A/N: Hey again! It's been a while (blame epic-writer's-block), but I finally have another chapter ready to go! I've gotten more reviews and I couldn't be happier! Thanks particularly to Kiss of the Breeze for taking so much time to critique and review every single one of my chapters. I'm elated to know that you loved 'em. If you have any more questions just ask me, I'll be happy to answer. I know my writing can be kind of spotty at times (i jump from one thing to the next) but trust me, it's a lot better than it use to be.
In light of the coming New Year (and the receding Christmas holiday) I give you the next installment: (smells like) Brand New Bedsheets, in hopes that I will finish this fic sometime in 2011 and that it's ending will be a bucket of AWESOME. Or at least cute.
Disclaimer: story is mine. that is all.
(smells like) Brand New Bedsheets
Saki froze when she heard the noise. It sounded faintly like footsteps, but she dare not hope. And then she heard the voices, and her heart hopped in her throat. There was someone in the hall and they were coming this way.
When she left the bedroom, Saki immediately pursued snacks, but instead became side-tracked by voices from the hall. Originally, she promised herself she wouldn't let anything interrupt her initial snack-search…that promise died quick. Not her fault, because it wouldn't have been interesting if the burly man had continued talking. She soon came to learn that he was just another resident in the building. Her real concern was the quiet, soft-spoken man that she would've easily mistaken for a girl had she not felt his state of being; a man in control…whose control was slipping. She felt he was looking for something; for someone.
Firmly pressing her ear against the door, she listened carefully for a name. A few moments of silence reigned and she realized the conversation had ended. Did the man get what he came for?
"Knock, knock." The voice was mockingly soft and menacing.
Saki moved away from the door. He knew she was there, listening. It even seemed safe to say, he knew how close in proximity she was to the door enough to know how loud he need be.
Should she open the door?
He continued, sickeningly sweet. "I know you're in there." She wasn't buying it.
Still it could be a maintenance check. Maybe something had gone wrong with the electrical. Even though everything seemed to be working fine here, there might have been a bigger problem to cause an evacuation after that storm. But…
"Then you realize…I'm not letting you in." she replied, standing firmly against the door.
The man on the other side laughed. "Come now, child. Why would I need you to let me in…when I have the key?"
Momentarily freezing, Saki processed his question before grabbing the door-knob with a ferocity that belied her nature. It jiggled once. He laughed again. But he was angry. She knew he was. The door handle jiggled violently the second time as the rim of the door came crashing in to her. For a split second her world went white.
She heard a thunderous boom and realized it was the door flying open so hard it ricocheted off the wall and back in to its closing position. The muffled part of the boom was a result of blood rushing through her ears.
Saki was on the floor now, alone in Hatori's condo, pinned by a mad man. She looked in to gleefully evil eyes. "You're…Akito?"
"No Witch is allowed within my estate!" he insinuated the "witch" with a crunch from her wrist. Saki screamed in pain as her hand seemed to be consumed by internal flames that bounded from her palm to her wrist and finally to her elbow. "If Hatori won't get rid of you…I'll do it myself!"
Another harrowing cry was preceded by the snap of her final wrist. But Akito's attention had drifted away from the girl, his eyes finding solace in the destination of the bedroom. Saki panted heavily, ignoring the pangs of pain devouring her hands, and focused solely on the reflection in Akito's dead eyes.
He was staring at Hatori's bedroom. Though the word 'staring' didn't quite describe what his eyes were doing. It was a menacing 'stare'; as if he had seen the glimpse of someone darting in to the room, hiding from his individual onslaught. Akito began to stir above her. As though he were in a trance, he pushed away from her, his hands releasing her wrists in a slack motion. Stepping over her limp body, he headed to the door.
Suddenly Saki lit up with a new found fear. Of course he had seen someone. How could she have forgotten? The only person left was…
"Hatori Run!"
XXXX
Hatori sat up, gasping for air, seemingly choking on Saki's words as if they were his own; having emitted from his own mouth, fears and doubts. He covered his sweaty face with his palms, massaging the skin in the cover of darkness. It was so real. He ran a hand through his hair. So fucking real…
The light flicked on, scaring the darkness out of every corner. "Hatori-san?" Came the airy voice only Tohru could possess, a hint of sleep and a yawn rising up out of the depths of her throat. Her lips produced smacking noises before realization hit and her eyes popped wide open. "Hatori-san! I'm so sorry! I completely forgot you were staying with us tonight!"
Before Tohru could start a tangent of rambles Hatori interrupted her. "It's quite alright, Tohru. How's your ankle?"
"Oh!" she looked down, sporting her bandage proudly "Much better, thank you. I don't believe it was necessary for Shigure-san to go through all that trouble finding you to help me though. It's just a small sprain."
"Even a sprain can lead to a fracture. If left untreated many wounds will only get worse." He sighed. "Don't sell yourself short just because you think you're burdening others, Miss Honda."
"Uh…Yes, sir." She stammered, patiently wavering by the arch before moving forward and sitting on the other side of the table he was using for a bed. "And, please, it's Tohru."
With the small traces of a smile on his face, Hatori nodded. "Of course. As long as you refrain from calling me 'sir'"
"Deal." She giggled.
It was hard to imagine Tohru got up for no reason, but Hatori didn't have the means, not to mention the concern, to pry. He was physically and mentally exhausted, the only thought consuming his mind being that of sleep. How many hours had gone by? Were they even hours at all or was it merely minutes? Can nightmares reoccur twice?
Bleakly he looked up. He must have grumbled one of those questions out-loud because the look on Tohru's face was pure Kodak. And it was quite hysterical. If he weren't so tired, he might have chuckled. A little. Perhaps.
Then again probably not.
"Hatori-san?"
"Hmm?" was all he managed to muster without the loll of his tongue or rolling of his head on the table. He wanted to though. Oh, how he wanted to.
"Umm, if it's not too bold of me to say, you don't normally seem so willing to spend the night here…actually, I don't think I can remember you ever staying here. Just the vacation home. Is…something wrong, perhaps?" she paused. And with the pause the silence ensued.
Silence terrified Tohru, as we all know, it made her nervous. Unbelievably nervous. And it made her think; about things that mattered, but mostly about those that didn't. With that, her mind wandered to less important matters. Matters that involved Hatori being angry with her and deciding to never speak to her again for being so nosy; which eventually led to how her behavior would make her mother cry from disappointment.
And as the thoughts continued to drive, the silence followed; Hatori drifting asleep along the way. When Tohru finally felt the wave of panic reaching the shores, she broke and let the mile-a-minute-babble spill. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have pried! I'm just really terrible at these kinds of things, you probably just missed seeing Shigure, after all. He is your long-time friend. Besides even if something was wrong it's your business, not mine…"
"Tohru..." Hatori sighed, inciting a yawn to pursue.
"Y-yes?"
"My problems don't concern you, yes, but not because I feel you are being too forward or prying too deep. I'd rather not involve anyone because the consequences could be that much more damaging. If I confessed and brought danger upon you, I would be unable to forgive myself."
Like with Kana, she thought briefly, sadly. "Oh."
"Be content knowing that I appreciate your concern. And if it helps more, I haven't had dinner that remarkable in decades. The maids cooking cannot compare."
She blushed, giving her obvious embarrassment away like a shining beacon. "It's not all that great. I'm sure Shigure's dinners were just as good, if not better when he cooked."
"When he cooked…" Hatori scoffed "…more like when he experimented. He's a mad scientist in the kitchen. That's why Yuki always did the cooking. And his wasn't much better…or so I've heard. Point is: you've done this household nothing, but good, Tohru. And I hope you decide to continue that, though it is no place of mine to ask."
"I will!" she put a fist to her chest, determination sinking in "I don't want to leave and I'll do anything to keep it this way!"
He smiled. "Good to hear. Now, if you don't mind, I think sleep is in order."
Tohru smiled and gently got up, walking his way. She patted his shoulder. "Will you at least take my bed for the night? I worry with you sleeping at the table."
"It's as good as a bed."
"But not good for your back." Tohru extended her hand "Come on."
For a minute, Hatori simply gazed at the hand. It was soft-looking, almost elegant, yet somehow childish. Thin, yet thick; yielding and solid. He shook his head and nodded. This sleep was getting to his train of thought. "I'll sleep in a room, on one condition: the bed is not yours."
She laughed. "I don't want to single out Kyo, but I did just replace his bed sheets."
"Perfect."
