*:･ﾟYou Bet I Stare ･ﾟ:*

CHAPTER 11 - mary on a cross

KOU
—❁—

My heart was throbbing in my chest as I stood beside Mitsuba. He was washing the dishes and I helped him put them away. We barely spoke since I got here, but that's only because I'm afraid of what will happen once I tell him what was up with me earlier. If I just tell him a ghost possessed me and made me do all those things to him, there's no way he'd believe me. And on top of that, I'd have to explain all the exorcist crap—and that could get out of hand real quick. Mitsuba then looked up at me, but I only looked back at him with a side eye.

"So.. are you willing to tell me what was up with you today?" Mitsuba leans against the counter as he dries his hand off, and I just stood there. I wasn't sure how I could start this off. Be straightforward? Beat around the bush? I didn't know. "Um.." I give a quick look to him, a look of cluelessness. "Well—listen." I turn and lean my back to the counter, crossing my arms as I look down at my feet. "I know this is gonna sound really stupid.. and that it's gonna sound like a big lie, but-" I walk over to my staff, picking it up before walking back over to him. "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone at school this." Mitsuba looks up at me, confused about the whole situation. "Your umbrella beat you up?" He raises an eyebrow, sarcastically making the comment. I shake my head, pulling the umbrella end off of my staff.

His eyebrows raise as he watches me pull the disguise off. "What the hell is that?" I sigh and hold my staff up, the seal that Hanako put on the end of it facing him. "Well, to put it frankly." Mitsuba takes my staff, holding it with both of his hands. "I'm an exorcist. I come from a line of them, actually." My hand rests itself on the crick of my neck, then a shrug with an arm and put my hand down to my side. "Basically, the reason why I was being so creepy towards you earlier is because some weird apparition possessed me and took control of everything I was saying and doing. It was because I forgot to put my earring in my ear this morning since I was in a rush to come to school and see you. Without my earring I'm no longer provided with possession protection.. it's like a power up pretty much." Sousuke looks up at me as I speak, staying quiet so I can finish. "I'm all beat up because when you slapped me I think the ghost left my system and waited for you to leave to show itself to me—and that's when I started fighting it just to exorcise it, so.. yeah." I shrug, hoping that he believed what I just told him. "I'd never treat you like that, Sousuke. I care about you too much to be an idiot towards you like what that apparition thing was making me out to be." Mitsuba hands me my staff back and I slide it back into the umbrella disguise. I can feel him staring at me as I grab my uniform shirt and put it back on over the shirt that was out of Mitsu's closet, since he was willing to let me sport it instead of the dirty black one I was wearing earlier. He claimed it was just one of the many oversized t-shirts that he only really wore around the house or to bed. "I'm sorry about everything that happened today, you don't have to forgive me if you don't feel like it." I glance over at him, and I could see that he was still staring at me.

I shoot him a quick little smile before putting my tie around the back of my neck, "Anyway—I should probably see myself out now." I start walking over to the front door, but I hear Mitsubas sock covered feet quickly chase after me. I feel his hand grab mine, and I turn around to look at him. "Kou.. I—" He just looks up at me, his eyes tearing up a bit. "Woah, hey.. why are you tearing up?" My lips mutter as I watch his eyes fill with tears. "You.. you must be stupid to think that I would just let you leave like that.." He wipes his eyes, but they still keep tearing up. "I—I don't want you to think I hate you.. because I don't.. I don't think I ever could." I can feel Mitsubas hand tighten his grip on my own hand, and my eyebrows narrow as he steps closer to me.

I felt a feeling in my throat and chest. The feeling of butterflies as Mitsuba got on his tiptoes and hugged me. Both of his arms rested behind my neck, his chin on my shoulder. All I could do was stand there; and I didn't know where to put my hands without violating what he was comfortable with. My hands eventually found themselves comfortable on either side of his spine in the middle of his back. He smelled sweet. Like sugar and strawberries. I felt bad about my probable horrendous smell that was a result of the massive fight I was thrown into, but I ignored the feelings with a soft little exhale. I closed my eyes as I inhaled the moment—I always had a feeling that Sousuke was a great hugger. His heart was beating against my chest, and his breath was slow against my ear. My hand slowly moved up and down as it rubbed Mitsubas back; I could tell that this hug was something he needed for a while now, and I was surprised at how willing he was to let my arms secure him close to me. My face grew content with a soft and warm smile—and I felt Mitsubas hand slide down and touch my neck. His gaze looking up at me as I stood there.

I was beginning to feel my love for Mitsuba grow, and my eyes just loved what they saw every time they looked at him. I was beginning to feel comfortable with him—and I loved it.