"Like photos, love develops in darkness. Like flowers, love blooms in odd places."

-unknown

Kyo

…

"You are going down, damn rat!" I yelled, rapidly pressing the attack button on the fighting game. There was an arcade in the pizza place where we ate and I jumped at the chance to fight Yuki on the mortal Kombat game. Tohru and Ari fought before us and Ari won by a long shot. It actually looked like Tohru had never picked up a video game controller in her life.

"Player one wins," The game said in a robotic voice.

"Yeah! Who's number one now, rat boy?" I grinned and Yuki rolled his eyes.

"Congratulations, Kyo, you beat me at a video game." Yuki said.

"I thought you both did great!" Tohru grinned.

"Good job, Kyo." Ari grinned, patting my shoulder in praise.

"Come on, Hana, fight me!" Uo begged.

"Video games are not my forte." Hana sighed in her misty voice.

"I'll take you on." Ari grinned and Uo shook her head.



"No thanks. You're merciless even at video games." Uo laughed as we made our way back to our table. Uo yanked up the last slice of sausage pizza and ate it absent mindedly and Tohru picked at a piece of desert pizza, not really hungry but keeping her hands busy with something.

"Are you ready to head over to the movies?" Yuki asked and Ari nodded.

"I think if I look at another piece of pizza I'm going to burst." Ari laughed. I was pretty sure she had seven pieces and I wondered where the hell she fit all that food.

"I agree." Hana said and we all walked outside. The streetlights were on and the sky was just turning dark. We had been in there for a good few hours.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Tohru smiled, looking up at the pink and purple clouds.

"It really is lovely." Hana smiled in agreement.

It was a short walk to the movie theatre and for the next ten minutes we stood around like idiots deciding on what movie to see.

"Let's see a horror movie! Yeah! Blood and gore!" I grinned, Ari and Uo looked up for it but Tohru looked scared out of her wits. "Or.. not." I added.

"How about the Mummy 3? It's lots of action and nothing scary." Uo smiled, patting Tohru's head.

"That's a good idea." Yuki nodded.

"Yeah, I've been wanting to see that one." Ari said, and if Ari wanted to see it then I was up for it.



"I'll pay." Ari said, darting up to the ticket lady before we could stop her. "Six for the Mummy three." She said, handing the woman thirty dollars right as I got to her.

"You didn't have to do that, Miss Ari." Yuki smiled.

"No biggie." Ari smiled as she passed out tickets.

"I'm getting a drink. Anyone else want one?" Uo asked as we walked in.

"Small sprite." Ari and I said at the same time and she laughed. "Want to split a medium?" she asked and I nodded.

"Hana? Tohru? Yuki?" Uo asked. Tohru and Yuki shook their heads.

"Small cherry coke, please." Hana said.

"You guys go ahead and get seats." Uo said as she marched over to the concession counter.

Ari and Tohru led the way into the theatre nine and sat down towards the back. Hana kept close to Tohru and of course the damn rat wanted to sit next to her so Ari was sandwiched between me and Yuki.

"Hail the conquering hero." Uo grinned as she passed Hana her drink and plopped down beside me. "Here you go, carrot top." She said as she handed me the medium sprite.

"Thanks, Yankie." I smirked as I put it in the cup holder between me and Ari. Uo just laughed as the lights dimmed down to nothing.

The movie started. It was okay, not the best I'd ever seen but I would've been content to sitting there watching a blank screen so long as Ari was beside me. About half way through the movie I 

reached for the drink, Finding Ari's hand there instead. I jumped, not expecting to grab her hand, but she just laughed and intertwined her fingers with mine. I felt funny, like my insides were doing a tap dance of some sort, but it felt kinda nice.

"That was a good ending." Hana sighed as the lights brightened and the credits rolled.

"I want a pet yeti now. I am going to go into the mountains, catch me a yeti, love her, hug her, squeeze her and call her Mimi." Ari said seriously and I laughed. It was remarks like that that made me seriously wonder if there was even a possibility of another girl in the world like Ari.

The sky was completely dark now. We might have been able to see the stars if not for the glowing street lights.

"Well that was fun, but I'm outta here. Hana, want me to walk you home?" Uo asked as she stretched her arms. If they got mugged on their way home I would fear for the mugger. Uo scared even me sometimes.

"That would be fine." Hana nodded. "Goodbye everyone." She said as they walked off.

"I'll see you back at the house. I'm walking Ari home." I said. I was sure Ari could make it home okay, but I wanted to be with her a little longer. I wouldn't admit that out loud, though.

"Bye, Yuki. Bye, Tohru." Ari said as we walked off. I wanted to get away from Yuki before he could start the teasing, though I was sure Shigure would be relentless with his little remarks when I got home. "We should do that again." Ari smiled. I glanced down at her hand, wanting to take hold of it again, but chickening out.



"Your cousin's funny." She said out of nowhere. "Shigure, I mean."

"He's a creepy pervert." I growled and she laughed. "I'm serious. My whole family is completely nuts, each cousin more mental than the next." I said, shuddering.

"Sounds like people I'd get along with." Ari laughed.

"If you can get along with me then you can get along with anyone." I said honestly. I definitely wasn't the… easiest person to be around at times. Somehow Ari managed to put up with me, though I wasn't exactly sure how.

"That's because I like you. I could be the biggest pain in your ass if I wanted to be." She said and I smirked. "You smile, but it's true."

"No, I know it. I've heard horror stories about your anger." I said and then it was her turn to laugh.

I loved talking to her. Normally, people were hard to get along with. I couldn't think of the right thing to say and wound up getting pissed, usually snapping at someone and regretting it. With Ari, it was just so easy. We reached her house faster than I would have liked and I walked her right up to the door.

"Thanks for walking me home." She said, smiling as if she really needed me for protection.

"No problem. Want to call later or will I just see you Monday?" I asked, knowing I sounded like a desperate idiot and for some reason I didn't care.

"Yeah, I'll call you in an hour or so. I'll try not to say anything funny after midnight." She grinned. "I'll talk to you later." She said, placing a shoulder on my shoulder to steady herself and 

kissing my cheek. It was a simple action, but one that left me stunned.

"Bye." I smiled. She didn't say anything in return but gave me one of those heart stopping smiles that makes you forget your own name. I walked back to my house, unable to wipe the little smile off my face.

…

Ari

…

I smiled at him before going inside and closing the door, smiling as I locked it up for the night.

"You can't do this to us!" My Aunt yelled. It scared me. My Aunt never yelled. "No, you're not getting her! I love her, and she's perfectly happy here! Dammit, Rin, don't do this!" She growled into the phone, pleading at the end. I ran into the kitchen and saw my Aunt crying as she hung up the phone.

"Aunt Kaori…" I started, now knowing what to say.

"It was your father… he wants you back." She said, tears spilling over as she slid down the wall, unable to stand any longer.

"He can go to hell! I'm not living with him! I'll run away before I go to live with that bastard!" I spat.

"He's still your father… you don't have a choice." She said, looking the perfect image of a woman broken inside. Then something hit her. She suddenly wasn't broken anymore and a determination gleamed in her eyes. "Or do you…"