Heart within the beast

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru's ears perked up, trotting behind her with his tail wagging happily. He made his way onto the couch beside her, curling up somewhat to avoid taking all the room the piece of furniture had to offer. His eyes locked with hers for a moment before looking back at the book she had picked up.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled, that made her a bit happy for some reason, sharing a book with someone else. "Ok then."


Over the next few weeks Rhea had easily developed a new routine with Hikaru around. She tried to walk him every day, even if it was just a small walk around the area. She also ended up reading to him every night after she had studied or finished homework. Hikaru could probably see she did not have much time to herself except for what time she spares to take care of him. Some nights she would come home rather late at night and others right after school. Sometimes if she worked double at work she would not be home till very late. Rhea tried to talk to Hikaru, but she only talked of casual things like work, or school work.


Rhea had read a lot of her books about dragons and slayers to Hikaru, she would stop sometimes to make comments about it. She sounded a bit happier when ever she read to Hikaru, she had to admit even if it was a bit silly to read to a dog it was soothing to her. With Hikaru around Rhea did not feel as lonely as she use to be, the company was nice to have around, but he was taking a toll on her expensive and she had still been unable to pay the shop keeper back. Returning home from her work, it was dark outside and it had been one of her longer days. Rhea had found a small treat for Hikaru and had gotten it for him, placing it in a small back among her grocery.


Closing the door behind her, Rhea called out to the inside of her apartment quietly, "Hikaru... I am home."

 

[Ixidor92]

Likewise, Hikaru grew used to the routine that Rhea developed. She clearly worked herself very hard, studying for school, as well as trying to keep expenses paid. Whenever she came back, he would always come to the entryway and welcome her. He trotted along happily whenever they went out, she always tried to make at least a little time for him in her busy schedule. He always sat quietly beside her when she read to him. Sometimes she would close the book and go to bed herself, other times she would fall asleep on the couch while reading. In the latter case, a two-legged figure would pull a blanket over her for use until morning. Unbeknownst to her, she had a silent guardian at night. Even in the depths of sleep, his ears twitched at every sound. He would be alerted into an awakened state should anything happen.


When the door opened, Hikaru trotted from the back of the apartment, coming to greet her as she spoke. He wagged his tail happily and rubbed his muzzled against her waist at her arrival.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled at Hikaru when he greeted her like normal she leaned down to hug the large dog. She liked when he nuzzled her face when ever she got face level with him. "I got you something." She said, sitting down on the floor and taking her shoes off before tossing them into the closet. jumping to her feet her moved to the kitchen quickly putting away her food and then holding out a small back. Sitting back down on the floor, Rhea opened up the bag to hold out a small beef jerky looking thing, "They say feeding dogs human food it bad for them... but then others say splurging is ok every now and again... So I got this for you." She said, holding the small piece of meat out to Hikaru.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru sniffed the piece of dried meat before lapping it up easily. He licked his chops before he rubbed against her neck as well as the side of her head. Shortly after, he trotted away towards the kitchen, barking once as his tail wagged happily.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled, "Glad you liked it. Have I ever told you your fur is so soft, you are like a really big blanket." She said following him to the kitchen. She planed on sleeping early that night, she was tired. Picking up a roll from a bag she took a few bites of it, "We can read tonight, but then I am going to bed... Tomorrow is saturday but for once I don't have work... so maybe we can go out and do something." She said as she walked to sit on the couch.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru sat down in the kitchen as she ate, tail wagging happily as she mentioned the reading. His ears perked up when she mentioned her lack of work, standing back up and walking beside her. His eyes locked with hers for a moment, as he had done many times before by now. It seemed to be his best way of communicating with her.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea narrowed her eyes a bit, "What? I was thinking maybe doing something fun.. Like maybe walk around the city..." She said, unsure of why Hikaru seem to want.

 

[Ixidor92]

One *woof* came from Hikaru, while his tail wagged a few more times. He rubbed his muzzle against her leg again, as if to say that sounds great. He looked back up at her, cocking his head to the side a bit before trotting over to the other side of the kitchen.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea got up and followed him, wondering why he was not sitting down to read. He usually looked like he was eager to read and it was the second time he had wondered to the kitchen.

 

[Ixidor92]

Apparently he just wanted a drink of water. After the fact, he jumped back up to the couch like usual. Waiting for her. His tail swept back an forth across the arm of the chair as he was curled up just enough to avoid taking the WHOLE couch.

 

[Ricia]

"I am worried you are getting bigger..." Rhea said quietly sitting down next to him. Rhea had finished up the book, there was another one in the series and the ending of the first was a bit of a cliff hanger. "I'll read again tomorrow, maybe we can go longer if I am not as tired." She leaned down and kiss Hikaru on the muzzle good night, another habit she had developed. Putting the book down Rhea turned off the lights and close the curtains before going to go to sleep.


The morning came around fast and Rhea had gotten up early to go take a shower so her and Hikaru could get a long while out of the house. While Rhea was in the shower however, someone picked the lock to her door before a male looking figure in a dress shirt seem to walk in a shut the door behind him, locking it. He seem completely oblivious of Hikaru. In his hands were several bags of grocery. "These locks are crap..."

 

[Ixidor92]

(Oh, dis gunna be good)


Hikaru's ears instantly perked up when the door opened. Rhea was in the shower, she couldn't have let them in. No one else had a key to this place as far as he understood. These locks are crap . . . The reaction was almost instantaneous after that. Hikaru jumped off the blanket beside the couch and ran/skidded into the entryway. His lips were curled back into a snarl, his ears were folded back against his head, and the fur along his neck seemed to spike outwards. He growled at the male wearing the dress shirt. This was not the big teddy bear that Rhea had been interacting with for the last few weeks, this was a full-on guard dog. With teeth to match.

 

[Ricia]

The man dropped everything he was holding, "Oh crap..." He nearly screamed. He skirted around the dog and actually climbed onto the counters of the kitchen, although the dog was large enough he could almost put his head on the counter. "I did not know she got a dog.... " The man said in an exasperated voice.


Rhea heading the racket jumped out of the bathroom with nothing but a small towel, "Ah... Hikaru stop!" Rhea said, most like a slightly loud then her normal voice. She spoke quietly all the time so this sound more like normal speech. Rhea ran up to the dog and gently pulled on his collar.


"Gods... is that even a dog?" The man said on the counter.


Rhea hugged Hikaru, though she was pretty wet. "I don't know but hes ok.... Sage, I was not expecting you..."


"I was not expecting a dog... otherwise I would have knocked..." He said, slightly less tense and climbing off the counter.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru jumped a little when Rhea spoke in what seemed to be a normal decibel level. She never raised her voice, EVER. His snarl and growl faded away as she pulled back on him. Apparently she knew this man. Hikaru looked from Rhea to the man, and then back to Rhea. Something registered in his eyes as his tail tried to cover a bit more of Rhea's figure. He leaned over and sniffed this "Sage", trying to figure out who exactly he was.

 

[Ricia]

Sage grinned a bit, "See I just caught you in a shower."


Rhea blushed, "Sage... please. What are you doing here... how did you even get in?"


"I wanted to see how good the lock are... so I could chew you out when I get in and make breakfast because i know you are not eating... but at least I know someone won't hurt you. Go finish your shower, ill have breakfast in a bit." Sage said, "Well in less your dog is going to bite me...."


Rhea smiled, "Play nice with her... Sage is good."


Sage laughed, but more of fear, she moved slowly to go get the groceries from the floor after she dropped them, Rhea quickly returned to the bathroom.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru sat cocked his head to the side, looking at Sage as Rhea left. 'Her'? The bristled fur along his neck was still calming down as he came close to Sage and sniffed a few more times. Was this person really female? Hikaru backed up and sat down next on one side of the kitchen, watching Sage as he . . . she . . . as this person called 'Sage' went about cooking.

 

[Ricia]

Sage glanced at Hikaru every now and again. "I don't like dogs..." she muttered. When she was done cooking, Rhea had come out out of the bathroom dressed.


"Sage... why are you even here?" Rhea asked quietly, she ruffled Hikaru's fur when she came out, "Sorry for getting you wet." She told him. "You did good."


Sage served up a rather nice looking omelet onto a plate and then turned around and handed it to Rhea. "I am here for your monthly check up." She declared giving Rhea a crass look.


Rhea seemed to make a questioning face before sitting down on the couch, Sage started to clean up the kitchen quickly. "Since when did you start doing that?" Rhea asked, putting the plate down on the coffee table. Sage sighed, "Since I started to think about you burning down your kitchen and over working yourself... you can barely survive on your own... look you even gone and picked up some type of shag carpet that probably eats more then you in one sitting... Your brother would have never let you keep it."


With that Rhea made a disapproving face at the other girl, "Hes not a carpet Sage..." She said.

 

[Ixidor92]

Initially in the kitchen, Hikaru's eyes seemed to narrow at Sage's comment. Well I don't like you, his gaze seemed to say. He turned his head as Rhea made her way out of the bathroom, thankfully clothed this time, and sat down next to the sofa as she sat on it. A loud bark of indignation left him at the "Shag carpet" comment. Different from his short, happy ones. This was very deep, and likely would have caused any glass near him to shudder.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea blinked, never really hearing that sound from him.


Sage come from the kitchen and sat down next to Rhea, Although she glanced at Hikaru, the dog made her suspicious .. that was not a dog it was a beast of some kind. "Eat... I just made you food."


Rhea smiled, "I can eat a bit later." She said trying to assure the girl.


Sage grind and lean close to Rhea wrapping and arm around her waist, "I had a feeling you would say that, so I came up with the idea that I can either let you eat on your own... or I can feed you in the most sexual way possible."


Rhea immediately blushed, "S-Sage... You have a boyfriend..." Rhea said trying to push the girl away.


"Not at the moment I don't." Sage said laughing.


"Ok I'll eat... Just let me go..." Rhea said, and on command Sage let go of the girl before reaching for the plate and handing it to her. Obediently Rhea started to eat. "So... you broke up with your boyfriend?" Rhea asked quietly.


"Yeah, but I have a girlfriend right now, she is cute, like you." Sage said nonchalantly leaning back on the couch. "So are you still getting harassed at school?" Sage asked, "I am not there anymore to protect you... I am worried."


Rhea took another slow bite before she answer, "Don't worry... nothing really bad has happened."


At this Sage seemed to sigh and lean on her elbow.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru crossed his paws in front of him and laid his head down on them. His ears were turned towards the conversation. Well, at least Rhea was eating something more substantial than usual, but the true gender of this "Sage" was still up in the air . . . and her sexuality certainly was. Hikaru raised his head at the last statement. Nothing REALLY bad? Didn't that mean things had in fact happened? The black beast turned his head towards the two, now actively looking at them as they conversed.

 

[Ricia]

Sage sighed, "Hardly anything I can do about it now... but it won't stop me from straightening people out."


"T-There is no need for that..." Rhea said stuttering a bit.


Rhea finished her food before putting the plate down on the table, making Sage happy. "Good girl." Sage said, patting Rhea on the head and taking the dish. Rhea sighed and leaned on the couch to reach out and pet Hikaru, she felt like she ate too much.


When Sage came back she ruffled her short hair a bit before glancing at the dog, "I guess the dog has done something right. Its better then you being here in this dump alone."


"I know what is coming next..." Rhea huffed, she was still leaned over petting Hikaru. "The answer is still no Sage... I would be too much of a burden."


Sage let out a rather exasperated sigh. "Rhea living with me and my mother would not be a burden... Ever since Roen has died you went back to your old self."


Rhea made a face of hurt, she stopped petting Hikaru for a moment before she started again, "Sage you worry to much. You pretend not to care but you are really a worry wart. How is your new school?" She asked, changing the subject.


"Well enough, I wish you were with me." Sage said equally as quiet as Rhea normally did. "Do you work today?" Sage asked suddenly.


"No... I was going to go out with Hikaru today." Rhea said smiling a bit.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru raised his head up a little as she pet him, making it easier to reach his ears. They continually twitched at the conversation. Roen . . . that photo? Maybe . . . it would explain quite a bit. And this Sage, he/she had been acquainted with Rhea in the past, and wanted her to move in with her/him and his/her mother. And Rhea, not wanting to be a burden, refused. A lot of things were made clear with the single conversation, and Hikaru moved his head up to rub alongside her arm as she pet him.

 

[Ricia]

"Why?" Rhea asked after Sage has not said anything for a bit.


"Wondering if I can torment you more today." Sage said after a long moment, a grin reappearing on her face.


"Well I told Hikaru I would take him into the city today..." Rhea said, smiling a bit when he rub against her. "Maybe you can tag along, well if Hikaru is ok with it."


Sage seemed to glare at the dog, "Your letting the dog deiced my fate with you right now?"


Rhea laughed, it was a funny thought.

 

[Ixidor92]

If it was possible for a dog to look smug, Hikaru was certainly looking it right now. For the first time, his eyes locked with Sage's the same way he had done so many times with Rhea. After a moment he stood up, shaking himself.