I felt like a zombie as I walked through the front door of Homra. Almost three days without sleep and running around with Totsuka collecting -I couldn't remember what- for his hobbies. Totsuka just popped in one afternoon asked for my help and began dragging me around from one sale to the next. Before I knew it I was gone for three days with bags upon bags cramping my arms.

"Finally, it's over," I moaned.

I dropped the bags the moment I stepped through the door and trudged across the room to where the sweet fluffy cushions of the couch were calling to me.

"Welcome back Nao-chan," Kusanagi said.

"I want to sleep," I grumbled.

"Tatara took you out on his biannual shopping spree," he commented.

"You mean torture," I hissed.

"We're back!" Totsuka cheered as he followed in behind me.

"Sleep," I whined.

As I reached the couch I barely spared a thought as I flopped across it and buried m face into Mikoto's lap.

"Home," I murmured.

I couldn't have been happier to be back, or to feel Mikoto's warmth beside me. My feet hurt, my muscles were aching and my head was spinning.

"Nao-chan?" Totsuka asked.

Lifting my head slightly I said, "Shut up, I'm sleeping."

Dropping my head I felt myself sink into much needed comfort and sleep.

"Sweetheart!"

I was in a dark place, no light, nobody around. We were just voices in a great unknown.

"Hello?"

"You should visit me," they said.

"But I don't know who you are," I stated.

"But-"

"Just let me lead you,"they said.

"When?"

"How about later."

"Huh?"

"Trust me, sweetheart."

Groaning I rolled over not really wanting to wake up but knowing I should. I rubbed at my eyes as I blinked awake, and as I dropped my hands in my lap I saw Mikoto eyeing me with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Without thinking I lifted my left hand and lit the white stick before sitting up.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Ten to seven," Kusanagi replied.

Stretching my stiff back I yawned, "Cool."

"Better?" the bartender inquired.

Our relationship had improved slightly since my outburst, but Kusanagi still acted like the uncle I never wanted.

"Yeah, but the way I'm heading out," I said.

Getting to my feet I rolled my shoulders and cracked my elbows as I stepped towards the exit. My nap made me feel like new, or well almost, but it was enough to give me the motivation to go out again.

"So soon after your torture?" Kusanagi questioned.

"I'm not getting dragged around this time," I replied.

"Meeting someone?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm gonna try to bump into an old. . . acquaintance," I said.

When I reached the door I turned to wave, but was startled to see Mikoto directly behind me.

"What're you doing?" I asked.

"Buy me dinner," Mikoto said.

"Excuse," I paused.

Rolling my eyes I sighed and scuffed my foot against the wood floor.

"Fine. I owe my pillow a thank you I suppose," I said.

"Yours?" Kusanagi piped in.

Glancing around Mikoto at the blond I narrowed my green eyes as I said, "Hush up, old man."

"I'm only twenty-six," he countered.

"Wow, you're ancient," I teased.

Before an argument could break out Mikoto reached around me, opened the door and pushed me out into the spring night. I huffed as I turned to start down the street with Mikoto at my side.

I had grown accustomed to walking together in silence, it was nice and relaxing. I never felt like I had to force a conversation with Mikoto, if he had something to say he would say it, yet only if action couldn't cover it first.

As we came up on the cafe Checkmate I could feel Mikoto eyeing me like I was crazy.

"Don't worry, we'll stop at a Korean barbeque place nearby after this pit-stop," I said.

The sign on the front door said closed, but the lights were on inside. Weismann may have been an unconventional sort, but he lived by a routine when it came to his shop, so I knocked.

And knocked.

And knocked until a frustrated long haired man came to the door.

"I'm closed!" he yelled.

Peering through the glass window I gave a single wave and a half smile that turned Weismann;s sour expression into an excited puppy.

He unlocked the door, threw it opened and sang, "Nao-chii! What a surprise."

"I came to collect," I said.

Weismann was about to wrap his arms around me like he usually tried to do upon our meetings, but he stopped on his own when his gaze took to the man behind me.

"And you brought your boyfriend?" Weismann questioned.

"Uh," I murmured.

I wouldn't have ever called Mikoto my boyfriend. That titled didn't fit him, but neither did friend, nor lover. I didn't know how to categorize Mikoto in my life.

"It's April, have any cherry blossom cake left?" I said avoiding the question.

"For Nao-chii, or course. As for him I don't," he replied.

"Okay, make it to-go," I replied.

"Come inside, it won't take long," Weismann gestured.

I moved to follow him, but Mikoto dropped his right arm over my shoulder keeping me in place. Tilting my head up I caught a small glimpse of Mikoto's face that startled me. The usually emotionless mask was gone, and replaced by a flickering flame of anger that I had never seen on Mikoto. His amber eyes were lava as they stared at Weismann and in turn the older man's gray eyes stared back like a storm on a lake.

"Um, I'll wait out here. I can't stay long we have dinner plans," I said.

Nodding slightly Weismann said, "A bit controlling isn't her. Well what more can one expect from a King."

I didn't get the chance to counter or defend Mikoto as Weismann slunk back inside the cafe with the door shutting behind him.

"Tatara-kun didn't like him either when I brought him by," I stated.

"Do you?" Mikoto challenged.

"I don't hate Weismann," I replied.

"Why come back?"

Mikoto sounded annoyed, like he had on my birthday. Somehow it wasn't ad entertaining as it was then.

"Because he saved me," I sighed.

I felt Mikoto shift next to me, a silent curiosity passing between us.

"He gave me a job when I first ran away, and helped me get on my feet. Back then I had no one and Weismann didn't ask questions, so I eagerly accepted his outstretched hand," I explained.

"Now?" Mikoto questioned flatly.

"His quirkiness is entertaining and the sweets here are good," I answered.

I heard Mikoto release a heavy breath as his arm was lifted from me.

Turning around so I could stare up at his face properly I flicked the end of his bolo tie as I added, "Besides I don't come by here all that often. I hate being called Nao-chii."

The cafe door chimed open and I spun back round to receive the cake box from a suspiciously calm Weismann.

"Thanks, see ya sometime," I said to him.

"Nao-chii," Weismann called.

Pausing our leave I returned to the door where the man cupped a hand and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"You should read up on the King and Queen of Hearts sometime. I think you'll find it insightful," he said.

Pulled back Mikoto I said, "Huh?"

"Easy there Homra's leader, just a secret between friends," Weismann smirked.

"If you can call it that," I said.

Shaking my head I turned away from Checkmate and started for the Korean barbeque restaurant down the block. Mikoto was close by my side and his presence got us a secluded table in the back of the restaurant and the best waiting service I had ever had.

After paying and our departure I could sense the gloom lift from the business as we put distance between us and the building. I would have been offended but I had cherry blossom cake waiting from me to eat it.

My daydreaming of eating the cake was shoved aside by a stray thought that I had to get an answer to.

"Hey Mikoto," I said breaking our silence. "Have you ever been on a date before?"

When we continued to walk a block without any answer I glanced up at the redhead with an arched brow. He looked unaffected by my question, which was more than a little upsetting. I thought for sure the question would have gotten some sort of rise out of the man, but Mikoto was apparently very much the sort that didn't care about mundane events.

"Does the silence mean no?" I inquired.

"What do you think?" Mikoto challenged.

"Logic says no, but society says every good looking guy has been on at least one date before they turned twenty," I replied.

"Logic?" he asked.

"Yeah, logically Suoh Mikoto would not agree to a date, nor would a girl have the nerve to ask you out with that intimidating demeanor you put on. And yet," I said.

Pausing I smirked up at him as we crossed the street to be on the less foot traffic heavy side. Mikoto's gaze narrowed at my expression, which only made my grin grow.

"I got to go on a date with you," I stated.

"Huh?"

"Okay, so it was a thank you meal, but I'm counting it. How many people can say they're been out on a date with the Red King?" I joked.

Mikoto huffed in response.

"Oh, and by the way I'm not sharing this cake with you when we get back," I said.

There was a tug at the end of my hair, and when I gazed up at Mikoto the cake box was snatched from my hands.

"No, no! That's mine," I complained.

I tried to snag it back, but Mikoto held it over his head as he continued to walk like I wasn't pulling at his jacket sleeve.

"Come on Mikoto, Weismann only makes those once a year, and they're my favorite," I begged.

He didn't give it up, not even when we reached the pub, or when he sat down at the bar. Kusanagi was giving us weird looks as I stomped in after him.

"Give it back," I whined.

"What's going on?" Kusanagi questioned.

"Mikoto took my cake," I huffed.

Kusanagi exchanged glances with my thief, and when he turned back to me he said, "Then get it back."

Groaning I marched over to the bar prepared to get back what was mine. I climbed onto the stool next to Mikoto, stood on it and launched myself onto his shoulders. There was a gasp from Kusanagi as I wrestled my way onto sitting on the redhead's shoulders while grabbing a hold of the cake box he still held over his head.

"Let go," I said.

"Nao-chan?" Kusanagi said cautiously.

Mikoto said nothing.

"Fine," I grunted.

As I held the box I bit into Mikoto's exposed wrist while tightening my thighs around his neck. I wasn't giving up the cake without a fight, not even to Mikoto. Not this cake.

We stayed that may until I began to taste blood in my mouth that burned where it touched. Releasing the bite I hissed out of frustration.

"Why won't you give it up? It's mine," I yelled.

"Nao-chan, you should get down," Kusanagi suggested.

"I share everything with you, but this one thing is mine," I fought.

Why did Mikoto have to be so strong? Why did we have to fight over a cake? Why?

The only answer I got was the crunch of Mikoto's hand smashing the box, destroying the cake, and the painful sting of his teeth sinking into the flesh of my right thigh.

I wanted to punch him upside the head, tear his soft hair out, strangle him until he turned blue, but inside I leaned backwards and rolled off his shoulders. I landed on my hands and knees on the hardwood floor behind his stool, and without a word as frosting and cardboard rained down around Mikoto I walked out of Homra.

I didn't know how to handle this Mikoto, and both of us angry and upset was not going to get us anywhere. That and I was certain I would have said terrible things if I didn't leave.

Thank you for reading.

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