Black and white
Heat spread from her lips outwards across her body, as if she was being electrocuted. It was as if all other senses had been turned off only the feeling of heat remained. Her heart clenched tightly in her chest, as though it did not know what to do with itself, the trembling organ struggled to beat, blood seemed to still in her body; bubbling and boiling.
She tried to breath through her nose, but all that flowed in was heated air, like steam form a kettle, or the dry heated wind from your hair dryer. Soft hair like licks of flame against her cheeks, leaving marks, burning her.
It was as though she was getting swallowed by the sun.
Her body tingled as the last of the cold disappeared from the atmosphere. Inside her closed mind the heat wafted like a newly born star.
Her lungs, heart, cheeks, toes, stomach, tongue. Burned.
Then the feeling of something akin to a comet hit her chest. Separated from the heat she fell back into her ice cold prison called her own mind.
XOXOX
Natsuki shot up in bed. Eyes wide but breath slow.
One thought flew through her mind.
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?
Instinctively her hand flew up to her face. She didn't know what she had done. She didn't know what had happened. A dream was that what it was?
At that thought she started to calm down. Her hand relaxed slipping down her face onto the bed sheets.
"It was a dream? Of coarse it was a dream.. But why the fuck! Was I dreaming it?" she fell back wards onto her bed. "Two bad dreams in one night? Man I've got to cool down. A shower. Yeah. Shower."
Her body pulled its self up stiffly on onto her knees. Her socks were barely on, and her hair was a mess. She shuffled across the black floor the sunlight peering in on her room instantly made her feel safer. She picked up her towel and once again moved towards the bathroom.
Her throat felt sore, and she could feel the need to tip-toe everywhere. Sighing she laughed, the floor was made of marble; it wasn't going to creak. Pulling open the door to her bathroom she instantly brushed her teeth, that horrid taste in your mouth you get early in the morning, made her take extra time, just to brush the taste away.
Sliding into the shower she felt, weird there were no; absolutely No windows, in this bathroom. But she couldn't shake the feeling of her hair pricking up on her neck, or the need to always be in two foot of a towel, or some sort of clothing.
It was a matter of jumping in and out of the shower. The manor was always cold anyway, so she didn't want to be naked for any more time than she had to.
After drying her hair and getting dressed; her phone stashed away in her pocket, on silent she could just imagine the hags face if it rang during breakfast.
Oh crap, the hag!
She looked at the time on her phone. Eight am that was insane but she imagined that even now she was late for breakfast. Her body instinctively bottled down the hall, phone clutched securely in her hand. And all the while her mind screaming. I don't even know, where I am going!
She rounded another corner, and another and another. Slowing her pace till she was at a brisk walk, there was no use wasting energy running when she didn't know where she was going. All along the halls tall windows let light path the way, there were little to no furniture and where there was it was always rich and blended into their surroundings.
There were spaces on the walls where Natsuki supposed portraits of ancestors once stood, their out line clearly visible on the walls.
She started to slow even more the, fact that she was completely and utterly lost in a large manor, with no one around dawned on her. She didn't like it.
Backing up slightly her arm, bashed into a wall. She yelped like a wounded puppy and leapt away from it. Baking up from the wall slightly she laughed. A wall. Just a wall.
Then she felt something tugging on her shirt. Like a slow-motion movie she turned, her eyes wide. Heart beating, lungs pumping her cheats up and down, up and down. Until she came face to face with a pair of deep red eyes.
She screamed, ripping her sleeve out of the girls hand and slipping over herself trying to get away. Slamming into the wall she slid to the ground. Her wide eyes relaxed, very slightly when she realised who it was.
"Sh-shizuru-chan!" Why was this so familiar. "What-" she wasn't able to finish her sentence, a hand shot out gripping hers. Yanking her up onto her feet. Jesus! She's strong!
The girl looked into Natsuki's eyes not saying a word. Natsuki started to shift form foot to foot. Her eyes looking to the floor. "Uh.. Thanks?"
The girls grip on her hand relaxed, but she made no move to let go. Deep eyes peering at Natsuki. "What's wrong?" Natsuki asked.
Then the girl turned, Natsuki fell forward slightly her hands finding no where to rest but the girl in front of her, so she seemingly glomp hugged her from behind. Almost immediately she turned red and had an uncomfortable itch overcoming her body, like every time she unwillingly came into body contact with someone she did not know well.
"Uh! Uhm - I was.. I just..! I didn't mea - " her mouth shut instantly as she felt Shizuru's hands gripping her own, accepting the rather awkward hug and even leaning slightly back into it. Natsuki's mind was reeling, her skin tingling in a not so comfortable way even though the hands that now covered her own were warm, unlike the rest of everything that surrounded her in this mansion.
Shizuru as a whole was incredibly warm, now that she thought about it - even though she only wore that thin dress and decided to skip the shoes today as well.
She herself in comparison was fully clothed and still felt somewhat cold in the manor.. it really made her wonder, how she managed that. Then she snapped out of her little stupor and once again tried to free herself.
"Shizuru-chan.. uhm.. could you.. maybe... let go of my hands? I.. I'm not.. really.. ?" And again she was interrupted, because Shizuru decided to turn around so that she could face her. Those deep burgundy eyes almost seemed to sparkle as she gazed into them. She almost felt... lost.. in them. As if she plunged into a deep, deep hole and would fall into the very depths of the earth - and the deeper she got, the brighter everything seemed to become. Natsuki did not know what was happening, she was just so warm and so.. so.. there was no way to describe it, really.
She shook her head, some strands tickling her face as she did so, to try and get out of another stupor she seemed to experience here with Shizuru. It did not help at all that she was now almost being hugged like.. like some kind of lover by said girl. It just made her urge to flee and disappear into her room greater.
She swallowed and slowly blinked, while trying to forget the uncomfortable situation for at least a minute so that she would be able to get out of the hug. She did the most logical thing that came to her mind.
She began to struggle and wiggle around.
Shizuru, not expecting that kind of reaction, loosened her grip a little which allowed Natsuki to 'break free' from the evil hug, although she did that so violently that she nearly threw herself into one of those coffee tables that stood in the hallways at random. But she managed to slam one hand against the wall, thus halting her successfully and saving the table. She'd never live it down if her grandaunt would find out - and she definitely would somehow, she seemed like one of those all-knowing sort of relatives that everyone has somewhere. Didn't make it any less annoying.
She straightened her self and managed to actually face Shizuru without a blush covering her cheeks, which surprised the both of them. At least Natsuki got out of the hug, and thus got rid of the awkward and uncomfortable feeling she had gotten. She finally felt as if she could breathe again, although she could not remember when she would have lost said breath.
The girl once again reached out grabbing three of Natsuki's fingers in a light warm hold.
An embarrassed laugh broke between her lips. Eyes looking up anywhere but the girl who she had, had this weird back hug with. "WELL…Well, maybe we- sh-should go to breakfast." the same laugh once again fluttered out. "Do you think, you can let go?.. Please?" She tried to wave her hand out of the warm grasp on her fingers.
"I- well I-.. not-one f-for.. Touch-" She felt her body twist as she was suddenly let go of, sending her reeling back. Natsuki squeaked out a sound of surprise, as she felt gravity do its thing. Before the warmth over took her hand and she once again she was yanked forward.
She tripped a little but managed to keep her balanced, as she was dragged along the corridors.
"Wait! Your going-" She tripped once again a "oomph" fell from her mouth as she caught herself. "Too-fast!"
Like a compass the girl dragged her down each maze like hall way unfaltering. Door after door they passed, down a flight of stairs that looked off into what seemed like a huge ballroom. Despite herself Natsuki couldn't help but mutter. "Jesus.." In awe of the great hall she was led over. Once again disappearing into the maze like hallways.
Swerving and turning till finally they found themselves in front of a huge door. The abrupt halt in the girls foot steps once again sent Natsuki into the girl, once again arms wrapped around her.
As if burnt she leapt back "S-sorry."
The girl stared with big hollow eyes at the door. Once again taking no notice of Natsuki. The abrupt change in attitude startled her. "Uh.. Hello, we in the right place?….. Hello?" Timidly she reached out to lightly shake her shoulder, when the sharp crack of a cane, hit her on the wrist.
"Do not touch people, without permission."
Natsuki stared at the old hag with shocked eyes. Where in the hell had she come from, did she live in the marble. She retracted her hand rubbing her wrist, a red blotch forming on it already.
Her teeth clenched in a angry manner, she turned towards the old woman. Thinking back to some of those old romance films Mai liked to watch, she bowed lightly.
"Good morning, Grandaunt. And yes it wont happen again." Surprisingly the woman did not pick up on the slight sarcasm in her voice.
"See too it, that it doesn't." The old woman's Hawke like green eyes, turned to Shizuru and softened, in a way Natsuki thought was impossible. "Good morning, Shizuru my love. Did you sleep well?"
The young girl bowed and stepped aside, allowing the elderly woman to walk past rather briskly, for her age. Allowing Shizuru to follow after her and Natsuki, shortly after.
Kado appeared beside the head of the house, as the old woman slid into her chair. He placed her breakfast before her. Bowing and then going to Shizuru to do the same.
"Do you feel better today?"
Natsuki snapped out of her daze and locked eyes with the hag. "Uh.. Y..yeah? Kinda."
"I had Kado prepare you a smaller breakfast just in case."
Natsuki looked at the table in slight embarrassment. She still wasn't a hundred percent but, and the western breakfast they were having did not appeal to her at the time. Still she felt rude to turn down the food, but she really didn't want to eat it.
"Uh.. Yeah thank.. You. That would be better… Please." And Kado disappeared into the side door. Towards what must be the kitchen.
As they sat at the table, an uncomfortable silence made it's presence known. Natsuki did not know what to think of it, or of those.. strange looks her dear cousin had been shooting her way at times when she thought no one would notice. Just the clutter of cutlery was creating some sound, as if to let the people in the room know 'Hey, you are not alone, the others are still alive here as well, so you better behave yourself!' or something along those lines. Natsuki had to let a tiny smile show itself on her face, because that sentence rang in her head in her grandaunts annoying voice - she could just imagine the scolding she'd receive for misbehaving in some way at the table.
Shizuru drew a look from her as she sighed, and it did not sound happy either. So she was not the only one, who did not like such very awkward situations apparently. She only wondered, why no one else thought it strange that the.. uhm.. suited man who's name she did not know was not present today. It did not seem as if he had been packing up yesterday, or prepared to go somewhere.. it was just all adding to the undeniably awkward atmosphere in the dining room. Especially that her aunt did not want to talk about his disappearing act. Maybe he should join some circus with that one.. it could become huge. But despite her own efforts at raising her mood, she did not have to grin at that. Somehow, the man just did not sit well with her, so she kind of did not mind it all that much, that he was gone now. One less person to be all weird around her, she thought.
"You are staring at Shizuru again. If you keep doing that, I will have to do something about that, child." Madam Kuga rasped and surprised Natsuki, causing her to jump a little in her seat.
"A-ah... I'm.. sorry..?" she scratched her cheek, it came out more as a question than an actual apology. A tiny blush crept onto her cheeks as well - how often would she get caught staring off at something.. mostly at Shizuru? Why did that girl always have to sit across from her, it was no wonder she ended up staring at her!
Natsuki trembled in slight anger. It wasn't even her fault! The girl sat across from her! What was she gonna do? Glue her eyes to the ground?
She shot up from the table, her hands crunching the table cloth tightly. She slowly relaxed her fingers and sent a large fake smile at her great aunt.
"Excuse me for a moment I have just remembered I needed to ask… Kado something." without waiting for a answer, she bounced off the table trying to slingshot herself over to the servants entrance. She quickly padded towards the door, almost flinging herself down the stairs.
That damn old woman! Was becoming insufferable. Seriously! She angrily stomped her way down the black staircase watching the glowing orange and yellow lights becoming stronger.
She pushed back the fishnet certain that stopped bugs getting in, and stumbled towards the middle of the kitchen.
"..Hello?.. Kado-san? You here?" Standing still in the steaming kitchen as pots and saucepans hissed and bubbled. She felt as though she was a child sneaking into the kitchen late at night, trying to steal something sweet.
"Hello? Kado-san?" she spun around eyes darting to the sharp knifes and other kinds of… cooking instruments? Laying about on the grey counter tops.
A hand grasped hold of her arm spinning her around. The hand froze her inside and out, it was as if a skeleton had grasped hold and would not let go.
She whipped her head making eye contact with weepy blue eyes. She forced a small smile on to her face although this was more caused by her almost swallowing of her tongue. Her sigh of relief when she realised who she was- no relief was the wrong word. She slightly relaxed at the sight of someone she knew, but her heart still bounced off her ribs further bruising the already battered organ.
Once again nervous laughter, left her gasping back in whatever oxygen she had lost. "Uh.. Well.. I- c-could you let go…" It was not a question she was already shaking the man off her arm putting distance between them. Reluctant, Kado let her go.
"Thank you." She sighed and cleared her throat nervously. "So.. uhm.." for a second she thought about what she was going to say, but then she suddenly pulled out her phone with a little 'Oh yeah!' and showed it to the butler, who seemed to have received a minor heart attack from her outburst. "Kado-san, is there a way I could recharge my phone sometime soon? It's kind of.. dying on me."
He stared at her for some seconds, then his eyes shifted to her phone, and back to her again while his mouth set itself into a grim line. Why did old people always have to look so negative, she asked herself silently.
"Mh.. I believe this manor may be to ancient for a device such as this to be.. 'charged' ..but at the same I do also believe that there may be something of use on the first floors parlour." He paused to take some ragged breaths, he wasn't a spring chicken after all. "I shan't make you any promises, young lady, you will have to see for yourself if there is something for your device."
"Uh... thank you, Kado-san." And with that, he turned back to what he had been doing before, leaving her to find the way to the parlour of the first floor alone. Natsuki sighed, and decided to disturb the old man again since she was kind of lost in the manor without anyone to guide her.
"What is it that you still desire of an old man such as I?" She was surprised as his voice sounded, but also thankful because she actually had no idea how to initiate another conversation. Though his tone of voice could have been a little friendlier.
"Ah. Well.. it's just.. I have no clue where the, uhm, parlour on the first floor is. You know, I kind of just moved in here yesterday and all?" she scratched the back of her neck while talking to him, he somehow made her feel very nervous. Maybe it was because of his weepy gaze? Or maybe just because he was an old man who seemed to punish her without reluctance in some way if she would be disrespectful to either him or the Madam. Or maybe even to Shizuru. Where was she anyway?
"Fine then, do follow me, young lady. And do stay close to me, lest you dwindle away while I turn a junction of hallways, which would not be desirable for you, I imagine." And with that, he left the kitchen, supported by his crane that seemed to mysteriously have appeared in his hand. Wait, did she just imagine that smoke coming from said cane? She shook her head. I bet those dreams are still messing with my damn head.
She also couldn't shake the strange smell that seemed to waft through the kitchen at that moment. She almost gagged, her body bent over hand covering mouth. As she swallowed trying to wipe away the smell that seemed only stronger as the old man walked past. He didn't smell that way yesterday, did he?
Hastily stepping out of the kitchen, she followed the old man, the tap, tap, tap. Of his cane on the cold floor fitted the atmosphere around him. His old wrinkled face and pale oily features. It was as though the man should be in a warm bed, reading and puffing on his pipe.
"So… uh how long have you been here for?"
The old mans pace slowed his pale eyes darting back to hers in some sort of annoyed stare. Feeling even more awkward than when it was silent, Natsuki scuffed her feet on the floor slightly, the slow, shaky steps of the old man the only noise.
A shaky sight echoed throughout the black hallway. "A long, long time."
Natsuki wasn't a child. Her face twitched annoyed. If he didn't want her to know, he should of just stayed silent. That vague response only encouraged curiosity.
This bloody hallway… no this freaking maze was more like a labyrinth. Or maybe a few hundred labyrinths mashed together, into one huge pile of annoyance.
Twists and turns.
Down a few hundred stairs, and they finally came to a small room. There were about six fridges all lined up and humming in sync. There were tall shelves stacked with jars and containers, cans and bottles. The old man seemed to pull himself over to the last of the fridges.
"Use the plug from this one. There is nothing in here. In fact it just serves to cause trouble for us."
Natsuki made her way around the elderly man. Bending over to check the plug. "Yeah. This'll be fine thanks."
"Very well then."
For a few small moments Natsuki lent over, she could swear she heard a rustling.
"Hey do you hear any.." but the old man was gone. Crap how was she going to get back. Crap. Crap.
"Well tah for that." Her sarcasm not lost. "Fucking butler."
She sighed after some seconds while mumbling something under her breath and finally pulling out her phone, putting it on.. something nearby? She turned around, looking at the room and seriously questioning whoever put the furniture in the room - seriously, six fridges? In a goddamn parlour? Who the hell thought of that nutty idea? Especially since there was nothing else in here, not even a chair or a table or something! So she had to resort to putting the phone on the floor near the plug for now while she put her other hand in another pocket of hers in which she normally carried her charger when going somewhere.
Only to have her hand come into contact with nothing. She apparently forgot her charger in her room. Shit.
Natsuki cursed under her breath again and kicked with all her might against one of the fridges. Of course she then jumped and hobbled around on one foot, the other one being held by her hands which rubbed at the now sore toes. While hobbling around she tripped on something - probably the edge of one of the six fridges, she still could not get it in her head, six! - thus she fell face first onto the floor, but she was able to put her arms out in time so she did not really kiss the floor. She just.. embraced the ground and all its dusty goriness'.
"Goddamnit, what else is gonna happen!" she said to herself as she straightened herself up so that she kneeled on the floor. Immediately she was overcome by a coughing fit, all the dust wanting to invade her lungs. Tears started to gather in her eyes because she was almost hacking her brains out - at least it felt like that to her. But after some endless seconds she stopped coughing and took a deep breath.
Only to be disturbed by a sneeze.
"Well fuck you too, dust." she grumbled and tried to glare at said dust, though it certainly did not mind it in the least. She now stood up completely while dusting her knees and elbows off and then made her way to the door. She did not have another choice, she would have to go out and try to find her way around somehow.
Natsuki put her hand on the door handle and pushed the door open while she was shaking her head, her eyes closed for a second. She did not make it far into the manor, for her journey instantly halted as she crashed into someone else who had apparently been waiting at the door, so she was once again thrown to the floor since she did not expect that to happen.
"Oh son of a bi -" she stopped mid sentence as her gaze landed on bare feet, seeming white against the dark floor. "Shizuru-chan?" she asked, dumbfounded, and blinked rapidly before she looked up into wonderful burgundy eyes.
"Uh?.. Hey? Wait where did you come from?.. You know what never mind. What's the matter?"
The girl just stared at her with big hollow eyes. Avoiding her gaze Natsuki scooped herself up off the floor; bringing half the worlds dust with her.
"Well.. Actually do u think you can do me a favour? You see I need to get back to my room.. Then back here again. I need to charge my phone." Shaking the device in her hand, showing Shizuru. "So you think you can he-"
Her eyes went down to the girls hands. In them was a long thin wire. Her charger!
"Where did you get that?" Natsuki stared at the girl. Even though she knew by now, the girl wasn't exactly the most… conversational of people.. Or would that be sociable. Though she seemed to have no problem with people.
Then realisation dawned on her. If Shizuru had her charger. Then that meant. "Shizuru-chan. Did you go in my room?"
Locking eyes was about the only conformation Natsuki got. She shuffled backwards a little. Either the girl was a freaking mind reader. Or she had gone in there to go through Natsuki's things, Natsuki had no secrets in her luggage.. Well except form her excessive amount lingerie. So there was no reason to go through it.
So in other words..
There was no other words!
The girl had been in her bedroom, and gone through her stuff!
Either one of the two options was weird. And- no not weird a little freaky. If not scary! No matter how seemingly calm and beautiful, a young teenager -hell young woman- should know better! Holy hell!
Clearly the other girl saw the shift of emotions across her eyes, and held out the charger. As if giving it back was going to make it any less weird.
Worst thing was Natsuki couldn't yell or scream at her. She couldn't push her away or do anything. Because Shizuru was very, very obviously the favourite. If the girl suddenly found her voice and went crying to Natsuki's dear great aunt.. Natsuki would be..
That didn't stop the way she jolted backwards as soon as the girl pushed her arms forwards. Slowly as if going to touch a dog or a large animal for the first time, Natsuki tenderly took the charger back. The smile on her face anything but grateful.
Stumbling backwards into the parlour, her feet almost tripping over each other she, practically dashed to where the plug was, fiddling fingers as she tried to push the charger into the socket, wishing she could swear. But she could only imagine how much of a beating she would get for doing that in fount of the girl.
Now that they were alone, it seemed as though, Shizuru had no shame in starting at the flustered Natsuki. Her eyes were glued to Natsuki's back, and she could feel them crawling over it. The plug hole seemed to have shrunken as Natsuki tried to jam the plug in; growing more and more frustrated. She let out a slight growl.
The sound of feet pattered towards her, and instantly she halted, her persistent wreaking of her charger. She felt a pressure on her back. A hand. More accurately Shizuru's hand. Honey coloured hair slithered past her shoulder, and the girl reached over cupping Natsuki's hand.
Natsuki couldn't hide the nervousness, her hands were sweaty and shaking, her eyes fluttering from the younger girls face to her hand and back again, the way her teeth seemed to clench tightly and even her breathing gave it away.
Shizuru slowed her hand, almost hesitating, her touch warmer than ever, and it was gentle. But she could have had the hands of Natsuki's dead mother and she would still find the girl scary as Freddy Kruger.
The charger clicked into place, snugly and Natsuki heard the beep form her phone as a signal. But still the girl would not let go of her hand.
Natsuki nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt a hand slide up against her back - she was still leaning over her phone and had been staring it down, trying to get it to charge faster - finally giving into the pressure she shook the girl off, whipping around so fast, that she once again fell over. Today just really wasn't her day, was it? She sighed, it would be a really awesome time she would spend here with all the jumping around and falling over.. and the dreams.. and the strange butler.. practically with everything. Didn't help that everything just HAD to be creepy in some weird way.
But anyway. She once again sat on the wonderful, dusty floor of the parlour and stared up at Shizuru, who's face looked as if she had zoomed in on Natsuki's, literally a breath away, her hair falling down in a silky curtain. One of the girls hands was in front of her mouth, her eyes a tiny bit more opened - she probably also did not expect Natsuki to react this badly. It was then, that something so normal, yet so out of place happened, that shocked the both of them.
Shizuru gave something akin to a giggle, albeit much more hollow - no, hollow was not the right word - drained.
Was there even something such as a drained giggling? It really sounded like that, a giggle drained from it's energy.. or just rusty from years of not being used.
Natsuki's cheeks reddened just a little bit as she grumbled and picked herself up once again. This time she did not even bother to wipe the dust off of herself, she would most likely only go and make out with the floor again in some minutes, so to speak. What her roommate and her best friend would think, if they were to see her here, all jittery and jumping at the tiniest things. She sighed deeply, missing the both of them. Was it really too much to ask for someone normal in this goddamn house? The dude in the suit was the only one who was the most normal, but he kind of... disappeared. Natsuki still wondered, where in the hell he went. The car drove off about an hour after their arrival - she could tell because she had heard the engine yesterday.. or at least an engine, but really.. in this house was not really anything that would make some noise that sounds like some motor engine. So.. she just kind of assumed it was the car. Anyway.. it just meant that he either was still here somewhere and played hide-and-seek with the butler and her grandaunt - now THAT was a hilarious thought! - or he just simply went home by foot. Which seemed highly unlikely, since the manor was kind of in the middle of nowhere, so he'd probably have to walk for hours to get somewhere.
Natsuki blinked rapidly as some dust flew up in front of her and nearly into her eyes, and she heard the sound of someone shuffling to sit down. Seriously, HOW much dust was in this freaking room? Hadn't she kind of cleaned all the dust with all falling around already? She coughed softly and then just simply stared.
Shizuru sat in front of her, cross-legged, on the cold floor. She smiled that tiny smile that she always had on her face. That emotionless smile. And she stared at Natsuki. She did not even want to ask herself what was up with all the strange staring and smiling. She just.. accepted it somewhat, it just made for less headaches.
"Uh.." she scratched the back of her neck, trying to come up with.. SOMETHING to talk about, "...soo. How'd you end up here?"
"..." Shizuru smiled at her and just cocked her head a little to the side.
"...never mind." Natsuki sighed. Was it really so much to ask for a normal conversation, or normal people.. or normal rooms? It seemed so…
Suddenly Shizuru leaned forward a little and raised her hand, reaching for.. Natsuki's phone? The hell? She looked at it, absolutely fascinated and softly let the fingers of her other hand stroke over the display. She cocked her head to the other side and her eyes slowly looked up and into Natsuki's.
"Uhm.. that.. kind of is.. my phone. So.. you know.. please be careful? I still need.. it..?" Her sentence ended up more as a question, as Shizuru took her hand and raised it, palm facing up, so that she could put the cell into her hand. Then she softly closed Natsuki's hand around it and shot her a rather questioning look.
What in the world is going on now? And why can't I stop looking into her eyes? Natsuki asked herself, she really was not able to take her eyes off of Shizuru's. Sure, she has an ridiculously unique eye colour, but it simply cannot be just because of that! Oh never mind.. her hands are ridiculously soft.. wait, what? Not the time to think about that.. actually, who cares? Not like I've got anything else to do, I gotta wait for my phone to charge fully.. if I go out of this room, I'll never find ba..
Shizuru raised an eyebrow slightly as Natsuki's grip on her phone suddenly and she started to grin as if she just got a bucket of candy. Does Natsuki like candy?
"Shizuru-chan, I have a wonderful idea!" she practically shot up while simultaneously grabbing the other girls hand, dragging her up on her feet as well. "could you, like.. maybe show me around a bit? Maybe to the library? ..if there is one here, but who am I kidding, this freaking house is so huge, there's just gotta be one.." She mumbled the last part.
Now.. Natsuki was not that much of a fan of being stuck with Shizuru because.. frankly, Shizuru was fucking creepy as hell.. but it was better than being practically forced to sit here in the dust and wait for her phone to charge.. so why not let herself be shown around?
The paler girl seemed to be surprised that she came up with such an idea, her eyes were wide open, the eyebrows climbing higher onto her forehead. Well, it's kind of understandable.. Natsuki had been awfully jittery around her, so for her to suddenly want to be around her - in some kind of twisted logical way - was quite unexpected.
But this sudden wave of expression quickly past and the stony half smile flooded onto her face once more. But her hands clenched tighter around Natsuki's own, in a possessive clench. The sudden pressure was painful for a few moments, before she felt herself being pulled forward led by her hands.
One thought on her mind.
Oh god! Not again!
It was almost as if the girl had wound their fingers together and tied knots in them, because no matter how much Natsuki shook her hand the girl did not let go. Once again the twin hallways blurred past the two girls, Natsuki felt a little naked without her phone. She put it down to the fact that she had never had to go without a phone since she was seven years old; when her mother had really started to work fulltime again for real.
Natsuki didn't exactly how to hold hands. She had never had to. Lacing fingers and conjoined palms. All in all it was uncomfortable, and it wasn't as if the girl was taking her for a nice stroll, well not as if you walked at like twenty miles per hour. Cause that's what the girl seemed to be doing.
"Look would you just slow- whoa!" Why was it whenever tried to put up resistance, she fell over?
As the hallway widened and lit up, Natsuki steeled herself for the stop, that would probably send her launching forward into yet another embarrassing situation. But instead felt them slowing down slightly, Shizuru letting go of their hands, but not without dragging her fingers over Natsuki's palm, who shivered, and snatched her hand away as if Shizuru was made of fire.
In front of them was another set of large doors, only on these ones were the most beautiful wooden carvings of a wood setting, wolves once again made an appearance, baying staring up at the wooden moon. The handle looked like a bundle of roots all woven and threaded together, in a mixture of different shades of brown.
Shizuru ran her fingers over the door handle, curiosity on her face; even though Natsuki was sure the girl had seen the doors at least once before.
Natsuki stood there for a moment watching as the strange girl, traced the figures on the doors.
"Uh.. Is this the library?"
Blank eyes turned towards her.
Was that a yes?
Well.. even if this wasn't the library.. it would be some new part of the manor that she would have to get to know sometime.. she definitely did not want to be depending on everyone else when she wanted to go to the goddamn toilet without getting lost on the way there - or on the way back, whichever it was.
For reasons unknown to her, Natsuki gulped and took a deep breath before she took a step forward so that she now stood beside Shizuru, careful not to touch her. She sent a shaky little smile, if you want to call it that, to the other girl and waited a little until the paler of the two finally retracted her hands, the carvings on the door now seemingly forgotten. Her red eyes still stared at her, the same unnerving stare that had Natsuki's guts cramping up in a way she did not think possible.
Shizuru's hands placed themselves on the handle, pressing down and.. that was it. She did not open the door immediately, instead she continued to gaze into Natsuki's eyes. Natsuki could swear that she saw something flickering in the other girls eyes, something she couldn't pinpoint. Questioning emerald eyes bore into ruby, the time around them standing still.
A blink and the spell would be broken. And to be honest Natsuki wasn't sure if she wanted it to end or not. The world around them was quiet, but Natsuki couldn't help but think that the old hag would pop up out of the floor at any moment.
The sound of the squeaking door handles as Shizuru pushed them down, eyes still on Natsuki; who pointedly looked away. These weird feelings.. Was it even right to call them feelings? She was confused that's for sure. And her head hurt, that was another thing to be sure of.
But thinking made her head hurt even more.
As the wooden doors opened, she could almost feel as if this is what Alice felt when she entered wonderland.
Tall bookcases embedded in dark marble. High ceiling, decorated in the style of a western royal family. The same said beauty stretched down the walls and to the floor that held ornate engravings. Natsuki could make out worn words of old poems. And in the centre the Kuga crest in all its majesty. Cold grey light flowed in through the windows, the dusky dream like atmosphere drew patterns on the walls of soft curves of marble.
Natsuki could only stand in wonder as her breath caught in her throat as she tried to express her wonder, coming out as a squeak. "Wow.."
This was impressive even Natsuki had to admit, this kind of collection of books was rather incredible; there must have been over a thousand books in just what she had seen so far, in one brief look.
"I wonder how old some of them are…" she voiced walking as if on alto pilot over to one side of the room, her fingers finding the spine of the books brushing some of the thick dust off them.
Some had names some did not.
At least she knew she wouldn't be bored here.
A warm hand once again made contact with her cold arm. Seriously what is with all the touching? Pulling her over to the side Natsuki watched as the book, slowly passed. History, love stories, poems, books about travel, and religion, of battles and heroes.
Slowly the titles became darker.
There seemed to be a large number of strange books.
Ranging from witch hunting, to information on how to repel vampires and raise the dead. Shacking free of the grasp Natsuki walked over to a small section on magic circles. Volumes of spells and enchantments. Who believes this kind of crap?
These books were even older and dust had began to pile upon dust, the thick layer making the titles almost impossible to see.
Pulling one out she opened it, dust flew up in to the atmosphere; but more importantly right into Natsuki's face.
She coughed wildly waving her hands around franticly. "Jesus." she coughed.
Closing the book she placed it back on the shelf. And felt a small hand clasp hold of her shirt, rather tightly, she felt the hand slowly move along the hem, tugging gently.
Natsuki sighed and wondered what she did to deserve all this. First she gets basically thrown into this house, then she meets her creepy cousin and that very nice aunt of hers, both of which are just weird as fuck in their own ways. And her cousin just could not stop touching her for the love of god!
She grabbed Shizuru's hand, a shiver running over her body as she did so, and pried it off of her shirt as softly as she could.. which was not all that soft, but never mind that.
Surprisingly the girl did not back down her other arm shooting up tightly gripping her prying hand, and lifted it to her face pushing her head against it, other hand now tightly snagged on Natsuki's shirt, as her index finger started to slowly stroke her waist.
Emerald eyes rolled, the owner releasing another sigh - this time a frustrated one and tried not to shiver upon the contact of that silky soft skin against her hand. It did not annoy her as much as she thought it would, it kind of was like petting a dog, they also always pushed their head into your hand. At least they always did that to her.
But what freaked her out was the fact, that Shizuru also touched her waist. Touching her hands was still uncomfortable, but acceptable somewhat. Touching her waist or another part of her body however? Forget it, absolutely not acceptable. No way in hell. Her other hand tightly gripped the wandering fingers, squeezing them in hopes of vanquishing the evil that was her second cousins touch.
Natsuki's hand was made to slide slowly down Shizuru's face, a pink tongue came out licking soft lips, red eyes becoming increasingly darker and darker. As Shizuru dispensed a kiss onto the palm of Natsuki's hand. But it did not stop there, a swift lick tracing the lines on her palm.
Alright, NOW she was really getting freaked out and even pissed, who the hell did that girl think she was to just randomly come up, snatch her hand and start making out with it. And if that wasn't weird enough, she could swear Shizuru was also pulling her closer against her, or was it really just her imagination this time?
Natsuki tried again to free her hand, pulling quite desperately but nothing happened. It was such an iron grip even though it actually felt somewhat comfortable.. apart from the licking and kissing part of course. A cold sweat was even starting to make itself known on her forehead and another shiver ran up her spine.
"S-STOP IT!"
A rush of adrenalin, soared though Natsuki. She reacted quickly pushing forwards with all her might sending shizuru backwards into another book shelf.
She pushed herself away from the scene, but she had not taken more than a few steps before a hand once again grappled her waist and slung her backwards against the wall.
Engulfed by the heat that was shizuru, Natsuki could only gape as the younger girl dragged a hand from her waist, up. Lightly bushing her just below her bra. Her other hand pawing at Natsuki's waist. Finger sliding did nothing to distract Natsuki as the girl hovered above the hollow of her throat hot breath puffing onto it.
Natsuki gulped, her eyes practically ripped wide open with fear. She now really was afraid of Shizuru, a step up from being creeped out.. a bad step up. She whimpered, quite pathetically to be honest, and squirmed around, trying to break free still. Each puff of air that hit her throat seemed to be freezing the blood in her veins, but it burned so very much upon her skin.. she could not decide if Shizuru's breath was cold as ice, or hot as hell.. she just could not tell.
Her mind went a hundred miles per hour, her eyes shooting from the crown of chestnut coloured hair to a shadow that fell on the floor and over the paler girl's shoulder and back the hair again. Her gut was clenching again and cramping up, her hands stuck to her sides - frozen in fear.
It got worse as suddenly something wet slid against the skin of her throat, making her knees buckle, but definitely not because she was enjoying it, oh hell no. Her mind just went on holiday, she couldn't believe what was going on.. it was just too much. Too much touching, too much dust, too much tripping and stumbling around all day, too much weird stuff.. simply too much.
Natsuki's entire body heaved trying to suck in air, but it all felt dry and she could barely breath. The lips drew closer as did the hands weaving themselves into fabric.
Then,
Lips.
Teeth.
Tongue.
They made contact biting harshly into skin.
Natsuki's hands clenched like vices around the arms of her aggressor.
Her shirt was being pulled and pushed upwards and the teeth still were sunk into the hollow of her neck. She almost hissed in pain but the fear that surrounded her chilled her to the bones and she could only stand and stare at the darkness as Shziuru's blazing red eyes flashed in and out of her vision.
And the heat was all around her like a ferniest. It burnt, sweat dripping, lungs and heart pumping.
She heard lips and the ruffling of fabrics. But it was as if she was not there, she was floating just outside her own body. She felt as though the blood seeping out of the wound on her neck was not hers. As though the sweat and heat and sounds we not real.
Oh dear god.
You cant let this happen!
Her brain screamed at her.
Move! Damn you move!
It was almost as if she could almost hear every heartbeat, sound, touch. It was terrifying. Truly terrifying. Her mind was trying to get her into action, trying to get her to do something.. but it just wouldn't happen - what was going on? It felt like a spell had been spoken, one to keep her from breaking free of this unwanted grasp, this unwanted embrace that was meant for lovers, but was being so abused as of now.
Lovers?
Suddenly it all stopped - the heat, the sounds, the embrace, even her thundering heart seemed to have stopped.
Wintriness.
Natsuki felt a chill running up her spine once again as she somehow managed to break free - her mind had gotten through to her brain as that one word fell, and she had ripped herself free from Shizuru's grasp without even really noticing. She was just so set on escaping whatever was happening, instincts taking her over.
And again, the time seemed to stop as she saw the red-eyed beauty stumble backward a little, followed by reaching her hand out toward Natsuki with a look on her face that reeked of urgency, of a need to help - to protect, the predator gone from her eyes. Just as sudden as the slowing time seemed to occur, the effect wore off, time running normal again before her eyes just to feel the effect of a ladder tumbling and falling onto her head, knocking her out almost instantly.
XOXOXO
If worlds had a voice, this one would be one of loneliness. It would echo with a hollow thrum. The flattering of birds wings as they swooped past the tall windows. The cry of a lonely raven breaking through the silence. And if in all the world you could find a room that sung of the caged imprisonment of the soul, you would have to look no further than a bird cage.
It was so wrong to feel this imprisoned in a room - her own room at that. Why could she not be out there and be with the birds? To soothe that ravens loneliness, and her own?
She ran towards the windows, banging on them with the desperation of a trapped fly, clawing at the windows.
Desperately she tried it again and again, always a step more to break the windows, or at least try to. First the clawing, then she banged with her fists against it, afterward her shoulder was thrown against the window, over and over and over. Without success.
She felt like an insect that has been accidentally trapped inside a room, everywhere windows showing the outside world, where one belongs.. but no chance to get to it, only the torture of seeing it in all its glory.
Then she felt the warmth of something wet on her neck. But she was alone there was no one around. Putting her hand to the back of her neck she felt the same wet substance coat her fingers….
She pulled her hand before her eyes, but could only see something slightly coloured coating her fingers. There was not enough light to be able to see exactly what it was, so she took another step to the window, pressing herself against it as well as her hand, to try and get as much light as possible. What she saw astounded her so much, that her mouth fell open, a hushed "What in the world.." still able to break free.
Was that.. was that blood? But.. but why did it not freak her out? It's colour seemed a little messed up, though.. was it because of that?
Another splat and Natsuki spun around. On the floor was a spider, dead? No, dying. Its legs twitching as its life ebbed away. She walked towards it. Its blood was the same colour as...
Startled she backed away from the dying spider and instantly tripped on something.. but there was nothing in here a few moments ago!
A boot.. or more accurately a shoe, lay right in front of her. Its leather a shiny black, hard and new, its tip was engraved with small markings. Whoever it belonged to had to have some serious money.
She took some steps closer to the shoe after she managed not to fall flat on her butt after tripping on it. It was dark, the light falling in from the window not helping - it was too weak.. and she also threw a shadow herself, since the window was now located behind her, the light mostly illuminating her backside. She gulped, trying to get the fear that bubbled up inside of her to disappear again - wanting it to go away again with all her might despite only being faced with a damn shoe that mysteriously appeared in this closed off room.
She extended her foot as far as she could and softly poked at the shoe with her toes. It moved a little, as expected. Alright, so the shoe was just a regular shoe.. with some marking on the front that was not supposed to be there. Maybe a dog got it and had been chewing on it or something? It would be possible.. wouldn't it?
Natsuki took another step closer and pushed the shoe with her foot to the window, to get a better look at it. Her skin was crawling all over, itching softly as if something was crawling on it, but there was nothing - she had checked. Still, it made her shudder and almost had her throw her shoulder against the window once more in hopes of escaping this lonely cage. She put her hand to the window, her palm pressed against it, with a sigh. Why her?
She slid it off the pane again and nearly jumped as she looked at it - now there was, uhm.. spider blood smeared on it. She had forgotten to wipe it clean on her jeans or somewhere else, as long as it was not on her freaking hand! She did just that and then finally, with another deep sigh, began to study the shoe.
So, it really was just this normal - okay, not normal but rather goddamn expensive - shoe with those strange marks on it. No big deal.
If one could forget the shape of those markings and the fact, that they seemed to be dyed in the same colour as.. that spider blood. She shuddered again, this time visibly and rubbed her arms, trying to get the chill away from them as well as the itching that had once again begun. It felt as if some real spiders were crawling all over her.. it was disturbing. Absolutely disturbing.
Normally Natsuki had no fear of bugs and insects.. sure, she was not fond of them, but she did not freak out because some insect was crawling on the table or a spider was on the wall. But for some reasons it was not like that this time. She feared that some insect would fly into her face at any moment, and it scared her, scared her so much that she had even gotten a little paranoid and started looking at every little shadow that moved.
She shot another glance at the shoe, and something shimmered inside the shoe. Curious she looked closer at it and gripped it with a hand to tilt it and look what was inside. Whatever had caught the light dropped out of it - or rather, dripped.
It was blood. Normal blood, this time. Red, like roses and like...
"Shizuru-chan.." she mumbled unconsciously.
She should not have.
A spider crawled out of the shoe and she dropped it in surprise, the hand flying up to her heart. For the love of..
She could not even finish that thought, for her mind panicked and froze at the same time as suddenly another spider, and another and another began to crawl out of the shoe. More followed, it did not stop. Too many to count. The shoe began to tremble and the room got filled with the sound of tiny spider legs clacking against it - it was impossible to even think of such a sound, but it really was echoing around in the room.
Natsuki's face was set to horror. She did not fear spiders and bugs.. but hundreds - thousands of them certainly were enough to terrify her and nearly crap her pants. She swallowed, her throat had dried up and she took a step back, slowly as to not alert the spiders that now covered the floor and half of the window, as well as the walls before her. The shoe could not be seen anymore - it disappeared in the sea of crawlers.
The sound of something crispy crunching beneath her foot startled her into turning around, since she had been taking steps backward. She raised her foot and saw whatever was left of a spider still twitching in its own blood.
Her gut was wrenching while knotting itself together. A cold sweat covered her whole body, and she simply ran. She ran as fast as she could. The black ocean behind her followed her, it's waves of tiny fangs lashing at her, trying to get her to stop. She had to continue running, she just had to!
But the room was smaller than she thought, she soon came upon a wall. And then another, and another. The only wall she could really see was the one with the window. The others were not visible because of the darkness that dominated the room.
She was trapped.
Panic stricken she took a deep breath and readied herself - her only option now was to stomp through that black ocean and try to ram her shoulder against the window once more. She was desperate, she had no other choice, she had to try it. She could not let herself be washed away with the spiders, so to speak.. not like whoever had once owned that shoe!
She threw herself with all her might against the window, or rather first against the rising wave of spiders that stood in her way, trying to hinder her.
Wading through the sea of spiders, that seemed to stick to her body crawling up; seemingly threading their spindly legs through the fabric of her jeans. They were truly like the sea slowing her heavy march down, as more and more of them swarmed over her body.
The light was beginning to become faded from the amount of spiders in the room as they swarmed over the quickly disappearing window.
Using one last burst of power she reached out, fingers, legs, kicking out she threw her entire weight onto the window, it creaked and cracked. Once again throwing herself as at this time the spiders were beginning to crawl up her neck.
She yelled out in a roar of finality her body bending painfully as she threw herself from the room glass and spiders scattering.
She was finally out of the cage, the lonely raven agreeing with a distant cry, echoing in the darkness that invaded her mind and finally her vision.
XOXOXOXOX
L: OK so 15 pgs that's... allot.
S: You think so?
L: Naw~ You think so?
S: Nope.
L: :D I think people should thank me for being so persistent with you or it wouldn't of gotten done.
S: They really should be, especially since you absorbed a part of my creepiness-skills. But luckily.. I got a little of those skills back somehow. Go me.
L: :D woop woop yeah I like absorbed her creepiness!
S: How dare you.
L: D: I'm so sorry *hugggggles* forgive meeeee~
S: But actually, if you absorbed my creepiness, you can write the story alone, since I am like mostly here for the creepiness, at least I was so far.
L: I have roped u into Natsuki's character you cannot escape. *sigh* this chapter was full of distractions though.
S: You roped me into Natsuki's character? When the hell did that happen. True, distractions en masse.
L: (on skype) YAAAAAH
:D
in exactly that kind of manner
N:YO WHERE B DAT DUDE DAT I CAME EAR WITH YO!
k:o.O SOOOOOMEWHEEEEEERRRRRE! O.o
N:щ(ﾟДﾟщ)
www .you tube watch? v=c Wsuz Rmq Duw &feature= related THEN THEY BREAK INTO THIS SONG AND LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
yeah we get distracted easily.
S: More like you distract me with your randomness. As seen above.
L: we should show them some of me, u and berries convos.
S: uhm
Why? its enough if they hear our banter in the AN's, no? and that awesome skype convo above, with the random song xD
L: :D THEIR TAKING THE HOBBITS TO ISENGARD!
S: What I have to deal with on almost a daily basis.. its horrible. *shakes head*
L: *does a dance* Best. Song. Ever.
S: …No.
L: *ignores* :D so yeah we worked hard and had plenty of distractions and then we worked like mad women cause I'm going to a party today and then I'm going to London
plus sheep's computer fucked over
S: well, not the computer directly.. more like the internet. Fucking bastards, working on it without notice for a week!
L: :D sucks for you my sheepy friend
S: Totally. I have so much stuff to catch up to, so many videos that just HAD to get uploaded within that week *grumbles*
But at least I finished DA:O once again. *nods*
L: I love games.
S: You and me both
L: But that is enough for now and- *floor eats lion*
S: *comes back from looking for her brother because it was too quiet* No idea where the hell he went bu - what the hell Lion.
L: Uh.. its kinda dark down here
S:*sighs* See what I have to put up with? And that's actually not even the most random Lion can get.
L: Oh I know.. you should see me at times its just like wahhhh?
S: At times? More like all the time.
L: Sheepy sheep loves my randomness
S: You know the drill, if I say 'No I don't' now, you will disagree and we will never stop with the 'No' 'Yes'.
L: ok then that's enough for now... *summons ship* come sheep we must be off to new worlds!
S: I am not even going to ask about the ship. Better to just smile and agree, even if your mind is going 'What in the hell.'
Bye guys, hope you enjoyed.
R&R and you can go on Lions ship *captains hat*