Fate's Eternal Web Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Matchmaker

I crashed on the sofa that night, it wasn’t the first time that I did that, but it never failed to bother me when Madoka pulled the curtains open wide, sunlight streamed onto my face and I shifted my hand to block the light from my eyes.

“Hana-chan, what are you doing on the couch?” she asked. Madoka wore her black hair in a pixie cut, which suited her considering she was so small and lithe. Unlike me, she had changed a lot since we were in school, but she was still my friend.

“I crashed.”

“Ugh… up all night again?” she asked.

“Upset I had a date?” I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

She paused as the words sunk in, “What?”

“I went to watch the shower with a guy.” I answered, “Met him at work, he’s sensible, smart, really sweet, not to mention he’s a great kisser.” I told her, “He also likes to travel, which brings up a point, he’s invited me to travel with him to see the world.”

“Hold up! Are you insane?”

“Considering the fact that he’s a vampire, most likely.” I thought, out loud, however, I said, “Considering he didn’t do anything to me when first, we were alone and later while I was unconscious, I think it’s safe to say he’s a good person.”

“But you hardly know the guy.”

That was true, kind of, but I never said I wanted to be ordinary. “We talked over dinner, I know enough,” I told her, walking to a desktop in the corner of the room and firing it up. It was the only computer with a printer, given to us by Madoka’s Dad. Once it had warmed up I began to type up notice letters, “Besides, we have a lot in common.”

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to him?” she asked.

“He said he’d swing by, after sundown.” I answered.

“Ooh! Be careful Hana, you might find him to be a vampire!” Madoka teased.

“Jeez, two days in a row? What is it with you and vampires all of a sudden?”

“Heh, I must be spending too much time around Harumi.” Madoka answered, “She read Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight and has been hooked on the series. Maybe her interest is more contagious than I thought.”

“Yeah right!” I retorted, continuing to type.

I found myself writing and re-writing them. By the time I was happy the room had been bathed a golden glow with the oncoming sunset. I slipped into my room, careful not to wake Matt, grabbed a change of clothes and slipped into the en suite. I reckoned he’d sleep like a rock, but I couldn’t be too careful. After a quick change I put the clothes I was wearing into a laundry bag and slipped into the main room again. Fortunately, I didn’t seem to disturb Matt. Seeing Madoka looking at me funny, I said, “Isn’t it your turn to go shopping? You used up the rice and we’re low on bread too.”

“You’re right…” Madoka answered, she had such a short attention span sometimes. Sometimes, like now, it was really useful.

She was gone as sunset became twilight, I was just thinking what to do with her when two cool arms wrapped around me.

“Oh dear a vampire has caught you whatever will you do?” the voice I was waiting to hear all day asked me.

I chuckled, “I guess I’m doomed, after all, I’m only human.” I answered, “Good timing, Madoka can take forever with the grocery shopping, one time I decided to experiment, I ordered a pizza just after she went out, and I finished it before she got back.”

Matt laughed at this, turning me around and kissing me gently, “So how was your day love?”he asked, “Sounds like your friend’s getting curious.”

“Besides Madoka waking me up, it was fine,” I answered, looking at the door. “That’s Madoka for you, she’s pretty random, but a good person at heart. A bit of a gossip mind.”

Matt chuckled, “So love, what shall we do now?”

“Well, I have to go out tonight, but before that you can meet Madoka in person.”

“Best do that before she gets too curious.” Matt commented, sitting on a sofa and pulling me with him so that I was sitting on his lap. He kissed me gently, “I love you.”

“And every action reminds me.” I answered sweetly, “Would you like anything? Tea? Coffee?”

“Tea would be nice.”

I smiled and climbed off, heading to the kitchen. “Milk and sugar?”

“Neither thanks.” I heard him answer.

“I take it you have work today?”

“Yeah, my shift starts at eight.” I answered, “Why? Planning on following me?” I asked.

“What if I do?” he asked, grinning, “Besides who else will pick on you all night?”

“Oh behave yourself, just because I’m quitting does not give you a reason to cause trouble!” Hana remarked.

“Me? Get you in trouble? Never, I’d just make sure that those drunks keep their hands off you!” he said, laughing, “I’m just kidding love, I’d never do that, the last thing you need is an overprotective boyfriend to drive you mad.”

“Heh, just as well, you’d be as bad as the security team put together.”

“Wrong, I’d be a thousand times worse.”

I let out a nervous chuckle, “You, Drake and the security team, whoever tries to do anything is doomed.” I remarked.

We were drinking the tea when Madoka came back, “Hey Hana, I got the ingredients for…” she started, when she looked at Matt, “You weren’t kidding!?” she exclaimed, looking at Matt.

“You thought I was joking?” I asked in a bemused manner, “Am I the sort who’d joke about this?”

Matt chuckled and stood up, “Pleased to meet you Madoka, my name is Matt,” he said in a pleasant manner.

“Ok, I’m starting to wonder who cast the spell here.” Madoka asked, “I know Hana gets a lot of advances but…”

Matt looked at me, an eyebrow raised.

“I had nothing in common with that lot.” I huffed, “Seriously Madoka, we agreed not to bring that up. Ever.”

“Sorry, sorry, but seriously, how did you score such a looker?”

I scowled, “By being myself baka Madoka.” I retorted.

Matt was laughing at our squabble, “Yes, Hana has a boyfriend, and judging by the reaction, I’m her first,” he commented, prompting me to blush, "But I digress, it's a pleasure to meet you."

“Likewise, I’m Madoka, Madoka Saitō.”

“You’re surprisingly friendly considering you were going on that I was mad.” I remarked.

“Well, if he’s as sweet as he is polite, you can’t go wrong.” Madoka answered.

“I think she’s trying to ask if you have a brother Matt.”

“Hey!” Madoka flushed, “I’m not that desperate!”

Matt chuckled, “Well, I don’t know about that, but I have a cousin who looks like my twin. I could invite him over.”

I had the feeling it was more like a second-cousin, but I let that slide.

Madoka blushed, “He probably wouldn’t be interested.”

“You don’t know unless you try.” I answered, “I told you to hit the club once in a while.”

“The guys there are either taken or fawning over you.”

“You always wait for the guy to make the first move, that’s your problem!” I said to her, “It’s because I work at the bar that I met Matt here.” I said, kissing him lightly.

I saw Madoka blush and grinned inside.

“Come on Madoka! Live a little!”

“I guess once in a while wouldn’t hurt…”

“Yatta!” I exclaimed, “I’ll make your favourite teriyaki chicken to celebrate!” I told her happily.

That perked her right up, “Sounds great!”

“I’m going to get a quick snack actually, I haven’t eaten in a while.” Matt said, winking at me, I knew what me meant.

“All right, the teriyaki is marinated so it will be a while.” I told him.

“Perfect.”

He stepped out, and while he was away I got to work on the meal.

He came back half an hour later with a bottle of champagne and a winning smile, I had the feeling he called this cousin.

I raised an eyebrow, “I’m not drinking before work.” I told him.

“I figured a small amount wouldn’t hurt, besides, I couldn’t come empty-handed,” he answered, handing me the bottle.

I put it to one side, “One glass and I’m dealing with it the way I did when I was 18.”

Matt raised an eyebrow, “And how is that?”

“One-third champagne two-thirds lemonade, I’ve always been a weak drinker.” I admitted, cringing slightly, Drake laughed when he heard that.

“So are you going to take him to see your folks? I think your Dad would have a fit if you took off without introducing him.”

“Of course,” I answered, turning to Matt, “You’re not going to cause Dad any grief are you? He’s an Irish Catholic.” I honestly doubted that he’d have trouble walking into the house and facing the crucifix, but I couldn’t be too careful.

“Heh… she’s half-Irish, half-Japanese and gets the Irish coloration.” Madoka remarked.

Matt laughed, “I’ll be fine love,” he answered, kissing me again, “But then, I’m half-crazy half-insane.”

I rolled my eyes and went to cook and serve dinner, as I did so I heard Madoka say, “You’re in for a treat, Hana’s a great cook.”

I dished up the chicken with vegetables and rice. Madoka grinned as she called, “Itadakimasu!” the Japanese ritualisitic phrase before a meal, and digging in, Matt following suit.

“This looks great love.”

“I told you Hana’s a terrific cook!” Madoka chimed, starting on her meal, “This is your best yet! Must be the magic of having a boyfriend at work!”

“M-Madoka!” I spluttered, blushing furiously.

“She’s not kidding, this is amazing.” Matt commented.

“Isn’t it just?”

I blushed deeper and ate without a word, I couldn’t think of a comeback.

“And here comes that ever-so-cute blush.” Matt remarked, putting down his utensils and walking over to give me a peck on the cheek.

“Just hit the right points and she goes bright red.” Madoka agreed, “Seriously, you seem to be a natural at it.”

“You do seem to blush a lot Hana.”

“Only because of you.” I remarked.

Matt kissed me again, “Sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable Madoka-chan.”

“It’s all right,” she answered in an unusually bright tone, “She had to endure something similar with me in my first year. But it turned out the guy was a playboy, so I left him.”

I looked at her, “And you haven’t been on a date since.”

“No need to be so blunt about it.”

I saw Matt’s eyes narrow, although not as dangerously as they could, “I hate guys like that, I want to drag them into a dark alley and…” he stopped there, shaking his head, “Sorry, I have met guys like that and there are times I want to teach them some manners,” his fist met his palm at this.

“Well, she dumped him before he did anything bad, so no harm done.”

“Hana’s right.”

Matt smiled, “Just don’t let that experience ruin your perception, not all men are bad.”

I smirked, “If that was true the human race would’ve died out.”

He nodded, “True enough.”

Madoka collected the dishes and went to wash them up when I looked at Matt, “Seriously, Dad comes off as strong sometimes, are you sure you’ll be all right?”

Matt chuckled, “Can’t be worse than the Spanish Inquisition,” he remarked, hugging me, “I love you and once your father sees that he won’t worry.”

I smiled, “You’re right…” I answered, “Just keep your darker side do yourself, we have enough to give them a heart attack over.”

Matt smiled, “Yes that will be interesting news to them.”

I smiled, pouring some lemonade into a glass before breaking the champagne, Matt smiled, “Madoka-chan get in here!”

Madoka smiled as she complied, I handed her a glass, “To a bright future wherever we may go.” I said happily.

“Kampai!” came my friend’s reply as our glasses clinked.

Matt smiled and joined in. "Here's to it and from it and to it again may we always get to it to do it again and if we don't get to it to do it may we always get to it to do it."

Madoka and I burst out laughing at this statement, we couldn’t help it, that statement made no sense. “You haven’t touched your drink and you’re already drunk!” I managed to gasp.

“That wasn’t supposed to make any sense you know.” Matt remarked, as a knock was heard on the door, the smile on Matt’s face gave a hint as to who our guest was.

I walked to the door and opened it, sure enough, a young man and the splitting image of Matt was at the door, dressed casually, although I noticed that his complexion wasn’t quite Matt’s ghostly pale. “You must be Matt’s cousin, come on in.”

“That’s right, I’m Jackal,” was the reply, he was dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, pretty casual.

Matt simply smiled at his lookalike.

“Hey there cuz!” Jackal called, giving Matt a hug when he spotted Madoka, “And who’s this?”

Madoka flushed, “My name’s Madoka, Madoka Saitō,” she answered.

“Madoka, a pretty name for an even prettier girl.” Jackal answered, smiling.

Matt fired me a smile of his own, “I told you we look like twins,” he said, hugging me as Jackal and Madoka continued to make small talk.

I finished the drink, setting down the glass, “And you weren’t kidding,” I commented, “But I better scram, I need to catch Cam before work to hand in my notice.”

“All right love, I’ll probably swing by later.” Matt answered, with a peck on the cheek.

I smiled, grabbing my handbag and my coat and heading out the door.

It took me about 20 minutes to get to the club, and as a result, I was 10 minutes early. I went straight to the top floor and knocked on the office door.

“Come in.”

I did, “Hey Cam.”

Cam, the club’s General Manager (or GM as we sometimes call him), a man in his mid-thirties with black hair that was always neatly done. His work outfit consisted of black trousers, shoes, blazer and a white shirt.

“Hana! Good timing! I wanted to ask you to take the DJ booth for your floor tonight!” he said with his usual energy, "I'm going to perk up business by having lives on Sundays."

I smiled, “Sure thing Cam, but first…” I said, handing him my notice.

Cam blinked, reading it, “Finally found the time eh sweetheart?” he asked.

“Yeah… and someone to travel with.” I agreed.

He smiled supportively, “Just continue to give what you do your all, that’s all I ask.”

I smiled, he was like a second father to me. “Thanks.”

“My pleasure sweetheart, now, get down there and give those boys a reason to dance until they’re sore!” he said with a smile.

I smiled back, Cam was always good with his words. I darted down the stairs and to work.