Another day.

Lola followed him into the shop, smirking in triumph that she'd gotten him out of bed so early to spend time with her. Though Tiberius had been yawning the whole way as a reminder to just how much he was enjoying this.

"God you're annoying." was all he could manage this early. He gave a half hearted wave to the counter girl as they entered the tea shop and plopped heavily into one of the sofas. Immediately he closed his eyes and tilted his head back.
"Why, because I wanted to spend time with you?" Lola sat down right next to him curling into his side. No matter what, he was not going to chase away her good mood.
"Because you pick these unholy hours to do so. Lola watched him try to nap from that position. She couldn't help but admire his neck and jaw line from this angle and just smiled even more as she tried to get closer.

"What?" he grumbled at the shift of weight on the shop sofa and still wasn't opening his eyes.
"Nothing."
"Then stop staring at me."
"Okay." How could he tell? But she still stared even as a frown started curling the corners of his mouth downward.
"You will hurt your neck sleeping like that."
"I'm not sleeping."
?...?
"I'm napping."
?Okay, you will hurt your neck 'napping' like that then."
?...?
"And you'll snore."

He lifted his head lazily with slightly opened eyes, and gave her a sleepy smile. "Then be my pillow."
Lola knew that wasn't just sleepy, but sly. She knew that smile. Her chest felt tight and she could feel a heat on her ears that never made it to her cheeks. She just stared in his half opened baby blue eyes

"Then move over." Tibs rewarded her with one of his angelic smiles and softened and slowed his voice. Now she blushed and hurried to one end of the sofa. He laid his head in her lap, draping his long legs over the other end. He was really too tall to be doing this, but he was comfortable enough. Still smiling with half open eyes he reached up and touched the side of her face drawing a line down her cheek. Where he touched her face felt hot all of a sudden. She knew she grinning stupidly so she knew one thing that would make him stop looking at her, and ran her fingers through his hair. Stroking his sun and sea bleached hair until he would doze off. She'd order tea in a little bit. His eyes were already closed and lightly napping. Seriously, he'd been waken too early after a long night of searching. At least this would keep her from talking so much.

Tibs watched Lola jump around like a frog and through the door trying hard not to laugh at the poor thing.

"That was interesting." Kaede stated having heard the panic flight.
"You did that on purpose. Jun." Tibs looked over amused to Kaede and Jun as he leaned back with his coffee. "Why weren't you here 2 hours ago?"
"I am not your babysitter." Snarked Jun.
"Well you are in a foul mood, Jun."
"Not really. It's just her. I don't like her. She's too yappy."
"Oh whatever. She's just talkative." Tibs waved it off not really caring and leaning back.
"Like I said, yappy. You really should get better pets." And back in his book Jun went. He knew Kaede would just ignore the banter. Kaede was not yappy, thankfully.

As if reading Jun's mind, "Kaede, you are too quiet."
"Is there something I should add? There is a puppy like adoration to her." Kaede chuckled as she added cheekily.
"See. Yappy. Even She agrees." Pointedly by Jun.
"So, you know much about puppies Kaede?" Tibs slid to that end of the couch closer to her and Junbao. Tibs was feeling rather playful and energetic. Kaede was a good sport as always, so she made a fine target.
Junbai flipped a page in his book trying to ignore Tibs.
"I did not say yappy. I said puppy like adoration. Seems like she's attached to you." Kaede felt she wanted to clarify.
"It's all the same." Junbao shrugged.
"Ah the way little tails wag when they are happy to see their owners, little floppy tongue just wagging without saying anything?" Tibs was smirking, even if Kaede couldn't see well, it was in his voice.

Junbao rolled his eyes behind the book

"She was certainly quick to do your bidding." Kaede had one of those smiles on her lips. Seemed like those glasses were sharply focus on Tibs now.
"She's pet like I guess it that aspect. But not a very good one."
"People aren't pets Tiberius."
"Oh, that's rich, coming from you, Jun."
Junbao was glaring at Tibs now he folds his book and puts it in his lap.
"Let's ask Miss Chow here." Tiberius turned fulling to look at her. "What do you think, Can people be pets?"
Kaede seemed to be considering that seriously. "There are people that, by nature, view themselves as such. It is their choice."
"See Junbao?" Tibs gave Kaede a foxi like smile then looked to Junbao.
"There also those that do so for their own devious reasons." She added.
"That would mean they would have some kind of voluntary loyalty. The worst kind of loyalty." as Junbao nods to her words.
"Who doesn't do anything for their own reasons? We all have reasons." Tiberius added as he put his coffee on the table.
"You haven't take her to your bed, have you?" Came Kede with the rather pointed question.
Lifting a brow as a girl asked him that question, Tibs rubbed the back of his neck. "As a matter of fact."
?Yes." Junbao answered for him.
Tiberius shrugged it off and was back to his normal self. "But that has nothing to do with this."
?Are you so sure, hmmm" She asked again.
"Sometimes a pet, like you said, wants it's own reasons. Like a treat, praise, or just to be petted." Tibs curled the corners of his mouth up in a smile as he smoothed his voice to Kaede. He was back to himself.
Junbao didn't scoff or anything into his drink. It was the truth. But still Junbao believed in things a bit less free than his friend Tibs.
"Have you not met that one that will make your tail wag and your voice whimper, Kaede?"
"Tibs." Junbao?s voice warned.
Kaede chuckled and sipped the tea. She was also one to see shadows and deception but she let it go. "Hardly any worth my time." She said a bit, "After All, I am no one's pet."
"I'm just kidding." he reached to the table taking the black coffee in his hand.
That also be the first time Junbao heard that type of tone in her voice as she played along. "After All most men are attracted to vapid little puppies. Not women of strength."

Tiberius was biting his tongue so hard and choking down a black look creeping behind his eyes, not looking at anyone instead as if boring a hole in the shop wall instead.

Junbao had to derail this conversation quick. It wasn?t a look at Kaede, but he knew his friend well enough to know when his moods shifted from white to black. He was sure the only reason Tibs was not saying anything else was out of respect that Kaede was Jun?s relative. He?d seen Junbao tear into people once the mood was triggered. Somehow, Kaede blindly stumbled upon one of new ones caused by family strife.

"You and Uncle Chow will be staying the holidays?" Jun hurriedly threw out there.
"Yes, we are here with family... That and he is engrossed in that one project." She settled back and relaxed there seemingly.
"Good. It will be nice to have more family around. Mother likes this time of year, but with us and just the staff, it gets a bit boring." Junbao was thankful.
"Bouncing around with uncle Chow was never dull, but definitely unsettling." said Kaede as Jun let out a rare thin smile and added, "It will be entertaining at least. I am sure Mother won't say it, but I bet she will be nervous about him and the 'giving spirit' "
"Uncle... gets these notions and forget sanity. I have been trying to tell him that she would not appreciate a fuku."
"No." Junbao almost chokes on his tea. "And I do not want to think about that either!"

"I don't think her consort would mind." Tiberius was back now.
"Don't call him that." Junbao spoke up sharply.
"Then what is he?"
"He is just, he."
Tibs eyes Junbao a while as that answer.
Kaede laid a hand on Junbao?s arm. "It's not something we discuss. He is part of the family."
"He means no offense. Tiberius just comes from a much more... open, lifestyle than ours."
Tiberius rubbed the end of his nose as he spoke. "Yeah, I didn't mean to."
"None was taken." Kaede said quietly, "How is your family doing, Tiberius?"
"I gotta go." Tiberius stood up suddenly and grabbed the coat they tossed on the chair a while after coming in.
"Ah, oh." She pursed her lips there.

Junbao shook his head to Kaede, to just let him go.

"I'll see you guys a bit later." Tibs didn't look back, just put on his coat and left, letting the door chime clank harshly behind him.

The door was pushed open, the annoying little bell tattling her entrance. Feline ears slowly folded back as she looked up to the bell. Slowly the mismatched eyes lowered to note that there were actually people present. For a moment the Mithra know as Raijin, lingered at the door but it was closed and she'd make her way for the counter.
Tibs? eyes went up to door as he polished off the last roll without leaving any for everyone else.
A quick look to the door of course. Having been watching, Junbao mouths the word pig to Kaede and goes back to his book.

Get out more often, Lord Brian said. Raijin thought to herself. She was trying to do just that. Tail twitching she ordered and once that was done she turned just enough to observe the other patrons.

Kaede stifles a grin behind her cup of tea as Tibs is completely oblivious to being the butt of their joke, he turns his head having follow.
Then Tibs thinks a moment as he knits his brows. "I know her from somewhere. But..." A thinking pause, "That seems to be happening a lot." he turns back to Kaede and Junbao with a sheepish grin that only they can see.

Junbao sighs, but does so honestly, he was always amused by Tibs misadventures and such. It was a nicer change than he was used to. Tibs was a far cry from the by the book 'what will people think' of his own Clan.
Raijin?s ears twitched and she looked at Tiberius. It was likely she heard him but two cents were not put in. Kitty needed something warm to drink and when the woman behind the counter settled her cup of tea down she was eager to scoop it up.

Tiberius gave Jun a little shrug. "So, um, hey. Actually." His hand was rubbing the back of his neck as he thought of something. I need to buy presents soon. But will you or Kaede go with me. I am good back home but here the gifts I got last year kinda bombed and I need help."
"Why not ask Lola or Song?" Jun was curious or taunting.
"Because then they will think I am buying them something and I don't want to get their hopes up." Tibs had to admit.
"Why because you don't plan on getting anything this year for them?"
"I do, but I would naturally spend more effort on ones for Mom and the girls than.. the girls."

Junbao nodded. "Fine. But you have to pay for lunch."
"Sure! We'll go to a place I know." Tibs perked up right away and clapped his hands together. But before he could say more Junbao added...
"... And that is NOT my mom's."
Kaede chuckled softly at that. "Indeed."
Tiberius looked deflated suddenly. There went that as Kaede added another good point.
"Yes, we don't want to run the risk of running into my aunt... Or Worse Uncle Chow."

A quiet chuckle echoed in Raijin throat as she listened to the two fair haired males and the dark haired woman. Sipping her tea she kept near to the bar where it was safer for her.

A super devilish smirk on his face as Tibs heard that, but it was Junbao that replied.
"Who do you think he was with on Halloween?"
"You were there too, Jun."
"Oh much to my own pleasure too." Sarcasm much?
"Wait, you actually went along with that one?" Kaede was a bit surprised by that.
This time it was Junbao that actually turned a bit red. "I didn't have a choice."
It was Kaede?s turn to snicker. "Oh, Uncle Chow is a force of Nature unto himself... Just don't touch the ipod."
"It was Uncle Chow after all." he turned his head refusing to make eye contact with either one of them, a look of anger on his face even though he was blushing.
"I think Junbao won the slutty cat bingo."
Junbao still has the same look on his face and grabs a book to pretend to read.

That was when Tibs spoke up, "Don't worry. Kaede, we didn't take any home. None of them were really your cousin's type anyways."
"I know that much, Uncle Chow tried... They didn't last long within the house." They had been removed as humanely as possible.
Junbao was quick to correct, "I don't have a 'type' and what happened after we left...."
"...is none of our business." And both look guiltily away.
Thankfully, Kaede can't see them smirk.
"Just so." Kaede shook her head. "Uncle Chow is deeply involved in one of the bigger projects." She doesn't say what. She does have to see. She has enough for blackmail.

Another Day

After seeing Kaede to the fortune teller shop, Junbao and Tibs has a more than enough time to kill. Slowing their pace, it was Tiberius who spoke first. His pace much more languid than his younger friend. He alway noted how Jun had a more noble walk, as if he knew nothing out ever be in his way or that he had to be mindful of his steps. He was not as tall as Tibs, but Jun had long strides that easily kept up with Tiberius.

This being the second day of winter and full Yule was underway, the streets where snowy and the crowds seemed clumped. In some places there were just too many, so Tibs had waited until he felt they?d survived the last wave of holiday shoppers before she spoke up.

?Your mother...? Tibs started to ask but said so in a quiet yet curious tone.

Tibs had to come to a sudden stop seeing Jun break at his words. A lifted brow greeted Tibs as he looked over. The look was more skeptical than he was used to seeing on Jun?s face. Perhaps he?d said something wrong already or perhaps ,his tone of voice. He never seemed to mind his tone when it was just the two of them. He opened his mouth to speak and thought carefully his next words.

?I know she, knows thing. Or, ways about things.?
?What about her.?
?I am at a dead end and I don?t know where else to turn.? he lowered his voice a bit as a pair of shoppers started their way. ?I was wondering if maybe, she would help me.?

Tibs had been around the Lotus Heir long enough to pick up a few things. Plus when you are looking for certain things, you stumble upon other things, heard things, learned things. Perhaps now was the time, the only time, to see just how much these things could help you. Tib?s figured the worst she would say is no, or that she couldn?t do such things.

The young men started to walk again. Tibs buried his hands further in his pockets as he watched Jun?s face for a reaction.

?You understand there would be a price. My friend or not. There is always a price, even I could give you no insight to the cost until you speak with her.?
?I figured.?
?Is this about your father??
?Sort of, mostly. Yes.? Well that was true, but a bit more in detail. It wasn?t a far stretch for Jun to guess correctly. For all the things Tibs focused on, finding his Father or a way home was before all others.
?She?s not a detective agency, you know.?
?I know.?
?She may not be able to help you.?
?I know that too.?

Tibs was stopped hearing exasperated sigh and Jun staring at him again.

?You may not like the answer she gives you but the price will still need to be paid.? Tibs nodded in understanding.

Jun may not have understood just how desperate Tibs felt this quest becoming. Every which way he?d come to a dead end. Which was rather easy when you didn?t know where to start looking from. He felt a maze of lost hope building around him. Was it really that bad to say that he?d be willing to pay a heavy price to end this? Besides, he knew there was a chance he could decline... or she could decline but he wouldn?t quit until he exhausted every option available to him. he felt horrible to seek a favor from his closest friend, but he was running out of options at this point.

?We?ll talk to her.? Jun sighed again and turned starting to walk again, leaving Tibs to feel a moment of relief.

?Thanks...?
?... Don?t thank me yet.?

POV Story http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200835#200835