Love Me Dead

"Yeah?"

Was that not the right answer? He knew he could have joked about it. It would have been easy and in keeping with his easygoing, laid-back personality. But in the moment, it didn't feel like the right answer to Haru. Being honest with her felt like the right thing.

If his head wasn't resting on the bed, he would have tilted it in a questioning manner at her. Because what was that supposed to mean? It was starting to seem like he said the wrong thing, but...That also didn't seem right. Turning a bit more, he rested his chin on the bed and looked at her.

"What do you mean? Did I say something wrong?"

She pushed herself up from the bed when it seemed that Hatsuharu didn't seem to get it. It wasn't a surprise - she hadn't exactly made her intentions clear, but she didn't want to deal with this. The horse shoved her frail body from the bed, she was a little uneasy on her feet as she reached for the window and slid it open. She wanted out of here. She hated this. She hated being around Hatsuharu and having to act like this. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. Fuck Akito. Fuck their God. Wasn't God meant to love his animals? Well, could have fooled her. Did fool her. Just like her parents.

"I'm going."

Haru smiled at Kagura and watched her leave until Isuzu pulled his attention back to her. Watching her pull the covers back over her head, he kept his head turned towards her in the hopes that maybe she would lower it so he could see her again.

"Because she cares about you. She just wants to make sure you're being taken care of just like I do."

Or that was what Haru thought. He knew that Kagura cared to some degree. With how often they tended to team up together to try and take care of Isuzu, it was an easy conclusion for him to come to. However, her questioning why he cared took him by surprise. He thought it was obvious. Then again, he guessed Isuzu needed to hear and see it more from him.

"Because I love you. Do I need another reason?"

"Seriously?" She dropped herself back and laid against the bed looking up at the ceiling with a deadpan look. Why do you care? Because he loved her? She maybe needed a little more than that. Him loving her wasn't really going to be the reason for her to drop her plan to break the curse... to save him. Isuzu cared little about breaking the curse for herself. It was all to get Haru away from Akito.

"Ugh, what the fuck, Haru? Why are you so cliche..." At least it wasn't him saying something stupid like - I like you for your boobs. That had been something he probably would have said if the atmosphere wasn't like this.

His smile widened slightly at the sight of her flared nostrils. He found the expression cute and very much in line with her spirit. A cute trait if anyone asked Haru.

"Thank you." And he meant it too. Getting her to listen to him sometimes took time, but he was patient and stubborn enough to wait her out. Haru lifted his head when he heard Kagura's voice. A part of him wanted to gloat a little that he had done his job, but he knew better than to say it in front of Isuzu. She may change her answer if he did, and he did genuinely wish for her to eat something.

"Thank you, Kagura-chan. Could I please have some too?"

"Sure, I'm sure Mama would be fine with that."

Kagura gave a wave of her hand as she then skipped back down the stairs to the kitchen to go and see if her mother would make their visitor and guest some broth. "Ughh. Why can't she just stop sticking her nose into my business."

Isuzu grunted as she then pulled the covers back over her head. She hated this - she really did wish that Hatsuharu would go away... but the fact he had asked Kagura to get some broth meant he was going to stay and eat by her side too. (As much as she was happy about it...) "Haru, why do you even care so much?"

Hearing the covers move, he tilted his head back enough to look at her. The glare earned her a warm smile as he was finally able to see her. The answer was something he expected to hear, as it was her normal response. But to finally see her, even if she was glaring at him, was a treat Haru hadn't been expecting.

"Can you at least have some broth? It won't bother your stomach, but still give you the nutrition that you need." After this he was going to stop by and ask Hatori if there was anything else she could have that would be easier for her to eat. Broth was mostly liquid, which was why Haru had mentioned it now, but she couldn't live off of it. If he could learn how to make foods that would be easier for her to eat, though, then he could test out what she liked and didn't.

UGH.

He was so stubborn. She knew that it was also simply another trait of the ox but that didn't mean that it wasn't annoying when she was doing her best to push him away. Isuzu grunted as she scrunched up her nose and flared her nostrils at Hatsuharu. Fine, fine, fine. She would agree - just to get him to go away. "Fine!" She spoke her thoughts before she grabbed her covers and dragged them over her head to hide herself again. "I'll go ask Mama if she can make some."

Kagura spoke as she had appeared at the door. She hadn't been fully eavesdopping but how could she not. She cared so much about Isuzu and wanted her to feel better. She was just glad that Hatsuharu had managed to get her to agree to eating, even if it was just broth.

britishmuffin

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Hearing that made him smile faintly. He had noticed after some time that Isuzu never said anything degrading about his intelligence. Like right then, she could have easily called him stupid or dimwitted for not listening. Instead, she twisted her words to still accuse him of it, but it was a softer blow. Something that Haru loved and appreciated about her.

"Mhm, I usually don't," he agreed, "but I think I have an idea on this. Even if it's vague." Haru liked to think that out of anyone he knew her the best. It might take him some time to notice, like the fact she avoided calling him stupid, but he eventually did.

"Have you eaten today? I can go and get you something if you haven't. I'll even leave once you start to eat."

Isuzu pulled the covers down and her dark eyes glared towards Haru.

"Not hungry." This was a response that was well-known from her. The horse was never hungry. Starving herself was easier on her stomach ulcers than eating at this point - even if it did result in her passing out sometimes. (On the worst occassions... transforming.)

"Go away."

Yeah that wasn't what he had asked for. Because he was pretty sure she did need him, just as he needed her. Regardless of what Akito said. Haru knew that Akito wouldn't approve of this but he also didn't care. Isuzu mattered the most to him, more than Akito and their "god" status. No matter how glared at him.

Sitting down next to her bed with his back resting against it, he leaned his head against it as he stared at the ceiling. This was sort of what Haru had expected to happen and it was fine with him. Just being in her presence was enough to help him relax right then. Arguing about him staying was just entertaining at this point.

"I don't listen to because I don't believe you actually want me to leave. Just like I don't believe you when you say you don't need me. I'm pretty sure you need me just as much as I need you."

UGH. Why wouldn't he just leave? Isuzu grunted under the covers as her fists tightened in the fabric that she had over her head. She just wanted him to go. He had no idea what had happened. He had no idea why she had had her 'accident' when she fell out of that window. The only ones that knew were her and Hiro... and she wanted to keep it that way. She didn't need Hatsuharu to go black on Akito. That would just end up with Hatsuharu worse for wear, she was sure.

"Well you don't know shit." At least she didn't say that he was stupid. She knew how much that bothered Hatsuharu. She would never call him a stupid cow. That was a low blow that she would NEVER cross.

"I was just asking," he said before shutting the door to protect himself. And he knew it was wishful thinking on his end. The fact that he knew she was going throw something at him did amuse him though.

After hearing the tray fall to the floor, he opened the door back up and picked it up. Whatever was on the tray didn't really make that much of a mess. Not one that he was in a rush to clean up at least. Entering her room, Haru shut the door behind him and set the tray down on her desk.

"I just want to make sure you're doing alright. Once I know that then I'll leave."

It might just take some time was all. Since he also wanted to spend some time with her even if it was just sitting on the floor and watching her.

"Unless you really do want me to leave. I mean if you give me a honest answer and a good reason as to why you would want that."

"UGH. You never listen." Isuzu groaned as she hissed at Haru and threw daggers at him with her eyes. All she wanted was to protect him and he was making it ten times harder. If Akito learned that he was here then Akito may hurt him instead of her... or them both! "I told you. I don't need you. Leave."

Just like Akito had said about her. That she wasn't needed. That she was easily replaceable. She was only there to make up numbers. Isuzu tugged the covers of the bed up and over her as she began to simply ignore Hatsuharu now.

kaiapanito

Kagura Sohma.

It’s a pity the story didn’t deepen into her. I really love her as a character.

I made this drawing like few weeks ago and now that I’m posting it, the bags looks hideous 🫣 A backpack would be a better option.

"It usually is."

He had been hit quite a few times actually. But like everything else when it came to Isuzu, he tended to look on the bright side of things. If she was hitting him then it meant she had some energy. It meant she was recovering. Just because she was hitting him didn't mean she didn't care about him. Haru believed all of this and just loved her for it even more than he did before.

"I will, you don't need to worry about that." When it came to taking care of Isuzu, he didn't slack off. It might not seem like it to others but Haru took that role very seriously. In fact that was the whole reason he was thinking of becoming a doctor. He wanted to help people like Isuzu as well as be able to take care of her properly in the future.

"I'm pretty sure you'll know if I fail," he said as he continued to make his way to Isuzu's room. It was a route he could do with his eyes close and not fear about getting lost. He knocked on her door before opening it and poking his head in, "If you're going to throw something at me, can it be a pillow?"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Isuzu then picked up a tray that was for now-discarded food and threw it towards the ox's head at the door. He may have said a pillow but Isuzu was very well aware that that wouldn't stop Haru from coming near her. She was supposed to be trying to push him away. It was just so hard. She hated this. She hated Akito. It was all because of Akito. Akito made life terrifying. Why did Akito always get his way? Why did he have to say that Haru was his. He wasn't his.

"Go away, Haru!"

"That's true. Which means I'm safe for now." All he needed to hear really. He would rather tell his mother about skipping school anyway.

Isuzu's dismissal didn't make his smile vanish. He had sort of expected her to do that. "Ah she's mad..." Like that wasn't obvious. Even so, Haru was just happy to see her being so active. It meant that she was feeling well today and all he wanted was for her to get better. At Kagura's question, he looked back at her as his expression returned to it's neutral expression.

"I hadn't planned on listening to her, no." The reminder that it might make things worse, however, was met with a shrug. "Worse would be allowing her to go through this alone. She might hate me for staying but I can handle that as long as she gets better." He walked towards the door to go after his girlfriend but paused for a second. "But I promise I won't stay long. Just enough to make sure she's eating and resting properly. Does that work?"

"Well... it's on you if she hits you."

Which Isuzu might have done. She had heard about how Isuzu had swung an IV at Hatsuharu when she was last at the hospital. She knew that it was possible the horse would do it with her fists too. (Maybe she and Rin weren't as different after all.) Kagura sighed as she moved her hand through her hair before smiling. "Just make sure you take care of her then."

She didn't think she had ever seen Isuzu eat the whole time that she had lived with her and it had been years. If Hatsuharu could get her to eat then that was at least something. (A miracle.)

"That's true...Do you think she'll tell mine?" He hoped she didn't but he could see it happening. It wasn't that common their parents interacted but he knew that his mother at least tried. Amongst his cousins, Haru knew he was lucky in that regard and therefore he didn't try to cause too many problems. Skipping school here and there was usually the worst he did. Once he mentioned how he did it to avoid going black then she just accepted it.

When the window opened and Isuzu made her presence known, Haru immediately turned his attention to her. He smiled softly up at her, not even bothered by the fact that she yelled at them and was glaring.

"Mhm...I think you're right," he hummed to Kagura. Turning to his girlfriend, he asked, "Can I come see you?"

"Uh, she might, but I don't know the last time our Mamas talked to each other."

Kagura's mother was always protective of her and tried her best to keep Kagura out of trouble... and made sure Kagura knew to keep away from Akito has much as possible.

That was probably why Akito didn't have much to do with her - or hurt her - like the others. She was honestly surprised that Isuzu had been sent to live with her, but was aware it was only because of the fact Kagura's mother was another zodiac mother to a girl.

"No - go home!"

Isuzu slammed the door down against the frame and disappeared from view, dark black hair swaying behind her as she then grabbed the curtains and closed them. Kagura sighed as she looked at Hatsuharu, at least it seemed she wasn't the only one that got yelled at by their 'significant others'.

"You're not going to listen to her, are you?" The boar asked as she turned her head to Hatsuharu. "You know it might make things worse."

He...Wasn't that surprised to hear that. If he hadn't been persistent on being presence in Isuzu's life when they were kids, he would imagine that he would be in a similar boat. Haru was nothing but thankful that he seemed to have an easier time when dealing with Isuzu. Not the best but easier than most.

"That's...Not surprising to hear." He did appreciate Kagura for trying though. He did think that Isuzu should have someone else to go to besides him. But he also didn't want to force her to do that. The gentle nudges that Haru did here and there would sometimes risk him getting his hand bitten.

"Do you mind if I check to see if she is here? And if she's not to just wait until she comes back?"

He may or may not be trying to avoid going home and getting yelled at.

Kagura looked at Hatsuharu before giving a slight shrug of the shoulders. She couldn’t really blame him. After all – if it was Kyo – she may have been desperate enough to scale walls and break doors to see him.

“Sure, but my mama may shout at you for not being at school.” After all, her mama was as much a worrier as most mothers. “Would you two SHUT UP!!!???"

The window slid open with a growl as Isuzu glared out of the window at the two other Sohmas. How was anyone supposed to get any kind of rest with the grating sounds of their voices outside. Even if she was a little happy to know Hatsuharu was coming to see her – she had been doing her best to push him away from her. After what Akito had said and done – it was for the best. Kagura blinked as she looked at the horse spirit before looking at the ox.

“I think she’s home.”

"Oh..."

In his defense, he did sort of just wander and not pay much attention to where he was going. Typically, that was how he got lost. This time, he sort of just didn't have anywhere else to go since he was supposed to be in school. Haru would be lying if he said he didn't come here in the hopes of seeing Rin. To maybe help him forget what had bothered him at school.

"If she finds out, maybe." He didn't plan to tell her, and he hoped Kagura wouldn't out him.

"...Is Rin here?"

Oh. So he had come to see Isuzu. Just as she had suspected. "Uh- I'm actually not sure."

She bit her lower lip before looking away a little awkwardly. She really didn't want to disappoint Hatsuharu, but the truth of the matter was... she really didn't know. "I've gotten out of the habit of checking on her first thing in the morning. I find when I do she tends to jump out the window." And Kagura would rather Isuzu stayed around the house where she was safer, or even more likely to take any breakfast her mother leaves outside Isuzu's door.

"Oh, hi Kagura-chan."

Her questions earned her a head tilt from him before he looked around. "Huh...I thought I was at school." Half truth, half lie really. He did genuine think that he was near his school...But Haru had actually decided to leave early. He was getting a bit too fed up with one thing after another and just decided to leave.

"What are you doing here?"

Kagura furrowed her brow as she heard Haru's explaination. There was no way that he had thought he was at school. Still, here he was outside of her home. "I live here-"

She tilted her head as if it was obvious. It should have been. She had a feeling that he was looking for Isuzu... but she wasn't going to say that out loud until Haru asked. After all, she wasn't supposed to know about their relationship. "-won't your Mama be mad if she finds out?"