Chapter 6: Coming on Strong
Author's Notes: Hey guys! Sorry that this chapter was posted a little later than usual. I had more things to do yesterday than I had originally anticipated. Anyways, thank you all for continuing to read this story, and thanks especially to AliceKat for leaving a review! I actually look forward to writing these chapters each day for you guys.
As for this chapter—Yuki copes with what happened in the last chapter by doing what he loves best . . . moping lol But how long can that last? Read on to chapter 6 and find out . . . .
...
Yuki sat in the middle of his bed, unmoving, with dark blue blankets and sheets wrapped around his entire body. The room was dark with the blinds firmly shut, emitting only tiny slivers of sunlight. He stared blankly ahead at a spot on the wall.
Yuki pondered the events of two weeks prior, his mind immediately drifting to the kiss he and Aru shared. Aru's lips . . . they had been so warm and inviting and . . . .
His eyebrows furrowed. Why . . . had the kiss felt so familiar? It was almost as if he was reliving a moment he had been through before. It was bizarre, like the dream he had a week ago. He remembered that in the dream, he had held up a gun to Aru, and Aru had been trying to tell him something—something important. He felt the fear in the dream Yuki's body as Aru stepped closer to him, and then the shock that came from the gun not firing. And then, what was even more bizarre was the strange girl that suddenly showed up, wielding a dagger, and telling him to get away from Aru.
Then, there was that kiss from Aru. It had stunned both he and the Yuki in the dream. But instead of feeling anger like he expected, all he could feel was warmth and . . . comfort, especially when Aru smiled back at him. Desire swirled in the pit of his stomach.
Dream Yuki had wanted more.
But the problem was, the real Aru that he knew was just plain invasive. In fact, it bordered on stalker-like, the way that Aru had texted himself his number the first time they had met and had always invited himself to his house almost every weekend. The more he thought about it, the only reason he even went over to Aru's house one weekend was because he, himself, had questioned why he was never invited to Aru's house. He doubted that Aru would have brought it up or offered otherwise, and why was that? What made him so interesting to Aru? And now that he thought about it, how was it that Aru even knew where his house was located when he hadn't given an address? Was it through a directory? A teacher? He gasped. Or could Aru have followed him?
The door to his room opened slightly. "Hey Yuki, it's me," Aru answered. "Your mother invited me in."
Yuki's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't move. He kept his gaze locked to a spot on the wall. "Figures you wouldn't bother to knock," he muttered. "Just leave. I've got nothing more to say to you."
But much to his chagrin, Aru didn't leave. Instead, he closed the door behind him, walking further into the room until he was standing in front of him.
"Here," Aru said.
Yuki's eyes shifted to the object outstretched in front of him. His eyebrows furrowed. "What's this?"
"I thought I could pay you back for what I did two weeks ago by allowing you to read more about me," Aru replied. "The notebook contains information all about my family's history, as well as things about me such as my likes and dislikes."
Yuki finally looked up at him, taking note of the warm smile on Aru's face. He frowned. "And you think this is just going to make me forget everything that happened, huh? That I'll just forgive you for looking up intimate details about me and my family?!"
"No," Aru answered. "I don't want you to forget, nor do I want your forgiveness."
Yuki's eyes widened.
Aru's smile faded then, his crimson gaze set on the boy before him. "Yuki, everything I did that night, from that kiss to my reveal of my knowledge of you, to my deeply harbored feelings for you, I want you to remember it all because. . . ." He smiled. "I'd do it all again in a heartbeat if it meant getting a chance to know you."
"We can't be friends," Yuki replied.
Aru blinked.
Yuki's eyes narrowed. "Oh please. Don't act so surprised," he said. "You just said that you'd look through my stuff again without my permission and you're not sorry for invading my personal space." He glared back at him. "I should've trusted my instincts from the first time that I met you and stayed the hell away from you. I knew something wasn't right."
Aru gave a faint smile. "You were able to tell all that just by meeting me once, huh?"
"Well, I was right, wasn't I?" Yuki responded.
Aru's smile faded, his crimson gaze set on Yuki's. "Perhaps we can't be friends after all."
At that, Yuki's eyes widened. That . . . hadn't been what he was expecting.
"Yuki, I'll say it again to make myself clear. I'm in love with you," Aru said.
Yuki rolled his eyes. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not interested."
"I didn't ask if you were interested," Aru responded. "And quite frankly, I don't care. The sole reason for me telling you my feelings was because it wouldn't be fair otherwise for me to keep the secret from you." He walked over to the door, grabbing the doorknob. "And if it's such a crime that I have feelings for you and want to spend more time with you because of it, then I suppose you're right. We really can't be friends." He turned his head slightly to him, a sad smile on his lips. "Farewell Yuki." With that, he exited the bedroom.
Yuki's eyes widened. Then, he frowned. "No way," he said, jumping out of bed and running down the stairs after him.
He spotted Aru standing at the door, turned to him expectantly. The thought of Aru actually expecting him to chase after him only infuriated him further.
He clenched his fists as he approached the silver-haired boy. He gripped Aru's collar firmly, holding the latter in place.
"You know, you've got a lot of nerve," Yuki said. "Coming here and making me seem like the one at fault . . . that's low."
Aru continued to stare at him, saying nothing.
Yuki narrowed his eyes. "In the time that I've known you, you steal my phone, you practically seduce me, you go through my things, you kiss me, you pronounce these sudden feelings for me, and then you just expect me to be cool with that?" He let go of Aru's collar, taking a step back. "I- . . . I may not have ever had any friends before, but I have enough sense to know that friends don't do the stuff you're doing. To make them feel bad, even though they've done nothing wrong. To make them feel uncomfortable when they're just trying to be a good friend. You . . . you've really done more than enough, and I'm sick of how it always makes me feel. I'm sick of how you always make me feel."
Aru's eyes widened slightly. His eyebrows furrowed. "How . . . do I make you feel, Yuki?"
Yuki frowned. "What do you think?!" he exclaimed. "Mad! Confused! Sick! Nervous! I don't know! Just stop it! I hate it! I hate being around you!"
Aru stepped closer to him, causing Yuki to step away from him in shock.
"Get away from m-"
"Are you afraid of me, Yuki?" Aru interjected, his face now inches from Yuki's.
Yuki tried to push him away, his heart beating violently in his chest. Aru didn't budge. Yuki's eyes dropped to Aru's lips inadvertently, his stomach doing somersaults. He swallowed, his eyes tentatively meeting Aru's once more.
Aru's eyes narrowed. "All of those emotions you mentioned earlier—anger, confusion, nervousness—what makes you think I don't feel the same way?" he said, a slight sharpness evident in his tone. "What makes you think I want this?"
Yuki's eyes grew wide. This was the first time he had ever seen Aru angry.
Aru moved away from him then, keeping his eyes on Yuki. "What you make me feel . . . what you do to me . . . I've never felt this way before for anyone. It's an incredible feeling, but it also comes with heartbreak. And I don't know whether to feel happy or sad." His gaze lowered to the floor. "We can't be friends, Yuki. I don't want to be. I want to be more than that with you. To touch you more, to kiss you more, to spend more time with you." He looked up at Yuki, causing Yuki's heart to skip a beat. "Yukiteru-kun, I want to be with you. Can you honestly say you don't feel the same?"
Yuki looked away, his lips trembling. "I-. . . I don't know what you want me to say," he said quietly. "I don't-"
"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything," Yuki's mother cut in, causing them to look at her. She looked at Aru. "Would you like to join us for dinner? I have some lasagna baking in the oven."
Yuki frowned. "Mom, no."
Aru gave a faint smile. "Sorry," he responded. "I'd love to join you, but tonight's my night to do the dishes."
Yuki's mother's face fell. "Ah, I see. That's too bad, but I understand," she said. She smiled cheerfully. "Well, you're welcome to join us anyti-" She paused, blinking. Then, she laughed. "Pardon me, where are my manners? I don't even know your name!"
Aru gave a polite smile. "It's Aru," he responded. "Akise Aru."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Aru. I'm not always home due to my rigorous work schedule as a video game programmer, but I can already tell that you and Yuki will get along fine. You seem like his type."
"M-mom!" Yuki exclaimed at her choice in wording.
Aru blinked, a small blush painting his cheeks. "Yes, I agree."
Yuki's mouth fell open. What was happening?
Yuki's mother smiled. "My son can be a handful sometimes, but he means well," she said. She winked at Aru. "He grows on you."
Yuki frowned. "Seriously, mom?"
She grinned, ruffling Yuki's hair. "See what I mean?" she said. She clapped her hands together. "Well, I've got to head back into the kitchen now. I hope I'll see you some other time, Aru." With that, she waved and went back into the kitchen.
"Your mother's nice," Aru noted.
Yuki narrowed his eyes. "Weren't you just leaving?"
Aru blinked, and then smiled. "Right, I'll be going then," he said, opening the door.
"Wait," Yuki said suddenly.
Aru stopped, turning back to him.
"I have to know," Yuki began. "How did you find my address? When we met for the first time at my house, how did you know? I've never told you it before."
Aru looked up in thought. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure of the answer myself. You could say that I was simply going by memory," he responded. Yuki's eyes widened. "It just seemed so . . . familiar to me, like I've been here many times before. A déjà vu feeling, if you will." Distant memories of a previous world, perhaps? Aru wondered.
Yuki's mind flickered to the dream with the kiss he and Aru shared. Of warm lips moving softly against his. His cheeks suddenly grew warm. He put a hand to his head, feeling slightly dizzy.
That kiss . . . it had felt so real just now, he thought. That couldn't have been an accident.
"Yuki? Are you alright?" Aru said, concern evident in his tone.
Yuki looked away. "I, uh . . . ." he stuttered. He took a deep breath, clearing his thoughts. "Look," he began. "what you said earlier . . . well, maybe you weren't the only one who felt something, okay?"
Aru's eyes widened.
"That doesn't mean I'm in love with you or anything," Yuki said quickly once he saw Aru's face light up. "But maybe . . . we could . . . we could try to explore it a little further? Say next weekend, going out to dinner, maybe? We could . . . talk, so you won't have to research things about me on your own."
Aru's smile grew. "I'll accept on one condition," he replied.
Yuki blinked. "And that is?"
"Kiss me," Aru said. "I want you to kiss me, Yuki. Anywhere you choose."
Yuki blushed. "You've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed. Couldn't he just be happy that I'm actually giving him a chance?!
"I'm not," Akise answered, his smile never wavering.
He gaped. "Seriously?"
"Do you need help?" Aru questioned, walking up to him until Yuki could feel the warmth coming off of his body.
"W-what if my mom sees?!" Yuki exclaimed.
Aru's eyelids lowered. "Then make it quick."
Yuki's mind raced with all the possible places he could kiss Aru. The hand? No. That was too girly. The forehead? No, that's just weird. He frowned. Come on, he was just getting used to the idea of possibly feeling something for a boy! Why did this have to happen to him?!
Aru waited for several moments, his crimson gaze set on Yuki.
Then . . . .
"So, I, uh . . . can kiss you anywhere?" Yuki replied softly.
Aru nodded. "Yes."
"Okay . . . how about your cheek?" he offered.
"I'm waiting, Yukiteru-kun."
Yuki's eyebrows furrowed in thought, silently debating his next step. Then, he gulped. He closed his eyes, slowly leaning up to place his lips on Aru's cheek.
He felt his lips make contact with something moist and squishy, unlike any type of skin he'd felt before. He opened his eyes and was shocked to find his lips on Aru's. He jumped back, yelping. His face turned bright red.
"W-w-what?!" Yuki cried. Did he miss? Was his aim that bad? He could've sworn Aru's cheek was right there. How could he have possibly missed?!
Aru gave a gentle smile, a slight blush on his cheeks. He leaned in and met Yuki's lips once more, lingering for just a moment before backing away. Yuki's heart skipped a beat when Aru gave him a half smile.
It was actually . . . kind of hot. The foreign thought sent shivers down Yuki's spine.
"See you next weekend," Aru whispered.
Yuki fidgeted with his fingers, nodding once. He could barely find his voice. "Y-yeah."
Aru took one last look at him before walking out the door. A mental image of a pink-haired girl decapitating a silver-haired boy's head flashed through his mind.
His smile grew broader.
Third World Yuki would soon be all his.
Take that, Yuno.
…
Author's Notes: Hm, it seems that Yuki and Aru's memories of the second world are gradually returning, little by little. Yuki seems more bothered by it than Aru though. And speaking of Yuki . . . he's finally giving Aru a chance after all. I wonder how their dinner date is going to go next chapter. Any thoughts on this?
I'll try to have another update out either by Tuesday or on Tuesday. Only 4 more chapters left! Stay tuned!
And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated! It's always great hearing from you all.
Until next time . . .
Cheers!