Chapter 13

mou! aitsuno kokuhaku tteyatsu

atama no naka guruguru to mawaru

suki kirai mannaka wa aruno?

semarareru ni taku

mou henji wa kimatteru hazusa

"Wedding" sou bijon wa kanpeki!

souda, sumu nowa matsu tou atari ga iina

kodomo wa 3 nin kanaa

It was quiet, way too quiet for Aoi's liking. She was locked in the cell which was the most secured of the Vindice prison, her brother right next to her own personal jail. What made it so hard to escape from was that they were immersed in water, making their aching limbs go numb, not to mention that they were forced to wear a straitjacket that was enhanced to prevent them from igniting their rings, making all efforts useless and all for naught. That was the situation now, useless. Was there any hope of escaping? How long had she been stuck in the Vindice anyway?

Aoi had been altering between taking catnaps and the twilight between sleep and being fully awake. At least she had time to think… slumber took her over, making her mind go blank…

She blinked. Heey… is this a dream or reality? Her eyes widened up. Whoa, a guitar in a place like this? She picked it up hesitantly, wondering that if she did, it might disappear into thin air. But it didn't. She smiled in pure joy and overwhelming gladness, getting ready to pluck the metal strings and sing her heart away, after all, no one was around anyway. It was only just her, the grass and the guitar. But wait, there was something nagging in her mind. She was supposed to be looking for someone. But who? It couldn't be her brother, she already found him. Then who was she looking for? Oh well, the answer would pop up in her head sooner or later. She might as well enjoy the time alone with her thoughts. She roamed around the area; letting them (her thoughts) run free. The place was so quiet, so green and the air seemed to taste sweet. Just like Fran! Waiiit… whhaaat? Why did she think of him at a time like this? What she needed to ponder about was a full-proof escape plan, one that was not bound to fail… definitely not the way Fran kissed her. Not the way his lips roved over hers, seemingly desiring for more. Agh! What the fuck am I thinking about? Fran's just a fellow officer! Heck, I'm not even sure if we're friends or not… still, she couldn't help but relive the scene, images of what happened replayed on her head: Fran pressing his body against hers to probably cover her rings from the Millefiore Soldier while deepening the kiss. At that time, Aoi tasted something sweeter than anything else. She wanted more… waiiit… what?! Her quivering fingers touched her lips, as if to make sure that the kiss didn't disfigure it (what a delayed action). No. no. no! It was wrong, plainly wrong, to like somebody like Fran. If she devoted herself to him, there was absolutely no way of knowing if he would, or even could return those feelings back, being the indifferent person he is.

"But you do like him, you just said so yourself. Quit fooling around," a sly voice whispered just right behind her back.

Aoi took a deep breath, "Shut up, I don't need your opinion," she snapped.

A hand snaked out of the blue and tapped her shoulder."Still in denial? Let me enlighten your false beliefs, if you think of somebody that deeply, then that means you feel something for that person," it said.

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up," she muttered, turning around, not at all surprised to find herself facing herself. Another Aoi was staring straight at her, with a teasing smile playing around her lips. "What's soo funny?" the real Aoi was irked out.

"It's just that you've been contradicting yourself for a while now, still unaware of the things you hold for Fran," the other Aoi replied, amused.

"You're pissing me off," the real Aoi replied back. She made an illusion of her favorite set of headphones and wore them. "Go away."

"Ehh… fine then, I'll leave you alone, with Fran," she said to the real Aoi's pretending-to-sleep figure. Aoi's inner personality smiled as her outer self opened her eyes wide, in shock. The inner self disappeared, showing Aoi a very surprised and somewhat confused Fran.

"F-fran, what are you doing here?" she stammered, stumbling over her words, her cheeks tainted with light pink.

"I don't know," came Fran's blunt answer. He was surveying the area, "Where exactly is this place?"

"Uhm… do you really want to know?" she hesitated. What would be his reaction? Will he react? Will his face remain blank? Ugh. Why am I being so concerned? Her brows furrowed.

Fran saw the change in Aoi's expression. He was curious. "Well, I wouldn't be asking if I really want to know."

"Ahh… uhmm… you're in my dream…" there was no use in asking if he was an illusion or not. Really powerful mist users are capable of entering the recess of a person's mind. Aoi was actually impressed, no one, not even her brother has ever penetrated her mind.

"Oh," Fran muttered. His looked unaffected by Aoi's proclamation.

"Uhm…" Aoi fidgeted with her fingers. This was a first, Aoi was nervous. The weather of the area seemed to change. Wind suddenly whistled through the trees, making the sunny atmosphere turn a bit cold. "Awesome," she exclaimed. She laughed like a baby and ran to the tree and climbed it. The wind stopped and the sky became bluer, the sun's rays gently caressed Aoi's and Fran's skin. Suddenly thunder rumbled from the heavens and water came pouring down. Aoi was playing with her emotions. She was delighted that the rain didn't soak her skimpy, sleeveless, white dress. The sky brightened up again. "Fran! Fran, come here! The view's superb!" she laughed, settling down on a tree branch.

This was a first, Fran never heard someone laugh so carefree. Other kinds of laughs he had heard were one in a teasing manner, another stating evil intentions, others were just plain sarcastic. He couldn't resist Aoi's request. She just looked so cute when she laughed, it was pretty hard to resist. "Eh…" he said upon reaching her. He sat right next to Aoi and stared at the landscape. It was indeed marvelous, stupendous, superlative.

"It's nice isn't it?" Aoi faced Fran, eager to see his reaction. All she got was an apathetic look. Her grin faded. "Jeez, why don't you ever show your emotions… no one's here to see it anyway, except me," she pouted, annoyed. The scene changed, the sky darkened and stars twinkled in the sky. Shooting stars fell from the heavens. "Ahh! Fran look, look!" she pointed to the stars, hopeful for a response.

Fran was intrigued. Aoi was acting very persistent. She was intent on the goal to make Fran smile, or frown, or pout, or laugh. If he did either of those, would she smile more? Or would she show more of her angry face. He, on the other hand, wanted to see Aoi's emotional limitations. It would be really fun to use it against her for blackmailing. As a reply, he just sat there.

"Tch…" she crossed her arms, her lips forming an angry pout. "Is-" Aoi didn't continue what she was planning to say. The tree branch cracked. It couldn't withstand any more of their weight. It gave up on them. "Oh shit! Pillows! Pillows!" Aoi screamed. Immediately, pillows appeared below them. She grinned, "Oh that's just soo cool…" She tilted back and lied down on them, closing her eyes in contentedly. For the moment, all her problems were forcibly pushed in the back of her mind, what mattered now was that Fran was with her.

"Ne, Fran, why are you here?" Aoi asked in a soft voice. "Is it because you… ahh…. Anyway, answer my question."

"I don't know, I was sleeping… I think, and then I suddenly arrived. Oh right, I was dreaming of you," Fran replied.

"Eh?" Aoi blushed, "dreaming about me? What exactly about me?"

"When people were beating you up in some kind of laboratory with Master. Your blood was splattered on the floor," Fran said. Aoi's eyes widened up. She wasn't expecting that answer. She definitely did NOT want to remember any of her past. She gritted her teeth. "I didn't know that you were really afraid of the dark, during that time in Boss's birthday party, I thought you were just acting."

"Oh," replied the disappointed Aoi. She was remembering the times when she stood up against her torturers to save her brother. When she was locked up in a dark, scary, dirt-infested chamber with nothing for company except for spiders and some huge rats she named Darry and Gimmy. She was scared. It was scary being alone. She hated being left behind, abandoned, disowned. As if to tease her, the stars in the sky disappeared, leaving her in darkness. "Fran?" she called, no one replied. "Fran? Where are you?" she asked once more, panic rising in her voice. She sat up and groped around, feeling for him. When her hands came in contact with nobody tears welled up in her eyes. "I.. hiccup… d-don't… want…. Hiccup… t-to… be… al-alone a-anymore!" she cried.

"This is a surprise. Who knew Aoi could be such a crybaby…" Fran thought. It really was rather fun to discover intriguing things about his fellow teammates. It kinda made him feel protective of her… waiitt… why was he feeling so softhearted now? He tossed aside the feeling and emerged from his hiding place under some pillows. Aoi felt his movement. Blam. "I c-can't b-breath…" he gasped.

Aoi hugged Fran with all her might, she sniffed. "You meanie, don't ever hide from me again… hiccup… you already know I despise the dark… hiccup," tears fell on Fran's white shirt as she clutched him tight, her small body shaking.

Fran sighed, this was weird. What was that funny feeling in his chest? Suddenly he was aware of Aoi's beating heart, the heat emanating from her and her body pressed against his. He sighed. For some unknown reason, he cupped Aoi's tearstained face with his hands. He didn't like anybody to see her act the way she did when she was with him. An uncontrollable force took over the logical part of his mind, he leaned closer.

"Eh?" Aoi hiccupped in surprise. Fran's lips collided with hers. Ehhh? What does this mean? Her mind was screaming two things that contradicted each other completely: (1) What the hell is he doing? (2) More, I want more!

Just like before, Fran deepened the kiss. It was really sweet, he confirmed. Wait… why am I doing this again? He broke apart. He looked at Aoi who looked back at him, confused. He pushed her onto the pillows, him landing on top, his face some inches away from hers.

"Na-nani?" Aoi turned beet red. "F-fran, what do you think you're doing?"

"What… you ask, I don't know, can I kiss you again?" Fran said.

"Eh? Wh-what for?"

"Ne, Aoi, do you like me?" Fran asked, using her name for the first time without honorifics.

Aoi's cheek muscles twitched. This guy has absolutely no sense of discretion… "I'd like to ask you the same question," she replied.

"No. I don't."

"Eh? Come again?" Aoi stuttered. I knew it. I just knew it.

"I don't like you."

"Ehh, I see… please get off me, Fran-kun, I still have to think of a way to escape from my prison," Aoi replied in a cold voice.

"Hm?" Fran didn't budge, he was shocked at Aoi's sudden use of honorifics. She had never added –kun to his name before. It bothered him. What did he do wrong?

"I said, please get off me," she mumbled. Fran stared down at her, she was trembling, struggling to hold the tears that threatened to pour while trying to frown. He did as she said. "Please go away."

"Yada. Why should I?" Fran answered, "Can I kiss you now?"

Aoi exploded, she hadn't been this hurt in ages, and it was a good excuse for tears to come out now. Any person could have easily interpreted that as tears of rage. "Fran-kun, you idiot! Why should you not leave? Why? You dare ask that especially when you come barging inside my head for no particular fucking reason, meddling with my thoughts and confusing me? Now, before I pummel you into tiny little pieces… Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Head!" she burst out. Not far away, a volcano erupted, and thunders crashed down.

The dream collapsed. Fran woke up, sweating and very… perplexed. What made Aoi act like that? Oh well, a war still had to be fought. The Varia would go to Japan to help out the tenth… Which made him remember, he still had to go and rescue Mukuro from his cell in the Vindice. Maybe then, he could see how Aoi managed in it.

When Fran disappeared, Aoi crumpled to the ground, crying, still in her dream. I knew it, I knew it would turn out this way… but why am I in such pain? Aho-fran, dame-fran, baka-fran. Stupid, stupid, STUPID! She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes; it was useless crying over it. Crying would hardly change anything. Oh well, I still have to escape from this place… but how?

YOSH! TOUCH THE UNTOUCHABLE, BREAK THE UNBREAKABLE, ROW ROW FIGHT THE POWER! I'LL KICK REASON TO THE CURVE AND GIVE IT ALL I'VE GOT!

WOOOT!

CHAPTER 14 ,COMING RIGHT UP! THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!

I'LL WRITE TO THE EXTREME! :))