Mystic: I would like to apologize for taking so long with this chapter. With school and everything else, it really slowed down getting this chapter done. Not to mention I had writer's block for the first scene. But at last it's done and I can finally hand it to all the people who were waiting! So here it is and I hope you all enjoy it.
On a side note, it finally rained after about a year over here! I remember what rain looks like now! Which is a good thing considering I need to remember what rain was like and how it felt for a future scene. I'm rambling now…
XD Anyway enough about me, here's the next chapter everyone!
Disclaimer: I do not have the fortune, luck, and all-around-blessedness to own Mai HiME. Sunrise owns everything. P
The sunlight burst behind her eyelids, creating a momentary vision of bright red and yellow. Shizuru jolted up in bed as soon as she felt something bounce upon the mattress and reach toward her face, intent on the daily routine of sloppy hellos. The brunette groaned as she tried to bat away Duran's face. The dog barked before jumping off the bed, scampering around the room looking here and there.
Red eyes blinked and one fist rubbed them sleepily. Shizuru stared with a half-awake expression at the figure moving about her room, opening the curtains wide. A mane of sapphire hair swished as the younger girl darted to her closet and opened it, grabbing a pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt. Then the Noble rushed to her nightstand and opened the dresser, taking out a pair of undergarments. After that, her hands quickly gathered an extra set of clothes and stuffed them in a sack.
Shizuru watched the strange spectacle with growing confusion. As soon as Natsuki was near her, the older girl grabbed her master's sleeve and tugged on it. Emerald eyes peered up into crimson red. "Get up and get dressed Fujino! Swimming lessons start today." Natsuki pushed the clothes into the brunette's arms and dragged her to the restroom, shoving her with the command of 'hurry up'.
Shizuru blinked at the closed door with a bewildered face. It was a first seeing the Noble up earlier than her. Yawning, the brunette shed her clothes and pulled on her outfit as fast as her half-awake mind allowed her. Slipping out of the bathroom Shizuru found Natsuki tapping her foot impatiently. The cobalt-haired girl straightened and grabbed her, walking out of the room quickly. Shizuru let out a groan as she felt herself being pulled away from her bed and out into the day.
Bye bye bed.
--xxxXXXxxx--
A quick breakfast and an even quicker goodbye to Saeko landed the two girls in the nearby forest, surrounded by tall oak trees. Duran had been left back at the household with the other two Kugas and thus left the two girls alone with each other.
Spring lavished the air with warmth and happy birds twittered within the dark branches. The scent of the forest was enough to wake her from her trance. Shizuru glanced around at the thick vegetation, excitement beginning to replace the drowsy look. A strong, earthy and musky scent wafted toward her, chasing away the thoughts of more slumber. Leaves parted and patches of sunlight dappled the ground. The warm rays tinged Natsuki's hair with a hint of gold, the dark strands bouncing as the girl jumped over a log. Shizuru followed that flowing mane with loyal footsteps.
"We're almost there." Natsuki said as she walked along a faded path. The sound of rushing water began to pound in Shizuru's ears as she followed her master. Anxiety as well as excitement pumped through her veins.
Pushing aside the low branch of a tree, the younger girl gestured for Shizuru to come closer. The brunette jumped over a set of roots and made her way over. Natsuki smiled slightly as she parted a small thicket. "Here it is." She whispered proudly as she stepped to the side and made a swooping gesture with her arm.
Crimson eyes widened at the sight. Just a little ways into the thicket, a crystal clear waterfall poured over a set of smooth, gray rocks, ending in a small lake at the bottom. The water trickled calmly at the edges, damping the soil near its shore. Lily pads floated on the water's surface and Shizuru thought she saw little fish swimming underneath. The waterfall wasn't too big, just the right size to make the small lake a picture of soothing peace. Looking past the flowing water, the faint outline of a cave could be seen. Since the waterfall wasn't too big, the cave was just a crack in the rock wall, just big enough to let someone slip in without having to squeeze through. A large boulder stood off to the side, fit for sitting or taking small dives into the water. The lake was just deep enough to swim or float.
"Didn't I tell you this was a perfect place for swimming lessons?" Natsuki asked as she walked over to the water's edge and placed a small sack of extra clothes down. The Noble stretched and let out a sigh. Shizuru chose this moment to slink near her master, eyeing her with a curious face. One green eye peeked open and glanced at the older girl. Natsuki chuckled at her slave's expression and patted her shoulder, something Shizuru found uplifting and odd at the same time.
Is something wrong?
"Come on, let's get started." Natsuki's quiet voice broke her from her thoughts. The girl proceeded to take off her shoes and place them on the ground. She rolled up her sleeves and pants. Shizuru waited patiently behind Natsuki, rocking back on the heels of her feet. Unlike her master, she only needed to pull off her socks. Thanks to the simple outfit she wore, courtesy of the Noble, she didn't have to roll anything up.
Natsuki stepped back a bit after she was done and gestured to the water. "First things first, get in." The green-eyed girl instructed.
Maple eyes flicked back to the younger girl in surprise and then flicked over to the body of water. Shizuru gulped, remembering the suffocating feeling from the lake. Even though the water wasn't deep, she couldn't shake off her paranoia. Her skin prickled as she got closer to the lake. Crimson eyes gazed down at the calm surface, delving into the dark blue underneath. A shiver ran down Shizuru's spine and her enthusiasm dropped. Suddenly she didn't feel like going into the shallows. The brunette gulped and took a step back. She would have gotten farther too if not for the hand that roughly grabbed her wrist and led her into the shallows.
Shizuru yelped slightly as she was pulled by Natsuki. Her eyes shot up, worriedly looking at the younger girl's face. Taking notice of the determination and slight irritation, her yelp turned into a small whimper. The moment her feet met the water a shiver ran down her spine.
"Come on, we'll start slow." Natsuki said as she tugged on her wrist. She guided the older girl deeper into the shallows until the water came up to her knees.
The grip on her hand was released as the Noble backed away a few steps, heading deeper into the water. Shizuru followed the girl's movements with wide and frightened eyes, wishing Natsuki hadn't let go of her hand.
The younger girl halted midway, water lapping at her waist. Green eyes peered calmly into shaken red. "Alright, first things first, you have to learn how to wade. It's easy really. Just walk toward me Fujino." One hand outstretched toward her, coaxing her closer. The determined look on the Noble's face turned into a small, patient smile. The normal irritation and distant look was gone. Instead of relaxing her like before, it confused her. Red continued to stare into green for a while.
What's wrong? The brunette dearly wanted to voice her question, but she couldn't. All she could do was continue to stare at the bright green eyes that were, strangely, lacking anger. She was unused to seeing such a complacent gaze on Natsuki's face.
Glancing at the open palm, Shizuru came to a decision and stepped forward. Her skin shivered as she moved, feet wading through the water. Her heart beat against her ribcage in a shaky manner. There was a sloshing sound as she waded in the lake, coming closer to the outstretched palm. Her feet were firm, yet she was acutely aware of the wet mud and pebbles underneath the surface. Stepping lightly might cause her to slip, but stepping too firm might accidentally jam a pebble into her. Taking care to notice where she placed herself, Shizuru continued her short trek. Yet the ground underneath her feet wasn't the only thing on her mind.
The sheer icy feeling of the water reminded her of the much larger lake near the oak. The hair on the nape of her neck rose just from the memory of it. Her mouth went dry and she stopped, staring up at Natsuki's face.
Green eyes flickered in surprise, wondering why the older girl had stopped just like that. The outstretched palm lowered to the Noble's waist and a confused expression replaced her calm one. Titling her head to the side, Natsuki asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
The very same question Shizuru wanted to ask Natsuki herself. Red eyes lowered and stared at the water around the younger girl's form, watching the way it drenched the shirt and stuck the clothe to pale skin. Her ears picked up on the rushing sound of the waterfall and the swish of the liquid around. Another shiver crawled up her spine and she shuddered, arms wrapping around to hug herself.
Natsuki picked up on the action quickly. Emerald orbs blinked in surprise. "Are you scared?" The younger girl asked, her tone slightly disbelieving. Her slave affirmed her suspicions with a nod, looking almost miserably at the lake's surface.
Rubbing the nape of her neck, Natsuki weighed her decisions. Emotions flickered across her face before the younger girl lifted her hand again. "Come on Fujino. It's only a couple of steps more." Voice low and soft, Natsuki soothingly coaxed the brunette forward. Behind tawny bangs, crimson eyes gazed uncertainly at the viridian pools. Indecision continued to flash and it made the Noble bite her lip in irritation. Releasing a sigh, Natsuki added quietly, "Trust me."
The brunette felt her spine snap into place as she stared up at her master in surprise. The soft words sent her mind into overdrive and her pupils dilated. Words used to calm brought about a memory of intimidation.
--xxxXXXxxx--
She shivered, cold in the cell and her clothes damp from the ever-present moisture. She breathed cautiously, fearing that if she made too loud a noise those rough hands would dig even more deeply into flesh. Trembling from both the frigid air and the underlying tension, Shizuru pushed herself harder into the stone wall. Red eyes watched and waited; pale, thin arms wrapped around her taut form, a vain act of protection. Her breathing grew sharper as fingers dug into a scarred back, dragging the body farther down the hall. Her heart ached as she watched the victim futilely clinging to the floor.
She could feel everyone of their heartbeats, hear their labored breaths. Her skin crawled as the thin lips curved upward into a cruel smile.
"Trust me. It won't hurt."
Much. Her mind filled in the blank and she whimpered as she saw Tarou drag the male slave into a room that was usually kept locked, except for special occasions. Never in her life had those occasions felt special. The scars upon her back were evidence of that. Always screaming, always crying, always bleeding. Always silent for her.
The small brunette chewed on her lip and sunk deeper into the shadows. Her heart clenched as she saw the man disappear from view, but not before she saw gray eyes glance at her, as if to say…
…she was next.
--xxxXXXxxx--
Then the memory was gone and she was back in the forest, surrounded by nature and the warm sun on her skin. Shizuru shuddered from the memory and blinked, willing away the fear. She glanced up at Natsuki, seeing the girl's outstretched palm still hovering in the air. A worried glint had appeared in the girl's emerald eyes.
If I want things to be better, than I have to do something too. The water moved as the brunette waded through. Natsuki's face cleared and her lips curled up a bit. The small smirk brought a shy smile on Shizuru's face. She reached out and gripped the open palm. Fingers curled together and the slave shivered from the feeling.
"There. First step is done." Natsuki said, her face lighting up. The younger girl patted Shizuru's shoulder, the gentle look still about her face. Crimson eyes blinked curiously and the brunette opened her mouth.
What's wrong? This gentle look of yours is unlike any I've seen so far. Natsuki-sama please tell me.
She tried to communicate, really she tried, but all that came out was silence. Frustration nagged at her when she saw the cobalt-haired Noble's confused face. Smacking her forehead, but not letting go of her master's hand, Shizuru searched for a way to communicate better. Her mind was a blank and she inwardly groaned at her lack of voice. Crimson eyes lifted and stared with a sad, worried face.
Green pools blinked at seeing such a look. Natsuki clutched Shizuru's hand more tightly. The Noble averted her gaze, staring at the calm water around them. Silence was only broken by the waterfall's rushing current. She waited with baited breath, watching the still emotion on her master's face.
"I just stood there while you drowned." Natsuki's voice was soft, but distant and cold. Maple irises blinked at the tone. This wasn't the gruff nature nor the aloof demeanor. This was something entirely different. The brunette edged closer, tentatively peering at the lowered head. Her eyes bore into the dark blue strands and her heart ached just a bit from the tone.
"I could've done something, but I just froze. I knew how to swim, yet I didn't help and it wasn't even because you're a slave..." Natsuki's voice grew colder the more she spoke. She lifted her gaze and stared at Shizuru with the same icy glare she had worn on the day they met. "I just got scared and I hated it." She whispered.
So this is about yesterday.
Crimson orbs blinked and Shizuru's free hand rose and gently cupped Natsuki's face. The younger girl's eyes flashed with surprise and a rosy hue painted her cheeks. The brunette offered a soft smile, hoping to alleviate her master's frustration. Natsuki's shoulders sagged, green eyes picking up the unspoken message.
Don't let it bother you Natsuki-sama. What I did was something I chose to do. Don't be angry at yourself for not helping.
"You're not mad are you?" Natsuki asked. Shizuru grinned and shook her head, an action that brought a slight smile to the cobalt-haired girl's face. Her free hand reached up and pulled down Shizuru's wrist. Then she let go of the other hand in her grasp. Emerald eyes stared down at the soaked clothes, taking in the amount of moisture they had taken in. The Noble grumbled at the feeling.
"Alright then. First step down, now let's focus on some actual swimming." Natsuki said as she turned to the deeper part of the water. She waded further before diving underneath. The shadow of her form darted away.
Shizuru gaped slightly at the quick speed Natsuki possessed. For someone so young, the Noble was quite experienced. Crimson eyes followed the shadow as it reappeared near the waterfall. Shizuru titled her head as Natsuki's torso came up, midnight tresses shaking off the excess moisture.
"See that?" Natsuki called, gesturing to the distance between her and the other girl. "It's easy! First thing you have to do is let your body float in the water, then push yourself forward with your arms and legs!"
Surely it couldn't have been that easy, but the way she explained it made it seem as if it was. Shizuru glanced at the water before wading forward. A shiver crawled down her spine as the cold seeped into her skin. She stared at the water for a long moment, gaze resting on the ripples her movement caused. Shizuru took a deep breath before plunging in, an icy feeling trapping her the moment she was underwater.
Blood-red eyes opened and took in the surroundings. Unlike the lake, she could see well enough with the sun piercing the water's surface. In fact, this time she actually felt like she was floating instead of feeling her sides being constricted. The brunette steadied herself in the water and, remembering Natsuki's words, pushed forward with her arms and legs. The thickness of the pond made it a little difficult to just move forward and she found it increasingly challenging when air began to be a problem. She pushed upward when she couldn't take it much more.
Shizuru gasped a bit and panted, tasting sweet air again. Blinking back the moisture in her eyes, the brunette turned around to see how much distance she had covered. Her heart dropped in dismay when she realized it hadn't been more than a few yards.
"It's alright! Remember you're just beginning Fujino!" Natsuki called from her spot, voice firm.
The brunette nodded from her spot and dove back into the water. This time she moved through the water as if parting the liquid with her arms and pushing her legs in a wave-like motion. It began to become a rhythm.
Push, pull, move.
Push, pull, move.
Careful to keep her mouth closed, 'les she take in a bout of water, Shizuru swam forward until her head met a solid object. Surprised, the brunette darted back up and broke the surface to meet a pair of pleased emerald eyes. Crimson orbs blinked behind long eyelashes, small droplets falling back down into the pond. Natsuki smirked at the bewildered look, a glint in her eyes. Despite their close proximity to the waterfall, the slave could still hear the satisfied tone in her master's voice.
"Not so hard now is it?" Natsuki asked, her smirk of smug satisfaction completed by the crossing of her arms along her chest.
The pleased voice, the glint in green eyes, the knowledge that she caused it, made Shizuru's lips curl up happily. Her eyes sparkled, the dim russet lighting up into a shade of red and brown. A swelling in her chest made her skin tingle slightly.
Natsuki's smirk seemed to soften at the look Shizuru gave her. The Noble straightened and let out a small cough, her cheeks stained pink. The brunette blinked and titled her head, confused. Instead of answering, the cobalt-haired girl redirected their attention back to the lesson.
"Okay! Enough lazing about! Let's get back to those lessons." Which is exactly what they did. For the next couple of hours Shizuru worked on pushing her body through the water, listening to Natsuki's instructions and taking them with a serious expression. Her awkward movements started to resemble the fluid strokes of a swimmer. Back and forth she went in the body of water, swimming away from Natsuki, then quickly swimming back. All the while Natsuki's lips twitched upwards.
The sun was high in the sky by the time they stopped. "Okay, that's enough for today!" Natsuki called from her spot near the waterfall. Her clothes were now drenched from the spray.
Shizuru rose from the water and breathed in the air. Moisture spilled from chestnut strands as the brunette shook her head. She watched as the aristocrat pushed her way to the shore.
Shizuru smiled slightly and followed, the movement of the pond now familiar against her pale skin. By the time she was out of the water, Natsuki was already on the shore.
In fact, said Noble was already yanking out the dry clothes from the sack she had brought, mumbling about cotton becoming itchy when wet. The fresh outfits, both long-sleeved shirts and pants were presented to the brunette in an offhand manner. Shizuru took the clothes gratefully, not minding her master's tone of voice. Like the water, she'd grown accustomed to hearing the aloofness.
"There. Go change somewhere." Natsuki ordered in the same offhand way. The slave girl was just about to do that when she felt her blood-red eyes grow wide as the other girl proceeded to change in front of her.
Natsuki unzipped the front of her pants, beginning to pull off the material when she caught Shizuru looking with her peripheral vision. The younger girl let out a small sound and her right eyebrow twitched. Her slave was simply staring at her, standing with her clothes in her arms, water dripping down her face, and eyes curious. Needless to say the brunette painted a picture of perfect bafflement.
The rosy hue from before came back to Natsuki's cheeks in full force. "O-oi! I said go change, not stand and watch me!" The Noble cried in embarrassment, hands gripping her pants. Shizuru was knocked out of her stupor when Natsuki flailed her arms. Ducking her head and feeling her own cheeks heat up, the brunette scurried behind a tree.
Berating herself in her head, Shizuru quickly peeled off her clothes and put on the fresh pair. Tugging on the white shirt and buttoning it up, the slave looked around for her shoes. The gray pair of footwear was nowhere in sight and the girl berated herself again for leaving them next to the shore bank. Sure enough when she peered around the tree she saw the sneaky shoes a yard away from Natsuki. Unfortunately her master hadn't finished changing.
Red eyes took in the expanse of white skin on a smooth back. The brunette ducked back before the blue-blooded girl could notice. Not good! If she reacted badly to me just standing near, who knows what she would do if she saw me looking.
Well aware that, when it came to issues of privacy, people preferred to dress without onlookers. Although this hadn't been the case in the camp, she could still tell that Natsuki wouldn't appreciate her looking.
But I need my shoes..
Heaving a sigh of frustration, Shizuru plopped herself down on the roots of the oak and opted to wait. Her fingers tapped her knee as she waited. Without notice, her mind picked up a pattern.
Remove, tap, replace.
Remove, tap, replace.
Her fingers kept in rhythm with the sound of sliding cloth. Minutes ticked by until the sound of footsteps made her look up. Natsuki peeked around the tree and held up the stray shoes. The obvious quirk of the younger girl's eyebrow meant she didn't approve of her slave forgetting her things so easily.
Shizuru, for the third time that day, mentally smacked herself and grabbed the footwear. Conscious of her master's gaze, the brunette hopped on one foot while slipping on one of the shoes for her feet. Holding her other foot, Shizuru was about to slip the other shoe on when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Chestnut locks moved as the girl turned her head. Crimson met emerald and a confused look passed between the two.
"The scars. From your original master?" Natsuki asked, voice soft. The cobalt-haired Noble was peering at the thin marks on her foot with an intense glare. Shizuru felt a shiver run down her spine and she quickly covered the scars with her shoe. It made her uncomfortable, having Natsuki stare at her injuries like that.
It's almost as if she's looking into my past.
The intense stare hadn't lifted so the brunette affirmed her master's question with a nod. Seeing this, the green pools turned icier.
"Let's go back then." The aristocrat walked out of the thicket with a stiffness to her rapid pace. The act was unlike the pleased look she had been seeing earlier and it caused an ache in her chest to see the distant walls back up so quickly. So instead of watching the swish of blue hair, Shizuru lowered her gaze to the ground as she followed.
--xxxXXXxxx--
According to Ami, Saeko was in the garden. Currently, she was bending over a pot of flowers and hadn't yet noticed either girls behind her back. When she did, she dropped the watering pail and gazed at them with a mild look of shock.
"What happened to you two?" Saeko inquired, gazing at the still wet locks of Natsuki and Shizuru.
The younger Kuga winced slightly and shuffled her feet. "We just went for a swim. I was teaching Fujino how to get used to water so she won't face any other drowning experiences." She muttered defensively.
This only prompted the Noblewoman's eyes to widen further. "A swim? After yesterday? Natsuki what were you thinking?! Did you honestly think Shizuru would want to be anywhere near water after that incident?" Saeko scolded.
Natsuki obviously didn't consider that idea since she winced again. However, the younger girl was quick to retort. "Well she didn't say no either! She agreed to it last night and she wasn't scared for long!"
Shizuru watched the two exchange words with minimal amusement. It never ceased to amaze her how much Saeko and Natsuki could fight and yet still maintain their close relationship.
A scratching sound made her head turn. In the bushes to the side, Duran dug and scraped furiously at the ground. Crimson orbs blinked in curiosity so the brunette stepped closer. Peering over the mass of brown fur, Shizuru stared at the dirt that had been undone. The slave leaned a little closer as the dog began to growl. What she saw surprised her.
What the?
There, lying up against the house's back wall, was a small garter snake. Its little tongue slid out from its mouth, a hiss from its throat as it tried to get away from Duran's large paws. Shizuru quickly reached over and tugged the dog back. Duran gave a small whimper and looked up at the brunette, but her inquisitive gaze was still on the reptile.
Small, amber eyes stared back at her. The snake's scales were a pattern of golden brown spots, overlapped by another pattern of darker brown spots with a deep reddish hue that almost looked like purple. Shizuru reached her hand down and the snake hissed, darting back away from the appendage. The slave halted, indecisive for a moment before reaching her hand out again and quickly scooping up the tiny snake. It hissed, writhing in her palm before she rubbed her thumb on its back, soothing its worry with slow strokes. Once it became apparent that it wasn't in any danger, the garter snake let out a low sound and relaxed in her palm, slithering between her fingers.
It's almost cute. Shizuru grinned slightly as she turned her palm around, feeling the reptile's smooth scales slide against her skin. Her train of thought was broken by Natsuki's voice.
"Oi! Fujino, what are you doing?" The brunette turned to see her master's questioning gaze. She held up the snake as an explanation.
"Eh? What's that?" Natsuki asked as she quickly walked closer. When she saw the little creature hiss she jumped back. "Oi! Fujino put down that snake!"
Shizuru blinked, a little put out, as she lowered her hands. The tiny reptile hissed and burrowed deeper into her palms, obviously not taken with the younger girl's outburst. She, on the other hand, barely noticed the action and merely stared at Natsuki with a slightly wide-eyed gaze, lower lip jutting out.
Natsuki's eyebrow twitched at the pout. The Noble shuffled her feet and was fortunately spared having to explain by her mother walking over. Saeko was quick to snatch the garter snake out of Shizuru's hands.
Frosted green pools stared at the hissing creature with an intense look. Long fingers firmly, but gently held it in place as the aristocrat observed its body. At last Saeko gave the snake back to Shizuru, a smile curling on her lips.
"Just a garter snake, nothing more, nothing less. They're not venomous, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful with them." Saeko said as she patted Shizuru's shoulder. The brunette nodded, glancing back at the snake to see it curled in her hands, absorbing the warmth of her skin.
Duran barked and jumped up, trying to get a better look at the tiny animal. He whined when no one paid much attention to him, save for a 'Duran, hush!' from Natsuki.
"You can keep him if you like."
Red eyes shot up at the statement. Shizuru stared at Natsuki with a thrown off expression. The younger girl blinked at the surprised look before rolling her eyes.
"It's just a little snake and I'm pretty sure we can find something to use as a tank for him. You can keep him in your bedroom, on the nightstand. Since he's so small he won't need that much food." Natsuki said.
Saeko's green eyes twinkled as she glanced at her daughter, a grin lighting up her face. "Aw! Natsuki-chan is being considerate to Shizuru!" The woman cried as she wrapped her arms around her daughter in a hug. Natsuki let out a strangled sound as she was embraced rather tightly, her hands rising to scratch at the sleeves of her mother's shirt.
"Ack! Mother! Let go! You're crushing me! Also, what's with this -chan?!"
Saeko laughed at Natsuki's indignant words as she let go. The woman smiled more calmly and took off her glasses, wiping them on the hem of her shirt. "I'm just saying it's good to see you've taken to Shizuru."
"Eh?" Natsuki responded smartly. The Noblewoman chuckled and patted her daughter's head.
"Nothing dear." She said, smiling almost mischievously. Her expressions changed so quickly it left Shizuru mildly dizzy.
There's never a dull day around here.
"Oh, one more thing." Saeko's words broke both Natsuki and Shizuru out of there trances. The girls glanced up at the aristocrat. Saeko grinned again.
"I'm pretty sure this little thing is a she, not a he Natsuki."
"Oi, what?! Oh come on Mother it's definitely a guy."
Shizuru jumped slightly as she saw the familiar fire spark in the Kugas' eyes. Her crimson orbs darted back and forth, feeling another argument coming on and argue the Kugas did. All throughout the day, lunch and dinner. Over a snake's gender no less…
--xxxXXXxxx--
Shizuru sighed and wearily poked at her plate. She gazed at the arguing Nobles with a tired expression. They hadn't stopped bickering back and forth on the snake's gender. Even Alyssa had grown tired of their incessant fuss and had crawled to the other side of the table, settling herself in Shizuru's lap after it became clear that it was much quieter where the brunette was.
The blonde child made a small, annoyed sound at the continuous babble and sucked on her bottle. Shizuru brushed her hand through silky golden locks before going back to poke at her plate again. Crimson eyes looked left and right, watching Natsuki and Saeko move their mouths at an alarming right.
It still amazes me how they can argue so long over something like this.
Shizuru smacked her forehead and dragged it down her face, her eyebrow twitching as the Kugas' voices increased in volume. At last, Yuuto, thank his polite demeanor, stepped forward.
"Kuga-sama, Natsuki-sama, perhaps we should concentrate on a name for the little fellow?" He asked carefully. The two stopped their bickering long enough to glance over at the small snake clasped in Shizuru's left hand. Both Nobles blinked, mulling over the suggestion in their heads.
At last Saeko spoke up. "Perhaps Shizuru should be the one to give her a name?"
"Him." Natsuki grumbled. Her mother ignored this and instead stared at Shizuru meaningfully. The brunette raised her head and shrugged. She couldn't think of any names right off the bat.
"Then I'll decide." Saeko said, smiling happily. "Hime it is!" She clapped her hands together, the way a child did when they were quite happy over something.
"Huh? That's a girl's name Mother!" Natsuki said, twisting in her seat to glare at the older aristocrat. "Let's call him Kiyo! It's obviously a guy!"
Saeko twitched, raising an eyebrow. "Kiyo's a girl's name too Natsuki." The woman pointed out.
Natsuki growled. "So! At least it sounds more like a snake's name than Hime!"
"Hime." Saeko said firmly, her eyes flashing.
"Kiyo." Natsuki retorted, her jaw set hard. Shizuru watched, dismayed as a whole other argument looked as if it was about to break out. That is until Alyssa put in her two cents.
"Kiyohime!" The child cried gleefully, clapping her hands like Saeko had. Mother and older sister turned to the small blonde, staring at her in surprise. Slowly, their faces cleared and at last they nodded. "Kiyohime it is then." Saeko said. The two turned back to eating in peace.
Yuuto smiled and bowed. Shizuru noticed a glint of amusement in his eyes. Blinking in confusion, she glanced at the small snake nestled in her palm. The brunette lifted the reptile and held it up to the light. Her face cleared and an amused smile curved on her lips. She lowered her hand back on the table.
Kiyohime…
Oddly feminine for a male snake.
The slave chuckled and focused her attention on her tea. She sipped the bitter drink with a strange feeling of satisfaction. For now, Shizuru would keep her new pet's gender to herself. She didn't want to start another war between the stubborn Kugas. Alyssa giggled in her lap, as if she knew what she was thinking. Shizuru grinned and patted the blonde's head. Dinner passed without anymore arguments.
When the chopsticks dropped, Shizuru knew it was time to escort Natsuki back. The slave lifted herself and Alyssa off the chair. The servants were quick to move forward and gather the plates. Saeko strode over and took her daughter from Shizuru's arms.
"Time for bed. I assume we're all tired now?" The woman said as she kissed Alyssa's cheek. The small girl yawned and snuggled closer to her mother whilst Natsuki walked to her slave. The two girls exchanged a look before simultaneously turning to the hall.
"Night Mother." Natsuki said as she walked. Saeko called something in reply.
At last the clatter of porcelain was lost in the silence of footsteps up the stairs. Shizuru walked a pace behind Natsuki, watching the sway of sapphire strands. The quiet between them felt more comfortable now.
I guess this means she took our trust pact seriously. Shizuru found her lips twitching upward just at the thought and unconsciously, her eyes softened as they gazed at Natsuki's back. How kind. A warmth spread through her body.
Before she knew it they were already at their respective chambers. Natsuki opened her door a creak and waited. There was a thump and Shizuru chuckled as Duran's muzzle appeared behind the wood. The dog barked and wagged his tail, happy to see his master. Unfortunately for the pooch he had to be put in Natsuki's room and fed there because he had been jumping all over the place whilst trying to look closer at the new animal in the house.
"Duran! Stay!" Natsuki ordered as she pushed her pet back into the room. There was a disgruntled noise from the pooch, but he obliged anyway. Natsuki turned around to gaze back at Shizuru.
"Goodnight Fujino." She said quietly, a little softer than usual. Viridian eyes blinked with a glimmer; the usual guarded look seemed broken.
Respectively, or shyly, Shizuru lowered her head, staring at Natsuki through the screen of her bangs. Red orbs shone brightly, but gently. No words were spoken from the slave, but the message was clear.
Goodnight Natsuki-sama.
Small pink lips curved into a smile. The door clicked shut and Shizuru was left with a light, almost weak feeling in her muscles. The brunette gave a shaky breath before slipping into her own chambers.
As promised Yuuto, handyman that he was, had set up a small tank on her nightstand, complete with an incubating light bulb in a lamp to keep the snake warm. Gleefully, Shizuru glided over to the tank and removed the black cover, placing her new pet inside. The dozing reptile woke up when he was placed in the tank. Amber irises glanced around the surrounding area before the little garter snake hissed and coiled himself into his nest, enjoying the comfortable bedding of hay. Shizuru grinned as she watched her little friend doze off. She quietly placed the tank's cover back on.
The brunette then crawled into her own bed. She contemplated whether or not to shut off the lamp, then decided against it, guessing that it wouldn't be best to have Kiyohime possibly grow cold in the night.
Besides, it's better than the dark. Lying down, Shizuru faced the tank and smiled a bit. She was in perfect view of Kiyohime's amber gaze. Her eyelids began to flutter as sleep nagged at her brain. Her last image before sleep was Kiyohime turning his head to stare at her, his little tongue poking the air.
Mystic: -takes a deep breath- YES! FINISHED! -jumps up and down- I'm so glad I've got this done and I bet many of you are glad to be done waiting. Once again, I apologize for the annoying wait. I hope this makes up for it. 3
Note 1: A garter snake is more commonly known as a garden snake. Like I've stated, they're small, not poisonous, and can be docile. I thought they were the perfect pet for someone who's currently skittish, a.k.a. Shizuru.
Note 2: How many of you are appalled that I've made Shizuru's beastly Child a garden snake? ;D
Note 3: How many of you are wondering why I bother to label this Angst?
Reviews will make me shut up. ;3