Disclaimer: Don't own Takumi or Akira. I like to pretend I do, though.
A/N: And so ends my rather ambitious project. I'm going to let the story do most of the talking this time. Please read and leave a review if you want. I would like to know y'alls thoughts about this last chapter and about the story overall. Gracias
Exposed
"Damn, that was good, Mai. I can't move," Tate groaned wearily.
"Mai's food always tastes the best!" Mikoto exclaimed, helping herself to her third dessert.
"Well, I had help," Mai replied humbly, casting meaningful glances at Akira and Takumi.
"You're too modest, Onee-chan! You did most of the work."
"But I couldn't have done it without you two!"
"Mai-chan, you promised presents," Chie said, smirking. She pulled her phone out of her pocket. "This should be good, ne?"
"Right. Presents. Mikoto, you can eat that by the tree if you don't spill. Actually, Yuichi, could you make sure she eats over this towel?"
Grumbling incoherently, Tate spread the towel by the tree. The rest of the group migrated towards the pile of presents. Takumi and Akira settled on the floor closest to the tree. Out the corner of her eye, Akira noticed the bag containing the drawing. Quickly, before anyone else noticed, she pushed the bag to the back of the tree, where the needles would keep it hidden from sight.
"Akira-chan, would you like to go first?"
The ninja froze like a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar. "Um, sure," she replied, picking up a medium-sized box with her name on it.
"Oh, that's from Natsuki. She didn't want to come to the party, but she thought you could use this," Mai said with a grin, leaning forward in her desk chair.
"Wha- OH!" Aoi exclaimed, taking a moment to recognize the redhead's smirk. She raised her hand to her mouth to discreetly mask her giggles. On the floor next to her, Chie held her camera at the ready. The two men and Mikoto, oblivious to the cackling, intently watched Akira tear off the paper. As soon as she broke the tape sealing the box and noticed its contents, her face turned scarlet.
"What is it, Akira-kun?" Takumi asked curiously, leaning over to look. The ninja grabbed the box and stuffed it back into the wrapping paper.
"Nothing," she snapped, glaring daggers at the innocent boy.
"Yeah, what is it? Let us see!" Tate prodded.
"IT'S NOTHING!" Akira shrieked, very embarrassed.
"Is it edible?" Mikoto asked, sucking mindlessly on a candy cane.
"It's a girl thing," Mai mouthed to the two clueless males.
"OH!" Tate replied, his face color matching the ninja's. "This is a little awkward, isn't it?" he asked Takumi.
"A little," the younger boy replied weakly, his eyes not leaving the floor.
"Akira-chan, you don't have to hold it up if you don't want to, but could you at least tell us what color it is, please?" Mai asked politely, attempting to relieve some of the tension that had taken over the festive atmosphere.
"Black. Strapless," the ninja whispered tersely, wishing the world would disappear around her. Chie's phone clicked and she showed the photo to the girl next to her. Both giggled for a few seconds, and then there was silence. Beside Akira, Takumi let out a squeak similar to that of a panicked hamster.
"Okay, that's all I need to know. When you try it on later, let me know if it fits, alright?"
"O-Onee-chan!" Takumi gasped. Akira nodded once, refusing to make eye contact with her flustered roommate.
"What did Akira-kun get?" Mikoto asked, confused. Everyone ignored her question.
"Mai, I think it's time to drop-" Tate began, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. Akira glowered at the redhead in a way that promised much pain unto those who dared to defy her.
"Aw, but we're having so much fun!" Chie whined, snapping one last picture before closing her phone. Leaning in, she whispered to Aoi, "Check Facebook tonight." Hearing these words, the brunette could barely contain her squeals.
"You're killing Takumi!" Akira snarled, elbowing the red-faced boy in the ribs and effectively jerking him out of his daze. She had had enough. Her confused roommate blinked. The second his eyes fell on the ninja, he squeaked and looked away.
"OH! I know what's inside that box! A BRA!" Mikoto exclaimed excitedly. Takumi fell over backwards.
"He's too damn young to act like Takeda!" Tate moaned, his mouth twitching upward slightly.
"Someone get him a tissue! I think he might have a, y'know…"
"Snap out of it, you dumbass!" Akira hissed, poking the downed boy.
With a muted yelp, Takumi sat up, wiped his face on his sleeve, and picked up the small box closest to him. "Um, it's for you, Onee-chan. From Tate, I think."
There was a chorus of "ooooohs" from Mai's two friends. Mai, paying no attention to the peanut gallery, calmly took the box from her brother's hand, although her cheeks tinged slightly. Tate, on the other hand, reacted loudly.
"Shut up! I SAID SHUT UP! AND PUT THAT PHONE AWAY!"
"Awww, isn't that cute?" Akira sneered, grinning sadistically from ear to ear. It was payback for the humiliation she and Takumi received just moments before. Next to her, her amused roommate bit his lip.
"Shut up!" Tate turned to Mai, then, his tone of voice making a polar switch, he urged, "Go on; open it."
With everyone watching closely, she removed the paper, revealing a tiny velvet box. She gasped audibly then exploded, "YU-YUICHI! WHY THE HECK DID YOU-?"
He shrugged. "Because I could," he answered simply, "And relax. You don't even know what I got you yet."
The peanut gallery began tittering excitedly. "Open it! Open it, Mai-chan!"
Taking a shaky breath, the redhead slowly flipped the velvet lid, revealing a gold phoenix pendant. Two rubies formed the firebird's eyes and the pendant dangled from a matching gold chain. The necklace glinted brilliantly in the light. "Yuichi," she whispered, stunned.
"Wow, shiny!" Mikoto cried, her eyes following the reflections on the ceiling.
"KYAAAAAH! PUT IT ON! PUT IT ON!"
"Onee-chan, please put it on. We want to see it on you, right Akira-kun?"
Mai, however, was momentarily paralyzed, so Tate took the necklace and clasped it delicately around her neck for her. "It reminded me of that fire-breathing bird monster of yours."
"Kagutsuchi," Mai sighed, remembering her Child. Her hand drifted to the pendant on her chest. Then, without warning, she leapt out of her chair and threw her arms around her boyfriend's neck.
"Um, you're welcome?" Tate said, taken aback, as he caught the redheaded projectile. He awkwardly planted a kiss on top of her head, which only added fuel to her fire. The poor boy found himself smothered with more affection than he had anticipated. "Hey, whoa, you're heavy! Okay, that's enough! Get off me, Mai! Takumi, restrain your Onee-chan! Rape! Rape! Someone help me! Okuzaki! Mikoto! Senou! HARADA, I TOLD YOU TO PUT THAT DAMN PHONE AWAY!"
Takumi only laughed at the situation unfolding before him. "There's no stopping Onee-chan when she gets like this," he said with a grin.
"And you would know this how?" Akira asked, unable to resist the urge to needle the boy.
"Saa," Takumi replied mysteriously. His eyes twinkled. Changing the subject, he added, "They're cute together, aren't they, Akira-kun?"
"Huh? Yeah, I guess so," the ninja answered, scratching her head. She had never been one to watch other couples before. However, at his words, she noticed that there was a dynamic between Mai and Tate that was quite, as Takumi put it, "cute."
"His present was perfect," Takumi said with a chuckle, "although I think she would have reacted the same way for anything. She really loves Tate."
"Yeah," Akira muttered, distracted. Briefly, she thought Takumi knew about the drawing, as he had just rephrased everything Mai had told her earlier. However, her suspicions were only products of her overactive imagination. The drawing was still hidden in the pile. True, she had decided to give Takumi the drawing— it was the perfect chance for her to show him exactly how she felt— but there were too many people around. She wanted to wait until the perfect moment. It was like combat; she had to wait for an opening before she could strike. And when the chance arrived, she would strike with everything she had. As the scene calmed down somewhat, she wondered if Takumi had something for her also. Not that it mattered, though. Christmas had never really mattered to her before; it was just another thing from which her father sheltered her. This year was different, however. She had new clothes. She had Mai and Natsuki and everyone. And she had Takumi. All she wanted this Christmas was for Takumi to accept what she had to offer. But not yet…
"Akira-kun? Are you okay?" The boy's concerned voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, of course I'm okay."
"Good, because we still have more presents to open!"
Half an hour later, the room was strewn with the remnants of wrapping paper and boxes and everyone was enjoying their presents. Mai belted out Kimeru with her new karaoke machine, while Chie recorded the performance on her new digital camera. Aoi happily pawed through her new collection of yaoi smut doujinshi, while a repulsed Tate tried to challenge Mikoto to a duel with his new kendo equipment to keep her from reading over the brunette's shoulder. Surprisingly, the kitten-like girl was too preoccupied with her new cookbook to accept. Takumi, too, was happily modeling his new royal blue apron for Akira, who approved of the manlier color. Only two presents remained under the tree.
"Oh yeah, there's one more for Akira-kun," Chie remembered, lowering her camera. Aoi looked up from her doujinshi and nodded vigorously in agreement. Everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing and returned to their stations around the tree to watch. Akira picked up the box, hoping it was from Takumi. However, the tag read "With much love, Aoi-chan and Chie-chan." Her stomach fell, but the disappointment was rivaled by trepidation over what a present from those two would contain.
"It's not going to blow up, Akira-kun," Aoi said jokingly.
Still, the ninja took her time tearing off the paper. When she opened the box, she was half-expecting something to leap out at her and then take a picture of her surprised face. However, inside the box, she found a smaller shoebox sitting inside a sea of Styrofoam peanuts. Curious, she removed the lid, knocking a few peanuts onto the floor around her. What she found made her recoil instantly. "I am NOT wearing those things!"
"Aw, but they're so cute!" Chie replied in mock offense.
"They look like stripper shoes!" Akira snarled.
"I think they're pretty, Akira-kun."
"Then why don't you wear them, Takumi?"
"Because they'll look good with yo- I mean on you! They'll look good on you, Akira-kun."
"Akira, just try them on," Mai said kindly. "If you don't like them after a few days, then give them back to me and I'll return them to the store for you."
"Fine," the ninja snapped, sliding her feet into the black, strappy high-heeled sandals. They seemed to fit, so she stood up cautiously, holding on to Takumi's shoulder for support.
"Well? How does it feel?" Mai asked.
"Wobbly."
"Do they hurt at all?"
"Not really, but I don't think I can walk in these. Why the hell do girls wear these stupid things anyway? I can't do anything."
"Because they're elegant," Takumi replied, smiling.
"Right, and falling on my ass is elegant," Akira grumbled, unbuckling the shoes and tossing them back into their box.
"Akira, if you keep the shoes, the girls and I can give you walking lessons," Mai said. "I think you may find that you want to keep them, right Takumi?"
Takumi nodded. Frowning, Akira looked from one Tokiha to the other. "Now what's wrong with you two?"
Mai ignored the ninja's question. Clapping her hands, she looked at her watch and said in an authoritative voice, "It's getting late, and I think Takumi and Akira want their room back. We'll clean up tomorrow, if you don't mind."
Akira and Takumi shook their heads no.
"Mai, there's still one present left," Tate said, indicating the bag under the tree.
"I know," the redhead replied, catching Akira's eye and winking. The ninja gulped. She knew Mai was helping to ease the tension, but she was still nervous. This was it: her chance.
"But…"
"No 'buts,' Yuichi, now come on," she said definitely, pushing the whipped boy out the door. Aoi and Chie followed, dragging a sleepy Mikoto behind them on a towel. Before she shut the door, Mai poked her head in. "Merry Christmas, you two! Goodnight!"
Akira mouthed a quick "thank you" but the redhead had already disappeared into the hallway, leaving the two roommates alone.
"Well, that was a fun party, wasn't it Akira-kun?" Takumi asked cheerfully.
"Yeah, it was," Akira answered. "Thanks for, y'know, helping with that, I guess."
"You sound upset. You've been weird all night, actually. What's up? Was the party that bad? Please be honest."
"Oh, no, it was fine. A little embarrassing, but I'm glad I got to celebrate Christmas with everyone. I've never really… It's not that important, really, but my father considered parties and gifts too extravagant for someone with, y'know, my lifestyle and-"
"And you've never gotten a Christmas present? Oh, that's terrible, Akira-kun!"
"No, I have, just not many. And not with all the… emotions and stuff involved. I don't really need the presents, but… they're nice, even those crazy shoes and that sexy black satin strapless bra." Akira dragged the last words just to make her roommate uncomfortable. Even if he acted like a wimpy little girl, he was still a teenage boy with teenage boy hormones. She waited for the effect of her words to subside, then she continued, her voice shaking, "And, this is going to sound weird, but I've never really given anyone anything before, but I…this year because of you…" The rest of her words were lost in the branches as she crawled underneath the tree to retrieve the last present.
"Akira-kun, what are you talking about? You don't have to-"
"No, I do. I need to give you this. No, I want you to have this. Ah, just take the stupid thing," Akira said, her face lit like a Christmas tree. Before he had a chance to protest, she shoved the frame into Takumi's hands.
"Akira…" Takumi whispered, his eyes widening as he realized what lay between the two sheets of clear glass. "So this is what you were hiding under your pillow this morning. It's…"
"Disturbing?"
"Beautiful," Takumi breathed, walking over to his bed. "I…wow…I'm going to keep this here." Carefully, he placed the drawing in the center of his nightstand, moving a photo of him and Mai as children to the side. "When I wake up every morning, it'll be the first thing I see."
Akira flopped onto his bed and admired her drawing. It looked miles better in its new location than it did crumpled up in her drawer and under her pillow. Takumi sat on the bed beside her, his weight denting the mattress enough to make the ninja roll slightly towards him. He stroked her head gently and she looked up. "I had no idea that you were such a talented artist," he said, smiling. "If you don't mind, I'd love to see the rest of your drawings sometime. I hope I'm not getting too personal."
The ninja tensed. "It's not that, but I dunno…"
"Come on, it's not like you're drawing porn, right? Or are you, Akira-chan? If my girlfriend is drawing smut, then I want to see!"
"I AM NOT!" she snapped. Then with a sigh, she added, "Okay fine, I'll show you. Hold on, let me get my sketchbook."
The springs squeaked as she jumped off Takumi's bed. She crossed the room, gingerly stepping over piles of paper, Silly String, and opened presents, until she reached her area. When she peeled back the curtains, she let out a scream that echoed throughout the dormitory.
"Did you find it, Akira?"
"If this is what you mean by 'it' then, yes, I did," the ninja said weakly, pulling the curtains aside to expose the pink and black dress suspended from the curtain rods. "This is…"
"Yep. It's the one."
"I thought you gave it back to Mai after…"
"I did, but then I took it back, shortened the straps, and tucked in some of the bodice. It should fit you now, so there won't be any, um, issues."
"You can sew?"
"Yep. Well, Onee-chan had to teach me. We were busy while you were freaking out earlier."
"So that's why…I thought you were planning the party and everything."
"Well, that too…"
"So this whole thing was your idea, then?"
"Maybe."
"You bastard, you weren't supposed to do this!"
"No, but I wanted to do something special for you, and everyone else was more than willing to help."
"Takumi…" Akira whispered, fighting back tears of happiness. She had no idea how to respond. Once again, Takumi had caught her off guard, but she did not mind.
"Akira, relax. It's okay. I love you," he said softly, holding her close. It happened like that. The unpremeditated words simply flowed from his mouth and blended into the room's atmosphere. Akira's face was pressed into his shoulder, which muffled her reply, but Takumi seemed to understand the vibrations through his shirt. "I know," he replied.
The two stood in between the parted curtains for an irrelevant amount of time until Akira remembered her real reason for going back to her area in the first place. She uncovered her sketchbook and yanked Takumi onto the bed next to her. Instead of falling straight down, the clumsy boy managed to catch his foot in a loose end of her comforter and landed with his face planted square in her lap. He yelped and jumped back, but not before Akira had fallen over backwards in a fit of the giggles. "You…are such a dork…Takumi," she choked in between spasms. The boy looked away, his face crimson.
"Um, sorry about that, Akira," he stammered. The ninja thwacked him on the back of his head then smiled.
"Control yourself. I haven't even opened my sketchbook yet."
"Oh right! I want to see, Akira!"
For the next hour, the two flipped through the secret book. At every little doodle and finished drawing, Takumi would offer amused commentary. His enthusiasm was genuine, and Akira went into great detail explaining everything: the significance of each work, the materials she used, and the methods she used to complete the sketch. Even the most personal sketches became open topics for discussion and her audience was not in the least bit critical of her work. Her work, and her feelings, could be expressed in the way they should have been all along. Finally, she turned to her favorite page, the page where the old dance photo was attached with peeling tape.
"I look horrible in this photo," Takumi laughed.
"I look like a whore! I'm practically hanging out of that dress!" Akira snorted.
"I'm not going to deny that!" Takumi said, smirking. Akira smacked him. Struck by sudden inspiration, she rose, grabbed the dress from its hanger, and snapped the curtains shut.
"I was kidding!"
"Hold on!"
From the other side of the curtains, Takumi heard the sounds of zippers being drawn and rustling fabric, followed by much profanity and the clicking of high-heeled shoes. The curtains opened again, and Akira hobbled inside with a grumpy expression on her face. "The zipper's stuck and these shoes hurt my feet."
"Turn around," her roommate said, grinning. The ninja complied, and Takumi easily slid the zipper all the way up. "Now let me see the dress."
Akira lowered her arms and even tried to twirl, which threw her off balance. Fortunately, Takumi offered her a hand for support. "You better not sneeze or something and pull me over," she muttered bitterly.
"It fits you perfectly, though," Takumi said happily, "The straps aren't falling off, and, um, you fill it out better. And the Silly String is a nice touch."
"I'll kill you."
"You really do look good in that dress, though. I'm serious."
"I feel…girly," Akira said, shifting her shoulders uncomfortably.
"That's not always a bad thing," Takumi reassured her. "At least you're actually a girl."
"Don't push it," Akira grumbled, fighting with her left shoe. "These shoes make good weapons."
"Okay, okay," Takumi said sleepily, throwing up his hands in surrender; those heels did look sharp. He flopped onto his back. "You know, we should thank Onee-chan properly tomorrow for all of this."
"Yeah, I suppose we should," Akira agreed. She tossed the death-shoes into the corner. And everyone else, she thought, but especially Mai. As annoying as she was, she was one hell of a matchmaker. There was someone else she had to thank as well. "Oi, Takumi. Sit up."
"Hn?"
"Look at me."
Without giving the boy a chance to speak, she kissed him quickly on the lips. Gathering her skirt, she rose and went back through the curtains to change into her pajamas.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"It's not like I'm never going to kiss you again, dumbass," she called. "It's really late, I'm tired, and you're sitting in my bed. When I get out of the bathroom, you better be in your own bed. And don't try to wake me up early tomorrow or else I might have to kill you, which would suck for both of us!"
"Y-yes, Akira!" Takumi stuttered. He stumbled across the room and into his own bed. By the time Akira came out of the bathroom, he was fast asleep. Before turning in for the night as well, she paused by her roommate's bed and arranged the two pictures on his nightstand so that they were side by side. She flipped the light switch and tiptoed back towards her area in the dark, taking great care not to trip and wake the sleeping boy. As she slid into her bed, she whispered, "Merry Christmas, Takumi."
There was no mistaking the falter in the boy's snores.
Chibi-Kagura