Okay I know I've been focusing a lot of Touya and Tatsuha a lot lately but that's really only because I focused on Narumi and Ryuichi so much and this really is kind of a double love story/I don't' know what to label it… anyway things are about to level out a bit more evenly.

Chapter 31: Mud colored Reflections
Tatsuha leaned back against the wall in the hallway staring at the opposite wall. Everyone else was right now inside Narumi's room looking for clues.

What was the matter with him? Why was he feeling so flustered? He'd only kissed Touya to get him off of him; it was no big deal right? Right? He'd kissed a few guys before this, even coerced them into some interesting play, but this… Damn it when he had attempted to seduce Shuichi he hadn't even reacted like this… Sure Yuki, had prevented anything from happening but… Touya was nothing like Ryuichi. He was even stronger than he was, and instead of having that cute naïve personality, instead he had a strong yet still somehow….

No! Damn it, Touya was NOT CUTE! He was a dumb brute! Yah that's right, he was just a dumb brute… a dumb brute that was eating at the edge of his mind.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Touya tried not to think about what had happened just a minute before. How had things ended up that way anyway, and why was he so bothered by it? He had to focus. His sister's very life was in danger and so was all of there's this was no time to think about playing patty cake with a naïve guy, who was obsessed with another guy.

Stupid. Stupid.

The whole situation was completely stupid. That kiss was just done to distract him there was nothing more to it. It was just to painfully obvious that Tatsuha was after Ryuichi and not him.

This shouldn't bother him… but… a part of him confessed, it did.

"Narumi, you're tired you really should get some sleep." Ryuichi pushed her down the stairs past the sulking Tatsuha and into the main room. With how things were he didn't think it would be safe for her to sleep in her bedroom tonight.

"But, my room is…"

"Let's camp out in the living room it will be more fun!" He really hoped she was buying this. "We can all tell ghost stories, and…"

"Ryuichi, you're not telling me something… aren't you?" Narumi turned to face him, concern was written in her eyes, and something else… was it fear, or maybe… "Tatsuha didn't have Kuma did he? Please, don't lie to me. Please. I don't think I can… I mean that I…"

She stifled back the tears. They didn't trust her enough with the truth; they didn't think she would be able to handle the news that Aoi had been there… that was really the only possibility. Sure Tatsuha was the residential bunny thief but it was obviously not him. Things had gotten dangerous and quickly. That's the only thing she could be certain of at that moment, that and the fact that they didn't trust her with the truth.

"Please."

Ryuichi couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes. He thought back to the events that had happened in his past, back to his grandfather, and back to all the things he had been told growing up, and wondered if it would be for the best to tell her everything.

"Ryuichi, please trust me!" Narumi pleaded. "It was him, it was Aoi. He was here wasn't he? You guys are afraid... he...he..."

Narumi could feel the teardrops falling from her eyes, but she couldn't stop them from cascading down her cheeks. her voice shook but she forced her words out she already knew the answer it was the only logical conclusion but she just had to hear it... she needed it confirmed... she didn't want them to hide the truth from her. She didn't want them to think that they needed to protect her.

After all... they were just friends.

She could feel her heart sink even more at that realization. She and Ryuichi had barely known each other and they were just... friends.

A damn of tears welled up inside of her eyes and they just let loose all at once. Her body began to tremble it was as though this whole last week had been nothing but a fading illusion, and it hurt to think of things that way. it ripped at her heart.

Ryuichi pulled her into his arms thinking she was afraid of Aoi, and he tried to comfort her as best as he could. Damn Aoi. He never should have made Narumi cry. That was unforgivable.

Chapter 33: to be continued.