this took me forever to finish, but i did it, yay!

you can find these drabbles on my writing tumblr too, the url is strawnillas

i hope you'll enjoy this humble work of mine!

1. home

Home is where the heart is. That is what he was told, that is what Mikaela chose to believe in.

As they run, away from the authorities and from the damned lives they were sent in, nothing matters to him but the warmth of Yuu's hand and the hopes that for the days in the future they would still be like this, dirty and tired but together.

So even if they're in the streets, or if they're sleeping on a bed. Through rain or sun, hail or drought. Even if the world decides to crash and burn and they're the only ones left…

Yuu is where his home is.

2. titanic

His eyes dart left and right, and his hand holds Yuu's tightly as Mika leads them through the crowd. There are people crying, there are people screaming.

Mika is scared.

The night air is cold on his skin, and his teeth would be chattering if he wasn't gritting them. He tries to find something, anything, anyway, that could ensure their survival. Life jackets, a boat, something.

But there are no more life jackets, neither of them knew how to swim, and the boats are filling up with only women and children. Some of the first class men paid their ways onto certain boats, he saw it with his own eyes. For a split second he wishes he could do the same, except they are made of nothing but themselves and the clothes on their backs. They have no chance to live. They have no way out of this.

"Mika!"

They're being pushed around by the panicking crowd, he feels like he's being squished under a stampede as he tries to fight the current. There are some calmer ones, holding onto loved ones or the railings. He finds that he's gripping Yuu's hand tighter.

"Mika!"

Almost wildly, he turns his head around and meets Yuu's green eyes. There's something in them, a particular fear of the unknown and the known, of what would happen to them and the sinking ship. But he can see a certainty in them too, one that speaks of hope, to see the next sunrise together. A courage that they can get through this, somehow.

Yuu pulls him into a tight embrace. "Calm down. We'll figure something out."

He wants to laugh. Him, the usually calm and calculated one, is being consoled by the Yuu who was always up and about looking for fights down in shady alleys. It is a change of positions, one that makes him realize they are no longer children but grown young adults who have big dreams. He returns the hug, just as tight, and nods.

He can't give up. Not yet. Until the last of this God forsaken ship disappears under the freezing waters, he will keep trying. He'll use his wits to help them survive. He'll make sure they'll live to see another day.

It's a promise.

3. disadvantage

He feels someone pull on his sleeve and turns his head around to see Mika narrowing his blue eyes dangerously in a glare. Yuu gulps. Uh-oh.

Yuu steps away from the group of boys sprawled on the ground, most of them bruised or injured. Some are passed out. He opens his mouth before he remembers Mika 'lost' his hearing aid in school a few days ago and promptly shuts up. The green-eyed teen hurriedly moves his hands in panicked gestures and he's certain he's almost too fast for Mika to make sense of his signs.

"Before you get mad, you should know that they're bullies!" Yuu explains in his defense, hoping that if his signs don't make sense, then Mika would at least be able to read his lips.

Mika makes a face. He raises his hands and signs, Really? That again?

"I'm serious!"

Mika stretches a hand out and his thumb caresses the bruise forming on Yuu's cheek. The blond's brows are furrowed tightly together and Yuu doesn't need sign language to know what Mika's thinking of.

Yuu tries a smile, moving his hands again. "It's okay, it doesn't hurt much."

Mika just sighs, looking fond this time. There's a small smile on his face as he retracts his hand. We should go home, before the teachers come.

Yuu grins. "Go on first, I'll catch up with you in a bit. I left my bag on the roof."

Mika raises his eyebrows at that but nods his head anyway. He shoulders his school bag and signs, Don't be late, before he turns on his heels.

Yuu watches the blond as Mika disappears behind the corner of the school building. He turns his eyes to trail the bushes that surround the back area of the main building before he finds his bag, thrown and forgotten in a thick lush of green in the middle of all the fuss with fists and remarks. He dusts it off.

"Oi," he says, walking over to one of the larger boys that's on the ground and steps on his wrist, hard enough to bring pain but not enough to actually crack it. The boy whimpers when he catches Yuu's cold glare on him. "Take this as a warning. You mess with Mika, and I won't be so gentle next time. Got it?"

The boy beneath him nods hurriedly.

"Good." Yuu steps off. "Oh, and if I even hear you say his name or make fun of him again," his voice drips with the venom of a thousand scorpions, "I swear you'll be on Satan's dinner table by nightfall."

The boy whimpers.

Yuu shoulders his bag with a yawn and casually walks away, his knuckles red and a bruise starting to form on his shoulder too. But he hums a song in spirit anyway, because this pain is far better than the sizzling aching burn in his ears that comes every time some asshole makes fun of Mika's disability.

Yup, he's content.

4. lies

Yuu huffs his hair out of his face. He crosses his arms and leans against the shoe lockers as he waits for Mika to finish talking with some guy from another class. He watches as Mika laughs heartily at something the guy said.

His heart wrenches.

When Mika is finally done and over with the guy, he comes over to Yuu. "Sorry I kept you waiting, Yuu-chan." He smiles, that sweet smile of his, and Yuu's heart softens.

The green-eyed teen shrugs. He pockets his hands and turns on his heels. He doesn't really say anything as he starts walking ahead, promptly leaving Mika behind.

It almost feels like forever before he feels a hand on his shoulder, stopping him and turning him around. Mika stares at him with worried blue eyes. "Yuu-chan? What's wrong?"

Yuu quickly averts his gaze to whatever is in the distance behind Mika's head. Wait, is that the school building far away? Crap, he walked too fast. No wonder Mika got worried.

Yuu bites the inside of his cheek. "I'm fine."

"You're lying." The reply came fast and hard.

"I'm not lying!"

"You are. What did I tell you about lying?"

Yuu huffs, turning his head away. He mumbles, "That it's bad…" before he looks back into Mika's eyes. "But I'm not a child anymore!"

"Then stop acting like one and tell me what's wrong." Mika says in a hard voice before his face softens into worry once more. "Did I do something to upset you?"

Yuu clicks his tongue. He mumbles something under his breath.

Mika looks confused. "What…?"

Yuu runs his fingers through his hair. With a deep sigh, he says, "You… You're really popular, you know? You've got a lot of friends and people are always talking to you or asking you to hang out with them. These days you barely even have time for me."

The silence beats on for a few moments. Yuu feels his heart skittering around too.

Mika smiles, amused. "Yuu-chan… Could it be… that you're jealous?"

Yuu sputters. He takes a step back, arms flailing around in a desperate attempt. "Jealous? No way! Why would I be jealous?!"

Mika laughs. "Oh my God, you really are!"

"I'm not!"

The blond lets the remnants of his laugh die away before he coughs into his hand. "Really, Yuu-chan, you have nothing to be jealous of. At the end of the day…" Mika's cheeks turn a little pink, "you're still my only best friend."

Yuu freezes for a moment. Best friend.

"Yeah, sure…"

"Don't tell me you're still jealous?"

"Am not! It's just…" Yuu scuffs his shoe on the pavement. He bites his lip, unable to say the words lingering at the tip of his tongue.

I'm hoping we can be more.

5. eyes

His steps echo soundly around the empty ballroom as he reloads his gun with ease. The young man trails his eyes over the decorations for the party, most of which were destroyed under the chaos of people screaming and running when he shot a bullet.

Mikaela's breathing is timed.

The gun in his hand is held with the ingrained familiarity drilled into it from the many, countless, practice sessions he had. He counts silently in his head as he breathes, taking each controlled breath like the pills he takes to sleep.

His target is a mere twenty feet away.

Mikaela knows he won't miss. He can't possibly miss. The target, a man in politics, Ichinose Guren, is staring at him with steel in his eyes from the floor, like he's challenging him. The morning dress suit the man's wearing to attend the social party Mikaela infiltrated and ruined is dirty and crumpled, with wine stains across his chest. His left foot is bleeding from where he was shot earlier to cripple his ability to walk. Mikaela, clad in a white English cut suit, simply stares back with indifference. He was hired to kill this man.

Kill him, he will.

He doesn't know what this man did to manage to get someone to hire an assassin after his head. It could be something generally bad, like bribery, or terrible things like drug dealings, or he's simply getting killed because Mikaela's client is jealous of him. The blond has heard and seen of many reasons before for clientele to acquire his services. And not once, not once, has he cared.

You pay, you get.

Mikaela raises his gun to aim.

Ichinose Guren smirks. In a raspy voice he says, "The one day I wanted to have a little fun,you show up."

He holds back a tired sigh. He should finish this soon, he doesn't want to deal with this man. "Delaying your death won't matter," he says.

The man chuckles, tilting his head to the side, looking absolutely amused and smug with a smirk. "Who said anything about delaying my death?"

The remark clicks in his mind like a knife and Mikaela ducks behind a column of marble just as an array of bullets hit exactly where he stood. He clicks his tongue, focusing on the running footsteps, trying to decipher how many people came back using his ears.

"Stupid Guren! I leave you out of my sight for one day…!"

"Scold me later, idiot. The assassin's still here."

"Che… Shinoa, Mitsuba, get Guren out of here. I'll deal with the assassin."

"Ha?! Don't be ridiculous–!"

"Kimizuki is on the way, and Yoichi's waiting for you guys outside. Just go, I'll be fine!"

Grumbles of reluctant agreement can be heard before slower footsteps begin to grow dimmer, sounding heavy like they're dragging something big.

Damn it. His target is getting away. He can't let that happen. He can't ever fail a mission. After having his home destroyed, after seeing his family killed in front of his eyes and after being separated from his best friend, who was his light of hope… after all the gruelling training and torments he had been forced to go through to reach this level, he cannot let some brats ruin the only thing he has left in his life.

The blond hears another set of footsteps approach the marble column he's hiding behind. He holds his gun with both hands, gripping it to his chest. The steps come tentatively closer… and closer…

Mikaela's breathing is timed.

He steps out of his hiding spot as swift as an eagle, his gun raised at the same time and aimed towards the disturbance. But he does not pull the trigger. His breath leaves him in a gasp and becomes erratic. His blood runs cold as his limbs turn weak when his eyes lock with the other's.

Green like the meadows in his dreams.

Recognition flicker in the greens, and the black-haired one also gasps. His jaw drops. His gun trembles, Mikaela can see it from the nozzle that's aimed at him.

"Yuu…Yuu-chan?" his voice sounds weak, so weak and fragile in his ears, and it matches how he feels inside.

"M-Mika… is that you? You're… you're alive?" a smile spreads across Yuu's face, his green, his beautiful green eyes brightening up like the sun.

For a moment, Mikaela feels a flicker of hope ignite inside of him. All he wants to do is drop his gun, drop his job, drop his identity, grab Yuuichirou's hand and make a run for it with the light of his life in tow without looking back. Without ever once looking back.

He sees a hooded figure aim a sniper rifle at Yuuichirou from the shadows, and Mikaela's blood runs cold all over again. He runs forward, arm outstretched, panic rising inside him like bile.

"No!"

6. first

When he looks back, Yuu recalls cherry blossoms.

It was spring. The wind was a gentle breeze that tickled his cheeks and made his hair sway. He remembers that the sky was a bright blue, a blue alike to Mika's own eyes. (Though Mika's are prettier, gentler,brighter.)

He remembers he was laughing with his friends, Yoichi and Kimizuki, because they graduated from junior high that day. He remembers he didn't care to ask where Shinoa and Mitsuba were, because they all pretty much assumed the two girls were too busy with each other to care about the boys.

He remembers the distinct scent of grass, can almost smell it now as he leans into his chair. And he remembers the way Mika called out for him, full of excitement and fervour, voice cutting through the air right into Yuu's chest.

He remembers turning around just in time to catch Mika, who leapt into his arms, and he twirled the blond with laughter echoing in his ears. He remembers he slowly got woozy and gently placed Mika back on his feet. He remembers the feel of Mika's fingers cupped around his cheeks and he remembers how quickly Mika leaned in to seal their lips greedily.

And just like that, Mika stole his first kiss.

Yuu smiles to himself, the memory in his mind like a rewind video tape. He thinks of standing, but is cut off from doing so when a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders. He turns his head to speak but is met with a pair of lips and a set of shining blue eyes.

"Hey," he whispers into the kiss with a grin.

"Hi." Mika smiles back.

7. water

It was all Mika's idea.

Yuu didn't see the appeal, he'll be honest. A date in the aquarium? What's so fun about watching fish swim behind glass you're not allowed to tap?

But in the same time, when has he been able to say no to Mika?

So there he was, on a Sunday, having his arm pulled along by an excited Mika into the city's aquarium. It's crowded at the entrance and Yuu had his feet stepped on one time too many, which was something he was not happy about at all.

By some crazy miracle, they got in before they were flattened, and surprisingly the aquarium was large enough to fit the crowd. Or maybe it was because the management was controlling the amount of visitors going in? Yuu was sure that was what was going on when they were outside.

All that aside though, Mika looked damned happy and excited to see the fish. He kept calling Yuu over to an exhibit, and the green-eyed teen reluctantly followed the blond anywhere.

It was at one tank, however, that Yuu realized how much this date was worth it.

To Yuu, it looked like any other tanks from inside the aquarium, and the fish were another one of the exotic kind. His eyes had been on the anemone in the background, when he turned to talk to Mika… but stopped short at the sight beheld in front of him.

The soft blue glow from the tank was like paint on Mika's face, his pretty eyes sparkled like the water in the middle of the ocean on a sunny day and his smile… his smile spoke of his excitement and wonder at the creatures of the deep without a word uttered from the blond himself.

Yuu closed his hanging jaw slowly and turned to the exhibit again.

He didn't complain for the rest of the tour.

8. festival

The streets were lively, the lights blinding, and the night air gently biting at his skin. The noise and chatter of other festival-goers melted into the background, and all that is left in Mika's world is his hand in Yuu's.

The two of them walked side by side, not quickly, not slowly, simply browsing around the stalls with their hands still intertwined. They occasionally played a game or two, got some food, and throughout the night Mika still thought that the green yukata Yuu wore fit him perfectly.

"Hey Mika."

"Hm?"

"The fireworks are going to start soon." Yuu said, grinning. "Let's go find our place!"

A grin came upon Mika's face too. "Okay!"

They went into a slight jog, hurrying towards that one spot they found ages ago, where they first met as children and had fought over it. The place wasn't that far from the festival area. The both of them had thought of it as the perfect place to watch the fireworks, and only came to a truce when the light show started.

When they reached it, they fell onto the grass as one. Nobody else were seen, but they could hear the chatter of the crowd not too far away.

They were both secluded from the public, but not too isolated that it felt like they were the only two people left on Earth.

Mika turned to his side and found Yuu was already facing him. The green-eyed boy smiled and the blond returned it just as brightly. They leaned closer into one another, feeling their heads touch as the first firework lit up the sky.

9. idols

You take one look at him and you know he's a suspicious guy.

Who wouldn't? He has his hood up, his sunglasses on, and he keeps checking his watch every five minutes, fidgeting and twitching the entire time.

Shinoa can't believe she's doing this.

She decides she doesn't want to move from her spot for a while, watching the suspicious figure, who is also coincidentally Yuuichirou Amane, in torn amusement.

The crowd is pretty big here at the mall, so she's kind of well hidden, while Mr. Try-Hard over there is sticking out like a sore thumb when he's leaning against the wall like that. A year ago, when she became the manager for the idol group Imperial Army, she was hoping the ticket sales for their group to go shooting out the roof.

She would never have imagined that she'd stay in line for hours just to get a ticket to a concert by their damned rivals, the Night Hunters.

Yuu. Owes her. Big time.

Suddenly feeling more annoyed than anything, Shinoa stomps her way to Yuu with a sweet smile on her face. She shoves the ticket into his chest. Without warning.

Yuu squeaks like a mouse.

"You're buying me lunch for the next two years." She says, still smiling sweetly.

Yuu, taking off his glasses in the same time, rubs the sore spot she had hit 'accidentally'. It takes a moment for his eyes to widen comically..

"WHAT?!"

"You heard me."

"But that's not fair, the ticket doesn't cost that much!"

"No, but my time sure does. You're either agreeing, or," at this, Shinoa retracts her hand, with the ticket in it. "I'm selling this online for triple the price."

Yuu makes a constipated, annoyed face for a moment, which is very unattractive for an idol rising to fame like he is, but nods his head anyway.

Shinoa gives him the ticket.

"Honestly," she starts, "why do you want to go to their concert so badly?"

"I'm spying on the enemy, duh."

Shinoa stares at him with a blank face, unsure whether to feel worried or call him out for his stupidity.

"This isn't even your first time, is it?"

"They're our rivals. Our enemies. It's the Art of War, Shinoa. When you know the enemy and know your own strengths, victory is surely ours!" Yuu says, a bit too enthusiastically.

Shinoa can't help the sardonic smile from appearing on her face. "Then I guess you don't mind that you're going to be really, reallybusy for the next four days before the concert, courtesy of yours truly."

The look on Yuu's face is priceless.

On the day of the Night Hunters' concert, Yuu adorns himself with a fedora, large glasses, a black shirt and a green hoodie. He has the hood down this time though. He considered wearing a mask too, but Shinoa ripped it from his hands the minute she saw it, saying that she does notwant to have to go the police station to bail him out for being suspicious.

When he reaches the venue, his nervousness spikes up, because he's practically the only guy here. Well, the only willing guy anyway. His eyes catch like, at least three other guys who are here looking very ready to flee standing next to their respective girlfriends.

Ah, well, whatever.

He momentarily wonders if any of these girls would recognize him as a member of the Imperial Army, but shakes that thought away. It doesn't matter if he's seen. Nobody would notice him. Probably. Hopefully.

Yuu goes in, finds his seat which is at the very edge of one row, and waits with bated breath.

Behind his closed eyelids, he can almost see the blond locks that look so soft to touch, can almost hear that beautiful voice sing lyrics that echo all around him, and can almost feel the thunder of cheers vibrate through him.

The memory of that night the first time he snuck into their concert lingers in the back of his mind. He remembers perfectly the moment when one of their members, Mikaela Shindou, sang and danced his solo.

He remembers how he was taken by the blond on the spot.

Sure, the first time he did go to their concert to spy on them. But this time… he's not entirely sure himself. One concert was enough to go to.

Urgh, Kimizuki wouldn't let him live this down.

The place is darkened, and bright colourful lights shine the stage area. Yuu quickly sits up straight as the crowd breaks into an uproar around him, chanting the idol group's name.

He's almost tempted to join the choruses of screaming girls. Almost.

Music thumps from the speakers as the hired band starts to play, the starting beats of one of the group's more popular songs. Mist slips in to obscure the stage from a hidden fog machine.

When the group of three men clad in matching white caped uniforms appear from the stage lift and start singing, the furore was deafening, and Yuu promptly jumps in his seat.

He's pretty sure he's deaf in one ear.

He makes a face but chooses to ignore how the girls were screaming. Instead, he lets his green eyes focus on the one blond standing in the center of the dance formation, his blue eyes twinkling in the screen as he sings.

Yuu rests his chin in his hand, leaning against the armrest. His eyes never leave the form of Mikaela, whose dances are fluid when need be and yet sharp when the song transitions to an energetic beat.

A number of tunes later, the trio spin separately on different parts of the stage, taking off their capes at the same time, and letting said fabric flutter towards the front row seats of the area. The spectators who are there clamber to their feet for them.

Yuu realizes he himself almost jumped out of his seat to grab the one that belongs to Mikaela.

He swallows, feeling his heart beat faster in his chest, and he's convinced it's not because of the song the Night Hunters are singing. Maybe his face is burning and it's red too, but he'd really rather not admit that.

Hours later, Yuu stands outside the train station, looking up at the sky and wallowing in confusion and misery.

For the entire concert, his eyes were glued on Mikaela, not once leaving those blond locks and blue orbs.

He holds his face in his hands and groans.

Yuu turns to look at the poster of Mikaela hidden inside the paper bag that he bought after the concert and feels the shame crawl up his neck.

He's entranced. He's smitten. He's fallen so hard, the Earth cracked beneath his feet.

He's beyond hope.

The next morning after dance practise, he, Kimizuki, and Yoichi are lying down on the ground panting and sweaty before Shinoa's head pops in from behind the closed door.

Yuu sees her enter through the reflection in the mirror with a sarcastic smile on her face, and he knows immediately something bad is coming.

After she herds the boys into a line, despite their protests, she claps her hands together and cheerfully exclaims, "Good news! You boys are going to be on a variety TV show!"

Kimizuki frowns a bit, Yoichi actually looks eager, whereas Yuu feels a little relief slip into him.

"Which show?" Yuu asks.

Shinoa tilts her head, still sounding chirpy. "Stars Fight."

Yuu can see Kimizuki raise an eyebrow from the corner of his eye. "Isn't that the one where celebrities team up and fight one another in a series of ridiculous challenges?"

"My, my, you've done your homework haven't you, Kimizuki-kun?" Shinoa says, and Kimizuki presses his lips into a thin line. "He's right, of course," she continues, eyeing them all again. "And in the next episode Imperial Army will be starring it with…" at this, her gleeful eyes land on Yuu. She smiles wide. "Night Hunters."

Yuu feels his entire body go rigid with the cold.

Oh. No.

10. december

Their last Christmas together was quite hectic.

Mika remembers this, because it was also their first with Yuu.

As the blond vampire watches the broken city from the top of a ruined building, he lets himself do the one thing he always tries to avoid.

Take a walk down memory lane.

Mika closes his eyes, letting his memory recreate the sounds of children laughing and running on hardwood flooring. He can almost hear the voice of their late caretaker, warning them not to run in the halls.

Christmas Eve was always so festive at the Hyakuya orphanage. There'd be music, great food, and fun games for everyone to play.

Of course, there was always going to be somebody who refused to join in the celebration.

That year, it was Yuu.

He remembers how the black-haired newbie frowned at everyone and everything, refusing to play when invited, eating only his share without asking for more, and sat in the corner alone staring at nothing.

Mika, the young, naive, humanMika of then, had practically dragged a protesting Yuu by the ankles for a game of Monopoly.

He remembers how he threatened Yuu, and how the young boy immediately went to sit by the table with everyone in front of the fireplace, though still frowning and pouting the entire time.

Not long into the game, a winning Yuu shouted triumphantly as another child landed on his plot of land with three houses on it and Mika laughing as he Yuu comfort the child.

Mika lets himself smile a little.

Yuu was always so cute back then.

When they were in the vampire city, not much could be celebrated when Christmas rolled by. A mere greeting, maybe, and a gift or two to be shared among the group. It was never the same after that. Mika thinks no Christmas in the future could ever feel like that again.

Only that one Christmas. That one Christmas with Yuu.

11. wizards

Yuu is far from surprised that he's not the only kid left behind at Hogwarts for Christmas.

What he is surprised about, however, is the fact that one of the few students to accompany him during the holidays is that peculiar blond from Slytherin, whose blue eyes never seem to leave Yuu's mind.

With his surprise, comes a slight bit of annoyance, because this blond Slytherin–Mikaela Shindou–is also the same blond who manages to get on his nerves as much as Kimizuki and Shinoa does.

At least the Ravenclaw named Kimizuki, who is Yoichi's boyfriend, is tolerable becausehe's Yoichi's boyfriend, while Shinoa, another Slytherin, prefers to pester her so called not-girlfriend, that blonde girl from Gryffindor called Mitsuba, more than pestering Yuu.

Yuu, feeling a little bit lonely since his best friend and Hufflepuff-in-crime Yoichi isn't here, decides to present himself in the mess hall, only to find that one person he expects the least to see here.

Hufflepuffs are generally on good terms, or at the very least neutral terms, with the students from the other houses.

Yuu and Mikaela however?

They've been at each other's throats since they first met.

Yuu tries not to pick a fight, honest, he's a good Hufflepuff down to the bone. Yoichi can vouch for him, he's the one who's been there with Yuu since they were both first years, just recently sorted into the house.

But it's just… Mikaela himself, in general, really.

Everything about him makes Yuu's head pound. The way he talks, the way he walks, heck maybe even the way he breathes. It riles Yuu up so much, it's a miracle neither of them got into a fist fight yet.

(Yuu contributes that to the fact that he doesn'twant to fight the blond, not ever, but the verbal brawls just happen.)

The other pureblood is sitting by himself on one of the tables, reading a book, and basically trapped inside his own bubble of isolation. Yuu watches from a distance, pondering on his choices like an RPG game.

He can either sit alone, or he can sit by Mikaela and probably somehow start another fight.

Though, it's Christmas… Maybe this time they can sit together and peace will befall the world. Because underneath all of his annoyances at Mikaela's attempts to push him away or demean him, he still wants to be friends with the blond.

Yuu makes his way towards Mikaela, and sits across him. He knows Mikaela notices him there, because his blue eyes flickered towards him for a millisecond before returning to the words in his book.

He's not entirely sure what to say, to be honest. But it's better to try than to not try at all, right?

Yuu crosses his arms and rests his head on the table, looking up at Mikaela. "Hey, do you wanna play chess?"

There's no response. Mikaela flips open a new page.

That slither of annoyance from earlier comes back but Yuu tries to ignore it. He has to be the better man here. Perhaps another time then.

He's about to sit up and stand to leave, having given up on Mikaela for now, and in hopes of finding another person he knows that he can hang with occasionally, when Mikaela closes his book and slowly puts it on the table.

Yuu blinks at the blond curiously.

Mikaela narrows those blue eyes at him, but there's no malice behind them. "Well? Do you have a chess set or not?"

Yuu grins brightly and hastily gets on his feet. "I have one in my room, so stay here!" he claims before rushing off towards the grand doors of the mess hall, eager to get to his room as soon as he can.

He doesn't miss the small smile that somehow made its way onto Mikaela's face as he clambered away, and feels a little bit warmer inside at the sight of it.

12. lenses

The green-eyed man twists the lens of his camera.

He looks for the perfect angle to take, and to nobody's surprise, he didn't need to look at all.

The blond model some distance away from him is already perfect.

He presses the shutter button, and the moment where the wind blows the cherry blossom petals to crown the model's head is captured. Yuu examines the picture that he just took. He feels his breath catch in his throat.

Blond wavy hair and bright blue eyes looking up at the sky paints his LCD monitor. The pink of the petals, the brown and green of the tree behind him, all of it seems to accentuate the man in the middle of the picture.

If only the man himself didn't look so sad.

The black-haired looks up from his camera to watch the stranger standing on the other side of the park's small decorative pond, hidden from view by the hanging ivy. He's completely aware of how much this makes him look like a stalker. But he's never seen a man as beautiful as the other before, and he can't bring himself to care whether or not he'll be caught by a patrolling officer.

Yuu isn't one to take pictures of people. It has always been the scenery, the buildings, or the tame animals. The occasional graffiti on a wall, or the antique car parked by the street.

This is the first time he's taken a picture of another person.

He watches as the blond man leans against the tree bark, his face still fixed in an expression of pain and regret. Yuu gulps. He finds every courage, every last bit of bravery inside of him, before he takes a deep breath and moves closer to the other.

He's decided that he doesn't want this to be the only picture he has of the blond.

13. unlucky

Yuu has never been the superstitious type. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.

But it's Friday the 13th, and his day has been one train wreck after another.

First off, his toothbrush broke in half while he was brushing his teeth and he got toothpaste in his eye, which really hurt.

Then, he lost his train pass, which made him hold up the line, which was a horrible experience of people glaring at him.

He reached school late and got scolded by his homeroom teacher, and then later on he found out that his train pass had been on him the entire time–he just completely missed it.

Let's not even mention the amount of workload that he got today, the number paper cuts on his fingers, and a bucket of water spilling on his head.

It's all so unreal that Yuu thinks he must be having a nightmare right now. He has to. Today was just a chain of terrible events after another. All of his bad luck piled into one day, surely he'll get some good luck tomorrow right?

He sighs as he makes his way from changing his school uniform into his gym wear, pondering on what more unlucky things that'll come upon him. He's about to make a turn at a corner when he bumps into someone and manages to think, 'Oh, fuck this.' before he lands on the ground with a loud thud.

He's groaning in pain and holding his head when he hears a beautiful voice say, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

Yuu opens his green eyes to meet radiant blue ones that are swimming in worry and he practically loses his capability to speak.

He's pretty sure he was the one at fault just now, but this person with soft blond hair looks so concerned it's like he threw Yuu under a truck by accident.

Honestly? Yuu doesn't mind dying by an angel's hands.

"Um… are you okay?"

Yuu blinks. He blushes as he tries to stand. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine! I'm fine. That was really my fault though, you don't need to apologize."

The stranger looks relieved for a moment. He smiles shyly and Yuu thinks he's never felt this gay before. "I'm glad you're fine. I'm new here, and I think I got lost…"

"Lost?" Yuu repeats. He smiles in return and stretches out his hand. "Let me show you around then. I'm Amane Yuuichirou. You can call me Yuu."

The blond-haired teen smiles bright at Yuu's words and shakes his hand. "That would be great! I'm Shindou Mikaela, but Mika is just fine. I'll be in your care from now on, Yuu-chan!"

Oh God. Yuu's smitten already.

This is the luckiest day of his life.

14. city

As he breathes, puffs of smoke dissipate into the air in front of him.

It's a chilly winter this time around, Mika notes. And although cold as it is, it still hasn't snowed in these streets of Tokyo.

The blond slips his hands into the pockets of his coat. As he leans against the building's concrete wall, other people continue on with their lives. Moving about in front of him on the sidewalk, cars going back and forth, the chatter and voices of strangers filling his ears, seemingly unaware of the darkening day.

Mika finds it comforting to be in the fuss of activity, but not as a part of it.

When the grey sky finally turns dark enough, the shop signs and lamps light up in succession, as if they had been waiting for that right moment to act. Nobody else pays them any mind, but Mika thinks they look like painted stars on a canvas of metal.

The blond breathes more puffs of mist as he stares at his wristwatch. The seconds tick by one by one in a constant rhythm. The minute hand strikes the number twelve, and it's at that moment Mika notices the snowflake drifting down gently onto his hand.

It's also at that same moment he feels arms wrap around his shoulders and a voice call his name.

"Mika!" Yuu says, squeezing the blond tighter in a hug. "I'm so sorry I'm late. Did you wait long?"

Mika thinks that he'd have waited here for as long as it took.

"You're lucky I didn't freeze to death." Mika says after Yuu pulls back from the embrace but still holding his arms. "Now you have to make it up to me for making me wait in the cold."

Yuu blinks before he grins. "Will a kiss be enough?"

Mika feels the heat rush to his cheeks, but his eyes don't stray from Yuu's meadow green ones.

It feels like forever before Yuu's hand reaches up and runs his fingers through Mika's blond locks, going all the way to the back of his head and ending at the nape of his neck. He's still smiling as he pulls Mika closer, connecting their foreheads together. In a soft voice he says, "There's snow in your hair…"

Mika chuckles. "Yours too…"

And when their lips touch, sending sparks into his mind, Mika thinks that they too are another painting in this canvas of metal.

15. journey

Yuu thinks it's embarrassing.

Going on a date with Mika would be the norm by now, of course it would. They've been dating for three months already, it would be weird if they're not used to dates.

It's the fact that this time they're going to a theme park that's getting him feeling all sorts of bubbly things inside.

Yuu himself doesn't really get it either. It's just… It just feels very embarrassing.

But Mika's the one who invited him, he even had the tickets ready (a friend or something won too many to said theme park and decided to give it away, or something) and there's no way Yuu can refuse.

Maybe the biggest reason to Yuu's embarrassment is the fact that they'll be… staying the night… in a hotel room…

Yuu feels the blood rush up his system, can feel the burn in his cheeks and ears and neck and oh my God.

He feels an eraser hitting his head, and turns around to glare at the perpetrator.

"I know you're thinking about Mika-san, but can you wait until after class is over?" Shinoa says, that small seemingly innocent smile pulling on her lips.

Yuu merely glares and sticks his tongue out at her.

Another day, he'll get back at her for that.

Because they attend different high schools (Yuu in a public one and Mika in a private one), it's harder for them to meet one another compared to when they were in middle school. Back then, every lunchtime was spent with one another, every free time led to them finding one another, despite being separated in different classes.

And they only confessed once they graduated junior high school, after dancing around their feelings for each other for approximately three years.

(It's a mutual agreement that it was very dumb of them not to act on their feelings sooner.)

Now that they aredating however, Yuu feels like he's ascended onto a whole new level of euphoria. Even if he's frustrated by the lack of time they can spend together, it makes trips and dates like these all the more special.

They meet in front of the train station, each carrying a bag for a one night stay. They smile at each other first, before Mika holds his hand and pecks him on the cheek, earning quite a number of glances from other people around them.

Yuu blushes bright red.

"Mika…"

"What is it, Yuu-chan?"

…He melts at the sight of Mika's smile. Sighing, he puffs his cheeks and tightens his hold on Mika's hand as an answer, pulling the blond along as they find their platform.

It makes Mika smile brighter too.