Hello again. I realize the last story was a teeny bit short, and so, in retaliation, I'm throwing a super long one at you now. BWAHAHAHA. Well, not that long.
This is the second part of Seeing The Sights. It's introducing one of a small group (very, very small) of OC's I have in this whole thing: Jonathan, Amelia's older brother. Also, in this entire fanfic, Amelia's last name is Valefor. No idea why.
I wrote this on different days, in little segments, so if it's not very consistent, I'm sorry. I also apologize for any spelling errors, I type really fast, and mix up letters sometimes. I probably won't be updating for a few weeks, because I have my birthday tomorrow, a huge math exam, an essay for Intensive English, my little brother's birthday on Wednesday, Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations coming out, Dir en Grey's new single, and my birthday party this weekend. So, I'm gonna be busy...
Enjoy!
Like This: Seeing the Sights part II
She was stepping out of the shower when she heard the knock on the door, and realized with almost panic (she never panics) that the Doctor was arriving today. Cursing, she pulled on jeans and a sweater, and rushed through the hallway into the coat room. Opening the door as fast as possible, she found him standing there, looking less ridiculous than he had on the day they met (the old fashioned spacesuit hadn't been very effective in leaving good first impression, although it had amused her). He smiled shyly, and shifted on his feet in a way she secretly found adorable. Not that she would ever, ever admit to that...
She bows dramatically, and gestures for him to come in. He does so in a slow, cautious way, as if entering a place of legend, or a library. He turns in slow circles, looking at the wood paneled walls, and the sliding wooden door.
"The coat room." she says, by means of an introduction. It's a small square room, with coats hanging on hooks, with several different pairs of her boots sitting below. Through the sliding door, left ajar, is the living room. He nods, and unbuckles his own boots, removing them. He looks at her with a knowing smile.
"You don't want to track dirt, do you?"
"Absolutely not." she replies, smirking. It's rare she finds humour in her own erratic behavior, but for some reason, she is perfectly all right with him poking fun at her (if only a little). She pushes open the sliding panel to the living room, and hears his footsteps following her. She turns to see his jaw slacken just so, in amazement (perhaps because it is incredibly clean, unlike his own home, or because it is full of various items brought home from her voyages), and watches as he moves in the room. The living room itself has maroon carpeting that covers a large square in the center of the room, surrounded by wood floors on all sides. Directly across the room from where he is standing is a sliding glass door to a small balcony overlooking the Etherium, and to his right and behind him is the kitchen. He's looking at the photographs on the bookshelf, a fascinated expression on his face. She walks over to him, and looks over his shoulder.
The picture is of a human woman, of about thirty or so, with long flowing red hair, and bright green eyes. Her hands rest on a small felid girl's shoulders, and the child has a shy smile on her face, looking older than she actually is in the high-necked black uniform. The two are sitting on a bench near a fish pond in a lush garden, on what appears to be a cloudy day. He turns to her, his look questioning.
"My mother and I."
His eyes widen for only a second, and then his gaze returns to the picture.
"She's very pretty. That's...that's really you?"
The small girl has a look of almost sadness in her green eyes (that match her mother's), and the smile on her face is almost not there, as if it only just snuck its way into her expression at the last second. The black uniform is almost like that of a soldier's. Amelia nods, and runs a finger over the two figures.
"I was six, in the picture. That's our garden. My grandfather is very enthusiastic about Zen gardens, and he commissioned it to be built when he became our family's Head."
"So..." Delbert says slowly, cautiously, "Your mother is..."
"A human? Yes. My siblings look like normal felids...Black hair, and golden eyes, but I inherited my mother's
eyes, and hair. Everyone in the main house loved her, because she was beautiful, and treated everyone with respect. My grandfather disapproved of my father's marrying her, but he grew to love her like a daughter."
"And now?"
Amelia remembers, as she always does, the funeral, with her mother in the casket, and fires around her blazing. There's a priest saying something about the flames purging all blemishes, allowing her to become completely free, but even at age eight, she knows its a lie. She doesn't cry.
"She died." she whispers. "She's died when I was small."
His hand in on her shoulder, and he looks at her, soft brown eyes saying so many things without words. She feels better just looking at him, and she squeezes his hand, as to reassure him she is alright.
"It happened a long time ago, Doctor. I barely remember her."
He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm very sorry, Captain."
She puts the photograph back it its place.
"Well, then, let's show you your room, shall we?"
He nods, and is once again following her as she leads him through a hallway (same wooden walls, and floor) to another corridor with three doors. She points to the center one.
"That," she says, "Is the restroom."
She points to the left door.
"That is my room."
This leaves the right, and he moves to it first, waiting for her until he opens the door onto the guest room. It's walls are white, and bare, and the carpet is also maroon. There's a bed, and a dresser, and a large stack of boxes on the far wall. She smiles apologetically.
"I've been meaning to get rid of some of this rubbish, but I have been very busy, as of late. I hope you won't mind."
"It's not a problem at all. The ah, room is nice."
"It could use some decorations, yes. I'm actually not here often, if you can believe that."
"It doesn't surprise me at all."
"It doesn't?"
"No. I assumed you loved your job."
"I do love it. But I enjoy other things."
"I know that, I--I didn't mean to offend."
"I know."
"You do?"
"Yes, Doctor. I was merely teasing."
He breathes a sigh, and she is pleased to know the power she has over him. She sits in the chair on the far side of the room, and watches him flop down onto the green bedsheets. He inhales, and then turns to look at her.
"This whole place smells like you."
Her nose wrinkles, and she frowns. "And what, pray tell, does that smell like?"
Rolling onto his stomach, he props himself up with his elbows, his chin resting on his hands. "Peppermint. And some sort of sweet smelling flower, I think." He taps his nose. "I, ah, I can smell it from here, on you. Is it a perfume...or...?"
"I don't really know. I cannot say I ever smelled that, but it may be that I'm used to the smell."
He nods, understanding. She stands, and stretches out on the bed next to him, mimicking his position and propping her chin on her palms. He's stiffened next to her, his face hot, and she leans in closer. He exhales quickly, nervously, and she pulls back, a look of victory on her face.
"You, Doctor, smell like old books. Old paper. And...some sort of cologne. Did you put that on for me? I'm flattered." His face turns a deeper shade of crimson, and he struggles until he's looking her in the eye.
"I--It's probably the jacket. I wore it last to a party, and...But, I did wear it because I thought it was nice. The old book smell, well, I spend a lot of time with books."
"The jacket is nice."
"Thank you."
There was a long silence. Finally, Amelia decided she couldn't tolerate it, and, searching her mind for a topic,
spoke.
"So, tell me, Doctor, what would you like to do now? You're a guest, after all."
He stared at her for a moment, as if surprised by her question. "Well...It's rather late in the evening, isn't it? I think...I'd very much like to spend it with you."
Her eyes glittered mischievously. "You'd like to spend the evening with me, mm?"
Eyes widening, his pressed his face into the bed with a groan, as she laughed.
"Must you..." he whined, voice muffled, "...twist my words like that? It's really embarrassing, Captain."
She puts an arm around him, squeezing his shoulder.
"Doctor. I am sorry, I simply find it quite easy to tease you. I do it only for my own amusement, I assure you."
He lifts his head. "Really?"
"Yes."
They lean in, and she touches her forehead to his. They can feel the other's breath, and she wants so badly to kiss him, and...
There's a loud banging, and someone (a man) utters a curse.
"DAMMIT, dammit. Amelia! Where the hell are you?! Ame-eeeelia!"
She reluctantly pulls away, groaning loudly.
"Oh, damn. Doctor, it completely slipped my mind, but my brother is staying for a few days. He'll be gone on Friday, but...I'm sorry, I didn't tell you. He's quite irritating, you see, and--"
"AMELIA!"
"I'm coming, Jonathan! Honestly." Giving him an apologetic look, she storms through the door, with Delbert following. A tall felid stands in the living room, arms crossed, his foot tapping on the floor. His hair touches his shoulders, and his eyes, a gold color, glint behind horn-rimmed glasses. He's grinning, and his eyes slide lazily over Delbert, and then back to Amelia.
"Well, well. I didn't know your dear doctor was here already. If I had, I mightn't have made a stir, or tripped up that ridiculous stair in my hurry to get here. As it is, I simply wanted to bother you. I'm starving, do you have anything to eat?"
She purses her lips, her face a struggle to keep calm in front of Delbert, who has his mouth open, mouthing 'Your brother?' as he stares at the man who claims he is Amelia's brother.
"So, you're saying, dear brother, that you interrupted me because you wanted to irritate me, as always."
"Yes, dearest, littlest sister. That is exactly what I'm saying."
She walks up to him, grabbing a book from the bookcase, and dropping it with a thwack onto his head. He yelps.
"That hurt. Really it did. I'm so distressed, dear Amelia, at your anger towards me. I'm simply doing my brotherly duties. I'm supposed to bother you, you know."
She stares at him long and hard, and then reaches a hand up to massage her temples.
"Well, you have succeeded in giving me a headache."
Turning to Delbert, she gestures to Jonathan.
"Doctor, this is my imbecile older brother, Professor Jonathan Valefor."
"Whoo." He whistles, "Really, Amelia, you make me sound so official. And I already know dear Doctor Doppler. We went to school together."
"You WHAT?"
She then whirls to face Delbert, who grins nervously.
"We, ah, were acquaintances, yes, but you're two years older...We didn't talk that much. I really know him from the University, Captain. I give lectures there sometimes..."
She has a shocked look on her face, and she whirls again to look at her brother, who's still smiling.
"As I said, I'm starving. Now, if you two will allow me..."
Dropping a messenger bag onto the carpet, he strides into the small kitchen, opening the fridge. She follows, and Delbert leans his head around the door.
"You never mentioned him." She looks at Delbert. "Neither of you..."
"I didn't make a connection between you two until now..." he says, still a little nervous around her.
"I did, but I love infuriating her, so..." He smiles at Delbert. "It's quite fun, to make her angry."
He sits at the round table in the kitchen's center with a package of meat, a purp, bread, and milk. Amelia sits on one side, and he sits on the other.
"I'm not angry, Jonathan, just surprised."
Her brother shrugs, and then bites into his newly made sandwich. "So...",he says through a mouthful, "What are you two doing tonight?"
She frowns. "I never got an answer. Doctor, what are we going to do?"
His face is tinted pink again, but he smiles weakly, relieved that she isn't angry with either of them.
"I...I have no idea. I'm actually quite, ah, tired."
Jonathan smiles wickedly. "I think I should tell you all about Amelia's childhood, Delbert. Every single embarrassing--"
"No. Absolutely not."
"Why not?" Both men whine, and she sighs. Somewhere, deep down, she knows that she isn't going to win.
"...If you insist."
The two of them grin, and Jonathan stands up to get the photo albums. She groans.
It was going to be a long night.