No Rest for the Wicked [Sahkmet, Delilah]

[Ra Richmond]

Settling into a new home is hard, even when you have your humongous family around you every moment of every day. You got up to go to the kitchen and ended up in the backyard, and when you went to the bathroom you wound up in the kitchen. Remembering which bedroom belonged to what family member was a challenge in itself; and you always ended up confusing two particular rooms even though you knew which one was which in the very back of your head. You always flinched every time you hit the step on the main staircase that squeaked, because it just wasn’t right. You couldn’t get used to that ‘new house’ smell, and it always felt too small, or too big. Nothing was where it was before, and you had a sinking feeling that your neighbors were not the charming people they pretended to be.

But, worst of all, you could never find anything in the pantry.

The eldest of the Richmond clan could deal with all of the problems listed above, except for the very last one. Not being able to find certain foods, the most basic of necessities, was his breaking point. He had spent a good ten minutes looking for a loaf of wheat bread he knew they had just purchased, and he was baffled as to where in the world it might be. He never should’ve let Sakhmet put the groceries away without his help, but he was too used to the idea of everything being right in the place he assigned it. He kept reminding himself that this was not the kitchen at Somerset, where the bread was kept in a box above the refrigerator. This wasn’t Somerset, where the bread occasionally was left in a basket on the table. And this certainly wasn’t Somerset, where if one couldn’t find bread, they could go to the large standing freezer outside and pull out a new loaf. He had no idea if they even had a stand-alone freezer anymore.

“All I wanted was a sandwich, a simple ham and cheese sandwich.” Ra muttered to himself, giving up before leaving, turning out of the kitchen door to go upstairs, only to find himself facing the opposite direction of the stairwell. Damn it all. “Can’t even find the bread...” He grumbled, turning one hundred and eighty degrees as he made his way up the stairwell. He rolled up his sleeves as he went, his white button down looking as neat as usual, even without it being tucked into his pants. For once, he was wearing jeans, though he insisted on wearing shoes still, even in the house. He didn’t like bare feet. Reaching the top of the stairs, he paused, reminding himself that Sakhmet’s room was to the right, not the left. He passed by it once before reminding himself with a triumphant smile that it was not at the end of the hall, that was Sett’s room, before doubling back. See, he can be taught.

Ra rapped his knuckles on the door three times before shouting through it. Normally he’d just go in if it were anyone else, but since this was his sister, he refrained from doing so. “Sakhmet, where in the world have you put the bread?!”

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet was sitting indian-style on her bed, clad in Care Bear pajamas, her blonde hair piled on top of her head in a messy, haphazard bun. She and Delilah between them had a plate of cucumber sandwiches cut neatly into quarters, a large bag of potato chips, and a pitcher of fresh lemonade. Sakhmet still wished that Delilah would go see a doctor about her ribs; what if they didn't set right? But she couldn't do anything about the lack of insurance. America remained weird.

At least the older woman looked much better than she had that first day they'd met. Not only did she seem to be physically recovering, but mentally as well. The young Richmond girl didn't know what it was like to be beaten, but it had clearly taken it's toll on Delilah. She supposed that if some ruffians decided to kick her around, breaking bones in the process, she would be rather depressed as well.

Unfortunately, she had in fact used the last of the bread to make their sandwiches. It hadn't occurred to her that any of her brothers might prefer to fix a sandwich for themselves rather than heating up a casserole or lasagna or meatloaf, and so when Ra came banging on her door she nearly dropped the sandwich she was holding.

"Oh, damn," She muttered, cutting her eyes over to her companion. She didn't think Ra would quite understand that she had picked up a stray who had broken into their home, and was using his money to feed her without his knowledge. Besides, Delilah hadn't seemed too keen on meeting any of the brothers, and so any sympathy she may have gotten from immediate openness would probably be canceled out by the fact that she had been kept secret for several weeks.

"Uhhh, quick, into the bathroom." She whispered, sliding off her bed and attempting to gather up their lunch as quietly as possible.

[Delilah Pryce]

Time with Sakhmet had done Delilah some good as she was far less angst ridden and more like the young woman she should have been. There hadn't been any violent mood swings for several days in a row a now and while the occasional panic attack did hit, Delilah had managed to fake her way through it. Usually she would hide herself in the bathroom during these uneasy moments, saying she wasn't feeling well or citing she just wished to soak in the tub. Sakhmet had been all too complying with Delilah's wishes and had done very well in keeping her presence here a secret from her brothers. Delilah had heard Sakhmet's brothers coming and going throughout the house for several weeks now and had wanted to try and catch glimpses of them from time to time. Curiosity was a dangerous creature and very tempting but Delilah resisted for fear of how Sakhmet's brothers might react not just to her but how they might react to Sakhmet's secrecy.

Delilah's ribs were feeling better, still healing but she felt confident enough to begin her yoga once again and had been getting up early every morning to do so. Stretching and keeping her body limber was a very important part of utilizing her meta ability. A lot of her copied movements required a very physically fit body and while she could pull of any physical movement, it did not mean she couldn't hurt herself in the process. Sakhmet still wished Delilah to see a doctor but wasn't too pushy on the matter and so Delilah brushed her off gently on the matter.

Wearing a pair of pink pajama bottoms with white tank top 'borrowed' from Sakhmet, Delilah sat on the bed with her new found friend, enjoying cucumber sandwiches and some chips along with a glass of lemonade, Delilah happily sat in silence, eating and watching Sakhmet. Their time together had been very enjoyable and Delilah's feelings toward Sakhmet had been growing more and more each day. It was like they were roommates but different. Sakhmet had earned Delilah's trust, a nearly impossible feat which had formed an incredibly strong emotional bond. Delilah had to admit her more carnal feelings for Sakhmet had become stronger from time to time, but Sakhmet had yet to really show any clearly readable feelings for Delilah and so the other was afraid to make a move one way or another for fear of pushing Sakhmet away.

Finishing off one of her quarter sliced pieces of the sandwich, Delilah sighed and pulled her dark hair around the right side of her neck and began to run her fingers through it slowly, in thought. She had been thinking a lot of things over and figured it was time to share some of them with Sakhmet as she was beginning to feel a bit guilty for her continued lies. However, fate seemed to have other ideas in store for the moment someone knocked on Sakhmet's bedroom door. The voice was masculine, one of Sakhmet's brothers and this sent a shiver of fear down Delilah's spine. The worry in Sakhmet's voice and eyes didn't help matters either and out of instinct along with habit, Delilah's eyes frantically looked about the room for something to use as a weapon.

Thankfully, Sakhmet's voice was enough to also bring a little bit of sense back to Delilah. Sakhmet was already thinking, trying to keep her dirty little secret hidden from her brother. With grace and elegance, Delilah slipped off the bed, her bare feet hitting the floor without a sound. She was in the bathroom withing a matter of two steps, closing the door just slightly as she thought it might seem weird to have the door fully closed. That was a usual indication someone was in there or that Sakhmet might be trying to hide something. Delilah turned the light off of course, to further hide herself and tried to peek through a small crack near the hinges of the door. All she could really see was part of Sakhmet's bed. So, with held breath, Delilah waited and watched, eager to see how all this played out.

[Ra Richmond]

Ra paused at the doorway after knocking, waiting for a reply that never came. He was certain that Sakhmet was in there; he heard her go up the stairs not too long ago and he was positive she hadn’t come down yet. He considered the idea that she had gone into the other’s rooms to clean or something, but he doubted it, judging from the lack of clothes piled haphazardly in the hallway after having been tossed out of an adjacent doorway. He knocked again, this time a little louder. He expected that she was asleep. With all the work she did with cooking and keeping the house in order, she had a right to be tired. Then again, she could also have headphones on and didn’t hear him or something.“Oh, bother.” He muttered, weighing his options before finally opening the door.

“Sakhmet, where’d you...” The eldest sibling trailed off, his question hanging in the air as he looked at the food in her hands. “Well, there’s the bread.” He muttered, walking in as he closed the door behind him, raising a brow. She wore no headphones, nor did she look like she had just woken up- why didn’t she answer him? He glanced around, noting the open bag of the chips on the bed, the sandwiches in her hand, and the pitcher on the floor. Something was very off. Ra knew his sister. He taught her how to cook. He all but raised her, for crying out loud. He never saw Sakhmet bring food up to her room- it all stayed in the kitchen. He always had to collect dishes from Sett and Anubis, but Sakhmet was meticulous with food. That’s why she was the only one allowed to cook. (That, and he honestly wouldn’t trust the boys with anything more complicated than a microwave. Horus wasn’t even allowed to use the toaster anymore.)

Honestly speechless, Ra merely picked up a quarter of a sandwich, looking it over before taking a bite. He might as well eat, considering that his first option for lunch had been nixed. “So.” He said, looking around, noting the pitcher of lemonade, “Are you just going through a growth spurt, or am I supplying an army? Because I’ll pick up more food if need be.” He wasn’t serious of course- he was meticulous about money, all his siblings knew that. He was trying to lighten the obvious tension in the room with a bit of a joke; although joking from Ra tended to make people even more uncomfortable. He picked up the pitcher of lemonade off the floor and sat it on her desk, turning the handle inward. He was neurotically careful like that- a spill was the last thing he needed.

“What’s wrong.” It wasn’t a question, it was a demand to tell him. “You never take food in here. What’s going on?” His eyebrows knitted together as he looked down at his sister, feeling awkward for towering above her. He idly patted her hair, wishing vaguely for her to be young again in the back of his head. She was much simpler to deal with when she was younger.

[Delilah Pryce]

The crack between the door frame and hinges of Sakhmet's bathroom door didn't allow Delilah much of a view. She could see half of the foot of the bed and that was about it. The obstructed view only made this moment more intense for Delilah couldn't get a hold on the entire moment. Whoever had entered was certainly one of Sakhmet's brothers, but as to which one, well, Delilah had no clue. She had avoided all of the Richmond brothers thus far, but it hadn't been easy. Sakhmet had been sneaking food up, not to mention letting Delilah borrow some of her clothes, which meant more laundry for sure. However, from what Delilah had gathered, Sakhmet did most if not all the laundry anyway. Which brought another curious thought to Delilah's mind. She had hidden a small knife in the hooded sweatshirt she had been wearing when Sakhmet had first found her in the kitchen and no doubt Sakhmet had washed the thing since then, but there hadn't been any mention of the knife. Maybe Sakhmet had assumed it was for simple protection?

Almost holding her breath, Delilah stood as still as possible in her hiding place behind the bathroom door. She was fairly sure Ra would not be checking out Sakhmet's bathroom, after all, he had no real reason to be suspicious of that room. All Delilah had to do was stay calm and very quite and wait for Ra to leave. She would have to leave soon or risk being caught here. She couldn't just mooch off Sakhmet forever but leaving such a warm and welcoming person was a hard thing to do. Maybe Delilah could introduce herself to Sakhmet's brothers and explain her situation? Her story would be a hard sell to the guys of the household, but it might be possible, Delilah was a rather good liar when she needed be.

Ra finally moved into view just a little and Delilah felt cold chills run down her spine again. She couldn't see him fully, but just seeing what she could see of Ra made her uneasy. He was questioning Sakhmet too. Ra showed to be rather observant and if he was, it wouldn't take him long to get the story out of Sakhmet. He even reached out and patted Sakhmet's hair to ease her, an act while innocent enough and well within Ra's right to do, made Delilah switch from fear to hatred. Those whom Delilah positively bonded with, sort of become possessions rather than people anymore. Sakhmet had become Delilah's new possession and she did not like Ra touching what she felt was hers. Delilah began to breath harder and she narrowed her eyes, clenching her fists tightly, waiting to see what Sakhmet would do next.

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet hated lying to her brothers, and she hated even more that Ra was so unfailingly observant. She'd known that it was only a matter of time before he noticed that things were amiss, but she'd hoped that time would come later, rather than sooner. Or maybe that he wouldn't notice until after Delilah was out of the house and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Ummm." She chewed on her lower lip, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. The pat, meant to be reassuring, only made her feel more anxious and guilty. She wanted so much to help Delilah, but doing so at the expense of her integrity made her feel almost ill, particularly when confronted with that fact.

"Hello Kitty and I were having tea?" She offered, pointing vaguely toward the stuffed animal flung on the opposite side of the bed. She may not have sounded terribly convincing, her response more a question than a statement, and her posture suggesting discomfort, but then she wasn't very experienced at lying.

[Ra Richmond]

Ra regarded Sakhmet with curiosity. She seemed flustered, but for the life of him he couldn’t imagine why. It wasn’t like he had wandered in on her doing anything wrong; he certainly had walked in on their brothers in worse positions, after all. (Especially Isis. Oh God, Isis.) He was used to it by this point- but he didn’t see anything wrong with Sakhmet’s predicament, except that she probably expected some form of punishment. He was the one who raised her after all. But she was eighteen now, old enough to take care of herself, and he wasn’t going to breathe down her neck about something as little as bringing food to her room. He just wished she didn’t take the whole loaf of bread.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Ra tilted his head down to give Sakhmet one of his ‘looks’. This one incorporated raised eyebrows and wide eyes, and was a cross between concern and confusion. Glancing at the Hello Kitty plush across the bed, he picked it up and looked at it before sitting it on Sakhmet’s lap. That excuse was paper thin he could see right through it, but he didn’t quite understand why she would be lying to him. He hadn’t grasped the idea that there were two people in the room yet, even though there were two cups of lemonade- that would probably come later. At the moment, he was concerned about his sister and the anxious look on her face.

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Ra asked her quietly, squeezing her shoulder lightly. “I’m not going to get angry at you. You know me.” Ra didn’t get angry- he got irritated, annoyed, and bothered, but he rarely got to the point of raging. He was much calmer than that. He played with the bun on the back of her head absently, slightly bemused with it- he had shaggy hair, so he had to marvel at how her and Isis always seemed to get their hair to fall just the right way. He needed a haircut. “Besides, I don’t think you’re dressed up enough for tea. These sorts of events require much more formal clothing, you know. Prom dresses, tiaras, high heels and glitter, the whole shebang. You told me so.” He and Sakhmet had a few tea parties when she was little and he was home from Hus for the holidays- he was forced to wear his more colorful clothes while she wore her glitzy pink dress up clothes and their mother’s heels. He remembered a particular tea party they had to bake cookies for- but those days seemed so far away.

[Sakhmet Richmond]

....Dammit, this was what happened when one had Ra for an older brother. He remembered stupid rules proclaimed as a child about how to have tea properly. Most boys would have smiled and nodded and forgotten that she'd told them that tea required fancy dress and glitter and just been relieved she wasn't forcing them to dress up for this one and thus taken her at her word and left when she said she was playing tea with her Hello Kitty.

"I know." Her voice came out at a higher pitch than she would have liked. This was not an ideal situation to be caught in, particularly not when she was so unskilled at lying. Ra rarely yelled, but in some ways that only made disappointing him more terrifying. Besides, she was pretty sure that he would actually get mad if she told him what she was hiding.

"It...it's not that kind of tea." She informed him, cheeks turning pink. "It's more like....like a picnic tea. It's casual, not formal. Hello Kitty didn't want to do a formal tea so I told her it was okay if we only had a casual one."

Now she felt like she was six again, blaming her antics on a doll as if it were alive. But maybe Ra would buy that she was just playing pretend. At the age of 18.