#apprentice charlie

She had been up there for a while. Her brother had come to ask her if she wanted dinner but she politely declined. He decided to leave her be, to not press the issue, but the look in her eyes as she gazed out over the city made his stomach contract. There wasn’t much there. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking... but he knew it wasn’t so good.

So he had gone back down, into the kitchen and fished around for something to eat. He hadn’t made anything in a while so, maybe something they both liked... for when she was feeling hungry. Daniel made her favorite. 

A knock on the door sounded and Daniel went to go open it. 

“Hey, handsome devil.”

Daniel smirked a bit when the biggest smart-aleck he knew popped his gum and called him that stupid nickname. Daniel reached out and pushed him in the chest, causing a breathless laughter. The blue-eyed bastard was leaning against the door, a lanky arm reaching the sill above the frame comfortably. He could almost touch the porchlight. 

“Pfft Yumi, shut up.”

Daniel moved to let him in, closing the door behind him. Yumi took a few steps inside the house, stretching his arms above his head, his shirt coming up a bit. He raked his hair waist length hair back and took a deep breath, appreciating the smell of Dan’s cooking.

“Okay, okay,” he started in his assured and tranquil voice. He shrugged off his haori and put it on the coatrack. “Smells really good in here. Making me a little hungry. Got room for one more?”

Daniel turned his back and made his way back to the kitchen. “For you? Always.”

Yumi followed close behind, sitting on an open counter, dangling his feet off the side. Him and Daniel had known each other for a short time, but they were already good friend. They got along well and they always felt at home with each other. 

“So.... what’s been goin’ on?” Yumi asks. He plays with the hair tie on his wrist as he watches Daniel cook. He couldn’t help but notice the new ripples of muscle in his back... had he been training more? Without him?

Dan shrugged, reaching up in the spice cabinet for something. “Nothing, really. Uh. Work is work... and the liquor still flows around here.”

Yumi sighs. “Ain’t that right... how’s your pretty girl? Sisi.”

Dan smiles to himself at the thought of that green-eyed girl he’d been seeing. Salice wasn’t his girlfriend or anything, not yet, so it was an overstatement when Yumi called her that. It made his heart do a thing, regardless. Salice and Charlie were good friends, especially after her and Dr. Halloway helped her with the broken arm. They hung out often, when she had the time of course. So Daniel saw her quite a bit too. She liked Daniel a lot, and the feelings were mutual, but the two were slow to get around to anything. Daniel wanted to take it slow. He wanted to do things right with her. 

“She’s good. She’s been really busy with her surgery and everything... haven’t gotten to see her much. You just missed her actually. She came by earlier today to bring those,” he gestured to an open tin of spongy lemon pastries with powdered sugar on top. “They’re over there if you want some.” 

He gestures to the tin and Yumi gets up to inspect them. They smelled reaaaaaally good. Yumi liked good food. And he really liked good sweets. He picked one up and didn’t hesitate to take a big bite, closing his eyes and groaning lewdly. This was probably the best lemon pastry he’s had ever. The ones in the Kawabata bakeries were good, but not like this.

“Oh. I like her. I like Sisi a lot. Marry her, please.”

Daniel snickered, Yumi really catching him off guard with his comment. He couldn’t hide the blush on his face. That seemed to be a little far away, but the idea of marrying that girl... it made him really warm.

“Ah.. you like them then?”

“Yeah, I’m taking some of these home. That’s final. That’s fucking law.” Yumi finished he one he was holding, and shoved another one in his mouth. They were so chewy. 

“She made them for Charlie, so don’t take too many. You know how that girl likes her lemon things.”

Yumi perked up when he heard Charlie’s name. He had been talking to her and the two had grown pretty close. It was pretty clear they felt things for each other, but Yumi was just waiting to see if she’d be comfortable with a relationship. To be honest, he didn’t know if he was ready... but he knew they were gonna fall in love sometime. He’d seen it in a dream. His dreams never fall through.

Until then though, they were really good friends. And she was a hell of a sparring partner.

“Charlie.... Where is she?” Yumi talked with his mouth full, coming up behind Daniel and putting a hand on his back. He puts his head on Daniel’s shoulder, nuzzling his neck. 

Daniel had gotten used to Yumi’s touchy nature by now. It was strange to him at first, and a little comical... but it was kind of nice. Daniel noticed Yumi kept a respectful and comfortable distance with Charlie. Never touched her unless she initiated it. Never stepped out of line. Yumi was one of the better male friends she’s had... nothing like the guy guys of her past. Daniel had no complaints about that. 

After Yumi swallowed his current occupation, he placed a chaste kiss on Dan’s neck and he tasted what he had going on the stove. Daniel tried not to flinch at his cold lips, but he was a little ticklish there, he had to admit. Yumi was impressed with his cooking. Fucking delicious.

“She’s up on the roof... She didn’t really want to talk to me, though.” Yumi noticed the forlorn look in his friend’s eyes and immediately sobered up. He knew how to read a room. Yumi slid a hand up to Dan’s shoulder and squeezed in reassurance. His hand was cold, unusually. They ran cold like his sister’s hands.

He knew a little about their situation. About how they didn’t have any parents. How he was raising his sister the best he could. They had shared things with each other slowly, over drinks normally. Shared things they couldn’t really afford to tell anyone else. Daniel knew about Yumi’s demons... and Yumi knew about Daniel’s. They were bound to each other that way. Always close. 

Knowing the things he knows, Yumi never spared the acknowledgement and recognition of Dan’s strength. He was really a good man to his family. The man from Kyoh never missed an opportunity to tell him that.

“Hey, don’t take it personal... There’s just some things that aren’t easy to share. I’ll go and ask what’s up, if you don’t mind it?”

Dan nodded, watching Yumi’s hand slip off the taught fabric of his shirt. “Yeah, go knock yourself out. I’m worried about her.”

Yumi nodded, picking up a few lemon bars and cradling them in his hand. “Don’t worry too much, Dane. You’re doing all the right things.”

Yumi made his way to the door to the roof. He rattled it, since it always stuck. After getting it to budge, he bounded up the steps pretty quick, using his long legs to go three at a time, careful to make sure the lemon bars didn’t topple out of his hands. He shielded his eyes against the bright Vesuvian sunset, looking around the roof for Charlie. He spotted a toss of red curls, blowing gently in the whisper of the breeze. She was sitting on the edge, her legs dangling off the side. He sighed in relief and sashayed over to her.

“Sunsets here are pretty, but the ones in Kyoh are better.” He starts, walking up behind her and leaning on a metal railing. He picked up one of the snacks in his hand and nibbled on the square corner, real blasé. 

She turned around and looked at him in surprise. She wasn’t expecting him to come around... at least not today. He was busy a lot, with work and stuff. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw his cool smile and the way he crossed his legs. His hair was blowing in the wind like a dark horse mane, it was always so pretty to Charlie. Shiny and silky and gleaming in the sun.

“Really?” Charlie asks, turning to look back at the sinking sun. Yumi tentatively comes up to sit next to her, dangling his own legs off the side of the roof. Heights didn’t scare him, but he didn’t like Charlie so close to something so dangerous. He felt better now that he was next to her.

“Sure they are. And where I’m from, these pesky buildings aren’t in the way. There’s mountains and rolling hills and a really pretty river...”

Charlie sighed, thinking of how pretty that would look. Yumi didn’t talk about his home country a lot, but she liked it when he did. “I’d love to see that,” she mentions. She looks down at his hand. “What’s that?”

“These?” Yumi gestures to his snack, the ones Sisi made. He holds them out to Charlie. “Your friend made them. Dane said she came by today to drop them off for you.”

Charlie takes one and bite into it, the lemon flavor bursting in her mouth. It was really good. Sisi loved baking for them, both her and Daniel. Charlie smiled. 

The two of them ate their snacks in silence until all of them were gone. Yumi looks at Charlie from the side of his vision. Her eyes weren’t glued to the sunset... they were staring down between her legs at the several story drop. He understood what Dan meant when he said he was worried. He recognized that look.... he’s seen it in the mirror.

“I could jump right now,” she said. She says it with a shrug, licking the powdered sugar from her fingertips. Yumi tensed up, trying to see if she was as nonchalant as she sounded. He just stares at her, trying to figure it out. He didn’t want her to have those thoughts running rampant in her mind like that. swirling around threatening to consume her. He didn’t want her to ever feel like had felt. That was something he wouldn’t wish upon his greatest enemies... so he definitely didn’t wish it for his greatest blessing. She catches him staring.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Yumi snorts, not letting his concern bubble to the surface of his serene composure. He decides to keep it light. He knows she didn’t like to get too deep. He wasn’t up there to lecture her. He knew that. He was up there to try to help her feel better. So that’s what he was gonna try to do.

“Kinda hard not to when there’s crumbs on your face.” 

It was always hard not to stare at her. She was so beautiful, so raw and gorgeous and unrefined. But he’d tell her about just the crumbs... for now.

Charlie wiped them off quickly, a little embarrassed. 

“Did Dani send you up here to check on me?” She asked. It was a pretty nifty coincidence that Yumi shows up when she’s all alone on the roof. She wouldn’t be mad if Daniel did send him... but she also wanted him to know that she was fine. He didn’t have to worry. What she didn’t know is that he’d always worry, no matter what she told him.

“No, no. Your brother didn’t send me. I came over to see you and you weren’t downstairs... but he is worried, Charlie.”

She huffed, looking at the people below. They looked so small, like raisins in a loaf of bread. Small, dark and indistinguishable. She squashed a person with her index finger and thumb, squinting one eye. “Yeah... I know. I’ve told him I was fine... but he doesn’t ever believe me.”

Yumi put his hair in a ponytail, and Charlie watched. His hair was mesmerizing. He blinked open his eyes, squinting against the bright light. It made his irises look silver. He bit his lip, his flyaway hairs rolling over his forehead like tumbleweeds. “He’s gonna worry. That’s what your loved ones do... if they’re any good at least.” 

He looked down at his pinky tattoo. He had to train himself not to worry about Shuhei. He had to banish him from his mind every time he wedged his way in, for his own sanity. He was in good hands. Besides, there was someone here who needed him more. Someone that he needed more. 

“It’s a pretty long drop from here...” Yumi said. He placed his hands on either side of him, is fingers laying on top of Charlie’s. Their hands were both cold, he couldn’t decided who’s were colder... but her touch made him warm. She blushed too, but she didn’t let him see.

“So...” He tried to find something to say. He was lost for words, but you never would’ve known it. “If you ever did want to jump.... Lemme go ahead of you, so you know what you’re getting into. You know me, I always land on my feet.” He turned and winked at her.

Charlie shakes her head, scoffing and smiling. It was getting harder and harder to hide her feelings for him, especially when he said shit like that. What he said was... sweet. And he said it in a way that made her believe him. She heard it in his voice. But she didn’t want to think about her friend doing that for her. She loved him too much.

“I’m not letting you jump first.”

They locked eyes for a minute as the sun finally sunk down behind the farthest rooftops of Vesuvia. Yumi watched as the waning light turned Charlie’s eyes from dark brown pools of honey, to the trunks of mahogany wood trees. They were beautiful no matter what. She turned away, feeling like he was staring for too long. It made her feel things in her stomach. Things she wasn’t ready to confess.

“Ahem.. anyways... I missed you. I didn’t expect you to come today.”

Yumi lets himself smile. Charlie took it in. He didn’t smile often, not genuinely. There was always some coy or smart ass quality to it. This seemed real. It made her melt.

“Aw... you missed me? You’re getting soft, Charlie...” 

The smart ass was still there. Charlie punished him by punching him in his bony chest.

“Shut up.”

A beat of silence was shared between them, the start of the night sounds kick starting the busy streets. People hollering trying to sell their last wares of the day, rikshaws making their cluttered noises, horses whinnying. There was a lot going on down there, but it was just him and Charlie up on this roof. Him and the girl he was falling in love with.

Yumi took a breath before deciding to say something else. He felt around for her hand, finding it in her lap, hidden in the sleeve of her oversized bomber jacket. He pulled it up to his lips and placed soft little kisses on her knuckles. She had little marks and bruises on her hands from beating him up on the mat. The girl was good. It made Yumi’s head spin. 

Sometimes though, he had to remind her she didn’t need to be so tough all the time. It was okay for someone to love you, for someone to worry, for someone to care.

He shrugged off his coat and hung it up, leaving his shoes at the door as well. Botan wasn’t around, and Yumi figured he must’ve left the window up this morning. That cat wouldn’t be satisfied until Yumi had locked him out. Who knew when that son of a bitch would be back.

The dark haired man was meandering through the house in his quiet way putting away some things he had left messy in the morning. A few books, a cup on the counter, those kinds of things. The normally comforting pitch dark seemed to loom around him tonight, suffocating the space instead of enriching it. The overwhelming silence led him to feel a presence... an unsettling presence. Yumi narrowed his eyes suspiciously and stopped short of his bedroom as he felt it. 

There was someone in the house with him.

Yumi let the blade he carried in his sleeve fall into his hand. He gripped it tight. He calmed his breathing, the adrenaline already kicking in. It had taken an unusually long time for him to notice anything amiss... probably because he was so tired. His years away from the academy were making him dull. 

He tentatively slinked around the corner, coming back to back with his bookshelf. He scanned the living area of his home. There was nobody in here... but Yumi’s hair still stood on end. He shook his head, trying to clear it. He had to trust his body. After years of training, he knew how to listen to his intuition.

After checking the kitchen, he slinked back to his bedroom, his hand hovering on the sliding door. He readied his blade. Whoever it was would get a rude awakening now.

“You know...” Yumi started, chuckling to himself. He slid open the door, curling inside the room. He felt the presence behind it so he took to relaxing his body and concentrating on his strike. He had them in his hands now. “If you really wanted to scare me. You should’ve-”

He slashed.

“I should’ve what?”

Yumi had stopped his knife was centimeters away from a pair of pretty brown eyes, adorned with a scar. He was surprised and impressed at the firm and confident voice. Those eyes didn’t even blink.

Yumi’s face softened, and he dropped his thin blade down on his nightstand and began to undress for bed. He exhaled, relieved he didn’t have to kill anybody tonight. But he was frustrated that he could’ve. This person, he never wanted to hurt.

“Charlie, you should’ve told me you were coming... why are you hiding in my room at night, hm?”

His sweater was gone in a swift motion and so were his pants, tossed in a heap on the floor. He walked around to the mirror to unbraid his hair, his pale arms nearly glowing in the moonlight from his window.

Charlie shrugged, coming off the wall leisurely and and crossing the room in her same traipsing way. She took to settling into Yumi’s bed, using a throw blanket to snuggle in. He noticed she was barefoot and dressed in one of his robes. This meant she had been here in his house for a while. Yumi liked the way she looked in his clothes. The curves and lines of her perfect body never ceased to amaze him.

“You left the window up. I saw Botan all the way in the Flooded District and I had to drag him back here.”

Yumi sighed as his one eyed cat emerged from underneath the bed, right on cue. He leapt up into the bed with the young woman, snuggling into her side affectionately. Botan wasn’t much for cuddling, but he did have a few favorite people. Charlie was one of them. She looks at Yumi incredulously.

“What? He gets lost and I don’t want him out at night...” She pet the cat, scratching behind his cut ear. “I love him.”

Yumi cocked his eyebrow at Charlie, who’s blood-red curls looked so sexy displayed out on his pillow. She was chewing her bottom lip in the way Yumi liked to see her do.

“Oh, so that was all you wanted? To rescue Botan from the outside?”

Yumi poked, finally crawling into bed in his underwear. He didn’t bother with the comforter, using the throw blanket instead. He wrapped his arm around Charlie and pulled her close. The two tangled their legs together and Yumi placed a light kiss on her temple, loosening her hard expression. Yumi knew there was a smile on the inside. 

“Mm, that... and I wanted to wish you a happy birthday.”

Yumi’s face lit up. She had remembered his birthday... He had hardly remembered that. He was truly and honestly touched.

“Hehe, you broke into my house... stole my clothes... just to wish me happy birthday? All that for me?” He said this, looking down at her with a coquettish gaze. Charlie blushed and turned away at his remarks. “You’re so sweet, sweet like sugar.”

“Don’t make me leave, Yumi,” Charlie muttered, burying herself deeper in the blanket. They both knew she wasn’t going anywhere. She was a bit standoffish, but she was also in love. Yumi liked this about her, he appreciated everything about her.

“Okay, I won’t tease you anymore.... But I can kiss you right?”

Charlie looked up at him slowly, letting down her walls. She met his eyes, which reflected soft moonlight into hers. Yumi took her chin in his hand and gently guided her face to his. They shared each other’s air in the form of faint, warm breaths. She swallowed, the way Yumi held her making her feel.... vulnerable. She liked to be vulnerable with him.

“Y-yeah...” She whispers.

With that, Yumi closed the space between them, taking her lips between his. His hand was cold on her face, but Charlie liked the sensation of it. They kissed like the gentle waves of Vesuvia, coming together in a crest and slowly easing apart. Like small tides, each kiss was soft and sweet and made little lapping noises as the water did on the shore. Yumi nuzzled their noses together, happy for her company.

“Thanks for breaking into my house tonight.”

Charlie couldn’t help but grin, locking her fingers in his hair. He pet her in kind, taking a small coil of her hair and twirling it intimately a around s finger.