Luke POV
"So earlier... were you being serious?"
Michael cocked an eyebrow at me, making his metallic tinted eye seem colder if possible. I wanted to squirm under his scrutinizing gaze as his eyes flitted over me, nose wrinkling a little bit.
"About what?"
I huffed, thinking, 'Typical! Of course he doesn't remember what we talked about.'
"You know, when you said you don't sleep! Was that just some kind of sarcastic statement or were you actually being serious?"
He looked away and sighed, his lips twisting into a frown.
"If you saw only one of the things I've seen, you wouldn't sleep either Tanea."
With that cryptic comment, I stayed silent as Nicki and Rachel returned with firewood for the night. Michael lit the fire for us and I noticed Michael looking intently at Nicki a while as he conversed with Rachel about something. I scooted closer and he gave me a sharp, icy look and scooted away.
"Give me my space pretty boy."
"Why are you staring at Nicki?"
He gave me this weird look that I couldn't quite decipher.
"I'm not staring at Nicki."
"Yes you are," I shot back. "Do you like him?"
"Do I WHAT?" He yelled, causing Nicki and Rachel to then look at us. "You're such a d*** IDIOT!"
With that, he stood up, glaring daggers at me. 'If looks could kill...' He snatched up his flimsy jacket.
"Honestly, I'd think you'd have more smarts than that!"
He began to stomp out of the room and Nicki stood up.
"Wait, where are you going? I'll come with you-"
"LEAVE ME ALONE OR I'LL BURN YOUR FACE OFF!" Michael screamed, face red with either anger or embarrassment. I wasn't quite sure. "ALL OF YOU BETTER DO WHAT I SAY OR I'LL KILL YOU, GET THE PICTURE?!"
He stormed right out of the room, yanking his jacket on and going to who-even-knows-where! Nicki looked guilty as he sat back down.
"Did I say something wrong?" He said, looking at the place where Michael exited with lovesickness.
I laughed, slapping him on the back affectionately. He looked at me helplessly.
"Don't worry about it. Are you still denying the fact that you have a crush on Michael?" I needled slyly.
Nicki's tan face bloomed red and Rachel and I smirked at his reaction as he spluttered incoherent sentences.
"W-Well- I mean- He's quite attractive- but-!"
"Nicki, c'mon. Michael's not here. You can tell us!" Rachel urged fervently.
Our turquoise haired friend hesitated for a solid few minutes before nodding.
"U-Um, I don't really know? I've never had a crush on anyone before I don't think..." He mumbled.
"So, you've never had a crush on ANYONE?" I asked incredulously.
"I mean, I don't think so!" He whined.
Rachel comfortingly squeezed his shoulder before patting it. He looked at us then hung his head in almost a defeated sort of way.
"I... I think I do like Michael. He... um... He just is really you know, brave! And he's very down to earth. I never liked most of the girls because they were giggling, flirty messes-" he smiled at Rachel. "Present company excluded, of course!!!! But Michael's always just very sassy I guess. He reminds me of my kaa-san I guess. She's no shrinking violet in any way and that's what attracted tou-san originally to her I believe. Well, he's a little more introverted obviously but you know, he's very selfless in a way, brave, and isn't afraid to share his opinions. I don't know why, but that part of him is extremely attractive to me."
"So, you do have a crush on a tsundere. You realize this correct?" I deadpanned.
He laughed, his features momentarily brightening. Now that was Nicki. The always, chirpy, extremely talkative (yet slightly annoying) guy we knew. Not the brooding, quiet, grim person we've dealt with the last few months.
"Yeah, but I don't mind that fact you know. He's compassionate in his own way. And him being a tsundere is part of his natural charm I think. Besides..." His eyes glazed over. "His eyes are beautiful..."
I slapped his back, howling in pure, mirthful laughter at his comment.
"OMG, NICKI! DO YOU REALIZE HOW CLICHE THAT SOUNDED?!" I roared.
He blushed a bit as Rachel chuckled along with me as well.
"Oh c'mon, give me a break! His eyes are very unique! They're incredible and they're very very very pretty-"
"Indeed they are."
Michael strode in, hands shoved in his pockets with a cold, yet smug frown directed towards Nicki. Nicki yelped, blushing harder.
"Y-You heard that?"
"What, confessing your undying love and adoration for me? All of it," He said softly. "Quite the entertainment you provided me Whyte."
Nicki's face was now brick red and I had to stifle my laughter for a minute. Michael's face was completely blank, not showing any emotion at all. I couldn't decipher any feeling from his features, so I just decided to ask him flat out.
"Do you like Nicki too?"
Michael stared at Nicki then turned away. It might've been a trick of the light, but I swore that Michael was blushing. Rachel sighed.
"Okay, let's start out simple! Do you find Nicki cute?" Rachel asked with a smirk.
Michael glanced at Nicki. I now knew for a fact that both of our resident Japanese were blushing their faces off at the moment.
"We need food," Michael muttered. "I'm going to go look around for berries or see if I can make the trip back to town and get back here-"
"I-I'll come with you!" Nicki said with a glare at us before jumping up and following the retreating Michael. "Michael, hey wait!"
As soon as they'd left, both Rachel and I burst out laughing, high-fiving each other with triumphant smirks.
"I'd say that's a pretty good affirmative! Michael obviously avoided the question because he didn't want to admit the fact that he might be in love with the extroverted nerd!" I said with a laugh.
Rachel's look turned serious, tapping her chin in thought with a sudden frown.
"Or... maybe he didn't want to hurt Nicki's feelings and avoided the question so he didn't reject Nicki so harshly."
"But like Nicki also said, Michael's not afraid to speak his feelings most times. Why would that change in only Nicki's case?" I pointed out.
Rachel shrugged, flopping backwards and sprawling out on the cave's floor.
"Well we probably shouldn't interfere in their relationship anymore. Nicki seems to be the one to help calm Michael down the most. We probably shouldn't again, interfere in their relationship. We don't need a broken hearted Nicki and a guilty Michael as we're trying to save Nicki's brother Caleb."
I nodded in agreement to her statement.
"Very very very true Rachel-"
"Shut up already! Stop whining, we're almost there!"
"Put me down you-"
And there was Nicki and Michael, Michael's face beet red and his arms crossed. But I think the one thing that made me laugh so much was the fact that Nicki was carrying Michael bridal style. Nicki smiled warily at us and set Michael down.
"This idiot here decided to go try to pick some fruit off of these trees and ended up falling. Now he can't walk-"
"I can walk perfectly fine," Michael snapped. "You're such a-," he rattled off rapid words in Japanese. And going off of the amused yet wincing face of Nicki, they weren't praises or compliments.
"Shut up, stubborn butt," Nicki shot back.
Michael smacked Nicki's head lightly but enough to make a satisfying sound.
"Don't call me a butt, butt. How were we supposed to get food?"
I stood up.
"Hey, you said that some fruit was on trees right? Well, since I can fly now, I could probably get some off the trees easily."
Michael rolled his eyes at me.
"Yeah, well, every power has its limitations and weaknesses. Be careful."
Everyone stared at him and I smirked.
"Awww, do you secretly care for me?"
He glared at me.
"Just go away Tanea before I shove my knife up your a-"
"LANGUAGE!" Nicki and Rachel screamed.