Enter Lita
I awake from my nightmare in a cold sweat, my chest heaves as I gasp for breath. I brush my sweat soaked hair out of my eyes as I glance around my room. Every shadow seems threatening for some reason. I turn on my bedside lamp and climb out of bed wary of every sound. I glance at my clock. 3:46. I sigh knowing that I won't get anymore sleep tonight. With nothing to do until school starts I go into my kitchen and pull out ingredients for cookies. Since I make Mouko and my lunch the night before I know that there are few things that I can make that aren't already inthe boxbut Mouko always seems to have room for seconds so I measure out flower and sugar and grab eggs from the refrigerator.
I don't even remember what the nightmare was about now and I sigh my frustration as I slide the cookies into the oven to bake. I measure more flower for muffins and grab fresh blue berries from the drawer in the bottom of the fridge, my mind wandering to yesterday's battle with Chloe. Eternal Eclipse seemed strong. She had looked like she had been allowing us to play a game with Chloe, as if she had known that she could have taken Chloe out anytime she wanted andour participation in the battlehad only been because she had allowed it. I shiver and slice bananas for banana nut muffins.
What about Tiger? He had been more than slightly terrifying. He was the Big Bad Wolf in cat form. Tall and all muscle and fur. He had moved with a fluid grace that would have been beautiful if all my instincts hadn't screamed "Predator! Predator! YOU are the PREY! He will EAT you!" at the top of their non-existent little lungs when I had seen him. I sigh again as I dump banana pieces into a new bowl of batter then start to chop nuts. He had turned me into a quivering puddle of goop with a single glance of his feline eyes and I had been almost mindless with my fear. I slam the mixing bowl on the table to vent my self-directed anger.
I mix yet another bowl of batter and add chocolate chips to this one. Taking out three muffin trays I place muffin cups into each hole and pour the different batters into each tray. I glance at the oven clock and see that the cookies still have a few minutes left in the oven. I grab a box of tea leaves from a cabinet and proceed to make myself tea. I set my small porcelain tea pot on an eye on the stove and measure cinnamon and honey into a mug. The oven timer goes off and I grab an oven-mitt and pull out the cookie sheet. I set that on the table and stuff the three muffin trays into the sweltering cavern and shut the door. My tea pot whistles andI pour myself a cup of tea and take it to my bed room as I grab my uniform and underthings to take a quick shower before the muffins are ready.
I wash quickly but stand under the spray of water longer than I usually do, trying to wash away the lingering chill bumps from my thoughts and nightmare. I step out of the shower and brush my teeth as I wrap my hair in a thick green towel. Fully dressed I walk into the kitchen as the oven timer goes off. I pull out the muffins and set them to cool as I wrap the cookies in a green cloth with horses on it. I box the muffins and walk out my house with my things almost twenty minutes early, walking to Serena's house.
Though I know she won't appreciate being woken up she will be glad to see the muffins and I can give them to the girls and Rini when I see them this morning. I knock on Serena's door and smile at Rini when she opens the door. "Hi Rini," I say with a big smile and a cheerfulness that I don't really feel. She looks at me in surprise.
"If you've come to get Serena she's not up yet," Rini says with annoyance.
"I know," I say with a wink. "But I thought that I could ply her with muffins," I say and open the box revealing the three dozen muffins stuffed within. Her eyes light up. "Take a few there's plenty."
"Thanks Lita," she says with a grin and lets me in. I set the muffins on the table and go to Serena's room. I shake her and place a muffin under her nose.
"Come and get it, Serena," I say softly as I wave the still hot muffin. Her nose twitches then her head shoots up to engulf my hand in her mouth. I freeze for a second, my mind trying to wrap around the fact that she was trying to eat my hand. Though I don't mean it to I know that my voice carries throughout the house. "Let go of me you cannibal!" I yell as I try to free my fist. I shake my arm back and forth trying to dislodge her. "Retract your fangs already!" Finally she lets me go, nothing left of the muffin but the smears on my offended hand. I shake the slob off. "Ewww." Serena looks up at me sleepily.
"Lita? I just had the weirdest dream. There was this dancing muffin and..." she trails off. "What are you doing here?" she sniffs me. "And why do you smell like muffins?" I roll my eyes.
"Just get ready for school and you can have another one." I blink and she's standing in front of me in her uniform and shoes, her bag in hand.
"Sorry I took so long, now where are those muffins?" She'd never be late if I did this every day, I thought with mild awe. One second she was in bed the next she was dressed and ready to go asking for muffins. I shook my head and led the way downstairs. She pounced on the box of muffins and hummed with pleasure when she finally bit into the warm bread of a blueberry one.
"Come on Serena or we'll be late," I say with some amusement when she grabs a chocolate chip one and bites into that one too.
"Late for what?" she asks, her mouth full.
"School, Meat-Ball-Head," Rini says as she grabs a blue berry muffin. "Thanks for breakfast Lita," she calls as she walks out the door. Serena shoves muffins into her mouth as we walk down the sidewalk making small sounds of joy whenever she took another bite. I'm glad I made jumbo muffins, I think to myself as I watch her desecrate the muffin supply. There might not be any left by the time we meet up with the girls.
"Mina! Ami!" I yell when they come into sight. They both stop and wave when they see us. "We come baring muffins," I say and hold out the box. I notice Serena's eyes fill with fat tears, her irises drowning in the coming flood.
"I thought those were just for me," she says mournfully, crumbs flying from her mouth as she whined. Minagoes straight for a chocolate chip muffin, but Ami stares thoughtfully at blue berry then banana nutfor a moment before going for banana nut.
"Don't be such a pig, Meat-Ball-Head," Rei snaps as she walks up to us. She too picks up banana nut and bites into it delicately.
"I-" Serena starts to yell but I shove a muffin into her mouth whole trying to avoid an early morning fight. I really don't have the patience this morning. Rei grabs another muffin before she says good bye to all of us and walks the rest of her way to school, the rest of us trudge up the steps to go to our classes with the exception of Ami who walks normally.
I glide through my morning classes, not really listening to my teachers, my eye lids dragging as my nearly sleepless night catches up to me. Finally the lunch bell rings and I walk slowly to mine and Mouko's usual tree. He's already there but even that sight isn't enough to perk me up today. I set out our lunch silently as he talks on about something or other that I'm not really listening to. "Are you alright?" He asks softly into my ear. I start and jerk back. He looks at me with a small frown marring his handsome features. I shake my head to clear the fuzz out of my brain.
"I'm fine," I finally manage to say. I hand him his chop sticks. "Let's just eat." He looks at me curiously but dutifully starts to eat. Looking down at the food I feel my stomach start to churn and I drop my chop sticks. "On second thought you just eat it. I'm not very hungry." I lean my head back against the rough bark of the tree and close my eyes with a small sigh. The only sounds around are the small birds and squirrels in the trees and the other students a ways off. Suddenly I feel hands on my shoulders and I wake with a small jerk, not even aware that I had fallen asleep. Mouko's face is close to mine, his face a mask of worry.
"Are you sure you're ok? You're not acting like yourself. Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?" I shake my head, my face hot with my blush. I can't believe that I went to sleep on him like that, I think in horror. How rude.
"I didn't get much sleep last night that's all. I'm not sick," I say trying to appease him. His frown deepens. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off. "I made cookies, see? I thought you might like them as a snack for after school or something." I hold up the bulging green cloth and he takes it as if the contents were a fine crystal that he didn't want to shatter and places it on his things. He sitsback against the tree and picks me up effortlessly. I gasp and gab at his fore arms to anchor myself. He sets me in his lap between his legsso that my back is against his chest and takes my hair down. He kisses the side of my neck and nuzzles my ear. I can't control the giggle that bubbles out of my throat. He runs his fingers through my hair.
"You're tired," he says against my skin and I can feel his words rumbling in his chest. I nod. "Sleep then, Saiai. I will guard you until the bell rings." I try to sit up but he tightens one arm around my waist. His other hand sifts through my hair again.
"Oh, no. I couldn't just go to sleep on you Mouko. What would you do?" He smiled against my skin.
"I'll watch you." I don't know what to say to that and the motion of his hand is soothing. I feel myself start to go to sleep and shake my head, trying to shakeoff the drugging affect of his hand. "Sleep Saiai," he whispers in my ear. "Trust me. I'll keep you safe." I did feel safe in his arms. All thoughts of nightmares and Scout problems leave my mind as I settle against his muscled frame. I sigh and snuggle into his warmth, feeling toasty from his body heat. I nuzzle under his chin and his arm tightens around me, his hand stilling in my hair. I sigh against his skin.
"Thank you Mouko."
Written By: Lita (MoonPrincess1231)