Haruhi was right to assume that none of them had the stamina for an early morning hike. Except, of course, Mori, Honey and Izzy. While the rest of them were winded or irritated, the trio of third years carried on as if they weren't walking up a mountain. "This isn't as fun as I thought it would be," Hikaru complained loudly. That was mostly due to the fact that Izzy threatened them into behaving. If they weren't careful, they could seriously get hurt. And by that, she meant Tamaki. She was still hardly amused that they tried to drown him the night before.
"It's supposed to be relaxing," Haruhi pointed out blankly.
"How can anyone relax?" Tamaki asked in exasperation. This really wasn't what he had in mind when he had the bright idea to go hiking. Perhaps Haruhi and Izzy had been on to something when they questioned the idea of hiking.
"By being quiet and enjoying nature, I assume," Kyoya grumbled distastefully. While he wasn't necessarily winded like the others, he was very obviously annoyed.
Izzy glanced over her shoulder, as if she'd forgotten they were trailing behind. "Are you guys okay back there?" Her cheeks were flushed but she seemed to be doing just fine. She got a chorus of groans and grumbles in reply, causing her to smile smugly. She knew she'd been right but said nothing more.
"She's gloating," Kaoru scowled, feeling the smug airwaves coming off of the older brunette. Haruhi didn't answer but she eyed Izzy anyway. She was a bit surprised that Izzy finally gave in yesterday and admitted to her crush. Her feelings for Mori weren't terribly obvious but they weren't all that surprising either. The two…well, they fit. They kind of just clicked and it just made sense, if anyone paid close enough attention.
She thought of Izzy's accusation that she gave Tamaki a hard time and that she even liked the blond nightmare. She wasn't exactly sure how she gave him a hard time and wondered if Izzy saw something that she was missing.
"Why are you staring, Haruhi?" Tamaki suddenly asked, interrupting her thoughts. "Finally realized just how handsome I am?" He leaned into her, knocking purposefully into her shoulder.
"No, not that." Haruhi intoned blankly. "Just thinking about something Bera-senpai last night."
"Something good?" Tamaki pressed.
"Can't say for sure."
Izzy, Mori and Honey disappeared out of the view, having made it to the top. They were patiently waiting for the rest of them, sitting down on the benches placed there for the hikers. The brunette smiled at the sight of them and waved them over. "Enjoying the hike?"
"Shut up, Senpai," Hikaru and Kaoru grumbled together, plopping down in sync on the bench next to the third-years. Izzy was still smiling despite their collective sour mood, obvious with her smugness. "So we've made it up here. Now what?"
Izzy planted her hands on the bench and leaned all of her weight back. "Now you're supposed to enjoy nature."
"Why would anyone want to do that?" Hikaru asked.
"Why, indeed," Kyoya uttered around a long, suffering sigh. He shot Tamaki a particular acidic look, blaming him and him alone for their hike into nature. "Unfortunately, we also have to make the hike down as well."
"Going down is far easier than going up," Izzy pointed out. "Maybe next time you'll listen to us." She grinned, even when Hikaru and Kaoru openly scowled at her. She was never going to let this go. Honey slid from their shared bench and went bounding off towards Tamaki and Haruhi, who were standing at the edge of the summit.
"Bera?" Mori asked after several moments of shared silence. She was still leaning back on her hands, eyes closed and enjoying the mountain air, but she grunted in question. "Are you still leaving?"
Her eyes popped open. She was beginning to wonder if they were all worried that she planned on leaving for Italy once the school year was up. It actually was nice, she felt wanted and maybe even needed. It wasn't to say that her family in Italy didn't want or need her but she definitely felt like she had more of a purpose in Japan.
And she liked her family in Japan as well. Okay, well maybe not Takuma and Katsu and Shinobu was a bit of a stretch but she enjoyed the rest of her family members. Hell, she hadn't even met her uncle Shun formally yet and she wanted to.
She had more of a purpose, more of her own identity. Sure, Masami's legacy followed her but she wasn't known as Alphonse's only daughter or Franky, Alonzo and Vincente's younger sister.
And besides, she also had genuine friendships. Not just with the Host Club but with Fumiko, with Hisa, Yuna and Ayame. Kasanoda and the Gardening Club and even Chiba, Izuru and the Kendo Club. As much as they got under her skin, she appreciated every friendship she managed to make at that ridiculous school.
Izzy sat up with a soft sigh, eyeing their friends. They were all standing with Tamaki and Haruhi at this point, seemingly ruining whatever romantic notion Tamaki cooked up in his head. She wondered if the blond would ever get the chance he was looking for.
She smiled sadly and for a moment, imagined herself back in Italy. Maybe things would be easier for her back there, with no Takuma and no Katsu. But that just meant no Fu and Chi, no Hisa, Yuna and Ayame. No Host Club. No Mori.
She wondered, maybe for the first time, if leaving her family was hard for Masami. Sure, maybe she didn't get along with them but leaving everything she's ever known? The security, the guaranteed wealth?
Izzy glanced at Mori. Maybe leaving all that behind was hard for her mother but it was worth it.
She scooted just a tad closer to him, her smile losing its sadness. "Well," she hummed. "I suppose that remains to be determined." She pressed her hip against him, wondering if he'd push her away or not. "Why? Do you want me to stay?"
Mori made a funny sound in his throat before looking over at her. "Course' I do."
"Oh," she blinked. "You're far too truthful for your own good," she laughed but her face was gradually turning red. "Well, I was thinking that attending Ouran Uni wouldn't be so bad. And you know, nobody likes the idea of me leaving."
"I don't," Mori said evenly. "I don't like the idea of you leaving at all. I want you to stay here."
Izzy grinned at him, eyes open and trusting. Maybe deciding something like this was selfish of her and maybe her family would be upset with her but she had to make choices for herself and she had to start somewhere. This seemed as good as any. She leaned in towards him, flirtatiously nudging at his arm with hers.
"I want to too."
Izzy let out a loud sigh, arms stretched above her head. Haruhi eyed her in amusement, realizing that this trip sparked a new found love of onsens in the older brunette. "I, for one, think a hike and then a dip in the hot springs was a fantastic idea."
"Don't tell Tamaki-senpai that. He'll never shut up," Haruhi pointed out wryly.
"He never shuts up regardless," Izzy said with a laugh, her face flushed from the steam. "You go on ahead to lunch, I'm going to our room. I just need to call my aunt. I'll be there soon."
"You sure, Senpai? I can wait."
"No, no. Go ahead, they'll worry if you don't show up. I'll be there soon," Izzy waved the notion off and quickly spun around, hurrying in the opposite way before Haruhi could further argue. She waved over her shoulder before vanishing around the corner.
"Hello? Is everything okay, Izabera?" Chi was worried the minute she picked up the phone call.
Izzy smiled softly and shook her head. "Yes, um. How's your weekend?"
"It's lovely, absolutely lovely. Fumi is having a wonderful time with Shun. I thought he would be too busy with his case but they're having a blast."
Izzy leaned against the large window, smiling even wider. She was glad her cousin was finally spending time with her father, maybe he'd come home more often. Hell, she still wanted to meet Shun in person."Remember when I first came to Japan and I wasn't all that happy about it?"
"Yes…?"
"And remember how you said I would warm up to it eventually and like staying for the year?"
"That's right."
"Well…" Izzy trailed off with a careful sigh. "What if it was more than a year?"
"Are you asking to stay for the break as well? It's not like I mind but you'll be cutting it close, flying back to Italy in time for when your classes start again."
"What if my classes were here? In Japan."
The line went silent for a long moment but Chi made a long noise in thought. "Are you saying you want to stay another year?"
"Yes? Maybe even...longer?"
Chi made another noise in her throat. "What do your parents think of a choice like that?"
"I haven't told them yet."
"You decided something like that without telling your parents?"
"Did mama tell her parents when she left for Italy?"
"That's not the same."
Izzy pursed her lips. "I want to stay longer in Japan. I like it here, I like being with you and Fumi and I like the friends I've made and…" she trailed off, puffing her cheeks in frustration. "I'd really like to stay a little while longer, Chi."
Chihiro took a deep breath, hearing just how serious her niece sounded. It wasn't like her to show so much emotion, she was pretty apathetic when it came down to the nitty gritty. If Izabera felt this strongly about staying, she didn't want to be the one to tell her no.
Besides, she had a point in saying Masami hadn't said a word when she left for Italy. She had that nasty fight with Shinobu and Hiroki and then she was gone the next day. It was a crushing blow, even Chihiro had been blindsided by her older sister's choice. She remembered being so angry with Masami and hurt. She didn't want that for Izabera. She didn't want the last conversation between her and her parents to be an ugly fight. She didn't want her to exile herself from her family.
"Okay, I understand where you're coming from. Masami won't be happy about this and neither will Alphonse but..I'll talk to them."
Izzy perked up immediately. "Really?"
Chihiro shook her head, Masami was going to be furious. "Really. I'll talk to your mother but just remember that they're your parents. They're the ones who decide."
"Thank you, Chi! And you'd be okay with me staying? If mama and papa agree?"
"Don't be ridiculous, of course. You're my niece."
Izzy started bouncing on the balls of her feet, her smile becoming uncontrollably wide. "Thank you, Chi. Really."
"Yes, yes. Now go away. I'm about to be chewed out by my sister."
Izzy ended the call, still grinning like a madwoman. Sure, she still had to deal with Masami's wrath but hopefully Chihiro would be able to soften the blow. But still, it's a choice that she made completely on her own and it feels good.
She returned her cellphone back to its charger and turned towards the door, intending on joining her friends for lunch. One simple phone call was enough to raise her spirits. Sure, she was going to get an earful later but hopefully that was later.
She slid the door open, blissfully distracted until a hand clamped down on her elbow. She blinked and turned to see Katsu glaring at her, eyes shining like liquid acid. "Katsu, for Christ's sake, what?"
Katsu manhandled her away, hurrying away on quick feet. She struggled to keep up, cursing the freshly polished wood floors. She slid and stumbled after him before finally managing to jerk her arm away. "Katsu, what the hell is your problem?"
He spun around and she nearly crashed into him but he caught her by the arms. "Call Aunt Chihiro back and tell her you've changed your mind."
"Excuse me—"
"You can't stay here, you don't belong here—"
Izzy slapped his hands away with a vicious snarl. "Oh, shut up Katsu! You were actually eavesdropping on me? What the hell is wrong with you?" She shoved him back. "I've had enough of this nonsense, Katsu. You have no right to tell me what I can or can't do."
"I have every right—"
"For God's sake, you don't. This isn't about you and your abusive father. To hell with Morimoto, take it. I'm not here for it and I never was, now move!" Izzy shouldered past him, intent on leaving him behind. Of course, she expected to butt heads with Katsu but sneaking up on her and eavesdropping was crossing a line.
"You need to realize that I'm not here for you. I didn't come to take what you think is rightfully yours. If anything, I wish we could've gotten along but you're a creep and I have no interest. Now, please back off."
Katsu grabbed her by the wrist, there was no way she was getting the last word. His father warned him that like Masami, Izzy could talk her way out of a situation. She was not going to get the last word.
He yanked her back and she stumbled awkwardly, her ankle popping strangely. Izzy tumbled into Katsu with a sharp cry and they both went down in a heap. Izzy hissed through her teeth as pain bloomed from her ankle. Katsu went still underneath her but she hardly paid him any mind. Her ankle was on fire.
"My ankle," she finally managed around a pained gasp. Katsu wriggled underneath her, a strange heat unfurled somewhere in his belly. He grimaced and gracelessly shoved the brunette off of him. Izzy rolled away and balanced nearly all of her weight on her hip, pulling her yukata up and away from her feet.
Sure enough, her ankle was rapidly turning an awful purple as the bruise began to form. Tears filled her eyes and she groaned pitifully. "Damn it, Katsu!"
But he was already on his feet, staring down at her with an odd expression. "Don't just stand there, I think it's sprained!" Izzy pointed out as tears gushed down her cheeks.
"I didn't mean…I should go."
"Go? You can't just leave me here like this!"
But Katsu ducked around her and quickly hurried away, leaving Izzy with a sprained and rapidly bruising ankle. She gaped after him. "You have got to be kidding me!"
Izzy sat there for a good five minutes, trying her best to work through the pain. She hoped to God her ankle wasn't broken. Slowly, she slid closer towards the edge of the veranda, reaching for the wooden railing. The pain was nearly unbearable. This wasn't the first time she sprained her ankle so she knew she wasn't supposed to be standing but she couldn't just sit there.
"I'm going to kill him," she seethed as she tried to hobble along with the help of the railing. It wasn't helping, it only served to make it even more painful, in fact. It was actually making her nauseous.
"Oh my, miss? Are you okay?"
Izzy looked up, expression torn in pain as one of the younger caretakers approached her, looking worried. "Oh! Miss, your ankle!" The caretaker hurried towards her, leaning over to look at her rapidly bruising and swelling ankle.
"Yes, it seems I've had a rather unfortunate accident," Izzy grimaced through the pain. "Could you please alert my friends that I need help? The six boys and one girl?"
"Oh, you mean those handsome young men!"
Izzy leveled the blushing woman with a blank expression. "Sure. Them. Please go get them? I might pass out."
"My apologies, miss. I'll go get them right away!"
"Right."
Izzy didn't bother watching her run off, opting to lean her entire weight on the railing. She kept her foot off of the floor but she was getting tired. Her stomach roiled violently and she wondered if she would end up vomiting.
She couldn't believe Katsu left her there with no way of getting help. It was his fault she sprained her ankle in the first place and he had the actual audacity to leave her behind. She was hurt, for Goodness sake. Did he really hate her that much? Just when she was in a good mood, he had to come and ruin it. And what the hell was he thinking, anyway? Eavesdropping on her conversation? How much of a creep could he be?
Izzy groaned as the pain in her ankle pulsed. She gingerly tried to set her foot down on the floor, to test it only to muffle a shriek. It wasn't broken, she was sure but it was definitely sprained. More tears sprang to her eyes and the nausea threatened to overwhelm her.
"Che stronzo," she groaned pitifully.
"Berry-chan?" Honey came bounding around the corner first. "You need help?" Honey came to a slow pause, his head tilting slowly in thought. He suddenly came racing up to her. "Berry-chan, what happened?!"
She straightened up but her head began swimming. She stumbled back on both of her feet and wailed immediately as pain shot up her leg. She scrambled for the railing again, nearly throwing herself over it just to take the weight off of her foot again.
"Berry-chan!" Honey looked down at her ankle. "What happened to your ankle, is it broken?"
Izzy grunted and picked up her head. "No, just sprained, I think. I hope."
Honey stared up at her, his eyes darkening. "How did you sprain your ankle?"
"I turned wrong," she muttered. "Honey-chan, my leg is getting tired and I feel sick—"
The remaining Host Club chose that moment to round the corner, coming to a hard pause just like Honey had. Mori broke off first, striding up to her and immediately swept her off of her feet. Pain shot up her leg and she groaned again, thumping her head against Mori's shoulder.
They scrambled around Mori but Kyoya eyed her ankle. The bruise discolored the side of her foot and slowly crept up past her ankle. It was beginning to swell. "You sprained your ankle, Senpai. How did that happen?"
"I turned wrong," she repeated again. "It's not so bad—oh that looks bad," she sat up enough to look down at her foot.
"How did you turn wrong, Senpai? You're a little more coordinated than that," Hikaru eyed her suspiciously. It was hard to believe her to be so clumsy, they'd seen her dance in high heels like she was wearing a pair of tennis shoes.
"Let's take care of her ankle first," Mori said over all their questioning. Haruhi led them back to their shared room and Kyoya stepped away, cell phone in his hand. Tamaki vanished, saying something about getting ice. Haruhi ushered them into her room, watching as Mori carefully deposited Izzy down on her bedding.
"Ow, ow," Izzy mumbled under her breath. Mori eyed her and carefully picked her foot up. She hissed through clenched teeth but closed her eyes as Mori carefully prodded at her ankle.
"Is it broken?" Kaoru asked, peering over Mori's big shoulder. Tamaki returned at that moment, waving a wrapped bag of ice around.
"No, it's not broken," Mori reached for the ice. "Just sprained." He held her by the heel of her foot and gingerly pressed the ice bag against her ankle. "How did you sprain your ankle, Bera?"
Relief flooded through her and her head back on her shoulder. She sighed in content and almost didn't hear his question. "Ara, I—uh—turned wrong."
"Bera, you didn't turn wrong," Mori said firmly. Both he and Honey were staring at her with the same unreadable expression. Standing over them, Haruhi eyed the trio carefully before she focused completely on Izzy.
"Why did you turn wrong, Senpai?" The younger brunette questioned. Izzy grimaced immediately. "Senpai?"
"Okay. Fine," Izzy huffed. "I was arguing with Katsu—"
Hikaru scowled, "Again?"
"We don't do anything but argue," Izzy waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway, I tried to walk away and he pulled me back but I turned wrong."
"And he…left you with a sprained ankle?" Honey asked carefully.
"Basically."
Kyoya cleared his throat. "The doctor is here so let's give him a moment to help Senpai out," he waved them out, allowing a short and stout man in.
Izzy smiled at Kyoya, grateful that he had the insight and connections to call a doctor so quickly. "You guys go enjoy the hot springs, I'll be fine here." None of them seemed quite satisfied with her suggestion and they all stubbornly sat right outside the room, remembering to leave the door open. She laughed nervously and gave up, looking towards the doctor. "Thank you for seeing me on short notice."
"Of course," he only nodded and glanced down at her bruised foot. "I can tell right now that it isn't broken, Miss Giovanni. May I?" The Doctor crouched in front of her and began the painful task of poking and prodding at her foot. "Definitely not broken."
"Sprained, then? Mori said as much."
He nodded. "Yes, definitely sprained. That's good though, it'll heal quicker and the ice was helping the swelling. Your friends are very insightful, Miss Giovanni." He turned and rustled around in his bag. "A second degree sprain usually takes two to four weeks to heal."
He began wrapping her foot up past her ankle. "Wear this ankle brace to help but take it off at bedtime," he instructed, carefully wrapping her ankle in a black brace. "You may put some weight on it but be careful. You might need help getting around as well. I recommend you stay off your feet for a good week."
"I certainly didn't want to hear that," Izzy sighed. "An entire week off my feet, Kyoya's going to kill me for missing Club," Izzy chuckled and rubbed at her face. The day started out so well and now she had a sprained ankle.
The doctor handed her a list of medication for the pain and swelling and took his leave. She waved goodbye and thanked him for making the trip. "Thank you, Kyoya, for calling the doctor. I appreciate it," she smiled the minute the Host Club stepped back into the room. "Not to worry, it's not so bad."
"What do you consider bad?" Kaoru asked tonelessly.
"Because a sprained ankle seems pretty bad. Katsu left you stranded," Hikaru added dryly.
"Well, he was pretty angry and—"
"About what?"
Izzy made a face but she guessed now was as good a time as any. "Well, I was supposed to leave for Italy after being done with high school, you guys know. And well…I don't want to go back to Italy. And at least not now, not for a while maybe.
I was talking to Chi about it and Katsu was eavesdropping. We started arguing, of course and I tried to end it by walking away and then…" she motioned to her foot. "You know the rest."
"You want to stay?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused together.
Izzy flushed terribly. "Well, yes. I do. I like it here and I like you all, even though sometimes you wear my tolerance down," she made sure to look away, embarrassed. "I like Chi and Fu and the other friends I've made. I don't want to leave."
"Even if that means having to deal with your cousin?" Kyoya pressed.
"Well, he's—"
"He's not harmless," Mori said before she could finish the statement. He was sitting next to her and their close proximity wasn't lost on the rest of them. "You're hurt badly because of him." He drove his point home by pointing at her ankle.
"Okay, okay, he's not harmless but what does anyone expect me to do about him?"
Honey and Mori shared a quiet look between the two of them. Maybe Izzy couldn't quite intimidate her cousin but they sure could. "In the meantime, perhaps we should cut the trip short and get Izabera-senpai home," Kyoya suggested, catching onto the look shared between Mori and Honey.
"Cut the trip short?" Izzy blinked at him. "That's not necessary, I can head home early but you guys should stay," she held her hands up, waving them animatedly. "Please, don't let me ruin that. You've still got the rest of the afternoon and tomorrow."
"Bera-senpai, it's going to be hard enjoying our stay since you're hurt and going home to an empty house," Haruhi pointed out, she reached over and squeezed her shoulder.
"It's fine, Senpai. We'll pack everything up and head home." Once Tamaki was set on a choice, there was no talking him out of it. Izzy sighed but didn't have the chance to argue him down as they all quickly cleared out.
"I'll get your things packed, Senpai," Haruhi volunteered but Izzy only hummed softly. Mori stood up and tugged on a lock of her hair, managing to get a small smile from her before leaving with the rest of them. "Don't think too much of it, Senpai," Haruhi said after noticing Izzy's expression.
"I'm ruining everyone's stay. I really wouldn't have minded leaving on my own."
"You can't even stand up on your own."
"You're terrific at comforting others," Izzy replied dryly. "But really, it's unnecessary." But it fell on deaf ears as Haruhi busied herself with packing their things away. She stayed silent then, staring down at her wrapped ankle in irritation. Katsu hadn't ruined just her stay, he ruined everyone's stay.
Meanwhile, Honey and Mori successfully tracked down Katsu. He stared at them with a drawn expression. "I didn't do anything wrong," he scowled at the two of them, already having an idea why they were there.
"So you didn't hurt Berry-chan?" Honey asked, head tilting to the side. "And leave her without any help?"
"What Izabera does is of no concern to me," Katsu scowled darkly. "If she would just listen—"
Mori snatched Katsu up with no warning and picked him up off of his feet with no problem. He shook Izzy's cousin, jostling his head on his neck. "You listen," he frowned dangerously at him. "She may trust you but we don't. Don't come near her again."
Katsu was still scowling but it definitely lost its edge in the face of Mori. "I didn't mean to hurt her like that."
"But you still did and it's not the first time."
Honey bounded closer, eyes wide and chilling. He still couldn't quite believe that Izzy and Katsu didn't get along. He couldn't imagine hating Mori the way Katsu hated Izzy. "You should probably stay away from Berry-chan from now on. I don't think Takashi likes you much."
"I don't like you at all," Mori confirmed rather blankly. "And I don't like it when you come near Izabera." He pulled Katsu closer to his face, silver eyes darkening.
"Sorry, Katsu-chan but we're not as forgiving as Berry-chan, you know?" Honey smiled though it lacked his usual warmth.
Mori shook Katsu again. "Understand?"
Katsu's face went pale. This sort of anger was far too different from Izzy's anger. It was a vast mistake to injure her, on purpose or not, when her friends were around.
"Understood."
"I'm pretty sure I could've gotten to the door on my own, " Izzy sighed but slipped her arm around Mori's shoulders as he straightened up. Her ankle throbbed irritably but he was careful as he carried her towards the front door.
"Sure, Bera."
She pursed her lips. "Fine but don't you think carrying me is a little excessive?" She pointedly ignored Mori's small but smug smile. He was enjoying this though she could just barely tell.
Aimi was waiting for them at the front door, frowning in concern as she twisted the edge of her apron. "Oh, Miss Izabera, how on Earth did this happen?" she fretted terribly, flapping her hands like a flustered duck. "Thank you for carrying her, Morinozuka-san! Would you mind taking her to her room?"
"I think I can manage," Izzy said but was promptly ignored as Aimi waved him inside. She eyed the back of Aimi's head with a plain look, unimpressed but it wasn't like she could put up much of a fight. Mori would just ignore her anyway, like he'd been doing since leaving the onsen resort.
Tamaki had helped her from her room and towards the entrance of the onsen only for Mori to come completely out of nowhere to swoop her up. She protested and even tried to wriggle her way out of his arms but only succeeded in irritating her ankle. She'd been too focused on trying to prove that she was okay that she'd forgotten to ask what took Mori and Honey so long.
Of course, Mori hadn't mentioned that conversation with her cousin. Despite their very rocky relationship, Izzy wouldn't approve of them threatening her cousin, whether he deserved it or not. And he did deserve it, regardless of her excuses that he was family.
Izzy huffed as Aimi diligently led the way to her bedroom. For a moment, she nearly panicked at the thought of having a boy in her room. Karou and Hikaru had been in her room before but that was so vastly different than right at this moment. She flushed horribly and considered trying to wriggle her way out of his arms again.
Mori glanced down at her, a warning glance. "Bera."
She stilled in his arms with a pout and threw her head back, hair falling over his shoulder. "I think I can get to my room by myself," she complained in one last attempt to be put down but he ignored her, dutifully following Aimi up the stairs. She swung Izzy's door open and motioned for Mori to step through.
"I'll just get some ice!" Aimi said cheerfully, which Izzy found to be very convenient. Izzy almost called out that it wasn't necessary but Aimi was already gone.
The brunette sighed heavily and waved towards the bed. "You can just put me on the bed—wow, that was the wrong thing to say." Izzy's face was as red as a tomato. "Put me down by the bed!" Mori laughed for her trouble but did as he was asked, gingerly setting her down by the bed. She was careful of her foot, leaning the majority of her weight on her other foot. Her arms loosened before her hands slid down to rest on his broad shoulders. "Ara—um—thank you for, you know, helping me."
She paused and glanced up before finding something else to look at. She took a careful step back, snatching her hands away with a nervous chuckle. "I'm—uh—" she sat down on the edge of the bed, hand resting at the back of her neck. "I'm sorry, we were all having such a good time and I—"
"Are you apologizing for something your cousin did?" Mori asked pointedly with raised eyebrows. She squeezed at her neck and shrugged helplessly.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it."
"But it still happened."
Izzy squeezed harder at her neck. "What does anyone want me to do about him?" she sighed heavily. He opened his mouth to answer but she quickly held a finger up. "I'm not going to beat him up! You guys really have to let that idea go."
"Then I'll just do it," Mori shrugged casually. She blinked up at him, hazel eyes wide. "It wouldn't be that hard."
Izzy couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from her. "Just because I laughed doesn't make it right," she amended quickly, trying in vain to hide her smile. Sure, she's punched Katsu in the face before but that didn't seem to deter him for long before he was back to his shenanigans. Her eyes unabashedly swept Mori's form almost thoughtlessly. There was a severe difference between her type of strength versus Mori's strength. He was taller, leaner and laden with muscle compared to her more lithe form.
Maybe one good punch….
Izzy's gaze dropped to her foot, bulky with her bandages and brace. She wanted to believe that deep down, Katsu didn't mean for any of the hostility between them to go so far. But, she sourly reminded herself, actions speak louder words. Her aching ankle could attest to that.
"And…if I seriously asked you to…you'd beat him up?" Izzy asked carefully, picking at a lock of hair resting over her shoulder. Mori reached for her, twisting the lock of hair around his fingers. She smiled very slowly at him, almost shyly and for a moment, forgot what they were even talking about.
Mori untangled his fingers from her hair and opted instead to cup her face, fingers warm against her cheeks. She stuttered, tongue twisting like a heavy knot in her mouth. His eyes flashed and then darkened into an impressive grayish silver and she almost leaned back, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of his gaze.
"Mori…" she mumbled when his grip stopped her from leaning away. When she realized that there was no escape, she reached up and curled her fingers around his wrists. She stared up at him, nervous, but eyes wide and openly trusting. She tilted her head back, half-lidded gaze dropping down to his mouth.
For a brief moment, she paused and thought about all the little moments between them ruined from someone else's interruption or by her own hand. She thought about despite her nervousness or insecurities, she regretted those lost moments. Izzy realized with a start that she'd been staring at his mouth for far longer than appropriate. "Um.."
Mori's thumbs brushed against her cheekbones, her only warning before his lips crashed against hers. She inhaled sharply but gave in, slumping into him and gradually deepening their kiss. It was slow and gentle and sweet, lips brushing languidly. She felt Mori's hands coil around her before she was hauled to her feet, leaning all of her weight against him.
She slipped her arms around him, anchoring herself to him as the kiss gradually grew in intensity. She shuddered against him as the heat unfurled in the pit of her stomach. Mori's hands drew a careful trail down her body before settling around her waist, anchoring her completely against him.
Mori squeezed at her waist, eliciting a soft gasp from her. She reared backwards when she felt the slide of his tongue along her lower lip, hazel eyes wide and blinking. Mori kept a firm grip around her but watched her carefully, chest rising and falling. "No?" he simply asked, eyebrows raised.
"Ara—" Izzy giggled nervously, her warm skin flushing terribly. "No, it's okay. Ah, I was just surprised." She smiled bashfully, still balancing most of her weight against him and on just one foot. Gathering her courage, she pressed a careful kiss against his neck, gauging his reaction. He hummed in delight and she figured that was a good thing so carefully mapped her timid kisses from his neck, up towards his jaw and finally to his lips.
She tightened her arms around his neck, nearly forgetting about her swollen ankle. It throbbed irritably and she tried to compensate by leaning her weight into her other foot. She tensed for a brief second when she felt the familiar slide of his tongue against her bottom lip again. The anxious feeling melted away into excitement and she very carefully opened herself to him.
The kiss grew and grew, evolving something completely different from their carefully placed kisses. The heat stoking between them grew to different heights, threatening to overwhelm her as her head spun. She let out a small groan, head falling back on her neck as his tongue boldly twisted around hers.
She pulled back and with a burst of confidence, bit at his lower lip, playfully teasing him as she sucked his lip into her mouth. Mori grunted hard and tightened his grip at her waist, unknowingly molding their hips together. The heat became almost unbearable but she did nothing to put it out, instead opting to continuously stoke at it until neither of them could take it anymore.
"Miss Izabera! I have that ice pack!"
All at once, everything came to a hard pause. Mori and Izzy separated, eyes wide as they stared at one another. It was almost as if they weren't even aware of how their kiss had grown in just a few short minutes. Aimi, for once, didn't come rushing in, opting instead to stay out in the hall as if she knew they were up to something naughty.
Izzy fell back to her feet, something she immediately regretted as pain shot up her leg. She gasped in pain and awkwardly wobbled on her feet, realizing that the only reason she hadn't gone down like a felled tree was because she and Mori were still tangled up together. Although she hadn't said anything about the pain, Mori seemingly picked up on it. In one swift moment, she'd gone from being pinned against his chest to sitting back on the edge of her bed, her arms still coiled around his neck. She continued to stare up at him, eyes wide as he bent over to accommodate her grip.
"May I…" Aimi giggled deviously from the hallway. "May I come in, young Miss? Or would you prefer I leave you and Morinozuka-san?"
Izzy slowly pulled her arms away from him, settling her hands in her lap as her face burned bright. Mori, on the other hand, remained unaffected by the light ribbing. There was a spark of amusement in his eyes, she noted, though she hardly found this funny. She focused on willing her blushing away, clearing her throat. "Come in, Aimi."
Aimi took her time coming in, even though she was standing right outside of the bedroom door. By the time she stepped inside the bedroom, Mori was crouching at Izzy's feet, working carefully to free her foot of the brace so she could properly ice her foot down. She sighed in relief when he finally worked it out, wondering if it was almost too tight.
"Thank you, Aimi," Izzy pointedly glared at her as the young maid handed the ice pack over. "Would you please see Mori out? I'm sure he's ready to get home."
Mori glanced at her, still so very amused and shrugged. She was almost tempted to ask him to stay but thought better of it. The air around them was far too heavy and warped and she so desperately needed to just breathe. It would be best to put some distance between them for the moment. Her mouth tingled as he offered a smile.
Yeah, definitely in need of some space.
Aimi pouted but nodded nonetheless. "Of course, if you'll follow me, Morinozuka-san." She stepped towards the door, conveniently finding something else to look at. Izzy only eyed her, somewhat confused but then Mori rose into a half-crouch, brushing his lips against hers in a teasing manner before straightening up completely.
"Remember the Doctor's orders, Izabera."
Oh, he was using her full name, which meant he was serious. She smiled at him, the blush slowly returning. "Of course, Mori. I won't be at school for about a week so try to hold the fort down while I'm away, yes?"
He gave her a funny look and she had the sneaking suspicion that her friends weren't going to let her recover in peace. She hoped her absence wouldn't bother them too much and hopefully they focused on their studies and club obligations instead.
Mori tugged one last time at her hair before finally allowing Aimi to lead him away. Izzy eyed her bedroom door for a long moment, almost apprehensive before falling back on her bed. She spread her arms out, her face flushed prettily before letting out a long groan.
What on Earth was she getting herself into?
"Mimi? Are you listening?"
Masami blinked out of her stupor, face flushing as Serafina eyed her with a quirk to her wrinkled mouth. The two women were in Serafina's prized garden and though Serafina had been talking, she realized that her daughter-in-law was lost in thought. Which, she mused, wasn't like her at all. "You weren't listening at all."
Masami's red face burned brighter. "I'm sorry, Mama. I wasn't doing it on purpose."
But Serafina only laughed. "I'm not upset, Mimi, you clearly have something on your mind. Let's take a break, yes? Maybe I can lend a listening ear," she tugged her gardening gloves off and tossed them to the side. Masami followed suit and quickly followed Serafina into the kitchen. Of course she offered to help but Serafina waved her away, clucking her tongue wryly.
Serafina, just like the rest of her family, was a rather tall woman and though she was getting on in age, it was hardly noticeable. She was so startlingly different from her own mother and Masami often wondered how the two women would interact should they ever meet. It was impossible as she was sure she'd never actually see her own mother again but still, the thought festered.
The older woman sat down, promptly shoving a glass of wine into Masami's hands. Her smile was ever present, red lips stretched prettily across her face. "What's got you so distracted, Mimi? Hopefully that son of mine hasn't done something to upset you."
Masami chuckled and eyed the full glass of wine with a critical eye. "No, no. Al hasn't done anything. It's well...it's Isabella."
Serafina perked up at the mention of her granddaughter. Of course she'd never admit it out loud but Isabella was her favorite granddaughter. She just found her snarky personality all too entertaining. "What's that girl up to? Misbehaving in Japan?"
Was that what she could call it? Misbehaving? Well, she didn't think what Isabella was doing was bad, per se. She was just...she was just a little surprised by it. It was no secret that her daughter was far too sensible for a girl her age. She wasn't really wrapped up in herself like most teenage girls. Not that there was anything wrong in a teenage girl's frivolousness, she wanted her daughter to experience that, in fact.
Really, her daughter was eighteen and never had a boyfriend, never even had a crush. She never even rebelled against her and Alphonse. She was such a good girl but she never stepped out of line. Masami wanted her daughter to have fun with her life but it seemed as if the brunette was just content with being told what to do and directed in life.
And then she sent her to Japan.
Masami sent her there for the sole reason of meeting Hiroki before his inevitable death. She'd been a little apprehensive about it, as her daughter knew nothing of the Morimoto family. If it hadn't been for her father dying, Masami would have kept it that way. Aside from Chihiro's family, she didn't need to know about those menances.
Still, she would have regretted it if she kept her daughter from knowing them. Just because she didn't get along with them didn't mean the same for Isabella. Besides, sensible as she was, Isabella had quite the bite when she was pushed enough. She was sure her family needed some of the bite back that Isabella would no doubt provide.
Not only did she develop a loving relationship with Hiroki, she managed to make friends. She was delighted to hear that her stoic daughter actually had her own group of friends and if Chi's words were anything to go by, her friends were lovely people. Alphonse wasn't all that impressed that the majority of them were boys but Isabella was sensible, after all.
She wasn't expecting the crush Isabella eventually developed for one of her friends. Now that was just a shock. Stoic, sensible Isabella who was generally unimpressed with romance, suddenly had a crush. Color her surprise. And okay, maybe she might've pushed too hard at her daughter when it came to this crush because now….
Now Isabella wanted to stay in Japan.
She hadn't been expecting that when Chihiro called her that morning, explaining her daughter's wishes to prolong her stay and attend University in Japan. She actually liked it there, she liked living with Chi and Fumi and liked her friends. And what's more...Chihiro thought it was something deeper. It wasn't just about her friends and the young man she supposedly had a crush on.
There was a change in her, Chi insisted. That she was more willing to stand her ground and do what she wanted. Isabella was experiencing the sort of independence she hadn't back in Italy. She made these choices completely on her own and she liked having that sort of power.
She wanted to be furious with her daughter. How could she make such a big decision like that without consulting her parents? She wanted her daughter to take risks but this was just reckless of her!
And then Chihiro casually pointed out that Masami had done the exact same thing all those years. At least Isabella had thought it over and talked about it with her aunt before making a hasty choice. Masami had simply hopped on a plane and hadn't looked back since. She could admit that such a thing was selfish of her to do and she hurt a lot of people by basically running away.
And at least Isabella seemingly had ambitions in Japan. It wasn't like she was running away to be someone's wife that conveniently needed help running a business like her and Alphonse. She wanted to continue her schooling, wanted to make something of herself in her own right without her father's name slapped onto her. Or hell, her mother's name. Morimoto was an automobile giant and Isabella apparently had an interest in architecture, music and to some degree, fashion.
It sounded like Chihiro knew far more about her daughter than she did.
"Well," Masami began with a deep exhale. "Isabella wants to stay in Japan."
Serafina stared at her, her head twitching back on her neck in confusion. "Stay in Japan?" The smile she'd been wearing slowly morphed into a frown. "For how much longer? I thought she was supposed to come back once she graduated high school, no?"
She chuckled but it held no warmth. "That was the original plan," she muttered, sipping demurely at her wine. The consumption of wine in Italy was a shock to her when she first arrived. They really took their wine seriously and appreciated it. "But it would seem Isabella has plans of her own."
"Plans of her own?"
Manami focused on her wine instead. "She wants to attend University in Japan instead," she said after a short pause. "And she...she's met a young man that's caught her eye as well."
Serafina's finely chiseled brows shot up her forehead. For someone who once lived modestly as seamstress, Serafina wore weath almost too easily. She was a beautiful woman and her subtle wealth agreed with her. "Our Bella is besotted with a young man? That's quite the surprise. What does her father think of all of this?"
The younger woman took the chance to sip at her wine, giving her a few minutes to stall. It wasn't enough and Serafina was terribly patient. "I haven't told him yet."
Serafina tutted. "Mimi."
But Masami shook her head. "I know, mama but honestly, what is she thinking? To make such a rash decision like this without talking to us first? Doesn't she know how reckless that is?"
Serafina eyed the dark haired woman for a long moment, the corner of her red lips ticking up in amusement. "Forgive me, Mimi but don't you think that's a bit hypocritical of you to say?" She got up from the table to prepare a quick snack for them as they relaxed, returning to the table with perfectly prepared sandwiches. She nudged the tramezzino towards Masami, waiting until she finally obliged her.
"I know what I did, mama, believe me but it's...different."
"How?" Serafina pressed but she didn't give her time to even answer. "It's really not that different, Mimi. Again, forgive me, but this sounds like good ol' fashioned karma. I know you didn't get along with your parents but the last thing they must have wanted was for their daughter to vanish off into a completely different country without so much as a word."
"They're not innocent."
"I never said they were. Maybe they regretted how things turned out but you wouldn't know, now would you?" Serafina asked pointedly. "Is that something you want for Isabella?"
"Are you saying that I should let her stay? Won't you miss her?"
Serafina leaned back in her chair, folding a long leg over the other. "Of course I would miss her," she answered truthfully. "But you've raised a girl with a good head on her shoulders. This is obviously important to Bella. You should stop spacing out and call her. Just remember one thing, my beautiful Mimi."
"What's that?"
"You took a chance on your happiness regardless of what your family thought and it worked out for you. It's only right to allow that same thing for Bella, isn't it?"
Masami pouted terribly. Karma was such a bitch.
TeeBeMe: Mori deserved his makeout, okay. I kept wondering if it was too much but he is the wild host. Was it too much? Too OOC? And good ol' Katsu, a menacing ass mess. Hope you guys enjoy!