Because Pick-Up Lines are Overrated

A/N: My, my... It took me a while at first, but I ended up getting even more reviews than I'd asked for! How terribly sweet; I suppose I owe you all now a little special something... Don't you remember what I promised I'd give? Hmm... Poor Mashiro. He's surrounded by perverts.

Chapter II:

Cute

'Really? Well I really like you too... I-I always have!'

She smiles at me. 'I'm so glad! I was so afraid you'd reject me, but to think you feel the same way...!' Her caramel eyes sparkle in such a way, it makes me happy too. 'S-So... I could have told you how I feel a long time ago, and you would have...?'

'Yes! Of course!' I couldn't have been any more enthusiastic. 'I've always loved you, Azuki, always!'

She cutely hides her face in embarrassment. 'I-I'm so stupid...! Why haven't I ever told you before? I was just so afraid of you rejecting me, that...'

Gently, I wrap my long fingers around her wrist and guide it away from her face. As if they're attached by strings, the other hand follows automatically, her beautiful face looking up at me hopefully. 'Don't ever call yourself stupid,' I tell her, leaning in closer. Yes! That was the perfect line! For once, I sounded heroic and macho instead of... well, instead of sounding like me.

She gasps and freezes, watching me carefully, and then suddenly her eyes flutter close when my face gets close enough to hers. Our lips are nearly touching when suddenly...

"BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" Azuki screeches. Eh?! What's going on?! "BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" My eyes flutter open and it shocks me to find no one in front of me. As I sit up, I realize I'm still in bed. What? So it was all just a dream? Damn it! I can't tell you how many times I've gotten close to kissing Azuki in my dreams. In reality, though? I'm too afraid to even be less than twenty feet away from her.

I sigh and pass my hand through my already muffled hair. My alarm is still screeching obnoxiously so I stretch my arm and press a bunch of buttons until it turns off. I have school this morning. Sigh... At least I'll be able to see Azuki. I'm about to get out of bed when I notice something rather uncomfortable.

I push back my blankets and stare at my lap in surprise. 'Well, someone's awake already...' I don't know why I always act so shocked; it happens pretty much every morning. While I could take a cold shower to make it go away, today, I'm feeling a little more... daring.

I tug down on my cotton blue pants, followed by my silk underpants. 'Now that, my friends, is a fine example of a healthy young man,' I think to myself. It never ceases to amazing how hard I can get from the simplest things.

I suppose I'm not 'big'. I'm of average size, which is basically like every other thing about me; average. I'm not wrinkly or gross, though. Perhaps it's narcissistic of me to say, but I think my dick might be one of the finest. Its tip is a rosy pink, a little bit of fluid already dripping from it, the shaft a nice pale shade but nice and smooth. I have no creepy bumps or strangely placed hairs or birth marks or anything. In fact, I never have grown hair down there. Perhaps that makes me still behind in puberty, or something, but I honestly prefer it this way.

With great hesitation, I lift my hand to stroke myself. I suppose you could say I'm modest when it comes to my body; rarely do I allow touching myself because I'm just too embarrassed to do so. Won't it make me a pervert if I do?

I suck in a breath as I trail my fingers down from tip to base. Nngh...! Without meaning to, I thrust myself upwards, which creeps me out to the max. I suppose I'm really in the mood today... Saying that creeps me out even more. Nonetheless, I decide to suck it up as I wrap my fingers around myself. It's kind of hot, I observe, as I quickly slip my hand down to the base.

... Oh shit. I can't do this.

Already I'm panting. Maybe I should just give up and settle for that cold shower... That'd be good. No, no, wait! I've started already, haven't I? I... I'd might as well finish... right?

It takes me extreme courage just to bring my hand back and I wince as soon as my fingers touch. I can do this, damnit! I take in a deep breath and try again, wrapping my fingers around myself. Then, ever so slowly, I slide my fingers downwards again. "D-Damn it...!" Up and down, up and down, gaining speed... I must say, it's ridiculous the way my body reacts to this. My whole body is trembling just because my hand is on my dick. It makes me wonder how much I'd tremble doing other sorts of things... Ah, I'm blushing just thinking of it. Bad boy, bad!

Again and again, I pump at myself, faster and faster, breathing so damn heavily. I feel like a girl, actually, with the pathetic little mewling sounds I'm making. How I'm aware girls make mewling noises, I really don't want to know... "Hnngh! Ah!" I feel like an idiot, but I can't think of anything else anymore. All I can think of is that it feels weird, it feels good!

Suddenly, without warning, it happens. "F-Fu- Ah!" H-Holy shit...! All over my stomach and hand now is this sticky white stuff- and yes, I know what it is, thank you. Gee, what a mess I've made of myself. What if Mom comes up to check on me? What would she say, walking in on me pantless and cum-stained? Surely I'd give her the shock of her life, and the last thing I want to do is kill my mother by heart attack. I'm no Light Yagami! Despite my laziness, I have to clean this up, now.

I have a Kleenex box on my night table, but never have I found it as useful as right now. Or maybe since the last time I permitted myself to be touched. Grabbing two or three, I wipe at the sticky fluid. Some landed on my mattress, so I hope I got it out okay. The last thing I need is for my ass to stick to my mattress tomorrow morning.

Finally I deem myself clean, promising myself to take a shower after school. I tuck myself back in (how awkward) and begin dressing into my uniform. Dark blue pants with a clean black belt and a white collared shirt under a navy emblemed jacket is all our uniform really consists of. It's what most boys' uniforms usually consist of, actually. Oh, plus the tie- you can't forget the tie.

I smooth it all down before simply brushing my fingers through my hair. I've never spent much time on something as trivial as my hair, nor will I today. Because it's short, there are no knots, and after replacing a few wild strands, I'm perfectly good to go. I've always wondered about boys who take longer than five minutes doing their hair. It's so simple, what could they need so much time for?

I cluck at my reflection and grab my bag from where it's waiting on my chair. Then, I rush downstairs. "Hey Ma, hey Grandpa," I greet as I sit myself at the kitchen table. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too, boy," my granddad smiles.

"We're having waffles this morning," Mom says, dropping my plate down in front of me. "Eat up quick; don't be late for school."

"Mm-hm." Waffles, yum.

I'm about half-way through my second waffle when my mother calls for me. "Moritaka! Hurry up, your friend from school is waiting for you!"

"Eh?" With a mouth stuffed with food, that's about all the noise I can make. Someone's waiting for me? That's strange. Nobody ever waits for me in the morning. Maybe Suzuki forgot to do his homework and wants some answers from me. Wait 'til he hears I haven't done mine either. "Alright, I'm coming," I tell her after finally swallowing.

I bring my plate to the sink and hurry to the door, slipping on my shoes. As soon as I open the door, though, I wish I would have taken my time, or maybe not shown up at all. Maybe it's not too late, maybe I can slip back inside without him noti- Shit, he noticed me.

The tall blonde-haired male waves wildly at me, pushing his headphones down around his neck. "Yo, Saiko!" he calls out cheerfully, running up to me.

"How do you know where I live?" I demand. It's pissing me off to see him here. Doesn't he realize that? Couldn't he have left me alone? Events from the day before flash before my eyes. 'All I want is for you to obey anything I command you to do.' That can mean a very many things.

"Saiko, Saiko, Saiko," he tsks, "you should know it's easy enough to find a person's address when you know someone's name. Haven't you ever been on the internet?"

"Sorry, I've never tried stalking someone before, so I wouldn't know," I snap. "And quit calling me Saiko!"

"This isn't stalking, Saiko," Takagi says, stressing the use of the nickname. "I just thought you'd appreciate me being here. You know," he smiles mischievously, "as a friend."

"You freaking faggot." I start walking without him, hoping he'll take the hint and go his own way, knowing he'll run after me instead. He does.

"Hey, what did I say to categorize myself as a faggot?" he asks innocently enough. I hope the look I sent him just then burst one of his ovaries.

"'Get on your knees,'" I quote, imitating him and wagging my finger 'suggestively'. "That's not gay at all, is it?"

"No, I was simply asking you to pay respect to me," he answers nonchalantly. "You're the gay one for having thought otherwise."

"I am not gay!" I yell out a little loudly. A little girl and her friend walking nearby stop and stare at me. "What is he talking about?" I hear them whisper.

Takagi only shrugs. "I guess not. Azuki Miho is obviously female, isn't she?" He sends me this wicked smirk that makes me want to punch him.

"Shut up!" I hate his stupid face!

"Why not practice our little agreement right now?" he suggests, still smiling. "For the rest of the way, I want you to carry my bag." He holds it out to me. "Go on! Do it!"

"Carry it yourself!"

"You know, I happen to have Azuki's number on my cell phone..." He pulls it out of his back pocket and stares at the screen. "I wonder how she'd react knowing such a perverted boy lusts over her...?"

My face heats and I clench my fists. "Sh-Shut up! I'm no pervert!"

"Aren't you?" He cocks his head. "Well, maybe you aren't. You seem too innocent, now that I think about it." Should I even dignify that with a response? "Here, I'm asking you to take it. Do it, or I'm texting Azuki!"

I can't believe this idiot. I can't believe the freaking nerve of this guy! Mumbling as I do, I grab his damn bag out of his hands. He smiles in satisfaction, arrogantly lifting his chin.

"You know, maybe you really are innocent. You're definitely naive. Foolish, very foolish indeed... I doubt you've ever done anything perverted at all. You're probably too innocent to think of Azuki at all!" He laughs. "And then you're friends with someone like Suzuki... How ridiculous!"

My blood is boiling. "I AM NOT THAT INNOCENT!"

He smiles and begins humming some Britney Spears song that I somewhat remember having that lyric in it. "So if you insist you're not innocent, are you instead confirming you're indeed a pervert?"

"NO!"

"I see, I see. I'll just text Azuki right now and tell her Mashiro Moritaka pictures her naked in his head, daydreams about her without clothes on, spies on her in the change room..."

"That's a lie!" I yell. "I don't do any of those things!" He types away on his phone and I realize he's really doing it. My eyes widen to the size of saucers. "W-Wait... What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He just keeps typing and I start to panic. "Stop it! If you send that, she'll hate me forever! Stop it, seriously!" Without thinking, I swing his backpack at his hands. It knocks his phone out, which falls to the ground. Quickly and clumsily I dive to get it.

Takagi Akito: Hi Azuki. :)

I... am an idiot.

Suddenly the phone vibrates.

Azuki Miho: Um... Takagi-kun? Where did you get my number? (LOL)

"Typical you'd sneak around to get her number," I say. I still feel stupid for having believed him. "If anything, it's probably you who spies on her in the change rooms, you stalker."

"Yep, you got me there."

"What?!"

"A joke, Mr. Innocent."

"Shut up!"

"I didn't actually sneak around to get it," Takagi says, scratching the back of his head. "Her best friend gave it to me."

"And what did you do to get it from her?" I ask him sarcastically. "Did you blackmail her too?"

"Nope. She gave it to me voluntarily." He smiles and pushes up his glasses. "We're childhood friends, so all I had to do was ask. She barely even asked questions."

"What did you tell her, then?" Though I doubt it was as simple as he claims it was, I'm still curious on how he got the phone number from her. "She must have asked something. What'd you tell her?"

For a few moments he doesn't say anything, only smiling smugly. So he won't tell me? Oh boy... What did this low-life do to her?! "I told her," he finally says, "that it was for a friend of mine. A secret admirer of Azuki-san, to be specific."

"WHAT?!" I spin on him so quickly I nearly fall. "You didn't dare tell her my name, did you?" Oh, he is dead, so dead!

"No..." he hums. He's obviously enjoying this, which only ticks me off more.

"You bastard," I mutter and storm off ahead. All he does is laugh. Doesn't he ever get offended?

"You're cute when you're angry." ... What? I look back at him but suddenly he isn't laughing anymore- though he's still smiling.

"You're teasing me," I declare, huffing.

His amber-colored eyes seem to gleam behind his thick lenses. "Am I? I'm only telling you the truth."

I glare at him. I hate having to look up at him- it makes me feel inferior. His blonde hair pokes up funny all over and his chin is extremely angular. He's not cute, and neither am I. I think for a moment and then realize that, if I look angry, he'll have more to tease me about.

Quickly I metamorphose from a scowl to a sarcastic smile, sticking my tongue out at him. "I'm not angry anymore."

He grins at me. "You look even cuter when you smile." Fuck this, I'm angry. "Can't you accept a compliment?"

"I'm not cute, damn it!"

He thinks for a moment. "You're pretty sexy when you're angry."

He's trying to get a rise out of me. Damnit, I can't give him any satisfaction! I'll just ignore him. If I ignore him, he won't bother me any more... "You don't mean that," I say. Surely he'll admit he doesn't and then the conversation will end. Yes, it's that simple!

"I completely mean it," he declares, coming up to my side. "I wouldn't dare lie to you, Mashiro-kun."

"Shut up. I know you don't mean it!"

"Oh, but I do." He brushes a lock of my hair out of my face, leaning closer and smiling devilishly. "If you want me to say it again, you need but ask." He leans in and whispers in my ear, "You're sexy when you smile, Mashiro-kun."

Oh god. Oh gee. My face- My face is burning red! Ah, why did he have to go say something so stupid?! I push him roughly off me. "Shut up! You're just pulling my leg and I don't like it. And here!" I shove his bag back into his arms. "Carry your own stupid bag!"

"Oh Azuki!" he calls out to the sky. "There's something I have to tell you~!"

"ARGH!" I hate this guy. I truly hate this guy. I hate him and I always will.

Somehow this sounds like a challenge for both him and myself.

"We're changing seats today!"

Thank goodness, I think. Hopefully I'll be as far as possible from stupid Takagi.

"Pick a number and sit at your assigned seat immediately," Sensei instructs. "I expect you all to be quiet and responsible- even you, Suzuki!" He's met with a chorus of chuckles from my classmates.

I've always been neutral when it comes to seat changes. I don't really mind, nor do I particularly care. This time, though... I'm not sure if I've gotten the best seat possible or the worst.

My new seat is just a single behind my old one. It really isn't much of a move. Pathetic, even. I sit down at my new spot and sigh, pulling out my math notebook to doodle in, when suddenly...

"Oh, I've gotten this seat..." My head snaps upwards at the sound of her voice. Ah! She's right there, beside me! She's about to sit down right next to me in the flesh and blood... and I'm drawing in a notebook filled with her face. Quickly I close it and shove it back into my desk.

"A-Are you sure it's that one?" I ask. She glances up and our eyes meet and... well, I'll be darned if it isn't one of the best moments of my life.

She shows me her paper, a small square with a large seventeen drawn on it. On the diagram, it's right beside nineteen, which happens to be my number. Oh gee. Oh fuck. Azuki Miho is going to sit beside me for the next five months or so. I'll never be able to concentrate ever again. And to make it worse...

"Oh, hey, Saiko!" he says, tapping my shoulder. "I got the seat right behind yours! Nice, huh?" I don't even pay attention to him. I'm busy staring at her like some creep, watching her stack her school books inside her desk. I guess Takagi must have followed my gaze because he laughs. "Gee, Saiko, this seems like your luckiest seat change ever!"

"Is it?" I ask more to myself than to him. If I keep staring at Azuki like this, she's going to eventually notice and she'll be creeped out. I'm not a creep!

Maybe I jinxed myself just now, but she suddenly looks up and meets my eye. We stare at each other for a few moments and she smiles at me. Holy fucking god, she's smiling at me. Her face is absolutely perfect- she is the epitome of perfection, it seems! Ah, what she must be thinking of me!

I try for a weak smile, but I think it may have turned into a grimace. Shit. Let's try this again. I stretch my lips out further and again attempt a smile. Suddenly she giggles. "Mashiro-kun, you're so funny~!" I think... those words may have just killed me.

"Th-Thank you?" I stutter, my face heating up to a rosy shade. She giggles again, then sits down.

I didn't even realize I'd stood up and I quickly follow her example. As soon as I sit, though, I hear, "Smooth." Takagi was watching the whole thing! "That was quite the smile just now. Sexy at its maximum," he mutters sarcastically, laughing at himself.

"Shut up!" My face may have turned even redder now thanks to him. "Besides, you probably can't do any better!"

He gives me this strange smirk, like he knows something I don't. "Nope, I probably can't do any better at all. I suppose you'd have to be the judge of that in the end."

I blink. "What's that supposed to mean?" He's still smirking at me, that idiot, but he says nothing.

Finally he murmurs, "I don't even know myself quite what I meant by that. I suppose you'll have to wait and see."

"No thanks, I'm fine without."

For a moment he almost seems offended, but then his smile widens even more so. "Being behind you like this, it'll be much easier to politely ask you to copy a note down for me, won't it?"

"... I hate this new seat."

"You don't, you little liar," he laughs and I bring my gaze back to Azuki. She's so beautiful, even though she's only staring off into space. I can only wonder what it is she's thinking about. In a way, though very unlikely, I hope I'm appearing somewhere within her thoughts. I wouldn't mind being called cute if shewere the one calling me so.

"Aw, look how cute you are, blushing like that!"

"Shut up, Takagi-kun."

"For today," Takagi says, shoving books into my arms, "I only want you to do those two worksheets in math that she gave us as well as the English word study assignment. These here are my notebooks that you shall protect with your life. Should you 'forget' to do an assignment, I will tell Azuki-chan a little more about her admirer." He winks at me mischievously. Gross.

"It's weird, but I've kind of gotten used to you now," I say. "I'm used to the constant pain in my ass now."

"You have pain in your ass? You should probably see a doctor about that." Oh how he enjoys doing this to me.

"You know what I meant."

"You don't believe I'm simply a pain up your ass. If you ask me, I think it's a lot more complicated, isn't it?"

"That seems a good way to describe it." We don't have anything more to say, so we simply stand there staring at each other. It's strange, but I can't seem to pull my gaze away. Why is he studying me so intensely?

He grins at me. "You know, you're pretty damn cute when you smile. You should try doing it more often." I'm not smiling though. How would he know I look cute when I smile if he's never really even seen me smile? It seems obvious the answer to that, but I refuse to think about it.

Strangely enough, I don't snap anything back at him. I just let him stare. It's the end of classes and everyone is leaving. Suzuki and Matsuda don't wait up for me, running wildly so not to miss the beginning of their perverted movies. Azuki was one of the first to leave. Soon, it'll be just he and I alone in this room.

"I don't need to smile to you," I finally mumble. Even the teacher is gone now.

He smirks at me. "Maybe I should force you, then. If you don't smile right now, and I mean a genuine-looking smile, I'll let Azuki know her admirer sits nearby." There's that gleam in his amber eyes once again.

"What difference does it make if I smile or not?" He's so annoying!

"It makes all the difference, Saiko. My life depends on it." I shoot him a look and he laughs. "You never know; maybe it does!" How can you smile genuinely when you feel like clobbering a specific someone? "Just think happy thoughts, Saiko!"

"I told you already not to call me that!" I hiss at him.

He pauses, cocking his head. "Why did the chicken cross the road?"

I frown. "Huh?"

"Why did the chicken cross the road?" he repeats, pushing up his glasses.

"To get to the other side." Why's he suddenly asking jokes?

"Why did the chicken cross the playground?" he asks next.

I send him a look. "Because... I don't know. To get to the other side again."

"To get to the other slide." He grins at his own joke and I'll admit my face softens slightly. "Why did the turkey cross the road?"

"Why?" I ask.

"It was the chicken's day off." Heh... that was actually funny. The shine his eyes take proves I'm getting closer to actually smiling. I try my best to force on a frown. "Why did the moose cross the road?"

"How many road crossing jokes do you have?" I ask.

"A lot. So why did the moose cross the road?"

"I don't know."

"He doesn't either." Pfft, that's stupid. "You're smiling!" he says, pointing his finger in my face.

"No, I'm not." I still am right now, but that doesn't matter. I guess I'm just suddenly in a good mood.

He pauses for a moment, then starts a new joke. "What's brown, flies around, and eats honey?"

I shake my head. "I don't know... a fly?"

"A bear- I lied about the flying part."

"That's not even funny!"

"You're laughing anyway."

"I'm not laughing!" I insist. "I'm just chuckling at your stupidity."

"That was a big word just now. Does your head need some time to reboot?" He pulls out his tongue just to show he's teasing me. I roll my eyes and his suddenly widen.

"... What is it?" I ask after a few moments of his staring. It's kind of scaring me, actually.

To my astonishment, he averts his gaze and actually blushes! I never knew such a person could get embarrassed! "Just now, you were smiling. For real, I mean." He shakes his head. "You have no idea how tempting you look when you smile like that."

I hesitate a little before asking, "Tempting? An odd choice of words."

He just looks at me, his expression completely serious. It actually makes me nervous! "I was raised never to lie," is all he says before he takes his bag and leaves.

"W-Wait!" I call out to him in the hall. "What's that supposed to mean?!" He just keeps on walking. Fine then, so he wants to be cryptic! I'll figure it out tomorrow morning then. Surely he'll confess once I bug him enough. Wait... "Are you going to be waiting for me tomorrow morning too?" I ask.

He pauses in the hall and turns slightly. Even from here I can see the arrogant smirk on his lips. "If you want me so bad, then sure." ... AH! What have I done?! No use protesting, though, right? He won't listen, no matter what I say.

Already I found my wills crumbling. It was almost as if I wanted him over- though I don't. No way.

Certain he isn't looking, I subtly brush my hand over my crotch to check. Damn, there it is again, just like yesterday! It's ridiculous- what exactly is it he says that seems to turn me on? It's probably still remnants of Azuki's presence, I decide, and leave it at that.

Rather quickly, this seems to be becoming a routine.

A/N: Slightly rushed, sorry. I think this might be longer than the last one, though. Lucky you! I can't help but wonder if Takagi will make his move next chapter... Maybe. ;) Oh, and am I the only one who finds it cute how innocent Mashiro really is? He got a boner just from dreaming of confessing to Azuki. Aw!

Review Replies:

fuegoglacio: Haha, now you know! Ha, frogboned… XD I like that. I very much like your little poem at the end there too. Not quite lemon time yet, but soon… ;)

Orcux: I try, I try… XD Thank you very much1 Yes, I promise, lemon time will come… (Pfft, come. I'm sorry. XD)

p. ageha: Yes, yes I can. I hope you liked it!

hana97: I know, right? o-o Why isn't this fandom more popular?! There isn't nearly enough Mahiro x Takagi here… Sigh. Well, I suppose you're welcome, and I hope you enjoy it!

meowmixmonster: Thank you very much~!

Please Review!