Chapter Six:

The Settling Waters

"HACHIKO!" Fable burst into her best friend's apartment, "holy shit…Hachi…shit…oh my god…just…" the young woman closed the door behind her. Fable's body shook as she placed her fingers on the tip of her lips, "h-he…he confessed thenhekissedme!"

"And you left! You didn't take that chance to hop on that Yagi DICK!" Hachiko, laughed as she watched her friend's face. It went from immediate shock to something akin to disgust and pure embarrassment.

"W-what no" Fable shook her head changing her foot wear, she shuffled over to the couch, "I can't"

"What do you mean 'can't'…you did it when you were drunk" Hachiko smiled, leaning over to her friend and place a hand on Fable's stomach, "that's how this little guy was made"

"WHOA!" Kaito strolled out the kitchen with a tray of tea, with a Cheshire cat grin spreading across his stupid face, "and he knocked you up…who knew he had it in him". Kaito placed the tea down on the table before sitting across the two women, "the dets please"

"Oh, god" Fable buried her face in her hands, "no…no 'dets' for you" she muttered under her breath. Side eyeing her pink haired friend, who just sipped his tea chuckling.

"Okay…but he confessed and you ran" Hachiko groaned rubbing her temple, "why would you do that to the man"

"I…um might have had panic" Fable looked down at her hands, Toshi's shocked face flashed through her mind when she ran out of the apartment, "I fucked up"

"Hell, yea you did…you're acting like a middle schooler with their first crush" Kaito scoffed, staring down his friend.

"I-I didn't know what to do…how to act" Fable wiggled in her set, using a pillow to cover her face, "he was all like… 'what if I care for you more than a friend' and me…me thinking he meant something like family replied 'yeah, I care for you too'"

"Oh my god…not only did you friend zoned yourself…but went to the next level and family zoned" Kaito laughed, "that's rich"

"Stop laughing at me!" Fable barked face heating up behind of the pillow, "you dick"

"Okay, Fable we can fix this" Hachiko pat the cushion next to her, which the older woman scoots over to the duel colored haired one.

"Yeah?" Fable puffed out her cheeks slightly, she hasn't dated anyone since she came here. She was only focusing on work, if she had a tail it would be wagging like a puppy's.

"Go back to the apartment" Hachiko took a sip of her tea, "get on your knees and-"

"Ask him to forgive me!" Fable grinned and clenched her fists as she shot off the couch, "that's brilliant Hachi!"

"Cotton-chan, no…I mean give him the good succ" Hachiko continued to sip her tea, dark eyes flashed over to Fable choking on air.

"NO!"

"Then sit on his face" Kaito chanted his face turning red from how hard he was laughing, "just be careful, that butt of yours could be dangerous"

"I hate you guys" Fable's face was burning at this point she wanted advice not to be laughed and mocked at.

"I hate you guys" she repeated arms crossed and sits back down, why are her friends like this? Maybe she should have had just called Nemuri instead. She has no idea how Hachiko, became idol/model! She was so vulgar and she goes around dressing like a cute sweet Lolita.

It was late by the time Fable made it back to the apartment, she cursed herself she was only supposed to be at Hachiko's place for a one hour. But, she and Kaito kept Fable longer than she wanted to stay. Toshi was probably already in bed, god Fable felt like shit for running away like she did. Fable rest her head against the door with a drained sigh, she just wants a shower then to curl up in bed. Straightening her back, and opening the door with the key that Toshi lent her.

Peeking inside of the dark apartment, all she could see was the nightlight from the hall way and the soft humming from the empty fish tank. With a sigh, Fable changed footwear before stepping inside of her temporary home. She's going to miss this place when she leaves.

You don't have to.

He wants you here.

To be a family.

Gripping the hem of her shirt, the dark-skinned girl made it to the room she was staying in. She, could stay, live with Toshi, and try to make it work. Warmth rushed to her cheeks, they could be a nuclear family. He did want to try the couple thing right…since he confessed and all, Fable doubts that she's reading this wrong. Collecting her things to take a quick shower before returning to the room. Placing her dirty clothes in the hamper, turning on her heels the woman headed to Toshi's room.

Softly knocking on his door before pushing it open, to her surprise he wasn't asleep. The room was lit dimly as the man in question was reading a book in bed. She bunched up the hem of her night shirt. When Toshi looked her way and placed the book on the nightstand.

"Miller-san, I would like to apologize for my earlier actions" the tall man looked down at his large hands. He's calling her 'Miller-san' not only crushed Fable but made her feel rather uncomfortable coming from him. It made her stomach churn, "I see now how badly I read the signs"

"Toshi…please…don't" Fable pulled at one of her coils, "you didn't read the signs bad…it was all me" her feet started to move by themselves; before she knew it, she was right next to his bed. The young woman hadn't been in her since the day she woken up after their little romp, "I was so caught up in running away that I" she paused for a moment trying to find the words, "that I…twisted things…the thing is I want to stay…but all the 'what ifs' kept plaguing me".

"Fable," Toshi studied the young woman before him, this was clearly hard for to say. His body shifted slightly before pulling into a tight hug and placing a tender kiss on her forehead. Fable's grip the front of the man's shirt, sobbing heavily into the white clothing.

"No, let me finish" she took a shaky breath, "I wanna try this…us…to be a family with you. After all, I care for deeply…I like you more than a friend should." Fable let out another sob, she tried to catch her breath, "for years now" her voice became small and frail. She continued to cling to the older man, while her breathing even out and the tears stopped. Toshi handed her a napkin, which she took and cleaned off her messy face. Sure, her eyes were still red, but that's better than looking like a teary-eyed mess.

"Thank you, for listening" she smiled sliding off the bed, to head back to her room. Her room, huh, it had a nice ring to it. This place will be her home from now on the young woman's heart leapt in her chest.

"Stay" she heard Toshi's low voice call to her, blinking she turned to face him with slight confusion on her face.

"I am…no more apartment looking," Fable said in a clear voice looking back at the older man.

"No, here" he patted the now empty side of his bed, "with me"

"O-oh" the woman's face flushed slightly, making her way back to the bed. Slowly climbing back in, lying next to her lover? Partner? Boyfriend? Oh, god this is going to take some time to get used too! The lights shut off in the room, the bed shifted as Toshi pulled the blankets over the both. The blonde wrapped his arms around the smaller form and pulled it close to his chest, his chin was resting on top of her head. Shit. Her friend's words resurface once more and Fable's stomach flipped at the thought.

Ha.

Nah.

This was nerve-wracking enough; besides she was happy with just this. No, need to make it even more complicated than it already is.