Chapter 10: After the Lights Go Out

It's happening again. Luka drops her phone on the tangled sheets of her bed, trying to ignore the clench in her chest at the sight of her unanswered messages. Days have passed since she heard from him last, that strange conversation late at night. Perhaps that was it. That's all there will be. The thought is somehow consoling. No more of this back and forth nonsense. No more of him.

Would that be better?

She sighs and opens the door to her small balcony, letting the fresh morning air wash over her. The outside is damp with last night's rain. Drips hang from the railing and her laundry line, bare but for clothespins. They catch and reflect the light, sending small shivers of brightness across her line of vision, before eventually falling and splattering onto the floor below. Luka hesitantly leans against the soaked railing, looking out over the awakening city. There's a tingle to the air, a strange brightness that leaks in and lifts her spirits but unsettles her at the same time. Everything seems too still, like it's waiting for her to go out and disturb it. Like she has to.

She yawns, blinking restless sleep out of her eyes. Her eyes wander over the city, feeling the tug, tracing familiar streets. Well, she has to return her library books anyway.

A drop of water falls from a leaf and hits Gakupo squarely between the eyes, running across his forehead and down his nose. He frowns at the offending tree, daring it to drip on him again, and leans against the trunk.

It's tomorrow. The thought runs rapid through his mind. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow is today. It must happen today. Today is the day. He spins the words round and round, trying to fit them together in new ways, easier ways, but eventually shaking them away at the sight of the pair in the distance. Again, it must happen, but not imminently. There's something else first. Someone else. Is he putting it off? No, there's just more than one person that's important to him. He's not stalling. Liar.

He raises his hands as the pair approaches, calling out their names exuberantly and clapping. The man steps forward shaking his head almost sadly. "Stop before someone calls the police." Gakupo obliges and looks around nervously, noting that people have indeed begun to turn their heads. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and stares upwards, trying to seem as inconspicuous as possible. He's had some pretty bad experiences with large crowds, especially when they were livid.

With an arm around his friend's shoulder he enters the building, peeking backwards out of the corner of his eye once or twice. The girl, Miku, follows them quietly, hands folded and head tilted like a doll. They sit at their table and make their orders. As the menus are whisked away Gakupo leans his elbows on the tabletop, looking across the surface at the teal haired person across from him. He studies her posture, her body language, the way she reacts to him staring at her. She stares unblinkingly back, a hint of wariness in her gaze, but a tinge of annoyance as well, as if him looking at her is some kind of personal insult.

He sighs, satisfied. She seems calm, well-ground, but not a pushover. "You'll do," he says approvingly and leans back, smirking slightly as Kaito scowls and clenches his hands. Miku looks at him questioningly, causing a hint of color to rise in his cheeks, and he raises a hand, lowering it angrily and making Gakupo laugh. Yes, this will be fun.

"So…" he slurs, resting his gaze on Miku again. She retreats back into her seat a bit, biting her lip. Kaito scowls further.

"Gakupo," he growls. The musician feels laughter bubbling up inside him again, but he forces it down, keeping a deadly straight face as he continues staring at the girl, preparing to deliver the news that his friend is too beta to say. Kaito has never liked anyone before; this is exciting. Gakupo can finally torture him with embarrassing stories and girlfriend-related blackmail. That is, if they get together. Which will never happen if not for the help of the wonderful Gakupo Kamui!

Looking back at his friend, anger and stress paints itself across his face, along with a hint of desperation. Gakupo shakes his head. "C'mon Kaito."

"No!"

"Kaiiiiiito~!" He rolls his eyes, the chuckle finally coming out and glances out the window, thinking of what to say. Outside it is cool, with grey clouds drifting lazily over the sun, pale blue dots of sky scattered in-between. Across the road there's a sidewalk, dotted with budding cherry trees and old women walking their tiny dogs.

There she is.

Before he realizes what he's doing, he's up and out the door, his feet carrying him across the road. Her back is to him, long hair swaying as she walks. He doesn't think about what he was doing, what he's going to do now, what he's going to say. He's not sure what he ever meant to say to her, but he doesn't care. She's there, right there, close enough that he can smell her shampoo. She's there.

"Luka!" She spins around, her eyes widening as he wraps his arms around her and buries his face in her neck. He hears her gasp as he lifts her up, twirling her around on the sidewalk and setting her down again.

"Luka!" he says again, breathlessly. She stares at him with eyes as wide as saucers, a blue so familiar he could paint it in his sleep. They drop after a moment to the ground, where a series of books have fallen out of her arms. He continues talking, rambling off any and every thing that comes into his mind, and waving his arms out dramatically. "The eggs were runny and Kaito was really mad at me, but now the day is-"

Clunk. His head goes sideways and his words trail off, gaze wandering over to the hardback book that connected with the side of his cranium. It slowly lowers and he straightens, ignoring the ringing in his ears as Luka steps forward, her lips drawn back in a disbelieving grimace.

"What are you doing here?" she steps closer to him, a finger coming up and jabbing near his face. "You're here? Just moseying around, eating with your friends-"her words choke and she settles for just stepping forward again. Her eyebrows draw together almost painfully. "Do you even know…do you have any idea…" Her posture deflates and she sinks downwards slightly, seeming as if she was just punched in the stomach. Not looking him in the eye she turns around and stalks back the way she came, arms clutching each other roughly.

He watches her go, watches the way her fingers tear at the edges of her sleeves, and his hands clench into fists, his euphoria replaced with something heavier, deeper. That look. That was the same expression she had the last time her saw her, when they said goodbye. Longing, hiding pain, it's still there. But, he knew that didn't he?

No. He's not going to let her get away again.

A/N: Dun, dun, DUN! Cliffhanger~! I'm evil:) Almost done writing though so the chapters should be posted faster.

So now we find out what that Bromantic conversation was about!Hah, Kaito is probably so pissed at him...