Disclaimer: Still nothing but the girls.
Jamie, I could never think you're crazy. After all, I'm the one that gave Tasuki the ripped jeans. Hee hee.
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Ayame struggled to get Kohana into her clothes. "Come on Kohana! We're gonna be late! You've got to get to daycare!"
"Do I have to?" She reluctantly put her arms up so Ayame could get her shirt on. "I wanna see Ruri's musician!"
"We'll tell you all about him if we meet him, okay?"
"Fine…" Kohana followed her sister to the door.
Outside, a deep green car honked impatiently.
Ayame and Kohana hurried outside. Ayame opened the back door and began buckling up Kohana. "Wanna be anymore impatient?"
Ruri sighed. "I'm sorry…I don't wanna miss him this time!"
Ayame swung into the front seat. "I don't think there's any danger of that…"
"I hope you're right." Ruri pulled out of the drive way and towards Kohana's daycare provider.
"Are you sure I can't come?" Kohana bounced in the back seat.
"Kohana, we don't know anything about this guy. You can come see him if he's alright with it." Ayame tried to calm her sister.
"Okay, okay…I'll wait. You better not hold out on me if he's cool though…"
"We promise. You'll get all the juicy details!" Ruri smiled.
"Yay!"
After dropping Kohana off, Ruri sped towards the building.
"Are you sure you're going within the speed limit?" Ayame tried to look at the speedometer.
"Of course! Relax!" Ruri smiled and waved off her friend's concern.
"Whenever you say relax, I can't help but get more tense…"
"I'm not Kohana. You don't need to worry about me!"
Ayame gripped the handle above her head. "Who said I was worried about you? I'm worried about me!"
"Oh you!" Ruri laughed and found the parking lot of the building. "Here we are!"
"This one? We should have gotten here in twice the time it took you…are you sure of your speed?"
"Well…no…but we didn't get caught right?"
"That's so not the right way to look at it…"
"Well, that's my way…"
"Oh man…you'll be the death of me yet…"
"Probably…" Ruri giggled and unlocked the car doors. "Now let's go find him!" She quickly got out.
"Wow, you're in a rush." Ayame calmly got out.
"Sugar and adrenaline are a deadly combo, my friend!" Ruri ran towards the front of the builing.
"She will be the death of me!" Ayame sighed and hurried after Ruri.
Ayame found Ruri standing in front of the building. "Aren't you going in?"
"Shh!" Ruri held up her hand. "Listen! He's playing again…" She murmured dreamily.
Ayame tilted her head up to listen. Even through the cars running by and people talking around her, she could hear the flute from the upper level. "Oh wow…he is good. You weren't kidding…"
"I know…" Ruri smiled. "At least I won't miss him this time. Come on!" Ruri grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her inside.
"Woah!" Ayame got a little to caught up in listening to the flute and almost lost her balance.
Ruri looked around for the elevator or a staircase. The landlady appeared again.
"Back again are you? Well you made it this time. He's home."
"I know…I heard him playing. You said it was 3G right?"
"Yes, dear. Have fun." She smiled. "His roommate might not like visitors this early though…"
"Sure, ma'am. We'll be careful." Ruri once again dragged Ayame down the hall.
"Will you stop that? I can walk fine on my own!" Ayame tried to slow her down.
~*~*~*~
Inside the apartment, Tasuki sat in the living room listening to Amiboshi play. He liked being able to listen to Amiboshi play without fear of falling asleep or being in immense pain. He went got up to get a bottle of water when he heard somebody at the door.
"You knock!"
"No! You!"
"Why me?"
"It was you're idea to try to meet him! Don't tell me you're chickening out!"
"Now I'm nervous!"
"How bad can he be?"
Tasuki raised an eyebrow and went to open the door. "What's going on out here?"
"Tasuki?" Both girls yelped in surprise.
"Yeah…hi…" He was even more confused. "How'd you get here?"
"Wait! Who's playing that music? It wasn't you, right?" Ruri asked quickly.
"Well, that was rude!" Ayame smacked Ruri in the back of her head.
"Hey!"
"Well, no it wasn't me…Amiboshi's in his room playing right now…"
"That's Amiboshi?!?!" Ruri squeaked.
"Yes…yes it was…" Tasuki rolled his eyes.
"Really?" Ruri asked.
"Yes…really…"
"Really?"
"I said yes already!" Tasuki was getting really annoyed now. "His room's down the hall…go bother him…" He stepped aside so Ruri could go inside.
"Well, I don't think I can apologize enough for that…" Ayame shook her head in dismay.
"Eh…I don't care…" Tasuki drank some of his water. "You want something to drink?"
"No thanks. I'm good." She stepped inside and Tasuki closed the door behind her.
"How long does she plan on being here?" He led her into the living room.
"Until she realizes she's gonna be late for work and drags me out of here before I can say bye."
"I see…"
Ruri found Amiboshi's door. It was mostly closed but she could see him sitting at the window playing again. 'Wow…I knew he'd be cute…' All she could do was stand there and stare at him. 'Okay…now that I'm here, what do I do? Do I just walk in?'
Tasuki and Ayame watched her from the living room.
"Great…she dragged me all the way here and now she does nothing?" Ayame sighed.
Tasuki sighed. "Be right back…" Tasuki left Ayame in the living room and went to where Ruri was.
He stood behind Ruri for a moment. "Yo Amiboshi! You got company!" Before Ruri could protest, Tasuki unceremoniously shoved her through the slightly open door.
Amiboshi blinked in surprise when Ruri tumbled into his room. "Tasuki! You push to hard!" She picked herself up off the floor and dusted herself off. "Uh…hi, Amiboshi…"
"Hey…" Amiboshi put his flute down. "I don't mean to sound rude, but uh…what are you doing here?"
"Well…I heard you playing yesterday and uh…I wanted to see…uh…who was playing…I came yesterday but you were already gone."
"Oh…well, it's just me…" He shrugged. "Nothing spectacular about me."
"But you play so well! I've never heard anyone play like you!"
He blushed. "It's not really a big deal…"
"Yes it is! I was stunned when I heard you yesterday! Could you play something else? Please?" She blushed as she approached him. 'Wow…he must think I'm an idiot now…I'm babbling like a moron…'
"Sure…I don't see why not. You can sit anywhere you can find room. My room's a little messy…"
"It's okay. Nobody's room is all that clean…" She smoothed out his sheets and took a seat on his bed.
Amiboshi took a deep breath and began to play again.
Ayame sat in the living room with Tasuki. "You know, you shouldn't have pushed her like that…" Ayame tried to sound mad, but she found it funny.
"Come on. She never would have gone in otherwise. Besides you're not that mad at me. You're still laughing." He smirked.
"I know. I know…" She smiled. "Oh! Speaking of Amiboshi and Ruri, did you ask him if he'd help Ruri watch Kohana?"
"Oh, yeah. I did. Last night. He said it would be fine."
"That's great!"
Tasuki smiled. "So are you free Saturday?"
"Lemme think…" Ayame paused. "Yeah, I think so."
"Where should I pick you up?"
"Got some paper?"
"Yeah. Here." He grabbed a piece of paper and pen lying on the table next to him.
Ayame scribbled down an address. "What should I wear?"
"Uh…whatever you want I guess." Tasuki shrugged. He didn't know a damn thing about women's clothes in his world, much less the real world.
"Oh come on. I don't wanna accidentally over dress or under dress. What are you wearing?" Ayame gave him the paper.
"I haven't looked yet."
Ayame sighed. "Man…do men ever plan for anything?"
"It's not that we never plan. Women just plan so much that it seems like men never plan."
"We do not!"
"Yes you do."
"Well…maybe a little." Tasuki raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay, okay. You win…we do plan a lot…"
"That's better." Tasuki smirked. "But I'll probably just grab something out of the closet."
"You can't do that."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to look wrong." She stood up and pulled him up. "Come on. I'll pick out something for you."
"Huh?" Tasuki was surprised as she made him lead her to his room. "They're just clothes."
"I already told you, I don't want to over or under dress."
"Why not just wear something comfortable? That's how I go…"
"Be quiet and open up your closet!"
He was taken aback, but didn't feel like arguing anymore so he opened up his closet and a couple of drawers.
Amiboshi finished the piece he was playing and looked up at Ruri.
"That was just…wow…" She smiled.
"I still don't see what the big deal is."
"I wish I could play an instrument! I'm so musically declined it isn't funny! Well…Ayame would say it is…but it takes a lot of talent to play that well."
"Thanks." He blushed.
"Sure."
"So…have you and Ayame been friends a long time?" Amiboshi was at a loss for conversation.
"Yeah…since we were like 5, I think. We always hung around each other. What about you and Tasuki? You seem to be really good friends."
"Me and Tasuki? We're not really that close…" 'Friends? I hardly think he'd like it if I called us friends…'
"Really? You've got to be pretty close to be roommates." Ruri cocked her head to one side.
"Well, we did grow up kinda close and we knew of each other, but we were never really friends. We ended up on the same flight over here and just decided to share rent." 'Well, that was half the truth…hope she buys it…'
"Huh…you guys really do seem like friends now though…"
"We used to be friends a few years ago…then I kinda stabbed him in the back…not really on purpose, but I still did…he should hold it against me more than he does…"
"Maybe Tasuki's more forgiving than you thought…"
"He never struck me as the forgiving type…"
"You never really know a person until you room with them. You should have seen me and Ayame the first time we went on a trip together by ourselves and had to share a room." She laughed. "Every little thing she did bothered me, everything I did bothered her. But after it happened I think we were even closer."
Amiboshi smiled. 'Wow…she's so cute when she smiles…' "Tasuki didn't like my brother much either…"
"You have a brother?"
"Uh…had…he's dead now…" Amiboshi shrugged.
Ruri gasped. "Oh God…I'm sorry…were you guys really close?"
"Twins…"
Ruri covered her mouth in horror. "Oh jeez…I'm really sorry for bringing it up…"
"It doesn't hurt so much anymore… and I brought it up…not you." He gave her a reassuring smile.
"Oh…okay… let's change the subject. Did Tasuki ask you about watching Kohana?"
"Oh yeah. I think he's gonna take her out on Saturday."
"That's great! Ayame could really use a night out! Thanks Amiboshi!" Ruri hugged him.
His cheeks flared up. "Uh…sure. No problem…"
Ayame flipped through Tasuki's clothes. "Why's most of your stuff red and black?"
"It just is. Is there a problem with red and black?" He shrugged.
"No…I was just wondering…" She would pull things out of the closet, look at them then throw them back in.
"Do you take this long to pick out clothes for yourself?"
"Occasionally." She finally settled on an outfit for him. "How's this?" She handed him a pair of black jeans, a plain white t-shirt and a button up black t-shirt to wear over it.
"Looks fine to me."
"Alright then. Now let's check out your shoes." She almost got to the floor of the closet when he grabbed her.
"Oh hell no! You're not going through my shoes too! I've got a pair of black boots that'll be fine." He pulled her up.
She gave him a pouty face but then looked at him thoughtfully.
"What?"
"You remind me of a character in a book…"
He almost choked for a second. "Do I?"
"Yeah. It's this book I've been reading to Kohana. It's really good."
"What's it called?"
"Umm…" She paused. "You know…I can't think of the title. I don't think it's on the cover."
"What's it about?"
"It's this story about some girl from a foreign land who has to gather 7 warriors of some god to save a kingdom. I suck at book summaries. It really is a good book though."
Tasuki swallowed hard. 'Oh man…she couldn't be talking about the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho could she?'
"Something wrong? You look a little pale?"
"What? No…I'm fine…I was just thinking. That book sounds familiar. I may have read it when I was younger."
"You think?"
"I said maybe. I'm not quite sure."
"Well, I should go drag Ruri out of Amiboshi's room." Ayame looked at her watch. "We've gotta get going."
"Alright. I'll see you Saturday then?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "See ya later."
"See ya." He leaned in closer to her and kissed her on the cheek.
Ayame was a little surprised and accidentally turned her head towards his. She let out a little gasp when she felt his hand brush against her waist, but she liked it. She let Tasuki kiss her for a moment before pulling back. "Saturday…right…" She licked her lips then very slowly left his room.
Tasuki stood there for a moment. 'What the hell did I just do?'
Ruri and Amiboshi chatted happily until Ayame appeared in the doorway. "Ruri, we gotta go. You met your little musician, now we gotta go to work."
Ruri made a face at Ayame. "Fine, fine. See ya Saturday Amiboshi."
"Bye." Amiboshi smiled at Ruri.
Tasuki and Amiboshi walked to girls to the door and said bye.
"Hey, Tasuki…you okay? You look pale…"
'Well, I ain't tellin' him I kissed her…' "Well, I just found out something interesting…"
"What?"
"I think Ayame's been reading the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho to Kohana as a bedtime story…"
"You think?"
"Ayame said I reminded her of a character in a book she's reading to Kohana. I am a character in a book dammit…"
"So what do we do?" Amiboshi looked at his enemy turned roommate.
" I don't know. I'm not really sure if it really is the book…"
They stood silently for a moment. "Keep Ayame out late…" Amiboshi said suddenly.
"What? Why?"
"If you keep her out, Ruri and I will have to put Kohana to bed. Maybe I can get Kohana to show me the book."
"Sounds good. I just hope Ayame doesn't decide we're out too late."
"Don't let her see any clocks. Or as few as possible…"
"When did you get so good at making plans?" Tasuki raised an eyebrow.
"Eh…I try…" He smiled and shrugged. "So what did you and Ayame talk about?"
"Stuff…"
"Stuff?"
"She demanded that she find something for me to wear Saturday since I hadn't decided on what to wear."
"You of all people should know never to admit you haven't planned ahead to a girl."
"I should, shouldn't I?"
"Yep." They went back to the living room.
"You know what's funny?"
"Huh?"
"I really haven't given much thought to going home lately…"
"Really? Huh…now that I think about it…neither have I…"
"You think we're getting to used to life here?"
"I dunno…I guess…I have been starting to wonder whether or not I even want to go back…"
"You happier here?"
"I think I am…"
~*~*~*~
Ayame was still in a daze from Tasuki's kiss as Ruri drove her back home.
"You alright? You haven't said anything since we left the guys apartment…"
"I'm fine…" Ayame looked out the window and spoke rather dreamily.
"You sound half asleep…"
"Then I don't wanna wake up…"
"What?" Ruri stared at her funny. "What did you and Tasuki do while I was with Amiboshi?"
"Stop thinking like that…we didn't do anything bad…he just kissed me…" Her lips curved up into a genuine smile.
"He did? Really?" Ruri's jaw dropped. "So that's what's making you smile like that…"
"Smile like what?" Ayame snapped out of her dreamy state so she could stare at Ruri.
"I can't remember the last time I saw you give a real smile. Kohana found the right guy for once. Tasuki is healthy for you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You've dedicated all you time to work, school and Kohana since your parents died. You never give yourself a moment to enjoy life. Tasuki's making you remember what life it about."
"I wouldn't say that…I've only known him a few days. Who knows if this will actually work out…"
"Hey, listen to your best friend. You need a night off and Tasuki is just the guy to help. He seems so sweet and cute to boot."
"What about Amiboshi?"
"What about him?"
"Any plans for Saturday?"
"Yeah well, I dunno. We might take Kohana out to eat…"
"I didn't mean plans for Kohana…" Ayame smirked.
"Amiboshi and I barely know each other! We wouldn't go that far!"
"I'm not saying you would. I'm just wondering what you two will do after Kohana goes to sleep."
"Well, we might watch some movies…"
"Lights on or off?"
"Probably on…"
"Not if you want him to kiss you. Dark is always better if you want that little chance that he could kiss you."
"My God Ayame! Are you plotting to get me and Amiboshi together?"
"Well, it couldn't hurt. Let's face it, Amiboshi is the cutest, sweetest guy you've met in a long time…"
"I know…I don't do the greatest job of picking guys, but they aren't that bad…are they?"
"Some no. Most yes."
"Ouchies!" Ruri stuck her tongue out at Ayame.
"You know I'm right."
"Fine, fine. So what are you wearing Saturday?"
"I was thinking about my black capris but I don't think I have a nice shirt to wear."
"We'll have to grab something for you tonight then."
"I guess so…I'll look around my closet first though."
"I say we shop, but if you want to look, fine."
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Review please!
~*~Shadow Hawk~*~