Impossibly in Love

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Disclaimer: I'll never own Shugo Chara!

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Chapter III: Stay with me

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I hurried along the sidewalk, glancing every now and then to check for possible ex-boyfriends/ex-fiancés that may have mysteriously found me.

I struggled with my bag filled to the brim with papers, along with my laptop, and I hefted it heavily back onto my shoulders. I sighed when the sky rumbled, and secretly begged that it wouldn't rain, or at least it would rain after I got back to my apartment.

Plip, plop.

…

I glowered at the sky.

"Eff you."

…

[a mere coincidence.]

I sat down on the damp bus seat, annoyed, and utterly pissed off. As if hearing my somewhat offending comment, the rain poured ever harder, pounding against the concrete forcefully.

I shivered and considered taking a taxi, but scowled when I saw the snail-like pace they were making. "Stupid rush hour," I grumbled.

I flipped open my phone and considered calling somebody, but eventually snapped it shut again. Everybody was probably either working, or at college.

I adjusted my bag again and started walking towards my apartment, feeling the rain seep through my clothes. "It just has to rain on the one day that I don't bring my umbrella," I mumbled to nobody, ignoring the weird looks I was receiving.

I blinked when I saw a faint shadow and felt the rain stop pelting against my back.

"Rima?" he said softly, curiously, his long violet hair blowing in the harsh wind.

…

I scowled. "Oh, it's you."

He grinned, and said, "Nice to see you too."

…

[rain. wet. cold. warmth.]

"You'll get sick like that," he pointed out, gesturing towards my soaked through shirt.

"You're attracting attention," I hissed, slapping the hand away. I hugged my arms closer together.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked, concerned.

"No, Nagihiko, that's not why I'm shivering," I said sardonically. "But it's not like I can do anything about—"

…

"Wait, Nagihiko, why did—"

He smiled gently. "Why did I give you my jacket?"

I gave him a weird look. "No, retard. Why do you have a jacket in the middle of the effing summer?"

…

[walking in the rain.]

"Rima, can't you walk faster?" Nagihiko asked teasingly. I glared at him.

"Nobody said you had to walk with me anyways," I huffed, shooting him a dirty look.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm sorry for not letting you walk in the rain alone, looking depressing and sad," he said, twirling the umbrella handle.

I kicked the back of his leg, and he winced. "Ow," he muttered.

"Wimp," I shot back, and he frowned.

He suddenly took out a plastic bag and dangled it in my face.

…

"Is that…?"

He smiled. "You're so predictable."

…

[for all those rainy days.]

Nagihiko smiled up at the gray sky, watching calmly at the lightning streaks that cracked at the sky.

"You look like such an idiot," I said from his side, gripping the umbrella handle firmly.

"Probably," he said softly. "But I like the rain," he said offhandedly.

"And what did that have to do with anything…?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"For sake of conversation," he said, smirking as he stepped out from under the shelter of the umbrella, and I watched as the rain utterly drenched him.

He gained weird looks and light giggles, while I just stared at him. "Why…"

"Because the rain washes away all of the regrets that you hold firm in your heart," he said as he stepped back under the wide brim.

…

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I asked with pursed lips.

He patted my head, tenderly, gingerly. "Whatever you want it to mean."

[thunder. lightning. rain. questions.]

I wrung out my hair as I stepped inside of my room, sighing as I gathered his jacket closer around me.

"I'm coming in," he said as he put down the bags and arranged the pudding inside of the refrigerator.

"Not like you'd stay out if I told you to anyways," I murmured, and he chuckled lightly from the kitchen.

I changed out of my damp shirt and shorts and changed into dry ones. I tied my hair up into a high ponytail and came back outside to see Nagihiko brewing coffee. I tossed his jacket on the couch, and it looked like he almost laughed. "Very organized."

I was tempted to throw something at him, and debated doing so, while he lightly hummed to himself innocently.

I jumped at the sound of a loud crack of thunder.

He glanced behind him. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I shot back stiffly, snatching a cup from him. I stirred in the sugar and milk, but a bit of it sloshed over the cup. I bit my lip and set it back down.

Nagihiko watched carefully. He suddenly clutched my arm. "Then why are you trembling?"

I tugged on a stray curl. "Does it matter?" I said under my breath.

"Yes," he replied automatically.

…

"Why?" I challenged.

"Because you matter," he replied, letting go of my arm.

…

[thunder. lightning. rain. knowing.]

I sat down on the couch. "You can leave, you know," I said irritably as I typed my essay, looking up from my computer.

"Do you want me to?" he asked as he settled down next to me.

The lights flickered, and I clenched my fists. He bumped my shoulder, and I turned to look at him. A wide smile was on his face.

"This isn't the fearless, sardonic, slightly violent Rima that I know," he said.

I snickered.

…

"And what do you know about me, transvestite?" I asked him sarcastically.

He ignored the insult. "Enough."

…

[thunder. lightning. rain. stay.]

"Get me pudding," I ordered from the couch, feeling slightly touched and annoyed by his bluntness.

"Yes, your highness," he said as he got up and off the couch and went over to the fridge.

I paused my typing and tapped my fingers on the table. The harsh wind whipped against the window, and I heard the rain continue to fall harder and faster. Thunder and lightning were a frightening duo, both lashing out.

"You know, you never answered my question from earlier," he prompted as he handed it to me. I stabbed a spoon into it and looked up inquisitively.

"What question?" I asked as I chewed.

He stopped, smiled faintly, and then shook his head. "Ah, well, it really doesn't matter."

Nagihiko looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he stopped and frowned at the sound of his trilling cellphone.

"Who'd call me during a thunderstorm?" he said as he flipped open the phone and answered.

"Mom?" he said, sounding confused. "Where am I? I'm at a… a friend's house," he said eventually. "Now?" he said doubtfully. "Well, I don't think…"

He bit his lip and listened, and then he nodded. "Alright, okay. Bye."

"What is it?" I asked him expectantly, resuming my typing.

"I have… to go home," he said, picking up his cup. I stopped typing for a second and met his gaze steadily.

He poured out the rest of his coffee and rinsed it out. Nagihiko seemed to be waiting for something as he reached for his phone.

At the sound of a sudden, loud crack of lightning, accompanied by a loud thunder clap, I leapt forward and grabbed the back of Nagihiko's shirt.

…

"I… I want you to stay," I said quietly, tightening my hold.

The traces of a smile on his face, he nodded. "Then… I will."

…

[serious. playful. funny. idiocy.]

"Hey, by the way, did you ever replace that lamp that you ever-so-kindly whacked me with?" Nagihiko asked cheerily as he flicked through my TV channels.

"I regret telling you to stay," I growled, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Ah, by the way…" Nagihiko said to himself, digging around in his pockets. He then produced a manilla envelope and handed it to me.

I took it from him and whacked him upside the head. "You fail at delivering things, dummy."

"I was preoccupied!" he said defensively, rubbing his head. "Why do I always seem to get injured when I come over here?"

…

"It's not my fault that you act like a total idiot when you come here."

"Ah, yes, but it is your fault when I get caused bodily harm."

…

[actions. habits. tendencies. reactions.]

"What are you typing about, anyways?" Nagihiko wondered.

I hugged my knees to my chest and closed my laptop. "It was an essay for a class, but I'm at a loss. I give up."

Nagihiko got up from the couch and stole one of my puddings, much to my chagrin. He opened it, ignoring my sharp glare.

"You're stubborn, a bit of a tsundere, violent, and now a quitter… really, Rima, the list of wonderful qualities goes on and on!" he said, grinning.

…

I grabbed a slipper and chucked it at his head. To my disappointment, I missed.

"See, Rima! This is the violent tendency I was talking about!"

…

[from the beginning.]

I yawned and checked the clock. "It's already two in the morning?" I said to myself, yawning yet again.

"You should sleep," he commented.

Without any prodding, I curled up on the sofa. "You rape me, I will murder you tomorrow," I hissed.

"You were the one who thought of it, not me, so wouldn't that make you the pervert?" he said, chuckling. He ruffled my hair. "I won't do anything... And I won't leave. I promise."

"Promises are meant to be broken," I murmured.

…

He smiled, laughing a bit.

"Well, I won't break this one."

…

[till the end.]

I blinked blearily at the rays of sunlight penetrating from my window. I shook my head and looked around.

"The… living room?" I said to myself, about to get up, until I noticed the jacket around my shoulders again. I looked beside me.

"N-Nagihiko?" I said, the harsh whisper coming out between gritted teeth. He breathed softly, leaning against the back of the couch, his chest rising and falling peacefully.

I paused, feeling slightly surprised at the fact that he had actually stayed the entire night. "Well, looks like you really didn't break your promise, huh, Nagihiko?" I said faintly, gathering the comfortable jacket around me again.

I looked at him and the brown jacket, and carefully making sure that he was still asleep, I quickly, lightly, breathed into his ear,

…

"… Thank you."

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(a/n): I finish. THIS CHAPTER... I actually had (have) no idea what this is. :'D It's just... yeah. It's more 'serious' and not very... at all... funny. Ah well. It took me awhile to actually write it...

Time just slipped away from me for this chapter. Before I knew it, it's been a month, and I'm just like: "... Oh. I should go update that nao~!" And that's how that lovely story goes.

Ahhhh, but I actually really love this story. Not for any particular reasons, but it's fun to write them this way. And it's fun writing Nagihiko as a broke man, and Rima as... who she is. :)

I'll update again soon/eventually/months later/when I want to. :') Thanks for the reviews/favorites/alerts, I loved them all dearly. You guys are so supremely nice to me. ;^; I don't DESERVE YOUUUU! I love you all, even you, shadow lurkers. XD

Thanks for reading! :D

-Bluey-san