In Smaller Proportions
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Well, here we are. It's the chapter that everyone's been waiting for, the hardest chapter for me to write. And as usual, taking me too long to get down into the computer. I've received your mails, your reviews, and I have heard. (even from a couple of anonymous. Wow. I've been threatened with bloody massacre and dead bunnies.
Look, I honestly, and badly, owe you guys an apology. I confess, I've allowed myself to be completely distracted for way too long by so many things. Here's a warning: stay away from Final Fantasy XI if you can help it. It's addictive. VERY addictive. Now, then, because of how terrible I am at apologies, I have asked Ritsu to help me out...
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SORRY THAT PELZ-SAN HAS BEEN LACKING ALL THE MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE HIS STORY AND FINISH IT! I APOLOGIZE FOR HIS KEEPING YOU ALL IN SUSPENSE! I APOLOGIZE TO THE WHOLE WORLD AND EVERYONE IN-"
Enguard. poke
thud
That does it. From now on, I make my own apologies to the audience. Let's get on with the story, now, while the poor guy's still down.
PJ
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Morning.
Blankets rustled as the once asleep girl got up, her long hair slightly rumpled from sleep. Looking down at her lamp stand, she smiled at the photo on it. "Good morning, Mom."
Then she got up and went down to the bathroom.
The door slid open at her push, and she stepped in.
The floor was clean and bare. In a corner was a towel, washed and folded.
She stared at it for a moment, then went on with getting herself ready for the day.
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Stretching, popping a few kinks out of his back, a tall boy with frumpy orange hair got to his feet. Shaking his head slightly, he stepped out and grabbed a towel. He could use a good shower to get his mind off things, after all that had happened.
The door was closed, and the sound of running water could be heard. Someone had, apparently, beat him to it.
Forget it. Food, then.
He went down to the kitchen, the towel now slung over his shoulder. Popping open the fridge door, he took out the carton of milk. Hardly any left. Guess he was the last one to it again before restocking with a new one.
Tilting his head back, the boy drank up the last of the milk. Then, as he always did, crushed the carton with his hand and dropped it into the waste bin that had not been cleared out yet.
With a soft 'thunk' sound, it landed next to a small, empty box with the label still readable as preparation instructions for baby food.
Glaring at it, the boy grunted, turned and went back to wait his turn for the bathroom.
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Rising, still a little groggy and dazed, a youth with gray hair stared into oblivion for a moment, then finally started to move to his closet and changed out of his sleep clothes. Walking out into the hallway, still somewhat in a trance, he soon found the kotatsu and sat down by it.
It seemed so quiet this morning. Quite peaceful.
Someone seemed to pass him. A guy with orange hair. Ah, well, he was in no mood to bother him as yet, and the other was currently ignoring him as well, headed toward the bathroom.
Looking back outside, at the slightly open main door, he could see that all seemed right with the world. Unusually so. No quarrels, no fights, no noise except a few birds singing to each other.
Shifting into a better position, his foot brushed against something hard, and cool. Blinking, he reached under the kotatsu, feeling around. His hand came back up with a small set of beads.
A little set of purple and white beads, lined up in alternation and held together by string, too tight to fit his hand, but big enough for someone much younger.
Staring at it, the youth set it next to him on the floor, where it may pass unnoticed by the others for now.
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After some time, the girl emerged from the bathroom, her hair back in place and done up with a hair tie, and the rest of her looking fresh and ready to take on the day. "Good morning, Kyo-kun."
The boy with orange hair grunted in reply, stepping in the moment she vacated, and drawing the door shut behind him. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard again.
The girl progressed down toward the direction of the kitchen, in order to prepare breakfast.
"Good morning, Honda-san."
She turned and smiled in response. "Good morning, Yuki-kun; you're up early, today. I'll just go get you something to eat."
A smile to return hers, the gray-haired youth moved to get up. "It's alright. I'm not that hungry right now; it's still early, anyway."
"Yes, yes it is..." the girl looked like she might laugh as she spoke. They had all woken up earlier than usual today, for some reason.
Then she saw something on the ground. "...Yuki-kun, is that...?"
The youth looked back behind him. The small bead charm lay on the floor where he had set it down, not as invisible as he had thought to make it. Picking it up, he held it out to her. "Guess he dropped it and left it behind."
The girl regarded it silently, as the youth had only moments ago. For that short period of time, neither was sure of what to say to the other.
The girl was the first to break the silence. "I'd better prepare breakfast, at least. We can eat a little earlier than usual today, I suppose..."
"Need some help?"
"Ah, no, Yuki-kun, really, it's alright! Please, just go sit down first!"
The dialogue continued on as the two went into the kitchen, one nervously protesting and the other calmly replying.
The beads sat in the middle of the table, where they had been placed.
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The sounds of running water ceased once and for all.
Roughly towelling his damp hair dry, the boy stepped out of the bathroom and made his way toward the living room, back to the kitchen. Even if there was nothing really ready, he could at least help or make something for himself. Never mind how many were hungry so early in the morning.
As he walked passed the kotatsu, he stopped, then looked back at it.
In the center, someone had set down a string of purple and white beads, each one in similar size to the ones that adorned his own wrist, except they were held together more closely, as though they had been worn only by one of a much smaller size.
Small and unassuming as it was, it seemed somewhat out of place, clear and visible from where he was.
The boy eyed it with an unreadable expression. Then he continued on his way toward the kitchen, leaving the beads untouched.
A few moments later, a heated conversation began, accompanied by almost timid protests that went ignored.
Then a loud thwack sent it escalating a little further.
A new cabinet door would a make a fine addition to the monthly budget.
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Then all activity ceased at the sound of approaching footsteps outside.
At the sliding of the door open, the three teens emerged from the kitchen and went down to greet whoever it was that had come in upon them.
Stepping inside was a man in a suit, removing his shoes while standing up, as he usually did when he wore a shirt and pants instead of his usual kimono.
Seeing his greeting party, he smiled and straightened up. "Well, that's settled it. Everything's been taken care of."
There was a long pause of silence.
The man looked from one to another, and seemed a little troubled. "...come now, don't give me that look... It was absolutely necessary!"
"...was it?" the gray-haired youth finally asked, breaking the silence amidst the three.
"Indeed, Yuki-kun! One hundred percent, without a doubt! Look at him! Isn't he adorable!"
At that, the one known as Sohma Shigure lifted up a small boy with messy black hair and crimson eyes. The little boy blinked, smiled happily, and lifted up a yellow rubber duck for the Sohma Yuki's inspection, squeaking it a couple of times.
Honda Tohru promptly gasped and grabbed him from Shigure, squeezing him in an excited hug. "I LOOOOOOOVE YOU!"
The boy answered gleefully by flapping his arms, still keeping a death grip on the little duck.
Yuki was still not quite appeased. "When you said you'd take him to finish up with the necessary paperwork, you did not say you'd spirit him away for two days without a word to the rest of us. We could have gone along, you know."
"Now, that was unnecessary, Yuki-kun; Aya and I handled our little munch kin here perfectly fine! Didn't we, Kyo-chan?"
Looking back up at Shigure with wide eyes, the boy held up his duck again and squeaks it some more.
Sohma Kyo groaned and turned to go. "...I'll never get any peace now..."
At those muttered words, Shigure suddenly showed a completely different facial expression. Approaching Tohru, he reached for the child. "Honda-san, may I?"
"Oh! Please, go ahead, Shigure-san," Tohru replied, passing the boy to him.
Smiling his thanks, Shigure walked right up to Kyo and held the child up straight to his face. "Say hello to your big brother Kyo, Kyo-chan!"
Flinching from the sudden move, Kyo backed up and started to retreat. "Get away from me, weirdo!"
Shigure continued to follow Kyo around the house, apparently enjoying himself. Still squeaking his duck, the kid seemed to be having fun as well.
"Cut it out, will you!"
"Come on, everybody loves our little Kyo-chan! Give him a big kiss, little guy!"
"Go away!"
Yuki and Tohru watch as Shigure chases Kyo around the house, slightly amused. Shaking his head, Yuki sighs. "Clowns...Guess things are going back to normal."
"Yes, they are."
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And that concludes the chapter for now.
Even so, I'm STILL not done! There's just one more to go; just a little special for your enjoyment.
So be seeing you then!
Ciao for now.
