Title: looking out the window
Rating: G
Fandom: Kiseki, specifically Kuro no Kiseki
Relationship: none
Wordcount: 1050
Short summary: Five times Aaron wakes up and looks out his third floor rental room window, in 4 x 200 + 1 x 250 words.
Aaron vaguely hears the sounds of girlish laughter and for a moment he wonders if he fell asleep at the bar. But then he hears it again and it’s recognizable enough to jolt Aaron fully awake. Oh, so he nodded off while chilling by his third-story room window. He peers out into the world below and spies the source of the laughter lingering in the alleyway, watching the old town children at play.
Aaron can’t help but laugh a little too. For a girl of 16 Agnes sure acts like a mom. Although how early did she come here today? Aaron pulls out his Xipha and blinks. 15 minutes before the hour? Aaron could still be sleeping.
But instead he continues to watch the scene below. Yume whispers something to the other girl before the two of them run off, the two boys following suit. To avoid being stampeded Agnes has plastered herself to the brick wall, then exhales when the coast is clear. She pulls up her Xipha and sighs.
Aaron sighs too. Or rather he yawns. There are 10 more minutes and Feri will probably wake him up if he forgets to. So back to bed it is.
*****
There’s a bark, a mechanical bark. But it sounds happy so it’s probably someone playing with XEROS. But Aaron wonders who the heck is doing so this early? Aaron sidles over to the window and peers down into the alleyway. Oh, it’s Feri.
Feri is too busy petting XEROS to notice Aaron’s gaze. Or maybe she knows it’s Aaron looking down at her and knows that it’s safe. When Feri finally pulls away from XEROS, Aaron notices that she is carrying an extra weight at her side. Specifically two very familiar-looking books. Aaron laughs at the fact that Feri is carrying his and Agnes’ old history textbooks. Is Feri going to ask about the books at school today? Only someone so naïve could be so eager to ask a schoolteacher. Because Aaron has found that real education comes from the life lived outside of books, in the real world.
Though Aaron supposes school wasn’t too bad back then with his friends. Aaron’s sure Feri has made plenty of friends too. As for his own education, well… That’s what staying out late is for.
But he is glad Feri is enjoying herself, even if he is definitely going back to bed.
*****
With his late nights and late starts to the day, Aaron has gotten used to waking up to noise rather than sunlight, but today the racket outside is rather mechanical. Aaron drags himself over to the window and peers down, immediately locating the source of the sounds. Van tinkering with his beloved car is not unusual but Quatre being there too causes Aaron to raise an eyebrow.
“Here you go.”
Aaron knows how to drive cars because they can go fast but he can’t say he knows how they really work, so he has no idea what the part Quatre just handed over to Van does. But it’s apparently the right thing as Van accepts it with a smile.
“Thanks.” There are some more metal clanging sounds before Van pokes his head out again. “Are you sure you’re not interested in driving?” he asks Quatre.
Quatre shakes his head. “I’m not old enough to drive, Van.”
“But you are interested in cars?”
Aaron bites down a laugh. Van sounds so desperate to find a fellow car-lover among their group.
“Not as much as you.” And then, with a cough. “But maybe a little bit.”
Aaron laughs for real this time.
*****
Aaron blinks twice, surprised that it’s dark outside. It’s unusual for him to sleep at this time of day, but with all the rain he didn’t feel like going out and getting drenched. Plus he’s been out every night the past 3 days.
But he must have woken up for some reason. Otherwise the steady patter of rain reminds him of the days he slept at the theater while his mother and the others would practice, tapping their feet with precise steps. And someone out there is not tapping with precise steps.
That someone is Judith, or rather, Grimcats. She’s yelling at someone via her Xipha as she runs, still visible as she’s forgotten to go invisible. Aaron laughs. It’s amazing how bad Judith can be at stealth; she really is a stupid flashy woman. But Aaron can’t say he minds. She’s fun to tease, and her outfit is nice…
“Have a safe trip.”
So Aaron wasn’t the only one who noticed Judith’s exit. Risette is outside with a trash bag, likely from Montmart. Aaron would consider helping downstairs if the old man wouldn’t just chew him out for hitting on Paulette. But for now he’ll leave things as is.
*****
Okay, sometimes Aaron does wake up because the sun is shining into his eyes. Because apparently Aaron forgot to close the blinds before going to bed last night. He is about to go back to bed when he hears a sweet voice and then a childish giggle.
It’s worth it to keep the blinds open for a bit, to watch the scene below. Aaron has always been attracted to older women, but even if Paulette wasn’t older than him, he’d probably still find her attractive. She just has so many perfect qualities that he could list off, but it’s just easier to say she’s a true Madonna.
And Yume… That girl has really endeared herself to Aaron and all of them who have joined Arkride Solutions Office. There’s something about her straightforward friendliness and kindness that he treasures, something that is lost among adults who have learned to be cautious and lie with a smile on their face. Aaron knows Yume will grow up to a Madonna just like her mother, even if half of her genes come from that guy.
“What is Grandpa gonna make today?” Yume asks as she tugs on Paulette’s hand.
Paulette giggles. “He’s going to make a cake for everyone. To celebrate their return.”
“Cake? Yay!” Yume skips. “Can I help decorate?”
“Of course you can. But let’s get everything inside first.”
“Okay!”
Aaron does go back to his bed once they disappear inside, after closing his blinds, and finds himself dreaming unusually sweet dreams.