Vision Test

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

A fluffy oneshot of Neku being curious about Shiki and her eyesight. NekuxShiki

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

"How bad are your eyes?"

She blinked.

He blinked.

There were days that they'd hang out. Just the two of them. Not exactly going out on dates or anything because really, since when was watching paint dry a date? On the other hand, watching wasn't really their case though. They got bored of it two hours ago so now they're just waiting. Usually, when they had nothing else to do they'd go people watching since it's cheap and heck, it's a free right. But it's summer and going out wasn't really the brightest idea. Sure, painting killed time but unfortunately it was short lived. In fact, Shiki thought she would've dosed off it wasn't for Neku asking that random question.

Forget random, more like cliché. It's part of the contract when you get glasses, she supposed. Everyone would ask her at least once on it sometime in their lives. And how could she forget those with convenient amnesia and asks her for the nth time? But when Neku popped the question, how should she say this… she was disappointed? Shiki thought that he'd be an exception but quickly brushed off the idea. He's only doing this because they're both bored. That totally makes sense.

"Bad enough to get me these." She subconsciously adjusted her eyeglasses.

"Yeah, but just how bad?" While lying on the newspaper strewn floor, he rolled to face her. His face was unreadable so she couldn't tell if he was either serious or plain messing with her.

She shrugged. "Around so-so I guess."

"Way to answer the question." He sat up and scooted closer to her until he was right in front of her.

If there was a way to describe whatever expression he held, she'd say that he looked curious at the moment. The next thing she knew, his face was blurry. And so was everything else. Instinctively, her hands went to her eyes expectantly to feel for cold glass but… only touched eyelids. "My glasses!"

"Can you see me?" Unfazed, Neku seemed determined to get his answer.

"I can if you give it back." Shiki huffed. She does not like it when people take stuff from her most especially her spectacles.

"It's just a yes or no question." He said matter-of-factly.

"No. Now give it back or I'll make sure that your face stays distorted like how I see it now even after I put my glasses on." It wasn't a warning. It was a threat.

"On a scale of one to ten, just how bad do I look?" He didn't get the sign.

"At the rate you're going, I'd say you're a cute guy if you give me back my glasses. Right now!" She crossed her arms and glared at where she thought his face was supposed to be. Actually, she was just squinting but without her glasses, she looked as if she was glaring a little bit too hard. "Urgh! You're-"

Something trickled down her cheeks.

One after another, teardrops rolled. Even Shiki was shocked at her silent outburst as her hand went to her cheek only to touch wet skin. Her eyes were watery. She couldn't stand Neku seeing her like that so she hid her face with her hands.

"Woah! Hey, are you crying?" He punched himself mentally. What does it look like, Sherlock? First was fear then panic came into mind. "Oh, shit! Oh, shit. Look, I never meant things to turn sour." He held her by the shoulders tenderly as if she was so fragile that she would break. Worry crept soon after as he begged sincerely for her forgiveness. "I'm really sorry, Shiki. Please, don't cry."

While he was busy comforting her, she noticed his hands and her glasses on her shoulder so in the most graceful swiftness, she swiped them. "Made you look." She smirked.

He was still processing what just happened. But he disregarded the whole thing when he saw just how wet her face was. "You're still crying." It wasn't a question, it was more of a statement.

"Oh, this?" She pulled out a floral handkerchief and proceeded to wipe her face. "It happens." More tears leaked but she wasn't sniffing or anything. They were just watery. "My eyes are sensitive like that. If I look at anything that lights up for too long, they kinda water right after. Or when I'm not wearing my glasses…"

Neku instinctively took the piece of cloth and affectionately wiped her tears away. "Sorry for being a total jerk about it." He whispered softly, regret lacing every word.

"You better be." She wore a small smile. When that was done, she finally wore her glasses again. Her eyes were more than happy adjusting. Then she remembered his earlier question. "They're both at three digits astigmatism and two digits acquired nearsightedness."

"You didn't have to… not after what I did…" Guilt was still heavy on him. Wait, something was wrong with what she said. "What the hell? You can get nearsighted? I thought you either get it or not when you're born." His eyebrows were raised in disbelief.

"I thought so too. Until the doc said I had it." She intertwined her fingers and stretched her arms. "I've been sewing for as long as I remember. And I remember doing it a little too close for comfort when I was younger." Add the fact that there was a time that her mother was against the idea of her staying up late. If her room's light was on, she'd totally see. So being the rebel that she was, she did her sewing in the dark with a very dim flashlight under the blankets just for safety measure. After all, her mom was suspicious when she first asked for a lamp in her room.

"But wearing those fixes that?" If he sounded skeptical, it was because he was.

"In theory, yeah." She looked like a kid who got caught stealing from the cookie jar as she fiddled with her fingers and refused to make eye contact. "But there hasn't been much progress. I admit, I've been doing a lot of things that don't help."

After that, there was this sort of not so awkward but not totally comfortable silence that swept through them. There was really no best reply to that last line. The whole squabble they just did just took out a few minutes of their lives. They still have the whole afternoon hours to burn. The ginger head was trying to figure out what they'd do next. And maybe he just did.

"You said your eyes worked fine with them on, right?"

"Well, yeah. Give or take a few numbers since I last had my check-up."

"I want to test that out." His eyes softened as he asked permission. "You 'kay with that?"

"Sure, as long as I get to keep them on." She pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose.

"Great. I'm just gonna check how good you say your eyesight is."

"Alright, I'm ready."

"Best two out of three." He took a sheet of newspaper and painted in large letters I AM A STALKER! on it but before she could see it, he ran out of the room up to the end of the corridor then held it up. "Try reading this."

"Neku, I am not saying that." Obviously, she could see just fine.

"Just say it. How do I know if you can read it or not if you don't say it?" He smirked.

"Fine. I am (NOT) a stalker." She gave him 'the look'. Even Eri crumbled at her death glare.

He winced. "Pass." Then he pointed to an add right above the letter T. "Can you read it? They're numbers."

She squinted her eyes. And again. And squinted some more. Then she sighed and shook her head. "Nope."

"Fail it is then." He noted. "Good. Then we get to do test three."

"I don't get it." Her head cocked to the side in puzzlement. "What's test three anyways?"

Neku then casually walked towards her, leaving the used paper behind, until he was facing her. For a full minute, he was considering if he should push the third test or not. It was an all-out internal conflict of hesitation to which Shiki had no idea about. She figured it was a close range test this time and she was somewhat close to what he had in mind.

His hands went to both sides of the frame of her eyeglasses and for a moment, she thought he'd take them again. But then his palms cupped her face. And after that, it was either he pulled her face to his or the other way around, maybe both.

He just kissed her. And her eyes were wide open the whole time.

"Did you see that coming?"

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Shinra-ex-SOLDIER

Omake (after Neku returned Shiki's glasses, before the tests):

"Where did that come from?"

"I'm getting glasses."

"Hold up. When?" That was totally unexpected.

"Right after this conversation." He shrugged. "Wanna come with?"

"Why do you need me there for?" He got through the check-up just fine by himself why ask her to tag along now?

"I need someone to pick the frames for me." He crossed his arms and casually added, "I thought you'd be concerned that your boyfriend's getting new specs. You know, I might get dorky frames that'll clash with the trends or something."

"Don't even think about it!" She playfully slapped him by the arm and desperately tried to hide her blush. He was just so open about their relationship that she still gets flustered each and every time.

"Not promising anything. So if I were you, I'd take on the offer."

"And just what exactly is that?"

"A date."