AN/ Out of curiosity, how many of you people noticed that my chapter titles were alphabetical? Just wondering…
Yay! There's finally going to be a bit of happiness here! Finally! It took long enough for me to leave most of the depressive stuff behind… (You have NO idea how many times I heard 'Poor Daisuke!' over the past 3 or 4 chapters! Most of them actually being my friends at school, not even on my reviews!) Well, I thought the end was coming up soon, but I guess I'm supposed to reach 'Z' for a chapter title… that leaves me with 16 more chapters . . . . . . . I hope you all will be happy… (BTW, sorry this came out later then I expected, I had to go back to my Mom's earlier then I expected and that meant I couldn't post until the next time I visited my Dad.)
Anyway, here's chapter 9! Enjoy!
9/ Jumping over the line
(Satoshi's PoV)
Daisuke began to push away from me, too curious for his own good. The voices we heard were all too familiar.
"Mom?" he whispered. Yes, my Christmas was ruined. He sat up on his knees and looked back at me with longing. He must have missed them more then I thought. Well, there goes all my 'surprises' and 'plans' for a private Christmas with Daisuke.
(Daisuke's PoV)
'NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! DON'T LET IT BE THEM!' I just got my feelings for Satoshi out and they're going to come and ruin it? SO… NOT… FAIR! I gazed at Satoshi, wishing for the first time ever, to just be alone with him. In just these past ten minutes or so since I told him, I had come up with many Christmas 'plans' with just Satoshi and me.
The museum incident felt so far off, so very long ago; but maybe that could be my gift to Satoshi…
Wait a minute… they're home… which means I can borrow money… and go out in the morning to buy Satoshi a present before he even wakes up! Yay! I smiled at the older teen, but it only made him look hurt.
I looked at him with inquiring eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked, but he just glanced down at his hands.
"Nothing." He responded, more to himself then to me. Still curious and a little concerned, I crawled back into his lap and cuddled into his chest once more. I took a deep sigh of contentment before leaning up to his ear and whispering, "Then let's get some sleep." (AN/ Now, now, Daisuke. Not too fast!)
I took the other's hand in both of mine and pulled him to his feet. I guided him from the floor to my bed, and I crawled into the comforts of the covers instead. Satoshi had hesitated before following suit. I smiled. "Don't worry. I won't bite..." (… hard. Heheh! JK!)
(Satoshi's PoV)
The biting wasn't the part that bothered me – I tried not to think of why – but more the fact that his parents were home. If they walked in and saw us… who knows if I'd ever be able to talk to Daisuke with his parents' consent. But I had lain beneath the covers with him nonetheless. He snuggled up to me once more. I could feel him smile against my chest. But I had lain on my back and therefore he slightly was laying on me. Not that I had really minded anyway. Instantly, he was falling asleep.
Awhile later, I still lay awake, leaning against the headboard. Daisuke lay draped across my lap, breathing soft breaths. He had just finished an emotional breakdown, yet here he was, sleeping soundly. It was quiet for the most part, except for the random car that drove past the window.
That was, until I heard the stairs creek a grumble of discomfort as weight was set on them. As the Niwas crept through the hallway, I wished with all my being that they stayed out of the room. It was just my luck that the footsteps would stop right outside the door.
I couldn't move! I wouldn't move! Not at the price of waking up, or even just leaving my Daisuke. And yes, he was mine now! I had a few things to do before it was official, but now that he told me… (I looked down at the sleeping boy) … and was 'sleeping' with me, I won't let him go… ever!
I ran my fingers through his silky, crimson hair once more before placing my hand protectively on his back. Then I heard the murmurs outside the door.
"No, Emiko. Just let him sleep."
"But I want to see him again. We've been away for so long!"
"It was only 3 days!"
"But it's Christmas, Kosuke."
"All the more reason to leave him to his dreams."
I heard a faint sigh from the woman in the hallway, then the footsteps continued on their way. When I heard their bedroom door click shut, I returned my gaze to the sleeping host in my lap. I began running my fingers through his hair once more. I knew I had to leave before his family found us together, no matter how much I didn't want to move. So I leaned down to Daisuke and placed a soft kiss in his hair.
Then, reluctantly, I gently transferred his head from legs to the pillow sitting next to me. Immediately, I was able to feel warm blood rush to the spot. 'I need to get some sleep.' I thought. I knew it would be impossible if I was that close to the boy. I would make my bed on the couch again, and wait for blissful slumber to overtake my consciousness. I slid my legs over the side of the bed slowly as to not wake Daisuke… didn't work too well though.
"Satoshi?" I heard as the redhead sat up, letting the sheets fall to his waist. (FYI, they are still fully clothed. Get your head out of the gutter. That will be in later chapters! Hehe.)
I sent a quick look at the younger boy out of the corner of my eye. "Yes, Daisuke?" I asked, sliding the rest of the way off of the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"Downstairs."
"What for?"
"So I can go to sleep." I answered, blatantly honest. 'Shoot, that might have hurt him.' Low and behold, when I looked back at him, there was hurt mingling with the sleepiness in his eyes.
"But-" he mumbled.
I leaned over the edge of the bed to hold his chin. "Your parents can't see us like that."
"Like what?"
"Together."
"Why not?"
I took a deep, inward sigh. "Never mind. It's nothing. Just get some sleep." I told him, heading for the doorway.
"But I can't."
"What do you mean?" I asked, pausing at the closed door.
"I haven't been able to sleep well these past few nights because…" He blushed. "… Well, because of you."
I'll admit that this caught my interest. "What do you mean?" I repeated.
He smiled. "I can't sleep knowing that you're so near yet I can't hold you."
I blinked at him. It had to be the sleepiness that was telling me this because, if it took that long to even respond to my confession, he would just spill his young heart out that easily.
"I haven't been able to sleep at all these past two nights knowing that I would never be able to hold you."
A smile graced his features and his blush deepened. He looked down at his hands for a moment as if thinking, and then slid out of the bed. Throwing his arms around my neck, he embraced me. "I love you Satoshi! I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that.
I slipped my arms around his waist and pulled him closer to me. "Sometimes…" I said. "I love you more then I can stand."
XXXXXXXXXX
(Christmas Morning! Yay! Finally…!)
I awoke that morning to an empty bed.
"Daisuke?" I mumbled, sleep flooding my voice. I glanced around quickly before flopping back into the mattress. I had never felt so refreshed after a night's sleep. The sun shined in through the window, its light reflecting off the fresh snow. I opened my eyes once more to see the clock just long enough to read it. 9:14. No way…
I hadn't slept in that long since before I can remember. I could hear Christmas music playing outside the door and the happy bustling of the Niwa family. I sat up in time to welcome Daisuke to the doorway.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS, SATOSHI!"
I can now cross off 'getting glomped' from my 'to-do' list.
"I brought you some eggnog," he offered.
I looked quizzically at him. "I thought there was none left yesterday." (do you remember Daisuke's 'comfort food' crave… yea…)
He giggled nervously while rubbing the back of his head. "You see, about that--" he stopped at the sound of Emiko's beckons.
"Daisuke! Hurry Up!"
He smiled down at me. "I was supposed to rouse you so we could open presents!" he said cheerfully.
I blinked at him, but smiled nonetheless. 'This was going to be just brilliant!' I thought sarcastically. I knew how this was going to feel. It was going to seem like I was a burden… I was going to get in the way. Besides, I had never done the Christmas thing. I didn't even have gifts for anyone besides Daisuke, and not to mention, I was going to interrupt a family occasion. This was going to be fun… (sigh)
Unfortunately, my 'perfect mask' had dulled a small bit, allowing my discomfort to slip across my face. And, of course, Daisuke noticed it. "Don't worry. I signed all of them from both of us, remember?" he reminded me with a smile. He grabbed my hands and dragged me off the bed and to my feet (only because I let him. If I had fought back, he couldn't have done anything). He stopped at the door and quickly looked me up and down.
It made me tense. Was it nervousness? Worry? Anticipation of what he was really thinking? Whatever it was, it made me feel like he was searching for flaws. He tapped his chin thoughtfully, before snapping his fingers and running to his dresser. "You seem quite perky today." I noted as I watched him rummage around through some of his drawers.
"It's Christmas. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, pulling out a big green t-shirt and a pair of red and white pajama bottoms. "Here, put these on. Who knows how long we'll be down there, and you want to be comfortable!"
I blinked one last time at him before slipping off my button-up top and pulling on the green tee in its place. I was satisfied when Daisuke's face turned a bright red. I don't believe he was expecting me to change then and there. Oh well. He turned around to give me more privacy, and kept himself busy by continuing to rummage through his stuff.
Fold my dirty clothes on the bed, I asked Daisuke what he was now looking for.
He responded slowly, still shy to turn and face me. "I'm looking for a spare—a-ha!" He pulled out a Santa hat that resembled his own. I glared at it awkwardly.
"I'm not going to wear that." I said in response to his hinting, and then turned toward the door to leave.
"Aww! Come on Satoshi! Please?" he begged, sending me a very irresistible version of thee puppy eyes. I glared at the hat blankly for a few long seconds, and then released a small, inward sigh.
"Yay!"
He stepped up to me to secure it on my head. I stared into his face, trying to forget what form of evil was sitting on me. As he pulled the front of the hat toward my eyes, he caught me stare.
His motions froze and he just stared back at me. We stayed there for the longest time. I could feel my mind struggled to against the urge to slip into my fantasies, but I could tell by the way Daisuke's eyes had glazed over, that he had already given into his.
"Daisuke! Satoshi! Hurry on down. Before the cookies become cold!"
Daisuke's eyes came back to attention and he hurriedly backed away. "U-Uh… Coming Mom!" he called back down. He looked at me and blushed deeply. Walking back up to me, he whispered, "By the way, thank you for the surprise!" And with that he leaned up to place the lightest of butterfly kisses on the corner of my mouth.
If only there were words to express the sensations that ran through me! Such a light touch of compassion had sent a single, sparking shiver down my spine. Before I knew it, he had grabbed my hand and was leading to the stairs. We saw Emiko run from the kitchen with a platter of cookies. I could smell the warmth and sugar. In the other room await Kosuke and Daichi who were sing "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"
As we reached the doorway of the living room, we looked out unto the 'surprise' that I had given Daisuke.
All Christmas Eve, while Daisuke had been up in his room being depressed and writing foolish letters, I had dug around the house for Christmas decorations. I had successfully hung two, red stockings on the mantelpiece of the fireplace, set figurines and models of Santa's Workshop and his elves around the room, and built up a fake Christmas tree, lights and all. I had never known the pain of setting up a fake tree and trying to make it look decent! I had adorned the branches with ornaments of red, gold, green, blue, and silver, each catching the light of the fire. Random homemade trinkets to remind the family Christmas' past winters hung among the other metallic orbs. I had strung amber tinsel throughout the branches along with a string of white lights. But what I found most odd was that I hadn't been able to find a star to put atop the evergreen. The only thing I was able to locate was a violet angel. She was dressed in a lightweight dress of a deep purple covered in a black sheer. A darkened headdress anointed her full-length violet hair (I wouldn't have been too surprised if it was a stolen piece of the Hikari Galleries). It reminded me of a female version of Dark. Its eyes were closed and its arms were stretched out before her.
Emiko handed both Daisuke and me a cookie, and then ushered us to sit on either side of the Christmas tree. Daichi was wearing what I believed to be a rented Santa costume. "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas"
"Okay, I think we're ready…" informed Emiko. Daichi reached under the tree for the first present. He then read the tag aloud. "To Daisuke." Emiko took the wrapped bow from her father and handed it to the redhead. Daisuke set it next to him and waited patiently for the rest to be handed out. It continued for I'm not sure how long.
"Kosuke. Daisuke. Daisuke. Ooo, here's one for me! Emiko. Satoshi."
I snapped my head up. Me? I took the gift from Emiko uneasily before reading the tag.
To Satoshi From the Niwas'Daisuke…' I looked up from the box to the boy of my desires, his smiling face blushing under my stare. I switched my gaze to Kosuke who was taking another gift to add to his slowly growing pile. He smiled at his wife before she took the next gift from her dad. I then set my gaze on 'Santa.'
"To Dark." Was the next name he called out. I snapped my attention to Daisuke. How would he take this? Emiko handed the boy the package. His eyes were filled with a deep sorrow, but he sent his mother a warm smile nonetheless.
I felt a growing sympathy for him. I hadn't really ever sympathized for him, seeing as he had always had it much better then myself, but I didn't just suffer a loss of my best friend through a confession of love either! The family proceeded to pass out the various boxes, bundles, and bags, but I paid them no attention. I watched the unfortunate boy intently through the few branches of the plastic evergreen that divided us. I could tell his smile was faked, and his mind was far off… very far away. What was running through his head? Another present was given to me, but I barely noticed. I mumbled an "Arigato" to Emiko almost unconsciously, then she went on her way.
I traced the part of my cheek that he had kissed just a short while before. His soft lips almost tickled me. Tickled? I thought I had forgotten that feeling. But I could still feel the kiss's sensations. But that had been given to me in joy, now that joy was gone and was replaced with a mask that I had only known too well.
"Ho, ho, ho!" announced Daichi, signaling that all the gifts had been passed out. I broke the hard stare I had on Daisuke to look at the presents at my side. I was silently shocked to find a mound of gifts almost the same size as Daisuke's. I looked wide-eyed at them all, which certainly was uncharacteristic of me. But I had never received a present before in my life, at least not that I could remember. And honestly, I had never given one either… until now.
"Alright! Daisuke, you go first. Then you, Hiwatari-kun. We'll go counter-clockwise!" Emiko instructed as she took a seat next to her husband on the couch. Daichi sat in a recliner next to the fireplace so he may warm his 'elderly' bones.
XXXXXXXXXX
It was about noon when it was all over! We all stretched and yawned from the positions in which we had been sitting. Daisuke was right… you really did need to wear something comfortable. Daisuke was in happy spirits again and I looked down at my pile of unwrapped gifts. A homemade coffee mug from Emiko sat among the treasures. On one side was an edgy painting of what I supposed was of me, and on the other side was one of Krad. From Kosuke, I received a set of toy handcuffs. When Daisuke and I both exchanged nervous looks, he exclaimed that they were just a gag-gift. It made the entire family laugh… even I'll admit to have giggled slightly at the joke.
Kosuke lead the way to the kitchen to where Emiko had laid out a meal she felt was fit for the four men. Personally, I thought it was more fit for a royal feast, but then again, it was the Niwas. What had I expected? Daisuke followed right behind his father into the other room, talking excitedly about how he had attempted to make the same kind of turkey over the weekend that his mother had put in the oven. I was about to leave next when Daichi gripped my arm to hold me back.
He took my wrist to bring up my hand. He pressed something into my palm then closed my fingers over it.
He smiled at me. "Why don't you take Daisuke somewhere nice for Christmas?" With that, he gave me a small wink, and then went ahead of me into the kitchen with the rest of his family. I stood in the spot for a second before opening my hand to find a wad of 20-dollar bills.
TBC…
AN/ Okay… a lot has happened here too (long chapter). Daisuke has made many advances on Satoshi now that the red-head has finally picked up the nerve to tell him his true feelings. Will Satoshi deal with being the submissive one in this relationship?
And let's not forget that the long-awaited Christmas Day had arrived at long last! If you don't understand the whole money thing, don't worry. Satoshi-kun will explain it all in chapter 10! Oh my… I can't believe I've reached a chapter10! Whee! I love you all SO much! But it's being a pain, so be patient with me to get the next one out. I should have it finished in 2 weeks! See you all then!
