[KiyoharuxTora] "The Good Samaritan", 04a/0?
"THE GOOD SAMARITAN", 04a/0?
BANDS/ARTISTS: Kiyoharu, Alice Nine, SCREW, Kagrra,, Danger Gang
CHARACTERS: Kiyoharu, Tora, Shou, Byou, Nao (ex-Kagrra,), Rei (ex-Danger Gang)
PAIRINGS: KiyoharuxTora (not the focus, though; see genres)
RATING: PG13-15 for the entire series, may get higher in the later chapters
GENRE: AU, adventure, action, crime
WARNINGS: violence, language (the whole series)
DISCLAIMER: The author has no connections to the mentioned artists; this is a work of fiction.
A/N: I decided to split this chapter in two as I noticed it had begun to live its own life in Word. Shou's finally getting to know Tora -whether he likes it or not. Have fun with it! I'm uploading the B-part soon-ish :)
SUMMARY: The Good Samaritan saves Shou's life one night but little does Shou know about the not-so-biblical business that has employed his rescuer.
PREVIOUS: | 01|| 02|| 03|
The house was... peculiar, to say the least. Originally, it had been built in a traditional Japanese style -sliding doors made of paper and wood, tatami floors, name it, the house had it- but at some point someone had decided to extend it with a Western style, two-storey high wing. The building was located in the furthest corner of a garden that resembled more a jungle than a peacefully planted collection of flowers and bushes; or perhaps it had been like that, decades ago. Now the trees and other plants had vigorously taken over the estate, exuberating wildly wherever there was room for them. All in all, it looked like a Ghibli movie gone wrong; it was as if enraged Totoro was waiting in the shadows, ready to make a deadly leap at us.
There was a narrow path made of flat stones. On the one end was the house, and on the other me and my suitcase.
I turned to face Tora, who was standing next to me, answering an email he had gotten a few seconds earlier. "This is where we're staying?"
He lifted his eyes from the cell phone. "Yes, why?"
One look at his serious face was enough to tell me that he wouldn't understand. "No, no reason. Just... wondering out loud is all."
He shrugged, and after he had finished with the email, he put the phone away and waved me to follow. We climbed the few stairs up to the narrow veranda. He slid the front door open and stepped into the genkan, silently muttering his greetings. He changed his shoes to a pair of worn-out slippers and without anyone inviting him in, he walked deeper into the house.
All the lamps had been turned on inside the house; however, the light wasn't bright. The house bathed in deep, yellow, warm light that illuminated the open spaces lazily. Dark brown shadows lingered in the corners and under the furniture. Wind, that I hadn't noticed at all while still being outside, rustled the thin walls.
"Superstition," Tora cursed under his breath as he opened yet again one sliding door.
"What?" I hastened my steps to keep up with him. He huffed and pointed at the door he had just opened.
"During nighttime, all doors must be closed so that evil can't frolic around the house freely." He sneered and continued walking. "Ridiculous superstition. And at such age..."
We came to a large open space which connected the house to the new, modern wing. I followed Tora past a staircase that led to the second floor, and past a piano that royally claimed the space its own.
In the expansion there were a few rooms, amongst them a large, well-equipped kitchen with big windows that didn't have curtains. I stared at my reflection ghosting on the glass; the pitch-black garden looked even scarier when viewed from inside the safety of the house.
Tora filled an electric kettle with water and flipped the switch from 'off' position to 'on'. "Would you like some tea?" he asked. Dumbfounded, I hardly managed a weak "Yes"; this sudden act of kindness seemed very uncharacteristic of him.
"You like green tea?" he asked a while later, after rummaging in one of the closets. He seemed a bit unsatisfied with the box he had pulled out. "He's attempting a healthy diet again, eh," he continued in a quiet voice. Apparently he was just contemplating out loud to himself, as he shook his head lightly and turned back to the closets. "If you're hungry, there's probably something in the fridge."
Then, there was the sound of someone softly padding; Tora had to hear it too but he continued preparing the tea, not letting the steps distract him. I, then again, noticed I was clutching the handle of the suitcase more fervently.
The ajar kitchen door was pushed open; first, a fluffy cream-colored dog sprinted in. It headed straight to Tora and began jumping joyously at him, demanding for attention.
I had kind of assumed Tora would just shrug the animal off; instead, he lifted it up and looked at it amusedly. "Kuu, you've gotten fat." He scratched the animal between its ears and continued, this time to the owner of the pet who had quietly entered the room in the dog's wake: "You're awake?"
"If catching a glimpse of you means getting up at three in the morning, that's what I'll do."
Sweet baby Jesus... I bit on my lower lip as I cautiously stole an eyeful at the newcomer; yes, the voice belonged to that older, bohemian weirdo who had wanted to re-paint Tora's walls with my brains some weeks earlier. He stood there next to me, dressed in trousers and a long, slightly rumpled white shirt; that, and his puffy, bloodshot eyes implied he had scrambled out of bed in haste. As he turned to me and spoke, his voice came out hoarse and low: "We meet again."
Uneasily, I made a quick bow, as I was unable to come up with anything coherent to say. Tora was observing us keenly; apparently satisfied with our civil behavior, he began pouring water in two cups.
"Shou, Kiyoharu here will keep you company for the few days I'll be gone."
The initial reaction was to bow and mutter a lame-ass yoroshiku; however, Tora's words sunk in just in time to prevent me from making a fool of myself. "You're... Going somewhere..?" I stuttered, growing worry twisting my stomach once again. He wouldn't... Would he really..?
Tora took a sip of his cup and said, in his usual scant manner: "I have business to take care of."
Well, this was wonderful. He was going to leave me alone with some unhinged killer friend of his.
I accepted the tea cup Tora handed over to me, and then... Nothing. Tora immersed himself in a conversation with Kiyoharu, and I was forgotten. I tried drinking the tea but the whole situation, it was just too much; I gawked at them, wanting to bang my head against a wall. Tora had been away before, sometimes for days; what was so different about this time that I had to be brought here? Had Tora finally gotten tired of me? Was the sole purpose of this trip to get me killed and disposed?
I shoved the cup onto the closest countertop. "I..." I gestured towards the door. "I... Bathroom, if it's okay, I'll be back in a second..." And as neither of them opposed, I slunk out of the room.
Lights were still on everywhere in the house; but still, ancient shadows nestled close to the ceiling and behind every piece of furniture I happened to take a look at. It was quiet. I had spent my entire childhood in the noisy Tokyo; I had gotten used to the steady background sound traffic and people provided. Here, it was plain, pure silence that reigned; it was the silence of untamed nature. An owl was hooting for his partner, and for a moment I thought I also heard a small cry, perhaps that of a fox.
Okay. Leaning against one of the walls I began piecing my mind back together, trying to ignore the troubling, suffocating silence. Tora had had dozens and dozens of chances to get rid of me, the best being the time Byou had attacked me. I had been told to pack for a few days' visit, and I had been offered tea. Now, I didn't know much about murdering people but I assumed clean underwear and a cup of warm tea weren't a part of any specific killing ritual -unless Tora had some odd fetishes I wasn't aware of.
I assured myself that I was just being paranoid; Tora had looked after me, he had provided me a comfortable couch to sleep on and he had helped me to nurse my wounds. He was a good guy, on some level at least. He had his reasons for us being here. I should just calm down.
I nodded to myself. Everything was going to be fine. Besides, Kiyoharu had a dog; who had ever heard of serial killers who owned small, fluffy dogs?
Deciding I needed a cold splash of water against my face, I grabbed kitchen's door handle again. I had no idea where the bathroom was, and asking awkwardly about it was definitely better than wandering around helplessly in the huge house. Knowing my luck, I'd accidentally enter Kiyoharu's bedroom, and I suspected that wouldn't help us bond.
As I peeked in, I saw the two of them were still talking; Tora was sitting at the table, and Kiyoharu had propped his back against a kitchen counter.
"I thought you've been on a job but instead, you've been with that boy," Kiyoharu said rather matter-of-factly right then. I swallowed but somehow oddly mesmerized, I remained where I was. It didn't seem like a threatening conversation: the notion made the anxiety inside me turn into curiosity. All about the view was homely; Kiyoharu occasionally rubbing slumber away from his eyes, Tora stirring a spoon in his drink. He seemed to be in a good mood -relaxed, even. But then again, it was probable a creepy guy like him would feel at home in a creepy house with another creepy guy.
"I've been on a job," Tora replied, shaking his head a bit. "I need the apartment for a few days, and I don't want to involve him in this in any way, I already have enough problems as it is. Just... Keep an eye on him for me, will you? I'll come pick him up when I'm done."
"I don't know..." Kiyoharu gazed at him, displeasure playing on his ever so slightly pouting lips. "What am I supposed to do with him? Discuss politics?"
Tora hummed. "He's good at humoring himself. Just... Play nice."
Kiyoharu sighed but if he had more to say, he kept it to himself. For a moment I believed the discussion had ended. I was contemplating whether to step into the room or wait a bit longer as the talking continued abruptly.
"It's a big one." It was Tora. It took a while for me to understand it was actually him speaking, he sounded so... soft. Kiyoharu didn't seem satisfied with this statement; he continued looking vexed as he straightened his bearing and stepped closer to the table, one brow raised in a questioning manner.
"I could take a break after it." Tora stirred the spoon some more and emptied his cup. "Australia, wasn't that what you were talking about the last time?"
The older man nodded slowly. He pulled himself a chair and sat down as well. "Kuu would love the kangaroos. Finally a match for her ego."
Tora smirked and stood up. He walked to the sink and rinsed his cup swiftly before turning back to Kiyoharu. "I should get going. Nao's waiting for my call, so..." He fell silent.
"You won't stay for the night?" Kiyoharu asked, cocking his head a bit to the side.
"I can't. The thing kicks off in the morning and I still have some preparations to do." Suddenly, Tora looked weary. My brows furrowed a bit as I watched him fight off fatigue. For a moment he looked much older than his years; what kind of job pushed one to such limits?
Kiyoharu noticed this too, I was sure of it, since he stood up, a worried cloud hovering over his face. Then... I don't know. It was something I did for sure; perhaps I leant a bit too close to the door and made it move, or maybe he noticed my shadow on the floor. Whatever it was, out of nowhere I saw him staring piercingly at me from the corners of his eyes. His posture sharpened up notably as the air in the room got electrified.
Despite being tired, Tora had caught the change in the mood. "Is there something wrong?"
Kiyoharu cast one last eyeful at me before he returned his full attention to the other man. "No, no, everything's okay." His smile wasn't wide or flashy but the way his lips turned upwards was definitely devious. Tora looked at him, and it wasn't hard to guess he was confused.
"You're not telling everything," he murmured chidingly. The older man was now standing right in front of him, looking up at his face. Their bodies brushed against each other, and as smile broke into Tora's eyes, I began feeling uneasy.
Then, there it was, without further warning; overcoming their height difference with ease that came with the familiarity of the other's body, Kiyoharu draped an arm around the younger man's neck and pulled him closer. He captured Tora's lips with his own and after teasingly feeling about the mouth of his prey, the kiss turned from playful to hungry as he devoured the younger's taste.
I blinked furiously. The visual was burning itself in my brain; when Tora answered the kiss, giving a gentle nibble on the other man's lower lip, I had to turn away. I heard him make a slightly out-of-breath comment, and although I couldn't hear the words, the warm tone of the voice was what sent chills down my spine. Point taken, Kiyoharu, I thought. I was better secure my back whilst staying here.
As I tried to sneak away, a white hairy lightning bolted from the kitchen. It was Kuu; it had gotten bored of Tora and Kiyoharu who -obviously- didn't have interest in petting it at the moment. It rushed to me, excitedly yipping and swishing its tail, apparently expecting some love from me.
There was movement in the kitchen; from the partially open door I could see shadows approaching the door. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Tora had deliberately chosen not to tell about his relationship with our host; I doubted he would appreciate finding me eavesdropping on them.
I grabbed a random door handle and tried yanking the door open. It was locked, though, and right then Tora's austere voice asked: "What are you doing?"
I swung around. He was staring at me with a frown. Kiyoharu stood behind him, looking at me in that calmly superior way he had gazed at me when we had first met.
"I, um, I'm... Just... The bathroom..." I had never been any good at coming up with excuses. Tora's frown deepened, and he shot a quick glance at the man behind him; although Kiyoharu looked back at him serenely, there was a hardly noticeable mischievous spark in the depths of his eyes. Tora's jawline tightened, as he first shook his head warningly at the older man, and then turned back to me.
"That door," he said slowly, emphasizing each syllable, "is strictly forbidden. You have no business in there."
I pulled my hand away from the door handle. "Understood," I consented quickly. Tora stared at me for a bit longer, his eyes glimmering coldly, before he ran a hand through his dark hair. "Good," he said. "Well, then, I'll take my leave."
Kiyoharu saw him out. I settled for trailing behind them, head drooping a bit. It was almost four in the morning now; combined with the tension of the events of the night, the late time was starting to take its toll on me.
The front door was softly closed, and soon Kiyoharu returned to me. "I'll show you around tomorrow. There's a guest room upstairs on the left, and the door across the hallway is a bathroom, you can use it. I put some clean towels on the futon in your room. The room should be comfortable but if you need more blankets, don't be afraid to ask." He was once again speaking in his delicate, smooth manner. He even gave me a small smile as he added: "I prepare breakfast in the morning but sleep as long as you wish. There'll be rice in the cooker, take whatever you want with it from the fridge." With that said, he bent his neck just and just enough so that the gesture could be interpreted as a polite bow, and then he disappeared into the old part of the house, gently closing all the sliding doors behind him.
There was a soft poke against my shin. Kuu was staring up at me with its sparkling brown eyes.
"You're coming with me?" I asked tiredly. I interpreted the wag of its tail as a yes and headed to the stairs. "Well, come on then. Perhaps he won't kill me in my sleep if you're with me." Kuu skipping ahead of me, I scuffed up the stairs, silently wondering if I would survive the visit at this batshit-insane house.
BANDS/ARTISTS: Kiyoharu, Alice Nine, SCREW, Kagrra,, Danger Gang
CHARACTERS: Kiyoharu, Tora, Shou, Byou, Nao (ex-Kagrra,), Rei (ex-Danger Gang)
PAIRINGS: KiyoharuxTora (not the focus, though; see genres)
RATING: PG13-15 for the entire series, may get higher in the later chapters
GENRE: AU, adventure, action, crime
WARNINGS: violence, language (the whole series)
DISCLAIMER: The author has no connections to the mentioned artists; this is a work of fiction.
A/N: I decided to split this chapter in two as I noticed it had begun to live its own life in Word. Shou's finally getting to know Tora -whether he likes it or not. Have fun with it! I'm uploading the B-part soon-ish :)
SUMMARY: The Good Samaritan saves Shou's life one night but little does Shou know about the not-so-biblical business that has employed his rescuer.
PREVIOUS: | 01|| 02|| 03|
The house was... peculiar, to say the least. Originally, it had been built in a traditional Japanese style -sliding doors made of paper and wood, tatami floors, name it, the house had it- but at some point someone had decided to extend it with a Western style, two-storey high wing. The building was located in the furthest corner of a garden that resembled more a jungle than a peacefully planted collection of flowers and bushes; or perhaps it had been like that, decades ago. Now the trees and other plants had vigorously taken over the estate, exuberating wildly wherever there was room for them. All in all, it looked like a Ghibli movie gone wrong; it was as if enraged Totoro was waiting in the shadows, ready to make a deadly leap at us.
There was a narrow path made of flat stones. On the one end was the house, and on the other me and my suitcase.
I turned to face Tora, who was standing next to me, answering an email he had gotten a few seconds earlier. "This is where we're staying?"
He lifted his eyes from the cell phone. "Yes, why?"
One look at his serious face was enough to tell me that he wouldn't understand. "No, no reason. Just... wondering out loud is all."
He shrugged, and after he had finished with the email, he put the phone away and waved me to follow. We climbed the few stairs up to the narrow veranda. He slid the front door open and stepped into the genkan, silently muttering his greetings. He changed his shoes to a pair of worn-out slippers and without anyone inviting him in, he walked deeper into the house.
All the lamps had been turned on inside the house; however, the light wasn't bright. The house bathed in deep, yellow, warm light that illuminated the open spaces lazily. Dark brown shadows lingered in the corners and under the furniture. Wind, that I hadn't noticed at all while still being outside, rustled the thin walls.
"Superstition," Tora cursed under his breath as he opened yet again one sliding door.
"What?" I hastened my steps to keep up with him. He huffed and pointed at the door he had just opened.
"During nighttime, all doors must be closed so that evil can't frolic around the house freely." He sneered and continued walking. "Ridiculous superstition. And at such age..."
We came to a large open space which connected the house to the new, modern wing. I followed Tora past a staircase that led to the second floor, and past a piano that royally claimed the space its own.
In the expansion there were a few rooms, amongst them a large, well-equipped kitchen with big windows that didn't have curtains. I stared at my reflection ghosting on the glass; the pitch-black garden looked even scarier when viewed from inside the safety of the house.
Tora filled an electric kettle with water and flipped the switch from 'off' position to 'on'. "Would you like some tea?" he asked. Dumbfounded, I hardly managed a weak "Yes"; this sudden act of kindness seemed very uncharacteristic of him.
"You like green tea?" he asked a while later, after rummaging in one of the closets. He seemed a bit unsatisfied with the box he had pulled out. "He's attempting a healthy diet again, eh," he continued in a quiet voice. Apparently he was just contemplating out loud to himself, as he shook his head lightly and turned back to the closets. "If you're hungry, there's probably something in the fridge."
Then, there was the sound of someone softly padding; Tora had to hear it too but he continued preparing the tea, not letting the steps distract him. I, then again, noticed I was clutching the handle of the suitcase more fervently.
The ajar kitchen door was pushed open; first, a fluffy cream-colored dog sprinted in. It headed straight to Tora and began jumping joyously at him, demanding for attention.
I had kind of assumed Tora would just shrug the animal off; instead, he lifted it up and looked at it amusedly. "Kuu, you've gotten fat." He scratched the animal between its ears and continued, this time to the owner of the pet who had quietly entered the room in the dog's wake: "You're awake?"
"If catching a glimpse of you means getting up at three in the morning, that's what I'll do."
Sweet baby Jesus... I bit on my lower lip as I cautiously stole an eyeful at the newcomer; yes, the voice belonged to that older, bohemian weirdo who had wanted to re-paint Tora's walls with my brains some weeks earlier. He stood there next to me, dressed in trousers and a long, slightly rumpled white shirt; that, and his puffy, bloodshot eyes implied he had scrambled out of bed in haste. As he turned to me and spoke, his voice came out hoarse and low: "We meet again."
Uneasily, I made a quick bow, as I was unable to come up with anything coherent to say. Tora was observing us keenly; apparently satisfied with our civil behavior, he began pouring water in two cups.
"Shou, Kiyoharu here will keep you company for the few days I'll be gone."
The initial reaction was to bow and mutter a lame-ass yoroshiku; however, Tora's words sunk in just in time to prevent me from making a fool of myself. "You're... Going somewhere..?" I stuttered, growing worry twisting my stomach once again. He wouldn't... Would he really..?
Tora took a sip of his cup and said, in his usual scant manner: "I have business to take care of."
Well, this was wonderful. He was going to leave me alone with some unhinged killer friend of his.
I accepted the tea cup Tora handed over to me, and then... Nothing. Tora immersed himself in a conversation with Kiyoharu, and I was forgotten. I tried drinking the tea but the whole situation, it was just too much; I gawked at them, wanting to bang my head against a wall. Tora had been away before, sometimes for days; what was so different about this time that I had to be brought here? Had Tora finally gotten tired of me? Was the sole purpose of this trip to get me killed and disposed?
I shoved the cup onto the closest countertop. "I..." I gestured towards the door. "I... Bathroom, if it's okay, I'll be back in a second..." And as neither of them opposed, I slunk out of the room.
Lights were still on everywhere in the house; but still, ancient shadows nestled close to the ceiling and behind every piece of furniture I happened to take a look at. It was quiet. I had spent my entire childhood in the noisy Tokyo; I had gotten used to the steady background sound traffic and people provided. Here, it was plain, pure silence that reigned; it was the silence of untamed nature. An owl was hooting for his partner, and for a moment I thought I also heard a small cry, perhaps that of a fox.
Okay. Leaning against one of the walls I began piecing my mind back together, trying to ignore the troubling, suffocating silence. Tora had had dozens and dozens of chances to get rid of me, the best being the time Byou had attacked me. I had been told to pack for a few days' visit, and I had been offered tea. Now, I didn't know much about murdering people but I assumed clean underwear and a cup of warm tea weren't a part of any specific killing ritual -unless Tora had some odd fetishes I wasn't aware of.
I assured myself that I was just being paranoid; Tora had looked after me, he had provided me a comfortable couch to sleep on and he had helped me to nurse my wounds. He was a good guy, on some level at least. He had his reasons for us being here. I should just calm down.
I nodded to myself. Everything was going to be fine. Besides, Kiyoharu had a dog; who had ever heard of serial killers who owned small, fluffy dogs?
Deciding I needed a cold splash of water against my face, I grabbed kitchen's door handle again. I had no idea where the bathroom was, and asking awkwardly about it was definitely better than wandering around helplessly in the huge house. Knowing my luck, I'd accidentally enter Kiyoharu's bedroom, and I suspected that wouldn't help us bond.
As I peeked in, I saw the two of them were still talking; Tora was sitting at the table, and Kiyoharu had propped his back against a kitchen counter.
"I thought you've been on a job but instead, you've been with that boy," Kiyoharu said rather matter-of-factly right then. I swallowed but somehow oddly mesmerized, I remained where I was. It didn't seem like a threatening conversation: the notion made the anxiety inside me turn into curiosity. All about the view was homely; Kiyoharu occasionally rubbing slumber away from his eyes, Tora stirring a spoon in his drink. He seemed to be in a good mood -relaxed, even. But then again, it was probable a creepy guy like him would feel at home in a creepy house with another creepy guy.
"I've been on a job," Tora replied, shaking his head a bit. "I need the apartment for a few days, and I don't want to involve him in this in any way, I already have enough problems as it is. Just... Keep an eye on him for me, will you? I'll come pick him up when I'm done."
"I don't know..." Kiyoharu gazed at him, displeasure playing on his ever so slightly pouting lips. "What am I supposed to do with him? Discuss politics?"
Tora hummed. "He's good at humoring himself. Just... Play nice."
Kiyoharu sighed but if he had more to say, he kept it to himself. For a moment I believed the discussion had ended. I was contemplating whether to step into the room or wait a bit longer as the talking continued abruptly.
"It's a big one." It was Tora. It took a while for me to understand it was actually him speaking, he sounded so... soft. Kiyoharu didn't seem satisfied with this statement; he continued looking vexed as he straightened his bearing and stepped closer to the table, one brow raised in a questioning manner.
"I could take a break after it." Tora stirred the spoon some more and emptied his cup. "Australia, wasn't that what you were talking about the last time?"
The older man nodded slowly. He pulled himself a chair and sat down as well. "Kuu would love the kangaroos. Finally a match for her ego."
Tora smirked and stood up. He walked to the sink and rinsed his cup swiftly before turning back to Kiyoharu. "I should get going. Nao's waiting for my call, so..." He fell silent.
"You won't stay for the night?" Kiyoharu asked, cocking his head a bit to the side.
"I can't. The thing kicks off in the morning and I still have some preparations to do." Suddenly, Tora looked weary. My brows furrowed a bit as I watched him fight off fatigue. For a moment he looked much older than his years; what kind of job pushed one to such limits?
Kiyoharu noticed this too, I was sure of it, since he stood up, a worried cloud hovering over his face. Then... I don't know. It was something I did for sure; perhaps I leant a bit too close to the door and made it move, or maybe he noticed my shadow on the floor. Whatever it was, out of nowhere I saw him staring piercingly at me from the corners of his eyes. His posture sharpened up notably as the air in the room got electrified.
Despite being tired, Tora had caught the change in the mood. "Is there something wrong?"
Kiyoharu cast one last eyeful at me before he returned his full attention to the other man. "No, no, everything's okay." His smile wasn't wide or flashy but the way his lips turned upwards was definitely devious. Tora looked at him, and it wasn't hard to guess he was confused.
"You're not telling everything," he murmured chidingly. The older man was now standing right in front of him, looking up at his face. Their bodies brushed against each other, and as smile broke into Tora's eyes, I began feeling uneasy.
Then, there it was, without further warning; overcoming their height difference with ease that came with the familiarity of the other's body, Kiyoharu draped an arm around the younger man's neck and pulled him closer. He captured Tora's lips with his own and after teasingly feeling about the mouth of his prey, the kiss turned from playful to hungry as he devoured the younger's taste.
I blinked furiously. The visual was burning itself in my brain; when Tora answered the kiss, giving a gentle nibble on the other man's lower lip, I had to turn away. I heard him make a slightly out-of-breath comment, and although I couldn't hear the words, the warm tone of the voice was what sent chills down my spine. Point taken, Kiyoharu, I thought. I was better secure my back whilst staying here.
As I tried to sneak away, a white hairy lightning bolted from the kitchen. It was Kuu; it had gotten bored of Tora and Kiyoharu who -obviously- didn't have interest in petting it at the moment. It rushed to me, excitedly yipping and swishing its tail, apparently expecting some love from me.
There was movement in the kitchen; from the partially open door I could see shadows approaching the door. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Tora had deliberately chosen not to tell about his relationship with our host; I doubted he would appreciate finding me eavesdropping on them.
I grabbed a random door handle and tried yanking the door open. It was locked, though, and right then Tora's austere voice asked: "What are you doing?"
I swung around. He was staring at me with a frown. Kiyoharu stood behind him, looking at me in that calmly superior way he had gazed at me when we had first met.
"I, um, I'm... Just... The bathroom..." I had never been any good at coming up with excuses. Tora's frown deepened, and he shot a quick glance at the man behind him; although Kiyoharu looked back at him serenely, there was a hardly noticeable mischievous spark in the depths of his eyes. Tora's jawline tightened, as he first shook his head warningly at the older man, and then turned back to me.
"That door," he said slowly, emphasizing each syllable, "is strictly forbidden. You have no business in there."
I pulled my hand away from the door handle. "Understood," I consented quickly. Tora stared at me for a bit longer, his eyes glimmering coldly, before he ran a hand through his dark hair. "Good," he said. "Well, then, I'll take my leave."
Kiyoharu saw him out. I settled for trailing behind them, head drooping a bit. It was almost four in the morning now; combined with the tension of the events of the night, the late time was starting to take its toll on me.
The front door was softly closed, and soon Kiyoharu returned to me. "I'll show you around tomorrow. There's a guest room upstairs on the left, and the door across the hallway is a bathroom, you can use it. I put some clean towels on the futon in your room. The room should be comfortable but if you need more blankets, don't be afraid to ask." He was once again speaking in his delicate, smooth manner. He even gave me a small smile as he added: "I prepare breakfast in the morning but sleep as long as you wish. There'll be rice in the cooker, take whatever you want with it from the fridge." With that said, he bent his neck just and just enough so that the gesture could be interpreted as a polite bow, and then he disappeared into the old part of the house, gently closing all the sliding doors behind him.
There was a soft poke against my shin. Kuu was staring up at me with its sparkling brown eyes.
"You're coming with me?" I asked tiredly. I interpreted the wag of its tail as a yes and headed to the stairs. "Well, come on then. Perhaps he won't kill me in my sleep if you're with me." Kuu skipping ahead of me, I scuffed up the stairs, silently wondering if I would survive the visit at this batshit-insane house.