A/N part 1 - Accomplishment
I have, after a long and intensely torturous period of studying and sitting for some darned exams, with the aid of three tubs of Haagen Dazs, managed to kick away a few chunks of the block (also known as The Writer's Block) in my mind. Two-thirds of it still remains. If you have any good suggestions as to how I can make it vanish completely with a poof, bang, or woosh, please teach me.
A/N part 2 - Apology
I'm very very very VERY sorry for the disgustingly long wait. HONTONI GOMENASAI! Please forgive me for my evil deed. I will repent for my sins by (I can't believe I'm saying this..) not consuming any chocolates or anything with a chocolate flavor for a week. That's, let me count, seven days.
Not enough? Okay, let's make that two weeks, which is fourteen days. And I'll add ice cream to the list.(Yes, I'm really sure I said ice cream.)
Ehhh? Is it not a sufficient punishment for my nearly-unforgivable behavior? Two more days, then. Which sums up to sixteen days on Earth. It is the maximum I can do. If any of you wished to torment me further by extending the number of days during which I am forbidden to taste any chocolate or ice cream, please... kill me. I can tolerate no more.
'He...'
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Wait.
What is Shinichi going to do to Ryosuke?
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'No.
Of course he hasn't.
He's just my housemate, a friend.
Nothing else.'
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Shinichi narrowed his eyes.
'When?'
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'When what?'
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'When did Ryosuke kiss you?'
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Didn't I just tell him he hasn't??
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'Ran,'
He plopped me down on the bed.
'Have I told you before that...'
And bent over me.
'You can't bluff me for nuts?'
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I huffed.
Bluffing is a skill.
Someday,
When I have perfected the art of bluffing,
I'm going to lie in his face.
And he wouldn't know a thing.
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'They weren't real kisses, anyway.'
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He scowled.
'They?
How many times has he kissed you?'
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I was suddenly amused by his interrogation.
'Shinichi,
Are you jealous?'
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'I have the right to be jealous.'
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So he is jealous.
I don't know why the fact that he was made me happy.
'That's...
Nice.'
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He pinched my cheek.
'What's nice?'
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I shoved him down beside me and snuggled closer.
'You're jealous, Shinichi.
It feels kind of nice.'
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He chuckled.
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Then I sighed.
This is embarrassing.
'I was fifteen and curious, okay?
He was teaching me how to kiss.
But we always ended up laughing.'
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'You didn't know how to kiss when you were fifteen?
I don't believe it.'
He grinned.
'There must've been truckloads of boys being crazy about you.'
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I rolled my eyes.
'There wasn't anyone I wanted to kiss then.'
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'Really?
Must be 'cause you didn't know me when you were fifteen.'
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Automatically,
My fist aimed for his chest.
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And,
Simultaneously,
Shinichi's hand covered my fist.
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Targetmissed.
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Sigh.
Not good, not good.
He's getting better at not getting hit.
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'I amso going to flatten your ego someday.'
'What if you can't?'
'I'll ditch you.'
'And leave me to all the girls?'
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'Yeah.'
I laughed as I imagined the girls fighting over him.
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He frowned.
'You won't get jealous?'
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'Your ego's talking again.'
'But you should get jealous.'
'Why?
You don't have Ran's Property labelled on you.
And there will always be girls crazy about you.
So it's quite pointless to--'
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He kissed me again.
It was tender,
As the one before.
But there was something more.
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I couldn't place what it was.
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'I'm yours, Ran...'
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My heart skipped a beat.
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'Always,' said Shinichi.
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And doubled its speed.
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'I'm glad you came to my class.'
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When his mouth left mine,
My heart was creating an inner turbulence, knocking wildly on my ribs.
I buried my face in the crook of his neck.
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Was that a confession from Shinichi?
Sort of, I guess.
I smiled and placed my arms around his waist, hugging him tighter.
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He touched his lips to my hair and stayed that way.
And at that moment,
I felt really, really content to be embraced by him.
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No words were spoken.
But I needed no more words.
It was enough to know Shinichi truly cared for me.
So much that he did not mind the trouble I seemed to carry around with me all the time.
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