(no subject)
Title: Shards (Formerly knows as Blood Covered Rose of White, but I thought that was kinda long for everyday stuff...)
Author/Penname:Kainasilverbane
Rating: PG-13
Chapters: 2 (WIP) (EDITED!)
Pairings: FujitakaxKaho
Summary: Kaho's back, Tomoyo is being...Tomoyo...and Kero's covered in berries? Sticky!!!!
Warning, Notes: Bloody at some points
Link to previous chapter http://community.livejournal.com/reviewers_inc/2149.html#cutid1
Disclaimer: Yeah...wallet empty
Chapter 2
Kaho awoke again, though this time it was less unfamiliar, but she had to remind herself as to where she was. A presence next to her made her look behind her and to her left to see Fujitaka sitting on the adjoining couch reading.
“Sleep well?” He asked without even looking up.
“Better than I have in a long while I can assure you,” Kaho said.
“Sakura and Tomoyo washed and mended your clothes,” Fujitaka pointed to the folded clothes sitting on the coffee table.
“Wha…?” Kaho found the sweater and jeans she had been wearing folded neatly next to her, then a thought occurred to her and she looked down to see what she was wearing. It was an overly large and very long white men’s shirt and she looked over at Fujitaka with a disturbed face.
“Hey I didn’t do it!” Fujitaka defended himself in good humor, trying to hide behind his book, “Sakura and Tomoyo did it while you were half asleep when we brought you back. I’m assuming you don’t remember…?” Kaho shook her head, “All right, I swear I didn’t touch you…wasn’t even in the room…”
“I believe you, sorry for assuming you’d done something,” Kaho said.
“Kero get away from that!” Shouted a voice from the kitchen that could have only been Sakura.
“I just wanted a taste…” was the little Kero’s reply.
“It’s not yours, it’s for Dad’s Christmas party at the University,” Sakura told him firmly. “Here, come with me and Tomoyo to the store so we can pick up what we couldn’t earlier and we’ll get you something sweet while we’re there. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds good to me!” Kero said happily.
“All right let me just tell Dad,” Sakura said as she slid open the adjoining door. “We’re going to the store Dad, and welcome back the world of awake people Ms. Mitsuki.”
“She’s awake? I want to say hello,” came Tomoyo’s voice from behind Sakura and the door opened more to reveal a grown Tomoyo. She was taller than Sakura by a few inches and her long black hair was swept back in a simple ponytail. “Hello Ms. Mitsuki, I heard what happened, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Yes I’m all right, and it’s good to see you too. You and Sakura have both grown since the last time I saw you.” Kaho smiled at both of the girls. “Thank you for mending my clothes for me too Tomoyo.”
“Oh you’re very welcome, I still can’t believe how much blood I got out of them,” Tomoyo said, her gaze turning worried. “I really do hope you don’t have to go through that again.”
Kaho pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them, “Although I’d love to nurse that hope as well, I know it’s useless. This will be going on for a lot longer than I wish it to.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Tomoyo frowned.
“You’d best hurry there and hurry back, I don’t want you to run into Eriol if you can avoid it,” Fujitaka said.
“It’s why we’re taking Kero,” Sakura said, “And the Cards.”
“Don’t!” Kaho shook her hear quickly. “If you have any need to use them other than to defend yourself against Eriol he will automatically find you through the Cards magical signatures. I’d hate to tell you to go out without them, but it’s almost safer to do so. He won’t kill you yet, but he finds pleasure in attacking people Eriol knows.”
“They should be fine, Kero will be with them,” Fujitaka said, “I know he will be protective when he needs to, under all that food want.”
“Did you hear that, you father said auf-,” Kero started to say, but had his head stuffed back into Sakura’s purse.
“Feeding the unwanted fire Dad,” Sakura said as she closed her purse.
“Sorry,” her father smiled warmly at his daughter. “Be careful and stay together.”
“We will,” Sakura assured him before she and Tomoyo left the room.
“Think they’ll be alright?” Kaho asked.
“They will be fine,” Fujitaka replied. “So…would you like to take a shower?”
“Yes!” Kaho nearly lunged at him with glee as they both got up and left the room and Fujitaka laughed heartily.
OOOO
“How long do you think Ms. Mitsuki will be staying with you?” Tomoyo asked as she and Sakura walked down the street.
“I’m not sure,” Sakura answered. “When she woke up the first time she said she didn’t even want to stay in Tomoeda for fear of letting Eriol get close to Dad and me. I guess she doesn’t want us to get hurt.”
“She is a very caring person to think of you both like that,” Tomoyo smiled at her best friend.
“I’m sure you are also included in the worry too Tomoyo,” Sakura pointed out. “I’m sure she didn’t mention you because you weren’t in her line of sight. She seemed to be working off the very basics by the time we got her to our house, almost like she had a fever.”
“Or she was merely plain exhausted,” Tomoyo simplified. “If what I’m guessing is true, she’s been on the run for quite some time.”
“You’re probably right,” Sakura nodded in agreement as they walked into the store. “I really don’t know what to do once she leaves, I don’t know where she’ll go or how she’ll defend herself.”
“Is there any reason why she can’t stay with you and your father?” Tomoyo asked. “I know something went on with your brother and Ms. Mitsuki many years ago, but now that he’s away at college there won’t be any tension in the house if she stays for a while.” She showed Sakura some raspberries to see if they were good enough for the tarts her father was making, and for Kero’s mooching.
“Those look good,” Sakura nodded, “And about her staying…I’m not sure. We don’t have any spare rooms unless she uses Toya’s room while he’s gone, but I’m not sure she’d agree to doing that.” She absently picked up the eggs and crust ingredients they needed as she thought about it. “She could sleep in the living room…we only really use it when we have guests over, and we don’t ever have many of those anyways, so there may be no harm in that.” She sighed as they walked over to the check out lines, “I’ll probably just have to talk it over with my father and see what he thinks.”
“I’m sure he’d agree on having her stay,” Tomoyo said. “You’re father is very kind. I do believe it is where you get you wonderful kindness from as well Sakura.”
“Tomoyo…” Sakura mumbled as the woman at the check out stand rang up her total.
OOOO
“We’re home!” Sakura shouted her usually greeting as she entered the house with Tomoyo.
“We’re in the living room!” Fujitaka called, “Could one of you come in here a minute and give me a hand please?”
“I need to put these groceries away, can you help him Tomoyo?” Sakura asked.
“Sure,” Tomoyo said as she continued down the hallway to the living room. When she entered the living room she gasped at what she saw.
“It’s all right Tomoyo, it looks more gruesome than how it feels,” Kaho assured her as Fujitaka was cleaning a large cut on her right arm that had opened up and was bleeding freely.
“Oh my…” Tomoyo said as she hurried over. “What do you need me to do to help?”
“Just hold the towel here to catch the blood while I try to close it again,” Fujitaka answered, “Unfortunately I’m not skilled enough to bring enough power up into one hand yet so I need to use both to be effective. Having contact with the injured flesh only helps me so much.”
“Of course,” Tomoyo nodded and changed places with Fujitaka, helping hold Kaho’s arm motionless as he began to heal it as much as she could.
Kaho studied Tomoyo as Fujitaka worked. For a girl who never came in contact, or ever should have to, with blood, she was acting perfectly calm. Kaho smiled, almost nothing wavered the girl.
“All right Tomoyo that should be good,” Fujitaka said as he took his hands away and gathered up a roll of gauze and bandages and began rewrapping the wound.
“Is everything all right?” Sakura asked as she walked into the living room.
“Just had a wound reopen from water exposure,” Fujitaka said, “Nothing major.” He finished wrapping Kaho’s arm, then walked into the kitchen in time for the timer to go off on the tarts.
“Water exposure?” Sakura was confused.
“I took a shower…” Kaho muttered.
“Oh…” Sakura began to giggle, “All that fuss over the outcome of a shower.”
Kaho chuckled along with her, “Yes, but unfortunately I’m still living in one of your father’s shirts, the wound opened up as I was pulling on my sweater…”
“And after I finally got all the blood stains out,” Tomoyo hung her head.
“Sorry Tomoyo…” Kaho apologized.
“It’s all right,” Tomoyo said as she heard the phone ring and Fujitaka pick it up. “I guess it couldn’t be helped.”
“What?!” Fujitaka’s surprised voice burst from the kitchen. “Where to? How many people? That many?! Oh…good…yes…yes I know the protocol for this kind of party. Yes…yes I’ll see you on Saturday.” The sound of the phone being hung up and Fujitaka’s exasperated sigh floated into the living room.”
“Wonder what happened,” Sakura said as she started inching her way towards the kitchen.
“I’m not going to eat you Sakura,” Fujitaka said as his daughter peered into the kitchen. He was topping the little tarts with raspberries as though the phone call had never happened.
“Um…who called?” Sakura asked.
“One of my colleagues,” Fujitaka answered. “He informed me that the party had been moved to a high class hotel ballroom because the board of every university around Tomoeda will be there. We had forgotten that this year was our turn to host the large gathering…instead of just a small local one like every college does.”
“Do you have to make more stuff?” Sakura asked, eyes beginning to bug out of her head as Tomoyo and Kaho came up behind her to peer into the kitchen as well.
“No, what the culinary teachers and I have made will be incorporated with whatever is being catered in,” Fujitaka answered. “So I’m just going to finish these up and say that’s enough.” He sighed as he finished and plopped the rest of the berries in a colander to wash all at once. “Now I just have one final problem…”
“What’s that?” Sakura asked as she walked into the kitchen and pulled a bowl out of the cupboard to put the berries in.
“It’s part of protocol at these kinds of parties to bring a…ah…guest or friend with you that is not apart of the work force,” Fujitaka answered. “Most people just bring their spouses or older children, and if it weren’t for the fact that you and Tomoyo have rehearsal all of Saturday, I’d have you to bring. My problem is all the rest of my friends work at the University or it’ll be too short notice for them to get down here for the weekend.”
“What’re you going to do?” Sakura asked as she took the colander from her father and shook it to get the excess water off of them.
“I’m not sure,” Fujitaka said. “ I could just go alone, but that’s a little looked down upon, and I’d get teased.” He smiled at that, “I can handle the teasing, but being looked down upon by my superiors isn’t something I’d like to be done to me.” He sighed, “I’ll think of something.”
“I know you will,” Sakura said as she sprinkled sugar on the berries that she had put in the bowl and set them on the table. Kero instantly dove in and it took a few moments before they could get him fished out. “You’re a sanitary hazard when you do that…”
“Hey I’m clean,” Kero defended himself.
“Yes, but you’re still a fuzzball,” Kaho muttered in humor.
“What’d you call me?” Kero asked indignantly as he fluttered over and began to change into his true form.
“Class one fuzzball, you,” Kaho pointed at him, not even moving when Kerberos stood snarling before her. Actually, out of all of the things she could have done, she started snickering.
“What’s so funny?” Kero asked as he started to hear sniggering sounds from behind him.
“My apologies, please, allow me to rephrase what I had just previously stated,” Kaho tried to hold a straight face while keeping up such formal speech.
Kero was wary, “You may…?”
“My apologies oh Great Sticky Kerberos,” Kaho said calmly, but the roaring laughter behind Kero killed off the taunting atmosphere quickly.
“That’s bett-wait! Sticky???” Kero was puzzled, then looked back at himself and blanched. As little Kero he’d become sticky with raspberry juice, but since his fur was longer in his true form, it had become matted and sticky in various large chunks all over his body, including his wings and tail plume. He immediately resumed his disguise, and with a disgruntled noise, disappeared to the bathroom. By then they were all laughing so hard they had taken refuge sitting at the table.
“Okay, that was very good,” Fujitaka commended Kaho on her teasing as he lifted his head from where it had rested on the table and reached over and fished a berry out of the bowl.
“You really gonna eat that after Kero’s been wallowing in it?” Sakura asked.
Fujitaka leaned his head back against the top of the chair and laughed as he bit into the berry, a surprised squeak erupted next to him as he did so. He look over in surprised to find Kaho rubbing berry juice out of her right eye. “Oops, sorry about that.”
Kaho scowled playfully at him before taking a raspberry and hooking the hollow end of it on the tip of his nose, then squished it, letting berry juice drip down his face like he had a nose bleed.
“Hey!” Fujitaka shouted in surprise at the quick revenge she had taken, wiped the berry remains away with his hand and made to smear it on her face.
All the while Sakura and Tomoyo watched the two, then faced each other with devilish grins. Tomoyo spoke up first, “Um, forgive me for possibly suggesting something Mr. Kinomoto, but why don’t you take Ms. Mitsuki with you to the party?”
Both adults stopped their berry war and stared at Tomoyo. Fujitaka then looked over at Kaho, seeing what she thought.
“What? I can’t! I…” she tried to think up a good excuse other than she didn’t know anyone there. “Do you really want me to wear jeans and one of your shirts?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Tomoyo said with a smile.
Kaho looked at her, puzzled for a moment, then she sweat-dropped, “Oh, yes, I forgot who I was talking to for a moment…”
“Would you like to come with me?” Fujitaka asked politely.
Kaho gave him a small smile, “Sure.”
“Thank you,” Fujitaka grinned widely and stuffed a berry in her mouth. Kaho tried to make a startled noise, but it didn’t get passed the rather large berry. She chewed it and swallowed, shuddering.
“What? Sour one?” Sakura asked.
“No, overwhelmingly sweet,” Kaho answered. “I haven’t had anything like that in a while.”
“When was the last time you ate anyways?” Fujitaka asked.
Kaho thought for a few minutes, then hit her head on the table, “I know I ate something on Monday…what was it…?”
“You last ate on Monday?!” Sakura asked.
“I think so…” Kaho pondered.
“But it’s Thursday!” Sakura shouted.
“Really?” Kaho was genuinely surprised.
“Yes!” The other three shouted and Kaho set her head on the table and covered it with her arms.
“I’ll make us all some lunch…” Fujitaka said as he stood up and walked over to the refrigerator, “Monday…” he shook his head.
“Sorry…staying alive kind of overrode eating,” Kaho mumbled.
“Are you hungry now?” Sakura asked.
“Not really,” Kaho answered
“She will be when she starts to smell food,” Fujitaka said as she started pulling things out of the fridge.
“While we’re waiting, would you mind of we went into the living room so I can take your measurements?” Tomoyo asked as she pulled a textile tape measure from her purse.
“Only you would carry a tape measure around in your purse Tomoyo,” Kaho said as she stood in answer to the girl’s request. Once there though Kaho found herself being measure in every way possible, in every place! By the time the young girl was finished writing everything down the woman felt only a little violated and very much wishing to tie Tomoyo up with her own tape measure.
“Now, what color should it be,” Tomoyo stood back and studied the woman. “White would work well on you, but that’s just asking someone to walk by with red wine and spill it.” Sakura chuckled when that was said. “Hm…something about your complexion right now deters me from gold.”
“You mean my wonderful alabaster dead skin tone?” Kaho asked smartly.
“Mm, yes, you need to eat and sleep more,” Tomoyo smartly replied. “How about a nice rich scarlet?” She and Sakura obtained their devilish grins again.
“Th-that might be taken the wrong way,” Kaho stuttered.
“I suppose you’re right,” Tomoyo still held her grin as she studied the woman for a little longer. “How about a nice vibrant emerald green?” Sakura nodded in agreement and Kaho did the same, hoping it would appease the girls enough for the moment. It appeared to as they both started babbling about what type of fabric Tomoyo would use as they walked upstairs to Sakura’s room.
Kaho watched them go from the doorway of the living room and sighed in relief. She turned around to head back to the kitchen and hopefully some less energetic company, but was startled to find a sandwich shoved into her mouth.
“Lunch time,” Fujitaka smiled at her as he handed her her plate with the other half of the sandwich on it. He waited for Kaho to bite off some of the sandwich and chew before asking, “Scared yet?” He laughed as she nodded while she swallowed and took another bite.
OOOO
Been edited, but please point out anything that's been missed! ^_^
Author/Penname:Kainasilverbane
Rating: PG-13
Chapters: 2 (WIP) (EDITED!)
Pairings: FujitakaxKaho
Summary: Kaho's back, Tomoyo is being...Tomoyo...and Kero's covered in berries? Sticky!!!!
Warning, Notes: Bloody at some points
Link to previous chapter http://community.livejournal.com/reviewers_inc/2149.html#cutid1
Disclaimer: Yeah...wallet empty
Chapter 2
Kaho awoke again, though this time it was less unfamiliar, but she had to remind herself as to where she was. A presence next to her made her look behind her and to her left to see Fujitaka sitting on the adjoining couch reading.
“Sleep well?” He asked without even looking up.
“Better than I have in a long while I can assure you,” Kaho said.
“Sakura and Tomoyo washed and mended your clothes,” Fujitaka pointed to the folded clothes sitting on the coffee table.
“Wha…?” Kaho found the sweater and jeans she had been wearing folded neatly next to her, then a thought occurred to her and she looked down to see what she was wearing. It was an overly large and very long white men’s shirt and she looked over at Fujitaka with a disturbed face.
“Hey I didn’t do it!” Fujitaka defended himself in good humor, trying to hide behind his book, “Sakura and Tomoyo did it while you were half asleep when we brought you back. I’m assuming you don’t remember…?” Kaho shook her head, “All right, I swear I didn’t touch you…wasn’t even in the room…”
“I believe you, sorry for assuming you’d done something,” Kaho said.
“Kero get away from that!” Shouted a voice from the kitchen that could have only been Sakura.
“I just wanted a taste…” was the little Kero’s reply.
“It’s not yours, it’s for Dad’s Christmas party at the University,” Sakura told him firmly. “Here, come with me and Tomoyo to the store so we can pick up what we couldn’t earlier and we’ll get you something sweet while we’re there. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds good to me!” Kero said happily.
“All right let me just tell Dad,” Sakura said as she slid open the adjoining door. “We’re going to the store Dad, and welcome back the world of awake people Ms. Mitsuki.”
“She’s awake? I want to say hello,” came Tomoyo’s voice from behind Sakura and the door opened more to reveal a grown Tomoyo. She was taller than Sakura by a few inches and her long black hair was swept back in a simple ponytail. “Hello Ms. Mitsuki, I heard what happened, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Yes I’m all right, and it’s good to see you too. You and Sakura have both grown since the last time I saw you.” Kaho smiled at both of the girls. “Thank you for mending my clothes for me too Tomoyo.”
“Oh you’re very welcome, I still can’t believe how much blood I got out of them,” Tomoyo said, her gaze turning worried. “I really do hope you don’t have to go through that again.”
Kaho pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them, “Although I’d love to nurse that hope as well, I know it’s useless. This will be going on for a lot longer than I wish it to.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Tomoyo frowned.
“You’d best hurry there and hurry back, I don’t want you to run into Eriol if you can avoid it,” Fujitaka said.
“It’s why we’re taking Kero,” Sakura said, “And the Cards.”
“Don’t!” Kaho shook her hear quickly. “If you have any need to use them other than to defend yourself against Eriol he will automatically find you through the Cards magical signatures. I’d hate to tell you to go out without them, but it’s almost safer to do so. He won’t kill you yet, but he finds pleasure in attacking people Eriol knows.”
“They should be fine, Kero will be with them,” Fujitaka said, “I know he will be protective when he needs to, under all that food want.”
“Did you hear that, you father said auf-,” Kero started to say, but had his head stuffed back into Sakura’s purse.
“Feeding the unwanted fire Dad,” Sakura said as she closed her purse.
“Sorry,” her father smiled warmly at his daughter. “Be careful and stay together.”
“We will,” Sakura assured him before she and Tomoyo left the room.
“Think they’ll be alright?” Kaho asked.
“They will be fine,” Fujitaka replied. “So…would you like to take a shower?”
“Yes!” Kaho nearly lunged at him with glee as they both got up and left the room and Fujitaka laughed heartily.
OOOO
“How long do you think Ms. Mitsuki will be staying with you?” Tomoyo asked as she and Sakura walked down the street.
“I’m not sure,” Sakura answered. “When she woke up the first time she said she didn’t even want to stay in Tomoeda for fear of letting Eriol get close to Dad and me. I guess she doesn’t want us to get hurt.”
“She is a very caring person to think of you both like that,” Tomoyo smiled at her best friend.
“I’m sure you are also included in the worry too Tomoyo,” Sakura pointed out. “I’m sure she didn’t mention you because you weren’t in her line of sight. She seemed to be working off the very basics by the time we got her to our house, almost like she had a fever.”
“Or she was merely plain exhausted,” Tomoyo simplified. “If what I’m guessing is true, she’s been on the run for quite some time.”
“You’re probably right,” Sakura nodded in agreement as they walked into the store. “I really don’t know what to do once she leaves, I don’t know where she’ll go or how she’ll defend herself.”
“Is there any reason why she can’t stay with you and your father?” Tomoyo asked. “I know something went on with your brother and Ms. Mitsuki many years ago, but now that he’s away at college there won’t be any tension in the house if she stays for a while.” She showed Sakura some raspberries to see if they were good enough for the tarts her father was making, and for Kero’s mooching.
“Those look good,” Sakura nodded, “And about her staying…I’m not sure. We don’t have any spare rooms unless she uses Toya’s room while he’s gone, but I’m not sure she’d agree to doing that.” She absently picked up the eggs and crust ingredients they needed as she thought about it. “She could sleep in the living room…we only really use it when we have guests over, and we don’t ever have many of those anyways, so there may be no harm in that.” She sighed as they walked over to the check out lines, “I’ll probably just have to talk it over with my father and see what he thinks.”
“I’m sure he’d agree on having her stay,” Tomoyo said. “You’re father is very kind. I do believe it is where you get you wonderful kindness from as well Sakura.”
“Tomoyo…” Sakura mumbled as the woman at the check out stand rang up her total.
OOOO
“We’re home!” Sakura shouted her usually greeting as she entered the house with Tomoyo.
“We’re in the living room!” Fujitaka called, “Could one of you come in here a minute and give me a hand please?”
“I need to put these groceries away, can you help him Tomoyo?” Sakura asked.
“Sure,” Tomoyo said as she continued down the hallway to the living room. When she entered the living room she gasped at what she saw.
“It’s all right Tomoyo, it looks more gruesome than how it feels,” Kaho assured her as Fujitaka was cleaning a large cut on her right arm that had opened up and was bleeding freely.
“Oh my…” Tomoyo said as she hurried over. “What do you need me to do to help?”
“Just hold the towel here to catch the blood while I try to close it again,” Fujitaka answered, “Unfortunately I’m not skilled enough to bring enough power up into one hand yet so I need to use both to be effective. Having contact with the injured flesh only helps me so much.”
“Of course,” Tomoyo nodded and changed places with Fujitaka, helping hold Kaho’s arm motionless as he began to heal it as much as she could.
Kaho studied Tomoyo as Fujitaka worked. For a girl who never came in contact, or ever should have to, with blood, she was acting perfectly calm. Kaho smiled, almost nothing wavered the girl.
“All right Tomoyo that should be good,” Fujitaka said as he took his hands away and gathered up a roll of gauze and bandages and began rewrapping the wound.
“Is everything all right?” Sakura asked as she walked into the living room.
“Just had a wound reopen from water exposure,” Fujitaka said, “Nothing major.” He finished wrapping Kaho’s arm, then walked into the kitchen in time for the timer to go off on the tarts.
“Water exposure?” Sakura was confused.
“I took a shower…” Kaho muttered.
“Oh…” Sakura began to giggle, “All that fuss over the outcome of a shower.”
Kaho chuckled along with her, “Yes, but unfortunately I’m still living in one of your father’s shirts, the wound opened up as I was pulling on my sweater…”
“And after I finally got all the blood stains out,” Tomoyo hung her head.
“Sorry Tomoyo…” Kaho apologized.
“It’s all right,” Tomoyo said as she heard the phone ring and Fujitaka pick it up. “I guess it couldn’t be helped.”
“What?!” Fujitaka’s surprised voice burst from the kitchen. “Where to? How many people? That many?! Oh…good…yes…yes I know the protocol for this kind of party. Yes…yes I’ll see you on Saturday.” The sound of the phone being hung up and Fujitaka’s exasperated sigh floated into the living room.”
“Wonder what happened,” Sakura said as she started inching her way towards the kitchen.
“I’m not going to eat you Sakura,” Fujitaka said as his daughter peered into the kitchen. He was topping the little tarts with raspberries as though the phone call had never happened.
“Um…who called?” Sakura asked.
“One of my colleagues,” Fujitaka answered. “He informed me that the party had been moved to a high class hotel ballroom because the board of every university around Tomoeda will be there. We had forgotten that this year was our turn to host the large gathering…instead of just a small local one like every college does.”
“Do you have to make more stuff?” Sakura asked, eyes beginning to bug out of her head as Tomoyo and Kaho came up behind her to peer into the kitchen as well.
“No, what the culinary teachers and I have made will be incorporated with whatever is being catered in,” Fujitaka answered. “So I’m just going to finish these up and say that’s enough.” He sighed as he finished and plopped the rest of the berries in a colander to wash all at once. “Now I just have one final problem…”
“What’s that?” Sakura asked as she walked into the kitchen and pulled a bowl out of the cupboard to put the berries in.
“It’s part of protocol at these kinds of parties to bring a…ah…guest or friend with you that is not apart of the work force,” Fujitaka answered. “Most people just bring their spouses or older children, and if it weren’t for the fact that you and Tomoyo have rehearsal all of Saturday, I’d have you to bring. My problem is all the rest of my friends work at the University or it’ll be too short notice for them to get down here for the weekend.”
“What’re you going to do?” Sakura asked as she took the colander from her father and shook it to get the excess water off of them.
“I’m not sure,” Fujitaka said. “ I could just go alone, but that’s a little looked down upon, and I’d get teased.” He smiled at that, “I can handle the teasing, but being looked down upon by my superiors isn’t something I’d like to be done to me.” He sighed, “I’ll think of something.”
“I know you will,” Sakura said as she sprinkled sugar on the berries that she had put in the bowl and set them on the table. Kero instantly dove in and it took a few moments before they could get him fished out. “You’re a sanitary hazard when you do that…”
“Hey I’m clean,” Kero defended himself.
“Yes, but you’re still a fuzzball,” Kaho muttered in humor.
“What’d you call me?” Kero asked indignantly as he fluttered over and began to change into his true form.
“Class one fuzzball, you,” Kaho pointed at him, not even moving when Kerberos stood snarling before her. Actually, out of all of the things she could have done, she started snickering.
“What’s so funny?” Kero asked as he started to hear sniggering sounds from behind him.
“My apologies, please, allow me to rephrase what I had just previously stated,” Kaho tried to hold a straight face while keeping up such formal speech.
Kero was wary, “You may…?”
“My apologies oh Great Sticky Kerberos,” Kaho said calmly, but the roaring laughter behind Kero killed off the taunting atmosphere quickly.
“That’s bett-wait! Sticky???” Kero was puzzled, then looked back at himself and blanched. As little Kero he’d become sticky with raspberry juice, but since his fur was longer in his true form, it had become matted and sticky in various large chunks all over his body, including his wings and tail plume. He immediately resumed his disguise, and with a disgruntled noise, disappeared to the bathroom. By then they were all laughing so hard they had taken refuge sitting at the table.
“Okay, that was very good,” Fujitaka commended Kaho on her teasing as he lifted his head from where it had rested on the table and reached over and fished a berry out of the bowl.
“You really gonna eat that after Kero’s been wallowing in it?” Sakura asked.
Fujitaka leaned his head back against the top of the chair and laughed as he bit into the berry, a surprised squeak erupted next to him as he did so. He look over in surprised to find Kaho rubbing berry juice out of her right eye. “Oops, sorry about that.”
Kaho scowled playfully at him before taking a raspberry and hooking the hollow end of it on the tip of his nose, then squished it, letting berry juice drip down his face like he had a nose bleed.
“Hey!” Fujitaka shouted in surprise at the quick revenge she had taken, wiped the berry remains away with his hand and made to smear it on her face.
All the while Sakura and Tomoyo watched the two, then faced each other with devilish grins. Tomoyo spoke up first, “Um, forgive me for possibly suggesting something Mr. Kinomoto, but why don’t you take Ms. Mitsuki with you to the party?”
Both adults stopped their berry war and stared at Tomoyo. Fujitaka then looked over at Kaho, seeing what she thought.
“What? I can’t! I…” she tried to think up a good excuse other than she didn’t know anyone there. “Do you really want me to wear jeans and one of your shirts?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Tomoyo said with a smile.
Kaho looked at her, puzzled for a moment, then she sweat-dropped, “Oh, yes, I forgot who I was talking to for a moment…”
“Would you like to come with me?” Fujitaka asked politely.
Kaho gave him a small smile, “Sure.”
“Thank you,” Fujitaka grinned widely and stuffed a berry in her mouth. Kaho tried to make a startled noise, but it didn’t get passed the rather large berry. She chewed it and swallowed, shuddering.
“What? Sour one?” Sakura asked.
“No, overwhelmingly sweet,” Kaho answered. “I haven’t had anything like that in a while.”
“When was the last time you ate anyways?” Fujitaka asked.
Kaho thought for a few minutes, then hit her head on the table, “I know I ate something on Monday…what was it…?”
“You last ate on Monday?!” Sakura asked.
“I think so…” Kaho pondered.
“But it’s Thursday!” Sakura shouted.
“Really?” Kaho was genuinely surprised.
“Yes!” The other three shouted and Kaho set her head on the table and covered it with her arms.
“I’ll make us all some lunch…” Fujitaka said as he stood up and walked over to the refrigerator, “Monday…” he shook his head.
“Sorry…staying alive kind of overrode eating,” Kaho mumbled.
“Are you hungry now?” Sakura asked.
“Not really,” Kaho answered
“She will be when she starts to smell food,” Fujitaka said as she started pulling things out of the fridge.
“While we’re waiting, would you mind of we went into the living room so I can take your measurements?” Tomoyo asked as she pulled a textile tape measure from her purse.
“Only you would carry a tape measure around in your purse Tomoyo,” Kaho said as she stood in answer to the girl’s request. Once there though Kaho found herself being measure in every way possible, in every place! By the time the young girl was finished writing everything down the woman felt only a little violated and very much wishing to tie Tomoyo up with her own tape measure.
“Now, what color should it be,” Tomoyo stood back and studied the woman. “White would work well on you, but that’s just asking someone to walk by with red wine and spill it.” Sakura chuckled when that was said. “Hm…something about your complexion right now deters me from gold.”
“You mean my wonderful alabaster dead skin tone?” Kaho asked smartly.
“Mm, yes, you need to eat and sleep more,” Tomoyo smartly replied. “How about a nice rich scarlet?” She and Sakura obtained their devilish grins again.
“Th-that might be taken the wrong way,” Kaho stuttered.
“I suppose you’re right,” Tomoyo still held her grin as she studied the woman for a little longer. “How about a nice vibrant emerald green?” Sakura nodded in agreement and Kaho did the same, hoping it would appease the girls enough for the moment. It appeared to as they both started babbling about what type of fabric Tomoyo would use as they walked upstairs to Sakura’s room.
Kaho watched them go from the doorway of the living room and sighed in relief. She turned around to head back to the kitchen and hopefully some less energetic company, but was startled to find a sandwich shoved into her mouth.
“Lunch time,” Fujitaka smiled at her as he handed her her plate with the other half of the sandwich on it. He waited for Kaho to bite off some of the sandwich and chew before asking, “Scared yet?” He laughed as she nodded while she swallowed and took another bite.
OOOO
Been edited, but please point out anything that's been missed! ^_^