Merfolk Mating Rituals Are Confusing

Chapter 17

"This the place?" You blink blearily, knocked out of your blank thoughts at the sound of the dark skinned Egyptian man's - Avdol's - voice. You glance out the window, murmuring yes. The heavy set truck rolls to a slow stop, Jotaro being the first to smoothly step out, casually circling around the large truck. Holly and Kakyoin follow him, your mother much more quick to scamper over towards your side of the car.

"Honey, are you sure you want to stay with them sweetie?" You sigh softly, two parts exasperation, two parts fond. On the ride, Jotaro had asked (read: interrogated you) you why you were directing them farther away from the beach, which is where he remembered you had been staying last year when he dropped by. Sheepish, you explained that you were staying with your friends for a bit while your home underwent some repairs - purposefully leaving out the stressful courting and such that you had undergone.

Naturally perceptive as he was, Jotaro didn't buy that in the slightest, and neither did your grandfather, both casting you sharp side eyes. You cursed their sharp intuition, forcing your sheepish grin to stay put. (Jotaro and Joseph made silent eye contact, pupils razor thin and agitated) Your mother, however was as sweetly overbearing as they came, picking and adjusting and fretting, hands never leaving you for more than a second. Casting her a bemused glance from the corner of your eye, you hum tightly, "Yes, Mom."

Holly shifts the supporting grip she has around your shoulders, clearly still antsy and you can practically feel Jotaro wanting to snap at her for her mother-henning. Hoping to keep him from snipping too harshly at her - probably the one thing you had wanted to punch him for back when you both lived with her - you nudge her with your shoulder, softening your voice and smile. "Mama, I promise you that I'm fine." You motion to the house in front of you, smiling at Kakyoin who opens the gate to let you walk through, bowing dramatically. "Thank you, Kakyoin. Mama, Tiziano and Squalo are more than happy to let me stay with them for the week."

Holly worries her lip, and then, like an angel, Tiziano chooses that exact moment to appear at the doorway, his eyes bright and outfit impeccable.

Their house is pretty, a pleasant and homey place that isn't too cramped by other houses, unlike most places this far from the beach. You'd almost call it a modern cottage if anything like that actually existed. Either side of their doorway and the path leading up to it is lined with flowers that you helped him plant. In fact, the large bush of firewheels that sat right next to his porch were a gift from you when they had moved into it, uprooted right from your own garden.

Tiziano perks up when he sees your little ragtag group, although he does curiously eye the truck, clearly catching sight of the three men still inside it.

You take no notice of the way his nostrils flare, icey blue eyes clashing with molten brown over your shoulder.

He quickly approaches you and your mom, flashing a pleasant smile at her as his other hands reaches out towards you. "Hello Mrs. Kujo! It's a pleasure seeing you again!" His eyes flick over to Jotaro, but he doesn't do more than nod at him, making your smile fall.

Did he and Jotaro have a bad relationship? As far as you remembered, Tiziano seemed civil with your brother but-

Kakyoin's light laugh pulls you away from the oddly stiff interaction, his voice chiming, "What? No hello to me Tiziano? I thought we were buds, mio amigo."

The fondness in his voice makes you blink - some part of you, a much more bitter part, whines at the fact that you can't seem to remember their friendship, while the much more rational part of your mind reasons that it must be because they were buddies back in highschool.

Tiziano wrinkles his nose in mock offense, blue eyes squinting into a grin and you snicker into your palm once you realize the Japanese man's blunder. Squalo starts laughing from somewhere inside the house, dropping something soft in the process and Kakyoin gets a look on his face that practically screams "Fuck, did I say something dumb..."