The sound of the slap resonated through the bedroom, chocking both occupants that were sitting on the bed.
Miyuki shook her head, her cheek stinging from the force Shizuma had used to draw her back from the bluenette's inner torment. She raised one hand to her glowing skin and wiped her bloodstained fingers across the bright red spot that had the shape of a woman's hand. Shizuma noticed absently how well their hands fitted each other, as Miyuki's hand covered the print of her own. She was pulled away from her thoughts as a silent voice reached her ears.
'What did you do that for?'
The silver haired girl couldn't detect any anger in that voice, only wonder and…curiosity?
She blinked a few times, focusing on the tiny rivers of blood that marked her loved one's delicate body. She smiled sadly and hugged herself, still feeling the coldness in Miyuki's eyes hitting her with surprising force. She didn't want to experience that ever again…
Not if I can prevent it. I will protect her, even if it is from herself!
'You were hurting…and the only way I could stop it, was to stop you from hurting yourself…I'm sorry Miyuki but it was the only way I could think of!'
Miyuki nodded carefully, feeling the dried blood on her fingertips as she drew small circles with them to numb the stinging pain in her cheek. She resisted the urge to retreat in herself, knowing very well Shizuma wouldn't let her. She also knew it hurt her friend deeply when she put on barriers to hide her feelings, and she didn't want that. Seeing pain and grief in the green eyes before her was the last thing the bluenette wanted to, she loved Shizuma too much for that.
'I know…I know…'
When Shizuma heard the defeated tone in Miyuki's voice she had to resist the urge to draw her into a hug and never let her go. It was time they had a serious talk about a certain someone that was currently living in the blue haired girl's house.
Shizuma gave Miyuki a weak smile and clasped her hands around the trembling fingers that were still caressing the red skin.
'I'll explain what that phone call was about, but I want you to promise that you will tell me what is going on in that household of yours. I want you to tell me, and I want you to tell me everything, because this has been going on for long enough and it's time to put an end to this.'
Miyuki swallowed.
No way out this time. But I think…
Brown eyes locked with green and saw someone they could trust.
…I think I don't want to run anymore…
Shizuma saw the walls crumble and the silent acceptation that shone in those chocolate coloured orbs she loved more than life itself.
'Right, the pictures…well to make a long story short; when I wanted to change your clothes when you were ill, I noticed the..er…well, bruises you had on your abdomen and back. I didn't take a genius to figure out that those bruises were not from falling down the stairs.'
Miyuki flinched as she heard Shizuma repeat one of her basic explanations. Okay, cliché as it might have been, the rare occasions someone saw them, they believed her when she said she's fallen or tripped. Who would care after all? They all thought she was clumsy anyway, so Miyuki used that to her advantage when someone made a comment about the ugly bruises marking her body. Well…there was someone who did care…but she would be gone soon enough when her lessons started again.
O Shizuma…
Knowing very she had sabotaged one of Miyuki's excuses Shizuma told her about the pictures.
'I couldn't just let that pass, Miyuki. I didn't really know what I wanted to do with them, I just thought that we'd need proof if we…you know…wanted to press charges against him.'
This caught the bluenette's full attention.
'Press charges? Oh no, I can't do that Shizuma! I know for sure my family won't believe me, even if we showed them! They would cut me off, and I'd be all alone, I can't …'
'You would have me…'
Miyuki's voice faltered as she stared at her best friend. Yes, she would have Shizuma…even if Shizuma would grow bored of her – Miyuki still wasn't sure if the goddess of Miator would want to keep her as a …girlfriend – but even if that would happen, they'd still be friends.
And that was one of the reasons Miyuki didn't want anyone else to know about the beatings.
'Yes, Shizuma, I know that. But I don't want to cause any problems. No, hear me out! Let's say that my family believes me, alright? We talk with them, go to court etcetera etcetera, we will press charges against my husband…and then what? You don't actually believe he will let me get away with this; do you? I didn't ask for a divorce, not because of my family, no Shizuma, not because of them. I don't care about them leaving me in the cold, I see that now.'
She looked at Shizuma with pleading eyes, begging her to understand.
Shizuma merely sighed and shook her head.
'Why didn't you ask for a divorce then? What's holding you back? I don't understand!'
Miyuki suddenly snapped and took Shizuma's head between her hands, forcing her to look her right in the eyes.
'You don't get it do you? My husband might not be the brightest man in his family, but he's not stupid either! His family is wealthy, but not as wealthy as mine! They need this bound of families to expand their businnes and go abroad! They won't let me divorce one of them!'
She suddenly pulled her hands back and hugged her knees, rocking back and forth in an attempt to comfort herself.
Shizuma looked at her with bewilderment.
'What do you mean?'
Miyuki's head shot back up, boring her eyes straight in Shizuma's.
'They know I don't have many friends, but they do know about one. Someone that is very special to me Shizuma, and they threatened her. They threatened they would hurt her if I ever tried to get out of the marriage.'
She let out a hollow laugh.
'It sounds like one of those old movies…with bad scripts and all that…where a girl tries to leave a marriage, but where the man threatens somebody close to her to prevent her from leaving.'
She threw her head back and closes her eyes.
'Only this time, it's not a movie with a script or a director or actors. I'm living the script Shizuma, and there's no director to tell me what to do.'
Miyuki opened her eyes again and they filled with tears as she looked at her friend's pale face.
'The person they threatened to hurt is you, Shizuma…and there's no storybook that can tell how this will end…'
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hi there, another chapter after a very long period of silence. I've got no real excuse, except for the fact that I'm very busy with school since it's my last year and that there are a lot of difficult choices to be made.
Once again, it's not beta'd. I've sent her a message a couple of times, but I haven't heard from her since months so…well, if any of you would like to take their chances with me, you're always welcome J
Disclaimer: O for crying out loud! Do I HAVE to?
