Me, strays, and some old dude (Fukuzawa x adoptive daughter reader)

Part 79

Y/n Pov

Dream

I sat in the closet of my bedroom. I was silent only sound coming out of being labored breathes and sniffles. My room made no noise in our families large house. There was no music playing, no game sound effects going off, and no tv show playing.

Everything upstairs was silent and not peep was coming from up here.

Yet, the house was far from quiet.

Just down the hall, and just down the stairs, you could see what was keeping the house from being silent. Three people in the living room screaming at each other.

My brother was sitting on a chair at the end of the coffee table.

My mother sat at the opposite end of the coffee table in her own chair.

Papa was sitting in between the two on the love seat with his head buried in his hands.

Mother was screaming Alex for not coming home on time and staying out late for some reason. Alex was foolishly screaming right back at her. I never understood why Alex tried to argue with them, it was always clear who was going to win. He never learned to just shut up and listen. With him instructions were always followed by questions and then complaints. It worked every else for him but never at home, never against mother and papa.

I was watching part of the confrontation before from the upstairs hallway through railings but once the conversation turned into a fight I fled to my room. It didn't matter how old, I was I still hid in my closet wrapped up in a blanket, waiting for it to be over. The only comfort from these memories was years ago when the girl was only 9 and Chuuya was 11. He stayed with her in the closet for the night as she covered her ears and hid her face ashamed of her family. Soon papa will get involved in the discussion and any peace he tries to make will be torn apart by the other twos hot tempers and irrational emotions . The screaming was always thundering loud compared to the silent mornings after.

After a while there was the inevitable sound of her mother storming upstairs to pack her bags while screaming about how she's " sick of trying to hold this family together". Eventually she left slamming the front door behind her and speed off in her car to whatever cheap hotel she could find for the night.

After her outburst Papa would end the conversation "to save for another day" and tell Alex she's just trying her best.

Alex will then storm upstairs because his side wasn't taken and he will slam his door. He'll end up leaving for school early in the morning to avoid the rest of the family for as long as possible before we had to sit back down at the dinner table depending on who comes back when. Alex and mother were so similar sometimes. That was the worst part about them. They seemed so lively and friendly to a friend or neighbor but in the prison that was our standard suburban they were the wardens; and if the wardens had a bad day, everyone would have a bad day.

In the aftermath of the arguments papas foot steps would be heard slowly creeping up the stairs. I couldn't see him but I could tell he was tired by the sound of his footsteps. I heard the sound of footsteps get closer. Then there was a light knock on the closet door. "Are you in there my little mysh" he asked.

I sniffled, "no."

I heard father stand up, "Hmm well that strange weird, I think the hug monster smells something." Father then proceeded to stomp his feet lightly on the ground "Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of a little Russian one, and she's hiding in here." The door to closet opens and I'm scooped up into his arms I laughed through my tears as papa brought me to my bed, father tucked me in. Was he not going to say good night? He went back to the closet and cleaned up the things I knocked over. He then walked back with his hands behind his back. He kneeled beside my bed and pushed my hair back, "good night my little mysh." He kissed my forehead and then gave me a confused look, "hmmm".

"What's wrong papa?" I asked.

"Well, I think someone else wanted to say goodnight but I can seem to find him."

"Really, who?"

"Well he's a close friend of me and you, he should be here soon."

My white lamb stuffed animal then appeared on the side of the bed. "Are you taking about me?"

I gasped, "Lamby" I grabbed the lamb and held him close to my chest. I then looked at papa, and I asked a question before thinking about what it meant, "Papa why do you and me get along and no one else."

Papas eyes widened before softening again, "Well sometimes people are just incompatible or they think differently. You and I agreed think similarly, maybe that's why we get along so well and that's why I love you so much."

"Ok" I said. Papa walked to the door, "do you love brother, papa?"

"Of course I do, loving him just take as little more effort because he's so rough around the edges." Papa shut off the lights.

"What about mom?"

"It's getting late little mysh, I love you."

"I love you too papa"

"Good night"