Chance By Fate
Author's Note: ^^ Whee... An update! Sorry it took so long... I got grounded and stuffness... ^^ Gomen! Review! It makes my day and gets me off my butt and writin'!
To those that reviewed: Shiva Yuki: ^^ Thanks! ^_^ I'm glad you liked it.
Tsukasa-magic: Thanks! ^^ I was a bit worried they might have a been off... ^^ I tend to be a bit OOC at times... x.x
SparkyKnight: Yus! I've read them in the game but Enigma is the only other one I've seen in the real world! Thanks! I've read the fic-It was a really shibby one too... ;-; It sucks they discontinued it...
Animefan581: Yay! Someone who agrees! ^^ Kite doesn't actually date her as far as I know in the game though... so there's still hope! XD
Marduk: Thanks! ^^ I do try!
Dr@gon Princess: Ahhh!!! I'm sure it's fine and dandyyy!! Is it up yet? *clings* I hope so!
Tuanoftheworld: Believe me, I learned that a long time ago... ^^ But if I don't feel like anyone likes it I tend to get depressed about my own writing skills... ^_^ Thanks!
Akemi: Awww! Thankies sooooo much! ^_^ Elk is my favorite too! He's just so cute... I spent hours and hours getting little gifts for him and everything... I know! XD S'why they're meant to be together. *nodnod*
Miyashiko: ^_^ Ohhh! Yay!! My fic got added to someone's favs! XD Yayness! *feels all special* Yay for .hack-ness! XD
Tina: ^_^ Updating as soon as I finish these reader responses!
Silvermoonstar-tenshi: *cowers* Guardians scaaaaaare me. ^^ I mean... Lookait them! ^^ Unless it was mine... *hides beyond Elk* Dun hurt me!
Alley Drendo: ^_^ Thanks for the suggestions! ^_^ I'll totally keep 'em in mind! XD
Saya: BlackRose may or may not be in it... Probably not in the real world anyways, but Natsume might pop up... After all she invited Kite over for dinner in //outbreak!
Kitty Riku and SW: ^_^ Thankies so very much!
Amethyst Bubble: Ohhh... I like your pen name! ^_^ Any who sankies and I ish updating right now and ish very glad you like my ficlet!
Deathkun: ^_^ Thanks! I'm continuing riiiiiight now!
Bladed-Night-Dragon: ^_^ Glad to see such wanting moreness! XD I live off that y'know.
Chapter Two
I made sure that I hovered over Shika for the remainder of the week, taking care to invite him to eat lunch with me and my friends... By then the younger boy had loosened up a bit, if not all the way... But he was actually laughing at the silly jokes I made about the school's food and a genuine smile formed on his pale lips while most of my friends merely rolled their eyes at me... I liked that. Being the holder of the bracelet made me feel important, yes... But being respected and getting looks like that aside from the fact that I was tangled in an online crisis... That was something new.
"So... You must be really smart to be in our grade now," I said giving him a curious glance as we walked through the parking lot, maneuvering around the many cars and teenagers around us. "High school next year and everything." We both walked hope, one thing that surprised me... I couldn't recall ever seeing the tiny boy before, but he claimed he walked home every day. Maybe I just wasn't observant enough.
Shika's tentative smile faltered with my words and he sighed a roll of his delicate shoulders emphasizing his emotions, "No... not really. I think I'm going to be in a bit of trouble as it is..." He shrugged again, "It's better than before though."
I nodded slowly, "Yeah... This year is pretty stressful I can tell you from the half a year I've lived it... Must be worse when you're even younger," I said a teasing hint in my voice.
He laughed, a thin and amused sound that made me smile. "Yeah..." Sighing, as my sense of duty suddenly returned I asked, "Have you ever played that game... The World?" Any information or leads I could collect online or offline were useful.
Shika tensed a bit, but shrugged. "Yeah... A bit." He didn't sound all that interested, and his tone a was a bit edgy but I didn't have time to question him because Shika suddenly burst out an excited grin on his pallid face, "Wanna go to the café?"
I laughed and nodded, only to be pulled by the small boy into the small coffee shop. He sighed, breathing in the fresh and exhilarating smell of coffee and sugar hinted with bread and cafes... I hadn't stopped in here in ages, and Shika was defiantly reminding me what I was missing.
We waited in line for only a few brief moments, our concentration locked on the foods displayed in the glass case... Or at least he was. I couldn't help but allow my attention to stray to the boy who was now expressing a completely different side of himself. Shika was been so timid, so nonchalant... But now he was reduced to the kid everyone held inside. And it was cute.
He ordered a slice of a chocolate desire cake, and a coke while I chose a hot chocolate and a fudge brownie... Total coming to eight dollars. God, that was expensive I thought pulling out my wallet and paying for the both of us. Shika's ivory cheeks flared crimson as I slid the money past his own and for some reason I found that enjoyable.
We munched our food hungrily, eating similar to most teenage boys... Food was food, and junk was best. "I haven't eaten anything that good... I don't even know when..." I said sighing and allowing the warmth of the hot chocolate to envelop me... So warm, so soothing... I could recall very well how much I loved hanging out at the café... and the company was quite enjoyable as well.
"Do you come here a lot?" I asked, watching Shika fiddle with the straw in his drink. He looked up at me and for a second there was a trace of fear in his void azure eyes. He didn't respond right away and he seemed lost in some foreign memory... It was kind of unnerving.
"Shika?" I asked reaching over to touch his hand, only to have him recoil startled and worst of all afraid. But of what? "What's wrong?"
He shook his head, pale white-silver hair flying, "It's nothing... Sorry... I just sort spaced out for a minute there..." He said a smile so forced and false appearing it made me inwardly shudder. Why couldn't everyone just be happy?
"Alright... But you know you can tell me anything," I said giving him the most sincere look I could muster... I wanted him to trust me... To confide in me about the circles around his eyes and the fear that lurked within them... It was strange, but I felt like we'd known each other for months though it had only been hardly a week... Uncanny, no?
Shika didn't reply to that, but instead said, "We should probably get going..." I nodded in response, rising from my seat and turning to leave, only to find myself right in the face of the boy from that first morning... The one that had looked like he was hassling Shika.
"Excuse me," I said, moving to the side to pass only to have him block my path a sneer on his thin lips. "What are you doing here with him?" The boy hissed through off white teeth.
I raised both of my eyebrows, "I was having a snack on our way home." I didn't exactly want things to get troublesome... Though this boy seemed to want to make Shika's life more edgy than it probably already was.
"Kite..." There was a warning in the familiar way he called my name, hidden and pleading... I could tell he didn't want me to get involved in his problems... but that was my duty, wasn't it? Yasuhiko would have done it.
"Shut up, Shika." The words were cold, yet wrought with emotion... None of it pleasant. The younger boy seemed to shrink back, making him smaller than he already was... Shika was obviously frightened of the boy though I wasn't sure why. He may have looked tough but I was older than him, and I certainly did have a bit of experience in battle.
"Don't talk to him like that," I said keeping my tone pleasant and even... As always I wanted to avoid confrontation... It was just so much easier to get by that way.
The boy turned from Shika to me a look of disgust in his dull hazel eyes, "What are you? His guardian? Get real."
I didn't respond, but my fingers locked around Shika's hand before I pulled him upwards and walked around the boy and another table without a second glance back. When we were safely outside a few blocks away I managed to get out, "What is his problem?" I halted my pace, finally releasing Shika's hand turning my gaze on him, concern etched into my features.... But he had resorted back into a blank faced boy, no emotion... Nothing on his face to help me understand...
"Shika..." I said before sighing and continuing down the sidewalk. He wasn't going to talk to me, at least not yet... I'd get him to tell me eventually but for now I just needed to get him home... A rough first day in eighth grade, though somehow I felt this was normal... Though why he was the victim of this I couldn't possibly understand.
"This is my house..." Shika finally said his voice a monotone and his face similar. "Thank you Kite... I'll see you tomorrow," He said, giving another one of those fake smiles before he turned towards his house. The lights were all off and it looked empty and bare... Even the flowers out front were dead... Just a wilted mess of gray and brown... Everything looked so run down...
Leaving him alone didn't set well with me.... But I did it anyway.
Author's Note: ^^ Whee... An update! Sorry it took so long... I got grounded and stuffness... ^^ Gomen! Review! It makes my day and gets me off my butt and writin'!
To those that reviewed: Shiva Yuki: ^^ Thanks! ^_^ I'm glad you liked it.
Tsukasa-magic: Thanks! ^^ I was a bit worried they might have a been off... ^^ I tend to be a bit OOC at times... x.x
SparkyKnight: Yus! I've read them in the game but Enigma is the only other one I've seen in the real world! Thanks! I've read the fic-It was a really shibby one too... ;-; It sucks they discontinued it...
Animefan581: Yay! Someone who agrees! ^^ Kite doesn't actually date her as far as I know in the game though... so there's still hope! XD
Marduk: Thanks! ^^ I do try!
Dr@gon Princess: Ahhh!!! I'm sure it's fine and dandyyy!! Is it up yet? *clings* I hope so!
Tuanoftheworld: Believe me, I learned that a long time ago... ^^ But if I don't feel like anyone likes it I tend to get depressed about my own writing skills... ^_^ Thanks!
Akemi: Awww! Thankies sooooo much! ^_^ Elk is my favorite too! He's just so cute... I spent hours and hours getting little gifts for him and everything... I know! XD S'why they're meant to be together. *nodnod*
Miyashiko: ^_^ Ohhh! Yay!! My fic got added to someone's favs! XD Yayness! *feels all special* Yay for .hack-ness! XD
Tina: ^_^ Updating as soon as I finish these reader responses!
Silvermoonstar-tenshi: *cowers* Guardians scaaaaaare me. ^^ I mean... Lookait them! ^^ Unless it was mine... *hides beyond Elk* Dun hurt me!
Alley Drendo: ^_^ Thanks for the suggestions! ^_^ I'll totally keep 'em in mind! XD
Saya: BlackRose may or may not be in it... Probably not in the real world anyways, but Natsume might pop up... After all she invited Kite over for dinner in //outbreak!
Kitty Riku and SW: ^_^ Thankies so very much!
Amethyst Bubble: Ohhh... I like your pen name! ^_^ Any who sankies and I ish updating right now and ish very glad you like my ficlet!
Deathkun: ^_^ Thanks! I'm continuing riiiiiight now!
Bladed-Night-Dragon: ^_^ Glad to see such wanting moreness! XD I live off that y'know.
Chapter Two
I made sure that I hovered over Shika for the remainder of the week, taking care to invite him to eat lunch with me and my friends... By then the younger boy had loosened up a bit, if not all the way... But he was actually laughing at the silly jokes I made about the school's food and a genuine smile formed on his pale lips while most of my friends merely rolled their eyes at me... I liked that. Being the holder of the bracelet made me feel important, yes... But being respected and getting looks like that aside from the fact that I was tangled in an online crisis... That was something new.
"So... You must be really smart to be in our grade now," I said giving him a curious glance as we walked through the parking lot, maneuvering around the many cars and teenagers around us. "High school next year and everything." We both walked hope, one thing that surprised me... I couldn't recall ever seeing the tiny boy before, but he claimed he walked home every day. Maybe I just wasn't observant enough.
Shika's tentative smile faltered with my words and he sighed a roll of his delicate shoulders emphasizing his emotions, "No... not really. I think I'm going to be in a bit of trouble as it is..." He shrugged again, "It's better than before though."
I nodded slowly, "Yeah... This year is pretty stressful I can tell you from the half a year I've lived it... Must be worse when you're even younger," I said a teasing hint in my voice.
He laughed, a thin and amused sound that made me smile. "Yeah..." Sighing, as my sense of duty suddenly returned I asked, "Have you ever played that game... The World?" Any information or leads I could collect online or offline were useful.
Shika tensed a bit, but shrugged. "Yeah... A bit." He didn't sound all that interested, and his tone a was a bit edgy but I didn't have time to question him because Shika suddenly burst out an excited grin on his pallid face, "Wanna go to the café?"
I laughed and nodded, only to be pulled by the small boy into the small coffee shop. He sighed, breathing in the fresh and exhilarating smell of coffee and sugar hinted with bread and cafes... I hadn't stopped in here in ages, and Shika was defiantly reminding me what I was missing.
We waited in line for only a few brief moments, our concentration locked on the foods displayed in the glass case... Or at least he was. I couldn't help but allow my attention to stray to the boy who was now expressing a completely different side of himself. Shika was been so timid, so nonchalant... But now he was reduced to the kid everyone held inside. And it was cute.
He ordered a slice of a chocolate desire cake, and a coke while I chose a hot chocolate and a fudge brownie... Total coming to eight dollars. God, that was expensive I thought pulling out my wallet and paying for the both of us. Shika's ivory cheeks flared crimson as I slid the money past his own and for some reason I found that enjoyable.
We munched our food hungrily, eating similar to most teenage boys... Food was food, and junk was best. "I haven't eaten anything that good... I don't even know when..." I said sighing and allowing the warmth of the hot chocolate to envelop me... So warm, so soothing... I could recall very well how much I loved hanging out at the café... and the company was quite enjoyable as well.
"Do you come here a lot?" I asked, watching Shika fiddle with the straw in his drink. He looked up at me and for a second there was a trace of fear in his void azure eyes. He didn't respond right away and he seemed lost in some foreign memory... It was kind of unnerving.
"Shika?" I asked reaching over to touch his hand, only to have him recoil startled and worst of all afraid. But of what? "What's wrong?"
He shook his head, pale white-silver hair flying, "It's nothing... Sorry... I just sort spaced out for a minute there..." He said a smile so forced and false appearing it made me inwardly shudder. Why couldn't everyone just be happy?
"Alright... But you know you can tell me anything," I said giving him the most sincere look I could muster... I wanted him to trust me... To confide in me about the circles around his eyes and the fear that lurked within them... It was strange, but I felt like we'd known each other for months though it had only been hardly a week... Uncanny, no?
Shika didn't reply to that, but instead said, "We should probably get going..." I nodded in response, rising from my seat and turning to leave, only to find myself right in the face of the boy from that first morning... The one that had looked like he was hassling Shika.
"Excuse me," I said, moving to the side to pass only to have him block my path a sneer on his thin lips. "What are you doing here with him?" The boy hissed through off white teeth.
I raised both of my eyebrows, "I was having a snack on our way home." I didn't exactly want things to get troublesome... Though this boy seemed to want to make Shika's life more edgy than it probably already was.
"Kite..." There was a warning in the familiar way he called my name, hidden and pleading... I could tell he didn't want me to get involved in his problems... but that was my duty, wasn't it? Yasuhiko would have done it.
"Shut up, Shika." The words were cold, yet wrought with emotion... None of it pleasant. The younger boy seemed to shrink back, making him smaller than he already was... Shika was obviously frightened of the boy though I wasn't sure why. He may have looked tough but I was older than him, and I certainly did have a bit of experience in battle.
"Don't talk to him like that," I said keeping my tone pleasant and even... As always I wanted to avoid confrontation... It was just so much easier to get by that way.
The boy turned from Shika to me a look of disgust in his dull hazel eyes, "What are you? His guardian? Get real."
I didn't respond, but my fingers locked around Shika's hand before I pulled him upwards and walked around the boy and another table without a second glance back. When we were safely outside a few blocks away I managed to get out, "What is his problem?" I halted my pace, finally releasing Shika's hand turning my gaze on him, concern etched into my features.... But he had resorted back into a blank faced boy, no emotion... Nothing on his face to help me understand...
"Shika..." I said before sighing and continuing down the sidewalk. He wasn't going to talk to me, at least not yet... I'd get him to tell me eventually but for now I just needed to get him home... A rough first day in eighth grade, though somehow I felt this was normal... Though why he was the victim of this I couldn't possibly understand.
"This is my house..." Shika finally said his voice a monotone and his face similar. "Thank you Kite... I'll see you tomorrow," He said, giving another one of those fake smiles before he turned towards his house. The lights were all off and it looked empty and bare... Even the flowers out front were dead... Just a wilted mess of gray and brown... Everything looked so run down...
Leaving him alone didn't set well with me.... But I did it anyway.