Just Like Snow

Chapter Fourteen

      "What are you working on?" MafuMafu asked curiously, peering over Soraru's shoulder to get a look at what the blue-haired male was doing.

"Nothing," Soraru replied simply while moving the paper he was writing on out of his companion's view.

MafuMafu pouted and leaned closer to Soraru in an attempt to see. "Aw, why can't I see it?"

"Because it's none of your business," Soraru answered flatly.

"I just want to know what it is," MafuMafu whined.

He was seriously annoying sometimes.

Soraru sighed. "I'm working right now, so can you just leave me alone for a bit? I'm sure there's got to be some way for you to entertain yourself."

"Talking to you is how I entertain myself," MafuMafu pointed out.

"Hmm, fair enough. Just at least go somewhere else, I can't work with you hovering over me like this," Soraru stated.

MafuMafu reluctantly complied and sat down on the bed, a reasonable distance from Soraru. Just far enough to give him some space, but close enough that they could still talk.

"Hey, Soraru-san, I've been wondering about something recently," MafuMafu started.

"And that is?" Soraru inquired.

"So, I know you told me that I shouldn't say we're living together to other people because they'll think we're dating, but why is that? Why does living together mean you're dating?" MafuMafu questioned.

"Well, it doesn't necessarily mean that, but that's sort of what people assume when they hear that two people are living together. You see, it's a pretty common thing for couples to move in with each other after they've been dating for a while. I guess it's just part of being in a really strong relationship," Soraru explained.

"Oh, I see," MafuMafu hummed thoughtfully. "Have you ever moved in with anyone before, Soraru-san?"

Soraru shook his head. "Nope, this is the first time I've shared my house with someone."

"We must have a really strong relationship then," MafuMafu commented with a smile.

Soraru, who had been continuously working the whole time, suddenly stopped writing as he tried to ignore the heat that was coming to his cheeks. MafuMafu noticed Soraru's prolonged silence and tilted his head in confusion.

"Hmm? Soraru-san, what's wrong?" MafuMafu asked.

"N-Nothing," Soraru replied, mentally cursing his voice for stuttering. He then pushed away from his desk and stood up. "I'm going to go take a shower now."

MafuMafu watched in puzzlement as Soraru gathered some clean clothes and left the room.

"That was strange," MafuMafu said to himself, thinking back to Soraru's sudden change in mood. "I wonder if I said something weird again..."

  Get a grip already, Soraru, Soraru thought to himself with a huff as he got dressed. It wasn't like him to be so easily affected by things like this. Then again, he'd never had a cute cat person unknowingly flirt with him before. Just thinking of it as flirting made Soraru's face turn red, and he shook his head vigorously to clear his thoughts. He had hoped a nice shower would calm him down and make him forget about how much those stupid words had affected him, but it did nothing. Even now, MafuMafu's innocent joking (or, at least, Soraru was telling himself it was joking for some sort reassurance) remark of them being in a relationship repeated in his mind. Soraru sighed and exited the bathroom, heading back toward his bedroom. It was getting late by now, so it was best if he just got some sleep and left these kinds of thoughts for tomorrow. Though, when Soraru returned to his room, he saw that MafuMafu was already asleep. It looked like he had fallen asleep on accident, for he wasn't even under the covers. Soraru smiled faintly at the sight, unable to help thinking MafuMafu looked cute. Yet, as soon as he properly registered the thought, he felt embarrassed for thinking such a thing. Agh, this is too much. I should probably go sleep in the living room tonight so I can figure out what's going on with my head without any... distractions, Soraru mentally told himself while glancing over at MafuMafu. He turned around, preparing to leave the room, when he heard MafuMafu stir from behind him.

"Soraru-san? Where are you going?" MafuMafu asked groggily, either having just woken up or being brought out of a half-asleep state by Soraru's arrival.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch tonight," Soraru replied simply.

At this, MafuMafu sat up and stared at him in confusion. "Huh? Why?"

"No reason, I just... didn't want to bother you, that's all. I thought you were asleep and didn't feel like waking you up," Soraru lied after a moment.

"Well, I'm awake now, so you don't have to worry about that," MafuMafu pointed out.

"Still, I think I'll just sleep on the couch. Goodnight," Soraru stated, beginning to walk toward the door.

"Wait a second, Soraru-san," MafuMafu scrambled to his feet and grabbed Soraru's wrist to stop him. "Does this have to do with earlier? Did I say something weird again?"

So, MafuMafu was more observant than he looked. Soraru hesitated, unsure of what to say. He supposed none of this was MafuMafu's fault. After all, MafuMafu didn't know what he was doing. Even still, Soraru couldn't say that MafuMafu had nothing to do with this.

"I'm really sorry if I said something weird, I didn't mean to. But I promise I won't do it again, so please don't be mad at me," MafuMafu apologized, his voice shaking slightly towards the end with hints of fear and desperation.

Soraru looked over at MafuMafu for the first time, noticing the pleading look in MafuMafu's red eyes. It was another one of MafuMafu's pitiful expressions that made him seem like a little kid in need of protecting.

"I'm not mad at you. I never was," Soraru stated. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, you just got up and left so suddenly, and now you don't even want to stay in the same room as me. If you're not mad, then what is it?" MafuMafu pointed out.

"It's... a little hard to explain," Soraru replied slowly.

MafuMafu looked up at him expectantly, clearly waiting for an explanation.

Soraru sighed. "Listen, I don't even know what's going on myself. I just think I need a little time alone to figure things out."

"...Is this another thing I'm supposed to understand? Is it something a normal person would know, but I don't for some reason?" MafuMafu asked quietly.

"Like I said, I don't even know, so I doubt anyone else would," Soraru answered in a reassuring tone.

MafuMafu stared down at the ground, not seeming comforted in the slightest. "I feel like I did something to upset you, Soraru-san. I just want you to forgive me for whatever I did, because if you hated me I-"

"MafuMafu, you didn't do anything. And there's no way I could ever hate you," Soraru cut him off.

"You don't know that..." MafuMafu muttered lowly.

"I do know that, because-"

Soraru suddenly stopped talking, catching MafuMafu's attention. He looked up at Soraru confusedly, wondering why Soraru had abruptly gone silent like that.

"Because what, Soraru-san?" MafuMafu questioned.

Soraru looked away, seemingly embarrassed. "Nothing. Just stop thinking I'm mad at you and and that I'm going to hate you, okay?"

Wanting to leave before he ended up accidentally saying the words that had almost slipped out, Soraru started toward the door again. This time, MafuMafu let him go, staring at Soraru's retreating figure sadly.

"Soraru-san..." MafuMafu mumbled to himself as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

He wanted to know what Soraru was so upset about, but it looked like Soraru wasn't going to tell him for some reason. MafuMafu laid down and closed his eyes, trying to go back to sleep, but he knew that'd be impossible with all these questions swimming around in his head. MafuMafu sighed and rolled over onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. Somehow, this hollow feeling was different from the other times he had felt like this. Perhaps it was because MafuMafu had thought he finally found someone who cared about him.

A/N: It hasn't stopped raining at all today where I live, and apparently it's going to rain even more tomorrow?? I mean, somehow school was canceled because of it and I'm not complaining, but mother nature needs to calm down. Like really, please stop. At this rate my yard is going to turn into a swamp.