//------------------------------// // A Place For Comfort // Story: The Siren's Keeper // by Gamer Script //------------------------------// Opening the door, Code was met with an upset Sonata wearing a pair of pink pajama pants with yellow flowers and a matching long-sleeved top, a reddening upon her left cheek as she had light tears pricking her eyes, her hand resting over it as she kept her head hung low. "Sonata? Hey, what happened?" He said reaching out to her as she flinched away a bit only to have her wrist gently held as Code spoke, "Can I see it?" Sonata paused at the sound of his sincere concern as she looked up to him and slowly nodded, allowing him to pull away her hand to find that the mark was in the shape of a hand. Seeing this, Code grew a saddened yet understanding look as he took her hand and led her back to the kitchen, much to Sonata's confusion. He let her go once they entered the kitchen and patted the counter, "Go ahead and sit here for a sec." He said as he walked over to the fridge and opened the freezer section. Sonata was a bit hesitant but pushed herself up onto the counter with relative ease nonetheless. She watched as he searched around in the icebox before he turned around, "Found it!" he said as he showed her a bright, blue box looking item. He quickly began wrapping it up in a cloth and tying it before gently pressing it to her cheek, making her squeak in surprise, "I know it's pretty cold, but it should keep it from swelling too much. Just hold it there for a little while." He said with a calm, assuring smile on his face. Sonata looked up to him and nodded as she took hold of both the ice pack and his hand, "Like this?" His face dusted a light pink from the action and the cute, almost puppy dog like look on her face as he nodded, "Y-Yup, that's it. Though you don't need my hand if you're gonna hold it yourse--" "Aria's a meanie," She interrupted abruptly, "All she does is yell at me and insult me... All for things I don't know! All I do is try to help..." She said sadly looking down, taking a tighter hold on his hand, "I just want her to see that I'm not useless like she says... I'm not dumb, I'm not stupid... I just want to help." She says, her voice slinking from a distressed tone to almost that of a whimper, and it hurt Code's heart just hearing it. He went to respond before Sonata spoke again, "Can... I ask you something?" She said hopefully, looking up to him. "Yeah, of course. What's on your mind?" "Why did you help us?" She asked with a bewildered look growing on her visage, "I mean... Everyone else was trying to trick us into stuff, or at least that's what Aria said... Are you trying to play a trick on us too?" She asked worriedly, a tinge of fear joining the confusion. Code shook his head and smiled, "Not at all, Sonata. I did it because you needed help and Adagio practically begged me. I couldn't stand seeing you girls in such a state." He explained. "But... We're still in the same state, right? We didn't drive that far." Code paused for a moment looking at her as he cracked a smile and began laughing a bit, holding his hand over his mouth as to not wake Adagio or Aria. Definitely not to wake Aria. He took a calming breath and let out a sigh, "It's a figure of speech, Sonata. It means I couldn't stand to see you all in a bad situation." He explained further, watching her face for even a slight glimmer of understanding. Sonata thought for a moment and then gasped, "So... Speeches have to watch their weight?" She asked, which in turn confused Code greatly, "Cause if they have a figure they need to watch it!" She exclaimed, excited that she understood what it meant while Code put his hand to his face. And chuckled a bit more to himself. "Not quite, but... Sure, Sonata." He conceded. He couldn't say no to her for some reason, even though she was terribly incorrect. He went to reach for the fridge and felt her grip on his hand and the ice pack strengthen, "Sonata? I uh..." He wandered looking back at her pressing her face gently to the pack, a sweet smile on her face. He stared for a moment, taking in the view as his cheeks dusted pink, "Uh, I..." She looked up to him and stared back, the two of them just standing there in silence as he cleared his throat, "I, uh... Need my hand back." He stammered a bit. She looked down at the ice pack and noticed his hand still attached as she blushed and released it, "O-Oh, sorry. I just, it uh... Really helped." She said as she held the ice pack by herself, looking off to the side. He chuckled and held his hand, flexing his fingers to get some of the feeling back from the cold of the pack, "It's fine, don't worry about it." He said as he began walking back to his room before he felt a tug on the back of his shirt. Looking behind him he saw Sonata holding a bit of his shirt in her hand, "Is something wrong?" "I... I don't like sleeping alone... And Aria is still in there with Adagio..." She said sadly as she looked up to Code who looked back down to her and smiled, knowing what she was going to ask. The next morning, Aria gave a loud yawn, coming out of the bedroom wearing a black and purple striped bra and gray sweatpants. She walked down the hall but paused as she saw Sonata walking out of Code's wearing a t-shirt way bigger than her. And it definitely wasn't what she was wearing the night prior. Aria's eyes quickly turned to enraged pinpricks as she ran towards the room, Sonata quickly grabbing her arm, "Aria, what're you--" "I knew that bastard couldn't be trusted! I just fucking knew it!" "What's all the commotion about?" Adagio said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes wearing a slightly see-through, orange night gown with purple undergarments beneath. "That prick slept with Sonata! I told you we couldn't trust him!" Aria spat back as she went to kick the door in but was pulled away by Sonata, "Gah, what the fu--" she was stopped as Sonata put her hand over her mouth. "Aria, stop it! Whatever you think it's not true! Pretty please believe me and let me show you!" She begged in a worried whisper. Aria growled and gave muffled curses as she looked to Adagio who looked between the two and gave a nod. Aria groaned and glared at Sonata, pulling her hand away, "Fine." She said in annoyance as Sonata let go and led the two into the room, each looking through the door above the other. Inside, Code had a blanket draped over him with his head hung low, his glasses placed neatly upon his keyboard, over two hundred new lines of code written on the screen, "He's been like that since I woke up..." Sonata explained as they leaned from out of the doorway and she quietly closed the door. "Then where'd your clothes from last night go?" Aria asked incredulously with her arms crossed and brow risen. "I uh... Well, I took them off cause I got hot last night... So instead I found this cool shirt!" She said raising her arms in the large tee that covered her almost completely. "He really didn't do anything? He didn't touch you?" Adagio said stepping ahead of Aria. "Well..." She said with a soft blush on her face. "I'm gonna kill him." Aria spat walking towards the door again. "N-No, wait! He didn't do anything weird! He..." She wandered before walking in and coming back out with the ice pack, "He gave me this." "The hell is that?" "He called it an ice pack. I think it's got some kind of magic that helps hurting go away." She said with a soft smile before it turned to a sad frown, "He gave it to me... After you..." She trailed off as she clenched the pack in her hands. Aria looked at her with wide eyes before she looked down and sighed, "Oh... Right..." She guiltfully whispered as they stood in the hallway silent. Adagio went to speak before the door opened once more, Code stepping out in his clothes from the night before, giving a heavy yawn before looking around dazed at the three girls, "Oh, morning girls. Sleep well?" He inquired with a tired yet kind smile. "The best sleep I believe I've had in a long while." Adagio said with a well-rested smile, the color in her face fully returned. "Gold to hear. Sonata, how about you? Is your cheek doing okay?" "Mhm! See?" She said turning her head to show off her cheek, clear of the mark from the night prior. "That's good! Now, let's get some breakfast. Who want's burritos?" He exclaimed as he put his glasses on. "What's a burrito?" Sonata asked confusedly. "Basically a taco but wrapped and filled with the same ingredients--" "I wanna try it!" She said excitedly as she jumped onto his back and hugged him tight, making him laugh a little as he walked to the kitchen. "Also... Why're you wearing my t-shirt? And... Sonata!" He exclaimed in embarassment and confusion from the kitchen combined with Sonata's giggling. Adagio sighed and shook her head, "Sonata, the same as always." She said walking away from Aria before turning to look at her, "It seems you were wrong about him... Perhaps he can be trusted, hm?" She said as she followed their lead into the kitchen, leaving Aria in the hallway with a dark glare in her eyes. "Like Hell." She growled under her breath as she walked forward herself, a plan brewing in her mind.