"Hey, Yuujirou!" Mikoto scrambled down the hall, dodging students and tripping over his platform shoes. Natasho was trying out a new Chibi-Lolita theme on the three Princesses, which included bright, puffy dresses, curled wigs, and tall shoes. Unfortunately for the Eastern Princess, his balance hadn't improved with his new looks.
"Mikoto! Watch ou--" Yuujirou sighed hopelessly as he watched Mikoto slip on one of his many petticoats, face-planting into the floor with a loud crash.
"Oww!" Mikoto whined. "I think I'm dying, Yuujirou!"
"Get up," Yuujirou laughed, offering a hand to the clumsy boy, "or else you'll have your fan club kissing your bruises."
Mikoto's eyes widened; he quickly pulled himself up and looked around frantically. Grabbing Yuujirou by the wrist, he dragged the Western Princess into a secluded classroom. Mikoto listened anxiously for a few moments before confirming their safety.
"No fan clubs in here," he grinned. "Now, Yuujirou, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure, ask me anything," Yuujirou leaned against the wall nonchalantly. "If I don't want to answer, I won't. Just don't cry."
"I won't cry!" Mikoto pouted, pushing his lower lip out. Yuujirou couldn't help but laugh.
"Hurry up and ask; I need to find Touru so we can discuss our schedules for the week. You've worked yours out already, right?"
"Yes, I have. But that's not the point! In fact, the question I wanted to ask you...it's about Touru," Mikoto sighed deeply. "Has he been acting strange lately?"
Yuujirou's eyes widened. Could Mikoto know something...? Does he remember the...?
"Not that I've noticed," Yuujirou answered, trying to keep his voice steady. "Why?"
"He's just seemed so distant since he saw his cousin last. I think something might have happened between them. Or maybe..." Yuujirou stopped focusing on Mikoto's words for a moment.
HAS Touru acted weird lately? Well, I suppose he has, but no more than normal. But since he saw Sayaka? No, it was before the last time he saw her. It was right after...oh, no...
"Yuujirou! Are you listening? I'm seriously concerned over here and you're daydreaming!" Mikoto frowned.
"I'm listening," Yuujirou snorted. "I just don't see what you're getting worked up over. Touru's fine. If it makes you feel better, though, I can ask him about it later."
"Would you? I mean, it's not like I'm a stalker or anything. But when I've been around a person as long as I've been around Touru, I can't help but pick up on his feelings."
"Maybe it's your feminine side coming out?" Yuujirou teased. Mikoto's face turned cherry-red as he loudly defended his masculinity. "I'm kidding, Mikoto. I'll talk to Touru. Don't worry about it."
"All right," Mikoto sighed. "I'm leaving it up to you, Yuujirou!"
As soon as Mikoto slipped out of the classroom, Yuujirou sank to the floor. Touru HAD been acting strange, hadn't he? It doesn't make sense, he thought, Touru couldn't have been affected by that kiss...
Or could he?
After dinner that night, Yuujirou and Touru settled down into their room for the night to discuss the week's schedule for Princess events. Since Mikoto had a date with Megumi on Tuesday, Yuujirou or Touru would have to take his place at the sporting event. After much debate, the boys decided to settle the argument with a game of cards. Touru shuffled the deck while Yuujirou sat in silence.
"That's a ten! I get it." Touru stole the flimsy card from Yuujirou's hands, grinning.
"You cheated! How did you know it was a ten? Well, fine. This one must be a seven!" Yuujirou made a grab for the card in his roommate's hand, but Touru pulled back suddenly.
"Wrong!" Touru laughed, sticking his tongue out.
"Damn." Yuujirou grumbled, shuffling his cards around and drawing another from the deck. "Hey, Touru, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Fire away." Touru slapped a pair of cards down on the floor.
"You've acted strangely lately. How come?" Yuujirou concentrated on the eight of hearts he held in his hand, unable to make eye contact with the other boy.
"I haven't noticed if I've acted strangely. Why do you think I've been acting that way?" Touru glanced up from his cards.
"I don't know. Mikoto's the one who pointed it out," Yuujirou frowned at the cards he held in his hand. He drew one slowly and slapped it on the floor. "And when he mentioned it, I guess I noticed it, too. It started right after...you know. The Sayaka thing."
"Oh." Touru frowned. He picked a card from his deck and slapped it on the floor.
Say something, Yuujirou thought. Say anything.
"So..." Yuujirou began, but froze. What could I say?
"You know," Touru sighed as he placed another card on the floor, "I wasn't as mad about the whole situation as I pretended to be. I mean, sure, I was pissed. But...I don't know. It was a long time ago, right Yuu? It's all the past."
"Yeah, right, just the past." Yuujirou smiled weakly, drawing another card.
"What happened in the past should stay in the past," Touru stated firmly, tossing all his cards to the floor. He locked eyes with Yuujirou, who slowly placed his cards on the ground as well. "Unless we turn the past into the present."
"...What?" Yuujirou's eyes widened as his mind registered Touru's words. He searched the other boy's eyes for a clue, some sort of hint as to what he was suggesting.
He has that same look, Yuujirou thought, the exact same look that I saw in my own eyes. He has the same look that I had when I looked into the mirror after our kiss. What is this feeling? What is that look?
Passion.
Yuujirou remained frozen in place as Touru leaned toward him. Cards sprawled in all directions as the space between the two boys became less and less. With a hungry look in his eyes, Touru claimed Yuujirou's lips. Yuujirou closed his eyes, not believing what was happening. Colors exploded behind his eyelids, making him blind to all but passion. His senses shut down until all he could feel was Touru's lips pressed firmly on his own.
Slowly, Touru drew back, breaking the kiss. The feeling, however, lingered. Yuujirou found that he couldn't move. He could barely breathe. Touru seemed frozen in a similar state. The two held each other's gaze for a long spell soaking in the atmosphere, until a knocking on their door broke their trance.
"Hey! Touru! Yuujirou! Are you busy?" Mikoto opened the door and grinned at the two boys on the floor. "Hey, what are you guys doing?"
"We're..." Yuujirou's throat caught. He couldn't breathe.
"We're just playing cards." Touru smiled. "Do you need something, Mikoto?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to see if I was covered for Tuesday. I need to call Megumi before nine o'clock so I can tell her my plans." He looked back and forth from Yuujirou to Touru, baffled.
"You're covered. Go have fun with your precious girlfriend." Touru smirked.
"Thanks, I owe you!" Mikoto stuck his tongue out before bouncing out of the room to call Megumi.
As soon as the door closed, Yuujirou finally snapped out of his shock. His mind reeled. Touru smiled secretively at him, blushing a bit.
"You know," Touru laughed, "we never did decide who would take Mikoto's place on Tuesday."
"Touru..." Yuujirou whispered. "Let's both do it. Can we?"
"I was hoping that you would suggest that," Touru laughed. "Let's clean these cards up and go to bed. It's getting late."
Yuujirou glanced at the clock, which read 9:15 P.M. Nine o'clock wasn't nearly as late as Yuujirou normally went to bed, but he had a feeling that Touru wanted to fall asleep early tonight. The boys picked up their cards silently, each blushing slightly when their hands accidentally touched. Like newlyweds, they were afraid to say the wrong thing for fear of upsetting the other, so they stayed silent.
As they climbed into bed, they said their goodnights as usual, though neither believed it was a usual night. As sleep descended over Yuujirou's exhausted body, he heard the faintest sound of Touru's voice.
"Hey, Yuujirou...consider this payback. Sleep well…"