ToRA (Kekkai Sensen Fanfic)

Chapter 8

Things with the housekeeper have toned down a bit. She doesn't change the TV channel anymore, and mostly leaves me to my own devices. Although she also has gotten into the habit of bringing me a snack every so often, and insists on me eating lunch.

Which is usually a tuna sandwich, for whatever reason.

Occasionally she'll cook a lot of food and leave it in the fridge, for him and I to eat for dinner. He does cook, but most times I'm asleep before any of it is ready to eat. I don't why it is that I've been sleeping so early, and for so long. I'm not ill, and even with my throat healing day by day, it doesn't make sense to sleep so much.

I don't sleep during the day, either.

In fact, the part that worries me the most is that the sleepiness always starts when he gets home. It coincides with his schedule far too perfectly. It makes me wonder what exactly happened during that time I was drowning amongst the nightmares of my mind. Did he do something to me? Did he say something? Was I given something to put me into that vulnerable state? There are a lot of things I don't know, especially about that night.

So it was with grim determination that I stood from the floor and walked to the foyer when he arrived home. Veded was already there, somehow always knowing when he would arrive home despite his erratic schedule. Today he was early. I didn't smile in greeting, not that I had smiled at all during these past three weeks, but that never seemed to bother him. I expect to be looked at and greeted like normal, but the moment I appear, he picks me up and tucks me into the grasp of one arm.

Of course he would. Veded is still here, and even when she isn't, he has a strange habit of constantly having me in his arms. By all means, human, treat the adult beast like a child. That will win you favors. Although... it's always difficult to say if it bothers me or not. Frustrating, yes, but I can never tell if I'm actually annoyed about it. I don't change my expression, just waiting and ignoring the conversation while he speaks to Veded. She leaves after a while, and the apartment shifts to just him and me.

"Grumpy mood today, then?"

By now, he wouldn't expect me to say anything in return. But I've been very diligent on not using my voice, until this morning when I tested to see if it had returned. Which it has, as clear as ever.

"I want answers."

"We have guests coming over in two hours, Kuja. Can your questions wait?"

"I've waited three weeks. That's long enough."

There's a smile still on his face, but I can tell the mood behind it has shifted. Shifted to what, I can't say, but it's not whatever it was before.

"Then you can ask while we get ready. Chain is coming over before the others though, to meet you."

"Who? Why?"

"A friend of mine that I work with. She's a werewolf. I asked her to come, because I don't entirely understand your behavior."

I just make a humming noise in response. I don't quite understand his wording there, but I'm too distracted by the fact that he walked into the bathroom but hasn't put me down. And closed the door. And turned the water of the bath on.

"Put me down."

"No. You'll run away like a spooked kitten."

I turn my head to look at him, only to pause when there's the sound of something hitting the floor. I glance down, identifying his jacket, which he'd tossed into a corner. I squirm, managing to shift the weight balance so that he drops me, and quickly head for the door.

Only to realize in horror that the handle is out of reach for child me. He laughs as I stretch to try and free myself, and I freeze at the sound of more clothing being tossed with the jacket. This is exactly why I didn't want to be in here... Bathing with another person is too embarrassing! I try to jump up towards the handle, but I'm caught midway through and pulled away from the door. I shriek, mostly instinctually in the hopes that he'll be startled and let me go, but he doesn't. Within the span of a few minutes, I'm naked as a newborn and sitting in irritatingly warm water.