Compilation Of Unseen Scenes - Private RP

[Elda Forever]

With every interaction we see, there are other situations, occurrences, and moments within a character and the people they meet that we sometimes do not see. They still play a vital part in understanding a character - and thus making them more believable, realistic, and real characters to us and the other roleplayers.

Here, feel free to post the fun you've had with the scenes you used to open up storylines or fill in the blanks.



ETA (by GGJ5): And just keep in mind to include the readers into the context of the interaction. So... like, title it... (: Just to make it easier. ^^

[Elda Forever]

Pelicula

Erin Spenser

"Seriously, how sad is it to go your whole life without classic Disney movies?" Erin wondered aloud, her amusement over Yukito's entertainment gap ringing in her voice.

"Does Yukito want to watch them, though?" she heard her mother ask, and Erin didn't answer right away with her head down in a box of old VHS tapes. "It's so dusty in heeere..." Then finally finding what she wanted and pulling herself back upright, Erin looked at her mom with an incredulous expression. "Of course he does! Why not?" Before Mandi could respond with anything more than an "if you say so" expression, Erin prodded, "And he's coming soon, and we don't need a babysitter."

One thing that won her mother some points was that she didn't try to tell Erin otherwise whenever she said something as direct as that. In fact, to this she was even smiling a little. Parents are weird... "I have to run to the store, anyway, querida, and I hope you and Yukito enjoy your little movie date."

Erin rolled her eyes at the expression. "Mamiiii... don't be like that."

Mandi didn't respond, just grabbed her keys and opened the door just in time to greet Yukito. "Welcome back," she said as she passed by and out onto the balcony. "I'll be back soon, Erin," she reassured just before closing the door as Erin gave an impatiently quick wave.

Finally free, Erin wrapped Yukito in a hug, briefly kissing him before piping up, "I found the movie for youu!" Erin giggled a little as she left him to slide the old VHS into the player, mashing down the fast forward until the Aladdin title showed up amid the blurs. She quickly switched to 'play' and immediately hopped back onto the couch, anxious for Yukito to come and fill the spot beside her as always.

--


Yukito Maki

He shoved the small box in his pocket along with his cell phone and
sauntered out of his room. Yukito couldn't get the latest drama
between him and Erin out of his mind. The make-up birthday party had
held more in it than he could have ever expected. She loved
him. He knew that. But how deep would he have believed this would go,
especially way back when she had first kissed in the practice room of
the highschool? He had smiled at her, and asked how long she had
waited to do that. They had started off with teases and easy-going
natures. But the other day had been different. She had managed to
break through something with him that he hadn't wanted to see was
there. I've told her now... he thought with disbelief, I
told her about Natalie... And she was okay with that. She was
there for him in that.

He smiled and knocked on her apartment door, just as her mother came
out. "Welcome back," she said to him. Then to Erin, "I'll be
back soon, Erin,"

He nodded, and automatically muttered, "Mrs. Spensersan..."

Then the burst of energy from an always-impatient, always-optimistic
Erin as she leapt up and gave him a kiss by way of greeting. "I
found the movie for youu!" Erin brandished a VHS at him, racing
over and placing it in. She leapt to her favorite perch on the corner
of the couch, and he demurely went over to sit by her.

"This is going to be interesting..." he said with much amusement,
making sure he was close enough that most of his side met up with
hers, just in case they couldn't wrap their arms around each other for
a few moments. As added measure he wrapped his arm around her
shoulders casually, looking towards the screen. "Aladdin? That's the
one you want me to be, right?" He noted the strange font and the lamp,
as a very dark-looking world of blue sand came into view. An
ugly-looking guy in shadow appeared, with a freakish mustache and a
parrot. "Woah...is that him?" his eyes widened and he looked over at
Erin, for the first time feeling seriously concerned. It wouldn't be
unbelievable for Erin to take a note from his friends' book and make
him do embarrassing things because she could make him do them...

--

Erin Spenser

She hopped onto the couch, smile spreading wider when Yukito did come sit next to her. She kind of loved the way he nestled beside her, so that there was hardly space in between and she could lay her head on him as he rested his arm on her shoulders. Erin hummed happily along with the opening music.

"This is going to be interesting..." commented Yukito, and Erin gave a little laugh at that.

"Aladdin? That's the one you want me to be, right?" Another giggle and Erin confirmed, "Mmmhmm!"

"Woah...is that him?" he asked her, when Jafar was on screen.Erin looked over to see the expression on his face and she grinned at the mistake. "No," she scoffed, adding pointedly, "Who'd wanna kiss that? Just watch, okay?" She smiled, knowing it wouldn't take much longer until Yukito met the majority of the characters, anyway. It was a Disney movie for crying out loud-- characters established in the first fifteen minutes, plus song and dance. And the show being just about as old as she was, Erin knewit well enough to quote the whole thing-- though she only quoted the lines and lyrics she especially liked.

"And that's gonna be me!" Erin piped up, feeling a little like a really ridiculous kid, but it wasn't like Yukito was going to think less of her for it, when the storyline reached the part with Jasmine in the palace and the snobby suitor's underpants in her pet tiger's mouth. "I used to want a pet tiger when I was really little just because of that, too," she added with a giggle.

"Hey, I'll be right back," Erin said, hopping up from her seat. "You want a coke?" Not half a minute later Erin was back with two cans of the diet Dr. Pepper her mother was so fond of. She handed one to Yukito and returned to snuggle beside him, popping open the tab on hers and gulping nearly half of it. Then she set it down by the foot of the couch and curled her feet underneath her so she wouldn't accidentally kick it over, and looked over at Yukito with a growing smile. "I told you I already got the outfit to be a princess! Oh, look!" Erin exclaimed, just remembering something she'd wanted to show Yukito right away. Erin lifted the necklace between two fingers and smiled at him brightly. It was the necklace he'd give her on their second date. "I found it!"

--

Yukito Maki

"Woah...is that him?" he asked her, as this guy in a huge black,
orange and red getup appeared. He looked about a million years old.
Erin sent him a grin.

"No," she scoffed, adding pointedly, "Who'd wanna kiss
that? Just watch, okay?" He couldn't help smirking at all
the musical numbers involved, especially when Erin started moving
something - her fingers thrumming, her foot tapping - in time with the
music, often joining in for a quirky line or two. A scrawny boy with
poofy pants and little else but an open purple vest appeared, singing
about living on the streets, and he sent her an arched eyebrow,
wordlessly asking. Is that gonna be me? He saw potential
problems, but he didn't want to spoil her fun. It was Arabia, right?
What did the girls wear?

He got a quick answer when the long-haired, spunky Princess Jasmine
appeared, snarking out a potential 'suitor' with the help of a pet
tiger. "I used to want a pet tiger when I was really little just
because of that, too," Erin giggled.

"I'll make a note of that," he said as his eyes sparkled.

"Hey, I'll be right back," Erin said, hopping up from her seat.
Her hand brushed against his shoulder as she vaulted from the couch,
and he wanted her to bump into him again. Lame.Very lame of me.
"You want a coke?" It wasn't really his decision but he nodded
anyways, sure she wouldn't see the gesture since she was already
vanishing from sight. When she returned, he was actually starting to
get engrossed in the movie, though his film-watching style was nowhere
near as entertaining as Erin's. She handed him a soda, gulped down the
majority of hers then placed it on the floor in front of the couch, in
favor of nestling up to him again.

"I think I like your costume...." he said as his smirk broadened, and
he took a drink of the soda before resting it between his knees.

"I told you I already got the outfit to be a princess! Oh,
look!" Erin exclaimed, indicating the necklace he'd given her ages
ago. "I found it!"

You had lost it? I thought you had gotten tired of it.

"Cool," he said, his fingers automatically going up to feel the
pendant, turning it over in his palm as the back of his hand gently
rested against her collarbone. He smiled. "You're not sick of it or
anything?" I thought you would think it lame. The whole
key-to-my-heart gig...

--

Erin Spenser

"I think I like your costume..." Yukito said once Erin had set down her half-empty coke to nestle back against him.

"I told you I already got the outfit to be a princess!" Erin responded, missing the subtlety in Yukito's words and suddenly remembering something she'd meant to show him the moment he came in. "Oh, look! I found it!" She lifted up the necklace to him on an index finger.

"Cool," responded Yukito, not seeming too impressed by her news, even though finding it again had excited her and she thought he would be pretty happy to see her wearing it again. "You're not sick of it or anything?"

"No," she scoffed again, smiling at the feeling of Yukito's hand against her. "You gave it to me, how could I be sick of it? I just found it... I took it off after my birthday..." For a moment Erin's expression shifted down at the memory. "But I found it this afternoon!" she chirped, her face brightening up immediately. And it's never coming off again! Then, "Oh, I like this part..." as the Genie explained the three wishes rules. Erin picked up the rest of her coke and quickly gulped it down, unwilling to let it sit open and get flat and gross. That, however, resulted in a hiccup for her haste.

Starting to tug the tab back and forth, Erin automatically muttered a letter of the alphabet with each pull-- a traditional superstition she'd picked up in early elementary school and it had stuck with her ever since. Supposedly whatever letter the tab fell loose on, that would be the initial of the person you would marry. She'd heard variants of it, like it was your secret crush, or if you did numbers, how many children you would have. The farthest Erin ever made it was the letter M, though. This time it was the letter E, and the tab dropped with a tink to the bottom of her can. And another hiccup. "Aw, man, I thought that was the only-hic-one."

She looked over at Yukito, expecting him to poke fun at her for bringing the nuisance onto herself. "Watch the movie," she insisted with a playful shove, then rested her head on his shoulder, jumping a little at the next tiny hiccup. Even when she tried to suppress it. "Yuyukun," she started, "What do you- hic- think so far?" She smiled up at him, well aware of how silly she probably sounded now.

--

Yukito Maki

"You're not sick of it or anything?" he said, referring to the
necklace he had given her.

"No," she scoffed, "You gave it to me, how could I be
sick of it? I just found it... I took it off after my birthday..."
Her expression went down... "But I found it this afternoon!"
Her expression was back up again. And he chuckled. "Oh, I like this
part..." Their attention was only momentarily drawn back to the
movie, as a big blue 'genie' explained to Aladdin the rules of
wish-making. Yukito's eyes wandered about the screen, trying to find
the monkey. The monkey was funny. Then, another musical number. A
bouncier, light-hearted one that involved too much, too fast for him
to soak it all in with one viewing, for sure.

He heard the sounds of grinding tin and looked over to see Erin
focusing completely on her now-empty soda can, bending the tab and
muttering something below her breath. She hiccuped as it broke off and
fell into her can. "Aw, man, I thought that was the
only-hic-one."

He arched an eyebrow at her, having pointedly watched her with a
bemused look as this had taken place. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Watch the movie," she insisted with a playful shove, then
rested her head on his shoulder, jumping a little at the next tiny
hiccup. He wanted to laugh at her hiccups, making her entire body
spazz out and interrupt her train of thoughts even worse than usual,
he thought.

"Yuyukun," she started, "What do you- hic- think so far?"

"Hmm..." he sounded, shifting until he could reach her face better,
"When do they get to kiss already?" He didn't wait for an answer,
pressing his lips to hers until another hiccup erupted, making him
laugh. He drew back, still chuckling. "I like that. I was wondering
what it would be like to kiss a hiccuping girl."

--

Erin Spenser

"What the hell are you doing?"

Making a wish on a soda can? No, she wasn't gonna let him tease her about that, so Erin gave him a shove and ordered, "Watch the movie." Not that she was doing such a good job of following her own orders, the little spasms in her stomach making it harder to sit and watch something on a screen. And, okay, so it kind of was half-way on purpose... she'd gotten the hiccups in class once while texting Yukito and he'd told her he thought she'd be cute with them or something like that, which was kind of a weird thing to say, but she liked getting new attention from him. And she'd figured out a while back that if she was too fast with cokes then more often than not she'd end up with hiccups at the end. But now there was almost no way she could sit and watch for very long. But she hadn't been thinking of that, it just kind of happened. Oh, well.


"Yuyukun," she started, "What do you- hic- think so far?"

"Hmm..." Yukito moved a bit, which made Erin move too, until his face was across from hers. "When do they get to kiss already?" Erin opened her mouth to answer, only stopped by a surprise kiss, doing a better job of distracting her than anything else did. But then she felt herself give another little jolt with the hiccups she'd forgotten she had, and Yukito started to laugh. [/b]"I like that. I was wondering what it would be like to kiss a hiccuping girl."[/b]

Another little shove, Erin grinning in spite of herself. "Whatever, you just didn't wanna wait." She moved so that she was sitting on her knees on the couch cushion and paused for a second, watching the screen. Then, "Hey, I think they're gone! ...Hic--Oh, no, they're not." Erin shifted on the couch, turning backwards to the screen and leaning back so far that her head was nearly touching the floor and her feet were resting on the back cushion of the sofa. "I wanna see if this'll work," she explained to Yukito, but was immediately given her answer with another hiccup. "Ow! That just makes it hurt!" Erin announced, words filtered through a bit of laughter. "Yuk-hic-kitoo!" She flew back upright, now sitting backwards to the TV again, laughing into the back cushion.

Then she glanced over at Yukito, immediately reverting to her position nestled next to him, wrapping both her arms around his that was closest to her. "Okay, I'm really watching it now." The little bee-version of Genie was whispering to Aladdin to beeee himself, another hiccup-induced jolt, and Erin nuzzled closer to Yukito. "I surrender!"

--

Yukito Maki

He gave her a long, deep kiss, taking his time until the entire
collection of Erin shot upward in a hiccuping jolt. Yukito laughed and
pulled away, saying, "I like that. I was wondering what it would be
like to kiss a hiccuping girl."

She pushed him playfully, and that made his smile grow. "Whatever,
you just didn't wanna wait." He looked sideways, feigning an
'but-I'm-innocent!' look, then shrugged. Maybe. They both
realized at about the same moment that she hadn't hiccuped since he
had stolen her kiss, and she exclaimed, "Hey, I think they're gone!
...Hic--Oh, no, they're not." Another laugh from Yukito.
Erin shifted her spot on the couch again until she was upside down in
her seat, and he looked mischievously at her bare feet in the air next
to him. I bet her feet are ticklish.

"I wanna see if this'll work," another hiccup, "Ow! That
just makes it hurt!" She erupted in upside down giggles, and he
opted to make a grab for her feet, taking her ankle in one hand and
tracing a finger down the bottom of her foot with the other.

"Yuk-hic-kitoo!" she flew back upwards, and he chuckled at her.

"That is cute. Could you do that again?" He mocked her voice
and hiccup accordingly, "Yuk-hic-kitooo!"

"Let's watch the movie," he said to distract her from punching
him again - though he wondered if he really minded. He gestured toward
the screen with his thumb and rolled his eyes like he found her so
annoying.

"Okay, I'm really watching it now. I surrender!"

They simultaneously cuddle closer, and he wrapped his arm around her
shoulder, pulling her close and smirking as he turned his attention
back to the screen.

--

Erin Spenser


Erin shifted her spot on the couch again until she was upside down in
her seat and she could feel the blood rushing to her head. "I wanna see if this'll work," she explained, getting her answer when another hiccup erupted, making her jerk a little. "Ow! That just makes it hurt!" She couldn't help but laugh at herself, then let out a squeal amid the giggles when she felt something tickling her foot. She bolted upright. "Yuk-hic-kitoo!"

"That is cute. Could you do that again?" Erin's laughter continued to bubble over when he mimicked her: "Yuk-hic-kitooo!"

"No, I can't do it again!" she managed through her mirth. "I can't help when they come! It's not -hic- my fault! Stop teasing me!"

"Let's watch the movie," Yukito voiced with a gesture towards the television, and he rolled his eyes at her. Erin didn't even question if he was teasing her or not-- she knew he was. And it felt really good to know that.

So Erin rolled her eyes at him, too, as if there were a dozen other things she'd rather be doing, when in fact there were none. "Okay, I'm really watching it now. I surrender!" She pulled herself closer to him, content to stay like that and actually watch the TV for a little while. But only a little while, because after a few minutes Erin suddenly shifted without notice to lie flat on her back on her cushion, feet dangling off the arm of the couch. "You can't get them this way," she commented smugly, referring to her feet, as her head rested in his lap. Then, "Hey! I think they're actually gone this time!" Perfectly happy, she subconsciously started kicking her dangling feet as she watched the screen that was now totally sideways in her vision. After a minute she realized how that position tugged on her neck, so she moved so that she was now resting on her side-- but still with her feet over the couch's arm and still with her head by Yukito's knees.

--

Yukito Maki

He loved to hear the squeal of laughter that escaped Erin, twisted in
hiccups as she leapt upwards, getting her feet out of his reach.

"No, I can't do it again! I can't help when they come! It's not
-hic- my fault! Stop teasing me!"

"Fine. Let's watch the movie," he teased, tossing his
thumb at the screen as if he hadn't helped distract her.

"Okay, I'm really watching it now. I surrender!" They
immediately resumed a cuddling position, but Erin shifted soon enough
so that her feet dangled off the opposite end of the couch from him,
her head laying down in his lap. "You can't get them this way,"
she pointed out with a proud look. He tried to stifle a smile but it
didn't work very well.

"Hey! I think they're actually gone this time!" she declared
with happiness, and he nodded, staring down at her with a strange look
in his eyes to feel her so close.

"Too bad..."

Now was the end of Jasmine and Aladdin's - er.. 'Prince Ali Ababwa's -
first date. The tricky carpet bumped them up into a kiss, and Yukito
looked over at Erin with a smirk. "Nooooow?"

--


Erin Spenser

"Hey! I think they're actually gone this time!" she declared happily, kicking her feet as they dangled over the couch's arm.

"Too bad..."

"Wait, why 'too bad'?" Erin asked with a laugh, turning back to smile up at him, very happy with her new-found spot with her head on his lap.

She heard the conversation in the movie that she knew let up to the kiss that Yukito had asked about earlier, and it made her smile to see him look down at her with that expression on his face. "Nooooow?"

Erin started laughing again at his eagerness. "Yeeeeess," she mimicked, still with laughter in her voice. "You have to come down here, though, 'cause I like it here." Even so she raised her head to meet him halfway, her lips easily finding his in a kiss.

--

Yukito Maki

"Hey! I think they're actually gone this time!" Erin declared
with gusto, kicking her feet in celebration as they hung over the edge
of the couch and out of his reach.

"Too bad..." was the only comment he made.

"Wait, why 'too bad'?" Erin laughed, looking up at him. He
tried not to stiffen at her movement on his lap - too close to certain
areas - and smirked down at her mischievously.

"I can't kiss you with hiccups anymore. It tickled." His eyes wandered
up to the screen as Aladdin and Jasmine were forced - though not
totally unwillingly - into a kiss. "Nooooow?" he said to Erin, and she
laughed merrily.

"Yeeeeess," she echoed the way he had said it, obviously not
against the fact that they could manage to make kissing into a vital
part of film-watching. And to think we spent our entire first movie
without kissing....our first date was spent throwing M&Ms, though, so
it doesn't exactly qualify as a serious movie-watching experience.
"You have to come down here, though, 'cause I like it here."
she teased, lifting up a bit to meet him partway. He bent down as long
as he could so he could touch his lips to hers, mimicking the
straightforward movements the pesky carpet had created, then letting
himself melt into the moment. He pulled back slowly, his eyes gleaming
as they met hers. "Now you say, 'Goodnight, my prince'...or whatever."

--

Erin Spenser

"Yeeeeess," she mimicked him with a grin. "You have to come down here, though, 'cause I like it here." Still she met him halfway as he leaned down to her, his lips suddenly against hers suddenly. She let him deepen their kiss, the nearly intoxicating feeling lingering when he pulled away. "Now you say, 'Goodnight, my prince'... or whatever."

Erin looked up at him with a content smile as she lay her head back down. "Hmm?" Oh, he means the movie... "No, Yukito, 'cause then that's the end of it, and I don't want it to be over..."

She scrambled to sit up and enveloped him in a hug. Then she raised her head to look up at him, a playful smile on her face. "I think I owe you for that," she commented. "For you kidnapping my feet!" She was ticklish pretty much everywhere-- did Yukito know that? Where was he ticklish? Erin wondered. She remembered he'd mentioned it once, briefly, in writing, but hadn't said where, and she thought Aidousan might have said something once... Stupid memory... She moved her hands to Yukito's shoulders and kept her face close to his. She was probably blocking his view of the screen, but she wasn't thinking of that. "Yukito," she started. "I think you should have fair warning... when you least expect it, when your guard is down... I'm so gonna get you back for that!" A little idea of a playful revenge was already half-formed in her head. She'd just have to wait for the right time. Which kind of sucked, but it would totally be worth it.

--

Yukito Maki

"Now you say, 'Goodnight, my prince'... or whatever." he said
flippantly as they pulled their lips apart, as always his voice a
little breathless after the kissing.

Erin looked up at him with a content smile as she lay her head back
down. "Hmm? No, Yukito, 'cause then that's the end of it, and I
don't want it to be over..." She embraced him, and he felt his
chest tighten in such a good way he wanted it to happen again. She
smiled up at him, saying, "I think I owe you for that,"

"For what?" he asked, arching an eyebrow ever so briefly.

"For you kidnapping my feet!" He rolled his eyes again, their
faces closing in on each other as her hands came to his shoulders. He
wondered what they used to do with their time before all the making
out they were able to fit into life these days.

"Kidnapping your feet was fun. I just don't know how I'm gonna kidnap
the rest of you quite yet." he said in a thick voice, touching noses
with hers and smelling her breath on his face - it was sweet and warm,
and he moved even closer still until their lips grazed each other as
they spoke.

"Yukito," she started. "I think you should have fair
warning... when you least expect it, when your guard is down... I'm
so gonna get you back for that!"

He smirked at her, enjoying the idea of Erin attempting an ambush on
him. "Okay, then. If you say so..." he cut off the rest of his train
of thought as he went in to kiss her again, long enough this time that
they missed a solid portion of the film playing in the background. His
mind barely comprehended that now the parrot was flapping off with the
lamp, which spelled out bad news for "Ali Ababwa". He pulled away from
Erin, gasping for air this time, and feeling a great heat up his back
as he kept her close. "I love you..."

--

Erin Spenser

"Kidnapping your feet was fun," Yukito told her. "I just don't know how I'm gonna kidnap the rest of you quite yet." He kept his face close to her, making Erin think he was going to kiss her again, but he didn't-- not yet, even though his lips were just touching hers as he spoke. She didn't mind it at all, feeling the corners of her mouth rise upward in a smile.


"Yukito," she started. "I think you should have fair warning... when you least expect it, when your guard is down... I'm so gonna get you back for that!"

"Okay, then. If you say so..." responded Yukito, sounding like the idea amused him though Erin couldn't be certain. It didn't really matter, anyway, though, and even if it had she wouldn't have been able to ask him with his lips against hers, effectively silencing her. He kept kissing her, Erin returning each kiss in turn, her hands happily linked behind his neck and then in his hair. She let him kiss her as long as he wanted, forgetting the rule of thumb when it came to movies: if it was a good movie, you watched it, and if you put in a bad movie that no one really wanted to watch, that was a makeout movie. But the fact that it was a rule of thumb made the fact that they were ignoring it all that better. Finally he drew away from her, though they kept each other still very close. "I love you..."

Erin kept her arms around him, a dreamy smile on her face that grew at his words. Burying her face in his neck and holding on tight, she told him, "I love how you love me, Yuyukun...", her words muffled a little by the position of her head hidden in his neck. Another smile came to her face and she started to laugh a little. "We totally missed, like, half the movie, didn't we...?"

--

Yukito Maki

There was a great deal in the way she eagerly deepened their kisses.
He leaned closer into her, and she wrapped her arms around him. For a
long, long moment, the wind was completely knocked out of him, but he
couldn't bring himself away from her. "I love you..." he murmured
breathlessly, smiling at the look on her face as she gazed blissfully
back up at him. She cuddled closer, and he tried to gain air back into
his lungs. Thank you for being with me. For accepting me, with
everything.

"I love how you love me, Yuyukun..." she said in a muffled
voice, as she buried her head in his neck, causing goosebumps and not
even knowing it. She let out a little ringing laugh. "We totally
missed, like, half the movie, didn't we...?"

He rolled his eyes, and chuckled, "Well, we could watch it
again..." he looked up at the screen and smirked. "But, you know, I
think I got the gist of it."

--


Erin Spenser

"I love how you love me, Yuyukun..." she responded. She could feel her eyelashes brushing against where she nestled against him. A thought occurred to her then, making her laugh as she told him, "We totally missed, like, half the movie, didn't we...?"

She caught Yukito mid-laugh when she looked up to see his response. "Well, we could watch it again... But, you know, I think I got the gist of it," he told her, smirking.

That earned a bit more laughter from Erin. "You're somethin' else, you know that?" she said, then moved around him so that she could use him as a pillow as she laid on her stomach, now on his opposite side, across the couch. "Hey," she chirped, thinking of something she'd wanted to ask him as Jafar declared his victory as Sultan. "I was thinkin' of getting blonde highlights... like, so it'd be black and blonde or something like that... What do you think?" Erin grew uncomfortable in her current position and scrambled to sit back up next to him. "I'm cold... You wanna get one of the blankets from under my bed?"

--


Yukito Maki

"Well, we could watch it again... But, you know, I think I got
the gist of it," he told her with a smirk.

That earned a bit more laughter from Erin. "You're somethin' else,
you know that?" He gave a little nod, and she flopped down on his
lap again. Yukito's smile tensed, but he distracted himself by the way
she looked so comfortable. She looks so happy here.

"Hey," she started again after a few minutes of silence, "I
was thinkin' of getting blonde highlights... like, so it'd be black
and blonde or something like that... What do you think?"

He pursed his lips, "No...I don't want you to keep dying your hair. I
like its natural color." he said it with a simple, straight-forward
kind of way. He wasn't about to mention how Natalie always died her
hair in vivid colors that contrasted her blonde hair.

"I'm cold... You wanna get one of the blankets from under my
bed?" she said, shifting up and letting him breathe a little
easier, even if she had no idea. Yukito rolled his eyes.

"What, am I your maid service now?" he pointed an accusing finger at
her, "No. Costumes." With a chuckle he got up from the couch, leaving
Erin there while he went in search of her blanket. When he reached
Erin's room, he hesitated, staring around at the messy, haphazard look
that resembled his own. He wondered what would happen if they lived
together...would the place always look like a hurricane?

Then he realized what he had been considering, and the seriousness it
involved. He shook his head and reached beneath the bed, feeling dust
on his fingertips as he yanked out a blanket among the debris, pulling
it behind him as he left the room. Just before he reentered Erin's
vision, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the very
small box he had kept in his pocket the whole time. It was a ring,
actually, in that typical ring-sized box. Nothing added to it, just a
ring. For the sake of a ring.

I don't want to add anything else on that right now. He set it
up so that it would tumble out of her blanket to the floor when she
took it. Hopefully she would find it while he was still there, too. He
wanted to see how she reacted...

--

Erin Spenser

As much as she enjoyed movies and as much as she enjoyed watching them with Yukito, Erin still couldn't keep from breaking the silence between them. Silence for so long just felt unnatural. So she voiced a thought that had been wandering around in her head. "Hey, I was thinkin' of getting blonde highlights... like, so it'd be black and blonde or something like that... What do you think?"

She looked over at him as he pursed his lips in thought. "No...I don't want you to keep dying your hair. I like its natural color."

The simple, honest answer made Erin smile, feeling flattered at the way he said he liked her hair. But she still really liked her idea, too, and she let him know. "Aw... Hm, I think I'll do it anyway, though, just for a while. Plus it's technically 'natural colors', so I could keep it like that for school," she chirped.

Then her mind flitted to other things, and she shifted her position on the couch, now next to Yukito once more. "I'm cold..." she told him sincerely, though it was hardly anything new. Half the time she was home she was cold. And she could hear the low thunder outside, the dark storm clouds causing the temperature to drop just enough. "You wanna get one of the blankets from under my bed?"

Yukito rolled his eyes in response, Erin grinning at his reaction. "What, am I your maid service now?"

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but since you mentioned it..." she responded through suppressed laughter.

An accusing finger aimed at her face. "No. Costumes."

"I didn't say anything!" Erin shouted in his direction as he entered her room. "I don't know what you're talking about!" She continued to smile as she waited for him to come back and fill his vacated space, the sound of the rain now pelting the roof above her. "Why are you so slow, Yukito, you're gonna miss the ending or whatever if you keep doing that," she joked with him once he returned.

Happily, Erin cocooned herself in the blanket, sinking down where she sat to that she reclined against Yukito's side. She looked up at him with a content smile before redirecting her eyes to the last 20 minutes or so of the film. However, about halfway through that time the combination of the rain, the warmth found between the blanket and Yukito next to her, and her overall blissful mood set her to drift into sleep as she still rested against him.

--

www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/files/articles/mood-ring.jpg
Yukito's newish gift. ^.^ It's a mood ring! Hopefully it'll give him
some help. XD LOL

Yukito Maki

"No...I don't want you to keep dying your hair. I like its natural color."

She smiled up at him as if to say, 'yeah, well...whatever'. "Aw...
Hm, I think I'll do it anyway, though, just for a while. Plus it's
technically 'natural colors', so I could keep it like that for
school,"

That is such a stupid rule. He rolled his eyes a little,
muttering, "Fine, then. Maybe I'll dye my hair, too, then.
Maybe pink or something." He sent her a look, one eyebrow arched in a
challenge.

Then Erin demanded her maid service to go fetch her a blanket, since
she was cold, and he sent back a few sarcastic remarks to her.
On the thought of maid service, however, he sent her a serious look
and an accusing finger, muttering darkly. "No. Costumes."

"I didn't say anything!" He slipped off the couch, smiling when
he turned away from her. Oh, but you were thinking it, weren't
you? "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Once in her room, he gave himself a few moments of thought that he was
quickly embarrassed by. The dirt beneath her bed nearly buried the
blanket he had gone to fetch, but he managed to snag it as well as
slip into the folds of the cover a small box. He didn't know which he
would rather happen; her finding it while he was there, or her finding
it long after he had left. One the one hand, if he was there, she
would know who it was from, and he could see her face. On the other,
if it was later, it would be like he was leaving her with something
more than just a goodbye, it was like a promise of him coming back.
Because if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to see her wear it.

He trudged back to the living room. "Why are you so slow,
Yukito, you're gonna miss the ending or whatever if you keep doing
that," she teased.

Yukito just smiled and held out the wad of fabric to her. She took it
from him and wrapped it around herself, and he saw the ring box slip
out and fall on the floor in front of the couch. Ah, well. Maybe
it'll be after I leave. He sat down next to her and they resumed
their previous position, watching the film. Yukito wrapped his arm
around Erin and pulled her closely, but his eyes remained locked on
the screen until the ending credits rolled up. When he did look down,
he realized she was asleep, curled up next to him looking content. He
hadn't seen her sleep since the night he had found her on Bourbon
Street, and he wondered vaguely how often a chance to watch her
dreaming would come around. In the meanwhile, he was going to enjoy
it, a mischievous look to his smile as he stared at her unblinkingly.
You're so beautiful, Erin. I'm so sorry that I hurt you so
much. His smile began to falter, pulled down at the corners by his
regret. He never knew how to make it up to her, except to try and not
worry so much. He made a habit of hurting people he loved. He had made
years torture for his mother, he had let Natalie die, and he made
Aidousan feel like crap because he always wanted to 'fix' him and
didn't succeed. Then he made Erin feel unwanted and unloved, all
because he never took the time to read the signs, because his
stupidity always kept him from saying the things he should. I'm
sorry.

What was there to do now? To keep trying. Because Natalie had said he
could do it, and Erin believed he could. He could turn his luck around
and be happy with her. Just to be happy.

His smile began to return when he watched her face. He liked how faces
softened during sleep, and Erin's seemed to soften in all the pretty
places, making her look like she was much younger than she actually
was. It was almost like cuddling up next to little, child Erin. The
one he had never known. It would have been nice to have known you
since you were a small kid, Erin. To have grown up with you.

It never occurred to him that he should wake her up, but once her eyes
fluttered open, he wondered if he should have. No...I enjoyed
watching you sleep.

“Morning...” he said quietly, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “I
should probably head home...you look tired.”

--


Erin Spenser

"Aw... Hm, I think I'll do it anyway, though, just for a while. Plus it's technically 'natural colors', so I could keep it like that for school," Erin told him in a matter-of-fact tone. True, she did want his opinion, and if he really hated the idea, then she'd probably drop it, but he didn't say he hated it... and plus, she really did like the idea a lot. It sounded fun.

Yukito rolled his eyes at her comment. "Fine, then. Maybe I'll dye my hair, too, then. Maybe pink or something."

Erin's eyes widened briefly at his argument, and at the mental image. "You would not!" she protested immediately, in that way people did when they thought someone actually would. Then she knew he wouldn't, and she grinned at the way he could tease her and it made smile so much. "I would so pay money to see you do that, Yukito. And I'd pay even more to hear you sing Pink, too!" she added with fresh laughter that borderlined on a cackle, knowing for sure he'd never do that willingly.

Yukito found her blanket for her and brought it back to her, the room having darkened a few shades as clouds moved thick overhead outside. She eagerly took it from him and wrapped herself in it, perfectly content against his side. She hadn't even noticed when she'd drifted into sleep, but eventually the lack of noise from the room pulled her back into reality, and Erin's eyelids reopened-- slowly, drowsily, but they opened.

"Morning," voiced Yukito quietly, making Erin smile once more as he gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"He-ey..." She made a little noise as she habitually rubbed the heel of her hand to her eye. "Mm... it's over.... I didn't know I went to sleep..." Erin observed, still smiling from his greeting.

“I should probably head home..." Yukito told her, and immediately Erin felt herself wake up a bit more. "You look tired.”

"Noo," she protested, voice a little higher pitched in her stubbornness mixed with the still-waking-up state. Sitting up to face him mid-protest, though the protest was through a genuine smile. "It's the rain's fault, not mine!" She neglected to mention that she didn't spend much time sleeping last night. "It was so warm and dark and rainy and you're such a good pillow, Yuyukun!" She leaned her head on him again as if to prove her point.

Then Erin leaned down to adjust a corner of the blanket that had moved to expose her left foot to the cold, and her eyes caught something that didn't belong. "What's that?" Scooping the tiny cube off the floor, Erin immediately turned to Yukito with a knowing smile. "Is this for me?" she couldn't help but ask, even though she knew it was.

--

Yukito Maki

"Fine, then. Maybe I'll dye my hair, too, then. Maybe pink or something." he grunted in response to her comment about changing the color of her hair. A glance over told him she didn't believe him - or at the very least his comment had taken her off-guard.

"You would not!" she declared. He sent her a look as if to say, "And why wouldn't I?" "I would so pay money to see you do that, Yukito. And I'd pay even more to hear you sing Pink, too!" She cackled. He made a mental note to have some fun with that idea later. In the meanwhile, he slipped off to find her a blanket, which she wrapped around herself cocoon-style. Strangely enough, the blanket worked as a sort of sleep charm on Erin, in combination with the lazy afternoon and the warmth he tried to offer her by being as close as he could while she was curled up in her comforter. He didn't have the heart to wake her, much less a good reason to. When she did wake up, he smiled and whispered good morning to her. Despite the fact that it was definitely not morning this time, it felt special having her wake up next to him, rubbing her eyes in a cute way, her lips curling upwards as she remembered him being there. He kissed her forehead, a million thoughts running through his head but a single command taking charge. Kiss me, Erin.

"He-ey... Mm... it's over.... I didn't know I went to sleep..." she stated, still half-asleep. He realized that she had probably been tired if she had fallen asleep that easily, and she might not take another adorable nap if he hung around - Erin always wanted to be busy with people. And besides...her mom would probably be coming back soon. For some reason, he didn't like siting around Erin's apartment when there was much change of her parental figures being nearby - it made him anxious, and he avoided anxious when he could help it. Probably something about not being good with lying was involved in this problem.

“I should probably head home..." Yukito told her quietly, "You look tired.”

"Noo," Erin protested, of course, and her voice resembled a complaining child to his ears. He knew she wasn't too upset - she was still smiling. "It's the rain's fault, not mine! It was so warm and dark and rainy and you're such a good pillow, Yuyukun!" She leaned over onto him, and he shook his head.

"You'll make do somehow with just an ordinary pillow or something." he kissed her forehead again, "I have some stupid paper stuff for college to fill out anyways. I keep putting it off." He stood up and went to put the movie away - or as 'away' as it could be with the Spenser's unique system of organization,so different from his mother's fancy way of doing things...

"What's that?" he looked up to see Erin peering down at the ring box on the floor, and he fought hard to bury his knowing smile, turning away and making himself busy with the video. "Is this for me?"

"Hmm?" he looked up, blank look on his face until his eyes locked on the box. He could hide his smile well, but he couldn't keep his eyes from sparkling. "How am I supposed to know? Does your other boyfriend leave presents lying on the floor very often?"

--

Erin Spenser

"He-ey... Mm... it's over.... I didn't know I went to sleep..." Erin spoke drowsily in response to his brief kiss to her forehead. Gosh, she loved that gesture.

“I should probably head home..." Yukito told her quietly. "You look tired.”

"Noo," Erin half-protested. "It's the rain's fault, not mine! It was so warm and dark and rainy and you're such a good pillow, Yuyukun!" She leaned over onto him for demonstration, but he just shook his head.

"You'll make do somehow with just an ordinary pillow or something." Erin pouted a little at his response, and he gave her forehead another little kiss. "I have some stupid paper stuff for college to fill out anyways. I keep putting it off."

Yukito stood up then, forcing Erin to sit up, too, and without him she felt the cold space where he'd been warm beside her. "Stupic college crap," she muttered down a the couch, still disgruntled over loosing her time with him at school.

As he was busy replacing the VHS, Erin's eye caught the tiny box that didn't belong on the floor. "What's that?" Yukito didn't answer at first. "Is this for me?"

"Hmm?" Yukito looked over, face unreadable. "How am I supposed to know? Does your other boyfriend leave presents lying on the floor very often?"

Erin giggled at the inside joke. When had that started, anyway? Well, she liked that they had jokes like that... And she reached down to grab the little box in both hands. "My other boyfriend wouldn't've watched a Disney cartoon with me," she chirped, feeling a certain degree of truth to that. She popped open the lid to the box and found the little mood ring sitting there in its neutral teal-blue color. Immediately she let out a little happy squeal and slipped it on her ring finger. It was too loose there, so she slipped it back off and tried it on her index finger. It stayed. And Erin leapt up to her feet and jumped Yukito with a hug from behind. "Thank youuu!"

--

Yukito Maki

"What's that?" Erin asked, reaching for the small box he had
left for her to find. Like a sort of Easter egg, actually. So it made
it more enjoyable to listen to her reaction as he purposefully fumbled
with the VHS. "Is this for me?"

"Hmm?" He looked up with a feigned expression of obliviousness. "How
am I supposed to know? Does your other boyfriend leave presents
lying on the floor very often?"

Erin giggled, then told him matter-of-factly, "My other
boyfriend wouldn't've watched a Disney cartoon with me,"

"Well, then, too bad for him. He missed out on some golden moments." A
little squeal told him she had opened it,, and after a glance to see
the happy gleam in her eyes, he moved to seek his jacket from the
chair where he had discarded it halfway through the film. He had just
gotten his hand on it when the glomp attack arrived from behind, and
he let out a, "Oof!" then a chuckle.

"Thank youuu!" she squealed, and he took her hands in his,
turning around until he could join in the previously one-sided hug.

"It's nothing," he mumbled, "I just thought you'd have fun with it.
And maybe..." he held up her hand a little until he could see the
ring, a playful gleam sparking in his eyes, "It'll help me keep up
with you. If only there was a ring to read minds..." He leaned forward
until his nose brushed against hers. "I love you, you know...more than
the other guy does."

--

Erin Spenser

After finding the little colorful ring inside, Erin immediately jumped to surprise Yukito with a hug from behind, making him let out a little laugh as she squealed out her thanks.

"It's nothing," Yukito responded, turning around to return her hug. "I just thought you'd have fun with it. And maybe..." he lifted her hand as if to observe the ring, now shifting from its former blue-green into a deep blue color. "It'll help me keep up with you. If only there was a ring to read minds..."

"I don't want you reading my mind, Yukito," Erin responded immediately through a few laughs as his nose brushed against hers. "What's the dark blue mean, then, huh?"

"I love you, you know...more than the other guy does."

Erin beamed at him. "Good." And she punctuated her comment with a kiss on his lips. "'Cause I love you, too." She rested her had back on his shoulder and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the sleepiness that still lingered. A strangled yawn still managed to escape. Augh... shoot.

--

Yukito Maki

"I don't want you reading my mind, Yukito," she commented as their nose gently touched, making a smile flash across his lips. I think I'd like to, though...what goes through your head? You move so fast you probably forget to say a lot of things that I'll never know..

"What's the dark blue mean, then, huh?" she asked. He lifted up her hand to inspect the ring, watching it with a smile playing on his lips.

"Happy..." he murmured. "I love you, you know...more than the other guy does."

Erin beamed at him. "Good." A kiss that surprised him enough to give him that extremely pleasing stomach shock of butterflies. Or at the very least an intestine trying to dance to something bouncy and 80's. "'Cause I love you, too."

He tilted his head to the side, as if dubious to her remark. "Really, now? That's a relief. I thought with all this kissing and stuff you thought of me as a brother." He chuckled and she yawned, reminding him it was time to go. He kissed her again, not allowing himself to prolong it enough to make him stay. "I'm really going now, seriously..." He dropped her hands and started backing away, half-pretending he was attached to her by a string that was getting tighter and tighter as he drew back towards the door, waving gently to her, not taking his eyes off of her as he reached with one hand behind him for the door. "Bye..." he mumbled, not really wanting to go but knowing he probably should.

--

Erin Spenser

"What's the dark blue mean, then, huh?" Erin asked as he held her hand in his, lifted for examination.

"Happy..." Yukito murmured. "I love you, you know...more than the other guy does."

Erin beamed at him. "Good." She gave him a quick, impromptu kiss and added, "'Cause I love you, too."

He gave her a look that oddly enough reminded Erin of her puppy. The idea kept her smiling as she laid her head down on him. "Really, now? That's a relief. I thought with all this kissing and stuff you thought of me as a brother."

She could hear and feel Yukito's laughter at her when she failed at stifling a yawn. Erin lifted her head again before she started to fall asleep standing up-- he's such a good pillow! I love sleeping next to him.-- and Yukito gave her a kiss in turn. But it wasn't like their kisses earlier, and she knew that meant he was really trying to head out. "I'm really going now, seriously...."

"Awww," came the automatic response as his hands slipped from hers. But I don't want you to go yet... you could at least tell me to go to bed, and then throw a blanket over me and tell me to stay there or something. She liked the idea of him tucking her in. But he was leaving, and the idea itself was totally lame and silly of her to think of-- who really did that, anyway? It's not like they were married or something...

The mental comment made a new, coy smile grow on her face as Yukito slowly made his way to her door. Even though Erin thought he might cave and stay just a little longer since he kept staring at her, and for some reason he always seemed to cave to what she was hoping for whenever he did that. I want you to stay until you really have to leave, I don't mind it at all if I fall asleep in your arms again.

But he stuck his hand on the doorknob, and she gave a little sigh. Maybe next time... "Bye..."

Erin returned his wave with an equal lack of enthusiasm, a gesture that morphed into her twirling a strand of hair around her index finger. The same one bearing the new little ring. "All right... bye, kareshi!" She smiled at him. "I'll call you later." After I wake up. Maybe I'll get to hang out with you in a dream, too. Ha!

--

Yukito Maki

"I'm really going now, seriously...." He had to focus on leaving or he'd never get away before her parents got back. And he was sure she wouldn't want to fall asleep again as long as he was here. Their eyes stayed locked as he started to back away, ever so slowly.

"Awww," she moaned, as he slipped his hands from hers. He shrugged. I want to stay, I really do. But a little voice in the back of his head was nagging him, so he gripped the doorknob behind him, still facing her.

I love you because I know you'll be here when I get back. I love you because you're still smiling, even as I go, and I'm positive it's because you're thinking about the next time you'll see me. "Bye..." he said quietly, and she waved even though they were only a few feet away from each other. The wave seemed sad, if that was even possible.

"All right... bye, kareshi!" She smiled at him. Since his phone was turned off, he had to take a mental photograph of her standing there. "I'll call you later."
"I know..." he said with a smirk, slipping out the door. After a millisecond of behind out of sight, though, he poked his head back in. A falsified glare was sent her way, as well as an accusing finger. "Get some sleep. Before you fall over." he commanded, his eyes laughing as he really left this time.

Okay, so if he was really leaving, why was he still standing outside her door, his nose inches from touching it, staring blankly ahead? I wish I could go back in. She would like that.

Maybe next time. He finally turned to go, shoving his hands in his pockets and smiling to himself a little. He decided that next time he saw her, he would try to remember to hum something from Aladdin, just to see if she picked up on it. She liked to notice things like that, and he liked to give her the opportunity to notice. Because she payed attention...

Most of the time.

[GGJ5]

Phone Call (after meeting Yumi... haha. ^^) [/u]

Erin Spenser

She gave herself a few minutes to fume over the incident. She repeated the same thoughts over in her head that she'd yelled at that girl, only more colorful in her head. Not like that girl would understand it anyway. But everyone else would, and did, and now she got to chalk up another time she was kicked out of a public establishment. But that didn't even mean anything, because that stupid little girl still thought of Yukito the way Erin wanted no one else to think of him. That stupid little girl thought she could still have a chance with him! And Yukito didn't even know! What if she tried to do something stupid, like try to seduce him or something when Erin wasn't around? The idea alone made Erin's temperature rise fast, made her muscles knot painfully in her neck, and made her vision swim.

Erin sat down on the sidewalk, against a store's brick wall and yanked out her cell phone, mashing the speed dial for Yukito's number with a heavy thumb. "Yukito!" she said once he picked up, not realizing her voice was still louder than normal. She still hadn't calmed form the unsavory meeting. "Yukito! That stupid girl came all the way over here just for you! She wants you! She started yelling at me when she found out my name, and she knew who I was, I think she's some kind of psycho freaking stalker! Yukito! I hater her! I hate her and I wish she'd go away now!"

---

Yukito Maki

He sat up in bed at the sound of a cell phone ring. The ring was
familiar - it was Erin. He groaned and reached up for the phone,
elusive as it slipped off the nightstand and hit the carpet with a
dull thud. Yukito frowned and dove after it, fumbling to answer. I
wonder what's up?

"Moshi-moshi?" he said with a bit of a smile, hoping she would like a
bit more Japanese slipped into the conversation.

"Yukito!" he physically cringed when her voice blared out over
the phone. His first thought was - aw, s*** I did something wrong
again.

"Yukito! That stupid girl came all the way over here just for you!
She wants you! She started yelling at me when she found out my
name, and she knew who I was, I think she's some kind of psycho
freaking stalker! Yukito! I hate her! I hate her and I
wish she'd go away now!"

Yukito didn't move for a long moment. He was kind of in a daze from
sleeping the empty afternoon away. He blinked hard and started to rub
his eyes. "Whaaaat?" he moaned, "What girl? A stalker?" Yukito sat up,
not piecing the information together. "Is someone stalking you?"

---

Erin Spenser

She didn't notice what he said, just that his voice met her ears, which meant he was listening. Then she started. "Yukito!" No answer. "Yukito! That stupid girl came all the way over here just for you! She wants you! She started yelling at me when she found out my
name, and she knew who I was, I think she's some kind of psycho freaking stalker! Yukito! I hate her! I hate her and I wish she'd go away now!"

Nothing for a second, and Erin was just starting to breath in for another explanation to get into his thick head when he finally spoke. "Whaaaat?"

Erin groaned, rolling her eyes at him and resting her head in exasperation on the wall behind her. "What girl? A stalker? Is someone stalking you?"

"No!" she snapped back immediately. "No one's stalking ME, Yukito, she's freakin' stalking YOU! What stupid demon possessed her to get this stupid idea to cross the friggen world for you, huh?! Who DOES that? What kind of sane person is that effing desperate?! And then she starts yelling at ME calling me things that I can't understand, of course not, because she KNOWS I can't understand what she's saying to me, but she came all the way over here so it has to be because of you!"

Then another realization hit Erin. "Omigod, what if she's here for Aidousan? She could be here for Aidousan! Or both of you! Omigod, she wants both of you back, what a slut! She must be obsessed! And not only does she insult me in a language I can't understand, she flips me off!" Sure, I did it first, but he's my boyfriend, I'm not trying to be a THIEF![/i] "If she does anything to screw over Cassie, I swear to God, Yukito..."

------

Yukito Maki

"What girl? A stalker? Is someone stalking you?" he was still
half-asleep and she was talking a little too fast for him to
understand.

"No!" The word seemed to crackle and hiss through the phone all
her irritation and frustration. "No one's stalking ME, Yukito,
she's freakin' stalking YOU! What stupid demon possessed her to get
this stupid idea to cross the friggen world for you, huh?! Who DOES
that? What kind of sane person is that effing desperate?! And then she
starts yelling at ME calling me things that I can't understand, of
course not, because she KNOWS I can't understand what she's saying to
me, but she came all the way over here so it has to be because of
you!"

Yukito sat very still for a long moment. Who the hell is she
talking about? He let out a little 'mm' sound, about to ask, when
she started shouting again.

"Omigod, what if she's here for Aidousan? She could be here for
Aidousan! Or both of you! Omigod, she wants both of you back, what a
slut! She must be obsessed! And not only does she insult
me in a language I can't understand, she flips me off! If she does
anything to screw over Cassie, I swear to God, Yukito..."

He rubbed his temples as he listened to her, letting out a sigh,
"Erin," he was starting to lose patience here, "Will you
please start from square one and tell me who we're talking
about?" It's kind of ironic that she probably understood this
stalker-chic in another language better than I am understanding her in
the same one right now... He had figured out that Erin had met
someone she didn't like today, but he wasn't understanding how this
person was stalking him and Aidousan simultaneously, or why it was
freaking Erin out so much.

----

Erin Spenser

"If she does anything to screw over Cassie, I swear to God, Yukito..."

She didn't notice the irritation in his voice when he demanded, "Erin, will you
please start from square one and tell me who we're talking about?"

"Yumi!" she shouted back, as if it were the only possible answer and he was being intentionally thick. "Yumi, that girl came all the way from Japan and she didn't come for just the kicks! It's either about you or about Aidousan, and both are just as bad! She started this whole cute little friendly thing of "oh, let's be friends with the people we can't understand but look like they're cool people" and then as soon as I tell her my name she starts yelling at me in freakin' Japanese, and I didn't even do anything to her! I don't even know how she knows about me, Yukito, and I don't like her being here! She's gonna ruin everything!"

No, it wasn't the most logical train of thought, but it seemed perfectly valid to her at the time. Love alone and anger alone were enough to cloud judgment, but combined they had almost free reign.

"Why would she do this? People don't do this for just any reason, Yukito! She'll ruin everything!"

--

Yukito Maki

"Erin, will you please start from square one and tell me
who we're talking about?"

"Yumi!" she bellowed over the phone, and he almost dropped it
in surprise. Instead he dropped his jaw.

"Yumi, that girl came all the way from Japan and she didn't
come for just the kicks! It's either about you or about Aidousan, and
both are just as bad! She started this whole cute little friendly
thing of "oh, let's be friends with the people we can't understand but
look like they're cool people" and then as soon as I tell her my name
she starts yelling at me in freakin' Japanese, and I didn't even do
anything to her! I don't even know how she knows about me, Yukito, and
I don't like her being here! She's gonna ruin everything!"

"Eh...."

"Why would she do this? People don't do this for just any reason,
Yukito! She'll ruin everything!"

She kept repeating that. 'She'll ruin everything', and Yukito rubbed
his hand over his face. "Are you sure you aren't making a mistake,
Erin? I don't think Yumi is the type to do something like that." He
seriously couldn't imagine her flipping someone off.... "And even if
she is here, why would she want to..." he was unsure of what word he
was looking for, "Why would she want to do that?"

----

Erin Spenser

"Why would she do this? People don't do this for just any reason, Yukito! She'll ruin everything!"

"Are you sure you aren't making a mistake, Erin? I don't think Yumi is the type to do something like that."

"I'm not making it up, Yukito! I'm not stupid, I know who I was talking to!" Even though she hadn't known until too later.

"And even if she is here, why would she want to..."

"She is!"

"Why would she want to do that?"

Erin let out a little shriek of frustration. "I just asked you that! Yukito, shut up and listen to me! I know that's her! And she's doin' this 'cause she thinks she still has a chance with one of you! And she can't, Yukito, she CAN'T, it'll ruin everything!" Now her tone was shifting from heated frustration to sincere worry, though the fervency still remained. "I'm telling the truth," she insisted again.

---

Yukito Maki

"Are you sure you aren't making a mistake, Erin? I don't think Yumi is
the type to do something like that."

"I'm not making it up, Yukito! I'm not stupid, I know who I
was talking to!" he ignored the comment and tried to finish his
thought through the haze of being merely half-awakened.

"And even if she is here, why would she want to..."

"She is!" Erin insisted.

"Why would she want to do that?"

A shriek of frustration blasted into his ear, and he groaned. "I
just asked you that! Yukito, shut up and listen to me! I know
that's her! And she's doin' this 'cause she thinks she still has a
chance with one of you! And she can't, Yukito, she CAN'T, it'll
ruin everything!" he could hear the desperation in her tone.
"I'm telling the truth,"

Yukito let out an impatient sigh, "I never said you weren't,
Erin! Gosh!" He leaned back and laid his head against the wall - too
quickly, it made a dull thud sound that seemed to echo in his skull.
Daaaamn... "Look, if she wants Aidousan back, that's her
problem. He likes Cassie. He's crazy about her. What do you want me to
say? What are you worried about?" he paused, then added incredulously,
"Are you worried she's gonna take me back?"

It sounded really weird to say that out loud, but he couldn't help
wonder if it was true. Erin was clingy, he knew. But never as clingy
as Aidousan or Yumi were. That was why he wasn't surprised that the
two of them had ended up glued to each other after he left. They were
both so similarly dependent. But it was such a messed up relationship,
he suppose it had no potential. But when he and Yumi were together...

Was Erin just upset because she still had all those doubts about herself?

----

Erin Spenser

"Look, if she wants Aidousan back, that's her problem. He likes Cassie. He's crazy about her. What do you want me to say? What are you worried about?"

The hundred-dollar question. Truthfully, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was she was worried about. But you didn't cross the globe for just any reason-- you had to be really serious about it. She could only imagine how much Yumi thought about Yukito, or Aidousan, or both of them, and just the thought of her mind taking that kind of time for either of them riled Erin enough. That probably made her a horrible person, to feel that way, but it was exactly how she felt and there wasn't anything she could do about it, so why try? Anyway, it was involving two people she cared about very, very much and so she had every right to feel that way towards Yumi. Towards someone who would probably just love to mess with the girls in her guys' lives.

"Are you worried she's gonna take me back?"

"No! That's not it, Yukito, I--" An exasperated breath. "I dunno! I dunno why, okay? I just-- I don't like it. I don't like that she put in all this effort to get here, and it was either for one of y'all or for both, and I hate the thought of her trying anything with either of you! I know he loves Cassie, Yukito, and that's why I hate to think of her even trying to mess with that! It doesn't matter if she fails at her trying, it's that she's trying, and they don't need that! And neither do we! I don't want her trying to replace me. I don't wanna be replaceable again, Yukito..." A mixture of guilt and regret grew in her voice as Erin glanced down at the warm cement beside her as her anger continued to ebb. I shouldn't have said that... I sound so horrible saying that. "I'm sorry... I just..." She sighed. "Yukito... I don't want anyone else to think about you the way I do... And I don't want anyone to even try to hurt Cassie, either... And it has to be one of those, and I don't want it," Erin tried to explain, voice tense. "I don't want... Yukito, I love you... Are you mad at me?"

---

Yukito Maki

"What are you worried about?"

There was silence on the other end, and the idea occurred to Yukito
that she couldn't find the words to say. So he tried the theory he was
considering most - the one that surprised him. If nothing else, to at
least eliminate the possibilities.

"Are you worried she's gonna take me back?"

"No! That's not it, Yukito, I--" An exasperated breath. "I
dunno! I dunno why, okay? I just-- I don't like it. I don't like that
she put in all this effort to get here, and it was either for one of
y'all or for both, and I hate the thought of her trying
anything with either of you! I know he loves Cassie, Yukito, and
that's why I hate to think of her even trying to mess with that! It
doesn't matter if she fails at her trying, it's that she's
trying, and they don't need that! And neither do we! I don't
want her trying to replace me. I don't wanna be replaceable again,
Yukito..."

"Erin..." his tone was delicately reprimanding, like a replayed record
that he was patiently trying to force into moving forward the way it
wanted to. "You're not."

"I'm sorry... I just..." She sighed. "Yukito... I don't want
anyone else to think about you the way I do..." He couldn't help
it - he smirked at that. "And I don't want anyone to even try to
hurt Cassie, either... And it has to be one of those, and I
don't want it, I don't want... Yukito, I love you... Are
you mad at me?"

He let out a little laugh, "No," he said as if such an idea
were totally ridiculous, "I'm not mad, okay? I just....I see it
this way - she's not coming in between you and me. Her and I broke up
ages ago, Erin. We talked and decided it just... wasn't
supposed to be. We agreed on this, it wasn't a 'he dumped or she
dumped' kind of deal, okay? She's not 'coming after' me." He smiled
and lay back down on the bed, his neck aching from the previous
position. "And as for Aidousan....he likes Cassiechan. If he doesn't
stick up for that, there's no helping him. But I've known him since I
was little... when he really loves someone, he doesn't let them go
easily. And he really loves Cassiechan, I think. If Yumichan
tried to disrupt that, it's either going to really, really fail or
it'll only work because him and Cassiechan haven't worked through
their issues, or whatever." He let out a little nonchalant sigh, "I
guess I can talk to him about it, but I'm just saying, there's not
much we can do worrying about this. It's not like you can send her
back to Japan on a rocket...." he paused dramatically, then muttered,
"....Right?"

"By the way..." his smile returned, "Not to sound insensitive, but you
sound so cute right now, when you're upset."

---

Erin Spenser


"I don't want her trying to replace me. I don't wanna be replaceable again,
Yukito..." she explained weakly.

"Erin..." Yukito voiced, the tone something she recognized but didn't often associate with him, "You're not."

Her expression was a frown on her end of the phone call, Erin now feeling guilty for admitting that particular worry. But it was so hard not to worry about it....! "I'm sorry... I just..." She sighed. "Yukito... I don't want anyone else to think about you the way I do... And I don't want anyone to even try to hurt Cassie, either... And it has to be one of those, and I don't want it, I don't want... Yukito, I love you... Are you mad at me?"

"No," Yukito immediately responded, sounding almost surprised that she'd ask. "I'm not mad, okay? I just....I see it this way - she's not coming in between you and me. Her and I broke up ages ago, Erin. We talked and decided it just... wasn't supposed to be. We agreed on this, it wasn't a 'he dumped or she dumped' kind of deal, okay? She's not 'coming after' me."

Erin's brow furrowed, her wanting to take his word for it, but also not trusting Yumi with a ten-foot-pole. After all, she came over here for something... "Then what about Aidousan and Cassie?"

"And as for Aidousan....he likes Cassiechan. If he doesn't stick up for that, there's no helping him. But I've known him since I was little... when he really loves someone, he doesn't let them go easily. And he really loves Cassiechan, I think. If Yumichan tried to disrupt that, it's either going to really, really fail or it'll only work because him and Cassiechan haven't worked through their issues, or whatever."

His words were doing little to comfort her. "Yukito..." How could he be so nonchalant about it all? Didn't he think it a little weird? A little important? You don't hop on a jet across the world just for kicks, didn't he get that?

"I guess I can talk to him about it, but I'm just saying, there's not much we can do worrying about this. It's not like you can send her back to Japan on a rocket.... Right?"

"I bet I can find a how-to video on Youtube," Erin muttered by way of response.

"By the way... Not to sound insensitive, but you sound so cute right now, when you're upset."

The comment threw her off balance a bit. "Yukito," she called with a chiding tone, even though she couldn't help feeling better when he said he thought she was cute. Which probably diluted the strength of her attempted chide. "You're making it really hard to stay upset, though..." she half-complained, a smile nudging her lips. "You're not bothered by it at all... why do you think she came over here?"

---

Yukito Maki

"And as for Aidousan....he likes Cassiechan. If he doesn't stick up
for that, there's no helping him. But I've known him since I was
little... when he really loves someone, he doesn't let them go easily.
And he really loves Cassiechan, I think. If Yumichan tried to
disrupt that, it's either going to really, really fail or it'll only
work because him and Cassiechan haven't worked through their issues,
or whatever."

"Yukito..." She sounded so frustrated, through the accumulation
of minutes over the phone, his attempts at reassuring seemed to be
doing little to help.

"I guess I can talk to him about it, but I'm just saying, there's not
much we can do worrying about this. It's not like you can send her
back to Japan on a rocket.... Right?"

"I bet I can find a how-to video on Youtube," Erin muttered,
and he smiled at the grumbling tone she used. He was picturing the
pout on her lips, and the slight crinkling of her face when she was
upset by something.

"By the way... Not to sound insensitive, but you sound so cute right
now, when you're upset."

"Yukito," she said in a strange tone, like he had said
something he shouldn't have but that she liked just the same.
"You're making it really hard to stay upset, though..."

He chuckled over the phone by way of reply.

"You're not bothered by it at all... why do you think she
came over here?"

He wanted to tell her it did bother him, but it wouldn't have been the
truth. Yumi being there meant little to him - they had resolved their
stuff as far as he knew. He was concerned about Aidousan,
though. His friend became fickle when it came to helping everybody,
and if Yumi was able to come across as vulnerable and afraid, she
would easily - maybe unknowingly - make Aidousan bend backwards for
her. It was just his way. "It's hard to tell with Yumi...I'm really no
good at reading people, and our relationship...it was always a little
weird." He shrugged. Part of it, he knew, had been his own ability to
keep himself distanced by lightyears while being right next to
someone. But he was sure it hadn't been all him. There just hadn't
been a sort of chemistry. Love...there wasn't love...I don't love
Yumi. he realized with a start. "You know me...I didn't make her
feel appreciated or liked. And I think she hated that about me...." he
let out a little sigh, slowly adding, "I don't really blame her,
though. I'm just glad we worked things out peacefully, you know?"

--

Erin Spenser

"You're not bothered by it at all..." Erin observed, surprising herself by feeling almost disappointed by that fact. "Why do you think she came over here?"

"It's hard to tell with Yumi... I'm really no good at reading people, and our relationship...it was always a little weird."

"Weird?" Erin echoed, as if the idea were foreign to her. Even if she thought some of her own relationships could be described that way. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know me...I didn't make her feel appreciated or liked. And I think she hated that about me...." Erin frowned, not really sure what to think about that. Maybe that's why she'd started yelling at Erin, because she still hated Yukito and was taking it out on her or something? That seems kinda ridiculous though... And if that were the case, then she came back because of Aidousan. He'd really seemed totally smitten by her when Erin had first talked to him online, she remembered. She had no idea how it had ended for them, but... She did not relish the idea of her trying to pull anything over on Cassie. In fact, she kind of hated imagining her trying to ruin what her friends had. Everything in Cassie's life was so fragile right now, she deserved something good and precious all to her own, and if this prissy loudmouthed snake thought she could just slither her way in and ruin it, she had better think twice about it...

"I don't really blame her, though," Yukito voiced, interrupting her train of thought. "I'm just glad we worked things out peacefully, you know?"

"Uh-huh," Erin responded automatically, instead of the more honest "no, I don't know," comment that she would have spouted had she thought about it. "But I still don't like her being here. Especially 'cause of Aidousan and Cassie. And I really don't like her."

--

Yukito Maki

"It's hard to tell with Yumi... I'm really no good at reading people,
and our relationship...it was always a little weird."

"Weird?" Erin sounded confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Yukito let out a little sigh, trying to place the right words were he
needed them to explain this. "You know me...I didn't make her feel
appreciated or liked. And I think she hated that about me....I don't
really blame her, though...I'm just glad we worked things out
peacefully, you know?"

"Uh-huh," Erin responded flippantly, and he wondered what was
distracting her from paying attention to him now. "But I still
don't like her being here. Especially 'cause of Aidousan and Cassie.
And I really don't like her."

He smiled even if she couldn't see it. "Don't worry too much. There's
not much we can do with this. I'll talk to Aidousan," he paused, then
tacked on,"And you let Cassie know where we stand on this, okay?"

Yukito looked up at his alarm clock and let out a little hiss,
muttering, "Eesh. I slept in today..."

--

Erin Spenser

"Uh-huh," she responded automatically. "But I still don't like her being here. Especially 'cause of Aidousan and Cassie. And I really don't like her."

"Don't worry too much," Yukito told her simply. She still couldn't figure how after her own upset that he could be so calm about it. Part of her found it irritating to no end, while another part was jealous of that ability of his. Almost nothing ever just rolled off her back like everything did with him, and now with the red ebbing away, she kind of wished she could pull that off, too. And maybe not get "escorted" outside of stores... or theaters... or wherever she happened to be... You're lucky. "There's not much we can do with this. I'll talk to Aidousan.... And you let Cassie know where we stand on this, okay?"

"Okay..." she agreed, the disgruntled tone still setting a little edge to her voice. "Uh... where do we stand on this, exactly?"

"Eesh. I slept in today..." muttered Yukito, the comment making Erin giggle a little despite the somewhat gloomy mood that that unfortunate meeting had set her in. She could picture him in her head, still half asleep and disheveled as he talked to her reclining in his bed.

"I woke you up?" she asked with a laugh, even though she knew it was true. "No wonder you sounded so out of it at first..." Then a little sigh as she added wistfully, "Maan... I wish I could've slept in, too... You, like, never have to wake up early again... I'm forced to get up early for freaking summer school, and now even on weekends I can't sleep in too much, 'cause my mom wakes me up now, because she says she starts getting worried if she thinks I'm sleeping too much or some kind of crap like that.. I can't [iwait[/i] to be done with school forever and move on! You're so lucky, Yukitokun...."

--

Yukito Maki

"There's not much we can do with this. I'll talk to Aidousan.... And
you let Cassie know where we stand on this, okay?" he said, trying to
reassure her as best as he knew how.

"Okay..." she reluctantly agreed, "Uh... where do we stand
on this, exactly?"

He chuckled, "We're here for them. We want them to work it out. But
we're not going to force them to make a decision one way or the
other...okay?" he smirked, "Besides, would you have wanted someone
prodding you telling you that you shouldn't take me back?" After he
had said it, his face fell into a more solemn expression. It was weird
to say something like that so flippantly. Like it was nothing. Hadn't
it totally altered their lives after the breakup? A Halloween that was
unforgettable.

He turned his thoughts to the clock, still a little shocked at himself
for saying something like that. "Eesh. I slept in today..." he mumbled
out of the blue, making Erin giggle.

"I woke you up? No wonder you sounded so out of it at first..."

He grunted in reply, "Yeah...I'm not a morning person..." he glanced
again at the clock, "Or an afternoon person either, apparently..."

Erin let out a wistful sigh, "Maan... I wish I could've slept in,
too... You, like, never have to wake up early again... I'm forced to
get up early for freaking summer school, and now even on weekends I
can't sleep in too much, 'cause my mom wakes me up now, because she
says she starts getting worried if she thinks I'm sleeping too much or
some kind of crap like that.. I can't wait to be done with
school forever and move on! You're so lucky, Yukitokun...."

"Yeah, I am..." he added with a grin, rolling out of the bed with one
hand still clutching the phone to his ear. "But my being lucky has
nothing to do with what time I can sleep in to." He stood up and
glanced at his computer desk, where several prints from his mother's
camera had been laid out. Pictures of him and Erin that he hadn't
given her copies of yet - copies because he knew once she saw their
faces, she wouldn't give the photos back - and he smiled down at them.
"I love you, Erin," he said it so quietly he barely heard it himself,
then added, "But I should let you go. I had stuff I was
supposed to do today. Call me later, alright? I'll call you
first though, if I come across any of your old boyfriends. Even if
they may be dead already by then...."

--

Erin Spenser

"There's not much we can do with this. I'll talk to Aidousan.... And you let Cassie know where we stand on this, okay?" Yukito told her, and she couldn't really argue with him when he put it like that...

"Okay... uh... where do we stand on this, exactly?"

He chuckled at her question, answering her. "We're here for them. We want them to work it out. But we're not going to force them to make a decision one way or the other...okay?"

"Mmm... I guess..."

"Besides, would you have wanted someone prodding you telling you that you shouldn't take me back?"

"Nooo," she drawled out, smiling because she knew it was true. Then, "Fiiiine..."

"Eesh. I slept in today..." Yukito muttered, Erin laughing a little at his surprise.


"I woke you up? No wonder you sounded so out of it at first..."

He grunted in reply, "Yeah...I'm not a morning person... Or an afternoon person either, apparently..."

Another laugh. "I know." Then, "Maan... I wish I could've slept in, too... You, like, never have to wake up early again... I'm forced to

get up early for freaking summer school, and now even on weekends I can't sleep in too much, 'cause my mom wakes me up now, because she says she starts getting worried if she thinks I'm sleeping too much or some kind of crap like that.. I can't wait to be done with school forever and move on! You're so lucky, Yukitokun...."

"Yeah, I am..." he agreed simply. "But my being lucky has nothing to do with what time I can sleep in to."

Were he there on the street next to her, he would have seen her roll her eyes in amusement. "Yukito, I mean besides that, too... you don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I can't wait to do that. I mean," she added with a little giggle. "I kinda do that anyway, but I'm tired if getting in trouble for it..."

"I love you, Erin," Yukito voiced quietly, making Erin smiled through the phone. "But I should let you go. I had stuff I was
supposed to do today. Call me later, alright? I'll call you first though, if I come across any of your old boyfriends. Even if they may be dead already by then...."

The comment made Erin laugh more, even though she didn't exactly understand. "All right then... I'll go with it." She sighed, pulling herself to her feet. "All right, I guess I'll talk to you later then... I love you!" Gosh, she loved saying that.

--

Yukito Maki

"Maan... I wish I could've slept in, too... You, like, never have to wake up early again... I'm forced to get up early for freaking summer school, and now even on weekends I can't sleep in too much, 'cause my mom wakes me up now, because she says she starts getting worried if she thinks I'm sleeping too much or some kind of crap like that.. I can't wait to be done with school forever and move on! You're so lucky, Yukitokun...."

He smiled when he rolled himself out of bed, "Yeah, I am...But my being lucky has nothing to do with what time I can sleep in to."

"Yukito, I mean besides that, too... you don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I can't wait to do that. I mean," she giggled over the phone, and it sounded different to him. "I kinda do that anyway, but I'm tired if getting in trouble for it..."

She likes to think she's such a trouble-maker. "I love you, Erin," his voice was quiet enough that he wasn't certain she would have heard it. Louder, he added, "But I should let you go. I had stuff I was supposed to do today. Call me later, alright? I'll call you first though, if I come across any of your old boyfriends. Even if they may be dead already by then...."

This earned another laugh from Erin, "All right then... I'll go with it." She sighed, "All right, I guess I'll talk to you later then... I love you!"

There was a moment of hesitation, then, "Bye."

[GGJ5]

(Taking place at the Makis' the day after their sick-people movie watching "party".)

Yukito Maki

The flu should have been over by now, right? It should only last a few
days. It seemed like he had been sick for weeks. But his mother
said it was only Tuesday - his second day ill. Cassie and Aidousan
were passed out - the former in his mother's bed, the latter on the
couch in the living room - and Yukito had closed himself off in his
own room again. He had no real reason to come out, since Erin wasn't
there. His two friends were too sick to distract him, and he
didn't really expect that. He was getting tired of weary-sounding
jokes about the flu. Sickness, sickness, sickness. It was really
irritating at this point.

He sat up slowly, his head spinning and sensations of hot and cold all
over his body freaking him out. He could hear his heartbeat thrumming
in his ears, and that familiar warning shot through his belly. Yukito
swore and raced out into the hallway and to the bathroom, barely
making it to the still-open toilet seat before the foul-smelling
stomach bile was sent up to its new resting place. His hands on the
cold floor were shaking uncontrollably, and he felt too weak to be
able to support himself, but the vomiting continued, choking him and
making his whole frame cringe and jerk.

Yukito was not very suicidal. But right now he wouldn't have said no
to a horse tranquilizer or some equivalent. He felt tears in his eyes
from the violence his own body was forcing into play, and he let out a
little whimper. He knew his mother wouldn't come - she would have been
racing around in circles if she reacted every time a teenager in her
house needed a bowl or a toilet - but he wished someone would tell him
it was gonna be alright. And if he knew someone was there in case he
passed out and needed help

At least someone to hold the gun to his head.

But he couldn't have someone, not now, when he was smelly, greasy, and
nasty. He felt a fresh wave of nausea as he thought on Erin's abrupt
departure. In the small space of time she had been over, he had felt
so much better. Even if his head hadn't stopped pounding and his
stomach never let up the war, he was distracted. Right now all he had
to think about were his shortcomings, and that sickened him even more.
When he looked up and saw her in the doorway, his first instinct was
Oh my God, I must've taken too many meds and I still feel
awful. Then he realized she was actually over, probably to see if
he was feeling better, and that made him want to cry. His face broke
from blank confusion to a pained look, and he turned away from her.

"Don't come in..." he said with a scratchy voice, and it sounded to
him like he was angry with her, but he didn't think he was...
"You don't want to s--" Damn Another upheaval, and this one
hurt worse. He could feel her presence still in the bathroom and he
wished she wasn't there to see him like this. Yukito always wanted to
look like he could control himself around people - then there was less
a chance of someone challenging him - and this was definitely
out of his control. You don't want to see me like this, he
thought at her bitterly, I'll gross you out. Just go away and come
back when I'm not sick. Then you can kiss me again. And I can try to
be your boyfriend getting better.

--

Erin Spenser

As soon as she came home, Erin sped through her homework without putting much effort into completing it correctly, and immediately flew out the house to go see Yukito. She felt awful about having to leave him the day before, but then if she hadn't Erin wouldn't be able to come back today... And she wanted to see him as much as possible, to try to make him feel better until he was actually well again. He looked soo worn and sick and tired yesterday, it made Erin want to hug him in a blanket and feed him soup or something totally storybookishly cheesy like that, but she would do anything to make him feel better. To get him well fast as possible so that they could actually hang out together like normal.

Erin passed up one worn-out sickling, noted it wasn't Yukito, and left her friend alone to rest. She wanted to find Yukito.

And she found him easily, since he wasn't in his room and there were some uncomfortable sounds coming from the bathroom. Well, really, more like painful sounds.. Erin often would feel nauseated when she was anxious or upset, but she couldn't remember the last time she actually []regurgitated[/i] anything. It sounded awful. She stood just at the doorway of the bathroom, looking at Yukito with her face full of worry. He looked so sad and sick! It was awful. "Aw, Yukito..."

"Don't come in..." Yukito ordered, voice sounding raw from the acid that had to be tearing it up form his stomach. Ugh... that can't be good for you. "You don't want to s--" The words were cut off by a round of bile, and Erin was sure it was hurting him bad. She couldn't stand watching him hurting so much! "Yukito!" She immediately ran in, kneeling next to him despite the unflattering smell that rejected bile gave off. She tenderly placed her hand on his back, rubbing it consolingly. "Aw, Yuyukun...! I'm so sorry!" She looked at him sternly: "You haven't even drank anything, have you? Won't that make it worse?" She sighed, a worried frown on her face now. "Let me at least get you some water or tea or something, okay? You need something. Come lie down, Yuyukun." She didn't give him room to argue, tugging him to his feet with both her hands.

--

Yukito Maki

As soon as he had seen her, he wished she wasn't. How could she see
him like this and find him at all appealing? Everything felt rotten
and too warm. "Aw, Yukito..."

"Don't come in..." he commanded in a voice crackling and sore. "You
don't want to s--" Another wave, at one of the worst times, and he was
trying to subdue the jerking motion of his whole body, trying to make
it not look quite as drastic but feeling no strength to stop the
onslaught.

"Yukito!" He felt her by his side, then her hand was on his
back, gently rubbing it to soothe him. He gasped for air between the
black and yellow liquid escaping, feeling rotten. Feeling wrong again.
But her hand on his back was like a heavy weight, and it kept him from
completely slipping away. He choked, and his knees were shaking again.

"Aw, Yuyukun...! I'm so sorry!" She looked at him sternly:
"You haven't even drank anything, have you? Won't that make it
worse?"

Yukito slowly raised his head so he could meet her eyes. I haven't
drank anything since...I think some water...was it last night? Or this
morning? I can't remember. I don't care. It all hurts. He wished
he wasn't such a wuss. Erin let out a sigh, and he silently relished
the look of concern. He never got a look like that anymore, it felt
like. Will you still love me just the same? Outwardly, he
turned away from her, sort of hoping his dejected attitude could push
her away so she didn't have to smell him. He made sure to keep his
mouth sealed shut so she couldn't taste what he tasted. Nasty and
rotten.

Wordlessly, he reached up and flushed the toilet, then started to lay
his head down on the bathroom floor again. I need the coolness to
wake me up. And maybe you'll go away and forget your boyfriend ever
smelt like this.

"Let me at least get you some water or tea or something, okay? You
need something. Come lie down, Yuyukun." There was no
question in her hands as she pulled him to his feet - it probably
wasn't hard, he was always such a lightweight, such a weakling - and
he stood unsteadily. His lips still stayed glued shut, and he wouldn't
face her, but he kept his fingers curled around hers, locked there so
she couldn't slip away. I don't want you to see but I want to feel
you there. I just want everything to work out for me best, don't I?
I'm selfish for you, Erin. I want you to give but I don't want to tell
you all this stuff. I want you to be near but I don't want to face
your parents, because they don't like me I'm sure.

He leaned onto the sink heavily, bending down to rinse out his mouth
in the sink. Yukito didn't meet her eyes, but he felt safe enough
after feeling the cool water running down his cheek and neck, that he
could stand better. "I thought you couldn't come." his voice broke,
and his gaze flickered up to her face then back down again.

I thought you didn't want to. You barely held me and you didn't
want to kiss me. And I'm already awful enough to you.

--

Erin Spenser

How sick did you have to be to produce bile like that, Erin wondered with both curiosity and heavy concern. Is this normal? Does he need the urgent care clinic? Oh my god, what if he has to go to the hospital? The mental image of Yukito so sick he was stuck in a hospital bed made Erin forget completely about the burning in her nostrils or anything else but getting Yukito better so that mental image wouldn't come true. She could feel the convulsions under her hand on his back, and she cursed herself for being so stupid and not noticing how sick he really was the day before.

"Aw, Yuyukun...! I'm so sorry!" She looked at him seriously, demanding, "You haven't even drank anything, have you? Won't that make it worse?"

He looked up at her, like death warmed over, and the look was like a punch against her chest. Everything in her screamed to fix it all, right now, and it ate under her skin that it was totally impossible to do what she wanted to do so badly. She sighed at his silence, and he dropped his head away from her. Erin waited a minute, not sure what she could do for him if she couldn't get out of him whether he'd even drank a little water, and the noisy sound of flushing gave her time to watch him for a few seconds and think. Poor Yukito...

"Let me at least get you some water or tea or something, okay?" she voiced after a second or two as Yukito sank farther into the floor. "You need something. Come lie down, Yuyukun."[/b] Erin tugged on him, pulling him upright by his hands.

Yukito stopped her at the sink, Erin silently shifting her eyes away a little bit so he could at least have a small moderation of privacy. Plus, it felt kind of like an invasion to be there... it's not like he had asked her to come. Like he hadn't asked her to come the day before. He probably just wanted to be left alone, and she was making it harder for him to feel any better. Maybe she'd made him sicker by all her teasing him the day before. Maybe she should just bring him back to his bed and go home. Or just go home.. he probably would feel better if he wasn't being bugged my a loudmouthed girl so much.

"I thought you couldn't come," voiced Yukito roughly, and Erin looked over at him with surprise.

"What? No, that's why I left so I could come today!" She sent him a smile. "And I left my booksack in your room yesterday, so my parents said I had to come back so I could get it for school." She snickered, rolling her eyes. "I just copied some girl's homework in first hour today." Erin sighed, taking Yukito by the hands again. "Come on, Yukitokun, please come lay down."

She didn't give him much option since she started walking without letting go of him, walking back into his room, back to his bed. "Lay down," she ordered. "You need to drink something, Yukito," she repeated. "I'm coming right back. Don't get up.

A few minutes later Erin came back, carrying in one hand a tall glass of ice water and in the other hand a mug of hot tea. She eased down into her previous spot beside his bed, the spot she'd cleared just yesterday, and set the ice water beside her. "Sit up a little, Yukitokun. I don't want to boil your face with this." Erin gave him another smile as she reached behind him with one hand in an attempt to structure a better position of the pillows. Without thinking about it, Erin held the warm mug to his lips. "Drink it!" she insisted.

--

Yukito Maki


"I thought you couldn't come," he managed , and she looked surprised.

"What? No, that's why I left so I could come today!" She
sent him a smile. He wished so hard he could return it. "And I left
my booksack in your room yesterday, so my parents said I had to
come back so I could get it for school." She snickered, rolling
her eyes. He realized she still hadn't caught whatever he had, and he
said a silent prayer of thanks to any powers-that-be. "I just
copied some girl's homework in first hour today." Erin sighed,
taking his hands and pulling him easily forward. "Come on,
Yukitokun, please come lay down."

Erin repeated the order once they were back to his room, and he didn't
argue, flopping down as soon as she vanished to get him something to
drink. His head still spun and his throat and stomach ached like
crazy. More pounding from his head. Long seconds dragged on until Erin
came back, and even if he didn't physically feel any different, he
couldn't outright lie to himself that it didn't make it easier to
handle.

"Sit up a little, Yukitokun. I don't want to boil your face with
this." He struggling to shift up, leaning first on his elbows,
intending to reach out and take the cup from her once he maintained a
slouched sitting posture again. Immediately he saw her moving his
tangle of blankets and pillows around, then she pushed the mug to his
mouth. "Drink it!"

Yukito finally smiled at her and her commandeering tone, the mug still
pressed to his lips as they curved up into a distinctive smirk. His
eyes laughed at her as he drank, and he wanted to laugh but he knew it
would hurt. Once he satisfied her that he wasn't going to die from
lack of tea, he leaned back onto the pillows and sighed. "Thanks," His
voice was a little better now, and his eyes could focus on one thing
at a time with better accuracy. "I missed you."

--

Erin Spenser

"Drink it!" Erin insisted, not noticing the amused expression on his face, too busy trying to get liquid into his system. The last thing Erin wanted to hear was that Yukito had gone into the hospital for dehydration. And she bet he was pretty dehydrated after chucking up half his weight in...whatever concoction that was.

To her relief, Yukito drank, and Erin felt the tension in her shoulders loosen just a bit. She didn't release her hold on the warm mug until she was sure he was finished, and, satisfied, placed it back beside her. "Thanks," he told her, and Erin's determined expression softened into a smile. "See, you sound better already. What would you do without me?" she tacked on, tone playfully smug. Finding one of his hands, she held it in both of hers gently.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too!" Erin immediately echoed, as if it was the most common-sense statement she could make. "It's soo boring at school without you. I wish I could've skipped school to come here to be with you, I hate it there without you. Hey, you want some water? It's cold, it might help your fever or something." She took one hand from his and offered him the glass. "And you should get, like, a heating pad or something on your neck. That's supposed to help your stomach. I can go make you one if you want.

"Yukito, you sure there's nothing else to make you feel better? I... I just wanna make sure, because," she dropped the sentence with a little shrug, not really wanting to sound as paranoid as "because I'm kind of afraid to find you so sick you're in the hospital and it's something worse than the flu." Instead she added, "I didn't realize you were so sick yesterday. When are you gonna be better? I miss you."

--

Yukito Maki

"See, you sound better already. What would you do without me?"
Erin said with a grin, taking his hand and holding it.

"I missed you." his voice was thick, and he tried to smile at her.

"I missed you, too!" she said as if there was nothing to the
phrase. It was just a natural reaction for her. "It's soo boring at
school without you. I wish I could've skipped school to come
here to be with you, I hate it there without you. Hey, you want
some water? It's cold, it might help your fever or something." She
took one hand from his and offered him the glass. "And you should
get, like, a heating pad or something on your neck. That's supposed to
help your stomach. I can go make you one if you want."

He chuckled, looking up at the ceiling as he let out the painful
laughter. "No, I'm fine, Erin. But thanks for being worried about me."
He smirked up at her, "Just stay with me for a little while. And talk
to me."

"Yukito, you sure there's nothing else to make you feel better?
I... I just wanna make sure, because," She dropped the sentence
with a little shrug, and he wondered what she was planning on adding
to that. He reached over to find her hand again, holding it as firmly
in his as he could manage right now. I wish I wasn't so weak. If
you could shoot the flu with a rifle, I would right now.

"I didn't realize you were so sick yesterday. When are you gonna be
better? I miss you."

He shrugged a little, his head pounding harder now, "I didn't feel so
bad yesterday," he said, not adding that he had only been better when
she was there. That would make him sound like he was trying to make
her pity him and feel bad. "It shouldn't last too much longer."
He groaned and shifted onto his side on the bed, making sure to keep
her hand in his. Yukito blinked, and his eyelids tried to stay shut
even if he wouldn't allow it, causing his blink to be sleepy and
prolonged. He smiled up at her. You're pretty.

--

Erin Spenser

Yukito only answered her offers for various feel-better assistants with a small laugh, and Erin wondered what she'd said that was funny. "No, I'm fine, Erin. But thanks for being worried about me." Her eyebrows rose, her trying to figure out how sitting there worrying merited thanks from him. He smirked up at her. "Just stay with me for a little while. And talk to me."

Well, she could do that. But still... "Yukito, you sure there's nothing else to make you feel better? I... I just wanna make sure, because.." she trailed off with a shrug. Yukito's hand found hers again, and Erin shifted her thoughts to finish, "I didn't realize you were so sick yesterday. When are you gonna be better? I miss you."

He shrugged a little. "I didn't feel so bad yesterday. It shouldn't last too much longer."

"I hope not," Erin stated, as Yukito moved to lay on his side, still keeping her hand in his the whole while. She watched his expression, a heavy and sleepy one, and her own smile blossomed as Yukito's lips turned up in his own smile. Erin gave an amused chortle, gently brushing the hair around his face with her free hand, leaning over him to reach it since he still held one of her hands captive. "You are so medicated," she observed. "They better work, too. I'm tired of you being sick, we can't do anything when you're sick, and I want you to feel better so we can go out again." She leaned over father to give him a hug, although not as fervently as she usually did-- Erin was kind of afraid it would make him feel worse.

---

Yukito Maki

He shrugged. "I didn't feel so bad yesterday. It shouldn't last
too much longer."

"I hope not," She commented, and he shifted to lay over on his
side, determindedly keeping her hand in his. He wanted to lift her
hand up to his hair, and have her run her hands through it as she
usually did to make him feel better. But he was afraid of it being too
greasy. More rottenness... Fortunately for his sake, she must
have had the same thought, chuckling then brushing his hair from his
face. He smiled sleepily up at her.

"You are so medicated," she observed, and his smile
grew. "They better work, too. I'm tired of you being sick, we can't
do anything when you're sick, and I want you to feel better so
we can go out again." Erin tentatively gave him a hug, and he
closed his eyes again, slowly reopening them and trying to wrap his
arms around her. They felt strangely heavy.

"Actually, my meds all went down the toilet - literally." he sent her
a smug look, like he was proud to be rid of the nasty-tasting stuff,
"But I feel happy, comparatively."

"What did you do after you got home yesterday?" he prodded her with
words, wanting her to keep distracting him like this. Wanting to know.

--

Erin Spenser

"You are so medicated," she observed as she gently brushed away his disheveled hair. "They better work, too. I'm tired of you being sick, we can't do anything when you're sick, and I want you to feel better so we can go out again." She leaned forward more so she could give him a hug.

"Actually, my meds all went down the toilet - literally." He sent her a knowing smile when she looked up at him, making Erin snicker. Yeah, she bet they were all down the toilet now. "But I feel happy, comparatively."

Erin giggled at his statement. "Comparatively," she echoed. "What are you comparing?"

She sat back up, relieving him of her embrace as he asked, "What did you do after you got home yesterday?"

Erin's eyes glanced upward and to the side a little as she thought back to the previous day. Why he was asking she didn't know-- it's not like she did anything exceptionally interesting last night, but okay. "Ummm... IIIII... played that little helicopter flash game where you have to miss the little green bars or the helicopter explodes, but that game gets really boring really fast, so then I started looking up music videos on Youtube-- Oh, by the way, you know, I'd never seen the video for 'The Bird and the Worm' until last night; it's really weird and bizarre and stuff but like, in this really cool-creepy-artistic-y type way.." She trailed off on the horrible description, laughing at her choice of words. "Um... then I played on the keyboooaard... and theeen... I made supper... and ate it... and... watched random stuff on TV... and... found random codes and junk to make my myspace all spammy and stuff, and --oh! I added new pictures! I posted all the pictures that were left on my camera from forever ago, and the ones from my cell and stuff, so now you're in my profile picture!" she finished with a chipper smile. Then, "Why'd you wanna know? It's not like it was anything super-exciting... plus I didn't get to talk to you last night. There was a big Yukito-shaped hole there!"

--

Yukito Maki

"But I feel happy, comparatively."

Erin giggled at his statement. "Comparatively, what are you comparing?"

He worked his mouth to convey uncertainty. How should I put
this? "Let's just say I'd rather watch and listen to you than
stare at a toilet again. Even if I still feel..." Like I totally
gross you out. He just made a face to complete the sentence, then
probed her with, "What did you do after you got home yesterday?"

Yukito grinned at the way her eyes flickered around the room as she
strained to play through events in her head with some consistency and
- hopefully - some chronological order. "Ummm... IIIII... played
that little helicopter flash game where you have to miss the little
green bars or the helicopter explodes, but that game gets really
boring really fast, so then I started looking up music videos on
Youtube-- Oh, by the way, you know, I'd never seen the video for 'The
Bird and the Worm' until last night; it's really weird and bizarre and
stuff but like, in this really cool-creepy-artistic-y type way.. Um...
then I played on the keyboooaard... and theeen... I made supper... and
ate it... and... watched random stuff on TV... and... found random
codes and junk to make my myspace all spammy and stuff, and --oh! I
added new pictures! I posted all the pictures that were left on my
camera from forever ago, and the ones from my cell and stuff, so now
you're in my profile picture!" He smirked at her, then pulled the
blankets further up until they covered the lower half of his face.

"Perhaps a rare period where Yukito Maki is not bruised, beaten,
depressed or ill!" his voice was muffled and his eyes shone.

"Why'd you wanna know? It's not like it was anything
super-exciting... plus I didn't get to talk to you last night. There
was a big Yukito-shaped hole there!"

He liked the way she said that. 'a big Yukito-shaped hole' in her
evening. It made his smile broaden, even if such gestures only lasted
a few minutes through nausea. "I just wanted to know what you do when
I'm not there bugging you." He gave another attempt at a smile, but it
turned almost mournful as he watched her. "You still love me....." He
couldn't decide for himself if it was a statement or a question. But
he hadn't really meant to say it. To see her here and worried about
him meant the world to him. He wondered if she knew.

--

Erin Spenser

Yukito asked Erin about what she did last night after going back home, and she thought about it, then listed off some of the monotonous stuff she'd spent her time doing. She was sure she'd left some things out, having gone to sleep sometime after one in the morning, but they wouldn't have been anything exceptional, either. She remembered playing around with online photo editors and had had a field day re-editing some of the pictures of the two of them together, and Erin told him how now he was in her profile picture.

She watched amused when Yukito reacted by hiding most of himself below the blankets, leaving his eyes to peak out about him. "Perhaps a rare period where Yukito Maki is not bruised, beaten, depressed or ill!" he announced, voice filtered thickly through the material over his face. Erin rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever, Yukitokun. It happens to be a pretty awesome picture, just so you know." She grinned at him. "I don't think I got a bad picture of you yet...

"Why'd you wanna know?" she asked, curious herself about his curiosity. "It's not like it was anything super-exciting... plus I didn't get to talk to you last night. There was a big Yukito-shaped hole there!"[/b]

He smiled at her briefly. "I just wanted to know what you do when I'm not there bugging you."

"Yeah," she laughed, "'Cause you're such a pain." She made a face at him, breaking out into a smile immediately after.

"You still love me....." he commented, and Erin wondered just how true it was that all the meds were out of his system.

"Well, yeah, I do," Erin said, feeling like she was affirming something as common sense as, "Yes, the sun is bright" or something. What, did he think she was fickle enough to shift her affection somewhere else the moment he got a little woozy? She felt the smile still on her lips as she looked down at him. "I didn't exactly come over here just because I left my booksack. Homework's not that interesting, kareshi." However, now she was curious and glanced around his room for the tell-tale black and blue checkerboard pattern on her bag. "Do you know where I left it, anyway?" She bent down to glance under his bed, and started laughing. "What do you keep down here?"

--

Yukito Maki

He listened attentively as she rambled on about her evening without
him, and almost every detail of what she had done to occupy it - as
always, she had quite a list. Then she mentioned pictures of him being
on her myspace, and he dove halfway beneath the covers, "Perhaps a
rare period where Yukito Maki is not bruised, beaten, depressed or
ill!" he said, and Erin rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Yukitokun. It happens to be a pretty awesome picture,
just so you know." She grinned at him. "I don't think I got a
bad picture of you yet..."

"That's cause I'm photogenic." he stated matter-of-factly, nodding and
making his head thrum.

"Why'd you wanna know?" she asked, referring to why he had
asked what she had done the night before. "It's not like it was
anything super-exciting... plus I didn't get to talk to you last
night. There was a big Yukito-shaped hole there!"

He smiled - glad to hear her phrase it that way."I just wanted to know
what you do when I'm not there bugging you."

"Yeah," she laughed, "'Cause you're such a pain." She
made a face at him, breaking out into a smile immediately after.

"You still love me....." he stated out of the blue, staring up at her.
She seemed a little thrown at his statement, but it rolled off of her
quickly enough.

"Well, yeah, I do," It was such a simple thing, for her. So
easy, so natural. She had no idea. Her lips curved up in a smile and
he once again wished he could just make out with her. But the bitter
feeling in his mouth still lingered. "I didn't exactly come over
here just because I left my booksack. Homework's not that interesting,
kareshi." He snorted as she started looking around the
immediate area for the bag in question, as if he had picked it up and
took it to his room to rifle through in between vomit-sessions.

"Do you know where I left it, anyway?" She bent down to glance
under his bed, and started laughing. "What do you keep down
here?"

He didn't answer her for a moment, staring at her face. "Stuff," he
mumbled, rolling over on the bed until he could reach beneath the
futon, pulling out a few dust-covered articles - a torn-up notebook
that looked as if it had been stomped on and half-eaten by a piranha,
a dirty bowl that had once held some kind of chips, a box of
half-eaten pocky from last week, a purple beanie baby (a limp looking
lavender duck), and so on.

He shoved them out on the floor between them and gave a shrug. "Stuff."

--

Erin Spenser

"Do you know where I left it, anyway?" Erin asked, now curious as to her bag's whereabouts. After all, it had her song notebook in it... that also doubled as her math notebook when she felt like actually participating in the class, so it was pretty much just a song book... She looked around her briefly, then glanced down, and finally laughing a little as she asked, "What do you keep down
here?" Erin looked back at him with curiosity.

Yukito's face was blank for a moment until he finally told her simply, "Stuff." Erin watched him as Yukito rolled over to reach the ground of his room. He started pulling out whatever his hand reached from their hiding place, revealing a hefty assortment of randomness that made Erin smile in amusement. Some of the things were so typical that she wanted to snicker at them, and some things reminded her of stuff she might find if she ever got bored enough to actually clean out her room. (Which pretty much never happened... everything was in its place, though, however clutter-y those places might be.) And it was also kind of a fun way to get to know him more. They said you could tell a lot about a girl from what was in her purse, so a whole room of a guy's stuff should tell you loads. All Erin was really learning though was that her boyfriend definitely trumped her when it came to being the more messy one.

"Stuff," he repeated with a shrug, the array of random mess spread in a lump between them.

Now Erin did snicker. "Yeah, I can definitely see that!" And now she was a little curious about what was under her own bed, which had a good foot of space underneath and whose underside was hidden by a collection of blankets kept there year-round. She stood up, now even more curious to nose around his room. "I like your room," she observed, though the statement was more of a thought voiced than it was directed toward him. She poked around a collection of things near the wall opposite him and immediately pulled out something shiny that didn't fit in with the rest of its surroundings. "Yuyukun, what's this?" she asked, turning to him with a smile on her lips.

--

Yukito Maki

"What do you keep down here?" Erin said curiously, and he
nonchalantly reached beneath the mattress and started pulling out his
dust-covered personal property. "Stuff." he repeated the phrase once
he had an array of colorful objects placed between them, shrugging one
shoulder.

"Yeah, I can definitely see that!" she said with a grin,
standing up and starting to give other nooks and crannies of the cave
he called home. "I like your room," she voiced, and he arched
an eyebrow as she started to shift through piles.

"Um...are you looking for anything in particular?" he couldn't keep
the panicked edge out of his voice, sitting up just as she found one
of his stashed gifts. "Yuyukun, what's this?" He averted his
eyes as she turned and held up a small silver box that just fit in the
palm of her hand, a grin on her face. He had bought the assorted
earrings weeks ago, but already had it lined up after other presents
to her. Like the chocolates in the closet. Or the striped fedora-style
hate shoved underneath his laptop bag on his desk.

"Ahhh..." he gave a little shrug, "A present for mom?" Yukito gave a
little chuckle, then rolled back onto the bed, flopping back into the
safety of the blankets with a sigh. "It's a gift for you. Go ahead and
open it if you want." His tone was flippant, but his eyes flickered
over for a reaction from her. He knew she'd open it, but he wanted to
see her face. "You said your favorite colors were green and orange and
stuff like that, but I was hoping you would like these better. See..."
he leaned over and pointed out each colorful thumb-sized creature in
turn, "Dolphins, penguins, and...um..I think they're swans..." he
tilted his head to the side, then fell back onto the bed, "It's been
awhile since I bought them. You like the dangling ones, right?"

--

Erin Spenser

"I like your room," she commented by way of filling the silence as she started nosing around his room. Well, it was true-- she did like it. Why, she wasn't sure, because it wasn't exactly neat or pretty or shiny or anything special. But then, that made it more his, and it had his things that reflected who he was, and it was just... him.

"Um... are you looking for anything in particular?" Yukito asked her as she poked around, and Erin gave a little laugh.

"Not re-- oh, no, yeah, I'm looking for your other girlfriend's phone number," she snickered, nosing around a bit more. Then she plucked up a little something that didn't belong at all in his room-- it was, in fact, pretty, neat, and shiny. She smiled. "Yuyukun, what's this?"

"Ahhh..." He shrugged nonchalantly. "A present for mom?"

She scoffed knowingly alongside Yukito's small chuckle. He dropped back down into the sheets with a sigh before finally admitting, "It's a gift for you. Go ahead and open it if you want."

Yes! I knew it! she wanted to say, but instead just voiced a tiny involuntary squeak as she bounced on the balls of her feet a couple of times before eagerly opening the little box. She loved anything he gave her, and it was like a little five-minute Christmas each time he did.

She found a little card of earrings inside, pulling the sets out of the little box as she briskly walked the few steps back to Yukito's side. Aww, he's so sweet! Erin was imagining him walking into the jewelry section or Claire's or something just to pick this up for her despite the completely out-of-place image it provided, and while they were still not even talking to one another at that! Wow, I'm lucky....

"You said your favorite colors were green and orange and stuff like that, but I was hoping you would like these better. See..." he said by way of explanation (why did he have to try to explain himself about a simple gift?), gesturing as he talked. "Dolphins, penguins, and...um..I think they're swans..." Erin laughed a little at the uncertain tone as Yukito returned his head to his pillow. "It's been awhile since I bought them. You like the dangling ones, right?"

Another bit of laughter, still at the fact that it was almost like he was offering an apology for his present to her. A present she wasn't really sure what she'd done to merit one, but she loved it all the same. "Yeah, I do," she said through the remaining laughter. With a bright smile she started tugging one pair free of their card and placed them in the second set of holes in her ears. She'd been a bit lazy that morning and only put in one pair. Erin bent down towards him and smiled happily. "What do you think?"

--

Yukito Maki

"Um... are you looking for anything in particular?" Yukito asked her as she poked around, and Erin gave a little laugh.

"Not re-- oh, no, yeah, I'm looking for your other girlfriend's phone number," Her rolled his eyes, and then she found one of his hidden gifts for her. "Yuyukun, what's this?" she asked with a knowing smile, holding it aloft.

"Ahhh..." He averted his eyes and shrugged. "A present for mom?" They both laughed - and he flopped back onto the bed. "It's a gift for you. Go ahead and open it if you want."

She let out a happy squeal of excitement and opened it, and Yukito looked up to watch her reaction as she pulled out the card of earrings. He leaned forward to see the gift better and explain it, wanting for some reason to fill the silence before she commented on the present. "You said your favorite colors were green and orange and stuff like that, but I was hoping you would like these better. See... dolphins, penguins, and...um..I think they're swans..."

Erin laughed a little at the uncertain tone as Yukito returned his pounding head to his pillow. "It's been awhile since I bought them. You like the dangling ones, right?"

The first reply he got was more giggles, "Yeah, I do," she replied, for once the tables turning with her as the quiet one and him rambling on. Without another comment she pulled off one of the pairs and placed them in her ears alongside her other set. "What do you think?"

He watched her for a long moment, his eyes moving slowly from her earrings to her face, then to her eyes. "Beautiful, if I do say so myself." he added softly, laying further into the pillow and letting out a sigh. I wish I didn't feel so nauseous. I don't want to throw up again while she's here.

"By the way..." he muttered, sitting up and reaching for the water Erin had brought in earlier, finding himself surprisingly weakened - his hand felt like a mechanical device he had no control over - but managed to grasp at the water desperately, "What did your parents say? You know, after you stayed the night here?" That sounded so strange on his lips, but it was a question he had been meaning to ask. He met her eyes evenly, "Is everything still..?" He trailed off, since he really didn't know what he was trying to ask.

--

Erin Spenser


"It's been awhile since I bought them. You like the dangling ones, right?"

She laughed a little at that. "Yeah, I do." Without another comment she pulled off one of the pairs and placed them in her ears alongside her other set. "What do you think?"

Yukito looked at her silently for a minute before speaking. "Beautiful, if I do say so myself." She smiled coyly as he nestled deeper into the blankets. Awww I wish you weren't feeling so bad, Yukito! She sat down at his feet, fingers playing with her necklace.

"By the way..." Yukito voiced quietly, finally taking advantage of the ice water she'd left beside his bed. "What did your parents say? You know, after you stayed the night here?"

"Hm?" Erin looked up at him, another quiet smile coming on her face. "Oh, it's fine, whatever..." Sure, she'd gotten read the riot act, her phone vanished, and she'd gotten grounded from everything... and she was pretty sure her parents could give a good guess as to the whole situation even though she hadn't exactly said anything, but it was all totally worth it. In fact, she wouldn't change a thing about it all if she had to do it again.

"Is everything still..?"

Now she shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, I think they probably figured it out on their own... but they haven't said anything to me about it, really.. just... I dunno, lots of rules and checking on me and crap like that..." She made a face at the thought. "I told you, they said I had to come back today, because I left my school stuff here." She looked over at him and smiled again. "But it's totally fine, because, really, I wouldn't change any of it at all."

--

Yukito Maki

"By the way..." Yukito voiced quietly, taking a drink of water to perhaps calm his churning stomach down. "What did your parents say? You know, after you stayed the night here?"

"Hm?" Erin looked up at him, another quiet smile coming on her face. "Oh, it's fine, whatever..."

"Is everything still..?" he let the sentence dangle, unsure how to word the scenario he had held in his head since bringing her back to her house only after a night of sleeping off a drunkenness that had been completely because of him, he was sure.

Now she shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, I think they probably figured it out on their own... but they haven't said anything to me about it, really.. just... I dunno, lots of rules and checking on me and crap like that..." She made a face at the thought, and he smiled a little. My mom never calls to check on me. I guess she got tired of trying.

"I told you, they said I had to come back today, because I left my school stuff here." She looked over at him and smiled again. "But it's totally fine, because, really, I wouldn't change any of it at all."

"None of it?" he asked, the disbelief obvious in his voice as he peered up at her.

--

Erin Spenser

"I told you," Erin said by way of proof, "They said I had to come back today, because I left my school stuff here." Not because they like me being over here so much... She looked over at him and smiled again. "But it's totally fine, because, really, I wouldn't change any of it at all."

"None of it?" Yukito peered at her, waiting for her response.

Immediately she shook her head. "Mm-mm." Then she took a slow inhale, glancing up a little in thought as she pieced her explanation together. "I think it's like that thing where you go back in time, step on a bug, and the history of the world gets screwed kind of thing.. only not that intense," she tacked on with a little laugh. "I mean, if anything had happened differently, then everything might still be the way it was, and I'd still feel awful, like someone kept taking a hammer to my chest, and--" Erin stopped the depressing description and her expression brightened when she turned back to look at Yukito. "But nothing did happen differently, so it's okay. It all kind of came together--" She linked her hands together for demonstration. "The best way it could. Because, I mean, I could've called someone else besides you, or you might not have come, or a whole bunch of other stuff... But that didn't happen. It all worked out, 'cause... it just did, and you still loved me the whole time, and you kept me." A fresh smile grew on her face as she glanced down at her knees. "Mm... I guess I could've lived without the feeling like crap part in the morning thing..."

Erin shifted her position from sitting near his feet to where she was laying next to him on her stomach, her head by his as she propped herself up on her elbows. She looked over at him with a soft smile. And it let me wake up next to you... I really like that. Out loud she said, "When are you gonna be done being sick, Yukito? It feels like forever."

--

Yukito Maki

"But it's totally fine, because, really, I wouldn't change any of
it at all." Erin said this in such a tone that made him think she
was pretty confident in it. But he was still skeptical of the truth in
it.

"None of it?" he asked, peering up at her with a strange look.

Immediately she shook her head. "Mm-mm." A thoughtful look
crossed her face, and she looked up at the ceiling as if to find her
words there. That's interesting. I usually find mine up there, too.
Like thoughts float around the room that I just have to lock my mind
on to catch. "I think it's like that thing where you go back
in time, step on a bug, and the history of the world gets screwed kind
of thing.. only not that intense," she stated.

“What?” he chuckled, surprised by the analogy.

"I mean, if anything had happened differently, then everything
might still be the way it was, and I'd still feel awful, like someone
kept taking a hammer to my chest, and--" Yukito's eyes were locked
o n her. Hearing her word it like that made a stab of guilt prod at
his chest. But he didn't want her to stop, because it meant he was
asking her to pretend it never happened. And wasn't that the point of
her saying this? That it had been really bad, but it was better now,
so somehow...that made it okay? Why do these things never make
sense? "But nothing did happen differently, so it's okay. It
all kind of came together--" She took his hand. "The best way
it could. Because, I mean, I could've called someone else besides you,
or you might not have come, or a whole bunch of other stuff... But
that didn't happen. It all worked out, 'cause... it just did, and you
still loved me the whole time, and you kept me." She turned her
face away from him slightly, but he could still see the smile there. A
wave of what he thought was nausea nearly overwhelmed him. If it
wasn't nausea, what was it? "Mm... I guess I could've lived without
the feeling like crap part in the morning thing..."

He smiled up at her, and she turned to lay down next to him. “Yeah, I
could skip that part myself.”

He could feel her warm side against his, her eyes smiling at him as
she propped up her head with her elbows. "When are you gonna be
done being sick, Yukito? It feels like forever."

Yukito rolled his eyes, “I'm working on it, okay? It feels like
forever to me, too, you know.”

--

Erin Spenser

She wasn't aware until after the words had left her mouth just how cheesy and sitcom-y they sounded. And she was a little disappointed about it. She should have left it at the shake of her head and that was that. But no, she had to let herself ramble out all the cheesy little cliches she'd promised herself she'd never resort to using. But how else was she supposed to tell him? She didn't want to sugarcoat it, to just skip over it all-- because this was Yukito. She might do that for anyone else, but this was Yukito, and the whole point of their blowout was the lack of words. The lack of her forcing out the stuff that she didn't like, that was uncomfortable, that made her sound more pathetic and average than she wanted to admit to.

And it never seemed to faze Yukito.

Still, she shifted her gaze a little and tacked on with a little smile, "Mm... I guess I could've lived without the feeling like crap part in the morning thing..."

“Yeah, I could skip that part myself," Yukito responded as she turned to lay down next to him, chin propped up in her hands.

"Hm? You mean, like, now? Does the flu feel the same way?" she asked, not really sure what he was meaning. And the thought of his flu reminded her... "When are you gonna be done being sick, Yukito? It feels like forever."

Yukito rolled his eyes. “I'm working on it, okay? It feels like forever to me, too, you know.”

"Well maybe if you actually could keep something down, you'd at least feel a little less sucky..." She perked up a little, suddenly realizing something else that might make him get better faster. "I can get you some chicken broth! That's supposed to be good, right? Y'all've gotta have that here somewhere, right?" Erin pulled back up to kneel by his side, watching his face for a response. "And if you don't I can get some from home, it's no problem." The words all rushed out until she was through and breathed again.

--

Yukito Maki

"Mm... I guess I could've lived without the feeling like crap part in the morning thing..." she said, smiling even now. She had smiled when she had felt like crap, too. You love to smile, don't you, Erin?

“Yeah, I could skip that part myself," he added as his piece. She sprawled out next to him on the bed, making him aware of how close they were again. Are you thinking about waking up beside me, like I am? The memories and the feeling of her next to him like before made him sad in a strange sort of way.

"Hm? You mean, like, now? Does the flu feel the same way?" her question reminded him of someone asking a question when they have no idea what they're talking about, but they are seriously interested.

His smile tilted, "The flu is worse. And I know, because I've felt both now." he sighed, turning his head until his cheek lay against the pillow, facing her. After a split second he clamped his mouth shut, not wanting to ruin a nice moment near her with either a nasty post-vomit aroma nor a germ that would have her begging for narcotics as he had a few hours before.


"When are you gonna be done being sick, Yukito? It feels like forever."

You have no idea. Yukito rolled his eyes. “I'm working on it, okay? It feels like forever to me, too, you know.”

"Well maybe if you actually could keep something down, you'd at least feel a little less sucky..." she suggested. Like it was so easy. So simple. So grand. The typical "I just had a fantastic idea!" look lit up her face like a firework. "I can get you some chicken broth! That's supposed to be good, right? Y'all've gotta have that here somewhere, right? And if you don't I can get some from home, it's no problem." She moved up and away. After a fraction of a second he concluded that she had, in fact, caught another whiff of nasty, vomitting Yukito and it had pulled her away. Her oblivious look was the only thing that kept him from asking her if it was true.

Then, he realized what she had said. "Chicken broth?" he mumbled stupidly. Yukito shook his head at her, "I'll be fine, Erin. Just be a little patient with my immune system. They've got a lot of work to...do..." His last word came with a hesitation, and he felt another wave of nausea, sending something in the area between the center of his skull and the pit of his stomach writhing and churning in a horrible way. Crap. He let out a little moan, hands flying instinctively to his stomach, running his fingers there in a circular motion. It actually helped to feel weight there, which was so strange and unusual for him. His eyes flickered back up to Erin, and he made a quick decision to keep her out of the room in case he had to fly from it to the bathroom again. He decided that if he had to hurl, he would lock the door this time, so she could at least keep from seeing it. "Y'know...I might try some...." I'm not hungry but I don't want you to come over to baby me. Call it whatever you want but that's me.

--

Erin Spenser

As Yukito voiced his comment, Erin rearranged herself to lie down in the space next to him, chin in her hands. She looked over at him with sincere curiosity. "Hm? You mean, like, now? Does the flu feel the same way?"

He seemed to give her a little crooked smile. "The flu is worse. And I know, because I've felt both now." Erin wanted to ask him about that, to hear him tell her more about himself, but he was already so sick, he probably felt miserable. And she thought she could hear the misery in his sigh, in his blank expression as he looked at her, and she decided against it.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Yukitokun... I really want you to feel better..." She lifted her bare feet into the air behind her, kicking them a little to busy herself. "When are you gonna be done being sick, Yukito? It feels like forever."

“I'm working on it, okay? It feels like forever to me, too, you know.”

"Well maybe if you actually could keep something down, you'd at least feel a little less sucky..." she suggested. Then Erin thought of something she could do that might just help, and her face brightened. "I can get you some chicken broth! That's supposed to be good, right? Y'all've gotta have that here somewhere, right? And if you don't I can get some from home, it's no problem." She hopped up to fulfill the self-imposed order.

"Chicken broth?" Yukito asked, too late, shaking his head. To be honest, his refusal of her offer kind of disappointed her. "I'll be fine, Erin. Just be a little patient with my immune system. They've got a lot of work to...do..." It definitely sounded like he might need to visit the bathroom again, and soon, and Erin really didn't like that idea. She could still smell the distinctive smell of sickness, and the idea of Yukito's body wracking again, convulsing, it was so sad, she didn't want him to have to do that again. Erin moved over to his doorway, determined to slip out and make the broth anyway. "Yukito, please."

"Y'know...I might try some...."

She gave him a little encouraging smile. "Good!" She held up two fingers. "Two seconds." And with that she turned quickly on her heel and set off to fulfill the request.

Not too long later, Erin returned to Yukito's room, balancing another mug of warm tea and a soup bowl of chicken broth, the spoon's handle poking over the lip of the bowl. "I'm back!" she chirped brightly, sitting down gingerly with the carefully balanced liquids. Only as she sat next to his bed, Erin spilt a little of the warm liquids on bother her hands, making her wrinkle her nose at the uncomfortable feeling. O-ow. "Yukito!"

--

Yukito Maki

"Chicken broth?" he voiced uncertainly, shaking his head. "I'll be
fine, Erin. Just be a little patient with my immune system.
They've got a lot of work to...do..."

Despite his denial, she could hear the oncoming doom. Probably to
avoid the invenitable, she slipped over to the doorway. Far enough
away that she didn't have to smell him. "Yukito, please."

"Y'know...I might try some...." he muttered, realizing that it would
be a good excuse to keep her away long enough for him to deal with
what he had to.

She gave him a little encouraging smile. "Good!" She held up
two fingers. Or flashed him a peace sign. Whichever way one felt like
taking it. "Two seconds."

I'm gonna need about thirty. The instant she was down the hall
he decided to go for it. Once he was up, he was down again, this time
hitting his elbow really hard on something – the amplifier? - before
landing sprawled back on the bed.

Crap. That hurt. He inspected his arm carelessly, sighed at the
small cut that was trickling crimson on his black t-shirt, then rolled
over until he was facing the wall, tense and achy beneath the enormous
comforter that covered him almost completely. The pounding in his head
and his throat never let up, and he tried to stop fighting it. The
dizziness led him into a sort of half-awakened state, then, and that
part was kind of fun. The room spun in a slow, unsteady motion, like
someone crazy was messing with his mental camera. It left him feeling
disoriented as someone just stepping off a roller coaster. The ground
wasn't as firm as when you abandoned it last. He closed his eyes and
surrendered to the feeling, since it would have been pleasant if he
wasn't sure more bile was going to exit his mouth the hard way.

When Erin flashed back into the room, he had just drifted off to
sleep. He half-heard her speaking, muffled through his drowsiness, and
felt rather than saw or heard her sit back down nearby.

"Yukito!"

He groaned, rolling over and peering up at her, taking longer than
usual to focus in on her. Oh. Hey, hot girl. What are you doing in
my room again? Oh yeah...it's Erin. “Mmmm?” Yukito stared at the
bowl skeptically, not sure if he could sit up to eat it. It might toss
up the last non-meal. But worse would be if she tried to spoon-feed
him – like a baby – so he attempted it stubbornly. I can handle it.
It's just the flu, right?

Yukito tried not to look the mopey sick person, but he couldn't help
showing how heavy the bowl felt in his hands, and he found it
difficult to carry any expression other than tired on his face
as he sat up to take the bowl from her, setting it in his lap and
staring down at it. It felt hot through the blanket, the sensation
catching his momentary attention until he started spooning slowly.
“Thanks..” he mumbled. Mom won't give me any pills until I can hold
something down..I've just gotta get through this bowl. Why did the
bowl look so huge now?

--

Erin Spenser

"Yukito!" Erin called to him-- he looked like he might be asleep, or he might just be out of it, it was hard to tell.

Yukito let out a groan as he turned over, opening his eyes to see her sitting next to him. "Mmmm?"

Erin found herself smiling at him. "The broth, Yukito, I told you I'd get it, now sit up so you can drink it without it spilling everywhere."

He sat up and took the bowl from her and setting it in his lap, looking about as interested as someone watching paint dry. "It won't get inside of you by staring at it," Erin prodded, still with a smile, and Yukito limply lifted a spoonful of the warm liquid out of the bowl. "Thanks..."

"Eat it," she encouraged by response. Then after a moment, Erin caved, tired of watching the slow and shaky spoonfuls. He wouldn't accomplish anything like that. "Look, here, forget the spoon, it was a stupid idea," she rambled off, taking the bowl back from him as well as the spoon. She glanced at the objects now in her hands, and deposited the used spoon by her side. Then she handed the bowl back to Yukito and ordered, "Here, just slurp it. And use both hands."

--

Yukito Maki

"Hmm?" he relinquished the sound through a thin layer of sleepiness, and she smiled down at him.

"The broth, Yukito, I told you I'd get it, now sit up so you can drink it without it spilling everywhere." I feel more confident for that comment. he wanted to add. But he sat up and took it from her, staring at it. And trying to make himself want it. "It won't get inside of you by staring at it,"

He send her a bit of a glare, but muttered his thanks. Yukito had gotten perhaps four or five spoonfuls of the brother before she took it back. "Look, here, forget the spoon, it was a stupid idea,"

Yukito stared at her blankly until she handed him back the bowl, sans spoon but otherwise no different. Why'd you have to take the bowl from me? "Here, just slurp it. And use both hands."

He chuckled, feeling choked, then met her eyes and started to laugh. "Are you serious?" Yukito laughed again, staring down at the bowl in his lap. "You are....." his smile faded, but he shrugged and lifted the bowl to his lips, tipping it as quickly as he could so as to force the broth down at the fastest possible speed. He got it in two drinks, set it down in his lap, and made a face that stated he knew he would regret that later. "Done." He held up the bowl to her, now significantly lighter and his voice smoother and less out of it. "Happy? Now give me some drugs."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Here, just slurp it. And use both hands." She figured it'd be easier and faster for him that way, as it only seemed the natural conclusion. Al the same, Yukito laughed at her comment; she wasn't sure if he was laughing for a particular reason, though, or why slurping broth when you were sick would elicit laughter. But he still asked her, sounding perfectly sincere, "Are you serious?"

Erin looked at him blankly, as if her conclusion had been the most obvious one. And that earned her another laugh. Okay... I don't get it, but at least I can make you laugh when you're sick....

"You are....."

"Um, yeah..." As his smile faded, a smile edged the corners of her lips. How was it possible for him to be so completely sick, and she could see him removing the contents of his stomach in the bathroom, and he still managed to make her smile when she looked at him?

She hadn't realized he'd been chugging the broth like that, and her eyes widened a little in surprise when he took the bowl away from his lips and she could see it was pretty much gone. "Woah." He doesn't even much play.

"Done," he announced, and Erin was happy to hear the renewed sound in his voice. "Happy? Now give me some drugs."

"Yukito!" Erin burst through laughter, leaning forward as it bubbled over. "You're not supposed to chug the soup, it's chicken broth, not a friggen kegger! God, you're so weird!" The laughter subsiding, but not totally gone, Erin rolled her eyes and took the bowl from him. "Fine, whatever. I guess you won't drink the water now since you probably shocked your stomach with the soup-chugging..."

Setting the bowl to one side, Erin turned to sit beside him, parallel, so that her legs stretched out in front of her and she could stare at the tops of her shoes, if she'd been wearing them. Instead she saw black-painted toenails, a look her dad liked to tease how it made it seem as though all her nails had died and would fall off any minute. So she'd been sure to repaint them when the color had started chipping. "How are you feeling now?" she asked, looking over at him. "Were you sleeping when I came in? I think you need to go to sleep again..."

--

Yukito Maki

It wasn't so weird that she was asking him to slurp from the bowl, somuch as how she was askign him. He almost laughed the entire time he was chugging it down, because he kept seeing her totally serious expression as she shoved the bowl at him, demanding that he slurp in a way that made him wonder if his life depended on it. He lowered the bowl with most of the broth gone. "Woah." Without responding to her he lifted it again and finished it off, still feeling the tingling sensations of the warm broth as it brushed against his throat on its way down.

"Done," he declared, "Happy? Now give me some drugs."

He got a delayed reaction - a full-body laugh, "Yukito!" You're not supposed to chug the soup, it's chicken broth, not a friggen kegger! God, you're so weird!" He smiled, but didn't back down. He pushed the bowl at her, indicating she should take it with a nod of his head. Come ooon...give me some drugs! Then we'll talk about keggers.

"Fine, whatever. I guess you won't drink the water now since you probably shocked your stomach with the soup-chugging..." He shrugged and lay back down without a word. Partially because she was right - he knew he hadn't held anything down since he'd gotten sick, and this would be no exception. He'd just drank it so fast to impress her, really.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked after situationg herself differently next to him. "Were you sleeping when I came in? I think you need to go to sleep again..."

"Can't sleep now, you already woke me up." he stated simply, interlacing his fingers behind his head and propping himself up just enough. "I was serious, though...will my nurse let me have something for my head? I promise I'll do what she says now..." he tried to send her a pitiful look, and appeal to her better nature.

--

Erin Spenser

"Done,"Yukito announced. "Happy? Now give me some drugs."

To that, Erin burst into strong laughter. "Yukito!" You're not supposed to chug the soup, it's chicken broth, not a friggen kegger! God, you're so weird!" Once she could control her laughter a bit more, she added, "Fine, whatever. I guess you won't drink the water now since you probably shocked your stomach with the soup-chugging..."

Yukito just shrugged and laid back down, and Erin shifted her position beside him. "How are you feeling now? Were you sleeping when I came in? I think you need to go to sleep again..."

"Can't sleep now, you already woke me up," Yukito told her, and Erin felt a pang of guilt for being so boisterous earlier. I should have let him sleep, he was fine then. Stupid me...

"I was serious, though...will my nurse let me have something for my head? I promise I'll do what she says now..." For some reason the look he gave her coupled with his comment was almost enough to make Erin blush a little-- woah, weird-- and she laughed a little. "Yukito, I dunno what you're supposed to take... and you can't have my drugs, they're mine." She teased him, briefly sticking her tongue out like a child, like she was showing off her Adderall. Then she rose to her knees, hands resting on them, and she looked at Yukito thoughtfully. "I'm so sorry you still feel bad, Yukitokun... what do you want me to get for you?"

--

Yukito Maki

"I was serious, though...will my nurse let me have something for my head? I promise I'll do what she says now..." He tried to send her a pitying look, hoping to earn some sympathy points - she did the same thing to him all the time - and she laughed a bit.

"Yukito, I dunno what you're supposed to take... and you can't have my drugs, they're mine." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he made a dismayed expression, as if this was the saddest thing she could say to him.

"Why not? Didn't your parents teach you to share?" he smirked up at her as she rose beside him.

"I'm so sorry you still feel bad, Yukitokun... what do you want me to get for you?" Her offer seemed so sincere, and he didn't answer for a second.

"Nothing, Erin. I'm fine." he said at last, "Just stay here and talk to me. I don't want you babying me anyways."

--

Erin Spenser

"I was serious, though...will my nurse let me have something for my head? I promise I'll do what she says now..."

Laughing at his expression, Erin retorted, "Yukito, I dunno what you're supposed to take... and you can't have my drugs, they're mine."

Yukito's face fell as if she'd just told him she was going to give him the silent treatment. She thought he might be serious until he voiced, "Why not? Didn't your parents teach you to share?"

Erin echoed his jocular expression, pursed her lips, and then decided, "Nope. Only children don't have to share with anyone, Yukito, didn't your mom ever teach you that?" She laughed again as she rose to her knees, turning to look at him keenly, almost examiningly.

"I'm so sorry you still feel bad, Yukitokun... what do you want me to get for you?"

He was slow to respond, and Erin wondered if maybe he hadn't been listening?

"Nothing, Erin. I'm fine," he said at last. "Just stay here and talk to me. I don't want you babying me anyways."

"I thought you said your head hurt?" Erin voiced, genuinely confused by his conflicting orders. "Do you or don't you need something besides broth? And I'm not babying you, I'm trying to get you well, so you're welcome." She made a face at him, teasingly, and then sat back down beside him again, her feet crossing over onto his mattress. Her face was more serious now as she pondered Yukito's newest request. "I dunno what you want me to talk about, Yukito... It's not like I did anything super exciting today to talk about. You weren't there." Another teasing expression.

--

Yukito Maki

"I'm so sorry you still feel bad, Yukitokun... what do you want me to get for you?" He stared up at her for a prolonged moment. She's been running around and forcing everything she knows down my throat, and it's really adorable...why did I ask her to go fetch me medicine? That's wonderful boyfriend of the year for you...

"Nothing, Erin. I'm fine," he said at last. "Just stay here and talk to me. I don't want you babying me anyways."

"I thought you said your head hurt? Do you or don't you need something besides broth? And I'm not babying you, I'm trying to get you well, so you're welcome.She sat cross-legged beside him.

"I was trying to say thanks!" he said with a roll of his eyes, "Sheesh...I was trying to save you some work..."

"I dunno what you want me to talk about, Yukito... It's not like I did anything super exciting today to talk about. You weren't there.

He smirked up at her, "I don't care if it was super exciting or not. I just like hearing you talk."

--

Erin Spenser

Yukito was being weird and all contradictory, and Erin dropped to sit next to him Indian-style, giving up on trying to figure out what he wanted. "I thought you said your head hurt? Do you or don't you need something besides broth? And I'm not babying you, I'm trying to get you well, so you're welcome." Her face and tone betrayed her joking nature, but maybe Yukito was too busy being sick to notice. He just gave her a roll of his eyes. "I was trying to say thanks! Sheesh...I was trying to save you some work..."

"And it's not a big deal, Yukito," she responded tightly. "Well, fine, then," she continued, a smile coming on her face as she remembered his newest request. "I dunno what you want me to talk about, Yukito... It's not like I did anything super exciting today to talk about. You weren't there."

He looked up at her with a smirk. "I don't care if it was super exciting or not. I just like hearing you talk."

She had to laugh a little at that. Especially knowing how many times she'd been told to shut up, whether in jest or because she really had been talking too much/loudly/etc. Not that she ever really stopped talking when people insisted on it, but still, it was nice to know that Yukito not only didn't mind it but actually found it enjoyable. "Okay..." She looked over at the wall opposite her in thought, trying to find a starting point. It was weird being told to talk instead of being told to hush. "Um... oh! Last night my parents started talking about a vacation during Christmastime this year, like, they keep insisting it's gonna happen, talkin' about going to Hershey, in--where is it? Pennsylvania or somewhere up there?" Erin gestured vaguely with her hand. "Wherever. Anyway, we haven't actually gone through with a vacation since I was like four, and they seriously think that'll happen now?" She snickered a little, mostly because she really wanted to go and didn't feel like working herself up into being hopeful. "Like, my dad started school again... I think he's trying to get people to actually call him 'doctor' or something." She wrinkled her nose at the sound of it. He'd entered back into school for the third time recently while still teaching at the high school, and now spent most of his spare time working on some book or thesis or something nerdy like that. Whatever... "And if we do go, it'd be for a whole week, with just me stuck with just them... I wouldn't get to do anything, it'd be like having two babysitters for a week, ugh[/u]..." Dramatically, Erin dropped herself from a sitting position to lay down next to him again, her arm becoming a makeshift pillow. "It'd be so much better if you were there-- Hey, what did you do to your arm, Yukito? That wasn't there when I left, was it? That's pretty bad if you can hurt yourself laying down and doing nothing." She grinned at him.

--

Yukito Maki

She laughed openly when he told her he liked to listen to her talk, and a part of him wished she wouldn't. He had said it in a teasing kind of tone, but he had meant it. "Okay..." Her eyes flickered to the wall, finding her words there like so many times before. Behind her, Yukito could see his mother looking in on them. She smiled at him, her eyes flickering purposefully over to Erin, then she retreated. Yukito focused back on Erin when she had caught something to chatter about, "Um... oh! Last night my parents started talking about a vacation during Christmastime this year, like, they keep insisting it's gonna happen, talkin' about going to Hershey, in--where is it? Pennsylvania or somewhere up there?" Yukito refrained from answering - it was a redundant question, he was sure - and the way she gestured with her hand made him think she didn't care if she went eternity thinking Hershey was just a brand of chocolate. "Wherever. Anyway, we haven't actually gone through with a vacation since I was like four, and they seriously think that'll happen now?" She snickered. He shifted in the blankets and commented with nothing. I hope it doesn't. Your disbelieving tone makes me feel better. "Like, my dad started school again... I think he's trying to get people to actually call him 'doctor' or something." she skipped back to her previous topic as if she had never left it, confusing him for a moment. "And if we do go, it'd be for a whole week, with just me stuck with just them... I wouldn't get to do anything, it'd be like having two babysitters for a week, ugh[/u]..."[/b]

Yukito chuckled at that, imagining her stuck between the two protective parents. She flopped expressively - if one could flop expressively, she was doing it with excess - onto the bed next to him, propping herself up a little with her arm. "It'd be so much better if you were there-- Hey, what did you do to your arm, Yukito? That wasn't there when I left, was it? That's pretty bad if you can hurt yourself laying down and doing nothing."

He smirked at her mischievously, "It's nothin'..." It doesn't even sting anymore. It was his turn to gesture easily at the scratched arm. His eyes flickered across her face and he automatically went to distract her, "How long would you be gone?"

--

Erin Spenser

Erin rehashed her family's conversation from over dinner the previous evening, and she demonstrated her disdain for being glued to them 24/7 on a so-called "vacation", however theoretical it was at the moment.

"It'd be so much better if you were there-- Hey, what did you do to your arm, Yukito? That wasn't there when I left, was it? That's pretty bad if you can hurt yourself laying down and doing nothing," she teased him.

He gave her a look that she thought almost seemed proud and told her, "It's nothin'..." Erin gave a half-shrug with the shoulder that wasn't busy holding her head up with her arm. "Whatever. You still got skills for getting hurt layin' down. I don't think I mastered that one yet."

"How long would you be gone?"

Another half-shrug. "It's so up in the air I seriously don't think it'll go down, but if it did it probably be all week, 'cause that's where my dad's family's at is in that area, so he'd probably wanna hang out with them or something, all the people I haven't seen since I was like nine or something, asking about my future and if I like their sucky bland food with no spices besides pepper and all that crap...." She made a face to demonstrate the disdain for underseasoned food. "Whatever... I just want the chocolate from there. I told 'em we could just order the stuff online but they were all 'you're missing the real experience, blah blah bullcrap blah...'" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, it's not for like six months or something, plenty of time to fall through." Erin gave him a hopeful smile, even though a part of her would like an actual vacation, despite weird random relatives and parents locked on her shoulders 24/7. ...Okay, it was a very tiny part, but it was there. And it wanted Yukito to come with her if it happened, but that was even more out of the picture... Suckage.

--

Yukito Maki

"How long would you be gone?" he asked, trying to keep the whine out of his voice. Because if he was straightforward about it, he would tell her she couldn't go on vacation unless he was allowed to drive after them. Or at least call her all the time. He wanted to find a good way to tell her that didn't make her worry or anything. Just a way to tell her for the sake of telling her.

Another half-shrug from Erin's shoulders. "It's so up in the air I seriously don't think it'll go down, but if it did it probably be all week, 'cause that's where my dad's family's at is in that area, so he'd probably wanna hang out with them or something, all the people I haven't seen since I was like nine or something, asking about my future and if I like their sucky bland food with no spices besides pepper and all that crap...." She made a face that was funny enough in or out of context to make him smile. "Whatever... I just want the chocolate from there. I told 'em we could just order the stuff online but they were all 'you're missing the real experience, blah blah bullcrap blah...'" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, it's not for like six months or something, plenty of time to fall through." She smiled back at him, and he nodded.

"Good," was all he commented. "I don't want you to go. It wouldn't be fair, chocolate or no."

He rolled over again, finding himself restless when he was awake and laying as if he should be asleep with Erin there or not. "Erin..." he paused, then allowed his thoughts to slip out like hers always seemed to, "Do you ever dream about me?" After he had spoken them, the seriousness of his expression broke into a crooked smile, "Just wondering...Because I felt bad about not dreaming about you, and last night I had a really weird one..." His lip worked as if to mold the right words before he spoke them, "It wasn't modern-you, it was little-you, like from the photo albums you brought over. And we were doing something...I can't remember what...but Kagayaki was there, and my mom..." And Yumi and Natalie... "And other people, too...it was like a party or something. Except you and I were the only ones doing anything. It was weird..." He arched an eyebrow up at her.

--

Erin Spenser

It didn't take long for Erin to rattle off how long the theoretical trip would be, or to deviate from that subject onto others. "Whatever... I just want the chocolate from there. I told 'em we could just order the stuff online but they were all 'you're missing the real experience, blah blah bullcrap blah...'" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, it's not for like six months or something, plenty of time to fall through." She gave him a sure smile.

"Good," Yukito said with a little nod. Erin raised her eyebrows in a little sign of amusement at his response. "Why are failing plans good, Yukito?" she asked with an amused laugh. "I don't want you to go. It wouldn't be fair, chocolate or no."

She laughed at his explanation, feeling exceptionally special that he considered it injustice that she'd theoretically be absent from him. So she teased him a little. "Hm... chocolate, or boyfriend? Really good chocolate, or really good boyfriend? Sweet, dark chocolate or sweet, dark boyfriend?" The last comment's unintentional joke increased Erin's mirth, her laugh now completely full and unhindered. "I didn't mean that!" she tried to say, but it wasn't coming out very clearly through the laughter. "I did-- I didn't-- mean-- oh, forget it!" It took her a minute, but eventually she was able to quell the laughter, and finally Erin amended, "I mean, you are sweet, but..." she kept giggling, despite herself. "Augh, I quit!" Another minute, and Erin returned to her pre-chocolate comment state, sitting beside Yukito cross-legged now, still with a smile on her face, almost forgetting that Yukito was still sick.

"Erin..." he voiced, as if to remind her, and immediately her eyes shot to his face with concern that she hadn't noticed before had been so strong. "What is it?"

"Do you ever dream about me?"

"Huh?" Did he just ask her about dreams? Well, that's not what I expected... Simultaneously they smiled at the exchange, although she was particularly biased to the look on his face. "Where'd that come from?" Not that she minded the question at all, which would explain the pleasantly surprised expression on her face.

"Just wondering...Because I felt bad about not dreaming about you, and last night I had a really weird one..."

Erin's eyebrows wrinkled with curiosity. "Flu drugs make you dream about me? Did I turn blue and climb walls, too?" This time she made herself refrain from more laughter-- because really, she wanted to hear what he'd dreamt.... it meant a lot to dream about her, the whole subconscious-thought thing, and if she was on his subconscious... Wow!

"It wasn't modern-you, it was little-you, like from the photo albums you brought over. And we were doing something...I can't remember what...but Kagayaki was there, and my mom... And other people, too...it was like a party or something. Except you and I were the only ones doing anything. It was weird..." He arched an eyebrow up at her, and she mimicked the gesture before breaking into a new smile.

"At least I wasn't blue..." she snickered before adding teasingly, "You dreamed the me from my pictures? That's so weird!" She laughed as she spoke. "How do you know we were the only ones doing anything if you can't remember what it was?" She couldn't help grinning over how flattered she felt, for him dreaming all about her. And remembering some of the dream analyses her dad talked about, and all that Freudian and Jungian stuff, it was really amusing... "I really wanna know more about this dream now..."

--

Yukito Maki

"Why are failing plans good, Yukito?" she asked with an amused laugh.

He let out a sigh, and tried to tell her in as straight-forward a way as possible, keeping any signs on his face that would come across as pouting or asking for sympathy out of sight. "I don't want you to go. It wouldn't be fair, chocolate or no." That made her laugh

"Hm... chocolate, or boyfriend? Really good chocolate, or really good boyfriend? Sweet, dark chocolate or sweet, dark boyfriend?" His eyes widened, and Erin started laughing loud and easily. "I didn't mean that! I did-- I didn't-- mean-- oh, forget it!" She was trying so hard to hold back her giggles, and it wasn't working very well. That made him smile. "I mean, you are sweet, but..." she kept giggling, despite herself. "Augh, I quit!"

His eyebrow arched, “I'm still confused. What do mean. I'm...sweet and dark? Like...chocolate? Are you saying I'm emo, or black?” He chuckled, and it hurt, but that was okay. Erin shifted to sitting cross-legged beside him again. The waves of nausea came and went, and he hoped she wouldn't still be there when the next wave returned. He was tired, but it didn't mean much to sleep while she was here. He rolled over on his side.

“Erin..." he started, and she looked down at him with a strange expression.

"What is it?"

He hesitated, then managed to fumble out the words, "Do you ever dream about me?"

"Huh?" He liked how the two of them smiled in the same instant, like they were following the same strain of thought. "Where'd that come from?"

He chuckled, "Just wondering...Because I felt bad about not dreaming about you, and last night I had a really weird one..."

Erin's eyebrows wrinkled with curiosity, an expression that made him grin. "Flu drugs make you dream about me? Did I turn blue and climb walls, too?"

He shook his head, "I said it was a dream, not reality. That usually means things that are unlikely. And it wasn't modern-you, it was little-you, like from the photo albums you brought over. And we were doing something...I can't remember what...but Kagayaki was there, and my mom... And other people, too...it was like a party or something. Except you and I were the only ones doing anything. It was weird..." They swapped eyebrow-raising, then she grinned at him.

"At least I wasn't blue..." she snickered, and he had to roll his eyes, "You dreamed the me from my pictures? That's so weird!" She laughed as she spoke. "How do you know we were the only ones doing anything if you can't remember what it was?" She couldn't help grinning. Yukito responded with a smug look and a shrug. I'm just strange like that, I suppose. "I really wanna know more about this dream now..."

“What else is there to know? I can't remember it very well,” he lied. He remembered imagining – again – what she would have been like when she was little. He supposed he dreamt about it because he had let it slip out of his mind just far enough for his sleep to remember it. He had been little, too. He'd pushed her on the swings, and when she had flown back down again, she had kissed him, squealing with delight afterwards and running off. He liked it when she squealed like that – out of happiness and the same ticklish feeling he had when he was around her. The difference was she was able to put it into a sound and express it back to him. After chasing her he remembered something had happened and she was gone, but he had woken himself up before he could be shown what was wrong.

Folding his arms beneath his head to support it, he grinning up at her as if there were only roguish thoughts running through his head. “You were a cute kid, Erin. That's all I'm saying...I would have been only trouble for you.”

--

Erin Spenser

“Erin..."

Immediately she looked over at him with concern. "What is it?"

"Do you ever dream about me?"

"Huh?" The suddenness made her smile. "Where'd that come from?"

He chuckled. "Just wondering...Because I felt bad about not dreaming about you, and last night I had a really weird one..."

"Flu drugs make you dream about me? Did I turn blue and climb walls, too?"

He shook his head. "I said it was a dream, not reality. That usually means things that are unlikely."

"Hey! What's that mean?" she cut in, exaggerating an offended air and trying to look at him accusingly.

"And it wasn't modern-you, it was little-you, like from the photo albums you brought over. And we were doing something...I can't remember what...but Kagayaki was there, and my mom... And other people, too...it was like a party or something. Except you and I were the only ones doing anything. It was weird..."

"At least I wasn't blue..." she snickered, and he rolled his eyes at her. "You dreamed the me from my pictures? That's so weird! How do you know we were the only ones doing anything if you can't remember what it was?" Yukito answered, annoyingly enough, with a shrug. "I really wanna know more about this dream now..." Surely he wasn't going to mess with her by starting up with a dream about them and then not telling her every detail, right? Right?

"What else is there to know? I can't remember it very well."

"Oh..." she pouted a little in disappointment.

Yukito just responded with a look that made Erin think he didn't feel half as sick anymore, a look she rather liked on him quite a bit. “You were a cute kid, Erin. That's all I'm saying...I would have been only trouble for you.”

"Aww... whatever." Despite herself, Erin still smiled at him as she crossed her arms defiantly. "Fine, then, for that, then you don't get to know my dreams. Oh, what!" She made a face at him, inside curious if he'd prod her for them or not. Because really, she hadn't had a dream with him until after her birthday, and then it was mostly dreams with no plot... he was just there with her, in her dreams, and it made her feel better. It was one of the reasons why she'd slept so much the whole time, because when she woke up it was like blowing a cannonball through a full hot-air-balloon to watch those dreams disappear day in and day out.

--

Yukito Maki

He liked to skip over certain questions she asked, since the idea of teasing her and leaving her hanging was so amusing with the entirely Erin-esque reactions. She snickered and mumbled about being glad since she hadn't been blue in his dreams. Was it just him, or did she warm to idea of him dreaming about the younger-her? Was it just wishful thinking?

"I really wanna know more about this dream now..." she commented, looking genuinely interested by this point. He was sorry to disappoint her, but he had a feeling she shouldn't get in the habit of prying into all the things he saw when he was asleep.

What else is there to know? I can't remember it very well."

To that her response was a dejected, "Oh..."

Trying to cheer her up, and unsuccessfully stifling his inner thoughts, he smirked up at her in a sly way. “You were a cute kid, Erin. That's all I'm saying...I would have been only trouble for you.”

"Aww... whatever." She didn't seem to pick up on the hint, but smiled and crossed her arms, nonetheless. It was a gesture he liked, and he wasn't sure how awkward it would be for him to suddenly tell her that. I like it when you cross your arms like that and try to look pouty. I like it when you play with your hands like you can't sit still for anything. "Fine, then, for that, then you don't get to know my dreams. Oh, what!"

His smile faded rather quickly. "Aww...don't be like that, Erin. You know I'm not feeling well...aren't you going to tell me, to distract me and make me feel better?" He looked up at her and pouted his lips in a way she had done perhaps a million times by this point, conscious or no. He reached up and pulled on the hem of her shirt, tugging on it gently, "Please? My dreams are stupid and pointless unless you're in them, and that's why I wanted to tell you! Why won't you tell me yours?" Switching to a different tactic, he started pleading with her in Japanese, "Please, beautiful, hot girlfriend? Tell me so I won't go crazy. Gah..you're so mean to me sometimes!"

--

Erin Spenser

Yukito gave a disappointing response to Erin's request to hear more about this dream, and she couldn't suppress the dejected, "Oh..."


“You were a cute kid, Erin. That's all I'm saying...I would have been only trouble for you.”

"Aww... whatever." Her arms folded in dissatisfaction, and she resolved, "Fine, then, for that, then you don't get to know my dreams. Oh, what!"

"Aww...don't be like that, Erin," Yukito objected, and she glanced away smugly, hoping for a teasing "now you know how I feel" look. "You know I'm not feeling well...aren't you going to tell me, to distract me and make me feel better?"Yukito looked at her pleadingly, like if she didn't tell him it would completely devastate his entire week. It kind of made her want to not give in, just to see what his reaction would be. He didn't really react all that often, and so far it was actually a really nice change, since she could finally do something that affected him enough to elicit any kind of reaction beyond a shrug or chuckle. She smiled. "Why should I? You won't remember yours, what if I can't remember mine, huh?"

He reached up and pulled on the hem of her shirt, tugging on it gently, and Erin couldn't help but laugh. "Yukito!" "Please? My dreams are stupid and pointless unless you're in them, and that's why I wanted to tell you! Why won't you tell me yours?"

"Because! It's not fair!" she explained through more laughter, her resolve barely hanging on now by the proverbial thread.

Yukito kept on insisting, only now he had gone and switched languages on her, surely knowing good and well that that made her melt a little when he did that. "Yukitoooo, stop it!" she laughed, succumbing to the fact that any remaining resolution was gone. "No fair, I can't kiss you to make you shut up and think of something else! Fiiiine... but mine are really stupid and boring and nothing even happens," she admitted, shifting to lie down to face him, turned on her side again. "You're just there with me and it's just us and you made me feel better in my dreams when I felt really awful when I was awake... See, I told you nothing interesting happened..." And she was kind of disappointed in that. Yukito got story-dreams, she just got emotion-dreams with him. And he conned her into sharing it, which made her feel so lame... "I like yours better," Erin finished with a tiny smile.

--

Yukito Maki

"Aww...don't be like that, Erin," he whined, "You know I'm not feeling well...aren't you going to tell me, to distract me and make me feel better?"[/b]

She smiled, and he wondered if he was having any effect. Should have known I'm not cute. Fail. "Why should I? You won't remember yours, what if I can't remember mine, huh?" Instead of answering, he tugged on her shirt, looking saddened and depressed. "Yukito!"


"Please? My dreams are stupid and pointless unless you're in them, and that's why I wanted to tell you! Why won't you tell me yours?"

"Because! It's not fair!" she laughed, and he knew he was gaining ground. He tried to gain more by talking to her in Japanese.

"Please, beautiful, hot girlfriend? Tell me so I won't go crazy. Gah..you're so mean to me sometimes!" He watched her face and saw her caving. Why didn't I just try that in the first place?

"Yukitoooo, stop it! No fair, I can't kiss you to make you shut up and think of something else! Fiiiine... but mine are really stupid and boring and nothing even happens,"

His playful smile faltered. I know you can't kiss me. I hate that, too. "Please just tell me." he whispered. She laid down next to him, close as she could get, he supposed, without smelling his breath. He was sure he smelt like sickness. But she told him anyways.

"You're just there with me and it's just us and you made me feel better in my dreams when I felt really awful when I was awake... See, I told you nothing interesting happened..." His eyes softened. "I like yours better," Erin finished with a tiny smile.

He smiled back at her, reaching up to brush her hair away from her face. Not because it was really in between her eyes and his, but because he liked to do that. "You've had more dreams about me than I've had about you." he pouted a little, then his eyes closed. They felt heavier than earlier. And the waves of nausea were thicker now. He grimaced, and was unable to hide how tired he was. "I guess you'll just have to dream about kissing me until I'm better."

Yukito sighed, then opened his eyes slowly. "I dreamt you were holding me. And that you played with me when I wasn't always afraid. It was simple and easy." He closed his eyes again, "I'm sleepy...You sure you didn't throw in some drugs in that broth?"

--

Erin Spenser

"Please just tell me," Yukito asked again, and despite how totally weak and dull and boring her dreams sounded, she caved and told him.

"You're just there with me and it's just us and you made me feel better in my dreams when I felt really awful when I was awake... See, I told you nothing interesting happened... I like yours better."

He smiled back at her, reaching up to brush her hair away from her face, easily maintaining Erin's smile on her face. "You've had more dreams about me than I've had about you." Only because you weren't with me when I was awake, she thought, glad he was unable to read her mind. She felt bad for thinking that, even if it felt true.

Yukito's eyes were closed now, and again Erin wondered if he was asleep. But then he said to her, "I guess you'll just have to dream about kissing me until I'm better."

"Or you could just hurry up and get well already," Erin retorted lightheartedly, smiling at his half-asleep expression.

"I dreamt you were holding me. And that you played with me when I wasn't always afraid. It was simple and easy." What is he talking about? Erin wondered as Yukito seemed to be fighting the sleep that had been forced at bay since her arrival. Maybe it was a bad idea to wake him up for the broth...

"I'm sleepy..."

"I see that," Erin told him with a little laugh.

"You sure you didn't throw in some drugs in that broth?"

Another little laugh escaped. "Not this time. Just sleep for a while, Yukito, it's supposed to make you get better faster or something." It wouldn't surprise her though if he was already sleeping; poor guy looked so worn out... She kind of felt awful to leave him feeling so bad, but Erin couldn't well stay there until he woke up again in another eight hours... she'd die of boredom. And stillness. And hunger. And... other stuff she was sure she could think of later if he actually asked her why she'd left. "Hurry up and get well again, boyfriend," she ordered, briefly brushing a little of his disheveled mass of hair out of the way before rising to her feet. Erin snagged her backpack and gave him a last smile --He's so adorable asleep...-- before turning and heading out.

Erin's gone! [/u]

--

Yukito Maki

"You're just there with me and it's just us and you made me feel
better in my dreams when I felt really awful when I was awake... See,
I told you nothing interesting happened... I like yours better."
he smiled at her and brushed her hair away as an excuse to touch her.
Erin's reaction was a returning smile that he made him wish he could
grab ahold of the feeling her smile gave him and stretch it out over a
lifetime. He wondered if that was possible, and who could teach him
how. No one, I suppose.

"You've had more dreams about me than I've had about you." he
commented. He felt a little sad at that. He wanted to make her a part
of every dream, because then she could counteract the other things he
had been dreaming about. His eyelids gained a mysterious weight and
pressed closed against his will, and he fought hard to pry them apart
again so he could keep talking with her. He wanted to tell her about
the whole dream. He wanted to explain to her that these times - these
moments - he liked better than any date or party, or any of the other
things people did to celebrate the ones they loved. He liked these
better. "I guess you'll just have to dream about kissing me until I'm
better." he managed, his eyes flickering open to give him a flash of
her smiling at him still.

"Or you could just hurry up and get well already," He made a
face at that - as if he wasn't trying hard to do that already? After a
moment, his eyes shut again, and he forced himself to wake up enough
to tell her about his dream. At least a part of it she would like. He
liked to make her happy, and after all, she had told him her dream.

"I dreamt you were holding me. And that you played with me when I
wasn't always afraid. It was simple and easy." You played with my
younger self, the one that was loud and messy and brave. He
sighed. "I'm sleepy..."

"I see that," Erin told him with a little laugh.

He couldn't even open one eye to peer at her suspiciously, "You sure
you didn't throw in some drugs in that broth?"

Her laugh was quieter now, or maybe it was just him. "Not this
time. Just sleep for a while, Yukito, it's supposed to make you get
better faster or something."

He gave a little affirmative noise, more like a "Mmmph," than anything
else, his nose burying into his pillow. He didn't want to sleep, but
it would be him being stupid if he said he wasn't completely worn out.
Every body part felt like lead, and even his brain felt over-worked.
He wondered if other flu-victims experienced their eyeballs going on
strike from trying to stay in a conversation with their significant
other. He felt her hand brushing his hair from his face, making him
smile.


"Hurry up and get well again, boyfriend," Yukito's hand under
the blanket started to slide toward where he knew she was, but just as
the cold started to reach his fingertips he realized she wasn't there
anymore. He started to open his eyes but decided against it. If he
didn't see her leaving he could pretend she was still here. And if he
imagined that, it might be easier. Everything might be easier. I'll
be better tomorrow, Erin. I promise. Then you can kiss me again,
okay?

Yukito ish ashweep! Shhhh!

[Elda Forever]

The Better Halloween Than Last Year


OOC: Schedule for Saturday, Oct 31st 2009 Voodoo fest.

Yukito Maki

He sat in his car just outside Erin's apartment building, messing with the keys in his hand. A very dark hand. Yukito hadn't told Erin what he was going to dress up as intentionally - and with many complaints from her - saying he wanted it to be a surprise. The truth was, he hadn't decided until practically the final moment. Now he was to a point where he was really unsure of the costume. It was a really vibrant red color, even if he'd chosen less eye-burning colors for it. He couldn't really choose a much calmer color, because his costume was from a burn-your-eyes-with-color era. The pants were surprisingly comfortable, just as the high-collared, black-striped jacket was way nicer than he'd thought. It reminded him of Back To The Future. Yukito wore a plain black t-shirt underneath, and had even opted for close-to-authentic black shoes with the white socks peering out. As well as a very wrong-feeling wig in black curls. It just wasn't the same as using his own hair, but a combination of curlers and covering up the recent dye-job had made him sucker out for a wig instead.

The weird part, the real weird part, had been the makeup. He'd gone through some really tight loops to get the right stuff, and to do it right. Makeup that wasn't likely to smudge off, that wouldn't melt away in the high probability of humidity, and would look realistic. He'd somehow accomplished it. Even if a black Asian could never quite look 'realistic'. Yukito was darkened just enough to look different. But he was pleased with the dark copper gleam to his skin.

He slipped out of the car and sauntered up to Erin's doorway. It was still pretty early in the day - it was only about half past nine - but he had told her he was coming. That he had a surprise for her, but she had to be in her costume first. That he was claiming her for the day, no matter what her parents said. He pulled the sparkly silver glove from his pocket and slipped it onto his right hand, smirked to himself, then knocked. He took a step away from the doorway with his hands automatically flying to his pockets.

[GGJ5]

OOC: Erin's outfit here except no sash and it's a dress that had been a real prom dress but she found at a thrift store and styled it up herself. Okay, BIC!

Erin Spenser

Having spent most of the night busying herself with everything but sleep (Erin now had several batches of baked goods around the kitchen, and several portions of songs, and had reached a new personal high score on her favorite "I'm bored" computer game), she had almost missed the noise her phone made when Yukito told her to get up and be ready for him soon.

But at the same time, she was so excited! Last year sucked, but this one was going to own serious face. She didn't know what he planned for her, and really, she didn't care. It was more important that they'd made it past a year and he was going to be there all day with her and she would get to dress up and play around and it was going to be so great!

She was still messing with her makeup, not really familiar with how to paint a zombie-face but guessing it didn't matter all that much, since zombies were freaking undead anyway, when she heard who must have been Yukito at the door. "I'm not done yet!" she called out as she heard her mother scrambling into the living room to answer on her behalf.

Mandi opened the door and her "good morning" morphed into a surprised expression at the transformed sight of Yukito. "You're very colorful," she observed frankly, then gave a cordial smile. "And... musical... Erin isn't ready yet, I'll go get her."

Just when Erin felt satisfied with her undead appearance, her mother appeared in the doorway to inform her of what she already knew-- Yukito was waiting. "We'll miss you today," she said, a last ditch effort to remind Erin that it would be the first time she was gone all day from her family on her birthday. Like it was some sort of death sentence on them or something.

"Stop it," Erin responded, unable to entirely keep the whine from her voice as she walked into the living room. Before she turned the corner all the way, Mandi kissed her daughter's cheek goodbye. "Be safe," she insisted, then added with a look, "It didn't come off. You did a good job, mija!"

Stop trying to be ethnic. Seriously. But she was glad that her attempt at zombifying could last through a kiss on the cheek. Hopefully other kisses, too. She waved, wriggled out of her mother's hold, and turned completely towards the door. "Yukito!" she squealed, seeing him and how enthusiastically he had designed his look. "Oh my god!" She laughed a little, covering her mouth with her hands, nails glossy black against the fake-pale skin of her face. "I need pictures of this!! Oh!" Remembering her camera, she disappeared into her room and came back out, camera dangling from her wrist. First, she snagged a picture of herself, "MySpace style", and then Yukito. Then she turned to her mother, holding out the camera pleadingly. "Get one of us?"

"Sure," Mandi responded easily, taking the camera and positioning it, and waiting for Erin to give the okay. She pulled both of her arms around one of Yukito's and tilted her head just slightly so that her narrowed eyes were looking up at the camera in a fairly good rendition of an eerie smile. It was Halloween, after all, and if you wanted to get technical about it, they were both undead.

[More than Music]

This is an interaction between Kagayaki and Yukito, when Yukito 'ran away from home' or whatever is best to call it. I know, I should have posted it earlier, but... whatever, I'm posting it now.

The dialogue is in Japanese, except Yukito's call to Erin. Just so you know, cuz I'm not italicizing the entire thing.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

He dropped his bag onto the bed and looked around the hotel room with forced nonchalance. This was what it had come to. The end of everything before. And for some reason, his first thoughts weren't to his parents, but wondering whether or not to call Erin. This somehow surprised him.

I'll call her after school lets out, he decided, looking over to see it was only ten o'clock in the morning. Yukito sighed, flopping down on the bed. The room was too clean. It irritated him.

He pulled his bag over and yanked out what little he had onto the floor, kicking furiously at it so as to make the room more disheveled. He ripped at the scratchy bedspread, sending it across the floor, snarling at it with growing frustration. He hastily went through the drawers and closets, throwing anything movable towards the center of the room that he could find; meanwhile screaming out random obscenities that he knew, getting more and more furious.

He screamed and threw a chair onto the bed. Stupid, stupid mother. Stupid people that lie to your face!

It took him awhile to wind down, and he fell asleep on the floor hours later, surrounded by the meager debris he had acquired. He woke up to room service asking to get in, and he told them to go away, his voice scratchy and weak. He sat up, looking more disheveled than ever, and leaned against the foot of the unmade bed.

I need to call someone He had deliberately left his cellphone behind so his mother couldn't contact him, but he knew a couple of numbers by heart. He leaned over and grabbed the phone, punching the numbers in with a serious expression.

Erin's voice chirruped before the telltale leave-a-message beep, lifting his spirits momentarily. There was a moment of silence before Yukito could speak.

“Hey, Erin. Just wanted to let you know my...my phone is out of whack..” he paused. He didn't want to explain the story over voicemail. “Uh...call me back at this number when you can, okay? Room number 215, I think. And...uh...” he rubbed his temples, let out a sigh, and finished, “I love you, Erin...” He hung up the unfamiliar phone to just pick it up again immediately and dial Aidousan's cell phone.

This time, the unknown number was answered to, and Yukito rolled his eyes, sparking irritably at his friend's easygoing nature. "Why don't you ever check your caller id, idiot? I could've been some creep calling you."

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

Kagayaki ran a flustered hand across his forehead, finding cold sweat there that didn't surprise him. Where is he? He reached into his pocket, looking at his cellphone for the millionth time, he was certain. No calls. He almost dialed Cassiechan but decided not to worry her with it.

He was aware, looking down at the phone, that his hands were still shaking. They had been since he'd walked into Yukito's apartment to find Makisama in tears, saying she had no idea where Yukito was.

He's leaving. He left. He's gone. I don't know where he is. Will I ever find him or see him again? Why didn't he call me? Where could he be? Why would he do this to me, knowing me?

Then he swallowed, putting his phone into his pocket again.

I can't believe I'm being so selfish. This isn't about me, this is about Yukitokun and he's obviously very upset.

Kagayaki jumped as his phone rang, just at the moment he was deciding to scour the city for his friend. “Yukito!” he yelped, pulling the phone out like it was on fire. Shaky voiced, he answered: “Moshi-moshi?” It wasn't Yukito's number, but maybe...

Makisama turned and looked into his eyes, her own full of shock, hurt, and tears. She watched him, waiting for word on her son.

“Why don't you ever check your caller id, idiot? I could have been some creep calling you.”

Kagayaki laughed, feeling better just knowing he was okay.

“Yukitokun, you scared me silly!” he breathed, smiling and looking at Makisama with a wink. He's okay, he mouthed to her, trying hard to keep the look of worry off his face. “Where the hell are you? Your okaasan and I are running around here like maniacs.” Then he laughed. “Let me see you. Please.” He cleared his throat, turning from Makisama and whispered, “I saw someone while shopping for Cassiechan's birthday, and this it not a joke, Yukitokun.”

I need you and your harsh but supportive words. And you may just need me. Please.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“Moshi-moshi?” Aioudsan's voice sounded shaky, which somehow made it easier for Yukito to pull off his usual tone of indifference.

“Why don't you ever check your caller id, idiot? I could have been some creep calling.”

That girly laugh echoed across the phone, and a smile played at Yukito's lips. He was already glad he had called. “Yukitokun, you scared me silly!”

“What?” How had he already heard? Had his mom called Aidousan?

“Where the hell are you? Your okaasan and I are running around here like maniacs.” A laugh yet again.

Yukito frowned, his bottom lip protruding a little and his brow furrowing. Sure, she was worried. He wasn't going to check in with her and abide by her ideals anymore. Yukito supposed that left her with a very hollow, helpless feeling. And he didn't feel guilty about that, not now.

“I'm not going back anymore, Aidousan,” he said quietly, “I can't.”

“Let me see you. Please.”

Yukito leaned back to stare at the ceiling and sighed.

“I saw someone while shopping for Cassiechan's birthday, and this is not a joke, Yukitokun.”

A deeper frown. He's not coming to probe me like mom would. He's not even trying to get me to come home. He needs to tell me something he's dealing with. I guess I could use the distraction.

“Don't tell mom where I'm at. Tell her I'm not coming home.” he looked for an address on the phone base, “Go left down the street about six blocks. You should be able to see an enormous eight sitting on a pole. Go there. I'll meet you out front, okay?” he hesitated, feeling like something was left unsaid, then hung up.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“Yukitokun, you scared me silly!” Kagayaki said immediately.

“What?” he seemed surprised. You disappeared and you didn't know about it?

Yukitokun's next words surprised him. “I'm not going back anymore, Aidousan. I can't.”

Kagayaki didn't get what he meant. “What do you mean, you 'can't'? “ he asked, seeing pain on Makisama's face. “'Course you can come back.” Then he sighed, knowing his friend's stubbornness. “Let me come see you, please.”

Silence on the other end, to him, meant confirmation was necessary. Clarification, too. He turned so Makisama couldn't see.

“I saw someone while shopping for Cassiechan's birthday, and this is not a joke, Yukitokun.”

He could almost see Yukitokun's frown. More silence. He decided to throw in some humor, just in case he was right.

“And we need to talk about this whole, still calling me 'Aidousan after how many years?' thing.” he added with a smile that could be heard in his voice.

Please don't be sad anymore. Let me help. Make me smile too.

Yukito told him not to tell Makisama where he was. Kagayaki looked at her with a frown, and shook his head. She nodded, sighing and leaving the room. She might have said something, but he couldn't hear it because he was trying as hard as he could to remember the instructions Yuyukun was telling him.

“Hai,” he finally said, smiling to push away the frown and feeling that he would get lost, making Yuyukun upset, and ruin everything. Then Yuyukun hung up. Kagayaki knew it was dumb, but he had sort of a feeling of rejection in the pit of his stomach.

Like he wanted to hear a 'thanks for caring about me' even though he'd never been able to expect it. No one said that, especially not Yukito, who liked it better when people left him alone and didn't worry.

Especially Kagayaki. Which didn't help that feeling. And the thought in his head that it was time to go home.

But I have to settle things down first. Saikochan and Yukitokun fighting, then Cassiechan being hurt by that...that... And now this.

He shook his head, just walking outside and down the street with his face down.

Now is no time to leave them.

After 15 minutes of confusion with traffic and directions, he finally saw Yukitokun. Kagayaki ran to him. “How you?”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~


Yukito Maki

“I saw someone while shopping for Cassiechan's birthday, and this is not a joke, Yukitokun.” he frowned, but it obviously wasn't seen by his friend. “And we need to talk about this whole 'still calling me Aidousan after how many years?' thing.” Yukito arched an eyebrow, hearing the amusement which punctuated this sentence.

“Eto...okay...” he said in a surprised voice. He wondered where this was coming from. He had always called him Aidousan. It would be strange to call him anything else.

“Don't tell my mother.” he gave in and told Aidousan how to get to his hotel.

“Hai,” was the single word confirmation that he understood. Yukito hung up with a feeling of worry and seeming that was more he should have added. But what? He sighed and started downstairs, slipping his key into his pocket as he went. It felt like it took Aidousan a long time to get there, and Yukito missed his cell phone already. But nonetheless the familiar eyes locked with his, and Aidousan ran up to him.

“How you?” he asked. Yukito shoved his hands into his pockets.

There were too many replies to that. Most of them were lies. And some of them were too honest – they would solve nothing. Would help nothing. He shrugged and looked away with a frown.

“I've been better,” he said simply.

My mom is back together with my dad, apparently. He's an a** and he still manipulates her. And I think he's doing it now to get to me again. I'm trapped and I have nowhere to go. I'm afraid to tell Erin yet so she isn't probed by her parents and no one else but you really cares. Yeah...I've been better.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“I've been better,” was all Yuyukun said. Kagayaki looke d down at his still-trembling hands, feeling the longing to pull his friend close and protect him from whatever horror had inspired the look in Yukito's eyes. After he felt the sobs growing in him, he give into that urge, if only to hide the tears that wanted to come out. Kagayaki threw his arms around his friend, holding him tightly.

“It's gonna be okay, Yuyukun,” he promised, his throat closing in on itself. “I don't know what happened. She didn't say, you know your okaasan. But I know you must be upset, very very much, to leave like you did.” He took a deep breath. “And I want you to know... you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.”

He leaned back and looked into Yukito's face. “Promise.”

Sighing, he released Yuyukun and laughed half-heartedly. “Gomen ne,” he said, wiping his eyes and trying to remove the signs of crying. “I just wanted to make sure you knew that. I know, if I was upset, I would want you to do something like that.” He forced out another laugh. “But that's silly. You hate people touching you... especially me.”

Kagayaki looked around. “Ah, think-think,” he whispered softly, folding his hands behind his head. “You're staying here? It's kind of...” He pushed out another laugh, sending Yuyukun a wink. “Cheap-cheap, for you.”

'Please let this make you smile. Let this help ease up whatever is making you sad. I want to help. Please? Please?'

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

He hadn't expected much, mostly because he was still slightly pessimistic by nature, but to say the hug he received from Aidousan was a shock was a definite understatement. He tried very, very hard not to react coldly and to pull away. The result was that he didn't immediately pull away, but he still stiffened, and his arms didn't have the strength to even consider returning the gesture.

He wanted to cry and had to swallow the lump in his throat. 'Thank you, Aidousan, but I'm not yet ready to accept this. Almost. But not yet.'

“It's gonna be okay, Yuyukun,” Aidousan said in a strangled voice. “I don't know what happened. She didn't say, you know your okaasan. But I know you must be upset, very very much, to leave like you did.” Yukito wanted to scream out everything and get it over with. “And I want you to know... you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.” At last he pulled away a little to look into Yukito's face, “I promise.”

Yukito gave a very slow very slight nod. Aidousan released him, and Yukito realized he had been holding his breath. Aidousan laughed.

“Gomen ne, I just wanted to make sure you knew that. I know, if I was upset, I would want you to do something like that. But that's silly. You hate people touching you... especially me.”

Yukito's eyes softened. “It isn't because it's you, Aidousan... even if I'm not good at... at taking it. Thanks.”

Aidousan then turned to the hotel, making a teasing comment about it being cheap for Yukito's standards.

Yukito's smile returned ever-so-briefly, then he explained. “I have no job, so this is the result of much birthday money saved. And you always said it was silly to never use it.”

He indicated towards his room with his head. “Come on.” He led Aidousan to the small – and messy – room, dropping the key on the desk inside.

“Home sweet home. How sad is that?” He sighed.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

Realizing his friend's discomfort, Kagayaki released Yukitokun and apologized for his sudden outburst of mush. Yukitokun didn't seem as bothered by it, now that they weren't touching.

“It isn't because it's you, Aidousan... but even if I'm not good at... taking it. Thanks.” he said, and though he wasn't convinced, Kagayaki felt better for it. The effort had been good.

And when Kagayaki decided to change the subject to a lighter one, Yukitokun followed easily, another sign of effort. That was good.

“I have no job, so this is the result of much birthday money saved. And you always said it was silly to never use it.”

Kagayaki laughed, sending his friend another wink. “You know better than to trust my judgment. Half the time I'm lying, just to keep a smile on your face.” This was true – very true, actually – but said with his light-hearted voice, it seemed less likely. Even though it was definitely the truth.

Yukitokun gestured towards the hotel with his head. “Come on.” Kagayaki smiled and nodded, following Yukitokun to a room in the hotel. The older boy's mouth fell open. Then he laughed.

“You made it look like your room.” he commented in a low voice.

“Home sweet home. How sad is that?” Yukitokun said, sighing. Kagayaki shrugged.

“If I keep up with my current luck, I might have to get a room like this.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

Aidousan winked. “You know better than to trust my judgment. Half the time I'm lying, just to keep a smile on your face.” His tone was teasing, but then again – that was how it usually sounded. Yukito turned and led Aidousan to his hotel room.

“You made it look like your room,” Aidousan said with a laugh. Yukito shrugged.

That was kind of the point.

“If I keep up with my current luck, I might have to get a room like this.”

Yukito sent him a look, then sat cross-legged on the floor, propped up against the bed and some debris.

“What's up with that?” he said, his toe poking at the telephone he had left on the floor.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

Kagayaki felt a little tense as Yukitokun watched him. “What's up with that?” he asked, and Kagayaki looked away , unable to hide it now; he was hurting and Yukitokun had brought it into the light. So now he had two choices.

One, he could pretend he was okay – like he usually did – and focus on making Yuyukun feel better – again, like usual. But the 'usual' was slowly tearing him apart and he needed a chance, somewhere. He needed to be better for Cassiechan if he was going to keep her happy. The 'usual', as he'd seen, wasn't gonna cut it this time.

But, option two, telling Yuyukun what was bothering him, scared him too much. Because he didn't want to be selfish, although people kept telling him it was rude of him to not trust people. It wasn't that he didn't trust them. He was just afraid to be left with an open wound, all alone. Yukitokun had no idea how many reasons he'd given Kagayaki to just walk away for his own good.

But if he didn't do something for his own good soon, he knew something – or someone, if he was lucky – would revert him back into the routine that only did more damage every time he circled around.

Kagayaki found the desk chair – far from where it belonged - , placed it upright facing Yukitokun, and tried to avoid the feeling of a confession as he sat down.

“Yuyukun,” he began, sighing and swallowing hard. He clasped his hands together and took a deep breath. “I'm a horrible person.” He swallowed again and forced himself to continue.

“I think... no... I'm sure I'm still in love with Yumi. I know I am. And I also know what I bastard I am for getting into a relationship with Cassiechan while I still love Yumi, and... I think I took it out on other people the other day.” His head was as lowered as possible now. “I think I should go home before I ruin things here. But I know that no one wants me at home.”

He looked up for a second. “But, the worst part is... I don't want to... to fix things anymore. And, I feel like I'm letting everyone I love down. But something tells me I'm not... I don't know, Yukito...”

His face fell again.

“I... I know you probably need someone right now, even though it's definitely not me.” This last word was said almost with contempt. “But I need you, Yukito. I need you to be there for me, to not want me to leave... and that's why I've been saying I should go... because I'm worried you don't want me here anymore... and I don't want to ask you to hide me from this mess I've made for myself, but... Please don't make me leave. I can admit now that I'm not okay, and that I need you to save me from what I've done... just until I figure out what I need to do. Something that will help me. Because I'm not used to thinking that way, but I have to.” He paused. “Okay. I'm done.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

Aidou didn't answer for a very long time. He took the toppled chair and righted it so he could use it, facing Yukito with a serious face.

“Yuyukun, I'm a horrible person.” Aidousan managed, looking guilty. Yukito stared back at him, saying nothing, not believing him.

“I think... no... I'm sure I'm still in love with Yumi. I know I am. And I also know what I bastard I am for getting into a relationship with Cassiechan while I still love Yumi, and... I think I took it out on other people the other day. I think I should go home before I ruin things here. But I know that no one wants me at home.” Aidousan looked down. “But, the worst part is... I don't want to... to fix things anymore. And, I feel like I'm letting everyone I love down. But something tells me I'm not... I don't know, Yukito... I... I know you probably need someone right now, even though it's definitely not me. But I need you, Yukito. I need you to be there for me, to not want me to leave... and that's why I've been saying I should go... because I'm worried you don't want me here anymore... and I don't want to ask you to hide me from this mess I've made for myself, but... Please don't make me leave. I can admit now that I'm not okay, and that I need you to save me from what I've done... just until I figure out what I need to do. Something that will help me. Because I'm not used to thinking that way, but I have to....... Okay. I'm done.”

Yukito looked down at his knees, unsure of what to say now.

If Kagayaki really still cared for Yumi, he shouldn't be with Cassie. But Cassie needed Aidousan right now. All of this stuff with her mom's boyfriend, he didn't know if she could handle it. Yukito had assured Cassie that Aidousan would still care about her, attack or no. He was still sure something like that wouldn't change Aidousan's opinion of Cassie, but he was also sure that Cassie wouldn't take it that way if he broke up with her now.

And what about Yumi? Had she really meant to screw with things like this?

“You can stay if you like, Aidousan, I won't make you leave...” He huddled closer to himself on the floor until he was a little ball, clinging to his knees and gazing dully at the floor. “I.. I don't want you to leave... I need you, too. Selfish or no... If you're terrible, I'm worse...”

He thought for a minute, then quietly asked, “Do you love Cassiechan? Or do you love Yumichan?”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

Kagayaki waited, head bowed, for Yuyukun's reply. He had that feeling in his gut that this hadn't been the right time to break down and just blurt everything out.

'Please don't say you want me to go home. I need you to want me here, because I need to stand up for myself. And I need the confidence you give me.'

Finally, Yukito spoke. “You can stay if you like, Aidousan, I won't make you leave...”

Kagayaki's eyes and mouth opened wide. “Really? You... you would really let me stay here?” 'But do you want me to, or are you just saying that because you feel bad for me?'

“I.. I don't want you to leave...” Kagayaki's eyes shone at this, filling with tears. “I need you, too. Selfish or no... If you're terrible, I'm worse...”

“Thank you, Yuyukun,” he whispered, smiling softly. “Thank you. I don't think you have any idea what that means to me... that you need me...”

But Yukitokun's next words caught him off-guard. “Do you love Cassiechan? Or do you love Yumichan?”

The air caught in his throat. “I... I...” He looked down. “I don't know. I really don't.” He took a deep breath. “And as much as I don't like it, because I'm afraid, I have to go see Yumichan. I have to resolve this. It's making me sick, and sore, and...” He wiped the tears out of his eyes. “I can't stand being a failure anymore. I won't do it anymore.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“You can stay if you like, Aidousan, I won't make you leave...”

A look of pleasant shock crossed his friend's face, “Really? You... you would really let me stay here?”

He nodded. There would be obstacles, but he felt stubborn and weary right now, and that meant he could at least say it and believe it in this moment. “I.. I don't want you to leave...” he admitted. “I need you, too. Selfish or no... If you're terrible, I'm worse...”

“Thank you, Yuyukun,” came the teary smile, whispered gratitude. “Thank you. I don't think you have any idea what that means to me... that you need me...”

He shrugged and looked away, not sure how to respond to that. His thoughts wandered and he found himself asking: “Do you love Cassiechan? Or do you love Yumichan?”

“I... I... I don't know. I really don't. And as much as I don't like it, because I'm afraid, I have to go see Yumichan. I have to resolve this. It's making me sick, and sore, and... I can't stand being a failure anymore. I won't do it anymore.”

Yukito did not know what to say to that, but he knew he should say something supportive, but also honest and actually helpful.

Standing up, he thrust his hands into his pockets and casually wandered to the window, pushing the curtain aside and peering out at the bright world outside.

“You can't have both. Make your decision as quick as you can.” He sighed, “And never regret it. Personally,” here he turned and offered Aidousan a bit of a sad smile, “I'm partial to one more than the other, but it's not my decision.” He chuckled. “It'll be easier than you think. Who you feel is best for you who fits you best. Then who you may want more, who you are best for, and who you think you would be good for.”

He sighed. “Actually, that's not true. It's never easy. But sometimes it feels so right you think you've been cleaned and forgiven everything...” Yukito's face fell, and he placed one hand on the windowsill, his fingertips stirring up a little dust there.

“Don't mix up someone you feel sorry for with someone you love...” he mumbled quietly. “They're not the same... and good luck.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

Kagayaki watched Yukitokun stand up slowly and put his hands in his pockets, moving over to look out the widnow.

“You can't have both,” he finally said. Kagayaki stiffened. “Make your decision as quick as you can. And never regret it.” Nodding, Kagayaki decided to say nothing at all. Not yet.

“Personally,” Yukitokun continued, looking over and displayed a sad smile. “I'm partial to one more than the other, but it's not my decision.”

Kagayaki showed Yuyukun his own bittersweet smile. “Cassiechan.”

“It'll be easier than you think.” Maybe it was for you. Which one was right for you, you knew. I'm sure. There's one I want who loves me an done I can't let go of who I think will need me more than ever this time. “Who you feel is best for you, who fits you best. Then who you may want more, who you are best for, and who you may think you would be good for.”

Letting out a nervous laugh, Kagayaki put his hand on the back of his sweaty neck, “Yuyukun...there's only two of them, not...” he paused to think, “Not five.” He held up a handful of fingers to show five, then two on the other hand. “See? Not same,” Stop making it sound so easy.

Then Yuyukun sighed, and Kagayaki's smile faded. “Actually, that's not true.” Kagayaki's eyes sparkled at this. So, you do understand. “It's never easy. But sometimes it feels so right you think you've been cleaned and forgiven everything...”

Kagayaki looked away, turning his head sharply. “I've felt like that too many times, Yuyukun. I can't trust what I feel.”

After some silence, Yukitokun spoke again. “Don't mix up someone you feel sorry for with someone you love...they're not the same...”

Staring at his friend, Kagayaki felt his whole body tense up. “I wouldn't toy with anyone like that. I wouldn't say I loved them if I--”

“...and good luck.”

Calming a bit, Kagayaki's eyes fell to the floor. “Thank you.” He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, then pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was pounding and he didn't want to make a fuss just because he hurt. So he said nothing for awhile.

“I...” he finally began after a few minutes, “I'll just have to talk to Yumi, then.” He took a deep breath then let it out. “But not until you do.” Tears filled his eyes, only partially because of his headache. “She...she still loves you. I found out that never changed. Never. And I don't know why I can't let go of her even after knowing she never even loved me...But you need to talk to her. I have to make sure nothing gets in the way of me talking to her. That no one else is involved.”

Not even you.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“You can't have both,” Yukito said simply, “Make your decision as quick as you can. And never regret it.” There was a nod from Aidousan. “Personally,” he continued, a sad smile on his face as he glanced over, “I'm partial to one more than the other, but it's not my decision.” A dark chuckle escaped him.

Kagayaki showed his own bittersweet smile. “Cassiechan.”

For a lot of reasons, Aidousan. I know Cassie will be there for you. She's so much like you. But in so many good ways. And besides... I would rest easier if I knew you were with her.

“It'll be easier than you think. Who you feel is best for you, who fits you best. Then who you may want more, who you are best for, and who you may think you would be good for.” Yukito tried to reason. This caused Aidousan to let out a weird sort of laugh.

“Yuyukun...there's only two of them, not...” he paused to think, “Not five.” Aidousan displayed on both hands the different amounts. “See? Not same,”

Then Yuyukun sighed, turning away as he thought on it. “Actually, that's not true. It's never easy. But sometimes it feels so right you think you've been cleaned and forgiven everything...”

Aidousan looked away, turning his head sharply. “I've felt like that too many times, Yuyukun. I can't trust what I feel.”

Yukito stared coldly out the window, his voice tensing up. I couldn't trust how I feel around so many people. I doubt myself all the time. Nothing is ever so easy as I try to make it feel. Feelings are deceitful. “Don't mix up someone you feel sorry for with someone you love...they're not the same...”

He could sense Aidousan bristling. “I wouldn't toy with anyone like that. I wouldn't say I loved them if I--”

“...and good luck.” Yukito cut him off in a low voice, his fingers making patterns in the dust that lay on the windowsill. He didn't raise his eyes to meet his friend's gaze, because he knew Aidousan wouldn't look directly at him. They rarely looked directly at each other, so evasive that even their body language spoke of a strange sort of talent at dancing around what they really wanted to say.

“Thank you.” There was a long length of silence. Yukito kept watching the cars driving by the hotel, feeling distant...feeling removed. While at the same time knowing that he had so much to tackle right now, there was so much he still needed to say.... he wondered again if Erin was out of school yet. He looked around for a clock. Half past one. Still another hour and a half.

“I...” Aidousan began slowly, hesitantly, “I'll just have to talk to Yumi, then.” He took a deep breath then let it out. “But not until you do.” Yukito looked up, confused, to see Aidousan looking torn.

“What?” Why did he have anything to do with Aidousan's attachment to Yumi? Why did everyone want him to meet with her and talk to her?

“She...she still loves you. I found out that never changed. Never. And I don't know why I can't let go of her even after knowing she never even loved me...But you need to talk to her. I have to make sure nothing gets in the way of me talking to her. That no one else is involved.”

Yukito let out a sort of half-hiss, half-sigh, “Pffft...I don't see why everyone seems to think that. Yumi and I were done a long time ago...” He leaned against the glass, his hair bending back into his eyes as he let out a sigh. “But I guess I need to talk to her anyways.” Yukito glanced up towards Aidousan, his eyes flickering back out the window, making his eyes sting with the suddenness of sunlight. “What are you going to tell Yumichan?”

“And why do you mention the whole 'Aidousan' thing?”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“I... I'll just have to talk to Yumi, then.” he said, slowly exhaling then inhaling. “But not until you do.”

Yukitokun was clearly confused. “What?”

Kagayaki shook his head. How come everyone saw it but Yuyukun? Honestly. Then again, Kagayaki had heard it right from the source, so it probably seemed more like fact than it was, but still... What was with trying to pretend it wasn't there? Yukito was so silly sometimes... “She...she still loves you. I found out that never changed. Never. And I don't know why I can't let go of her even after knowing she never even loved me...But you need to talk to her. I have to make sure nothing gets in the way of me talking to her. That no one else is involved.”

Making a weird sound, Yukitokun obviously didn't believe him. “Pffft...I don't see why everyone seems to think that. Yumi and I were done a long time ago...” Kagayaki's eyes widened. He really didn't know? He wasn't pretending? What was going on here? Had Yumi told everyone but Yukito clearly? That didn't seem quite right... “But I guess I need to talk to her anyways.” Yukitokun looked at him for a moment, then back at the window. Kagayaki was still in a stage of udder shock. “What are you going to tell Yumichan?”

“Yuyukun,” he said, half-laughing the word. “You honestly didn't know? Come on, cut the c***. Don't tell me that Yumi doesn't still care for you, because she's where I heard it from.” He shook his head, looking away. “Honestly. How come you ignore stuff like this?” Kagayaki pulled his knees up to him and curled into a ball. “How come the girls always chase you but never me?” he asked in a fake pout. “Really. I end up chasing the girls, but they never chase me. You never have to look for girls. They always find you, and by the time you notice it, they're already in love with you. I always have to make the first move, to keep the relationship alive, keep everything together. It's just not fair.” He tried to send Yukitokun a smile but it didn't work out and he ended up frowning. “No, really. It's not fair.”

“And why do you mention the whole 'Aidousan' thing?”

Kagayaki raised an eyebrow. “You were almost as random with that as I was. I mentioned it because you're the only one of my friends from home that still calls me 'Aidousan' all the time. Never 'Kagakun', never even 'Kagayakisan' or 'Kagayakikun'. Always 'Aidousan', like we've only been friends for a little while. And how am I ever suppose to break Erinchan and Cassiechan of the habit if you don't?” This time he managed to smile right, and it came easy. “Please, Yuyukun. I've worked hard to keep you my friend, and I think I deserve some credit for that.” He rocked back and forth, a human boat in his chair. “I'd like you to call me something less formal. Please.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“Pffft...I don't see why everyone seems to think that. Yumi and I were done a long time ago....But I guess I need to talk to her anyways. What are you going to tell Yumichan?”

“Yuyukun,” he said, half-laughing the word. “You honestly didn't know? Come on, cut the c***. Don't tell me that Yumi doesn't still care for you, because she's where I heard it from.” He shook his head, looking away. “Honestly. How come you ignore stuff like this?”

Yukito said nothing, just sending his friend a blank look. His eyes darkened as he knew what it was Aidousan was trying to say, but he didn't want to admit it to himself. It would feel too wrong and too pompous.

“How come the girls always chase you but never me?” Aidousan asked, almost desperately, “Really. I end up chasing the girls, but they never chase me. You never have to look for girls. They always find you, and by the time you notice it, they're already in love with you. I always have to make the first move, to keep the relationship alive, keep everything together. It's just not fair.”

“Aidousan....it's not....”

“No, really. It's not fair.”

Yukito's face twisted as he glared at the floor. “Aidousan...they aren't in love with me. They don't chase me. They chase this person they think I am...” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I'm selfish, I'm depressing. I drag people down. The girls come, but they ask me to do things I'm too stupid to know how to do...” He ran his hand absentmindedly across the controls of the air conditioner below the window, his expression mournful. “And I hurt them when I run away, just like this...” He sighed, “Yumi doesn't know me. My mother doesn't know me. They don't really want to. They want that person they think they see.” He felt really tired suddenly, and he let himself sink to the floor, running his hands through his hair as he curled up on the floor, his knees to his chest. “Ugh..Aidousan, don't you see? My own mother wants me to change, wants me to be different than who I am. People don't try to change you. They accept you and like you, and all you do is walk in the room and smile. Then they turn to me and ask 'why aren't you smiling?' and I can't tell them why...I can't smile...” He sighed again, “I wish I had been the one to tell Erin I cared about her first. I wish I had ever had the chance to really chase her. Then she wouldn't always wonder if I love her enough. I wouldn't always feel guilty for not loving her as much as she deserves.” His lips twitched towards a smile, just for a brief instant, and his eyes lost their focus. “But she knows me. She's okay with me just being me. She even said so. Something like, 'if you love someone, you love them for who they are, but you are there for them when they need to be better, and hope the best for them', or something like that. She wants more for me, always. All the time. But she's happy with me how I am.”

For a long moment of silence, he stared off, really just seeing Erin, and wondering what class she was in right at that moment. He wondered why he had never memorized her schedule. He could have done it, he figured. He suddenly remembered something, and looked up to watch Aidousan's face. “And why do you mention the whole 'Aidousan' thing?”

Kagayaki raised an eyebrow. “You were almost as random with that as I was. I mentioned it because you're the only one of my friends from home that still calls me 'Aidousan' all the time. Never 'Kagakun', never even 'Kagayakisan' or 'Kagayakikun'. Always 'Aidousan', like we've only been friends for a little while. And how am I ever suppose to break Erinchan and Cassiechan of the habit if you don't? Please, Yuyukun. I've worked hard to keep you my friend, and I think I deserve some credit for that.” He rocked back and forth in his chair. “I'd like you to call me something less formal. Please.”

Yukito actually tilted his head slightly to one side, considering this for a minute or so. Then he shrugged, “If it means that much to you, Aidous...” he laughed a little. “Kagayaki...san? That sounds weird.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“How come the girls always chase you but never me? Really. I end up chasing the girls, but they never chase me. You never have to look for girls. They always find you, and by the time you notice it, they're already in love with you. I always have to make the first move, to keep the relationship alive, keep everything together. It's just not fair.”

“Aidousan....it's not....”

“No, really. It's not fair.”

Yukitokun glared at the floor, and Kagayaki held his knees close. They were such head-cases. That much was clear from their current situation. “Aidousan...they aren't in love with me. They don't chase me. They chase this person they think I am... I'm selfish, I'm depressing. I drag people down. The girls come, but they ask me to do things I'm too stupid to know how to do...”

“You're not all that. You're a jerk sometimes though.” Kagayaki slipped in with a sort of twisted smile.

“And I hurt them when I run away, just like this...” Yukitokun let out a slow sigh. “Yumi doesn't know me. My mother doesn't know me. They don't really want to. They want that person they think they see.” He watched his friend slink down into a position similar to his own. “Ugh..Aidousan, don't you see? My own mother wants me to change, wants me to be different than who I am. People don't try to change you. They accept you and like you, and all you do is walk in the room and smile.”

“But you of all people should know that's not me.” he hissed. “That's what I do to make people happy, and that's it! I know I shouldn't be that way, but I am, and... and anyway, 'liking' someone and 'loving' them... those are different! Yeah, anyone can accept me, be my friend, but no one ever loves me. They act like they do just to keep the game going, but no one loves me. They just feel bad for me.”

“Then they turn to me and ask 'why aren't you smiling?' and I can't tell them why...I can't smile... I wish I had been the one to tell Erin I cared about her first. I wish I had ever had the chance to really chase her. Then she wouldn't always wonder if I love her enough. I wouldn't always feel guilty for not loving her as much as she deserves. But she knows me. She's okay with me just being me. She even said so. Something like, 'if you love someone, you love them for who they are, but you are there for them when they need to be better, and hope the best for them', or something like that. She wants more for me, always. All the time. But she's happy with me how I am.”

Kagayaki looked down, tears slipping down his nose and falling to the floor. “How come no one feels like that about me? Why does it always have to be me feeling that way for someone else?” He looked up at his friend. “Why do I always have to lose?”

A long time went by and no one said anything. Kagayaki, as upset as he was, selfishly assumed it was because Yukitokun didn't want to talk about it anymore. 'Of course. I understand. I can come halfway across the world for your crap, but when it comes to mine you just tell me to handle it alone, is that it? Don't you get it? I need you. I need you to be there for me. Yes, I know, I wanted you to love Erinchan and be there for Erinchan and make Erinchan happy... but where do I come in? When do I get the smiles and the laughs and the funny comments that mean so much but aren't really thought through? Does Aidousan come into your life picture? Or is it just her? I love her too. She means so much to me. But sometimes I wish you could see how much I wish I meant to you. That you could have more than one special person in your life that you let in. That you could trust me like you trust her. I don't want to be her. I just want some attention too, sometimes. To be important. To mean the world to someone so much they could never turn their back on me. Not because they didn't want to hurt me. But because I mattered so much to them that they never wanted to lose me. Why can't I have that too?'

“And why do you mention the whole 'Aidousan' thing?”

Raising an eyebrow, Kagayaki was pulled from his depressing reverie to be rather taken by surprise by this question. “You were almost as random with that as I was.” he said, then he thought. “I mentioned it because you're the only one of my friends from home that still calls me 'Aidousan' all the time. Never 'Kagakun', never even 'Kagayakisan' or 'Kagayakikun'. Always 'Aidousan', like we've only been friends for a little while. And how am I ever suppose to break Erinchan and Cassiechan of the habit if you don't? Please, Yuyukun. I've worked hard to keep you my friend, and I think I deserve some credit for that. I'd like you to call me something less formal. Please.”

Yukitokun tilted his head to the side a little, and the look of curiosity brightened Kagayaki's mood a little, forcing a small smile on his face that seemed out of place but it wasn't. Yukito shrugged. “If it means that much to you, Aidous...” He cut himself off with a slight laugh. Kagayaki pointed an accusing finger at him.

“Ah-ah-ah-aaaaah! Nope!” he crowed, laughing.

“Kagayaki...san? That sounds weird.”

Kagayaki laughed again. “No it doesn't. It's a mouthful, yes. A waste of breath, yes. Most people just say 'Kagakun'. It works just as good but it doesn't take as much effort.” He sent his friend a wink. “But it'll work all the same. Kagayakisan, Kagayakikun, Kagakun...” Kagayaki paused, looking over at his friend slowly. “Even Kakikun if you want. It's sort of my version of 'Yuyukun', you know. I don't like people calling me that who aren't very important to me. Meaning I won't kill them for it.” He smiled openly, laughing again. “But it's totally up to you. I guess it might have lost some of its fun by me saying you could, so I can pretend I don't like if it you want.” Slowly, Kagayaki sighed, moving over and sitting by his friend.

“When'd we get so messed up, huh? I don't get it. We're so f***** up, it's not even funny.” he said, shaking his head. “How are we going to live like this? Always trying not to talk about things then finally collapsing or...” He sent Yukito a pointed look. “...running away from home, getting a hotel room then tearing it up like a five year old.” Kagayaki laughed again, giving his friend a playful shove. “So, tell me. How do you think Cassie and Erinchan are going to react when they hear you told me I could stay with you here?” He burst into laughter. “They'll think you killed me and stashed me in the bathtub, I bet. It'll be so funny.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“Aidousan...they aren't in love with me. They don't chase me. They chase this person they think I am... I'm selfish, I'm depressing. I drag people down. The girls come, but they ask me to do things I'm too stupid to know how to do...”

“You're not all that. You're a jerk sometimes though.” Kagayaki slipped in with a sort of twisted smile.

“And I hurt them when I run away, just like this...” Yukitokun let out a slow sigh. “Yumi doesn't know me. My mother doesn't know me. They don't really want to. They want that person they think they see. Ugh..Aidousan, don't you see? My own mother wants me to change, wants me to be different than who I am. People don't try to change you. They accept you and like you, and all you do is walk in the room and smile.”

“But you of all people should know that's not me.” Aidousan hissed, “That's what I do to make people happy, and that's it! I know I shouldn't be that way, but I am, and... and anyway, 'liking' someone and 'loving' them... those are different! Yeah, anyone can accept me, be my friend, but no one ever loves me. They act like they do just to keep the game going, but no one loves me. They just feel bad for me.”

Yukito turned to look up at the window again almost longingly, without an answer for that. Quietly he added, “But... then they turn to me and ask 'why aren't you smiling?' and I can't tell them why...I can't smile... I wish I had been the one to tell Erin I cared about her first. I wish I had ever had the chance to really chase her. Then she wouldn't always wonder if I love her enough. I wouldn't always feel guilty for not loving her as much as she deserves. But she knows me. She's okay with me just being me. She even said so. Something like, 'if you love someone, you love them for who they are, but you are there for them when they need to be better, and hope the best for them', or something like that. She wants more for me, always. All the time. But she's happy with me how I am.” His face showed the slightest of smiles, and he wondered where she was at that moment.

Kagayaki looked down, “How come no one feels like that about me? Why does it always have to be me feeling that way for someone else? Why do I always have to lose?”

Yukito sighed, waiting a long time before he answered, “I don't know....” He raised his eyes to Aidousan's face. “And why do you mention the whole 'Aidousan' thing?”

Aidousan arched an eyebrow. “You were almost as random with that as I was. I mentioned it because you're the only one of my friends from home that still calls me 'Aidousan' all the time. Never 'Kagakun', never even 'Kagayakisan' or 'Kagayakikun'. Always 'Aidousan', like we've only been friends for a little while. And how am I ever suppose to break Erinchan and Cassiechan of the habit if you don't? Please, Yuyukun. I've worked hard to keep you my friend, and I think I deserve some credit for that. I'd like you to call me something less formal. Please.”

Yukito tilted his head, curious, and that made Aidousan start to smile. Yukito shrugged. “If it means that much to you, Aidous...” He trailed off and started to laugh, and Aidousan pointed a finger at him.

“Ah-ah-ah-aaaaah! Nope!” he crowed, laughing.

“Kagayaki...san?” Yukito tested the name, “That sounds weird.”

Kagayaki laughed again. “No it doesn't. It's a mouthful, yes. A waste of breath, yes. Most people just say 'Kagakun'. It works just as good but it doesn't take as much effort.” He sent his friend a wink. “But it'll work all the same. Kagayakisan, Kagayakikun, Kagakun... Even Kakikun if you want. It's sort of my version of 'Yuyukun', you know. I don't like people calling me that who aren't very important to me. Meaning I won't kill them for it.” He smiled openly, laughing again. “But it's totally up to you. I guess it might have lost some of its fun by me saying you could, so I can pretend I don't like if it you want.”

Yukito just smiled, thinking on each name. Kagayakisan...Kagayakikun...Kagakun...Kakikun... Aidousan moved to sit next to him, and he looked up, hugging his knees a little tighter.

“When'd we get so messed up, huh? I don't get it. We're so f***** up, it's not even funny.” Aidousan said flippantly. “How are we going to live like this? Always trying not to talk about things then finally collapsing or...” He sent Yukito a pointed look. “...running away from home, getting a hotel room then tearing it up like a five year old.”

Yukito turned his head away so he could stare coldly at the floor, but Aidousan laughed, and sent him a playful shove that almost knocked him over. “So, tell me. How do you think Cassie and Erinchan are going to react when they hear you told me I could stay with you here? They'll think you killed me and stashed me in the bathtub, I bet. It'll be so funny.”

A shrug was the first response, then after a moment a wry smile. “That sounds like a good idea to me....”

“But I didn't run away, exactly...it was technically more of an abrupt moving out kind of a thing...” He set his chin down on his knees, “Dad is back. Back together with mom.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“People don't try to change you. They accept you and like you, and all you do is walk in the room and smile.”

“But you of all people should know that's not me.” he said in a low hiss. If he hadn't been so caught up in the conversation, he would have been surprised by the tone in his voice. “That's what I do to make people happy, and that's it! I know I shouldn't be that way, but I am, and... and anyway, 'liking' someone and 'loving' them... those are different! Yeah, anyone can accept me, be my friend, but no one ever loves me. They act like they do just to keep the game going, but no one loves me. They just feel bad for me.”

“But... then they turn to me and ask 'why aren't you smiling?' and I can't tell them why...I can't smile... I wish I had been the one to tell Erin I cared about her first. I wish I had ever had the chance to really chase her. Then she wouldn't always wonder if I love her enough. I wouldn't always feel guilty for not loving her as much as she deserves. But she knows me. She's okay with me just being me. She even said so. Something like, 'if you love someone, you love them for who they are, but you are there for them when they need to be better, and hope the best for them', or something like that. She wants more for me, always. All the time. But she's happy with me how I am.”

Kagayaki let his face fall. They were talking so much... he was shocked they were letting this much out, letting this much go. “How come no one feels like that about me? Why does it always have to be me feeling that way for someone else? Why do I always have to lose?”

A long time passed. “I don't know....” Yukitokun finally said, breaking the silence. Then he looked over at Kagayaki. “And why do you mention the whole 'Aidousan' thing?”

Raising an eyebrow with confusion, Kagayaki wasn't sure where that came from, but he answered anyway. “You were almost as random with that as I was. I mentioned it because you're the only one of my friends from home that still calls me 'Aidousan' all the time. Never 'Kagakun', never even 'Kagayakisan' or 'Kagayakikun'. Always 'Aidousan', like we've only been friends for a little while. And how am I ever suppose to break Erinchan and Cassiechan of the habit if you don't? Please, Yuyukun. I've worked hard to keep you my friend, and I think I deserve some credit for that. I'd like you to call me something less formal. Please.”

Yukitokun sent him a crooked look, which made Kagayaki smile. “If it means that much to you, Aidous...”

“Ah-ah-ah-aaaaah! Nope!” Kagayaki cried accusingly, pointing at Yukito.

“Kagayaki...san?” he tried. “That sounds weird.”

Kagayaki laughed again. “No it doesn't. It's a mouthful, yes. A waste of breath, yes. Most people just say 'Kagakun'. It works just as good but it doesn't take as much effort. But it'll work all the same. Kagayakisan, Kagayakikun, Kagakun... Even Kakikun if you want. It's sort of my version of 'Yuyukun', you know. I don't like people calling me that who aren't very important to me. Meaning I won't kill them for it. But it's totally up to you. I guess it might have lost some of its fun by me saying you could, so I can pretend I don't like if it you want.”

A smile slipped onto Yukito's face, and Kagayaki sat beside his friend with a sigh. “When'd we get so messed up, huh? I don't get it. We're so f***** up, it's not even funny. How are we going to live like this? Always trying not to talk about things then finally collapsing or...” He looked over at Yukitokun in a way he was sure his friend wouldn't miss. “...running away from home, getting a hotel room then tearing it up like a five year old.” He saw Yukito closing himself off again, so he laughed and sent the younger boy a powerful – put playful – shove. “So, tell me. How do you think Cassie and Erinchan are going to react when they hear you told me I could stay with you here? They'll think you killed me and stashed me in the bathtub, I bet. It'll be so funny.”

Kagayaki saw a strange smile cross Yukitokun's face. “That sounds like a good idea to me....”

His mouth fell open in fake-shock and he shoved Yukito again, but he found himself laughing. “Hey!”

“But I didn't run away, exactly...it was technically more of an abrupt moving out kind of a thing...” Yukito began, and Kagayaki's face calmed as he watched Yukitokun with a soft gaze. He was opening up, and Kagayaki was ready to listen. “Dad is back. Back together with mom.”

Sighing, Kagayaki looked down at the floor. “Wow. That sucks.” He looked up and ruffled Yukito's hair a little. “Now you know how I feel.” he said, teasingly. Then he paused, ruffling his friend's hair some more, but slower this time. A smile slipped onto his face. “How come your hair is so much cooler than mine, eh?” He laughed, still fingering Yukito's head. “How come the world is so unfair when you're around?”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“So, tell me. How do you think Cassie and Erinchan are going to react when they hear you told me I could stay with you here? They'll think you killed me and stashed me in the bathtub, I bet. It'll be so funny.”

“That sounds like a good idea to me....”Yukito said with a smile. Aidousan's jaw dropped in a feigned look of dismay. He received a shove for his comment, and another laugh from Aidousan.

“Hey!”

Yukito chuckled, until his face fell solemn once again. “But I didn't run away, exactly...it was technically more of an abrupt moving out kind of a thing...Dad is back. Back together with mom.”

Aidousan sighed. “Wow. That sucks.” He looked up and ruffled Yukito's hair a little, making the boy cringe, a grimace on his lips. “Now you know how I feel.”

There was a pause. Aidousan hesitated, then started ruffling his hair even more. Yukito frowned, his lips pouting. “How come your hair is so much cooler than mine, eh?”

Yukito stuck his tongue out at Aidousan. “Because I'm awesome like that. And because I let mine grow out, you fuzz-head.”

“How come the world is so unfair when you're around?”

At this, his expression darkened. “Because I make it that way, I suppose...I'm so good at ruining things. Most of the time I wonder what it would be like if I wasn't around anymore...” He sighed and dropped his chin to his knees again, huddled close into the fetal position. “I don't know what else to do but leave home, Kagasan...she's never going to change how it goes, and I can't stick around to protect her from herself anymore.”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“But I didn't run away, exactly...it was technically more of an abrupt moving out kind of a thing...Dad is back. Back together with mom.”

Kagayaki sighed at this, admitting that it sucked but ruffling his friend's hair, saying: “Now you know how I feel.” Then he realized just how much fun it was to feel Yukitokun's hair between his fingers. “How come your hair is so much cooler than mine, eh?”

Yukito responded by stucking his tongue out, which Kagayaki gladly did in return. “Because I'm awesome like that. And because I let mine grow out, you fuzz-head.”

He laughed. “Well, I was going to go long, but I have something in mind that means making my hair short again and dying it. But shhh, you can't tell anyone.” he said, putting a finger to his lips. Then he leaned against the wall. “How come the world is so unfair when you're around?”

This made Yukito's smile fade, and Kagayaki didn't like that. “Because I make it that way, I suppose...I'm so good at ruining things. Most of the time I wonder what it would be like if I wasn't around anymore...” Yukitokun sighed and laid his chin on his knees. Kagayaki frowned.

“Don't talk like that. I need you, Yuyukun. Home got miserable when you left. I know what's its like when you're not around anymore. It sucks.”

“I don't know what else to do but leave home, Kagasan...she's never going to change how it goes, and I can't stick around to protect her from herself anymore.”

Kagayaki nodded. “I know the feeling,” he sighed, hugging his knees again. “There comes a point when you just have to do what's best for you, right? I'm learning that, and it's not as easy as everyone makes it look.” He half-smiled at his friend. “But I think, if we stick together, we'll make it through okay. Even if the girls ditch us until we 'come to our senses'.” He stuck his tongue out, made a psychotic face, and circled his finger around his ear to show he was sure they would think he was crazy. Then he shook his head and smiled softly, looking over at Yukito. “We'll be okay. Promise. And our mom's will be okay too. I just don't know when. But that's okay. We're working on it. Together.”

'And don't you dare think of going it alone. I won't let you. Because I'm not strong enough to do it alone, and I won't let you abandon me again. I have to be stronger, and that means not letting you push me around. Because I think you want someone who won't let you shake them. That's why you love Erinchan, isn't it? I can do that. I need to do that anyway.'

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

[More than Music]

Yukito Maki

“How come the world is so unfair when you're around?”

Yukito's smile faded away, “Because I make it that way, I suppose...I'm so good at ruining things. Most of the time I wonder what it would be like if I wasn't around anymore...” He sighed and laid his chin on his knees. I ruined so many things already...I hurt Erin so many times...but she still loves me. He closed his eyes, remembering when he had told her about Natalie, about finding her. How he had cried, and she had just held him. She still loves me. And she's okay with me being so messed up.

“Don't talk like that. I need you, Yuyukun. Home got miserable when you left. I know what's its like when you're not around anymore. It sucks.” Yukito opened one eye at his friend, a slightly disbelieving look on his face. Miserable? What a strange thing to say. But he knew Kagayaki. He wanted to make Yukito feel better, in his own way.

He let out another sigh, staring at the floor and pulling himself into a tightly wound ball on the floor, “I don't know what else to do but leave home, Kagasan...she's never going to change how it goes, and I can't stick around to protect her from herself anymore.” She'll never accept the change that we need.

“Yukito!”

“No, mom!” he screamed at her, “I'm not gonna stick around for this s***. Not this time.” Yukito slammed the bedroom door shut, rushing his task of packing a few vital things in his bag so much as to make him drop most of it the first time anyway. No tears fell. He wasn't hurt. Not this time. But his eyes stung and his throat ached.

“Yukito, you don't understand. It's different this time. He's different -”[/b] he heard her sobbing.“He is sorry for what he did to you. But he wants to make it better.”

“You can't make it better!” he opened the door and glared at her, his face stoic save for the furious look in his eyes. The bitter look. The anger and betrayal flashing there. He went to the door to put his shoes on, and she clung to his shoulder, trying to stop him.

“Yukito, please...”

He shoved her hand away, his jaw set. Standing up, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, and watching with a dark glare sent her way, dropped the phone to the floor. “There's no room for both of us in your life, mom. You can't take away what happened..” he drew in a shuddering breath, the heat rising through his body, infuriating him with the adrenaline rush of leaving. For real this time. “You've already made your choice. Now deal with it.”[/i]

Kagayaki nodded. “I know the feeling,” he sighed, hugging his knees again. “There comes a point when you just have to do what's best for you, right? I'm learning that, and it's not as easy as everyone makes it look.” He half-smiled at his friend. Yukito gave the slightest of nods. Yeah....

“But I think, if we stick together, we'll make it through okay. Even if the girls ditch us until we 'come to our senses'.” Kagayaki made a gesture to indicate insanity, smiling. “We'll be okay. Promise. And our mom's will be okay too. I just don't know when. But that's okay. We're working on it. Together.”

Yukito didn't say anything for a moment. He wanted to tell Kagayaki how much he wished his mother had reached for his arm one more time, and instead of telling him, “Please, give him a chance.” that she had promised to protect him, like she had been trying to do before. But how could he expect her to play as a shield for him? Forever? No, it was time to move on and handle things for himself. Even if that meant running all the time.

“This place is a mess...” he pointed out, looking around the room as if he had just seen it for the first time.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“Don't talk like that. I need you, Yuyukun. Home got miserable when you left. I know what's its like when you're not around anymore. It sucks.” Kagayaki said, fervently. 'I don't want to leave, not just because of Cassiechan. Because I didn't ask Cassiechan so much if she wanted me to be here. I came to you, sort of because you're usually so honest, but mostly because I need you to need me like I need you. That sounds so confusing... but not as confusing as it is to me. I mean... isn't it silly how much I need you around? How I make so many mistakes and get so depressed when you're gone? What if they were right? What if it just isn't normal? What if there's something wrong with how much I care about you?'

“I don't know what else to do but leave home, Kagasan...she's never going to change how it goes, and I can't stick around to protect her from herself anymore.”

Kagayaki smiled gently, leaning back until he was looking up at the ceiling. “I just hope she learns to protect herself, if you're not exaggerating how dangerous he can be.” He looked over at his friend. “I don't understand why you hate him so much, though. I mean, I know he's a bad person. But I don't know why, and you never told me... I guess we never really had that trust?” Kagayaki bit the inside of his lip, unable to look away from Yukitokun's face. “I don't understand.” Then he sighed and nodded. “But I know the feeling. There comes a point when you just have to do what's best for you, right? I'm learning that, and it's not as easy as everyone makes it look. But I think, if we stick together, we'll make it through okay. Even if the girls ditch us until we 'come to our senses'.” Kagayaki tried to make light of this by making a look that hinted towards how crazy they would think him and Yukito were. But he couldn't get away from how strange that sounded. He hoped Yukito wouldn't take it the wrong way... he was so touchy on that subject. Kagayaki knew that well. “We'll be okay. Promise. And our mom's will be okay too. I just don't know when. But that's okay. We're working on it. Together.”

“This place is a mess...” Yukito finally said, looking around the room as if with a new light. Kagayaki laughed half-heartedly, nodding.

“So are we,” he replied, sighing. “Do you want to clean it up, or just sit here and gawk?” He sent Yukito a wink. “I'm with you, either way.”

'For more than I really know. I want to help you feel better, because it helps me so much. I'm with you on just about anything. You want to go skydiving? Okay, scary, but I'm with you. You want to run away and disappear for a while to somewhere no one can find you? I'm with you, wherever it takes us. You want to go and marry Erinchan? Just as long as you two don't go far away from me, I'll help you get there. But I wish things could be easier, for both of us. So I could be more helpful, maybe.'

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“I just hope she learns to protect herself, if you're not exaggerating how dangerous he can be. I don't understand why you hate him so much, though. I mean, I know he's a bad person. But I don't know why, and you never told me... I guess we never really had that trust?” Yukito didn't say anything to this, just staring forward yet again. He didn't know if it was about trust with Aidousan. Maybe it was. But he had always thought it worked out this way – with neither of them actually asking what was the real problem, and just letting each other know in their strange way that it was going to be alright somehow. To help each other keep going even if things sucked.

“I don't understand. But I know the feeling. There comes a point when you just have to do what's best for you, right? I'm learning that, and it's not as easy as everyone makes it look. But I think, if we stick together, we'll make it through okay. Even if the girls ditch us until we 'come to our senses'.” Aidousan tried to cheer him up with a smile and a gesture, but Yukito couldn't find enough reason to force a smile back at him. “We'll be okay. Promise. And our mom's will be okay too. I just don't know when. But that's okay. We're working on it. Together.”

As his way of changing a subject, he looked around the room as if he just realized where he was. “This place is a mess...” he commented simply.

“So are we,” Kagayaki laughed again, then let out a sigh.“Do you want to clean it up, or just sit here and gawk?” He winked at Yukito, “I'm with you, either way.”

“Well, why don't you do it for me, then?” Yukito asked, staring with a stoic expression at Aidousan for approximately four seconds before one edge of his lips twitched up, his repressed smile peering through. His fingers found the edge of a pillow and he thwacked Aidousan across the head with it, “Your mom is the clean freak, after all.”

Make me feel like it might be okay. Help me forget everything, Aidousan.

Kagasan.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“I don't understand. But I know the feeling. There comes a point when you just have to do what's best for you, right? I'm learning that, and it's not as easy as everyone makes it look. But I think, if we stick together, we'll make it through okay. Even if the girls ditch us until we 'come to our senses'. We'll be okay. Promise. And our mom's will be okay too. I just don't know when. But that's okay. We're working on it. Together.”

'Why does it feel so strange to say that? We've been friends for a so long... why would anything feel different now? We're just friends... I don't want it to be anything else... right? Ugh, that's so stupid! Just stop it! Stop it now!'

Thankfully, Yukitokun changed the subject. “This place is a mess...”

“So are we. Do you want to clean it up, or just sit here and gawk?” Sending a wink to his friend, he couldn't ignore how weird it felt. But he didn't have to say anything. “I'm with you, either way.”

'What's that voice in my head that keeps getting me to say awkward things like that! Stop it!'

“Well, why don't you do it for me, then?” Knowing Yukito, he'd expected the smile, but not the pillow that found its way to Kagayaki's head. “Your mom is the clean freak, after all.” Letting out a little laugh and a little cry, Kagayaki grabbed another pillow and fought back with one fell swoop.

“You were the one that always got me in trouble by telling me I should stick curry under the tatami mats!” he cried in response, sticking his tongue out. “Anyway, I'm not my okaasan.” He laughed. “But some people might get you and yours confused!” He ducked, because he knew the pillow would come back for another swing at his head for that one.

'See, Yukito? This is why I missed you so much when you left. Sometimes you and I were so far apart, but there were still times when it was like we could just relax and be together. Kind of like brothers. You and I would go crazy if we stayed apart too long. That's why, after all we've done to each other, neither of us can leave for good. We just can't.'

'I need you, you need me, and we need to be able to just forget what's bothering us for a while. It's only fair, right?'

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

“Well, why don't you do it for me, then?” Yukito teased, tossing his pillow at Kagayaki's head and smirking, his response to the question of who would clean up the hotel room. “Your mom is the clean freak, after all.” Kagayaki did that weird sound he did when he was horsing around, one that always irritated Yukito in a way, and the younger boy received a hit on the head by Kagayaki's pillow, sending his hair into a frenzied state of ultra-static. “Hey!” he protested, reaching for him again but not reaching far enough.

“You were the one that always got me in trouble by telling me I should stick curry under the tatami mats!” he cried in response, sticking his tongue out. Yukito rolled his eyes.

“It did make it smell better. So your mother is just a stiff. Not up for any new options or enterprises. That isn't my fault.”

“Anyway, I'm not my okaasan.” He laughed, defending himself instead of his beloved mother for once. “But some people might get you and yours confused!” Yukito's jaw dropped, looking disgusted at Kagayaki's remark. With a growl he sent the pillow back at Kagayaki, and when the older boy missed, he kept coming back with back-to-back unplanned swings, determined to hit him good for that one.

“I do not look like a girl!” he argued, but he was sure that he did look somewhat feminine. It wasn't his fault...it was the stupid genes. “And at least I don't dress like one!” After a few more smacks, Yukito grew tired of the elementary pillow fight - entertaining as it was to picture them – and flopped down onto the bed, sighing. After a moment he voiced, “Hey, Kagasan. You want to hire some hit men to assassinate my dad?” It's mostly his fault, after all. That I'm so weird with everyone. It's because I work so hard against him that I can do something as simple as a pillow fight. Even if it feels strange all the time and awkward. Like walking out into the middle of a dark room and knowing there is something there, but only being able to prepare in case they come after you.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“You were the one that always got me in trouble by telling me I should stick curry under the tatami mats!”

“It did make it smell better. So your mother is just a stiff. Not up for any new options or enterprises. That isn't my fault.”

“Anyway, I'm not my okaasan. But some people might get you and yours confused!” Knowing Yukito wouldn't let that one slide easily, Kagayaki ducked and evaded the main blow, but couldn't escape the flurry of pillow-ness that came at his head. He laughed wildly but said nothing in his defense. It was a running joke between them and he felt no shame.

“I do not look like a girl! And at least I don't dress like one!”

Kagayaki's mouth fell open, and even though he was laughing, he felt the need to defend himself, both with a pillow and with words. “Hey, that's not fair! I only did that for a couple months when I was ten. Bright colors do not equal girls. See emo girls.”

But their bout of pillow fighting was soon over and they fell back against their beds. Yukitokun sighed, making Kagayaki look over at him. 'There's nothing wrong with our relationship, is there, Yukitokun? We're not strange for being so close, are we? We aren't, right? We're fine, aren't we?' “Hey, Kagasan. You want to hire some hit men to assassinate my dad?”

Shrugging, Kagayaki laid back again. “No, because I have enough trouble trying to get rid of my own.” Looking over again, he sighed. “Whatever. I know he's just trying to screw things up for me.”

'He doesn't care about me. But you do, don't you Yukitokun? Not like that, but still. You care about my happiness more than any other guy in the world. Do you know how much that means to me? Do you?'

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Yukito Maki

The smack he gave Kagayaki with the white pillow in his hands was self-satisfactory after about a dozen blows. “I do not look like a girl! And at least I don't dress like one!”

Kagayaki's mouth fell open, giving Yukito a moment to hit him another one in the face, a result of standing there stupidly with his mouth hanging open. But of course he would fight back. “Hey, that's not fair! I only did that for a couple months when I was ten. Bright colors do not equal girls. See emo girls.”

Yukito rolled his eyes at the emo girl comment, then gave his friend a skeptical look. “Wait...what are you talking about?” He realized what Kagasan had said, then found himself laughing loud and hard enough to hurt his stomach, “Ahh...I think I understand now. That's just wonderful, Aidousan...”

The pillow fight kicked back up again for a few minutes, but soon enough Yukito grew tired of it, calling an unofficial truce by flopping onto the bed, Kagasan mimicking the movement. He let out a sigh, unable to keep his mind from drifting back to the drama of the week.“Hey, Kagasan. You want to hire some hit men to assassinate my dad?”

He glanced over to see a shrug from his friend, “No, because I have enough trouble trying to get rid of my own.” For some reason, that made Yukito smile a little. Sometimes they were a lot alike. “Whatever. I know he's just trying to screw things up for me.”

Yukito just grunted in response, mostly to let Kagasan know he had heard him and understood. They were quiet for awhile, and he felt his eyes aching to close, and reluctantly he let them. I'm tired, Kagasan. It's quiet here, and it's easier to deal with when it's just you and me. I don't have to worry about telling you anything I don't feel like telling. Thanks for being there without suffocating me. He fell asleep without realizing it, and it was a little deeper than usual, allowing him to actually get some sort of rest from it.

Done here ? : D

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Kagayaki Aidou

“I do not look like a girl! And at least I don't dress like one!”

Kagayaki felt his jaw drop. Bad idea, because Yukito hit him right in the face, which actually really hurt, but Kagayaki didn't tell him that; he only hit him back. “Hey, that's not fair! I only did that for a couple months when I was ten. Bright colors do not equal girls. See emo girls.”

As expected, Yukito's initial reaction was to roll his eyes. Then he paused and Kagayaki realized what he'd just said. “Wait...what are you talking about?”

“Um... yeah, ignore that first part, Yukitokun...” he muttered, blushing profusely and covering his face. Yukitokun burst into uncontrollable laughter and Kagayaki curled up close to himself, hugging his knees. “Hey...” 'I did that because I was hurt, Yukitokun... I did that because I didn't like what I was, and I wanted to be something else. You don't know that, so I can't expect you to, but... stop laughing... I love your laugh, I do, but please don't laugh at me... not for this...'

“Ahh...I think I understand now. That's just wonderful, Aidousan...”

“I don't want to talk about it,” Kagayaki said, a bit off-the-handle, smiling a pasted smile before burying his face in his knees. Yukito threw himself back on the bed, and, realizing this meant it was over, Kagayaki followed suit. A long sigh from Yukito meant he was thinking about something.

“Hey, Kagasan. You want to hire some hit men to assassinate my dad?”

Kagayaki shrugged a bit. “No, because I have enough trouble trying to get rid of my own.” He saw Yukitokun smiling. “What?” Then he shrugged again. “Whatever. I know he's just trying to screw things up for me.” Yukito made a bit of a 'un' sound, so Kagayaki knew his friend wasn't going to talk much more. “Anyway, Yukitokun, there's something I need to talk to you about, and if I don't say it now, I don't think I ever will...” He folded his hands behind his head, not realizing that Yukito had already dozed off at this point. “I'm sorry about this weird feeling between us lately. I know it's not just because you never liked me close to you... like... physically... and now we're pretty much sharing a room, and... Yukitokun, I need to tell you why I've been acting so weird--” He looked over, realizing that his friend was asleep. Kagayaki smiled softly. He leaned a little closer to Yukito's bed, his voice dropping to a whisper: “I know you better than lots of other people, Yukito, and I know that Saikochan means the world to you... I feel the same way about Cassiechan... but...” He swallowed, keeping his resolve even though he was sure Yukito couldn't hear him. He slept like a rock. But he could at least feel like he'd said it aloud.

“You... you kind of mean a lot to me... and... and I know you won't like that. You'd probably be mad or something if you were awake right now, but...” Kagayaki shifted on his bed, laying down again, facing the other bed. “I don't know how I do it so that it doesn't stop me from loving someone else. But you always have a different part of me, Yukito. You never have to know about this. That's okay. I guess I just needed to admit that it wasn't love, but... it's definitely not like how I feel about anyone else.” Sighing and closing his eyes, Kagayaki felt sleep coming to him too. “And I... I like it that way, Yukito. It doesn't bother me at all. Because, if no one knows about it, they can't take it away from me, right?” he whispered, his voice fading out as he fell asleep. “I need you, Yukito... I do...”


This interaction is over. ^_^

[Elda Forever]

The Better Halloween Than Last Year, cont'd.

Yukito Maki

Mrs. Spenser opened the door, and Yukito was pleased with her double take reaction, shifting his weight from foot to foot with a smug expression. "You're very colorful," she observed frankly. Yukito allowed his jaw to drop in mock horror, his eyes flickering back and forth down the hall to 'check' and see if they were being watched.

"Mrs. Spenser!" He placed a finger on his lips conspiratorially, amusement gleaming playfully in his eyes. "Careful, or that could be taken as racist!"

She smiled, told him Erin wasn't ready, and vanished. Probably to give Erin an update on the strangeness of her choice in guys. That thought made him chuckle as he awkwardly waited outside the door for her.

"Stop it," Came Erin's voice, riddled with an tone of irritation that could hardly be subdued from around the corner, only fleeting glimpses of her could be caught from his position in the doorway, and he couldn't help lean in a little more, trying to see her.

"Be safe," her mother said, then, "It didn't come off. You did a good job, mija!"

Yukito stood upright as Erin waltzed into sight, her torn and discolored dress making the slightest of rustling noises with each step. She squealed upon seeing him, her face painted elaborately to look undead. Unfortunately, the gleam of her eyes made her look anything but. The makeup was eerily well-done, though. "Yukito! Oh my god!" She laughed a little, covering her mouth with her hands, nails glossy black against the fake-pale skin of her face. "I need pictures of this! Oh!" He just had time to chuckle and reach over for her, just as she whirled around and disappeared again. Yukito arched an eyebrow, confused, until she flew back in with her camera. Unabashed, Erin snapped a quick picture of her own costume, then held the camera out to her mother. T"Get one of us?"

"Sure," Mandi responded easily, taking the camera and positioning it, and waiting for Erin to give the okay. Yukito shook his head as Erin wrapped her arms around his elbow.

"Goof," he mumbled, positioning himself next to her and looking up at the camera. Instead of smiling, he made as creepy an expression as possible, his eyes wide as if to strike fear into the image. When the camera clicked, he broke into a crooked smile and turned to look at Erin. "Okay. I know it's kinda early, but I had to have an excuse to see you making dead look hot." He clamped a hand over his mouth as if it had slipped out by 'accident', then looked guilty. "Oops. I mean, I have a good reason for us to already have our costumes on." He rolled his eyes. "Sorry, but I couldn't resist. You look great."

[GGJ5]

OOC: lol racist.... Her response was, "I'm a Latina that married a white man. I can get away with these things sometimes." Erin gets her spunk from somewhere, you know. xD Okay, BIC:

Halloween

Erin Spenser

He had really gone all out for his costume, which sort of fit pretty well with hers, and it floored her. After an enthusiastic squeal Erin rushed to snag a camera, returning to pose beside Yukito, who only called her "Goof," in his amusement. Well, duh, what else would you expect? she thought with equal amusement.

As soon as the flash went off and she blinked rapidly to eliminate the little green and blue spots it made in her eyes, Erin brightly snagged the camera back, looping it onto her wrist and turned to grin at Yukito. God, he was so elaborate. She was impressed thoroughly, which was probably the point of it. And she was slightly bewildered by it... how in the world was she supposed to kiss him now? And could she do that seriously while thinking of his elaborate efforts to look like an eighties pop icon? Dilemmas, dilemmas....

"Okay. I know it's kinda early, but I had to have an excuse to see you making dead look hot." He clamped a hand over his mouth dramatically as Erin sent him a look, though she couldn't help but grin. "Yukito!" You can't say that in front of my mother, that's weird! She giggled, not noticing that said mother was laughing to herself, too, as she slipped off to the kitchen, where she could still see the two but wouldn't be so intrusive.

"Oops. I mean, I have a good reason for us to already have our costumes on." He rolled his eyes as she shoved his arm playfully. "Sorry, but I couldn't resist. You look great."

Erin couldn't help but giggle again. "Thank you!" She put her arms around his waist and grinned at him. "But I think yours trumps all. Seriously! How did you do that?" Noticing his hair, Erin immediately reached up and touched it, breathing a sigh of relief. "Oh, god, you didn't kill your hair. Don't do that to me!" she joked with him. Then, switching train of thought easily, Erin asked, "Okay, so where are we going? What are we doing? Why did it have to be at the crack of dawn?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Okay. I know it's kinda early, but I had to have an excuse to see you making dead look hot." He clamped a hand over his mouth dramatically as Erin sent him a look, but he saw her grinning. Her mother laughed as she wandered out of the room, amused by the teenagers.

"Yukito!" Gosh, she sounded almost embarrassed by him. It was her own fault for making him feel so nervous and happy. The mix turned him into a complete dork.

"Oops. I mean, I have a good reason for us to already have our costumes on." He rolled his eyes as she shoved his arm playfully. "Sorry, but I couldn't resist. You look great."

"Thank you!" She put her arms around his waist and grinned at him. The tensing of his muscles went ignored. "But I think yours trumps all. Seriously! How did you do that?"

"You can find all sorts of things online. Plus, I'm kind of a perfectionist when it comes to makeup jobs."

Erin's hand flew up to his hair with an almost fearful look in her eyes. Once she felt the really fake-feeling imitation, she sighed out of relief. "Oh, god, you didn't kill your hair. Don't do that to me!"

He stared at her for a moment with a perplexed expression, then started laughing really loudly, and really hard. After a few minutes, he managed to calm back down to normal levels, "You only love me for my hair, do you? You act like it has a life of its own." He paused, reached up to touch the wig. "Though I have to admit, I miss my own already... I like my hair..."

"Okay, so where are we going? What are we doing? Why did it have to be at the crack of dawn?"

"Ha. Crack of dawn," he rolled his eyes. "Anyways. I happen to be really awesome according to you already, but I think I'm about to win more points." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two tickets, brandishing them up between their faces and giving them a little shake. "Wanna throw M&Ms and scream your head off at the Voodoo Fest with me?" He smirked. "Even if I'm black? At least for now, anyways..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"But I think yours trumps all," Erin said in response to his all-out costume. He hadn't been kidding about the whole taking cosplay thing seriously, had he? Even if it wasn't cosplay but still... She was impressed. "Seriously! How did you do that?"

"You can find all sorts of things online. Plus, I'm kind of a perfectionist when it comes to makeup jobs."

Erin cocked her head, intrigued. "Really? Where did that trait come from?" A thought occurred to her, and Erin's hand flew up to his hair. Once she felt the really fake-feeling imitation, she sighed out of relief. "Oh, god, you didn't kill your hair. Don't do that to me!"

For a second, Yukito just stared at her, like she'd confused him or something, and Erin reflected the expression-- what did she do to confuse him? Then he burst out laughing, possibly the hardest, deepest laugh she could remember hearing from him. Erin had gotten so used to the quiet chuckles. Now she continued to look at him confused, though with a sincere smile, because she could enjoy his laughter even if she didn't get what she'd done. What? I like your hair too much... I'd miss it if it were gone! What's funny about that?

"You only love me for my hair, do you? You act like it has a life of its own." He paused, reached up to touch the wig. "Though I have to admit, I miss my own already... I like my hair..."

"I would say 'me too', but you'd laugh at me," she said, pouting playfully. Her excitement bubbled over into her words. "Okay, so where are we going? What are we doing? Why did it have to be at the crack of dawn?"

"Ha. Crack of dawn," he echoed, rolling his eyes."You woke me in the middle of a dream, so that counts!" Erin protested in response, pointing a finger at him.

"Anyways. I happen to be really awesome according to you already, but I think I'm about to win more points." He reached into his jacket pocket, making Erin's excitement heighten, and she bit her lip in anticipation. Yukito then pulled out two tickets, brandishing them up between their faces and giving them a little shake. With an enthused squeal, Erin made to grab the tickets so she could see where they were to, but Yukito was going to tell her anyway: "Wanna throw M&Ms and scream your head off at the Voodoo Fest with me?" Erin missed the rest of his statement, since she was too busy combining the acts of squealing, hugging him, and reaching for the tickets. "I love you!!"

She turned hastily and waved to her mom, who was looking back from the kitchen, clearly amused by her enthusiasm. "Okay, bye!" Turning to Yukito, she grabbed his hand and pulled towards the door. "Let's go!" she insisted as her mother put in, "When will you be back?" Erin gave no answer, only kept towards the exit until they were both outside on the balcony. Erin continued to race down the stairs and into the breezeway leading to the parking lot, despite the uncomfortable shoes on her feet.

Then with no warning, Erin stopped and turned to Yukito, just outside of his car, and she gripped both his hands. With complete sincerity, Erin looked up at him and asked, "How am I supposed to kiss you?" assuming that she'd mess up his work. Hers, she knew, was made not to come off easily, so it was okay.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"You can find all sorts of things online," he answered semi-seriously, "Plus, I'm kind of a perfectionist when it comes to makeup jobs."

Erin cocked her head, intrigued. "Really? Where did that trait come from?" Before he could answer, her hands flew up to his hair in alarm. Once feeling the false wig, she actually sighed in relief. "Oh, god, you didn't kill your hair. Don't do that to me!"

For a second, Yukito just stared at her, then he burst out laughing. Erin just looked at him, his unspoken train of thought leaving her utterly lost. "You only love me for my hair, do you? You act like it has a life of its own." He paused, reached up to touch the wig with a twinge of sadness. "Though I have to admit, I miss my own already... I like my hair..."

"I would say 'me too', but you'd laugh at me," she said, pouting playfully. Her excitement bubbled over into her words. He just smiled and shook his head at her. "Okay, so where are we going? What are we doing? Why did it have to be at the crack of dawn?"

"Ha. Crack of dawn," he echoed, rolling his eyes.

"You woke me in the middle of a dream, so that counts!" Erin protested in response, pointing a finger at him.

"It only counts if you were dreaming about me. And since I was the one waking you up, either way, you don't win. So just give up." He was teasing more than his voice let on, but something about Erin made him more expressive and ridiculous - after all, his costume - so he was sure she'd have him giggling or something by the end of the day. "Anyways. I happen to be really awesome according to you already, but I think I'm about to win more points." He reached into his pockets, and Erin bit her lip as if to try and contain the squeal of joy about to erupt any moment. When he pulled them out, he automatically waved them in front of her face a bit, as if her eyes weren't already locking on them.

"Wanna throw M&Ms and scream your head off at the Voodoo Fest with me?" he offered, and before he could continue she had let out happy screams and thrown her arms around him, nearly throwing him backward.

"I love you!!" she exclaimed, and he chuckled again, taking hold of her arms and pulling her off of him.

"I'm glad you like it."

Erin turned to wave to her mom, said a quick goodbye, and started dragging him away. "Let's go!"

He chuckled until he heard her mother's voice calling after them, "When will you be back?" Yukito dug his feet down, struggling a little against the Erin-current drawing him downstream, trying to offer her mother a little help. Even if he was sure she wouldn't like the answer. As late as possible. But he'd tell her anyways. He'd tell her before he told her father.

"Um...the last show is over by eleven tonight but..uh...if we have to, I guess we could--" he was pulled through the door by Erin before he could answer, and he just yelled back a quick, "Bye, Mrs. Spenser!"

He suddenly stop pulling against Erin and joined her in the rush for the car. Just before they got there, though, she stopped abruptly and whirled on him. She took both his hands and looked up into his face as if a sudden and important thought at just occurred to her.

"What?"

"How am I supposed to kiss you?"

Yukito smirked crookedly, "Same as you always do." Without waiting, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, his hands going to her waist as if to anchor her to him in case she tried to fly away from him. He pulled her closer and smiled, finally drawing his lips back. Yukito tilted his head to the side, taking time inspecting her lips, his eyes locked on them. "Hm...you didn't take any of my makeup. Did I take any of yours?"

[Elda Forever]

Tarea!

Erin Spenser

"A stone bridge has a parabolic arch where a river flows under it. At the water level the arch is 24 ft wide. The peak of the arch is 40 ft above the water...." She quit trying to read it, quit listening at all after the word "parabolic" appeared on the page. Even though Yukito knew what he was doing, and still managed not to want to strangle her for her being so thickheaded about what he was trying to teach her, Erin had gotten so tired of it.

They were in the dining room at the table, separate from the living room so she could try to focus better but still in plain sight of her parents, who were in the adjoining living room. The bedroom, she'd been told repeatedly, was off-limits. There had been a pretty heated argument from Erin's end about that, but in the end the dining room verdict won.

She'd failed the unit on quadratic equations spectacularly, and even though she might not have been as diligent about it as she could have been, Erin was sure that even if she had stayed for freaking tutoring every day that she still wouldn't be able to understand the crap. None of it made sense-- not the questions, or the words, or the graphs. She couldn't even make herself remember that a parabola went down and a hyperbola went up-- half the time, she reversed it. And you failed when you got things wrong half the time. Her teacher had given her a week to prepare and then retake the test, something he didn't have to do, but maybe it was her dad's suggestion or something. It wouldn't have been the first time. And god, how she hated special treatment like that. It grated her that no one else retook the test, even if they did score low. Only her. Because she needed it.

Even as Yukito was trying to work the material into her head, Erin had already shut down any internal attempts to understand. She just didn't get it, so why did it matter? She was never going to graph the peak of an arch or whatever in real life, so it wasn't like it was hurting her not to know. What was hurting her was the perpetual stupidity within herself she had to deal with. The "god, you're an idiot" looks classmates liked to give if she blurted a question they found obvious. The accusations of laziness. The perpetual thick wall in her head that wouldn't let her just be like everyone else. And she was seriously starting to hate it. No, she had been hating it, now it'd grow to loathing. So, instead of listening, Erin kept distracting herself, messing around and trying to distract him in the process. Now she was leaning over onto the workbook page and doodling something over the equation y = ax2 + bx + c. With an arrow pointing to "ax2", she'd drawn two axes, their handles crossing to form an X. "It's axe squared!" she announced, pointing with the tip of the pencil. "Look!" Erin laughed at her own joke before leaning her head on to Yukito's shoulder, her arms around his nearest one. "Can't we do something more interesting than this?" she asked, pouting a little, sure he would understand the importance of her argument.

~~~

Yukito Maki

He looked up to see she hadn't listened to anything he had just said. It was started to get real frustrating. Yukito let out a long sigh. "Erin? Erin, you really should focus on this, you don't have all that much time to catch up." And you haven't answered any questions yet. And last time you only got two problems right all evening. He felt like he was part of a last resort attempt, dragging on a situation no one wanted to take care of (mostly Erin made up this group) and that he was failing at it miserably. Yukito just couldn't get her to focus. If she couldn't stop doodling, they'd be here until he had to leave again.

And he couldn't help wondering if something was wrong beneath her seemingly light-hearted attempts at making conversation about anything but what they needed to be doing.

"It's axe squared!" she announced, pointing with the tip of the pencil, her expression proud like a child that had just figured out how to draw eyelashes for the first time. "Look!"

She giggled delightedly, and 'fell' over onto his shoulder. He just sent her a look. Please, Erin. Let's get this over with. If you could just listen to the problem...

"Can't we do something more interesting than this?" She asked, her arm wrapped around his.

"I'm afraid not," he sighed again, "We just barely got into the second page for tonight..." He flipped through the book with a solemn expression. It's hard when you really don't seem to care.

Looking back down at her, still clinging to his arm, he mumbled hesitantly, "Am I just distracting you or something? Because you don't seem to be able to knuckle down on this whenever I'm here..." He hoped that if it was just that he was distracting her with his...boyfriendness or something, that just leaving would solve the problem. It would also leave the nagging possibilities to her parental figures. But if it wasn't just him - or at least, she claimed it wasn't him - then perhaps the prospect of him leaving would stimulate her homework agenda. "I could leave if that's the case..."

~~~

Erin Spenser

"It's axe squared! Look!" Erin announced, pointing at her newest doodle. It was a cute doodle, thank you very much. Maybe it'd keep him from harping on her with finding X just for a little while.

Her gave her a look, and she giggled delightedly, falling over onto his shoulder. "Can't we do something more interesting than this?" Erin asked, her arm wrapped around his.

"I'm afraid not," Yukito responded with a sigh. Erin laughed at his unusual turn of phrase. "Aww, why not?"

"We just barely got into the second page for tonight..."

"Second page?" Erin whined with a drawl. "How many pages are there? Can't you just do them for me?" Because I don't care what B or C are in y = -3x2 + bx + c, and even if I did care, there's no way anyone can explain this so I can understand... I'm so tired of trying to understand and failing! Instead of saying any of it, Erin just grinned at him instead, a pleading look in her eyes. "C'mooon... it'll take you two seconds!"

Yukito didn't budge from it. "Am I just distracting you or something? Because you don't seem to be able to knuckle down on this whenever I'm here..."

"No!" Erin protested, the devil-may-care attitude breaking entirely, tugging him closer.

"I could leave if that's the case..."

The suggestion was almost like a threat of betrayal to her, when she already felt so stretched thin from the demands of school and he was threatening to abandon her. Erin recoiled at the notion, shooting him a venomous look. "Fine, leave me!" she spat, shoving herself off of him. "I can fail just as good by myself as with you!" Erin took the book in her hands and hastily read out, "'A town along the river wants to place red warning lights on the arch at points 6 ft to the right of its left end' and left end and left end and I don't have any idea what I just read and you act like I can! You think I can do these things, and I just can't! I'm sick of trying and failing over and over and over again! I'm sick of it!" She snapped the book shut and shoved it to the other end of the table, where it slid off and onto the floor. You started out believing I wasn't stupid but now you expect too much, when all I can do is fail at it over and over again, and I hate it! "Screw school, screw it all! I quit this s---!"

"Erin!" It would have been impossible to miss Erin's shouts, especially with the open space adjoining their study spot to the living room where her parents were. Now her dad had stepped in, the tone in his voice reprimand for her outburst heavy laden with concern. "You hit a rough spot, let him help you. You are not quitting anything." Jacob set his hand on her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance, but Erin shoved it off, immediately tearing away from the table and chair, standing to her feet, hands balled into fists at her side in defiance. "Stop telling me what I will and won't do!"

"I'm telling you what I know is best for you, Erin," came the response, so typical but so sincere. He wouldn't resort to yelling back at her, but the firmness in his voice was unquestionable.

"And I'm telling you that this--" She pointed at the work strewn across the table. "Is NOT the best for me! Having to fight to pass is NOT the best for me! Being called lazy and stupid is NOT the best for me! You trying to control everything about my life is NOT the BEST for me!!"

~~~

Yukito Maki

She started to plead with him, asking him to just do it for her. He wondered if she was ever going to sober up to this situation. Why didn't she want to learn any of this at all? "Am I just distracting you or something? Because you don't seem to be able to knuckle down on this whenever I'm here..."

"No!" She pulled him closer, and he met her eyes with a certain quiet in them.

"I could leave if that's the case..." he offered. The result was dangerous. They reached critical mass, and a part of him shrunk away from the fury there. Because he felt like he had caused it completely on his own somehow, and that it was now impossible to avoid.

Erin glared at him with vehemence and maybe a bitterness. She shoved herself off of him, eyes blazing and her face twisted because suddenly it was his fault. "Fine, leave me! I can fail just as good by myself as with you!"

She took the book and began to read. Yukito stared at her. "Erin..." She didn't listen to him, too busy reading out the problem.

"'A town along the river wants to place red warning lights on the arch at points 6 ft to the right of its left end' and left end and left end and I don't have any idea what I just read and you act like I can! You think I can do these things, and I just can't! I'm sick of trying and failing over and over and over again! I'm sick of it!" She snapped the book shut and shoved it to the other end of the table, where it slid off and onto the floor. "Screw school, screw it all! I quit this s---!"

"Erin!" Yukito hadn't appeared surprised by Erin's outburst, but he jumped at the sound of Mr. Spenser's voice, even if it didn't hold any of the real anger Erin's did. He turned to see the man coming over to calm his daughter down. "You hit a rough spot, let him help you. You are not quitting anything." Jacob set his hand on her shoulder, but Erin shoved it off, immediately tearing away from the table and chair, standing to her feet, hands balled into fists at her side in defiance.

"Stop telling me what I will and won't do!" Yukito reached down to pick up the book that had taken a fast ride over a short table, setting it back up and not meeting anyone's eyes, feeling more out-of-place in her home than ever.

"I'm telling you what I know is best for you, Erin," There was a dead weight hidden in the man's voice that meant business, and it was detectable to Yukito. But he didn't claim the line he chose to use was pretty much useless. Best was such an opinionated word. Obviously, Erin didn't agree with her father.

"And I'm telling you that this--" She pointed at the work strewn across the table. "Is NOT the best for me! Having to fight to pass is NOT the best for me! Being called lazy and stupid is NOT the best for me! You trying to control everything about my life is NOT the BEST for me!!"

"Erin.." he tried again, "You're not stupid, and we're not saying you are. This," it was his turn to gesture toward the school books, "Isn't everything." A beat. "I should probably just..." He stood up as if to go, but hesitated. He couldn't leave, because he kept hearing Erin say, 'Fine, leave me!' in a way that made him feel like a complete jerk. Like he just abandoned her when he was tired of it, or something. I'm sorry, Erin.

I'm not going to just abandon her. I just don't know what she needs.

"Do you really want to quit like this?" he asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of his voice. He looked up to meet her eyes evenly, trying to convey that he wasn't going to get after her, but he had to know.

~~~

Erin Spenser

"...Having to fight to pass is NOT the best for me! Being called lazy and stupid is NOT the best for me! You trying to control everything about my life is NOT the BEST for me!!" It's like they were determined not to understand her! To force her into a mold that didn't fit, that could break her!

"It might feel that way, but you're still growing, Erin, and I--"

"Don't give me that crap again!" she cut in, her voice easily covering his. She could never remember her father yelling. In fact, he tended to get quieter the more upset he felt. If he was at his wit's end, it would be a whisper. "I can think for myself! Just because I'm too stupid to understand all that doesn't mean--"

"Erin.." Yukito put in, her head snapping to look at him, half begging him to correct her and half daring him to contradict her. "You're not stupid, and we're not saying you are. This--" It was his turn to gesture toward the school books. "Isn't everything."

Erin's face darkened at his lack of understanding. It wasn't just that, it was everything else! That[/i[ made it all worse.

"I should probably just..." For a second it looked like and sounded like he was going to leave, and the thought terrified and infuriated her simultaneously. "Just what?!" she snapped, glaring at him. She didn't mean to snap. Or glare. She just did.

"Erin..." Yeah, she could hear the quietness in her dad's voice. She pulled back into herself when he reached for her. "You need to calm down, and we can talk it out."

"Stop telling me what to do!" she fired back. "And maybe I don't want to talk about it! You act like that'll make anything better and it won't and you know it! You just wanna put a band aid on it to get me to shut up! I'm not your psychology experiment!" She completely missed the wounded expression her words made onto her father's face. And of course, she'd been disruptive enough to merit the attention of both parents. Now her mom was there, hand gently resting on her husband's arm, as she tried to get a word in edgewise but was overshot by Erin's continued flurry of words. "I'm sick of you trying to make me your little perfect robot! I'm never going to be any good at this, so why should I keep trying? It's never gonna work!" She jabbed her index finger at her forehead. "It's always 'do this', 'don't do that', 'you should know better', and maybe I don't! Maybe you need to let me screw up every once in a while without trying to play cops on my every move! You think you know what it's like because you read about it in a book and did studies but you don't know! You won't know, so stop pretending you can get inside my head and understand! You want me to be just like you, graduate and go to college and be something legit just like you, and be twenty five before I get married, and be everything y'all are, but I don't want to torture myself with four more years! I don't even want to be in freaking high school anymore! I want it to be over now! Right now!"

"Do you really want to quit like this?"

She looked at him incredulously for a moment. "Yes!" Erin gasped, exasperated, knowing no one gave a care what she said, knowing that she could present all the proof in the world and it still wouldn't matter-- they didn't get it. She could do so much if she could just be away from it all!! Her expression felt helpless, and inside she felt just as lost. I don't know what to do any more... I don't want to do this any more... I hate it so much, Yukito. Can you get that?

"Erin, mija..." Erin gritted her teeth. She hated it when her mother tried to get all 'remember your heritage' and stuff with her. "Baby, you can't quit school. You're almost done, just a little over a year." Gently, Mandi held Erin's face in her hands oh-so-briefly, until Erin yanked herself away and over to Yukito.

"I don't care!"

"You can't quit school without parental consent anyway, Erin," came her dad's neutral reply. He knew she couldn't get around that one. And she knew he knew. Her face was taut with ire as she held onto Yukito. "Then I guess I'll just keep failing," she muttered thoughtlessly, then departed immediately to her room, biting her tongue so hard that she thought she might taste the blood.

"Freaking suffocating.... they think they can get it but they don't... " she muttered fiercely at no one in particular, shoving an overnight bag together, not even paying attention to what she was grabbing. "Think I'm gonna be a perfect little robot... here to serve their every whim... supposed to just submit and be happy... supposed to be a freaking genius like they are... " Each fragment was punctuated with her hand pounding the inside of the bag as she thrust her things inside of it.

~~~

Yukito Maki - 巻きゆきと

He could only try and blend into the background when her parents came into the argument. Erin was exploding, a million shattering pieces of the things she continually held back. It was a lot of the things he was afraid of - her pushing things deeper until they started to rot and rust her easy-going nature. Yukito wasn't sure he followed everything she was saying, since she fell into an accent he was only familiar enough with to associate with her, but he knew she wasn't going to just let it slide now and forget about it. The problem was, he wasn't sure if it was him, her parents, the school thing, or just a nasty combination of all three. "I should probably just..." Standing up, he hesitated awkwardly, considering.

Erin whirled on him, voice like ice. "Just what?!" she snapped, glaring at him. Yukito froze, meeting her eyes evenly. He didn't move.

"Erin...You need to calm down, and we can talk it out." Repeatedly, her father kept reaching out to her, to make contact. Probably because he knew Erin, and instinctively, naturally, she was more likely to calm down once she could be held, and touched, and feel what he was trying to convey. But Erin must have sensed these attempts at soothing her, and she shoved the hands and words away with equal animosity.

"Stop telling me what to do! And maybe I don't want to talk about it! You act like that'll make anything better and it won't and you know it! You just wanna put a band aid on it to get me to shut up! I'm not your psychology experiment!" Yukito looked over just in time to see the hurt look on Mr. Spenser's face, and he knew that comment wouldn't be soon forgotten. By either of them. Any of them. That Erin could see herself that way, could see herself being treated that way, was terrible, even if she said such in anger and frustration and maybe didn't mean it as much as she seemed to. "I'm sick of you trying to make me your little perfect robot! I'm never going to be any good at this, so why should I keep trying? It's never gonna work! It's always 'do this', 'don't do that', 'you should know better', and maybe I don't! Maybe you need to let me screw up every once in a while without trying to play cops on my every move! You think you know what it's like because you read about it in a book and did studies but you don't know! You won't know, so stop pretending you can get inside my head and understand! You want me to be just like you, graduate and go to college and be something legit just like you, and be twenty five before I get married, and be everything y'all are, but I don't want to torture myself with four more years! I don't even want to be in freaking high school anymore! I want it to be over now! Right now!"

"Do you really want to quit like this?" he asked, seeking in her eyes that she meant it with all her heart, and not just her hatred of mathematics. Erin looked into his face as if she couldn't believe or understand that he had to even ask. Understand what I'm asking, Erin. Do you just want to give up now? When you could try harder, and be better for it, for this? I don't want you to regret it. I want you to believe in yourself and have no regrets.

You're not stupid.

"Yes!" Erin gasped, exasperated, and the large brown eyes practically pleaded with him in an exasperated voice of their own.

"Erin, mija..." Her mother intercepted now. "Baby, you can't quit school. You're almost done, just a little over a year." She reached to hold Erin's face in her hands - again, trying to reach that vital contact that would mean she could actually be reasoned with - and she failed, too. Erin pulled away and came over to stand next to Yukito. He hesitated before reached up to touch her arm, to hold it in his hand and keep her close, to reassure her that he wasn't going to fight her on this one. You need me again. He thought with surprise.

"I don't care!" Determination flamed behind her words.

"You can't quit school without parental consent anyway, Erin," came her dad's neutral reply. Actually, it's quite possible if you completely refuse to attend. They only put up with you for so long... Just depends on what your definition of 'quit' is.

"Then I guess I'll just keep failing," Erin muttered, he felt her tense next to him before she raced from the room. Yukito looked up briefly at her parents, then followed her into her room. He stood in the doorway and watched her throwing her clothes in a bag. Just like he'd done not long ago. She was growling out half-legible phrases under her breath, and she was practically beating her bag into a pulp.

"Think I'm gonna be a perfect little robot... here to serve their every whim... supposed to just submit and be happy... supposed to be a freaking genius like they are... "

Yukito shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the door jamb, his frown deepening. "Where are you going to?" he asked, staring at his feet. "I'm just wondering, because I kinda get the feeling you want to be alone right now or something. And.." He shrugged, still speaking to the carpet. "I'm... I'm on your side, you know? I know how you could feel like that, because a couple weeks ago, I packed up and left, too. Even if it was for completely different reasons..."

He almost started to smile. Does that make me a negative influence? Crap, Aidousan's mom was right...

~~~

Erin Spenser

So busy with her own thoughts and action, Erin forgot for a moment that Yukito was there, that he was even just behind her. She felt her tense muscles jolt a little at the realization that he had been there the whole time. "Where are you going to?"

"Away," she snapped, not meaning to snap at him, but he was there... so she did. Erin shoved the bag over her shoulder and jammed her feet into the first pair of shoes they found-- a worn-down pair of brown flip-flops. She turned around and registered his position, hovering at her doorway. Something about that bothered her-- she wanted to snap at him that he should either be in or out, not halfway in between, but he spoke first. "I'm just wondering, because I kinda get the feeling you want to be alone right now or something. And.."

"What?" Erin asked brusquely. Now she anticipated "you're overreacting, grow up and get over yourself" speech. She set herself on guard. I can't DO this anymore, okay? Why can't anyone get that? I hate it all!

He shrugged, and kept staring at the chocolate carpet. Look at me!! "I'm... I'm on your side, you know? I know how you could feel like that, because a couple weeks ago, I packed up and left, too. Even if it was for completely different reasons..."

With an exasperated sigh, Erin only answered by pulling him all the way into her room and shutting the door. "I can't do that, Yukito," she told him simply. "I just--" She halted, swallowing with difficulty, trying to explain herself. He was so good at everything, and he didn't even have to try. I wish I could be like that.... "I just wanna be away... just for now," she tacked on weakly, casting a glare at the corner of her dresser. Erin was afraid she would start crying in front of him again, and she hated how crying made her feel. She loathed it when it was in front of Yukito. Why can't I be like you? The choking tears came anyway, and she made a point not to look at him when she knew her face would be distorted from the effort of holding back. "Why do I have to be like this?" Suddenly, she flung her arms around him, trying her hardest to stifle the urge to cry, breaking under stress and frustration and anger that had accumulated like snow on a mountain, and now it threatened to tumble down in an avalanche. Please make me feel better... please take me away, just for a while, even though I don't know how long a while might be... should be... will be... I don't know! I don't know anything, Yukito....

"Take me to Cassie's," she muttered, then pushed herself off of him begrudgingly. "I gotta call her..." Erin shifted through the mess she'd made, looking for her phone. She couldn't find it after a minute, and a fresh wave of panic washed over her. "It's gone... It's gone! Yukito, where is it?" Erin looked up at him anxiously, desperately, then dove back into her search, missing the phone that was on the corner of her bed. "I can't even find a freaking phone, so stupid!" Her head dropped onto the side of the bed and she screamed into the mattress, more because of the entire overwhelming feelings than because of any one phone. "You tell her," she ordered, words muffled by her hidden face.

~~~

Yukito Maki 巻きゆきと

"Where are you going to?" The question was quietly put as he stood in the doorway.

"Away," she snapped. She was still steaming, rushing around the room grabbing her things together. Behind him, Yukito could hear the voices of her parents. His eyes flickered to the floor.

"I'm just wondering, because I kinda get the feeling you want to be alone right now or something. And.." He trailed off.

"What?" The conversation was one of the most awkward ones he'd ever had with her. For once, the roles were completely reversed vocally. He seemed to be doing all the talking, trying his best to understand what she hadn't said, and she was answering him in clipped, cryptic tones, using as few words as possible because she couldn't find the right ones. He gave a quick shrug.

"I'm... I'm on your side, you know? I know how you could feel like that, because a couple weeks ago, I packed up and left, too. Even if it was for completely different reasons..." His eyes flickered up to hers as she released a sigh. He followed meekly as she pulled him into the room and shut the door behind him. Until then, he'd been careful to stay out of the room. It was against the rules, and even when she was frustrated with them, he figured he wouldn't push the bounds. Especially since he was sure they didn't like him in the first place. But now, she had pulled him in, let him inside, and closed them off. He was sure her parents wouldn't like it, but she was willing to put up with that now, so how could he whine about following ridiculous rules like that?

"I can't do that, Yukito," she told him simply. He gave a short nod, sure he had misunderstood just how far this was going. It was temporary. Very. He swallowed in his throat the question he'd been wanting to ask her for weeks now. A deeper question that would've been far more serious than a bedroom door. "I just-- I just wanna be away... just for now,"

"Okay," he said.

"Why do I have to be like this?"

His eyes widened when she threw her arms around him, though he shouldn't have been surprised at all. Automatically he stifled the jumping sensation in his gut to embrace her, silently praying he could hold her together and make her stronger if he held her tightly. "Erin, you're just trying to be honest with yourself. And you need space for that." He leaned down towards her face, "Okay? We'll have you back just as soon as you're ready."

"Take me to Cassie's," she muttered, then pushed herself off of him. He knew she was just upset, but he couldn't help feeling totally rejected in his attempts to help. She hadn't caved when her parents had said something, she'd caved when he had kept insisting. She didn't want to go with him someplace, she wanted to see Cassie. She didn't want to listen to him fail at soothing her, she wanted to talk to someone else. She'd let him in the door, but that was the depth that he got, and no more than that. She didn't want him to hold her anymore, she wanted him a distance away. He didn't see the tears starting to form in her eyes, because his eyes were trained on the ground, hopelessly trying to lift his spirits from the floor. "I gotta call her..." When she couldn't find her cell phone, she started to panic. "It's gone... It's gone! Yukito, where is it?" Yukito found it hard to hold any other expression than the blank one he'd been keeping, but his eyes started to seek the room for the phone, hoping that it would help in some way, at least.

"I can't even find a freaking phone, so stupid!" Her head dropped onto the side of the bed and she screamed into the mattress. When she'd gone down to it, the mattress had jolted, sending a small object bounding through the air like a grasshopper in tall grass. Yukito turned to see her cell phone lying on the floor.

"You tell her," came Erin's muffled voice. Yukito bent down to pick up the phone.

"It's here, Erin," he said, holding up the cell in case she looked up to see. Nothing from Erin, so he let out a sigh. He raised his own phone to call Cassie, getting her voicemail. "Hey, Cassie. It's Yukito. Look, call me back as soon as you get this, okay?" He hung up, slipped it back into his pocket, and turned back to his girlfriend.

"Erin?" He leaned over her with both hands on the bed, hovering. He wanted to tell her that he was with her on this, that he could be honest and tell her how he wanted to stay with her more than anything. But to tell her how she was hurting him by pushing him away seemed hypocritical and selfish. He tried pushing her hair away from her face so he could see her. "You're not stupid."

~~~


Erin Spenser

"I can't do that, Yukito. I just-- I just wanna be away... just for now."

"Okay."

Okay. He made it sound so easy, like it was all easy and fine and done, but how could it be that easy? Was it easy for everyone else and only hard for her? Erin was sure it was going to drive her crazy, and she felt like she was about to explode under pressure-- or collapse under it, whichever came first. She felt the familiar pangs of tears begin, starting with the twisted knot in her throat that ached so bad when she swallowed. God, she hated crying. "Why do I have to be like this?" she demanded, expecting no answer, trying to glean comfort from his hug.

"Erin, you're just trying to be honest with yourself. And you need space for that...." No answer from her side. He was closer now. "Okay? We'll have you back just as soon as you're ready."

Back from where? I can't stay with you... I hate that hotel, and Aidousan's there, so it would be weird, Yukito, and I don't want to stay here! I don't know who wants me.... The thoughts made it easier to cry, and she became more mad at herself for thinking them, which only served to perpetuate the angry thoughts that made her want to cry. Cyclic, cyclic, it was all a massive cycle, wasn't it?

"Take me to Cassie's," she decided, separating herself from him and trying to find her phone so she could call Cassie and let her know to expect her. Somehow, that act of courtesy stuck out to her now even though nothing else did-- not even the wounded image of Yukito standing aside. "I gotta call her..." she muttered as she searched, and, finding nothing, began to panic. "It's gone... It's gone! Yukito, where is it? I can't even find a freaking phone, so stupid!" She let out a muffled scream into the mattress, one she regretted because her throat felt shredded afterwards, and a nagging thought said she'd screw her voice up for doing that. She shut it up. "You tell her," Erin ordered, silently admitting defeat to finding her phone. Clearly she didn't have the capacity to find the stupid thing, so why bother any more?

"It's here, Erin," she heard Yukito say, though her eyes were shut with the effort of concealing her tears, and she was biting the inside of her cheeks in frustration over it all. I don't care... I don't! If you said it enough times, you should start believing it. But that hadn't kicked in yet, so she repeated the mantra over and over in her head. Each time she knew more and more that it was a lie.

Yukito was calling. "Hey, Cassie. It's Yukito. Look, call me back as soon as you get this, okay?"

The short, choppy message made her want to scream again, but she bit her tongue instead, hands tightly clenched so much that even though her nails were short, she could feel them in her skin.

"Erin?"

The moment passed, and Erin inhaled a shaky breath, the kind one takes when they're finishing a good cry. Even though this time her face wasn't wet with tears beforehand. Now, though, that she felt like she could be calming down--like she should be calming down-- Erin felt the welled up tears finally break, cascading downward. Bitterly, she shoved the traces away with her hand. Stupid tears.

She felt Yukito's hand removing the mattress-mussed hair from her face, and even through all she was feeling right now, Erin still could find some good that she could trust him to just be there. Even if she was a stupid, childish, crying jerkface that didn't know what to do anymore. "You're not stupid."

"Prove it," she argued back weakly, then pulled herself to her feet and grabbed her bag. She stepped out into the hall, sure Yukito would follow, and immediately found herself flanked by her parents. Both of them were going on about different things-- her mother, about where she was going, that she wasn't going to leave, was she? And her father about what she thought she was doing, that she was overreacting, needed to calm down.... blah, blah, blah. She turned and snapped at him for his harping, "Yeah, we were having sex in my bedroom, 'cause that's what automatically happens, you know." At the door, she yanked the doorknob and stepped halfway out before muttering, "I'm going to Cassie's."

Outside, ignoring the protests and genuine concern, Erin blindly traced the path to Yukito's car, sitting quietly and broodingly in the passenger's seat.

~~~

Yukito Maki

"Erin?" He reached out to touch her, to brush away the hair from her face. The soft strands were stubborn to reveal the tear-streaked cheeks, and once they were shown to him she immediately tried to wipe them away. You can cry in front of me, Erin. Seriously. What's wrong with you crying? You deserve to cry it out, because you don't deserve to have a good reason to cry. "You're not stupid."
"Prove it," she argued back, pulling herself to her feet. Yukito didn't speak, his eyes following her as she stood to snatch up her bag and head bravely out to the hall. It was like opening the door released a flurry of speech that slammed down from both sides relentlessly, their faces disapproving and concerned and confused. Yukito saw in their eyes that they still thought they knew so much better. Just back off and leave her alone for awhile, won't you? It's not like she can't walk by herself. Despite his own thoughts he hovered close behind her, helpless to shield her from the verbal onslaught from her parents. To his surprise, Erin whirled on her father instead, backfiring a sharp round at him.

"Yeah, we were having sex in my bedroom, 'cause that's what automatically happens, you know." Yukito felt his face grow hot, glancing up to see Mr. Spenser's reaction. It was never as acute as he figured it would be. But there was injury there. Still Yukito couldn't find the pity to send him an apologetic glance.

At the door, Erin yanked the doorknob and stepped halfway out before muttering, "I'm going to Cassie's." Personally, he wouldn't have told them where he was going, but he supposed things were very, very different with Erin and her family. But this is Erin's story. It shouldn't be like this. Why don't they get it? He looked over at them, his face unreadable.

"Do her a favor and don't call. Not until she calls you." It was a weird parting remark but it was the one he gave as he stepped out the door, solemnly following the still steaming girl like a shadow. He felt like he had to shield her on all sides, and his emotions were muffled and undecipherable when he slipped into the Volvo, starting the engine. Yukito glanced over at Erin, hesitating before they drove away. I'll find a way to prove you're not stupid. He felt awful that he couldn't think of any stonehard ways to prove it to her now, even as he understood that it would be practically impossible to reason with her right now, anyways.

They pulled up to Cassie's but he didn't unbuckle his seatbelt. He hadn't mentioned Erin buckling to her this time. It was kind of a big deal not to mess with her when she was this upset. He held onto the wheel, staring ahead with a blank expression. "I'll be waiting for you to call as soon as you need me...." He ran his hand up and down the steering wheel twice, frowning, feeling the awkwardness in his own voice, and the uncertainty. I guess I'm not the person you need right now, Erin. But I can try again if you want me to. If you ask me to..

~~~

Erin Spenser

Erin stayed curled up in the passenger's seat, her arms wrapped tight around her legs and her jaw clenched shut. Her head was pounding, and it felt like her brain was threatening to beat itself through her skull. Or her eyes. It was hard to tell which was really hurting, though if she had to guess it would be her skull. Erin vaguely wondered if she'd actually permanently screwed something up with it, like a glass orb that had been hit too hard and started to crack, but not enough to shred into pieces. Just enough to be defective... oww...

She remained in that position, however painful it might have been, until she felt the car slow to a stop.

Erin looked up and out the windshield, then turned in the direction of the front door.

"I'll be waiting for you to call as soon as you need me...."

"Thank you," she heard herself say, before an obligatory kiss on his cheek, a rushed action as she turned to yank her bag out of his car and rush to Cassie's door.

She would spend the rest of the day and the whole of the next one brooding, feeling the weight of her words--toward her parents, and towards Yukito-- weighing down upon her.

Tarea over