fic, DSRK2, Dahn/Akane, "Runaway Bride"
F-for amei ;_;
Tsukigatacest, brb dying now, even as penance this is as far as I go, to see what happens next join erowerks and look at the pictures aaaaah. Spoilers for the marriage ceremony chapter, whichever number that is.
* * *
Runaway Bride
*
The old woman who helped her with the white kimono was a servant of the family. Akane had called her "Auntie" when she was small, but they'd grown apart as Akane grew up. Akane knew why: it was no use getting too close to Tsukigata girls. They, even more than most brides, would leave the nest never to return.
It was better, she supposed, to have a servant with her rather than a friend. In front of a friend her resolve to hide her dread might have failed. The old woman made no conversation beyond tsks and clucks as she worked. Akane supposed she was grateful for that, too.
The white silk felt so heavy. She'd let herself get too used to cotton dresses, lately. Maybe that had been a mistake. One of many.
She wondered where her brother was, and not whether but when he would appear. Whether her resolve would still hold then, in front of him.
The old woman gave her obi a final tug, then stepped back to survey her with faintly troubled eyes. Her lips were pursed, as if trying to repress a question.
"Yew do know what happens, don't yew, dearie?" she asked at last.
Akane's heart skipped. "What happens?"
"Between a man and a woman on their weddin' night. It's only just come to me--yew all this time without yer mother, raised in a family of men, an' no older sister to tell yew what's what."
Akane lowered her eyes. If her cheeks had reddened, she didn't feel it. Instead she felt cold, almost numb.
"I know what happens," she said.
"Well, yew 'modern girls' know a thing or two, ah daresay. Nothin' to it, anyhow--all yew have to do is lie there, and let the feller do his work. If he ain't handsome enough fer yer liking, just close yer eyes."
All you have to do is lie there. Close your eyes.
She closed them now. Her hands were trembling--her whole body was. If the serving woman noticed, she would take it for ordinary nerves, or even for anticipation.
All you have to do--
There was a sudden hiss: the door to the room slid roughly open. Akane's eyes flew wide.
Her brother stood there, looming in the hall.
"Out," he barked.
The servant woman gaped. "Young master! What're yew--" She broke off, flapping her hands as if to shoo him like a bug. "Yew can't! She's not to be seen before the weddin'!"
"I said out." Dahn stepped into the room. "I want a word with my sister."
*
A word wasn't what he wanted.
"Told you." He spoke in a groan. His face was buried against her neck, her breast. He'd made a swift shambles of the serving woman's handiwork, until the white kimono hung from her waist and arms in disheveled folds. "Told you I'd put a stop to it, one way 'r another."
The cold numbness that had steeled Akane before was gone. She felt too flushed to think. They couldn't stay like this; the woman who'd fled would rouse the house, if not her father. Someone would come. "Brother--"
"Those things won't have you if a man's had you first?" He raised his head. His hair was more askew than ever, and his eyes glittered, like the eyes of a hunted animal caught in its den. "I'm a man. And I won't let 'em."
His grip on her was pure bravado, or maybe desperation. If he'd practiced in the Capital, with some of the licensed district girls, he hadn't learned a thing. His palm quavered on her bare belly. Akane reached for it. She could end this, she knew.
"Brother, please--"
Please what, she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure at all.
* * *
Tsukigatacest, brb dying now, even as penance this is as far as I go, to see what happens next join erowerks and look at the pictures aaaaah. Spoilers for the marriage ceremony chapter, whichever number that is.
* * *
Runaway Bride
*
The old woman who helped her with the white kimono was a servant of the family. Akane had called her "Auntie" when she was small, but they'd grown apart as Akane grew up. Akane knew why: it was no use getting too close to Tsukigata girls. They, even more than most brides, would leave the nest never to return.
It was better, she supposed, to have a servant with her rather than a friend. In front of a friend her resolve to hide her dread might have failed. The old woman made no conversation beyond tsks and clucks as she worked. Akane supposed she was grateful for that, too.
The white silk felt so heavy. She'd let herself get too used to cotton dresses, lately. Maybe that had been a mistake. One of many.
She wondered where her brother was, and not whether but when he would appear. Whether her resolve would still hold then, in front of him.
The old woman gave her obi a final tug, then stepped back to survey her with faintly troubled eyes. Her lips were pursed, as if trying to repress a question.
"Yew do know what happens, don't yew, dearie?" she asked at last.
Akane's heart skipped. "What happens?"
"Between a man and a woman on their weddin' night. It's only just come to me--yew all this time without yer mother, raised in a family of men, an' no older sister to tell yew what's what."
Akane lowered her eyes. If her cheeks had reddened, she didn't feel it. Instead she felt cold, almost numb.
"I know what happens," she said.
"Well, yew 'modern girls' know a thing or two, ah daresay. Nothin' to it, anyhow--all yew have to do is lie there, and let the feller do his work. If he ain't handsome enough fer yer liking, just close yer eyes."
All you have to do is lie there. Close your eyes.
She closed them now. Her hands were trembling--her whole body was. If the serving woman noticed, she would take it for ordinary nerves, or even for anticipation.
All you have to do--
There was a sudden hiss: the door to the room slid roughly open. Akane's eyes flew wide.
Her brother stood there, looming in the hall.
"Out," he barked.
The servant woman gaped. "Young master! What're yew--" She broke off, flapping her hands as if to shoo him like a bug. "Yew can't! She's not to be seen before the weddin'!"
"I said out." Dahn stepped into the room. "I want a word with my sister."
*
A word wasn't what he wanted.
"Told you." He spoke in a groan. His face was buried against her neck, her breast. He'd made a swift shambles of the serving woman's handiwork, until the white kimono hung from her waist and arms in disheveled folds. "Told you I'd put a stop to it, one way 'r another."
The cold numbness that had steeled Akane before was gone. She felt too flushed to think. They couldn't stay like this; the woman who'd fled would rouse the house, if not her father. Someone would come. "Brother--"
"Those things won't have you if a man's had you first?" He raised his head. His hair was more askew than ever, and his eyes glittered, like the eyes of a hunted animal caught in its den. "I'm a man. And I won't let 'em."
His grip on her was pure bravado, or maybe desperation. If he'd practiced in the Capital, with some of the licensed district girls, he hadn't learned a thing. His palm quavered on her bare belly. Akane reached for it. She could end this, she knew.
"Brother, please--"
Please what, she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure at all.
* * *