Wide Open

The cold biting wind swept across the wintry night and through the streets freely, unhinged. It wasn't cruel or harsh in any way, but it still held that sharp pinch that turned your cheeks red and made you curl your toes away from the freezing front ends of your boots. There wasn't many out and about in the neighborhood that held similarly named school's.

Seiyo Jr. Sr. High and it's younger sibling, Seiyo Elementary.

Mounds of white fluffy pillows decorated the sides of streets and many slanting rooftops dropping out over doorsteps. It was much too icy for people to be trouncing around for fun, much less any children. But on one street in this quiet late December evening there are two shapes walking side by side, but not hand in hand. You might assume from immediate sight of two teenagers alone that were opposite each other's sex would be up to some romantic things…or other stuff. But no, this slender blonde and this tall auburn haired boy aren't really doing much. Except walking.

And of course, talking. That too.

"So," The one who could only be known as Kukai Souma started up, looping his fingers behind his head in a lazy way as if the cold didn't bother him in the least. "That dinner was rather…nice…"

The young woman beside him didn't utter any sound, she glanced down at her nails as if she hadn't heard a single word out of his mouth. He was clearly leaving a desperate hint that she wasn't quite baited by.

Kukai smacked his lips absently together, irritated at their mild steadily drying state. "I mean that chicken salad…yeah, awesome." His purposeful lack of enthusiasm didn't drive the nail home as he hoped it would. Utau shivered and stuffed her freezing hands in her coat pockets, her expression a bored solid slate.

His eyebrows twitched in exasperation.

Okay, he must have pissed her off.

Now…what did he do exactly?

He pondered this for a few moments in the constant crunch of footsteps against tightly packed snow. Her face remained impassive and softly touched with crimson from the air.

Kukai was starting to think about how much easier it would be to get it out of her if he was just Ikuto, her brother. He abruptly straightened from his dejected slouch, suddenly enlightened for a cure to her stubborn silence.

He cleared his throat. "You treat your brother better than your own boyfriend." It was an attempt at an old joke that had never failed before to bring a response.

But rather than some hot retort or immediate rejection as he thought would leap from her mouth with a 'you're an idiot' glower, he received a dismissive sniff in his direction.

"Yeah, and?"

Finally!

The grin appeared on his face without a missed beat, but he smacked it down and replaced it with a feigned pout. "That wounds me, you know? Deep inside your words hurt. I take it every time without a complaint. And I'm not sure if I'll be able to live another day from -"

At her lack of reaction to this dramatic exclamation, Kukai stopped with the forlorn tone and sad puppy dog eyes. "You're not even listening."

Utau cast him an apathetic glance. "And you're whining like a kid, what's new?"

Kukai winced but couldn't help the smile that came along with it. "Ah, ouch! Now that there stung woman!"

She blinked twice. "You left yourself open."

"That I did."

There was something very wrong. Normally she would provide a small tilt to her lips, humored with his fake sulky state. But Kukai could only stand by, wondering if she would stomp off in a rage if he accused her of being in a bad mood. He learned quickly to never charge Utau with this after being subjected to ignored calls and no one answering the door when he was there. Well, once her brother had, but only to tell him his sister didn't want to speak to him. In polite terms aside from what she really said to him when he finally intercepted her at school.

Kukai's expression became pained at the unpleasant memory.

He knew one thing for sure.

Her indifference was making him crazy to grab a hold of her. Kukai ached to kiss her in this chilly night air, keep her close to him and ask what was wrong. But he didn't want to risk it all, have her leave him because he was some 'dumb kid'. Kukai then felt a brief flash of annoyance at himself. The idea seemed completely stupid now that he thought about it. These past weeks he had been careful not to force anything on her, desire making him go utterly nuts whenever she brushed against him accidentally.

But was it all just causing the opposite effect?

Kukai paused his steps, staring at the small back of the one girl he could say he'd die for.

"Utau…" He whispered.

Any other wouldn't have turned back, but she did.

He knew she would.

He grabbed hold of her hand that was now free of its entrapment, curling his own around her much too cold fingers. Kukai watched her eyelashes flutter upward, catching tiny little drifts of snowflakes from the shifting wind. And he brought his face closer to her own, brushing his lips over hers and loving the way her breathing hitched sharply in surprise. He circled an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, relief flooding his body as she gave into it willingly and naturally.

He leaned his forehead against hers, taking in her light familiar scent.

"You left yourself open."

She smiled easily right back at him. "I know."

This was supposed to be a short drabble thing, but ended up a bit longer than anticipated. No chara's (AU) SORRY! I swear I'll put them in someday and not just mention them conveniently missing. And this is my first attempt at anything romantic with shugo chara, so I'm really hoping it wasn't bad. Reviews anyone?