Don't own them, and really, the only one I'd want anyway is Husky. Characters are very OOC and there is a bit of swearing. But other than that, it's all hunky-dory! (does anyone know how to spell that?)
"You're so, so" Husky hesitated, caught between what he wanted t say and what he was expected to say. Somehow he didn't think calling Nana beautiful or sweet or thoughtfulwould go unnoticed or uncommented upon.
"So? If you can't even finish an insult properly, then why bother with trying to be mean in the first place." Nana stuck her nose in the air and stalked past Husky to the other side of the camp.
"Well, you're not afraid to voice your own opinion that's for sure." Husky muttered, his blue eyes following her as she sat down beside Senri. An unexpected feeling of jealousy flared up as she began to talk to him.
I don't know why she talks to him anyway, it's not like he responds. Then he quickly averted his eyes as Senri looked up at him, feeling guilty. Couro suddenly landed right beside Husky, babbling something about a circus. As he had disappeared without explanation for most of the day, Husky saw justification in taking out his annoyance on him.
Nana talked absentmindedly to Senri, not really concentrating on what she was saying, it was only when he began to softly chuckle that she realized she'd spent the entire time complaining about Husky.
"I mean, he's just so irritating, is all." She desperately tried to save the situation. Senri just stared at her, she sighed.
"OK fine, he's not too irritating, and I don't mind him that much." Senri continued to stare.
"I even sort of like him."
"…"
"OK, I like him, but only as a friend."
"…"
"Fine have it your way! Stare the truth out of me! I love him, happy?" Nana hissed furiously. Senri began to examine some flowers, a smile on his usually expressionless face. Nana shot a glare at him than glanced under her lashes across the camp at Husky, who was busy berating Couro.
"Hey Senri, it looks like Couro's back. Finally." Senri glanced up briefly than returned to his precious flowers. Nana got up, ignoring Husky (who didn't seem to even notice), and went straight to Couro.
"Where did you go this time?" She asked with the tone of one who is weary of the world.
Just as he was wrapping up his lecture to Couro, who wasn't listening, Husky saw Nana get up from the corner of his eye and faltered. She walked right past him, not seeming to be aware of his existence and Husky felt as if he had been knifed in the guts. He did his best to hide this fact from the bat-girl in question, not that it mattered as she wasn't looking at him. He stared at her hair as she questioned Couro about where he had been. A breath of wind swept around them as once again Couro gave his feeble excuse about the circus. Husky barely heard as he watched her beautiful hair fly in the breeze.
Couro tuned out as Nana started up the same lecture that Husky had. Looking for something to distract himself with, Couro's bored eyes drifted to Husky. Husky, Couro noticed with interest, was seemingly transfixed by Nana's hair. A rarely seen, relaxed expression graced his features. Couro glanced between the two of them several times as he put two and two together. When Husky finally tore his eyes away from Nana, Couro grinned wickedly at him. Husky looked confused then went pale as Couro looked pointedly at Nana. Husky swallowed, hard.
Oh, this is bad. This is really, really bad. He knows, oh God. He knows!
Nana finally finished with her lecture and Couro nodded sagely as if he had heard and understood every word she had uttered. Then, casually, he turned to Husky.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Husky shrugged, equally casual.
"Sure." Couro gestured for Husky to follow him into the trees.
Nana watched them, or if she was being honest him, go. She idly fiddled with the necklace Husky had given her, glancing every few seconds in the direction Husky and Couro had taken.
What's taking them so long? Maybe I should go- No. Remember, curiosity killed the bat. Nana glanced after them again, biting her lip. Across the camp Senri smiled slightly. He could practically hear her morals crumbling.
Curiosity killed the bat, Nana repeated to herself. Glance. But satisfaction brought her back. And Nana set off after them.
Husky couldn't believe he was listening to this. After all the meaningful looks, asking to talk to him in private, the freaking suspense he'd been under- and Couro was talking about the circus. Couro, not nearly as dumb as he pretended to be, watched Husky squirm. It was good to see him like this, he decided. Husky was almost unshakeable, nothing ever fazed him. Being totally out of his depth would be a learning experience for him.
Nana couldn't believe she was listening to this. After all the indecision, finding them in the middle of a forest, the damage to her morals- and Couro was talking about the circus. Nana rolled her eyes.
Typical.
Finally Husky could take it no more.
"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" He demanded.
"Nope. I also wanted to talk about Nana." Nana, who had been in the process of sneaking away, froze. Does he… could he know? Why is it that everyone seems to know I like Husky? Am I that transparent?
"Or more specifically, you and Nana." Nana, who was beginning too lose the feeling in her left leg, blushed to the roots of her hair.
"I don't know what you mean." Husky tried.
"Sure you don't." Couro patted Husky sympathetically on the head.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He persevered.
"Yeah, and I suppose you don't like Nana either?" Couro was beginning to get bored of this conversation. Husky almost smiled. This question he could answer truthfully.
"Of course I don't!" He scoffed.
Nana suddenly found she could move again. It was only when she found herself back at the campsite and able to stop that she realized she was crying. Senri looked at her for a long moment before opening his arms. Nana flung herself into his embrace, sobbing.
Couro was hungry, time to cut to the chase.
"Well if you don't like her than you must love her 'cause no one could show another person the kind of dedication you show Nana without having formed some kind of connection." Husky could only stare, gobsmacked at him. Had a sentence just come out of Couro's mouth that was more than 30 words long? Couro counted to ten while he waited for a reaction but Husky remained beyond words. Finally he shrugged and wandered off to find some food, whistling.
Nana wiped away her tears, gave an almighty sniff and untangled herself from Senri's bear hug (AN: he he, couldn't resist). Senri patted her hair back into place and then started preparing the groups evening meal. Nana bustled about, straightening their few belongings and clearing away stray sticks and leaves, her own version of therapy. Soon dinner was ready and Nana began doling it out into four bowls they had acquired in the last town they had passed through. Right on cue, Couro swooped in and hopped from one foot to the other while he waited for his. 5 minuets later Husky wandered in still looking slightly dazed. Couro glanced up and smirked, Husky looked like someone had told him Santa Claus didn't exist. Nana visibly stiffened and started to make her way over to him. Husky sat down slowly and blushed when he saw Nana coming towards him. Couro grinned and shared an amused look with Senri. Nana was not feeling nearly as cheerful.
"You're late." she snapped at Husky, thrusting his bowl at him, almost spilling the contents.
"Um, sorry?" offered Husky. Nana sniffed and gave him a look of pure contempt.
"No you're not." Husky was now thoroughly bewildered. Nana turned on her heel and went to sit as far away from Husky as she could. Husky watched her go, wandering how many times this was going to happen. Twice in a day We don't even have a proper time set for dinner. Why is she so mad?
Couro finished his dinner first, shocker, and turned to watch Nana. She was being perfectly civil to him and Senri, ignoring Husky altogether. Husky was rotating between watching her to picking feebly at his food. Couro shook his head; the poor guy didn't even know what he had done wrong.
"So, Nana. Didn't like what he said about you then?" Nana glared at Husky and shook her head before she caught herself.
"Someone said something about me?" She tried. Couro rolled his eyes. These two need all the help they can get.
"Nana, I know you were listening, I heard you when you ran away." Nana abandoned all pretences of ignorance.
"I don't care anyway. Husky doesn't mean anything to me." Unintentionally her voice had risen, the venom in it unmistakeable. Couro drew back, shocked, he had never heard Nana sound so- bitchy. He wasn't the only one to be surprised. Senri even looked up, glancing first at Nana, then Couro. In perfect sync, they turned to look at Husky. He was staring, wide-eyed at Nana. His bowl was forgotten, and thankfully unbroken, at his feet with the rest of his food scattered. Couro and Senri turned back to Nana, she was staring at Husky. Her face unforgiving and hard, but her brown eyes swam with unshed tears. Husky cleared his throat, bowed his head so that they couldn't see his face and reached for his staff.
"I'll take first watch." His voice didn't waver, showed no hint of emotion, but as he turned away the fire revealed his tear-streaked face for just a second. But a second was enough. Nana suddenly jumped to her feet.
"I need to go- somewhere…" and ran off in the opposite direction. Couro looked at Senri, Senri looked at Couro.
"Well fuck." said Couro, Senri nodded his head sagely.
Husky doesn't mean anything to me… Husky doesn't mean ANYTHING to me… HUSKY DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME…
The words drove Husky to his knees, they took over all rational thought. What was the point, anyway?
Husky doesn't mean anything to me… Husky doesn't mean ANYTHING to me…
Nana flew up as high as she could go as fast as she could go. She let out a scream of pent up emotion; frustration, anger and love. Then holding the note, she let herself fall.
Couro looked around wildly for the source of the noise. It seemed to be coming from everywhere.
"What could make that sound?" Couro muttered, Senri looked up and then shook his head sadly.
Husky was brought out of his trance by a scream that sounded almost animal. He stared as a dark shape hurtled towards him.
"Nana?" He whispered. It couldn't be, could it?
"NANA!"
When she could make out the details of the forest again, Nana pulled out of her dive and coasted towards the ground. She was just getting her breath back when someone crashed into her, knocking her over.
"Oh my god, Nana. Are you OK? As in, mentally? Seriously, are you crazy?" Husky frantically touched her face, her hair, her wings, trying to reassure himself that she was alive.
"Husky? What are you doing?" Nana asked, struggling to get out from beneath him.
"Are you trying to kill me? Or yourself? They're one and the same you know." He muttered distractedly, still in panic mode.
"Why are they one and the same? Wait, why would I kill myself" Nana asked, confused.
"I thought, it looked like-" Husky choked off the rest of the sentence, tears tracking down his face.
"Oh," realization dawned "you thought that was like a suicide jump?" Husky could only nod, Nana reached out to touch his cheek, wetting her fingertips with his tears.
"You're crying…"
"Of course I'm fucking crying! I thought you were going to die. Do you have any idea what that would've-" He broke off, his head down, silent sobs wracking his body. Nana stared at him in shock, she had never seen Husky like this. He looked up and she suddenly became aware of just of close he was. He leant forward suddenly and pressed his lips to hers. Nana gasped in surprise and for just an instant, a wonderful, amazing second, his tongue met hers. Then he drew away and laid his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. He sighed and all the tension seemed to drain out of him. Nana tilted her head just slightly into his and closed her eyes too. They remained like that for seconds, minutes, days, centuries… Then Husky's eyes snapped open and he abruptly got off her and turned away.
"I'm sorry," he said "I, oh shit Nana, I'm so sorry."
"Husky, wha-" But he continued as if she hadn't spoken.
"Nana," his voice broke and he turned to face her. He looked anguished. "I realize you don't like me and after this, I don't think we could function as a group anymore." He took a breath, "So, the next town we come to I'll leave the group."
As the words left Husky's lips he watched as Nana's expression turned from dazed to horrified.
"Husky, you can't." She practically pleaded. Can't? She scrambled to her feet.
"It's Ok Nana. You don't have to-"
"Listen to me, dammit! I'm not going to let you leave! And do you know why?" she demanded.
"Um, no." Husky said, trying to get his head around the sudden change.
"Because I'm fucking in love with you!" She dusted off her dress, glaring at Husky. He stared at her dumbly, as what she had said slowly sank in. Nana, feeling exposed under his gaze, blushed and looked at her feet.
"Really?" he whispered quietly walking up to her.
"No, I just said that to banish any remaining bits of sanity you might have left." He reached across with a visibly trembling hand and tilted her face up. He leaned down and for the second time in 15 minutes, kissed Nana. One hand of her hands went to the back of his head and tangled in his hair, the other went to his face. She briefly wished he was just a fraction taller so that she could go up on tippy-toes, before his tongue entered her mouth and eradicated all sensible thought.
"Well," Couro shook his head "not the most romantic scene, but at least it's finally happened." Senri stuck out his hand, Couro gave him a high five. Senri continued to hold his hand out. Couro winced then sighed.
"Oh, alright. You win. How you got it down to the exact hour I'll never know." Couro rifled through his pockets and a small pile of change collected in Senri's palm. Senri gave Couro a grin and placed the money somewhere in the folds of his clothes. Couro was a generally good-natured person but he thought that in this situation a parting shot was needed.
"You know we'll all be playing match-maker for you next, right?"
Ok, people. You know the drill. Read and Review, please.