CENTENNIALS

500: 'O' is for...

Ritsuka lingers on the doorstep, the curt flick of his tail betraying his uncertainty.

'Are you sure you don't have other things to do?' he asks, avoiding Soubi's eyes by plucking at the hem of the persimmon wind-coat he's still wearing.

'Ritsuka is more important,' Soubi's voice is soft, confident, but the look Ritsuka levels him is so sharp that Soubi smiles and looks away.

'That's not a no,' Ritsuka remarks with a tilt of his feline ears.

Soubi returns his gaze, still smiling. 'No.'

Ritsuka's ears completely disappear in his black hair, and he shrinks further into his downy jacket, stuffing his hands deep into the pockets and ducking his head until his face is obscured up to his nose. 'If you have other plans, then tell me so!'

The high collar of his coat muffles Ritsuka's words ever so slightly, the orange colour emphasizing the rising red in his face as he gives Soubi an accusatory stare. Soubi doesn't look away this time.

'Is that an order, Ritsuka?'

Ritsuka's hands fly out of the depths of his pockets as he throws them up, his voice rising. 'No! It's common sense!'

Soubi waits for Ritsuka to say something more, but speaks as Ritsuka only cycles a heavy breath through his nose. 'Ritsuka is angry. If you wish, you can-'

'No punishment!' A particular note of vehemence sneaks into Ritsuka words, 'How many times do I have to say that?'

Soubi's face reveals nothing as he inclines his head. 'As Ritsuka wishes,' his voice, too, remains sanguine, 'Forgive me.'

With a huff of irritation, Ritsuka discards his coat and stomps over to the bed with his school bag in hand. He sits down, back turned resolutely to Soubi, and pulls out a stack of books to start on his homework.

Soubi, unperturbed by Ritsuka's exasperated silence, settles onto the floor nearest the window with a packet of cigarettes. He smokes, contenting himself by listening to Ritsuka scribbling in his notebook and flipping through pages- a little more forceful than is absolutely necessary.

Soubi doesn't notice the lapse into complete silence until he lights his next cigarette, the click of his electric lighter sounding objectionably loud.

Looking up, he finds that Ritsuka has turned around, sitting cross-legged with a thick volume of some sort lying open in his lap, staring at Soubi, seemingly lost in thought. Soubi can't resist speaking.

'Is Ritsuka thinking about me?'

The gentle lilt of his voice pulls Ritsuka from his reveries with a small start. He looks slightly embarrassed, but surprises Soubi by pushing out his chin and answering, with only the smallest stammer; 'I- Yeah, sort of.'

Quirking an eyebrow, Soubi rises and approaches the bed with whispering footsteps.

'What could you be reading to make you think of me?' Soubi reaches for the thick book, lifting it off Ritsuka's thigh to glance the cover. He blinks. 'The dictionary?'

Ritsuka looks up at him with shrewdly shimmering eyes.

'Soubi, do you know what obstinate means?'

A/N: Yes, random, but I wanted to get myself writing again (after struggling with the last part of Sensory for so long).

Comments and criticisms are very welcome.