Not Another Day

Akira sat behind the bar as Nozomu and Mahiru danced to Katsura's music; Nozomu's humming was loud enough that Akira didn't even need his gifts to hear it. Rolling his eyes, he placed a wine glass on the counter and rummaged around in a cubboard for some raspberry wine.

"Should you be drinking that?" he jumped, hitting his head. Turning around slowly, he glared at Misoka.

"Why not?" he asked, rubbing the lump on his head. "S'not like I'm gonna have lotsa it... just a glass!"

"Right," Misoka rolled his eyes behind his glasses and sat down on a bar stool. "I don't think I've ever seen you drink before."

"Because I don't often," Akira shrugged as he found the wine, pulling it up with him. "Care to share a toast with me?"

"Maybe half a glass," Misoka relented after a moment of pouting from Akira. "I heard somewhere that it's good for you."

"Good for humans," Akira amended, taking out another glass and filling them both half way. "So it must terrific for us!"

"Are you sick?" Misoka asked. "Your acting almost... serious."

"Fine, fine..." Akira muttered, raising his glass. "To the murders of Fire and Ice."

"Fire and Ice," Misoka repeated. The smaller boy sipped his wine, admiring the taste on his tongue, before he let the glass set on the table. "Murders of fire and ice? What is this about?"

"It's an age old toast I used to make," Akira grinned sheepishly as he took a sip of the wine. The red stained his lips. "Though when I was younger, I made it with water."

"Weren't allowed in the liquor cabnet?" Misoka cocked an eyebrow, looking at the younger, yet taller, boy.

"Koi wasn't allowed," Akira answered. He took another sip of wine.

"Who's Koi?" Misoka pressed.

Akira tried to answer quickly out of reflex, but the wine in his throat caused him to choke. Doubling over, he pounded on his chest as he coughed, liquid dripping down his chin.

"Akira?" when he looked back up, Mahiru and Nozomu were there, looking at him worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he grinned. "Don't worry about me Princess..." he pretended to yawn, placing his glass in the sink. "I'm gonna hit the hay... night!" Turning around, he dashed into the back and up the stairs, hoping he hadn't looked suspicious.

"There's something suspicious about how he's acting..." Misoka muttered as Nozomu sat down next to him.

"Definately," the Vampire agreed. "Any clues as to why?"

"Only something about the murders of fire and ice," Misoka said. He looked at Mahiru. "Does this ring any bells, Princess?"

Mahiru was silent, searching her memory for anything that could help. "No," she said at a length, "I can't think of anything to do with fire and ice. Sorry."

"It's alright Girlie," Nozomu grinned at her. "It's not your fault... I'm sure Akira is just fine."

"Yeah," Mahiru nodded, looking up the stairs. "I hope so..."

--------

Akira was sitting on his bed, watching his feet swing back and forth. A million moments times a million more were playing through his mind, and had been all day; If it were not for the seriousness of the moments that he was remembering, he would of been perfectly normal. A million moments times a million more crossed his mind a million times everyday, making this like any other... but Koi was in these thoughts.

'Koi...' he thought breathelessly. 'Koi... what would I give just to see you once more? But that's not to be... I just hope that, wherever you are, you're following are tradition and toasting to the Murders of Fire and Ice...'

He raised his hand, as if he were holding a drink, and tipped it back to take a sip. "To the Murders of Fire and Ice. Fire and Ice, Koi, Fire and Ice."