AUTHOR: Krissy
DISCLAIMER: These wonderful characters do not, sadly, belong to me. But to the really talented Wataru Yoshizumi.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hello! ^_^ This is my first Marmalade Boy fanfic, and I'm kinda hoping it meshes well within the episodes I have set it. :D 'Shiraseru' means 'bring to light,' which is what happens at the end of this fic. Enjoy. ^_^
PAIRING: Miki/Yuu
RATING: PG
SPOILERS: To the anime, episodes 10/11. It is a slight alternation (not really AU, per say, but I rearranged it a bit to fit my needs) to the events that happen at the end of episode 10, and continue at the beginning of episode 11.
Miki held her breath, eyes wide with surprise, as she stared at him. Her eyes shot to her hand -- she'd slapped him!! -- and she suddenly felt lightheaded again. What had she done??
"I...I..." No words could form, and she stuttered. She flexed her fingers, and suddenly felt ashamed. She could feel her face reheat with emotion, as she gazed up at him with fearful eyes. Yuu's hand hadn't left his face, and his expression was slowly becoming less shocked, and more impassive, as the seconds ticked by.
"If you're able to do that, you must be okay," he said simply. His words were slow, but there was no anger, no surprise, no...nothing. He turned to leave, and she let out a breath of air she hadn't known she was holding. It came out in a loud "whooooosh" and she didn't know what to say to him, to think, but she had to try.
"Yuu!" she cried as he reached the door. He paused, his hand on the doorknob, and she could see a slight shake in his grip. He didn't leave, but didn't say anything to her. "Boku-o mite," she whispered. "Gomen-nasai."
"So am I," he said lowly. He turned to look at her, upon her request, and she inwardly cringed at his expression. She turned away, not able to see the lifeless expression, and she stared at the blanket that was pooled around her legs. The door closed, and she looked up, and he was gone.
---
She tossed and turned for hours. Her dreams -- nightmares -- circled around Yuu, and her hands, and violent acts she shuddered at when awake. Her hand still tingled from where she'd slapped him, and the guilt kept knawing at her. It wasn't the first time she'd slapped him -- he'd deserved it the first time! -- but this time... he didn't. //All Yuu did was help me when I collapsed,// she thought, a bitter smile twisting on her lips. //I...didn't mean to do it, but...I wasn't expecting him to be there!//
She glanced up at the clock on her wall, and blinked, surprised that it only read 3 o'clock in the morning. For some reason, she thought it was only 12... Or something. She frowned, when she realized something. //I'll never be able to fall asleep now,// she told herself, //not until I apologize.// She bit her lip and wondered if Yuu was awake still.
Still fighting an internal debate, she quietly climbed out of bed, and tossed on a pink bathrobe. She crept quietly out of her room, and across the hall to Yuu's room. She held her fist, posed to knock, over his door. She was still unsure if she should, but she had to. For her sake...and for his. She knocked.
And waited.
And waited.
When no one responded, she turned to leave, disappointed, but let out a small shriek of surprise.
Yuu was standing in front of her.
"What are you doing up?" he asked her, curiously, "You know it?s three in the morning, don't you?"
"I could ask you the same thing," she bit out, still trying to catch her breath, momentarily forgetting her current task.
Yuu shrugged, "Couldn't sleep, so I got something to eat. You don't need anything, though," he said pointedly.
"Nani?" Wide eyes blinked owlishly at him.
"You're waist is catching up with you," he smirked, and ducked into his room, before she could comment. She trailed after him, scowling.
"Take that back, you baka!" she screeched. She unconsciously touched her side, but he didn't notice as his back was still turned to her. Her breath got caught in her throat as she watched him peel off his t-shirt. The bare skin reminded her of what she'd done to him, and she fought back a sob, as she stared. "Gomen," she whispered softly. "Yuu... I really am sorry."
He turned back, and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, Miki. Already forgotten."
Miki bit her lip, and slowly shook her head, "No... You...you surprised me, that's all. I...I didn't think you were going to be there, and I was just in my towel, and I panicked. Does it hurt?" she continued to bite her lip.
He closed the distance between them, and placed a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. His finger idly petted the material of her flannel pajamas. "Miki," he began sternly, "I'm fine. It stopped throbbing hours ago," she cringed, "and besides, I deserved it. I shouldn't have stayed in there. But...I was just..."
"What?"
Yuu shook his head, and grinned ruefully at her, "If I tell you, you'll be sure to slap me again. So. Go to bed Miki. I forgive you, blah blah blah. So we're both fine. Well," he added, "I am. You still have areas to improve in."
Miki's eyes flashed, "Improve in?" she yelled, eyes widening in annoyance, "What does that mean?!"
"Nothing," he soothed, "nothing."
"It does so," she pouted, her lower lip trembling. Surprising them both, she expertly changed the conversation, "What were you going to say before? Hmm?"
"When?" he asked, feigning confusion. Although, with Miki around, it wasn't that difficult to play.
"Just now," she retorted. Her hands swiftly went to her hips and she glared at him.
He shrugged. "I forgot."
"Yuu!"
Yuu shook his head, and a few pieces of his blond hair fell across his face, covering his eyes. "Forget about it, Miki. Just...go to bed."
Miki tentatively reached up, and brushed the hair to the side, staring at him with confusion. "Why won't you tell me?"
Yuu sighed, "You'll just forget in the morning, so why bother?" She opened her mouth to protest, but he put a finger on her lips to stop her. "Don't. I'll tell you, but then you have to go to bed, okay?"
Miki nodded.
Leaning down, he whispered quietly into her ear, "I was watching you. You're very pretty." He pressed a chaste kiss against her ear as he pulled away. She was staring with wide eyes, and an open mouth, words unable to flow. He reached out and pulled her close to him, and pressed another kiss, against her lips. It was chaste, and gentle, but stayed for a few seconds longer. She melted against him, basking in his warmth.
"Oh, Yuu," she breathed, and closed her eyes, and gave into the kiss.
---
When she opened her eyes, she was aware of three things. One, she was still in her towel, bunched up under her blankets, shivering against the breeze of her open window. Two, her face was flushed bright red, and her face felt dirty, like it hadn't been cleaned for days. //Dried tears,// she realized faintly, finger tips brushing against her cheeks. Which meant...
And three...
It had just been a dream.
---
words:
Boku-o mite: Look at me
Gomen/Gomen-nasai: Sorry
Nani: What
Baka: Idiot