Okinata: YAAAAY, I'M BACK! Now that was a way long break in updating this story, but now my inspiration has returned, so I can continue!
Ren: -with a moan of complain- Why? It was such a nice time when you lost interest in this fiction…
Okinata: Hmpf. Like thanks a lot, that really psyched me up! Anyway, you'll have to get back to enduring this "pain", Ren. I'm not letting you go this time!
Ren: -terrified- You can't be serious!
Okinata: Oh, yes, I can. But don't worry, during the break I decided that making intros and endings longer than the chapters because of my quarrels with you is stupid, so it'll now be shortened. Now, get your story on!
Ren: -sweatdrops- Um… shouldn't it be "Get your game on"? You're mixing series… Still, thanks for your mercy.
Jyuu. Like a bird in a cage…
Jun was nowhere near disappointed as the morning came. She has been waked up by a loud scream that carried Chinese-accented Japanese words. "WHAT THE HECK…!?!" But then again, she thought, his reactions are starting to get boring. He's so… monotonous. I guess I'll have to talk with him about it. And with a sigh, she got out of her bed to get dressed and prepare breakfast.
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Ren woke up and the view he has been welcomed with this day was definitely not a one he would expect. As he slowly opened his golden eyes they have met a pair of stone-grey ones. He didn't actually register this fact in his mind, not until he noticed that something else wasn't right. He wasn't in his bed.
He was in Nichrome's bed, to be precise.
And what's even more, he was lying under the covers, embraced with the other boy's arms and – as he noticed with horror – holding to him. His face turned deep crimson and without even thinking, he screamed.
"Well, yes, I'm also very happy to see you." Nichrome said with a yawn, still keeping an eye on the other boy.
"What the fuck am I doing in your bed!?" He asked, his voice trembling with fury, fear and embarrassment. He sat on the bed's edge, as far from the ex-Priest as he only could without falling.
"I wanted to ask you the very same question. I woke up in the middle of night and what did I see? You snuggling to me." He answered with a tired smile. "I can't say that it was unpleasant. Come to think of it, I've never been treated like this, you know?" He added, narrowing his eyes and staring at Ren with some undefined spark.
"WHAT!? You're freaking lying! Why should I do a thing like this? It's just impossible! I bet it's you who-"
The brunette sighed, interrupting the younger boy's monologue. "You're way too loud." He stated, and not giving the Tao sibling chance to react, he suddenly launched himself towards him, pressing their lips in a gentle kiss, causing Ren's voice to cease to just quiet mumbles, and he pulled back only when he fell completely silent.
Nichrome eyed the purple-haired boy cautiously, amazed by the lack of reaction. Ren's eyes were closed, and facial expression as calm as never, except a small frown. His chest waved up and down in deep breaths. "What the fuck was that for?" He whispered, his golden orbs slowly appearing between eyelids as he started opening them.
The ex-Priest only shrugged his arms. "Couldn't think of better way of keeping you quiet."
Ren stayed silent and still for another moment, but his face started turning angry, and the next thing he knew, he was running towards his bedroom, leaving a confused brunette alone in his room with a red handprint on his cheek. On his way, he nearly bashed into Jun, but managed to dodge her, not even stopping to say hello. When he finally reached his sanctuary, he locked the door and fell on his bed.
He hid his face in his slant hands, felling like he was about to burst into tears. His heart was pounding hard against his chest like a bird in a cage that desperately wanted to get free. He just couldn't understand what happened, or rather – he didn't want to understand it. But the fact was undeniable – he has just been kissed. Kissed by a boy. And what's even more, it was… No, he just couldn't make himself finish that sentence, not even in his own thoughts. But then again, another thing struck him. He has just acted like some damn teenage girl that was merely inches from losing her virginity or something. He didn't punch Nichrome; he slapped him across his face! What the hell was that supposed to be?
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"I wonder what happened to him…" Jun thought aloud, heading towards the kitchen, when she noticed Nichrome. The brunette came out from his room with confusion visible in his eyes, but he smiled when he saw the green-haired Chinese.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Jun-san." He said with a smile.
"Ohayo." She answered with a nod, staring at him thoughtfully.
"Um… is there something on my face?"
"Actually… yeah, there is." Jun said, pointing at the boy's cheek. "And it looks like… how to say it… a handprint."
"Oh." Nichrome brought his hand to the red place. "I guess I made Ren upset."
"Ren? You mean… my little brother slapped you?" The answer was a short, slow nod. "You mean… hit you girl-styled?" Another affirmative nod. Jun blinked in consternation. "… Why?"
The brunette shrugged his arms and frowned thoughtfully. "Come to think of it now, it must have been his first time. Otherwise, I don't think he would have slapped me, rather punch…" He looked at the older Tao sibling feeling her stare. "…what is it?"
"What do you mean… by saying 'first time'…?" She asked, looking dazed.
"Well, he started yelling, so I kissed him to make him silent." Nichrome answered with another frown. "I didn't think it would of such a big deal to him…"
"Oh…" Jun looked slightly disappointed, she obviously thought that something more happened when Nichrome said 'the first time'. But then her lips curved back into a wide, joyful smile. "Wait a sec… does it mean that you guys kissed?"
"Well… yeah, sort of. Why? Was that wrong?" The ex-Priest asked with a great concern in his voice.
"No, no, no, absolutely not!" Jun said quickly, shaking her head violently. "Anyway, I'm gonna make some breakfast! You better get ready, it should be done in a few minutes!" And she left, singing something under her breath. The opening theme from 'Gravitation', to be more precise.
Nichrome watched her leave with confusion, but then shrugged his arms, smiled and went towards the bathroom to take a shower.
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Ren stared at his room's ceiling, with an awful emptiness in his head. He didn't want to think about anything at the moment, because he knew that he would end up remembering what happened a couple of minutes earlier. With a long, deep sigh he got up and left his bedroom, walking slowly in the bathroom's direction, his gaze locked firmly on the ground, though he wasn't actually conscious of it. Without even knocking he simply entered the bathroom, the information that a wooden floor has been now replaced by beige tiles waking slowly through his mind, unnoticed. And he has been brought back to reality only when he suddenly bashed into something warm and soft.
He looked up and his eyes met a picture of Nichrome's face with surprised expression and a handprint still visible on his cheek. Second later the same face suddenly became red.
"Ren…? What are you doing here?"
"Nichrome…?" The Chinese blinked with confusion, his gaze involuntarily falling downwards just to let him notice, that the other boy was completely naked. Fortunately- or not – the brunette was standing back to him, so he didn't catch even a glimpse of anything more than his buttocks, but it was far more than enough to send Ren red-faced back to his room at unbelievable speed, leaving Nichrome another handprint as a goodbye present.
"Now, this is a small exaggeration." The brunette mumbled to himself, staring at the open door of bathroom.
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Now, this is far too much! Ren thought in panic, once more laying face down on his bed. At the moment it would be really hard to define where his flushed skin ended and the burgundy covers started. I just can't take it anymore! How can I possibly live like that? He felt like his trembling heart – a bird in a cage.
And then, he got an idea.
After all, even if he was a bird in a cage, his cage was already open for a few years aldone.
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"Reeen! Nichrome-kuuun! Breakfast's ready!" Jun called out, placing last plate on the table in the dining room.
A few seconds later, the ex-Priest came, smiling widely despite his red, hurting cheek. He whistled quietly with admiration as he saw what Jun called today's 'breakfast'. Namely, the table was full of different exquisite meals, making it seem more like a Christmas dinner than anything else. "Why's this banquet on our table?" He asked with laughter.
"Oh, no particular reason. It's just that I sometimes like to practise making something more difficult than sandwiches." The woman answered with a joyful giggle. When she smiled or laughed, she looked like a little girl, which was quite an extraordinary view with her figure.
Nichrome sat down eagerly. "Wow. You really believe we'll be able to eat all this food you prepared? It would be a real shame if something would be wasted…"
"That's why I'm sure that it'll be all eaten." Jun answered, winking at him mischievously. "But let's wait for Ren to join us before we start consuming it."
Minutes passed, but her brother was nowhere to be seen. They even called him a few times, but with no response. After about ten minutes, Jun started worrying. "Let's better go look for him." She said, standing up. Nichrome nodded and followed her example. Even he wasn't smiling now, worry visible in his grey, half-closed eyes. They went towards the youngest Tao's room and knocked.
Nothing but silence.
"Onii-chan, are you there?"
Still no response.
She opened the door and came in, quickly scanning through the whole place. But there was no one there. And then her eyes widened in horror.
The window was open.
Okinata: -grins with satisfaction- Well, how did you like that? I thought it's about high time to get those two into some action, and so… ta-da! And this chapter is quite long, as well, don't you think? Well, anyway, to know what happens next, you'll have to wait 'till the next chapter!
Okinata: Damn, it's so quiet without Ren...