A/N: Sooo~ Faermage-KH Junkie, AKA Miri here. Remember me from the prologue? We're kicking off the story now with Chapter 1. I didn't write this chapter - if she wants, Wresie can add more to this AN here later. From here on, we'll be alternating - I write the next chapter, then she wrote chapter 3, etc. Currently, there's five chapters in existence with a sixth being worked on. Enjoy!
PS: Some of the chapters can get... dark. This is one of them.
It wasn't like I had much to expect out of life. Mostly its just a cycle, one I live through often enough that its nearly become second nature. First thing I do after I wake up is check to see if Angel is awake, if he is then I make the bed up, nice and tidy. If he's not I roll from bed to land softly on my feet, something I've only been allowed to do as of three months ago, before going to grab my bathrobe to cover my silk night gown. The robe is scruffy, worn, and in need of a good burning, but its the last thing I brought from the money I saved up while I was allowed a job. So it has a high value in my life.
Second I head down the small hall of our cramped apartment to the dinky kitchen. Once there I prepare breakfast, typically its eggs, toast, bacon, and fruit. Sometimes, when I want to go out, I make his favorite for the morning, crepes. Today wasn't that day. With a heavy sigh I pull down a pan and out the bacon, cooking it first as I pull out eggs. Once the bacon is done I crack the eggs directly into the pan to be cooked in the bacon grease. While the eggs cook I set up the toaster and pop in some bread, since its the standard toaster it won't make more than two pieces at once, which is annoying because Angel could eat four pieces on his own and I seem to be eating more than usual.
Sighing again I set about setting up our table for two, always two, never more and never less. Then I turn off the eggs as I pop in more toast. Moving with quick, soft steps I head back to bedroom and knock lightly, "Ang? Love?" Oh, how I both loathe and love calling him that! "Do you want coffee this morning? I think we need more eggs also..."
A groan reaches my ears and the sound of the bed creaking faintly reaches my ears. Counting back from ten in my head I wait for him to open the door. 10...9...8... The closet opens and a low growl is heard... 7...6... A little stumbling is heard, I think he's pulling on his pants... 5... 4... 3... 2... Foot steps comes closer to the door and I place a bright smile on my face, I can feel him frowning, he knows I'm faking, but will play along anyways... 1.
The door opens and my blue eyes meet liquid gold ones, they're tired and so is his lazy smile. His teeth are sharper than usual it seems and, mentally, I flinch, but nothing more. He reaches out to me and I force myself to relax into his touch as he runs his fingertips along the skin of my cheek. Its only after he leans down and I shuffle forward a step, our lips brushing for a bare moment, that he answer me, "Yes, I could love a couple cups... Make a pot, Nam?"
"Should I have some too?" My voice quivers a little as he presses his lips to my temple, even the sweetest of touches from him scare me. "Or do you think that would make my stomach even more weird?" He hmms softly as one hand comes to my shoulder, running down my spine to the ball of my back. I shiver, he chuckles.
"Go ahead," He leans back, a smirk on his lips, head cocked to the side so his eyes are half shadowed by his blond bangs. Somehow, over the time we've lived together, his hair has lightened greatly, its almost white... White like his lovely cat ears he sometimes get and his tail as well. A real, small smile graces my lips.
"Thank you," Carefully, I back out of his very loose embrace. With soft steps I head back to the kitchen to put into more bread for toast. My ears pick up him hitting the bathroom, toilet or shower? Water begins running and hitting the bottom of the tub, he must be taking a shower. The toaster pops, I put in more bread and begin buttering the first ones and putting cinnamon onto the buttered ones. Repeat the process until I'm done and then sit in my chair, legs crossing at my ankles.
Now I wait.
The wait is never long. But it is thick, per usual, with tension as I wait for Angel to make his appearance. What seems like forever later he does, just as I remember the last bit of toast. Rushing off I go get it and then repeating the earlier process on it. When I return Ang has the meal all dished out evenly, well, as evenly as it gets with us. He has more toast and eggs, I have more bacon and fruit, nothing new there. He has a cup of coffee ready for me as well as himself, the coffee maker siting on the table on the left side. Everything is normal.
Well, almost normal.
I spy a new paper next to his mug and notice somethings are circled or highlighted. And I can't help myself, I have to ask, "Looking for new work?"
He shakes his head and then shoved the paper over to me. One glance at it makes my stomach drop and my heart pick up. Angel has three hobbies: Tracking murders he thinks are connected, cooking, and moving. Yes, moving can be a hobby when it involves keeping a girl from the unsuspecting world. I've been hidden away for almost two years now it seems. And now, for the fifth time in two years, we're moving again.
I frown, "Another apartment?" My old complaint making him smile as he points his fork and waves it in my direction.
"I think we can afford a nice, small house in a decent neighborhood," He smiles wider at me. "That is as long as you promise to not get any funny ideas."
Funny ideas.
Why doesn't he just say don't get your hopes up?
"I promise, of course," I return his smile with a gentle one of my own. He reaches over and touches the back of my hand with his fingertips, its innocent seeming, but in truth just reminds me of what he can do. Of what I hide beneath my dress. "Besides, I can't really think of anything THAT funny, Ang." There I go again, its like I'm on autopilot, my words coming out just the right way, but never reaching anything deeper than surface.
"Good," He says with another smile, one that he usually gives when he's concealing his more devilish grin. The grin of a Cheshire Cat, insane to put it lightly. "You'll have today to pack, anything you don't want will be given away."
"I don't have th-"
"For example that old robe you have on," His fork jabs in my direction. "I think its about time you get rid of it, don't you? You've long out used the thing."
"My robe?" The last thing I own that's actually mine, that I actually worked for. He's already taken so much from me, at least leave me some of my pride. Please? "But I still like it."
"Its falling to pieces, Namine," He says firmly. "We're getting rid of it, end of discussion... Besides, I'll get you a new robe when we get to Urbadelphia." He finishes his eggs quickly and munches on a small pieces of bacon.
"Urbah-wha?"
"Urbadelphia," He swallows the meat and then downs his coffee, already having finished his toast and sparse fruit. "The new city we're moving to, nice place, big enough for you to get a job maybe... If you behave well enough."
If I behave.
I always behave.
"Oh," I nod and pick at my own eggs. "Okay... I'll get your dishes when I'm done... Have you put in-"
"I've already resigned, I'm just going out to get boxes, Nam... I'll be back shortly..."
"Alright, Namine," Angel calls from where he set the second and last box down. "I'm a genius, right?" The floor plan is simple, one floor, one bedroom, one bath, living room, dining/kitchen. Very simple and plain, all in all a clean slate. So all I can do is smile and nod.
"Its a nice house."
Arms wrap around me and I tense only to force myself to relax as Angel buries his face into my hair, "How about a home, Nam? Will it ever be that?" I really don't know how to answer that, but I know what he wants to hear.
Letting out a sigh, I respond in a light, almost dreamy way, "I hope so." This calms him and soon we're most of the way unpacked, my stuff fitting snugly on one side of the closet and his on the other. He then pulls me onto the mattress we brought with us, leaving the bed frame behind, good riddance, that thing creaked too much anyways.
Creeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!
My eyes flash open and I look around, confused. Its not uncommon to hear loud noises, Angel never did say how old the house is, and trust me, below its shininess, its old. The pipes all make their own noises and the windows seem to have holes in them, but Angel swears that's my imagination. Maybe he's right, but then again...
CREEEEeeeeeaaaaaaak!
Floor boards shouldn't be making that noise with out someone putting pressure on them. My worry deepens as I pull on my pants and bra, shirt falling into place. I seriously hope no one broke in, I really don't have any way to defend myself all the way over here in the bedroom. Well, maybe a couple pencils, but what would that do against a huge and buff guy. So I search out my prepaid cell, I flip it open, no signal. Shit, how do I get Angel?
That's when I hear a tapping, not a scratching, as if someone is scratching on wood. Old wood, but solid. Then I heard voices, voices that I've only ever heard twice before. Once from Angel's memory and second after Angel fully bound me to him. The sound of lessers bickering amongst each other. My heart stops as does the scratching and my eyes dart around. I need a weapon, a something!
Something hits the door and I jump from my bed, eyes still searching, c'mon, c'mon. Even a book would do! Then I spot a book laying on a wooden chair that Ang likes. I race over and grab the book and hold it at ready as the door is hit again, this time the frame shudders as does the wall. The book is raised above my head and the wall shudders again, I cringe. This has got to be a big wave, shit.
This time the door doesn't shudder, nor does the wall - remember what you promised Ang? You gotta stay alive at all costs!- instead the door just falls flat and in they come, their jaws a snapping. At least a fifty, maybe a hair from a hundred swarm in. A stupid, or maybe brave one, jumps at my face. Letting out a shriek I whack at it, sending it back a good few feet. But more take its place. So I swing low at them, only causing a few to actually take even minimal damage. Cursing under my breath, I throw the book and grab the chair from behind me. Using it both as a shield and weapon I think I hit a couple, killing them. But that doesn't mean anything, there are many more to replace them. What's worse is the some hold on and are chewing on the legs. Beating the chair on the ground, I look around, frantic.
I need a better weapon, a better shield...
A way out!
My head snaps in the direction of a window only a foot and a half to my front right. The chair won't last forever, but neither would glass. And its the best bet I have. Besides, if I can't get out at least someone may hear my screams then... I hope.
So I swing the chair mid length, hitting the demons back, hissing and snapping registering as disturbing words in my mind as I swing again. And again, gaining ground this time. A couple more swings gets me into the horde and now their clawing my legs up, I'm bleeding, I can feel it. The fact just makes me beat harder on them, screaming obscenities at them as I do. One last swing and I make it, a leg braking off. I grab it from before it gets covered,tossing the chair away. Then I raise the wooden leg and bring it down onto the window.
TH-unk!
Not even a scratch! Growling I lift the weapon again and bring it down harder.
THHHHHHHHH-UCK!
I can see a spider web on the glass, the window's frame keeping it in at the moment. Once again I curse, feet kicking away demons clawing at my legs, my dress long since ripped up in the skirt area. Taking a deep breath I put all of my effort into the next swing- THHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNN NNNNNNNKAH!- and the next one- thaaaaaaaaaa-uuuuuuuuun-KAAAAAH! With a ferious scream I lashe out again, but this time the window shatters, glass flies everywhere, cutting me and sending demons running back. But I waste no time, not wanting to get trapped in here, this bedroom so not worth staying in. Quickly I climb out, glass cutting my hands, arms, legs, mostly my palms. But it doesn't matter, I'm out, I'm safe. Well, not quite, I'm in pretty bad shape. Plus I still have no way to defend myself.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god!" I jump onto my feet and run a few feet from the house, I'm in the front yards now, not much less of a sitting duck out here than in there. "Someone! Anyone! HELP ME!" I can hear the demons following me, I'm not going to be getting away from this alive, am I?
"PLEASE SOMEONE!"
Turning around I hold the wooden leg like a bat, biting my lip against the pain in my hands from the glass, "Guess I'm on my own." The horde falls in closer and I stumble back a couple steps, but not too far, I'm going to go out fighting, not fleeing! "Swing when you see the demonic glint in their eyes," I whisper softly once their close enough to be just over a bat's length away, just too far of a distance. My body tenses and I go to swing when my world lights up with the color green.
"Holy-!" I'm thrown back by the powerful force, my butt landing on more dirt than grass when I come to the end of my crashing back. My eyes squeeze shut. "...ow."
My breathing is shaky and my body is killing me. But my ears still are working, so I hear when a voice, male, talks in my direction, "Are you alright?" Something about the way they say it almost makes me believe that he cares. Highly doubt it, but none the less I blink open my eyes. But what greats me has me scrambling back, even if the crossing is ending around us, one can't mistake those- those-
"Demon," I breath out slowly as I look to his face, eyes huge. He's frowning a little, but there is still something, I don't know, kind about him. But he's a dem- My heart stops as I look into what looks like wounded, but beautiful green eyes. I swear to god, I am NOT breathing right now!
The world is stopping and I'm feeling a little light headed, maybe I should breath? Okay, Nam, breath! And I do, taking a deep breath and exhaling just as deeply. I repeat a couple times, my head clearing. And now I see what he was doing.
I scramble to my feet, "Oh, I see what you're playing at!" And I whack him hard. "Don't think just because you're a demon you can charm me! Jerk!" I really hate guys like him! So all I can do it glare.
And to think, I didn't expect much out of life, look at me now. Peachy.
A/N: Well now, this is interesting... who's our demon boy? And why's he helping Nami? Feel free to read and review! Miri out~
