Chapter 10
Mary was sitting on an armchair, legs stretched out and elbows resting on them, her face tilted downwards and hidden by her hands; she was breathing slowly, trying to appease the umpteenth nervous crisis threatening to manifest itself anytime.
Ari-sensei had explained that the potion's effect would have lasted for no more than three days, and that the four brothers had only experienced changes on a physical level; after double-checking the state of the medicine contained in the three phials and having annoyingly looked at the vampires (frowning at seeing Ruki, so dark that shadows seemed pale in comparison), he turned to his former student with a grumble:
- I will deliver the medicines for Laito-kun - he snorted; after a few seconds of reflection, he headed to a desk, digging several cards stacked in a basket until he took out an ivory envelope with the addresses written in golden ink; Mary, following his movements with tired eyes, felt slightly reinvigorated, recognizing the letter that was immediately delivered to her.
- This is from your mother... If I were you, I'd wait to be happy about it.
The girl tightened her lips and instinctively her gaze shifted to the Mukami's: Kou tilted his head, smiling questioningly – since he was smaller, it seemed a little less false - the others didn't notice, distracted; that letter would have confirmed whether or not Karlheinz's objective was valid, thus influencing her future and the relationship between her and both the Sakamaki and Mukami families.
She sighed, standing up, and with a gentle nod she bid farewell to her ex-teacher, then approached the four brothers, not knowing whether to lower herself to be at their eye level or avoid their irritated reaction; even watching them from above didn't sound good...
- Ruki-san?
Mary swallowed as he turned his head to her with a slow and disturbing movement, glaring at her so much that he could have scared thunders off.
- I'm done, we may go...
Before she could add anything else, the little vampire stood up and, surpassing her, headed outwards, turning his bad mood in total coldness; the girl, ignoring the fact that Ruki's height reached half of her arm, followed him with an indecisive glance: that situation was putting her in difficulty.
Of course she couldn't help it but name the hamster-sprite: "Freckle"; and this appellative confirmed that fame as a genius with creative ideas that had been attributed to her since the beginning of her school life. The little creature was teasingly biting her fingers, comfortably sitting on the inner windowsill, as she watched thoughtfully the courtyard from the kitchen's window, illuminated by the lampposts beside the cobblestoned pavement: Yuuma was taking care of the garden as usual and didn't look tired to her; after all, his height reached over her shoulders and he was much stronger than his brothers.
In comparison, the big boy was doing just fine even if he had suddenly shrunken.
Sh observed him for a long time; the more her eyes focused on his face, his gestures, his body, the more she felt like Yuuma had something very familiar; she recalled, when she had been wandering around the rooms in her family house, the photo of her father as a young boy and how much the cut of his eyes was like Yuuma's...
Suddenly, a gentle grip on her hips made her jump; she stifled a scream of fright in time with her hand and, turning around, met a pair of lavender eyes. The vampire was a little taller than her elbow's level and was wearing a kind of small cloak; actually, she recognized the blanket he was used to sleep in, glimpsed at as she was passing his room that morning.
- A-Azusa-kun... - she sighed, placing her hand on her chest as if to prevent her heart to break through, and gave him a disapproving look.
- Izanami... you look a little... disheartened...
Was it so obvious? Mary frowned and, choosing the "minor" problem, admitted with a murmur she was having some difficulty behaving with them, fearing to treat them spontaneously as children and then humiliate them; in the meantime, while remaining with her hands grasped in his, she had gently loosened Azusa's grip, who had listened carefully to her, gazing at the hair locks framing her face.
- I have no... problem... if you humiliate me...
A wave of frost seemed to envelop her; Ari-sensei was right, they only changed in the physical sense, the girl thought, taking on an exasperated expression.
- I didn't mean that...
And as Azusa gave her the questioning look (with those childish features!), Ruki came in the kitchen, stopping in front of the cabinet where some tools and pots were placed. And he scowled as he looked up to the shelf of pots, too high to reach.
He can't get there... and using a chair would be an outrage to his pride..., Mary bit her lip, suffocating a laugh; her impassive face didn't betray her when the eldest of the Mukami brothers turned to her.
- Kachiku, take the second pot on the top right: you'll prepare the meat.
Mary had to use three quarters of her strength to suppress the laughter caused by being called in such way and being entrusted with tasks so seriously by the little vampire; she proceeded as requested, and as she put the pot on the shelf next to the burner, she looked for the meat package in the fridge to prepare meatballs, as promptly indicated. Freckle had clung to her shirt and climbed on her shoulder, sitting down; Azusa had disappeared.
While preparing the meal, Mary had risked several times to help Ruki in circumstances that wouldn't have required it, if the accident at Mr Ari's hadn't happened. The third time, as the little boy couldn't reach the wall where soup spoons were hanged, the girl had given him the tool very naturally, without realizing anything, being so absorbed.
At first, holding the tool in hand, Ruki had stared at it, then turned his gaze to the female figure who had gone back to marinate the meat; he flushed violently, perhaps because of his wounded pride, or out of embarrassment, or irritation, or a whole set of emotions; finally, in a dark tone, he uttered the following words:
- I did not ask for your help and I do not need it.
The girl stiffened, pondering. She knew that the pride of those vampires was something intangible, especially in Ruki's case; but wasn't it... exaggerated and absurd to refuse help, given the situation?
Why do some people think of being helped as something negative. If it is necessary..., at this point, the girl had already forgotten the vampire and his warning, and she was thinking silently, angering the young man a little; the latter returned to his business, muttering that he would have punished her properly with the ceased potion's effect.
- Ah. Do you have some rosemary? - Mary asked after a few minutes before turning on the fire and cooking the meat.
- Ask Yuuma in the garden - Ruki answered coldly, turning off the cooker after checking that the pasta was cooked.
The girl stuck her tongue out unknowingly, imitated by the hamster, and went out, thinking that even a hundred chamomiles wouldn't have relaxed her; the vampire was alone in the kitchen and he inspected the surroundings.
From the outside, his position wasn't visible; from the top floor he heard Kou's music, sign that he was busy; Azusa wasn't nearby, but he wouldn't have shown himself before dinner. Breathing deeply, he moved a chair and placed it in front of the open cupboard.
He had told her: he didn't need any help, he would have made do. In the right way...
Unfortunately, the chair (or some evil spirits...?) didn't like him; as soon as he reached out to grab the colander's handle, he felt his balance slipping and fell to the side... but, the collision was (much) softer than expected.
In fact, Mary had come back in time to get him in her arms, though she still had fallen on the floor, her head and back a little sore. She leaned onto her elbow to slowly raise her torso, without realizing that Freckle had been accidentally crushed under her weight (not that a sprite could have been hurt...).
- Daijoubu, Ruki-san?
Ruki didn't answer: his attention had been caught by the girl's heartbeats, since he had his head against her chest. How long had it been since the last time he had heard the sound of life so clearly, so close...? This thought of his was interrupted by her breath, which he had already had analysed some days before: a forced breath, almost unnatural; thanks to their proximity, he also noticed some strange gargles.
The poor girl in the meantime was violently blushing; after all...
- Ah! Ruki-kun, this is somewhat bold of you~ Hehe, are you comfortable?
The two stood up after a second, dusting their clothes off and returning to their duties, ignoring Kou's smile and his constant complaints about why there were no vongole bianco.
Mary was used to prefer showering than having a bath for two reasons: it saved water (and also time) and she didn't run the risk of drowning her mind in too many thoughts as her body sank in the hot and comforting water.
That night, however, she filled the bathtub and entered it, tired, lifting her knees and holding her arms in her lap; she leaned her head against the edge and watched the bathtub's surface becoming blue because of her swimsuit's reflection (living with the Sakamaki brothers, she got used to wear one).
She thought about the letter she had carefully put in between the pages of her personal diary, the subject still unknown to her, albeit perceivable; about Laito who was going to wake up without her and risking to forget her; about Shuu who wouldn't have been able to sneak into her bed as she slept; at last, her mind wandered back to her past.
"Thank goodness that little girl is in Ari's care! Let's hope for the best..."
"Mary! Calm down. Have patience. Patience, calm and concentration. Yes... Yes! See?, you did it!"
"Mr Flyer's daughter is going out with Ryan Plum, you know?, that dear boy with icy blue eyes?"
"I'd let it grow, Mary-chan".
"What a disaster... that little girl... she has a scary power... surely without her things might have gotten worse... but... And did you hear? She killed the eldest of the two Mist sisters... the youngest, Isa, has no relative now... "
"Mary-senpaaai! I really admire you! Teach me!"
"She killed Mrs and Mr Turner! She was only eight years old... What a tragedy... let's not talk about little Claire..."
"Mary, do you like my new dress? Daddy gave it to me because I was a good girl..."
"The brother is blind, poor boy, but he's also not that normal himself... he says he's hearing so many voices, so much noises!"
"Aneki".
"They're a weird trio... the Flyer twins and the young Theo Blizzard... This boy is always around screaming and smiling! He looks like the Joy in flesh and bone!"
"Cho-hime, that's great! You've got the best marks!"
"We were pleased with Mr Ari and now look! There's that obnoxious Morten looking after those three! Mrs Lalla's grandson..."
"Oi, Cho-hime, stop looking at me from up there".
"Morten's sister, Finn... that little girl is creepy, she's everywhere and nobody realizes it!"
"Mary-senpai... watch out for your head... I told you..."
"That girl has paid for her curiosity! You know she's becoming friends with Anna? Yet she was so disliked by her!"
"What the he... Stop playing with my braid, you're irritating, senpai!"
"Mr Flyer is so antisocial... he looks after his garden and the house, sure, but when he comes here he never talks to anyone!"
"Mary, give me a hand in the garden... Here, good, take those pots".
"The Glass Lady has gone. She left the twins alone with their father, they are still so small... And the daughter has a strange power... It would have been better to stay, we need a woman like her to keep her children's powers under control!"
"Mary, Mark... I'm sorry... I'll be back as soon as possible, okay? And I'll introduce you to your cousins..."
"Rose is a traitor!"
"Maa-ry-chaaan~ Hehehehe~ Do you want me to give you back Ryan's heart? It's still so warm, warm... Hahaha... HAHAHAHAHA!"
- Why are you crying?
Mary widened her eyes and met a pair of blue ones which were staring at her, very close.
Her cry reached every corner of the Mukami's mansion: Azusa jolted as he was polishing his knives, getting some wounds with great joy; Ruki ripped a book he was reading in two pieces before going to bed, this certainly not improving his mood; Yuuma stopped in time to fall of some of his jars containing sugar cubes, sighing out of relief and wondering what else was going to happen before it all came back to normality (what normality?).
- KOU-KUN! What the hell are you doing here?!
- Eeeh?! How come, you're wearing a swimsuit!? - He exclaimed disappointed, ignoring her. Mary understood how Reiji felt among his brothers.
- And it's also a whole piece, you're so not attract-...
- Stop it.
Kou found himself looking at the floor. He was hovering at a height of about two metres, supported through some invisible entities by the ankles.
- WAAAH LET ME GO, LET ME GO!
The vampire struggled violently, screaming revenge and curses against the girl who, with a throbbing nerve on her forehead, was staring at him with a dull expression; she rewound the tape in her head and reflected on what he had asked her: why was she crying? She didn't even realized it.
- Ne - she began, distracting Kou from his agitation - Do you ever think about the past?
The blond, surprised by that sudden question, hesitated a few seconds before answering; his face took on a bitter expression.
- Mh. Too many times... - he added, narrowing his eyes and squeezing his fists.
Mary smiled.
- I agree...
A strange silence wrapped them, before being interrupted by another question of her, more hesitant.
- Will you tell me a little... about you? About your past? I'll let you down, I promise.
Kou looked at her carefully and then nodded; slowly he felt being dragged down and, once on the ground, he sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning back to the bathtub.
And he began telling their story: at the beginning they were also humans and they had met in an orphanage, where they had experienced inhuman and humiliating experiences.
Ruki was the son of a wealthy couple, used to mistreat the servants (and here Mary snorted!), who then themselves had beaten him up the day his mother had abandoned him and his father had committed suicide because of bankruptcy; Yuuma was a child suffering from amnesia (and here Mary assumed...) and who had survived the gunfire in which the members of the gang he had belonged to had died; Azusa was one of those many children wandering in the streets, doubtful about the sense of his existence, until three little robbers had taken him with him, beating him from time to time (and here Mary understood!), suffering when they had been executed for trying to steal in the house of a rich man; Kou had been abandoned in a manhole and had spent time craving for the blue sky (and here Mary comprehended...), later found and sent to the orphanage by the soldiers.
He told her how they had treated him well at first: new clothes, food... and then, because of the war and the consequential need for money, they had sent him into a kind of club to "entertain" the aristocrats: he had seen hell again; even Ruki and Azusa had suffered the anguish of the other orphan children and as for Yuuma... well, it wasn't good antagonizing him.
He told her about their escape and their failure... and then about the encounter with Karlheinz, the one who had saved them by giving them a new chance.
Silence wrapped them again.
Someone knocked on the door.
- Kachiku! You've been there for an hour and a half, get out!
Kou was gone; Mary, who surely didn't want to increase Ruki's anger, proceeded to rinse herself, reflecting on what had been said to her.
It's strange that he told me about it so easily..., she thought as she dressed; she quickly dried her hair and went out of the bathroom, heading towards her bedroom.
- Yuuma-kun - she instinctively called him, catching sight of him as he was going up the stairs. The boy tilted his head, his face questioning and a little bothered.
He looks like Dad. I need to tell him about Shuu.
- ... Good night - she just smiled.
Yuuma widened his eyes, somewhat dumbfounded; he had expected something more, judging by the girl's restless look. He nodded his head and headed to his room.
Mary sighed and returned on her path; at least she would have rested... she had said to herself before spotting her bed: Kou was waiting for her, sitting on it comfortably.
- Yahoo~ Neko-chan! Now it's your turn!
The girl replaced her more and more irritated face with a confused one.
- I told you about our past, you tell me about yours! Fair exchange, right?
Get the philosophy of this hypocrite? Ugh..., the girl rubbed her temples, mumbling; it wasn't like her talking about it so easily with people she had just met, in fact she had revealed little to Subaru, Laito and Shuu and had focused on the less rough details (except confessing that she had killed her best friend's parents).
But who knew what Kou would have done if she hadn't accept his request?
She sat on the edge of the bed and, breathing deeply, she began.
Thanks for reading~ I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
"Daijoubu?" means "Are you ok?".