I look at the pocket watch that she gave me and remember how odd time has been lately. But I was given an opportunity that I could not pass even if it will just be for this one night. Pocketing the watch I remove my cap and put it under my arm while walking down the street where she lives.
I stretch my arms and crank my neck to get rid of the stiffness there. I’ll admit I’ve had a very hard time subsituting for Chou, I’m not made for guarding prisoners I suppose… Landing them in jail is my specialty or disposing of them… But not keeping them there. In a way I am glad to have been given this opportunity to see my wife and child again, even if it’s just to tell them I’ll be gone for a bit longer. I am very worried of the breakout that happened there, it’s not an ordinary group of criminals who can over power a maximum security prison and leave Chou incapacitated. I maybe facing more than a few weeks, months perhaps to get everything back in order until the ahou recovers.
Standing by the gates, I look over the wall. It’s quiet… They must be sleeping. Quietly I open the gates and step into the garden locking it behind me. The garden looks blurry for a moment and I’m reminded of how fragile our reality is at times. Narrowing my eyes, I will things to solidify before approaching the front door.
(OOC: Saitou is outside.)
A rip in time…
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I’d been trying to sleep… it is hard, sometimes, to sleep with that empty expanse of futon-san beside me instead of the man I love.
I hear something outside… peeking my head out of the window I see –
Quietly I run downstairs, and fling open the front door.
I smile at him in the moonlight. For a moment he seems like a dream, but as I put my arms around him, the warm solidity of him, his smell… reminds me that he is -very- much here.
“Hajime…”
She meets me, just like I hoped she would. My arms go around her and I pull her close, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I’m sorry for coming so late.” I say and touch her cheek smiling slightly. I’ve been told it’s only a matter of a few weeks but to me it’s been a very long time.
Letting her go, I pick up my hat that fell to the ground and dust it off.
I savor my time in his arms, it’s been so long. It feels as if spring has come again… warm… I nuzzle my cheek against his chest, against the wool of his uniform jacket.
I smile back at him… it’s hard not to smile when I see him again. “I’m glad you came.” I grin at him. “Late night, mid-afternoon, before breakfast… it’s always good to see you.” As he picks up hat, I pat my hair, hoping it’s not sticking out everywhere. A woman does want to look -good- for her man.
I take his hat, leaving it on the little table by the door, and lead him inside. I can’t help him… I have to hold him again, and I kiss his chin, the best I can do without going up on my tiptoes, and I’m holding him too close to do that…
“Ah, Hajime… I’ve -missed- you.” I look up at him. Even with the writer’s project I miss seeing him. Even his best pictures don’t do him justice.
We can’t seem to stay far apart for too long. Even now as we walk inside the house, I feel her cling and I let her, my right hand naturally entwining in hers.
I?EUR(TM)ve -missed- you.?EUR?
“Same here.” I chuckle just slightly. That answer was rather understated. If she only knew and if I could just tell her how much… But I lead us to the kitchen.
“You weren’t already sleeping were you?” I say. Letting her go I take her tea and my coffee from the cupboard. I’m tired but I want to stay awake for a bit longer. “How is Makoto?”
I squeeze his hand that holds mine.
“I got your birthday note. It was…” I smile softly, “a beautiful note, even if we didn’t get to spend it together.” I know he would be with me if it were possible.
“I was… well, I was in bed.” I laughed softly. “Not sleeping yet. Makoto has been in bed but we should go see her, I think she would be upset if she didn’t get to see you.” I smile, watching him start to prepare our drinks. I get the kettle and pour the water, but I don’t turn on the heat, instead, I take his hand to lead him up to Makoto’s room.
She talks about the note. It’s just a note and I know I should make it up to her someday soon. I don’t like missing her birthday when she makes every effort to make mine special.
?EURoeNot sleeping yet. Makoto has been in bed but we should go see her, I think she would be upset if she didn?EUR(TM)t get to see you.?EUR?
She laughs and I just look at her. I like to hear her laugh. I really do. “I had no intentions to leave without seeing Makoto.” I chuckle a little. How did she read my mind?
She opens the door to Makoto’s room and I see my little girl sleeping under the soft light. It reminds me of the first time I saw her… I take Hide’s hand and basically tugged at it, so she’ll come with me as I kneel by the futon.
We kneel together by the side of our little girl’s futon, and I reach over to gently touch her face, and then her arm. “Makoto-chan, Makoto-chan, wake up…” I lightly tweak her little nose, playfully.
He gave me that -look- when I suggested coming to see her… of course I knew he would want to. It’s obvious that the adoration between father and daughter is very mutual, and also that he misses her as well.
It takes a minute before her eyes flutter open. She is a heavy sleeper, I wonder where she got that from? But she lives very vibrantly and actively, so she probably needs all of the sleep.
“Okaasan…” she says, and then she notices…
“Chichi!”
—
(Makoto)
I get woken up and it’s still dark! Its too early… but then I see Chichi!
I sit right up and give him a BIG BIG HUG. “Chichi!” We missed him a lot. “Okaasan said that you were working hard.”
I hug him again and I also kiss his cheek! I love my Chichi.
Hide playfully wakes up my daughter. I’ve never really seen her do that… I am however glad for the little discoveries I can observe whenever possible. I admit I don’t see them often enough to -know- how well my child takes to her mother. Not that it matters if I see, what matters is that they -do-.
?EURoeChichi!?EUR?
I get a -big- hug and I give it right back. I -did- miss her much more than I thought I did. Kissing her cheek, I hold her at arms length. I want to look at this child.
?EURoeOkaasan said that you were working hard.?EUR?
“I am.” I say simply and smile, but that smile turns to a grin as I pick her up from the futon and settle her into my arm as I stood up. “But I wanted to see you. Make sure you’re still a good girl.”
Looking at Hide, I nod to the door and we go downstairs. “I told your mother you can stay awake for a wee bit longer.” Oh I know I didn’t but I want her to, just a little. “You can have coffee with chichi.” I laugh.
I sit back on my heels, watching them together. I love to see it… and he -looks- at her. “She had me trim her hair the other day, if it touches her collar its too long for her,” I laugh. But it suits her so very well, seeing her hair fly around as she flies around. Braids like the other girls wear would never suit her. Makoto agrees, showing her Chichi just how “long” it was.
I can’t stop smiling. I’m happy he’s here, and that we’re all her together. It’s been even longer for the two of them…
—
(Makoto)
>>But I wanted to see you. Make sure you?EUR(TM)re still a good girl
“I am, I am, Chichi. I help Okaasan around the house!” He lifts me up, up and I like that a lot. Everything looks different from up here.
I’m happy that I can go downstairs!
>>You can have coffee with chichi
“Oooh! Coffee!” It smells nice and yummy, I bet it tastes nice!
Okaasan laughs, “a little coffee and you’ll be climbing the walls like a little monkey. Then I’d have to get you down with my broom!” She grins over at me. “Maybe some nice milk, in the special style?”
Okaasan makes milk that tastes like cake!
?EURoeShe had me trim her hair the other day, if it touches her collar its too long for her,?EUR?
I nod as Makoto demonstrates. “Good you had your mother trim it and -not- by yourself.” I still remember her story back in Ito with Isuzu-chan.
?EURoeMaybe some nice milk, in the special style??EUR?
“Special style?” Oh… I’ve seen some of those. Hide must’ve stolen again from -that- place. I shake my head a little.
Hide sets to heating the water and when it’s done i set Makoto on the counter. I show her how to make my coffee, “I like mine black with a touch of sugar.” I tell her.
“But your mother is right, you can’t have this until you’re older.” I take a sip, “But it taste a little bit like your “special” milk so you’re not missing out on much.” Well the truth is, it only taste like that when Hide is forced to drink coffee with me. She puts a -lot- of cream.
(Makoto)
>>Good you had your mother trim it and -not- by yourself
“Hai! She gets it very straight!” I didn’t do good with Isuzu-chan’s hair that time…
Okaasan makes my milk! She uses our prettiest glass, puts something pink in it and then slices a strawberry for the side!
http://i28.tinypic.com/ngdeva.jpg
I hold it out to Chichi. “See, it tastes like cake!” Like a really fluffy one Auntie Saya got me once, it was called shortcake but it was tall!
—
(Hide)
I make Makoto’s strawberry milk. I got the idea from elsewhere, but I made my own strawberry syrup, I didn’t want her getting all of that sugar that in food from there. I watch with a smile as Hajime prepares his coffee under Makoto’s watch.
I take my tea, and look over at them, going over closer to slide an arm around my future husband as our daughter drinks up her milk, leaving her with a pinkish milk mustache, and I laugh, leaning over to kiss Hajime on his cheek.
“Oh that does look special.” I grin at my daughter who now has a moustache. “I thought she was going to have you drink chocolate.” A chuckle escapes me.
Hide slides an arm around my waist and I place the coffee down on the counter. I get a kiss and I turn to kiss her on the lips but realize we’re being watched so I end up kissing her forehead -again-. I stymie a groan and turn back to my coffee.
I know it’s getting late and I do have to catch a train soon so I say what needs to be said, “I’ll be gone for a few more weeks.” I tell them both, “I’m not sure when I’ll be back but I -will-.” I leave the details out since my daughter is here. All I really came for was for this, a little time to spend together like how a normal family would.
(Makoto)
>>I thought she was going to have you drink chocolate
I look at Okaasan. “There’s chocolate that you can drink?” I like strawberry cake milk a lot but oh… chocolate cake milk! I eat the strawberry from the glass, that’s the best.
Then they start being -silly-! But they always look happy when they’re being silly, and that always makes me feel nice.
—
(Hide)
I see from the look in his eyes that his forehead was not where he was going to kiss… ah, being parents! But Makoto still thinks we’re -silly-, because she giggles.
>>I?EUR(TM)ll be gone for a few more weeks. I?EUR(TM)m not sure when I?EUR(TM)ll be back but I -will-
Ah… I lean my head against his shoulder and my arm on him tightens. “We’ll miss you, but it’s wonderful you came home tonight.” How ordinary, how delightful, to sit around with drinks as a family.
Makoto licks off her milk mustache and hugs him too. “I’ll help Okaasan while you catch bad men so they don’t hurt anyone else.” I’m proud that she realizes that what keeps her father away is something important, even if she only has a limited idea at what the police does. “And be good at school!”
I smile down at her. “Well to be good at school, little one, means that you need to get more sleep.” She sighs, but nods, and I can see her -fighting- back a yawn.
“But I got to wake up and see Chichi, so it’s alright!”
?EURoeI?EUR(TM)ll help Okaasan while you catch bad men so they don?EUR(TM)t hurt anyone else. ?EURoeAnd be good at school!?EUR?
I nod at Makoto and add, “That’s -your- job, to be good at school and take care of your mother.”
Kissing her cheek one last time, I wait as she finishes her drink and place her down to the floor. “Now go back to bed little one.”
Oh I know it’s unfair that I dismiss my daughter like so but I do need some time alone with her mother. Quietly to her mother I say, “walk me out?”
(Makoto)
>>That?EUR(TM)s -your- job, to be good at school and take care of your mother
I have a job! I nod, and bow. “HAI Chichi!”
He tells me to go back to bed. I am a little sleepy. Also, I think that they want to be silly and that’s boring to watch.
“Alright, Chichi. Good night and do a good job!” I run upstairs, and I hug my bear and momo-chan *tight* and sleep…
—
(Hide)
Makoto takes herself up to bed, and Hajime asks to walk me out. I hear the shoji slide closed upstairs and I take his arm. Then I claim the kiss that we wanted to share earlier…
It begins softly, tenderly, lovingly, and intensifies as it deepens… I wind my arms around him. I know he has to leave, but until he does…
I watch as she runs up the stairs… I know she shouldn’t do that and I’ve heard her mother remind her a few times as well. But she’s gone and closed the door and all I could do was laugh silently.
Hide takes my arm and we start walking towards the door but before too long, I find myself eagerly returning the kiss that she initiated. I guide us towards the genkan, just after the stairs and settle her against the wall. My hands caress her neck and go behind her ear, licking it and softly nipping at her earlobe. I kiss down her neck, under her chin and my hands part the upper part of her kimono… And I take to kissing the shallow of her shoulder while my hands cup her breast. I want to… But I spy my hat on the corner and I straighten up, biting my lips. So much regret… So much denied… I sigh and fix her kimono.
“Maybe next time?” I tilt my head and grin.
Before I can kiss him back too much, he’s everywhere… from every sensitive spot a shiver runs through my body… his lips, his hands, even his breath…
A happy sign escapes from me, a soft moan at his hand on my breast… can we? Do we have time…? I hold onto him, my hands staying on his back until I know if…
But it ends, and I’m left against the wall, panting, as he repairs my clothing. “Oh, Hajime…” I lean against him. He has to go… and I will treasure this stolen moment through the weeks that we’re apart… in dreams that will wake me up, feeling a fire that won’t be quenched for a while…
But when it is quenched, it is… sweet, and intense. And I am patient, because when I am with this man I love again, I want to take my -time-.
>>Maybe next time?
I grin back, and stand up. “And you leave me panting for you. Maa…” I tease. “But yes, next time… and we’ll both be panting.” I take his cap off the table, brush off the rest of the dirt and polish the metal part with my sleeves, making it shine before standing on my tip-toes, putting it on his head and kissing his cheek.
I hint a tone of disappointment in her voice. If she only knew…
She makes a ceremony out of my old hat. I shake my head and take it from her, placing on my head. It will be cold out and this hat will keep me warm… Not that I need it to, I’m rather hot at the moment.
I take her hand in mine as we’re by the open door and kiss her -properly- this time, like how I’m told a “gentleman” would. “Take care of yourself.” I say and immediately head for the gates. If I tarry it will be harder to leave.
(OOC: you may close)
He tells me to take care of myself, as he kisses me, very properly. There will be time, later, for kisses that are somewhat less than proper… “We will, we will, I promise.”
“Take care of yourself as well,” I tell him.
He turns and leaves quickly, I watch him until the gates close behind him, and lock up for the night.
(OOC: Close)