AN: This chapter has been edited, I feel that it flows a lot more smoothly now, and it no longer bothers me. I would like to extend my thanks and eternal gratitude to both KittyLynne and Kourin for both taking the time to beta-read and edit this chapter for me. I would have gotten nowhere without them.
Also… take note of the change of chapter title… it fits better than the former one I believe. :D Hehe. Also… Do I have to make a billboard? PLEASE READ "CHANGE MY WORLD" AND REVIEW IT! I NEED FEEDBACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna know how I did with an OC that's not a BG character!! (And Sesshoumaru's personality…) *stamps foot* FEEDBACK! I demand it!! Well… or I could grovel, but or the moment, I prefer to demand!
We Will Meet Again
Chapter 9: Revelations part 2 – A little less talk, a lot more action.
(ignore the pun!!)
Yumiko Kaze
Miaka could feel herself blushing from her nose to her feet at the suggestion in Andy's words. Her chest had a funny tickle inside it, and she squirmed under the intense golden gaze. She felt like a fish under glass with the way he was staring so deeply into her eyes; it seemed like he could see straight through her.
"Well, when you find what you're looking for, you'll have to tell me." She said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
I already have… Is what Andy wanted to say. He also wanted nothing more than to relieve the growing need to have her lips pressed against his, and the avid desire to wrap his arms around her. But…something held him back. He wasn't sure if it was because some part of him wanted to give her some space after the emotional trip down memory lane she had just taken, or if he subconsciously wanted her to be the one to make the next move. Thus far, he had been the one making all of the advances and the thought kept niggling at the back of his mind that if Miaka was truly serious about continuing their relationship, she was going to have to become comfortable with kissing him, as well as the other way around.
He hoped to God she wouldn't disappoint him.
Miaka was so flustered, she couldn't make herself meet Andy's eyes. She had the urge to go ahead and kiss him, but an attack of shyness held her back. It also didn't help that the other half of her mind kept replaying what Andy had said- and what he hadn't said.
He'd told her that he'd know when he found what he was looking for. That hadn't been what made her feel so flustered though, it had been the look in his eyes that said that he already knew what he wanted and that he was prepared to go to quite fantastic lengths to get it. So did that mean he was talking about her?
A slight shiver ran up her spine as she thought of how possessive and how sweet Andy was capable of being. Memories of the night in the courtyard came flooding back and she sighed. Even though she fully realized that he had the potential to be violent, she knew Andy, because she knew Hotohori, would never hurt her, no matter what, and that he would do anything to secure her happiness, even at the cost of his own.
In the book, he had given up on vying for her heart because he had seen how much she loved Tamahome, and had stepped aside solely for her sake. It had caused him great pain, Miaka knew, but she had some relief in knowing that perhaps that pain had been eased with his marriage to Houki. However, Miaka had never truly forgiven herself for breaking his heart, and she still partially blamed herself for his death. She had caused him such pain and suffering, and yet he had never stopped caring, had never stopped loving her.
She wasn't going to let history repeat itself this time around. Not any of it. If she had anything to say about it, Andy Wong was going to live to be the happiest man alive, and he was going to live until he was old and bald. Well, on second thought… maybe he wouldn't want to live that long. (Not the hair!)
A light touch on her face snapped Miaka back to reality. Startled, she blinked like a deer in the headlights at Andy. She wanted to kiss him, but her heart was beating frantically, like it was trying to beat its way out of her chest. She swallowed nervously; he couldn't hear it beating could he? Then again… maybe that's what was with the insufferably smug look he had on his face. He had to know exactly what he was doing to her!
Andy, for his part, seemed to be content with allowing her to lean against him, as he stared into her eyes with an intensity that almost burned. A jolt of electricity seemed to shoot from her chest straight down to her abdomen, jump starting a wave of heat which spread slowly to the rest of her body, every nerve ending within it demanding closer proximity to whatever source was producing the pleasurable sensations. Miaka unconsciously moistened her lips as her face crept closer to his, all of her senses on high alert. She could hear his sharp intake of breath and saw his golden eyes darken and dart to her mouth, even as his own lips parted slightly in anticipation. A feeling akin to being caught naked assailed her; Miaka pried her eyes away from her goal for an instant, unwilling to allow Andy to read her as easily as he usually seemed to be able to do.
Then, gathering up the pieces of courage which had scattered the moment he had given her that look, Miaka took hold of the hand that Andy had gently laid upon her cheek and intertwined her fingers with his. Still extremely nervous, she slowly moved closer to him, only to stop again a hairs breadth away from his lips. If she kissed Andy, she realized, it would mean something monumental. As many times as he had kissed her, she had never before initiated contact, and it seemed that to do so would be crossing a line to a place from which she would never be able to return.
But she wanted this.
By closing her eyes and sending a silent prayer to her patron god, Miaka finally succeeded in getting close enough to Andy to lightly brush her lips against his. She was surprised that she had never before noticed how silky soft and how warm they were, (maybe because this time her senses were stretched to capacity.) She pulled away slightly and then returned, pressing her mouth to his with a bit more confidence. She was just about to pull back once again when she felt Andy begin to respond, his lips sensuously pushing against hers, as a noise of pleasure came from deep in his throat. In her heightened state of awareness, the sound caused the slow fire that was kindling in Miaka's stomach to flare as though a can of kerosene had just been dumped on it.
Thrilled, but also a little afraid of the intense sensations now coursing through her gut, Miaka lips met his only briefly before she tried to distance herself from temptation- only to have Andy's hand, which had somehow ended up on the back of her head, hold her in place. A small gasp escaped her, and her eyes flew open to gaze into pools of molten bronze.
Andy took full advantage of her surprise to slip his tongue inside Miaka's mouth and explore to his heart's content. She murmured something incoherent into his mouth, then instinctively brought a hand up to try and push him away. Instead, her fingers curled into the front of his turtleneck and her eyelids drifted shut as he deepened the kiss. Andy's own eyes slipped shut as he took advantage of the situation, slanting his mouth over hers time and time again, vastly pleased with the way she slowly melted under his attentions.
As he kissed her, he allowed himself a mental shout of euphoric glee. Miaka had finally kissed him! Though she had been quite a willing participant whenever he kissed her, she had until now never been the one to instigate anything, which had given him doubts as to if he was wanted…but no longer. He found himself feeling both immensely grateful and glad that she had taken the pressure off for him.
The kiss that he had intended to be fairly short and sweet had quickly spiraled into much more. Andy felt like he had a hummingbird trapped inside his rib cage as he gently shifted their positions, prodding Miaka ever so slowly until she was laying across his lap with her head pillowed comfortably on the armrest, while he stretched out diagonally across the couch. He kept himself propped up slightly, and the hand that was cupping her cheek slid downward until it rested lightly on her waist. He leaned over her, continuing to explore her with his lips, teeth, and tongue.
Miaka played with the glossy strands of hair that spilled over Andy's shoulders, glorying in the silky feel of it as she allowed the rest of her senses to drown in the kiss. All too soon, however, her over-stimulated mind kicked in once again, refusing to let its thought processes be distracted from urgent matters. Once again, Miaka began to debate with herself whether or not she should try and tell Andy about his being the reincarnation of her Seishi. Again, she discarded the idea, deciding that it would be best for him to remember on his own; hearing it from someone else … well. It just wouldn't work in the present circumstances. Now if they were suddenly carted off by a Nyan-Nyan or two, or anything else that was so obviously magical were to occur, then she would be allowed to just flat out tell him, for she would be left with no other choice.
She was also still unsure what to think of what Andy had said earlier. She couldn't deny that it had been a very sweet thing to say, (and this was assuming that he meant what she thought he did) but it had also… scared her a little, knowing that he felt so strongly for her in such a short amount of time. If you over thought what he'd said, which Miaka's mind had a bad habit of doing at times (when it under thought in others!) it implied that he already felt strongly enough about her that he would consider dropping his career and marrying her. Or at the very least he wanted to see her as part of his life for a very long time.
Which completely blew her out of the water.
Because she'd known Andy for less than a week.
How long had she been dating Taka?
Had Taka ever considered dropping his precious career and marrying her? (After all, they'd been engaged for a while now.)
No.
Not that she really wanted either of them to entirely give up their dreams for her, but all the same, just the simple fact that Andy was willing to do so made him all the more endearing and… just plain loveable.
Did the man have no flaws?
At last, Andy lifted his head. He smiled tenderly, and then lightly kissed the tip of Miaka's nose as they tried to catch their breath, each content to be alone with their own thoughts for the moment. He shifted slightly and settled Miaka more solidly against him, pleased that she had been comfortable enough to actually kiss him, and even more pleased that he was now two-hundred percent sure that Mr. Kimoto had been dead wrong about Miaka; the girl didn't have a devious bone in her body…
A body which Andy was very interested in getting to know a whole lot better at present.
His eyes flicked downward towards the girl resting comfortably in the nook of his arm. He nuzzled his nose into her hair, then closed his eyes again as he placed light kisses down Miaka's jaw line, aiming for the soft , creamy arch of her throat. He was almost there…
"Andy?"
Damn.
"Yes?" He asked, only half listening. He continued on, and trailed his lips over her neck, which caused her to giggle and turn her head in such a way that his mouth couldn't connect with her skin. He pouted, and let out a boyish sound of disappointment.
Feminine chuckles abruptly faded to silence. Miaka now looked, Andy mused, as though she was trying to think of what to say… or perhaps it was that she was gathering enough courage to say what she wanted. Andy squeezed the hand that he still held to give her some reassurance, and she smiled slightly.
"You said you're looking for what you want in life…" As she paused, and Andy nodded encouragingly, even though unsure of where she was going with this. "Well…I was thinking that …" she hesitated again, her face reddening, and Andy suddenly understood that in spite of her bold actions, Miaka was feeling shy. He gave the hand he held another gentle squeeze, and she finished in a rush. "Until you find what you're looking for, you've got me."
A wide smile lit Andy's face, and he nearly smothered her with his next kiss. His hand moved with ease through her hair while the other traveled over her arm and side, seeming to follow a map that only they knew how to read. He smiled against Miaka's lips as she jumped when he hit a ticklish spot, the movement sending a thrill up his own spine with her movement. Just to be bad, he squeezed the spot again and laughed as she twitched violently underneath him, swatting him with her free hand and giving him a slightly evil look that was laced with traces of humor.
"Sorry… couldn't resist…" he grinned sheepishly as she rolled her eyes and experimentally jabbed him in the side with her index finger, her eyes flashing triumphantly as he twitched, his body convulsing almost as badly as hers had, though he tried to hide it.
"I bet…" she muttered, laughing when he poked her once again. A glint of pure evil appeared in his golden eyes when he jabbed her yet a third time, this time around eliciting a high-pitched squeak that sounded like a puppy that had gotten its foot stepped on. Immediately, his fingers drove into her ribs as she writhed and squirmed underneath him, laughing the entire time between squeaks.
Eventually, Miaka managed to get her feet up and between her and Andy, using her legs as a sort of shield while trying to swat his hands away from her sides and middle and neck and knees…. God, why did she have to be so ticklish? Her stomach ached from laughing so hard, and she was sure the neighbors were going to call the Humane Society to report animal abuse if she kept up the squeaking. However, regardless of how hard she tried, Andy's hands somehow continued to find their way to her middle.
Finally, Miaka rolled backwards off the couch and snatched a throw pillow from one of the chairs, "That's it…" she panted, "You are so dead."
Andy smirked, raising an eyebrow and reaching for his own pillow. "Are you sure? I've never lost a fight in my life." He boasted, flipping his hair rather comically before standing and looking his opponent up and down with an air of a practiced warrior. "And besides… I'm bigger than you!"
With that he launched himself at his much smaller nemesis, hair flying behind him and a gleeful look in his eye. Miaka shrieked and dodged, swatting blindly with her pillow before retreating to the other side of the couch and backing toward the kitchen.
Andy skidded to a halt and watched her retreat into the kitchen. His eyes flicked over to the doorway that opened up next to the hallway and grinned. He was rather enjoying their little chase and he couldn't help but feel almost like a hunter on the trail of an extremely elusive prey.
Miaka panted as she darted toward the other door. She was sure that Andy would follow her any second now. She felt her heart pound with adrenaline and felt it spike when she heard a floorboard creak, she darted out the door and glanced around quickly.
Looks like she had just made it. Now she could get to the other side of the couch and…
She was knocked to the floor. Before she knew it, Andy had her pinned down with one hand holding both of her wrists above her head while the other was mercilessly attacking her stomach. She giggled inanely for a few moments; her face getting redder and redder from the lack of oxygen before Andy finally took pity on her and stopped.
Coughing, Miaka sat up and half-heartedly swatted Andy in the chest. "That was not," cough, "fair." She griped, smiling the entire time.
Andy grinned, "All's fair in love and war…" he said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head, his heart and soul overflowing with what could only be described as pure unadulterated love. Something that Andy hadn't been aware that he was capable of feeling.
And suddenly it hit him.
He wasn't going to be here for very much longer. In less than a week, that feeling would be ripped from him as he left Tokyo, as cruelly as if it were his own beating heart.
The realization of that hit him like a freight train. Unconsciously his arms tightened around Miaka.
What day was it? Wednesday?
Andy felt something inside his chest constrict, and with it shrank the hope that had been allowed to grow, thinking that he had at last found something worth living for.
Four days.
He had four days left.
Less than that really, considering that most of that was going to be spent working.
And then he would be gone.
And Miaka…
She'd be left in Tokyo.
Alone… with Taka.
That thought made Andy's nose wrinkle as if he'd smelled stale milk.
That… couldn't happen. No, it wouldn't be allowed.
Andy had just had the most incredible four days of his life. He had felt that he was truly living when he was with Miaka. She challenged him to be his own person at any cost and he had slowly been rising to meet that. It was the thought of seeing her face that day that had given Andy the strength to even get up these last few days. And every moment without her seemed as bleak and cold as an arctic winter day.
To even try and imagine or remember what a world without Miaka in it had been was… impossible. Try as he might, Andy simply could not see himself going back to a life without Miaka in it. He had known from the first night he had met her that she was the kind of girl that could change a mans life without ever even trying. Andy found himself to be no exception. He would never be the same with or without her.
Miaka's giggles subsided as she felt Andy suddenly become dead serious. She craned her neck around to look at him and blinked. "Andy, what's wrong?" She asked, worried at the pale and stricken expression on his face.
"I'll be leaving Tokyo this weekend…" he whispered, feeling as though now that he had said the words made the fact all the more real and Andy felt his heart sink with that realization. "After the farewell concert… we'll be going to Osaka. This tour is promotional," he swallowed, holding her tightly and wishing that he could somehow superglue her right where she was, "we'll be going all over the world." He looked at her, an infinite sadness and regret shining there. "I won't be returning to Tokyo for a very long time."
Miaka felt her heart drop to her feet. No Andy? Of course you idiot! He's an international singer, its common sense that he won't stay in one place very long. How could you even begin to think that you two would be able to make it? He's leaving, and you are going to be left here with a broken heart. Oh and that worked out so well with Taka didn't it?
She felt like going over to the nearest wall and bashing her skull against it repeatedly. What had she been thinking? She had to be the stupidest person alive. She had been eyeing what she had with Andy as a potential long-tern relationship and had been allowing him to possess more and more of her heart each time she saw him. And now… he was going to be leaving. She hadn't thought of that. In the long run, her relationship with Andy would probably turn out worse than her relationship with Taka.
Stupid!
Andy swallowed at the wounded look on Miaka's face. He could practically see her heart beginning to crack from the harsh blow that reality had just dealt them both.
"Miaka…" he began, ready to apologize countless times for what they both knew was going to come at the end of the week.
Just as suddenly as the realization that he would be leaving had hit him, Andy was suddenly walloped upside the head by an idea that made his heart quicken and his skin buzz as though he were being shocked by a thousand tiny batteries. Genius. Pure genius!
She could come with him.
Yeah! Why not?
It would be an amazing opportunity for her. She could see the world. Andy's mind conjured image after image of the two of them in different settings, sharing romantic dinners at sunset and simply hanging out and wandering wherever the wind took them. Okay… so it would be where his schedule took them… but nonetheless Andy's mind began firing even more reasons why it would be such a great idea for Miaka to come with him on tour. However, one reason seemed to outshine all the rest by a mile.
They could be together.
No matter where they were, they could be together.
Miaka eyed Andy curiously, he was still staring at her, his mouth opened slightly as though he were about to ask her something but was unsure of whether he ought to or not. "Andy?" she asked, reaching up and patting him slightly on the cheek. "Are you alright?"
Suddenly his eyes cleared and he bit his lip, looking as though he had just had the best idea in the world and was just bursting to tell someone. Slowly, he moved slightly away from her, sitting on his knees with her on the floor of the apartment, and captured her small white hands in his larger ones, gripping them slightly in anticipation.
"Miaka…" he began, shyly, "I know that we haven't known each other very long, and that you're still unsure as to exactly what your feelings are…" he paused, feeling his heart spasm at that, "and I know that I move around a lot because of my career. But…" his grip on her hands tightened and he leaned in closer so that he could see her face and expression when she answered him. "I want you to tell me if, despite all of that, if you honestly think that we could have a chance together."
Miaka remembered having a voice, but couldn't seem to make it work. She merely looked at Andy for a moment as he waited with baited breath for the answer that could just as easily make him insanely happy or break his heart. She blinked a few times, trying to gather her thoughts, wanting to be as articulate and intelligent and mature sounding as possible when all she really felt like doing was crying. He was leaving! So soon!
It wasn't fair. Miaka had just found him again and now he was going to be taken away from her by that sleaze ball of a manager and a busy schedule.
"I… I think it could work." She stuttered finally, trying not to let her voice waver too much, "I really think it could. I mean, you make me feel things that I'd forgotten even existed and… well… It's just…" she blushed and sniffled, "The thought of you leaving and me never seeing you again just… it hurts. I don't want you to go away. I don't want to have to try and forget you. Because I won't be able to do it." Bright green eyes looked up at him, "I'd miss you. And I want to get to know you better."
Andy let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, leaning forward and kissing her chastely, "I'm glad to hear that, Miaka. Because I feel the same way." He squeezed her hands reassuringly and continued, "I don't think you quite understand just how intense my feelings for you have grown."
He sighed, "I know famous people are all reputed to have countless flings and to never really settle down, but… that's not what I want this to be." He eyed her seriously, not wanting to scare her, but needing to get this out in the open, "I want what we have to last for quite a long time, and I don't want for it to just end at the end of the week. I'm going on a trip, but I will be back." His eyes grew melancholy, "Although… not seeing your face every day will certainly make for a long and boring trip." He sighed, "And that is why I must ask of you one thing."
Miaka's eyes widened fractionally. What could he possibly want from her?
"Would you consider… coming with me?" he bit his lip and watched her intently, wanting to be able to see her answer as well as hear it.
Miaka's heart skidded to a halt before starting up again at a higher rate, "You mean, on tour?" she asked incredulously. She blinked several times and knew that her mouth was hanging open slightly in astonishment, but she could care less at the moment. On tour?
Andy closed his eyes, feeling defeated. "I knew you probably wouldn't want to do it." He gave her a placid, resigned look. "I understand though. You have a life here. I can't expect you to simply pick up and leave just for me." His hand came up to brush Miaka's bangs out of the way, "It's all right. I don't want to pressure you into making any rash decisions, so you can take the rest of the week to think about it." He smiled a bit sadly, "I know it's a bit of a crazy idea. But I just thought that that way, no matter how busy I was, we'd always be able to see each other." He cupped her face with a hand and let out a breath, "I won't ask you again, but know this."
He trailed off and leaned close to her so that their noses were brushing. He held her hands in his free one and continued, so softly that she could barely hear him. "It is you who holds my heart." He rubbed the back of one of her hands lightly with his thumb, "And I want you always at my side."
Miaka blinked back tears at his words. Memories of Hotohori came flooding back once again and in her peripheral vision, Miaka could see his skin glowing once again where his symbol usually appeared. With a choked cry, Miaka threw her arms around Andy's neck and clung to him for all she was worth, her own heart swelling and over flowing with an excited tingle that she had only ever experienced with Taka before. "Andy I want to! Really I do, but I'll have to think about it. I'm sorry." She squeezed his neck tighter and leaned into him when his own arms came up to hold her back.
She continued, not wanting him to think she was just blowing him off. "Like you said, I have a life here. I have friends, I have school, I have work…" she trailed off. She couldn't just pick up and leave all of that behind could she? As tempting as it was to simply follow Andy wherever he wanted to go, Miaka knew that she couldn't decide until she had cleared some more things up in her own life.
Taka for one.
And what she wanted to do with her own life, for another.
Andy sighed, his hand moving up and down her spine comfortingly, "I know. It's alright. I can wait."
They simply stayed like that for a few moments while Andy let his thoughts run away with him. He knew that one of the reasons that Miaka had been so attracted to him was the fact that he was willing to spend his time with her whereas Taka had been so engrossed with his job that Miaka had been shunted to second place. Silently he promised himself that if she were to even consider agreeing to what he was about to ask that he would never allow her to come second to anything. Ever.
Miaka was the first to pull back, she stood and then extended a hand to help him to his feet, "I think I need some fresh air." She said, smoothing down her sweater and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear nervously. "Do you wanna go for a walk?"
Andy nodded, reaching for his jacket and following Miaka out the door.
Andy gazed at the strings of lights strewn up all over the park in wonder. The decorations were amazingly well done, it almost looked like the lights weren't lights at all, but tiny fairies just coming out at dusk to dance to their own sweet music.
His eyes flicked sideways towards his companion and he was hard pressed to keep his hands in his pockets and away from her. He had decided as soon as they left the apartment that he would back off a bit from now on. She had a huge decision that he had just saddled her with. He hoped to any god that would listen that she would decide to come with him. He wanted her to come with so badly that he knew he would not be above begging if that was what it would take. But his better nature and honor kept him from trying to sway her.
Not that he wouldn't have enjoyed trying to persuade her to come with, he just knew that if he did, and that wasn't what she truly wanted, that they would both regret it later on. And so he grudgingly left her to her own devices and simply hoped that she felt as strongly for him as he did for her.
Miaka, for her part, had reached a stalemate. She had no idea what she was going to do. Since she had seen Andy sitting in her living room earlier that night she had felt herself becoming more and more drawn to him with everything he said and did. She wanted nothing more than to go with him.
But then… there was still Taka.
There was that stubborn sense of loyalty that she had to him even now. A small part of her heart just didn't want to let it go. They had worked so hard for everything, and to believe that it just wasn't going to work out now… it seemed like she was throwing everything back in the faces of all her dead Seishi. It was like telling them that they had died for nothing.
And Miaka couldn't stand the way that made her feel.
But…
Every time she looked at Andy, even thought about glancing in his direction, her heart would give a strange thump. It made Miaka feel almost as if with the next step she took she could fly. Her heart practically sang.
But with that feeling, there came a small voice saying, "No no no, you can't, it isn't right. Remember what Keisuke said?" and with the presence of that voice, Miaka felt like the most disgusting thing on the face of the planet.
Keisuke was right. What she was doing was wrong. She couldn't, she wouldn't, try to remain faithful to one man while falling in love with another. Her heart just couldn't take it.
Miaka was an impulsive person, but at the moment she was feeling anything but. She was weighing the possibilities of her choices, and everything right, everything smart, everything reasonable said that she should stop all of this nonsense and go back to Taka and live her life happily ever after with him.
But if everything else pointed that way… then why did she still feel so confused?
Miaka shivered suddenly, her small frame shaking violently with her body's reaction to the cold. She rubbed her hands together to get the circulation flowing better as she eyed the lighted park, amazed at the way the light reflected off of the water. She knew she should have worn a coat…
Suddenly, Miaka was enveloped in a wave of warmth that washed over her like the smell of fresh bread baking. She eeped slightly as two arms slipped around her middle and locked, pulling her flush against a hard muscled chest. Her heart fluttering madly, Miaka recognized the coat that she was now practically drowning in and sighed.
"You could have taken it off first you know."
Andy pouted, resting his chin on her shoulder, "But then I would be cold…"
She laughed shortly at his tone, "Thanks, Andy." She murmured, leaning her head back and looking him in the eye.
Smiling down at her warmly, he wrapped his coat around her firmly, trapping her within its confines. "You're welcome." His breath created a slight fog in the crisp air.
Miaka giggled at the feel of his chest vibrating with his words and looked up towards the night sky, searching out any of the constellations that had over time become so dear to her.
Unfortunately, it was winter, and the sky was overcast,
However, she was lucky enough to see the first sprinkling of snow descending from the heavens, dancing in the light of the street lamps and string lights. The first snow of the year.
"Look, Andy." Her eyes shining as she smiled, "It's snowing!"
"So it is." He said softly.
They stood like that for a few moments, watching the snow fall lightly to the ground, dissipating on contact. Andy was going nuts. She was so close…kissing her again seemed like such a good idea. Yet, he had forbidden himself from doing anything that would possibly sway her decision. He wanted her to make her final decision based on what she truly felt, and nothing else.
However, men only have so much will power.
Before he could stop himself, Andy found that he had already grasped Miaka's chin in his hand and angled his head towards hers. His lips mere millimeters from hers and in the next second they were having a repeat performance of what had occurred earlier in the living room. Andy eagerly delved into Miaka's willing mouth as though he had been dying of thirst and had just been offered water.
Okay. Screw his earlier notion of trying not to sway her.
He knew without a doubt that without Miaka his life his life would become the cold and bleak place that it had always been, and after this sudden taste of sunshine, of warmth and love, he didn't think he could ever go back to that way of life again.
That was when Andy realized exactly how in over his head he was. Not only was he falling in love with the girl, (in fact he wasn't so sure that that hadn't already happened…) but he had discovered that he downright needed her. She offered him compassion, understanding, and just the general good feeling that he got when he got by simply being around her; everything that he had always wanted to be able to receive from a person, and had never gotten.
And so sway her he would.
Andy was going to do everything in his power to try and convince Miaka to go with him. He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he knew that even if he had a snowball's chance in Hell, he wanted to make Miaka happy. Because in all the world, at the moment, that was all he really wanted. He could have been fired from his job, had his features horribly scarred, and become homeless all at once, and he wouldn't have a care in the world if by doing all of the above that he could make her happy.
The sound of a stick breaking jolted the two of them back into reality and they froze guiltily at their current position. Miaka, who was still cuddled close to Andy inside his jacket, felt her face heat as she searched for who had caused the disturbance.
"Ayame?" Miaka blinked, immediately recognizing the pretty dark haired girl who was trying to hide in the shadows cast by the trees on the side of the walk.
The other girl stared back in shock. Had she really seen that? Her dark eyes began to brim with tears at the pain that came flooding over her at the sight of her Andy draped around her coworker.
Miaka bit her lip, feeling almost as if she had committed some sort of betrayal. She knew that Ayame was head over heels for Andy, and she felt that because she had pursued him, that she had done Ayame a great wrong. But at the same time a tiny voice in the back of Miaka's mind retorted that Ayame was going to have to learn to let it go. She didn't own Andy after all. And it wasn't like Miaka was forcing him to have feelings for her…
Apparently even after all of Ayame's politeness, the other girl still couldn't get over that fact that it wasn't her that Andy had fallen in love with. The sight of Andy and Miaka together had been too much for her.
Ayame quickly spun on her heels as the tears began to flow and Miaka nearly ripped herself out of Andy's embrace, intending to chase after the girl and try to comfort her somehow. Although… Miaka realized, she probably doesn't really want to see me at the moment…
Andy's hand flew out and gripped Miaka's arm just above the elbow, the look in his eyes telling her exactly what she had just realized. By following Ayame, she was only going to make the situation worse.
The two stared silently in the direction that Ayame had gone in for a few moments before Andy wrapped his arms around Miaka once again and steered her back towards her apartment building. "Maybe I should go now…" he suggested, checking his watch, "It's getting rather late after all."
Miaka agreed, although she really didn't want to see him go, and she contemplated inviting him up for a while longer, before realizing that that would likely be a bad idea. Andy had been extremely demonstrative in his affections for her thus far, and somehow she thought that if he attempted to go any further, that she likely wouldn't even think of stopping him.
Miaka's resolve weakened slightly as they walked back to her apartment. It seemed that Andy had developed a severe case of static cling. He held her hand, wrapped one or both arms around her, and whenever he got the chance, to the scandalized eyes of passerby, kissed her lightly either on the top of the head, on the cheek, or brought her hand to his lips to trail light kisses on the back of her hand.
Blushing, Miaka took her hand back, rolling her eyes at his wounded expression. She shrugged and gestured to the apartment, "We're here." She explained, shuffling her feet slightly. "Stop giving me that look." She growled playfully, "You'd think I was denying you the right to breathe or something."
Andy's pout only became more effective as his eyes began to resemble those of a kicked puppy that hadn't been fed for weeks. By this time, he had worked himself up to the point that all he really wanted to do was follow her upstairs, barricade the door, carry her off to the bedroom and not come out for a few days… weeks… A month.
"Stop that!" she laughed, swatting him lightly on the arm, "You have to leave now, because if you keep on the way you are, I don't think I'll be letting you leave."
Andy's eyes shot up in surprise, "Is that a promise?" he asked playfully.
"You!" Miaka huffed and swatted him again. "You are… just… bad. Bad Andy!"
He laughed and then moved to hail a cab, looking back over his shoulder longingly, "Don't I get a kiss goodbye?"
Miaka fake-glared at him. "You have exceeded the kissing limit for this date buddy. And for being such a smart aleck, I don't think you deserve one."
"Please?"
Miaka tried to stand firm.
Don't look at the eyes… Don't look at the eyes….
It was a losing battle.
Right as the cab pulled up, Miaka threw her arms around his waist and pressed her lips to his quickly.
However, Andy, the darn sneak, trapped her in place with an arm, continuing the kiss for a good minute or so before he pulled back, placing a finger to her kiss swollen lips and scolding her, "Didn't think you'd get away with cheaping out on me did you?"
Miaka laughed and gave him a light shove towards the cab, "Just get outta here before my brother comes home. He wasn't kidding about that prison thing you know!"
As Miaka watched Andy's cab turn the corner, she allowed herself to lean against the doorjamb and then sighed contentedly. She and Andy had had a great time. They had learned more about each other, and… she blushed suddenly, remembering each one of their many kisses; her heart pounded oddly and a flash of heat washed over her at the thought of them, and Andy. When her imagination began to dwell on what else could have occurred had Andy stayed, shivers of anticipation ran down her spine.
Oh blessed Suzaku, did she have it bad.
