Cupid Chapter 02

Chapter 2

"Well, Hideko," Miroku said, eyeing the blond woman in his kitchen as she prepared a meal for the two of them. "you failed to mention I'd be meeting a beautiful girl today."

"I told you to be in your English class bright and early." Hideko said with a shrug. "Aren't you glad I did?"

"Hell yea." Miroku said with a smile. "Kris McCoy is an awesome teacher. I'm never skipping his class again."

"Great!" She said, draining the pasta into a colander. "Then maybe you'll actually graduate when you go home this summer, eh?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Hey, that reminds me. Does this Sango girl have anything to do with the fact that you sent me to high school for this assignment?"

Hideko twirled around, placing a big plate of spaghetti in front of him before she replied. "That information is classified."

"Oh, c'mon Hideko, can't you give me some sort of hint? I've already gotten 98 couples together over the past year, you can at least give me a break!" He exclaimed, twirling spaghetti onto his fork.

"Stop talking and eat your dinner." Hideko said, sitting down next to him. "I would hate for this wonderful dinner I made to go to waste because you can't shut your trap long enough to eat."

Miroku forked the food into his mouth and grumbled at her. Hideko giggled as she slurped a noodle into her mouth. "My my, to be the God of love you sure are grumpy."

"How come the god of love can't find anyone to love him then, huh?" He asked, swallowing. "I mean, I'm cute, right?"

Hideko reached over and pinched his nose between her fingers. "Simply adorable."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "You sure do know how to make me feel like a man, Hideko."

"Just chill out, Miroku." Hideko said casually, pointing at him with her fork. "You have a lot of work to do Friday night, and you better have it all done before next Saturday because your going to that party."

"Party? What party?" Miroku asked.

"Ash Ketchum's party, you dimwit!" Hideko reminded him in disbelief that he had forgotten.

"Hey, I never said I was going to that. You know I don't go to social events." Miroku argued, suddenly becoming nervous. "Why do you want me to go to his party for? Wouldn't you rather I run all around Tokyo trying to get my last two couples to meet up and get married or something? After all, I'm cupid. That's my job."

"Well," Hideko said thoughtfully chewing. "The fact that your ninety-ninth couple will be getting together that night at the party might have something to do with it."

"What?" Miroku asked, his eyes growing wide.

"I'm sorry, Miroku, but I'm afraid I can't give you anymore information." She told him, enjoying her dinner. "This mortal food is simply delicious. Almost makes you wish you were an earthling doesn't it?"

Miroku took another bite. "I guess so." He said, he had to admit, food was good and it better than the baklava he ate all the time back home. "Why can't this be easier? Can't you just give me some arrows so I can just shoot people and make them fall in love like all the old cupids used to do?"

"That's so old-fashioned." Hideko answered smoothly without thought. "This is far more fun and shows just how skilled you are at being a matchmaker." She stood up and placed her dirty plate into the sink. "I have to get back home, I'll be by tomorrow to check your progress." And then she was gone, leaving a very frustrated Miroku left in the kitchen.

It was a Thursday afternoon, it was dreary and dark outside and Miroku knew there was a storm coming. Obviously the gods weren't pleased, but about what, he wasn't sure. He walked confidently down the long, glass hallway admiring how beautiful Tokyo looked underneath the gray sky.

While still beautiful, it was also depressing, but another sight caught Miroku's eye. He remembered her from the day before, Sango's red-headed friend Misty was sitting by the wall, her backpack and books laid artlessly beside her. Her knees were hugged to her chest and her eyes peered up at him from above her knees.

Miroku leaned against the wall next to her. His history class had started nearly 20 minutes ago and he knew he should have been in there instead of wondering the halls aimlessly, but it wasn't like he didn't already know everything about the Greek gods.

"Hey, Misty, are you alright?" He asked in a friendly manner. Her obvious distress was apparent on her pretty face and he never could ignore a girl in distress.

"I guess so." She replied quietly, not protesting when he took his seat next to her. They both stared out at the dreary city. "I didn't feel like going to class today?"

"Why not?" Miroku asked, trying his best not to pry into her personal life. She saw the way she was when Brock tried to do it and he didn't want to have the same fate. "Is something bothering you?"

"Well, it's just that Ash is in my Biology class this period and I just don't want to be around him right now." She explained, blushing slightly as she confessed. Miroku shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"Did he do something to you Misty?" He asked curiously.

"Kind of…" She trailed off, but Miroku was quiet, giving her time to formulate her words. He didn't know why she was being so open with him, but closing Brock off the way she had. After all, she had barely known Miroku for a day and Brock she had known practically their whole life, but maybe that was part of the reason she was shutting him out. "He just keeps pressuring me into having sex with him and I'm not ready." She said, ending the sentence with a nervous sigh.

Miroku remained calm, he had talked to so many girls about this very same thing and there was really only one answer he could give her. "Well, if your not ready then you need to tell him that. If he really loves you, Misty, he won't be angry."

"But that's just it." Misty said, looking over him. "He gets very angry. He tells me I don't love him enough and then he brings up all the things that he's done for me and then tells me I can't even do that one little thing for him…" A tear spilled down her cheek. "He's been pressuring me all week and I just don't know how much more I can take."

Miroku's face softened and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tissue. She took it from him gratefully and a bit embarrassed by her outburst of emotions. She dabbed her cerulean eyes with the soft cotton and then curled it up in her hand. "Thank you." She said, sniffling a little as she tried to compose herself.

The halls were empty and echoing and she hoped no one could have heard her crying. She didn't know why she confessed so quickly to Miroku, she supposed she just needed to tell someone. Someone she didn't really know and Miroku just happened to be that person. Miroku was quiet for a while, allowing her to calm herself down, then he spoke.

"Why did you tell me all of that, but couldn't tell Brock the other day when you were leaving school?" He asked. "He cares about you, he really does."

"I know he does." Misty said. "That's the whole problem. If Brock knew how Ash treated me he would seriously hurt him up and probably get kicked out of school and it would be all my fault." She said looking down. "I just needed to tell someone who I didn't know that well."

Miroku nodded and crossed his arms. "Makes sense, I guess." He said. "Well, hey take my advice, don't ever give into a guy who's pressuring you. Any guy that does that doesn't love you, trust me, I know."

Misty looked over at him. "What? You've done it to some girls?"

"Yes, and I'm not proud of it." He said sighing. "It's a terrible thing to do. Your innocence should be cherished and Ash needs to realize that. If he can't, then you need to find someone who can."

Misty smiled and nodded. "You're right. Thanks for talking to me, Miroku. Sango's so lucky to have found a guy like you."

"Whoa!" Miroku stopped her with a laugh. "Hold on there, I'm not her boyfriend or anything. Just someone she's tutoring."

"Oh, I know that." Misty said, standing up clearly in a better mood. It seemed nothing cheered her up more then discussing her friends love life. "But relationships can start out of the strangest situations." She said.

Miroku chuckled a bit and sat down on the bench in the hallway. "Tell me about it."

Friday morning was bright and sunny. The pavement of the parking lot held no evidence that it had rained the day before. Once again, Brock Harrison felt like the third wheel as he tagged along behind his two friends, Ash and Misty.

Misty had Ash's arm draped around her neck and her other hand grasped around his wrist. It was a sight that everyone in school was used to, including Brock. It was funny how in front of his teachers, friends and peers he was the dedicated, fun-loving guy that everyone knew and admired. He treated her like a princess at school and any other social event, but when it was just the two of them alone, he wasn't the same.

Ash Ketchum turned angry and pushy and Misty wasn't sure how much longer he was going to accept the answer "no", before he did something to her. Ash was still handing out invitations, to every person in school. He even gave Miroku one because he was "a cool looking guy."

Misty was relieved Brock had agreed to show up for at least a little while, and Miroku was probably going to come to and after their talk yesterday she felt as if she could trust him. Ash tossed a football in his left hand as his other hand was resting respectively on Misty's shoulder.

"So, Brock, make sure you bring some beer or something from your dad's stash." Ash said casually.

The older boy just sighed. "Ash, I'm not bringing anything. Last time I did, I got screamed at and grounded for two months."

"I suppose I can ask Gary Oak. He has an older cousin who can buy beer." Ash concluded, then he smirked. "Better be glad you're my friend Brock, or I'd take you off the guest list."

Brock could have come back with something witty and smart-assed, but he stayed silent. As if being taken off Ash Ketchum's guest list was a blow to his ego, he wouldn't even be going if it wasn't for Misty. Instead, he just rolled his eyes and let it roll off his back.

Ash stopped in front of his weight lifting class and kissed Misty lovingly on the cheek. "I love you, babe. I'll see you at lunch. See ya, Brocko." He said, with a small wave before he strutted into the weight room, which smelled of body odor and sweat.

Misty backed away from the door and strolled down the hall with Brock, now he didn't feel so much as the third wheel. He liked when Ash wasn't around, he could just be with Misty and it could just be the two of them, that's what he liked best, but these moments were rare and maybe that's why he found them so special.

"You know what I don't understand, Brock?" Misty asked as they rounded a corner. "Ash is such a different person when we are at school, or even if we are with you, but when we are alone and it's just the two of us…well, he's different." She didn't know why she was having this conversation here and now of all times, but something about the talk she had with Miroku allowed her to feel more comfortable and perhaps she should try to talk to Brock about it.

He always gave good advice and he knew her, as she knew him.

Brock raised an eyebrow. "How different?" He asked curiously.

"He's been pressuring me to well…you know…" Misty said blushing, remember now why she never wanted to talk to Brock about this. It was embarrassing enough with Miroku, but with Brock it was humiliating.

Brock stopped and grabbed her wrist pulling her back to him. "Misty, has he hurt you?"

"No, Brock…" Misty protested quickly shaking her head. "No, he hasn't. Not yet anyway." She says.

"Are you afraid he will?" He asked.

Misty bit her lip and looked away. "No, of course not. You know Ash isn't like that."

His face was serious as his gaze lingered on the side of her face, she wouldn't look at him and he wasn't going to make her, but he was going to promise her something. He took her small pale hand into his own large hands and enveloped it warningly. "Misty, if he ever does anything to make you feel threatened, let me know. I don't care what time of the day it is, you let me know and I'll be there."

Misty looked at him, rather shocked by his declaration. "Thank you, Brock." She said slowly, realizing she was enjoying the feeling of his hands holding hers. She never realized how handsome he was, or that they were now in a secluded hall where not one other person was right now. The thoughts she was having about her best friend were starting to weird her out and she had to get out of there.

"Uhm," She said, after a moment of just staring into his beautiful dark eyes. "We better…get to class." She stammered, pulling her hand from his warm embrace. He shifted his position from the wall and Misty never realized how wonderful his scent was. It was masculine, mature, and alluring.

"Right." Brock said, offering his hand for her books. "May I carry your books for you?"

"Of course." She said, handing over a heavy stack of books which he handled with ease. Misty allowed a smile to come to her face as she walked in companionable comfort with him to her next class.

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