Chapter Two: Home, Home on the Range

*Hiiro looked up to see a decent sized cabin atop a green hill. It was certainly bigger than most of the town shanties, but nowhere near as big as some of the homes he had seen back east. He could see the kitchen garden on the side of the cabin, growing simple crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers. A small field of corn was planted in another plot of land next to the small garden. Off farther to the right was what had to be the well, a small stone circular structure that reached his waist in height. Behind the house he could just get a small glimpse of the edge of the barn and stables. He would have been able to see them more clearly, save the fact that there was a clothesline draped with clothes in his vision's path. All in all, it was the perfect home.

"You thirsty?" She asked him. Briefly the thought crossed her mind to be self-conscious about her home and the messy state it was in, and then she shook the thought away. If he was going to live here, she couldn't start to change things for him.

"No." He answered.

"Great. I'll get us some water."

"I said I…"

"Wasn't thirsty. I heard you. But I am. So I'm going to get us some water anyway. Now see here. I guess I'm going to have to make up a few rules for you if you're going to live here for a while. Nothing too strict, just a few ground rules."

"Hnn."

"Talkative guy, aren't you?"

"Hnn." She rolled her eyes and dismounted at the well. Dropping the bucket down, she began to pull it up immediately after it filled with water.

"Well. Rule one. My home, my rules. Rule two… keep out of my personal belongings. I find you in them, and I'll call the sheriff out here so fast you won't have time to run."

"I am not interested in your things."

"Good." She nodded, taking a long sip of the cool water. Then she offered it up to him. "Last chance. I'm not going to draw water till I need it for dinner tonight." Hiiro stared at her intently, then reached down and took the cup from her hands. "That's better." She grinned in satisfaction.

"Am I to bunk in the barn?" He questioned. Part of him hoped she would answer yes. He really didn't wish to become more attached to her or her home. Besides, he didn't usually fit in with those he stayed with. The other part of him hoped she would say no because he could use a small break from the cold, dusty nights outside.

"You really like to get right down to business, huh? Well then. I suppose it don't matter much where you bunk. You could sleep in the kitchen if you felt like it. I was going to offer you the spare bedroom, but if you want the barn, I don't see why not?" She watched him as his eyes flickered back and forth between the home and the barn, trying to decide. He was definitely not what she was used to. Her father had always been a very strict man, very straight and upstanding. She had shamed him with her boyish mannerisms and actions, but he had been too proud to denounce her. He was that sort of man. On the other hand, he had thought of her as unique. He had liked her wearing men's clothing- said it made her more of a challenge. She had spat at him for that. Still there had never been any way she could get away from him, so it didn't matter much anyhow.

Hiiro was another who didn't care. Or at least he played that he didn't. But his eyes betrayed him, she thought as she watched him. She could read his movements simple by looking at his silently raging icy blue eyes. He wanted to stay away from her- the less attachment the better. But he wanted to sleep indoors. So why didn't he just sleep indoors? Men. She would never understand them.

"Here now. You just come and sleep indoors. There. It's been decided. You no longer have a choice. Come on now. Gather your gear off that poor horse and give it a rest. Tie it here with mine, and we'll come out to deal with them in a moment. Right now I'll show you where you can sleep." Hiiro simply nodded and complied with her request. As they entered the cabin, his senses were bombarded with sweet scents.

"Did I mention I cook pretty decently? It's my only womanly talent, so I hope you like to eat. I also hope you know how to do your own laundry, I'm not very good with my own and wouldn't wanted to destroy something of yours." She laughed.

"I can do my own laundry."

"Good. Well then, here's the spare bedroom. The room next door is mine. Don't even think of going in there. The one across from us is my parent's old room. Please only go in there if you need to. You have free reign over anything else."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Remember, you're working for it. And you'll start tomorrow with the sun too. No lazing in bed while under my employment. That clear to you?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Why don't you clean up and I'll start us something for dinner. If I don't eat often enough, I get sick. I don't know how you are about food, but I'm nuts for it."

"Hnn." Hiiro grunted, hoping she would go away. She did. She just left him there standing and staring at the door to his room. Well, no sense in putting off the inevitable. As he swung the door open, he was graced with a pretty sight.

The room was a plain one, but had everything her would need. A comfortable looking bed was off to one corner, right near the window. There was a small table near it, and a larger table across the room, with a ceramic basin and pitcher standing on it. A looking glass was on the table as well. Hiiro placed his packs down on the braided carpet and sat carefully on the white bed. He was afraid he would dirty the room if he did much else.

Then he stood and began unpacking his meager belongings. He placed his one extra set of clothes in the small dresser. Then he put his guns and their cleaning equipment on the table by the window. Not much else to unpack. Standing, he remembered his horse hadn't been taken care of. He walked out of the room and out the door, passing the kitchen where bangs and mumbled words could be heard. He found that the horses were still tied to the railing outside the house.

"You going to take care of them both?" He whirled around and found that Serena stood behind him, apron on over her shirt and pants, and a washcloth in her hands.

"Yes."

"Good. And when you're finished with that, you can draw me some water."

"Right."

"Don't be long, I need that water to boil before I can start supper."

"Why don't I get you the water first?"

"I didn't think about that. Yes, do."

"Right."

"Okay." An awkward silence pregnanted the air. So Serena just shrugged and walked back into the house. Hiiro stood for a moment longer, then walked out to the well. Drawing the needed water, he carried it up the steps and into the house. Entering the kitchen, he stopped, wondering what he was to do with it now.

"If you could pour enough of that into the pot on the stove to fill it half way, and then pour the rest into the jug on the table, that would be fine!" He heard a shout. Looking around to see where it had come from, he found that there was a door opened and stairs that lead downwards. As he leaned in to see what was in the room below the surface, a face popped out in front of him. Spooked, Hiiro swore and stumbled backwards.

"My! I'm sorry! Did I scare you?" Serena asked in wonderment. She hadn't expected him to be standing right there when she had come up.

"No." Hiiro replied as he gathered himself. Scare, never. Surprise, perhaps. At any rate…

"To satisfy your curiosity, I was in the cellar. It's where I store most of my food. Not that it lasts long anyway." She grumbled, holding up something brown and unidentifiable. "Look at this! I had planed to use this in my cooking. But now I can't because it's rotten. I'll have to go pick some fresh. I hate picking it fresh."

"It's a plant."

"That I should be saving for winter. But every time I don't dry it properly, it goes bad in the cellar and I have to pick more. I can't tell you how annoying it becomes."

"Hnn."

"Well then? Don't just stand there gun boy, pour that water! You want your rice; you'll have to pour the water. Otherwise you can go hungry."

"Yes mame." Hiiro muttered. This woman, though she was a whole head and a half shorter than himself, commanded a lot of respect. He wondered briefly if she had always been like this, or if her father had tried to beat it out of her as a child. He certainly hadn't succeeded if he had tried.

"That's more like it. Now run along and find something to occupy yourself until supper's ready."

Occupy himself? Did she think him a child? He inwardly grumbled, but did as she commanded, pouring the water and then going back outside to find something to do. She had mentioned building a coral… perhaps he could look over probable locations for it.

Only a half an hour later, he heard the loud ring of what sounded like a bell. Suppertime he supposed. Well, he was hungry. He quickly made his way back into the house.

"Good, you did here that triangle after all. I wasn't sure how good your hearing was… but look at you! What in heck's name were you doing out there? You're all sweaty and muddy. Before you take one bite supper, you best clean yourself up, or else. Well? Don't stand there gaping at me gun boy, you heard me. Wash up." She ordered him. Hiiro stood like a statue. Did she really expect him to wash? Her face was serious enough, but… wash for a meal? Damned people. This was why he preferred the road. It was so much easier setting his own rules at his own pace. Then again… she was a woman; it'd just figure she'd like things all neat and clean.

"What are you just standing there for? I said wash!" She stamped her foot. He groaned inwardly. No choice.

"Yes mame." He answered. Then he stalked off towards his new room where he could 'wash' privately.

"That man." Serena shook her head as he walked off. She'd only known him for a few hours, and already she knew what she could expect from him. Hard work, he's make for good help around the barn and horses. But the whole time he would be double questioning her orders, whether he voiced the opinion or not. What had made her higher the poor sap? She should have fed him to the dogs in the town… she should have known straight off from how rude he had been at the river. But her conscience just hadn't let her. It never did, it always loomed over her mind as a constant reminder that if she didn't behave properly, heaven was a far cry from where she would be spending eternity. She began to serve the rice onto the plates she had placed out, all the time thinking over the next day's chores. She never noticed Hiiro's silent reentrance.

"May I sit?" He asked. She gasped.

"Oh! Please don't sneak up on me like that! I don't think I like it!" She caught her breath, and then smirked. "Someone smells nice."

"I used your soap." He nodded, slightly coloring red. Well? The soap had just been sitting by the basin in his room, and he certainly hadn't had any of his own…

"I noticed. My ma used to make it." She paused, smiling dropping, but only for a second. "Well then. Sit, and eat up!" Hiiro did as she commanded, and hesitantly tasted the food she had placed before him.

"It's good." He had to remark. And indeed, it had to be one of the best meals he had ever had. Perfectly flavored, the chicken was tender, and there was more than he could eat, which was unusual.

"Thanks. I told you cooking was my only decent feminine attribute. Well then, here's to a beautiful new working relationship." She gave a wayward smile and lazily held her glass up in a toast. Hiiro's cup reluctantly joined hers, and they dined on in comfortable silence. *

~~~Guys, I'm at a loss here. Does anyone like this? Or is it trash? I'm not so sure I can keep going if I don't get reviews… it hurts. So if you're not going to review and give me some positive motivation, send me money to pay for the doctor's bills! (This was my blatant attempt at a humor-filled beg for reviews if you didn't notice. Sorry, I don't do humor well.)~~~ -Vixen