11/11/2014. Many thanks to the people who reviewed for the chapter, I'm really glad Kano and Takane seem to be in character. Enjoy.
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game
session two
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After a day of keeping away from each other, they run into each other, literally bumping shoulders in the hallway of bedrooms.
The Dan had previously made some snide comments about their awkward lack of interaction, but Kano figured it was for the better. He didn't want to further jeopardize their relationship (Friendship? He wouldn't say he liked her in a non-platonic way, but he definitely liked her more than a friend).
So he backed off, for both their sakes.
He knew Takane was very invested in her boyfriend, lover, whatever you call it, Haruka, who he got to meet a couple times years ago, before the Daze, when he had to pose as his sister. When Haruka was recovering his body after being the white haired man, Konoha, Kano figured he didn't have much of an opinion on the older man. All he knew was that watching her kiss him that morning just didn't settle right in his stomach.
Kano didn't want to become a home wrecker, but he knew that if things got too out of hand, it wouldn't be unlikely of him to ruin things. He ruined things often, anyway.
"H-hey," Takane spoke up first. "How have you been?" Ah, awkward as usual, Takane.
"Oh… I've been fine. Are you okay?" He already knew he already had given up on this "giving each other space" game.
She laughed a little, though nervously, but he found that very cute? Yeah, cute, "Probably."
"Mm, that's good."
After a moment of silence, she sighed with frustration. He quirked a brow, waiting on her, "I'm sorry, Kano. For all that."
"I told you, didn't I? You don't have to be sorry, if anything, I'm sorry."
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry that I stormed out, and for ignoring you," she pouted, and puffed her cheeks out. "Just let me say that much."
He put his hands up, "Whoa there, if you're going to be adamant about it, I guess I have to accept your apology. But only if you accept mine."
"Fine, I accept your apology, Kano."
Takane opened her arms in the dim light of the hallway, welcoming him into a strange thing. A hug. Enomoto Takane didn't offer hugs often.
He shrugged and hugged her around the shoulders, and felt the side of her head against his shoulder. He still wasn't much taller, but it counted, how he could almost put his lips to the spot next to her eye. Her arms rested around his waist, and it felt good.
"Thanks."
He made an "mhm" sound in reply, and let the embrace linger for a couple seconds longer, but she pulled away. Her color of her eyes was the last thing he saw as she walked away, patting him on the back as she said a "see you later."
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Kano exhaled hard when he reached his room, locking the door. It couldn't be, there was literally no way he could be in it for Takane already.
Sure, they shared some moments, and they were extremely similar types of people, but to fall for her— a girl who belonged to everyone, whom everyone can talk to, but a girl who also belonged to just one person, one lucky, but deserving person, was a joke in itself.
He groaned at his own stupidity. He knew he was drawn in by how open and honest she was to everyone, for a person who didn't even exuberate confidence in her own self; Takane was caring and, despite what she has said before about her ability to make friends, has formed a close relationship with everyone in the Dan.
Even the most oblivious person (who was probably Haruka or Takane themselves, but they didn't count) could tell that she was hands-off.
But it sounded satisfying, in a very wicked way, to get in the way of her happiness with others, to make her, his. He had even recently sucked it up and gotten over his own adoptive sister for her own sake, not his, but he just had to go and do this now.
To fall for Enomoto Takane while being just Kano, a person who was uninteresting, fake, and a jerk of a person, Kano, was almost as bad a situation as the previous time he was in love. But now, with lack of eye powers, he couldn't fake anything. He wasn't special anymore, and he wasn't that great a person overall.
He paused, trying to think of any plausible way to stop his feelings, but he knew he didn't want to. Unrequited love was his specialty.
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Kano stayed in his room until nearly dinnertime. He decided he had thought about his situation and her enough for one sitting, and was ready to put on his game face.
He stretched before heading out the door, walking straight into a fist to the neck. It was Takane before him, and she yelped in surprise, her pigtails flying. She pulled her hand back to her side, stiff again.
"Excuse you," he smiled, as sweet as possible. "Did you need something?"
She gulped, "I-I just wanted to tell you to come down for dinner."
"I see…"
The air was back to being awkward and tense, and he rubbed at his throat.
"Sorry," she said, finally. "I just wanted to come get you."
"You said that already," he laughed. "But I didn't think you'd come knocking on my door."
Takane shrugged, "It was the least I could do." She stared at his neck, and put her fingertips at his adam's apple, lightly stroking a thin spot of skin. He resisted the urge to swallow, and smiled, silent, waiting to see what she would do next.
"Well? Let's go." She put a hand out, and he didn't have to think twice to hold it.
They walked down the hall together. Kano felt light, happy, but undeserving. He was being treated too well; it shouldn't go this smoothly.
"After dinner, can you meet me in my room?"
She stopped in her tracks, letting go of his hand. He felt scared, if only for a moment.
"… Yeah." He watched the silhouette of her back, she was petite, and very far away for someone who only half a foot away.
But he couldn't help smiling. The feel of his lips curving up at the ends was making him want to laugh.
"I'll see you then."
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He paced his room a little before settling down on the end of his bed. Kano was excited, anxious; he couldn't believe she said yes again. He took off his jacket, leaving a thin, black shirt on. He ruffled his hair, words and lines planned in his head, rehearsed and ready to use whenever, he waited for a knock on his door to come.
When it came, he quietly opened his door to reveal a glossy eyed Takane, lips pursed and silent. The way she looked tonight was very different from the night before, and he took in the way her eyes followed him with the barest hint of pity.
He savored it, so much.
She shut the door behind her, just as gently as it was opened, and turned around to him. He stood over her, very close to her, but it was like she was standing her ground, aware of something he wasn't even aware of.
But he couldn't lose composure now, "… Can I ask for another favor?"
Suddenly, her eyes went cold, and she pushed him away, stepping back, "I wish I could say I can't believe you, but I expected as much."
Heat crawled up his neck even though he wasn't wearing a jacket, and he leaned his head down, hiding an uncontrollable grin.
Her face appeared next to his downcast head, looking at him, but not his expression. He heard a whisper that sounded like she said, "Petty."
Takane had caught on, and just thought of what was coming made him visibly shiver.
He didn't notice he was tearing up until she brought her hand up to caress his face. "You're so sick, you poor you."
He leaned into her touch.
They were in deep, but not as deep as they could be, he thought. He has some things he could say, but it could be saved for next time, he decided.
"You're low, you piece of shit," his head whipped back as she yanked his hair. "The worst."
All he could utter in reply was a shudder of a "yes," and the split second he saw that genuinely disgusted glint her eyes, and the way her hand unclenched like she was ready to let go, he held onto her wrist.
Walking backwards, until he bumped into the bed, Kano held onto her, and whispered one thing.
"More."
He felt his face sting, and it took him a moment to notice she slapped him. That digusted, irritated look she had on her face simply would not go away, and he shut his eyes, realizing how hard they both were breathing.
"Stay with me," he says quickly. "I think—I need you." He formulated an excuse, but he didn't need to use it.
The last thing he remembers her saying was, "You're a fool, Kano."
But he already knew, he had always known.
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