Ten kilometers, about...Six miles give or take really isn't much for me. It miles well just be a hop and skip, forget the jump. I must have ran at least twice if not four times that back in Gifnora on the daily basis when I was on the hunt-or when I was being hunted. Nine times out of ten it was by those nasty centipedes, those things were as voracious as they were stupid.
This being said it doesn't take me longer than twenty minutes to make it back to HQ.
I don't spot Leone or Akame anywhere close to me, so my assumption was correct that they both already made it back to HQ and have given their reports on the task. I really can't expect anything less out of them, though Leone strikes me as a person that really enjoys to fight-that will draw out a fight if it proves to be entertaining for her, but Akame is the complete opposite. A total professional in every aspect. She wouldn't enjoy a fight or anything else for that matter, she'd just complete her mission and be on her way-gone like the wind.
The forest is calm and still as the night itself. It soothes me and reminds me of my old home. Gifnora was extremely dangerous at night, but the lucid and tranquil silence that fell over it betrayed that danger. When night rolled around, that's when the real monsters came out to play and hunt. I turn my eyes up, taking in the spectacular sight of the moon in all of its glory, high in the sky and bathing everything in its lucid glow. It has company glittering all around it, a multitude of stars as far as my eyes can see, and if I'm seeing right I think I'm looking at Orion's belt at this moment.
I make sure to check if I am being followed, I have no blood trail behind me, but I learned early one can never be too cautious or aware. After ensuring that I am in fact not being followed I travel without reprieve or concern. I leap from tree to tree, swinging from the branches and launching myself several meters ahead with concise lunges. I can't help but laugh just a bit, it shakes my chest and takes weight off of my heart. I've always loved this.
The wind rushing through my hair, my hands and feet compacting with sturdy branches, my stomach dipping as my sight inverts and twists, before the sensation of freedom consumes me once more.
I can't fly, unfortunately. I can jump really fucking high and far and kind of free fall from there, which is sort of like flight, but not really flight. It is a good close second to actually flying in any case, and I will never tire of it. I have endless energy and vitality, I'm brimming to my pores with it. This momentary freedom is just what I need.
Night Raid's HQ-well my HQ, I guess...Whichever. Anyways, I'm a bit surprised with it. Granted, I was given the full tour and explanations courtesy of Akame and Leone, but being able to scrutinize it really opens my eyes so to speak. The building is fucking huge, and looks like a mansion situated with the mountain itself. There's an array of windows on the front of it, and don't seem to be anywhere else. If I hadn't been on the inside, I would think it's much smaller given its appearance, but I'm not so ignorant.
I find myself completely lost as I enter HQ...There's no types of lights on, and I'm thankful because it would have been painful for my eyes to adjust so quickly. I can't remember where the main room is...Where everyone usually met to discuss everything remotely serious. In fact, I'm going to every single room but the main room. I enter storage rooms, rooms where Leone no doubt passed out from drinking herself silly-the numerous sake bottles dotting the floors the only indication that I need. Up, down, up and down, I continue to move room to room, opening every door and looking inside only to find that the trio of women I'm expecting to see are not present.
Boss lady doesn't seem like the type that will be overly dramatic with the fact that I'm late so to speak. As long as I completed this mission, and got back, that was more than satisfactory for her. She may be more than a bit domineering, a trait all these women seem to share, but she isn't completely anal. Nothing had to be exactly how she said or wants it. However, I can't say the same for Leone and Akame. Leone seems to not have any patience and would be totally dramatic, while Akame is probably just thinking that I was killed before I even drew my sword.
I'm not sure which is worse, but I'm going to go with the fact that I am lost!
Fuck!
"Isamu, what are you doing?"
I don't jolt hearing my name come out of her mouth, I merely turn in her direction keeping my expression the same it was thirty seconds age. Minor annoyance. Akame is standing just a few inches away from me, staring at me with all intent and nothing less. I find it a bit satisfying she has all of her attention focused on me, but it also unnerves me just the slightest. She's stared at me long and hard since I've been here, but this stare is something else completely. It's like she's trying to look into or through me.
"I'm lost." I admit.
"The main room is just up ahead." Akame points at the light shining way, way far down this hall. Something I didn't care to take note of at the second considering I was peeking inside of an empty room.
"Come on, you have to give your report. Boss is waiting for you. We've all been waiting for you."
Akame gestures for me to follow after her, and I do so without anything more than a light grunt.
Well, clearly some little girl is just impatient.
Well, I feel like a first class fool. I was just about to come onto the main room, and here Akame is directing me towards it like I'm some infantile brat that can't find his way out of a wet toilet paper roll. Granted I haven't been here very long, and couldn't know the ins and outs like the others do, it's just a small blow to my pride admitting the fact I had been lost, and yet just a few meters away from my destination. I've changed my mind, I don't feel like a first class fool, I feel like a first class moron if there's any difference.
I find myself standing front and center. Leone and Akame are just behind me.
Boss lady is of course at the very front in all of her glory. sitting comfortably on her fancy looking chair, those purple cushions look pretty comfortable.
"Looks like you had a hard time." Boss quips. I think she makes the quip, because clearly this isn't my blood that's all over me. If I was bleeding this bad, it's more likely I would have passed out back in the forest and probably drown in the rivers nearby.
"This isn't my blood." I snort at the insinuation. As if some drunkard, with no resolve to live, with no resolve to die was ever going to even get a scratch on me, let alone cut me down. Shit happens as the saying goes, and a battle can always go in any direction...But, the one with the stronger will survives, the one resolved to not just kill their foe, but to offer their head to their foe and not lose their resolve in that moment of terror will always survive.
If a man has a family and is battling a man that has no family and is after pennies, the man with the family is going to win because his resolution will never falter.
"Ah, yes. It was wrong of me to make the assumption. But, you can't blame me for doing so." Boss lady says while she eye smiles at me, clearly knowing she just took me out of my little world. Did all these women have to break me out of my long stupors!? She takes a long drag of a fucking cigarette, and I do my best not to bat it out of her hands or ask her in a not so kind way to put the putrid thing out. "So, moving forward."
I'm beginning to think this woman enjoys pushing my buttons, but I put my focus onto the present objective.
"I found him on Main Street. He was drunk, I had him lead us to a back alley. He's dead." I cross my arms, fixing all three of these women with a stern look. I am not about to get into a long winded and down right ridiculous report about what I did and how everything went up to the point I cut that drunkard to pieces. I'd keep it short, sweet, and simple. No need to go into further and trivial details that really wouldn't make any bit of difference. "Not a scratch on me either."
Though, I'd be willing to bet there's nothing short of chaos going on right now in the capital. Someone was bound to stumble upon that severed corpse and head eventually.
I'm not cocky, but I had to make the last statement. These women were doubting me, doubting my skills, they were just doubting something and I just couldn't stand it. It at least seems they were doubting something. Now, hopefully they'd get off of my back. Akame was under the impression my rage and fury would lead to me death, when it is just the total opposite-the more I feed into the primal rage and fury the stronger I get. It never blinded me, it only fueled me and continues to when I go down that road.
"I commend you for successfully eliminating the target. Excellent work." Boss lady says with a small smile. I carefully note that there's no mocking or teasing edge to her tone, and though she eye smiles at me, it's not in the same teasing and almost patronizing manner she always does it with. There is something very genuine behind her little gesture this time around, other than trying to aggravate me. I guess she likes my handy work or is just happy that I survived-happy that I didn't take a one way trip back to Gifnora.
You can thank Akame for that one, boss lady. Little Akame would drag me back, and she wouldn't let me get that far. I'm more than willing to bet the moment I followed through on leaving she would be right in my way, hand on her hip, and her eyes set in their own little way.
I just nod a little bit. I don't need my ego stroked, not that I'm really egotistical or arrogant to start with. Even if it isn't boss lady's intentions to stroke my ego, she is doing it speaking in the context that she is. "Now, if you ladies will excuse me I'm going to wash up and then clean my sword." The heavy stench of blood is starting to waft into my nostrils and I can also smell a little bit of body odor mixing in with it, I would also hate to leave the remnants of that pig's blood all over my blade-it'd only soil it.
But, I smell pretty bad in any case, and I need to get this blood off of me.
I turn around to take my leave, but Akame steps right in my path with that little blank look on her face. "What?"
Not too creative on my part...
My eyes widen just a bit.
I'm thrown for a loop, and if I could say it literally I would-but I'm not literally looping myself around. But, I'm sure if there is a way I could loop myself around, I'd be doing it right now, because Akame just took of my haori and kimono and is looking me dead in the eyes. I can feel her breath tickle my neck, and the steady beat of her heart just a few inches from my chest...This is a rather awkward and strange situation-the only woman to see me without a shirt up close like this would be Osen, and that's because we'd be training with everyone else. It's not because she decided to grab my top and throw it off like Akame has just done, well at least not usually.
There was also my first wife to be. Only two women have really seen without a top.
Of course, I have nothing to be ashamed of, but this shit went from weird to beyond weird. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Leone, Boss, restrain him."
I snort audibly.
Akame does the unthinkable and puts her hands on my hakama next. And, here I thought Leone is shameless, Akame has her beat by leaps and bounds if she is about to do what I think she is going to do.
"Isamu, are you wearing boxers?"
I roll my eyes, scratching the back of my head. "No, I've already told you."
"You're flying solo!" Leone shouts, eyes immediately hovering over every part of me.
"Isamu..." Boss practically sinks into her sigh, I think. She even crushes her cigarette. "Why are you not wearing any underwear?"
"I told Akame I don't wear them because they are uncomfortable." I say bluntly, smirking for a second as I get a great idea. I'm sure my parents would belt my ass for doing this if they were still alive, but these women have been getting my left and right, and it's high time I have my revenge. "She's been warned."
"Are you still curious?" I poke at boss lady.
"Isamu!" Boss screams, waving her hand at me. I'm not fire lady. "Don't you even think about it!"
Well, either boss has never seen a man naked or she's never seen a man naked quite like myself. Now, I'm not going to stroke my own ego like a lot of other men would when it comes to this, but I am well endowed. I've never measured myself or anything of the sort, but when my blood rushes south...Well it's like Leone said. It's like I have a third leg. I don't think boss is a virgin, she couldn't be at her age.
Seeing Leone's crazy grin, I don't doubt she's seen her fair share of dicks.
"Here I thought you'd be more curious." I say a bit mockingly, letting a smirk pull on my face. If she is going to be all for restraining me-fat chance of that happening, anyways if she's all for restraining me to let Akame pull my pants down I would think she would have been prepared to get an eyeful. Did Akame not tell them I am not fond of underwear or boxers? I didn't think she'd keep that to herself.
"You're okay." Akame breathes out, audibly I'll add, in what seems to be relief.
Happiness...
I don't know, it's something.
I look at Akame, who cut off my following retorts short as always.
She's smiling at me-actually smiling, and not just her little half smiles. It's a real, full blown smile. Her cheeks have this attractive red tint to them, and her eyes are shimmering with something...Strange. I don't know if it's love, affection, happiness, joy, but I do know it's strange and it's starting to make me feel strange. I can feel my own face heat up in a similar way, my heart does this crazy thing where it beats and sinks with every thud, picking up its pace as it goes into its descent lodging itself in my throat. My stomach starts doing this crazy thing where it tries to push itself in as my heart continues to race, and makes me feel a little numb. I feel tingly. Fuzzy. Strange.
This only happened to me two times before this moment, that I can remember. The first was when I met my wife to be from the far north, she had the most exotic eyes and was very gentle, yet very fierce. We used to spar quite a bit, though she was admittedly more of a hunter. The second time, and technically first time I felt this would be with Osen, when she introduced herself to me. And, then we became sparring partners.
How can this one smile from Akame have such a similar affect on me?
This shit is ridiculous and confusing!
She's...Happy...
"We were just worried you'd throw caution to the wind and cut the general down right then and there." Leone tells me, somehow maintaining a light grin on her face.
"I'm not stupid."
"No, you're wild and free." Leone nods at me.
Not so much to my surprise at this point, Akame halts it.
"I'm going to finish the rest in my room." Akame meets my eyes with a big smile before releasing my hand. "We'll be in private then."
"That wasn't my point." but I'm not going to dispute it. If Akame is going to check my entire body to ensure I'm okay, then she will do just that and there's not another force on this planet that will stop her.
She is like a mountain, but she's so short!
I just hope she isn't that shameless, she'd be outclassing Leone.
"Sounds like your relationship-"
"Shut up." I grate out, glaring at Leone.
"Anyways." Leone chimes in, and once again I am tempted to smack her upside the head. I know exactly where her line of thought is going, and I'm not entirely surprised, since she doesn't have a lick of sense. Leone, you have to turn off the crazy sometime or another, you can't keep it on all day and all night. The world, and I, myself more importantly need a break!
"You have no shame." I can't even muster up the energy to be halfheartedly annoyed with this woman. I turn my eyes onto Akame, but she doesn't seem the least bit bothered.
"I don't see what that has to do with anything." Leone gives me a feline grin and winks.
"Says the person who doesn't wear underwear." Boss is quick to retort, crossing her arms over her chest and flashing a winning smile.
Yes, well it's time to put an end to that.
"And, you had been so curious before." I quip at boss, unable to hide my smirk, and I intently watch her blush for a few short moments before she schools her expression and wears that cocky smile she's always showing off. Very well played boss, but you can't fool me, you had been the one insistent that I keep my hakama up. "Oh, and you might want to be less curious in the future."
Boss gives me a look, it's not very stern.
I snicker to myself as I smooth out the wrinkles of my kimono and haori, making sure they fit evenly around my shoulders. That's better.
Score one for me, you're not going to be turning the tables on me boss lady. I am in control of the table and have glued it to the floor, this time it is your loss, and my victory. It would also be quite the predicament if everyone else came back and seen me ass naked, with these three women ogling me. "Moving on from this. I thought the others were supposed to be back here already. Am I supposed to prepare them food? I need to wash up first."
"I am hungry." Akame pats her tummy which begins to growl in agreement, no doubt there must be an earthquake plus a thunderstorm going on inside of Akame's tummy right now. If it's possible her stomach growled as loud and as much as my own when I'm hungry. "We could make something light. Fruit platters with some shrimp and lobster."
"Lubbs does like his shrimp." Leone nods.
"Then it is settled. They'll be back any minute now." Boss says decisively, going for another cigarette. She's looking a bit smug, and I'm almost dreading what is about to come out of that mouth of her's. "While you will remain under Akame. Isamu, tomorrow you will be with Mine. Learn all that you can from her."
I'm a bit dumbfounded at first, but I find my voice within an instant. "You've got to be shitting me..."
"Nope." Boss grins at me.
"Yeah, No. That is literally the very last thing that should happen."
"You need to develop better social skills."
I growl.
"Shes does too for that matter, this will be good for both of you."
Mine is my teammate, comrade in arms...So, I should have at least a semblance of a relationship, friendship...With her. It only makes sense, but it's not like I'm going to marry the stupid little runt.
Before I can retort all I can hear is two people shouting back and forth, and it only gets worse as they get closer.
Well, the others are back, and along with them being back my silence has all but been destroyed.
Akame nudges her foot against mine, smiling.
I don't share the same sentiment.
I am not enjoying this.
That's the one thing I am always going to miss about Gifnora. The silence.
"You should really learn how to aim that thing better! Some genius sniper you are, you almost took off my head and you weren't even fifty yards away! You idiot!" I think it's brat shouting, it has to be...Because, goggles doesn't strike me as the type to raise his voice or ever really lose his cool. It'd take a whole lot for goggles' lid to come unhinged. And, I couldn't see him even trying to argue with midget, Tatsumi is dumb enough to do it, and I sure as hell am if she really gets under my skin.
"It wouldn't have got to that point if you weren't so incompetent and wasted time! You should have killed those three from the start, instead you sat there dancing around and showing off then then last one was about to get your from behind!" Now, this one I know without a doubt is midget, because she will amplify her volume with every single syllable and word that comes out of that big mouth of her's. "I had to come in and save your sorry ass once again! Even though you have a Teigu! You are way too arrogant! And, I am a genius sniper, I'll show you by blasting that fat ass head!"
"Yeah right!" Tatsumi snorts very loud. I get the feeling this kid has a fierce streak or arrogance and pride, like all little brats. Midget is more of a self assurance and confidence from experience, while brat is just sheer arrogant for no given reason. "You wouldn't dare to do that now that we're near the main room, imagine what Boss would say."
"Just watch me!"
Tatsumi makes an odd sound between a yell and yelp.
Yes, my silence is now gone.
I steady my footing as a shock wave erupts just several feet away from my current location. That Pumpkin really packs a punch to say the least, and I don't even think Mine is entirely serious either. I just wonder if it's the attachment that gives her the ability to rapid fire, or the other one which concentrates it all into a beam-probably the second since the shock wave was so powerful. "And, you're going to put me and and that midget together?" I snort, giving boss a very disbelieving look. This is literally the worse thing that can possibly happen-we both have bad tempers, clearly! It will be at least ten times this between her and I.
"Oh yes." Her smile is the only answer I need, but her little coy response really puts the nail in the coffin.
"I'd rather fight ten centipedes, four monster turtles, and four snarling crazy apes all at once in Gifnora than even deal with her for three seconds." I grouse, pulling my lips down into a scowl while I scratch the back of my ear and move to the back of my head after the itch is gone.
"Ahh, it'll be fun." Leone cuts in cheerfully,and starts waving her hand around carelessly before she sets both hands onto her hips. "Make a new friend, I bet you guys will get along just fine."
"Well, it's time we go, Isamu." Akame graciously leads me out before the duo of absurd and inane come crashing through the room, and before I can either smack Leone or give my own retort to her clearly skewed statement.
"Try to get along with Mine, remember you have to at least be civil." Akame tells me once we're in her room.
I frown visibly as I throw myself down on the futon. It's soft and comfy, I hardly even the floor as I hit it squarely. Why do I have to be civil one in this? Clearly I have been living in the wild for more than a decade, so how am I supposed to even be civil? Why did I have to even be with that stupid midget in the first place? Clearly boss can see just how combustible the both of us are-individually speaking, and putting us together. Yeah, literally the last thing that should happen. "I think that's asking for way too much."
"Hey!" I grouse as Akame, somehow gets me up to my feet. She's not weak by any means, but as far as brutish strength goes-I don't really think it's her forte. This isn't any better than being dumped on the floor!
Akame throws me for a loop. I wish I could say it is a literal loop, but I'm not the flexible for starters, and I don't think she could really throw me so I bend so awkwardly. I have no words as she pulls down my hakama in one very swift motion. I make no move to cover myself, because I've already warned her that I am not wearing anything, and she knows I am not wearing any underwear.
She starts hopping back and forth, all around me, taking in every single scar that I have. If I had a bead of sweat, a bead of water running down any single part of me, any blood at all, she was seeing it. If I twitch she would see it.
"Thank goodness."
I can feel my own face heat up in a similar way, my heart does this crazy thing where it beats and sinks with every thud, picking up its pace as it goes into its descent lodging itself in my throat. My stomach starts doing this crazy thing where it tries to push itself in as my heart continues to race, and makes me feel a little numb. I feel tingly. Fuzzy. Strange.
Akame seems to have been worrying herself sick over me, which is totally unnecessary since I can take care of myself just fine. Always have taken care of myself just fine.
But, I really don't need her worrying herself sick over me. I don't need anyone worrying themselves sick over me, and Akame is the last person that should be worrying about me. I haven't had anyone worry about me in well over a decade, if not more, and I'm not going to change that now if I can help it.
If I take her hand I will be accepting the fact she will worry herself sick over me for as long as I remain alive, if I turn away and put my back to her I'd be throwing all of her concern right back into her face, and it'd be nothing short of spitting in her face.
Girls and woman think spit is gross.
I should reciprocate the gesture and feelings.
You are strange... She clasps her hand with my own, and I clasp making sure it's a firm grasp. We didn't do handshakes in my village, even with our most trusted friends and family, so it is a little strange for me, but I understand the gesture. I'll reciprocate the feelings. There's no way I can spit in her face, I get the feeling I'd break her heart if I turned my back to her. "I told you already, I'm always going to survive. No one from the Empire is going to kill me or can kill me. I've taken on groups of those clowns before I even turned eighteen. You don't need to worry yourself sick over me."
I don't think she was ever concerned with me being killed, well maybe a tad bit. I think she was more concerned about me taking a one way trip back to my home, and in essence abandoning her and the rest of Night Raid. And, again I think I would have broken her heart if I did just that...Damn it, I'm stuck with this woman. I can't believe it hurts me, horribly, to think that if I took my leave Akame's heart would break. I don't want to see tears in those big red eyes, ever. "You don't need to worry about that, I'll always come back in one piece."
I am stuck with you Akame for all eternity, and Night Raid. I hope you're satisfied.
I'm not sure which it is, and don't really care.
"Do you mind telling me why it is you did this?" I ask. I pull myself out of my own stupor and carefully pull my hakama back up, because if I don't Akame and I are going to be staring at each other for a very long time. I'm also going to remain naked, and that just can't happen. Akame doesn't seem to mind at all, but I do.
She's entranced with me smiling with that faint attractive blush, and I'm too...Too something to look away from her. I can't look away.
I never felt this feeling before in Gifnora, even when I killed Imperial soldiers that were women that were even more buxom than boss. I never felt such a...Sensation.
My heart wasn't racing like it is now, or for the same reasons. It was racing because I had just cut down dozens, if not hundreds of Imperial soldiers, the blood, the shouts of agony, their tears, the wind rushing through my hair as my blade glitters and cuts. Adrenaline pumping through my veins hot as the sun's rays themselves. The Danger Beasts would make their presence known, of course, there being blood and corpses-centipedes and snarling apes front and center. They'd mow down trees and I'd have to fight them as well.
These are just some of the reasons my heart would race with such vigor and ferocity, hoping to escape its cage.
And, I was never at a loss standing before them, I am always resolved and bringing my blade down to cleave through them. But, this one time, now, I'm just not sure what to do.
I'm losing my shit!
"I once had a friend that was too proud to report his wounds. They were poisoned and he died. I'm...Happy to see you're unhurt and have come back. First missions have a high morality rate. You've done well. But, truth be told..." Akame's voice is so soft and serene. It just melds into my ears and sends a tingle down my spine. And, just like her voice, her hand though calloused is warm and soft as it nears mine, and for a moment I'm too dumbfounded to do anything. Her tiny hand is moving for my big hand, her fair skin against my dark skin, my brown eyes against her red eyes. She's also a good bit shorter than me, I'll even say by a whole head.
I feel like I should be listening raptly, but I'm a mess of feelings and sensations...Akame is so close to me, way too damn close. I can feel her heart beat against my chest in its rhythm. Feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest as it brushes against me.
Akame seems to have been worrying herself sick over me, which is totally unnecessary since I can take care of myself just fine. Always have taken care of myself just fine.
I don't have a streak of arrogance and pride like her old friend did, nine times out of ten someone had their blades drenched in some sort of poison or venom, and so it's only common sense they'd have their wounds checked over. Of course, someone being prideful wouldn't even invest their time into it. For me it had been venom in the forest, and not poison. Venom, especially from those centipedes could drop anything within ten minutes-even Mega and Super class Danger Beasts.
"I was more worried that you'd go back to Gifnora or just never come back. Your survival was never a question for me, though I was worried about that too, of course." Akame traces circles over the top of my hand as she speaks to me. Voice soft and subdued, just like her finger rhythm. My first instinct is to pull away, because it brings a whole new sensation that mixes with my current ones, and it puts me in an even bigger mess. However, I don't pull away despite it being my first instinct, and allow her to draw on the back of my hand.
"Keep coming back to me, Isamu." Akame continues to draw on the back of my hand, gazing into my eyes with very...Her eyes are shimmering again.
The lightheaded fuzzy feeling is coming back full force.
Here we go, round two.
"I'm stuck with you." I scratch the back of my head halfheartedly. I had a feeling Akame wasn't too concerned about me being killed-the possibility is always there of course, but I thrived in Gifnora longer than a decade. There's no way a complacent, drunken, slob of a general was going to kill me, or any other clown from the empire for that matter.
"Now, come on. I have to wash your back before I get the platters ready."
"I can do it on my own." I didn't think this was going to be a regular thing. Her washing my back, seeing me ass naked for just a few seconds at a time.
"Stop it and hush." Akame grabs me by the arm with both of her hands and leads me away towards the bathroom. She has quite a stern look on her face, nothing like her adoration...Love. Happiness? For lack of a better term before. Did I step on her tail or ruffle her feathers? "Your hair is also a mess, Isamu."
I sigh softly.
Sleep...It is something so foreign yet common...Common for the majority of the people on earth, but for me it has been foreign for as long as I can remember. I dream more often than not about my childhood, and the dreams have only become more common as I spend my night in and out before I just pass out before the sun comes up. I'm never able to get any sleep afterwards-I know my luck sucks, but this is really getting to be a bit much.
"Isamu."
I groan into my pillows, pulling the blankets over me as I bury my face in the pillows. Did morning have to come so fast?
"Isamu."
I just curl up more and try to hide. "Just let me lay here for another twenty hours."
I am not a morning person, clearly.
"Ugh!" I'm so bleary that floors feels comfortable and I don't even feel myself hitting it. The only reason I even made a sound was because my right side was the first to hit the floor, and naturally knocked some of my breath from my lungs before I could brace for the impact. "What the hell was that?"
"You may be with Mine today, but you are under me. You help me make the meals here, remember?" Akame puts a hand on her hip, staring down at me blankly. "You need to shave too, don't forget."
I bite the inside of my mouth. I don't like this! How dare Akame just dump me out of my futon! I was comfortable! She hasn't done this since I completely tried to ignore her my first morning and shoved both my pillows over my face and ears. Between her and the sunlight I was going to be taken out of my bliss and thrown back into the world. Of course, I don't focus on the fact she has dumped me out of my bed again, or call her on it. "I have to shave again?"
"Everyday Isamu."
"I guess that means you're going to wash my back, too?"
"Mhm."
I groan in annoyance.
Akame narrows her eyes a bit more and takes a step towards me.
Akame's look is more than enough for me to know that I am not going to win this. If I don't get my ass up now, she is going to drag me out of this room. I wash up and shave again, and of course she stands there and watches me the whole time. I swear, every time I slop this shaving cream on my face I feel like a complete fool. I feel like I am in fact doing it the wrong way, but Akame doesn't seem to mind or really care. I think she finds amusement in the whole thing.
Not really to my surprise boss lady and crazy blondie are front and center waiting for Akame and I as we enter. I give the two a blank look that quickly turns into annoyance when they both send infuriating smirks my way. I bet they heard my body slamming against the floor, all by Akame's grace. I pointedly ignore the two of them as I move to my spot on the cooking table and look towards Akame.
"Isamu, you have to get Mine." Boss tells me.
"I am not doing anything until I get food in my stomach. I'm hungry." I try not to snap at her. Try very hard. I can't deal with Mine on a full stomach, I sure as hell won't be able to deal with her on an empty-close to empty stomach. I will also not begin my day without eating something. "What's on the menu?"
I swear I hear boss lady chuckle.
"Beef and turtle tail stew. It sounds good, and I like stew, but I could really go for some fried chicken.
However...
"You took my turtle!?" I glare at her. Note to self, don't keep turtles that I've killed within eye sight of Akame. It wasn't gigantic by any stretch, but it was pretty damn big and would provide a very good lunch. "I was saving that to eat for lunch today!"
"I only took half and the tail." Akame retorts a bit defensively, giving me a hard look.
"What!?"
"At least I didn't take all of it!"
"That's so lame on your part."
No, there is no justifying this! Monster turtles, and even the smaller Danger Beast turtles were very delicious when cooked. There was the added benefit one could cook them within their shells. It was a lot like cracking up an egg, when that shell cracks open all of that meat came spilling out, smoking and wafting with nothing less than a heavenly aroma. The tail had to be the best part of the whole thing for me, it wasn't like the tender flesh under the shell, but it had the most flavor. "You know the tail is the best part!"
"Yes, the tail has the most flavorful meat." Akame nods, not taking her eyes off of me as she cuts potatoes to be put into the stew. "I need you to cube the meat."
I need you to cube the meat. I need you to cube the meat. I'm tempted to punch this counter top, but I refrain because it'd just be a waste of food. I can't believe this little girl would take half of my turtle and the tail, she didn't even bother to ask me! Oh yeah, just help yourself Akame, don't mind me or my grumbling stomach, don't mind me and my grumbling stomach at lunch that will not be digesting turtle tail. The little cubes of meat only serve to increase my ire as I add to the growing pile. I wonder what would happen if I cube Akame's fat head!
She took my fucking turtle!
The stew is just about done before goggles walks into the room, looking exhausted with strands of his green hair sticking up. Brat comes in last, looking even more beat up than goggles.
"Hey, Isamu!"
I choose to ignore brat, because honestly I'm still fuming over the fact Akame took half of my turtle. That means she probably broke part of the shell, well so much for me enjoying that melting meat as I split it open myself.
I note Tatsumi visibly deflates. Guess he was expecting me to be all chummy from the start, yeah that is not going to be happening.
"Oh, don't mind him. He's a little upset because Akame took his turtle." Leone puts brat at ease, I notice. I'm not sure why the brat would be so upset or downtrodden if I ignored him, it's not like we're little eight year old children that need to constantly be coddled and acknowledged-though I am a good few years older than brat, probably by seven at the most.
He's probably only sixteen or eighteen.
"Half!" Akame stresses as she sets the pot a few feet away from the table and fills up the bowls. I can see her swinging the ladle, or whatever that big ass spoon is called around to emphasize her point, but she'd just be making a huge mess if she did that. She's much too mature and mindful. "I took half and the tail."
"You broke the shell. I'm not going be able to cook it the way I usually do." I grouse while I distribute the bowls to everyone at the table. I sigh softly and take a seat, digging into the beef and turtle tail stew. Oh well, Akame just owes me some meat now, and I am going to get what is rightfully mine! I would have gladly shared a little bit of the turtle with her if she asked, but most definitely not the tail because that is my favorite part to eat. But, since she didn't ask me, I don't feel too inclined on sharing.
"There's more turtles in the sea, Isamu."
"Shut up, blondie." I retort sourly, glaring at her with as much annoyance as I can muster. I only receive a feline grin and wink, I don't see Leone as the type to really glare unless she truly hates that person-or whatever it is she sees. She's more of the grab them by the neck and punch them in the face then send a cold glare in their direction.
However, I think my point would have been made clear, but apparently, Leone is more inclined to grin and wink at me when I send her glares than get my point-or she is just ignoring my point.
We eat in relative silence, and I still fume to myself. It's petty, it's just a turtle tail...I can always catch another one, but it doesn't change the fact that was my turtle. I hunted and killed it, it is my nourishment. Damn it, it belongs to me.
"So, you've been staying in Akame's room." Goggles, I think is speaking to me. Because, who else would be in Akame's room with her the majority of the time other than my awkward ass? I already have an idea what he is hinting at. If it was brat I wouldn't be so quick to the point on it being something negative or perverse, but goggles is the resident pervert.
So, there's only one thing on his mind while he is awake basically, and there's only one thing coming out of his mouth. If it's not about boobs and asses it's about someone else trying to get some.
"Yes, I have." I say a bit tersely. Akame and I have done nothing like that, and I doubt we ever will. She is a professional in every aspect, I doubt she even gets those kind of urges or feelings for a ten foot piss ridden pole, let alone an actual person. Man or woman. I have no idea what her preferences are. I doubt she has those sort of feelings and urges in general.
No, if anything I'd bet blondie would try to make a move on me, if I had been staying with her and not Akame, but then again she seems to have something for brat. She'd probably just glance at me and then start picking her nails or something.
So, I guess that'd be out the question too, which only leaves boss lady and she's a bit too coy for my taste, always pushing my buttons...
"It's not like I'm jealous or anything."
I've been thrown for a loop twice now. It's one time too many, and the first time-Akame pulling down my hakama and shamelessly observing every single pore on me was rightfully the first time. I can't say this is rightfully the second time I should be thrown for a loop, but I am because he said it's not like he's jealous or anything...I never said or implied he was, nor did anyone else.
These people are strange...
"I never said you were."
"You know, it's not like she ever invites me. Not that I'd invade her privacy."
Tatsumi sighs audibly.
"What are you going on about?" I rub at my scalp, this is getting to be fucking annoying. I think any woman with a shred of sense and dignity wouldn't let this idiot within three hundred yards of their person. If he was, or is really thinking of taking a peek at Akame or doing anything further, he will be severely disappointed.
She'd use Murasame and cut off his little peter for starters, and before it even got to that point she'd just give him a little blank stare-look at him like the idiot he is.
Also, when and if Akame was changing I am either cleaning my swords, reading the Teigu book, or sleeping. I don't even see her half naked, except when he hunt for food.
"Don't think you can just move in and get all chummy!" He points his finger at me, voice rising a good bit as he makes his point. Well, tries to make his point. I am way too tempted to grab that little finger and just push all the way back and yank to the side.
Now, I have no idea what his point is, considering I haven't gotten chummy with any of them, and for the most part have been frosty. I'm not making moves on Akame, Leone, or boss lady, nor am I getting chummy with them. Maybe we have different perspectives on what chummy actually means and entails. I would think being chummy means I'm rolling around in the hay with these ladies, not glaring at them, scowling at them, or telling them to shut up-Leone.
Also, I didn't move in, I was hauled back here.
"You're a fucking idiot." I say bluntly.
Goggles looks at me like I have ten heads.
"Besides you being an idiot, Lubbs. He's real easy on the eyes." Leone says, and she starts giving me that look again. I watch her eyes focus on my neck, arms, torso, and shoulders. That same look where it's like she's drinking me...Taking off my clothes with her eyes. If she really does go for brat I feel for him, because this blonde is a vixen and a feline on top of that. I doubt he'd get a minute's rest, blondie would just have one thing on her mind and one thing only.
Hopefully he has a lot of vitality and endurance.
This girl really is shameless.
"It's time you go and get Mine, Isamu." Boss cuts through my thoughts, bringing me back to reality before I can even zone out from it. It's getting too common now! I want to be left alone with all of my thoughts, even the crazy ones! I don't want to be cut off from my stupor!
I groan as loud as I can.
"You're full now." Boss doesn't look very impressed with me, but I can see she is eye smiling at me. Oh yes, she's enjoying this as usual. Enjoying pushing my buttons!
I can feel myself struggling to keep a cool head. I am full. I don't want to be around Mine. I don't want to go and get her. But, I have no other reason to stay here now except to do the dishes, and I'm certain Akame will be doing this and saving me the trouble. Really, you shouldn't have gone through the trouble, Akame.
You shouldn't have.
Really. Honestly.
"Well?"
I resist the urge...Press it down to the farthest place in my mind. The urge to punch this table to splinters.
"I'm going..." I grate out through clenched teeth, doing the exact opposite of what I want to do-punch that stupid table to splinters and leave to get the stupid mouthy midget.
It went as well as I could expect, which was just horrible. I knocked on Mine's door, she peeked her head out and then slammed it right on my face. Now, that was just plain fucking rude, and I made sure to tell her just what rude little midget she was. So, then she starts shooting at me with Pumpkin! Thing has a lot of fire power, but I dodge all the shots of course, it's like child's play. For each one I dodge part of the HQ literally goes up in smoke. Neither of us stop, of course, I keep giving her a piece of mind and she just keeps on shooting.
Well, I guess calling her a midget really hit a nerve.
So, after we finished whatever it was that we were doing Mine took me to laundry room. To no surprise there were piles of clothes, which bemuses me since there's not more than ten people living here, but with training and all of that included I suppose they'd need to change their clothes a few times a day.
I resist the urge to smack her upside the head as she orders me to start folding the clean clothes. I can see Akame's outfit—which isn't combined with a skirt, the skirt is the second piece I guess. Huh, well could have fooled me, thing looked like it was all one if you ask me. I fold and stack them making sure to line the corners up as perfect as I can get them, of course Mine has to say something stupid, and I'm tempted to stuff her mouth with a sock.
Next I prepare the dirty clothes to be washed, stuffing them into the huge washer while Mine folds the load that just came out of the dryer. She has this whole array of…Stuff to clean clothes. It's like in powder form and smells like that shampoo Akame rubs in my hair a bit too hard and then tells me to hush after I grouse about her pulling on my knots.
I am a little in awe, because we didn't have this powder flower smelling stuff in my village—nor did we have washers and dryers. It was just basic soap, a bucker, a line and hang dry. We didn't have anything this fancy or close to it.
So I put in the amounts she tells me to and put the washer on the settings she tells me too, though she makes sure to throw in Akame's red tie with what I have to assume are Tatsumi's boxers. Of course, she says something stupid to me, something about folding the shirt wrong, which I wasn't, so I shove her into the washer with the rest of the load.
Leone and boss lady had come in the laundry room at that point seeing me standing there folding clothes nonchalantly while there was a loud and incessant pounding along with screaming coming from the washer.
Surprise, surprise, there was a little pink swirl in the middle of it all.
"You put her in the washer?" Leone asked me in comedic disbelief breaking out in a fit of laughter before falling on her back and busting her gut.
"I assume this was an accident." Boss had leveled a look with me. It wasn't stern or even reprimanding, but I got the feeling she knew I decided to shove Mine in with the rest of the load of dirty clothes and put that thing in spin cycle.
"She's so small." I shrug. "I'm inept."
Boss just smiles at me.
Needless to say once the midget got out of the washer she was so furious. Leone was still laughing, boss looked amused, and I was just standing there pointedly ignoring midget while she glowers at me. She got Pumpkin and started shooting, again.
I rake a hand through my hair, chuckling softly. Quite an eventful day.
It hardly even started.
Moving forward, we're both in the one place I hate the most. The Capital. We're not on Main Street, thank goodness for that. The buildings are all clustered together and lack the prestige the buildings have on Main Street.
There also isn't any buildings forming some sort of 'ceiling' like on Main Street.
The houses themselves appear to be made of wood and cement, mostly wood though judging from the looks of it. They have multiple stories, and are lined with flowers-though there are some that don't have any flowers.
But, for the most part there's a lot of dead flowers and unfertile soil where these flowers had been planted. If it could even be called soil, it is so dry and cracked.
This place reeks of death and despair.
But, I'm still in this rotten capital around so many miserable people-not as much miserable people as on Main Street, but it's still a lot. They all have their heads down, eyes drooping, and mouths in tight lines as opposed to bright smiles.
They live in poverty, put themselves in the situation, and instead of getting out of this rotten hole they decide to stay. Suffering.
There's a few imperial clowns harassing people-they're on their hands and knees covering their heads. Cowering before these clowns. These clowns are probably fresh off of the line and green-I've cut down many that had similar attitudes. The newbies are always more bloodthirsty and have something to prove, they'd kill and kill, beat and stomp, regardless of the person being innocent or not.
The old veterans were more cautious and reserved, they enjoyed killing just as much, but they learned not to let it control them. To not let themselves go mad with blood thirst.
I can't feel bad for people that do themselves in, and then don't take action to get themselves out. As easy as it is to bow their heads to these clowns, they could pack up their shit and get the hell out of here. They could kill them with one draw of a sword.
Do they admire the Empire at first? Come here and then see it for what it truly is, and just lose all resolve. Lose all hope.
Let themselves be kicked and stomped on.
Stand up!
Stop being weak and fight!
I can't stand it here...Seeing people so submissive always bothers me. It bothers me more when they're submissive, and the people they're submitting to start beating them to a pulp. They should have some pride and dignity. Submitting means forfeiting one's life.
"Hey! Hey! What's taking you so long?!"
I barely suppress my sneer as I walk a bit faster, turning my eyes onto another thing dampening my mood besides this doom and gloom atmosphere. Mine. I can't stand this little midget, and I know she can't stand me. There is no give between us, and while we don't try to take from each other, we are still two combustible elements put together in a compressed place-this little city. Sounds like an all-around bad experiment, and a horrible joke if there ever had to be one. Now, she's got that big mouth wide open again, and I wish I had a towel to shove into it and partially down her throat.
"You're supposed to be following me around as my minion, right?"
"You're fucking crazy." I snarl, barely holding back my rage. It's burning at the base of my neck. No. Hell fucking no. I am not a minion, I am the farthest thing from that. This little midget is not about to pull some bullshit rank over me, fuck that shit. I've killed more people than she has-I was killing people before she was even born. I will not even entertain that bullshit. "I'm supposed to be 'learning' all I can from you. You mouthy little midget."
"Don't call me that!"
"Don't even insinuate that I am your minion then."
"Hurry it up!"
I shrug and follow after her. I don't care as long as I got my point across. I am not second to anyone, I'm not arrogant by any means but I'm not going to bow my head or get on my knees. Mine will not be talking to me however she sees fit, no, I'm not going to let her pull that bullshit just because she's a little spiteful shit. Just the same, I'm not going to put on the airs or walk around with a huge ego, because that's just sheer stupidity in my opinion.
Arrogance will lead to death-underestimating foes is the first and last mistake to make next to overestimating one's own offense. I'll respect Mine, as long as she respects me. It's not too much from either of us.
Mine has a real sense of dignity. She's not very arrogant, though it's clear she does have a streak of arrogance. But, the way she holds herself. She's strong, like a mountain. Like Akame.
And, she just as domineering if not worse than Akame…
Now that I think about all of these women are domineering.
Just my luck.
"They're dealing with recession and the political realities of fear...Only one social segment lives in prosperity, the rest are in slums. This is the reality."
I barely nod. She's hit the nail on the head. When one can't have money they despair, that despair is driven further by the terror perpetuated by the empire. In the end the people only worry about surviving. Nothing and no one else is a priority. One social class, segment, give it a name, will always live in prosperity while the rest live in slums, because there will always be those groups of people who think of themselves as divine or godly, and thus have the right to rule over everyone else.
It's why people rule, ruled, and want to rule in the first place. Hubris.
Whether the Empire falls or the Revolution succeeds won't matter as long as people seek to rule over others.
Someone's being choked or strangled... I perk my ears as I hear something like a cry. It sounds like someone is straining. They can't get their breath down and it's starting to hurt them. I've only choked the elites, crushing their windpipes with my bare hands. I was making a point. I didn't do it just to do it. Someone is about to be either be dead or in for a serious reality of what fear truly is.
And, I see it. Or who, better yet. Two guys that have to be at least be in their twenties have a girl with light purple-blue-ish? Hair...They're natives of the capital judging from their weird clothes. The girl can't be older than eleven at the most and one of the men have her pinned against the brick wall with both hands wrapped around her neck. I can see his fingers clenching from where I stand, he's enjoying choking the life out of her.
Seeing her struggle in a futile attempt.
The brat struggles and fights. We all want to live in the end. Nobody wants to die. We fight ferociously so we don't die.
And, she fights as much as she can, which isn't much. But, she fights.
"Don't pick on the weak." Mine's tone just drops and her fiery eyes become jaded.
It's a bit alarming.
"Who are you guys?" The fat one demands, I'm surprised he can wear that jacket and cross his arms over his chest at the same time. No doubt he's bee engorging himself like the fucking slob he is, while the rest of the population starves.
I can feel my hand going for the hilt of one of my katanas.
I hate these kinds of people.
"This girl is a refugee. She has to do what we say." The skinnier of the two says, pointing up at the sky in a priggish manner.
"And?" Mine narrows her eyes more.
I can't hold back any longer. I can't even see my sword flash, the only thing I can feel...That I know is that I connected with these two punk ass fuckers. I roll my neck until it cracks, feeling some satisfaction as their pants fall down to their ankles and their eyes go wide. No, I'm not going to allow them any dignity.
In the same way they've treated this little girl with such cruelty, they too will experience what she did by their filthy hands.
"Both of you." I can feel and hear my tone drop as I point my blade straight at them, anger is creeping into my tone, it's pitted in the bottom of my gut shaking, and it's taking all I have not to send their heads flying. I won't cover this little girl in blood, let alone blood of trash like these two.
"W-What!?" They practically squeal.
How the tables turn, now they cower before me. These little shits. "Take off all your clothes."
They do as I command keeping their laughable underwear on.
"Take off your underwear too."
"Now!" I snap when they hesitate.
"Isamu!" Mine screams, nearly blowing my ear drum I will not so happily add, before turning her head away. "Damn it! Give me a little warning next time! Ugh, I really didn't need to see that!"
"Drop your clothes and get the fuck out of here before I send your heads flying. You little shits." I lash out, taking quick steps forward. I find myself smirking just a little bit as they jump like the little shits they are, and both outright start pissing themselves as they run away, trying to cover themselves in the process. It leaves a nice little trail of shame and pathetic.
Have fun getting back home, there's people everywhere, and it's daylight to boot.
"Not that I disagree with what you did to those assholes, but next time give me a warning." Mine grouses at me, shooting me a light glare before she turns away and starts walking back towards the main street.
"U-Um, thank you-" The little girl finally finds the courage to speak. Her voice is small, and her big eyes are wide.
"Don't thank me. You need to learn to protect yourself." Mine cuts her off before the girl can get going, and takes her leave.
"Sell these clothes, I'm sure they're worth something." I point at the clothes left behind by the two little shits, and for good measure put the jeans into her arms. "Use that money to buy a sword. Stop choosing to be weak."
After I leave the little girl and make sure she was at least well on her way, Mine and I do...
Well, that's just it. We go to a place where they sell food, of course I get something-well a few things, and Mine gets a few things too. Mostly sweets. Our next stop is some store that sell clothes, somehow I'm stuck watching her put bras to her chest...It gets weirder when she asks what do I think. Oh jeez, I don't know Mine?
Maybe that bra is like a size or two too big, maybe I'd rather not envision you in that particular bra, and why are you asking me in the first place? I don't care about the black and red bra and I don't care about the blue and yellow bra, and lucky guess I don't care about the white bra.
Funny thing is, it is actually pretty hilarious if you ask me. Somehow I'm stuck carrying a stack of stuff she's purchased, which isn't exactly too bad. It's easy, and she's not being mouthy at all. She's actually really happy and smiling ear to ear doing this little hum to herself as she skims over a dress in a display window.
I balance the stack easily enough, which is kind of entertaining I guess, as she starts trying on dress after dress and asking me what I think. I offer more of an opinion I guess, it's not as strange as her asking me what I think of her in a bra. But, I still don't know what to say. It's just a dress?
The stack has jumped in height, and it's even more entertaining to balance. There's a little package between these two bigger ones and it's knocking the whole thing off kilter, but I continue to balance it, and somehow defy all odds and get it into the next store-the last according to Mine without the whole thing toppling over on me. So, she wears a maid outfit once we get settled in, and I can't begin to try and explain why. She's ecstatic and can't stop smiling, though, so I just stay quiet and let her bask in whatever this is.
Maid outfit, really Mine? I thought you wouldn't be so cliché.
I finally get to sit down after what seems to be hours and drop the leaning tower of Mine's packages right next to me. We're at this place with fancy tables and chairs, fancy to me at least. I never had actual chairs or tables back in my village, not tables like this at least. We used cushions for chairs, and the tables were low to floor.
There's people around us enjoying themselves, it is refreshing to see happy people for once and not miserable sacks of flesh.
These finger sandwiches, I think they're called, are really good. I could go for a bigger sandwich, but these things are really good nonetheless. I don't eat the one that has cucumbers inside of it, who makes a sandwich with just a cucumber?
Gross, I need some meat!
This really didn't feel like a mission at all, not really at least, we just walked around and I carried all of her stuff around.
Back on the finger sandwiches, I guess there's a certain way to eat them and I'm not supposed to just shovel them into my mouth.
Oh well.
I shove three more into my mouth, glancing at Mine as she shakes her head at my performance.
What can I say? I'm just that good.
"For spring, pink clothes are best…" Mine recites with a smile. She's holding her cup of tea all properly, I haven't even touched my cup because I need a bigger cup. I have big ass hands, and naturally I have big fingers too by extension. This cup is more like a trinket if anything to me.
"Mhm." I nod halfheartedly, resting part of my chin in one of my hands. It's not like you don't wear pink all day everyday and every night, already. No, not at all.
It's spring already? Guess that'd mean my birthday is coming up or has already passed. Makes me twenty three now, yay.
Twenty three years and counting that I've been living in this rotten world. I should have died more than a decade ago along with everyone else in my village. But, I'm stuck here…
"On our days off we have to stretch our wings." She appears to be very pleased with herself and grins a little bit. I wish I could return the gesture, but I am starting to feel extremely bitter. "All right, mission complete."
I'm too tempted to say we just spent the whole day shopping, but I can't be that ignorant. Mine showed me how not to look too suspicious, how to fit in with the crowd and not give anything away. Or, maybe I am investing too much thought in this and she was just lugging me around to carry her stuff around.
I still think the main purpose was to show me how to blend in and fit the role, so to speak. Even if there were fifty million people searching for me, they could never pick me out of this mass of people. I'd fit in along with them that well. Uncanny and quite clever.
There is also the fact we did the laundry, which would teach me how to be more…Meticulous I guess when it comes to my life in general and be extremely organized. Between all of the cycles, proportions of that powder stuff, and having to use hot or cold water it was really a mix of a million things.
Again, I could be putting way too much thought into this.
"You didn't complain once when I had you carry my stuff."
I snort and shake my head. I would have been the biggest fool ever to walk this planet if I even thought about complaining. Women loved to shop probably more than anything, other than talk, and put on makeup. "What woman doesn't enjoy shopping? What woman doesn't enjoy making a man carry all of her crap?"
"You do make a good point." Mine giggles, I think. I got to balance her packages, which proved to entertain me for most of our trek, so it wasn't exactly like I wanted to rip my hair out and peel of my skin for good measure.. "Now then, carry my stuff back to HQ."
"Keep it up and I'm going to shove you in the washer again."
Mine immediately flushes and glares at me, cheeks puffing up. It's a lot like if I had a little sister and I ruffled her feathers, strangely enough. I did have an older sister, and brothers, but not a younger sister or brother. I had been the youngest, unfortunately.
I will say I shoved her in there on accident, and will continue to, but boss already knows that I more than likely did it on purpose. Leone couldn't care less it was just funny to her. "I knew you did that on purpose!"
"I'm inept."
"Yeah right, hurry it up before I lost my patience!"
Yeah, patient my ass. You have the patience of a piece of chocolate, Mine.
I snort softly, wondering how I'm stuck with such domineering women.
This should be fantastic...
