Dreams of the Tempest

[Nayt]

Part of her wanted to rescind on the request for knowledge. That part was scared to death of this knowledge and what it could bring to this great piece of happiness she'd gained. Yet at the same time, a greater part desperately wanted to know. It was like sitting in a dark room, afraid that there was a monster there ready to eat you. You could hide your head under your blankets, shut your eyes tightly and turn away from it, or you could find a dim light with which to illuminate the room and display the monster where it stood-- knowing full well that you stood no chance against it, of course. It was a matter of accepting a surprise problem or looking it right in the face. Either way, the experience was equally as unnerving, but the latter was at least more comforting in the end.

Still clinging to her Cha stuffy, Akizetsumei whispered, "I promise . . ."

It wasn't Sarah, was it? Oh man, that'd be the worst. Akizets had nothing over Sarah! Eld could easily be swooned away and there'd be nothing Akizets could do about it. Or . . . was it Emily? Or Maya? She listed off Eld's personal friends, trying to guess on her own who it might have been. It had to be a friend of his, after all. Someone close. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a personal matter to him. Akizets couldn't help but start making guesses.

"I-- it's not Emily, is it?" Akizets asked meekly. That was another girl she couldn't dare to compete with. In fact, trying would have probably gotten her killed!

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld coughed loudly; he had been mildly worried she'd actually guess, but...that was not the right guess. Not by a longshot. It was in fact the least likely guess she could have possibly come up with within any amount of reason. That there was any reason to it at all should have probably clued him in on the fact that he seemed to have a problem with the whole interpersonal relationships with girls thing.

"No, nononono," he responded, emphatically shaking his head. "Definitely not." That was...kind of a frightening prospect, really. He liked Emily, he wished her the best, but of all the girls he knew well she was the one he'd never seen a possibility of a future with. She was a friend, and outside of one time when he'd been--well, if he ever told Akizetsumei about that, it would only be as a warning of why she should be careful about how much she drank.

"It's...umm....it was actually Etsu."

[Nayt]

"Oh," Akizetsumei replied with a sigh of relief.

So it wasn't Emily. That was good. Sarah, at the very least, wouldn't have tried to have Akizets offed for dating Eld or whatnot! And Maya? She was more interested in Toushikyo than she was Eld--which was really weird, because Eld was so much better of a person than Akizetsumei's brother. Really, Emily was the worst possible candidate. Not that she was a bad person or anything! It was just . . . it was easy to see her being conniving, that's all. Akizetsumei was about ready to make another guess-- Sarah --but before she had the chance, Eld elaborated on who this mystery person was.

And suddenly, her stomach dropped again.

"E-- Etsu . . .?" she meeped.

She hadn't even thought to guess Etsu . . . and probably because that was the worst possible scenario. Sarah, Maya, and Emily were not living with Eld. But Etsu? Etsu lived in the same house as Eld. They were very close, and though Etsu's demeanor could often be described as abrasive, she had this uncanny charm about her-- and-- and she was attractive, too! Like, really attractive! This . . . this was the worst thing that could possibly happen. Akizetsumei felt a horrible sinking feeling.

"Oh . . . oh man. Oh, no. Nononono," she whispered as she shut her eyes tightly and shook her head quickly. Suddenly, she felt the will to cry.

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld blinked, momentarily stunned by her reaction. She looked like the world was about to end. "A-Akizetsumei, what's wrong?" he asked, worry evident in his voice. He didn't know why Etsu's name would cause that much of a reaction.

Did she have some problem with Etsu, maybe? But they didn't know each other very well, and they'd seemed to get along just fine before. Or maybe that was the problem? Maybe now that she knew this she couldn't bring herself to like Etsu? No, that definitely didn't sound like something Akizetsumei would feel; she was too nice for that.

[Nayt]

"C-- 'cause-- 'cause she's . . . 'cause you're . . ." Akizetsumei whispered shakily, "Y-- you're in the same house and stuff, and-- oh maaaaan . . ."

The way she thought about it, Eld and Etsu were living in the same house together. This was extremely intimate, as far as Akizets was concerned, and really crossed the boundaries of comfort for her. After all, Eld and Etsu were really close. They were cousins, after all! The whole arranged marriage thing between cousins didn't actually bother her so much as the arranged marriage itself. After all, she wasn't raised in a traditionally Algerothian way. Where her family came from, intermarriage within a clan was kind of common, usually after a person was inducted into the clan; familial attachment was a purely emotional one, as outside folk could be brought in and treated as a member of the clan, so much that biological relation meant little. The Terra clan was just too small to promote inter-clan marriage, and her father wasn't keen on the idea, anyways.

But no matter! In fact, that whole train of thought was just stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! All it did was put a picture in her head of she and Toushikyo in marriage rites, and that just made Akizetsumei feel all that more despaired.

Akizetsumei looked up to him, teary eyed and still clutching her Cha stuffy to her chest. He had become her only comfort in this time of need.

"Y-- you're--" she whimpered, "You're not g-- gonna--"

Dump me for Etsu, are you? But Akizetsumei probably didn't need to say that. The way she looked up to him would probably convey that question enough.

[Zach Kaiser]

"A-Akizetsumei..." He could hardly blame her for being upset about the idea; after what happened on the camping trip, didn't she have some reason to worry? But that was behind him. He had no intention of repeating that incident and neither did Etsu.

Eld placed his hands on Akizetsumei's shoulders, and looked her in the eye no matter how much it pained him to see her upset because of him. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little confused about the whole thing with Etsu. But I'm not confused about how I feel about you."

He let his arms slide around her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm not about to run off with another girl, so don't worry. You're the one I want to be with."

[Nayt]

She was so terrified at first, scared to death that Eld was doubting his decisions and wondering if she was the right girl for him. Akizetsumei wanted to be the right girl for Eld. He was the right boy for her! But . . . but what if? That was the real killer. What if's cycled through her mind and stabbed her in the heart over and over again.

But then, when Eld leaned down, placed his hand upon her shoulders, and looked her in the eye. He said one of the most heart warming things she'd ever heard a boy tell her. Quickly, she lost the will to tear up. Her heart got all flighty and she felt a twinge around the corners of her lips-- a sudden urge to smile. Then, he hugged her, and she hugged him right back-- wrapped her arms around Eld's shoulders and held him tightly. He was so wonderful. She got down in the dumps about something so frivolous, and he was so sweet about it. Akizetsumei held onto him for a long time, leaning her head upon his shoulder and feeling content to just be held by him.

Months ago, she might not have felt it possible. She'd never imagined herself wanting to be held by a boy and enjoying the feeling of his warmth and comfort.

By the time she pulled away, Akizetsumei was blushing quite tremendously. She felt incredibly silly, going off the deep end about that and all. Who was she to doubt Eld, huh? He was so genuine and sincere-- she had no reason to doubt him. She had trouble making eye contact, averting her eyes from his nose to his chin, but ultimately forced herself to do it. She looked Eld in the eyes, leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, leaned back, and smiled bashfully. Hopefully, this would be enough to express her gratitude . . .

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld was surprised at the readiness with which Akizetsumei returned the embrace. With the way she feared he was going to go out with Etsu instead of her, he wouldn't have blamed her for hesitating and doubting his sincerity.

But she didn't, and when she pulled away he was blushing a little too, both because she always had the effect on him and because he wasn't sure he deserved that kind of trust. He would have to make sure he'd do his best to be worthy of it.

He smiled back at her, though he couldn't help but glance at the doorway. Gestahl's presence (even more than Toushikyo's) in the house made him extra aware of any displays of affection.

[Nayt]

Fortunately for them both, there didn't seem to be anyone behind them. In fact, no one was upstairs. Everyone else was downstairs, and more than likely, they'd hear the creaking of steps before anything else--giving them more than enough time to separate and make everything kosher again. Yes indeed, Akizetsumei was well aware of the problems that could result from her father seeing she and Eld so close to each other. More specifically, he'd probably throw Eld out of the house and ensure that Akizets can never see him again.

With no one behind them, Akizets felt perfectly comfortable with leaning into Eld's chest again. He was warm! There was no problem in taking some of his warmth! She was just so willing to do this for a little while if given the opportunity--and she kind of was.

There inevitably came a sound behind them, though. "Ahem!"

Akizets let out an "eep!" before practically leaping back, clinging to her Cha doll, and leaning over to look past Eld. What followed was a great sigh of relief. What she saw was her mother-- someone who apparently got up the stairs without her noticing! But she had a coy set of smile across her lips.

"Dinner's ready," she proceeded to say sweetly.

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld embraced Akizetsumei without hesitation. With everyone downstairs he figured they'd hear anyone coming long before they appeared in the doorway, even if his back was facing it. Unfortunately, this assumption proved to be a completely false one.

He only just managed not to jump when he heard the voice from behind him, though the hair stood up on the back of his neck even as Akizetsumei put some distance between them. Looking over his shoulder, he bashfully regarded Katalyna. "T-Thanks," he replied, trying not to look embarrassed and failing miserably. At least she didn't seem upset or anything; hopefully that meant she'd keep this to herself.

It was kind of funny, when he stopped to think about it. He was used to stressing about being caught doing things far beyond hugging, and yet he usually didn't worry even this much. Then again, he'd never dated anyone who had Gestahl for a father, either.

After taking a few moments to compose himself so that he wouldn't look guilty emerging from the room, he turned to his girlfriend. "Shall we?" he asked, motioning to the door.

[Nayt]

"Mhmm!" Akizets nodded enthusiastically.

She stood up quickly and took Eld's hand-- though, she let him go once they were near the stairs. She didn't want her dad seeing her and Eld holding hands. That would've just . . . well, she really had no idea what'd happen, but she figured it'd be bad! They were just lucky it was Akizetsumei's mother that caught them hugging!

Downstairs, Katalyna (who went down before Eld and Akizets) was helping with setting the table. Toushikyo, with mits upon his hands and an apron around his waist, carried in a rather hefty pot of stew, which he-- after his mother set a towel down for it --set upon the middle of the table. Toushikyo promptly removed the mits and apron, both of which he disliked greatly. He wore beneath a buttoned up jacket, slacks, and warm socks. It was a bit too cold in the house for him. Every place was a bit too cold for him, though.

Soon, though, he caught eye of Eld, having just descended the stairs and standing by Akizetsumei's side, who was waiting for everyone to be seated before she picked a place for she and Eld to sit. There was naturally only one thing Toushikyo noticed about Eld.

"Butterflies?" he called from across the room, his tone both incredulous and highly judgmental.

[Zach Kaiser]

Walking down the stairs, Eld was glad that for the most part focus wasn't on him but on finishing the preparations for the dinner. He hoped this would be more about the Terra clan getting to know him than him being put on trial and judged. Of course, some scrutiny was to be expected, but with any luck he'd answered Gestahl's questions well enough that the meal itself would be stress-free.

Of course, there was always going to be resistance from Toushikyo no matter what he did. This had been true before he started dating Akizetsumei and was likely only going to get worse from here on out.

In fact, he was so worried about comments about them as a couple that it took him a moment to realize exactly what Toushikyo was ragging on him about. He looked down at what he was wearing before turning back to his friend. "Nature is a common theme for kimonos," he said evenly. He wanted to avoid getting into an argument with him in front of his parents.

[Nayt]

"I'm sure there are less . . . flamboyant aspects of nature out there," Toushikyo replied flatly.

By that point, Akizetsumei was getting a little flustered. Eld might not have been willing to counterattack, but she certainly was. This was her house and her family, after all! They'd already heard her shouting and screaming at Toushikyo in the past. It would certainly be no big surprise to them if she did right now! Of course, she wasn't going to shout at him, but something to shut him up would certainly have been nice.

Fortunately, she didn't need to do any such thing.

"Oh hush, Toushikyo," Katalyna said as she rounded the table to stand behind her son. She placed her hands upon Toushikyo's shoulders and looked to Eld and Akizets with a smile. "I think he looks very handsome."

There wasn't much Toushikyo could respond to. Defeated by his mother's kindness and sincerity, as many had in the past, he frowned and took a seat. Gestahl soon took a seat at the end of the table, a subtle dining position for the head of the household. Katalyna took a seat at his left, directly across from Toushikyo, who (begrudgingly) sat by Oboreru. That left two chairs by Katalyna for Akizets and Eld.

[Zach Kaiser]

"T-Thank you." The timely compliment meant it was difficult to tell if he blushed from it or Kyo's comment. Really, he didn't think his outfit was particularly flamboyant. The butterflies were a deep violet; the entire outfit was dark, and in poor lighting the pattern would be difficult to make out at all. But Kyo would take any opportunity to take a shot at him.

He sat down a seat away from Katalyna, letting Akizetsumei sit by her mother. It only seemed appropriate.

As much as he wanted to dig in (though he was a little worried about Toushikyo being in the kitchen), he waited, glancing at Gestahl. He didn't want to get ahead of himself in case the Terra clan had any kind of ritual, religious or otherwise, that proceeded a meal, like Maya's family "saying grace."

[Nayt]

Already laid out upon the table was a large bowl of salad-- assorted greens with a light vinegar-esque dressing. Katalyna did little more than chop the ingredients, of course. Toushikyo took care of the rest. It was honestly for the best. Suffice it to say, Katalyna had once before managed to make salads venomous.

There was a bit of a ritual in their house: the head of the clan ate first. Thus, Gestahl was first to reach over, pour beef stew into his bowl, and gathered a heaping portion of salad upon his plate. Then, it continued down the line of importance to the clan: Katalyna got her food next (whilst Gestahl began to eat). If the clan-based mentality of their culture weren't so ancient, there'd be no way of dealing with the children. Instead, when two members of the clan were equally as valuable, the elder ate first. Toushikyo refrained from the stew and instead got for himself a heaping pile of salad, twice that of everyone else's, Akizets got a little more salad than stew, and Oboreru loaded up on as much stew as possible with minimal greens. Then there was Eld, and that was a completely different--

"Ummmm," Akizets looked over at her mother, "What am I supposed to do, now? Ummm-- make Eldridge's plate, I think?"

Katalyna nodded her head. "You usually serve your suitor, yes."

"Okay!" Akizets chimed, then gently took Eld's bowl and plate and dished out fairly balanced portions for him. By that point, everyone but Akizets and Eld were eating. "Umm, there you go~."

Complicated though it may have been, the whole thing ran like clockwork, and really wasn't anything they paid much mind to. There were a number of small rituals like that in their household, which was all fairly normal where they came from, but particularly alien to the regular folk of Hillcrest. Those small rituals all had meaning and purpose, though. Because theirs was a small clan, it didn't seem to matter, but if their clan was ten times as large? Each one of those rituals were beaten into them simply because they were the best possible means to maintain balance and order in a clan of any size.