A/N: *Warning* This chapter contains strong language and violence.
Welcome to One Becomes Two chapter 5! The word count for this one is over 9,000! This was an overwhelming chapter to edit, so in future I'm not going to make them this long if I want to keep to my upload schedule. But! now that all of this is out of the way I can FINALLY start introducing the other Sohma's! As always a huge shout out to my friend who helped edit and re write most of this behemoth of a chapter!
I had to admit the futon felt like heaven after sleeping on the hard ground for 3 months. As much as I tried to resist, I quickly fell asleep after Shigure left the room. I'm not surprised to find myself standing atop the familiar stairway leading to the square of light below. I sighed, wanting to get this over with quickly so I could get some actual sleep, I plunged down the stairs without hesitation. As the square of light grew bigger and brighter I closed my eyes until I stepped off the last stair.
The familiar bright room greeted my eyes upon opening them. I made a beeline to the door on the other side of the room. I just have to pass the other me, who is broken and bloody on the floor right over…
I stopped dead in my tracks as I glanced to where she usually was and was shocked to see her standing there without even the trace of a bruise.
"You're early," I'm paralyzed by fear when I heard her voice speak directly inside my mind. "You usually check the other doors first, hesitating a bit longer perhaps, which gave them plenty of time to beat me up." She exaggerates the roll of her dark blue eyes as she walks slowly towards me, "They would save you from me." A shudder runs down my spine at the sight of a devilish smile appearing on her face, "Well, there's no one here to save you now." She closed the distance by lunging at me. I tried to duck but she caught my right wrist in a vice-like grip.
"Oh no you don't, you little bitch! I've been waiting for this day to come!" Her nails dig into my wrist and I desperately clawed at her hand to release me. "You'll be stuck here while I walk through that door!"
"No! You're not me! You can't keep me down here!" I twist my arm in an attempt to break free as frightful tears gather in the corners of my eyes. Goosebumps rose throughout my body while her cold maniac laughter grates in my mind.
"Resistance is futile! You're powerless before me!" She clamps her free hand over my mouth, fingernails digging into my cheeks as she wrenches my face closer to hers until our noses are barely touching. My fear intensified when her dark blue eyes widen and the devilish grin became a toothy smile, "Too bad~ I'm really and truly going to miss you."
I'm not going to lose to this imposter if it's the last thing I do.
Instinct took over my body, causing me to kick her in the side with my knee. She grunted and loosened her grip on my mouth enough for me to bite her palm. She lets out a pained groan but I wasn't finished yet - I clenched my free left hand into a tight fist, pulled it back, and punched it directly at her face. She dodged it with ease while maintaining her grip on my wrist.
"I see! You're not going down without a fight, huh?" She cackles as she threw my wrist back, causing me to stumble a few paces backwards. If it's even possible, her toothy smile widens to the point of distorting her face into something gruesome. "You ready for the fight for your life, little bitch? Then let's throw down!"
No, I'm not ready, I'd never be ready but I'll have to be.
I clenched my jaw and remained silent while bracing myself for the onslaught. I've never been properly trained to fight, but Mom taught me some self-defense moves she learned when she was part of Auntie's gang. I hope it's enough to get me through this as I saw my clone crouch into a fighting stance with a cocky smile and fire in her eyes.
"C'mon! Bring it on then!" She starts to circle me so I rotated my body to keep her within sight. "You don't stand a chance against me; I've been training all these years just so I can break you. You pathetic weakling!" I bite the inside of my cheek so that I don't fall for her bait, a lesson Mom taught me flashed a crossed my mind. The enemy wants rile you up and get under your skin so ignore them.
Easier said than done! I continued watching her until she quickly came rushing at me with her fingers extended ready to claw me. I dropped and rolled to the side; narrowly dodging her leg-swipe aimed at my head. I dodge rolled again to gain more distance and I finally jumped to my feet in time to prepare for her next charge.
"Not bad~! But can you land a hit?" She rushes towards me then jumping at the last second - I quickly grabbed her left arm and used her momentum to throw her over my shoulder, slamming her back hard into the floor. I heard the air escape from her lungs as I twisted her wrist past where it could normally go. I suppressed a cringe at the sound of her bones grinding together and her scream; I let go backing away as she slowly stood back up.
She grips her injury and twisting it back into place, released a low grunt. I felt a cold sweat drip from my back when she glared dark blue daggers at me with a snarl, "You're going to regret that, you bastard's bitch!"
She charges at me with multiple punches and kicks that I'm forced to dodge or block with minimal room to counter attack. Shit! She hits hard! I hissed when she landed a hit on my collarbone. I ducked under her swinging leg and slammed my palm behind her knee to throw her off balance. She stumbled backwards but regained her footing too soon for comfort. She snorts the air like an enraged bull that I half-expected her to paw the ground. With her next charge, I spun out of the way then pushed her to the side - effectively knocking her against a wall.
"I bet they're helping you! They've never liked me - that's why I'm kept here! Left to rot while they get to be together and have fun!" Her growling words gave me pause - Who are the "they?" she keeps referring to? Are there others in this place? Is she imprisoned? - she took the advantage of pushing herself off the wall and tackled me to the ground. I yanked her hair before she could capture my arms, but she continued her assault. I fought back, landing a few hits including busting the corner of her bottom lip.
"You're going to regret that one you bitch." Her features darkened with rage as she relentlessly attacked; I blocked and countered as much as I could in my position. Like hell I'm gonna let this fake copy win against me!
It felt like we've been fighting for hours. My body begins to tire but I continued to stubbornly thrash beneath her. I would've kicked her off if she hadn't sat on my thighs pinning my legs down.
"Ha! I told you I'd win!" She bears a cocky smile as she pinned my arms above my head; her breath reeks with the smell of iron as it washed over my face, I scrunched my nose in disgust. I continued my struggle in an attempt to break free. "I admit you're a feisty one, but it's time for you to go night-night!"
My breath hitched when her hands clamped around my neck. Her nails dig into my skin, applying uncomfortable pressure. I struggle to breath while I tried to claw her face but was just out of reach. I chocked when she squeezed harder; it felt like my eyes were about to burst, blood pulsing against my temple, and I can hear my heat beat loudly in my ears. Tears are blurring my vision yet I can still see her deranged expression - she's smiling with a glint in her dark blue eyes.
I don't want to die! I can't die!
With the last bit of strength I had left, both of my fists punch the inside of her elbows, effectively causing the pressure to lighten up and her to fall forward. I immediately headbutted her nose hard enough that she fell off to the side. I took a sharp intake of breath, filling my lungs with air before I broke out in a coughing fit on my hands and knees.
I looked up in time to see the Other Me kneeling with blood dripping from her presumed broken nose as she roared, "YOU FUCKING BITCH! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
I shut my eyes and tensed my body when she lunged at me -
- nothing happened. I didn't feel her body tackling me or any assaults. All I heard was a short, high-pitched yelp and then silence. I hesitantly opened my eyes but was met with darkness. Wait…darkness? I…it should be bright in here! I hastily lifted a hand to my eyes and my fingertips felt a cloth?
"Whew! Thank God we made it in time!" I jumped when a high-pitched voiced squeaked next to me.
"W-what…?" I rasped as I reached behind my head to remove the cloth that covered my eyes. I flinched when a seemingly small - fury?- hand gently curled its fingers around my forearm.
"Please don't remove it, Miss! It's not yet time for you to meet us but you will soon. For now, we need you to get through the door. C'mon everyone, Miss needs our help!" The hand slid down my forearm to settle in my palm; I instinctively held it.
"Wh-who are y-you?" I whispered confused on what was going on.
"Can you stand?" I flinched at the gruff voice somewhere above me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you Little One." Comfort settles over me after hearing its gentle voice I then became aware of scuffling and a muffled voice coming from somewhere nearby.
"What's that no-noise is something happening?" Even though my voice cracked, the pain around my throat was feeling better by the minute. The little hand in mine gave me a comforting squeeze.
"Don't worry about that Miss, you're safe now. Please try standing; you should get out of here," The high pitched voice urged me as I felt something hairy push up against my back.
"Lean against me for stability Little One," the gruff voice came again.
"Thank you," I say tiredly as I picked myself up while leaning against the body for support. It or they felt soft and warm but my keen nose couldn't detect a scent. The urge to remove the blindfold made my hands twitch yet their words echoed in my mind. I stood for a moment leaning against them my hand still held by the smaller one.
"Miss, are you ok? We really need to get you to the door now," the high pitched voice asked cautiously. I nodded my head as I realized how exhausted I was. The hand tugged me forward like how a child would drag their parent; the bigger one pushed me from behind in the same direction. I heard more shuffling around me but no one spoke. As soon as we halted the small hand slipped out of mine; oddly enough loneliness settled within me. "This is goodbye for now, Miss. I can't wait to meet you properly."
"I hope I don't have to wait too long until we meet again." I tried to smile despite suddenly feeling lonely and a little sad. Our other companion only grunted.
"You need to go now. Walk forward; the door is right in front of you." I took a deep breath and reached a hand out just in case. I took a step forward, my outstretched hand roaming until I touched the door handle and turned it; I pushed it open then walked through. I floated in darkness until I was aware of something soft beneath me. Fuzzy-minded in the dark, I felt comfortable enough to continue resting there so imagine my disappointment when I felt my body awakening. My vision was very blurry and I couldn't make out what I was looking at, but I knew it wasn't the inside of my tent. I blinked a few times to clear my vision. When my eyes and brain had finally focused on what I was looking at I gave a yell of surprise. I was in a bed a real bed and facing me still sleeping was Yuki! I scrambled backwards and fell off the bed when he started to open his eyes. Yuki sat up rubbing his eyes, looking over at me or at least I think he did, he seemed to still be half asleep.
"What's with all the racket so early in the morning?" He mumbled sleepily. I stared at him while my mind went a mile a minute.
During the nightmare I must have slept walked into Yuki's room! When I was little if I had that nightmare I would sleep walk into my mother's bed but she isn't here anymore so I guess I just went somewhere else? He must be a heavy sleeper to be able to sleep through someone climbing into bed with him. No! I can think about that later! For now, I must think of the matter at hand.
I gave my head a little shake. I focused back on a now almost fully awake Yuki.
"Liisa-San, may I ask what you're doing in my room?" He asked looking confused. He must have not seen me in his bed before he woke up! I slowly stood up having calmed down enough to think straight.
"I uh, sleepwalk and I must have slept walked last night…" I trailed off blushing. "And I woke up in your room! Sorry!" I ran out of the room and down the stairs without thinking. My panicked state guesstimated which room was the bathroom and I locked myself in. My hand felt the wall for a light switch; my eyes stung when the lights turned on. I reopened them and for a quick second, I thought I saw her in the mirror with her deranged expression. I blinked and I saw my normal reflection again. I sighed in relief then walked closer to the sink with the mirror above it. I leaned in closer to examine my reflection - shadows under my eyes, streaks of dried mud painted on my cheeks and jawline, and hair disarrayed.
When my eyes trail down to my neck, memories from the nightmare flash before me. Her unbeaten form, her chilling mocking voice, the distorted facial features, the feeling of her nails painfully digging into my flesh - I take a deep breath to calm my rising anxiety then exhaled. Many questions raced my mind like why was she different this time than the other times; why did she attack me; and who were the voices that spoke to me? They said they couldn't wait to meet me so I guess I'll meet them again? But when did they get there? I raised my right hand to my throat wincing as I felt a dull pain in wrist. Looking at it, there weren't any visible marks on my skin. I examined my neck finding the same, there was pain where the other me had her hands but there were no visible marks. As I looked the pain started to fade away leaving me shaken.
Why do I still feel the pain? That was only dream right?
I can feel a headache approaching fast so I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face. It certainly made me more awake now; I looked back at my reflection, Dear lord I'm a hot mess. I proceeded to clean my face and attempted to fix the rest of my appearance. As I fixed my shirt, I'm reminded of the fact that this belongs to Yuki; my cheeks flushed when I remembered that I slept walked into his room and into his bed.
Shoot! How am I going to face him now? He probably thinks I'm a member of his fan club taking advantage of being in the same house as him and getting close to him like that!
I slapped my cheeks to snap myself out of it. No, no! It was just a misunderstanding…yes…a huge misunderstanding that won't happen again…hopefully. Besides, I don't think he knew I was in his bed; he just thought I was in his room…for a while…like a stalker. I shook my head once more. All should be good as long as no one finds out after today; we'll be gone and then I'll be damned if I talk about this ever again.
Coming to that decision, my thoughts turned to think of a plan for what to do next.
I wonder if Shigure would let us use the shower after I dig the tent out? Hell if I make Tohru help after she had the fever yesterday. Maybe I can get the dog pack to help, I wonder if they're alright? I should go see them today if I have the time.
Feeling I couldn't hide in the bathroom forever I reluctantly left its safety and headed back up the stairs towards the room Tohru was in. I softly knocked on the door before entering. I saw that she was sitting up on her futon rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with her dirty hands.
"Morning Liisa, are you ready to go dig out the tent?" she asked as I walked over to her and started folding the futon the I had used.
"Yeah, but I was thinking of doing that by myself. You were sick and I don't want you to overexert yourself." I explained as I worked.
"Oh please, you won't be able to stop me. I'm fit enough to do it," She scoffed while getting out of her futon and folding it too.
"No, you need to rest and eat. If I need help, I can ask a group of animals that I know." I looked at her stunned expression and added, "What I mean by that is I can talk to animals because of my curse! Uh, there's a group of wild dogs in the woods that I befriended so I can ask them."
"Hmmm, that would be a faster way to get it done." She conceded, "Though I have to ask, when would you talk to them? After I came to the tent, we were together most of the time."
I averted my gaze to the side, "Well, sometimes when I went to the stream to freshen up, they would be there. I told them not to show up around you because you didn't know about the curse." I then grabbed my futon to store in the closet with Tohru following my lead.
"Ah, no wonder you would take so long." She teased just as I felt the push-and-pull force of Yuki moving towards our room. A knock on the door was heard a second later.
"Come in!" Tohru called out while I bit the inside of my cheek; we turned to see him entering the room with several bags hanging from his arms.
"Oh Sohma-san! Good morning! What do you have there?" Tohru greeted him cheerily. I mumbled out a morning, not able to look him in the eye. I settled on looking just over his left shoulder.
"Good morning, Honda-San. I'm glad to see you're feeling better, " He walked further into the room then set the bags down beside the wall, "These are the things from your tent. I went and dug them out while you were asleep."
I eyed him suspiciously, Why'd he do that? He knew that we'd do it ourselves in the morning so what's his plan? I can't figure him out, I don't know what he's thinking I can never be too careful.
"If you want, you're welcome to use the shower. You'd probably want to after the events from last night," He rubs a hand on the back of his neck. My face flushed when I remembered looking at my disheveled appearance earlier.
"Thank you Sohma-san that was so thoughtful. I take it you had help digging out the tent? Liisa was just saying she would have the wild dogs help us," my friend rambled as a strange look crossed Yuki's face, disgust maybe? It was gone so fast that I wasn't completely sure what it was.
"Yeah, something like that." He mysteriously stated before turning to the door, "The bathroom is downstairs, the door next to the living room." That said, he left closing the door behind him.
"We might as well as take him up on the offer," I faced Tohru when she spoke, "I know you feel uncomfortable in this situation, but we really need a proper shower." She chuckled nervously when she held up her muddy hands.
"Yeah, you can go first. You need it more than me so I don't mind waiting." I moved to the bags by the wall to find some of our belongings. They aren't organized so I took them out and began to separate them into two piles. Tohru joined in and we quickly worked through separating dirty laundry versus clean clothes.
"At least we don't have school or work today." I sighed out, "We need to go to the laundry mat and then figure out what we're going to do from here on out." I slumped on my knees with my pile of clean clothes I'm going to wear after the shower.
"Yeah, might as well wash the sleeping bags as well." I slightly scrunched my face at the dirty items. I glanced at Tohru to see her hugging her mother's photo. "It's going to be a long day today, but we'll get through it together." I smiled at her smile, even though it's aimed at the photo now settled in her lap.
"We got this!" I felt a burst of energy, "But first things first! While you're in the shower, I'll ask if it's okay for us to use the kitchen to cook breakfast for everyone before we leave."
"Sounds like a plan! You make really good breakfast too. I'm sure the others will like it." She complimented as she stood to leave with her items in her arms.
"Awe, thanks! You're cooking is good too!" My blush returns at the praise. I remembered the times back home when Tohru and I would take turns cooking when our mothers were too tired or busy; her making dinner and I making breakfast. It sort of became an unspoken rule for all of us but it was one of the best highlights of my life. My face grew hotter when the thought of food made my stomach growl.
"Hahahaha! I'd better get going before your stomach wakes the whole forest!" She left the room first and I followed afterwards; we descended the stairs and branched off with her going to the bathroom and I to the living room where I sensed the rat. I sensed Kyo's presence somewhere upstairs but not Shigure's, oddly. In fact, I don't sense him at all.
Maybe he had work today? Guess I'll ask Yuki if I can use the kitchen then.
Coming to this decision I followed Yuki's presence to the living room. When I slid the door open, Yuki was sitting alone reading a book, he looked up at me. Memories of this morning whipped past me, leaving heated cheeks behind.
"Do you need something, Liisa-san?" He calmly asked as he bookmarked his page and closed the book. My tongue felt like lead and my mouth wired shut. I inhaled through my nose as I willed myself not to say something stupid.
"C-can I-I us-use the kit-kitchen?" I berated myself for stuttering. Relax! He wasn't awake when I was in his bed so stop being awkward. I'm not going to say anything if he doesn't! I blanched when he bears an embarrassed look. Shit! He knows! What do I do?!
"Um, well it's really messy in there. I don't think it's fit for use right now," He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes averted.
Oh! He's embarrassed about a little mess in the kitchen! I couldn't help smiling in relief.
"A little mess is fine! I just want to make some breakfast. Tohru never ate dinner last night because of her fever," I explained turning back into the hallway. I could just find the kitchen on my own. I heard his quick footsteps and then he was blocking my path.
"No really! We could get take-out for breakfast or something! You really don't want to go in there." He pleaded quietly a blush on his face.
"Oh come on, I won't judge. I lived in a tent for 3 months, eating nothing but take-out. Having a home-cooked meal would be a treat. I'll clean up my mess when I'm done and, of course, you and Kyo can have some too." I ducked around him and went to the last door I haven't gone through yet.
"No, really don't go in there…" He trailed off as I threw open the door. I only had a brief view of a sea of trash bags and loose garbage before I'm hit with the smell; my eyes stung from the rising waterworks and my stomach churned. I slammed the door shut and groaned.
"Dear lord! You weren't kidding when you said it's really messy in there!" I pinched my nose in an attempt to cut off the nauseating smell. Holy moly, I'm going to smell that for a while! I heaved a little but managed to hold it down - all while I felt Shigure's presence before hearing the scruff of his shoes outside.
"I'm home!" The dog barked from the entrance.
"Um, I'm going to, err, greet him." Yuki excused himself while I shook my head in disappointment. "Welcome back," Yuki greeted turning the corner, leaving me standing in the hallway alone. "You brought back some breakfast?"
It couldn't be any more obvious he wanted to get away from this situation. I didn't blame him I was a stranger and I was being really pushy, but no one expects that sort of mess.
"These guys don't know how to clean after themselves," I whispered to myself as I eyed the kitchen door in distaste.
"What can I say? We've needed a woman's touch around here for some time." I jumped out of my skin at the sound of Shigure's voice behind me. I spun around quickly falling on my butt. I groaned while shooting daggers at the damn mutt.
"Why would you do that?! You could've given me a heart attack!" I stood up rubbing the sore spot forming on my butt.
"I wanted to see if I could get the jump on you! Seems like I can if you're lost in thought!" My eye twitched when he snickered. This rangy mutt! "Anyway, I bought breakfast for everyone because we didn't have dinner last night. Can you get Kyo and Tohru-San?" He asked as he made his way towards the living room without sparing a glance back at us.
"Is he always like this?" I whispered to Yuki actually feeling sorry for him since he does live with him.
"You don't know the half of it," he sighed heading towards the stairs, leaving me alone in the hallway.
Soon, we gathered in the living room. We ate breakfast in relative silence, though I couldn't help but feel self-conscious since I hadn't showered or changed clothes yet. I inwardly sighed but the thought of a hot shower just minutes away made me a little giddy.
When everyone finished eating and gathered up the garbage, Shigure spoke to us before we left the table.
"Ladies, I have something to tell you," Worry crept up my spine at his next words, "I have to talk to the Sohma Family Head, Akito, today about the two of you. If you could please stay for another day to hear the results, that'd be best. You're free to use the washing machine to clean your clothes as well."
What? Why would we stay here? Is something going to happen to us because we know about their curse? And why does this 'Akito' person sound so similar the Head of MY family? And that reminds me…
"Shigure, can I use your phone again?" I asked; my right hand fidgeting with my bracelet at the thought of the impending conversation with him.
"Yeah, go ahead. You know where it is." He waved a dismissive hand in my direction, "Now then, Kyo, you need to get ready. We need to go soon or we won't make it back at a decent hour." I watched as he picked the cat up by the scruff of his collar and carried him out of the room.
"I'm going to just go put this stuff in the kitchen. I'll be right back," Tohru announced in the awkward silence that followed. If she smells that stench she might just pass out, and then want to clean it up. Which right after being sick is not advisable, I've got to stop her.
"Uh, I'll do it Tohru you don't want to go in there," I offered trying to take the bags out of her hands. She didn't let me take them dodging my hands with ease.
"Right, even better I can do it instead," Yuki offered on her other side. She just gave us an amused smile before moving past us.
"Thanks for the offer guys but I got it, besides Liisa you probably want to shower and change into clean clothes as soon as possible," She started to head out of the dining room and we exchanged a look before hurrying after her.
"No really, it's no trouble at all! Right, Yuki-san?" I appealed to Yuki looking over at him, and he nodded.
"Yeah really, it's not a problem at all! You're the guest after all," He added stepping in front of the door to the kitchen to block her from opening it. I moved to Tohru's side my back to Yuki.
"You guys are acting really weird, if the kitchen is a little messy it's not a big deal. I won't judge, not everyone likes cleaning like I do," She pushed me off to the side and I watched as she stood in front of Yuki.
"Sohma-san, please move out of the way," she had a smile on her face that meant she was not asking. I could see the color rising on his cheeks just like when I was trying to get into the kitchen, even so he still shook his head.
"No, Honda-san, I'm sorry but I'm not letting you through this door," he stubbornly said planting his feet firmly on the floor.
Wow he's more determined than when I was trying to get in.
"Oh move along Yuki. She's going to see it eventually, might as well as get it over with now." Shigure came out of his room in a grey suit with his hair slicked back except for his bangs. He reminded me of a scruffy dog that just got back from the groomers. I hate to admit it but he looked handsome.
"What are you talking abo…" Yuki trailed off when Shigure approached us, pushed him away from the door and right into me. Two puffs of smoke shrouded us as we transformed into our rat forms. I looked down at my smaller body of light blonde fur and pink paws. My small round ears twitched when I heard a displeased hiss - I turned to see Yuki as a gray rat with fur the same color as his hair. Admittedly, he'd look cuter if he wasn't scowling.
"Oh my, sorry Yuki! I didn't mean to push you so hard," The amused smile on his face wasn't convincing anyone. "But now you can't fight back." He reached out a hand and pulled the door open. I immediately clamped both paws over my nose in preparation for the smell.
"Oh, I didn't realize it would be this messy…" she didn't even cover her nose as she took in the sight in front of her.
Right, she doesn't have a strong sense of smell so it's probably not as unbearable as it is to me.
"Oh, I know! Since Liisa and I are staying here, how about we clean the kitchen as payment for your hospitality?" She completely ignored me in favor of looking at the dog.
"You will? Then payment excepted! But I think we should get these two some privacy before…" He started when there was once again 2 puffs of smoke. The second I turned back into a human, I used the smoke screen as a cover to dart into the bathroom. I locked the door and pressed by back against it, heart pounding in hopes no one saw anything.
"Whoops! Sorry you two, I thought you would have more time - guess not," Shigure's voice come through the door. "Anyhow Kyo and I have to get going. Tohru-San, you can help them out right?" Judging by the sound of his voice, he'd moved along the hallway in the direction of the stairs.
"U-uh ok, um, Sohma-San, I'll just leave the clothes you were wearing outside the door," Tohru began and I heard her moving around out in the hall.
"Thanks Honda-san," He responded his voice coming from the living room next door.
"Y-you're welcome, and Liisa do you want me to go get your stuff so you can take a shower? I mean you're already in the bathroom," She suggested and I could see her point.
"Yeah that's fine. Thanks Tohru! There's a pile of things on the floor beside my bags." I called out then examined the bathroom. I was in here earlier but I didn't get the chance to see the entire layout. It's more spacious than I thought - there's enough space in between each appliance. There's two doors parallel to each other. I moved to the door closest to the toilet to discover the shower room; there's two body washes and two different shampoos lined up on one of the shelves. The labels read Japanese Cheery Blossom and Forest Pine for their matching sets.
Oh so that's why Yuki smells like flowers, and Shigure has a woody undertone.
I quickly opened the door to the other room to find the laundry room. Thankfully, it's clean compared to the kitchen. There was a washing machine and dryer lined up against the wall and laundry detergent on the shelf above it.
There was a soft knock at the door, "Coming." I quickly unlocked the bathroom door and opened it enough to see Tohru standing there with my things. I outstretched an arm and she passed the items over. "Thanks again. Sorry about this."
"It's no problem Liisa! While you're showering, I'm going to start on the kitchen. Come join me when you're done," She said brightly with a smile.
"I will. Don't push yourself too hard and take breaks when you need them. I have to make that phone call first then I'll join you," I replied setting my things down on the edge of the sink.
"I promise you I feel fine. I'll see you in a bit then," She turned from the door and I shut and locked it after her. She's right I could no longer smell that sickly sour smell coming from her but I'm still worried she'll overdo it. I sighed as I brought my body wash and shampoo with me into the shower.
After I'd showered, dressed, and brushed out my hair I made my way next door to Shigure's study. I've stalled long enough; it's time that I give him a call. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. "Sorry for the intrusion," I whispered while stepping inside the room and closed the door behind me. It felt weird coming here alone even with the owner's permission. The lone woody scent hanging in the air reinforces that this is Shigure's private study - compared to the rest of the house that's beginning to carry our mixed scents. I quickly made my way to the phone, picked up the headset, and dialed the number of my Main House with a trembling finger. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down as the phone rang.
"Ito Main House, Ena speaking," A female voice answered in a cool tone. Great, it just had to be her.
"Hello, Ena, it's Liisa calling. I wish to speak with Akiro," I answered just as coolly.
"Ah, yes. He's been expecting a call from you," she answered and I could hear shuffling noises on the other end of the line.
"Master Akiro, the Beast is on the line for you," I heard distantly. I bristled at the name she used. None of the Main House staff members call me by my given name; it's either "you" or "girl" some even called me "Beast" as a reminder of what I am - a cursed husk filled with more than one spirit. I could faintly hear Akiro's voice but didn't pick up on his words. There was a grating noise as the phone was passed over.
"Hello, Liisa, I was wondering when you'd give me a call. So, where have you been staying?" His quiet and gravelly voice sent a shiver down my spine. This isn't good - he's already angered.
"Oh you know here and there. I can't really afford much with what I make at my job," I danced around the truth not wanting to hear his scorn at my living in a tent.
"So, then where are you calling from? And DO. NOT. LIE." He didn't raise the volume of his voice, but his tone became colder and harsher. I gulped as a cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
"I-I'm calling from a man named Shigure Sohma's house," I answered obediently. There was a pause on the other end.
"And how old is this Shigure?" His voice lost the hard edge to it and I couldn't tell if this was a good thing or not.
"I think he's in his mid-20's," I replied wearily not sure what Akiro was getting at.
"Are you staying there in exchange for favors," he sounded disgusted and I was confused.
Favors? Like Tohru and I cleaning his kitchen?
"I don't know what you're talking about," there was a distasteful sigh on the other end.
"Are you having intimate relations with this 'Shigure' in exchange for room and board?" His blunt question caused my face to flow red hot and it doesn't help that I'm alone in the room, surrounded by the person-in-question's scent.
"N-no! I'm only here because my friend collapsed from a fever near his house and he was willing to let us stay the night!" I explained quickly, an indistinct hum came over the phone. "Although, he's part of the reason I called today. He and 2 other guys found out about the curse." I paused unsure if I should tell him about their curse being similar to our family.
"Oh? What are the names of the other two?" his voice was soft, not a good sign. Akiro's voice gets softer when he gets really angry, I would prefer he screamed and yelled.
"Th-there nam-names…" I trailed off, taking a breath to calm myself. "Their names are Yuki Sohma and Kyo Sohma."
"How are they related to Shigure Sohma?"
"They're all cousins." I couldn't figure out what he was trying to get at.
"Is there anything that was strange about them?"
"Uh, yeah, I don't know how it's possible but all three of them are cursed like me. Are we related to the Sohma's or something?" I held my breath waiting for the answer.
"Reeeaaally? Are they all like you or is there only one spirit per person?" He completely ignored my question.
"It's the latter and I was wondering if we're related to them or something," I tried again.
"Which animals are they?"
"Uh, Yuki's the rat, Kyo's the cat, and Shigure's the dog but answer my question, are we related to them?" Why is he avoiding my question?
"Now that's interesting. Listen up girl, see if you can stay with Shigure. I want to keep an eye on you as well as learn more about the Sohma's. We aren't related to them but their curse intrigues me; you're going to do the research for me. Who knows? They might have a clue on how to break your curse," I was startled at how he easily gave in.
"R-really? You a-aren't going to d-do any-anything to them?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Well, if they're willing to be around a smelly Beast then they're trash just like you." I bit the inside of my cheek as my fingers tightened around the headset. Of course, that's his reasoning. "So, is there anyone else who found out about the curse?" My breath hitched - the time has come whether or not I'll tell him about Tohru. I've gotten good at lying to everyone else around me over the years but…Akiro is the only one who makes me truly nervous when I lie.
I closed my eyes with my decision made. "No. It was just those three," He can't see me. I should be fi-
"So, that's the route you've chosen," he stated then the line went dead. I froze; my hand still holding the headset as the dial tone beeped. Panic surged throughout my body.
What did he mean by that last line? Does he know something? Does he know that I lied? Oh God, he said he wanted to keep an eye on me but he never asked where Shigure's house is! Does that mean he has people watching me? Does he already know where I am?
I thought back to last night when I was watching over Tohru; the feeling of being watched from the window stood out to me. That could've been whoever Akiro sent to stalk me and report back to him. I mean, this isn't the first time I've felt like I was being watched - it's happened multiple times while I was on my way home in the woods but I was never able to pinpoint the stalker(s). Even the dog pack haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary.
I placed the headset back on its dock then rubbed my face with trembling hands, feeling so overwhelmed. Between Tohru and the Sohma's finding out about the curse; Tohru getting sick; my nightmare getting even worse; and the phone call just now I feel emotionally drained. I was already wishing for things to go back to how they were before I met the Sohma's - hell even before Mom and Auntie died. I shook my head to help clear it. "Those days are over you cry baby," I told myself. "Time to pull up your big girl pants and get on with your life." I slapped both of my cheeks to clear the rest of my thoughts away to the back of my mind.
"Now, let's go and help Tohru clean the kitchen like we promised," I ordered myself aloud. Thankfully, today is Saturday so we both have the day-off from work to focus on other things. Sighing, I left the room and immediately had to pinch my nose closed at the smell in the air.
"Tohru, can you open a window or something? I think I'm gonna barf," I complained, looking into the kitchen.
"But… I already have all of the windows and doors open," she replied looking up from where she was stacking the trash bags. "Is the smell really that bad? I was just thinking that it had gotten a little better." she came over to me and took a sniff. "Hmm… it could be because I've been in here a while and have gotten used to it?"
"It's more likely because I have an enhanced sense of smell as well as hearing. At any rate, the best way to get rid of the smell is to throw away the garbage rather than moving it around." I moved past her and used one hand to grab some of the trash bags then made my way outside through the sliding glass doors. I located the garbage bins and tossed the bags inside. I released my nose to breathe in the fresh air despite smelling lingering traces of the trash. I moved to the glass door where Tohru stood with more trash bags in her hands.
"I'll take care of the rest of the trash bags so you can get started on the counter," I suggested taking the trash bags from her.
"Alright if you're sure," She said a little skeptically.
I flashed her a toothy smile, "It won't take us long if we split up the tasks like we used to do when we were back home. Just don't push yourself too hard, I don't want your fever to come back."
"I feel fine! Let's get to it then!" She beamed a wide earnest smile back at me. I turned and headed back to the garbage cans, while Tohru headed over to the counter and started sorting through the stuff that was stacked there.
Five Hours Later
Tohru and I worked in comfortable silence. After I removed all of the trash bags and she cleaned up the floor; the foul odor that assaulted my nose dissipated. We were surprised when we opened the fridge and the worst stench invaded our noses. If I thought the trash was bad, this tops it. I turned away, gagging as my eyes teared up while Tohru slammed it shut. We regrouped and tackled both the fridge and the freezer till they sparkled. I didn't realize it was late until Tohru gasped.
"It's already 4:30 P.M.? I need to get dinner started and we still need to do our laundry!" She exclaimed as she darted around the kitchen to gather ingredients. Luckily, we found some food items that haven't expired yet so we saved those to be used for a night like tonight.
Honestly, how could they go about their business when there was a big fat mess in here? Don't they have heightened senses too? I wouldn't have been able to sleep at all with that mess!
"Is there anything you want me to help with?" I offered as she rinsed the rice before putting it in the unearthed rice cooker.
"Could you start the laundry? Just put my clothes with yours for a full load," she said as she pulled out a frying pan from the drying rack.
"On it! Holler if you need anything!" She has the knack to whip up something delicious on the fly - another thing she enjoys. This happened often at the apartment if we forgot to go shopping and had to make do with what was in the cupboards. As I headed up the stairs, I realized that I couldn't feel any other presences in the house. I knew that Kyo and Shigure were at the Sohma Main House but where did Yuki go? Maybe I could ask Tohru if he wasn't back by the time I started the wash. I opened the door to the room we used last night and grabbed the bags with our clothes inside.
"Is this really all the clothes she has?" I asked myself taking a peek into the remaining bags. The others contained her personal items but no clothes. I wondered if she left most of her clothes at her grandfather's house when she came to live in the tent. I went back downstairs and into the bathroom, remembering that I saw the laundry room off the bathroom earlier. I set our bags down and started up the washing machine. I used some of the laundry soap that's on the shelf above the washer, thinking they wouldn't mind. Once the washer stared, I went back to the kitchen to see if Tohru needed help with anything.
"The clothes are in the wash. Do you need help in here?" I smiled when the smell of delicious soup greeted me. She looked at me then shook her head.
"No, I'm almost done. All that's left to do is let the soup simmer for a bit," She started washing the dishes she used to prep the food. I shrugged and walked over to the dining table we unearthed and thoroughly scrubbed clean; I straddled a chair with my arms resting on the back rest.
"So," I began as she checked on the soup, "How do you feel now that you've met the cat of the zodiacs?" I knew she always loved and pitied the cat in the Zodiac stories our moms used to tell, but I was curious as to what she thinks after seeing the real deal. I saw her cheeks redden while leaning over the pot to taste-test the food.
"I'm excited! I hope I can get to know him and be his friend," She looked a little crestfallen with pink cheeks.
"Don't worry, Tohru, you have a huge influence on people. I'm sure you two can become friends" I assured her.
"Thanks Liisa, but you're also the cat of the zodiacs so I'm happy to already be friends with one of them." She said brightly. A warmth bubbled up inside me at the same time a wide smile plastered itself on my face. No one has ever said something quite like that to me before but that's Tohru for you.
"Aw, you're such a great friend and I feel like I'm not good enough for you sometimes," I responded the warmth in me growing.
I don't know what I would do without her.
"… that's why I love being your friend," I realized too late that she had been talking while I'd been thinking. I squirmed a little in the silence, feeling bad for missing what was said.
"Uh, sorry I didn't hear what you said, could you repeat that?" I asked awkwardly as my right hand touches my bracelet.
"I was saying that you cared about me and I'm sorry for making you cry last night. I never blamed you for what happened; I know that you guys wanted what was best for me," The pink flush returned to her face. I felt the pressure of tears behind my eyes so I got up and wrapped my arms tightly around her.
"Awe~ Tohru! I didn't know that was on your mind. I couldn't bring myself to talk about it even though you wanted to. I'd push you away or I'd run away and I'm so sorry for doing that. Then when you started talking, the dam broke and…" I sighed heavily, "…and I knew that it was time for me to stop running away and hear what you had to say." I rested my head on top of hers. I felt her arms wrap around my waist and I'm reminded of how nice it feels be hugged by the people you love. With my curse, I didn't seek out physical comfort even from Tohru, Uo, and Hana - it was only my mother - because I was afraid, terrified even, that something would go wrong. I'd forgotten how much I've missed this in the times I've distanced myself. We continued to hug each other until I felt that familiar push-and-pull force nearing the house. "Feels like Yuki's back," I pulled back from the hug just as I heard the door open followed by a soft "I'm home."
"Welcome back," Tohru called back as she headed to the door of the kitchen. I stayed where I was as she poked her head out of the kitchen into the hallway. When he walked in, he had a look of surprise on his face. I moved back to the table and reseated myself in my chair trying not to stare at Yuki, feeling the embarrassment from this morning coming back. I opted to stare at the floor in case I started to blush.
"Wow! You guys made quick work of the mess in here," He stated in soft amazement as he walked over to the rice cooker where the rice was cooked and ready to be eaten. "I didn't even know we had a rice cooker." He continued to comment on different appliances that we unearthed before they got into a conversation about other aspects of the kitchen. I closed my eyes to enjoy this peaceful moment with their words in the background. Then I heard someone's stomach growl and mine followed suit.
"Soooo when can we eat dinner?" Yuki asked awkwardly. I opened my eyes and looked at Tohru.
"We can eat when Shigure-san and Kyo-san gets back," She stated as she turned off the burner for the soup.
And who knows when that will be.
"They went to the Main House and won't be back until later tonight. We can always save them some," Yuki moved to one of the cupboards and opened it, "Oh, where are the bowls and silverware?" Tohru hurried to open another cupboard. I let out a sigh as I got up to join them. We quickly got the table set up, Tohru and I made up portions for Kyo and Shigure for when they came home while Yuki got us drinks. Shortly after that we were all seated at the dining room table the bowls letting out tantalizing curls of steam. We said grace together and began eating. For a few minutes, the only sounds heard were us slurping our soup and the clink and scrape of the spoons against the bowls. I could sense Tohru watching us while we ate even though she tried to be sneaky about it.
"Mmm, this is good," Yuki stated in between spoonful's of soup.
"Really? Cause I haven't cooked for other people in a while. I mean, I would cook for my grandpa but he always says my cooking's good," she rambled with tinged pink cheeks.
"Yes, it's really good. I haven't had food like this in a while," He took another spoonful of soup.
"Mmm-hmm! Reminds me of home," I said without a thought as I stirred my soup with my spoon. I looked up when I heard a sniffle; Tohru's expression is sad with tears in her eyes. Panic shot through my heart, "Shoot! Tohru, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry!"
"No, it's fine I just… I thought so too," she stated wiping the tears away before they could fall. We both jumped at the sound of Yuki choking on his soup.
"Are you alright Sohma- san?" Tohru asked as he coughed pounding a fist on his chest.
"Y-yeah just fi-fine," he assured between coughs, we gave each other a startled glance.
Wonder what made him choke. We all ate in silence after Yuki calmed down from his coughing fit. Tohru was the one who broke the silence first.
"Did you go out today too Sohma-san? Did you go shopping?" I watched them quietly while I reached the bottom of my bowl.
"I didn't go shopping, but I went out to check on my garden - my secret base." He said softly, setting his spoon down. Huh, never would've thought he'd have a green thumb.
"Wow really? That's really cool," my friend exclaimed happily.
"I can assure you that it's not as 'cool' as you're imaging," he replied, picking up his bowl to drink his broth. "Maybe I can bring you two next time." he added before tipping his bowl. That was when I felt the cat's and dog's presences paired with their muffled yelling from the outside. From the way the rat tensed up, Yuki felt them too. As I heard them come closer, I could also make out their words.
"I'll never forgive you for deceiving me like that!" Kyo yelled as he slammed open the door to the kitchen. "You probably really enjoyed it!"
"As much as I love messing with people, this was for your own good, Kyo, and Akito agrees," Shigure countered while following the fuming teen into the kitchen.
"I don't give a damn what either of you think!" he yelled back stalking across the kitchen. I saw Tohru half rise out of her seat next to me.
"Welcome back! Dinner's ready," she greeted them calmly.
"I'M NOT EATING!" Kyo snapped at her exiting the kitchen into the hallway and slamming the door behind him.
"You shouldn't take out your anger on Tohru-san! Also, use the front door next time and don't forget to take your shoes off!" Shigure yelled after him, tugging his own shoes off in the entrance to the kitchen. I heard an angry muffled yell and the sound of something breaking somewhere in the house. The following silence was awkward until Tohru broke it.
"I didn't get to say it this morning but you look great in a suit," She awkwardly said as an attempt at light conversation while I raised my bowl to my lips to drink the rest of the soup.
"He looks like a host," Yuki said pointedly. I snorted into my soup and accidentally inhaled a bit; I set the bowl down while I went into a coughing fit.
"Are you alright over there? Was what he said really that funny?" Shigure asked plopping down into a vacant chair.
"W-well just a little," I managed to wheeze out after coughing my lungs out. Yuki looked away and Shigure let out a huff as his eyes shifted down to the table.
"Oh is dinner ready? Is there some for me?" He asked looking around at us.
"Ah yes! I left some for you and Kyo-san in the refrigerator since we didn't know when you guys would be back," Tohru explained as she rose from her seat once again. Shigure followed behind her as she opened the fridge and pulled out one of the bowls. "What about Kyo-san?"
"Ah, he's just having one of his temper tantrums. Don't mind him," He sighed absently, lifting the covering from the bowl and placing it in the microwave.
"What was he angry about?" I asked curiously. He did mention that Shigure had manipulated him in some way.
"I tricked him into taking a transfer exam. Starting Monday, Kyo is going to the same school as you three," He nonchalantly responded just as the microwave beeped; he removed the bowl, gave it a quick stir, and put it back inside. I flinched at the sound of Yuki's chair scraping against the floor when he shot up to invade the Shigure's space.
"No, why would you do that!? I chose to go to that school to get away from them! Why is he transferring there!" Yuki spoke in an angry voice, though I couldn't see his face since his back was to me.
"Mmmmm~ I knew you'd be angry but hear me out: even when Kyo went to an all-boy's school, he didn't want to go then he went missing for four months. No one knew where he went until he told me today that he trained in the mountains. Akito told it him it'd be best if he went to school with you as a different kind of training, I suppose," Shigure took out his bowl from the microwave and moved back to the table. The scowling rat never took his beady eyes off of the dog. Tohru busied herself by moving back to the table and started picking up the dirty dishes. I assisted her by bringing the rest to the sink, prepped the sponge with soap, and began doing the dishes.
"Training? Like the kind where you stand under a waterfall and fight bears?" She asked a confused look on her face. I silently took the dishes out of her hands and put them in the soapy water.
"Mmmmm something like that, but honestly I'm not completely sure," Shigure informed her before slurping a spoonful of soup. "This is really good by the way." he added nonchalantly.
"If he's been training, what's he trying to do?" she asked as Yuki set his own dishes on the counter next to the sink.
"It's because he wants to beat Yuki in a fight; they've been rivals since childhood," Shigure explained in between mouthfuls of soup.
"He's a moron," I turned my head to Yuki when I heard his mutter; his eyes are closed and he took a few deep breaths before turning away from the counter.
What's got him so worked up? Wait, didn't Kyo challenge Yuki to a fight today? I wonder if they're still going to do it after he stormed off like that?
"Enough about that sour puss! I have something to tell you girls!" Shigure's change of subject pulled me out of my own thoughts. "It's good news! As long as Tohru-san can keep the secret, she can stay here without any problems! As for Liisa-san, since she has a curse similar to ours there's no problem with you staying here; although Akito did express an interest in you. He wanted to know if you'd meet with him some time soon." I looked at the dog as his words sent a shiver down my spine. Why would I meet this "Akito" person want to meet me? Do I have to? What if he's like Akiro?
"What do you mean by that? What are you and Akito planning?" He demanded with an angry tone despite his sad and pained facial expression.
If you're thinking about the last incident, that was only because there were lots of people involved. This time, however, only involves two people. Given how Liisa-san is cursed like us, Akito said there wouldn't be consequences as long as they keep our secret; in turn, we'll keep her secret. Speaking of which, what did your Head of the Household say? You never did mention his name." Shigure glanced at me over his shoulder while ignoring the hovering Yuki.
I wonder what happened last time?
"U-uh sure I guess. I probably wouldn't have a choice, would I?" I was taken aback at the sudden news. I wasn't sure what to expect and Yuki's reaction didn't help calm my nerves. He stalked over to where Shigure sat and leaned down on the table to look him in the eyes.
"O-oh ye-yeah, I called him. Um, his name is Akiro… and he said, uh there wouldn't be any trouble from him as long as you guys keep the secret," I stuttered; my eyes bounced around the room as Akiro's words came back to me. 'I want to you to learn more about their curse and you're going to do the research for me. They might have a clue on how to break your curse.' I wonder if that's really true, or if there's an ulterior motive.
"Akiro, huh? That's a very similar name to Akito. What are the odds?" Shigure murmured with an interested look on his face. "Anyway, there's another thing that I want to ask you two. Do you like doing house chores?" He asked brightly and I just blinked at him.
"Yeah! I love to clean! Why?" Tohru asked taking a seat at the table. I noticed she looked tired but at least she didn't have the sour smell like last night.
Well, seeing as you both have nowhere else to go, I propose you live here and do house work as payment," He prompted as Yuki sat back down with a huff, arms crossed over his chest.
"What?! No way! I'm not going to stay in a house with men! Tohru and I aren't going to be your house keepers!" I shouted at him and he looked like a kicked puppy. "Besides, we only stayed for the night because Tohru was sick!"
"The room has a lock on it," Yuki informed us quietly. I was about to retort back at him when Tohru pulled me aside.
"Liisa, this would be better than to pay for it with money. Remember, we don't have that much to support the two of us. We wouldn't be able to pay for a place. We wouldn't have to buy take-out for every meal. Plus this is better than staying in that tent." Tohru whispered to me.
Dang it, she's right. The best thing for us right now is to accept the generous offer. I sighed in resignation despite feeling unhappy with the turn of events. I directed my pout at her, which she took it as acceptance judging by the light in her eyes.
"We didn't want to overstay our welcome but if you say it's okay, then thank you for having us." She thanked him then gave me a warning look with her eyes, "Isn't that right, Liisa?"
"Yeah thank you, hope it isn't too much trouble." I grumbled unhappily, looking away.
"Well! Now that that's settled, you two will take the room you slept in last night. I hope you don't mind sharing because the last room will be Kyo's as he'll also stay here from now on."
"Yeah, we used to share a room back in the apartment," I supplied. The adult nodded his head at me.
"Great! With that settled, maybe I can enjoy my dinner in peace." He returned his attention to his soup while I continued doing the dishes. The other two decided to get a head start on their homework in the meantime, so they brought their supplies out on the dining table. When I finished drying and putting away the dishes I looked over at the table and noticed Tohru was having trouble staying awake.
"Tohru, do you want to go to sleep? You're probably worn out between the fever and cleaning most of the day." I turned to the adult before she could respond. "Can we use the futons from last night?"
"Yeah, use them for as long as you need. I'm not expecting any guests any time soon because somebody doesn't like company," The adult chided, turning his head sharply to glare playfully in Yuki's direction.
"It's not that I dislike company. I just don't like the company you like to keep," He shot back, turning a page in his textbook almost lazily. I wonder who they're referring to. I guess whoever is friends with the dog is probably just as weird as he is.
"Uhhh, right well lets go then Tohru," I responded hesitantly nudging my friend out of her seat.
"Goodnight guys. See you later," she murmured after she collected her things
"Good night," I simply stated then headed up the stairs. I prepared the futons while Tohru was in the bathroom. Then I went when she returned. Back into the bedroom, I saw her already settled in her futon. I closed the door, turned off the lights, and settled into my futon. We exchanged goodnights to each other as today's events finally caught up to me.
I closed my eyes and drifted off to "dreamland."