"Record snow falls have been recorded thus far," the clear measured voice of the weather presenter blared out from the television set " The forecast for the weekend is for much more. Temperatures are expected to plummet and..."
Oga turned from the television to the thus far silent maidservant beside him. The black leather of the couch scrunched up as he shifted to face her. Attempting to get her attention, without seeming too keen, he exclaimed to no one in particular "Hope this keeps up," he smiled broadly " I love snow days. No school. No Furuichi. Time to do demon stuff. Yeah!" Oga leant back on the couch, resting the back of his head upon his hands. from the kitchen came a call, " Tatsumi," his mother, eavesdropping as usual, added "It's fine, while you're at home there'll be plenty to do. You can do all the chores around the house for instance."
Pretending that he didn't hear his mother, Oga glanced at Hilda. The demon was turned slightly away from him. Her pale legs were drawn up tightly to her chest and her chin was laid on her knees. She seemed to be attempting to concentrate herself in as little space as possible. Oga reached over and poked the maidservant with his finger. When he received no response he again prodded her shoulder and asked " You alright?"
Still not facing him Hilda replied " Yes. Of course I am" Though she did not mean to, the words came out cold and sharp as though she had snapped at the delinquent. Somewhat taken aback by the sharpness of the reply from the usually cordial demon, Oga turned away. " Ok.." He scratched his head awkwardly "Im going to sleep now. Uh.. Goodnight" he rose and departed, leaving the maidservant huddled on the couch. Damn Oga thought she still won't let it go. Why do I need to hit women? I'm plenty ruthless. Ask Furuichi. Still grumbling to himself Oga walked up the stairs.
Hilda sighed, relieved, as she heard the master's fading footfall. Her response was inappropriate, she conceded. It was not the Master who she was annoyed with. In truth, it was herself she was angry with. If she had been told about her weakness beforehand she would've laughed, then killed whomever it was for such an insult. To think that the demon maidservant to the demon lord himself would be defeated by something as simple as the cold. She was meant to be the elite but this accursed snow storm, raging now, becoming worse and worse, for what seemed like an eternity (actually three days), was getting to her. Shivering, feeling weak and helpless, was something new to her. Curled up now she thought Why? Why could this not be hell? Why could it not be like the demon world? Lava, in rivers, fountains and everywhere in between, meant that she never worried about such things as the temperature. She was worried, not for herself of course, but for her master. If he found out how weak she was, what would be his reaction? She could imagine his disappointment. "You've betrayed me" the dream/thought Oga cried out dramatically, as emotional string instrument music played " I trusted you!" He would dismiss her. A new maidservant, obviously not as caring, powerful or intelligent as herself, would replace her. And she would return to the demon world as a disgrace.
Hilda's eyes flew open and she sat up unsteadily. Unclenching her fists, she felt where her nails had dug into her palms. She looked around to gauge the hour. It was dark. Not a sound was heard. I must have dozed off she thought. She realised just how chilly it was as she stood. She immediately regretted rising from the couch. What little heat that had accumulated between her and the couch promptly vanished in the cold night air, leaving her every bit as miserable as before. The cold bit to the maidservant's very core sending her into uncontrollable shivers. Her extremities were already beginning to feel numb and at this rate she would be nothing more than a large icicle by morning. So Hilda ended up in her room swathed in half a dozen different blankets, rolling, turning and rubbing, in an ineffective attempt to generate heat.
The alarm clock woke Hilda from a fitful half sleep of tossing and turning. She had managed to survive, though barely. Feeling much the worse for wear she got out of bed. It was time for action.
Oga awoke from his immensely satisfying sleep. He lazily opened his eyes. He rejoiced once again at his temporary freedom. Looking forward to the day, he rolled over. His hazy vision alighted upon a large black thing standing over his bed. Irrational childhood fears resurfaced, of bogeymen and ghosts, as he panicked. The black thing had a roughly humanoid shape though it was stocky in build, it's arms and head abnormally thick and large. It gesticulated wildly and made muffled sounds. Oga's horror grew as it closed in, arms outstretched.
Oga let loose a cry, half scream, half battle cry and reached out to seize his assailant. His hand seized upon the creature's hide, the corded muscles of his forearms bulging. He raised his other hand in preparation to strike as he pulled the monster towards himself. He had overestimated the seemingly-behemoth beast's weight however and instead of pulling it somewhat closer to himself he ended up with the surprisingly light thing in his lap. Dangling off the bed, the its pair of slender legs kicked about wildly.
Oga looked down at his lap and found one green eye staring back from the centre of what was the overly tightened hood of a large black parka. Muffled sounds were uttered as it pushed off his lap. The large black parka made movement awkward and it took a moment for the thing to right itself. Still mumbling incoherently, its hands fumbled at the hood's cord. As the hood came loose the thing exclaimed " Master!"
"Tatsumi!" Mrs Oga called out from the kitchen" Go down to the supermarket and stock up on the usual." Oga, watching television, grunted. " Doesn't my lazy arse sister do the shopping?" Before he had time to realise his mistake, Oga was out the front door, courtesy of said sister's foot. Pulling his face out of the snow and shaking his head vigorously he shouted out, " I was going to go, you idiot!"
Hilda watched the Master wipe the cold dirty snow off his face and shivered in the ridiculously large parka. He stood up and waited expectantly by the door. He was waiting, she knew, for his faithful maidservant. Hilda hesitated for a moment. She could not show any weakness in the master's presence. It can't be much worse outside she reassured herself. Breathing in deeply, steeling herself, she strode through the doorway. It was much worse.
Oga looked about as he half waded through the snow. Luckily the blizzard seemed to have died down. At least he could see where he was going. The sno,w that was everywhere but in the air, gave the surroundings an almost dreamlike quality. All Oga could see was white, white covered or white tinted. Behind him, Hilda followed. She, however, could barely see, due to how tightly the hood of the parka was scrunched over her face. Her slender legs stuck out the bottom of the large coat and she felt every snow flake on her skin. The cold bit into her. The parka was less effective then it's impressive size would suggest she thought. Waddling through the ankle height snow, she fixed what little field of view she had on the Master's back and followed.
Oga looked over his shoulder at the large black mass with two spindly legs that followed him. Hilda's change in attire, though appropriate to the weather, was rather unusual. The standard maidservant's garments and the dozen or so spares she kept were all that he had seen her wear. Ever. It's about time he thought. When quizzed, she had explained that she simply felt like it, shrugged and promptly vanished.
Hilda's relief could not be expressed in words. She could almost see the heat radiating from the home as the Master dropped the groceries and opened the front door. His hand twisted the ornate knob and as he flung the door open Hilda felt the heat wafting from the entrance. Drawn to it, she shuffled towards salvation on her cold numbed feet but stopped when the master did not enter. Instead he stood, blocking the door, holding a mobile phone to his ear. For a moment Hilda felt the strong urge to tackle him and take both of them into the haven that was the Oga family residence. She resisted though and waited dutifully by his side in the cold, albeit impatiently.
" Furuichi?" Oga tried not to show his displeasure at hearing the delinquent's voice. " What's up?" As Hilda hopped up and ran in circles, maniacally carving out a circle in the snow, to warm up her legs, Oga listened. Enthusiastically he replied " Yeah! Definitely! I'll meet you there." He turned, meeting Hilda's pleading gaze for a moment, and explained " Snow ball fight" he grinned. Excited, he set off for the soon to be battlegrounds of Ishiyama High.
Hilda looked to the master's shrinking figure as he ran off into the cold haze. Then she looked in the other direction at the still open front door. The soft glow of the lights promised comfort and rest. The warmth was so tempting. She couldn't tear her eyes from it.
She still looked longingly at the home as it vanished from sight, swallowed up by the haze. The master had a sizable lead but she was making up the distance quickly. Her body protested, with whatever energy it had left, as she went after him. With each passing second she regretted her decision more and more. She felt weaker and weaker as the cold sapped her strength. Though her life force whittled away, she still pressed on until the gates of Ishiyama High were reached. Relieved and honestly unable to do much else Hilda collapsed upon a snow covered bench and scanned the already begun battle. The master was simple to locate. He was the one who dominated all others, as was only proper.
Curled up upon the bench, watching the master's handiwork, Hilda's senses weren't so dull that she didn't feel a familiar, not to mention unwelcome, presence beside her. " I'd recognise those legs anywhere ," Furuichi slid onto the bench next to her. For a moment she even considered sitting beside the maggot for his body heat. However, she decided that one such as herself should never sink that low, even as desperate as the situation was. So she shuffled away, to the farthest reaches of the bench. She was too cold to even shiver. Feeling helpless, she sank down onto the bench. Her senses were numbed, feeling in her body faded. Her vision clouded and began to fade. Her last sight was of Oga. Her hand, trembling, reached out to him. Then darkness. All consuming darkness.
Oga thanked Furuichi with a friendly slap across the back. It sent the wiry delinquent into the snow. As he waited for his friend to dislodge himself, Oga exclaimed " That was great! Thanks for the invite. I'm the champion of snow ball fights!" Oga checked his gloves and found a little blood upon the knuckles. Where did that come from he thought it's not mine. After a minute Furuichi escaped from the snow and spitting out the remaining ice from his mouth said " You do know that you only won because you started using your fists?" Oga considered it for a moment. He may have he conceded punched a handful of individuals. No he thought more like three. Maybe four. Accidentally of course.
The two worked their way through the snow over to the bench. It took them a moment to spot her. Hilda was laying down upon the bench, a thin layer of pure white snow had built up over her giving her the appearance of a large mound of snow. Oga crouched down and nudged the maidservant. " Oi Hilda, we're done, let's go home." There was no reply. Oga was somewhat disappointed that she had missed the action. I'll drag your sleepy arse back home then he thought and hoisted her onto his back. The bulkiness of the parka made it difficult but he was finally able to get her in a piggy back position. Giving Furuichi a wave, he set off. Atop him, Hilda remained deathly still.
It wasn't the jostling or annoyed mutterings and curses that awoke Hilda from her deep slumber. She regained consciousness when she felt a peculiar heat flowing into body. It pulled her back from the brink of that very cold dark place. It was like life itself was flowing back into her veins. Snow fell about her face as she shook herself awake. Though she still felt cold it was nothing like the brink of death chill that she felt before. Even as her grogginess faded so did the chill recede. The ground bounced slightly and she reflexively grabbed onto the nearest hand hold. Holding onto a fistful of clothe, she looked down and found the source of both the commotion and the warmth. The master grumbled quietly, unaware that his charge had awoken. Hilda was about to dismount but something told her that it wasn't the time. So she let her worries melt away. She uttered a small contented sigh. Enjoying the comfort and warmth she snuggled into the master's back and, for the first time in a week, fell into a peaceful, not to mention comfortable, slumber. Carrying her, Oga felt the maidservant relax and smiled.
Oga stepped through the door and immediately felt three pairs of eyes drilling into his back and what was on his back. Ignoring his family he made for the stairs, almost jogging in a bid to escape. As he ascended, he overheard his parents' excited whispers. "They are so cute together." His mother, apparently feeling rather nostalgic, sighed " Ah.. The joys of young love." Oga would've gone downstairs to complain and correct them, but something held him back. Perhaps he just didn't give a shit anymore.
Watching the maidservant sleep Oga felt strangely contented. For once the hyperactive demon seemed to be truly at peace. The gentle rise and fall of the large mound consisting of Hilda, the parka and four blankets had a calming influence on the delinquent. Unable to help himself, Oga smiled. Damn he thought I'm getting soft. Still smiling he left. Upon the bed Hilda shifted slightly and gave a small moan of displeasure as the cold began to creep in.
She awoke feeling empty. Perhaps it was just the chill that penetrated once again to her bone marrow. Or perhaps it was because something was missing. She sat up, pulling off multiple layers and even the black parka. They didn't help much anyway. Shivering now, she wrapped her arms around herself. Something was missing. She stepped to the door and pulled it open. Though it was pitch black, she had memorised the home's layout and made her way down the hall. She didn't even know exactly what she wanted but, impulsively and therefore rather unlike her, she knew where to find it. So she wandered down the hall until she came to his door.
She slid the door open as quietly as possible and glided in on tip toes. The master snored loudly yet somehow peacefully on his bed. Hilda stood over him and watched the almost serene expression on his moon illuminated features. She sat down next to his prone form. Even at this distance she could feel the heat radiating off him. He was like a brilliant beacon amidst an ocean of darkness. She reached out, extending one hand. It hovered hesitantly over Oga's cheek for a moment. Hilda pulled her hand back and looked at it then back at Oga.
Carefully so as not to awaken the delinquent from his slumber, she lifted the blanket and hopped into the bed. She shuffled herself over to his side and immediately felt, for the second time, the soft, comforting warmth of his body. Contented, she snuggled into his side. As Hilda's body warmed and her discomfort melted away she felt sleep tugging gently at her. She should be careful. Her mind drifted away. She should awaken at her usual hour. The master would be asleep and no questions would be asked. She should...
Oga felt the kind of warmth that kept him in bed. The kind of comfort that would see him laze about in bed for hours, neither awake nor asleep. His eyes, half lidded stared at the ceiling. It was a perfect moment. From below, like the screech of nails upon chalkboard, his mother shouted out " Tatsumi, you've been up there the entire morning. Get up. You got chores to do." Bullshit Oga thought this was probably some ploy involving ridiculous exaggeration in order to get him up. Besides he was usually awoken in the morning, at exactly seven, by Hilda. Oga heard the heavy thump of his mother's footsteps as she ascended the stairs no doubt to pull him unceremoniously from his bed. Oga heard the door open. " Tatsu..." His mother stopped mid sentence. Oga waited an awkwardly long time for something to happen. When his mother made no noise he sat up intending to voice his protests but found himself strangely heavy. What he thought groggily. He looked down to his side, his vision still hazy. Alongside him was another bump underneath the blanket and he traced its shape up until he came to a mass of blonde hair. "Wah?" In response the blond hair shifted slightly and Oga felt something nuzzling his shoulder. His mind, still half asleep, processed the information slowly. Hilda?!
Oga looked to his mother, who stood in the doorway, one hand held to her mouth then back at the demoness beside him. He felt a great heat rising up within him, concentrating in his face, until he thought that he must've resembled a ripe tomato. He gave a small whimper and collapsed back down. He glanced at the sleeping maidservant quickly and tried to regain possession of his arm. Hilda, would have none of it however, and she made a few sounds of general displeasure and clung even tighter to him. So he lay beside the demon, feeling the pressure build up within him. His mother vanished for a moment and returned with the entire family. They whispered excitedly amongst themselves but none made a move to assist Oga. So taking matters into his own hands Oga tore off his shirt, which Hilda still held tightly, and leapt out he window. He landed head first in a snow drift and sighed contently as the snow cooled him off.
Narrowly avoiding hypothermia, Oga entered the home to a torrent of questions. His family shouted over each other to be heard. " Tatsumi!" All three shouted at the same time. "Do we get grand children?" His parents begged. Misaki pushed in and asked " Do I get my room back?"
Oga, relieved at finally escaping his family, sat by his bed. He was careful to stay out of the sleeping maidservant's reach. He had lost another shirt to her mere minutes ago when he made the mistake of wandering too close. After what seemed like an hour, Hilda finally stirred. Her arm searched about beneath the blanket. It reached out further and further, desperately, until it found Oga, who was only just too slow to escape, and grabbed on tight. The vice like grip fixed around the poor delinquent's hand. In an attempt to escape Oga used the only thing he had: Brute force. He yanked his hand back, his back and upper arm muscles tensing mightily. The demon didn't relinquish her grip. Oga fell off the bed and Hilda followed landing on top of him, still holding onto his hand. That was how the Oga family found their youngest member, lying not the floor with a half asleep Hilda sprawled atop him. Of course, their interpretation of the scene, much to Oga's chagrin, involved young love and grandchildren.
Hilda's eyelids fluttered. That she thought was truly the most blissful rest she had ever experienced. Now she needed to wake the master and pretend nothing had happened. She reached about for the blanket but her hands found thin air. Nor was she able To locate the master. Still not fully awake, the maidservant looked around her. Why was she on the floor? As she pushed herself up, she was alerted to Oga's presence beneath her. A muffled grunt. One of her hands was pressed, deeply and apparently rather painfully, into his face, she realised. Removing her hand, leaving a large red patch on Oga's face, Hilda faced her master. She had overslept!
"Hilda, are you cold?" Oga watched the demon pale even further at his words. Hilda, furious at her own lack of discipline, waited grimly for the end. It was too pleasant and comfortable. She couldn't resist it. She feared that she may have laid there forever had it not been for Mrs Oga's intervention. Her master watched her reaction carefully, no doubt preparing to dismiss her.
This was the turning point, Oga knew, like in his new favourite show Elementary. It was somewhat dumbed downed and nitro charged with fast paced everything to appeal to a mainstream audience but the detective work really inspired him. At this moment he felt just like Sherlock. His deductive reasoning and attention to detail had allowed him to piece together the truth and the obligatory smart-arse explanation would follow. When Hilda remained silent he began, trying to sound as smart as possible, " You were shivering.." Oga stopped realising that he had just run out of explanation to give. At a lost for words, he filled in the time with non committal sounds like ahh and uhh. This was, apparently, much harder than it appeared to be on television.
"I understand if you don't want me here any longer" Hilda directed her eyes to the ground as she spoke quietly. She interpreted his silence as agreement and moved to the door. As she reached for the door knob she found her hand taken gently, almost tenderly in another.
Oga was more confused than anything else and moved to stopped the demon. He reached out and stopped her. She turned her questioning green eye on him. " What are you talking about?" Oga put on his serious expression " I wouldn't want you anywhere but here with me." Almost immediately Oga's rational side reminded him of her cooking but he put the thoughts aside just as quickly. He grinned, in a reassuring way he hoped, and said " Don't worry, I got this!"
Hilda looked at the rubber thing that the master had presented her with. It seemed rather unremarkable. It was a dark maroon in colour with a plastic cap on the top. How was this meant to defeat the cold? She shook it about and smacked it experimentally into the ground. It did not seem to do much.
Oga waited eagerly, though he wouldn't admit it, for the maidservant's joyful smile. All he got was a confused expression. So together they went downstairs for Oga had no idea how a hot water bottle worked.
After scalding himself several times, Oga finally was able to fill the hot water bottle. He handed the bloated, hot, thing to Hilda, who held it for a moment. As the heat seeped into her from it she realised what a truly remarkable device it was. She hugged it to her chest and pulled in the master as well. Words could not express her gratitude. From then on the maidservant and hot water bottle were inseparable. She refilled it almost exactly every two hours and kept it with her everywhere.
Oga gulped as the plate was laid in front of him. No good deed goes unpunished apparently. Hilda's gratitude had taken physical form in the guise of one of her special meals. At a glance, though Oga knew this to be a dangerous way of thinking about such dishes, the croquette looked nothing like the usual culinary assassination attempt. They seemed as golden, innocent and demon free as any normal meal. Hilda clutched the hot water bottle to her chest as she watched his reaction keenly.
Oga bit into the morsel. At first he thought that it must have somehow numbed his senses for there was no sudden burst of spiciness or much else. The outer layer crunched loudly in his mouth as he bit all the way through. A burst of flavour, savoury yet not overly so, filled his mouth. His sweat glands ceased their working and his salivary glands started up. Machine like, Oga processed the remaining croquettes at a prodigious rate. The delicious meal finished and himself, surprisingly, sated Oga leant back and smiled broadly.
Mrs Oga, seeing her son's reaction, gave Hilda a thumbs up. The maidservant acknowledged with a nod. The master's mother had been instrumental in the meals success. Without her instruction Hilda would never have known not to use the whole tin of chilli powder. Who would've considered such a thing? Hilda could not help but smile fondly as she watched the master sigh in satisfaction.
Oga still smiled as he lay in bed trying to fall asleep. It really felt satisfying, helping her, he thought. Not to mention the genius stroke that was the hot water bottle. Perhaps he should pursue a career in medicine. Then again he thought considering the some what inconsistent nature of my empathy maybe not. Still absorbed in his own thoughts he didn't hear the door open. It wasn't until his blanket lifted did he realise Hilda was in the room. Before the delinquent could protest or escape, a hot water bottle was tossed in beside him. Hilda followed, snuggling against his side and pressing the hot water bottle firmly between them. She gripped him possessively as she nuzzled him gently. Oga lay for moment, unsure of what to do. Fuck it he thought. Getting her out would be too much trouble. It wasn't that bad. He looked at her. In the soft moonlight he could see her lips curve in a small contented smile. He smiled too. Not bad at all...
Thanks for reading this. Its inspiration was Frayner's "Warm Days, Cold Nights", which I really recommend. After this warm (cold?) little tale, its back to the juicy bits next chapter. Saotome and Yolda make their debuts as Oga realises, hopefully, that he isn't toughest guy around. Until then :D