Chapter 5: The New Mom on The Block

"I see a...oh my I see some gym equipment," Suzu looked over the fence at the various weights and treadmills being brought into the house. "Which means our new neighbor must be a fitness nut."

"Or the husband is," Yuzuha said pointing over the fence at the rack of clothes being wheeled in. "Ah! Our new neighbor has such wonderful taste in clothes! I do hope she'll want to compare and contrast styles."

"I see some teen furniture being moved in," Chiyoko said. "It looks like they have a teenage daughter. We'll need to keep an eye on our sons with her."

"Wait, I see teenage boy furniture," Yuzuha said. "They must have a son too, I do wonder if their son will get along with our sons."

"Hey! Careful with those vases!" A deep feminine voice shouted as a woman stepped to glare at the movers. She had a distinct hourglass shape and deep brown skin. Hazel eyes narrowed, and full lips twisted into a fear inducing smile. "If so, much as one vase get cracked, I'll crack you. Tu comprends?"

"Y-Yes ma'am!"

"Ooh I like her, she seems tough," Chiyoko said with a small laugh. "Ladies, I think we may need to go introduce ourselves."

"Not yet." Anne-Sophie said pointing over the fence. "I see the children coming in. Oh my...we'll need to keep an eye on our boys with the girl."

"Mommy! I'm changin' and then Crawdad's takin' me to the hair shop!"

"Ouais. You two be safe." The mother kissed her daughter on the forehead before turning to the larger man that approached her. "You be careful Crawdad and be back by dinner."

"Yes'm." The young man leaned down and kissed her cheek before walking into the home.

"That's her son?!" Yuzuha cried. "Oh, dear I had no idea Americans had such large children."

"He's even taller than Takaboo." Chiyoko said with a small laugh. "Welp, we'll need to go introduce ourselves."

"Suzu's way ahead of us," Anne-Sophie pointed to where Suzu was walking up the pathway.

"Excuse me! New Neighbor-chan!" Suzu called brightly.

The woman turned around and smiled brightly. "Hi! What a cute lil' girl! What's your name?"

"I'm Suzu Haninozuka, I live down the street and I'm here to welcome you to the neighborhood my friends and I were watching you move in." Suzu explained. "We hope you can come by for tea this afternoon or if you like we can bring you a welcome casserole."

"Oh, thank you that'll be fine-"

"Annie."

The woman turned and let out a small giggle when she was pulled into a hug by a large Japanese man. "Hiso please, I'm talkin' to our neighbor."

"Wow...a big new neighbor-chan." Suzu said in surprise. "Um hello, it's nice to meet you too."

"Sakurai Hisota." The man smiled as he hugged his wife tighter and kissed her cheek.

"Hisssooo, I'll be in in a minute, ok?"

"Sakurai?" Suzu's eyes widened. "Ah! I know that name! Chiyo-chan! Chiyo-chan! This is a Sakurai!"

"Suzu shh we're spying!" Chiyoko cried.

"Chiyo? Oh, you're Spider monkey." Hisota said with a blink.

"Oh, you're another Sakurai," Chiyoko said looking him up and down. "When did you return to town? Also, is Ichiro nearby? I haven't seen him in months."

"He's busy with Ichi Jr." Annie smiled and swatted Hisota's hands. "Hiso, go, go, you need to check on the office."

"Fine." Hisota kissed her again before walking towards the waiting Jaguar.

"So, you're his wife," Chiyoko noted. "I'm surprised that Hiso settled down, he's normally a wild one."

"Oh, he better be wild, that's why I married him. Anne-Marie."

"Another Anne?" Suzu asked in surprise. "Wah! There are two Annes now! You must come meet our Anne! She's so nice and fun! She's from France."

Anne-Marie turned to Anne-Sophie and smiled. "Tu Francais?"

Anne-Sophie nodded. "Oui." she said brightly and giggled before looking down at her phone. "Oh my, we all should be getting back to Yuzuha's home, our sons will be home in ten minutes."

"Sons? Alluvya?" Anne-Marie smiled. "They should meet my sons and daughter."

"Oh, that'd be wonderful!" Suzu said and pulled out her phone to show Anne-Marie the pictures she had taken. "This is my little Mitsu-Usa and Chika-piyo. They're both such good boys and cute too!"

"Aww! Lil' dumplings!" Anne-Marie blinked when she heard a crash. "Excuse me for a minit." She walked into the house. "I know good and hell well I told y'all asses to be careful! Look what you did! Oh no don't you try an' sweep it under that rug!" The women heard her shouting.

"She's tough," Yuzuha noted with a laugh. "Perfect addition to our little group. She'd probably teach us how to handle our sons."

"You just want to scare the twins," Suzu shook her head. "Hmmn...but if she does come over, we can hear stories about America!"

"Get it together unless I gotta break out Lucille! Tout suite, eh!" Anne-Marie returned and ran a hand through her curled hair. "Damn men, told Hiso to use Ichi's men."

"Oh, they're making a mess of things?" Chiyoko asked shaking her head. "You cannot find good help these days. Come on, we'll talk about it over tea."

"Or Margaritas," Yuzuha said with a laugh.

"Oh, just a margarita? Nah, lemmebartned, I got a recipe that can make a CIA agent talk." Anne-Marie smiled. "Oh! Kenny! You in there?!"

"Yeah Ma?"

"I'm goin' next door! Make sure they don't destroy anythin' else!"

"Yes'm!"

The women blinked at the voice before looking at Anne-Marie and then started talking to one another.

"She has a college-age son."

"Oh my, she's so young."

"Wow, how wonderful!"

"I wonder if he can tutor my Takaboo."

"Kenny graduated two years ago." Anne-Marie smiled. "Anyways, let's go."

"Right right you'll love it at my house," Yuzuha said. "I have a beautiful view of my backyard garden."

Yuzuha laughed opening the door before she yelped out and narrowed her eyes at the mess. "HIKARU! KAORU!" she shouted in fury.

Two twins ran past them as one of them was holding a guitar while the other was swinging a wok around.

"Boys!" Yuzuha cried in fury before rushing after them. "Get back here! You destroyed my house!"

"She'll be a while," Suzu said giggling nervously before blinking. "Ah! Sakurai-chan don't get involved in that."

"She's doomed," Anne-Sophie said seeing Anne-Marie march over to the two fighting twins.

"Drop the guitar and fight like a man!"

"Hell, no you'll hit me!"

"Coward!"

"Hey! Y'all stop that right now!" Anne-Marie commanded as she grabbed their ears and tugged them down hard.

"Oww what the hell?!" Hikaru cried.

"Geez that hurts!" Kaoru cried in pain.

"Let us go old lady." Hikaru shouted. "You're killing my ear. Mom help!?

"Actually, let our nice new neighbor teach you boys some manners," Yuzuha said with a small laugh.

"Now what in fresh hell is y'all's problem?!" Anne-Marie demanded as she let them go and pulled her belt from around her waist. "Y'all must've lost your damn mind tearin' yo' Maman's house up like this!"

"He started it!" Hikaru cried pointing at Kaoru. "He refused to share his ingredients."

"I was making a cake!" Kaoru shouted in fury.

"Oi!" Anne-Marie cracked the belt. "Don't matter whose fault it is, both of y'all messed this house up so the both of y'all gonna clean it up."

"Who died and made your prime minister?" Hikaru asked rudely.

Kaoru looked at his brother before moving away. Anne-Marie narrowed her eyes before letting out a bone-chilling laugh as she struck Hikaru with the belt.

"Ow!" Hikaru shouted in pain. "Mom help me!"

"Sorry but it's out of my hands." Yuzuha said with a small laugh as she watched Anne-Marie punish Hikaru.

"You. Must've. Lost. Yo. Goddamn. Mind!" Anne-Marie shouted with each strike. She pulled back when Hikaru tried to run off. With a swirl of her hand she swung the belt again and wrapped it around his ankle, dragging the teen to the ground.

"Wow that's impressive belt work." Anne-Sophie noted. "Though a little barbaric."

"It's called parenting," Chiyoko said.

"I think he's learned his lesson," Yuzuha said with a smile. "Anne-Marie come on you can see the rest of the house. My boys will clean up and I'm sure that Kaoru will make a cake for us to try."

"Wait before you go into the living room there is something you should-." Kaoru sighed as he watched the women go into the living room. "That everyone else is here for game night."

"Maman!" Tamaki ran to his mother and hugged her. "Hi! You came for game night?"

"No were here for a visit," Anne-Sophie said. "Rene say hello to Anne-Marie-san. She lives next door."

Tamaki blinked but smiled. "It's nice to meet you, I do not believe that someone as beautiful as you are friends with my mother."

Anne-Sophie giggled. "Rene, she has a daughter and son that's about your age." she said with a smile. "I do hope you kids will be friends."

"I'm sure I will." Tamaki said. "I'll teach them commoner ways! I'm sure they'll love to learn of commoner's wisdom!"

Anne-Marie stared at Tamaki. "You're the one that knocked over my son's motorcycle."

"He did what?!" Anne-Sophie cried. "Rene Richard Tamaki De Granatine Suoh what were you thinking?! How dare you mess with someone else's property."

"I was curious," Tamaki said. "It was a commoner's vehicle, but I promise it didn't get dented to scratched."

"You will apologize!" Anne-Marie said as she lectured Tamaki in French before pointing to Anne-Marie.

Tamaki sighed. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Better be lucky he was in a decent mood. Otherwise, you would have been buried."

"He'll behave," Anne-Sophie said with a small smile.

"Good. Sakurai men are frightening at times."

"Wah! Pretty lady!" Honey ran over to Anne-Marie and giggled. "Hi! You're pretty like a princess! Are you real?"

"Aww! Hi cutie!" Anne-Marie picked Honey up and cuddled him.

"Are you gonna stay long?" Honey asked. "We're eating cake that Kao-chan's making. Oh, and I like your hair it's fluffy."

"Of course, I-" Anne-Marie stared at Kyouya. "It's a Yoshio replica."

"Oh, I see you've noticed mon petit caneton," Anne-Sophie said. "He's Rene's best friend and I'm taking care of the poor dear since his mother is no longer with us."

"Kasumi was a good woman. Too good for Yoshio."

"You knew Kasu?" Yuzuha asked. "Ooh my, I knew we were meant to be friends! Kasu was my best friend before she died. But now her poor memory is being besmirched as Yoshio's with another woman."

"That's not a woman that's a child that think she's a woman." Anne-Marie walked over to Kyouya and took his chin in her hand, turning his head back and forth.

"Um ma'am that hurts," Kyouya said quietly. "I am not like my father."

Anne-Marie sat Honey down. "Bunny boy go get my purse. Good twin boil some water."

Honey ran to get Anne-Marie's purse as Kaoru went into the kitchen to boil some water.

"What are you going to do to Petit Caneton?" Anne-Sophie asked curiously.

"Make him some tea for his pain. I can tell by the way he's standin'."

"Oh, I see," Anne-Sophie said.

"I'm fine ma'am." Kyouya insisted.

"Shush boy. You're not fine or do you want me to wipe that makeup off your eye?"

Kyouya went quiet and sighed heavily.

"I got your purse!" Honey called to Anne-Marie as he ran to her. "Here, it's heavy."

Anne-Marie pulled out a small wooden box and opened it. She pulled out a purple pouch and a small tea strainer.

"Oh, wow that's a tea strainer," Chiyoko noted. "That's a fancy one."

She scooped the tea out before closing the strainer. "Good twin! Is the water hot yet?"

"It'll be out in a second!" Kaoru called out.

"Tea? Seriously?" Hikaru mumbled. "Geez...she's a MILF but a weird one."

Anne-Marie slapped Hikaru on the back of the head. "Hush up."

"Here's the water." Kaoru walked out with a tea set and sat it on the table. He snorted at Hikaru holding his head. "Idiot."

Anne-Marie set the strainer in the cup and poured the water in it. She let it steep and the room was filled with a sweet and warm aroma.

"Wah, is it candy flavored?" Honey asked.

"Ooh my tea without a bag." Anne-Sophie noted.

"Wow I haven't seen tea like that in years." Chiyoko said.

"It is way easier than using tea bags." Suzu said. "And it smells like candy!"

"It's my own blend." Anne-Marie smiled. "Learned how to make it from my Maman."

"You have to share it with us one day," Anne-Sophie said. "I do happen to enjoy tea a lot especially with a slice of lemon pie."

"A thick woody tea goes great with lemon pie." Anne-Marie smiled. "Now drink it whole and slow."

"But I don't…"

"Just go ahead and do it." Anne-Sophie insisted. "And you'll be staying with us tonight again."

"Fine…" Kyouya began drinking the tea.

"So, you figured it out?" Yuzuha asked Anne-Marie quietly.

"It wasn't hard. He stands like he can't move." Anne-Marie said as she rubbed her hands together. "Good twin. You have a mortar and pestle?"

"Um a what?" Kaoru asked curiously.

"It's used for medicine mixing," Suzu said. "I think I have one at my house."

"How far is it?" Anne-Marie asked. "All of my supplies are still packed."

` "Down the street," Suzu said. "I can run and grab it and be back here in five minutes."

"We could borrow one from next door on the other side. "Yuzuha said. "I'm sure that Umiko has a spare since her and her family practices black magic."

"Oh, good Lord where's my sage?" Anne-Marie said.

"They're bad at it," Yuzuha laughed as she heard a phone ring from Anne-Marie's purse. "Oh, it's your phone."

Anne-Marie answered it. "Hello?"

"Annie have you moved in yet? I do want to bring Tarou over to see you!"

"I'm next door, bring him by!" Anne-Marie giggled. "I need to see my baby!"

"Alright I'll be there in ten minutes; do you need me to bring something?"

"That mortar and pestle I left over there."

"Oh, those old things? Sure, I'll grab them and put them in the diaper bag. Also, I'll bring you something that Lapin left for you."

"Ok! Come on over!" Anne-Marie chirped.

"See you then." the woman on the other end of the call hung up.

"I hope y'all love babies."

"Oh, I do," Yuzuha said with a giggle. "A baby to dress up in cute clothes is going to be fun! If my husband hadn't taken my daughter out for a walk you would've gotten to see how cute she is."

"Don't say that. My daughter would steal her from you."

"Oh, your daughter likes babies?" Yuzuha asked. "That's wonderful! I'll have to let her babysit some time."

"No one wants that loud-mouthed girl here," Hikaru grumbled.

Anne-Marie took off and threw her shoe at Hikaru without looking from Yuzuha.

"Oww damn it!"

The doorbell rang a few minutes later as Yuzuha went to the door and looked out the window. "Oh...there is someone here."

"Let her in!" Anne-Marie said as she cuddled Honey.

Yuzuha opened the door was greeted by a heavy-set woman wearing a pink top and a darker pink skirt. In her arms she was carrying a squealing baby boy wearing a blue sailor outfit and matching hat. "Hi, is my sister here? I'm Stella Sakurai by the way but please call me Star."

"Stella Reese! Bring me my baby!"

"Give me a minute," Stella sat the baby down on the floor. "Go on sweetie find your aunty."

The baby squealed and started to push up on his arms but fell on his face and began to whimper before wailing. They heard a thud as Anne-Marie ran into the entryway after having dropped Honey. She picked up the baby and smothered him kisses.

The baby sniffled and squealed before laying his head on Anne-Marie's chest as he babbled softly.

"Wow, a new record," Stella noted with a small laugh.

"How's my favorite nephew? Don't be sad, Aunty's finally got her house here and is here for you forever and ever my lil' tooter." Anne-Marie cooed as she carried the baby further into the mansion. "Star! Bring the mortar and pestle in here!"

"Sure...baby stealer," Stella shook her head.

"Please follow me," Yuzuha said with a small smile. "So, you're Anne-Marie's sister?"

"Sister in law actually," Stella said. "I'm married to Ichiro Sakurai."

"Even though she lived with me when we were growin' up. To think she snatched up Ichiboy."

"He was my ty-Annie are you seriously here picking suitors for Lapin!?" Stella demanded. "My daughter is not going to date until she's 18."

"Do you think I wanna be double teamed by the Sakurai brothers?!" Anne-Marie cried. "No, they all belong to the ladies. Anyways, gimme that so I can make this salve for the lil' rock em sock em over there. Good twin go get me some old bath towels."

"Yes ma'am." Kaoru said heading off.

Stella opened Tarou's bag and pulled out the items Anne-Marie told her to bring before she smiled. "Let Tarou sit on the floor so he can explore."

"Tarou you wanna leave your Aunty?"

Tarou whimpered and began to whine as he grabbed Anne-Marie's shirt tightly. He began to babble and coo up at her.

"Sooo cute!" The other women squealed.

"Okay we'll do it this way."

Anne-Marie sat Tarou comfortably on her lap and leaned forward to make the salve. The women and their sons watched her put a different assortment of herbs in the mortar. She hummed as she began grinding them to a fine dust.

"You tree son. Go get the beeswax from the kitchen, it should be melted by now."

"Beeswax? That's made from a bee's home I can't…" Mori began but quickly rushed off when he was glared at by his mother.

"So, Star was it? You have a daughter too?" Yuzuha asked.

"Yes she's 15, she'll be 16 in July." Stella said with a small smile. "I miss my Lapin every day, but I know she's in a nice place right now."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Yuzuha said. "It must be tough to lose a child."

Stella blinked. "Oh no no Lapin's away overseas," she said. "In um...school she attends a boarding school yeah that's it."

"Oh, I see," Yuzuha said. "So, you and Anne-Marie had daughter to be like you two?"

"Well I would say that my little Chupabirb is like me and Lapin's like Annie," Stella said. "Annie here cursed my first child to be like her."

"Curses?" Suzu asked. "She curses people?"

"No just babies." Stella said shaking her head. "Thunder thighs here has laid claim on all of my children because her children adore me more...well except her oldest that boy is troublesome."

"He just doesn't follow your every order."

"That's his problem, and he knows what he did." Stella said simply. "Blaming my poor Crawbaby for eating all the food on Thanksgiving."

"Crawdad eats like his dad I keep telling you this."

"He wouldn't eat a whole meal after I told him not to and he told me that Kenji did it." Stella said. "Crawbaby doesn't lie to me."

Tarou babbled almost like his aunt and mother and let out a loud giggle as he looked at the ladies staring at them. He squealed and hit his hands on the table.

"Attention needer!" Anne-Marie smothered him in kisses.

"Aww he's so cute."

"Reminds me of Mitsu-Usa at that age." Suzu said. "Baby-chan are you a happy baby-chan?"

Tarou squealed out loudly and began to hit Anne-Marie's chest before whimpering and pouting. He let out a soft squeal and coo before looking at the table and seeing the cake. He squealed loudly.

"Star he's hungry."

'I'm on it." Stella pulled out a bottle and smiled. "Here sweetie it's lunchtime and don't worry I added just a tiny bit of sugar."

"You're where Easter Bunny gets it from!"

"What? It's just a bit so he can have a little taste of sweets." Stella explained as she gave Tarou his bottle and laughed. "He'll be done with that in no time."

"So, about your daughter, can we see a picture? do you have one?" Yuzuha asked.

"Why yes I do," Stella unlocked her phone and smiled. "This is my Lapin."

"She looks young."

"Like 12."

Stella smiled. "Isn't she cute? She's my darling princess and Ichiro is the only person that she has wrapped around her finger at home. Hiso, however, is her favorite because she believed he was her father for 10 years."

"So, she's...12?"

Stella smiled. "No, she's 15, this is just an old picture of her I have." she explained. "Her recent pictures disappeared off my phone...thanks to a certain angry black swan in booty shorts and a tie top."

"Hey, it's not my fault you got pushed into the lake with your phone."

"It wasn't a lake it was an ocean at the end of the runway at the airport," Stella said. "You wanted to be the first to get to Lapin's plane when she visited NoLa. It was "My baby! Move Star! And you had the nerve to say that Lapin wanted to see you first."

"About your daughters," Yuzuha said. "I will assure you that both of you won't have to worry about my boys chasing them. They're not horny schoolboys."

"Except Hikaru," Kaoru whispered with a laugh.

"And my Rene won't chase them," Anne-Sophie said. "He's been happily staying away from girls since he doesn't want to break my heart." "And neither will Petit Caneton."

"Takashi has a girlfriend." Chiyoko giggled. "She's so tiny and cute!"

"Mitsu-Usa will only want to cuddle them," Suzu promised. "He's been taught to wait til he's ready to date."

"Oh no don't worry about it," Stella said. "Chupabirb is the only one mature enough to date. My Lapin isn't ready just yet."

"And I doubt any of these boys can handle her." Anne-Marie said as she rubbed Tarou's head. "Ain't that right Toot?"

"Well I'm sure that one of my boys could," Yuzuha said with small smile. "Like maybe Kaopri since he's a nice boy who can cook."

"She'd break him."

"I doubt it." Yuzuha laughed as she saw Tarou was happily eating. "Hey little guy do you want to wear cute clothes that Aunty Yuzuha has made? You'd look super cute in a dress yes you would!"

Tarou stared at her before whimpering behind his bottle.

"I've tried to put him in a dress before, but Ichiro's programmed him to cry or eat his way out of a dress." Stella mumbled.

"Good for him. My Toot likes his little suits, doesn't he?"

Tarou squealed as he stopped eating and let out a louder squeal when he saw Usa-chan. "Siiiii."

"Oh, baby your sister will be here to visit in a few weeks."

Tarou squealed before he began to "fuss" at the hosts for leaving the room. He looked at Anne-Marie and then at all the women before pouting.

"Those silly boys are going to Hikaru's room." Yuzuha said with a laugh. "They don't want to be down here when we chat."

"Tree boy! Did you bring me my stuff?! Rock em Sock em come back down here!"

"I think Takashi left it on the table there." Chiyoko picked up the melted beeswax and laughed at the note. "Oh, and he said that beeswax is murder."

"Your boys don't understand homeopathic remedies." Anne-Marie said as she poured the ground herbs mixed with oil and beeswax into a jar.

"Nah Takashi's a vegan so he tends to be sensitive to animals." Chiyoko admitted. "The boy's been one for about a year and he's been a pain to cook for."

Anne-Marie shook her head as she set the jar aside once she finished mixing the ingredients. She looked at Tarou and smiled.

"You ready to be a nudist baby?"

Tarou squealed but quickly squirmed as he slid off Anne-Marie's lap and landed on the floor with a soft plop. He let out a loud squeal and looked up at all the ladies looking down at him.

"Come here my baby." Anne-Marie lifted him and kissed his nose before taking him out of his sailor suit and leaving him in his diaper.

"Aww!"

"So cute!" Suzu picked Tarou up and cuddled him. "Hi baby-chan! You're so tiny! You like being free?"

Tarou squealed and babbled as he grabbed Suzu's hair and held it before yawning.

"Tarou's a weird child." Stella said shaking her head. "My Lapin never wanted to be a nudist baby."

"All Sakurai are nudists, or haven't you learned from Ichi walking around in his socks only?"

"I have." Stella shook her head before hearing her phone ring. "Oh, excuse me. Hello? What? Lapin I can barely hear you over the music. What did you say? What? Who asked to escort you to an awards show? Well I guess that's fine."

"If he's older than 17 hell no!"

Stella rolled her eyes. "He's who? Well if he hosts that late night show you can go since he has a wife and kids and will be more like your dad-Annie give me my phone back!"

"Easter Bunny!"

"Aunty, hi you're with mama? How are you? I was calling to ask mama permission to be escorted to an awards show." a girl's voice was heard on speaker as Anne-Marie had turned it on.

"Which talk show host is it?"

"Umn...the cute British one."

"The mixed one?"

"No no, the one who is really chubby and has that show on that comes on after Ms. Owen."

"Oh him. You gotta ask your father, Uncle and cousin."

"I will, but I know they're gonna say yes because they know he won't try anything with me cause he's married."

Stella snorted as she listened to Anne-Marie and her daughter. She looked at the hosts' moms. "My daughter tends to go out to various events with nice gentlemen."

"Oh, and make sure Lottie calls Kenny and KJ. KJ's a fussy boy that misses her."

"I will, and Kenny's supposed to come back to work, tomorrow right? He is head of security Aunty."

"Once he makes sure everyone is settled yes." Anne-Marie looked up when she heard a knock on the door.

"Oh, I'll get it." Yuzuha went to answer the door. She opened it and blinked. "Oh, hello there young man may I help you?"

"You got my Ma in there?" the young man from earlier asked. In his hands was a Tupperware dish.

"Oh yes, and your aunt is here t-too?" Yuzuha blinked as she saw a dotted line indicating where the young man had once been. "Oh my. That must be one of the Sakurai boys." she shut the door and went to the living room and smiled softly. "Aww what a cute sight."

"Aunty you're gonna make me drop the snacks."

"Crawbaby! I missed you! Aww look at you! You've grown into a young man! Oh, by the way there are some boys here that are around your age. You should be their friends." Stella said petting his head. "Ooh my Crawbaby's so cute!"

"Aunty I'm not interested-hey Toot!" the young man laughed when he saw the baby crawl on his feet.

"You need friends." Stella said. "Sweetie you being a homebody isn't good for someone your age. I think you'd benefit from being friends with these boys."

"No."

"Crawdad what's in the dish baby?"

"Oh, we got back early so I made beignets for the Chupacabra. These are all the ones she didn't get the chance to eat."

"Oh, my you bake?" Yuzuha asked in surprise before shouting. "Kaoru get your ginger haired butt down here now!"

Kaoru was heard grumbling as he walked downstairs. He looked at the new person in the room then at the dish. "No way! Are those...beignets?!"

"Hm? Yeah what about it?"

Kaoru ran over and took the dish as he looked at them before laughing. "These are awesome! I've always heard about them and wanted to make some, but I never knew how to make them. Think you can tell me how you made them?"

"They not that hard. You need flour, yeast, milk, confectioners' sugar, eggs, a pinch of salt, and sugar." He said as he took his shirt off revealing his muscular stature, tattoos and wife beater. "If you got all that I can make fresh ones."

"Well I would allow you to do it, but that kitchen is mine." Kaoru said with a small smile. "I do all the cooking here and right now I'm waiting for the fondant on a cake I'm making to finish settling."

"Well then eat shit then. Good beignets can't be made from a recipe."

"Everything can but it does take love too." Kaoru said rolling his eyes. "Dude, I don't mean any harm, but I don't want my cooking class project to be messed up if I go in there now."

"Your fondant is already settled. It don't take more than an hour." Anne-Marie said. "If you're gonna be a real chef then your nasty little my way or the highway attitude is gonna make your food taste like shit. You asked him to tell you, but some things must be shown not told lil' boy."

"Fine we can make them another day." Kaoru said with a shake of his head. "Mom can I go back upstairs now? I got to stop Hikaru from using my side of the room as a dumpster."

Yuzuha laughed. "Go on and go sweetie." she said.

"Hold up." Anne-Marie said as she stood.

"Yes ma'am?" Kaoru asked curiously.

"You need a real attitude adjustment lil' boy. You and your twin." Anne-Marie said. "And if you don't fix it then all you're strivin' to do is gonna have conflict. You're still learnin' so when people offer you help don't reject it with that lil' pissy attitude. Oh, and leave the beignets."

"Ok…" Kaoru said before he began heading up the stairs.

"I'm so sorry that he's a pain." Yuzuha apologized. "Kaopri's usually sweet but he's so serious about becoming a chef that he tends to be a little bit of a food snob."

"Like I said, can't make good food from a recipe." Anne-Marie's son said as he picked Tarou up.

"Don't worry he'll learn to be nicer," Yuzuha said. "Now sweetheart you can sit down with us or join the boys. I'm sure that you'll get along with the rest of th-."

"MAMAN!"

"Spoke too soon."

Anne-Sophie gave a small squeak as she felt her son throw himself into her arms. She blinked and rubbed his head. "What's the matter Rene?"

"Kyouya wants to go back to his home and he may be hurt and...and...stop him!" Tamaki cried.

"Crawdad sweetie."

"Ma he's an Ootori."

"Do it."

"Fine." Her son draped his shirt on her shoulders and gave Tarou to her before he walked towards the stairs.

"Umn I hate to ask but why didn't your son want to help at first?" Anne-Sophie asked as she cuddled her sobbing son.

"Family feud thing." Stella answered with a shake of her head. "But Crawbaby will be very gentle with him."

"Put me the hell down you Neanderthal! I'm going to my home!"

"Or not…" Stella said watching her nephew bring down Kyouya. "Crawbaby be careful sweetie."

"Look I don't even wanna help yo' pygmy ass but if you wanna go get yo' ass beat like a drum then get it here." He dropped Kyouya on the couch. "Stay 'fore I make you muhfucka."

"You don't have the gall to do it." Kyouya hissed. "I'll be fine, my father wishes me to return to the estate as I am to help him with business matters."

"Yeah no you're staying." Anne-Sophie said. "Petit Caneton, you need to stay with us for a while until your father is cooled off from his anger towards a rival family."

"Fine if I must."

Stella shook her head and smiled softly before handing Marcus her phone. "Talk to your cousin while we take care of this boy's injuries."

"First." Marcus walked over to Kyouya and punched him.

"Crawbaby!"

"Why'd you do that?!" Tamaki stood up. "What did he do to you?"

"You shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down."

"I will not." Tamaki said. "My friend's been hurt, and you've made it worse. Why not be nicer? I mean we're all gentlemen here."

"If he's so hurt then why is he goin' back? Fuck it bein' his old man." Marcus looked at Kyouya. "If he wants to get his ass beat let him get his ass beat like a lil' bitch."

"We have a handle on the situation," Tamaki argued. "We're easing him out of his situation, but his father will just continue calling him until he returns home."

"I'm fine Tamaki." Kyouya said quietly. "I'll be back at your home tonight...I just need to see what father wants and to get my...song book."

"If you go back there, he's gonna fuck you up."

"Crawdad don-"

The moms gasped when they saw Marcus pull a gun from his waistband and put it to Kyouya's forehead.

"He's gonna do this to ya and ya better hope he don't sneeze and pull the trigger."

"Crawbaby that's enough." Stella said. "I think the boy gets it. He's turned paler than he was earlier, go on and talk to your cousin now. She needs your wise advice and later I'll make you a meatloaf."

"Fine. Punk ass Ootori." Marcus put the gun back and took the phone from his aunt before walking away.

"Boys will be boys." Stella said with a small smile. "Don't worry Crawbaby wouldn't have killed him. He's a good boy and uses the show don't tell method. However, you two boys shouldn't anger him anymore ok? Be kind and his friend."

"Yes...Sakurai-san." Tamaki said before he went to cuddle his mother. "Maman can I invite everyone including Crawdad-san over for dinner?"

"Of course." Anne-Sophie said. "You boys need to bond and be friends. I think that the nice boy will toughen you boys up."

"Great!" Tamaki said as he ran to find "Crawdad" Hey Crawdad-san! You're invited to dinner at my house tonight!"

"Your son's an idiot." Stella noted with a laugh.

"I know he is but his heart's in the right place."

The women heard a loud slam of a door and could hear Tamaki still badgering Marcus to come over for dinner.

"Go fuck yaself!'

"Come on please? It's gonna be a lot of food and plus I want to be your friend." Tamaki was heard saying. "You're a tough guy and I bet you could even beat Mori-senpai in a sparring match."

"I don't want friends now fuck off!"

"Everyone wants friends! Come on let's be friends ok? Hey, I know this is forward, but can I call you Crawdad?"

"Muhfucka do you know me?"

"Not yet but we should be friends." Tamaki said with a smile. "Come on please? I promise we'll all get along. You can even meet my darling daughter Haruhi. She's a commoner and is really kind."

"If you don't know me then you can't call me Crawdad. Simple. Now move for I wreck you. I'm on the fuckin' phone."

"Fine fine but dinner's at eight." Tamaki rushed off down the hallway.

"Crawbaby actually went over there," Stella laughed softly as she took a sip of her tea. "I guess he does really want friends."

"Is there a reason he didn't?" Yuzuha asked as she looked at Stella and Anne-Marie. "I mean he seems like a kind young man."

"He's been betrayed by so-called friends before. One actually set him up to get killed."

"Really?" Yuzuha asked in surprise. "Oh dear, that's awful, he won't have to worry about it here. My sons will be his friends and I know they'll get along fine."

"Crawbaby is gonna be a tough nut to crack," Stella gently rubbed Tarou's back as the baby slept. "But I have a feeling that he'll make friends with these boys here. After all I don't want him to spend his summers working on tour with Lapin."

"He'll be too busy taking over the family."

"He still needs friends," Stella said simply and looked up at hearing yelling coming from down the street. She held back a laugh. "And Crawdad seems to be laughing...he's walking a-oh my is that Tanuhi?"

"You know Haruhi?" Yuzuha asked. "She's my sons' friend and a cute little thing."

"She's my goddaughter," Stella said. "And Annie's god niece."

"And it looks like she'll be the one to break Crawdad's shell."

"You think that Haruhi-chan will be able to do that?" Anne-Sophie asked curiously. "Sometimes young men are stubborn."

"If I know my Crawbaby he'll come out of the shell," Stella said with a small smile. "If anything, maybe this is the start of a new budding romance."

"I know that my Hikaru probably won't have a budding romance," Yuzuha pointed to where Hikaru was trying to outrun a girl chasing him.

"Oh, he's met my daughter," Anne-Marie laughed quietly. "He'll be fine as long as he can outrun her and not let her slap him across that head of his.

End Chapter