Homesickness
"Elias?" Chise called to her husband from her spot on the couch as he sat in his favorite chair, reading some book in some other language she didn't know. Ruth, who was sitting on the opposite end of the couch in his human form, looked over at her and tilted his head. She could feel the slow-creeping tendrils that meant he was trying to read her mind so she quickly shut him out and almost laughed at his offended expression.
"Yes, Chise?" He inclined his snout towards his beautiful wife, her bright, green eyes sparkling with a curious mixture of mischief and sorrow. Was he about to discover why she had been picking at her food of late, spending more time locked away in her room with her nose in the books rather than outside as she was wont to do before? Her magic knowledge had increased, certainly, but at the cost of her once happy features and he was conflicted on whether or not he should address the change.
"Do we have anything going on this summer? Any Church business that needs attending to or specific potions that need brewing?" Ruth stared at her quizzically which she pointedly ignored in favor of watching Elias who'd tilted his head upwards, pondering.
"Nothing comes to mind besides Simon's monthly dosage of medicines, but those can be delivered at any time. Why do you ask?"
She shrugged. "No particular reason, per se. Just looking forward to some quiet and relaxing time after all that chaos two months ago." She looked down sadly at her blackened arm, the one physical souvenir she'd kept from her efforts to save the dragon, Naga. The dragon had cursed her with an even shorter lifespan by accident, but thanks to Joseph's eye which would have made her immortal, the curses were balanced out so that she would live the normal lifespan of a mage as powerful as her husband.
A gloved hand on her shoulder brought her out of her reverie and she turned her gaze back on the white skull of the halfling creature her teenaged heart stuttered for. The red orbs that were his eyes were intently focused on her. "If it is peace that you desire, Chise, you shall have it. We can take a break from your studies if you wish, you have been working hard lately and I don't want you to push yourself too much."
"Oh, we don't have to do all that. I just wanted to make sure we didn't have any pressing concerns." She smiled at him, trying to ease his mind. After all, if they stopped their lessons, what would she do with all those extra hours? The lessons kept her busy. The studying distracted her. He seemed placated enough, as he tilted his head down and nuzzled his rigid snout gently against her cheek, his own unique way of kissing her. Others of their acquaintance may have been weirded out by it, but she thought it was sweet. "I think I'm going to take a quick trip into London, if you don't mind."
"Is there something specific you need?" She blushed, feeling as if she had been caught with her hand in a cookie jar. Ruth snickered, feeling her emotions fluctuate, even if he still couldn't read her thoughts, and she glared at him.
"Let's just call it a human thing and leave it at that, please."
"Are you not my teacher on 'human things'? Is this something I should know about?" Her blush deepened, piquing his curiosity further. The redness in her cheeks usually only appeared when she was embarrassed about something. But what had she to be embarrassed about?
"If it was important for you to know, I would tell you. Trust me?" Her green eyes implored him to allow this, yet he didn't understand why she was so intent on going. He glanced at her familiar who seemed to be on the verge of laughter. What was going on inside her head that had him so amused?
"Alright," he finally nodded. "Just take Ruth with you and be back by sunset." He went to return to his book when her soft voice caught his attention again.
"Actually, I was thinking he could stay here and I could just go on my own. It is about time for Silver to give him a bath, don't you agree?" She watched with an innocent expression as Ruth immediately balked and let him into her mind only to mentally shout "consider this revenge for laughing" at him before closing her thoughts once more. He whimpered, covering his ears and Chise childishly stuck her tongue out at him. Turning back to Elias, she continued, "besides, it's not as if you don't have a way to find out where I'm at." She gestured to the green pendant she rarely ever removed.
"I am not taking a bath! I'm going with you. That's what familiars do! They go where their companions go! How am I supposed to protect you if I'm not with you?! And I don't need a bath!" Again, Chise ignored him.
And again, Elias wondered at what was on her mind, why she was asking him to go out into the city, completely unguarded. It seemed important to her, but did she not understand how much he worried when he was not completely certain of her safety? Did she and Ruth have some kind of argument that she needed to get away from? But his actions did not suggest that to be the reason. In fact, the Grim seemed as confused as he was, which indicated she was blocking him somehow. This would be the first time in weeks that she would have actually left the house, did he want to discourage that and risk her further isolation? At that thought, he nodded, agreeing to her request for solitude.
"WHAT?! You're just going to let her go?! Remember what happened the last few times she went off on her own?!"
"I am well aware of the sequence of events, yet my decision is unchanged on the matter." He gazed down at his little wife, her eyes relieved and grateful. Why was it so important to her? He closed his eyes at the feeling of her soft lips against the side of his muzzle. "Just be back by sunset, please."
"I will. Thank you, Elias. For trusting me." And with that, she rose, calling for their resident former banshee. "Hey, Silver?" The silent woman poked her head out of the kitchen. "I'm about to head into town, would you mind giving Ruth a bath while I'm gone?" She shook her head and smiled at the girl who had brought so much warmth into the house before turning her crimson gaze on the Grim who yipped and attempted to dive under the couch. She huffed and Chise giggled. "Good luck," the red head said sarcastically, folding her jacket over her arm and exiting the house.
Once under the cover of trees, Chise let out a deep breath. Let Ruth think whatever reason he wanted for her going into town without them. It was better than them finding out the truth. She didn't sense any fae near her so she muttered the transportation spell and used her own magic to fuel it. When she opened her eyes again, she was in the middle of a London alleyway, exactly where she'd wanted to be, and she only felt a little tired. Whereas before Joseph's curse, even such simple magic would have left her utterly exhausted.
Walking up to the London Library, she entered the impressive building and made a beeline for the computers. Finding an open one, she quickly typed in what she wanted to see: Japan. While she never regretted being bought by Elias or even selling herself into slavery for the chance to find somewhere she belonged, she couldn't help missing certain aspects of her homeland. Especially now that she'd made peace with the memory of her mother.
She loved Silver Lady's cooking, but the constant English cuisine was all starting to taste the same to her. She enjoyed the greenery of the forest that surrounded the cottage and the brightly colored flowers native to England, but she found herself frequently envisioning the soft, lightly perfumed cherry blossom trees and soothing rock gardens that frequented the parks of her birthplace. She was comfortable enough in her cotton outfits, but sometimes longed for the feeling of a silk kimono against her skin. English was much easier to understand and speak than it was when she'd first arrived but even a year later, it still felt a bit foreign to her and reading it was still slow going. Writing it was even worse and probably the cause of so many of her magic accidents. She missed the beauty and elegance of her mother tongue. In a word, she was homesick.
So here she was, in a library, gazing at pictures of her home country. It made her feel simultaneously better and worse. She felt a little pathetic, reduced to sneaking into town just to stare at a computer screen, and she was certain Elias and Ruth would never understand how she felt. After all, Elias had been a wandering spirit before calling the cottage home. Ruth had always been in the small town they'd discovered him in and the place wasn't much different than their adjacent village. She on the other hand, had been taken from her country to the other side of the hemisphere, thrust into a vastly different culture, language, world. And that was before she even found out about magic.
Chise sighed, logging out of the computer and leaving the library, decidedly feeling worse than when she'd arrived. She wasn't ready to go home yet, and she'd only been gone an hour, so she wandered the streets, looking into the little shop windows without really seeing what was there. A somewhat familiar scent caught her attention and she looked around, following her nose, only to be disappointed when she came to a pseudo Japanese restaurant. Her stomach growled regardless and she sighed, resigning herself to hoping the food wasn't too westernized. The smells emanating from the place were similar enough, but there was a distinctness that came with these false restaurants that was entirely unappealing.
Sitting down at a booth in the corner, she gave the waitress her order, surprising the girl with her perfect pronunciations. Her food arrived promptly, as she was the only one there. She grimaced at the poor attempt in front of her but picked up her chopsticks anyway. Her katsudon wasn't bad, but it was definitely lackluster from what she grew up with. The broth was pretty flavorless compared with what she knew it should be and while the meat was tender, it didn't add much to the dish either. All in all, more disappointment. She was able to force down about half of the substance before giving up on it, tossing the money for the bill on the table, and leaving. The money…
Every week, Elias gave her a generous amount pocket money to spend on what she wanted. Chise had hardly touched any of it, only accepting it because it was the polite thing to do. She'd balked the first time it was offered, claiming that he'd already spent so much buying her and providing for her that she didn't feel comfortable taking even more from him. He wouldn't hear anything to the contrary, placing it on her desk at night when she refused to take it directly, and after three weeks of living in the house and eating a steady, proper diet, she realized a benefit to being able to buy certain things on her own. Other than what was strictly necessary, she hadn't used much of it. It just accumulated. That, combined with the auction money she didn't actually use, meant she had a sizable stash saved up. Maybe there was a way to cure her homesickness after all…
Back to the library she went, her stomach purging the half-meal she'd tried to eat along the way. Clearly that poor attempt at one of her favorite foods agreed with her about as little as the English meals Silver served up did these days. Logging back onto the computer, she worked until the library closed for the day. Discouraged by her lack of progress, she returned home, just in time for dinner.
"Chise, where've you been?! Are you okay?! Do you feel dizzy or tired at all?! Did anyone harass you?! Oh, I swear if they did, I'll rip them to shreds!"
"Calm down, Ruth, I'm fine," the red head snipped. "It's not even sunset yet. Believe it or not, I can manage to walk through a city on my own." She sighed heavily, reigning in her sudden irritation, and took stock of his 'kicked puppy' expression, as well as the shock and concern emanating from Silver who stood in the kitchen doorway.
"Chise, are you alright?" Elias asked on her other side, having listened to her outburst from the living room entrance. He gently tilting her face to his, examining it from different angles. It wasn't like her to raise her voice and he didn't like the anger, frustration, and sorrow he found in her glistening eyes before she yanked her chin out of his hand.
Feeling guilty but in no mood to apologize, she just brushed past all of them and went upstairs to her room, locking her door behind her. Throwing herself on her bed, she cried silently, hugging the teddy bear Elias had given her for Christmas. It had been an awful afternoon. She already missed her country, felt guilty for missing her country when she had a home she loved and people who loved her. In a badly planned attempt to make herself feel better, she actually made herself feel worse by staring at pictures of Japan on the computer. Then she made herself sick by eating some poor excuse for katsudon, and when she finally thought she had a solution, her efforts were in vein because she didn't have a passport and she was certain Elias and Ruth didn't either. She had been so close to solving her problem, only to be stopped by something so simple! After all of that, she came home and snapped at her familiar because he was worried about her.
She could vaguely hear whimpering downstairs and knew her emotions were affecting Ruth as well. Even though she still had him blocked to her thoughts, he felt her feelings as potently as his own. She had to calm herself down, if only so he didn't have to suffer as well. She sat up, sniffling and wiping her eyes, trying to control her breakdown. Her teddy bear, which absorbed her excess magic, was overflowing with crystal poppies. Some of them had broken off and now littered her pillow. She sighed despondently, knowing she'd have to get rid of those somehow before Elias or Ruth saw how much her emotions were affecting her intake of magic. Luckily for her, Jade Ariel could be trusted to take some back to the cove for the other fae to share. They loved nibbling on her sleigh beggy-magic poppies. There was a light knock on her door, too gentle to be Ruth, who would pound annoyingly until she opened up. Silver would slip a note under her door first if she needed to talk. Almost on cue with her thoughts, Elias' smooth, deep voice sounded through the wood.
"I'm putting your dinner out here by the door in case you're hungry. I won't force you to talk to us, but I will tell you that we are here to listen when you're ready. Even if I have to muzzle that familiar of yours."
He'd said that, expecting to hear at least a small giggle from the other side. When met with silence, he sighed and returned to the dining room, wondering just how to help his precious Robin. She was not happy and he didn't know why, nor did he like it at all. Ruth and Silver gazed at him, expectantly, but he only shook his head and sat down. Their expressions changed into that of dejection and they looked exactly how he felt.
Up in her room, Chise was struggling not to cry again. He was being so nice to her. He cared so much for her, they all did. It made her feel even more guilty for wanting to see Japan again. They didn't deserve her homesickness. They deserved her attention and devotion. Maybe she could go out again tomorrow and try to find something that would cure her or at least help. Feeling more determined, she wiped her eyes once more and counted out some more bills from the stack in her desk drawer. She still had problems with the conversion rate and estimating the prices here, so she probably pocketed more than she would need, but it was better than coming up short. Her emotional exhaustion from the afternoon caught up with her and she gave into it, sleeping hard for the rest of the night.
Despite being so tired, Chise still woke before sunrise. Hopefully today would be the day she could stop worrying her family so much. Too restless to attempt going back to sleep, she got up, made sure her money was secure, and opened the door silently. The black mass of fur that was curled up on the floor made her smile, fondness mixed with sadness and guilt. Maybe she should get him a toy or two as well, as a kind of apology. Carefully, she picked her way over Ruth and made her way downstairs just as silent, slipped on her shoes, and was out the door before anyone was even made aware. Once again releasing the breath she held when she entered the trees, she cast her spell and returned to the London alleyway.
There were very few other people this hour of the morning, which suited her just fine. The solitude, the misty grey of pre-dawn, it was peaceful. Her stomach growled, having had little to eat the day before, but she ignored it in favor of searching for a flower shop. She didn't think Elias would take too well to her digging up a plot of garden and filling it with sand and rocks, nor did she think the soil here would support a cherry blossom tree, so she hoped to find an orchid of some kind.
What she found at a tiny florist tucked into a corner far exceeded her expectations. In the window, bathing in the glow of the early morning sun, was a cluster of egret orchids in full bloom. They were beautiful with the wings of their petals splayed out for all to view their splendor, their heads held tall and proud on their long, green stems. They were majestic in its simple clay pot and she couldn't wait for the shop to open so she could rush in and buy them. She could almost smell their subtle perfume through the glass and Chise found her first real smile in what felt like months. While waiting, she decided to buy herself a green tea from the coffee shop across the street. The flavor was…surprisingly decent, and it brightened her up even more. Elias loved earl grey tea so that's what Silver always made them. She liked it alright but nothing could replace the light taste of green tea and honey on her tongue. So far it had been a productive morning and she felt better than she had in a while.
Thinking it would be more cumbersome to carry around the orchids while shopping for apology gifts for Ruth, Chise decided to do that first. After asking where the nearest pet store was and graciously thanking her waitress for the tea, she set off on her mission. She bought a frisbee, which she thought they could play with no matter what form he was using, a few tennis balls, and a pool for him to splash around in when it was hot outside, as it was going to be soon. She had fun looking around for things for them to play with and nearly lost track of her original goal. Quickly making a beeline for the flower shop, she felt her excitement grow. She could finally bring a piece of her old home into her new one and hopeful it was going to be enough to get her out of the rut she'd been in.
"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie, I just sold that not ten minutes before you got here," the woman smiled kindly, as if she hadn't just smashed Chise's spirit with a hammer. "If you're interested, I have some flying duck orchids over there." She pointed towards a wiry purple flower that did indeed look as its name suggested, but it held none of the grace or elegance of her egrets.
"No, thank you," Chise replied, fighting back the crushing disappointment. "I appreciate the offer though."
"Hmm…how about this adorable little bonsai apple tree?" The clerk asked, showing her a tiny tree with a single pink flower surrounded by rich foliage. She stared at the plant in its wooden base and a fond smile graced her face as she touched one of the leaves. It was no egret, but bonsai were native to her homeland and she did think it was cute and it would look beautiful in the window of her bedroom.
"Yeah, I think I'll take it," she said gently, fishing into her wallet for the correct amount. "And some food for it, too." The red head left the shop, delicately carrying her purchase, the toys for Ruth swinging carelessly from her wrist.
Chise arrived back in her little alleyway, brimming with excitement. She hugged her tiny plant and hummed. After muttering the spell to send herself home, she opened her eyes to the lush forest and promptly closed them again at the onslaught of Ruth's concern and fear. If he was this worried about her, she really didn't want to face her husband.
"Ruth, calm down, I'm fine," she thought at him. A moment of silence. Then…
"Chise, where have you been?! What were you thinking sneaking off like that without letting at least one of us know you were leaving and where you'd be! Especially with how you've been acting lately and how you were yesterday! Silver and I have been worried sick! And don't even get me started on Elias! He's ready to rampage!"
"Why didn't he just use the tracking spell on my necklace?"
"He did! Elias wanted to tear through every building in London until he found you. I was ready to go with him, too. But Silver stopped us. I don't know how, but even as worried as she is, she still managed to make him sit in the living room and wait. Only now the whole room is covered in those thorny vines he expels when he's anxious or pissed off."
"Let me guess, he's both, isn't he?" Chise bit her lip, wondering if it might be better just to slip into Tir na nÓg and live with Titania and Oberon for a little while until Elias' fury blew over.
"Don't even think about it. You're lucky I haven't told him you were back yet."
"I wasn't actually gonna do it." She envisioned sticking her tongue out at him. "I'm on my way back, now. If it helps, I'm feeling a lot better than I have been. And I got a little something for you to make up for snapping at you yesterday."
"If it's an explanation, I might accept it," he huffed. "I'm sorry too, though. You haven't been yourself and I just made it worse. You deserve your solitude just like the rest of us."
"Thanks, Ruth," she replied, letting her gratitude wash over him. "And I'm sorry for blocking you out so much lately too."
"I may not understand completely, but I know it has to be difficult being a teenaged girl and sharing your mind with a 'big brother'-type male. Just know that I'm here for you, no matter what kind of problem you might be having. I guess laughing yesterday was probably not the best way to get that across, though. Sorry," he ended sheepishly.
"Thank you. Now that we got all that out of the way, think you can help me with bonehead and his over-reaction? I'm just about to enter the yard. Honestly, it's like he thinks something bad is going to happen every time I leave his sight."
"Weeeellll," Ruth drawled.
"Yeah, I heard it," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. He snorted.
"I'll see what I can do, but there is one thing that only you can do that always works on him."
"Oh yeah?" She asked, interested. She'd never noticed any sort of special thing she did when she wanted him to calm down. When he told her, she giggled. Though she planned to only use it in case of emergency, which she and Ruth both agreed, this totally was.
The front door shut behind her and she was engulfed in pink and white fabric as Silver threw her arms around the red head. "I'm sorry, Sil," she mumbled against the frills, receiving a gentle squeeze in return. "Thank you for keeping Elias here. It couldn't have been easy." Silver pulled back, smiling kindly, and patted her cheek before lightly tapping her forehead. Chise got the message loud and clear: you're welcome, but don't make me do it again.
"Chise," Elias' smooth baritone sounded from the living room. She gulped, peeking her head around the frame. Ruth wasn't kidding. Every inch of the room was covered in vines of thorns. Vines that parted through the middle, opening a path for her. She bit her lip, securing her hold on the bonsai.
"You've got this, Chi," Ruth encouraged, sitting at the foot of the stairs in his Grim form. She mentally steeled herself and walked forward, slowly.
"Where were you this morning?" Elias asked, staring her down.
"I went out to try and make myself feel better. I woke up early and didn't want to disturb anybody else after I already caused so much trouble yesterday." The red head looked down at her little plant before turning her gaze back on the infuriated red orbs, her eyes wide with guilt and remorse, her lower lip stuck out slightly, hunching her shoulders in. "I'm sorry, Elias. I just wanted to make everything better."
How he loathed that expression of hers. He wasn't even sure if it was a conscious one, but whenever she was in trouble, she got that look on her face. His Robin looked as though she was expecting to be hit every time she messed up and it always made him wonder about those family members she refused to talk about. Just the thought left him unable to stay mad at her. Elias sighed heavily, retracting his vines completely, and pulled her into his lap where she belonged. He nuzzled her head, careful to avoid cutting her with his sharp canines and watched as Ruth padded in, jumping up on the couch.
"Told you so," the Grim thought to his companion.
"You were right. Worked like a charm," she replied.
"From now on, just tell us. If not in person for whatever reason, at least leave us a note. You don't know how close I was to finding you myself." She nodded, still pouting with her large eyes and he tightened his arms around her slim waist, careful of the plant she so tenderly carried. "Good. Now, care to tell me where you went?"
She thought about it for a moment, a finger to her chin. "Well, let's see…I went to a florist but it was still closed, a coffee shop, a pet store, back to the florist where I got this little guy," she indicated the tree, fondly.
"Why would a miniature tree make you feel better?"
"Because it comes from Japan." There was a moment of silence as the realization dawned on Ruth.
"You've been homesick," he said to the room. Chise turned her head to him and nodded, her eyes filling with tears. Silver looked in and, at Ruth's indication, came to stand behind the couch, watching her with concern.
"I do not understand. You do not appear to be ill and I cannot sense any illness within you."
The red head sniffed. "Like I said yesterday, it's a human thing. Sometimes we can miss our homes so much that it starts to affect us physically. I thought I could ignore it by keeping busy, which is probably the reason it didn't happen sooner. So I buried myself in magic studies but it didn't work. I thought I could help myself by looking at pictures of Japan so that's where I went yesterday. That was a complete disaster. So this morning I tried to find something I could bring here that would remind me of Japan instead and I found this."
"Why didn't you just tell us? We would have understood." Ruth asked, again aloud so that the other occupants would know what they were saying. Chise opened up their link fully so that he could experience everything she'd been bottling up for weeks. The black Grim howled and covered his head with his paws at the sudden onslaught of emotion until she pulled it back again. "Geez, Chi! I don't know what's worse! Wondering what you're feeling, or actually feeling it!" Silver reached down to pet him soothingly while never taking her red eyes off the girl in her master's lap.
"What right do I have to feel homesick?" She replied, her voice wavering. "After everything you three have done for me, after all the adventures we've shared, after finding a place where I'm finally wanted and loved, what right do I have to miss the country I willingly left?! A country where all I knew was pain and loneliness? It made no sense and I had no right."
"You have every right, my precious Robin," Elias told her urgently, delicately taking her treasured plant from her hands and sitting it on the floor before embracing her fully and tightly. "Your country is a part of who you are, Chise, and there had to have been some good things about it, otherwise you wouldn't miss it so much. I should have done more to incorporate it into your life here, and for that, I am sorry." He nuzzled the top of her head, lovingly. "Perhaps then you would not have become so…homesick, was it?" He glanced at Ruth for confirmation. "I confess the thought that you were from a different part of the world never even occurred to me."
"Wait, seriously?!" Ruth exclaimed. "It never crossed your mind that Chise sings exclusively in Japanese or bows to people when she first meets them or receives gifts from them? You never gave a second thought to the fact that she calls Stella, Stella-chan and her brother Ethan-kun? Those aren't exactly local traits, you know."
"Now that you mention it, it does seem rather obvious," Elias replied, sheepishly.
"Unbelievable! And here you're supposed to be her husband." Silver giggled quietly behind her hand at the Grim's rebuking. Even she'd noticed these characteristics. She loved listening to Chise singing under her breath while tending the garden. "I'm not so sure he's worthy of you anymore, Chi. Just say the word and I'll go find someone who actually pays attention to you."
"I think I'm good," she replied, giggling. "Besides, it's not like Elias had any reason to notice things like that and he especially had no obligation to change his habits to cater to my cultural heritage. He bought me to be his apprentice but he put a lot of effort into making me feel welcomed here that he didn't have to. Feeding me, giving me clothes, showing me around the British Isles, protecting me. After all that, so what if no one ever brought up the fact that I'm Japanese? That part of me is supposed to be dead anyway. It was supposed to be dead the moment I signed Noel-san's contract. I just didn't do a very good job of killing it, which is why we're having this discussion in the first place."
"I'm happy that you didn't, Chise. I do not like that you felt you had to conceal such a vital aspect of yourself. The Grim is right. I should have been more inclusive of your native customs from the start. You are essential in my life," he traced his thumb over her cheek, running his fingers through her sunset hair feeling pleasure at her light blush, "and I have neglected to acknowledge a large part of you. Please, allow me to make it up to you." He nuzzled her tenderly.
"And just how do you think you're going to do that?" Ruth asked, loudly interrupting their little moment. His joke received a sharp rap on the head from Silver.
"There's an easy enough solution to your homesickness," he replied, speaking directly to his petite wife and pointedly ignoring her familiar altogether. "We simply travel to Japan. You can show us your home as I showed you mine when we first met." Surprise filled him at her deepened frown.
"I thought about that yesterday. I wanted to surprise everyone with month-long trip to Tokyo. I had it all planned out. We'd spend three days at an onsen before renting an apartment for the rest of the time. I could have paid for it all, too, what with my weekly allowance and the auction money I never used. Then I realized none of us have passports and it's way too far to teleport."
"That's why you came home so upset," Ruth stated, comprehending. Chise nodded.
"Chise, my kind, precious Robin, tell me, when Noel brought you here to be sold, did you fly?" Elias asked, a slight amusement hinting his voice.
"Yes?" She replied. Her husband's amusement increased.
"And did you have a passport then?" He chuckled as he watched the realization dawn in her eyes and had to stop her from smacking her own forehead. "Please do not harm yourself, little one."
"I'm an idiot," she mumbled. Ruth and Elias laughed and she could even hear Silver Lady's soft giggle.
"Not at all." Elias nuzzled her gently, still chuckling. "It was a simple oversight. Now, the plane you arrived on, and the one we will be using for our trip, is one similar to the train we take. It is designed specifically for fae and other creatures of magic. I will handle the travel arrangements and I will leave it to you to take care of our housing accommodations."
"For all four of us?" She asked, looking over at Silver hopefully. The silky narrowed her eyes at the red head. "Not as a gift, I would never insult you, you know that." She tilted her bonnet-covered head inquisitively. "How about as an…educational experience? You'd be able to learn how to make new and different recipes and clothes." Silver pursed her lips. "Please, Sil? You're my family too, and if I'm going to show off Japan, I want you to see it as much as Elias and Ruth." Ruth gave the woman a small whimper, turning his large brown eyes on her as well.
A moment longer and then her face softened into a heartfelt smile as she nodded. It was hard enough saying no to Chise but when Ruth joined in on the pleading, she found it downright impossible. In a flash, Chise had jumped from Elias' lap and thrown her arms around the silky, who squeezed her in return. She loved that the girl thought of her as part of her family and would do nothing to disappoint her. After a few moments of embrace, Chise backed away beaming and Silver patted her cheek fondly, smiling in return. The two separated and Chise plopped on the couch, happier than she had been in weeks.
"That's alright with you, too, isn't it?" She asked her husband, suddenly worried she'd overstepped her boundaries by inviting Silver Lady. Elias cupped her chin and tilted it so that he could look her in the eye. Crimson glow fondly met vivid emerald.
"What my bride needs or wants to be happy, my bride shall have. Whether that be a houseplant, a smelly hound…"
"Hey!" Chise giggled.
"Or a trip to her homeland with the members of the household. I do not like it when you are unhappy and I will do what it takes to see you smiling again." Chise felt the familiar swell of affection and shock, as she always did when he said something particularly kind.
"Yuck," Ruth said only within their connected minds. "Chi, you're such a sap. He loves you, even if he doesn't realize it yet. Of course he wants you to be happy. So do Silver and I. Why does that always surprise you?" She retaliated by flicking his ear. "Hey! That stings, you know!"
"One good year doesn't erase a lifetime of bad ones," she replied, somewhat bitterly. His head drooped.
"You're right, sorry. But if you had such an awful life there, why do you want to go back?"
"Because even though my family treated me so badly, the country itself is still beautiful. The festivals are still fun. The food is still delicious. It's like Elias said, there are some things worth missing. And I'll probably be confident enough to try out some of the night clubs with you if you want."
"I might," he said, tail thumping lightly against the cushions on the couch. "So long as I get to choose what you put on. None of that baggy, androgynous crap you usually wear. You're a girl, I'm gonna make you look like one." A short pause, just long enough for her to get annoyed, and then, "I'll let your husband take it off though." Ruth transformed into his human shape just so he could cackle at Chise's bright red, heated face. "Come on, Chi, it's not like you haven't though-mmph mmmmph…"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Chise commanded, shoving a pillow into her brother/familiar's face, her cheeks still flaming. Silver giggled at their antics, remembering the siblings in the previous families she'd served or haunted. They'd acted just like this, where one would provoke the other and the other would retaliate in some way.
"Am I missing something?" Elias asked, tilting his head in confusion. He'd been carefully watching the emotions flit across his wife's face as she conversed with the Grim, then he'd transformed in order to laugh, seemingly at her expense, and just as he was about to say something that the rest of them could hear, she pounced like a little wildcat with a pillow to his face. Much to his amusement.
"No!" Chise squeaked, still holding the pillow, despite Ruth's struggling.
"Well, then may I suggest letting your familiar breathe? It won't do you good to kill one so closely bonded to you."
"So long as he keeps his mouth shut," she grumbled, removing the pillow anyway.
"No promises," Ruth replied with a wink, dodging as she swung the pillow at his head before turning to Elias. "So we're really just going to jet off to Japan for a month?"
"I don't see why not. As established yesterday, we have no pressing engagements to attend to. I can easily see to it that our garden is well tended in our absence. It will take me approximately three days to make the preparations. Chise, will that be enough time for you to see to our living arrangements?" She nodded, still glaring at her familiar. "Good. Then I do believe it is time for lunch. Silver?" The silky curtsied and left to prepare the meal.
"Ruth, do you want to play outside until it's ready?" Chise asked, slyly pulling out one of the toys she got him. Almost instantly he was back to being a large, energetic Grim, bouncing around, long tail swinging wildly, racing for the door. "I thought so." She led the black dog out the front door and threw the yellow ball as hard as she could, laughing as he chased after it. Closing the door, she checked the kitchen to see Silver hard at work and returned to the living room.
"I thought you were going out to play with Ruth." Elias tilted his head in confusion. A light blush spread across her cheeks.
"No, I just sent him outside to play." She clasped her hands in front of her, nervously twiddling her fingers and bit her lower lip before throwing her arms around his neck in a firm embrace. "Thank you, Elias," she whispered against the plum-colored scales. There was a moment's pause and she felt one slender hand at her waist, pulling her flush against his torso, the other threading through her hair as he returned her embrace fully.
"Of course, my precious Robin."
They stayed like that until Silver Lady called them in for lunch.
