Without you.

The sky was dark and cloudy outside the window, ready to burst into tears, without a star shining among the clouds. The curtain was casting even more shadows into the small bedroom, and everything gave an impression of depression. It was only seven in the afternoon.

Melane sat on the edge of the bed, head pressed softly against the wooden frame, listening to the soft, rhythmical breathing of the man next to her. She ruffled lightly his golden locks, her eyes running along the length of his naked body. The toned chest, the perfectly shaped abs, his pronounced pectoral bones…She smiled to herself, shivering to the thought of what this body had done to her a while ago.

During the past three days, she had forgotten there was something else in this world apart from Toua. When he was practicing, she would be staying home, taking a relaxing bath or cooking something really fast and easy. When he was back home, she would quickly undress and lost herself in his tight embrace. The rest of the afternoon would be spent in bed.

The night was theirs. Toua took her to the most expensive restaurants of Tokyo where they drunk spicy sake*, ate seaweed and roasted salmon. She tried new sweets named dango*, she even ate sushi! She who despised the Asian way of cooking had learned how to prepare a full sushi meal in half an hour! Toua even taught her the traditional phrases to begin and end an everyday, family meal.

And for the first time in her life, she was having so much fan she had forgotten her job back in L.A, along with every aspect of her life that didn't relate to Toua. And she liked it.

But now, late at night, without a star shining bright on the horizon, she felt pressed against the wall for the first time. And she didn't like it.

'My flight is programmed for tomorrow morning. But I don't want to leave…' she thought as she ran her fingernails along his pale neck. The sole thought of leaving this man behind made her heart ache. 'I wish he could come with me.' But she knew it was impossible. Toua was a famous player in Japan. How would he make a new start in L.A where no one knew him?

She sharply inhaled with her teeth clenched. 'It is so unfair. I love him!'

The man mover under her touch and his lips parted. He stretched his body, every muscle tensing and relaxing. He opened a pair of hazy caramel eyes and tried to find her face in the dim light. Melane felt his sight touching her legs, then her thighs, her belly button. His eyes stopped on her breasts for a short while, then moved on to her neck, caressed her lips and, finally, found her eyes.

"There you are…" he muttered and mover closer to her, resting his head in between her breasts. He caressed her belly and his hand stayed there, toying with her flesh. "Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked and his tongue flickered out to lick a nipple.

"I was just thinking…." Mel said and flattered her eyelids despite the sensation.

"Thinking is good." He commented, squeezing her left breast lightly. "Over thinking, though, keeps you awake."

"Will you stop groping me, please?" Mel teased and grabbed his other hand that was slowly moving southwards.

"I thought you liked it…?" he said, freeing his hand from her grasp. "You know I love playing with you."

Melane 'tsk'ed and rolled her eyes. "It's serious, Toua."

"Mhmm…" he hummed, kissing along her belly while his hands twisted her nipples.

"Damn." Mel groaned, annoyed that her body was responding despite the serious thing she wanted to talk to him about.

His tongue was licking dangerously close to that spot, making it impossible to think.

'How can one think when the only thing they want to do is wrap their legs around a neck and-'

"Agh! Stop!" she angrily said and pushed him away. "Stop thinking with your lower head and gather the blood to your upper head! We need to talk!" she demandingly noted and sat back on the bed.

"Damn, just when I was having such a good time…" Toua sighed and crossed his arms.

"I need to tell you something…" Mel whispered.

"You don't need to tell me anything." Toua said and touched her hand. "I know."

"No you don't." she pulled her hand slowly away. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

'There, I said it.'

She didn't expect him to smirk. "I know. The flight leaves tomorrow morning." he said and touched her hand again.

Mel stared at him, silently wishing she didn't have to say that. She wished she could stay, or at least have more time with him. "I don't want to go…" she muttered and crept into his arms. "I don't want to leave you."

Toua hugged her tightly; he pressed her against his body. "You know you can stay if you want." Mel heard the smile in his voice. "But you won't. Your life is in L.A"

"I don't care!" she yelped, fighting to stop the tears coming in her eyes. "I love you…"

"Mel-"

"Give me a reason to stay!" she pushed him back and stared into his eyes. "Give me a damn good reason not to go back to my boring life in a boring city…" she pleaded.

With a huff, the man pushed her back and straightened her. "Listen" he said "I can't tell you to stay when I know you have nothing here. I don't believe it's the right thing, so I won't be giving you reasons to stay." He closed his eyes and smiled sadly. "If you want to stay, though, do so, even if it's wrong." He stood up and slipped his jeans on. "Your flight leaves at eight o'clock. Try to get some rest, please."

Mel could hear his footsteps as he headed towards the living room, unable to move. She sat frozen on the same spot when he left her, staring at her hands. 'The worst thing is' she thought 'that he is wrong.'

Toua, while trying not to press her to stay with him, had forgotten the one thing he should never had: Melane had something holding her back. Toua himself.

…

The purple bruises under his eyes told her that he had had as much sleep as she had: not at all. The essence emanating from his skin proved that he had spent the night drinking Vodka and staring outside the window.

Melane gave a last look at the apartment as she walked out the door, luggage in hand and coat tightly wrapped around her body. She had purposely left her hair lay loose around her face, hoping that it could cover the paleness of her skin. The huge sunglasses hiding the three quarters of her face were a last add to her appearance. She didn't want him to see her eyes, dull and red because of crying.

As the car moved fast towards the Tokyo airport, they remained silent. And the more he drove, the more Toua wanted to stop the car and drive to the other direction, back home. He had hoped she would catch the hint, the hint he had relayed his happiness on, and stay with him. He had hoped she really wanted to stay and so she would. But, much to his annoyance, it was one of the few times in his life he was mistaken.

They arrived at the airport and he parked outside the building. He lit a cigarette and put It between his lips, inhaling the smoke deeply. 'Damn! Do something!' he told himself. A look inside the car's mirror told him that he looked as bad as he felt. The tension was clearly written on his face. Melane, on the other side, seemed strangely calm in the seat next to him.

"Give me the lighter, please…" she whispered. Toua, surprised, placed the lighter on her palm.

"Since when do you smoke?" he asked, but the woman gave him a mysterious smile.

"I don't." she said and took a piece of paper from her bag. She held it in front of her eyes and lit the lighter. The purple flame licked the edge of the illustrated paper and set it quickly on fire.

"What are you doing?" Toua asked, confused.

"Something I should have done four days ago." Melane muttered and watched the paper flaming. When the fire reached her fingers, she let the paper fall on her knees until it was nothing more but gray ashes.

"So…" Toua said after some moments of silence "Why should you have burnt the paper four days ago?" he asked.

Melane uncovered her eyes, and the vivid emerald color of her eyes shined brightly. "It was my ticket to L.A." she mused to the ashes.

"W-what?" Toua stuttered. "You can't flight without a ticket!" he stated, an Melane laughed.

"Tell me something I don't know!"

"You're mad!" Toua sat heavily on the driver's seat and grabbed the wheel. "Why did you do that?"

Melane "tsk" ed and crossed her arms on her knees. "I couldn't find a more…obvious way to tell you I'm staying." She watched his eyes widen in shock and his jaw fall. It was so pleasant to know she caused that reaction! Maybe now she understood why Toua felt so satisfied when intimidating his co-players….

"And why on Earth did I have to drive you to the airport if you were to stay?" he asked with his teeth gritted. Mel laughed and touched his face, turning him towards her.

"You're not the only one playing games here, Tokutchi-San…" she said and kissed him.

…

Four days later

"We need beer."

"We also need chicken, potatoes, red meat, celery, salt-"

"And wine."

"And sugar, and coffee! Let alone the cakes….Marmalade cakes!"

Toua sighed and rubbed his temples with two fingers. "You know, sweetie, just a couple of friends are coming by, not the whole baseball team…"

Mel smiled brightly and waved the duster around. "I know." She said and wiped her forehead. "That's why everything must be perfect."

He smirked and ruffled his blond hair. Mel was up long before the sunrise, dusting every little and forgotten corner of his house, cooking, chopping and peeling vegetables. She wanted everything to be perfectly done. It was something new to him, this need for perfection she had.

"-cranberries, new jam, a vase for the flowers…Oh my God, Toua!" she exclaimed and desperately stared at him. "There are so many things missing!" She sat next to him on the couch and leaned against his chest. "Sometimes I wonder how you survived…"

Toua smiled and patted her head with the messy raven strands. "Without cranberries, jam and a new vase?" he mooched "Well… I managed somehow." he muttered and Mel laughed.

"You think you can make it for a couple of days more?" she asked and nuzzled against him.

"Are you leaving soon?"

"I have an autograph to deliver to L.A, remember?"

"Oh…yeah." He said. "Just come back quickly."

"Hmm?" Mel turned to him and placed her hand on his face "getting used to me, aren't you?" she teased, but proudly smiled.

"Sometimes I wonder how I survived…" Toua whispered and stared deep inside her bright emerald eyes.

"Without me?" Mel asked and looked around the vast living room. "I have no idea!"

The End

All right, this is the end! I know it's somewhat hurried, but I really wanted to end this in a happy and comical way. No drama, no more tears!

I hope you like it a little bit more now that it's completed! A sequel may occur if you like. ^^ Just let me know and/or give me new ideas!

Till my next story

xxx