A/N: Another chapter, whuuuuut~? Prepare for a bit of OOCness xD. I pride myself of making convincing characters, so that's why I flip out so much over unbelievable situations. Then again, StockingxBrief isn't really cannon anyway xP

8. Maybe?

So Stocking stayed until he fell asleep, and it didn't take long. His breathing leveled out, deep and slightly congested, body relaxed and limp. On second thought, as she trudged back home to the church, perhaps she should have stayed with him until the fever broke. She heard that fevers could kill people if they got too high, but since when was she nursemaid to the Geek Boy, anyway? Being sappy and rubbing his head until he drifted off had been more than enough. Though…

Stocking rubbed the cold pads of her fingers together, still able to feel the crisp, human heat against them. Frowning, she wondered why it had been such a draw…Why had she wanted to keep her hand there, even after he was no longer conscious? She didn't know the answer, and had the creeping feeling that she didn't want to explore it either. The spoon and leftover soup sloshed against the Tupperware as she stomped through the snow back towards the church. Hopefully there hadn't been any trouble while she was gone.

She leaned into the creaky door, and with a tired delight, realized there hadn't been. The house was the same as when she left, albeit a little more askew. Probably from Panty rummaging around for one thing or another. The sister in question looked back over her shoulder from the couch.

"Close the damn door," she ordered. "It's fucking freezing."

Sighing, Stocking let the heavy wood clasp behind her as she unraveled the scarf from her neck. Panty slit her eyes suspiciously as she eyed the soup. "And just what were you doing out?"

"What are you, my mom?"

"Geez," Panty said, looking back at the television. "I was just wondering, damn.."

Stocking didn't want Panty to know about her outing for plenty of reasons, the most prominent one about not wanting to get judged. Panty would most certainly take it the wrong way, assume all the wrong things, and then never let her live it down. So no one needed to know. Ever. Hn, speaking of that, she would probably have to get Brief to sign some sort of binding contract so he didn't spill the beans either. Not that he seemed keen on talking to Panty again, anyway.

Panty watched her sister tend to the dishes, scrub them and dry them, put them away. She did all this from the corner of her blue eyes, legs crossed and posture slouched against the couch. Chuck stretched out on the rug by the table, enjoying a lazy, cozy home safe from the cold. The silence hung on the air, chilling and sticky, before Panty closed her eyes.

"You were with him, weren't you?"

The lack of response was answer enough, but Stocking interrupted before Panty could follow up.

"That's where you want to be, isn't it?"

It was probably the least-expected reply, though Panty kept her poker-face intact. It was the implication that surprised her, not the accuracy. No, Panty did not want to be with him. He was snotty, sniffly, sneezy, and therefore more disgusting than usual. Weak, pathetic human men. Good for only a quick fuck and then useless. The blonde angel was still furious with him because of his words, and she didn't intend on forgiving him soon. Instead, he could come crawling back to her, just like she knew he would. Panty smirked.

"You want him," she said, snuggling down into her seat. Stocking stiffened at her place by the sink, slamming the plastic and spoon against the tub.

"Not all of us are as horny as you are, dear sister."

"Nor as much of a self-righteous bitch as you."

What ensued was a bloody, hair-pulling, eye-clawing mess that Brief (at another time) would have probably enjoyed watching just a little. Being angels, they could tolerate more pain, maintain a greater level of stamina, and generally kick more ass than human women could. Neither one was sure exactly how long the fist fighting lasted, but once it was over, they had almost forgotten what had started it. They finished it by sharing dinner on the couch and settling back into their passive-aggressive, non-spoken agreement of sisterhood. It was how every disagreement usually ended eventually.

Final exams came over the high school like a plague the following week, some kids with at least one a day. Panty and Stocking did well enough to avoid expulsion, but were by no means stellar. Brief, who had nearly recovered from his cold, had spent his waking hours studying that weekend. The results showed. He had studied, he decided, not for his teachers or his father, but for himself—the future he would one day want.

Because the three of them all shared a few classes together, it was impossible for them to avoid one another. The Rock heir did his best to keep Panty out of his line of vision, and Stocking tried to duck away from the both of them. After the awkward exchange between her and Geek Boy that past Saturday, she neither wanted to meet his eyes nor remind Panty of their altercation following the visit. Unfortunately, even with her best intentions, a sort of magnetism brought them together.

He was constantly around her in the halls, either keeping to himself or chatting with a friend about something or another. She noticed him in the lunchroom, and no matter where she chose to sit, he felt close. Before and after school, he always arrived and left when she did. Both of them appeared determined to avoid one another, yet they were around each other on a frustratingly often basis. Midweek, Stocking had a misstep.

The strong, soft chest took her by surprise. The ensuing, deep, "Sorry," surprised her even more. Looking up, eyes huge and fearful, she felt cold at the green globes and orange hair that met her. Reaching up to push a few wayward bangs from his eyes, Brief shifted his gaze.

"Didn't see you there," he offered in way of excuse. Stocking knew he was telling the truth. His tone was taut and it was impossible for him to keep the mild horror from his face. The angel, all of a sudden aflutter, stammered for a moment.

"Oh, I-…well, me neither. I mean, I saw myself.. not you, though.. ha.." Mentally, she choked herself. What was she even saying?! She sounded like Brief the few early times he attempted to approach Panty… ugh. He quirked a brow at her, just as taken aback as she was about her reply.

"Right," he said, and gave a bashful sort of smile, amused by the awkward tension hovering around them. People in the halls shuffled by them, jostling and filling the echoing space with a thousand voices. It felt muffled, like Stocking and Brief were in a glass orb of silence.

"You…seem better," Stocking commented, glancing down to pull a little at her skirt. Her cheeks felt warm, and she was baffled by the sensation. The one time she had convinced herself she was in love, she had been buoyant and candyish, not shy. Not hesitant. What were these feelings now? Why?

"I feel… better," Brief said, though he sounded unsure. "Thanks for, you know… for that.."

Stocking understood what he referred to and nodded for him to stop talking, waving a dainty hand. "Yeah, sure. It was no problem…"

Again, the tension descended, neither one really knowing the appropriate thing to say to the other. Brief, still of the mind that evasion was key, moved to slip around her.

"Well, see y—" He paused when Stocking grabbed his arm, staring pointedly at the floor, her bicolor bangs obscuring her teal eyes completely. Brief looked for a moment at her nails, painted a navy blue, and then to her profile. He assumed she would speak, and when she didn't, he prompted her. "Need something?"

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and Brief's eyes widened. She plowed forward before he could say anything. "For us treating you the way we did. For Panty being Panty, and… I.. I could have done a better job looking from the inside out with you."

The admission stunned Brief, and he took in a quick breath. Still, the bodies moved around them, uninterested in their conversation. He felt as though he stood there much longer than he actually did, turning to glance at her only after absorbing the knowledge.

"Are you lying?"

Stocking sobered at that, not really blaming him for wondering. Perhaps she didn't think he would ask aloud, but the fact he had considered it didn't shock her. Though, it hurt a little.

"No."

"No?"

"…I said no, didn't I?"

The hush of their voices felt all the louder in the tide of students, which was beginning to fade. They trickled into their classes, and before long, the angel and the boy were the only beings left. With his other hand, Brief reached and enclosed it over the appendage at his arm, holding it for a moment.

"Thanks," he said. Stocking gave a little, darling glance to his eyes, and found them rather warm. It encouraged her to hold his gaze. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't take my anger at Panty out on you."

"You have reason to. I wasn't very nice either."

"We just didn't have anything to talk about," he told her, and the statement rang true. Those times they had been alone, there had been little to say. It had always been that way. Both of them held up a similar wall of distance. She had done so before him out of duty, out of responsibility. But he did it now for safety. Protection for his heart. She smiled gently as she suddenly understood.

"Maybe… than can change, soon," she offered. Her reason for doing so felt foreign, though deep down she had an inkling it was because she wanted it. It was scary, since he was a human. But she hadn't let species differences get in her way before. Still, it wasn't something she preferred to think hard about. Putting too much stock made it frightening for her. Brief felt the same as he let go of her hand, turning to go.

"Yeah," he told her over his shoulder, and then stared forward as he smiled. "Maybe."