him enough to allow such intimate events. Kincade wouldnever get that amount of trust from Zach.

Though he loved people's reactions to The Portrait, he was laden down with luggage. "Ladies, if you could please step aside?"
***
Earlier in the evening, when Lani had asked him about Brielle and Elise Luysander had simply grinned. Now, as the adults sat around talking, Lysander simpled listened. Maya was sound asleep, snuggled between him and Dominic. The rest of the children were crash around the room. Cade sat in a corner, fuming. He'd have to smack his son silly later. Only a fool would want to break Zach and Kyo up. Cade, since he was a poor loser, was more then likely a fool.

[Maira]

It had been a very long flight and by the end of dinner, Elise was drooping. She wasn't sure if Zach noticed or if he just wanted to get home but he basically dragged Brielle and Elise out of his grandfather's house as soon as it was polite to go. Somehow, it seemed like Elise got in the car at Katsu's house, blinked once, and then they were pulling up to another house. "You fell asleep Elise, we're here," Brielle was whispering in her ear as she blinked her eyes while trying to get her bearings.

"Oh, mhmm," Elise answered while she tried her best not to yawn and made her way into the house. Once inside, Elise promptly forgot she was tired as she was confronted with a breathaking portrait hanging in the foyer. She quickly noticed the lighting, and the framing of the subject. What took her a little longer to realize was that the subject was actually standing right next to her.

She had just turned to tell Zach that the portrait was amazing when Brielle, who had been standing beside her, started to giggle. Then, with only the giggles as warning, Brielle blurted, "Zachariah Greenwood, are you trying to send our poor mother to the looney bin?!" Then, when Kyo came in, she turned on him and told him flat out, "I've never seen Zachy look at anybody like that. If you ever so much as make him cry from anything but pleasure or happiness I will personally come back here and skin you alive." Then, to patch up her sudden seriousness, she kissed him on the cheek and smiled warmly at him.

[Demeter]

Zach flashed a quick grin at Brielle. "Of course I'm trying to drive her insane. I'm her sweet, innocent baby. I'm the one who's supposed to be the one who finally makes her crack." He wanted Cade to see the photo. He wanted the man to know that there was no going back. The downswing of this wish was that everyone else would probably see it. This thought, along with the stress of the day, caused the blood the pound in his head.

Kyo could tell that Zach was on the edge of a very nasty headache. His coloring had steadily paled as the night wore on and now he was a few shades above translucent. He jolted when Brielle spoke to him. It took a minute for the threat to process. He grinned. "I'd rather be boiled in oil then hurt Zach," he said to her. He glanced around the small circle of people. Zach had a silly grin on his face. Elise all but swayed on her feet. "Zach, why don't you show Elise to the guest bedroom before she falls asleep on her feet. I'll give Brielle a quick tour so that one of them can find the kitchen in the morning." He crossed the entryway to hand off Elise's luggage and nudged Zach with a shoulder. "And you, take one of your pills and crawl into bed. I'll be up in a bit. The bottle is in the top drawer on my side fo the sink in the bathroom. We have a guantlet to run tomorrow."

After Elise and Zach reached the second floor landing, Kyo motioned for Brielle to follow him. He had a feeling that she would be one of Zach's staunchest supporters. He showed off the main floor of the house before ending up in the kitchen. "Truth be told, I'd rather have my hair lit on fire, my nails ripped out, be skinned alive and then boiled in oil before I hurt Zach. He is my world. However, I'm not the one who needs skinning. That would be Kincade. He's the reason Zach's in Japan."

While he waited for Brielle to finish sputtering, Kyo made tea. He used the instant teabags Zach liked instead of his preferred loose leaves as it was quicker. When Brielle demanded that he spill his guts, Kyo sighed. Zach would need someone besides Kyo to help shore him during this storm. "Zach's been here for six years. I've known him for two and no jokes that I work fast. When I first met him he was, well not messed up but well on his way to being messed up. His self confidence was shot and he drank to much coffee. He graduated from the University faster then expected as the only thing he did was study. After he was hired at the firm, he worked, slept, and drank coffee."

Kyo sipped at his tea. "And Cade caused it. Zach arrived in Japan after Cade moved a man into the apartment they shared. Brielle, they'd, Cade and Zach that is, had been sleeping together since their early teens by that point. I find Zach's reaction to the situation perfectly acceptable."

After showing Brielle to her room, Kyo took the stairs up the third floor. After Zach had purchased the house, he'd added on a third floor and converted what had been the master bedroom and two of the smaller rooms, plus a bathroom, into a studio for Kyo. The third floor was now the master suite.

Zach had apparently dropped his clothing on the ground as he'd stripped, Kyo thought as he stepped around shirt, pants and boxers. He hurried through his bathroom routine before slidding into bed next to Zach. The man murmured in his sleep as Kyo cuddled him close. The next thirteen days would be trying and Kyo meant to savor these few moments he'd have Zach to himself.

[Maira]

Brielle was happily grinning at Kyo's response to her threat when the man basically shooed Elise off to bed like a sleepy toddler. The other woman would feel incredibly embarrassed about it in the morning, but Brielle could tell that at that moment, she was very glad for the excuse to go crash. Unlike Brielle, Elise wasn't used to world travel and the jet lag was really getting to her. Before Zach could lead Elise away, Brielle leaned in and brushed a soft kiss on the other woman's cheek, "Sweet dreams, I'll see you in the morning," she said soft as she then gently shoved Elise in Zach's direction.

After Elise was gone, Kyo gave Brielle a quick tour of the downstairs part of the house. By the time they reached the kitchen, Brielle was gawking. Not only was the house gorgeous, but there was tons of Kyo's work lining the walls. Not all of it was of Zach, but a few pictures had been and they were just as well done, if not as emotionally charged, as the one in the foyer.

The kitchen was the only place in the house that didn't seem to have any of Kyo's work on the walls, something Brielle had a fun idea for if the photographer was willing, and she was about to broach it with Kyo when the man started talking again. He was quick and to the point in what he had to say, and as she had been leaning against the counter with her fingertips resting on the lower wooden cabinet doors when he'd dropped the bomb on her the poor cupboard doors wound up with some serious gouges in them from her claws. The string of obscenities that came flying out of Brielle's mouth at Cade's expense was not pretty. She had been told before that her mouth could make a sailor blush and now she proved it. Not only was she swearing up a blue streak in english, but in Japanese, and Italian as well.

Right about the time she finished spouting out all the curses she could think of that would apply to Cade in this situation, Kyo was pouring tea. She would have preferred alcohol normally, but knowing she'd need her wits about her in the morning to give Cade a talking to, she was glad the drink Kyo offered was tea. She took a good hearty gulp of the warm beverage and then listened as Kyo explained more of the situation between himself, Zach and Cade.

She had always known that somebody had broken Zach's heart, she'd heard him crying one night after a family get together at their parents' house. She'd wanted to ask who it had been, but she knew that Zach wouldn't tell her. He loved her and told her most things, but even Brielle knew that Zach would never subject anybody to the wrath of any of his sisters. Well, shitty for Cade, but Kyo didn't know the girls that well and he had just basically turned him in to a squad of overly protective girls who all knew how to use sharp pointy weapons....

Not that he needed her to agree, but Brielle couldn't help but answer, "I think you're right. His reaction is totally understandable. After that, the two of them finished their tea in silence and then Kyo showed her to her bedroom. With just a quick peek inside to make sure that Elise was in that room too, Brielle turned back to Kyo and shout/whispered at him, "Goodnight big brother, see you in the morning!"

It only took her a few minutes to totally tear apart her luggage in search of her toiletries only to realize that Elise had already taken it out and put it in the bathroom that was attached to their room. Now that she was away from other people, even Brielle was starting to crash so she didn't bother to pick up her luggage. She could do that sometime the next day.

After quickly brushing her teeth and hair and slipping out of most of her clothes, Brielle skipped over to the bed Elise was in and slipped under the covers with her. The other woman was warm and Brielle hated to sleep alone so the second bed in the room went completely untouched and would continue to do so for their entire trip.

She knew that if any of her family happened to come into her room, they would think something was going on between Elise and Brielle (and considering the family's history, it wouldn't be totally unheard of). And while she would correct everybody's assumptions, saying there wasn't, it wasn't entirely true. There wasn't anything incredibly romantic between them, but the girls were very affectionate with each other and had been known to get a little more than friendly on occasion.

Still, while she didn't care what anybody thought about her (and in turn her and Elise) she was very glad that they weren't staying at Katsu's house with the rest of the family. There would be just waaaaay too many awkward questions over there if somebody barged into their bedroom before they had woken up in the morning...

[Demeter]

Zach happily cursed his mother as he trudged up the stairs to wake up Brielle and her friend. Why couldn't Saiyuri behave like a normal person and not be a cheery person in the morning? Not to mention that Jetlag no longer affected the woman. He'd been down and out for a week after arriving at Katsu's place. His mother had called while he was glaring at the coffee pot, willing the machine to brew faster, to say that she and his sisters were coming over for breakfast. He wasn't to worry about cooking, Dasan had made plenty for everyone and he should go and wake up Brielle and her friend.

She was awake and planning a breakfast visit while he was still wearing the boxers he'd swiped up from the floor ten minutes ago. He'd told them that he'd unlock the door and they could just come right in. He had planned on getting them in through the back but now, with the breakfast visit inching closer, he thought that The Portrait was an excellent way to get revenge on his mother.

First he poked his head into Kyo's studio. The man was hunched over a light box. He walked up behind Kyo and leaned over his back. "My mother and sisters are coming over. If you were a good boyfriend, you'd face them with me."

"You mother and sisters want to tear apart my life. I love you, Zach, but I'm not facing that until I get atleast two cups of coffee in me." He grinned when Zach pouted and leaned up to kissed him. "I'll be down shortly. You might want to get dressed."

Zach rolled his eyes as he left the room before making a quick trip up the third floor. He quickly changed into fresh boxers, jeans and a sweatshirt. He left his feet bare and then he headed down to wake up Brielle. He didn't bother to knock, he never had, he just sailed right in, singing something about rising and shining. Except, he never got to the shining part, he stumbled off someone's belongings and stared at the sigh before. Brille and Elise snuggled together. He goggled for a moment and then snickered. "Well, bloody hell, Brielle. You, dear sister, are a shameless hussy." He then, of course, had a duck as a pillow came flying at him. Outside of the room he called out that Saiyuri and her female offspring would be at the house soon. He cackled as he sat in the kitchen.

He laughed when he heard the front door open. He could hear the bright, female chatter of his relatives. All he had to do now was wait for the gasps and the screeches and the demands that he show himself in the entry way right this moment. He'd flipped the switch to turn on the spotlight over the photograph on his way through. Yes...he would be the one to drive his mother up the wall...

[Maira]

She heard the door open, she heard who she thought was Zach singing something, and then she heard him kick something. Elise vaguely remembered Brielle flinging her luggage every which-way the night before. What she didn't remember, but wasn't at all surprised to find, was that Brielle had crawled into bed with her and was thoroughly wrapped around her. Just as Zach started talking, calling Brielle a shameless hussy, Elise squeezed Brielle a bit to wake her up, the stole the pillow from under Brielle's head and launched it at him.

Brielle, never a morning person, grumbled and growled at being woken up so abruptly. "What the hell is goin' on?!" she demanded as she tried desperately to bury her face into Elise's shoulder as it moved away. "No! Come back to bed!" she begged once she realized that Elise was actually getting up for the day.

"You slept through it sweety, but your baby brother just hollered at us that your mom and sisters are on the way over. We all need to get dressed and presentable because They're going to be here any minute." When Brielle groaned dramatically and pulled the blankets back over her head, Elise laughed, and yanked them back off. "Honestly Brielle, do you really want your mom of all people to find us snuggled up in bed together? Just because all Zach did was call you a shameless hussy doesn't mean your mother won't flip.

That, finally, got a reaction from Brielle. "He called me a what?!?" she demanded as she sat bolt upright and crawled to the edge of the bed. Elise just laughed again and started rummaging through her suitcase to find something to wear for the day.

Once Elise had convinced her that getting dressed and going downstairs to stand by Zach when the horde arrived, Brielle was quick about doing just that. Still, her mother was quicker and by the time she got downstairs she was able to hear the front door open and her female family members coming in. She sooo wanted to see the look on her mother's face when she saw the lovely portrait of Zach in the foyer, but instead she just meandered into the kitchen as that's where her lynx nose was indicating her brother had gotten to. That and she could smell the coffee brewing...

After Brielle scampered out of their room, Elise left too. But unlike Brielle, she didn't want to go downstairs. She wanted to find Kyo and she had a feeling he was in his studio, wherever that was. Well, one good thing about being part dragon, her nose was better than a bloodhound's. It didn't take her long to sniff out the photo chemicals or Kyo. Following the trail, she knocked on the door that it ended at.

[Demeter]

Kyo called out for whoever was knocking on his door to go ahead and come in. He didn't look up from examining his latest series of Zach photos. Zach may have been his favorite piece of subject matter but he was also a favorite of the public mass who'd started to flock to his work. The gallery that hosted his work were demanding more images.

He looked up when Elise's shadow fell over his light box. He grinned. "Want to play?" He reached over and grabbed the digital camera he kept near him. He snapped a quick photo of Elise. Then he heard the commotion coming from downstairs. "Christ. Go ahead and look around. I have to go make sure Zach doesn't flip out over anything. Or, you know, no one flips out and starts freaking out. I trust you with my studo."

Kyo hurried down the back set of stairs and skidded into the kitchen just as someone started to mention that he was good at what he did. That, of course, ended when the speaker recognized Zach. The subject of the photo was bent over the butcher block island counter, laughing his fool head off. Brielle was snickered as she hunted for the coffee cups. He sidled up next to Zach and pecked his cheek. "Have your fun," he paused when he heard a thump in the entryway, "I'll be upstairs. Brielle, I'm gonna seduce your girlfriend with my horde of cameras."

He whistled as he walked back to his studio. He grinned at Elise. "Wanna play with the camera or do you want to be photograph. I should warn you, I have a tendancy to strip my models."

Down in the kitchen, Zach braced himself for the questions while getting an icepack out of the freezer. When he'd surfaced from laughing, he'd turned to Brielle and said "I think I finally broke Mom," before the two of them burst out laughing again.

[Maira]

Elise had just been summoned into the studio, had one shot taken of her (sticking out her tongue at the last minute), and was about to answer that yes she'd love to play when suddenly the horde arrived. She, like Kyo heard the women coming through the front door. When he bolted to go make sure Zach survived, Elise only nodded her understanding then began browsing the studio. She looked at the negatives he had on the light box, fiddled with a couple cameras, and was just drooling over his back drops and lighting when he came back in.

She smiled mischevious at him when he asked again if she wanted to play and offered her to be on either side of the camera. "I can play with your cameras later, we're gonna be here for two weeks. And I don't mind taking off my clothes. I don't have as flawless a body as Brielle but you may find my skin a bit interesting." She hadn't told anybody in Brielle's family about her Brood heritage and she highly doubted that Kyo had been able to figure it out from their brief interactions thus far. Once her clothes came off and the lights hit her skin though, the almost irridescent pattern of scales on her skin would become quite obvious.

*****

Brielle only smiled at Kyo when he talked of seducing her "girlfriend" with his cameras. If Elise had actually been her girlfriend she may have felt threatened because it was very true that Kyo and his cameras likely -could- seduce Elise if the man tried.

She didn't bother to dwell on the thought of Elise upstairs alone with Kyo, likely getting naked if Kyo's other work were any indication. Instead, she rushed toward the thump that had come from the foyer. Only half surprised that it was her mother, Brielle reigned in a giggle and helped her sisters carry her into the livingroom and putting her on a couch.

Lani, Shay and Olivia were all trying their hardest not to laugh at their mother's fainting spell, but they were all thinking along the same lines of what Zach said to Brielle. When their baby brother finally voiced it, all four girls burst out laughing.

Olivia answered before Brielle could, "You definitely broke her Zach." Then, with a slightly shocked tone she added, "I guess this means I'm the only 'good' child left." That was definitely not a fact she was thrilled to admit to... It just made her feel like she had never done anything interesting with her life. While loving Logan hadn't been boring, it hadn't been an adventure either. Yes, she was a step-mother to a child he'd had with another woman while still in college, but other than that their courtship and relationship had been pretty standard.

The laughing from her children hadn't woken her, but eventually Saiyuri's eyes fluttered open. She stared silently at the ceiling for a bit trying to remember just where she was. Then, seeing Zach out of the corner of her eye as he walked past, reminded her of the portrait that had shocked her senseless. Not wanting to remember that image too clearly, Saiyuri brought a hand to her eyes, closed them, and tried to picture her baby -as- a baby. He was a cute little guy, nice and round and chubby. That image helped Saiyuri calm her breathing enough where she could sit up and look around.

Lani had been watching her mother from the first moment her eyelids had fluttered opened. When she finally sat up and looked around, Lani asked, "You okay Mom?"

Saiyuri just nodded then asked Shay, "Did you manage to put breakfast in the kitchen or did you drop it when you likely started laughing at me?" Shay giggled, "Don't worry Mom, Dasan's breakfast is safe and sound in Zach and Kyo's kitchen. I'm not -that- scatterbrained after all." Saiyuri just looked askance at the second wildest of her children. If any of them were that scatterbrained, it was definitely Shay.

[Demeter]

Zach turned around the eight by ten photo of him and Kyo in a bed with a lovely old, iron headboard. If she'd reacted by fainting at the sight of The Portait, there was no telling what she'd do if she saw that picture...seeing as both him and Kyo were sans clothing and tangled in the sheets. He turned and gave his mother the sweetest smile possible. "I told Kyo not to put that there but he insisted and I gave in. He has Uncle Lysander's personality."

As if that explained everything about Kyo, Zach ushered everyone, mother included, into the kitchen. He wanted breakfast. He dug into the basket, hunting for the traditional breakfast Dasan would have packed for him and Kyo. One handing holding a tub of cooked rice, Kyo depressed a button on the intercom system he'd installed. "Oi, lovebirds, get down here. Breakfast is ready."

He glanced at his siblings. "So, what have you ladies been up to. We all know what I've been doing. His name is Kyo." When his mother groaned, Zach chuckled. "Sorry, Mom, things are a little different now."

Kyo, grumbling about being interupted again, descended the stairs with Elise in tow. He only gotten a few test shoots done before Zach had summoned him for breakfast. Not caring what reactions he might cause, Kyo pecked Zach on the cheek as he walked by to get dishes and flatware, for the relatives, and chopsticks, for Zach and himself, out. "I do love Dasan's cooking."

[Maira]

When Zach explained that Kyo had Lysander's personality, it really did clear a lot up for Saiyuri. She may not be 100% comfortable with her son's new lover but she now knew that he wasn't about to go anywhere and that he'd be damn persistant in his efforts to make Zach happy. In all honesty, as much as L and Dominic being together had originally freaked her out, she was now very happy for them and couldn't picture them with anybody else. Their year long split that resulted in Cade had been hard on the whole family, not just the two men. So, aside from that 1 year time period, Saiyuri could only hope that Zach and Kyo were as happy together.

When they all migrated to the kitchen for breakfast, the girls fought over the few barstools available and Brielle got left standing as did Shay. After all, Shay had pulled Brielle aside and was telling her something that was bound to be a juicy secret if one could judge by the looks on both of their faces. By now, Saiyuri had learned to ignore those two when they got like that. Eventually one of them would let slip whatever was being said and then the whole family would know. It was only a matter of time. Of course, judging by the look on Lani's face as she eyed the breakfast Zach was dishing up, Saiyuri couldn't help but guess that Lani was pregnant again. She wasn't nearly as oblivious as all of her children thought she was.

*****

When the intercom buzzed and was followed by Zach's voice telling them that breakfast was ready, Elise sighed. They had just gotten situated and were taking a few shots to test the lighting and she was loathe to go to the trouble of getting dressed again so she told Kyo, "I'll grab my robe on our way down then we can get started again as soon as we're allowed to run away."

She was totally unashamed of her body, didn't care one bit that she was walking down Brielle's brother's hallway completely nude with his lover following behind her. Her only worry was that he'd see her scale marks and say something while around everybody else. The brood weren't very well known as they kept mostly to themselves and if nobody had noticed yet she really didn't want to have to answer any awkward questions.

Once they got to the door to the bedroom she was sharing with Brielle, Elise ran in and snagged her red, knee length silk robe off the back of the bathroom door where she had hung it. She slipped it over her shoulders then went back out to where Kyo was waiting in the hall. She smiled at him and they quickly made their way downstairs.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Elise could tell something was up just by the way that Brielle and Shay were whispering off to one side. Not caring about the spectacle of Kyo kissing Zach on the cheek, she sidled over to Brielle and asked in a whisper, "So, who are we gossiping about now?" Shay, not used to Elise, looked at the other woman in surprise, then tilted her head as she took in the sight of the woman in a clingy red silk robe. Brielle, knowing precisely what was going through Shay's mind snapped her fingers in front of her baby sister's face and muttered, "Lily won't like you looking Shay." Blinking a couple times, Shay actually managed to blush, which made Elise blush slightly as well.

Seeing Elise turning a lovely shade of pink, Brielle put her arm around the other woman's shoulders and directed her over to the rest of the family. As they walked she whispered to Elise what she and Shay had been talking about. A little out of sorts from Shay's open appreciation of her, Elise wasn't really on her game and blurted out a little too loudly, "Lani is pregnant?!" Then only slightly more quietly she asked, "She's the blonde right?"

A groan and giggles and gasps from the bar alerted Elise to her error and she turned a shade of red only slightly lighter than her robe. "I'm sooo sorry Lani!" she tried apologizing hurriedly but the damage had already been done. Paying more attention to the sudden barrage of questions being launched at Lani than her own skin color, Elise didn't realize that her robe was gapping a bit more than it should have been and the redness of her skin made her skales on her collarbone quite visible.

[Demeter]

Zach sniggered when his older sisters screeched and groaned. Handling his chopsticks with the skill of an expert, Zach moved rice and egg from plate to mouth. Unfazed by the annoucment of Lani's second pregnancy (someone was always pregnant in this family), Zach pointed his chopsticks at Shay. "And just where is Lily?"

Shay muttered something along the lines if "she gets to sleep in because she's seven months pregnant and bitchy. I can only hope she gets less bitchy with the next pregnancy. I talked her into playing easy-bake oven for me." Shay frowned. Lily's normally sweet dispostion had soured with morning sickness and swollen ankles but there were times when they both just marvelled at the idea of a child. Not that Shay wanted to play easy-bake oven.

Zach blinked before turning to face his mother. "You're letting her breed? You do realize that the end of the world will happen when that child is born?"

Shay flicked a pickle at her baby borhter. "You should be kind to your future neice or nephew."

Kyo, perched on the counter, watched the interplay between siblings and wished he'd brought a camera down. He'd even seen the way the light reflected on Elise's skin. Stripping her down and playing would have to wait. One of Zach's sisters, the good one, was eyeing him. Probably trying to figure out if he was good enough for her baby brother. "Zach, why don't you go show your mother the garden. It's rare to have the space for one around here so it must be shown off. I'll entertain your sisters."

Kyo was up to something, Zach though as he led his mother out to the back gardens, which were one of Dasan's glories. She came out three times a week to care for them, using up the other four to tackle the full size Japanese garden out at Katsu's place. His home, which was older then Aunt Corinne, had retained all of it's property. He said as much to Saiyuri.

Inside the kitchen, Kyo slid from the counter and looked at each sister in turn. "I told Brielle last night but I'm going to tell the rest of you now, mostly because I don't like the way Kincade looks at Zach. I'll need back up to keep the man from do anything sneaky and because Zach is going to need his family. Kincade is the reason Zach came to Japan. He and Zach were lovers for years. Zach moved here after Kincade moved his lover into the apartment they shared. You can imagine how Zach, who loved Kincade at the time, felt about that. I won't be letting Kincade screw with Zach more then he already has."

He went back to his breakfast while the the sisters gasped and started talking between themselves. He glanced at Brielle and winked at her.

Out of the garden, Zach sat on a stone bench. "I'm sorry, Momma, for not coming back for six years and for leaving in the way I did. I just had to figure out somethings for myself, about myself, and I couldn't do that at home. Granted, I could have gone about leaving in a more orderly fashion but I just had to get away."

Zach looked down at the green grass. "Things were confusing for a while but Kyo has helped me to figure out plenty of things. I feel like this is the first time in my entire life that I know myself."

[Maira]

The look she gave her youngest son when he asked if she was honestly going to let Shay breed tried to be stern, but instead it was more of a half-grin, half-glare. "Now Zach, just be glad that Lily will have a hand in raising the child, or children. And, at least you're over here in Japan, unlike the rest of us poor souls." This last was said with a barely contained giggle and instead of just one pickle, Saiyuri had to dodge a whole handfull as not only Shay, but ever-protective Livvie, tossed pickles at her.

Still laughing, Saiyuri followed Zach outside to the garden when Kyo said they should go look at it and sat beside him on the stone bench that he led her to. She listened as he talked and her heart broke for her baby boy. She wasn't sure of all the details but it was obvious that his own heart had been broken. Trying to think back six years, Saiyuri couldn't remember Zach being involved with anybody at the time.

Instead of saying anything, she just wrapped her arm around his shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze followed by a kiss on his temple. Despite her tendancy to freak out over certain things her children (and other family members) did, all that really mattered to Saiyuri was that they were happy in the long run. And, so far, it seemed like Kyo was making her baby boy happy.

"Sweetheart," Saiyuri practically whispered to her son, "I will never hold it against you that you thought you had to leave so suddenly. All that matters to me is that you're okay and happy." Even when her own husband had left her, Saiyuri had never really held it against him. Sure she was heartbroken, but eventually she came to terms with the situation and once she found out he was happy, well she couldn't help but be happy for him.

Inside, Livvie was absently patting her twin's hand as she eyed Kyo. He seemed like a good man, but as Zach was the last of the siblings to settle down (aside from Brielle who likely never would), she had to make sure he was happy and well taken care of. Like Brielle, she had known right before he left that Zach had been hurting so while she missed him too, it didn't surprise her as much as the others when Zach stayed away so long.

When Kyo spilled what he knew, a low growl issued forth from Olivia, Shay dropped her fork and demanded, "WHAT?!?!", Lani hissed and a houseplant nearby shrivelled just a bit, and Brielle just crossed her arms and smiled back at Kyo. If he'd been worried about Zach's sister's standing behind him, Kyo had been worriying for absolutely no reason. Elise just watched the sisters a little wide-eyed, and watched the poor plant even more wide-eyed.