Want a Pineapple, Sensei?
Chapter Five
Okay, I can DO THIS!
Fran walked into the kitchen and grabbed his plate of food, then began to retreat back into his room when he realized that the pineapple Grandma had bought yesterday was an awfully strange color for a pineapple. Did he dare look back?
YES.
"Sensei!" Fran said, gasping and almost dropping his breakfast. "Did you and Grandma get married? Why wasn't I there?"
Fran grunted as he was swatted at with a newspaper. "Mukuro-kun came by to visit," his Grandma said, "Now scurry on back to your room, you little pest."
Fran took another glance at Mukuro, and his heart ached as he returned to his room. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that he'd been excluded from, as the 'little pest' of the family of two. Fran stepped into his room and slumped down on the bed, stroking his kitten. Pineapple-sensei mewed and reached for the bacon on Fran's plate.
"Careful, sensei, it's hot," Fran said in a gentle voice. The kitten ignored him, snapped a piece off the strip, and took his prize to the edge of the bed. Fran sighed and began to eat the rest of his breakfast lazily, thinking about his teacher and Grandma, wondering if they were talking about him. Wondering how many times the name 'Fran' rolled off of his teacher's lips that morning. He was hoping for anything bigger than point five. Pineapple-sensei walked over and dragged the rest of the bacon strip off of Fran's plate, and the teal-haired boy heaved a sigh, wishing that, just once, his Grandma would let him out of his room in the presence of a guest. The kitten, more bacon in his mouth, scratched at Fran's window, and the boy opened it, letting the sleek tabby take his leave.
Fran stood, having finished most of his breakfast, and boldly left his room to put the dishes away. He could feel the glare on his back as he walked past the kitchen table and began to rinse off his plate, before setting the dishes in the sink. He desperately wanted to sit down with the two and join in the conversation.
But without invitation, it would be rude.
"Fran," his Grandma said, "How about you head out to that river? Mukuro-kun and I are still talking, you know."
"I know, Grandma," Fran replied, starting to leave, his usual expression on as he walked outside. 'So now I've been banished from the house,' he thought bitterly, walking through the dew-covered fields to get to the river. Pineapple-sensei bounded over as he walked around the back of the house. "Hi, sensei," Fran greeted. The cat got up on his hind legs like a dog, before dragging his claws down a tree trunk. Fran sighed. "Sensei, if you keep making those marks on the trees, Grandma will notice...," he murmured. The cat got down again, and followed Fran all the way to the river. Fran shrugged his jacket off, and hopped on to a rock, then another, and another, until he was in the middle of the river. The kitten reluctantly followed suit, and Fran stroked the cat as he rubbed against him.
"Mew."
"I know, sensei," Fran sighed, leaning back. "I'd rather be inside, too."
Fran felt a couple tears coming on as he continued to think about the warm home, with only Grandma and sensei in it... without him, just as she liked it. The boy tucked his knees close and sighed.
"Maybe it would be more fun to fish."
The mere word 'fish' got his tabby instantly excited. Fran went to get the fishing pole he'd hidden just under his source of bait, a berry bush. He took the pole and baited it with a salmon berry (he assumed it would be a good berry to use), then picked a few more berries and walked back out to the center of the river. His cat waited patiently at the shore as Fran awaited his first bite. And, mere moments later...
"Got it," Fran said, pulling a fish out of the river and bringing it close. He closed his hand around the slippery body, then held it against the rock until it stopped moving. Satisfied, Fran threw his catch back at his cat, where it was greatly appreciated. "You better leave that," Fran called, "I still have to prepare it, okay?"
The cat almost seemed to pout, but put his paw on the fish and looked back at Fran. The boy grinned. "Heh. Okay, I'll make sure I catch something bigger than THAT."
Fran baited his line and thew it back, then wondered if catching fish would make him more appreciated by his sensei. He shook the thought, and waited for a while, but soon started thinking about the man again.
It cost him a salmon berry in the long run.
Fran headed back to the house, and walked in, then headed over to the sink and started to gut his fish. He felt like two lasers were boring holes in his back, but he didn't care. He was fully aware that his Grandma was getting irritated.
But really now, who could get mad at a boy who just caught four fish?
Grandma could.
Fran took a plate of the four, officially gutted fish and started to head back outside. "I'm gonna cook them now," he told his Grandma. "For lunch."
Mukuro gazed at Fran as he spoke, but the boy didn't dare to look at their guest. "All right, but you better make something for Mukuro-kun, too," his grandmother said. Fran almost couldn't suppress his blush.
"But of course, Grandma."
After actually starting a campfire and cooking all four fish, Fran was ready to head back in. Tossing one to Pineapple-sensei, who had waited calmly though each fish, Fran headed back inside again. He plated his catches and served his sensei, Grandma, and self.
"May I sit at the table to eat?" Fran asked. His grandmother was about to refuse when Mukuro pulled a seat out.
"Please, Fran, you treated us to lunch, of course you may."
Fran finally looked at Mukuro, and smiled warmly. "Thank you," he said sincerely, sitting down with the two. Fran's grandmother gave a short sigh and said, "Fran, you forgot to get us napkins. And I'm positive you didn't wash out the bloodline well enough. We could get sick, you know."
"I did so wash out the bloodline," Fran said, "Grandma, I cook fish for you all the time, I think by now I know how to cook them!"
Fran was getting WAY ahead of himself, and he didn't realize his teacher's sigh of disappointment until his Grandma smacked him. "All right, go to your room. You still have a lot to learn!" she snapped. Fran looked down for a moment, then stood and walked back to his room once more. It was like someone had held a cookie in front of his face, then pulled it away just as he reached out to take it.
But much worse.
Fran tossed his supposed lunch out the window for the cat and lied down on his bed. He hardly even liked to eat fish himself. His bitterness at the situation soon brought forth tears. Fran let the drops of sorrow fall out of his eyes as he curled up under the covers and reflected on his day thus far.
After a few moments of analyzing, he found it to be a pretty good day.
A little later...
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Fran openend his eyes, then got out of bed and opened the door to his room. Realizing that this person was taller than his grandmother, Fran looked up, and his heart fluttered when he saw his sensei.
"Sensei, what-"
"Shh. Your grandmother fell asleep soon after inviting me to stay longer... I wanted to talk. Mind if I come in?"
Fran nodded and opened the door, his heart racing as his teacher stepped in. "Sensei...," he breathed, closing the door behind his teacher.
'This the place... it's all so perfect... I could confess to him here... right now, even...'
Mukuro turned and looked at Fran. "Honestly, I wanted to talk to you when I came here... it would seem I never had a chance until now... kufufu... your grandmother hasn't changed a bit."
"No kidding," Fran managed. "What do you want to talk about?"
"You're... keeping a journal, aren't you?" Mukuro asked, inviting himself to sit on the bed. Fran nodded once more. "Would you mind?" Mukuro asked. Fran thought for a little while, then picked his forgotten journal off of the ground and handed it to Mukuro.
"Mew!"
Fran could hardly suppress his blush as he crawled on to the bed and opened the window for his cat. Pineapple-sensei hopped in, and looked at the strange new figure on the bed, cautiously approaching it.
Mukuro smiled as the cat started to rub against him, and chuckled quietly. "Fran, you're hardly any different, even in private writing," he commented, turning a page. He saw the entry where Fran had scratched out what he'd said, then glanced back at Fran. "Have a few secrets, Fran?" he chuckled. Fran sat down next to Mukuro, only the cat separating them.
"Secrets that I'd only tell the person closest to me."
"Who's that?" Mukuro asked, still reading. Fran gulped.
"You, sensei," he whispered. Mukuro slowly closed the journal, and set it on the night stand.
"Oh, really?" he asked, looking only slightly suprised. "Fran, I'm flattered..."
Fran clutched his pant legs as he struggled to get out what he wanted to say next. 'It's right there... all I have to do is tell him... come on...,' Fran agonized. "Sensei... I...," he began, his heartbeat tangible from his chest to his ears, "I... need to tell you..."
"What is it, Fran?" Mukuro asked, leaning over just slightly. Fran reached up, and cupped the man's cheek, then closed his eyes, and leaned in as well, ready to seal the man's lips with his own-
And he was pushed back.
-End Chapter
Wow! Is that a cliffhanger? Whoops! Review for a quicker upload~! Though I might just keep writing today, we have a little rise in the story here... like a mini climax. Lol. REVIEW ANYWAY!