Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Fallout ❯ Fallout: Responsibility ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Keitaro talks to the women of his life, spends a little time with the kids and finally meets with Naru and talks about the important things that went wrong.

Anime/Manga: Love Hina Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Romance / Drama / Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.26.2006 | Pages: 8 | Words: 6.9K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress

Fallout6

Chapter 6

Responsibility

Keitaro was out for a walk on a bright and sunny morning, heading for the train station. He had class that afternoon, yet another lecture on basic archaeology technique bolstered by dozens of photos of his work in Molmol. Sometimes he felt like he was doing the same presentation over and over again. It was good to have the experience but he wondered how long he could resist the itch to hop on a plane, dig a hole and find something new. His scars ached then, reminding him the cost of incautious exploration.

Kitsune didn't speak to him for three days after finding him wearing Motoko's scent. Then he made the mistake of telling her Motoko was pregnant. Another three days of silence passed. But this morning she'd made love to him so things seemed to be healed between them once more.

He stolled past Mutsumi's place, the flowershop verdant with green and smelling strongly of roses, orchids, sweet peas, marigolds, daisies, and various other flowers. She stepped out of the side door to the staircase, holding their son's hand. Keitaro stopped to admire them both. Mutsumi turned, seeing his expression and stopped. They stared happily at one another. She wrinkled her nose slightly, smile widening before she winked.

“Good. She's not a fool after all,” stated Mutsumi.

“You know, I'm starting to appreciate just how smart you are,” admitted Keitaro. She blushed. Keitaro Junior looked from one parent to another, unsure what they'd just said but dismissed it.

“It's a beautiful day, isn't it?” asked Mutsumi, changing the subject and getting her hormones back under control.

“Yes, you're quite beautiful today,” he agreed, meaning it. She blushed brighter and Keitaro smiled.

“Are you going to see Motoko?” she asked carefully.

“Just out for a walk. I might bump into her on the way. Though I suspect she's probably at work today.”

“With Su, of course,” noted Mutsumi, watching.

“Well, Su is the majority of her business,” admitted Keitaro.

“I notice they're both expecting,” said Mutsumi. Keitaro blanched, then sighed.

“Yes, they are. I'm still sort of married to Kaolla,” he admitted.

“And how is Kaolla doing?” she asked. She knew he'd snuck off to visit her during the night several times in the last week. Such probably contributed to the long duration before forgiveness was rendered by Kitsune.

“She's a bundle of energy, as usual. I'm glad I'm connected to her. She's preternatural at times,” he said. “And its nice that I can still spend time with the kids. Leilani is a joy to carry around the district.”

“Looks like all your kids will be spending time with you.”

“Many of them, yes. Naru moved in next door. I heard her crying this morning after we…She worries me. I think she must have heard us through the shared wall. She's so sad. I wish I knew what to do for her,” he said.

“May I make a suggestion?” asked Mutsumi, ever observant of their mutual childhood friend.

“Please.”

“Hold her. She's had nothing but rejection and fear, and one bit of bad sex. Just hold her,” she said. Keitaro considered the odds of her rejecting him with a punt across the district, then considered where he was meant he was probably still immortal. He nodded.

“That might work. I'll try that.”

“There's another thing. She needs a job. The district let her go. Too many missed days, and some kind of scandal involving anonymous photographs. It might involve you. Just so you know,” warned Mutsumi.

“Hmm. That's not good. Anyone else?” asked Keitaro. If it was one, others would be too.

“Shinobu and Motoko, probably. The Su's are immune to scandal. Too rich to fear such things.

“Shinobu told me about this weeks ago. She said she was pretty sure it was a paparazzi or private investigator who photographed the family reunion.

“Do you think they know anything?”

“Does it really matter? They can spin it to the news, the threat is enough to make trouble,” he said.

“True. I'm immune to such things. So are you, though the university may make a fuss.”

“The time for that was at the start of the Molmol excavation. My arrangement with Kaolla is well known now,” said Keitaro.

“Motoko's pen name isn't though. That's one thing she'd like to keep secret,” pointed out Mutsumi.

“Eventually that will come out. Someone will pay off the publisher. All secrets have a price,” he said sadly. “She should be the one to do it, however.”

“She may not get the choice,” said Mutsumi. “You should be prepared for a media ambush.”

“I have been since Shinobu called.”

“If that's so then you should be more discreet about who you visit and when,” she pointed out. “When are you going to visit me?” she asked sweetly.

“Soon. I think I should ask permission from my wife, however. Six days without a word.”

“Kitsune is stronger than she lets on,” noted Mutsumi.

“Perhaps. But I'm not,” complained Keitaro. Mutsumi laughed, stopping in the street she laughed so hard.

“Oh that's rich. The human wrecking ball, destroyer of walls, fences, roofs, decks, and enemy of trees, rocks, and cars everywhere. There are buildings that tremble in fear of your ballistic approach. The indestructible man complaining he isn't strong.”

“I don't want to hurt her,” he said. Mutsumi stopped laughing at that.

“I'll talk to her. Woman to woman. Maybe I can help her see reason,” she offered.

“She's pregnant. She won't see reason,” he sighed.

“Just let me try and we'll see,” promised Mutsumi. “Now, get ready for work. You've got class to teach today and its getting time to prepare.” Mutsumi shooed Keitaro into his home and walked her son to the playground, where several of his siblings played, Naru watching them with a smile lost in memory. Mutsumi sat down beside her friend and waited quite some time before she was noticed.

“Oh, Mutsumi, I didn't notice you there. Sorry. Good afternoon,” greeted Naru, startled at the older woman beside her on the bench.

“Good afternoon. You looked like you were remembering something nice. I didn't want to interrupt.”

“I miss teaching. I have good memories of the kids. They're so eager, so excited about life. They don't know what its really like.”

“What happened to you isn't exactly universal, Naru dear. Keitaro is special. Otherwise he'd only have one wife, and not so many children,” smiled Mutsumi.

“You still love him, don't you?” said Naru, pink ribbon in her brown hair.

“Of course. So do you,” she pointed out, smiling beneath her hat. “I had a nice talk with him this morning while I was out walking with our son. He's worried about you, you know.”

“I wish he wouldn't.”

“Do you? He heard you crying this morning. It breaks his heart,” said Mutsumi.

“I heard him… and Kitsune. I'm jealous,” stated Naru.

“Yes, you are. You have a lot of issues you haven't resolved yet, in spite of all this time. Are you fated to be a tragic heroine, Naru? Or are you going to shake off your mistakes and start over?” asked Mutsumi, challenging her friend.

“Is that even possible? I have a daughter to raise. I have responsibilities.”

“You have responsibilities to your daughter to be a proper mother. One who doesn't cry at the drop of a hat, or hide in alcohol.”

“That isn't fair. You drink!” complained Naru.

“And I hold my liquor too. And I'm not drinking now. I have plans.”

“For what? Don't you have any regrets?” demanded Naru.

“I only regret not having more children with him. And I hope to rectify that soon,” she swore.

“I'll never understand you, Mutsumi. So smart, yet so scatterbrained,” Naru complained. Mutsumi blinked at Naru.

“Is that what you think? Maybe five years ago I was, or faked it for your benefit at least. I gave you a chance, a lot of chances, to be with him. And you blew it, again and again. You couldn't keep hitting him and expect him to stay, could you?” she asked simply.

“I thought he would. I thought he was a masochist.”

“You're not a sadist, Naru, and he's not a masochist. You've got confidence problems and you took them out on him. It cost you. Do you want to leave things like this, or are you going to get up and accept your life to begin again? He's here, willing to spend time with you, with all of us. How many men would do that? Imagine how Mihoshi would feel, learning the story of your romance with Keitaro?”

“Like I can tell that story without getting an ulcer,” muttered Naru.

“Well, I suspect she's smarter than she lets on. Mihoshi pays attention. I noticed that about her right away. She's very smart. I guess she takes after her mom.” Naru smiled at the compliment.

“I guess so.”

“So do you want to see Keitaro? And let him spend time with you and Mihoshi?”

“I guess.”

“Good. Expect him this evening, after school. And don't seduce him or you'll get pregnant again,” warned Mutsumi.

“Right, super sperm Keitaro,” laughed Naru uncomfortably.

“Laugh. You're living proof, Virgin Birth.”

Tokyo University archaeology building used to be a small department on one floor of a five story complex. It was nothing to brag about, until Molmol. Until Keitaro and Seta brought in a major find and gained all sorts of funding for the university. Now they had their own building, and laboratories for examining the artifacts, complete with grad students and undergraduates. The field program was extensive as well, though with Seta involved, vehicles required replacement rather frequently if he drove them. Still, Sarah was a high school intern, due to extensive experience at the site, sometimes lecturing on the pots, a fact which annoyed the grad students and amused her father immensely. Keitaro thought it was funny as well, after years of her breaking pots out of spite and boredom.

“Hey Dork! How's it hangin?” asked the American girl in English. Keitaro rolled his eyes before answering in the same.

“Low and slow. Looks like you got a visit from the Titty Fairy, Squirt,” he teased. She frowned and blushed simultaneously, earning a barking laugh from the few students who understood enough English to get the exchange.

“Hah! Just keep your distance. I don't wanna join your harem, Dork,” warned Sarah. Keitaro laughed.

“That's a relief. I'm busy enough as it is,” he laughed. Seta relaxed visibly.

“Keitaro, some day you're going to give me heart failure,” warned Seta. “Naru looked unhappy this morning when I dropped off the kids.” Naru was running a daycare service for the mom's who worked. Haruka was busy with the Teahouse, and Shinobu welcomed the socializing for her son with the other kids.

“I heard. I'm going to drop by and see her tonight after school. Are they ready for lecture?” he asked, turning to regard the door leading to the lecture auditorium. A low rumble of over a hundred students conversing awaited him. It was still a little intimidating to speak to students who had to work just as hard as he did to get there, some of them because they wanted to study under him specifically after seeing him on TV four years ago. Intimidation ran both ways. It still surprised him to know that archaeology, at least the intro class he offered for the science credit towards graduation was so popular. Perhaps it was like entertainment. He'd be sure to make the exam reasonably hard so those who were serious wouldn't be disappointed. As a teacher, he found surprising realizations about what it meant to offer a good class.

“Here goes.”

“Good luck, Dork,” cheered Sarah with a grin.

Keitaro strode into the auditorium and the conversations came to a halt in the next few seconds. The students rose and greeted him, very traditional. He bowed in return.

“Today I'll be talking about the importance of validating research, and what can happen if you're not careful with your efforts,” he began. Keitaro talked, he showed slides. They ate it up, rapt with attention, insider details on being an archaeologist, on library research and recording information, on the tools used at a site and the basics of how they worked. Three hours later he assigned a short four page essay, a research project, and some internet related research questions on the class website. Technology is best when it is actually used properly. The students would need about 10 hours to complete the assignments, but they'd learn something along the way. When he finished he found Seta had gone home already so he packed up, locked the offices and went home in the early evening, catching the tail end of Rush Hour on the train. It was packed with salarimen, office girls, students, a small team of maintenance workers, and some cheerfully unmarried professional women fending off the perverts trying to cop a feel. One of the girls, he recognized. He waited for the car to empty and caught up to her as they changed trains.

“Hi Mei. How have you been?” he asked. She turned to regard him darkly.

“I don't think you want me to answer that in public. Wait until we get off the train,” she insisted. Keitaro backed off, disappointed. Keitaro knew she was a junior high school student and Naru had said her sister was acting as a babysitter part time. With all the overlapping mom's that might not be as important now, but maybe she enjoyed her niece.

Mei wasn't that cheerful of a girl, having seen the effect of Naru's depression and the stress of her difficult relationship with their mom after Naru got pregnant. Naru was already a stress case. After the baby, she was certifiable. Mei was angry at all she had to do to take care of her niece, to keep her safe from her sister. And here was the cause of all their problems trying to be friendly on the train. It didn't help that he looked so pathetically hangdog. Maybe that was how he won them over, suckered them in with that look. Mei thought he was pathetic. But then again, she was only 16 and what did she know about her sister's tastes? Mei sighed, waiting for their stop. Finally, the end of the line and they got off with a few other people who lived in the district or were visiting the shops before closing for some specialty good still sold there.

“My sister called me at school today, asked me to sit for her. Said she wanted to spend time with you tonight. I can only guess what that means. Get her home by 11, panties and virtue intact. You understand me? Violate my rules and I'll orbit you myself. I learned from the best, you got it?” she threatened with an angry fist. Considering her birth, that might be no empty threat.

“Nice to see you too, Mei. We should have these little talks more often. They're so enlightening,” he snarkily replied.

“I mean it. Orbit.” Keitaro sighed, dropping by his home to explain his worries to Kitsune. She was surprisingly understanding.

“I heard her crying too. Mutsumi stopped by. We're both worried about Naru. Do what you can to help her. I'd go myself but I think she needs to spend time talking to you.”

“I love you Kitsune. Never forget that. I wear your ring, and I sleep in your bed,” he promised. He kissed his wife then went next door.

“Naru?” he asked, knocking carefully, then waited. He counted to fifty before the door opened.

“I'm disappointed. You usually just open the door and find me naked or partially dressed, then fall down somehow.”

“I still do that. I trained myself to count instead of opening doors without permission.”

“So what did I get?”

“Fifty-two.”

“I was considering not opening the door.”

“Don't you want to see me?”

“Don't you? I heard you with Her this morning.”

“Say her name. Kitsune is your best friend since middle school.”

“She was my best friend. Then she stole my boyfriend and married him and had kids and left me out in the cold.”

“Oh, that's fair and impartial.”

“I thought you were here to comfort me?”

“Is this about comfort or jealousy?” asked Keitaro.

“Is that a question? Is there only one answer?”

“If you slept with me I'd probably get pregnant. Is that what you want?” she blurted out.

“We didn't sleep together last time. Mihoshi is quite the miracle.”

“You know what I mean, Keitaro.”

“So do you, Naru. When are you going to stop being jealous and angry?”

“Is there a time limit?”

“Haha. We're fighting aren't we?” he said, realizing it.

“Took you long enough,” she snorted.

“Why are we fighting. Is this cheering you up? It is. Are you a sadist or a masochist?”

“Neither, according to Mutsumi. She says I'm lonely and lack self esteem,” she said, picking lint off her sweater.

“I see. That sounds about right,” agreed Keitaro. Naru deflated again. Tears began.

“This isn't healthy, Naru,” pointed out Keitaro as she wept more. He sat down beside her and put his arms around her, hugged her tight. She cried a while before gently pushing them apart.

“I don't know anymore. Is being me a bad thing? Should I give up and start over?”

“I don't know either. The You that taught me algebra was a good girl I fell in love with. The You that hit me is someone I never want to see again. Do those two You's have to exist in the same person you are today?” he asked. She shrugged, unsure.

“I guess that's the real question, then.”

“I wanted to go out to dinner. Have a date.”

“Our dates never turned out well, remember. You always wanted what I couldn't afford. That was you being mean again, and equating money with love. I worked three part time jobs to pay for that coat you lost.”

“I didn't lose it. Its in my closet behind you. I don't fit in it anymore, though. I'm fat now.”

“You always had expensive tastes.”

“I thought money meant love. But it's not true,” she admitted.

“So, you learned something important after all. I always liked the beef bowl place. You never let us eat there.”

“It was cheap,” she complained.

“It was good. Cheap was secondary,” reminded Keitaro.

“Do you know what bugged me most about you, Keitaro?” she said, finally.

“I'd love to know. Please, tell me,” he requested earnestly. Naru measured his eyes, looking for spite but seeing none. She sighed.

“I'm tempted not to say,” she said.

“Tempted?”

“Fine. You asked for it. It always bugged me that I fell for such a loser,” she said. “You screwed up all the time, you were going nowhere with life. You were a millstone around my neck, and I couldn't stop loving you anyway. It drove me crazy. That's why I went berserk and hit you all the time. You kept reminding me you were a loser. And then you changed, and left me behind with my lingering feelings for the person you were, not the man you became. And I was left broken, unfixed from reality. I was stuck in the past. Its your fault that you changed.”

“Its your fault you loved me,” he pointed out.

“I already said that. Meanie.”

“Do you hate me, Naru?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you love me, Naru?” he asked.

“Yes.” Keitaro nodded.

“Well, that leaves us room to work. If you hated me and didn't love me, you wouldn't be here. You'd have left town years ago and I'd never see our daughter again. Instead you're here. That's good. It's a start. I still care about you too, Naru. I'll be here to help you, and everyone, pull their lives together. Its time for me to do what I can for each of you, and for our children. I don't want them to grow up not knowing who I am, or why we have such a strange family. They deserve to know why, and maybe in time they'll still respect us when they're grown up.

Naru nodded agreement, weeping quietly. “Go home to your wife, Keitaro. Come see me again sometime. Bring her along. I haven't talked to her in years. I think its time we do,” she said.

Keitaro let himself out, Mei staring at him curiously. He patted her on the head.

“I get it now, Bastard. See you tomorrow,” she promised.

Keitaro nodded and went home. He found his wife upstairs next to the wall adjoining Naru's bedroom, where the two of them had talked. She had tears in her eyes. He sat down beside her and wept, quietly, for the mistakes he'd made, the heart he'd broken, and the tears he'd caused. Kitsune held his hand and they both cried together.