Cri De Coeur ||Mikayuu||

⚜26⚜

The cage. I had almost forgotten about that, except after our show, Mika took my hand hurriedly as the Ringleader forced him along. A stagehand looked at us with what seemed to be pity. I didn't want her pity. If she cared about us, she would have done something instead of continuing to work for this tyrant.

But she didn't.

It wasn't quite as bad as I expected. But, I may be growing used to everything. I was jaded by almost everything. People looking at us like a snake to a mouse. Or a mouse to a snake. We paced, much rather wishing for this to be over. Despite all of this, something still stabbed my heart mercilessly. The way Mika looked at the people. And the bars of the cage. A panic was etched in his face, although his eyes told a different story. He had a type of sorrow in them. Maybe a longing paired alongside it.

My trance was broken by a kid throwing popcorn at us. Mika snarled irritably as I blinked in confusion, the kid jumping into his mom. A pain I often saw spread across him, one hand raising slightly, the other pressed over his mouth, eyes widening. A sadness. No, that's not right.
A fear.

It took him a while to regain composure, still shaken up by it. His reaction to the kid seemed involuntary. It was something curious to me, although I knew to never bring it up lest he do it for me. Mika never does. These subjects seemed like things he wanted to bury deep underground. It was understandable. I would have wanted to do the same if the tables were turned.
"Are you alright, Mika?" I quietly whispered, leaning over. He nodded, looking rather green.
"How are you holding up?" He asked in response. What is with him and not caring for himself?

I shrugged my shoulders, watching a teenager jokingly put his arm in the cage, reaching out to us. I tapped her arm, watching her shriek and recoil. "Ow." Mika hissed, covering his ears. I chuckled, although it gave me a partial headache. I nudged him with a grin.
"It's fine. She probably thought I was going to grab her." I chuckled.
"How are you so happy about this?"
"Someone's gotta keep a joyful mood in here and it ain't as hell gonna be you, that's a fact." I said. He responded by gingerly giving me a thumbs up, face still surprised and emotionless at the same time.
Apparently, that thumbs up was the Mikaela Shindo stamp of approval.

I cheered when the Ringleader let us out, Mika folding his arms and rolling his eyes as we left, Colette and Lola the only two to greet us. They were playing Uno, Lola muttering about how it would ruin friendships if Colette didn't have several personalities.
"Where'd Ferid say he went off ?" Mika asked.
"Candy shop." Lola muttered, slamming down a card.
"Of course that's the first place that bastard decides to fuck off to." The ringleader muttered.
"You talk shit right now, but you wouldn't say any of that to his face." Colette pointed out. The ringleader didn't retort, hit, or insult her, instead stomping off. She got a high five from Mika for that.

Colette was putting dresses away as of now, and throwing old ones at Lola, who was so excited about it she fell off of her bunk onto the floor. Mika and I peered at her over the edge of my bunk, raising a brow. She grinned at us, brown hair still partially frizzy from the friction of fabric against hair. "Do ya think Ferid could fix these up for my costumes?" She asked, dimples joining her smile that blossomed nearly to his ears. Mika nodded firmly, and she laughed, sitting up and fixing her ponytail. "Yay!" She cheered.

"Too positive." Mika muttered.
"You could learn a thing or two from her, Y'know," I teased, prodding him with my hand. He stuck out his tongue, making a sour face that caused me to grin.

"I could not."
"You could too."
He sighed, arms folded.
"God, I want to kiss you."
"Do it, then."

"No."

"Damn. Your loss." I stuck out my tongue at him through a smile, leaning onto the bed with my arms behind my head, one eye closed. He sighed, arms dropping.

"I don't like losing." Mika muttered, pressing a hand onto the mattress on the other side of me, leaning down, and pressing his lips against mine. My lips curled into a smirk against his, both of us seeming to forget that there was still an overly excited teenage girl on the floor in front of us and Colette still tossing and putting away dresses. I snakes a hand to his neck, locking him in place. If this bastard was going to kiss me, it damn well better last. Who knows when he would do it again. He released a soft grunt, moving his head into a more comfortable position, although his hair kept tickling my cheeks. I was still astonished at how he managed to be such a hell of a kisser. I mean he's the one that's been stuck in a circus for years.

It just isn't fair.

When he pulled away, he tilted his head in curiosity and confusion at my expression, although I had no idea what it looked like. There was a type of innocence on his face that shockingly reminded me of when he was younger, but it vanished far too soon against my likings. Our heads turned to Lola, who was sitting on the floor, staring at us with her typical wide eyes, mouth slightly open, before it turned to a warm smile, eyes softening.
"You guys are really cute together." She giggled, Mika instantly shuffling away, angrily flustered. No idea how you can be angry and flustered, but he was.
"Shut up." He muttered, refusing to meet either of our gazes.

"Well, she's right. You two are fucking adorable." Colette commented, tossing a hanger.
"Can't argue if even Colette agrees with it." I shrugged nonchalantly, palms facing upwards. Mika punched me harshly in the shoulder. I laughed, knowing fully well the punch wasn't meant to harm. It was more of a playful gesture, although he wasn't capable of completely having a playful side. So, he probably meant a small portion of that punch. He looked angered, although he was blushing and even his eyes seemed flustered.

"You're supposed to be on my side, dammit!"