Hello everyone, here's the new chapter.
Many thanks to everyone who read and especially my beloved reviewers; my best friend viexon and my dear RavenGal. Thank you both so much XD
Yes, not drinking for nine months is sad and RavenGal; I'm glad you liked it! XD
Also a special thank-you to Depressedxdreamer for following. You rule!
Other than that, not much to say. Hope you enjoy guys, I own nothing.
Here's chapter 2.
Chapter 2: Getting A Handle On Things
Her touch gentler than Erica had even known it could be she smoothed a lock of wet hair back from the boy's forehead.
"Can you tell me your name?" Asked San-chan, looking slightly awkward, she wasn't the best with children.
Or people in general for that matter.
Erica started to withdraw her hand but before she could the young boy reached up and gripped it in both of his, he squeezed it gently as if saying thank-you and then loosened his grip again.
"Kouyuu," he said finally, "it's Kouyuu."
He blinked and awareness seemed to come back into his eyes. Before he'd been in a bit of a daze, Erica hadn't been too surprised, he had just been beaten (again, from the look of it) and watched Erica chase the man who had been beating him down the street throwing bits of fire at him. That was enough to shock anyone, she supposed.
After that she'd coaxed the boy back to Bandou's and they'd managed to see to the boy's injuries, get him showered, fed and calm and were now all sitting on the couch together. And they'd done a pretty good job too, Erica thought, they hadn't killed the boy or anything, maybe she and San-chan weren't terrible at being human beings after all.
Now, now, calm down, it's a bit early to be making claims like that, she thought sardonically.
"Can you tell us your surname?" San-chan prodded, it was ironic, Erica thought, she had just been thinking how San-chan didn't ask questions and now she had been doing nothing but for the last twenty minutes. This was the first time one of her questions had been answered though.
Kouyuu blinked his large eyes the colour of... well Erica couldn't think of a description word for that particular shade but they were a light brown.
"No," he said, "I'm sorry, I don't remember," he cringed slightly as though he was afraid of being struck, Erica gently squeezed one of his hands with the hand that was still in his grasp.
"Hey, it's okay," she said quietly, "no one here's gonna hurt you. Least of all San-chan, she acts all mean but she's a pushover when you get to know her."
San-chan exhaled in a huff but didn't deny the statement.
In the next half an hour San-chan, with the occasional input from Erica, managed to get that the boy was an orphan named Kouyuu and 13 years old. He was older than Erica had originally guessed, he wasn't small because he was young, he was small because he was malnourished and mistreated. She also got from him that his parents had died in a train-crash when he was six and the gang his father had belonged to had taken him in.
Erica's parents had died in a turf-war and she'd been ten but she understood how he was feeling. For almost half her life, and exactly half his life, they'd been treated like dirt by a gang of people who were an insult to the insult 'monsters.' To then have members of HOMRA butt into your life and try and help you and make things better... well it could be a bit overwhelming, still was occasionally, in fact. She sympathised with Kouyuu's confused expression.
Kouyuu looked out San-chan's window, it was getting dark. "Thank you for your help and for the food but it's getting late. I should go. They'll be wondering where I am."
The tone of Kouyuu's voice implied 'they' would be wondering no such thing and before he could fully slide off the couch San-chan gently took hold of his wrist.
Kouyuu flinched but didn't pull back. Over the last hour he had allowed Erica to touch him whenever necessary but was more wary of San-chan. Erica wasn't sure if that made sense or not, no; San-chan wasn't the one who rescued him from being beaten up but he also didn't know she had crazy fire-powers.
Maybe it was the not-knowing which was making him anxious?
"That's not a very good idea," Bandou said simply.
Kouyuu stared at her for a while and then his shoulders slumped, "yeah, I know." He whispered.
Huh. It was easier to talk sense into a thirteen year old than it had been to talk sense into Erica. But then again, that thirteen year old hadn't been charged with killing someone so of course he'd be less wary around two women than Erica had been around the whole of HOMRA at its height of power.
Well that was Erica's excuse anyway.
"Come on, you can stay here with us until we figure everything out," San-chan made to pull Kouyuu back onto the couch but seeing him yawn she stood.
"Come on, you can sleep in here," she led Kouyuu into her own room.
"He can have my room," Erica called after them, "I'll sleep on the couch." This was San-chan's home, Erica was the one who was imposing and she had been the one who had brought Kouyuu here, she didn't want to kick San-chan out of her own bed.
With a flash of unusual good-humour San-chan looked over her shoulder and smiled at Erica, "no, it's fine. I'm not beaten and bruised or pregnant so I'll be fine on the couch."
Erica glowered at her, guess she wasn't going to be letting that go in a hurry huh?
"Good night Miss Erica," Kouyuu called.
Oh! Right, manners. "Good night Kouyuu," Erica called back.
After finding the boy a t-shirt to sleep in, bidding him goodnight and switching out the lights San-chan came back out and sat on the couch with Erica
She exhaled loudly again but this time it wasn't an faux-irritated sound, just a long, steady sigh that said she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing but was going to keep trying anyway.
Erica had been making that sound a lot herself lately.
"Help me Bandou," Erica said, keeping her voice low, "help me find a job, help me find an apartment. I'll take care of Kouyuu, I'll tell Kouske I'm pregnant, I just need your help, and a little bit more time."
"Well you can stay here as long as you want," San-chan said, "and I know a couple of guys, I'll help you find something. And if you really want to take Kouyuu in yourself; then I'll help you do that too. But if not, we'll figure something out."
Once upon a time HOMRA would have done something together, it would have probably been Mr. Kusanagi and Miss Totsuka who figured something out. But those days were gone now, and they weren't coming back.
Three weeks later Erica had a job. It wasn't much, just stocking shelves at a local supermarket but she could've kissed San-chan when the older woman called in a favour and got her the job (but didn't because she wasn't big on affection to begin with and especially not when San-chan was involved).
She was still living with the black-haired woman and was really beginning to feel ashamed of her dependence, she probably had enough money by now to make it on her own but she just couldn't find an apartment and things would be harder if she planned to take Kouyuu with her, which she did.
But Bandou was great about the whole thing, she'd been supportive of Erica and of Kouyuu and, aside from sniggering under her breath every once in a while when Erica got queasy at the smell of eggs or something, was supportive of the baby too.
One of the things that bothered Erica was that although she had been staying with San-chan for three weeks now she hadn't seen Shouhei once.
But that was San-chan's issue, and unless San-chan acknowledged it as an issue Erica wasn't going to bring it up, no need to piss the other woman off. She had issues enough of her own to deal with.
Like Kouske.
He'd called her numerous times, at first worried when she didn't come home but then he left her alone when he found out she was staying at San-chan's. Then about five days later he'd called again wondering exactly how long she was planning to stay at San-chan's and why? Erica didn't blame him, leaving the apartment for days at a time to stay with San-chan of all people wasn't exactly something she was well-known for doing, and since HOMRA had disbanded it was now even less likely.
Erica was just glad she hadn't asked to stay at Masaomi's. That would have been impossible to explain.
Erica had no doubt Masaomi would have taken her in, for all the brunette liked to act like it, she wasn't heartless. Actually, out of her, San-chan, and Erica herself she was probably the softest out of the three of them. Really, really deep down.
Especially if Erica had explained her secret to her, then she might have a potential ally who actually knew what she was doing. But whatever Masaomi knew, Chitose knew, and Chitose couldn't keep a secret to save his life.
But even though Masaomi didn't like Erica, she would have helped her, of that the blonde was sure.
But without explaining her secret to Kouske, Erica never would have been able to explain it to him.
Actually, Erica wasn't so sure Masaomi disliked her anymore.
She was aware the brunette still wasn't fond of her, not by any stretch of the imagination, and that was fair because Erica had never done anything to endear her to Masaomi and had no plans for doing so in the future, she didn't particularly like Masaomi either, though that was mostly because the brunette didn't like her. But actual dislike? That may be too strong a term to describe the two women's feelings as of recent months.
Erica didn't know why Masaomi didn't like her but since she and Chitose had gotten together things between them had seemed a bit better, maybe since Masaomi now no longer had to carry around her unrequited love while watching her best friend destroy himself anymore she had mellowed out as a whole, not just towards Erica. Maybe. Erica didn't know.
What she did know was that Erica herself felt great, she was urinating more frequently, experiencing mood swings that were noticeable even in her, a woman whom was often, quite correctly, defined as 'moody' anyway and her breasts often felt tender and swollen which was rather uncomfortable.
But she felt better, just better, she had a job now, she was gaining her independence bit by bit and she was beginning to feel more like she was treading water when it came to the whole pregnancy thing and less like she was drowning in it. She was planning on telling Kouske when she had her own apartment and she and Kouyuu were settled.
That was definitely far enough away that Erica wasn't feeling freaked out by the feeling of impending doom which she got every time she considered telling Kouske but soon enough that the feeling of guilt she was getting from avoiding him and not telling him would only partially manage to eat her alive by that time.
Hopefully.
And he knew where San-chan lived so if he ever popped by to see her...
Well then she was screwed, Erica knew she'd break the minute he asked her if something was wrong. Which he would because something was quite clearly up.
So hopefully he wouldn't feel the need to pop by.
Erica was going to tell him. She just wasn't quite ready to do it now.
And maybe she was a bit peeved that he had forgotten their one night encounter and was flirting with other girls obliviously while she was dealing with this shit. But only a little bit peeved. Really.
But overall, when she didn't concentrate on the details too much, Erica felt better, Bandou, Kouyuu (whom she was getting along marvelously with) and several of her new colleagues had commented on a certain 'glow' around her. Erica wasn't sure whether that was the fabled 'pregnancy glow' or if it was just the relief of finally getting her feet back under her but either way she felt good and apparently looked good too.
She and San-chan had read online that apparently lots of women often felt very tired around this period of their pregnancy but if anything, Erica felt more energetic, she didn't know if it was because of the added strength of the Red King which still flowed through her veins or if it was just her, every woman's pregnancy was different after all, but she felt fine. Kouyuu was healing, physically and emotionally, the marks were fading from his body, they were all but gone now and he was more comfortable around both Erica and San-chan.
The mental wounds would take longer to heal but at least no new ones were being inflicted, he was happy now, and San-chan was teaching him how to play the piano on a little battery-operated plastic piano she had bought at the toy store.
Erica hadn't even known San-chan could play the piano until now.
But yeah, things were going good.
Trust San-chan to shake things up again.
A week after Erica had started work San-chan walked into the living room holding a rather large sheaf of paper, she brandished the papers at them, "good news everyone!"
She snorted, "or, if you have a similar viewpoint to mine on the current education system in Shizume not so good news." She brandished the papers again, "news everyone!"
Erica just gave her a look, "what?" She demanded after a second when San-chan wasn't particularly forthcoming.
She waved the papers around again, "I talked to Mr. Kusanagi about getting Kouyuu enrolled in school, he said he did it. These are all the papers for it."
"We don't have the money for that," Erica pointed out, money was a topic she thought a lot about nowadays.
San-chan flopped down on the couch in between Kouyuu and Erica and waved her hand dismissively, "orphan's benefit or something. I don't know, I'm not Mr. Kusanagi and I'm not an orphan. I don't have a clue."
"I'm starting to think there are a lot of things you don't have a clue about Bandou," Erica murmured, Kouyuu couldn't help but giggle, he seemed to find Erica's curt brand of 'humour' amusing. Because it was so rare to see him laugh San-chan always took the jabs at her with good humour and not her usual whining.
"Well I do know where the school is," she replied, "I'll show you the way there tomorrow but I'm not the one who's going to meet the teacher with you," this last part was said to Kouyuu but addressed to Erica at the same time.
Erica glanced at the sheets, she still wasn't that great at reading but she could manage, she was just a little slow, but after a while something caught her eye.
"I'm listed as the parental guardian," she murmured.
San-chan raised an eyebrow, "well aren't you?"
Erica glanced over at Kouyuu, who was grinning from ear to ear, his enthusiasm was contagious and she found herself smiling back, "I guess so."
Bandou leaned back, "I know so."
In his eagerness Kouyuu all but climbed over San-chan to see the papers, his edginess around the two women had all but evaporated, basically sitting on San-chan's lap he read the papers over Erica's arm. He didn't understand most of it since his skills at reading were virtually non-existent but there was one part he didn't get for a different reason.
"Why does it say my last name is Solt?" He pointed to a spot on the page and Erica's eyes flicked to it, she hadn't seen that part.
"Well we had to put something," said San-chan a tad irritably, she sighed, "you have no idea the amount of bullshit I had to tell Mr. Kusanagi for this, and I don't think he believed me. Just shut up and go with it."
"I am," Kouyuu assured her, "and I know we had to put something." He paused, "but why Solt?"
Erica couldn't help the happiness from spreading through her chest, "because that's my last name."
"And I," he shook his head, "I don't really know what to say, most kids Kouyuu's age are kind of over school by now but Kouyuu, he's a model student," Erica smiled at Kouyuu's homeroom teacher, Mr. Machida, he was a young man, mid-twenties perhaps, with dark brown eyes and a kind smile. He was a dedicated teacher and more than happy to update any parent or guardian on their child's status at school if they asked.
"I think he's just glad for the opportunity to go to school," she confessed.
Mr. Machida didn't know everything about Kouyuu's previous life but he knew enough, "I'm glad he has the opportunity too," he said and Erica's heart warmed, anyone who liked Kouyuu was an okay guy in her book.
Erica's phone beeped, "ugh," she looked up apologetically, "that's my alarm, I have to get to work," it had been two weeks since Kouyuu started school and Erica had managed to find a second job and the two of them moved out.
Machida rose to escort her out, "that's too bad, I'd love to continue this conversation," he paused then decided to go for it, "maybe over coffee... Sunday?" He asked shyly.
Erica stopped, was he asking her out? Her first instinct was to say no, romance wasn't on the agenda right now and even if it was she still had feelings for Kouske, then she wanted to laugh at herself. It was coffee, not a church with wedding rings; she was pregnant with another man's baby for crying out loud! Romance was not on the agenda!
It was coffee.
So instead she smiled tightly, "sure, sounds good."
Machida smiled back.
They walked out together and Kouyuu came running up to her, she ruffled his hair as he hugged her tightly, mindful of the small but well-defined bump hidden by her baggy shirt, "we leaving?"
She nodded. Just then a voice called out, "Erica!"
She looked up and her blood froze in her veins as she saw Kouske jogging towards them, relief and confusion written all over his face in equal parts.
"Oi! You!" Another voice yelled, Erica and co turned to see the man who had been beating Kouyuu striding towards them, fury written all over his face.
Well Hell.
"I don't know why since she's not even here," Erica said mildly as she pulled Kouyuu towards her protectively, "but for some reason I still blame Bandou."
Ah! This update is late! But that's because I've been catching up on Teen Wolf season 5. I'm so confused! What the Hell is happening?!
But this chapter is also longer than usual to make up for it.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed guys, bye!