• Malic could see the flash of sadness on Miyuki's face and decided to try and cheer her up.

    "Hey, Mommy!" he piped cheerfully, adding a skip to his step, "we don't gots school tomorrow! What do you wanna do?"

    "I don't know, Malic . . . " she sounded skeptical.

    Malic the thought for a moment, a look of deep concentration across his face that would have made her burst out laughing if it weren't for her mood. "I know!" he chirped as his face brightened instantly. "How bout we go home and watch a movie? Ooh! Ooh! With popcorn! Mmmm . . . I like popcorn!"

    Though her excitement wasn't spilling out like her chilish friend, a smile tugged at the corner of Myuki's lips. "Well . . . " she started softly, "we'd have to stop by the movie rentals and pick one out . . . "

    "What about the popcorn?" Malic asked, looking at Miyuki as if it were the most important question in the world.

    She couldn't help it. Such a serious question on such a chilish face? She just had to laugh. That only made him pout, which increased her laughter. It eventually died down and she was able to talk without giggling. "Yes Malic," she sated with a smile, "we can make popcorn."

    "YAAAAAY!!" the teen cheered, engulfing Miyuki in a bone-crushing hug. "POPCORN!"

    "Malic . . . " Miyuki gapsed, "Mommy can't breathe!"

    "Oops . . . " He brough his arms back to his side, blushing an adorable shade of pink. "Sorry . . . "

    She smiled. She just couldn't stay mad at him. Not that she was mad in the first place. "Hey, let's go get that movie, kay?"

    He instantly perked up. "Okie dokes!"

    They turned the corner and soon made it to the movie rental place just down the street from Miyuki's house. They browsed the aisles, going from action, skipping over horror, to romance, then comedy, and family, and so on until they made it to the back of the store where they had the new releases on display.

    "Ooh! Mommy, can we watch this one?" Malic asked, holding up a DVD case with both hands. Miyuki took said case and examined it, reading the back, the title and the rating. It was a comical romance, and only rated PG. Not bad . . . and it was one she had been wanting to see . . . but was it something Malic would actually like? I mean, he was pretty childish, and he was a boy after all . . .

    "I don't know Malic . . . are you sure?" she asked, unsure herself. Malic nodded eagerly. She sighed. "Alright. This one it is."

    "YAY!" Malic surprised her with another hug, this time being carefully not to squeeze her too tightly. Just before she had to remind him they were in a public place, he let go. Malic grabbed her by the hand and pulled her over to the check-out line, but was distracted by the rows of candy. After staring at it for a few seconds, he gave Miyuki a look that she simply couldn't say no to.

    ". . . . Oh . . . Why not?" She smiled as he grinned and they selected a few boxes each. Arms loaded, they made their way over to the counter and let the candy scatter as Miyuki handed the movie over and got out her rental card. Well, it was technically her mother's, but since she was in Greece, she couldn't exactly use it, now could she? After paying, they got a bag for their stock of candy and one DVD and headed home.

    Once they got there, Miyuki popped the disc in as Malic dumped their sweets on the coffee table in front of the couch. She got to the menu screen and kept it there so they could listen to the background music as she popped the popcorn, letting the smell of butter fill the house.

    "Mmmm . . . " Malic said as Miyuki came in holding the steaming bowl. She had made two bags, knowing one bag would only last about the first ten minutes of the movie between the two of them.

    After flicking off the lights for the movie theatre affect, she settled down on the couch next to Malic, giving him the bowl as she pressed play. She was just opening a box of Rasinettes when a loud, sudden yelp made her jump, sending a few of the candies flying. She'd have to hunt those down later . . .

    "Owie . . . " Malic whined, waving his hand.

    Coming to the logical conclusion, Miyuki chastised, "Malic, it just came out of the microwave, it's going to be hot."

    He pouted for the second time that evening.

    Why does he have to be so cute when he does that? Miyuki asked herself.

    "Let me see," she said soothingly. Malic extended his hand. "Here?" she asked, pointing to one of his fingers. He nodded. She kissed the finger lightly, then let go. "There, all better?" He smiled, nodding once more. "Good, now be more careful, because the movie is starting." She turned back to the screen just as the opening credits began.

    It was a pretty good movie, she had to admit, and though they had to get a refill on the popcorn their candy lasted the duration of most of it. Miyuki pressed the stop button and turned the TV off, cutting off all source of light and making the room go completely black.

    "Shoot . . . " she said under her breath as she stood up to find the light switch. Why she didn't just turn the TV on was beyond her, but somewhere in between the couch and the light Miyuki managed to slip on a Rasinette--a RASINETTE of ALL things--and fall back.

    "Mommy!" Malic cried in sync with the loud thud. The rushed over, but unkowing of her exact placement, ended up falling as well, and by the feeling of it and the quiet 'ow' that followed, it was exactly where Miyuki fell . . . exactly.

    He opened his eyes and found them staring right into Miyuki's. As hazel met blue, Malic blushed.

    "Mommy . . . " he began, feeling very awkward, which was unusual for him.

    "Ugh . . . " Miyuki scooted out from underneath Malic, who got to his feet quickly to help her stand. She flicked on the switch and the lights flickered to life. She then turned to him. "Yeah Malic?"

    His head was down, as if he had done something wrong or shameful, but he kept eye contact. "What's this funny feeling in my tummy?" His words were almost inaudble, especially over the painful ring in Miyuki's ears after the fall she took.

    Her first reaction was to grab a trash bin. Maybe the sweets got to him . . . I don't want to have to clean a puke stain out of the rug . . . But then she saw how his blush deepened to a shade so dark she didn't know how she evr could have missed it. Oh . . . that funny feeling . . . Now she, too, was blushing, and the two of them resembled a pair of tomatoes on a vine.

    "O-Oh . . . U-Umm . . . " She was stuttering like mad, but couldn't find the words to say. How DOES a girl explain to a teenage boy with the brain capacity of a five year old what a crush is? "Umm . . . Malic," she started, finally figuring it out. He looked up, the bright color in his cheeks fading slightly, but still highly noticiable. "That's the feeling you get when you like a person very, very much."

    Malic smiled, his cheeks regaining most of their normal color, but keeping that pinkish tint that seemed to rarely leave.

    They stood there in the awkward--but not quite uncomfortable--silence for a moment or two before Miyuki said, "Well, we better clean this place up."

    With a nod, Malicand Miyuki set to work, sweeping up the fallen pieces of candy and popcorn and throwing away the trash and whatnot, all awkward thoughts gone.