Chapter Twenty One: Friends Don't Lie

"Real pretty eyes." She mumbled while her hand roamed across my chest to rest above my heart. "Hikari you are drunk." I reminded her. She peered at me as If I was an odd bug that wandered across her path. "Pretty boys shouldn't be smart." She said while absently running her fingers along my collarbone. Her eyes widened as her hand touched the metal of the necklace around my throat. "Shiny!" she exclaimed. "You are beyond mad." I said.

The alcohol was creating a haze in my thoughts. Through the fog something screamed in my head. That's a piece of man candy you're laying on stupid! I giggled at the thought and yanked at his necklace. "Gimme." I said. He reached up and grabbed my wrist. "Get off." He ordered. I responded by grabbing his nose. "I got your nose!" He glared at me silently as I lost interest in his honker. "Oh look here!" I said while yanking his robe off his shoulders. "Too big." I mumbled. Bored, I hopped out of bed and made my way over to the kitchen.

I sat up slowly and warily watched her progress. When she spent too much time rummaging in a drawer I walked over to investigate. "What are you…?" I couldn't finish for she immediately turned around and screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?" She screeched. "What are you going on about?" I yelled back at her, angry and confused by her drunken babble. She grabbed a knife from her cutting board and pinned me with frantic eyes.

"Come closer and I'll cut you!" She said with slurred words. "Hikari stop goofing off." I said while raising a hand to grab the knife. She frantically sliced the air and missed my finger by a hair. I snatched my hand back in surprise. "RAWR!" she yelled and proceeded to raise the knife and step toward me. I stepped back, this woman was crazy. "Run run as fast as you can I'll catch you, you stupid ginger head man!" she sung. "What?" I asked astounded.

She was a mere human who was raising a human weapon to an all-powerful deity. But to be honest this woman was bonkers and scaring the hell out of me. She began to run toward me and I poofed to the other side of the room. "Calm down Hikari!" she turned and raised the knife in the air and threw it. The knife flew past my ear and landed with a dull thud in the wall behind me. "Missed." She said with a giggle. "You crazy…!" She had grabbed another knife and was once again running toward me.

I materialized beside the bed but she predicted the action and immediately turned direction. Surprised I stepped back to once again fall onto on the bed. She jumped on me and straddled my legs. With a maniacal laugh she raised the knife point down. "FOR SPARTA!" she bellowed. Even if she stabbed me I wouldn't die, but it didn't mean that it wouldn't hurt like hell. I expected a sharp pain in my chest but she fell against me. Her hair tickled my chin as she snored into my chest.

The knife was lodged into the mattress beside my head, clutched in her fingers. I made a mental note to never be around a drunken Hikari ever again. I poked her cheek but she didn't stir. I sighed and let my head fall back against the bed. Did all humans act this way? I glanced back down at Hikari still passed out on top of me. This was going to be a long night.

The sun rose and brought with it warmth. Its light kissed the night chilled earth and dewy grass with the promise of a new day. I cursed the sun as its rays filtered into my house and woke me up. Instantly my brain pounded within the confines of my skull. What happened yesterday? I thought through the hangover's haze. I'd gotten drunk with Owen last night and then I got home… the rest was a blank. I felt nice and warm though. Sighing I snuggled into my warm blanket. Funny… was my blanket always this small? Wait… I turned over and groggily opened one eye to meet a set of crimson ones.

"Good morning." The Harvest King said. I smiled. "Morning." I sighed happily and rolled back over to sleep. After a second I sat up to fast, causing my head to spin. The blanket flew off me and I stared at him in horror. "What are… you doing in… my bed?" I stammered. He eyed me and raised his head to rest it on his hand. His elbow poked into the mattress causing it to sink slightly. I scooted to avoid getting closer to him. "Well?" I demanded. "Oh you know, just thought I'd catch my beauty sleep." He replied with a smirk. "Ha-ha." I said, besides he was handsome enough already. "Sarcasm doesn't suit you." he replied sharply. "Do you not remember last night? Take a moment and it will come to you."

I scored my brain for last night's events but came up empty handed. My eyes then spotted a bare patch of flesh poking from the blankets that covered him. I yanked them off and gaped. His robe front was hanging loose at his sides to reveal that chiseled and mouthwatering torso I always wanted to see. Now of course I mentally drooled at the sight of a half-naked man but not one that was in bed with me! Well maybe just a little... "Ch ch ch… chest!" I said while pointing. His broad shoulders raised in a shrug. "You were quite desperate to disrobe me last night." He said casually.

"What happened?" I screeched while pulling the blanket to my chest. He smiled evilly and pounced. His arms surrounded me and he leaned over me, his muscles flexing as if to taunt me in the process. "My eyes are up here Hikari." He laughed. I gulped and met those crimson orbs. "Tease." I muttered. "I believe you are the tease." He replied while leaning in to press his lips against mine. I sighed into his mouth and reached a hand up to tangle my fingers in his fiery mane. My mouth filled with that spicy flavor as our lips remained locked for a hot moment. He pulled away to let me breath.

"Well bye!" he said cheerily. "Wait you still haven't told me…" but he was gone, disappearing in a flash of heat. I sat up and pressed my hand to my aching head. "Son of a…" A knock sounded at my door. I frantically looked down at my body. I was wearing last night's formal gown. Wait so we didn't…? Mind out of the gutter Hikari! "One moment please!" I called while rising slowly out of the bed. Movement was not what I needed right now. I opened the door to see Phoebe smiling at me. "Good morning Hikari!" She said loudly. I winced as her words echoed in my head.

Her eyebrows creased in worry and she leaned forward. "Are you alright?" she asked. "I'm just a little sleepy." I lied. Her gaze changed into one of annoyed agitation. "You got drunk didn't you?" she asked. "Yep." I said, not bothering to lie at this point. "Owen?" she asked knowingly. I nodded and stepped back to let her in. She walked in and headed toward the kitchen. "You need Phoebe's super special hangover coffee." She said. "Special what?" I asked while sitting down and resting my head on the table. "I came up with it while dating Calvin." She explained; that was all the answer I needed.

After a few noisy minutes of Phoebe cluttering my kitchen she slammed a mug on the table. I groaned into the wood. "Get up." She said with a slap on my shoulder. I slowly raised my head and reached for the mug. As I sipped she plopped down in the chair opposite of me. She let me down some coffee before speaking. "I've come to talk." She said. I glanced over the rim of my cup. "It's about… girl stuff." She said. I set the mug down and curled my fingers around the mug. "Like shopping? I think Julius is better than me in that department." I said.

"No way!" she yelled. I winced and she leaned back into her chair. "Sorry." She said in a lower volume. "I mean like… honeymoon stuff." She mumbled. It took my brain a few moments to process her words. I nearly choked on my coffee as realization struck. "What?" I said while wiping my mouth. "You hear me." she said. I shook my head, after this morning's bamboozlement there was no way I was going to go back into the gutter.

"Please Hikari! You're the only one I can come to!" she pleaded. "You think I have experience in that department?" I said stunned. Phoebe blushed behind her glasses and slumped in her seat. "You mean you've never…?" she muttered. "Had the hanky panky?" I asked. Phoebe's ears turned red. "Made love." She corrected angrily. "No, what made you think I have?" I asked in suspicion. She twirled her thumbs and didn't meet my eyes. "Well you've been here for three years and…" she trailed off. "Two." I said. She glared at me. "Three by the New Year. But you've been here so long and haven't settled down so I thought you had someone else or something…" her entire face glowed red.

"No! I've never… with no… this is to embarrassing!" I exclaimed. I buried my face into my palm. While we sat in silence my mind wondered to naughty places where only adults were allowed to play. Me...And the Harvest King? I mean sure I could dream but… really? I felt my cheeks burn and I mentally slapped myself for being a pervert. "Why are you blushing Hikari?" I glanced up between my fingers. "Oh no reason." I said while clearing my throat. "I can't tell you from experience but uh… I've taken health class and I have an anatomy book…" Phoebe suppressed a smile. "I think I'll just borrow the book." She giggled.

My cheeks glowed with embarrassment as I stood to get the book. "So who is he?" Phoebe asked. I nearly dropped the book I was in the process of pulling off the shelf. "Who?" I asked while handing her the book. "Don't play coy Hikari, I can see that blue feather stashed on your bookshelf!" she said while taking the book from my hands. "It was a gift." I mumbled. "You're engaged?" Phoebe asked. "No." I answered. "Then who is it from?" Phoebe's eyebrow rose in question. "No one in particular." I replied. I grabbed my mug and refilled it in the kitchen. "Owen? Or perhaps Luke?" she asked. "Not in this life." I gagged. "It can't be Chase… Gill?" I chugged the coffee. "Don't make me smack you." I said.

Phoebe sighed heavily. "Then who could it possibly be, maybe the fortune teller guy?" I shook my head. "It's not the Wizard either." I said. "Tell me Hikari, come on were friends aren't we?" she whined. "I can't tell you." I said. "Please?" she pleaded. "No." I said. Phoebe stood abruptly. "I have always told you everything Hikari! It's because I trust you! But I guess I'm not good enough for you to return the favor am I?" she accused. "It's not like that." I said.

"If not then tell me! I'm worried about you Hikari, soon everyone is going to be matched up and you'll be left alone." I slammed my mug onto the table. "Shut up." I snarled. "And that's why!" she said while throwing her hands in the air. "No one here is good enough for you are they?" I glared at her, my whole body seething in fury.

"You're out of line Phoebe, my love life has nothing to do with you. Besides you wouldn't believe me anyway." "I would if you'd just tell me Hikari." She pleaded one last time. "No." I said with a note of finality in my voice. "Fine then, enjoy your solitude!" she stormed out of my house and slammed the door. I clasped the cup in my hands and stewed for a while. It was the mewing of my cat Iris that broke me away from the table. I scooped up the black cat and scratched her ears. "Hungry?" I asked her. Hang over or no, I had things to do.

I sat on the ground with my back against a rock of my mountain home. Hikari leaned into me as she sat on my lap. When she arrived I expected a temper tantrum but she simply gave me an apple and didn't speak. Even as I placed the apple in my robes she wouldn't release my hand. I didn't question her actions because I knew she was upset. So now I sat with my arms draped over her and resting my chin on her head.

We didn't speak for a while, she just rested within my embrace and thought. After a while she spoke up. "Am I really alone?" she asked. I was surprised by her strange question. "I'm with you." I said. She sighed and glanced up at me. I peered down at her from my heads resting place. "What are you really asking?" I asked. "You're too smart for your own good." She replied. I shrugged, allowing her barb to slide. "I just… perhaps I really can't trust." She whispered. "Nonsense. You trust me don't you?" I asked lightly. When she didn't answer I pulled her closer and pressed my lips to her throat. "Well?" I asked.

She giggled and pushed my head gently, her fingers lingering on my cheek. "Yes I trust you because I love you." She said. I beamed in pride at the gifts she gave with her words. "And I you Hikari." I reached up and wove my fingers into hers. "You aren't alone." I said while kissing the inside of her palm. "That tickles." She muttered. I smiled and rested our joined hands in her lap. This kind of intimacy was alien to me, but I enjoyed it in an odd sort of way. "It's Phoebe… she came to me for advice and we got upset… she asked about you." She whispered. My arms tensed around her. "Did you tell her about us?" I asked.

She shook her head. "She didn't ask about you specifically, just who the guy in my life was. I didn't know how to answer, so I got angry and told her off. She thinks I don't trust her." I contemplated her words, turning the problem over in my mind. "It's true you can't tell her, but that doesn't mean you don't trust Hikari." I lifted my free hand to trace my fingers down her jaw in a light caress. She leaned into my touch and smiled. "Your right, at least I have you." I stopped my attentions and she craned her neck to look up at me.

"Value what connections you have in this life Hikari. I will always be here, but I am no replacement for your friends." I said calmly. She smiled and patted my hand. "Spoken like a true deity." She said ruefully. I leaned down and kissed her lips. "I know right?" I said with an evil smile.

I walked up to the General Store and raised my hand to knock. My knuckles paused in their decent for the sixteenth time. "I can do this." I said out loud. Taking a deep breath I knocked twice on the door. It slowly opened to an irritated Calvin. "What do you want?" he snapped. "Well aren't you pleasant." I snapped back. He glared at me and crossed his arms. "Phoebe doesn't want to see you." He stated. I rolled my eyes; he obviously blamed me for his life of celibacy. "Let me in Calvin." I said. He remained stubbornly in place. "I didn't want to have to do this but you leave me no choice." I sighed.

He watched me wearily as I turned on my heel and reached inside of my rucksack. I held a blueberry cocktail, raising it invitingly towards him. His eyes glowed in recognition of his favorite drink. I stepped a few feet from the doorway. "Here cowboy, come get the tasty cocktail." I called. "I'm not a dog." He grumbled but stepped out of the doorway anyway. He reached for the cocktail and I placed it in his hands. "It's all you Lemon!" I called while slipping around him and running into the store. "What?"

Calvin called and turned to see Lemon flaring her nostrils with her head lowered menacingly. All he could do was freeze as Lemon barred his way to the store, evil glee shining in her brown eyes. I walked into the store and roamed toward Phoebe's room. I opened the green door to see her tinkering with an odd machine. Oil stained her hands and shirt as she hit the machine with a wrench in frustration. She jumped when she saw me. "What do you want?" she said scowling.

I walked over to her and bent to inspect her machine. "What is it?" I asked. She glared at me, but her ego forced her to explain. "It's a dye machine." She huffed. Smoke slowly rose from the devices top and I backed away from it. "Well?" she asked while crossing her arms. "I wanted to apologize." I said. "Well isn't that nice." Phoebe snapped. My eyes widened in surprise. "That's right! You don't own sarcasm!" Phoebe exclaimed. I fought the smile that tugged at my lips. "Indeed. I came to tell that I do trust you Phoebe, more than any friend I've ever had. You came to me for advice and I turned you away, I'm sorry." Phoebe's resolve faltered a bit as her shoulders slumped. "Your still not going to tell me are you?" she asked.

I nodded. "It's not only my secret to tell. But I can tell you that he's someone very special to me." Phoebe knelt beside her machine and absently tapped it with the end of her wrench. "What's he like?" she mumbled. I smiled and clasped my hands behind my back. "He's prideful, arrogant, an asshole really." I said while smiling. "Seems like a keeper." Phoebe said. "He's also sweet when he wants to be, and a tiny bit stupid." Phoebe looked up at me. "Stupid?" she questioned. "Innocent stupid, not Luke stupid." I said. We both laughed.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Luke sneezed. "Will I ever meet him?" Phoebe asked. I thought a moment. "If he grows a pair." I said. "Not if you don't grow some of your own and propose soon." She replied. I flushed in embarrassment. "It's a delicate process…" I muttered. Phoebe held up her hand to flaunt her wedding ring. "I know what I'm talking about." She gloated. I frowned and placed the book in her hand. "Human Anatomy, you forgot it." Phoebe flushed red but took the book anyway. "Also known as the scientific guide to the 'hanky panky'." I added. Phoebe chased me around the room with her wrench and I laughed as I escaped her wrath, while Calvin still cowered under Lemon's watchful eye.

And in that small moment of mayhem and emotions, I smiled with the knowledge that I wasn't alone in this life. After Phoebe gave up, I have more stamina than she does; we walked out to a terrified Calvin. We both laughed at his expense when I called Lemon over. The cow kicked dirt on Calvin's boots and trotted over to me. "Come back anytime Hikari, and bring Lemon with you." Phoebe said while giving me a goodbye hug. Calvin cringed behind her. I mounted Lemon and wrapped my legs around the beast. Before I departed Phoebe leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Make sure to nab that man of yours." I flashed my teeth in a grin. "He won't know what hit him." I declared.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, the Harvest King sneezed. Strange… I'm not cold…

Fluff every where! Meh you know you love it. So what did you think eh? I might upload the next juicy chapter faster if you Review ;D?

P.S. If you are kind enough to review give me some suggestions for the next chapters humor or something? My funny bone is running dry as of late.

Please excuse typos I will correct later.

REVIEW!~ ;D