Chapter 24
"Ichi am I not worthy of your mother's time?" Damon asked his son. He quickly glanced at Hestia but he made sure that she saw the sadness in his eyes.
Ichigo played along with his father's act. "Well," he looked at his mother and asked innocently. "Mom are you dissatisfied with dad?"
"Hmmph!" She ignored the two. She refused to be tricked and so she shrug off their questions.
Ichigo and Damon looked at each other. "Your mom really hates my guts." Damon whispered.
"Nah, mom's really a softy so if we act really pitiful she'll cave in." Ichigo whispered back, he signalled his father to watch and learn.
Ichigo looked like a sad puppy, he even made his action exaggerated by drooping his shoulders and bowing his head low and then for the final touch he slowly looked up and gazed at Hestia with misty eyes. "Mom are you mad at us? Dad only wants to bridge the gap between the two of you, if by any chance dad offended you I know he'll man-up and asked for forgiveness." Ichigo looked at his dad and Damon instantly followed Ichigo's performance. He kneeled. He looks really sad and pitiful. "Sweetheart I'm sorry." He was really sincere about that apology. "If you find me too inquisitive that is because I feel that we're still a world's apart. I just want to be closer to you than that bas- I mean than Dan."
Hestia took a deep breath and sighed. "To be honest I'm actually annoyed." She looked at the two with a disapproving look. "The two of you keep on putting me in a tight spot and I don't appreciate being cornered." Damon and Ichigo hanged their head in guilt.Hestia continued to voice is irritation."I dislike people who deceive others just to get what they want. Is it really that hard for the two of you to give me time to breath and take in the changes in my life?" She hate it when she scolds someone specially her son but it is her duty to reprimamd her son whenever he did something wrong. It will teach him to consider the feelings of the people around him.
"I'm sorry." Damon and Ichigo really felt bad for making Hestia feel pressured and uncomfortable. They feel more remorseful hearing the disappointment and sadness in her voice.
Hestia sweetly smiled. She was glad that they understand where her anger is coming from. "Hoo.. It's nice to voice that out." Hestia settled besides Ichigo on the sofa, "Now then, what was your questions again?".She was not against getting close to Damon but the way Ichigo and Damon manipulates the situation in their favor is a big no-no for
Damon sincerely asked for forgiveness. He told Hestia that he'll be more considerate about her feelings and for the first time, Damon felt really ashamed.
At first the atmosphere was really uncomfortable for Damon and Ichigo but Hestia expressed that the two are forgiven because they were truly repentant and to show them that she's no longer irritated she enthusiastically answered all of Damon's questions and she even shared stories about Ichigo's childhood. The stiffling aura surrounding them was gradually replaced by a light and airy aura.
They laughed and teased each other playfully. The previous setback was long forgotten. If a bystander saw them at the street or at the park they will surely say that they have a happy family.
Hestia can't breath from too much laughing, Damon showed a picture of Lance in a little mermaid costume. Lance was chosen to take the role because according to his high school cla.s.s, he was the prettiest and he fits the role and when Damon heard about it. He then told his mother about the play and that Lance was acting as the Little Mermaid. Lila became too excited about the play that Lance was unable to back out. "Ha ha ha... you're so mean towards your brother." She tried to scold Damon but her goofy smile gave her away.
Damon smirked. Remembering how his brother endured the whole play was entertaining. Now that he thought about it, he realized that he pulled too many pranks at Lance.
Hestia was dying to know about Damon's scar so she asked politely. "Mmm... May I asked how did you get that scar on your left eyebrow?"
Damon touched his scar, he then felt conscious about it for the first time. "Do you find it ugly?" He is confident about his looks but all of a sudden he felt insecure. He doesn't care about people's opinions regarding his scars but when Hestia asked him about it, he felt pretty nervous talking about them.
Hestia shook her head, "No." She gently stroked his scar. "Did it hurt?"
"The pain was manageable." Damon gazed at Hestia, "If I told you I got this from fighting in an underground fight club would you be disappointed?"
Hestia gasped, she and Ichigo never expected that kind of answer. "Did you really fought in a fight club?" Ichigo asked, he too was curious to know how that happened.
Damon chuckled. He reminisced the time that he was still active in fighting. "Yes and not to boast I'm the longest running champoin during my time in fighting." He laughed when the two looked at him in shock. "I also broke my nose in one my fights but the guy was no match for me."
Ichigo wowed. "Are you still fighting?" Ichigo can't deny the fact that his worried for his dad.
"I quit not long ago. Dad found out about that hobby of mine and he forced me to quit." He sheepishly rubbed his nose. He can still remember how furious his dad was, he beat him with their grandfather's cane until it broke. "My dad said that if I just want to be badly beaten I could always asked him and he will gladly beat the h.e.l.l out of me. And that was also the time I saw dad be emotional. He was mad but I can also see how worried and afraid he was for me. Seeing him shed tears woke me from my reckless behavior. From that moment I vowed to never cause him pain again. We then decided to keep it a secret to our family for them not to worry."
Hestia sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you quit! If I was the one who found that out I will surely give you a whole lifetime worth of scolding and then I'll also kicked your a.s.s!" She can imagine how worried Damon's father was.
"So that's why your body's in a good shape!" Ichigo really like his dad's physique. When he grows up he wanted a body just like his dad. His body is lean but you can tell his really mascular and fit.
Damon laughed. His thunderous laugh reverberated around the room. "Don't worry son I'll teach you my secret regimen to having a fit body and of course we'll be training for self-defense."
Ichigo was thrilled to learn martial arts from his dad. He can now defend himself and protect his mom if his dad wad not around. "Cool! When will we start?"
Damon gently stroked Ichigo's head. "We'll talked about it once I fixedy schedule."
Ichigo beamed at Hestia. "Mom dad's gonna teach me martial arts, isn't it cool?"
Hestia kissed Ichigo's head, "That's really cool but never used it to harm or bully someone are we clear? You'll only used it if you're in trouble or if the situation asked for it." Hestia knows that her son is sensible but as a mother she must still teach him good values for him to be an outstanding man.
"Your mom's right, don't use it just because you can and has the power to do it instead use it to protect your family."
Ichigo hugged his parents. He's really thankful for having a loving and caring parents.