Resurfacing by Strawberry'd
Chapter Eight: The Wonders of Food


HoroHoro heard his stomach grumble. It was time for feeding again!

With a grin, he made his way to the kitchen; sure that Tamao had made something for him. And, to his great delight, he saw her pulling a freshly baked cake out of the oven.

"Hiya, Tamao!" HoroHoro walked up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Tamao colored a little, like she always did when he did this.

"What do you want, HoroHoro?" she asked, warily.

"Why do you think that, Tamao? Couldn't I just have come up here to say hello?" HoroHoro grinned at her. Tamao felt a strange fluttering in her stomach. It was odd, she hadn't noticed its presence but it always came when HoroHoro was near.

"Um, Tamao, do you think I could lick the spoon when you're done icing the cake, and perhaps… the bowl too?" HoroHoro looked at with endearing eyes.

She sighed. "Sure,"

His smile could have lit the whole room up. "Thanks, Tamao. I love you,"

It came out so innocently that both really didn't hear what they said. But after a while…

She froze. "What?"

HoroHoro colored. "Um… Thanks, Tamao…"

"And?"

"I… love you…"

Silence.

"Does this ruin my chances for the icing bowl?" HoroHoro asked who couldn't help wondering.

Tamao laughed and all awkwardness between them disappeared.

HoroHoro watched, fascinated, as Tamao iced the cake. She put some blue colored icing in a bag sort of thing and a hole cut in it and when she squeezed on it, a star shaped tube of icing came out. HoroHoro stared as Tamao decorated the cake with the icing. He was so keen on watching that he didn't notice her putting the icing covered spoon down on the counter.

Then, Yoh walked in and picked up the spoon. He stuck it in his mouth before anyone knew what had happened.

"Hey! That was mine!" HoroHoro yelled.

"Huh? What was yours?" Yoh looked confused.

Tamao watched, amused, as HoroHoro then explained that the spoon was his and that Yoh had stolen it. Yoh, in turn, grew even more confused asking why HoroHoro had brought a spoon when he could have borrowed one of theirs.

"Never mind," HoroHoro said, dejected.

Yoh just shrugged and put the spoon in the sink before walking out to one of Anna's commands. Not walking, really, more like a hurried sprint.

Tamao observed all this and smiled at HoroHoro's sadness. She brought the icing bowl and laid it in front of him. Tamao grinned as she watched his eyes light up.

"Thanks Tamao!" HoroHoro jumped up and hugged her. Then he raced back to his bowl of icing.

Tamao couldn't help but laugh at the expressions on his face: delight, joy, and pure bliss.

"Onii-chan!"HoroHoro winced.

"That's Pirika… I should go before she comes after me…" HoroHoro got up and put his bowl in the sink. He walked to the door, where Tamao was standing. He hugged her and whispered in her ear, "I really do love you, you know."

Tamao stood still, shocked. After releasing her and yelling to Pirika, "I'm coming!" HoroHoro walked out of the kitchen, whistling.

Tamao was shocked for quite a lengthy time but after a while got over her surprise. She went around doing all the things she used to do. But for some reason, Pirika couldn't fathom why Tamao wore that small happy little smile all day.


HoroHoro was quite happy with himself. He had icing, told the girl of his dreams he loved her and most of all, had icing!

"What do you want, Pirika?" HoroHoro asked his little sister.

"Onii-chan, I need to get something. Can you buy it for me?" Pirika asked him.

"Why me? Can't you get it yourself?" HoroHoro spoke.

"Have you looked outside? It's so dark!" Pirika pouted. "I don't want to go out there."

"Well then, I can't help you." HoroHoro said.

"But, onii-chan! You can! Just get it for me!"

"No, why do you need me anyways?"

"Because, what if something happens? You're strong! You can protect me!" Pirika persuaded.

"I beg to differ." A voice came.

Pirika and HoroHoro whirled around to meet the calculating gaze of Ren Tao.

"Oh, it's only you." Pirika turned back to her brother. "Please, onii-chan!"

"What! What do you mean, it's only me!" Ren shouted, bemused.

"It's only you. What other meaning does that have?" She asked him coldly.

Ren was puzzled. Why was she so mad?

He resolved to find out. "Here, I'll go with you to buy whatever you need."

Pirika stared at him. "Why would you do that?"

Because I want to find you why you're mad at me. "Because you're making too much noise arguing with HoroHoro. That's my job." He smirked.

Pirika rolled her eyes.

Turning away from the boys, Pirika bit her lip. Why had he agreed to help?

"What! Are you just letting him come along? I thought you hated him!" Pirika turned to HoroHoro.

"Not really… And he's the only one I trust. Yoh's doing something, probably with Anna, and I don't want to go." He shrugged.

"Whatever." Marching out the door, Pirika paused and spun around, "Well, aren't you coming?"

Ren followed her out the door, glancing worriedly at Pirika. Why is she so mad at me?

The two walked in silence for a bit. Hesitatingly, Ren spoke into the quietness.

"So, what is it we're getting?" he asked.

"Something for Tamao." Pirika answered shortly.

They fell into silence again. Every now and then, Ren would glance at her and admire the way her blue hair fell past her shoulders or how her azure eyes glowed prettily. Then, he's groan inwardly at his romantic fancies.

Nearing, the store, Ren tried to stir up some conversation.

"So, what have you been up to?"

"Oh, this and that." Pirika never asked any of her own questions so it was a very one sided conversation.

They entered the store. Pirika walked down aisles and finally picked what she was looking for. Making her way to the cashier, with Ren following close behind her, she burst out, "Why did you come with me? Why did you offer to come?"

Ren was taken back. Here, in the middle of aisle 7, Pirika was shouting at him, a very big contrast to the way she was acting on their way there.

"Um, well, you see…" He stammered. Ren Tao never stammered.

"Why!" Pirika demanded.

Ren grew angry. "Why? I was worried about you! You were angry at me and I want to know why!"

Pirika grew silent. "Really?" she asked.

"Yes."

"You want to know WHY I'm mad at you?" Pirika asked, after a while.

"So you ARE mad at me." Ren nodded.

"Yes, I am." Pirika took a breath. "How would you feel if you were always shunned away, as the baby of the group, with no real purpose?"

Not giving him a time to answer, she plowed right through. "And how would you feel if suddenly, you had these uncontrollable feelings for one of them and yet they've never noticed!"

Ren looked at her with concern. "I -"

"And just when you think that they've noticed you and might be feeling something for you too, they go and ignore you again! How would you feel, Ren?"

Pirika looked up at him for the first time during her angry talk and her speech faltered. "What would you do?"

With a soft smile, Ren looked down at her and spoke huskily, "I would do this."

And with that, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. The bag of sugar for Tamao now lay on the floor, forgotten.

Then, tenderly, he brushed away a strand of hair that fell into her eyes. "That's what I would do." He said quietly.

"Oh." Pirika said, dazed.

Then Ren bent down again to once again capture Pirika's lips in his.


End of Chapter Eight