CH 22
*2009 A few months after the wedding*
"Why can't May tuck us in?" Nanako demanded sharply, with a hard frown on her lips and brow as Roselyn tucked her in for the night before attending to Mimiko's bed.
Roselyn answered, "Lord Geto instructed I handle your care for the duration of your time here."
That wasn't the answer Nanako wanted nor Mimiko who's shoulders quietly sloped. Nanako raised her voice, "You said that yesterday and the day before and again before that. That's not an answer!" She snapped slamming a fist down on her bed.
"I am sorry but it is Lord Geto's command," Roselyn said keeping her voice leveled and eyes on her present task. "and we must adhere to it." She took Nanako's arm and gently slipped back under the covers, quietly ignoring the young girl's burrowing gaze, but not her poked-out lip that quivered or the pained statement in her eyes she staunchly tried conceal.
It was almost comical, in an adorable way, Roselyn restrained herself from letting the tiny chuckle from slipping out. If you were present and saw the way Nanako looked you'd laugh, not rudely but a good laugh. A laugh that would dissolve Nanako's front, and turn her frown upside down, and set the mood well. Your laugh would be useful now. Roselyn knew there was a limit to what she could provide to the twins, the basic necessities. You, however, provided the luxury, attention, awareness, affection, and more.
Roselyn was surprised how seamlessly you adjusted into this…position….role, after just three encounters with the twins minus the wedding. The girls wasted little time in latching onto you, Roselyn from her perspective it to a bit like starvation, at the time she wondered if the girls ever felt that or were denied. Whatever the reason you seemed to be compensated, their faces always lit up in your presence and rarely dropped.
Roselyn finished tucking in Nanako, even fluffing her pillow and offering a smile. The action wasn't returned and her mood remained. Roselyn could see the burning questions in her eyes ready to erupt, she waited patiently for a moment, Nanako said nothing and rolled over on her side, her back to Roselyn. With that, Roselyn left and went to Mimiko. She offered the quieter sister a kind smile and began.
"Ready, Miss Mimiko?"
For a moment Mimiko gave no response, Roselyn repeated herself.
"Miss Mimiko, are you ready? Shall I tuck you in?" She reached for the covers.
"Is she mad at us?"
Roselyn withdrew her hands surprised by the question, lifted a brow wondering where it was coming from, and began searching her memory of where and how Mimiko came to such an assumption.
"No of course not." She answered still a tad confused, "Lady Geto holds not frustration with you. Either of you." She glanced quickly at Nanako. "Why would you think such a thing?" She inquired delicately.
Mimiko pulled her shoulders to her chest and held them and in the smallest voice answered, "She looked…hurt. When we hugged her she barely wanted to. She didn't really smile and stayed back."
It clicked, Roselyn knew what she meant. When they arrived, you stood on the cliff ready to welcome them as expected of you, the girls wasted little time and bolted to you. Their arms open and threw themselves on you, you took their hug, though it was more endured it. Being mindful to keep your discomfort hidden when you tried returning the affection, to quickly break it and step back. Something you've never done. And for a moment your face showed a brisk of pain, your smile fell off for a second. From a child's perspective of course it would come off like that. Roselyn knew that wasn't the case, but she couldn't tell them, Suguru's orders.
She took a moment to find the right way to respond to Mimiko.
"Lady Geto meant no harm," she assured kindly, setting a tender touch on Mimiko's knees. Behind her, she heard Nanako turn in her bed.
"Then why can't we see her? Is she sick?" Nanako asked no anger in her voice just a child pleading.
Roselyn turned to her and found watery eyes staring back. Mimiko's eyes were the same when Roselyn turned back to her. They just wanted answers or an answer, and rightfully so. Roselyn opened her mouth, almost compelled to give it, but quickly shut it remembering Suguru's orders and importantly yours. You didn't anyone to know, she wasn't even supposed to tell Suguru. Something she was against considering the situation, but the fear was evident in your eyes…it was fear of him or for him. It was here in this room, that whatever your vizor whispered to you during their surprise stay including your siblings, struck you to the core.
Roselyn said not a single word but it did not go unnoticed and Suguru had you remain in the master bedroom the last three days.
Where you sick? Roselyn repeated the question somberly, as her eyes started misting up at the horrid image of your marred back appearing in her mind. If one tear fell she'd surely go against what is expected of her and importantly the girls would know and that was the last thing she needed.
"Do not tell them, Roselyn. Do not!"
Your voice pleaded as steady as it could despite the tones of pain it carried and you carried. Your whole body still trembling from it. You could barely lift your eyes to meet hers, to affirm your command. It didn't fall on deaf ears and Roselyn promised helping you up and off the kitchen floor.
Thank goodness she cleaned the whole place a few days before Suguru and the girls arrived, but it was hard not to remember the memory every time she walked through it.
"Is she sick?" Nanako asked again pulling Roselyn back from the horrible memory, waiting for the woman's response. "Is she?"
Mimiko waited with anticipation as her sister, their eyes on Roselyn observingly. Not a single could fall, quickly Roselyn blinked them away and found the most appropriate and approachable words.
"Lady Geto is-"
Drifting in and out of slumber that's what you were doing from the sound of the gentle waves reaching your ears down below and Suguru's fingers gently creasing up and down your exposed back as you laid in bed. He had you positioned on his body, his chest mainly, you laying on your stomach so you could use it as a makeshift pillow. Having you this close there was strange comfort and the urge to draw you closer emerged. Normally there'd be something between you two pillows or extra sheets, you essentially built a wall. He sat back lounging back in bed to make it easier for you, with the hand he was using to crease your back slipped under and loosely around your waist, tucking you close while being mindful not to cause you any further discomfort than you already were in as you healed. Healed from the kind gift your vizor and siblings left you.
A marred back of fresh deep dark cigarette burn blisters, some with dried blood still around them, peppered across your back stopping just barely mid-shoulder blades, he found one on your collarbone. And a few bluish welps that without Roselyn's healing would be worse. He knew why they did and he hated it. He knew what they wanted, it was in the agreement but he wouldn't force you...you didn't want it, not yet. He waited this long to find you he could wait a bit more, but you suffered for it.
Though your situation was worse and the longer Suguru lingered on it the heightened his anger rose. Just as it did when he discovered it, he knew something was wrong when he returned to the island for a third time since the wedding. The second he stepped off the cursed spirit, he used for transport after the girls jumped off first, he sensed something was amiss. As per usual and expected of you, you were there waiting to greet him, with your eyes lowered, on the cliff that afternoon, with Roselyn, there was something in your posture. You were slightly hunched over, though those lacking any awareness wouldn't notice the difference, or the glassy look in your eyes despite the demure smile you presented.
"A robe? Are you mocking me?" He asked walking over, teasingly noticing the long robe you were wearing that was meant for…well evening.
You didn't look up at him, you still held your quiet anger against him. Still, you answered respectfully but the emptiness was there, "No of course not, husband. The weather was rather chilly."
A small breeze blew through, "I suppose so." He gave a slight shrug craning his neck slightly to get a better observation.
You felt his eyes, "Is something amiss, husband?"
"No." He shook his head with a small smile. "Since it's chilly let's let inside, hmm?" He held out his arm for you.
Slowly you looped and linked yours in and you both walked inside. He noticed your steps were staggering than usual and the way you seemed to focus on every movement marking them as minimal as possible. A few times he felt and saw you discretely staggering footsteps and he knew. Quietly, he pulled Roselyn aside to have a word and she didn't provide much, doing her best to keep her word with you, but he managed to gather bits of information she did let slip out. After he got the truth from you. You steely refused of course, but he eventually got it from you. And here you were now. It amused him how stubborn you could be, that much hadn't changed.
You stir slightly on him, and he stops creases allowing you to get comfortable. Once you found your position he started up again this time lighting his touch to a feather. With each stroke he gave, for the past few days, your heart rate slowly steadied itself, but there were still remnants that hadn't completely vanished the small trembles in your body involuntarily did, the occasion shivers and wincing. With each one, his detest layered overlapping the twisting in the pit of his stomach that-
"You stopped reading," you mumble, waking slightly from your slumber, your voice pulling him back and settling his rising flames.
He turned his towards you a faint smile on his lips. "Did I now?" He jested softly.
You just nod. He knew you were drifting back to sleep just hanging on for him to start back up. With one of his hands occupied with you, his other one lifted up the open book he'd been holding and reading to you the last few days.
Pride and Prejudice.
Not something he'd pick up and read, but you enjoy stories and reading he made an exception. Plus, it kept you calm and at ease.
"Chapter seven," he began keeping his tone low and soft, "Mr. Bennet's property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand years, which unfortunately for his daughters-"
He paused realizing you had fallen back asleep. He wasn't even through the first line of the chapter and you were gone. A soft chuckle rumbled in his chest but he kept it limited of noise and set the book aside on the nightstand. Now would be a good time to sleep, but Suguru wasn't ready yet and delayed by a few moments and turned a warm gaze on you. You had a few strands of hair covering your face, he moved them with a single finger, tucking a few strands back in place.
Two fell back out, he could easily use the same finger to move them back in place if some unknown force didn't grip and direct him to move closer till he was an inch away. How peaceful you looked, though there wasn't a smile he could find he did find…a tad bit of solace.
Beautiful solace.
Just beautiful solace, after three years, he thought muttering to himself leaning his forehead forward and lightly touching it against yours and for a moment the world stopped.
*Present*
Beautiful solace, your thoughts repeat waking you up to find yourself void of two things that could ease your pain.
A nice story and gentle creasing. You could use that about right now with the pain resonating through your body, but the sight and realization of reality set in when you came to realize you weren't back at the villa; instead in one of the spare/guest rooms and it clicked when you heard the sound of someone snoring softly. For a moment your heart almost smiled, to quickly fade, Suguru never snored. Ignoring the pain you slowly lift your head and peer over the side of the bed to the floor and find Ziad sleeping in his Stitch sleeping bag, in his Stitch onsies. You were almost surprised but not really, considering the amount of worry you put him in and Roselyn due to your absence it made sense. There wasn't a doubt in your mind that he didn't scour and stake out every known location you were possibly in. Only to come up empty which in turn frustrated him, if you remained away an extra week he'd possibly tear up the city without a second thought. And who knows what Roselyn would have done...more importantly what would have happened to them if 'Geto' found, what would have happened to Daiki?
The assumptions frightened you, seeing Ziad here gave you some ease that everything was alright. Still, it didn't ease everything. But if they were alright, you'd take the pain aching through you and endure. As much as you needed to rest, you couldn't. Not today, if you remember correctly, from the reunion with Mei-Mei about three days ago, you had to meet with your models and property managers for a venue. You still had a front to present regardless of every fiber firing off with pain as you slowly pushed yourself up, making sure to keep the noise level to a minimum to not wake Ziad. But as medjay his senses were always sharp he could almost hear a feather falling freely. At the slightest change in your breathing, his eyes snapped open and turned to you. In an instant, he was out of his sleeping bag and on his feet. His reaction was to blink rapidly then nod once, before maybe...hugging you, but seeing you struggling and in pain he carefully assisted you. Once you were upright and took a moment to catch your breath, he swept his eyes over you carefully inspecting and searching for anything else. Seeing nothing he was relieved, now he needed to get Roselyn.
You knew what he was going to do and didn't stop him. He gave you one last overview before leaving. Within minutes you would Roselyn's approaching footsteps, by then you would have forced yourself up and out of bed. And if you managed possibly into the bathroom, Roselyn would protest...insisting you rest, you know she would but it would do little for you. You hadn't the time to rest nor could you, you had to continue, you didn't come this far and claim a victory to let it go to waste, if you did...you'd lose everything, and you didn't want to keep experiencing that again.
Ever.