A/N: Ahha! So I did finish this in pretty good time! Not quite fast enough to make it the same day as the first chapter, but then again, when was I going to be fast enough to make that xD

Ok a shout to the only person to have reviewed as of yet; Ashinat Crimson Flames. Thanks for reviewing, and congratulations, you're first xD

Here's part 2; enjoy :)

Atonement part 2.

"Hey Usui?"

"Misaki! What a surprise! What makes you call me so early in the morning?"

"Well I-"

"Did you miss me already?"

"Usui-"

"Did you spend the night worrying about me? Was I keeping you awake?"

"PERVERT! No! I was calling to check you were still breathing! Apparently you are so bye!"

Misaki slammed the phone shut, hissing insults at the cover and glaring at it as though it was the phone's fault Usui could get on her nerves so easily. It wasn't the phone's fault the stupid alien had hit the nail on the head with his guesses, although she would never admit to him that he did. And it certainly wasn't the phone's fault that the very sound of his voice, so close to her ear spawned butterflies in her stomach, but it was enough of a reason to vent her early morning anger on the device.

Ramming the thing back in her pocket, she turned and waltzed through her front gate, turning right, towards Seika high school.

Usui sighed, closing his phone slowly and relining on his sofa. He hadn't expected a call from Misaki this early in the morning, but it was nice to know she was thinking about him already. The perverted half of him cheered. He tapped his phone lightly against the side of his jaw, whistling the tune 'The Price of Freedom' from SquareEnix's Final Fantasy Seven: Crisis Core. He could play the game to pass the time he supposed, or he could go and drain the water heater... Or even make himself something to eat!

The last idea was of course refused, as recommended by his tight stomach and sleepy head, so he opted for the second idea. He hoped the rush of water might help to clear his head a little, sooth his inflamed arms and generally refresh him all together.

Moving into the bathroom, he stripped off his trousers and boxers – not having bothered replacing his shirt after Misaki left the day before – and stepped into the shower, turning it on as he pulled the door shut behind him. The cold water hit him like a bus and immediately he began to shiver and shake, his breath coming in rapid gasps and his fingers tightening against the tiled wall.

The rush of the cold water was something he loved and he couldn't stop the wide smile from spreading across his face. However, he was still unwell and dousing himself in freezing cold water was not likely to help his cause. So, somewhat reluctantly, he flipped the switch to turn the water from cold to hot.

If the cold water was a shock, then changing to suddenly from one to the other was even more so. And his smile was even bigger. Teasing his nerves with the rapid changes from hot to cold had become something of a past time ever since forming an analogy of Misaki's effects. Her moods changed so quickly, it was like leaping from a really cold shower to a really hot one, over and over again. And so this hobby arose.

He washed himself quickly, then stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel from the radiator and rubbing himself down roughly. Wrapping his towel round his waist, he walked to the washroom, grabbing a pair of boxers and a pair of trousers from their respective piles, dragging them on, unceremoniously.

He was just doing up the button when he caught his bandage on the zipper. The stupid thing was fraying and he didn't have another bandage here, he had been meaning to go down to the store when he felt better and buys some. Grabbing a shirt from the pile, he walked into the living room, picking up his mobile and sending Misaki a text: "Could you bring some bandages when you come? I'll pay you back for them. Usui xx"

He hesitated a moment over the kisses, but since she already thought he was a pervert, he thought it wouldn't matter, so he sent the text anyway.

Setting the phone down, he pulled the shirt on over his arms, pushing them through the sleeves more carefully than he had thrust his legs into his trousers. Leaving it unbuttoned, he padded back into his bathroom, the towel slung over his shoulder.

He stopped in the doorway, his gaze fixed on his reflection. His own emerald green eyes passed over his body, from the tips of his soaking golden hair, to his bandage clad arms, all the way to his knees, the rest of his legs being lost below the rim of the mirror. He could see nothing wrong with himself, aside from the injuries, and no one else on the planet seemed to have any problems with the way he looked either. So why was Misaki so oblivious to him?

He sighed, running a hand through his hair and squeezing out some of the water. He spent nearly all of his time with her, and every waking moment thinking about her, so why wasn't he having some effect on her? He seemed to be more trouble for her than he was worth. Certainly she would feel less stressed without him constantly tailing her like some lost dog, and if he didn't know about her job at the cafe, then she wouldn't have to worry about being found out. She wouldn't worry he might betray her.

He couldn't lie to himself, he thought as he began to towel-dry his hair, Usui hated himself for being such a pitiful lap dog, always following her around, sticking to her like glue, even when she didn't want to be followed, craving her closeness like a fish needed water. And without her he was just that, a fish out of water. But her without him... Well she was fine! She didn't need him half as much as she needed him!

His eyes returned to scouring his figure in the mirror, their green depths hidden in the shadow of the towel. He was a good looking boy, the constant love confessions and sheltered looks told him so on a regular basis. He was in good shape, was fit, had a healthy diet and was always clean. He was clever, had common sense, learned quickly and retained information well. He wasn't rude in the slightest, cracking jokes here and there, but never at the expense of somebody else and never in the wrong situation. In short, he was Mr Right himself! But it just wasn't enough for Misaki.

Misaki... She was pretty, for a common girl. She was smart too, for someone with so few skills. She worked hard but achieved little. She was blunt and course, but always sincere. She was plain and simple with no overbearing tendencies and no miserable or soppy existence to drag her mood down. She simply disliked boys. Disliked them with a vengeance.

Usui straightened a little, pulling the towel from his head and draping it over the radiator to dry. Leaning forward he picked up a comb and began to tear it through his hair. He was always rough in what he did. It was why he was currently spending his nights on his couch, until he got round to fixing his bed leg. His temper tantrum had seen the leg hurled across the room and through a potted plant. He had stormed out and not been in there since.

He sighed and set the comb down again, satisfied that his hair was suitably straight and not at all knotted. Misaki had commented once on how soft his hair was, stroking through the strands with gentle, inquisitive fingers, leaving his heart racing and his throat tight even before she ordered him to take all her clothes off.

Leaving the bathroom, Usui padded into the living room, flopping down on the couch and allowing the bandage on his left hand to unravel, revealing the sickeningly blue and yellow skin underneath. Having the bandage on any longer was going to do nothing for him, and letting it ventilate would probably be a good idea. Probably.

Dropping the bandage on the table, he reached over for his phone, flipping it open and opening his contacts. Ayuzawa Misaki was the only contact on his phone. Anyone else he knew perfectly well, but she was the only person he wanted in his life for good. And for that reason, she was the only person on his contacts.

He fingered the dial button, deliberating whether or not it was worth it to call her in her lunch break or not. Even if he did, he conceded setting the phone down, it was nowhere near lunch time yet, so she wouldn't answer. She'd save it up until he was better, then vent all her anger on him then.

He didn't mind. In fact, he liked it when she was cross with him. It was better of course if she was pleased with him or awed even – though that had only really happened once – but he was content with her being cross. As long as it was he who was occupying her attention. Which was why he felt the need to aggravate her so often. It was the easiest and fastest way to gain and hold her attention. And besides, he seemed to have developed a knack for it.

Ding dong!

Usui jerked awake, glancing around him as his sight adjusted to the failing light. Failing light? Wait, that meant-!

He nearly ripped the door off it's hinges, revealing a concerned and now slightly frightened Misaki. "Usui, are you alright?"

He nodded, barely stopping the smile from taking over his face, and instead feigning disappointment. "And here I thought you were the pizza man..."

Misaki fixed him a look, and invited herself into his home, stepping past him and walking into the living room.

"You're quite at home here now aren't you?" Usui said, watching her set her bag down on the table and walk into the kitchen and beginning to search through his drawers. "What're you looking for?"

"Gauze."

"Gauze? What for?"

"You told me to bring bandages; I was wondering if you had any gauze."

"Oh," he said dumbly, lifting his arm up to eye level to look at it, "I don't have any gauze, no."

"Fine." She said, emerging from his kitchen, "I guess we'll have to use-"

Usui looked up at her pause, only to see her staring at his arm with tears in her eyes. At first all he could do was look at her a feel confused, but then he started to understand. "Misaki, it's alright, it really isn't that bad it just... Looks horrible..." He trailed off, seeing his words weren't really helping, and instead walked forward to wrap his arms round her in a hug.

Misaki flinched away, shaking her head and ducking back into the kitchen, boiling the kettle and putting various things in a bowl including lemon juice, and some olive oil and salt.

"Misaki, my arms are fine." He said, pinning her against the counter with his hip and winding his arms round her. "See?"

"You're hurt Usui, you shouldn't be using your arms!" She whined, but made no move to untangle him. He guessed she was too scared of hurting him further.

"Don't worry so much Prez," he chuckled, using his bandaged hand to lift the now boiled kettle and pour a little into the bowl. His un-bandaged arm never left her waist. "My arms work fine; they just need a little help sometimes. I need a little help sometimes. From you."

He whispered the last part directly into her ear, feeling her body shiver and smirking with satisfaction. Unwinding himself from around her he turned and walked back into the living room, calling over his shoulder; "Don't keep your master waiting Misa-chan."

He had barely sat down on the sofa before he was joined by Misaki, carrying the bowl in her hands. She set it down on the table and reached for her bag, pulling out her bandages and began soaking some in the water.

"Misaki could just bandage me up you know." Usui pointed out helpfully when Misaki settled herself between his knees and began cleaning his arm with one of the soaked bandages.

"It has to be clean before it can be bandaged." She said, carefully wiping the bandage over his bruise, taking care not to press to much or grip him too hard.

"But Misaki," He barely held back the giggle that threatened to escape him as she passed the material between each of his fingers, "I'm not dirty. And anyway, the skin is intact. The bandage is only there to support the sprain and control the swelling."

"Please Usui..." She paused in her ministrations, looking up at him with an undecipherable expression, "Can you just let me do this? I want to do it properly. I broke you. I'll fix you."

"I wish you could fix me." He said, laughing dryly as Misaki continued to clean. It would be so nice – like a fantasy made reality – if Misaki meant it. If she really wanted to fix him. She could. She was already fixing parts of him, even if she didn't know she was. But he was so broken, so messed up and screwed around inside, that he doubted she would have the patience to fix all of him.

Misaki cleaned and bandaged both his arms, first with the bandages soaked in the oil/lemon/salt water poultice, and then a plain, dry bandage over the top. At first Usui thought it was silly, and his arms were really heavy and felt wet, but then they felt secure and cool and it was a relief somewhat to just sit there and let her fuss over him. After all, it wasn't something he recieved very often.

At last his arms were finished and he could lie down on the couch and relax, listening to the sounds of Misaki pottering around in the kitchen, cooking something. He was on the verge of going looking for her when she re-emerged, carrying a tray of food, which she placed on the table.

Usui gawped at it. What was this? It had green bits... And red bits... And yellow bits... and even blue bits! And some of it looked cook and some didn't and it was all set out like it was going to be fed to the king!

"Misaki..." He looked at her and saw her blush. "What did you?..."

"I thought since the last thing I cooked for you went so wrong, maybe I should think about what I would make this time... Before I was set loose on the kitchen..."

"But are those..." He looked again at the meal in front of him. "Blue berries?"

"Yes?"

"Where in the blue blazes did you get blue berries?"

"The convenience store."

He blinked at her once. Twice. Three times. "Which convenience store?"

"The one we get the produce from for Maid Latte."

He blinked again. "But that's on the other side of the district! That's hardly convenient is it!"

"Calm down Usui," She scolded him, shuffling her hands in her lap and looking disappointed. "I just thought I would try a little harder, that's all. If you don't want to eat it then just say so. You don't need to ridicule me."

"I'm not-" Usui started, but stopped again. It did sound a little as though he was ridiculing her he supposed. But then again, there was no need to go all that way just to get blue berries for him. "Thank you Misaki. I'll eat it."

She looked sceptically at him, then picked up the bowl of rice and handed it to him, shoving the whole tray nearer to him and making to stand up. "Could you feed it to me?"

Misaki froze. He waited. He knew his words sounded familiar, but this time he really was serious. What with his arms being so swathed in bandages that he could hardly move his fingers, holding chop sticks and eating by himself was going to be impossible.

"Fine." She conceded, kneeling by the side of the sofa and helping Usui to prop himself up. "What do you want to eat first?"

"Could you explain what it is first?"

She glared at him for a few moments, then said calmly, "Spinach, tomato and spring onion salad. Cooked Fish. Seytuan chicken with vegetables. Rice. Melon, apple, strawberry and blueberry fruit salad."

He had to admit, he was impressed. After the porridge-like substance he was fed yesterday, this was like heaven. But it seemed so unlikely that Misaki would be able to prepare this herself.

"Did you do this yourself?"

She nodded, then blushed, "Well I made the chicken last night, after you called me... But the rest of it I did here."

He nodded, and requested the fish, reasoning that it would be a better idea to get the simple things out of the way before he challenged his stomach with the more complicated dishes. Namely the Chicken. He was half expecting it to be burnt and crumble in his mouth, or taste funny or be undercooked, but he was wrong, it was cooked to perfection.

She could obviously see the surprise on his face because she offered an answer before he even asked the question. "There are a few things I can do well. These are those things. I just... Might have ruined the rice again."

Usui raised an eyebrow as he inspected the rice. It wasn't quite as porridge-like as it had been yesterday, but it still looked a little over cooked, as though she had been busily concentrating on the other dishes and had only saved it just in time for it still to be edible. He just couldn't help the laugh that escaped him.

An hour later and they were both on the couch, Usui with his eyes closed and his head in Misaki's lap while her fingers sifted though his hair as instructed by her 'Master'.

"You have a very soothing touch Misa-chan." Usui speculated, a soft smile curling his lips when the rhythmic movement faltered. He cracked an eye open to see her blushing and staring out the window at the city lights. "And your lap is very comfortable." He turned his head to blow gently at the stripe of skin visible between her top and her belt. She nearly through him on the floor.

"Pervert!" She shouted at him, "Don't do that! I'll leave right now! And I'll clobber you a big one to go with those puffy arms of yours too!"

He raised an eyebrow as she glared at him. "If you don't want me to take advantage of it, don't show me any flesh."

Now it was Misaki's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What would you have me do? Get an all in one complete with gloves, gas-mask and a balaclava? Be reasonable."

"Then you'll just have to put up with the attention won't you." He concluded, giving the skin another gentle blow as evidence. This didn't work out completely how he wanted it either, as Misaki stopped stroking his hair and instead crossed her arms over that particular strip of skin. Hiding it from him.

"They you'll just have to survive without my attention then, wont you."

Usui frowned, that wasn't fair, he needed her attention more than anything. He couldn't survive without it. He needed her to be watching him. Talking to him. Touching him in some way. "Please go back to playing with my hair." He whined, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. "I promise I won't tease you like that again. I promise."

She scowled out the windows, ignoring him. He whined again, shuffling around on the couch. "Misaki!"

Once again, rebuttal, but she couldn't keep it up forever. "Misa... Why are you punishing yourself?"

"Because it's my fault and I need to repay my dept to you. I don't want to owe you anything."

"I don't think you do. You've repaid me enough just by bothering to come see me. You don't need to do more."

Silence.

"Misaki?"

"..."

"Misa... what did I say this time!"

She sighed, sinking her fingers back into the golden strands of his hair, combing it gently, much more gently than he ever did. His eyelids fluttered shut and she huffed. "I don't want to fall into even more of a dept than I'm already stuck in."

He cracked an eye open to see a wistful smile on her face. "It's not dept, because you never owed me anything. You have nothing to atone."

"This conversation is becoming pointless." Misaki side-stepped. "And it's getting late. I need to go home. Mum will worry about me if I'm here any later."

"You could always stay the night." Usui suggested his eyes slipping shut again, he didn't even need to see her to know that idea was rejected.

"I-I can't." Misaki stuttered, sort of shocked – but then again this was Usui here – and more than a little surprised that he had even requested she stay the night. "I have school tomorrow. And If I'm going to get all my studying done I need to leave now, plus I need to sort through the documents for the student council and-"

"Misa... I was only saying. You're welcome to stay the night. It wasn't an order. I won't force you to suffer my presence any longer than you really need to."

Misaki stopped, his voice sounded so sad and upset, almost as if she had really really hurt him. Again. She sighed, slipping her hands through his golden hair a few more times. It really was soft. Sort of.. Furry. As if he had a lot of hair, but the strands were so thin that it was more like fur than actual hair. In any case, she could sit there all night with him, just running her hands over the silken, furry surface, and marvelling in the calm expression that never seemed to leave his face. But she wasn't lying when she said she was busy.

As much as she had to leave, she really didn't want to. She wanted to stay there with him and make sure he was ok until morning. She wasn't comfortable with him being upset and the fact he said she 'suffered' his presence didn't slip her notice either.

"Don't worry," She said, shifting her legs to signal Usui to move his head. He stood up completely and even fetched her bag for her. "I'll come back tomorrow. Just... try and stay alive until then please?"

He nodded, reaching out for her just before they got to the front door. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you Ayuzawa." He whispered in her ear. "And I know you couldn't bear to part with your master, so I'll try and stay breathing. Just. For. You."

The last word was accompanied by a lick, running the length of the side of her neck, moments before she shot through the door like a scolded cat.

Usui chuckled to himself as he listened to her footsteps disappearing down the stairs at break neck speed, probably fearing he might chase after her again for another taste of that raspberry body wash and shampoo. Not that he wouldn't have. If he could have. He closed the door quietly, smiling happily with the sweet and sharp tang still on his tongue. Maybe he should be the one atoning for his sins... No, he hadn't racked up enough of them yet.

A/N: Ok, please review and please tell me what you think! :D

-Okami