Chapter 72: We take care of our own

There was no formal, sit down for dinner. Food was placed out, music played pretty low and my family and Bokuto's team move about the hall with plates of food, mingling.

I hang back, watching as the room moves. My eyes drift to Bokuto every so often, as he talks with Akasshi, grinning with every word. He looks good tonight.

I barely even notice when one of his teammates came up next to me. Startling me a bit when he said, "Wow, Z, you really live here?"

"Not technically, this is my temporary home. Just, home away from home." I shrug with a smile, "I live in a pretty average house back in the states. In Ohio."

"So you're going back there after you graduate?"

"That's the original plan."

"As long as she don't keep acting like she got no home training," I heard my Mom grunt stepping into the conversation.

The team was told this was an opportunity for them to practice the English. Even though every member of my family knows a little Japanese, they haven't gotten the chance to practice as much as students have.

"Evening Mama," I try to smile. Try to move away from the public ridicule.

But Mom goes on, "Keep making a fool out of me and she gonna be begging my baby sister for some apartment for her and her little boyfriend."

Now that she brings it up, it doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm not sure if coming home to her every break would be worth it. Just to be talked to like this.

But I only say, "It's fine Mama," and smile politely.

Trying to avoid the sorry look the teammate was giving me. Strong, confident, powerful Z, is what he's used to. Bokuto's Baby Bird, fly right at his level. He hasn't seen this. This shuttering away, this obviously false smile. He doesn't know what to make of it. And neither do I.

Mom's face turns up as she peers around the room. "And why is it so many boys here, don't you have any female friends?"

"I told you, I spend all day at practice and my teammates are racist so-"

"I still don't understand why you ain't smack the life out of those girls, I didn't teach you to be no punk."

"I can't, I still want I team. I can't win nationals withou-"

"Fuck nationals. This is about your respect,"

"Which is something she has earned throughout the school. It's just those few on the team that can't seem to get over their little jealousy of Love," Aunty approached with a gentle touch on my shoulders, releasing the tension I did know I had built. "And it's almost over, one more month, and she'll have nationals then graduation in no time."

"Then back to the states," I sigh. I don't know if it's relief or not though. Life is good here.

Aunty looked to the boy and smiled, "I don't think I saw you eat anything. My mother, sister and I worked hard to make all of this food and trust us, we don't want any leftovers. Go, eat eat."

He smiles with a nod and heads for the spread. While Aunty still smiled and looked out to the party as she said, "Sis. It's her birthday, can we give her a break?"

"You give her too many," Mom snapped back.

"Well someone should, because we both know this world isn't going to give her any damn breaks," Aunty still smiles but her voice turns hard.

I stand between my Mom and my Aunt. "So how will she handle this fucked up world if we baby her?"

"She'll handle it, by asking for help from the ones that love her," I see Aunt Bri's eyes slide to Mom, "We just have to make sure she's not afraid to ask."

Mama, Aunty, they all have the same goal. To raise children strong enough to survive a world that doesn't want them.

Mama just doesn't give as many hugs. She believes she should be as cold as the world. But not aunty.

She's warmth and love. Filling her children with enough love that they don't need anymore from the world.

This is where they differ. And this is the conflict between Mama's house and Aunty's house.

And now I look to the floor, between their heavy silence. There was never an issue with my coming here, but after I came. I guess I changed, I started to act more like my cousins. And maybe that's what Mom didn't like?

My eyes stay low, until I hear him say, "Hey Ms. Mac, Mrs. Hintachiin." I look up to see Bokuto nodding towards me, extending a hand, "Baby Bird. You wanna grab something to eat? I haven't seen you eat much since breakfast."

"Yeah," I say before anyone else could say anything. I grab his hand and move towards the food begging for this escape.

Though he doesn't let me move too fast, he pulls me back saying, "Slow down Baby Bird. I got you now."

He tugged me closer and m forced me to slow down, walk easy. "You okay?"

"Yeah, my Mom and Aunt just have different parenting styles. Mom's tough on us, and expects us to be tough all the time. Like she is. But, I don't know. I feel like it's okay to be soft sometimes. At least when you have people in your corner. Right?"

When we get to the table of food, Bokuto let's go of my hand and reaches for two plates, "Well, when you're with me. Feel free to be whatever you wanna be. I'll always have your back." He starts adding food to both plates saying, "I know I pretty known for breaking down on the court when things get rough, but I know my team can hold things down even when I'm down. Because we're all strong and we're stronger together."

"I can make my own plate you know," I say, watching as he collects food.

He smiled back to me saying, "And I can do it for you. It's your birthday Baby Bird, act like it."

I chuckle, "Oh so should I be a spoiled brat?"

"I wouldn't go that far, I don't think your Mom would like that much."

"She already thinks I've morphed into so soft spoiled brat who can't stand up for herself so…"

"Stop that," he says calmly, "You're the bravest and strongest person I know."

"Have you met yourself?" I question.

And he says, serious but still so light, "I think I'm just starting to."

He nods his head towards a table and I follow as he leads. He does such a good job at that. Leading.

Controlling the situation, controlling the emotions of us around. He's calm, so I'm calm. We sit down and eat, talking calm as people mingle around us. I try to ignore Aimi, standing alone. She can very easily walk over here and talk to me. No one would judge her if she does. But everyone will judge her if she doesn't.

Bokuto glances down at his phone and says excitedly, "My Mom's here!"

He hopped up grabbing me to go with him and we head out of the hall, towards the doors, where Mrs. B stood with a gift bag in hand. Hinata, Kenma and Kuroo where there as well. With Hinata and Kenma looking around.

Hinata beamed, "Wow, no fair. Bokuto gets a girlfriend who's a top five player, pretty and rich?"

"I know, so unfair," I teased.

As Bokuto hugged his mother, he glanced over asking, "Who invited Hinata?"

"I did, he got my number after the training camp to talk blocking and hitting strategies. We are both middle blockers," I put a hand up for a high five, which he quickly gave. This kid is a freaking ball of light, how can we not love him.

"Yeah, sure. That's what he wants."

I ignore him and go in to hug his Mom, "Hi Mrs. B, thank you for coming."

Right then my Mom comes in, laughing too loud. "Ah, had to see where this boy was dragging my daughter off to." Mom eyes Bokuto and I sighed, as I hugged Mrs. B.

Then turned her smiling. "Mom, this is Kōtarō's mom."

Mom moves forward and shakes her hand, talking about how I told her just this morning that she was good to me. I try to keep my attention forward but my phone is vibrating like crazy in my pocket.

As they talked, I stepped back from them pulling my phone from my pocket. Text after text after text was flooding my phone.

'18 now, finally ready to start the porn career.'

'Pornstars debut!'

'BBW.'

Every number was unfamiliar, not even Tokyo numbers, but I know it's the team. If not for the resurfacing of the picture from the college dorm. Then from the pictures from the night of the sleepover. Them in inky black, with me un white with the n-word across my forehead.

'Happy Birthday pornstar!'

A touch landed on my shoulder and I jumped lightly. I glance back to see Bokuto looking over my shoulder. I don't bother to hide it. I tilt the phone towards him so he can see, more messages coming and coming and coming.

Bokuto's eyes widen and he pushed the phone back to me, whispering, "Baby Bird?"

I look back at the phone to see them all talking about posting the pictures, tonight.

Mom laughs, "Right, Zara."

But I move quickly away back to the hall calling, "Uncle Hikaru!"

"Zara, I was talking to you!" Mom shouted but I kept moving with Bokuto on my trail. I spot uncle Hikaru beside Uncle Kaoru talking with Hana and Rod. They all wore wide smiles that dropped when I approached.

"Uncle Hikaru, you said talk next time something was going on. I'm talking."

"Do we get to kill them now," Ros questions before taking a sip from her cup. So calm.

And Bokuto just as calm says, "Maybe after nationals."

"Wait, what's going on," the twin Uncle ask at the same time.

I thrust my buzzing phone into Uncle Hikaru's hands, with Uncle Kaoru looking over his shoulder. Both of them coming to the same conclusion, calling, "Hana?"

Uncle Hikaru hands her the phone and she takes a quick scroll, before looking up to her dad with gentle eyes, "Father, permission to be devious?"

Uncle Kaoru's eyes narrowed, he studied his daughter, trying to get into her tricky mind. He and his twin had a rather devious life, but even he has to admit. His youngest daughter is on a different level. So carefully he says, "Permission granted."

"Thank you," she said, ever so politely, before scanning the room and shouting out, "T.K.O."

"Ah, so it is murder." Ros smirked as the too tall, too smart 3rd year middle came, stepping away from his dads.

Takashi Ootori.

"What's up?"

Hana, looks up to him with wide eyes and an undeniable smile, "That virus we were working on, is it ready for launch?"

He smiled more surely now, "it is."

I feel no nervousness now. They have this handled. I wouldn't even care, if it weren't for that weren't for Bokuto and me being on thin ice with the school. If it weren't for nationals.

He pulls out his phone, and starts tapping away. While Hana moves through the text group, taking screen shots before wiping out her own phone.

"They're using an app to code their numbers, which makes it even easier to hack this group chat," she tapped on her own phone now saying, telling Takashi, "Send me the file."

"Sent," he responded quickly, smiling proudly.

"Now to make this impossible to not click on," Hana said before a link popped up in the chat.

She handed the phone to me saying, "Do not, I repeat. Do not click that link."

"What does it do?" Uncle Hikaru asked before I could.

Hana casually explains, "It's designed to disconnect them from the cloud and to screw with their phones, can't send messages or anything really.

The only way they can fix their phones is to factory reset them, meaning they lose everything and have no way of getting their information back. Like. All the photos they had saved.

But, I still have the photos and screenshot of the text, just in case evidence is ever needed."

We all stand and watch her, still twiddling her thumbs at her phone.

"How do you know they'll click the link?" Her father asked her.

She looks up now smiling, "Oh all of them already had. I knew they couldn't resist that title."

I look down at my phone. Looking at the name of the link, which read: Blacky's sex tap.

"Hana!" I bark

But she just smiles, "Everyone of them clicked the link within 20 seconds and the virus has successfully been distributed."

Bokuto drops an arm around my shoulders, both of us letting out a breath of relief. He looked towards Hana pointing a finger to her saying, "You're scary."

"I know right," she smiled cheekily, "So watch yourself with my cousin."

He leaned into me more now, saying, "Don't worry, I'm not planning on messing this one up."

He's so comfortable with my family, saying things like this, being this close. Until my Mom's voice sounds and we both snap up straight, like the general has just entered the room calling for our attention.

"Zara! What is going on. Had me back there apologizing for your rudeness. Acting like you got no since."

We turn to her, seeing Bokuto's Mom right behind her, smiling, "I told you, that was unnecessary, but thank you. I'm just wondering if everything is okay?"

I breathe with ease smiling to Mrs. B, "Yeah, the team was just acting ridiculous again. But we got it handled."

"What?" My Mom charged, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have-"

"We got it handled Lin, let's just enjoy the rest pf the party," Uncle Hikaru says.

"Oh so you saying I couldn't handle it?"

"I'm saying you didn't have to," He smiled, "We got it. We take care of what's ours."

"Oh and since when has my daughter been your's?"

Uncle Hikaru rolled his eyes, and my fist started to ball. "Since the day your sister married my brother. We're family Lin, no one is expected to handle their problems on their own. I'm sure you could have solved the problem just fine, but we collectively took care of it. Now let's get back to the party." He looked over Mom's head and waved calling out, "KJ, play something we can dance to."

Before Mom could get another word, Frankie Beverly was singing his opening note to the song that gets every member of my family moving. The Japanese side picked up on this hit from barbecues back in the states.

"Hikaru-" Mom tried but he had already decided to be happy in this moment.

He took Hana's hand, and she giggled has he sung to her the opening line, "You make me happy, this you can bet," Before grinning, and leading her away saying, "Dance with me my brilliant niece."

And with that he was gone, leaving his twin behind chuckling, "Always had to get the last word." 

"Always annoying?"

"That too," Uncle Kaoru laughed, "But hardly ever wrong. What he says is true. We'll do what we must for this family. Trust us. Epically Hikaru. He took a bullet for your sister, just imagine what he'd do for your daughter."

Mom opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when Grandma patted her shoulder, saying in a polite demand, "Lin relax. It's your baby's birthday."

Grandma passes Mom and comes to me taking both my hands in hers easing the clenched fist as she rocks my arms to the rhythm, singing along to the song as she drags me towards the dancing few. She twirls me until I smile again, as we dance beside Aunty Bri and Mira.

My phone doesn't buzz for the rest of the night. We eat, we dance, and everything is almost peaceful. Everything besides Mother's watchful eyes. Scanning the room for something wrong, something to pick at. Maybe Bokuto dancing too close, or whispering too often. Maybe KJ's music selection. Maybe Grandma's way of shutting her down everytime she starts to complain.

Aunty tries, stands beside her big sister. Snickering jokes. Dancing with her to songs from their childhood, but the smile never seems to last.

Grandma tells me to ignore her and have fun, but something is up with her. She's hard on us, yes. But still, she managed to be a fun Mom. This is not a fun mom. And I don't know what the problem is. But now is not the time to figure that out.

Now is the time to open gifts. There wasn't anything I actually wanted. So I was grateful for everything. New chucks, anime t-shirts, manga, new knee pads from Bokuto's Mom, with a welcoming card.

"Ooo, mine next," Bokuto said hopping up and running from the room.

"Well where is he going?" Mom asked.

I go to shrug, but stop and drop at the sight of Bokuto jumping, "Heads up."

His hand connects with a bright yellow ball that went flying towards me. Panic sets in my Mom and Grandma, causing them to back up but I know Bokuto knows what he's doing and I do too.The ball comes straight to me and I pop it up and catch it. Turning it over in my hand. I see writing all over, I look closer, seeing, names.

"What's this," I ask, looking over it.

Bokuto jogs over to rejoin the group, smiling, "I know it's not often you get to share a court with an actual team. So, I wanted to give you a remind of all the people you have in your court. Metaphorically speaking. I just don't want you to forget, that you have a team Baby Bird, and we'll all be cheering you on to nationals. Even when you can't cheer for yourself."

This guy. It's hard to believe this guy sometimes. How do you learn to care for someone and learn so much about someone in such little time? I roll the ball around in my hands. Names of my family, Bokuto's team, Aimi, Hinata, Kuroo and even my Mom. He's collected all of them, had them sign. He put up with my Mom, alone, sharing just how much he cares for me.

"Thank you," I manage in a soft voice, wishing I could say more. Wishing I could describe the warmth that grows inside of me, just to know that someone has been thinking of me. That he has been thinking of me.

But the smile on his face says that he knows. He gets it.

Aunty Bri says, "Lin, I told you we should have let the boy go last. Now we have to interrupt such a sweet moment."

"I don't mind," Mom chuckled as she reached into her pocket digging out a small box, "This is from me and your Aunty."

"The real gift is waiting for you in the states." Aunty said as Mom tossed the small box my way. My hands are still clung to the ball, so Bokuto snatches it from the air for me.

I laugh, trading him the ball for the box, "What you'd get me? A car?"

I picked something outlandish. But when Aunty and Mom slid each other glances, I wasn't sure that it was so outlandish.

A snatched open the lid to the small box, revealing a key with the name, JEEP, engraved in it.

My eyes shot back up to my Mom and Aunt standing side by side, "You got me a car?"