Title: Bitter Cold
Author: kawaiichiisaikitsune(piratekiari)
Rating: K+
Pairings: Implied HoroRen
Summary: Ice. Bitter and cold. It has nothing to do with him. Yet, it does. (One-shot Collection)

Kiari-san started this during her homeroom and finished it around 2:30 in the morning. Why? Because she was up and bored. She's a night owl. Anyhow.. Hope you enjoy! Oh! And before Kiari-san forgets.. This story is almost kind of AU-ish..

Disclaimer- No own, no own. -weeps-

Tutor

Horokeu Usui flopped heavily upon his bed with an agitated sigh. Today had been a rough, boring day. And boy was he glad it was finally nearing its damned end.

Each and every teacher of his had rounded on him in class, piling him up with unnecessary homework just for being the way he was. He missed a great lunch because of some blabbing girl he had no interest in, but insisted on keeping him from his friends and his lunch. Also, he was held after school in detention for something that was utterly stupid!

But luckily, that was all over now.

The blue-haired boy rested his head against the feather soft pillow and closed his tired obsidian eyes. He could almost see the wonderful far-off world of dreamland. He could almost touch it, smell it, taste it! But an ear-piercing, slightly shrill voice immediately awoke him.

"Renny!"

It was the high-pitched squeal of his little sister Pirika. Somehow he would've thought he'd have gotten used to that cry of hers by now, but still it surprised him every time it came.

There were some muffled voices after that and then the soft thudding of footsteps heading towards his room. Horo held his breath nearly out of instinct as the thumpings got heavier as they neared his closed door. His breath was still bottled up as he chose to ignore the insistent knocks at the wood.

"Onii-san," he heard Pirika call through the door, sounding annoyed, but happy, "Ren's come by for your daily tutoring session. Don't be pig-headed today and come out. I'm sure you could use all the help you can get with that stack of homework I saw you bring home. Come out, alright?"

"Fine, fine," he grumbled in return as the breath was released. She was like their mother when their parents weren't around, despite that she was the younger. Horo really hated that sometimes, but he couldn't do much about that though. Go against Pirika and she finds a way to pay you back big time. She was evil, despite how cute she may be on the outside.

"Good. Renny's waiting for you at the kitchen table. Don't get him upset, okay? I don't want anything broken," the girl spoke up happily, her grin apparent in her voice. Then she left.

Horohoro sighed deeply, trying to sink farther into the warm mattress. It wasn't that he disliked his tutoring sessions with Ren. On the contrary. He enjoyed them as much as diving into a big bowl of ice cream. He enjoyed being helped by the small chinese and having him over to spend time with. It was just that for the past couple of days he hadn't been in the best of moods.

This happened often actually. Every month the blunette would get in a despressed and angry mood for a certain amount of days. He wasn't even sure why this happened because he lived a rather exciting, fun life. But it happened anyways.

Yoh, a friend, had laughed everytime Horo would turn into a bad mood for no reason. He'd turn to Manta, another friend, and chuckle, "I guess it's that time of month again, ne?"

The Ainu boy frowned, eyebrows furrowed together at the memory. Grumpily he rose from his bed and swung his backpack over his shoulder. He had ignored Ren and his sessions the last couple of days, and he probably owed it to the chinese to actually attend this one. He was begged by the Usuis to tutor their son and was being paid by the hour for agreeing to do it.

Horohoro entered the kitchen and sat himself beside Ren at the table. "Let's get this over with," he mubbled unhappily as he pulled out papers from his pack.

The other raised a thin purple eyebrow, but didn't object. He was aware of this "time of the month" thing with the blunette and promptly ignored it. Once he saw that all materials were set and ready he began the tutoring session.

"I don't get it!" Horo cried at Ren as he tried the first couple math problems.

The chinese remained calm, expecting this to come. "It's not that hard," he sighed lightly, taking the pencil from the fuming Ainu, "Here, I'll show you how to do the first one." As he worked out the problem he explained every step he took. After having to repeat this at least twice more he was able to sit back and watch as the blunette did his own work.

After a good couple of hours three of four main subjects had their homework, and extra homework, completed. All that was left was English, Horokeu's most hated subject of all time. He begged and pleaded and begged some more to not have to do the homework, but Ren, being the good tutor he was, made him do it.

"No, no, you did that wrong," the smaller spoke up as he observed Horo working on the homework.

"What'd I do wrong?" he asked, brows furrowing together.

"There," he answered, leaning over and pointing at the problem, "You did that section completely wrong."

The Ainu gulped lightly as he felt Ren's body press softly against his side as he was reaching over to point at a certain something on his paper. His face grew hot as he lost all concenration. His head began to swim as he felt his hands starting sweat and he found himself focusing on the chinese with dark appraising eyes.

"Horo?" Ren startled him, staring back up with large golden eyes, "Did you hear me?"

The one in question fidgeted in his seat, feeling his face slowly growing red. "N-no," he stammered nervously.

"I thought so," the other deadpanned, eyes half lidded as he sat up straight again, "Well then, I want you to figure out your mistake on your own. If you're not going to listen, then I'm not going to help."

"But Ren," Horohoro whined, prying his eyes off of him and turning to the paper, "I don't see it. What'd I do?"

"If you're not going to listen, then I'm not going to help," he repeated, folding his arms and settling against the back of his chair.

"You're mean."

About another hour passed and Horo finished his last bit of homework thanks to Ren once he started helping again. Now they sat at the table, Horo packing his homework back in his bag and Ren watching him.

"Horo," the chinese spoke up suddenly, feeling almost meek as he did, "Are you feeling better?"

The blunette turned and blinked at him dumbly.

"I heard about your bad mood thing from Yoh," he explained softly.

"Oh!" he caught on. Now that he thought about it, he didn't feel quite that grumpy anymore. He felt happy and like himself again. "Yeah! I feel much better, thanks to you."

The shorter fought back the blush threatening to stain his pale cheeks as he muttered, "I didn't do anything."

Horo grinned, "Maybe not, but I feel much happier. And it must be because of you because I was grumpy at first and then I was happy and I was with you and no one else the whole time."

Ren stood from his chair abruptly, turning away. "I should go home now."

"Ah, don't you want your pay?" the blunette stood up as well.

"I don't need any pay," the chinese replied, picking up his light bag from the ground and started out the room and to the front door. The other followed after him.

"Uhm, well, do you want me to walk you home?" he questioned hopefully.

"I think I'll be fine," he answered slowly.

"But it's already dark out. We don't want anything happening to you out there," he smiled slowly as Ren raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fine," he sighed helplessly as he started out the door with him following.

They walked in chopped silence as Horo tried bringing up conversations that died with just a single reply. Soon they reached the chinese's place and stopped at the front door. "Good night," Ren turned back briefly before opening the front door.

Horohoro quickly grabbed his arm and twirled him back around. He had wanted to do this a while ago, but his "time of the month" had made him forget about it until now. And now he had the strongest urge to actually do it. So he went with it.

"So, same time tomorrow?" the blunette grinned, releasing captured lips.

"If you're lucky, Horokeu," Ren returned with a smallsmirk.

"Good evening, Horohoro," Jun smiled knowingly from the open doorway, startling both boys.

"'Nee-chan!" the younger chinese yelped, "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," she grinned wickedly, "Long enough."

Bwa ha ha! Kiari-san hopes you liked this, because it was actually a kind of random story that popped up. She thinks it turned out well though, even thought it's not too long. Well, tell her what you think.

Flames are ignored, constructive criticism is highly appreciated, and praise is great for Kiari-san's ego.