A Stab in the Dark [Archive]

[SeiKeo]

I've seen Constanze on #beastslair. Asked him about it once, he said that he and Tomatoes were back and ready, and needed to find time to write. Do they know that this is being reposted?

[White]

Unfortunately not, as I've not had any way to contact either. If anyone would do it for me I'd be very grateful (stupid timezones). The story is, of course, theirs and if they wish that I change anything in this thread they can just put up a notice here.

[SeiKeo]

I'll try to see if I can grab Constanze on the horn some time.

[EVA-Saiyajin]

Another great post. The detail you put in is awesome. Awkward Ryogi is very cute and amusing.

[SeiKeo]

Another great post. The detail you put in is awesome. Awkward Ryogi is very cute and amusing.

Ah, Eka isn't the writer.

[Ace]

I've seen Constanze on #beastslair. Asked him about it once, he said that he and Tomatoes were back and ready, and needed to find time to write. Do they know that this is being reposted?

How long ago did Constanze say that?

[SeiKeo]

When I asked him... like, a few months ago?

[EVA-Saiyajin]

Ah... I see. Well, if the writer is looking at this forum (or if it's Leapordbear) what I said about the story goes to him or her. Eka, thank you for taking the time to put this excellent story on this forum.

Edit: Wait, I'm pretty sure the authors are Constanze and Tomatoes

[warellis]

It was fun reading this, and remembering it. I have to wonder which Tsukihime route did this take place on, and would Ryougi and Tohno ever meet?

[White]

Story Index:

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Part Five
• Part Six (Current Post)
• Part Seven
• Part Eight
• Part Nine
• Part Ten
• Part Eleven
• Part Twelve

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

You're a scary one, Kohaku-san, Ryogi thought as she stepped aside to let the amber-eyed girl into her apartment - the younger woman looking around with such a cat-like curiosity that the Satsujinki herself was hard-put to reach out with both hands and give Kohaku an affectionate cuddle. Instead, Ryogi satisfied herself by taking a deep breath just as the girl passed her by - and once again caught that hint of tangerines that tugged maddeningly at her composure. Teasing her, almost like.

It was a bit disconcerting, however. After the incident in park,when she found herself in Kohaku's arms, under her care - Ryogi had pretty much resigned herself to the simple fate that it would be the last she would see of the girl. Not that she thought anything ill of Kohaku - it was simply that most people, after seeing her take on a veritable swarm of bloodthirsty creatures with the deadly efficiency of a machine, would have the common sense to stay away.

While Kohaku indeed reacted favorably to everything that had transpired so far- even having the sense of mind to patch her up, as if she'd done it all before - Ryogi knew that it would only be a matter of time before she would think of all of this as simply much too strange, and disappear. And Ryogi was used to that - she knew she would do exactly the same, in the right circumstances.

Being true to her assumption of Kohaku as being a very curious girl, however, the younger woman not only seemed to have recovered from the ordeal, but actually sought her out - to the point that she tracked the Satsujinki down, in a part of town that was not exactly a stone's throw away from the Tohno Manor. All to deliver a set of clothes that Ryogi herself had already left for dead, to be replaced by a quick trip to the department store's budget section. And yet, here they were, in Kohaku's arms, lovingly repaired with her own hands.

The kimono would go on to be her favorite, the one she would hand-wash with extra care and attention. The sweater, once something she had worn with distate, would move on to become her most cherished possession - even more than the knife she had trusted her life to far too many times. For the simple reason that someone cared enough for her - for Ryogi - that they would be willing to subject themselves to the onerous task of fixing leather.

Thank you. Ryogi wanted to say. Thank you for coming. Thank you for being here. Thank you for - I don't know - making me believe that there's still hope for me. I don't know what I did right, but I'm sure glad I did it.

Instead, she kept quiet, focusing on a very uninteresting spot in the tatami floor as Kohaku looked around. For some reason, the fact that the girl was taking everything in made her feel just a bit self-conscious. She didn't know what it was - either the embarrassment of someone seeing that her apartment had been transformed into some sort of storage area, or that she had never really received visitors before, and as such felt a bit too new at all this.

Or maybe it was the fact that she was here, in her own apartment, seeing everything that she had never had the opportunity nor the courage to show anyone. As cluttered and as messy at it was, it was her own private hideaway - and she was entrusting it to Kohaku, just like a child would entrust a secret to a cherished confidante.

Sensing that her guest had been left looking around for long enough, Ryogi cleared her throat, and led the girl deeper inside the clutter-filled living room. "...I apologize for the clutter," she began, thanking that she had the foresight to immediately fold up the futon that she had rolled out in front of the television, she didn't want the girl to think that she was THAT forward - "I rarely get visitors." I never get visitors.

She looked around, suddenly in a panic as she realized the horrible ramifications of not having company over. With the necessity of being able to receive guests stricken off from her rather blank-looking slate of responsibilities, Ryogi had never bothered to make at least part of the living room respectable - in all truth, she treated that particular area as pretty much an extension of her bedroom, where she would often spend hours playing videogames with only her underwear on, eat ice cream while watching the news, or simply roll back and forth on the tatami contemplating about how long it would take for straw mat marks to indent themselves on her skin. It was never an area to formally receive company - so where, in the name of all that was polite and hospitable in the world, would she have Kohaku sit while she made tea?

Time was running out, and Ryogi closed her one good eye briefly. Might as well--

"...sit anywhere you like," the Satsujinki finally relented, one hand reluctantly gesturing at the rather obscene-looking beanbag loveseat near the jukebox, what with its soft red leather exterior and heart-shaped back rest. Nothing in the flat was more comfortable whenever she needed a quick nap - she would just throw herself onto it and it would immediately lull her to a quick and deep sleep, it was that effective - but as far as performing its prosaic purpose as a couch, it was as subtle as Ryogi suddenly grabbing Kohaku by the waist, pushing her down onto the floor and having her way with her right then and there. Which was to say, not very subtle at all.

Surprisingly, the girl didn't seem to mind, smiling the way she always did, as if being asked to sit on something normally used for more carnal activities is the most natural thing in the world. Of course, Kohaku may have just been playing the polite guest, but there was something about how she almost seemed eager to follow that intrigued Ryogi. Maybe she...

Are you kidding?

Ryogi inwardly sighed. As tempting as it was to entertain such an optimistic train of thought, it was far from healthy, just as it was far from being true. Sure, Kohaku seemed nice enough, she even overlooked how horrible Ryogi was at conversation and even tolderated her having a veritable museum of odds and ends as a living space - but for the amber-eyed girl to actually consider her as something more than just a friend would definitely be something just a bit hard to swallow, realistically.

But how she wished it for to be so.

Biting her lip - murmuring something about making tea for the both of them, and that she wouldn't be long - Ryogi left Kohaku in the living room, and made her way to the kitchen. A bit depressed at her own thoughts - even deigning to give the sentinel-like victorian diving suit near the refrigerator a petulant nudge with her own toe, her own subdued way of displaying frustration - the Satsujinki went about the delicate task of making (and serving) tea.

Or at least, tried to, when she suddenly realized that she no longer had a teacup to serve it with.

Ryogi looked at the lightly-steaming kettle of hot tea, then at her own dented thermos, and sighed. She'd already broken at least more than half of every rulebook there was about serving guests anyway - what's another one? At the very least, the thermos was clean and well-cared for - she hoped that Kohaku wouldn't mind.

She started to pour - and then slipped.

"Ah," Ryogi gasped, the hot liquid splashing on the back of her hand.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Kohaku had to resist the urge to giggle when she saw Ryogi turn for the kitchen. It seemed her host was really unprepared after all, for a guest such as herself at least. She turned, eyeing the red bean bag love seat Ryogi had seemed embarrassed to suggest she sit in. She had wondered why so, before she had made more careful observation of the distinctive romantic shape and coloration.

It looks like something you'd find in a love hotel. she thought, rather amused by it. Of course, she'd never been in a love hotel, but had seen them in television shows. She really had to wonder why Ryogi had it.. Then again, she was very curious as to why Ryogi had a lot of things. She'd have to find a polite way to inquire.. Although given the expression she caught a glimpse of, she wondered if asking about the bean bag love seat in particular would have to wait a while..

Nonetheless, despite her never having sat down on a bean bag before, it did look like it must be comfortable. But, for the time being, she wanted to satisfy a little more of her curiosity.

Flicking her eyes to the form of Ryogi vanishing into the kitchen, she quickly sat down her bagged clothing and began to creep. She soon realized that if Ryogi was actively listening, she was bound to hear her moving around regardless, but decided that in case of discovery or questioning the old standby of 'looking for the bathroom' would be her safety net.

Aside from the living room, which she would have more time to look about at her leisure later, there were three other doors to tempt her curiosity. Logically, one would be a bathroom, one would probably lead to a bedroom, and the last should be for storage.

All three rooms had informational value, surely. The former two would be a more personal dip into the life of this strange, quiet woman. The latter would be a wild card perhaps. Of course, not knowing the layout she wouldn't know which door was which, most likely. Ideally the bathroom would be the door last tried, to give more excuse for her opening the other two.

She bit her lip a little, a sense of nervousness taking hold of her. She could feel the excited twinge running along her nerves as she reached out for the first door knob, as she prepared to invade her gracious host's privacy. Naturally, she had to justify it as a harmless intrusion, like the mischief of a child, rather than any actual wrongdoing. Besides, Ryogi had seen her own room so very easily. She even wore Kohaku's own clothing.

(She had realized only too late she could have tried on Ryogi's kimono after she fixed it.)

Her hand, wavering ever so slightly with the chill of doing something ever so slightly naughty, took the knob and turned. She felt resistance. Her nervousness gave way to puzzlement, then she realized the door was locked. She felt rather silly suddenly, pulling back and putting her hands on her hips. Either her closet or the bedroom. It'd be weird to lock the bathroom. ..I think, anyway.

Feeling her nerve return, she tried the next, middle door. The one most logically to be the bedroom, if her guess about how homes were usually laid out had any bearing on reality.

She felt the excitement return as the knob turned all the way for her. Swallowing, she worked to slowly ease the door open as noiselessly as possible. She could see so far it was indeed the bedroom, the morning light shining in to reveal the perfectly-made bed in the center, a single pillow gracing it. She began to ease open the door more, wondering what else could be there, so far only seeing the typical fixtures of a room, in good shape at that. Something about the air of the room that greeted her, however..

Before she could learn more, she heard the sound of a gasp. She barely kept herself from jumping, positive she must have looked like a spooked cat at even such a soft noise of presence. It took her a moment to realize, looking back with to be certain a frazzled look that her host was still in the kitchen, and not wondering just what she was doing going further into her home.

She blinked, wondering then what brought on the exclamation, already moving to investigate. She thought back to the fact that Ryogi was in the kitchen, and wondered if she had dropped something, or cut herself. Not the latter, she was making tea.. Maybe..?

Stepping onto the tiled floor of the cozy kitchen, she saw the the woman setting something down, then looking at her hand. The casual way she did it and pose didn't suggest anything was wrong, but..

"Are you alright, Shiki-san?" Kohaku asked, moving up closer, her eyes darting for anything out of the ordinary. The tea kettle and thermos sitting there..

"It's nothing. ..I just burnt my hand a little." said Ryogi, murmuring, her gaze still fixed upon her hand.

"Ah, poor Shiki-san..! Let me have a look."

Kohaku stepped to the side of her, and swiftly took the hand of Ryogi, bringing it up an examining the skin. She felt Ryogi shift at her presumptuous movement, but didn't hear or feel any real protest. The burn, if it could be called that, was relatively minor it seemed. She relaxed a bit, and pulled Ryogi along to the sink, turning it on to cold.

Carefully, with both hands, she held Ryogi's own under the water, letting the temperature hopefully ease the woman's discomfort. "It's not bad at all, so this should take care of it.. There shouldn't be any peeling. How does it feel..?" she asked, looking up at Ryogi's face.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Soft...

Ryogi blinked. There was no other way to describe how she felt. She wanted to pull her hand back, laugh nervously, and quietly apologize for her clumsiness, but the fact that Kohaku was holding her hand pretty much blocked out any and all reflexes that should have kicked in by then. It was strangely alien, to take comfort in something so warm and soft and...smooth, when one normally felt secure and alive with the weight of a knife on her hand and adrenalin pumping in her veins. It was, in a sense, very strange.

Stange indeed, but not unwelcome. Not at all.

"Ryogi-san?" She heard Kohaku call again, and Ryogi blinked her one good eye once more. The girl was now looking at her curiously, brow furrowed slightly in concern, head tilted a little bit to the side that once more reminded the Satsujinki of a cat. Her cheeks coloring, Ryogi swallowed, suddenly aware that her throat had gone a bit dry, she had held her breath for that long - and then slowly nodded.

"It's...it's feeling much better," she managed, moving her fingers experimentally - and then colored just a bit more as she realized that she was, in fact, holding Kohaku's hand in hers, not the other way around like earlier. In contrast to her weapon-callused digits, the amber-eyed girl's was softer, daintier - and felt just a bit more delicate. It was as if she could snap all of them just by closing her hand into a fist - and this she swore never to do, instead holding them much like she would cradle something very fragile in her palm.

Kohaku...

As much as she would have wanted to stretch that particular moment in her life as far as it could, it had to end, somehow. But the girl seemed dead set on making sure that she was taken care of, even if Ryogi herself knew that there was nothing to worry about. She had had worse - something like hot tea spilling on bare skin could barely even register a flinch from someone who could forget a stab wound. It was her surprise at her slip that made her cry out, not the pain itself.

"I'm...I'm alright, now, Kohaku-san. Thank you." She murmured, reaching out with her other hand to turn the faucet off. The torrent of water splashing over their hands quickly stopped, but curiously, both parties didn't seem to want to let go.

"..." Ryogi managed, blushing just a bit more.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Kohaku was, needless to say, a little surprised. She managed to keep her expression in check, however, as she felt the woman holding onto her hand in return. She observed Ryogi, as the remaining drops of cool water dripped from one woman's hand to another, and then down into the sink. The faint, audible 'plicks' the droplets made were the only sound for a while, and as such, stood out in the silence.

She's really blushing..

It was almost strange to see.. So different from that.. That vague, cool, mysterious air she felt initially. Is Ryogi.. Is she really shy? She couldn't help but draw a comparison to her own sister in a way.

...And as such, Kohaku couldn't help but feel this side of Ryogi was incredibly endearing.

As the moments passed, she realized that in pretty much every way they should have parted hands by now. She felt a bit embarrassed herself, but steeled her resolve to try and remedy the situation. She took initiative and carefully moved her fingers loose, giving Ryogi a smile as they mutually parted. Ryogi blinked, recovering her expression.

Kohaku gave a small giggle to clear the air, and folded her hands. "Shiki-san, all better?"

Ryogi looked away, a barely perceptible nod. "Yes, thank you again.." She paused, seeming to deliberate, then looked back at Kohaku. "..I'm sorry, but I don't have any real cups.." she murmured, that dark eye glancing back at that thermos.

"Oh? Ah.. Shiki-san, no need to worry.." said Kohaku, nodding. She figured why Ryogi had no cups left, and made up her mind immediately that this needed to be remedied. "We can just go to the store and get some. I was going to go anyway, so we could go together."

Ryogi looked back at her, seemingly a bit off-guard by the sudden suggestion.

"..I'd like that." Ryogi said, finally.

Kohaku was certainly contented at that. I'll be able to repay her a little more, now.. she thought.

As the two left the kitchen, Kohaku felt herself pause, and then do a double-take at what she noticed only on the way out. Her thoughts of another victory on the way came to a screeching halt as she saw what took the cake for incredibly strange things in Ryogi's apartment.

"Oh my."

She gazed up at the almost brassy-looking armored figure standing right there in the kitchen, a silent witness to the little exchange earlier. It looked like a big, old-time metal diving suit, except.. With a drill for an arm.

Kohaku raised her arms, looking impressed by the metal sentinel. "Ohh, I can't wait to hear where Shiki-san found this.. It's so cool!" She looked back in Ryogi's direction, noting the woman was out of sight already, and looked back up at the thing, reaching up and brushing it's helmet lightly with her fingertips. "I'll be back later, drill-san..!"

She quickly left the kitchen, leaving the big curiosity behind, and catching up with her host at the door.

They left the apartment, and shared a pleasant ride down the elevator. As they headed out of old lift onto the ground floor, Kohaku turned to Ryogi, tilting her head a little. "Ah, do you have a local place you want to go shopping, Shiki-san?"

Ryogi looked contemplative for a moment as they walked, her head down a bit. "..There's one place I like, but it's a bit long for a walk." she said, fishing out a set of keys.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Before this day had even began - another first, as had Ryogi pretty much had abandoned trying to distinguish the first twenty-four hours of her life from the next, as they tended to run together to the point that she would only ask Touko what month it is to get her bearings back - the Satsujinki had prepared herself for quite the uneventful stay inside her own home, behind a locked door and a western game console for company.

Never did she expect that someone like Kohaku would good-naturedly barge in and take everything for a spin, breaking the monotony that Ryogi had come to know as her own daily routine. In fact, in the span of less than two hours, Kohaku had made Ryogi experience quite a lot - more than she had ever had in her lifetime.

And she liked it.

Not to mention at that very moment, Kohaku had suggested that they go out. Out of her apartment, something that Ryogi had never done with someone else before. Sure, there were the times when Touko or Kokuto had tried to take her out to dinner, but these attempts at getting Ryogi to step out of her abode in a strictly recreational sense often ended up with them simply having some food delivered.

Ryogi liked being indoors, except when she had good reason to be otherwise, and it would always take some doing to pry her from the safety of her apartment. Thus it was another first - Kohaku was breaking records all over the board - that Ryogi found herself easily warming up to the idea, actually being eager to step outside without the prosaic purpose of killing something. Or someone. No, they were just going to buy teacups, together.

Together like a couple, then? Ryogi thought, then sighed quietly - if a bit sadly - to herself. There was no use fantasizing about it, after all. Such optimistic thinking was never something that was condoned in the Ryogi household - you stuck to the facts, you stick with what you're dealt with, and never hope or covet someone else's cards.

The moment earlier with Kohaku, while certainly encouraging, only served as a grim, if polite reminder that she was just a bit too...strange to hope for anything like that. She was surprised that the amber-eyed girl didn't seem to pull out her hand a bit more quickly than she had, however.

No, not as a couple. Ryogi thought firmly as they walked, side by side, to the apartment block's vehicle parking area - keenly aware that she felt more and more depressed as logical thinking continued to seep into her dreams. Just as two friends. That's all.

"Shiki-san?" She heard Kohaku say, lightly, a dainty-fingered hand touching her briefly on her arm. "Are you alright?"

"...I'm fine," Ryogi replied after a moment, nodding slightly, before blinking as she realized they had already stopped in front of Touko's bright red Vespa scooter. One of the older models that only had room for one (and one only), the spry little thing drove like a demon on two wheels and could reach a thousand miles to the gallon. This Ryogi found out herself, after she commandeered the Vespa in order to chase down a particularly fast-moving giant spider that had been turning quite a few buildings into crystals.

While the altercation itself ended quite amicably, Ryogi had confronted Touko about it. The sorceress merely shrugged, guffawed, and went back to work, murmuring something about pay cuts that had Ryogi changing the subject.

"...We'll be riding in this," the raven-haired Satsujinki murmured, lifting up the seat's cushion and taking out a bright pink helmet from its storage space. This she passed to Kohaku. "The shop itself isn't that far, but it closes at around lunchtime, so we'll have to be quick." She stared at the younger girl, who seemed just a bit overwhelmed at all this. "Don't worry, I won't drive fast."

"I-it's not that, Shiki-san," Kohaku started, a bit uncertainly. "It's just that this scooter is obviously built for one person to ride. How will we...?" the question trailed off, hanging between them, as the seemed to think of a solution at the very same time. Which also meant that both of them suddenly colored significantly at the cheeks.

"...yes, well," Ryogi murmured, looking away. "I'll drive carefully, I promise."

And off they went, the Vespa gamely burning rubber as they moved smoothly on the road.

The solution was perfectly simple, and pretty much had both girls literally mashed up against each other. Ryogi was doing the driving, that much was certain - except now, she had a Kohaku sitting sideways on her lap, her legs draped over Ryogi's hips and dangling off the side, her arms hooked around the Satsujinki's neck. Granted, it wasn't particularly uncomfortable - Kohaku was as light as a feather, and soft all over - but it was just a tad bit too distracting, that Ryogi had to bite her lip in order to maintain focus on the road. It wouldn't do well, after all, to have a vehicular accident at this point in time, with the girl entrusting her own safety in her hands. It just wouldn't do.

Ryogi twisted the throttle forward in her hand, and Kohaku squeaked, hugging the Satsujinki tighter to her.

No, Shiki-san, you're the scary one. Ryogi thought to herself as they sped by traffic and surprised motorists and envious schoolgirls. You're the scary one.

The entire drive took no less than ten minutes, although Ryogi wished that it had gone on for longer, as she was just getting used to having the girl on her lap. But as good things invariably come to an end, so did the ride, and they soon found themselves in front of a curio shop, with a single bell painted on the display window. After untangling their limbs from each other - both parties blushing as they realized how close they had been the entire trip - Ryogi led Kohaku inside the store, where a small, blue-haired scholgirl with glasses and a pageboy haircut greeted them silently.

"..." Ryogi greeted back, nodding. The schoolgirl, seemingly no taller than four feet, took a writing pad, scribbled on it, and then gave it to the Satsujinki.

Friend of yours? the delicate, feminine script asked. Ryogi nodded again. She turned to Kohaku, who seemed busily examining a pair of swords. "Kohaku-san, this is the shopkeeper. She handles the shop before going to cram school. Her father's overseas, so she has to take care of it on her own. She's been here for a long time."

Not that long, another piece of paper objected, and Ryogi smiled slightly as curious red eyes glanced up at her single black one. She nodded again - and the shopkeeper, satisfied, handed her another written message.

What are you buying, then?

"Teacups, shopkeeper." Ryogi murmured, looking at Kohaku. "We're looking for teacups."

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

What a ride.

She had to admit. Although she had fancied maybe getting one someday, she had never ridden a scooter before. She hadn't suspected her first time would be on someone else's lap.

But it indeed was. Having so much physical contact was a little embarrassing, but considering it was a matter of utility, it wasn't a problem. Of course, the fact that they were both girls helped. ..Although maybe that made it look a little silly, compared to a girl sitting in a boy's lap. she pondered idly.

Nonetheless, it was actually pretty fun. Once she got situated and got comfortable with the balance - something she had to re-adjust somewhat to on turns - it wasn't a problem, and feeling the wind of the world go by was enjoyable. Of course, she couldn't restrain the occasional giddy noises.

Luckily despite Kohaku's arms around her, Ryogi seemed to be a skilled driver, not distracted by shyness from her physical proximity. Of course, once the ride ended and she had to figure out how to disengage from Ryogi without tipping over the vehicle, she had to smile nervously as it all seemed to come right back. It's so cute. she thought.

And thus, they were there. Kohaku returned the cute pink helmet(she had to wonder if it was really to Ryogi's tastes) with a smile, and the two had entered a delightful little shop of wonders.

Kohaku loved curio shops. Although she really wasn't one to own a bunch of little unicorn statues or anything, she did find an attraction in little decorative items, simple things to look at, and the variety of things one could find at such stores. As such, she was distracted as soon as she entered, taking in the rows of knickknacks and assorted things that weren't useful.

As her gaze fell upon a rack of swords, she wondered to herself if Ryogi had a real one stashed somewhere..

She turned as Ryogi introduced her to the storekeeper, who she initially thought was thin air until she looked down and realized what a short, youthful girl she was meeting. Kohaku was pleased to greet and make her acquaintance indeed, as she found her rather cute.

..And with more thought, very familiar.

She looked back at Ryogi, giving a nervous smile as the young girl led them both deeper into the store. The girl silently motioned towards a long shelf, rows of delightful little porcelain goodies of every shape and color. Teacups, little saucers, entire sets, and quite a number to choose from.

Hee, there's so many cute ones.. It'll be hard to choose. I wonder what kind would be good for Shiki-san..

In a flash of impulsiveness, she decided to do more than just cover the cost for her new friend. "Shiki-san, I want to do something nice to and get you some new tea cups on my own. You'll indulge me this time, won't you?" she said, turning to Ryogi, pressing her fingertips together as she made her request.

Ryogi eyed her, not seeming entirely caught off guard but taking a moment to respond. "I appreciate it, but I can handle the cost.. You don't really.."

"Please, Shiki-san..? I do owe you, but also I simply want to.. As a gift. So indulge me so I can indulge you, okay..?" she asked, the slight pleading lacing her voice like a polite child asking for a cookie.

That time Ryogi raised her eyebrows a little, and eyed the floor after a moment. "..Well, if you really want to, Kohaku-san.." she murmured.

Kohaku broke out into a large smile. "You won't regret it, Shiki-san. Now off you go, I want to surprise you..!" With some gentle pushing, she guided the surprised Ryogi away, and turned back to the task at hand, brimming with the energy of impulsion.

Rows of teacups, and so little time. She felt the short shopkeeper watching her as she leaned in, eagerly scanning each and every one of the little cups. She could almost hear game show 'thinking' music playing in her head as she went about the search for what she was after.

Something pretty, or cute, or.. Well, perhaps Ryogi was more into functional. Her old cup was fairly simple, but still had it's decorative flavor to it. No unneeded frills or points or otherwise embellished design.. Just a very nice teacup, with a subtle beauty to it.

Maybe that said a little something about Ryogi herself. She wasn't loud, and had substance, but wasn't lacking in style for certain. Or something like that..

In any case, Kohaku certainly couldn't find the exact same cup again. So it seemed she really would have to flex her mind and find something good. It was pretty easy to ignore half of what was there already, to keep it to more simple cups. She figured gag cups wouldn't be ideal in this case.. Although she wanted to find something that would make Ryogi smile, and feel positive about every time she used them.

Of course, matching cups would be a must. They were going to have tea together, so it seemed only right.

Something that fits all that criteria and still says 'Shiki-san' somehow.. ...Maybe something that says a bit of me too..?

Finally, she struck pay dirt. She didn't have to pass by it twice to decide it was worth scrutinizing, and found it to be what she was looking for. A charming little matching set.. Functional but pretty, mostly ordinary but with both a cheery sun and a relaxing moon motif, simple designs on the bottom of the cups. She had to smile, feeling that somehow it was the proper thing. Something nice to share with Ryogi. Well, as much as one normally shared a gift to someone else.

Turning to the little shop keeper and lowering, resting her hands on her knees, she asked the girl if she could get it wrapped here. The odd young girl nodded, taking the box. Kohaku had to silently pump a fist in victory on the way to the cash register.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

It's official, we are now at the halfway-ish point of the story, so without further ado, goodnight everyone.

[Larekko12]

I did not know all of these things about Ryougi's life before the story it hilariously cute.

[Larekko12]

(sigh) I meant the interaction between Ryougi's and Kohaku, not Ryougi's life.
And I also never said hilarious.

And your point is what exactly? That my own opinion bouzo.

[White]

Story Index:

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Part Five
• Part Six
• Part Seven (Current Post)
• Part Eight
• Part Nine
• Part Ten
• Part Eleven
• Part Twelve

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

To most people, she was just an ordinary fourteen-year-old girl in her school uniform, with short blue hair and an unusually sharp gaze that came from behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses.

To a mere handful who bothered to stop by and see what her store sold, she was referred to as Shopkeeper-san. To one - and only one - Satsujinki, she replied to a bunch of initials that, funnily enough, is also used to imitate the bark of a lion seal. The thing was, not a lot of people knew who - or what - she really was, except for being uncommonly good at numbers and business dealings.

And she liked to keep it that way.

With that said, the girl liked company. She didn't actually starve for it, but it was a nice change of pace, as well as an opportunity to learn more about people. Assuming the young human equivalent form of her gender had already netted quite a few interesting interactions, some of which she found terribly amusing and highly....habit-forming.

It was then that she decided to set up the curio stand, to experience more of those interactions, as well as find out others. She had all the time in the world, after all - what's a few more decades to someone who had made it a habit to sleep for centuries at a time? The others could go on about their business without her, anyway. It wasn't as if she was actually important to them or anything. She was having too much fun on her own.

Today in particular was one of those days when she thanked herself profusely for making such a decision. Today was a chance to study - however briefly - the individual who had persuaded her to stop trying to destroy the city and reduce it to a pile of crumbling shale of crystal.

The individual who she felt had such a strong connection to the root, to that unnameable element that bound everything together, that she alone had the ability to destroy anything with no less a simple gesture.

Not by magic, not by raw power, but for simply being able to. She found her curious then, when she was chasing the shopkeeper in nothing more than a two-wheeled contraption - and she found her even more curious now, having been accompanied by another girl who seemed to have such an effect on the Satsujinki.

The little girl looked at the teacup set in her hands, then at Kohaku, and then at Ryogi, who had been politely pushed out of the curio shop, and was now busy sulking.

Curiouser and curiouser...

She took her writing pad - she had not yet mastered the art of human speech, so she simply wrote what she needed to say - and quickly scribbled 'Follow me, please,' on the blank piece of paper with a pencil she kept tucked behind her ear. She gave it to Kohaku, who readily nodded and followed her to the cash register. Motioning for the taller girl to wait in front of the counter, the shopkeeper stepped up onto her elevated chair and then rang up the set.

Comes to 3000 yen. Cash only, please. She wrote, and Kohaku was kind enough to give her the exact amount in banknotes. A bit pleased at the consideration - she could never get the hang of handling coins, they always seemed to slip between her fingers - the shopkeeper placed the money in the cash register's drawer with one hand and then passed the amber-eyed girl her receipt with the other.

The transaction done, she moved to an empty part of the counter, pulled out a sizeable sheet of yellow gift wrapping paper, and set out to wrap the box up - keenly aware that Kohaku was watching her every move.

It was then that she realized that she herself was being studied, and she almost giggled at the irony of it. But she kept up the silent facade, focusing intently on getting the folds of the wrapping paper just right, as well as applying the least amount of sticky tape so that the paper could be reused for another time if the receiver wanted to. Tying the ribbon - the part she liked best - would come after that, and then the card, and then the...

It was then she stopped, and gave a small sigh of relief. She looked sheepishly at Kohaku and shrugged, shaking her head in slight self-deprecation. She could get carried away sometimes - and the fact that the curio shop was more of an antique warehouse than a simple stand that sold odds and ends were more of a testament to that.

A simple task, provided she was passionate about it enough, would turn into a full-out, single-minded effort that had even frightened her peers. Even something as small as trying to set up a simple curio stand would have amounted into her becoming the cartel leader of illegally-traded artifacts, had Ryogi not made it her business to check up on her from time to time.

Ryogi. Ryogi Shiki. The Satsujinki. That was her name, wasn't it? And from what she could glean from studying the girl in front of her, everytime Kohaku uttered it, it would cause a slight jump in her heart rate. Very curious, indeed...

And it was then that she decided to break the silence. At least, figuratively. One hand patting the box's wrapping down, the shopkeeper scribbled something onto her writing pad and then pushed it towards Kohaku.

You're the first friend Ryogi-san has brought here. She always comes alone. Have you been friends for a long time? If you don't mind my asking, that is. If you are, then that's good - I've been worried about her.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

What an intent little worker. So cute, too..

Kohaku tilted her head at the written note the girl slid her way. She glanced to the side, in the direction Ryogi was waiting outside, presumably.

The first, hmm..

She had always pegged Ryogi from the start as one to keep to herself. Someone quiet, maybe without a lot of people in her life. But after all that had happened, seeing her apartment, and this too.. Ryogi Shiki really did seem like a lone wolf.

..A lonely wolf.

Something she had already decided to do something about.

"Really? We've been friends for.. a while at least. I don't think I've come close to scaring her away yet, hopefully." she said, smiling. "Shiki-san is a nice person, so I'm glad you saw reason to ask about her. She helped me out of a real pinch, and I want to be extra nice to her, so.." Kohaku patted the top of the wrapped box lightly. "I can only hope she likes it, I tried to get something that would be.. Fitting."

The girl finished up and set back to her writing pad, skillfully penning out a reply. I think she will like it.

Kohaku smiled brightly, feeling reassured by the schoolgirl's simple response.

"I'll be happy.. We'll be making use of them today after all."

The girl looked up at her, a bit of curiosity in those red eyes, then nodded, sliding the yellow-wrapped package to Kohaku.

Exchanging thanks, Kohaku cradled the gift as she left the store to meet up with Ryogi, the young shopkeeper following at her side.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

The shopkeeper looked up at Kohaku. There was something odd about the girl herself, how such bright, innocent-looking amber eyes seemed to have seen things only those twice her age should have seen - as well as a veiled mystery hiding behind such an innocuous-looking smile.

Nevertheless, this was the person who the Satsujinki seemed to be attached to, a fact that was pretty much verified when they stepped out of the curio shop - causing Ryogi, who she had spied as being just a bit deflated that she had been forced out of the premises, to suddenly become alive, the bored blank expression on her face being replaced by an almost eager blank one.

Interesting. Interesting indeed...

"Thank you for waiting, Shiki-san," Kohaku said, all chipper. "It was a bit difficult trying to find the right teacup, there were so many to choose from - but I think you'll like it. Shopkeeper-san also thinks too, as well. Don't you?"

The bespectacled girl blinked at this, then sheepishly nodded, hastily scribbling a note on her writing pad and holding it up to Ryogi. She has good taste. Mina Yunomi series, hand painted, mint condition. I got carried away with the wrapping. That's the real reason we took long. Sorry. She quickly tore off the sheet and crumpled it up as soon as Ryogi raised an eyebrow, and Kohaku having tried to peek at what she wrote.

"...It's alright," the Satsujinki murmured, the slight pause before she did seemed to have been spent being a tad bit confused, and then deciding she was better off not asking. "Thank you for receiving us." Ryogi nodded at the little girl, who nodded back in return - a curt display of formality, seemingly between equals, and no doubt intriguing to anyone who saw it, including one amber-eyed girl. "We have to get going now, though. It won't be a while before traffic becomes hard to navigate through..."

Well, at the very least, don't forget saying goodbye. The shopkeeper flipped to a specific sheet of her writing pad and showed it to both of them - sweating a bit as she realized that the two seemed really eager to get home, with Ryogi already in the middle of starting up the Vespa and Kohaku already having donned the pink helmet. Ryogi was the first to read her message, however, and nodded gravely. She reached out with a hand, and the girl closed her eyes, waiting--

"Shiki-san?" She heard Kohaku suddenly ask. "What does she mean by saying goodbye...?"

"This," the Satsujinki replied, and the shopkeeper felt a heavily-callused, yet somehow gentle hand carefully pat the top of her head. She shivered, somewhat involuntarily, and felt her body growing all the warmer as a slight pressure was applied there. Ryogi's fingers running through her hair, ruffling it, slightly mussing up the careful hairstyle that took her hours getting right with a brush--

She gasped, and then opened her eyes.

Your turn, She wrote to Kohaku, her usually-delicate script now in all caps. Blinking, Kohaku acquiesced, seemingly puzzled at everything for a moment before really getting into it - almost as if she enjoyed it as much as the shopkeeper did.

"...That's enough," Ryogi murmured, letting the young girl get her breath back as she gently but firmly took Kohaku's hand by the wrist - the touch suddenly coloring both their cheeks. "We'll visit again, shopkeeper. Goodbye."

Goodbye, a somewhat haggard-looking schoolgirl with blue hair mouthed, smiling goofily as the two rode away, Kohaku in Ryogi's lap. She then strode back into the store, feeling refreshed. It was time to re-catalog everything again, and she would not stop even if it took her all night.

*

The trip took a bit longer than expected. Ryogi's prediction, oddly enough, rang true as soon as they hit the main road, with traffic at a veritable standstill for as far as the eye can see. This didn't faze the Satsujinki, of course - rather, it merely gave her reason to take a more scenic route, one that would have her cutting through quite a few parks and back-alley roads at high speed.

This she did with great care, however. She didn't care much if she ended up wiping out with a bad case of road rash - the fact was that she had a passenger, and one she didn't want anything to happen to.

So no, there was no sudden wheelies or off-ramp jumps for Ryogi that night - simply one straight line of travel, with some roundabout turns and quick U-turns in between. In less than an hour, they were back at the apartment, the both of them eager to rest for a while and get the feeling back into their limbs. And it was then that Kohaku gave her a present.

Or rather, THE teacup that Kohaku had just bought from the curio shop, all gift-wrapped and ribboned-up. It even had a card that declared who it was from, and who it was meant for. It was a present - although one that seemed a bit larger than the box her first teacup came in with. It was almost as if...

"Go ahead, Shiki-san," Kohaku encouraged her. "Open it. It's yours."

And so she did, carefully unwrapping the paper, undoing every bit of sticky tape that held the decorations together. With the ribbon carefully rolled and tied, the paper folded, Ryogi opened the lacquered box hidden underneath all the paper.

What stared up at here were two cups, each practically the same make and color as her first one. But there were different - more than the fact that the package contained one more cup than she expected, but that they formed a pair with their designs. One had a moon printed on the bottom of the cup, the other a sun.

A pair...

"See, Shiki-san?" The amber-eyed girl sat in front of her, facing her, and gently taking the cup with the sun motif from the box. "One for you, and one for me. There were a lot of designs, but I felt that these two really...fit, somehow." She titled her head to the side. "Do you like it?"

It took a moment for Ryogi to reply.

"I...I do," She finally said, her voice barely above a murmur as she cradled her present in her hand, a faint blush on her cheeks. She looked at Kohaku. "I...thank you."

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

The moment of truth had arrived. After the delightful little trip, the pleasant awkwardness of sharing a single-person vehicle, and getting to pat the head of an odd young girl, Kohaku got to see Ryogi receive her gift.

Thank you.

Two words Kohaku was used to hearing. However, in the context of the situation, they might as well have been completely new, the way they struck her. Certainly, Ryogi might have said as much regardless of how she actually felt, but.. With the way she was acting, Kohaku couldn't help but feel she had struck pay dirt. The acceptance of her little token of appreciation made her feel rather warm and fuzzy on the inside.

She smiled warmly at Ryogi. "You're most welcome, Shiki-san."

Not letting the moment simmer too long, she decided to take initiative once more.

"..Shiki-san. Why don't you let me prepare tea for us this time? It's the least I can do." She gently placed her cup back in it's box, and picking up the whole thing as she stood from the floor.

Ryogi stood as well, moving carefully as she kept her gift cradled close to her chest. "...After all you've done today.. I couldn't ask that.. Besides, you're my guest."

"I don't mind at all, really. Besides, I'd like to. Of course, I'll let you come in and keep me company.." said Kohaku, intentionally turning before Ryogi could form a better argument and heading into her kitchen. She knew she had the advantage here, after all.

She smiled as she heard the soft steps following her, as she set the box on the counter. As Ryogi had already started on it before they had left, to her good fortune everything was already out so there'd be no need to ask where anything was. She poured out the cooled teakettle and started again, in the pursuit of a fresh batch.

Hearing Ryogi shift behind her, she eyed back at her as she worked. "So, Shiki-san.. If you won't think it's too forward of me to ask.." She paused, deliberately, as she turned to look back at what she was doing. She could only imagine what Ryogi might be thinking something at the moment, after a loaded sentence like that. She had to smile to herself more. It'd be mean to make her wait long at all before finishing, however.

"..Why is Drill-san over there guarding your kitchen?" she finished.

She heard the slight shift of kimono material behind her again, and it was a moment before she heard a response. "..I picked it up as a favor for my employer. She.. Hasn't come by for it yet."

Kohaku felt she heard a touch of bitter amusement at that. Makes me all the more curious about her work.. But later. "Oh? Where on earth did you pick him up, if you don't mind my asking?" she asked, as she half-turned to look at Ryogi and the diving suit-like thing in question. That single dark eye met hers.

"..It's a long story, on that one.."

Kohaku continued on the tea as they made conversation. Although black tea for Akiha was a daily ritual, she was still quite well-practiced in any form, leaving her mostly free to concentrate on her friend and host as she went. The time flew by, naturally, and before long the tea was sufficiently warm, and once more the delightful, earthy smell filled the air.

It was time to test drive the cups, and Kohaku paused in mid-sentence to reach for Ryogi's. The woman seemed unprepared to give it up immediately, and Kohaku smiled as she added her second hand, fingers brushing Ryogi's as she gently took it from her grasp. Setting both out, she poured and looked back at Ryogi, cheerfully continuing as she worked to move the show to the front room.

As they entered, she recalled what had made Ryogi nervous earlier. The only proper chair was still that big red love seat bean bag. Shifting her shoulders slightly, she made for it without hesitation. I've never used a chair like this before.. But it's as good of time as any to try it!

Turning as she reached it, she judged the distance to the seat and extended an arm to aid herself as she went to sit down like a professional. Of course, being unfamiliar with the exact mechanics of a bean bag, she wasn't prepared for the incredible amount of give it, well, gave.

"Eee!" She went wide-eyed and gave a little squeal, sinking into the thing and tilting as it almost felt like it was swallowing her. Luckily, her balance kept her from overly embarrassing herself or losing any tea, and she giggled, rather amused by the unique seat she now had.

She looked up, as she worked to situate herself more properly, and saw Ryogi's bewildered expression. She felt her cheeks redden a bit. "Oh, it's quite comfortable, Shiki-san..! Come join me, it seems to be built for two." she said, stating the obvious.

The woman stood her ground, her eyebrows resuming their normal position, as she looked away slightly, seeming a bit embarrassed now herself. "..I can.. just sit on the floo-"

She's so shy!

"Oh, Shiki-san, there's plenty of room. Besides, all morning you have been either standing or had me in your lap. Your legs could use a rest. Besides, it's only being a good host to have tea with your guest." said Kohaku, patting the spot next to her on the gaudy but cozy chair. She smiled at Ryogi, looking up at her in earnest anticipation.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Ryogi blinked her one good eye at this. For as long as she had had the damnable thing - Ryogi could remember the stares she got as she drove down a particularly busy intersection, the styrofoam bean-filled bag tied to her back as the Vespa chugged along - she had never used the love seat for its intended purpose. There were two reasons for this: one, she could never have had plucked up the courage to invite Kokuto over to use it with him, and two, now with the young man pretty much gone from her life, she wasn't exactly sure when a suitable candidate would come along.

So it had always been her own equivalent of an actual working couch, where one threw herself upon after a hard day's work, and not feel bad about falling asleep with your work clothes still on. And for the most part, it worked out.

She had always been curious as to how it would feel like, though. Not to actually use it - she may have never bothered with that aspect of physical contact, but she knew enough just what a motivated couple could do on such a soft piece of furniture - but to occupy it with another person, one who seemed comfortable enough with the Satsujinki that they'd want to share the experience with her. And now, here was her chance to find out, and with Kohaku, no less.

Ryogi swallowed, audibly, the slight shivering of her hands that carefully cradled her new teacup almost imperceptible. No, she thought furiously. It's just a stupid leather bag filled with polystyrene beads, it doesn't matter what it was actually made for. It's something you sit on, and if it's big enough, with somebody else. It's not really something you actually DO it in, and you should stop thinking about it because it's not right and you've only just met and she's not that kind of girl and you certainly aren't and--

"Shiki-san?" Kohaku's voice snapped her out of the downward spiral of her thoughts, and she blinked as the amber-eyed girl patted the spot next to her once more. "Are you coming or not? If you are, then please be quick, else the tea might get cold."

"...Alright." Ryogi heard herself murmur, and felt herself making her way carefully to the other end of the love seat. This doesn't mean anything, that particularly annoying voice in her head snapped in an almost panicky way. It's just a chair. You'll just be sitting with her, and that's it. Nothing else. No further than that.

For some reason, Ryogi couldn't help but feel just a bit saddened by that particular thought, but then banished it just as quickly. It was right, anyway - it wouldn't pay to get fresh with a guest, and even if it was a love seat they were sitting on, the hard-wired protocol of guest-host relations still came into play. All the things that Kohaku had done for her - the night before, the clothes, the hug, the teacup - were all just her being nice. There wasn't really anything to be excited about.

Oh, to hell with it. A couch is a couch. I brought it in here, I didn't have enough time to hide it. Kohaku would probably understand.

"...the trick is to lean forward first and letting the bag accommodate you, before leaning back," Ryogi murmured as she did exactly that - resulting in her being able to sit on the love seat without the impromptu display of tea-preserving acrobatics.

Unfortunately, this also resulted in the contours of the bean-filled furniture to change somewhat, the sand-like contents shifting and almost making Kohaku slip off the edge and into the floor. The girl squeaked at this, fully expecting to be re-introduced sharply to the apartment's tatami-covered floor, when Ryogi's accursed reflexes had her snap an arm around Kohaku's slim waist and pull her back. The bag shifted again, this time enveloping them both, finally settling on something resembling an actual couch that kept them secure and close.

A bit too close.

Close enough for both women to feel the other's body heat in the contact they shared. Close enough to hear each other's breathing. Close enough to...to...

Ryogi's cheeks burned crimson as she realized just how close - the sharp movement had Kohaku pretty much pressing against her side, her arm still hooked around the younger woman's waist. The sudden excitement also had the girl slightly gasping for breath, and each one Ryogi felt tickling her ear. She blushed even more.

Close enough indeed.

"This is...nice," She murmured, after a while, more about the fact that she was sitting next to Kohaku than the skilfully-brewed tea.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

[SeiKeo]

Oh god it's the loveseat scene hhhhhhhnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggggg

[EVA-Saiyajin]

Thanks for posting the next part of this excellent story. That's certainly a nice way to get them to the next part of their relationship-satisfaction with physical contact (not intimate-yet) with each other. I look forward to what is next. I hope Tomatoes and Constanze continues to write this story.

[White]

Story Index:

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Part Five
• Part Six
• Part Seven
• Part Eight (Current Post)
• Part Nine
• Part Ten
• Part Eleven
• Part Twelve

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Oh my.

Kohaku quickly masked her surprise, recovering from the near-fall and sudden 'rescue', giving an embarrassed smile. It seemed that she had once again underestimated the seat's behavior, and perhaps it's owner had as well, at least regarding it being shared. ..And now the two were pressed together like a pair of teenagers on a television show.

She considered her options. Shifting away to get a more proper distance between them would probably take a visible effort. She wasn't certain how easy it'd be due to the unique nature of the seat, which had already done it's probably intended function of bringing them together in the first place. For that matter, suddenly moving away might seem a bit.. rude, considering all she went through to get Ryogi to sit with her in the first place. Not to mention the fact that Ryogi still had her arm around her waist..

Kohaku settled for just smoothing her skirt and brushing her hair back with her free hand, trying to pass it off as if there wasn't anything strange happening as she situated herself. I'll play it cool.

"It is nice, Shiki-san. It's really quite comfortable!" It was only after speaking that Kohaku realized Ryogi was probably referring to the tea, which left her mentally kicking herself. She glanced at Ryogi's cup, and then realized that maybe she was talking about this after all.

In any case, she needed to say something to take their minds off of the situation. The proximity, although a bit familiar by now, was still distracting, with the surprise of it happening, the extra warmth, the seating, and even the subtle fragrance of the woman beside her which she caught a whiff of as she breathed. That part she tried to clear quickly from her mind, replacing it with the smell of the green tea she brought to her lips, buying more time to think.

"Mmm.. How is your tea, Shiki-san?"

Kohaku found it to be rather nice, but it'd be immodest to say so herself. Maybe asking her is like fishing for a compliment.. But talking about anything is preferable to silence. I just need to distract her..

She felt Ryogi shift, her demeanor still nervous. Perhaps a bit more so as she knew she hadn't actually tried any tea yet, and Kohaku watched as the woman remedied this. Ryogi closed her eye, taking her time it seemed with the flavor.

"It's.. Very nice. You got it just right.. It's much better than I usually make. Thank you.." she murmured, seeming to relax slightly.

Kohaku shifted her shoulders, looking pleased. "You're very welcome, Shiki-san." She had to note that Ryogi still hadn't moved her arm.. Perhaps she's looking for a good opening. She can be a tricky one, I'll bet.

And so, things continued just like that. Keeping the conversation going, this time segueing from tea to food, Kohaku found the awkwardness gradually melting away a little, from both herself and her host. The two enjoyed their tea together, talking almost like old friends.

Almost being the key word.. The proximity remained, although it wasn't as big of an issue. And there was still so much Kohaku wanted to know, but couldn't ask. ..A funny contradiction. We look like two sisters or a couple sitting here like this, but what we know about each other still so impersonal.

Granted, she figured that if she was careful in asking, Ryogi would respond truthfully. She certainly did before, to her amazement. Kohaku herself could think of a million things she would tell someone before she told them that she was responsible for the death of someone, no matter what the reason was. Of course, Kohaku knew what Ryogi had admitted to was hardly a cold-blooded murder, unlike what she herself kept inside.

I wonder if it's strange to think about such things so easily, even when I'm having fun like this.. she thought, as she giggled at a wry remark from Ryogi about a restaurant in another part of town.

Deciding if I'm crazy or not should wait for another time.

That much she decided.

Eventually, something at the back of her mind struck her curiosity again. While Ryogi had filled her in on how she got the love seat, she had to wonder if Ryogi had ever shared it before. Earlier in the evening pointed to 'maybe not', but she couldn't be one hundred percent certain. However, asking about the seat itself had happened a bit ago.. She missed a good chance to be subtle.

Hmm.. If she's had a man in her life before.. What are the signs? What can I use to find out in conversation.. She recalled the many television shows she had learned such matters from. Glancing about the apartment, she really didn't recall anything indicative. Not even any helpful photographs. Although she hadn't had time to check the other rooms..

One thing was for certain. With the way Ryogi still had her arm behind her, if she had been affectionate with someone before, she probably missed it terribly. This was a little less than proper, and surprising to see out of someone who seemed so shy and withdrawn..

Ah, conversations can be cyclical. I feel silly, forgetting something like that. she thought suddenly. After that remark about restaurant seating, it was only a matter of drifting the conversation back in a circle. From seating, to seats, to the love seat again.. How to make the jump? Color? Chairs in general? Comfort?

"..I.." Ryogi began, slowly. Kohaku looked at her, momentarily drawn from her planning. "..I suppose that one wasn't as comfortable as this one, either." She saw Ryogi give that tiny smile. Kohaku brightened her own in return. Oh, Shiki-san, doing my job for me..

"I can't imagine any seat being as comfortable as this one at the moment, Shiki-san." she responded. "It's even better sharing it with a friend, don't you agree?"

Ryogi nodded, seeming much more at ease by this point in time. Kohaku almost hated to risk ruining it, but, her plan was already in motion.

"Of course, with how it's decorated, it probably leans itself more towards a certain kind of friend.." she giggled lightly. "Of course, I'm sure you know all about that, don't you, Shiki-san?"

The bait was set. Ryogi blinked, her cheeks reddening a little. Kohaku mentally crossed her fingers, hoping for a favorable reaction, if not an informative one.

The woman looked away somewhat. Kohaku felt her insides sink a little. "...Maybe a little." said Ryogi, after a pause. Kohaku tilted her head. Maybe it was a neutral response. How to proceed..

"..We never really.." Ryogi continued, on her own. "I guess you could say we weren't that much of a couple.. The one I had, anyway. You know.. A relationship." she said, looking out over the tatami floor. "I guess maybe it might have been something else if he had stayed, instead of moving away.."

Kohaku frowned slightly, as she watched Ryogi take another sip of her tea, barely any of it remaining. Maybe I was wrong to ask that.. She seems so lonely after all..

Something she found very understandable, however.

She decided to respond the best way she could. Preparing herself, she wrapped her free arm around Ryogi's back in return, lightly. Ryogi turned her head to face her, blinking in surprise, and then reddening a little more, at the returned contact and closer proximity of their faces.

Kohaku had returned to her previous smile. "I understand, Shiki-san.." she said, patting Ryogi's back comfortingly. "Now smile. I know you'll do better next time. You have a big heart, even if you don't always let it show, and someone's bound to notice before too much longer."

Hopefully she'll feel better, as opposed to feeling self conscious about how many personal space rules we've been breaching all day.

Ryogi looked at her a bit, before nodding lightly, closing that eye and turning away. She saw the edge of her lip turn up slightly. "...Thank you, Kohaku-san.." she murmured softly. "You.. You're a kind person."

Kohaku smiled, shaking her head. A kind person.. Am I really?

Before long, their conversation was back on a less personal track, but quickly wound down, as the two finished off their tea. Comfortable silence ensued as they were faced with empty cups, but a lack of desire to move away from each other, it seemed. Kohaku had to admit, she had grown used to the warmth and press of contact, and Ryogi didn't seem intent on letting her run away any time soon.

Kohaku reached up and brushed her own hair back a little, then looked at the clock. Her eyes widened as she realized not only had they spent all morning here, it was.. Growing rather late. And Hisui was going to be wondering where she was, and she still had grocery shopping to do, and..

If Akiha was home, she'd be furious.. she thought, feeling thankful for that luck at least.

So, she prepared her final requisite duty as a guest. "Ah, Shiki-san.. I have to thank you again for having me over. It was wonderful to have tea with you today."

The arm around her shifted slightly as Ryogi realized what she meant. It didn't budge however. I can't get over how strange this is.. Or rather, should be. I don't quite understand why she was so hesitant to let go all that time..

"..Again, I should be thanking you, Kohaku-san."

Ryogi finally let her go, after a pause. Standing, the woman turned towards her, and after a moment of thought, reached down, offering a hand up from the seat. Kohaku graciously accepted, her surprisingly strong friend helping her to her feet with ease. She kept her gaze on Ryogi's. You're a complex person, really.. I'm going to go crazy until I figure out what all is going on in that head of yours, Shiki-san.

It was a bit longer before they managed to give out their final well wishes, neither wanting her to leave it seemed.

"Goodbye, Shiki-san..! We'll have to meet in the park again sometime, okay?" said Kohaku, giving a mask of cheer in farewell.

"..Goodbye, Kohaku-san. And I'd like that." said Ryogi, seeming reluctant to let her leave, but standing strong.

Somehow the air made Kohaku feel like there was more to be said, but.. There really wasn't. At least not that she could think of. Besides, it was best to leave then and not drag it out, like a good guest. They'd meet again, after all.

The park is always there. ...Not to mention she still has _my_ clothes, even if she doesn't remember.. thought Kohaku, smiling to herself as she rode the creaky elevator down to the ground floor.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

It had exactly been one week since Kohaku had bought Ryogi her own teacup, but even then, the memories of what happened that day were as fresh in her mind as the moment they were made.

It wasn't something you forgot easily, after all, with that day yielding quite a lot of firsts for her and the fact that she was left with quite a lot to remember it by. It was an understatement, then, to say that a certain amber-eyed girl with the charmingly-bright smile occupied the thoughts of a certain Satsujinki.

A certain Satsujinki who was spending the rest of a dark and stormy Saturday evening perched beside a cathedral spire gargoyle, cold and sore and drenched to the bone. Waiting for her prey, watching for any and all movement that might just be distinguishable from the flurry of the rain or the flickering shadows crowding the streetlamps below.

And she did all this with her typical determination and focus, that even the most eagle-eyed of observers would not think anything suspect about a new gargoyle that hadn't been there the day before.

A gargoyle that suddenly sneezed.

...I should've brought something to keep me warm, Ryogi thought as she stared impassively down on the empty courtyard she was keeping an unblinking gaze on.

She had tried, much as she could, to at least stop thinking about Kohaku, even for just the duration of the night, to keep herself focused - and that was already turning into a losing battle.

Something warm, something to keep out the cold, something with...with...

A familiar smiling face with warm amber eyes flashed across her mind, nearly causing Ryogi to start and fall off her already precarious position had not she caught herself in time, the knife lashing out and stabbing easily into granite with a small screech.

Steadying herself a moment later - shifting back to the uncomfortable crouching position that curled her form up into something that blended with the other gargoyles - Ryogi shook her head, mentally facepalming in self-derision.

Maybe it was better if she just stopped trying. Ever since that day - that day when they shared quite a lot of time sitting obscenely close to each other, with Ryogi's arm around Kohaku's waist, talking about nothing and everything in general, both with a cup of tea in their hands - she had been thinking about nothing but the girl.

It was almost too idyllic, and it felt as natural to her as it also felt somewhat alien. Like they were meant to be together, in that way, except that it would have been against some sort of greater order or power if they did. As it was, however, Ryogi cherished the moment, and swore that she could still feel the girl's warmth and body leaning slightly against her whenever she sat on that very same couch.

Idly picking at her bootlaces, Ryogi closed her eyes briefly and imagined the scent of tangerines.

The bit about having a previous relationship - Kohaku herself brought it up, and like a child eager to tell the truth, Ryogi doubtlessly followed - was, in retrospect, something she had never really thought of too much.

During the debacle with Fujino, Kokuto had always been there for her, to the point that she actually considered him as someone she was willing to spend the rest of her life with, however short that would end up to be. But when he left - she remembered Azaka having quite the savage, triumphant look in her face as she saw them off at the airport - she realized that she would be alone for quite some time.

She fidgeted on her perch, clenching her toes to try and get some feeling out of them. And I was fully prepared for that. I accepted the fact that I would never find anyone that could...well, wrap their minds about what I could do, and act like it's normal on a day-to-day basis. I was resigned to it, and for a while, it worked.

And then someone who smelled of tangerines and could brighten up a room with just a smile came along, and then she wasn't so sure anymore.

Even the deal with the love couch - them sitting so close to each other that she could literally feel every breath that Kohaku took - reminded her of just how much she needed someone. No, how much she needed Kohaku.

How she needed someone to come back home to, how she needed someone to be there and make sure she wasn't going insane. She was as broken as any other person could be, that was something she knew. Damaged goods. But even then, she knew she wouldn't last long on the downward spiral she was currently on.

Kohaku was her way out, to a softer and warmer life that didn't have her doling out death like a demon just waiting to be hunted. Such was her fear, then, when they parted ways that day, Ryogi thinking that it was the last she would see of the girl.

Kohaku...

To her surprise and utter joy, it proved not to be. For the majority of the week, they had spent quite a lot of time together, meeting every day in the park and then going off somewhere after a few hours of tea-sipping. And it was always something new.

The first was a movie in a theater, a scary one that was thankfully not about someone going crazy with a knife (Touko had warned her discreetly about those sort of things, and why she should avoid them, she stopped herself from telling her that it was painfully obvious). Every violent scene had Kohaku burying her face into Ryogi's arm, something she found to be oddly nice and at the same time felt a bit guilty for.

The other activities included a picnic in the park itself, Kohaku having brought a picnic basket stocked with what could have been one of the best brunches Ryogi had ever had. Then there was the time where they took a trip to the city's commercial area, where the big and flashy malls were, spending the day window-shopping.

That day had its own firsts, where Kohaku bought her a small cellphone trinket in the shape of a pink-colored cat mascot. It stared at her with comically-huge eyes, and a pursed mouth - something that Kohaku imitated when she presented the trinket to her. Ryogi would have immediately spat the drink she was in the middle of gulping down had not she swallowed in time.

In return - and making an excuse to go to the little girls' room - Ryogi stalked around for something to give the amber-eyed girl, and she saw the perfect gift in a rather posh-looking jewelry store.

A pair of diamond stud earrings, with a simple crescent moon design that she knew would look good on the girl, even if she wasn't one to speak to when it came to fashion. When she asked the bored-looking attendant just how much it cost, the older woman gave her a look and then said something that probably added up to five months' worth of her salary.

And no, she shook her head as the woman smirked, she had never heard of Tiffany's.

Wanting to get back before Kohaku got suspicious, Ryogi immediately handed over her ATM card, and the earrings were then carefully placed in a small, nondescript velvet box. Refusing to have it wrapped, Ryogi shoved it into one of her jacket's side pockets, tore up the receipt and then dashed all the way back to Kohaku, stopping just a few steps before almost crashing into the girl and then placing the box into the amber-eyed girl's palm.

The reaction she got was...heartfelt, the girl gushing at how beautiful they were, and Ryogi could have died then and there for the smile that shone from Kohaku's face. When asked about the price, Ryogi merely said that she stumbled upon another curio shop, and left it at that. Just before they parted, Kohaku promised to wear them the next time they met.

It was at that meeting, then, that Ryogi also told the girl that they might not see each other for a few days, owing to work. This Kohaku seemed to take in stride, smiling, although the split-second look of worry and concern on her face told Ryogi all she wanted to know - or didn't want to know. She was glad that someone was worried for her safety, but at the same time, she didn't want them to be...

After a long goodbye, with Kohaku telling her to take care of herself, Ryogi then set out for her next assignment. Something - or someone - that Salacia and Touko seemed to be quite worried about, to the point that the two older women were arguing on whether or not to send Ryogi to take care of her. The satsujinki simply took the file with her and left both women arguing.

Her assignment was simple - find and kill what seemed to be another Tatari clone. A clone of someone who had a conceptual weapon of her own, and someone who had been turned into a vampire during the prime of her career as an alchemist. Her dossier itself warned that Ryogi was coming up with a very capable fighter, and clone or not, she would have a hard time in her hands.

It was then that Ryogi caught sight of the shadow of a long, purple braid flicking in the dim light of the moon above.

The hunt was on.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

The hunt was on.

"Where is that fish sauce?"

Kohaku was in the midst of hurriedly making dinner, that stormy evening. She had let her own thoughts wander earlier, resulting in getting a slightly late start on the meal. Of course, a careful shortcut here or there and Akiha would never have to know, but only if she could find what she was after. It had been a distracting week for certain.

Just before, she had been in her room, trying on her earrings again. The precious gift from Ryogi, the preciously expensive-looking gift. She had to wonder if a curio shop would really carry something so nice-looking. Of course, at the time she was too overcome with glee to think about that. After giving Ryogi such a modest token of friendship, the woman had responded with something so.. Wowing.

It made her the happiest she'd ever been to have the piercings to begin with, which were a little treat for herself from two years ago. Along with letting her hair grow out more, it was a change she enjoyed, now that she no longer had the need to be able to pass as her sister at a moment's notice. Needless to say, the stronger distinction between them was a little relieving to those who were in the know.

In any case, it had become a ritual to try them on in her room when she had the free time, and admire those shiny, crescent-moon little beauties in the mirror, smiling and leaning this way and that. She couldn't help it.

Much like she couldn't help but think about Ryogi, especially when wearing them.

Spending so much time with someone outside the mansion, someone new, was more of a delight than she had imagined. Despite Ryogi's eccentricities, she made fine company. And every little expression or fully-constructed sentence she drew out of the woman made her feel all the more rewarded.

Of course, the shy reactions whenever they had physical contact were rather endearing too. Kohaku had always worried about being too forward, in all ways, but at times it really seemed as if personal space was one thing that wasn't an issue with the woman after all. It was rather puzzling at times..

In any case, she couldn't complain. She certainly made use of her god-given right to use Ryogi's arm during that movie. Although movie monsters weren't scary in the slightest for someone like her, it seemed fun to react like everyone else was, and it turned out to be so.

..Of course, once she got home, she realized she'd have to deal with a real monster before long. Akiha returned home that week - fortunately in the afternoon, and in a fairly decent mood to boot, a rarity after dealing with family matters - and Kohaku once again lost a bit of leeway in the amount of time she could waste away from the Mansion. Still, she'd say things were going fairly well. Other than having so much trouble concentrating, which lead to her current hurried predicament.

"Ah! There you are. You'll regret hiding from me, fu fu fu.." she said to her prey, grabbing the bottle and setting it on the counter. Humming a little, she retrieved a few more things from the refrigerator, before closing it again with a playful bump from her hip.

Before long, the kitchen would be filled with the familiar smells of a delightful meal.

Sometime I'll have to prepare a more proper meal for Ryogi.. But I'll have to figure out how to get out of preparing one for Akiha. she thought. Maybe something to make her fall asleep before dinner time, and then.. She giggled, unable to help herself at the thought. Oh, don't make such jokes. ...Besides, Hisui-chan would know what you did. You'd never get away with it.

Once more, dinner was set out for her mistress. Akiha had brought her up to speed during the past day's tea times, so there wasn't much left to say, which Kohaku was thankful for. The more time passed, the more she had on her mind. Of course, occasionally she'd feel Akiha looking her way and catching her staring off into space. Sometimes Hisui would shift slightly, giving her warning. Luckily, nothing seemed to come of it, other than leaving Kohaku with an idle curiosity as to what was on Akiha's mind.

Afterwards, she retreated to her room. Once more, she just had to try on the earrings. It had been a while since their last meeting.. The one that had seen her given the delightful things, as well as Ryogi telling her that it'd be a bit before they could meet again.

Work-related.

It was a scary thing to think about. That unknown true job of Ryogi Shiki. One where she had to kill.. Kill things like that black swarm of beasts, apparently. It seemed forever ago, and yet so recent, all at the same time. The mystery just made it worse, really.. Who was she really working for, and what all was she fighting?

She'd have to remember to start watching the news again.. In the flurry of the week she had forgotten to see if there was anything that would stand out again. She'd hate to see it again.. The reports of those vampire murders from two years ago. The ones that hit so close to home. The ones I had partially helped cause.

Her smile faltered. But she shook it off. It wasn't something worth thinking about.

In any case, she wasn't too worried.. Yet. Ryogi had said it could be a couple of days, so it could very well be a couple of days. All she could do was to show up in the park every morning and wait. With the earrings, of course.. She knew seeing her wear them as she said, would probably make Ryogi feel all the better. If her job was really like that, she could probably use as happy of a welcome back as she could get.

Shiki-san.. Ryogi Shiki. Come back. I still have so much I want to figure out.

She practiced the smile she'd give her when she returned. It took a few tries before she could get it right. Letting it drop, she turned away from the mirror, reaching up and twisting an earring lightly between her fingertips in thought. Ryogi had been at the forefront of her thoughts more and more as time passed. It seemed to be some kind of logical progression.. The more time spent as friends, the more you think about a person, right?

With her experiences.. She didn't really know. None of her previous relationships with the people around her could really be considered normal.. Of course, her life and her own person she wouldn't consider normal in the least. She had to rely on things she heard, things she read, or things she watched on TV to try and gain a good sense of what a normal friendship was.

It was confusing.. Ryogi was rather different than what she expected her first real friend to be like. Of course, not different in a bad way at all. But aside from her unique nature, all of their interactions were just.. Different. Kohaku wondered if it was a matter of theory versus practice. In any case.. All she knew was that she hoped she was getting it right. Ryogi was her friend. Her best friend, perhaps. And so far, she wasn't doing anything to screw it up, it seemed.

She turned slightly to look back at the mirror. She smiled again.. It came more naturally this time. I wonder if it's real.. she thought. Reaching for the mirror, she trailed the tip of a fingernail along the reflection of her own lips and cheek. She brought her hand up to her face and repeated the motion on her own self, slowly.

Kohaku thought about it for a while. There was an expression about how it takes less facial muscles to smile than it does to frown. Smiling really was easy. But in her case, too easy.

She remembered the words of that boy she had adored so.. Her first Shiki-san. He wanted to see the real Kohaku. And a real smile.

An ingrained habit could be hard to break. When you do something enough, sometimes it becomes extremely hard to stop. When it came to something as easy as smiling, it was hard to tell what came from genuine happiness, and what came from simple reflex, usually for the benefit of those around her.

When was she really smiling and when was she not?

She tilted her head forward, not willing to look at the mirror anymore.

..Things are different now.

She lowered her head more after a pause, and then raised it, letting out a breath. Stop it. There's no need to second-guess yourself. You're a person. Maybe not a perfect person.. Maybe a horrifically imperfect, bloody-handed, crazy person, actually. But if there's one thing that can truly be said, it's that you're not a..

"...Shiki-san."

She eyed her reflection, sizing herself up. She slowly broke into a smile. I'm Shiki-san's weird friend, Kohaku. ..That really does sound nice. And it's true, is it not? She nodded at herself.

There was a knock at the door. Kohaku, true to form for being so distracted in her own thoughts, jumped. "Who.." she started, although from the sound of it, she already recognized who it was.

"Nee-san, is it a bad time? I wanted to say good night."

Kohaku blinked nonetheless, and stepped out to meet her.

Hisui had already removed her frilly maid headpiece for the night, something Kohaku had learned was a sign that Akiha had gone to bed early. The green-eyed sibling looked her over, seeming to be in thought, taking a bit before speaking.

"..Nee-san. Are you going to be gone long tomorrow?"

Kohaku tilted her head a little. "Not really.. I'll just be at the park. I hope it's not too muddy after this awful storm.. ...Ah, but I might go to the store afterwards, I keep forgetting to get more plums..!" Obviously, she wanted a little leeway in case Ryogi showed up.. If she did, she wanted as much time as possible to welcome the conquering hero - the term she randomly used making her smile a little - back from a successful mission.

Hisui nodded. "I see.. Don't forget we're running low on brown sugar as well."

"Ah, how did you know?" Kohaku reflexively became on guard in the back of her mind, whenever Hisui knew something about the kitchen that she didn't.

Hisui raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. "..You told me. Yesterday."

Kohaku slapped a hand to the side of her head. "Ah, I've become so forgetful.. What are you ever going to do with me..?"

"I don't know what I'm ever going to do with you, nee-san. ..You're becoming so silly as of late. Don't let your slowness affect your cooking too, otherwise you'll be in trouble." said Hisui, giving a wry smile.

Kohaku made a reeling-back motion. Hisui couldn't have known, and there wasn't anything strange about the food's taste.. "Ohh, Hisui-chan has become so mean..! My own sister.. Our boss has turned you against me, and given you such a sharp tongue!"

Her sister shifted her shoulders, barely holding back a chuckle. "Good night, nee-san."

"You too.. Goodnight, Hisui-chan!" said Kohaku, smiling from the goofy exchange. Hisui nodded, and turned, walking down the hallway. She stole a curious glance back at Kohaku before moving out of sight. Kohaku scratched her head a little at that.

Retreating to her room, put a hand to her chin in thought. There was something about that glance.. And the way Akiha was looking at her too, earlier. Her boss, Akiha. Kohaku slapped a fist into her open hand.

"Shiki-san's boss.." she said to herself, as she stepped over to her dresser, opening up a drawer and pulling the pad of paper out from under a pile of folded underwear. She flipped forward a few pages, past lists of phone numbers and addresses. Ryogi's work ID card information, all painstakingly copied down to the smallest detail. Something she had done 'just in case', of course.

She smiled to herself. If need be, she had the information to stake out her cover job. Yet another in the line of tools at her disposal to get closer to Ryogi. She patted the pad, before slowly returning it to it's hiding spot.

Of course, doing anything about it right now wouldn't be right.. She'd have to have faith in Ryogi. And she did have faith. She was amazing in every way, after all. She'd have to learn to be patient.

Stepping back over to the mirror, she rested her elbows on the dresser as she leaned forward. She smiled. "Patience.. You're good at that." she said, poking at her reflection.

Hearing the crack of thunder outside, she walked slowly over to the window, drawing the curtain to watch the awful weather. I hope you're not out there in it, Shiki-san.. she thought warmly, as she twisted an earring gently.

∞~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~∞

Still alive~❤

[SeiKeo]

IIRC, we're getting up to mad fight scene so excited.

[EVA-Saiyajin]

Whew, a dangerous Tatari vampire clone with a conceptual weapon. That might be a challenge to Ryougi.

[Peorth]

Heard from Constanze that he's more than willing to continue/finish the story, he's just got a lot on his plate right now (tomatoes as well), so yeah, maybe early next year.
Also

[ItsaRandomUsername]

:3