A/N More time for more chapters! Yay! *dances*
Chapter 10; the development continues...
Akihiko groaned in misery at his editor's hackneyed attitude. He saw it coming. He had been neglecting his work ever since he brought Misaki home, focusing all of his time and attention on him. He knew that sooner or later, Aikawa would blow her fuse and barge in. Not looking forward to what would happen next, Akihiko placed Misaki back in his own seat as casually and gently as possible, and stood up.
"I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now, Aikawa," Akihiko said bluntly. "Can you not see that I'm busy?"
Aikawa's eyes went straight to Misaki, who was still curled up in his chair, looking back at her. He was forever cursed with immediate fear upon seeing someone he didn't know. Aikawa scrutinized Misaki, realizing herself that he was slightly shaking, implying he was afraid. Assuming it was her potent first impression, she quickly stood up straight and cleared her throat.
"I've been reluctant this entire week, Usami-sensei. But I cannot tolerate your behavior any further," she said, much more calmly. "Things are a mess at Marukawa and your unwillingness to do your own job is of no help. I assumed you felt queasy or something, so I waited. But instead, I come to find you, with perfectly full health, and just neglecting to do your work to... accommodate this boy?" She approached Misaki cautiously, but it was in vain as he still flinched at her coming closer.
"Don't worry, I'm no one suspicious," Aikawa said. She forced a smile on her face, and reached out her hand. "My name is Eri Aikawa. I'm Usami's editor."
Misaki paused before hesitantly shaking her hand. "Editor?"
"That's right," she said. "This guy-" she pointed at the irrirated Akihiko- "is a fabulous author, you know!"
Author? Misaki thought. He's a famous author?
"You didn't know?" Aikawa thought. "It's a shame... not only were you delaying Akihiko's famous impending projects, but completely ignorant of the fact that you were doing so..."
Misaki felt his heart drop. This woman... she did not realize that her words felt like a knife.
I'm causing trouble for Usagi already... Misaki looked down sadly.
"Aikawa," Akihiko snapped, reading Misaki like an open book. "Don't barge into my home and spit out ridiculous nonsense freely. Misaki isn't a distraction. I chose to set my work aside to focus on him. You don't understand the situation, so don't blame him."
"What did I say that was so terrible?" She replied. "You should have let me finish. I don't blame him or you, Usami-sensei. He is rather cute..." She pinched one of Misaki's cheeks ignorantly. Misaki wanted to break away, but didn't want to cause any more tension than what he could already feel permeating the room. Misaki didn't like this woman. She was intrusive and hasty, which he found unpleasant. But, she did draw something important to his attention. Without another word, Misaki stood up from the table and gathered up the plates.
"Usagi... you should probably do your work now... I'll go upstairs so I won't bother you," he said as tranquilly as possible, not wanting Akihiko to notice an anxious aura. But Akihiko sensed the problem even before Misaki did.
"Misaki, you can stay here if you want-"
"Okay, you heard the boy, Usami-sensei!" Aikawa said, clapping her hands together. "Chop, chop! You have a week's worth of work to make up for, Mister!" Before Akihiko could retort, she hooked their arms and dragged him into the living room, plopping him down on the couch before she settled in the one across the way.
Hours passed that Misaki spent laying in Akihiko's- no, his and Akihiko's- bed, arms bent behind his head, lost in thought. He had thought of Akihiko's penthouse to be fancy and spacious, but didn't know another house to compare it to in order to describe it as the house under the ownership of a millionaire, maybe even a billionaire. Misaki sighed.
Usagi is a rich and famous author. On top of that, he's handsome, smart, funny, kind, and so caring...
There's just no way...
There's absolutely no way he's not already involved with someone.
Someone in his league, which I am not.
I'm just a nobody.
He sighed again, turning over to his side, with one arm still bent back.
But, he never spoke of anyone else.
It's just been me and him for the past week.
He's always taking such good care of me, and...
Misaki's heart raced and his cheeks turned red as he remembered the kiss Akihiko planted on his lips not too long ago.
He kissed me...
But I don't even know what a kiss really means, exactly... I only know what I've read in books.
"It could mean he loves you!" one side of his mind thought.
"Or it could mean nothing," the hostile side said.
Misaki rolled back over onto his back and stuffed a pillow in his face. He was at war with himself unjustly. Both sides of his mind battled for dominance, but neither side even knew what they were truly trying to feel. Misaki began to feel angry with himself, a result of stress from not being able to sort out his feelings. He screamed into the pillow, unable to handle this feeling of anxiety. He became so fed up with his uncertainty, that he fell fast asleep, hugging the pillow.
"Misaki... oi, Misaki..." Akihiko gently shook the blooming flower out of his sleep. His eyes blinked opened as he let out a small, tired groan. Akihiko couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's cuteness. "You'll have trouble sleeping tonight if you nap for too long."
Misaki sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Ahhah... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's alright," Akihiko said. "I know how boring meetings are. Even if you aren't even a part of it," he laughed. Misaki gave him a sad smile, not in the mood to laugh. Akihiko remembered the sting from earlier circumstances, and sat next to Misaki.
"Don't mind Aikawa," Akihiko comforted Misaki by taking his hand in his own and rubbing it gently with his thumb. "She's a bit of a nuisance, but she means well. I'm telling you this because you can expect her to intrude in the future, and I don't want her bluntness to bother you. But she's gone for the day, so you can come back downstairs if you want."
"Oh.. no," Misaki said, holding back his trembling voice. "S-She didn't bother me... I just didn't know her, that's all." Despite the fact this woman had made Misaki feel uneasy, he didn't want to bother Akihiko even more with his own trivial, infantile problems. And on top of that...
He's famous. He would never fall for the likes of you, so don't even try to bother him with your feelings, his pessimism reminded him. Those feelings he didn't even understand himself.
Misaki forced the smile wider. "I'm fine, really."
Akihiko's eyebrows furrowed, clearly not buying Misaki's act. As much as he wanted to talk things out, to make Misaki feel happy again, Aikawa had pushed all of his buttons and he couldn't deal with anymore tension. For now, as long as Misaki said he was fine, maybe he could trick himself into believing it. Akihiko offered his hand to Misaki, who gladly took it and was pulled from the bed onto his feet.
The two of them spent the rest of the evening on the couch, watching T.V. Misaki sat in his usual stance, his knees to his chest and his arms resting on top of them. Akihiko sat close by, legs crossed and one arm around the back of the couch...
This position was driving Misaki crazy.
He resisted the urge to cuddle with the author. They had done it plenty of times before that demon with human skin had barged in on them this morning, but after Aikawa made Misaki's role clear, he felt he had no right to show affection to Akihiko, and refrained. He didn't like it, but his desire to keep from turning Akihiko's life upside-down was stronger than the desire to fulfill his own. Now that he thought about it, he felt cold. He shivered, bringing his knees closer to his chest.
"Are you cold?" Akihiko asked, turning his head to Misaki's direction.
"What? Oh, yes.. a little bit, I guess." Misaki answered quietly. Akihiko responded by scooping up the boy in his arms and resting him on his chest like this morning. Misaki was already in the man's grasp before he realized what had happened. He looked up at Akihiko with wonder in his eyes. Akihiko looked back down at him, and gave him a warm smile. He reached up and stroked Misaki's chocolate colored hair the way he liked. Misaki unwillingly began to give in to Akihiko's touch, bringing himself closer to the warmth.
"There, now. Why would he be doing this if he didn'tlove you?" Misaki heard in his mind again.
"He's probably pitying you. He's implied that he knows you pretty well already. He knows you're a pathetic kid with nothing to offer him."
"But he's been nothing but kind and providing. Of course he cares about you."
"All lies. He's probably only doing it because you've been cleaning and cooking for him!"
"If he's rich, he would've hired someone to do that a long time ago. You're doing it out of free will, for him, because you want to make him happy, right? Isn't that enough to prove you to him love him? Surely he'll love you back."
"What's the point of love if it's one-sided?"
"It's not one-sided! Usagi has made that very clear!"
Misaki groaned as he buried his face deep in Akihiko's chest.
He didn't know how long he could keep this up.
A/N I'm sorry, guys. I know I'm putting Misaki through a bunch of bullshit. XD
And for those of you who might be wondering; yes there will be lemon between the two of them.
I just have to build up their relationship first.
In fact I really wanted Misaki to confess in this chapter to speed things up, but I just couldn't have him do it yet. It's too soon.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to make him suffer a little longer. T^T
Primordium: I guess Misaki is wondering how he is going to feel, too! He can certainly relate to the readers. xD
SuzukiChiyeko: Indeed. There always has to be that one dainty character who frequently screws things up. I dubbed Aikawa thee dainty broad, because I don't like her much myself. Not that she has a bad personality, but whenever there's a woman in a yaoi, I just instantly don't like her. XD So I'm kind of making her a bad guy here.
Thanks for putting up with me, guys!
-Tiny