Wo Ai Ni
Sorry I'm so slow, working 2nd shift
= evil. If you hadn't noticed by now, this is an Umi-centric story,
I don't know how much each of the characters will be in this. Anyone
that would like to work with me on a couple side stories, or send me a
review email: austin@shighway.com.
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Chapter 3--Aishiteiru
"I've met someone
else" you say, as you looked away,
So..now at
last I know, where you've been.
Who's this
new love then?
Tell me, do they love you then?
Such a fool
that I have been, foolish me....
Why can't
I show, I love you so?
Sleep won't come to me
If I could
to you there's so much I wanna say..
Like I love
you...
~In the Night, Key
the Metal Idol
Eagle's talk with Lantis had gone
on slightly longer than he intended. He saw Umi leave her place on
the bench and walk a few feet before he called out to her.
"Umi, where are you going?"
"I was heading to bed. It's
late and I'm tired."
"Weren't you going to wait for me?"
She had stopped walking, but her
back was turned to him.
"Can we sit down and talk? Please?"
She reluctantly moved back to her
seat. As Eagle sat down next to her, he noticed that her face was
still slightly flushed. Umi refused to meet his gaze and slid over
just a bit, making the gap between them wider.
"I'll say what I have to, and I hope
you'll think about it." He took her hand, and she looked up at him.
"I know that you're in love with Clef. It it may sound strange, or
cold, but I don't care."
Umi opened her mouth to speak but
was cut off. "I love you." Eagle squeezed her hand. "I
LOVE
you. How many other people have ever said that to you? Your
parents, your friends, but who else?" Her eyes were clouded with
emotion.
"How long can you go on like this
Umi? I admit we don't know each other well, but you aren't the type to
be so depressed. Love isn't misery. At least it shouldn't be."
Her hand was shaking, and he was afraid she might start to cry.
"I want to ask you something, Umi,
and you don't have to answer me tonight." Her face was oddly expressionless
as he continued. "I guess you could call it a proposal. I don't
expect you to just automatically fall into my arms and tell me you love
me, but I want to try." His voice was a little unsteady. "I
only want you to give us a chance and if at anytime, Clef tells you he
loves you, that he wants to be with you, I'll step aside. I won't
like it but I'll do it." Maybe this isn't coming out right.
"I want to make you happy."
Umi slumped over against his shoulder,
her soul was as weary as her body. "I don't know what to say Eagle.
I can't even think anymore."
"It's all right. You don't
have to answer today or even tomorrow." Eagle stood and picked Umi
up, cradling her in his arms.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to take you back to your
room, you don't look so well." He'd already started walking before
she could protest.
I probably couldn't make it anyway.
*sigh* I never feel this weak, I hope I'm not coming down with something.
The rhythm of his steps was making her sleepy.
"You're at the end of this hall right?"
"Mmmm."
"I guess that's a yes."
Eagle managed to open the door without
dropping her, and gently laid her down on the bed. He pulled her
covers over her and kissed her softly on the side of her face.
"Eagle..."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."
"I didn't mean that. I meant
thank you for carrying me."
He smiled and pulled a loose strand
of hair away from Umi's face. "I'll see you tomorrow."
The door closed behind him, and Umi
might have drifted off to sleep if her pillow hadn't started to move...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eagle flailed backwards against the
door, managing to catch himself before he fell over. His chest felt
strangely tight, and he looked pale. I think whatever you've got
is contagious, Umi. As he straightened up, he noticed a figure
standing at the end of the hall. "Up late, Clef?"
"Isn't your room on the other side
of the castle?"
"So it is." From the way
he's glaring at me... He smiled widely at Clef, wondering what he assumed
he'd done in Umi's room. "If you want to talk to Umi she's most likely
asleep, but you might knock anyway." Eagle turned and headed towards
his room.
Clef was squeezing his staff so hard
it cracked, leaving a large gash in its surface. Eagle never noticed
the sound's source, having just then disappeared around the corner.
Clef stood in front of Umi's door,
letting his head rest on the frame. He noticed the long shadow on
the floor from the first rays of the dawn. I'm too late, the night's
over. He gripped his staff tightly, regretting it instantly as
the splinters embedded themselves into his hand. He suppressed a
scream, letting the staff fall to the floor. Crimson spotted the
marble as Clef ran towards his room, slamming the door shut and locking
it with his good hand. He slid slowly down against the door, and
crumpled to a heap on the floor, paying no mind as the blood stained
his white robes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mokona!"
"Puu! Puu puu!"
"Why should I apologize for laying
down on you? You're the one impersonating my pillow!"
"Puuuu..."
"I'm never going to get any sleep."
Umi propped herself up on an elbow. "Well marshmellow, what do you
want?"
"Puu, puu, puu--"
"Puu--I got that part." *sigh*
"Isn't it a little late for you to be up? I thought you were with Fuu and
Ferio."
"Puu!" The red jewel on Mokona's
forehead emitted a bluish glow, and when it stopped there was an object
on Umi's bed.
"Oh! Fuu wanted you to bring this
back to me?"
Mokona nodded an affirmative.
"It's about time she gave my CD player
back." Umi sat the device down on the floor. "I didn't see
either Fuu or Ferio at the dance. Not that I was there long.
I wonder what they're up to?"
A rather high pitched "Puuu!" from
Mokona got Umi to raise an eyebrow.
"Explain, using as little 'puu' as
possible."
Mokona began to make some rather
odd gestures, and as Umi began to get the gist of it, her face turned beet
red, and she brought her hands up to her mouth.
"You hentai ball of fluff! Were you
watching when they..."
"Puuu! Puu!" He shook his head
back and forth furiously.
"They kicked you out huh?"
"Puu."
Umi laughed. At least someone's
having a good time. "Let's get some rest OK? I don't have any
reason to get rid of you, yet."
There was a clattering from outside
in the hallway.
"What was that?"
Mokona puued disinterestedly.
"Yeah, probably nothing." Umi
climbed back underneath her covers, grabbing Mokona and holding him like
a plush toy. "I'm warning you fuzzy, wake me up before ten, and I'm
having marshmellow for breakfast."
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I was going to hold back this chapter
until I got the next one finished, but I didn't want to keep you in suspense
too long. Aishiteiru is Japanese for 'I love you.'(Note in
the review section it removes the 'shit' from between 'ai' and 'eiru',
gomen ^_^;; it is right!) The title of the next chapter will be Mariposa(I
hope the changing languages of the chapter titles doesn't annoy you too
much.) I've got the entire story completely planned out in my head
now, it's just a matter of having the time to write. I'm going to
be opening with song lyrics from now on, if you complain enough I'll stop
though. I hope this tides you over for now.
Ja ne,
Key--Quiet, geist filled robot of
the Teisuki clan.