Ikuto
"It's very nice to meet you," I said with formal politeness to Mr. and Mrs. Fujisaki, both of whom smiled graciously at me, standing next to their children.
"And you as well, Tsukiyomi-san. Hello, Amu-chan. I'm glad you both could make it to Nagihiko and Nadeshiko's birthday."
It was July 4th , and the six of us stood in the foyer of Fujisaki manor, making polite conversation as a footman took our coats and our gifts for Nagihiko. A few days earlier, the two violet-haired twins had passed out invitations to their birthday party, a formal get-together their parents had planned to celebrate becoming seventeen, inviting most of their family as well as Amu's friends and I. To no surprise, Girly Boy and Little Queen both seemed a bit embarrassed. I couldn't really blame them; noting the rather excessive amount of family members and the fact that last year Amu and her friends had all dragged him to karaoke, it was kind of obvious that the main reason for this party was to introduce Little Queen to the rest of the family. Nadeshiko was watching her brother with a furrrowed brow; I could see the gears turning in her head.
"Why don't we go in?" The twins' father motioned into the next room, breaking me out of my reverie and leading Amu and I into the large room, filled with well-dressed, high society people scattered here and there in polite conversation. I nodded to certain people here and there, having met them a few years back from my time at Easter.
"This is so weird," Amu whispered to me, toying nervously with her flowy, draping black dress. "I barely know anyone. Why do I feel like an ant among giants?"
"Don't worry, Amu-koi," I murmured in her ear, grinning at her sudden flush, "I'll hold your hand."
"Shut up, you stupid pervert," She mumbled, but took my hand anyways.
"You're really bad at scolding Ikuto, Amu," Dia commented.
"Hey, guys." Shrimp came up to us, looking extremely nervous, eyes darting here and there. The long-haired blonde could have passed for a party crasher by the frantic way she was acting. "What's up?"
"Nothing, really. You look really pretty."
Rima looked down at her mint green floral dress, just hiding her knees, and smiled weakly. "Thanks, you too. It took me forever to get my hair up like this." She touched a hand to her bun, which looked like the hair was about to come flying out (she did have a lot of hair.)
"Vintage," Miki looked her up and down, nodding in approval. "Nice."
"Nagihiko will like it a lot," I smiled innocently as she shot me her death glare. "What?"
"Shut up, Tsukiyomi."
"So, what'd you get for Nagi and Nade?" Amu asked brightly, attempting to elbow me and missing. "Ikuto and I got Nagi those Nikes he's been wanting forever but his mom would get him, and we got Nade some American CD."
Shrimp went pale. "I... I got Nade a CD too, but a different one... and, um..."
"Rima didn't get Nagi anything," KusuKusu said helpfully. "She was too nervous and was terrified that everything she looked at wasn't something he'd love."
"KusuKusu!" Rima gasped. "Shut up!"
"Déjà vu," Ran mumbled.
"Really?" Amu was surprised. "Huh."
"You can give him a nice, big kiss," I told her brightly, and she shot me her death look again, except it was much more malevolent.
"It's not funny. What do I do?!"
"Hiya, guys!" Sugar High flounced up to the three of us, the frills on her pale yellow and white dress bouncing. "What's up?"
"Pepe is hungry, Pepe wants food, ~dechu."
"I'm getting punch," Rima said, still pale and nervous. "Let's go, guys." She snatched Yaya and Amu's arms and pulled them away. "Stay," She commanded me.
I chuckled and followed them anyways, and ran right into Tadase, whose eyes were roving the room. "Hello, Onii-san."
"Vagrant. What are you doing here?" Kiseki said imperiously, so I flicked him in the forehead like I used to do to Yoru. Ah, Yoru...
"'Sup, Little King? You looking for your queen?"
"Nadeshiko is not my queen!" Tadase blushed.
"I didn't say Nadeshiko. But I guess that's who you were thinking of?"
"Ahhh!" He buried his face in his hands. "Stop it!"
"Sorry, Little King." I ruffled his hair. "Forgot you haven't realized your barely controlled passionate feelings for Nadeshiko." He was silent, peeking up at me between his fingers, and I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Aha! So you have realized your barely controlled—"
"I don't know if I like her like that," Little King mumbled. "I just know I have feelings for her."
"Well, at least you've gotten a little further," I rolled my eyes. "You do realize that you probably had feelings for her before you even noticed it yourself?"
Little King hunched over in embarrassment. "Yes..."
"And you do realize that she probably feels the sa—"
"FOOOOOOD!" Azumi flew right in front of my nose, zooming towards the refreshment table.
I blinked. "What the—"
Little Queen flew past us, an exasperated look on her face. "I swear she has the attention span of a gnat," I heard her mutter to herself.
"Nadeshiko!" Little King hurried after his Queen with a considerably brightened look on his face, if he was a little pink. (Then again, so was Nadeshiko the second she heard him call out her name.)
"Hello, Tsukiyomi." I turned to see Samurai Boy nod at me. "Have you see Yaya?"
"Silly child, always wanders off," Musashi grumbled. Kairi ignored him (and Pepe threatened to punch him in the face.)
"Shrimp dragged Sugar High off with my girlfriend to drink lots of punch," I told him cheerfully, motioning behind me.
He blinked. "...Thank you?"
"Kairi!" Yaya was suddenly by his side, smiling up at him. "I've been looking all over for you. They're getting ready to introduce Nadeshiko. You, too, Kitty Boy, Amu's looking everywhere for you."
"Thanks, Sugar." I ruffled her hair, and she protested, trying to fix her messy curls.
There was a squeal from a microphone, and Sugar High hissed, "Come on, guys!" And promptly pulled Kairi away. I shrugged and followed the two, where Amu, Shrimp and Little King stood waiting.
"Afternoon, folks," Mrs. Fujisaki called, smiling graciously. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to Nagihiko and Nadeshiko Fujisaki's Seventeenth Birthday Reception. Nagihiko, Nadeshiko, can you two come up here, please?" She called out, every way the proud mother of two (embarrassed) individuals.
Girly-Boy took it all well, calmly crossing the floor, gripping tight to an obviously terrified Nadeshiko that kept glancing around at the crowd of people she had never met and was apparently related to.
"Thank you, Mother," Nagihiko said with a pleasant smile. "And thank you all for coming. I'm very glad you all were willing to celebrate my sister's and my birthday." He offered the microphone to Nadeshiko, who looked at him with eyes that said 'what kind of an idiot do you take me for?
He gave her a hopeful look that seemed threateningly close to a sparkle-attack, and she shot him a matching glittery look, then sighed and took the mic. "H—Hello. M—My name is Nadeshiko..." She cleared her throat and laughed self-consciously. "Although, I, uh, suppose you already knew that." The group chuckled, sending her easy, friendly expressions. "S—So, I, um, it's nice to meet you, and I'd like to get to all of you better." She trailed off and shoved the mic back into her mother's hand, who took her hand with a smile.
"My daughter's a little shy." Little Queen shot her chuckling mom a dirty look and huffed. "And now for the cake!"
"FOOOOOOOD!" I heard Azumi yell, and while Girly-Boy was barely holding in a laugh and Little Queen was barely holding in the urge to smack herself on the forehead, Azumi had dive-bombed into the cake seconds before the small crowd of family had come eagerly over to the large square white cake in flourishng navy manuscript that said 'Happy Birthday to Nagihiko and Nadeshiko!' with seventeen candles neatly placed and currently being lit around the decorative lettering.
"You guys can blow out the candles," Mr. Fujisaki smiled.
Nagihiko, with a firm grip on his flighty twin's hand, came forward with a smile. They exchanged a look, and the two paused for a moment, facing the cake, and blew every single candle out at exactly the same time. There were claps and flashes from cameras, a frosting-covered Azumi, and with that their father took the cake knife from the butler and cut it himself, revealing marble.
"So, what'd you wish for?" Amu asked the twins, who had managed to sneak back to us.
Nadeshiko's cheeks were pink and Nagihiko was smirking, but the two answered with rather an excess of mystery, "It's a secret."
Rima tapped her foot nervously, crossing her arms as the twins opened their presents, Nagihiko holding up a basketball with a pleased look and Nadeshiko smiling down at a CD. "This is bad, this is so bad," She muttered, checking and rechecking her pockets for something, anything. She couldn't possibly, couldn't really have nothing for Nagihiko, there had to be something...
"And that's the last of them! Thank you all for the wonderful gifts!" Nagihiko called brightly, smiling as his eyes moved across the people. For a moment, he met eyes with Rima, and grinned.
As the crowd of family and friends began to disperse, Rima began looking for a means of escape in which she could leave politely and quietly, like a family emergency or something, inching her way with shifty eyes towards the door. A glance backwards made her nearly shriek with despair, seeing Nagihiko coming her way with a suspiciously innocent, cheerful beam across his face. She cursed under her breath and quickened her pace, looking for escape and finding it in the form of an empty balcony at one wall, curtains drawn back to let in the gorgeous view of the huge garden and hedge maze. Quiet as a mouse, Rima slipped through, making her way to the doors, and sighed in relief.
"Hello, Rima."
Rima jumped nearly a foot in the air. "AHHH!" She whirled around. "Don't do that!"
"Sorry," Nagihiko said, not sounding even remotely remorseful. "I just wanted to say hi. Also, where's my present?"
Rima felt her cheeks heat to a degree Celsius that she wasn't even aware was possible without her frying to a crisp. "I, uh, um, I well, you see now, the truth is, I—" She didn't even pause to consider that Nagihiko's considerable impoliteness was very strange.
"You didn't get me a present?" Nagihiko pretended to look hurt, which made Rima flush even deeper in guilt.
"Nagihiko, I'm so sorry, I just—it's just, I couldn't find you anything, and I—" She broke off, trying to find something to say. "I really am sorry," She mumbled
Nagihiko sighed, looking at the mortified individual with deep sorrow. "Oh. I see."
"Can I make it up to you?" Rima asked desperately, grabbing his arm.
And with a sexy smirk, Nagihiko leaned down sliding a hand down her waist and tilting her chin up and whispering softly in her ear. "I'd love that," He murmured.
Rima blushed brick red. "Baka, what are you doing?" She pushed at his chest weakly, but for the life of her she could barely stand on her own two legs with Nagihiko, God knows without.
As it was, she didn't need to stand, for the next moment the warm breath of his mouth ghosted over her trembling lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her mouth. Rima gasped a little, and stretched upwards like flower towards sun, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him harder. She could feel his smile beneath her lips, and he responded, biting her lip gently. The scent of lilacs hung in the air.
Every nerve ending in her body was jumping like a live wire, breath coming out shakily as his hands tightened at her lower back and stroked her neck. Finally she broke away, panting for breath as she looked up at him, caught in a tight embrace. She couldn't speak.
"I think it would only be fit that you give me what I want and do not have." He caressed her cheek, touching his forehead to hers and breathing in her scent.
"What's that?" She tried to catch her breath, looking up at him with a wide-eyed gaze.
"You," He whispered.
Rima looked up at him, opening and closing her mouth, passing over his every feature. The boy was annoyingly perfect, had the world's weirdest hair, was about an inconvenient foot taller than her, and called her 'Mistress' to annoy the hell out of her. She wasn't even sure his perverted comments back in California that day were even under the influence of a chara-change. He did everything better than her, had just as many fans, a sparkle-attack that could be used as a national defense system, and was so infuriating sometimes she wanted to punch him in the face.
"Of course," She buried her face in his chest and hugged him tight, wanting to cry as his encircling arms tightened and she felt him kiss the top of her head. "Of course."
In the garden, right below the balcony where the two stood, the man with the odd eyes smiled.
"Ohoho!" I raised an eyebrow at Girly-Boy and Shrimp. Girly-Boy had a firm grip on Rima's hand and a wide grin on his face, and Rima looked happy, even if her cheeks were so heated she seemed to be smoking a little. "What's going on here? Did you guys hook up?"
"Shut up, you pervert," Rima scoffed. "Of course we didn't."
"But who says we have to wait to hook up?" Nagihiko pulled Rima closer and kissed her cheek, nuzzling her softly. "We can do it right now."
"SHUT UP!"
"Déjà vu," Amu mumbled, glancing at me. I smiled, blinking innocently at her.
"Rima is very happy!" KusuKusu giggled.
Out of Nagihiko's pocket popped Rhythm. "You go, Nagihiko! Get some!"
Shrimp began to stutter uncontrollably (almost as bad as Amu) and Litle Queen stared at her twin's male chara. "What is wrong your guardian characters?"
"What do you mean?" Nagihiko smiled innocently.
"Well, they've been acting weird... and Rhythm's even more perverted than usual, and Temari's even more vicious as of late..."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING VICIOUS?!" Temari roared, eyes sparking and a tiny naginata popping into her grip, rushing forward and stabbbing Nadeshiko.
The purple-haired twin looked down at her in disbelief, glancing at the tiny, dull, toothpick-like weapon Temari was using to jab into her arm. "... Ow?"
Dia cried out, and Amu turned to her, concerned. "What's wrong?"
The little orange-haired would-be-self stared at Temari and Rhythm with wide-eyed horror, looking at Nagihiko with absolute terror. "His energy," She whispered, looking absolutely terrified. "It's corrupted."
"Who?" Amu cocked her head to the side.
"Dia," Temari sang, waltzing forward. Dia flinched and scooted back. "Wanna play a game?"
"Um, I'm good," Dia said hastily, avoiding her friend. Temari pouted.
"Pretty please? I think you'd like it."
"Oh, yeah, that'd be cool!" Ran said excitedly. "Let's go!"
Temari gave a wicked smile and purred, "Perfect." With that the guardian characters were off, with Temari in the lead and Rhythm bringing up the rear.
"Nadeshiko!"
Said girl swore like a dirty pirate in very colorful English, earning her a couple of amused looks from her family members, who, as it turned out, were pretty much insane, insistent on giving her food ("Honey, you're too skinny, why don't you have some fried butter?") and trying to learn every minuscule bit about her personal life. Not that Nadeshiko minded. They were all very nice and made her feel welcome, not to mention a good hiding place from Tadase, who just so happened to have caught her when her newfound family was distracted.
It wasn't that Nadeshiko was trying to avoid her best friend. Well okay, so she was, but she just couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye anymore after California. Somehow falling into a guy's arms and sobbing her deepest, darkest secrets to him and then falling asleep together seemed like the sort of romantic delusions that she had once had before she and Hisashi had started dating, and before everything collapsed. After all that pain, the possibility that she might have found those feelings again somehow made her feel guilty, as though it was wrong. She felt like she was betraying Hisashi. Besides, she'd only known Tadase for about three or so months.
Here with her family, here with Nagihiko and Mom and Dad and all her friends, here was safety, here was happiness. Here she could let go of the past, start anew. But after all that had happened, allowing herself the luxury of falling in love seemed guilty, bad and foolish.
He smiled at her, and she reciprocated, if her own was a little forced and her eyes were unfocused due to her angry shouting match going on within her mind between herself and whatever hormone made her cheeks turn pink.
"So, there was something I wanted to talk to you about," He said very seriously, glancing around for a second and pulling her gently to the side. "It's seriously important, okay?"
"Sure, what's up?"
He looked her straight in the eye. "I want to come out to our friends during Obon."
A soft, cold breeze wound its way through the early morning air, a fading reminince of the nighttime coolness. The sun just cast a white glow on the dawn horizon, peeking through the misty, shadowed clouds. Even on July 15th at two in the morning, the airport was abuzz with life. Though it held that strange clean openness and chill of all airports, people of all sorts were pulling black suitcases with wheels across the white floors and pushing carts, carrying backpacks, sporting thin tops or long coats, wearing hats, scarves, all sorts of traveling paraphernalia.
The ten of us seemed to hold a sort of an aura of exhaustion. Amu and Utau were stretching their arms, yawning widely and scratching their scalps. Kukai was dozing in his chair, eyes fluttering closed and then flying open at loud noises. Little King was sleeping, cute, babyish expressions on his face that screwed up and pouted Little Queen poked and prodded him, holding in snickers and laughs. Sugar High was snoring loudly, rather like a car engine, and Samurai Boy watched her with an adoring expression, brushing back the hair from her face. Shrimp slept peacefully, snuggling into Girly-Boy's embrace as he hummed a lullaby, resting his cheek on the top of her head. My mother was digging through my pack again and reorganizing.
A week ago, I had gotten a call from the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra on a tour in France, where we would tour for two months. My family, of course, had been thrilled, especially my father, who had called via video chat to inform me I would be staying with him when I arrived. My mother had packed and repacked my supplies all the way up until it was time for me to leave, and then insisted she be here. Utau told me to come back a better man so Amu wouldn't have to put up with the pervert I am today, and Kukai told me to bring back food.
From behind us, the call of "Flight 29, calling all passengers!" made those of us awake get to our feet and those of us asleep to flail their arms wildly upon the startling noise.
"WHOZAT!" Kukai sat up straight and immediately tumbled out of his seat. Utau busted out laughing as she helped him to his feet, and he blinked as he stared at her in a dazed manner.
"I guess it's time for me to go." I got to my feet, shouldering my violin case over my shoulder and gently tugging my pack from my mother's nervous hands.
"See you later, Ikuto," Utau gave me a cheery smile, dumping her boyfriend on the ground (who began to snore almost as loudly as Yaya) and embraced me in a tight hug. I grinned and hugged her back, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Tell Aruto to come back soon," Mother said wistfully. I sighed.
"Mother, you know as well as I he'll probably worm his way into coming back from France with the troupe."
She ignored this and hugged me tightly. "My little boy," She murmured.
"My little mother," I teased her, and she chuckled, stepping away. I turned to my girlfriend, who appeared close to tears. "Aren't I getting a hug, Amu-koi?"
She sniffled, and leapt forward, throwing her arms around my neck and burying her face into my shoulder. "I'll miss you," She whispered into my neck.
"I'll miss you, too."
"I promise, I'll be back in no time. Now, remember, Amu-koi, don't go causing any trouble, I don't want to come back to mass panic."
She gave a breathy laugh. "It's in my nature. I'm a rebel."
"Sure it is. And, Amu..." I tilted her chin up, "No matter what, you're mine." I kissed her gently, enjoying the strawberry pink flush that was creeping up her neck.
"Baka hentai," She mumbled, stepping away and crossing her arms. "Why am I going out with you again?"
"Later, Tsukiyomi," Nadeshiko said brightly, giving me a handshake that made me wince and massage my fingers after she turned away. Nagihiko did the same, although considerably less painfully and with a sexy smirk that made me feel proud of the guy for a moment.
"Later, Shrimp, Sugar," I ruffled their hair, and they both protested, Rima shooting me her death glare and Yaya grumbling something about sleep and good riddance.
"Goodbye, Onii-san," Little King shook hands with me.
"Aw, give me a real hug, Otouto," I said brightly, yanking him into a tight hug, which caused him to flush and flail his arms wildly.
Tadase spluttered. "O—Onii-san—please put me down—"
"Farewell, Tsukiyomi-san," Kairi nodded with a calm smile, shaking my hand.
"Later, man." Kukai yawned and gave me a brotherly hug, which was really more like he swooned into my arms since he tried to give me a hug and ended up falling asleep halfway through it.
"See you soon." I gave Amu one last kiss, and turned to board the plane, sending one last wave over my shoulder. They all stood waving goodbye, (or sleeping, I guess) and I got one last glimpse of my beautiful pink-haired girl with smiling honey eyes, and then they were out of sight.
"Goodbye!" Amu called over her shoulder, waving to her tired friends as she exited the airport, sighing in content and remininsce. She turned to the Fujisaki twins, smiling in thanks. "It's really cool of you guys to take me home."
Nadeshiko smiled. "Of course, Amu. It was no trouble."
"Yeah, we couldn't leave a damsel in distress." Nagihiko arrived, grinning cheekily as Rima stomped away, blushing furiously and touching her puffy mouth self-consciously without a single goodbye to her friends.
"Dia, dear," Temari sang. "Come on out!"
Ran, Miki and Su wriggled out of the old, worn egg carrier. "Hey, Temari!" Ran said cheerfully as she tugged on a resistant Dia. "What's up?"
The possessed chara smiled, though there was nothing pleasant in the character's dark gaze. "Have you ever read Hamlet, Ran?"
"Uh..." The red chara scratched her head uncertainly. "Reading isn't really my thing..."
"I have," Miki piped up. "By William Shakespeare? The one with the crazy guy who was convinced his uncle killed his dad to marry his mother and it all ends in blood and death?"
"Though this be madness, yet there is method in't," The Temari and Rhythm said in creepy unison.
"How pregnant sometimes his replies are! a happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of." The others started and turned to see Dia, with fiery eyes and a fierce expression.
"You cannot, sir, take from me any thing that I will more willingly part withal: except my life, except my life, except my life," Temari said softly.
"Fare you well, my lord," Dia hissed, clenching her tiny fists.
"Why does it feel so tense~desu?" Su wondered to herself.
"Ah,it's here!" Nagihiko called. "Amu, Nade, the car is pulling up!"
"Oh, really? Holy crap, it's huge!" Amu felt her mouth drop open in shock at the black limousine rolling up the curb. The chauffeur stepped out, giving a slight bow at his master and lady and a polite nod to Amu, gesturing within.
"Thanks, Inoue-san!" Nadeshiko smiled brightly at the grey-haired man, who reciprocated. After a moment's hesitation, she motioned Amu in, then followed.
"Scooch over, Sis," Nagihiko flopped, all manners apparently forgotten, and threw an arm around his sister, who raised an eyebrow.
"Something up, Nagihiko?"
"Whaddya mean?" He tossed her a nonchalant, sparkling smile, which she returned mockingly.
"Don't sparkle-attack me. You've been acting kinda weird."
"Really? I feel fine." He shrugged then grinned, kissing her cheek. "Don't you worry, my beautiful twin, everything is wonderfully, perfectly okay."
His twin frowned as she raised a hand to her cheek, eyeing him suspiciously. "...Sure." She shook her head and pulled out her phone, immediately beginning to text at a furious speed as if she had something of grave importance to speak with to another.
"Perhaps it's just Rima," Amu giggled, thinking of her best friend. "You guys are really good together! I'm just sorry it took you so long to get together."
"Oh, yes." Nagihiko smiled happily, a strange glint in his eye. "It's to die for."
Against the notice of the two other passengers, Nagihiko's eyes flickered inky black once, then were gone.
The car lurched suddenly, screeching to halt. Amu and Nadeshiko shrieked, flying forward, Amu thrust forward and held back by the seatbelt, and Nadeshiko, who had neglected to buckle herself in, barely saved from a horrid concussion by Nagihiko's tight grip.
"Thanks, Nagi," Nadeshiko huffed. For a moment Nagihiko frowned, black eyes bleeding into amber, then he nodded. "You okay too, Amu?"
"Y-Yeah." She rubbed her neck, wincing slightly where the belt had dug into her skin. "That was kind of scary."
Nagihiko pushed a button and the privacy glass scrolled down. "Inoue-san, is something wrong?"
The driver, who kept his head face to the front, nodded slowly. "Why? Is something wrong?"
"Perhaps it would be a bit better if we drove just a hint more smoothly," Nagihiko hinted politely. Inoue-san bowed his head, and the car began to move once more.
It was one terrifying ride later, filled with bumps, sharp turns, and squealing stops that Amu teetered out of the car, looking queasy.
"Thank you," She said weakly, stumbling dizzily to her door and collapsing in the entryway inside her house.
"How strange," Nadeshiko's brow furrowed. "Inoue-san is a very good driver. Why would today have been so bad? Nagihiko? Shit!" The purple-haired twin lurched forward in her seat, cradling her pale, clammy brother in her arms. "Nagihiko, what's wrong?"
He moaned, eyelids fluttering feebly, chest moving just the slightest, and he sat up. A fraction of a second, and his eyes were a million miles away, dark as pitch and so, so empty, and then they were golden again. "Low blood sugar, I guess. Sorry," He murmured.
Nadeshiko sighed in relief, eyes still darting over his figure in worry. "You'll be all right," She said, sounding as if she were trying to convince herself.
And it was in more ways than one, as if some part of her was aware of the battle her brother was desperately fighting within his own mind, a duel for control.
In the front of the car with his hands on the wheel, the man with the odd eyes smiled.