"Tatara-kun, this really isn't- umph!"
Umeko was cut off by Tatara sticking the thermometer in her mouth, peering down at the small digital screen and ignoring the glare she was shooting him.
"Hm, you're fever's still a little high, but it's definitely better then it was yesterday. Oh, how about some nice soup!"
Umeko watched the blond over the bobbing end of the thermometer glumly, his talk of soups and teas going right over her head as she fantasied about jumping out the window and making a break for it (it really wasn't that high).
A heavy hand on her head though brought her attention back as Mikoto sat down next to her on the bed, conveniently choosing to be between her and the window. She let out a 'hmph' of displeasure as he shot her a knowing looking, increasing the pressure on her head briefly before removing it all together.
"Well, I'll be back in a little while then!" Tatara gave a small wave before disappearing back out the door, washing the room in silence.
Umeko sighed, pulling out the thermometer and putting it on the bedside table.
"You're all making entirely too big of a deal over this."
"Shut up."
Umeko rolled her eyes at his short tone, crossing her arms across her chest and pouting. Mikoto felt his eyes focus on her full lower lip for a moment before drifting back up her face. Her cheeks were flushed and a light sheen gleamed on her forehead, though she was in layers and layers of thick shirts and sweaters to help ward off the chills racking her body.
She had run a fever shortly after they arrived home from the incident with the blues, her health doing a complete 180 in mere minutes. Though this wasn't unusual by any means, everyone tended to fall a bit ill after the first time they use their aura, Mikoto still couldn't help but think Umeko had been sick for far too long already with still quite a ways to go.
The first week had been by far the worst.
Her fever had been through the roof, and she was only able to wake up for minutes at a time before exhaustion and delirium would pull her back under, trapping her in a restless sleep through which the constant pain was clearly visible across her face.
Mikoto didn't sleep at all when that was happening, alternating between sitting next to the bed and being dragged downstairs and forced to sit at the bar so Umeko could 'have some room to breath'.
Unsurprisingly he never stayed downstairs long, brushing off their nagging to return to his seat upstairs.
He felt guilty seeing her like that, knowing it was the power that he had given her making her so sick.
"The fever usually breaks by now."
Tatara looking up from changing the washcloth on Umeko's forehead to regard his king out of the corner of his eye. The normally stoic redhead looking unusually troubled, the slight furrow of his brow and the hard line of his jaw giving away his worry.
"Ah, but everyone is different. Remember the first time I used my power I was sick for two weeks."
"Your fever broke within the first week."
"True, but Umeko is smaller than me, and her immune system is no doubt much weaker considering it hasn't been very long since she came to us and how poor her health was before that."
Mikoto's eyes hardened, remembering a late night conversation he and Umeko had shared, in which she told him how she'd dealt with illness while with her father. She'd hide in the attic for however long she was sick, fear of her father lurking below stopping her from exiting even for the most basic necessities. The longest she'd ever gone without food was a week and a half.
Tatara stayed silent as Mikoto reached out and tangled his fingers loosely with the small woman's, eyes far off but hard with anger. The golden orbs eventually drifted back down to her though, the anger slowly ebbing away before disappearing completely.
"Don't worry so much King, it'll all work out in the end."
Then one morning her fever went from dangerously high to just slightly above advisable, just like that, though Mikoto still refused to let her out of the bedroom. Besides, Tatara was more then happy to play nurse for the time being.
"Can I at least-"
"No."
"Mikoto."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Just to the bar."
"No."
"To the landing."
"No."
"To the door."
"No."
With a shriek, Umeko threw the sheets off her legs, kicking her feet out and taking off at a run for the door. Or at least she wanted to before her legs gave her and she went hurtling towards the ground.
In a flash two strong arms were wrapping around her waist, picking her up and throwing her back on the bed. Umeko let out a grunt as her back hit the mattress, opening her eyes to see Mikoto looming over her. His eyes were dark and a scowl twisted his face as he dug his fingers into her hips.
"I told you not to move," he growled, leaning in till his nose was practically touching hers. He felt her breath hitch, and watched as her eyes widened, mouth slightly open, as she looked up at him in blank shock. Mikoto felt heat start to run straight to his groin, the voice in his head reminding him he hadn't been able to take the quivering woman under him in almost two weeks, only having been able to do so twice before that anyway.
Umeko gasped when his hands slipped up under her shirt, her back arcing up as his calloused palms ran slowly across the soft skin of her stomach.
Mikoto hissed, his physical need to have her overwhelming as he watched her wither underneath him, the soft gasps slipping past her lips doing nothing to help his self control.
He dropped his head, dragging his mouth across her throat and eventually up to the sensitive spot just below her ear. He'd only just began to suck lightly on it, reveling in the soft whine Umeko gave under him, when the sound of the door opening finally reached his ears.
"Umeko-chan, I wanted to know if- King what are you- oh shame! The poor girl's barely even conscious for god's sake!"
The pair jumped apart, and Tatara couldn't help but think they looked like a pair of horny teenagers who got caught fooling around by a parent.
"T-Tatara-kun! W-What-?"
Umeko broke off as she hid her face in her hands in mortification.
"Well Umeko-chan, I just came up here to see if you'd like bread with your soup before I walked in on this."
Umeko sank lower into the sheets, looking at the window, "U-Um y-yes please, Tatara-kun, that would be great."
"Right," he nodded, "King, you should come eat downstairs."
Mikoto, who had been standing next to the bed awkwardly (no not awkwardly he was a king for god's sake and kings just don't do awkward), stiffened, his eyes narrowing. Tatara was well aware he wouldn't leave Umeko's side-
"Yeah Mikoto, you should. I mean look at you, hassling a poor little sick girl like me. Where's your sense of decency for god's sake?"
He spun on her, and Umeko gulped at the glare he was shooting her, the look in his eyes asking her if she was really going to do this. She cocked a brow and gave him a teasing smirk. Oh she was going to pay for this later, though she had a lingering suspicion she would enjoy whatever punishment he gave her thoroughly.
His eyes narrowed further, a hungry spark lighting them as a slow smirk unfurled across his lips before he turned away, his face going blank as he brushed past Tatara and back downstairs. He'd get her back for this later.
All seemed well after that. Tatara soon reemerged from upstairs with an empty bowl and the boys all huddled around the TV as the baseball game started. Izumo watched them over the rim of his glasses as he wiped down the bar, while Mikoto smoked at the bar, Anna right next to him.
All seemed well; until the door opened.
No one really noticed at first, until Mikoto's voice cut through the noise.
"What are you doing here Munakata?"
Everyone froze, heads swinging around to stare at the Blue King and his third in command. Kamamoto literally sat on Yata before the hazel-haired teen could launch himself over the back of the couch. Fushimi sneered at them, scalding comment on the tip of his tongue before a look from his captain silenced him.
Everyone ignored Yata's muffled screams as the captain of Scepter 4 smiled politely, "I wished to have a few words with you Suoh; about your newest member."
Instantly the temperature in the room skyrocketed, and everyone curled in on themselves slightly in an attempt to stay out of the way of Red King's silent wrath.
"What does she matter to you?" Mikoto said evenly, face staying blank despite the bloodthirsty aura rolling off of him in waves. Munakata just smiled, enjoying the reaction he was getting from his fellow king.
"Well you see-"
"Tatara-kun do we have anymore- oh."
Everyone's eyes shifted to the last step on the stairs where Umeko stood wrapped in the heavy comforter, the only thing peaking out from under the white blanket being her face. She blinked owlishly at the two blues, head tilting slightly to the side.
She stepped to the bottom of the stairs and waddled over to the two blues, comforter dragging behind her.
"You know we sleep under that right?" Mikoto drawled as she walked past him, and Munakata watched as the red head clenched both his fists to stop himself from pulling her back as she walked past him.
"And you know that Izumo-kun keeps these floors clean enough to safely preform open heart surgery on right?"
No one said anything as she finished her slow waddle over to the pair standing in the middle of the floor, and for a moment she just stood there looking up at them. Then, faster than anyone could blink, her arm darted out of the heavy cocoon she'd wrapped herself in, small hand clamping down on Fushimi's ear and yanking him down to her level.
"What the fu-"
"You threw a red knife."
Everyone froze.
"But you still had a blue sword. Mikoto-" she peered back at the red head over her shoulder, "-how does that work?"
Said man looked back at his best friend, but Izumo shot him down instantly, "Don't you dare look at me."
Mikoto scowled, sighed heavily and running a frustrated hand through his hair, "I'll tell you later."
This seemed to satisfy the short woman, and she released the teen from her tight grip. Fushimi stood back up quickly, rubbing his tender ear sourly.
"Kobayashi-san-"
"Umeko is fine."
"Umeko-san, would you mind answering a few questions for me?"
"No."
Umeko blinked at Mikoto's back, his tall figure suddenly towered over her and obscuring her view of the two blues. With his hands shoved in his pockets and a cigarette hanging loosely between his lips, he was a picture of casual disinterest. Oh how wrong that was though.
"I believe I asked the young woman behind you Suoh," Munakata smiled, the blank polite look concealing his annoyance.
"She's not answering any questions."
"Can I eat my soup while we talk?"
The two kings looked back to the topic of their conversation who currently blinked back at them questioningly.
"I don't see why not," this time the smile was slightly less forced.
"Okay," Umeko shrugged, shuffling around till she was facing the mass of red clansmen, "Tatara-kun, can I have some more of your soup please?"
"Of course!" Tatara perked up immediately at the mention of his cooking, disappearing into the kitchen to get a bowl. Umeko turned back around and shuffled to the couches. She sat down heavily, repositioning the blanket around herself till she was wrapped in a tight ball.
"I see you are sick Umeko-san," Munakata started as he sat down across from her.
"Eh, I'm almost better now, few more days and I'll be fine."
Fushimi sat down next to his captain while Mikoto sat down next to Umeko, arm resting protectively on the couch behind her.
The small woman seemed to pay no mind, waiting patiently for the Blue King to start.
"How long have you been a member of the red clan?"
"Only about two weeks. I've been staying here for a few months though."
Tatara walked quietly over and handing the bowl to Umeko, her face lighting up as she thanked him quickly.
"And what were your whereabouts before that?"
Umeko visibly stiffened, Mikoto tensing next to her. A second later though she blinked, her body relaxing again as she blew on the hot liquid.
"I lived with my father."
"And he was abusive correct?"
At that Umeko froze, eyes widening then glazing.
"Munakata," Mikoto hissed, eyes starting to glow.
"Yes."
Umeko placed the full bowl on the table between the two couches, her single whispered word drawing everyone's attention back to her.
"Munakata-san, I don't mean to be rude but can I ask why you feel the need to question me. It's not normal policy for Scepter 4 to interview each new HOMRA member."
"Ah, it is correct we do not normally interview new members, but we do thoroughly research each one."
A burst of shouts sounded from the clansmen crowded around the bar, and Saruhiko hissed, "All of you shut-"
"Can it string bean."
The dark haired teen snapped his head back to the oldest girl in the room, but Umeko's eyes were on Munakata, though the cinnamon orbs looked glazed and distant.
"What I was trying to say Umeko-san, was that when we were conducting research on you we found a number of pressing anomalies."
"Such as?"
"The only record we could find of you was a birth certificate. No doctor records, no school records, no record of your mother and a father in jail for assault and battery."
"You should check the hospital records, you might be able to find a few old reports."
No one was more surprised than Umeko at how cold her voice sounded, though she quickly chalked it up to the nauseous panic she could feel churning in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't expected to have to talk about her family, and it was like someone had ripped off the lock she'd placed on the part of her mind she hid all those horrendous memories.
She flickered her eyes to Mikoto, and in the split second their eyes made contact he understood that she had reached her limit.
"That's enough," Mikoto stood, his voice leaving no room for discussion.
Reisi glanced at Umeko; she'd turned white as a sheet, her eyes unfocused and glassy.
"We have all the information we need. Fushimi, we shall take our leave."
Saruhiko followed his king's lead, standing up and walking towards the door. Munakata stopped when he reached the door though, glancing back at Umeko, "Thank you for answering our questions Umeko-san. I hope you regain your health soon."
It was silent as the door clicked closed, no one daring to move. All eyes turned to the couch as Umeko stood, wobbling slightly. She seemed to balance herself for a moment before suddenly dropping the blanket and bolting to the bathroom.
Tatara had been closest to the bathroom, and ran in just in time to pull her hair back before the contents of Umeko's stomach came burning back up her esophagus. Everything from the last two days came up, but even when her stomach was empty she still dry heaved, her stomach churning relentlessly.
Finally she fell back, hands behind her supporting her body as she panted.
"Better?" Tatara asked softly, and Umeko nodded, taking his hand and pulling herself up.
She moved to the sink, leaning down and filling her mouth with water. She moved the liquid back and forth a few times before spitting, her hand over her mouth as she turned back.
"I need to go out for a little while."
"No."
She looked up at Mikoto leaning against the doorframe, amber eyes glaring firmly at her. But Umeko wasn't in the mood to argue, and with each passing second the walls seemed to be closing in more and more.
Without a word she slipped by him, making her way upstairs. She slipped on a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater, and was pulling on her sneakers as the door opened.
"You're not going outside."
"I'm not arguing with you about this."
"Umeko," Mikoto growled, "you're staying here."
Umeko had never wanted to physically harm someone as much as she wanted to right now. She walked up to him, the fire burning in her eyes conveying her annoyance.
"Watch me."
She went to push by him but a tight grip on her arm stopped her. She glared at him over her shoulder as he pulled her back.
"Don't test me Umeko."
"Oh, well excuse me your majesty, but I don't care. Let go of me."
Instead Mikoto's grip tightened as he growled, pulling harder. Umeko dug her heels in and yanked back. She wasn't stupid, she knew she was no match for him in physical strength, the man was ungodly strong even without his powers, and she was a 130 pound woman who barely came up chest level to his large physic.
She was clever though.
"Fine," she snapped, and Mikoto released her reluctantly. Umeko let him go down the stairs first, following slowly. He took his normal seat at the bar and pulled a carton of cigarettes from his pocket. She sat down next to him, listening to the chatter of the boys for a minute before standing, "I'm gonna get something to eat, want anything?"
He shook his head no, and Umeko headed behind the bar. Without missing a beat, she made a beeline for the back door. She knew she had maybe five seconds before Mikoto figured out what she was doing, but that was all she needed. The second her foot hit the pavement she took off, dashing across the street, ducking into an alley.
She ducked this way and that, weaving through the back ways until she burst out in the middle of center city; years of looking for food in ally dumpsters was finally coming in handy. Letting the massive crowds swallow her, she fished her PDA out of her pocket as she walked.
The dial tone echoed through her head as she prayed Chise would pick up.
"Hello?"
"Chise-chan."
"What's wrong?"
A small smile bloomed on the young woman's face at the older girl's concern.
"Could I come to your place for a bit?"
"Yeah course, let me give you the address."
A few more sentences were exchanged before the lines went dead, and Umeko typed the address into her phone and started off in the right direction.
Chise lived in a small studio apartment a few blocks north of center city. It was cozy, everything in warm shades of dark orange and red. The older girl met Umeko at the door with a hug and a cup of tea as she ushered her to the plush burgundy couch. Umeko curled herself around the cup in her hands, basking in the warmth it gave off. Chise placed her mug on the glass coffee table in front of them and gave her undivided attention to the small woman.
"So what did he do?"
Umeko snorted as she took a sip of her earl grey, amused at her friend's accuracy.
"He's been doing this weird thing recently where he doesn't let me out of the bar."
Umeko missed how Chise subtly stiffened.
"And it's so frustrating because I don't understand where it's coming from. Today these guys from the Blue Clan came and started asking me all these questions about my father and by the time they left all I wanted to do was go walk for a while to clear my head and honestly, you would have thought I said I wanted to go jump off a bridge from the way he reacted."
"How'd you get out?" she asked, picking up her mug.
"I had to sneak out the back door. It's ridiculous, he doesn't do this to any of the other members."
"Yeah but Ko, Mikoto's not dating any of the other members. Obviously he thinks there's a threat of some sort he wants to keep you safe from, not because he's your- wait."
Umeko raised a questioning brow at the excited spark that entered her friend's eyes.
"Did you join? Like officially?"
Umeko realized that with all that had went on between the blue clan's sudden presence and her sickness, she hadn't talked to Chise in a few weeks.
"Oh, um, yeah, I officially joined," Umeko blushed, a sheepish smile on her face.
"Well let me see it."
Umeko giggled as she put her mug down and stood, popping the button on her jeans and pulling the zip down. Pushing down the denim with one hand she pulled her sweater up with the other and turned her hip so Chise could see. The navy haired girl put her own mug down so she could get a closer look, a wide grin on her face.
"You know, that's a very intimate location, would that king of yours happen to of gotten acquainted with it?"
"Maybe a little," Umeko grinned, and Chise squealed as she jumped up and hugged the now laughing girl.
"Oh my god my little Umeko isn't a virgin anymore! This is so exciting! Okay, tell me everything. I want all the details!"
Umeko zipped her jeans up and laughed, plopping back on the couch.
"We've only had sex twice," instantly a blush rose to her cheeks, but Umeko smiled nonetheless.
"That's it? Wow, Mikoto struck me as the kind of guy who comes off as really lazy but actually has a like crazy high libido."
"Oh no he does," Umeko rolled her eyes, "believe me, you just explained Mikoto in a nutshell."
Chise cocked a questioning brow.
"The first time a new clansman uses their aura," Umeko let a small flame light in her palm, and Chise's eyes widened, "they get a little sick for a few days."
Umeko put out the flame, leaning back into the couch, "For some reason though I got really sick, I got this fever and couldn't get out of bed for two weeks. Honestly I still don't feel all that great, but I'm basically better now."
"But pre sickness?"
"We had sex twice in like twelve hours, and I bet he would have tried for more if I hadn't been so sore."
Chise smiled widely. She'd seen Mikoto that day of course when she'd went to the bar for their short meeting, the satisfaction had been rolling off of him in waves, but she'd never seen Umeko, though it seemed like the girl hadn't been able to get out of bed anyway.
"Okay next question, how was it?"
"How was what?"
"The sex! He radiates animal magnetism, guys like that are usually amazing in the sack," Chise winked.
"Chise! Don't make me tell you!"
"Oh no, no way you're getting out of this missy!"
Umeko blushed and sunk down, starring a spot to the right of Chise's head, "It was good", she whispered.
"Just good?"
"Okay it was fantastic! He's an animal in bed; I could barely keep up with him half the time!"
Chise squealed as Umeko turned an even darker shade of red.
"I knew it! I knew it! Umeko's got a sex god for a boyfriend!"
"Stop!" she whined, even as a smile pulled at her lips.
Umeko buried her face in her hands again, "I honestly didn't think he was going to fit. It took a couple tries for him to get in all the way."
Chise squealed, leaning forward, "So how big is he?"
"Big."
"How big?"
"Chise stop."
"Okay, this is the biggest I've ever seen. Tell me where to move from here."
Chise set her hands apart and Umeko peaked from between her hands before hiding her face again, "Bigger."
Chise's eyes widened, and she pulled her hands further apart.
"Little further. There."
"That's not fair!" Chise threw her hands up, "Unless they're a porn star guys like that aren't supposed to exist!"
"Ugh, believe me, they do. I felt it for like two days."
Umeko yelped as Chise hit her with a pillow, raising her arms over her head.
"Stop," she laughed.
"No!"
Umeko giggled, and Chise smiled softly.
"You like him though?"
Umeko looked up, a small smile gracing her features, "Yeah, I really really do."
Eventually the two calmed down, and Umeko was tasked with picking a movie in the large pile Chise kept in the small table next to the TV while the older girl tried to find something to eat in the fridge.
A few minutes later the two were seated on the couch with a large bowl of strawberries between them and a chick flic that Chise assured was ridiculously funny playing on the screen.
They were a little over halfway done, both hunched over with laughter and the bowl mostly empty, when they heard someone knock at the door. Umeko wiped the tears from her eyes as Chise got up and looked through the peephole. She threw Umeko a look and the smaller girl nodded before the older girl opened the door.
"Suoh-san, fancy seeing you here."
"Hn."
Chise stepped back and let the red head enter, his heavy presence instantly filling the room. Umeko met his gaze, a small amount of shame filling her for the first time as she took in the relief swimming behind the anger in his eyes and realized the worry she'd just put him through.
Standing, Umeko gave Chise a hug goodbye and muttered a quiet 'thank you' in her ear before moving to stand next to the fuming redhead.
He clamped his hand down on her shoulder and pushed her out the door. Everyone but Izumo was outside, and Umeko blushed under their glares.
Her eyes landing on Anna and the small red marble she was holding up to her eye and Umeko knew that they had used the young girl's powers to find her.
Mikoto walked them through the crowd and started back towards the bar without a word to anyone. They had made it a few blocks when Umeko finally spoke up, "Sorry."
"Sorry doesn't even cover it," he hissed, his grip tightening, and Umeko felt annoyance fill her.
"You know maybe if you told me why I'm not allowed out of the bar I'd be more willing to actually do what you say."
"Oh no Suoh, don't tell me you're the reason I haven't gotten to see this pretty face in so long."
Everyone froze at the new voice, and Umeko felt a tremor run through her. Mikoto pushed her behind him as Hamasaki Nobu stepped out of the alley just ahead of them.
"Oh Kobayashi-chan, you've lost that glow, what a pity," he bit as two of his men stepped out behind him.
Umeko gripped Mikoto's jacket tightly as the blond smirked at her.
"I believe you own us some money Kobayashi-chan, you wouldn't happen to have it on you would you?"
"She owes you nothing," Chitose snapped, stepping up next to her.
Hamasaki clicked his tongue, all humor leaving his features, "Oh but she does you see, and if you don't pay me back I will seek payment by other means."
"You do realize who you're talking to right?" Yata barked, letting the tip of his bat drop noisily to the ground.
"Don't underestimate us," Nobu hissed, his smoggy eyes flashing dangerously.
Suddenly, a blast of flame shot out, catapulting to an inch away from Hamasaki's nose before going out. The blond reeled back, eyes flying to the Red King.
"Leave now," Mikoto spoke, and they could see Nobu size up the situation for a minute before taking a step back towards the alley.
"You've just made a big mistake."
The two men disappeared after their leader, leaving the red clan alone once more.
"This is why I don't let you out of the bar alone."
Umeko turned wide eyes up to Mikoto as he scowled down at her. His grip on her shoulder tightened as he continued to push her back in the direction of the bar, the rest of HOMRA bunching protectively together.
When they reached the bar Mikoto wasted no time in pushing Umeko upstairs, leaving everyone downstairs without a word.
Umeko sat down heavily on the bed, starring blankly at the ground. Mikoto starred at her across the room, back leaning against the wall next to the door.
"Is he really going to hurt someone?" she finally whispered, and when she looked up at him and he saw the fear swimming in her eyes, all the anger that had been boiling inside him disappeared.
The red head sighed heavily before pushing off the wall and walking across the room. Umeko looked up as a gentle finger pushed her chin up, and she starred up at the man she'd put all her faith into.
Umeko's eyes fluttered closed as Mikoto buried his nose in the crown of her head, muttering, "I won't let him."
Umeko looked up, only to be pushed back till her head hit the pillows in one fast motion. She groaned as the heat of his body covered her, bringing with it the feeling of safety she craved. Her neck was assaulted by a scalding hot mouth as Mikoto sucked and bit at the sensitive skin, making a point to litter the skin with as many dark marks as he could.
"Mikoto," she gasped, and his head rose briefly enough for her worried eyes to meet his, and in the burning amber orbs she could see his silent promise of protection set in stone. With that she finally let herself completely succumb to him as his hand drifted down to the button of her jeans.
Mikoto woke up to the feeling of Umeko shooting up and the sound of her blood-curdling scream. Hysterical tears streamed down her face, her screams the kind someone only made when they knew they were about to die.
He shot up, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, trying to pull her to him. It only scared her more though, and after a few moments of her frantic thrashing he let go once he realized he was making it worse.
She kicked out hard, and Mikoto just missed her arm as she fell back off the bed. Instantly he was up and moving around the bed, an indescribable ache forming in his chest as he watched Umeko rock herself, face buried in her knees as she gasped for breath.
Finally she looked up, hair sticking to her face and eyes red, and he dropped down to her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he pulled her into his lap, letting her sit curled like a child with her face buried against his neck.
Slowly the sobs turned to gasps, and the gasps to nothing. Once he was sure she was calm he gently nudged her head up, and her unfocused eyes met his.
"What was it?"
She swallowed thickly, eyes glassing over as her shoulders started to shake slightly, "He had a carving knife…"
Tears bubbled up in her eyes again as her hand went to clutch her side against the phantom pain radiating from that spot and across her back, "I was only 11 and-and I just kept falling; I couldn't get away-"
She whimpered, burying her face again as another round of dry sobs racked her body, "It'd never hurt that bad before."
Mikoto clutched her tightly, trying to cover her small form as much as he could. He'd quickly learned that while most people needed space to breath during a panic attack, Umeko needed to be covered, protected, to feel safe enough to calm down again.
His blood boiled in his veins as his mind concocted all the different ways he could kill her father, the dark images spurred on by the vision of a small child stumbling through a dark house, begging for her life as she was met with pain. Pain, pain, and more pain.
The gasping finally subsided, left only with a faint shaking as Umeko's exhausted mind dragged her back into a restless oblivion. Her breathing evened and her frame stilled, but still the red head held her tightly.
"Never again," he muttered, placing a kiss to her forehead before burying his nose in the crown of her head, "you'll never hurt again."
So next chapter is going to be heavy, and I mean really heavy. Sorry this took me so long to update, I've just been busy with school and all that jazz. Gonna be honest here, I'm having a little bit of a writers block on what to do after the scene I have planned for next chapter, and I could really use some feedback and where to go from there since I have all the major plot points mapped out in my head it's more so just the little stuff in-between where I've been getting stuck. So if you want to leave a note in a review or PM me, either would be awesome and deeply appreciated!
Did anyone like the little scene between Umeko and Chise? I was having a ball writing that scene to be honest but that's probably just me…haha…ha. Anyways, this last scene here with the nightmare is actually a cliff hanger cause next chapter it's going to jump right into the action. So I hope you enjoyed all the little funny bits I put in this chapter and buckle your seat belts cause the next chapter is going to be a bumpy ride.
I write for reviews! (aka review)
P.S.- Thank you guys so so much for all the amazing reviews you left last chapter!