#honozuka

A part of him was still the boy I knew him as. No matter how minuscule or diminished that part had now become, he was still here, somewhere. And whilst Red slept in my bed, his tiny body squirming and covered in sweat, I was reminded of one of the last times I saw Xah. He had his own fears…his own challenges to overcome. However, for the time being, they had taken the backseat to whatever new problems the personality in control of his body was now facing. Red was having a nightmare.

I had only met him this same afternoon, and yet he treated me as if I had been with him as his brother his whole life through. Likely a shared, disillusioned memory that had come from the boy prior. Even though I knew it wasn’t true, I had no intention of letting him face this alone. I would save him, and give him a moment’s reprieve. A lifetime’s worth, were that possible. I felt responsible for his livelihood, as it was due to my own failure which led to this outcome.

But I knew not how to care for a suffering child beyond resting my hand atop his forehead…gently moving his hair to the side. Rather, it was my unlikely companion who truly gave him comfort instead. At my touch, Honozuka began to walk in from the hallway, humming an unfamiliar tune. She seemed so natural at it that I was slightly stunned. Sitting now against the bed and on the floor, she continued her quiet song even after Red began to settle down. She continued…maybe because she saw the effect it had on me also.

“Can you please shut the fuck up about that?” Honozuka said in an exhausted tone as she leaned back precariously in her chair. When she sighed in exasperation, the wooden legs beneath her rear swung dangerously—threatening an accident were she to not be mindful of her position for even a split second. “I’ve looked after too many kids in my life to want any of my own. Namely you.” She pointed at her Hyur companion in a sarcastic glare.

Shinko had recently given birth to a child of her own, and ever since she’d been nothing but pestering the other women to give it a chance. Whilst she was a sweet girl and Honozuka had taken care of her since she was a kid, she couldn’t be persuaded by what she was saying. “Was I truly that rotten of a child?” She chuckled in good humor as she cradled her dearest newborn.

“You got that right—I wasn’t able to catch a break with you. One second you’d be making a mess of the pots and pans and the next you’d be stripping atop of the dining table.” Pulling herself back upright so she could lean on the table herself, she caught herself giggling when she thought back to those restless days. “You were pretty lively. Only hope your kid doesn’t turn out like you did or all hell will break loose again—I’m getting too old for this.”

“Please, Hanna, you’re only 10 summers older than me. You’re young, and still have many wonderful times ahead of you. Won’t you at least consider it?”

She shook her head at that—resolved. “No. I won’t ever change my mind. Not whilst you’re still around. While your kid is in need of protection. When I have a family already made up of those I love and swore I’d protect to the ends of this star and back.” Her gaze was stern as she focused her green eyes on Shinko’s brown. “If I ever had a kid, I’d have to put them first over anyone else, even you. I know I could never do that. Pigs would have to fly before I’d think twice on this topic. End of discussion.”

She stood up then, ready to leave; but Shinko grabbed her hand and smiled at her. “We’ve all grown up now, Hanna. We can take care of ourselves. Maybe it’s time you thought about living for yourself for a change…you deserve it.”

She had thought him something like an untouchable presence. Stoic, and someone hard-pressed to give way into what he felt. He always wore the straightest of faces, even when around the woman he swore his life to. Even in all the years they had trained together, she had yet to see his perfect image crack. Shousan was overly paranoid, sure, but she wouldn’t consider that a weakness of his. He had reason to be. Probably.

Surely…someone like him would be just as untouchable in a game of poker. He’d wear the most unreadable face and have zero tells. A formidable opponent to try their skills against on game night. She’d tried to convince him before, but he never relented. Until now.

Until recently, they hadn’t the luxury to afford time to spare on such a trivial leisure. But as the days went on and the danger which once loomed over them started to become naught but a distant memory, they found more opportunities to just enjoy the simpler things in life. Such as gambling. Whilst they didn’t gamble their hard earned funds away, they instead traded jobs. Their household chores. On-top of winning a week of relaxation, the victor would also be made any one meal of their choice the night after.

It wasn’t really anything that interested the old geezer, however, when she offered him a chance at having her cook for him, he finally took slight interest. Not to say she was skilled at cooking food or anything—in fact, she’d never had much success beyond putting together bread and butter—but he was something of a traditionalist; and if it got him to at least try having fun for a change, then it was worth it.

And once their small group of eight were all seated around the table, their cards dealt out in front of them…Honozuka watched Shousan for any sort of notable tells. And like she expected, there weren’t any. Not in the first few rounds they played, at least. Shousan was losing, and it looked like Tsukiyode would walk away the winner. However, as the next batch of cards were tossed around, Honozuka noticed a change in Shousan’s demeanor. He tapped his right index finger atop the table in an offhand manner. The most basic of tells in the books. Looking up into his eyes, she could see the faintest glimmer of a smile hiding within them. Really? Was he actually this telling in poker? Was he actually having fun?