Edit, 2013: This chapters been updated, spelling check, and fixed a bit.
Yamato
I wake up to bright sunlight. It stings my eyes even though the window is behind me. I can't quite figure out where I am, or what woke me. Then, there's another gentle knock on my door, and Natsuko opens the door. I remember where I am and I sigh. I was hoping it was just a dream.
"Oh. Where you still sleeping?" She asks me. I shake my head, although it's a lie.
"Well, Hiroaki and I are going to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Would you like to come?" I shake my head. Oh, right, today's the day of Christmas eve. I have never celebrated Christmas before, and I don't want to start. The idea of some fat guy sneaking around my house at night scares me.
"Oh..Well, do you need anything, then?" I debate on telling her a I'd like a 40 of vodka, but change my mind and settle for shaking my head again. Takeru walks by my door, still in his pajama's. I guess he's staying, too.
"Hi mom, Yamato."
"Good morning, T.K." She greets him, turning her attention to him. Natsuko closes my door behind her, and I absently here her and T.K discuss Christmas. I think about all of yesterday. I'm still not quite sure what happened. Then, I realized that Vincent said he was coming in two days. Which is tomorrow. He's going to be here for Christmas. It was enough to get me out of bed and start moving. I pulled my stiff body out of bed, and went to the closet, I unzipped my backpack, and dumped my three pairs of pants and four shirts onto the ground. I grabbed black jeans and my green shirt. I went down the hallway, and figured that because this was my house, I was allowed use to the bathroom without permission, so I showered. When I joined my dressed parents, and undressed brother, they watched me for a few minutes. It made me uneasy. Then, Takeru smiled at me, and went back to eating. Tension gone.
"Hungry?" Natsuko asked me. I peeked at what she was cooking. It made my stomach turn.
"Uh. No." Takeru looked up at me.
"But, Vincent said you didn't eat yesterday, either." He said, confusion crossing his features. I looked at the meat on his plate, and felt queasy.
"Meat makes me sick." I stated. Hiroaki looked up at me, unimpressed.
"Well, we eat a lot of meat in this house, and you wi-"
"Oh shush. How long have you not eaten meat for, Yamato?" Natsuko asked me, leaning around me to place food at Hiroaki's plate. Oh. Uh. Wow. How long as it been now? I search for when I had stopped and couldn't remember.
"Forever. I don't eat dairy, either."
"You're a vegan?" Takeru perked up, interested in me. The first person, ever, besides Vincent. Or people that wanted to r-. I force myself to stop thinking.
"Yeah."
"Have you been a vegan for forever, too?" I nodded, Natsuko puts her arms on my shoulders, making me jump and guides me to a chair. She hands me an apple. I play with it between my hands, but I'm really not hungry. Takeru keeps his eyes on me as he eats. I play with my apple.
"What's your favorite color?" He asks, suddenly.
"Blue." I say without looking up.
"Mine's green." I don't respond. He's still just...just...happy. I hate it. I want to be happy, too.
"How old are you?" "I turned 18 yesterday."
"I'm fourteen." Natsuko opened her mouth, but Takeru asked another question.
"Where did you live before?" I stay silent. I glance up just for a minute. Natsuko's eyes show pain, Hiroaki's are shocked. So Vincent had told them what little he knew about my past. We'd need to discuss this tomorrow, him and I. Takeru is not phased though. He goes back to none personal questions, instead, completely unhurt I ignored him.
"What's your favorite animal?" I have to think about this for awhile.
"Squirrel." Takeru and Natsuko start laughing. This annoys me.
"What's your favorite animal that can be a pet?"
"A dog, I guess."
"What kind of dog?" I sigh. I feel like I'm on trial, trying to convince the judge I am who I say.
"A husky? I don't know. Do you always ask so many questions?" Takeru smiles at me again.
"No, I'm just excited. I always knew about you, I just didn't know I'd ever meet you!" He knew about me? Why doesn't anyone tell me anything.
"Did you get anything for your birthday? I wish my birthday was so close to Christmas."
"No, I didn't." I say nothing about how Christmas means nothing to me though. Looking at this boy, he is so filled with hope it scares me, and I'm not gonna be the one that ruins that for him. Takeru stares at me. I feel awkward, so I excuse myself, and go hide back in my room. I look at the few things I own, and decide to turn my cell phone in in the first time in over a week. 184 text messages, I start deleting them. The only one I read is from a boy named Billy.
Haven't seen you online in awhile, you alright? let me know.
I stare at it for awhile, and then text him back.
I'm fine. I moved, sorry.
I don't answer any of the other messages, and Billy doesn't text back. My phone is abandoned on the floor an hour later when Takeru calls me through the door. I open it for him, then return to my spot in the middle of the room, on the floor.
"Mom and dad left awhile ago, but I need to go out. Do you mind?" I shake my head at the boy, and from somewhere below me I hear someone call his name.
"I'm coming Hikari! Tell Taichi and Kou to wait a little bit longer." Takeru calls back to the girl. He offers me a smile, and then he turns and is gone. I can hear him thump down the steps. I can hear Hikari laugh as there's a louder crash which means Takeru fell. I lay down on the floor, and notice the stars and moon stickers on the ceiling. This must have been Takeru's room before. At some point, I fall asleep.
I lay in my bed. I am very still. Not allowed to move, I remind myself. I am dying to shift. To stop the pain in my body. I try, all I do is move my arm, and a fist is against my side.
"I said don't fucking move." Another connects to my head when I whimper. I stay silent for the second blow. Tears slip down my cheeks silently. I'm glad the room is dark, so no one can see that I am weak.
"How old?"
"Young."
"How young?"
"Seven." Outside the door, people's voices. I know what is coming and I am not ready. I beg for it to stop in my head, to anyone that might be able to hear me. I don't want this. The door opens, and my heart almost stops. A man is looking at my body. At me. I am an object to these people. I hear him laugh. The person that was making sure I stayed left, as the man comes. I am alone with him. I hear clothes shifting. and then...
I wake up screaming, I'm thrown into a sitting position in my panic. My heart is pounding. I am surprised I'm still alone, it's dark outside. I wait until my heart slows before I make the slow journey downstairs. They are all here, including two new people I have never seen before. The music is loud, though, and I'm glad no one heard me scream. The new kids are siblings. They both have brown hair. The boys hair is wild, and dark, and expands in every direction. His eyes are the same color has chocolate. He looks up at me, and gives me a lopsided grin. His skin is tanned from too much time in the sun. He is an athlete. He looks about my age. The girl has lighter hair, that is tame compared to her brothers. Her eyes are soft brown. She has a calm energy. Takeru looks over at me.
"Hi, Yamato!" He says with a big smile.
"Uhm...Hi," I say, still slightly confused, due to my dream. Takeru motions to the siblings in front of me.
"This is Hikari, and her big brother Taichi Yagami." I say nothing to them, and lean against the door frame. Natsuko appears from the kitchen carrying a plate of food, follow by Hiroaki, also carrying food. Christmas. I forgot again. I look at the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. It's fairly pretty. It is filled with presents, and even from here, I can see one with my name on it. My eyes narrow. Takeru follows where my eyes are.
"Are you mad we got you a present?" He asks, his voice is flat. Natsuko and Hiroaki look at me. She is worried, he's daring me to say I am.
"I don't celebrate Christmas." My voice is emotionless. Takeru's eyes drop. Taichi's mouth pops open.
"WHAT?" He shouts. I glare at him. I don't think I will be staying very long if I have to put up with this boy.