[Action] Live from the Party

[peach_arrow]

Touya tucked Satoshi against his chest and wandered in Nakuru's direction. It was the first time all evening he didn't have a crowd around him and he hadn't yet had the time to talk to Nakuru. This, he knew, was most likely due to actual party business rather than his friends trying to keep him away from Nakuru

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[harvest_song]

"Cheating on me already?" she demanded coldly, nodding in the direction of the very adorable baby in Kinomoto's arms.

[peach_arrow]

"Hell yes." He grinned but hid it by pressing his lips against Satoshi's dark, wispy hair. "And I didn't even have to get her drunk for her to give me this boy, either." When he felt like he had his smile under control he shifted the baby in his arms, cradling him. "Wanna met him?"

[harvest_song]

"Oh, why not. If she's that dedicated to you, well then, I can't kill this one out of jealousy."

[peach_arrow]

"Nakuru, this is Azuma Satoshi. His mom's raiding the food and his father is following after his mother like a smitten, smitten man. Satoshi," he tickled his cheek to get his eyes to open again. "Hey there, short man," he murmured. "Satoshi, this is Akizuki Nakuru. She of the sharp shoes that I warned you about. We've got to step carefully, her roommate isn't here to save us from her."

[harvest_song]

She grinned and pet the baby's head. "Don't worry sweetie. Just worship me like Uncle Touya and everything'll be fine."

[peach_arrow]

"I'd cover your ears, but you'd only hear it from everybody else anyhow," he told Satoshi. "Just remember--it's bourn out of fear of her shoes." He glanced down at Nakuru's feet. "Nice," he told her. She beamed at him. He had the distinct feeling that he wouldn't get her to answer anything he didn't ask directly.

Well. He was in the middle of a large surprise party on the sloppiest birthday he could remember. It wasn't like he had any dignity left. "Did you bring your boyfriend or anybody with you?"

[harvest_song]

"Nope!" she replied cheerily. "No one but my new shoes," she mused, studying them. "I do like the way they stand out against the floor. Kiyoshi is back at the apartment doing some paperwork or something."

[peach_arrow]

Touya gave Satoshi a look, mentally willing the baby to remember that women were treacherous in many ways. "Huh. Well, it' too bad you didn't bring him along. It's an open party, you know." He assumed so, anyhow. "Heck, he could still turn up if he wanted. Or anybody else could. You don't feel out-of-place, do you?"

[harvest_song]

She shrugged. "A little. But the drinks help," she said, waving her glass meaningfully. "I was the only one invited."

[peach_arrow]

...the only one? He hugged Satoshi a little tighter, using the warm, sweet weight as a reminder. He'd even told Daisuke earlier that Yukito not being there was best but that didn't change his feelings.

"Oh," he said. "I suppose that the thought was...that he'd have work." Lame, he thought. "And it's...good that he's not here. He'd feel awkward, I'm sure." Lamer," he chided himself. "Well, drinking is a good plan. I think it's the only way I'm going to survive this embarrassing spectacle." Better!

[harvest_song]

She frowned. "Should you be drinking in front of the kid? Should I be drinking in front of him? Do you want to come by the apartment afterward? You know I've got lots of alcohol."

[peach_arrow]

"I wasn't going to get drunk in front of him," he said mildly. "And besides, I don't think his parents are staying long. What do you think, short-man? Are they gonna stick around?" He tickled the baby to buy time

[harvest_song]

"It's Friday night. No one's going to care. You can come and get smashed AND have a sleepover in the living room again." She took a sip of her drink, and watched Touya over the rim.

[peach_arrow]

He patted Satoshi mindlessly. Nobody would care? Was that different from not minding in some way? If he was a complete girl, he could ask about that. "I can't stay over and I have the feeling that everybody is going to try to get me smashed while I'm still here. You're not the only one who likes to watch the fallout, Cookie."

"If you don't see me drunk off my ass here, I'll see what I can do about going to your place," he repeated. "A lot of people want to get me wasted today so..." Looking around he saw Azuma and his wife dancing. "Right now, I've got to go give Shorty here back to his parents."

[harvest_song]

She pouted dramatically. "Not staying? On our ridiculously comfortable living room floor?" She glanced around nervously. "Here, give me the kid. If you walk away now I'll have nothing to do until I leave."

[peach_arrow]

He laughed. "I can't give you my baby. They trusted him to me." He moved Satoshi to rest comfortably in one arm and put the other around Nakuru's waist. "C'mon, you can help me return him and then I'll let you pour some booze into me. You can meet some of the guys who do it with regularity and share your secrets."