An Aphology

"Things are nice like this, yea-" Maria got cut off mid-sentence, yelping as she fell onto the couch, Aphelion on top of her. Taking a moment to calm down, she wraps her arms tenderly around his waist, stroking his back. "You're like that to me too... it's just.... As painful as it is to say, we're not supposed to be like that."

"I know that... but I don't care." Aphelion huffed and pressed himself harder to Maria, "I want us to be like how we are Maria. I want you to be as close to me as you were when you told me about what happened in your past, about being in the White Fang... I want you to be my best friend... or more than that... N-Not my girlfriend! B-But... I don't know how to call it..."

"What makes you think I don't want that too?" She asked, letting him hug her and hugging back. "Aphelion, I trust you. Trust you enough to tell you my deepest, darkest secret.... You're more than a friend definitely but I can't love you.... I think we're both talking about friends with benefits...."

"U-Umm... Well, that's..." Aphelion blushed slightly, "I guess that kinda is... what we're talking about..." he said, quietly muttering afterwards, "That'd be nice..."

"I... I wouldn't mind it...." Maria fidgeted, blushing profusely but keeping her gaze downwards, fingers laced together on her lap as she twiddled her thumbs. "But that's the thing.... I don't think it's possible.Imperia'd fillet you... maybe even me...."

"Y-Yeah, I know... And she might know from Milly..." Aphelion sighed before shaking his head, "No, it's wrong of me to think like that! I desire you but... I wouldn't put you at risk... Any more than I already have... And if we did it again things could get worse..."

"It's wrong for me to think like that too." Maria said, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. "You're right though. Things will get worse if we keep this up.... She'll find out eventually, if she hasn't already.... Other than being horrible to Imperia, it's too dangerous for both you andme."

"I understand..." Aphelion sighed and writhed out of Maria's hands, getting up and covering himself with his hands as he made the slow trek back to his pile of clothes and started gathering them up in a squat.

"Aph, don't be like this." Maria pouted, moving to hug Aphelion from behind, arms hugging him around the torso. "I'm not kicking you out or anything. It's just... I.... Don't go.... Please?"

"No, look. It's okay, I'm f-fine... I just think that it's best time to leave now... so neither of us is tempted... and if she were to find us here you'd be in more trouble." he stated, using the position of Maria's arms to freely pull up his underwear and pants and start putting on his shirt, "We agreed that we can't **** anymore. I won't risk that happening again by staying."

Maria put her chin on Aphelion's shoulder, blocking his shirt. If he were to turn, he'd see the sad look on her face, or the droop of her ears, or the fact that her tail lay limply on the floor behind her, or any other sign that Maria was visibly forlorn. "You're upset.... Aren't you...."

"Yes. It's obvious I am. But it doesn't matter. I can't change how I feel and I can't change how things will be. As I explained, there is no benefit to me staying any longer." Aphelion started wrestling with Maria for freedom of putting his shirt on.

"No!" Maria insisted, keeping her head in place and hugging him tighter. "Leave now and we'll be on bad terms and never meet again. Forever. Then... I'll be alone again. Aph, Imperia's all I have but... I don't want to lose you too.... Not after everything I did to you...."

"Maria, do you not understand!? I wanna keep **** you! I need to leave, for you and me. Else it'll happen again and we'll both be guiltier." Aphelion snapped, still trying to writhe free of Maria but visibly not giving it nearly his all.

"Fine! Then do it!" Maria yelled, dripping tears onto Aphelion's shoulder. "If that's all you want me for then go ahead!" Sobbing, Maria's arms go slack and land on his lap. "Just go away.... I didn't like you anyway. Dumb, stinking, human...." She cried, limply draped over his back.

"Fine, then I will! After I get my stuff from upstairs." Aphelion growled, slipping free of Maria and going to walk up the stairs, back into the bedroom they occupied beforehand. It's for the best I suppose...

Maria sat on the stairs, tears forming dark spots on her clothes as they streamed down her arms, face cupped in her hands. "Good job, Maria." She said, not caring if he heard, sobbing and shaking, "You had one friend.... One ****ing friend...."

Aphelion picked up the bottle of pills he left on the bedside and the bottle of water from Maria's handbag. Going right back out with a single pill in his palm, he used some Aura to jump over Maria and turn to face her, offering her both items, "Swallow."

Maria slapped the pill away, grabbing Aphelion by the wrist and pulling his face level with her's. Looking up, Maria's face was beet red from crying, cheeks tear stained and eyes puffy. "That's it?" She asked bitterly through clenched teeth, "Just gonna make sure you didn't knock me up then leave? Some kind of friend you were." She cried, throwing his hand back at him before she sunk her face into her arms folded on her knees. "I thought you cared about me...."

"I ****ING DO! THAT'S WHY I'M LEAVING SO THAT YOU DON'T GET INTO ANY MORE TROUBLE BECAUSE OF ME, AND SAME REASON WHY I'M MAKING SURE YOU'RE NOT PREGNANT, SO IMPERIA WON'T LEAVE YOU AND YOU TWO WILL BE HAPPY!" Aphelion shouted, breathing heavily. As he turned to pick up the pill his right leg just dropped out of the way of his weight and caused him to collapse.

"But what about you?!" Maria snapped back, yelling at the top of her lungs. "You think I can be happy knowing you feel like crap cause I slept with you?!" Hearing the thud of his unconscious body, Maria stares at him for a few seconds before straddling his stomach. Pulling her hand up she brings it down and slaps him across the face. "Stupid! Idiot! Moron! Jerk! Sleazebag! Retard! Dumbass! Bastard! Dirtbag! Imbecile! Brain dead! ASSHOLE!" She yelled violently and confused as to how she was actually feeling, slapping him with each insult before collapsing, her hand beet red and forehead dropping onto his as tears fell onto his face. "Why make me like you then just up and leave...."

Aphelion's face shook violently as Maria slapped him, continuously turning from facing left to right. Her collapsing didn't phase him either, his recent cold demeanor now turning into him literally being as unresponsive as a wall.

Maria crumpled on top of Aphelion, tears dripping onto him though the flow was slower, the bear girl running out of tears. "And now you pass out and leave me to deal with your dumb, passed out body." She muttered, pounding a fist weakly on his chest. "Why do you think leaving's the only answer...."

Still unable to feel or hear anything, Aphelion let Maria freely cry over him, tears dropped onto his face sliding down to hit the floor.

Sighing, Maria gets off him and rubs the tears from her eyes. "God we're so dumb...." She muttered, frustrate kicking him in the thigh before she sighed again, seeing his face bruised from the slapping. Wiping her face, she picks the boy up and rests him on the couch, taking one last look at him before she went out, taking a moment to remember where the nearest convenience store was and heading straight for it.

Aphelion lay still on the couch, his face, despite the bruising, looking as peaceful as ever, having escaped the turmoil of his current troubles. His body contorted into a ball, protectively clutching his legs in fear of confusion.

Maria gingerly opened the door, a plastic bag dripping with water in her hand as she walked back to Aphelion on the couch, sighing when she saw his curled up body. Sitting down, Maria puts Aphelion's head on her lap, gently rubbing at his face with the ice pack. "I dont know what to do anymore, Aph... I want to be friends but... I don't know how...."