The start of the week had not been a good one. As the days passed, it didn't seem the situation was going to lighten up any time soon. His mother was fine after quick treatment and back on her feet, much too both sibling protests. During her time at home, Sayoko kept an eagle eye on their mother while he attended college. Suffice to say, he didn't even need to ASK her took look after their mother.
It was highly reassuring to know she was fine...even though she tried to do things before the attack. It took a lot of pressure off his mind and heart. Now all he had to worry about was something ELSE that'd been nagging him for what seemed like forever.
"What does it MATTER whether or not she's blind?" He instantly retorted, feeling defensive. He wasn't the one to answer these questions, Kimon should be.
As if struck, Sayoko took a step back, blinking in shock. "I...I didn't SAY there was anything wrong with being blind ototo-chan." She stuttered. "I was just...just wondering...you didn't act as stunned as I did...so I thought...you knew about it." She finished, trying to find the right words. It seemed that Cye was protective over her blindness, for some reason unknown to her.
The fight left him, much more worried about his mother than Kimon. Shoulders slumped with a sigh. "Gomen... I didn't mean to snap at you. I don't know why I'm getting defensive...probably from keeping it a secret so long that it comes natural almost."
"Why DID you keep it a secret ototo-chan? Didn't you think I would like to know??" Hands went to her head and massaged her temples. "Gods, now what am I supposed to do? I feel like I should treat her different somehow..."
"If you do, she might not forgive you for that." He absently answered, leaning against the wall next to Sayoko. "The only thing you can do is keep acting like normal. Don't let it bother you. I managed to get past it...it's easy to when you see how well she hides it and moves around."
She gave a slight nod and slid to the ground next to him. "I can see that. She had me completely fooled. I would never have known had she not made such a broadcast of it."
A finger went to his mouth as he nervously nibbled on a nail. Apprehension over that stunt and her behavior had him stumped. Why did she act that way? Sure it was normal to be scared for someone he knew she was growing close to, but this was over the extreme. SO many questions to sort out...
"So, what do we do NOW? Do you think she'll want to keep visiting now that we know? I mean...if she's so secretive about her blindness...she might quit visiting okaa-san." Her brow furrowed. "That'd be a shame. Mama has grown accustomed to her visits and I like her company myself."
"You'll have to wait and give her time to sort this out." He muttered, absently staring at the wall across them. Silence enveloped the two, save for the movements of a busy hospital.
"...There's no easy way to bring it up, is there?" She almost whispered. Fingers twiddled as she looked at them. "To tell her I know she's blind and it doesn't really matter, I mean. I was trying to figure out ONE way to bring it up, but they're all stupid at least."
"Nothing is stupid. You're just uneasy about dealing with this. You've never had a blind person around; it's normal. All you can do is give her time to get past THIS situation with okaa-san and let her tell you. Better late than never anyway..." His lips tilted up.
As normal, classes let out for the day. It was time to go home and hopefully work on some more pottery for clients they had. But as he left the corridor of his last class, Cye couldn't help but pause on his way to the car.
A part of him wanted to talk to Kimon about what was going on with his mother, as she didn't know his mother was already home. It was the middle of the week, yet she didn't ask any questions, and she didn't look approachable.
He was hesitant for a few reasons. His mother's disease was one of them...trying to find a right way to discuss it without worrying her. The other was KIMON'S own worry about something in her mind. He wanted to know what was going on with THAT, and hopefully get a few things explained. Whatever triggered in her mind Sunday wasn't even remotely pleasant by the look on her face and the emotion in her voice. He felt strangely concerned about it, since she apparently couldn't really function when she was panicked.
Clutching his books, he leaned against the wall in the hallway and tried to sort through his thoughts. Yes...no... What was he going to do? Talk to her, or leave it alone for another day?
He had to admit he was at least a LITTLE worried about her. That was a given considering her actions when he finally dropped her off later than the normal time that night. She didn't say a word, didn't move an inch until the car stopped. Not one iota of playful commentary...it was utterly tense in the front seat.
It wouldn't have mattered THAT much, seeing as how she was suspiciously tense for most of the car rides...even the amount of journeys accounted for, except she looked utterly defeated and broken up over something. Of course, her face was schooled in non-expression, but her eyes looked like her soul was breaking. Again, he would've given up Torrent to know what she was thinking...if only to HELP her a tad!
His mouth pursed, even though his thoughts were slowly becoming clearer. If he didn't find out how she was doing or explain his mother's natural weak heart, then the least he could do was see for himself that she seemed a little better than when he saw her last. With a deep inhale for what felt like courage, he continued on his route home...straight for the cafeteria.
~*~*~
GODS what she wouldn't give to have someone SHOOT her right now! End this misery she was going through! ANYTHING was better than this. She long ago stopped trying to keep her head up to do any work, and it wasn't like she could hear her computer like she normally could ANYWAY... Right now it was cradled in the safety of her arms after a mild wave of dizziness that only spurred on the nausea in her system. And she hadn't even eaten that much today!
With a quiet, pitiful groan at her current state, her eyes squeezed shut as her vision wavered behind closed lids, bringing on more dizziness. 'PLEASE GO AWAY!' She harshly begged. 'GODS this sucks!' As if on cue to worsen her temperament, her head pounded when she shifted.
Her eyes squeezed even tighter with a quiet grunt, as if to ward it off. Knowing any movement would cause her pain, she kept almost perfectly still, shallowly breathing through her mouth. Her nose had plugged up days ago and kept her prisoner from smelling her environment. She couldn't pop her ears with her sinuses screwed up, and couldn't hear as well as she SHOULD be able to because of that. Dizziness spurred on nausea and movement headaches.
What she wouldn't give to have someone shoot her and put her from her misery!!
'I HATE BEING SICK!' She mentally groaned, clenching her jaw. She was tired, achy, dizzy, nauseous, and it seemed someone put a bag over her head to muffle everything. She felt like a prisoner in a cage. All due to worrying herself out of her mind for Mouri-san's health.
Just past the tenth chant in her mind, a hand almost hesitantly touched her shoulder. She loudly gasped and shot up...face screwing up in pain as her head pounded mercilessly.
"Itai..." She tightly grit out, fingers going to her temples. They squeezed as tightly as possible, not being of much help to the ache in her skull.
"Ah, gomen Kimon-san. I didn't mean to startle you. Wait, how COULD I have startled you? Daijoubu desu ka??"
Though she couldn't smell, hear, or sense as properly as she used to, she'd never miss Cye's voice. "Konnichi wa Cye-san."
"Konnichi wa." His voice moved as he slid into his normal seat.
Hands cradled the sides of her head as she leaned against the table for support. If she knew what time it was right now, she'd be counting the minutes until her father came to pick her up. But it felt too early and she was so miserable... How was she going to survive this AGAIN today?? "Did you need another lesson today? I'm sorry I haven't been able to catch you. You must've been...ah...busy with things."
He leaned forward and carefully stuck his arm out, gauging her reaction. When she didn't seem to even notice, his hand completed the action and touched her face. She jerked again and her face screwed up as that cursed headache kept drumming in her head. "You feel a little warm..." He muttered, giving her a worried look. "Are you okay?"
She harshly swallowed and regretted it. Her throat was scratchy as well and it hurt. She was sick, and she LOATHED it! "Eh...I think I might have caught something from...from someone at the school..."
His brow furrowed. "I wasn't aware there was anything going around. How come no one else seems to have it?"
She gave a small, wry grin. "Perhaps I'm just...lucky?"
His lips twitched, but his humor faded at the almost nonchalant way her fingers rubbed under her jaw just below her ears. He reached forward again and touched one side, feeling a small lump. His eyes widened, ignoring her surprise. "Your lymph nodes are badly swollen. How long have you HAD this thing?"
It didn't take long to start worrying herself something terrible. As soon as the accident occurred, it was all she'd been doing. Worrying about Mouri-san more than her actions or outside stimuli. Such emotions made her sick. It finally started coming to a head yesterday. "...Sunday evening...I think." She meekly answered, trying to ignore the pain as she swallowed again.
He looked at her in shock. Kimon had been completely healthy when he brought her to his house. He knew if she was sick, she would cancel the visit, or at least let him KNOW... Then why did she...no, couldn't be! "Did you.....worry yourself SICK...over my mother??" He breathed, still looking in shock.
Her head slowly ducked, eyes closing as if to keep from looking at him. Rats, why didn't she keep quiet or bend the timeframe? Because she didn't feel like lying right now? She WAS exhausted after all...and a nap sounded SO good right now... Maybe some green tea and honey for her throat and a hot bath to soothe her aching muscles. She quietly groaned again, knowing her otou-san wouldn't be here for a while. All that sounded too good to be true, and most likely wouldn't happen once her head hit her pillow.
Her silence and slight movement was his answer. His head shook at the mass amount of worry she went through. Now he KNEW he should've talked to her about his mother's condition! Maybe she'd be healthy right now, or at least not quite so sick! Feeling somewhat guilty that her illness resulted from innocent ignorance, he stood and shouldered his ever-present bag. "Here. You don't look like you should even be in SCHOOL, let alone anywhere but bed!"
She weakly shook off the hand that gently grasped her arm, shifting a little. "It's...it's not that bad. I just hate being sick is all. I'm probably overplaying it because I'm blind and it attacks my-" Dizziness took that time to prove her wrong and a hand clutched her forehead, trying to make it go away. As it waned, her head slowly dropped to the table. "GODS I hate being sick." She pitifully whined.
He couldn't help but smile at her behavior. 'Over-independence strikes again.' He mused, going for her arm a second time. This time she didn't protest as much, but sat up and looked to him.
"What are you doing?" She quietly asked, sitting back in the chair. One hand remained against her head, rubbing at a temple. She wondered if she looked as horrible as she felt.
"Come on...I'm taking you to the clinic. You don't look like you should be here, and you haven't even unpacked your stuff. You're sicker than you like to lead on."
She grimaced and sideways glared at her things, cursing that fact. If only she'd unpacked her laptop at least, maybe she wouldn't have to get up now. Sitting down was so nice...her muscles were protesting more and more as the day went on and it was hard to do ANYTHING when she was sick. The second she sat down, her head almost gravitated to the table for rest. She rarely got ANY at home due to her inability to breathe through her nose, and now couldn't even TASTE. All she wanted to do was crawl in her bed and sleep it off, but who knew when THAT would be.
'Too many responsibilities for that!' She harshly reprimanded. 'I can't be that damned lazy when I've got my major to work on. I'm almost done, one little illness shouldn't knock me down THIS bad!'
The second she stood, her knees almost buckled. "Oh gods..." She moaned, trying to steady herself. It was a big help, and small embarrassment, to have Cye's hands on her arms to steady her. She blushed and felt her face heat up even more than it already was. She tried to regain her footing against the dizziness and nausea to not lean on him. Literally. "You can let go now. I'm stable enough to walk."
He snorted, not convinced in the slightest. "With THAT little display? I wonder if you could take five steps away from the table without your cane."
Her jaw clenched at the blow to her pride, but she couldn't lie about THAT one. It was true; she wasn't in ANY shape to do anything...regrettably. "Sure, pick on the sick, blind girl." She retorted, sending a weak glare. Her patience wasn't much given the fact that she was muted and blocked from her environment. It didn't help her nerves any to know she didn't know a damn thing outside darkness now. That right there made her extremely nervous...if she was up to even CARING right now...
He gave a sheepish smile and reached for her bags, feeling a little guilty. He hadn't meant to pick on her, just tell her what she was trying to ignore. He had to give her credibility for coming to school as bad as she was. She sure had spirit, if not stubbornness... "Come on, go ahead and lean on me. Don't feel like anyone's watching because no one is even in the cafeteria right now. And even if we pass by anyone, how are they going to know? You fool everyone quite well."
"If everyone didn't already know that I was BLIND." She quietly retorted, nearly leaning against him to keep upright. "I'm probably the only one HERE." She knew he had her bags by the shift in his weight, knowing he was carrying a heavier load now, if not being able to hear it.
If she was more tuned to anything, she would've been more embarrassed, really she would've. All she knew was his arm was around her back to keep her steady as their feet walked in time, and her hands clenched his shirt like a lifeline. Her head rested against his arm like a pillow, and the heat she felt through his clothes was nearly enough to let her fall asleep right there. But she'd never live through THAT discomfort, so mentally berated her weakness and pushed on.
It was a good thing the clinic was so close to the cafeteria, because he was almost pondering CARRYING her with the speed they were making. If not for time, then to keep her from wearing down anymore! Her shallow breathing was getting a little louder in the quiet halls...almost like she was panting for breath. Her body sagged against his like she was using him for strength. He wondered if he should put her down to REST, if not for seeing the first aid symbol as they rounded the corner.
"We're here Kimon-san. About twenty more feet and we'll be inside." He waited for her to say something about knowing their distance by the smell or sounds, but she was eerily quiet. He had to wonder just HOW badly she was sick if she didn't pick THAT up at least.
She didn't know anything until they stopped and she was gently guided to sitting position. She didn't even bother to ask where they were exactly, or who was in the room. She plopped down on a mildly uncomfortable mattress and shifted to her side. She almost fell asleep right there, the pillow under her head enough to keep the dizziness at bay. She was trying to keep it all under control, every bit of cold or flu, but gave up. She was too tired and she had a few hours until her otou-san showed up... Her body nearly sagged into the mattress and she didn't bother to make herself comfortable as she usually did before she drifted off.
After setting their things, and Kimon, down, he went to locate a nurse, seeing as how she dropped off without hesitation. He spared a quick glance on his way out for the main office, feeling a little bad. Poor thing...he hoped this short nap before her father arrived helped her fight off whatever was attacking her system right now.
~*~*~
Vaguely, coming from the comforting darkness of sleep, Kimon became aware of a few things. Sure her hearing, smell, and taste were still practically gone, but her sense of distance was still almost as it was. And the more she became conscious, the more she knew that the objects in her room were a little off. There was something right by her head and the bed felt lower to the ground.
She quickly jerked to sitting position with a gasp, wondering what was wrong with her room. For why else would she be asleep if not in her room to study? She suddenly became aware of lights behind her eyes, and became confused. Why were the lights on? She never slept with any sort of light on, and rarely used it in their apartment anyway.
A hand rubbed her eyes, trying to pull pieces from her mind. Sleep wasn't going away as well as it normally did with her being sick, and her mind felt foggy. "Where...AM I?" She dumbly muttered, turning her head to use what senses she had left. "This...isn't MY room..."
"Ah, you ARE awake." A friendly voice suddenly announced, heading for her. "THOUGHT I heard something..."
Her head jerked to the voice, eyes mildly wide. WHAT was going ON?? "Ano...where am I?" She quietly asked, trying to keep her voice polite as possible. All sorts of bad things started running through her mind, but she tried to stay positive and not panic. Who would take HER?
Her eyes followed the direction a woman, obviously noticeable by the perfume, until she sat in a chair nearby. "You're in the clinic. A nice young man brought you in an hour ago. You're running a slight fever dear. Why are you in school? You've got a bad flu right now."
Her head slowly turned, feeling a little chastised. Did EVERYONE think she should stay at home and miss school?? At the mention of a guy, her head moved to the lady's direction again. "Nice young man?" She stupidly echoed, feeling a self-conscious blush start.
That produced an unseen smile. "Why yes. Very polite young gentleman. He asked me to keep an eye on you until five thirty and said if you woke up to keep you in bed, and that he'd keep an eye out for your ride and bring them when they arrived."
Cye. Her face lit up more as a smile started creeping through her face. 'That was very, VERY nice of him. He would've been able to go HOME by now since I'm not tutoring him right now...'
"Did you need anything while you're awake dear?"
Did EVERYONE also have a thing for calling her DEAR? That was Mouri-san's pet name, not this woman's. "No, thank you. I guess if I'm under orders to stay in bed, I should try to get some more rest then..."
Clothing shifted as the woman stood. "Very well. I'll be in the front room if you need anything. Just holler." With that, she left and she was alone again.
She fell back on the bed, sightlessly blinking in the area of the ceiling. Her eyes locked on a piece of light and absently stared at a ceiling light as her mind raced. This was too much...why was Cye being so overly nice?? Sure they were somewhat friends, as far as she knew, but this went over generosity. He was waiting, possibly ALONE, in the cafeteria for her father and Beethoven to come. That wasn't right...that was HER responsibility.
"I CAN'T stay in bed when he's doing that for me. I should at least wait WITH-" The sentence cut off as an utterly throbbing pounding in her head started as she tried to stand. The headache prompted dizziness and she nearly fell back onto the bed. Quietly groaning, she slowly shifted back to her previous position, feeling defeated. How could such a simple, TOTALLY curable, disease wipe her OUT like this?? "Maybe if you had your EYES this wouldn't be so bad..." She retorted, resting a hand over her forehead.
The lady was right about a fever. Her hand was cold, but her head felt hot. After pulling up her sleeve and checking again with her wrist, she knew the lady correct. 'How could I be THIS sick??' She wondered, brow furrowing. Course, not taking proper CARE of herself had a lot to do with it... The hand dropped above her head as she tried to breathe as quietly through her mouth as it would let her. She resisted the urge to cough a few times, knowing it hurt to do so.
She wished she knew what time it was right then. If an hour had passed while she was asleep, then what was it now? If Cye was waiting in her normal spot, maybe it was nearly five. 'Good. It's embarrassing ENOUGH to be in the clinic, when I'm rarely sick as it is, and sleeping is even worse.' The only problem was, she was still so tired and another nap sounded nice... If only she knew what TIME it was...
Her eyes drifted shut without her consent, body heavily sagging back into the mattress. The more she rested, the more her body liked the idea of staying put and made any movement like a chore. She tried to get the energy to move her body to turn over, but gave up when the actual IDEA didn't sound appealing at ALL. Maybe she SHOULD get some more sleep...
~*~*~
Nails clicking in the silence alerted him of Kimon's ride. He looked up from some small-time homework and started putting his things away, seeing Ataki-san's frown at him sitting in Kimon's spot. Shouldering his bag, feeling a little nervous, he went to her father and tried not to feel self-conscious. This was his first real talk and meeting with her father...a shame it wasn't under better circumstances.
"Konnichi wa Ataki-san." He pleasantly greeted, a small smile on his face.
"I see you with my daughter sometimes. Where is she?"
Talk about getting right to the point... Cye cleared his throat and looked at the wall behind the man, resisting the urge to sigh. "She's ill Ataki-san. She was in no shape to be waiting at her usual spot, so I brought her to the clinic."
Silence met his explanation and Cye unconsciously held his breath. The man didn't look very friendly and he was trying to be. This wasn't going very well.
Finally he received a nod. "Alright. Show me where the clinic is."
He gave a small nod back and started forward, heavily exhaling now that he was in front of Ataki-san. Man...this was Kimon's father?? It was no WONDER she acted like she did! There was no love in the man's eyes, only a sense of duty. He didn't seem very happy she wasn't in their normal spot...but did he see a little bit of concern during that bit of silence?
'Gods I'd HOPE so.' He wryly retorted, turning a corner. 'Kimon-chan doesn't seem to have much going for her in her life. I hope her father would be more anxious over her health than THAT...'
He noticed the nurse he snagged earlier to keep an eye on Kimon and stopped in front of the counter. "Hello, is Kimon-chan awake yet?"
The nurse smiled in return. "Your friend woke up a little while ago, a tad distorted...poor thing. I told her that you didn't want her to move and to get some more rest. I haven't heard a peep out of her since."
He smiled and started for the back room. "Thank you." He only made about five steps before there came a problem.
"I'm sorry sir; there are no dogs in the clinic."
He turned around and slightly grimaced, looking to Ataki-san. The man didn't seem very happy with that request, as he was able to take the dog into the college for good reason. Cye hoped the father wouldn't be highly upset over this.
"It's not my dog, it's my daughter's. He's a seeing-eye dog in case you haven't noticed ma'am. I have the tags and permission by the college to bring him in here."
The nurse looked to Beethoven again, but gave an apologetic smile. "Gomen kyo-san, but dogs aren't allowed in the clinic. Health violation. Gomen..." Silence. "If you want, I can watch him and you two can go get the girl."
Cye looked to Ataki-san, hoping to meet his eyes. If he could convince the man it was no trouble without getting in the middle of this, he would. He was spared the trouble when Ataki-san finally nodded and kneeled to the dog. The panting animal looked to his master's human with simple happiness. "Beethoven...STAY." Ataki-san pointedly ordered. The dog whined a little, as if confused it was not allowed to go to its human, but wagged his tail in understanding. The elder stood and nodded to Cye and the two silently headed to the back, Cye leading the way.
A tender smile touched his lips at seeing Kimon obviously fast asleep. Quiet, shallow breathing sounded from her mouth as her body twisted at the waist. He almost didn't want to wake her up, since she needed rest so bad, but knew the clinic was no place for her to stay. She needed some time AWAY from college if she was going to get better. The next thing she'd do was spread this around as well.
He kneeled by the bed and lightly touched the arm above her head. "Kimon-san...Kimon-san, wake up." After a bit of prodding, gray fluttered open and a hand went to rub her eyes.
She yawned and quietly groaned at being woken up. Sleep was taken away when she actually WANTED to sleep for once... "Eh? Nani? Doko?..." She inhaled and a small smile appeared. "Cye-san."
"Hai. It's me. Your father's here and I thought I'd help you to the car since you still don't look in any condition to move by yourself."
At the mention of her father, having forgotten all about it, her face reflexively evened out. She inhaled again and caught traces of restaurant food where they both worked. "Otou-san." She quietly greeted. She suddenly blinked and listened for panting, but didn't find any. "Ano...BT-kun doko?"
"He's fine, he's being watched by the nurse up front. Apparently no dogs in the clinic." Ataki-san evenly answered, arms crossing.
Her nose wrinkled at that, but let it go. It was time to head home. "Yosh...then let's go." Alright. She slowly sat up and stood, being conscious of where everyone was and the slight dizziness. It receded a little from that second nap and the pounding had gone away for now.
His hands gently took hold of her shoulders as she swayed a bit, helping to steady her. He waited until the tenseness in her shoulders, most likely from being off-balanced, left before letting go. Silently, Ataki-san headed up front and he entwined their arms like always and guided her after.
A whine came as a tail started thumping against the ground beneath as they were spotted by Beethoven. She smiled and extended a hand, instantly licked by her eyes, when she was close enough. "Konnichi wa BT-kun." She greeted, going for the handle. She received another whine in response as he stood and waited for her commands. "Arigatou okusama...for taking care of me for a while." She quietly thanked, looking to nothing. Madam.
The nurse smiled. "It was nothing dear. You just get better fast."
With an absent nod, she inhaled and turned to Cye. "Thank you...for everything..." She whispered, feeling another blush on her face.
He smiled. "Nan demo nai... Do you want anymore help getting to the car?"
"No, those naps helped steady me enough." A small smile appeared. "Thank you for bringing me to the clinic."
"Again, it's nothing. You just get better." He nearly scolded, feeling like a mother hen all of a sudden.
The smile turned embarrassed as she nodded and lightly jostled the harness. Beethoven started forward and she kept the pace slow as not to start another headache or dizzy spell. Footsteps of her father quietly followed, as Cye's started in the other direction. "Ja ne Cye-san. Don't bother to come Sunday...I don't know whether or not I'll be okay by then!" She called.
She didn't receive an answer, not knowing how far away he was, or if she needed one. Thinking she didn't, she continued on home, planning on a hot mug of green tea with honey, and her bed to curl up in.
~*~*~
Sunday rolled around, yet she still wasn't feeling one hundred percent. Though the dizziness had vanished, GRATEFULLY, her headaches still lingered. Not being able to see was partly to blame for that, since she was unable to fix her vision on anything and tune it out. Going more by feel, and being very sensitive with her body, she was able to pick up on every little thing wrong with her. Which only amplified the lingering aches and exhaustion she fought with.
To make matters worse, she was forced to stay home since that day in the clinic. She didn't attend school, though her father called her teachers to let them know of her absence. So far it'd been two whole class days, and the weekend was almost over. She was forced to bypass that, and also work. THAT aggravated her the most. She couldn't AFFORD to stay home sick, yet here she was, wrapped up in a shawl with a mug of steaming hot green tea in her hands.
Her father offered to take Beethoven on walks for her in those times, since the poor thing hadn't been taken outside for his regular walks as she slept in. She felt guilty about neglecting him like that, but her eyes seemed to understand she was sick and often stuck his nose against her leg as if to let her know he was there. During her stay home, he remained almost glued to her side, even though she didn't need him to help move around the apartment. It was a small comfort, knowing that the seeing-eye dog knew she was sick and was trying to leak his presence to her for reassurance that he was here for her. She loved him all the more for it.
She heavily sighed and gingerly sipped her tea in the silence, clearing her throat. Her illness kept changing and though she could ALMOST breathe through her nose, except she kept blowing it almost every ten minutes, it was settling in more horrible places. Like her throat.
Her lymph nodes receded back to normal size and the achy throat turned to a phlegm cough and laryngitis. She could barely speak, so she didn't to help her vocal chords heal. Not that she held polite conversations or idle chitchat with her father ANYWAY...
"Gods this sucks..." She rasped, leaning back in the recliner. Her body felt heavier and she knew that was from sleep creeping up on her again. If she hadn't slept past her normal wake time already, she would go back to bed. But stubbornness kicked in and she was determined to stay awake more than that, if only to get some FOOD in her.
She needed to eat something, she KNEW that, but she wasn't really hungry. The most of anything that she had was tea. She tried to eat like she normally did, but just couldn't get much down. It wasn't nausea affecting her, not MUCH anyway, she just wasn't that hungry. Tea filled her up and she had so much of it that food wasn't a big issue. From time to time, she would try to find something small to make while her chichi was at work, but it didn't last long. Her body was burning up the disease inside her and using anything it could to help fuel it and her fast metabolism wasn't making it any easier on her.
Time was also passing so slowly too. Minutes seemed like hours and the sun passed too leisurely in the sky. She was getting bored, though she had homework to do. For the first time, being totally off track in her schedule, she had no desire to keep up with homework. It was unorthodox, since she was going to need to catch up with what she missed, but she just didn't want to work. Be it laziness or lethargy, she was just not up to doing it. Which wasn't good since the semester was coming to a close. Really she SHOULD take this time and study for finals coming up in two months...
Her nose wrinkled at that. "Stupid tests..." She muttered, huddling up in the recliner. She set the tea down on a table in between the chairs and scrunched up. "Maybe I'll study after a nap..." Snuggling against the arm, she listened to a quiet shuffle underneath as Beethoven got comfortable as well. "Oyasumi BT-kun." She mumbled, nearly half asleep already.
~*~*~
A loud buzz jerked her upright and from sleep. Blinking to cure disorientation from the peaceful, blank sleep she was in, Kimon wondered if she dreamed it or not. Her ears perked up in the silence, hearing Beethoven panting below her. Raven brows furrowed as she pondered it. If Beethoven heard it, did that mean someone buzzed from downstairs?
She struggled to sit up and absently stretched as she tried to expand her healing senses for details around the place. "Otou-san?" She called, hearing silence. Odd, he was in his room last time she knew... "Hmm...must've went out..." Did that mean it was him buzzing up?? But that didn't make sense, as he HAD a key to the security door...
The buzz came again and she jumped a mile a second time. Beethoven barked once and stood, bumping her knees. He whined and paced the living room. She couldn't help but smile. The buzz was real and Beethoven knew someone was here. So then all that was left was to figure out what the deal was and get back to that glorious nap she was in.
Turning against the top of the chair, she reached up and felt for the 'talk' button. "Who is it?" She called, immediately going for the listen button.
"It's Cye. Is Kimon-san there?"
CYE!? What was HE doing here?? Her head jerked back and rocked the chair. She quickly gripped the cushion to keep from being off-balanced and went for the talk button again. "This IS Kimon, Cye-san. What're you doing here??"
"Can I come up?" He asked. "There's something I have for you."
Again, her head jerked back in shock. Something?... But she didn't leave anything at his house last Sunday... "Hai..." She pressed the door button for a few seconds before dropping to the chair and gently pushing Beethoven from her path. She unlocked the door and nervously went for her tea, finding it cold. Feeling the lack of weight, she went to fill it up and zap it as she waited.
Just as she stuck it in the microwave, a knock sounded and nearly made her spill it. Mentally berating herself on being so jittery, she nearly slammed the door shut in her haste and started it up. "Come in!" She called, leaning against a counter in wait.
"Kimon-san?" He hesitantly called, not seeing her there to greet him.
"In the kitchen. So what do I owe for you being here today Cye-san? I didn't forget something at your house, did I?"
He smiled and gave Beethoven a scratch behind the ears when the dog bumped against him. "No you didn't leave anything there...I just stopped by with something."
Her brow furrowed as she moved forward and took her tea from the microwave. Expertly heading for the living room, she was nearly bowled down by Beethoven passing by her. "BT-KUN!" She harshly scolded. The dog was her eyes...he knew better than to walk in front of her! When the dog stopped, she grabbed his collar and irately headed for a chair, making sure he wouldn't knock her down. "Gomen. I'm sorry you had to drive all this way when I'm still not well enough to see Mouri-san."
He blinked as he studied her almost casual stance. "What's wrong with your voice?"
She blinked back, suddenly realizing everything she was saying came out raspy and cracked. Her lips pressed together self-consciously as she looked away. "Laryngitis." She sullenly responded, taking another sip to calm her throat. "Everything shifted back to my throat where it started from. Now all I have to deal with is this, constantly blowing my nose, tiredness, and a few aches." She sighed and scowled. "I HATE being sick." She growled into her mug.
He smirked and leaned back in the recliner, setting the dish on a nearby end table. "Can't believe you're still sick. How long has it been? A week already?"
She nodded and leaned back in the chair. "I'm rarely sick, but when I am, it lasts for a few weeks." A smirk appeared. "That's what happens when I'm so tuned to my body. Anything that changes, I'm aware of it."
He gave an absent nod, though she couldn't see it. "Impressive... Too bad it doesn't seem to do you much good now." He teased, grinning.
She snorted and looked to the ceiling. She didn't bother to answer, just let the comfortable silence envelope them. After a while, something finally reached her nose and raven bent together in confusion. "What's that?"
He looked away from the balcony view to gray. "What's what?" He was rather enjoying the silence, feeling mildly comfortable in her small place.
She smirked. "I can finally smell better....and I'm smelling-" She inhaled again and nearly drooled, "-chicken."
He grinned and looked to the covered glass dish. "Chicken noodle soup actually. I told mother that you were sick this week and she helped me put together some homemade to help you get better."
A touched grin lit her face, though she blushed at the thought of someone making something so time consuming just for her. "You...didn't have to do that you know." She sheepishly muttered, hiding behind her tea mug.
He smiled as she nearly fidgeted in front of him, knowing she was embarrassed. It was easy to read her anymore, even though she didn't show a lot of emotions. What he saw, he could read like a book. "I wanted to though. I feel responsible that you're sick...since you worried so needlessly over okaa-san like that."
"It WASN'T needless!" She retorted, partially defensive. "Your mother could've died!"
His hands held up in a peaceful gesture, forgetting she couldn't see it. "Wakaru, wakaru. What I meant was...it was needless because had you KNOWN about her illness, you might not have worried yourself SICK. I wanted to try to find a way to tell you before, but I just didn't know HOW. Mother is a little sad that you're not there today, and she felt this would remind you that she's thinking of you and hope you get well fast."
Tears nearly fell had she not been in iron control of her emotions. Her jaw clenched through her smile. There weren't words to describe her gratitude over such a mother, one who thought of her like that. She felt truly lucky to know such a person. "Well...thank her for thinking of me like that... I...never had anyone do such a thing for me before." She whispered, hastily looking to the ceiling.
"Then I suggest you dig in before it gets cold. It's still hot enough, so don't worry about it going to waste. What you don't eat, save for later and just return the bowl when you're done."
"You don't want any?" She queried, the thankful change of topic enough to get her emotions down.
He grinned. "Kimon-san, I brought this for YOU. Besides, I'm not hungry. Thank you for asking though."
She stood when he moved; carefully taking the bowl that touched her outstretched hands and went to dish some up. She felt bad for eating in front of him, but the smell was driving her insane and she was getting hungry. Her stomach felt as if it was pulling inward, a sure sign that it was getting ready to growl. This would be perfect, a mix of food and liquid, and she'd make sure to savor it.
With the bowl in her hands, feeling Beethoven beg underneath, she heard shoes faintly clomping up the stairs. Her father was coming back home from wherever he went to. Her lips pressed together. She didn't want to throw Cye out just because her father was home, as the company was a welcome distraction from boredom and homework, but didn't know how her chichi would react to seeing him here. This was the first person to EVER hang around their home. The only one who stopped over this much otherwise was Mia. Cye was the first guy in her home, though she knew he wouldn't try anything. It wasn't that she was a sick blind girl, she trusted him enough now to know he wouldn't lay a hand on her and was kind enough.
"My father's coming home." She quietly announced, heading in the area of the dining room. Teeth quickly bit her lip as she thought fast. "I could...use the company...and I feel bad about eating in front of you... If you don't mind holing up in my room for some privacy, would you please tell me details of your mother's sickness?" Mental fingers crossed in hopes that he'd stay around. She wanted the familiarity of everyday life he held instead of feeling like the world was passing by while she was stuck at home.
Blue searched her face, seeing a little bit of hope and pleading in those interesting eyes. He caved, knowing she wanted his company. Who was he to deny it so someone who was obviously craving for human contact? This seemed one of the few times she actually asked that of him. "Sure. I've got time." Which was only mildly true. He did want to get some work done today, but told Sayoko he was didn't know when he was going to get back from Tokyo. So he wasn't really going against his kanji...
She smiled, nearly beaming for someone as stoic as her. She stopped in the hallway, nearly making him bump into her. "Oh! Where are my manners?? Would you like something Cye-san? Tea?? I've got plenty." She quipped, giving a wry grin.
"Um...I'll take whatever you've got." He answered. "And I'll take that bowl for you as well, if you want."
She nodded and quickly handed it over. "Just set it on the dresser and tell me where it is when I get in there. Do you want honey in there as well?"
"Hai." He called, spying into the first room across the bathroom. Seeing the electric keyboard, he immediately knew it was Kimon's and headed inside. Beethoven trotted after him, his nose immediately going to the desk in hopes of getting some of the soup. Cye smiled. "No boy, you stay away." He gently pushed the dog's head away, only to have it go right back seconds later. He sighed. "Aren't you supposed to be well-trained??"
"Eh? What? WHO'S supposed to be well-trained?" She rasped, giving a curious look. She held out the tea in wait, looking for his voice.
"Beethoven. I thought he was supposed to be well-behaved?"
A brow rose. "He IS. He's a seeing-eye dog. They're normally more intelligent than normal dogs."
He looked down and pushed the muzzle away again. "Well...he's currently trying to get your soup." He mused, pushing the bowl back even further. Her dresser wasn't the tallest, and the dog was nearly waist level. It would be an easy catch if the dog vaulted up on his hind legs and balanced on the dresser with his front.
"BT-KUN!" She nearly shouted, voice warning. The dog's head instantly turned to her, ears perked for a command. They flipped back at the glare. He whined and sat back, as if denying doing something wrong. "Bt-kun...go lay down." She sharply commanded, taking a few steps to the dresser. A hand timidly extended. "Just guide me to where it is. Sorry he caused you trouble." A wry smile appeared. "I spoil him a little too much sometimes and he thinks he can get away with it with other people."
"Eh...daijoubu." He muttered, feeling his heart pound as he lightly grasped her wrist. Her fingers remained rigid as he gently pulled her to the dresser, pushing it to her. He let go the second her fingers curled, pressing his lips together. He felt a little nervous for some reason, though he didn't really know WHY...
She gripped the bowl, and easily went to her bed. "Arigatou." Huddling against one corner of the daybed, she brought both knees up to help keep the bowl up. "Come, sit down and inform me of what's going on."
He slowly went to the bed and almost gingerly sat down, feeling like they were doing something wrong. Even if it was totally innocent, he felt like he was waiting to make a move on her or something. It was slightly unnerving, but he forced his way past it at the relaxed look on her face.
Musume? Doko?" A gruff voice called. The door suddenly opened and she looked to her father, hands slightly tightening on the bowl. She prayed he didn't throw Cye out, as she desperately wanted company to help ease the passage of time and boredom.
"Did you need something chichi?"
Ataki-san locked eyes with Cye, who felt like he should crawl under Kimon's bed and hide. The searching, assuming eyes of a parent...oh boy... "Is there a reason why there's a boy in your room?"
She kept an even expression, even though she mentally growled. "Cye-san came to visit me. He brought me something to help me get better and we're having a discussion about something that happened last Sunday. Daijoubu desu." She paused when nothing moved and she frowned a little. "I'm also twenty-one years old, otou-san, and an adult. I won't do anything stupid...and you're in the apartment."
Cye looked at both daughter and father during this whole exchange, feeling like an outsider as her father silently nodded and shut the door again. A few minutes later, the tv turned on and gave them some privacy to talk. "You......really don't get along with your father...do you Kimon-san?" A hand scratched the back of his neck in agitation, trying to loosen the tenseness.
"Iie." She quietly answered, fingering the spoon. After a second, she used it as a diversion and started in. "So...what's wrong with Mouri-san?" She diverted, trying to loosen the discomfort.
He was grateful for the distraction and settled against the other side, leaning against her pillow. "Okaa-san has a weak heart. Always has. Every so often, she'll be in pain and faint from what we call an attack and is rushed to the hospital. We always manage to get her there on time so we don't know how serious things can get. It IS life-threatening, but with medication and proper treatment, we keep it minimal."
She avidly paid attention to everything he said, listening to a few tales about past incidents. Through this she gained an understanding, though it didn't lessen the fear any. She was grateful Mouri-san was so well-protected against herself, and had that to take comfort in.
After a while, she set the bowl aside after finishing, instead of taking it to the kitchen to put to soak, and heard an immediate whine. Cye paused in a tale and she gave an apologetic smile as she turned her attention to the corner. "Are you going to behave?" She sternly queried, looking to the dog bed. She received a pant and few thumps where that shaggy tail hit the plastic sides. She relented with a smile and snapped her fingers, grabbing the spoon seconds before a tongue made contact with the remains of her snack.
He grinned and observed the two. Kimon was highly fond of her dog, as noticed by her change in attitude. Like a mother and child, they had a good relationship that went beyond master and dog. It was interesting to see, as well as déjà vu. It reminded him how Ryo and White Blaze acted, to an extent.
"You really DO spoil that dog." He teased, chuckling.
She heaved a put-out sigh, as if lavishing Beethoven with that kind of attention strained her. A hand idly patted his side as he finished with the bowl, looking up to his master and licking his chops. "I put up with quite a bit." She answered, grinning. Her gaze softened as it rested on the muzzle near her foot. She reached down and gave him a scratch on the head. "But he's worth it." She quietly mused. A hand reached down and felt for the bowl, putting it up on her nightstand with the spoon to keep better track of later.
Another quiet whine reached her ears. She sighed again and lightly tapped his muzzle. "You never QUIT do you? You just think you can get away with everything because I have a guest." Her hand idly waved over even as she glared at the dog.
Cye gave Kimon an odd, amused look. "What does he want now?"
"Attention." She wryly retorted, rolling her eyes. "You never behave like this all the time. Is this too much excitement for you?" She only received another whine and a wet nose against her ankle. She sighed again, unable to hide a smile. "Do you mind if he comes up on the bed? He's SO love-starved. As if..."
He chuckled again at her tone. She almost seemed normal like this and he felt more easy-going just listening to her banter to a dog. "Naw, I don't mind."
A single snap over the mattress was all the dog needed as he jumped up and circled around, paws draping over the bed. Kimon stretched her legs out, draping them over his body and stretched. "He's so spoiled." She muttered, fighting a yawn. If Cye knew she was still kind of tired, he might leave and she didn't want him to. She was having too much fun feeling and acting like this, knowing he wasn't holding this weirdness against her.
Cye grinned and gave the dog a scratch. That tail started thumping against frame in the silence. Talk about simple pleasures... "Can't argue with that. But you love him all the same."
She grinned and brought her foot up to rub against his back, too lazy to use her hands. "That I do."
"How long have you had him?" He suddenly asked.
She slightly stiffened, not used to such a question. It dealt too close to her past in a way and she didn't want to go into that and spoil the fun mood. But still, this was Cye, and she felt she could divulge a little. "Eleven years and ongoing." She quietly answered, thrown into her thoughts. "He's getting up there... He was almost two when I got him."
Auburn brows rose. "Wow...I didn't know dogs lived that long. He doesn't LOOK that old..."
She smiled. "Dogs can hide that if they've been kept healthy enough."
"And I didn't know you were also older than me either." He added, that coming to mind too.
She smirked, almost evilly. "Yup, I'm older than you. By-" She paused and counted, "five months to boot. Scary isn't it? Bet you didn't peg me for a legal did you?"
He widely grinned and shook his head. "Honestly...I thought you were about-" He paused and sized up her face, "twenty. If that."
She giggled. "Well thanks for the compliment."
"Can I ask you something else?" He asked after a minute.
She smiled again, feeling oddly mischievous. "You already did."
He smirked. "Well then, a QUESTION." She nodded with a smile and he took it in, knowing this was one of the few times where Kimon smiled like that so much in one time. It was rather becoming and he knew he could get used to it. "You know after last Sunday that Sayoko knows you're blind..." He watched the smile leave, as if wiped off. Her eyes diverted to the bed, but she indicated for him to go on. "I was just wondering if you were going to tell them. Or at least shed some light on it. She made mention of why you kept it a secret, but I didn't say anything since it wasn't my place. But don't you think you should tell mother?"
She mentally cursed Cye for ruining the good mood they had going and idly picked at the blanket underneath. Some part of her knew that telling was useless, now that Sayoko found out from her blatant actions. She felt a small stab of panic when thinking of his mother. What would Mouri-san do when she knew about it?? Would there be anymore Sunday visits??
He watched the emotions flit across her face, mostly unconscious. He wondered if Kimon even knew he was still there. He wanted to know what she was thinking...opening and closing his mouth twice. On the third try, he inhaled for what felt like courage and tried again. "What...what are you...thinking?" He quietly asked, feeling his heart pound. Why was he feeling so nervous? Suddenly, the space between them seemed smaller and that Beethoven wasn't dividing them as well.
Gray jerked to his voice, biting the inside of her lip. She was never asked that question before, because she knew people didn't care to hear her thoughts unless it was over schoolwork. Why did Cye want to know? What was his angle? They were somewhat friends, at least she thought so anyway, and didn't know why he was so caring most of the time. It didn't make sense. "I...I, um..." Her lips pressed together, thinking of those doubts. They seemed a little silly now that she had to voice them out loud and she really didn't want to. But Cye asked, and it would be rude not to answer him... "I was...wondering about telling your mother. I don't know if I should..." Hands fidgeted in her lap.
His brow furrowed in confusion, seeing her obvious distress. "Why not?"
"I...well...what if...what if she...she doesn't want...to..." She stopped and tilted her head even further away, as if not to look at him. She couldn't stand hearing Cye's answer, as he was the son of Mouri-san. What if he spoke something his mother was thinking?
A brow rose, but a dry grin appeared. "I HIGHLY doubt okaa-san will not want to see you just because you're blind. Even if she DOESN'T know, that doesn't change anything. You're worrying yourself over something that doesn't need to be."
He made it all seem so easy. But she was on the receiving end, and didn't think it was going to be okay that quick. Her lips pressed together, managing a small nod of acknowledgement. She'd still have to think about it though... "I...I see. I'll...have to think...about it. I don't mean to make her sound petty though." She rushed, feeling the need to apologize. "Your mother is wonderful and I like being around her very much. But you don't know what it's like. Don't you have something so secretive, something you know and very few do as well, that you're scared of other people finding out? Because of how they'll act?"
Torrent. He blinked and suddenly saw her side for once. He had an easy way to hide Torrent from the world, but it was still a heady secret that he kept from everyone. If anyone found out, it might be big trouble. Things would turn upside-down if anyone knew about the armors.
"Yes." He breathed, looking to the bed. "I understand what you mean, and I didn't think you were trying to talk bad about my mother. I know how you see her, but I think you should at least let her know. I feel kind of bad for keeping it from my family."
She thoughtfully nodded again, but looked to him. "What do you mean you know how I see her??"
His lips twitched. "You see her as your own mother, do you not? If you didn't, why would you want to keep coming back? I wondered about that for so long since you asked me, but I see some of what's going on now."
Her eyes widened and teeth savagely gripped her teeth. Oh GODS!! He couldn't mean what she THOUGHT he meant....did he??? "Wh...whaa...whaaaatt do you MEAN??" She breathed, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Oh gods...had he found out about her mother?!
Cye looked on at her perturbed face in confusion. Why was she suddenly so jumpy? "I wondered where your mother was for a while." He sheepishly answered, as if feeling bad for thinking about it. "I never came upstairs, so I never got to see inside your home until today. But now that I'm here, I don't see anything feminine decorating the place. There's no personal touches, not even from you." His thumbs twiddled in agitation. "You don't have a mother...do you?"
She hastily blinked back tears, quickly averting her vision. HOW DID HE KNOW?! She didn't breathe a WORD to anyone, not even Mia, and her father wouldn't talk about something that touchy!! 'Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod...'
She couldn't even open her mouth to speak. Words wouldn't get past when she finally tried, and her brain locked up. What was she SUPPOSED to say?? She didn't want to spill something that only her and her father knew of! It felt like a disgrace of a family secret or something! "I...I...I...I-" Her mouth snapped back shut, floundering for an explanation. After all this time of hiding it, and after all this time of being around someone so trusting...she didn't have the heart to outright lie to his face. Where did all her barriers go!? "You see...that is...I...well..."
"If it's too painful for you to talk about, you don't have to." He cut off, taking Kimon's panic in with distress. Was he really that hard to confide in? Or was it something to do with her and her mother that kept her from speaking? Why were her eyes so panicked looking fear-filled?
Her vision dropped in dejection. "Gomen nasai..." She whispered. "I...I just...I don't-"
A hand extended, even though she couldn't see it. "Yameru... You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." A lopsided smile appeared, almost hurt. "I was just wondering. I thought it was divorce, but I...deduced that it couldn't be right. I'm sorry I brought up the topic."
"Iya!" She quietly insisted, feeling the need to make things right. She heard hurt in his voice and felt guilty that she somehow hurt him. "It's not that...it's just...it's....well....touchy....it's a...long story and-"
A hand lightly patted her foot. "Daijoubu. You don't have to tell me." He murmured. His vision looked to her window and then his watch. His lips pursed. He stayed later than he wanted to. "Oi it's already three... I suppose I should get back if I want to make it home by supper."
She suddenly felt glum. Cye was leaving. She would be alone again, with the prospect of homework in her mind. She mentally raspberried her computer. She didn't think she'd learn ANYTHING now if she tried to study... "Hai..." A small smile pasted on her face. "It was great to have you here Cye-san. I enjoyed our time together. Rarely do we get to talk outside of lessons." The smile widened as a bit of teasing entered her voice.
He grinned and stood, quickly stretching. Beethoven jumped off the bed as well and stopped near the door. "Hai. This WAS nice... Maybe we can do it again sometime. Other than Sunday drives."
She unconsciously mimicked him and nodded. "I agree." She opened the door and let Beethoven out first before he mowed her down. The two silently walked to the door and she ignored her father's eyes. "I'll walk you down."
"No you don't need to do that. You're sick and-"
A hand rested on his arm. "I insist. It's only polite."
"H...hai..."
She gently smiled and stopped Beethoven before he could get out. They silently headed down the stairs. Her brain was moving a mile a minute, thinking along the lines of how nice it was to have a simple conversation with Cye. She rather enjoyed being near him, as he was comforting and nice to talk with.
'Just like his family.' She thought, coming to the security door.
"I'll see you at school...hopefully soon." She answered. "I might just be in tomorrow, better or not. But if not Monday, then definitely Tuesday."
He smiled and opened the door. "I'll see you then Kimon-san. Ja ne."
She harshly swallowed, feeling like a part of her was somehow ripped away. Loneliness hit her. "Ja..." She whispered.