Chapter 9 - Wildcard

Obanai Iguro was so tired. He hadn't been catching up on any sleep since the weekend before and still felt pretty raw, on the inside and on the outside. Most of all, Obanai Iguro was frustrated. He had been frustrated for a while now. Coincidentally, the frustration had started around the same time when a certain pink-haired, funny, joyful and delicate beauty of a woman had literally barged into his life out of the blue.

And incidentally, nothing had ever felt quite so natural but to have her there with him.

Yes, sometimes Obanai felt like he had never lived truly until he had lived in the same place as her.

He often wondered if the effect she had on him, she also had on everyone in her life.

She was just so… Everything. She was sunny and she was sweet and also intense and riveting. She had the power to turn a whole assembly towards her by walking into a room.

And yet.. When he was in the room with her, she still managed to make him feel like he was the only person that mattered there.

With the way her eyes never left him, the way the corners of the mouth lifted in a secret smile, deepening her dimples - and most of all with the way she focused her attention so fully on him, seemingly forgetting everyone else around.

When that happened. Well.. Obanai couldn't keep his already accelerating heart from frantically beating up, he couldn't keep his awareness of the rest of the world because she took up all his attention, like she owned it. Hell, in these moments, it felt like she owned him.

All of that is to say, Obanai Iguro was growing increasingly frustrated. Mainly with his own incapability to take any chance with her. But he was also frustrated with all the barriers he had dressed around himself since forever, and with his incapacity to bring them down.

It also seemed that every time Mitsuri Kanroji got close to him, his restraint was wearing out bit by bit, and the desire for her to get even closer overruled any thought left in his brain.

And anyway, it certainly looked like Obanai could never quite get enough, considering all of the things mentioned before were currently happening inside his head and his whole body as Mitsuri got closer and closer to him. As in, in real life.

She was sporting that very smile, dimpled and all, and he was rooted to the spot, watching her step closer.

Now the frustration was a roaring beast inside of him, asking to be listened to, demanding to be satisfied. The only issue being - Obanai wasn't sure what exactly would satisfy the hunger for touch that he felt for Mitsuri.

Obanai tried to seal the raging emotions tightly in his chest, keeping everything under wrap until he could decide what to do exactly with the tornado threatening to destroy his life.

He had barely schooled his features by the time Mitsuri's heady perfume caught up with him and the sweet and outright sinful aroma threatened to demolish any wall he tried to keep upright in her presence.

"Hi!" she said with a knowing smile, like she knew what he was feeling right there and then. "What's up?" she finally asked.

"Good morning Mitsuri," Obanai tried so hard to appear casual, "Not much, just going to the library to study for a bit, what about you?" Oh but he was so not casual, quite pathetic really. He internally winced.

"Oh that's great!" she replied with a cheerful voice, but she looked kind of worried about something, even though she was trying very hard to not show it to him.

Obanai just couldn't let that stand for the life of him. The thought of her in any discomfort - especially brought on by his presence - was excruciating. Maybe she doesn't want to be here with me, right now. He thought, but deep down, couldn't really believe it, especially after all the time they had spent together and in even closer proximity.

"I.. Uh.. I wanted to ask you," she started again, with less hesitation, "Are we still on for our movie night, tonight?"

The smile she gave him. Oh man but he felt weak in the knees looking at her. She looked shy but hopeful at the same time, and he had no chance in resisting her. Like, no chance at all.

"Right! I forgot it was Friday already," he answered almost immediately following her question. "We could.." Obanai was suddenly interrupted by the loud, raucous voice of his friends cutting him in the middle of what he was about to tell Mitsuri. Which was obviously, yes, let's have another movie night just the two of us at my place, otherwise known as the highlight of my fucking week. But Mitsuri never got a chance to hear that.

"You guys!" Kyôjurô boomed as an introduction, followed closely by Tengen's very own: "If it isn't the most beautiful girl on campus… Oh and Iguro is there too!" at which both Mitsuri and him rolled their eyes, one with less humor than the other.

Shinobu was there too, followed closely by Tomioka, who couldn't seem to let her out of his sight for more than a minute these days. Not that Obanai couldn't relate, he'd certainly spend a good portion of his day with Mitsuri if he had the chance to.

Just then, Mitsuri turned slightly away from him, and her smile, though just as genuine as the one directed at him was, didn't have that same secretive "I can't wait to spend some time with you" vibe that he had been graced with earlier.

Obanai's body and soul screamed at the loss of proximity and he fought hard to not let the disappointment at being interrupted show on his face.

While Shinobu gently embraced Mitsuri and started talking to her, Kyôjurô and Tengen rounded on him with a knowing look in their eyes. Obanai simply watched them in silence, clearly indicating that they had better tell him why they chose to disrupt him when he had obviously been in conversation with her.

"We have an announcement to make!" Tengen practically hollered at him and also anyone willing to hear him right then. Obanai saw Mitsuri turn to the boys, waiting for what was coming next.

"Tonight! Another house party!" he exclaimed with pride, and upon seeing Obanai already gearing up his response - which was a resounding no, thank you, I'll pass. Tengen kept on going, "A party only with us, the usual gang - plus Mitsuri of course!" he winked at her then, "You're part of the group now!".

Obanai's reply died on his tongue when he caught Mitsuri's expression upon hearing his - no, their - friend's booming declaration.

She just looked so… Touched, like she had never had a group of friends of her own before. Like she had never been included in anything. And shit, but who was he to presume that she had known any of it, that she had lived an easy life?

After all, he had seen - had witnessed - the struggles she was dealing with on a daily basis. Had seen her experience anxiety much like he had many times before. Maybe Mitsuri looked like that right there, because she truly had never belonged with anybody quite like she did now.

Obanai felt so sad just imagining her going through life on her own, like he had for a while, and yet so hopeful that she'd settle in right at home with this group of weird misfits who supported and cared deeply for each other.

The group started collectively chatting about the upcoming get together - which was supposed to take place at Sanemi's once again - and Mitsuri swiftly turned back to him.

Her smile acted as a punch to his solar plexus. Catching him off guard, throwing him on a loop. Obanai was openly staring at her, unable to catch himself, and the drive to get closer was like a volcano ready to erupt from the confines of his chest.

She was simply stunning, as in, Obanai literally felt stunned by her beauty - frozen in place, at her complete mercy.

And who was he kidding? He had already been at her mercy for awhile, maybe since the moment they had met, and even more so now that he had reached the nearly impossible to believe conclusion that he was well and truly in love with her.

"How about we spend tonight all together?" he offered, even though he had no desire to share her attention with any of his friends, he just knew - deep down - that this was what she needed. "We can do our movie night on Saturday," he started before catching himself. Maybe she doesn't want to spend two nights in a row with an asshole like me. "Or even next week." he felt the need to add.

"I would love that, actually," Mitsuri replied while laying a careful hand on his arm, setting every nerve ending on his skin ablaze. "Movie night on Saturday then, and a small party tonight, this is exciting!" she said with a small giggle. So fucking beautiful.

Obanai's decision somehow didn't feel like a loss of anything, and more like a possibility for her to spend time with people she clearly liked, strengthening friendships while also not having to be anyone but herself.

"Epic!" Tengen replied when Obanai told him he'd come. "Well, see you tonight, gang!" The taller man boomed one last time before heading back to where he came from, taking the rest of the group with him.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Mitsuri flashed Obanai her most radiant smile and winked as she said, "See you tonight Obanai!" before walking off with a spring in her step.

He once again fell prey to the Mitsuri effect and kept dumbly staring at her as she got further and further from him.

Even if Obanai was tired as all hell and exhausted from his week, he couldn't help the feeling of trepidation that came with the thought of meeting Mitsuri at another party.

After all, at the first party that they had both attended, so much had gone down between them that he was still processing to this day.

The thought of Mitsuri taking his hand, going out of the house. Her, freely talking to him about anything and everything in his car only to then fall asleep next to him just like that. Her, gazing at the sky up ahead - so full of stars - and at the city down below - so full of light. Up on a hill, far from the real world.

Then her, sitting between his legs, her back to his front, his arms around her, her body kept warm by his hoodie. And finally, after having undergone a massive panic attack that seemed to have caught up on her out of the blue, she had walked all the way back with him. She had kept his hand in hers, had let him drive her home, had let him lay his hand on her cheek, had looked at him like…

Like… like no-one had ever looked at him before.

Nothing so wild had happened between them after that, up until they inadvertently fell asleep together on his couch the week before, and Mitsuri had kissed him goodbye. Obanai hadn't been able to recover much sleep since then and was still suffering from the aftershocks of his earth-shattering revelation.

So yeah. The stakes were high for another party. Obanai only hoped that his friends would act as buffers between him, his overwhelming desire to get closer, and her.

One could only hope.

Mitsuri Kanroji was excited. So very excited. She felt like she was actually walking on clouds. Tonight will be perfect, she thought, I just know it.

She checked her appearance in the mirror one last time. She was wearing a mini-skirt, a favorite of hers, with fishnet tights underneath - yeah, she was confident like that today. But the icing on the cake, and consequently what made butterflies flutter all around her stomach, was the top she was wearing. It was Obanai's hoodie.

On the night he had handed it to her - which was incidentally the night where everything changed about her vision of him - he had driven her home and had let her wear it. And even when he had dropped her off, he hadn't asked for it back. Actually, he had never asked for it back since then.

As such, Mitsuri considered it to be hers to wear whenever she wanted, and she did wear it, a lot. At first, the hoodie had carried his perfume, and she couldn't help but keep it close to her nose every time she wore it. Eventually, she had to wash it, and his heady, masculine scent had worn off over time. Still, every time she put it on, it brought her back to that time when she had been so close to him, her back pressed to his front, his arms encircling her, keeping her warmer than his hoodie ever could.

Tonight, Mitsuri Kanroji felt hot, confident, and maybe even a little provocative - otherwise she would never have dared to wear this killer combo of an outfit in the first place.

All of that was in fact a consequence of the night ahead. She had felt so giddy, so overwhelmed, upon hearing Tengen refer to her as "part of the group". She had felt so happy to be invited to spend the night with the whole of them, simply enjoying each other's presence. She felt like she was basking in joy, she felt like for the first time ever, she belonged somewhere, like she belonged with these people she had come to know and care for.

This night, this party, it was what she had needed. After the conversation she had with Shinobu the day before, Mitsuri had actually felt lighter than she had in years. It had felt so good to empty some of the baggage she had been carrying on her shoulders for so long by talking to someone she trusted, someone other than a therapist - someone she considered to be her friend. Hence why she had slept like a big baby the night before, and the reason she felt so energized in this instant, like she was ready to take on the world and whatever it threw down her path.

I am beautiful, I am confident, I am powerful and I can take on anyone who disagrees with me on that, Mitsuri was chanting the words in her head as she got outside and walked all the way to Sanemi's house. It was not that far away from her place and located close to campus, she felt safer on those grounds than she had felt in her own home as a child.

When she arrived, it was already close to 10 pm, and as opposed to the first party she had attended there, right now, the house was much quieter, with only a soft glow coming from the windows, and the sound of people talking was louder than the music playing faintly in the back.

Mitsuri felt confident enough to knock twice on the door and get inside right after, not waiting for anyone to come and take her by the hand. Yes, she belonged there, with them, in this house, at this party, and she wanted to act like she truly believed that.

There was no one in the hall when she crossed the threshold, so Mitsuri followed the sounds of voices that soon led her to the living area. When she had been here the first time, this space had been used as a makeshift dance floor, with music blasting from speakers and spotlights creating more of a nightclub atmosphere.

It then came as a surprise to Mitsuri to see the group of her newly-found friends sitting comfortably all around a large coffee table. Some on couches, others on the ground with pillows strewn everywhere, helping them settle on the carpet.

They all greeted Mitsuri with variations of "Hi!" and "It's good to see you here!" or, in Sanemi's case, a not unfriendly grunt directed in her general direction.

Mitsuri replied to each of them with a cheerful voice, even though her seemingly unshakeable confidence wavered as she realized that Obanai was nowhere to be seen. She didn't dare ask anybody about him so soon after getting there, and went on to sit down beside Shinobu on one of the couches after the brunette gestured for her to come closer.

Mitsuri checked where everyone was seated and saw no significant gaps between people that may indicate that Obanai was just somewhere else in the house - or even outside. No, Obanai just wasn't there.

"Kyôjurô said he's probably sleeping," Misturi startled upon hearing Shinobu's voice talking quietly, and close to her ear. She guessed that the purple-eyed girl had probably noticed her looking all around the room, clearly searching for something - or in this case, someone.

"Asleep?" was all Mitsuri was able to reply, before her brain could catch up with the rest of her body.

"Yes," Shinobu confirmed, "Last he heard, Obanai texted him about taking a nap before coming tonight." she went on and Mitsuri couldn't even pretend not to be hanging on her every word.

"Why would he take a nap on a Friday night?" Mitsuri wondered aloud, not realizing she had spoken up until Kyôjurô, who sat nearby on the ground inclined his head in the girl's direction before saying "I think he's had some trouble sleeping lately," his tone was reassuring, Mitsuri couldn't figure out if the tone was to soothe her or just his usual way of speaking. "I think he took a nap so he'd spend the night with us without dropping dead from lack of sleep, but the nap somehow turned into a very early night."

Kyôjurô's tone was apologetic, as if he was sorry to be the one letting Mitsuri down.

"Oh. I see!" she replied with a smile, one she didn't fake, because Obanai deserved to sleep as much as anybody there, and she could understand the effects of lacking good amounts of sleep, therefore she felt no more disappointment about the whole situation.

At the end of the day, she had come here to spend the night with people she wanted to call friends, people she wanted to learn everything about, people she wanted to have fun with, and nothing could stop her from doing exactly that.

In a way, maybe Obanai's absence could even be an opportunity for her to keep a clear head and not get lost in the bubble that seemed to surround the both of them everytime they stood in a room with other people.

He tended to have that effect on her, to make her forget about anything and everyone else, just to be in this moment, with him.

Now, Mitsuri saw no distraction looming above her, only the prospect of a fun night spent talking, laughing, and joking with the people sitting around her.

And they did that, all throughout the night, but also so much more.. They asked each other questions, took the time to let anyone who wanted to speak do so, they told Mitsuri stories upon stories of their time as a group of friends, the good stories and the bad stories.

Mitsuri laughed so hard that her stomach hurt, that her eyes shone with unshed tears, that her cheeks felt tired from all the smiling. She had never felt quite so content amongst a group of people before.

She told them a few stories too, about her time in school or about her travels, never getting into much detail about life at home, but enough to be part of the conversation regarding their time as children.

Obanai never strayed far from Mitsuri's thoughts. She still hoped deep inside, where no-one could see it, that he'd eventually show up, wearing pillow marks on his forehead and looking like a candy she'd like nothing more but to eat up.

Unfortunately for her, he never did show up. And around one in the morning, Mitsuri decided to go home.

She hugged everyone goodbye, and profusely thanked Sanemi for having welcomed her in his home once again. And even he couldn't resist hugging her back, although it was definitely a very short-lived embrace.

She promised Shinobu she'd text her when she got home and, after putting on her coat, headed out into the night.

It was now well past 1am, and Mitsuri took on the opposite path that was supposed to lead her home. Instead, she saw herself take one step after the other in the general direction of Obanai's place.

Yes, Mitsuri had spent a great night, had laughed with the funniest people ever, had shared thoughts and opinions on multiple subjects and had never felt so validated before. But it was not enough.

She had worn Obanai's hoodie, a short as all hell skirt, killer boots and freaking fishnet tights, for God's sake! She just couldn't turn back now, after all the effort, after all the anticipation.

Before long, Mitsuri found herself in front of Obanai's building, half freezing to death, half hyperventilating. What was she even doing here? She berated herself, for being reckless enough to walk all the way there in the middle of the night, even though the air was growing colder and colder, as autumn was slowly turning into winter.

She saw her reflexion on the glass door, looking like a ridiculous, foolish girl, who had been ready - up until two minutes ago - to wake up the guy she loved from his restful sleep because she selfishly missed him..? What is wrong with me?! She thought to herself, and felt ever more ridiculous.

Mitsuri sat down on the steps leading up to the apartment building and contemplated what to do with herself then and there. She was even farther from her place than she had been at Sanemi's, and it was now close to two in the morning. Why do I do this to myself? Mitsuri wondered, maybe she had even asked the question aloud, as if the clouds in the sky above would answer her.

She put her hands in her hoodies' pockets and kept staring at the sky, praying to be teleported at home in her bed, where she could have been warm enough to fall asleep quickly, if only she hadn't taken a detour to do something she was actually too chicken to do.

Mitsuri let out a long sigh into the night, and her breath turned white from the cold air.

Suddenly, she heard the front door of the building opening and closing, but before she could even turn around and check who was heading out, the sound of the boots coming down the stairs made her thoughts derail.

Mitsuri lifted her eyes and her gaze clashed with eyes of teal and gold. Obanai actually froze, she couldn't see a flicker of movement coming from anywhere near him. His hair was tied in a messy bun and he was wearing all black, looking like his usual self, albeit very tired, and with untied shoelaces.

"Mitsuri?" he asked, sounding incredulous, and his voice did things to her that were absolutely unfair. He looked like he couldn't quite believe she was even here.

She got up from her position sitting on the cold stairs and took a step closer to him.

"Hi." was all she managed, sounding just as lost as he had moments ago.

Obanai seemed to realize that she was truly there, and she caught his gaze roaming over her body. On second thought, Mitsuri hadn't seen him really freeze before, more like he had stopped dead in his tracks upon noticing her. Now… Well now it felt like the air had stopped moving around his body. He stood still as a statue, except for his eyes, who kept scanning her from head to toe, cataloging every little detail about her appearance.

Mitsuri couldn't find it in her to feel self conscious, she had worn the outfit in the hopes of catching his eye. And while she couldn't really process how a guy like him could find anything about her worth noticing, it was now impossible to ignore. He was looking at her like the power of his stare alone could undress her, and she liked it. She liked the effect she seemed to have on him in this instant, she felt like she held the reins, felt powerful.

I am beautiful, I am powerful, I am worth it. The words came to the forefront of her mind, and they made sense, for once, she believed in them, believed in her.

The sudden surge in confidence that she felt was very much welcomed and it made her brave enough to stare at him in return. Eyes never leaving his body, daring him to do something about it, anything. But preferably something that involved his lips on hers, his body pressed against hers and… Better to stop that train of thought right there before it could go anywhere else.

Realization hit her then. She realized that it was the middle of the night, that she was facing Obanai in the front of his own apartment building - with no apparent reason - and that it was now very cold outside.

Shivers erupted all over her skin, and she flinched imperceptibly from the cold sensation. That only appeared to get Obanai out of his (dare she say it?) hungry staring session of her body.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" he finally asked her with more than a little incredulity. He then stepped closer to her, so close in fact that the heat from his body felt like it was seeping through her layers of clothes.

"I uh… I wanted to see you, so I came here," she replied while sounding less than certain, "In the middle of the night, yes!" she finished with false bravado.

His gaze was now searching her features for something, she could tell, but hoped he wouldn't uncover her deepest, darkest secret yet. Which was, of course, that she was ridiculously in love with him. Hence why she was standing there at this time of the night and in these conditions.

"Why were you sitting on the steps then, if you came all the way here to see me?" he challenged, which was unusual for him. But also, everything about this setup was unusual, and Mitsuri felt braver than she had ever felt with him.

Therefore, she felt no shame in admitting to him this: "I wanted to call you but I remembered you were sleeping and couldn't find it in me to wake you up for no reason other than me freezing outside your door."

Well, that cut to the chase, alright. Just then, Mitsuri was overtaken by a full-body shiver, and her teeth started chattering a little.

"Turns out you were awake after all!" she chirped up in between the sound of her teeth on the verge of breaking each other, "Where were you going to go in the middle of the night?" she managed to ask, only then realizing that it was just as strange for him to be there right now.

Mitsuri saw the corners of his jaw tightening from behind the mask he always wore and wondered what was going on in his head at that moment. He sighed a little, and, with a slight shake of his head, took her hand and led her inside the lobby of the building. She let him do it without peeping a word - which was unusual, she knew.

"I woke up from my nap, which had actually turned into a night for some reason," he said with impatience coloring his speech, "And I realized I had missed the party, but I wanted to see if you were still there, so I was actually almost on my way to you." he concluded and this time, it was amusement she heard in his voice.

"Funny meeting you here, then." Mitsuri replied, and she couldn't help the big smile that was showing on her face.

Brave, powerful, hot. Act like it.

"Funny meeting you here." he repeated with a deeper voice, as his eyes took in her appearance once more.

Mitsuri was drawn to Obanai like a magnet to a fridge. No, she couldn't think of a better analogy right then, when her mind was basically made of cotton candy from being around him.

He actually stepped even closer, so close that Mitsuri had to raise her head a little to meet his eyes. Not that she minded, the feel of his body so perilously close to touching hers acted as a drug to her senses. He was all she could see, his perfume was all she could smell, the breaths leaving his body the only sound she could hear.

Until she basically tripped on herself and just about crashed onto him.

He caught her, of course, and even as she righted herself, his hands never left her waist. She heard him inhale sharply from behind his mask, his breathing was matching hers - which was close to hyperventilating right then.

"Mitsuri," he breathed and his voice was strained, butterflies followed inside her belly. "Should I drive you home?" he hesitated and he couldn't quite hide the fact that he seemed to resent the very idea of leaving her side. "...Or will you stay the night at my place, since you came all the way?" he finally asked, almost breathless.

She didn't think she had come to bargain her way through his door, but now that the opportunity was there for her to take, she couldn't think of a single good enough reason to go back to her place.

"Can I stay?" was all she could manage without losing what little bravado was still left in her.

He didn't even take the time to answer, only let go of the hold he had on her waist to take her hand once more, and he led her upstairs. She followed without hesitation.

Author's note : There's a little cliffhanger for you lot... I hope you had fun because I have big plans for the next chapter ! Bear with me in the mean time, alright?

Feel free to fav this story if you like this, leave a review if you feel like it, I appreciate the support 3