because we're beyond words
Summary: Because sometimes, you just have to go ahead and say it. OneShot- Misaki, Tsubasa. In which Tsubasa gets cursed and Misaki has mind-reader abilities and still punches him.
Warning: OneShot. Attempt at humor.
Set: After the original story.
Disclaimer: Standards apply.
SI: Misaki and Tsubasa officially are a couple from chapter 149 on.
"I don't know why I still let them partner me with him," Natsume declared, scowling worse than ever, and shoved Tsubasa towards the doorstep. The dark-haired shadow-user yelped indignantly as he almost fell over the threshold and just managed to keep himself upright by grabbing on to the shadows of the trees looming over the entrance.
Misaki, perhaps predictably, just rolled her eyes. "What did he do this time?"
Natsume was already walking away, his hands in his pockets. "Shouldn't have been in such a hurry to get home," he called back at Tsubasa over his shoulder. Seventeen years old and he was a brat like there ever would be one, probably the picture in a dictionary shown under the entry of the same word. Mikan's absence wasn't making him softer, but nobody had counted on that. So, little surprise. At least he wasn't trying to get himself killed these days. Still, worry about the fire-wielder and his health – mental and physical – was one of the reasons Tsubasa still went on missions with him.
Said person was just dusting of his bottom, his expression glum. He seemed to be alright, though.
"Can't you even say hello like a normal person?" Misaki turned towards him, her hands on her hips. In the background of the room, the card game contest someone had started today when it had become clear that Noda-Chi wouldn't arrive grew even more in volume. "Tone down the volume!" She hollered. "Do you want Jinno-sensei to check up on us?" Nobody listened to the college student. "What?" Annoyed, she turned back to Tsubasa who looked at her tragically. "Did a cat get your tongue or what-"
Tsubasa had started gesticulating wildly, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. No sound came out. Misaki grabbed the nearest item – a folder on the table in front of her – and whacked his head for good measure. Tsubasa stopped whatever mad dance he was doing and looked at her, adopting the expression of a puppy that had been hit.
"What is wrong with you?" Misaki demanded. Their one-sided conversation was starting to attract attention. Several Specials had already ambled over or were approaching to watch Tsubasa act out a fish on dry land.
Megane finally had mercy and threw a piece of chalk at his classmate. "For heaven's sake, just what are you trying to say?"
Tsubasa picked the chalk out of his hair, tragically gesticulating with it, and marched over to the blackboard. A flock of Specials followed, while Misaki crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against a table in the background. This was either promising to be good – or would lead to eternal pain for Tsubasa.
Chalk scratched over the blackboard. The Special Ability Class, now completely focused on Tsubasa, stared. Tsubasa finished his explanation – damn, that guy had a horrible hand-writing – and scratched his head. Shrugged. Smiled. Together with all the Special Ability students, Misaki read the words on the blackboard.
We ran into one of the old traps Hotaru laid out, it said. Can't speak for two days, the doctors said.
That was why Natsume had been smirking, the little devil.
…
Of course, Tonouchi Akira had to choose the next day to pay one of his visits.
"Tsubasa!" The self-proclaimed Ladies' Man was sitting in a crowd of Special Ability students – Misaki would have to make sure the little girls were mentally unscarred as soon as possible – when she entered, Tsubasa in tow. The latter was hanging his head dejectedly, having experienced trouble in Central Town: it was difficult buying a cake in the most frequented pastry shop at that time of the day if one had no voice, and – stubborn idiot – he had refused to let her pick one for him. At Tonouchi's sight, though, he perked up visibly, opened his mouth – and choked. Tonouchi seemed vaguely worried.
"Is everything alright with him?" He asked Misaki, disregarding Tsubasa completely.
"Yeah," she dismissed his question. "Ran into a trap. No voice for two days."
"One of Hotaru's old toys, huh? He's lucky," Tonouchi said ominously. "The time I triggered one of those, I turned into a woman for two weeks."
Half of the Special Ability class started eewww-ing, laughing and joking. Some seemed to think about something. Misaki caught Hanabi, one of Akira's ex-girl-friends, casting dagger glances at him. Her thoughts were easy to read: Misaki hoped – for hers and all of Special Ability Classes' mental health – that Hanabi wouldn't accidentally stumble over anything like Hotaru's invention.
Tsubasa had started scribbling into a note-book furiously. Tonouchi glanced over his shoulder and seemed to be fighting a smile and an expression of pity at the same time.
"Man, that sucks," he said.
"What is he saying?" One of the kids asked.
"Sorry, little one, that's between buddies," Akira said and carefully set down the two girls on his lap. "Run along, I need to talk to Tsubasa."
Pouting but already forgetting the incident, the kids ran off.
Misaki edged over to catch a look at the message and felt herself freeze.
"Tsubasa," she said, dangerously. "Tell me you didn't."
He didn't look up from scribbling his text messages to Tonouchi, just shrugged. When he finished, he cast her an apologetic glance and she felt his shadows releasing her.
"Message received," she grumbled and marched off to find a place she could keep an eye on the kids and do some homework.
…
"This feels nice!" Misaki stretched her arms, feeling the tension in her shoulders fade away bit by bit. "The cool wind is perfect for summer, don't you think?"
Tsubasa was staring at something behind her with a rapt glance. Misaki frowned. "Tsubasa?"
Her friend opened his mouth and closed it again, clearly annoyed. Misaki only laughed.
"You know, tomorrow you'll be able to talk again. No need to be impatient."
Instead of calming down, he stomped away.
"Hey, Tsubasa!" Misaki followed him hastily, trying not to fall over the seam of her formal kimono. "I'm sorry. It's just… You know, it is kind of funny. You are usually the one who never stops talking – the fact that you can't, right now- Damn, Tsubasa, wait, what's wrong with you?"
In the middle of the forest path from the Headquarters to the Specialist Division Dorms, Tsubasa stopped, whirled around and opened his mouth. He closed it again abruptly with a look in his eyes that seemed almost desperate, raked his hands through his hair, made a step towards her and stopped again. Misaki, caught by surprise, froze as well. The look in his eyes- A sudden silence descended over them, a silence she noticed because her own breath suddenly seemed loud in her ears, and it took her a second to realize what was happening: Tsubasa had taken control of the trees' shadows and had brought them – and the trees connected to them – to a complete stand-still. His eyes never leaving hers, he took a deep breath and seemed to come to a decision. With a wave of his hands, the shadows started whirling: faster and faster, spinning and twirling. Entranced, Misaki stared at the darkness that had come to life around her, watched as figures suddenly separated from the darkness, shaped themselves, took form and began to dance. Animals, people. Black, black shadows, outlined against their own backdrop just barely. A cat, a bird, a girl, a boy. Whenever Tsubasa had learned to do this – and for whatever reason he hadn't told her about it – it was beautiful. Misaki watched the shadow-girl dance and the boy join her, and then step away to present something to her, and then, suddenly, the images fell apart. They shattered like glass, returning to their own, respective darkness, and with a great sigh the forest continued to move again by itself.
Misaki's heart was hammering in her chest.
Tsubasa still stood there, unmoving, and his eyes were still and unblinkingly fixed on her. The silence that fell – rustling of the trees, the call of a bird in the distance – was so beautiful she felt like crying.
"Was that what I think it was supposed to be?" She asked, keeping her voice light. It required a lot of work.
Tsubasa shrugged as if he didn't care, but she could see a flicker of fear in his eyes. What did you think it was supposed to be? His eyes seemed to ask.
"I know what day is today," she bypassed his unspoken question. "I haven't forgotten, you know."
So?
His fear gave her strength because it made him human, and because she could understand it. If they feared the same, this was not a big step. If she could understand him like that – like he understood her – there was no need to worry.
"Idiot. If you want to ask me to marry you, then just go ahead."
"As if I'd want to marry such an ugly woman as you."
She had crossed the expanse between them before she had noticed, and her fist connected with the back of his head before her brain even registered the meaning of his words.
"Wait." She stopped, her face centimeters away from his. "What – you can speak again? What did you say?"
Tsubasa's face distorted in distress and he pressed his lips together tightly.
"Now what, you lost your voice again?" Misaki peered into his face, too confused to actually be angry. "What the hell is going on?"
"Whenever I try to say something, I say what I mean to say."
"Um." She thought his words over. "So you're insulting me on purpose?"
"Yes!" Tsubasa's face was both horrified and desperate. "I mean, I am insulting you! I- Oh, crap – this is exactly the way I wanted it to go!"
Misaki tried to gather the fraying ends of her wits. She should probably be freaking out. She had thought they had something going here-
"You're not making sense, you know that, don't you? You practically asked me to marry you, after we've been going out for three years, and now you're saying-" She took a deep breath. "What are you saying, exactly?"
Tsubasa closed his eyes, mimicking her action. Then he made the same weaving motion she had seen him do earlier again and the shadows around them stopped, the air stopped moving, and the darkness separated into letters, then words. Reading them, one by one, slowly putting together the sense behind the string of words, Misaki understood. Suddenly, her heart felt light as sunlight.
"Oh." Sheepishly, she touched his rapidly swelling bruise. "I get it. That's what it is. I'm sorry for hitting you."
"Sorry doesn't even cut it!"
Tsubasa's face was a picture of dejection, a stark contrast to the words coming from his mouth.
Misaki threw her had back and laughed. "You know, this actually is kind of funny, even though you just tried to propose to me and then insulted me. Way to go."
Tsubasa reached out a hand for her, his other directing the shadow letters into more words.
But it had to be today.
"I know," she said, taking his hand and letting him draw her in until he could wrap both arms around her. "I know."
And then he was too close, and he kissed her.
"I still want my cake," she whispered finally, and Tsubasa laughed for what felt like the first time since he'd come back with Natsume two days ago. He tugged at her hair-band, and her locks fell over her shoulder.
"I hate you, you know," he said. "More than anything in the world."
Misaki smiled against his lips.
"I guess," she said, "this is a very good way of finding out what people are actually thinking. I wonder who Hotaru hoped would fall into this trap?"
Tsubasa chuckled and suddenly chocked, coughed once, and then straightened again. "Thanks God, it's over," he said with such heart-felt relief that Misaki couldn't help but laugh. "You won't believe how horrible it was, wanting to say one thing and feeling the opposite trying to worm itself out between your lips."
"It sure made for two interesting days."
"But I wanted to do this right." The anguish on his face made her want to wrap her arms around him and hold him tight, but she was already embracing him. "I wanted-"
"Stop it," she ordered him and, for good measure, punched his ribs. Carefully. "You know we never do things the ordinary way."
"True," he relented. "Still, I had hoped, for once…"
"Are you taking it back?" Misaki asked, only half-joking. Immediately, Tsubasa's arms tightened around her.
"Never."
"Good. Now let's go back, I have a cake waiting for me and I'd like to get out of these stiff clothes."
Tsubasa released her but kept her hand, laughing. As My Lady wishes.
Stupid, Misaki berated herself, why would he say those silly words? But her mind insisted. It was weird with her and Tsubasa. Although they'd always fought a lot – more for show than anything, but still – they'd never needed many words to understand each other. They'd been together long before he had asked her out. Misaki had loved him long before she had realized it herself, and had heard herself say it.
I love you, she thought at him and waited. But it was impossible to say whether Tsubasa had heard her or not. He just smiled and tugged her closer and together, they continued on the forest path towards Specialist Division.
"I should probably propose again," Tsubasa said, pensively. "How does next year, same time, sound? I promise I will use actual words then."
"I don't think I want to wait a year." Misaki smiled.
And thought of a girl and a boy made of shadows, dancing along the forest path next to them.