Warm Hands
By Ms. Kinnikufan
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
Crione Man's mind often liked to flashback to the aftermath of his match with Mantaro Kinniku. It was not because of the match itself, for he had lost and that was embarrassing.
No, it was the part where grasped Jade's hand that he like to mentally reminisced about. He was on a stretcher, wearing an oxygen mask when he took Jade's hand. It was meant as gesture of friendship, not of romance then.
It would be a gesture of romance now. Jade's hand was warm, as was Jade the person was. Jade was the first person to show Crione Man any sort of warmth at all.
That first show of warmth led to a change in the way Crione Man viewed Jade. Jade used to be just another person to fight someone to spar with.
But nownow Crione Man was afflicted by both confusing and delightful feelings of affection for Jade. He noticed more about what Jade said and did. The way he pronounced w's as v's. The way he cut his sausages into tiny bite sized pieces. The way his hair bounced as he performed the "Red Rain of Berlin".
Yes, indeed Crione Man had it bad for Jade.
Crione Man was pretty sure he was in love with Jade, and not merely in love with the idea of being in love. If Jade were to become heavily scarred or mute or deaf or bald or any other number of things the mind can create, Crione Man would still be in love with him.
Why did Crione Man fall in love with Jade? It started with the touch of Jade's hand. But what led Crione Man to longed for Jade afterwards? Crione Man couldn't quite put it into words. Perhaps it was the way Jade treated Crione Man: like a follow sentient being. Crione Man did not get a whole lot of decent treatment while being brought up the laboratory that created him. Perhaps it was the way Jade smiled. Perhaps the silver of affection that Crione Man felt when Jade held his hand simply grew into love over time.
Crione Man was afraid to tell Jade of what he felt. He wasn't sure of how Jade would react. More so, he was afraid of Blocken Jr's reaction. Crione Man guessed that Blocken Jr. would not take Crione Man being in love with his student very well, and even though he was old, the man could still pack a punch when upset.
Jade was oblivious to Crione Man's feelings. Crione Man was very well at concealing his feelings to himself, if anyone found out it could mean disaster for both of them. But sometimes he almost screwed up and touched Jade's hand in an almost non-heterosexual manner. Fortunately, Jade had led a somewhat sheltered existence, sex and romance wise.
However Dead Signal, for whatever reason, did catch on. Truth be told, he kind of felt like a third wheel between the two of them. Even though he didn't have the same sort of romantic emotions they had.
Jade left for the Chojin Crown. Crione Man and Dead Signal were given rare TV privileges to watch their comrade compete.
The Three Feet Heat happened, and Mantaro Kinniku was not the only jealous person when Rinko teamed up with Jade.
"She doesn't really know him. If she really knew him, all his good traits and bad traits, the impressiveness of being his partner would fade away. He would just be another person to her, not someone special." Crione Man remarked.
"Like he is to you?" Dead Signal decided to bring the subject into the air.
"."
"I'm not blind. Why don't you just tell him."
"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one he going to be reacting too."
"Maybe, but doesn't it just get tiring of just mooning after him?"
"I'm not mooning after him, I truly care for him. I know things about him that that Rinko girl doesn't know. I'm not mooning after him!" Crione Man was defensive. "I don't worship an idealized version of him. I know how bad his morning breath is. I was there when he spoke to that freshman and the freshman was in nurse's office for two hours-"
"I didn't say you didn't know him. But what the point of being in love with someone-someone you really are in love with? Isn't that painful?"
"Yes it is. Sort of. Kind of. "
"Then tell him! "
"Why are so accepting of a Crione Chojin's attraction to a human chojin of the same sex? I thought you were into religion and stuff like that?"
"I figure if I don't have a soul, I have no risk of burning or otherwise feel extreme pain or suffering of a negative afterlife. If I do have a soul, then whatever higher power exists probably loves and/or is sensible enough to not care what happen between two consenting loving adults. Anyway you're getting off the subject-tell him"
"What if he rejects meit would make things really awkward."
"I won't deny that. But isn't the risk of rejection worth the joy of acceptance?"
"I don't knowthis is the first time I ever had to deal with stuff like this."
"Stop being such a chickenshit."
"Stop being such a busybot."
They had a long argument that eventually traveled to the subject about how Crione Man really felt about Dead Signal's guinea pig, Butterbean.
After the Chojin Crown was over, Jade came back to Hercules Factory's nebula.
"I Love You Jade" Crione Man shouted instead of "Welcome Back", which was what he meant to say.
Everybody stared.
After notes: Should I do a follow up to this? I like the Crione Man/Jade pairing; it had a tenderness that I just can't feel from the Malice/Jade pairing. Not that there's anything wrong with the Malice/Jade pairing) I hope to have some better yaoi material posted on Valentine's Dayand maybe my first yuri and perhaps even het.