Chapter 3 The Morning
Tired as he was, the Professor dreamed little, if at all. Accustomed to passing out rather than lying down, it was rare that he remembered any visions that chose to visit him while he slept. If he ever had dreams, they usually slipped away before they could be remembered and left only fleeting impressions in his mind. Compared to a child, the adult was rather like a computer that shut itself down to resume some hours later. On this occasion, he was visited by very fleeting glimpses that were more like fragments of memories rather than dreams. They felt familiar but were glimpsed as if through a fog and he could grasp none of them before they had faded.
Still straining to grasp what they were, on the verge of understanding, the scientist opened his eyes and the fragments scattered like leaves in a sudden gust. There was a moment where Hojo felt very mildly disappointed and annoyed, just as one would when they have been interrupted. However, those feelings dissipated as soon as he found himself staring at the ceiling of the bedroom and his mind did a recap of the events that had led him there. Not moving a muscle, the brown eyes blinked once and had moved to look downwards upon opening again. Sure enough, in the early morning gloom, he spied the silver hair of Kadaj and sighed. He was glad it wasn't a dream.
The child's arms were still around him and the elder wondered whether he ought to move or not. The prospect of finding Jenova compelled him to move even if the thought of travelling through snow and ice to find her made him wish he didn't have to. The sooner they started the journey, the better their chances of reaching the crater and locating what it was that they sought before it became dark again. Hojo's fingers moved slightly as he grew aware that he had fallen asleep with one hand rested against the boy's bare skin. Unaware if Kadaj was awake or not, he moved his hand upwards to stroke at the sleek, silken strands of hair. Perhaps it would wake him.
Through that drowsy, slumbering state, Kadaj felt each move Hojo made. When the touch landed in his hair, the cat-like eyes flew open and so easily the childish energy was unleashed again, like from a bottle. Lifting his head to peek at the human face, he whispered, "Are you still sleeping?" He could see the Professor's eyes were open, but asked anyway.
Stretching, his slender arms were raised on each side of the man's face before he crawled up to place his elbows on each side of the dark haired head to look down at the Professor. To his horror, he realised the man had slept the glasses on. So he started prying them off, putting them on his own nose, but they fell because they were too big. Placing them back to their original place, he gave a small smile, just staring the man in the eyes, his silver hair was hanging loose and the edges caressed the human skin, so close they were.
Feeling a childish, possessive joy at having the man under him and being granted his undivided attention, he asked, "Do you want to go outside right away? Or do you want breakfast first?" He was so bossy, controlling and keen on knowing the details of the next few hours that he was bound to ask questions, perhaps even order the man to do things his way. There might not come an ending to the amount of questions, "What are you going to wear? You need a warm jacket. Do you want to take a shower first?" As excited as he was about the idea of finding his Mother, he was really content right there and made no move to get up yet. He simply stared at the human, wearing a smirk.
The suddenness with which Kadaj reacted startled the older man somewhat. It would seem that Kadaj had awake for some time already. Merely lazing on top of him until he woke up. The question confused him a little, since the boy could plainly see that he was awake. Probably an automatic question, "No, I'm awake."
Small limbs poked the elder a little and he let out a small grunt as Kadaj adjusted his position and brought his youthful, mischievous face closer to his own. Staring straight up at the green eyes, Hojo realised just as soon as the remnant's fingers began to fiddle with his glasses that he'd kept them on during the night. That was annoying but on the bright side, they weren't bent. He squinted as Kadaj took them and tried them on before they were put back. Though they were placed back correctly, Hojo reached to straighten them by habit, his brow creasing as he did so.
No sooner had that small task been accomplished than he was assaulted by a torrent of questions. "Ugh..." It was too early for that amount of questions. Much as he felt he should get up and answer some of them, he would rather just close his eyes again and ignore them, for he would only have begun to answer half of them when more would be sure to follow. Pinned beneath the small, naked form of Kadaj, who was once again bursting with energy, Hojo felt weary by comparison. "We'll eat something and talk then. Um… Would you mind letting me up?"
The man hadn't just slept his glasses on - Kadaj had forgotten his plan about freeing the dark hair from the ponytail, so it was still in place as well, and the remnant's lips pursed slightly because now he might never get a chance to see it open. The smirk on his lips turned mischievous at the only question he got in return. Nearly purring with a tease, he replied, "Yes, I would mind." Whenever he was feeling mischievous, a glimmer of excitement was visible in the absinth green of his eyes. Not making any move to let his prey go just yet, his tiny fingers raced in the dark hair, catching the ribbon and pulling it off as gently as he could. When the ribbon was safely around his own wrist, he placed his hand on the human chin to tilt the man's head, granting the boy more room to comb the long hair with his fingers. "Mmmh," he hummed, "Your hair is really soft…" It was very soft, and very long, and he curled his fingers on the strands. "Why do you keep your hair tied like that?" he asked, then took the ribbon and tried to put his own hair in a ponytail. His hair was so short that it became a silver fountain on top of his head, most of the strands escaping their leash and falling back to frame his face.
Now that he had tortured his poor victim for a moment, he gave another smirk before slowly getting up and hopping down from the bed to get dressed, his hair still in that silly ponytail. "What are we having for breakfast?" He kept throwing more questions while pulling his zipper up and fetching the Souba from where it had been left on the armchair previous night. When he was ready to go for the said breakfast, he leaned on the doorframe and would be observing each second when the older male would get dressed.
Finding that his request had been denied, Hojo frowned. It didn't sound like a threat, but it still caused a faint tingle of worry to pass through him as Kadaj's smirk widened. It was hard to miss that deliberate look in the emerald eyes that stared down at him and seemed to seek some new mischievous havoc to wreak. As before, Hojo felt small fingers teasing at his hair and his gaze flicked to one side as though straining to see what was being done. He didn't get much further than that before he felt the length of his hair being released. He took the compliment but was still a bit put out that he hadn't been asked to let it down. In truth though, he would have refused to let it down. He kept his gaze directed back to where he felt Kadaj stroking the dark length of his hair, still wary of what the unpredictable child might do. "Thank you. I keep it tied back so that it stays out of the way while I work." There was nothing more annoying than having one's hair falling about their shoulders while they sat hunched over paperwork, lab-work or indeed any work. How a certain Turk managed, the Professor didn't know.
He had to watch as his hair ribbon was taken and used to attempt to tie Kadaj's hair up in some form of ridiculous-looking top-knot. What made it look worse was the fact that the majority of hair escaped. He averted his gaze while Kadaj moved to release him and get dressed but he wasn't pleased that his hair ribbon was escaping in the process. As the tiny boy stood in the doorway to watch him, Hojo sat up and rolled his eyes as the shorter strands of his hair fell about his face and over his eyes. No matter what he did to tie them back, those shorter hairs always ended up in his eyes. It seemed to have gotten worse as he'd gotten older. Brushing them back regardless, he raised an eyebrow at the green-eyed scamp that waited for him. "I guess I could throw milk on some oats or something." He extended a hand, not expecting that he would be obeyed but doing so nonetheless. "Would you give that back to me, please?"
Observing carefully, the remnant was pleased now that the dark hair was loose, it looked nice. He wasn't very surprised that the man wanted his property back. Milk and oats? Hmm, he had never tasted that, but he would give it a try if it was something the Professor liked in the mornings. And he would like something hot to drink, because it felt cold now that he had been forced to leave the cocoon of human warmth.
Kadaj hid his hands behind his back and shifted his weight from one foot to another, then back, swaying as he contemplated his answer. "Hmm..?" he hummed, then took slow, cat-like steps over to the seated male, halting right in front of him but keeping his hands behind his back as if he had no plan to take the ribbon from the silver silk hair. "Do you want it back?" His head tilted as he locked their eyes, the mischievous glimmer shining bright from his insane cat-like orbs as he leaned closer to the adult face, "You can have it…" but in seconds he had turned in a quick swift and was heading towards the door, "If you catch me!" Bursting into insane laughter, the young remnant escaped the room and ran all the way behind the couch, waiting to be chased.
As Kadaj padded over to him with measured movements and stood looking up at him with a very suspicious stance and expression to match, Hojo narrowed his eyes. He didn't like the tone that was being used to address him. It was dripping with false sweetness as it virtually screamed of more mischief. The Professor began by reaching tentatively for the ribbon and had to turn it into a swipe as Kadaj's eyes widened minutely with mockery before he turned and danced out of reach. Needless to say, Hojo missed and he was left glaring as the remnant made good his escape.
Never one to back down from a challenge, the elder sprang forward after the little brat to apprehend him, pausing only to adjust his belt for fear the tiny monster would catch him with his pants literally down. He stopped at the end of the corridor and scanned the main room. The fire had long since crumbled to ash and it was quite chilly once more. The scientist barely felt it as he hissed. "Where are you, Kadaj..?" From here he stood, he couldn't see the small child unless it made a move. Slowly looking about, he stepped forward and spotted that ridiculous tuft of hair peeking from behind the couch. Growling, he started forward. "There you are! Give that back to me!"
Kadaj loved games and his heart was beating rapidly with adrenaline as he waited, every cell in his body was prepared for a fight. He hadn't even noticed the fire had gone out while they'd been sleeping. His tiny head was peeking from behind the couch to see when the adult appeared. The little remnant was like a rabbit. He stood absolutely still behind the couch until the Professor started chasing him. Releasing a scream of excitement, he started running again, the scream turning into laughter because he was so fast the man would never catch him unless he let him do that. Speeding like ray of light, he ran by the desk and hid underneath it, imagining the adult hadn't noticed. Holding his breath, he pulled his knees close to his chest. He didn't like cheating and wouldn't turn into mist in a situation that wasn't really threatening at all. It didn't even cross his mind that the man might actually be angry with him.
Again, Hojo had to nearly lunge forward to catch what he sought and again he missed. It was maddening having to watch as a small blur made its way past him, emitting piercing shrieks of laughter. Though his head turned to follow the boy, his hair followed at a slower pace and ended up in his face. The Professor lost sight of the child once more. Thoroughly riled, he tossed his head like some angry horse to get it out of the way long enough to try and locate Kadaj. Keeping low, he scanned the length of the room as he stalked through it again and quite failed to notice the boy until he was right on top of him. Once he did, he made another grab for him, "Got you!"
The waiting remnant could hear every step the human made and as the steps neared the desk, he watched the feet approach, imagining he was invisible and impossible to catch. As soon as he was caught, he released a yelp of excitement and only wondered for a second if he should let the man drag him from his hide, but then decided otherwise and instead willingly crawled out from his nest. Looking up at the adult, he smiled and climbed on the table to jump; wrapping all his limbs around the human, feet around his back and arms around his neck. The monkey remnant was pleased and grinned sweetly now that he was again so close to the human face. He could feel the Professor's breathing as he stared into the brown eyes through the silly glasses. "You can have it…" His clinging became an embrace as he hugged the man, burying his face on the warm human neck and muttering, "Do you like oats and milk? Is it good? I've never tasted it…"
Though he was still fairly riled, the elder was also triumphant that he'd managed to catch the little rotter and avoid a lengthy chase all over the house. That triumph had formed his features into a near-savage grin as opposed to a glare as Kadaj emerged and stood smiling up at him. A twinge of doubt crossed the adult's mind as the child crawled up onto the table. What was the boy up to now? No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than the little thing had launched itself at him. If Kadaj had been heavier, Hojo might have staggered. As it was, the elder flinched and took a step backwards to compensate for the extra weight, even as his arms caught the child automatically as though he'd been tossed a ball or a bag or indeed anything. With the child's small limbs latched around him, faced with those green eyes and that sweet little smile, though he had started off angry, the Professor bit back whatever snide rebukes he'd been thinking of throwing. If he did such a thing, Kadaj would cry and then where would they be?
Once allowed to reclaim what was rightfully his, Hojo plucked it from the top of Kadaj's head. What little hair had been bound up in it fell away and settled down instantly to frame the boy's face again. "Thank you..." he muttered. He had to sit down on the arm of the couch to free his arms enough to tie his hair back once more. With the child propped up in his lap, warm gusts of breath caressing the exposed flesh of his neck, Hojo simmered down and bound his hair back into its usual ponytail, albeit with a few strands still coming free here and there. They would have to do until he could sort them out properly. "It's quite bland but it's easy to prepare and gives you plenty of energy. I guess you'll need something to sweeten yours up…" Feeling a slight shiver run along his spine from a cold draught, Hojo sighed to himself. "I still need to get dressed."
"You're welcome." Kadaj muttered happily, as if it hadn't been the Professor's property at all; and the remnant had given him a gift. It was so that Kadaj was much happier when he got to cling to the human. The closer they were, the less anxious he felt and his restless energy was pure happiness, instead of being that grumpy, constantly unsatisfied type. In fact, he might just cling there until they reached the Cave where his Mother and Sephiroth would be. It was odd how he hadn't seen those silver heads when he had been standing on the shore of the black puddle. Perhaps it had been a different cave after all, or perhaps Mother and Sephiroth had decided it was too cold and had gone to find some nice place, a place like this, a place with a fireplace and food. "You can get dressed…" The boss remnant gave his permission and simply tightened his hold around the human neck. To him it didn't matter if they were sitting on the arm of the couch, or if they were walking, he wasn't about to let go.
Now that Kadaj's hair had returned to its usual silky curtains around his face, the boy clutched the dark hair which had been tied again, twirling the strands around his fingers. Looking the adult in the face, he just smiled, happy to have been caught and pleased that the man had played with him. The loose strands of darkness here and there around the human face - the ones that had kept coming to Hojo's way and which he kept brushing out of sight desperately - caught his attention, and the remnant fingers started caressing them, keeping a close eye on the Professor's expression. He would stop if it annoyed him. His lips pursed slightly as he petted the soft hair, a sudden confession escaped his mouth with a barely audible voice, "I like you."
Well, that was a lie. He just didn't know what the feeling was when in fact he had become very addicted to receiving attention and was blinded by the belief that he was the centre of the universe for the Professor. The remnant would remain pleased and happy as long as the man obeyed his childish demands and as long as he was given attention.
Having expected to be released from the remnant's hold, Hojo was confused as the arms did not loosen but tightened instead. "Uh…" It was going to be very difficult for him to put on a shirt if the urchin was clinging to him. He wondered at what would happen if he locked the door while he got changed. Possibly the boy would either batter the door down or pour silently through like mist and stare at him some more. The very idea was giving the Professor the creeps as he did like to have some measure of privacy.
The next quiet words from Kadaj's mouth really did make the elder blush. The way it was said and the simplicity of the words chosen to say it made him feel incredibly awkward as he became all-too-aware of the child's limbs that still held him firm, the small fingers that teased his hair and the fact that there was a pair of green eyes less than a foot from his own. He fairly choked out his response, sounding very defensive and unable to meet Kadaj's eyes anymore. "You're crazy - nobody likes me!" Wanting nothing more than a moment to himself to get past this sudden, humiliating feeling of embarrassment, Hojo felt like bolting to a different room. Not exactly possible to save face if the one you wanted to hide from was still holding onto you. "Could you please let go of me? I really need to get dressed." He was inwardly cursing himself as he felt his face turning quite red.
The pursing of the remnant's lips turned into a defensive pout and a small frown appeared on his forehead, "I'm not crazy!" The red colour that took over the pale cheeks didn't go unnoticed by the sharp green eyes, but he couldn't understand the reason why the man blushed and thus ignored the whole thing. Feeling angry at being rejected instead of being cuddled to the next century, the child released his hold, sliding down the human body until his bare feet were securely on the floor. Letting go of the adult and turning in a quick swift, he marched angrily over to the couch and slid his boots on, then sat on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest and sulking.
Kadaj could have lit the fireplace, but was suddenly very keen on leaving to find his family who would want him, who would cradle him and take care of him. While seated and angrily staring at the toes of his boots, he wondered if he should leave alone – maybe just walk out when the Professor would go get dressed. He would probably remember which direction he had come from, and despite the cave was far away, he had to be able to get there since he had already walked from there to the house on the previous day. Considering his options, he kept sulking.
Though glad that he was let go again, Hojo couldn't fail to notice that he'd offended Kadaj and made him quite angry. Keeping a careful watch in case a tantrum was thrown, Hojo noted the mannerisms that the boy employed as he practically stomped off and flounced onto the couch - the very image of a sulky, spoiled brat who'd been denied something or told off. The Professor couldn't get his head around this child and doubted that he ever really would. The fact that the boy had become so sulky so quickly after a fairly simple request was irritating him. He figured he had a right to say whatever he wished, particularly after having been made to run around after his own hair ribbon. All the same, he was the adult and it was his duty to set an example. Still embarrassed but resenting the fact that he had to apologise regardless, Hojo muttered over his shoulder. "It's just an expression… Sorry."
His piece said, feeling a chill creeping into his flesh in earnest, the elder had to stand and shuffle off back to where his clothing was located. Before he closed the door behind him, he called back to the little figure that sat pouting in the couch in a tone of resignation. "I'll make you some food in a few minutes." He didn't expect to be answered, so he shut the door and groaned at his luck. Barely awake twenty minutes and he'd been made to chase a tiny demon around and apologise for defending himself. "Hmph. If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was becoming a pushover." Haughty and arrogant, he blandly refused to accept such a notion and rifled through the few belongings he'd brought for a fresh set of clothing.
Determinedly, the remnant kept sulking, his lips pursing even more as the tiny apology carried to his ears. Indeed, a spoiled brat. But the apology and the promise of food were enough to keep him on the couch and stopped him from leaving, even though he hadn't quite abandoned that plan yet. Would the man miss him if he left? Possibly not. The thought depressed him so much that he was close to tears. He was all alone in the world, his big brother and Mother were out of sight and there was no certainty he'd ever find them. No-one would take care of him. Covering his face with his small palms, he sniffed. The apology had washed off most of the anger and left him with this unbearable sadness, solitude and hopelessness.
And so he decided not to ever get attached to anyone again. He would have to take care of himself and would have to survive all on his own. Sephiroth's insanity was rushing in his blood, soothing him with promises of strength, his mind filling in no time with ideas of how strong he was, how he was stronger than humans, he was unique and once he'd find Mother, everything would become perfect. Mother would love him and together they'd be happy. The tears dried fast and he dropped his palms on his lap, staring at the ashes in the fireplace with an empty expression. For an outsider, such mood changes might have seemed peculiar, but to him it was normal. That was exactly what his life would be like for years to come.
It didn't take the Professor very long to change for quite a few reasons. The first being that the faster he did, the less time he would have to worry about the chill air getting to him. The second being due to the fact that he was already half-stripped. The third was because he was suspicious of the silence beyond the door. Considering how quick the remnant was to anger and how restless he was, any silence could not be good news. Hojo kept throwing furtive glances toward the door, as though expecting it to open and wondered why he even cared. In all honesty, he wasn't sure why he would. Kadaj possessed all of the qualities of a child that the elder disliked and was intimidating to boot.
After throwing his coat back on, a habit of years as well as a necessity to keep out the cold, Hojo carefully opened the door and found the corridor empty. Fair enough, that was good. Making his way back to where he'd left Kadaj, Hojo didn't believe that he would find the child still there but he was. Sitting almost exactly as he'd been left but no longer sulking. Indeed, the small shoulders had dropped and the slender arms were no longer crossed. Even from where he stood, he could see that the boy's head had dipped significantly, hiding the child's face behind a curtain of silver hair. Kadaj looked very dejected and that just brought another form of awkwardness back. Still, one couldn't stand like a lemon while someone else appeared to be crying. Averting his gaze, looking anywhere but at Kadaj, the Professor asked quietly. "Are you crying?"
As soon as the human steps neared the room, the remnant determinedly ignored his presence. He wanted to give a reply to the question, he wanted to snap 'no', but didn't trust his voice not to quiver and instead pretended not to hear the question at all. In fact, he proudly turned his head away a little and even while keeping his gaze on the floor, his chin rose slightly with defiance. Crossing his arms protectively over his chest once more, as if that could somehow shield him from the offensive human presence, he answered after all, "No." It came out with such determination, there was no doubt that he would never admit he'd cried.
Kadaj concentrated very hard on ignoring the Professor, to show that he didn't care the slightest about anything relating to him. Maybe he should have remained silent and pretended to be deaf and mute. Secretly, deep down it made him feel a little better that the man had asked about his crying since any question was attention, any question meant interest. The last thing Kadaj wanted was to be ignored or to be meaningless to someone he had felt such intense feelings of attachment for. He was a tiny bit hungry, but would never ask for anything again. So rejected he felt. But at least he hadn't started throwing stuff and hadn't screamed cruel things in an attempt to hurt.
Hearing a negative reply, Hojo looked round and examined the stance that Kadaj had adopted. Something about the very deliberate tone of the child's voice made the elder know the child was lying and had indeed been crying - but he knew better than to challenge the answer which was pushed at him. As little as he knew about children, Hojo had known many childish adults and their habits. He could give as good as he got when it came to the silent treatment - better in fact. However, he was apprehensive about pulling such a trick around an unpredictable creature like Kadaj. The boy might fly off the handle if he was ignored for too long.
"Good." That single word said, Hojo went straight to do as he'd promised and fix some food. The sooner they had it in them, the sooner they could get back on their way to finding Jenova. Then... then they'd just have to wait and see. Trying not to let his mind wander back to the small figure he'd left alone on the couch, the elder set about tipping oats from a small bag into a little pot and draining another tin of milk into it. As it heated upon the stove, he saw that the mugs were still out on the table from the night before. Strange little creature. Angry one moment, caring the next, sulky after. Very strange. Try as he might, Hojo kept finding his gaze travelling to the door and wondering at what Kadaj could be thinking as he sat beyond. The word 'crazy' was thrown around a lot - it was just a word.
At first, Kadaj was disappointed for not receiving more attention, his mood dropping lower when the human footsteps went further away. Soon, he sighed and let his arms relax, feeling passive and numb because trying to remain angry for a long time was tiring, and laid himself down on the couch, studying his fingertips while thinking. As soon as the smell of the cooking oats reached his nose, his stomach started making noises like there was an angry monster trapped somewhere beneath his ribcage. For some reason, he didn't expect the breakfast to be delectable, but he would eat anything when he was hungry enough. He closed his eyes, curling onto a ball on the couch, like a hedgehog, but as he tried to imagine what his mother looked like, silly thoughts were distracting him. For example, he wanted to know if the Professor would wear a blue tie and what he would be wearing when they headed outside. That also made him wonder if the leather would be warm enough for a longer period of time spent outside. He had survived the day before but if he could choose, he might want to wear something else as well.
If he were to remain on the couch, the Professor might get impatient and angry with him, so with a sigh he got up and went to take a seat at the table, still pouting and staring at the table to avoid looking anywhere near the direction of where the adult was. The mere idea of the human getting upset with him was enough to bring another set of tears to the corners of his eyes, and he got so stressed out that he started biting his fingernails while waiting. His feelings were bouncing around and he couldn't put two and two together. They would only bounce this much when he cared for someone.
The oats and milk had thickened to the point that it could be safely called porridge by the time a small, silver-haired little boy was seen entering quietly and hopping up on a chair. Hojo nearly rolled his eyes at the way the child seemed to avoid him with every step he took and the way the head remained dipped. Those bright, green eyes were hidden behind silver so the Professor could not see the expression they wore. With the two of them keeping silent, the atmosphere was tense and quite uncomfortable. All was silent but for a certain, distinct sound that could only have come from a hungry child's tummy.
Finding faint amusement in that allowed the Professor to break the awkward silence at last as he split the porridge evenly between two bowls. "If you don't like this as it is, I'll find something to put on it." Saying nothing else, he placed one of the bowls down in front of Kadaj, a spoon already in it, before he seated himself at the table and waited for the verdict. He pretended to be more interested in his bowl than the little creature nearby, but kept a watch out of the corner of his eye.
As the bowl landed in Kadaj's vision, he looked at the steam rising from the porridge and stared at it for a while. Despite the growling and grumbling of his leather covered stomach, he didn't feel like eating and when he finally grabbed the spoon, he twirled it in the porridge. He was still pouting, drawing circles in the porridge with the spoon. From the very corner of his eye he tried to look at the Professor but failed and refrained from actually taking a look, instead taking a tiny bit of the white stuff on the spoon and bringing it to his lips. Blowing onto the spoon with the last remains of his anger and grudge, he figured it wasn't too hot anymore and tasted it carefully, sucking the tip of the spoon. Instantly, he scrunched his nose and dropped the spoon back into the bowl, raising his chin and declaring, "I don't like it." He didn't like it because the Professor had rejected him, thus he would not like the Professor anymore and wouldn't like anything he did. "I want cream in it." Kadaj would like the porridge as soon as the human was reduced to being his pet or servant.
Such a ceremony before taking so much as a small nibble. Plainly, Kadaj was still quite disgruntled and was determined to show it with every gesture he made. Hojo watched covertly as the boy played with the creamy mixture rather than ate it before finally deigning to try it. When the spoon hit the edge of the bowl with a loud clatter, Hojo loosed a sigh. That was fine – he hadn't really thought that Kadaj would like it right away. What wasn't fine was the demanding tone that was being used to address him.
Biting back his annoyance, straining to remain adult, Hojo attempted to lighten the tone a little as he rose from his place to fetch cream, if indeed there was any. "It is a bit bland, isn't it? Let me see..." Tins of milk there were some. Cream was something else and there was none. Hojo felt that such an item was hardly necessary as milk did the exact same job. Keeping civil, he still went through the process of checking before making his report. "I fear there is none. Will milk do instead?"
Wanting to say 'no' to everything the Professor said, Kadaj remained silent because he knew he wouldn't eat the porridge without milk. He simply refused to agree on anything the man suggested. Pursing his lips like a food critic, he lifted his chin higher, making another demand because it pleased him when the adult had to do something for him, "I want sugar on it." At least they had to have sugar since Hojo had asked about sugar when they had tea. And now that he had given another demand, he might just accept the milk, "And I want the milk… and some tea." He was still avoiding looking at the man but had to take a small glance to see if he was obeying the orders.
Hojo narrowed his eyes at Kadaj and breathed deeply to keep himself from growing even more annoyed. Oh yes – he wasn't going to be let off lightly. Still, there was no cause for rudeness. Thank goodness he hadn't been given a demand that he was unable to fulfil. Little brat would have probably thrown a full-blown tantrum for sure. Offering a false smile that only lasted as long as the curt nod he gave; the Professor resigned himself to doing as Kadaj demanded – determined not to lose his composure, but struggling to maintain it in the wake of childish demanding.
The milk and sugar were quickly located and placed down in front of the little remnant before the Professor turned away to see about the tea. He hesitated and plucked the lemon-infusions down again. "Same again, yes?"
He had seen the smile, oh yes, but ignored it because he didn't trust it. "Yes," The remnant replied with determination, still with his chin held high as he started pouring the milk and sugar onto his porridge. Twirling his spoon in the even whiter mass, he was slowly starting to feel better now that the human was obeying him. After all, the Professor had to like him a little bit otherwise he wouldn't bother to go through all the trouble of pleasing the boy. Tasting the porridge and munching it, he liked it now and started eating in earnest. It didn't take long to empty the whole bowl and he waited for the tea, tapping his fingertips against the table impatiently.
While it was good to know that Kadaj had eaten, it was maddening to hear the tapping sound as the small fingers drummed the table while he waited for water to heat. Tiny things like that tended to get on Hojo's nerves if he was in a mood. Since a watched kettle never boiled, he had to turn his attention elsewhere, seeking a distraction. He frowned as he looked out the window. It had gotten lighter but it was hard to tell what the weather was like. Tap, tap, tap. Though the child's fingers were small, the room was quiet and the sound rang through clear as a bell. The seconds ticked past slowly. It was so annoying. After clearing his throat, the Professor looked at the small hand that beat against the table. "Would you mind stopping that? The tea will be ready when it's ready."
The now bored child was also gazing out of the window. He didn't really care if it was snowing or shining, it would be cold either way. His sharp senses informed him of the way he was being looked at. Pleased by the attention, he ignored the Professor's request at first. Turning his head so he could actually look at the human and see the tension growing tighter on his temples, he brought his fingers to a sudden halt. "And what will you do if… I don't stop?" Would the man grab his arm like he had when Kadaj had stuffed the papers in the fireplace? Would he take a knife and try to cut the fingers off? He was very curious, but right now he didn't want to see the adult angry and thus clenched his fingers to a fist. He wouldn't have minded if the man grabbed him, as long as there was no shouting and no weapons. Pursing his lips again and tilting his head, he regarded Hojo and wondered if their friendship had come to an end.
The elder did not like what the child was insinuating at all. It was as though Kadaj was taunting him, daring him to become violent. Had Kadaj been someone else, the scientist might indeed have become violent and swiftly and decisively made him regret crossing him. But the child was not someone else. The child was Kadaj and, disgruntled as he was, he couldn't raise a hand against him. A very small portion of it was fear that the sword would be drawn again but most of it was something else. Something he didn't really care to admit as it would lower his guard and make him seem weaker than he was. Hojo was a proud creature who didn't appreciate seeming any less than he was. Still, he sighed and looked at the tiny fist on the table. "Nothing, Kadaj. Not a thing." He felt very defeated. But he couldn't raise a hand against someone who had seen fit to guard him while he slept.
The Professor wasn't the only proud creature in the room. Hearing the sigh, Kadaj felt as if the adult had come to the borderline of his patience. Not wanting to push him over the edge, the boy remained silent and dropped the clenched fist in his lap, just to draw it away from the Professor's gaze in case just seeing Kadaj's hand would cause him to explode. Trying to be quiet and harmless, he directed the green eyes back to the window. He wanted to go get his gloves from the desk but didn't dare to, as if he was a bunny and there was a hawk watching him, something that would attack him if he dared to move. It most likely would have been a verbal attack, but Kadaj didn't want any of that. He could hear the water boiling, probably flowing over the edges already, but he said nothing. The remnant didn't necessarily even want the tea, the only reason he had wanted it was to boss the human around, but now that game was no fun anymore.
Staring hard at the form of the little remnant, the Professor saw how Kadaj became very still and wondered at what it was the child thought about. Although he had thought that the boy's needs were simple, the boy had a complex personality. That much Hojo knew from the way his moods seemed to change at the slightest provocation. After merely staring for a time, he soon became aware of the sound of the water boiling and turned away at once to deal with it. With the heat turned off, it was a matter of simply waiting for the water to settle a little before it could be poured into mugs.
Again, the thought of the tea prompted him into thinking on the night before and the Professor's thoughts turned to what Kadaj had said to him moments before he reacted badly. Though he wasn't one to dwell on what was past, he couldn't help but wonder if those three words had been true. Swallowing his pride for a few moments, Hojo selected two mugs and set the tea-bags in to draw along with a copious amount of milk for Kadaj. It still looked pretty dreadful to his eye – more milk than tea – but he did it anyway and placed the mug down in front of the remnant.
"I need to say something. I never thanked you properly." It was harder than he thought to say anything on the subject, but he was saying it nonetheless. It wasn't often that someone went out of their way to do anything for him. Especially not something as considerate as offering to protect him.
Looking out of the window while listening to the water being poured in the mugs, the remnant was lost in his thoughts when the mug was placed in front of him. He only had a short moment to look at the colour in the mug, pleased to find the hot contents being soothed with the milk; he really didn't like anything too hot because his tongue was so sensitive to heat. The words brought him to utter confusion, his head snapping to look at the tall adult with wide green eyes. Was he being thanked for stopping with the tapping? It was rare for the remnant to blush – perhaps his blood circulation differed from a human's – but right now his cheeks started burning terribly. Feeling extremely shy and vulnerable suddenly, he didn't know how to react. Should he say 'you're welcome' and explain that he wasn't tapping in order to annoy the man?
Blinking in confusion, to his utter horror, he realised he still felt attached and wanted nothing more than to drape himself all over the Professor and cling there. Dropping his eyes to the mug to hide his burning cheeks, he finally muttered, "You don't need to thank me for anything…" He knew that he was the one who should be thanking the adult for letting him stay and for not throwing him out in the cold. In fact, the man had been a complete stranger and still had let him stay and had taken care of him, giving him food and warmth. Hojo had even given him a family, despite his brother and Mother weren't here right now.
Feeling guilty all of a sudden, he did something he would rarely do – apologies or being humble weren't strengths of his – and muttered, "I'm sorry if I've annoyed you… I'm sorry I took your ribbon…" It hadn't exactly been a ribbon, more like an elastic band, but he didn't see any difference between the meanings of the words.
The Professor's generally stern expression softened a little as Kadaj's pale cheeks flushed pink and the child dropped his gaze to hide from him. Such a sensitive little creature. It wasn't a wonder then that the boy had gone off in a huff after being told to let go. As awkward as he felt about saying 'thank you,' it was apparent to him now that Kadaj felt just as awkward saying 'sorry'. Maybe more so.
Nonetheless, an apology was an apology and Hojo accepted it graciously since he believed that such things would not come around very often with this child. "It's quite alright, Kadaj." After a brief hesitation, the elder reached out to pat the boy gently on the head. He still had something he wanted to say but it wouldn't come out properly. He wanted to know if the remnant had meant those words from before and he wanted to say something to similar effect. Only the words wouldn't come out so he changed the subject. "I guess I should find you a coat or something – that leather doesn't look like it'll stand up to the cold for long."
Kadaj sipped his barely warm tea to distract himself from his burning cheeks and feeling of guilt, but as he placed the mug back on the table, someone else gave him the feeling of relief. With a soft sigh, he relaxed when the warm human hand touched his hair and all the pain he'd felt ebbed away so easily. Hesitantly looking up at the man, he gave a little smile and then reached out to hug his waist briefly before letting go. He didn't dare to start clinging, but now he was pleased again. Sipping his tea once more, he narrowed his eyes as the soft milky taste caressed his tongue.
"Mmm..." The boy agreed and nodded, now looking at the adult again, eyes raking the clothing to notice it looked very much the same as the previous day. The same type but he could tell these weren't the same clothes, they just looked somewhat similar. "Yes, I want a coat… and mittens…"He flexed his bare fingers, not believing the leather gloves would keep him warm enough if they stayed outside for a long time. "You need a coat too…" he demanded gently. In his eyes, the human was something fragile. Humans were weak and vulnerable compared to magical creatures like himself. Having gotten enough of the tea and now emotionally free of any pain, he headed for the desk and put his gloves on, then returned and just stared up the Professor, expecting to be dressed in warmer clothing.
That small hug felt pleasing for it meant that the child's mood was restored and that the elder had also been forgiven. He would have to make a conscious effort not to speak carelessly or it might offend Kadaj. As the latest demands were made, albeit sounding a trifle less demanding than before, Hojo noted the boy's overall shape and size and also how those small fingers flexed. It was a reasonable request to want mittens as well. He couldn't remember if he'd bought any while he stocked up on supplies. He doubted it. At the time, he'd been thinking of putting it off until they were actually needed and had been focused solely on locating any other means of finding Jenova's cells that would avoid snow. He blinked at Kadaj's talk of him getting a coat as well and then shrugged. Finding something in his own size would be easy and he wasn't picky. Kadaj, on the other hand, was a child with very strong preferences. Thankfully, Icicle was no stranger to children.
He was just about finished his tea when Kadaj appeared by his side again and stared up at him. Time to get some more supplies, then. He placed the mug down and tilted his head at the child before asking a rather important question, "How long did it take you to get here, have you any idea?" Though it was still early and they could make it to the crater in good time if they set off immediately, even if the weather was poor, there was a problem. If they reached their destination and couldn't find what they were looking for, they would have to return before it got dark. If their luck held, it might be a clear night and not pitch black but Hojo doubted that either of them liked the cold enough to endure a night-time journey through the frozen wastes. Therefore, it was imperative to know what their time-limit was.
Fortunately, there were more ways than one of getting places in Icicle. Just a shame that it had been quite a long time since the Professor had had anything to do with Chocobos.
"Hmmm…" Kadaj's head tilted as he thought and he turned absentmindedly to stare out of the window. He was very bad with time. He didn't really understand how it worked and clocks were just numbers to him at this point in life. "I don't know…" he finally said, a little disappointed with himself for not being useful at all. Returning his gaze to the adult, he said, "I knew there had to be houses here because I could see smoke…" That was as much of an answer as he could give. Shrugging, he stated, "I might need a hat too… unless the jacket has a hood…" He didn't really care what he'd wear, he'd be fine even with a blanket, anything that would grant him a shield against the wind and snowflakes. Not having really considered how much clothing Hojo had, he suddenly added, "But if you don't have a jacket for me, I can take the blanket…"
Frowning, Hojo weighed his options in light of this new information and wondered what they ought to do. He supposed a Chocobo would be their best bet as he absolutely did not want to get caught out without a fairly speedy means of getting back. He was puzzled though. Very puzzled that Kadaj could not remember how long it had taken. Although, the boy had only just been born and a white horizon didn't offer much in the way of stimulation if one were to walk through it while it snowed. It could have taken hours or even a whole day.
Assuming that it had taken longer than an hour but less than a day, the Professor shook his head at Kadaj's good-natured suggestion to take only the blanket. "As much as I appreciate your thoughtfulness, I think you'll definitely need a jacket. A blanket won't keep you warm for very long once you're out and about. Hmm... I suppose I'll have to purchase one for you." Even if Kadaj didn't get cold with the blanket on, it wouldn't be very handy if they had to start digging about for anything once inside the crater.
On that thought, the Professor suddenly departed to the next room. Yes, he'd almost forgotten. In a small knapsack in the corner, he had stashed a few specimen containers. Since Jenova's status was unknown, it might be best to bring something to collect even just a part of her, should they find anything at all. The same went for Sephiroth's remains, if indeed any existed. These he could bring with him, just in case. And since Kadaj would be accompanying him, it might be best to pack a few rations – packet-rations this time and simple fare at that. "Alright, I suppose we should go then. Um..." He remembered the sword hanging from Kadaj's back again and spoke deadly serious. "If you decide to bring your sword, you'd better keep it hidden or we'll both wind up in trouble."
The little remnant followed the Professor around, watching his every move with a childish curiosity, observing as the man was packing something. A sudden smile appeared on his lips, the green eyes shining bright, "Purchase? You mean… are you going to buy me something?" Releasing a little noise of excitement, he started hopping around. To him it meant the same thing as being given a gift. Hojo could have just as well promised to buy him a motorbike or a kitten, so happy the remnant was. The hopping only came to a stop at the mentioning of his Souba. Turning in a swift to look at the man, he made a thinking sound. Slowly taking his Souba off, he looked at the weapon, then at the man, "Should I leave it here while we go… shopping?"
Even if he left the twin bladed Katana on the couch, it would most likely appear on his back sooner or later. Since he was born with it, it was a part of him. He didn't know how they could hide an object that big as it might not fit in any sort of bag or rucksack. Considering the possibility of hiding it inside his leather clothing, he decided no. Without waiting for an answer, he placed the beloved sword on the couch, then took the human by the hand and started leading him towards the door, eager to go see how the human would 'purchase' something for him. He was so happy, he looked up at the man and gave him a sweet smile, eyes narrowing with joy.
The elder couldn't honestly see what was so marvelous about the prospect of buying things. Like a lot of people, he wasn't over fond of the activity and viewed it as a chore. This was most especially the case whenever he needed something and found it immediately, the entire transaction lasting maybe a few minutes at most. If something was difficult to find or the task could be passed off to a third party, it was usually done that way if he could help it. However, he believed he understood why Kadaj was suddenly hopping from foot to foot and felt that odd sense of flattery again.
He kept an eye on the Souba until it was laid down, looking quite unremarkable on the couch. That was to the good but Hojo would lock the door as well in any case. Though Kadaj couldn't know where it was they were going, the Professor let himself be led forwards. It would seem that he'd joined the ranks of those countless people who had to bring excitable children about for things. Never once in his life would he have thought that such a thing would come to pass. Still, it couldn't be that hard, could it? The smile on Kadaj's face seemed pleasantly reassuring in its sweetness. A flicker of sentimentality informed the scientist that one could easily get used to such a nice sight.
Stepping outside, the air was quite still – cold but still and with no snow drifting downwards. That could change at a moment's notice, he thought pessimistically. After making sure that he'd locked the door, the elder stashed the key in his chest pocket and began the short trudge to the general goods store. The snow about was mostly undisturbed as few people had become mobile yet, save for those who had businesses to run. At peak times during the day, there would be tracks everywhere and people bustling about their daily affairs.