Dinner proved an awkward affair. They were all reluctant to talk about the large cats that laid across the room from Maddy and watched her with careful eyes, silence ended up reigning predominantly until Nala huffed in annoyance and turned to Maddy.
"Mads, you never did tell us what you're gameplan was. When do you go in for the interview with the head of the company?"
She took her eyes off the tigers, and turned towards Nala, a real smile lighting up her face.
"I go in," She checked the clock on the wall, "Well I need to leave 'ere in the mornin' for the meetin' which is scheduled as a luncheon a' eleven." She frowned in thought. "I think I was supposed to meet the entire team, but I really hope not. Tha' many people at once freaks meh out."
Nala's green eyes twinkled at her.
"Maybe there will be someone cute to distract you from that."
Maddy laughed, a rich sound from deep inside at the thought.
"Per'aps! I 'eard that the head of the company has two sons who are a large part of the process, and are very 'andsome but I didna look 'em up afore comin' 'ere." Nala laughed, but the sound was cut short by the sound of a phone ringing. Maddy started, and blinked in surprise when she found Kyoya's hand in front of her face with her ringing phone in it. "You saved my luggage?!"
She grinned at him jubilantly, and he gave her a small smirk in response.
"Of course, what type of host would I be if I didn't?"
She chuckled, but took the still ringing phone, blanching at the caller ID.
"I'm gonna step out to take this. Nala want to go to my room to talk after?"
The girl grinned and flashed her thumbs up in agreement even as Maddy stepped from the dining room into a small sitting room and leaned the door shut to take what she could now see was her father's call.
"Ello?"
"Madden, you didn't call me when you landed."
She winced at the coldness in his voice.
"Aye, er, yes sir. It was a bit of a hectic landing, and I missed the bus, and then, um, well suffice it to say I've only just gotten to the hotel and have been settling in…"
There was silence on the other side of the line, and she held her breath waiting for his reply.
"Of course. You know what to expect if you don't do this right Madden, I expect the best and only the best. If I hear otherwise…" he let his sentence trail off but the girl understood the silent threat, and her heartbeat skipped and danced with panic.
"N-no sir, I wouldna dream of tha'."
"Good, and for the love of- Lose the damn accent. No one wants to hear that uneducated sound coming out of a girls mouth."
"Ye-yes sir. I will."
Her eyes were on the carpet, and she wrapped her free arm around her waist.
"Good, I'll be calling to check in on you tomorrow after the interview."
He hung up without saying goodbye, and Maddy's shoulders sank. She tucked the phone into her pocket and buried her head in her hands, letting out a long sigh. It would appear that no matter how much distance she put between them he would always be a silent threat, ready - and willing - to take her freedom away as he deemed.
Life isnna choreographed, yeh must be able to improvise amidst chaos.
Hissing out a breath of frustration she pushed the thought to the back of her mind, and tried to ignore the growing frustration she felt. A glass vase rattled on the table, and she started suddenly at the noise, watching in shock as it tipped over onto the carpeted ground from the table. She gaped at it, silenting giving a prayer of thanks that it had been empty save for the decorative marbles that had spilled out, but how the hell had that happened?
I'm goin' bloody insane already an' it's only been a day…
She slid off the couch and picked up the little glass marbles, and righted the floor quickly, before exiting back to the dining room in search of the others. Nala and Haruhi upon seeing her grabbed her arms and whisked her away to their rooms to catch up and talk, and for the first time in a long time, a sense of contentment slid through Maddy; leaving her heart at peace.
*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*
They talked for hours, ended up eating dinner in Nala's room, and before soon it was dark. They talked about everything from who they had had crushed on, to everything that had happened to Nala, and the hosts, and Tamaki and Haruhi, and Maddy's father, and so much more. One after the other, the other two girls fell asleep, and Maddy looked in surprise at the clock only to find midnight was just a few minutes away.
I need a shower afore tomorrow!
Slipping off the bed, Maddy crept out of Nala's room, and down the hall in search of the bathroom she knew was down it somewhere. The house was massive though, and the turn she thought let her to the bathroom led her to another corridor full of closed doors. Puzzled and confused, Madden walked down it, glancing right and left as if the answer would be obvious as to which door was the bathroom. She sighed in annoyance, hoping she'd have time to shower in the morning because she certainly wasn't spending the night seardching for the bathroom. Turning around, let out a sharp gasp of fear. Behind her, stood one of the twins, and by his side stood one of the tigers, it's gold eyes gleaming in the dim light that was coming in from the tall window to their side that overlooked the grounds.
"Im sorry, yeh scared me there, can I 'elp yeh?"
They both watched her silently for a moment, and Madden shifted as unsease filled her.
"Why are you here?"
The boy's voice was low, dangerous, controlled. Beside him, the tiger growled.
"What do yeh mean? I'm 'ere for my job, an' to see Nala an' Haruhi…"
The animal beside him growled in warning at her, pacing behind the twin.
"No. Don't lie, we can smell it. You're not welcome here. Get out."
Turning on his heel, he began to stride down the hallway, but Maddy's quiet words stopped both animal and human.
"I donna know what I've done to yeh, but please, donna ruin meh trip 'cause o' an imagined wrong. I'd like to get to know yeh without this feelin' yeh are throwing at meh as if I'm less than yeh or have slighted yeh somehow."
Neither turned when she spoke, but there was a sneer in the twin's voice when he spoke, and the tiger next to him snarled quietly.
"We don't want your fucking promises witch. Get away from us before we are forced to make you leave."
So saying, he strode back down the hallway, silent as the cat who prowled next to him, and disappeared into the gloom of the big house.
Curling her lip at him, Maddy made a face at his back; jumping when the lights around her flickered briefly she looked around the hall nervously before hurrying back to her rooms.
Why was it all these houses she was in lately had faulty wiring?
*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*
Maddy snapped awake, rolling off the bed even as her head spun and her stomach rolled. Something was in her room. Gasping, she hit the floor with a thud, eyes flashing across the room in fear; panic she didn't understand rearing its ugly head.
No no no no no no no no no.
The words were a soundtrack running through her mind desperately, and around her the air chilled rapidly.
"MADDEN WAKE UP!" The voice that roared her name shook her out of whatever state she'd been in, and Maddy's eyes focused, the panic ebbing away; only to discover she was panting rapidly, hands raised in fear in front of her body, and she was crouched on the far side of the bed from where Nala and Haruhi were standing. "Dear mother of pearl woman," Nala stared at her in shock, her green eyes wide and a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth. "We opened your door to wake you up and you were off that bed like the hounds of hell were here for you. What kind of weird dream were you having!"
Maddy stared at her for a moment trying to collect her thoughts, before standing up and shaking her head slowly.
"Sorry guys, I don' entirely remember." Flashes of the dream slid through her mind's eye: the monster's face, the man's body, so much blood, and then the glowing golden eyes. She shivered, and shook her head again a little more vigorously. "Thanks for comin' an' wakin' me up. What time is it? 'Cause I still need to shower. I couldn' find the bathroom last night."
Nala and Haruhi both rolled their eyes in annoyance.
"Rich people and their incessant need for huge homes am I right?"
Haruhi and Nala shared a laugh, but froze when they looked back at Maddy who was grinning awkwardly at both of them.
"I mean, I do enjoy livin' in a large 'ouse I can't lie, but i' can get a little ridiculous when yeh continuously get lost."
Maddy winked at them, and the other girls laughed again.
"True true," Haruhi's smile was infectious with how it lit her large, doe eyes up, and Maddy found an answering smile slipping across her face. It had always been this way between the three of them, never letting Maddy's rich status get between them. "In answer to your question it's about nine in the morning maybe a little bit after, the other hosts - except for Kyoya - are just getting up and you should have time to shower, do your makeup, and eat breakfast before you leave for your interview."
"Awesome! Thanks girls, show me to the bathroom and I'll do just tha'!"
*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*
Maddy stood under the warm spray of the shower and just let herself feel the heat of it running over her skin. Stress over the interview had her stomach twisting in knots. And she sighed deeply.
I hope this works out, I know they already offered, but what if they retract the offer or somethin'?
She scrubbed her hands over her face, released another deep sigh, and turned the water off. Stepping out of the bathroom, she caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, littered with bruises in certain areas from her attack, kidnapping, and subsequent escape. Sighing again, she frowned at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes were clear and bright after the shower, and she looked into them through the mirror.
"Yeh are a strong woman Madden Aisling. No one, no' yeh dad, no' an animal, no' stupid twins will distract yeh. Yeh are goin' to nail this meetin', and that's final!" She smiled at herself in the mirror, white teeth and pink lips flashing something more sad than happy. "I'm goin' to prove them wrong, this is my life, no' my parents." The smile blossomed at those words, and with a decisive nod at herself, the girl turned away to grab a towel and get dressed.
*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*
Madden trotted down the stairs, a smile fixed firmly on her brightly painted lips; red, bold, decisive.
"Kyoya?"
Her voice echoed in the empty hall, the house almost ringing with silence, and she frowned into the stillness. Stepping off the stairs, she wandered her way into the dining room they'd eaten in the night before, pausing when she found it empty. Her spine tingled and she whipped around eyes darting around the room.
"Look, if this is some sort of game please stop i'? Honey? Mori? Tamaki? Anyone?"
"What little doggy, nervous?"
With a gasp Madden spun around to face the twins. She didn't know how they'd crept up behind her, and she didn't care. All she cared about was the sixth sense that sent a thrill of fear up her spine when they stepped closer to her. Madden was tall for a girl, five feet and six inches, but these boys had at least five inches on her. She didn't run as they came closer, standing frozen but watching them with careful eyes.
"I still don't understand what I 'ave done to yeh for yeh to act so angry towards me. Where are the other hosts?"
The twin on the left grinned down at her, more of a bearing of teeth than anything.
"Oh they're in the kitchen enjoying breakfast, you went to the wrong room. Snooping were we?"
Madden drew herself up at the accusation, sucking in a deep breath and bearing her teeth right back at him.
"Oh yes ye've caught meh. I most definitely never woulda gotten lost in this mansion of a home that I've ne'er been in before righ'? Because of course the first thing I'da done would be to snoop through each room, and steal wha' I can find. Not like I'm an heiress of my own. Now, if ye'll excuse me, I'm goin' to find the kitchen. Good day."
Turning on her heel, she flounced out of the room.
Further down the hall she encountered a maid who was more than happy to give her directions to where she needed to go, and soon Madden was walking into a large, sunny kitchen.
"Mornin' everyone!"
"Maddy!" Honey bounced over to her from the large kitchen table the hosts were gathered at, "we've come to a decision - and by we I mean mostly Kyoya and then we all agreed - but we've decided that you're gonna get an escort to your interview!"
Maddy blinked and raised her eyebrows slightly.
"How...nice of Kyoya to consult meh first."
Honey just beamed up at her before grabbing her hand and dragging her over to the table; pushing her down into the empty seat between Mori and him and across from Haruhi and Maddy.
He's surprisin'ly strong for such a wee thing.
"Was the shower to your satisfaction Miss Aisling?"
Her blue eyes flicked up to look at Kyoya, calmly, casually she picked up the glass of water in front of her seat at the table - hoping it was for her - and took a sip.
"Good, I enjoyed it. I probably would've enjoyed it more if I'd known that my plans were being changed, but I enjoyed it. Now, what's today's game plan? So I'll know now, and please don't tell me it will be the twins accompanying me. They've got some sort of...something going on."
Kyoya shook his head, while Nala and Haruhi frowned in confusion. Tamaki rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically, and Honey and Mori shared a look.
"Who knows Miss Aisling, they're moody these days. Even with us.
However, I discussed this with Nala today and we decided that you having an escort for now is the best decision due to any possible danger. So, for an unforeseeable amount of time, Mori will be accompanying you places; with Honey when Honey has the time since he's just begun some rather intensive lessons."
Maddy nodded thoughtfully at Kyoya's words.
"Tha' is fair I guess. The real question I 'ave now though, is what's for breakfast?"
*Author's Note*
Hello friends! Please ignore this trash filler chapter, I had to hit the ground running and escape writers block before it completely caught me, but I think it's gone now? It's like a cold my dudes, you never know when it will strike. Anyway, better stuff is coming; maddy meets her employer next dun dun duh).
Shoutout to...
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Let'sDotheTimeLordpAgain (oh but the cliff hangers are just the best part aren't they? ;) )
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sammie97grace (Oh thank you! It's coming a little slowly these days, and yeah, the twins are gonna have their hands (or paws?) full haha) Follows/ favs
killjarkidranger + GabbyAbby216 + Hibiki Loke + Let'sDotheTimeLordpAgain + SnowLink2 + Seahorses123 + KittyKatt25 + Tazdaspaz + Isabelnecessaryonabicycle + sammie97grace + IvyHollyfoot + nadishikorei + Danizouka + Asryanne + Cookies16 + Fangirl282 + Fangirl282 + Chasity-Ichigo + Skyress98 +
Reviews
Hibiki Loke (THANK YOU THANK YOU! I'll do my best to keep it up!)
Let'sDotheTimeLordpAgain (oh but the cliff hangers are just the best part aren't they? ;) )
KittyKatt25 (Well, that is the real question now isn't it)
sammie97grace (Oh thank you! It's coming a little slowly these days, and yeah, the twins are gonna have their hands (or paws?) full haha)