The crack of thunder had her jumping, flinching at the flash of thunder. Despite knowing that she was more than perfectly safe, she still had memories from the reason that brought her here.
Looking down at her left hand, she gave it a squeeze at the pinch in her heart.
Shaking her head, she gripped the handle of the trolley as she hurried to her destination, thankful for the task to distract her from the chaotic weather outside. Pushing the door open with her hip, her eyes quickly found the individual that had saved her just last year when the weather had changed her life.
Their form was hunched over, hands gripping tightly at the edge of the work bench, head of dark hair bowed and contrasting starkly against their white lab coat. It was a posture she was more than familiar with, another failure.
Sighing, she approached them with soft steps, sighing loudly enough that she would be heard. "Please, have something to eat." she placed the tray on a nearby table that she, herself, had set up to keep where the individual could eat comfortably away from messing up their work bench.
"I don't get it!" a hand slammed down with a harsh exhale. Thick black gloves were tossed at the bench, messing up the otherwise meticulous surface, quickly followed by the heavy-duty goggles. "Why won't it work?"
Flinching, she tucked in on herself, feeling like she was partly to blame for the continued failures. "I'm sorry."
Brown eyes gentled as a soft hand cupped her jaw and lifted her face. "No. It's not your fault. You are my greatest success." one hand trailed down her left arm, squeezing just above the elbow before continuing down to take hold of her hand and tug her along to the table. "And I'm so glad you decided to stay."
Biting down on her lips, Kagome could only nod her head. She had explained everything after she was finally deemed healthy enough to return home, but honestly, there would be nothing to return too. To be honest, she felt like she was taking advantage of the Doctor and her saviour. "I don't really have anywhere else to go. And to be honest, I don't think I could take the looks people would give me and my… changes."
Her Doctor let out a scoff, dropping into her own chair without much grace, nimble fingers undoing the buttons to reveal the rather fine clothing underneath. Despite the chaos and clutter of the lab, the rest of the manor was a sign of the status of her Doctor. As such, she often wore men's fashion, proper men's attire. She would wear women's fashion if the situation called for it, or if she felt the desire, but more than not, she wore men's fashion. She even cut her hair short.
Kagome always found that it suited her Doctor, even if the small staff of maids and butlers considered it off and awkward. There were paintings and portraits when she was younger and as a 'proper lady', but honestly, either looked suited the woman.
"The world is changing and people need to accept that. How they can accept soldiers returning from war with battle scars but not women that survive accidents is utterly unacceptable." brows furrowed as she stood up and flung her lab coat at a nearby sofa, so she could prepare a plate of food. "Science is showing the people so much, changing everything, so they need to commit to those changes."
Nodding her head, Kagome understood the truth as she had been so fascinated in what science was proving each and every day, even as her family scoffed and attempted to remind her of their values and traditions. And now she was literally living proof. Seeing a plate being placed before her, she blinked back into the present. "Doctor, what are you doing? This is for you!"
Lips curling, her Doctor smirked. "I know for a fact, that you always wait to eat until after I have." shaking her head, she prepared her own place. With a full smile, she placed a napkin across her lap before reaching for her utensils. "And how many times have I told you to call me by my name?"
"But-!" while she agreed with the changes brought on by science, she was still a stickler for respecting one's station in life, and her Doctor was adamant that she not be referred to by the title she inherited simply because she was born into a life with land, money, and power.
"Tut-tut! Repeat after me, Ha-Ru-Hi." seeing that she was hesitant, she made a show of pushing her plate away. "I won't eat a bite of what I know to be your amazing cooking, until you call me by name. It has been a year now."
Knowing that her worry for the Doctor's easy ability to push eating aside and her desire to make sure said Doctor ate more than enough, Kagome pouted. Puffed out cheeks took on a blush when she earned a laugh. "...-ruhi." turning away at yet another laugh.
"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard that." with another show, her Doctor leaned in close, presenting her profile as she tucked some hair behind her ear. "Could you repeat that?"
"..." pursing her lips, Kagome let out a huff as she clenched at the material of her skirts. "Haruhi!"
"Ha-ha-ha!" the laughter had her blushing all the harder. "Good, good!"
Their supper was filled with idle chatter, it was comfortable, even if she did jump at the thunder and lightning. Despite that, she was the most relaxed she had been in a long time.
"You still afraid of storms?" Haruhi's question wasn't teasing or belittling, but held actual concern.
Nodding her head, she pressed her right hand to her left arm, gently squeezing just above her elbow. "...a little. My left arm and leg also hurt during storms." the moment the words left her mouth, Haruhi was once again in doctor mode, getting up and approaching her carefully from the left.
"They do? Why haven't you said something earlier?" her actions were gentle as she raised her left hand, carefully removing the glove. "Is it your entire arm, or somewhere specific?"
Stuttering, she pressed her knuckles to her mouth. "Just-just above my elbow on my arm, a-and near my- my hip for my leg."
"So, where the scars are at." her words were hushed as she asked her to do this and that with her hand and wanting to know if the pained got better or worse. "And why you haven't said anything earlier?"
Shrugging as best as she could while being examined, Kagome blinked before she realized that Haruhi was kneeling on the floor and going to examine her leg now. "K-Krieger said it was normal. His- his own leg acts up in aut-autumn!" blush growing, she flinched at the sensation of the hand sliding up her calf while the other gentle moved her foot this way and that.
Nodding her head, Haruhi stood up, brows still furrowed. "Would you be willing to show my the scars? I want to make sure they're alright."
Lips pursed tightly, Kagome waited before finally relented and nodded her head. "I- I guess." standing up, she removed her blouse. The dark fabric was clutched to her chest, an attempt to maintain her modesty with standing in chemise. Her eyes lingered on her left arm, specifically the scar. It circled her entire arm, the flesh raised where Haruhi had stitched. And while most would consider the scar horrifying, what had shocked her the most when she first saw her left arm, were the two distinctive tones of skin. Above the scar showed, even in a year of wearing long sleeves, skin that it had seen much sunshine. Below the scar, however, was obviously paler. The same was with her leg.
It wasn't until she could stay awake for long periods of time, did Haruhi tell her the truth behind her left arm and leg; they had belonged to her sister. Through some feat of scientific breakthrough and perhaps divine intervention, Haruhi had successfully transplanted limbs from one person onto another.
They weren't the only change, after the bandages first came off, she raced to the first mirror. The shock of seeing her arm and leg had been more than she could take, but when she saw her face, she nearly fainted. There were shocks of white now running through her hair, and the eyes staring back at her were now icy blue instead of the warm browns that her mother used to say reminded her of her father.
"You've run off in your mind again." a soft, warm hand cupped her cheek. Haruhi showed honest concern. "Are you alright? Is it the nightmare? I know a doctor that is making leaps and bounds when it comes to mental problems and disorders."
Smiling, she shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm alright. I am doing much better than before."
Haruhi shook her head, a small smile as she took hold of Kagome's free hand. "You're so quick to defend anyone on the staff, especially when those that deliver our goods and produce take to teasing and harassing the maids. Even if they recoil when they first see you." her other hand cupped her chin at the flinch of the reminder. "They're fools, for not seeing how beautiful you really are, inside and out."
Raising her hand, she touched the corner of an eye. "They… they say my eyes scare them, and they're not wrong. They're cold, and harsh, and look dead." they were a reason why she kept both her head and eyes down. Even the others used to flinch in the beginning, but that changed once she and the other staff got to know each other. It was when outsiders got involved that reminded her that she was different. Perhaps even a monst-!
Her blouse fluttered to the ground when she dropped it in favour to press her fingers to her lips, rearing back in utter confusion. Had Haruhi just kiss her?
"I know what you're thinking, and don't." while her words her stern, her tone was soft. "Yes, you've changed since the accident and the death of your sister. But those fools are blind. Your eyes are not cold, or harsh, or dead. Quite the opposite, in fact. When you're angry, particularly towards those delivery men who upset you. Your eyes remind me of the first snowfall then. When you're happy and smiling and laughing, they look like a clear blue sky on a hot summer day, it almost hurts to look, but the beauty keeps you locked all the same."
Kagome felt her cheeks warm, the warmth growing the more she spoke. Her heart was pounding, she had no idea that Haruhi paid the much attention to her.
Haruhi's hand moved to cup her cheek, expression softening. "And when you blush, they remind me of my favourite flowers when they first bloom in spring." having her entire attention, Haruhi smiled, her own cheeks showing a hint of a blush, before she leaned in and shared another sweet kiss. It lasted a few moments, perhaps even minutes, it was hard to tell as her mind was a complete blank. Finally, Haruhi pulled back, "You're beautiful, and if I have to, I will be more than happy to remind you every day."
Heart pounding, she could only stand there stunned at how the evening unfolded. "...I… I would like that." feeling entirely too bashful, she ducked her head down out of habit.
"Glad to hear that." piece spoken, Haruhi quickly ducked down to pick up the fallen blouse, assisting Kagome in putting it back on. "It's been a long day, I think you'll be happy to hear that I wish to retire for the night at a proper time."
Giggling, Kagome fixed her blouse, giggling in surprise and delight when Haruhi tucked her arm with her own and began leading her out of the lab. If asked, she would admit that she was nervous, but she was also highly excited at what the future could possibly hold for her now.
AN: This is the first chapter that will also be available on my tumblr account, bunny-wk-fanfic, and on Halloween, there will be an AO3 exclusive at BunnyWK.
In other news, I would like to share that I recently created a Discord. While it is meant more for Kaomge centered fanmade content, fanart/fanfic/fancrafts/cosplay/ect, it is open for all everyone, even those that are not creators but enjoy fanmade content. It is called Rerumu. It's still early, so there is some growing pains, but we look forward to new members.