Sentimental

Summary: With sparkling mischief Yuuta pops the question, "Chika, when it comes to Michiru, why do you always use your left hand?"

A/N: First time writing for this couple. I'm having severe writer's block for my other fics until this one came into mind. Hope you like it. --,

Disclaimer:

Look if I owned this I wouldn't be here writing this, this would actually happen in the series! But sadly I don't own so you don't sue okay?

Its twelve minutes past midnight as the moon shines palely on the ground below it. It shines a little brighter as it is thankful that some people decide to spend their nights staring than sleeping.

Staying at the dormitory rooftop, despite the building crumbling in random places, has been very pleasant for him recently. Since everyone was pretty worn out after the last mission they quickly retired to their rooms to get some sleep. It bothered Chika that he didn't feel sleepy but that wasn't the reason he was up on the rooftop right now.

He stared.

He stared.

Did I tell you that he stared?

Yes he's just staring.

Akatsuki Chika, a used to be living human now turned zombie, is staring long and hard at his left hand.

Lately his more annoyed at his left hand than right hand. Why? Well it's pretty obvious why he gets annoyed at his right hand, it's simply because it's Shito's right hand. It's that annoying, arrogant, sarcastic, good for nothing, Shito's right hand!! That's more than enough reason to be angered, annoyed, bothered and disgusted with the right hand. Adding the fact that it rots off whenever he is far apart from Shito makes his anger rise tenfold! Life couldn't get any better now could it?

Despite enumerating all that he still couldn't understand his growing hatred for his left hand.

There was this strange tingling feeling he gets whenever he stares at it and the more he thinks about it the stronger the tingling gets. He felt his head pounding as he searched his brain for possible reasons. Overworking? Lack of sleep? A previous injury that wasn't healed well? It's something he's never felt before and really bothered him to the core. Then again maybe he's just putting too much thought to it.

He sighed; maybe it's just the effect of a rotting body.

Yeah a rotting body.

Ever since the incident of the golems the people at Z-Loan have been thrown to numerous and absurd cases. Although it's something to be secretly rejoicing about since he can earn more money to get his previous body back, one can't help but feel sorrow for all the innocent lives that have been toyed with. If there's one thing his grateful about joining Z-Loan it's the chance to put the restless souls to peace.

It doesn't reduce the time before my body rots though.

He sighed bitterly as he glared at his left hand. He still wasn't convinced.

Rotting means dying. No sensation, no pain, no hunger, no nothing. Total Null.

Tingling is a strange sensation and definitely doesn't fall under the category of Total Null.

Maybe it was due to the attack he blocked for Gopher earlier? His left arm got bitten as he tried to pull her out of harm's way.

Come to think of it today's case was rather reckless. If they weren't able to come on time who knew what would've happened to Yuuta and that helpless Gopher. A nagging feeling choked him as he grunted. Gopher has been trying her hardest lately. Oddly he's rather disturbed by the fact that she rarely wears her glasses anymore. Koyomi asked her about it before and she simply replied with a smile and says, "I'm getting used to it already." Seeing the dead and watching them die again isn't exactly something to get used to idiot. You're too selfless and kind for your own good.

Gopher you're a hazard to yourself.

Maybe because she's indebted to them. After all if it weren't for him and Shito she wouldn't be alive right now. She'll try anything to be of any help and because she has the Shinigami Eyes it's probably the best way she could be of service. She cares too much even if it's nothing to be bothered with. Her vulnerability makes her a walking tragedy that protecting her…

Chika sighed heavily. That girl could really be a handful sometimes.

"You're contradicting yourself aren't you? You said that you don't like to stay here. If you don't like this place then fly away!"

She's change a lot ever since he told her those words. He can't help but grin when she told him that she paid her aunt and uncle with the state she was in: a bloody slash on her right chest, slightly cracked glasses and unevenly chopped hair. She even gathered enough courage to borrow his sword in order to chop her hair evenly. Then there was the incident with Shiba…

He couldn't believe what he saw. It was her, not Shito but it was her who pulled the trigger with tears rimming underneath her eyes as her hands nervously tried to keep the gun on her hand.

"There's no such thing… Shiba you're wrong that type of freedom…"

He tried to save him… He grabbed his hand so tight he wouldn't fall.

"I'll tear off that ring from your neck so… Come with me!!"

But Shiba let go of his hand, "I don't want to."

And that was it.

Come to think of it he never asked how she felt after that. She quickly disappeared to tell Yuuta how injured they were. Well there was too much emotional thought going on within him but still it must have been pretty hard on her as well. After all she did shot Shiba and technically his death is partly her fault. Not that Chika considered taking the blame on her. She did save his life by doing so...

Sometimes he wondered if… If it was really right to drag her into all this mess…

She made the decision… Chika felt a faint tug at the corner of his lips, She flew.

Wait a minute…

A vein popped.

There goes that tingling sensation again!!

Chika raised his left arm and waved it around violently, "DAMN IT STOP ALREADY!!" He heavily dragged his feet towards the door still waving his left arm violently, "THIS IS ALL GOPHER'S FAULT!!"

If someone was watching over him right now, one wouldn't fail to note the way his eyes suddenly softened.

This is all her fault…

Yuuta sighed as he served tea on the table, Everyone seems rather irritated today.

"Everyone's rather edgy today, is something wrong?"

Shito who was scowling the moment he entered, was currently sitting back on the coach massaging his head, "A certain idiot decided to spend the night barking nonsense up on the rooftop."

Chika who just stepped in the room was ready to kill, "Who are you calling an idiot you moron?!"

"Does that mean you want to die?" Shito asked with threat dripping in his voice.

Chika retorted the same way, "I'd like to see you try."

Koyomi who was on the end of the coach groaned in agreement, "You should've told me if you wanted to do some karaoke then we could've scheduled it on a proper time."

Chika snapped, "What gives you the idea that I want to do karaoke Koyomi?!"

Michiru sipped her tea as she sighed, "Well you could've been more considerate Chika-kun. Shouting randomly in the middle of the night and--"

"And since when did you start talking back to me Gopher?!"

She stood up and faced him in annoyance, "For the death of you Chika-kun it's Mi-chi-ru!"

"That's what I said Go-pher!"

"Why were you shouting at the rooftop anyway?"

"It's your entire fault!!"

Michiru stared at him with a dazed expression, "Huh?!"

Shito took the chance to hit Chika's head really hard.

"DAMN IT SHITO WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!"

"Tone down you moron! I'm taking the day off so you're on your own."

"What are you talking about?! I can't fight without my right hand!!"

"Consider this as penalty for your foolishness." And with that he hastily left the building and slammed the door. Koyomi followed suit as she yawned and lazily said her goodbyes. Ferryman just sighed and muttered something about, "It's not my time that's going to be wasted anyway." As he watched the two zombies leave the building. Yuuta in the meantime just sat down on his chair and watched Michiru and Chika pick up from where they left.

"I wouldn't be feeling this annoying tingling sensation on my left hand if it weren't for you!!"

"Why is it my fault?!"

"If you hadn't been so clumsy I wouldn't have been bitten by the zombie yesterday!!"

Michiru's eyes widened in disbelief, "I didn't ask you to save me!!"

For some reason it snapped Chika's temper, "Well I didn't ask you to ask me now did I?!"

Guilt was obviously swimming inside them as they sat on the coach across each other with only the table and the steaming tea cups staying in between them. Ferryman slyly raised his head from the papers as he noted the sudden awkward tension in the air. He briefly caught Yuuta's curious glance and he just nodded. Ferryman sighed inwardly; Chika-kun is just too stubborn to notice.

Amazing! Chika the moron strikes again! He clenched his fists in annoyance as he glanced at the lavender haired girl doing the same thing as him, avoiding each other's gaze. He was meaning to apologize actually until pride got in the way and what he told her really stung him. Well I didn't ask her to ask me right?!

Heck! Why am I so annoyed anyway?!

Michiru mentally sighed; I shouldn't have said it that way…

If there's one thing she's carefully aware of herself it's the fact that she is weak. And try as she might no matter what she does to stay out of trouble, trouble was always on her case. It's not that she's not grateful for being saved all the time. She feels guilty every time her weakness is being pointed it. It's not like she likes it anyway and even if… even if caring annoys him every once in a while it's the only way she could thank him without getting into a verbal argument with him.

She took a deep breath, "Chika-kun…"

Chika quickly faced her, "Yeah?"

She was taken aback but she continued, "How… How is it?"

"Huh?"

"The bite on your arm."

Oh that. "I haven't really checked on it I was suppose to ask Yu—"

"Let me see it!"

And without even completing his name Yuuta was already standing in front of him anxious to see exactly what kind of wound did he get this time. "Yuuta! You should at least--Hey don't raise my sleeve without my permission!!"

Yuuta stared at the arm.

He was glad that his back was faced against Michiru.

With mirth in his eyes he quickly placed Chika's sleeve back into place. His face was filled with worry as he faced Michiru, "Chiru-Chiru it's quite horrible! And I just so happened to run out of bandages can you please go out and get some quickly?"

And without second thoughts Michiru quickly stood up and nodded, "Of course anything else?" Yuuta shook as head and Michiru headed out to the door.

"Gopher." She momentarily stopped on her tracks.

Silence.

What was that for?! He raised his left arm and waved furiously, "Geez get going you heard what Yuuta said!!"

Raising a brow she slammed the door, "Then don't wave it around too much!"

As soon as he heard the door close he turned to Yuuta and glared at him. "You've got some acting skills Yuuta.

Yuuta just sat down on the table and grinned, "You're a good supporting actor Chika-Chika!"

"Well you're a horrible liar. For the thousand times I've seen you healing wounds I've never heard that you ran out of bandages." He paused as he noted the mirth running around the boy's eyes, "Especially since the bandages you use are made out of your ectoplasm." After pointing that out Yuuta raised his hands showing Ken-Ken and Kon-Kon.

"How long do you think he knew Kon-Kon?"

"Beats me anyway we're not the only liars here aren't we Ken-Ken?"

Chika raised a brow at the comment, "Hey what was that supposed to mean?"

Yuuta dropped his hands, "You're not really injured. I checked on you, Chiru-Chiru, Koyomi and Shito head to toe and I didn't see any injury on your arm. Sure there's a bite mark but it's nothing serious."

Chika paused suddenly at a loss of words. So he carefully asked a question, "Then this strange tingling sensation I'm feeling… Does that mean that my times almost up?"

Ferryman chuckled, "Nonsense Chika-kun it's still early for that believe me!"

That was good news… "Wait that still doesn't answer my question!" He glared at Ferryman and he nonchalantly shrugged. "You really want to know what's wrong?"

"Of course! I don't care if it's costly I want you to take out the--"

"I can't."

"Huh?!"

"Only you can do it."

"If I knew the cause then I'd taken it on and I wouldn't be complaining about it!"

"If you knew the cause I wonder if you'd want the tingling sensation to be taken away."

Chika was starting to lose his temper again, "You're not making any sense."

"Aw! You're no fun! Putting that aside," Yuuta notes the expression on Chika's face before he continued with sparkling mischief and pops the question.

"Chika, when it comes to Michiru, why do you always use your left hand?"

The shock and surprise on his face was priceless. Yuuta swore Shito would kill to get that expression on film. This was definitely going to be amusing.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"

"I'm afraid I don't, do elaborate. You're lucky Shito isn't here to hand me my sword."

Yuuta playfully twirled his fingers as he started talking, "For starters do you know that most of your heavily inflicted wounds are on your left arm?"

Chiak won't admit that he didn't know that but he's not going to lose this verbal argument just because his emotions gave way, "If I let my right arm receive all the damage then I would've died."

"Then did you know that you have the tendency to use your left arm to protect Michiru?"

"Like she could protect herself from attacks with her own arms."

Yuuta frowned slightly, "You're not getting paid for it."

Chika sighed, "Alright she'd be one of them if she got bitten; besides I need my right hand to make a counterattack."

"So technically you're right handed."

"If I were ambidextrous I would've used my left hand to form my sword right now."

"But I thought you hate Shito so with what you told me you're protecting the right hand so he'd do the same?"

"Don't put too much meaning into that. It's not like I have choice now do I?"

"Since your right hand has been something temporary you'd rather use your left hand to do something permanent?"

Okay enough. "Your point is?"

"I just want to know why you always use your left hand when it comes to Michiru."

And like last night he was staring at his left hand.

And like last night that damn tingling sensation was spreading again.

And like last night he denied the answer.

He knew the answer and he was just being his usual self being stubborn and denying it. Considering the questions Yuuta have been gunning at him, he might just use this little bit of information for blackmail. One shouldn't try the extent of Yuuta's information network and the possible things he could do with just a bit of information.

It's just like Yuuta said. His left arm is permanent. It is his. And even if exchanged hands with Shito the meaning would still be different. He wants to do something with something of his own. That's why he uses he left arm. Because it is his.

And he has no intention of sharing anything he does on free will using his right hand.

Yuuta noted the small smile on Chika's face before it faded.

Looking somewhere else Yuuta pretended he didn't see anything. "She's taking too long isn't she?"

"Chika-kun it's raining if you haven't noticed." Ferryman said lazily as he pointed the window behind him. He was right rain was falling rather heavily and it might've been going on for quite some time already.

"There's an extra umbrella standing just beside the door." Yuuta made it sound like a suggestion but Chika briefly stared at him before he stood up to pick the umbrella.

"You want an answer to your question?"

"You're going to give me a concrete answer?"

Chika smirked as he raised the left hand that was holding the umbrella, "I'm sentimental."

Yuuta blinked several times and looked backed at Ferryman who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Well what do you know…"

Michuru sighed in depression.

Chika was definitely going to have her head for this.

The moment she got out of the building she ran quickly to the nearest pharmacy to get some bandages and she even bothered to pick up some snacks on the way. If only the line wasn't too long then maybe she could've made it back even before it started to rain. She sighed as she closed her eyes and leaned on the wall behind her. Maybe if he bothered trying to…

"You're only going to make my injury worse if you stay here any longer."

Her eyes quickly opened as she turned her head to the direction of the voice.

"C-Chika-kun?"

He was grinning with all his glory with an umbrella in hand. "What's with the stuttering?" He closed the umbrella and stood beside her, "How long have you been waiting?"

She blinked, "Twenty minutes I guess."

"That long huh? Here I'll take that." Michiru was dazed as she watched Chika acting like a complete gentleman. Something is very wrong here. Chika felt Michiru's narrowed gaze and clicked his tongue, "I want to hurry back and if you'll do all the carrying you're only going to slow us down."

Michuru frowned, Figures "Chika-kun how's your arm?"

"Oh this?" He raised his left arm and flexed it for her, "Nothing serious."

She instantly smiled in relief, "I'm glad, Yuuta will just have to keep these bandages for emergency then."

He smirked, "He doesn't really use those you know."

"Huh?"

"Anyway forget what I said," He started to open the umbrella with his back faced to her. Michiru just stared as he waited for him to continue.

"A-about a while ago…"

"Hm?"

"You know back at the office?"

She nodded as she realized what he meant, "Um, what about it?"

Here goes… "I… I'm sorry…"

An awkward blow of silence enveloped them as the only sound that echoed was the sound of the rain dropping itself to the open umbrella and the concrete floor. Chika took a deep breath. He racked his brain in shame and annoyance; he actually picked the nerve to apologize! I swear if she still says something stupid after this I'm going to…

"Pfffttt….."

He knew that sound and instantly he turned around swinging the umbrella with him causing small splashes to encounter the bespectacled girl.

"You're laughing!! I can't believe you're laughing!!" Chika dropped the bag and the umbrella in frustration as he angrily pointed a finger at Michiru. She was already laughing out loud as she hugged herself to stop shaking. "GOPHER!! I told you to stop!!" Angrily he shook Michiru by the shoulders but it was no use, gales of laughter continued to fill the air.

"Okay that's it we'll see how you like this!!" In one fluid motion he took her glasses, folded them and tucked them in his breast pocket. She stopped to look up at him for a moment. She straightened herself as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Taking a deep breath she stared at him and chuckled.

Chika clenched his teeth, "Damn it Gopher what's so funny?!"

"I just found out that you're actually shy."

"And that was supposed to be funny?!" Embarrassment is definitely not Chika's cup of tea.

She nodded, "Besides I was about to apologize too you know." She stared down at her feet in order to avoid his gaze, "I shouldn't have said it that way. I really am a burden after all and the only way I can be of help to you is helping you find the black rings. It's my way thanking you."

Michiru…

She took a few steps forward and poked at the glasses on his breast pocket, "See? That's why I can handle it even if you take my glasses away." She poked at the black ring around his neck, raised her head and smiled, "I flew didn't I?" For a moment strong topaz orbs met with meek emerald ones. Michiru gaped as Chika rested his right hand on top of her head but what happened next was something she definitely didn't see coming. He took the moment to seize her in a hug with his left hand.

"I'm not asking you to ask me to protect you. You know I don't get paid for it."

"Really? It's not like you, you know."

Chika rested his chin on the crown of her head, "It's called 'free will'. Did it ever occur to you that I had one?"

The shock was still swimming in her eyes but the smile could not be kept, "So are you saying that this is free will?" She asked teasingly.

He grinned, "You're pretty cheeky yourself aren't you?"

She laughed softly enough for him to hear, "I learned from the best."

To their surprise the rain had already stopped. After untangling themselves from their former position Chika picked up the umbrella while Michiru took the bag of snacks until Chika snatched it from her, "I told you you're just going to slow us down."

She rested her hands on her hips, "You're carrying everything isn't that going to slow you down?" He shrugged and started taking a few steps ahead of her. "Besides I'm not holding on to anything!" He abruptly stopped and she followed suit. "What's wrong?"

"Take my hand then Michiru." He didn't dare turn around because by then the blush on his cheeks would be evident and she'd be teasing him about it when she gets the chance.

It was the first time she heard him say her name and she definitely going to savor it. Happiness was swirling around her as she smiled, "Which one Chika-kun?"

The tingling sensation circulated not only on his left arm but this time through his entire body. Not that he minded anymore. He decided that he likes it and he'll definitely live through it. He turned to her and smiled like she just asked him the most obvious question in the world.

"Left."

Weeeeeee! --, R & R please and thank you!!