When Homura woke up, the table was all cleaned up and the dishes were done, as one look at the kitchen told her; without Haru anywhere in sight. She felt a little guilty about not sharing their first proper meal together, but Haru and his friend were sure taking their time! What could she do? Besides, Haru and she had shared snacks and other food in the lab before, so it wasn't really their first meal. But the food tasted rather nice, albeit a little bland. Steamed rice, huh? Haru's cooking wasn't bad - she didn't get what was there to complain about. It was a lot better than the artificial food and supplements she was used to. Maybe she should learn to prepare this meal on her own.
Homura couldn't find her partner in the living room, either, but his signature was nearby. "Haru!" She reached out via telepathy.
"Here, upstairs!" He shouted back.
Homura found him in the bedroom, handling what looked like the same fabrics he used to wear to the lab, except these ones were plain.
"What's this?" She got closer to inspect.
"Oh, just a couple of flame-retardant sheets I ordered for the bed. You know, just to be on the safe side. I don't know if you already know this, but sometimes your body temperature rises to high levels when you're asleep. These will prevent you from damaging the bed or anything." Haru explained in his professional tone. That also brought up the question of what might happen to him if he woke up in flames one night, but that was rather unlikely. A human body would react very fast to rising temperature levels.
"Huh? You mean I can sleep on the same bed as you? Like, with you?'' The thought was enough to make her radiate additional heat already. Endless possibilities flashed across her mind, some pretty grim, while others seemed rather... enticing. She wickedly grinned.
"Only - Only if you feel comfortable!" Haru blushed at the implications, "I'm fine with sleeping on the floor, no worries -" Haru tried to explain, but was cut short by Homura tackling him into a very warm embrace.
"Of course I want to sleep with you, Haru! Your body seems a lot more comfortable than the floor or the stone slab at the lab!" She finished her words with a long, wet lick across his face before her concerns surfaced again. "But what if you end up getting burnt?" She knew that she had a tendency to lose control of her body temperature on occasions, especially when she had bad dreams. Maybe those dreams won't bother her if he was by her side?
"Unless you do that willingly, I'll be fine." Haru laughed. "Let me go so I can finish setting this up, okay?"
Homura did as she was asked to. "Can I help?" She offered.
"That's be nice! Hold the sheet here and pull them over like this..." The two got to work.
"What now? Do you want help with your stick?" Homura offered to light up his cigarette as the two sat on their reformed bed. The clerk was right, the texture wasn't the most comfortable, but both of them were familiar with it, so it shouldn't take too long to get used to.
"Actually, no. I'm thinking of quitting." Haru slowly tucked the cigarette back into the case.
Haru nodded approvingly. He had told her before that those herbs shortened human lifespan when smoked, but he continued to do it anyway. Homura didn't feel like it was within her rights to intervene, so she let him do as he pleased. She did enjoy the act of helping him light up, it made them feel closer. But they had each other by their sides now. So such rituals seemed irrelevant any longer. Still, Homura wondered what changed.
"Why did you smoke them, anyway?" She felt curious.
"Eh, helped me deal with anger, stress and stuff. But now that I have you, I want to conserve my life energy for us." He smiled and finally set the case down on the adjoint desk. Quitting is going to be painful, but he was going to do it for their sake. If it meant being together for just a couple of years longer, he was willing to do it.
"I'm glad, Haru, but you never seemed very angry to me. But yes, the stress was with you every time I saw you." Homura remarked.
"That's because you never made me angry. In fact, quite the opposite. I don't really like being angry, but it's kind of a defense mechanism, as you already know. It's just another emotion, right? Hey, can you teach me how to control it? You understand the mind better than I do." Haru asked.
"I - I actually don't know what makes you angry in the first place. I need to observe you more closely." Homura narrowed her eyes.
"Makes sense. I was actually thinking of visiting Mr. Genji and apologizing to him for earlier. Want to come along?" Haru got up and tried to fix his wild hairs. He also needed to shave his stubble, but that could wait until tomorrow.
"Sure, but what're you going to apologize for? It seemed to me that you were just trying to defend my honor." Homura blinked. Humans were curious and complicated.
"That's true, but I should've handled it in a more mature way instead of calling him out. He's a rather nice person, a widower, actually. Can't blame him for what he did. And he shouldn't have to face humiliation because of me."
Homura felt a bit proud of Haru. Beneath all his cluttered emotions, he seemed like a thoughtful man.
"I'm coming, then! Do I need to get dressed or anything?"
"Unless you want to confuse him some more, then no." Haru chuckled.
Haru rapped at the door of the Genji Residence, slowly at first, then picking up the pace when nobody answered. Figures, Mr. Genji probably hasn't come out of the house since retreating there today, not unlike them. Homura took the time to admire the sun setting on the horizon, leaving flame-colored rays behind. They looked absolutely mesmerizing to her, as if the sky had taken on her colors. She couldn't take her eyes off them. She tugged at Haru's sleeves.
"Hm?" He asked, turning around.
"Are you seeing this?" Homura pointed at the sky and the fading light.
"Yes, it's beautiful. But not more than you." Haru replied before realizing that it was probably her first time seeing a sunset in years. He stopped every evening to admire it on his way back home, so he was used to the breath-taking beauty. She wasn't. He squeezed her paw.
"Glad I got to see this with you." He whispered.
"Do these occur every evening?" Homura asked, wishing to see them as often as she could, hopefully together.
The sound of the door opening behind them interrupted whatever answer Haru was about to give out. Quickly, they turned around and came face-to-face with a very irritated looking Mr. Genji.
"Ain't this the rascal and his what, bride? What do you want? Come to rub more salt on my wounds, have you?" Mr. Genji shouted.
"Actually, Mr. Genji, we came here to apologize." Haru bowed, a genuine one this time. Homura tried her best to imitate him.
"You, err, well then, come in! And this better be good!" Mr. Genji stared at the duo for a few seconds before declaring and stepping aside to make passage. Kids these days and their swinging moods, he couldn't make the head or tails of it.
The living room was different from the one of Haru's residence, with only furniture in sight being a rocking chair next to an wooden table with a radio on it and a bookcase in the corner. Mr. Genji plopped down on his rocking chair, leaving Haru and Homura the floor. He wasn't used to having guests over, it seemed. At least the floor looked clean.
"That's a nice vintage model you got there, Grandpa." Haru tried to start a conversation by pointing towards the radio. "Does it receive shortwave?"
"Sure does. Can't pay for the whole network thing like you, kid. And I ain't your grandpa! By the moon, I ain't older than Takahashi!"
"Right, sorry, Mr. Genji. But I don't see you being all buddy-buddy with my father, so I assumed otherwise." Haru meekly said.
"Fine, whatever. Did you come here to actually apologize or steal my radio?" Mr. Genji snorted, keeping his eyes away from Homura and slowly rocking the chair. He had never seen a Pokemon like this before. Were these two really getting married like he claimed earlier? The whole town was talking about it, some even dropped by to get his opinion. He hadn't bothered to give one. They were the same people who laughed at him earlier.
"I already have a radio, for your acknowledgement, Mr. Genji. And Homura and I are really here to apologize. We're sorry about making fun of you earlier. Kindly accept our apologies." Haru scratched the back of his head while Homura tried to read the room. The old man seemed appalled, from what she could tell.
"Yes, please accept our apologies." Homura finally decided to chime in, repeating after him to reinforce the point. What happened was also partly her fault; had she not pestered Haru -
"It - She talks! Did she actually talk?" The man frightfully pointed his index at Homura, causing her to flinch. She had forgotten not everyone was used to her communicating via telepathy. Maybe she should've stayed put.
"Actually she just communicated her thoughts. Calm down, Mr. Genji, we don't mean any harm." Haru slowly stood up, so as to not frighten him any further. "Would you like me to fetch a glass of water?"
"Yes, please." The man went limp on his chair as Haru went looking for the kitchen. He wasn't really familiar with the layout of this house.
"Hey, you, woman, what's your name?" Mr. Genji found his words again. Maybe the kid and his Pokemon weren't as bad as he had thought before.
"Homura, Grandpa." She couldn't resist the urge to tease him a bit. The old man didn't seem that bad, now that they were talking. Haru wasn't wrong.
"Why are you calling me grandpa too? Do I look like a Pokemon?" Mr. Genji coughed.
"Sorry, Mr. Genji." Homura decided to mind her manners.
"Right you are. And that kid, Haru, he's your trainer?"
"Not in a true sense. I was raised in the lab to the west, and he took care of me." Homura pointed her arm westward.
"You mean Mr. Devon's latest project." Mr. Genji ran his fingers along his balding forehead. He was there when the lab was being built almost a decade ago. How time flies.
"I suppose." Homura said with uncertainty. She didn't know who ran it or how, nor did she care. Her world was limited to her cell, Haru and her memories - until today, anyway.
"How long have you two known each other? Couldn't you find someone more... normal?" Mr. Genji shot another question.
Homura wanted to ask what it meant to be normal, but Haru came back with the glass of water and offered it to the old man, who proceeded to empty it in one large swig before setting it down on the coaster. This kid was alright. Nobody else from the town had come to apologize to him so far even though they all had joined in mocking him earlier.
"So, uh, Mr. Genji, if you're feeling better, we should be on our way. Don't want to bother you anymore." Haru offered as he turned towards the door with Homura following suit.
"Hang on, kid. Are you two really getting married? I thought it was another one of your grand pranks." Mr. Genji got up from the chair. Being alone, he'd have to lock the door himself.
"Ah, you probably mean that time I told the town about a Primarina washing up on the shore." Haru turned around, failing to contain his laughter, "You gotta admit, Mr. Genji, that was a blast!"
The townspeople had rushed out to the shore at midnight, wanting to witness a Primarina and hear its melodies, only to find a drunken sailor singing his heart out, off-key. In Haru's head, the sheer beauty of the letdown was more beautiful than an actual Primarina. He laughed a bit more before sobering up, "I can assure you, it's nothing like that. I'd never toy with Homura. If you want to witness the wedding, kindly be present at the Milotic Shrine the day after tomorrow. Am I getting the time correct, Homura?" He turned towards Homura to find her nodding.
Mr. Genji scoffed. "Not falling for it again. But if you really plan to be man and wife, have my blessing. And Haru?" His voice suddenly started cracking up.
"Yes, Mr. Genji?"
"Always cherish your wife. Keep her safe, and don't be like your father." He looked at the photo of his late wife, hanging at the other end of the room, away from prying eyes, his eyes suddenly getting blurry. Must be old age catching up to him.
"Homura?" He called out.
"Yes, Mr. Genji?" Homura replied, confused as to what he might have to say to her.
"Protect this rascal. Now, leave, both of you. I want to be alone."
"Understood." Homura replied.
"Understood, Grandpa. Please lock the door." Haru joined her.
"For the last time, I ain't your grandpa!" His voice boomed throughout the barren house as the two hastily made departure.
"You two actually seem rather fond of each other." Homura remarked as they slowly walked back to their own home. The sun had already set, with the streets being illuminated by the tall lamps and lights from nearby houses. A couple of people passing by shot them a dirty look.
"Maybe we are, I never know for sure. Some days he's in a good mood, other times not. But at least he's nice." Haru absent-mindedly said.
Homura felt like Haru saw him more as a father figure, but decided to keep her remark to herself. Humans were complicated, Haru even more-so. He was kind and considerate towards her and that's what mattered the most. She wanted to meet his actual father, though. When was he going to return from the fishing trip?
Her expectations and Haru's fears were realized as the two reached their doorsteps. She watched Haru freeze up.
"What's wrong, Haru?" She called out, concerned.
"The door's unlocked. Father must be back." Haru inhaled deeply before letting it all out.
No doubts the words have reached his old man by now. How was he going to react? His father was fairly predictable, but this situation wasn't something he could predict, even as a researcher whose job involved gathering and sorting out data and calculating probabilities. He had no data to begin with. How might a traditionalist old man react to his son giving him the biggest middle-finger possible by taking his expectations and turning them upside-down? He had no idea. What about Homura? How was she going to react to his words? Sure, he trusted her to not pick any fights, but he couldn't deal with the thoughts of her getting insulted or disrespected again, all due to his selfishness, even though Homura made the proposal in the first place. Should he just take Homura back to the lab and settle into the staff residence? Too late for that. His anxious mind started calculating and accounting for all sorts of bizarre probabilities and their outcomes before Homura shook him out of it.
"Haru, what's wrong? You're staring off into nothingness. You're scaring me!" She didn't like the anxious energy he was giving off. Something was going to go very, very wrong tonight. She could feel it in her very being. But she chose this. They'll have to deal with it together.
"We'll be fine, Haru. Trust me." She tried to assure him. Humans were so, so very complicated.
"You think so? Haru nervously smiled, "Alright then, here goes nothing." With that, he slowly pushed the door open.
The sight inside was familiar, with Senior Takahashi sitting on the couch, impatiently flipping through TV channels. Haru was about to breathe a sigh of relief before his father's gruff voice overcame the sound of the TV.
"Haru, are the things I hear true?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the TV, still flipping through channels.
"That depends on what you're actually referring to, father. If you mean the things you hear on the TV -"
"You know what the fuck I'm talking about, you bastard!" Haru quickly crouched to avoid the remote that was flung towards him from the couch alongside his father's words.
However, the projectile never hit anything. Haru opened his eyes to find the object hanging mid-air, no doubt Homura's doing.
"You will not hurt Haru!" She snarled, stepping forward.