Apt. #634B - The Makis' House

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"That's not true... You're good for me, Yukito. I really love you. I don't ever want to be without you ever again, because it just sucks without you." He heard her let out a little laugh, and it made him feel better to hear it. "But I'm glad you want to be cheesy and ridiculous with me... I'm really good at those things, apparently." He smiled - it was true. The conversation held nothing of the tense, chest-punching anxiety of a few minutes ago. It had now evaporated, along with the unspoken words, and left them alone and unbelievably close.

"I don't think you got to see all your presents, Yukitokun. I wanna know what you think of the melonpan."

"I like melonpan.." he said with a coy smile. "And yours have chocolate chips, don't they?"

"Yukitokun... thank you for telling me..." She hugged him again and pressed her lips to his cheek softly. He gave a little nod since he didn't trust his voice with much more.

"Let's go make a party." he said simply, pressing his lips to hers in a reassurance, slipping off the bed backwards, keeping his face close to hers as long as possible. The edges of his lips curved upwards slowly, "You know... the party is for you..." Yukito's head tilted to the side a little bit and he rolled his eyes, "Okay, so maybe a little bit for mom, too. I have to let her have her fun once in awhile."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She didn't know exactly how to go on after such a huge, tense few minutes.... after something so big and memorable and important happened, what did you do? Stating the obvious seemed like a good idea. So Erin observed, "I don't think you got to see all your presents, Yukitokun. I wanna know what you think of the melonpan."

"I like melonpan... And yours have chocolate chips, don't they?"

"Mmhmm!" Erin confirmed, nodding brightly. Then she added with as much sincerity as she could put in her voice-- she wanted him to know just how much his words had meant to her-- "Yukitokun.... thank you for telling me..." She hugged him one more time, kissing his cheek gently.

Yukito gave a brief nod, then followed Erin's lead in shifting gears. "Let's go make a party," he said, giving her a kiss before she could respond. "You know," he started, keeping Erin close to them when they moved from his bed, "The party is for you..."

Erin smiled and gave a little scoff at his stubbornness. "Aw, c'mon, Yuyukun."

"Okay, so maybe a little bit for mom, too," he conceded, rolling his eyes. "I have to let her have her fun once in a while."

Erin shook her head, a smile still on her face. "You're so freakin' stubborn, Yukitokun. I love you." She walked with her arm resting on his back, still smiling as she followed him. The smile was a little for the amusement of their current banter, but more so over his confidence in her, in his confirmation that he wasn't ever going to leave her, even if he couldn't be with her as often, and in his promises to her.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Let's go make a party," he said, pressing his lips to hers. "You
know," he said as he slipped off the bed backwards, trying to keep
their faces close in case she wanted another kiss. "The party is for
you..."

Erin smiled and gave a little scoff at his stubbornness. "Aw, c'mon, Yuyukun."

Yukito responded with a roll of his eyes. "Okay, so maybe a little bit
for mom, too, I have to let her have her fun once in a while."

Erin shook her head, a smile still on her face. "You're so freakin'
stubborn, Yukitokun. I love you."

“It's good you love me, or you'd never put up with me.” He led the way back into the living room, their previous physical connection restored even as they walked. It was always a bit awkward to walk so close while trying to touch her as much as he could, but they somehow managed. And it felt better to be constantly reassured someone was there.

You aren't alone.

He was going to make himself believe that, and she was seriously helping.

When they slipped over to their previous place on the couch,
everything felt different. There was that strange coolness on his face left after a hard, painful cry, but there was also the ease to
breathe. Even if someone was pressing close at his side, her arms
wrapped around him, and his encircling her. He saw his mother peering in at them from the living room through his peripheral vision, and he might have said something to her if the doorbell hadn't rang just then.

“Do me a favor, Erin?” he said suddenly as his mom went to the door and chirruped a greeting, “Don't go away.”

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

She hadn't known just how formal Yukito's graduation party would be, and Cassie was feeling a little self-conscious about whether the clothes she had worn would be okay. But more than that, she was nervous about what she had gotten for Yukito. She didn't feel that she knew him well enough even by now to know what sort of things he would like, and rather than call Erin and awkwardly ask her what she should get him, Cassie had baked.

Now, she struggled to hold onto her platters of food as she stood in front of the door to the Makis' apartment. She had found a recipe online for mini strawberry cheesecakes--just cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla mixed together and put into a cupcake holder with a vanilla wafer, then baked and topped with a spoonful of strawberry pie filling (Cassie had later eaten the remaining pie filling for her lunch). She had made about three dozen of these, made a batch of brownies, and had also thrown together a red velvet cake at the last minute. I'm probably going overboard, she thought as she waited for the door to open, but it's what I do. And I know I made too many cheesecakes, but chances are I'm going to be eating those the entire time anyway, so it's better to be safe than sorry...right?

Finally, just when Cassie thought she would drop the baked goods she had spent all afternoon worrying about and making, a smiling Mrs. Makisan opened the door. Cassie grinned widely, looking past her to see Erin and Yukito sitting on the couch. "Hi!" she said excitedly. "Someone tell me where to put these before I fall over, please..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

If she could, Erin would erase the pangs of the memories Yukito had just shared with her. Why did such horrible things have to happen to such good people? Why was his willingness to love someone rewarded with snatching them away from him? Why was he allowed to hurt so much? She could give him things, and she could hold him, but she couldn’t make those things for him, when it’s what she wanted to do the most… Reality sucks.

But he did tell her. And he did let her in. And he did love her. Otherwise he wouldn’t have done either of those things. Which meant that maybe she could help in little ways, even if she couldn’t make the past not happen. Even if she couldn’t take away the metaphorical scars. But he shouldn’t have any. He doesn’t deserve any…

She kept her arms around him, her head resting on him, and he kept her close even as his doorbell sounded out. “Do me a favor, Erin?” Yukito voiced, and she looked up at him inquiringly. “Don’t go away.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she told him quietly, not really sure if she was supposed to answer that or not, but she did anyway, and honestly.

Erin turned her head around as far as she could without moving away from Yukito to see who’d just come through the door, and she smiled brightly at Cassie, standing there with arms full and precariously balanced. “It’s Cassie! Hi!” She finally took away one hand to wave enthusiastically to her friend.

”Hi!” Cassie echoed. ”Someone tell me where to put these before I fall over, please…”

“Oooh, what’s all that?!” she asked excitedly, hopping up to see what her friend had brought inside. Without warning to Cassie, Erin took the top two collections of food, breathing deeply in hopes to get a whiff of their scents. “They smell so good, Cassie! Did you make them? Is it to share?” She punctuated the questions with a laugh in Cassie’s direction as she walked to set them down on the kitchen counter. It felt so nice to feel at home at Yukito’s, and now there was no way she couldn’t feel like that. In fact, it felt like an extension of her own home. It was a very nice feeling.

“Yukito,” she called as she sauntered back into the living room and her spot next to him on the couch. “Did you see all of it?” She picked up the collection of gifts and held it up to him.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

There was a weird sort of strangeness, and he felt like there was something heavier holding her close to him, though it wasn't in the suffocating sort of way he was getting used to. “Do me a favor, Erin? Don’t go away.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said in a quiet voice. Yukito looked down to stare at her, just as someone entered the room. “It’s Cassie! Hi!” Erin declared, waving.

”Hi!” Cassie was carrying a lot of food. ”Someone tell me where to put these before I fall over, please…”

“Oooh, what’s all that?!” Erin was psyched, and leapt up to hop over to Cassie's side. Yukito followed, echoing Erin by taking some of Cassie's load and leading the way to the ktichen.

“They smell so good, Cassie! Did you make them? Is it to share?” Yukito's lips started to twitch, wanting to smile at her eagerness to eat the goodies Cassie had brought.

"Wow, Cassie...you didn't have to bring all that..." she had somehow beat Erin with the baked goods, and his eyes widened as he seriously took in everything she had brought. There were brownies and cake, and a ton of cheesecake. "Wow..."

“Yukito,” Erin interceded again, indicating presents. “Did you see all of it?”

He rolled his eyes, "Not yet. Be patient, won't you?" he chuckled and took the basket she had gotten him, starting to dig around inside it for what she had brought. He laughed, "Is this a picture of us?" He turned to the CDs, turning them over and inspecting the titles of the songs included. More brownies. This is a brownie place. Headphones he couldn't really try out properly unless he pulled out his ipod now, but he placed them on his head all the same, feeling their presences and the awkwardness. Once they fitted on his head, his eyes widened. It was like being in a padded room. "Woah." He couldn't even really hear his own voice, it was muffled and sounded distant. Yukito turned to Erin, not sure what to say.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

“It’s Cassie! Hi!” Erin chirped before Cassie even got through the door. Her enthusiasm was contagious, or as contagious as it could be while Cassie was carrying half a bakery in her hands. I'm really glad I decided not to do the peach pie as well, now... ”Hi! Someone tell me where to put these before I fall over, please…”

“Oooh, what’s all that?!” cried Erin before taking the cake and one of the batches of cheesecake-cupcakes from Cassie's hands. She breathed a sigh of relief as part of the heavy load was lifted and the baked goods became easier to carry. “They smell so good, Cassie! Did you make them? Is it to share?”

Cassie laughed as they set the sweets down in the kitchen. "No, I just decided to turn into be the Dessert Monster after I turned into Betty Freakin' Crocker. It's all mine." She rolled her eyes at Erin. "Of course it's to share."

"Wow, Cassie...you didn't have to bring all that..." Cassie smiled at Yukito. "Yeah...but I didn't know what else to get you, so I figured everybody likes desserts." She unwrapped the aluminum foil from one of the batches of cheesecake-cupcakes and took one out, unwrapping the cupcake holder and popping it into her mouth. "There's brownies, and these are like cheesecakes--only in cupcake form--with strawberries on them, and I'm addicted." As if to prove her point, she took another one, eating that too with a smile. "And thanks."


“Yukito,” Erin interceded again, indicating presents. “Did you see all of it?”

Cassie looked to see Yukito looking through a basket of stuff presumably from Erin. "Oh! Almost forgot." She took her purse off of her shoulder and set it on the floor, searching through it and taking out items that got in her way and setting them on the floor next to it. "Aha!" She handed Yukito a card, still kneeling on the floor with her stuff in piles around her. "Here you go."

She sorted through her belongings, putting wallet, keys, and cell phone back into her purse with a smile. She flipped open her cell phone, half-hoping to see something from her sister, but was disappointed yet again. Oh well.

When she looked up, Yukito had a pair of huge headphones in his ears and was looking rather alarmed. Cassie laughed. "Yeah, I'd say my gift kinda pales in comparison now..." She got up and brought one of the platters of cheesecakes back into the living room, along with the plate of brownies. She grinned at Erin as she ate another cheesecake. "Easy access."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

“They smell so good, Cassie!" Erin rattled off, setting the platter on the counter and peeking under the cover. "Did you make them? Is it to share?”

Cassie laughed as they set the sweets down in the kitchen. "No, I just decided to turn into be the Dessert Monster after I turned into Betty Freakin' Crocker. It's all mine." She rolled her eyes at Erin. "Of course it's to share."

Erin just snickered at her comment, echoing, "Betty Freakin' Crocker," as she plucked up one of the bite-sized cheesecakes.

"Wow, Cassie...you didn't have to bring all that..." Yukito commented, making Erin roll her eyes at him. "Of course she didn't have to, that's kind of the point."

"Yeah...but I didn't know what else to get you, so I figured everybody likes desserts," Cassie told him, joining Erin in enjoying her edible presents.

"Hey, that's what I did!" Erin chimed in, already plucking up another mini cheesecake. "These are sooo good, Cassie, we should make them together! We could make, like, a million of 'em and have a party..."

"There's brownies, and these are like cheesecakes--only in cupcake form--with strawberries on them, and I'm addicted. And thanks."

“Yukito,” Erin interceded again, gesturing to her gifts still waiting for him. “Did you see all of it?”

He rolled his eyes. "Not yet. Be patient, won't you?"

"Yukito, just go open 'em!" she ordered, grinning, as Yukito laughed a little at her and finally went to investigate her presents to him.

"Is this a picture of us?" he asked, making Erin laugh out loud. "Who else would it be?"

"Oh! Almost forgot," Cassie chimed in, suddenly digging through her purse until she found a card. Crap, I forgot a card!! was Erin's immediate thought. Then, Oh, Cassie's phone is pretty! She picked it up and flipped it open, watching the background on her friend's phone as Cassie handed her card to him. "I forgot a card," she muttered, kind of hoping her disappointment in herself wasn't obvious in her voice.

Cassie started replacing all her things back into her purse, Erin quickly returning her friend's cell to her. Meanwhile, Erin's attention automatically reverted to Yukito, who was now fooling around with the headphones. Yeah, so, they were bulky, but they were supposed to have this great acoustic effect or whatever... she hoped he'd find that worth it. At the look on his face that Erin wasn't sure how to identify, she still found herself smiling, and pulled out her phone to snap a quick picture of him. "New profile pic!" she chirped with a laugh.

Cassie laughed. "Yeah, I'd say my gift kinda pales in comparison now..."

In response, Erin quickly snagged one of the brownies that Cassie had just set down beside them (mentioning the 'easy access') and took a bite, then shook her head fervently with wide and insisting eyes. "Mm-mm!" she sounded, a closed-mouth version of a negative.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Wow, Cassie...you didn't have to bring all that..." Yukito commented lamely. He saw Erin rolling her eyes.

"Of course she didn't have to, that's kind of the point."

"Yeah...but I didn't know what else to get you, so I figured everybody likes desserts," Cassie explained, as the two girls immediately dug into the treats. Yukito didn't have the heart to tell them both about his borderline anorexic tendencies.

"Hey, that's what I did!" Erin chimed in, already plucking up another mini cheesecake. "These are sooo good, Cassie, we should make them together! We could make, like, a million of 'em and have a party..."

"There's brownies, and these are like cheesecakes--only in cupcake form--with strawberries on them, and I'm addicted. And thanks."

Yukito just stood and smiled at the two of them plucking treats out of the mounds, leaning heavily on the counter with his left elbow. Gingerly, he reached over to try a cheese-cookie, or whatever it could be called. It was really good, of course. But it would probably take him forever to eat them all.

“Yukito,” Erin interceded again, gesturing to her gifts still waiting for him. “Did you see all of it?”

He rolled his eyes. "Not yet. Be patient, won't you?"

"Yukito, just go open 'em!" came the happy command, and he laughed, reaching for the basket once again. The array of gifts was versatile and random, which suited Erin well. He would have been happy if she had give him a card or a poem or something scribbled across notebook paper.

It would have also meant less time spent with everyone watching him. Even if it was only the girls. And his mom - she walked in sometimes while he was peering closely into the basket, pulling out things that caught his eye.

"Is this a picture of us?" he asked, making Erin laugh out loud. "Who else would it be?" Yukito rolled his eyes. I meant why would a picture of us be in my basket? It's kind of a strange gift.

"Oh! Almost forgot," Cassie chimed in, suddenly digging through her purse, tossing aside her cell phone, which Erin promptly picked up and starting playing with. "I forgot a card," Erin muttered, as though this was a sad truth to be admitted. Yukito sat back with Cassie's card, reading it with a smile, his eyes lingering on her signature. He felt a strange sort of warmth in his stomach as he held the card. And he might have even felt a blush coming to his cheeks as he sat with Cassie and Erin around him, his mother smiling as she made herself comfortable on a nearby chair, turning her camera on to snap images of everyone.

"Thanks, Cassie..." he said in a quiet, timid-sort of voice, keeping his head down but flickering his eyes up to her face.

Yukito pulled out a bulky set of headphones that Erin had given him and stuck them on his head to test them. Immediately all sound around him stopped, and his eyes widened considerably, a shocked look on his face. He turned to look at Erin, muttering, "Woah." And he could barely hear himself. Instantly Erin had her cell phone out and had snapped a picture, and too late he ducked down, yanking off the headphones. "Erin!"

"New profile pic!" he heard laughter from the girls, and he tried to look angry.

"Yeah, I'd say my gift kinda pales in comparison now..." Cassie commented. Erin snagged another brownie and denied the statement with a closed-mouth utterance of disapproval.

"No, it doesn't, Cass..." he said with a little smile, turning to Erin and slipping his arm around her, "But thanks..." he held her eye contact as he pulled up the Phoenix necklace, smiling at her, "I really like this." It was kind of a weird way to say it, but he wanted to let her know straight-up. He slipped it on, feeling it with his fingertips as he did so.

Click.

Yukito looked up at his mother, glaring as she smirked at him over the camera. "Okaasan." She laughed.

"What? I can't take pictures of my boy at his eighteenth birthday party?" she beamed down at the thumbnails on the camera, checking to see if anyone had blinked. "But where is Aidoukun? Cassiechan looks lonely without him next to her."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"These are sooo good, Cassie, we should make them together! We could make, like, a million of 'em and have a party..." Erin said, trying one of the mini-cheesecakes. Cassie beamed. "Thanks! I found the recipe somewhere...it's just cream cheese and stuff mixed together and put on top of vanilla wafer cookies, can you believe it? And then you put pie filling on them. I always do strawberries, for obvious reasons, but I'm sure you could put other stuff on it. I think they'd be amazing with some chocolate and caramel." She ate another one, probably her fifth or sixth by now. "But beware, I'm addicted, like I said. Which is why I made...oh, three dozen of them. It's up to you to cut me off when I've had to much. They're like drugs or something. Better than, even." She laughed.

Yukito and Erin started talking about presents then, reminding Cassie that she'd also gotten Yukito a card. The card itself was simple enough, and probably even a bit unnecessary, but she found herself unable to break the habit, scrawling in several lines of support and friendship under the standard grad message the card came with. Cards are nice to get, anyway. I don't think it's that stupid...

Cassie turned back from giving Yukito the card to find Erin playing with her phone and she laughed. "Oh, you're so easily amused. I love you." Erin handed her the phone back, and Cassie checked it quickly before dropping it back into her bag with a small sigh. Not like I was expecting anything anyway.

"Thanks, Cassie..." Yukito said quietly. Cassie looked up. "Hmm? Oh. You're welcome. Congratulations."

She couldn't help laughing at Yukito's reaction to a pair of extreme headphones, and Erin's reaction to his reaction as she snapped a picture. "Erin!"

"New profile pic!" Erin responded happily as they laughed. "Yeah, I'd say my gift kinda pales in comparison now..." Cassie said, readily admitting defeat.

"Mm-mm!" Erin said, mouth full of brownie. Yukito agreed, voicing, "No, it doesn't, Cass..." Cassie shrugged. "If you say so."

"But thanks...I really like this." Yukito told Erin before Mrs. Makisan pounced, also armed with a camera to capture that moment for years of memories and blackmailing to come. "Okaasan."

"What? I can't take pictures of my boy at his eighteenth birthday party?" Cassie laughed. "Why does everyone hate pictures so much?" she asked, opening her purse again and searching through it. "I mean, I know I hid last time I was here, but that's because I don't like looking like a diseased zombie in pictures...I like having my picture taken." As if to prove her point, she grabbed Erin with one arm and pulled her close to her shoulder, taking her arm out of her purse to reveal her digital camera and taking a picture of the two of them. "And there's my new profile pic."

"But where is Aidoukun? Cassiechan looks lonely without him next to her."

Cassie blushed, looking down as if wanting to look through the rest of the pictures on her camera. "How'd you know about that, Mrs. Makisan? Do you have spies among us or something?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Cassie's phone neglected on the ground caught Erin's attention and she slid it open to play with it while Cassie busied herself with gift-giving. She was just about to add "the Awesome" to her name in Cassie's phone book when her friend turned back around and laughed. "Oh, you're so easily amused. I love you."

Erin grinned at her smugly as she handed back her phone. "I know."

"Thanks, Cassie..." Yukito said quietly. Cassie looked up. "Hmm? Oh. You're welcome. Congratulations."

"Ah, that's right!" Erin chimed in. "He's all--" she interrupted herself with fake sniffles as though she was crying. "All grown up now!" She grabbed for his hand with both of hers. "They grow up on you so fast!" Then she broke character and burst into bubbles of laughter. Despite the fact that she hated the idea of school without him, the idea of him moving on to so much better things that she couldn't share with him. Laughing made it easier to avoid the uncomfortable thought.

So when she found opportunity to tease him a bit with taking a picture of Yukito with no forewarning, that caught off-guard expression on his face, she immediately took it.

As she'd hoped, she'd earned herself a reaction. "Erin!" Too late, he tried to hide outside the frame, and Erin laughed at the captured image. "New profile pic!"

"Yeah, I'd say my gift kinda pales in comparison now..."

"Mm-mm!" Erin protested as well as she could with being busy with brownie-tasting. Yukito agreed, "No, it doesn't, Cass..."

Cassie only shrugged. "If you say so..."

Having disposed of her brownie, Erin assured her, "I do say so."

Yukito put his arm around her, drawing Erin's attention back to him as he told her, "But thanks... I really like this." He held up the necklace she'd found for him. Would anyone else think it was funny how it seemed to be a running theme for them to buy jewelry for each other? His appreciation caused Erin's expression to brighten enthusiastically, and she really wanted to kiss him for immediately putting it on.

The sound of a camera reached Erin's ears and immediately she turned to its source as Yukito simultaneously protested his mother's surprise camera attack.

"What? I can't take pictures of my boy at his eighteenth birthday party?"

Cassie immediately laughed at Yukito's reaction. "Why does everyone hate pictures so much?" she asked, opening her purse again and searching through it. "I mean, I know I hid last time I was here, but that's because I don't like looking like a diseased zombie in pictures...I like having my picture taken."

Erin was just about to debunk her argument and remind her that she was usually the one to ambush with pictures, but Cassie caught her off-guard and snagged a picture of the two of them, Erin mid-laughter. "And there's my new profile pic," she declared, Erin still laughing. "I think I just got ninja-ed..."

"But where is Aidoukun? Cassiechan looks lonely without him next to her."

Erin laughed quietly when she saw the redness in Cassie's cheeks. She's so cute and shy like that.

"How'd you know about that, Mrs. Makisan? Do you have spies among us or something?"

Erin scoffed a little, rolling her eyes. "Um, yeah, it's me, Cassie. I thought it was obvious." Then, dropping that line of thought, Erin plucked up another brownie and broke it in half. "You gotta try these brownies, Yukito!" she insisted, holding one half up to his eye level.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

He fidgeted, sticking the card underneath the crook of his arm as he walked up the stairs. He felt really stupid because he now had to tell Yukitokun that he'd only gotten him a card for his graduation party. Of course, that was because he'd gone and spent all his money shopping for Cassiechan's birthday.

Well, partially getting the costume from Japan and the hairdye and stuff. That he couldn't help. Then there was the present he'd gotten for Cassie, which hadn't been exactly cheap. Then he'd gotten carried away, gotten something for Erinchan. But Yukitokun was hard to shop for, and he hadn't thought of that... So now he felt like a really awful friend. But Yukitokun wouldn't really care, as long as he showed up to embarrass himself.

At least it would make Yuyukun feel better. And, anyway, Cassie was there, so he wouldn't be completely alone when Yukitokun and Erinchan began to either makeout or just disappear.

He sighed, trying the handle out of habit. Of course, it wasn't locked. This put a smile back onto Kagayaki's face. 'One of these days, Yuyukun, you're gonna get robbed or something awful... My mom always locks the door. Of course, that means I usually get locked out, but that's how I got to spend so much time with Tanakasan.' He slipped inside slowly, peeking in. "Tadaima," he said out of habit, looking around. His face lit up as he saw the two girls and Yukito. "Saikochan! Yukitokun! Herro!" Coming over, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, setting his card on the counter and wrapping his arms around Cassie's shoulders to distract himself. "Herro, Cassiechan..." he cooed in a hilariously high-pitched voice. "Wha' you doin', yah?" Kagayaki looked up and waved. "Herro, Makisama!" He pulled Cassiechan close again, nuzzling against her ear. "Missed you..."

'She gets so nervous when I act like this, but I can't help it. I'm crazy about her and have to keep her close.'

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Erin's bout of melodrama involving how 'they grow up on you so fast' only resulted in an eye roll from Yukito as he slipped on the headphones she had given him. Apparently the look on his face had amused her enough for her to snap a quick picture of him, claiming it was for her profile online. He protested loudly, but mostly because she had surprised him. And he had just gotten over the slight flush on his cheek when his own mother started snapping shots, too.

"Why does everyone hate pictures so much?" Cassie wondered aloud, "I mean, I know I hid last time I was here, but that's because I don't like looking like a diseased zombie in pictures...I like having my picture taken." She took advantage of the moment of distraction to capture Erin and herself in a photo, "And there's my new profile pic."

"I think I just got ninja-ed..." Erin said with a laugh. Yukito smiled to himself.

"But where is Aidoukun? Cassiechan looks lonely without him next to her." his mother commented, making Yukito send her a dark 'back off, woman' sort of look.

Cassiechan, on the other hand, blushed prettily and averted her eyes, "How'd you know about that, Mrs. Makisan? Do you have spies among us or something?"

"Um, yeah, it's me, Cassie. I thought it was obvious." Erin countered, rolling her eyes.

Korkoro smiled knowingly around her camera, watching Cassie's face. "I'm a mother, that's all I can say." Her eyes flickered over to Yukito and Erin, so close on the couch, her smile growing.

"You gotta try these brownies, Yukito!" Yukito turned to look at her and found half a brownie in his face. His eyes widened slightly, then he reached up to take one between three fingers, staring at the weird texture that always accompanied brownies before popping it into his mouth. One eyebrow arched, and he was about to swallow so as to make a positive comment when a familiar head poked into view.

"Tadaima, Saikochan! Yukitokun! Herro!" Aidousan's eyes fell on Cassie, “Herro, Cassiechan...Wha' you doin', yah?"

Korkoro started to giggle, hiding it as she started for her bedroom door. "Herro, Makisama!" She whirled around and sent him a small bow.

"Konnichiwa, Aidouchan. Did you want to try out your new game? The one you got for your birthday? It's sad that no one's touched it yet..."

Yukito averted his eyes as soon as she said that. Oops. Guess she doesn't know I took it out of the box already and put it back in when I was done. Imagine that.

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: Assuming that this takes place in mid-late June, which is why I mentioned the opening of Julie&Julia and such. BIC:

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"He's all--All grown up now! They grow up on you so fast!" Erin wailed, melodramatic as always. Even though her tone was joking, Cassie couldn't help but think back on the many conversations she'd had with Erin about Yukito's graduation, and she knew that there was a part of what Erin was saying, no matter how small it was, that was true. She doesn't want to admit it, but she really doesn't want him to be done with high school yet...I can't really imagine feeling like that. I mean, I'll be sad when I leave and stuff...but I couldn't wait for Jake to move out. I remember that.

Now, though...now I wish I hadn't felt that way. At least, not as much.

The conversation turned from Lifetime-original-movie cliches to comparing Cassie's present to Erin's, a point which both Erin and Yukito protested loudly. Picture-taking was also a prominent topic, as Yukito did everything in his power besides spontaneously combusting to avoid his image being captured forever on his mother's and girlfriend's respective cameras. "Why does everyone hate pictures so much?"she asked. "I mean, I know I hid last time I was here, but that's because I don't like looking like a diseased zombie in pictures...I like having my picture taken. And there's my new profile pic," she added, quickly getting a picture of herself and Erin, the latter in the middle of another burst of laughter. "I think I just got ninja-ed..."

Cassie burst out laughing, shaking her head. "Nah, I'd make the worst ninja ever, don't you think? Not stealthy or awesome enough."

Mrs. Makisan chose that moment to make a comment about Kagayaki, leading Cassie to blush and wonder just how much Yukito's mother knew. Then again...what do the rest of them know? I told Erin about it, but did she tell Yukito? Meh, stupid question, she probably did. Wait, of course she did. "How'd you know about that, Mrs. Makisan? Do you have spies among us or something?"

"Um, yeah, it's me, Cassie. I thought it was obvious," Erin said with mock disdain. Cassie rolled her eyes. "It all makes sense now. And you call me a ninja?!"

"You gotta try these brownies, Yukito!" Erin cried, shoving one at him. Cassie raised one eyebrow. "They're not that good, are they?"

The only response to that was a familiar voice from the doorway. "Tadaima, Saikochan! Yukitokun! Herro!" Arms came around her shoulders and neck, reminding Cassie of a strange cross between a hug and a headlock. “Herro, Cassiechan...Wha' you doin', yah?"

"Eating," Cassie said, wiggling out of his embrace in order to grab a cheesecake-cupcake. "Do you like strawberries?" She held it out to him. "I made these. Just call me Julia Child." She looked at Erin. "Oh! Erin! You have to go see that movie with me when it comes out. You know, Julie and Julia? It looks so awesome, I can hardly wait til August! Why do movie people have to be so mean, huh? I have all these awesome movies I want to see, and none of them come out for another month at least." She pretended to pout for a second before taking a brownie of her own. She took a bite. "Chocolate. Is there anything better?"

"Herro, Makisama!"

"Konnichiwa, Aidouchan. Did you want to try out your new game? The one you got for your birthday? It's sad that no one's touched it yet..."

Cassie raised her eyebrows questioningly as Kagayaki said, "Missed you..." Her only response was a little chuckle as she asked, "What game?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Um, yeah, it's me, Cassie. I thought it was obvious," Erin said as if it was obvious. Cassie rolled her eyes. "It all makes sense now. And you call me a ninja?!" Erin just laughed, then turned her attention back to the abundance of sweet things. The fleeting thought occurred to her that she was probably getting a sugar high now.

She offered half her brownie to Yukito and demanded that he try it. She'd hoped she could just put it in his mouth but he took it from her instead. Oh, well. "They're not that good, are they?"

Erin laughed, feeling the answer was obvious as she went to cut herself a piece of the cake. "Yukito, what do you have to drink besides water?" She stuck her head inside of his refrigerator, pulled back out, closed it again, and walked back into the living room. "Aidousan! Hi!" she cried warmly as Aidousan spoke his own greeting before directing his attention to Cassie. That made Erin smile.

She sat back down next to Yukito and took a frosting-filled forkfull of cake when Cassie suddenly called her name, making her eyes shoot up to meet her. She quickly swallowed what had been left in her mouth. "Hm! What?" she asked, sitting Indian-style next to Yukito as her right foot shook incessantly.

"You have to go see that movie with me when it comes out. You know, Julie and Julia? It looks so awesome, I can hardly wait til August! Why do movie people have to be so mean, huh? I have all these awesome movies I want to see, and none of them come out for another month at least."

Erin burst into a fresh round of laughter. "Oh my god, Cassie, you're talking a lot! Yeah, I know the movie, and yeah, I'll see it with you! And movie people just hate you, is all, it's a total conspiracy, me and the ninjas are secretly working with Hollywood to torment you, it's freaking awesome. We have meetings every Thursday night. Aidousan should come join us!" She laughed again, stifling the sound with another bite of cake.

"Chocolate. Is there anything better?" Cassie declared, and Erin, still busy with the cake, made an "mm-hmm" sound of agreement. "But I'm kind of in love with frosting, too." And for no reason at all, she gave Yukito a nudge before more giggles came.

"Herro, Makisama!"

"Konnichiwa, Aidouchan. Did you want to try out your new game? The one you got for your birthday? It's sad that no one's touched it yet..."

Erin jumped a little, sitting straighter in her seat at the mention of the present she remembered. "Oh! I totally vote for that!" Hurriedly she finished the rest of the red velvet so she'd be free to play, too.

"Missed you..." Aidousan told Cassie, to which she only responded, "What game?"

"Aidousan got Rock Band for a late birthday present!" Erin rattled off, finding Yukito's hand in hers and moving their joined hands side to side rhythmically. "He got when--" Erin paused to correct herself, in little bits of laughter. "When I was here early enough for breakfast. We haven't even touched it and I was sooo excited about playing it! I still call for vocals for Yukito!" Now she was bouncing their joined hands up and down on her knee.