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It had all started with simple curiosity.
Camus had a number of peculiar - intriguing, even - habits. One of them was muffling his footsteps everywhere he went. It was a source of consternation for Reiji and especially Ranmaru.
“Whoa, Myu-chan! You startled me! You’re like a ninja!“
“The hell you doing skulking around like that, asshole?”
Camus would simply scoff at their remarks, telling them it was their faults for being so unobservant. Ai eventually adapted by attuning himself to the presence of body heat signatures. He never let that on, in case Camus would try to mask that too. He wasn’t sure how possible it was, but Camus did have his ice magic, and Ai thought it best to not give away his main advantage. Even then, it was less of an advantage than was ideal because Camus’s body temperature seemed to run a bit lower compared to Reiji’s and Ranmaru’s. Day after day, Ai would note patterns in Camus’s steps when he was in his direct line of sight and the movement of his heat signature when he wasn’t. He used his phone or laptop to camouflage his observations, pretending to be paying more attention to the screen than to Camus.
Ai also found it curious that the volume of sugary foods Camus consumed seemed to have no ill effects on him. His research revealed that a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates would lead to diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood pressure, as well as cavities and other dental issues. However, Ai could not detect any detrimental physical effects, and levels of sugar that others flinched at didn’t even faze Camus. Additionally, he also uncovered the fact that Silk Palace had no sugar, which would explain Camus’s seemingly unquenchable zeal for it. After all, the more scarce something was, the more its perceived desirability.
One particularly troublesome obstacle in Ai’s data gathering was his system’s tendency to overheat. There were times he’d had to abandon his observations to retreat to the safety of his room. He kept the air conditioner in his room running except when he was not home, so most of the time staying in his room was enough to get his system temperature back under control. However, there were times he failed to make it there on time. One time he’d woken up on the couch with Ranmaru pressing a cold can of soda on his forehead, the condensation slightly wetting his bangs. Another time Camus himself had had to apply his ice magic during preparations for a show, in particular their duet. While they were required to be on stage alone together, the choreography thankfully did not require constant physical proximity. Unfortunately, during that rehearsal, the physical contact involved was too much for his cooling systems to handle. He’d simply brushed off the incidents as simple overexertion, but neither of them seemed to completely buy that excuse. Dr. Kisaragi was stumped on what the root cause might be, but he installed upgrades to his cooling systems just in case. However, he warned him it might take time before they calibrated to full effectiveness.
The common factor, Ai had surmised, was Camus. As another part of his data gathering, he adjusted his distance from Camus as much as he could without arousing suspicion to gauge any effects proximity had on patterns of overheating. Still, he continued his observations, feeling compelled to compile as much information as he could on the count. He kept meticulous notes of it all.
The muffling of footsteps does not appear to be any more physically strenuous than regular walking. It also does not appear to be a conscious habit.
A distance of 35 m provides the optimal balance of allowing for clear observation without detection and preventing heat-related shutdowns.
At 3 PM on the dot each day, Camus takes his tea and dessert, whether at home or in a cafe.
Camus always puts exactly 55 sugar cubes into his tea. A teacup holds 150 ml of liquid, which is an insufficient volume to dissolve that amount of sugar.
The longer he observed, the more he found he enjoyed learning more about Camus, beyond simple information gathering and dataset compilation. He began to wonder what it would take to bridge the gap between them, to be able to find things out through firsthand conversations rather than surreptitiously from a distance. Perhaps more data would uncover the answer. Or perhaps that was simply an excuse to spend more time focused on Camus.
While Camus was not one for hanging out with any of them for purely social purposes (except when Reiji’s badgering got too annoying to ignore), Ai would try to have Ranmaru, Reiji, or both between him and Camus whenever the four of them were out together. Ranmaru was all too happy to act as a buffer between him and Camus. “Can’t blame him. Who’d want to spend time with you if they don’t have to?”
“Hah. The same could be said for you, Kurosaki.”
“He doesn’t have any problems being near me. Must be something about you.”
“Hey hey hey, that’s enough, guys!” Reiji tried to cut in.
“Stay out of this!” Camus and Ranmaru shouted.
“Reiji’s right,” Ai said as he pulled Ranmaru away, glad for the excuse to walk away from Camus as his system temperature started to rise and just this once grateful for Reiji’s meddling.
Once they were out of earshot, Ranmaru asked, “Hey…what is up with you avoiding that jackass, anyway? If he did something to you-”
“No, no he didn’t. It’s just some…temporary technical difficulties, that’s all.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean? Does that have anything to do with the time I had to cool you down with my soda?”
“I’m…I’m not even entirely sure myself. But thank you for that, by the way.”
Ranmaru still looked confused, but shrugged and replied, “Oh, um, sure. Right…well, lemme know if anything changes, I guess.” He cracked his knuckles. “And if I need to straighten out that prick.”
Ai thought Ranmaru was looking for an excuse to hit Camus as much as he was looking out for him. “I…don’t think that will be necessary. But thank you.”
“Yeah. Just…just try not to overdo it, OK? And don’t let him walk all over you.”
Of course, Reiji could not leave things alone, barging into his room that night while Ai was on his computer. “Ai-Ai, what’s happening between you and Myu-chan?” A short pause. “And…why is it so cold in here?”
Ai kept his eyes on the screen. “Nothing. And I like it that way.”
“There’s no way it’s nothing! You’ve been avoiding him and using Ran-Ran and I as barriers for weeks! That’s not like you!”
Ai was thankful Reiji hadn’t stumbled on him during one of his overheating episodes. The resultant persistent hovering would’ve made observations nearly impossible, especially given Reiji’s rambunctious nature. “Really, it’s nothing, just-“
Ai didn’t get to finish his sentence before Reiji grabbed his arm and dragged him to Camus’s room, threw open the door, and shoved Ai inside. Before either of them could yell at him, he had already closed the door. When Ai tried to open the door to leave, he found it held fast. He banged on it.
“Reiji! Stop this nonsense and open the door!”
Camus had walked up to the door as well, and Ai could feel his body temperature begin to rise due to the closer proximity. “What is the meaning of this, Kotobuki?!”
“Nuh uh, you guys! Neither of you are leaving that room until you’re friends again! You two need to talk! Kiss and make up!”
It was possible Reiji didn’t mean anything with that last comment, though anything was possible with him. Nevertheless, the thought brought a flush to Ai’s cheeks. He shook his head in a futile effort to clear the thought from his head. There was no way Camus would entertain the idea. He’d likely react with either derision or disgust. Ai wasn’t sure which was worse.
Yes, Reiji was the reason they were in this situation now. Him, and curiosity.
While the height difference between the two of them wasn’t that significant in terms of numbers, Camus’s bearing made him all the more imposing. People were surprised when they found out how tall Ai really was. Even so, Ai could not help but feel a bit daunted under Camus’s gaze.
Camus looked down at him and crossed his arms. “Mikaze. Explain. What is Kotobuki prattling about?”
Ai tried to think of the right words. But all his other thoughts were buried by one thing.
Kiss and make up.
The phrase lingered like a grain of sand might inside an oyster. Heat formed around it like nacre. But instead of a pearl, layers of heat piled on top of the intruder and formed a bolus that stuck and bulged as it radiated more and more heat.
Kiss and make up.
Heat.
Kiss and make up.
Heat.
Kiss and mak-
“Mikaze, stop idling there like a fool and-”
The end of that sentence was cut off by the thud of Ai hitting the ground. Camus immediately knelt next to him and placed both hands on the sides of Ai’s head, channelling his ice magic. After Ai opened his eyes, Camus stood up and took a step back to give Ai room to stand as well.
“Now, then, Mikaze, what were you about to-”
No sooner had Ai gotten back on his feet that he lurched and fell over. This time Camus was ready to catch him. Or rather, catch him by being close enough for Ai to fall against. When Ai started to slump towards the floor, Camus put an arm around him to stop his fall.
“Mikaze! Get a hold of yourself!”
He dragged Ai towards his bed and placed him on it. He then again used his magic to bring Ai’s system temperature back to operable range. This time, he did not remove his hands when Ai opened his eyes, except to pull a chair next to the bed.
“It seems we’ll have to talk like this.”
Ai’s head was still reeling from the two heat-related shutdowns in such quick succession. His senses were overwhelmed by the saturation of Camus’s presence. He was laying in his bed, in his room. The pillows felt rather plush under his head, tall enough to keep Ai’s head partially elevated. The sheets were a smooth, almost slippery, sky blue silk - unsurprising, given that as royalty Camus would likely accept nothing less than the best luxuries. The room temperature was lower than other rooms (except perhaps his own) - likely due to Camus being used to a cool climate. A sugary sweet vanilla scent permeated the air. Camus’s hands were on his head, holding it in place so he was forced to keep looking in his direction. The only thing keeping him from shutting down a third time was the cold on his face, so he tried to focus on that. “Camus, I’m sorry about this, I-”
“Stop wasting time apologizing and explain yourself.” The words were harsh. The tone was not, to Ai’s surprise.
Ai recalled what Dr. Kisaragi had told him while he installed the new cooling system. “The doctor wasn’t sure of the exact cause of this recent wave of overheatings, but he said it was possible that this overheating can occur with particularly strong emotions.” After a pause, “I…I suppose it’s apparent what the cause of the overheating is.”
Camus seemed to pick up on what Ai was trying to say. “You’re saying…it’s me? What’s the meaning of this? I do not believe my conduct towards you has differed drastically enough to induce such a thing.”
Ai’s reply was quiet, reflecting his uncertainty as he struggled to find an adequate explanation for something he didn’t really understand himself. “No. It hasn’t. I…I am unsure how to explain it.”
“I’d like you to try anyway. I’d thought you were just being petulant for some reason that eluded me. But that didn’t seem to be normal for you. Kurosaki, perhaps. Or even Kotobuki. But not you. And this seems to be more than simple overexertion. So there must be another explanation.”
Ai hesitated. While Camus had seemed to take things into stride so far, he wasn’t sure where his limits were. Still, Camus was not the type to tolerate vacillation. So Ai supplied the only bit of data he’d managed to retrieve on the issue. “Previous data suggests that these overheating incidents are most likely linked to the specific emotion called…called…” Even the word was enough to cause his system temperature to start rising again. “…love.”
A long period of silence followed. Ai wasn’t sure if the last word he said was even audible, and half of him was glad for the plausible deniability, while the other half cursed his cowardice. Avoidance was an inefficient means of addressing issues, but he didn’t even know where to begin. He knew how dictionaries defined love and how the doctor had tried to explain it to him: a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person, a person you love in a romantic way. But he had nothing to correlate that to, no experiences to link that information to for a more complete understanding of the concept. Attempting to research the ways in which love manifested led only to data far too divergent to draw anything conclusive from. Did love mean feeling overheated and feverish all the time? If so, how did humans in love function?
He was afraid to look Camus in the eye, so he focused on the feel of his hands instead. Camus’s hands were cooler in comparison to other hands he had touched, but they weren’t as cold as Ai expected, even with ice magic coursing through them. Another notable trait besides temperature was smoothness. Camus often bragged about the impeccable care he took of himself in every aspect. Ranmaru’s hands were large and strong, but also calloused from years of playing his bass and cooking. Reiji’s ran warmer than average, and while not calloused like Ranmaru’s, they also weren’t as smooth as Camus’s.
Ai glided the tips of his fingers along the back of Camus’s hands. “Your hands are smooth. And cold, but that goes without saying.”
The motions were nearly imperceptible, but Camus’s eyes widened and his hands twitched momentarily before he smoothed his expression back into a neutral one and his hands stilled again. “What?”
“Merely noting tactile data. Did that…make you uncomfortable?”
“No. Just…more out of the ordinary behavior for you, Mikaze.”
Ai felt his cheeks begin to burn, despite Camus’s ice magic still working on them. His lack of response to his attempted explanation did not escape him. “I-I apologize if these feelings are a bother to you. I know they’re inappropriate. I won’t bring them up again or…or let them affect work.”
Ai started to sit up so he could walk to the door, but the hands still on his head stopped him. “Wait.”
“What is it?”
“Why are you assuming the answer is no?”
“Is that not the right assumption?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then…what are you saying?” Ai examined Camus’s face and found neither derision nor disgust. With that realization came relief, which was also accompanied by uncertainty because Camus’s expressions were usually inscrutable unless he was yelling at someone (usually Cecil, Ranmaru, or Reiji) or smiling while enjoying his sweets or putting on his butler idol act.
“Did you think I haven’t noticed you observing me these past weeks?”
Ai’s eyes widened. Had his distance calculations been wrong? Had he made too much noise at some point? He didn’t know how Camus managed to muffle his footsteps, but he had calculated the optimal velocity and force needed to minimize the audibility of his own footsteps. “That’s-” He tried to jerk himself out of Camus’s grasp, but it held.
“Mikaze. I’m not angry. So these attempts to retreat are unnecessary.” Then, “If you had any questions, you needed only ask.”
“I-I’m sorry-”
“I told you. Stop wasting time apologizing.” Again, Camus’s tone was not as harsh as the words would suggest. “Well, I suppose I cannot blame you for being curious.”
“I apol-“ Ai stopped himself, remembering what Camus had just told him.
“You’re repeating yourself a lot today.”
“Am I irritating you?”
“No. Merely noting behavioral data, to put it in your words.” Camus’s delivery was so deadpan Ai couldn’t discern whether he was mocking him. “I must admit, the thought of…however you wish to call this is…not disagreeable.”
“Camus-“
“I did notice you’ve been keeping your air conditioner running on high despite the fact that it’s winter. I come from a cold climate and I don’t even do that. I cannot say I know the full extent to which temperature fluctuations affect you, but this is not a tenable situation. Not in terms of you going about your daily life, and not in terms of us continuing to work together in this group.”
“Then…then what do you suggest?”
“It seems I am the only one equipped to help directly with your…heat issue. So I suggest you come to me as a remedy for that.”
“Even though they also seem to happen more in closer proximity to you?” Ai knew he was stating the obvious, but he didn’t think the issue was something that could go unaddressed. He wondered in the back of his mind if Camus was referring to more than the temperature issue, but he decided that it might be better if plausible deniability remained in play for the time being.
“Yes, I’m aware. But Kurosaki and Kotobuki are entirely useless for this.” A short pause. “Besides, perhaps the more frequent exposure might allow your body to adjust and stop going haywire so often. Though I only have conjecture to go on, of course.”
“Your reasoning does sound logical enough.” Ai was relieved Camus was taking the whole thing better than he’d hoped. However, he still hated to impose. “But Camus, you don’t have to force this-“
“I never force anything.”
“I…if you’re sure I wouldn’t be a bother-”
“I’m sure. I would not have offered otherwise.”
Suddenly Reiji’s earlier words popped up in Ai’s mind again.
Kiss and make up.
No, he chided himself. Even if Camus was being unusually open, it was far too premature to even broach that subject. Still, he could feel his cheeks heat up from the image it put into his mind. The distance wasn’t so great, and if Camus was to-
Stupid Reiji-
A quiet chuckle brought Ai out of his thoughts. Mirth was such a rare emotion from Camus that Ai had doubted it was even possible. He made sure to etch the sound into his memory. “Yes, Kotobuki can be quite vexing.”
Ai quietly cursed himself for the slip. At least he hadn’t said anything too embarrassing. He looked away as he attempted to regain his composure. “I-Indeed. Though it…it was because of him we’ve managed to address the situation like this.”
“As little as I would like to give that fool any credit, I must admit that is true.”
As Ai took in a breath (more for the cooling air than a need for oxygen), he noticed something. “It’s strange. As we’ve been having this discussion, the heat’s been…more manageable.”
“Good.” Then, making firm eye contact with Ai, “Mikaze. As I said, you are to come to me should you require aid with this heat issue. And…in other areas.” A small smirk. “Besides, isn’t information gathered firsthand superior to information gathered from a distance?”
Ai maintained eye contact, unsure of what to make of Camus’s current expression. He felt as much as heard a hot thrum in the back of his head. “I suppose you have a point there.”
“Also I’ve found your company the most palatable of the three of you. So I do not mind indulging your…curiosity. Besides, you’ve managed to pique my own curiosity. The least you can do is return the favor.”
Ai blinked, not expecting that Camus would be as receptive as he was. “Y-yes, thank you, Camus.” A pause. “What…what now?”
Camus removed one hand from Ai’s head, reached into his pocket, and took out a fancy looking business card with the name and address of one of the cafes Camus liked to frequent. “Here. 3 PM tomorrow. Be punctual.“
Ai pocketed the card, mentally noting to himself that he should look up the most efficient route to get there after he returned to his own room. “I’ll be there.”
“Are you alright now?”
“Yes, I think I can manage from here.”
“Very well.” Slowly Camus pulled back his other hand. He leaned in a bit closer. Before Ai could stop himself, he started to wonder (maybe even anticipate) that perhaps-
Instead Camus simply stood and stepped back to give Ai room to get up.
Shaking off a sense of disappointment he didn’t quite understand, Ai headed for the door, but he looked back at Camus. “I will see you tomorrow, then.”
Camus nodded. “Yes, see you then.”
As Ai opened the door he remembered how it’d been somehow barred from the outside before. He examined the door and found no signs anything had ever been on it. There was also no sign of Reiji - no heat signature remnants, no footsteps, nothing. Ai frowned slightly at the strange anomaly, but thought it best not to loiter in front of Camus’s door, so he simply closed it and went on his way. The conversation he’d just had with Camus weighed more heavily on his mind, and, Ai reasoned to himself, Reiji’s frivolous stunt had ultimately proved harmless - on the contrary, it may have the push he needed. The developments to follow would certainly provide valuable data.
As Ai walked back to his room, he felt a different kind of warmth despite the lingering cold on his cheeks from Camus’s ice magic. Upon entering his room, he turned off the air conditioning and lay on his bed, basking in the lingering cold. It reminded him of Camus, something that he found soothing as he drifted off.