Silence Shattered [Private]

It wasn’t hard to guess which button to press when it comes to swaying Kiran to agree with her. The child’s lips curled into a smile as the call cut itself. Say Ice cream or anything with tea and the boy’s attention is a guaranteed catch. All she had to do was weave along his love for ice cream. A joy she now shares but on a lower scale than her birdy friend. A fact that never fails to surprise her. Even to this day. The idea of a fire bird loving cold snacks. It still boggles her mind but that’s why she found him somewhat interesting to say the least.

But… there was honestly another reason towards her playing her hand. Aside from him convincing the taller raven head to bring back her roommate. The other reason being… Kiran’s own roommate Emmy. Say what you must, but the child is merely doing the Slime a solid by dragging her wayward roommate back.

Before… Emmy goes through the threat about a stove and a bird. She giggled, chuckling softly at the implied threat towards roasting the poor phoenix. That’s what he gets for leaving unannounced. He knew, they would worry but he still did it. By all rights she SHOULD let Emmy go through with plucking her friend but… the girl wasn’t without a single strand of mercy.

She still felt bad leaving him Emmy’s mercy but maybe if she convinced him to come back early that might pacify the Slime’s growing temper. “Well not like he doesn’t deserve it…” The girl sighed from her place on the couch. Two books neatly stacked on floor right next to her. That’s all she has to pass the time while she recovered. Her cousin had been absolutely livid when he saw her state. It’s no secret Bard’s protective nature towards family is high on his instincts but to see her normally relaxed cousin be riled up was… not a memory she wished to keep. Internally the girl flinched recalling the choice words her cousin had to say when he saw her bruises. Mayhap it was a damn good idea she was able literally skirt around the subject. For… their sake.

She’d… rather not deal with three bloody boys in her current condition. No that wouldn’t be so fun… but eventually her rest came to an abrupt end when three consecutive knocks sounded from her door. She was about to shout for them to come in until she remembered she locked her door. Well… that’s another downside to dorm life. Should she? She…didn’t bother mulling over her next action. It’s been decided for her. It’s rude to leave people waiting outside, common law in etiquette she was bound determine to follow through.

But she had been comfortable already. Another wince came too late to stop from her face as she moved her small frame out of the comfort of the couch. The action slightly ruffled the still healing wound on her side. But it’s been ‘ruffled’ all day long. She doubted another one would be any different. “Coming.. I swear Bard I---” She stopped mid speech once she pulled open the door. Instead of her cousin as she had expected… its. Kiran and Fang. Whoops, she blinked. Once was enough for her brain to catch up as her irritation shifted to a more gentle smile towards them.

“Heh…. You should have called Kiran. Might have saved you from nearly getting an earful.” She gently chastised her friend. Another word she wanted to say halted in favour to listening to the sudden apology rasping out of Fang’s mouth.

He…Talked?...

The apology hardly took her attention she was all but prepared to pet the boy and brush the entire thing aside but now. See how her eyes widened as the gears in her head swirled out of its shocked state? “You…talked?...” She said. Somewhat lamely before in a blink of eye her eyes brightened. “I knew you could do it!” She clapped her hand brightly. Completely…and utterly ignoring the fact this was the boy who placed her in her current state. But oh well, that’s how Nai is. She’s too much of a forgiving soul to those who mean every word they said in apology. “It’s alright… don’t worry about it. No one got hurt too badly. And I’m fine,” She softly said. Continuing in a much gentler tone before petting his head. “Besides it got you to talk right?” She chirped. Expertly veering the subject away from her injuries. “Also Kiran there’s ice cream in the kitchen just wait five minutes more the ice cream maker should be done by then.” She added towards her friend. At least this time she listened, instead of her normal Kimono she was dressed a bit modern. In a simple spaghetti strapped white Sunday dress and a pair of leggings. She..wasnt too thrilled with it. But its this or Bard threatening to add Aero into the conversation…She would rather not have BOTH of her twin cousins up in arms.

Bless whoever invented ice cream in the first place the knowing smile on Nai’s face as she succeeded on derailing the coming scolding from Kiran’s mind was apparent on the albino’s face as she stepped aside to let the two in. Success! The girl secretly cheered but her celebration was cut short when Kiran finally noticed how he has ice cream waiting for him. She had to make it, that itself was apparent as ice cream don’t grow on trees. Oh they ‘grow’ in grocery shops but that still takes the needed energy to go walk over to the main city where the shops resided. Energy that she hardly had and it was sinking into Kiran head instead of hers.

It tried on hers, but since she wasn’t listening common sense decided to pester the phoenix instead. And it succeeded as the following words Kiran uttered next was an exasperated scolding. Nai had the gull to look sheepish at being caught red handed in her defiance towards resting her body. Kami knows her body had been begging for it since the early morning. But Nai being Nai had issues with sitting still. To her it might as well be needles poking at her skin. The idea… of being ‘still’ never suited her.

It’s not as though she gave it a chance in the first place. Stillness reminded her so much of the time she couldn’t function as she wanted to. Her childhood illness not only robbed her of the joys of a normal child should experience but in a way it stole the thin veil guarding her childhood innocence. It made her more away of the pained look her mother often had whenever she fell ill. She didn’t want to remember that.

She wanted to remember them with their faces set on a smile not… the silent panic she got to know nearly half her short life. Ice cream… The girl’s attention shot back to the phoenix who was nearly done scolding her for her actions. “I’ll be fine…” She chuckled nervously. She gently waved her functioning arm in a bid to wave the white flag of defeat and placate the boy. For once huh? Tables got turned and she was on the receiving end of the phoenix she often scolded for being a reckless idiot. “I’ll be fine really… just a small nap and ill be fine.” She chirped right back? Didn’t this sound familiar to the raven bird? Of course it should! He’s been preaching it every time he came home injured to Emmy. “As for the ice cream…” She watched him flee to the kitchen to wait his treat… “I wouldn’t mind a small bowl if its okay…” She sighed softly. Yea… she harboured no such delusions that she can handle doing it one handed. Like how she didn’t know she manage doing all the cleaning one handed either. If either of the two boys notice the room was much cleaner aside from the small mess she has yet to take on due to her needing two working hands to move her bookcase up again.

From the corner of her eye she watched the silent red head. She was split between listening to him and the second half that wanted to help him fix her window. Let it be known, Nai wasn’t good with asking people for help. Kiran should have noticed it long ago but she hid it well enough to be subtle. “Fang-kun would you like some tea first before you deal with the window?” She didn’t bother stopping him. The guy was as stubborn as Kiran is that….and it was also her silent way of teaching him a lesson about destroying her window.

She has family. Contrary to what the two believed she had numerous people on campus whom she calls family. The problem is… her reluctance for asking their help. And for a good reason, her extended family… and her brother figure considers family up on the tier of importance. Not only did they value it but they’re also highly protective. Her cousin accidentally finding out… and the Naomi… promptly added to her growing headache of worries.

She knew from the years she’s been with them how their tempers can flare at the drop of a hat. To protect her clueless roommate from anything that might trigger him. She had to keep a low profile… the bad side that included her taking a day or two of absence… not that she wanted to. But it wouldn’t be productive for her to waddle around with day long vertigos and blood loss induced nausea.
No… perish the thought! She killed the one running around in her head. Too late to derail the entire train but she succeeded it peeling out the root of the cause in terms of causing her imagination to have another field day.

Speaking of which… it seems Kiran innocent ‘scolding’ came at a horrible time for the girl. The word ‘shirt’ and preserving it never really stuck on Kiran. The pointed look Fang tossed at him was replicated by the girl who gave her one as though silently judging him for his own mishap with his shirt. The ice cream in her hand chilled her skin as she stirred the spoon on it before taking a small bite. “Isn’t it…a bit too early to scold him about shirts Kiran-kun… I believe the term… ‘pot calling to kettle’ sounds about right at the moment.” She blandly drawled. Pointedly eyeing him with a sort of exasperated stare. He…. Generally shouldn’t be talking. Not when he lost his own army of shirts numerous times. If she recalled right, she found two of them… ONCE. The rest she didn’t know what happened to those anymore.

Right as she was about to point out more of his bad luck with shirts, Fang decided to listen to his birdy friend’s advice by shedding off his shirt, revealing the tight pecks hiding underneath the fabric. Nai… shut her mouth right after that. Shut it before it had a chance to blurt out the squeak trying to push its way out of her throat. “F-Fang I-I d-don’t t-think that’s a good i-idea!” she blurted out, face heavily flustered in a crimson flush. Nai’s a pure soul here! A pure innocent soul who hadn’t seen a naked person in her entire life except for her uncle. But that’s her godfather. He’s an adult this guy… Oh kami have mercy on her soul. Instinctively she covered her eyes before burying her face on a cushion. The same one she threatened to toss at Kiran just as he was fleeing from the mess he started. “Kiran you started this!” Gone was her prim mask and now she was well agitated enough to toss said pillow at the door right after Kiran left. Unfortunately for her the exertion it caused on her body brought up another wave of nausea. A subtle reminder she hardly had anything to eat that day. Dammit…

Food.. How silly she forgot about food. Waiting off the annoyance the girl took a shaky breath to steady her breathing before reluctantly starting the process of moving her injured body off the couch to prepare something to eat.

Did….he fear her? Kurenai might be weakened from her injuries. Wounds he caused by going berserk a few days ago but she was by no means blind to the long he has on his face. She couldn’t claim any expertise in reading people but she knew enough to notice the wary look Fang had on his face. A look that reads guilty in every aspect. She didn’t need to guess when his entire body language screamed it out in the open.

But why…?—The answer should have been obvious to the perceptive young albino. Her injuries… and him losing control was connected to how he was reacting now. Silly Fang… he apologized. To her that marked the end of that saga when he expressed his remorse. He approached, and the girl merely lifted the hand she held over her eyes to massage the minor headache she’s been nursing since earlier in the morning. Without bidding another word she moved her functioning arm to bid him to move closer. Once he was within reachable distance did she reach her arm over to pet the boy’s silken red locks. “You apologized already… don’t look too glum about it.” She chirped softly. The softness in her tone dimmed whatever annoyance it showed towards Kiran. The guy was long gone. Meaning the mask that had momentarily lost its grip was back up as she pretended casually that her slip up never happened.

Silly Nai… of course it happened. Fang’s earlier shocked reaction shot whatever denial she had bubbling at the back of her mind. But as long as Fang doesn’t point out her blunder then she was good. Fingers cross that’s the case, you never know when it comes to Fang these days. “I’ll be fine…” She repeated the exact same words she said to Kiran. “Though…if you honestly insist… I wouldn’t mind some tea… and maybe you helping me learn that old dead language that was our bargain now that you can talk.” She cheekily pointed out.

The scent of lemon bits stirred into a medley of herbs. The prominent one being mint stirred her senses right before Fang announced which tea be plucked from her collection. How could she not? When she recognized the herbal mixture of the tea she normally uses whenever she’s feeling under the weather. Which judging from her body is often enough that she keeps her supply well stock. But to smell the welcoming scent reminded her too well of the tea her brother sent her all the way from Hisakawa. If she recalled well, this is exactly the same tea she got from her brother. Funny how… even her older brother made it his job to keep HER supply well stock. “Arigato…” The girl gently thanked her roommate for the gesture. Her functioning arm reached for the offered cup just as she moved her body up to lean against the soft backrest the couch provided. “Aren’t you hungry though?...” She asked.

Now that he was thoroughly occupied away from the recent disaster of him flipping out Though not fully as she might have liked. Look around, her room was a constant reminder of the rage he accidentally let slip. From the ruined Kotatsu to the window still in the process of being fixed. One long look is all she needed to draw those conclusions. Anyone else would have drawn the same thoughts as she had.

Kurenai shushed off the thought. Preferring to push it back to the other end of her head until she had a need for need. For now she was content on pushing her attention towards her roommate. He still provided an excellent source of distraction for her. Not that he knew that, Nai wouldn’t tell him. Perish the thought! That was her little secret she’s allowed to keep from her skittish red headed roommate. “Did you and Kiran at least went to eat somewhere before you headed back here..” She continued, reluctantly drawing her stare towards the time hanging right next to her bedroom door. A few hours still four, yes she certainly missed the calls of lunch. The irked thought reached her, but she brushed it off as she did the numerous times she forgot about her own stomach. “I think I can make something real quick… if you give me a few minutes to collect my own head.” Sighed while she took a small sip of the calming tea Fang made for her.

“If not…well I think I still have to premade meals in the freezer.” She frowned. She had those for emergencies and now was one of those considering her lack of a functioning second hand. Unless Fang was willing to help cook… now while she didn’t mind him helping she wasn’t about to drop a man with zero kitchen knowledge straight into the bowels of it. “And since your going to uphold your bargain I guess we can start getting serious on my end as well. I still promised to teach you how to read and write… Just be warned I wont go easy on you anymore now that your talking.” Change of subject, change the subject! What a brilliant way to shift the focus away from a subject neither wanted to dabble on.

If it helps keeping him occupied and away from brooding about the past then she was willing to give him ways to occupy his thoughts away from the headache of his ‘temper tantrum’ a few days ago. Heh…she made a funny by calling his enraged chaos a temper tantrum… to be fair she had expected some form of trauma from his experience, PTSD has been started by less… a little trauma here…some unforgotten traumatic experiences there and presto! Instant PTSD.

Nai never truly expected her act of helping a poor injured boy would lead to her having a full time roommate she can fuss over. He might not like where her thoughts labelled him as but that was the blatant truth about his situation. If she didn’t offered her room then who knows where Kiran might have to put him in. Heaven forbid him lacking a place to house Fang would lead to the energetic bird having to drop out to care for his friend. Her act of offering her own hospitality came as the lesser of both evils. An evil she didn’t mind at all as Fang proved to be a welcome companion.

He’s quiet; he didn’t make a fuss or any sort of complains when she was caring for him and most of all he’s gentle enough to show gratitude. There was something about him that comforted her in a way that it reminded her of the peace she feels whenever she was home. Home… not in Mistere but back home within her ancient roots in Hisakawa. She was…strangely happy with the familiar feel his aura had.

That’s it. Home…. He felt familiar because Fang reminded her of home underneath the calm of a Sakura tree. The girl’s soft thoughts abruptly broke when she heard Fang call from the kitchen. To think she hadn’t shot him back for his attempted tease yet. The girl hid her urge to roll her eyes at the blatant subtle snark he had no qualms tossing her way. “Don’t be like that, as the old saying goes. If you want something then… working for it is the way to go… I’m sure you’d rather not be limited to a few books right?” She hinted knowingly using his love for reading as bribe to get him to agree. He already did, but she was adding further reason to motivate him. No one said… a few subtle motivations wasn’t effective. The girl internally chuckled softly at her internal jab at the teen. Pushing her body caused her to wince as the still settling wounds voiced their displeasure by aching as she moved her small frame off the couch. With that done, despite the wincing she had to endure the girl made the small trek over to the kitchen to save her technology oblivious roommate from further disaster.

The entire way Kurenai had to rely on the support given to her by leaning her weight against the wall. Tracing her hand on the creases lining the chosen wall paper she slowly but surely made her way over to her kitchen. “You should have asked first…” She softly chastised. Not out of anger but something akin to an older sibling gently scolding a younger sibling from nearly doing something he shouldn’t. “Lasagne huh?...” She switched subject, with one hand she bid him to place the pack on the oven. “Remember what I taught you before?...” She queried. Motioning to her previous lesson in how to use modern electronics whenever she wasn’t at home and he needed food. “See…it says 200 degrees? Just turn this dial until it says 200 and then place it in then wait for 20 minutes… once the top is brown then it’s done.” She explained as clearly as she could to the confused red head.

Oh right? His statement brought a quizzical eye centered at him. She taught him for a reason so he wouldn’t have to wait for her should he feels the need to eat while she’s tending to her classes. Being in college has her time wrapped completely around the proverbial education finger. Between classes and fussing over numerous other educational activities required to pass their specified courses. Lucky her…she had to be the high achiever in the family. Not only did she disregard any form of self-restraint but she had to also listen to her pride. It wasn’t enough she sacrificed any chances of her gaining a form social life between peers of her similar age but she went and gone for the theorical courses the academy offered.

Mainly around the studies of magic or within the scientific community… Mana/aether. People of different races have different terms for how they explain magic. While she wanted to know of the mysterious force that manifested at the end of the war. Causing the recent spur of mutations they took to calling ‘talents’ she was always keen on figuring out the origins of her ‘curse’ not that anyon else outside of family knew of her specific ‘issue’ aside from a two trustworthy people she adopted as her pseudo siblings.

Nai internally snorted. Adopted… heh, the girl jest. Knowing how her friends mind go it might have been the other way around. And it was them who adopted her into their fold. She already started with Tetsu… the dragon boy whom was the son of her old tutor. It was their joined tutoring under his own father that led to their impromptu friendship. Then we add a girl name Steph into the mix… Nai halted her own steps through memory road. To be specific it was Fang who snapped her right out of it by jabbing through the numerous buttons of her stove. She nearly called out to him to stop but as luck would have it, she stilled herself from doing exactly that.

If she stops him, how was he to learn? Kurenai internally argued with the part that worried for the broken boy. If she coddles him then… he was going to be dependent… She didn’t mind It, if she has to be honest she doesn’t mind the fact he might have to lean on her for a bit longer but what if…

No Nai. Don’t dare touch the subject! Unfortunately once she set a foot over to the forbidden corridor where she pushed the thoughts she didn’t want to think about there was no backing out. The dark side where the gravity of her situation resided. She believe that if she didn’t touch it, then she might remain oblivious to the blunt inevitable heading her way at full speed. Death never scared her… not when its been dangled over her head since she was a young child. She didn’t wish for it but she didn’t fear it either. It was natural way of life. Death and humans came hand in hand. For a species who knew the limitations of time… unlike the rest of her friends she knew well enough that her time in the world was a short stay.

What if…the day did come…? And Fang wasn’t ready? The question broke through what soft heart she has. Wringing through flesh like a heat treated dagger does to fresh meat. “See you did it.” She made her to compliment him on his small success with a small gentle smile. But that was only part one… he has to make sure their meal doesn’t burn through and cause the hidden fire alarm resting above the ceiling to trigger. She hoped it wouldn’t trigger…she had enough troubles explaining how her dorm got trashed to school officials. Thankfully… her uncle had been in a good mood to keep this well away from the ears of her family. It also helped that she foot the bill… by means she wouldn’t exactly say. But know its paid and done at the price of her poor wallet having a minor panic attack. But oh well…she’ll figure out someway to make it fat again… not that it was hardly difficult for her. She was taught by her godfather after all.

The girl’s thoughts derailed once more when her roommate’s perceptive gaze once more settled onto her small body. His gentle touch brought her purple gaze directly towards him as he started leading her back to the couch. It was a welcome gesture. One she was loathed to admit came at a lucky time when the aches and pains from her wounds were making her feet wobble at the strain of keeping herself up. “Thanks…” She gratefully took the offered support. Her dainty hand taking a hold of his strong arm. “I’m not that fragile… don’t worry too much.” The amused child chastised lightly. “Though I wont be against some form of help as long as you don’t over do it.” The girl added after some bit of thought and the added comfort of the couch once he helped her sit. Comfort at last.. her body was damn thankful for it just as thankful as her wounds were.