Sorry that this chapter is so short but I didn't want to keep Tsukasa in misery for very long. He deserves some happiness don't you think?

The first chapter is still dedicated to Dark Mimi-chan, who is such a fan of the Tsukasa/Mimiru coupling.

But second and third chapters are dedicated to Akichi who still believes Tsukasa/Subaru is the only coupling possible for Tsukasa. Enjoy, Akichi!

Samanda

Disclaimer: I do not own dot hack or any of the characters named in this story.

Discreet Secrets Part Three

Tsukasa's POV

I ran away from Subaru after she rejected me. How could she be so cruel to me? I still love her so much that now in the aftermath of her rejection my lungs feel like they are full of broken glass. Each breath makes the pain grind together until I want to scream. Scream until I can't breath anymore. Until I die. That is how much I love Subaru.

And that's why I ran.

She told me that there was no use in pretending. That she knew I loved Mimiru. Lies! Mimiru is a wonderful friend who encouraged me to tell Subaru how I felt. But Mimiru was wrong. Subaru doesn't love me.

And so I gate back to the place where I first met Mimiru then Subaru. Back to that low level dungeon with the still unopened treasure chest. I huddle

against the wall in my anguish and wish that I could cry. But I can't.

Here in The World that release is denied to me because this isn't my real body. This is a hologram of pixels and electricity made out of light. My soul inhabits this hologram but my real body is elsewhere.

And so I cannot cry.

I don't know how long I crouched there in my misery. It seemed like an eternity but later Mimiru said it had only been a half an hour or so. It only goes to show you how your feelings can distort your reality. But a shadow fell across me but I didn't care. I didn't want to know who it was but they wouldn't leave. Finally I looked up with a cool retort on my lips but I froze.

Subaru stood in front of me.

"What do you want?" I couldn't believe that was my voice. It sounded so flat and dead.

Subaru flinched. "To tell you I overreacted."

"So very nice of you to come and let me know," I replied.

Subaru took a deep breath. "I was so jealous."

That caught my attention and I couldn't help but respond. "Why?"

"All of a sudden you and Mimiru were so close." Subaru's shoulders straightened and she refused to look away. "You were with her all the time. You never seemed to want to spend time with me anymore. How could I not be jealous? I convinced myself that you would never return my feelings and so today was a big shock to me. I am so sorry for hurting you, Tsukasa."

The broken feeling in my chest had dropped away and disappeared. In it's place a warm feeling of anticipation grew. I looked up at her face that shone with the sincerity of her words and realized that while she had hurt me, I had also hurt her.

So I stood up and told her. "Then let's start over, Subaru. I'll start first."

Subaru nodded and I continued. "I love you, Subaru."

"I love you, Tsukasa," She replied.

A warm smile broke over stiff face of the puppet she inhabited and she stepped closer. I took her into my arms and kissed her. For Subaru it was simply a symbol because only her mind was here and she couldn't feel my lips. But for me I felt the warmth of her kiss and a scent I had come to recognize as Subaru. To me it was a long awaited culmination of love.

After an all too short moment I let her go. Subaru giggled a little at my blush over my audacity. She clasped her hand in mine and tugged me forward. We left the dungeon for the sunny land that lay above us.

"We should go thank Mimiru," I mentioned to Subaru as we emerged into sunlight.

A look passed over her face that I was unable to read. "Let's enjoy the scenery around us for a while, Tsukasa. Mimiru knows we're thankful for her help."

I was puzzled but I let it go. Girls are still a mystery to me so I did as Subaru asked me to. Subaru suggested we wait at the usual spot since Mimiru was sure to pass on the news to the others.

So we sat at the bridge in Mac Anu and watched the world around us. The two of us basked in the happiness of being in love as we waited for our friends to join us.