Chapter 10: Beyond the Fact that this Chapter doesn't have a Dramatic Title

"Amica Deaffine Misora?" I asked as I picked up a stack of papers. Amica's apartment was a mess. It was small, one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen that had no wall separating the living room from it, and a tv the size of a computer monitor. It would have been cozy if there weren't papers scattered everywhere. I guess organization was another thing Amica didn't have time for.

Akin rolled her eyes. "Beyond stop going through her stuff." She said playfully. I kept reading.

"Hey Akin, it says here that she's from America. She's twenty-one, and moved here when she was... sixteen?" I asked, confused. Akin sighed and shook her head, smiling slightly.

"Beyond dear, you sure are a nosy one. Amica lived in America with her mother and her sister Naomi. Her relationship with her sister was...well let's just say they didn't get along. Her parents were divorced and her dad lived out here, so she moved to get away from her sister...but that can't possibly interest you."

She walked into the kitchen as she talked. We hadn't eaten a real meal since Wammy's House, and we we're both pretty hungry. She took a carton of eggs out of the fridge and placed it on the counter. Then she just stood there looking at it, lost and clueless about the next step. I chuckled a bit, putting down the papers.

"Um, do you need some help with that?" I asked with a grin. She shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"No, no. I can um, I can do this." She said picking up the carton.

She took two eggs out of the carton and placed them on the counter. They stayed for a minute, and she turned her back to get a pan. Then the eggs started to roll of the counter. She turned quickly and caught the eggs, dropping the carton on the ground. The eggs in the carton broke and splattered all over the floor. Akin sighed and dropped the eggs in her hand, realizing her attempt was futile. I laughed and grabbed a cloth to clean it up. She grabbed a mop and started to clean the floor.

"It's just no use Beyond, I can't cook at all. I suck at it." She sighed out her words. Cooking was obviously something she got a little self conscious about. I tried to lighten the mood.

"Well, not necessarily. You did a pretty good job making scrambled eggs." I said smiling up at her. She laughed and put her hand on her head.

"Really now, would you say I did an eggcellent job making scrambled eggs?" She giggled. I tried to stifle laughter.

"You...are... so corny." I said with laughter still in the back of my throat. "Is there anymore eggs in Amicas's fridge? I'm starving, and I actually know how to cook eggs. Unlike a certain clutzy girl." I teased letting the laughter come out a bit.

She tilted her head and laughed. "Clutzy girl, huh?"

She walked back over to the fridge and pulled out a second carton of eggs, placing it on the counter. I continued cleaning the egg yolks off the floor. I heard Akin walking behind me. Then I heard a splat sound and felt something cold on my head. It ran down my neck and I shuttered. I felt my head and felt hard shells and a slimy yoke. She had smashed an egg on my head. I looked up at her, puzzled.

"Ooopsie sorry darling, but I'm a clutzy girl remember?" She said with an innocent tone. Her hand was on her hip and she was wearing a sly grin. I wiped the egg of my head and stood up.

"Well my dear...I'm afraid I must tell you...I'm a bit of a clutz myself." I said quietly, trying to be serious. I grabbed and egg from the carton and her eyes widened.

"Beyond...drop the egg...Sweetie! No! Nononono! Don't!" She laughed and put her hands up.

It was useless though. I smashed the egg on her head and she gasped. Then she nodded, accepting defeat and grabbed more eggs from the carton. In defense I did too. We had gotten into an all out egg throwing war. It continued until we were both covered in slime and the kitchen was a mess. We laughed and fell to the ground.

"God, look what we did to her apartment." I said looking up at the cieling. Akin laughed.

"I know, it looks like a chicken exploded in here." She started to laugh uncontrollably. She looked over at me and then I started to laugh. We both sat up and tried to stop . It took a minute, but eventually we stopped laughing and were just sitting there quietly on the kitchen floor. She moved closer to me and hugged me, burying her face into my shoulder. After a moment, she looked up and smiled at me with that sweet warm smile she has. I leaned over to kiss her, but she placed a finger on my lips stopping me.

"Beyond, I'm covered in uncooked eggs from head to toe. Right now a kiss would probably give you salmonella." She said with a teasing giggle. I smiled.

"And it would be worth it." I said and leaned over, giving her a peck on the lips.

She sighed. Then tried to muster the courage to speak the words in her mind.

"Beyond, I love you. It's stupid, I've known you for less than a week, but these few days...have been like a lifetime." She said quickly, the awkwardness she had when I had first met her was returning.

I cringed at the irony in her words. These few days have been like a lifetime...no, I wouldn't let her die, I was going to protect her... She sat there, looking at me waiting for a response. She loved me...

"I love you too, Akin." I said stroking her hair lightly. She smiled.

"Beyond, that's amazing... I just have one question."

"Anything." I said.

"Do you love me enough to clean the kitchen by yourself?" She said grinning. I laughed.