She walked in the door without knocking, tears on her face and that look in her eye that said everything he needed to know.
"Again?" he asked and she nodded, walking into his embrace and curling up against him, a shaking child in need of comfort.
"Kazuha?" he said and she shook.
"I thought it was working out." She managed in a shaking voice.
He sighed and they sat in silence, the noise of the world drifting quietly through his windows and he missed Osaka for the hundredth time and regretted absolutely nothing. It was long time before either spoke, but e cracked first, because he really couldn't help it.
"Why, Kazuha, why do you keep doing this to yourself? I warn you every time and you just don't listen. You can't expect me to be able to keep doing this, I'm not able, don't you understand? You tear me to pieces." He said and they clung to each other, her in desperation and him in fear, fear for his oldest, truest friend.
"Because I can't stop, Heiji. I need to. I want someone to love me. I don't want to be alone. I can't take it anymore, it's eating me apart. I need someone, I need to matter." She said, her voice still quivering and shaking and he shifted his hold slightly.
"You can't keep doing this. If you won't stop for yourself, stop for me because you're killing me, you're really killing me." He said and it was almost downright begging.
She choked down those bitter words, the very idea that she was hurting him leaving a bad taste in her throat. If there was one person she never wanted to hurt.... "Heiji, I-I.." she trailed off but he let her be and she started anew. "If-f, if.......if neither one of us finds someone, if were both going to end up alone, in ten years, if we're still both like this....Would you do me that favor, Heiji? Would you let us at least be alone together? I do love you, in my own way, I do. Maybe not like that but we could live with each other, you and I, at least we'd be friends."
Her voice was light as a breeze and near silent and it shook like a leaf. He wondered if she was still upset or if she was afraid of his answer. "Kazuha, I love you in every way but that one and there have been moments, when it was hard to tell the difference. If you think I'm going to deny you this much you're crazy. Ten years. If in ten years, neither one of us is in a relationship, then I will do it. For both our sakes."
-----
"If there is anyone who objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your piece!"
At the same time, the looked each other in the eyes and whispered. "Last chance."
"You may now kiss the bride!"
He did, to the sound of applause and thought the least happy ones there were probably them.
-----
The afterglow was a strange thing to behold, the two of them lying there so innocently and wondering what the other was thinking.
-----
They had kids and memories and mutual friends. And they loved each other, in there own ways. And both thought to themselves, during those moments when they thought that maybe they'd made a mistake, that maybe someone out there was meant for them who would now not have the chance, both thought that what they had was okay, that they understood each other and were where they were supposed to be.
And maybe, even if they didn't love each other in the conventional way, even if neither one of them thought of the other's body when they should, even if things were not right or good in any sense of the word, they were okay. They were happy, content.
And that was enough, wasn't it?
I was feeling rather melancholy when I wrote this, though it's been a while. Remember when no one could log in and answer reviews and stuff? Drove me crazy, that did! Either way, who wants to hear about a *gasp* Original Story? It's sad~!