So I have ideas to run by. I have a lot of clips of future scenes in the story that I've already written, would people like it if I posted them? Maybe in between full chapters I can post short mini chapters? I don't know just an idea I had. Anyway, thank you to those who reviewed! I would love to see more people leave reviews though…if anyone has questions they wanna ask leave them in your reviews and I'll happily answer them at the beginning of the chapter. So with that, chapter 2 everyone!
When everyone was finally allowed back into the bar, the new girl had been moved to the bar. Anna was on the stool next to her and Tatara on her other, except he allowed one empty space between them. She peered at them cautiously as they filtered in through the door and spread out across the room.
She jumped when Tatara suddenly piped up, "I vote we get take out!"
There was a chorus of agreement through the room, and Umeko watched them carefully from her perch.
"What do you like to eat Umeko-chan?"
She jumped, peering at Tatara from over her knees. When had he changed the honorific on her name?
"I'm not picky."
He smiled at her quiet answer, waving to the boys to pick whatever they wanted. There was a chorus of cheers as a small group left to go find something and the remaining boys all went to play some kind of video game on the large T.V. in the corner. It all felt relaxed, natural, and Umeko felt some of the tension leave her shoulders as she immersed herself in the warm hum. They stayed like this for a while before Tatara finally broke, "Do you like it here Umeko-chan?"
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She was still uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings, but the constant loud chatter was starting to unnerve her less and less with each minute that ticked by.
"It's better than where I was before," she whispered, laying her cheek on her knees as she looked out the window. Tatara watched sadly as she seemed to sink back into her memories and a tremor shook her frame.
"Hey, don't leave too soon," he admonished, knocking her lightly on the forehead with his knuckles. She started, looking at him with wide eyes. But he just smiled, and slowly she loosened up again.
"Would you like to wash up while we wait for the boys to get back?" he asked, and for the first time Umeko took inventory of herself. She had dried blood sticking to her in more places than she'd like to say, and she knew there was dirt all over her from running through the alleys last night, not to mention the sweat that had dried and made her clothes stick awkwardly to her skin. Her hair in particular she knew was a few shades darker than it normally was from a combination of blood and sweat. She blushed as she realized how disgusting she must look at the moment, worried she might have offended them.
Tatara could see the panic enter her eyes and he jumped to correct himself, "Only because it looks like it must be uncomfortable for you!"
She forced herself not to shake and starred down at the floor. Finally, she nodded cautiously and Tatara sighed in relief. He leaned back so he could see Mikoto over her and asked, "King? Do you think she could use your shower?"
Umeko panicked when she heard his question and went to tell him it was fine and that she didn't have to use their king's bathroom but was cut off when the red head shrugged.
Tatara clapped his hands together and rose from his seat, offering his hand to the frozen girl as he moved to stand in front of her. She reached out and her bony fingers gripped his lightly as she clambered down, but pulled them back quickly once she was standing, refusing to look him in the eye. He nudged her towards the staircase, and everyone watched as the pair disappeared up the steps and into the bedroom.
"She's confused," Anna looked at the door blankly as Izumo starred at her, confused.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"She's never trusted someone before. She doesn't understand what we're doing," she starred down into her glass, the red juice showing murkily in her colorblind eyes. She looked at her reflection in the liquid before looking again at the bedroom door.
Umeko stood hunched by the door as Tatara waltzed over to a dresser in the corner, rifling around in one of the drawers until he came back with a t-shirt, a towel, and a pair of sweatpants. As he searched, he babbled on about some of the members downstairs.
"The one with the sunglasses is Kusanagi Izumo, and King is Suoh Mikoto. The one with the beanie is Yata Misaki, and-"
Umeko drifted slightly as he continued to drone on, feeling the exhaustion of the day finally start to catch up with her. She snapped back to attention though when she heard him start to come towards her again.
"Here, will these work?" he muttered, hold the shirt up to her frame. It would be huge on her, probably stopping somewhere around her knees. He glanced at the sweatpants he was holding, then at her tiny hips, and knew right away there was no way they'd stay up. He sighed, wondering if any of the boys had brought any spare pants with them. Maybe he could ask Eric, the boy was skinny as anything.
"Sorry Umeko-chan, but I don't think King's pants will fit. The shirt should be long though," he went to hand it to her, but she jumped back.
"I-I can't t-take p-people's things!" she managed to stutter as she looked at the shirt in horror. Tatara stepped forward and crouched till he was eye level with her, forcing her eyes to meet his.
"You have to believe me when I say we want to help you. We mean it when we say we won't hurt you."
Her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as she shook lightly.
"B-But why? Why do you want to help me? I'm worthless…"
He grabbed her chin and leaning in till their noses practically touched, forcing her to hold in a yelp.
"You're not worthless, and whoever said that is a liar. No one is worthless."
His eyes softened again and he pushed the shirt and the towel into her arms.
"Now go get cleaned up, the boys will be back soon and I can imagine you must be hungry."
Her mouth flapped open like a fish as Tatara stood to his full height and left the room with a wave over his shoulder. She stood there in the unfamiliar room, gripping the shirt to her chest as she tried to control her breathing. Her mind wanted to relax and let these strangers in, take their words as true, but her conscious screamed at her not to believe them, that time had proven again and again that people never truly wanted to help.
She whimpered as a tear slipped out, and she brushed it away roughly as she moved into the bathroom. It was small and clean and she put the shirt next to the towel on the counter as she ambled over to the shower. She had never actually used one before, since she had always been forced to use the hose in the backyard up till now.
She grabbed the shiny handle and twisted it, yelping in surprise when water came out of a nozzle above her. She starred at it curiously for a minute before sticking her hand in the spray. It was freezing but she was used to it from all the nights in the middle of winter sitting in the backyard scrubbing blood off of herself. She made sure the door was locked before she slowly took off her cloths, folding them neatly and putting them on the floor in the corner. She took off the bandages as well, piling them next to the shirt.
She stepped into the water and shivered at the freezing temperature, but quickly adjusted and reached for the bar of soap on the shelf. She scrubbed at her skin till it was raw before placing it back, watching as the blood and dirt swirled in the water, washing down the drain. She grabbed the shampoo, putting only a small amount in her hand before beginning the process of scrubbing her hair clean. It took three washes to get all the dirt and blood out, but she still felt like she was dirty as she stepped out.
She was shivering as she pulled her hair back and looked in the mirror. Her face was covered in bruises, but that was normal. She flinched as she looked at her shoulders and the way the bone jutted out violently, and then trailed her eyes down to her ribs, counting each one. She watched in wonder as with each breath, the skin didn't somehow tear open over the gagged bones, stretching white then back to the normal color when she exhaled. She began to run her fingers through her long hair, untangling the long tresses the best she could before giving up with a sigh.
She picked her undergarments up from where she'd placed them and grabbed the t-shirt, slipping it over her head. She laughed to herself as it fell to her kneecaps, more of a dress than a shirt. She frowned though when she realized her knobby knees were peeking out, and her too thin calves were openly visible. Gulping, she crushed her cloths to her chest as she walked out of the bathroom.
When she poked her head out into the hallway, her nose was assaulted by the delicious smell of hot food and her mouth watered just thinking about it. She shuffled out onto the landing, peeping over the railing at the rowdy bunch of boys. Everyone was spread out with plates heaping over with food and Umeko bit the inside of her cheek as her stomach constricted painfully.
Everyone stopped talking when they heard the patter of small feet come down the stairs. The girl ducked her head, clutching the cloths in her arms even tighter. Tatara was the first to break the silence as he patted the chair next to him, "Well come on Umeko-chan, lets get you a plate!"
She shuffled over, and they all became acutely aware of how boney her knees were and how thin her ankles looked. She pulled herself onto a stool, placing the folded cloths next to her. Tatara stood, walking to the cartons of food and dishing out a small amount of everything before returning and placing it in front of her.
"Here you are!"
She stared at the food with wide eyes; beginning to shift uncomfortably the longer she looked at it. Tatara misinterpreted it as her not liking the quiet, and he shooed everyone back into conversation before looking back at the girl. She had picked up her chopsticks tentatively, picking up a small piece of vegetable and nibbling gingerly on it.
Tatara forced himself to stop starring at her and focused back on the conversations taking place around him. Every few minutes though he'd realize he was glancing back at her, or more specifically at the two small pieces of food she had eaten. When she put the chopsticks back down after eating another half of a piece, he couldn't hold his tongue any longer, "Aren't you hungry Umeko-chan?"
She ducked her head as the noise level dropped to a hum, everyone trying to hear her while not making it obvious they were listening.
"I'm full, thank you."
Izumo frowned, looking at her barely touched plate, "You didn't eat much. Are you sure?"
She nodded hastily, wrapping her arms around herself and for the first time they noticed how she was subtly shaking. Tatara reached forward to feel her forehead and gasped when he felt how icy cold her skin was.
"Umeko-chan! Did you shower with the cold water on?!"
He started to fuss around her, conflicted between giving her the space he knew she preferred and wanting to hug her to help warm her up. He paused though when he heard her whisper,
"It can be warm?"
He looked at her as if she'd grown a second head before crouching down in front of her slowly. Large cinnamon eyes blinked back at him as he asked,
"Umeko-chan, having you ever taken a shower before?"
She shut her eyes and bit her lip, starring down into her lap, "I was only allowed to use the hose in the backyard before. It didn't have hot water."
A chill settled over the room as the small girl fidgeted in her seat, finally wrapping her arms around herself as the shaking increased. Suddenly, a heavy but warm weight dropped onto her shoulders, and she clung to it before it could slide off. She opened her eyes and realized she was gripping a black leather jacket, and she almost fell out of her chair as she spun to look at the Red King.
"Let someone show you how to use it tomorrow," he tossed over his shoulder as he went to the side door and disappeared into the alley.
Despite her brain telling her it was never a good idea to accept things from others, she slipped her arms into the coat and tugged in around her frame. It was still warm from his body heat and the smell of cigarette smoke clung to it. Still, Umeko felt herself relax as her body began to warm itself, snuggling even further into the jacket. Everyone was quiet for a while until Kamamoto made the effort to start the conversation again and eventually everyone else joined in, the room returning to the loud chatter it had had before.
"He likes you."
Umeko blinked her eyes open to cock her head at the young blond. As she gazed at him Tatara couldn't help but think that once the bruises and the swelling faded she would be quite beautiful.
"King, he likes you," he watched as her eyes widened and she turned to look at the door confusedly.
"But why?" she whispered, so quiet that only he could hear.
"Because he sees something worth while in you."
She didn't seem to hear him, but Tatara still smiled sadly at her back.
"Hey Totsuka-san!"
His eyes tore away from her to look at Yata who was waving him over, "You like cooking right?"
Tatara felt himself brighten as he slide off his seat and walked to the group, "Well now that you mention it, I have been experimenting with it lately."
Umeko watched as the gang interacted, fascinated by the close bond they all seemed to share. It was all so foreign to her, and just watching them filled her with a new warmth but also overwhelming loneliness. She would never be able have that kind of connection with others.
She felt herself start to drift off as time dragged on, and she snapped herself awake just as 11 came. She went unnoticed as she slipped from her seat and scurried to the side door, still gripping the jacket to her as she slipped outside. It took her eyes a moment to adjust, and when they did she finally locked onto the tall red head a few feet to her right, a collection of cigarette buds littered around him.
Mikoto raised an eyebrow as the small girl shuffled over, keeping his face impassive she as bowed.
"T-Thank you for lending me y-your coat. I'll p-p-put it back in your room with the s-shirt once I change."
He finally turned to look at her fully as he took another drag from the cigarette, "Where do you plan to go?"
She jumped, standing fully and shaking lightly as she looked away, "I'm not sure."
It was easy for him to see her, curled up in an alley somewhere. He doubted she'd make it very long wherever it was she ended up.
"No one's sleeping on the couch."
Umeko whipped her head to look at him and he dropped the cigarette, grinding the bud out with the toe of his boot as he walked past her to the door.
"B-But you've all already done so much, I couldn't possibly-"
She broke off from her rant as he cast a look over his shoulder at her before disappearing inside. She stayed standing in the alley as she looked up at the sky. It was too cloudy for any stars to be out, but she wondered if the moon would come out later anyway. She sighed, bracing herself as she pulled open the heavy door. Again, no one noticed as she slipped back inside and she went back to her old spot at the bar silently.
Izumo watched as she heaved her frail body up in the reflection of his glass, a small smile surfacing, as she seemed to start drifting off again a few minutes later. He looked at Mikoto leaned back against the bar in front of him, but his eyes were closed as his head tipped back.
Eventually everyone began to filter out, and as Izumo locked the liquor cabinet, he forced himself not to stare as his king picked up the sleeping girl and moved her to the couch.
'What do you think Mikoto?' he thought to himself as he walked out onto the street, humming quietly to himself as he headed home.
Mikoto snapped out of the light sleep he'd been in when he heard a scream. Sitting up, he listened to the sound of someone moving around downstairs before he heard the front door open. Standing, he moved to the window, pushing it up as he watched Umeko stumbled to her knees in the street.
'Just breath, just breath,' she repeated to herself as she heaved air into her lungs. She shook with the force of the nightmare, curling her hands into fists on the asphalt. She clenched her eyes shut as another image surfaced in her mind and felt a wave of nausea hit it. She gagged, forced herself to swallow back the bile rising in her throat.
"Oi."
Her head snapped up and she looked up at the building she'd just rushed out of to see Suoh Mikoto leaning against the frame of a window, starring down at her blankly. She felt her whole face flush with guilt as she looked back at the ground, "I'm sorry for waking you."
She heard him sigh, and the window shut. She shook as she imagined how furious he must be with her; he probably wouldn't let her back inside. Which is why she yelped when she felt a hand circle her arm and pull her up. Mikoto raised an eyebrow at her panicked face and let go of her thin arm, allowing her to stumble back a few feet.
"I-I d-d-d-didn't m-mean t-to wake y-you!"
He watched as she shook violently, eyes telling him that this was the point where she would usually be punished and that she expected such now. He stayed still, giving her time to stop trembling and let the fear pass. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a carton on cigarettes and shaking one out, lighting it with a snap of his fingers. Umeko watched in astonishment as he made the flame and had a sudden memory of hearing about a clan that could control fire. She had always assumed that it was nothing more than an urban legend, but clearly that belief had been wrong. Suddenly it made sense why everyone seemed to regard him with such respect and Totsuka's habit of addressing him as 'King' seemed a lot less strange.
"Wanna walk?"
She jumped, snapped back to the present to look at the man standing casually in front of her. While the thought of going back into the building made her feel claustrophobic, she didn't want to push her luck.
"I don't want to trouble you-"
"I asked didn't I?"
She stopped, regarding him fearfully as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Deciding for her, he brushed past her, starting slowly down the sidewalk. She took a moment to compose herself, but raced off after him. She slowed a few steps behind him, knowing better than to walk by his side. She was never going to be worthy of that.
Her attention was soon diverted though by the bright flashes of neon signs in the empty streets and she slowed even more to read some of the more colorful ones. Mikoto stopped at the end of the block to let her catch up, letting her take her time to look around. The light reflected in her eyes and a small smile started to form on her battered face as she absorbed her surroundings.
"I never noticed how pretty it was," she mumbled as she ambled up to him. He doubted she even noticed how close she was standing to him, but he kept quiet about it. She tipped her head back to look up at a blue sign above them, and he felt her hair brush his hand. Looking down at her, he noticed for the first time the soft caramel color it was.
"Weren't allowed out much?"
Umeko froze, knowing the connotation of his question and immediately feeling uncomfortable about it. She glanced at him quickly but looked back at the ground as soon as she saw his eyes. They were blank, and it made her uncomfortable not knowing what he was thinking.
"No."
"Gonna say who that was?"
She didn't say anything and Mikoto started walking again, slightly annoyed by her refusal to speak. He could feel her trailing along behind him, and he realized by the almost silent sound of her footsteps that she was barefoot. He frowned, but didn't say anything about that either.
"It was my father."
He stopped, turning his head to look at her over his shoulder. She was standing under a red sign, the glow casting her in a murky light that shone against her pale skin. She had her arms wrapped around herself, his coat reaching down below the shirt to cover her knees. She really was tiny.
"That man was my father."
She looked shakily at the sign above her, swallowing thickly. She had never told anyone before, sure some had found out, but she had never openly admitted it. It felt odd to let the words roll off her tongue after years of silence, and a heavy weight seemed to lift off of her chest as she exhaled a breath she'd been holding for 20 years.
Mikoto didn't say anything, just turned back straight and started walking again. He had to strain to hear her steps start up again behind him, but they were there, quiet and steady.