Stolen Kisses: Masquerade
by Kayla Chavi
Rating: PG
Kamakaze Kaitou Jeanne
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.envy.nu/kaylachavi/index.htm
* * *
If you've gotten this far then I applaud you. I was never any good with writing teasers. ^^;
* * *
Jeanne held the small black monkey in her hands and smiled. It made an adorable face at her and jumped onto her shoulder. With a cold, wet nose, he nuzzled her ear and then bounced off of her to run back to go find his mistress. She watched after him and then turned back to the view of the moon and get lost in her thoughts.
"Jeanne." The sound of her name being said by a quite male voice made her turn around sharply. She gasped quietly in surprise and then glared at Sindbad.
"I had hoped you would be gone by now," she snapped and then turned her back on him, hoping that he would leave her alone. The game was over with for the night and she didn't want to mess with him anymore.
It wasn't until she felt him place a hand on her shoulder that she realized that he hadn't left yet. The touch was gentle and light over her white shirt. That in its self surprised her greatly and she whirled around to face him. His bright blue eyes were almost unreadable and his face was shadowed. Even with the bright light of the moon it was difficult to see his features. He tilted his head slightly to the side as he continued to peer at her over the silver cloth that he wore to cover half of his face.
"You owe me a dance."
Her lavender eyes widened at that statement and her mouth opened slightly. She tried to make it work for a few seconds but no sound came out. It took her those few stunned seconds to decided on a reaction. She brought her hand up to slap him but her caught her by the wrist, having already anticipated it. Having already been thrown off a roof for his last attempt, he wasn't going to let it happen again.
"I do not owe you a dance," she said and struggled to pull her hand away. He raised an eyebrow and she got the distinct impression that he was silently laughing at her.
"The game is over for the night, Jeanne," he said, still keeping a first grip of her wrist. "We are stuck on a beautiful ship and have no where to go until it docks. There is a party going on inside that was meant to be enjoyed. Besides, our dance earlier was interrupted."
She clenched her jaw and looked around for Fin. In the distance she could see a little green ball of light being chassed by a little purple ball of light. Apparently, Access had gotten the same idea as his mortal friend. It actually made Jeanne smile for a moment before she remembered to glare up at Sindbad.
"I hate you," she insisted, "Why in Heaven's Name would I want to dance with you?"
"I know you hate me," he said and for a brief moment she thought she heard a tremor of regret in his voice. "However you'll find, given the opportunity that I am a good dancer and I suspect the same of you." The way he had phrased it made the entire sentence seem like a challenge.
A moment later, Jeanne gave into her pride and she slowly relaxed. "Very well, I will give you your dance. But just one!" she said quickly. He chuckled and nodded. In a quick movement he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up onto one of the higher decks.
She gasped from surprise and was severally tempted to hit him. She decided against it, for they had not landed yet and falling from this height did not seem inviting. She didn't like the feeling of not being in control. It scared her whenever he did things like this around her. She was always afraid that he might drop her. They landed next to the grand ballroom and she looked in the windows. The orchestra was playing loud enough to hear the music outside.
"I thought we might dance out here," Sindbad said quietly and she was suddenly aware of how close his mouth was to her ear. His arm was still around her waist and she noticed that hers was around his as well. Her other hand was still tightly gripping his shoulder, and when she noticed this she immediately let go. Sindbad caught her hand and pulled her closer.
Jeanne looked up at him and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. What on earth was she doing in this kind of a position. He was her rival and a servant of the Devil. She should be kicking him, not letting him pull her into an intimate dance position. She tore herself away from the enthralling blue depths of his eyes and looked at his chest instead.
She jumped when he placed his hand on her waist. Tentatively she placed her hand on his shoulder and let him lead her into a waltz. She took a shallow, silent breath and boldly looked back into his face. His eyes widened slightly and then crinkled at the edges. He was smiling at her, but she couldn't tell what kind of a smile it was behind the mask.
For some reason it warmed her and she smiled slightly in return. Expertly, he twirled her out of his embrace for a moment and watched the elegant spin. When he pulled her back into his arms in was much closer than it had been previously. His arm was now completely around her and she was very much aware of the face that their bodies were touching much more now.
As the waltz speed up, so did they and soon they were whirling around the deck. Their silhouetted figures had caught the attention of several of the people attending the inside party. Many stopped dancing to watch the two kaitous.
Jeanne found herself dancing complicated steps that she had never knew existed. It was as if they were dancing an old and ancient waltz, not meant for the current time. Sindbad was just as amazed as she was, but did not question the appearance of a new knowledge. In a complicated move, he spun her out violently and she rapidly twirled until she elegantly came to a stop.
The music had ended in a final beat that found her in a deep curtsy. She was half kneeling on the floor in a beautiful crouch. Her hair had come unraveled in the dizzying display so that it now hung around her in several tendrils. He was standing before her, straight and tall, but at the same time in a fluid and mesmerizing stance.
Their hands were still tightly joined. The black and white gloves contrasted and gleamed faintly in the moonlight. Both were breathing heavily from the exertion of the dance and there was a thin sheen of sweat over his face that glinted. Jeanne swallowed once more as she searched his eyes.
He roughly pulled her to her feet in a sharp movement that had her in his arms. Sindbad watched her expression carefully before tilting her chin up and pulling his mask down. When his lips met hers, something inside him changed.
The kiss was powerful and almost painful. Unlike his two previous kisses, this was wild and uncontrollable, nor did he try to control it. Jeanne whimpered softly under the onslaught of his mouth but did nothing to stop him. She was almost completely taken aback by this action until she realized that she was returning it with an equal fervor.
Just when it seemed that the kiss would never stop, Sindbad pushed her away. It caught her off guard and she stumbled backwards. He caught her upper arm before she fell completely to the ground. Once she was firmly on her own two feet he let go. Jeanne was about to say something, what, she didn't know, when he looked past her.
She turned around sharply to see that the ship was pulling up to the dock. Sindbad watched her for a moment and whispered an name that she didn't hear, nor could she see his lips behind the mask.
"Maron."
When she turned back he was no longer there. She looked at the place he had been before jumping off the boat and onto the nearby wooden platform. Jeanne landed gracefully and detransformed in an alley before completing the journey. She ran the entire way, focusing on her destination rather than on what had just happened. Once in the safety of her apartment Maron slid to the ground.
What in Heaven's Name had just occurred? Why had he kissed her again?
"Damn you, Sindbad," she whispered as she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. She sat there until very late in the night when her eyes suddenly opened and tears began to well in her eyes.
"Chiaki...."
* * *
"You know, that was rather foolish of you," Access commented to his charge. The little Dark Angel was hovering by Chiaki's ear and looking at him rather sternly. "And you shouldn't just leave after you kiss a girl. They hate that."
"I wanted to get away with my life," Chiaki muttered and ran his fingers through his messy blue hair. "Once she came to her senses, she would have tried to kill me."
Access sighed and rolled his eyes. "She enjoyed it," he pointed out and crossed his arms over his chest.
Chiaki just shrugged and didn't comment. His eyes were drawn to the moon and he studied it while getting lost in his thoughts. He knew she had enjoyed the kiss, he had too, but that really wasn't the point. He had to stop her from sealing the demons and that meant by any means possible.
Did those means include confusing an innocent girl? He nearly growled in frustration when a quiet sound caught his attention. He looked over to see that Maron's window was slightly open, and even though the room was dark, he could hear muffled crying.
"Damn," he whispered and felt a surprising sting of guilt.
Access looked at him and then followed his gaze. He went over to the other girl's balcony and peered inside. He frowned and then went back over to Chiaki. "You made her cry," he accused. Chiaki's responce was to shrug and then go back into his apartment.
"Chiaki."
He turned around, thinking that she had caught him out on the balcony. When he saw that she was there it made him confused. Maron liked Chiaki about as much as Jeanne liked Sindbad, so why had she said his name? Access gave him a pointed look and then gestured to the door.
Chiaki rolled his eyes but it seemed as if he was being moody again for he left the balcony. Silently he crossed his apartment and went to knock on her door. It was a soft knock, barely audible, but he knew that she would hear it. He hoped that she would answer the door and not just ignore him.
A minute later the door opened slightly and Maron peeked out almost shyly. "Chiaki?"
"Can I come in?" he asked quietly and noticed that her eyes were slightly red from her tears. She bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. She hastily wiped her eyes one last time and put on a bright smile. She opened the door so he could come in and went to turn a few lights on. Chiaki looked around and raised an eyebrow. Even though he knew she hadn't been sick, her apartment didn't keep up the charade.
"I see you're not sick anymore," Maron commented as she went to go prepare some tea. It gave her something to do and concentrate on. With him in her apartment and her emotions working insanely, she needed that distraction.
"Neither are you," he pointed out and went to go stand with her in the kitchen. She smiled slightly and shrugged.
"I guess not." She silently poured the tea and handed him the cup. Their fingers brushed and she winced in memory of him catching her. Maron quickly regained her composure and poured her own cup. They went and sat on opposite ends of her small couch. "Why did you come over?" she asked after a minute. "Isn't it a little late for a social call?"
Chiaki sipped his tea and then looked straight into her light brown eyes. "I heard you crying," he said honestly, "and was worried that you had hurt yourself."
"Oh." She looked down at the cup in her hands intently. "I'm fine."
"Really?" He sounded incredibly skeptical. When she looked up at him she saw that he had raised an eyebrow. She knew he wouldn't believe her, but she had to make the effort to lie. It made her smile and she ducked her head to hide her flush. He placed a warm hand over hers and it made her look up sharply.
"You wouldn't understand."
He made a face of mock horror. "This isn't one of those girl things is it?" he joked and was rewarded with a blush. She wrinkled her nose at him and gave him a glare.
"No!" she exclaimed. "Definitely not that."
"Then tell me," he grinned. "What have you got to lose?"
She sighed heavily and looked off to the side. He was going to think her foolish for this. Chiaki was a flirt and probably no better then Sindbad when it came to kissing girls, but still. . .perhaps she did have nothing to lose.
"I'm just confused about something this stupid boy did."
"Maybe I can help," he suggested. "I am, after all, a boy."
That made her giggle and look at him. He actually seemed honest and sincere for the moment. Perhaps he wouldn't laugh at her dilemma. She bit her lower lip and then slowly nodded.
"He kissed me," she whispered but met his eyes. His own widened a bit and for a moment it seemed that he looked a little sad at the thought. Chiaki was internally swearing up a storm. She was crying because of something that he had done because he couldn't control himself.
"You didn't want him to." He said as a simple statement and Maron heard the faint traces of pain and regret in his voice. This of course made her feel even worse about the kiss. They weren't even really girlfriend and boyfriend, but she felt guilty as if she had betrayed him.
"I'm not really sure," she said honestly and looked down at her hands and the rapidly cooling tea. "I was...was kind of hoping that the man I loved would kiss me like that. He's practically a stranger."
"What kind of a kiss was it?" Chiaki managed to ask calmly. Of course he knew what the kiss had been like, he had participated in it. But he need to know.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and she used her bangs to hide her eyes. "Um," she coughed and had to clear her throat, "Passionate, I guess. You know one of those kisses you see in movies between the heroine and hero." She looked up at him and was confused at the look in his eyes, so she dismissed it as what she hoped was jealousy.
Chiaki was quiet for a moment and then set his cold tea on the coffee table. "So part of you enjoyed it even though you really dislike him personally." Maron nodded and watched him as he leaned back. Chiaki took in a silent and deep breath. He continued, "Personally if I kissed a girl like that, it would mean something. Perhaps this guy likes you and doesn't know how to tell you." He looked over at her, "Would you believe him if he said that he had feelings for you?"
Maron tilted her head to the side and thought about his question and then shook her head. "I wouldn't believe him," she sighed heavily. "He's not exactly the trusting type."
Chiaki laughed quietly and she looked at him in confusion. He saw her puzzlement and smiled, "Didn't you think that about me once?" he teased.
She wrinkled her nose at him and tossed a couch pillow at his face. He caught it easily and held onto it with a grin. "You're different," Maron said and put her tea on the coffee table as well. "I like you now."
He smiled, "I'm glad," he said honestly and gently took her hand in his. Lightly he kissed the back of her hand and then let it fall gracefully to her lap. She blushed again and looked down shyly. "What's his name?"
She looked up at him sharply, "What?"
"I have to know who my competition is," he grinned. Maron looked at him for a moment before she burst into a fit of giggles.
It made Chiaki smile as he tried to ignore the feelings of jealousy that had been going through him during the conversation. It was stupid to be jealous of himself, but it didn't change the fact that he was. Sindbad got to kiss Jeanne, to kiss Maron. Chiaki didn't and it bothered the hell out of him.
"Not on your life," she said firmly and stood up. "Now its late and I'm just getting over being sick. We should go to bed."
"Is that an invitation?" he asked slyly, unable to resist making a joke.
Her eyes widened and she threw another pillow at him. "Out," she said firmly and pointed at the door. She hoped that she wasn't blushing that much.
He chuckled and stood up after he slipped his shoes back on. She politely walked him to the door and opened it for him. With an impish grin he kissed her cheek. "I'm glad I cheered you up, Maron," he said quietly before he walked out and into his own apartment.
She slowly closed the door. She was confused more now, then ever before. Lightly she touched her cheek where he had kissed her and smiled a little dreamily. With a slightly wistful sigh she went to go to bed.
Tomorrow was a school day, and with school came Chiaki.
by Kayla Chavi
Rating: PG
Kamakaze Kaitou Jeanne
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.envy.nu/kaylachavi/index.htm
* * *
If you've gotten this far then I applaud you. I was never any good with writing teasers. ^^;
* * *
Jeanne held the small black monkey in her hands and smiled. It made an adorable face at her and jumped onto her shoulder. With a cold, wet nose, he nuzzled her ear and then bounced off of her to run back to go find his mistress. She watched after him and then turned back to the view of the moon and get lost in her thoughts.
"Jeanne." The sound of her name being said by a quite male voice made her turn around sharply. She gasped quietly in surprise and then glared at Sindbad.
"I had hoped you would be gone by now," she snapped and then turned her back on him, hoping that he would leave her alone. The game was over with for the night and she didn't want to mess with him anymore.
It wasn't until she felt him place a hand on her shoulder that she realized that he hadn't left yet. The touch was gentle and light over her white shirt. That in its self surprised her greatly and she whirled around to face him. His bright blue eyes were almost unreadable and his face was shadowed. Even with the bright light of the moon it was difficult to see his features. He tilted his head slightly to the side as he continued to peer at her over the silver cloth that he wore to cover half of his face.
"You owe me a dance."
Her lavender eyes widened at that statement and her mouth opened slightly. She tried to make it work for a few seconds but no sound came out. It took her those few stunned seconds to decided on a reaction. She brought her hand up to slap him but her caught her by the wrist, having already anticipated it. Having already been thrown off a roof for his last attempt, he wasn't going to let it happen again.
"I do not owe you a dance," she said and struggled to pull her hand away. He raised an eyebrow and she got the distinct impression that he was silently laughing at her.
"The game is over for the night, Jeanne," he said, still keeping a first grip of her wrist. "We are stuck on a beautiful ship and have no where to go until it docks. There is a party going on inside that was meant to be enjoyed. Besides, our dance earlier was interrupted."
She clenched her jaw and looked around for Fin. In the distance she could see a little green ball of light being chassed by a little purple ball of light. Apparently, Access had gotten the same idea as his mortal friend. It actually made Jeanne smile for a moment before she remembered to glare up at Sindbad.
"I hate you," she insisted, "Why in Heaven's Name would I want to dance with you?"
"I know you hate me," he said and for a brief moment she thought she heard a tremor of regret in his voice. "However you'll find, given the opportunity that I am a good dancer and I suspect the same of you." The way he had phrased it made the entire sentence seem like a challenge.
A moment later, Jeanne gave into her pride and she slowly relaxed. "Very well, I will give you your dance. But just one!" she said quickly. He chuckled and nodded. In a quick movement he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up onto one of the higher decks.
She gasped from surprise and was severally tempted to hit him. She decided against it, for they had not landed yet and falling from this height did not seem inviting. She didn't like the feeling of not being in control. It scared her whenever he did things like this around her. She was always afraid that he might drop her. They landed next to the grand ballroom and she looked in the windows. The orchestra was playing loud enough to hear the music outside.
"I thought we might dance out here," Sindbad said quietly and she was suddenly aware of how close his mouth was to her ear. His arm was still around her waist and she noticed that hers was around his as well. Her other hand was still tightly gripping his shoulder, and when she noticed this she immediately let go. Sindbad caught her hand and pulled her closer.
Jeanne looked up at him and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. What on earth was she doing in this kind of a position. He was her rival and a servant of the Devil. She should be kicking him, not letting him pull her into an intimate dance position. She tore herself away from the enthralling blue depths of his eyes and looked at his chest instead.
She jumped when he placed his hand on her waist. Tentatively she placed her hand on his shoulder and let him lead her into a waltz. She took a shallow, silent breath and boldly looked back into his face. His eyes widened slightly and then crinkled at the edges. He was smiling at her, but she couldn't tell what kind of a smile it was behind the mask.
For some reason it warmed her and she smiled slightly in return. Expertly, he twirled her out of his embrace for a moment and watched the elegant spin. When he pulled her back into his arms in was much closer than it had been previously. His arm was now completely around her and she was very much aware of the face that their bodies were touching much more now.
As the waltz speed up, so did they and soon they were whirling around the deck. Their silhouetted figures had caught the attention of several of the people attending the inside party. Many stopped dancing to watch the two kaitous.
Jeanne found herself dancing complicated steps that she had never knew existed. It was as if they were dancing an old and ancient waltz, not meant for the current time. Sindbad was just as amazed as she was, but did not question the appearance of a new knowledge. In a complicated move, he spun her out violently and she rapidly twirled until she elegantly came to a stop.
The music had ended in a final beat that found her in a deep curtsy. She was half kneeling on the floor in a beautiful crouch. Her hair had come unraveled in the dizzying display so that it now hung around her in several tendrils. He was standing before her, straight and tall, but at the same time in a fluid and mesmerizing stance.
Their hands were still tightly joined. The black and white gloves contrasted and gleamed faintly in the moonlight. Both were breathing heavily from the exertion of the dance and there was a thin sheen of sweat over his face that glinted. Jeanne swallowed once more as she searched his eyes.
He roughly pulled her to her feet in a sharp movement that had her in his arms. Sindbad watched her expression carefully before tilting her chin up and pulling his mask down. When his lips met hers, something inside him changed.
The kiss was powerful and almost painful. Unlike his two previous kisses, this was wild and uncontrollable, nor did he try to control it. Jeanne whimpered softly under the onslaught of his mouth but did nothing to stop him. She was almost completely taken aback by this action until she realized that she was returning it with an equal fervor.
Just when it seemed that the kiss would never stop, Sindbad pushed her away. It caught her off guard and she stumbled backwards. He caught her upper arm before she fell completely to the ground. Once she was firmly on her own two feet he let go. Jeanne was about to say something, what, she didn't know, when he looked past her.
She turned around sharply to see that the ship was pulling up to the dock. Sindbad watched her for a moment and whispered an name that she didn't hear, nor could she see his lips behind the mask.
"Maron."
When she turned back he was no longer there. She looked at the place he had been before jumping off the boat and onto the nearby wooden platform. Jeanne landed gracefully and detransformed in an alley before completing the journey. She ran the entire way, focusing on her destination rather than on what had just happened. Once in the safety of her apartment Maron slid to the ground.
What in Heaven's Name had just occurred? Why had he kissed her again?
"Damn you, Sindbad," she whispered as she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. She sat there until very late in the night when her eyes suddenly opened and tears began to well in her eyes.
"Chiaki...."
* * *
"You know, that was rather foolish of you," Access commented to his charge. The little Dark Angel was hovering by Chiaki's ear and looking at him rather sternly. "And you shouldn't just leave after you kiss a girl. They hate that."
"I wanted to get away with my life," Chiaki muttered and ran his fingers through his messy blue hair. "Once she came to her senses, she would have tried to kill me."
Access sighed and rolled his eyes. "She enjoyed it," he pointed out and crossed his arms over his chest.
Chiaki just shrugged and didn't comment. His eyes were drawn to the moon and he studied it while getting lost in his thoughts. He knew she had enjoyed the kiss, he had too, but that really wasn't the point. He had to stop her from sealing the demons and that meant by any means possible.
Did those means include confusing an innocent girl? He nearly growled in frustration when a quiet sound caught his attention. He looked over to see that Maron's window was slightly open, and even though the room was dark, he could hear muffled crying.
"Damn," he whispered and felt a surprising sting of guilt.
Access looked at him and then followed his gaze. He went over to the other girl's balcony and peered inside. He frowned and then went back over to Chiaki. "You made her cry," he accused. Chiaki's responce was to shrug and then go back into his apartment.
"Chiaki."
He turned around, thinking that she had caught him out on the balcony. When he saw that she was there it made him confused. Maron liked Chiaki about as much as Jeanne liked Sindbad, so why had she said his name? Access gave him a pointed look and then gestured to the door.
Chiaki rolled his eyes but it seemed as if he was being moody again for he left the balcony. Silently he crossed his apartment and went to knock on her door. It was a soft knock, barely audible, but he knew that she would hear it. He hoped that she would answer the door and not just ignore him.
A minute later the door opened slightly and Maron peeked out almost shyly. "Chiaki?"
"Can I come in?" he asked quietly and noticed that her eyes were slightly red from her tears. She bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. She hastily wiped her eyes one last time and put on a bright smile. She opened the door so he could come in and went to turn a few lights on. Chiaki looked around and raised an eyebrow. Even though he knew she hadn't been sick, her apartment didn't keep up the charade.
"I see you're not sick anymore," Maron commented as she went to go prepare some tea. It gave her something to do and concentrate on. With him in her apartment and her emotions working insanely, she needed that distraction.
"Neither are you," he pointed out and went to go stand with her in the kitchen. She smiled slightly and shrugged.
"I guess not." She silently poured the tea and handed him the cup. Their fingers brushed and she winced in memory of him catching her. Maron quickly regained her composure and poured her own cup. They went and sat on opposite ends of her small couch. "Why did you come over?" she asked after a minute. "Isn't it a little late for a social call?"
Chiaki sipped his tea and then looked straight into her light brown eyes. "I heard you crying," he said honestly, "and was worried that you had hurt yourself."
"Oh." She looked down at the cup in her hands intently. "I'm fine."
"Really?" He sounded incredibly skeptical. When she looked up at him she saw that he had raised an eyebrow. She knew he wouldn't believe her, but she had to make the effort to lie. It made her smile and she ducked her head to hide her flush. He placed a warm hand over hers and it made her look up sharply.
"You wouldn't understand."
He made a face of mock horror. "This isn't one of those girl things is it?" he joked and was rewarded with a blush. She wrinkled her nose at him and gave him a glare.
"No!" she exclaimed. "Definitely not that."
"Then tell me," he grinned. "What have you got to lose?"
She sighed heavily and looked off to the side. He was going to think her foolish for this. Chiaki was a flirt and probably no better then Sindbad when it came to kissing girls, but still. . .perhaps she did have nothing to lose.
"I'm just confused about something this stupid boy did."
"Maybe I can help," he suggested. "I am, after all, a boy."
That made her giggle and look at him. He actually seemed honest and sincere for the moment. Perhaps he wouldn't laugh at her dilemma. She bit her lower lip and then slowly nodded.
"He kissed me," she whispered but met his eyes. His own widened a bit and for a moment it seemed that he looked a little sad at the thought. Chiaki was internally swearing up a storm. She was crying because of something that he had done because he couldn't control himself.
"You didn't want him to." He said as a simple statement and Maron heard the faint traces of pain and regret in his voice. This of course made her feel even worse about the kiss. They weren't even really girlfriend and boyfriend, but she felt guilty as if she had betrayed him.
"I'm not really sure," she said honestly and looked down at her hands and the rapidly cooling tea. "I was...was kind of hoping that the man I loved would kiss me like that. He's practically a stranger."
"What kind of a kiss was it?" Chiaki managed to ask calmly. Of course he knew what the kiss had been like, he had participated in it. But he need to know.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and she used her bangs to hide her eyes. "Um," she coughed and had to clear her throat, "Passionate, I guess. You know one of those kisses you see in movies between the heroine and hero." She looked up at him and was confused at the look in his eyes, so she dismissed it as what she hoped was jealousy.
Chiaki was quiet for a moment and then set his cold tea on the coffee table. "So part of you enjoyed it even though you really dislike him personally." Maron nodded and watched him as he leaned back. Chiaki took in a silent and deep breath. He continued, "Personally if I kissed a girl like that, it would mean something. Perhaps this guy likes you and doesn't know how to tell you." He looked over at her, "Would you believe him if he said that he had feelings for you?"
Maron tilted her head to the side and thought about his question and then shook her head. "I wouldn't believe him," she sighed heavily. "He's not exactly the trusting type."
Chiaki laughed quietly and she looked at him in confusion. He saw her puzzlement and smiled, "Didn't you think that about me once?" he teased.
She wrinkled her nose at him and tossed a couch pillow at his face. He caught it easily and held onto it with a grin. "You're different," Maron said and put her tea on the coffee table as well. "I like you now."
He smiled, "I'm glad," he said honestly and gently took her hand in his. Lightly he kissed the back of her hand and then let it fall gracefully to her lap. She blushed again and looked down shyly. "What's his name?"
She looked up at him sharply, "What?"
"I have to know who my competition is," he grinned. Maron looked at him for a moment before she burst into a fit of giggles.
It made Chiaki smile as he tried to ignore the feelings of jealousy that had been going through him during the conversation. It was stupid to be jealous of himself, but it didn't change the fact that he was. Sindbad got to kiss Jeanne, to kiss Maron. Chiaki didn't and it bothered the hell out of him.
"Not on your life," she said firmly and stood up. "Now its late and I'm just getting over being sick. We should go to bed."
"Is that an invitation?" he asked slyly, unable to resist making a joke.
Her eyes widened and she threw another pillow at him. "Out," she said firmly and pointed at the door. She hoped that she wasn't blushing that much.
He chuckled and stood up after he slipped his shoes back on. She politely walked him to the door and opened it for him. With an impish grin he kissed her cheek. "I'm glad I cheered you up, Maron," he said quietly before he walked out and into his own apartment.
She slowly closed the door. She was confused more now, then ever before. Lightly she touched her cheek where he had kissed her and smiled a little dreamily. With a slightly wistful sigh she went to go to bed.
Tomorrow was a school day, and with school came Chiaki.