Apt. #634B - The Makis' House

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Was it weird that she thought the way he mumbled out her name was totally endearing? Or that he thought he looked really sweet all helpless and sleepy like that? She smiled. "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?" Grinning brightly at his response, Erin started making a place clear for her next to his bed. Finding her camera, Erin automatically flipped it on and sat down beside him. "You still have my camera," she said, eagerly scanning the pictures she'd missed for so long. In fact, after their blowout, she'd gotten rid of all the pictures she had if Yukito was in them. The printed ones pinned to her wall and the digital ones on her phone, computer, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter... she took them all away. She'd just been so mad and hurt that seeing them together all happy only made it hurt worse, so she'd made it go away... Now Erin regretted that action profoundly. "You kept them all!"

Yukito only shrugged, muttering, "Why wouldn't I?"

Feeling guilty at trashing all the captured memories, save the ones she held in her hands, Erin bit her lip. "I don't have any more pictures of us, Yukitokun."

He looked up at her with a smirk, though he looked like the last the he felt like doing was smiling or teasing. "You should take a picture of you biting your lip like that." He chuckled a little before adding, "Very hot."

Erin rolled her eyes, pretending that the comment was ridiculous, though really comments like that were one of the things she liked about him so much. "You think that'd make you feel better or somethin'?" She looked back down, changing the picture on the screen. "I really want these..." she commented more to herself than Yukito, then looked over at him. "We look really good together, you know that?" Leaning forward, elbows on her knees, she added, "Bruises and fevers and all."

Now it was his turn to roll 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." Erin laughed at the comment, this one truly ridiculous, but Yukito's smile faltered. "You probably shouldn't stay...I don't want you to get it."

Another quiet laugh escaped Erin. She leaned closer to him, as if to prove her point. "I'll make it through somehow," she commented before gently kissing his cheek. "By the way, you still owe me an explanation for your face."

Brushing his bedhead of hair with her fingers, Erin smiled smugly. "I did wanna go swimming with you today, but no, not anymore." She made a face before breaking down into another little laugh. "Now you owe me for making me wait," Erin decided, hoping still to make him feel a bit less sucky.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Erin bit her lip, thinking as she stared at the images he'd kept on her camera, "I don't have any more pictures of us, Yukitokun."

He looked up at her with a smirk, "You should take a picture of you biting your lip like that." He chuckled a little before adding, "Very hot."

Erin rolled her eyes, "You think that'd make you feel better or somethin'?" He sent her a mischevious look.

"Definitely."

"I really want these..." she commented more to herself than Yukito, then looked over at him. "We look really good together, you know that? Bruises and fevers and all."

Now it was his turn to roll 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." He felt triumphant to had won a laugh from her, but his smile faded quickly. He didn't want to give a nasty stomach flu or whatever-it-was, to be transferred to his girlfriend. "You probably shouldn't stay...I don't want you to get it."

Another quiet laugh escaped Erin. "I'll make it through somehow," she commented before gently kissing his cheek. "By the way, you still owe me an explanation for your face."

He shrugged as best as he could while laying down, "Meh...long story short, Aidousan and I work things out in our own special way. It wasn't anything too serious, just some stuff we had to work out." Maybe it's especial to males?

Erin brushed through his hair with her fingers with a smug look, and he paused to enjoy the feeling of that. His hair being pushed away from his face...seeing her right there, smiling at him. Even if he probably looked like he had been run over by a train. "I did wanna go swimming with you today, but no, not anymore." Good feeling was gone - Yukito couldn't hide a look of utter disappointment from his face.

"But! But! I was supposed to help you pick out your swimsuit!" he complained, referencing to their conversation via instant messenger from the night before. "No fair. I have to stay in bed, when I could have been hanging in a pool with my hot girlfriend? Maaaann..."

Erin made a face at him, then burst into laughter. "Now you owe me for making me wait,"

He looked a little more optimistic at that, "Oh? And how am I supposed to pay you back?" His mind flickered back and forth to a lot of things he would be willing to do to make it up to her...then he considered a few things that he would definitely not want to do....And this made him a little anxious. "Y'know, I could be a little worried right now."

"Yuyukun...guess what I found?" came his mother's voice, as she appeared in the doorway. After a moment, she took in Erin's face, and her smile broadened. She was carrying an old, heavy-looking box about a foot and a half or two feet high, and just as wide, "Oh, konnichiwa! I did not see you come in! You'll like this, too. Now, come out here."

"Mom...I'm sick..." he stated simply.

"I know, I know. But you can come out here and lay down in the living room. It's probably cooler in there, anyways." She frowned, and sent him a concerned look, "You're not going to throw up again, are you?"

"No!" he said, cross, though his abdomen claimed otherwise. I can't throw up while Erin's here...I won't. "I'll come into the stupid living room, okay?" He slowly sat up, his hair going every which way, and gathered up his sheets and blankets to form an enormous pile thrown over his shoulder.

"By the way..." Korkoro turned to Erin with a smile, "I've been wondering what you would like me to call you, dear...Spenserchan? Erinchan? Or just Erin?" What she really wanted to ask was what had happened when she went home the other day, but felt it wrong to pry. Even if Yukito had told her nothing whatsoever.

Yukito let out a little groan as he flopped down on the floor in front of their small loveseat, and Korkoro chuckled to herself as she stepped around her son to set her box on the coffee table. "What is that, mom?"

"It's our old family picture albums, birthday cards, and home movies!" she said with delight, pulling out a worn-looking book with a soft green binder. "Look! It's Yukito when we came back from the hospital!"

Yukito let out a louder groan, "That's what you brought us out here for? To stare at baby pictures?"

Korkoro sent Yukito an irritated look, as she held the book out to Erin, "I wanted to go through the home movies with you. I thought it would be fun for us to do together."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She was pleasantly surprised at the look on his face-- looking genuinely distraught about not getting to be with her, even though she thought he might just be exaggerating to get a reaction from her. "But! But! I was supposed to help you pick out your swimsuit! No fair. I have to stay in bed, when I could have been hanging in a pool with my hot girlfriend? Maaaann..."

Erin made a face at him, but couldn't hold it long as she burst into laughter. "Now you owe me for making me wait."

Yukito's face brightened a little, though he still looked really sick and sore, Erin could see at least that much. "Oh? And how am I supposed to pay you back?"

Immediately Erin's mind thought of a dozen different responses, each for their own reasons making her start laughing afresh. Her reaction to his comment apparently made Yukito a bit curious, because he interrupted her laughs with an anxious, "Y'know, I could be a little worried right now."

Starting another series of laughs at his 'show of concern', Erin wanted very much to give him another kiss, even if it was just his cheek, and she would have, too, were it not for the interruption. "Yuyukun... guess what I found?"

Automatically Erin pivoted on her makeshift seat beside Yukito to see his mother in the doorway, carting around a chunky cardboard box of stuff. Erin hadn't been sure if Makisan would be happy to see her just popping up in her son's bedroom again, but she certainly didn't look upset about it. Erin gratefully returned the smile. "Oh, konnichiwa! I did not see you come in! You'll like this, too. Now, come out here."

"Okay!" was Erin's chipper reply, fueled by curiosity. She stood to her feet to follow, then stopped, looking at Yukito, who objected, "Mom... I'm sick..." Erin started to sit back down-- If he didn't want to move from where he was, then she'd stay there, too.

"I know, I know. But you can come out here and lay down in the living room. It's probably cooler in there, anyways.... You're not going to throw up again, are you?"

Erin's gaze turned back toward Yukito, this time with heavy concern. She hadn't realized he felt that bad, and it made her feel guilty for not treating him with more concern earlier. But Yukito just objected more sharply, "No! I'll come into the stupid living room, okay?"

A gentle smile came back onto her face as he got up, wearily gathering the bunch of blankets about him, and trudged into the living room. Erin followed at his side.

"By the way..." Makisan addressed Erin, "I've been wondering what you would like me to call you, dear...Spenserchan? Erinchan? Or just Erin?"

For some reason she felt shy being asked that from Makisan, and Erin's eyes shifted briefly down to her feet and then up again. She wasn't sure if there was a difference between any of those... "What do you want to call me?" Erin decided on, with a timid smile, though she felt like a child asking that. But she couldn't very well tell her that as long as she found her likable, Erin was totally cool with Makisan calling her whatever her heart desired. (Even if she did prefer the sound of the suffixes.)

Yukito let out a little groan as he flopped down on the floor, Makisan gently setting down the big box on the table nearby. Erin sat down cross-legged beside him. "What is that, mom?"

"It's our old family picture albums, birthday cards, and home movies!" chirped Makisan, already digging through the assortment. A grin rearranged Erin's face... Are you kidding me? My boyfriend's mom is actually take out the baby pictures to show me? I thought people only joked about doing that! It was actually kind of hilarious, and she'd love to tease Yukito about it later. Maybe a little now, too... "Look! It's Yukito when we came back from the hospital!"

Far too curious and with a practically permanent grin now, Erin looked at whatever Makisan wanted to show her. "Aw, Yukitokun, look at how precious you were!" She couldn't help but giggle and use the cliche joke: "What happened?"

Yukito let out a louder groan. "That's what you brought us out here for? To stare at baby pictures?"

Erin missed the look Makisan gave her son, busying herself with laughing at Yukito's reaction. So typical. So cute. She did notice the collection that she was offering to Erin, and took it on her hands more than willingly. "I wanted to go through the home movies with you. I thought it would be fun for us to do together."

Finally, Erin felt like she was getting to know more of Yukito than just what he'd let her see since they first met... which, honestly, hadn't been much. He didn't talk about himself. He didn't talk about memories from when he was a kid, or hardly ever about Japan. She wanted to know so much about him, but he didn't really like to share... so she coveted the opportunity now, eagerly taking in what Makisan chose to share with her. "Oh, I would so pay money to see your home movies, Yukitokun!" Erin jested with a giggle, absentmindedly patting Yukito's head.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"By the way..." Yukito mumbled and grumbled to himself on the way to the living room, as his mother turned to Erin, "I've been wondering what you would like me to call you, dear...Spenserchan? Erinchan? Or just Erin?"

"What do you want to call me?" Erin said, her eyes falling to the floor and making Korkoro smile.

"I think..." she said slowly, as Yukito tossed himself unceremoniously on the floor, blankets and sheets tangling up around him, "I like the sound of Erinchan."

Yukito pointedly made a fuss as Erin sat down cross-legged beside him. But despite the churning of his stomach and the threat involved in that general area, his curiosity was piqued. "What is that, mom?"

"It's our old family picture albums, birthday cards, and home movies!" Korkoro said with delight, as she held out a very dear photo album for Erin's pleasure. It hadn't been planned for her to completely humiliate her son with photos to his girlfriend, but she wasn't going to miss this golden moment of opportunity. It was just too deliciously easy. "Look! It's Yukito when we came back from the hospital!" She pointed to the black-haired baby in the photograph, dressed in a diaper and a small blue t-shirt as he sat on the floor, staring at the camera with a blank expression.

"Aw, Yukitokun, look at how precious you were!" Erin said with a giggle as Yukito felt heat beginning to rise to his cheeks. "What happened?"

Yukito let out a louder groan. "That's what you brought us out here for? To stare at baby pictures?" In vain he struggled to suppress the blush that would soon creep across his cheeks. His one real weakness was the blushing, because his friends would laugh and punch him in the arm, commenting amid guffaws and tears of amusement that he went completely crimson in the face. Why, God? Why?

He decided that if he ever thought back on the most embarrassing thing his mother ever did to him - besides taking pictures of him in the first place, and educational video games - he would immediately flash back and see her placing that photo album into Erin's eager hands. "I wanted to go through the home movies with you. I thought it would be fun for us to do together." His mother said with a pointed look.

Man...she's totally into this... He started to calculate the most quick and efficient way to relieve his mother of that box. Tossing it out the window? No. Some of it may not be destroyed, and could possibly be picked up and used as blackmail. The toilet wouldn't work. The album was too pick and and wouldn't go down. Fire? Hmmm...

"Oh, I would so pay money to see your home movies, Yukitokun!" Erin said as she patted his head. He glared straight ahead with a dark expression.

"Don't be silly, Erinchan! You can see them for free, if your parents are okay with you staying awhile longer." Korkoro said with a smile and a wink. She took her turn ruffling Yukito's hair every which way in an affectionate gesture, standing up and heading for the kitchen, "I think I'll go get something for us to snack on."

"The only thing that makes this better would be to make it a party," Yukito grumbled into his pillow. Then he looked up at Erin, and quietly added, "She obsessively took pictures of me as a kid, I think. Wouldn't you rather kiss the current me instead?" He smirked.

His mother entered the room, though, and sent him a look that said that she knew what he was trying to do - he was grasping at straws trying to divert Erin's focus from the album in her lap, where a two-year-old Yukito was a blur as he raced away from the camera in an orange shirt and muddied tan shorts, as well as a slightly wrinkled-looking photo of him grinning into the camera, close enough for his face to be shadowed and nearly indiscernible, as he tried to take the intriguing device from his mother's hands. He stole a look at the array, and felt his smile twitch at the edges.

"There's no avoiding this, is there?" he mumbled under his breath. Then he let out a sigh, and sat up, placing his back against the edge of the couch and pulling himself up close to Erin so that they could both see the album. He tried to sound nonchalant as he pointed out the varying images of himself on the thick paper, rushing through most of the explanations so he could turn the page. Inwardly, he counted them down. Two gone. The rest of the book and four video tapes to go. "This one was me when I was about four. I had picked up dad's guitar and tried to figure it out." He made a face at his little self, struggling to grip on the heavier, wider parts of the guitar, the neck dangling on the floor, a ridiculously large smile on his then-pudgy face. "Gosh, why am I smiling so much? I look like a dork."

"Unfortunately, he lost most of that baby fat," Korkoro commented quietly, as she brought an enormous bowl of popcorn back into the living room, as well as an assortment of soda cans. "Take your pick, Erinchan." she said as she held out the choices. "And he used to be a really enthusiastic little boy, always bouncing against the walls and with an adorable little laugh." Yukito made a face at her.

"You are being really lame right now, mom. I hope you know that. Points. Lost." He snatched a soda can out of her hand and leaned back against the couch roughly, hoping it would all be over soon enough and his mother would wander off long enough for him to just make out with Erin, one of the few things he was certain he could do without embarrassing himself.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Oh, I would so pay money to see your home movies, Yukitokun!" Erin said as she patted his head, grinning at the scarlet tinge in his face that she was sure didn't come from fever.

"Don't be silly, Erinchan! You can see them for free, if your parents are okay with you staying awhile longer," Makisan responded, even though Erin hadn't really meant it literally at all, which made her laugh a little. "I can stay more as long as you want me to," she assured, as Makisan affectionately ruffled her son's hair. "I think I'll go get something for us to snack on," she announced before heading off to the kitchen.

"The only thing that makes this better would be to make it a party," Yukito grumbled into his pillow. Then he turned to look at Erin and told her, voice low, "She obsessively took pictures of me as a kid, I think." Erin giggled. "I think that's the curse of the only child, Yuyukun... and they are really cute pictures of you, you know," she added just to tease him. "Wouldn't you rather kiss the current me instead?" He smirked, and Erin snickered. "Didn't your mom say you threw up earlier? You really think I wanna share in that?" Another giggle before she kissed his cheek.

She glanced back down at he pictures, at a little Yukito with a smile almost bigger than his head, and couldn't help another giggle. "Awww," she drawled out through the laughter. "How'm I supposed to say no to that face?"

"There's no avoiding this, is there?" grumbled Yukito, sighing as he pushed himself up to sit next to her. "Nope," she said cheerily, automatically put her free arm around him, the other hand fingering the album pages. Erin laughed again at a preschool Yukito being swallowed by a guitar, and Yukito explained, "This one was me when I was about four. I had picked up dad's guitar and tried to figure it out." Yukito made a face at the old picture, but Erin countered, "Aw, c'mon, you were adorable, Yukito! Lookit you, totally lost behind that thing like that!"

"Gosh, why am I smiling so much? I look like a dork."

"Aw, but I like your smile! And.. you can be a dork sometimes." Erin gave him a smug smile.

"Unfortunately, he lost most of that baby fat," voiced Makisan, having reappeared with popcorn and cokes. "Take your pick, Erinchan," she said as she held out the choices. "Arigato!" she chirped, gratefully popping open a coke and a handful of the popcorn. "And he used to be a really enthusiastic little boy, always bouncing against the walls and with an adorable little laugh."

Yukito made a face at her. "You are being really lame right now, mom. I hope you know that. Points. Lost." He snatched a soda can out of her hand, collapsing against the side of the couch grumpily.

Erin shook her head a little, smiling at his attitude. "Yeesh... Yukito, lighten up. I'm having fun. You were so cute when you were little!" She started laughing again, and silenced the giggles with the kernels of popcorn instead. Then, "Hey, coke's not gonna bother you? I mean, since you're sick..."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"She obsessively took pictures of me as a kid, I think." Yukito stated simply, looking up at her. The giggle that escaped Erin's lips made it near impossible for him to not enjoy the situation. And even if he hated the idea of her watching his completely unaware past self getting into trouble and making a dork of himself in those photos, he started to warm up to the idea when she continued to tease and torment him. Because it was like they were sharing something. Even if it was just some dumb photos.

"I think that's the curse of the only child, Yuyukun... and they are really cute pictures of you, you know,"

Yukito arched an eyebrow, "Does this mean that your parents have tons of pictures from when you were little?" He grinned, and added thoughtfully,"Now that I would be interested in seeing. Little Erin, riding her first bike. Too bad she was more interested in the CDs... Little Erin, swimming in the pool. Too bad dad got too close to the camera and ended up soaking wet." He tried not to add any more comments about little Erin in a swimming pool, but it was difficult to resist.

Sending a look at the album, he decided to pull her attention away from the embarrassing objects of the evening. "Wouldn't you rather kiss the current me instead?" He sent her a prize-winning - or maybe just a really hopeful - smirk.

"Didn't your mom say you threw up earlier? You really think I wanna share in that?" His face fell, and she giggled. At least he got a kiss on the cheek. Yukito reached up to pull her back towards him, but he was a second too late, and she returned to the album. Trying to appear disgruntled, Yukito frowned at his girlfriend's continued giggles. "Awww, how'm I supposed to say no to that face?"

"There's no avoiding this, is there?" grumbled Yukito, sighing as he pushed himself up to sit next to her.

"Nope," She chirruped. He allowed himself to relax into her one-arm embrace, and returned with an arm of his own, so that they were entangled, his other hand pointing to certain photos as he tried to rush through the stories behind them. "This one was me when I was about four. I had picked up dad's guitar and tried to figure it out." He made a face.

"Aw, c'mon, you were adorable, Yukito! Lookit you, totally lost behind that thing like that!"

"Gosh, why am I smiling so much? I look like a dork." was his only response. He was flabbergasted at the goofy grins and partially-captured laughter on his face in almost every picture.

"Aw, but I like your smile! And.. you can be a dork sometimes. Erin gave him a smug smile.

"Unfortunately, he lost most of that baby fat," his mother said when she returned with provisions. Erin received a coke from her as a token of affection, and continued, "And he used to be a really enthusiastic little boy, always bouncing against the walls and with an adorable little laugh."

Yukito made a face at her, his response deflated and pathetic from his surprise that she would actually say something like that in front of Erin. "You are being really lame right now, mom. I hope you know that. Points. Lost." He dutifully tried his best to keep an obnoxious attitude, but it was difficult when out of the corner of his eye he saw Erin smiling at him like that. Yukito snatched a soda from his mother and sat back, buttoning a sour expression onto his face. The face that could physically still make the dorky grins Erin was cooing over. But he wouldn't tell her that, no matter how hard he was tempted. Show-off or not, that came off as lame in his book.

"Yeesh... Yukito, lighten up. I'm having fun. You were so cute when you were little!" Then, "Hey, coke's not gonna bother you? I mean, since you're sick..."

He allowed one corner of his lip to curl upward in his signature smirk. "It doesn't make a difference now, if I keep it down, I keep it down. Might as well get something that tastes decent." He stubbornly took a long drink to spite healthy choices, and looked back down at the album without meeting Erin's eyes. "There I am at the park where I met Aidousan. I was always on the merry-go-round. All the time." He took another swig, "I loved that thing. I'd order the bigger kids to push me on it, actually." A smile sent Erin's way, and he accompanied it with a twinkle in his eyes of mischief. "I'm a real brat, you know. Always have been." He thought back to the Blair issues he'd had in the past, and took a thoughtful sip, now less focused on guzzling the coke. "Yeah...I'm really good at sticking my head in where I shouldn't. I tend to get smacked in the face a lot." Yukito gently touched the rainbow-colored bruise he still sported beneath his eye and chuckled, "Aidousan was always kind of wimpy, though. I had to force him onto anything worth playing on. If he had had it his way, he would have sat in the sandbox until he was forty."

"Oh, look. There he is." Yukito jabbed his finger at a photograph of himself standing next to a spiky-haired little boy. Himself, he was in the middle of shoving Aidousan forward on the swingset, the latter looking horrified at the prospect, his little knuckles gripping the swing as if his death was near. Yukito smirked, "Sometimes I really didn't know what to make of Aidousan..." After a moment, Yukito's smile faded though, and he met Erin's eyes. "His mother hates my guts, though."

[More than Music]

OOC: Partypartyparty! : D
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

One hand on his head, one hand on his stomach. He looked over at Cassiechan with big, pitiful brown eyes filled with discomfort.

'I feel awful,' he wanted to say, but he didn't want to worry her much more. After all, she didn't seem to be feeling well at all. And the idea Saikochan had put into his head - that he had gotten Cassiechan sick, from kissing her that night – wasn't making the nausea and the horrible headache feel any better. 'It's all Yuyukun's fault. If he hadn't gotten me sick... then Cassiechan wouldn't be sick! I... I miss Kaachan. I've never been sick without her before. She always knew what to do.'

He sighed, taking Cassie's hand as they went up the stairs. “Calfur, yeah.” he found himself whispering. Kagayaki really didn't want her to fall; it'd just be one more bad thing he let happen to her.

Why couldn't he just keep the people he knew safe and happy?

As they got to the top, he took a deep breath, making himself remember the steps he'd taken to get to Yukitokun's apartment last time. He couldn't remember the number – no way, he felt too bad right now – but steps was the other way okaasan had taught him to remember how to get places. 'She always thinks of everything... I wish she was here.' Closing his eyes for a minute and trying to clear his head, Kagayaki – still holding Cassiechan's hand, gently but protectively – moved towards where he remembered the door being. He looked at the numbers. 'Eeeeeeeh I think this is right.' he told himself, looking at Cassiechan. 'She's not feeling good... Yuyukun's gonna get it.'

He knocked on the door, trying not to glare at it. “Makisama? Hado?” he called, looking at Cassiechan with what he hoped was a comforting smile, even though he thought he was feeling worse than her right now. 'Please let Makisama know what to do, to make this easier for Cassiechan!'

When the door opened, Kagayaki bowed like he knew he should, even though it made the nauseous feeling in his stomach much worse. Then he slipped through the door right away and looked around. When his eyes found Yukitokun, they narrowed.

“Yuyukun.” he said, very seriously. “You got me sick.” Then he glanced back at Cassiechan for a second before glaring at Yukitokun again – a look as frightening as a poor sick kid who felt as bad as Kagayaki did, with the adorable round face that he had, could manage. “And you got Cassiechan sick too. I hope you feel five times as bad as I do right now.” Then a smile crept back onto his face, and he came over to Yukitokun, ruffling his friend's hair. “And don't tell them I asked... but please tell me you've thrown up too.” He shook his head. “I always get sicker faster and longer than everyone else.” He looked at the floor for a second before flopping down on it – on his side, not his stomach; definitely not his stomach – next to the couch with a dramatic 'umph'.

“I hate being sick. I miss Kaachan and I missed you, so, when Cassiechan's mom decided we couldn't stay there, I wanted to come stay here.” He looked up with wide, pleading eyes. “That's okay, isn't it? Since, after all, this is your fault.” A smile again ruined his anger. “We can have a little sick people party!”

Then he looked up and saw Saikochan. “Oh!” he cried, having been feeling so bad he hadn't acknowledged her. Kagayaki clambered to his feet – and that certainly didn't make his headache feel any better – and bowed respectively. “Sory! No seed you, Saikochan! No feeled good.” One of Kagayaki's hands went to his stomach again, then he looked at Yukitokun with a crooked smile, pointing jokingly. “He did it.”

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

It had started with a headache.

A small headache, at first, appearing halfway through lunch that day. As the day went on it had become progressively worse, with Cassie becoming dizzy and weak, her face flushing with the beginnings of a fever. The ever-motherly Adele had taken one look at Cassie when she had gotten home from school and sent her to lie down, promising to call Mrs. Wright and bring a thermometer. And before Adele had gotten to her, Cassie had thrown up.

Ugh, I feel awful...why can't I be Shelby, with the immune system of the Loch Ness Monster or whatever she's got? She never gets sick...

Kristen had come home from work early, giving Cassie the glare to end all glares when she saw her. "I hope you're happy, Cassandra,"

Yes, mom. I am. Peachy.

When it was discovered that Kagayaki was sick as well, Kristen took action, locating the Maki's phone number after Cassie had mentioned that Yukito had been absent from school that day. "I don't want the two of you sitting around here, just waiting to infect us with whatever virus you've got too. If your other scholarship friend is sick too, you two can just stay with him for a while." The concept of sending away sick children in the Wright household--a quarantine, as Cassie saw it--was not uncommon, but Cassie had never liked it. Luckily, Mrs. Maki had been more than welcoming and willing to house the two of them for a while, and Cassie was feeling so ill at that point it didn't really matter.

Kristen had not said a word on the car ride to the Maki's, and Cassie alternated between shooting significant looks at Aidousan, who was seated in the back, and leaning her head against the window as she tried to calm her churning stomach. The car ride was not doing anything for it, and she felt so nauseous she thought she might pass out.

"Here we are. Gert Town," Cassie's mom said disdainfully, pulling into the parking lot of Yukito and Erin's apartment building. Cassie sighed and got out of the car, moving slowly in an attempt to calm her pounding head and queasy stomach. It wasn't working well.

Her mom made no attempt to help her carry her things, so Cassie shouldered her duffel bag and took a couple shaky steps over to Kagayaki, who looked at her sadly. I know, she wanted to tell him. I feel like crap too.

Kristen took the lead as they entered the building, walking almost too briskly for the two invalids to keep up. "Mom...slow down please?" Cassie called out weakly. Her mother didn't respond.

Kagayaki took her hand in his as they came to a staircase. “Calfur, yeah,” he said, and Cassie nodded gratefully. She closed her eyes, trusting Kagayaki to lead her to the right place. Oh...I just want to lie down...

Kristen glared at them once they finally caught up to her, looking at Cassie and Kagayaki's linked hands pointedly. Cassie ignored her. Deal with it, Mom. You're not the only one entitled to a little happiness here and there, okay? Kagayaki knocked on the door, calling out as it opened, “Makisama? Hado?”

Kristen pushed past him and breezed her way into the apartment first, looking out of place in her work suit. Cassie, starting to teeter under the weight of her bag, followed her, feeling self-conscious about the outfit she herself was wearing--an old LSU sweatshirt and some Snoopy pajama pants. "Which way is the party?" she asked weakly, setting her bag down on the floor by the couch, swaying as she did so.

"Grow up, Cassandra, honestly," her mother scolded. She turned to a woman Cassie could only assume was Yukito's mom. "You must be Mrs...well, my daughter's friend's mother. I'm Kristen Wright. Thank you for letting them stay here. You can call us at home if there are any problems, my cook will take the messages for me." Without another word, she breezed out the door, not bothering to say goodbye to anyone.

Cassie sighed and sank down onto the couch. "Sorry about that, Mrs. Maki..." she mumbled. Thanks for being yourself, Mom. Thanks a lot. Please, can somebody just kill me now?

“Yuyukun,” Kagayaki said, sounding the most angry Cassie had ever heard him--which wasn't saying much--before launching into a stream of Japanese. Cassie perked up at the mention of her name somewhere in that speech, but soon sank back into the couch again. Wonder what that's all about?

Kagayaki's expression softened as he continued his conversation in Japanese. Cassie caught her name again, and the word 'Okaasan', which she was pretty sure meant 'mother', if she remembered Shelby's ramblings on the language from before her self-imposed vow of silence. She almost smiled when he came over and ruffled Yukito's hair, but she felt too bad to even do that. "I wish there were subtitles for life," she remarked as she slid to the floor to sit beside Kagayaki, leaning her head against his shoulder. "By the way, Mrs. Maki...or would you prefer Makisan or something? Or whatever it was Kagayaki said? I'm sorry, I don't know what to call you...anyway, I brought the thing you told me to."

It was then that Cassie noticed that Erin was there as well. "Don't tell me you're sick too..." she groaned. Beside her, Kagayaki stood up quickly, letting Cassie lose her balance and fall to the floor with an "Oof!" She glared up at him jokingly, but stayed put. "Hey!"

“Oh! Sory! No seed you, Saikochan! No feeled good. He did it.” Kagayaki indicated Yukito at this. Cassie turned from where she lay on the floor to glare up at him instead. "Then we have you to thank!"

She sighed, looking back over at Mrs. Maki. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm the rudest person ever now. Sorry. Thanks so much for letting us stay here for a bit."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Hey, coke's not gonna bother you? I mean, since you're sick..."

Yukito smirked at that comment, telling her, "It doesn't make a difference now, if I keep it down, I keep it down. Might as well get something that tastes decent," and took a long gulp. Erin smiled at his defiance as he started telling her more about the totally adorable pictures she was looking at: "There I am at the park where I met Aidousan. I was always on the merry-go-round. All the time." He paused for more coke, and Erin couldn't help but smile at him talking about a little version of him.. it was just too cute. "I loved that thing. I'd order the bigger kids to push me on it, actually." He looked over at Erin with an impish smile, catching Erin giggling at the mental image. It didn't surprise her-- it was easy enough to imagine Yukito doing something like that. "I'm a real brat, you know. Always have been."

"Oh, really?" Erin responded automatically, not really thinking about the reply as much as urging Yukito to keep talking. She loved hearing him talk. It was so good. "Yeah...I'm really good at sticking my head in where I shouldn't. I tend to get smacked in the face a lot." He directed the comment to his own still-healing face with a little laugh. "Aidousan was always kind of wimpy, though. I had to force him onto anything worth playing on. If he had had it his way, he would have sat in the sandbox until he was forty." Erin couldn't help but let out a short burst of laughter at that image. She immediately silenced herself when she noticed Yukito was still talking, trying to direct her attention to another photo: "Oh, look. There he is."

Erin turned her attention to the picture. She could immediately recognize a little Yukito now, and it didn't surprise her that that was Aidousan beside him, Yukito shoving him out of his bubble of safety... Erin let out another giggle. "Y'all were too cute!" she chirped. "I can't get over how adorable you were!"

"Sometimes I really didn't know what to make of Aidousan..." Yukito commented, then looked over at Erin. "His mother hates my guts, though."

"Why?" Erin asked, genuinely surprised. How could she hate someone who was such a good friend to her son, who was so smart and talented and endearing and wonderful? But then she remembered that the only reason her dad didn't express dissatisfaction with Yukito around Erin was because of her mom...

Erin immediately looked at the door, though, when she heard a sound come from the other side. And she was willing to bet money it was Aidousan. Speak of the devil, she thought, and wanted to say except that sounded really lame and she didn't want to sound lame.

Yes, it was Aidousan, and he'd brought Cassie, too. It was cute, in a weird sick-together way, an Erin smiled, until she realized she wasn't being noticed.

"Which way is the party?" Cassie asked, dropping her things. Things? She has things? Is she staying here? She can't stay at my boyfriend's house! Erin frowned and slumped, arms crossed, against the couch, beside Yukito.

Cassie's mom went all mouthy and started snipping about messages and growing up and crap like that, and left without saying a word to her sick kid-- the attitude made Erin feel heat in her ears, and he had to bite her tongue to keep from calling Mrs. Wright the jerk Erin thought she was.

Cassie sighed and sank down onto the couch. "Sorry about that, Mrs. Maki..." she mumbled.

When Aidousan stepped inside, he gave Yukito a nasty look. Or maybe it was a sick look, because he looked kind of sick... it was hard to tell, at least until he started rambling off to Yukito in Japanese. She tried to listen as close as she could, catching Cassiechan and a few phrases she knew she heard before but couldn't place or translate if someone had held a gun to her foot.

And his face shifted to a smile as he added even more in words Erin didn't know, but it sounded cool, so it was okay. Without a word to Erin, Aidousan collapsed on the floor beside the couch.

Since Erin couldn't understand a thing Aidousan was saying, she settled on watching Yukito's face, even though she couldn't read it. It was nice to watch anyway. Even if she was being kind of ignored. And her best friend was apparently camping out at her boyfriend's house... which still really grated her.

Speaking of Cassie... "I wish there were subtitles for life. By the way, Mrs. Maki...or would you prefer Makisan or something? Or whatever it was Kagayaki said? I'm sorry, I don't know what to call you...anyway, I brought the thing you told me to."

Ignored. Again. Not even a hello. Disgruntled, Erin moved closer to Yukito and kept her arm tight around him. He'd notice her.

Apparently then Cassie decided she could see Erin. "Don't tell me you're sick too..." she groaned. Erin's irritation with Cassie for ignoring her ebbed a little, and a smile edged her lips. "No, I'm here to make kareshi feel better!" She looked over at him, as if to ask if it was working yet. Beside her, Kagayaki stood up quickly, letting Cassie lose her balance and fall to the floor with an "Oof!" She glared up at him, not moving. "Hey!" Erin raised an eyebrow. Was that, like, flu-flirting or something? It was weird...

“Oh! Sory! No seed you, Saikochan!" Aidousan voiced, and Erin wryly raised one eyebrow again. "Yeah, I know." She shifted her attention to Yukito, brushing through his hair with her fingers in an attempt to half-tame it, half-flirt without it being awkward around his mother.

" No feeled good. He did it.” Kagayaki commented, meaning Yukito, and Erin let a grin cross her face at that.

"Then we have you to thank!" Cassie announced, and Erin hugged him protectively. "Be nice," she pouted. "Isn't he letting you stay here?" Which I'm not too thrilled about, by the way, but whatever. I can't argue with a sick person, so whatever.

Cassie sighed, then to Makisan, "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm the rudest person ever now. Sorry. Thanks so much for letting us stay here for a bit."

"I wish I could, too," Erin muttered, folding her arms across her chest again. Then she dropped to rest her head on Yukito's shoulder. "How long do I get to stay, Yuyukun?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

He found himself watching her face instead of looking at the picture of him and Aidousan on the swingset. He'd seen the picture plenty of times. Okay, true, he'd seen her face plenty of times, too. But her face was so expressive, and he was fascinated by the little twitches and miniscule to exaggerated signs of amusement on such a face. The way her eyes sparkled as she studied the frozen image of his past, the way the large orbs scanned across it, taking in all the details in a quick and flickering movement. He had to smile at the little creases of laughter that appeared around each of those eyes as she giggled, "Y'all were too cute! I can't get over how adorable you were!"

He was reluctant to look away from her face, finally leaning towards her and planting a kiss on her lips. Touching was an unspoken language, right? A way to communicate without a single word. If that was so, this kiss tried to say, I would rather just watch you. Because you are beautiful to me. But I think I like seeing your smiles, and it doesn't matter to me what brings those smiles, as long as I get to see them. But maybe it was impossible to say all that in one kiss, even if he pulled away in an almost agonizingly - or perhaps tantalizingly - slow movement. He smiled at her for a moment, then turned back to the forgotten album. "Sometimes I really didn't know what to make of Aidousan..." He sent her a look, "His mother hates my guts, though."

"Why?" Erin asked, sounding as if she really had no idea. Yukito didn't know whether to frown or smile at this little well of innocence.

"Uh...I dunno. Maybe because I kept sending her son home with bruises and cuts? Kept him out past midnight once or twice, while we were playing pranks or practicing music? Or that I gave him sugar without worrying what it did to his dumb teeth? My mom was used to me, of course. But Aidousama...well...she's extremely protective. I remember once --"

He halted, and both of them looked over their shoulders to peer at the newcomers - Aidousan and Cassiechan. Heh.

"Which way is the party?" Cassie mumbled in a weary voice, swaying as she dropped her bags - what? - next to the couch.

"Grow up, Cassandra, honestly," came the snarl from the tiger-witch. Yukito wanted to leap up and push the woman over, rip off her fancy shoes and hit her over the head with the sharper parts of it. Maybe if she sported a few cuts or lumps on her powdered face she'd look nicer. Somehow, though, Cassie remained indifferent to her mother's attitude, as the latter turned to Korkoro, who was still managing a cordial smile. "You must be Mrs...well, my daughter's friend's mother. I'm Kristen Wright. Thank you for letting them stay here. You can call us at home if there are any problems, my cook will take the messages for me."

Korkoro opened her mouth to respond with a kind greeting or a 'pleasure to meet you', but the tiger-witch rushed out in a cloud of green smoke and crackling thunder that only Yukito could see or hear. His mother looked as if someone had taken her favorite book and tossed it down the toilet, and Yukito allowed himself at least one spoken remark of his feelings.

"Rawr." he growled deeply.

Cassie sighed, sinking next to them on the rapidly-filling couch. "Sorry about that, Mrs. Maki..."

"It's not a problem, Wrightochan." she said tenderly, smiling at the young girl. "You are welcome to stay here with us as long as you need to." She looked around at the group with a cheerier gleam in her eyes, and pulled out her phone, excusing herself into the kitchen for more snacks.

“Yuyukun.” Came a very solemn-sounding Aidousan, and Yukito looked up - too late to chose to ignore the nickname - and was surprised to see a dark look on his friend's face. There was an accusing, furious look in the dark eyes. “You got me sick.” He looked over at Cassiechan, then back at Yukito, and Yukito had to admit the guy looked older when he sent you a look that said he wanted to smack your head against the wall repeatedly, or at least hit you with a blunt object. The bruised up face might have been to his advantage, too. If Yukito didn't know that he had been the one to smash his face up. And it still didn't make him look scary. “And you got Cassiechan sick too. I hope you feel five times as bad as I do right now.”

Yukito just stared at Aidousan. Even when the smile grew on his friend's face. Then he burst out with a, "I did not get you sick!"

Aidousan just ruffled his hair, and Yukito snarled up at him from this highly irritating act. “And don't tell them I asked... but please tell me you've thrown up too.” He shook his head. “I always get sicker faster and longer than everyone else.”

Yukito sent Aidousan a disgusted look as the latter flopped down on the floor at their feet. Then, without any explanation, he muttered, "All morning, and most of last night. So shutup."

But Aidousan continued to moan, much more capable to do so in his mother tongue. “I hate being sick. I miss Kaachan and I missed you, so, when Cassiechan's mom decided we couldn't stay there, I wanted to come stay here.” He looked up with wide, pleading eyes. “That's okay, isn't it? Since, after all, this is your fault.”

"It's not my fault!" he argued, and in English, nonetheless, "How do you know we didn't get sick from the same place?"

“We can have a little sick people party!” Chirruped the Japanese adult, or so he allegedly claimed.

"I wish there were subtitles for life," Cassie remarked as she slid to the floor to sit beside Kagayaki, leaning her head against his shoulder. "By the way, Mrs. Maki...or would you prefer Makisan or something? Or whatever it was Kagayaki said? I'm sorry, I don't know what to call you...anyway, I brought the thing you told me to."

Korkoro beamed, holding the cell phone to one ear still, "Thank you so much, Wrightochan! And I suppose you can call me Makisan, just to keep things simple." she shrugged, hesitated, then added, "If it's easier for you, you can just call me Korkoro."

Then, distracted by the sight of Erin next to Yukito, she groaned, "Don't tell me you're sick too..."

"No, I'm here to make kareshi feel better!" Erin practically sang. Yukito, leaning his elbow into one arm of the couch with his head cradled in his palm, couldn't help but smile. I think it might be working... He was distracted enough by the little echoing voice in his head, the one that kept calling him 'kareshi' in such a light-hearted voice, that he pretty well ignored the stumbles and goings-on between Aidousan and Cassiechan.

Erin successfully gained his attentions again from picturing how they could have been in the pool together right about now, him watching her splash about in the water with just a bathing suit...and all she had to do was lean a little close to brush her fingers through his recently-ruffled hair. He felt a little shock go through him, and nearly jumped at her sudden touch, instead sending her a surprised look. Little sensations of pleasure sprang up all over his body, and he secretly enjoyed the goosebumps he felt as she focused on shifting his black, shaggy hair away from his face.

"I'm sorry. You probably think I'm the rudest person ever now. Sorry. Thanks so much for letting us stay here for a bit." Cassie said, and he wondered if she was speaking to him. Or if he cared at this moment, as he locked his eyes on Erin's face with a passive look on his face, but his instincts screaming to pull her closer.

"I wish I could, too," He felt majorly disappointed when she stopped playing with his hair, folding her arms across her chest dramatically, in her signature 'hey! I'm not getting what I want!' gesture. But she dropped her head on his chest, and he was quick to wrap his arm around her shoulders, in order to keep her close for a longer period of time. And hoping she would give him those goosebumps again."How long do I get to stay, Yuyukun?"

Forever.

He shrugged, not feeling up to a lengthy reply. "Long as you can, Erin." He smirked. All night again, if you could. I wouldn't argue with you.

He shifted a little in order to move her closer to him, and the album on his lap nearly fell to the floor. Yukito's initial reaction was to place a hand over the albums, or shove it someplace out of the way, as if it would make any difference if he tried to hide them, since once Erin realized that they weren't leaving soon, she'd want to share with her best friend. Damn...I don't mind Erin so much anymore, but did all of them have to come over while my mom has my baby pictures laying out? A little light bulb seemed to click in his head, and he shot a look over at his mother, who was leaning against the wall on her cell phone, watching everyone with a smile on her face.

"Yes....would you mind if we borrow it for awhile? They're having a bit of a party over here. I could come get them, or you could bring them over here, it doesn't matter to me in the least...yeah, I know. It's such a long way, right?" Korkoro rolled her eyes, and laughed she only did when she was trying to make herself sound so amiable and awesome. Yukito narrowed his eyes at her, and she winked at him.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Which way is the party?"

Kagayaki looked at Cassiechan with worry. 'I wish I didn't know it was me kissing you that made you so miserable right now. This isn't the way it was suppose to turn out!'

"Grow up, Cassandra, honestly," Cassiechan's mother said, and Kagayaki felt his eyes fall to the floor, his body tensing. 'Don't be mad at Cassiechan because of me... But I guess it's better this way... then you don't know why she's sick...' Kagayaki looked up a little as they came up to Makisan. He bowed to Makisan. "You must be Mrs...well, my daughter's friend's mother. I'm Kristen Wright. Thank you for letting them stay here. You can call us at home if there are any problems, my cook will take the messages for me."

Kagayaki looked up at his best friend's mother with apologetic eyes. 'I don't think she means to be this way, Makisan,' he wanted to say. 'She's just hurt, and sad, and upset about what has been happening is all. I just know it.'

Then Cassie's mother disappeared without accepting or offering a kind word, making Makisan's face show a hurt expression. Kagayaki's eyes fell again. 'I don't like this... Feeling bad, Cassiechan's okaasan being mad... Makisan being sad... I hate this.'

"Rawr." Yukitokun said one word that summed up all that could describe Cassiechan's mother's actions. Kagayaki felt a slight smile on his face, but then he made his way over Yukitokun and that smile faded.

“Yuyukun. You got me sick.” he said to his friend, all cheer and compensation gone from his voice, which just wasn't like him. But he was sick, and okaasan wasn't here, so he felt he had every right to be as honest with his friend as Yukitokun was - no doubt - going to be with him. “And you got Cassiechan sick too. I hope you feel five times as bad as I do right now.”

Yukitokun stared at him, almost as if he didn't believe it. "I did not get you sick!"

“And don't tell them I asked... but please tell me you've thrown up too. I always get sicker faster and longer than everyone else.” Kagayaki said, flopping down on the tatami mats.

"All morning, and most of last night. So shutup." Yukitokun said.

Kagayaki let out a little 'heh' sound of amusement. In his mind, it worked like saying 'good' in this situation, even though he didn't really like the idea of how that was probably gonna happen to them both very soon. Especially because his stomach didn't like the change in altitude. “I hate being sick. I miss Kaachan and I missed you, so, when Cassiechan's mom decided we couldn't stay there, I wanted to come stay here. That's okay, isn't it? Since, after all, this is your fault.”

"It's not my fault!" Yukitokun argued. Kagayaki let out another 'heh'. "How do you know we didn't get sick from the same place?" The older boy looked up, sad.

“We can have a little sick people party!” he said, trying to change the subject but unable to avoid it. Kagayaki looked up at his friend miserably. "Okay, so I don't really think you got Cassiechan sick. I think I did that." Then he continued, pointing again at Yukitokun and speaking faster. "And don't you ask me how I know!"

"I wish there were subtitles for life," he heard Cassiechan say. He looked over, and smiled very slightly as he realized she was leaning on him for support. 'Don't do that Cassiechan... I'm about to fall over again.' "By the way, Mrs. Maki...or would you prefer Makisan or something? Or whatever it was Kagayaki said? I'm sorry, I don't know what to call you...anyway, I brought the thing you told me to."

Kagayaki leaned a little closer to Cassiechan's ear. "Makisama," he whispered very gently. But he wondered what Makisan had asked her to bring....

"Thank you so much, Wrightochan! And I suppose you can call me Makisan, just to keep things simple. If it's easier for you, you can just call me Korkoro."

Looking up with confusion, Kagayaki glanced between Cassiechan and Makisan. "Korkoro?" he tried, gently, then laughed, leaning towards Cassiechan again. "Siri... do 'Makisan'." He nodded, adding a little 'mm-hm' at the end to ensure her he felt it was a good idea.

"Don't tell me you're sick too..." Cassiechan said, and Kagayaki looked up to see... Saikochan?!?

"No, I'm here to make kareshi feel better!"

Kagayaki leapt up and finally acknowledged his friend. “Sory! No seed you, Saikochan! No feeled good. He did it.” he said, pointing at Yukitokun. Cassiechan let out a cry behind him that made the very ill Kagayaki jump a foot in the air and turn around like his life depended on it.

"Hey!" Cassiechan said, and he realized he'd made her fall over.

"Oh!" he cried, helping her up. "Gomen nasai..." He stood up, even though it made him feel awful. Because he couldn't let himself do that again... Letting Cassiechan fall and not catching her? What was wrong with him? Was he really that sick?

"I'm sorry. You probably think I'm the rudest person ever now. Sorry. Thanks so much for letting us stay here for a bit." Cassiechan said, and Kagayaki shook his head. 'It's fine, Cassiechan...' Then he looked up and saw Saikochan and Yukitokun. 'Eeeeeto... maybe not...'

"I wish I could, too," Saikochan said, and Kagayaki watched the two of them. It made him forget his pain for a little while, realizing that maybe - just maybe - him coming all the way here had been worth the time and the money and having to say goodbye to the only place he'd ever really been. "How long do I get to stay, Yuyukun?"

"Long as you can, Erin."

Kagayaki looked over at Cassiechan, his expression not changed. Okay, he couldn't do it. He sat down beside her, leaning his head on her shoulder. "I sory... letted you falled." he told her, softly. "No meaned to." He half-looked up at her, not lifting his head. "You... maded?"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

She was feeling so bad she couldn't manage more than a weak smile at Yukito's comment about her mother. I'm so sorry she's like this...I always feel so embarrassed when she acts this way around my friends! It's like she doesn't get how important you guys are to me, or just doesn't care, or...I don't even know what! She mumbled a little apology to Yukito's mother, meaning it more than her words made it sound.

"It's not a problem, Wrightochan. "You are welcome to stay here with us as long as you need to," Yukito's mom replied, her voice filled with so much kindness that Cassie wanted to run at her and hug her, yearning for the kind of maternal affection her friends took for granted. She could feel tears starting to spring up at the corner of her eyes, and she quickly looked down, hoping to avoid suspicion as Kagayaki and Yukito launched into a tirade of impossibly fast--or so it seemed to Cassie--Japanese. What are they saying? Kagayaki's mentioned my name at least once or twice...is he talking about the kiss? Or how mom threw us out practically? Or how him seeing me sick is completely repulsive to him in every possible way and he can't stand being around me for one more second? Knowing my luck, I'll bet it's the last one. Ugh, I hate this! I hate being sick, I hate how we have to be here, I hate how awkward this whole situation is! If there's a bigger turn-off than seeing someone sick like this I don't know what is...what if this ruins everything?

"I wish there were subtitles for life," she said once things had quieted down, hoping to subtly tell everyone that she wanted them to translate what had just gone down. When no one offered one, she sighed and leaned against Kagayaki, taking a bit of comfort from him being there. "By the way, Mrs. Maki...or would you prefer Makisan or something? Or whatever it was Kagayaki said? I'm sorry, I don't know what to call you...anyway, I brought the thing you told me to." Next to her, Kagayaki whispered, "Makisama," and Cassie nodded, tucking the word away for later, even though she wasn't sure with her fever-addled mind she would ever be able to remember it.

"Thank you so much, Wrightochan! And I suppose you can call me Makisan, just to keep things simple. If it's easier for you, you can just call me Korkoro." Cassie nodded. "Korkoro?" Aidousan asked, sounding very confused. "Siri... do 'Makisan'."

Cassie gave him a tiny smile. "Makisan," she repeated.

It was then that she noticed Erin was there as well, huddled on the couch next to Yukito, who looked like death warmed over. I suppose I look the same... "Don't tell me you're sick too..." What are the odds?

"No, I'm here to make kareshi feel better!" said Erin happily. Cassie tried to return her friend's smile, but gave up. "Thank god. I'm not sure I could handle it if you were. It would make it even more awkward...my mom basically kicked us out because we're sick. She doesn't want anyone else catching it. So...here we are."

Kagayaki jumped up to greet Erin, and Cassie toppled over, but she was feeling so awful she barely cared. She closed her eyes as they talked, willing the nausea to go away, just for a few moments..."Hey!"

"Oh! Gomen nasai..." he cried, quickly moving to help her up. The movement made another wave of nausea rush over her, and she closed her eyes before mumbling, "Don't worry about it." She opened her eyes, addressing the group in general but mostly the two Makis. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm the rudest person ever now. Sorry. Thanks so much for letting us stay here for a bit." Thanks for putting up with me...I feel so horrible about all this right now...

"I wish I could, too," Erin said. If Cassie had been feeling better, she would have given her a skeptical look, but even the thought of that made her stomach turn backflips. You really want to stay in this den of awkwardness and germs? "How long do I get to stay, Yuyukun?"

"Long as you can, Erin." They're really cute...I'm so happy everything's good with them again...I just wish I could enjoy it more.

"I sory... letted you falled," Kagayaki told her quietly as he laid his head down on her shoulder. "No meaned to. You... maded?"

This, at least, brought a little shadow of a smile to Cassie's face. "No, I'm not mad," she said, kissing his cheek as discreetly as she could manage given the circumstances.

She looked up and noticed something on Yukito's lap...something shiny and book-shaped. Cassie leaned over and felt a little smile light up her face. "What's this, then?" she asked. She reached over and dragged her duffel bag towards her, moving as little as she could as not to disturb Kagayaki. She unzipped it and dug through it. "I think I may have solved the mystery of why Makisan asked me to bring this!" From the depths of her bag, she produced a large photo album, big enough to hold three or four pictures on each page in scrapbook form. The album cover was covered in pastel fabric with teddy bears and stars on it, and lace dripped from the edges. On the cover in a plastic photo sleeve stood a toddler-size Cassie, grinning at the camera and paying no attention to the strawberry ice cream that was dripping from the cone in her hand and covering her face. "According to her, this was the only way I could stay here," she said, shooting Makisan a sly look. "Let's get this embarrassment over with, shall we?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Cassie apologized, ending with, "Thanks so much for letting us stay here for a bit."

Disgruntled that Cassie and Aidousan would get to stay and she wouldn't, Erin crossed her arms in a pout. "I wish I could, too." She leaned over on Yukito, who immediately hugged her to him. "How long do I get to stay, Yuyukun?"

Yukito just shrugged, deflating Erin's hope that he'd tell her that no one was going to make her go home, that he knew it wasn't fair that they got to stay when she didn't. "Long as you can, Erin."

Erin looked at him with a smile. "So I can stay until you kick me out?"

Yukito shifted closer to her, his collection of pictures teetering from the imbalance, and Erin took it form him and into her hands with an impish grin. For a second she thought maybe she should let it be, since he was sick and all and it wasn't exactly fair, but it wasn't fair that Aidousan and Cassie got to stay over and she didn't. Plus, it was really cute to see him blush. She turned the page and looked at him expectantly. However, Yukito was busy sending his mother a look, who was on the phone, conversing cheerily. Curious herself now, Erin listened-- she was right there, it wasn't like it was eavesdropping. In fact, Erin was pretty sure Makisan wanted to be heard.

"Yes....would you mind if we borrow it for awhile? They're having a bit of a party over here. I could come get them, or you could bring them over here, it doesn't matter to me in the least...yeah, I know. It's such a long way, right?" Makisan said with a laugh, and then Erin got it. It was some weird nostalgia conspiracy, and now Erin was being brought into it. And I'm not even sick! For a minute Erin thoguht of protesting, but then, she thought there wasn't really any reason to protest... she didn't think her pictures were especially embarrassing or anything. In fact, she thought she'd been a really cute kid, thank you very much. So she actually didn't mind sharing them... but she did mind not being able to share Yukito's cute snippets of past alone with him, so she could tease him about it more, and maybe get to see those videos... Oh, my god, I actually want to watch home movies? Someone else's home movies? Maybe I did catch something...

Cassie and Aidousan were talking behind her, being weirdly sick/cute together. As far as Erin knew, neither had actually suggested they actually date instead of the weird pre-relationship friend-flirt, and it kind of drove her nuts. She didn't see the sense in it when both knew good and well how much they liked each other, and it grated her. Not only that, but they were crashing at her boyfriend's house, so she wasn't paying particular attention to them.

At least not until Cassie noticed Yukito's pictures. And said how Makisan had gotten Cassie to bring hers over, too. It was then that Erin reaffirmed her believe that adults, at least the ones she knew, had really weird senses of humor. Or of entertainment. Maybe both. Actually, probably both.

Erin cast a look at Cassie's album, for a moment nearly blinded by the abundance of frill. And that was just the outside cover. "Wow."

"According to her, this was the only way I could stay here. Let's get this embarrassment over with, shall we?"

Erin looked at Cassie like she'd just announced that she was actually a cyborg working for Darth Vader. "What are you talking about, Cassie? Do you have pictures of you, like, making a face after eating octopus or something? Let me see," she said, reaching for it so she could prove Cassie's 'embarrassment' claim. "You should see Yukito's! It has Aidousan in it, and they were so cute!" Erin shot a grin in Yukito's direction, until a knock at the door distracted her, and a familiar head peeped in.

It was her mom, and Erin was just about to say how she wasn't ready to go home yet and that she'd just got here, that she didn't even have any homework (even though she did), but it didn't take long for her to realize that wasn't her mom's intention at all. "Hello! Erin, come get this," she called lightly at the threshold, gesturing to the thickly bound book in her hand. Erin hopped up from beside Yukito and met her mother at the doorway, taking the pink-and-purple album in her hands. It was very thick with pictures and cutouts her mother had stuffed it with over the years, even though the book itself had only been meant to hold two pictures on a page. "Oh, are you all sick?" Mandi asked in typically concerned fashion. "I didn't realize you were taking care of so many, Korkoro. If it's too much, Erin can come back home--"

"Hey!" interrupted Erin, having gone right back to her place beside Yukito. "I got permission and everything!"

"Alright, I just wanted to check with Korkoro-- sometimes flu can be demanding, that's all." A last sympathetic glance at the lot, at Yukito. "I hope you all feel better soon, and drink some water, okay? Let me know if you need anything," her last sentence was directed to Yukito's mother before her own slipped out.

"Hey! Yuyukun, do you wanna see?" She held out the book to him, already opened to a random page. "It's your turn!" Erin held the book in both hands, pages open, showing several stages of Erin before kindergarten: an Erin in her 'terrible twos' sitting in her mother's lap, heels of her hands smashing down piano keys; a one-year old Erin on her birthday, wearing a tiny LSU cheerleader outfit and pink frosting on her nose and chin as her dad kissed her cheek; and a preschool Erin playing in the wave-pool at Blue Bayou Water Park in Baton Rouge, her and another preschool companion sending splashes to the camera. The pictures were disorganized and scattered in age, but all placed in the album with careful consideration, so as many as possible could fit on one page while still showing all the important parts. Which mostly consisted of Erin, since the book was entirely her mother's doing.

Erin waited, albeit impatiently, for Yukito's response. "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?" she asked, turning to Aidousan and Cassie-- referring both to her pictures, and Yukito's.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"How long do I get to stay, Yuyukun?"

He tried not to betray that he wanted to beg her to stay. No, that wouldn't go over well with the already precarious relationship between Yukito and Erin's parents. "Long as you can, Erin." He said with a shrug.

"So I can stay until you kick me out?" She smiled up at him hopefully, and he shifted until she was snuggled closer to him beneath his possessive arm. Unfortunately, this movement shifted the photo album precariously balanced on his knees, and directly caught the attention of both Cassie and Erin.

"What's this, then? I think I may have solved the mystery of why Makisan asked me to bring this!" Cassie brandished an album that made Yukito feel much better about his simplistically decorated family embarrassment book.

"Wow." Erin said bluntly, and Yukito had to grunt his amused approval.

"According to her, this was the only way I could stay here. Let's get this embarrassment over with, shall we?" I knew it. Gosh, mom, do you have nothing else to occupy your time with than breaking the ice with a bunch of sick teenagers? He took another drink and realized his soda was already half-gone, to his silent surprise.

Erin sent her best friend a dismayed look, "What are you talking about, Cassie? Do you have pictures of you, like, making a face after eating octopus or something? Let me see," she unceremoniously snatched the book from Cassie, and Yukito was about to add a sarcastic comment when she continued, "You should see Yukito's! It has Aidousan in it, and they were so cute!" She sent Yukito a grin, and his smile twitched at one corner.

"Hello! Erin, come get this," Erin's mother said from the doorway. She held in her hands a book Yukito could bet money contained pictures of young Erin. Now he was a little interested. Maybe he could wait out the cute comments while he perused Erin's past, pieces of which he rarely got a hold of in conversation. Mostly because Erin was too scatter-brained to sit still and give any lengthy dialogues about her childhood. Plus, Yukito wasn't good at probing for details. No matter how enticing. Mostly it was because he hated to sound anything like a shrink and, irony of ironies, he was dating the daughter of a shrink. "Oh, are you all sick? I didn't realize you were taking care of so many, Korkoro. If it's too much, Erin can come back home--"

"Hey!" Erin slid back into her familiar spot at Yukito's side like a hand into a well-worn leather glove. "I got permission and everything!" Yukito smirked.

"Alright, I just wanted to check with Korkoro-- sometimes flu can be demanding, that's all." She sent a look around, as if to send little gifts of get-well to the quiet lump of teenagers sprawled around the living room. "I hope you all feel better soon, and drink some water, okay? Let me know if you need anything,"

Kokoro thanked her and let her go, deciding to take up Mandi's ideas, converted into an offer for some sort of warm, soup-like meal as she scuttled to the kitchen. Yukito noted she seemed almost eager to have more optimistic-looking faces than her son to tend to for once.

"Hey! Yuyukun, do you wanna see?" Erin brought his attention back, holding out her memory book. He sent her a curious look, but found himself hesitating. "It's your turn!"

"Sure..." he muttered with a little smile, taking the album and staring down at the frozen images of Erin. He knew instantly which ones were her - they all had those signature expressive eyes, and her smile was still prominent in each frame. He lifted one of the pages up so as to see it closer, as if the possibility of looking close enough to hear the memories playing out was probable. He had to admit he was looking longest of the one with Erin at her first birthday, the candle signifying the date, the little version of his girlfriend mid-laugh as her father leaned down to kiss her cheek affectionately. She's always been so bright and energetic. He marveled at each picture showing her cheerful and happy. To look through that book made it feel as if she was always happy, even though he knew the camera only captured the moment chosen to be captured, and that she had had her dark times, too. But she was still smiling next to him, still practically bouncing where she sat, looking so much older now compared to her childhood pictures.

"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?"

He shook his head, giving a soft and simple reply, "It's not boring." I want to see more of Erin happy again. He didn't even mind if they poured over pictures of him making a fool of himself in ridiculous t-shirts with slogans like, 'Here comes trouble' and 'I <3 bugs'. He didn't mind Erin calling him cute repeatedly, or Aidousan going into high-pitched-voice-mode, a series of events that always grated his nerves as it amused him. He didn't mind, if he could keep the album to look at. He wasn't likely to lift it up and show someone a choice picture and exclaim at its intrigue. No, he would probably just sit and smile at it for a prolonged period of time, just smiling to himself...

"Guess what I found!" Kokoro said, still holding an oven mitt in one hand. In the other she held a video tape, strangely with no actual title printed on its white sticker label, but just two dates, indicating when the content began and when it ended. "It's stuff your band recorded, Yukito!"

There were probably four seconds where Yukito was numbly considering this. We never made any vid-- Oh, s***. He leapt up to snatch the video from her, but she was already shoving it into the player with a laugh.

"MOM. DON'T." But Korkoro pushed her son away, laughing hysterically as Yukito felt the wave of nausea wash over him, dizzy beyond compare, and the sensation of suffocating heat rose up his neck and into his cheeks, turning them a crazy crimson color.

"Nu-huuuh..." she sang out gleefully, practically shoving him over in his weakened state, "We're going to have some fun today. So just go sit down and try to enjoy yourself for once."

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"No, I'm not mad." Cassiechan whispered, and a sensation ran through his cheek as she kissed it. He felt his whole body tense and he almost kissed her right then.

Almost. He was trying to be good about this and not mess up like he had every time before.

Almost. And he wished he had but he hadn't.

Kagayaki looked up at the same time as Cassiechan and Saikochan, when Yukitokun moved and the photo album in his lap shifted. 'Oh... I remember that...'

"What's this, then?" Cassiechan said, and Kagayaki immediately looked over at her. He felt a slight blush on his face. He was watching her so close again... how her hair fell into her face as she leaned over, the look in her eyes as she looked for something, then the expression on her face when she finally produced what he thought was a photo album of her own. Kagayaki felt a little crooked smile on his face, half a foolish grin and half a smile he probably shouldn't have been wearing.

He wasn't thinking what it seemed like he was thinking. He really wasn't!

"I think I may have solved the mystery of why Makisan asked me to bring this!"

His eyes fell to the book, and he stifled a laugh, coming over behind Cassiechan to look at it over her shoulder. "Aw, kawaii." he said, nudging her head with his. "Cute, yah. Very very."

"Wow." Saikochan said, and Kagayaki half thought it might be because of what would seem to be a sudden closeness between him and Cassiechan. But he knew it was because of the incredibly frilly photo album. Yeah, that was definitely it. But he still wondered... did Saikochan know? Did she know what had happened between him and Cassie?

Did he want her to?

"According to her, this was the only way I could stay here. Let's get this embarrassment over with, shall we?"

Kagayaki laughed, reaching over her shoulder to touch the frills and ribbons. "You cute kid?" he teased, kissing her cheek for a fraction of a second and not even noticing what he had done. "Been okay, Cassiechan! Wan' see!"

"What are you talking about, Cassie? Do you have pictures of you, like, making a face after eating octopus or something? Let me see," Saikochan said, taking the book from Cassiechan. Kagayaki pouted openly, a bit disappointed that she had taken both his idea and the book of Cassiechan when she was little. But he soon smiled.

"I do!" he said, holding up his hand. Then he sighed dramatically. "Demo, is home." He laughed again, laying his head on Cassiechan's shoulder. "Yah, will show you, sometime." Suddenly his stomach lurched. 'No... not again...' It took all his willpower to pretend to be alright.

Saikochan continued with a grin sent in Yukitokun's direction: "You should see Yukito's! It has Aidousan in it, and they were so cute!"

Kagayaki beamed. "Hai." Then he looked over at Cassiechan just as Saikochan ran to the door. Cassiechan looked like she was feeling as awful as he was. "Cassiechan," he moaned gently, wrapping his arms very carefully around her shoulders and laying his head against hers from behind. "So-so-shourd ray d-d-don."

Oh c***. He was stuttering because he was about ready to puke. He didn't want to! He wanted to be strong for Cassiechan. He wanted to be strong for her so she could relax for a while.

And maybe feel better. He pulled her so she was laying against him. "No feerin good. Knows."

"Hey! Yuyukun, do you wanna see?" Saikochan's happy voice rang through, making Kagayaki look up a little. He found one of his hands reaching up to Cassiechan's hair, idly playing with a long red curl. "It's your turn!"

"Sure..." Yukitokun said, and Kagayaki smirked. How had they ended up this happy, anyway? How had they gotten so lucky? A year ago, they had both been broken hearted because Yukitokun had left, and now... now they were so... in love with two of the most wonderful girls in the entire world.

He was sure. Even though he was ill and delusional right now.

"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?"

Kagayaki laughed gently. "Me!" he cried, finding his voice airy and weak. He swallowed. 'No... don't...'

"It's not boring." was all Yukitokun said, and Kagayaki felt his smile start to return.

'Yes, we are definitely in love, the two of us. I never thought we'd end up this lucky, but we did. I don't know what sort of higher power is looking after us, but there definitely is one. I just know it.'

"Guess what I found!" Makisama called out, making Kagayaki look up. That video in her hand... it looked familiar somehow. "It's stuff your band recorded, Yukito!"

His jaw dropped, and he looked over at Yukitokun. They only recorded one video. Just one, and that was of... "Oh! Oh! Sugoi desu ne! Sugoi desu ne!" he said, feeling his stomach jumping with every word. He forced his smile to stay on. 'Just keep it down... just keep it down...' "Yes, yes, yes!"

"MOM. DON'T." Yukitokun cried, and Kagayaki felt himself laughing hard, because Makisama had already put it in.

"Watch, watch, waaaaaatch!"

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

Kagayaki's smile suddenly faded, and he made a face he wished he hadn't. "Cassiechan..." he whispered, slowly moving from behind her this time so she wouldn't fall over. "Sumimasen. Wait, for, me." He slipped away. His stomach was just too upset. He didn't realize he slammed the bathroom door. Desperate, Kagayaki turned the water on full blast to cover up the sound. It was several minutes before he was finished, his throat burning and his stomach sore. He flushed the toilet, rinsing his mouth and face with cool water. Drying off his face, he looked into the mirror.

He looked as awful as he felt right now. That wasn't good. He took a deep breath, and tried to put a smile on. It hurt. It literally hurt. Another deep breath and another failed smile.

'Why can't I just be strong for once? Why do I have to be so weak?'