There had been times where she just wanted to strangle them.
Times where anger had made her veins bulge and the hunger for bloodshed got the better of her. But now, as she looked over the mess in front of her, it only felt like a dull, familiar ache.
With a sigh, she began sifting her way through the piles of scattered clothing and sports equipment, following the sound of gleeful murmurs and the steady clack of video game controller buttons to her room. Propping her suitcase in the doorway, she leant against the extendable handle tiredly, letting that suppressed smirk flitter onto her face as she watched them quietly, just waiting for them to notice her. Surveying the damage she should have realised that her half-hearted warning of not to rummage through her stuff while she was away would fall on deaf ears; or at least be welcomed as an open armed invitation. It happened each and every time, and now, she found it didn't irk her as much as it used to. The first time they had snooped through her room, she had been furious. The thought of their grimy fingers pawing through her stuff had repulsed her, but it had eventually lead to her learning a lesson in inner peace. Ultimately, when you've lived with someone for three or more years, things like boundaries seemed to fade. What's yours is theirs and vice versa. Mi casa es su casa really.
Shifting her weight to her other hip, she eyed the scattered magazines, lip gloss containers and various t-shirts that had been thrown about the dormitory, humoured already by the stories she was sure they had to tell. Was it late night gossip sessions, or did Dojo decide to shed rat guts all over her belongings again? Or maybe it was a case of boredom like with the Godzilla/face mask incident. She still hadn't decided on whether or not she should laugh or cry about that day. The memory of those gooey footsteps and her ruined birthday present still haunted her.
Maybe there were more pictures this time round. A memory from one particular time surfaced in her mind, forcing her to clap a hand over mouth to stifle her chuckles. As she laughed silently, she remembered how during that long anticipated break, she had opened her emails to find them spammed with picture after picture of the boys outfitted up in her dresses, wigs and makeup, posing with puppy dog pouts and sloppily made 'Hurry back' signs. Her father hadn't been too sure on how to handle the giggling mess she had promptly become in their longue, or if he should continue to allow her to 'train' with those of questionable character. One long video chat later she felt a familiar sweep of homesickness rush through her as she watched the screen fade to black, replacing the image of the three smiling boys she had grown to love with her own sad reflection. She hadn't left her room the following day, instead choosing to scroll through the pictures again, sadly wishing she had been there with them. She hadn't felt that upset since leaving Japan for the first time. Or when Omi and Raimundo had defaulted to the Heylin side for that short amount of time. She had worried for them then, and she still did now. They'd had a taste of that power, and though they constantly promised her they would never let it tempt them again, the future was still unclear for the Dragons. What if this time round it was Clay that defaulted? Or herself? She didn't think she could deal with that heartbreak for a third time.
Struggling to regain control of her erratic emotions, she slowly removed her hand from her mouth, watching them dig through her stuff with a loveable smile. Her little slice of paradise in the temple had been torn apart and tipped upside in her absence, breaching the unspoken perimeters they had established way back in the day. Where her shoes had once stood neatly in a row, Clay now sat, one of her favourite action manga in hand, his brow crinkled in concentration as he tried to make sense of the scene. Atop her desk, computer shoved aside for room, was Raimundo, tongue sticking out in concentration as he tried to conquer whatever level of Goo Zombies IV he was on. Lastly, amidst her opened chest, comfortably nestled amongst her clothes sat Omi, tubes of half used lip-gloss surrounding him. By Dashi, she wished she had her camera right now.
As she continued to watch, Clay let out a sigh of frustration and turned to Raimundo for help in translating the manga. In the process of leaning down to help his friend, he let the Gameboy slip into Omi's sights, who in turn snatched for it eagerly with sticky fingers. A small tousle broke out as Clay jumped to help rescue the controller from the small Asian, knocking Raimundo into the mix as well. As they argue, she wondered why she had ever considered turning down the opportunity to train with these lovable fools. When Master Fung had first introduced her to the Xiaolin world, she had been nervous about being so far from home, and in a temple filled with monks. She had missed her day to day life, and was constantly on the phone to Keiko, trying to keep some normality. But as the days passed, fighting evil and recovering Shen Gong Wu had become the norm. And as she continued to look over them now, she wouldn't have preferred it any other way.
"Ah! Kimiko! You have returned from your travels!"
Omi's voice broke through her thoughts and she refocused to see the little boy waving to her cheerfully from beneath the upset chest, her clothes scattered everywhere, as the other two tried to subtly hide their crimes from her sight. Smiling she stood up properly and gave a small wave in return.
"Hey guys, seems like you missed me." She smirked, happy to see a guilty blush grace their cheeks.
"Not in a million years girl." Raimundo scoffed, before hesitating for a moment, "But, since you're here, how do you get past that bloody slim monster in level 25?"
"On that note, could ya care to translate what this fellow here is saying to this lady? And the whole scene for that matter?"
"Oh, oh! Kimiko, I must know! What is the flavour of these marvellous candies?"
Laughing she left her bag in her doorway, telling them to take it easy as she'll answer their questions one at a time. They grudgingly accepted before sharing a knowing look over her head as she settled down on her mat. She was just about to ask them to repeat their requests when she was engulfed in a group hug, nearly squeezing the life out of her.
"Welcome back."
Snuggling into their embrace, she returned it warmly the best she could.
"Glad to be back."
Ah yes, no matter how annoying or disrespecting of personal boundaries these three boys were, she wouldn't be swapping this life for a 'normal' one any time soon-
"Omi, did you just get lip gloss in my hair?"
-They were her boys after all.