Blue bent studiously over her laptop as she typed rapidly. It had pretty much been established the year before not to put off homework and papers, mainly because they were complete terrors to start on the night before they were due, but with everything going through her mind, she'd totally forgotten.

Hitomi rubbed her arched back against Blue's bare ankles, purring. Blue sighed and bent down to scratch Hitomi behind the ears.

"You know," she sighed. "High school was a lot easier. Your teachers didn't read your papers half the time."

Hitomi mewed and walked off to the other part of the kitchen where her food bowl sat in the floor next to her cat jungle gym. Blue glanced over to the empty bowl and with a sigh, saved her file before getting up to feed Hitomi.

"If I forget about this paper because you made me get up and away from the computer, I blame you."

Hitomi simply meowed and crunched the cat kibble between her pointy little teeth. Blue yawned and looked out the open window next to the dining room/kitchen table. The full moon was barely visible behind the thin clouds, but Blue would see the outline of its glow. She felt a slight pang in her chest as she pondered going outside for a walk. It was hardly midnight, but still, she had work to do.

Blue sighed exasperatedly and walked over to the front door to grab a pair of converse. She'd never really worn them before, but Tsume had insisted that they were the most comfortable shoes ever. However, it would be terrible to tell him she agreed, only because he would smirk and talk playfully about how he was right.

Once she had laced up her high tops, she grabbed her house key off the hanger, tucked it in her pocket, and walked outside. The late summer/early autumn air was slightly still, but there was a slight movement of wind occasionally. Blue walked down the stairs, her hands in her pockets, unsure exactly what she was doing outside. The stairs weren't closed in like they had been at her previous place with Hige, so Blue glanced at the sky as she walked down each step.

When Blue reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked up and down the empty street. The street lamps lit up the sidewalk so it wasn't totally dark, but they were totally unnecessary because the full moon illuminated enough, even being behind the clouds. She simply shrugged and started walking, not quite sure where she planned on going. Blue just let the silence take over her and let her mind clear. Why was she feeling so sad? If you could even call it that. She felt more empty than sad, almost like something was missing.

Blue looked at the other apartments that she was walking past. She shook her head and continued walking. Walks were bad ideas because they caused thinking, which caused confusion.

"Blue, what are you doing out this late?"

Blue turned around and saw Hige standing behind her, his arms crossed around his chest. She felt her stomach give a slight jolt. Probably from nerves, but she wasn't sure.

"I could say the same to you," replied Blue cooly. She stood, her feet apart, in her 'I'm so irritated with you' stance, but it didn't look or feel nearly as intimidating with converse on.

Hige shrugged. "Well, my work hours haven't changed since you moved out."

Blue nodded and let out a deep, slow breath.

"Well, I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"

Blue shrugged. "I've been decent. How about you?"

"Same. Are you still with Tsume?"

"Yeah, you aren't thinking about getting back with me, are you?" Blue felt her anger rise up in her chest.

Hige shook his head. "No, Blue." He sighed then looked at the sky. "You know we're just friends."

"Then stop giving being so uptight about Tsume," snapped Blue.

Hige glared at her. "I'm not being uptight about him. I'm happy you've found someone else you're happy with."

Blue huffed. "Well you sure could have fooled me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not oblivious, Hige! I saw that look you gave him when he kissed me. Christie saw it too."

"Look, Blue, I wasn't pissed, I was irritated. You could have had more tact than that." Hige crossed his arms and faced her.

"And you just had loads of tact yourself, hanging all over Christie." Blue shrugged. "I don't need this from you. I have a paper to finish."

"Maybe if you hadn't always been working on something, it would have lasted," Hige spat bitterly as Blue pushed past him.

Blue clenched her fists around the fabric of her jacket. She wouldn't cry. She was so tired of just crying whenever something like this would happen.

Blue shrugged and kept walking. Home wasn't far away. As she walked away she looked up at the sky. Things really were a lot easier in high school, but back then she would have taken the bait and finished the argument. No, if she didn't grow up now, she might not ever.

Hige felt his stomach lurch. He couldn't have really said that, no way. But it was clear from Blue's reaction that his mouth was one thing he had not kept shut.

"Hey, look, Blue," he said as he took a step towards her.

Blue held up her hand, still not looking at him.

"I don't want to hear it, Hige. I'm done." Blue kept walking, but picked up her pace, and Hige just watched her leave.

Hige looked away when Blue had turned the corner, not quite sure what to do. He sighed and decided it would be best to walk home. There really wasn't anything he could do at that point anyway.

Once Hige walked through the door of his apartment, he suddenly felt lonely. There were so many memories, everywhere, and even though he admitted that it made him sad that Blue was gone, it just hadn't felt right any more. That special jump he used to get when he looked at her smile, the jittery feeling he used to feel whenever she just brushed against him, it died. Hige had no idea why, but it just wasn't there any more.

He collapsed on the couch, totally unused to having it all to himself. Even after it had been about a year of coming home to no one, it never felt right to curl up on it alone. Not any more anyways. Hige closed his eyes and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Hige woke up later to a buzzing in his pocket. He reached into his jeans, pulled out his phone and flipped it open.

"Hello?" he half grumbled into the receiver.

"Hey, Hige, what's up?"

"Kiba, do you have any idea what time it is?" Hige rolled over to face the back of the couch. He resolved that he would get off the phone, then go back to sleep for, oh, another century.

"Yeah, do you? It's one in the afternoon."

Hige sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingers strongly. It usually helped him wake up, kind of.

"Ok, so I got to bed late. What's up?"

"Nothing really. Hey, I was wondering if you were doing anything today."

Hige shook his head. "Nope. Today was my of day, so I figured I would sleep, but from the tone of your voice, it sounds like you have no intention of letting me."

"Of course I don't," said Kiba with a slight laugh. "It's your off day."

"Exactly why being left alone would be nice," Hige grumbled.

"Well, I kinda wanted to, I don't know, hang out or something?"

"Maybe later tonight," Hige rolled over again. "To be honest, I just want to get back sleep."

"Alright," said Kiba. "I guess I'll just call you later tonight then?"

"Alright, that'll be cool. Later." Hige snapped his phone shut and put it on the table, then rolled back over so he could catch some more sleep. He tried to ignore that weird feeling in his stomach. It felt oddly like butterflies, but that couldn't have been it. No, Hige was probably just hungry.

A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. Ok, well, a little longer than it has been lately. xD I got into a big fight with one of my friends and I was kinda...moody. Lol but it's all good and I'm writing again. Got a bit of inspiration actually. Anyways, you know what to do! Read and review please. Sorry this chapter isn't super long. I tried!