"Introducing Wally, Version two point zero," Haven announced as the tv screen behind her turned on. "In this version, the mod was updated and matured for some reason. Note the narrower eyes, darker hair, and body proportions." Wally walked onto the screen. His messy sky blue bangs had been replaced with a prussian blue side sweep. "This version also includes a lower-pitched voice to match the mod's appearance and the capability to speak two new languages: Japanese and Norwegian," Haven continued.
"Good morning, 早上好, god morgen, おはようございます," Wally demonstrated, waving from the tv.
"Also, new animation sequences have been included in this version." Wally smiled as he manipulated windows on the screen: closing some, opening others, balling one up and throwing it into the trash can.
"This version also has the capability of responding to its surroundings through the built in camera in all of my devices."
"Hello, Nagisa Shiota, Fia Timo, and Akabane!" Wally waved at each of them.
Fia's eyes sparkled and teared up as she ran to the screen. "Wally! You look great! I feel proud for some reason…"
Karma sweat-dropped. "So even he's calling me just Akabane now?"
Desperate pants for breath echoed through the room between sloppy kisses. The otherwise still air was continuously disturbed by the rustle of discarded clothes and sliding sheets as slowly-crescendoing moans shook the bodies of the two emitting them.
Suddenly, a laptop on Nagisa's desk turned on.
"I will now play the audio file you requested," Wally's mod smiled as a saxophone solo started to sound. After a few bars of Careless Whisper, Wally began looking around and feeling for the sides of the screen, slightly panicked. "Haven? Why can I not see? Enabling built-in camera in 3… 2… 1." Wally looked straight forward as the camera absorbed the scene in front of it. He turned scarlet and immediately looked away, "I am sorry, Karma!"
Karma and his date both froze, sweat-dropping at the screen as the bluenette mod tried to figure out the bizarre situation for himself and the blaring saxophone continued to blast notes loudly. Any chance of the mood returning was destroyed, even when Wally managed to escape the monitor and return to Haven, flustered and flabbergasted like a child who had just walked in on his parents.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the bedroom door. "I'm really sorry about that!" Haven called. "I didn't realize that I left one of my laptops in there this afternoon when I was studying."
The red-faced redhead threw on his discarded boxers and stormed his way to the door. He threw it open with a slam, angrily growling. "THAT was an accident?! You expect me to believe that shit?"
"Truly it was! I was just testing out the multi-computer networking capabilities. If I had realized one of my computers was in sleep mode in your room, I would have waited until tomorrow. If it makes me any more believable, I will admit that I was planning to prank you tonight, but I was planning to play it from outside the room. Also, why would I ever put Wally through that?" Haven babbled. "I must have accidently switched up the addresses when I typed them in… Computer two was supposed to be in my room. But whatever went wrong, I'm really sorry!"
Grumbling agitatedly, Karma slammed the door as he turned and disappeared back into his room.
Haven turned around and headed for her room. "Although, I will admit that this was much more effective," she mumbled.
Fia looked up from where she was sprawled out on her bed with a bunch of scattered music sheets and two singing birds as her roommate walked back into their room. "How'd the apology go, Angel?" She smiled wryly, an expression torn between seeming amused and dearly disappointed spread across her face.
Haven sighed and flopped onto her bed. "I'm not sure he believes me when I say it was an accident."
Nagisa, from his sleeping bag on the floor, looked up from his book and to Haven. "I don't think the previous incidents are conducive to him believing you," he explained softly. "It'll be fine - He'll get over it." The bluenette smiled bitterly as he flipped to the next page of his book and continued to read.
"I kind of feel bad about this… but that was kind of funny." She stifled a small giggle with her hand. After a moment's pause, Fia propped herself up on her elbow and gazed at Haven. "That girl is in my music class, and she hates the saxophone. Did you know that, Angel?"
The floor-bound male sweat-dropped. "Is that what you meant when you said you got information from Rebecca, Haven?" he asked tentatively.
"I just asked her for a list of possible girls and a little information on them. Then I ran that through a home-brewed algorithm and have been preparing pranks based on the results," Haven shrugged. "In return, I have to keep certain noise levels to a minimum because her room is right next to his. It's what most call a win-win situation."
The resonating sound of the front door opening and closing alerted the trio to Karma's date's departure. Silence persisted for a few moments before slight chuckles filled the room instead.
"Try not to sign your own death wish though, okay, Angel?" With that, Fia gathered and placed her papers aside before placing the pair of cardinals into the box on her bedstand. Pulling the covers fully up to her chin and settling into the warm embrace of her blankets, she bid the birdies goodnight. "See you in the morning, Aka, Fuoco. She looked over at her roommates and blushed slightly in embarrassment.
"I think I already have," Haven sat up. "But it's worth it," she smiled.
Affectionately rubbing the head of his purring adopted kitty, Nagisa gazed curiously up at the avian couple. "I knew she was named Aka, but what does Fuoco mean?" he asked with a smile. "Is that Italian?"
"Um…" She nodded slowly. "I wanted to give him a name similar to mine; Fuoco means fire. He's such a feisty little thing -" Fia attempted to stroke his crest with a finger, only to get fervently chirped at. "But he just cares about Aka~" Smiling, she affectionately caressed Aka's feathers.
Haven scoffed. "I think it's a misnomer." Wysteria rolled onto her back and, mewling, pawed at Haven's hand as she leaned down to pet the squirming Siamese. Both girls smiled at Nagisa as he joined Haven in coddling the charming cat.
Watching the cuteness unfold on the other side of the room, Fia hummed in thought. "Do you two ever… share a bed?" Her face flushed. "L-Like to c-cuddle and stuff!" she added quickly, much to her embarrassment and Haven's as well.
The white-haired girl turned scarlet and hid under her sheets. Fia looked questioning to Nagisa instead, unsure of how to interpret her best friend's reaction. Nagisa sweatdropped and rubbed the back of his head before giving a minute nod, cheeks pink.
Her expression diffused into that of a gentle smile as she drowsily gazed between Nagisa and Haven. The Italian giggled softly and yawned as "g'night…" sleepily rolled off of her tongue.
Later that week, Haven found herself at the apartment alone, save for a lone cat curled up at her feet, as she encrypted and hid her newest emails on her computer. Because Fia was being pulled between daily rehearsals for the spring musical and bi-weekly training sessions with Jelavic and Felicia, her roommate was almost never around during the day, which was convenient for Haven to do this type of work. Haven knew Karma would be in class for another hour or two - that is, if he even bothered going to class - and Nagisa was supposed to be at the library for awhile.
Typing furiously, Haven's flying fingers killed second by second with each speedy stroke of her fingers against the keyboard. So immersed in her work, she didn't notice any other presence until hands gently covered her dark eyes.
"I'm home," a voice said softly.
In her surprise, Haven burst out into fit of verbalizations that could have been either Chinese, coding jargon, babbling, or a strange combination of the three as she slammed her laptop shut and turned to face the person behind her with a red face. "G-Gisa!" She finally managed to squeak out.
He sweat-dropped as he bowed his head slightly. "Sorry, Haven. I didn't mean to scare you." Nagisa's eyes widened suddenly and he smiled involuntarily.
"What is it?" Haven asked, cheeks still pink.
"It's nothing, just that… You're really cute, Haven…" Leaning down to kiss her cheek, Nagisa admitted with a soft chuckle. He lingered against her porcelain skin for a few moments before slowing drawing away and brushing some stray strands of hair away from her reddening face.
Haven stuttered incoherently as steam seemed to fly and a squeak poured from her lips louder than a train whistle could ever dream of wheezing out. Turning away quickly, she hid her face behind her laptop.
Nagisa smiled softly and called to his girlfriend tentatively. "Haven, the weather is nice today. Would you maybe… want to go for a walk with me?"
The white-haired girl stood abruptly and nodded slowly, face still hidden. Without saying anything, she managed to blindly find her way back to her room to put away her computer. When she emerged, she was slightly less pink but still very quiet.
Nagisa and Haven put their shoes on together at the front door in silence and made their way outside. They chose a somewhat less-traveled path around the campus under the scattered clouds that cooled and sheltered them from the would-be harshness of the sun's expanding rays. Enjoying each other's company immensely, neither spoke for awhile, not even when Haven surprised Nagisa by brushing her hand ever so slightly against his.
He looked carefully at the beautiful girl beside him who was continuing to walk as if nothing had happened, probably unsure of whether or not he wanted to hold hands. The bluenette smiled. Little did she know that he always wanted to hold her without exception. Thinking this, Nagisa gently took Haven's hand as he chuckled.
The first time they had held hands, they hadn't gotten past letting their fingertips press lightly together. To have interlocking fingers gave Nagisa the impression that they'd come a long way as a couple, that he was slowly getting Haven to open up to him. He sighed in relief and stole another doting glance at Haven, whose black eyes seemed to fix on a drifting white cumulus above them.
Was that right? Haven wondered to herself if the texture of a cloud would help her to describe how Nagisa was making her feel at that moment. She frowned slightly. A cloud didn't give her anxiety or make her heart feel like it could painfully burst. She looked over at Nagisa, smiling as he walked forward without hesitation like he always did. Turning red, Haven felt herself relax and shift closer to him, if only a little bit, as her worried thoughts floated away.
Too immersed in exchanging furtive glances at each other as they walked on, the couple didn't even notice a familiar redhead, eyes fixed intently on them, pass.
In one quick motion, Karma unlocked the door and pushed it open. Sighing boredly, he shoved his hands in his pockets and kicked the door closed with his foot before taking off his shoes and flatly announcing "I'm home" to the seemingly empty apartment. With Nagisa and Haven out, he didn't expect anyone to be home anyway.
"Non c'entra, Mami! (That has nothing to do with it, Mom!)" A voice yelled angrily. "I can't be in a thousand places at once! Non dimenticare (don't forget) - You asked me to take up singing again!"
Surprised and concerned, Karma followed the sounds of bitter Italian down the hall and to the girls' room. He found the door ajar and pushed on the wooden panel ever so slyly as he stole a glance into the room, where he saw Fia pacing with her cellphone pressed tightly to her ear.
Fia's face flushed. "Me ne frega?! (Who cares?!) I care! I told you that I can't come home right now, and I really can't! … The last time I did something for myself? Ogni morte di papa (Refers to the death of a Pope but is the English equivalent of "Once in a blue moon")."
"Scusami (Excuse me), but I refuse! … Cazzo, Non rompere le scatole! (Fuck, Don't break the boxes - tells someone to stop being difficult)." Fia stopped pacing in front of the foot of her bed and green eyes caught glimpse of red through the doorway.
More tepidly, she continued to speak. "I understand that perfectly well, Mami, but I'd appreciate if you could understand where I'm coming from… Magari. (Maybe.) … Ti amo, Mammina… (I love you, Mommy…)" With a heavy sigh and bittersweet smile, Fia lowered her phone and turned to the door.
"You here to enjoy the show?" she called agitatedly towards the redhead leaning against the doorframe and running his hand through his hair.
"Something like that. Who knew West Side Story involved a lot of profane Italian? … Mind if I come in?"
Fia slowly shook her head. "I-I guess not…"
He shot the brooding girl a wry smile and made his way over to her, taking a seat on the foot of her bed, even as she flopped face-first onto the mattress. Clenching her sheets in tight fists, she exhaled into a pillow-muffled sigh. After sitting in awkward silence for a few moments, Fia perked her head up in thought.
"Well, it is based off of Romeo and Juliet." She scoffed. "O, Romeo, Romeo! wherefore the fuck art thou, Romeo?"
Karma snickered. "Aw, Is Juliet having issues?"
Propping herself up on her elbows, Fia took a deep breath. "Si, well, Juliet feels an awful lot like Rapunzel suffering under Mother Gothel's strict reign… Ugh, parents!" Fia's face hit her pillow once again.
"I see that you're already working on the transition." He reached over to took a lock of her hair in his hand, allowing the strands to fall through his fingers and onto her back.
She stifled a small giggle and rolled over as she sat up and blew some wavy bangs out of her face. "It really is getting long, huh?"
"Hey, maybe in a couple of inches you'll have enough hair to braid into a noose!" Karma suggested cheerfully.
Fia exaggerated a gasp as she laughed. "We could totally use that in your next assassination! And I'll be making a fashion statement at the same time - Ms. Jelavic will be so proud!"
"Little Miss Morally-Upheld is plotting a murder? Who woulda guessed?" He stuck his tongue out teasingly.
"Who do you think I am?" Fia demanded as her cheeks darkened. "I'm Fia Timo, heiress to Tuscany's most sought after famiglia." Smiling smugly, she turned her chin up arrogantly. "I'll have you know that I bear the mark of a natural-born killer!"
Karma quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" With a smirk and a swift move of his hand, he stole a jab at Fia's exposed neck.
"H-Hey! That tickles!" She swatted his hand away and rubbed her neck, laughing lightly. "Bene, I deserved that much."
"Natural-born killer, huh?" The redhead inquired with dead-weight sarcasm.
Fia crossed her arms across her chest with a huff and a protruding pout. "Che scortese! (How rude!) Screw you, I was being serious!"
"Sure, you were." Extending his hand again, Karma pinched Fia's cheek, successfully eliciting a whine as he shook her head slightly.
"Cazzo!" The Italian swore, rubbing her red cheek in her palm. Teary-eyed, she stuck a tongue out at Karma. "Meanie!"
Her companion smirked. "What? Do you want me to kiss it better?"
Fia blushed but glared at him over the bridge of her nose. "That magic charm doesn't work unless it's imbued with love, you know!"
Karma dead-panned at the serious expression plastered on the girl's face. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"
Throwing her finger in his face, she asserted adamantly, "Of course I do!"
He sweat-dropped. "I take it your brother taught you that, right?"
"Of course!" Fia sat back with a childishly pondering look and tilted head. "But why would you assume that?"
Karma shook his head and moved to ruffle Fia's hair. "Don't think too hard about it - you might deplete all the air that's left in that empty head of yours~."
"H-Hey!" Fia pushed Karma's head away with a laugh. "If my head has air in it, then my head isn't empty, because the gaseous molecules are bouncing around in there! Aaaaand I'll bet you they include noble gases that will suppress the chemical reactions caused by the electrical reactions in my brain that will fill my head with light like a fluorescent light bulb, so, HA!" She grinned triumphantly.
He stared at her in disbelief before letting loose a strangled laugh. Fia blushed and timidly shrunk back, staring down at her fiddling hands in her lap. There was a long gap of disquieted sighing. Karma turned to smile at Fia with an intent gaze and leaned closer to her to peer into her face from only a breath's distance away.
"U-Um… C-Che?" Fia demanded past her petite pout and dark cheeks.
"I just wanted to check on you," he reported as he leaned back, supporting his weight on his hands. "Feeling any better, Fia?"
After a moment of thought, she nodded slowly. "I think so… Th-Thanks, Karma." Blushing, Fia brought her peridot eyes to meet garnet ones, only to almost-immediately avert her gaze in embarrassment. "How much… did you actually hear?"
He lazily shrugged a shoulder. "Considering I don't speak Italian, not that much. Just enough to more or less get the gist of it. Fighting with your mom about being in the musical?"
"Sort of…" Sighing, Fia tucked her knees in under her chin and wrapped her arms securely around her legs. "She wants me to go home, especially because Gio is getting in trouble at school again, but I'm way too busy between the musical and filling out applications to go -" Fia caught herself and diverged quickly. "I'm too spread out - I mean, I'm sure you weren't expecting me to be back before 8 tonight, right?" She laughed dryly. "I'm… exhausted… The family can't continue to be my sole responsibility… Even if I told Fino otherwise…"
"If you're so sick of it, why not just tell her off?" Karma asked flatly.
Fia's eyes, intense and unamused, found Karma in their peripheral. "You're kidding, right?"
"I mean, sure, you might die, but at least you'll have kicked the bucket with her knowing exactly how you feel." he shot back. Groaning, Fia fell flat onto her back. Karma sighed. "You didn't tell her how you felt, did you?" She turned her face away in response. "Well, did you?"
"No…" Fia mumbled back. "But -"
"But you're the one always talking about the importance of communication, aren't you?" Karma interjected sharply. "Don't you think you're being hypocritical here?"
Pained eyes shut tightly as Fia rolled onto her side and grabbed her pillow, hugging it tightly as if to squeeze out every drop of downy comfort she could. She buried her face into her pillow and mumbled an incoherent affirmative response.
Awkwardly, Karma stared up at the ceiling in thought. The two stayed like that for a half hour more, silence hanging between them like a smothering quilt in the heat of summer. Karma reached over and lightly tapped Fia's shoulder.
"Hn?"
"When's the musical?" He questioned tentatively.
Fia sat up slowly. "Um… Not too long from now - a couple weeks." A strained smile carved its way onto her face. "Are you planning to bring your girlfriend? I don't mind getting you two some complimentary tickets… I'd be really happy if you both came to see me! N-Not that you have to come to see ME - I-It's a great s-story on it's own and -" She face-palmed hard. "I'll just get you the damn tickets."
Karma shifted uncomfortably as he sweatdropped and forced a smile. "Uh, thanks…" Rubbing the back of his head, he pushed himself onto his feet. "I guess I'll see you around. Break a leg?"
"Knowing myself, I probably will. Y-You know, 'cause you always call me a clutz…?" Fia laughed nervously. A dark cloud hovered over the pair as a direct result of Fia's terrible, self-depreciating joke. Fia's face bore an expression of absolute disgust and disappointment. "Just braid my hair into a noose and hang me already."
Karma couldn't help but exhale a small chuckle. The corner of Fia's mouth involuntarily turned upwards at the sound and the girl let out a quiet giggle. Two pairs of pensive eyes and soft smiles met for a lingering moment, separating only as their respective hearts turned away.
Sometime over the next week, Nagisa and Haven were working together in the living room: Nagisa on his curriculum-development project, Haven on her thesis. Suddenly, Haven's eyes flicked to a corner of her screen and she moved to carry her computer to work in her room. Nagisa watched her questioningly when Fia stumbled into the apartment, looking beat.
"Hello, Fia," Nagisa greeted her with a smile.
The barely-conscious girl dragged herself over to the free couch and flopped down on it. Her face smushed into the cushions, she replied with a "Hehlloh, Nagisha."
"You look tired. Long day?" Nagisa sweatdropped as the girl nodded vigorously into the cushion. "Are you hungry? Karma cooked up some fried rice."
Fia didn't respond verbally, but her stomach growled loudly like a hungry wolf ready to attack. Not wanting to find herself unwittingly biting at the couch fabric, she pushed herself onto her feet and dragged her tired body into the kitchen for the sustenance serenading her with its savory scent.
Not bothering to expend extra effort in walking back, Fia filled a bowl with Karma's cooking and slid to the kitchen floor. She forced herself to eat at a slower pace and try to savor the food but her hunger overpowered her sentimentality and Fia scarfed down as much as she could. Satiated, she lumbered back into the living room and collapsed on the couch once again.
Nagisa gingerly closed his textbook and placed it on the table in front of him before turning back to Fia. "Are you sure you haven't been overworking yourself?"
She smiled tiredly in response and waved her hand dismissively. "I'm fine… Sorry that I haven't been around much to cook and, when I am, that it's always on the late side."
The bluenette shook his head with a reassuring smile. "That's alright. Karma's been picking up some of the slack - finally - and we're all just glad that you're okay… It's already past midnight," he began tentatively. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk you back next time you have a late night at the theater?"
Fia sighed and scratched at some dry paint, likely from working on the sets, from the back of her hand. "I don't know… I'll definitely text you if I feel unsafe though," she promised. "I didn't actually realize it was so late. I guess that explains why the clock tower wasn't ringing." After a moment more of thought, Fia shot a curious look at Nagisa. "Karma isn't home?"
He hesitated but he shook his head. "No, he isn't."
Nodding slowly, Fia turned onto her side and nestled into the couch for comfort.
"Fia… Why not tell Karma how you feel?" Nagisa mused quietly. "That's the advice you gave me, right? Besides," he sweat-dropped as he mentally counted the number of times he had been outed from his own room now, "he could use a wake-up call."
She propped herself up onto her elbows. "What do you propose I do?"
Nagisa absentmindedly stroked the sleeping cat curled up beside him. "You could give him a tap on the back of the head - I'm joking of course." Nagisa could say otherwise, but he was rubbing the back of his own head, where Karma had smacked him many a time, with his free hand.
Fia sweat-dropped. "I don't know if that's the message I want to be conveying…"
"I would talk to him. I think you'd be surprised by how his actions do and don't reflect what he's actually thinking," Nagisa noted.
"Has anything like this happened before?" she asked tentatively.
The bluenette thought seriously for a few moments. "There was another girl in 3-E that he was kind-of close to, but, no, I don't think this has happened before. I wonder how Okuda is… I recently talked to Kurahashi and Touka, but they live in a different area."
"Do you miss them?" Fia asked with a soft smile. "You should introduce us one day to all of your important friends from 3-E."
Nagisa smiled gleefully. "Alright, I will. I'll just warn you now though, we're a crazy bunch." He laughed. "Stay away from Rio if you don't want your secrets spilled. Okajima is a pervert, but he's easy to talk to. We like to tease Isogai about being an Ikeman but he's a really cool guy; Maehara is cool too, if you can get over him being a flirt…"
For a while, Nagisa and Fia sat on the couch together, laughing, as Nagisa told her about each of his classmates and all the antics they would get into in Class 3-E. Outside, a glowing crescent moon hovered over the apartment, a cheshire cat smile hanging in the starry sky. The wind slithered through the cracks of the windows and under the doors, uttering a faint "ufufufu" before the crickets stood to sing their sonatas.
Karma found himself wandering around the campus grounds of an unfamiliar university. The last thing he remembered, he'd fallen asleep in another girl's room, but now here he was getting nasty and embarrassed looks from all the students that appeared to attend there. He'd already tried using his cell phone, but it was out of range, and he'd attempted to use the local computer labs, but he wasn't a student here. He'd hoped that someone would have accidentally forgotten to log off but no such luck.
Confused and more than a little bit annoyed, he found his way to a nearby field and was about to lay down when he heard a rush of pounding steps. He turned quickly to intercept, raising his arm in defense, when two feet hit him squarely in the chest and knocked him to the ground. When Karma staggered back to his feet with a growl, he came face-to-face with a longhaired redhead with her hands sassily placed on her hips and a scowl gracing her face.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" They both shouted simultaneously.
Karma was taken aback by the woman storming up to him as she bared her sharp canine teeth. "Listen, punk!" She jabbed her finger against his chest like she might a knife. "You sick fucks can make fun of me all you want - I really couldn't care less about the shit that festers around this school - but once you start causing trouble for my boyfriend, you start trouble with me. You got that?"
"What the fuck are you talking about?" He demanded, blocking an acutely-aimed surprise kick towards his head.
"Don't play stupid!" The woman threw a few more expert punches at Karma, the last of which he caught. Seeing his face up close, she suddenly stopped. "Oh." Orange eyes peered warily into the familiar face of the sighing woman, who easily freed her wrist and brushed herself off. "Well, that explains that."
"Explains what?" Karma scowled. "You attacked me for what reason?"
She shot him a bored expression over his shoulder. "People saw your ass walking around and started some stupid rumors about me. I thought someone might have been intentionally trying to mess with me." She crossed her arms as she stared across the field. "Wouldn't be the first time."
"I might regret askin' this, but why'd you stop all of a sudden?"
The redhead flipped her hair over her shoulder as she turned back to face Karma. "Because you're the other Karma Akabane. You had no reason to be here, let alone to pick fights with me. Besides, I've been more or less expecting you to show up around here."
As amber eyes met equally amber eyes behind similar sweeps of vermillion bangs, Karma realized just how much the mysterious woman resembled himself. Figuring the situation out quickly, he ran his hand through his hair as he sighed. "What am I doing here? Why are we in the States? And how'd you know to expect me?"
"No idea, I go to school here, and wouldn't you like to know, Akabane?" She smirked.
Karma stuck his tongue out. "You're Akabane too. What the hell am I supposed to call you?"
The woman thought for awhile. "You could call me Dharma, I guess. Man, this feels weird." Yawning, she stretched and flopped down onto the grass.
"I guess sometimes a parent's weird sense gets passed down to their kids… I'm not calling you that." Karma remarked with an amused smirk as he took a seat next to his female counterpart.
"So, what's wrong?" The female Karma asked flatly. "From what I know, you wouldn't be here if something wasn't bothering you. So spill." She waved her hand dismissively. Karma shot her a guarded glance. "It's a girl - or girls - isn't it?"
Karma's eyes widened and his cheeks took on a slightly cherry tint. "How would you -"
"- know? For one, I'm you. And… You have the same look on your face that I did back then." Shoving one hand into her pocket and biting the thumb of the other in thought, she mused. "So, you going to tell me about it?"
Hesitantly, Karma turned his eyes up to the sky in thought. If anyone could help him understand his own feelings, it would be himself, wouldn't it? "Well…"
After Karma explained everything he could think of as being relevant, he was greeted by an unamused but serious expression in the form of a tight-lipped glare from his counterpart.
"Just ask her out," she finally said. "Tell her what you told me, and do it before you dig your grave any deeper."
"How -"
"I'm a girl too."
"You -"
"Have a similar experience, kid."
"But -"
"She'll turn you down if you keep sleeping around."
"Would you -"
"Stop? Ha, not likely." The redheaded girl laughed lightly, jabbing Karma's cheek repeatedly with a finger as he simmered beside her. In one quick movement, she smacked him upside the head. "Seriously though, you're going to lose her this way. In the end, I had to ask out my boyfriend… I didn't want him to move on from me. They're human, Karma, maybe the best of people while we're the worst, but they can only take so much."
Karma rubbed the back of his head and grumbled before catching the other woman off guard and giving her a rough noogie. "Quit hitting me, will ya!" He spat as she broke free with an angry huff. "Besides, how could you understand? She's not like anyone else that I know."
"Karma?" A male voice called from a little ways off.
The female redhead tilted her head back and, in her inverted view, saw a familiar boy approaching them. She quickly jumped to her feet and embraced the auburn-haired man smiling at her between exhausted pants for air. Under wavy, side-swept bangs, olive eyes found Karma over thick-rimmed forest green glasses.
"Amore, who's this?" He asked, only the faintest fingerprint of a Tuscan accent in his voice.
"Why?" Female Karma smiled slyly and ran a finger down her boyfriend's smooth jawline. "Are you jealous?"
Dropping a light kiss onto her forehead, he sighed softly and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Actually, I was worried… All the rumors on campus - I didn't want you to be upset when you heard them. That's all."
She sighed. "Well that's no fun at all!" Shooting him a coy glance, the female Karma continued. "If you had been jealous, I would have made sure to spent all night tonight making sure that you know that you. are. mine." Smirking, she stole a kiss on the man's ear. He sputtered, ears turning redder than his girlfriend's hair, and he looked down.
"Dio, you'll be the end of me." He rubbed the back of his neck with a wry smile.
The redhead tilted her head with a sly smirk creeping onto her face. "You're not going to pull out, you got that?"
The auburn-haired person pouted slightly. "Why would I ever consider that? This relationship is the best thing that -" He dead-panned and his tanned skin burned away to scarlet as he caught onto the innuendo. Smiling shyly, he affectionately nuzzled his cheek against hers.
After a moment, he pulled back to gaze into her face. "You know, bella. I think you have a little something…" He pointed to the side of her face. Confused, she rubbed at the side of her mouth and shot him a curious face. "No." He smiled adoringly at her. "On your lips -" He pressed his lips to hers, causing a patch of pink to pop on her cheeks. Pulling away with rouge cheeks of his own, he laughed happily.
"You Italians think you're so smooth." The sighing woman draped her arms around his neck, glad to see the pink rise into his face. She introduced him to her companion. "That's Karma Akabane." Turning to look at Karma, she smiled mischievously and stuck her tongue out. "You think I don't understand your situation? I'd like you to meet my boyfriend - Fiammetta Timo."
"You can just call me Fino. Actually, please do." The Italian smiled amicably and extended his hand towards the other redhead. Fino blushed, having just realized that this man had witnessed their lovers' exchange. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "So you're the one Fia -" Green eyes widened. "Oops, that was supposed to stay a secreto…"
"Nice to meet you." Karma stared at Fino in disbelief, even as he shook his hand. His resemblance to Fia was even more striking than that between him and his female counterpart. "You've met Fia? She's talked about me?" It occurred to Karma that any of his housemates could have already met their gender-bent counterparts, including Fia, which would explain why his female counterpart knew to expect him.
Fino nodded slightly. "She might have mentioned you a few times. Ah, how is mia carina anyway~? Is she well? She seemed like she had one more thing on her mind other than school and family." Voice suggestive, he stared intently at Karma past a smile reminiscent of Nagisa's killer one.
Karma didn't flinch, but Fino's disposition let him know immediately that Fino had a heavier hand in his family's "affairs" than Fia did, but also that the Italian man cared immensely for, was even protective of, Fia. He wondered just how many times the Italians had met. He wondered if Fia had ever met his female counterpart. Distracted, he almost barely dodged a flying shoe, courtesy of the other Karma.
"You really have no other excuses, so ask her out!" She narrowed her tiger orange eyes at her male counterpart. "I have some 'things to sort out' with Fino, so I'm going to send you back now, but don't think I won't hesitate to kick your ass if you chicken out." Her gaze softened into a bittersweet smile. "I don't want you to regret it…"
Karma sighed heavily. "I'll… see what happens." He shot a wary glance at the approaching woman. "And how exactly do you plan to send me back?"
The female Karma smirked as she sauntered up to him and sat down unnervingly close. "Easily. I just have to wake you up, right? And then I have to wake him up so we can have some real fun~." She stole a furtive glance at Fino, who was blankly staring at them. Karma cautiously looked towards Fino, only to have something hit the base of his skull.
Karma's vision went black for a moment and when he blinked his eyes, he found them adjusting to a dark room only just beginning to brighten under the gray pre-dawn light. He sat up slowly, covers falling from his naked sculpted chest. Rubbing an eye as he yawned, he picked up his clothes from the floor and held them in his lap. Light breathing alerted him to the female form beside him and he sighed, resting his head in his hand, as his female counterpart's words bounced around his head.
Haven looked down at the "pad thai" she had just bought and sighed. The school's food was nothing compared to Fia's cooking. After taking a fews bites, she had to admit Karma's cooking was better than this as well. She was about to just skip lunch and run to her thesis presentation when someone slipped into the seat across the table from her.
"What do you think of the college?" A male voice asked. Haven looked up at the older man with curly white hair and a small goatee. Dark green eyes peered at her through thick black-rimmed glasses with a mischievous gleam.
"Why are you asking me?" Haven looked at the man cautiously.
"I'm thinking about taking a position here in the psychology department," the man mused. "But I wanted to see what the student body thought of the place before I agree."
"I'm not in the psychology department; However, I know someone who is. I could easily contact her," Haven suggested before moving to leave. Kavi would murder her if she missed her own thesis presentation.
"Wait," the man called, "Do you know Haven Lee?"
"What do you want with her?" Haven asked tentatively as she sat back down.
"So you are her," he assumed. "Do you know who I am?"
"Doctor Michael Brown. Age 59. Started an illustrious career at the age of 28 which took a nosedive at 39 and was rebuilt over the last 20 years. Married once, never divorced. One son with said wife. One younger illegitimate daughter with another woman," the girl stated flatly.
"You make me sound like such a scoundrel." Haven stared at him coolly. "You were the one who paid for my mistakes though," the man sighed. "I feel sorry for that. Growing up in those conditions couldn't have given you the best opinion of me."
Haven's eyes widened before narrowing. "How would you know what my childhood was like?"
"Easily. I've seen many cases like yours in my career," the man shrugged. "Your body language can tell me almost everything."
Haven flared, "I'm not some book for you to read nor some case file on your desk."
"I always wished I could have helped make your childhood a bit easier."
Haven scoffed, "Sending your kids to different schools would have been a good start. And just so you know, Mother always said you were great, even after you pretty much abandoned her."
"Speaking of your mother, there has been much research on her condition over the last twenty years," Dr. Brown placed a manilla file on the table between them. "The information in this file might help her stability."
Haven took the folder skeptically. "I might read this when I have time," Haven slipped the file into her bag and rose. "One last question before I go, why do you still care? She's no longer your patient."
"I truly love your mother," the doctor looked at her forlornly. "And I care for you as well."
Haven froze for a moment before rushing to leave. "Well, it was quite interesting to run into you, Dr. Brown. But I must run now," she said briskly and made her escape. As soon as she left the cafeteria, she went into a ladies room and locked herself in a stall. She grabbed the manilla file and tried to read the words made blurry by tears threatening to stream down her face. How could he? How could he put her through so much and say those things? She closed the file to protect the precious articles inside from the moisture of her tears and sobbed silently. Naturally, she missed the presentation.
Fia: (Staring at the dark circles under her eyes) I look like a panda… (Hears forlorn wailing and, alarmed, goes to find the source of the sound) What's wrong, Right Brain…?
Right Brain: I was worried that Left Brain would kill me for the chaotic transitions because she's so organized… But this is also more logical in the way that events don't always flow easily! (\(~)/) MY HEAD HURTS! Too much thinking!
Fia: (Sweat-dropping as she pats Right Brain's back) There, there…
Right Brain: I'm still scared… (T o T)
Fia: (Comfortingly) Why's that…? Left Brain won't kill you…
Right Brain: Because you're going to tell Karma - (squeaks and covers mouth before running away, leaving only dust clouds) Sooorrrrrrrryyyyy! (/-o A o-\)
Left Brain: (walks in rubbing back of head) Right Brain's going to kill me…
Fia: (Feeling as if this seems just a little bit familiar) What's wrong, Left Brain…?
Left Brain: (laughs nervously) I keep procrastinating and delaying our updates. Damn fluff.
Fia: (Sweat-dropping as she pats Left Brain's back) There, there… Is that why Nagisa and Haven aren't… um… More intimate?
Left Brain: (sweatdrops) I can't write that stuff… I mean I can, but it sounds more awkward than what happens after Haven's pranks… which is probably why I like writing out said pranks. (walks out)
Fia: How many walls are we breaking this time…?
Fem!Karma: (Particular redhead appears and grabs Fia by the chin, peering down into Fia's face) Yeah, well, I'd like to put Karma's head through a wall. What do you think about that?
Fia: (Stuttering and blushing, flabbergasted) K-Karma?! B-But how can you fight Karma i-if you're Karma and… (She finds her gaze at chest-level with her counterpart) A G-GIRL?! (begins to steam at the ears and dizzily collapses)
Fem!Karma: (Supports Fia around the waist with an intrigued expression) So you're Fia Timo, huh? My boyfriend makes a cute girl. (Smirks)
Fia: (Eyes spinning) Big boobs…
Fem!Karma: Not as if you don't have them yourself. (Sweat-drops)
Fino: (Approaching) Hey, now. I got enough of that in middle school. I don't need it from you too. (Drops a kiss on fem!Karma's head) Hello, Fia~.
Fia: (Still red-faced) C-Ciao, Fino…
Fem!Karma: Hey, do you have a boyfriend yet?
Fia: (Flusteredly shakes head slowly then quickly) N-Nobody's asked me out i-in years… Is something wrong with me?
Fem!Karma: No, and of course not. That stupid, little - Hey, sweetie, where's the idiot? (Sticks her tongue out)
Karma: Who are you calling an idiot, idiot?! (Approaches angrily as electric sparks intensely fly between the two redheads)
Fem!Karma: I'm callin' you an idiot, idiot! (Releases Fia and storms towards Karma, meeting him halfway) Did you ask her out yet or am I going to have to punch some sense into you?!
Fia: (Hugs Fino and whispers as Karmas growl and fight like feral dogs in the background) What are they talking about?
Fino: I haven't the slightest idea, bella. Wait… Is it narcissistic to call myself pretty?
Fia: I… Huh… (Giggles) I don't know but, for the record, I think you're handsome~.
Fino: I'm flattered. (Kissing both of his female counterpart's cheeks) How are you?
Fia: Tired… I'm really glad you're here. (Nestles head into his chest)
Fino: (Gently pets the top of her head) You can visit me anytime you need. I do love you like a sister.
Fia: (Smiles softly) Thank you… (Cuddles) I love you too.
Karma and Karma: You two! What do you think you're doing getting all chummy over there?!
Fia and Fino: Eep! (Exchanges panicked glances) We were, uh, just planning to get gelato! Th-That's all! (Sweat drops)
Karma: You two are shitty liars…
Fem!Karma: Honestly…
Fia: (Scowling and blushing) Well, you're being a jerk!
Fem!Karma: (Smirks) But she didn't stutter THAT time.
Karma: (To Fino) How do you even handle her?! (Points at the other Karma)
Fino: Why don't you ask her, amico? (Glances at Fia)
Karma: … (Blushes and clenches fists angrily but averts gaze)
Fem!Karma: Ha! You just got told!
Karma: (Snaps) You know, I'm gettin' real tired of your attitude!
Fem!Karma: Oh, really? That's a shame, 'cause I'm just getting started!
Karma and Karma: (both pulling out tubes of wasabi and mustard)
Fia and Fino: (sweat drops and mutually begin backing away towards the gelato shop)
Narrator: (Dodging flying green and yellow) In any case, on the next chapter -
Nagisa: (Observing cooly as he scribbles in his notebook) They would get along for almost anything else… I'm scared to see how well they'd get along if they were collaborating about how best to prank people…
Haven: Am I the only one who hasn't met my counterpart yet? And is this going to be a motif? Only one who hasn't met their counterpart, only one who's too young to drink, only one who can't shoot a gun?
Narrator: As I was saying, in the next chapter -
Nagisa: I wonder how Nagisa is doing… If she's on her way to becoming a wonderful professor.
Fia and Fino: (Sharing a cup of strawberry gelato) Ish yer femare coun'erpawt nich?
Nagisa: Yes, She's really sweet. We actually met not too long ago.
Fia: (Mouth full, gelato on cheeks) Wet'sh make a genherbenge clwub!
Fino: (Mouth full, gelato on cheeks) We'wre be de co-chaihws!
Narrator: In any case, on the next chapter -
Karma: Ha! Can't take the heat? (Smiling sadistically as he looms over the crouched form of the female Karma)
Fino: (Pulling sleeves back) Hey, Stronzo (asshole)! (Gets ready to fight Karma but stops when his girlfriend suddenly begins laughing hysterically)
Fem!Karma: (raises head, revealing swollen red lips and cheeks) What about you? You should really learn to keep it in your pants - or should I say out?
Karma: WHAT DID YOU DO?! (searching his pants for the irritant)
Haven: (snickers)
(Characters continue to yell and fight)
Narrator: I quit! No preview unless you all SHUT UP!
(Crickets fill the room)
Narrator: Thank you. Next chapter we hear a lot about Haven… did you hack us?
