Careful steps

“Vio, let’s talk about us living together.”

“I take the bedroom, you move to the living room.”

“Preposterous.”

We were sitting at the confession table and munching on some cheese sandwiches, Vio was additionally busy with keeping the oversized blouse from sliding off her shoulders and revealing too much of her bra-less chest area. As she had only one set of clothes, which was currently in the washing machine, I gave her mine.

Her freshly showered blonde hair didn’t keep its curly form, in its place a lovely straight style had made me nod approvingly upon seeing it for the first time.

“The living room’s connected with kitchen and I need more privacy than onii-chan, that’s why I should take the bedroom.”

“If you will try to appropriate the only bed in my place be prepared to receive the role of my hug pillow free of charge.”

She looked at me accusingly and said:

“This was my brother’s flat, you’re the one who took it without permission and it’s not as if you can’t just buy a second bed.”

I took out my wallet, looked inside with a troubled face and shoot her a glance full of anticipation.

“Fine! if you let me take the bedroom I will sponsor the bed for the living room, but you will have to help me with shopping tomorrow.”

“Not so preposterous anymore, but…”

“But what?”

“I feel that I’m still losing a bit on this deal, so…”

“Just say it and let’s continue.”

The way she had said it was like a flag announcing that she was prepared for a certain degree of compromise.

“In exchange for allowing you an unrestricted access to the kitchen I want the right to stroke your head and a hugging permit every time you enter my territory.”

Violet didn’t look as stupefied as I thought she would be, instead, she had closed her eyes and started giggling.

“I knew it was going to be something along those lines, as expected of a guy who has made me call him onii-chan.”

“So you agree?”

This line shot out from my mouth with the speed of sound, which was the usual speed for the sound to travel at.

“I do, but in exchange each time you encroach upon the bedroom, which is MY territory, you will have to act as my chair. I can’t remain on the losing side forever.”

“Deal.”

This line would have actually broken through the speed of sound if that was possible. I didn’t even have to think about her condition.

Look at her smug smile, she has no idea that I always wanted to try this kind of a roleplay and it may actually increase the frequency of my visits.

“Onii-chan, what else did you want to talk about? I would like to rest soon, lately, I had some trouble sleeping.”

“Finances.”

“Just like you, I’m getting some money each month and got my savings, so everyone cares for themselves.”

“Cleaning.”

“Eh? I have to clean?”

At the beginning she shot me a look full of disbelief aking to ‘are you for real?’, which quickly shifted to a one of realization ‘oh, there are no maids here’ and finally transformed into a slightly hidden one, but upon closer inspection I found the traces of ‘I can make onii-chan clean everything if I ask cutely, right?’ in it.

“Yes I’m not kidding, no there are no maids and no, I won’t clean for you.”

“How did you know?!”

“Your thought process was like an open book my dear little sister.”

And watching your everchanging cute face is fun.

Her shocked expression lasted only for a second before it had shifted into a victorious one. She stuck out her tongue and pointed the middle finger towards me, in other words, her previous display was purposely overblown to lure me into trying to show off. It was my loss.

“My onii-chan’s soooo smaaart!”

“Shut it you brat. We will clean together every week, any objections?”

“None, smart-nii-chan! Anything else?”

The Territory has been split, money discussed, some basic rules set, cleaning’s not a problem, mentioning superpowers requires some serious planning first, I guess there’s only one more topic left.

“Cooking.”

Heaven or hell? Please let it be heaven.

Unfortunately, I knew that the possibility of hell was way higher. All she had ever brought as food supplies could be separated into three categories: leftovers, store-bought food, simple things that even a child could make.

“We can swap cooking duty every week, I’m pretty sure it will be fine if I read a cookbook or two.”

She crossed her arms and looked at the future with hope, while for me it was the opposite.

‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here’, home cooking’s doomed.

“Onii-chan? Why the desolate face?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s do as you’ve said. I can take the rest of this week and you will start from next Monday.”

“Yup!”

“I guess that’s all unless you have something to add?”

Vio finished eating her sandwich, pulled up the sliding blouse, once more hiding the delicate contours of her collarbones, and started emitting an ‘ummm’ sound.

“Nothing that can’t wait till I catch up on sleep. Now bring me to the bed.”

“Yes, your highness.”

I stood up and went to lift her in a princess carry. I had agreed on doing this after giving her my clothes, because earlier when she had tried walking with my oversized pants and blouse, it nearly ended with her falling half-naked in the middle of the corridor.

While I was carrying her she said:

“You know… I still can’t believe it.”

“Believe what?”

“Everything, I’m finally free and it feels like… nevermind.”

“I agree, we’re hitting it off pretty well. It’s fun, right?”

This time there were no mistakes in my prediction of her thoughts as she only nodded slightly and smiled. Her face was also a little red, but that was probably caused by the realization that she had only two pieces of clothing acting as her entire defenses. I put her down in the bedroom, said goodnight and left the room.

Vio closed the door, but there was no sound of the turning lock. She knew that if I really wanted to, I could easily unscrew it again so there was no point in using it. Not to mention that this might have been some kind of a test and if I made a mistake it would ruin the trust that had started growing between us. And that was the last thing I had in mind. Especially in this critical initial phase when we were playing the game of probing around each other, looking for our true motives and cracks through which hidden lies would stick out.

If someone would tell me that she’s not worried about living with a guy she barely knows, even if he is technically her brother, I would laugh that person in the face. I wonder how much of her behavior is an act to get on my good side and how much is genuine. Time will show.

“Oh, I almost forgot! What time is it?”

I raised my voice so she could hear it behind the door. Her phone was the only clock in the area.

“Hmm? Around five, why?”

“Nothing, sleep tight,”

“‘night.”

It wasn’t that late so I put visiting Nero aside and grabbed the documents that Michael had gave me.

With a cup of tea in one hand, I started reading them at the table.

It didn’t take me long to pinpoint the most important points of their contents:

- Every Sunday I had to come with Vio to the mansion for family dinner, otherwise, all our agreements would be rendered null.

- I had to make sure that she wouldn't drop out from school.

- On the day of my 18th birthday, I would become her legal guardian.

- Until the day of her 18th birthday, she would receive her personal monthly financial support.

- All future conflicts between the four Amato siblings would be supervised by Gregory Amato.

There was also a short annotation with father’s phone number in case I wanted to talk about matters concerning TET or had other problems. Other than that we were free to do whatever we wanted. Of course, there would be no further assistance from the Amato family.

I still couldn't understand what was the reason that father had finally decided to take the matters into his own hands, but after the second round of carefully scanning every document, I didn’t find anything strange.

Content with that I put them away into one of the drawers in the kitchen, where all kinds of such papers were kept.

It’s funny how in less than twenty-four hours I went through a full palette of emotions. Except for Luna, all my immediate problems are gone and I already have an idea of how to get her back, but I will need Violet’s help with that.

Still...

I shouldn’t have made those three rush promises in front of the mirror… I wonder if it’s possible to talk with Votr and cancel them somehow.

Two tickets, I took them both out and was wondering if I should go and conquer a mana spot. More power for myself was the thing I needed the most if I wanted to avoid falling into another desperate situation.

On the other hand, even if I won’t be able to cancel those promises, they’re quite doable. Let’s start by talking with Votr about making an esper out of Vio. I will have to endure another one of his reflection sessions and there’s one point that will hit me hard, but since I’m already aware of that it will at least reduce the damage.

I folded the black squares and put them back into my wallet. I was about to leave the flat, but seeing the closed bedroom door I turned back and wrote a short note for Vio:

[I went out to fight with evil organization trying to conquer the world, in case they’re strong or the pay is good - we’re switching sides. Be prepared to wear skimpy leather outfits and just in case learn this motto - ‘May the light of Zvezda shine throughout the world!’

-- This part is serious -- I forgot to tell you, but don’t let ANYONE inside, like seriously don’t! I will explain after coming back. REMEMBER DON’T LET ANYONE INSIDE, no matter what they say, DON’T! -- End of serious part.--]

And done, alright let’s go and talk with this Nero guy first.



Standing in the empty corridor, I pressed the doorbell to the flat number 305 and when someone opened them from the other side, an intense wave of smells nearly knocked me out. They were mostly floral, but something mixed among them gave out the stench similar to a dead rat rotting in a wet place.

Moreover, it wasn’t Nero Grue looking at me through the door threshold, but some old hag.

“What?!”

After taking a few steps back and blocking my nose with one hand I could more or less maintain a normal conversation.

“Is Nero back?”

“NERO?! That son of a whore?! That marinated old goat?!”

She’s screaming at me with bloodshot eyes, how am I supposed to answer that?!

“Eee… yes?”

“I wish he was! I could skin him alive if he was!”

Is that old bat his wife or something? 'Going out to buy milk' is a viable option for Nero.

“Did he do something?”

I decided to take the careful approach since I didn’t want her to switch the target of that rage to me due to one or two poor wording choices.

“Stole all my precious babies for the competition! That’s what he did! He knew that I was going to win! He used underhanded methods! Look! That shameless old goat even left a note-”

“Oh! I left my sister on the stove!”

Before she was going to ask how do I even know Nero, I panicked and run away down the staircase.