ENTITLED: Our Eyes Closed
FANDOM: Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun
GENRE: Hurt-Comfort
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but fanfiction.
NOTES: Oh, wowzers, another one done. Although the chapters were super short on this one, so it doesn't feel like that much of an accomplishment…eh. I'll take what I can.
LENGTH: 21/21
SUMMARY: Natsume and Sasayan tackle every genre fiction has to offer. And it is sexy. – drabble collection, twenty-first: hurt-comfort.

"Natsume, wait."

"I thought I said to stay away from me."

"Yeah, okay," Sasayan agreed, and ignored. "Hey, don't be mad."

"You're so stupid!" Natsume yelled. So far, she had succeeded in making sure he didn't see her face. Now he was tugging on her hair for attention. She swatted at him, growling.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, honest. I was just so shocked."

Natsume glared away from him, still scowling. She wanted to wipe her eyes but didn't want him to notice and understand the gesture for what it was. Frustrated, her hands curled into fists, one of which was then caught, and then pried apart. She tried to wriggle free, but Sasayan hung on.

"Hey, stop pouting. You're making me feel like a jerk."

"Good."

"You're so difficult," Sasayan grumbled.

"I thought you said I was impossible."

"Well, obviously not!" he said brightly. She tried to kick him in the ankle, but he side-stepped her lashing foot. He was still clinging to her hand, awkwardly, dragging his bike along with the other. He stopped walking and she was forced to as well.

"Look, it made me really happy that you said all those things. And that you kissed me."

"I did not kiss you," Natsume denied furiously, still weakly trying to get away, still refusing to look at him. No tears had fallen, and her eyes were drying. She was careful not to blink.

"I guess I just thought that you wouldn't want to jump into things so fast. I don't know if I do. I just, I don't want to mess things up. I'm really serious."

His fingers tightened a little as he spoke and Natsume could feel her forced anger beginning to melt away. She was just about to reply when from behind her, a group of boys from school passed. A couple of them hooted a little, and Sasayan barked something back at them. Natsume hunched up her shoulders, waiting for them to pass. Sasayan hadn't let go of her hand. She wondered if he would be teased for it later.

"Did I mess things up?" she asked, in a small voice.

"No, you're just braver than I am," he said, and started walking again. She trudged along, and then finally snuck a look towards his face. He looked back at her, and grinned. "Hey."

"Hey."

"I'm happy, are you happy?"

"I'm mad at you."

"You liar," Sasayan said brightly, and she realized that his grip had loosened some time ago, so it was no longer him dragging her along, but rather, them holding on to each other.