Red versus White

“It’s ok.” He smiled calmly at her, grabbing onto her shoulders and steadying her just long enough to get her to look up at him “We don’t have to do anything until you’re ready. Hell .. until we’re both ready.” He said with a smile, setting her on the bed gently “If you think this isn’t intimidating and scary to me then you’re out of your damn mind.” He added, kneeling in front of her.

“Now, why don’t you tell me why you’re so afraid of storm, and I’ll tell you how dumb you are for it?”



Shoujiro sighed, sending frustrated glares at that one spot on the ceiling at the sudden –and far too brief for his linking- contact. The koala still clung to him like he was the last piece f eucalyptus on the fucking planet, only this time the idiot managed to get him hard in the process too.

“I will kill you when you wake up.” He murmured, angrily biting down on his lower lip and urging himself to cool the fuck off. And when that failed and the pervert started groping that little part of him that screamed logic half the time, was suddenly angrily demanding that he’s ‘get some of that action’.

He chuckled lightly, slowly shifting until he managed to grab onto the roaming hand and bring it up to his lips; a gentle kiss pressed over it before his finger intertwined with Toshiro’s.

“You will be the death of me I swear.” He whispered, pressing a soft kiss over the young mans forehead before returning his attention back to that one damned spot on the ceiling.

A sigh; her eyes shifted to gentle brown ones. Another sigh, more relieved than the other one before she smiled awkwardly. “I don’t know, but I’ve been afraid of rain storms since I barely knew my name.” yet another sigh followed as green eyes closed shut.


“Mom took me to so many doctors to try and figure out if I was insane or just plain scared, but none of them gave any diagnostics for it.” She smiled at her own weakness. “Nothing scares me more than a storm and water.” She glanced at the boy to see just how stupid he thought she was. “In the end they said it’s another form of phobia that grows after a trauma, but as far as I know I haven’t had any regarding rain storms.” She let out a frustrated breath before covering her face. “This is dumb I know but I can’t help it.” She placed her hands in her lap as green eyes shifted out the window as silence covered the pair.


“Whenever there is a storm I always need someone alive and warm next to me…” she trailed off letting a faint blush cover her freckled cheeks. “I need to feel the heart beat against my palm to ease the fear away and be able to sleep.” Her green eyes locked with black one before adding a low voice “Is that dumb of me?” Amaya silently prayed he wouldn’t think of her as a weakling.

Couples segregated into different parts of the house, whispering and huddling into their respective corners, while the heavens above wept over them in a shower of light. This one particular corner was no different; a girl and an older boy quietly whispering about nothing in particular. The conversation circled on different topics, occasionally parking on themselves, however briefly, before the awkwardness of it would make them veer right through.
They were an odd mismatch of intimacy and comfort; she, wearing his pajama top and nothing more, while he wore nothing but his pajama bottoms. They were like a cropped up puzzle that fit at odd ends and corners, trapped in a bigger picture that made sense to no one but themselves.

She was straddled over him, looking down with a soft smile while her fingertips traced invisible paths over his chest, and for a moment he could almost swear her white hair snowed over him in unending strands sealing and protecting him off from the outside world. The delicate fingers cupped his face before a soft pair of lips pressed with a smile over his. And without even thinking his hands latched on to her hips, fingers digging into the pale skin while a content hum hovered over his lips.

“So …” he began, apropos to nothing yet still feeling the need to fill in the silence “Does that mean your brother is off your back.” She smiled down at him, leaning up lightly and tenderly laying a kiss over his forehead.

“I suppose.” She breathed hopingly “I hope.” She added close to his lips.

“You really like playing with fire, don’t you?” he chuckled, rolling her on her back and slowly crawling up her. He kissed her once, smiling down at the pale blue glittering eyes before placing one quick kiss over her forehead. “Go to bed you brat.” He sighed, perhaps a bit disappointed and a lot frustrated while he layed flat on his back next to her yet again..

“You’re no fun.” She sighed, head on his chest and arm lazily dropped over his midsection.

“And you’re a bit too much.” He said, wrapping an arm around her “Does anybody else know you’re this …ug-“

“Wild ?”he chuckled.

“Yeah.”

“Just you. But does anyone else know you’re so much of a prude ?”

“Just you.” she chuckled






On the other side of the house, holding a bundle of trembling redhead, Tsukasa was thanking the stars he somehow managed to get her to calm down. They were on top of the bed, sitting mostly, with a terrified Ayama glued to his side. He had been rubbing small comforting circles on her back, shushing her from time to time whenever the heavens light.

“It’s a phobia. You have nothing to be ashamed off.” He said calmly, kissing the top of her head out of sheer habit “Hey, when we get out of here, and your folks get better and shit stops hitting the fan …” he paused “Do you suppose somebody like you could date a dumbass like me ?”

The house fell into a complete silence, once in a while brought to life by a flash a blinding light. Drops of rain were like a lullaby for people who were fond of it, luring into a deep sleep anyone who would hear its song. In the room where two men were quietly breathing embraced as if it was the last time they would feel each other.

Toushiro’s head was settled glued to Shoujiro’s neck while his arm hugged it around. All night that smile pulled his lips up, content and peaceful. When a thunder shook the house his eyes blinked open; for a moment he forgot where he was, but as soon as brown eyes settled on the body next to him his smile stretched more.

He watched for a couple of minutes the peaceful face before leaning in giving a small peck on the dry lips. He taste remained on the boy’s lips and he frowned taking a chance in tasting those lips again; this time he kept the connection longer and when the lips departed he sneaked a wet tongue inside, gently and secure earning a small moan from the boy. That only small sound made something explode inside Toushiro as he cupped the back of Shoujiro’s neck affectionately, deepening the kiss.



It didn’t last long before he was thrown on his back by a still sleepy Shoujiro with a yelp, eyes widening confusedly at the man above him, right before a hand was brought to pinch a pink nipple sending a pleasurable shiver through his body. So when that tongue moved further down his neck, leaving a wet path behind, his breath quickened. Shoujiro was doing wonders with that tongue; kissing, biting, making the boy under him squirm in pleasure. He was experienced and Toushiro couldn’t help but feel excited about it; when he wrapped a hand in the silky hair he could feel the smirk on his skin right before Shoujiro attacked a hard pink nipple, biting it hard before licking with that wicked tongue the pulsing skin, earning a surprised moan from the boy under him.



He loved foreplay, he loved to see someone begging him to touch and to bite and he loved to hear the other person in pleasure because of him. So he moved further down kissing Toushiro's knees, legs, and thighs, enjoying the little sounds the younger boy made. It made his arousal to rise straight up and he couldn’t help but think just how much he wanted this as well. When a tongue gave a small lick on Toushiro’s hard member, the boy arched his back moaning loud earning a smirk from Shoujiro.


“Hmm…you liked that, no?” Shoujiro hummed watching closely Toshiro’s face. A blush was spread all over those cheeks while two lips were departed trying to take as much air inside as possible. “Then how about you tell me what you want.” There was something about that voice that made Toushiro almost cum right there and then. A nod came as a reply but it wasn’t enough for the young man above him.

“I can’t hear you.” A smirk.

“Do it..” Toshiro moaned starring in those eyes.

“Do what?”

A pause.

“S-suck me.” It was a whisper, barely audible in the quiet room. It just wasn’t enough. He wanted to hear it.

“Hm?”

Another pause while a heart could be heard beating against a rib cage.

“Suck me Shou.” Toushiro answered louder this time, eyes locking with brown ones.


There was a pulse like electricity spreading from head to bottom and stopping in the center of his stomach that made Shoujiro smirk satisfied as he took the boy all in his mouth, sucking hard at the pulsing member.


Toushiro arched his back from the bed, moaning at the sudden feeling as his fingers tangled again in the silky hair while the other hand ranked along the bed. When the mouth left his dick, he let out a disappointed moan only to be swiftly changed into a soft grunt as his eyes shot open at the sudden intrusion. A hot tongue was lapping around his hole, sliding in and out of him gently while two hands grabbed his ass and pulled it up in the air for more space. Toushiro was in ecstasy; he was downright high from the wonders Shoujiro was doing to him so when that tongue began sliding in deeper and faster his hand shot up from the bed and wrapped around his hard and pulsing dick, stroking it desperately. He hissed at the contact, feeling the pleasure rising deep inside his stomach. Observing the quickening of his breaths and the louder moans, Shoujiro slapped the hand away and began pumping his head after the rhythm of Toushiro’s hand, licking and sucking faster, letting the boy fuck his mouth hard.



“Shou…I’m…” he didn’t manage to warn the boy as his muscles tensed, pleasure swirling inside his stomach before he released his bitter seed into the boy’s mouth with a long guttural moan. Hips buckled few times, emptying the sack before he fell on the bed completely.




It was wet and sticky. Something was wet and sticky. Toushiro blinked his eyes opened in the darkness. He turned his head around to see his surrounding before a frown made place between his eyebrows as his eyes settled on the peacefully sleeping body next to him. He smiled softly bringing a hand over his face only to find it wet.
Brown eyes widen. His mouth opened before he decided to close it shut. His eyes swiftly turned towards the other boy, then at the ceiling, then at the boy, then he slapped himself.



“You are an idiot.” He whispered in the darkness before rising from the bed. “What the hell did I just do!” his hands shot up in front of him cursing at his brain for letting him dream about…that.

He left the room as quietly as possible and locked himself in the bathroom. “I can’t see him anymore.” He told himself ashamed.








After few minutes of complete silence in where Amaya was pondering, she finally let out a chuckle before looking at the boy next to her. “Well I can’t help it I guess. I have to do it.” She smiled, cuddling more in his chest while a hand was placed over his heart. A gasp was heard before her head rose up locking eyes with Tsukasa. “Your heart is beating so fast.” She chuckled. “And I thought you are a heartless bastard.”

For his part though, Shoujiro had woken up halfway through –what he assumed might have been- Toshiro’s phenomenal wet dream. He’d moaned, and squirmed, and writhed against him. And every time he moved slightly closer, brushing a particularly warm (and hard) spot against him, Shoujiro had to wonder if this was not an act of divine retribution designed to test his will for all the terrible shit he’d done throughout his life; because honestly, even the most Jesuit of men would feel his faith stretched to a fine line if Adonis himself was rubbing off against him.

He resided in the end to quietly focus on not flipping the boy on his back and having his way with him in every dirty, passionate, intense, fucking stellar – no, no. He wasn’t going to do that. No, no. This one was not like the others. But why wasn’t he? He frowned at the ceiling, almost like he held it responsible for this particular conundrum.

He finally thanked the stars when the man finally did find release, even though his own boxerbriefs had to take one for the team, so to speak, and decided to sit there quietly through the waking process that would most likely prove embarrassing.

“You are an idiot.”
“You are an idiot.”
No argument here, Shoujiro though with an internalized smirk.
“I can’t see him anymore.”
Now wait a fucking minute, what was that? The door closed behind the suddenly gloomy figure and Shoujiro found himself once again staring at the ceiling, only this time he looked more concerned than angry. Something inside him coiled at the idea of never seeing this particular piece of ass anymore, which in the grand scheme of things – and considering his track record- was downright ridiculous. Wait a minute, his eyes widened, was he … was he actually scared? Oh, no no no no no, things were not about to go down like that.

He sat up angrily, flipping the covers to the side with too much spite and in a manner that suggested the poor things might have personally offended him in a previous life, and marched himself to the bathroom door. One deep breath for courage and the door would be flung over, the boy taken into his arms and madly devoured. Or at least, that was the theory. Instead he froze, hand half raised mid knock and a frown permanently glued to his forehead.

This wasn’t like him. Sure he was cute, sure he was funny, but he’s always had them cute and funny. Why did this one make him want to fight that much harder? It bothered him, it made him angry, hell Toshiro made him angry. And the idea that the young man would deliberately choose to never see him again made him angrier. A vicious circle that he foud no rational way to escape.

“I’m coming in.” he finally bit the bullet and announced without knocking – because fuck that he wasn’t a fucking girl – before opening the door and stepping through. The sight before him settled a nice big lump in his through; Toshiro, half naked leaned over a sink and hair dripping onto the porcelain, his face glistening with small little droplets that almost made him sparkle, and looking over his shoulder with a look that Shoujiro could only describe as a mixture of smouldering and surprised.

He gulped, stepped forward, and cupped the side of his face before he could even process what he was doing. He came closer than he intended, more determined than he’d hopped, and leaned in to give something he had never given anyone else before: a soft, deep, kiss.

There was nothing intense or demanding about it. It was pure, intense, and passionate- the kind of kiss he never thought himself capable off. For once, he wasn’t trying to devour another person out but instead he was taking his time,  savouring him, tasting him into memory. His eyes closed shut just as another step brought their chests together; the other boy slowly being pushed against the sink while a deep guttural moan shivered through Shoujiro’s body. His fingers crawled onto the back of Toshiro’s neck, cradling and sinking into the mop of curls that perfectly framed the boys face, while his lips slowly pulled away with a tender nibble at the boy’s bottom lip. He smiled over his lips, their hot breath intertwining into an undistinguishable mess of morning breath and mint – but he didn’t care. For once he didn’t give a shit. What mattered was that he was this close to this particular person, and nothing else.

“I don’t do ‘the talk’ speech all that well.” He said with a breathless chuckle over the other boy’s lips before he dipped into another deep kiss “But if you ever think about never seeing me again, you and me will have some words."






Oh the other side of the house - well, more like down the hall and to the left - Tsukasa could swear that this is what peacefulness felt like. The girl of his dreams in his arms, away from his responsibilities, away from his mother, and utterly pleased with life. He smiled down at her and gave a fast shy kiss before he turned away with something suspiciously akin to a blush and said:

"Dumbass." he mumbled, secretly thanking the heavens for this trip. His arm wrapped tighter around her, protectively shielding her from a flash of lightning before the inevitably boom shook the room still. "I'm here." he said reassuringly "I'm here, I won't leave."

Peace – it can be felt in different ways depending on the person and the circumstances. It’s a feeling where you know nothing might go wrong in that moment and where everything seems positive and complete. And the house was filled with it. Despite the storm unleashing its anger outside, on the other side of the protective warm walls of the house, silence covered every room.


Amaya was found curled against Tsukasa’s chest, smiling innocently at the feeling of having him next to her. The storm didn’t seem to be a problem anymore as she was lulled to sleep by the mere fact that his heart was pounding rhythmically against her ear. Toushiro on the other hand had Shoujiro glued to his back in such was that from far they almost looked like one. The talk they had before consisted mostly of a justification as to why he said those words followed by a passionate make out season in the bathroom only to be ended back in the bedroom with another session of adult acts.


All in one, every single soul of the house was content, happy and strongly intended to end the mini holidays in the best terms possible while the night rushed them into the deepest sleep.








Confronted with her sister’s pressure and the news she got from her uncle, Shina could feel nothing less than utterly disturbed. The fact that she was currently on the empty street of an early Sunday, didn’t do any good for the silver haired girl. Her emotionless featured hadn’t given away her true feelings as she walked casual with her hands deep in those pockets. Awakened merchants began opening their small shops, chatting happily between them as the sun rose ever higher with each minute passing by. It was a heartwarming view, seeing how people are content with their lives as tiny merchants, not distressed and cold hearted towards other people, not disturbed by the competition – sometimes even helping each other – just completely pleased with their lives. Yes, it might be hard, knowing that probably one day they might lose their business and will be forced to work for people like her sister, but nevertheless, for the time being their lives were perfect.



Shina silently wished for their best as she passed by a couple of already set stands with various tools, throwing a small, barely visible smile towards a little girl who was watching her in awe. At that the small human gasped and ran around her mother’s legs who in returned bowed apologetically at the woman.
The small innocent act almost made Shina’s heart cringe. She knew too well how her posture appeared for the outside world. Cold, emotionless, distant – all things she promised not to be when she was a little girl. But apparently she grew up exactly like that, influenced by the people around her and mostly by her sister; not like she accused Shizuka for that; no, she wasn’t accusing anyone, it was no one’s fault, it was just the fate that’s brought both of them in the stage they were now.


The ring tone snapped her out as she picked it up and read the dialer. Her eyes narrowed as a low ‘hello’ came out from her mouth.


“Not yet.”
“No they haven’t. I’ve been searching everywhere.” A small sigh came out as her pale blue eyes closed shut.
“Tomorrow is Monday, I will see if they come at school.”
“Yes Shizuka. Of course. I understand.” A fist clenched at her side. “When will you be back?” she asked, hoping it will be as later as possible. “That much?” Her eyes widen slightly. “If the is any problems tell me and I will help. I hope everything is ok.” She smiled softly at the phone. “I miss you too Shizuka.” She said slowly before ending the conversation with a bye.


“You miss me?” she asked watching the phone closely as if it was her sister. It was quite rare to hear those words coming from Shizuka and Shina couldn’t help but just blink at the phone before setting her features into a softer manner, the corners of her lips pulling up into what could have been a full smile.


“The end of the year…” the sentence trailed off as she thought about it. In a way she was sad for not having her sister next, but also she felt happy. It felt like a betrayal from her side towards Shizuka for feeling that way, but she knew it was for everyone’s sake.

Everything comes to an end. Even the brief respiro one takes from reality. One way or another, they all had to come to terms with that. They all had to come to terms with the fact that the steaming pile they left behind was still waiting for them, just as fresh and raw as the day they left it. Through truth be told, a part of him probably was looking forward to it. This trip roved more fruitful than he ever dared hope, and the lonesome man who had everything yet nothing was now walking hand in hand with the young woman that could offer him everything.

He smiled dumbly at her, his hand slowly squeezing over hers reassuringly as they walked outside their terminal towards the awaiting limo. He was vaguely aware of the couples behind him, and Akira - who begrudgingly mentioned that while all of them had spent the weekend hooking up, he was still the only one with a semblance of dignity at the end of it. At least according to him that is. Behind him he can hear Tsukasa waxing on poetically about his own greatness, and he can also hear the immediate elbow to the stomach his girlfriend delivered shortly after. In from of him , he takes in the sight of Shoujiro silently walking besides Toshiro- the stiffness in his walk and the cold sterness of his eyes would have anyone believe that the young man held no intentions towards his companion. But Rui knows better, he knows where to look. He smiled fondly when Shoujiro shares a brief sideways glance towards his lover; the warmth and understanding behind it making Toshiro smile brightly. It's a language only the two of them share, and they seem happy with it.

And then finally, Rui settles his eyes over her. She's looking forward, the same way she has done ever since she was a child; refusing to acknowledged anything except what is in front of her. She smiles brightly, retelling a story Rui had heard numerous time before and yet never bothered on correcting, because a part of him relishes in this - in the sheer fact that she acknowledges him enough to tell it. Her hair silently drapes and twists around her, coming alive in the breeze before framing her face in a way that always made him compare her with the divine.

"Don't you agree?" she said suddenly, snapping him out of his own musing and making him blink owlishly at her. She pouts, he wants to kiss her. "You weren't listening."

"You caught me." he admits freely, resisting the urge to smile at the way her brows knit in anger. He loves her, he wants to tell her - he wants to scream it. "I was preoccupied by something else." he lies, because it's safer, because it's comfortable, but above all else, because he is scared she would get scared.

"You wouldn't be Rui if you wouldn't." she replies and he is stunned at how easily she forgave him. He struggles to find an instance in his long dating portfolio if any of his lovers overlooked any of his shortcoming.

"You are amazing." he concedes after a few moments consideration before he slowly pulls her into a loving kiss, silently ignoring the shouting her older brother was doing behind them.


"That mother fucker." Tsukasa grunted, frowning darkly when his sister eagerly returned the kiss. "I'm going to be sick." he murmured weakly, wisely deciding to look away from that horrifying scene and focus on the shorter girl next to him. "Ne .." he began, a bit more cautiously while a sheepish smile spread across his face "So now that we're home ... um." he stuttered, a faint tint of pink coloring his cheeks "I guess, what I'm asking is ... if you.. um " he frowned,angrily rubbing the back of his head before practicly shouting : "Are you free tomorrow ?!"

“I still can’t believe you forced me to ditch my class.” Amaya brushed pass Tsukasa, her tiny yet strong frame making its way towards an empty table. She carefully took in the whole room, shifting uncomfortably at the much higher class ladies and gentlemen around her. Dressed in her casual outfit consisting of a black hoodie, jeans and leather boots, she indeed felt like a simply commoner. She was definitely out of their league; out of his league – green eyes stared at Tsukasa as a sigh escaped her lips before those eyes changed their direction on the window.


It still felt like a dream – the whole situation, the whole escapade from the painful reality seemed like a dream. When Tsukasa asked her on their first official date, just the two of them, she was somehow hesitant, unsure of what to reply, but then she remembered why she fell in love with him from the start – his straight forwardness, confidence and that glimpse of innocent, loving and adorable side that he showed towards her – and there she was, pouting cutely at something imaginary out the window.


‘Mom, dad – I am happy.’ The mental statement brought a sad smile over her face. The previous night was spent at the hospital, having a monologue for about two hours about her mini holidays.


“Miss?” a voice brought her back to reality as she lay her eyes on a middle aged woman who in return was smiling brightly, patiently waiting for her response.

“Um could you give me few more minutes please?” she smiled back apologetically, sinking even deeper in her seat.
As soon as the retreating back of the waitress was lost behind two white doors, she slapped herself on the forehead.


“Why didn’t you hit me to wake up? Maaa this is so embarrassing!” the menu covered her face which was slowly growing redder as she scanned the pages. ‘Expensive!’ her eyes almost bulged out at the prices and suddenly she didn’t feel hungry anymore. “Ne Domiouji…umm…can we go somewhere else?” she whispered, the words slightly muffled by the menu as her eyes watched closely the young man.


=============


Shock!  Shock!  Nevermind

“No.” he said bluntly, brows knitted while he scanned the menu in front of him. Truth be told, nothing on it sounded all that appealing – but this wasn’t about him, this wasn’t even about her. No, this was bigger than that. This was about ‘them’. And he’d be damned if their first outing, as a couple, wouldn’t be everything she dreamed off.

A silent sight pressed itself against the think line of his lips, denied escape while the young man inwardly cringed at the realization that perhaps he should have at least warned her to dress more appropriately. At the very least she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable – not that it mattered much to him how she chose to dress herself. He loved her regardless.

He swallowed hard. Brows furrowing into an inconceivable glare at the poor piece of plastic in front of him. He really did think that, didn’t he?

“Doesn’t matter anyway.’ He suddenly said at the worried looking redhead. “My treat.” He smiled while a four letter expletive ran itself freely in his mind. “After this we can go shopping.” He murmured, forcing a smile towards the woman he loved.

‘Fuck!’

For a long time she’s been throwing daggers at the person in front of her, half angry, half worried at how things might turn out. She didn’t know why it disturbed her so much the date; something just didn’t settle quite right.


“Could we go see a movie?” she whispered, the words muffled by the menu she’d been keeping in front of her while green eyes never took their sight from Tsukasa’s face. It wasn’t disappointment; no it was nothing negative she felt at that time; it was just the fact that being a commoner and dating a very, probably the richest person in the country, might have gotten her the cliché “out of my league” disease.

When Tsukasa completely ignored her question she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, changing for the twentieth time in fifteen minutes her green narrowed eyes over the outside view.


The fog covered half of the town as she stared at the tiny cars slowly moving around the streets. The sun was long hidden under the winter’s veil of gray clouds, leaving only a barely visible round circle behind. The whole scene was creepy yet brilliantly contoured, throwing the person watching into a state of meditation. For the second time she thought how wonderful nature can be, pulling of these wonderful scenes.

The smile pulled softly at the thought of what her mom would think if she was at that moment with her there.



“So are you ready to order now?” the voice of the waiter brought her back to reality again as she blinked her dry eyes rapidly, earning a couple of tears in the process.

“I would like to have what he will have and a glass of coconut milk as a drink.” Amaya replied softly before turning her attention on the window, silently hoping she wasn’t too rude for acting indifferent. She was just not used to having the world at her feet. And she be damned if she will ever want that.

“Shouldn’t it be harder?” a very content, half drowsy voice hummed the half honest question against the warm chest beneath her. She smiled silently while a lazy hand slowly rose to tangle its fingers into her hair, before a hum sparked to life from the man beneath her.

“Should it?” he redirected, and part of her wondered if she shouldn’t he weary at his uncanny ability to divert his responsibility from unwanted answers. She looked up at him, perched against a mangled pillow while his hair went wild against it; he looked content, at peace, and she smiled softly at him.

“Most people would say that it should.”  She said in a way that drew an involuntary smile from him.

“Most people.” He hummed, leaning down and catching her lips in a feverish kiss “We.” He whispered against her lips “Are not .” a soft peck fallowed “Most people.” He finished, sealing his logic with another kiss.

She melted into it, arms stretching towards him, wrapping around his neck and pulling him possessively towards her. His arms automatically found her waist and he rolled her underneath him relishing in the silent laugh that he earned from her.

“Should we call ourselves lucky?” she asked softly, her fingers playing with the small hairs on the back of his head while looking into his amber eyes with a look he will forever define as utterly unique. She looked perfect underneath him; hair tangled within the whites of his pillow and almost making it undistinguishable from it, while her sapphire eyes shined into the dimness of the night. And for a moment she almost looks like she is melting into the immaculate pool of white that made up his linen.

“No.” he said honestly, ignoring the small pout that made everything in him want to tell her otherwise. “We are terribly unlucky Haru.” He whispered, resting his forehead against the small crook of her neck while her arms automatically wrapped around him. They were almost melded together, only the thin layers of their own clothing between them, but even that at this point felt almost inconsequential. They had been in this room for hours – talking, laughing, kissing – it had felt so incredibly normal, so incredibly routine that apart of him almost forgot that this was the woman he had been chasing for the better part of his life. It simply felt natural. And while the next natural step would have been for him to remove her clothing, he simply refused.

He would not rush this. He would not tarnish this.

“Rui?” she asked weakly when a shaking breath blew against her skin.

“Mm..?”

“Why are we unlucky?” he huffed at this, a gentle kiss over her skin shortly fallowing.

“Because the world has a habit of taking away what we love”



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


“They’d finished their dinner in more awkwardness that he’d anticipated. Perhaps taking her to the stuffiest lace in town was not the brightest of moves. But then again he was not the brightest of people.

He sighed dejectedly as they walked slowly, hand in hand down the romantically lit pathways f their downtown square, utterly bewildered at the way she seemed to enjoy them. He wanted to call her a simpleton for it, to mock her for her innocence and naivety. But then again he would have been lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the way her eyes lid up with every words she spoke about it.

“It suits you.” He said finally, smiling slightly at the way her lips settled into a confused O. “The lights against your skin.” He elaborated “It makes you look like you’re glowing. It suits you.”


==============================================


On the other side of town a bored looking Shoujiro silently eyed his yakuza friend as he drowned his fifth glass of scotch with too much eagerness for his liking. A part of him was well aware that this would only be the beginning of Akira’s binge, and another sort of relished in the sadistic notion that come morning Akira would pay for his idiocy.

“Your liver will hate you by the time you’re 25.” He said darkly, silently taking a small sip from his coffee. He wasn’t trying to be prudish, he simply needed to be alert for the inevitable loss of all motor control his friend would exhibit by the end of their outing.  To his right, a young woman giggled at his joke, to his left another was slowly running her hand down his pants. He frowned, then sighed.

“Remove your hand.” He commanded simply. The woman froze then slowly retracted her extremity, slightly ashamed at being chastised for her promiscuity. “You may leave.” He added a moment later while a deep frown settled over his face.

“Hey!” Akira said suddenly “I wanted to do that!” the young man announced, throwing a thump over his shoulder at the retreating callgirls. Shoujiro simply rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t. “

“What crawled up your ass and died ?” the yakuza heir asked with a slight glint in his tone. What was wrong with him? Even he had to sit back and ask himself that one. He grunted an answer and decided on blocking out the inevitable drunken ramble that would somehow find its way towards him curtsey of scotch and Akira, and instead focused on his phone.

Ah, there it was. The reason he was angry. No new calls. No new texts. An entire week, and nothing. And while a part of him knew that he above all people, was neither the poster boy for fidelity, nor was he a beacon of monogamy, a part of him couldn’t help but feel hurt at the sudden ban in communication Toshiro was undergoing.

“He’ll call.” Akira said suddenly, his tone serious and menacingly low. It actually caught Shoujiro by surprise, and for that he had to give the ma some credit- so very few things lately could accomplish that.


” I don’t care.” He lied, forcing himself to shrug and look at the pole dancers to his right. Akira smiled against his half empty glass.

“Yeah … you do.”

“What a bastard!” the voice had a hint of annoyance in it when the news hit him as a slap on the face. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know, or felt, something like this will eventually happen, when Toushiro first introduced Ken to him, but somehow, deep inside he grew to accept the other man. Brown eyes shifted towards his older brother only to find him slightly tense. His eyes were watching lazily the squirming people around him as he dragged the bigger luggage after him while the other hand rested deep inside his pockets.

“Yeah.” The reply came about a minute later forcing Nakatsu’s brows together.

“You still got feelings for Ken?” he asked cautiously, taking few steps ahead to see his brother’s face.

Feelings? Not at all. Regrets? Maybe. Shrugging, he stopped in his tracks. “No.” he eventually said with a bright smile on his face. No one had asked this question since he broke up with Ken and honestly he felt as if something heavy was taken from his chest when he answered. “Hell no.” he grinned facing Nakatsu. “And on top of that little brother” his eyes darted towards the exit, watching the heavy rain pouring down “I have made new friends.”


Toushiro laughed hard at the expression his brother was currently sporting, leaving the poor young boy behind as he marched towards the exit.


=======================================================================================


Amaya wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or be flattered at the compliment Tsukasa just made her. It was awkward – still awkward, for her being acknowledged as his girlfriend by him, being officially together, or sort of. Red eyebrows pulled together slightly before she gave a bright smile.

“Thank you Domiouji.” The punch was meant to connect with his shoulder but apparently she didn’t calculate the distance properly and it ended up to be thrown at nothing, forcing her to clash her face onto his chest. His smell covered her senses as a moan or either hurt or pleasure escaped her throat.

“Gomen!” with widen eyes she attempted to retreat, but found her body pinned against Tsukasa by two strong arms. “Tsukasa…” the name was left hanging and the question remained unspoken by both of them. Amaya’s heartbeat increased as she got lost in those black poles that were his eyes and she could feel her body rising and her face, getting closer to his. Something in the back of her mind screamed to stop but it was suddenly pushed back as the scent of his cinnamon breath hit her nostrils.



==============================================================================



‘He has been staring at that phone for the whole ride.’

‘Who can it be that he waits for a sign?’

‘He has someone else! Oh dear…my brother is a pervert!’

Light brown eyebrows pulled into a deep frown as he thought over and over about the mysterious person his brother was probably seeing? Having a crush?

“So how is Mikan?” the question was sudden and he managed to gain Toushiro’s attention from that damned device.
“What? Ah yes. She’s been good, sort of.”

“What do you mean? Something happened with her? Is she fine?” the sudden agitation Nakatsu showed made Toushiro somehow raise an eye brow.

“Her parents suffered an accident and they have been in a coma for the past 2 weeks with no sign of regaining consciousness.” He said it fast, hoping it wouldn’t sound so dramatic. He knew his little brother and he also knew the feelings he had for his best friend, but what actually surprised him was that he still haven’t changed that.


The face Toushiro was met with took him aback and he couldn’t help but feel slightly sorry for Amaya right now. “But they are ok, well at least Amaya is getting over the fact that her parents might not survive.” He continued pinching his nose in anger at the way his brother was acting. “Idiot.” The slap somehow managed to wake up Nakatsu from his slumber state, forcing him to blink to reality.


With words dying in his throat, Nakatsu left his reply unspoken, choosing to turn his attention out the trains window. ‘I’m sorry Amaya. I should have stayed with you.’ The corners of his lips pulled down, unaware of his brother’s stare.


‘Nakatsu’ Toushiro almost cringed at his brother state. He wished he could avoid the whole situation but he knew it was impossible. He just wanted to keep him away from the total drama that was happening back home and the fact that Nakatsu decided to come back to Japan didn’t quite help anyone.


With Amaya dating the Domiouji heir, and him sort of hooking up with Shoujiro, his brother return will only add more gas to the fire.

‘Speaking of Shoujiro’ a glance at the phone forced a curse to escape his lips. Nothing. Still not even one text from that bastard. For over a week! For the thousand time that late evening his eyebrows closed deep into an frustrated frown.

That evening ended in rain.

The heavens, in their infinite irony, decided to swell and open over the city in a thick murky downpour who’s ground zero just happened to be the patch of skin that connected Tsukasa’s lips to hers, making both of them flinch at the contact; but neither of them seemed keen on stopping.

He cursed lowly, his hot breath intertwining with hers in a small huff of condensation that surrounded the intimacy of their little moment, before he stubbornly captured her lips again. A part of him probably realized he was being insatiably selfish - demanding and ruthless in insisting despite the cold shower that enveloped them – but another part, one which he was beginning to slowly question, decided he simply didn’t care anymore.

“Fucking rain.” He huffed, half smiling over her lips while his forehead lazily pressed against her. “We probably should …” he closed his eyes, nodding dryly against the cold skin of her forehead “Go somewhere warm?”


Shoujiro sighed; the newly light cigar now dangling limply from his lip, soggy and unsalvageable in this accursed torrent. He didn’t venture to look up at the darkening clouds that decided to ruin his little walk by moonlight plan he employed in a weak attempt at clearing his head. No, there really was no point in that right now, was there? Those damn clouds would just stare him down, mockingly, reminding him what an utter waste of an existence he was living. And in light of that realization, the young man decided to send a silent mental middle finger towards the heavens, and continue his accursed walk through the parting waters of Euphrates itself.

Fuck everything about this evening, he grunted dejectedly before shoving his freezing hands as deeply into his trench coat as humanly possible. Maybe tomorrow would be better, maybe.

“Good morning!” the shout sounded on the hall followed closely by a loud knock on his wooden door. A hand reached towards the cold pillow from his right only to be thrown over his head in the attempt of easing the burn in his ears and the sudden pain in his head from the higher volume his hyperactive brother of his was making. A muffled growl came from the messy bed as the sheets moved slowly.
The door from his bedroom flung opened, showing a fully dressed Nakatsu storming in.

“Rise and shine! It school time!”

Toushiro didn’t know what annoyed him the most – being awakened under those circumstances or his brother’s too troublesome eagerness of going to school.

“You are really disturbing.” Toushiro rubbed his eyes as he entered the heat of the school halls.

“And that’s why you love to have me around.” The grinning idiot patted a hand on his back which earned him a glare.

“Whatever.”




Amaya was staring down at Tsukasa who was currently sipping his tea silently. She had been forced to get to school in his limo and despite her attempts of running away by punching and cursing and being totally disturbed by his overprotective nature, she couldn’t help but smile at his childish and stubbornness. Yes. She felt protected, even though sometimes it was too much.


The female mass from the school didn’t cease their starring and glaring and while they had been sitting there, in the VIP area of the cafeteria, the murmur kept on going on going. Normally the girl would come to her asking for advice and showing interest in being around her, but she knew better than to reply to them. Amaya would just raise he delicate eyebrow and show them smugness and coldness toward them, earning probably the worst enemies someone can have.


“You are the worst.” She complained, turning her attention towards the other two occupants of the area, while sipping slowly from her tea, yet her thoughts still remained focused on the previous day’s events.


A tongue slid away from its cavern to lick her bottom lip as the edges turned slightly bit upwards. Tsukasa had been careful with her. He might have been a pain in the ass, rough and loud, but deep inside he was a gentleman and that alone made her feel safe with him.

Last night they departed silently, neither of them really speaking more other than a ‘thank you’ and a ‘good night’ but the kiss they shared at the gates of her house said more words and was filled with higher feelings than either of them could speak.


By the time the memory faded the smile gotten brighter and larger.


“Someone is day dreaming so early in the morning I see.” The voice snapped her from her thoughts, almost making her flinch, a shade of red spreading over her cheeks.


“Toushiro.” She greeted he man with a smile while rising up and giving a warm hug.



He was starring. He knew he was starring and yet he couldn’t help it. Something inside his stomach tightened and he could swear his feet just backed off a little bit.

‘I can’t do this. Is it normal?’ two hands were brought to his face as he tried hard not to stare so much. His body somehow managed to turn around while his eyes widen. ‘She is cute!’ he panicked a bit at the lack of other words. Nakatsu wasn’t sure how to react, or what to say.

‘It’s been so long!’He knew deep inside that it was childish and he wasn’t sure if she still had any similar feelings as him, therefore he was stuck between acting as a little love struck idiot or just act all cool and mature.

“Nakatsu?”


‘Oh my god! She said my name! Her voice is so adorable!’ He just sat there, with his back at her, panicking like a stupid.
Bright emerald eyes stare back between Toushiro and Nakatsu. She couldn’t believe her eyes that Nakatsu was here. So she just kept on starring at the back of her childhood crush.


The smirk that Toushiro showed was knowingly and the way his little brother was acting confirmed his suspicions. So the idiot was still in love with her. After so many years.
He shook his head and turned to face his worst nightmare. That stare – he gulped as a shiver ran down his spine.


“Nakatsu is that really you?” Amaya took a step closer at the man. The hair was longer and somehow brighter. And he was taller, much taller. And muscled; He was indeed a young man. How long has it been since the last time she saw him? Five? Six years?


When the said young man turned she smiled. And her heart beat gotten slightly bit faster.


“Hi Mikan.” he greeted slowly his eyes holding hers.



A new wave of feelings rushed over both of them and they simultaneously thought that things couldn’t get any worse.

“I expected you to make an appearance log before this would have even begun to smell like a potential problem.” The collective calculating calm way the words were spoken did not fail to go unnoticed by its intended receiver. In return, he simply rose a questioning eyebrow at the challenge; a part of him silently wondering if it was indeed in his best interest to go at it with the old battleaxe considering her position as well as his.

“My apologies.” He mock bowed, relying on years of upbringing and decades of self taught composure to bypass the Domyoji hag’s snide comments.

“You were advertised to be much smarter.” She pressed, a sickeningly sweet smile accompanying and clashing her mannerism “This marriage was arranged long before either of you were born, and now because of your poor foresight it stands on the precipice of failure.’ She almost sneered, eye narrowing over the young man whose shouldered stiffened under her gaze “And risks to take two world leading companies along with it.”

“That …will not happen.”

“See that it doesn’t.” she was quick to interject “Because this is not about the two of you. This is about thousands of lives for which me and your incompetent father are responsible for.” She took a moment to stand, slow dignified steps circled the large mahogany desk, bringing her right in front of him. “My daughter is an idealistic fool. I do not need you to love her, I need you to control her.” He nodded tightly, bowing low and respectful all while suppressing a very primal need in him to growl under his breath at the woman in front of him.

“Yes miss Domyoji.”



There is something to be said about perfect days; a shining sun, a chilly yet welcoming autumn breeze, and the sounds of laughter that usually echoed through the school district. Shoujiro hated every damn minute of it.

He sneered at the sky, almost cursing the audacity of that giant ball of idiocy for shinning so fucking happily over his misery as he stepped outside his limousine. He bypassed the fanbase, tuned out the begs and over hormonal pleas for his attention, and utterly ignored Akira’s wise ass comments about ‘what lack of release can do for a man’s temper’ - Because this was not a matter of an inconsequential little dry spell, hell no. Shoujiro could get some any damn minute he wanted, fuck you very much. It was however a problem when the one he wanted it from seemed hell bent on giving him the cold shoulder.

“Fuck off yaku reject.” He growled under his breath, slumping heavily into his chair and flicking the mourning papers open with a bit too much determination. Predictably the flimsy paper tore in the middle of a fold, with a quiet ‘mother fucker’ accompanying it.

“Yeah, I’m the reject.” Akira snorted in his coffee, rolling a discrete pair of eyes at the death glare that shot at him over the pathetically torn mourning paper. “Honestly, sometimes I wish I was at the very least Bi.” He said rather randomly, half chewing an English muffin and smirking sardonically when Shoujiro simply gapped at him confusedly.

“Hm. Why?” the man asked, raising a dignified brow at his friend. Or at the very least, what he hopped looked like a dignified brow, and not the owlish stare of a frightened little field rat. Akira’s smirk widened, and he knew instantly: field rat. Fuck.

“Oh well, with the way we go about … it would at the very least make sense for us to have some sort of raging buttlust for one another.” He said it so nonchalantly that Shoujiro barely registered that he was currently choking on his coffee. “We act like an old bitter married couple. Ya know?”

“I suppose.” The young man replied, and thanked whatever deity was watching over him for giving him enough self control to not knock the ever loving shit out of his best friend – because no, that would only give the asshole satisfaction. “Though honey, you are neither attractive physically or intellectually. “ he smirked at the way Akira’s brows knitted together “And I am neither desperate nor a charity case.” He added with a tint or arrogance he made a note of to thanks his old man for when he got home for.

“You asshole.”

“Mmm … In your dreams sunshine.” Shoujiro smirked into his coffee, looking as in control and as dignified one could look when reading the torn up business section of a newspaper. Much better, he thought – he felt much more in control. All he needed was his daily dose of Akira bashing to set his mood straight. He smiled, maybe today would not be an utter mess after all.


He turned a silent smile towards the increasingly awkward looking Tsukasa that silently tried to look at nonchalant as possible at his tea, even though Shoujiro knew that every nerve in his was probably screaming to interject with his idiocy. Though when the young man chose to remain silent throughout it, Shoujiro found himself to be … relieved for it. Ah yes, a promising day indeed.

No, scratch that.

“Who’s the idiot looking one?” Tsukasa said suddenly, a deep frown settling over his face when the goofy looking kid refused to look away from his girlfriend. And more disturbingly, she refused to look away from him. “Amaya.” It came out lower than intended, deep, guttural and intensely possessive “Who the fuck is he ?”

“Nakatsu, haven’t you heard?” Akira chimed, beaming sunshine and happiness at the newly delightful slice of drama he was handled “Have a seat intensely staring one.” He added, motioning the new kid for a seat. “And you too Toshi, seat next to Shoujiro.”

Oh that mother fucker. Elegant fingers involuntarily tightened over the already disheveled newspaper, while the man silently took an uncomfortable seat next to him. His jaw clenched when by a stroke of unmitigated irony a whiff of cologne invaded his senses, and with a stern – and what he hopped would be a detached- look he turned as elegantly as possible to smile greetingly at his tormentor.

“Toshiro,” he said lowly, eyes narrowing over the young man and taking in as much detail as possible to memory “How have you been?”

“Good.” Was the simple reply the man addressed without even looking at Shoujiro. He didn’t know how to react. For a week there hadn’t been any sign from him and truth to be told Toushiro had a bit too much of an ego to make a first move so he’d been waiting. And waiting. Until now.

The fingers clenched around the small cup as his leg brushed against Shoujiro’s. He suddenly felt hot. And fidgety. He forced a peak at the man from his left only to find those eyes glued to his. Another gulp forced itself down as his mouth became suddenly dry. The urge to lick his lips had been so much that he had to close his eyes to break the intense stare Shoujiro was holding him with, so he will be able to stick that pink tongue out and moisture his dry lips.



Suddenly the whole area was filled with so much tension that could suffocate anyone who entered the perimeter.



“Domiouji stop being rude.” Amaya eventually cleared her head and turned towards Tsukasa who was staring with a killing intent towards Nakatsu.

“He is Nakatsu, an old friend of mine.” She showed towards the smiling idiot.

“Hi Domiouji.” He greeted, debating whether he should shake hands or just nod. Though the stare had been able to freeze his body, he chose to just keep distance wondering silently who the man was; and more importantly why he was so over possessive over Mikan.

“And Nakatsu he is Tsukasa Domiouji…” the sentence dyed in her throat and she wasn’t sure what to say at that moment. She decided to let it go for the time being as she excused herself to the bathroom, mentally wondering where was Haruhi when she needed the girl.

“The boyfriend.” Tsukasa finished darkly, a self satisfied leer lingering over his lips at the defeated stare he got from his rival. Because he was not about to kid himself, this man was going to be his rival, every fiber of his being screamed it and Amaya’s bewildered and lost stare simply confirmed it. And though he was perfectly confident in both himself and his abilities to handle a situation like this, a part of him couldn’t help lash out possessively at the way the woman he loved suddenly lingered over another.

“Isn’t today just lovely?” Akira beamed from across the table, practically dancing in his seat at the palpable tension while Shoujiro simply sneered in reply. “Oh lighten up, your butt buddy is all hot and bothered by your cold shoulder and everything.” Shoujiro simply rolled his eyes and tried his nest to ignore the widening pair of eyes Toshiro was sporting in return.

“Akira?” the man asked, a notable perk in his tone as he set his pathetic paper down and turned to his gleaming friend.

“Hm?”

“Mind you own fucking business, before I make your business my own?” he said with a hint of viciousness’ to his tone that made the yakuza hair squirm uncomfortably in his chair “And a polite fuck you for your trouble.” He added, angrily taking a sip from his coffee just as an unfortunate waiter approached the table. “Nothing.” He declared angrily completely ignoring the man there after.

“The same.” Tsukasa murmured darkly, suddenly loosing his appetite as he noticed two approaching figures from the corner of his eyes. They were holding hands, fuck. “Where the fuck have you been last night?” he asked in lieu of a greeting. His sister simply smiled and leaned down to peck his cheek before doing the same to Amaya.

“At Rui’s.” she answered, taking a seat next to the afford mentioned young man that simply sunk into his chair. Tsukasa’s brows silently settled into a threatening glare.

“Nothing happened!” Haruhi was quick to reassure, but her brother had no eyes for her now; his interest were firmly set on the bored looking blond that hid a yawn n the back of his hand.

“Nothing happened, Domyiji.” Rui confirmed, lazily scaning the menue and not bothering to spare a gaze to his best friend. Tsukasa grumbled.


“Better fucking not.”

“Have some faith in me, man.”

“No.”

“Well aren’t you an asshole.” Rui finally said with a little smirk tugging at his lips that only grew when Tsukasa reciprocated it.
“Bacon, eggs, pancakes, syrup …” Akira smirked at the forgotten and bewildered waiter “The works!”

For the first time, in the VIP area of the school, where the F4 had been spending their time since the moment they stepped foot in that school, a moment of anxious silence fell over the party. The probability that things could turn out peacefully was small and Amaya could not refrain herself from the shiver that grew with each ticking of the clock. She was aware of the black aura that rayed from Tsukasa and the jealousy that slowly rose from Nakatsu. Unable to say a word, afraid of the sound of her voice, she just sat there, having only her eyes shift from one man to the other.

Toshiro on the other side wanted to literally slap his face and the childish behavior his brother was showing. Yes he knew the idiot was still in love with her, but he could at least be mature and show signs of witness, which he knew he had them hidden someone deep inside, than just standing there and throwing little red daggers at an equally childish Tsukasa.

Inside the mind of a one little ‘in love’ kid, a series of images were playing , which could be evaluated as an act of insanity.
‘Well he is good looking and of course he had been blinding Mikan with his looks, but he will never have her.’ His eyes frowned as he imagined himself confronting Tsukasa and eventually winning back his little Mikan. He almost grabbed Amaya’s hand in his moment of day-dreaming when Toshiro suddenly rose from his seat, hitting Shoujiro which at that moment happened to sip his tea. The whole act lead to a series of unfortunate events…and curses.

The tea had been probably too hot for the poor man and as soon as it touched the crotch Shoujiro jumped, voicing a series of unorthodox words, while in his attempt to cool down his lower parts he hit the table, having the whole china to scatter on the floor, respectively on everyone else’s feet and legs.

Finally thanking whoever was out there for the moment of diversion, Amaya sneaked away from the cursing crowd, sprinted right out of the cafeteria and straight into the back door of the school. Her heart beat was almost too much to bear as she finally pushed opened the glass doors of the green house.

She didn’t know how much it took her to calm down, and how much it will take everyone else to realize she’s missing, but the moment she was glad she managed to drag herself out of there.



===========================================



The red spot sprinting clumsily towards the green house drew Shina’s attention as she placed one elbow on the cold edge of the roof top. Something had happened and she was eager to find out. A smirk covered her face as she pushed herself away from the edge.

From a distance anyone could of writing them off as just other obnoxious group of teenagers in this school. Loud, careless, spoiled, easily amused and equally entertaining. But he wasn’t just anyone; there were signs among their mannerism – tells that only the well bread carried with them like a burning, and all-consuming, cross to bear: the stiffness of their shoulders, the light grip on their cups, the hard sets of eyes that settled and zoned in on their target. Above all of the expensive cutlery, the fine clothing, the pristine gadgets, these were the tells of the elite. Pavlovian conditioning at its finest, with the sole goal of producing future leaders. And in the middle of all of that, in the middle of all of the familial gestures, the tense conversations, and the cozy atmosphere, was her. His target. Living up to the very rumors that he’d grown up listening since he was old enough to remember.

White, pure, and utterly otherworldly. Even among a group as elitist as this she stood out on an echelon all of her own. Her eyes were warmer, her mannerism was gentler, and her laugh … He felt his breath hitch somewhere in the back of his throat, and to his mortification he realized that he very nearly swooned over his own fiancée. There was no reason to dot over her this much, was there? There was no reason to threat or worry – she had been his from the second she drew a breath. He wasn’t about to court and won her over like every other woman he’d bedded – no. Haruhi Domyouji was his. This was fact.


Shoujiro was, well – Angry, he came to understand, was a state he didn’t quite reach that often. But often enough he would plateau above it in a state of emotional constipated limbo that Akira never failed to point out and make fun off. The little shit. So as of now, he was floating in this ridiculous limbo of miscommunication and unresolved tension, all the while the cause of said tension was looking equally uncomfortable beside him.

This sucked. He glowered darkly at his nearly empty cup of coffee and resided in the inevitably depressing day that followed. He avoided meeting anyone’s eyes, mostly out of principle, but if he’s be honest with himself he was truly avoiding the pitying looks he might receive from any of them. Especially Haruhi – how one woman could convey disappointment, sympathy, understandment, and encouragement into one look was beyond him.

“Scary woman.” He murmured, looking away from her and refocusing on his paper. He didn’t need to look up to know she was smiling, self-satisfying and blindingly warm.

“I try.” She beamed at him, and Shoujiro suppressed a shiver.