This is a direct continuation of my earlier YUA story, 'Love
Takes a Backseat'.  This one is a bit more... explicit, but
it doesn't even bother to cross into the [LIME] area.
Based off of the first season and OAV (not the movie or second
season)

Lara
lara@emunix.emich.edu
http://nabiki.newberry.edu/lara/index.html


{Characters and really annoying unresolved situations belong
to Kosuke Fujishima.}



                       Driving Off a Cliff

                         by Lara Bartram

                               ***

Everyone in the women's changing room stopped and stared.  
Miyuki felt like she was about to be reduced to the size of a 
gnat by the intense gazes of the others.  Trying to play it 
cool, she walked calmly to her locker, not acknowledging the 
others.

For once, Yoriko was not there.  She was not the one that had 
been gossiping.  That could mean only one thing.  Suddenly very 
nervous and having no clue how to handle things, Miyuki dressed 
quickly.

The others eventually got around to returning to their own 
activities, but she could still feel their eyes on her.

Avoiding eye contact, she hurried out of the dressing room.  It 
couldn't be... _that_ obvious.  It was just...

Miyuki blushed.  Just...

"Kobayakawa."

"Nakajima."  Business as usual between them.  She smiled faintly 
to herself, a warm remembrance of what they had shared settling 
in her heart and soul.  Miyuki just hoped he liked the little 
gift she had left for him.

                               ***

The others slapped his back and congratulated him as he passed.

Why he wasn't sure.

But then, there were a lot of things Ken didn't understand, and 
he wasn't afraid to admit as much.  Heck, he didn't know anyone 
who understood women, and Miyuki seemed to be the most 
mysterious female of them all.

That little smile she had given him, the one that had almost 
caused him to smile in return, for instance.  What had that been 
all about?

There was nothing wrong with her smiling at him; she had done it 
plenty of times before.  But this was something different.  A 
different smile, one he couldn't quite figure out.  The only 
thing he was sure about it was that it made him feel... fuzzy 
inside.

He shivered the tiniest bit, wondering why the station was so 
cold in the morning.

Making his way down to the garage, Ken nodded at the others who 
continued to congratulate him.  There was something he was 
missing, but he didn't really feel he should ask what the big 
deal was.

Just play it cool.  Story of his life.  Unless he was in close 
proximity to Mi... Kobayakawa.  She smiled and made him feel 
fuzzy inside.  She talked and he couldn't help but listen, 
sometimes not even hearing what she was saying.  She moved and 
he...  Well, fuzzy didn't really describe it.

Not even realizing it, he approached his bike with a silly smile 
on his face.  If ever he could manage to get his tongue untied 
in her presence, Ken would probably end up on his knees, 
professing his undying l... lo...

Business as usual.  That was the only way he could cope.  It did 
nothing to help his situation though.  His situation with 
Kobaya... Miyuki.

Miyuki.

"Miyuki.  I want to hear you say it," she had said.  "I want to 
hear you say my name."

"Miyuki-chan," he had whispered to her, closer to her than he 
had ever been.

Miyuki.  He... he loved her.  He just couldn't tell her.

"Way to go, Nakajima!"  A violent slap on his back and the near-
howling voice snapped him out of his pleasant memory.

Giving a stuttering laugh, Ken grinned uneasily.  "Thanks."  And 
still he wasn't sure what they were referring to.

His mood partially ruined, Ken continued to his bike.  What he 
saw there stopped him dead in his tracks.  Embarrassment mixed 
with boyish happiness and an irrational need to take the object 
and keep it with him.

Tied delicately to the right handle of his bike was a pale red 
ribbon.

With fumbling fingers, he untied the ribbon and tucked it into 
his pocket.

                               ***

"Natsumi, can I talk to you... alone?"

Looking groggy as she often did in the morning, Natsumi grumbled 
before agreeing.  It was obvious this would not be a pleasant 
conversation.

"What did you say to them?" Miyuki asked when they were alone.  
"What did you see?"

The tone of her voice actually worried Natsumi a little.  "Tell 
who..." she started.

"You know who!  And I'm sure you know what."  Miyuki was having 
a hard time deciding whether to be very angry or very worried.  
After all, if Natsumi did what she normally did, there was no 
telling the kinds of rumors floating about.

"I really don't know what you're talking about."  Whatever was 
bugging Miyuki was serious, and Natsumi was waking up quite 
quickly.  "What have people been saying?"

"Nothing."

"Don't be too embarrassed to tell.  I won't..."

"They haven't said anything.  They've all been... looking at 
me."

Natsumi blinked.  "Looking at you?"

"Staring!  They all know something."

"Things like?" she tried to prompt.

Miyuki's mouth opened, but no words came out.  It took her a few 
moments to find her voice, but when she did, there was no 
mistaking her mood.  "How could you do this to me?  And Ken?  
Don't you care at all?"

There was indeed anger there, and Natsumi took a step back 
before answering.  "I didn't say anything about anything!"

She knew, of course, but really hadn't said anything.  "I swear.  
I wouldn't."  All it took was the look on her partner's face and 
the realization that she had called him Ken to know what the 
problem was and how upset Miyuki was.

"Who then?  How?  They all..."  Miyuki slumped against the wall, 
eyes shining from unshed tears of embarrassment and frustration.

"They're all happy for you.  You know we've all been waiting for 
this since... just about forever."  Natsumi smiled reassuringly.  
"We were all just waiting for it to finally happen."

"But..."

"We're all happy for you.  Why aren't you happy for yourself?"

                               ***

"I am happy for myself.  I'm very happy.  Just because they 
can't tell..."  Miyuki spoke to herself in the mirror as she 
brushed her hair.

They could tell.  They could tell everything.  Except that she 
wasn't really sure what next she should do.  It seemed a bit 
sudden to just skip right to the... marriage thing, even if she 
felt she knew him as well as herself.

Letting her hair hang loose, Miyuki sighed.  Things were too 
strange.  That night had changed her entire life, and it should 
have for the better, but she wasn't so sure.

On the verge of tears, uncertainty and worry gnawing at her, 
Miyuki let the brush clatter to the dressing table.  With sudden 
single-minded determination, she went to the phone and picked it 
up.

                               ***

"Could you... come over?"

"Is there something wrong?"

A pause that was probably longer than it should have been.

"No."

An odd conversation, but compelling.  Could he say no?

He knocked firmly on her door, the sound echoing in the still 
evening air.  And what about Tsujimoto?  If Miyuki needed help, 
she certainly didn't need to call him.  After all, he had seen 
some of the things Tsujimoto could do when... she... was...

...dressed in a nightgown with her hair flowing freely, framing 
her face.

"I'm glad you could make it so quickly."  She stood there, 
simply, in the doorway.  There was no posing, no seduction...  
Just her and her hair.  And her eyes, which seemed to be liquid 
in the light from the street.

"I... I came right over."  The blood trickled slowly from one 
nostril, but he made no move to wipe it away, nor did Miyuki 
seem to notice.

"Come inside, Ken," she said, her voice soft and ever so 
inviting.

Like a paper clip, Ken followed the magnet that was Miyuki into 
the apartment.

The door closed, keeping their passionate kisses hidden from 
prying eyes.

                               ***

"You know how I said I liked you?"

He nodded.

"It's more than that."  One hand rested on his chest even while 
there was a visible distance between their bodies.

"Hm?"

"I love you, Ken.  I wouldn't be here, with you, if I didn't."  
Her body under the blanket moved, undulated, almost like a 
snake, and she was next to him.

He gave no visible reaction that their bodies were touching 
other than his arm going around her shoulders and pulling her 
closer.

This would be his moment of truth.  Three words, one 
specifically...  That was all.  Ken turned his head and looked 
into her half-lidded eyes, wondering what she was really 
feeling.

Happiness.  Contentment.  Love.  So she really meant it.  She 
really loved him.  And just how was he supposed to react to 
that?  "Miyuki-chan..."

Her eyes closed in response to the utterance of her name, as if 
it were a physical touch.  "Ken."  She tilted her head slightly, 
bringing her parted lips very close to his.

The sound of him swallowing was the loudest thing in the world.  
"Miyuki-chan, you...  I..."

He blinked.

"I... was wondering when Tsujimoto would be back."

Miyuki held her same position, waiting.  He would say it, kiss 
her, and then they'd... do something else.

Yet, the words did not come.  He didn't say them.  Opening her 
eyes, she saw the anxious/nervous face, something he could never 
hide, the guilty eyes...

"She won't be back tonight, Ken."  She leaned forward a little 
more.  "We're alone.  Completely alone."

Things were very slowly starting to fall into place.  Miyuki 
against him, bare skin touching bare skin, the words she had 
said...  The ones he could not reciprocate.

Yet.

Instead of trying, he kissed her lips softly.  The words would 
come in time; he was confident of that.  Until that time, Miyuki 
would understand.  Actions spoke louder than words, and there 
wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her.

                               ***

"Um, Natsumi, are you sure you should be drinking that much?" 
Yoriko asked, dreading the consequences.  She didn't want her 
floor to get stained.

Natsumi dismissed her concern with a drunken snort.  "I haf ta 
stay someplace tonight."

Yoriko looked from side to side with just her eyes.  "Why not 
your apartment then?"

Grinning, Natsumi let her head roll to the side so she was 
looking at her friend.  "I figgered Miyuki needed some privacy."

Yoriko's right eyebrow twitched.  "Privacy?" she asked in a 
whisper.  "What for?"

Snickering and taking another drink, Natsumi shook her head 
slowly.  "Ya jus' don't git it.  She's gotta... you know."

Yoriko's eyes widened as she watched Natsumi make a vaguely 
explicit gesture with her hands.  "With who!?" she shrieked.

"Ken, dummy.  Ev'ybody knows _that_."  She blew a raspberry at 
nothing in particular.

"Now?  Right now?  They're... together?"  With every question, 
Yoriko's voice got a little higher.  Whether it was disbelief, 
amazement, or just girlish innocence, Yoriko was far too 
interested in Miyuki's private doings than she should have been.

It was really bad when even she thought so.

"I know whatcher thinkin'.  She'd get rilly mad if you did," 
Natsumi said as if she could read Yoriko's thoughts.

Laughing guiltily, Yoriko shook her head.  "I have no idea what 
you mean."  She smiled innocently.

"Jus' a fair warning.  Thought she was gonna bite my face off 
when she thought I went and told everyone."

Blood drained from Yoriko's face.  Miyuki had gotten... upset?  
At Natsumi?  And had expressed it?  Maybe it was better not to 
butt into things.

She liked spreading the gos... news, but if Miyuki really wanted 
to keep her privacy that badly, to the point she'd get angry and 
not bother to hide it, who was she to go against it?

"Well, I'd... need all the details.  I can't just make this up 
if I'm going to tell everyone."  Oh yeah, that was believable.  
Grimacing inwardly, Yoriko hoped Natsumi was too drunk to 
notice.

"If he wasn't so hopeless, I woulda given him a shot," Natsumi 
mumbled, starting to doze off.  "So cute..."

The next sound from Natsumi was a gentle snore.

Tip-toeing, Yoriko went and covered her sleeping form with a 
blanket, not failing to notice the way her guest's hand was 
tucked down the front of her panties.

Miyuki was off-limits, but this would be good for a laugh.  
Natsumi's file just got fatter and more entertaining every day.

                               ***

Miyuki had been awake almost all night.  She had managed a few 
hours, not nearly as much as she was used to, but that was okay.  
A few hours was worth it when she could awaken in a place where 
she felt so completely satisfied though.

Just a few more minutes...  It wouldn't matter; she would have 
plenty of time to get to the station.  Miyuki sighed and let her 
eyes close again.

If she could only get him to _say_ the words, things would be 
great, almost perfect.  And then if she could just...  That step 
was still too much though.  Too far, too fast.

Too far, but then she didn't feel she could continue the way 
they were unless they decided to go that far.

Sighing again, Miyuki decided it was best to get up and not 
wait.  There was no telling what might happen if she stayed in 
bed, tucked under the blanket, curled against Ken...

A smile creeping to her lips, she sat up, holding the blanket to 
her chest.  "Ken, it's time to get up," she said softly, looking 
down at his still sleeping form.  "We have to go to the 
station."

Mumbling, he pulled himself closer to her.  Waking up and work 
were of no concern to him this morning.  His hands brushed her 
naked flesh briefly before settling on it and squeezing lightly.

"I know you feel it," she whispered, putting her hand over his.  
"Just say it.  Just tell me so I know."  It was really the only 
thing she wanted.  Once that was out in the open, she knew she'd 
be able to do anything.

                               ***

"Thank you for the ride, Miyuki."

"It was no trouble.  I was the one that called you, after all."  
She smiled at him, hands clasped in front of her.  "Any time 
you'd like to... come over again would be fine."

She watched him swallow and smiled.  His reactions were getting 
less severe; maybe that meant he'd actually be able to say it.

"Yes, well...  I'll consider it."  He tugged a little at the 
collar of his shirt and took a step back.  "I suppose we 
should..."

Before he could get away, Miyuki reached out and snatched up his 
hand.  "Ken, about last night."  She wished she could see his 
eyes, but it was almost like he was a different person.  It was 
hard to decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Last night?" he asked weakly.

Miyuki stopped herself from rolling her eyes.  He wouldn't say 
it.  "Last night."  She stepped closer until they were almost 
touching.  His hand in hers grew damp with perspiration.

There was a mantra running through her head...  Please say it.  
Please say it.  Please say it.  Say it say it say it...

"I love you."  Eyes filled with hope, she looked up at him.

"Miyuki," he whispered in a way that thrilled her to her very 
center.  "Last night..."  He shook his head, unable to find the 
things he wanted to say.

With his body under alien control, Ken moved his head down and 
kissed Miyuki.  Actions louder than words.  A convenient phrase, 
but he was beginning to think it didn't quite work for him.

Separating, a sigh on Miyuki's lips, Ken looked at her and 
smiled.  "Miyuki."

Not even realizing her eyes had closed, she opened them and 
returned his gaze.  "Yes?"

"I..."

Everything inside of her was urging Miyuki to jump up and down 
and clap her hands.  He was finally going to say it!  Her feet 
stayed firmly on the ground though, and she hid her excitement 
as best she could.

"I..."

"Uuuuhnnnnn."

Ken literally hopped back, dropping Miyuki's hand.  "I need to 
get ready," he said quickly, and hurried away, leaving Miyuki 
standing there.

It was a few seconds later, as Natsumi staggered past, that 
Miyuki realized she had the capacity to kill.  She was about to 
demonstrate to her partner.

"M'yuki.  I feel so sick..."

The anger faded to leave serious annoyance.  Natsumi had done 
her a favor by going to Yoriko's, and that had been very nice.  
In more than one way.  "Let me help you.  I should have known 
this would happen."

It would be a long day; that Miyuki was sure of.

                               ***

"Natsumi?"

"Hnh?"

"Could you do me a favor?"  Miyuki was whispering.

"If you can get rid of this headache..."

"Please, Natsumi.  I'm serious."

Massaging her temples, Natsumi nodded.  "What is it?"

"I want you to...  I guess you might say damage control."

Natsumi's head whipped up to look at her partner, pain instantly 
shooting through her skull.  Wincing, she asked, "And what is 
that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm...  I need more time with him.  Alone."

Natsumi groaned.  Not another night with Yoriko.  The girl could 
talk like there was no tomorrow, which did nothing to improve 
the situation.  "I don't know if I can handle another night.  I 
might end up killing her," she mumbled under her breath.

"No, you don't have to do that.  I just want you to cover for 
us.  I'm going to... ask him out.  And then when we're alone, I 
know..."

"I don't want to hear it," Natsumi said quickly, holding her 
hand up.  "Too much information."

Cheeks coloring, Miyuki looked aghast.  "Nothing like that!  He 
was about to say it when you showed up this morning!  I think he 
would if we had just a little more time."

"It?  You need to use smaller words here.  My brain isn't 
working right now."

"I think he's going to tell me he loves me," Miyuki answered in 
a loud whisper.

"Mm, right.  Love.  Gotcha.  Cover for you...  Count on me.  No 
one will ever know."  That said, Natsumi's head dropped, and her 
forehead thunked as it hit the desktop.

                               ***

"About this morning..."  He looked over at her, braid blowing 
behind her in the wind as they sped along the twisting road.  
The quickly darkening dusk somehow gave her a halo of golden 
light.

It only made him feel like more of an idiot.

"This morning?  What about it?"  Miyuki's eyes never left the 
road.

"I... didn't get a chance to finish what I was saying."

"That's all right.  Natsumi needed some help.  I don't mind."  
The smile seemed to be natural and forced at the same time.

"But..."  For a moment, Ken's brow furrowed behind his 
sunglasses.  "I mind," he said finally.

"Mind what?"

"Not getting a chance to say what I wanted!"

Miyuki's smile shifted just a touch, to be completely natural.  
"What was it you wanted to say then?  No one can interrupt us 
now."

The truth struck him.  Alone in the car with Miyuki, no 
distractions, no interruptions...  He wanted to panic, to jump 
right out.

But something a bit more... intelligent in him kept him in the 
seat.  Alone with her, this was the perfect chance.  More than 
perfect.  "I just wanted to say..."

"Shh," she interrupted, putting her fingertips on his lips for a 
brief moment.  "Not yet."

Ken sat back in the seat, confused.  She... didn't want him to 
say it?

Not true!

She wanted him to wait.  He just hoped it wasn't too long.  
Losing his nerve again would have been disaster.

The rest of the drive was made in silence, only the sound of the 
engine and the wind to occupy them.  The sun quickly dipped into 
the horizon as the full, fat moon took its place in the sky.  
The stars shone overhead, combined with the silence, like frozen 
points of light.

Miyuki took another curve, but instead of following the road, 
she slowed and went down a path barely fit for a vehicle of any 
kind.

It looped around and ended at a drop-off, overlooking the road 
some twenty feet below them, and the outskirts of the city much 
farther below that.

Everything spread out before them.  The earth below, the sky 
above, it was like being on the edge of existence.  Just the two 
of them.

"What did you want to tell me, Ken?"

Her voice ripped through the gentle illusion.  Instead of the 
edge of existence, they were on the edge of... something else.

Tearing his eyes away from the view, Ken looked over at her.  
Why it had ever been difficult to say was unknown to him.  At 
the moment, it seemed like the simplest thing in the entire 
world.  Not just saying it, but feeling it.

"Last night," he began, "I never really told you..."

"Yes, Ken?"

"Just how beautiful you were.  Did I?"

"No, Ken."

"Or how happy you've made me?"

"No, Ken."

"Or..."  His voice quivered, but only with the force of emotion 
he was feeling.  His hand found its way to hers and held on to 
it.  "Or..."  Down to a whisper now, as if it added to 
everything.

Glancing out at the view, Ken knew that it did.  The edge of 
everything, the world, the future stretching out in front of 
him.  "How much I love you?"

"No, Ken," Miyuki answered, smiling.

"Lots."

She blinked.

"I love you.  Lots."

Miyuki remained smiling for a few seconds more, then broke into 
a fit of giggling.  "See?  It wasn't hard at all."

"Why are you laughing then?  I'm pouring my heart out!"

"Because you're adorable, and I love you too."  Tears trickling 
from the corners of her eyes, she reached over and hugged him, 
wondering just what had taken so long as he returned her 
embrace.


	End