((Ohmygoodness, I updated.
Don't worry, it hasn't been half a year yet! Only…five months. Yeah…
But! It's summertime now, which means no school, which means this shall get done soon! My goal is to finish it before Christmas, since it is a wintery story, not something to be writing in June. Although, I did start it in August, didn't I?
Like I said, I'll get it done. And update more than every few months. I also have some other ideas I'm playing around with, including a Sailormoon fic using the other Sailor soldiers, Tokyo Mew Mew shoujo ai, and getting my SVU/Sailormoon crossover finished.
I can't use my little brackets anymore. Not cool.
Story by the one and only Michie.
They're not mine. But, I'm borrowing them. And I huggle them, put them in odd situations, and make up parents for them! Love-love!
Keep watching me! Leave me feedback! I love you all so very much!))
The layout of the house was quite interesting in its design. When you entered through the main doors, as Haruka and Michiru had, directly in front of your was the main staircase. This then led upstairs to two hallways running off in separate directions. To the left were the guest bedrooms, including the rooms occupied by the couple, as well as a few others. There were also a few storage closets, and at the end of the hallway were two smaller rooms where the maid, Yoko, and butler, Kouichi, lived for most of the year.
If, when going up the staircase, you decided to take a right, you would find yourself in a hallway with a single bedroom at the end. This was the room shared by Haruka's parents, a spacious, fancy place that was always kept in perfect order. Though Haruka had not been allowed inside as a child, she had snuck in on occasion, or Yoko had allowed her to explore while it was being cleaned. Features inside included huge closets filled with business suits and fancy dresses, a fountain, the soft, enormous bed with gold sheets that seemed to glow, and a bathroom with a tub big enough to fit five people. However, the decorations and details were horribly overdone, and though it was equipped with the best sheets and the best plumbing, the strange statues and pillows gave the place a fairy-tale feeling to it.
Leading from the second floor was a grand staircase. Ornate wood carvings adorned the railings, and soft, plush carped decorated the stair treads. Parts of the stairs themselves were stained glass, with images of flowers and birds, lit from behind.
Down the stairs from the bedrooms, you could continue walking straight ahead and find yourself at the heavy door the couple had entered though. But, if coming down the stairs you took a right, you would get to the "living" area of the house. There were several rooms on this half, including a library that seemed to only be for decoration except for a desk cluttered with business papers, a "sunroom" with an entire wall of glass, handmade wicker chairs and glass tables, and an entertainment room, with an amazing home entertainment system that included a colossal television, the most high-tech sound system, and Ten'ou Kenji's extensive video collection.
The kitchen, where Yoko assisted a private chef who came in three days a week, and the dining room, where the family ate when not entertaining, were also on that half of the house, but Haruka left those rooms out of the tour; Michiru would see them soon enough.
Finally, the last half of the house, the other part of the lower floor, was the area intended to host parties. A large ballroom took up most of that part; however, there was also a smaller banquet room with large closets that could be used to hold the coats of guests. The kitchen was connected to the ballroom by a hallway, so tables could be set up for food without having to carry it around the whole house.
The ballroom itself was spacious. Windows with heavy curtains that stretched to the ceiling covered a wall, and the floor was a glossy wood. Along the edges of two of the other walls was a raised, carpeted platform dotted with tables for serving dinner, separated from the dance floor by a railing. In one of the corners of the floor, a raised stage provided a performing area for live music.
And this was where Haruka's tour for Michiru had ended.
"Well, that's it. The house, I mean."
"Haruka…so, you grew up here? It's so big!" She smiled at her lover, walking across to the other side of the echoing room and taking a seat at one of the tables.
"And empty. Well, it seemed that way when I was here. So much room, useless, isn't it?" She smiled at Michiru. "I mean, the only time this half of the house is even filled is if there's a party.
"Didn't your parents say something about hosting a party here during our stay?"
"Yeah…hopefully, nothing too big. You know I'd like nothing more than to just slip away from all this and go home." Striding over to the other woman, Haruka draped her muscular frame across the railing in front of the table where the violinist sat.
"Haruka-san?" Timidly, Yoko peered around the corner of the doorframe, across the polished floor. "Your mother says dinner will be served in the dining room in about five minutes, so you may want to head over there and wash up."
After the maid had left, Haruka slumped to the floor and sighed. Her lover climbed over to her, bending down over her wilted frame.
"Ready for this?"
"I never will be, but I might as well get it over with, ne?"
The fancy wooden table was covered with a pristine white tablecloth, on which dozens of perfect foods were displayed. It had eight chairs set up, but the food was grouped at one end, showing that there would only be four eating those masterpieces tonight. Haruka settled down on the right side of the table, the one with the best view of the main staircase, though it wasn't much of a view at all. She leaned back in her chair, waiting for her parents and for Michiru, who had wandered upstairs to freshen up quickly before eating.
Hearing padding shoes on the white carpet, she lurched back to the ground, wooden chair legs falling back into place. In came her father, who wordlessly settled down at the head of the table and began surveying the meal laid out before him. Haruka sighed, rather loudly. He looked up.
"Oh! Haruka-chan, you've come down early."
"Yoko told us it was time to eat, so of course I'm here."
He gave his daughter a thin-lipped smile. "Shioko told me you were giving your pretty little friend a tour of the house. Where is she now?"
"Michiru is upstairs; she'll be down soon. As for my mother, I have no idea."
"You don't have to be so cold to me. I am your father after all. Without me, how would you afford your lavish lifestyle?"
Anger rose up inside of the athletic woman; she pushed it away, though with much difficulty. "Did Mother not tell you? I've been without the support of either of you for years, and I am enjoying very much. My 'lavish' lifestyle, if that's what you can call it, has been self-earned."
The two sat in silence until the arrival of Shioko.
"Kenji! Haruka-chan! I'm surprised you two aren't catching up, after these years!"
The man gave the same false smile he had worn before to his wife. "We were just a little bit ago, Shioko. After all, we still have several days left to get to know each other again."
"Yes, yes. I suppose that's true…Haruka, where is Michiru-san?"
The racer began leaning back in her chair again, balancing precisely on the two polished legs. "Upstairs. She'll be down soon."
As if on cue, a refreshed but slightly rushed Michiru wandered into the room. Silently, she padded over to the last chair and took a seat next to Haruka.
"Ah…I'm sorry for that. This is such a gorgeous, big house, and I got a bit confused. I'm sorry for having kept you!"
Inwardly, Haruka smiled. Michiru wasn't one to have gotten lost, especially after the extensive tour. She had probably been a bit too long upstairs fixing her hair and had made up an excuse.
"Don't worry dear, it's all right. Now, shall we all eat?"
Without a word, Kenji picked up the bowl of potatoes in front of him and began to dish up. Seeing this, the rest of the table started in on their meals.
The meal progressed silently for a while, Michiru enjoying the exquisite meal, while her partner seated beside her picked at a small helping of meat on her plate. Shioko noticed this, as had Michiru, though while the violinist did her best to ignore it, Haruka's mother reprimanded her for this.
"Is it not to your liking?" she said suddenly, breaking the silence of silverware and plates.
"Hm? Ah, Mother, it's fine. We had food to eat on our way up here, so don't worry about me."
"Your friend seems to have a fine appetite, and I would assume you both ate at the same time." She was right. Michiru had finished her salmon and started on the green beans.
"Like I said, don't worry about me, Mother." The four fell back into quiet.
And after a bit, Haruka's father finished his meal. Settling back into his chair, he pulled out a newspaper, seemingly from nowhere, and began to read. Though this act seemed convincing enough, Michiru could see him sneaking looks over the top of it, at his daughter and wife, but mostly at her. Though definitely nervous, she tried to finish the meal quickly, so she could excuse herself.
Mealtime at the Ten'ou household was a different experience. Every time that Haruka could remember eating with her mother, the same pattern was followed. About twenty minutes of awkward, slow silence to eat in, which was then followed by a near-interrogation of the events of the day. As soon as her mother finished eating, she expected it to begin. Nothing else seemed to have changed in the years of her absence, and besides, Shioko seemed to find so much joy in the prying into others' lives.
Haruka was right. Approximately five minutes later, the lady of the house set her fork down, and leaned back into her chair. She smiled at her daughter, and, breaking the stillness, asked, "So what have you been doing these past years without us?"
Feigning surprise, the racer blinked at the question. "Ah, you're talking to me?"
The older woman sighed. "Yes, I am, Haruka. You should know when your mother is speaking to you, and answer my questions! Now, tell me about your life."
"What do you want to know? After moving out of your apartment, Michiru and I bought a house in the country with a friend, which is where we live today."
"It must not be too large of a house, with you not having a real job and all. You would be happier if you moved closer to us, or better yet, you could live here."
"My happiness is my concern, Mother, but thank you for the offer."
More silence. Shioko turned to her next subject, the pretty young violinist.
"Ah, Michiru-san! What did you think of our meal?"
The girl gave a small smile back at her hostess. "It was quite lovely. I especially liked the fruit salad, and the salmon was very nice as well."
"You know, we have a cook who works in our kitchen three days a week…you'll have to tell me what you like to eat so we can prepare it for the party ahead. Haruka did tell you about that, didn't she? We were so happy to have her visiting us that we decided to host a small celebration. Our friends are worried about her, of course, having been out of touch for so long."
"I can assure you that she's been doing fine. I think I'm taking good care of her." Michiru smiled at her partner, who returned her gaze with an exasperated look.
Climbing up the grand staircase after the meal, the couple paused for a moment in the hallway before going their separate ways. Full of food and, in Haruka's case, unease, the pair hesitated a moment before speaking.
In a hushed tone, Haruka confirmed to herself, "This is going to be a long week."
"Oh…just give it your best. It's not even a full week, only five more days. We'll be home for Christmas."
"You heard my mother, questioning us like that! 'What have you been doing these past years without us?' And my father, staring at you like that…how can you take it?"
Michiru frowned. "So you noticed it too. All men like young women, but I'm your 'friend', and his guest! And his wife was right there!"
Shaking her head, Haruka explained. "My father's always been like that. It reached its worst a few years before I moved out. Some woman at his business accused him of raping her. There was this huge investigation, but they never arrested him or even brought him down to the police station. Everyone thinks that he bought them off, seeing how he has all of this money." She gestured to the lavish house around her. "They all tried to keep me from hearing about it, but I wasn't stupid when I was twelve." Letting out a harsh laugh, she slumped back against the wall.
"Ah…" Michiru didn't know what to say. She had though Haruka's father was, well, a creep, but to hear such a thing was even worse! "Do you think he did it?"
"I don't know what to think. It does seem like something he would do, but would he go that far? Either way, it's not bothering him now."
The sound of the stairs creaking behind them shattered the atmosphere. Whirling around, Haruka sighed with relief when she saw it was only the maid, Yoko. Leaning towards her lover, she whispered a quick good night and headed off farther down the hall to her room.
"What kind of people are these…?" Michiru mused to herself, as she headed off to bed as well. In the coming days, she would learn soon enough.
((tbc))