Yata and I began walking towards the door discussing where we were going to eat. Yata wanted dumplings and I was in the mood for ramen. I stepped out the door first, but Yata paused because someone called him.

"What?" Yata boomed.

From behind I could see the back of his neck turn a bright red. I didn't hear what was said, but it seemed to flare up his temper. Stomping out the door Yata slammed it shut behind him before marching off down the street. I trotted after him with my hands in my back pockets curious to know what I had missed that had his panties in a twist.

"So what happened? Kusanagi picking on you again?" I asked.

Yata stayed several paces ahead of me grumbling to himself while anxiously moving his skateboard form hand-to-hand and back again. He apparently didn't hear me, too caught up in his own blabbering. Hopping forward I snagged his skateboard, and began riding it passed him.

"Huh? What're you doing?" Yata exclaimed.

"Good you can still see me," I said.

I smirked back at him before taking off down the street, carefully weaving through my fellow pedestrians.

"Nao-senpai!" he called after me.

"If you can't catch me you have to pay for your own meal Yata," I challenged.

"No fair," he growled.

I laughed most of the way to the ramen shop seeing as Yata was too busy chasing me to argue about eating locations. When we finally arrived I jumped off of the board, picked it up and held a hand up with the sign for my victory.

"I win," I sang.

Yata glared at me. "You cheated," he accused.

"Making excuses?" I teased.

"N-No," he said.

As he stomped by me he grabbed his skateboard before entering the shop while muttering to himself. With a giggle I followed after him. Inside smelled delicious, the salty scent of ramen and frying meat heavy in the air. Yata had already chosen a seat at the counter and was ordering when I finally joined him.

As I sat down the cook behind the counter eyed me then said, "You with him?"

"Yeah," I answered.

Next to me Yata burst out saying, "We are not together!"

"Um," I hummed. Turning back to the bearded guy in the white cook shirt I added, "He's buying."

"I am not," Yata said.

"Buddy it's the guy's job to pay," the cook said.

"Hey-," Yata began.

I threw my hand over his mouth cutting off him complaint as I gave the man a pleasant smile as an apology.

"What will you be having miss?" he asked.

"A number four, extra chicken," I said.

"Coming right up sweetheart," he smiled. "I'm impressed to see you can handle that little guy," he chuckled.

As he turned to get to work Yata moved to yank my hand from his mouth. Before he could say anything I kicked him in the shin and gave him a warning look. His eyes narrowed at me while the red in his cheeks faded.

"So," I said. Running my hands through my wind swept hair I tried to work out the knots, so I could pull it up into a bun. "What got your panties in a twist back there?" I asked.

The color in his cheeks flared up again as he adverted his gaze. My curiosity had already been peeked, but now I had to know what was said to turn Yata into a shy little boy. It was adorable. He hadn't really changed much since high school.

"it wasn't anything," he said.

"Seriously Yata," I pressed. Leaning towards him I nudged his foot with my own urging for more information. "What happened? You can tell me."

"It doesn't matter," he said.

"If you don't tell me I'll just have to ask Kusanagi when we get back, and you know he'll exaggerate everything," I threatened.

Yata groaned and slammed his fists onto the counter. He peeked sideways at me before releasing a long sigh and grumbled, "They said it was a . . ." His voice dropped at the end cutting the last word off.

"Did you said bait?" I asked.

"No. I said d-d-dat-te," he horribly stuttered.

I paused for a moment, processing his words when suddenly a snicker left my mouth. Kusanagi told Yata that this was a date? That was so mean of him to tease Yata like that, but it was also ingenious. Yata was awkward around girls and making him think he was on a date with one was like sending him into a shark tank. His face was painted red, and he was diverting his eyes from my direction completely.

"Yata it's," I stopped.

They're not just teasing Yata, I realized.

Kusanagi and probably Totsuka, were also making fun of me alongside poor Yata. We were just their entertainment as they messed with our humility. That joke was starting to get old.

"Those guys are gonna pay," I muttered. "Stupid jerks."

"So this really isn't," Yata said.

Shaking my head I replied, "Kusanagi was just trying to bug you. We're out as friends."

Yata's shoulders fell and for a split moment I thought I saw disappointment in his eyes.

"Right?" I questioned.

Yata's silence was louder than any tantrum he could throw. I was going to question him more, but our food had arrived and I was starving. The silence continued between us until it was time to pay. I rummaged through my sweater pocket for my wallet, pulled it out, and grabbed the amount needed for the full check. At the same time Yata and I slapped down the money. We stared at each other for a moment neither pulling over hand back.

"It's a guy's duty to pay, right Pops?" he said.

The cook behind the counter looked at us, and nodded before leaning towards us. "You got it," the man grinned.

"Then here," Yata said.

He handed the man the money then stood from his seat. Grabbing his skateboard from under the counter he made his way towards the exit where he paused just long enough to say, "Let's go," to me.

With a quick sigh I slid my money away, said farewell to the sweet cook, then chased after Yata who was waiting at the end of the building. I slowed my pace when I joined him and we started off towards the pub.

"You know I was only kidding about making you pay," I said.

"It doesn't matter. I paid so its fine," he said flatly.

"Yeah, because that attitude totally says everything is fine," I sarcastically muttered.

"Are you picking a fight?" he challenged.

"No, it's just," I began. While we had eaten I had thought back to our rooftop days, one specifically coming to mind. "You're not still hung up on what happened in high school?" I asked.

Yata stopped walking and I stumbled over my own feet to do so too. I turned around to see him leering at the ground with his fists shaking at his sides.

"What are you talking about?" he choked out.

I knotted my fingers in the cuffs of my sleeves as I said, "I wasn't really asleep on the roof that day."

Yata's gaze shot to me, confusion dancing around only for a moment in his hazel eyes before it was shoved aside by the embarrassment of recollection. At that moment his face from hairline to the collar of his shirt was almost as red as Mikoto's flames. So he hadn't forgotten about that incident either, I hardly could. Yata wasn't open about the softer side of his emotions and his confession that day left me at a complete loss at how to confront him about it with my great escape, but time was up now and I still had no idea what to say.

"Y-You were-weren't sleeping. . . Then," he stumbled for words. "Then you heard. . . You heard me?"

I nodded slowly, and his eyes widened even more.

"The entire time?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Then why did you pretend to be asleep?" Yata fought.

"Do you really want to have this conversation here?" I asked.

People were staring at us as they passed by which only made this more embarrassing.

Grabbing my arm Yata pulled me down the street and into an alleyway where he dropped my arm. For a moment he kept his back to me before spinning around, dropping his skateboard and pinning me to cool stone wall.

"So?" Yata pressed.

I raised a brow as I stared at him. We were the same height, so our eyes were on the same level and so were our mouths. It was the closest Yata had come to me in a while so close I could feel his breath on my face. This was not a situation I wanted to be in. I could only see this ending in a fight and I didn't want to fight with Yata anymore.

"S-So what?" I stuttered.

"You've had almost four years to think about it, so what's your answer," he said.

"Ah," I gaped.

What was I suppose to say? How was I suppose to react? My heart was pounding in my chest so hard I thought I was going to be sick, or maybe that was the nerves working themselves into a knot in my core.

"Nao," Yata said. His voice getting caught in his throat. "-chan," he finished.

"No," flew out of my mouth.

We both stood frozen in the alley as my answer was carried away by the spring breeze.

"Yata, I've always appreciated your feelings, but I've only ever seen you as a friend. I'm sorry that I can't return your feelings."

Yata's mouth pressed into a firm line, and I prepared for his loud voice to echo in my ears. Without any warning Yata leaned forward and put his lips to mine. It was sloppy and very inexperienced, but it was a kiss nonetheless. My heart froze in my chest, but sped out of control when he pulled back.

Diverting his gaze to the ground Yata said, "That was for pretending to be asleep."

"You're not mad?" I questioned.

"Noo-," he yelled.

As he answered he was hauled away from me and dropped against a nearby trashcan. It took my brain a moment to comprehend what had just happened, but by the time I understood I was being carried away on Mikoto's shoulder. I was relieved that he had ended the awkward situation, but at the same time I was worried about what he saw. I mean I wasn't ashamed of Yata's kiss I just didn't want Mikoto to have seen it let alone know about it. I was still hung up on the kisses he had given me, even if they were only two.

"Hi Anna," I waved.

She was trailing behind Mikoto with a paper bag in her hands. Farther behind her, stomping out of the alley was Yata with grime sticking to his clothes. He must have landed in the trashcan after all when Mikoto dropped him.

"Hello Suzuki-san," she said.

"Hi Mikoto," I said.

He didn't reply.

"So what do you have there?" I asked Anna.

I would have struggled to get from if I didn't know his strength, and I hadn't been in this position before. I found myself up there a lot lately.

"Can't say," she replied.

My brows pinched together. "What do you mean?" I questioned.

"It's a surprise," she said.

"Okay then."

Silence fell between the three of us as I was carried away. Anna followed after Mikoto and Yata followed at a distance behind her. Though I wasn't fighting Mikoto's grip I was nowhere near relaxed as he carried me. When I was finally released we were back at Homra and I was dropped onto the couch with my hair disheveled around my face.

"My, my, my," Kusanagi chuckled. "This is quite the scene."

I flipped my black hair out of my face as I looked around the bar. The first this I saw was Mikoto looming over me, but behind him the bar was decked out for a party. Streamers were hung from the ceiling, balloons were gathered in bunches around the room and various decorations were taped to the walls. Everything was red and white, even the party hats that some of the guys were wearing. Yata was moping at the bar with Anna sitting next to him, she was still holding the paper bag. Kusanagi and Totsuka were standing behind the bar chuckling.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Do you really have to ask?" Totsuka said.

"Yes?" I nodded confused.

Mikoto dropped onto his usual cushion next to me with a sigh. I glanced around the bar against and everyone was staring at me. It was sort of unsettling.

Kusanagi started a countdown with his left hand over his head. When he lowered his last finger the bar erupted in a chorus around me.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAO-CHAN!"

"Huh?" I gasped. "How do you guys know? I don't celebrate my birthday."

"We have connections all over the place," Kusanagi said.

"We've known for a while now," Totsuka added.

"You didn't have to do all this," I said.

My cheeks were on fire as I spoke,, and my palms were sweaty from all the attention. I couldn't believe that these guys did this for me. It was too much.

"We wanted to," Totsuka grinned.

"Thank you," I smiled back. My heart swelled.

"You don't have to thank us. We're family, it's what we do," Totsuka said. "Now come on this is a party," he beamed waving me over.


Thanks for reading.

Please leave a review.