Not Unlike You
Chapter 1
"And you're sure about this?"
"Honestly, he has enough trouble connecting with family. You read his file. Having someone that can make an emotional connection with him about being seen as...well, different, could be the thing he needs to break out of this routine he's built. So yes, I'm sure."
The phone line went silent as Agent Smith took another look over the files provided about the prospective host family. Two half-siblings: an older sister and her younger brother. The eldest of the two, Hazama Yukino, worked as a Veterinary Assistant after graduating at the top of her class out of High School. Level-headed, patient, a good cook, and protective of her family, no matter where they came from. These were listed as the main reasons she was chosen to look after the second subject under scrutiny.
Adam L. Belmont. At a young age, he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of Autism that made socializing quite the trial. His file noted that until he was 10, he never talked that much outside of his home, preferring to just do his schoolwork, go home, and play his games. Most kids looked at him like he was a freak during his public education; his pale complexion and dark hair making him look "creepy", to quote one of the tamer insults.
Being of American heritage didn't help much with how most people viewed him around town, but he was never really alone because of his sister. She made him feel accepted when no one else gave him the time of day, even with his many eccentricities. Not to mention the family dog – an Akita named Gregory – helped to curb his anxieties as he got older.
Smith couldn't help but think of a few exchange students that would fit in well with these two, but decided that it should just be narrowed down to one...for now.
"I've got someone in mind, but I'll need you to get him out of the house. She has special permission to look for her own host family, and with what's in his file, I'm sure they'll become fast friends once they meet."
After a few follow-up questions, Yukino hung up and proceeded to cook lunch for her and Adam. "She seemed certain, but...no. I can't second guess myself now. I already signed the papers, so I just need to stay positive." She paused, staring into the beef stew she had lovingly crafted for lunch. "If not for me, then for him."
Light, almost inaudible steps came from the stairwell to the second floor. He had managed to catch the end of the conversation on his way down; his hearing quite sensitive after a silent hour of meditation. From what he could distinguish, they would be hosting a guest soon. While scary in thought, Adam knew that he would have to try and be cordial with whomever walked through their door. Social protocol dictated many a thing he read about, but barely put into practice. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Adam whispered to himself before entering the Kitchen.
(The Next Day)
After breakfast, Yukino put on her best smile and approached her brother as he was washing the dishes. "Oh dear little brother, would you do your favorite sister a small favor?" With little expression, he turned to her. "Point one: you're my only sister. Point two: sure. I finished my work yesterday and sent the appropriate emails to the editor and chief of staff, so I'm free today. What did you need?"
A few minutes later, Adam (reluctantly) found himself at the local Convenience Store, buying milk and a few other things for his sister. As he exited the store, Gregory barked from next to the store entrance, reminding his friend that he was there. Together, they began their short walk home. Along the way, Adam walked by many people, some staring at him openly, and others just giving him passing glances. He overheard one punk-looking guy whisper something to his over-tanned girlfriend. "You see that skinny motherfucker? Freaky bastard, am I right? I bet someone creepy like him can't even get a boner without some crazy shit going on!"
Switching all the bags to his left hand, Adam put his right hand atop Gregory's head, gently making circles with his thumb. This wasn't anything new. Even back in America as a kid, he was as ghostly then as he was now. Doctors told his father to feed him whatever he wanted to fatten him up, as he had been under the standard weight for quite some time, but nothing changed. His metabolism was too fast for him to hold much fat content for long. Only after starting a workout routine did he start to see a difference, as did his physicians.
Most young men would have been happy showing off a buff physique, hopefully to attract a potential female of interest. But not Adam. The one time a group of girls saw his body in High School had been a trial of confusion for the poor boy. After that, he wore baggy or loose-fit long sleeve shirts wherever he went.
The taunts all faded into the background after a while. Adam rationalized that ridicule was a way for others to mask their own insecurities by lashing out at others, so it stopped affecting him after a while. However, that didn't stop Gregory from sending the couple a stink-eye and growling.
As they approached the last third of their trek home, Gregory stopped and sniffed the air about two steps into a four-way intersection and sat down, refusing to move a step further. As Adam pondered over this strange behavior, he almost didn't notice a tall figure running full speed in his direction. At the last second, Adam jumped back next to Gregory, narrowly avoiding being run over. Panting at the sudden exertion, he looked to who almost collided with him and his eyes widened with a sense of wonder.
She was tall, had long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, blue eyes, and a bountiful bosom contained by a white button-up shirt that was sure to make any man weak in the knees. But these were second to what lay below her human waistline. Her lower half was very much equine in nature, covered by a long black skirt.
"Hark! Have I come across my Noble Master?!" Looking over him, the centaur was a little put off at first. His fluffy, unkempt hair covering his eyes, the loose white shirt and blue jeans, and his ghostly skin tone didn't really yell out 'Noble Master' in her eyes.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Adam approached the centaur, hoping to offer an apology for not watching where he was going, even though the girl was in the wrong. "I'm not sure about a Noble Master, but I apologize if I was in your path. I don't get out often, so I tend to lose myself in my thoughts."
Nonplussed at his apparent lack of expression, she put a hand to her heart and gave a slight bow. "Please, it is I who should be apologizing! If thou hadn't the reflexes of a cat, I'm sure bodily harm would have befallen thee." She rose back up. "My name is Centorea Shianus, and I am on a quest to find my most Noble Master, so that I may offer myself to serve them for the rest of my days!" Her proclamation was ended by her holding up a heavy looking broadsword with just one hand. Deciding to play along, Adam cleared his throat before belting out his own introduction with as much feeling as he could muster, which wasn't much.
"Well met, Lady Centorea. I am Adam of the house Belmont, and I commend thee on such a worthwhile journey. Very few in life know where their goals lie, but such passion shows a valiant knight indeed."
Centorea's eyes widen at the mention of his family name. "Belmont, you say? Like the legendary hunters of beasts and the demonic? Tis fate that we meet here upon these crossroads then! My initial appraisal of thee was made by appearance only, and for that, I must apologize further. I of all others should know not to judge one by their looks alone."
Deciding to stop the role-play (and not correct her on the whole Belmont mix-up), he waved her off. "It's fine. I'm not one to get offended easily, though the fact that you admitted to your own mistake is quite admirable. A lot of people could learn a thing or two from you, Centorea."
Before either of them could continue the conversation, a loud thrum of a motor followed by a woman's scream hit both their ears. A man on a motor scooter had just snatched a woman's purse and quickly drove in their direction. Gregory barked and snarled as the man got closer, and before Adam could be hit, Centorea pulled him close and out of harms way, lodging his head between her breasts. Pulling himself free from her grasp, his eyes quickly scanned the mans back before calling out to the woman whom had just been robbed. "Ma'am, I ask that you please remain here with my dog, we shall return with your stolen belongings in tow!" Adam knelt down to look Gregory in the eye while setting the groceries in front of him. "Look after this woman and our stuff until we get back."
With a swift turn, Adam faced Centorea with a spark in his eyes. "Lady Centorea, we must make chase of this unruly thief! May I have permission to mount your back? I won't be able to catch him myself on foot." The centaur was blushing up a storm at this point. Tradition dictated that only the Noble Master of a centaur could ride upon their back, as it was the most intimate of contact between Lord and Knight. But something about his rise to action made her a little less wary of the implications of such contact, helping her to quash the feeling of embarrassment building in her. " If there is no other option at hand, I suppose you may...mount me." And she immediately went red as her words translated to a double-entendre in her head.
Offering a hand up, Centorea hoisted Adam onto her back before galloping after the purse snatcher. In her haste, she almost made the young man fall, but he reacted by wrapping his arms around her midsection and holding on for dear life. In almost no time at all, the pair had caught up to the thieving rider. "Halt villain, or thou shalt taste the wrath of my blade!" Centorea yelled with conviction. From behind her, Adam peered forward and let out his own cry of justice. "No one expects the Belmont Inquisition!"
The thief looked back for a brief moment and couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What the hell kinda nutjobs are they?! You won't catch me that easily, assholes!" Running on a curve in the road, Adam leaned slightly with Centorea's direction to avoid falling, but once on a straight path again, he noticed an oncoming obstacle, forcing him to duck behind her back once more. The thief had jumped his scooter over a pallet of water jugs, hoping to create an obstacle, but this didn't deter Centorea in the slightest. With swift hands her sword sliced clean through the containers, splashing both herself and Adam with multiple gallons of cold water. While this didn't seem to affect Centorea, Adam clung tighter to her back, shaking like a leaf in the wind.
As Centorea got closer, the thief saw an opportunity to escape by hopping his scooter down to an upcoming split in the road. Just as they all started to go right, the thief swerved and jumped down to the adjacent road before the guard rail came up. "Hahaha! Try and catch me now, suckers!" He jeered.
"You think you can escape justice so easily?!" With a mighty leap over the guard rail, Centorea landed on the roof of a passing semi-truck, denting the roof before leaping off right next to the thief. With her sword poised at his neck, she prepared to deliver an ultimatum, but a sudden jerk to her side caused her to gasp. Clinging for dear life from her side – with one hand holding her shirt, and the other her skirt – was Adam. The soaked young man had been jarred by the cold water, chilled from the rushing wind of Centorea's jump, and these combined had left him unsteady enough to almost fall off her back completely. His shoes barely just scraped the ground as he tried to pull himself back up, but to no avail. Unfortunately for the two heroes of this chase, the situation did not favor them for a brief moment.
"Lord Belmont, please right thyself, and please cease thy pulling upon my blouse!" But alas, her cry went unnoticed, as Adam was in a slight panic in trying to not become a roadside statistic, which caused him to pull harder on her wet shirt, snapping the already strained buttons and revealing her breasts to the world. The following reactions happened: Adam did not notice as he subconsciously wrapped what he grabbed around him as he fell, rolling violently across the ground to a stop. The thief couldn't believe what he saw and lost control of his vehicle, crashing into a large stack of paint cans at the end of the roadway, near a warehouse. And lastly, Centorea became too shocked to do anything but keep running as she covered her bust, ramming into the warehouse itself.
The impact shocked her out of her stupor, but she winced from a large bruise forming on her right bicep, apparently having taken most of the force at the end of her charge. "Never have I been so humiliated. My judgment of your character was doubly false, and my blade shall ring across your-" She reached for her sword, but only grabbed the sheath. Hearing something dragging across the ground, she turned her head to find the thief, holding her sword with an angry scowl on his face.
"You stupid bitch. I would've just taken the money and been on my merry way, but you and that guy had to get in my way. Damn the law, I'm turning you into glue!" With a slow but mighty swing, the sword descended upon Centorea. Her eyes closed in fear, anticipating her end, but it never came. A sound of metal hitting metal met her ears, and she slowly opened her eyes to see Adam – covered in bloody scrapes and bruises – standing above her with a paint can, dented from blocking the sword.
The thief gawked at him for a moment before trying to pull the sword back for another swing, but couldn't, as the sword became stuck in the dented-in can. Adam leveled the man with a hard stare. "This doesn't belong to you." Adam whispered before pulling the can and launching the sword off to the side, making the thief lurch because of the unexpected force used. Turning back toward Adam, he only saw his pale-eyed opponent for a split second before he was launched by an upward palm thrust to the chin, his bike helmet doing nothing to soften his impact with the ground after.
Centorea couldn't believe what she had seen. This pale, unassuming young man had just risked his life to keep her safe. In her eyes, he truly lived up to the legendary name of Belmont. So caught up in her fantastical thoughts, she almost didn't notice when he collapsed to the ground in front of her. Momentarily forgetting her modesty, she uncovered her bust to reach out both hands to inspect the fallen warrior.
Adam's body had taken a lot of surface damage from his fall, and one or two of them were deep in his back, bleeding quite a lot from the stress of defending her. Suddenly, sirens were closing in. Law enforcement, no doubt having been called because of the ruckus caused by the chase. Seeing her shirt hanging off one of his shoulders, she quickly put it back on.
Two police cars arrived on the scene and saw a Centaur woman cradling a ghostly young man in her arms while an older human man lay unconscious a few feet in front of them. The lead officer approached Centorea. "Ma'am, could you tell us what happened here?"
(2 hours later)
After giving her testimony to the officers on the scene, and telling them about the woman whose purse had been snatched, Adam was rushed to the nearest hospital, with Centorea hot on their heels.
After having his wounds treated – the heavier ones being stitched up – Adam was allowed visitors. Surrounding his bed were Yukino, Miss Smith, Gregory, and Centorea. Yukino looked equal parts angry, happy, and scared all at once. Miss Smith remained neutral. Gregory stood on his hind legs, planting his front paws on the rail of the bed to look at his best friend. Centorea gazed down at Adam's still form; his breathing remaining steady, despite his injuries.
Yukino cleared her throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. She looked to Centorea with teary eyes. "The police told me that he saved your life AFTER sustaining all these wounds, like someone on an adrenaline rush. He selflessly put himself in harms way again...for you. I'm not mad at you or him. I just wish that he would stop running into peril without thinking all the time."
Centorea looked confused by her wording. "What dost thou mean? I'm afraid I don't quite comprehend." With a heavy sigh, Yukino decided to tell her a little about her brother. "After an incident when he was younger, he became easily sidetracked by the idea of helping those in need, but unlike before prior events, he didn't always think things through. He graduated High School in America when he was 13, so he was quite a bit younger than most of his classmates. In his final semester, he would come home bloody and bruised, saying that some guys were harassing his female classmates, or his friends were being bullied. His cousin was worried sick every time, but told him to hold onto those feelings, because that was what it meant to be..." Yukino went silent. Shaking her head, she leveled a hard (but not angry) stare at Centorea. "Anyway, if you're going to be under our roof, you'll have to look after each other. Which means you'll have to protect him just as much as he protects you, and hopefully you can keep each other out of trouble...for however long that lasts." Yukino mumbled the last part to herself.
Looking down upon her savior's sleeping face with a hint of red in her cheeks, she put a hand to her heart and spoke with conviction. "I swear upon the name of my ancestors, that I, Centorea Shianus, shall do my utmost to serve my Noble Master, until death do us part."
With a small smile, Yukino looked to Smith, who gave her a thumbs up. "Alright then. But before anything else, we need to go over some house rules."
