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[Logical Insanity]

Sohma Akane sat on a park swing, a steaming Styrofoam cup held in two navy gloved hands. A thick black coat covered from her knees upward, the bottom of a loose pair of dark jeans visible below. Underneath those were a pair of knee-high suede boots, and underneath the coat was a thick chocolate brown polar neck. Needless to say, she hardly looked out of place in the weather. Neither did her downcast expression, as mismatched eyes stared down into her coffee cup. Lifting one hand to adjust her cosplay ears, worn over a beanie hat, the kitsune sighed. She’d just been to see Rin in hospital, and felt sure that God was ignoring her nightly prayers.

Albeit her mother recognised her… just not as her daughter, but as more of a playmate. Another sigh slipped from Akane’s lips, as she turned her gaze to the slowly darkening sky. Takeshi had stayed behind to talk with the doctors, though she wasn’t entirely sure what they were talking about. Thus, after much aimless wandering, the girl had finally wandered into the unusually empty park. … At least ‘Kaasan is happy. She thought eventually, though she was having an unnaturally hard time thinking on the bright side of things. Maybe it’s the winter weather…

Akane had always thought winter was a sad season, as much as she loved plating out in the snow. She’d always thought that winter was nature’s way of being sad, like the rain was its way of crying. Akane still stood by that thought. If humans can be sad… why can’t the world? It wasn’t very often the kitsune was pensive, but when she was her thoughts tended to go quite deep. The girl blinked as a small ball of white dropped into her cup, melting in the heat and alerting her that the snow had begun again. Looking up at the navy painted sky, she couldn’t help but wonder…

Is the snow another way of crying?

[Kachi]

Snow is pure, and everlasting. It stretches out beneath our feet, like the path we must choose…but isn’t snow hard to walk upon? If we slip, won’t it hurt? Whats-

Pages thudded against one another as the book was abruptly slammed down, their delicate edges breaking under the strain. The day was cold, the air holding a sense of mystery and glamour about it. People moved about slowly, as if the snow was hampering them from their usual, frantic activities, their eyes dreamy and unfocused, their emotions unfettered there for all to see.

Ryou was going to be late back to his apartment once more. His arms were full of groceries stacked high, each wrapped snugly in their own piece of material, and then tucked neatly into Ryou’s large, cloth shopping bag. He cursed inwardly at his bad luck at being caught outside in such foul weather. It seemed that whenever the teenager went shopping, all kinds of bad luck were directed towards him.

A clump of snow, pure and white, its texture silky and unsullied, gently sailed down from the sky above, landing precociously in the palm of Ryou’s hand. He watched as it slowly disappeared, succumbing to the warmth of his own body. He wrapped the coarse texture of his coat around him, to keep the chill of winter out, starting forward once more.

Cars issued long screams of protest, their horns blaring into the white silence, their engines sputtering and coughing out deadly fumes. The roads were clogged full of their metal bodies, crunching and rasping against one another, the neon lights overhead flickering from time to time. It’s disgusting. We’re polluting our own world…we’re killing ourselves.

Wisely, the teenager decided to make his way back to the apartment through the park.

Ryou had never thought of ‘the apartment’ as home. He had never had a fixed home. No-he had never had a home. Even now, Akito had no idea he was already out and about, away from his apartment in the main estate. Nonetheless, the sight of children, their faces white with the cold, shrieking hysterically as they darted through the park, could banish any unwanted thoughts.

The play equipment’s surface was frosty, gleaming with miniscule specks of snow, their metal hinges groaning against the weight of their users. The foliage too, was coated lovingly in a layer of ice, their lush, dark green branches folding down, with the strain of the snow. Ryou had not been aware of his thoughts wandering, but the sharp tug of a branch, snagged in his coat alerted him to the fact.

If it hadn’t been for the branch, Ryou would have gone into a rage, tearing at the obstructing object.

Carefully removing the branches firm, grasping twigs, Ryou strolled onwards, at a leisurely pace. He was in no hurry to return back to Akito, his main tormentor, and the suffocating silence of the main house. Park benches sprawled here and there, their green paint flaking off like the snow flaked from the sky, their metal arms rusted…

A girl?

Her expression had been the thing that had caught Ryou’s eye first, the familiar happy smile, underlain with a trace of pensive sorrow. Unlike Ryou, she had properly wrapped up snugly, her hands coated with thick, navy blue material, two, slightly damp boots covering half of the jeans that stretched up her legs, a cheerful looking beanie propped upon her hair, held in place by a-

A set of cosplay ears?

Blinking at them now, Ryou was certain they were a foxes, their tips red and glinting in the winter sunlight. He watched her, still out of reality, as the girl tilted forward, then jerked back again, tilted forward, and…Is she doing that on purpose? Or does she know she’s doing that at all? He watched, as the steaming foam mug she held in her hands tilted forward with her body, the dark, ebbing liquid within reaching the cups edge, before being pulled back perilously.

I can’t do anything-that baka! What does she think she’s playing at, sloshing her drink back and forward? And I definitely can’t hug her, because-

His hands jerked up, out of old habit, to tap the thick collar circling his neck. He had tightened the metal straps, pulling the leather deeper in, so that the entire contraption dug further into his flesh, to curb his ‘wild side’. The collar…Ryou swore, tearing his hands away. It was still there, firmly in place, and there was not a hope in hell he’d take it off now. But that girl…Something about her intrigued Ryou. It could’ve been her expression, or it just could’ve been her…on a whole.

But now wasn’t the time for interest. The girl’s cup tilted forward for a final time, its liquids finally sailing through the air….Ryou’s single shout, alarmed and annoyed, a mixture of two conflicting feelings shattered the wintry silence.

“Hey, watch out-!!”

Too late, the girl started forward, surprised, not seeing the hot liquid about to spill onto the expanse of her coat. Cursing once more, Ryou let the precious packages of his food slide to the snow-covered dirt path, and darted forward, passing easily over the snow slicked way.

If we slip, won’t it hurt?

Banishing all thoughts from his mind, Ryou’s hands jerked up. He was fast, it was true, but he would never be fast enough to catch the most of that liquid. Almost on their own accord, his hands danced up the warmth of his neck, to snag upon the thick leather strap circling his neck…and yanked. The metal bands snapped loose, and Ryou tossed the whole, meaningful contraption behind him. He’d never forcefully removed his collar before…

He didn’t know what would happen.

But for once, fate was on his side, speeding him forward, to lurch to a hasty stop just in front of the girl, his face white with the excitement and the cold. Ryou’s arms were already there, shooting out, the hot drink saturating the length of his arms, spattering to stain his shirt, the heat rising through him as he stood there, his arms abruptly thrust out, the contents of the girls cup scattered across his torso.

This…is awkward.

It was then that the boy was brought back to reality.

He had left his collar behind.

[Logical Insanity]

Staring off into a random point of the sky, Akane began to rock back and forth slowly. It was mostly subconscious, but it was also slightly soothing. The steam from her cup mingled with the cool air, creating tendrils of visible mist that brushed her chin. Too far in her own little word, the kitsune didn’t notice the scalding liquid sloshing about the cup, teasing the edge dangerously before retracing. It didn’t seem like anyone was home at that moment, while her blue eye was always unfocused, her brown one matched it perfectly at that time. I wonder what Otou-san was talking to the doctor about…

“Hey, watch out-!!”

Blinking from her reverie at the call, Akane noticed too late as the liquid finally sprang free from the cup and looked ready to scald her front. Ah, this is so bad!!! In an instant, though, someone was pulling her speedily from danger’s way… and taking the burning drink in her place. There was a long, awkward silence, in which Akane merely blinked at the boy who was now covered in coffee. He’d been there so fast… like lightning. Finally coming too, the kitsune’s eyes went wide. “A… are you okay?! Omigosh, I’m so sorry!!! IT’S BURNING, ISN’T IT?! UH… UH SNOW!!! HAI!!! SNOW, LEAN DOWN IN THE SNOW!!!”

Okay, she had begun panicking, but she was shocked. Standing abruptly, Akane scooped up handfuls of the while substance and rubbing it into his arms and torso through his shirt. “Th… this’ll help the burning! Hai, it will!” She gabbled, more so to herself than the boy. Frantically digging through her pockets, she pulled forth a handkerchief and began dabbing at the coffee. “This is going to stain! I’ll pay for dry-cleaning or replacing it, okay! I’m so sorry!!!”

Finally backing away, slightly breathless, Akane looked at the boy properly for the first time. Her eyes widened. Wow… She didn’t think she’d ever seen anyone so… unique. His hair and eyes… just things that were so unique, they were seldom seen. Coughing in embarrassment, she managed a small smile and tried to smooth her thoughts out. “I’m… I’m really sorry. I… it was really kind of you to do that! You’re so fast, I’m sure you’re acing Gym! Uwah… I’m rambling now! Th… thank you… er… I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.” She finally stopped, face flushing in self-conscious embarrassment.

This is shaping up to be an interesting night…

[Kachi]

…Ow.

Hot liquid seared Ryou’s skin, slowly spreading down and setting into his clothes. He had tried to prepare himself for the sensation, but now that he was actually experiencing it…it was odd. He couldn’t think of any other person apart from him right then, who would willingly take the place of an unknown girl they’d never seen before. The girl seemed beside herself with shock, her eyes widening with realization…Now that Ryou was closer up, he could see that her eyes were…

Words were lost to the true meaning of how her eyes appeared. They seemed to flash in the rapidly darkening light, with some unseen emotion, making them all the more lustrous. Their colors were different, too, a dark shade of chocolate brown in one orb, and a glossy azure coat of color in the other. Thick, smoky lashes lined them, blinking tentatively as she observed him worriedly. Wondering whether to get up and move away, Ryou was just about to get to his feet, when high pitched words, frightened and panicky directed themselves at him.

“A… are you okay?! Omigosh, I’m so sorry!!! IT’S BURNING, ISN’T IT?! UH… UH SNOW!!! HAI!!! SNOW, LEAN DOWN IN THE SNOW!!!”

Ryou had barely time to comprehend what she was saying, before the girl had roughly grabbed several handfuls of clumped, white snow, and thrust them at him, rubbing the snow into his shirt and along the length of his scalded arms. She was frantic, robotically bending down to scoop more snow, thrust it into him, make sure it was ‘cooling his burns down’, then bend down once more to repeat the process.

He lifted one arm, part to show that he wasn’t dramatically affected, and to stop her frantic scurrying to and fro. “Hey-I’m okay….hey…-“

“Th… this’ll help the burning! Hai, it will!”

The girl mustn’t have heard, for the next minute she had abandoned her snow technique, and had turned round, scrabbling frantically within the lining of her pocket, to produce a clean, cotton handkerchief, and began to dab, panicked, at the stains that now traversed the most of Ryou’s shirt. Truth be told, irritation was building up inside the boy.

…This…isn’t good…

He could already feel the lust to rip the girl before him into pieces emerging. Without his collar, Ryou was helpless to whatever his inbuilt killer would do. And still, the girl dabbed and scrubbed frantically, completely oblivious to the annoyance building up within her charge. I need…that damned collar…

“This is going to stain! I’ll pay for dry-cleaning or replacing it, okay! I’m so sorry!!!”

It was obvious the girl didn’t care a shred for her pocket money, her words squeaky in the silence. Ryou was all too aware several people in the vicinity had stopped to stare, and cajole them. “Listen,” he said loudly, hoping that she’d actually overcome her distress to hear him speaking to her, “It doesn’t matter. I really don’t care about it.”

No effect.

“I’m… I’m really sorry. I… it was really kind of you to do that! You’re so fast, I’m sure you’re acing Gym! Uwah… I’m rambling now! Th… thank you… er… I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

She had finally backed away, her creamy face flustered and flushed with embarrassment, her gaze curiously rising to meet his. He met her gaze, the mismatching eyes more intriguing than ever, and quickly glanced away. That was the trouble with girls-they never knew when to stop talking. Hands curled into balls by his side, and Ryou was all too aware how little time he had left.

Startling the girl, he snatched the handkerchief from her grip, and without explanation, tied it firmly around his neck. It would do, he thought grouchily, pulling the thick knot tighter, so the soft material became a ring of fire around his neck. The humanity in him regained the upper hand, his leopard instincts slowly dying away. All too aware of the curious stares he was receiving from the rightful owner of the handkerchief, Ryou looked away, to meet the eyes of a dozen, equally curious people.

Oh crap. This sucks.

Even more brusquely then he had done before, Ryou reached out, taking the elbow of the clueless girl. She followed obediently, as he led her away from the rabble of nosy people, into a smaller clearing, the trees crowding down on them from overhead.

Even so, there was something about the girl, some strange reason that Ryou had taken an automatic liking to her…It could’ve been her funny cluelessness, or simply her optimism and empathy in the face of sarcasm…but nonetheless, it would do no harm to oblige the girl with the answers to her questions.

“It’s nothing. Just don’t space out so much next time. You could’ve been burnt!” he snapped. Feeling it was unfair to snap at an unknown girl, Ryou dodged the Gym question and the ‘rambling’ phrase, to proceed onto the last question she had asked.

“My name? Uh…you don’t need to really know that. But…tell me yours and I might tell you mine.”

[Logical Insanity]

There was a long awkward silence, in which the boy merely seemed to observe her and Akane finally noticed the spectators. Cheeks flaming an even more brilliant shade of crimson, she began toying feverently with the handkerchief in her hands, twisting and tanking on it. Ohnoohnoohnoohnoooo! People are staring… this is bad! So very bad! The fox wailed mentally, unable to meet the boy’s gaze now out of embarrassment for causing such a scene. He must- She began to think, before the feeling of the handkerchief being pulled sharply from her grasp caught her off guard.

Akane blinked as she watched the boy twist it about his neck, and thought for a frightening moment that he was going to strangle himself. However, he merely tied a secure knot in the back, making the material seem like some form of bandana… or a collar. The girl cocked her head to the side slightly in confusion. Eh… why would he…? I mean… eh? She wondered for a muddled second, before she became aware of the boy tugging at her arm, and instinctively began to follow.

His pace was fast, and the teen stumbled more than once in her effort to keep up. Still, he kept a firm grip on her elbow and eventually led her to a small clearing underneath a cover if trees. Standing next to him awkwardly, Akane shuffled a bit until he finally spoke to her, for the first time, in her recollection.

“It’s nothing. Just don’t space out so much next time. You could’ve been burnt!”

Nodding, and feeling foolish, Akane replied with a weak smile and a small, “Hai… gomen ne…” Oh yes, she felt like a prime idiot, and in her readiness to avert her gaze, noticed something that made her cheeks flame again. Before the kitsune could voice her observation, the boy spoke up again.

“My name? Uh…you don’t need to really know that. But…tell me yours and I might tell you mine.”

Not one to deny a request, she said softly, “Akane, Sohma Akane…” Still blushing heatedly, she voiced what she had noticed before. “I… I hate to sound rude after you just saved me… but… uh… could you let go of my arm now… please?”

Smooth, real smooth…

[Kachi]

“Akane, Sohma Akane…”

Eyes rapidly changed color, their pupils dilating as they spun through a series of colors, from orange, to green, to gold and then back again, his emotions unsettled and unfettered. The girl didn’t seem…didn’t seem…he was positive he’d never seen her before.

Yeah…and that’s ‘cos I’m always under observation! Stuck in that stinking apartment, with nothing to do…how the hell am I meant to get out and about?

Looking her up and down curiously, Ryou was even more determined to find out about the girl. She didn’t seem the type to be cursed, like he was. Her gaze wandered, awkward and uncertain, her oval shaped face rather flushed. Her hair, an unusual shade of strawberry red hung down over her shoulders, and she glanced away nervously.

But…Sohma? She must know Akito then, unless she lives ‘outside’. Is she even cursed?

The girls soft, concerned tones broke the pensive silence abruptly, shy and hesitating.

“I… I hate to sound rude after you just saved me… but… uh… could you let go of my arm now… please?”

“Huh?” Glancing down, Ryou saw that his hand was still firmly fixed around the girls elbow. Her skin was smooth against his, unlike the rough, rasping flesh of other people’s skin. It seemed…so fragile, Ryou marveled, as if he could twist it and it would shatter underneath his grip. The leopard hastily dropped his hand as soon as his thoughts cleared; if he held on, it would look strangely perverted.

Now’s the opportune moment to get out of this situation. Just walk away, say something like ‘See you the next time you’re doing something ditzy.’ She won’t mind. Just-get out of here-!!

As Ryou backed away, all too eager to live the cumbersome atmosphere, his foot connected with something hard upon the ground. …Ara? He bent down, lifting the object from the ground. Its rough, yet waxy texture was oddly familiar, and Ryou ran his palm along the length of the strap, taking note of the grooves running along it, the metal bands…

My collar…?

He must have thrown it in this direction, realized the teen bewilderedly, taking the cloth handkerchief from around his neck and fastening the collar there instead, relishing the feeling as the rough edges cut once more into his skin, the beast within him caged. He held the handkerchief out, feeling even more awkward then was supposedly humanly possible.

“Um…sorry, about before. Thanks for your handkerchief.” He added awkwardly. It didn’t help that the girl was spacing out once more, gazing vacantly into space. Ryou frowned, recalling ‘the girls’ name…Akane Sohma. What was with her? He’d never seen anyone as clueless as her before.

“I’m Ryou,” he added awkwardly, wondering whether to add his surname, but decided against it. “See you the next time you’re doing something ditzy.” Ryou finished off hastily, turning away from the glade.

But wait…I never found out…whether she’s cursed or not…

The words came spontaneously, Ryou cursing himself almost immediately.

“Hey, um, Akane? You seemed kinda upset before...is anything wrong? ...I'll listen.”

…Baka