A/N: How the hell do you even WRITE two boys' interaction after a chapter like 'Airborne'? I'll tell you, I have no freakin' clue, but I'm giving it a go anyway. I kind of have to, to keep the story going. A piece of advice my friends, don't stick to writing the stuff you're used to. Write about stuff you have no idea how to write - seriously, give it a try. You'll be able to write a lot better, and a lot more.
I have no idea how this chapter got up so fast, but don't get too excited - I'm in my final few weeks of school so I'm getting less and less time I want to work on this thing.
And! I'm so so sorry, guys! I KNOW there are still Ikkazu stuffs on ffnet I've yet to review. I will get to them, you have my word.
So, ffnet is still trying to feck with my transistions and paragraphing and all that. With MUCH tending to, the last chapter managed to get out just fine but just to cover my ass, if something seems off about this chapters set up, just let me know and I'll fix it.
uhmmmm ok!
Thoughts I wanted to share: You know how there's a favorite author option? I'm kinda starting to wish there was a favorite reviewer option...
If fanfiction was a catagory in libraries and bookstores, like fiction and fantasy etc etc... We'd all be freaking rich, and I'd be in those places all the dame time.
I mentioned it before and I think Imma keep mentioning it until it happens, but if anyone is going to Otakon in August, you should totally let me know! Kitten and I will both be there (dressed as Ikki and Kazu) and we'd love to meet you!
Warnings: possibly wonky page set up, me once again writing situations I've never written before, possible grammar stuffs, I hate this chapter, yadda yadda
Disclaimer: I forget to put this in sometimes. Not mine!
Once again, a huge thank you! to all my readers and reviewers. If it wasn't for all of you, there would be no story. Iknow the kiss took FOREVER to get to and I wanna thank you all as a whole for sticking with this story so long.
Flawless Beauti: I'm trying to update the best I can, 'coz I know hard it can be sometimes to wait. (cough) There is nothing right with bouncing around the room, love. Last lines are actually one of my biggest fears as a writer, hah, so thank you!
Misguided Angel of Death: After you said it, I listened to that song - it's very pretty. I was listening to Sara Bareilles Gravity which helped tons. Cry..? I didn't know I had that kind of power. (Isn't episode 21.5 cute?) As for what Kazu said to Emiri, you'll find out this chapter. I'm glad you picked up on to Emiri dropping the 'sama'. Thanks for the beautiful review.
november-eyes: I really like Emiri - since the beginning I wanted to give her an important role and by your review I see she did her job well. Where would boys be without us girls, huh? I'm a tad irritated at how much Kazu has been running in my story but now that Ikki has a hold of him, hopefully...
Tinkob: I've never seen the word perfect used so much in such a short cluster of words. Geez you're flattering, thank you! Straight from the manga, I wish! lol a real seme XD But yus! For once in my life, I'm semi-happy with the way the ending of achapter turned out - I'm super happy you liked it!
melchan13: Yus! Yus they did! It seems like it took FOREVER to get to this point (it did, really. wtf this many chapters in? XD) so you can bet better stuffs is in store for the future of FaS - you just gotta hang tight.
Sagri: Thank you, dear! I never mind if people don't really know what to say, heh, just knowing that you'd hit the review button to tell me so means wonders to me. So don't be sorry, I'm glad I could leave you speachless.
Jen Sweden: holy crap someone else cried too? (checks back) I didn't even know I wrote anything that could bring anyone to that. I always take my time in writing but I always update as soon as I can - hope it satisfies! And hey! Real men cry, so there's nothing wrong with us girls doing the same!
Slifer: "Finally" is the first thing that comes into MY mind when I realize a chapter is long enough to post! Hurrah, I'm serving smiles! Ikki and Kazu are just so perfect they're hard not to love, so writing them is like my meditation, lol.
Jaws Ryu-ookami: I can only keep apologizing to everyone for making them wait so long for that damn kiss to happen. I'm not sure whats going on with fictionpress or ffnet at the moment, but its making editing and updating a real pain. I hope you like this chapter as much as the last one!
iKat.13: To be honest, I think it might be my favorite so far too. At least the last part of it. Victory, I like that word to describe a kiss XD It makes me smile. I really hope to wright future chapters worthy of the love the ending of the last chapter got.
firedraygon: Emiri is pretty sweet, yus? Emiri strikes me as the type that would get really upset over something like rejection but wouldn't sink into a depression. Emo just doesn't seem like her. Maybe that's just me, but yus! Thank you!
bigfatsamantha: Oh hunny I love replying to reviews. I want people to feel the time they've taken to review is worth it. Glad you stuck around to see the kiss happen, and noooo lol, carve something into Kazu!! lol though I did leave that cliffy open so people could assume the worst, but yus, tis just an earring.
Puddles-dono: I can't even beging to hint to you what will happen to / with Ikki and Kazu after that kiss 'coz it's going to be super hard for me to write but let's hope it matches standards. I was going to do an art major but I like it more as a hobby, I think writing may be my calling.
DL: Well thank you! One of my main goals is to paint a picture for people to see in their heads - coz when I write, I see it alllll play out in my head like a movie, and I wanna share it with everyone!
Blizzy: Oh Blizzy my dear I get so excited when I see I have a review from you! Making you fangirl is starting to become a favorite pasttime of mine. I have to get to those stories sometime too... I love Hot Fuzz, lol. I LOVE you for picking up on so many small things, like Ikki thinking the "L word" - hur hur I loved that comic. I spotted the one you were talking about right away!
Chubby-King-Chocobo: Sooo happy you loved it, dear! You got just what I was shooting for, as far as feeling like your flying. Be giddy, there is no shame in it! And thank you for the review, please enjoy the next chapter!
ranchan-akari: I (heart) YOU for reviewing and reading and for your lovely compliments! Me and you can elope if you like, long as that fangirl flag can go at the back of our limo instead of a 'just married' sign.
KidAngel: Hey there darling! ;alsdjfas;lfja;l thank you !! I still go to your art page and look at those Ikkazu pictures when I'm bored.
BlackFlameRose: You wanted moar!? lol, the last chapter may have been the longest! eeheee I love the thought of Kazu being labled by an earring, and him leaving it in only because Ikki seems to think it looks good on him. And yus, kissing in mid air was something I've been planning to write since FaS's prologue came out! So happy it happend and that you loved it!
Forgetfull: Yus, it WAS the chapter everyone was waiting for! I hope it was worth it! Yayoi, for being somewhat of a side/supporting character, is actually really easy to wright because she has a lot of realistic qualities to her. I really really wish for you to enjoy this chapter!
FallenAngelKiya: lol well not many people other than Ikki and Kazu could pull of a stunt like that, me thinks! Emiri really got her moment in the spotlight, even though she wasn't the star, if you know wht I mean. Hope the update was fast enough for you.
MindFuel: I've never had so many people tell me that a scene from my hand is beautiful so it really means a lot to me. Don't talk about food, you make me hungry... lol enjoy the next chapter!
Arrow.Aero.Air: That name took me a while to type without screwing up... omg you couldn't SLEEP!? because of this? Holy crap - thank you, i think! I can't promise this chapter will leave you with fanservice but you can bet there will be more in the future.
Udyjay: Hey you! Thanks again for the art! It was lovely! lol jesus bags? I'm assuming by your random splurge of text and letters that you enjoyed the last chapter... Thanks again, so much, for taking the time to review all of my fics, dear!
Jess: Actually at first the chapter was too short! Then I started writing Ikki and Kazu's scene and it just bulked the story up by about 6 or 7 pages - it was worth it though! Such kind and wonderful feedback! Ikki tie Kazu up, you say? Hur hur, maybe for a oneshot when I have the time. For you!
AnonyMouse: How are you doing, hun? You seem to grasp Kazu's character just the way I try to portray him - I love you for that. Things I like to write: friendship. So Emiri and Yayoi are a joy (tho sometimes Yayoi's name will come out as 'yaoi' and I just ... bahh..) I wanted to give Kazu's earring meaning, instead of just "ahh he'd be cute with one so why not". And hurrah to dumb boys wising up! Thanks for the review, love.
JackiexERcore: Hey there! Thank you so much for reviewing, and for letting me know you've been reading. I'm happy that this chapter inspired you to hit the review button! The kiss was soooo fun to wright, even though it was only a couple of paragraphs. Your inspiration you say? I'm honored XD
Nightshade47: great chapter! great story! great reviewer! great gods, thank you for the review. Greatly.
nonday: aw I wanted Ikki and Kazu's first kiss to be sweet, gentle, and timid, 'coz its a first (legit, lol) kiss and there's no way they'd dive into it and chew each others faces off. Yeah, I'm not sure why episode 21.5 was so underground that no one knew about it! I stumbled across it by total accident.
Tohru Daihikashousha: aw thank you so much! I worked extra hard on the last chapter! Much appreciate you taking time to review, darling!
MisakiTsuki: lol, at least you got to read it though, am I right!? the last THREE? Really? Ehe that makes me happy, thanks! I love making fangirls swoon (its a sick kick I have, I swear!) Don't get too hyped tho, a kiss is just a kiss unless you make it more! It's up to Ikki and Kazu now.
Dhew: bad english my butt! I think I caught like one error in your entire review, and it was the tiniest thing! I love you soooo much for taking the time to leave me such lengthy reviews when you seem to be nervous about your english. You seem so sweet, when I open a review and see your name I literally went "aww"! You leave me the most precious and flattering compliments, thank you sooo much! I hope you keep reading.
Versus: ahah glad to make your day! Throwing in Emiri's rejection and Ikki and Kazu's first kiss sends you in a mix of feelings, yus? You don't have to be sane to get your message across, I think, and I got what you were trying to say just fine. Thank you!
: Hurm, darling I wish I could say more to you than just thank you but thank you!
Endy: come back to meeee
Kitten: Smile ILU!
I hope I got everyone.. Responding to reviews is starting to take me an hour or longer...
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Air Gear
a fiction by Crimson Vixen
Win or Lose
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As sunny as the day was, Emiri couldn't bring herself to enjoy it.
She couldn't help but feel like her time had been wasted with the time and effort she'd spent doting and pining after Kazu, since the boy obviously didn't harbor the same feelings for her that she had for him. She was more angry than upset – but couldn't bring herself to be angry with him, since feelings were something she knew could never be forced – and fussing about it to the guy that denied her would only make her look worse, she was sure of that. But she would be lying if she said she didn't cry over it. Which in the end only made her feel worse because it was an unwritten girl law that boys were not worth any tears. But that rule only seemed to apply when your heart wasn't the one that was breaking.
She did the right thing, she kept telling herself. She did the right thing.
Even it hurt like fire expanding from her insides. When Kazu had left her standing there, grabbing onto a streetlight post was all she could do to keep from crashing to her knees.
And, heading to Yayoi's place didn't even require her to pay attention to where she was going. Like a newborn turtle to the sea, she was drawn there automatically in her time in need. Emiri didn't even bother knocking. Surely Yayoi would be able to make her feel better about the choices she'd made. And maybe she could ease the rage that was threatening to take a hold of her.
"Emiri, you're early?" the older track runner appeared from the kitchen and ran to her friend's side, immediately aware of the weighty distress clouding her face. Putting an arm around Emiri's shoulders, Yayoi led her to the couch and sat her down. "I just got off the phone with Ringo. She's on her way."
"Thank you so much," Emiri muttered, hands folded tightly in her lap. "You're always…"
"Why don't you tell me about it," Yayoi cut in and rubbed her friend's back, a sign of comfort and sympathy that eased Emiri's indescribable mood. She nodded heavily and dabbed at her eyes with her palms.
Yayoi's best friend instincts were on high when she'd received the distress call from Emiri not much earlier. Ironically, Ringo had an experience not that different from the other track runner's – she and Emiri were the people Ringo had turned to for comfort since they'd known about her massive crush on the crow – so Yayoi's first thought was to collect these breaking hearts and mend them before it was irreparable. Perhaps it sounded a little exaggerated and perhaps she wasn't able to save any worlds with the attention she was giving it, but she sure as hell was going to try.
Through Emiri's babbling, she could feel her phone vibrating from within her pocket. Undoubtedly Onigiri was calling her to make plans for that night, but she silently apologized to her boyfriend and refocused her attention on Emiri.
"So I met up with him after we hung up; I told him we needed to talk," she said stuffily, plucking a tissue out of the box that Yayoi had smartly planted there beforehand – the girl just knew how to prepare for everything. "So we get together. A-and I kiss him."
Yayoi's eyes sprang wide. She'd definitely taken note to Emiri's rapidly growing and changing behavior but she never actually expected her to make a move like that. She was actually rather proud; Emiri had taken leaps sooner than she had expected. Still, seeing as Emiri wasn't in the happiest of moods right now, the story couldn't have had a happy ending. Scooting a bit closer to offer more support, Yayoi urged her friend to go on.
"And then what happened?"
"And, and then! Oh and then!" she said dramatically, throwing her hand into the air, trying to make a disgusted face and only half-succeeding. "Then, after I asked him if he felt anything, do you know what he had the nerve to say!? Go on, guess!"
"Emiri…"
"First of all, he's just standing there with this dumb little smile and this spaced out expression on his face and he says, you know what he says?" Emiri absolutely fumed, her face going redder the more she spoke. Crush or no, boys had to be the dumbest creatures on earth! "He goes, 'Sorry Emiri! It just didn't feel legit!'"
The nerve…
Emiri turned and gave her friend an angered expression. Again she threw her hands into the air.
"Who says that!?"
Yayoi only sighed. It was apparent that Emiri was pretty stung by her let down, and damning and insulting the boy who had hurt her was the only way she could think of to ease her mind, even if it was just a little. When Emiri used up her current tissue and tossed it over her shoulder and into the waiting trash bag, Yayoi excused herself for a moment, only to come back with a full roll of toilet paper. Somehow, she didn't think the box of tissues was meant to last the night.
Call her crazy.
Through her puffy eyes and constant sniffling, Emiri allowed herself a small laugh before taking the roll in her hands and ripping off a piece. As soon as she brought the thin paper to her nose, the doorbell rang.
"That's probably Ringo," Yayoi mentioned as she made her way to the door. Emiri stared at her hands, listening closely to the mumbled conversation and greeting at the door, and when she looked up, both Yayoi and Ringo were rounding the couch. The young track runner swallowed sloppily – how was she going to tell Ringo that the boy that had let her down… possibly did so for the boy that turned her down?
Ringo offered a smile, but it was painfully easy to sense her discomfort. The storm rider thought quickly on her feet and was good at making excuses and shrugging people off, but she was a terrible actor. Her emotions were strong, and they often plastered themselves all over her face and in her body language.
She sat herself in the middle of the couch and without hesitation, put her hand on Emiri's knee when she saw the shimmer in her eyes.
Yayoi clapped her hands together, and, wanting it to be a night of productivity and not a pity-fest or a night where strong girls sat around feeling sorry for themselves, suggested putting on their night clothes. She'd let Emiri and Ringo tell their tales, but she was going to make this night as painless as she could while she was at it.
But whichever turn the night took, all three girls shared the same unspoken feeling that it was going to be a long one.
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Ikki couldn't call it a mistake. He knew very well that what he did, what he'd done, and that he did so by choice – because he was curious. Because he wanted to.
For some reason he figured it'd last forever and they would never part and never land, but they did, and they eventually had to stop and look at one another and acknowledge it, and they were clueless as to what was supposed to take place next.
Stuff like that didn't happen every day.
Ikki couldn't remember much after they'd landed. Just that Kazu didn't flail or scream or hit or run, and that the silence on the way home was excruciating and tenfold on the roof right now; their eyes were avoidant and distractions were scarce.
But the fact of the matter was, continuing ignore the subject was doing nothing for them.
Kazu was in obvious discomfort, shoulders stiff and hat pulled low. He shimmied further back on the roof until he reached the tallest point. Ikki did the same, trying to justify in his head how kissing his best friend was meant to solve anything or give him answers he craved.
Ikki leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees. Those stupid romance movies were misleading and displayed everything all wrong. Randomly kissing someone you knew wasn't romantic at all – it was awkward and nerve-wracking. He didn't know what to do or say afterwards, and meeting the eyes of the person he'd kissed was the hardest thing Ikki had ever done in his life. Still, Ikki and Kazu forced themselves to look, at seemingly the same time.
But seeking answers was a difficult thing to do when you weren't really sure what you were trying to ask.
To Ikki's surprise, it was the jet who made the first move.
"So…" he drawled, and somehow, it felt like the entire world stopped and everything was watching them to see where things went. "…What… was that?"
Kazu felt stupid and childish. Above all else at the moment, he wanted to know for sure if what had happened was an actual, tangible, real thing, and if Ikki had a clear head at the time, considering all the shit that the both of them had been forced to endure up till now, or if somehow Ikki was mocking him. It was hard for him to struggle with excuses, but he only sought after them because it was horrifying to think that what he once thought was a strong bond with his childhood friend could possibly be something much more treacherous. Something like… feelings for Ikki.
After all, the kiss didn't feel.. wrong.
So as Kazu sat on the roof tiles and pondered about things like authenticity – because, after all, the idea seemed imaginary and should there be a day where he would be able to say the words 'I think I love another boy' it would be a day he would have to acknowledge that it meant he wasn't straight, and that the earring on his ear wasn't just a bad joke – Ikki locked his shoulders, crossed his arms tighter and tried to think of other things. For instance, at the beginning of the night, he was on the hunt for answers. Why was Kazu being so secretive? Why wasn't he able to know about it? Where was he going? How long had this been going on and how long was it going to last? Now the night was starting to come to a close, and he found that he was just as clueless – if not more so – than he was when he started.
He wasn't the guy's mother or anything. He didn't need the whole damn story, at least not tonight. But that didn't mean he'd be happy leaving this night empty handed.
"Not sure," Ikki shrugged honestly, remembering the question that was brought to light seemingly forever ago. "I still don't know."
"Well shit, Ikki!" Kazu spoke quickly. "Those aren't the kind of things you just do on a whim, you know?"
He burned red, that obvious discomfort snaking into his voice. He shrunk back as far as he could when Ikki snapped his head to the side and gave a threatening glare.
"Do you have any idea how fucking hard this is for me?" Ikki said in a low but powerful voice. Sure it was him who had made the move and allowed a tidal wave of questions and uncertainties into their already fucked up lives, but that didn't mean he had a set list of reasons behind it other than, well, because. Becuase why not?
"Let's talk about something else for now," Ikki scowled, shaking his head. It was something they needed to cover, but not right this second. Not when there were other matters to take care of. "Like you, and what you've been doing. And me, being out of the loop."
"What? You're still on about that?"
"Well yeah, dumbass. I'm not just going to up and forget about it just because-"
Ikki cut himself off right there, too fretful to speak a sentence like that out loud. Because I kissed you didn't seem like the kind of thing you just said so bluntly without feeling that twinge of uncertainty. But the truth was, he was about to say it, because it did happen, and it couldn't unhappen, and Ikki somehow managed to look over at Kazu and stare the boy down in what felt like an intimidating way.
And Kazu, knowing what was meant to run off the crow's tongue, being ever curious and still in desperate need of answers, crawled along the roof on all fours to get closer, and hovered his mouth about a foot away from Ikki's ear.
"Why did you?"
The crow's eyes flicked down to Kazu's new earring, taking in the glow and shine it carried under the light of the stars, and memorizing the perfect curve and thin build. Then he looked at Kazu's face as a whole, as a picture, and silently decided that it suited the blonde just right.
"Kazu, I…" the words just wouldn't come to him. Too foreign. Too risky. So he changed his tone, forcing a hand to the back of his head to scratch nervously at his scalp. This was certainly difficult; Kazu trying to make sense of their… thing,and him, trying to solve another mystery entirely. Still... "You can't be mad at me."
Kazu huffed and strained to keep his eyes on Ikki's.
"Because," Ikki sputtered on, frantic for someone to speak, even if it was his own voice he was hearing. But in that need to hear noise, he didn't think to stop himself before he blurted; "Because you were kissing me back."
A full blown tomato red ravished Kazu's entire face in three seconds flat, and Ikki feared he was doing the same because his face had gone suddenly, uncomfortably hot. Trying to shake the feeling away, and without thinking about what it may have looked and seemed like, Ikki took Kazu's wrist in his hand and squeezed.
"More importantly, why did you run?"
"It's always this with you-"
"Don't give me that. Answer my question," the crow demanded. "You admitted it yourself that things have gotten weird between us. Why do you think that is?"
The jet ran his tongue over his teeth before humming a sigh. It was very much like Ikki to try to pin the blame on other people, but this one was hard to escape since really, it was his fault that a bubble of tension started floating around them, invading their space. Yeah, he was looking to protect the stubborn rider by avoiding him altogether, but Kazu wondered now, was that really the right method? He wasn't ready to play with the idea of losing the crow completely. But by pushing him away like he'd been doing, he was doing just that.
Kazu released an unidentifiable sound and seated himself closer next to Ikki, so close that their knees were touching. To be able to do such a thing when they were questioning that very premise only raised more queries to mind.
"Look, I know it's all my doing, okay? I know," Kazu said carefully, watching Ikki's reaction with cautious eyes. "And I know that… it isn't fair of me to keep things from you."
At the same time, they both reached the same understanding; Ikki didn't like being lied to and Kazu didn't like having to lie. So the crow twisted his body to fully face Kazu, and the jet took in a painfully deep breath and emptied his lungs before doing the same.
He supposed if they were going to talk, it would be alright for him to leak details vague enough for him to walk away without too much trouble. If anything, talking about this meant they didn't have to talk about… other things. Like why they were sitting so suffocatingly close or why even though he was confused, being that close was somehow comfortable.
"I..." he paused, licked his dry lips and dropping his shoulders. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything," Ikki said firmly, causing Kazu's ears to burn. Telling him everything was impractical; he could hardly remember everything. Ikki slid his fingers lightly up Kazu's arm to his elbow. Kazu shuddered at the touch and gave Ikki a questioning glare just as the crow spoke. "But let's start with these."
Oh.
Although his arms were already covered, Kazu tugged his sleeves down until they covered his knuckles.
The truth was going to be hard to evade, he soon discovered. Falling or tripping, or getting hit by a few rocks didn't seem like a logical excuse since things like that didn't normally result in marks that acutely resembled that of a grown man's hand. Besides that, Ikki already knew that there was another person involved. He just didn't know who.
Sensing Kazu's hesitation, Ikki cleared his throat.
"And don't lie to me."
Right. The truth… The truth…
"I don't know," the blonde murmured. He'd been referring to the team leader as a devil, since he had no interest in what he should call the guy, so Kazu considered it to be truthful. "I've run into him more than once, but I don't know his name." Kazu paused; it registered that saying 'his' came across as just one guy, and that was only making it sound more like he couldn't defend himself. "He's… he's pretty dangerous."
Another pause. Ikki lifted his chin, eyes looking down his nose and at Kazu.
"How dangerous?"
"Pretty bad," Kazu pushed a smile to his face. Then, as somewhat of a private joke, he added; "But I'm not afraid of death."
What he didn't see coming, however, and Kazu was sure it was totally uncalled for, was Ikki's laughter, accompanied by a good, playful slap to the shoulder. Kazu crinkled his nose and glared but the crow just shook his head.
"What's so damn funny?"
"You," he said bluntly. "You're really smart, ya know? But you say a lot of really stupid things."
"What?" Kazu pressed. Not being afraid of death and dying may have sounded stupid, but it was brave, wasn't it? It wasn't really something Kazu thought would strike Ikki's funny bone, but here he was, smiling smugly at the jet's comment. And sure it was just a comment, a small joke with himself on his part, but he had meant what he said. Wasn't dying without fear honorable?
"Kazu," Ikki said sternly, locking gazes and holding it, for the umpteenth time it would seem. "Not being afraid of death is retarded. That's for people who have nothing to lose."
Kazu blinked. Ikki smiled. Kazu kind of understood.
"Being afraid of death means you have something to live for. Doesn't that sound a lot better than just sitting back and accepting death bravely?"
Kazu huffed. Of course it did. Leave it to Ikki to make, well, anything sound better.
"Ikki?"
Something in Ikki's chest coiled and tightened. Was Kazu's voice always so small sounding? So soft and airy? It caught his attention right away.
"So… if we're... scared…" He was speaking horribly slow, probably waiting and hoping to be interrupted so he wouldn't actually have to finish. But Ikki didn't interrupt. "Then it just means… we're afraid of losing something?"
Ikki seemed to catch onto what the blonde was saying. Kazu said it anyway, even while it tried to stay hidden in his throat and somehow, for some reason, Kazu was drawing closer to Ikki like a slow moving magnet and Ikki, in turn, was apparently doing the same. Soon they were mere inches apart and Ikki's eyes had gone half lidded and he was staring at Kazu's lips just as Kazu finally asked in one of the most serious tones Ikki had ever heard swirl around the blonde's tongue.
"Ikki… what are we afraid of losing?"
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By now there were tissues littering the coffee table and the floor, and all three girls were sitting on the carpet in a triangle, couch shoved out of the way and to the side. Yayoi was thankful that the night wasn't fully dedicated to talking about stupid boys and crushed hearts, but also about what movie to see the following day, where they were going to treat themselves to dinner and how much longer they had to wait for their toenails to dry because it was uncomfortable to keep cotton stuffed between their toes.
Emiri had an equal mix of laughter and tears to share, but also held a handful of guilt every time she laid eyes on Ringo. The experienced rider was dealing with it surprisingly well now, claiming that she at least still had Ikki in her life and later on, maybe she'd have a chance, and that the crow would always be her hero, no matter what paths they ended up leading. It was romantic and cute, and it pained Emiri all the more to know that she was going to have to be the one to tell Ringo what she knew – or at least, what she thought she knew – but at the same time, she wished she could be like that. She wished she could accept defeat with a smile. Be grateful for what she had and didn't lose.
Right now, Emiri figured it was okay to hold off on talking to her about Ikki and Kazu, since as far as she knew, Ikki was probably too dumb and too much of a boy to actually do anything about it.
Ringo shook her head to flip her hair behind her shoulders and leaned her weight back and onto her hands. She was smiling again, faintly. She felt a heavy weight fall off her shoulders now that she'd told these girls in detail what had happened the night she'd confessed her feelings to Ikki. From her kiss to Ikki's lack of response to the crow rushing out into the rain with other things in mind, to their confrontation in the bedroom. Things like that were hard. Silently dealing with rejection was harder. Telling friends all the details was tough at first but slowly made things easier.
She knew the pang in her chest was far from over, but this was certainly a good start.
"This is nice," she sighed, dipping her hand into the bowl of popcorn Yayoi had set up not too long ago. She'd always known Yayoi and Emiri and she was friends with them; they even hung out at school and as a team, watched the boys make fools of themselves. But she never actually took the time to spend a day with them on such a deeper, more personal level like today. Now she wondered why she hadn't done so sooner.
She found that Yayoi was much more childish than she'd originally thought. Past her stern and responsible attitude, she had a weakness for fun and laughed at stupid things Ringo didn't expect her to. Like throwing up a piece of popcorn to catch it with her mouth and instead, having it land in her eye. Yayoi had laughed first, the loudest and the longest. And Emiri had a whole new aura around her, a whole new sense of purpose and being. The track runner had always let little things bother her, and though that part hadn't changed too much, she handled her emotions with much more maturity than before. She'd grown up a great deal, but somehow Ringo missed it completely.
However, she'd also learned that the worlds that she and Emiri lived in were not very far apart from one another.
Ringo wondered if she had changed any, or if she was still the same girl that Ikki saw himself having no intimate future with. It was a depressing thought to land on when things seemed to be going so well, but Yayoi was prepared for that. That's why there were tissues and toilet paper rolls within reach. She took one and rubbed at her nose a little.
So Ikki didn't feel that way about her. They were still young and there was still time, right? After all, the two of them lived under the same roof, shared the same bathroom and all of that… but still they didn't get any time alone, not really anyway. Not since…
She ceased blowing her nose, holding the tissue against her face and earning confused and worried looks from both Yayoi and Emiri. She eyed the two of them, wondering if they were somehow able to read her thoughts on the matter and that was why their faces seemed to be so apprehensive.
"I'm fine! I was just thinking that… I thought that maybe," she uttered. "But it was stupid and silly so just forget it!"
The girl opened her mouth into a smile and push a laugh out of her chest
"Ringo, you know, we're all here for a reason."
Ringo gave Yayoi a look that screamed thank you, chewed on the inside of her cheek and wriggled her toes to see if they felt ready.
"There are times where I wonder if boys ever sit down and talk like this. Sometimes I don't think they're capable of it," she only half lied. She actually knew Ikki to be quite poetic and wisely reflective at times, and he'd talk about things like his thoughts and dreams and ideas, if you caught him in the right moment. Those moments made Ikki seem invincible. "You know?"
All three of them were quiet. Emiri and Ringo because they both silently wondered if there would ever be a day where the boys they'd fallen for could ever let their stupid boy defenses fall enough to have that kind of talk with them. Trust them enough to share such vulnerable and private thoughts. Yayoi hushed because Onigiri and herself had already reached such a level, but speaking of it now was the worst idea she could think of.
Didn't help that her boyfriend was a close friend to not just one, but both boys in question. She made a mental note, however, to have a talk with the boy the next time she got the chance.
That struck a twinge of something uncomfortable in Yayoi. In a way she felt as though she was lying and betraying the very people she was seeking to help.
Flicking the cotton balls free from her toes, Yayoi gave them a final blow before standing and walking over to the shelf she'd packed with movies over the years. She shuffled through a couple of them before turning her head to the others.
"Any favorites?"
--
--
There was no way in hell Kazu was going to be able to sleep in the same room as Ikki after what had happened and what they talked about. Ikki had asked him so many questions and Kazu had given him so very few answers and a lot of formless, fuzzy retorts. He could tell he was frustrating the crow by doing such a thing, but whatever steps or leaps they were taking in whatever direction it was they were facing now, he still couldn't risk telling Ikki about his secret life. Nothing could unconvince him that the idiot would race straight into trouble to put it all to an end.
So Kazu plopped himself down on the couch with his arms folded behind his head, still in his day clothes but too lazy to change. It was too warm in the house for blankets, so he was perfectly content and comfortable when he let his lids droop shut.
He had a lot to sleep on, meaning even in slumber he was distracted. So as he dozed, he didn't sense Sano come out of the kitchen and into the living room with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a plate balanced on his palm. Sano's feet froze and he stared curiously at the boy sprawled openly on the couch before him. Certainly, an opportunity that would be unwise to pass up.
Sano smirked, licked his lips a little, and took a single bite out of his sandwich before setting it down on the coffee table. How silly of the boy, to make the same mistake twice.
Kneeling down next to the sofa, the older storm rider observed carefully this time. Kazu's lips were slightly parted but he still breathed from his nose, hair falling harmlessly to the armrest when he moved his head an inch, dark lashes twitching in what Sano could only assume to be either a dream or dim awareness.
Sano very lightly gripped at Kazu's elbow and glided it down his arm to his shoulder. The fabric of Kazu's clothes felt wrong against his fingers; it couldn't be anything like the soft skin that lay dormant underneath. That one very inquisitive notion led him to slip his hand into the collar of Kazu's shirt, once again feeling the familiar silk of skin and the jut of a collar bone.
The sensation made Kazu stretch his neck and turn his head further to the side, one arm now thrown up over the side of the couch and the other resting on his stomach. A heavy sleeper tonight, Sano mused mischievously, very gently moving Kazu's hand to the side so he could lift the boy's shirt.
Flawless, Sano would usually say around this time but something was different than before. The smooth skin that was supposed to peek at him from under Kazu's shirt was slightly discolored to the left of the navel – Sano wasn't stupid; the boy had been struck.
Now with new motivation, Sano put both of his hands to Kazu's belly and spread them to the blonde's sides, inching under to his back the best he could. Kazu mumbled in his sleep and writhed his torso a little, giving Sano just enough room to feel a welt or two of some kind on his back before sliding his hands free.
Licking his lips in concentration, mind switching to seriousness, the Iron Clock slid Kazu's shirt up further, as far as it would go, and started rubbing his hands lightly over the blonde's front, attempting to feel for injuries he could not see. It would be very much like the boy to keep quiet about such things.
So far he felt nothing, but his investigation was abruptly halted when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
Ikki…
He realized the crow was there at the very same instant Ikki's eyes landed on him, so he had no time to replace Kazu's shirt over his exposed belly. Ikki stood in the middle of the stairs, clutching at the railing with fierce hands and baring his pearly whites.
A strong and sensational feeling took total control of Ikki's body right then, something too hard to explain. Seeing Sano's hands on Kazu's body in an obviously violating kind of way, up and under his shirt and Kazu being oblivious to all of it, irked the crow beyond recognition.
Ikki assumed that being enraged by it was natural, but this feeling went beyond such simple emotions. He didn't just think Sano shouldn't be touching the blonde, but that he didn't deserve to. And Ikki knew it wasn't just him being overprotective.
He was downright jealous.
And that alone horrified him.
"You just can't keep your hands to yourself, can you!?" Ikki barked from the stairs, not knowing what else to say, voice booming and causing Kazu to stir. The master of time fixed his glasses and watched the blonde's eyes flutter open, widen in realization and then gasp. His hands flung to his shirt to tug it down, but a short-lived glance into Sano's eyes told him that the other rider had already discovered his lesions.
Silently, Kazu pleaded with clouded eyes for Sano to keep his silence.
"Hey! You listening to me?" Ikki bellowed, descending the staircase and positioning himself between Sano and the couch. "What the hell are you doing?"
"My apologies," Sano offered half-heartedly, standing up and grabbing his plate. His lips twitched in need to say more but he resisted.
"Jesus," the crow muttered, hoisting a groggy Kazu off the sofa and onto his feet. He roughly shoved the blonde behind him and pointed an accusing finger at Sano, square between the eyes. Sano was a very capable, very competent rider, but Ikki didn't know if he fully trusted the guy – especially after this little stunt. It was like trying to deal with a child sometimes, Ikki swore. "I thought you said you were here to keep an eye on things."
Still Sano bit his tongue, very much in tune with Kazu's anxiousness.
Without offering any explanation, the man who was able to control time… took a bite of his sandwich.
Ikki released a hefty growl and jerked Kazu along by the arm to get him away from Sano's perverted ways before he became too enraged to think clearly. Kazu glanced worriedly over his shoulder as he was pulled up the stairs, looking into Sano's brown depths to try to see just how much the guy saw and knew, but Ikki had dragged him up and out of view too fast for him to get a good look.
Even out of Sano's reach, Ikki didn't slow or stop until they were in his room; a place that was rapidly starting to build up many memories.
Sano, now shrouded in silence, plopped himself down on the sofa and continued eating his snack, not in the least bit annoyed by Ikki's reaction but snickering about it instead.
He didn't even have to look to know that Akito was standing not far off, staring. After he swallowed and lowered the plate to his lap, he turned his head slightly, just enough to see Akito out of the corner of his eye. The tiny boy put a small finger to his lips before speaking.
"Are you jealous?"
Sano smiled softly and shook his head, no.
"Are you?"
Akito's feet shuffled timidly and his eyes went downcast in a second.
--
--
Ikki dwelled on the fact that he was unbearably tired when he dragged Kazu into his room and shut the door behind him. The day's events had worn him down and spread him thin; his eyes were already drooping by the time he was standing next to his bed. The crumpled sheets and indented mattress were calling to him, and Ikki obeyed that call by falling onto the bed, hugging a pillow right away.
Kazu stood off to the side, staring with his arms very loosely crossed and looking lost. Was he supposed to leave the room now? Back to the couch of which he had become accustomed? Should he speak? He didn't know, and Ikki certainly wasn't offering him any answers. At least not until the blonde actually made a move for the door.
"Kazu."
The jet's hand froze and hovered just over the door's handle, one arm still folded over his front and eyes still pointed low. If Ikki was just going to bombard him with more questions, Kazu wasn't sure he wanted to stay. Still, he finally let his hand drop to his side, and he gradually turned to face the bed.
"Turn off the light," the crow mumbled into his comforters, never moving. Kazu flicked the switch and the room went dark. He reached for the door again but Ikki's voice still broke through. "Where do you think you're going? Get over here."
Kazu gulped loud enough that he was sure the other boy heard it. With careful steps he made his way to the bed. He wasn't up for another interrogation or even talking at the moment, and currently, facing Ikki wasn't all too appealing. Still he did as he was told, and stopped at the side of the bed, staring down at the crow, unsure what to do now and waiting for his next command.
Ikki's hand rose and patted the space on the bed next to him.
"Hop in."
As if it were that simple. As if it were nothing.
Tugging at his shirt to fan his neck, Kazu crawled onto the bed and sat down next to Ikki's prone form. He sat cross-legged, arms straight and hands clutching at his feet. He hated it when Ikki did this. He felt like he was supposed to be able to read Ikki's thoughts, do what he was supposed to do without having to be told, and he wondered if he was disappointing Ikki any, by not being able to do that.
"The hell are you so tense for?" Ikki muffled, turning his head a little bit so he could better see the blonde. "You look beat. Just relax, man."
"Ikki, don't you think this is just a little…"
"No, I don't," Ikki cut him off, rolling onto his side, tucking an arm under his pillow and closing his eyes. The crow looked simply exhausted. "We've shared a bed before, remember?"
"Well yeah but that was…" the blonde's voice faded off. Ikki's face was already solemn and closed, so Kazu shut his mouth. Ikki always had a way of bringing up points that were hard to argue – it was one of the admirable traits that unreasonably grinded his nerves. The blonde released a defeated sigh and slowly lowered himself onto the bed. He was stiff, unsure, nervous, and couldn't figure out why. After all, Ikki said it himself; They've shared a bed before. But back then he was facing Ikki's feet. Not his face.
Not Ikki.
Swallowing seemed more difficult to do when he was on his side but he managed. Staring directly at Ikki's face was even harder. Closing his eyes didn't do much since he knew he'd be there when they opened. So after much indecision of whether he should sleep on the floor or on the couch downstairs or just suck it up and close his eyes, Kazu flopped onto his other side so his back faced the other rider.
With a little more ease, Kazu let his lids seal and the heavy weight of his fatigue struck him all at once. Sleep was creeping into his system fast – he could feel it and thank god, because he didn't want to think anymore – and it was only a matter of time before he was gone from the conscious world.