Been a while. Hope a few of you are still interested in this story. I've been struggling with anger, depression, and general 2020 nonsense all on top of writer's block and going long enough since my last crack at it that I genuinely forgot about it for a while. And then there where the holidays. But, at least for this chapter I've remembered and gotten through it. Hope you enjoy.
Yuzu slept through dinner and late into the night long after Mei had gone to bed. At some point Ume had gone to bed taking Yuzu into her room with her. The blonde awoke in Ume's arms under the covers of her mothers bed. Yuzu looked up to the sleeping visage of Ume before gently pushing and moving to sit up, her movement however woke Ume who blinked and yawned awake.
"Yuzu?" She asked "Are you alright?" Yuzu gave a quiet half-nod. She couldn't say she really felt ok... yesterday still running through her mind. How she didn't go through the nightmare again she didn't know. Maybe it was the contact with Ume. Yuzu moved to the side of the bed to get up. Ume got out of bed as Yuzu moved to stand up though the blonde would immediately fall to her knees with a grunt causing Ume to move quickly from her side of the bed over to Yuzu and would gently pick her up, one arm under Yuzu's knees and one at the small of her back, and would take her out to the couch setting her down. Ume walked over to the kitchen and pulled out a plate of prepared food and would pop it into the microwave. Yuzu looked out the balcony window and up at the stars twinkling overhead. Ume watched her while the food warmed wondering what she was thinking and feeling. When the microwave dinged Ume pulled the food out and brought it over handing them to it and lifted Yuzu's legs up as she sat down and then sat Yuzu's legs on her lap and would begin gently rubbing Yuzu's legs as the blonde picked at the food.
"Do you want to stay home from school tomorrow?" Ume asked which she got a nod. "Would you like me to stay home from work as well?" Yuzu stopped picking at her food for a second glancing away from it seem not to want to answer the question but eventually gave a nod again. Ume gave a nod in return and pulled out her cellphone texting her boss before returning to gently massaging Yuzu's legs. Yuzu remained quiet simply picking at but not really eating the food. "Come on sweetheart you need to eat." Ume said with a sigh. Yuzu stopped picking at the food but otherwise remained still and silent. Ume sighed deeper and took the plate moving it over to the coffee table and then would hold her arms out for a hug. Yuzu pushed off the armrest and scooted onto Ume's lap where the woman wrapped her in her arms. She place one hand on the back of Yuzus head gently rubbing the back of her head kneading her fingers into the blondes lackluster of late hair.
Yuzu rested her head on Umes shoulder who would begin to gently hum Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata rocking back and forth. Yuzu listened quietly, tears starting to well up in her eyes as she listened, shed close them tightly and would begin to quietly humm along in a soft broken way slowly building in her humming strength till she fully matched her mothers humming. Ume gave a soft pained smile closing her eyes as the two hummed the sonata... the final song at the burial of Yuzu's father. Once the piece completed Yuzu was shaking softly wih sobs.
"I miss him so much." Yuzu whispered between soft quiet sobs.
"So do I sweetheart... he was my best friend... he was your father... but he'd want us to live our lives to our fullest." Ume whispered back
"It's so hard without him." Yuzu sobbed.
"Yes it is." Ume agreed. "But we have a new family now. We don't have to forget your father to still be here for our new family."
"Mei doesn't even want to be around me anymore and my new papa still hasn't even come to see us!" Yuzu said gripping the fabric on Ume's shirt.
"Sho will come see us when he can and I think what you think Mei wants isn't at all what Mei really wants." Ume said lowering her hand from Yuzu's head to her upper back gently rubbing the blonde's shoulder blades.
"She hates me... I'm just.. a burden to her..." yuzu stuttered between sobs. "To everyone."
"No your not. Don't ever think that sweetheart!" Ume said holding Yuzu tightly.
"Himeko said..." yuzu began but was cut off
"Himeko... is a jealous young woman with an excessive attachment to your sister and is frightened by the idea of someone like you muscling in on her previously safe and steady relationship with Mei." Ume said
"Someone like me?" Yuzu asked
"Someone Mei wants to spend her time with. Someone that Mei cares about." Ume explained. "Your sister cares deeply about you. Far more than you think... and if I had to guess... maybe even more than I think. She just grew up very differently from you so she shows it differently, but she does NOT think of you as a burden." There was a small pause before Yuzu responded.
"How do you know... that I'm not a burden to her I mean?" Yuzu asked
"She told me." Ume said kissing the top of Yuzu's head.
"She doesn't tell anyone anything." Yuzu scoffed.
"Oh not true at all." Ume said with a chuckle "In fact she's quite talkative when your sleeping or away. We talk about all sorts of things." Yuzu leaned away from Ume, so she could give her a quizzical look.
"Your bluffing!" Yuzu accused.
"Me lie? Never!" Ume said sounding fake offended. "In fact she told me she wished she where braver just like you! That she could stand up to her grandfather the way you do!"
"You're so full of shit." Yuzu smirked rolling her eyes.
"Language young lady!" Ume said "I'm going to have to punish you for that!" She said as she began to tickle Yuzu causing the blonde to giggle and struggle.
"Mama-" Yuzu said between giggles "-your gonna wake Mei!"
"Technically you're the one making all the noise." Ume giggled continuing her assault.
"You're both very loud." A voice came from the other side of the living room prompting Yuzu and Ume to look from their position on the couch to see Mei standing with both of her arms crossed and looking at the two with a look of disapproval causing Ume to grin and Yuzu to blush slightly before looking away.
"I'll let you two talk... don't stay up too late girls. Mei still has school tomorrow." Ume said getting up from the couch and heading back to her bedroom. Mei studied Yuzu as the blonde refused to look back up at her.
"Mei I..." Yuzu tried to begin
"I love you Yuzu." Mei said.
"Wha... what?" Yuzu asked her eyes snapping upward to Mei in shock as she slowly sits up.
"I spoke with your therapists and I asked what I could do to help you. They told me that you needed affirmation of how others feel about you. That you had the love of your family. For better or for worse you are my sister... my family." Mei said as she walked slowly over to Yuzu.
"Oh r...right..." yuzu said flicking her eyes back down blushing at another thought.
"Did you think I meant something else?" Mei asked crouching down to be at eye level with yuzu tilting her head slightly.
"N...no not really." Yuzu stammered. Mei leaned forward causing yuzu to glance up and then freeze as Mei closed here eyes leaning in as if to kiss the blonde placing one hand on Yuzu's atop the smaller girls knee while the other gently took the blondes chin. Yuzu's heart thumped hard in her chest, and she closed here eyes awaiting the kiss... on her forehead. Mei had kissed her forehead and was now pulling her into a hug.
"If anyone ever tells you something like that again... come talk to me... i promise you I will never say such a thing behind your back. You're not a burden." Mei said. Yuzu wrapped her free arm around mei holding onto her as the two shared the quiet sisterly moment. After a few seconds Mei pulled away but would take Yuzu by the unslung hand and would pull her to her feet. "Let's go to bed." Yuzu nodded and squeezed Mei's hands before letting go and following Mei back to bed. Yuzu go under the covers on her side of the bed only to quickly find Mei pulling the blonde into her, the taller girl wrapping her arms around the shorter's waist, resting her head on Yuzu's shoulder, and wrapping a leg around Yuzu's
"M...Mei?" Yuzu stammered blushing fiercely
"It's cold in here and you're warm." Mei said
"O-o-oh o-ok..." Yuzu stammered "g-goo-goodnight Mei."
"Goodnight Yuzu." Mei responded.
Mei had made sure she didn't let her chest press too closely to Yuzu lest the blonde find out she was more nervous than she let on. What the hell was she doing? First she admits feelings she didn't even understand and had to transition to such a lame excuse and lie, and then she almost kissed the blonde and as if that wasn't enough now she was practically spooning the girl under the pretense that she was cold! What kind of pathetic excuse was that?! This was the one time she could be thankful for her step sisters immense gullibility. Any other day she'd curse it and be worried it'd get Yuzu hurt. She was glad the blonde had finally fallen asleep and seemed to finally be sleeping without nightmare.
Mei was not quite as lucky as far as being able to fall asleep. She had been stuck in the same position trying not to alert Yuzu to her trepidation about the current situation. Mei shifted a bit, so she could lean up on her arm tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with her free arm as she looked down at Yuzu's gracefully sleeping visage before looking up out the window at the stars above the clearest sky mei had seen in a while.
'Great...' she thought 'clearest skies in weeks and I'm here with muddy thoughts and feelings completely unsure what to do with myself.' She looked back down to Yuzu who had started to fidget a bit. Mei leaned down placing a few gentle kisses on yuzu's forehead before hesitating as she gazed over that oh so familiar natural beauty... that living angel sleeping in her bed. Her soft pale skin with an ever so slight glow... that golden hair, while lacking its usual luster, softly draped across the pillow in waves and even slight curls, those soft pink lips still beating the girls lip gloss sparkling slightly in the moon light... Mei's heart skipped a beat taking it all in. She leaned forward and placed one final kiss of the night gently and longingly on the blondes lips as tears formed and fell down her face.
"Damnit... why did it have to be you? Why did I fall for family?" Mei whispered to herself laying back down on the pillow and pulled Yuzu's head onto her shoulder, twisting to place her chin on top of Yuzu's head and wrapping her body around the blondes as she forced herself to try and fall asleep.
Welp hope you enjoyed this chapter. I wanted a bit more levity after so many chapters of "yuzu hell" as well as a bit away from the hell that 2020 has been for many of us. More to come soon hopefully. Ciao for now!