Kirin tugged on Nekozawa's sleeve as the ending credits for Pumpkinhead rolled.
'Can we go for a walk?'
He checked the time on his phone; it was nearly 11:00pm.
"Sure," he nodded. "Then we should probably get you home."
She made a face; he laughed.
She smiled.
"I like," she signed.
"Like what?" he asked, confused.
'Your laugh,' she signed, spelling out the word "laugh."
"Ah, thanks," he smiled shyly, blushing. "C'mon."
He grabbed her hand and led her out of his room, pulling his wig and hood over his head as they stepped into the brightly lit hallway. He pulled the hood off once they were outside in the darkness.
She smiled, looking up at him.
"What?" he asked.
'I like,' she signed. She touched his cheek with her fingertips; she felt the heat from his blush.
"I like you, too," he said softly, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. Her arm slid around his waist as they walked down the street.
They walked to a nearby park. After walking around for a while, she pulled him over to a bench near a pond. They sat staring at the dark water, the full moon reflecting off of it.
She looked at the water for only moments before turning her attention to him. It took him a while to realize she was looking at him—not that she minded; she liked just looking at him.
"W-what?" he asked, his face flushing in embarrassment; why was she staring like that? So intently….
She smiled and kissed his cheek. He still looked confused, but a small smile crossed his lips. His breath caught in his throat as she brought her hand up to his other cheek, turning his face toward her.
She leaned slowly toward him, keeping eye contact. She paused, the tips of their noses just barely touching. He swallowed, nervous and confused, yet for some reason he liked this nervousness that she always made him feel.
She tilted her head suddenly, their lips connecting. His eyes widened, his body stiffened, but only briefly. His eyes slid closed and his hand came up to cup her cheek as he kissed her back. They stayed like that for several moments, the kiss soft and innocent, before she pulled away. Both faces were tomato-red, but adorned with dazed smiles. She bit her lip, smiling shyly, nervously. He leaned toward her and placed a brief, soft kiss on her lips.
"Kirin," he whispered, swallowing anxiously, "will you…will you go out with me?"
She tackled him, sending him rolling off the bench and onto the grass. She kissed him repeatedly, nodding excitedly. He laughed and pulled her close to him. They lay in the grass for several minutes before he sighed and sat up, bringing her with him.
"We should get you home," he said.
She frowned, and he laughed.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Kirin," he reminded her. She nodded, appeased.
She slid her hand into his as they walked toward her house. He laced his fingers in with hers, smiling down at her softly.
"Good night, Kirin," he whispered, standing on her porch.
She wrapped her arms tightly around him. They stood like that for a few minutes, then she pulled back. She leaned up and kissed him briefly.
'Good night,' she signed, smiling. He kissed her on the cheek and stepped off the porch. Once she was inside, he headed home.
Arora was sitting on the couch when Kirin walked in. She looked up when she heard the door open and shut.
"I'd ask how your day with Nekozawa was," she said smiling, "but the look on your face tells me it was better than good."
Kirin grinned and nodded.
"That's good. Let's go to Megan's rom so you can spill to both of us at the same time."
Kirin followed her upstairs. They found Megan lying in bed with a book. She sat up when they walked in.
"Hey, what's—"
'He asked me out!' Kirin signed excitedly, not even giving her sister a chance to finish her sentence.
"No way!" Megan squealed. "Spill spill spill! Tell us everything!"
Kirin proceeded to tell them how he'd slept on the couch until she'd had a bad dream and asked him to sleep with her, how she woke up with him holding her, about their movie marathon, and finally their walk in the park, their first kiss, and how he'd asked her out and how she'd responded.
"You guys are so cute!" Megan squealed.
"Agreed," Arora said, smiling. "Tamaki's gonna flip, though."
Kirin shrugged.
'He'll get over it,' she signed. 'He'll have to.'
"What's all the squealing about?" Kaelan and Kairi asked from the doorway. Amber and Thorne peaked in from behind them, curious as well.
"Kirin has a boyfriend!" Megan gushed.
"That's great, Kirin!" Amber chirped. All four girls rushed in from the doorway, demanding details. Just as they received them, Xander appeared by the door.
"What's with all the racket?" he asked. "I was trying to go to sleep."
"Kirin has a boyfriend!" Megan repeated.
"Oh. Cool. That Nekozawa guy?"
They all nodded.
"Cool. He seems nice. Are you guys done now?"
Kirin grinned and nodded.
'I'm tired,' she signed. 'I had a busy day.'
"We should all get some sleep," Arora agreed, leading the way out of Megan's room.
Kirin gasped as two arms wrapped around her waist and she was pulled back into a firm chest.
"Good morning," he whispered in her ear.
She grinned up at her boyfriend—she loved that word. Boyfriend. She turned around in his arms and stood on her tiptoes to peck his lips.
"I could get used to that," he sighed, smiling happily.
'Me, too,' she signed. She slid her hand into his and led him into their homeroom.
As he took his usual seat in the back corner, she set her books on her desk, but didn't sit down.
"What are you—?"
He cut off as she slid onto his lap, winding her arms around his neck. She laid her head on his chest and smiled up at him. He blinked, then smiled.
"No complaints here."
She giggled.
"W-what is she doing?!" Tamaki freaked as soon as he walked in.
"Oh, they're dating now," Megan informed him nonchalantly.
"W-What?! Since when?! Who let her do that?!"
"Since last night, Tamaki," Arora said.
"And she doesn't need permission," Megan added. "She's a big girl, Tama—she can date whomever she likes."
"B-Bu-But—"
"No buts!" Megan scolded.
"He's good for her, Tamaki, whether you believe it or not," Arora said, walking off toward her seat.
Tamaki crumpled to the ground dejectedly. Megan rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, dragging him to his seat.
Kirin grinned and snuggled into Nekozawa's chest, sighing happily. She stayed in his lap until class started.
"Did you see Kirin and Nekozawa this morning?" Amber asked Honey after school. The Host Club was closed for the day, but the boys—and Haruhi—all had to be there to "help" plan for an upcoming activity; the girls and Xander were there because Tamaki let them in, and they had nothing better to do.
"They looked sooo cute!" He giggled.
"They looked really happy," Haruhi commented.
Tamaki sat in his emo corner, growing mushrooms.
"Don't worry, Tono," Hikaru said.
"He won't eat her soul until after she gives him an heir," Kaoru continued.
Tamaki went into hysterics again.
"C'mon, guys," Kairi sighed. "I think that's enough.
"I don't think he can take any more," Kaelan agreed.
"Well, what are we supposed to do, then?" Kaoru asked.
"Kyoya said we had to come, but we're not doing anything," Hikaru frowned.
"You can have some cake with us," Honey offered.
The twins made faces and turned back to Kairi and Kaelan.
"Entertain us," they demanded.
"Excuse me?" Kaelan arched an eyebrow.
"It's your fault we're bored."
"So you have to entertain us."
"We're not your babysitters, you know," Kairi said.
"Yeah, we don't even have to talk to you," Kairi agreed.
The boys frowned disapprovingly, and the girls just laughed.
"Why don't we just play a game?" Kaelan suggested.
"Ok," Hikaru started.
"Let's play the Guess Who is Hikaru game!" Kaoru finished.
The twins ran out of the room, returning a moment later with disheveled hair.
"Which one of us," the one on the right started.
"Is Hikaru?" the one on the left finished.
Kaelan and Kairi both immediately pointed to the right.
The boys stared at them in surprise.
"H-How did you know?" Hikaru stammered.
"Kaoru's voice is raspier," Kaelan explained.
"And Hikaru's pitch is a bit lower," Kairi added.
"Let's play a different game," Kaelan said.
"Like what?" Kaoru asked.
"Hey, Thorne," Kaelan called across the room, "what game should we play?"
Thorne thought for a moment. Her response was too quiet for them to hear.
"We can't hear you, Thorne," Kairi said.
"She said Twister!" Amber said.
"Ooh, that's a good one!" Kaelan grinned, running over to the game closet. She pulled out a box and spread the mat out on the floor.
"You and Kaoru can go first," Kairi said, picking up the spinner. "Hikaru and I will go after."
Kaelan and Kaoru stood on the mat while Kairi and Hikaru took turns calling out body parts and colors. Amber and Honey bounced over to watch, dragging Thorne and Mori with them.
"Right hand red," Hikaru called.
Kaelan stretched her hand toward a red circle. She was facing upward, with her back toward the mat. Kaoru leaned over her as he tried to get his own hand on a red circle. His foot slipped just as his fingers brushed the circle; he fell on top of her, sending both of them toppling to the ground. She screeched as she fell on her back, her head slamming into the ground and Kaoru landing on top of her.
"Kaelan wins!" Kairi cheered.
"Are you ok, Kaelan?" Thorne asked softly.
"Kaoru's fat," she groaned.
"I am not!" he exclaimed, propping himself up on his elbows.
"Well, it sure felt like you were when you fell on top of me!" she glared indignantly up at him.
His face flushed pink as he realized he was still on top of her.
"S-Sorry," he stammered, scrambling to get off of her. His socked feet were having a hard time getting traction; they slid out from under him, and his face crashed into her chest.
She squealed in surprise, then laughed, wrapping her arms around him and rolling so she was on top of him.
"Hello there," she grinned, looking down at him.
He stared up at her with wide eyes.
She just grinned at him as his face reddened; he was so not used to being this close to a girl.
"I think you've taunted him enough," Kairi laughed.
Kaelan kissed Kaoru's nose and hopped up.
"I win!" she chirped.
He frowned.
"Hey, Thorne, why don't you and Mori-sempai give it a go?" Kairi suggested. "I need to talk to Hikaru."
"O-oh,um, o-ok," Thorne stammered, blushing and glancing shyly at Mori.
Amber giggled and pushed Thorne toward the mat; Honey did the same with Mori. Kairi handed the spinner to Kaelan and pulled Hikaru into the hallway.
"What's wrong?" Kairi asked as she closed the door.
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me, Hikaru," she sighed. "When Kaelan rolled over on top of Kaoru, you tensed up."
He sighed.
"I'm just used to having all of Kaoru's attention," he admitted. "It's always been just us…."
"Hikaru, you're going to have to go your separate ways eventually," she said softly.
"I don't want to," he muttered.
"I know," she said, "but it's the way it has to be. He's not going to stop loving you just because he starts loving someone else—and thus far, he hasn't started loving someone else. They were just flirting."
"I know…."
"You'll always be special to him—you're his twin. You've been by his side his entire life."
He didn't say anything. She sighed. There was silence for a moment.
"Let's go out after school Saturday," she said suddenly.
"Huh?"
"Let's do something, just the two of us," she insisted. "It'll be fun, and I think it'll help you learn to deal with not having Kaoru all to yourself."
"…Ok…." he conceded hesitantly.
"Great! It's a date!" she grinned and ran off to talk to Kaelan.
"…A date…?"
I love fluff :D