The Psychology of Getting Laid

Summary: Because everyone loves ensemble vacation fics! Especially when you offer the promise of sex. Neehee…

Disclaimer: Tsukushi and her guys belong to the beautiful and talented Yoko Kamio, and not to me. weep weep

Author's Note: Now edited for optimum shininess!! Yay!!

Chapter Two: She's Totally Going

When she thought back on it, no matter how much she protested to Yuki that her stupid squid-head of a boyfriend was clearly going schizophrenic, the scary part was that she was fairly certain where Tsukasa had gotten the idea that she wanted him to take her to Hawaii.

The day I start thinking like Tsukasa is a dark day, indeed, Tsukushi thought grimly as she walked home from work in the twilight.

Sunday had been a good day. Both Tsukasa and Tsukushi had been in pleasant moods, which for them meant the minimal level of antagonism that kept their relationship – well, from getting boring, at least. They'd had lunch and seen a movie and had gone back to Tsukasa's enormous home and settled together comfortably on the couch to watch television. The boys – Sojiro and Akira especially seemed to spend more time at the Domyoji mansion than even Tsukasa did – were blessedly absent that day, the player pair busy with their own pursuits and Rui probably sleeping off his last nap. Even the live-in staff had made themselves scarce that afternoon.

There had been a few of the usual squabbles – don't sit so close to me, quit hogging my cushion, I don't want to watch your stupid anime – but Tsukasa had finally stopped playing with the remote control long enough for Tsukushi to snatch it away from him triumphantly. The resulting tussle for the controller had gotten physical in ways that she would rarely allow unless some sort of mild violence was involved.

What a sad commentary on myself that is, she told herself wryly.

In the end, Tsukushi had clutched the remote to her chest and curled herself over it, stomach and face down on the sofa, laughing so hard she could barely breathe, while Tsukasa tackled her from behind, wrapping his legs around hers and worming his long arms under her body, his strong fingers seeking the remote while he yelled random complaints above the muffled shriek of her laughter.

As she reached the block her apartment was on, she flushed slightly, clearly remembering twisting free of his grasp, breathlessly protesting that she couldn't breathe, he was tickling her, she surrendered! And then there she was, heaving bosom and all, her face inches from his, one leg trapped between both of his and the other inexplicably hooked over his hip. Her knee, bare below the cuffs of her shorts, had pushed up the bottom of his t-shirt and she felt hot skin against her own. His one arm, rooted near her left ear, supported his weight. The other solid arm was still wrapped around her torso, and her own top had apparently ridden up in the scuffle, because she could feel the heat from each of his fingertips on the skin of her back.

The smiles on their faces must have frozen at the same time as they realized their position. They had probably both blushed at the same time, too.

Tsukushi scowled as she reached her front door and stabbed the key in the lock. Damn, that boy blushed easily. And what was he blushing for anyway? She was the one who'd been trapped underneath that long, heavy body. He was the one all over her. Jerk. It was harder to be self-righteous when he was just as flustered as she.

They had stayed immobile, staring at each other in shock, for – oh, it was probably only a few seconds, but felt so much longer. He'd gotten that burning look in his eye that always freaked her out and she'd panicked, as usual.

Sighing, she dropped her keys in the basket by the door and wandered over to the kitchen area. Hawaii? Alone? With Tsukasa? Now there was a terrifying prospect, no matter how appealing the idea of an all-expenses paid long weekend on an island was. Out of the question! In Hawaii, there'd be no one to back her up if they had an argument, or a friend to pull into the room if Tsukasa tried to get to cuddly with her. No distractions. Taking a glass of water and the telephone with her, Tsukushi settled herself at the table.

"I'll just ask Yuki to come with me," she said aloud. It seemed a reasonable solution until she recalled that lately her best friend had been nearly as bad as Sojiro and Akira in their less than subtle quest for a consummation of her relationship with Tsukasa. Yuki would be far more likely to scold her for being chicken than eagerly agree to come along as a bodyguard. Unless…

Tsukushi grabbed the phone and dialed, grimacing at the smooth answer on the other end.

"Nishikado!"

"Oh. Makino. It's you."

"Don't sound so excited. Look, are you up for a quick vacation in Hawaii this weekend?"

"Hawaii?" Sojiro sounded suspicious. "The hell you talking about?"

She heard Akira's voice in the background. "Hawaii? Who's going to Hawaii?" Sojiro's lazily drawled response didn't care if she heard. "Working Girl wants me to go to Hawaii with her. I knew she couldn't resist me for much longer."

"No! No!" she yelped in irritation. "Tsukasa wants to go to Hawaii."

"Tsukasa?" Akira had grabbed the phone away from Sojiro. "Tsukasa's planning a trip to Hawaii and he's having you do the invitations?"

Damn it all, he was laughing at her!

"Umm… yes?"

"Well, that's horse shit if I ever heard it." It was Sojiro again, and he sounded just as amused as Akira. "But I have the feeling that adding people to this little excursion will royally piss off Tsukasa. Count us in."

Well, that hadn't entirely gone according to plan, but at least he was coming, Akira. Safety in numbers. She promised to let him know details as soon as she actually had some from Tsukasa, but Sojiro cut her off and said not to bother. This was followed by a low murmur that she couldn't make out which prompted a burst of laughter from both Akira and Sojiro.

This is just not going to end well, she thought despairingly. All because she'd panicked at the thought of making out with Tsukasa, had frantically disentangled herself, and proclaimed exuberant interest in whatever program had been left playing on the television before the whole disaster with the remote had happened. All because of some stupid nature show about the ocean life in the waters around Hawaii which had prompted that one stupid comment about being the only girl in Eitoku who'd never been to Hawaii.

Which to Tsukasa's mind translated as, Take me away to Hawaii, Tsukasa!

Tsukushi flopped onto her back and then dialed the phone again.

"Hey, Yuki?"