.Leave Out All the Rest

My day hadn't been good. One of my professors had been unfair, I'd been hit on by a group of baka, nearly gotten run over in the street, dropped my paper into a puddle of water, and oh yeah...I'd been worried about Shiori. Who had seemingly disappeared all together. I didn't do good with worry. It made me stress, and once I did become stressed everything went down hill. Needless to say, I was in a pissy mood...and there was a head ache building behind my eyes from temper that I'd restrained at work.

I was laying on the couch, when I heard the door quietly open. My eyes narrowed a bit and I peaked up over the back of said furniture, a familar form sneaking in. With a small huff I rose and rested my hands upon my hips as I crept slowly toward her. When Shiori hit the creaky floorboard, I was prepared for her reaction. She turned, no doubt to see if I was there. And I nearly smile at her deer in a head lights look. Nearly. My foot began to tap as I notice she's covered in blood. Not hers, I can tell when she's injured. But someone or somethings.

"Kyro Shiori..." I began, sounding entirely like my mother. Not that I'd admit to it. "Where in the Kami's name have you been? And for that matter...what have you been up to! Your covered in gore..." My brows creased, upset warring with concern upon my features. Finally my face settled on one expression, and I drew my lush mouth into a thin line. I almost didn't want to know what could have probably gotten her killed.

She looked like a little kid getting scolded for sticking her hand in the cookie jar. I almost lost my composure, and I lost my composure. It was...adorable. I had the urge to hug her gore covered form and tell her it was okay. But I was upset, because in my head I kept seeing the worst possible scenario. It was a nightmare I often had about the people I loved most and that fear kept me going. Even as she explained what had happened, and I could see the validity of her point.

"You could have gotten, killed by that thing..." I replied immediately, hands on my hips. Foot tapping the floor. "You know...I know how good a fighter you are, but you could have gotten killed...." My narrowed eyes were growing shiny with the thought I knew, even as my lips remained in a thin line. "What the hell would I do if something happened to you, Shiori? Hm? That blood could have been yours!" Perhaps I was blowing it way out of proportion. Shi-chan always ran head first into things. I was used to it.

But that didn't make it better.

I didn't like making her feel guilty and I knew of her need for that raw edge of danger. It was a part of Shiori. I wouldn't ever change anything about her. She was who she was...and I loved her for it. My worry had little to do with the promise she'd made me all those years ago, but the fact that I don't know what I'd do without her. It all sounded a bit corny in my head, yet it was the truth. How could I not think of all these bad, morose things when she came home covered in some kind of foul smelling black sludgey looking blood.

I watched her come nearer, and I note she's trembling. Shiori hated upsetting me in any fashion. Even teeth gnaw at the plump curve of my lip as it threatened to quiver. And I had to take my glasses off to rub at my damp eyes. I hate being so damned emotional sometimes, it made me blow things up and...get upset like this easily. The image of Shiori and the spiders however nearly made me crack a smile. She hated spiders.

Finally, with little concern about the nasty black blood covering her, I wrapped my arms about her to draw her into a fierce hug. Be damned that it got onto me as well. I was still angry, still upset but I had to remind myself she was whole.

I didn't care that I was getting covered in junk, and that I'd smell to high heavens from it. I needed reassurance. Her nearness would only provide that. Especially with the scenarios running rampant through my horidly active imagination. A small sniffle left me. Of course, I was still upset but I didn't have the energy at the moment to give a long hard core scolding. I'd had a bad day, and somehow I thought Shiori's hadn't been great either. She'd survived, and that was the most important thing. But spiders were disgusting, and a hoard of them just damn creepy. Never mind the demon and its gore.

"I can help..." I whispered back, "It's disgusting...I don't think one washing will do." It'd probably take several. I took in a breath and let it out slowly. Hand's stroking her glumped up hair gently. "Oh...and Shi-chan?" I added in a softer note, "If you get hurt...I'll kick your ass...and then I'm going after whatever harmed you..." A promise, really. I was small and shy and...not all that great a fighter. But my temper was a scary thing. With another sniff, I hugged her a little closer.