Eto yawned and wearily sat up. She looked at the clock next to her bed; it read 8:24 a.m. The half ghoul climbed out of bed, and slipped on some blue slippers and threw a white robe on over her thin nightgown.
Still not fully awake, she shuffled out of her room and down the stairs to the kitchen, where one of the servants, Ni, was preparing coffee.
"Where's Ju San?" Eto asked him.
"Good morning Master Yoshimura," he said, bowing curtly. "Servant Ju San is tending to the roses in the courtyard."
"Thanks," she said, and wandered off to the courtyard.
Just as Ni had said, Ju San was hunched over in the garden, pruning the roses. It was chilly and overcast that morning, and it looked like it would soon begin to rain.
Eto walked over to the twenty four year old servant. "Good morning, Ju San."
The servant looked up from her work, and smiled. "Good morning, Master Eto."
Eto sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you, just call me Eto. We've been friends for what? Almost six years now?"
Ju San laughed, and brushed a strand on brown hair of of her eyes. "Yes, but Master Naki would ring my neck if he heard me call you anything informal."
"Oh, Naki wouldn't do that," Eto said. "Everybody knows you're his favorite servant."
"Hmph," Ju San said as she clipped a dead twig off a rose plant. She then looked up at Eto.
"You might wanna take your robe off," she said. "The sky's going to open up any minute now, and the rain will ruin it."
"Can't," the half ghoul said. "Naki could come outside."
Ju San gave Eto a quizzical look, and she explained. "It's already pretty see through. And if it gets wet, well…"
"Oh come on," Ju San said. "It's not like he hasn't seen you like that before."
Eto blushed.
Ju San flashed the author a knowing look. "Am I right?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know," the servant laughed, shaking her head. "I know things have gone on between you two."
Eto said nothing.
"Done," Ju San said, putting the last of the rose trimmings in the bucket beside her.
Just then, thunder clapped overhead. Large water droplets began to fall from the sky, and soon, it was pouring.
Eto laughed and began to dance around in the rain, and Ju San joined her. The two women were soon splashing each other, jumping in the puddles that were forming in the courtyard. They giggled and chased each other around like children.
"Ju San!" a voice called. The two women turned around to see Ni standing on the second level balcony. "Get inside this instant, you have laundry to do!"
The female servant's shoulders sagged. Ju San began to trudge inside, and Eto splashed water on her from behind. The doe eyed girl squeaked in surprise, and turned around, a mischievous look in her eyes. She kicked water all over Eto, and then took off running toward the doors.
"Get back here!" Eto laughed, chasing after her. Ju San, who was giggling, turned her head around to look at her pursuer. Not watching where she was going, the servant tripped and landed in a puddle of mud.
Eto put her hands up to her mouth to try to prevent herself from laughing, but she could not hide her smile. Ju San turned over, sitting in the mud. She was laughing so hard she was crying.
The servant's laugh caused Eto's laugh to escape, and the half ghoul was soon doubled over laughing at her mud covered friend.
Eto helped Ju San up, and the rain soaked friends hurried inside before Ni could yell at them again. They rushed through the mansion, giggling and leaving a trail of mud behind them.
"I have to shower," Ju San said. "If Master Naki catches me like this, he'll kill me."
"Or maybe he'll just make you undress," Eto said, wiggling her eyebrows at the younger woman.
Ju San rolled her eyes and gave Eto a playful shove before hurrying to the servant's quarters. Eto ran up the stairs and scurried into her room. She quickly showered and got ready for the day.
When she was ready, she walked back downstairs in search of Naki. She walked into a small room that Naki referred to as his 'den'. It was basically just a couch and a tv.
Eto blushed a little when she saw Naki laying on the couch. He was wearing an open black robe, and underwear. That was it. She allowed herself to let her eyes look over his bare chest, and then at the white piece of fabric that hid him from her.
"Hey," she said, finally finding her voice.
He cocked an eyebrow. "How long have you been up?"
"An hour or so," she said, not sure if she should lay down on the couch with him or not.
Her question was answered when he scooted over and motioned for her to lay down. She blushed and laid down next to him, pressing herself against his near bare body.
"Why do you lounge around almost naked so much?" Eto asked as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him.
He shrugged. "You never complain."
Eto was silent. He had a very good point.
"Whatcha watching?" she asked, turning her eyes to the tv.
"News," he said.
"Anything interesting?"
"No," he said, yawning. "Three little kids disappeared, that's about it."
"Oh," Eto said. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck, inhaling in his seductive scent.
"You really like how I smell, don't you," Naki said, not taking his eyes off the tv.
"Mmmmhmmmm," Eto said, and nipped at his jaw.
"Hey!" the blond ghoul said in surprise. "Why'd you do that?"
"You never complain," Eto said, mocking Naki's words. He rolled his eyes and continued to watch tv.
Eto began to leave a trail of kisses along his jawline. Naki let out a little whimper, and it encouraged the half ghoul. She began to nip and kiss his jawline and neck, and soon got a moan in response.
"What?" Eto said, smiling. "You like it when I do that?"
Naki rolled his eyes again. Eto giggled and continued, coaxing out more moans and whimpers from the blond ghoul.
His scent intoxicated her. She wanted to allow her kisses to travel further down, she wanted to—
"Master Naki," a gruff voice said. Itchi, Naki's most superior servant, stood in the doorway. "I—I—um.." His voice faltered when he took notice of the situation.
"Can I help you?" Naki asked.
"I—it can wait," the servant stuttered.
"Then go on," Naki said, sounding annoyed.
Itchi scuttled away, leaving Eto and Naki alone once again.
"He kind of ruined the mood," Naki said, frowning.
"Yeah," Eto said, also disappointed.
"What's wrong?" the blond ghoul asked. "You look sad."
"Just thinkin'."
"Bout what?"
"My kids," Eto sighed. She didn't like referring to Kaito and Hitomi as her children, but that's what they were.
"Are you gonna go get them?" he asked, a hopeful tone to his voice.
"I was thinking about it," Eto said.
"I would help!" Naki said, excited.
"I would love that," Eto said, smiling.
"I… I could be like their dad," Naki said sheepishly.
Eto smirked. "I suppose."
Eto wouldn't mind Naki helping raise her children; not at all. But he was no Juuzou.
They were silent for a moment. "So what were we doing before Itchi interrupted us?" Naki asked.
"Oh, I don't know," Eto said, a mischievous tone to her voice.
"To bad," Naki said, gluing his eyes back to the television. "If it matters, then you'll remember."
"Was it something like this?" Eto asked, nipping his jawline.
"Yes," Naki said slyly. "I think that was it."