[Log] Yuuta, Mizuki, Kisarazu Twins: Cats & Dogs
Characters:Mizuki Hajime, Fuji Yuuta, Kisarazu Ryou & Kisarazu Atsushi
Location: Senior dorm, Room 7
Time: Backdated SO HARD, it’s like the beginning of the game all over again -- October 6, 2012.
Rating: G
Summary: Tea party for a foursome~!
Notes: So... In the beginning of XPuri, there was a Log. Somewhere in the middle of the log, Yuuta-mun's eye went on an extended holiday, and the log was discontinued for three months. Then resumed. Then forgotten.
...Whoops? So this is the log from...October 6, 2012. Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.
Yuuta walked briskly through the lawn, Haku trotting just ahead of him. Their current route outside the school building meant taking the longer way, but it also ensured they were less likely to run into other students.
If we're going to the senior dorm, I want to visit Nii-san, came a sudden voice in his head, and Yuuta started. Haku didn't so much as glance back, keeping ahead easily even with his much-shorter legs. Without being told, Haku chose the correct path leading to the senior dorm, paws moving soundlessly on the pavement.
"We're not visiting Aniki, we're visiting Mizuki-san."
Why?
"Because he invited us and it's the polite thing to do."
Haku's skeptical thoughts echoed back to him. You care about politeness?
"YES." Yuuta glared at the wolf's back. "Which means no biting, growling, scratching, or leaping at Mizuki-san or Kisarazu-senpai. By the way, you really shouldn't do that to anyone."
Humans have strange ideas on what's polite and what isn't, Haku sniffed disdainfully. Very well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to oblige for one afternoon.
Yuuta was tempted to ask just what Haku considered polite, but decided it wasn't worth breaking the hard-won truce. Besides, they were already at the senior dormitory entrance. Yuuta checked his wristwatch. Fifteen minutes early: perfect. The two of them entered, passing by the kitchen on their way.
Delicious smells floated from the kitchen as Mizuki took his freshly baked scones out from the oven. Onto a tray they went, together with a pot of tea, some cookies and other treats. As he arranged them neatly in preparation for tea-time back in his room, a familiar silhouette passed by the door of the kitchen.
"Yuuta-kun, is that you?" he called out, taking off his apron and stepping towards the door. He paused when he saw another, smaller shape. Was that Yuuta's dog? Mizuki hoped it wasn't the enthusiastic slobbering type. He crouched down to offer his hand for the pup to sniff, and concentrating, released a pheromone that Mizuki had noticed to be calming to some animals. "Hello to you too."
"Mizuki-san. Good to see you again." His greeting was interrupted by a strange spike of awareness from Haku. There wasn't any sudden shift to hostility or prelude to an attack, but he wasn't moving, either. "What--" Yuuta remembered they weren't alone just then, and switched to telepathy with a sigh. What's wrong?
Haku's answer wasn't in words, but in a quick flow of thoughts. There was something off about this one's scent. Not a threat, precisely, but not observed in most humans, either. And adding to that was an undercurrent of unease: something about the senior dorm made Haku profoundly uncomfortable, but the wolf wasn't sure why. Haku hadn’t noticed it last time because Shuusuke had been here, and they’d been distracted that night. Despite his misgivings Haku briefly leaned forward to the proffered hand in a perfunctory greeting, and the thought struck Yuuta that Haku was, in his own way, trying to be...polite? Yuuta cleared his throat before he did something unwise, like laughing out loud. "This is..." -- the really annoying wolf stuck in a puppy body that talked to him in his head -- "...Haku."
"You're early, Yuuta-kun," Mizuki noted, smiling up at him. He tentatively reached out to gently pat the animal on the head. Dogs liked headrubs, right? It didn't seem like it would bite. "Lovely to make your acquaintance, Haku. He's very cute, Yuuta-kun." He stood, facing Yuuta properly.
"I didn't think I'd see you here," Mizuki said, looking Yuuta up and down. He hadn't realised how much he missed his favourite kohai. He smiled again, a small, rare, genuine smile. "I am very glad, though."
Haku tolerated the touch, but out of distraction more than actual courtesy. Yuuta sighed. The feeling of discomfiture was becoming stronger, and it was beginning to affect him, too. "Figured I'd come by and see if you needed help setting up." He flashed Mizuki an awkward grin, suddenly feeling self-conscious at Mizuki's warm smile. "Ah...yeah, me either. I mean, me and special, we don't get along."
Yuuta-kun was so adorable when he was slightly embarrassed, Mizuki thought, paying very little attention to the less-than-responsive animal. "I've always known you were a little different, Yuuta-kun," he said. "But we'll talk more later. Will you help me carry these up, please? I didn't have time to make tarts today but there are scones and cupcakes." He walked over to the counter and handed Yuuta a tray.
"No problem." Yuuta took the tray and tried not to inhale too obviously. Cupcakes were always good. Yuuta had had his fill of tarts and pies lately, so scones and cupcakes sounded heavenly. His mouth watered at the smell as he turned to follow Mizuki.
Distracted by the baked goods, it took Yuuta moment to realize something was different. Namely, Haku wasn't trotting before him. In fact, the wolf hadn't moved at all. "Hey, what are you doing? Let's go."
Unease. Marked territory. Another predator. Haku's thoughts weren't in words, merely flashes of scents and increasingly perturbed feelings. Unsafe. Territory.
Hoping Mizuki wouldn't notice him lagging behind, Yuuta turned to catch the wolf's eyes. Hey. It's okay. We're not in danger here. This is a school, remember? Haku's mind stubbornly remained a tightly-wound ball of unease, and Yuuta wrapped comforting thoughts around it as gently as he could. Thoughts of safety, of family. His brother was here, too, in the same building. That did the trick, and reluctantly, Haku followed.
Mizuki did not notice, having gone ahead with the teapot and a tray of chinaware. "The room I share with Ryou is up here," he said without turning as he climbed the stairs. Eventually he stopped at a room and nudged the unlocked door open. Inside, it was mostly like the room Mizuki had at St. Rudolph-- clean and meticulously tidy, with well-stocked bookshelves and a great many personal grooming items in a basket on the dresser.
"You can put the tray here, Yuuta-kun." Mizuki set down his things on a low table in the middle of the room with cushions arranged all around it.
Yuuta followed inside and set down the tray as directed. Haku, after a moment of hesitation, followed inside, but every hair on his neck was standing up, his movement noticeably stiff. The smell of the predator was strongest here. The lair? Enclosed space; no way to concede territory. Haku's thoughts continued to flicker from wolf-senses to human words. Sighing, Yuuta picked him up, hoping the physical connection would help as it sometimes did for him.
"Heh. Brings back memories," Yuuta said with a grin, looking around. Haku was a warm weight in his arm, unnaturally still, but didn't try to break free. "You used to have the neatest room ever back at SeiRu. So, uh, how long have you been going to this school?" Even he had enough tact not to ask what kind of power Mizuki possessed. Though he'd come close.
"This is my third year here," Mizuki replied. He sank down on the pile of cushions and invited Yuuta to follow with a gesture. "Remember when I said I was going to high school in Hokkaido? This was where I meant." He took out his phone and sent a quick text to the twins to remind them that tea was ready. "I'm very curious about how you ended up here, but perhaps we should wait until Atsushi-kun is here, so you won't have to repeat yourself."
He looked up, fixing Yuuta with a serious gaze. "Only, of course, if you're comfortable."
"I don't mind?" And Yuuta didn't think Haku would care one way or another just now; the wolf was still a stiff little ball of worry in the back of his thoughts. "I don't really know much about my, uh, powers, is all." He supposed being a mutant wasn't something most people liked talking about, and quashed the part that wanted his senpai-tachi to have told him anyway.
A beep of Mizuki's phone, with a text stating they'd be there in a moment was the only warning those in the room got before the twins came in. They had a tendency to walk rather unnervingly quiet, especially in their house slippers, so they tried not to sneak up on their friends if possible. However, it was odd to knock on your own door, so this was their compromise. "Yuuta-kun!" they exclaimed together when they saw their kouhai standing next to the table holding his puppy.
"Atsushi-kun, Ryou-kun," Mizuki greeting, looking up in delight. "There you are. Now we can have tea." He gestured towards the cushions, indicating that they should sit, and shuffled closer to Yuuta to make room.
"Atsushi-senpai. Ryou-san. Good to see you again." His gladness was coupled with a jolt of fresh fear -- wait. "Uh, this is -- this is Haku. Sorry, he's kinda not feeling his best," he said, wondering what was bothering the wolf. A short bark was followed by a wavering whine, almost like a howl but quieter. And again, with the howl fading to a whimper. Yuuta stared at the pup in his arms in shock. In the past month they'd been together, he'd never actually felt Haku scared before.
"Oh, a puppy!" the twins said together. They looked at each other, then the whimpering dog and then Yuuta, a sad expression on both faces. "Sorry," they said.
"Dogs and most cats don't seem to like us," Ryou said. "Karupin does, but that's only because Echizen was there with her when we met." He glanced over at Mizuki who knew why most animals kept their distance from the two boys.
"How bright is he?" Atsushi asked, edging around to get to the refrigerator in the corner. "Can you talk to him? Understand him?"
"Karupin is the cat owned by the freshman, Echizen," Mizuki explained, hoping Yuuta wasn't being too overwhelmed by everything. He smiled and nodded at the twins in understanding. He busied himself with pouring them all tea while the twins questioned their slightly bewildered-looking kouhai.
Haku was a thinly vibrating string of tension in his mind, and the movement from Atsushi was all it took. Yuuta felt the moment of switch to the offensive but had no time to react. The next instant Haku was on the floor in front of him, a snarl deep in his throat. A challenge, Yuuta realized, with a threat underneath. Haku repeated the tense growl, every hair bristling, head low and fangs bared. For a moment Yuuta saw a superimposed image of a fully-grown wolf, silver and huge, and started.
Atsushi responded swiftly, bending and clamping his hand on the top of Haku's muzzle, holding him still. He stared into the pup's eyes and spoke in cat, hoping the dog would understand enough, "Mind your manners, cub." He subvocalized a bit of a growl in his voice as well. He and Ryou did not want to hurt Haku. He was their kouhai's and it would hurt Yuuta if something happened to him. But neither could they back down. This was their territory and they were the alphas.
Twitching a little as he let Atsushi handle that part, Ryou turned to Yuuta. "He's not hurting him," he said swiftly. "But we smell like really big cats and he's likely quite freaked out about it. Once he accepts us as alpha, Atsushi will let him up and we'll make friends. Hopefully."
Atsushi's grip was firm but gentle, with the intent to subdue, not injure. Yuuta could feel the instincts scream, to concede, to escape. Two predators in their den, not good odds -- but the need to defend was overriding even the instinct for self-preservation. Haku violently wrenched out of Atsushi's grip, springing back and crouching low, ready to leap.
Yuuta didn't bother with words. He grabbed the wolf and rushed out the door.
"STOP IT!"
They're not human. The words carried the undertone of a furious howl. They are a THREAT.
"I don't care what they are! This is a school for mutants, remember? If they're a threat they wouldn't be here, the school's got rules!" The thing was, however -- he knew Haku would have preferred to concede rather than fight. And Haku had chosen to fight only because he thought Yuuta needed protecting. "Look, I KNOW these people and you don't. We can't keep doing this." He didn't just mean at school, either. If they were stuck together for the foreseeable future, then Haku couldn't continue making all the decisions for both of them. "You're gonna have to start trusting me," Yuuta said firmly, putting all the conviction he could muster behind each word. "It's okay. We'll be fine."
Mizuki stared after Yuuta, frozen in the middle of pouring tea. Yuuta's voice could be heard from outside, berating his dog in a seemingly one-sided conversation, as if the animal could understand and respond. He knew animals didn't like the Kisarazu twins because of what they were, but that sort of hostile reaction was extraordinary. All in all, very odd and unsettling. He set down the teapot and stood up.
"I'll go after them," he told the twins quietly. He would probably have more luck helping to calm the animal down. He jogged out the door after Yuuta.
"Yuuta-kun?"
Ryou helped Atsushi up and hugged him. The way other animals reacted to them was one of the hardest things about their mutation to accept and why they didn't tell many humans about it. Atsushi buried his face against his brother's shoulder. "Are we going to lose Yuuta's friendship over this?" came his muffled question.
"I...don't know. I hope not," Ryou answered quietly. "We have to let Yuuta calm Haku down and hope for the best, I guess." He helped his brother sit at the table and got them both some meat out of the fridge to eat with their tea and the treats Mizuki had made.
In Haku's mind was a jumbled succession of thoughts, flowing so quickly that Yuuta couldn't keep up with them. Finally, they settled to a reluctant agreement. A lick under his chin reminded Yuuta the wolf in still his arms, and he bent down to put Haku on the floor. "You okay?" He was used to Haku making snap judgment about people based on scent. Most of the times he couldn't follow the wolf-logic and didn't try. But he did know the wolf didn't panic easily, and the whole episode had shaken him as much as Haku.
Mizuki's voice interrupted them, and Yuuta started, remembering while nobody could hear Haku, everyone could hear him shout. Oops. "Uh...sorry?" he managed weakly. Haku caught his glance and there was a wry amusement from him, quickly schooled to a calm indifference. Are we good to go? Or we can go back early.
A hint of exasperation was nonetheless touched with a trace of...affection? Haku whined softly, looking up at him with the perfect expression of attentiveness, and Yuuta nearly choked. Okay, the obedient dog routine really didn't suit him one bit.
"Is everything alright?" Mizuki didn't miss the slight panic that crossed Yuuta's face. He thought perhaps Yuuta could talk to dogs like Echizen could talk to cats, and didn't like to show it. He pushed it to the corner of his mind for later rumination. "Did the twins frighten Haku? It's not my tale to tell, but animals don't easily take to them. Do you think Haku is calm enough to come back inside?"
One last sideways glance at Haku for confirmation, and Yuuta looked back at Mizuki with an apologetic look. "We're cool. Sorry 'bout that." Oddly enough, Haku kept in step with him as they returned to the room rather than trotting ahead. Once inside, Yuuta left the door slightly ajar, hoping it would at least help with the claustrophobia. "Atsushi-senpai. Ryou-san." Yuuta bowed deeply. "I'm really sorry about that. Haku's sorry too, right?"
Haku's expression of don't-push-your-luck-WHELP needed no translation. Yuuta held back a sigh. "Anyway I'm sorry. He won't do that anymore."
The twins looked up when Yuuta and his friend came back into the room. "We understand, Yuuta-kun," Atsushi said. "We have that affect on animals. You are...able to speak with him, it sounds like?" he asked. He didn't want to embarrass Yuuta, but even from their vantage point it had looked like Yuuta had spoken to Haku and Haku had understood.
Ryou gave Haku another look as he ate some of the meat they had gotten out. "He's...not a puppy, is he? His behaviour is that of an older animal. Is he a mutant as well?" He split the next to last piece with Atsushi and put the remainder back in the bowl.
"Yeah, we can talk to each other telepathically, but not to anyone else." He'd gotten used to the idea of people talking to animals by now, so admitting to it was easier. The next part was harder, partly because he didn't know much about the hows of it. "He was fully grown before, I think. Before we, uh--" What was the term Kite used? "--Bonded? Now we're stuck together." Literally. The time his mother and sister took Haku to the vet without him had taught them that very clearly: no physical separation. "We have no idea how he ended up like this."
"So that's how it is," mused Mizuki, sitting back down. It seemed like a lot had happened since the last time he saw Yuuta. "So the both of you cannot be parted? How did you meet?"
"Is he of human level intelligence then?" Ryou asked. "If we talk, could you serve as translator? We'd like to make friends with Haku. Or at least, see if he will be less...tense around us," he added. Atsushi nodded, letting Ryou do the speaking for both of them for the moment.
Haku's annoyance was nearly palpable at the mention of 'human-level' intelligence, and Yuuta winced. If his emotions were this strong, it meant Haku was still quite tense. They would be well-advised to keep their visit short, his mind murmured in a voice strangely reminiscent of Shuusuke's. "Ah, no, he doesn't need translation. He just doesn't..." Like you because you smell dangerous, but he couldn't add that. "He's just stubborn about people. He doesn't feel at ease around them." Which was the truth: Haku harbored intense dislike for most humans coming over to stroke and coo at the 'cute puppy.'
"And yeah, being apart's no good," he added for Mizuki. "He just...came and found me after." Another thing he only knew from flashes of memories but never from words -- he knew the journey wasn't an easy one for the wolf. Sometimes, Yuuta felt guilty, even though he hadn't meant for them to bond. While the lack of mental privacy was difficult for him at times, he knew Haku made much more difficult amends to his own lifestyle every day, being unable to hunt or run free, stuck in a place full of humans he disliked. There was a flicker of familiar exasperation with affectionate undertone, and the tightly-wound tension of Haku's mind eased a fraction.
"You don't have to go into detail if you don't want to," Mizuki said with one of his rare warm expressions. Everyone had their secrets, including the Kisarazu twins, and himself. He also liked Yuuta enough not to press him, believing that the younger boy would eventually tell him given enough time. He put on a mock-affronted look, hoping to change the mood of the room. "Enough. I made all this tea and snacks, and no-one's eating it!"
"Ah. Not all animals are capable of comprehension," Atsushi said, eyeing Haku with a bit more understanding. "It is frustrating to those who are when it is the humans who don't get it." He smiled at Mizuki and reached for a small pastry. "My apologies, Hajime-kun. It looks delicious! Please, may I have some tea?"
Ryou nodded in agreement, placing the bowl with the leftover meat near Yuuta. In human terms it was the equivalent of breaking bread. The alphas of this territory allowing an interloper a part of their kill was acknowledging them as a friend, not a threat. Hopefully Haku would accept it...and that it mean the same to a canine as it did a feline. Cross-cultural relations could be so difficult. "Would you like a cake, Yuuta-kun?" he asked, passing over the plate of sweet treats.
From the way Haku's attention was so intent on the bowl, Yuuta knew something more significant was at play here than free food. "Yes, please. And thank you for the food," Yuuta said, and took a bite of the cake so he wouldn't accidentally talk out loud this time. Hey, what's the matter? They're just being friendly and -- you were okay accepting food from Kite-san.
The answer wasn't a verbal one this time. A flow of images, and Yuuta guessed the gist meant that in wolf society only pack members would share food. But with permission, even those outside the pack could eat what was left behind without fear of reprisal. So -- the offer of food from Ryou was tantamount to accepting Haku's presence on this part of the campus. After another piercing glance at Yuuta, Haku dropped his gaze and approached the bowl.
Yuuta nearly didn't remember to swallow before talking. Wow, talk about a day of progress. "This is really good. Thanks for inviting me, Mizuki-san. And for having me over, Ryou-senpai." The change of address was deliberate, and he felt Haku note it with what felt suspiciously like a sigh.
Mizuki smiled, relieved that Yuuta's... (pet? familiar?) Haku seemed to be finally quieting down and accepting the twins' presence. He put down a dish of water for Haku and poured Yuuta more tea.
"You are very welcome, Yuuta," he said, patting him on the hand supportively. "We're very glad you're here. Us senpai will be more than happy to help you if you have any problems."
Relaxing a bit now that Haku had accepted the meat, Ryou smiled at Yuuta and sipped his tea. "Yes, any time you have any problems, you or Haku, please come to us. Even if it is to procure more meat for him. Atsushi and I get special shipments of it in since our mutation has caused us to lean more to carnivore these days.
Atsushi took a bite of his cake. After swallowing it he smiled. "Not entirely carnivore, thank Konomi, or we would miss out on Hajime-kun's wonderful tea parties. Also, as he grows, we can help. Working with both of you in the training rooms or just showing you the places on campus where you can run and relax without getting spotted." He looked at Haku. "That goes for both of you, you know, if you need help, you can come ask too."
"Yeah...thanks senpai. Actually I've been eating a lot more meat since he came along. Now that I think about it." Haku growing. Now there was a scary thought. And honestly, Yuuta had no idea if Haku would grow back to his full wolf-size or remain appropriately dog-sized or what. He tried to imagine negotiating airplanes or train rides with a full-grown wolf, and failed. The mention of training, though. Kite had mentioned there should be someone who could help him find his power. Even train him. While not dying after falling off a cliff might be useful, it wasn't exactly an ability, per se. Not to mention -- he couldn't stifle a little part of him hoping he could learn whatever he had to know about being a mutant and go back to his old school. He'd fit in well there, had made some great friends, and tennis training was going swimmingly. Unsurprisingly, tennis was the thing he missed the most.
Speaking of tennis. "Hey, do you guys still play?"
Mizuki wondered if he’d be the only one left who would happily eat vegetables. He hoped the twins would continue to enjoy his cakes and pastries as their powers matured. Meat pies just did not quite fit the image of a tea party. And now Yuuta too was becoming more carnivorous...it was just as well Mizuki had a good arsenal of appropriate recipes at his disposal.
“Play? Tennis?” Mizuki brightened up. “We do~ We should have a game.”
And that, much to Haku’s exasperated amusement, was pretty much the only thing Yuuta needed to feel back to normal. More or less.
“Sweet,” he beamed at the three of them. “Count me in.”
Location: Senior dorm, Room 7
Time: Backdated SO HARD, it’s like the beginning of the game all over again -- October 6, 2012.
Rating: G
Summary: Tea party for a foursome~!
Notes: So... In the beginning of XPuri, there was a Log. Somewhere in the middle of the log, Yuuta-mun's eye went on an extended holiday, and the log was discontinued for three months. Then resumed. Then forgotten.
...Whoops? So this is the log from...October 6, 2012. Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.
Yuuta walked briskly through the lawn, Haku trotting just ahead of him. Their current route outside the school building meant taking the longer way, but it also ensured they were less likely to run into other students.
If we're going to the senior dorm, I want to visit Nii-san, came a sudden voice in his head, and Yuuta started. Haku didn't so much as glance back, keeping ahead easily even with his much-shorter legs. Without being told, Haku chose the correct path leading to the senior dorm, paws moving soundlessly on the pavement.
"We're not visiting Aniki, we're visiting Mizuki-san."
Why?
"Because he invited us and it's the polite thing to do."
Haku's skeptical thoughts echoed back to him. You care about politeness?
"YES." Yuuta glared at the wolf's back. "Which means no biting, growling, scratching, or leaping at Mizuki-san or Kisarazu-senpai. By the way, you really shouldn't do that to anyone."
Humans have strange ideas on what's polite and what isn't, Haku sniffed disdainfully. Very well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to oblige for one afternoon.
Yuuta was tempted to ask just what Haku considered polite, but decided it wasn't worth breaking the hard-won truce. Besides, they were already at the senior dormitory entrance. Yuuta checked his wristwatch. Fifteen minutes early: perfect. The two of them entered, passing by the kitchen on their way.
Delicious smells floated from the kitchen as Mizuki took his freshly baked scones out from the oven. Onto a tray they went, together with a pot of tea, some cookies and other treats. As he arranged them neatly in preparation for tea-time back in his room, a familiar silhouette passed by the door of the kitchen.
"Yuuta-kun, is that you?" he called out, taking off his apron and stepping towards the door. He paused when he saw another, smaller shape. Was that Yuuta's dog? Mizuki hoped it wasn't the enthusiastic slobbering type. He crouched down to offer his hand for the pup to sniff, and concentrating, released a pheromone that Mizuki had noticed to be calming to some animals. "Hello to you too."
"Mizuki-san. Good to see you again." His greeting was interrupted by a strange spike of awareness from Haku. There wasn't any sudden shift to hostility or prelude to an attack, but he wasn't moving, either. "What--" Yuuta remembered they weren't alone just then, and switched to telepathy with a sigh. What's wrong?
Haku's answer wasn't in words, but in a quick flow of thoughts. There was something off about this one's scent. Not a threat, precisely, but not observed in most humans, either. And adding to that was an undercurrent of unease: something about the senior dorm made Haku profoundly uncomfortable, but the wolf wasn't sure why. Haku hadn’t noticed it last time because Shuusuke had been here, and they’d been distracted that night. Despite his misgivings Haku briefly leaned forward to the proffered hand in a perfunctory greeting, and the thought struck Yuuta that Haku was, in his own way, trying to be...polite? Yuuta cleared his throat before he did something unwise, like laughing out loud. "This is..." -- the really annoying wolf stuck in a puppy body that talked to him in his head -- "...Haku."
"You're early, Yuuta-kun," Mizuki noted, smiling up at him. He tentatively reached out to gently pat the animal on the head. Dogs liked headrubs, right? It didn't seem like it would bite. "Lovely to make your acquaintance, Haku. He's very cute, Yuuta-kun." He stood, facing Yuuta properly.
"I didn't think I'd see you here," Mizuki said, looking Yuuta up and down. He hadn't realised how much he missed his favourite kohai. He smiled again, a small, rare, genuine smile. "I am very glad, though."
Haku tolerated the touch, but out of distraction more than actual courtesy. Yuuta sighed. The feeling of discomfiture was becoming stronger, and it was beginning to affect him, too. "Figured I'd come by and see if you needed help setting up." He flashed Mizuki an awkward grin, suddenly feeling self-conscious at Mizuki's warm smile. "Ah...yeah, me either. I mean, me and special, we don't get along."
Yuuta-kun was so adorable when he was slightly embarrassed, Mizuki thought, paying very little attention to the less-than-responsive animal. "I've always known you were a little different, Yuuta-kun," he said. "But we'll talk more later. Will you help me carry these up, please? I didn't have time to make tarts today but there are scones and cupcakes." He walked over to the counter and handed Yuuta a tray.
"No problem." Yuuta took the tray and tried not to inhale too obviously. Cupcakes were always good. Yuuta had had his fill of tarts and pies lately, so scones and cupcakes sounded heavenly. His mouth watered at the smell as he turned to follow Mizuki.
Distracted by the baked goods, it took Yuuta moment to realize something was different. Namely, Haku wasn't trotting before him. In fact, the wolf hadn't moved at all. "Hey, what are you doing? Let's go."
Unease. Marked territory. Another predator. Haku's thoughts weren't in words, merely flashes of scents and increasingly perturbed feelings. Unsafe. Territory.
Hoping Mizuki wouldn't notice him lagging behind, Yuuta turned to catch the wolf's eyes. Hey. It's okay. We're not in danger here. This is a school, remember? Haku's mind stubbornly remained a tightly-wound ball of unease, and Yuuta wrapped comforting thoughts around it as gently as he could. Thoughts of safety, of family. His brother was here, too, in the same building. That did the trick, and reluctantly, Haku followed.
Mizuki did not notice, having gone ahead with the teapot and a tray of chinaware. "The room I share with Ryou is up here," he said without turning as he climbed the stairs. Eventually he stopped at a room and nudged the unlocked door open. Inside, it was mostly like the room Mizuki had at St. Rudolph-- clean and meticulously tidy, with well-stocked bookshelves and a great many personal grooming items in a basket on the dresser.
"You can put the tray here, Yuuta-kun." Mizuki set down his things on a low table in the middle of the room with cushions arranged all around it.
Yuuta followed inside and set down the tray as directed. Haku, after a moment of hesitation, followed inside, but every hair on his neck was standing up, his movement noticeably stiff. The smell of the predator was strongest here. The lair? Enclosed space; no way to concede territory. Haku's thoughts continued to flicker from wolf-senses to human words. Sighing, Yuuta picked him up, hoping the physical connection would help as it sometimes did for him.
"Heh. Brings back memories," Yuuta said with a grin, looking around. Haku was a warm weight in his arm, unnaturally still, but didn't try to break free. "You used to have the neatest room ever back at SeiRu. So, uh, how long have you been going to this school?" Even he had enough tact not to ask what kind of power Mizuki possessed. Though he'd come close.
"This is my third year here," Mizuki replied. He sank down on the pile of cushions and invited Yuuta to follow with a gesture. "Remember when I said I was going to high school in Hokkaido? This was where I meant." He took out his phone and sent a quick text to the twins to remind them that tea was ready. "I'm very curious about how you ended up here, but perhaps we should wait until Atsushi-kun is here, so you won't have to repeat yourself."
He looked up, fixing Yuuta with a serious gaze. "Only, of course, if you're comfortable."
"I don't mind?" And Yuuta didn't think Haku would care one way or another just now; the wolf was still a stiff little ball of worry in the back of his thoughts. "I don't really know much about my, uh, powers, is all." He supposed being a mutant wasn't something most people liked talking about, and quashed the part that wanted his senpai-tachi to have told him anyway.
A beep of Mizuki's phone, with a text stating they'd be there in a moment was the only warning those in the room got before the twins came in. They had a tendency to walk rather unnervingly quiet, especially in their house slippers, so they tried not to sneak up on their friends if possible. However, it was odd to knock on your own door, so this was their compromise. "Yuuta-kun!" they exclaimed together when they saw their kouhai standing next to the table holding his puppy.
"Atsushi-kun, Ryou-kun," Mizuki greeting, looking up in delight. "There you are. Now we can have tea." He gestured towards the cushions, indicating that they should sit, and shuffled closer to Yuuta to make room.
"Atsushi-senpai. Ryou-san. Good to see you again." His gladness was coupled with a jolt of fresh fear -- wait. "Uh, this is -- this is Haku. Sorry, he's kinda not feeling his best," he said, wondering what was bothering the wolf. A short bark was followed by a wavering whine, almost like a howl but quieter. And again, with the howl fading to a whimper. Yuuta stared at the pup in his arms in shock. In the past month they'd been together, he'd never actually felt Haku scared before.
"Oh, a puppy!" the twins said together. They looked at each other, then the whimpering dog and then Yuuta, a sad expression on both faces. "Sorry," they said.
"Dogs and most cats don't seem to like us," Ryou said. "Karupin does, but that's only because Echizen was there with her when we met." He glanced over at Mizuki who knew why most animals kept their distance from the two boys.
"How bright is he?" Atsushi asked, edging around to get to the refrigerator in the corner. "Can you talk to him? Understand him?"
"Karupin is the cat owned by the freshman, Echizen," Mizuki explained, hoping Yuuta wasn't being too overwhelmed by everything. He smiled and nodded at the twins in understanding. He busied himself with pouring them all tea while the twins questioned their slightly bewildered-looking kouhai.
Haku was a thinly vibrating string of tension in his mind, and the movement from Atsushi was all it took. Yuuta felt the moment of switch to the offensive but had no time to react. The next instant Haku was on the floor in front of him, a snarl deep in his throat. A challenge, Yuuta realized, with a threat underneath. Haku repeated the tense growl, every hair bristling, head low and fangs bared. For a moment Yuuta saw a superimposed image of a fully-grown wolf, silver and huge, and started.
Atsushi responded swiftly, bending and clamping his hand on the top of Haku's muzzle, holding him still. He stared into the pup's eyes and spoke in cat, hoping the dog would understand enough, "Mind your manners, cub." He subvocalized a bit of a growl in his voice as well. He and Ryou did not want to hurt Haku. He was their kouhai's and it would hurt Yuuta if something happened to him. But neither could they back down. This was their territory and they were the alphas.
Twitching a little as he let Atsushi handle that part, Ryou turned to Yuuta. "He's not hurting him," he said swiftly. "But we smell like really big cats and he's likely quite freaked out about it. Once he accepts us as alpha, Atsushi will let him up and we'll make friends. Hopefully."
Atsushi's grip was firm but gentle, with the intent to subdue, not injure. Yuuta could feel the instincts scream, to concede, to escape. Two predators in their den, not good odds -- but the need to defend was overriding even the instinct for self-preservation. Haku violently wrenched out of Atsushi's grip, springing back and crouching low, ready to leap.
Yuuta didn't bother with words. He grabbed the wolf and rushed out the door.
"STOP IT!"
They're not human. The words carried the undertone of a furious howl. They are a THREAT.
"I don't care what they are! This is a school for mutants, remember? If they're a threat they wouldn't be here, the school's got rules!" The thing was, however -- he knew Haku would have preferred to concede rather than fight. And Haku had chosen to fight only because he thought Yuuta needed protecting. "Look, I KNOW these people and you don't. We can't keep doing this." He didn't just mean at school, either. If they were stuck together for the foreseeable future, then Haku couldn't continue making all the decisions for both of them. "You're gonna have to start trusting me," Yuuta said firmly, putting all the conviction he could muster behind each word. "It's okay. We'll be fine."
Mizuki stared after Yuuta, frozen in the middle of pouring tea. Yuuta's voice could be heard from outside, berating his dog in a seemingly one-sided conversation, as if the animal could understand and respond. He knew animals didn't like the Kisarazu twins because of what they were, but that sort of hostile reaction was extraordinary. All in all, very odd and unsettling. He set down the teapot and stood up.
"I'll go after them," he told the twins quietly. He would probably have more luck helping to calm the animal down. He jogged out the door after Yuuta.
"Yuuta-kun?"
Ryou helped Atsushi up and hugged him. The way other animals reacted to them was one of the hardest things about their mutation to accept and why they didn't tell many humans about it. Atsushi buried his face against his brother's shoulder. "Are we going to lose Yuuta's friendship over this?" came his muffled question.
"I...don't know. I hope not," Ryou answered quietly. "We have to let Yuuta calm Haku down and hope for the best, I guess." He helped his brother sit at the table and got them both some meat out of the fridge to eat with their tea and the treats Mizuki had made.
In Haku's mind was a jumbled succession of thoughts, flowing so quickly that Yuuta couldn't keep up with them. Finally, they settled to a reluctant agreement. A lick under his chin reminded Yuuta the wolf in still his arms, and he bent down to put Haku on the floor. "You okay?" He was used to Haku making snap judgment about people based on scent. Most of the times he couldn't follow the wolf-logic and didn't try. But he did know the wolf didn't panic easily, and the whole episode had shaken him as much as Haku.
Mizuki's voice interrupted them, and Yuuta started, remembering while nobody could hear Haku, everyone could hear him shout. Oops. "Uh...sorry?" he managed weakly. Haku caught his glance and there was a wry amusement from him, quickly schooled to a calm indifference. Are we good to go? Or we can go back early.
A hint of exasperation was nonetheless touched with a trace of...affection? Haku whined softly, looking up at him with the perfect expression of attentiveness, and Yuuta nearly choked. Okay, the obedient dog routine really didn't suit him one bit.
"Is everything alright?" Mizuki didn't miss the slight panic that crossed Yuuta's face. He thought perhaps Yuuta could talk to dogs like Echizen could talk to cats, and didn't like to show it. He pushed it to the corner of his mind for later rumination. "Did the twins frighten Haku? It's not my tale to tell, but animals don't easily take to them. Do you think Haku is calm enough to come back inside?"
One last sideways glance at Haku for confirmation, and Yuuta looked back at Mizuki with an apologetic look. "We're cool. Sorry 'bout that." Oddly enough, Haku kept in step with him as they returned to the room rather than trotting ahead. Once inside, Yuuta left the door slightly ajar, hoping it would at least help with the claustrophobia. "Atsushi-senpai. Ryou-san." Yuuta bowed deeply. "I'm really sorry about that. Haku's sorry too, right?"
Haku's expression of don't-push-your-luck-WHELP needed no translation. Yuuta held back a sigh. "Anyway I'm sorry. He won't do that anymore."
The twins looked up when Yuuta and his friend came back into the room. "We understand, Yuuta-kun," Atsushi said. "We have that affect on animals. You are...able to speak with him, it sounds like?" he asked. He didn't want to embarrass Yuuta, but even from their vantage point it had looked like Yuuta had spoken to Haku and Haku had understood.
Ryou gave Haku another look as he ate some of the meat they had gotten out. "He's...not a puppy, is he? His behaviour is that of an older animal. Is he a mutant as well?" He split the next to last piece with Atsushi and put the remainder back in the bowl.
"Yeah, we can talk to each other telepathically, but not to anyone else." He'd gotten used to the idea of people talking to animals by now, so admitting to it was easier. The next part was harder, partly because he didn't know much about the hows of it. "He was fully grown before, I think. Before we, uh--" What was the term Kite used? "--Bonded? Now we're stuck together." Literally. The time his mother and sister took Haku to the vet without him had taught them that very clearly: no physical separation. "We have no idea how he ended up like this."
"So that's how it is," mused Mizuki, sitting back down. It seemed like a lot had happened since the last time he saw Yuuta. "So the both of you cannot be parted? How did you meet?"
"Is he of human level intelligence then?" Ryou asked. "If we talk, could you serve as translator? We'd like to make friends with Haku. Or at least, see if he will be less...tense around us," he added. Atsushi nodded, letting Ryou do the speaking for both of them for the moment.
Haku's annoyance was nearly palpable at the mention of 'human-level' intelligence, and Yuuta winced. If his emotions were this strong, it meant Haku was still quite tense. They would be well-advised to keep their visit short, his mind murmured in a voice strangely reminiscent of Shuusuke's. "Ah, no, he doesn't need translation. He just doesn't..." Like you because you smell dangerous, but he couldn't add that. "He's just stubborn about people. He doesn't feel at ease around them." Which was the truth: Haku harbored intense dislike for most humans coming over to stroke and coo at the 'cute puppy.'
"And yeah, being apart's no good," he added for Mizuki. "He just...came and found me after." Another thing he only knew from flashes of memories but never from words -- he knew the journey wasn't an easy one for the wolf. Sometimes, Yuuta felt guilty, even though he hadn't meant for them to bond. While the lack of mental privacy was difficult for him at times, he knew Haku made much more difficult amends to his own lifestyle every day, being unable to hunt or run free, stuck in a place full of humans he disliked. There was a flicker of familiar exasperation with affectionate undertone, and the tightly-wound tension of Haku's mind eased a fraction.
"You don't have to go into detail if you don't want to," Mizuki said with one of his rare warm expressions. Everyone had their secrets, including the Kisarazu twins, and himself. He also liked Yuuta enough not to press him, believing that the younger boy would eventually tell him given enough time. He put on a mock-affronted look, hoping to change the mood of the room. "Enough. I made all this tea and snacks, and no-one's eating it!"
"Ah. Not all animals are capable of comprehension," Atsushi said, eyeing Haku with a bit more understanding. "It is frustrating to those who are when it is the humans who don't get it." He smiled at Mizuki and reached for a small pastry. "My apologies, Hajime-kun. It looks delicious! Please, may I have some tea?"
Ryou nodded in agreement, placing the bowl with the leftover meat near Yuuta. In human terms it was the equivalent of breaking bread. The alphas of this territory allowing an interloper a part of their kill was acknowledging them as a friend, not a threat. Hopefully Haku would accept it...and that it mean the same to a canine as it did a feline. Cross-cultural relations could be so difficult. "Would you like a cake, Yuuta-kun?" he asked, passing over the plate of sweet treats.
From the way Haku's attention was so intent on the bowl, Yuuta knew something more significant was at play here than free food. "Yes, please. And thank you for the food," Yuuta said, and took a bite of the cake so he wouldn't accidentally talk out loud this time. Hey, what's the matter? They're just being friendly and -- you were okay accepting food from Kite-san.
The answer wasn't a verbal one this time. A flow of images, and Yuuta guessed the gist meant that in wolf society only pack members would share food. But with permission, even those outside the pack could eat what was left behind without fear of reprisal. So -- the offer of food from Ryou was tantamount to accepting Haku's presence on this part of the campus. After another piercing glance at Yuuta, Haku dropped his gaze and approached the bowl.
Yuuta nearly didn't remember to swallow before talking. Wow, talk about a day of progress. "This is really good. Thanks for inviting me, Mizuki-san. And for having me over, Ryou-senpai." The change of address was deliberate, and he felt Haku note it with what felt suspiciously like a sigh.
Mizuki smiled, relieved that Yuuta's... (pet? familiar?) Haku seemed to be finally quieting down and accepting the twins' presence. He put down a dish of water for Haku and poured Yuuta more tea.
"You are very welcome, Yuuta," he said, patting him on the hand supportively. "We're very glad you're here. Us senpai will be more than happy to help you if you have any problems."
Relaxing a bit now that Haku had accepted the meat, Ryou smiled at Yuuta and sipped his tea. "Yes, any time you have any problems, you or Haku, please come to us. Even if it is to procure more meat for him. Atsushi and I get special shipments of it in since our mutation has caused us to lean more to carnivore these days.
Atsushi took a bite of his cake. After swallowing it he smiled. "Not entirely carnivore, thank Konomi, or we would miss out on Hajime-kun's wonderful tea parties. Also, as he grows, we can help. Working with both of you in the training rooms or just showing you the places on campus where you can run and relax without getting spotted." He looked at Haku. "That goes for both of you, you know, if you need help, you can come ask too."
"Yeah...thanks senpai. Actually I've been eating a lot more meat since he came along. Now that I think about it." Haku growing. Now there was a scary thought. And honestly, Yuuta had no idea if Haku would grow back to his full wolf-size or remain appropriately dog-sized or what. He tried to imagine negotiating airplanes or train rides with a full-grown wolf, and failed. The mention of training, though. Kite had mentioned there should be someone who could help him find his power. Even train him. While not dying after falling off a cliff might be useful, it wasn't exactly an ability, per se. Not to mention -- he couldn't stifle a little part of him hoping he could learn whatever he had to know about being a mutant and go back to his old school. He'd fit in well there, had made some great friends, and tennis training was going swimmingly. Unsurprisingly, tennis was the thing he missed the most.
Speaking of tennis. "Hey, do you guys still play?"
Mizuki wondered if he’d be the only one left who would happily eat vegetables. He hoped the twins would continue to enjoy his cakes and pastries as their powers matured. Meat pies just did not quite fit the image of a tea party. And now Yuuta too was becoming more carnivorous...it was just as well Mizuki had a good arsenal of appropriate recipes at his disposal.
“Play? Tennis?” Mizuki brightened up. “We do~ We should have a game.”
And that, much to Haku’s exasperated amusement, was pretty much the only thing Yuuta needed to feel back to normal. More or less.
“Sweet,” he beamed at the three of them. “Count me in.”