Title: Appreciating Things of Beauty [Chapter Seventeen
Author: Endless-Kaoru
Pairing: None yet.
Rating: Overall: R. This Chapter: maybe a high PG-13?

Warnings: innuendo
Disclaimer: I don't own Wallflower characters. None. Not even a single one.
Summary: "…Why am I scared of the one thing you're not afraid of?"

Appreciating Things of Beauty

Chapter Seventeen: Adaptation

It was nearly a week after that day, and as far as Yuki knew, no one knew yet. Ranmaru might have a clue, and Takenaga and Noi seemed to have some form of understanding; he didn't think Kyohei would understand, even if he'd been the one to walk in on them, and Sunako-chan… well, who knew what she was thinking?

They weren't like an actual couple – they didn't go on dates, or hug, or kiss, or anything of the sort. They didn't even hold hands. It was almost disappointing.

She'd completely avoided him the day after that, and then had gone back to being herself shortly after. She seemed strangely hesitant, though. At first, he'd been confused when he'd brushed her hair from her face in an attempt to get her attention, and she'd flinched, looked startled, then looked away almost guiltily. He'd been almost hurt when she had shifted away from him when he'd sat to eat beside her – something he always did – and then stopped coming to lunch all together. At home, she easily avoided any situation that would leave them alone in a room.

It didn't seem like anyone else noticed, but he did, and it was getting annoying.

"Have you seen Aya?" Yuki asked of a girl, just before lunch. He'd noticed the girl was one of 'Aya-kun's' followers, and though it was creepy to admit, most fangirls kept tabs on their boy of choice.

"Oh, Yuki-kun!" she smiled in greeting, blushing a little, "I think Aya-kun went to the office."

He thanked her with a grateful smile and headed for his new destination. He didn't care if she was skipping lunch because of him, or if she had some obscure other reason, but she wasn't going to keep it up.

"It's good that you've finally decided to conform to the school dress code, Aya-kun." He heard a teacher – Akira-sensei, their history teacher -- saying as he passed a classroom. He paused, glancing at the door. The room should've been empty.

"May I ask why the sudden change of heart?" the teacher went on.

"It's… I want to impress someone." Aya's voice came, strangely soft.

The Akira-sensei laughed quietly, "Oh, there's someone you like? I'm sure he would like you better if you just acted like yourself." She laughed again, "Of course, you do realize that most the student body believes you're a boy. Why do you prefer '-kun' over '-chan' anyway?"

"I don't like '-chan.' It's demeaning; it's the same as for pets, and little kids." Aya huffed, "It doesn't matter if the school thinks I'm male or female. This guy already knows."

The teacher was quiet for awhile. Finally, she asked, "Have you told him yet?" Aya must've nodded, because after the pause the teacher continued, "And he said…?"

"He said 'I love you.'" Her voice cracked.

"You like him, don't you? Why are you crying?" there was the rustling of cloth, and Aya sniffled.

"…I don't know what that means." Was the dull response, "I don't know what to do about that. I hate those words."

Outside the door, Yuki slumped against the wall, confusion and hurt written on his face.

The teacher said something that he didn't catch. Aya's voice was shaky as she responded, "The last time I heard that… I was hurt very badly."
There was a soft sigh, and the teacher soothed, "Not all guys are cruel, Aya-kun. You should give this one a chance."

Yuki turned and slammed open the door in a rush; it wasn't his fault, it was that cruel bastard's fault! How dare a man say something like that to a girl and then hurt her!

Aya was slumped on the floor, wearing the girls' uniform and being gently embraced by Akira-sensei. The girl looked up at him, small tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Yuki-kun, I'm busy. Do you need something?" the teacher stood, moving swiftly to prevent him from seeing her.

He had eyes only for the auburn-haired girl on the floor, "Aya, I'm sorry." He moved past the teacher, kneeling on the floor beside the girl. He gave an encouraging smile, "I know you've been through a lot. Don't think badly of me, for saying what I felt."

She rubbed her eye, mumbling almost guiltily, "'s not your fault."

"Don't you try to blame yourself, either." He told her sternly, and then almost cautiously wrapped his arms around her. She gripped his shirt, uncertain, but not unwilling.

She was quiet a moment, staring at his shoulder, before she turned to frown at him, "…Why am I scared of the one thing you're not afraid of?"

"Hey, that's kind of mean." He whined, pretending to be offended. He switched gears, then, almost grinning, "I guess because new things are scary, right?"

"…I guess." She nodded a bit, accepting his logic.

"And for the record, you don't look all that great in a dress."

A smirk touched her lips, "It's scary, right? Because it's new."

He laughed.

"But even if you did like it… I'm not wearing it." She pushed at his shoulder, a blush on her cheeks, "Get out, so I can change. And you're not allowed to tell anyone about this, either."

"OK, OK." He laughed, standing to help her up. She stared into his eyes for a second, blushed hotly, and then kissed him quickly before shoving him out of the room.

Yuki listened in amusement as the teacher gently teased the girl, then smiled when she finally emerged, looking annoyed. Aya glanced at him, then down, "Can I share some of your bento?"

He laughed, and led her to where the others were eating.

"I think they finally admitted their feelings." Noi mused, turning away from the window. She looked almost wishfully at Takenaga.

He didn't notice, smiling a little as Aya turned the hose on Yuki. The boy tried to dodge it, and was unsuccessful. By the time he was thoroughly drenched, she went back to watering the garden as if it hadn't happened.

"I think so, too." He finally agreed with a nod.

Ranmaru chuckled, plopping down in a chair across the room from them. Noi glared briefly – she'd been all alone with Takenaga-kun until he'd interrupted!

"You know, I saw them cuddling in her bed last week." The redhead announced.

All eyes turned on him.

"Th-They were… doing that?!" Noi cried in surprise. Takenaga turned a faint pink at the thought.

Ranmaru didn't respond, kicking his feet up on the armrest and calling a girlfriend on his cell phone.

Noi and Takenaga turned to each other, anxiously discussing. The two were awfully friendly at school… but that was only recently! She was so cold to him for the first part of the week. Maybe they'd fought?

"You don't think Yuki-kun coerced her into it, do you?" Noi asked, looking almost horrified at the prospect.

"No way! Yuki isn't like that!" Takenaga denied, sternly.

"Then maybe she regretted it?"

"What are you two talking about?"

The pair looked up to Yuki and Aya staring at them from the doorway. Both had towels over their heads, and Yuki's shirt was mysteriously missing.

"Is it true?!" Noi cried compulsively, "Did you two really get to third base?!"

"Wh-What?!" both squeaked, red-faced. They glanced at each other, moving further apart before staring at Noi again.

Ranmaru cracked up.

"You! You told them something weird, didn't you?!" Aya cried, pointing violently at the laughing boy. Yuki nodded vigorously, looking upset.

"I only told them what I saw." Ranmaru's smirk looked evil.

"You saw a hug! One hug, no clothing missing, and no kissing and/or caressing!" the girl snapped. Yuki reddened.

"Whaaat?" Noi almost looked disheartened, "Nothing?"

"What kind of look is that?" Aya pouted, crossing her arms, "Don't think weird stuff, or I might have to inform particular people of particular fantasies."

"That's not fair!" the brown-haired girl cried, face reddening. Takenaga turned a bit pink and tried to look clueless. No one noticed.

Aya smiled sweetly, turned around, and stalked from the room, flicking her wet hair as she left.

Yuki, still red in the face, went to leave as well, but was stopped by Takenaga.

"Hey, Yuki-kun, are you two going out?"

Yuki turned to glance at him, then broke out in a smile, "Yeah, sort of." He left without another word.