The Knights Himura

Once they'd grabbed some basic home supplies and ingredients, the two Knights headed back home to Shizuka's place. Somehow, the time had moved a lot quicker than either of them had anticipated, the sky now a deep orange by the time they returned.

They stumbled through the dark hallway again, shoving whatever they could into Shizuka's tiny fridge. Hopefully, it would keep things cool while Tsukiko got ready to cook. Tsuki turned the light on, but only a weak orange light turned on, leaving the kitchen still dark. She did what she could and stood before the stove with pots and pans at the ready, Shizuka sitting behind her.

"Alright, now that everything's settled, what can we make?" Tsuki turned back to Shizuka.

"I dunno, you're the chef." Shizuka replied.

"Hmm." Tsuki was annoyed by her answer.

Shizuka looked at her. "What're you thinking?"

"I… have no idea." Tsukiko admitted.

"What'd we buy?" Shizuka asked.

"The basics. Vegetables, meat, some spices… but I'm actually clueless." Tsuki stared at the bag.

"Just heat up some meat and vegetables, idiot." Shizuka laughed.

"C'mon, It's gotta be more effort than that!" Tsukiko reached into the bag.

"Why? It's food." Shizuka rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn't it be special?" Tsuki said. "It's our first time hanging out, right?"

Shizuka shook her head. "Having you here is special enough, ain't it?"

"But… Fine." Tsukiko gave up.

"Don't stress out, drinkin' buddy." Shizuka stood up.

"Ehh?"

Shizuka slithered over to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer. "Let's drink, pal."

"Nah, I don't wanna chop stuff drunk. That's an easy way to lose a finger." Tsuki reached for a knife.

"Your loss." Shizuka cracked open her beer.

Tsukiko started chopping some vegetables on an old cutting board. "Not gonna help?"

"Don't wanna slice a finger off." Shizuka held up her fingers and wiggled them. "Right?"

Tsuki groaned. "So that's how it is."

"Hey, you're lucky I didn't go back to my room. There's this show I've been meaning to watch." Shizuka smirked.

Tsukiko seasoned a piece of meat, then placed it on a hot skillet. "Maybe I should eat all your food then."

"Hey, I'm still here! I will sit here patiently and await my food like a good girl." Shizuka crossed her arms.

"Yeah yeah."

"I'm still surprised that someone like you visits such weird websites." Shizuka prodded.

"This again?" Tsuki worked on the food.

"It's suspicious." Shizuka declared.

Tsuki shrugged. "I get bored, okay?"

"What interests you?" Shizuka leaned back in a chair.

"Hmm… I usually read the games, TV and tech stuff. I laid off cuz no one really talks about anything worthwhile." Tsuki tried her best to cook and talk at the same time.

"That it?" Shizuka pressed.

"It's not worth talking about, is it?" Tsuki very carefully maneuvered the hot pans around.

"Oh, you're no fun." Shizuka whined.

Tsuki kept going just to keep her interested. "I stopped visiting it as often when I got closer to Fumiko."

"Closer?"

"We grew up side by side. We were friends, but not as close as we are nowadays." Tsuki sauteed vegetables.

"Nowadays you're lovers." Shizuka didn't bother to soften the blow.

Tsukiko stuttered. "I-I guess you can call it that."

"Don't worry, I don't judge." Shizuka rubbed her hands together.

"…before that, I was really really lonely." Tsuki stopped focusing on the food for a second.

"You keep saying that." Shizuka crossed her legs.

Tsukiko's voice got deeper for a moment. "Back then, I spent most of my free time online cuz I didn't really have anyone. That's why I feel kinda bad for you, Shizuka."

"Don't worry about me, I'm just a lost cause." Shizuka leaned back.

"You're not." Tsuki countered.

Shizuka opened her mouth to say something else before giving up. "Sorry."

"It got really really dark back then. That's why I'm here. I wanna cheer you up like Fumiko cheers me up." Tsuki seasoned the sizzling greens.

Shizuka responded awkwardly. "That's noble, I guess."

"…plus, I'm trying to chill out cuz I found a lead toward who stabbed Fumi." Tsuki added.

"Really?" Shizuka straightened up.

"Technically, only Sylvie knows." Tsuki sighed.

"How the hell's that supposed to work?" Shizuka leaned back again, complaining.

Tsukiko stirred the contents of a pan. "Code words or something. The Damascenes are weird like that."

"…is Fumiko really worth all this trouble?" Shizuka looked away nervously.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tsuki turned around.

"I don't know her, but… I did stuff like that for the guy I loved. He wasn't worth the trouble." Shizuka tried her best to look Tsuki in the eye.

Tsuki shook her head. "Fumi's never done anything wrong to me. She's always been loyal and even protective. She's a good person, trust me."

Shizuka seemed a bit nervous. "He got me out of my shell at first too… but then he got in trouble and I had to bail him. Then he started manipulating me, using me… hitting me."

"Hitting you? You of all people?" Tsuki scoffed.

"I let him." Shizuka looked away again.

"And this was--" Tsukiko didn't even finish her sentence.

"Fumiko's father. To think, she could've been your cousin." Shizuka shuddered.

Tsukiko shuddered too. "Don't even wanna think about it."

"Why? Cuz you're fucking your almost-cousin? Or cuz she'd most likely be the product of rape?" Shizuka's already rather weak filter completely faded.

"Please stop." Tsukiko gagged.

"You should tell her I'm the reason the bastard can barely walk." Shizuka joked.

"How?" Tsuki turned back to the food.

Shizuka laughed. "Heheheheh. He tried to get handsy with me. Aurelia'd been telling me to cut off ties, so I was already mad. He puts his hand where they aren't supposed to be and I break both his legs in several places."

"That's a bit much…" Tsukiko began plating her rather basic meal.

"In hindsight, I should've kept going." Shizuka made one of her hands into a fist. "...maybe I should've killed him."

Tsuki slid a plate of basic cooked meat and vegetables over to Shizuka. "You'd regret it."

"I could've gotten away with it." Shizuka took a bite. "Yep, that's it."

"What?"

"The food came out great." Shizuka gave her a thumbs up.

Tsukiko sat down in a chair next to her. "I'd hope so."

"You ever fight with Fumiko?" Shizuka spoke with her mouth full.

"Not physically… no." Tsuki played with her fingers.

"You guys ever fuck when you're angry at eachother?" Shizuka smiled.

"…sometimes." Tsuki sighed. "...is that what you really want to talk about?"

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Shizuka took another bite. "So, what do you guys fight about anyways?"

"Mostly petty stuff. We got stressed out and got into a huge argument after Mom and Haruka moved out." Tsuki stood up to get her own plate of food. "But that was… well, before everything."

"That's good." Shizuka nodded.

"Why's that?" Tsuki spoke as she put the finishing touches on her homemade meat plate.

"Cuz." Shizuka looked Tsuki in the eye. "You're equal. Neither of you controls the other."

"I guess." Tsuki walked back to her chair, taking a bite out of the meat.

"I don't know what he's like now, but Fumiko's dad was a real piece of shit." Shizuka took a sip of her beer.

"Still a piece of shit." Tsuki played with her food a bit before taking another bite.

"He isolated me. Blamed me for shit. Whenever he did anything bad to me, he'd say it was my own fault for making him do it. He tried to force me to get rid of the jacket and wear what he wanted me to wear. He tried to cut me off from Aurelia." Shizuka burped.

"Sounds about right." Tsuki put down her plate of meat and went to the fridge.

"That's just the half of it." Shizuka frowned.

"He stopped being so controlling though. Now he's just an annoying old man. He used to brag to my Mom and Dad over his shitty desk job. I scared him off though." Tsuki opened the fridge door and reached in.

"How?"

"One time, he took a swing at Fumiko. I put him through a table." Tsuki closed the door, cold beer in hand.

Shizuka nearly choked. "Hah, holy shit! Nice."

"After that, I had to teach Fumi how to defend herself." Tsuki opened the beer.

"I'd have never expected her to be a fighter."

Tsuki yawned. "Well, I didn't teach her that well. She can defend herself, but I don't think she can go around picking fights like I do."

"Why do you say that?"

Tsuki frowned. "She tried to fight to protect me once. It was kinda messy, but she won."

Shizuka sighed. "Y'know, I still think about Nakano sometimes. Sometimes, I feel like things could have been better if I tried to change him."

"Probably not. He's a real piece of shit." Tsuki took a sip of her beer. "Besides, things have worked out, haven't they?"

"I don't think I can handle much more loneliness." Shizuka spoke quietly.

"That's why I'm here." Tsukiko held out her hand.

"I don't wanna be a burden." Shizuka pushed her hand away.

"You're not a burden." Tsuki chuckled.

"Then what am I?" Shizuka's face was serious.

Tsuki took a deep breath. "A friend. An ally. My aunt. The First Knight…. You're family. I already feel closer to you than I do Mom and Dad."

"Really?" Shizuka asked.

"Quit trying to put yourself down. You're only trying to make yourself feel worse." Tsuki scolded her.

Shizuka quietly returned to eating. "…thanks."

"Sorry, that was cheesy." Tsuki smiled.

"I haven't heard genuine encouragement in a while. It feels nice. You're too good to me." Shizuka had a little grin on her face.

"I'm not trying to be. I'm just bein' myself." Tsuki awkwardly scratched her head.

"Yeah, but I feel like I don't deserve it."

"You can't stop me." Tsuki said.

Shizuka looked at her niece. "I never told you to stop. Call it a guilty pleasure."

"Stop being so stubborn."

"You first."

–

After they finished their meals, Shizuka dragged Tsukiko back down the hall to Shizuka's room. As they entered, Shizuka fell to her knees, then to the floor.

"You okay?" Tsuki stood over her.

Shizuka rolled a few times before stopping on her back, facing the ceiling. "Tired."

"We didn't do much." Tsuki kneeled down next to Shizuka.

"Tired." Shizuka yawned.

Tsukiko sat down next to Shizuka. "Gonna go to sleep?"

"Nah. It's like… back pain tired. Like I need to take a break, y'know?" Shizuka said.

"From what?"

Shizuka stared up at the ceiling. "Stressed."

"What're you stressed over?" Tsuki asked.

"Y'know, the usual. I've got a lot of things weighing me down right now." Shizuka stared blankly.

"Shame I can't sit down and solve 'em all in one night." Tsukiko sat down.

Shizuka's back cracked as she adjusted herself on the floor. "You really are tryin' to get in my pants, huh?."

"What?" Tsukiko turned quickly.

"Kidding. You're clearly dedicated." Shizuka laughed.

Tsuki sighed. "Good, I got worried for a second."

"Calm down, man."

"You're right…" Tsuki scratched her head.

Shizuka rolled over to check her computer monitor. "I think you and I'll be good friends after all."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're weird, stubborn too. I like that about you and your sister. I'm pretty stubborn myself, but you guys never give up." Shizuka stared at the screen.

Tsuki hesitated before speaking. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I won't ask why you stopped, but what's keeping you from being a Knight again?" Tsuki asked.

"I want to be a Knight again, it's just something that's… It's been so long." Shizuka didn't finish.

"And?"

"It's serious business, Tsuki. I know we all have our own reasons to be Knights, but in the end, the goal is the same. Protecting people is hard, and I don't know if I'm ready to make the leap." Shizuka frowned.

"What would you even lose?" Tsuki asked.

"I could lose a lot of things." Shizuka turned to her.

"Like what?"

"I could lose you, Haruka, I could lose my mind…" Shizuka played with her hands.

"So, why're you still wearing the jacket?" Tsuki countered.

Shizuka sighed. "You caught me."

"So…"

"Call me next time something big happens, alright?"

They both sat in silence, neither of them sure what to say next, neither able to keep the conversation going. Tsuki scanned the room as Shizuka leaned back, staring at the ceiling again. She noticed a small orange bottle, slowly approaching it to take a closer look. It had a white sticker with mechanical text pressed on it. The top had been broken and the cap was lying next to it, its contents spilled on the floor.

"…these are… Mom's pills?" Tsuki turned around.

Shizuka responded in monotone. "I tore something a while back and I asked your dad for something for the pain."

"Why not get them yourself?" Tsuki held the bottle up to her face.

Shizuka refused to turn to look at her, only scrolling up and down on the page she was reading. "Lazy."

"Why's the bottle smashed?" Tsukiko's voice grew darker.

"Cuz I threw it." Shizuka started biting her nails.

"Why?" Tsuki prodded.

Shizuka stayed quiet.

Tsukiko approached her. "What were these for?"

Shizuka ignored her again.

"This dosage is overkill. These are for surgery, what the hell were you doing with them?" Tsukiko towered over her.

"Don't worry about it." Shizuka lowered her head.

"I'm not an idiot, Shizuka." Tsuki kneeled down next to her.

Shizuka whimpered. "Then why bother me about it?"

Tsukiko sat down next to her. "Cuz it's scary."

"Yeah, well, shit happens." Shizuka's hand turned into a fist.

"That's not an excuse." Tsuki pushed against her excuse.

"…don't tell Haruka." Shizuka mumbled.

"Only if you promise to talk to someone next time. Call me, something, anything." Tsukiko demanded.

"...it was last year, alright? I'm… I'm better now." Shizuka turned off her computer's monitor.

"...sorry for making a big deal about it." Tsuki bowed her head.

"Just keep it between us, okay?" Shizuka turned around to look Tsuki in the eyes. "It's not my proudest moment."

"I will." Tsuki nodded.

Shizuka replied after a short silence. "You're awfully bright."

"Eh?"

"I didn't expect you to notice. I'm getting kinda sloppy." Shizuka laughed whenever things got awkward. "...that, or I'm getting lazier."

"...I've thought about it myself, you know?" Tsukiko admitted with guilt in her voice.

"You? Why?" Shizuka rolled over to look at Tsuki. "You can't die yet."

"I know that now. I wish I knew that earlier." Tsuki felt a strange pressure in her chest.

"You sure talk about that a lot." Shizuka narrowed her eyes.

"I just feel… good, knowing I'm somewhere better now." Tsuki smiled gently. "Or something like that."

"You're makin me feel worse." Shizuka shook her head.

"Am I?"

"Not really." Shizuka laughed again.

"Am I or am I not?" Tsuki was made uncomfortable by her vague answers. "I can't tell with you."

Shizuka rolled over and put her head on Tsuki's lap. "Can I sit like this?"

"What're you doing?" Tsuki fidgeted.

Shizuka looked up at Tsukiko. "I need a pillow."

"Uhhh." Tsuki paused. "Sure, fine."

"I really didn't expect you to spot it." Shizuka looked up at Tsukiko.

"You made it too obvious." Tsuki tried to remain cool in the strange situation.

"How?"

"I saw your bookmarks." Tsuki smirked.

"Huh? Damnit, you're right! I should really get rid of that." Shizuka trailed off.

Tsuki reassured her. "Nah, I don't snoop."

"Someone'll snoop sometime. I don't want folks to know what my fetishes are." Shizuka shuddered.

"What?"

Shizuka blushed. "I'll tell you what they are if you ask nicely."

Tsuki groaned. "Not that interested."

"Pat my head now." Shizuka demanded.

"No." Tsukiko looked down at her.

Shizuka whined. "What, was I bad?"

"What?"

"Would you rather do something else, then?" Shizuka suggested.

Tsukiko's hand immediately landed on Shizuka's head. "Creep."

Shizuka dragged a blanket over her body.

"What're you doing?" Tsuki shook her.

Despite her best efforts, Tsuki now had a grown woman sleeping in her lap.

"Goddamnit, Shizuka." The Third Knight groaned.

Tsuki was stuck, she couldn't move even a millimeter. She stopped patting Shizuka's head and gently tried to push her head onto the floor. Unfortunately, Shizuka stirred every time she tried to move her, and soon she was snoring. After a few more attempts, Tsuki successfully moved her head onto the floor.

"Stay…" Shizuka mumbled as her head touched the floor.

"Huh?"

"…there's pillows over there." Shizuka pointed at the wall, half awake.

Tsuki crawled over to where Shizuka pointed and pulled out a dresser from the wall, with a blanket and pillow inside.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" Tsuki whispered to herself.

Tsuki turned back to Shizuka, who now had a pillow under her head.

"Guess I'm sleeping on the floor…"

Tsuki laid down next to Shizuka, wrapping herself up in the plush blanket, and let her mind wander, reflecting on the day she'd had with Shizuka, before soon falling asleep herself.