Chapter 18:
The beginning of the end…
The training base hasn't changed much since the last time he was here. Ikki thought that there should have been some significant changes but he wasn't too sure what he was expecting. However, things seemed to be the same and pretty much normal. He noticed Cokefire check his watch.
"The tuners will be joining us later this evening," Cokefire turned to him.
"I didn't know they would be here," He responded. This should make for a very awkward situation Ikki thought.
"Well what did you expect? To train without your tuners?"
It hit Ikki then that it wasn't just his tuner that was going to be there. Myzuki's tuner was also going to be there and that made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Should he ask her? Then what if she asked him about Ringo?
Myzuki looked over at Ikki and noticed that he was looking deep in thought, which was so unlike him. This made her giggle. He looked over at her then.
"What is it?"
"You look constipated," with that she walked into the house, hearing Kazu and Agito laugh, and Onigiri say, "That's cold,"
"Shut the hell up," Ikki stomped inside behind her.
Myzuki made her way to one of the rooms and was getting herself settled in. She hoped this would work. She didn't like the fact that her dad was dragged into this and she chose to go train. Logically it made sense but patients wasn't her strongest quality. Man Kazu was right Ikki and me are somewhat similar.
"Now you look like the one that's constipated,"
She rolled her eyes at Ikki. He was leaning against the doorframe with an arrogant smirk on his face. She really wanted to wipe it off. That bastard really knew how to get under her skin sometimes. She walked over to the window and opened it. The weather was cool and the room felt slightly stuffy now.
She looked out the window, ignoring Ikki. The leaves were still green but they had a sickly yellow color going around the edges of the. The air felt cool and crisp. Ikki approached her. She had a lot going on and the last thing she needed was Ikki dragging her focus on what needed to be done to things that were happening between them.
"Did you know your tuner was coming," He asked
"I thought that was obvious, seeing as we are going to be training."
Ikki felt stupid now. Was he the only one that didn't really expect them to be here? Was she not curious? Did she even care? Pushing those thoughts aside, he tried to play it off.
"Just wasn't sure if you knew,"
"Well I did. Is there something else you need?"
Silence, she turned around. She looked up at him.
"What is it that you really want to know?"
"Your tuner can he be trusted?"
"Can yours?"
He leaned over her now. He placed his hands on the windowsill, successfully blocking her in.
"Do you get kicks playing games with me? Because I know another way you can get you kicks," Ikki said suggestively.
"I bet you do Ikki," She purred.
He swallowed. He had expected her to get riled up. She was always easy to piss off. However, she was pushing back this time. Should he engage? Yeah he thought he should. He smiled at her. She looked at him and then his lips. He own thoughts betraying her. She really needed to focus and not on his lips.
"I don't mind trying to make your day, as long as you make mine," He replied in a much huskier tone than before.
"How about now," She ran her finger up and down his arm.
Ikki smirked at her and looked down to her lips. He began to close the gap between them.
"Ikki!"
"Shit," He looked over to the doorway. There stood Ringo, looking pretty pissed off.
"I thought things were different now. I mean I know you never gave me an answer but I thought when you kissed me, it meant something," Ringo rambled quietly. She had stepped inside the room now.
"You have a girlfriend," Myzuki asked. She was getting upset by the second as things started to unfold. She pushed him off and walked over by the bed that was located at the center of the room.
"It's not like that," Ikki explained. He turned around to fully face the two of them.
"Then what's it like," Ringo and Myzuki said in unison.
"Isn't it only natural? I mean AT riders should be with their tuners, seeing as the bond that they share,"
Everyone looked over to the doorway. It was guy that no one recognized except for Myzuki.
"Oh hey Kota,"
He nodded in her direction. He made his way further in and placed his bag on the bed. Ikki didn't like this guy already. I mean it's not as if he was jealous, he just seemed much older than they did.
"Look old man. No asked you! And what do you think you're doing?"
"Ikki," Ringo scolded.
"Not that it's any of your business but he's just a year older than us Ikki,"
They guy in question was incredibly tall. He had to be like 6'4. I mean Myzuki seemed like a midget next to him. He had a full head of white hair and wore glasses. He seemed pretty clean cut and nicely dressed. To sum it up he looked like a businessman. Nothing of what he expected Myzuki's tuner to look like.
The way this guy looked at him. Well it bothered him, actually no, it pissed him off. He was pinning him down with those green eyes of his. He just wanted to punch the smug look on his face.
Later that evening everyone was in the dining area eating dinner. It was awkward to say the least. No one wanted to be the first one to speak, so it seemed.
"Well this is awkward," Cokefire stated.
"Thank you captain obvious," Kazu replied.
"That's because Ikki is an idiot," Myzuki added. She slurped her noodles of the ramen she ordered.
"Ikki is always being an idiot," Ringo tacked on.
"Aw man Ikki, you seem to be in the dog house," Onigiri said.
Ikki tensed but didn't reply. He felt like not saying anything right now was in his best interest. Not only that but he just didn't like how close that guy was sitting to Myzuki. She didn't even seemed to be bothered.
"He's not going to turn to stone if you look at him any harder mate," Cokefire whispered.
Ikki began eating his food, which he had forgotten.
"I'm going to bed," Ringo announced.
Kazu which was sitting on Ikki's other side, elbowed him to follow her. He looked over to Myzuki and she looked at him like saying with her expression "Why are you looking at me for,"
He got up then and went upstairs after Ringo.
"I think I'll be heading upstairs too," Myzuki said.
Kota got up and offered his hand to her. She took it and they both went upstairs.
"Why do I have a bad feeling," Kazu asked, once the two couples were upstairs.
"That's because you have good instincts," Cokefire mused.
