Black Gold (Could Still Cause a Gold Rush)

Gleaming, twinkling... Eyes like sinking ships on waters so inviting I almost jump in...

Silver met gold. In that one look, Tsubaki came to realize that black gold could still cause a gold rush. The only thing...?

I don't like a gold rush.

But it was already too late. As Aoi and Tsubaki caught each other's gazes, Tsubaki felt her chest tighten. Blood rushed to her face, and her breathing restricted itself. Was this really what she'd come to? It was as if her subconscious believed that stopping breathing would make her invisible to the other woman. She looked away in embarrassment. It didn't help. She caught sight of everyone else around her, and they were all staring too... at Aoi. Every eye reflected the same awe that was just reflected in Tsubaki's. Tsubaki's stomach tightened.

I don't like that so many would die to feel your touch... Was it hypocritical that she was one of those people? And was it hypocritical to hate all the people that dreamt of having Aoi as a girlfriend too? Wait. What?

Walk past, quick brush...

Again, Tsubaki sucked in her breath. She'd been paying so much attention to not paying attention to Aoi that, somehow, Aoi's path managed to cross even closer to hers than before. Tsubaki felt the sleeve first, then when her silver-gray eyes flicked up and met dark, golden brown, she saw the pale face and short, black locks that framed the golden-brown. That was when Tsubaki had her revelation about black gold.

She couldn't help a soft gasp. Aoi really did make her breathless, it wasn't just something from the movies. Her vision went slightly blurry, she couldn't concentrate on Aoi, but where else was she supposed to look when Aoi was only inches from her? Aoi was still looking at her, after all, right? Wait. What? Now Tsubaki saw rose gold, and she hated it, because all too soon, it was over again. The color was taken away as Aoi moved along, and Tsubaki was left staring at the space where she once stood, feeling like an idiot that she was frozen in place.

It was a cold splash of reality, and Tsubaki quickly jerked herself awake, continuing on down the path away from Aoi. I don't like that falling feels like flying 'til the bone crush...

Tsubaki would've been more embarrassed had she not remembered that while everyone else was staring, no one was staring at her. She stumbled and paused, but every other gaze continued to follow Aoi. Tsubaki envied them bitterly again. The only way for her to steal another glance was to look over her shoulder. Would she dare be so bold?

No, of course not! Because I don't like a gold rush anyway!

People like that annoyed her. Those who fell too hard too fast for someone that wasn't even real. Aoi was real in a physical sense, obviously, but everything else was mystery. It was a mix of the public persona, and public perception. That version of Aoi that Tsubaki and so many others dreamed of? Not real. And Tsubaki thought they were all stupid for acting as if it was! Was it hypocritical that she was one of those people?

Without realizing it, as her thoughts ran away with her again, Tsubaki finally heaved a sad, longing sigh and turned around slowly, casting a glance over her shoulder. Silver watched the retreating black. She could no longer see the gold. But she could see all the other eyes still trailing after Aoi, and she could even see how calmly and elegantly Aoi strode away. Seriously! How could it be that even her walk was hypnotic?

What must it be like to grow up that beautiful? With your hair falling into place like dominoes...

Tsubaki envisioned a rehearsal studio. She and Aoi would work together, a singer and a DJ, the ultimate dynamic duo! Their gothic outfits would hang side by side on the door. Aoi and Tsubaki would be black and silver and red and gold. At DJ parties she would call Aoi out on her obliviousness, all of the wasted time and mixed, missed signals lost in translation. But don't worry! For they would more than make up for it.