It Was All Arranged [R. Sakamaki]

The First Night

Booming thunder sounded throughout the small seaside city as bolts of bright light attacked the raging oceans. Black clouds smothered the sky, enveloping the half moon in a tight hug. The sand and grass were all wet, tears rolled down the glass panes as the screaming winds tackled the flimsy material. Athena jolted upright, her body was drenched in sweat and the thin dress she wore beneath her wedding gown clung to her body as she gasped desperately for air. Her messy tangles hadn't been sorted, pins were sticking out everywhere and the auburn locks were drenched in sweat. She looked around the dark room desperately, panting as she tore the thick duvet from her legs. Reiji wasn't there. Athena hadn't even remembered crawling into bed. Furrowing her eyebrows, she pushed herself from the bed and slowly made her way to the bedroom window. She winced as the winds tackled the glass again, her heart hammered against her chest as she stepped back. She needed tea.
There was only one light on in the house, and it was the kitchen's dim glow. Athena traced the walls with her fingertips as she entered the spotless kitchen, her eyes took a moment to adjust before she gulped anxiously. Reiji was sitting at the dining table, sipping some hot tea as he silently read. The curtains had been pushed open, the monstrous weather could be seen from the comfort within the cottage. Athena grimaced as lightning struck once more - was this an omen?
"I take it the thunder woke you up," his voice was cold and menacing, his eyes trained on the pages of his book as Athena stood by the doorframe, picking at the skin around her nails. An aroma of tea warmed the frightened girl as she looked cautiously at her husband.
"How could it not?" she replied, "I take it you have not yet slept?" She was talking to the back of his head - not that she cared, she'd rather he didn't see her like this anyway.
"I have not yet fallen tired," the prince replied, "the kettle is still hot." The young lady said nothing, ignoring the man as she walked towards the heated kettle. She stroked the golden handle before pulling out the cup she'd used before hand - the one with the tulips. She rubbed her forehead, sleepiness embraced her as she pressed her hand to the counter for support.
"Did you put me to bed?" she asked, glaring through the window as the clouds wailed once more. She began her ritual of making tea, waiting for his cold-hearted response.
"Leaving you unconscious on the floor would be unkind of me."
"As if you could be kind," Athena scoffed, using the little spoon to stir her tea, "if my memory is correct, you called me tacky the day we first met."
"I called your dress tacky - which it was."
"That was still no such way to greet your wife-to-be for the first time."
"I had only been briefed on the news of our marriage before the ball - I was far from excited."
"And you think that I was? I was forced into a chair for hours as some lady styled my hair and stood for hours as my dress was tailored - all for you to call it all tacky."
Reiji let out a slow, icy laugh as he finally looked up from his book, taking in her scruffy appearance. He smirked as he said, "You really can't say much about your appearance at this given moment, Darling." His eyes raked her body, causing her to scoff with discomfort. She wanted to yell at him, smack him again, maybe even kill him. Thunder sounded once more, causing her to jump. "Afraid of thunder, are we?" he teased, forcing emphasis on the first word as Athena sipped her tea.
"So what if 'we' are?" She snapped, placing the cup down and raking her fingers through her hair. She groaned as she got caught on a pin - how many exactly were in her hair? She should have removed them, so she did. She felt around her hair desperately, yanking the pins (and some of her hair) out. There were too many, Athena suddenly became all too aware of that as she tugged another pin from the graso of her knots. "I'm cutting it." She said, slamming open a drawer and scanning it for a pair of scissors.
"Now, now, let's not be hasty." The Sakamaki said, raising an eyebrow as she frantically searched the drawers. "Come, sit." He gestured to the seat opposing him. Athena sent a harsh glare his way. He'd changed from his wedding suit, she noticed.
He wore a long sleeved shirt that was white and a pair of long, blue pajama bottoms. His hair was damp - had it recently been washed? His glasses were placed on the table before them - did he even need glasses or were they for show?
"Why would I do that?" she hissed, folding her arms over her chest - feeling insecure at the horrendous amount of skin showing.
"I won't tell you again." He stood from his seat, causing Athena to look up as he stared at her. Cursing under her breath, she made her way to the chair and sat herself in it. Silent, Reiji stood behind her, harshly dragging his fingers through her hair in search of the pins. Athena let out whines of discomfort as he tore the pins from her hair - of course, he ignored her, only telling her to sit still and shut up. They were there for at least an hour and the thunder still hadn't ceased. Finally, Reiji managed to brush out Athena's long waves, meaning they were pin free. "You are welcome." He said.
Athena scoffed, glaring at the pile before her.
"246 pins. For an event that I couldn't care about any less." She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
"A simple thank you would suffice," Reiji growled, his voice rough as he resisted the urge to smack the back of her head. He scooped the hair pins into a small pouch before tying it and leaving it in front of her, "I am going to retire for the night. Don't make a mess." He left her sitting in the kitchen, grumbling to herself.
"Don't make a mess," she mimicked, standing from the chair, causing the wood to scream with agony, "yet he leaves his book out, and his teacup unwashed!" She cursed his existence as she took the book and forced it into its specific slot in the bookcase. She then lifted the cup, putting it in the sink with hers and running warm water over it. She silently cleaned the cups, her mind racing with insults to throw Reiji's way. Leaving the precious china on the draining board, she switched off the light and headed upstairs to the bathroom - she needed a shower. She locked the door behind her before looking around the cute bathroom. It was small and clean - cacti were lined up along the windowsill and the glass was misty. A shower stood beside the door, the frame a gentle grey. Hers and Reiji's soaps and shampoos had been laid out upon the shelves - one dedicated to her and one to him. The toilet was against the wall in front of the door, a tall sink stood beside it. A wall length mirror stood in the gap between the sink and the shower, a towel rack stood opposite it.
Athena removed her dress, hoping that Reiji would be fast asleep when she made her way into their room to find a proper nightgown. She stepped into the cold shower, gently turning the dial to a hot temperature. The shower head began to sob heavily upon her, causing her to jump with shock from the pressure. She wasn't used to showers - she'd always had baths back home... but this wasn't home. She sighed beneath the warm water, she wondered how her brothers were coping - how her mother was coping. She was a little upset that her mother hadn't attended the wedding... but the other woman had fallen ill - there was no helping it. Athena lathered the strawberry scented shampoo into her hair as she thought back to her father. He was planning something - she knew he was. That's why he'd asked her to spy, of course. Though given the sudden honeymoon, that was near impossible. She switched off the shower and climbed out, stepping upon the fluffy matt that stood before it. She wrapped a fluffy white towel around her, dropping her dress into the wash basket and heading to the bedroom with a deep breath.
The floorboards squeaked as she entered the room, causing her to wince as she quickly made her way around the bed to her dresser. She clutched her towel tightly as she opened the second drawer. Hastily, she grasped the first item of clothing she spotted before closing the drawer not too quietly.
"Hurry up," Reiji's tone was harsh, causing Athena to jump with surprise, "you're insufferably loud. Get dressed and get into bed." Athena hated that he ordered her around - still, she had probably just woken him. She left the room, waddling into the kitchen as she dried off her body and slipped the thin, silky fabric onto her skin. It was black and lacey - probably something one of the maids had slipped in as a way of teasing her: they'd always made fun of the female Tsukinami. She groaned as she rubbed her hair with the towel - the last thing she wanted was to be wearing a sexy nighty in the same bed as her not-so-beloved husband. She huffed, hanging the towel up and turning off the light.
When she entered the room, Reiji had been sitting up in the bed, his lamp switched on, emitting a dark glow. He watched as she anxiously made her way to the other side of the bed. "You could have tried to fall back asleep," she said, pulling the covers over her as she laid in the soft bed, her back facing him. Thunder grumbled again, causing her grip to tighten on the covers.
"I would not like you falling in your hasty attempt of climbing into bed," Reiji retorted, his venomous tone sending chills cascading down Athena's spine. Still, he switched off the lamp and lowered himself into the bed. Neither said anything - not a goodnight or a simple sweet dreams. Reiji was laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling. His wife lay with her back facing him, her hand pressing into the plush pillow that her head rest on. This was the first proper night of their marriage, and neither had a thing to say to the other.