Stormy Skies (open)

[Madoka Ogawa]

“Is that so?” he inquired with a soft voice.
“Oh absolutely, you not only helped me find my dog, you also entered a creepy cave, fought a demon and you’re currently carrying me back out. If that’s not nice, I don’t know what is.” Surely he didn’t think everyone acted as he did? She was really starting to get curious about his home country now, if all the people there were as generous and kind, she was so moving there.
But then again, if it was all so fantastic, he wouldn’t have left it, would he?

“You should be careful of people taking advantage of your kindness though... Trust me, people used to take advantage of my mother all the time before…” her somewhat brightened mood took a hit as her thoughts went to her mother. ”…before she got sick.”
Her mind started to wander, and she didn’t immediately finish her sentence, “…before I mastered ‘the evil eye-technique’ and scared them off!” it was a weak cop-out, and she knew it. However, just like Aryan, she too preferred to keep certain things to herself.
It wasn’t that she was ashamed of her mother, despite the state she was in. Far from it, she was more ashamed of herself and the dark, selfish and ungrateful thoughts she seemed to be having more and more as time passed by. The people who knew of her predicament often complimented her for being so selfless in taking care of her mother, but if she really were so selfless, she wouldn’t have those thoughts, and she wouldn’t have to convince herself that she took care of her out of love, and not because it was more or less expected from her.

A deep frown etched itself onto her face and Madoka quickly decided she needed some distraction. Aryan seemed to have things under control, so she decided to check on her arm. It felt a little numb, and she wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign or not but decided to cherish the moment anyway. It was a whole lot better than pain, that was for sure.

“It seems as though the entrance might be near,
“Huh, what?” she let go of her arm again and looked ahead, it seemed as though it was getting lighter, like they were close to daylight.

She let out a sigh of relief, “Thank God… I thought we’d be stuck here forever!” the slightest bit of positive energy came back to her as she grinned at Aryan, “Good job super-ma… what? Are you o… kay…?” her voice slowly died out – and that little spark of positivity with it – as she followed his gaze downwards.
Was that water? “That’s… not good…” The first thought that entered her mind was ‘we’re gonna die!!’ but luckily she managed to hold back this time. “Alright, don’t panic!” she wasn’t sure if it was meant to calm Aryan down or herself.

Her eyes darted all over the place as she was simultaneously looking for that promised exit as well as continuously telling herself to calm down. Just as she was about to lose hope, a thought entered her mind that calmed her just the slightest bit.
“That water’s streaming in here from outside, right…? I mean… there’s no other way for the water to come here… so if we were to go against the stream, it should lead us to the ocean, shouldn’t it?” and the ocean was outside, which was exactly where they wanted to go. It amazed her she’d been able to voice her thoughts so clearly, sure she’d sounded a little shaken, but who could blame her for that? No one liked the thought of surviving a demon attack only to get swallowed by the ocean.

[Aryan Farr]

Aryan gave a soft laugh as Madoka went off listing all the reasons why he was a ‘nice’ person. He supposed when she said it like that, it did make him sound rather kind. That was good…he tried to be. He knew that no matter how many good deeds he did, he would never be able to make up for all the wrongs he had done, all the sins he had committed.

But…it made him feel better in a way. He was not a person who could create happiness for himself on his own, he needed the help of others. After all, it was from their happiness that his was created. When he was able to help someone, assist them, he felt like he wasn’t completely useless, and that filled him with joy. “I suppose…” he quietly agreed.

“You should be careful of people taking advantage of your kindness though... Trust me, people used to take advantage of my mother all the time before…”

Oh, people took advantage of Aryan’s kindness all the time. It was not that he was naïve…he just didn’t seem to mind. As long as he could be useful, it did not matter to him. He did not have long to dwell on this though, as something Madoka had said caught his attention. She paused in midsentence, hesitating, and he cast a questioning look down at her. “Miss Mado-?” He began to say her name, ask her what was wrong, but she quickly continued speaking. “…before I mastered ‘the evil eye-technique’ and scared them off!” Aryan gave the girl in his arms an incredulous look, expression disbelieving. “You must be pretty scary then…” he said, forcing a smile. He knew that she was lying, but he did not questions her about it. As someone who had met her…it was not his place. “Your mother must be a wonderful person.”

As Aryan walked, he noticed that the water was slowly creeping high. He tried not to pay attention to this, but he couldn’t help but be slightly worried. He wouldn’t let anything happen to this girl, or her dog for that matter, but…what would he do if the water rose too high, covered up the entrance to the cave? They would all drown here. At least he would get to die in a somewhat heroic act…the way he had always wanted to go. Wait. No, what was he thinking? He would not let that happen.

“That water’s streaming in here from outside, right…? I mean… there’s no other way for the water to come here… so if we were to go against the stream, it should lead us to the ocean, shouldn’t it?”

Aryan was surprised at how calm Madoka was acting. Well, compared to before anyway. She was not panicking yet, not screaming about how they were going to die. He was slightly relieved by this, as her logic made it easier for him to remain calm and think. Surprisingly, her words were actually helpful. “Ah…good thinking, Miss Madoka.” He cast a nervous glance down at his feet again, seeing that the water had risen a little higher, now up a little past his ankles. He bit his lip, and then quickened his step, feet splashing through the icy water. He took a few steps and the glanced back, eyes resting on the girl’s dog. It was inching its way after them, using the small rocks on side of the cave to try and stay out of the water. He hoped that it could swim, as he wasn’t sure he would be able to rescue them both at once. Of course, if he had to, he would.

Aryan kept moving, walking against the current. The light grew brighter by the second, but as it did, the water rose higher. The closer they got to the entrance of the cave, the higher the water got. Aryan’s legs felt as if they were being stabbed by a hundred daggers, and he nearly gasped in shock at how cold the water was. He supposed that autumn was almost over though, so it was only natural the temperature would be dropping, especially because the sun was hidden by the clouds. “Nearly there,” he told her. Just as he said this, he turned a corner, and another wave of water washed in through the entrance, nearly knocking Aryan off his feet as it washed against his legs. He was now knee deep in the water, and walking had become incredibly hard. Partly because of freezing temperature, and partly because of the resistance of the water and the current.

“We made it…” Eventually, after what felt like forever, but was probably only a few minutes, Aryan was able to see the ocean. He should have seen land through the opening that served as the entrance of the cave, but all he saw was water. Luckily, it was not too deep yet, and with a small amount of swimming, they would be able to make it back to shore. “Do you know how to swim?” he suddenly asked, glancing down at the girl in his arms, who he was now holding up higher, trying to protect from getting wet.

[Madoka Ogawa]

Madoka couldn’t help but feel a little proud when Aryan told her it was good thinking on her part. For a moment, she’d worried that in her semi-panicked state, she was saying things that sounded logical to her but sounded ridiculous to everyone else. Thankfully that wasn’t the case this time.
She didn’t miss the surprised look he gave her though, and who could possibly blame him? She hadn’t exactly been acting like a rational human being up until now, and she had indeed been acting like a dumb little goose that needed rescuing. She needed to rectify that somehow. She didn’t need everyone to think she was super-intelligent or skilled or anything, but she didn’t like being underestimated either.

As they – or rather Aryan – walked through the water, he glanced back at Shiroki, who had found a pretty clever way to stay dry. He wouldn’t be able to keep it up though, the water seemed to slowly but surely be rising and sooner or later he’d have to swim, and Madoka worried about that. Even though the dog could swim just fine in still waters, she wasn’t sure how he’d fare here, with a current that was apparently strong enough to even throw Aryan off balance a little.

“We made it…”
Had they? All she saw was water, and little else. But this had to be the exit… the wall ended here. She looked back at Aryan when she suddenly felt him rise her up even higher in an attempt to keep her dry. Though she appreciated the thought, she saw little point in doing it, seeing as this situation could only end with her getting wet, either by drowning in here or attempting to swim out there. Nevertheless, she appreciated getting the time to prepare herself for the cold water. She probably wouldn’t need it. She’d grown up here after all, the sea-water was cold most of the year, yet that had never stopped her from playing in it as a child.
“Do you know how to swim?” Aryan asked her suddenly with a somewhat worried expression. He worried that he needed to swim against this current with her slung over his shoulder and Shiroki holding him by the hair – poor guy.

Finally things were starting to look up for both of them though, as Madoka was a fantastic swimmer. She had to be, if a child growing up by the sea didn’t know how to swim, It wouldn’t last long.
“Yes, absolutely!” she beamed up at him as she motioned for him to put her down, her hands reaching immediately for Shiroki, who was about to get knocked off his rock. The dog whined at getting his fur wet, but Madoka quickly shushed him as she took a few steps towards the entrance. Thankfully being carried had allowed her legs to rest up enough that she was able to walk normally again, but her arm – or more specifically, her hand – was causing her some concern. Her arm worked just fine, and she’d probably be able to swim with it… perhaps not too far, but then the shore was close-by. Her hand however, wasn’t responding as it should, her fingers only twitched slightly when she tried to move them. At least she could still move them, but finding a doctor wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to Aryan, “How about you, can you swim?” if he couldn’t, well… dammit, she’d carry him on her shoulder if needed.
Though she wasn’t the bravest person alive, she didn’t consider herself to be weak. Her upbringing, her current work… just living around these parts had made her strong, at least physically. Maybe she couldn’t kick a demon’s butt or carry Aryan the way he’d carried her just now, but when it came to extreme weather, she could handle a lot.

“Listen, and no back-talk,” She said with a smile before he could tell her once again not to worry about him, in this situation, she was better equipped than he was, and for once she was going to enjoy being the expert, “If you get tired, grab onto me, alright? I truly can swim well, and I’ve had other people hold onto me before, so I can handle it. Besides, your legs already had to endure through a lot while I got to rest, so don’t try and be heroic because if you get sucked out into the ocean I will swim after you and very likely drown and haunt you forever in the afterlife, so don’t even think about it.”

She turned back to the entrance and took a deep breath to prepare herself for the trip outside, she adjusted her clothes a little to fit Shiroki in them, tying him to her waist. She could swim while someone held onto her, but not if she could only use one arm, so as much as the dog complained about getting his freedom restricted, she couldn’t care less for the moment.
“Ready?” she asked over her shoulder, “And remember what I said about haunting you.” She gave him a quick wink before taking a deep breath and disappearing into the waves.

[Aryan Farr]

“Yes, absolutely!”

Well, thank goodness for that. Aryan had not been sure what to do if she hadn’t. He would try to carry her, though if he did that, the dog would be left behind…and the dog was the only reason they were really here in the first place, wasn’t he? “Good,” he said quietly, slowly loosening his grip and allowing Madoka to settle down in the water. He wasn’t sure how she was coping so well, but he was thankful she was. He admired the strength she had right now, being so brave, despite the fact she was injured. As this thought passed through Aryan’s mind, he instinctively glanced toward her arm. Unfortunately, the girl had already plunged into the water and the wound was no longer visible. He would make sure to check it when they made it to the beach… He was still praying that it wasn’t too deep, that she hadn’t lost too much blood. Judging by how she was acting now, she was probably fine… but still.

“Are you sure it’s wise to-?” Aryan had started to question Madoka, slightly concerned about her condition, if she should be trying to swim so far with her injury, but she interrupted him. “Listen and no back-talk,” she told him with a smile, and then went on to mention that if he got tired he could grab onto her and she would help him to shore. Aryan was a little taken aback by this. He was the one who was supposed to be doing the saving, he was the one who was supposed to be the hero. In her condition she shouldn’t be trying to work so hard. He should be the one carrying her. “Alright,” he agreed slowly, speaking in his usual quiet voice. His legs were awfully tired, not to mention slightly numb from the cold, but he refused to look weak in front of this girl he had only just met. He did, however, chuckle slightly when she threatened him, saying that if he caused her to drown her ghost would haunt him forever. “I…think I will be fine.”

“Ready? And remember what I said about haunting you.”

Aryan nodded in response, offering her a small smile. “I know, I know,” he told her. “I will do my best not to get sucked into the ocean’s depths.” Madoka dove into the water after that, already swimming in the direction of the shore. Aryan hesitated for a moment, but then followed her lead, though he made his descent more cautiously, slowly lowering himself into the icy water. He gasped at its coldness, feeling it sting his sides, his chest, his arms. He wondered how the girl could plunge into it so effortlessly, so fearlessly. Perhaps it was because she was used to the chilly climate and the sharp cold of the water. He supposed she would be if she had lived here all her life. Besides, she was a tough person, a strong woman.

Biting his lip, Aryan followed after Madoka. He tried to keep his head above the water, but the waves that were washing in from the deep sea made it hard. They knocked against him, washing him under a few times. He always managed to resurface, though it was slightly hard to see; salt stung his eyes and his white hair was now a mess, all matted against his forehead, plastered to his face and covering his eyes. He had to keep pushing it back so he could see where he was swimming, make sure he wasn’t headed in the wrong direction off to sea. After all, he did not want to be haunted by Madoka’s angry ghost.

“How…how is your arm?” Aryan called over to her, managing to get his head above the waves. She was a little ways ahead of him, clearly the better swimmer of the two. Despite this, he was still concerned for her, worrying for her safety rather than his own. He was managing. His body hurt from the cold, but he could deal with that. He had to. His past life as a prince had not prepared him for any of these hard tasks, as all he ever really had to do was sit upon his throne and give orders, watch from the sidelines. He, himself, never had to experience the hardships of war, the pain of starvation, the struggle for survival; he had been sheltered from those cruelties of life, protected by the castle walls. For a pampered man, someone who had grown up in luxury, he was doing a decent job not drowning.

[Madoka Ogawa]

“I know, I know, I will do my best not to get sucked into the ocean’s depths.”
For some reason, she didn’t like that answer. Oh he would do his best alright, no one wanted a fisherman’s grave after all, but she wasn’t convinced he would do as she’d asked and let her help him.
What was it with men and wanting to appear strong all the time? Heaven forbid they came across as regular people with weaknesses just like everyone else. Alas, that was men for you, far too proud for their own good. Thinking about his reaction some more, she actually decided she did like it. At least he wasn’t lying to her, and now she’d just keep an extra close eye on him. Just in case.

After passing through the exit and reaching the open sea, she untied Shiro and let him swim on his own while keeping a hand by his neck just in case a big wave hit them. The worst part seemed over now, all she had to do was keep her head above the water and swim back to the coast. The tide was pretty strong, but though her injury made it harder to swim, she was still managing. It just slowed her down a little.

”How… how is your arm?” Aryan called from behind, she turned to glance over her shoulder and saw that he was only a little bit behind her. Not bad, for a grasshopper.
But she didn’t answer his question right away. It wasn’t feeling too great, the cold water had made her hand even less responsive than it was before and the salty sea-water stung into her wound, making it ache painfully. How would he respond if she told him the truth though? If she were to guess, he’s try and catch up to her and help her, and she really didn’t want that. For once, she was better at something and she wasn’t going to ruin it now, besides, he wouldn’t really be able to help her get to a doctor before they reached the shore anyway, so there was no point in telling him now.

“Never better! How are you holding up?” she called back, surprising herself with the ability to keep the strain from her voice. Just as she said it, a big wave hit her from the side and for a moment, she disappeared under the waves. Luckily she’d been holding onto the dog, or he’d have washed away by now. After barely a second, she resurfaced and was pleasantly surprised to see the wave had knocked her closer to the beach. Ha! What luck!
Her luck quickly faded however, when she noticed something above the water, in the distance. She paled slightly when she realized the tide had also washed a variety of animals towards the shore – including a shark it seemed. Now, she knew sharks usually didn’t attack people unless they flipped and flopped around too much and made the animal believe they were his favorite snack – seals – and it likely wasn’t interested in eating as it too struggled with the waves, but you could never be careful enough.

“Stop swimming! Don’t move, there’s a shark!” she called over her shoulder as she stared at the fin slowly drifting above the water. Every now and then, a wave would hit it and make it disappear for a moment, but it always seemed to resurface again. This didn’t look like a large shark, perhaps this was just a baby? An adult shark should be strong – and smart – enough to stay away from the currents, shouldn’t it?
Staying still while still trying to stay above the water was quite difficult, and she started to get tired again. Her arm was really starting to lose it’s strength too and- Oh God, her arm.
She quickly looked to the side to see if she was bleeding at all. There was just the slightest hint of redness, barely noticeable at all, but that didn’t matter. The shark would’ve been able to smell it.
Her heart skipped a beat when she looked up. The fin seemed to have disappeared once more, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she should feel happy, or worried about that.
Regardless, she needed to get out of the water and fast.

Without another thought, she turned to the coast and started swimming again as fast as she could, occasionally glancing around her for a sign of the shark. The shark was nowhere to be seen, but Aryan was ignoring her advice to not move by swimming after her.
Damn that man and his eternal desire to save people. A large wave was coming up behind him, and she was about to warn him when she realized it was big and close enough that it would hit her too.
“Oh damn!” she yelped before it came crashing down on her, turning the world around her entirely dark.

[Aryan Farr]

“Never better! How are you holding up?”

Aryan wasn’t completely convinced by her words, but there wasn’t much he could do or say right now. “Fine!” he called, trying to be heard over the crashing of the waves. The water was rough, and swimming was a bit difficult. The only good thing they had going for them was that the current was not against them, and in fact, it was pushing them right to shore. The waves, however, were troublesome, and Aryan had to put up quite a fight to stay above the water’s surface. Truthfully, he was not that amazing of a swimmer. He was just thrashing around. As long as he kept his arms and legs moving he seemed to stay afloat. Luckily they were almost to the shore, and he wouldn’t need to keep this up for long. How embarrassing it would be to have to request help from a woman… It wasn’t even that she was a woman, actually. He just detested looking weak.

“Stop swimming! Don’t move, there’s a shark!”

Aryan’s thoughts were interrupted by a shout from Madoka. Wait, had he heard her right? A shark? His eyes widened slightly, and he looked around frantically. Where? Where was it? It took him a moment, but then his eyes caught the fin sticking up from the water. Was that really a shark? Damn it… He felt himself beginning to panic again, as the waves were only driving them closer to the giant fish. He had been able to save Madoka from the demon, but he doubted there would be anything he could if the shark got to her. It would target her because of the blood from her wound and then drag her out to sea… The thought made him feel ill with worry. Oh lord…a demon and a shark all in one day? He had not had this much excitement in his life in quite a while.

Madoka shouted something to him, but Aryan couldn’t hear it over the roar of the waves. He was about to call out to her, tell her to try and swim away from the shark, but he never got the chance. Just as he opened his mouth, a wave crashed into him, slamming against his body. The force knocked the breath out of him, and he was plunged underwater. He struggled for a few moments, still half-conscious, but the current of the water was too strong, and he found there was no use fighting it. He tried until his vision blurred and his chest ached from lack of oxygen. He couldn’t…he couldn’t die like this… He wouldn’t… He hoped Madoka was okay… His thoughts went on like that until his mind went blank his consciousness gave in, unable to fight back any longer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Aryan’s body ached all over. His back felt as if it had been kicked a million times, and when he tried to move, his muscles screamed in protest. Was he…dead? Was this what hell was like? He tried to breathe, but he couldn’t. His chest hurt. He needed to breathe but no matter how hard he tried he could not draw in any oxygen. Just as he began to get dizzy and feel like passing out again, he felt his body heave and he began coughing. His body shook violently as his lungs forced out all the water they had been drowned in. He gasped for breath, and this time he was able to draw in a mouthful of fresh air. He did this a few times, panting, struggling for air, and slowly his breathing slowed and became more even. Slowly, hesitantly, afraid of what he was going to see, Aryan forced open his eyes.

He was nearly blinded by a bright light, and at first he was convinced that he must be dead, that this was the light everyone saw just before their soul was judged. As he lied there, however, he gradually noticed his surroundings looked very similar, and that in fact the bright light was the sun, not some heavenly entity. Upon realizing this, he bolted into a sitting position. He sat up a little too quickly, and his vision spun in front of him. He held his head in his hands, trying to focus. Where was he…? Wait…what was going on? It took him a few moments, but the events of the previous day slowly returned to him. At first he thought it might be some strange dream, but then he saw where he was, washed up on the shore of the beach, and he knew it couldn’t have been. There really had been a strange girl and a demon…hadn’t there?

What was her name again? It took him a second, but then he grasped it. Madoka. Yes, that’s right…Madoka. As soon as the image of the girl popped into his mind, he felt his heart jump start. Madoka! He felt like he might pass out again as he thought of her, remembered what had happened. She must be dead… She couldn’t have survived that, could she? Aryan struggled to his feet, stumbling a few steps as he forced his stiff legs to move. He had to find her… “Madoka!” he called, though his voice was hoarse and didn't come out as loudly as he had wanted it to.

[Madoka Ogawa]

“Madoka… can you hear me?” an almost angelic voice asked as Madoka slowly opened her eyes, “I-I think she’s waking up! Madoka, it’s okay… you’re going to be alright…”
Her vision returned very slowly, but the first thing she saw was a face. A familiar face. Was this an angel? No, wait… that looked like Akemi, from the inn! What was she…? Her eyes shot open widely when the woman was about to lean down and seemingly kiss her, her body shot up on it’s own and she violently started coughing up sea-water.

“Oh hell! You’re alive!” Akemi gasped as Madoka sprayed sea-water right into her face, “And grateful as ever.”
“Ohhh, I’m so glad you’re okay!” came another voice from her right before she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and almost choke the life out of her, “You had us worried!” the young girl whispered as she looked her friend over.
“Akemi… Yuka, what are you do-“
“We’re here because you decided to take a swim during a storm, you dumb oaf!” Akemi hissed at her before pulling her hair roughly, “What in the world is wrong with you? Seriously, you always struck me as a person of at least average intelligence, but this action…”
“And how did your arm get so messed up?” Yuka finished for her older friend.
“Can I just take a breath first?” seeing her friends was good and all, but she was still a little shaky.
“No, you can’t.” Akemi began sharply as she stood up to give her some room, “Start talking missy, or I’m making you pay me back for last night.”
“Last… night?”
“Yes, last night. When you decided to be stupid and forced me to be nice and take over your shift.”

There were so many thought running through her head, she wasn’t sure where to start. Most of yesterday was a big black blob of nothingness, she recalled going to the beach for Shiro and meeting this guy-
“Aryan, have you seen Aryan?” she asked in a panic as she grabbed poor Yuka, who still sat beside her.
“Aryan?” Akemi asked blankly, “What kind of name is that? It doesn’t sound Japanese.”
“It does to me!” Yuka chirped in before Akemi gave her a death glare to shut her up, it was highly effective.
“Don’t tell me you were out teaching some foreigner how to swim.”
“Well… I didn’t teach him how to swim, but…” would they even believe her if she told them the whole tale? First a demon, then a storm, then a shark and a huge wave? Yuka might believe it, but Akemi would call her insane. It didn’t matter anyway, she needed to find Aryan. Oh no, she hoped he’d made it back alive. And Shiro, what about Shiro? Oh, there he was. How had he made it? Didn’t matter. Find Aryan, now.

She stood up and began looking around, “Aryan!” she called as hard as she could, ignoring the disapproving look Akemi gave her, “Aryan, where are you?”
“Madoka’s friend! Heey!” Yuka joined in.
“Yuka, why don’t you go find this Aryan person while I have a talk with Madoka?” Akemi stated rather than asked as she stared Madoka straight in the eye. Yuka bit her lip slightly and nodded before mouthing a good luck wish to her friend.

As soon as the youngest of the trio had left, Akemi grabbed Madoka’s bad arm and held it up slightly. “Do you have any idea how lucky you were? You could’ve died if we hadn’t found you.” The elder girl’s eyes softened somewhat as she looked at Madoka’s bandaged arm. “And what were you out here for anyway? That fleabag? It’s a dog Madoka, you know animal lives aren’t as valuable as human ones. And then you’re hanging out with some stranger? Don’t you realize how dangerous that is? Do you have any idea what he could’ve done to you?”
“Hey, I found…” Yuka slowly trailed off when she noticed the tension going on.
“Don’t you think you have the responsibility to stay alive, for all the people that care about you? You’re not alone in this life, Madoka. Do you know how long it took us to calm your mother down enough that she’d finally go to sleep? Yuka’s been up half of the night just assuring her you were alive. I’ve been up all night looking for you, so has Ryu. He’s on the other end of the beach, looking for you now as we speak.”

Madoka remained silent, a sudden wave of guilt hitting her hard. Ryu, Akemi, Yuka. The only family she had besides her mother had spent their entire night looking for her. How mad would Yuka’s mom be if she walked in now after not coming home all night? How mad would Ryu’s wife and son be?
“I-I’m sorry…” she whispered finally. What else could she say? ‘Thanks for cleaning up my mess, see ya?’ She wasn’t sure how she’d repay this.
“I… think I found your friend…” Yuka spoke quietly from a distance.

((Up to you whether Yuka met him and brought him back over, or whether she saw him from a distance and ran back to tell everyone. If you want him to be alone a bit longer, that's fine by me. ^^ Also, you can use these NPCs too in your post if you want/need them.))

[Aryan Farr]

Aryan had no idea how long he had been wandering around on the beach for. Had it been minutes, hours? He glanced up at the sun, which was now beating down on him. It was in the middle of the sky now, at its highest point. It was probably around the middle of the day now. Too much time couldn’t have passed, could it? But then why did it feel so long? Was it because of the hopelessness of the situation, the fear in his heart? “Madoka!” he called. His voice came out funny, sounding worn out and hoarse. He coughed a little and tried again. He had to find her… She must be somewhere. If he had gotten lucky and been washed up on the shore, maybe she had to. He prayed for this

Another hour passed, and then Aryan saw a girl on the shore. He ran toward her, thinking that it was Madoka, but as he got closer, he realized that it was someone he didn’t recognize. His spirits fell at this, shoulders slumping forward. “Sorry I…I thought you were someone else,” he said quietly, before turning and beginning to walk away. He had only gotten a few steps though when he realized the girl was following him. Hesitantly, Aryan stopped, glancing over his shoulder. What did she want…? He thought about ignoring her and walking away again, but then he had a better idea. Perhaps she had seen Madoka? He opened his mouth to ask her, but before he got the chance, the girl asked a question of her own. “Say… you wouldn’t happen to be Madoka’s friend, would you?”

~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later, Aryan found himself standing awkwardly in a house. The girl, whoever she was, had led him back into the village, into one of the small huts. On their way back, she had explained to him that she was a friend of Madoka’s and that she had come out looking for him. Aryan had smiled politely at the girl, but hadn’t said much, remaining near silent throughout their journey. He was too worried to engage in small talk. That and his throat was sore from all the yelling he had been doing. Of course, almost drowning and swallowing so much salt water probably hadn’t helped at all.

Now, Aryan was standing in a doorway. He could hear a girl’s voice from inside, and she was speaking loudly to Madoka, seeming to be scolding her or something. Aryan stood very awkwardly at the entrance. He had left Madoka’s friend go in first, unsure if he should follow or wait here. He felt slightly uncomfortable being in someone else’s house, but he had to make sure that Madoka was okay… “I… think I found your friend…” The girl eventually said, voice coming from another room. Silence followed her remark, and Aryan couldn’t take it anymore. Taking a deep breath, he summoned his courage and stepped inside the hut, moving his head into the doorway to the room all the girls were in. All heads turned to him and he was greeted with wide eyes.

Aryan no longer looked very princely. His white hair was messy and tossed everywhere, a complete disaster. His clothes were still damp, and there was a small pool of water at the base of his feet as water dripped from his shirt. “Madoka,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief. She looked like she was fine. As the weight was lifted from his shoulders, he felt like he might collapse. He had no strength left, all of it having been used up. His legs wobbled slightly and he used the frame of the door to keep himself standing. He said nothing more, only the one simple word; her name. He didn’t know what else to say. He just gave her a weak smile. He had no idea how she had survived, but he was glad she had. He wasn’t sure what he would do if she hadn’t. There was a bark, and a small white head popped up from behind some of the furniture. It seemed that her dog was okay too.

[Madoka Ogawa]

All heads turned when the white-haired man burst through the door. Yuka and Madoka gasped slightly in surprise, but Akemi merely widened her eyes.
“Madoka,” Aryan sighed in relief before stumbling slightly, and he would’ve surely fallen over if the door frame hadn’t been there.
“Aryan! Are you alright?” Madoka pushed past her friends and stood next to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He smiled weakly at her, but didn’t say anything.
“Come on, I’ll help you.” She offered as she placed one arm around his waist and the other on his arm, supporting him with her own weight. Yuka hurried to his other side and grabbed his arm to help. The two girls slowly made their way through the room before helping the man sit down on the bed. She propped one leg onto the bed beside him and began inspecting him for any possible injuries. That wave might’ve slammed him against a wall or something, you could never be careful enough.
“Are you hurt somewhere?” she asked softly as she checked his arms, legs, even his neck. You could never be careful enough.

“This…? This is the person you were hanging out with?” Akemi blurted out, “This… this… hobo?”
“Uhh… maybe we could let them catch up and stuff?” Yuka asked nervously, she already felt where this was going.
“’Catch up’? They don’t need to catch up on anything! We’ll get him to the doctor if he needs one, but that’s it.” Akemi crossed her arms and gave Aryan a suspicious look, “What are you doing here, anyway? Pretty convenient you happened to be on the beach when Madoka went there, hm?”
“Oh shut up!” Madoka snapped at her friend, “He didn’t even know I was there, don’t be so paranoid!”
“It’s not paranoia if it’s true. What are the chances of some foreigner being out on the beach during a storm when you’re also there? Pretty damn slim, that’s what. So what had you intended? To kidnap her and demand ransom? Are you a bandit?”
“Akemi!”
“Don’t you Akemi me, missy! I’ve been around a lot longer than you, I know these types. They act all nice and amazing, but they are always up to something.”

“It’s okay mister, Akemi hates everyone younger than her because she can’t stand… getting old.” Yuka whispered the last part in an attempt to lighten the mood somewhat.
“What?! I’m not getting old! Shut up you!”
“But you’re like, ancient….”
“Well maybe that’s all the more reason why you should listen to me then, then again, you’re not the problem. Madoka is with her need to fix and take care of anything stray and-“
“Alright, get out!” Madoka raised her voice to be heard over the arguing, “I think I am perfectly capable of handling my own affairs, Akemi, I don’t need you to babysit me.”
“I don’t trust this guy Madoka, and you sh-“
“Well I do. You have no idea what he’s done for me, so just shut it and get out!” she was fuming by now, and really about ready to knock someone out. That someone being Akemi.
“Bu-“
“OUT!” in her anger, she grabbed a pillow from the bed and tossed it at Akemi, “I swear I will throw that table at you next if you don’t get out now.” She wouldn’t, of course, because Akemi was like a sister to her. But thankfully, Akemi got the hint and started walking to the door, but not before trying her luck one last time and giving Aryan a very hard and serious look, “You’d better not try anything, I’m right out here and I know kung-fu.” Yuka grabbed her arm and dragged her out.

Madoka sighed desperately. She loved Akemi with all her heart, and Yuka too, but why did the former have to be such a complete and utter bitch to everyone she didn’t know? She’d been this mean the first few days on the job as well, when Madoka had been just a kid. Since then, they’d gotten closer and Madoka had truly come to look up to Akemi, thinking of her like she was her big sister.
She appreciated the fact that she was being looked after so well, but a little bit of subtlety wouldn’t have hurt, would it?

She turned back to Aryan and smiled slightly, “Sorry about that… Akemi’s really… a unique person, would probably best describe her. It’s nothing against you personally, she always acts this way around new people, especially if she feels she has to protect me or Yuka or… anyone she likes, really.” Her smile faded slightly when she realized she was making up excuses for her friend. She knew there were racist people out there, and sadly, she’d befriended one. It had always just been a joke though, never this serious.
“She… really crossed a line this time.” She said finally with a hint of anger in her voice, it quickly subdued when she looked at Aryan again, “You do look a little bit like a hobo now though…” she stifled a giggle as she reached for a mirror on the nightstand, and held it up for him to see. “But… are you sure you’re okay? Would you like a glass of water? Wait here, I’ll get it for you.”

[Aryan Farr]

“Aryan! Are you alright? Come on, I’ll help you.”

Madoka was at his side in a matter of seconds. He felt one of her arms wrap around his waist and the next thing he knew he was being helped to the bed. He sat down with a quiet sigh, glad to finally rest his legs. He suddenly felt weak now. When he had been searching for Madoka he hadn’t noticed…but now that he had found her he was beginning to feel the weakness set in. His muscles ached dully, probably from all the swimming he had been doing, trying to fight the current. That wasn’t a big deal though. In a few days he would be back to normal. Besides, it was only natural he would be worn out. After all, yesterday he had been faced with much excitement, excitement that he wasn’t used to. He just needed to sit down.

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

Madoka seemed to be examining him for injures. He gave her a small smile. “I think I am okay,” he told her quietly. “I am just…tired.” His head throbbed slightly, and he thought he may have hit it, but then again it could just be from dehydration. In any case… that didn’t matter. He didn’t even care about himself. He was really just glad that the girl in front of him was all right. He had been fearing the worst for her. He almost wanted to get up and hug her. Of course, he did not do this, as it would probably seem improper. That, and he wasn’t one to express his emotions. He tended to keep them to himself, making it impossible for others to understand how he felt. In this case, however, it was probably pretty obvious. The look of relief on his face was enough. “I am glad you are safe,” he told her. He was about to say more, but he was interrupted by one of her friends.

“What are you doing here, anyway? Pretty convenient you happened to be on the beach when Madoka went there, hm?”

One of Madoka’s friends started having a go at him. Aryan didn’t understand her suspicion at first, and he was quite hurt at some of the things the girl said. It actually made him rather angry…and he was very hard to frustrate. His usually soft face hardened as he stared at the girl who was badmouthing him. She had no idea of what he had been through, of what he had done. To accuse him of having ill intentions was rude. He didn’t like it when people just made assumptions about him, especially because of his hair color of his accent. Did her friend think he had been planning to rape Madoka or something? Lord, what a crude girl. He was going to say something to her, tell her to shut up, but he forced himself into silence. No…this girl was probably just worried for Madoka. They were friends after all. And so, Aryan just took her insults with a sigh, lowering his gaze to stare at the floor. He just wished the girl wouldn’t talk so loud…

Eventually, the girl left the room, and Aryan was left alone with Madoka. She apologized for her friend’s rude behavior, but Aryan just shook his head. “Do not worry,” he told her, trying to make his voice slightly stronger. “I took no offense… She was just worried for you. I understand.” Truthfully, he was still vaguely annoyed with the girl’s suspicious, thinking it would have been more polite to keep them to herself, but he didn’t say anything. Getting mad would not solve anything. It was best to just forgive and move on with life.

“You do look a little bit like a hobo now though…”

“Do I?” Aryan asked, lifting an eyebrow. He held up the mirror that Madoka had gave him, staring into it for a few moments before chuckling quietly. “I suppose I do.” His hair was a disaster, and his clothes were damp, not to mention his shirt was torn from where he had ripped a piece of the cloth off to bandage Madoka’s arm. Aryan reached up a hand, running it through his messy hair. A few water droplets fell onto the bed, raining down from his hair. He picked a piece of seaweed out of the white tangles and let it drop to the floor. He frowned slightly, but then sighed. He hated looking a mess like this, but he supposed there was really nothing he could do about it right now.

“But… are you sure you’re okay? Would you like a glass of water? Wait here, I’ll get it for you.”

Before he had the chance to answer, Madoka ran off to get him a glass of water. He watched her go with a slight smile. It made him happy to see her moving around so easily now. Perhaps a good night’s rest was all that she had needed. She was lucky that her friends had found her when they did. It had saved her a night lying out on the cold beach. With a quiet sigh, Aryan laid back on the bed, slowly lowering himself down. He stared at the ceiling as he waited for Madoka to return. A glass of water actually sounded nice… His throat was rather sore, and maybe it would help soothe the pain a little. Swallowing salt water was never good for a person. He knew that much at least. He let his eyes close wearily, trying to stay awake.

[Madoka Ogawa]

During her trip to fetch Aryan some water, Madoka ran into her friend again and gave her a quiet glare that said more than enough. Her fingers were itching to grab her by the hair and ask her what the hell she’d been thinking, talking to someone like that.
Akemi was about to open her mouth again when Madoka held her hand up to shush her, “I don’t want to hear it. We’ll talk about all this later.”
Thankfully she managed to sound at least slightly civil. Why Aryan hadn’t said anything, she did not know. If she’d been in his situation and someone had snapped at her like that, she would’ve likely gotten all up in their face and yelled right back before head butting said person if they didn’t get the hint by then. Aryan was a gentleman, and so he wouldn’t do such a thing. He should, but people rarely listened to her and she doubted he would if she went on to advise him, so why bother?

On the way back, she gave Akemi another lingering glare before entering the room again. “Room service!” she announced with a smile as she closed the door, “I also found some clothes… I hope they fit. Unless you prefer to sleep in the nude of course, in which case…” she trailed off when she turned around and noticed him already lying down. He seemed to struggle with staying awake. She hurried into the room, tossed the clothes onto a chair and set the glass down before kneeling next to the bed. “Are you… okay?” how long had he been awake? It couldn’t have been that long, could it? That said, what time was it? Man, she was really out of it…

She slowly moved her hand over to his forehead, brushing his hair backwards slightly. Her mother always kissed her forehead when she suspected Madoka had a fever, but she couldn’t exactly do that in this case, could she? That would be really inappropriate.
Her lips would probably be better at picking up a warmer temperature than her hand though, seeing as it was quite calloused from her years on the field.
She rose her eyebrow slightly when she replaced one hand with the other, hoping this one would be more sensitive.
He did feel pretty warm, but was that because he had a fever, or because he was just naturally warm, or because he’d been out in the cold for too long and upon entering a warm house his body had gone a little crazy and absorbed too much heat? She really sucked at this. Her mother would be able to tell right away.

She sighed deeply and sat back, she hated not knowing what to do. “Here, are you thirsty?” she leaned back and grabbed the glass before sitting up again. “Do you need help sitting up?”

[Aryan Farr]

“Room service! I also found some clothes… I hope they fit. Unless you prefer to sleep in the nude of course, in which case…”

Madoka’s voice brought Aryan back into full consciousness. As he had been lying there, waiting for her to return, he had begun to doze off. Now that she was back though, he forced himself to concentrate, to focus. When he opened his eyes again, he found that Madoka was kneeling beside the bed, a concerned look on her face. “Are you…okay,” she asked him. He just nodded in response, paying little attention to her question and quickly asking one of his own. “I should be asking that of you,” he told her quietly, voice equally as worried as hers had been. “I am so relieved that your friends found you... How are you feeling?” As usual, Aryan was worried for everyone but himself.

Aryan opened his eyes again as he felt a warm hand rest against his head. He looked over at Madoka, eyes slightly surprised. What…was she doing? He stared at her for a few moments, but when he saw the worried look on her face, he understood. She was checking to see if he had a fever. He gave her a small smile, trying to reassure her that he was fine, but it didn’t seem to work because she kept her hand in place. Why was she worried about him? She should be thinking of herself right now. Shouldn’t she be in bed resting? That seemed like the right thing to do to Aryan, after all she’d had a rough day yesterday. Then again, he was taking up her bed, so he was probably making that impossible…

“I am fine, Miss Ogawa,” he told her, smile still in place. “I am just a little tired, that is all.” He watched as the girl removed her hand from his forehead, replacing it with the other one. He was sure that he was fine and that she was just worrying too much. He didn’t feel very well, but that was probably normal, wasn’t it? Maybe he was getting sick? His body did feel slightly warmer than usual, which made him feel a little dizzy. He had just passed it off as weariness or exhaustion, but maybe it was more, maybe being out in the cold all that time hadn’t been so good for him. He didn’t want to consider this option though, and he quickly pushed this thought aside.

“Here, are you thirsty? Do you need help sitting up?”

Aryan smiled up at her. “Thank you,” he said in his quiet voice, before slowly lifting himself back up. “And, as I said before… I am fine. There is no need for you to worry about me. You should –” His voice cut off as he sneezed, the sudden motion jerking his body forward ever so slightly. He frowned at this and gave Madoka a rather sheepish look and then reached out to take the water from her. “Thank you for this,” he said, thanking her again, and then put the glass to his lips and took a long gulp. The water was cold, and it felt good against his throat as he swallowed it. He did this a few times, until the water was gone, and then set the glass to the side. “How is your arm?” he suddenly asked, seeming to remember something, eyes widening in worry.

[Madoka Ogawa]

Of course he had to go and wave his own problems off as though they were nothing. Madoka sighed softly as he asked her how she was doing. At least he was feeling well enough to counter her questions again, something she was most grateful of.
“I’m okay… I actually woke up, and considering all that happened yesterday, that was a pleasant surprise.”
A demon, a flooding cave, a shark, a huge wave knocking her out, a bleeding arm… it all seemed so surreal thinking back, when had her life gotten so exciting? She’d been praying for a little excitement these last few weeks, but throwing all that at her at once seemed overkill.
At least she knew not to pray for anything now, or it might actually get answered.

“I am fine, Miss Ogawa,” he told her, smile still in place. “I am just a little tired, that is all.” she’d tapped him on the head before she realized what she was doing, he sounded just like her mother, always pretending to be fine, always worrying about her instead. She’d always tap her mother softly on the head or wherever she was checking to shush her. In her mind, she hadn’t intended on tapping Aryan on the forehead, but she’d gotten so used to doing it, it had become an automatic reaction.
“Shush, I’m working.” She spoke quickly in an effort to make it seem like she had actually planned on it rather than having it just happen to her.
That’s when it sunk in that he’d called her Miss Ogawa again, now that she’d done it once, she might as well tap him again. “Hey, what happened to just Madoka? I think you’ve earned the right to be informal after experiencing such a weird day with me.” She laughed as she continued to check his temperature.
“I’m not sure if you’re sick… but you should probably take it easy for a day or two, just to be safe.” She spoke rather professionally, despite being mostly ignorant about these things. Her face betrayed her as a little smirk crossed her features, telling anyone who was paying attention that she was really just guessing.

When he pushed himself up, she almost reached up to help, but managed to stop herself at the last moment. Some people didn’t like accepting help, if he preferred to do things alone, she’d have to respect that.
“And, as I said before… I am fine. There is no need for you to worry about me. You should –” out of nowhere, his body jerked slightly as he sneezed, and Madoka grabbed one of his arms in reflex before narrowing her eyes at him. That sneeze confirmed what she had suspected; he was sick. Perhaps not deathly ill, but he definitely wasn’t perfectly healthy either.
“Oh yes, nothing to worry about, hmm?” She attempted to sound stern, but it was hard to keep a straight face when he gave her such a silly look. She was trying though, but she couldn’t stay angry at him. “Pfft… men…” she sighed as she shook her head.
He was definitely thanking her too much, all she did was get him a glass of water, after all. But maybe that glass of water meant more to him than it did to her? When had been the last time he had a drink that wasn’t salty sea-water? Too long ago, probably.
“It’s okay, there’s no need to thank me.” In a way, she enjoyed this. It was nice to take care of someone for once and know that they were going to get better again. It was a nice change to taking care of someone who only got worse.

“How is your arm?” he asked suddenly, and Madoka blinked at the fast change of subject. She hadn’t really been thinking about her arm up until now. Looking down at it, it seemed alright. Her hand still felt numb and unresponsive though… she wondered why that was. It couldn’t be too serious if neither Akemi nor Yuka had mentioned it to her… or maybe no one had noticed.
“Uh… it’s fine!” she lied as she held her arm up for him to see, purposely not trying to move her fingers, “Looks like I got lucky.”
She tried to change the subject away from her arm and stood up to grab the clothes she’d tossed off before, grabbing them with her good hand. “You should probably get changed, you’re not going to get better if you stay in these wet clothes.”
She held them out for him to take and briefly wondered if she should offer to help him put them on. No no, he wasn’t so sick that he couldn’t move, and he’d likely decline the offer anyway, perhaps he’d even feel insulted if she treated him like a fragile doll.
“Oh… you need something to put your old clothes in, right? Yuka! Can you get me a basket please?” she called over her shoulder. She got a muffled response before she heard the teen hurry up the stairs to get it.
She should’ve thought about that when she went to get Aryan’s water, it would’ve saved them all the trouble of making another trip upstairs. Perhaps her own mind was still a bit cloudy as well.

[Aryan Farr]

“I’m okay… I actually woke up, and considering all that happened yesterday, that was a pleasant surprise.”

“Indeed it is,” Aryan said softly in agreement. He hesitated, and then added, “I thought you…” His voice trailed off and he seemed to change his mind about what he was saying. Instead of finishing the sentence, he put up another smile. It was better to smile, after all, than worry about things that didn’t happen. She hadn’t died; she was alive. In fact, she looked better off than him. Then again, that was probably because she had been rescued and hadn’t had to stay out in the cold as long as he had. He felt a surge of gratitude toward her friends, if that’s what they were, even if one of them had treated him a bit disrespectfully.

Madoka tapped him on the forehead and he gave a light laugh. “Sorry,” he said quietly, though he wasn’t quite sure what exactly he was apologizing for. Oh well, better to apologize for nothing than not apologize for something. It was the polite thing to do. He was proper in speech and action, but he couldn’t help that. Most of his life had been spent behind castle gates, sheltered. He hadn’t had a choice if he wanted to be polite or not. At first it may have been forced, but eventually it had become part of who he was.

“Hey, what happened to just Madoka? I think you’ve earned the right to be informal after experiencing such a weird day with me.”

Aryan blinked in surprise. “Oh,” He looked slightly embarrassed, gaze diverting to the ground. Was it really okay to call her by her first name? Did they know each other well enough? He supposed it would be all right, seeing as they had been through a lot already. Not to mention she had asked him to call her it… It would be rude to ignore her request. Aryan was silent for a few moments, but then he looked up at the girl. “Very well, Madoka,” he told her, voice light. He gave her a small smile. “If that is what you wish.”

“Oh yes, nothing to worry about, hmm? Pfft…men…”
Madoka gave him a suspicious look when he sneezed, trying to look scolding and stern, but failing. Aryan quickly looked down. “I…um…” He stumbled over his words unable to think of something to say. He silently cursed how his body had betrayed him. He had always been a little weaker than others, falling ill and getting injured faster. It’s what happened when your body was used to being pampered. The second you mistreated it, it would fail you. He knew that he was probably sick, but he didn’t like admitting this, even to himself. Even if his body was weak, his mind wasn’t, and he had a lot of pride.

When he asked Madoka about her arm, a strange look spread across her face and she quickly said, “Uh…it’s fine!” Aryan lifted an eyebrow at this. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get any words out, Madoka was shoving a pile of clothes at him, saying that it wasn’t good to stay in wet clothes. He sighed, taking the clothes from her and then resting them in his lap. “Thank you,” he said. He waited patiently as the girl called out to her friend, asking for a basket. When she was silent again, Aryan reached out a hand, palm facing up. “Miss Og – Madoka, let me see your –“ He broke off and coughed a little, quickly putting a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stop the noise. His other arm remained outstretched though, waiting for Madoka to obey him. “Let me see your arm, please,” he finished a couple seconds later. The answer she had given him when he’d asked her was far from convincing, and he was still a bit worried for her. He didn’t think her life was in danger anymore, but he certainly didn’t think that she was one hundred percent fine either.

[Madoka Ogawa]

“Very well, Madoka,” he told her, voice light. He gave her a small smile. “If that is what you wish.”
She merely nodded at this. She’d never been one to be too formal with people, given, this was mostly because she lived in a relatively small village and most people knew her well enough already, but still… having someone close to your own age calling you ‘Miss’ was a bit silly, it made her feel old.

She didn't understand why he couldn’t just admit he was feeling sick though, it was pretty obvious by now, and considering the fact he’d been walking around in wet clothes for such a long time, it wasn’t exactly strange that he might’ve caught something. Why look for an excuse to pretend you’re fine? Why not just allow your body to heal? It made no sense. But then, she hadn’t been honest about the condition of her arm either… so she didn’t have much room to complain about him in this case.
Rather than lecture him on the importance of health, she called for Yuka to get him a basket for his wet clothes.
When she turned back around, she noticed he had his hand out. Did he need something?
“Do you want me to get you another glass of water?” she asked with a hint of confusion in her voice. After all the times he’d been polite with her, it seemed strange for him to just hold his hand up and demand something rather than asking for it. Maybe she’d pushed him a little too far by making him address her with her first name? Maybe he was a really rude person that just managed to hide it well.
“Miss Og – Madoka, let me see your –“ he coughed before he could finish his sentence. What did he want to see? Oh wait… no, not that…

“Let me see your arm, please,” he finally finished as he waited for her to obey.
Madoka’s eyes merely opened a bit wider as she pulled her arm back just a little, “What? No.” was she really such a horrible liar, or was Aryan just psychic?
Realizing how childish she’d sounded, she spoke up again “I-I mean… you’ve seen it, it’s fine.” It was perfectly normal for her hand to be a little numb. She could still move it very slightly, even though doing so hurt quite a bit, but at least she wasn’t paralyzed. And if it had been something really serious, her friends would’ve told her… right?
“You’re just trying to shift attention away from yourself, you don’t want to face the fact that you’re sick!” Good. Shift attention back at him, excellent. Even if he did end up getting back on her case, she’d have some time to think up a way to excuse herself and flee the room.

A knock on the door momentarily took her attention away from him, “Madoka, I have your basket.” Yuka called from the other side.
“Come in.” she called a bit awkwardly. Yuka was quick about her business this time, just walking in, setting the basket down and hurrying out again. That was unfortunate. Maybe if Yuka had gone on one of her infamous rants about whatever interested her at the time, it would’ve made Aryan forget about what he’d just asked her.
“H-Hey, why the rush?” she asked before the girl could close the door behind her.
“I’m making dinner! Aren’t you hungry yet?”
“Dinner? What time is it?” Madoka gasped as she hurried towards the window and looked outside. It wasn’t dark yet, but the sun had started to go down.
“Not sure… but I was hungry, so I figured I’d make something…” Yuka mused as she hung around the doorway for a moment, “Oh by the way, Akemi went to pick up your mom, so you’d better prepare for a lecture,” She smiled mischievously as she started closing the door, “She’ll be so mad at you…”
Madoka sighed heavily as she leaned back against the door, her eyes closed for a second. She’d be in for a lecture alright. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Aryan was still looking at her.
“So… are you hungry yet?” she asked with sweetest smile and voice she could produce in an attempt to change the subject.

((By the way, if you were wondering, she has very slight nerve damage from the demon attack. >.> I totally stole that from a hospital series on tv.))