"What the hell are you doing in my room?" Karma asked the Italian girl sitting on his bed.
"There's a guy in my room," she whispered.
"There are two guys in here. What's the big deal?" Karma asked, pointing to Nagisa, "Then again, I'm not so sure about that." He smirked as Nagisa sighed.
"That's different. I know you two!" Fia protested.
"I bet they're doing something. That's why you don't want to go back, right?" Karma taunted.
"N-no! I-it's nothing like th-that!" Fia squeaked as her face flushed.
"I'm not convinced, so I'm going to check for myself," Karma smirked as he pushed himself off of his bed and began making his way towards the girls' shared bedroom.
"H-Hey! Wait!" Fia shouted as she ran after him. She grabbed onto Karma's arm as he walked. "Th-They're working on a p-project! Y-You shouldn't bother them!"
Karma, as strong and stubborn as ever, just kept walking until he stopped in front of the girls' door. He pressed his ear against the door and put a finger to his lips to tell Fia that, if she tried to protest, she would definitely alert the pair inside to their presence. Fia, pouting ever so slightly, relented as she put her ear to the door too.
The first thing they heard was a frustrated groan and something hitting a desk. The pair exchanged glances.
"If at first you don't succeed, call it version 1.0," a guy chuckled.
"Ha, ha, Kavi, so funny," Haven grumbled, "Seriously, what's wrong with this program?!"
"Well, it could be line 54. We both thought that one was suspicious," Kavi suggested.
"But that line's not causing any errors!" Haven sighed.
"There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works," the guy replied.
Haven sighed and began typing. A few seconds later, she growled again in frustration, "If it's a semicolon, I'm gonna explode!"
"You seem out of sorts today. I've dropped two jokes now and you haven't honestly laughed at either of them," Kavi noted.
"Sorry for the bad attitude. I don't know what's wrong," Haven sighed.
"Your attitude isn't bad. It's just in beta," Kavi replied.
"That was funny," Haven smirked.
"Well, I usually am. I'm going to get some water," Kavi said.
The door opened and a lean guy walked out. He was a bit taller than Karma with very dark skin and light brown eyes. He pushed his chunky, black-rimmed glasses up his nose as he processed the scene in front of him. While Nagisa was sitting on the couch in the living room, Karma and Fia were tangled on the floor in a rather compromising position.
"Get off of me!" Fia squeaked with reddening cheeks as she looked from the boys to where Karma's hands had landed.
Haven walked out to see the commotion. "Stop harassing her, Akabane, sexually or otherwise," she sighed.
"I'm not!" Karma protested. He quickly pushed himself off of Fia and helped the girl to her feet. In an embarrassed fluster, she ran into her own room, protectively covering her chest all the way. Trying to hide his red face, Karma turned his back to the pair standing in the doorway and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
"Press any key… but those I guess," Kavi noted.
"That was just crude, Kavi," Haven poked him in the side with two fingers.
"Erk!" Kavi jumped away from the short girl, shooting her a surprised look.
Karma cringed at Kavi's joke and shoved his hands in his pockets before slinking back to his room as inconspicuously as possible.
Nagisa, shooting Karma a sympathetic glance as they crossed paths, made his way over to where Haven and Kavi stood. His wary smile was directed at the pair.
"Hello. Haven, who's this?" the bluenette asked as he glanced between the two.
"This is Kavi. We've been helping each other with compsci for two years now?" Haven turned to him.
"More like one and a half," Kavi corrected her, "We didn't do a lot of helping last semester."
"Well, someone was in Estonia," Haven grumbled, crossing her arms.
"Sorry, the opportunity was too good to pass up," Kavi smiled.
"I'm Nagisa," Nagisa said as he extended his hand towards Kavi and nearly broke his neck trying to look up at the taller male. Kavi seemed nice enough, but one thing still irked him about the other guy: his height.
"Nice to meet you," Kavi shook his hand firmly. The two dropped hands and Nagisa turned to Haven. Today she was dressed in a black blouse and a black pleated skirt.
"You look nice today, Haven," Nagisa smiled at the girl.
Haven blushed and ran back into her room.
"So, you're the virus in Haven's system," Kavi smiled at the bluenette knowingly as he walked back into the room with Haven.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Nagisa asked no one in particular.
Fia blushed and tried to avoid Karma's gaze. Even if the only illumination in the room - if you could even call it that - came from the light filtering in under the door, she knew her face was still visible to his.
"You're stepping on my foot," he muttered.
"Sorry! It's kind of hard not to!" she protested. Fia shifted as the edge of a shelf pressed painfully into her back. "Remind me again why you're in the pantry? There isn't enough room for the both of us," she mumbled with pinkening cheeks. Between the metal shelf and Karma, Fia would rather lean against Karma, but this position was hardly any less compromising than before.
Karma blushed slightly as a familiar soft feeling pushed up against him. He grumbled, "You better keep it down before they realize we're here." Listening to the loud exclamations coming from the Timo family outside, he put his ear to the door. It didn't seem like anyone was on to him, and he was almost certain he heard two pairs of in-sync footsteps running towards his and Nagisa's room. He smirked before turning back to Fia. "It's your birthday. Shouldn't you be, I don't know, spending it with your family out there? The twins did get suspended for a week just so they could see you."
Pouting, Fia lightly head-butted his chest, seeing as how she didn't exactly have room to move her arms or legs much in the pantry as it were. "I don't think I can take another round of party games, especially when my siblings are hyped up on cake like this! I just wanted to do something quiet."
"Who bakes their own birthday cake?" he asked incredulously.
She laughed, "Someone who doesn't trust her roommates not to burn down the apartment or her siblings not to spike it."
The two laughed together and let the silence settle over them for a few moments more before Karma sighed and spoke up first. "Sorry about earlier," he mumbled.
Fia was quiet for a second or two, then she laughed embarrassedly. "It was an accident. I-I'm sure you didn't mean to, y-you know… Ah, In any case, it's alright."
The redhead smiled in the dark. "I'm glad you feel that way… Because I don't know if you're going to forgive me for this."
Olive eyes widened slightly and searched for their counterparts. "What do you mean -?"
Before Fia could ask anymore or give Karma time to answer her, there was a loud explosion from down the apartment hall. Fia and Karma tumbled out of the pantry together, and Karma began laughing happily as the twins, coated head-to-toe in neon orange cheesepuff powder, emerged from the boys' bedroom.
"KARMA!" Mio and Mia angrily, and accusingly, shouted together.
He stuck his tongue out with a grin. "That's what you get for trying to go through my stuff."
Fia face-palmed, joining her siblings in yelling at and playfully chasing the arrogantly-smiling asshole around the kitchen. Fia was stopped when a large hand was placed comfortingly on her shoulder. She turned to see Giovanni smiling down at her with gentle eyes.
"Present time, mia amore!" he declared with a hearty laugh.
She giggled as her father's arms trapped her in a gigantic bear hug. Still hugging, the two penguin-waddled over to the living room, where the rest of the Timo family, Haven, and Nagisa were already waiting with the presents. Fia freed herself from her father's grasp and took a seat in the middle of the floor. Karma patted Mio's and Mia's cheesy heads and walked them over to the living room to join the others.
"You're going to open mine first!" Guadalupe announced, dropping a small bag into Fia's lap.
The auburn-haired girl tied her hair back and smiled from the gift in her lap to her littlest sister. "Thank you, Lupe!" she chimed as she reached into the bag and pulled out a tree-of-life-themed compact mirror. Fia smiled softly. "What's this for?"
Lupe crossed her arms and turned her nose up. "So you can take a look at yourself in the mirror and get your life together."
Fia sweat-dropped as she slipped the mirror into her jacket pocket. "Th-Thanks, Lu - GYAH!" The girl's head was assaulted by a flying box. Rubbing the forming bump, Fia picked up the poorly-wrapped box and looked at Gio.
"Just open it," the boy said with flushing cheeks as he crossed his arms over his chest.
She carefully took apart the printer paper that Gio had taped around the gift and found a box of full of… Fia's face flushed deep, deep scarlet. "GIO! Why did you get me c-c-con - " she couldn't finish that statement before the twins snatched the box out of her hands.
"IF YOU DON'T HAVE THESE, THEN YOU CAN'T SCREW HIM!" the twins declared as they pointed accusingly at Karma.
Giovanni roared with laughter, even as Florence shook her head in disapproval. Karma and Nagisa both blushed and exchanged concerned expressions.
Fia covered her face with her hands. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! EARLIER WAS AN ACCIDENT!"
"What are those?" Haven asked.
Lupe stared at Haven with a blank expression. "Didn't you take sex ed.?"
"Yes, it is a requirement in middle school. However, I was put in the males' class. Since I am a female, I believed the information was negligible, so I didn't pay any attention," Haven explained.
"Wait, what do you mean 'earlier'?!" Gio demanded. "What kind of gross stuff have you been getting into!"
Fia's face turned scarlet again. "N-NOTHING! THAT'S NOT W-WHAT I MEANT!"
The twins threw their arms around Haven's shoulders. "Well, you see, condoms are -" they began a long-winded explanation of what condoms are, their uses, and all the varieties they come in. Haven went pinker by the minute.
Karma awkwardly looked up at the ceiling, anywhere but at Fia and her family, really.
Lupe shot the twins a look. "You know, horny college students are still going *beep beeeeeeep beeeeeeeeeeep*. It's actually probably worse if you take that away."
Florence's cheeks took on a slightly pink hue at her daughter's language. Giovanni turned red as he fell onto the floor, still laughing. Huffing, Gio stormed up to Fia with the box in condoms in hand.
"Hey, stupid sorella! Do you even know how to use these stupid things?!" he asked with a red face.
"U-Uh… W-Well, probably… But it's not like I've ever needed one…" Fia mumbled.
The twins ran over and snatched the latex protection from out of Gio's hands and stretched it between them. "Shall we show you how?" They didn't wait for an answer before forcing it over Gio's head. They cackled as their older brother struggled to rip the death trap away from his face.
Gio gasped for air between disgusted spits. "GROSS! WHY DOES IT TASTE LIKE CHERRIES!?"
"That's enough!" Florence, finally fed up with the scene unfolding around her, demanded that her children stop. She pulled her older son into her arms and sighed. "Why don't we continue with the presents?" Most of the people in the house sighed in relief.
Mio and Mia approached Fia with a purple bag in hand. Fia took the bag warily and pulled out a green hair brush with white clouds painted onto the back. Fia stood and kissed 'Mia' on the cheek. "Thank you, Mio." She moved to kiss 'Mio' on the forehead. "Thank you, Mia."
The twins pouted and exchanged looks, but ended up smiling and tackling Fia in a big hug. "Let us brush your hair again, sometime! We promise that we won't put gum in it again!"
Fia nodded with a giggle. "Sure!" Fia paused as Florence and Giovanni approached her together and each handed her a bottle. She looked down and read the labels. "Wine…?" she asked cautiously.
Florence nodded. "Well, you are 21 now, Fia."
Giovanni smiled. "One is for cooking, the other we brought with us from Italy. Tuo zio Alessandro and I made it together~!" he announced.
Beaming as her father's chest swelled with pride, Fia held the bottles to her chest protectively. "Grazie, Mami, Papi!" The three hugged and Fia quickly put the wine bottles away in the kitchen.
Smiling, Nagisa brought out a box from behind him and handed it to Fia upon her return. "Here, Fia. I hope this is a completing gift."
Fia tilted her head as she opened the box. Olive eyes widened as Fia pulled out a green spatula. "Is this… Part of the same set Haven's been gifting me…?"
Nagisa laughed a little. "That completes your set, doesn't it?"
Giggling, Fia nodded. "I think so. Thanks, guys."
Karma shook his head and shot Haven a bored expression. "Isn't that the same thing you wanted me to get her?" He sighed as Haven just shrugged.
"Here, Tsu-chan," Haven gave her a small box wrapped in green paper, "I would have given you the spatula, but I suggested it to Nagisa instead."
Fia opened the box and instantly squealed, causing the twins next to her to fall back. She pulled out a little statuette with a family of woven, egg-shaped rabbits standing over a wooden hemisphere. No matter which way she tilted the statue, the rabbits would always right themselves again.
"Thanks, Angel!" Fia jumped up and hugged her housemate. "This is going right next to my crystal flower!"
By the time the presents were all opened, the late afternoon sun was already drifting lazily across the sky. Giovanni, Fia, and Karma tirelessly moved around the kitchen as they made white wine garlic alfredo sauce and Italian sausage for the pasta that was simmering on the stove. Meanwhile, Haven, Nagisa, Gio, Lupe, Mio, and Mia seemed to be engaged in a heated battle of Go Fish.
Scowling, the youngest girl threw a card at the boy next to her. "Fine! Here's your stupid three!"
"Ow!" Gio begrudgingly paired the three with his own and placed the coupled cards in front of him. "Your turn, weirdo."
Nagisa sweat-dropped and looked to the white-haired girl sitting across from him. "Haven, do you have any queens?"
Shaking her head, Haven smiled a little. "Sorry, Go Fish, Gisa."
As she responded to him, Nagisa reached over and drew a card from the center pile. He matched the jack with one of his own and placed the pair in his pile of matches. "Mia, it's your turn."
"We can't play anymore," Mia and Mio complained loudly. "You two won't stop making googly eyes at each other."
"What are you talking about?" Haven turned to look at the twins with a puzzled expression.
Lupe spoke up first. "You two only ever ask the other for cards."
Sighing in annoyance, Gio added, "Yeah, and you've been glancing at each other almost exclusively. It's almost weirder than how close the twins are."
Mio and Mia jumped up together, sending the cards flying. "HEY!"
Blushing, Nagisa turned his gaze down to the cards in his hands.
"Dinner's ready~!" Fia called from the kitchen, where she was balancing an odd myriad of plates on her head and arms. "I'll bring over the plates in a minute, so you four better wash up!"
"SI!" the Timo kids called back as they all scrambled towards the bathroom, stampeding and pushing each other out of the way.
Karma helped Giovanni set the table while Fia dished out the rich alfredo pasta to everyone. Gathering around the crowded living room table, everyone in the apartment began digging into their own plates. For once, the apartment was quiet, save for happy chewing.
Soon enough, Giovanni handed Karma the bottle of wine. "Here, Karma, would you do us the honors?"
The redhead looked at the tall man with a surprised look. He grinned appreciatively and pulled a knife from his pocket. Violently, he stabbed the cork and flicked the spongy material away. Bubbling spray flew from the top of the bottle and splashed Fia.
Florence smiled as she passed a napkin to Fia. "We now Christen you. You are officially of drinking age, amore," she declared as she held out a glass for Karma to fill. Florence handed the cup to Fia before having her own filled.
"Is sorella gonna get wasted?" Lupe asked with a seemingly innocent expression.
"I hope so!" Giovanni laughed as he raised his glass to the sky and then clinked it against Fia's. "To my beautiful daughter - Hey!" His face fell as his wife confiscated the drink from him. "Mio vino!"
Florence clicked her tongue at him. "You're driving home, remember?"
"But Florence!" Giovanni whined like a kicked puppy. "I can take a drink!"
She shot him a look. "Besides, if we let you start now, you'll finish the entire bottle for her, and then some."
He pouted childishly. "I stopped myself after three bottles…"
"Papino is a drunkard! Papino is a drunkard!" the twins chanted together.
"Don't make me come over there!" Giovanni threatened while he accusingly pointed his fork at his children. He turned to Nagisa and Karma. "Would you like a drink, boys?" he smiled charmingly.
Nagisa nodded and accepted a glass politely. "Thank you, Mr. Timo."
Giovanni laughed. "You don't have to be so formal with me." He turned to pour a glass for Karma.
"Hey, thanks, Boss," Karma laughed. Winking, the redhead raised his glass to Fia.
"Why am I only adult here too young to drink?" Haven sighed.
"Ugh, adults are so pretentious…" Gio complained as he glared down at his food while those around him toasted.
Stealing food from each other's plates, Mio and Mia stuck their tongues out at their older brother. "You're just jealous!"
Fia laughed lightly. "Well, Gio, I don't mind sharing with you, but I'm pretty sure the twins would advantage of your drunken state."
Gio's face flushed. "A-Are you saying I can't hold my liquor?! G-Give me a glass!"
The twins feigned being hurt. "Are you trying to imply that we'd ever hurt our darling big brother? That's cruel, Fia!"
Lupe laughed. "Oh, they're definitely going to mess you up, Gio."
The teen's composure broke and he faltered. "M-Maybe I can wait a-a few years…"
The rest of dinner passed with an amicable atmosphere and, before long, the Timos were showing themselves out the door. "Try not to have too much fun!" they had all shouted as the door slammed shut.
Karma laughed as Fia slumped against the door with a sigh. "Lively group, aren't they?"
"Always," she replied with a small smile. "It's a little too much sometimes." She pushed herself back onto her feet and tried to walk past Karma into the kitchen, but a hand grabbing onto her arm stopped her. Fia looked up at her housemate with questioning eyes.
"I still haven't given you your present yet," Karma explained as he pulled out a business card from his pocket and placed it in Fia's hand.
Olive eyes roamed the laminated card. "A karaoke bar…?" Fia looked up at Karma with a smile. "Really? We're going to karaoke?!"
He smiled. "I think I'd like an encore for last time."
Fia retaliated by placing her hands on her hips. "If I recall, it's my birthday! If anyone owes anyone a song, it's you to me!" She laughed, even as Karma put her in a headlock and gave her a playful noogie.
"... When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be!"
Fia laughed cheerfully as the song ended. She turned on her heel and bounded back to where her friends were sitting on a leather couch that extended around a polished, black coffee table. Squeezing herself between Karma and Haven, she passed the microphone to Nagisa.
"I'm not used to singing pop, but this is kind of fun!" Fia giggled as she took yet another heavy swig of her drink.
Karma pulled the drink away from her. "Slow down, Fia. You're going to get drunk off your ass."
Fia's already flushing face grew slightly redder as she pouted. "Will not - hic!" She covered her mouth with her hand to suppress her hiccups.
"Ha, I think you're already on your way to more than a little tipsy," he remarked coolly as he sipped at her drink.
"Shuddap!" Fia pouted more and stomped her foot childishly. "That's my drink anyway! - Hic - Give it back!" She lunged for her drink and fell into Karma's lap. Fia broke into a fit of giggles. "Hehehehe…!"
Karma wasn't sure what to do. Fia was too intoxicated to be teased, but not intoxicated enough that he felt like he had to be worried yet. Embarrassedly, he helped Fia back into a sitting position and shot back the rest of her drink in one go. It was going to be a long night.
"Someone should stop giving Tsu-chan alcohol!" Haven glared at the bartender, who put his hands up in defense as if to say 'I'm just doing my job.' Haven popped a chip in her mouth begrudgingly.
Nagisa stared at his friends blankly as he walked up to the screen. "What song am I singing again?"
"'The Energy Never Dies' by The Script," the bartender called as he left the room. The music started and lyrics appeared on the screen.
Nagisa's soft voice went well with the song.
"We could all be blown to pieces
Because time's a ticking bomb
We could all be dead tomorrow
But our love will carry on
'Cause when you know, your days are numbered
And you're looking in my eyes
It's not the end, 'cause the energy never dies"
Haven watched him with a slight grin.
"I fell for you and I never got up," Nagisa looked at Haven, blushing slightly.
She averted her gaze and popped another chip in her mouth.
"… I'll take your hand and I'll hold real tight, I'll tell ya life's just a blink so don't think twice," Nagisa finished.
"You have a nice voice, Gisa," Haven mumbled as he returned.
"Thanks. I know my range isn't nearly as large as Fia's though and I might have been a bit flat in places," Nagisa rubbed the back of his neck.
Fia giddily clapped. "YAY! Nagisa, that was great - hic - and that song was sooooooo - hic - much fun!"
"And ironically fitting," Karma said with a smirk.
Fia tilted her head back to look at Karma, who her back was turned to. "Whatcha mean, Karma?" she swayed slightly as she smiled at him.
He raised his eyebrow at her. "Our profession?"
"Oooooohhh!" she giggled. "I get it now!"
Karma shook his head. "I guess it's my turn then." He stood and got the microphone from Nagisa before sauntering up to the platform. "Someone put on 'Gentleman' by Between the Trees."
Nagisa grabbed the remote and punched in the song code. After a few moments of loading, the song began abruptly, but Karma was ready. He held the mic to his lips and sang,
"Do you ever wonder what it would be like
To stick around long enough for me to be polite?
I swear I am a gentleman, I swear this is true.
But you don't even care to notice
You just act like you do."
"So tell me now
Tell me, tell me what you want from me now
'Cause I can't believe I'm still around.
Tell me everything is gonna work out
But I can't believe you
No, no"
The three were taken aback by how much power there was driving Karma's words. Nagisa and Haven watched the redhead with surprise and quiet respect, but Fia's gaze fell as she held her hand over her heart as she intently listened.
"Stuck in traffic, running late for work again.
I can't believe what you did, what you said
Tellin' me you love me just to take it back again.
Oh, I know
You wish that you meant it."
Karma's voice trailed off with the outro and silence filled the room again. He turned on his heel and tossed the microphone to Haven before plopping back down on the leather couch.
"So, you can actually sing," Haven smirked as she caught the mic.
He rolled his eyes at Haven's remark until his gaze fell on the quiet, lip-biting Fia. "Hey, you alright?"
Fia nodded slowly, keeping her gaze averted. "I…" She looked up at Karma with sincere, emotion-filled eyes. "Thank you for that, Karma… That was really meaningful…" Whether or not her cheeks were pink from her admittance or from the alcohol, she wasn't sure, but she embarrassedly turned away anyway and watched Haven make her way up to the platform.
Karma watched Fia for a few moments. He smiled softly, feeling pleasantly surprised. Subtly, he shifted closer to the girl beside him. "What's she singing?"
"'Arms' by Christina Perri," she answered quietly before standing and getting another drink from the bartender in the main hall.
"Why did she choose that one?" Nagisa asked curiously.
"Wally chose it from a pool of songs with lyrics that I know relatively well through a random algorithm," Haven replied from the stage. The music began and Haven sang the lyrics on the screen. She had a surprisingly melodic voice. It had a slight tremor, which fit the song well.
"You put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
You put your arms around me and I'm home
How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around?
I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown
I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let our love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home"
Nagisa stared at her intently. He wondered just how random Wally had actually been. Did he know about their little naps?
"I try my best to never let you in to see the truth
And I've never opened up
I've never truly loved till you put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go"
After a few more lines, Haven looked up from the screen at the bluenette. "You put your arms around me and I'm home," she finished. Haven flopped onto the couch, "That's it. I'm done singing for the night."
"I think your voice was lovely," Nagisa smiled at her.
Haven blushed and looked away, "I'm not used to songs with lyrics."
Fia stumbled back into the room with a derpy smile. Her ears were turning red and she was quietly hiccuping as she walked over to Haven. "You were awesome - hic - Angel! I di'n't want to int'rupt so I waaaaaiiited - hic - outside the doooor."
"Well, someone's had too much to drink. Where's the bartender? I told him not to give her any more!" Haven sighed and handed her the mic.
"Hehehehehe. Grazie~!" Fia ran, as much as a tipsy person can run, up to the platform and put her hands on her hips. "This is for the gentleman in the back row!"
Karma sweat-dropped. "Do you mean me…?"
"Tsu-chan, you're totally drunk," Haven sighed.
Without answering, perhaps because she was too excited or perhaps she couldn't through her giggling fit, she put on P!nk's 'True Love.'
"Sometimes I hate every single stupid word you say.
Sometimes I wanna slap you in your whole face.
There's no one quite like you
You push all my buttons down
I know life would suck without you."
"… What is this song about? Love or hate?" Haven gave Nagisa a confused look. He just shrugged back.
"At the same time, I wanna hug you
I wanna wrap my hands around your neck!
You're an asshole but I love you
And you make me so mad I ask myself
Why I'm still here, or where could I go?
You're the only love I've ever known
But I hate you, I really hate you,
So much, I think it must be
True love, true looooove!"
Fia drew out the last line and broke into a fit of laughter as the chorus began, but there was a very subtle waver in her voice as Fia's focus on the song broke.
Haven sighed repetitively. "Tsu-chan, you are drunk!"
Taking on a much more sad, soft and sweet tone, Fia continued.
"Why do you rub me up the wrong way?
Why do you say the things that you say?
Sometimes I wonder how we ever came to be,
But without you I'm incomplete…"
As she finished the song, she lowered the microphone and, swaying slightly, made her way back to her friends. Fia handed the microphone to Karma and sat down on the couch in her familiar knees-under-chin position. Burying her red face in her arms, Fia began to giggle quietly in a flustered fit.
Karma glanced between the microphone in his hand and his drunken companion as he tried to process what just happened. "True love, huh?"
Olive eyes peeked out through side-swept, wavy bangs. "Tha's the shong!" she slurred.
The redhead shook his head quickly. Was it in his imagination, or was Fia's eyes flooding with a torrent of emotion? Karma reached over and brushed away what looked like a tear welling in the corner of one of her eyes before standing and making his way over the platform again. "'Savin' Me' by Nickelback," he called.
"Heaven's gates won't open up for me
With these broken wings I'm fallin' and all I see is you
These city walls ain't got no love for me
I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story
And, oh, I scream for you come please,
I'm callin' and all I need from you, hurry, I'm fallin', I'm fallin'..."
Karma didn't have Chad Kroeger's raspy voice, but the hollowness floating out of his words gave his voice a similar effect.
"Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be.
Say it for me, say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth saving me."
Rubbing the back of his head, Karma turned around and held the mic out to his housemates. "You want another turn, Nagisa?" he asked.
"I'm still looking for another song." The bluenette shook his head. "You could do another one."
Karma shot his roommate a skeptical look. "I think I'm done for tonight." He sat on the floor and leaned back against the foot of the couch as he snatched some of the snacks on the table.
Fia grabbed the abandoned microphone and the song remote with a strained sluggishness.
"Tsu-chan, you're still really drunk," Haven said with a sigh.
Nagisa smiled warily. "Maybe you shouldn't go back up there, Fia…"
She pouted and held the microphone tightly. "I can - hic - do it fr' here… I n'd t'is one." Fia's words were not nearly as slurred as before so, with a reluctant exchanging of glances, Nagisa and Haven relented. She punched in the code for Carrie Underwood's 'That's Where it Is' and slowly brought the microphone to her lips as she stood firmly.
"When I'm crashing through the madness,
Not sure who I'm supposed to be,
When I'm caught up in the darkness,
It's your hand that's leading me,
You bring me back to solid ground,
You lift me up right here, right now."
Despite her drunken state, Fia managed to sing with surprising clarity. She opened her arms as her voice filled the room as if to create a window into her own heart. Her voice rose and fell with the dynamics of the song, rose and fell as her emotions got the better of her.
"It's a lifetime filled with tight embraces
The biggest things in the smallest places!"
The bridge boomed and suddenly collapsed into another impassioned chorus.
"In the sweetest smile, on a night like this,
And a tender touch, that's where it is,
When we're tangled up, and can't resist,
When we feel that rush, that's where it is"
Trembling olive eyes met intent orange ones.
"That's where it is…"
With her final line, Fia fell back onto the couch with a weak hiccup. She drowsily fell against Karma and her microphone rolled towards Nagisa. He grabbed it with a concerned smile.
"Fia, we were supposed to sing a duet, right?" the bluenette asked.
Her only answer was soft snoring as her head rested heavily against Karma's chest.
"Karma?" Nagisa asked with a wary smile.
As he pulled off his jacket and draped it on Fia, the redhead shot Nagisa a sour look that read "Like hell am I going to sing a love song with you."
Nagisa turned instead to Haven and smiled at her. "Would you sing with me, Haven?"
"I guess," she shrugged and went to get another mic.
"You guys are singing 'Distance' by Christina Perri right?" Karma asked.
"Umm… yes. I think so," Nagisa replied.
"How fitting," Karma smirked as Nagisa blushed slightly. Haven returned momentarily with the second mic and went to join Nagisa on the stage. He sang the first stanza.
"The sun is filling up the room
And I can hear you dreaming
Do you feel the way I do right now?
I wish we would just give up
Cause the best part is falling
Call it anything but love"
He smiled at Haven as she joined in for the chorus. Their voices rang together in a comfortable harmony.
"And I will make sure to keep my distance
Say, "I love you," when you're not listening
And how long can we keep this up, up, up?"
Enchanted, Nagisa continued to watch her as she sang the next stanza solo. She shot him several furtive glances as her cheeks reddened ever so slightly.
"Please don't stand so close to me
I'm having trouble breathing
I'm afraid of what you'll see right now
I give you everything I am
All my broken heart beats
Until I know you'll understand"
Haven's cheeks seemed slightly pinker, but it could have just been the light and the warmth of the room. Nagisa, trying to hide his own embarrassed countenance, faced the screen and sang out the lyrics on it with as much feeling as he could muster.
"And I keep waiting
For you to take me
You keep waiting
To save what we have"
Haven joined him for the cascading ending.
"So I'll make sure to keep my distance
Say, "I love you," when you're not listening
And how long can we keep this up, up, up?"
"Make sure to keep my distance
Say, "I love you," when you're not listening
How long 'til we call this love, love, love?"
Eyes fluttered open and drowsily searched the scene in front of them. A swirling array of stars floated overhead and a frigid night breeze crept stealthily around the college students. Fia flinched as fluttering red hair tickled at her cheek.
"Karma…?" Fia tried to call his name but her throat was dry and her voice raspy.
The redhead looked to his shoulder and smirked. "Who's the Sleeping Beauty now?"
Fia blushed slightly and buried her face in his neck drowsily. "I c'n walk 'n m'own…" she mumbled.
Karma dropped Fia onto her feet and watched as she failed to be able to walk in anything remotely resembling a straight line. He held out his arm to catch her as she stumbled and she clung to it with a goofy smile.
"I had'a'we'rd dream!" Fia proclaimed as she looked up at the swirling sky.
"What was it?" Nagisa asked tentatively from where he was standing a little ways ahead of them.
"Haven had-had a rev'se harem!" she declared.
"What?!" Haven looked at her friend with surprise. "Do explain!"
"Does your drunkenness just come in waves or something?" Karma asked as he steadied the girl once again.
Fia huffed as her cheeks reddened. "I dunno! Haven had all da types of b'friends! Kavi is the cool type, y'know? And Benny was the nat'ral type! Wally can be the cuuuuuuuuuuuute one. Earnest's m'sch'vous!"
"I-I think of him like a brother!" Haven protested.
"and Richard Mc-Dicky is Mr. Wild!" Fia continued.
"He IS my brother!" Haven interjected, flustered.
"Aaaaannndddd Nagisa!" The drunk Italian pointed at the bluenette. "Was the princely type!" She put her hands on her hips and swayed a little. "Dreamsh are sho weird!"
Haven and Nagisa both began blushing profusely. They accidentally made eye contact and quickly looked away.
Fia pouted and clung to Karma's arm again. "Was jusht a dr'm…" she shrugged
"Tsu-chan, you are so drunk," Haven mumbled.
"That's the understatement of the century," Karma sighed.
"Dun be mean, Karma!" Fia's pout grew, but she giggled suddenly. "'Cause you're the besht type!"
Karma's cheeks grew red, but he shot her a skeptical look. "C'mon. We need to get you home. You're way too drunk." He started pulling the girl along.
Fia began to mope. "Ya dun b'lieve me…" She puffed out her cheeks in dejected protest but she went along anyway.
Karma held onto the back of Fia's jacket and she went stumbling through the front door. He steadied her as he walked her to her room and helped her to flop onto her own bed.
Fia rolled around a little bit and finally stopped to sprawl out. Red-faced, Fia sat up and crossed her arms. "I won't do it!"
"Do what?" Karma sweat-dropped as Haven walked into the room and flopped on her bed.
"Shleep wit'out Bacio!" Fia announced with a cross-face.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," he sighed as she shook her head profusely. "Alright, where is the damned thing?"
"Bacio's a he!" she protested with flailing arms.
"In the closet," Haven called from the pillow currently covering her face.
Karma moved to get Bacio from the closet but he scowled. "The hell is it doing in here anyway?" He grabbed the guinea pig and threw it to Fia, who squealed and rolled around her bed with the plush.
"Ah!" Fia sat up quickly again. "The dishes!"
"Oh, hell no. You get your ass to sleep," Karma jabbed Fia's forehead with a finger.
"That's my job anyways," Haven reminded them as she propped herself up on her elbows.
Rubbing her head, Fia nodded and flopped back down onto her bed. "G'night, Angel! G'night, Karma!"
"Go to sleep, Tsu-chan. You're drunk."
Karma shook his head as he pulled the blankets over Fia's curled up form. "Just shut up and go to bed."
Olive eyes peered up at Karma and a slight giggle escaped her lips. "Mkay~ You're shtill t'e best, Karma~" With that, Fia turned her face into her pillow and dozed off again.
As Karma entered his bedroom, Nagisa looked up from his notebook. He had been going through his notes on his roommate. "Karma, you haven't gotten into a single fight since we moved here have you?"
Karma looked at him tentatively.
"You haven't gone on a single date either."
"Yeah, so what?" Karma asked.
"Nothing much," Nagisa shrugged, "I'm just curious about what changed."
Karma fell onto his bed with an exasperated sigh. "So what's up with you and Haven?"
"Don't change the subject," Nagisa blushed.
"Princely type, huh?"
"She was intoxicated," Nagisa threw a pillow at the redhead.
Karma caught it and started laughing. With a sigh, Nagisa smiled wryly and let out a dry laugh.
"And you're 'the best type'!" Nagisa called back.
"Hey!" Karma threw the pillow back and the boys laughed together.
Fia: (Holding her head in her hands) Oww…
Karma: (Smirking) Your first hangover?
Fia: (Blushing profusely) Wh-What even happened last night…?
Haven: Let's see… you slept through your duet with Nagisa… dedicated your rendition of 'True Love' to Akabane… and said something about my reverse harem, which included an AI, someone I think of as a brother, and my actual brother.
Fia: (Face turns more and more red by the moment) Ch-che cazzo… I'm never getting drunk again… I remember all of that… Kind of…
Haven: Sure you won't… sure you won't.
Fia: I won't! I-I think that's going to h-haunt me for longer than I'd like to a-admit…
Karma: Then you'll just love the videos I took~
Fia: YOU DID WHAT?! (Becoming scarlet) D-Delete those!
Nagisa: (Sighs) Karma…
Karma: (Laughing) Can't delete what doesn't exist.
Fia: I'd say not to tease me, (pouts) but I guess I set myself up for this… Hey, Karma?
Karma: What?
Fia: (Blushes and looks up at him) Thank you… (Runs and hides behind the narrator)
Narrator: Disclaimer - I don't own any of the songs used in this chapter. They're all really good songs and I suggest you listen to them, credits to the artists. Now, next time…
Fia: Wait, one last thing! There was another birthday a few days ago.
All: Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear right-side-of-narrator's-brain (many confused looks)
Happy Birthday to you!
Narrator: Ah! I'm touched!
Gio: Why did we sing to only one side of the narrator's brain?
Lupe: Really? Did you not catch that there are two authors? Obviously, the narrator's brain is the embodiment of both. (Sighs) Stupid Gio. Stupid Gio everywhere.
Gio: H-Hey! It wasn't that obvious!
Haven: (rolls eyes) Not at all… I mean, it's just in the summary.
Right Brain: Thank you guys soooooo much! I love you all~! (Teary) I'm sorry that we put you through so much…!
Left Brain: Can we move onto the next chapter preview? (Bored expression)
Right Brain: C'mon! We need to cherish this moment! Also, bask in the creative process! WE JUST WROTE A FOURTH OF WHAT COULD BE A HUNDRED! (Pops party-poppers) The colors! The sweet taste of cake! I don't want to move on yet!
Fia: I think I want to move on and just forget this ever happened…
Left Brain: We seem like a nutcase. (sigh) At least now you know where the two girls' personalities come from.
Nagisa: I think Fia is a little less… Out there…
Right Brain: Isn't this how all people think…? Does no one else argue with herself? Oh, woe is I! I mean 'we'?
Left Brain: Since when are we a 'her'?
Right Brain: Aren't we? Hahahahahahaha, does it matter? (Emitting rainbows and flowers) We're all part of the same ecosystem!
Left Brain: We're not in an ecosystem. We're floating in a void.
Right Brain: What about the ecosystem of nerves that make us up? We don't live in a void! We live in a cranium in a body in a community in a nation in a planetary system in a solar system in a universe - I guess that is a void. (Giggles)
Left Brain: (facepalm)
Fia: Karma, I'm getting scared… Can I hide behind you? (Is already doing so)
Karma: (Rolls eyes) As if I'd be able to stop you anyway, or even them.
Left Brain: Can I request my own cranium?
Right Brain: ( o A o )Z You'd abandon me!? Duuuuuunnnnn gggooooooooo! (T ^ T )
Left Brain: (sigh) Why me?
Nagisa: Why don't we move onto the next chapter preview before this becomes a civil war?
Left Brain: Civil war… that doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Right Brain: (Goes to sulk in a corner. Draws circles into the nervous system.) On the next chapter… (Begins crying.) You're soooo cold and meeaaannn!
Fia: Really…? On your birthday? Please don't cry! (Rushes over to help)
Left Brain: (blank expression) I'm sorry… I was talking about seeing the movie. Can we get back to work now?
Narrator: Now that my brain's back together-ish, time for the preview! A familiar situation and a familiar dress!
