Will You be the Marshmallow in my Pineapple Shake

Chapter Nine

"Mukuro-kun, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend, Kikyo," Byakuran said, gesturing to the young, teal-haired, makeup-wearing man.

"Oho... It's a pleasure," Kikyo added as he smiled at the illusionist.

"The pleasure is all mine," Mukuro replied, making Byakuran smile at an underlying meaning. The two shook hands, with a sort of rival's spark passing between their eyes.

"So, Kikyo, I wanted to tell you something," the albino said. He draped an arm around the illusionist's shoulders as he stared into his second-in-command's eyes. "That plan we've been working on with Daisy..."

"What of it?" Kikyo questioned. He was beginning to look suspiscious, so Byakuran quickly continued.

"I... I think I want to cancel it."

"Cancel?" Kikyo shouted, mostly out of shock. He stared at his boss for a good few moments before he decided that he was serious, and looked down. "Oho? Cancel... something like that...?"

Byakuran nodded, then came over and hugged the other tightly, resting his head on his shoulder. "Kikyo, I believe I've found something more precious to me than revenge against the world." Kikyo continued to watch Byakuran for clues to what this 'more precious' thing was, and soon, the albino gave Mukuro a glance, then whispered, "Love, Kikyo-chan."

"Oho? Lo-"

"Shh."

Byakuran gave the illusionist another sparing glance, but it was enough for Kikyo to understand. He sighed. "I suppose it can't be helped. But let's not disband the Gesso..."

"Of course not... we'll still meet up," the albino said in a soft voice. "We're still friends, Kikyo-chan."

"Yes, we are."

Byakuran grinned widely, and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Thanks~!"

Kikyo looked back at Mukuro, then, ignoring Byakuran's quiet protests, walked over to him, and, looking serious, but both hands on his shoulders. "You've got yourself a fine catch, pineapple-head, do us all a favor and make good use of him."

"Heh?"

"Kikyo! You embarass me!" Byakuran complained, pushing the older man away. He then covered Mukuro's ears, and murmured, "He doesn't return my feelings!" The remark earned a wide smile from Kikyo, an 'oho' and an innocent batting of his eyelashes.

"I didn't know that," he said, just a droplet of meanness in his voice. Byakuran took his hands off of Mukuro's head, and gave a quiet groan.

"Mean Kikyo," he pouted.

"Oho."

"You know, Byakuran, I heard that, and you can't make me unhear it," Mukuro said, grinning.

"I didn't plan to," the albino mumbled.

The illusionist smiled, and placed his hand on Byakuran's head. "Byakuran," he began, "I accept your feelings for me, you know..."

The albino blushed lightly at the fingers tangled in his hair, and smiled sadly. "You sure don't return them though, ne, Devil-kun?"

"Not yet," Mukuro sighed.

"Well, you really should, because Byakuran here is a DIVINE BEING. Got that?" Kikyo said, glaring at the illusionist. "You've got what I've longed for for years."

With that, the brightly-teal-haired man turned on his heel, and began to walk away, waving over his shoulder. "I'll see you at lunch tommorrow, Byakuran!"

"Oh- okay!" the albino called back. "What does he mean, 'longed for for years?'" He then glanced back at Mukuro, and saw that the illusionist was staring after Kikyo with narrow eyes. He then looked at Byakuran, and there was an odd knowing in his gaze. The albino sighed, feeling that he didn't need to hear an explanation, and instead leaned against the illusionist. "Let's go out... ne, Mukuro-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Down to the candy shop," Byakuran said, grinning. "I think you'll like it there."

"I'm not up for that," Mukuro replied. "I don't like sweets."

"Lying little Devil-kun, arent'cha? Hehe~," the albino said. "I've got to go there so I can get something you LIKE."

"I appreciate the gesture, but-"

"And we're off!" Byakuran laughed, sweeping the illusionist into his arms and taking flight. His wings, however, were still sore from yesterday's flight, and he grunted with pain as he took the older man through the window.

"BYAKURAN YOU FREAKING MANIAC!" Mukuro screamed as he saw the surplus of distance between them and the ground.

"Don't look down, Mukuro-kun!" Byakuran shouted back, closing his eyes and holding on tight to the illusionist's waist. He dove for the ground, then glided, trying not to bury the both of them in the ground as he worked to land.

"Byakura~an!" came the yell in protest, ringing in the winged-man's ears as he tried so hard to focus. Then, all of a sudden, his concentration was lost, and the two of them plummetted into the ground, Byakuran, however, taking the most of the damage. The albino grunted with pain, his eyes shut tightly, as the rough stone path dug into his backside, scraping his body against its cold edges. He gritted his teeth and suffered the landing for a good few moments until they finally slowed to a stop. The heavy weight on top of him that helped drive his body into the ground like a nail was one that still lied over him, clinging to his body like a backpack. "B-Byakuran, are you... all right?"

"I'm... fine...," the albino coughed, trying to sit up when he realized their position. "Mukuro-kun, how long to you intend to lie on top of m-"

"Sorry," Mukuro said quickly, sitting upright. Byakuran sat up as well, and blushed when he saw the pineapple-headed man looking at him with deep worry.

"What's the matter?" he whispered.

"Well, it's just..." The illusionist looked behind him, and sighed, "It looks like you lost... a few feathers..."

"Oh," the albino replied, "That's nothing, I lose feathers all the time- why do you think the bed is so soft?"

Mukuro blushed, and hugged the other, and Byakuran gasped when gloved hands fisted his wings.

"Are you SURE you're okay?" he insisted, staring at the feathery limbs over Byakuran's shoulder.

"I'll be fine the second you stop sitting on my lap, Mukuro-kun, you're really teasing me here, you know?"

"Sorry, I'm just making it worse, aren't I?" Mukuro sighed, sitting back and getting off the albino completely. He looked kind of guilty, so Byakuran smiled, though he sorely rubbed his shoulders from the rough landing.

"It's okay, Mukuro-kun, I just have some lousy strength at the moment. Just let me recover," the albino breathed, glancing at the dark red trail in the stone and wincing. He then turned, and lifted his shirt, asking quietly, "How does my back look?"

He couldn't see the blush on Mukuro's face, but he could feel it as it raked down his backside. "You're quite scratched up," Mukuro sighed, "so perhaps we ought to head back to the orphanage-"

"No," Byakuran said immediately. "Am I bleeding much?"

"Well... your wings are pretty bloody looking," Mukuro admitted. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault, Mukuro-kun," Byakuran insisted, looking over his shoulder. "Just ignore my wings, 'kay? How's the rest of me?"

If it was even possible, Mukuro's cheeks darkened further, and he murmured, "Not as bad. I could lend you my coat to help patch that up-"

"I'm all right," Byakuran stressed, turning around as he rolled his shirt back down and gazed at the illusionist. His crimson-splashed wings spread out like an angel's as he stared straight into Mukuro's eyes, and he said, rather happily, "I flipped us at the last second so you wouldn't get hurt. The least you could do is cheer up, Mukuro-kun."

The illusionist closed his eyes from the stress of blushing darker than he ever had in his life, and he whispered, "Okay, Byakuran."

Byakuran hugged the illusionist tightly for a moment, and backed off, saying, "Let's head to the candy shop now."

"Yeah, sure," Mukuro said,

"whatever will make you happy, Angel-kun."

-End Chapter

You people have been SOO generous with the reviews, so I wrote this early! XD Keep it up, my awesome reviewers!