* * *
Taking place in a townhouse.
Tabia had only one thing on her mind right now. "Ooooo, I have a mad craving for the munchies! I feel kinda weak, right now!! I need FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" :p
"Sheesh, Tabia! You're always hungry!" Kayin protested as if it was something very annoying or disgusting, or both.
Tabia went on the defensive. "Shut up, Kayin! she shot back.
Indianna Mae Who, sitting just across from them, piped up irritably. "And you're never hungry, Kayin, yeahright! Puh-leeze!"
Tabia laughed. "Hahaha, cool!!!" She had started looking at the liter of Pepsi sitting on the kitchen counter. "Hehehe!!! Sugar fix, coming right up!" she grinned.
"There's no such thing as a sugar fix or a sugar high." Indy muttered, getting even more irritated.
Kayin sighed and shook his head. "You are so sad."
Tabia narrowed her eyes, getting annoyed again. "Don't make me wack you, Kayin."
Indy was next to express her annoyance with Kayin. "oh, brother! Not with the food-cop crap again!" she demanded.
NT nodded at Indy but said nothing.
Pippi tried to divert Indy and Kayin away from each other. "It's Christmas, and it looks like there's more than enough for everyone."
"True." said Indy. then she muttered under her breath. "But that isn't the problem…"
The tension died down for a few minutes as the friends continued to eat and talk, However, the piece didn't last long. It was when the discussion turned to birthdays that things went bizarrely awry.
"Pippi," Isabelle said, "Issn't your birthday around this time too?"
"well, actually it was last m--" Pippi's sentence was cut off by Kayin.
"Ah, man! Birthday competition! Thats all I need!!" he complained.
Pippi gave him a strange look. "Excuse me?"
Tabia was getting annoyed. "Oh, please!! Shut up, Kayin!!"
Indy snorted at Kayin and gave him a dirty look. "Oh man, it is you who are really sad."
Kayin's best friend Eiji chimed in next. "As if you're the only person born this month!"
"No kidding, Eiji." Indy huffed. "I mean sheesh, whoever heard of getting competitive over something so silly?" She rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat, clearly exasperated.
Kayin heaved a frustrated sigh. "Whatever." he muttered grumpily.
"Huh!" Indy's temper really started getting the better of her now. Kayin tended to rub her the wrong way at the best of times. She was so peeved at Kayin for his antics that she could not resist taunting him about it; it was either that or explode. She started chanting in a singsong voice, "Kayin is jealous of Pippi, Kayin is jealous of Pippi!"
Eiji added to the teasing with a grin. "Nyah, nyah, nyah, NYAH!!"
Tabia guffawed. "Ha ha, HATER!!"
"Oh dear, this is hardly the way to show Christmas spirit, people." Pippi, feeling very uncomfortable, reminded them all. "Indy, Kayin, "you both know better."
"Sorry, Pippi." Indy reined herself in.
But Kayin was in a terrible mood, and he was not going to take any more from anyone. He was fed up with being laughed at and picked on, and his best friend Eiji was no help at all. "Leave me alone, you guys!" he growled, glaring daggers at everyone. "I'm warning you." With that, he stood up abruptly, and began to walk angrily away.
Indy's temper was at the breaking point now, she couldn't have held back if her life depended on it. "Oh, for cryin out loud Kayin - grow the heck up!" she shouted, glaring at his retreating back. "You're the one who started all this birthday competition crap!"
"Indy!" Pippi admonished.
Eiji called after Kayin, still trying to be lighthearted. "Hey, come back! We enjoy picking on you!"
Tabia agreed. "I know that's for real!!"
That's not gonna help, you guys!" Pippi tried again to assert herself.
Indy was nearly as angry as Kayin, and in no mood for jokes. "No, don't bother!" she yelled after Kayin.
NT shook her head vigorously. She didn't like the way Kayin was acting, but she definitely didn't agree with Eiji's and Tabia's enjoyment of teasing him. And Indy's steadily deteriorating mood was making her very uneasy.
"Knock it off!" Pippi said sternly, with a look to match. She was not pleased with any of their behavior, but especially not Indy's or Kayin's, although she had a feeling they were both trying to cope with painful experiences, hidden under all this bluster.
"Kayin come back!" Tabia called after him, but it was too late. She watched the blond man storm out of the house, slamming the door with such force, it made the air within the small room vibrate.
Indy continued to rant. "Geez, Pippi, he thinks he can just dish it out and boss us around, and then he runs away, pouting like a big baby! What a hypocrite!"
Pippi remained calm but firm. "Now look, Indy, I don't understand his behavior either, and it's clear you're feeling frustrated, but you're not helping by calling insults."
Indy, feeling like she would explode with anger and frustration, roared, and tore at her hair. her eyes flashed like warning lights and her face reddened. Pippi put a hand on her shoulder to make her calm down, and Indy got the hint, and took a deep breath.
NT squirmed in her seat, looking nervously about.
Eiji scratched his head, looking in the direction of Kayin's departure. "Sheesh, who put the coal in his stocking?"
"Who the heck knows!" Indy snapped back.
"Must be the birthday blues or something!" Tabia suggested.
"Why? He's too young for that." said Pippi.
"Or something else is troubling him. I'll see if I can talk to him, something is not right." Eiji said.
Tabia nodded.
Indy sniffed scornfully. "is it ever?" she demanded of no one in particular.
Should I go talk to him?" Pippi offered.
Indy was fed up with everybody seeming to indulge Kayin and his moods and antics so much. Her temper flared again. "Right...Poor Kayin." she said in cold mock sympathy.
"Indy-Mae, can I have a moment with you in private?" Pippi requested. She stood up and turned toward the door, motioning Indy to follow her. "Tabia, NT, enjoy your snacks, and don't let Mia pig out too much. *She flashed a warm smile at Tabia and NT as she exited the room with a stormy Indy in tow.
Tabia stomped her foot in frustration. "Demn! Whats wrong with him, why doesn't he speak to me? I'm so tired of this freaking crap from him!!"
LJ could hear the distress and anger in her cousin's voice. "Take it easy, hon. Don't upset yourself 'cause of him. Its not worth it."
Eiji laid a reassuring hand of friendship on Tabia's shoulder. "Tabia," he said in a concerned voice. "Kayin is like that sometimes. He tends to clam up instead of telling people what's up with him." He noticed how moody Kayin was acting lately, as if he didn't want to be bothered.
Tabia wrung her hands, trying to get a grip on herself. "Why...won't he...I...don't...understand." She sat down on the sofa and started to cry. "Its all my fault!" she sobbed. If only I didn't tease him...OH, GOD!!" She wailed mournfully, covering her face, her body shaking and trembling with each sob.
LJ and Eiji sat down next to her, comforting her. "It's ok." said LJ. "Its not your fault. Why are you blaming yourself for his behavior? That I don't understand."
Isabelle and NT looked on in concern. They would have gone over to comfort Tabia if the other two hadn't beaten them to it. So they comforted each other instead.
Tabia sniffed tearfully, managing to calm herself down. "He was alright 'til I teased him about birthdays and such. I forgot how sensitive he can be sometimes. And than he and Indy got into it. I wanted to have a perfect Christmas this year and I ruined it!"
Eiji took hold of Tabia's shoulders, forcing her to look into his reddish-brown eyes. "Look at me." he said. "Stop blaming yourself! Kayin has to learn how to control his emotions and not to drag others down with him. Thats not your problem, its his to deal with."
LJ nodded in agreement. "Eiji's right. You can't be responsible for his emotional outbursts, so stop tormenting yourself."
Tabia nodded sadly, their words managing to reach her.
NT looked on, beginning to be relieved at this turn in the conversation.
"I'll see if I can talk to him." Eiji got up from the sofa, heading toward the door.
"Good luck!" said LJ.
"Yeah, thanks!" he replied. "I'm gonna need it."
It was too cold outside or Pippi would've suggested she and Indy go walking. Instead, Pippi took her into another room to talk.
"As different as you and Kayin are, I think you need to remember that he is Tabia's best friend, and with Tabia and LJ being related..."
Indy made no response except to continue glaring, and biting her bottom lip. She was clamming up, and Pippi recognized that.
"Indy,, please, talk to me."
Indy was beginning to wring her hands and squirm. "I don't have anything to say." she replied darkly, and turned away from her friend.
"You don't have anything to say? Or is it just that you don't know how to say it? You had plenty to say when Kayin stormed off.
"That's because he's so freakin childish!"
"And?" Pippi prompted.
There was no response.
Indy, look at me, please."
Indy tsked in annoyance and turned to look at Pippi again.
And? What else? I never saw you get so upset when Eiji and Tabia act childish, and there was plenty of that here tonight, not just from Kayin either."
I know. I shouldn't have taunted him like that but it was either that or completely blow my top."
What is it about him that aggravates you so much, Indy?"
Don't even you see it? Indy asked incredulously, rolling her eyes. "He just asks for it, all the time! Always butting in on a good time, making like everything we do is weird, or disgusting, and he's ten times worse for any of it!"
"So in your eyes, he's not only childish, he's a hypocrite, am I right?" asked Pippi.
"What do you think?" Indy countered.
"I'm asking you, Indy..." Pippi stated more firmly.
"Well yeah." Indy retorted.
"But there's more to this, isn't there?" Pippi's gentle probing continued.
"No. he just gets on my nerves. he can dish it out but can't take it. if he doesn't want crap in his face, he can darnn well stop pitching it." Indy was feeling short of breath, and her throat was very dry from being so upset. This made her cough and sputter.
Pippi reached into her purse and took out a small bottle of cranberry juice. She handed it to Indy.
The Who woman nodded her thanks, took a couple of sips, then handed the juice back to Pippi.
"No, you keep it." Pippi said, and continued to council her friend. "now, Indy... Kayin didn't say anything that could be misconstrued as a come-on or anything like that, so why were you so vicious with the verbal attack on him this time? I think he was really hurting, - "
"Oh, right! Poor guy!" Indy sneered, glaring and beginning to storm all over again. "Poor cad gets his nose out of joint 'cause your birthday and his are in the same cotton-pickin month! He starts in on Tabia for having the munchies and liking sweet things - as if he didn't do that himself. Then he actually gets hopping mad 'cause he can't take the heat for something stupid he darn well started in the first place! Like sheesh! we just got rid of that boundlessly arrogant, self-important player, Jacquan and his weird bootlicking pals,Miranda and Tonya, only to get another one!"
"But you know that, whatever his faults, he's not another Miranda or Tonya, Indy."
No, I don't know that." came the grim reply.
Pippi stared a moment, trying to think of what to say next.
Eiji walked around the outside of the house, dispite wearing a sleeveless shirt, the coldness was not affecting him. His temper was enough to block out the effects of the winter weather. He walked up the drive way to the backyard where the house's patio was located. Sure enough, he saw his friend sitting on the wooden steps, brooding silently in the darkness. Eiji decided not to say anything, but a part of him wanted to curse out Kayin for hurting Tabia so badly. Instead, he crossed his arms and glared at him for a few minutes.
Kayin sighed, getting annoyed. "Yeah, what the hex do you want?"
"As if you didn't know." Eiji spat bitterly, trying to control himself from putting his foot up Kayin's behind.
"Look, Kayin. I don't mind you treating me like crap but I don't appreciate the way you're treating Tabia! And frankly, its peeving me off! What the hex is wrong with you, MAN? Tabia is your best friend, along with me, one of very few close relationships you have. You don't go around treating your friends like this!! She's probably the only person outside your clan who's willing to tolerate your punk butt over an extended period of time! She's always been there for you...ALWAYS!!! Right now, that girl is crying her eyes out, wondering why you won't talk to her and she blames herself for all your personal drama! Tabia has enough on her mind, she's trying to be there for LJ, Isabelle and Brenda-Sue and Indy after that Jacquan scumbag screwed them over. Show some compassion for a change and stop being so demn selfish all the time!"
Kayin didn't say anything, instead of looking at Eiji, he stared coldly, his azure eyes not really focusing on anything, his handsome face lacking emotion. Eiji kept wondering if he was getting to him.
Kayin's outer appearance was cold as arctic ice but his inner being, was constantly being tormented by his personal demons. Knowing this bit of news devastated him, the last thing he wanted was to cause pain to another individual.
I didn't mean to hurt her. I don't want her to feel my pain, I don't want to ruin her life 'cause of me. I need...to get...away. Kayin suddenly rose to his feet. "I need to be alone if you don't mind."
"No!" said Eiji, blocking his retreat. "Enough of this crap! You can't run away from your problems, Kayin! You have to learn to face the music, whether you like it or not!"
Indy continued. "Okay, maybe he's not like them when it comes to manipulation to get what he wants, or maybe he does, nobody else seems to think so, but I'm not sure. It's just that he starts on us for this and that, and pouts and stomps off like a little brat when called on it, though everybody still treats him with kid gloves, they all seem pretty much fine with his overbearing-ness, just like they were fine with the stuff Jacquan, Tonya or Miranda did until all heck finally broke loose. Well, some of us like to have a little peace when we're enjoying our snacks, some of us don't like having their every flippin move picked on, and some of us have a lot more to really be upset about than stupid fights we start in the first place!"
"Yes, and that's what this is really all about, isn't it, Indy?" Pippi said gently.
Indy continued to rail. "He didn't lose his family to a maniac, or get himself messed up by some dang blasted stupid nutcase, he didn't end up a slave for months, or nearly lose a spouse or friends because of Jacquan! He doesn't have a sister lying in a coma in some hospital bed because she couldn't face herself after that buttface Jacquan took from her what those stupid losers Une and Senna hadn't yet!"
"We don't know what Kayin's experiences are, Indy," Pippi said gently.
"Get out of my way, Eiji!" Kayin growled at him. "Or else!"
"Or else what?" snarled Eiji. "What are you going to do to me, friend?" That's when Kayin hit him.
Eiji took the punch full in the face, almost losing his balance but managed to grip the rail, saving him from his fall. After fully recovering, he punched Kayin in the stomach.
Kayin blinked a few times, staring at his friend in disbelief. "You stupid son-of-a-gun!!" he shouted angrily. I'm gonna kick your sorry butt for all its worth! AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" He jumped on Eiji, causing the both of them to fall head over heels over the railing and onto the ground.
while Pippi continued consoling Indy, she became alarmed at the sounds of shouting coming from the other room and beyond. She thought she might have an idea what was going on, but knew she couldn't go out there to settle it until Indy was calmer. Both Kayin and indy had been particularly volatile and if they came within ten feet of each other before cooling off, Pippi knew that would only make things even worse. She only hoped her help wasn't going to be urgently needed right now.
"Oh, crap!" exclaimed LJ, looking out the window. "Eiji and Kayin are...fighting each other!"
"SAY WHAT?!" shrieked Tabia in horror. "Oh, no!!" She ran toward the door frantically. "I have to stop them before they kill themselves.
"Hey, wait for me!" exclaimed LJ, running after her. "You're gonna need help handling those two!"
Isabelle and NT were left in the room, both their stomachs were in knots.
NT had started shaking and pulling at her shirt; it was a nervous habit she had that showed she was getting very upset.
Isabelle tried to reassure her but was just as worried herself. So she gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and went over to the window to look out.
"Had enough?" challenged Eiji, wiping blood from a split lip.
"Blast you!" snarled Kayin.
Eiji snickered at him. "Well, have it your way!"
Kayin was getting ready to punch Eiji's lights out, when they heard a female voice calling out to them.
"That's enough!" cried Tabia, waving her arms. "Stop it! Both of you! This is insane!" She marched over to Kayin, staring him in the eye. "None of this would be happening if you would learn to open up to your friends and stop being such a neanderthal!"
"Neanderthal?!" Kayin sputtered. "You're calling me a neanderthal?!"
"Did I stutter?" Tabia replied, hands on her hips, attitude in full effect. "I'm getting tired of you taking out your moods on the people around you then walking away from your problems all the demn time! Tell me, what's wrong?"
"Like I told Eiji, I don't wanna talk about it!" The cold fury in Kayin's voice could be heard by everyone.
"But you are gonna talk, to me at least! And I don't give a hoot how you feel about it and you can hate me afterwards! I'm your friend and I care about you, Kayin. We're all here for you and I'm pleading to you, as your friend...please, talk to me."
Kayin said nothing.
"Here's what I think." said Pippi. "You said something about Kayin 'butting in' before. You can go ahead and correct or yell at me if I'm wrong, but I think you're resenting him for trying to take the place of your family. He isn't trying to do that, Indy-Mae, and I know you know that in your rational mind. But you're still coping with your losses, plus trying to readjust to having new people in your life. Then you nearly lost some new people you had just barely began to accept in your life because of Jacquan. So you are having to deal with that insecurity as well. And most of all, I think you would rather have Brenda-Sue chatting it up with you and the people you have come to see as your friends, instead of Miranda, Tonya, Jacquan, and now Kayin."
Indy's eyes misted, and her chin quivered. She didn't answer except for quickly looking away again.
Tabia got in Kayin's face, her voice trembling with rage and frustration. "Talk to me, blast YOU!!"
"And I said I didn't want to talk about it so back OFF!!"
At the end of her long suffering patience with Kayin's attitude at last, Tabia suddenly did something he never expected. She slapped him.
Kayin staggered back, not from the force of the slap itself for he was much bigger than Tabia. It was the fact that she slapped him, period. He stood there, gawking at her, his hand covering his already reddened cheek.
"Now," said Tabia, narrowing her eyes at him. "Either you talk to me or you can pack your bags and take the next plane back to Scotland!"
"Tabia." he said softly to her.
"I really mean it, Kayin!" she said angrily. "This is the last straw! Either you talk to me or I don't ever want to see you again!"
Kayin went down on his knees, his arms hanging limply at his sides. He hung his head downward, his longish blond hair covering his face.
LJ stood next to Tabia and Eiji, wondering what was wrong with Kayin. She noticed a drop of moisture fall to the ground underneath his face, than another, than another. She soon realized what was happening to him.
He was crying.
"Oh, dear God." exclaimed Tabia softly. She came down to her troubled friend, hugging him as he wept silent tears. She felt his arms go around her, hugging her close to him.
Pippi put an arm on Indy's tense shoulder and looked right at her."Indy, please look at me." she requested gently.
Indy turned back slowly, but couldn't bring herself to look directly back at Pippi. She held her breath, fighting back tears for all she was worth.
Pippi kept a comforting hand on Indy's shoulder and continued. "Do you remember how Kayin went down to the hotel with Tabia and LJ and Robbie, to get you out of the bar when things at the townhouse had gotten too hard to bear? How he and Robbie Collins put you up at Robbies until you could stand on your own again?" she implored with such kindness that Indy had no more strength to resist the urge to start crying.
Indy sniffed, nodded weakly, then hung her head. Tears stung her eyes and then began falling. Pippi was right about that. It had been Kayin who found Indy in a lonely hotel tavern on a cool autumn evening. And it was Kayin who had been determined and caring enough to physically haul her out of there and back to Robbie's. Kayin along with Tabia and Robbie had stayed up with her, helping her settle in, and showed her the support she so desperately needed at a time she thought she was all alone in the world.
"Believe me, Indy, I know how worried you are for Brenda-Sue." Pippi said sympathetically as she began to embrace Indy in a hug, "But people can come out of comas, even lengthy ones, and be perfectly normal."
Indy swallowed hard, then blinked. "I hope she comes out of it all right." she choked out, and began to sob.
Pippi hugged and rocked Indy gently, talking softly to her, and rubbing her back reassuringly.
"Is this a good sign?" asked LJ hopefully.
Eiji smirked at her and nodded. "Yes."
LJ and Eiji stood there, watching Tabia as she comforted Kayin, saying nothing for several minutes.
"I'm sorry, Tabia." Kayin finally said to her. "Its just that, I miss my father and mother. I miss them so much. I wish they were here, to celebrate my birthday with me."
Tabia smiled at him. "But they are here, in spirit."
"If that's true, let me see a sign."
Eiji felt something small and white fall on his nose, causing him to sneeze uncontrollablely. "Ah-choo!"
"Bless you!" said LJ.
"Thanks!" said Eiji, rubbing his nose. "Ooooo, that was cold! If I didn't know any better I swear that was..."
"Look!" cried LJ, excitedly. Its SNOWING!"
Everyone looked upward and sure enough, snow flakes were falling out of the dark sky. A thin layer of snow was soon covering the ground, causing the landscape to turn white.
"Wow, a snow white Christmas! This is great!" exclaimed Eiji happily. "Isn't this what you always wanted, Kayin?"
Kayin smiled. "Yes, it is."
"Well, you got your sign." grinned LJ.
"Yes, I did and I feel...blessed."
LJ and Eiji came up then, helping Tabia and Kayin up from the ground. They started to walk back to the house, their arms linked with each other.
Eiji grinned at his friend. "Hey, Kayin! Still wanna kick my butt?"
Kayin chuckled. "Not now...Maybe later! But first I have to apologized to a good friend. That is, if she still wants to be my friend."
"If Pippi has talked to Indy, you may have a chance!" LJ stated.
It had taken Indy quite some time to subside, but finally she was calm enough to talk. "Thanks, I guess I needed that."
"Any time, Indy. and don't be afraid to need your friends. You can always talk to me when you need to."
Indy didn't know what to say, she was still trying to collect her thoughts and figure out how to do what she needed to do next.
The raised voices had stopped, and by the time Pippi led a much meeker Indy back into the other room, LJ, Tabia, Eiji and Kayin were all there, clasping hands and making up for what went wrong.
Indy approached them, took a deep breath, and frowned. This wasn't easy for her to do, and she wasn't at all sure it would be accepted. Standing straight and tall, looking squarely at each one in turn, she spoke in a low, shaken voice. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for being such a jerk. Kayin, I shouldn't have went off on you like that even if I had a good reason to get annoyed. Tabia, LJ, I'm sorry if I offended you as well. I keep forgetting Kayin is your friend and probably was long before any of you even met me. I know how ticked off I get at people being mean to my friends. and I meant to be mean this time, Kayin; which was wrong. Especially since Tabia said something else was bothering you, and Pippi's of the same mind. I just thought you were getting all hot under the collar about nothing; and I just...lost it. I'm sorry." Indy felt like she might be in danger of crying again, and she turned abruptly to walk away.
"Indy, wait!" Kayin came up to the Who woman, trying to get a grip on his emotions. He quickly looked at his friends sitting on the sofa.
They gave him nods of encouragement, reassuring him that everything was going to be ok. It made him feel better, calming his nerves down a bit.
He looked at his relatively new friend, taking hold of her hand. "Indy," he said softly, his voice stammering a little. "I-I'm sorry for my behavior, being childish and inconsiderate, it was inexcusable. I should learn how to open up to my friends and stop being such a neanderthal."
Muffled giggles were heard coming from the others at that point, and even Indy couldn't keep a straight face. But no one said anything, and just let Kayin continue.
"That's what Tabia told me and she's right, I gotta stop taking people and the kindness they show me for granted. I know you probably think I'm nothing more than a selfish brute who doesn't give a demn about other people's feelings. The truth is, I do care very deeply, with all my heart and soul. It's just that..." He sighed. "I'm not the easiest person to get along with. My family and closest friends know how I am, they know all about my other sides, the sides of my personality that I keep hidden. They know the real Kayin Amoh, the good, the bad and unfortunately, the ugly. You're still getting to know me as a person, Indy. So please...I'm asking you, I'm begging you, don't end this friendship cause of this! I didn't mean to hurt you, I'd rather hurt myself than to hurt the people I care about. I'm so sorry."
Indy realized Kayin was not the type to apologize easily, so this was a rare and very sincere occurrance. She also realized that it took as much if not more nerve for Kayin to do this as it had for her. "Me too, Kayin," she replied. "I had no right to treat you that way, especially not after all you've done to help me out...I haven't forgotten the night you saved me from myself back at that hotel. Selfish brutes just don't do that." Indy's voice shook, and a tear spilled down her right cheek. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.
Everybody watched as Indy embraced a remorseful Kayin. She was relieved to be forgiven for her part in the unfortunate conflict, and if she was going to get another chance, she was willing to give Kayin one too.
Second by second, Indy felt her nerve and strength coming back, and finally when she and Kayin disengaged, she looked around, flashed a grin at her friends and said, "Let's try this again, shall we? Merry Christmas, act one, take two!"
Everybody burst out laughing.
* * *
Note: Kayin never appears in subsequent stories again, and is believed to have died, according to this Wikipedia page. Furthermore, there is no mention about any of his food preferences, so I'm assuming the vegan idea, which I never liked, was fan-imposed.