A/N: Thank you for all the support on this one-shot collection :D sorry for practically being dead but I have been very busy~ More updates to come this week!

Please comment and review~

Warm hugs and thank-you's to everyone who commented on my last story "Discotheque Love". I am glad you guys liked it ^o^


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The Lonely Bird

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He used to be very talkative and friendly.

He used to be the one who always knew the answers in class.

He used to be the guy who my friend had a crush on.

He used to be Len Kagamine.

Now he isn't most of those things anymore.

He is now the guy who sits quietly by the window and looks at the birds soar in the sky.

He is now the guy who never raises his hand to answer the questions even when we all know he knows... He always gets one hundred percent on the tests.

He is now the guy who remains silent and shakes his head when old friends ask him to sit with them.

He is now the guy who turns in all his work and embarks on a lonely walk home with no one near him.

He is now the guy who my friend labeled as a "loner."

He is now the guy who lets his bangs cover his eyes as if to hide a dark secret.

He is now a lonely bird.

One day, I decided to open the lonely bird's cage...

"Hello, I am Rin Kagamine! You seemed pretty lonely so I wanted to accompany you." I stated as I set my lunch down and sat in front of him.

His face remained lowered and he spoke softly these words, "I'm fine."

I scrunched my nose and crossed my arms, "Sure you are. Whether you like it or not I'll stay here. Take it any way you want; you can even call it bullying but I'm not going to leave."

"Why...do you care?"

My eyes widened and suddenly I didn't feel so confident anymore.

I didn't have an answer.

The bell rang. I hesitantly slung my bag over my shoulder and left the lonely bird behind.

The second day, I once again opened the lonely bird's cage and took a peek inside.

"Hey Len!" I said and ran to catch up to the blonde guy.

He turned to face me with a surprised look on his face and revealed to me something that I hadn't seen in a long while...

His mesmerizing cerulean eyes.

I stifled a laugh. He probably didn't think that I would return.

"Let's eat lunch together again, ne?" I asked enthusiastically.

"..."

"I'll take that as a yes!" I said and walked besides him, me doing all the talking.

Len just walked, without saying anything. If I was bugging him, he didn't say a word.

Yet I swear I saw a hint of a smile creep up on his face.

For a whole month I daringly opened the lonely bird's cage, each time getting closer and closer until I touched its wing.

Still no matter how wide the gate was open, the bird refused to fly out.

"And then I was like 'no way!' And turned out it was true."

"Heh."

We were sitting down at the lunch tables and I was in the middle of telling Len about what had happened to me during math when I was interrupted by a guy with teal hair.

He tapped my shoulder, "Can I talk to you?"

Len's body tensed at the sound of the voice and I got the feeling that he knew him. Well, I for one, was pretty annoyed. I had finally gotten Len to respond to me! Even if it was just a 'heh'.

"U-um, sure." I told the nice-looking stranger.

He dragged me away to a corner near the exit and basically towered over me.

"What are you trying to get at?"

"Huh?" I asked and looked into the eyes of the guy above me.

"Why have you been bothering Len for a whole month now?"

"I- uh..."

"Are you making fun of him? Are your friends trying to see if you can make him talk?"

Okay so I'm a normally timid person in the presence of men (except Len) so I stayed quiet but WHO DOES THIS GUY THINK I AM?

"Look, whoever you are, I'm not trying to be mean to Len! I actually care about him and am trying to keep him company."

"Len and I used to be best friends! Do you even know why he is quiet and broody all the time?"

I shook my head slowly. He had been his best friend? He knew why he acted that way?

"He lost everything that he cared for."

My head snapped up, "What do you mean?"

The arrogant jerk rolled his eyes, "He lost everything! His parents died in a car accident about three months ago! He was an only child! His single aunt moved in but nothing is the same! Len is basically dead inside!"

My brain silently processed everything. Now everything made sense! That is why Len changed so drastically and who wouldn't after losing both parents?

"Then why..."

"Eh?"

"WHY DON'T YOU HELP HIM?" I exclaimed and then lowered my voice.

I angrily grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the lunch area.

"What? Why are we here?" He asked.

"So we can yell in peace! I don't want Len overhearing."

"I-"

"You said you were his best friend... So why aren't you helping him?"

"He doesn't need my help! No one can help him! If he wants to be alone then fine with me! He'll get over it and return to his normal self again."

"And how may I ask? Friends help each other through difficult times! I find it absurd that a complete stranger like me is more willing to help him than his supposed best friend!"

He was silent but then re incited his fury, "What if he WANTS to be alone?"

"IT'S BEEN THREE FRICKEN MONTHS! The poor boy is probably recovering from shock and depression. If he has lost everything, then he has lost hope as well. I don't know about you but at least I'm not going to watch him fade away to nothing."

"You never answered me, why as yourself said, would a stranger like you care about him?"

"It's because..." I started but my mind went blank.

My heart beat once and I knew the answer.

"... I grew attached to him. At first, I was just curious about why he was so lonely and saddened by the fact that he appeared to have no friends. But as I spent more time with him, I grew attached... Even if he remained silent most of the time, I got a feeling that we had somehow connected on a different level. He's my friend... And yet... I think... I think that I'm growing to love him."

The guy's teal eyes widened considerably, and then he closed them and chuckled softly.

"You really are something aren't you? Heh, I'm sorry I thought the worst. I care for Len ya know? So I really hope you can help him out. You were completely right about me being a bad friend. I promise I'll change. Len is going to need help to get through this. I don't get how I was so stupid and dense that I couldn't see that sooner. Thank you." He said and smiled warmly.

I also smiled and extended my hand, "I'm Rin Kagamine."

"Mikuo Hatsune." The teal guy stated and shook my hand.

"See you around! I need to get back to Len."

When I got there Len was reading a book.

That's when I got a strange feeling.

What if I was bothering him? Only one way to find out...

"Len, am I bothering you?"

"..."

I sighed and got my stuff. I guess I was kinda stupid to try to befriend a mute guy.

"I'll take that as a yes; well I'll be leaving then."

"No..."

"Eh?"

"You're not bothering me. I enjoy your company."

A complete sentence! I became extremely happy. He didn't think I was bothering him! He liked me!

A drawing slipped out of his book.

It was a sparrow mid-flight.

"H-hey, that's pretty good."

"Thanks." He mumbled and looked at the picture.

One phrase and three words in one day! It's a breakthrough!

"You like drawing, ne?"

"Yeah."

Four words!

He looked away and then spoke softly, "He told you everything didn't he? Mikuo?"

I looked at him curiously, "Y-yeah, how did you know?"

He simply shrugged and once again turned moody and silent. Though I knew that he knew that Mikuo wanted to help him as much as I did.

Then, while trying to hide a blush that slowly crept onto my face, I took a hold of his hands between mine. I felt him tense and I did too. We never had contact this intimate before. All I had managed to do before was walk next to him and occasionally pat his head or arm. Holding hands was something unthinkable... Especially since I began to develop romantic feelings for him.

I gently squeezed his hands and he looked up, surprised by the tender gesture. His cerulean eyes questioned me.

"I'm sorry about your parents but... I want you to know that... I-I'll always be here for you. I won't leave you alone...ever."

His usually cold and void eyes softened and searched mine.

Then, he slowly smiled, "Thank you... You have no idea how much I needed to hear that. Thank you Rin."

I covered the poor lonely shivering bird with a blanket full of comfort.

"Hmph! So I wasn't an annoying stranger?"

He smiled, "No..."

"Len, I know it'll take a while for you to get over your parents so I'll help you!" I exclaimed and stood up.

"I know..." He said slowly.

"So then... Ummm," I mumbled while fiddling with my fingers, "Would you go out with me?"

His eyes widened and he quickly took his hands from mine. His face flushed and he looked away.

I squealed and didn't hesitate in pointing at him while jumping up and down, "See? See? You're blushing! You still have feelings! You haven't lost them all!"

Most of the heads from the people near us turned to face us and I slowly sunk back into the seat, my crimson face easily rivaling Len's.

"Sorry about that..." I mumbled.

"Heh... It's fine." He said and then took my hand.

I felt the hairs on my arm stand up as if an electrical current had just flowed through my body.

"Eh?"

"I-I'm really thankful for you sticking by me this past month when no one else would even bother trying. So um, what I'm trying to say is..."

"You will go out with me?" I asked the blushing boy.

His eyes darted away from mine and he stared intently at the table while nodding his head.

"Ah that's great! If there is anything that can heal old wounds it's love!" I exclaimed and it took me a while to realize what I just said.

Len's eyes widened at the comment and he blushed so much that he tried to cover his face with his hands.

"No!" I said and raised my hands, waving them frantically in front of my face, "I-I didn't mean it that way! I mean it would be a good way to get you back to normal! I mean-no! I didn't mean LOVE love, I meant- like-no! Augh! It's not like I love you or anything! Wait what? Shit! Forget I said anything!"

I buried my head in my hands. Someone... Dig a ditch and let me die. This is so embarrassing.

I felt a gentle hand stroke my hair so I meekly lifted my head and took a peek.

Len was smiling. It was one of those rare, warm and sincere smiles that made my heart flutter and my head spin.

"Maybe you're right. I'm sure that with your help, the pain in my heart will slowly fade away and be replaced by a more wondrous feeling that I've never felt before...love."

My heart skipped a beat and I was afraid that his beautiful cerulean eyes would trap me forever in his gaze. I love him... The lonely bird that refused to leave his cage was now perched on my finger, softly singing his heart out.

Suddenly, my heart sank. Sure, I could probably help Len regain his old self again but when that happens... What is going to happen to me?

He'll probably hang out with Mikuo again and then look for a girl prettier than me to go out with... To REALLY fall in love with...

"Heh... It does make sense doesn't it?" I mumbled to myself and slowly sank into my chair.

"Huh? What happened Rin?"

"Once you're back to normal and your pain stops... You'll go back to your old friends right? T-then you'll probably want to go out with M-Miku, or Luka, or Neru..."

Len sighed and muttered, "Idiot."

I stared at him in a perplexed manner. What?

"Do you really think I would care about all of them when they left me alone? They never tried to help me! YOU are the only one who waited patiently by my side even when I coldly refused your help. I tried to stay silent and indifferent to your kindness...I was scared to begin to like you! Scared to love you! Because everything that I love in this life seems to get taken away from me!"

I stayed silent, shocked by his deep emotional outburst.

"I don't want to lose the only thing in this world that I care for... Not again."

I felt tears sting my eyes and gather together, screaming to be set free.

I obeyed my heart and soon my face was covered by tiny salty rivers that caressed my cheekbones. Tears of happiness, sadness, and joy sprung directly from the heart.

He likes me... Len really likes, might love, me.

"I like you L-Len." I said amid tears.

"I like you too Rin." He said while getting up from his side and sitting next to me on the bench.

He wrapped his arms around me, comforting me. If someone dared to interrupt that moment I swore I would kill them. Luckily, no one did.

Then without warning, he slowly and gently placed his lips atop mine and we shared a small, sweet kiss.

"Thank you Rin."

"Heh," I said while wiping away my tears, "That won't be free. I expect to be paid."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"T-that'll do..." I said and giggled.

After that, I began to teach the lonely bird how to fly. It wasn't easy... The poor thing had forgotten how to do it. But with tender love and care, he took flight and soared among the clouds, no longer a lonely bird.

"Hey Len!"

Len turned around to see his friend Mikuo approach us.

"Hey Mikuo."

"Did you finish the project?"

"Yeah, it was easy!"

"Of course it was for you, Einstein! Hmm, I bet Rin did everything, right Rin?"

I giggled and hugged Len.

It had been a year since that day at lunch when when we confessed our feelings to each other.

Little by little, Len returned to his old cheerful and friendly self. Mikuo hung out with us often and I was as happy as I could be. Miku tried asking Len out but he down-right refused. He stated that his only love would only be me for as long as he lived.

We went out to the movies, to lunch, to the amusement parks, everywhere. It was like teaching a little baby to walk...slowly one step at a time our love flourished.

The lonely bird was lonely no more. It now soared through the skies with a freedom it never had before...

He will never be a lonely bird again, not as long as I have air to breathe.

He returned to Len Kagamine but it wasn't the same anymore...

He wasn't just Len Kagamine anymore...

He is now the love of my life.


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A/N: Well, that's it for now. Please give me feedback in regards to this whole one-shot idea and if I should keep on going or not. Also, I will accept any ideas, suggestions and maybe even requests for stories to include in this collection.

Please comment :D I love you all~!

Thank you~