Family Matters (another Minashi tale)

Mina was glad she didn't seem to make quite a fool of herself as she'd thought, but she was swept up when the shouting started. She didn't know families always yelled at eachother this much... or if they did, normally. Who knew?

Akashi went to storm out, Mina getting up slowly. When she started, Mina took a quick breath and snapped a curt, sharp, loud "Kashi-chan!", demanding her attention. "I get how you feel right now. You're not being treated right, and it sucks. I know." She went up to her, but took her hand in case she tried to leave again. "But remember who you are. And what you are. You're Akashi, and you're a sumo. You don't run away from stuff like this. I mean, sumo doesn't really have a lot of room to run around in, but still, it's just plain not a good idea here either."

She stroked her hand and quieted her voice some. "I'll go with you. But I want, if you will, to apologize to them. I know you meant it, I know. But it doesn't hurt to say it. Mom always said 'sorries don't cost you nothin."

As long as Akashi would comply, Mina would watch her and smile softly. Then she'd whip her head around to Kajinosuke. "And you too," she said, just as sharply. A longer shot, but why not try in the sudden tension she'd hopefully calmed.

Akashi clenched her teeth when Mina snapped at her but didn't turn around. This is exactly the scene she was trying to avoid. She let Mina take her hand and loosely grasped it back but remained with her back turned. "I'm not running away." She muttered quickly. "There's just nothing more to discuss. That's it."

Her free hand clenched tightly and then she sighed. She turned around and bowed deeply. "I'm sorry for being a brat." She muttered. She then turned and slumped back into her seat, looking down at her meal.

Kajinosuke merely narrowed his eyes at Mina's attempt to get him to apologize. He eyed her very carefully and crossed his arms. He then smiled brightly and looked to Hanako. "Why don't we have desert, mother? It seems like Mina might just fit in here after all."

Hanako turned her head slightly as if she was thinking. "Well, it is getting a bit late." She thought a loud.

"Desert! You make the best!" The twins called out in unison.

Kajinosuke grinned even wider. "Indeed. You have to try it Mina." He said. "Akashi, how about it? Will you be able to tolerate your family's company long enough for dessert?"

"Yes, Onii-san, sorry Onii-san." Akashi said quietly, her head still lowered. Hanako then got up and went over to the fridge and pulled out some Flan. Hitachiyama hopped up and helped serve it so that everyone had a small plate and a spoon.

Mina nodded at the suggestion. "Oh, that'd be great, Miss Hanako!" she chimed, seemingly openly and genuinely excited. "Sounds great!" She still sensed Akashi's gloominess though. It was still puzzling her how she was so proud of her family and so frequently and easily annoyed with them.

"If it's ok with you, though, I'll stand until Akashi gets her apology too," she added, still smiling warmly as if this were only natural. "Just sounds fair to me." She'd smile at Kajinosuke a bit, then turn to Akashi with a lightly embarassed smile. "And to be extra fair, I'm sorry to snap at you like that, Kashi-chan. You get to wear the mawashi and the title belt in the couple, just not always the pants," Mina said.

"And maybe the strapon...." made it to her lips, but didn't totally form into words

Akashi fumed silently as the desserts were handed out. Her cheeks were flush with embarrassment and she turned and looked away. She then sighed and looked up at Mina. "It's fine to be seated." She said. Her tone wasn't as meek as it was before and she turned up her head and smiled at Mina. "You can't enjoy the best flan in Tokyo looking like that now can you?" She said as she winked at Mina and then threw a look at Kajinosuke who furrowed his brow.



Akashi stuck her tongue out and then grinned. "Sit! Sit!" She exclaimed. "If he doesn't want to apologize that's on him to not be the bigger man." She said.

"That's true," Mina said at last, sitting down and smiling brightly. "Oh. The sitting part anyway," she said with her overly bright grin. "Not like I'd have said no to the stuff even if I was standing..."

Mina took a spoonful of her dish and popped it into her mouth, eyes going wide after a second or two to let it sink it. "Ohmigod, you weren't kidding!" she said, shaking Akashi by the shoulder. "You gotta teach me how to make this, Hanako-san! Or maybe not, or I'd just make it all the time and feed Akashi silly... but still, amazing!" she raved shamelessly before taking several more tastes

Akashi probably inhaled the flan faster than anyone other than the twins. "Seriously!" She said. Even Kajinosuke smiled when he began to eat it. "Very delicious as always, mother." He commented.

Hanako meanwhile smiled brightly. "Oh yes." She said as she quietly watched the others eat. "Thank you very much, I'm glad you like it." She then looked at Mina. "I'm sorry but I can't give you the recipe. It's very special and I only make it one rare occasions." She said. She then smiled at Mina. "You really must be ok for her." She said. "The flan probably would have made you very sick otherwise." She said as she maintained her grin.

Mina paused with her mouthful with comic timing, spoon stuck in her mouth. "Oh... eh..." she managed to remove the spoon and give Akashi a puzzled look. If she didn't get an answer there, she'd look to Hanako. "Err, miss Hanako-san? Do you mean there's some kind of... test to this flan? Like, a curse where only people from your family or destined to be your family can eat it and live?" She paused then took another bite. "Cuz if so, that's really cool." She thought it was polite to not whisper to Akashi "is she a witch??"

Akashi looked at Mina and rolled her eyes a bit when she looked at her, knowing the kind of question she was looking to ask. She then lifted up her nose and turned her head and coyly continued to eat her flan.

Hanako just smiled and lifted up her sleeve to stifle a small sleeve. "My goodness, what an imagination." She said. "Why would anyone ever do something like that? How could they anyway?' She asked. She politely took a bite of her own flan.

"Definitely good." Akashi said and then yawned. "Wellllll." She said and glanced back at Mina. "Is there anything else going on?" She asked. "Cause otherwise, you know.." She said and turned away. "gonna get goin."

Kajinosuke furrowed his brow. "Just going to eat and run then? Where are your manners?" He said sternly. Food is only part of the way to be able to know more about someone and I'm not satisfied yet." He said, turning and giving Mina a scowl.

"Sure, why don't you stay a little longer, Kashi-chan?" Hitachiyama said with a smile.

"Damn you Hi-chan." Akashi growled under her breath. Maybe they were best friends as far as siblings went but even he wanted to see Akashi twist in the wind a little bit. She'd get him back for that!

Mina shrugged off the flan response and went onto finishing hers. She smiled brightly at Kajinosuke, hoping it pressed his buttons just a little to do so. "And here I thought my eating was so insightful," she chuckled. She touched Akashi's arm gently, calming but encouraging.

"It's true though. I haven't even seen anywhere but the dining room yet. You can't rob me of my first opportunity to see what a sumo training ground looks like!" She turned to the twins at random with a tilt of her head. "Or is this considered a stable? Akashi confused me when she first called it that, and it took me a second to realize she figure out she hadn't grown up eating hay." She patted Akashi's side cutely. "Lots and lots of hay. But that was cleared up pretty quick when she showed me how to make chankonabe."

Akashi smiled as she let out a soft sigh. "There's not much to see." Se said as she turned her head. "It's... a house... This is like half of the house this room.." But then Mina mentioned the stable. "Oh." She said. "Well.. those are slightly more interesting." She muttered. "It's a stable, yes." She said before anyone else could voice their opinion. "And I don't eat hay!" She growled cutely. "But.' She said and grinned. "Mina's stew is pretty damn awesome.' She said and patted her stomach."

She hopped up. "Are we all going to go on the tour?" She asked a little dryly.

"I think it's a good idea.' Hitachiyama said with a grin.

"You would." Akashi muttered back.

The rest of the sumo family stood up. and began to shuffle off to the stables. "Alright!" Akashi said clapping her hands together. "Let's all get go look at another big empty room!" She said with a groan and took Mina's hand and gave it a squeeze as Kajinosue, the twins and Hitachiyama shuffled outside and towards the stable with Mina and Akashi behind them.