W Hotel New Orleans

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"You don't have your phone anymore? Do you want mine?" Erin pulled out her phone and offered it to him. "Here, I'm supposed to get a new one soon anyway, for that little upgrade thing or whatever. And I can just say I lost it if I have to, it's not like it would be the first time."

"Erin..."

She figured he'd not like the idea, and she insisted, "Just take it, Yukito! Pleeease? I can't text you on hotel phones."

He smiled at her. "No, I couldn't do that, Erin. Not until you get your new one. And I mean have it in your hand." He gestured like he was holding a pretend phone. "Or rather, glued to your forehead. You might save time that way instead of whipping it out of your pocket every two seconds." He kissed her forehead, and she giggled at his words. "Right there. You would miss it. Anyway, I have to get a SIM card for it. I can't exactly take yours, right? Because then I would have your number, and you can't text me, then. I can probably get one tomorrow. Just hold out until then."

Erin sighed. He always had to be so freaking logical so that she couldn't argue with him. But at the same time it was something she liked about him especially. It was good. "Fine..." she conceded, and then let out another little giggle. "The way you said that... 'or rather'." She briefly brushed her lips against his cheek. "I love how you talk," she added with a delighted smile and faint giggle.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Erin..."

"Just take it, Yukito! Pleeease? I can't text you on hotel phones."

He smiled at her. "No, I couldn't do that, Erin. Not until you get your new one. And I mean have it in your hand." He gestured like he was holding a pretend phone. "Or rather, glued to your forehead. You might save time that way instead of whipping it out of your pocket every two seconds." He kissed her forehead, and she giggled at his words. "Right there. You would miss it. Anyway, I have to get a SIM card for it. I can't exactly take yours, right? Because then I would have your number, and you can't text me, then. I can probably get one tomorrow. Just hold out until then."

Erin sighed. "Fine..." she conceded, and then let out another little giggle. He arched an eyebrow at her. "The way you said that... 'or rather'." His lips curved up into a smile.

"Heeeeey..." he started to whine, when her lips brushed against his cheek and sent a happy wave of warmth across his entire face. "I love how you talk," she added with a delighted smile and faint giggle.

He chuckled at that, "That's one I've never heard before..." Yukito wrapped his arms around Erin and pulled her close, toppling over gently backwards onto the bed until they were both laying down. He sent her a smirk, leaned towards her, and starting randomly in on a tongue twister. In Japanese. He felt like impressing her. Yukito over-emphasized his words, going as fast as he could and trying not to laugh halfway through, "Namamugi, Namagome, Namatamago." He repeated it five times total, the phrase starting to slur until he took special effort on the final time. "Namamugi, Namagome, Namatamago. Namamugi, Namagome, Namatamago. Namamugi, Namagome, Namatamago. Namamugi, Namagome, Namatamago! Happy?" He flopped back on the bed as if he was worn out.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"The way you said that... 'or rather'." She found herself laughing a little at his turn of phrase. His smile wasn't lost on her either.

"Heeeeey..." Yukito started, until Erin tilted her head to kiss his cheek. "I love how you talk," she explained with an echo of a laugh.


He chuckled at that, though she didn't know why he'd find it funny. "That's one I've never heard before..."

"You can't say that now, then!" Erin announced, laughing a little more with each word as his arms drew her closer, and in moments she found herself pulled backwards. He'd sent them both falling backwards on the bed, and his action made her grin. His face came closer to hers, and instead of the kiss she expected, Yukito surprised her by rattling off something that to Erin's ears was totally incoherent. After he started repeating the sounds over again, it hit her like a brick wall that he was reciting a tongue-twister. She could barely hold back her laughter enough to hear him finish, emphasizing the unfamiliar syllables of his final words.

"...Namatamago! Happy?" He flopped back on the bed melodramatically, like that last effort had been a sucker punch to him, and it was like giving Erin permission to demolish the dam holding back her laughter. "Yes!" she responded, once the mirth had died down. Her head dropped to meet his face closer, resting halfway on the pillow behind her. "Show-off," she playfully chided him, pursing her lips. The look melted down into a content smile, and she surprised herself with the gesture. His life was going crazy, and it was almost enough to break her heart if she let herself think about how much it tore him up, but she still couldn't help but smile at him. Is that horrible?

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Happy?" He fell back against the bed as though his last strength had been put into the silly tongue twister, the instant his head made contact a bubbling roar or laughter escaped Erin that filled the room so much better than he ever could otherwise. "Yes!" He started to chuckle with her, one wrist laid over his eyes as their laughter slowly died out. He lifted his hand to peer out at her as her face came nearer. "Show-off," she playfully chided him, pursing her lips. He pushed himself up enough to steal a kiss before she could change that expression, then he fell back on the bed. He never acted like this. It was so strange to be rattling off nonsensical words to someone, to feel himself stop just to listen to her laugh, to be paying attention to the little gestures she made so that he knew everything was really alright with her. It had been so long ago he'd felt protective of someone else like this. And this time he wanted to make sure they 'did things right'. He'd told her that before, hadn't he? But he wasn't sure if Erin knew all that he had meant by that. At the moment, he had been content with just being happy with her. It came so much easier to him, now. Even in some of his worst moments, her being around kept his feet on the ground. Metaphorically.

"Yes. Around you, I tend to do that. Some sort of male pride or whatever the books say." he sighed, happily, for once. "Though I guess I could've chose something.. I dunno, sexier than a tongue twister." He chuckled, sending her an impish look. "Although..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Happy?"

"Yes!" she answered when her laughter finally permitted words. He started to laugh with her, a really beautiful sound in spite of all the ugly things trying to invade.

"Show-off," Erin labeled him, pursing her lips in a playful dare for him to defy the statement. Instead of responding right away, he kissed her, surprisingly and quickly before laying back down. For some reason, that made her laugh again, only a little and quietly but it was still there.

"Yes. Around you, I tend to do that," Yukito said in answer to her comment. Erin only snickered in response, shifting her position so she was closer to him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. "Some sort of male pride or whatever the books say."

"Pssh... whatever..." The ends of her fingers reached out to meet the fringes of his hair. Without even realizing she was really doing it, Erin started playing with his hair again.

"Though I guess I could've chose something.. I dunno, sexier than a tongue twister." He chuckled, sending her an impish look. "Although..."

Briefly, her lips brushed against his in a short kiss. "Although what?" she asked, unable to totally hide the urge to laugh a little. Erin's arm moved to hug him closer to her, and she kissed him, for real this time.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Yes. Around you, I tend to do that," Yukito said in answer to her comment. Erin only snickered in response, shifting her position so she was closer to him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He felt all the sensations of it, and heightened. His hand went up to lay atop of hers. "Some sort of male pride or whatever the books say."

"Pssh... whatever..." The ends of her fingers reached out to meet the fringes of his hair. He held still, but not in the tense, hidden fearful way he usually tried to camoflague, but because he wanted to focus all his thoughts on that feeling of her fingers in his hair, comforting him without knowing it.

He inhaled deeply before continuing with a smile. "Though I guess I could've chose something.. I dunno, sexier than a tongue twister." He chuckled, sending her an impish look. "Although..."

Briefly, her lips brushed against his in a short kiss. He liked the way his stomach flipped when she did that, her fingers still entwined in his hair. "Although what?" she asked, unable to totally hide the urge to laugh a little. Erin's arm moved to hug him closer to her, and she kissed him, more deeply now. He chuckled into this kiss, leaning closer to her. He didn't have to tell her about his ideas on tongue twisting skills because he could show her, and that amused him. When he pulled away at last, he had rolled over on his side to be closer to her, one arm wrapped around her and his palm flat against her back.

"I love you," he whispered. He dropped his head a little, his eyes lowered from hers, a smile on his lips. Thank you... for coming. For being here.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Although..."

Briefly, her lips brushed against his in a short kiss. "Although what?" she asked, unable to totally hide the urge to laugh a little. Erin's arm moved to hug him closer to her, and she really kissed him. She could feel him laughing almost silently as he continued to kiss her. She liked the way he did that.

As their kiss faded out, Yukito kept her close, hand against the small of her back. Erin smiled, watching him, loving to see him able to be content right here, right now, in spite of everything. That meant that even though she had no idea what she could do for him, even if everything in his world was getting tossed for a loop, she still somehow managed to make things a little better for him. I just wish I could take it all away for you... I want you to have everything good, Yukito, and to keep you away from all of this, but I don't have any idea how to do that. I don't even know if I can, and all I can do is be here and love you and keep you close to me to let you know I'm here and somehow it'll all be okay. It will. I hope you believe that, too...

"I love you," Yukito whispered. He dropped his head a little, eyes out of her sight, and she could just see his little smile.

"I love you, too," she replied easily, softly, though not quite as quietly as him. "I love your smile, too..." Erin added, nuzzling her face closer to his. "What are you smiling about now?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Their eyes were locked together as they lay close, not really doing anything, but watching each other's faces as they smiled. Just sitting there was in some ways more comforting than anything else. She had no idea how far it had taken him to get here, and he hoped she never had to know everything.

"I love you," Yukito whispered. He dropped his head a little, eyes out of her sight, and smiled. We've been together a long time now, Erin. It's hard to imagine not having each other now. So I can only look into the future and think of the two of us. It's kind of funny.

"I love you, too," she replied easily, softly, though not quite as quietly as him. "I love your smile, too..." Erin added, nuzzling her face closer to his. He arched an eyebrow curiously. But yours is so much prettier. I can't light up a room like you can with a smile. "What are you smiling about now?"

"Mmm..." he released the sound as he cuddled closer to her, touching her nose with his, "Because you came and made me feel like it's all gonna be okay. I can say it all I want, but I guess I can believe it now." He met her eyes. "Plus, I have a really awesome girlfriend, so that makes things easier." Yukito wanted to tell her a lot more. He wanted to be able to list off all the things he loved about her, that stood out to him. But he wasn't able to word them right, so he kept them in his head as he watched her.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I love you," Yukito whispered.

"I love you, too. I love your smile, too..." Erin added, nuzzling her face closer to his. "What are you smiling about now?"

"Mmm..." he released the sound as he cuddled closer to her, touching her nose with his, making her giggle. "Because you came and made me feel like it's all gonna be okay. I can say it all I want, but I guess I can believe it now." He lifted his face to meet her eyes, where she was smiling at him softly, enjoying the moment where he let her be close to him. Even if it wasn't as close. She knew now it was a big deal for him, and she appreciated it more than she could word that he let her stay there, lying next to him. "Plus, I have a really awesome girlfriend, so that makes things easier."

Erin laughed happily at the compliment. "You should tell her what it is that she does that's so awesome. That way she can keep doing it and keep making it easier." She could feel her eyelashes against his face when she blinked, then turning her head to kiss him again. "I love you, Yukito. No matter what. You're the most incredible person I know."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Mmm..." The sound escaped him while he pondered how to word his answer. Why had he been smiling? Because he was always smiling around Erin. In fact, he was pretty sure the pain in his jaw that his mother would have immediately assumed was a cavity was a rebellion against all the extra smiling he'd done since Erin's drunk escapade. Yukito cuddled closer to her and touched his nose to hers gently. She giggled. "Because you came and made me feel like it's all gonna be okay. I can say it all I want, but I guess I can believe it now."

Their eyes met and she was smiling softly, almost knowingly. A kind of smile that made him wonder if she had a secret to tell him. Something that bubbled behind her lips and wished to get out and wash over him, like always. "Plus, I have a really awesome girlfriend, so that makes things easier."

Erin laughed happily at the compliment. "You should tell her what it is that she does that's so awesome. That way she can keep doing it and keep making it easier." Her eyelashes tickled his face, and his stomach did a quick somersault coupled with a whacked ninja-move before she had even turned to kiss him.

"Well... you listen to me. And you don't let me feel alone. You're always looking forward, instead of looking back all the time." The words sounded far too simple to really get across what he meant to convey. Why was he so good at math, at numbers and order, when he couldn't bring control into anything else? Like his own ideas? It's easier when you can write and rewrite it in poetry form. "And you care about me. You really do. You don't lie to me."

"I love you, Yukito. No matter what. You're the most incredible person I know."

He smiled a little at that. "You should meet yourself." After a few moments, he let out a - contented - sigh, and added, "You know, we're pretty strange." He let the sentence dangle unexplained a time before adding, slowly, "Well..you're a girl... and I'm a boy...we're both apparently hormonal, in an otherwise empty hotel room. So we lay on the bed and tell each other how awesome we are. Isn't that strange to you?" He chuckled. "I guess it's not so strange after all..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She asked Yukito what she'd been doing that made her so "amazing", and he started to tell her easily. "Well... you listen to me. And you don't let me feel alone. You're always looking forward, instead of looking back all the time." She smiled at his words, still not seeing just how that made her amazing... It sounded more like she was a decent person. But she liked that he liked those things about her, anyway. Those things came easy for her. She could keep doing them. She could keep making him happy that way. "And you care about me. You really do. You don't lie to me."

Why would I? "I love you, Yukito. No matter what. You're the most incredible person I know."

He smiled a little at that. "You should meet yourself."

Erin snickered a little. "I don't wanna date myself. I wanna date you. Or talk to myself, or listen to myself. It's boring. You're a lot more interesting."

"You know, we're pretty strange," Yukito observed, taking Erin aback a bit, making her laugh at the weird comment. "What?"

"Well..you're a girl... and I'm a boy...we're both apparently hormonal, in an otherwise empty hotel room. So we lay on the bed and tell each other how awesome we are. Isn't that strange to you?" He chuckled as Erin began to laugh at his words, a slight redness hinting her cheeks. "Yukito!"

"I guess it's not so strange after all..."

"I guess not," she agreed with giggles, more out of the need to say something rather than actually agreeing with him. Actually, she thought it was normal for him, with what all he'd told her. Maybe she was pretty strange, though. She wasn't a fan of being the strange one in this circumstance, though. Erin exhaled slowly, resting next to him, her head lying on his shoulder, arm still around his torso. She couldn't think of anything to say at all. So she just lay there, feeling him breathing. It was weird finding herself silent, but somehow with Yukito it was all okay.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I love you, Yukito. No matter what. You're the most incredible person I know."

He smiled a little at that. "You should meet yourself."

Erin snickered. "I don't wanna date myself. I wanna date you. Or talk to myself, or listen to myself. It's boring. You're a lot more interesting."

A smirk flickered across his lips. "Knowing my past, I might have to agree with you on the 'more interesting' bit, at least." Then he added, "You know, we're pretty strange,"

She let out a startled laugh. "What?"

"Well..." he started slowly, emphasizing each word as if taking great care with each syllable. "You're a girl... and I'm a boy...we're both apparently hormonal, in an otherwise empty hotel room. So we lay on the bed and tell each other how awesome we are. Isn't that strange to you?" They both laughed, and he looked down to see a blush beginning to blossom across her cheeks.

"Yukito!" He lifted his head up enough to kiss the top of her hair, then fell back and smiled.

"I guess it's not so strange after all..."

"I guess not," she agreed with giggles. He was glad she seemed so cool with just laying here. Neither of them wanted to push into something neither was ready for. And silently, they both understood that. He was tired of always pushing harder, trying to be better, wondering. Erin gave him a few moments of just being happy for himself, and for her. He felt her exhale against him, felt her breath against his cheek. Her arms were wrapped around him and if it hadn't been for the fear still tingling dully beneath his skin, it would have been the happiest moment in his life. He was sure of it. Erin was warm and gentle, and she just liked to be close to him. When she was still and close like this, he couldn't imagine his mind twisting her kisses into the awful, nightmarish memories that had tried to tear their relationship up that night at the pool. And every other time, really.

There was always the feeling between them, even if they were standing merely a few feet from each other. It was like a magnetic pull, a need to be close and not let something stupid like distance come between them. He reached his hand up to play with her hair, twisting the ends between his fingers as he closed his eyes.

They were both still, and quiet. So much so that he wondered if Erin had actually fallen asleep. He knew she would have to go eventually, but he was almost deathly afraid of moving and making her sit up. Still playing with her hair in one hand, he quietly began to hum, hearing as well as feeling the thrumming noise from his chest. Smiling as he realized the song, he started to half-sing, half-speak the words. "And there's you, and me, and all of the people... And nothing to do. Nothing to prove. And there's you, and me, and all of the people... And I dunno why, I can't keep my eyes off of you..." He chuckled a little, then whispered, "Now why would that be stuck in my head, I wonder?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She relished the moment with him so close to her. Erin could smell his hair, his clothes. Would he think it was weird if she wanted to keep something of his, just because it smelled like him? To take his jacket to school with her so she could have a little of him when he was distant from her?

A smile already present on her face widened as she felt Yukito's fingers on her hair. I like that.... A humming started to come from Yukito, and the way she was laying, Erin could feel it too. That was another thing she liked. I'll just stay right here, until further notice... is that okay with you? Then when horrible things happen to you, I can just keep holding you and try to make it better...

It didn't take her very long to recognize the familiar tune. The one she already loved, but he made her love it so much more. "And there's you, and me, and all of the people... And nothing to do. Nothing to prove. And there's you, and me, and all of the people... And I dunno why, I can't keep my eyes off of you..."

Yeah, definitely pretty sure that this is how heaven's gonna be... Oh, yeah. He chuckled a little, then whispered, "Now why would that be stuck in my head, I wonder?"

Erin giggled as she answered literally, "Because I'm blocking your view of the rest of the room laying like this?" She smiled as she turned her head to face him, laying her nose and forehead alongside his cheek.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

The moment was quiet and easy to enjoy. But impossible to grasp onto and keep any longer than allowed. That was the sad part about being with Erin. They never lasted long enough. Absently, he played with the ends of her hair as his humming accumulated into a half-sung, half-spoken melody. "And there's you, and me, and all of the people... And nothing to do. Nothing to prove. And there's you, and me, and all of the people... And I dunno why, I can't keep my eyes off of you..." He chuckled a little, then whispered, "Now why would that be stuck in my head, I wonder?"

Erin giggled, letting him know she was still awake. "Because I'm blocking your view of the rest of the room laying like this?" He rolled his eyes at how she tended to take things so literally, then turn them into an adorable comment. Erin managed somehow to cuddle closer against him, and he laid his hand on her back.

"Yeah, that's definitely it." He playfully lifted his shoulder as if to dislodge her, adding without any seriousness at all, "Get your head outta the way, woman! I want to watch TV!" But instead of 'pushing her out of the way', Yukito leaned over to kiss her again, lingering his lips on hers. He only pulled away enough to say quietly, "You're the best view."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She liked hearing his half-song. A lot. That one he was singing would very quickly become one of her favorites.

"Now why would that be stuck in my head, I wonder?"

"Because I'm blocking your view of the rest of the room laying like this?" He rolled his eyes at her, though Erin's response to the gesture was to snuggle closer to him, a content smile on her face, knowing how lucky she was. Yukito chose to let her come in, no one else. He chose her to hold close, to keep, to laugh with, to call when he was upset. It made her feel like she was some kind of treasure.

It was nice, really. In spite of it all.

"Yeah, that's definitely it." Yukito shifted his shoulder, jostling her a little, and she laughed out loud. "Get your head outta the way, woman! I want to watch TV!"

"Make me!" she shouted back, still laughing when his lips met hers. He was teasing her, pulling away like that, still close enough to kiss her, but choosing not to. "You're the best view."

Erin only smiled back, a little voice in her head reminding her that she should try harder to come up with something smooth and witty and charming to tell him --she never did--, but she liked being the object of his affection. She liked it a lot.

In spite of it all.

Erin pulled herself toward him again and continued the kiss.