A loud banging at the door jerked me awake and I lay there for a moment, wondering what was going on. A groan from behind me made me freeze completely, suddenly becoming very aware of the arm pressing me into a warm object. My face warmed considerably when Hatori's grip tightened for just a moment before it loosened again as he sighed, Ayame's voice coming through the door. "Time to wake up! You don't want to be late Hatsuharu -kun!"

x

I felt Hatsuharu shoot out of bed , slowly sitting myself up in time to see him almost run Ayame over on his way out of the room. He looked over at me as I slowly got out of bed. "What was that Haa-san? You weren't doing anything to our little Hatsuharu, were you?" I looked over at him, not awake enough yet to get what he was saying.

"What are you talking about Ayame?" His eyebrows rose as he continued to stare at me.

"His face was beat red when he ran out of here." Alright, that did sound a bit odd.

"I wasn't doing anything." Aya grinned as I turned around to get dressed, walking up behind me and invading my personal space.

"Oh come now! It couldn't have been nothing. Tell me! Come on Haa-san, pl-" I turned sharply towards him.

"Stop bothering me about this. Go take care of Shigure." I walked briskly out of the room. As I left, I saw neither his stricken look, nor did I hear the words softly spoken into the now empty room for no one to hear.

"Then who would take care of you?"

x

Hatsuharu walked into the kitchen with his head down, the color not completely gone from his features. I looked up when I heard the ox enter, looking over to Yuki in surprise when I noticed the added color to his face. The rat shrugged and moved out of Hatsuharu's way as he went to reach for a piece of toast from the plate. He immediately turned and started to walk back out after he had acquired his desired food item and I frowned. "Oi, what's up with-"

"I'm going ahead, I'll see you there." I scowled at the brat for cutting me off.

"Says who?"

"You should take more to eat. You only just got better." Hatsuharu paused, almost in the doorway, to look back at Yuki.

"I'm fine."

"You keep saying that yet I have yet to have a reason to believe you." Hatsuharu looked surprised when Hatori suddenly walked through the door, putting a hand on Hatsuharu's shoulder to push him toward the table. "Sit down and eat. The building won't get up and walk away if you don't leave this very instance." He continued in to the kitchen without pause, going straight to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup.

"I'm not someone to treat like a little kid." Hatori turned around, cup in hand, and leaned back against the counter. I sent another look to Yuki who got up quietly and headed for the door. I did the same, not sticking around for the argument.

"Trying to keep you alive is not the same as treating you like a child Hatsuharu." I glared at him.

"I'm not sick, am I? Isn't that all you care about?" I watched in confusion as something odd passed through Hatori's eyes before he turned away, rinsing out his mug.

"Get more to eat and I'll walk with you, just don't take too long." I looked at him suspiciously.

"You're kidding. Seriously?" He nodded, walking out of the room.

"Just hurry up." I sat frozen as he left the room. Was he being serious? Shigure used to say the same thing... I was torn between what he'd said and not, just to see what he'd do. I leaned forward and put my elbows on the table, head in my hands. What am I supposed to do? I heard footsteps behind me and sat up quickly, Ayame walking in not seconds later. He glanced at me on his way to the cabinet, getting out a mug.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ayame rolled his eyes when he turned around.

"Honestly, am I so horrible that no one will talk to me? It's not like I bite." He glanced at me again before turning to pour a cup of coffee. "Well, you anyway." I frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ayame turned back around , smiling and waving off my question with his free hand.

"Nothing, nothing. Why don't you start eating? Haa-san told me he was going with you if you did. He'll stay if you take too long though." I hesitated for a moment, looking blankly at the floor.

"He meant that?" The incredulous expression on his face when I looked up convinced me more than the words coming out of his mouth, though I suppose they helped.

"Of course! Haa-san never says anything he doesn't mean." I smiled a little, my mind made up.

"Thanks." He looked confused as I got up and began pouring a bowl of cereal.

"You're welcome I suppose..."

x

Shigure looked up when I opened the door, a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. "How is everyone?" I handed him the mug and he took it gratefully.

"Fine I can assume. Not that I would know. Why does no one tell me anything? Am I simply not needed? I-"

"No." I stopped mid-stride as my tirade was interrupted, looking over at Shigure.

"What was that?" Shigure took a sip of his coffee, leaving the room silent for several minutes before answering my question.

"You are needed. If you hadn't been here..." he paused before looking up to meet me eye to eye. "I need you here." I felt a warm feeling come to my chest. I knelt down and hugged him from his position on the floor, back against the wall next to his bookcase.

"We can't break up the trio now, can we?" I mumbled. I heard Shigure chuckle as he leaned back and I was forced to let go.

"I guess not."

x

Yuki and Kyo had gone ahead, leaving Hatori and I to walk alone in an awkward silence, at least to me anyway. Hatori was simply walking straight, eyes ahead, hands in his pockets. We were almost there when I finally decided to speak up. "Why'd you offer to walk with me anyway?" His expression didn't change but he did glance over at me for the first time since we'd left.

"I'm not sure." He went back to looking ahead and the temptation to hit him becoming very strong. It probably wouldn't be my smartest idea though.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Hatori shrugged.

"I don't." We'd arrived at the school gates at this point. I turned to face him, frowning.

"Ayame-san said you don't say stuff out of the blue, so what's-"

"What if I told you I'd think about it and tell you after school? Alright?" I looked at him suspiciously, still wondering if I could trust what he said.

"...I guess..."

x

I almost smiled when Hatsuharu rolled his eyes in frustration. "Go on then." I motioned toward the school and he turned around to look at it before looking back, seemingly torn by something. I was on the verge of asking him if he was alright when he suddenly moved forward, wrapping his arms around me in a stiff hug.

"Thanks." Was all I heard before he let go just as quickly, taking off for the school building. I stood completely still for several heartbeats, my eyes wide in surprise. What was that about? I shook my head and righted myself, fixing any imaginary imperfections before setting off back to Shigure's house.

xXx

Why had I done it? I sat in front of the desk in the bedroom I was currently occupying, staring blankly at the wall in front of me. I still hadn't reasoned it out, and I only had about an hour before Hatsuharu got out. It doesn't make sense...it seemed like a good idea at the time...but why? I sighed and sat up, looking over when I heard the door's knob turn. Ayame slipped in, a slight look of worry on his face.

"I hadn't heard you move in so long! Are you feeling well Haa-san?" I stared at Ayame, making him fidget slightly, attempting to decide if he could help me or not. I may have stayed like this for a tad too long because the next thing I knew Ayame had taken a step further in the room, concern creasing his brow. "Haa-san?" I closed my eyes and shook my head, snapping myself out of the daydream-like state I'd fallen in to.

"It's nothing." Ayame narrowed his eyes, looking at me suspiciously. I raised an eyebrow as he did this. "Yes?"

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Hatsuharu-kun, would it?" My eyes widened for a split second but it was enough to give me away apparently as Ayame suddenly looked triumphant and self-satisfied.

"I knew it! What about our dear Hatsuharu-kun could have Haa-san tied up in such knots? You know you can always confide in me, I can be a wonderful listener and of course..." I sighed as he rambled on, rubbing my forehead. A hand in front of my face startled me and I looked up at its owner, faintly aggravated at it.

"Yes? What?" Ayame shook his head.

"I really just want to help you Haa-san, won't you tell me what's bothering you?" I stood, pacing slowly, not looking at Ayame.

"I can't explain it." Aya had sat down in the now vacated seat, tilting his head to the side in a way that made a pang in my heart; it was something Shigure used to to, and while I was still angry at him, I knew it wouldn't stay that way forever. It never did. I came back to where I was and realized that Ayame had no clue what I was talking about. "This morning, when I walked with Hatsuharu. He asked me why I'd done it, but I don't have an adequate answer for him." Ayame actually looked serious for a moment and it made me think a tough better of the snake.

"Isn't that part obvious?" I regarded Ayame with a speck of curiosity, though I made sure to put forth an air of indifference.

"Obviously not. Care to inform me?"

Ayame shrugged and used a short span of silence to gather his thoughts properly. "You seemed to grow fonder of Hatsuharu-kun, so I thought you'd done it to make him feel better. He seems to have quite a bit of faith in you after all." When I continued to stare at him, not getting what he was saying, he continued his explanation. "Gure used to say he would walk him to or from school randomly, though he rarely actually showed up. I thought you ...knew..." I started glaring at Ayame, who sweat dropped and blanched considerably. "N-now Haa-san, it's better now, right?" I glared at the snake for a few more moments before turning and leaving the room, not uttering a sound.

Ayame stood alone in the room and sighed, looking at the empty doorway. "I hope I didn't make things worse..."