Welcome to Gaia! ::

Daren gave Tim a small smile, "yeah, i'm fine. just a bit tired, i guess. you know how it goes." he indicated his feet, "haven't exactly been in the best state of mind, either. just wares on a person, i guess." he finished with the last of the dishes and started to dry them, "don't worry about me, i'm just in a funk. i'll come out of it soon enough." when he had the energy to, at least.

Daren nodded, looking at the paper with Tim's number on it. "yeah, i'll put it in when i find my phone. think it's on the closet floor somewhere." he stuck the number to his fridge with a magnet along with the drawings from all of Anna's kids. "not that i can think of, really, Tim, you've done more than enough." he patted his friend on the shoulder, "it's my fault for being like this. you go home and have a good night. get some rest and take care of yourself for once, ok?" he chuckled, shaking his head, "see you tomorrow."

Last the next morning Daren pulled himself out of bed and took a shower. he'd gone to bed after Tim had left and hadn't had the willpower to get out of it until he had to. in the shower he shaved for the first time in a week, making sure everything was smooth. he wanted to look presentable tomorrow. Anna had assured him it was a casual exhibit, that he didn't need to wear anything fancy, but he still pulled some of his newer, nicer clothes from the closet. he slipped his hoodie on and looked into the mirror, making sure he looked like he had a month ago, when everything was still ok. he nodded and went down to his bike, slipping a helmet on half heartedly before pulling into traffic and heading to the exhibit.

Daren got there just after Anna and her family, and Tim was a few minutes after him. he smiled and had Taiga and Tetsu in his arms, holding them against his sides as they waited. "hey, there, welcome to the party, Tim." he smiled and nodded, "so i just found out they hung a few more of Yuki's work today. they called him this week and asked if he had anything they could put up along with his painting of us. pretty cool, huh?"

Yuki blushed and hid in collar of his shirt.

Anna put her hand on his shoulder before hugging Tim, "So glad you could make it! come on, his pieces are this way." she slipped her arm into Tim's and walked alongside him. Tarte walked ahead of them alongside Daren, distracting him, while the rest of the kids walked with them as well. "how are you doing?" she asked softly, worried for Tim as much as she was for daren.

Anna nodded, "yes, your mother called me about what happened at the game. she wanted to know what she should do about it." she glanced at Tim, "i told her to give you space. right now you are in a transitional period of your life and they have to stand back and let you become who you are going to become without interfering." she looked at her own children, "that's one of the hardest parts of parenthood. standing back and letting them make wrong choices so they can learn for themselves. sometimes what a parent thinks is wrong, turns out to be undeniably right." she looked pointedly at Daren before turning her gaze back to Tim, "enough of that. today is a happy day...well, for the moment. we are fine, work and school occupying our time." and what time was left, she spent worrying about Daren and Tim. she hadn't told Daren that Tim's moms had confirmed with her that they were coming earlier that day, but would be a bit late. she didn't think he would have come if he'd known.

Tarte stopped in front of Yuki's work and Daren looked it over. it was an amazing piece. Tetsu asleep in his lap while Daren watched over him, a tenderness in his eyes Daren almost didn't recognize as his own. Tim was next to them, watching them both with a smile, like someone watching over their child and spouse when they didn't think anyone was looking. Daren's eyes trailed down to the title and there, in bold letters, was written Family.

Yuki moved up to Tim and slipped a hand into his, Anna moving away to give them room. Yuki pointed to the title and smiled as he then pointed from Tim to Daren and then around his siblings and parents. 'Family' he was trying to say. he shook his head and signed for 'present', and then pointed to the title again. 'Family'.

Daren stepped forward, the twins still in his arms, "he's saying you don't have to give him a present. he was painting his family, why would he want something in return." he nodded to Yuki and knelt, kissing the boy's cheek, "Thank you for this. it's beautiful, i'm glad you were able to use it."

A woman passing by stopped and stared as Daren stood up. she frowned a little before looking to Tim and finally Tetsu, "Oh my god-" her hand flew to her mouth and she hurried to them, "You're the Family aren't you?" she smiled, "oh! I knew i recognized you, you're Daren Aomine, right? i told all my friends it was you in the painting, but they didn't believe me! i'll have to tell them i met you in person!" she say Yuki hiding behind Daren, "and the artist himself!" a picture of Yuki had been placed beside his painting, "this is my lucky day. can i just say, you are beautiful together! are these your sons?" she looked at Taiga and Tetsu, her eyes wide, "so cute! i can't believe i'm actually meeting all of you!"

"So you two aren't together?" she asked, disappointed, "too bad..." her eyes lit up, "unless that means you are free. then yay for me!"

Daren smiled, his old smile, the one that used to be real. "sorry, miss," his arm went around Tim, "but i'm working on seducing this sexy beast into my bed, so i'm afraid i'll have to decline for the both of us." she squealed. honest to god squealed, and Daren's smile widened. "thank you, though. Yuki here is an amazing artist, i'm sure you're going to be seeing him a lot more from now on."

She nodded, "oh i know i will! i'm actually buying this artwork here to put up in my office," she indicated the piece on the left. it was a charcoal drawing of Anna reading to everyone in what looked to be candlelight. Yuki had even included himself in the painting, all of the kids were either sitting on the couch next to her or at her feet and it just radiated 'home'. the piece was titled 'Bedtime Stories' and you could see that everyone was in various stages of falling asleep. "I just love it so much! it reminds me of when i was little." she shook her head and crouched down, looking Yuki in the eyes, "I can't wait to see the day you open an exhibit of your own. make sure to invite me, ok?" she handed him a business card, Yuki accepting it with shaking hands, and stood up, checking her watch. "Shoot, i've got to go. i've been coming here every day for my lunch break, they weren't selling the painting or i'd have snatched that up, but when I saw Stories was for sale, i bought it before anyone could snatch it from under me!" she waved, "it was nice meeting you!" and hurried away.

Anna smiled and hugged the still stunned Yuki, "i'm so proud of you!" she looked at the card in her son's hand. "oh my," she looked at Tarte, "that was Miss Yolanda Fernanta, CEO of Fernanta Fashion." Fernanta Fashion was the biggest name in the fashion world and Yolanda had built it up from scratch herself.

Daren whistled softly, "Yuki, my man, you've just got yourself a pretty big name backing you."

Yuki blinked rapidly a few times before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted. Anna caught him, shaking her head, "poor thing's overwhelmed." she stood up, cradling Yuki in her arms as he slowly came too. "That's it, baby. locking your knees again, silly boy."

Tarte smiled and patted Tim and Daren's backs, "it's thanks to you two. he was in a bit of a slump, but ever since making Family, he's been going at it like crazy. thank you, both of you."