"Is Kits'na here? Hey, Kou-huh? Mom, they're being weird in the kitchen!," a young boy called out to his mother from the living room. He had bounded inside ahead of her, eager to greet their probable guest.

"Sorry, you guys can get comfy in the living room," Mrs. Sugawara addressed her other three guests and sped toward the kitchen. She ushered Koda away, pointing him to the television.

"Koushi! Really?," she half-shouted, half-whispered. The three in the living room could easily guess what had happened, but tried hard not to think about it and busy themselves with something else. Anything else.

"Sorry!"

Two voices spoke in unison, with a certain level of strain that all but confirmed things for everyone else. The woman gave her son a dirty look, and ushered him out of the kitchen to entertain his friends and former classmates. Kitsuna froze up and couldn't look her in the face, something made worse when the woman casually straightened her tie and fully buttoned her shirt.

"Kitsuna. Help me with the prep?," Mrs. Sugawara had learned the best way to handle the girl's flustered states was to give her something to do with her hands. Kitsuna chopped up the vegetables with practiced ease and took her leave. She rounded the corner into the living room and felt a new wave of embarrassment when she realized who the additional guests would be for dinner.

"You've got the Tokyo camp tomorrow, right?," Kiyoko struck up a conversation before Kitsuna's panic took over completely. She motioned for her junior to join her on the sofa, and they settled in there. The conversation started with updates on the volleyball team, and wandered to various topics over dinner. Kitsuna occasionally checked her phone, and after eating and clearing the table she sat on the couch with Koda in her lap, and the tablet in his. The sun set low, and Kiyoko took her leave first. Asahi was next, along with Daichi, and things settled down pretty quickly.

"Looks like he fell asleep," Mrs. Sugawara came to check on her youngest, scooping him out of the highschooler's lap and carrying him to bed. Kitsuna closed her tablet case and stacked her phone on top of it on the table, reaching past where Suga was still sitting on the floor and texting the others.

"He likes you a lot," Suga finally closed his phone and leaned back against Kitsuna's legs.

"Yeah, guess so. I've been taking him over to Daichi's, to hang out with all of them when their mom's busy," Kitsuna slumped forward, resting her chin on Suga's head and letting her arms hang down around his neck.

"That so? Sounds like you've kept yourself pretty busy."

"Yeah," Kitsuna's melancholy mood was starting up now that she had eaten and caught up with the others.

"Kitsuna, you need to head home and get ready right? Koushi can walk you home," Mrs. Sugawara walked by them and volun-told Suga to take her home. He moved out of the way so Kitsuna could pack up her things, and was pulled aside by his mother.

"Don't keep her up all night, now," the woman warned. She didn't appear upset at all, in fact she seemed to have that mischievous twinkle in her eye again. Suga's face went red, and he pushed her back.

"We're not gonna be doing anything like that!," he declared. With that, he joined Kitsuna by the door and slid his shoes on. They made the short journey to her house, him following her in without thinking.

"Oh. You need to go to bed don't you? Sorry-"

"You just got back though," Kitsuna grabbed his shirt and pouted. Now it was his turn to clam up and battle against the same tactic he used earlier.

"Well.."

"Just for one game?," she motioned toward the tv, and he caved.

"Just one."

It was not just one game, and they lost track of time all too easily. After several failed matches in a fighting game, Suga was starting to lose his calm demeanor and slip into the rarer grumpy mode. Kitsuna stole a victory from him once more, and he was fully fed up. She leaned in to taunt him, tugging at his puffed out cheek. He pushed into her, knocking her back onto the couch cushions and pinning her arms down so she couldn't poke or prod him any more.

"Hey! Sorry?"

"You picked that one because you knew I was bad at it," he glowered down at her. She had a nervous smile, and her cheeks were somewhat red in the dim light from the screen.

"I guess I did," she admitted. She stuck her tongue out at him and quickly retracted it when he let go of one arm and reached toward her face.

"You little shit," he jokingly cursed her and messed up her hair. She laughed, pushing against his chest while they playfully tousled for a minute or two. She got a good jab at his side, and he collapsed over her while holding back a laugh.

"Ow," he finally got the complaint out. Kitsuna went suddenly very still, and quiet, making him worried that he had not been as careful as he meant to with his own weight. He pushed himself up roughly, but something tugged at his shirt under his chest. He blinked down at her, cocking a brow at her burning hot face that refused to meet his gaze.

That's when it finally hit him. The situation just now, it was dangerous to say the least. He was on top of her, and her legs shifted against his while he adjusted his positioning a little bit. Her clothes had gotten messed up, leaving far more skin exposed than he was used to seeing. His face flushed hard, and he flew into a panic.

"Sorry!"

"It's…fine."

"Huh?"

"Um," Kitsuna sucked in a breath and it felt like she held it in forever. She looked to where her hand held him in place, by his shirt, and stole quick glances up at his face while hers got redder and redder. This was definitely awkward, but he wondered why she didn't just let him separate himself from her if it was that weird. He pulled back one last time, heart pounding as certain urges reared their head again.