*Bare Knight*

which I also called *Naked Knight*

by: WhiteGloves

UsuiXMisaki doki!doki!

A/N: I got around writing about them just now. Shame.

Enjoy the short story!

"So your job is to take as many of them as you can!" Misaki Ayuzawa said enthusiastically as she stood in the middle of the basketball court with the other girls around her, "don't let those guys take anyone from us! It's a dead on fight!"

"Yeah!" cried the women with full of spirit.

Misaki smiled triumphantly around and saw the male participants of the game back away. It made her grin even more.

"Aren't you too happy, Prez?" said a familiar drawling voice.

Misaki turned around and saw a golden haired boy with an air of all-pheromone block her way. He was tall and very handsome, quite popular with his peers too. He was Takumi Usui.

Somehow his appearance only made Misaki grit her teeth.

"You're not taking us down, Usui!" she said confidently, "in this dodge ball game... I'll take you out!"

"Oh? Then it's okay if I don't hold back?"

"Nanii...?"

Sakura, a friend of Misaki, looked around and saw the couple arguing over something. She came over the two in time to see the President pinch Usui on the cheeks.

"Usui-kun! You're participating!"

"Don't talk to him, Sakura-chan," Misaki warned her knowingly, "he's a dangerous lecher!"

"Eh...?" Usui mumbled, making Sakura stare at the two with an exasperated expression.

"Misa-chan..." she said more to herself, "calling your boyfriend a lecher...isn't that too much...haha..."

Both Misaki and Usui's ears piqued.

"W-what are you saying, Sakura-chan!?" the President said frantically as she tried to drive the very thought out of her friend's mind, "b-boyfriend?"

"Well, isn't that true?" Usui said with a little smile.

"Usui..." Misaki gave him a murderous stare and then grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him across the room. He hit the neaby wall that cracked through the force.

"Ehhh...?" said the shocked Sakura, "Misa-chan... that's..."

"Don't worry," Misaki said in a matter of fact voice, "that won't hurt him at all."

And sure enough we saw Takumi walking towards the other boys as if nothing happened.

"Usui-san!"

"Yoh." he replied casually.

It made Sakura blink several times and then forced a laugh.

"Ahaha... so you two are really more on physical contact... huh?"

On the broken wall, we see Kanou Soutarou and Shouichirou Yukimura standing by with amazed looks on their eyes.

"Look at that, Kanou-kun," the Vice President said lightly, "the walls broken... I wonder what hit it? Is it because the school gym's already too old?"

"Probably," the calm hypnosis guy muttered, then looking up the basketball ring board, he frowned.

"Ehh..." Yukimura found himself suddenly being pushed by Kanou from the back, "w-why?"

"Let's not stand around here," Kanou muttered, "it's dangerous."

"Huh?"

"Alright, everyone!" said the Physical Education sensei, "gather around into two groups with ten members! Boys versus girls! The most group with least members will lose!"

"It's our time!" Misaki yelled with such power, it made the boys fidget.

Usui kept his smile to himself as he stood opposite her. Misaki saw him and gave him a cold look that usually gave him stamina. It was his silent charm.

And the game started. It was an intense battle at first, with most of the male being knocked out by the president alone. Unsurprisingly, Usui was not moving on a single spot, only dodging if necessary. Twice he was called to throw the ball but Misaki was always there to receive his throws.

And no, he didn't hold back. It was an insult to his beloved Misaki.

Five minutes later, half the boys were eliminated while only three from the girl's side was taken out.

"Damnnnn we will lose like this!" shouted one male student.

"The President's a monster!"

"This is bad, Kanou-kun," Yukimura turned to his friend, "the President is unstoppable..."

Kanou merely stared at the President who seemed to be having fun and silently agreed.

"Strange," Shizuko said to Misaki, "Usui-kun's not moving at all."

"Do you think he hurt himself when you threw him away, Misa-chan?" Sakura said back.

Misaki suddenly found herself searching for Usui who remained quietly behind the other males. She could see that his expression was clear and there was no pain on him whatsoever. It made her feel relieved.

"No, he's fine, don't worry," she assured her friends.

"WE WON'T BACK DOWN!" cried another male student who was waving the ball in his hand. The girls were caught surprised but Misaki was ready. She saw him thrust the ball so forcefully toward them- she knew the ball was strong and it was coming for Kaga.

Usui stared at the ball and saw Misaki jump forward to defend.

Typical. He thought with a warm gaze.

"Haaaaa!" Misaki shouted as the ball bounded upward, toward the basketball ring above them. It hit the ring, or rather- it cracked the ring away from the board. Everyone stood still in shock at the sudden event that nobody, except Misaki saw the board slowly fall on one of the students.

No...!

She leaped forward with her eyes close. She did not see anything after that. All she knew was that her arms successfully caught the student and tried all her might to protect her.

It didn't matter if she got hurt. It didn't.

But then, the pain didn't come.

Misaki has her eyes tightly closed but after a few suspenseful minutes of waiting for the board, she opened her eyes.

That was when she saw him covering her with both hands supporting the fallen board while she was on the floor.

Usui Takumi.

Misaki's eyes flickered.

N...no way!

"Always the reckless one... Misaki," Usui muttered, but then dropped his knees on the floor, making Misaki's heart freeze.

"U-USUI!"

The school ground was busy with lots of students having fun outside. At the same time the school building was quiet. All the corridors were dark. Students were all on their extra curricular activities.

Yet inside the Infirmary.. suspicious voices could be heard...

"Stop moving around!" hissed the President's voice.

"Hai..."

"Where do you think you're putting your hand, idiot!?"

There was a slapping sound.

"Geez... you're too old for this already," continued the woman in an irritated voice, "quit moving your hands around! Don't you see it's already swollen!?"

"Ouch," the boy wilth golden locks and handsomely features said with an almost bored note on his voice.

This didn't escape the President's ears.

"Seriously!" she breathed, remembering all too well what happened and knowing all too well it was her fault, "jumping out of nowhere and catching a falling basketball board like that- are you for real?!"

"I can't help it," Usui Takumi muttered in his clear voice, making Misaki's eyes widen, "you were under the board."

"O-of course I was there!" she blushed furiously as she wrapped his injured arm with a white linen, "it was falling under the girls! You don't expect me to just watch them get hurt!"

"Then... don't expect me to just stand around either... and watch you get hurt."

Misaki stopped dead. She looked him in the eye and saw him look back with his gentle eyes. The connection they made that time struck her full in the heart. Usui was speaking from his heart again... like usual.

I love him. A voice sprang up at the back of her mind. I love him!

But Misaki knew there was no way she would be able to say it out loud. But the idea made her go scarlet.

"T-that's why I said you were reckless!" she cried instead, with more vigorous movement on wrapping his injury, making Usui jump in pain a little, "I don't like it!"

"Oh? So you don't like getting hurt now?" he drawled on, obviously having fun teasing her.

"Who want's to get hurt!?"

"Then... will you stop getting hurt for others?"

"I-it's not like I can stop that either! You know how accident happens!"

"Hmmm..." Usui put his chin on his good hand and stared at the president who has just straightened after securing his wound. He stared at her for a second, making her conscious that his full attention was on her again.

"What are you looking at?" she pointed out with cracking nerves.

Usui continued gazing at her so warmly she was afraid she was going to melt with his gaze.

"C-cut that out!" she exclaimed, slamming the remaining pack of linen on his handsome face, "you're getting on my nerves!"

Usui merely put the white linen down and remained quiet.

Why is he getting quiet all of a sudden? Misaki's nerves failed her.

"H-hey... are you okay? Is your hand hurting?" she managed to ask, "why are you... so quiet?"

"Hmm?" Usui looked up at her, "it's nothing... I was just thinking... until when my body could survive."

"What the heck are you thinking?" the President was livid as she grasped her knuckles, but it was obvious she was bothered by his words, "saying that kind of stuff, Usui!"

"Heh... you don't like me saying it?"

"Y-you're saying it like you're gonna die!"

"Impossible!"

"That's why I said don't say stuff like that?"

"Are you worried about me?"

Misaki stopped once more, her composure disappearing, like it usually does. And like usual, it was only one person who could make her feel that way and that was this guy sitting in front of her.

"Are you going to cry..." Usui continued quietly, his eyes transfixed on her, "if one day... I disappear?"

The awaited reaction came by a fist slamming down the table.

At that second Usui Takumi found his match again as he stared with surprise on his eyes on the lone girl standing above him with a dark and serious expression on her face.

"I said stop talking nonsense like that," she said in silent anger, making Usui feel a chill at the back of his neck, "stop sprouting things like that- it's not funny!"

Ayuzawa Misaki was on the edge. Usui could see that.

Silence passed by the two. And then the boy smiled gently and reached his uninjured hand on her hair.

"So... you do care."

Misaki blinked. This was too much. How could Usui think she didn't care about him? Stupid Usui!

"Of course I care!" she snapped angrily, "you're a student in this school and I'm the President... of course I'll care about you. Idiot."

"I see." Usui closed his eyes and stood up, "well... let's go outside and join the others then... we don't want them talking about how we were snuggled so closely inside a dark room... though that suits me just fine."

Misaki watched as Takumi walked to the doorway with her heart pounding. Something was not right.

"Y-you're still hurt... don't move around too much." she said, following him by the door.

"I'm fine," he answered, reaching his injured hand on the door, "something like this won't kill me."

"I said stop it!"

She snatched his hand away from the door with an angry expression. Usui looked her in the eye and found that she was upset. He blinked at her.

"Of course it won't kill you!" she burst out heatedly with face red, "but it doesn't mean you should continue getting hurt like this! It's not right! I... I don't like you getting hurt because of me so just stop it, Usui!"

Usui stared at her. She had her fist and eyes closed. She looked like she was having trouble trying to say what she really wanted at first but Misaki knew she had to say it... because this idiot here...

"But... you know how accidents happen...right?"

Misaki opened her eyes and found Takumi looking at her with a smile.

It was not right, she decided as she looked at his warm smile, it was not right that he keeps getting hurt...

I love him!

It was then that Usui's eyes widened than ever. Misaki was crying.

"H-hey..." he whispered, reaching a hand and patting her head while she wiped her tears, "you're crying..."

"It's because you're so stupid!" she injected, still angry for many reasons, "you get hurt because of me and then you act like it's nothing! And you act like you're ready for more! Who do you think you are- a knight in shining armour!? Aren't you just a human without your armor, you idiot!? What if next time you get seriously injured! What do you think should I do?!"

The sudden flow of tears was unstoppable and though it appeared appealing to him, Usui had never liked a crying Misaki.

"Ayuzawa..."

"I can't help it... I don't want you getting hurt..." Misaki bowed her head, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably, "you're so stupid."

It was a gesture of her concern that she was crying. And she never liked crying in front of him.

Usui's hands suddenly wrapped around her into an embrace. Misaki was speechless.

"It can't be helped, Ayuzawa," Usui said, burying his face on her hair, "I don't like you getting hurt either so don't mind me... I'll be your naked knight in shining armor if I have to. I'll protect you."

"But..."

"No," Usui's eyes reflected hers as they stared at each other, "it's always my pleasure."

The President couldn't find any reply to that.

Usui was teasing her again. She knew that. But still something about what he has just said was still not right.

"J-just... don't say you'll disappear again..." she breathed, reaching her own hand and taking his injured one, making Takumi's eyes widen, "it's not funny... I don't like it... when you're not here..."

Usui smiled.

"You're cute."

"W-what are you saying!?"

"Do you wanna stay here with me? The bed's unoccupied."

"EHHH? Y-YOU PERVERT!"

"Hm? Are you gonna slap your injured boyfriend then? I thought you don't want to see me getting hurt?"

"T-then cut the crap and stop harassing me, dammit! O-oi!"

"I'm not."

"HEEEEE! Where are you t-touching me!?" she made a slap.

"Ouch." he said in another unconvincing voice.

"CUT IT OUT! If you're not that hurt then let me go-! A-aaaaaaahhhh!"

"I love you, Misaki."

*.*.*

~THE END~

THANK YOU FOR READING!