“You”

Lyrics by Mustard Plug.

Story by Kloot-chan.

The campfire crackled softly as the wind played with it, coaxing it in its feathery fingers, making the flames weave back and forth in a sort of rhythm. A mixed group of people who called themselves the Sorcerer Hunters huddled around it, sitting in silence as the night wore on. Dinner had been eaten perhaps an hour ago, and all conversation had subsided. Seeing this as a prime opportunity to retire, Carrot Glace stood up.

“Goodnight guys,” the skinny teenager murmured, yawning. His spiky black hair jutted out in playful cowlicks, and reflected the rising moon above their heads. He turned from the auburn crackling fire and the others, and advanced toward his sleeping bag.

The others in the group acknowledged his exit with brief nods, and each contributed their own goodnight. The two women in the party, Tira and Chocolate, immediately decided to retire as well. The two near-lookalikes were sisters, and each was competing for Carrot’s love rather unprofessionally. Chocolate always chose to be open and she often threw herself at Carrot, but her shyer sister Tira did not use such wide advances. Carrot disregarded all of the advances given him by both sisters, and much to their dismay he spent most of his time chasing other women.

Yet tonight Chocolate decided to refrain from curling up beside Carrot in his sleeping bag as a suggestive advance, and rather slipped into her own soft downy sleeping bag. Tira did the same, and before long the dancing flames and whispering wind lulled the three into a subtle and foggy, but nonetheless comforting dreamland.

Only two other Sorcerer Hunters remained. One was the burly, heavily muscled Gateau, who sat upon a rock, gazing into the flames. His companion, the silent mage Marron Glace, was seated on the other side of the fire, and was watching not the fire, but the overhead stars hanging above. His golden eyes gleamed brighter in the fire’s light, and the muscular man could not help but notice how beautiful his friend was. His dark mane shone with the moon’s gracing light, silhouetting Marron and making him look no less than an angel. Gateau watched Marron from across the snapping fire, and he saw how the warm flames were lighting up Marron’s pale skin and making it glow with a lovingly warm light.

The two had been friends for a long time, and Gateau had always wished they could be more than that. He had often voiced his emotions, unsuccessfully, but so far he had not received any feedback from the bishounen magic user. That had not deterred his enthusiasm, however, but it was beginning to be somewhat exasperating. Gateau longed for an answer. Anything that would give any clue to what was going on inside that raven-haired head, any tiny clue..It was true; that he loved Marron with all his heart, but he had never actually went out and said it. He had usually taken the easy way out, fumbling for words and instead blandly asking Marron to sleep with him, which had produced no results. Marron was superlative; dimming Gateau’s many other relationships into oblivion, like the night’s evident affect on the day’s light. Even though he knew that he deeply cared for Marron, he realized simultaneously that he couldn’t wait forever. His answer would need to come soon, or his hope in gaining the love of Marron would be desperately given up.

He rose quietly, seeing that Marron did not notice. Marron had opened up a book of magic spells and was poring over the book, bending closely over it to see it in the uncertain, tossing light the fire produced. Gateau shifted closer to Marron, seating himself on the flat stone beside him. Marron flicked a page over, never acknowledging. Gateau sighed slowly, taking in the lovely appearance that Marron always possessed. Marron was so perfect; he had beauty, he was smart, he had magic, he had everything. For all this Gateau admired him. No, not just admired him. He loved him, and his love seemed to increase every single day. Yet he could no longer stand it being unrequited. So now was his chance, to pour his emotions over Marron, to have them ignored yet again. Gateau then decided if they were ignored again this time, it would be the last.

“Marron?” Gateau moved slightly closer to Marron on the rock.

“Hn?” Marron murmured, his mind still a haze as his eyes scanned the words on the page, which were distorted by the moving flames.

“I need to tell you something,” Gateau said firmly, gradually grasping the book away from Marron to capture his full attention. “It is very important..well, at least to me.” Marron now looked deep in Gateau’s eyes, his mind recognizing something familiar, something that had happened many times before. Marron’s eyes narrowed, realizing that Gateau was probably going to flood him with compliments then dryly inquire if Marron would like to “accompany him to bed.” Marron sighed inwardly. He was so tired of this..

“Marron, I,” Gateau watched as those amber eyes fringed with coal-black lashes moved up to meet his face. There were secrets hidden away in those lovely sad eyes, but Gateau could not decipher them. He forgot completely what he was going to say, and he swore under his breath. Marron waited. As a last attempt, Gateau grabbed Marron’s shoulders, and gave him a warm, sensual kiss.

“Aghhhaghag!” Marron started, his mouth wet and mashed against Gateau’s. He pushed against Gateau with all his might, which was only a fraction of the steadfast Gateau’s. Gateau pulled away, slowly, releasing Marron of the delicious warmth that had them both enveloped. Marron glared at him.

“What made you do that?” Marron muttered slowly, barely audible over the crackle of the flames.

“Come on, you know you wanted it,” Gateau snickered cruelly. He regretted it in his mind, though, but he was aware of no other way to respond to the obscure Marron. Marron narrowed his dark eyes, and got up, a frown etching his palely smooth face. He looked down at Gateau, staring at him in the moonlight, swiftly slapped him across the face, and left the campsite.

You never told me what was wrong or what was right

Marron fled from the campsite, his face burning with embarrassment from his previous action. How could Gateau keep doing that to him? Gateau was just mocking him, and he wasn’t going to stand for it anymore. He wasn’t a silly toy to be played with. He had real emotions, tangible feelings. But despite his hateful thoughts, his eyes stung with unshed tears, and he felt guilt pulling at the corners of his heart. He used his emotional energy to power him to go faster, and he broke into an angry run, and fled into the dark forest.

You never told me why you couldn’t sleep at night

I know you’ve heard this before, but I’ll say it once more

You’ve done all you can and you can’t do anymore

Gateau rubbed the side of his face, touching the light sting that still hung there. His chance, his last chance, was blown; destroyed forever. He watched the furious Marron disappear in the comfort of the distant trees, and a part of him wanted to call him back; to apologize, but no sound came to his lips. He couldn’t conjure up those feelings of apology anymore. He didn’t want to apologize, and really, there was no reason to apologize for his emotions. The cold stars pierced the ebony sky, cold truths in a vast world of blackness. Marron’s continual refusals were like those cold truths, finally made apparent in a world of confusion. Maybe I should just forget, Gateau thought bitterly. Forget about loving Marron. He shook his head sadly. Forgetting that would be like forgetting how to breathe, and breathing was acutely essential. Marron never told him how he wanted him to act; he never told him what he wanted, or didn’t want, and Gateau was totally confused. Yet nothing would have made Gateau happier than to gain the affections of the bittersweet Marron.

But that’s all right ‘cause I’ll just wait and see that you realize

You never told me

You never told me

You never

You never

You never told me

Marron sat crouched under a tree, hidden thankfully in the comfort of the dark shadows. He had not really meant to hit Gateau; the random action had been the product of his irrational and hot anger. He had shown his meaner side, the side of him that was usually kept hidden carefully away inside the fathoms of his suppressed emotions. He did not hate Gateau, he was just so bashful; that and Niisan.. He knew that Niisan would probably hate him if he became a “pervert.” Yet the main reason Marron resisted Gateau fervently was because Marron did not believe him serious. It wasn’t worth the bad feelings that were imminent. Gateau couldn’t be serious, wouldn’t ever be serious, so there was no reason to waste sweat and tears on him. Yet, with a soft cry, Marron spared a few tears for Gateau just then, as sloppy wet drops ran down his ivory face, staining it.

And I know that things have changed

As I know they always do

And I know, I know we’re not the same

To think we were, I was a fool

Gateau waited alone by the dying fire. Marron had not returned for quite a while, and the night was advancing; the moon in her silver trail had reached the peak of the sky, her nightly journey half over. Looking at the silver moon was like looking at Marron, for the moon’s hair was ever as inky black, and her manner was ever as cold. Why didn’t Marron love him? He could never figure him out; Marron was like a complicated puzzle with tiny pieces missing. How Gateau longed to fill in the missing piece, but it seemed it would only be a dream that he would have to forget. And he would, eventually, although now just thinking of Marron made his heart ache and his rebellious thoughts turn back into intense loyalty.

The fire was breathing its last breaths; long strands of smoke curling seductively in the night. The other members of the group were snoring, but even their loud noises could not command the attention of Gateau, who sat deep in thought. He was beginning to be worried about Marron, who had been gone for perhaps two hours. He even got up to go look for him, but then resumed his seat again, for he felt that Marron would not want to be around him. This idea hurt, but it was not the first time he had felt this sense of rejection from Marron’s presence. Saying nothing, he locked in his emotions in a single grimace as he continued to linger around the campfire in bitter solitude.

But I never thought I’d see

Even in my darkest dreams

Cause full circle will remain

The most unkindest cut of all

“Gateau?” A velvet voice wavered in the stillness. The soft voice’s owner stood warily beside a tree, watching another man, whose sad face looked like he was suffering biting inner turmoil.

“Marron,” The cool blue eyes glanced up, evidently happy, but the face remained stolid. Gateau pushed himself off the stony seat slowly, waiting for Marron to say something.

“Gateau, I’m,” Marron started.

“Marron, I wanted to say,” Gateau half-interrupted.

“I’m sorry.” Both said simultaneously, their voices echoing each other’s, causing them both to smile nervous grins.

“Marron, I’ve been a jerk to you,” Gateau said almost shyly, his eyes on the ground. “But if you would only tell me,” he gained considerable courage to look up at the bishounen mage’s dark glance.

“Tell you what?”

“What you want. Whether you want me to leave you the hell alone or openly love you. I can’t interpret you very easily,” Gateau chuckled, but his face was serious, his eyes questioning.

“Openly love me?” The words bit into Marron like sharp knives. Gateau loves me? He thought desperately with fervent interrogation. He brushed Gateau’s comment aside. No, it cannot be real, he thought regretfully.

“Marron, even though you might not believe it, I really do love you,” Gateau whispered slowly. “Those words were probably another waste on my part. Good night, Marron,” Gateau said, turning away.

Marron was caught between two defining decisions, all-encompassing decisions with dear consequences; a Scylla and a Charybdis. One path he could take was to indulge in his own happiness, although scorn would be the price to pay; another was to keep it locked away inside his soul, as he had done for what seemed like ages, denying himself of what he truly felt.

“Wait.” It could not be fathomed how hard that one word was for Marron to pronounce that very instant. Gateau turned around again, and looked at Marron, who was now washed in the moon’s silver embrace. Marron stepped up to Gateau, emotion in his eyes, fear in his heart. Gateau looked down at Marron, uncertain of what was to happen.

“You never told me,” Marron said slowly, curling his arms around Gateau, slightly hugging him with a cute, submissive shyness.

“What?” Gateau stuttered, shock in his voice, primarily due to the surprise that Marron was hugging him.

Marron looked up, his dark eyes shining beautifully as he looked up at Gateau. “That you loved me. Truly loved me, with seriousness..” He backed away, blushing that he had done something so impulsive as to hug Gateau. To his immense and surprise, Gateau paid him back with something slightly impulsive as well: a warm kiss to his ivory cheek.

“Baka. Didn’t you know that?” Gateau whispered in his ear as he snuggled Marron closer to him.

“No,” Marron murmured softly as Gateau stroked his long shimmering hair with a loving gentleness. Marron twitched under his touch, and Gateau looked at Marron. Marron was glowing with an embarrassed passionate blush. Gateau smiled and shook his head.

“You know what? There’s something you never told me.”

“What?” The blushing mage managed to squeak.

“That you were so damned shy.” Marron smiled further at his words, and nodded.

“There is much to be learned about each other,” Marron muttered quietly, almost to himself, as he pressed himself closer to the muscular figure before him.

“And, ahem, much sleep to be gotten,” A foreign, but simultaneously familiar voice, ragged with sleep and intense irritation, rasped at the hugging couple, much to Marron’s immediate dismay. Carrot Glace, standing tall in Playboy Bunny pajamas, leered at the both of them angrily, especially at Gateau.

And there was much scolding done on the part of Carrot Glace, which lasted until the brink of dawn. But for the newfound, but mostly, understanding love between Marron and Gateau, it was worth it ten thousand times over.