Authors Chat: Aaaand back to some meat and potatoes of the story!

I would greatly appreciate your comments and constructive criticism!

That being said, italics text are direct thoughts of characters, text is in quotes, noises are done with asterisks.

DISCLAIMER: Skip Beat! and it's characters are not my original creation, they are owned and created by Nakamura Yoshiki.

Story Timeline: This fanfic is outside the timeline Nakamura-sensei has set forth. This would take place past the present storyline, but a not-so-distant future. Character development applies as I will attempt to keep the characters as Nakamura-sensei has made them. (Otherwise it just isn't a fanfiction but rather a fiction merely using the same names!) Just don't forget that some things may seem a bit out of character since they (characters) are in situations that Nakamura-sensei has not yet put them into or developed the emotional necessity for.

Playing With Fire

Act 12

The haziness of waking up filled Kyoko's mind, and she moved to stretch without thinking. She was hindered by something formed to her body against her back, so she couldn't straighten out fully. That's when her mind started working again, and it was working in overdrive.

She wasn't in her own room. She wasn't in her own bed. She wasn't alone. The night came rushing back at her as she realized where she was and what had happened that lead to this, and her brain stopped working again.

She tried to take in the situation. She couldn't roll onto her back and straighten out because Ren was plastered to her back with his arm around her tummy, holding her in place against him. Her shirt had ridden up just enough so his bare arm rested against her bare stomach and slightly higher. His hand curved around her side as if hugging a teddy bear. Somehow, within the course of the night, Ren had gotten under the covers completely and was now sharing his body warmth with Kyoko.

Her back was incredibly warm, and it felt good. She didn't think she should be here like this, but she was the one who crawled back in bed with him. She had no right to complain. In truth, Kyoko was feeling very good. She slept very well, and it was actually nice to wake up sharing someone's warmth. She felt somewhat fuzzy in the head. Fuzzy enough that it could be called happiness.

Aaah! What am I thinking!? …gotta get out of here.

She gently disentangled herself from Ren's full body hug and slipped out of bed. She relieved herself in the bathroom and ran her hand through her hair, taming the wildness of sleep and removing the few tangles, then she trudged into the kitchen to get some breakfast started.

It was still early, but it was Monday, and they were due on set first thing that morning.

Kyoko washed some rice and got it cooking then checked in the fridge to see what remained of the food from the previous day. She couldn't do anything with their leftover Italian, but she could certainly use the remaining eggs and Canadian style bacon and a few spices to create a breakfast rice porridge.

She couldn't help but smile as she set about her task. She hadn't been able to, nor wanted to, wake up in the morning and cook breakfast for anyone since she left Sh… since she left the old apartment. It felt… nice. (Her demons, of course, hated it. Every one of them felt a sense of strangulation since she stepped into this apartment yesterday morning.)

She flitted over thoughts of how Ren would like his breakfast porridge and grumbled over his lack of coffee pot as she took down the instant coffee.

Hrm… Tsuruga-san still isn't awake… should I wake him? She could feel her cheeks burn. What am I blushing for!? I was just in there with him! Why am I shy to go in now?! Her blush darkened, but she mustered her courage and resolved to enter his room to wake him up.

She finished cooking the porridge, stirred up two mugs of instant coffee - hers with milk and sugar, his black – and placed their settings at the table in the living room.

He's still not up? … No choice then. She smiled awkwardly and went down the hallway and back into Ren's bedroom. He still seemed to be heavily asleep.

"Tsuruga-san…. Tsuruga-san…" she softly called his name. He rolled onto his back. "Tsuruga-san…" she called a little louder, but he still did not respond.

Kyoko crawled onto the bed toward him and gently shook him as she called to him. "Tsuruga-san, it's time for breakfast."

"Mmm… let the kids make it themselves Kyoko dear…" he mumbled.

She blushed. He was dreaming he had children and a family with someone named Kyoko. It was a somewhat common name…

"Tsuruga-san!" He opened one eye a slit then reached up and pulled her down to him. She didn't expect that and yelped in response.

"Kyo… Mogami-san… what are you doing here?" He released her and looked up at her, confusion evident in his furrowed brows.

Kyoko stuttered, "w-w-waking y-you up for b-breakfast! Y-you were s-sleeping so hard and d-didn't wake up when I c-c-called!"

He pushed himself into a sitting position in bed and put his head in his hands groggily, "but what are you doing HERE… in my apartment? How did you get in?"

"Y-you don't remember Tsuruga-san? I fell asleep on the couch last night … I woke up in your b-bed! I t-t-thought…"

"Oh… oh that's right… the guest bed wasn't made…" and you came back to my bed in the middle of the night.

Kyoko nodded.

Ren swung his feet over the far side of the bed as Kyoko crawled off of the side by the door. Ren sat on the edge of the bed as he tried to collect himself and put his Tsuruga Ren façade on. He had slept so well, had good dreams, and woke up to the woman he loved calling him to breakfast. The day was starting out very well, and Ren had a hard time keeping the smile off of his face.

"Breakfast is on the table. Don't be long or it'll get cold."

Ren watched her leave his bedroom before standing up himself and following her out. After his own bathroom duties, he made his way into the living room and sat at the table.

Breakfast was an enjoyable affair for the second day in a row… this was something he could get used to. Ren smiled at the thought.

"What?"

"Hmm? Oh… nothing." He beamed at her. Kyoko could feel herself being drawn in. It seemed the more his real smile shone at her, the less resistance she had to its brilliance. Despite waking up in Ren's bed, breakfast was smooth and unstrained. It was an easy affair, and by the time they both completed their meal, they were both smiling and talking about their upcoming scenes, preparing for the day ahead of them.

"Speaking of the shoot, it's about time to get going." The clock on the wall behind Kyoko showed that if they did not leave now, they would be late. The drive would take most of the time, so they would have to hurry.

Ren stacked their dishes and dropped them off in the kitchen before hurrying to shower and get dressed. Kyoko sat calmly at the table and finished her coffee all the while.

"Do you have your things? Lets go. We'll have to hope we hit all the stoplights right as it is. I'm sorry Mogami-san, I didn't intend to keep you here overnight. You'll have to wear the same clothing you wore yesterday."

"Eh!? But I can change quickly when we stop by the Daruma-ya! I promise I'll be quick Tsuruga-san!"

"Don't worry about it. No one but me saw you yesterday, No one will know. We don't have time to stop."

"But… but but! But I didn't call Taisho and Okami yesterday! They won't know I'm gone! They've asked me to let hem know when I would be out all night! They're going to be so angry! They probably worried all night!"

"No Mogami-san, calm down. I called them last night when you fell asleep on the sofa. Don't worry. They know you're with me."

"Why didn't you wake me up Tsuruga-san!??!"

Ren tried to hide a smile. She could be so cute sometimes when she over-reacted.

"You had worked so hard on our scenes, you seemed so tired. I just couldn't wake you."

Kyoko's face flushed a little, and she started muttering to herself, but quickly gathered her things and met Ren at the door.

They hurried to Ren's car and piled their things and themselves in quickly. It was a little odd to see Ren rushing so much, but there wasn't time to do otherwise.

"You know Mogami-san, the owners of the Daruma-Ya really seem to care for you. They seem almost like your parents."

It was true, they did seem to care for her, but was that how a parent is supposed to act? She would never know. Her own mother was far different, and her father? Who knew about him. The closest thing she had to compare Taisho and Okami to was Kuu while she was playing the part of Kuon.

The REAL Kuon of course knew his mistake by talking about parents with her, but realized too late. Kuon knew about the situation with Kyoko's mother, but she had not confided that much to Ren yet. It hurt him now, but he had to play along or risk exposure.

"…Did I say something wrong Mogami-san?"

She smiled weakly at him. "No. It's just… I just didn't have a good relationship with my own mother. You're right though. The Taisho and Okami are very good to me. They mean a lot to me. …I will be very sad when I have to leave. They're trying for a child of their own now."

"Are you sure? They're a little older, aren't they?"

Kyoko blushed. "I'm sure. The, um, the walls are pretty thin in the restaurant."

Ren chuckled. "… do you think you may ever want children?"

"NO!"

She startled him with her forceful answer, and he looked over at her surprised. "That's a shame. I think you would make a very good mother."

"Me? Not possible."

"Why do you say that?"

"I had a bad relationship with my mother and my father wasn't around. I only know how she was with me, and I couldn't raise a child on my own."

"You know, you wouldn't be alone. The father takes responsibility and helps if your relationship is strong and can withstand."

She smiled at his thoughts on devotion. "Maybe you're right." She was silent for a few minutes. "…but I think Tsuruga-san would make a good father too."

Ren looked over at her warmly and smiled.

The rays of his smile pierced her heart and made her fluster and blush and realize her own words could have been misconstrued at meaning her and Ren would make good parents together and tried to express her mistake and clarify it, but everything just came out in mumbles and unclear.

Ren couldn't help but laugh at her as he pulled into the parking lot. "It's alright. I know what you meant."

"Just in time! Your record isn't broken!" Her excitement made her smile and her face glow.

"I'll see you on the set Mogami-san. I'm going to change." He turned and walked down a separate hall than Kyoko had to go down.

She hurried into her own dressing room and changed into her Natsu school uniform before heading over to have her make-up done.

"Kyoko-chan! What on EARTH have you been doing!?" the make-up artist fussed over her.

Kyoko looked at her blankly.

"I can TRY to cover up that hickey, but it's pretty dark. Really Kyoko-chan! You should be embarrassed to show a hickey so willingly! Moreover, your boyfriend shouldn't be marking you like that! He knows you're an actress right? He should know your body is what makes your profession!" She clucked and fussed with her make-up brushes flying. "What will Tsuruga-sama say? He should be unhappy working with such an irresponsible actress!"

EEHHH!?! A HICKEY! OH MY GOSH! I-it's a hickey! How stupid of me! … TSURUGA REN! YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!!

The make-up artist thought she was blushing in embarrassment from being chastised when in truth, she was flushing with anger and embarrassment at Ren for marking her, and she felt silly for her own naiveté thinking he somehow had dyed her skin.

Kyoko slunk away from the make-up artist as soon as she could get away. The woman's incessant berating was making her more and more embarrassed as people walked past and seemed to look directly at her neck.

When all the actors were ready, the shooting for the day began. Most of Ren's scenes were shot first as most of them took place in the classroom, so he was left to sit on the sidelines through most of the day. It was rather a nice change of pace for once though. It almost made the day's work seem like he still had a day off.

Kyoko and Ren's scene that she had so many problems with before was completed on the first take. "ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!" Director Sutoyo had proclaimed.

With Kyoko in Natsu form and Ren as Katsuki, there was enough sexual tension between them on that floor, you could almost see it vibrating between them in vibrant crimson waves. The tension did not ease as their lunch break came around, and Ren was surprised when Kyoko remained in character as Natsu and went off to the table with Natsu's three friends to eat and gossip.

Kyoko would always eat with Ren, but she had just left him to be surrounded by the female extras who were gushing over the chance to meet Tsuruga-Ren! Then after she abandoned him, she kept making obvious glances in his direction, teasing him with her eyes. He wanted to throttle her and throw her down and straddle her at the same time.

It amazed him how everyone just let her remain in character. Did they not realize the difference? Was his Kyoko really this… twisted?

Well, she wasn't really TWISTED, but… bored. Ren was familiar with the feeling and what it could do to a person. Natsu, much like Kuon, had been left alone frequently in her younger years, and so lacked structured discipline. She was a perfect angel around her parents, but they really didn't take notice so long as she maintained top marks in school, and so long as she got the top marks, she got anything she wanted.

Top marks were easy for her, and so there were no challenges in her life. She was bored, and so she created situations of excitement for herself. Her voyeurism, sadism, cruelty, uncaring nature, and depravity were all attempts to either get attention for herself, regardless of if it was positive or negative, or attempts to entertain her very bored mind.

Reason didn't necessarily take root in her actions. She simply did things because she could get away with it.

It made her seem wild, and that drew people to her.

It really amazed Ren how well Kyoko could portray that when she had had such problems finding her own Natsu in the first place.

Kyoko was able to complete all her scenes without NG's, at least not because of anything she did or didn't do anyway, and so the day progressed smoothly.

"Tsuruga-san, we're ahead of schedule again today. Would you care to do your last few scenes for this cameo? If we finish them today, you won't need to come tomorrow," Director Sutoyo offered.

"If Mogami-san is willing, I am willing."

Kyoko, of course, was willing. Natsu was already out and ready to play, and after she had been eyeing Katsuki all day, she was ready to pounce on him.

All actors and actresses were excused that were not required for the last few scenes with Katsuki, and they quickly progressed through all the remaining school scenes and public scenes, leaving only Ren and Kyoko left on the set to complete the bedroom scene.

Director Sutoyo had the scenes shot that way purposefully in order to grant Kyoko some modicum of privacy. She hadn't said anything about it, but judging from her personality alone, she was innocent, and he was putting her in a very difficult situation.

The scene was changed to that of the hotel room where Katsuki and Natsu have their final interaction, and Director Sutoyo was surprised when Kyoko readily climbed into the bed with Ren.

Kyoko was of course, already in character as Natsu, and Ren was as professional as always, so the director needn't worry, but he realized as they did take after take that there was something wrong.

"Cut, cut cut." He waved his hand about.

"Mogami-san, Tsuruga-san, the feeling just isn't right. It feels more like… You're too stiff with each other to be lovers, and not heated enough to even be enemies." He sighed and looked down at his watch. "We have to stop here for the night. Tsuruga-san, I'm sorry. You'll have to come back tomorrow to complete the scene." With that he turned and walked off the set.

"Tsuruga-san… do you think he's angry with us?"

"No Mogami-san, it's late. I'm sure he's just tired and I bet unsure how to get us to produce the desired emotion."

"… Tsuruga-san… This may be imposing of me, but… maybe we can go to your place and practice again?"

He looked at her for a few moments before answering. Is she asking to sleep with me again? It's late, and I am certain she is tired… if we practice until much later, there'll be no chance to bring her home…

"Alright Mogami-san. If that's what you want, but I'll bring you by the Daruma-ya first so you can get an overnight bag."

"An overnight bag? Why?"

"Because it's already late." He pointed at the clock.

"Oh, you're right. I'm sorry. You're probably tired of me. You can just leave me at the Daruma-Ya. After you eat, you can go home. I won't bother you," She looked dejected.

Ren couldn't bear it. "No. I'm not tired of you at all," he smiled "you're welcome at my apartment anytime."

With that, they left and stopped by the Daruma-Ya just long enough for Kyoko to inform the Taisho and Okami that she would not be returning for the night, and she gathered an overnight bag and headed out the door to back to Ren's waiting car.

I'll be staying at Tsuruga-san's home for the second night in a row. She blushed to herself at her excitement, and felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to flick their wings as she remembered how warm Ren's embrace really was.