The Skylark and the Cat Chapter Thirteen

Thirteen already? O.O Wao! And almost completely on one ff buddy's reviews... *sob* Keep followin, BlackAngel1994

Monday...

I was covered in small bumps and scratches. There was a gash on my cheek, letting out a minor sting. It was annoying, like my other little injuries, but it wasn't as though it was much. Not to me.

When I arrived at the school, I was disappointed not to find Ikuto waiting for me. And as the homeroom bell rang, he didn't come to walk with me to class. I shuffled into the classroom, glancing about for Ikuto.

But he wasn't there.

I was a little annoyed that he wasn't around. As far as I'd known, he'd been a healthy man like myself, and not caged by a small fever. A cat that would move even with a broken leg. That's how I always saw Ikuto, up until then. And so, once homeroom was let out, I headed to the principal's office, knowing that there was only one way to get to him.

"Excuse me?" I said, walking into the office. "I need to speak to another student."

"Why, it's only a passing period, Kyoya!"

"I need to," I repeated. It took a while, but I soon had the principal call out the student Utau: Ikuto's one and only sibling.

Minutes passed without her showing up. I was tired, and I was getting more angry as we waited. Impatient and dissatisfied, I let myself linger for moments longer, until...

"Yes?"

I was suprised when I saw the girl, for she looked nothing like Ikuto, aside from the reserved appearance. Her hair was long and blonde, tied up in two ponytails. Her eyes looked menacing and mean, and I was immediately set on edge.

"Utau, I'm a friend of your brother," I said, cautiously approaching her. "Why isn't he here today?"

"I dunno, he probably got into the habit of ditching again," Utau said, "He'd be on a roof somewhere, staring up at the sky... sometimes he needs his time to relax. You know how Ikuto is, if you're really his friend. He's a black cat. Never to be chained down by anyone."

My heart gave an involuntary lurch as I heard her out. Ikuto was... a lot like me, when I thought about it. Not wanting to be restrained, being aloof and always alone...

In that moment, I realized that I absolutely had to see him. Was he okay? Was he safe?

"He might also be in the park, playing his violin... Ah, he's quite the stray."

I walked over to the principal's window, then, without even thinking, shattered it with my tonfa, and leapt outside. I landed gracefully on my feet, and started running, not seeing the rain clouds in the sky.

I ran for a long time, then froze as I heard a sweet, yet sorrowful melody. I blinked slowly, following the faint noise, becoming immersed in its beauty. I had never heard such a spectacular sound in my life. I continued to chase the music for a while, until I came out in a park area.

And there he was.

His bow slid gracefully over each string, making long, vibrating notes as it went, occassionally skipping strings to make quick transitions to higher notes. I'd never heard him play so gorgeously before. The sound was soothing, yet depressing at the same time, giving me the woeful image of that abandoned, stray cat.

I walked closer, wondering when I'd be in his line of vision, then realized that his eyes were closed, and walked up until I could see the rosin on his strings. "Ikuto...," I breathed, and he immediately stopped, opening his eyes and glaring at me. He lowered his violin.

"What do you want," he asked bluntly. "Can't you see I'm relaxing?"

Something about his playing... it had touched me. Melted some of my pride, in fact, melted just enough of it.

I reached up slowly, and touched his cheek, then stood up tall in order to reach him, coaxing his head down as I touched our lips together.

I'd never attempted such a thing before... it was so new. So strange. But it was the exact comfort that I needed, and as I felt the soothing physical contact of his soft hair between my fingers, his arms tossed loosely around my waist, and his lips against mine, I knew that this was right. As weird and intrusive as it had originally felt, this time, I was the lead. I was the one who made the move. I was in control, and I loved that.

I backed up just for a moment to breath out his name, then came back in and kissed him twice as fiercely. For that moment, everything about him drew me in. Everything pulled me closer. And as I felt that slick, wet tongue sweep over my lips, I couldn't resist doing the same, letting myself slide into the new, deeper action.

I clutched the back of his shirt with one hand, making sure that he never backed away from me, then, when the time was right, I was the one to draw away. Ikuto stood there, suprised, before he took a single step back. "Kyoya," he began, "does this mean that you're willing to accept my feelings?"

I thought about it. Yes, his essence had attracted me in the first place, and he'd been messing my feelings up, scrambling my thoughts as he pleased, and, while that was annoying, it was also, oddly enough, okay. Maybe I WAS feeling something for him. Maybe I DID like him. Maybe... I wanted him to be more than just my friend.

Because anything else than the truth would be an excuse.

And I hated excuses.

"Ikuto...," I started, "I will accept... even though it's... uncertain for me."

"No use continuing without love," he sighed, putting his violin up on his shoulder. "But I'm glad..."

"Good," I replied, resting my head on my knees as I sat on the ground. "... Play another song, Ikuto..."

"Mm'kay."

And as I listened to his relaxing music, I brought my hand up and brushed my fingertips over my lips. I could still feel exactly what it was like. The passion, the warmth, the absolute emotion that flowed between us in an electrical connection...

Everything was so new to me, but at the same time, it was a different 'new.' A more... acceptable 'new.' A sort of change that I may have liked a hint too much.

I wanted more.

An hour later...

Ikuto was packing up, and I walked back over to him, and said, "Can you come over tonight and teach me more?"

"Only if that 'Bucking Horse' guy isn't there," he muttered. "He reminds me too much of Tadase."

I snorted, thinking of Dino compared to that short little boy, then realized that there was more than just appearance to Ikuto's words. 'Is he jealous?' I wondered, looking at the other man with slight confusion. He smiled when I looked at him, and I gave a small smile back at him.

"I'll tell Dino to go shopping or something," I assured him, "He won't be there."

"Thank you," Ikuto said, "I love you, Kyoya."

I paused, not expecting him to say that, and watched as a light pink blush tinted his cheeks. His small smile, the satisfaction over simply telling me that, it cheered me up a bit, too. I placed a hand on his shoulder, then mustered up all my courage, and put as much emotion as I could into those three words...

"What you said."

-End Chapter

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