Kedrick Suwa's Estate

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

Dimitri looked up at Mrs. Vázquez as she walked over to him, the Tupperware container in her hands. He smiled gratefully as she handed it too him and he could feel the warmth from the food against his palms even through the plastic. The young, dark haired boy opened his mouth to say something but stopped abruptly, blinking in surprise when the woman pulled him into a warm, gentle hug. He fumbled slightly, for a moment, too surprised to really think of what to do. Then, he placed the box of food on the edge of the table and hesitantly placed his hands on her back, returning the hug. Dimitri smiled faintly, enjoying to feeling of the woman's arms around him and once again feeling a pang of homesickness for his mother. But at the same time, with every passing minute, he was thinking of Mrs. Vázquez more and more like a second mother than anything else.

He pulled back, clearing his throat slightly. He listened to her intently, and then smiled, nodding his head. "Alright, thanks Mo- Uhh...Mrs. Vázquez" Dimitri corrected himself sheepishly, feeling his cheeks heat up and he quickly stepped back a bit. With more then a little bit of embarrassment, Dimitri looked up at the brothers, shaking the black hair out of his eyes. He laughed slightly, finding that the brother's offer was appealing to him. "Okay," He said with a grin, his eyes brightening. "I think a little virtual butt-kicking would be fun." Dimitri snickered "But I've had enough practice myself, you might find me a formidable opponent."

Dimitri, giving Maria a final kiss on the cheek and grabbing the food from the table, turned and followed Mr. Vázquez to the door. He stepped through into the chilly night air, nodding his thanks to the man. Dimitri was curious to know exactly how they were going to do this. After all, though it was late and it would be nice just to let Maria's father drive him, his car was here. But then again, with no real plans for the next few days that required transportation, Dimitri could just as easily pick up his car in a day or so. The warm house, comfortable atmosphere, and the good Spanish food had all served to make the boy very sleepy, and he was sure that it wasn't a good idea from him to be behind a wheel in this state.

((WOOOOHHOOOO!!!! Page 100!!!! ))

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

Mrs. Vázquez smiled gently during Dimitri's small little blunder. In all honesty, she didn't really mind him calling her mom at all. "There's no need to thank me, Dimitri," she responded gently, "It was my pleasure, honestly. It was so nice to see you again as well. Oh. And don't be afraid about calling me mom. I won't take any offense to it at all."

The brothers smiled when Dimitri agreed, both laughing gently. Eneas was definitely enjoying the idea of having some new competition besides Ulises, and Ulises was just glad to see that Dimitri was excited to hang out with them. He couldn't let his baby sister hog him all to herself, even if they were dating. He had already been taken into the family, so it was right that they had some bonding time with him as well.

"You're on then, Dimitri!" Eneas exclaimed, his voice ringing with the excitement for a challenge. "This is going to be a lot of fun."

Maria smiled, glad that Dimitri was getting along so well with her family, and would even have a chance to bond with her brothers, only hoping they didn't embarrass him or herself too much. She smiled when Dimitri gave her a final kiss on the cheek and waved to him, watching as both he and her father left the house.

Mr. Vázquez closed the door after the two of them and then led Dimitri to his car, unlocking the door and getting in. He started up the car and buckled his seatbelt, waiting for the young man to get in. He would make sure to keep Dimitri's car safe until he came back to pick it up, but for now, he had to focus on getting the young man home.  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

The boy smiled up at Mrs. Vázquez as she responded. At the end of her sentence, the boy found himself blushing furiously, looking down quickly. "I-I-I didn't...I mean I..." He stammered slightly, looking up at her before taking a deep breath and giving her a small smile. "Uh...Okay," He finished lamely, still looking embarrassed at his blunder.

Dimitri smirked at Eneas as he accepted his challenge, and he nodded his head briefly. "Alright! See you guys soon!" He said, waving to the two of them, and smiling at Maria before turning to follow Mr. Vázquez out the door.

The chilly night air hit Dimitri's lungs like a battering ram and he gasped in surprise, feeling the slight wind nipping at his exposed cheeks. He pulled his coat tighter around himself, trying to trap the warm air closer to his body and keep the cold air out. It was just waning into October, but already the nights were frigid cold and it would be wise to be protected from the elements. Dimitri followed Mr. Vázquez to the car, remembering seeing that same car the day of the barbecue so many months ago. He thought wistfully of the warmth of that day now, or even the warmth of the house compared to this bitter cold.

Dimitri pulled the door to the passengers side open, gratefully siding into the seat and shutting out the wind. He breathed out shortly, rubbing his fingers together to get the blood flowing. "Wow..." He breathed softly. "It's cold out there!" The boy gave a slight laugh, looking over at the man with a faint, sheepish smile.

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

"It definitely is getting cold," Mr. Vázquez agreed, shivering gently himself once Dimitri got into the car. He turned the heat on, waiting for a few seconds before he pulled out of the driveway. "But don't worry Dimitri, I won't let you or your car freeze. Hopefully the weather won't be too cold for the next couple of days. Can hardly believe that October is almost over."

The father knew that he was rambling quite a bit, but it was some way to keep a conversation going. He drove through the area that he was familiar with, getting them out of the neighborhood. They were caught at the red light, which Mr. Vázquez remembered was one of the longer ones. At the point the car was completely warm, and his slight shivers were gone.

"Just point me in the right direction to get you home, alright son?" Mr. Vázquez asked, looking at Dimitri with a kind smile. "I don't want to think I know everything in trying to get you home. Apparently to my wife, I tend to think that a lot."  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

Dimitri breathed a soft sigh, surprised to see the air fog and crystallized in front of his lips. He smirked slightly, always a little amused by the way his breath hung in the air, lingering there in his range of vision for a few seconds before fading away, only to be replaced by his next breath. He looked up at Mr. Vázquez a grateful smile on his lips. "okay, thanks," He said, feeling the warmth of the car heater on his face. It was good to know that his vehicle, broken down and ugly as it was, would be taken care of until he could get it back. It may be a pain, and it may not always run properly, but it was the only car he had, and Dimitri needed it to last as long as possible.

The young boy considered Mr. Vázquez's statement thoughtfully, nodding his head. "Yeah, It'll be Halloween soon." he said with a ghost of a smile. It occurred to him as well that his birthday too was coming up. On the second of November, he'd be seventeen years old. He breath out softly, thinking about that. It was a scary thought, maybe he wasn't quite ready to be a year older yet.

Dimitri shook himself out of his thoughts as the man asked him for the directions to his house. In a flash, the boy experienced a moment of panic. What if he wanted to go in? One look at his apartment would tell Maria's father that he certainly didn't live with his parents, and then the rest of his lies would unravel. He swallowed stiffly, trying to reassure himself. 'it's fine. Lots of families live in apartment. Nothing weird there. Just so long as he doesn't go inside...' For the second time he shook himself from his thoughts. "You turn left here," He instructed, pointing ahead past the stop light, and proceeded to instructed him in the rest of the trip. The boy hesitated slightly, looking over at him with a small smile. "I uhm...I really appreciate you doing this." He said uncertainly, shifting into the soft, padded seat of the car.

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

"Do you and your friends have anything planned for Halloween?" Mr. Vázquez asked curiously. He hadn't even had a chance to ask Maria, but he knew that he would be expecting her to ask him if she could go somewhere or if she could go get a costume. Remembering that Halloween was coming up, reminded him that the same would be for Los dias de los Muertos, and he knew that would be a big event in the family as well.

Mr. Vázquez nodded, turning on his left turning signal and waited for the light to turn green. As soon as it did, he took Dimitri's direction and waited for the young man to lead him on the rest of the way. His eyes glanced over at the young man as he shrugged his shoulders gently, giving the young man a small smile, showing that it was something that Maria had picked up from her father.

"It's no problem at all, Dimitri," Mr. Vázquez responded with a soft chuckle. "I'm sure if I hadn't done it, my wife would have. And there was no way we were letting my sons take you home. Plus, it's nice seeing you a bit more often. Hopefully you'll visit the family more, right?"  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

Dimitri paused, considering the man's question before answering. "Well, I think we planed on doing something at Kedrick's place, but nothing's set in stone yet." He said with a faint smile. As always, thinking of the estate, and being there together with his friend made Dimitri happy, and he laughed softly. The boy thought of what they might do at a Haloween party, how funny it would be to see everyone dressed up. "I don't know when it'll be or what we'll do, but Kedrick and Arielle are sure to pull something wonderful around. " He snickered. "Costumes, Dunking for apples, doughnuts off a string." Dimitri said, leaning back in his seat slightly. "It'll be a lot of fun.

The boy lapsed into silence for a moment, thinking about the day and everything that had happened. His mind came back to something he had promised himself earlier that he would do. Straightening, Dimitri pulled a crumpled sheet out paper out of his coat pocket along with a nub of a pencil. Smoothing out the paper with one hand, Dimitri reach up and tapped the button that would turn on the overhead lamp. "I hope you don't mind the light." He said offhandedly, hoping that it didn't bother him. He placed the blunted tip of the pencil nub against the paper and scratched in his first line. 'Dear Eric,'

Dimitri paused, suddenly uncertain. What did you writ to someone you hadn't seen in just shy of a year and who's friendship had been shallow at best. But what Dimitri didn't know, that while his friendship with Eric had seemed shallow, Eric had though of him as much closer a friend then Dimitri realized. Eric was a quiet guy, reclusive by nature and he had very few friends.

The boy looked up at the sound of Mr. Vázquez's voice, grateful for the distraction. With no idea what to write, talking was a welcomed idea. He laughed slightly, knowing from what he had seen of Mrs. Vázquez that if her husband wouldn't have, she definitely would. And Dimitri didn't think he would feel remotely safe with one the brothers driving him home. Maybe not that he didn't trust them, to some degree, but he didn't think he'd survive the teasing. The boy grinned brightly, glancing over at him. "Of course!" He said, agreeing with him without hesitation, he couldn't wait for his next visit to the Vázquez home. "I had a great time..." He said softly, a smile touching his lips before he looked back up at him. "Maybe I can come up again sometime next week? After all, Eneas and Ulises did challenge me to a video game duel."

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

"It definitely sounds like it," Mr. Vázquez responded with a light chuckle, adding it with a sigh. "I wish I could be able to go out and enjoy myself during Halloween like I used to when the kids were younger. By kids grow up anyway. Plus, Halloween is quite a busy night for Halloween, and we have to make sure that a lot of people are safe, especially Arielle." He knew that he didn't need to bring up that matter of business, but he couldn't deny it either. He was always busy during certain holidays, depending on how much crime they were afraid that could happen.

Just thinking about that reminded him that he needed to talk to Maria about what they had come up with so far as well as calling Kedrick and Arielle. Mr. Vázquez had hopped that everything would have ended when Jonesy was behind bars, but it seemed like it wasn't the case. He only hoped that this new issue wouldn't drag on for too long. He couldn't stand to see Arielle hurt again.

Mr. Vázquez told Dimitri he didn't mind the lights, following his directions as he continued to drive. He wondered what the young man was doing, but decided his mind was already focused on a lot of things and he didn't really need to add anymore thoughts to his plate at the current moment. Focused on the road ahead of him, Mr. Vázquez smiled when Dimitri responded, his smile growing at the tone of his voice. He was honestly glad that the young man enjoyed himself.

"That is true," Mr. Vázquez responded with a light nod. "Just let Maria know what day you plan to come by, which should hold the same for my sons, but anyway. Just let us know and my wife will have some snacks ready for you. Hopefully I'll be home to see how all three of you boys do against each other."  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

'You'd be more then welcome to come!" Dimitri blurted without hardly thinking about it. He looked down quickly his cheeks coloring slightly. "I-I mean, There probably be a lot of people there, not just us, Kedrick will probably have his sisters over, and all of you could come too." He said, offering him a sheepish smile. The boy lapsed into silence, listening to the end of the man's sentence. A thoughtful frown touched the boy's face at the mention of Arielle's name. He had managed not to think about that, or worry about it for some time, but now the thoughts came back to him. Frankly, he wasn't quite sure he understood the plan. He understood the part about having several of Mr. Vázquez's men followed Arielle around like protective ninjas, but to what end? How long could it go on? Surely the policemen couldn't tail Arielle for the rest of her life! What if this Calcifer man was never found?

Dimitri shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind, satisfying the statement by simply nodding in reply. He placed the nub of a pencil against the paper again, but, after several long moments of no inspiration, Dimitri folded up the paper and shoved it back in his pocket. He was determined that by tonight was over, he would have a rough draft.

Dimitri let his gaze drift back up to the road in front of them, wondering vaguely, from how cold it was if it might start snowing. It was a little early yet, but snow in October was by no means unheard of. The dark haired boy looked over at Mr. Vázquez as he spoke again, a smile touching his lips. "I definitely do that," He said, grinning at the thought of being able to eat Mrs. Vázquez's cooking again. He remembered the box that sat on his lap and he smiled to himself, giving himself a reminded that it needed to be put in the refrigerator.

He leaned forward in his seat, pointing forward as he saw his apartment complex up ahead. "This is it up here, you can take the second entrance." He said, looking up through the dark windshield at the large building.

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

Mr. Vázquez chuckled lightly when Dimitri told him he was more than welcome to come. It would be nice for him to be able to enjoy the holiday with his family and close friends. "Hopefully things will be all settled by then," was all he answered, eyes still focused on the road. "However, I'm sure I can see if I can have just a bit of downtime on Halloween, especially if you and Kedrick have something interesting planned. I haven't gone to any exciting Halloween events since Arielle's parents were alive, and they definitely knew how to throw a party. They were always absolutely fantastic..."

He had to stop himself there, finding his mind drift into thoughts of the past. It was strange how the loss of someone for so many years seemed to fade in with normality. It wasn't like he didn't miss them, for they were such dear friends to himself, his wife, and his children, but it was also at that point where one could look back and still remember the good times.

Dimitri's voice brought the father out of his thoughts, and he found himself smiling again. In all honesty, he enjoyed being able to spend some extra time with the young man, and hoped that this wouldn't be the only time he would get to spend quality time with the young man (as well as hoping that it wouldn't be on a car ride home).

Taking Dimitri's instruction, Mr. Vázquez took the second entrance, pulling up to a spot close enough to the door so that Dimitri didn't have to walk too far. He unlocked the door and glanced over at Dimitri. "Well son, I guess this is goodnight," he began with a soft smile, "You take care now, okay? And... Make sure to call Maria and let her know you're safe. I know you're safe, but she'd like to know that too. As well as my wife, who'll probably want to make sure you didn't enter your home with no broken bones." He chuckled softly, appreciative for how caring his wife was to the young man. "Oh, and don't forget, Dimitri; you are never a stranger in the Vázquez home. Just consider us as... As another family. Alright?"  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

Dimitri smiled, the sound of Mr. Vázquez's chuckle filling him with a warmth that he had never felt before. He stared at the man, almost completely loosing track of what he was saying, just watching the way he moved, thinking about the sound of his voice, and memorizing the way he looked when he smiled. Dimitri reached up, subconsciously rubbing the back of his neck. He looked like a dad. Instantly, Dimitri scolded himself for the foolish thought. Of course he looked like a dad! He was a dad! He was Ulises, Eneas, and Maria's dad. But what Dimitri had really meant by the thought, was that he looked like his dad. Of course there was little physical resemblance between the two men, Dimitri's father had been thin, lanky and clean-shaven, with thick brown hair. Mr. Vázquez was, tall, broad-shoulder and muscular, with his close -shaven head and scruffy beard. Physically, they could have hardly been more different, but when he smiled...When he smiled there was something there that reminded the dark haired boy so distinctly of his father that it made his chest ache.

Dimitri made himself focus on what Mr. Vázquez was saying, inwardly scolding himself for getting so wrapped up in his thoughts again. Dimitri was still kind of in denial about how much he was beginning to see the man as a father, so it flustered him, and embarrassed him that he had entertained the thought for so long.

The boy, tuning in now, realized that he was talking about Arielle parent. He supposed it had never occurred to him that the two families had been close friends before the accident, and he felt a stab of pity as he imagined their interactions with each other. Would the mothers sit at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and telling each other about plans while the men talked about work in the police field? Would the four adults ever go for a night out just to relax and have some fun? He supposed he wouldn't know, at least, not now, maybe later though he'd ask more about their friendship.

Dimitri smiled faintly as Mr. Vázquez pulled into the parking lot of the apartment building. He was grateful that he had picked a parking place close to the door and the boy unbuckled his seat belt. "I guess it is," He said with a small smile in response to the man's comment about 'this being goodnight' "And don't worry, I will. " He said off handedly, popping open the door of the car and stepping out. Dimitri paused, turning to grab the top of the car, and peer back down through the still open door. He smirked to himself, knowing that calling Maria would be a good idea, seeing as she would probably worry otherwise. In that sense, she was just like her mother. "I'll make sure to do that," He said, the love he had for both the ladies in the Vázquez home evident in his voice.

Dimitri had just turned to go when he heard Mr. Vázquez's last comment. He stopped abruptly, one foot already placed on the first step. The boy swallowed, his throat suddenly tight, and he blinked back the sting of tears from his eyes. He told himself that it was the cold air making him tear up, but he knew that was a lie. "I-I will.." He choked, quickly clearing his throat and hoping his voice hadn't sounded too off. He turned, Grinning brightly. "I'll come back again soon, Have a good night okay?" He called and then turned, quickly going up the few steps to the door that lead into his apartment. He paused, his hand on the knob, and then, he dared to whisper quietly under his breath. "...Dad..."

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

"Good man," Mr. Vázquez responded to Dimitri with a smile, "I'm sure my wife would believe me, but considering how she seems to have adopted you already, she'd probably like to hear from you as well."

His wife was like that for anyone; family, friends, and even friends of her children. It was the kind of nature that he had seen his daughter pick up, and even though it wasn't too evident in his sons, they had their mother's caring nature too. Mr. Vázquez also seemed to notice just how much Dimitri cared for not only his daughter, but his wife as well, once again making him smile.

The father nodded, still smiling kindly at the young man. He had barely noticed the way Dimitri had acted, but decided not to bother him about it. It was getting late and he knew Dimitri must've been tired. "Alright Dimitri. Take care and good night again," Mr. Vázquez said, giving Dimitri a small wave as he watched the boy head inside. He made sure that the door was closed all the way before he waved at the young man one more time, not sure if he would see him or not, before making his way out of the parking lot and back to his home.  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

The boy turned, stealing one more quick look back at Mr. Vázquez as he opened the door. He saw the man wave, and he quickly turned in the doorway, waving back energetically. He waited, watching him go until the car was out of his line of vision, hoping that he had a safe drive home.

Dimitri found himself beaming as he entered his apartment, he wasn't entirely sure why, but something inside him was just bursting with happiness. He stepped lightly across his now clean living room floor, that ridiculous grin still etched on his features. 'I did it' He thought, 'I said it, even if it was just to myself.' He gave a soft laugh, and flopped down on his couch. What would it be like to have Mr. Vázquez as a dad? this was the thought that bounced around his mind as he lay there. The giddiness faded after a few minutes, settling into thoughtfull, happy contemplation.

He shook his head to clear it, remember that Mr. Vázquez had suggested he call Maria so she knew he had come home safe. The dark haired boy rolled over onto his side so he could access his pocket easier and withdrew his phone. Flipping it open, he selected Maria's number from his contact list, and settled back against the cushions again, waiting for her to pick up.

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...

 

[x_Ultra_Panda_Luver_x]

Arielle Shore

It had been some time since Dimitri and Mr. Vázquez had left, giving the rest of the Vázquez family enough time to clean up the table. They had talked a bit for some time, the brothers filled in their mother and sister about their courses and latest assignments, Maria obviously being the one the one to take in everything like a sponge. As much as they annoyed her at times, she did love to hear about how they were doing in school. Made her miss moments like this when they used to live at home all the time.

Eventually the boys decided to turn in early, since their mother had told them to stay home instead of driving out late at night. She also promised to make them their favorite breakfast in the morning, which the two young men obviously couldn't turn down. Wishing them goodnight, Maria watched as Eneas and Ulises went up to their rooms, leaving just Maria and her mother, who were both waiting for some kind of information.

When Maria's phone rang, she almost jumped in surprise, for getting that it was on vibrate. She quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket, a wide grin on her face when she saw the name before she answered. "Good evening, lover boy. Miss me already?"  

[Tobi-chan Lissesul]

♟♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ Ďȋɱȋŧʁȋ Ĵ. ᾟűηŧȇʁ
Can you keep a secret?...

Dimitri felt himself sinking deeper into the comfortable warmth of the couch cushions as he waited for Maria to pick up. He smiled to himself, thinking of the wonderful evening he had had and feeling distinctly sleepy. Wonderful as it had been, the day had also been very long, and he was looking forward to a good nights sleep. None the less, Dimitri reminded himself that he had to finished roughing out Eric's letter before bed tonight, so that he could re-write it in the morning and send it out that afternoon.

The boy jumped in alarm when he heard Maria speak into the phone, having been lost in thought, he had nearly forgotten that he was waiting for her to pick up. A grin flashed across his face and he propped himself up on one elbow. Dimitri laughed when he heard her greeting, tempted to make a face at her even though she wouldn't see. "I take it that, from how you phrased that, Eneas and Ulises aren't there, or else I think you'd be in for a good round of teasing." He joked, flopping back onto the cushions and rolling onto his back. "Yeah, I missed you," He smirked. "Your dad suggested I call you to let you know that I got home okay, he should be on his way back now."

Dimitri smiled to himself, remembering the time he had been able to spend with Maria's father. He found that whenever he thought of it, he felt that same flutter of warmth in his chest.

But more specifically...Can you keep mine?...