Yeah title says it all! All for you my bestest best friend, Romiko! Well not all of it... you know what I mean...
Beyond the Darkness
Chapter Eleven: Shameless Romantic Moment for my Best Friend.
Romiko yawned as she dropped into a seat opposite Aiska, who sat nervously picking at the bandage on her wrist.
"Shall I call Hatori?"
"You might have to." She replied dryly.
"And the dream?"
"What about it?"
"What the hell is going on, Aiska?" Romiko tried not to let her anger bubble over, but neither of them had slept well that night, Romiko had stayed up to watch over Aiska, who had tossed and turned, trying to fight off the recurring dream.
"Well, if you must know. At first it was more… distant, like a movie, where I was being circled by these shadowy figures, and no matter what I said, they would never approach. Until last night…"
"When you woke up screaming and slit your wrist open when you lashed out at the lamp." Romiko stated matter-of-factly.
"Well, yes. You see, the puzzle was suddenly put into place, and the scene dramatically changed. I see this figure looming over me, screaming abuse and threatening me. Then the scene changed again, and suddenly I am that figure, looming over this small child, screaming and abusing him, and I have no idea why. I just feel so angry, so frustrated and all I can do is scream. And I know it's wrong, and I feel so terrible about it but it's like I have no control over the situation. Then just before I manage to regain control, the scene switches back and I'm being abused again. The figure raises a hand to strike me, I scream and try to cover myself and that's usually when I wake up."
"Who are the figures?"
"I don't know. They're always in shadow. The whole scene is completely foreign to me. It's like someone being robbed on the streets, or perhaps someone abusing a child. I just don't know." Aiska buried her face in her hands, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Romiko rose and made her way to the phone. She dialed Hatori's number as she watched Aiska sip her tea, her hands shaking.
"Hatori? Hi! This is Romiko."
"Is everything all right?"
"Well, not really. Aiska had a little… accident last night."
"What kind of accident?"
"She managed to slit her wrist open…" Romiko paused as Hatori began choking on something. "It was an accident, I assure you! I bandaged her wound, but it might be wise for you to see to her, if you have the time."
"I'll be over after lunch."
"Thank you so much."
"I have work this afternoon." Aiska interjected, leaning against the doorway.
"Oh… perhaps Aiska could drop by on her way to work?"
Hatori hesitated, "Very well."
"Goodbye."
"What do you want me to tell him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Should I tell him about the dreams? Because I'd rather not."
"That decision is up to you. You probably should, but then it's not like he can stop them all together. You do need your sleep though and he may be able to help."
Aiska sighed as she made her way up the stairs to get ready for work.
"Do you want me to walk you there?"
"No, it's ok. Shouldn't you be at Shigure's soon?"
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind…" Romiko smiled in spite of herself.
"No, you go to Shigure's, I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, and whoever is home first can make dinner."
"All right then." Romiko chuckled to herself.
Aiska slowly dragged herself towards the main Sohma house, hardly eager to retell the harrowing events of the previous night. As she came into view of the gate, she noticed Hatori standing there, waiting for her. She picked up her pace until she found herself standing before him.
"Hatori."
"Aiska, I'm sorry but I need to make this quick." He greeted her, his eyes darting to Akito's window. She followed his gaze, but saw nothing. "Akito is not well."
"Is it serious?"
"Hopefully not, but this is what happens when you sleep with the window open in winter. At least you convinced him to start drinking tea again." He cast her a tired smile as she followed him towards his rooms.
"Now show me your wrist." Hatori pushed Aiska into a chair as he knelt alongside her, skillfully unwinding the bandage that Romiko had applied. Aiska kept her head turned as Hatori inspected the wound.
"Nothing too deep." He muttered more to himself as he rose, pulled on a pair of gloves and knelt down again with a bowl of warm water and some cream in his hands. Aiska closed her eyes as Hatori cleaned the wound. He applied the cream and bandaged her wrist once more.
"Get Romiko to change the bandage once every day or so, and apply this cream each time to make sure it doesn't become infected." He handed her a handful of spare bandages and the cream, which Aiska diligently threw into her bag.
"And what about these dreams?"
"They are not important, but they keep me up most of the night."
"What are they of?" Hatori asked, using a finger to turn Aiska's face to his. He was still kneeling beside her, and she felt her body tense as the remainder of the dream flashed through her mind.
"Just shadowy figures. Following my every move, that tends to get violent every now and then." She muttered, pulling her chin from his grasp and looking away.
"I am your doctor, it is not wise to keep things from me."
"The details are not important, but I'm not sleeping well." Hatori nodded and went searching through his supplies before returning to her side with a small vial of pills.
"Take one of these before dinner each night. They are very potent, but take a while to act. If you eat at seven, take one on an empty stomach and you'll probably pass out at about nine."
"Thank you, Hatori." She rose and bowed to him.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I must see to Akito."
"Could you tell him…? I said hello?" Hatori studied her for a moment before he smiled and nodded.
"Of course."
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The days past slowly and each night Aiska found herself beleaguered by the same recurring nightmare which troubled her sleep. It was an image she was confronted with each time she closed her eyes, and she was unable to wake until the figure lashed out to strike her. Each time it happened, Romiko was awake besides her, pressing a cool cloth to her forehead to calm her, only to watch the same thing occur each time her eyes closed. Aiska could only last for half an hour in sleep before the dream would start. After an hour of thrashing her head from side to side and crying out in her sleep, her eyes would snap open. The drugs Hatori had offered her only helped her get to sleep, they were unable to ward off the nightmare, and only succeeded in sending her back to sleep again after the initial horror wore off. The following night she refused to take them, preferring to stay awake for as long as possible with Romiko sitting beside her bed, watching over once more. Fitful sleep came and went for both until they gave up and watched a movie together to pass the time until the sun rose. Yet while the sun was up, the two acted as though nothing was different, but everyone knew from their dull eyes and languid movements that neither was sleeping.
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Romiko yawned as she seated herself before Shigure's computer while he circled behind her. Her eyes were dull and her hair had lost much of its spring as she typed away diligently.
"Romiko? Did you hear me?" She blinked as her eyes snapped open again.
"Oh I'm sorry, I guess I'm just tired. You were saying?" Shigure pursed his lips as he studied Romiko, whose eyelids were quickly growing heavy once more.
"Is everything all right?"
"Well…" Romiko sighed and rubbed her eyes before continuing, "It's Aiska. She's been having these nightmares, and the other day they worsened. She actually cut her wrist when she flailed around in her sleep."
"Hmm Hatori told me about that."
"She said the dreams are about a figure standing over a child, screaming abuse, and she keeps alternating between the aggressor and the child. Right before the aggressor strikes her, she wakes up screaming. I can't help but worry; any one of these dreams could kill her. I don't know what I'll do when I lose her. It's so hard, waking up every day wondering how much longer I'll have her in my life." Romiko was unable to meet Shigure's gaze, tears beginning to stream down her face. "I haven't slept at all in the past few days. I've been too frightened. Instead, I've been sitting beside Aiska's bed, watching her nightmares torment her." Romiko's face was buried in her hands, tears trickling between her fingers as she spoke. Shigure's eyes softened at the picture before him as he handed her his handkerchief.
"It must be hard for you. I admire your courage; Aiska is lucky to have a friend like you." Shigure whispered. "Would you like a cup of tea?" He added, trying to sound cheerful.
"Oh no, please don't trouble yourself. We're supposed to be working, and I'm boring you with personal details." She hastily wiped the tears from her eyes.
"No trouble at all, you relax a moment." He wandered into the kitchen; glad she could not see the disbelief on his face.
'Hatori needs to hear this one.' He thought with a sigh, regarding the dream that Romiko had just told him. Before long he emerged carrying two steaming cups of tea only to find Romiko asleep with her head resting on her hands. He placed the cups on the table and watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. He couldn't help but smile as he slipped his outer kimono off and wrapped it around her shoulders, gently brushing the curls from her face. His eyes softened as he seated himself opposite her and picked up his pen.
"Such beautiful inspiration." He muttered to himself with a grin as his pen quickly began to dart across the page. The only breaks he took for the next few hours were to glance across at Romiko, a small smile teasing at the corner of his lips.
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Come early evening Romiko awoke to find Shigure's kimono over her and Shigure nowhere in sight. She sat up and stretched her cramping muscles just as the door behind her slid open.
"Ah you're awake." He smiled, handing her a cup of tea. "You missed lunch."
"What time is it?" A dazed Romiko asked.
"After five."
"What? Aiska will be home soon!" She cried, jumping to her feet.
"Relax. I called Ha'ri while you were sleeping, and he and Aiska will be over shortly."
"You're too good to me… that is… us." Romiko gave him a grateful smile and blushed as she sunk back into her seat.
"It's a beautiful sunset this evening, why not sit on the porch while we wait?" Romiko readily agreed and the two shifted outside to watch as the sinking sun cast orange and pink shadows across the sky. She turned to him, catching his eyes studying her in the fading light; he mumbled something and turned away just as the sound of voices approached.
"Shigure! I leave you alone for just a little while and already you've found yourself someone else? I am insulted!" Ayame's voice rang clearly across the clearing just as Yuki, Kyo and Tohru approached the house on one side, while Aiska and Hatori approached on the other. All froze at the sound of Ayame's voice and turned to Shigure and Romiko.
"Come now, Aya…"
"Ah now I know when I've been defeated, and by such a pretty young lady at that. Well I do hope the two of you will be happy together." He laughed, covering the ground that separated them in a few steps to kiss Romiko's hand.
"And you must be Romiko. I've heard so much about you." Romiko was too stunned to speak.
"Come now children, we should leave the love birds to it." Ayame commanded, just before he spotted Hatori. "Ha'ri! Don't tell me you've found yourself a pretty young lady as well! Well what am I supposed to do now?"
"Ayame." Hatori gritted his teeth.
"You must be Ayame Sohma, what a pleasure." Aiska stepped forward and bowed.
"I do believe the pleasure is all mine." He smiled, returning her bow.
"We should all go inside, you're scaring the kids." Ayame glanced to Yuki, Kyo and Tohru and laughed before racing to Yuki's side.
"Don't you think it's true? Yuki? Shigure and Romiko do look very cute together."
"Stop teasing them!" He snarled, even though he could hardly keep the fascination out of his eyes. Clearly the children hadn't realized this fact either.
"Now you know I'm right!"
"Ayame, go inside." Hatori cut him off, massaging his temples from the frustration.
"All right! Come on Yuki, come sit beside your big brother!"
Hatori and Aiska mounted the steps and passed the stunned Shigure and Romiko. Aiska hooked an arm around Romiko and pulled her to her feet.
"See, I'm not the only one who can see the completely obvious." She smiled and winked. "You are telling me all details later. And I do mean all."