Title: three steps behind, under an umbrella
Author: mysterio000
Pairing: TouyaxNakuru
Fandom: CCS
Theme: #2, jealousy
Disclaimer: apply standard CCS disclaimer here.

Credits: to the creators of DN Angel anime, for inspiring this scene, which was adapted from the part where Daisuke comforted Risa, while Riku stood behind to watch.

Nakuru held the umbrella above the two of them - no, not herself, but above Touya, and the girl that he was holding in his arms.

Her chocolate eyes sought for the sky. Some raindrops splashed onto her cheeks, some hung at the ends of her eyelashes, and she closed her eyes momentarily as they rolled down her face like crystal dewdrops.

"I don't want him to leave me." The girl was sobbing in Touya's arms, holding onto him beseechingly. Nakuru glanced down, as she continued to hold out the umbrella to shelter them from the downpour.

Touya's eyes were extremely soft, as he held the delicate person in his embrace. He was soothing the girl's flame locks, patting on her back occasionally to comfort her. "Don't think about it anymore..."

Nakuru watched from three steps behind, and felt her heart clench quite painfully.

The girl now looked into Touya's brown, concerned, worried eyes. But Nakuru knew something she didn't know. That there was love in those eyes as well. Touya loved her, but the girl in his arms loved another.

And, Nakuru thought with a sigh that never escaped her lips, she of all people, had to love Touya.

Her fingers gripped the hold of the umbrella tighter, and her knuckles were set white against the stormy weather backdrop. She directed her gaze downwards to the ground.

It was hard to watch.

"Touya," the girl's voice was pleading, and tragically beseeching and muffled against Touya's chest, "won't you help me forget him?"

Touya stiffened in the rain, but then relaxed almost immediately. The two of them pulled away, and he looked into her eyes. "I--"

"Touya?" The girl pleaded.

I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. Nakuru chanted the mantra in her eyes repeatedly. Half of her considered running away from this scene, to ensure she wasn't going to be knowing what she was missing out. But if she ran away now, she would be a bad friend to Touya, who didn't shelter him and the one he loved in the rain when he needed her the most.

"...Silly girl." He leant forward to wipe the tears from the girl's eye. "You'll forget him eventually."

"B-But, won't you help me?"

Touya looked away, and for a moment, inadvertently caught Nakuru's gaze, who instantly adverted hers away to the sky immediately.

Touya's heart swayed. His senses reeled. He did not know why, and wished not to.

He turned back to the girl. She needed him most now.

"Yes, whatever you wish."

And the girl embraced him and cried her heart out. Touya held her closer to her side.

Three steps behind, under an umbrella, Nakuru Akizuki stood, wholesome on her two feet. But deep within, she knew everything had been fragmented and torn into bits and pieces.

I won't cry. I won't run away. Touya and the girl he loves needs me here.

Nakuru blinked constantly, trying to make sure the tears would just go away.

The rain continued to pour.

Touya looked up and purposefully caught her glimpse. He mouthed the word 'arigatou'. She simply nodded, and shot him the brightest, most cheerful smile she could muster, however forceful it actually was.

Reassured, Touya turned back to the girl in his arms.

Don't cry for someone who has already another!

One tear drop meshed with the raindrop against her cheek.

Anou baka, Akizuki! You're an idiot! Don't cry! Don't cry now, not when Touya is here!

Another tear followed.

You know he loves another.

She nodded, to herself, hastily thumbing the third tear away from eye in hope no one had seen it.

And why do you insist on loving him when you already knew that he'll never be yours in the first place?

The tears kept coming successively. She gave up, and resorted to just turning her head away, as Touya busied himself with comforting the girl in his arms.

Three steps behind the couple, soaked and drenched as she held out the umbrella to them to keep them dry, she could no longer differ the raindrops or the teardrops that were on her cheeks.

She thanked the rain for covering up her weakness. That she was crying.

And the horrible truth.

She gave a soft sigh, and a small bittersweet smile as she turned back to watch them embrace under the umbrella she offered.

Because I just do.

owari