Chapter Text
Haru was curled up comfortably in her armchair. The weather outside had turned cooler as autumn approached. She was wrapped up in a chunky jumper and her legs were tucked up underneath her. Haru enjoyed this time of year. The beauty of the changing colours of the leaves had always captured her imagination. She was passing the evening with a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. The nights were drawing in now and the moon hung brightly in the sky bathing her yard in an almost ethereal glow. It was rather peaceful and Haru relished the quiet after an unsettling few months.
She was totally absorbed in her book when she was disturbed by what she thought was a muffled curse from outside. Haru frowned slightly as she moved her gaze from the page in front of her to the yard through the glass. Nothing seemed out of place and she felt herself shrugging before turning back to her book. Before she could even start the next sentence there was a crash then a loud splash. A pitiful cry followed and Haru realised that something had fallen into the water-butt that was positioned just next to the window alongside the drainpipe. She groaned. She had purposefully bought one with a lid to stop this sort of thing happening. Whatever had fallen in had to be pretty heavy. She could hear the frantic splashing outside as whatever was in the cold water was struggling to escape. Haru ran to grab her shoes and save whatever pitiful creature was desperately trying to stop themselves from drowning. As she quickly approached, in the moonlight she could make out light coloured paws scrabbling for purchase. It just had to be a cat! She sighed. Haru rolled up her sleeves and rushed over plunging her arms into the cold water to grab the animal around their body. She began to pull them upwards. Jeez this cat was heavy! As she heaved the cat out of the water she looked down.
'Muta?!' she gasped and in her surprise managed to drop him back into the water-butt.
Muta let out a yowl of indignation at his second dunking. Haru plunged her arms back into the water, ignoring the fact her slipping sleeves were getting wet. This time she maintained her hold on Muta and hoisted the large white cat out.
'What are you doing here?' she asked curiously.
'C-c-c-cold.' was his only response.
Haru raced back into her home as quickly as she could whilst holding Muta. She kicked the front door behind her closed and placed the dripping cat down in the hallway.
'Stay there a moment, I'll grab a towel.' she told him then raced off to the airing cupboard.
Haru quickly returned with a large fluffy green towel. She wrapped it around Muta and then with quite a lot of effort pulled him back into her arms and then carried him into the living room which was the warmest room in the house. She rubbed his fur with the towel helping to dry him and warm him up. Shen then placed Muta on the sofa. Haru looked down at the now soaked jumper she was wearing. A shiver went down her back as the cold, wet material clung to her skin. She quickly stripped off to her vest top underneath and grabbed the blanket she kept on the arm of the sofa, wrapping it around her shoulders.
'Feeling better?' she asked.
Muta nodded but she could see his teeth were still chattering.
'Hold on, I'll grab you some warm milk.' she replied.
Haru stepped into the kitchen and warmed some milk in a pan. She might as well do herself a hot chocolate at the same time. The tea she had been drinking would have gone cold by now. She carefully carried the mug and saucer back into the living room hoping the blanket would remain on her shoulders. She wasn't keen to expose her paint splattered top again. She placed the saucer on the coffee table in front of Muta. He emerged from his towel cocoon and placed his front paws on the table whilst carefully lapping at the offering. He licked up every last drop and then settled back in his warm nest.
'Thanks kid.' he gruffly said.
Haru sat clutching the mug between her hands as she looked at the large white cat she hadn't seen since she was seventeen.
'Muta, it's lovely to see you but what are you doing here?' she asked again 'How do you even know where I live?'
Muta contemplated pretending to fall asleep to avoid the awkward conversation they were heading towards but Haru was no fool and would see through his act.
'I was just checking in on you.' he muttered.
Haru looked at him in surprise.
'It's been eight years since I saw you disappearing towards the horizon hanging from Toto's claws.' she replied ' What on earth could make you suddenly want to visit me now?'
Muta looked uncomfortable. He was never meant to bring attention to himself. Well it wasn't like he had intentionally fallen into the water-butt. He hated water and getting wet! The smell still clung to his fur.
'This isn't the first time you have visited is it?' gasped Haru her large eyes getting larger.
Muta sighed and shook his head.
'Explain yourself!' she demanded getting fed up with the lack of response.
'Okay Chicky, calm down. We've just been occasionally checking in on you to make sure you're safe and all.' he said.
'Since when?' she asked.
'Since the beginning.' he sighed. He was going to be in trouble when he got back to the Bureau.
'Over eight years!' she squeaked. ' You never made your presence known.'
Muta turned his eyes down not looking at her.
A thought suddenly popped into Haru's mind.
'Hold on, you said we.' she said ' Whos is we?'
'Me, Toto.' he sighed ' and Baron.'
'Baron!' replied Haru her voice sounding like a teenage boy going through puberty.
Haru grabbed a cushion and pressed her face into it. Just how many embarrassing things had she done in her home in front of unknown eyes. Her mother had always told her that she should draw her blinds or curtains at night but for some reason Haru adored the moonlight. Thoughts that made her cringe flitted through her mind. Had they seen her drunken dancing and singing with Hiromi on their girly nights? Or what she had gotten up to when Rin had visited? She looked down at the thin band of lighter skin on her finger. Had they watched her cry herself to sleep more recently? She felt violated. She felt angry. Haru removed the cushion from her face, flames in her eyes.
Muta looked at her and gulped.
'Are you dry?' she asked in a low voice.
He nodded a little fearful of her reaction to speak.
'Then I suggest you leave. Please don't continue to spy on me. I really don't want such thoughts to taint the memories of you guys.' she replied.
'I'm sorry Haru. We only wanted to look out for you.' he murmured as he stood up and softly landed on the floor.
Haru didn't look at him as she also stood up. She walked to the front door and opened it.
'Goodbye Muta.' she said continuing to not look at him.
He sighed and slunk out of the house feeling terrible.
'Goodbye Haru.' he replied.
Haru closed the door and locked it. She turned off the lights and headed up to her room. For the first time since she moved in she closed the blinds blocking out the world. She lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Was she really angry? She didn't know. A whole storm of emotions were swirling around her mind. As if the last few months hadn't been hard enough.