Thank you, reviewers! You are the fuel that keeps me going. As mentioned on the opening notes, I am always open ears to any ideas or suggestions you may want to share with me.
My stats say this story has had a good 411 views. Let have some feedback to match that, eh? Remember, be cool, review!
E-san: Ouuu I just love lengthy reviews! I love Emiri/Emily too ! She's such a sweetheart and I love her in the manga and the anime. I have read the manga - what I meant before was just that the first season of the anime is all I watched, assuming that they are making a second season. But WOWIE if you would be able to make fun pictures with manga scans.. I would love you forever!
ren'ai-iki: Yes. Yes they are both VERY cute, and I expect to see somehting from you too, soon, right? Glad you like the pairing, and that I could turn you on to Air Gear XD
Jade Mouse: Your name is so cute! I love foreshadowing but sadly, I'm not very good at it. But you made me feel better about the way I write so thank you! Your compliments are very flattering and I hope to keep you reading! Enjoy!
shoxxic: My friend can you believe how fast the IkkiKazu world is growing? I'm so proud! And thank you muchly for the review and your notes on liking my writing style. It really means a lot to me. I hope to see some more from you, soon, your writing is beautiful and very addicting.
Slifer: Kazu is my favorite too!! (Like you couldn't tell). Happy to hear you like the characterization. It's one of my main focuses - I hate making people OOC so I'm really relieved to hear you say that. I'll update as much as I can, but I'm in college now and it makes it hard to find the time.
HagarenFanGirl: I was reading you fic and I must say that I am very impressed. Be my friend ! lol, you have no idea how giddy I get when I find other IkkiKazu shippers and I understand what you mean about there not being many fics to browse through. It's not known very well yet, but give it time and people will figure it out, and fics will come flowing in!! Until then, it's up to us! (heroic pose)
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Air Gear
a fiction by Crimson Vixen
Restless
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Whenever Kazu walked in regular sneakers at a regular pace, he felt heavy, even if they did weigh less than his AT's. The wheels adding pounds had nothing to do with it; it was all about what he was able to do with them. With regular shoes, he felt anchored, almost, like there were shackles clutching at his ankles. And he felt less than average. He felt slow, held back, because without AT, it didn't matter how fast he was. He wasn't uncatchable. Every once and a while, it would put him in a fowl mood.
The bars around his cage – around this city – mocked him when he wasn't wearing AT's.
The clouds were plentiful but not overshadowing, letting the moon shine through brightly on occasion. Which was good because without the moon he might have had a hard time seeing his hand in front of his face. The wind blew at him on that cool night. More than usual, it felt like. Without his hat, the night air was biting and he found his ears were viciously sensitive to it's icy touch. He tugged his hood up over his head to shield them, though it just wasn't the same. Air still flooded in and taunted him, and he clenched his teeth together irritably.
The conclusion that jumped out at him first when he realized he was missing his favorite beanie was that someone had stolen it. People don't need a reason to take things that don't belong to them these days. If it's there, it's fair game. That was just the way things worked. He didn't want to have to get a new one, either. The one he had was special and he was having a hard time forgiving himself for leaving it behind somewhere. Replacing it just wouldn't be the same, considering how he'd gotten it.
It wasn't like he wore it all the time. There were times he went hatless, but he still never left it far from reach. Besides, sometimes he felt naked without it.
Stuffing his fists into the front pocket of his favorite blue hoodie, he sniffed, and scowled. Even his hands were getting cold. He hated to admit it, but he was a freeze baby. A chilly breeze could turn his nose red and numb his digits if he stood out long enough. No one needed to know that, though.
Lately, he'd been finding himself by that damn fence. It was a tall fence, climbable, but that wasn't the point. Kazu had a deep loathing for that scrap of metal or anything similar to it, yet he kept returning to it at odd hours of the night. It wasn't so much what it was, just what it represented. He would lean against it and think, to remind himself of who he was. Where he stood in this ever-shrinking world.
And that was a fading shadow who was trying to climb up and was destined to fall. That damn fence was a cruel reminder of that. He could run and fly and aim for the top but in the end there was always something stopping him, as if telling him he was never meant to shine.
Over the past couple of days, he'd found a nice and cozy spot. It was a bent and damaged part of the crisscross wiring, rusted a bit, and Kazu felt drawn to it. Here he would sit or stand, slouching either way, and he wouldn't go home until the night had turned into day or he got too cold. When he got back, no one ever questioned where he was. True, he'd been growing tired as time went on, and he was having a harder time concentrating in school and keeping up with Ikki's training, but he kept shrugging it off. He liked it as much as he hated it; coming here, suffering for it when it came time to get through the day. A habit he had somehow grown over time.
Another thing to hate about himself.
Surprisingly, no one ever found him here, or no one ever looked. Not that a blocked off and abandoned part of the city was a tourist attraction or anything, but it was alright with him. He didn't really want to be found. He thought little enough of himself as it was so he didn't need someone he knew to find him brooding there. At that god damned fence.
That's not the kind of attention he wanted.
Sometimes he wondered if he was truly never meant to be anything more than what he already was. Just a backdrop to the real star. It wasn't so much he wanted to be the best. He could care less about being top dog. All he wanted was the acknowledgment that he was worth something. Or that he existed. Then maybe he'd just wing it from there. But there was no way he could compare with someone like Ikki. The crow was so natural and so flowing, he might as well have been born with AT's on his feet. Of course, topping Ikki was never really on his list of things to do. It just kinda set the bar, so to speak. In order to prove that he wasn't worthless, at least in Kazu's eyes, he had to reach that bar.
It was why he refused to call Ikki for back up when he and Onigiri were at the school late one night and ran into Buccha for the first time. He was still new to riding on wheels, a newborn bird trying out his wings for the first time, and still he felt like he held some sort of power. To this day he couldn't fathom how he thought he and Onigiri could take on Buccha and his cronies at the time, but they had tried. The first thing he noticed about the large boy was that he was, well, large. And Kazu specifically remembered thinking how he could later tell Ikki what had happened and how he would be praised for it. That he, Mikura Kazuma was able to handle himself against a giant like Buccha. But it hadn't worked out that way at all. He had been knocked around like a rag doll and wrapped in bandages and all he could do for Ikki was apologize and show up later in crutches to cheer for him when Ikki was getting his revenge. For them.
Even when his throat was pinned to the wall, his feet kicking and vision watering, all he could think about was Ikki and what he would say when he found out. Or how the news would reach his ears. What he would think of him after it was all said and done.
It was what motivated him to land a punch when he should have kept falling to the ground and play dead. Maybe then they would have given him and Onigiri a break. But that was out of the question back then because that wouldn't prove anything. He wanted to fight his own battles without relying on anyone else. And certainly, without calling on Ikki to save him.
It happened again when Kitsune had introduced him to a team that wanted him to play a major role. He was flattered and had thought that he had finally been giving his chance in the sun, because someone was actually looking to him for once. But as conversations went forward he had to decline because their terms were betraying Ikki. That had gotten him into a fight, and even though he had held his own, he was left battered and bruise and the next day Emiri was whining over his face, and Ikki had commented on his poor fighting skills. He'd brushed the comment off well, but he thought about it often.
Ikki was the reason he'd taken up AT in the first place, after all. It was only natural, or at least it was natural for someone like Kazu, to want to prove himself capable.
Because he didn't want Ikki to forget him.
He swallowed a lump and grinded his teeth, slightly annoyed once again that he didn't have his hat to keep his hair from falling into his eyes.
The night was middle aged at this time, the cool air giving the fence an arctic touch. He ran his knuckles absentmindedly across the metal as he watched his feet kick at the dirt and almost jumped when he felt his phone vibrate. But he didn't answer it. Didn't even take it out to look at the caller. Just let it vibrate in his pocket. When he was here, he didn't want to be bothered. When he was here, nothing else existed.
Just him and that stinkin' fence. And the tense air between them that dared him to make a move.
Kazu laughed at himself bitterly. Why did he insist on torturing himself this way? Especially when he should be out training, more so now than ever. Ever since he'd over heard a couple of bystanders and non riders talking about a rumor about some guy that could...
No, he shook his head violently. He didn't even want to think about it. It gave him a worthless feeling that he wanted more than anything to shake. What reputation he had managed to grab a hold of may be slipping through his fingers like water; slow enough that he could realize it, but too fast for him to do anything about it.
The fence was getting hard on his back, digging into his shoulder blades and carving imprints into his skin. So he sank to the ground with a small rattle of metal and rested his head back to gaze at the sky. The moon was exceptionally bright that night, casting an outline on the clouds, and like instinct, he reached out to it and wrapped his hand around it, then released it. Meditation, almost, Kazu had dubbed it. It was calming when he pretended he could reach such an unreachable thing.
It drove him into his thoughts, too. Like earlier, when he'd just up and ran off at the end of Ikki's little meeting. He wasn't entirely sure why he had done it – was probably as confused as Ikki must be. There was just something about seeing Akito wrapped around Ikki's arm like that that bothered him. Somehow it made him feel like Akito thought he was that much better than him, being able to cling so shamelessly to their leader in such a way. Tch, like he was closer to Ikki or like he knew him best. What a joke. Kazu knew him since they were kids. Knew his favorite color and food and season, knew how to poke at his nerves and what put him in a good mood. He'd yet to be able to get over the fact that it felt like Ikki had such a huge amount of trust and faith in Akito, even after knowing him for a shorter period of time. It didn't matter what Akito felt, Kazu kept telling himself, because he knew nothing about him. Not like he did.
How childish. Fussing about it like some jealous girlfriend.
Kazu huffed, tucking his head deeper into his shoulders, blinking owlishly when he saw his own breath spiral into the air.
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That night, Ikki had gone to sleep early, sparking a light worry from Ringo when she and her sisters had returned home. Usually Ikki was outside, or causing some sort of trouble, or at least awake. She said nothing.
He'd turned his light off and fell back onto his bed to clear his mind and rest his body, but before he could fall asleep, he flipped onto his back and put his hands behind his neck for support as he gazed at the darkness. Once his eyes started to adjust he found himself looking at the ceiling, tracing all the details with little interest.
Most of his thoughts overflowed him – not something he particularly wanted.
And tonight, for reasons unknown, he felt off. It only helped him fall asleep faster.
But it didn't last long. When he woke up, time had barely passed, and he wasn't surprised in the least to find Akito tangled with him in the sheets, but he was still never prepared for it. Waking up next to a boy felt awkward. Ikki's eyes shot wide and he tumbled onto the floor unceremoniously, taking half the sheets with him. As usual, Akito didn't even stir. Only sighed and took a light hold on Ikki's sheets and hugged them as if they were Ikki himself. The crow took a quick glance to the clock and frowned when he registered he had only gotten a couple of hours of sleep. The night was still young.
The distressing thing was, once Ikki woke up, he had a hard time getting back to sleep. And he certainly wasn't going to push Akito off the bed. Wasn't going to get back in with him either.
Groggily he got to his feet and scratched at the back of his head.
"Damn," the crow cursed quietly. Akito didn't mean anything by crawling into bed with him, at least not that he could see. He was just reacting to basic human needs without question. That didn't make things any easier for Ikki, however, who had to deal with the teasing remarks and insults from the other members of the household, leaving him with the job of defending his sexuality. At least Akito hadn't woken him up with a kiss this morning. Ikki could still remember the first time, feeling silky lips on his, and opening his eyes to see the other boy's closed lids. Everyone remembered hearing him yelling at the top of his lungs, even from outside.
Now he was here, awake and not able to get back to sleep. It annoyed him, and he muttered about it while he sloppily tossed the sheets over Akito and made his way outside, where it was crisp and refreshing against his skin, and the moon was calling out to him. So Ikki went in the direction of it as though he could get closer. Briefly he wondered if he was the only one who had ever wanted to get closer to the moon.
His hands were warm and safe in his pockets, fingers twitching and absentmindedly fiddling with a piece of lint. He wished more nights could be like this; calming, gentle. Just a small break from the quick-paced adventure that seemed to find him everyday.
His heart thudded, and he couldn't understand why until he gaze to his left, spotting a familiar brush with a clean spider web. The crow swallowed and continued to skate down the abandoned road.
It was about that time when he felt it. The uneasy feeling that something that shouldn't be, was. Something rank creeped into his nose, and he made a face, bringing his sleeve up to block his senses from the smell. Part of his mind was screaming at him to turn around, head back home. Pretend he was never here. The other half was begging him to explore, that he'd later regret not fulfilling his curiosity.
Naturally, Ikki had to follow through. Taking a deep breath and holding it, he stepped further into the darkness, where less lights lined the streets and less people walked at night. The futher he went, the more alone he felt, until he couldn't see another soul. He turned the corner and immediately tripped over something.
First off, he was thankful he wore gloves or else his palms would have nasty cuts from the way he caught himself on the concrete. He landed in a puddle that last nights rain must have left behind, but the smell was strong here, and Ikki couldn't help feeling that water shouldn't feel so thick or smell so rank.
Again, his heart began to thud rapidly in his chest. Something just felt wrong. Blinking rapidly to force his eyes to adjust, he fervently felt around to get a feel of his surroundings. Cold hard ground. Wet and sticky. Some lump he couldn't identify. It was a big lump, much like the one forming in his throat, and once the darkness grew clearer, he had to suppress the bile trying to escape his stomach.
Ikki clutched at his gut as he scrambled hastily to his feet. Bodies, bodies, more bodies, shredded and dead and abandoned, twisted and mangled in ways that should never be possible. Their gazes were lifeless and hollow, yet Ikki looked into the empty irises of the one that caused his fall, as if he was trying to understand what was left unsaid.
Their gear was solid proof to Ikki that these were riders. The question was, how the hell did such a thing take place anyway? And why? Ikki slowly back away, feeling dirty and in shock, and sped off down the street a ways before stopping to empty the contents of his stomach. Then he was off to find help. Why, why, why, why...
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Time played a funny little trick on him then. A course of events took place that he couldn't remember, as if he did all these things that led up to the moment he was in but he was never really there. Like he had skipped a few chapters and ended up here, because it had all happened so fast. Because one minute he's racing down the street to find help, trying to keep his stomach from churning, and the next thing he knew, he was surrounded by red and blue lights, the spontaneous crackle of communicators, and he was holding a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Of course, how it had gotten in his hands, he had no idea.
The blanket that Ume had given him was made of soft wool, so it was welcomely warm. He shrugged it up further, covering his neck and shoulders with the gentle material, trying to block out all the voices, avoid looking at all the flashing lights, forget all the questions police had asked him because he didn't want to remember any of it. Of course, no amount of willpower he could muster up could fully erase the fresh imagery of mangle corpses out of his head, and the rotten luck that led him to their discovery.
Ikki wasn't sure how he felt about things like fate. If there was no such thing and you were in control of your life. Or if it was all already decided for us, and we're just forced to walk the line that's been drawn out. Whatever it was, he didn't like it, and he certainly didn't understand it.
He was barely aware of the police leaving, somehow feeling that the moment was meant to drag on forever. He was too focused on the mumbling of the eldest sister, something about bringing cops so close to a family of riders being dangerous, even though it was a well hidden secret. But she couldn't bring herself to be angry, for more than obvious reasons. Another thing Ikki was aware of was Ringo's hands resting on his upper arms, giving him reassuring squeezes and softly kneading with her fingers. It was almost enough to put him asleep, and he might have, if it weren't for all those horrible pictures that cross his eyelids when he closed them.
Pathetic; that was the only word he could think of right now, making a face and hiding it underneath the blanket. He was no child, needing to be held and babied and told that everything was going to be ok. If anything, he just needed to know that people were around, and that the issue at hand was being taken care of. He was shaken, but didn't want to be coddled.
When the police and all their cars and questions finally pulled away and he was sure he was not going to be sleeping that night, Ikki mumbled to the others he was going to bed, pretending not to hear their replies and nagging and additional questions. Like that was all he needed.
Dragging himself up the stairs and dragging the blanket behind him, he made it to his room, happy that Akito was no longer in his bed. Either he'd gone to his own room or was downstairs or outside with the girls; he didn't have the mind to really pay attention to who was where. Just that he wasn't in his bed. He fell onto the mattress heavily, intent on just laying there until he was forced to get up again, or until the world ended. Whatever came first. So far he figured that faking sleep would work just as good as the real thing.
He paid extra close attention to the ticking of the clock, deciding it sounded louder when the second hand was on the top half of the face. Then he decided he was a little too distracted. With reason. Even rolling from side to side did nothing for him, not that he expected it to. When he stilled, he heard a light knock on his door and Ringo say his name.
But he didn't feel like interacting with anyone at the moment. He was too busy rerunning the events through his head and hating himself for things he had no control over. So he remained unmoving, pretending to sleep, and thankfully, Ringo was nice enough to pretend to believe him.
Or at least, that was what he had thought, until another knock came at the door a few minutes later, louder this time. Ikki's brows furrowed; Ringo didn't come across as the type to keep bugging him when he so obviously wanted to be left alone. His nose crinkled, wondering when it was he decided he was able to identify people by the way they knocked on other people's doors, but was quickly pulled from those thoughts when a new but recognizable voice sounded. The crow blinked and rolled onto his other side to spare a glance, only coming face to face with calm, dark eyes, shielded behind perfect frames. But not Ringo's.
Glasses made Sano look intelligent, and older than he actually was, and... younger at the same time. Ikki wasn't entirely sure that made sense, but that's how he always saw the man. To an extent, Ikki was happy to see another familiar face, but of all the faces...
"Sano," he spoke dryly. His voice almost betrayed him but he cleared it and asked the question that seemed the most appropriate. "What the hell... What're you doing here?"
The taller boy stood straight, dipping his head down and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his middle finger. He was flashing a smug smile, one that Ikki didn't like, especially now of all times, since he really wasn't in the mood for any tricks or mind games. Or ... time games, in his case. Although, time (no pun intended) had proven to Ikki that Sano was on his side, that smile was hard to openly grasp with welcome arms. He trusted the iron clock's loyalty, but wasn't sure the he fully trusted him as a person just yet. Did that make sense?
There were times, after all, that he really, really toyed with Ikki's patience.
"I'm simply here to look after you," he said, like it explained everything. That was one of the things that annoyed Ikki the most, he reminded himself as he scrunched his face openly. Sano had this way of speaking that would explain himself but not really. He would answer your question but at the same time, raise only more questions. Ikki addressed one of the more irritating ones.
"...And... why so late?"
Silence overtook the both of them, like Sano was cornered. The crow was willing to believe he had his reasons for being sent over, but did he really have to do it at such an ungodly hour of the night? Couldn't he at least have the respect to let him sleep and then announce himself in the morning?
He didn't receive an answer and Sano didn't really offer one, instead pushing his glasses up another time, avoiding it all together. It didn't matter, apparently. All that mattered was him. Ikki was too tired for explanations anyway.
He was the future Sky King. One of the things that felt so weird about it was that people were expecting him to claim that title. Like it wasn't an open challenge anymore. Like he had already taken it, just not officially. Sky King in training, if you will.
"I have a new mission," Sano spoke dramatically, just like he did everything else. He sounded like a child make believing is was an astronaut, about to embark on a dangerous adventure. "And that is to keep an eye on you until your journey is complete."
Ikki was impressed that the other boy wasn't bowing before him by now.
"Ohhh," he drawled slowly, expression fixed into aggravation, sarcasm oozing from his lips like a glass with too much wine. He gave a small nod. "So... like a babysitter."
Their gazes mingled, their bodies still. Ikki waited for the skilled rider to explain himself, to cover that label with some well disguised excuse, so he was really thrown off when Sano finally spoke.
"Yeah."
Ikki's fingers curled cruelly around the sheets. This night just kept on getting better and better. Hopefully nothing would show up in the news in the morning about what had happened that night, or that other riders didn't find out that Sano had been sent as his bodyguard. That would really ruin his reputation. He didn't want the guys to find out about it, either. He didn't need his friends on him about it. He wanted to keep it all hush-hush, because frankly, he didn't want to talk about it more than he had to.
He just... didn't want to deal with it all.
"Do you have any idea what just happened?" the boy seethed through his teeth.
"I do," Sano replied all knowingly.
Ikki's lips thinned. He wasn't sure how news could travel so fast or exactly how the man may have gotten that information, but he didn't exactly doubt his knowledge. Over time, he'd learned not to question certain things. So Sano knew; that was great. Then why was he bothering him?
"I don't need you acting like a caretaker. I don't care that you're here, but stay out of my way," Ikki barked, sitting up on the bed now, not really in the best of moods. "I don't want to know that you're here, got it?"
"Of course."
How could someone obey what you say and still be so infuriating? His calm appearance irked the crow. It felt as though he wasn't being taken seriously. And those intense brown eyes were plastered to him, making him uncomfortable. He threw a pillow at him, but as expected, Sano didn't flinch.
"Keep your eyes to yourself, you pervert!"
He didn't know it was possible, but suddenly, Sano's presence in his house seemed less appealing than it was before. Somehow he'd forgotten just what kind of man Sano was, regardless of how strong of an asset he could prove to be in situations.
"What about the girls?"
"I'm not interested in - "
"That's not what I meant."
"They have already been informed of my being here."
Ikki noticed that if there was any fight of struggle in the matter, Sano pointedly left that information unsaid. He never expressed that the girls took an actual liking to the idea either.
That empty silence returned and Ikki shifted uncomfortably on the bed. The man that had once been his enemy, who had once beaten and even flirted with his childhood friend, this perverted older man, was standing just at his door, in the dark, eying him. It made him feel naked. His teeth grinded and his body squirmed awkwardly before he pointed a stiff finger to the door.
"Just get out of here," he growled. "I don't want to see you."
"I understand you're mood, but..." Sano dropped his arms to his sides, lifting his chin and looking down on the younger boy. Ikki wasn't particularly fond of the feeling it gave him.
As soon as Sano's footsteps padded down the hallway and out of earshot, Ikki folded back over on the bed, letting out a huge sigh. He didn't even feel tired anymore, and even if he was up for sleeping, no one in this damn house seemed willing to let him.
Now, finally, finally at peace, he could be left alone.
"Ikki?"
Oh for the love of...
The soft, almost feminine voice of non other than Akito.
He intended on faking sleep again; maybe Akito would take the bait, but he'd already given himself away with an impulsive groan. Ikki irritably hummed to let the small boy know he was listening. What, was there a line outside his door today or something? Of people ready to try and drive him insane and make sure he got no sleep that night?
Akito didn't say anything, but Ikki heard him moving around, and eventually felt him move onto the bed. Oh great, of course, tonight of all nights. Regardless, the crow shimmied over to allow Akito room on the mattress, not able to find the energy to argue or protest. He didn't even know what brought Akito to his bed, still. It could be nightmares, a fear of being alone, and if those were the cases, Ikki didn't have the heart to kick him out. But he never asked why, in fear of touching a subject he might later regret. On the bright side, being with someone else prevented him from thinking too much. And even though being alone was what he wanted, maybe being with someone tonight was what he needed.
Tiny limbs worked their way around him like a body pillow, small nose rubbing against the front of his shirt. Ikki tensed temporarily until he knew Akito had no intention on moving from his spot. So he let himself relax – as much as he could, anyway. It was easier said than done – and listened as soft snores began to fill the otherwise dead silent room.
He wondered what tomorrow would feel like – if the world would move on as though nothing had happened. Well, Ikki thought darkly, thats usually just how things worked. As long as they weren't directly involved, people didn't care. They'd just go on with their lives, thankful it wasn't them.
Perhaps, though, that was just human nature.
Akito moved in his sleep, craning his head around enough to brush against he pillow and move his precious eye patch. Ikki carefully moved it back in place. Akito and his cuddling he could deal with. It was Agito's attitude he didn't like facing, even if it was a part of Akito himself. Nobody... ever asks for two personalities. Accepting it is all you can really do.
"Ikki-kun," came that tender voice again. When had he woken up? Lazily, Ikki's heavy eyes landed on Akito's curiously wide ones. He was warm, always warm, and his heat radiated off of him.
"Mmm?"
"Something.. feels strange."
At first Ikki opened his mouth to mention it was probably the fact that they were both guys, sharing a bed, but on a second thought, he closed his mouth. It must not feel so out there, if he was so ready to scoot aside to make room for the smaller boy. After a moment, he opened his mouth again.
"Strange like how?"
The smaller of the two squirmed until he was on his back and facing Ikki's ceiling, hands folded nearly atop his stomach.
"Like the winds are changing," he explained simply.
"It's nothing," Ikki replied instantly, perhaps a bit too quickly, not liking the idea of something else major hurdling his way. Usually he was up for any challenge, but lately... "Go to sleep."
And Akito did obediently, closing his eyes and re-latching himself onto the team leader's arm. Sure Ikki would like to chalk it up to being something like indigestion, whatever feeling it was Akito was referring to. Maybe he was just sensing the change of the seasons, but even he wasn't stupid enough to misplace an intuition like that. Sometimes, Ikki wished that Akito didn't have such damn good instincts.
Even though he didn't sleep, the morning still felt just like Ikki had expected it to. New, fresh, like it was nothing but some horrible dream. Boy wouldn't that be nice... It was going to take him a while to get over what he had seen, he knew, but the first step was to try and get through another day.
As per usual and as expected, Akito was still clinging to his arm, now numb from his hold. He was awake, eyes blinking twice before closing his eyes and leaning in close.
Somehow Ikki could always feel when Akito was going to do it. His lips were soft and slow moving, like time had been stretched, and Ikki had to rapidly blink himself awake before pulling away, wiping at his mouth.
"Dammit," he cursed. Screaming had gotten old because after a while, no one took him seriously. Just 'oh, he did it again.' Yelling had gotten him nowhere. He scrambled out of the bed, leaving Akito alone and smiling like a lovesick fool. Ikki's brows remained low as he grabbed his skates. Running on no sleep, an empty but not really hungry stomach, and a more than annoying night to dwell on, he immediately headed downstairs.
"Uhm..."
So soft and nervous, but firmly aiming to grab his attention; he recognized it immediately as Ringo's. That's right, he probably worried her last night. Feeling a little guilty, he turned around.
"Ahh..." he started nervously, putting a hand to the back of his neck and rolling his head to the side. "Good morning."
Real smooth. Act like you didn't screw up.
"Morning," Ringo smiled fully, glad to see the boy up and moving about so well. She looked at him like a lost puppy, or like he was ill. He didn't like it.
"Look, about last night..." he began, not knowing how to finish. He was never good at making apologies. Wasn't sure how to go about them without denting his boyish pride.
"You look tired, but you look as through you're feeling better," she cut him off, saving him, and pinning him all over again. "I'm glad."
"...Yeah..."
He hated awkward moments like this, where two people were thinking about the same thing and avoided the topic completely to avoid any tension. All it did was cause more. Ringo was still smiling fondly at him, and Ikki swallowed quickly.
"Just gonna... get some fresh air," he announced lamely, weakly pointing to the door and stumbling on his way to it. For a fraction of a second, he noted how Ringo's expression faltered, but quickly recovered. She wanted so badly to offer to go with him, to console him and comfort him, but Ikki just wants the type to accept something like that so easily.
"Ikki..."
"I don't know when I'll be back," he called lightly, out the door before anything else had the chance to happen. Surely, Ringo was left with her feet itching to chase after him, one hand possibly outstretched towards his retreating back. But he had shut the door before he could give himself the chance to turn around and fall into guilt again. Ringo's eyes could melt any guy.
And oh how he hated leaving the girl like that. But he needed to get out, get some fresh air. Clear his head a little. And he had an idea how.
It felt much, much colder than the day before, and Ikki zipped his jacket up all the way, something he rarely ever did. He moved quickly, letting his skates take him wherever they pleased, knowing where he was going only after he had gotten there. It would be a welcomed distraction and a weight off his shoulders. That's what he hoped, anyway, as he knocked on the door, heart feeling suspiciously heavy while he waited for that door to open.