For a while, Koshi and I both lay in the darkness of Tweak's room while she stroked our heads and hummed a lullaby the Captain often sang to us. I can't tell how long I lay there for, but in the blink of an eye, the whole room became light, and Tweak was nowhere to be seen.
Koshi was still asleep, so I gingerly wriggled out of her grasp, got out of bed as quietly as I could and went to the first place I could think to find Tweak, Dashi's room. When I got there, Tweak was in Koshi's bed, curled up in a little ball with her back to me. I tiptoed to the bed like I was on padded feet and gave her the lightest kiss I could on the top of her head.
Even though I was being as quiet and gentle as I could, Tweak still woke up, and the slight twitch of her ears gave her away. She must've known as well, cos before I could blink twice, I found a pair of furry arms locked around me and firm kiss being pressed onto my head.
"Well good morning." A voice from above surprised me, "This is a nice surprise."
"Guten Morgen," I answered her, why in German? I'm not sure. Just wanted to, I guess, "Ich hab dich lieb."
She looked thoughtful, but the mischievous smile returned to her face. "Hmm, 'Guten Morgen' is good morning." I couldn't believe what I was hearing, "Oh don't think you're fooling me you little hellhound, Dashi taught me. I don't know what the other thing was though."
"Ask Dashi." I suggested, gesturing to my sister, who had just stepped foot into the room.
"Hey Dash." Tweak went over to Dashi and gave her a big hug. "Do you mind listening to what this little devil has to say and translating for me? Thanks."
"Alright." Dashi looked pleasantly surprised at the hug, and slightly confused at the request.
"Du stinkst." I said and held in my laughter at the look on both Dashi's and Tweak's faces. Tweak began to walk towards me and I knew I was doomed. Before I could process what she was doing, she scooped me up and began to tickle me.
"That wasn't what it was, silly, it was way longer than that! C'mon, tell her." Once Tweak stopped tickling me and I caught my breath, I told her the correct sentence this time.
"Ich hab dich lieb."
"I love you." Dashi translated.
"What was the other one?" Tweak asked sarcastically, putting me down. "The second one" was far too obvious.
"It means 'you stink'" Dashi shook her head, "But don't get any ide- This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" She looked exasperatedly at me. I only smiled and shook my head. She rolled her eyes and looked at Tweak, who was giggling.
"Oh, I'ma use it on Kwazii."
"I mean it is kinda true." Koshi had woken up at last, and was standing in the doorway bleary-eyed in green pajamas with Ryla right behind her in a pink sparkly unicorn onesie (it was Dashi's).
"The Captain couldn't deny it when he made Kwazii take a bath a while ago." I nodded.
"Wait." Ryla exclaimed, putting her paws on Koshi's shoulders, "Was that what all that screaming this morning was?"
"What screaming?" Dashi asked cluelessly. At around 7 in the morning, the Captain had decided that Kwazii needed a bath, (no buts) and attempted to give him one, but it ended in Kwazii running all around the Octopod screeching and yowling until the Captain coaxed him into the bathtub with a few kelp cakes and fish biscuits. Obviously, it woke almost everyone.
"Oh my gosh, your headphones! Those are some powerful headphones, Dash." Tweak shook her head.
"Jane and I could hear it all the way in the Launch Bay." Koshi piped up and I nodded. That cat had the vocal cords of a freight train.
"Oh boy." Ryla looked aghast.
"This was one of his good days too." I added.
"On one of his bad days, you can hear him from outside the Octopod." Koshi finished for me. Ryla looked even more shocked. Living with Kwazii was never EASY but we did try to lessen the burden it was on our sanity. We TRIED. It doesn't mean it WORKS all the time.
"Ah, don't worry, Ry." Tweak threw an arm around Ryla's shoulders, "Usually, breaking the sound barrier with his voice once tires him out enough for the rest of the day." Ryla laughed.
"How do you do it with that rascal?"
Tweak chuckled as well, "I wish I could tell you, Ry."
YOU ARE READING
The Odd Sister Out
同人小说"The middle child has it worse" Janine Margot Doxter knows that this is a lie. Being the younger sister of Dashi and Koshi, who were known as inseparable, mystery-loving sisters in their hometown. Therefore, she has always been the third wheel to he...
