Charlotte scowled deeply as she stormed through the halls. She was thankful that, for the most part, they were unpopulated. Every time she passed someone, a smile sprung back to her face, just in case they were someone who mattered. But she wasn’t in the mood for any of her acting right now. No, she was a woman on a mission.
She turned a corner and spotted the man she’d been looking for. Her expression darkened further as she marched over. She reached out and grabbed a hold of his arm, spinning him around to face her. She pushed the man against the wall, standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.
“You. You dirty, rat faced, sneak thief jerk. Where did you hide my notebook?”
There were whispers, low in the mouth of the nearby villagers, of bandits that had slipped into the outrealm gate. Worry seemed to have overtake the people, though Mitama was certain that nothing would go wrong. People arriving unnoticed in the realm was uncommon. She was certain it was just rumours, words spread by someone looking for amusement in the dreary day to day.
Still. It didn’t stop the worry that nipped at her heels as the day moved on. A letter was sent, bird brought to the outrealm gate herself in hopes that it would somehow reach Hoshido a bit faster.
She felt childish to worry, but in the face of such risks, combat able support was better, no?
“Just a day.” She had assured in her letter. “Simply to assure that all is well.” She didn’t expect to receive an answer by nightfall, but the hope was nice.
Ü3Ü (i nearly sent this as saizo. god, just imagine.)
For once, it’s not a hungover note scrawled and left somewhere, but actually written while sober (though not necessarily happy about being awake.) She leaves the note(s, for there’s more than one sticky page) on the coffee table next to her sleeping host. She wonders for a moment if she should say something after all, a quick goodbye and thank you for the night, but no. The note will have to do. She can thank her properly the next time she sees the other. Setsuna smiles fondly for a moment before making her way out as quietly as she can.
Say’riThank you for last night. But Istill feel guilty about you givingup your bed. I wouldn’t haveminded you there next to me.I hope you slept well on thecouch. I would’ve stayed andgotten you breakfast or tea asa thank you, but Hinoka textedme that she needed help withsomething. Message me whenyou’re not busy though! I’ll makeit up to you.Have a nice day.-Setsuna
Bonus:
Saizo.Thank you. I’m surprised somany people find you easy tolive with. Ryoma said it was fine,so I left the blankets you leant meon the couch. Asugi’s head toschool, so I’m gunna walk him, btw.Someone should pay the kid someattention.Setsuna.
aloyalninja replied to your post: "I apologize for that kiss, walter. Perhaps dinner...
“I could take you shopping if that is what you would like?”
“O... Oh... I could never -- could never ask that of you... W-wouldn’t you be embarrassed to be be seen around me?” Walter asked softly. It was clear he didn’t seem to think much of himself.
Walter roused out of his little nap, eyes bleary and unseeing, hair a tussled mess. He yawned with a slight stretch, and sat up, fumbling about for his glasses. “S... Saizo...?” He gave a tiny, exhausted smile, still seemingly completely content. “G... good morning...~”
It isn’t the first time this has happened. She’s worked out a routine.
She makes a fuss when it’s time to go to bed. She doesn’t want to cause problems for them, not when they’ve been so good to her the short time she’s been here, but she doesn’t want to go to bed at night, doesn’t want to be left alone with the thoughts and ideas.
The inevitable dreams of closed doors and silent rooms.
It’s late, her door is closed and the covers are pulled up over her head. Her face hides in a pillow and she hopes that if she manages to keep the gasps for air soft enough, no one will come and find her and pry her from her tear stained tomb.
A hand rests on her head, and that has become routine also. “Again?”
She says nothing, but falls silent, shakes rocking her small frame. The voices remains silent as well, unmoving, until the hand is removed. “Would you like a late night snack?”
She waits, counts to five, and then slowly emerges from her nest and nods. There’s a rustling as she stands, and a hand holds hers as the two silently make their way past others in rest, and soon she is helped up onto the tall stool where he legs dangle and her toes only touch the floor if she stretches.
He moves around the kitchen and she stares at the counter, silent. It’s been a few nights of their new routine and she begins to wonder if he will tire of it as well. For all his patience, she remains a nuisance, and if she could end up here, if she could leave her first home, where she was supposed to remain, what stopped her from leaving here as well?
He places the plate down in front of her and she looks up as he turns to get her a glass. She shouldn’t ask, she thinks. She’s scared of the answer. But lack of sleep bites at her, and nightmares ring in her ears, and she’s missed him so badly and
“Did daddy not want me anymore?”
She wants to shove the words back inside of her as soon as they meet air, but no, he doesn’t respond, at least not how she imagined. Saizo places the glass before her and moves towards the big board on the wall. Papers cover it, notes from school and things she doesn’t understand. Some sparse drawings too. He pulls some down and returns to her, placing them down next to her as he sits on his own tall stool. (his legs don’t dangle.)
“What grade are you in?”
She blinks, because that isn’t an answer to her question, it’s another question. She frowns, confused, but obediently answers that she’s in grade three.
“Listen, kid. Your mom and dad wanted you to be with them, but they weren’t good at working out how to keep you safe and warm.” He pulls the documents closer so she can peer at it, but for all her vocabulary, none of the words make sense to her. “So a judge told them to let you stay with us for a few months. They’re trying to work out how to do better.”
“Until then, me and Ryoma are going to make sure you go to school so you can do more of those poems you’re good at.” The mention of poems brightens her somewhat, but he seems to dim. He sniffs, and she waits, but he doesn’t say anything more. “You want the right words, huh kid?”
She nods, hands wrapping around the cup before her. “Mmhm.” But something still doesn’t stick right with her. “...but I like you all. You’re all nice to me. I don’t want you to go away after a few months.”
She doesn’t want them to walk away after she’s gotten so fond of them.
He doesn’t respond directly to her words. He points at a line on the paper, and she looks over close, but still doesn’t understand the sentence, but one word sticks out to her. “Protective.” He reads, eyes glued to the paper. “Means you got me until you don’t need me anymore. That’s what I do.”
He stands again, and she watches him move back to the fridge. She isn’t sure how she feels, but something settles in her chest. Some of the tension leaves her shoulders, and while there’s still lingerings of fear, sleep doesn’t seem so intimidating anymore. “...can I sleep with you and Papa tonight?”
“Papa?” There’s something in his voice as he walks back over, jug of milk in hand. She doesn’t know what he means with it, and for a moment, she worries she’s done something wrong.
“I’m sorry...is that not okay? I just thought-”
“It’s fine.” He assures her, returning to the counter. “What do you call me?” He lifts the gallon and begins pouring it into her glass. “Say when.”
She watches the glass as she considers his question. “...I dunno. You get scary when Asugi does bad things.” Saizo has a scary face when he wants to. “I didn’t want you to get scary at me if I said a wrong one. When.”
“There is no wrong one.” He assures her, moving the jug back into the fridge. “And Asugi shouldn’t smoke. Neither should you.” He returns next to her, but doesn’t sit this time.
She hums and drinks from the glass. “It smells bad.” She agrees. “I like when he smells like sweets better.” She knows what she wants to call him, but she already has one. But then again, she has three now, doesn’t she? So what does it matter? “Daddy?” She asks tentatively.
“Go ahead.” Saizo says. There’s a gentle hand on her head. He doesn’t stay long, and she watches curiously as he moves away. “You’re not too old for this, are you?” From atop a shelf, he pulls down a stuffed rabbit, well worn with love and Mitama gasps excitedly.
“You found him!” She jumps down from the tall stool, feet making a soft thud on the floor. She scurries over quickly, and takes the rabbit into her arms when offered. She had been so certain that Hoshi had been left behind with her father, and it had been so long since she’d been able to go back. She buries her face in it’s cloth and the smell of her old home hits her. “Thank you, Daddy.”
It’s his hand in her hair once more that brings her back again, and reminds her that manners, though father said different, are important. She looks up at Saizo and holds her arms out, and he’s smart enough to take the hint. He scoops her up into his arms and she settles, head against his shoulder and rabbit in arms. “Time to see papa?”
She nods and yawns, eyes heavy once more. “I’m tired…”
“Me too kid.”
It’s a short walk for her from the kitchen to her fathers’ room, made shorter probably by the sleep pulling at her. She’s lowered into the bed and blankets are pulled up to cover her nicely. Saizo moves to do whatever he needs to to sleep, but she hangs on with all her nine year old strength to have him wait. She places her lips to his cheek, and it’s over exaggerated with childhood enthusiasm and sleep, but all the love her small heart can muster is poured into it. “I love you, daddy.”
It’s hard to tell in the dark of the room, but she’s certain that a smile greets her in the dark.
Mitama has never been more thankful for the strange gift the ninja suddenly gave her. Blow the whistle and he’d appear, hmm? She certainly hoped he’d prove that true.
She blows through the whistle again as she keeps her back pressed to the wall of her room. The sound hurt her ears, but she supposed it was better than allowing for the alternative. The terrible, terrible, alternative from which she’d never recover.
The whistle fell from her mouth and swung on it’s chain to rest against her chest. How long would it take him to arrive? How long would she suffer? Oh woe is her, would she ever recover? She reaches for the whistle once more, the one lifeline.
“...well, I’m glad you’re doing well, my lord.” Setsuna smiled as she bowed to the eldest royal sibling. “It was a nice talk...I hope for the chance again.”
Still, she did have some duties to tend to, and much as talking to Lord Ryoma could take priority, she could only use that excuse for so long. She had slack to pick up, with so many of the other retainers being busy at the moment. She parted from his company and headed off, towards the courtyard. Practice, she should get some practice in while she had the chance to do so uninterrupted.
Although the peace was nice, she couldn’t help but wonder where the so called “best retainers” had wandered off to. For someone who claimed to dedicate his life to his lord, he certainly hadn’t been around in such a long time, as far as anyone could tell.
Ah well. She shrugged to herself as she walked. This was fine. If the duty of keeping the royals morally supported fell to her for the time being, so be it.
