Chapter 8: Fireworks

Ayano didn't wait to see if Nanase had been crowned yet with Kenji. She'd have to apologize to her tomorrow. Tell her she got sick or something. Maybe it was selfish but there was not turning back now.

She felt herself hit her bed with a thump. She'd ran back to the house so fast she hadn't had the time to consciously realize she'd basically just backed out of the whole evening of fun.

She was screwed either way. She couldn't enjoy her birthday. She couldn't face Kazuma after that. For once she tried to do what he did, and she just felt like a fool for it. She couldn't run back to her friends.

She probably was going to have to watch the fireworks from her balcony.

It wasn't the birthday she'd hoped for. She took her pillow and punched it hard. She didn't know how to just not get mad around him when he did that stuff, and the alternatives weren't working. The feeling she got made her feel vulnerable and she didn't like it – that feeling was one she couldn't control.

Suddenly she heard someone else in the house.

Judging by the steps and the door closing to the right of her room, it was Kazuma.

She stared at her door. Maybe she should at least talk to him…that was the second time she ran off. She didn't even get to thank him for saving her.

But she couldn't find the will to get off the bed. Her legs felt like stone.

She took a large breath in and out. She looked away from the door and pulled her hair out of its ponytail. It fell loosely over her, as the flower, absently fell onto the bed.

She probably wasn't worth the aggravation. Tsui Ling had probably been a better match for him than her. Maybe he could find someone more like her, someone who knew how to handle their own emotions...

She just didn't know how to handle any of it? It was so aggravating. Maybe it was better this way. She laced her hand to the halter on her neck and pulled slightly at one of the straps to loosen it so she could take off her dress.

"I wouldn't do that just yet…"

She felt a breeze and suddenly realized her balcony door was open. Had she been that absently confined to her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed?

She turned to see Kazuma standing on it, the first firework emerging into the air.

"What are you doing?" She asked standing up, but still diverting her eyes. Her voice had a tinge of irritation in it.

"You ran away so I decided to come to you. Its not that hard to hop over the balcony…and well you know me I don't' fall easily."

"I-I didn't mean to run away…" She said. "It's not…it wasn't you it's-"

"I gave you my side of the story." He said leaning against the door. "Just explain to me what's going on on your end and I'll leave."

She turned her eyes to him, and decided to let it out once and for all.

"I just don't know how to not just get irritated with you! I know you want me to, but I'm trying not to just brush you off. I mean and then I tried to be more like you and make the first move but I'm not like that either…its just you make me so vulnerable and I hate it. I'm supposed to be the powerful, leader…I don't know how to handle the feeling I get and I-"

She felt him put a hand on her shoulder.

"I get it Ayano." He gave her a serious look.

She put her head down. "I thought I caused you to back off. When I ran away the other day it was because I tried not to get angry but then I didn't know what else to do. So my feet just moved."

"You're trying to deal with it. I get it. I never thought I'd let someone else get under my skin again, and that's why I just flirted aimlessly with you originally. I knew you'd get angry and shove off any real emotion for teasing. But now, after that last job… I think you actually grew up a bit Ayano."

"You know…I'm not a-"

"No, we already established your not a child. But at least you know yourself now. Don't worry about what happened the past few days…I don't want to complicate things."

"How could I not worry? I thought – I was scared I'd just break up the family again?"

"That drastically? No way. Even if we did fight, at the least I wouldn't walk away again. Don't be so dramatic."

"I hate you." She said and she pounded her fist on his chest.

He covered her hand on his chest with his. It was still bandaged.

She looked at it. "I'm sorry about that."

"That's what your sorry for?" His voice was tinged with sarcasm. "Out of anything that's happened, my injury is on your mind? I've been through worse Ayano."

"Just shut up and accept it."

"I do." He said lowering his eyes to hers. "But if you keep punching me like that, I'll really think your trying to abuse me."

"You're doing it."

"What?"

"Dismissing what I'm saying with sarcasm. Its annoying Kazuma." Her voice was heavy with feeling.

"Well I guess we're both guilty of something." He admitted. "You know you do get a better view of the fireworks then me."

"What? You're literally a foot over from my room?"

"Nope. The foot counts." He fell backwards and bounced lightly onto her bed, lying back, as another Firework lit up the dark room for a moment. In doing so he noticed the white flower from her hair on the bed.

"Well you can't stay here all night."

"Says who?"

"Says me!" She said. She still felt the pressure of everything. It didn't feel resolved yet.

"It's not really your room. It's actualy Kenta's. So you can't kick me out."

"Fine." Ayano sighed.

He turned his head to her. She wasn't fighting him again. She was trying. "Not going to drag me out by my ear?"

"No. I give up." She said and sat on the corner of her bed. "I just really don't feel like arguing." She admitted.

"I get it. Things are never easy Ayano. I don't ever expect them to be. You shouldn't either. But easiness and happiness don't mean the same thing. I know I can be selfish, but it's only because I'm holding back too Ayano."

"How?" She asked, when suddenly he grabbed her arm and dragged her closer.

"Because I wasn't sure this is what I wanted, but now I know I don't want to just protect you."

She saw his hand coming for her face and squinted, only to find he'd put the flower back in her hair.

"Don't withhold just because you don't want to offend me. And don't try to act like me, I'm not really the best role model." He said.

"Yea I learned that after nearly loosing my leg two weeks ago." She admitted.

"Lucky I was so good at getting you back home so quick." He smirked.

"Oh right, I forgot it was you who killed the Nickar wasn't it?" She challenged.

"The mermaid demon?"

"Oh it was not a mermaid." She said, when a large boom from the fireworks caused her to jump a little.

He laughed. "Scared?" He put his face closer to hers.

"No, not this time." She said.

He rose a brow at her, and then grabbed her arm again and pulled her on the bed.

She looked surprised as he looked down on her.

"Don't think I didn't notice you tonight."

"What?"

"I wanted to talk to you the moment you left the house. You looked really nice tonight Ayano." He shrugged, dismissing his direct compliment with a smirk. "Actually the fireworks kind of reflect on your dress. It's neat."

"Wow, is that a compliment?"

"Well you wanted one. I mean you would have looked better wearing that necklace…"

Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry."

He laughed. "It's fine. I still have it."

"Kazuma…" She said and looked out towards the fireworks for a moment.

"Yea?" He asked a little off guard by her sullen expression.

"Promise me you won't ever risk yourself just to protect me."

"What?" He asked wide-eyed.

"It really just occurred to me. With how different our lives are as part of the Kannagi family…that I get why we need to look out for each other. But I don't think it's fair to ask you to jump in front of a bullet or anything for me. I don't think I could live on knowing that you did that. It is kind of selfish to think that one person's life is more important than another's don't you think?" She said looking back to him.

"God Ayano…" He shook his head.

"What?" She furrowed her brow.

"You're an idiot." He said, and kissed her.

So next chapter will have lemon* so I am going to change the rating to M. Just a bit of a forewarning ;)
xoxP69xox