Meh. I'm writing Selfish and Skipping Stones. But slowly. Yes. VERRRRRRYYYY slowly. Be patient, readers. The plot in coming underway.

In the meantime, why not pass your reading time with this little ficlet? Reviews would be very helpful. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own KWMS in any way. If I did, THE CAT WOULD BE THE MAIN CHARACTER.

"You idiot! Do you know how worried I was? Why do you always have to jump into dangerous situations? You could've been killed!"

Misaki sat on the couch, silent. She was wrapped in a blue blanket, her face maintaining a look of calm. "She was hurt. She was being raped. At least I could protect myself," she replied quietly.

"Protect yourself? Do you call being threatened and beaten by three grown men 'protecting yourself'? Goddamnit, stop taking on everything yourself!"

Misaki stayed silent, clutching the blanket tighter around her.

Usui sighed. "Tell me, why did you jump into the alley? Why didn't you call the police, or me?"

"...I thought I could take them on myself," she said, her voice as toneless as her expression.

Usui opened his mouth to say something again, but closed it and sighed. "Sleep on the couch. I'll be in my room if you need me. Good night." He disappeared into the bedroom. The door shut. The lights switched off. Misaki shivered. She looked out the huge glass window, seeing the bright lights of the city and the dark night sky. Misaki shivered again.

Things had been...crazy today, for lack of better word. On the way home, Misaki had heard a scream from a dark alley. When she went in to investigate the source of the sound, she witnessed three fat men, probably drunk, trying to rape a girl.

Misaki had her phone out, ready to dial the police, when suddenly, the girl raised her head to look at her.

Something about the girl's face prompted Misaki to drop her phone.

She jumped in without a second thought. Misaki managed to free the girl from the three men with her aikido, and was thinking all would turn out well, when a man snuck up from behind and trapped her in his arms, a knife pointing conveniently at her neck. The two others started beating her, calling her names and even trying to undo her shirt buttons.

Years seemed to pass in that situation. Misaki was not crying, but she was scared. She wondered if her life would end like this.

Of course, there was her phone.

The girl Misaki had set free proved to be smart. She had dialed the police and her emergency phone numbers, which included her mother, Suzuna, Hinata...and Usui.

Usui showed up before the police. He half-killed the three men and had to be restrained from actually murdering them by the police.

With her mother's consent, Usui took Misaki to his apartment, which ws closer to where all this had happened then her home, not speaking a word on the way there.

Misaki shivered yet again. She glanced at the clock. Two thirty-five.

Wait, what was she doing? Misaki slid out of the couch, the shirt and drawstring pants she'd borrowed from Usui trailing like long skirts. Selfishly taking his (only) couch, his clothes, his blanket, his apartment and not even saying a thank you? How low have I sunken?

Misaki headed for the door, because she knew she was being a nuisance here. She'd get home (even though it was thirty minute drive to her house and she had no car) and tell him she was thankful and sorry tomorrow.

Just as she was turning the knob of the door, a hand grabbed her wrist. "Where do you think you're going?"

She made the mistake of turning to face the speaker. Misaki instantly regretted it.

Usui's dark green eyes were blazing angrily, his face distorted by frustration and worry. His voice, however, was far more composed. "Where are you going?"

Misaki could not tear her eyes away from his. "Home," she whispered. "I'm being too much of a nuisance. Sorry about the clothes. I'll give them back to you tomorrow. And thanks for letting me warm up here." Her voice wobbled with an effort to remain casual.

Usui did not fall for the act. "It's 2 in the morning."

"..."

"How are you going to get home? You don't even have a car."

"I'll take the bus then."

"The last bus was two hours ago."

"Then a cab."

"There are no cabs this late at night."

Misaki looked away. "I'll walk."

"At such a late time? When you've just gone through all this? What's the matter with you, Ayuzawa?"

"..." Misaki remained mute.

"How many times do I have to tell you? You're. A. Girl. Stop trying to be so strong when you're not!"

Misaki yanked at her wrist in a desperate attempt to set herself free. "Let me go."

"No."

"I'm serious! Let me go!"

"I won't." Misaki's eyes were brimming with tears, but she kept herself together by concentrating on leaving Usui's apartment.

They struggled like that for a few more moments, with Misaki trying to wriggle out of his grasp, while Usui grabbed onto her tightly, his face distorted with anger.

When the vice-like grip on her wrist slackened a bit, Misaki thought she had won. She pulled her arm again, momentarily escaping Usui...

...only to be crushed to the wall by him again. Misaki flinched as Usui grabbed both her wrists, pinning her down. He looked dangerously angry.

"Do you want to be hurt? Raped? Killed? What's the matter with you, Ayuzawa?"

Misaki looked down, attempting to obscure her face with her dark bangs. "Let me go."

"No."

For the first time that night, Misaki sobbed. Heartbreaking, loud sobbing echoed throughout the room.

"Tell me, why did you jump into the alley?" he asked, this time more gently.

"..."

"Why?"

"..."

Usui's eyes searched her face for any hints to the answer, but sighed when Misaki just turned her face away. He let her wrists go. "Anyways, you're not going home tonight. Sleep. You'll need it. Good night."

He turned for his room when Misaki whispered, "She reminded me."

Usui turned back again. "What?"

"Of me." A single tear trickled down her cheek.

Usui came closer, but said nothing.

Misaki continued. "She...she looked at me...when I was going to call you...she looked just like me the time my father ran away."

She lifted her head and looked at him with teary eyes. "So...weak. Weak. Helpless."

She shook her head. "I don't want to be weak."

Misaki broke into sobs again. Usui sighed. He came closer, and gathered her crying form into his arms. "You idiot."

Her sobs quieted with time, tired with today's events and emotions. Usui continued to hold her. After he was certain she'd fallen asleep, Usui gently lifted her up to his couch and tucked her into the blue blanket.

"You're not weak. You're hurt. There's a difference to that," he said, a sad half-smile on his lips.

And I want to get rid of that hurt for you. he thought. Usui kissed her, allowing his fingers to linger in her hair for an extra moment before getting up and returning to his room.

"Good night."

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