Inoue Hotaru
サンクチュアリ
Sunday [at] post-battle ** then [at] Akio’s house

As soon as Akio extended the invitation to his house, Hotaru pretty much couldn’t keep still. He bounced around, as much as his poor bruised self would let him, almost all of the way back to the Kasai place, which he supposed was a manor or a mansion or maybe even a castle! He didn’t know much about the Kasai’s, just that they were super uber rich, and that he didn’t know Akio was one. He felt slightly indignant that his Akio had never mentioned this fact before, but the feeling soon went away, replaced heartily with thoughts of hot chocolate and marshmallows and Akio’s (most likely) gigantic bed and a new house to explore and everything.

Taguri-san seemed lovely, offering tea and snacks and baths and general niceness, and Hotaru quickly decided that he liked her. Anyone who offered him sugary snacks was good in his eyes.

“Taguri-san… um, will there be tea?” Hotaru ventured.

“Of course there will, Taru-san!”

“Could I help you make it?”

“You certainly can not! You’re a guest, Taru-san, no helping for guests.”

Hotaru pouted, but he was pleased secretly. He did love making tea, but being a guest was so much better!

“Akioooo-saaaan,” he grabbed Akio’s arm and clung to it. “Where will we sleep? In your room? Is your bed big? Is it comfy!? Do you have curtains round it?” He chattered away, hugging Akio’s arm as if it was a comforter. Turning to Dai, he grinned. “Daiii, you have to sleep in the same room with me and Akio! It’ll be like a real sleepover and everything!”

Taru was completely oblivious to Dai’s disapproval of this idea. “I’ll stand guard for you, Taru.”

“No-one will ever get past if you do, Dai! You’d be the best guard in the world.” Hotaru poked Dai in the chest, to emphasise his point. “Akio, how far away is your housie? I’m sort of tired…”

***

“Akioooo your house is soooo big!” Hotaru gaped from the gateway. “It’s like a mansion! Akio went red, and pulled Taru into the grounds quickly.

“Shh Taru-san,” he said, hurriedly.

“No, he’s right Akio. Your house is pretty large,” Dai nodded in agreement, looking slightly impressed. “Maybe now you can both get changed,” he gave a significant glance at their overly-baggy, stolen clothes. “Not that you don’t look dashing in nurse outfits…” he trailed off with a smile.

Taguri stared at Hotaru and Akio, as if noticing for the first time that they were both wearing scrubs, and Cho laughed quietly in the background.

“We must sort this out immediately, Akio-san! How could you… oh never mind. I will iron you some nice warm pyjamas. And Hotaru, Dai and Cho, I’m sure I can find you some nice spare ones from Akio’s old things!” Tagari bustled off in front of the group, presumably to stoke some fires and press some jimmies*. Cho pulled a slight face, probably at the thought of wearing boy’s pyjamas and Dai just looked disapproving.

“As long as they don’t have duckies on, or bears sitting on marshmallows or something,” Dai commented, as they entered in through the huge oaken door.

“Funny you should mention bears sitting on marshmallows, Dai-kun…” Akio grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“Oh joy,” Dai groaned, “if this gets out, I will kill you!” He turned sharply, as his coat was taken by a smartly-dressed butler type. “Akio… you have butlers.”

“Yeaaah…” Akio looked highly embarrassed, but smiled at the butler anyway. “They sort of come with the name. Anyway! My room’s this way! We can all sleep there!”

Taguri came sweeping out of one of the many corridors, a disapproving look on her face. “Akio-sama, I do hope you’re not planning on letting Cho-chan sleep in a room full of boys!” She grabbed Cho by the hand, and led her off up the staircase directly in front of the doorway. “You can sleep in the room opposite Akio-sama’s, Cho-chan. Come along now Akio-sama, don’t leave your guests loitering around in the cold doorway.” Akio looked at Dai and Taru ruefully, and then followed Taguri up the wide staircase.

“How many staircases do you have in this house, Akio-kun?” Hotaru felt slightly daunted by the amount of stairs, but the thought of a bed at the top of them gave him the energy to power through. “Whereabouts is your room? Is it big?”

“Taru, you’re repeating yourself,” Dai said.

“I’m tired Daaai-kunnn, don’t be so mean.” Taru pouted.

“It’s ok, we’re here now Taru!” Akio stopped outside another large door.

Stopped here for convenience or character interaction or something. Will post again (after Wenny, most likely) with actual sleepover content. XD

*jimmes = pyjamas. Shh.

EDIT: OOOH YEAAAAH PAGE 3