11:45, it's just about time.

They're all excited, apprehensive, ready and waiting to see what the new year will bring them. Kaito's nearly asleep, curled up beneath a blanket and cuddled up to Kaede's side, who looks equally as tired. Pulling an all-nighter the day before definitely had been a mistake, specifically on Kaede and Kaito's part. They were both used to going to bed much earlier than the other couple in the room.

Touma and NightHaze were both very much awake, and very much lively as they argued over Monopoly. Kaede isn't even sure what they were arguing about, but hell, he knows of couples who actually break up over a game of Monopoly. NightHaze and Touma are definitely too much in love for that to happen, though, and it looks like NightHaze has found a way to easily get what he wants.

Before Kaede's eyes can track what's happening, NightHaze lunges across the board, grabs Touma by the front of his shirt, and cuts off the lanky-limbed boy's rant by pressing their lips together. Kaede sees Touma turn into some resemblance of putty. After a few moments, NightHaze sits back down on his own side of the board calmly, and tilts his head towards Touma.

"Fine, it's yours." Touma groans, flopping backwards, pressing the side of his face into the carpet and closing his eyes. "Even though I landed on it first." Kaede snickers, and Touma shoots him a weary glare, fully aware of what he's laughing at.

"Thank you~" NightHaze grins, and Kaede can see Touma practically melting. NightHaze smiling is quite a rare sight to behold. Kaede smiles to himself, and gently shakes Kaito awake, checking his phone for the time.

"You know, we have about six minutes until the new year." Kaede says. NightHaze scrambles to his feet almost immediately, darting off to the carpet and over to the glass windows, where he stares expectantly into the dark sky.

"The fireworks aren't gonna start until midnight." Touma chuckles, going over to stand behind NightHaze, slinging his arms over NightHaze's shoulders, pulling him close. Their height difference is quite prominent, but it only makes it look like NightHaze is where he belongs.

"How much longer?" NightHaze demands, shifting impatiently. Kaede chuckles, finally managing to wake Kaito, who pads after him sleepily to join the others at the window.

"We've got about four and a half minutes." NightHaze huffs, pouting as he crosses his arms over his chest. This will be NightHaze's first time celebrating the new year with people surrounding him, specifically people who love him. NightHaze's past has been rough, and he's almost always been alone and by himself.

Kaede finds himself smiling softly, in brotherly affection, watching as NightHaze points excitedly towards a few prematurely released fireworks, the obvious glee on his face incredible endearing.

Touma's heads over heels in love, it's obvious to see from his fond expression, by the way how he holds NightHaze delicately, and the chaste kiss he brushes to NightHaze's cheek. NightHaze simply snuggles back into Touma, and Kaede presses his own kiss to the crown of Kaito's head.

"Two minutes." Kaede says.

"When do we start to count down?" NightHaze asks, silvery eyes gleaming with excitement. It's strange, sometimes, to see those milky white and silver eyes, full of something much more than just hatred, something much more than just... lonliness.

"When there's about ten or so seconds left." Kaito answers, smiling sleepily at NightHaze. NightHaze groans, most likely in impatience, and wriggles a bit, bumping the back of his head against Touma's chest.

"This is the longest two minutes of my life. Why did we stay up all last night watching stupid superhero movies?" NightHaze complains. "I'm tired."

"You certainly seemed full of energy when we were arguing over who gets Boardwalk in Monopoly." Touma grumbles, but, nonetheless, sits down on the ground and drags NightHaze into his lap, letting the shorter one nuzzle into the crook of his neck. Kaede can almost feel the nervous energy radiating off of NightHaze, and is about to say something when Touma speaks.

"What do you seem to anxious about?"

"I'm.... just happy that I'm surrounded by people who genuinely care for me." NightHaze responds, voice soft and eyes sincere. Kaede smiles, and reaches down to ruffle NightHaze's hair, who doesn't swat his hand away like he usually does when anyone touches his hair. Touma buries his face in the crook of NightHaze's neck, and groans.

"Dammit. I think I just fell more in love with you." NightHaze grins, and runs his fingers through Touma's hair, patting his head almost placatingly.

"Thirty seconds," Kaito chirps, checking his phone for the time. NightHaze lets out a little yelp of excitement, and straightens, eyes fixated on the dark sky outside. Everyone falls silent, only the excited murmuring outside on the streets can be heard. The four had decided not to do their own fireworks that year, deciding it would be more exciting to just watch them, mostly just abiding by NightHaze's requests.

"Twenty," more waiting.

"When do we count down?" NightHaze asks again.

"About now," Kaito grins, and fixes his eyes on the countdown on Kaede's phone. "Ten."

"Nine!" NightHaze joins in immediately, a childish kind of excitement overtaking his usually flat and emotionless features.

"Eight!" Touma kisses NightHaze's cheek.

"Seven!" Kaito fights back a yawn.

"Six!" Kaede pulls Kaito a bit closer to his side.

"Five!" NightHaze tilts his head back, to brush his nose against Touma's cheek.

"Four!" Touma grins, and wraps his arms around NightHaze's waist, urging him to look back out at the dark and starry night sky.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Happy new year!" All at once, the sky is lit up, full of loud bangs, cracks and pops. NightHaze jumps a little in the beginning, but he's quick to get accustomed to the noises, his eyes reflecting the colorful display in the night sky. Kaede dips his head, nudging Kaito, before kissing him lightly. Kaito grins shyly up at him.

"Welcome to a new year." Kaito whispers. Kaede smiles, before he glances back at Touma and NightHaze, laughing when he sees that Touma's obviously waiting for a kiss, but NightHaze is too enthralled by the fireworks in the sky to do anything. Kaito chuckles, his eyes fluttering shut from tiredness, before he calls out. "Hey, your Prince Charming's looking for a kiss."

Touma shoots Kaito and Kaede an embarrassed glare, but before he can say anything, NightHaze has placed a hand on Touma's cheek, twisted in his lap, and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips.

"Thank you for staying with me." NightHaze murmurs, before wrapping his arms around Touma's torso. "Happy new year."

The lone wolf stumbled, paws tripping over one another in his exhaustion and haste. Snow and wind whipped at his face, and his ears pinned back against his skull, tucking his head as far as he could against his chest.

It was so cold, so unbearably cold.

He was so tired, so weak. He was hungry, he hadn't eaten in days. The arctic tundra was as harsh as ever this winter, and this blizzard was unrelenting. With no shelter in sight, the wolf had resigned to his fate if he couldn't keep going.

The snow only got deeper and deeper, until he felt like he was trying to swim in it. Chest deep, he could barely move his paws, let along his legs. He couldn't even attempt to jump, knowing it would waste too much energy. A soft whimper escaped his lips, torn away by the howling and biting winds.

He wasn't born to sit with the pups, watching them and letting them clamber all over him, biting his ears and tail and paws. He wasn't born to just watch his pack mates run around, nipping and playing with each other. He wasn't born to lay around uselessly while his pack mates went to provide for the pack.

He was born to run. He was born to explore.

But he was getting weaker and weaker the further he pushed through the freezing blizzard, and finally understood, why he wasn't sent out in the cold of the tundra. His lungs were burning, and when he coughed, he saw flecks of red within the snow.

He was on the edge of breaking, but still, he trudged on, his thin body shaking with the little strength that remained. His illness wasn't helping his condition at all.

The wolf pawed weakly at the packed snow before him, melting with his body heat and beginning to freeze back over with the negative temperatures. His paws were becoming bloodied and bruised, and he looked back over his shoulder, only to see that the path he'd been making was starting to fill back up with snow.

At this rate, he would be buried alive.

It was impossible. He didn't know where he was, in the middle of the arctic tundra, vulnerable and weak. His entire body was shaking, trembling and cold. He could barely keep his own weight up.

But, he had to keep going. He'd come way too far to give up now.

Stumble.

Trip.

A thin wail escaped his throat, hopeless, strained. He didn't know who he was calling out for, but he was too desperate to care who heard him now. The last remnants of heat were beginning to escape him, as he slumped to the ground, flanks pressed uncomfortably into the deep snow.

Over the howling of the wind, the wolf could make out the sound of rapidly approaching paw steps, ear pressed o the snow, his eyes squeezed shut. He pressed his muzzle to the snow, fully aware that the only part of his body visible was his his dark-furred head.

"Hey! Are you alright?" It took all of the wolf's strength to lift his head,. He saw another wolf, one with a darker staring back at him, purple eyes wide with worry.

The weak wolf simply let out a soft whine of exhaustion, before his body slumped, bloodied paws finally giving way.

"Oh, Lupus, no! Hey! Hey! Wake up!"

Pairing: NightHaze x Touma

It's cold, so incredibly cold. It's the middle of winter, and you're still searching for some kind of shelter. The howling winds have been wickedly cold, carrying the scent of freshly fallen snow, a sure sign that a snowstorm will hit soon.

You catch sight of a small clearing to your right, and through the trees. To your relief, there appears to be a cave of some sort. Something else catches your attention; there's something moving near the entrance, and you hope that it's just a badger you can scare off.

As you get closer, you realize that it's a dark-pelted wolf, lying down near the entrance to the cave, snow dusting his pelt. His silvery eyes appear daunting, intimidating as you approach, your paws crushing the snow beneath them. You hesitate, as the wolf rises to his paws. Before you can scoff at how much smaller he is than you, he bares his teeth in a ferocious snarl, a low and rumbling growl tearing from his throat.

In the half light of the setting sun, you can see that he's obviously powerful, perhaps even ethereal in a darker sense. Dark wisps seem to rise from his fur like steam, silvery eyes beginning to glow, making him appear mystical, powerful, ethereal.

"Who are you? Halt." He demands, one forepaw poised, posture tense and ready to attack. "Don't come any closer before I tear your throat ou-"

Before he can finish his sentence, there's a loud crashing noise from within the cave, followed by a yowling yelp. The dark-furred male twitches an ear in annoyance, shaking the snow from his pelt and staring into the mouth of the den. To your surprise, you see another wolf fast approaching, this one pure white with blue highlights, the opposite color of the male standing before you now.

This one, to your relief seems much friendlier, as he bounds forward with a loopy grin on his face. He too, appears to have some sort of strange power, if the sparks skittering in his fur means anything.

"Are you threatening others again, NightHaze?" The white-furred wolf chirps, pausing before you and tilting his head in curiosity.

"Oh shut up, Touma. No one invited you here." NightHaze huffs, casting you a dark glare. You're not sure if the last comment was directed towards you, or the white-furred wolf. Still, you instinctively flatten your ears against your head, tail tucking between your hind legs.

"So mean!" Touma whines. To your surprise, the white-furred wolf touches his nose to NightHaze's affectionately. "Why am I in love with you again?" NightHaze doesn't respond, one of his ears twitching in annoyance.

Touma snorts in amusement, before asking in a rather babyish tone, "awee, is NightHaze shy~?"

"Hell no," NightHaze snaps back instantaneously, though the way his ears are at half-mast say otherwise. You feel rather awkward, unsure of what exactly to do in this situation. "Now go and clean up the mess you made in the den." NightHaze prods at Touma's shoulder, before staring over at you as if to make sure you're still there.

"But I have paws." Touma complains, a soft whimper leaving his lips as he flops down on the snow.

"Your paws are the paws that just created and wrecked havoc in there. Now go clean it up before I kick your ass." You watch, torn between amusement and sympathy as Touma's ears fall, drooping as he drags himself to his feet and trudges into the den. He mumbles something beneath his breath that you don't catch, but it's obvious that NightHaze does.

NightHaze's fur lifts along his spine, and a snarl escapes his lips. Touma yelps, stumbling over his own paws as he darts back into the den.

"You may have been gone for several days, but that doesn't mean you can just create a mess as soon as you get back!" NightHaze barks. When his fur finally smooths along his spine, he turns back to you.

"What is your business here?" NightHaze asks. To your relief, he sounds a bit more polite, although his tone is brisk and his words are carefully articulated and barbed. At least he's not threatening to tear out your throat anymore.

"I'm searching for shelter before the snowstorm hits." You explain. NightHaze tilts his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. However, before he can respond to you, there's a yelp of pain from inside the cave.

Heaving a sigh, NightHaze glances over his shoulder, shaking his dark pelt from more snow and turns around, padding into the cave and leaving you standing there awkwardly. Before he disappears from sight, he pauses, and glances back towards you.

"Are you coming in or what?"

Relieved, grateful, and rather stunned, you stand there frozen for a moment, until NightHaze huffs. Your paws unfreeze from the ground and you hurry into the den after him.

The pathway is a tunnel, and it opens up into a rather wide cavern. There's a deeply dug pit off to the side, along with several branches set beside it. When you look around, there are a couple piles of cleaned animal pelts, most likely used as bedding, and indents in the walls.

On the ground, there are some shattered items that look like they were artifacts. Touma, who sits in the center of the shattered pieces, has hit tail curled over his hind legs, licking at one of his forepaws.

Some of the fur is matted red, and NightHaze immediately heads over to him, huffing something softly, gripping the piece of ceramic in his jaws and pulling it from Touma's paw pad. The white wolf whimpers in pain, ears drooping in apology, and NightHaze simply noses his shoulder gently before trotting back towards you.

"There's some nesting material over there." NightHaze gestures towards the animal pelts. "We unfortunately don't have much to offer to eat. This winter's been harsh. However, Touma did bring back a few catches from his hunts." You dip your head in thanks, and trot over to take an animal pelt suitable for your size, and drag it to a place where it can lay flat on the ground.

A sudden sparking noise, followed by crackling draws your attention. NightHaze holds a branch in his jaws, one end on fire, and he hunkers down, dropping the stick into the pit you saw earlier. It's smart, strategically placed so no drafts or winds coming from the entrance would affect the flames.

A couple minutes later, there's a fire crackling, and you relish in the warmth of both the flames and the pelt beneath you. You can hear the soft murmuring of NightHaze and Touma off to the side, and involuntarily, your ears twitch, feeling guilty for trying to eavesdrop.

"You idiot, first you make a mess of the den, then you step on a shard?" NightHaze huffs. "How stupid are you?"

"I'm sorry..." Touma whimpers. You rest your head on your paws, and watch as Touma presses the top of his head against NightHaze's shoulder, his own dropped low. NightHaze props Touma's foreleg up, and licks across the paw pad, lowering his head to take something in his jaws.

It smells like a salve, and you watch as NightHaze presses it into the wound with a strange tenderness. You haven't known him for long, but already, seeing NightHaze be soft instead of bristly and a bit prickly is a bit strange.

NightHaze then urges Touma to lay down, helping him to settle down on an animal pelt. Touma rests his head on his uninjured paw, nose buried in his fur as NightHaze pads right past you. On his way back, he deposits a rabbit before you. Looking up in surprise, you see that NightHaze is glancing away, looking almost bashful.

"I'm sorry about earlier." He mumbles. Before you can try to formulate a response, Touma pipes up.

"I wouldn't say anything. NightHaze isn't one to just up and apologize." He chirps. NightHaze swivels his head to glare at him, even though it holds no heat.

"It's alright," you respond, voice low. "Thank you for allowing me to stay here." NightHaze nods, before padding back over to Touma, dropped another rabbit to the ground. Touma looks up at NightHaze, and gestures with his muzzle and a great big grin on his face. NightHaze heaves a sigh, and hunkers down, settling next to Touma who promptly snuggles into the dark-furred wolf.

It's been a few minutes since you've finished the rabbit, and you feel comfortably full and warm. You hear some shifting, and glance over. NightHaze is standing, nosing affectionately at a sleeping Touma's cheek. It's an adorable sight, and you quickly close your eyes, pretending to be asleep when NightHaze looks over.

After some more shuffling noises, do you dare to open your eyes, and you see NightHaze touching his nose to Touma's ear tip. He then whispers something, so soft, so sweet, that you know it's something he doesn't mean for you to hear.

Despite this wolf's harsh and brutal exterior when you met him only hours ago, it's obvious that these two wolves have been together for a long t

"Hello?" Finally, after several attempts, Kaede's voice came through the phone.

"It's NightHaze." I say.

"What did he do this time?" Kaede immediately sounds alert.

"No, it's actually me, NightHaze." I respond, exasperated. There's a pause on Kaede's end.

"What did you do this time?"

"Do you really think I'm this dysfunctional?" I huff.

"If you're with Touma, then yes." Kaede snorts. "The pair of you are a disaster wherever you go. The last time the both of you went unsupervised, you ended up in an ambulance."

"....Fair."

"So what did you do this time?"

"Aha... well, you see...." I begin, glancing to the side where Touma is. He hasn't moved in ages. "ImayhavekissedToumaandIthinkIbrokehim." I say in a rush. Kaede goes quiet, again, for the third time.

"You... what?" Kaede sounds almost incredulous.

"I kissed Touma!" I shout into the phone. There, I said it. "I think I broke him. He hasn't moved in the past ten minutes. He's just sitting there dumbly on the couch." I gesture towards him animatedly with one hand, even though I know Kaede can't see it.

"Of course you broke him!" Kaede blurts back. "Touma's been pining after you for months. He never shuts up about you. NightHaze this, NightHaze that, do you know how many times I've just yelled at him to shut up and kiss you?"

My jaw's dropped, and I can't speak. My cheeks are flushed with embarrassment, and my eyes are fixated on Touma's frozen and unmoving form. How the hell is he staying that still for so long?

"Hello? Hello? NightHaze!" I break out of my flustered state at Kaede's call.

"What!?" I demand as soon as I find my voice. Kaede chuckles.

"You know, you're usually so perceptive, but it seems like when it comes to emotions, you're pretty daft." Kaede snorts.

"Rude." I shoot back. There's a sudden shifting in my peripheral vision, and I turn to see Touma, finally moving. "Oh, he's functioning again."

"Good luck," Kaede laughs before he hands up.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." I say, dryly. Touma gives me a sheepish and embarrassed grin. I sit down across from him, resting my chin on my palm.

Touma looks at me anxiously, fidgeting, eyes glowing with both giddiness and hesitancy. I tilt my head to the side.

"So. What was Kaede talking about when he said that you've been pining after me for months?"

Within mere seconds, I find myself dialing Kaede's number again.

Pairing: NightHaze x Touma

Knocking on the door again, I hear NightHaze's agitated snarl, then the sound of shuffling feet before the door is wrenched open abruptly. There's a ferocious scowl on NightHaze's handsome features, obviously irritated and annoyed.

"Oh. Touma," NightHaze blinks at me, expression falling neutral, and I grin sheepishly, leaning down to draw him into a brief hug. NightHaze leans up on his tip toes to hug me back, pressing a chaste kiss to my cheek. He steps back, and to the side, letting me into his apartment.

"Something smells nice." I say, and NightHaze smiles shyly.

"I've been making ramen stock since this morning." NightHaze answers, before padding in the direction of the kitchen. That's when I notice -

"Is that my hoodie that you're wearing?" NightHaze freezes immediately, turning around anxiously.

"No?" It's a weak answer.

"It is! Dammit, I thought I lost it." I groan, running my hand through my hair as I go to take off my shoes.

"Do you want it back?" NightHaze asks, already starting to drag the hoodie up his torso. He's shirtless beneath and the sudden display of skin flusters me.

"N-no! You can keep it." I stutter. "You- uh, you look cute in it." I can't even speak correctly, eyes desperately looking everywhere but NightHaze. NightHaze lowers the hem of the hoodie awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck. The hoodie was already quite large on me, but now it completely dwarfs NightHaze's tiny form.

Dragging NightHaze towards me after kicking off my shoes, I dip my head to kiss him. When I pull away, NightHaze's cheeks are flushed, and he avoids my gaze, fingers of one hand playing with the sleeve of the hoodie as the other hand drags me towards the kitchen.

He lets my wrist go when we get into the kitchen, and wanders over to the counter where there are some vegetables half cut on the cutting board. NightHaze must've been cutting them before he came to the door. I can see he already has the marinated pork belly ready to sear in the pan. As NightHaze pads over to the stove, I follow him and go up behind, hugging his back to my chest. NightHaze lifts a spoon to my lips, giving me a taste.

"How is it?" NightHaze looks up at me, silvery eyes anxious. The broth's sweet, salty, and even a bit tangy.

"Tastes delicious." I respond, feeling NightHaze relax beneath me. "As much as I'm glad as you're eating more now, I'm still worried. You're too thin." NightHaze shrugs beneath me.

"You can blame my parents for that." He says, before wriggling beneath my arms, trying to get free. I don't let him go. "Touma."

"NightHaze," I respond. Before I realize what's going on, NightHaze has whacked me with a rubber spatula and I spring back, more startled than hurt. "Ow!" I pout, rubbing the place on my thigh where NightHaze hit me.

"Love you," NightHaze simply flashes me a grin and turns back to what he was doing. I sigh, unable to prevent the grin from crossing my lips as I lean back against the fridge, watching him move around with ease.

"Love you too."

The pattering of feet and the hesitant knock at my door has me jolting out of my almost-asleep state. Cursing beneath my breath, I rub my eyes and look over at the clock, to see that it's two thirty AM. Dragging myself to my feet, I don't bother to grab a shirt as I trudge to my bedroom door and open it.

NightHaze stands there, silver eyes wide, hair mussed, clutching a pillow to his chest with one hand as the other plays with the hem of his oversized hoodie. He looks anxious, and as soon as he sees my ruffled and tired state, he turns around.

"Sorry. You were sleeping. I'll go now." Two thirty in the damn morning. There's something up. I catch a glimpse of his face, then, in the hallway light. His cheeks are flushed, and his eyes are wet and red rimmed. I grasp his wrist, stopping him. NightHaze looks up at me, and I pull him into my chest, wrapping my arms around him sleepily.

"It's fine." I mumble. NightHaze's tense body relaxes beneath my touch, and I manage to drag himself and me back to my bed, where I flop back down, gesturing for NightHaze to climb in next to me. He does so, still hugging his pillow to his chest.

The fabric of NightHaze's hoodie is soft against my bare chest, and I hum, wrapping my arms around NightHaze's small waist, pulling him into me for a hug. I inhale his sweet lotus flower scent before speaking.

"What's up?"

"I had another nightmare." NightHaze's words are muffled by his pillow.

"Was it the usual nightmares?" I ask, suddenly feeling more alert and awake. NightHaze shakes his head, shifting and wriggling until he's facing me.

"No... I had a dream that I lost control of my powers. You tried helping me to calm down, but I..." NightHaze chokes, burying his face in the crook of my neck, body trembling. I think I know where it's going.

"Shh..." I whisper, rubbing circles on his back. "It's alright. I'm here. It was just a dream. It wasn't real. I'm okay." NightHaze doesn's speak, hands coming up to flatten against my back. An involuntary shiver runs down my spine at how cold his hands are against my heated skin. NightHaze makes a move to pull back, but I don't let him.

"I'm sorry." NightHaze mumbles.

"Don't be." I respond, slotting my nose against his. I brush my thumbs beneath his eyes, getting rid of tears, before pressing a soft kiss to each eyelid.

"If I ever lose control of my power," NightHaze begins, "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone." He inhales, a shuddering breath. "If I lose control of my power," he repeats. "I want you to kill me."

"I can't do that. I'm sorry." My heart's throbbing, and I feel as if it's in my throat. "I won't be able to. You're so precious to me, and I can't possibly be the one to kill you." I whisper. NightHaze sighs heavily. "You've come so far. You won't lose control, you know it. You know your power, and you know your own extent of it. Please don't doubt yourself."

NightHaze doesn't respond, and instead, cups the back of my neck and drags me down for a kiss. I kiss him back, albeit a bit sleepily, and brush my lips against his cheeks, his nose, before resting my chin on his head, letting NightHaze nuzzle into the crook of my neck.

"Just sleep, it's going to be alright." I murmur. NightHaze nods, slowly, before he wraps his arms around my waist, hugging my tightly as his breathing evens. Brushing a soft kiss to his forehead, I whisper a "goodnight," before closing my own eyes.

It turns out, NightHaze doesn't have nightmares when he sleeps next to me.

He was there again, all the way in the back of the library, books sprawled out all on the table that he sat at, glasses perched on his nose. Kaede didn't know how long he'd been coming to the library, all the way to the back, his own study books sprawled out on the table he sat at.

The stranger was there at what seemed like all times, studying quietly nd diligently. Of course, Kaede was there to study too, right?

No, that didn't seem to be the case; the open sketchbook before him said otherwise. It was full of rough drawings, sketches of this stranger's face, his fingers, and his eyes. Kaede had never found anyone to be this interesting, ever.

This stranger was both breathtaking and almost ethereal in Kaede's eyes. He had dark hair that fell just slightly into his brilliant violet eyes, a slim nose that tapered down into what seemed like a perfect Cupid's bow.

Kaede glanced down back at his sketchbook, where there was a half finished rough drawing of the stranger - resting his cheek in his palm and glancing off to the side. Half of his face went undrawn, most likely because of the lighting at the time. Sketching down a few more rough lines, Kaede glanced back up, and nearly had a heart attack.

The stranger was staring back at him, a small smile on his face as his head tilted to one side. Kaede almost panicked, shooting the stranger a rather anxious and sheepish grin, pawing at one of his textbooks in a vain effort to look like he was actually studying and not being a stalker.

It had only been a few minutes before he heard light footsteps approaching, before he felt a presence next to him. Glancing up, Kaede found himself staring at the stranger he'd been drawing for the past couple weeks. He wanted to shrink into his hoodie and die. The stranger's violet eyes were even prettier up close, a kind of beauty and color that Kaede could never capture on paper.

"Hi." Kaede said, voice soft and meek, a tentative half-smile crossing his face. The stranger gave him an equally as shy smile, looking embarrassed as his cheekbones dusted with red.

"May I see your drawings?" The stranger asked. Kaede's eyes widened, and his eyes darted down to his sketchbook, where a charcoal stained corner was visible.

"H-how...?"

"You're not very subtle with your staring and drawing." The stranger responded, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"How long..." Kaede's words trailed off, but the stranger knew exactly what he was going to ask.

"Since the first day." The stranger answered. "So.... can I?" Hesitantly, Kaede dragged his sketchbook from beneath his biology textbook, revealing the half finished sketch. Grasping the sketchbook gently in slender fingers, the stranger's eyes scanned the page.

"These are really good." The stranger whispered, flipping through the pages as Kaede sat there awkwardly, feeling his face burn with embarrassment. "You're talented."

"Thanks." Kaede shifted in his seat. He accepted the sketchbook that the stranger handed back to him.

"Um, to make things even more awkward, I guess, my name's Kaito. Kaito Asahi."

"Kaede..." Kaede spoke slowly, almost disbelievingly. "Kaede Itsuki." What else was he supposed to do? Not only did Kaede feel incredibly awkward with having Kaito find out that his staring wasn't very subtle, but Kaito had to know of Kaede's little crush on him.

"What do you say, that if I take you out on a date, you teach me how to draw?" Kaito asked, and Kaede found himself doing a double take with Kaito's offer.

"I - wait - what? Why? How?" Kaede sputtered, and Kaito let out a little laugh.

"I mean, if I'm not mistaken, your staring has told me that you like me, or find me somewhat attractive," Kaito started, dragging his foot across the floor in a shy manner.

"You are. Very." Kaede blurted, before slapping a hand over his mouth. Kaito's cheeks flushed, but he smiled nonetheless.

"I think you're cute and I want to get to know you better besides knowing you just as that one guy who stares at me across the library when I'm studying." Kaito finished.

"So if I teach you how to draw, then you'll take me out on a date?" Kaede asked.

"It's a deal." Kaito chirped, before digging through his pocket, handing Kaede a crumpled piece of paper, before heading back to his table. Confused and bewildered, Kaede smoothed the paper out on the table.

Scrawled on the crumpled piece of paper was a number, and a short note; dinner at 6 tomorrow? ;)