Authors Chat: Short chapter. I have a mid term starting in…. one hour, thirty three minutes. Better get studying! ^_^;; (kidding. I've already studied earlier this week a few times.)

Just a reminder too, if you leave a review (thank you), please be sure to use proper words! I DETEST chat-speak! Don't make me work to figure out what you're saying.

And if you have any questions you want answered, don't hesitate to send me a message or post the question in your review. I actually DO answer!

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: Y'all know the timeline by now. If not, go back and read it in an earlier chapter! (taken out for length).

Playing With Fire

Act 36

Kyoko closed her eyes and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

What am I doing? She shook her head and reopened her eyes, looking at the door she was about to open.

Her hand made contact, and her eyes moved to the crack of the door as if they were too eager to see what was inside. Her eyes followed the door's edge as she gently pushed it open. It came to a rest directly in line with the large bed, and Kyoko's eyes settled.

Tension filled her body as she saw the lump underneath the covers. Was that… Tsuruga-san? Kami-chan? Or….?

Kyoko took a small step inside. She couldn't say anything for the lump in her throat, but maybe by the time she reached the edge of the bed… maybe she could at least find the words then.

"Mogami-san?"

Kyoko looked down the line of the bed, across from the foot where Tsuruga-san was standing, in front of his bureau.

It took her a moment to realize that Ren was in the middle of changing, and in that process, that he did not wear undergarments under his clothing when he slept. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and yet she was grateful he had been facing the wall instead of the bed.

Ren quickly slid the pajama bottoms up the rest of the way then turned and rushed across the room, slamming the door closed before Kyoko could flee from the awkward situation.

Her hand rested on the door knob but she refused to look at him as his own hand slid down and took hers to remove it from the door. His hand was very warm.

"Mogami-san. What are you doing here?"

She did not turn to look at him. "I-I-I t-thought Kami-chan h-had c-come by. But your message s-said you were sick, a-and I wasn't going to just let h-her bother you l-l-like that!"

"You were right. Tsutsui-san did stop buy. She left just a little bit ago."

Kyoko turned around enough to see his face. "She did?" somehow, she felt relieved.

Ren dropped her hand and let her turn around fully to see him. "She did. She just stopped to check on me on her way home. She asked if I needed anything, and I told her no, so she left. …but Mogami-san… how did you get in?"

"The front door was open." She had entered his apartment unasked. How rude of me! "Forgive me Tsuruga-san! I just wanted to be sure you weren't bothered by Kami-chan!"

"Enough to enter someone's house unbidden? Mogami-san, you should know better than to enter a man's house alone. Didn't we talk bout that before?"

"K-Katsuki told M-M-Mizuki b-but…"

"But nothing Mogami-san. Just because you were in character didn't mean the information was invalid." He took a step toward her; she took a step back and was stopped by the door against her back.

She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Ren slowly bent down toward her face and could swear he could hear her heart racing. It excited him much and his own heart started racing.

Without thought, he closed the distance to her face and to her lips. She tasted sweet and slightly minty.

Kyoko hesitated and tried to move away but found she was trapped as Ren placed either hand beside her against the door. He bent his knee in such a way to lower himself to her level, so there was no way she could duck under his arms to get away. One side blocked by his knee, the other side blocked by his body.

She couldn't get away, and she froze. She had no way to get away, and truthfully, she found herself rather not WANTING to get away. What's WRONG with you Kyoko!?! H-he's KISSING you! ME!

She didn't resist. There was not thought behind it, but his hands slid down the door and around her back, pulling her to him and into his embrace.

So warm… his chest is so hot… and it struck her. His skin was burning up. He really IS sick!

She tried to pull away then, but he held her tight, even moved a hand to her head so she couldn't pull her face from his; her lips from his.

She opened her eyes and looked wildly into his own open eyes. She could drown so easily in those warm hazel pools, but he no longer seemed to inhabit them. She could see the fever in his watery eyes, and she reached up with a free hand and smacked him along side the head.

He flinched a little, but grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her. Natsu deep inside seemed elated, but Kyoko was in charge, and it frightened her. She yelped into his mouth as she brought her other hand up to hit against his chest.

He released her suddenly, staggering back a ways. Kyoko crumpled to the ground, her legs unwilling to work as the adrenaline fled her body, leaving her weak.

Ren sat hard on the edge of the bed and just stared at Kyoko as she leaned heavily against the door and curled in on herself.

"… Leave."

"W-w-what?"

"I said, leave." He took a breath before speaking again. "I… want you." He said it carefully, giving his words their full meaning. "But I can't have you. You… won't accept me, and I can't control myself around you." He looked pained. "Please… just leave."

Ren stood up and walked back to his bureau and pulled out the matching pajama top and began to don the shirt.

By the time he turned around, Kyoko was gone.

His heart wrenched in pain, but he had asked her to leave, and she had done just that.

Ren crawled back onto the bed and straightened out his covers, unbundling the sheet and blankets as they had been lumped to the side when he first got up to answer the door. He laid his head down on his pillow and closed his eyes to sleep.