Paired With Neutrality

-IMPORTANT NOTE- Tatsuha and Mika are not related to Eiri in this story. Eiri is an only child. In fact, many of

the manga/anime’s characters will not be showing up in this story. The New York incident didn’t happen either for

obvious reasons. Eiri never met Tohma! If you see anything that's totally wrong in canon verse, please go just go

with it. Thank You, now you may read on.

Paired With Neutrality

By: Angelwarrior1

Chapter 2: Learning


Shuichi looked around in awe at Eiri’s apartment. It was certainly big. Though the man did appear to be well off,

Shuichi really hadn’t known what to expect.

“You have a very nice home.” She gave a small smile to him.

“Thank you. Let me show you around.” Eiri began walking around the apartment, giving a very brief explanation for

each room.

Finally he came to the room that Shuichi would be staying in.

“This is where you’ll be staying. It’s not very large, but…” Eiri suddenly felt awkward.
Shuichi seemed to sense this and put a hand on his shoulder.

“It is more than adequate. Thank you Eiri.” She gave his shoulder a small squeeze and walked into the room.

She turned and gave a him a truly happy smile in thanks, then closed the door to get some much needed rest. Eiri

just stood there in a daze for a moment before he smiled the tiniest of smiles, which was basically the

breakthrough of the century for him.

He went to his room, forgoing the hygienic care for the night and collapsed onto his bed. He was asleep within

several minutes.

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She awoke to a sweet smell wafting through her room. Opening her eyes, Shuichi sat up and surveyed her

surroundings. She left the warmth of the bed and wandered into the living room, from there she could see the tall

man she now lived with.

His back was facing her, so she couldn’t see what he was doing. She approached him from behind and looked around

his left side to see what he was up to. It appeared he was creating something of sustenance for himself. It smelled

quite nice, her stomach growled after that contemplation.

“What is that delicious smelling concoction you are creating? It smells absolutely wonderful.” Shuichi smiled up at

Eiri, who jumped in surprise at Shuichi’s stealthy arrival.

“Oh Shuichi, good morning. Sleep well?” Eiri turned back to his food and continued on as if he hadn’t been

surprised just a moment ago.

“Yes, I slept very well thank you. What on Zila are you creating? It smells like nothing I have ever encountered

before.” Shuichi looked down at the pan that Eiri was cooking with.

“They’re called pancakes Shuichi. Zila?”

“Zila is the name of my home planet. What are those...pancakes for?”

“They’re.. for eating.”

“Eating?” Shuichi was more confused now than she was earlier.

Eiri almost started laughing at the face Shuichi was making. She was too adorable with that look on her face. He

put the finished concoction on the plate and placed them on the round table in the kitchen.

After getting drinks for them both he sat down and motioned for Shuichi to do the same. He took a plate and put a

pancake on it, then added butter and syrup. He prepared a couple for himself and then slid Shuichi’s plate across

the table to her.

“You eat a pancake like this.” Eiri demonstrated by cutting a small square of pancake and placing it into his

mouth, chewing slowly.

Shuichi watched in awe. She’d never seen such a thing.

“Oh! You eat to retain sustenance! How remarkable!” Shuichi’s eyes lit up at her discovery.

“Well yes. Your kind doesn’t eat?! How do you survive?” Eiri gaped at Shuichi’s remark.

“Oh, well we drink whatever vitamins, proteins, or anything else we may need. We never waste time with preparation

and manually ingesting what we need into our body. The special drinks we prepare fill us up automatically upon

drinking them. We simply drink it and continue on with our daily tasks. I have never eaten anything before in my

entire existence.” Shuichi continued staring at Eiri as he continued eating.

“Sounds boring.” Eiri didn’t look up as he cut the remainder of his pancake into pieces.

“It is!” Shuichi laughed at Eiri’s honest remark.

“Well? Aren’t you going to try things the Earthling way? You might find you like ingesting things manually.” Eiri

said with sarcasm in his voice.

Shuichi didn’t seem to pick up on said sarcasm and simply smiled at Eiri.

“Of course! How rude of me.” Shuichi picked up her knife and fork and looked at them with a small bit of confusion

on how to use them.

Remembering what she had seen Eiri do to eat his pancakes, she mimicked him as best she could. Slowly placing the

square she had cut into her mouth, she made her mouth chew for the first time ever.

She looked a bit awkward chewing, but seeing her face light up with obvious joy made Eiri forget all about the

funny way she was moving her mouth.

“These are-They’re wonderful!” She quickly began to devour them in haste.

Eiri watched in awe as she quickly finished her pancake and pulled the plate with the other pancakes on it to her.

It vaguely crossed his mind to warn her about eating more slowly and something about choking on her food, but his

brain was too hazed from watching the tiny creature before him eat like no one he’d ever seen before.

“Mm! That was incredible! Are there anymore of those… pancakes? Is that what you referred to them as? Well,

whatever you call them I love them.” Shuichi looked up at the still staring Eiri.

Eiri’s mouth closed with a small audible snap and he composed himself.

“You ate them all. And yes they are called pancakes. I guess I don’t have to worry about my cooking skills if an

alien finds them so enjoyable.”

“No you most certainly-AHHH!!” Shuichi began but let out a rather loud scream, even though it was small for her, at

the loud shrill sound that began to fill the room.

“Calm down! It’s just the telephone.” Eiri got up and answered it.

He usually ignored the phone for the most part when it rang, not caring to be bothered by who ever it could be on

the other end. However, due to his frightened new house guest, he decided to put her at ease by showing her that it

was nothing to be afraid of.

“What?!” He answered rudely.

“Ah, hello to you as well Eiri-san. How are you today?”

“It was turning out to be a good day until you called. Now what the hell are you calling for?” Eiri snarled, he had

no desire to speak to his editor at the moment.

“Now Eiri-san, no need to be rude. I was simply calling to see how you‘ve been fairing on the next chapter. It has

been a while since our last conversation.”

“Not long enough apparently. I’m busy right now, so don’t bother me anymore.” He slammed the phone back into the

receiver and pulled out a cigarette to sooth his annoyed nerves.

Remembering his guest, he inwardly cringed at his behavior and wondered how the delicate form behind him would take

his aggressive nature. Turning, he looked at her to gauge her reaction. He was surprised to see no fear on her face

at all, simply curiosity.

“What is that contraption you were just speaking into?” Shuichi looked at the phone with the same curious stare she

had fixed the pancakes with.

She approached the telephone and pick it up. She placed it to her ear and listened to the dial tone in fascination.

She looked at the buttons and began to push the buttons when a hand snatched the phone and hung it back into its

receiver. Whirling around she found Eiri looking at her in annoyance.

“Stop that. I don’t need you calling some random person and bothering them.”

Shuichi looked down in shame, all joy gone from her face. Eiri felt like an ass immediately upon seeing Shuichi’s

crest fallen face. He took the phone and placed it gently back into the curious person’s hand. Shuichi looked up

with a question written on her face.

“Here, you can see the phone. Just don’t press these buttons here. When you press seven numbers it dials a person’s

home. I don’t want you disturbing anyone. So don’t press any of these buttons at all okay?”

Shuichi nodded and looked at the receiver in curiosity as well.

“What does this button do?”

“It resets the numbers you’ve dialed in case you make a mistake. Pressing that won’t do any harm, just don’t press

the others.”

Shuichi nodded again and once more pressed the phone against her ear. Listening to the
sound of the dial tone, a smile slowly spread across her face as she looked at the receiver and then pressed the

reset button a couple of times.

Eiri watched her as she enjoyed something as simple as a telephone. He liked her smile, he wanted to see it more.

Developing an idea, he waited for Shuichi to hang up the phone and took out his cell phone.

He dialed the number to his house phone and almost laughed when Shuichi jumped in surprise at the ringing phone. He

hid the phone behind his back when Shuichi turned to look at him for aid of what to do.

“Answer the phone Shuichi.” He pulled the phone back up to his ear when Shuichi turned and picked the phone up

hesitantly.

She placed it slowly to her ear and jumped when she heard a voice on the other end.

“Hello Shuichi.” Shuichi turned when she not only heard the voice on the other end, but behind her as well.

A huge room brightening smile developed on her face when she found Eiri with what appeared to be a portable phone

placed to his ear.

“Eiri! Ahahaha!” Shuichi laughed when she found that Eiri had called from about six feet behind her.

Eiri smiled a half smiled at her overjoyed face. He REALLY liked her smile now.

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After their little phone chat, Eiri showed her some of the other items around the house and answered all of

Shuichi’s questions about them to the best of his ability. He’d never met someone as curious as Shuichi though!

She constantly had questions about almost everything around her. With anyone else he would have become annoyed by

now and told the person to piss off, but it was Shuichi asking the questions.

He found he couldn’t turn her away, much to his chagrin. He was dazzled by her more and more. He wanted to see that

smile on her face always.

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After the first two days of Shuichi living with Eiri, he realized that he had to do something about her clothes

situation. Not to mention the hygiene one as well. It wasn’t that Shuichi stunk necessarily, but she’d gone with

out bathing for two days now.

Enough was enough. So even though he was actually nervous about this task at hand, he took a deep calming breath

and approached Shuichi.

“Shuichi.”

“Yes, Eiri?” Shuichi hopped around immediately upon hearing her name and gave Eiri her usual dazzling smile.

Seeing it just made him nervous again. He cleared his throat and looked away for a moment to recompose himself.

“Shuichi, in my society it is customary to bath everyday. It is also customary to change your clothes every time

you bath, as well as when you awaken each morning and once more when you go to bed.”

“Why?” Shuichi gave him her usual confused face that she gave whenever something puzzled her.

“It’s just how we do things here. It’s been two days since you've bathed or changed clothes Shuichi. I don’t know

how you do the whole hygiene thing on your planet, but here we do it our own way. So follow me and I’ll show you

how to take a shower and bath. I’ll put some clean clothes in the bathroom for you to change into. When you’re all

finished we will be going out and purchasing you a wardrobe of you own. You can’t keep wearing my clothes.”

“Why not?”

“Because those clothes are meant for me. You need clothes for a female-er well… You appear more female than male so

I just assumed it’d be best…” Eiri gave a small blush at his error, luckily Shuichi couldn’t see it.

“I understand what you are trying to say Eiri. It is alright. I don’t mind. It doesn’t matter to me what I wear,

but seeing as how you’re the expert here on what is more acceptable here on this planet, I trust your judgment in

the matter.”

“You do?” Eiri turned and looked at Shuichi in slight shock at that statement.

“Of course! You have done nothing but help me during my stay here.”

Eiri couldn’t believe that this fragile soul would give trust so easily to someone. What if he had been simply

pretending to be helpful in order to gain her trust?! Shuichi could have been in real trouble if someone else had

found her.

A sudden protective feeling filled him. He found that he wanted to protect this naïve and innocent creature before

him. Nodding more to himself than Shuichi he began his walk to the bathroom again. He entered and stopped at tub,

waiting for Shuichi to join him. Once she did he began to explain the ins and outs of operating the bathtub, as

well as the bathing aspect.

“Now once you get the water to the temperature you want, you need to take off your clothes and enter.” Upon hearing

this and seeing that the water was at the temperature that she wanted it at, she began to take the shirt she was

wearing off…with Eiri still in the bathroom instructing her. When he heard no comment from Shuichi, Eiri

turned...and began thinking every dirty thought imaginable upon the sight he was seeing. Shuichi was unbuttoning

the shirt she was wearing!

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Eiri almost fell into the tub.

“What do you mean? I am undressing as you have instructed.” Shuichi ceased unbuttoning the shirt upon seeing how

frazzled Eiri was.

“Yeah, but why are you undressing with me still in the room! Your people do have such a thing as modesty right?!”

“I do not understand why you are so upset. It is only you.”
Only him?! Eiri didn’t know whether to feel insulted or flattered at what Shuichi had just said.

“Regardless if it’s me or not, we are not so close as to undress in front of each other.”

“We’re not? I don’t understand. You are male and I am part male, I have nothing you have never seen before.”

“Don’t you have female parts as well?” Eiri asked flatly in disbelief of what he was hearing.

“Only on my upper body. They are nothing remarkable though. The females on this planet seem to have extremely large

upper proportions.”

Eiri gave a slight smirk at that comment. Remembering what was happening though, he internally shook his head clear

of those thoughts and refocused himself.

“Shuichi, as flattered as I am that you feel so close to me that you feel you can undress in front of me, I can’t

allow that. Now you can undress while I go and get some clothes for you. I’ll leave them in the bedroom for you.

Remember to close the shower door once you get in. I’ll be waiting to leave in the living room.” Eiri left swiftly

before Shuichi could say anything.

Shuichi felt rather confused as to why Eiri had reacted that way, but remembering some of the things her mother had

told her about mates she quickly realized her error. She felt rather ashamed that she’d forgotten and decided to

apologize after she was dressed.

Showering was a very thrilling experience for Shuichi, however she decided apologizing to Eiri was more important

at the moment. She could enjoy the new experience of showering another day. She quickly dressed in the fresh

clothes Eiri provided and walked out into the living room. Eiri stood upon seeing her enter.

“Eiri, I apologize for the incident earlier. I didn’t realize what I had done was inappropriate until I remembered

what my mother had told me about mates.”

“What did you mother say about…did you just say mates?” Eiri was very confused at what Shuichi had just said.

“Yes mates. My mother said that only mates or intended mates should see each other exposed. I forgot that. I’m

sorry.” Shuichi lowered her head in shame.

“So mates are basically like married people here. I see now. It’s okay Shuichi, you didn’t understand the

situation.” Eiri gave Shuichi a small reassuring smile.

“Married people?”

“Two people that wish to spend the rest of their lives together get married on this planet. Usually anyways. Not

all people get married because they love each other.” Eiri added that last part upon thinking about some of the

arranged couples and gold diggers he‘d met in his life.

“I do not understand. If they do not love each other then why would they marry?”

“Sometimes the families arrange it, other times for money. Or if the woman gets pregnant, she sometimes traps the

male into marriage.”

“That is awful! We do not have such things on my world.” Shuichi looked disgusted at the thought.

“You don’t?” Eiri was very surprised at this.

“No, either you find your intended and make them your life mate or you simply go through life without one. Though

it is a very lonely life…” Shuichi looked down, very sad all of a sudden.

“That sounds… nice, except for the ones who don’t find their life mate.” Eiri found that he liked the thought of

finding just the person for you and spending your entire with that person.

“Yes. Now where will we be going Eiri! I can not wait to see where I will be getting clothes just for me from!”

Shuichi’s sad expression perked up suddenly when she remembered the trip they would be taking.

“Ah yes. Let’s get going.” Eiri almost turned from Shuichi when he noticed an important detail he had over looked.

Shuichi didn’t have shoes…

‘How could I forget something like that?!’ He berated himself mentally.

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Review to read about Shuichi and Eiri’s shopping trip, among other things.

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