(warning: this chapter contains limes. in the plural.)
You'll never leave me and you know it's true
'Cause you like me too much and I like you
I really do...
...............
'That was a good dream,' was Satoshi's first thought as he woke up the first morning in Shion's closet-- err, guest room. 'Although, I don't think Shion would... actually...' Satoshi flushed. '... Get your mind out of the gutter, Satoshi. It was just a dream... just a fantasy... Shion would never let--'
Satoshi's train of thought was broken by someone kissing him on the cheek.
"Good morning, Satoshi-kun," Shion said drowsily, sounding very pleased with herself. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, very wel-- Sh-Shion?!?"
Shion was in Satoshi's bed, under the covers next to him, with her hair tangled into twisted spikes (her hair being green, this had a very medusa-like affect). It didn't look too much like she was wearing anything.
"Yes?" Shion asked. "Is something wrong?" She rolled over a little to give Satoshi a one-armed hug.
...Shion was decidedly not wearing anything.
But if Shion was in his bed, naked, then...
"IT WASN'T A DREAM?!?" Satoshi yelped, sitting up quickly.
Shion, having been thrown off of Satoshi as he sprung up, blinked. "What wasn't a-- oh."
She blushed like a tomato and looked the other way. "If you mean... last night, well... It was like a dream..."
"So I... we..."
"Y-yes."
"Oh, Shion," Satoshi whispered, "I'm so sorry."
It was Shion's turn to sit up in surprise. "Satoshi-kun is... sorry?" She gasped, sounding hurt.
"I know, an apology isn't enough," Satoshi sighed. "After I... intrude on your apartment..."
"S-Satoshi-kun--" Shion started to say, but Satoshi cut her off.
"Eat your food for free--"
"Satoshi-kun--"
"All of this without any form of payment--"
"Satoshi-kun--!"
"I go and... do this to you... deflower... defile... destroy..."
"But... Satoshi-kun!" Shion yelled, finally getting his attention. "I wanted you to!"
Satoshi froze.
"You told me to stop if you went too far," Shion continued. "Did I? Did I tell you to stop, Satoshi-kun?"
Satoshi's face colored as he remembered the events of the evening before. "N-No, you... told me to..."
"Exactly. Quite the opposite. So, yes, Satoshi-kun came to my apartment and eats here for free. Yes Satoshi-kun took other... liberties. B-but, I wanted you to, so... please don't be sorry!" Shion pleaded, tears starting to collect in her eyes. "Don't be sorry for doing that with me! Because I... I'm so, so glad you did!"
The two teenagers sat there for a moment, blushing and trying not to look at each other.
Satoshi broke the silence. "But... I really should've have..."
"But you did, Satoshi-kun, and I don't feel violated, so you don't need to feel like you did anything wrong. In fact, given the choice, I'd prefer Satoshi-kun do it again...!" Shion mumbled, her face gaining more of its crimson hue with every word.
"Is that... so..." Satoshi said, a smile breaking over his face, finally taking the point of view he knew Shion wanted him to. "Well, the least I can do for intruding on your house and eating your food is making you happy..."
Shion nodded. "Now, that's the attitude I was hoping for when we woke up," she giggled. "Kiss me?"
"Don't mind if I do," Satoshi replied, wrapping his arms around her and pressing their lips together.
"Satoshi-kun, I love you so much..." Shion whispered.
'This girl,' Satoshi wondered. 'Is there anything she wouldn't do for me? It's almost... frightening...'
Satoshi shook his head and turned his attention to Shion. Her body was warm... he held her tighter, deepening the kiss, falling back onto the mattress of the bed in Shion's closet-- I mean, guest room.
...........
The clock on the wall chimed noon.
"Call me crazy, but I think we're both late for school," Satoshi said.
"I might call in sick," Shion said lazily, tracing circles on his chest.
"I might do the same," Satoshi decided, "But the phone's in your room and I'd have to let go of you to get up."
"I'll come with you," Shion suggested, "And then you don't have to let go of me."
Satoshi picked Shion up and ran out of the closet-- umm, guest room-- into Shion's bedroom, grabbed the phone, and sat on Shion's desk with her in his lap.
Shion called her school and told her teacher in a very weak voice she that wasn't feeling very well.
She then handed the phone to Satoshi, who called the school in Hinamizawa.
It was lunch break in Hinamizawa, so it should not have been a surprise that Satoko answered the phone in the classroom.
"Hello, Houjo Satoshi speaki--"
"Nii Nii! Where are you?" Satoko gasped. "I thought... I thought you were going to leave town! And I'd never see you again!"
"I did," Satoshi said. "I'm in Okinomiya, actually. And I'm still going to school with you and the others. I'm just not feeling too well today, so I'll come back tomorrow, all right?"
"Can I come visit you?" Satoko asked. "Nii Nii, I was so worried..."
"Umm, I'll have to ask my landlady about that," Satoshi coughed. He looked over at Shion, who had been listening in on their conversation.
She nodded slowly... reluctantly.
'Right,' Satoshi thought. 'Shion doesn't that that highly of Satoko, I remember that now. Because she sees her as a burden to me... I think. Of course, this doesn't mean I'm particularly glad for that little outburst of hers last week, but I suppose it's the thought that counts.'
"...Your sister can visit as long as she doesn't make you feel any worse," Shion said a little stiffly.
Satoshi translated this into the phone as, "Yes, but I'm very tired so don't make too much noise."
"I... I promise to be quiet!" Satoko promised. "I'll even bring you some soup! I just want to see my Nii Nii again!"
"I'll see you then," Satoshi said. He gave Satoko the address for Shion's apartment and then said, "... Could you put Mion on for a second?"
"Sure." There was a rustling noise over the phone line, and then Mion's voice interjected with:
"You're not staying at my sister's house, are you?"
"Muu..." Satoshi blinked. "Where'd you come up with an assumption like that...?"
He grinned. "Now, since I'm not feeling well, could you pass a message along to Shion next time you see her?"
Shion swiveled her head in Satoshi's direction and looked at him quizzically.
"I guess, what is it?"
"Could you tell Shion... that Houjo Satoshi says he loves her very much and is so glad someone loves him back?"
"Oh, come on," Mion sighed. "That's so mushy. ...Fine. But I'll expect some sort of payment when you come back!"
Mion hung up on her end, and Satoshi put the phone down.
"She didn't seem too surprised at my confession," Satoshi wondered.
"I told my sister about the kiss a few days ago," Shion whispered, snaking her arms around his neck. "And how much I love you, and about how sweet you are."
"How could I not be?" Satoshi murmured, twisting his head around to kiss her.
It was Shion, who loved him too much for her own good and whom he couldn't get enough of. What else could he do?
He held her closer and kissed her again.
They were still like this, sitting on the desk, kissing passionately, completely naked, when Testuyoshi Kasai came in through the door ten minutes later holding a bag of groceries.
The groceries dropped and Kasai bowled over the two, knocking Satoshi to the floor with a kick to the face while placing himself protectively in front of Shion.
"Get some clothes on," the angry bodyguard growled, "And then you two have some explanations to make."
............
"Now that you're both... clothed," Kasai said, looking at the two teenagers on the couch across from him, "Would the gentleman care to explain why my charge was in his lap, naked?"
"He wasn't hurting me!" Shion protested.
"It didn't look like he was hurting you," Kasai growled, his unexpressive face coloring slightly behind his sunglasses. "But you were still both naked."
"I'm sorry..." Satoshi mumbled, holding up an ice pack to his wounded cheekbone. "We... got a little carried away..."
It was amazing to Satoshi how a man wearing sunglasses could glare at him so forcefully. Maybe that was part of his training. All Satoshi knew was that it scared him a little.
"Satoshi-kun is staying here because his uncle kicked him out," Shion said helpfully. "Eheheh, I guess you could say one thing left to another..."
"Yes," Kasai grunted, "I can see that."
"I'm sorry," Satoshi sighed, flushing. "I... I can promise I won't do it again. I really shouldn't have done that to--"
"Don't promise that!" Shion gasped. "Kasai is my bodyguard! If you're... embarrassed, I can ask him not to tell anyone, even if he doesn't like it..."
"I'm not embarrassed of you," Satoshi said quickly, giving Shion's hand a squeeze. "But... I know first-hand how hard it is to be ostracized in Hinamizawa..."
"I'll be fine," Shion said. "I know better than you think. We should explain things better to Kasai, though. He looks pretty angry right now..."
"I never said I was angry," Kasai said gruffly.
Shion blinked. "You're?"
"You're only young once," the large man continued, the trace of a smile almost visible on his stony face. "So, I suppose this isn't a problem... as long as Shion doesn't get hurt."
"I would never do anything to hurt Shion," Satoshi breathed, half out of truth and half out of fear.
"Good," Kasai said. "Because, if you did..."
He reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled a gun halfway out, nodded, and put it away.
"...Yes, sir," Satoshi gulped. "I understand."
"Good," Kasai said again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll have to replace the groceries I dropped and broke when I walked in on you two."
He got up out of the chair he was sitting in and left the apartment.
Satoshi let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in.
"Don't worry," Shion giggled. "Kasai may look scary, but he's a real sweetheart. He's more of a nanny than a bodyguard."
"Hence the groceries...?" Satoshi asked.
"Hence the groceries." Shion's stomache grumbled. "I should really make breakfast..."
"I think, considering the situation, I should make breakfast," Satoshi pointed out. "I mean, I hear the morning after... ummm, you know... the girl doesn't always... feel too good, so..."
"I'm fine," Shion said, giving Satoshi a hug. "Besides, you don't know the way around my kitchen."
"... And the only thing I can cook without burning is omelette," Satoshi chuckled. "And sometimes I burn that too."
"...Omelette would be nice," Shion thought aloud. "If Satoshi-kun is that eager to cook for me."
"I think you deserve someone else to make you breakfast after sharing nearly everything you have with me," Satoshi said.
Shion giggled. "Not everything, I haven't given you any money yet."
"You've given me food you payed for," Satoshi pointed out. "That's about the same."
Shion's stomach grumbled again. Satoshi kissed her forehead lightly and proceeded to attempt to make breakfast.
...................
The next day, Satoshi woke up in Shion's bed, with Shion in his arms and a smile on his face. He got up, took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast with Shion, kissed her goodbye and was out the door.
When he got to school, Satoshi was greeted by his little sister, who was crying.
"Nii Nii... I missed you!" was all she managed to get out before whatever she said drowned out under the sound of her own sobs.
"Are you okay?" Satoshi asked quickly, crinkling his brow in worry. "Has Uncle been mistreating you again?"
"It's... the same as usual," Satoko mumbled, clinging onto the back of her brother's shirt. "Actually, I think he might be packing to leave... he hasn't been the same since our aunt died..."
"Let's hope he leaves as quickly as possible, then..." Satoshi said weakly. "Satoko, I'm so sorry I can't be there to protect you..."
"I was going to visit you yesterday at the place you're staying, but I had to make dinner... the soup that I intended for Nii Nii went down Uncle's throat..." Satoko sniffed. "I'm sorry, Nii Nii..."
Memories of the real reason Satoshi hadn't come to school flooded his memory along with guilt. He'd caused more unnecessary pain for his sister... he hadn't thought of it at the time. It had sounded like a good idea to stay in the small, safe apartment yesterday; it was quiet there, no one yelled or made the people he loved worry there... and it goes without saying that Shion was there. Which made the other reasons almost mere conveniences in the end...
"D-Don't worry," Satoshi said. "It was just a little... cold. I'm all better now, okay?"
"Okay..." Satoko sighed. "Don't make us worry like that, all right? We all thought you'd flown the coup..."
"Is the place you're staying expensive?" Rika asked, apparently having just entered the classroom. "If it's too much, you could stay at my house, nano desu."
"Oh, I wouldn't want to trouble you," Satoshi laughed. "Trust me, except for the fact that it's not with Satoko, I'm fine where I am."
"You do look better rested than usual..." Rika noted. "But you know, I'm lonely living by myself. Nipah!"
She smiled innocently, but something told Satoshi that Rika knew exactly what was going on.
They locked eyes. Rika's expression changed very little, but Satoshi got the message all the same...
The look in the Furude priestess's eyes said, 'What you're doing is wrong.'
........................
From there, Satoshi's day didn't get much worse, but it didn't get much better either. Along with the occasional well-disguised glare from Rika, Mion had taken it upon herself to tease Satoshi about the fact that he was dating her sister as much as possible.
"Say, Satoshi?" She asked during the middle of workbook time. "You're dating my sister, right?"
"Yeah..." Satoshi mumbled, blushing a little. "Why...?"
"Do you like her for her personality or is it just her looks?" Mion giggled malevolently. "Because if you liked her for her looks you coulda had me years ago--"
"Obviously, it's not for her looks then," Satoshi said quietly. "It must be her selfless personality and her sweet disposition..."
"Dude, you're whupped!" Mion laughed, loudly enough that nearly everyone in the room turned their heads and looked at her for a second before going back to their workbooks.
"Eh?" Rena, the recent transfer student who'd become fast friends with Mion, asked. "Mii-chan has a sister?"
"We're identical twins," Mion said mysteriously. "Maybe you've already met her...!"
"Maybe Rena has!" Rena giggled, playing along with what she thought was a joke. "Was it you or her that day Mii-chan said she liked someone~?"
"That must have been Shion," Mion coughed, kicking Rena's chair.
"Oh dear, that is confusing," Rena laughed. "Rena wonders, if Mii-chan and Mii-chan's sister stood side by side, could Rena tell them apart?"
"Only if you came across them by chance," Satoshi noted. "If Shion wants to be Mion, she's very convincing. But normally, she wears her hair differently and choses... different clothing."
"You were going to say 'more feminine,' weren't you," Mion said, glaring.
"I was not," Satoshi lied. He knew Mion was defensive of her girliness-- or rather, lack thereof. "I was going to say 'classier,' if you must know."
"Riiiiiiight," Mion said, "I don't believe you!"
"I think Mii-chan is jealous that her sister's cuter," Rena giggled. "Ohhh, what if she really is? Rena wants to meet her! Rena wants to take her home!"
"Errrr... she might not appreciate that," Satoshi laughed. 'Besides, it seems that Shion's job is to take people home, not the other way around.'
"Rena's right though," Mion laughed, "Compared to Shion, I'm like an old man..."
"That's right, nano desu," Rika giggled from a table away. "Mii the old man..."
Mion referred to herself as an old man for the rest of the day, thinking it was very funny. It didn't even let up during club activities, said activities resulting in Satoko scrubbing the school hallway in a maid outfit while Rena chased after her.
Satoshi's little sister looked a little uncomfortable uncomfortable, but seemed to be having fun nonetheless. Satoshi was just glad that Satoko was able to play with her friends like most little girls were able to.
After club activities, Satoshi walked back up to Okinomiya for work. The job was basic physical labor, in this case hammering nails into boards in the skeleton of a house the company was building. He did what they told him to, and he got points with the higher-ups that might or might not affect his paycheck, and by the end of two hours Satoshi was tired.
Worn out from a grating day of school and work, Satoshi trudged back to the apartment complex where Shion lived and up two flights of stairs, then knocked on the door.
It opened after the sound of scampering feet and an excited giggle. Shion opened the door with a smile on her face as the smell of what was probably dinner wafted toward Satoshi's nose.
"Welcome home-- Satoshi-kun, are you all right? You look so tired..."
"I guess I had what you'd call a rough day," Satoshi sighed as Shion grabbed his hand and led him inside.
"Is there anything I can do?" She asked quickly, taking Satoshi's bag and setting it down, closing the door behind her.
"... I don't remember the last time someone asked me that," Satoshi realized.
Shion sighed exasperatedly. "That's because the villagers are prejudiced towards Satoshi-kun because of his parents, when it's not even his fault... you never have to worry about that with me, Satoshi-kun. You're you, Satoshi-kun, and your life has been much too difficult so far for me, who loves you, not try and make it a little easier..."
"Shion, you need to work on this habit you have of saying to me everything I wish someone would say to me," Satoshi mumbled. "I'll be spoiled."
Shion giggled. "I'm only saying what I'm thinking, Satoshi-kun. If you don't like taking a break once in awhile that's not my problem. Now take your shoes off and come eat dinner, okay?"
Satoshi smiled. "As you wish."
.....................................
Satoshi lived the next three days in the same pattern: waking up next to Shion, going to school with a lunch she'd make for him, finding at school that his sister was still being mistreated but had less the amount of acquired bruises than the day before, going to club activities (and subsequently having to explain his maid-like state of dress to Shion when he went home on the second day), having the usual difficult time at work... finding once he got home to the small, quiet apartment, that none of it really mattered after an evening spent with Shion.
It baffled Satoshi how much effort she put into just making him comfortable, how highly she valued his opinion... how highly she valued him in general. It was a nice change of pace from being hated all the time, but it was also a little disorienting.
And all Satoshi had to do to make her happy was say he loved her. According to Shion, just the idea that Satoshi could love her was baffling.
"Shion, do you ever think that you're spoiling me just a little?" Satoshi chuckled over dinner on the third day.
Shion shook her head. "No, I think Satoshi-kun deserves it after all he's been through..."
"What I deserve is..." Satoshi looked down. "I don't deserve much."
The phrase 'I killed my aunt, after all,' was left unsaid, but Shion clearly knew what he was talking about.
"Satoshi-kun, it was all you could do," Shion said quietly. "In the same situation, I probably would have done the same. ... Are you full, or would you like seconds?"
"Seconds, please."
................................
When Satoshi came home on the sixth day, still shaking glitter out of his hair from club activities, the first thing he noticed was an extra pair of shoes left by the door.
The second thing he noticed was that they were Mion's.
The third thing he noticed was the sound of someone crying in the kitchen.
"What are you going to do?" Mion's voice asked quietly. "Are you going to tell him?"
"I-- I suppose I'll have to..." Shion's voice was shaking, accompanied by sobs and hiccups. "B-better than keeping it a secret, right?"
The twin sisters both laughed weakly.
"I... really should have been smarter about this..." Shion mumbled. "Safer, too... sorry for calling you out like this, Sis."
"Not a problem," Mion said softly. "Get some rest, okay? You've had quite a shock..."
What happened? Why was Shion crying?
It was bad enough that Satoko cried all the time. If someone was causing trouble for Shion, too... Satoshi wasn't sure what he'd do.
"... I'm home," Satoshi called tentatively, taking a few steps towards the kitchen. "... Shion? Are you there? ... Are you all right?"
"W-welcome home, Satoshi-kun... funny, I didn't hear the door open..." Shion's head poked itself out from the kitchen doorway. The skin around her eyes was red and puffy, the eyes themselves leaking tears. "I'm... I'm sorry, I... I haven't started dinner yet because my sister was visiting..."
"I was just leaving, actually," Mion announced, walking out of the kitchen. "I don't mean to impose..."
"N-No, sis, you can stay if you want..." Shion's voice wavered.
"Is something wrong?" Satoshi asked quickly. "You look like you've been crying..."
"I'm... I'm fine!"
"No you're not."
"Nothing's... nothing's..." Shion shook her head. "I'm... I'm fine! I'll get dinner started..."
"You should tell him," Mion said quietly. "I'm leaving now so I get home in time for dinner, so that gives you time to talk to him."
She gave her sister a hug and left the house, passing Satoshi on the way. When she came within three feet or Satoshi, she looked at him sporting one of the most furious faces Satoshi had ever seen.
Why was Mion so angry? Except for killing his aunt, Satoshi hadn't done anything... except sleep with Mion's sister... several times... but Mion didn't know about that. Right?
Mion put her shoes on and left the house, glaring at Satoshi a second time before closing the door behind her.
Shion waved weakly at the closed door and sniffed a little.
"Now will you tell me what's wrong?" Satoshi asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It sounds like it's pretty serious..."
"It's... it's nothing..." Shion mumbled.
Satoshi looked her square in the eyes. "Are you sure?"
"It's... it's... it's..." Shion looked down at her feet. "It's nothing... I've got to get dinner started, so if you'll excuse--"
"No, Shion." Satoshi slung his free arm around Shion's waist and pulled her close. "I think we both know something's wrong here. You're usually an excellent liar, so if it's this hard for you to hide it must be something important. And if it's something that can make you cry, then I want to know, because then maybe I can do something to help you. Tell me what's wrong..."
"Satoshi-kun..." Shion buried her head in his shoulder, clinging to him tightly. "Satoshi-kun, I'm so sorry! I... I..."
"You... what?" Satoshi asked slowly. "Why are you sorry? Did you do something to Satoko? Again?"
Shion shook and started to cry. "I haven't done anything to Satoko! That's not it! Satoshi-kun, I'm... I'm..."
If it didn't have anything to do with Satoko, then why was Shion sorry? Shion hadn't done anything to Satoshi. "You're what, Shion? What is it?"
"P-P-Pregnant!" Shion sobbed.
................
Pregnant.
................
That certainly explained why Mion was there earlier. Then, Mion was angry because...
"... I'm the father?" Satoshi asked quietly. His voice wouldn't come out right, and it sounded more like a squeak than a question.
"Yes!" Shion said immediately. "Satoshi-kun, who else would the father be? Satoshi-kun is the only person I've ever even thought of sleeping wi--"
"--I know," said Satoshi quickly. "Just... checking. Oh, Shion..."
"Don't apologize," Shion whispered. "This is my fault. I didn't tell you to stop, I didn't secure a means of protection, I didn't even... realize I might be pregnant until Sis visited and found your clothes on the floor in my room... it's all my fault..."
"No, I'm the one who couldn't control myself," Satoshi argued. "And I'm equally at fault for not being careful. It's my fault."
"My fault," Shion mumbled.
"My fault," Satoshi replied.
"My fault."
"My fault."
"My fault."
"My fault."
"No, it's my fault."
"... Does it really matter whose fault it is?" Satoshi sighed. "What we need to figure out now is what we're going to do about this."
Shion nodded slightly. "Does Satoshi-kun think we should or should not have the baby?" she asked waveringly.
"Shion, you're the one who has to have it if you want it," Satoshi decided. "So it's up to you."
"I..." Shion paused. "I'll have to think about it... Satoshi-kun, if, if I want the baby, what will you do?"
"I..." Satoshi's mind blanked. "I... I don't know... I guess..."
Satoshi and thought about it. No matter what Shion said, this was still all his fault. Completely, entirely his fault. What reaction would serve best to make Shion happy?
Obviously, he wasn't going to do the usual jerk-like thing and just leave her forever. Not when Shion cared about Satoshi as much as she did (which was more than he deserved, in his opinion, but still). With Shion, who had said more than once that Satoshi's love was the most important thing that ever happened to her, the only thing he could do was.... the thing that would make Shion happiest was...
"I'll stay with you," Satoshi whispered. "That seems the best thing to do, so I'll stay."
Shion looked up, her wet eyes crinkling a little at the bottom as she gave a very small, very fragile smile. "... Really? You're not going to leave me?"
"Never," Satoshi promised. "Muu... I mean... the baby should have both of its parents, right? If you really want it."
He laughed awkwardly, and gently rubbed the top of Shion's head with the hand that wasn't resting on her waist. "Right?"
"And... if I don't want the baby?" Shion asked. "I'm still not quite sure... what will you do then?"
Again, Satoshi said what he knew by now was what Shion wanted to hear. "I'll stay with you anyway. In... in case you want one later."
"You're serious, Satoshi-kun? You really mean it?"
"I really do." Satoshi buried his head in Shion's shoulder, holding her close with both arms. "Since I got you pregnant, the only thing to do, whether or not you had the baby, would be..."
"To stay," Shion mumbled. "Here. With me."
"Actually," Satoshi said slowly, "Most people would say that I'm now required to marry you."
A small, gasping noise came from the vicinity of Shion's throat. "Sa... Satoshi-kun... you'd do that? For me?"
"I think I should," Satoshi said quietly. "If you want me to. If you'll let me."
The brightness of Shion's subsequent smile cannot be described in words, but let us say that Satoshi was nearly blinded and the crinkling the smile caused at the corners of her eyes forced the tears that had collected there to spill out onto her cheek.
"Of course I will!" she exclaimed, squeezing Satoshi as tightly as she could. "Oh, Satoshi-kun..."
Satoshi chuckled. "You know... if someone told me twelve days ago that I was soon going to be verbally engaged to my classmate Mion's twin sister, I'd tell them they were crazy."
Shion giggled. "We have been moving awfully fast..."
"That we did," Satoshi sighed. "I guess we should have been a lot smarter... and I should have controlled myself. But... this is where we are now, and we're okay."
Shion nodded, smiling impossibly wider. "It's more than okay if I have Satoshi-kun with me. I... I wanted to marry Satoshi-kun eventually anyway... what's a couple years earlier going to hurt?"
"For one, I don't think your family is going to like it," Satoshi muttered. "And Kasai said he'd kill me if I made you cry... and... you cried..."
"I only cried because I thought you'd be angry with me," whispered Shion. "I was scared. But... I don't think that's your fault."
"It is," Satoshi argued, squeezing Shion a little tighter, "But if me staying with you is what will make you happy, then I'll do it, and maybe someday I'll forgive myself for not thinking about how you might feel."
"It's not your fault," Shion said.
"It is too."
"Is not."
"Is so."
Shion rolled her eyes. "Is not. Listen to us, we sound like kids."
"We are kids," Satoshi replied, "We just happen to be having a kid as well."
"Unless I decide not to," Shion mumbled. "... I still need to make dinner."
She started to break away from Satoshi's grip, but he only pulled her back.
"I think, under the circumstances, we can order takeout." Satoshi smiled and kissed Shion's forehead. "Okay?"
"Okay..."
That night, Satoshi kissed Shion softly and held her like he was afraid she would break, because he'd realized just how fragile she was.
"Satoshi-kun..." She murmured, running a hand through his hair, "I think I'm going to have the baby."
"All right," Satoshi replied.
He thought about what this implied for him.
"I'll look into getting a better job... it's time I started pulling my own weight around here. Besides, we'll need more money if we're going to support a baby..."
"But Satoshi-kun," Shion protested drowsily, "Then you won't be able to go back to baseball..."
After having said this, she fell asleep in Satoshi's arms, leaving him to think that unhappy thought over. Just before he fell into his dreams, he could have sworn he saw a shadow near the ceiling, watching them.
............
"Good morning, Satoshi-kun," Shion yawned as Satoshi rolled out of bed. "You're up early..."
"I thought I'd make our breakfast and lunches today," Satoshi explained. "And good morning. How are my two favorite people today?"
Shion blinked. "Wha... I don't get it, Satoshi-kun..."
Satoshi leaned over and kissed Shion on the forehead, then patted her stomache.
"Oh..." She blushed. "We're fine."
Satoshi smiled and left the room.
On entering the kitchen, Satoshi collapsed into a chair.
'How am I going to do this?' he thought. 'A father... I don't know anything about this... how can I protect Shion and a baby from anything that puts them in danger when I can't even protect my sister from my uncle?'
He stood up and started cooking, hoping he wouldn't ruin Shion's food on top of everything else he'd done to hurt her.
'Even if she can trick herself into being happy... I've really ruined her life. We're only sixteen, and we'll be only seventeen when the baby is born... I admire Shion for being mature enough to sustain herself, but making her worry about raising a family is... is terrible. I'm terrible for doing this to her. But she's not even angry at me...'
Satoshi finished making the lunches and a passable breakfast and went to find Shion. He found her in the bathroom, glaring into the mirror with both hands supporting most of her weight on the edges of the sink.
She was whispering something under her breath as she stared at her own reflection. It seemed almost as if she was having a conversation with herself, but Satoshi couldn't hear well enough to know what she was talking about. Her expression grew more and more frustrated as her eyes grew narrower and narrower, as her frantic whispering got angrier and angrier.
Finally, she stared at herself long and hard in the mirror. She looked halfway between wanting to shatter it and wanting to cry.
"SHUT UP!" She shrieked at her reflection.
"... Shion, are you all right?" Satoshi asked quietly. Shion turned around making an expression very like a frog when you shine a flashlight into its eyes in the dark (sort of like a deer in the headlights, only greener).
"I'm fine," she said quickly, fixing a fake a smile on her face. "Did... did Satoshi-kun need something?"
"No, just... breakfast is ready..." Satoshi said quietly, the lines over his brow etched with worry. "You should come eat if before it gets too cold..."
"All right," Shion said. "What did you make, Satoshi-kun?" She seemed genuinely curious, like it was something that truly mattered (actually, since it was Shion, it probably did).
"Don't get all excited," Satoshi chuckled. "It's just omellete..."
....................................
When Satoshi got to school, Mion shot him a glare similar to the one he'd received the night before.
"How's my baby sister?" She asked false-sweetly. "She was crying last time I saw her, you know..."
"Really? She was smiling last time I saw her," Satoshi mused, trying to ignore the quiet rage wafting off of his friend. "She stopped crying around the time I told her I'd do the responsible thing and raise the baby with her."
Just then, Satoko entered the classroom. "What baby?"
Satoshi froze. "Ah, Satoko..."
"Satoshi's been living with my sister," Mion cut in sharply. "My twin sister Shion."
"You mean his girlfriend?" Satoko asked. She smiled sadly. "Oh, that's good. At least Nii Nii is probably happy where he is, then--"
"He got her pregnant, Satoko," Mion continued. "Do you know what that means?"
The girl raised an eyebrow. "I know what 'pregnant' is, Mion-san. I even know where babies come from. I'm not that little-- Wait... Nii Nii, did you... you... you and Shion-san...?!? You did that?"
Unable to do anything else, Satoshi nodded dumbly.
Satoko made a disturbed expression. "You... you'll have to marry her now, and raise the baby... and keep living with her, even though our uncle left yesterday... of course, a burden to you like me won't be... won't be allowed..."
"You're not a burden," Satoshi said quickly, crossing the room and wrapping his arms around her. "I... I'm not going to abandon you, Satoko... it'll all work out... all right? I'll... I'll figure something... something out..."
Satoko looked up, the smallest glimmer of hope seeping into the depths of her eyes. "Really, Nii Nii?"
"Really," Satoshi said, ruffling her hair.
'I don't know what to do,' he thought. 'Maybe...'
.....................
"I guess we could let her stay with us," Shion sighed, absentmindedly turning the page in her copy of Interview With the Vampire and burrowing farther under the covers. "If that's what Satoshi-kun wants..."
"I don't think there's anywhere else she could stay," Satoshi pointed out. "And, she is little my sister, after all..."
"I suppose she is," Shion said slowly, "But.. Satoshi-kun, if she causes you trouble..."
"She's my little sister," Satoshi repeated. "Not baggage."
"I know, but... you seemed so stressed before when you had to protect her..." Shion trailed off, closed her book. "Are you sure you'll be...?"
"I'm fine," Satoshi laughed. "I'm with you, aren't I?"
It wasn't something Satoshi absolutely had to say, but he knew it was something Shion needed to hear.
Shion smiled worriedly. "And... the baby and I aren't burdens either, right?"
"Of course not!" Satoshi gasped. "Why would I...?"
"I was glad you could be here and not have to worry about Satoko all the time," Shion mumbled. "But now, I'm causing you to use energy and when the baby's born that'll be even more to worry about..."
Satoshi tried to smile, raised his hand and ruffled the hair on the top of Shion's head. "I'll be fine... "
'You know me too well, Shion.'
"Satoko's birthday is tomorrow," Shion noted. "You should tell her then. Did you get enough for the teddy bear?"
"I did," Satoshi said, "Thanks for reminding me."
"Anything I can do for you?" Shion asked, putting and arm around Satoshi's shoulders.
"No, Shion," Satoshi sighed, "I think you've done more for me than you've had to already."
"I'd do anything for you, Satoshi-kun," Shion said sleepily.
.............................
On the morning of Satoko's birthday, her older brother could be found withdrawing all of his savings and cashing his most recent paycheck.
He pocketed the cash and headed for the train station.
'All I ever do is cause more problems for the people I love,' he thought. 'If I remove the problem...'
Satoshi sat at the station until a train came in, and got on it.
'It's really for the best,' he told himself. 'I would've been a terrible father. I wouldn't have been able to support Satoko anyway. I should have left sooner--'
There was a pattering noise, as if something was walking towards Satoshi, or following him.
'That's rediculous. I'm sitting down, how could someone be following me if I'm not moving--'
Satoshi looked out the window. There was a shadow outside, flying after the train. As the train gained momentum, the shadow kept up and the footsteps got louder, faster...
'... It is following me. What is it? Why is it following me?'
Then, Satoshi remembered.
'Rena said... if there's footsteps following you, then...'
He peered out his window at the shadow. It looked like the one he'd seen two nights ago, lurking near the ceiling. He'd thought it was his mind playing tricks on him because he was tired, but...
'Oyashiro-sama...?' Satoshi's eyes widened in fear. 'No... it couldn't be...'
It had to be.
Satoshi pressed his face to the glass. "Leave me alone..." he whispered. "I... I haven't done anything I shouldn't have..."
'Have you?' the shadow seemed to ask.
Satoshi shivered and turned away from the shadow. "I'm doing the right thing," he muttered. "There's no way Oyashiro-sama could follow me all the way to Tokyo anyway..."
The train stopped, and a little girl and a woman that was presumably her mother sat down on the bench across from Satoshi.
"Mommy," the little girl asked quietly, "Where did Daddy go?"
"I don't know, honey," the woman said, her voice breaking. "We're... we're going to look for him in the city."
"If we can find him, will Daddy come back?"
"I don't know, sweetheart. Maybe. He--- he could be dead for all I know..."
"Dead...?" The little girl squeaked. "Why? Daddy said he'd come home and take me to the park..."
"Daddy had a lot of trouble with money, dear. He... he said he... wanted to..."
"Daddy wanted to die?!? But... he said... he said he'd take me..."
"I know, but he might not be able to--" the woman stopped talking to glare at Satoshi, who had been watching them.
Satoshi turned his head away from the family, but he kept an ear out in case they kept talking.
"Mommy..." the little girl started to cry. "Is it my fault? Does Daddy hate me?"
Just then, the train skidded to a stop. Satoshi stood up and walked out determinedly.
He bought a ticket to go the other direction and went back to Okinomiya.
When he arrived at the station, he ran off of the train and all the way to Cafe Angel Morte.
..................
Shion was waiting tables when Satoshi ran in.
"Shion...!"
"Satoshi-kun?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing he--"
Shion's sentence was cut off by what may have been the biggest hug she had ever received.
"Is something wrong, Satoshi-kun?" the empty tray she was holding slipped out of her hand and clattered to the floor.
"No, Shion, nothing's wrong," Satoshi said. "… I love you. Listen, I'm going to bring my sister her birthday present, and then I'm going to spend some time with her and tell her we'll all live together somehow. Then, I'm going to come home, and if you make me some tea I'll make dinner..."
"Okay, Satoshi-kun," Shion tittered nervously. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?"
"I'm fine, Shion," Satoshi chuckled. "I feel great. I'll see you when I get home, okay?"
"Okay, Satoshi-kun. You can let go of me now," she giggled. "Everyone's watching."
"... Oh. Right." He let go, kissed her quickly, and was out the door again.
He thought he might have heard some cheering from the group at table seven, but it was probably just his imagination.
.........
Satoshi walked into the toy store. "Excuse me, I reserved..."
"Ah, yes, I remember you. Do you have enough?"
"I think so."
The man behind the counter brought out the teddy bear out and sold it to Satoshi. Somehow, even though Satoshi had bought two one-way train tickets that day, there was enough money left over to buy it for his sister.
'I bought the bear,' he thought. 'I did what I said I would with the money I earned. I spent the money the way I was supposed to, I didn't leave and spend it on living expenses because I'm not abandoning my sister. Everything's okay now…'
Satoshi hefted the bear outside. 'It's heavy… I guess I'll have to carry it all the way back to Hinamizawa. Unless…'
He carried the bear to the nearest pay phone, shifted it to one arm, and called the Irie Clinic.
"Hello, this is Houjo speaking…"
"Satoshi? What is it? Is something wrong?" it was Doctor Irie.
"No, just… I got the doll for Satoko."
"That's good to hear, Satoshi. She'll be glad."
Satoshi nodded to himself. "I hope so. But, it's kind of heavy… could I have a lift back to Hinamizawa? I don't want to drop it or anything…"
"Of course, you can… I'll be right over. Where are you?"
Fifteen minutes later found Satoshi sitting in an air-conditioned car with the doctor at the wheel.
"I'm glad you got it for her, Satoshi," Irie said quietly. "I can't wait to see her smiling again..."
"Me neither," Satoshi murmured. "With this… I've made up for everything I've done, right?"
"… You haven't done anything wrong, Satoshi," Irie said slowly.
"Of course not," Satoshi laughed. "I… I've got a clean slate…"
There was silence in the car until something Satoshi saw out the window made him gasp.
"Coach… my aunt is dead, right? Really, really gone?"
Irie paused. "Yes, Satoshi. Your aunt is dead."
"Then… why does that woman out there look like her so much?"
"She doesn't, Satoshi."
"Yes, she does! And… so does that one… and her… and her too..."
Suddenly, Satoshi's aunt was everywhere. Every female Satoshi saw out the car window was his aunt. She turned to glare at him a hundred times, and then to fall over, blood spurting from her body, over and over again.
Somewhere under Satoshi's skin, he started to itch.
"It's… Oyashiro-sama…" he realized aloud. "For the things I've done…"
"Don't scratch!" Irie gasped. Satoshi hadn't even noticed he'd been scratching.
He continued to do so. "So itchy… it's my fault, I've done awful things… I abandoned my sister… and Shion… how could I… why did I… why… no wonder I've been cursed…"
"You haven't been cursed, Satoshi. Don't scratch," said Irie in the calm voice that doctors use only with mental patients. He drove out of Okinomiya and went faster.
"Oyashiro-sama cursed me!" Satoshi argued. "He followed me around, and he went away and let me think everything would be all right, but he's come back now, and he's going to take me away…"
"You're going to be all right, Satoshi," Irie replied, pushing his gas pedal all the way to the floor of his car. "You're not cursed, you're ill. You need medicine..."
"I'm cursed!" Satoshi yelled. "Oyashiro-sama is punishing me for what I've done! Rena, Rena said if I repented, it would stop… but it hasn't… what more can I do? Stop this, Oyashiro-sama!"
Satoshi scratched harder, and broke through his skin with his freshly bitten, jagged fingernails. "Get… out… of… my… body… you… little… bastards…"
As Satoshi tore at his wrist, the car came to a screeching halt in front of the Irie clinic. Men dressed all in black came out and pulled Satoshi out of a car, and carried him towards the building.
"Let go of me!" Satoshi screamed. "Let go of me! Who are you? Let go! Let go! Put me down! I have to give that bear to my sister! Where are you taking me? Coach! Coach! Help!"
But Doctor Irie ran right past the men in black, almost as if he was leading the way.
Satoshi saw him open a door in the side of the clinic with a password just as something sharp was rammed into his arm and everything went black...
----
If you leave me, I will follow you
And bring you back where you belong
'Cause I couldn't really stand it, I'd admit that I was wrong
I couldn't let you leave because it's true
You like me too much and I like you...
I really do
----
(authornotes)
FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER. DARN I GOT STUCK SO MANY TIMES… like every five or six pages. Of which this chapter has… 32 and 1/2.
For those of you who were tempted to click "back" at the mention of teenaged pregnancy, I'd like you to consider a few things...
1) Stuff that shouldn't happen or make sense happens and supposedly makes sense in Higurashi ALL THE TIME. Like Rika's hormones keeping the village from going insane (pfffff they'll all be sane when she's a teenager) and the Alien Parasites Theory. Also, Hanyuu. Period.
2) Shion would have five of Satoshi's babies twice if he asked her. She's OBSESSED with him. For further reference, consult Meakashi-hen.
3) Teenaged hormones. Satoshi is the "nice guy" in the series, but he's still sixteen/seventeen and a guy. Sorry.
please don't make fun of me for not being able to write insanity scenes. I am fully aware of my status as a fluffmonkey. Also, this is the first fic I've written that I've really taken seriously.
(/authornotes)