Fan Fiction ❯ Phantom ❯ Twilight Discussions ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

'Who's tripping down the streets of the citySmilin' at everybody she seesWho's reachin' out to capture a momentEveryone knows it's WindyAnd Windy has stor-my eyesThat flash at the sound of liesAnd Windy has wings to flyAbove the clouds (above the clouds) Above the clouds (above the clouds)’ The choice in music was terrible enough but watching his dad swinging his hips from side to side in time to it and singing loudly was worse. Yukishiro snickered as he finished tacking down the last tatamis mat in the main room watching his father paint the walls. Hiroshi looked over at his son with a grin. “Don’t tell me you don’t like oldies?!” he said teasingly. Yukishiro stood wiping his hands on his pants. They’d gotten a lot accomplished over the last week having had the floors professionally fixed so they no longer had to tread for their lives. The roofer had finished his job the day before which was a blessing since it was supposed to start raining tonight. Outside Yuri was hard at work tearing up the earth beneath the slotted window of the kitchen that faced the old well and the out buildings. She was determined to get her roses set today and had banished Yukishiro to helping his father after he’d accidentally trod on one of the bushes. Inside the house was shaping up nicely. The kitchen floors had been swept and mopped and the old wooden counters torn out and replaced with new cabinets, a plumber was working to install plumping into the new sink. He would get started on turning one of the old bedrooms into an indoor bathroom tomorrow. His mother had shuddered at the idea of using the privy and bathing in the old bathhouse, but Yukishiro had found it relaxing to steam his aches away in the old wood tub that his mother had vigorously scrubbed before allowing him to use. With the last of the new tatamis down, and the walls painted, they could start moving in their furniture in the afternoon. An electrician had been by that morning and had informed his father it would take several thousand yen to completely wire the house from scratch. The lack of electricity hadn’t been too bad, and they could survive another week or so without it until his father’s first paycheck was due. Yukishiro wiped his sweaty forehead on the back of his arm and snickered.“Nah, I like oldies now and then. When they aren’t being slaughtered, anyway.” He laughed. Hiroshi laughed as well. “Well, know it all why since your done why don’t you go get us a couple of Pepsi’s from the cooler and we’ll take a break.” He said as he put the roller down in the paint pan and stepped over the plastic drop cloth walking outside to sit on the porch. Yukishiro joined him a moment later and offered him one of the cold sodas snapping open his and taking a long drink. Setting the can down he leaned back on his elbows and looked around. The grass was freshly mowed and the weeds gone, the sandy front yard been swept and cleaned and the old wooden gate repaired. It was looking nice, he had to admit. His father had been right, the harder they worked and the more progress they made the more he was beginning to like it here. “Think we’ll get to move our stuff in today?” he asked looking over at his father who was sitting bent forward, his elbows on his knees watching a line of ants troop through the sand and under the porch. “I don’t see why not. I’d like to get it all moved in today before it starts raining. I don’t know how sturdy the roofs in those old buildings are.” He said. Yukishiro nodded and sipped his Pepsi again closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of the breeze that blew over the walls and ruffled the leaves of the tree before it washed over him in a cooling wave. Opening his eyes he looked over to find his father watching him.“What?”Hiroshi shrugged. “I was just wondering why you haven’t been working in your dojo. I thought you’d be spending all your time in there and you’ve only gone inside it twice.”Yukishiro shrugged nudging the sand with his bare toe.“Haven’t felt like it. We’ve been pretty busy.” He said. Since the first night he’d been reluctant to venture inside although he’d neither seen nor heard anything since that night. Hiroshi nodded watching him as if sensing there was more to it but not wanting to press. “Alright, but still I think you should work on making it yours.” He said. Yukishiro nodded.“Yeah I will.” This answer satisfied his father who abruptly stood, soda can in hand and turned back inside.“I’m going to clean up the pain mess. If you want to you can start bringing the stuff inside.” He said walking back into the house. Yukishiro sat still for a few minutes longer until he’d emptied the pop can and crushed it setting the crumpled tin on the porch before stepping into his sandals and walking towards the out buildings. Rounding the corner of the house he felt the wind picking up and paused to watch his mother as she tied the young rose bushes to the fan like holders behind them. Looking over at him she smiled and waved and he returned the gesture before walking on to the building. Climbing the two stairs he reached out for the door and paused as a chill ran down his spine. For a split second everything around him was dimness and calm, moonlight filtering down. A soft voice that seemed almost beside him whispered, ‘Rurouni?’. He leapt backwards off the stairs so fast he fell on his backside. Sunlight blinded him as he staggered back to his feet looking around. Yuri was watching him. “Yuki-chan? What happened? Did you hurt yourself?” she called. Yukishiro felt sweat beading his forehead and knew it had nothing to do with the heat of the afternoon. Looking over at his worried mother he smiled a little and shook his head.“I’m fine....a hornet startled me. That’s all.” He said. Yuri nodded and rose dusting off her work pants and plucking the gardening gloves from her fingers. “Alright then, I’m going to take the car and go get some dinner. Is there anything special you want?” she asked. Yukishiro shook his head no looking back at the door waiting for his mother to disappear inside. Walking forward slowly he stepped up again and touched the door. Nothing happened. “you’re losing your mind, takashi.” He whispered. Opening the door he began unloading the boxes and furniture stacking them first in the yard and then with the help of Hiroshi carrying them and placing them inside.