(Untitled)

[kurosakiboy]

One boy young man, one booth, one book and one hot chocolate. Mix well, bake until golden brown.Ichigo's in a booth with a book today, a drink nearby half-finished and now forgotten as he struggles with an old, well-worn paperback. Having never heard of "Of Mice and Men", and having little experience with America in the past or the present, Ichigo

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[ironside_pixie]

Well, clearly that means he is stupid. Right? Riiiiight? Like some horrendous American cartoon, Kaye pops up behind his shoulder. Mug of coffee; check. Gaudy pink cocktail stirrer with naked lady topper; check.

Annoying attitude; Definitely check.

"Reading? You?" She gives him a look of disbelief.

[ironside_pixie]

"This guy --?"

A thrill uncoils in her stomach at the idea of...something she'd rather not think about. It's not the time to be hormonal crazy teenager. She takes a steadying sip of her coffee.

"He's far too sweet for that."

[kurosakiboy]

Ichigo has NO idea when it's the time to be a hormonal crazy teenager, but in his experiences, the answer is NEVER. Maybe that'll change now, or maybe he won't. Time will tell.

"Oh really?" Ichigo blushes a bit harder at that, but he keeps talking anyways. "Well if he's so sweet, why are you sitting way over there?"

This...may become an insanely awkward moment, but it slipped out and now it's there between them and he can't undo what he did. He doesn't want to, in fact. He isn't sure if it's going to far or not, but it's not like she has to get in his lap! All he's doing is trying to get her to sit next to him.

If she doesn't want to, all she has to do is say so. Of course, then Ichigo will have to kill himself out of embarrassment, but still.

[ironside_pixie]

Oh, she really doesn't know how to do this. She's only ever had relationship advice from Lethe, who's sweeter than anyone has a right to be. Or Wes, who's bawdier than a drunken sailor on a Saturday Night.

She takes a chance, slipping out of her chair to sit on the bench next to him. Hell, she's Kaye Fierch the Fearless, right?

"Because." She brushes her finger against his cheek for just a second, not daring to look directly at him. "Even sweet guys can get carried away."

Even pixies can be afraid of their hearts.

[kurosakiboy]

He smiles at her, feeling a lot more brave now than he did a minute ago, and leans in a bit closer, just to whisper quietly so only she can hear.

"Maybe sweet guys do that sometimes, Kaye, but not me." He leans back again, his cheeks still red from earlier, and tries to act casual. "Besides, I've spent the last seventeen years of my life being in control of what I feel. I think you're overestimating yourself, Kaye Fierch." A familiar grin, a soft hand on her arm, there and then gone again. "Getting cocky, are we?"

[ironside_pixie]

Hands on her hips, first she looks furious. Then she pouts, very obviously. It's that or continue to feel the spot where his lips almost brushed her ear. She tries her best not to scratch it, she wants this to be simple, clean...she doesn't want to get used again.

"You never even kissed a girl before me. So forgive me if I am."

[kurosakiboy]

...and now his ears are on fire again. He knew he never should have let that slip! He doesn't want her knowing thinking that he's some inexperienced little kid!

"Well you don't know that that's still true. Maybe I have since then."

[ironside_pixie]

They're supposed to be joking around. Kaye's heart leaps into her throat. She forgets to be casual. She forgets everything but those deep brown eyes and the treachery they could contain.

"Have you?"

[kurosakiboy]

...it is possible that maybe Ichigo did not think his words through. Maybe that kind of joke was harmless a few months ago, but now?

Now it's a bit thick of him to make it.

"No," he admits, feeling quite bad for ever suggesting it. "I've still never...you know."

[ironside_pixie]

"Oh. Okay."

She's gone quiet, lip half sucked in, playing with the bottom of her tangled hair. Almost tastes like a memory.

Eye-liner carefully applied. A faerie prince who'd picked her. Played with her mind. Just some stupid little girl who thought she was in love.

"Have you seen Lethe around?" Her eyebrows are a furrowed crease of pain.

[kurosakiboy]

He isn't quite sure if her new question has anything to do with her old one, but he likes to think it doesn't.

He really wishes he could read girl-minds.

"No, I haven't seen her in ages," he replies, concern written all over his face. He can at least tell that something's wrong, even if he's not sure what. "Why?"

[ironside_pixie]

She laughs, shrill, panicked, then exhales shakily, turning towards the table. She folds her hands together there, concentrating on the ragged mess of her nails.

"A long time ago. I thought I was in love....I was in love."

She doesn't want to hide anymore. He's supposed to be her friend...more, someone she can talk to.

[kurosakiboy]

He's more than a little concerned by the time she's begun to speak, his hands clenching nervously under the table as he listens to her whispered words.

"I...I know that, Kaye. With that Roiben guy, right?" He met him, once. Once and only once, no idea who he was at the time. He's not sure if he's happy or angry that he hasn't met him since. "What's this got to do with Lethe?"

[ironside_pixie]

"I guess...I guess, he liked her a lot better than me." Her lips pale.

She feels like a child. Worthless. Stupid. Always stupid, foolish, jumping in feet first.

"Not hard to understand, really. They kissed. Shit happened. It always does. Eventually, he left. I tried to chase him and..."

She snorts, a soft, sad sound.

"After a while, I got sick of it. Drinking. Showing up at his stupid fucking underground faerie lair. Being pathetic. He didn't want me. Or her. He left us both."

Beat.

"Alone."

[kurosakiboy]

He isn't sure how he's supposed to react to this. He's still getting his head around what she's said when she keeps talking, until eventually she stops and he's left with a whole lot of history summed up very quickly and then dumbped in his lap.

In the end, he doesn't have the words to make her feel better. Not right away. And he can't undo the past, or make that stupid idiot come back (he really doesn't want that anyways), so instead he just does what he can.

He puts his arm around her, pulls her close, and holds her.

"You're not alone anymore."

[ironside_pixie]

"I know, I've got Ellen and Kate and --"

She looks up at him, feels the warmth of his arm around her. It almost feels like home. Making a home with your bravery and your stubbornness and every little scrap that he left you with. Only shreds, but you can use them to build something new. Something...happy.

"--you."

She grins, mood changing, as always; a forced pixie grin.

"Ellen would like you. You look...clean, decent." A pause. "Gentlemanly?"