Twisted 1.0
On the surface, Forget-Me-Not Valley was like any other quaint country village out in the middle of nowhere. It was a peaceful little society where everyone had a family, a house (except for that one hobo), friends, and a good life. People worked hard during the day, went home to relax, slept, and then picked up the same exact routine the next morning.
As for the villagers? Well, they all got along relatively well. They'd even have jolly little festivals and celebrations every now and then where they'd gather around merrily and stand on the beach for hours talking and having a good time. They knew each other's names, backgrounds, ambitions, adventures, careers, hobbies, birthdays, and even favorite flavors of eggplant. So it was funny how none of them knew the single most important thing about each other.
Behind the smiles and the routines, all was not well. Nope-- in fact, there was trouble in paradise. But it bothered no one because no one knew about any of it. And as they say, what you don't know won't hurt you (until you find out).
And that's where this tale begins. Two strangers, looking for an escape from their city lives and for something to take their minds off the deaths of their fathers, decided that the spacious ranch with the shabby farmhouse would be their ticket to a real smooth life out in the country. Though it begs to question how anyone would assume a farm life would be more entertaining than a city life, but perhaps the two young ladies just wanted a change of pace. And while the ranch did indeed look like the perfect little spot to raise farm, cattle, and family on, it would certainly be more than either of them bargained for.
***
The two girls stared each other down, neither willing to budge or give up her position.
"Now, now...!" The short, pudgy mayor pleaded as his bushy moustache quivered. "I'm sure you two ladies can figure this out peacefully..." His voice died out as he looked from the girl on his left to the girl on his right, suddenly feeling hopeless when he saw their contending and brutal glares.
The fight began when the two girls arrived on the farm to check it out before purchasing it. Conveniently, they both arrived at the same time, so neither could have bought it before the other came along. More conveniently, both girls claimed their fathers left the farm to them as an inheritance. And perhaps the mother of all things convenient and ironic, both girls had a copy of their fathers' wills, clearly stating the farm was to be passed down to each man's daughter.
So, things were very problematic.
Miyabi (21 years old, brunette, 5'7'') folded her arms. "My dad worked this farm for three whole years. He always sent me letters and let me know how things went. I could get them if you want proof that this ranch is rightfully mine."
Kaoru (23 years old, blonde, 5'8'') would have none of that. "My father as well." She was more soft spoken than Miyabi but in no way was she 'the quiet type.' Her voice was firm and she carried it with a cool and collected, matter-of-fact kind of tone.
"Well there has to be some explanation!" The mayor offered, trying to intervene to make himself feel important. "Perhaps one of your fathers got the wrong address and meant the farm in Mineral Town--"
"Stuff it," Miyabi suggested, not tearing her eyes from Kaoru. "I know what my dad said. He'd talk about how drunk he'd get at the Blue Bar, or how many times he heard someone play the piano out of tune at the villa, or how these crazy little twins would set off fireworks everywhere."
Offended, the mayor's eyes bugged out a bit and his moustache quivered again, as if it had a mind of its own. "Well, then... if this can't be solved through conventional means... why don't you two share the farm? That's right!" he beamed, as if he'd just discovered the solution to one of life's great troubles, such as whether the chicken or the egg came first.
"Are you kidding me?" Miyabi scoffed.
"This farm isn't big enough for the two of us to live peacefully beside each other," Kaoru said, in that same matter-of-fact voice that had just the right amount of calmness to it. Well, she was right. It was a dingy little place.
"Rock, paper, scissors," Miyabi suggested.
"Are you serious? We can't let a major decision fall on a silly game of chance."
"Fine." With that Miyabi grabbed Thomas's small, thick hand and smashed the bag of gold down into his palm. "Here, this is all I have," she said hurriedly. "Take it! Make the farm mine!"
"Hey!" Just as quickly, Kaoru took the mayor's other hand and did the same. "That's completely not right! Illegal, even!"
The amount of money was making the balding mayor feel flustered but the girls were far from content. "I'll just hold this money for you while you girls decide~! You're both grown women, aren't you? Sure! You ladies can work this out just fine, hohoho!" He laughed, pulling away from them and making his way to the front of the farm, slowly twirling like a person would when doing elegant, classical dance.
Well, neither girls cared. They were much too absorbed in their own argument.
"What qualifications do you have to run a farm?" Kaoru asked in some sort of interrogational tone. Her eyes were back on Miyabi and her arms were folded.
"Who said I needed to build up this farm, huh? I could live here, meet a nice guy-- or a lot of nice guys--maybe buy a couple cows, raise some pet sheep, turn it into a nightclub, or start a polyandry society..."
Kaoru's eyes widened. How dare Miyabi even think about desecrating a farm by using it for things other than farming! "No, absolutely not! You can't do that to my father's ranch."
"It was my father's ranch," Miyabi pressed. "Your dad probably stole it from mine!"
"Don't you accuse my father of such things."
"Why don't you pack up your shit and go home?"
Just before they could break out into another argument, the sky grew darker as the clouds suddenly covered the sun. Down from the darkness came the Witch Princess, black robes and fluffy beige hair swaying with the breeze her broom had created. She landed, broom hovering a few inches above the ground, between the two girls.
"Big damn problem!" She started, confusing both of the girls. "You're the new kids in town right? The farmers?" she waved them off with a hand when they began to try to explain their situation with the farm. "Well, look, I just got into a fight with the Goddess and kind of accidentally sent her and the Dipshit Squad to some distant parallel universe."
The girls stared at her. Neither of them knew what to do or how to respond. Kaoru was the first to speak up.
"I'm sorry-- I don't think I follow. You did what, now? The 'Dipshit Squad?' I just...."
Growling in aggravation, the Witch facepalm'd. "The Harvest Sprites! You know, the Goddess's little helpers? Well look, you need to bring her back. You're the only two I can trust to do this right now. This is really urgent!"
"But why us?"
"Because everyone else is incompetent! Look, I figure you two have it in you to be hard working farmers like your dads, so--"
"Wait!" Miyabi exclaimed, suddenly coming to life in the conversation. "You knew our dads?"
"That's not important right now! Look, find those Sprites, okay? If you find enough, I think you can bring the Goddess back." Without saying any more on the very 'urgent' matter, the Witch hovered above them and took off toward the east.
"Hey!" Miyabi called, chasing after her and flailing her arms wildly. "Like hell it isn't important, you big asshole! Hey!!"
Miyabi disappeared, running into the village (which was only a few steps away from the farm) and continuing her chase.
Kaoru sighed. It seemed that she was alone and left to deal with the situation. No way she was backing out of this-- this farm was hers, and rightfully so. If that meant she had to share a room with Miyabi, so be it. Never would she disrespect her father and abandon his land like that. After all, he was counting on her to carry on, wasn't it?
Just then she heard a bark, and a little beagle darted out from behind the doghouse. It was adorable with its long, floppy ears, and Kaoru couldn't help but smile warmly at the puppy. She knelt down and extended a hand for it to sniff-- which it did. Deciding that Kaoru was not a threat, the dog flicked out its tongue.
"Aww, how precious..." For a moment, Kaoru felt completely at ease.
But that was just for a moment. The next thing she knew, something fuzzy landed on the top of her head and she instantly felt many sharp little things poking into her scalp. She screamed, stood up, and began aimlessly running around. The hissing and screeching she heard told her that a rabid cat must have jumped on her head and was now clinging to her for dear life.
"H-hey! Stop that, Mr. Cat! I think I'm bleeding!" She froze, thinking that if she stayed still the cat would ease up. The dog yapped at the sight as Kaoru tried to pry the relentless feline off.
***
Rock could not tear his eyes off the beautiful man before him. He was captivated by the sight of the other-- by his bronzed body and toned abs, by the way he flexed his biceps like a god, by the way his golden blond hair gave him that dreamy 'hunk', and his huge bulge...
Rock blew a kiss at the mirror. "You are so damn fine."
Alright, so maybe most of Rock's self-image was a bit warped. He was fit, yes, and even a bit toned, but in no way was he a 'hunk.' He was still pretty slim. And those biceps? Almost nonexistent. His bulge wasn't anything impressive, either, but that's another story for another time. He could, however, boast of a nice tanned complexion and golden hair, but his large blood shot eyes took away from his cute charm juuust a tad.
Before leaving the house, he pulled open the top drawer of his dresser, pulled out a t-shirt, and peered inside. There were a couple plastic baggies of some brightly colored substance, and whatever it was, it made Rock grin.
See, a few months back, Rock discovered something he liked to call 'Crass.' The name wasn't very imaginative, because all it really did was describe the basic properties of the substance-- that it was colored grass. These grasses, coming in all colors of the ROYGBIP rainbow, could be seen sprouting up around the town in specific places. They were normally harmless-- the red grasses were poisonous but most of the other grasses helped relieve fatigue and increase stamina.
However, Rock had discovered something quite shocking. In a matter of pure happenstance, oddity, and coincidence, he found out that crushing the grasses up in a blender, letting them soak in Relax Tea overnight, then drying them out, and finally burning them would produce a high inducing fume. The high was much like a caffeine high, except more extreme. Not surprisingly, it came with a crash period as well, in which the smoker would then become extremely light headed, hazy minded, lazy, and even a bit paranoid. But it felt amazingly comfortable the whole while--usually. It was best to avoid human contact during the crash period because any little thing could set you off-- someone could tell you that you were being eaten alive by chickens and you would believe it.
Ever since his discovery, Rock had been in the dirty business. He'd sell it by the gram to people in the city, and they'd promise to pay him back. Funny thing was, nobody had paid him back yet. Well, that mattered less now. Before, Rock would feel bummed out about his lack of money and rely on his rich friend to supply him with cheap thrills. Now, the only cheap thrill he needed was Crass, and he'd be entertained for entire day, then go to bed peacefully without a care in the world. Hey, it wasn't like he'd sell the drug without doing it himself, right? If he wasn't getting cash, he needed to get something out of the experience.
***
Dear Mother & Father,
How long has it been since I've last wrote? Six years, was it? I'm terribly sorry for not keeping in touch, but you see, I have plenty of reasons for wanting to avoid you two. I'm only writing this now because Auntie insisted I let you know I hadn't fallen ill or, heaven forbid, died somehow.
How are you two in your old age? I imagine that soon you should both be set to sitting in your chairs all evening, father with your pipe and a book, and mother, you would probably sit there in your robes, staring at into the fire and regretting things. I can't say I'd feel very sorry for you. Maybe you'll find it amusing how I've told everyone that you're both already dead, so I was left to I live with Auntie. I don't know it has anything to do with how disappointed you two were that I never wanted to bring home a girl.
I think you'll be pleased to hear that I'm still very much in love with that man. Oh, but that's right, you don't like hearing much about him, do you? My apologies. I'm sure you'd much rather hear me tell you about a cute girl, one who can play the piano excellently, cook just as well, take care of herself, and has impeccable table manners. A modest and confident doll who I could take out for a dance or visit for Starry Night. It's quite amusing to think that I've turned into the very person you wished I would marry. Now, if all things carry on as well as they should, I'll be married to the most obnoxious, self centered, shameless, incompetent man I've ever known. Does that upset you?
Well, I'm growing a bit tired of this letter, and I believe I've tortured your feelings well enough for the meantime. Next time I write to you, I shall be sending you pictures of the baby, and I'll wear a suit, just so the two of you can see me in it while I stand next to my husband.
Oh, and just an after thought... it never really understood why you were so distraught when I started wearing dresses. Should that not have made everything suddenly alright? Or to you, was I still a boy? Ah, it cannot be helped. To myself, I am still a boy as well. I long for the day where I no longer have to hide behind a dress and stockings. But enough of that. It's all very melancholy and I hate being bitter over tea.
Sincerely, Once Your Son, Once Your Daughter, Now Disowned,
Lumina
Satisfied with the sarcasm in the letter, Lumina gently set the nib pen back into the small ink bowl. He let out a soft sigh, not of sadness but of accomplishment. It felt good to let out what he had been bottling up for those six years. He would send the letter off with love and enjoy imagining his parents' expressions as they read the words on the parchment. Oh, it would be most wonderful.
Lumina sealed the envelope and slid out of the chair. After having written so much about Rock in the letter, Lumina actually wanted to see the man.
"Luke? Luke!" He heard his grandmother call from the door, using his birth name. He hated it when she did that-- there was always the possibility someone would hear. Bad enough was when Sebastian, the dear old butler, would slip up and call Lumina 'sir' in front of company. Lumina would laugh it off and insist it was the Alzheimer's.
"Yes? What is it, Auntie?" He called out, opening the door. What was waiting on the other side was not something he wanted to see. In fact, he would have liked to have gone his entire life without seeing it. It was his grandmother, in nothing but her lingerie and stockings.
"Goodness!" Lumina cried, closing his eyes tightly and turning his head all in the same instant. "Auntie-- what on earth...!?"
"Oh, don't be like that, you silly boy. Sebastian and I were just having a little good honest fun--"
"Ugh!!" Lumina cried out again and ran passed his grandmother down the stairs that were carpeted in red velvet.
"Did you write that letter?" The grandmother called after her grandson, but was ignored.
"Lady Romana?" Sebastian's head peeked out of the door to the right. "Can I come out yet? I believe there garden was terrible dry and needed a bit of watering, and my shoes have yet to be polished--"
"Shut up and get back in there!" The old lady ordered. Sebastian grinned.
***
Trotting down the stairs, Rock spotted the chestnut hair and piercing golden eyes of Lumina. He grinned widely and jumped, skipping the last two steps. "Aaah, shit, shit," he winced through a chuckle, the pressure from the jump causing a horrible pain to shoot through his feet and legs. He wobbled on over to Lumina, "Hey, babe!"
Lumina looked at Rock with little interest. "Oh, hello, Rock," he greeted flatly, sticking his nose up in the hair a tad and looking off to the other side.
"Hey, hey, riddle me this, babe," Rock's voice piped up, which meant he was getting excited about something stupid. "Do you think I can lift more weights than Wallace?"
Lumina looked at the man. His eyes were wide and alive, and his mouth was open with a sort of expecting yet dumb smile. His eyebrows were arched excitedly. He looked like a happy little puppy staring up wildly at his master, expecting a treat or a pet.
"No."
"Whaaaat? Come on!" Rock flexed his muscles, a pathetic show that didn't impress Lumina in the slightest.
Lumina turned his nose up at Rock once more. "Persistently thick headed, I see."
"Yeah, that's what she said," he snorted.
"Excuse me?"
Rock gave a short laugh. "You know, that's what she said."
"No, I don't know. Who is this 'she' that you speak of? Do I know her?"
"You know what? Let's go somewhere!"
"Rock," Lumina started, brushing down his dress, "under what assumption do you think I would want to spend my afternoon with you?"
"Come on! I'll be fun! I'll even give you a kiss before you go home!" Teasingly, he leaned closer to him and closed his eyes, puckering his lips to make a very silly kiss face. As ridiculous as it was, it sent a blush across Lumina's face. He instantly back away from Rock.
"Y-you're so immature!" Swiftly turning on his heel, he made a brisk dash for the door.
Rock chased after him-- up until the door, that is. Anything further would have been too much effort, after all. Popping his head out, he called with brows furrowed, "Hey! That was totally a joke! Lumina!"
Apparently Rock didn't understand sensitive gay rich kid problems.
***
Miyabi had chased the witch passed the Inner Inn, Blue Bar, and the shabby hobo begging for change on the side of the path. She finally gave up when the Witch disappeared up a small and gentle hill that rested in the very top left corner of the tiny village. But she didn't want to go back to the farm immediately-- it would be embarrassing if Kaoru knew she'd chased the damn Witch across the Valley and had to come back empty handed. So in a most casual manner, she strolled up to the villa. It was constructed of what looked like bricks made of gold, and there was a large fountain in the center of the front garden.
She could hear a piano playing. It was a sad, depressing tune, and interesting enough to make her want to investigate.
***
Inside, Lumina was at the piano heavily playing away at a solemn tune. "Oh Rock, will we ever be together? I know I have treated your poorly, but it is only because I don't know how to express my love. No-- it's because I can't express my love! My love for you is forbidden, for I am not who you think I am..." He sang as he played, lamenting and pouring his heart out.
Miyabi stared at him. "Hey, lady, you okay over there? That sounds pretty intense."
Lumina jumped at the sound of Miyabi's voice and the piano screeched. With fury, he spun around and glared at Miyabi with the most terrifying eyes the poor girl had ever seen. They were the eyes of the beast. "You heard nothing."
"Alright... sheesh--"
"You heard nothing or I'll harvest the organs of your newborn!" Lumina cried and ran up the stairs to retreat to his bedroom.
Miyabi was left to feel utterly stunned but then she high tailed it out of there as quickly as she could. On the way back to the ranch, she was psst'd by a little blond girl with braids.
"Hey, lady! Could you come here please~?" With big eyes and freckles, the child looked innocent enough. She was probably seven or eight. When Miyabi stopped walking, the girl ushered her into a little space between the houses. It was semi dark but still plainly visible. Miyabi thought she understood.
"Kid, I'm not buying your Girl Scout cookies--"
"Do you want to know the secrets of darkness?"
"What did you just say?"
"The secrets of darkness~?" Her voice was so devilishly sweet, so mischievously innocent. It was alarming. Perhaps Miyabi should have ran off when she noticed a shadowy aura begin to surround the child, huh?
Miyabi figured she would at least entertain the child for a while. "How much does it cost?"
"Just... your soul." Her eyes flashed blood bed and Miyabi felt her skin crawl. It was if every evil force in the universe was possessing the child in that moment, as if all cruelness and horror was oozing from the little girl's black aura.
"Oh, uh, sorry... not today, kid. Maybe next time, though?" Miyabi didn't know whether she should have brandished a cross, pulled out some garlic, or sprinkled holy water on the kid, but she did know it was time to get the hell away from her.
"Oh, that's too bad..."
Suddenly a black hole opened in the ground. Miyabi shrieked and jumped back, barely avoiding it. "Holy-- oh my god-- what the--- oh shit!!" Miyabi did not hesitate another second. She sprinted to the farm and didn't look back.
Humming to herself and swaying back and forth, the little girl looked off to the side and spoke nonchalantly at what appeared to be no one, "You haven't seen the last of me."
***
Back on the farm, Miyabi wondered why Kaoru was bleeding from the head.
"This little guy fell out of the tree and landed on me," she explained. "At first I was a bit cross with him, but then he explained his situation and I we've since made amends."
Miyabi's brow arched. "He explained?"
"Yes, that's what I said, wasn't it?"
"He's a cat."
"Obviously."
"So you think you can talk to animals. Fantastic. We've got the spawn of Satan and now a cat whisperer."
"What's all that about?" Kaoru asked while she watched the cat and dog chase each other around.
Miyabi decided it was best to keep the details about the demon child to herself, and also the little bit about the strange pianist who threatened to harvest baby organs. What she would tell Kaoru was that she'd lost the Witch.
Sighing, Kaoru looked at the other. "Well, I guess this mean we're sharing the farm until something works out. There are two houses here, aren't there? You can stay in one and I can stay in the each other. We'll put equal effort into the farm work and split the pay fifty-fifty. It's the fairest way to do it. As co-owners, we also need to make all decisions together. You can't go off and buy a cow without talking to it about me first. Our finances won't be shared, but the business will."
"Yikes, I get it, I get it. Don't count on me trying to take too many 'big girl' steps, alright? I don't really know much about farming so you get to call the shots when it comes to what seeds we're buying and all."
Kaoru nodded with understanding. She was fine with being in charge-- it had been what she wanted from the start. "Oh, and... if you do decide to have multiple husbands, would you please do so quietly? So I don't have to be disturbed by the noises at night?"
It took a total of three seconds for Miyabi to absorb what her partner had just said, and then she burst with laughter. Holding her gut as if to try to contain it all, she nearly keeled over.
Kaoru stared at her with a blank expression. "I don't understand."
"Wow!" Once Miyabi stopped roaring, she caught her breath, wiped the little tear drops from the corner of her eyes and straightened up. "That was the funniest shit I've heard all day!"
"I was being completely serious."
"Kaoru, I don't want more than one husband! Too much responsibility, too much to deal with. What if one of them is high maintenance? What if one of them doesn't want kids? What if one of them ends up being gay? There's just tooo much to think about there."
"Yeah, I guess that's right. Well, now that your laughing fit is over, why don't we name the newest editions to our family?"
Miyabi was taken by surprise. "You're pregnant?"
"No! The strays!" She looked over to the little red doghouse under the tree. The cat was grooming himself and the dog was chasing a butterfly. "I've already named the dog, so you can name the cat."
"What did you name the dog?"
"Kevin."
"Oh, Jesus. Well, okay then." Miyabi examined the cat carefully. His fur was jet black and his eyes were a piercing shade of yellow. He was more on the short haired side than on the fluffy, but he had a little fuzz to him all the same. "Train," Miyabi finally decided.
"Train? You scoffed at Kevin's name and then decide to name your cat 'Train'?"
"At least it's unique."
And considering that there were humans with ridiculous names like Rock and Cliff, Train didn't seem too bad.
***
After settling in and unpacking a few things, Miyabi decided to check out the late night atmosphere of the Valley. She's heard from her dad that the Blue Bar was a great place to talk and drink. She figured she could meet a few bachelors there, too. But first, she wanted to go back to the Villa and see if she could find the Witch hanging around.
As she passed the spot where she'd met the devil child, she shivered and picked up the pace . Luckily, the abomination was nowhere to be found. Already tucked into bed, probably.
Miaybi did some quick investigating when she arrived at the Villa. She'd found a small hut on the left side of the yard, but when she went to open it, the door was locked. It gave her a pretty good feeling that was the Witch's little abode. She'd have to come back later.
Right when Miyabi turned her heel to head off to the Bar, she heard a shriek.
"Thief!!"
Before she could react, a figure darted from the entrance of the Villa. With his back turned, Miyabi couldn't get a good look at him. "Hey!" She called, not knowing what to do but figuring she had to do something.
The man turned slowly to face her.
He was no thief.
He was an angel.
A silver haired angel with a handsome face, charming eyes, and an unbelievably clear skin complexion. His entire presence was captivating, from the way he rocked those leather pants to the curry scented perfume he had lightly sprinkled himself with-- he was undeniably gorgeous.
It was the first time in a while that Miyabi had ever gotten a chick boner that incredibly fast, and that incredibly hard. She was stunned.
"My, my~ I hadn't expected to run into such a fair maiden tonight. It surely is a pleasant surprise~" His voice was soft but rich, and had a very sweet melody to it. Just as expected. "But I'm afraid you've caught me in a predicament, and I can't stay long."
"Hide," Miyabi offered in a rushed voice, flustered. "I'll cover for you."
The thief liked where this was going. Quickly, he ducked around to the back of the villa just as Lumina came rushing out through the front.
"Where is he?! Where is that handsome bastard?" His turned wildly, looking back and forth in both directions. Then he spotted Miyabi. "You! You're the woman from earlier... You didn't happen to see the thief walk by, have you?"
"He went down there," Miyabi told him, pointing away from the villa and towards the village. Just as planned, Lumina lifted up his dress and began running off.
A few seconds passed before anything else happened. "Thank you, sweet angel~" a soft voice purred from behind Miyabi, so close to her that's he shivered and jumped. Spinning around, she was face to face with the silver haired babe.
Not knowing what to do, she gave him a lop-sided grin. "Don't mention it?"
He walked around her, making a circle. "I was surprised when you so kindly offered to protect me. It's not often a lady as lovely as yourself if willing to cover for a thief."
Miyabi shrugged and stuffed her hands into her pockets. So what if this guy was a schmoozer? He was a hottie and criminal, so he was his own level of bad ass. Probably would have been more bad ass if he were less metrosexual, but alas. "Thanks, but who says I'm lovely? I'm just as human as anyone else."
"That's what you think."
He looked at her and she looked at him, and they held their gazes for a few second. She noticed his eyes were a very piercing blue color, almost like bright teal. He lifted his hand and brushed a lock of bangs out of her face and smiled warmly. "I think it's time for me to jet. I hope you'll remember this as the night you had a close encounter with Phantom Thief Skye~" Winking, he took off before Miyabi could tell him to stop.
"Skye..." She whispered to herself, wondering what kind of mom would give a boy a name like that. Regardless, she liked the way it sounded, and she liked saying it. With a severe case of the warm fuzzies, she headed back home. She passed a frantic looking Lumina running back to the Villa, but didn't care. All she could think about was that suspicious and intriguing Skye character. She certainly knew what she would be thinking about before she went to bed.
***
It was still dark outside when Kaoru was woken up by scream and the sound of commotion. Still half-awake, she turned on the bedside lamp and sat up. It was Miyabi. She was standing by the bed, looking panicked.
"Miyabi? What happened?"
"Someone lives in that house, man!" She was referring to other house on the farm. "I walked in and saw an old ass guy with really thick eyebrows and he was standing around in his underwear...!" She was exasperated.
"Oh, now that you mention it, it was probably the Takakura guy my father told me about... Hmm. Had no idea he'd still live here even after father passed away." Kaoru mused tiredly, turning the lamp off and curling up.
"Hey! I know about that guy, too. Pops told me all about him! But whatever--I'm not sleeping in there. I'm gonna sleep right here!" Her voice was a little distant which meant she was no longer by the side of the bed but across the room.
"Mhmm."
"Ugh!! What the hell? Why is the floor wet?"
"Must have been Train or Kevin."
Miyabi made a strange noise. "Shit! Shiiiit!" and the shuffling of boots on the wood could be heard again.
"You're being loud."
Miyabi got as comfortable as she could on the splintering wood floor and curled up. That night, she had a dream about Skye. It involved ice cream, pianos, and turnips, and it was simply wonderful.