CH 5: Pretend

Rain poured furiously outside the small apartment's door. Catherine's dark brown orbs slowly and microscopically took in every point in her apartment. She observed the throw pillows on the floor, the empty cup of tea near a couple of slippers and the hall leading to the living room. She dragged her fingers insignificantly on the carpet floor and wondered why; why was the guy behind her so naïve. Tadashi's large warm arms wrapped around the girl's waist as his face fit in the crevice at the back of her head. He breathed in the scent of coconut that her locks had and sighed comfortably in the tepid queen bed that he and Catherine had disarranged. A few days after that good night kiss Tadashi came running back for more, unaware of how he was tiring the girl. To him he was being a good boyfriend, someone loving and present, but to Catherine it was torture; each time he did something like that, something that proved how lovely he really was, she just felt worse and it was driving her insane. The weather seemed to be trying to warn Tadashi of his girlfriend's feelings too, raining well into the nighttime, but he was too love struck to think about anything other than being next to Catherine. The two were still in bed only things were a little less innocent at this point.

The boy slid his hands up his girlfriend's legs insanely slow as his mouth was busy overwhelming her own. She kept gasping for air but Tadashi was too desperate to pull back and only waited for her to regain her breath with his mouth still over hers. He'd spent the whole day waiting for the right moment to start that. He felt liable for it, of course, but he was already inhumanly disciplined just to have kept his touches to a minimal up to that point. Catherine could feel herself tensing up at his erotic way of tracing of her waist.

"Don't..." Catherine moaned as she placed her hand on Tadashi's lips. He whimpered in want and disappointment.

"I really need you, Catherine." He pleaded with desperate chocolate colored eyes staring straight at the girl's face searching for the answer as quickly as possible. He wasn't going to push her into it but it was obvious that if she kept putting him off like that he was probably going to end up literally taking matters into his own hands.

At that sweet, delicate, craving face the rest of Catherine's sanity was crushed and any morality still left in her was run out. Deciding not to punish the boy or herself anymore she gave in. Tadashi noticed when her eyes went from flustered ones to ones glazed with lust and a drop of evil that he could feel burning through his skin. It was all he needed to commence. Taking her lips back onto his, he was less shy about his grip and made sure to mark any patch of skin his mouth made contact with. Low grunts escaped him as he both devoured and positioned the girl to his liking. Catherine watched with a coldness that would have made many phycologists curious. Her eyes were fixated on the guy over her but it was something a bit different from what Tadashi was experiencing. She wasn't watching him with emotions. She was taking notes of him. The time she'd made him wait for this moment was at first just something that happened because of the things going on in her mind but now it was part of the note taking. She was learning everything; how it didn't take long for him to forgive, how he was patient even when under pressure, how he liked to take things slowly and romantically. She smiled at how easy he was to get and Tadashi interpreted it as happiness for being with him. He kissed her more harmoniously now that he was a little lest frustrated. Tadashi rubbed his hips over her spot and the girl took note of his style as she waited to see his expression; he opened his eyes a bit more and observed her too. Without delay she understood his preference and started writhing more, acting like he was driving her crazy and saw him smile purely.

'So he's a people-pleaser, huh?' The girl made a mental note and went on with her experiment.

He was pulling her panties down leisurely as he kissed around her inner thighs. At the feeling Catherine truly let out a pleased whine; it was one of her own preferences. That was the most fun about the game she'd began playing: she didn't have to hide what she liked and Tadashi wasn't going to hide what he liked but in the long run the one who learned the other the best would be the ultimate winner. When he had pulled down the small piece of clothing Tadashi went back up, kissing her to his heart's content as he slid inside of her. His size made the girl shift to fit it all. She was starting to feel her blood pumping rapidly and though she tried to fight it she was gifting Tadashi with all the moans and whimpers he wanted. The girl was looking at things too pragmatically; Tadashi didn't want her making those sounds to make him feel more empowered or in control but to feel accepted. It was a pretty childish concept but she still was much too hardheaded to understand that to Tadashi no matter what he did, there would always be a detail that he missed that could be used against him. He was putting his all into each stroke and it was genuinely getting to Catherine. She could only half think about her notes as the waves of pleasure washed over her body. Tadashi's body pulsed over and over as he began to reach his high and abruptly he bucked up as his arms wrapped around Catherine and held her close. A legitimate whine left his lips and echoed in the room as he burst in the girl. She hadn't noticed but she was rubbing Tadashi's back and easing him down from his moment. He took in shallow breaths as his half open eyes watched Catherine with a devoted ardor that seemed to make them gleam. That kind of affection drove him onwards to give her the same feeling he'd just experienced and soon made it. She tried to hold back her provocative moans and screams as she released over Tadashi. He watched her in awe. It amazed him to see how she became the opposite of herself when she was aroused. The calm, composed manner she had most of the time made way for eliciting reactions and unmeasured movements that kept him on edge.

A complete silence swept over the room again as the couple lay in the afterglow. The smell of Catherine's hair was now much fainter and mixed with the scent of sweat and semen. Tadashi's heated chest caressed the girl's head and she tried to focus on the pitter patter of the rain hitting the window. The boy stroked her hair with gentle movements and as she lay motionless.

"I love you." The whisper rang in the girl's head as she tried her best to pretend she hadn't heard it. Tadashi moved back a bit looking down. The girl closed her eyes to avoid his glance and having to answer him at all. A tiny sigh came out of Tadashi's lungs and Catherine realized how upset he felt that after he said such an important thing she'd been sleeping or rather, pretending to be sleeping.

Catherine's icy stare witnessed the scenery though she couldn't quite wrap her head around how she got dragged into it. There she was sitting in the Hamada's garage, warm lighting and warmer drinks keeping the whole gang cozy and ecstatic as they listened to music and talked about nothing in particular. She didn't mind being with Tadashi and she actually enjoyed that whole thing but she wasn't being herself lately. After Tadashi had said that to her she was trying her best to not lead him into any situation that could bring him to saying it again. Being in his family's garage, surrounded by friends and sitting uncomfortably close to him on an insanely comfortable couch while they shared a cup of cinnamon hot chocolate wasn't going to help. Gogo held out her mug as Wasabi poured some more of the steaming liquid for her and Fred and Tadashi debated on whether Tony Stark could be compared to Batman.

"Are you kidding? Stark may not have super powers but he at least has the know-how to create his own weapons." The blond boy defended the fictional character as he shook his head and caused a smile on Tadashi's lips.

"But does that really matter when the point is they're both vigilantes?" Tadashi questioned him and Honey Lemon nodded.

"Yeah, aren't they're both just millionaires with super hero gear? How is Stark just better?" The girl with large pink glasses asked and Fred looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

"You guys are missing the point; Stark is a genius engineer..." He started to explain the various reasons why he considered Iron Man to be superior to Bruce Wayne.

"Hey, you okay? You seem kind of bored." Tadashi whispered over to his girlfriend as he watched her stale expression.

"You noticed?" She said sarcastically while taking the black mug from his hand and sipping the content.

"I know this isn't the kind of conversations you guys over at the medical department have but give it a try, sometimes it's good to loosen up." The boy coaxed her to little avail. She only handed him the cup back and leaned back, tilting ever so slightly to Tadashi. He leaned back to match her and the two looked forward, observing their friends' interaction as they talked lowly.

"I guess you're right, at least now if I ever hear someone diss Iron Man I got some pretty accurate things to say to back him up." Catherine deadpanned and faced Tadashi.

"See. Now you're looking at the bright side of things." The boy lightly chuckled as he faced her too. They looked into each other's eyes for a minute and Tadashi felt his heart skip a beat.

"I love you." Tadashi said more quietly and the small smile that had been on Catherine's dark pink lips faded.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom." She answered and stood suddenly. Tadashi's brows furrowed simultaneously as he stood as well.

"Let me show you where it is."

Away from the other's Tadashi finally spoke up.

"Hey, um...is something wrong?"

"No, why?" Catherine faked while avoiding the boy's eyes.

"Because I told you I loved you and you ran away and now you won't look me in the face." Tadashi stated with a dash of frustration in his tone. Catherine suddenly stopped walking and looked up to his exasperated expression.

"I didn't run away."

"You did actually."

"What? Am I in trouble because I didn't jump up and down when you said...when you said you..." Catherine realized how cold and hurtful was she was about say was when it was halfway out her mouth already.

"That I love you." Tadashi's eyes died out as he finished the sentence for her. Catherine felt like hiding her head in a hole when she watched the miserable face the boy she most cared about had on.

"I mean...you don't have to say it back straight away if you're not ready to, just...just don't make me feel so bad about having said it."

"Why would you anyway?" Catherine had to keep her ground now that she'd started.

"Because I mean it. I told you that night at your house but you were sleeping."

"I wasn't."

Tadashi went blank at that statement.

"I just didn't want to answer you...and I think this is a pretty good explanation as to why not."

"What?" The boy squeaked in reply.

"You smother me Tadashi and it makes me look like the villain every time." Catherine lied in a way that made her seem like the one who'd been wronged. Her studies had helped her with perfecting that with her boyfriend.

"I didn't mean it like that..." Tadashi started walking up to the girl but she just stepped back and shook her head.

"Never mind, I'm going home." She answered while heading to the door and grabbing her bag and coat from the hanger.

"Catherine, wait." The boy followed after her holding the door as she stepped outside already. She turned at the mention of her name and looked at him seriously.

"We'll talk about this later." She turned to leave but stopped and looked back again.

"Actually, let's not talk about this anymore." Shrugging on her body length grey coat the girl walked out into the chilly street headed to her black BMW. Tadashi stood there in silence as he watched her get in and drive off.

"Tadashi, where'd you go?" Wasabi's voice popped up behind the boy and he turned while closing the door.

"Where's Catherine?"

"She...got a call from the hospital; one of her patients got worse and they needed her there." Tadashi made up a lie for Catherine to avoid a bigger commotion.

"Oh, too bad, well anyway let's get back; Gogo's telling us embarrassing stories from when she and Honey Lemon were in high school."

"Sounds fun." The boy faked a smile and walked back with his friend.

He didn't realize how he was being manipulated by Catherine. He wasn't mad at her at all; if anything he was actually feeling bad for her. Even though all his mind could think of was what she was doing and if she was ok he put on a splendid act for his friends by laughing and listening to their mundane banter till they left. As soon as they did he dismantled on his bed. Clicking the girl's name on the contact list of his phone he scratched his eyebrow and waited. She didn't pick up.

"Damn it." He cursed under his breath and tried again. It didn't matter how many times he called she didn't pick up. He thought about going over to her house and got up just as Hiro walked in to the room.

"Where are you going?" The teenager asked his older brother as he flopped onto his chair.

"I think I'm going to check on Catherine." Tadashi answered worriedly.

"Dude, didn't you just spend the whole evening with her?" Hiro made a point and his brother stopped in his tracks. Looking down to his phone's screen glowing he heaved in a deep breath.

"Do you think I smother people?" The words dragged out of Tadashi's mouth as if he feared the answer.

"People or Catherine?" The younger Hamada was smart enough to understand context but not subtle enough to leave it at that. He took his brother's silence as a confirmation to the question and went on to answer it.

"You do, Tadashi. It's full of good intentions though so maybe she'll see it as 'cute'." The kid oozed the word "cute". It made Tadashi think how most people did that when referring to their relationship: call it cute. Is that what it looked like? Because it wasn't what it felt like. It felt adult, like they were in much too deep. Tadashi gave her too much and Catherine was afraid to overdose too. After thinking it through Tadashi was eased by the fact that she didn't answer him back, that she told him to forget about it. He thought how she was the only reason that their relationship was still balanced and how if she were acting the way he was he wouldn't be strong enough to step back like she'd been doing. Tadashi was giving her all the credit for anything good in the relationship. Eventually he calmed down and went to bed, although he didn't really rest until Catherine called him at three in the morning.

"Hello?" The boy picked up with anxiety clearly riddling his voice.

"How are you?" The girl answered with the same monotone voice she always had when they argued.

"I'm better. Listen, I'm sorry. Really, I overreacted." Tadashi poured out his heart but Catherine only listened. On the other side of the line the girl sat with a shallow cup of wine, sitting outside on her balcony and watching the city move. Her face didn't show much pity or regret but rather an amused and completely sly wide smile. She was beaming. Her notes had served her well, better then well, they'd worked like a charm. Now that she learned that she had the key she was planning on using it as often as she needed to.

"Are you still there?" Tadashi asked the completely flabbergast girl he couldn't see.

"Mmmhmm." She mumbled while taking a sip of her wine barely containing her happiness.

"Okay so I just wanted to let you know that you're really important to me, so I don't want to fight or you know push you into feeling anything. You can take your time and I'll be right by your side." The boy continued to confess to the girl while he curled up in his bed.

"Thank you." The girl said in a tone almost stale enough to be robotic. It was followed by a silence and then a small sigh.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She finished up the call and Tadashi hummed in confirmation.

"Okay, good night."

"Good night." The boy replied and the phone call ended.

The girl placed her phone on the glass table besides her and sighed. Her smile diminished into a frown and she bit her bottom lip. She didn't know what she was doing. All she wanted was to be with him why had things turned out like that.