Apt. #634B - The Makis' House

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"That could sound so controversial to an outsider." Erin said to his comment, and he grinned at her.

"Maybe,"

"Sleep sounds so good right now." What a simple, yet effective comment. As if she had no idea how torn he still was about it all, still half-believing she should be anywhere but here. Expecting his past to come crash the world down around them again.

"Erin..." he pulled her closer, and again they started with the little gestures that made goosebumps on his skin. Yukito made himself promise again to be better as he pressed his lips to hers, communicating his thoughts through his touch as if it made it all so minimal, so simple. Making him believe for a nanosecond that it could ever be that easy.

"I missed you, Erin."

As if she wanted to look away from his face and whatever it was she saw there, she buried her face in his shirt, "I missed you, too. I told you that, didn't I? I think I did, but I know I meant it. I missed you, and I love you."

"Daisuki," he replied with a smile. Even if I can't say it as eloquently as you, I'm still saying it. And I still mean it. He took her hand and went searching for Aidousan, but he could feel the reluctance in Erin's hold, and became more anxious when he could feel her already loose grip losing even more strength and focus.

"Aidousan? Ogenki desu ka? Where are you?"

"It's a small place," she murmured. "It's not like he ran away... he's probably asleep already, Yuyukun." Aw...Erin. I know you're sleepy, but I have to check on him. Aidousan needs someone to check on him. I dunno why...but it's always this way. I just have to make sure he's not hurting himself.

Yukito heard a small sound in the bathroom, and sauntered over to the doorway. "Yuyukun, am... in here! Genki-genki!" Yukito felt himself breathe a little easier - despite the usage of the dumb nickname - but felt his concerns realized when Aidousan stumbled in, looking awful. Man...that isn't a typical bathroom issue. Did he hurt himself? His eyes fell to Aidousan's leg, the one he'd been watching for. The one Aidousan had been favoring in a weird way lately.

"What's wrong?" Erin seemed to have realized something, too. Maybe with the way Aidousan was obviously a bad liar, and was not okay.

Aidousan looked at Erin and smiled in a way that grated Yukito's nerves quite a bit. "T-t-tilred. Yo... You, you, tilred, ne?" Erin's automatic response was to sigh, and lean against Yukito as if she couldn't hold herself up a moment longer. "Ne?"

"Mmmhmm," she replied, then when Yukito shifted a little, "We found him, can I lay down now? I'm about to fall." He looked from Aidousan to Erin, feeling caught. Erin added quietly, "That made me feel better, though... kissing you."

Eh...okay. That settles it for me. Sorry, Aidousan. I'll have to interrogate you later. He pointed an accusing finger at Aidousan, and muttered, "I know something's up." Okay, simple, but hopefully effective. I would be more hardheaded with you, like usual, but I've got a really hot girlfriend here who needs something to cuddle up against. Heh...heheh...

"We're gonna go back to bed, Aidousan," he was unable to mask any concern nowadays, as he led Erin to his room. "Get some sleep, okay? And feel free to get what you need." He felt like he was somehow abandoning his best friend, and kept looking his direction for the short distance from the bathroom door to his bedroom. But then he got a little preoccupied, and smiled at Erin gently, "This feels weirder than it did last night." Nonetheless, he quickly overcame that feeling and pulled Erin up close to him, nuzzling his face into her hair, letting out a little "Mmm...you smell good." He grinned, unseen. It was what she had told him last night. "I feel like I could go into zombie-mode again for another week...." He felt himself drifting already...to the zombie-mode he'd been in when he'd first arrived from Japan. Things were so different now, from then...so very different.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Aidousan? Ogenki desu ka? Where are you?"

Kagayaki brought himself to attention, calling out to his friend as he got to his feet: "Yuyukun, am... in here! Genki-genki!" As he came out, Yukitokun didn't look impressed, and Kagayaki tensed as he felt his friend look down to his right leg.

Did he know? Did Yuyukun know that was the leg he'd hurt in dance class, after the car accident?

No. He didn't know. But he was getting suspicious.

"What's wrong?" Saikochan asked.

Kagayaki kept his smile on and just said he was tired, and asked her if she was. He didn't want to make her upset. She seemed upset enough. She sighed, and Kagayaki's smile faltered.

She was disappointed in him. Why? He was trying to be okay. What was so wrong about that?

Saikochan could act okay when she was feeling horrible. She'd done it the night he'd first arrived, and ever since then - up until the last few days - she'd been pretending to be okay.

It wasn't fair. He'd worked hard to get better at this act, ever since his first year in high school, when he'd been hurt more than anyone knew. In a way no one could ever fix.

He couldn't drop the act now. He depended on it with his sanity. Honestly.

"Mmmhmm," was all she said before turning to Yukitokun. Kagayaki suddenly felt weak. She was... She was... "We found him, can I lay down now? I'm about to fall."

Kagayaki looked down. "Go on." That was all the English he could think of right now.

He felt like such an idiot, making them worry about him. What had he been thinking? How many times had he pulled through without making people worry? This wasn't fair, to tug them along while he went and felt sorry for himself. No. He was okay. Why? Because he wouldn't give himself any other choice.

He looked up and saw Yukitokun pointing at him. He froze. What? "I know something's up."

Kagayaki sighed, looking down and nodding. Of course there was. But... that wasn't what was important. Yukitokun shouldn't waste the time he could be spending with Saikochan on someone like Kagayaki. The older boy couldn't force himself to look up and say that. Why?

Was it that he was ashamed of what he'd thought about Saikochan just now, about her not being fair to him, or was it that he wished Yukitokun would stay and talk to him? For once, Kagayaki would have told his friend everything, if he'd just asked.

But, it couldn't be that easy, right?

"We're gonna go back to bed, Aidousan. Get some sleep, okay? And feel free to get what you need."

Kagayaki was tempted to suggest some peace of mind, a day completely free of pain, and maybe a life. Those would all be nice. Maybe a girlfriend too? One as wonderful as Yukitokun's?

No, not likely, of course. Not likely to happen. After all, Kagayaki's last girlfriend hadn't even been in love with him.

Kagayaki nodded, bowing slightly out of habit as they left. "Oyasumi!"

Why was it that Yukitokun got all the luck?

[GGJ5]

OOC: hey, tryin' to wrap it up for y'all but if you want something different just let me know and I'll edit to suite... kk? (: BIC:

Erin Spenser

"Go on," Aidousan told them when Erin asked if that was it and she could go back to sleep. He looked upset, she thought, but they were both so tired and he looked pretty roughed up, too, so it was probably nothing. They all just needed rest, and it would be fine, then.

Yukito seemed to feel like something was up-- he no less than said so to Aidousan, though all the while Erin clung close to him, just about ready to fall asleep standing up if they hung out in the hall much longer. Her eyes were even closed, still leaning against him as Yukito added, "We're gonna go back to bed, Aidousan," as he led Erin to his room. "Get some sleep, okay? And feel free to get what you need."

She heard Aidousan's reply of "Oyasumi!"[/i] and looked up at Yukito with a sleepy smile. She curled up, eyes, head, hands--everything heavier than she could remember, and breathed in deeply. Her eyes opened just enough to see Yukito's gentle smile; her smile had yet to fade. "This feels weirder than it did last night." Erin just made the sound of a pout at that, closing her eyes again. She didn't remember falling asleep next to him so well, but it had been nice to wake up to see his face. Was it weird? Maybe she'd think about it later, when she wasn't so ready to crash. It didn't really matter now, anyway. She let the emotion go and snuggled next to him. I'm so lucky... the luckiest.

"Mmm...you smell good." Yukito's comment mumbled into her hair made her smile again. How many times had she thought the same thing and not said it, because she thought he'd find it too weird or something? She gave a quiet laugh, sleepiness mingling with flattery. The fact that she had told him the very thing just last night had left her memory.

"I feel like I could go into zombie-mode again for another week...." he told her. Already half asleep, she forced out another "Mmmhmm," by way of reply. If he said anything else, she didn't know, because Erin had fallen into a heavy sleep, warm in Yukito's arms.

--

She slept long, dreamless, and peaceful-- for many reasons. It was typical of Erin to wake slowly, no matter how well-rested she was, and now as she woke up, she blinked a few times until Yukito's face came into view properly. "Mornin'," she said, voice betraying her still-waking state, as she turned to gently kiss him. Stretching out then, trying to wake herself up quicker. She didn't feel quite normal, but she did feel much, much better. "You didn't kiss me goodnight, so I had to kiss you god morning," Erin explained matter-of-factly.

She sighed, the reality of what she'd gotten herself into and how her parents would receive it crashing onto her shoulders. "Yukito..." she started tentatively. "I really have to go back home... god, I wish I didn't, but..." She shrugged. "I want you to stay with me... you know..." She said it as she thought it. "If you're with me, it'd be better... and... the truth wouldn't be as bad as what they'll probably think...." Erin frowned, her gaze on the floor and her unpainted (a rarity) toenails.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

It must have been his turn to wake up first, which gave him the opportunity to wake up much more peacefully than the previous time. After several minutes of grinning like a fool at the softened face of Erin Spenser in his arms, sleeping like a baby - or more like a rock, since she didn't seem to move and barely appeared to breathe - he checked the time on his cell phone. It was nearly four in the afternoon. Yeesh.

He felt Erin moving beneath him, and he watched every feature of her face as she slowly slipped out of dreamland into his arms. "Mornin'," she mumbled, and he smirked at her.

"Morning, gorgeous." he said quietly. He was rewarded for his patience with a kiss.

"You didn't kiss me goodnight, so I had to kiss you good morning," she pointed out, and he frowned.

"Aw...then I have to make it up to you with a box of a dozen kisses." He decided to start on that immediately, starting with a small batch of three, one short, two long. Then he sat back, and she sighed.

"Yukito... I really have to go back home... god, I wish I didn't, but...I want you to stay with me... you know...If you're with me, it'd be better... and... the truth wouldn't be as bad as what they'll probably think...." Erin's eyes were cast downward, and Yukito found his smile fading with hers.

"I...guess so. As long as your dad doesn't kill me or anything." The joke was made half-heartedly, more to answer her than really make her smile. He wasn't sure how to seriously say, 'Of course I'll go with you, it's mostly my fault you went out in the first place anyways.' Then, before he forgot again, he pulled his cell phone back out and dialed Erin's number - which he accomplished with more speed and assurance than he would have thought at first. Then he wanted to laugh at himself. I still have her on speed dial, of course. I'm such a sap.

He put the phone to his ear, though he didn't think anyone would answer, "Listen for your phone. If we don't hear it, it might still be in my car." He ran a hand through her hair gently, listening.

[More than Music]

OOC: Just gonna have him leave... he's pretty much done here anyway.
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

He peered after them with a half-smile, very tired. His stomach jerked suddenly in a convulsion, but - after re-entering the bathroom - he soon found there was nothing to really come out, so that just made it more fun.

Why did he really feel sick anyway? Okaasan said that it usually wasn't a predictable thing, how often he didn't feel well. It was an awful thing, but it was for many different reasons.

Oh well.

Kagayaki tried to make himself look and feel better, but it didn't work very well. With a sigh, he scribbled down a note for Yuyukun and cleaned up after himself.

It read, in scrawled Hiragana:

"Yuyukun,

Gone Casichan's house. Take care of Saikochan.

And we have something to talk about.

Later!

Aidousan"

He shook his head sadly, looking in at his two friends as they slept. His smile returned for a moment, which made him feel a bit better. He couldn't disturb them to leave anyway, especially not to say that he just couldn't sleep here anymore. Kagayaki placed the note on the counter, right next to the box his gift had come in, still untouched. He placed one hand on the large box.

Maybe some other time.

Slipping out the door and shutting it softly, Kagayaki caught a cab to Cassiechan's house. She, hopefully, wouldn't notice him come in, because he needed some serious sleep and didn't want to bother her.

It'd been a long few days.



Kagayaki has left the Makis'

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Mornin'," Erin said drowsily as Yukito came into focus. I can't believe I am this lucky... to wake up to your face smiling at me, to be held by you after so long, to be at peace and happy right here, right now, and it's all like a dream, but it's real....

"Morning, gorgeous," was his quiet reply as Erin turned to give him a sleepy kiss. "You didn't kiss me goodnight, so I had to kiss you good morning," she pointed out, just fully waking up now.

Yukito frowned at the fact she presented. "Aw...then I have to make it up to you with a box of a dozen kisses." He kissed her once, and then again and again, two lingering kisses that she didn't want to end. You're wonderful...

Even so, Yukito sat back and Erin smiled coyly at him, finger twisting a strand of hair that had entered her vision. "That wasn't a dozen," she said. "When will I get the others?" She leaned against him with her arms around him and sighed.

"Yukito... I really have to go back home... god, I wish I didn't, but...I want you to stay with me... you know...If you're with me, it'd be better... and... the truth wouldn't be as bad as what they'll probably think...."

"I...guess so," Yukito responded, sounding about as thrilled about it as she was. "As long as your dad doesn't kill me or anything." Erin only let out an ironic snicker. She didn't want Yukito to look like the bad guy. He wasn't the bad guy at all, he was the good one, the one that saved her and took care of her and still wouldn't let her go, and she needed that.

But she doubted she'd be heard.

Yukito took out his phone. "Listen for your phone. If we don't hear it, it might still be in my car." Until he said that, she had been wondering what he was doing on his phone with her right there beside him, but then she felt kind of stupid for forgetting how much it bothered her to have misplaced her phone. And it was another thing to add to her list of failures that was probably hidden away in her parents' top drawer of their dresser.

Erin listened eagerly, straining to hear the familiar electronic ring of "Indestructible" by Disturbed, the newer ringtone she'd found a week or so ago and added. Yukito held the phone to his ear, running his hand through her messy hair that she would have otherwise been in the bathroom brushing. She hated to think of how messy and disheveled she looked to him. But he was keeping her with him, and she didn't want to leave, and she needed to listen for her phone anyway....

But she didn't hear anything.

-----

Trent Fisher

Every day, no matter what, he practiced guitar for an hour. The day was wasted if he didn't. And when he practiced, his phone was off. His computer was off. His door was shut. Everything was about focusing on the music.

So when a cell phone broke the strains of the Gibson electric-acoustic, Trent broke his zoned-out practicing in a frustrated mood. I thought I'd turned you off, he thought, setting the guitar on his bed before yanking his blank cell off the bedside table. It was off.

The ring continued, and it occurred to him that he'd forgotten about Erin's phone-- she'd left it when Yukito had convinced her to leave. Which wasn't such an achievement... he could have convinced her he was the President if he wanted to, she probably would have believed it.

Trent had picked it up and intended on giving it back to her whenever he saw her next, maybe give her a call when he figured she'd had enough time to recuperate. But now it was ringing, and disturbing his practice.

Maybe it was Erin calling to see where she'd left her phone. A smile twitched the corners of his lips. She probably doesn't remember. The phone didn't flash a name with the number, which probably meant it wasn't someone Erin was particularly close to whose phone she was using. If it was her, that is.

He picked it up. "Erin Spenser's phone. Hello?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Yukito frowned when Erin said that he had forgotten to kiss her goodnight. "Aw...then I have to make it up to you with a box of a dozen kisses." He started in with a total of three. One short and two deliciously draw out, smirking as he drew back to look at her.

Erin sent him a stunning smile and he felt something in his chest start leaping around. It sort of felt like someone was using his insides for a ping pong tournament. "That wasn't a dozen," she said. "When will I get the others?"

He chuckled, "We'll work on that. I can't make it too easy and get rid of my debt to you all at once."

"Yukito... I really have to go back home... god, I wish I didn't, but...I want you to stay with me... you know...If you're with me, it'd be better... and... the truth wouldn't be as bad as what they'll probably think...."

"I...guess so," he said quietly, "As long as your dad doesn't kill me or anything." Erin let out a laugh, and Yukito smiled a little. Though he was actually a bit worried about that. He didn't believe himself very talented thus far with 'the parents'. Even if Erin's parents rocked. Yipes. Her parents. They'll probably want to know why she hasn't been answering their calls or whatever. Though there was little chance either of them had remembered to get it, he called just to make sure they wouldn't hear a tell-tale ring calling out to them. Just to make sure...

He was surprised to hear a click as the phone was answered, though. And a male voice that was definitely not Mr. Spenser reached his ear. "Erin Spenser's phone. Hello?"

Yukito stiffened, though he wasn't sure why. "Hello..." he said, uncertainly, "Who is this?" He looked over at Erin with a surprised expression, wondering why some random guy would be answering her cell phone...besides the fact that she likely had left it at the club last night.

[GGJ5]

Trent Fisher

"Erin Spenser's phone. Hello?"

A beat passed before anyone spoke. "Hello..." Some dude's voice. Some guy trying to call Erin had gotten him instead, and Trent's mouth rose in a smug smile as he thought on how surprised this guy must be. Probably one of those guys from UNO Erin had drunkenly given her number to or something. "Who is this?"

"Trent Fisher," he answered, still feeling a bit cavalier, and the mod carried over into his tone. And you're in for a surprise now, aren't you? I bet your mouth just fell open and you're disappointed she didn't answer... sorry, can't hook up with her now. "Erin left her phone when she was out last night and I picked it up for her. Who's calling? I can get her a message," he offered, knowing full well if this was anyone Erin might have flirted with that he wouldn't want to pass a message through him. Should be mildly humorous.

---------

Erin Spenser

Erin heard a low voice answer on the other end, though other than that, she couldn't hear. Who in the world had her phone? Did she give it to someone? Trent, or someone else? "Hello... Who is this?"

"Who is it?" Erin whispered, though why a whisper she didn't know, still leaning against him. But her expression was curious.

[Elda Forever]

OOC: Post is mildly PG-13 for brief language. Sorry, sensei, but you said it was alright if it's to make it believable, so I'm hoping it's okay.... BIC:

Yukito Maki

The joy of holding her in his arms again was too good, and too easy. Yukito was trying not to prepare himself for the downs, trying not to be so pessimistic and to really just enjoy her being there, and letting it stay as simple as that. He was not going to let her go again. He was not going to hurt her anymore. She was one of those people that stayed wonderful and trusting, even when she'd been abandoned by him, and he loved that about her. And he wanted to protect that in her.

So when he called Erin's phone and heard a male's voice answering it as if he did so everyday, he felt something in him clench. "Hello...Who is this?" Yukito asked skeptically, wondering who would be answering Erin's cell phone. He hoped some random guy hadn't picked it up from the party the night before.

"Trent Fisher," came the pompous answer, and Yukito's face darkened. That creep has her phone... "Erin left her phone when she was out last night and I picked it up for her. Who's calling? I can get her a message,"

"Who is it?" Erin whispered curiously, and Yukito's jaw tightened.

"This is Yukito Maki..." he said slowly, realizing that Trent was probably keeping the phone in hopes of being able to personally give it back to her, maybe for points or something. He promised himself that Trent Fisher was not going to be anywhere near Erin without him nearby, watching. He didn't like Trent. He didn't like the smile that Trent had been wearing when Erin was completely intoxicated and not in control of her actions, or reactions. He just didn't like it. His voice showed it, rushed and deep as a growl, "And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't answer her cell phone so casually, as if I won't kick your ass if you come near her again."

[GGJ5]

Trent Fisher

"Erin left her phone when she was out last night and I picked it up for her." Trent explained. "Who's calling? I can get her a message."

"This is Yukito Maki..." came the slow response. The corner of Trent's mouth twitched in a smile. Erin had deleted Yukito from her phone address book. Why that made him smile, he didn't really know-- he just rather liked the idea that Erin had been mad enough at him to do that. "And I would appreciate it," he added, tone carrying over his emotion-- exactly what he'd been going for, "if you wouldn't answer her cell phone so casually, as if I won't kick your ass if you come near her again."

Oh, really? Funny you should think that... "I think you're confused. Let me clear some things up for you. One: she doesn't need you screwing with her emotions anymore. She deleted you from her phone, you know. Two: we're in a band together. Unless you want to crush her passion the way you crushed her, then there's nothing you can do about that. Why don't you tell her you want another member to take leave? I'd love to see her reaction. And three: you're playing the holier-than-thou card, and it's sick. Don't talk to me like I'm the scum of the earth when you know you'd do exactly the same thing. Stop playing the savior and let her do what she wants!" He dropped to a softer tone before asking, "Is she there with you?"

-----

Erin Spenser

Yukito didn't answer her when she asked who it was, only told the one on the other end who he was before adding "And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't answer her cell phone so casually, as if I won't kick your ass if you come near her again." In a tone that Erin had never heard him use, and worried her. What happened? Oh my god... She pulled away from Yukito's side and watched him with a curious, strained expression. "Yuyukun," she squeaked out, practically dying to know what was going on with him and on the other end. Why are you talking like that? I don't understand...

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"This is Yukito Maki...And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't answer her cell phone so casually, as if I won't kick your ass if you come near her again."

"I think you're confused," the easy-going and highly amused voice on the other end continued. Yukito could easily picture Trent, his feet set up on some table, a smug grin on his face as he toyed with him. "Let me clear some things up for you. One: she doesn't need you screwing with her emotions anymore. She deleted you from her phone, you know." Yukito frowned deeply - he hadn't known that. But did it really change anything? Trent was just trying to play his cards right and tick him off. And you're just sore because she didn't stick around with you. "Two: we're in a band together. Unless you want to crush her passion the way you crushed her, then there's nothing you can do about that. Why don't you tell her you want another member to take leave? I'd love to see her reaction. And three: you're playing the holier-than-thou card, and it's sick. Don't talk to me like I'm the scum of the earth when you know you'd do exactly the same thing. Stop playing the savior and let her do what she wants!"

"Yuyukun," Erin said softly, and he looked down to see her looking seriously worried, her eyes wide and begging him for an explanation.

"Is she there with you?" Trent asked in a quieter voice, a voice that grated on his nerves.

He took a slow, calculating breath, "I'm not playing anything. But don't think I'm just going to pretend you weren't directly involved in this." he smirked, "Yes, she is. And I guess I have you to thank for that... goodbye." And he hung up without waiting for a response. What else could Trent say that wouldn't just be a lame attempt at digging into wounds?

He looked down at Erin and slipped his phone into his pocket, sitting up and letting out a sigh. "That was Trent," was all he said.

Yukito stared off at his doorway, with the hinge that didn't quite match up to the other one, a stony look on his face. "We'd better get you home, Erin."

[GGJ5]

Trent Fisher

"Is she there with you?" Not that I particularly care.. I just want to be sure she's not waking up in some alley or something... That's it.

Before giving him his answer, Yukito paused to retort to Trent's jabs. "I'm not playing anything. But don't think I'm just going to pretend you weren't directly involved in this." Really, it was a weaker retort than he'd anticipated. Why he wanted to rile Yukito, Trent wasn't sure. It wasn't that he particularly had revived interest in Erin-- it was more that he was resentful to Yukito for putting her through so much in the past weeks-- months. He wanted to make him realize the gravity of how much of a hold he had on Erin. Maybe he would have been better sticking with the "break her heart and I'll break your face" threat, as overdone as it was. It'd get his point across, at least. "Yes, she is. And I guess I have you to thank for that... goodbye."

And he hung up, before Trent even realized it. Another word in response had already been halfway out on his tongue. He let it die in midair, crossly tossing the phone aside and moving back to where his guitar lay waiting. Trent absentmindedly ran through scales, scowling as he thought on Erin, on Yukito, on last night. Maybe it was a stupid move to flirt with her and tease her and all when she was that drunk, but he'd had a few himself, and it was so easy, and she'd been happy. Why was that such a crime?

--

Erin Spenser

Yukito didn't answer her when she called his name, and she tried to figure out from his expression what was going on, but she couldn't. Of course not. Why would it clear up now?

"I'm not playing anything. But don't think I'm just going to pretend you weren't directly involved in this." He smirked. "Yes, she is. And I guess I have you to thank for that... goodbye." Yukito cut off the call and looked over at Erin. She looked back at him earnestly, about to insist that he tell her what all that was about, and why he sounded so cold just then, when he told her, "That was Trent."

"Oh," Erin responded automatically. Then it registered-- she'd been with him when she'd finally noticed Yukito was there. What had she been doing then? Hugging him, clinging, and what else? Enough to have Yukito's face smashed. If that's where that came from, anyway. It kind of sucked, not being able to remember everything clearly. She glanced away from Yukito, feeling the heat in her face that so rarely reached it. How are you not disappointed in me? Not upset with me at all? And I still hate thinking about how stupid I looked... and acted... She furrowed her brow. "I don't re... exactly how drunk was I?"

"We'd better get you home, Erin," Yukito told her, and Erin reached over immediately to take hold of his arm. "You have to stay with me," she said bluntly. "Or I'll just leave again to come back with you. Okay? You have to stay." I need you. She stood up, her arm snaked around his until she locked his fingers in hers. It was still so hard to believe she could do that again. So hard to believe that he was finding such joy in her, even though she'd been so stupidly, unattractively drunk, and she wasn't presentable at all now, and he still thought she was pretty and wanted to hug her and kiss her. It was hard to believe, but at the same time, it was so easy. And it was real.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the only thing that was real.

"Make me go before I quit and just stay here," she mumbled, smiling wryly.

Erin's goin' home now. (:

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"That was Trent."

There was a lot to that sentence. And he didn't know quite how to react to it without going all psycho-jealous-boyfriend on Erin. Trent did have a point - two, actually. That he couldn't made Erin avoid her own band members forever, and that he couldn't make Erin do anything she didn't want to. But it was hard... He looked over at her and tried to look a little more optimistic, but every time he thought of Trent, he felt a surge of jealousy. Like if he messed up again, Erin might go back to that night, to that party, to smile so brightly and unbridled, and to be in Trent's arms again. He knew Trent would have no objections. So what would stand between the two of them? Only Erin's good faith in Yukito, from what he could see.

"Oh," Erin responded, a thoughtful look across her face. And he tried to piece together what she would be picturing in her mind right now... "I don't re... exactly how drunk was I?"

He watched her for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He let out a slow sigh, and pasted on a little grimace, "I wasn't there long enough to count glasses, but you were drunk enough to let Trent consider making the most of it," was all he could say through his furious memories.

"We'd better get you home, Erin," Yukito told her after a moment, and Erin reached over immediately to take hold of his arm.

"You have to stay with me," she said bluntly. He blinked at her, thinking that she meant mentally, instead of physically. I have to focus and staying with her. Being with her, and being there for her. And being honest. "Or I'll just leave again to come back with you. Okay? You have to stay."

Yes. "Of course," he whispered, nodding his head a little. They stood up to leave, like prisoners to their doom, reluctant, and weary. Her fingers interlocked with his naturally, and he gave her hand a little squeeze. A year ago he would have grumbled and moaned and hated to hold hands with anybody. Even his girlfriend, Yumi. But somehow, it felt different now. Like if everyone turned and smiled at them in that irritating way, it wouldn't mean anything. Because he could ignore them easily enough by smiling at Erin and willing them all away.

"Make me go before I quit and just stay here," she said, and he smirked.

"Yeah...we need to go. Besides.." he tilted his head to one side a little, "Once we get this over with, deal with being grounded - and trust me, I'm gonna be in deep, too - then we can go back to being spammy and slightly stalkerish again." He leaned down and kiss her on the forehead, in-taking her scent in one slow breath. "I love you. We'll just stick together after this, okay? I learned my lesson. It just sucks without you. Let's go."

Gosh I'm such a moron sometimes. And now I'm trying to be honest and it's coming out like some mushy poetic crap. Ah...well. You can't be all that.


This interaction is over.

~~~~

Yukito Maki

He was sprawled across his bed and he felt miserable. A million curses and swear words and otherwise just gross phrases flashed through his mind, and all of them having to do with influenza.

"You just have to wait it out, Yuyukun. It'll be over in a couple days, I promise." his mother ran a hand through his messy - and now greasy - hair, and he glared at the ceiling. "You want me to get you anything?"

"No," he growled, pulling the blankets over his head, even if it was really warm in the room, and he felt like hot water had been boiling on his skin for the last twelve hours. He'd started feeling horrible the night before, and that resulted in a frenzified conversation via IM with Erin. He just hoped she hadn't noticed anything strange and took his mixed sentences and godawful spelling as normal.

His mother left, and Yukito felt a churning in his stomach. He figured he'd gotten it from school or something, but he'd been hoping he could just take it back to school and give it back to the creep who had given it to him - he hung around the same crowds pretty much constantly - but no such luck. His mother and reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes for the millionth time and discovered a fever there. "Forty degrees Celsius, or 104 in Fahrenheit, if you want to go by American standards." his mother had said with a sigh, "You'll have to stay home today."

Yukito buried his head in his pillow. It wasn't fair. Not only was Erin grounded from her cell phone, and the best thing about school was back, but now he had only had one day to show her off at school. Now he was curled up in bed feeling nauseous and awful, and he couldn't even invite her over to make him feel better. Because the last thing he wanted was to kiss her and spread this to her. He opened up his cell phone and stared at the picture he'd managed to save while they were 'not together'. It was the one he'd taken of her that made Cassie call him weird. Or was it creepy? He couldn't remember. But it was Erin's face when she was looking for him. But didn't see him. And it was one of his favorites.

If only he could invite her over...if only he wasn't sick.

Ungh.... The nausea was gonna kill him, he knew it.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Yukito wasn't anywhere at school, and Erin couldn't even text him to find out where he was and why he left her alone at school. Not that she was alone alone, but the only good thing about school was being around the people and her friends, and since Yukito was her favorite to be around, it kind of sucked that he wasn't there. And she had expected him to come visit her in class after their conversation online the night before, and to be honest she'd been really looking forward to it. She'd spent the rest of the first hour in a disgruntled pout.

But then she'd decided that right after school she'd pop over to his place as a surprise and make him explain himself. The thought of it alone changed her mood enough that Erin decided she'd just look forward to that all day, and the moment her feet hit the familar pavement of the apartments, Erin detoured straight to Yukito's.

Before she even crossed the threshold of his room, Erin dropped her schoolbag haphazardly to the side and shouted perkily, "Kareshiii! You better have a good reason for skipping out on me today!"

Practically skipping into his room, Erin halted suddenly when she reached the side of his bed. "Hey! You're not supposed to skip school to sleep! Are you okay?" She leaned down beside Yukito, who, with the residual bruises still painting his face, now looked like he was about ready to keel over. He had to feel really, really sick... Maybe this as why you were being so weird last night? she thought, an amused smile coming onto her face, thinking how he had been trying to play off the crappy feelings over the internet.

"Yuyukun," she chided gently, pointing a finger at him as she leaned over him. "You aren't allowed to get sick, remember?" She tsked him, eager to make his time out a little less sucky. "I missed you today, Yuyukun. Do you want me to stay for a while, or you want me to leave you alone?" I really hope you want me to stay and make you feel better... please say yes!

Erin started automatically clearing a space for herself to sit on the edge of the amp-turned-bedside table and halted again when she saw something she'd nearly forgotten about. "You still have my camera." Immediately and eagerly Erin turned it on, and a surge of relief mingled with affection swam through her. "You kept them all!" she thought aloud, flipping through the pictures she'd taken but never seen. Oh, my god, and right next to your bed? You never quit loving me... how could I have ever thought... Erin bit her lip, feeling guilty now as she sat down on the cleared spot, next to the head of his bed, still clutching the camera. "I don't have any more pictures of us, Yukitokun," she confessed quietly, looking down at the lit screen. She stopped flipping when she saw the one of her kissing him, taken at arm's length MySpace-style, and looked over at him demurely. "We look really good together, you know that?" Leaning forward, elbows on her knees, she added, "Bruises and fevers and all."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

He'd fallen asleep at some point to escape the way the world kept spinning - only defeated in speed by the way his stomach churned and rolled about - and he dreamt Erin came over to see him, to cheer him up with stupid phrases and butchered Japanese, and huge smiles that reached from one ear to the other on her pretty face.

"Yuyukun," He heard through his uneasy sleep, and he dared to open one eye, discovering that either he was seriously dilusional at this point, or she actually was sitting next to his bed, pointing at him. "You aren't allowed to get sick, remember?" He blinked, then shifted on his bed.

Groggily, he mumbled, "Erin?" his sleepiness turning her name into more of an 'Elrnn?' type of sound.

"I missed you today, Yuyukun. Do you want me to stay for a while, or you want me to leave you alone?"

"Aww..." he sent her a little smile, "Since when have I ever stopped you?" His mind screamed that she shouldn't stay, though. He didn't want her to feel like this tomorrow. But she was already here, and she was already pushing aside notebook papers, pencils, scraps and junk out of her way so she could sit on his 'bedside table'. He closed his heavy eyes and let out a nearly-silent sigh.

"You still have my camera." He opened one eye to peer at her, curious as to her reaction. Her eyes were glued to the screen, eagerly waiting for it to turn on. "You kept them all!" Yukito shrugged, rubbing his eyes to cure them of the dryness there from keeping them shut for so many hours today. He realized that he must have already slept through the schoolday, or else Erin wouldn't have been able to come.

"Why wouldn't I?" he said flippantly, as if there had been no other option. He didn't want to mention to her how many times he had gone through the pictures she was flipping through now, excitedly. He could almost go through all of them in his head, he'd watched the images so much.

She bit her lip - at one of the images, he supposed, and sat down, "I don't have any more pictures of us, Yukitokun,"

He smirked up at her, ignoring the familiar slam in the gut he started to feel. "You should take a picture of you biting your lip like that." he chuckled a little, "Very hot."

She sent him a look, "We look really good together, you know that?" Leaning forward, elbows on her knees, she added, "Bruises and fevers and all."

Yukito rolled his eyes, "Well, at least one of us looks good. Maybe I'll just go for a tough guy look. They'll see my slammed face and be too afraid to test me." His smile faded, another wave of nausea overcoming him, "You probably shouldn't stay...I don't want you to get it." I also don't want you to sit there for much longer...because I think I'm going to throw up again. He hated vomiting for more reasons than how disgusting it was. It was painful for him. Sure, even for most people it felt like someone was putting all the internal programming on a harsh reverse effect, and the body liked to feel like it was eating itself piece by piece, but he hadn't been eating much anyways, so....for the past eight hours he hadn't had anything to hurl. That hurts worst, I think. Mental note - eat something once I can keep it down. Eat more.