A Quiet Dinner Get Together

Mamouru didn't whimper or make any noise but hot tears began to soak Taylor's shoulder. He hugged his sister-in-law tighter.

Johnny pulled away from Cassie once she seemed to pull herself together. He watched Cassie and Alaina and then looked at Charlie and frowned. He heard what Alaina said but it was something he had heard before. He didn't really think Alaina was the one to finally tame Mamouru. Especially if Cassie couldn't.

"Good luck, man." He said to Alaina. He then turned to Charlie. "Yeah man. It was pretty good. Thanks and junk. Sorry about... the stuff... and junk..."

If this were a movie or sappy soap opera, Alaina would look at Johnny and say something super-corny along the lines of "we have love, we don't need luck." However, no one here seemed to have any faith in her at all. Instead she just ate her food and smiled at Johnny and nodded. "Thanks." She got the feeling that everyone had wanted Cassie and Mamouru to work out so badly that they didn't want anyone else to get Mamouru to settle down or be truly compatible with Mamouru, his own feelings about it be damned.

Charlie was a bit surprised by Johnny apologizing. He really didn't have anything to apologize for, he'd been sitting back chilled out about everything. "Dude you don't have anything to be sorry for. I kinda flew off the handle for no reason and I'll apologize to Mamouru when they come back inside." Charlie decided that maybe talking shop might help take everyones mind off of... well, everything else. "I've heard a lot of good stuff about you dude, I'm surprised you don't have a title shot or anything lined up."

Alaina continued to keep quiet, wishing that Taylor and Mamouru would come back inside soon. She wanted to talk to Mamouru privately. What he had to say about everything was far more important to her than anything anyone else said. She also felt like she could at least hold a conversation with Taylor.

Cassie sat still, and then twisted in her seat to look back at the door in case Taylor and Mamouru were coming back in. She squirmed under the heat of the moment, or at least whatever was coming from Alaina.


Standing on the front step, caught in the silence that bound her to Mamouru, Taylor's heart broke. Now that Mamouru was worn too thin to keep up his infuriatingly smug front, all that was left was an exhausted boy who needed help. Taylor needed to help him.

"Mamouru," Taylor put her hands on Mamouru's shoulders and held him at arm's length, her voice scratchy and stern. She cleared her throat. "The past is the past." She hunted down his eyes to draw them into her own. "Understand? You can't give up on yourself because of what other people think. Just listen to the people that still want to help. Okay?"

She didn't let go of him, but put one hand on the small of his back while she stood next to him. "Just say if you want to go back in or whatever."

"I dunno man." Johnny said, leaning back in his chair. "I just never really thought about it and junk. I guess if I wanted a shot I could get it but there's still a lot of tough chicks I wanna go after. Test myself against and junk. Maybe when the well runs dry to Taylor tells me to just go get the damn thing, I'll do it." he laughed. "I ain't in any rush though. I'm young and I got time to grab that gold." He said smoothly.

Mamouru sighed and looked down. He didn't leave Taylor's touch but his own form felt heavy and sluggish as he wiped away the tears. "Arigatou, Nee-san." He said. "I'm fine, really.." He said, turning his head. Fine for now. Not fine in general.

"I should probably leave but I owe Alaina-san an apology at least." He said.

Mamouru went back in and his eyes fell onto Alaina's He kept his head bowed though and motioned for her to have a small moment with him in private.

Alaina nodded at Mamouru and got up, leaving and going towards her bedroom. Mamouru's body language was unlike anything she'd ever seen from him. It just seemed.... sheepish. As she walked past him to lead him in, she grabbed a hold of his hand. As they walked inside, Alaina shut the door.

"Whats going on out there, are you ok?" She asked. Sure, she really wanted some answers about what he said about Cassie but seeing him just looking the way he did she needed to make sure he was all right. "Baby, just talk to me."

Charlie nodded at Taylor as she came back in. He didn't get a chance to apologize to Mamouru yet, but he would. Also with Alaina gone, he could feed L.C some steak. She hated it, despised it when Charlie babied that dog to this extent but what she didn't know wouldn't get him smacked in the face. Charlie whistled and L.C came over, happy to eat what Charlie offered.

"That's pretty awesome dude, I'm a crazy old man compared to everyone else in the room I think. I'll get stuck falling apart and retiring before I know it." Charlie said, figuring that poking fun at himself could keep lightening things up. "So... are you two still ready for those shots because I know I am!" He added with a smile and hopeful look on his face. Man.... the captain was calling something fierce.

"It's fine." Mamouru said once the two of them were alone. "I'm sorry Alaina-chan." Mamouru lowered his head but his arms slipped around Alaina's waist and pulled her close so their bodies pressed together. "I wasn't thinking. I do care about you. I'm not constantly thinking about what happened or anything. It just all flooded out of me when the subject was breached.. That's all."

Mamouru leaned forward and kissed Alaina quickly but deeply while they had a moment.

"Everything cool, babe?" Johnny asked when Taylor entered and Mamouru slipped away with Alaina.

Alaina kissed Mamouru and after their embrace she looked up at him with a relieved smile. He said what she wanted to hear, and needed to hear. She kept him close and spoke softly to him. He looked devastated, and Alaina wanted to soothe him, to ease all of his fears. "Mamouru, thats all I care about. I don't care what anyone else says, its what you say and how you feel thats important to me. I want you to just be open and know that you can come to me about anything baby." She said before kissing him.

As their lips separated she moved close to his ear, continuing."I don't want you to feel like you have to be 'better' or 'different' for me. No one is perfect and I love you the way you are. When we met we both showed that we were flawed people but here we are. We've accepted each other, the good, the bad and the ugly as a package deal." Alaina grinned and ran a finger gently down Mamouru's chest. She did have one last thing she wanted to say to him before heading back out with the others. "You have to stick around after everyone leaves, I have a very nice surprise for you that I know you'd be very satisfied with."

Out in the dining room Charlie quietly ate his food, realizing that he had made a little too much. Maybe these guys would take some home?

Taylor followed a moment behind Mamouru, and tried to look like nothing had happened. "Yeah, of course." Taylor gave Johnny a sly smile that hinted at what went on behind the closed door, and bordered on bragging about it.

"Pour a round, man," Taylor said, and sat down next to her husband. She figured it would put Charlie at ease, though she wasn't particularly inclined to drink at the moment. Cassie's own spirit of adventure with trying hard liquor for the first time had long since gone out the window, but for the time being she was trapped, paralyzed by the burden of good manners and hospitality.

"Do you think they're coming back?" Taylor asked casually, trying not to draw attention to what they could be doing wherever they were.

"All right!" Charlie said as he happily got up and poured a few shots. He was happy to be partaking in something seemingly normal after the arguing that had happened. Maybe everyone would loosen up a bit after this, 'cause nothing beat plain old fun in any situation right? "So which one do you two want? Actually to hell with it I'll pour a couple of each so we can just pick whatever we like." He asked as he poured the shots and put them on an extra plate to bring everything in at once. He made sure to pour some extra rum shots.... Charlie did love his Captain Morgan.

Charlie came back and held up his bootleg waiter trey with the shots to Taylor and Cassie. It was only 3 of them doing shots... but he ended up pouring 6 shot glasses. He really hoped no one thought he was some sort of alcoholic. "Oh those two? They'll be out in a minute I bet. They're just having a quick talk." At least, thats what Charlie thought.

Mamouru took Alaina's kiss and smiled when she pulled away. He stared at her cheek and nodded along with her words. She, too, was saying what he wanted to hear but if she actually KNEW what kind of person he was, would she REALLY be saying those things?He didn't know. Alaina always seemed like she was the type to be able to put things aside but even those types had their limits. Mamouru hadn't really messed up before tonight and he DID care for Alaina. He cared for her more than he had for his one night stands or throwaway girlfriends. However, he couldn't say for certain if he cared for her as much as he had cared for Cassie.

He had also come to realize that no matter what he thought or said he couldn't bring himself to hate Cassie either. In fact, he was certain he still cared for her deeply. Everything was just such a mess but when everyone left, he hoped he could push those thoughts away. Mamouru leaned in and hugged Alaina.

"I was planning on leaving... but, I can stay... for you..." He said weakly. "But we should probably get back to the party. They'll think we're doing something inappropriate." He added with a smile.

While Charlie was off getting his shots, Johnny looked between Taylor and Cassie. "This kinda sucks, man." He said, frowning. It wasn't that he didn't like the party or thought Alaina and Charlie were dull or not cool but the situation had kind of sucked the life out of everything and the best thing to do was to probably just call it and salvage what they could before and resentful feelings lingered through no fault of anyone's. He certainly didn't like to have bad thoughts about anyone but even the laid back Johnny could read THIS situation. Johnny grabbed Taylor's leg and squeezed it, smiling at her. "It's cool we came out though, babe." he said, trying to reassure her that the effort and most of the party wasn't bad at all.