Lakeside Comfort

"I swear, Kyo, by the time this vacation is over, my savings account will most likely be bankrupt..."

"Nonsense," said Kyo, stuffing the last of the luggage in the back of Ushio's car. "Anything we purchase there will be purchased with this." He quickly reached into his top pocket and took out a card, proudly showing it off to me with a suspicious smirk on his face.

"Is that a counterfeit credit card...?"

"You betcha."

I sighed deeply. "You know, typically I would be very much against that, but as of now I'm just too tired to argue with you..."

"Kyo! Morgan!"

I lifted my head at the sound of a door slamming shut and found Yuta and Ushio walking down the steps of their house. "Geez, for a second there I thought you guys had changed your minds about joining us," I teased. Yuta gave my shoulder a playful punch.

"And let you two have all the fun?" She said with a laugh. "So anyways, are we ready to make like horse turds and hit the road?"

Kyo, Ushio and I stared at Yuta with equally disturbed looks on our faces. "Yu...Yuta," her brother whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Please don't ever...ever say that again. Okay?"

"...okay."

"Good." Ushio inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. "This is going to be a long trip. So let's make it worthwhile, shall we?"

"Shotgun!!"

"Yuta, no!!"

And thus begins our wild, week-long vacation together...

+++

"Are you kidding me? He's still asleep."

"Yuta, put the marker away, now."

"Shut up, Ushio, you're not my mother..."

I squeezed my eyes tightly as multiple voices began to fill my ears. Shifting around slightly, I rolled onto my side, then somehow ended up rolling off the edge of the car seat. The impact with the floor woke me up immediately. I clumsily got back up on the seat and rubbed my eyes. "Quit laughing, you guys..." I mumbled.

"It's your fault for falling asleep halfway through the car ride," laughed Yuta, casually tossing a sharpie marker on the dash board. "We're here, in case you didn't notice. Care to take a step outside with us?"

I made a noise of agreement and opened the door, then hopped out of the car. It took me a minute to get adjusted to the sudden brightness in atmosphere, but once I was able to fully open my eyes, I was truly amazed by what I saw. I was now standing just yards away from a peaceful little cabin that sat beside a beautiful, crystal clear lake, shining in the afternoon sun. Or at least, I thought it was the afternoon. There didn't seem to be anyone else around besides us. The only sounds that could be heard were the slight movements of the water and the occasional chirping of birds.

"This is amazing..." I breathed, marveling at the beauty of it all. "I can't believe we're actually here. It's so quiet...where are all the people?"

"In the village just a few miles that way," said Kyo, pointing to an area beyond the forest that was on the other side of the lake. "I heard that there was a tragic accident that took place at this lake, and ever since, the residents of that village stopped coming here. But as you can see, there still are cabins available for rent."

"That's...kinda creepy, Kyo," I said, shooting him a look. "Where do you find out about these kinds of things, anyway?"

"I have my sources. Now come help us unpack. We'll be staying at that cabin right there."

This guy is almost too much for me to handle... "Yeah, yeah..."

I didn't have very much of my own luggage to carry, so I offered to help Yuta with hers. Ushio and Kyo took their own bags, as well as a couple fishing rods and a few boxes that contained things I had no knowledge of. Probably their personal belongings, I thought. Once the car was completely unloaded, I followed Kyo and the others to the cabin's front door, which to my surprise was already unlocked.

"Knock yourselves out," he said, stepping aside to let us in. "The lady I called to make the arrangements with said she'd have everything fixed up and ready for us by the time we got here, and by the looks of it, she wasn't kidding."

The inside of the cabin smelled just like the lake. It was very nicely furnished and seemed perfectly fit for a week-long stay. There was a staircase at the end of the room that I guessed led to the bathroom and bedrooms. The floors, countertops, and just about everywhere looked as though it had just been thoroughly dusted and washed, so the whole place had a certain, sparkling charm to it.

"This place looks fantastic," said Yuta, brimming with excitement. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna go check out the upstairs rooms." And with that, she took off.

As soon as she was out of sight, Kyo turned to Ushio and asked, "Do you want to-"

Ushio immediately cut him off. "I'm thinking about taking a nap," he said, trudging over to a sofa, then collapsing on it in a fit of exhaustion. "I've been driving for...I don't know how long, but I need some shut-eye. You can go fishing with Morgan..."

Kyo faced me. "Only if he's interested."

"Sure, I'll join you," I said. "Although, I haven't gone fishing in like, ten years, so I'll probably need a little time to get used to the feeling of holding a rod in my hands again."

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time. Just grab a rod and follow me."

Kyo picked up a bait and tackle box and a fishing rod, and I took the other rod. Then the two of us left the cabin to head for the lake. The dock at the lake was rather nice, just like the weather...and Kyo didn't hesitate to take advantage of these conditions. After quickly placing the bait on the hook of his fishing rod, he casted his line far out into the lake.

I decided it would probably be smart to do as he did, so I also added bait to my hook and casted out my line. The two of us stared off into the distance in complete silence, acting as if the other person wasn't even there. It was quiet and peaceful...that is, until Kyo finally spoke up by making a statement that caught me off guard.

"It's your turn to make things even."

I shot him a look. "What do you mean by that?"

"You should know what I mean," he said sternly, still refusing to make eye contact. "I'm talking about Seraph. You know, that little computer virus guy who showed you my past. You owe me for that. And not to mention the fact that I saved your butt at that masquerade party...I think it's only fair you give me a little intel about yourself. It hadn't occurred to me until just recently, but I know next to nothing about you, Morgan. We're friends...aren't we?"

Just as he uttered the word 'friends,' Kyo glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, which somehow made me feel as though a spotlight was shining directly on me. "Of course we are," I insisted, slightly fearful of the doubt in his tone. "You, Ushio, and Yuta are extremely important to me."

"If that's true, then tell me something about yourself."

I couldn't help but stare at Kyo in wonder for a moment. What's with this atmosphere? It seemed peaceful at first, but things have become tense all of a sudden...

"I don't really know where to begin," I said with a bit of nervous laughter. "You'll have to be more specific. What do you want to know?"

"Everything," he said, without even batting an eye. "Where were you born, how many siblings did you have, were your parents happily or unhappily married, did you have any good memories in school, have you ever dated anyone before, et cetera, et cetera..."

Kyo suddenly took a step backward on the deck and tightened his grip on his rod, arms shaking as he tried to reel in whatever had taken the bait. It wasn't long before he was able to bring it above water, and a sparkling silver fish soon hung suspended in the air by the small hook.

"Nice catch, Kyo."

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject," I huffed, turning my head away stubbornly. "You're kinda putting me on the spot, though. How about you try asking questions one at a time?"

"Have you always lived in Aobasani?"

Well, that was quick...

"No," I answered. "I was born and raised in Bluegate. That's where I met Hanako. We moved to Aobasani after high school so that we could attend college here."

"Bluegate, huh?" Kyo said thoughtfully. "Interesting. So what about your family? Did you have a lot of siblings?"

"I was an only child," I told him. "However, I did like to think of Hanako's little brother as my own little brother as well. Aki was always such a nice kid..."

"And what about school? How was your school life?"

"Always exciting as long as I spent it with Hanako."

"You talk about him a lot," Kyo said quietly. "If I didn't know better I'd think you worshipped the guy."

"It's not like that," I laughed. "It's just...well, how do I put this...? I guess you could say that ever since the day we met, I somehow knew that I'd made a lifelong friend. When we were five years old...I made a stupid promise...a promise I'm sure Hanako's already forgotten. But I haven't forgotten it."

"And just what was that promise?"

"I promised that I would do whatever it took to get Hanako to say five little words to me. Just five," I said. "The first time I saw Hanako, he was sitting on a playground, crying. I had been passing by with my mother on the way home from the grocery store, and I happened to catch a red-headed boy out of the corner of my eye. I pleaded for my mother to stop at the playground so I could talk to him, and she let me. When I asked him what was wrong, he simply ignored me. However, it wasn't hard to tell by the bruises and scars on his body that he had just been bullied. I asked him where his mother was. He ignored me again. I wasn't one to give up easily, though, so despite how many times he refused to speak to me, I continued to talk to him as if the two of us had been keeping up a conversation. It wasn't until about five or so minutes later that he finally said something to me."

"You're smiling."

"H-huh?" I blinked several times, lifting my head abruptly to look at Kyo. "Was I? I didn't even notice..."

"Continue with your story," said Kyo, stifling a laugh. "What did Hanako say to you?"

"Hanako's first words to me were, 'you don't seem like you're here to hurt me. You aren't like the others. I think I like you'..." I couldn't stop myself from smiling now. This memory that I was retelling for Kyo was such a happy one. It was truly a moment that had changed my life forever. How could I not smile? "After a little while I'm pretty sure my mother became concerned, so she went over to us and asked Hanako if he knew what street he lived on. He did, so my mom offered to make sure he got home safely. However, I didn't want to let this boy out of my sight for too long. I hadn't even gotten his name yet. So I asked my mother if I could have him come to my house. That is, if it was alright with his parents. They seemed more than happy that their son had made a friend, and they happily okayed my request. My five-year-old self almost couldn't handle the excitement. Hanako was my first real friend, after all..."

"You sound like you had a very happy childhood," said Kyo, and he was also cracking a smile. "Glad to hear that."

"Glad to hear that?" I stared at him, though his face was still turned towards the lake and not toward me. "How could you be glad to hear of my happy childhood when you went through so much sorrow in yours?"

"Just how little do you think of me?" It was at that moment that Kyo finally faced me, his eyes now staring deeply into mine with a slightly offended expression. "Do you really think...that just because my childhood wasn't filled with sunshine and rainbows...I would have wanted you to go through the same? Morgan, you aren't a very smart man, are you?"

"Not really," I said, turning away shamefully. "I'm sorry, Kyo. I didn't mean it like that. I just...I still feel immensely guilty for everything I saw in that dream. I can't apologize enough to you."

"Something's tugging at your line."

"Huh?" My eyes darted to the lake, and surely enough, Kyo was right. I quickly reeled in what had taken the bait and soon discovered it was the same type of fish Kyo had caught, but much bigger. I gazed at it with pride as I took it off the fishing hook, then held it up for Kyo to see.

"Beginner's luck," he scoffed.

"Kyo, this isn't my first time fishing, you know..."

"Whatever," he said with a sigh, taking the fish out of my hands and tossing it in the bucket with the one he had caught. "I'll spare you the agony of sharing any unpleasant memories with me. Let's just focus on catching enough of these things for a meal, okay?"

"Sure thing, boss..."

+++

"Holy crap, you guys are awesome..."

Yuta stared with wide eyes at the bucket of fish Kyo and I brought to the cabin after a couple hours of fishing. She quickly snatched the bucket from Kyo's grasp and immediately got to work on preparing them for our dinner. Apparently Yuta had made a quick shopping trip on the way down to the lake (while I had been asleep), so she also had vegetables and other ingredients to cook along with the fish. It was around 5:20 p.m. now, and Yuta estimated that the entire dinner would probably take a couple hours to prepare.

"Go find something else to entertain yourselves with until I'm finished," she told us. "Oh, but try not to wake Ushio. He's been sleeping like a baby ever since you guys left the house, and I'd like to keep him that way."

"You're sounding awfully responsible right now," laughed Kyo. "Almost like a mother."

Yuta glared at him. "Can it, or you'll be making dinner."

"Would you like some help, Yuta?" I offered. Yuta stared at me in shock.

"You know how to cook, Morgan?" She asked, seeming somewhat dazed.

"To a certain extent," I replied. "I was taught by...a special friend of mine."

"Well if you insist, then I won't stop you."

I smiled at her. "Yeah, I'd love to help out." Good...she didn't ask any further questions...

+++

It was 7:04 p.m. and the dinner was finally ready. The table was completely set, and Kyo and Ushio both sat patiently at their seats as they waited for Yuta and I to join them. We soon were seated as well, and not a moment later everyone began to dig in to the meal set before them. Well, that is, except for Ushio. He started to poke at his fish with a fork like a stubborn child refusing to eat his vegetables.

"What's the matter, Ushio?" Yuta asked in a motherly tone. "You do like fish, don't you?"

"Did you cook this?" Ushio narrowed his eyes at his sister accusingly. "Last time I ate fish you cooked I had stomach cramps for three days..."

"That was years ago!" Yuta exclaimed. "I actually know how to cook now. And besides, Morgan was the one who prepared those. So suck it up and eat."

"Okay."

Well, that was quick...

"This is actually quite good," said Kyo, dishing himself another (large) helping of the fish and vegetables. "I have to commend you both on your good work."

"Are you my boss or something?" Yuta muttered, clearly not searching for Kyo's approval in the first place. "Ah, forget it. If you really want to show your appreciation, you can help clear the table and wash the dishes when we're done here."

"Oh, there's no need for that," I said quickly. "I'll take care of everything."

"Morgan, I can't possibly let you do it all by yourself," she said sympathetically. "Kyo and my brother are lazy bums, and they really should start taking on some responsibility."

Kyo laughed. "Okay, now you're really starting to act like our mother..."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Oh, you guys are not starting that up," Ushio interrupted, standing up abruptly and pulling Kyo to his feet by his collar. "I think little Kyo-Kyo here is tired and needs to go to bed. Come on, Kyo-Kyo, you've had enough to eat. Up to your bedroom."

"Let go of me, Ushio!"

"Bed tiiiime for Kyo-Kyo..."

"You're the one who needs to go to sleep! You sound drunk, for goodness sake!"

"Drunk on the sorrows of bad memories with fish, if that's what you mean."

"No, that's not what I meant..."

Kyo and Ushio's voices gradually grew quieter as the two of them disappeared up the stairs. I was so confused, but I soon decided it would probably be best not to worry about it. Instead I began gathering up their dishes and carrying them over to the sink. Yuta finished eating quickly just so she could help me, so the job was done much faster.

"Thanks for your help," she said to me. "And I'm sorry about those two idiots, but you know how they can be at times..."

"Yeah," I said, laughing quietly. "I do know. But there's no need to apologize. In fact, it actually makes me kinda happy when I see them acting like this. It reminds me that they're both still a child at heart, and that's good."

Yuta smiled fondly at my comment, letting me know that she agreed with me completely. "A child at heart, huh?" she whispered. "Would you say that you're still a child at heart, Morgan?"

"I'd like to think so," I told her. "A couple years ago I thought I had lost that childlike spirit of mine. Some terrible things happened to me...and I was thrown into a state of deep, dark depression. But then I met you, Yuta. Everything changed when I met you. You taught me so much...all of you have. You showed me what it was like to feel like a kid again. I can't thank you enough for that."

Without thinking, I threw my hands around Yuta's neck and gave her a quick hug, which instantly put a smile on her face. "I could say the same to you," she laughed. "I think I can speak for Ushio and Kyo, too, when I say that you've had your fair share in making a difference in our lives, as well."

"Is that so...? Well, I'm happy to hear you say that." I hummed thoughtfully for a moment before turning my back to her, still smiling softly while thinking on her words. "If you'll excuse me, Yuta, I'm starting to feel a bit tired. I'm going to head up to my room now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Morgan."