Calling for Cavalry

Mamouru pressed against the wall of the stairs as he saw Marc rushing past him. He opened his mouth to ask what happened but it seemed the elder Elliot was already on his way to fixing the situation. Cassie stormed past as well and then Taylor meekly followed. It seemed like he could put two and two together and as he caught the coy glances and smiles being traded, he heaved a sigh of relief. He smiled as it seemed there had been some overzealous roughhousing going on upstairs.

He scanned the group for a long moment before nodding and continuing up the stairs. He searched the exercise room and found where Akashi and Rachel were. He bowed as he stepped in. "I see that Taylor-san has managed to fit in nicely with everyone." He said giving them both a coy look. "I only came up to inform you that dinner is ready. I hope that you will find it delicious." He said, keeping his head lowered.

Akashi was busy trying to put some of the equipment back where it belonged after it had been cleared to make room for the 'exhibition' Honestly with the way people got tossed around in her house, she wondered if she shouldn't hire an on-staff doctor. Or get a gymnasium attached. She laughed. She turned around and smiled at Mamouru, returning the bow.

"Arigatou-gosimau." She she said and rattled off a few more words in Japanese. <We'll be down in a few minutes.> She then looked at Rachel. "Oh! You don't need to wait for me, Rachel-san. I'll just clean up before I head down."

Mamouru bowed back to Akashi but turned to look at Rachel to see if he should leave or stay.

Rachel smiled warmly at Akashi. "Oh, thank you Akashi. I'd actually like to corner this young man for a minute before dinner," she said.

She walked out into Cassie's room, and glanced back to see that Mamouru was following. To be perfectly honest, she wasn't totally convinced that she liked the boy. At the very least, he made her just a little bit suspicious. She didn't think that he was as much the perfect gentleman as he led them all to believe. But maybe she was being unfair.

"So Mamouru," she began, her voice easy and comfortable, and just slightly concerned. "Is everything alright? You seem a little tense..."

Mamouru followed Rachel into Cassie's room. He glanced back at Akashi who nodded as she finished up. She'd let the rest know. Mamouru was left alone with Rachel and found a position where he was looking at her mouth as she spoke. He didn't want to make eye contact and he certainly wasn't going to look any lower.

At her words, he turned his head. "Things have just been stressful lately. I was hoping that with your arrival that all the tension would ease away but it seems as if they have merely been replaced." Mamouru looked up to Rachel and smiled. "Thank you for your concern though." He said and bowed politely. Why was everyone getting on his case?! Was it THAT obvious?

She looked at him while he seemed to squirm like any good concerned mother. She didn't budge an inch when he seemed to try to move them out the door.

"Well, we don't mean to cause any trouble, but having everyone around is bound to stir things up a little bit. Everyone but Nicky, that is," she said. She trailed off for a moment and only looked searchingly at Mamouru. Then she smiled. "Well. Thank you so much for cooking. I hope you're getting along with Jake."

She turned and strode out of the room and to the top of the stairs. "Cassie!" She called to the group below. "Can you help me with something?"

"Okaay," came Cassie's voice. She jumped off the couch and pranced up the stairs. She got to the top only to be passed by her mother on her way down, and found herself face to face with Mamouru. "Wha- oh..."

She stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure of if she could just follow her mom downstairs or not. She smiled uncomfortably at Mamouru, unable to pull away. She took a breath and then looked like she had something to say, and was trying to piece together how to say it.

"Mamouru..." she said, leaning in close and almost whispering. "I just wanted to say that... I'm really sorry. For everything. And the other night... sorry. Won't happen again. We're professionals, right?"

Mamouru sighed inwardly when it seemed like Rachel was about to just let it go. "I'm getting along well with everyone." Mamouru said with a bow. "Cassie has a wonderful family. You are all wonderful." He said to try and reassure her and smiled genuinely at Rachel.

he watched her leave only to call for Cassie. His eyes widened. What was she talking about? Help with what!? Suddenly Mamouru swallowed hard. Was there about to be a mother-daughter inquisition? But then, Rachel was gone and Cassie was there and she was speaking.

"C-Cassie-san." He said. Mamouru leaned forward and pushed the door closed. He reached up and grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Cassie-san... I want you to know, honestly and truly that you did nothing wrong." He smiled softly at her and then glanced down. "It was... ah...."

Mamouru looked up at her once more. "Don't ever think that you did something wrong." Mamouru's hands slid down Cassie's arms and his fingers touched her hands before he backed away. "We are professionals.... you're right." He said with a nod. "And, right now, I think that you don't need any more distractions."

Mamouru raised his hand and rested it on top of Cassie's head. "I mean... be distracted by your family while they are here. Right now.. be as distracted as you like so that when your matches come up, you'll be supremely focused and ready to take the league by storm." Mamouru smiled and ruffled her hair a bit before stepping past her. "That's what we're here for, right?" He said and turned to look back at her. "We.. should get down there before they eat all the food, though, right?" Mamouru said and pulled the door open for Cassie, bowing a bit as he waited for her to exit.

Cassie nodded her way through Mamouru's side of the conversation. "Oh, yeah, no, definitely. I know that," she agreed. She didn't know if what she did was wrong, but she also didn't know if she thought it was wrong. Those feelings were all kept covered over and out of mind.

She peered up at Mamouru's hand with her eyes and tucked back one corner of her mouth. She looked back at Mamouru for a moment before smiling. "Thanks for bringing them here," she said sincerely.

She got the distinct impression that Mamouru was very gently trying to avoid being alone with her. Which... well, maybe she was trying to avoid being alone with him too. She told herself that if she had anything to say to him, that she should say it right then and there. She thought about it, but she found she had nothing to say.

She nodded. "Yeah, let's get down there. Hopefully my dad's not bleeding all over the kitchen table."