The Clownfish and the Anemone
By: Aviantei
A DRAMAtical Murder One Shot
[Twelve Shots of Summer 5/12]
Haruka sits down on the sand, staring out into the ocean. It's kind of chilly despite the sun being out, but that's what you get when you go out in early autumn. Sometimes it's nice, sometimes you can watch the leaves change color in peace, and other times winter decides to shove its winds into the air early and you have to go home freezing to death.
Despite the chill, though, Haruka doesn't want to go home. Right about now, she just wants to be alone. There's no reason, she just does. And whenever she wants to be alone, she goes and stares at the ocean. Even if it's a beach, no one ever seems to come here, even in the middle of summer, except maybe the orphans from the church, but that's only every once and a while. Any other time, this place is Haruka's sanctuary.
The wind blows, and Haruka hugs her knees. The movement of air just barely stirs the ocean, too. It's only a little, but small ripples form between uneven waves. The tides aren't as metered out as people always seem to think, and that's part of why Haruka likes it; you never know how much water or sand or seaweed will wash up on shore.
The other part she likes is how big it is. Sure, the beach isn't anything to write home about when you live on an island, and it isn't anything other than a small patch of pretty white sand wedged between some trees and a cliff. But the water—the water goes on and on, surpassing the reach of Haruka's fingertips, just like it can go on forever and there isn't some chunk of mainland on the other side.
It reminds Haruka how small she is, and it lets her feel alone.
"Oh, so you like the ocean, too?" a voice asks. Haruka jumped, turning around wildly in search of the person that's broken her silence. She's met with a brunette man smiling as he towers over her. Haruka jumps up, taking a few steps back towards the water. "It's really peaceful, huh?"
He's spouting nonsense, and, even worse, it seems like he wants an answer. Haruka blinks a few times, hoping he's just a figment of her imagination. No such luck. Without even thinking, she runs past him to leave, unable to deny the fact that there are two sets of footprints in the sand.
On the second day Haruka runs into the man at the beach, she notices that his eyes are the same warm brown as his hair and sparkle even when the light doesn't hit them. She's overwhelmed with the urge to hit him in the face, and walks away.
The third day she comes across his back before she even steps into the sand. She turns back into the trees without even giving him a chance to notice her.
On the seventh day straight of the week that Haruka runs into the man at the beach, she actually bothers to talk to him, albeit with a scowl.
"What do you even keep coming back here for?" she demands, arms crossed over her chest. Haruka hopes she's being intimidating, because it's kind of hard to pull off when you've just barely passed the age of eighteen and not even come close to meeting the average BMI for your height.
Much to her irritation, the man suppresses a chuckle.
"You don't have to keep running away from me, you know," he says. When he smiles, Haruka can see the pointed ends of his incisors, like he's a vampire wannabe or something. "I just wanted to talk to you since it's been a while since I talked to anyone, really. Plus, you like the ocean, too, so…" It's the stupidest reason Haruka's ever heard. She doesn't get the chance to comment before the man's offering out his hand to shake. "I'm Nine," he introduces.
This time, Haruka actually does punch him before going back to the house.
Haruka avoids the beach for a while, trying to distract herself with other things. There's no shortage of chores to be done around the house, but eventually the house sparkles a bit too much to be called natural, so she backs off. She tries reading magazines and watching TV, but she can't focus.
She needs the ocean, and she knows it. It used to be the only place she could go to be safe. Now, even with a secure home, the ocean comforts her in a way nothing else does. The water calms her down, makes her stop thinking. And if anything else is true, it's that she's been thinking far too much.
Besides, it's stupid to not go to the beach just because of some idiot. It's hers after all.
Nine, a tiny voice in the corner of Haruka's mind reminds. He said his name was Nine.
Well, whatever his name was, Haruka isn't going to lose to him. She'll tell him to leave if she has to. Hell, she doesn't care if he just sits on the other end of the beach or whatever, just as long as he doesn't get between her and the ocean. Prepared, Haruka leaves a note behind before locking the door and walking on autopilot.
Except, when she gets to the beach, he isn't even there. Haruka smiles to herself, then she plops down in the sand. It's so nice when it's empty here. She might even just stay here the whole day if she can. There's no rush to get back anyway. As long as Nine doesn't show up, Haruka can sit here as long as she likes, just watching the water and keeping the view all to herself.
The sun sets, and Haruka watches the blend of colors sink over the horizon and stain the ocean red and orange and yellow. Haruka doesn't go home, though. It's a full moon out for the night, and it's possible to still see the waves in the water, the stars dully reflected. It's cold, too, as autumn marches on, but it's just so beautiful that Haruka doesn't dare move.
It's something more than that, though. While the view is pretty, something feels like it's not quite there. Haruka doesn't get it, though. She would have killed for the chance to see something like this before, no matter what. So what's changed?
It's a stupid question. A whole lot has changed in the past year. She's changed, her home life has changed, she's put on more weight, she's lost a weight off her shoulders, and so much is different that Haruka can hardly believe she's still her and didn't just accidentally fall into someone else's life.
But the part about the ocean. That hasn't changed. Haruka is sure of that. No matter what, the ocean has always been precious to her. She wouldn't have been so frustrated lately if it wasn't. Still, the view in front of her isn't stealing her breath, isn't bringing a smile to her lips, and that just serves to make her more frustrated to the point that Haruka's on the verge of grinding her teeth together.
Just what is it?
A sudden warmth drops onto her shoulders, and Haruka realizes just how cold the rest of her is. It's still autumn, but she hasn't been moving. Her calves are cold, her fingers are freezing, and Haruka bundles into the fabric, pulling it around her chest on instinct without even realizing what she's doing.
"The sky is really pretty at night," Nine's now-familiar voice says. He sits down next to Haruka without touching her. "Everything's so much clearer, even on an island with so much construction. It's really the best in winter, when you can almost see every star there is." Under the moonlight, he meets his gaze with hers. "Still, it's dangerous to be out here with so little clothing on. You'll freeze yourself."
"It's not that little!" Haruka protests, her face heating up. So what if she likes to show off a bit of skin? That's the normal thing to do for girls her age anyway. Still, has he been checking her out before? Suddenly self-conscious, Haruka curls up more in what she realizes is probably Nine's jacket.
Nine just laughs. It's not teasing, though. More like just a sudden burst of happiness, and it's contagious. Without meaning to, Haruka ends up laughing with him.
At the same time, she curses him for making her not feel like she's alone anymore.
Haruka allows herself an internal sigh of relief when she gets home and all the windows are dark. Her house key is in her pocket, and she easily retrieves it for the sake of opening the door. All of this she does her best to do quietly, not wanting to get caught.
She never thought about it before, but doing things like sneaking in after curfew is actually kind of exciting.
Her shoes are left at the entrance, and Haruka uses her socks to slide over the wood without a sound. She makes it halfway there before the door to the kitchen slides open, revealing Tae. Haruka squeaks, dropping her indoor slippers and almost falling over, catching onto the doorframe at the last second.
"Why were you out so late?" Tae demands, her voice echoing in the hallway. Haruka laughs nervously, and Tae continues on as if her first inquiry was a rhetorical question, even if it definitely wasn't. "I was worried about you, Haruka. I thought that maybe something had happened and you didn't take your coil…"
Well, when it comes down to it, Haruka guesses she isn't entirely alone. Tae has been nothing but caring for the past year, the perfect mother even if they aren't directly related by blood. It's just hard to remember that sometimes, and even a year isn't enough to make Haruka feel completely used to it.
She does feel bad for making Tae worry, though. Haruka's been trying to break the habit, but she always used to go to the ocean so no one would find her. She hardly ever notices when she takes her coil off her wrist before heading out. Haruka resolves to write a note or something to herself in the future so this doesn't happen again.
"I'm sorry," she apologizes, looking her adoptive mother in the eyes. "I just went to the beach, and there was this guy…"
Tae's expression reflects a recognition that is definitely a misunderstanding, especially when her eyes find the jacket on Haruka's shoulders. The latter realizes that the reason she was so warm on the walk home was because she was still wearing Nine's jacket. The idiot didn't even ask for it back when they separated!
"I-it's not like that!" Haruka protests, hands wildly dancing in the air. "He comes to the beach sometimes. We just sat down and talked!"
Tae lets out a long sigh, and Haruka can tell by the tired tone it carries that her words have barely made any impact at all. "Bring him home for dinner sometime," Tae says. "Now why don't you go to bed already?"
Haruka listens. If there's one thing she's accustomed to in the past year, it's that it's impossible to out-stubborn her new mother.
"You've been pretty quiet today," Nine comments from his back on the sand. Haruka's hunched over, staring out at the water. Just like always, she isn't thinking, except this time, it's not so soothing. "Don't tell me you've gone back to ignoring me again."
"Mom wants you to come over for dinner," Haruka says, taking care on each syllable. She doesn't know what else to say. No, what else can she say? That Tae got the wrong idea and thinks that she and Nine are dating? That she thinks they slept together even though they really just met? No, it's best to just keep it simple. "She didn't really say when. Do you want to come over tonight?"
Haruka's not looking at him, but she can still tell that Nine's smiling. "Alright," he says in that way that makes it sound like there's laughter and bells trailing after his voice. "Sounds fun."
"Wow, this is really good!" Nine gushes, almost inhaling his portion of sukiyaki and then some. Haruka doesn't mind too much, at least where her portion of food is concerned, since she still hasn't managed to reach the quota for what Tae considers a "reasonable intake" anyway. Still, it's kind of embarrassing to have Nine looking like he's on the verge of making a mess with every bite, especially since this is Tae's first impression of him.
Haruka doesn't quite know why she cares, but it probably has to do with the fact that Tae thinks they're dating, and she doesn't want her adoptive mother to think she's involved with a slob or anything.
Tae, however, doesn't seem to mind, nodding her approval. "It's just a simple meal, nothing to be worked up about," she says. Haruka feels the older woman's gaze on her and starts to move her chopsticks to her mouth just a little bit faster.
"Oh?" Nine asks, pausing halfway through a bite. There's a stray noodle dangling off his cheek, and Haruka wants to wipe it off. When she looks at him like this, she realizes his teeth make him look more like a dog than anything, and an overexcited and giant one at that. "I guess it's just been a while since I sat down and had a meal with other people. Maybe that's it?"
"So do you live alone then?" Haruka finds herself asking. The meal has been absent of most of these kinds of questions; Tae doesn't pry like that unless it's important, and Haruka hasn't really thought of Nine like a normal person to even consider those sorts of things.
Nine tilts his head as he chews. "I guess you could say that," he answers. "I mean, I don't really live with anyone. I just kind of sleep wherever."
Warning bells go off in Haruka's head, but they're not from any sense of danger. Even Tae's chopsticks have stopped moving. "Wait, you have a job, right?"
"Well, yeah," he answers, looking alarmed. "I just don't really have my own place, so—"
"Bath," Haruka insists at the same moment that Tae declares, "Laundry."
The Seragaki women force Nine into the bathroom, Tae kidnaps his clothes and tosses them into the washer, and Haruka returns to the dinner table, being sure to at least have her fill. The plate that Tae gives her still seems a bit intimidating at first, but seems more like an accomplishment once it's empty. The mother-daughter team finishes the dishes and they're in the middle of after-dinner tea when Nine finally finishes his bath.
Tae had a spare set of clothes stored away somewhere—gods know why—and the sweatpants cut off before reaching the bottom of his legs while the t-shirt manages to be too baggy. Haruka doesn't think to laugh, though, because there's another confrontation in her stomach that she needs to deal with.
"There's a spare bedroom," Tae announces, pouring a tea into a third cup. "There's no curfew, but do call if you're going to stay out late. You don't need to clean up or do chores regularly, but take responsibility for any messes. There's a notepad on the refrigerator if you want or need something at the store." Nine looks just as confused as he did before, and Tae snorts, making a pointed move of putting the now full tea cup down in front of the chair next to Haruka's. The liquid almost spills over. "You're staying here," the woman declares, leaving no room for argument.
Haruka can't help but be grateful to Tae for saying it so she wouldn't have to suggest it.
"Okay," Nine agrees, sounding breathless. He walks over to his designated seat, almost in a daze. When he sits down, he cups the tea cup between his hands and stares at it. His voice is now a whisper. "Okay."
Haruka hadn't thought about it when it was happening, but in the moment, she's stuck wondering if it's going to be okay having Nine live in the house. It's not because it's him, because Haruka's certain she would be nervous about anyone moving in. She was nervous just living with Tae, too.
Except, somehow, Nine doesn't end up worrying her at all. He fits perfectly into the routine that Tae and Haruka have built. In fact, Haruka feels like this is the most she's ever gotten involved in the household's daily life, even if it hasn't changed much. In the end, the Seragaki household feels warmer as winter gets closer, and Haruka's surprised that it was this easy.
There are still a lot of things that she doesn't know about Nine, like where he came from or what he does for a job or even what his last name is. Those things should bother Haruka, should make her uncomfortable. There's a danger in it, something that seems like it should repel her away.
Instead, it feels safe. There's no way to get around it. Haruka can't help but feel that every day she feels a little bit brighter. She eats more at meals. She talks a lot more, too, something she couldn't imagine herself doing before.
Before she knows it, it's almost been a month since Haruka has felt like she needed to go to the beach.
Haruka and Nine visit the ocean, sharp winds bursting over the water. A few grains of sand try to roll with the aid of the air, and get stuck hitting against the sides of Haruka's shoes. Even with the extra layers of clothes Tae made her wear over her usual ensemble, the girl still shivers. Pretty soon, it'll be too cold to go out regularly, and she'll have to wait until it's spring to visit the beach again.
That's okay, though. Haruka doesn't want to abandon the beach, but she doesn't want to rely on it anymore, either. The island isn't exactly a big one, but there's plenty of things on it she hasn't seen yet. She never had the courage to explore it before, but now she feels like she wants to try.
"Haruka," Nine says. His fingers tighten around hers. Haruka looks to him, and there's a frown on his face, a serious sheen dampening but not erasing the light in his eyes. Nine inhales. "I don't know how to simply explain this. In fact, it would take too much time. Just know that at some point, I might put you and Tae-san in danger. I want to avoid that, but it might happen."
Haruka frowns. Somehow, the words fit perfectly with his image, so she's not confused. What she is, however, is frustrated that he thinks that's going to change anything.
"Let me help you," she says. By the time she's done saying the words, they sound more like a statement than a request. Nine's eyebrows lower in concern. "Nine," Haruka says, and she knows he understands everything that she puts into the word.
"Are you sure?" he asks anyway, and this time Haruka's the one frowning.
It's such a stupid question that it doesn't even deserve an answer.
Besides, Tae taught her how to stand her ground in an argument. Haruka's unstoppable.
They sit in the sand until sunset starts, and then they walk to the house. Nine's become easily attached to Tae's food, so he never wants to miss a meal. It's a quiet walk, but Haruka's okay with that. As long as she can walk alongside Nine, anything can happen.
When they get there, Nine opens the door, his usual wide smile on his face. "We're home!" he calls, his voice echoing against the walls. Haruka stops halfway through untying her shoes, watching Nine as he heads down the hall to the kitchen, her eyes wide.
It's the first time he's called this place his home.
"We're home," Haruka whispers, because it's the first time she's called it that, too.
This was written for the the Twelve Shots of Summer challenge, which is a great way to get yourself thinking and get to read some great stories along the way. This week's prompt was "Symbiosis." I actually had a hard time figuring out what to write until I went ahead and finished playing Re:Connect, then I just knew I had to write about Aoba's parents.
It feels like Haruka and Nine have a really strong symbiotic relationship, but they never get into how it started, so I played around with this. Also, Haruka has a sort of symbiotic relationship with the ocean as well. The final stroke of the prompt I used was that "Symbiosis" can also refer to "living together in a community," so I wanted to reflect that in the idea of a "household" becoming a sort of "community."
Um, I don't think this has any spoilers in it. Just some vague uses of some headcanons about Haruka and Nine that are still in development.
Why are Haruka and Nine not characters you can select? I feel robbed 'cause Haruka may or may not be my new favorite DMMD character...
Anyway, I had a lot of fun with this, so I hope you enjoyed it. For other things to read, check out the forum, or join us yourself!
Thanks for reading!
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