Harts

fourteen

CONTENT WARNING: panic attack (second section)

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The town is just coming together when the sky starts to darken and the sea begins to creep further up the shore. What was being fixed is once again broken. 

They should have seen it coming. At the end of his most recent report, the local weatherman had added after a pause that there might be another "bout of bad weather." That should have set off alarm bells. 

They should have seen it coming. But Hart's was so hopeful—perhaps too hopeful—that the good weather would last. Now, they can only watch their world come crashing down. 

And remember that, just like the last time, the sun will come out again.

At two in the morning, it isn't yet apparent that the sky over Hart's is darkening. 

But the air in the diner becomes heavy as soon as the door flies open and Hiro marches in, sweaty and disheveled like he's tumbled through a storm to get here. The stains on his t-shirt and jeans suggest the diner isn't the first stop he's made tonight to make trouble—and won't be the last.

"Why the fuck are you here?" he starts to roar at Aiko, but stumbles back as Cole rises to his full height to step between the two siblings. 

The diner is his territory, after all. Anyone who marches in to mess with someone sitting at a table has to go through him first, and nothing annoys Cole more than people marching in like they own the place. Despite Aiko's confidence, he figured Hiro would show up sooner or later—although he hadn't anticipated it being this soon. 

Too soon. 

"I should be asking you that." Cole cocks his head, squaring his shoulders. As Hiro steps towards him, he catches a whiff of strong booze and impending trouble. His former friend hasn't changed much at all. "We don't serve intoxicated customers."

"Shit diner you're running." Hiro snorts, giving Cole a shove. "Get out of my fucking way." 

Aiko's voice is strangely calm as she pushes aside her art supplies and squeezes past Cole, now fuming, to face her brother. "You should be at home."  

"I could say the same." Hiro sneers as he takes a step closer, words becoming a sing-song taunt. "How am I going to sleep knowing that my baby sister is out?"  

"As if you care," she snaps. "Don't act like you're the responsible one. I can rat you out for being here just as well."

"And who do you think they'll believe?"

Aiko's shoulders drop just an inch. Her brow furrows as she gnaws on her lower lip. It seems she doesn't have her usual quick-fire response. Cole should have seen it coming then.