Odd Jobs

Chapter 21 - Can We Keep Him??

Shinoa wrapped her arms around Mika's neck as he sat on the couch, trying his damn hardest to contain his sobs. It didn't take long for Mitsuba to enter the living room, a cup of hot cocoa and a blanket in hand.

"Alright, pretty boy, let me get this situation straight.", she started as she handed the drink to Mika. "So the girl that was harassing you was your classmate, Ruruka. But nothing bad happened yet, right? So what's the sitch?"

"I can wave my school goodbye if word goes out of my strip work. I can't quit, either, because I need the money for my tuition fees and I live in the apartment above the club."

"So, in simple words..."

"I'm fucked." Mika's hands trembled as he looked at the chocolatey drink in them. The tiny marshmallows looked like they were having a rave. He felt Shinoa's arms unwrap from his neck, as the lavender haired girl went to sit down next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're gonna be okay, Mika-chan. Everything will work out in the end. Have some faith in yourself.", she said. The boy's held back sob escaped. Shinoa gently grabbed the cup from Mika's hands, as Mitsuba draped the fleece blanket over his shoulders. He sobbed again.

"I ruined everything.", he cried.

"No you didn't!", the blonde girl said as she wrapped her arms around him. Shinoa noticed Mika's phone vibrating on the table.

"Mika-chan, someone's calling you."

"Who is it?", he asked as he looked up at her. She peered at the screen of the phone.

"Bitch boss."

"O-Oh, that's my boss, I should answer that." Mika reached over, as Mitsu desperately attempted to choke back her laughter. To no avail. Mika answered the phone. "Ferid?"

"MIKA! MY SWEET BOY, YOU'RE OKAY!"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine..."

"Where are you? Who are you with? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay, Ferid, really. I'm with some friends, and I'm not hurt."

"That's good, that's good... I'm glad you're okay, sweet Mika. The club itself isn't, though, so you'll be having a few weeks off while the place is repaired. I'll cut the rent so you can focus on your tuition." Mika felt tears start to bubble in his eyes again. Sure, Ferid could be an annoying and stuck up guy, but in combination with Crowley, he was the closest thing to a healthy father figure Mika ever had. He cared for him, worried for him... The blonde boy had never even gotten the chance to thank him yet.

"Thank you, Ferid... It means a lot." He felt a hand rest on his leg, looking up to see Shinoa unlocking her own phone as well. She frowned.

"It's no problem, sweet Mika. I'll leave you to recover from the shock for a moment. Keep me up to date."

"I will."

Mika hung up the phone, casting a curious glance in Shinoa's direction. It seems he wasn't the only one intrigued.

"Shino? What's the matter?", Mitsuba asked.

"It's Yuu."

"Is everything okay with him?"

"I'm not sure. I'm gonna call him, excuse me for a minute.", the lavender haired girl said as she got up from the couch and left the livingroom. Mika trembled. The blonde next to him seemed to take notice.

"Mika?"

"I-It's my fault..."

"Why would it b-?"

"We got in a fight. A big one. I've been ignoring him since yesterday." Mitsuba raised an eyebrow. She turned her back, and rested her head on Mika's lap so she looked up at him.

"Spill."

"He kissed me."

"HE WHAT- WAIT, I- WHY IS THAT A BAD THING?"

"It wasn't, initially. It was actually getting out of hand a little, so I now have a dumb hickey on my neck."

"No way!! Let me see!", Mitsuba said as she sat up again, and pulled at the collar of Mika's shirt. Though the mark had faded, it was still very visible. She squinted. "Are those... bite marks?" A bright red blush formed on Mika's cheeks.

"A-Anyways. The day after, he insisted it didn't mean anything to him and it was just a one time thing."

"I see. And that stung a lot."

"Yeah... I was incredibly angry, and left. We haven't talked to eachother since then." The blonde girl sighed, glancing at Shinoa, who was on the phone in the garden.

"Want me to go give her the message to pick up Yuu?"

"Absolutely not."

"Huh? Don't you wanna make up?"

"I do, but..." Mika crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair. He looked like a child that wasn't getting the dessert he wanted. "I'm still mad at him."

"Ehh, I feel like that anger will vanish when you see him."

"It won't."

~~

"Shinoa?", Yuu's voice croaked as he answered the phone.

"Hey. Yoichi mentioned you looked and felt like a bag of shit. What happened?"

"Nothing. It's fine.", he lied. He was laying down on his bed, staring at his pictures on the wall. The wall was packed with polaroids, mainly of him and the others. On his bedside table, was a small stack of photos, still needing a spot on the wall. Yuu was scared to put them up. A lot of those were photos of him and...

Mika.

"It's not fine, Yuu. You sound like a bag of shit, too. What happened?"

"Mika and I got in a little fight, that's all, okay?", he responded as he rubbed his face in frustration.

"Ah, explains why he's crying."

"He's with you?", Yuu asked as he sat up.

"Yeah. He's with Mitsuba in the livingroom. I don't know what happened between you two, but I suggest getting over here and fixing it."

"I... I don't think this can be fixed." Tears started to bubble in Yuu's eyes again. And after he had just finished crying, too.

"Yuu, you should know by now I don't care what you think. Get over here. It sucks seeing you both like this." He sobbed.

"I don't want to lose him, Shinoa."

"Then quit your whining and get over here! It's time you start taking matters into your own hands, Yuu."

~~

"Mitsuba.", Shinoa called as she walked into the kitchen. The blonde looked up from her phone. "Where's Mika?"

"He's in the shower. How was Yuu?"

"A mess... Apparently he got in a huge fight with Mika? He didn't want to tell me what it was about, though."

"He kissed him, and then told him it meant nothing. He probably didn't wanna say it because he feels shitty about it."

"As he should...", Shinoa muttered. "He's on his way, now. But I can't help but think poor Mika. First his classmate at his job and now this?"

"Yeah... It made me wonder, Shino, is he okay being alone?"

"Well, he's an adult, and I have no idea where his parents are or if they're even alive."

"But, maybe... We still have a guest room open..."

"Ah? You want to adopt Mika?"

"PLEASEE!! PLEASE CAN WE KEEP HIM?" Shinoa giggled.

"Sure. But you feed him, take him on walks and to the vet, deal?" They laughed.