Disclaimer: I do not own Megami Kohousei or its characters.
Notes: Well…I promised something lighter this chapter, so here's some sweet fluff. I hope all the angst hasn't scared you guys. Thanks for all the reviews, GoldenWings, yele, animechick, Trista, and Kay! (Kay, may I ask you if you are associated w/ dualpotential? I just love that site! And also, don't worry; the dream will eventually be unraveled.)
Warnings (For the future): This story is progressing into more darker and serious territory…so there will be more angst, and probably shounen-ai in future chapters. The rating will also be changed to PG-13 when I post chp.5. I hope the changes won't discourage any present readers from continuing.
Chapter 4 – Human Warmth
In nature, there are many creatures that live solitary lives. They shy away from contact with their own kind except during the brief periods in which they must meet to mate and procreate. Species in the cat family are one example in this group.
Human beings are not.
It was strange, but Ernest found that the highlights of his day usually centered around lunchtime and right before he went to sleep. At nighttime, 39 usually had some type of unpleasant revelation; last night had been no exception. Although Ernest had immediately picked up on one of the dream's many important warnings, he still felt he was missing something from the interpretation.
39 felt the gaze of someone on him, and quickly shoveled a bite of synthesized beef patty in his mouth. When he looked out of the corner of his eye, he noticed it was a camera. In GOA, the students were under spy-level scrutiny; 39's seeming lack of appetite as he pondered yesterday's dream had not gone unnoticed. That's when he felt the presence of a more human gaze on him. Shifting his head away from the camera, he caught green eyes. Two tables away from him, Ernest could still catch the group's conversation.
"So Phil told me that she'd bake a cake for me if I passed the next synchronization test."
"Rio, you gotta be kidding me, she'd never do that!"
"Geez, Rio-kun, you've got the appetite of a horse. She'd probably have to bake at least a dozen of them."
"Hmm…should I ask for different flavors?"
"Dunno Rio. I'd ask for blueberry, though. Hey, Garu, what do you think?"
Ernest's breath caught when the Gareas green gaze didn't even waver to meet the question from his friend.
"I think you guys are nuts if you think I'm going to do something so boring like talking about different types of cake!" With that, the boy promptly got up and took his tray way. A surprised Ernest blinked when the same boy walked over, and plopped into the seat across from him. A hand flashed out to catch Ernest's own.
"Punch me."
"G-Garu?!"
"I said you could punch me, now go ahead." The fingers around Ernest's hand shaped Ernest's loose fingers into a fist. Ernest was bewildered by the sincerity he felt from Gareas as he made the request a second time.
"Look, I'm…not…good at apologies," The voice was gruff. "God damn it, Ernest! I know you're angry at me! So punch me before I have to knock your lights out!" Gareas's eyes closed when Ernest's hand left his. Instead of a hit to his face, he felt fingers claps over his own. He opened one green eye in guarded suspicion.
"Thank you, Gareas," the face was serene, the blue eyes concentration on their hands clasped together, skin to skin. Ernest looked like he was about to cry.
"H-hey, man its okay," Gareas was about to panic; he had no idea that Ernest would react so strangely. What would he do if Ernest suddenly did start crying?
"I'm sorry, for acting so cold to you yesterday, for -"
"Acting like an ass?"
Ernest's eyes widened. Suddenly he began to laugh.
"Yeah."
"Hey, if anything's going screwy in your life, just come to me okay? It's really scary to see you look so miserable. We're friends right?" Gareas smile was a good-natured smirk. But his thoughts were less than confident.
//Hey Ernest. I'm sorry. I'd like to be friends. You'll give me another chance right, even after I did something to make you so mad? I hate to see people look so miserable.//
Ernest looked at their hands. When he had watched the other candidates high-five Gareas all those days ago, he hadn't just been envying the touches. Ernest smiled and sent his thought.
//It wasn't your fault. I was just thinking strangely that day.// Out loud he said, "Of course."
"Alright then." Gareas sighed in relief as he dragged his blonde friend over to the other table, where a highly charged debate was going over whether chocolate or vanilla cake was better. "So, what's your favorite kind of cake, Ernest?"
"Hmm…maybe strawberry?"
"Oh my god! I've made another boring friend! Come on Ernest, be more original than that!"
Human beings are not solitary beings, not just because they long for physical warmth.
They also long to have their hearts touched.
"But I like strawberry, Garu!"
Of the nearly one million people in GOA, only one befriended telepathist who had the misfortune of liking one of the most mundane of all possible cake flavors understood this.
TBC…
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It encourages me to keep writing, and I promise chapter 5 will be a nice long chapter.
Thanks!