Apt. #634B - The Makis' House

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

Cassie barely heard the comments directed to her about being a cute kid and the lace covering every surface of her photo album because of the fever burning through her body and her anxiety about her friends seeing her pictures. Maybe I can just open up to a random page or something and skip the beginning, then they'll never have to know...it's not embarrassing in the "Oh, god, I'm never gonna live this down" sense, but I'll feel all awkward and they'll all be shocked and stuff...I hate photo albums.

"What are you talking about, Cassie? Do you have pictures of you, like, making a face after eating octopus or something? Let me see." Cassie looked at Erin in confusion. "What? Who's got pictures like that?" She was about to say more when the large album was snatched from Cassie's hands. "Hey! Erin, give it back!" She reached for the book, hoping to reclaim it before any pictures could be revealed.

"I do! Demo, is home. Yah, will show you, sometime." Cassie barely acknowledged Kagayaki's words as she lunged for the book again, becoming angry. "Erin, I said no!" She made contact with the album, but her shaking hands caused it to fall to the floor with a smack, the heavy cover causing it to open to the first page and the very pictures Cassie hadn't wanted her friends to see. She grabbed for it again, slamming it on her lap. "If you must know, I was a premature baby and I didn't want my friends to have to see me in an incubator struggling to breathe in a neonatal ICU!" she snapped, tears filling her eyes again. "That's why I didn't want you to see it! But, hey, here you go!" She smacked her hand down on the pictures of the impossibly tiny baby that had been Cassie, her stitches visible on her stomach where she had been cut during the surgery to deliver her. She stared down at the pictures, her hand reaching out to trace her mother's elegant script across the top one: Miracle. Angrily, she continued to turn pages, revealing that the next six or so were just like the first--Cassie in her first month of life, still in that intensive-care unit as she struggled to get strong enough to leave it.

You cared about me then, Mom! You loved me then..what happened?

"Sorry," she said dully, not looking up. "It's embarrassing for me." She gazed down at the baby she had once been for another moment before turning several pages ahead, to a still very small version of her dressed as a bear for her first Halloween, complete with a dab of lipstick on her nose.

"You should see Yukito's!" said Erin, obviously trying to change the subject. "It has Aidousan in it, and they were so cute!"

"I'm sure," said Cassie quietly, reaching down into her bag to pull out her blanket, wrapping the fuzzy pink polar fleece around herself. It was the same blanket she had given Aidousan the night Erin had gone missing, and she had slept with it every night since then, wrapped tightly around herself beneath her other sheets and covers. She would pretend it was him keeping her safe, instead of just a piece of fabric. Cassie discreetly wiped away her lingering tears with a corner of the soft material.

Erin's mom poked her head in then, beckoning Erin over with yet another photo album, and Cassie gave a feeble wave. "Cassiechan, so-so-shourd ray d-d-don. No feerin good. Knows."
Kagayaki pulled her against him, and Cassie gave a little nod. Although the nausea was still bombarding her, she didn't think she'd be throwing up again any time soon--Cassie got sick easily but rarely threw up more than once--but the fever seemed to be getting worse. Cassie raised a hand to her red-hot cheek and took it away quickly, sighing as Erin came back with her book of baby pictures.

Cassie found herself smiling at Erin's pictures despite how bad she was feeling. "Aww, you were pretty adorable too, Erin..." she said, eager to make up for snapping at her friend. She turned a few pages in her own album, revealing herself on her first Christmas, a bright green adhesive bow, plucked from one of the Christmas presents, perched atop her head. She gave a weak laugh. "Supposedly, I grabbed that and stuck it on there all by myself...no idea why, though..." She frowned down at her picture--Cassie had been almost six months old by her first Christmas, but she was still very small--she looked only about four months old or so. Just call me Munchkin. "There's tons more, if you wanna look at them..." She gave the tiniest of smiles. "I won't freak out again, I promise."

"Hey! Yukitokun! Is this too boring for you? I want to see more of yours, they're sooo adorable! Hey, do y'all wanna see?"

Cassie shrugged, and when Kagayaki said that he wanted to see the pictures, his voice was quiet and weak. Cassie reached for his hand and took it in hers gently.

Just then, Mrs. Maki came back into the room, holding a video up triumphantly. "Guess what I found! It's stuff your band recorded, Yukito!"

Cassie winced. Sorry, Makisan, but somehow I don't think loud music in another language is the best thing for us right now... Yukito seemed to have the same train of thought as Cassie, for he protested loudly while Kagayaki shouted something in enthusiastic Japanese. "Watch, watch, waaaaaatch!"

"Nu-huuuh..." Makisan told her son. "We're going to have some fun today. So just go sit down and try to enjoy yourself for once."

Kagayaki stiffened next to her, and she gave him a lazy but concerned look. "Cassiechan..." he said, sounding anxious. "Hmmm?" she replied.

"Sumimasen. Wait, for, me." She nodded, stretching out onto the place he left behind, lying on her side and closing her eyes. The photo album still lay open in her hands. "Mrs...Mrs. Makisan?" she whispered, not caring how she butchered the honorifics for her name. "May I...may I have some water, please?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"What are you talking about, Cassie? Do you have pictures of you, like, making a face after eating octopus or something? Let me see." Cassie looked at Erin in confusion. "What? Who's got pictures like that?" Erin made a face at Cassie, then took the album into her hands without warning. "Hey! Erin, give it back!"

Cassie reached for it, but Erin laughed a little, oblivious to her friend's agitated tone. "Why?"

"I do! Demo, is home. Yah, will show you, sometime," Kagayaki added, and Erin hoped that there would be more of little Yukito in it to see. But Cassie drew Erin's attention before she could comment anything on it, reaching for the book that was too far away to grab, tight in Erin's hands. "Erin, I said no!" She made contact with the album, but her shaking hands caused it to fall to the floor with a smack, out of Erin's own hands, the heavy cover causing it to open to the first page, revealing a very small, fragile, and infantile. Cassie seemed totally frantic about it, snatching it up and slamming it on her lap, Erin suddenly realizing she hadn't been messing around about it. "God, what's your problem? They're just pictures," she told Cassie incredulously.

"If you must know, I was a premature baby and I didn't want my friends to have to see me in an incubator struggling to breathe in a neonatal ICU!"

"And why not? Something shameful about the way you were born?" She wanted to tell Cassie that she was crazy for wanting to hide these images... what was wrong with her? So she had a hard time her first few days and her baby pictures weren't the most pristine things... they were still her and still part of her story, and Cassie's reaction didn't make sense.

"That's why I didn't want you to see it! But, hey, here you go!" Cassie bitterly flipped through the next few pages, which followed more of a very tiny, healing version of herself.

"What is your problem? Cassie, I think your fever's gettin' to you." A smile edged on Erin's lips.

"Sorry," she said dully, not looking up. "It's embarrassing for me." Cassie fast forwarded to a still-funsized Cassie in a precious baby-sized costume at Halloween. "I don't see anything to get angry or embarrassed about, just beautiful pictures of my favorite redhead. Oh, look, you even celebrated my birthday for me!" There, that was better. Freak-out moment was over, and Erin cold smile again, easier and genuinely happy.

"You should see Yukito's! It has Aidousan in it, and they were so cute!" She beamed at Yukito, who didn't seem to thrilled with her gushing over his old photos. Well, it's not like she was gonna pretend she didn't care... he'd make it through somehow.

"I'm sure," Cassie replied, but Erin doubted she was really interested. Oh, well. More Yukito pictures for her, then. She had to stop for a minute, though, grabbing her own album from her mom. It was kind of funny, it seemed she was the only one who wasn't trying to hide her childhood. Except maybe Aidousan, if he'd had his readily available. Weird people, her friends.

Cassie didn't seem to mind looking at other people's pictures, though, as she told Erin, "Aww, you were pretty adorable too, Erin..." A teasingly smug expression grew on Erin's face as she looked up at her sick friend from her spot next to Yukito on the floor. "I know. Now let me see more of yours!"

Cassie obliged, showing her a totally precious Christmas-Cassie making herself into a present. "Supposedly, I grabbed that and stuck it on there all by myself...no idea why, though..."

"Um, because it's totally endearing, that's why. Duh."

"There's tons more, if you wanna look at them..." She gave the tiniest of smiles when Erin raised her eyebrows questioningly. She didn't want a repeat episode. "I won't freak out again, I promise."

"Sure," Erin replied, cheered by her offering and taking the album back in her hands. She looked over at Yukito, who had her album to look at. He wasn't saying anything, and Erin wondered if it was really all that dull to him. The idea was almost frightening. "Hey! Yukitokun! Is this too boring for you? I want to see more of yours, they're sooo adorable! Hey, do y'all wanna see?"

"Me!" Aidousan replied, though not as enthused as he might usually. Were they really that sick? Cassie only shrugged...

"It's not boring," Yukito assured Erin. Aww, good... It made her smile, watching him. Erin was just about to reach over and point out some more pictures to him, but Makisan's next words prevented her-- she came in talking about the video in her hand, and Erin's ears immediately perked at the mention of Yukito's band. Yes!! Yes, yes, yes, yes! She'd practically been aching to watch Yukito playing music since hearing his stuff forever ago. Their short practice session together was as close as she'd gotten, and now this tape comes out? Erin couldn't suppress her enthusiasm for it if she tried. Which she didn't.

Aidousan sounded pretty interested, too, which was saying something, since he had had something to do with it, and Erin sat up on her knees, tapping them excitedly, looking over at Yukito with an amused and simultaneously enthused expression.

But Yukito immediately flew from her side to try and retain the cassette from his mom, to Erin's confusion. Now he was acting weird. Her friends were all delusional from fever or something. Makisan didn't mind, though, in fact she semed to be getting a kick out of it as she popped the video in. "Nu-huuuh..." she said. "We're going to have some fun today. So just go sit down and try to enjoy yourself for once."

"Yukito!" Erin called him back, and pointed silently to the spot he'd vacated, expression firm.

Apparently she and Makisan were the only interested parties, though, since Aidousan left the room and Cassie started asking for water... "Come on, Yukito," Erin repeated her gesture. She smiled at him. "I want to see!"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Yukito sat in a removed sort of state as the girls went through a strange spat about pictures. He didn't really see the big deal, about insisting on seeing them or refusing to let people see – it was a different story for him, he wasn't saying she couldn't, just saying he wasn't happy about it. That's what he'd said, right? Now he was reconsidering.

“For the record, Cassie...” Yukito mumbled quietly, not sure if he would be heard or not, “It kind of makes you a survivor.”

"Sorry," she said, "It's embarrassing for me."

"I don't see anything to get angry or embarrassed about, just beautiful pictures of my favorite redhead. Oh, look, you even celebrated my birthday for me!" Erin jumped in eagerly to point out a picture of the younger version of Cassie, dressed up for Halloween. Yukito looked over to watch her, marveling at how uneffected she was by her friend's outburst. Oh, well. That was Erin. He could almost hear her thought pattern, 'jeez, we don't want to waste time worrying about something silly as that, Cassie! It doesn't make a difference to me, I'd love you anyway! Ooooh! Shiny!'

After checking both girls' expression to make sure nothing serious had just come down, he gave a mental shrug and looked down at Erin's photos. He felt himself drawn into the images represented in her past, and heard nothing of the conversation until Erin prodded him, wondering if it was boring to him. Don't I look interested? I'm looking through it, aren't I? He flipped the page to find Erin, surrounded by numerous friends, smiling in the middle. She looked like she was seven or eight. She's always been good at being friendly with people. The stark differences in their social types always surprised him. But it was sort of like she could draw out things from him he normally would have buried.

"It's not boring," he said simply, not feeling her gaze on him as he quietly continued. He would have been perfectly content to sit next to her and finish the whole album, but something his mother said caught his attention.

"Guess what I found! It's stuff your band recorded, Yukito!" Korkoro said, a huge grin on her face. It took Yukito a few seconds, but then he realized what was on the tape. And it was not the band playing music. In fact, he was hoping the only part of the video with any music had not been recorded. No, he hoped and prayed – though he wasn't religious – that the entire video would come up ruined beyond repair.

"Oh! Oh! Sugoi desu ne! Sugoi desu ne! Yes, yes, yes!" Aidousan remembered, too, and was bouncing in his seat. He didn't mind it – Yukito had gotten the short end of the stick in this one. And somehow, that metaphor didn't seem strong enough. He leapt off the couch, trying to ignore the feeling that he had just been taken by the ankles and swung around the room. He reached for the video tape.

"MOM. DON'T."

"Watch, watch, waaaaaatch!" Aidousan crowed happily.

"Nu-huuuh...We're going to have some fun today. So just go sit down and try to enjoy yourself for once." His mother successfully kept the video out of his reach, slipping it into the player with a fateful click. Yukito stood, looking utterly broken, his head still spinning. Why wasn't he able to stablize a thought? Maybe he hadn't been feeling any better, even if he had been pretending like he did.

"Mrs...Mrs. Makisan? May I...may I have some water, please?" Cassie's timid voice rose up as Aidousan rushed out of the room. Yukito's eyes followed his friend, and he could faintly hear the water being turned on. If you don't hurry, I'll be kicking you out, Aidousan.

”Of course, Cassiechan.” Korkoro slipped off, laughing quietly to herself about the video, coming back with a tall glass of water for the redhead. ”Let me know if you need a refill, alright?” Surprisingly, Korkoro slid down among the teenagers, crossing her legs neatly beneath her and watching the screen as someone with the camera struggled to adjust to a visible level. Nothing was clear on the screen yet, but several male voices were laughing and muttering in Japanese.

"Yukito!" He turned to blankly stare at Erin on the couch, indicating the empty spot there. Like someone resigned to their fate, Yukito flopped onto the couch, immediately curled up into a protective ball, and hid his head behind his knees, letting out a groan.

"Come on, Yukito, I want to see!"

He didn't respond, knowing that revenge was sweet to the person who achieved it. If he had any negative points racked up to Matsudasan, his previous comrade and fun-loving bandmate, he certainly had paid for them in full. Not only was his mother going to sit and watch it through with him right there, but his girlfriend and his girlfriend's friend would be there to witness it....

He closed his eyes and buried his head deeper in his knees as the laughter amounted, and someone barked at the cameraman to hold it upright, for goodness' sake, remembering how this video had come about.

Somehow, an innocent – and boring – afternoon hanging out had turned into a crazy suggestion from Matsudasan, ”Hey, we should dress up like the characters from The Wizard Of Oz!”

Yukito had ignored them, caught up in his own mind, curled up in a corner while the rest of them played a really dumb video game. But when they started discussing who would play who, everyone turned to Yukito, watching him.

He could hear them. Even Aidousan had betrayed him, adding insult to injury. “Yuyukun, I'm sorry! Picturing it! Kawaii!” He had visibly cringed at the nickname. He'd flat-out said 'Absolutely not'. But then a quiet had come over the others, an eerie sort of moment where you know what's going to happen but you can't do anything about it. They tackled him and sat on top of him, Aidousan at his head tickling him under his chin – his one vulnerable spot – and demanded he promise to take part. Why, he had wondered, do they always pick on me?

Not only had it been completely uncomfortable and utterly wrong in Yukito's eyes, but he had no way out, and no way to breathe. In the end, he had given in. Sure, that wasn't the end – he fought them every step of the way.

But they still had the video to prove he hadn't been stubborn enough.


~~~


The camera waved and moved around in sporadic movements that didn't let anybody see what was going on, and the scraps of conversation were all in Japanese, and even then, they made no sense.

”Tanakasan!”

”Over here! Over here! Hurry, we can't hold him!”

”Yukitokun, stop! You're hurting my arm!”

”You do realize you can't do that, right? That's just wrong.”

Aidousan's voice filtered through the many familiar sounds, breathlessly muttering, ”Kawaaaaaaaii!”

”Aidousan! Stop gawking and get over here, help me set the camera up!”

The camera stopped waving around as much for a few moments, and one could see a blurry, dark version of someone's arm turning the device around, then setting it up on some sort of hard surface, facing an empty hallway, a brightly-lit doorway to the left revealing a bit of fabric and what looked like the corner of a brown-orange carpet. More whispers, lots of deep male laughter.

Today's Yukito took this moment to snatch up his blanket from the floor and wrapped it around his shoulders, then drapping it over his head and burying his face into his knees again.

”You guys ready?”

”Hai! Yes! Come on out!”

”Wait! My...I'm tangled up with you!”

”You would think a lion would remember to brush his mane every once in awhile...”

Then he heard his own voice, ”Guys, this isn't funny, okay? Let me go and you guys can embarrass yourselves all you want. AHH! LET ME GO!”

”Ouch! He scratched my arm all up!”

”Ah! I'm losing my grip on him! TANAKASAN COME HELP!”

There came sounds of thumping from the hallway, Aidousan racing by quickly, giving the viewer just enough time to glimpse his costume as the Scarecrow, bits of straw trailing off behind him as he rounded the corner, soon followed by Tanakasan, who had insisted on dressing up as the Wizard, but who had taken some liberties with the outfit.

”YUYUKUN!” Aidousan gasped, and there were sounds of struggle and a few grunts and curses, until the troop marched out into the hallway, arms linked together. They had to squish, since there were five of them, after all. But this was made convinient since Tanaka and Aidousan had Yukito's arms wrapped around their shoulders, half-dragging, half-carrying him to the hallway.

There was Tanaka, dressed as the Wizard. Aidousan as the Scarecrow, Yamamotosan as the Cowardly Lion, and Matsudasan as the Tin Man. With Yukito forced roughly into the blue and white checkered Dorothy dress, a brown wig thrust roughly upon his head, notably crooked. They'd picked him because he would 'look the cutest as a girl', and, he was sure, because they loved to torture him. Why was he such an easy target?

Today's Yukito could hear the laughter from the screen and from within the room, knowing the precise moment when they all trooped down the hall, lamely coming right up to the camera so as to show off their awful makeup jobs. Aidousan restuffed his straw, Tanakasan straightened his bowler hat – his addition – and Yukito's hair was readjusted. 'He did not look happy' was an understatement for Yukito's face, which Tanakasan, being older and braver, pinched between his fingers so Yukito's cheeks squished in, pulling them both towards the camera until they mostly blurred out, Tanakasan gestured as he said, ”Isn't she adorable?! Look at those lips! Those eyes! That hair!” More laughter from the background, and Yukito snarled out of their grasps, muttering dark words and starting to beat Tanakasan up with the little basket they had bought, in the wrong shape and way too small to hold even a stuffed brown beagle that was supposed to represent Dorothy's beloved companion.The camera ended up falling from its already precarious place on the mantel, and Aidousan's chuckling could be heard.

”AAH! THE CAMERA!” Huge, blurry fingers occupied the screen and fumbled for the buttons, revealing for a very swift instant the sight of Dorothy crudely wrestling a Tin Man and a man that looked more like a 1940's banker meets 70's showhost than the Wizard. Two were laughing. All were complaining of pains. Another chuckle from Aidousan, as he called out, asking how to turn off the camera and save the battery.

The picture faded.

Several long seconds of 'snow' appeared on the screen. Korkoro had started with a smile that in moments had grown to laughter so hard she was crying. She glanced around and see how the rest of the audience was enjoying the film, though, and commented, ”Wasn't he just so cute?!”

Yukito squeezed his knees to his chest. He had decided a long time ago that it would have been better to just give in. Then maybe they wouldn't have known he was going to try his best to destroy the film. Then maybe they wouldn't have made copies.

The screen turned back to the previous scene, showing the friends laughing more, with the Cowardly Lion helping with the camera this time, his pawed fingers fumbling with the tiny buttons. It lifted up to his face, and the recording showed his serious face, staring hard into the controls. Disregarding how close the microphone was to his face, he bellowed, making crackling noises, ”Are we ready?”

”Hai!”

Again, the camera went back to the all-too-white hallway, though now the floor was littered with an assortment of costume pieces. Tanakasan peeked out of the doorway, snatched up his hat, and popped back in, pushing out ahead of him Yukito, still in costume but now more resigned, stalking down the hallway to the camera. He glared angrily at the lens, and a giggle erupted next to the microphone, indicating someone was still at the controls.

In English, he snarled, “I'm going to kill you guys.”

Tanakasan replied back in a heavily accented voice, ”Yukitokuuuuun! Smile at the camera! Come on! Good smile!”

With a long hesitation, Yukito gave a sarcastic little grin at the camera, the smile never getting close to his eyes. In an instant the smile disappeared. “I'm done now.” He whirled directly around, the dress' skirts swishing around to just above his knees, the signature red shoes making tapping noises on the dirty linoleum.Groans of sadness from his companions, but he kept walking, holding up his hand to shoot them a dirty gesture as he exited. The rest of the video consisted of each of the 'characters' walking down the hallway individually, and ending with a dorky expression into the camera. At the end, the Tin Man, The Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion all sat super-close to the camera, bouncing and grinning dorkily at the camera, shouting out random phrases and nearly falling over in their laughter and mirth. Then, they starting a rousing chorus of 'We're Off To See The Wizard', all singing very, very badly, but having a great time. They didn't even care if they forgot most of the lyrics. Or all of them except the two lines.

The picture faded, and thankfully, it was the last time. Still with tears on her face, Korkoro stopped the video, still chuckling as she put the video back in its case, smiling.”Well, Yukito?”

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

He didn't want to go, but he just couldn't keep it down anymore.

What it was, he didn't know. He hadn't had the stomach to eat since his last session.

Cassiechan must have noticed it, because she looked up at him, looking tired. He knew she must feel much worse then him... why was he so weak? Why couldn't he be strong like her? But... he couldn't take it anymore... “Cassiechan...” he whispered, trying to keep under control for a few minutes.

“Hmmm?”

He swallowed. “Sumimasen. Wait, for, me.” he said. Her response was a nod, and that made him feel a little better. He went and he got rid of the big fat nothing he'd eaten. After a while of splashing himself with cold water – which made him realize that his forehead was warm; c*** - he managed to put back on a reasonably convincing smile, dry his face off, and return to the other room.


“TANAKASAN COME HELP!”

Kagayaki's eyes shot to the screen as he saw himself run by. He laughed, slipping to Cassiechan's side and wrapping his arms around her. She was drinking water... he was thirsty too but didn't want to ask for anything. She needed to be taken care of more than him. “Telled you to wait!” he whined playfully, looking over at Cassiechan and placing a kiss on the top of her head, covered in her beautiful red hair. “Cassiechan?” This was spoken softly. He touched her forehead and then withdrew it by instinct as it was hot to the touch. He looked at Cassiechan with a look of great concern, tears forming in his eyes just slightly. “Cassiechan...”

”YUYUKUN!”

He looked at the sound of his own voice, a half smile coming on his face. He pulled Cassiechan closer to him, running a hand down her cheek. Kagayaki sighed. He didn't know what to do to help! Maybe she just needed to be distracted... didn't that help everything? Yes. He laughed a little, though it came out weak – as it had before. His throat was sore but he didn't want to ask for anything. He needed to take care of Cassiechan. “Ah, Tanakasan. Silly, silly.” He kissed Cassiechan's cheek, then looked up at the screen again. Then he laughed, the sound a little less forced now. “Aw, Yuyukun! You were cuter than I remembered!”

”Isn't she adorable?! Look at those lips! Those eyes! That hair!”

Kagayaki laughed so hard he felt enormous pains creeping up his sides. He swallowed it down, looking at Cassiechan thoughtlessly as pain swept across his face. Then he looked down, recovered his smile and looked at her again. “Kawaii, yeah?”

”AAH! THE CAMERA!” Someone was trying to make it work. He knew who it was and his smile came easier. 'It's so weird to watch myself on the television...' “Okay, okay, how do you turn this off so it won't die?” He heard himself asking.

”Wasn't he just so cute?!” Makisama asked, and Kagayaki looked up at her, though his smile still hurt and now he felt about ready to die.

If Cassiechan hadn't needed him so much.

His eyes became locked on what he couldn't stop thinking of, staring thoughtfully at Cassiechan and trying to think of something to make her feel better.

”Are we ready?”

”Hai!”

“I'm going to kill you guys.”

”Yukitokuuuuun! Smile at the camera! Come on! Good smile!”

About then he forgot the screen. He forgot his friends in the room. Kagayaki could see even Cassiechan beginning to blur before his eyes and he did all he could think of. He kissed her. His head was pounding and a tiny tear slipped down his face. “Please be okay...” he whispered, in better English than he'd known he had. “Please be okay, Cassie.”

'I need you. I know it seems fast to you, but... I do... and I have for so long.'

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: All Cassie can say is that she really hopes Erin and Yukito will be too preoccupied with laughing and sulking to notice the kiss. XD BIC:

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

“For the record, Cassie...” came Yukito's voice as Cassie quickly flipped the pages of her photo album, eager to get far away from the offending images, “It kind of makes you a survivor.”

You think I don't know that? It's only been said to me my entire life, Yukitokun... "Sorry," she said, a feeble attempt at apology."It's embarrassing for me." Cassie sighed. "It's just...I don't know, most people freak out when they see them, if they don't know the story beforehand, and I wanted to skip all that this time. Because...well, it was really bad...y'know how most pregnancies are like forty weeks or something? I was only twenty-nine...and my lungs weren't developed, so I couldn't breathe on my own, and when they tried to get me out they accidentally cut me, and it left a scar...and I had to stay in that hospital for such a long time...but I know I'm a survivor. I try never to forget it," she added lamely, eager to finish up the Lifetime Original Movie-esque speech. Luckily, Erin broke in with her usual chatter, letting Cassie off the hook. What would I do without you, my easily amused friend?

Cassie watched as Erin flipped through the familiar images, eyes scanning the tiny, colorful captions in between the pictures that had been placed there by Kristen...things like First X-Mas morning, Reading With Daddy, and Sibling Rivalry, the latter indicating a picture of Cassie hiding in a box that had obviously once held a TV or computer, only her eyes visible, with Jake behind her brandishing a roll of tape and a sheet of stamps threateningly. I wish I could turn back the clock. She couldn't help but smile at the one of her on the morning of her first birthday, wispy tendrils of red hair sticking out in all directions and smiling widely at the camera. Okay. Maybe I wouldn't go back that far. But still...I wish things had stayed the same. I wish I could have stayed as happy as that redhead in the picture.

The fever was getting worse, Cassie was willing to bet, so the next few sequences of events were a bit blurred to her--more pictures were shown, and Mrs. Makisan brought out a video that supposedly Yukito's band had recorded eons ago. Cassie wasn't too enthused by it, and Yukito started a rather violent protest, but Cassie's head was spinning so much she couldn't focus. Kagayaki left the room, and she asked for water, which Mrs. Makisan promptly got for her. "Arigato," she said gratefully, taking a careful sip of the cool liquid. It seemed to help immediately, her head clearing. "If it makes you feel any better, Yukito," she said, "Chances are we're not gonna be able to understand a word you're saying."

She was mostly right, although some things are understandable no matter what language is spoken--and being tackled to the ground and coerced into something is one of them. Cassie shook her head. "God, boys are so weird!" she said, taking another drink of her half-empty glass. She looked at Erin. "You are so lucky you didn't have to grow up with one."

She didn't understand any of the things that went on over the next few minutes of video, and her bewildered expression grew. "What the...?"

Kagayaki came in after a few minutes, looking frail and haggard and resuming his position next to her. “Telled you to wait!” he said before giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head. Cassie closed her eyes, still a little fuzzy from the fever, and she didn't stir when he said her name. Just a little nap, maybe? Yukito doesn't want us to see the video anyway, and I don't get it...

She felt Kagayaki's gentle hand on her forehead for an instant before it was taken away, as if burned. That's not the way you check for fever, silly...some parent you're gonna make...you have to leave your hand there, you can't just take it away or else you won't know for sure... “Cassiechan...”

She opened her eyes. "Hmm? Sorry, I'm just a little tired...I'm fine, I promise. What'd I miss?"

Kagayaki's own voice on the screen answered her, and she looked up, strangely eager to see more in a lazy way. Next to her, Kagayaki's laughter sounded weak and forced, and she frowned and handed him her water glass. "Drink it," she ordered gently. "We're all sharing the same germs around here anyway." You might need it more than I do.

Cassie burst out laughing when she saw the crew of assembled Wizard of Oz characters, and the rest of the video began to make a bit more sense in her head. "Cute, Yukito," she said once she had calmed down, "but I think I can pull it off more than you can." She reached for her photo album again and flipped through it, fast-forwarding time on the pages until she found the picture she wanted. She pointed triumphantly to the image: two-year-old Cassie, her hair in two little braids on Halloween, also dressed as Dorothy. "See?"

”Wasn't he just so cute?!” said Mrs. Makisan, a bit hysterically Cassie shrugged and smiled. "Like I said, I'm biased." I've always liked the Scarecrow the best anyways.

“I'm going to kill you guys.”

”Yukitokuuuuun! Smile at the camera! Come on! Good smile!” This was followed by an almost creepy smile on Yukito's behalf, there for just an instant before morphing into a grimace.

"....Wow," was all Cassie could say.

Because there really wasn't anything to say after that.

And because that was when Kagayaki kissed her.

“Please be okay...Please be okay, Cassie.”

Cassie's face reddened, and she prayed that Erin and Yukito hadn't noticed what had just gone down. Because even if she'd told Erin about what happened, she didn't want it to be awkward, and it would be if they had noticed...especially if Yukito didn't know about them yet.

"Hey..." she said quietly, smiling a little. "Don't be like that, I'll be okay. I'm a fighter, see?" To prove her point, she flipped her photo album back to the first page, back to the tiny, struggling Cassie and the word 'miracle'. "I got through that, didn't I? This is nothing. I'll be okay, and you will too. We'll all be fine. Okay?" She kissed him back, for just an instant, before offering him a corner of her blanket. "Just don't worry about me, I don't like people to worry about me...mostly because I worry so much about other people."

Like I'm worrying about you now, because you're worrying about me. I don't want you to worry.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Yukito!" Erin called, gesturing pointedly to the empty spot beside her. He must have been feeling pretty awful, because he kind of looked like coming to sit down beside her was a punishment. It's just 'cause he's sick; be nice to him, tease him and make him smile! Plus, she was really eager to see this video...

Yukito just kind of curled up into himself and let out a sound that wordlessly asked, why me? Erin smiled, poking him in his shoulder a little. "Come on, Yukito, I want to see!"

He didn't say anything, clearly either seriously sick or seriously embarrassed, and Erin was seriously thinking it was the latter option, since he hadn't been acting like that until Makisan had brought out that video. It actually was kind of amusing....

Whoever was behind the camera was awful, shaky and random and blurry at random parts and also all in Japanese, but Erin couldn't help but still be (mostly) enthralled-- these were his friends speaking his language and hanging out with him and she was just so curious about it all! "Yukito, what's everyone saying?" she prodded with another little laugh. "Yukitoooo!"

Yukito's response was to snatch up the blanket he'd dropped onto the floor earlier and hiding beneath it. That coupled with the awful Japanese camerawork on the TV made Erin burst in laughter as she briefly touched his blanketed shoulder with her head. "Awww, Yukitokuuuun!"

Yep, she could definitely hear Yukito's voice in the tape, even though she didn't understand a word of it, though. But he didn't sound exactly happy. Should I really be laughing at this? Does that make me a bad girlfriend? But then what looked like a poor imitation of a scarecrow passed on the screen, followed by... What's that supposed to be? And Erin forgot her question as her smile widened. Where's Yukito??

Then seeing the whole lot of Yukito's friends on the screen in their really wacked-out wardrobes, it made a lot more sense. "Oh!" And between an awful version of who Erin guessed was the wizard and a very Aidousan-like Scarecrow, was a very, very disheveled and bitter and totally Yukito version of Dorothy. Erin's laughter escalated then, as she fell into the blanketed Yukito, hugging her arms around his hunched figure. "Yukito!" she tried to say, but the name was too choppy through the laughter.

She looked up just in time to see her boyfriend in a dress and wig start beating on some other dude with the signature basket-- possibly the most comical thing she'd seen in months-- until something or someone apparently bumped the camera a little too hard and sent the scene into a jumpy blur. "Awww, is it over? Seriously?" Whether the statement was comprehensible or not was debatable, since the words were still chopped by laughs.

”Wasn't he just so cute?!” Makisan chirped brightly, giving Erin another reason to laugh, ignoring her friends' comments in response. "Totally precious, Yukito!" Another hug around his blanketed form.

The video wasn't over though, and Erin let go of Yukito, giving an exaggerated clap. "Oh, act two! Yay!"

Once more his friends were forcing Yukito-Dorothy out in front of the camera, practically dripping in sulk at the cruelty of his fate, finally voicing the first words of the video that Erin could understand: "I'm going to kill you guys."

"That wasn't very nice!" Erin commented, pretending to be shocked by the Dorothy-Yukito's attitude, her voice and laugh keeping her form hearing the TV.

But she could see Yukito giving an "I'm going to kill you in your sleep" glare behind the really sarcastic "smile". "I'm done now." The sight of her boyfriend turning around and storming off in that outfit, was too hilarious for words, and Erin was nearly doubled over in her seat next to Yukito, still laughing as the awful half-singing poured from the speakers. She did manage to control it for the most part as the film faded out into the typical unrecorded-tape appearance.

”Well, Yukito?” Makisan voiced, pulling out the tape.

"Did you know that was on there, Makisan?" Erin asked, residual laughter still in her words. "Oh, my gosh, I never thought I'd see that on you, Yukito, I have to know what y'all did for Halloween, too! Yukitoooo!" Another set of pokes and shoves on his shoulder, punctuated with more giggles, forgetting anyone else was in the room with her mirth.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Yukito, what's everyone saying? Yukitoooo!"
"God, boys are so weird! You are so lucky you didn't have to grow up with one."
"What the...?" There was a weird pause, and Yukito dived deeper into his blanket.
"Awww, Yukitokuuuun!"
"Oh!" He felt Erin throw her arms aroun dhim as her laughter became more and more intense. "Yukito!"
“Telled you to wait!”
"Awww, is it over? Seriously?"
"Hmm? Sorry, I'm just a little tired...I'm fine, I promise. What'd I miss?"
”Wasn't he just so cute?!”
"Totally precious, Yukito!"
"Like I said, I'm biased."

If only it was really over. He huddled closer to his blanket, his face planted on both bony knees. But hearing the chatter around him, he didn't mind so much. The house was always quiet, he suddenly realized as he tried to keep his mind off the mental image of a video he had seen one too many times. His mom was rarely home, and he didn't exactly talk out loud to himself. Maybe that was why it was more comfortable in his room - he could blare his music and fill the silence. But it wasn't needed her, in the middle of a roomful of friends - most of them ill - since they were all laughing loudly - despite it being at his expense - and talking amongst themselves. Kind of like a family.

"Oh, act two! Yay!"
"....Wow,"
"That wasn't very nice!" Most of the second half of the tape was just commented on through the increasing laughter. He could almost see in his mind's eye himself stalking off in the blue and white checkered dress. God, it had been embarrassing to have to buy that thing, much less walk around in it. He didn't like the feeling it had given him to feel no baggy jeans and t-shirt, even for just an hour or two, tops.

”Well, Yukito?" his mother said, still laughing. He looked up and sent her a glare that was weakened by the dull ache in his head.

"Did you know that was on there, Makisan?" Erin asked. He was glad to hear her laugh. But it was hard to enjoy it right now. Really, really hard. He still felt the heat of his cherry-red cheeks, and he frowned into his knees. "Oh, my gosh, I never thought I'd see that on you, Yukito, I have to know what y'all did for Halloween, too! Yukitoooo! He felt himself bob back and forth on the couch as she gave him playful punches and pokes.

Yukito let out a groan - the first sound he had made for quite some time. Then lifted his head a little bit, just enough so she could understand his muttering. "That was what we did for Halloween...." He didn't want to relate the hours of humiliation any longer.

“Please be okay...Please be okay, Cassie.” Yukito looked up for a moment with a puzzled expression at Aidousan, who was out of the view of his blanket-hoodie, but who he could still hear. Huh?

"Aidoukun!" Korkoro gasped, "You forgot about your birthday cake!" She rushed out of the room all of a sudden, and Yukito let out a little chuckle.

"If I'm gonna chuck it up later, I might as well have something to eat I enjoy." he muttered half to himself and half to Erin. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and his expression twisted into a grimace. Please forget you saw anything...I don't like it when you see that part of me. I feel like I'm being exposed, something revealed that you won't like or care for. But he knew he was being a ridiculous airhead. Erin hadn't looked more amused in weeks. Which was saying something. "So now you've seen it..." he said, letting out a sigh and wrapping his arms around his knees loosely.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

“Please be okay...Please be okay, Cassie.” he whispered, not sure what he could do.

How could he help someone that was doing the same thing as he was: trying to hide the pain in order to be strong for someone else? All he could do was kiss her. That was all he could think to do.

She looked embarrassed, and he felt hurt by this. 'Do you only love me when no one else can see, Cassiechan?' "Hey..." she whispered. "Don't be like that, I'll be okay. I'm a fighter, see?" He followed where she was pointing and saw pictures of her when she was very small. A sad smile come onto his face. 'You're so brave and strong and wonderful... do you know that? Do you really?' "I got through that, didn't I? This is nothing. I'll be okay, and you will too. We'll all be fine. Okay?" Her kiss, even though it only lasted a second, made him feel much better. 'Yes. Maybe we will.' "Just don't worry about me, I don't like people to worry about me...mostly because I worry so much about other people."

He laughed gently, though the sound was still weak. He looked at the water in his hand, and took a slow drink. It burned on his sore throat but it helped after a while. Kagayaki took the bit of Cassiechan's blanket that she handed to him, putting it on his head with a bit of a goofy expression. Then he nuzzled up to her cheek, holding what little of the blanket he had carefully close. 'A piece of you...'

"Aidoukun!" Makisama cried, making him jump. He spilled a little of the water into his lap, which formed a small wet spot that he looked down at with disdain. 'I'm so clumsy...' "You forgot about your birthday cake!"

Kagayaki's jaw dropped. 'It was a wonderful cake, but... I... I don't want to think about that night, Makisama. What will I do?'

Yukitokun let out a little laugh. "If I'm gonna chuck it up later, I might as well have something to eat I enjoy."

Kagayaki nodded, smiling half-heartedly. "Un," he agreed. "Good idea." He looked over at Cassiechan and Saikochan, then added something for their benefit: "Naisu!" His smile became more comfortable and he felt better for it, one arm finding safety around Cassiechan's waist.

'Yeah... maybe we will be okay. Broken, but okay.'

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

If possible, Erin's reaction to the video was even funnier than what was on the screen itself, and her laughter was contagious even in Cassie's dazed, sick state. She looked around the room, taking in each of the three other people that she had grown impossibly close to in what seemed like such a short period of time, people she cared about and considered her closest friends...she'd do anything for them, she knew, and she loved each and every one of them. I don't know where I'd be without you guys...what if Erin and I hadn't been paired up for that psych project? Or if Yukito hadn't sat next to me in art that day? What if Erin's music hadn't been too loud, or they never broke up, or Kagayaki had never come here, or if he'd left once everything was put back to normal again?

Life would be so different.

Her musings were interrupted by a very worried Kagayaki and a kiss. Cassie wasn't a fan of being fussed over in the slightest--she hated when people worried about her, even if she felt that worrying about others was what she did best. "You're such a mother hen it's not even funny, Cassie," her siblings had told her on more than one occasion. I can't help it. It's what I do, and it feels weird to have people worrying about me. I don't know why I don't like it, but I don't.

She did her best to reassure him that they would both be fine--it was just some weird flu bug, after all, not the plague or anything--but she wasn't convinced it helped very much. Even with the briefest of kisses and a shared blanket, she could still see the worry in his eyes. She suppressed a sigh. Please don't worry about me, you have no idea how much I hate it...

"Aidoukun!" Mrs. Makisan said--Cassie smiled and knew that from now on, Yukito's mother would forever be 'Mrs. Makisan' to her. "You forgot about your birthday cake!"

"If I'm gonna chuck it up later, I might as well have something to eat I enjoy," was Yukito's response. Cassie rolled her eyes. "Lovely, Yukitokun. Simply lovely." Kagayaki, however, seemed to agree with the blunt statement, the next words he spoke were once again in enthusiastic Japanese, with a "Naisu," added for the benefit of those who had no idea what the heck was going on and were most likely thinking of wishing for subtitles for Christmas. Cassie laughed. "What kind of cake?" she asked carefully, leaning against Kagayaki, less for support than for reassuring herself that he was still there, that he wouldn't leave any time soon.

[GGJ5]

OOC: As much as I am loving this interaction, it's getting a bit dusty from age... I'm gonna try to get Erin to head back out soon and hopefully we can soon post fresher, more dramaful plots here soon! BIC:

Erin Spenser

"Oh, my gosh, I never thought I'd see that on [/i]you[/i], Yukito, I have to know what y'all did for Halloween, too! Yukitoooo!" She prodded him a few more times for an answer.

Yukito let out a groan, moving just enough so Erin could catch his words. Wow, he's really embarrassed! Aww, so adorable! "That was what we did for Halloween...."

Cassie and Aidousan were carrying on their own sick-people conversation that Erin didn't catch through her renewed laughter. "Aw, I wish I could meet your band friends! They're too ridiculous! Cassiiiiieeee, it's not me this tiiiime!" she added in a sing-song manner before laughing again, re-picturing Yukito's facial expression in that video.... So wrong but so funny!

Out of nowhere a thought seemed to strike Makisan and she called to Aidousan, "You forgot about your birthday cake!" And they call me random? Erin thought with more laughter as Makisan vanished from the room to, probably, acquire that elusive cake. Erin knew that she'd enjoy it-- she was a sucker for anything sweet-- but did sick flu people really want to eat cake?

Yukito answered her question without even knowing it. "If I'm gonna chuck it up later, I might as well have something to eat I enjoy," he muttered, looking up to meet Erin's eyes and making a face. Erin only snickered at him and rolled her eyes. "God, you're blunt," she observed with a laugh. "Not the most attractive mental image, kareshi," she teased quietly.

Cassie shared her sentiments, chiming in, "Lovely, Yukitokun. Simply lovely." Aidousan just rattled off in Japanese, though Erin figured he was echoing Cassie or something. It wouldn't surprise her, she thought with a knowing smile, especially since the next sound from Cassie was a laugh. "What kind of cake?"

Now Erin laughed again. "Oh my god, y'all are supposed to be sick and y'all are drinking cokes and eating cake and not thinkin' a thing of it! I freaking love y'all! And Cassie calls me ridiculous? Hello?" she finished with more chortles, gesturing to the darkened television set.

"So now you've seen it..." Yukito said with a sigh, as if the whole thing was total torture. Erin laughed easily, nudging his shoulder a little and observing, "Yukito, you need to seriously learn how to laugh at yourself. Or at least, like, smile a little. Just a liiiiittle, Yukitokuuun? Or at least quit pouting like I punished you." She punctuated the order with a teasing kiss on his cheek. "Hmm?"

Then her phone buzzed in her pocket, kicking off its text-message ringtone and Erin pulled it out for a quick glance. "Five more minutes. You have homework." Erin quickly stuck the phone back in her pocket, cursing it in the process, then glanced over at Yukito with a disgruntled expression. "Guess," she muttered. Then she leaned her head on Yukito and looked up at him. "I wish I could stay here with you. If I was 'sick' would I get to stay?" She faked a cough and smiled at him.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

The talk of birthday cake came up quickly, and his mother went to fetch it. Yukito couldn't resist a comment. "If I'm gonna chuck it up later, I might as well have something to eat I enjoy,"

"God, you're blunt," Erin laughed and rolled her eyes, "Not the most attractive mental image, kareshi," He made another mental note not to vomit while Erin was around.

"Lovely, Yukitokun. Simply lovely." Cassie added, and he stuck his tongue out at her ever-so briefly.

"Un," he agreed with a half-hearted grunt, "Good idea."

"What kind of cake?" Cassie asked, making Erin laugh.

"Oh my god, y'all are supposed to be sick and y'all are drinking cokes and eating cake and not thinkin' a thing of it! I freaking love y'all! And Cassie calls me ridiculous? Hello?" she finished with more chortles, gesturing to the darkened television set. Yukito make a mocking frown at her, pouting his lips. Not fair. I was ambushed. And cake is good.

This brought his attention back to the video, however, and he set his chin on his knees and sighed. "So now you've seen it..."

Erin was all giggles and friendly nudges tonight, "Yukito, you need to seriously learn how to laugh at yourself. Or at least, like, smile a little. Just a liiiiittle, Yukitokuuun? Or at least quit pouting like I punished you." She punctuated the order with a teasing kiss on his cheek. "Hmm?"

In answer he forced a cheesy smile that she might have missed as she went digging for her cell phone. It was the sort of smile that could creep children out if he wanted it to. See? Smiling! It was gone quick, though. He made sure of that, as he dove back into a dark glowering expression.

Erin put her cell away and commenced with a glower of her own. Hey, you're pretty good. Just cross your arms across your chest and you're set. "Guess," she muttered, and it could only mean one thing - her parents wanted her home. He kind of loved how reluctant she was to leave all the fun over at his house. Her head found its proper place on his shoulder. "I wish I could stay here with you. If I was 'sick' would I get to stay?" She faked a cough and smiled at him.

He was going to shrug but she was on his shoulder, "Fine with me. Just get something a bit milder, okay? Not the whole flu thing. It sucks."

His mother came in, candles alight, holding in her arms the bright, colorful birthday cake Yukito had picked out for his friend. There was a suspicious set of fingerprints in the frosting in places, but most of it was surprisingly intact for being neglected for maybe a week or so. Yukito hoped it was still good, but trusted his mom's judgement of that - she had three teenagers on intense flu medication, after all - and he sat up a little straighter. The cake was decorated with trucks and balloons. Yes, it was perfect for Aidousan, who wanted color and American-style cakes. Yukito was just hungry. And his head hurt. And he wanted to enjoy something sickly sweet before the bitter tastes came back during his date with the toilet.

Korkoro quickly set the cake down and whipped out a camera, snapping pictures of everyone in the room with a grin. Yukito groaned and pulled his blanket over his head again. "Okaasaaaaan...Iie..." She laughed at him. He was actually starting to get used to that.

"Now you need to blow out the candles, Aidousan, and make a wish."

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"God, you're blunt," Saikochan said with a laugh. Kagayaki looked up, not understanding what she'd said. "Not the most attractive mental image, kareshi," Kagayaki only stuck his tongue out at Saikochan. 'He just said that to make you laugh.'

"Lovely, Yukitokun. Simply lovely." Cassiechan said, laughing too. Yukitokun stuck his tongue out at Cassiechan, and Kagayaki had to retaliate; he stuck his tongue out at Yukitokun.

'Would it make you laugh more to say this reminds me of high school?' he thought, looking up at his friend with a smile in his eyes. He agreed that cake would be a good idea though. 'Oh yeah, here we are, sticking out tongues out at each other, now you're giving us cake. What can I say? Food fighto?'

Cassiechan asked what kind of cake, and Saikochan laughed at her. Kagayaki looked around at them... Yukitokun hiding under his blankets, Saikochan and Cassiechan giggling and talking together, him holding Cassiechan and no one making fun of him for it. This was pretty much perfect.

If his head wasn't pounding. If Cassiechan didn't still have a fever. If Yukitokun didn't look like he was ready to die over there.

Yeah, almost perfect.

"Oh my god, y'all are supposed to be sick and y'all are drinking cokes and eating cake and not thinkin' a thing of it! I freaking love y'all! And Cassie calls me ridiculous? Hello?" Saikochan replied with more laughs. Kagayaki tilted his head to the side a little. '"Oh my god?" What does that mean, Yukitokun?' He looked at his friend but was sure that Yukitokun had no idea what he was wondering about.

Anyway, Yukitokun was preoccupied by saying something to Saikochan that made her laugh again. "Yukito, you need to seriously learn how to laugh at yourself. Or at least, like, smile a little. Just a liiiiittle, Yukitokuuun? Or at least quit pouting like I punished you. Hmm?" Kagayaki felt a little laugh of his own, but it hurt. So he just held Cassiechan a little closer, laying his head on her shoulder. 'You make me all better, you know that?'

He saw Yukitokun flash Saikochan a hilarious smile and Kagayaki felt his body shaking with what he supposed should have been a laugh. But all it did was make him quake and hurt, even though he was smiling.

But Saikochan didn't laugh. She didn't see. She looked at her cellphone, put it back, and a look that Kagayaki didn't like came across her face. She was upset. 'What matter, Saikochan?' "Guess," was all she said, and this was directed towards Yukitokun. Kagayaki just looked at her curiously. "I wish I could stay here with you. If I was 'sick' would I get to stay?" Saikochan pretended to cough and Kagayaki smiled.

"No getted sick, Saikochan. Baded 'nough, Cassiechan been sick." He laid his head against hers and pouted his lips. "You have has go?" He pouted some more. "Telled them STAY." Kagayaki put on a smile so big that it kind of hurt, but it was well-worth it.

"Fine with me. Just get something a bit milder, okay? Not the whole flu thing. It sucks." Yukitokun said, and Kagayaki nodded fervently, his face becoming serious.

"Un," he agreed.

Then the cake came back in and Kagayaki started laughing again, diving under the blankets to hide from the attention lit candles brought. But, just his luck, Makisama started snapping pictures and Kagayaki had to peek out from under Cassiechan's blanket.

Better to have a cute picture than a bad one, if there were going to be pictures of him either way.

He saw Yukitokun had done the same thing as him. "Okaasaaaaan...Iie..." he moaned. Makisama just laughed, and Kagayaki dug under the blankets again as she turned to him. He laid his head on Cassie's leg, quite comfortable there until he was spoken to again.

"Now you need to blow out the candles, Aidousan, and make a wish." Makisama said.

He looked up. "Make... wish?" he echoed. He'd never made a wish on his cake before. Maybe his mother just hadn't done that. She thought wishing on everything and anything was silly. It was just one of the things she couldn't stand. Kagayaki sat up, slipping out from under the blanket but leaving a hand where his head had been. Like he was saving his spot. He bit his lip. “How do, Makisama?”

'I don't understand.'

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"What kind of cake?" she couldn't help asking, despite her nausea. She could feel the fever medication kicking in, which made her a bit giggly. "Oh my god, y'all are supposed to be sick and y'all are drinking cokes and eating cake and not thinkin' a thing of it! I freaking love y'all! And Cassie calls me ridiculous? Hello?"

Cassie laughed again. "You are ridiculous. But so are we. Didn't I mention that?" Meanwhile, Yukito ventured forth a reluctant "what did you think?" question, which Cassie figured was a cleverly disguised way to find out if Erin still found him in any way remotely attractive after seeing his 'home movies'. It's so nice to know I'm not the only one who gets embarrassed easily, even if Erin and Kagayaki seem to be immune to it.

"Yukito, you need to seriously learn how to laugh at yourself. Or at least, like, smile a little. Just a liiiiittle, Yukitokuuun? Or at least quit pouting like I punished you. Hmm?" Cassie raised her hand, as if they were in school. "I'd just like to point out that laughing at yourself is a skill that some people lack. I happen to be one of them myself, so don't tease Yukito if he's one of them too." Satisfied with her two cents worth, she focused on snuggling closer to Kagayaki, sharing the pink blanket between them and taking comfort in the fact that he was there.

Erin got a text then, something that made her expression darken as she read it. Ten bucks says she has to go home. "I wish I could stay here with you. If I was 'sick' would I get to stay?" she asked, sounding eager to remain just where she was. Don't really blame her...I might be doing the same thing if I was the only one not sick. Maybe. If I didn't know how much actually being sick sucks.

"No getted sick, Saikochan. Baded 'nough, Cassiechan been sick." Cassie smiled at this. You have has go? Telled them STAY."

"Fine with me. Just get something a bit milder, okay? Not the whole flu thing. It sucks." Cassie nodded fervently. "You have no idea, Erin, seriously...get something less sucky. Unless you want the fun symptoms and the even more fun meds that go with it." She made a face at Erin, rekindling the 'everyone stick out your tongue' party that had been going on just a few minutes before.

Mrs. Makisan interrupted then by bringing in a slightly misshapen--but still delicious-looking--birthday cake, complete with candles. Kagayaki, apparently embarrassed by the sudden attention, dove under the blankets just as the first picture was snapped. Cassie laughed as he stuck his head out of a corner of the blanket, reminding her of the meerkats in The Lion King. She covered her own face as well. "No fair! I look terrible! No pictures! Sanctuary, sanctuary!" Yukito was protesting too, and Cassie reached down and gently ran her hand through Kagayaki's hair as she fought to not be seen by the flashing camera.

"Now you need to blow out the candles, Aidousan, and make a wish."

Kagayaki looked confused. "Make... wish? How do, Makisama?”

Cassie's mouth dropped open. "You've never made a wish on your birthday before? It's the best part of even having a birthday! You blow out the candles, and you try to blow out as many as you can with one breath. And you make your wish. Some people say your wish will only come true if you get all the candles with one breath, but I don't like to do it that way, it's not as fair...plus you can cheat if you get those candles that look like real numbers anyway. And as for the wish...it's a wish. Any wish. Anything you want to wish for." She sounded like a child, and she knew it, but she didn't care. "I love wishes. I always have, ever since I was little. Oh! And you can't tell anyone what you wished for, otherwise it won't come true. Remember that.

"So, go on, make your birthday wish!"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Cassie was making some comment about not teasing Yukito or something (Erin chalked it up to whatever flu meds she was taking finally getting to her head), but she didn't really listen, her thoughts more on the text in her hand. The last thing she wanted to do was leave, when they were having so much fun!

Erin leaned her head on his shoulder, trying to get as much out of her five minutes as she could. "I wish I could stay here with you. If I was 'sick' would I get to stay?" She faked a cough and smiled at him.

"No getted sick, Saikochan," piped up Aidousan, and his insistence made Erin laugh a little bit more. "Baded 'nough, Cassiechan been sick. You have has go? Telled them STAY."

"Fine with me," Yukito told her about being sick to stay. "Just get something a bit milder, okay? Not the whole flu thing. It sucks."

"You have no idea, Erin, seriously...get something less sucky. Unless you want the fun symptoms and the even more fun meds that go with it." She made a face at Erin, who couldn't respond with anything but a laugh at Cassie's expression.

"I already have my own meds, thank you very much, I don't need yours," she told Cassie laughing. And to Aidousan, "And I want to stay! But if I don't get home now then I can't come over here tomorrow." The thought brought back the downcast expression to her face. "And you aren't making it easy for me," she said to Yukito, unable to keep away the teasing expression. "I have to gooo." She couldn't help pouting her discontent with the idea.

Just then, Makisan came back in with a cake covered in frosting that automatically attracted Erin's attention, and her sweet tooth. "Mmm..." Cassie and Aidousan both suddenly disappeared and she heard Cassie squealing in protest to pictures, and only then did Erin notice that Makisan had a camera and was documenting the whole thing.

Yukito groaned and pulled his blanket over his head again. "Okaasaaaaan...Iie..."

"Yuyukuuuuun, iie!" Erin echoed, tugging at the blanket until it came off enough to expose at least some of him for the camera, Erin hoping Makisan was managing to get one or two of them since she had to leave now or stay all evening and not be allowed back for days.

"Okay, if I don't leave now then I'll stay all night and I won't be allowed back for, like, a week or something!" She looked from Yukito to his mother and then back to him. "I'm sorry." Erin gave Yukito a quick, tight hug and a quiet, "Daisuki! Feel better, kareshi!" Her impish expression made it clear the statement was an order and not a wish.

Erin slipped by Cassie and Aidousan. "Feel better, y'all! Happy birthday, Aidousan!" she announced with an enthusiastic wave goodbye. And with that Erin reluctantly left Yukito's home, her bookbag still lying in his bedroom doorway where she'd forgotten it.

Erin's left, even though she's not happy about it. :3 [/u]

[Elda Forever]

OOC: Okay, seriously have another party interaction for you guys, so I'm going to make it skip ahead. Let me know if you really wanted to keep it going for awhile longer, and we can do that. ^.^ BIC:

Yukito Maki

There was a flurry of blankets and sheets as soon as his mother pulled out a camera, most of her charges leaping out of sight as much as possible. Yukito himself had his blanket over his messy, greasy hair, already feeling super-nauseous.

"Okaasaaaaan...Iie..." he mumbled. Don't embarrass me anymore than you already have. I feel awful and Erin doesn't want to be here when I throw up. I'm nasty today anyways.

"Yuyukuuuuun, iie!" Erin echoed, tugging at the blanket until it came off enough to expose his ruffled hair, and his mother of course slipped right into the scheme and got some perfect shots of his pouting face. Damn.

"Okay, if I don't leave now then I'll stay all night and I won't be allowed back for, like, a week or something!"

"Aww..." he shifted on the couch to wrap the blanket tighter around him. "That's not fair. It's not like you're across town or anything. You're in the same building."

"I'm sorry." Erin gave Yukito a quick, tight hug and a quiet, "Daisuki! Feel better, kareshi!" He liked the hug, but there was no kisses involved, and that kept him from really feeling better about himself right now. You really don't want to kiss me now, do you?

He offered a half-smile and mumbled, "Daisuki..." She rushed away from him, then, making rounds with her goodbyes. He found himself watching her with a sad look, but she didn't see it, and then she was gone. Yukito curled up tighter in his blanket, now not in much of a mood for cake. Aidousan and Cassie didn't feel much better than he did, but they were able to eat some. He just slunked off to the bathroom, sat down on the floor, and stared at the toilet.

I wish I wasn't sick, so Erin could come back. He was certain she wouldn't be allowed over again as long as he had the flu. But that just made it worse to see her go. He hugged his knees and sighed, trying even harder to will away the ache in his belly.

He hadn't asked her, he had just said he loved her as she left. He had wanted to ask her just as he knew what the answer would be. Erin...would you come back as soon as you can? Please?


Yukito is finished with this interaction.



OOC: Now for the Graduation/Birthday Party! BIC:



- - At a later time... - -



He hadn't felt any different all day, but now he was started to sense the pangs of nervousness. The last few years his mother had taken the hint that he didn't like birthday celebrations - no parties, no friends over, nothing. She managed to sneak in a cake if she abandoned it on the counter for the most part, but she always tried. Now she had gone spastic on him, predictable as Old Faithful when it came to opportunity. She even had balloons up. He had torn down a Happy Birthday sign and shoved it in the trash, and she had started yelling at him, but after a few snarky remarks back and forth the idea had been abandoned. So both of them had felt a little more depressed than necessary about a party.

She was still proud of him, though. He knew that. And she did still love him. He hoped she knew that he returned that love, even when he was being as difficult as he could possibly be.

So he was letting her do presents and cake and invite people over for the graduation party. At a little prod from Erin he told his mother that it was a 'make-up for missing birthday' party, and she had been elated. Aidousan, Cassie, and Erin were all coming over, which wasn't really as much a party as it was a largish group, but it was a decent balance for the two of them. Enough people for his mother to stay busy with party stuff, not so many Yukito felt awkward and embarrassed. It was already weird to sit there, expected them to arrive any minute and celebrate his birth. What a weird idea, birthdays were.

He looked up as the doorbell rang, getting up and trying to rush to the door without appearing to do so. Somehow he managed to get there before his mother got there. This was good, since Erin had arrived, and that sent a little smile to his lips - a Yukito version of a full-face beam - and he reached for her and kissed her, "Welcome back," was all he said, "Okaeri nasai."