Chapter Eight
The new pills did not work. Kid started out with just one as he came back up the stairs. He waited for a few hours, sitting with his back against the wall, trying to focus on just breathing, but nothing happened. He downed two more, but those didn't help either. He spent the night with his back against the door and his fingers pressed into his throat. He knew it was morning, even though the drapes were pulled shut. He'd counted the minutes in an effort to keep himself sane.
Thankfully, the attacks tended to spike at night rather than during the day. When Liz knocked on his door midmorning, he was able to stand up an answer it. By ten, the trio had headed into town to start their shopping.
They didn't need much furniture, Kid had provided them with that, so they started with things like paint, curtains, bedspreads, and all of the other accessories that made up the typical girl's room.
Patti had gone with a pale blue for paint and had found several things that were in an animal theme. Kid wasn't quite sure why she'd gone this route—it was almost like a toddler's room, but as long as she'd enjoy it, he didn't really mind. Liz had gone with a dusty rose color for her paint. He room was done in a simple manor—not really a theme, but with her fabrics black, lime green, and a dark magenta. Again, her room wasn't exactly Kid's speed—he hadn't pegged her as the girly type upon their first meeting—but he wouldn't complain. He wanted them to be comfortable.
After paying for the items and having them to be shipped to the manor along with painters to get the job done, they headed to a few other stores so that the girls could get some clothes. Kid had never cared much for shopping, even when it was back with Mayu and Mitsu. How girls could try on so many different clothes, and then buy completely different things had always been something befuddling to him. However, he did notice right away that Liz and Patti had very different clothing tastes than his previous partners.
They like a lot of color and asymmetry in their clothes. It was strange, but at the same time drove Kid just a little crazy.
He cleared his throat, "Girls, I don't mind the color, but could we make more symmetrical choices?"
"Oh, yeah," Liz was flipping through a rack, "You did say something about being a symmetry freak."
"I don't mind all the color," he looked, "But maybe you two could find something that matches? At least for a mission."
"Hm…" Liz looked, "Patti, what do you think about that?"
"Let's do it!" Patti cheered as she jumped up from the center of a clothing rack, causing the elder two to burst into laughter. They already seemed completely different from the two girls that had tried to jump him only yesterday—it felt like it had been years since then.
The two eventually settled on matching red crop tops, white jackets (with matching hats), and denim bottoms. Of course, Liz's bottoms were jeans, and Patti's were shorts, but at least their outfits kind of matched.
Once they finished their shopping, they walked back to the manor, all three loaded up with shopping bags. When they arrived home, the painters had finished their jobs, and the paint was dry, so he left the girls to organize their rooms accordingly. Kid headed back downstairs to the living room, laying back on the sofa with his eyes closed. He lay there for a long time, just holding his breath, because he didn't have to breathe. Sometimes not breathing helped him clear his head.
He was doing alright until the doorbell rang. He opened his eyes before glancing up at the clock on the wall. Stein is the only person that would show up at this hour, but he typically called first. Kid pulled himself up and crossed over to the door. He pulled it open just a crack, only to have it throws open the rest of the way by his father.
"Kiddo!" the older grim reaper pulled his son into his arms, hugging him something fierce and swinging him back and forth as he did so, "I've been trying to get ahold of you through the mirrors all day! Don't tell me you don't have time for your dear old dad anymore!"
"Dad, stop it!" Kid pushed him away, straightening his clothes, "What the hell is that all about? You never come here anymore."
"I wanted to see you," his dad was cloaked by his usual mask and cloak—he was even talking in that stupid fake voice he used around the students at the DWMA, "And I wanted to investigate those new partners of yours."
Kid rolled his eyes, "Dad, I told you, we're fine. We'll start training tomorrow."
"But I want to meet them today," Lord Death bounced right on past his son, "Where are they? Where are they?"
"Dad," Kid groaned, "Please, just go home. This is point—"
That was when Patti came flying down the stairs with Liz tailing after her, "Patti! Stop! I told you we should let them be!"
Once Patti reached the bottom stair, Liz had caught up with her, and the two tumbled to the ground in a tangle of arguing limbs.
A sweat drop formed at the corner of Lord Death's mask before turning to look at his son, "Is this them?"
Kid brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "Girls, what on earth are you doing?"
That was when the twins' words rained down on him like a hail storm. Apparently, Patti had gotten excited at the doorbell ringing, the two heard everything, and Patti had come racing down the stairs before Liz could stop her. Kid sighed, "Girls, this is my father. Dad, this is Liz and Patti; my new weapon partners."
Lord Death bounced a bit in excitement, "Hello Girls!"
"Hi!" Patti returned with equal enthusiasm.
"Um, hello?" Liz offered, but was still clearly confused about the whole scenario.
"Now that you've met them, Dad," Kid grumbled, "Won't you please let us be? Can't we continue this tomorrow?"
After some persuading, Lord Death did leave.
But he also promised to be back bright and early the next morning.
