Step #8:
If You're Scared Of Snakes, Don't Come To Hikaru's
...\~/...
January 17th, 3:17 A.M.:
"Please, somebody! Help me! I-I can't-!"
Hikaru bolted upright when a scream echoed off the walls of his apartment. He ripped the sheets off him, jumped from his bed, and rushed out his bedroom door, towards the source of the scream. He could hear his TV blaring from the living room and he swore that he had shut it off before going to bed. Hikaru skidded to a stop, backing up slowly. Someone broke in, but he was too scared to see who. His golden eyes darted from right to left, looking for a weapon of some sort. C'mon, why couldn't he get a break?
"Please...I...need..."
What the hell? Did they bring a victim in his apartment so they could torture her? It was definitely a her, judging by her calls. Man, why did this have to happen to him? He was finally starting to settle down. There had been no harassment from Psybro or death glares from Sarah and Salem ceased in his mockery about his sexuality. Everything was calm and now he was going to witness a murder...IN HIS APARTMENT! Hikaru darted into the bathroom and grabbed the plunger by the toilet. Well, it was gross, but it was better than nothing.
"I-I can't...please...!"
"Hah!" Hikaru yelled, jumping into the living room, plunger at the ready. He dropped his weapon when his eyes landed on, "Syd?"
On his couch, was Syd herself. The small of her back was pressed against the arm, head lolling back lazily, one arm stretched across the back of the couch while the other hung flaccidly to her side, and her legs were sprawled across the seats. Her hair was messy, like she hadn't brushed it in awhile, and her thick, black glasses sat askew on her nose. The TV blared on its highest volume and he bent forward to turn the television off. Syd made no protest.
"Why were you screaming? What if someone heard you?"
"Uh, I was kind of hoping they would."
"What, why? Are you in pain?"
"No..."
"Was there a break-in somewhere?"
"Well, technically I broke in-"
"Yeah, I can see that. Hey, are those my Cheetos?" The bag had fallen onto the floor, the bright orange cheese puffs scattered around the floor near the couch. "Did you come in hear just to make a mess? Gah! I was going to send those chocolates to Ripley!"
"...they were good. I approve."
"Are you going to clean...wait, are those my...boxers?"
"Hikaru, I figured you for a tighty whitey kind of guy, not a Betty Boop man."
He could feel his face heat up. Now he remembered why they never got along before. She always managed to embarrass the hell out of him. Syd was the worst possible house guest anyone could ever have; she even beat cockroaches and nasty, disease-infested vermin. He heard stories upon stories about long battles between humans and unwanted pests. Ha! They'd be amateurs at battling infestations until they have Syd stay for a night. A couch potato to the max; she loved to eat him out of his house every time she visited.
"Get. Out." Hikaru hissed, pointing towards the door. He could barely make out her expression due to the dark.
"I don't want to get up."
"Get. Out. NOW!"
"Mmm, don't feel like it. Can you hand me the remote. It's by the TV. I threw it at the power button to turn it on. Worked."
He felt defeated. Once Syd made herself at home, there was no way to get rid of her.
"Why the hell were you screaming?"
"I needed someone to get the remote for me."
He was so freakin' annoyed and it was only three in the morning. "Why couldn't you get it yourself?"
"Because I'm a bum!" she exclaimed. Was that happiness he heard in her voice?
Hikaru sighed angrily, picking up his plunger to throw it at her in an attempt to get her to move, but it was all in vain. He walked over to the table beside the couch and turned the lamp on. Now he saw that Syd was dressed in nothing but ratty jeans (his boxers were pulled over them for some strange reason) and a Deadmau5 T-shirt. His inner fashionista cringed at the horrific sight, making him want to drag her to a nearby clothing store and dress her in something more eye-catching. He wished she'd smile more and brush her hair more and wear socks that didn't have holes in them and...hell, there was a lot of things about Syd that he wish she'd change. But she never seemed to care, like she was trying to impress no one. Sometimes, he wished he had that attitude, the I-don't-care-what-anyone-thinks-about-me outlook on life; he felt that he worked too hard to impress people.
Syd's gaze shifted to him, "Holy shit, Hikaru! Put a shirt on! You're going to give me a heart attack!"
Hikaru checked his body, "I've been working out lately. Is it that bad?"
"Hell no! You know I have a weakness towards shirtless men, right? And...damn...you are one, fine-looking individual. C'mere, give me a hug." she said, spreading her arms apart. "Why do you think I watch Mori during kendo practice? Definitely not to watch him whip that wooden thing around..."
"Syd, I don't even want to touch you. You look disgusting."
"And you look sexy standing there, but am I complaining?"
Hikaru's face twisted when she said that, causing him to walk towards his room. He heard Syd's protests on him actually getting dressed, but he didn't care. When she had been staring at him, he felt nothing but violated. Once he got to his room, he quickly grabbed a plain, white tee, and was thinking the whole time about gathering food from the kitchen, and barricading himself in his bedroom until Syd did her rounds and left. But the idea was put to the side when his phone vibrated on his nightstand.
Ripley.
Hikaru quickly answered it, ignoring how his heart leapt when he read her name, and said, "Hey, Rip."
Silence was all that filled his ear. "Rip? Hello? Are you there? Why are breathing so heavy? You okay?"
There was indeed heavy breathing.
"Um...okay... is there something you needed? Or did you just miss me?" he teased. "'Cause I missed you."
Suddenly, something that was like a scream entered his ear, then the connection went dead. "Ripley? WHAT HAPPENED?" he yelled into the phone despite the fact that there was no connection. Oh God, what the hell happened? What if someone had broken into her house and was now killing her? What if there was a tornado going through her apartment right now? Oh God, oh God, oh God... Sometimes he despised the thousands of miles between them. He always hated the thought of something bad happening to her and him either never knowing what happened or suddenly getting a call, telling him about whatever tragic end of Ripley. Hikaru pressed speed dial, pressing the phone to his ear, and wishing that whoever would pick up rather than letting him fret with every buzz.
Finally, he heard a sleepy "Hello?" It was Ripley.
"What happened?" he yelled into the phone. "I was just talking to you and suddenly you screamed and the line went dead! What? What's going on? Is there a serial killer in your house? Is there a tornado? ARE YOU DEAD?"
"Shhh...you're so loud..." She sounded annoyed. That was the last thing that he wanted to happen- to annoy her.
"Did you...did you just get up?"
"Yes...I was fast asleep when...a phone was thrown at my head..."
"W-What...?"
"Did you say someone screamed?"
"Yeah...I thought you did..."
"Mmm, no. That was probably Dawn making an attempt at talking to you. She does this...screaming thing when she's...actually, she screams all the time." A tired yawn came through the phone. "I have to get back to sleep. Are you okay now?" He knew she was going to be busy, she had said so in their last conversation together. From what she had told him, there had been a huge ice storm that knocked trees over, getting in people's and cars' way. Her family had gotten a lot of calls and they hadn't been able to finish. And he knew she needed to get some sleep, but he wanted to be selfish and not let her go. He wanted to talk to her and listen to her voice. "Hika...?"
"Yeah, you get some sleep, my little night owl." He'd gotten fond of calling her that.
"Sounds like a plan. Night, Hika."
"Night..." Click.
He didn't want her to go...
"So, who was that?" a voice asked from behind him.
Hikaru jumped, spinning around with his phone clutched in his hands. Syd was leaning against the doorframe of his room, legs and arms crossed. She was looking at him from over her glasses, an eyebrow arched. Hikaru couldn't ignore the fact that she looked absolutely ridiculous with his boxers pulled over her jeans. He sighed, setting his phone back on his nightstand. "That was a friend of mine."
"That Ripley girl?"
"Yeah, that Ripley girl."
"Is she hot?"
"Uh..." For some reason, it made him uncomfortable having Syd ask questions about Ripley like that. "I wouldn't know..."
"You don't know? What if she's actually a fat, bearded lady or one of those women that have a two-inch waist?"
"Um..." He certainly didn't want either.
"What if she's actually a slob or has a sick fetish or something?"
"Like you?"
"Yeah, like me. You want someone like me?" Hell no!
Hikaru pushed past the blonde, "We promised each other we'd keep our looks to ourselves until we meet." It was now 3:57; he wasn't going to get anymore sleep with Syd around. Syd trailed behind him, following him into the kitchen. "What the hell? SYD!" His kitchen...was a disaster area. It looked like a tornado went through it...hurricane was a more fitting title for what happened. His cupboards were all open, random items had been taken out from the shelves and left on his counters. It looked like everything from his fridge had been thrown out and onto the island tale, which he couldn't even see the surface of at the moment. Things, like an open jar of peanut butter and a leaking bottle of barbeque sauce, were scattered on the floor. A box of crackers had been spilled on the floor as well, all looking like somebody had stepped on them. And what the hell happened with the blender? The kitchen window had a reddish-brown substance against it, the blender nearby, having the same substance coating the inside of the glass. Hikaru sniffed the air tentatively. What in the world was that smell?
Something dripped onto his nose, Hikaru bringing his fingers up to wipe it off. When he pulled his fingers away, his fingertips were covered in yellow. What in the... SPLAT!
"So that's where the bologna went." came Syd's casual voice.
Hikaru looked up, regretting it immediately. His ceiling was polka-dotted with bologna and mustard.
"What's...can I...just...what's in the blender...?"
"A meatloaf milkshake! Ever had one?"
"No." he growled. "Have you?"
"Nope! Sounds disgusting. I thought it was just funny watching it explode!"
Never mind about having some sort of respect for her. He hated her now. She was now #1 on his 'Most Annoying...' list, right above Renge Houshakuji and Kyle Henderson. Hikaru felt the utmost urge to punch something and the closest thing was Syd herself. He heard her turn and try to leave, but his arm stretched out, hand grabbing her shoulder. What was she doing here anyway. The last he had heard about her, she had left Japan after the animal exchange, and had gone back to her home in Chicago, Illinois, where she resumed her apprenticeship under the world-famous veterinarian, Scarlett Hawkins. He had always wondered how someone as lazy and unmotivated as Syd took on such a high-maintenance and grueling job as a vet. She probably slept with the sloths...heck, she was probably a sloth in a past life.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"Out to the living room. Where are you going?"
"Aren't you going to clean this up?" He felt his eye twitch.
"Well, I wasn't planning on it, and I'm still not."
"Clean this up now, Syd!"
Syd's face went grim at the thought of cleaning.
"Uh...um...ow, my wrist! I can't work! It hurts too much!"
"SYD!"
...\~/...
Hikaru sighed as he swept up the mess on the floor. Somehow, he ended up being the one cleaning, while Syd sat on her ass in one of the stools, sock-covered feet perched on the island. She had her hand resting in a bag of corn chips, occasionally taking it out, stuffing her face with a handful of chips. Hikaru had to wonder how he was going to clean up the ceiling and the 'meatloaf milkshake', as Syd called it, had dried to a cement-like substance on his window. He'd need a chisel to scrape off that stuff. So far, he had successfully cleaned off the counters and returned everything that had crowded them to their rightful places. He had discovered that his fridge had been completely emptied and ketchup had been "accidently" smeared on every visible surface inch.
"Syd, don't ever go to sleep again." he growled as he swept everything into the dustpan.
"Gonna kill me in my sleep? Yeah, Kyoya said the same thing."
"Kyoya?" Hikaru questioned, throwing the contents in the dustpan away. "Did you go visit them or something?"
"Yeah. I thought my visit was overdue. Plus, my 'Annoying Kyoya' meter was rather low, so I had to replenish it."
"I bet he enjoyed that..." He didn't want to imagine the demonic look his senpai would get when he was angry. Too scary...
"Oh, he did, especially when he tried to strangle me."
The ash-haired man remembered clearly the first day Syd and Kyoya met. It hadn't been a pretty sight, but the fact that Syd and Tara had a past together, he kept being a gentleman towards her. Over the course of time, she began to get on his last nerves, something that only Tamaki had ever successfully been able to do. See, Syd wasn't as dumb as everyone thought she was. She was actually quite intelligent, but she had been wasting away her natural smarts, just because she gave up trying. Hikaru knew that Kyoya always found it irksome when people didn't take things for granted, added with the fact that Syd was doing just that, his spectacled senpai had given himself a mission: to get Syd through school with high grades. Hikaru knew Kyoya taking a sudden interest in Syd had had something to do with Tara having been concerned about Syd's well-being. Either way, it had been surprising when Kyoya had taken the initiative to tutor Syd; to this day, Hikaru never really knew whether or not there had been any benefit to him. Hikaru stole a glance at Syd, who had long since abandoned the corn chips and was now shoving Oreos into her mouth. He wondered if she was thankful towards Kyoya for what he had done in getting her through her last year of high school.
"Do you...look up to Kyoya? I mean, are you happy he got you through your senior year?"
"Heh, no. I only went along with it because I got tired of him nagging me every five minutes."
"Did you do it for Tara?" That seemed to have struck a nerve.
"Hey, do you have any pickles? I'm craving some." The answer must've been yes since she avoided the subject.
He knew vaguely about the history Tara and Syd had together. It was the year before Tara had transferred to Ouran and the story was that she had been driving to Boston to visit her relatives when her car broke down. Well, this SUV had pulled over. The passengers had asked her if she needed any help and one of those passengers had been Syd. From what he knew of Syd's side of the story, she had run away from home that year, and she had been hitch-hiking when she was picked up by two sisters whose names escaped him at the moment. After that, Tara had abandoned the broken down car, claiming that it was her step-dad's, and traveled with the three. Hikaru didn't know what had happened on that road trip, but Tara and Syd had become somewhat friends. However, after they departed, they lost contact until the Host Club had transferred over to Boston, and the two reunited.
"No, I don't. Besides, you probably threw them out the window."
"That's stupid. I would never do that."
"But you would throw mustard-covered bologna on the ceiling."
"I thought it was necessary at the time."
"How is throwing bologna on my ceiling ever necessary?" he shouted at her.
"I don't know. It just...seemed right at the moment..."
He couldn't stand her. He couldn't freakin' stand her.
He'd rather have cockroaches and rats than Sydney McNamara.
...\~/...
It was now 9:03 A.M.
Dear Ripley,
I just wanted to tell you to be careful. From what I read in the forecasts for your area, it's supposed to be below zero and a possible chance for another ice storm. Bundle up, instead of wearing only that stupid jacket! Have MJ mother you like you say she does and wear a damn coat! Be careful and message me when you have time.
From,
Hikaru
P.S. And please don't send me pictures of your fingertips cut off again. Those pictures almost made me puke.
P.P.S Just don't touch the chainsaw ever again...
...\~/...
Dear Hikaru,
Don't worry; I have my Transformers sweatshirt so everything is a-okay! Plus, Joey wrapped me up in seventeen layers anyways, so I'm not going to die of frostbite. We have a busy day ahead of us and we have to work quickly. The ice storm's already hit and the salt trucks can't come through since the roads are blocked. Besides, we aren't the only arboring business working today.
And I will be careful! Geez, you're becoming such a worry-wart.
From,
Ripley
P.S. Oh come on, that was freakin' hilarious!
P.P.S. But Hika, I love chainsaws.
...\~/...
"So you're here because of another animal transfer?"
"Yeppers. The Central Park Zoo is donating a beautiful Emerald Tree Boa to us. Six and a half feet long, Hikaru!"
"Oh, um, that's...awesome..."
"By the way, I know you won't mind, but I have to bring the snake here."
"Won't mind? That thing could eat us!"
"Geez, what a baby. What happened to having 'manly' in front of Hikaru? Manly Hikaru, manly Hikaru!"
"Shut up! I am manly! I just don't want my manliness to stop due to being eaten by a snake!"
"Pfft, snakes are adorable. Just think of how cute they look when they swallow their prey whole."
"Oh yeah, real cute. You know what I think? I think you have a screwed up, twisted mind in that skull of yours.
"My mom did drop me as a baby. Blame her for my unusual, yet magnetic personality."
"Magnetic is not the right word to describe your personality."
"Yes, it is! It said it in a fortune cookie once!"
"Whatever. So, this is Central Park Zoo, huh? Never been here before."
"Yep! Ooo, wait until you see the snow leopards! They're one of their new exhibits!"
...\~/...
"Corralus caninus! Aren't they just remarkable?" the resident herpetologist exclaimed, holding up the reptile with pride.
Syd gasped, rushing over to gently run her hands over the animal's skin. "Yes, they are!" She looked back at Hikaru, beckoning him over. "C'mere, you can pet him!"
Hikaru didn't even budge from his spot by the door. His eyes couldn't find one area where there wasn't some creepy-looking reptile lurking in cages and glass containers. He'd never been fond of the slithering, wriggling creatures in the first place, and usually avoided reptile houses. He wasn't scared of them or anything, just creepy. And now, here he was, about to go touch a six and a half foot snake that could probably swallow him whole in a matter of five minutes. Hikaru stepped towards the table where Syd and the herpetologist stood, keeping his hands in his coat pockets the whole time. Wearing this coat, he couldn't ignore the fact that he was getting a bit hot standing in this slightly humid room. Syd said that most reptiles lived in humid, rainy areas so zoos had to keep it steamy in the habitats.
"Is it poisonous?" Hikaru asked.
"Oh no, Emerald Tree Boas aren't poisonous at all." the herpetologist replied. "Go ahead, pet him. He's friendly."
Hikaru slowly started to reach for the snake. He had to admit that the creature was gorgeous. It's thick skin was a beautiful emerald green, hence the name, and had narrowed, freaky-looking eyes that Hikaru couldn't tell if they were open or close. When his fingertips reached the skin, he made a quick, gentle streak down the boa's back, and drew back his hand. The snake didn't even react.
"Does he have a name?" Hikaru questioned.
"Yes, he does. This one's name is Zag. He has a sister named Zig."
"Why Zag?"
"See these patterns on his skin?" the herpetologist asked, pointing at the white zig-zag patterns. "That's where they got their names."
"Did you say he had a sister? Wouldn't they be, ya know, sad due to being separated?" For some reason, he thought of Kaoru when he said that.
"Mmm, maybe, but Zag's a tough guy, aren't you, Zag?" No response from the snake.
Syd straightened, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Well, I'll be back later to pick Zag up. I'm going to give this chicken here a tour." Hikaru frowned and glowered at her when she called him that. Syd gave a half-hearted wave to the herpetologist as she left, Hikaru trailing behind her.
He was just glad to get away from the reptiles.
...\~/...
Hikaru and Syd stood in front of the snow leopard exhibit, arms folded in front of them on the railing before them. Hikaru watched in fascination as one of the big cats batted around a large, yellow ball with one of its huge paws. He imagined briefly of him being in the place of that ball, being played with before being munched on, but he quickly shook the images away. They were truly magnificent beasts, beautiful as well, but he knew they could be just as ugly as anything else in the world.
"Why do they put all those toys in there?" he asked.
"They're for enrichment. They help the animals practice their hunting skills, but also give them something to do when they're bored."
"And why is that meat all the way up there?"
"It's to have the leopards work for their food, plus out in the wild, snow leopards usually climb or leap from cliff to cliff in order to get their prey. Zoos try their best to provide ways for the animals to do what they were designed to do." Syd has a soft smile on her face. "I remember that particular leopard when she was a cub."
"What's her name?"
"Saphira. I named her after the color of her eyes."
"You named her."
"Heh, yeah, I did. Though, she probably doesn't remember me." He could hear a hint of sad undertone in her voice.
Hikaru asked, "Why did you choose to work with animals?"
Syd leaned forward a bit, "I never really had any friends growing up because I thought everyone was stupid, to which I found out their thoughts reflected mine. I always loved animals, though. Leanne, my sister, she would always read books about animals, and I became fascinated by them. After that, I'd drag everything home, from birds to stray cats. I even tried to bring a skunk home once, but...that ended badly. I felt that animals listened to me better than humans and that's when I decided that I wanted to work with them."
"I bet your mom was proud of you."
"Yeah right, all she did was tell me I stunk of fish and threw me out of the house."
"I remember the first time I met you; you smelled like fish then, too."
"Well, that's what you get for hanging out with penguins."
"What was your first pet ever?"
"Um...a butterfly named Stu."
"Stu?"
"Yeah... My sister had ordered me one of those butterfly-growing kits for my birthday and that's how I got Stu. Since then, I've had so many pets, I can't name them all. Now, all I have is my dog, Laika the Akita. My neighbors are looking after her right now."
"Do you ever wonder what might've happened if Kyoya hadn't stepped in that year?"
Syd was silent for a moment. "I definitely wouldn't be here right now."
Hikaru narrowed his gaze a bit before looking back at the snow leopards. He took out his phone and turned the camera on, focusing in on Saphira the snow leopard, pressing the 'take picture' button, listening to the shutter sound go off. Syd watched him closely as he composed the picture in a text message. She saw the name of the person he was sending it to: Ripley Barrett. Syd looked up at Hikaru's content expression and took in the soft smile he gave when he pressed 'send'. She remembered distinctly how Tara had told her that she and Kaoru were depending on the woman from Red Hue to help move Hikaru on. For some reason, after seeing the man in front of her pine for Haruhi for so long, Syd found it hard to believe that he would actually find someone.
"Come on," Syd said, standing up, slipping her cold hands back into her pockets, "I want you to meet someone."
...\~/...
"This is Alfred." Syd said. "He was the one I performed with at the Boston Zoo before he transferred here."
Hikaru stood by their discarded coats while watching Syd rub her hand along the sea lion's slick head. The seal seemed to remember her and was also fond of her, especially when she ran her hand over his head affectionately. Syd grinned every time the seal gave a loud, guttural call. Hikaru remembered the first time he had ever seen Syd perform at the sea show in Boston. That was when he had begun to respect her slightly. He noticed how being around animals always made the passionate, tender Syd come out. If only she'd show that side to more people rather than being a care-free slob, he was sure she'd find someone to settle down with.
"Alfred, this is Hikaru, do you remember him from Boston?" Surprisingly, the seal answered back with another loud call.
"What was that? You want to give him a kiss?" Hikaru barely had any to protest when Syd grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the animal. "Well, he's right here!" Syd looked up at him, "Just lean forward and tap your cheek, like this." The blonde leaned forward until she was close to the seal's mouth and tapped her cheek with her index finger. Alfred bobbed around for a couple moments before quickly putting his mouth to her cheek, then have a loud call when she threw him a fish from a bucket and some praise. "Now, you try."
Hikaru gave a hesitant look at Syd before he leaned forward close to Alfred, tapping his cheek slowly. Just like what happened with Syd, Alfred pressed his mouth and wet nose onto his cheek, and drew back quickly, swaying from side to side. Syd threw the animal a fish for a reward and came over to Alfred with a medium-sized ball. She snapped her fingers above the animal's head, getting the seal's attention, and she slowly balanced the ball on top of Alfred's nose.
"Are you still in love with Haruhi?"
Hikaru's eyes widened, "W-What...? Where did that come from?"
"Well, are you?"
He felt embarrassed when he answered with a quiet, "Yeah, I am."
The expression on Syd's face was a hard one to decipher. He couldn't tell if she was sad or upset. There was something more than just curiosity behind that question. For a long time, she was never the one he ran to when things got rough because she always seemed to not care. So why was she suddenly asking him this? Did Kaoru or Tara say anything? If he knew better, it was most likely Tara that said something to her during Syd's last visit with them.
"Why do you ask?"
Syd caught the ball when it fell off Alfred's nose, balancing it again. "What if this Ripley woman wants to move forward and you're still hung up on Haruhi? What are you going to do then? Break this woman's heart by saying, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I don't really love you. I'm just looking for someone to distract me from my true feelings for a woman who's married and otherwise, untouchable'?"
"Ripley isn't like that. She isn't...she's...I wouldn't..." What was he trying to say? Why did Syd have to bring up such a complex subject? Why did she have to bring up questions he didn't know the answers to? "She's...growing on me?"
"But do you have any feelings for her whatsoever?"
"I'm..." What was he supposed to say? Damn it! "We've only know each other for about a month. I'm content at the moment."
"I'm not talking about now. I'm asking about the future. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know, damn it! Stop asking all these questions!"
Alfred gave a loud call before slipping into the pool and perching himself on the other side of the room. Hikaru's fists were clenched as he glared down at Syd, who was clutching a fish in her hands. Why did her questions have to be right on the mark? He'd been wondering these things, too, but never seemed to come up with reasonable answers. All he wanted at the moment was a friend, a person that he could talk to who wouldn't bother him about his love for Haruhi. That person was Ripley. Over the course of a month, she was the one he would turn to when he needed a break from his complicated thoughts and life. She comforted him, made him laugh, made him question her sanity, but overall he loved talking to her, hearing her voice in his ear when they called each other. All he wanted to do was make her like him and he felt like he accomplished that goal, but now he wanted to make sure she stayed liking him.
"What's with your sudden interest anyway?" Hikaru asked. He was trembling; his nails were cutting into his palms.
Syd didn't answer, only narrowed her gaze as if she were trying to figure him out. He hated that look.
"Answer me, damn it!"
"I don't know!" Syd yelled back, her voice cracking a bit. "I don't...know..."
"You do know, but you're not telling me!"
"Maybe because I don't want to! I hate seeing men cry!"
"I wouldn't...I'm not going to cry if you tell me what's on your mind!"
Syd growled, grabbing her coat and pulling it on. "Let's go; I need to get Zag and then we're leaving."
"Fine. Avoid the subject. I don't care."
...\~/...
Dear Hikaru,
So, you have a six and a half foot boa coiled up in a garbage can living in your house. Is the garbage can big enough for it?
From,
Ripley
P.S. Quin thinks it's really cool. He has three snakes of his own.
...\~/...
Dear Ripley,
Yes, I am. I'm sitting on the couch, watching the thing like a hawk. I'm expecting that thing to leap out and eat me.
From,
Hikaru
P.S. I wouldn't be able to live with that. Did he only have snakes?
...\~/...
Dear Hikaru,
I thought the same thing when dad let Quin bring home a boa constrictor. All that time, I was thankful that Mark let me have the top bunk, but I was always freaked out that it would climb up the bed posts and swallow me alive. Being eaten alive is NOT on my bucket list. But your friend's an expert, right? She'd know what to do if it got out.
From,
Ripley
P.S. Quin had a total of three snakes, two tarantulas, a lizard, and a toad. Joey was always crawling into my bed when we were younger... He's terrified of spiders.
...\~/...
Dear Ripley,
It gives me shivers thinking about being swallowed alive, just waiting for whatever ate me to finally digest me. Not exactly on my bucket list either.
How was the business today?
From,
Hikaru
P.S. I sympathize with Joey...
...\~/...
Dear Hikaru,
I'm actually on break right now. We've cut up six trees today, one of which took down some power lines. We still have calls coming in so I feel like today I'm going to call into my third job sick so we can get stuff done at dad's business. It's so freakin' cold outside. I wish I was curled up under my blankets asleep. And I want some hot chocolate right now, some really good hot chocolate. *sigh* Woe is me.
Dad's saying I have to get off and get back to work. I'll call you later, okay?
From,
Ripley
P.S. He and dad both have a fear of spiders. It's funny because I like spiders, but hate bugs.
...\~/...
It was now 5:36 P.M.
He had finally dozed off on the couch (Syd was in his room asleep) when his phone vibrated. Hikaru jumped, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he looked at his phone. It said Ripley; he was surprised she was calling him. Maybe she was on break again since it was storming over in her state. He answered it with a sleepy hello. He closed his eyes again, trying his best to stay awake, listening for Ripley's response.
Heavy breathing again. Not this...
"Hey, is this Dawn? Do you have Rip's phone again?"
All he got was the small scream from before, but this time a different voice came. "Sorry about that; Dawn's just...well, she's shy around guys that perform twincest."
Hikaru sat up, his back resting against the arm of the couch. "Who is this?"
"This is MJ, Ripley's best friend, the mother hen of the group." Ah, MJ, the one going into psychology.
"Why do you guys have Rip's phone?"
"She came home earlier to get something and she forgot her phone. We decided to call and get a taste of this Hikaru guy that's stolen her break times."
"So, she talks about me?" Something about the thought of being the center of a conversation at Rip's place made him feel good. Now he wondered what they talked about. What do girls talk about with each other when it comes to guys that they like? During his high school days, girls squealed about how good-looking he and the rest of the Host Club was or about weird moe fantasies they had late at night. He always found fangirls kind of creepy.
"Yeah, but she doesn't go on and on about you." Then, MJ said something, but it wasn't directed towards him, it was said towards Dawn. "Dawn, would you please put your tongue back in your mouth, and stop drooling! Rip was probably just kidding when she said he went all the way with his brother! People don't do that!" Back to him. "God, ever since Rip mentioned you and your brother, Dawn's salivary glands have been acting up."
"Is she really that obsessed with twincest?"
"Sadly, yes. Stop making weird gurgling noises! Sorry about that; didn't mean to yell in your ear. She's foaming at the mouth..."
He couldn't help but laugh.
"Hey, you know that five questions thing that you came up with?"
"Yeah, what about it?" It was kind of strange that he was talking this casually with Ripley's roommates. He always assumed it would be awkward. But where were the other two? What were their names...ah, Renee and Erika? Maybe they were at work or something.
"Can we ask you a few questions? Do you mind?"
"Um...no, I guess not." Great, here comes the interrogation.
"First, do you think hipsters are just trendy nerds?"
Hipsters...she could've asked him any question in the world, but she asked about...hipsters?
"Trendy nerds...? More like wannabe fashionistas that obviously get dressed in the dark way too many times." Maybe he was a little biased; the blindingly bright, neon colors had never been his thing. MJ then asked about what he thought of guys wearing tight jeans, to which he responded, "They're obviously trying to show what they don't got." Twincest questions on Dawn's part; some were pretty creative and some he didn't even know how to respond to. Is this how the mind of a fangirl works? He thought as he answered Dawn's questions the best he could. The only question that he answered truthfully of Dawn's was whether or not he found his brother cute.
"Of course Kaoru's cute. He's the most adorable little brother there is on this world."
"Okay, my question," MJ said. "Have you ever seen Soul Eater?"
"Um, yeah, who hasn't? One of my favorite animes, to be honest. Have to say this, though; a lot of people have told me that I sound exactly like Death the Kid. I've never heard the similarities, but people have said it."
"Now that I hear it, you two do sound similar. That's so weird; cool, but weird. Dawn's got a question."
Great, another twincest question, but he was ready for it.
"Aw, she wants to know if you care about Rip."
Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again. That was a good question. When they first started talking, he only liked talking to her, enjoying himself when she messaged him. Then, when they stopped talking, his thoughts would have been barely about their conversation, unless something reminded him of them. As days progressed, her messages were all he thought about. It helped distract him, helped get him through another day. Now, he always got butterflies in stomach, accompanied with warm feelings, and she always left him feeling good at the end of their conversations. He worried about her well-being and the dangers of the arboring business, especially after she sent him that gruesome picture of three of her fingers fingertip-less. He always texted her, telling her to be careful and to bundle up. Heck, he even sent her one of his brother's coats off of his winter collection in hopes that she would be warmer outside while working. He wanted to spoil her, wanted to help her accomplish her goals and complete her dreams. In the end, he said.
"Yes. I do care about her."
He didn't know why, but he could imagine a smile on MJ and Dawn's faces when he said that.
"That's a good answer. I was prepared to fly myself over to New York City and kick your fuckin' ass." MJ said.
Why did that remind him of something Tara would say.
"Here's another question: what do you think of Harry Potter?"
"Um, isn't Harry Potter about that kid wizard who goes to that one school? I've always been too busy to sit down and read or watch the series. Am I going to get scolded?"
There was silence on the other side and he could visualize Rip's roommate's jaw dropping.
Over the phone, he could hear the door to their apartment open and slam shut. Then, he heard Ripley's voice, asking if they had seen her phone. He heard the phone drop and MJ's frantic shouts. "You...you can't date him! He's never read or seen Harry Potter! He's not good enough for you! He...he...you need someone better who's more educated and wise! Hikaru...Hikaru hasn't...he hasn't...oh my God! He's deprived!"
There's that word again: deprived. Did deprived relate to boring?
"Hika, is that you?"
Her voice... "Oh, um, yeah, it's me. Your friends called me."
"Yeah, interesting, aren't they. I suppose Dawn asked you lots of twincest questions?" There was some laugh in her voice.
"Oh, yeah, some of them were really inventive."
"I'm not surprised. Some of the questions she wanted me to ask you left me speechless."
"Do you have to go back work?" He hoped she would say no.
"Sadly, I do. We're still busy, but I promise to call you again tonight, okay?"
"Alright. Will you please wear eighteen layers rather than seventeen? And can you please keep all limbs and other body parts out of the way of chainsaw blades?"
"Aw, Hika, you take all the fun out of life. I was hoping to lop off a hand this time."
"Ripley, please?"
"Fine, fine, I will. And don't get swallowed up by any boas while I'm gone, okay?"
"That was the original plan. Tonight, then?"
"Yep, tonight. Talk to you later!" Click.
"Yeah...talk to you later..."
...\~/...
It was now 12:23 A.M.
Hikaru had gone to bed shortly after his long conversation with Ripley when she had called after her day of doing business work. She had successfully managed to keep all body parts intact and she had avoided getting frostbite or any other cold-related illnesses. Hearing things like that come from her was always like a breath of fresh air for him. After saying good night to each other, he finally turned in. Unfortunately, Syd refused to leave his bed, and he really didn't feel like sleeping on the couch with that stupid snake out there, so he slid in beside her, making sure he didn't touch any part of Syd.
Out in the living room, unknown to both Hikaru and Syd, a sound that was similar to metal scratching against metal was coming from the door. Suddenly, the lock was released, allowing the front door to slowly swing open. A dark silhouette slid in, shutting the door behind them quietly. Walking towards the small hallway that led to Hikaru's room, the silhouette made its way over, but accidently bumped into a large garbage can, causing it to fall over.
"What the...?" the silhouette muttered, hoping that the loud crash didn't wake the occupants of the apartment.
Silence.
But what was that hissing sound?
A terrified scream bounced off the walls of the apartment.
Both Hikaru and Syd bolted upright at the sound of the scream. They ripped of the sheets, jumped out of the bed, and rushed out of the bedroom. Hikaru grabbed Syd's shoulder, stopping her before she entered the living room.
"Shouldn't we get a weapon?" he whispered to her.
"What are you going to use? The deadly plunger again? Idiot..."
Syd looked around the corner, checking the living room. Hikaru was about to say something when Syd casually sauntered into the other room. "Hey, Hikaru," she said. "Looks like we have another wannabe burglar, except this time, he has a fear of snakes." This made him look around the corner as well and what he saw made him arch an eyebrow.
There was Psybro, perched up on the couch, staring at Zag with wide, fear-filled eyes.
Who knew Psybro would have a phobia of snakes?
The brute looked straight at Hikaru, "Don't just stand there, do something!"
Hikaru stared back at him, arms crossed. "And I why should I? All you've done is torment me."
"U-Um, I-I'll s-stop! Just get that thing away from me!"
...\~/...
After Zag was carefully placed back in his trashcan and fed an already dead frog as an apology for the disturbance, Psybro slowly stepped off the couch, checking his surroundings for any other hissing beasts. Finding none, Psybro hesitantly approached the two; Psybro was surprised when Syd didn't seem at all intimidated by him towering over her. Syd stood there, looking unimpressed and bored with her arms crossed. She kept on mumbling about people not understanding the true beauty behind reptiles and how they were just a bunch of big babies.
"...and you won't push me down any more stairs?" Hikaru asked, this being his umpteenth request.
"No, I won't push you down any more stairs." Psybro said.
"Alright, I think we covered everything." Hikaru said, happy with the results. "By the way, you should watch your temper."
"Whoa, someone's being a hypocrite." Syd stated. She ended up in a headlock, Hikaru sending a sheepish grin towards Psybro.
"Fine." Psybro eyed the trashcan. "Is that going to stay here?"
Hikaru thought about this. What if Psybro was just agreeing to everything so that Syd wouldn't unleash Zag on him? "Yes, that snake's staying here."
"What?" Syd gasped, but Hikaru covered her mouth with his hand.
"So, if you don't want a six and a half foot snake wrapping itself around you, I would suggest you be a good boy, and move along."
Psybro sighed, "Fine. I'll leave you alone from now on."
With that, the brute left, slamming the door behind him. Once the door closed, Hikaru pulled his hand away from Syd's mouth, grimacing at all the spit that covered it from her licking it to try and get him to release his hold on her. Do you know how hard it is to keep a straight face when someone's tongue is moving all over your hand? It was freakin' difficult.
"What the hell, man?" Syd asked, gesturing over to the trashcan. "Zag is leaving with me."
"Yeah, but Psybro doesn't know that. If you move it while he's away, he'll think it's still here."
"Psybro...?"
"Long story."
Syd sighed, "Poor Zag, being used as a threat. All he wanted to do was play with that moron."
Before he knew it, Syd had Zag coiled around her, the young woman grinning like a fool.
And this was only his first day with Syd.
In all honesty, this is probably my favorite chapter so far. I've always liked Syd as a character and I hope you like her as well. This was the first chapter that she's in; I'm expecting chapter 9 with be a Hikaru/Syd-bonding chapter as well, but a bit more intense. And Hikaru is going to run into someone in the next chapter and there's two people that I've picked, but haven't decided which one yet. So, I have two questions regarding Ripley: one) do you like her character so far? I'm thinking about having another message-based chapter somewhere, so look out! And two) how do you like the pace of Hikaley's relationship? Too slow, too fast, or just right? I'm content with the pace, but I was wondering what you guys think. I've always liked romance stories where the two main characters progress in their relationship rather than jumping into it in like...the first five chapters. By the way, I'm also going to start putting dates in the beginning in the chapters so you know when the chapter is taking place.
Author's Note - Fin