"Hey look a ghost!"
"Don't make me laugh."
"I think that glower of yours is good enough at least. You've got something on your nose."
She smiled, but didn't look away from her original goal to check. She was determined to get through this the winner. "That was a little more original than your last one anyway. But you'll have to try something else."
"Sheesh, you're getting good." Silence. "Oh look - a spider."
She gave a bored look. "That's better than your other attempts, but you won't get me to look away. I'm going to win this time!"
"Well I commend you for trying, but there really IS a spider on your right arm."
"WHERE?!" She jerked back and looked to her arm, hand already swatting at the long sleeve. There was nothing there and she paused, slowly looking to brown with a glare as a high-pitched beep sounded. "Not. Funny."
"Beg to differ." He stuttered, snickering. He roped it in because her glare worsened to actual dislike standards instead of just play. "Have to praise you though...you're getting better with not looking away."
"Well you were right in saying that staring contests are the only way to go." She fought not to look away with that one, though she made a lot of progress in the past month as it was. She gave a smile and slid off Jayden's futon to stretch. "How long was that one?"
"Before you freaked on the spider thing?" He grinned when she glared again and looked to his stopwatch. "Ten minutes, seven seconds. Going for a record K."
She felt like blushing at his praise, though it wasn't necessary. "Whoop-de-do, ten minutes. I'll accept that I'm doing any kind of progress when I can stare at someone for half an hour."
"Ah, but staring is not polite. We're only doing this to get you to stop looking away." She looked away with a roll of her eyes. "Like that."
"I wasn't embarrassed OR shy that time!" She retorted, plopping down on his bed. After crossing her legs, she used her knees and fists to prop her head up. "Just annoyed."
He smiled. "Right..." A thumb cleared the stopwatch and he held it up. "Care to try again?"
Her lips pursed in thought. "I dunno...I've had enough of looking into your eyes." She retorted, smirking.
He scowled for a bit before putting on a charming grin and leaning a little close. "I can't say the same for you though..."
She promptly blushed as bad as she used to – what she still hadn't been able to fully beat – and looked to a finger that tapped on his spread in a fidget.
"Strike one, two, and three." He announced, grabbing the digit. He pulled her hand in the air and wagged it a little in her face. "Though you look cute when you blush, I thought we worked on that."
Her face heated up a little more at how flirtatious he was being, but managed to pull her hand away from his. "I'm going to ignore that...you flirt."
It lacked any sting and he knew it, mostly by the blush that hadn't left and the way she wouldn't look at him. He couldn't help but smile. She was adorable shy, but the fire that roamed free after she put her mind to letting him help gained a pride toward her progress he hadn't felt with Cam or others.
It had been one hell of a month, but it sure was memorable. Of course they hadn't had much time to hang out with her being so busy, but it was the weekends when he had any time to break her 'new' personality in.
He managed to wheedle her to come up with him to his house, mostly because they couldn't really do anything with the staring contests with Sam 'suddenly' popping out of nowhere and making comments about how it was the perfect time for one of them to slip a kiss. The girl was a genius and good sneak, he had to admit, but even with her help and not-so-subtle hints, K was not going to give in like that.
If there was a way to get her to date him, it wouldn't be easy.
His emotions hadn't lessened any during his realization, and it was hard to keep them in check. At least playful times like these made it easier to flirt and give an excuse that it was a way to get her to loosen a tad and open up.
"What say we get some food?" He suggested, clicking the stopwatch to the watch portion. "It's been a while, and I'm hungry."
She smiled. "You just want to sneak a rice ball before lunch." She quipped, poking him in the shoulder.
A hand whipped out and grasped her by the wrist with a sly look. "And who says a certain SOMEONE will keep her hands off of the sushi before tonight?"
Her lips pursed as she fought not to be embarrassed, even if she HAD snuck a piece the last time she was up for the day and he caught her. "You told me we were eating lunch and so I saved room because you people cook better than even I do. I was hungry and didn't want to be rude and ask to eat something before everyone else." She pulled a little to get her hand back, but his grip didn't loosen. "You weren't supposed to catch me."
He grinned and strengthened his hold, tugging a bit as well. "We make enough for three or four a person. ONE of us would've noticed if someone at the table didn't have equal. And I was standing a few feet away. Not very smart."
She tugged harder, trying to keep from smiling. A hand planted itself on the blanket for leverage. "I'll remember that. Next time I create a diversion to get your attention off me long enough to chew and swallow."
"We'd still know. And who do you think made that batch you stole from?"
Her tongue stuck out as if she had something bad. "KNEW it tasted a little funny." She tugged again, this time harder than before. "You can let go now."
"No can do. You just insulted my cooking." He tried to pout, but that was hard with as good as a mood he was suddenly in. "I was trained by the elders and okaasan. You insult them AND me you know."
"Then I shall go apologize to them for the crass remark. So let go."
He snorted and gave her wrist a little squeeze. "I'll let go right after you apologize to ME first. You accuse badly – yurushimasen." He kidded, yanking hard enough to pull her to him.
Massive pressure and shifting her legs was the only thing that kept her from falling on him. Whatever he was trying to accomplish or do, it was getting annoying. "This is losing its fun you know. You can let go any time."
"So now I'm boring?"
"I didn't mean it like that!" She growled. Her free hand moved and wrapped around his to try and pry his fingers loose. "You'd better let go before you cut the circulation from my fingers."
His other hand responded in kind and fought with hers to keep from freeing his hold. "I'm careful. You've still got plenty of breathing room. Trust me; with my experience in Kempo, I could snap your wrist right now with the angle I have it at."
She gave him a bored look. "Stop being so smug. And let go!"
"If you can make me grasshopper, I shall grant you infinite wisdom to top your sarcasm."
She giggled at that and moved her legs to balance herself and tried to twist her wrist free. He seemed to know that one and grasped her forearm to keep her from moving too far.
"Nice trick, but I know one better." With a sly grin, he let go of her arm and directed it to her sides.
She shrieked and jerked backward – not a good thing as she was at the edge of the bed already. His hold kept her from falling backward, even though it was only about a foot from the floor and the fall wouldn't hurt that bad.
"Satanic!" She squealed through laughter, foregoing her trapped hand to grab his and stop his tirade. "You're horrible to me!"
He snorted when she latched onto his wrist the same way he was now. "You underestimate me onna." With a simple twist – his strength surpassing hers – he freed it and grabbed her other wrist. He steadied himself on the bed and pushed her forward until she was precariously leaning over the edge. He smirked when surprised green met him. "NOW what're you going to do?"
Her brain froze for a second as she took in the position. He was practically leaning over her legs and all but holding her hands. It was a more intimate than she thought this simple tug-of-war would turn into and couldn't help a small blush.
But the answer to his question was easy. Copying his evil look, her head leaned back and stared at the doorway upside-down. "Kekoy-san! Help!"
Brown widened in shock as a voice sounded down the hall through the cracked door. "Not fair!" He whined, immediately pulling her back up. He made sure she was able to sit without teetering over before letting go of her wrists. He sat back and sulked. "You always run to hisofusan - that's cheating!"
She shook her head to get the blood rush gone and twisted as the door mildly creaked open. "Did I hear my name and the call for assistance?"
She smiled. "Kekoy-san, he was being mean again." A thumb jerked to the sheepish person behind her. She cast a look to her wrist and went to rub it. "Geez, you left red marks too."
Kekoy's brow ticked in curiosity as brown stared into brown. "Himagomusuko...are you ever going to stop picking on the poor girl?"
"Yea!" She echoed, sending a mirthful look. "Stop picking on the poor girl."
He sent a playful glare her way and ignored the old man in the doorway. "You're going to get it later." He lightly threatened, sending a smile that didn't speak anything of his intent.
She mistook it for his trademark charming grin and the hand rubbing her wrist paused. A shiver ran through her and she mentally slapped herself at feeling a burn low in her body.
"So what was it about this time?"
"THIS time?? It doesn't even happen that often and SHE started it!"
She raised a brow and gave him a bored look. "YOU were the one that grabbed my wrist."
"And you made a stupid comment."
"Well you were being a DORK."
"And YOU wouldn't apologize!"
"Mou ii." Kekoy piped up. His arms folded a little in irritation. "You're both adults – act like it. And get downstairs to help with lunch like the others have."
"Can do Kekoy-san." She scooted to the edge of the bed as the old man turned and left the room. With an evil look, she shifted close to Inaki's face and ignored his surprise. "I won." She whispered, quickly heading for the door.
His shock at her getting so close to his face offset her words and it took a second for his body to move and brain to connect that she left him behind. Just as her form passed the archway, he jumped off the bed. "You did NOT!" He denied, following in pursuit. He jogged to catch up and hopped the stairs when she turned for the kitchen. "Come here you little liar!"
Arms wrapped around her waist and she gasped. She jumped and combined with the sudden motion, teetered. Hands flailed as best they could while she was in his arms – which she didn't register with the table ready to greet her face.
He didn't mean to offset her, more like grabbing her by the waist and swinging her away from the kitchen, which was her goal. But he couldn't get his footing either by being taller and it was inevitable that his blunder turned to be their downfall – literally. He managed to twist himself to keep from hurting her and miss the table as well.
They landed on tatami in between the counter and table, both breathing hard. His arms were still around her waist and her upper body covered his. Her head was cradled at the edge of his chest, buried in his shirt, but she didn't dare raise her head. She feared who was watching – or in the near vicinity – and couldn't look him in the eye.
"...Ow."
"You started THAT one mister...that was not me." She muttered, flexing her muscles to see what hurt.
"Thank you for that reminder. You succeeded in helping me break my spine."
She grinned and managed to look up, finding his face a little pain-laced. Her humor dimmed a little and she looked at him in concern. "Are you really hurt?"
He gave a small grin and slowly sat up, helping her to as well. "A single fall like that? I've landed on the wood in my dojo outside before. This is nothing."
She grinned and ran fingers through shoulder blade length hair to straighten it. "So...just being a baby then?" His fingers lashed out for her sides and she squeaked, trying to bat him away. "Stop that!"
"Eh? Nani desu ka?" He kidded, grinning. His fingers kept up their attack and dodged her hands. "Eigo o boku wakarimasen."
She couldn't scoot back because she was already sitting on her feet. She leaned back as far as possible without falling over and without use of her hands. "I'll...yell for...Kekoy-san again..." She gasped.
"Do and you don't get to help with lunch." He threatened.
That didn't seem like much of a threat to an outsider, but she always tried to pull her own weight when she was over. It was an independence thing, but it was also a guest thing. K didn't want to take advantage of anyone in any way and kept mentioning that when the others told her she didn't need to be helping.
"Aw come on! I'd feel like a loafer. STOP IT - you're going to make me wet my pants!" She squealed.
"Ew! Not much of a come on you know." He kidded, balancing on his elbow as he leaned forward. She somehow managed to scoot back and shift her legs out from under her, though she was too busy laughing to know she could use them to stop him or to get away and possibly lock herself in the lower level bathroom.
She was very pretty when she laughed, and she had such nice laughter. He couldn't help but torture her, because telling jokes only got her to laugh so much. And she never gave such pure, heartfelt laughter as she was doing now.
Neither noticed how he was practically hovering over her again, though it certainly came to their attention when a voice loudly, and pointedly, cleared their throat.
"You two are noisy enough for the neighbors to hear you. The tv only goes up so loud, so would you keep it down or busy yourselves with lunch??"
Brown looked into youthful brown of his sister and blushed when he looked into green. Jayden didn't look happy with being interrupted, but that didn't enter his mind when he looked at his prisoner.
She was weak from laughing so much, and her chest was heaving. Her face was red, this time from her beautiful laughter, and there was a sparkle in her eyes – along with playful annoyance.
She broke the stare and looked down, finding him close, and her eyes promptly widened.
She quickly scooted backward, not caring about rug burns, and clasped her hands together. "Sorry about that Jayden-san."
"That's alright...and again, I tell you to call me Jayden-CHAN."
She gave a sheepish smile, eyes pointedly looking away from Inaki. "Sorry about that, Jayden-chan."
With a satisfied nod, mirthful eyes spearing her brother, Jayden turned for the steps as a grin sprouted.
He thought he heard her breathe 'young love' before she was out of sight, and blushed a tad. As if his face wasn't red enough from exertion, he had that little reminder to help.
Remind him how his body was almost covering K's.
He promptly stood and shook his head in the process to cover it. He extended a hand to the ground and helped her to her feet, glad she wasn't too embarrassed to touch him after what just happened. She had grown enough for that and he was glad. "What say we get started on lunch." He mumbled, putting up a small grin.
"You DEFINITELY got us in trouble with that last one." She mumbled, following him to the stove. She was trying to get her heart rate under control and adrenaline to recede.
This had happened a lot more recently and she was wondering if it was because Inaki was expressing his feelings, or if she was allowing it to happen by being more open and less tense about physical contact. It could be both, but she doubted her first assumption was correct. Though she told herself she was going to study him during her time with him, it was hard not to be pessimistic about someone as nice and almost perfect as him.
"I did not."
She blinked and grabbed the wood spoon he shoved into her hands. "Did too." She returned, grabbing the handle to a lidded pot.
"Did not." He went for the knives and pulled one from the set to chop the awaiting vegetables to add.
"Did too." She stirred the broth and nodded its readiness to finish off. Along the way, Inaki gave her cooking tips on a few easy dishes she had, though she hadn't the time to try them herself yet.
"Did not." He grasped a handful of diced vegetables and dropped them in.
"Did too." She stirred everything and stepped away when broth splashed her as he dropped another handful in.
It was like a tennis match with no hard feelings involved. Their voices didn't change pitch, but sped up in answer time until it was repetitive.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Not."
"Too."
"You two sound like a noisy train clacking along a rail."
Both heads whipped over to the archway of the family room as Mamorah stood with a disapproving look.
They sheepishly looked to the task at hand until she snorted and passed into a different part of the house. There was a bit of silence before a smile bloomed on her face. "I got the last word." She whispered.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Not."
"Too."
"Damare!"
She didn't know what that meant, not retaining any of the vocabulary for the few times she was over, but Inaki cringed and immediately clamped his mouth shut from an answer. She grinned, knowing she got the final word again and giggled. He scowled and waved a finger in her face as a threat, but she just stuck her tongue out.
The family sat outside, bundled in blankets and shawls, watching the sun set on the front engawa. Each had a mug of hot green tea in their hands.
It was Shunbun no hi - Vernal Equinox Day where they took time out to observe the beauty around them as the day lengthened and remember those long gone.
At least that's what she was told by Inaki when he shoved an afghan in her arms and told her they were going to the front porch.
It was a little chilly at night to do this, but the sky was clear and the sun had painted a brilliant rendition of blended colors and she couldn't stay inside. The family air surrounding her kept her rooted as well, and she became a little wistful as she stared and used the heat from her mug to warm her hands.
This reminded her of times when the Merths would sit out front and take in the neighborhood. She always felt apart of their world because they made her feel welcome. It was the same with the Yamois.
A soft smile appeared as she sipped some of the steaming brew and moved the string holding the bag out of the way. She loved spending time here as much as she did in the other house. This was like her second home away from the Merths.
Her brow furrowed a tiny degree. Funny...she always thought the Merth house was her second home away from home, Sam and her's being the first. She didn't count the house she grew up in because there was nothing there to call it a home. But in the matter of a few visits to a place a little out of the way, she began to feel home HERE. Such a large family, yet they accepted her as readily as the Merths did.
Her eyes closed as her smile widened. Such caring, thoughtful people. Did they really know how much that meant for her to be part of a family? She could never relay her gratitude or emotion she felt in words because words wouldn't do it justice. She was never very good with things like that anyway.
A finger slowly tracing a line across the top of her hand jolted her to the real world and she blinked, gaze whipping to her right. She met a pair of wondering, soft brown eyes and gave a small, conscious smile. He seemed to see through it by the dent to his brow and the chill of his hand touched her skin when it covered hers in comfort.
Her face heated up as teeth bit her lip. There was a gentle grip to her fingers when his slipped in between skin and engawa, palm turning so they touched. Her smile widened as she quickly took a sip of her tea to keep from meeting his eyes.
He knew what she was doing. It was obvious, and not because he saw it enough in the past month. She was nervous about his closeness, at least at a level like this, but he didn't let go of her hand. He didn't want her to be shy around him like that – not when the idea of getting her to the point where he could ask her out filled his mind more than before.
The feeling of loneliness ebbed a lot with this mission. His being able to kid around her like he wanted helped even more. He feared he was ignoring his friends and some of his work by spending most of his free time with her, but could care less. This was a whole other side he was seeing, and he wanted to see as much of it as he could.
She entranced him the more they spent time together. Her smiles and laughter...the courage and determination he hadn't glimpsed in full detail, not before the letter she sent saying she would let him help and vowed to not screw it up.
His thumb absently rubbed over her skin as he stared at her, getting her eyes soon after when she realized he wouldn't look away. His eyes were soft and there was the smallest of smiles on his lips. He looked very handsome like that – very alluring with his hair unbound in a rare moment to use it for heat.
She took a quick peek to the back of his neck and found a few tendrils had slid forward over a shoulder and swallowed hard. The warmth and emotion in her chest hit her hard again and she wanted to shake from the intensity. There was just...something about him - especially with his hair down! – that attracted her so much that she couldn't help herself.
He leaned forward a few inches from his spot, which wasn't that far away to begin with. How or when that happened he didn't know, but it didn't matter when he spotted the blood red rays reflecting off her eyes. "Cold?" He muttered.
She rapidly blinked a few times. Cold?? Hell no! Not with the way he was making her face heat up, not to mention her body –
She mentally shook herself.
"N – not...really..." She mumbled, looking to their hands. "Why do you ask?"
If they had the attention of the others, he didn't register it. "Your hand is freezing."
"So is yours." She dumbly retorted back. Her skin tingled with his touch, breath hitching in her throat when his cup set on the wood with a quiet clack and took hers to do the same. He gently took both hands in his and rubbed them to warm them up.
His action was chivalrous, even if he didn't need to do that...ESPECIALLY when he cupped her hands as much as possible and blew on them! The feel of his breath on her skin made her heart work double and she forgot how to breathe. Wide, unblinking green remained locked on their hands.
He smiled at how flustered she was. Whether she would admit it or not, she was cold. Her hands were, even the one holding her glass. He was a little glad, considering he got to do this with a motive without being too obvious.
The shaking of her hands offset him a little, but by looking in her eyes, she certainly didn't seem to be shaking in the same way he saw a few months ago. Was this from cold? Or perhaps a different emotion?
Whatever it was, it was intense...as was marked by her eyes.
He swallowed. He couldn't break the stare...couldn't let go of her hands. They were small enough to fit in his – he suddenly noticed this – quite nicely. Her skin was smooth compared to his calluses from weapons' practice and work in the store and he wanted to run his hands over them. It was almost a physical force he had to deny to keep from doing so.
But he wanted to hold her again. He was being rather selfish lately by being so touchy-feely, though with a reaction like this, she didn't seem to mind too much. She had yet to say anything or take her hands away, so he knew she wasn't angry.
"That's not going to help." He muttered, finally letting go. With a quick look to the location of their mugs, he gradually shifted closer and moved the blanket that was haphazardly draped over his shoulder. He clutched it in a hand and slowly moved it over her shoulder, along with his arm.
She couldn't help but tense a little - mind wondering what the hell was going on - when his arm slowly eased pressure onto her shoulders. She stared at a place over his shoulder in utter shock. Forgetting to breathe was not an issue, though the speed of her heart was. It was going to burst from her body and head for the sun set if she didn't try to calm down.
But as fast as her heart was racing, so too was the emotion that surged when he took her hands in his.
She finally relaxed when he didn't move, though it took an act of will to do so. His arm around her felt nice and the emotions he invoked when he scooted close enough to keep it comfortably there made her melt.
"Much better." He whispered, smiling a little. It was just like some of the other times he held her. She was tense, and probably a little baffled, but with patience and tenderness, she relaxed to normal. He went back to staring at the sunset, seeing her head turn to do the same out of the corner of his eye. His head completed the adorable picture by leaning over enough to rest his cheek against her hair.
A silly smile appeared and she bit her lip to try and force it down. There was little success and she reached for her glass for something to do. She went for his as well because he wouldn't be able to get it without removing his arm...and gained his fingers when they brushed against hers.
She was trembling again, but it wasn't in any major way. He could only tell because there was so much contact. It didn't really concern him as much as it interested him. What was that from? She couldn't still be cold because he was getting quite a bit of body heat from the afghan around her back.
He had to take back his assessment of her temperature now...
She calmed a little the more they sat like that – even in front of the family, who seemed to have no objections – and relaxed a little more. She leaned toward him a few inches and he only tightened his hold on her.
Her heart fluttered, but her eyes closed to savor it. This was nice. She hadn't something so sweet and simple since...Eugene wasn't it? The motion yes...but with feeling...probably back to Arthur.
'Two years.' She realized. 'I need to get out more.'
A small smile reached her lips as a hand reached up on its own violation and lightly touched his.
His heart picked up again and breathing stopped. His fingers opened and entwined their hands with her help. A smile made its way to his face and after a second, his head removed far enough to press a soft, lingering kiss to her hair. He smelled vanilla and inhaled.
Her eyes fluttered closed at contact and her body burned, but her mind ruined the mood by wondering just what they were doing. Was this some way to get her to be bolder in front of an audience – which his family was a GREAT tester crowd – or was he doing it because it was all him?
She had her answer when his hand squeezed enough to be noticeable and a shiver raced up her spine. She couldn't help but give a tiny return squeeze before her brain got involved.
This was too nice to think about, but it was hard not to. They were sitting on the porch – regardless of the others – watching the sun set with his arm around her and holding hands! He kissed her hair and even smelled it! She noticed that, which was kind of hard NOT to when he did it right over her ear.
What did this mean? The whole thing since he tried to warm her hands couldn't really be considered buddy-buddy because she could tell a few times during her scrutiny when his actions in the past were more than friendship. So what did this make it now? Was he acting on whatever emotions he had for her, or was he just trying to keep her from getting cold so she could finish the sunset?
She wanted to shake her head and dismiss it all while she was in a very nice moment, one she would remember and cherish for a while to come. She didn't want to think right now and just feel, mostly because she didn't do enough of feeling as it was. Alienating herself to save her heart was not helping her in the long run, and this little bit made her feel something so intense it made her want to cry.
How was it that she was THAT deprived of physical touch? She didn't shy away when Sam or the Merths touched her. She hadn't when Jayden or the others hugged her or their hands bumped together.
But she never felt like this with any of them.
This emotion was more than friendship, this could clearly be classified with emotions she had for all the boyfriends she ever dated since high school. It was scary to realize, but she couldn't lie to herself with such intense proof she had. She WAS feeling this and knew her emotions, even if she denied them a lot.
There was no denying the situation. Whatever was going on with her, and whatever it was Inaki had in his head, was something that needed to get sorted out. Whether by talk or by thought, it needed to get figured out so she knew what the rules were of this new boundary.
As much as she wanted to stay in his arms all night – regardless of what was behind it for meaning – she didn't want to look too much into it without knowing what was going on in his head, and how much she should expect it in the future.
They would talk when she got the chance – and courage – to do so, so she figured this out.
And it would get figured out SOON.
**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**
Translations: Yurushimasen-Unforgivable/I won't forgive Nani desu ka?-What is it? Eigo o boku wakarimasen-I don't understand English
Damare-Stop talking/Be quiet (kind of like uresai & yakamashii)