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[FIC] Gakuen Heaven: Surfacing: Interludes [Part I]
The long-awaited Niwa-POV fic! We have been neglecting the boy for so long that the Royal Foursome seems to be stuck at 'threesome'. But here you go! =D
Surfacing: Interludes
- from before Lessons to the end of Realities
Authors:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kagayachou and the_dw
Characters/Pairings: Niwa/Keita, Keita/everybody else, mentioned Nakajima/Shichijo/Saionji, Niwa->Saionji
Rating: PG-15
Words: 10309
Summary: We’ve seen Surfacing from Hide, Kaoru and Omi’s points of view. Now, here’s Tetsuya’s.
Niwa Tetsuya thought it was love at first sight when he met Saionji Kaoru, love being a real hard slap on the cheek that was loud and almost tear-inducing. But Kaoru-chan - the redhead's friend called him that without the suffix, but hey - seriously looked like a girl, with longish-wavy hair that framed a heart-shaped face, and the most pouty, kissable lips Tetsuya had ever seen. Could anyone seriously blame him for making sure Kaoru wasn't a girl when even the boy's voice sounded like the most melodious thing to his ears?
Kaoru trembled with anger as he held on to his own wrist so he wouldn't slap Tetsuya again. A flush spread across his cheeks, coloring them pink. How... how dare that brute try to insinuate that he's a girl?! Just because Kaoru didn't look like he was on steroids or act like a stereotypical manly idiot didn't mean he was female. He sniffed haughtily, glaring at Tetsuya heatedly before he strode away, scowling.
Tetsuya just rubbed his cheeks with a stricken expression, watching the boy's retreating back. Okay, he noted, there was another boy with Kaoru, Shichijo or something. His friend or guardian or boyfriend or something. But, "Damn, Kaoru-chan is so pretty," he muttered to himself. What was he, in love with a boy?
Hide walked over just in time to see Tetsuya grinning sappily while Kaoru stormed away in a great huff. His lips quirked up in amusement involuntarily, leaning against the wall as he raised an eyebrow at Niwa. "You really are an idiot. What did you do to that freshman to make him that pissed off at you?"
"Uh," Tetsuya gave Hide a quick glance, then looked back towards Kaoru until the boy disappeared from view. "I called him a bishoujo, and when he said he wasn't, um... I couldn't help but ...check." He blushed then. In afterthought, what he did was stupid whichever gender Kaoru really was. Probably could have charged him for molestation or something. He knew he wasn't normally this stupid...
Hide stared at him for a moment. He did not just... that smile grew into a full blown grin before Hide gave up on trying to stifle his amusement and burst into laughter, chuckling into a hand that completely failed to muffle his mirth. "Student Council President-san, actually... groped a freshman on their first day of school? Wonderful PR there, Niwa. Really wonderful."
The sarcasm was so thick that it was almost corporeal.
"Aw, come on, Hide, you can't look at him and tell me he's not beautiful!" He paused and blushed again. "Oh god, what am I saying?" He covered his heated cheeks and his mouth with one hand.
Hide just looked at the idiot. What the... was he blushing? Oh, this was getting far too ridiculous for words. He rolled his eyes, walking forward and smacking Niwa lightly on the head (he figured his cheeks had taken enough punishment already.)
"You've been in this school for a year and yet you're saying something like this? God, Niwa." He crossed his eyes, exasperated with this complete idiot of a friend. "That guy's prettier than most girls, and you are lusting over him like the moron you are. Nothing's worth freaking out about with that."
He shrugged, "If you want him, then go after him. You're King, after all."
"But I-," Tetsuya stared incredulously at Hide, and then it hit him. Hide went after guys like he changed dirty socks. It wasn't like Hide was going to tell him off for not being completely heterosexual, like his old man probably would. "I've never really gone after... anyone like that, Hide. I just took one look at him and thought, 'I'm in love' - what do I do?"
Now it was Hide's turn to stare at Tetsuya incredulously. Perhaps he was going deaf...? No, this was Tetsuya - it would be perfectly in-character for the idiot to say something like that out of the blue.
He sighed, brushing a strand of hand out of his eyes as he gazed steadily at the older boy. "You've never gone after anyone, or you've never gone after guys before? Not that it makes a difference anyway." He shrugged. "It's pretty much all the same. Just find out what he likes and follow that. You need to know that, anyway, if you're so in love with him already." The sarcasm had returned, and with a vengeance. Hide's lips twisted into a sneer - it was because 'love' was so abused that he had stopped believing in it any more.
Lust was just so much more honest.
And Tetsuya knew about lust, but, really, it was the first time he even heard himself think he might be in love. "I've flirted with girls before, Hide. I've never done that sort of thing ... I mean I never used to even want to flirt with guys." He scratched his head, "Aw man, Kaoru-chan has a mean slap."
"You thought he was a girl," Hide pointed out matter-of-factly. "Maybe it's just that you're becoming more open-minded about your sexuality rather than being in love." He tried to rationalize the situation to Tetsuya calmly, because he knew his best friend would never be able to do that.
Of course, the latter part of Tetsuya's reply was so self-evidently true that Hide ignored it.
Meanwhile, Tetsuya just looked at Hide some more, both eyebrows raised. Doubt crept slowly into his eyes and he jerked his eyes away after a moment to stare unseeingly at the place where the person of his dreams occupied mere minutes before.
"Well, I..." He worked his jaw awkwardly and continued, quieter, "guess I'd be grossed out... if I was entirely straight, and right now, I just want to find out what he likes and follow that."
Hide shrugged at him, "No one's entirely straight anyway. Most of the population is bi. Besides," he smirked wryly, "he looks like he's just your type. He's a short, skinny, weak-looking redhead who looks as if he needs to be protected. The only difference here is that he's male, and that isn't even that obvious.
"In any case," he continued, "it's better for you to give up on him and find another redhead who needs to be protected. It'll be easier on your face in the long run."
The situation was really too amusing for its own good, but Tetsuya was still Hide's best friend - he felt an obligation to help that idiot out, especially when he looked as lost as he did now.
"Short, skinny, weak-looking... Hide, I do not have a thing for redheads!" Niwa threw up his hands. "Maa," he half-turned towards the dorm, muttering more to himself, "his hair's pink..."
***
So there was a reason why Hide said the King had a thing for redheads. And that reason was walking out of the bath house with Hide himself, the two of them apparently headed for Hide's room.
Tetsuya sputtered as Kaoru walked away yet again. He felt like he'd been slapped again too.
Keita looked worriedly at his King, chewing on a corner of his lip. He placed a cautious hand on Tetsuya's shoulder. "Ou-sama, are you alright?" To be quite honest, he was really shocked to see Nakajima-san and Saionji-san together too, but he had seen them together in the bath house before so it wasn't such a great shock. He stroked Tetsuya's hair slowly, trying to calm the King down.
Partly, he knew that the reason his lover is so upset was that he liked Saionji-san... which was really why Keita was calling Tetsuya's attentions back to him.
"H- When did they get together?" Tetsuya gasped, turning towards his new boyfriend with what might have been a rhetorical question. Part of him was simply hurt that his best friend never saw fit to say a damn thing about this, and part of him was angry, confused, worried for Kaoru - because Hide leaned more towards one night stands, and Kaoru wasn't that type of guy... right?
But then, he took in the slight frown on Keita's face and remembered where they were, what they were going to do...
"Suman na, Keita," Tetsuya flushed with embarrassment, and laid a hand on top off the one Keita placed over his shoulder. "I'm just... surprised Hide never said anything."
Keita flashed him a reassuring smile, placing his other hand on top of Tetsuya's and squeezing it. "It's okay." He leaned in and pecked a quick kiss on the King's lips. He pulled away before they could continue any further, his curiosity overriding his lust for the moment.
"Ne, Ou-sama, do you really think that they are... together?"
The King blinked back, mouth agape. "... They just took a bath together, after ... after regular hours when no one else is supposed to," he laughed slightly at the irony, "like we are now. And then Kaoru-chan asked to "talk" in Hide's room." He was sure he heard some kind of insinuation in the Queen's tone.
Or was it his hormones talking?
Keita blinked, "Then they are just talking, aren't they? I don't think they are together." It might be rather naive, but he really believed this, and it was strongly conveyed in his tone. "I don't think Nakajima-san or Saionji-san like each other the way..." he blushed, looking away, "the way I like you, Ou-sama."
Impulsively, he kissed Tetsuya again.
And that melted Tetsuya's concerns... a little. "Keita," he sighed the redhead's name out, and pulled him into his arms once more, cupping his cheek as gently as he could. "I like you too, Keita. I like you a lot."
Probably not as much as he thought he loved Kaoru, but... Kaoru wasn’t one to smile or flirt back at him unless it was to freak him out by say meowing in his ear. Kaoru didn’t tell him things like, "I want to stay with you always." Kaoru wasn't...
Oh, screw it. He kissed Keita, making a silent promise to the precious thing that he'd never ever let him get hurt again. Keita was too good to him, and the least he could do is try to return his feelings to the fullest.
***
Keita broke his heart. Or Hide did. Tetsuya couldn't really tell who did it exactly. He plain hurt when he looked at either of them. But it wasn't like the President of the Student Council could avoid his Vice President.
"Why," was all Tetsuya could manage when he could look at Hide again.
His best friend sighed and turned away, adjusting his glasses so that the glass would catch the light and hide his eyes. He wondered if Tetsuya would believe him if he spoke the truth. He had nothing to lose anyway; at worst, Tetsuya would just think that he was lying, and he would lose a best friend anyway.
"Because he lied," his voice was low and serious. "If you had stayed with him any longer, you would have really fallen for him. He doesn't love you, not the way you always want him to. Itou has infatuations, not loves." He chuffed, turning to face Tetsuya, a look of bitter amusement hidden in the twist of his lips and the coldness of his eyes. "Why else would he have fallen to my seduction?"
"So you're telling me you did this to get him away from me before he'd hurt me?" Tetsuya couldn't believe it.
"What about you? What about Kaoru-chan?" Tetsuya still thought those two had something going on together. There were times when the Queen looked at Hide, and if one knew Hide enough, one would be able to tell that Hide was looking back, like they were having silent conversations over everyone else's heads.
What got Tetsuya was that Hide was his best friend, and what Hide did - seducing Keita away from him - encompassed so many levels of wrong. And he didn't want to lose Hide. "I mean, are you seeing Keita now? Was Kaoru-chan a fling?" He swept a hand through his hair and contemplated tugging some of it out in frustration. "Are you going to drop Keita when you're done with him too?"
"What about me and Saionji?" Hide's voice was sharp and irritated, his tone cold. He realized that - he knew Tetsuya too well not to - that the idiot wouldn't understand his reasoning, but he had hoped. Unconsciously, a bitter, cruel smirk twisted his lips. He was so stupid; he should have known that such hope would never be of any use.
Steeling himself, he turned fully back to Tetsuya, facing his best friend with a challenging gleam in his eyes and the same smirk. "There never was anything between Saionji and me, except maybe friendship. He's far too in love with Shichijo. It wasn't even a fling - it was just casual sex, because he couldn't get what he want," he barely managed to bite off the 'and nor could I'. Hide took a breath, clenching his hands into fists behind his back.
"No, I'm not going to drop Itou. I'm going to wait until he got sick of me to drop me, because then maybe you'll believe me." He stepped forward, until there was barely an inch of space between him and Tetsuya.
"Then maybe you'll stop being such a blind, idealistic idiot and see what was really there instead of just what you want to see." His sneer deepened. "Though I really, really doubt it, Tet-chan."
The words made Tetsuya bristle. He grabbed Hide by the collar and tugged him closer, looked him straight in the eyes. He searched Hide's expression for any sign of deception, and... found none. Hide really believed what he was saying, didn't he?
"I'm going to talk to Keita," Tetsuya finally said, "I'm gonna let him know I don't blame him for leaving me, because he's leaving me for you... My best friend." Still. He wanted Hide to know that he still thought of him as such. "If someone can open up that locked down, pessimistic heart of yours I'd be happy to see it."
He let go quickly, and turned away, looked at the reports on his desk, and then out the window. "I'd be happy for you."
Hide made a show of dusting himself down, as if cleaning himself of Tetsuya's touch. His hands shook a little. Happy for him, huh? He clenched his jaw hard, nearly biting on his tongue in a bid to not laugh like a hysterical madman. Was that what Tetsuya really thought Hide wanted from him? His blessings? His fucking well wishes? Oh this... this was just rich.
He was really glad that Tetsuya was looking out the window, because he was sure that anyone who looked at him now, who looked at his eyes, would see how he truly felt about this. Hide squeezed his eyes shut, blinking away the anger and the frustration at Tetsuya being so goddamn blind.
"Unfortunately," his voice was still level, miraculously, "that will never happen. Have you forgotten, Tetsuya? I don't have a fucking heart."
And even if I do, you shattered it and ground the pieces under your feet already.
Tetsuya flinched when the door slammed, glanced at it, and looked away again sighing. Where did Hide get off sounding so angry? He crossed his arms over his chest for a moment, then let go again, walking over to his table.
Hide was wrong; Tetsuya didn't have a thing for cute little redheads. He had a thing for people who didn't or couldn't really love him back.
***
Perhaps Hide wanted to give Tetsuya a taste of his own medicine. Perhaps he wanted Tetsuya to know. Perhaps he was feeling sadistic that day. Or perhaps he just felt like it. No one knew, not even Hide himself.
It was done on impulse; for one of the very few times in his life, he was actually impulsive instead of calculative and analytical. Maybe Hide should mark this day down on his calendar. Nonetheless.
Hide stood up from his own desk, striding forward to loom over Tetsuya. He leaned forward, a finger tilting Tetsuya’s face up, until their lips were millimeters away from touching.
“Ne, Niwa, you’re mine.”
"W-what?" He backed up so he could move his chin out of Hide's grasp and the chair creaked loudly in protest.
What did he do this time, he wanted to know. Why on earth did Hide want to punish him for again? He looked quickly at his table, at the last stack of folders he had yet to look at. Had he been too slow? Or was it something else, and Hide was just in one of those 'fuck with my best friend's head' moods again?
Like when Hide told him to go after someone other than Kaoru, and ended up sleeping with Kaoru in the process.
Like when Hide molested Keita after Tetsuya mentioned that he liked him.
Like when Hide fucked him... as a lesson on how to be a better lover - only to seduce Keita away soon afterwards.
Oh god, what is it this time?!
"Have you gone deaf this time, Niwa?" The confusion and near-fear in Tetsuya's eyes made Hide feel just a little gratified. It wasn't anything near the hurt he had felt, but it was something at least. Yes, he had a mean streak a mile wide when he felt resentful towards Tetsuya, but he figured that the... the moron deserved it.
He walked around the table, his steps slow and sinuous like a panther's. "I said..." his voice was low, sensual - almost exactly the bedroom voice he used to seduce Itou (and countless others) to his bed. "That you belong to me, Niwa."
The smirk grew, turning more flirtatious and lascivious, "You're my best friend, after all. Don't you want to... ah, show me what you have learnt so far?" He was close enough to stroke a hand down Tetsuya's chest, which was what he did. "You must have improved, after all...."
"Uhh..." Tetsuya’s mind went blank. "H- Hide," he covered Hide's hand before it could get further than just down his chest. "If I belong to you," like an object, a possession, he thought somewhat disappointedly and managed a decent short laugh before he continued, "because I'm your best friend... doesn't that make you mine also?"
Hide tilted his head to the side, his smirk changing into a thoughtful smile. Now this was interesting: perhaps Tetsuya was showing his rather legendary (due to being really rarely shown) intellect finally. He chewed on his plush bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth and biting it until it turned reddish-pink before he licked it. His eyes never left Tetsuya's throughout.
"Do you want me to belong to you, then?" He shrugged almost casually. "I have no objections to that... as long as you recognize that you are mine."
The hair at the beck of Tetsuya's neck tingled.
This, he thought, was probably how Hide seduced his lovers. And small wonder that he always seemed to get just what he wanted so easily. He was so damn sexy when he tried.
Of course, normally, Hide was gorgeous, but it was rather normal to develop some strong feelings of attraction toward one’s best friend, right? Or they wouldn't become best friends after all...
Tetsuya let go of Hide's hand and rubbed the back of his own neck, looking away, generally feeling foolish. "I'm yours, Hide." He looked back at him, half ashamed, completely serious. "I've been your friend from the start; way back when we first met and you thought I was nothing more than a nuisance... Actually, I still do annoy you, don't I?"
Hide wanted to slap himself for feeling that tiny, tiny frisson of hope when Tetsuya told him "I'm yours". He swallowed, holding his flirtatious mask firmly in place as he locked down on his betraying emotions and shoved them to the very back of his mind. This was not the time. Breaking the illusion now would ruin everything.
He inhaled, reaching out with the hand that Tetsuya had just released to caress his best friend's cheek, letting his fingertips brush the skin oh-so-lightly. His voice, when he spoke, was full of sincerity that he would never let himself express in any other situation.
"That's not what I mean, Tetsuya..." he drawled out the other boy's first name, smirking a little. "I don't mean that you belong to me as a friend, but as something, hmm..." he stepped forward until there was barely an inch of space between them, "more."
Tetsuya froze at Hide's touch, and gaped at those red lips for a full second before his mind caught up with him again and he mentally slapped himself.
"This is about Keita, isn't it? You're insulted he really did leave you - and for Endo of all people..." Tetsuya sighed. "You still got it, you know. You don't have to do this."
Hide squeezed his eyes shut, hard, for a moment, gritting his teeth and hissing his breath through them. So that was what Tetsuya thought of him, huh? Insecure? On one part, it was absolutely insulting and infuriating. But on another...
On the other hand, this was absolutely hilarious. Here he was, testing to see if Tetsuya was or would ever be receptive to the idea, and his idiot of a best friend thought that he was insecure and upset because of Itou. The depths of Tetsuya's blindness would never fail to surprise him.
Hide's shoulders shook a little as he stepped backwards, withdrawing his hand. He ducked his head down, biting his lip. He was trying, really trying, but... to the hell with his control.
He burst out laughing, deep, rumbling chuckles that he tried in vain to muffle with his hand. Looking at Tetsuya, he tried to explain just what was so very funny, but every time he opened his mouth, he just kept on laughing until he was doubled over, gasping for breaths through his laughter.
"Itou?! You thought I was depressed over Itou? That I'm doing this because I'm actually insecure?" Despite the laughter, despite the hilarity of the situation, Hide could not help but feel just a little hurt about the whole situation. He knew Tetsuya almost as well as he knew the back of his hand, and yet... "Tell me, Niwa, have you ever known me to be insecure? Ever?"
Niwa grabbed the box of tissues on the desk and held it out to Hide, looking away when he saw tears gathering at the corners of the other boy's eyes. He bit his lip, not wanting to rub it in further.
Quietly though, and trying to be gentle, he pointed out, "You've been giving me those vibes ever since Keita caught my eye. What was I supposed to think?"
The gentle tone, the bitten lip, the 'subtly' averted eyes... Hide nearly choked on his own breath when he realized that Tetsuya thought he was crying - and not crying with laughter either, He blinked, inhaling a long, slow breath. He would not laugh, because he was sure that if he did, Tetsuya's would misunderstand him again.
Crossing his arms, he raised an eyebrow at the older boy, "What vibes, Niwa? I don't remember feeling anything about you falling for Keita, except that you really are less intelligent than I had given you credit for." He snorted, turning away.
"Maybe that's it then," Tetsuya shrugged. He didn't see the point in really arguing with Hide, especially not when he himself wasn't exactly over Keita to begin with. "You're right; I'm blind. Best thing I got out of dating Keita was your sex ed tutorial." He smiled, self-derisively.
But still... "You don't have to tell me I'm yours for another go, you know."
Not only was Tetsuya blind, Hide thought, closing his eyes in frustration, he was apparently deaf, dumb, and totally incapable of picking up any social cues. He sighed, turning back to face the other boy again.
"You aren't mine, Niwa, no more than I am yours," his voice was low and serious, all traces of laughter gone. And perhaps he was less than honest with that statement. "You were right: I was kidding.
"Don't worry about it. Just... just forget it."
Tetsuya nodded quickly, thinking it best to get the hell out of the room. "Anyway," He walked past Hide and reached the door in a few strides, "I'll be right back. Toilet."
Maybe if he dunked his head in and flushed, he'd feel better.
Hide watched Tetsuya almost run out of the door, a bitter twist to his lips. Was he really that horrible that even his alleged best friend would run away from him?
... If he wasn't, then he would be surprised.
***
Later, Tetsuya felt simultaneously better and worse with Hide. His best friend had gone around pranking all the available guys at school with that "You're mine" joke, and whoa boy, was the Bell Liberty grapevine busy! Students pretty much gossiped at Tetsuya, mostly because they trusted him that much, and... well, they didn't see the President of the Student Council as some pompous outsider, that's for sure.
At least half the students thought Hide was recruiting for his own personal harem. Tetsuya had a good laugh when he heard that. As a friend, however, he was concerned. But Hide would have none of it.
Even while they still ate lunch together, they didn't really talk much. No passing comments about Keita or Kaoru or that joke again... Tetsuya felt clueless.
But he was utterly dumbfound when it was Kaoru who lost his temper first.
Kaoru stomped out of the cafeteria, his shoes clicking loudly against the tiles at his long, forceful steps. His hands were clenched at his side, short nails digging into the vulnerable flesh of his palm. His jaw was clenched so tight, teeth pressed against each other.
Those... those absolute idiots. Especially Hide. God, what possessed Hide to pull that joke on Omi; and what possessed Omi to be baited so easily? Omi was his best friend; Hide was his friend - he hated it enough when they fight, but now... Kaoru frowned heavily. Why couldn't they just get along? Or make an effort to, at least. He knew they could; they just haven't found a way yet.
He was so very angry at them both, for some inexplicable reason.
"Kaoru-chan? ... Kaoru!"
The King caught up with the Queen outside of the cafeteria, a hand at his shoulder, and students stared. Before either of them got another word out, there were loud whispers, wild speculations...
"Hey, you think Niwa-san's finally gonna ask Saionji-san out?"
"What do you mean finally?"
"I think he's gonna slap him again."
Tetsuya, as usual, just listened, and let it wash over him. Background noise. He focused on the angry, beautiful boy, and asked, "What's going on? With you, and Hide... and..."
Kaoru's eye twitched at the sound of the whispers. Rumors and speculations usually did not bother him, but now... he was angry at both Omi and Hide, and now Niwa came running up to him like a fool and sparked off these idiotic rumors that he had no time to entertain. He sent a heated glare towards the students, quelling the whispers in a second, before he turned back to Tetsuya.
"Niwa," his voice was cold as a midwinter day. He still had not forgiven Tetsuya for what his blindness and carelessness had done to Hide. He gritted his teeth, and then exhaled, relaxing himself forcefully. "Nothing is going on that you need to concern yourself about. Now, if you would excuse me..." He turned away, pulling his shoulder out of Tetsuya's grasp, brushing the cloth absent-mindedly as if to clean Tetsuya's touch off him.
That... that utterly blind brute. If he had just opened his eyes and stop being so self-absorbed, then perhaps he could have found the answer to his own question. The very fact that he couldn’t just earned him more of Kaoru's contempt.
But Kaoru's contempt was one of those things that felt normal in Tetsuya's world, since the redhead was always either angry at him, or making fun of him. Sometimes, Tetsuya seriously wondered why he found Kaoru so damn attractive. He was... probably masochistic. Slightly. Tetsuya figured that was the case when he first started making friends with Hide. After all, Hide tried his best to avoid him back then, or flat out piss him off - which would more often than not end up with harsh verbal and physical blows.
But Tetsuya never could bring himself to fight back when Kaoru decided slap or scratch him. Or stomp on his foot. It was so... catty- Cute!
Tetsuya shoved the thought to the back of his mind, because he had enough of being attracted to anyone at the moment. Least of all someone who treated his mere touch as something nasty and possibly contagious.
"So something is going on," he frowned. "And it's none of my business. Is that it?"
Kaoru crossed his arms, pressing his lips together into a tight line. Perhaps he had said too much. Despite Tetsuya's often moronic and utterly blind tendencies, he had some intelligence. Much as Kaoru just wanted to shout in his face that Hide was in love with him, he had too much restraint to. Besides, he wasn't the type to blurt out his friends' secret...
He closed his eyes, sighing almost inaudibly. "Look, Niwa. Drop it. Leave it. However you wish to say it, just stop pursuing the matter. You won't get anywhere." Glaring over his shoulder, his voice lowered into a silky, dangerous whisper, "Am I understood?"
Tetsuya looked away briefly, to the side, and then at the sky. He smiled mirthlessly, and looked back at Kaoru as he replied, "Hey, I have some brains." It was less about getting involved in their mess, and more about whether he could help Hide, Kaoru and Shichijo get out. "If you don't want to talk, I'm not forcing you," he said seriously. "I just... Look, this isn't me making a pass at you. I'm just trying to say that if you do need help, you know you can find me, and I'll try my best..."
Even if his best wasn't good enough, he didn't say. Because lately, nothing he did seemed to help anyone. Maybe the best thing he could do was simply listening to Kaoru and doing nothing at all. Kaoru was the school genius after all.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow - an almost involuntary reaction. It was rare that he heard Tetsuya speak with such serious tones, and especially when what was discussed here was not Council or school matters. He had brains, huh? Perhaps that was true - after all, he wasn't forcibly prying the information out of Kaoru...
He was distracted by his thoughts, but not distracted enough to not notice Tetsuya's sudden downcast eyes and the solemn aura that the so-called King had wrapped himself in. Was Tetsuya actually being depressed?! Kaoru couldn't believe it.
"Only if I need help," his tone was cold as ice still, and his hands had dropped to his hips. But his eyes showed sincerity, nonetheless, as he continued. "But if I- we need help, we will ask from you. But I don't think that will be the case. We can deal with this ourselves,"
His lips twitched upwards into an uncontrollable smirk, "You'll really be more of a hindrance than a help, most of the time."
“And don't I know it," Tetsuya laughed. What was he supposed to do instead - cry? Kaoru was basically speaking for Hide and Shichijo like they were his people. Tetsuya sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"All right, I think I've filled my bother-Kaoru-chan quota for the day," he grinned. "Take care, na?"
Kaoru threw Tetsuya a disdainful look over his shoulder. He took in the false cheer and the sheepishness, and could not control the vicious joy he felt. Tetsuya had hurt Hide so much - he deserved to be hurt in return. Perhaps it was mean-spirited of him to think so, but Kaoru knew he wasn't perfect; far from it.
Without answering the question, Kaoru broke eye contact and strode off haughtily.
***
Continued in [Part II]
Surfacing: Interludes
- from before Lessons to the end of Realities
Authors:
kagayachou and the_dwCharacters/Pairings: Niwa/Keita, Keita/everybody else, mentioned Nakajima/Shichijo/Saionji, Niwa->Saionji
Rating: PG-15
Words: 10309
Summary: We’ve seen Surfacing from Hide, Kaoru and Omi’s points of view. Now, here’s Tetsuya’s.
Niwa Tetsuya thought it was love at first sight when he met Saionji Kaoru, love being a real hard slap on the cheek that was loud and almost tear-inducing. But Kaoru-chan - the redhead's friend called him that without the suffix, but hey - seriously looked like a girl, with longish-wavy hair that framed a heart-shaped face, and the most pouty, kissable lips Tetsuya had ever seen. Could anyone seriously blame him for making sure Kaoru wasn't a girl when even the boy's voice sounded like the most melodious thing to his ears?
Kaoru trembled with anger as he held on to his own wrist so he wouldn't slap Tetsuya again. A flush spread across his cheeks, coloring them pink. How... how dare that brute try to insinuate that he's a girl?! Just because Kaoru didn't look like he was on steroids or act like a stereotypical manly idiot didn't mean he was female. He sniffed haughtily, glaring at Tetsuya heatedly before he strode away, scowling.
Tetsuya just rubbed his cheeks with a stricken expression, watching the boy's retreating back. Okay, he noted, there was another boy with Kaoru, Shichijo or something. His friend or guardian or boyfriend or something. But, "Damn, Kaoru-chan is so pretty," he muttered to himself. What was he, in love with a boy?
Hide walked over just in time to see Tetsuya grinning sappily while Kaoru stormed away in a great huff. His lips quirked up in amusement involuntarily, leaning against the wall as he raised an eyebrow at Niwa. "You really are an idiot. What did you do to that freshman to make him that pissed off at you?"
"Uh," Tetsuya gave Hide a quick glance, then looked back towards Kaoru until the boy disappeared from view. "I called him a bishoujo, and when he said he wasn't, um... I couldn't help but ...check." He blushed then. In afterthought, what he did was stupid whichever gender Kaoru really was. Probably could have charged him for molestation or something. He knew he wasn't normally this stupid...
Hide stared at him for a moment. He did not just... that smile grew into a full blown grin before Hide gave up on trying to stifle his amusement and burst into laughter, chuckling into a hand that completely failed to muffle his mirth. "Student Council President-san, actually... groped a freshman on their first day of school? Wonderful PR there, Niwa. Really wonderful."
The sarcasm was so thick that it was almost corporeal.
"Aw, come on, Hide, you can't look at him and tell me he's not beautiful!" He paused and blushed again. "Oh god, what am I saying?" He covered his heated cheeks and his mouth with one hand.
Hide just looked at the idiot. What the... was he blushing? Oh, this was getting far too ridiculous for words. He rolled his eyes, walking forward and smacking Niwa lightly on the head (he figured his cheeks had taken enough punishment already.)
"You've been in this school for a year and yet you're saying something like this? God, Niwa." He crossed his eyes, exasperated with this complete idiot of a friend. "That guy's prettier than most girls, and you are lusting over him like the moron you are. Nothing's worth freaking out about with that."
He shrugged, "If you want him, then go after him. You're King, after all."
"But I-," Tetsuya stared incredulously at Hide, and then it hit him. Hide went after guys like he changed dirty socks. It wasn't like Hide was going to tell him off for not being completely heterosexual, like his old man probably would. "I've never really gone after... anyone like that, Hide. I just took one look at him and thought, 'I'm in love' - what do I do?"
Now it was Hide's turn to stare at Tetsuya incredulously. Perhaps he was going deaf...? No, this was Tetsuya - it would be perfectly in-character for the idiot to say something like that out of the blue.
He sighed, brushing a strand of hand out of his eyes as he gazed steadily at the older boy. "You've never gone after anyone, or you've never gone after guys before? Not that it makes a difference anyway." He shrugged. "It's pretty much all the same. Just find out what he likes and follow that. You need to know that, anyway, if you're so in love with him already." The sarcasm had returned, and with a vengeance. Hide's lips twisted into a sneer - it was because 'love' was so abused that he had stopped believing in it any more.
Lust was just so much more honest.
And Tetsuya knew about lust, but, really, it was the first time he even heard himself think he might be in love. "I've flirted with girls before, Hide. I've never done that sort of thing ... I mean I never used to even want to flirt with guys." He scratched his head, "Aw man, Kaoru-chan has a mean slap."
"You thought he was a girl," Hide pointed out matter-of-factly. "Maybe it's just that you're becoming more open-minded about your sexuality rather than being in love." He tried to rationalize the situation to Tetsuya calmly, because he knew his best friend would never be able to do that.
Of course, the latter part of Tetsuya's reply was so self-evidently true that Hide ignored it.
Meanwhile, Tetsuya just looked at Hide some more, both eyebrows raised. Doubt crept slowly into his eyes and he jerked his eyes away after a moment to stare unseeingly at the place where the person of his dreams occupied mere minutes before.
"Well, I..." He worked his jaw awkwardly and continued, quieter, "guess I'd be grossed out... if I was entirely straight, and right now, I just want to find out what he likes and follow that."
Hide shrugged at him, "No one's entirely straight anyway. Most of the population is bi. Besides," he smirked wryly, "he looks like he's just your type. He's a short, skinny, weak-looking redhead who looks as if he needs to be protected. The only difference here is that he's male, and that isn't even that obvious.
"In any case," he continued, "it's better for you to give up on him and find another redhead who needs to be protected. It'll be easier on your face in the long run."
The situation was really too amusing for its own good, but Tetsuya was still Hide's best friend - he felt an obligation to help that idiot out, especially when he looked as lost as he did now.
"Short, skinny, weak-looking... Hide, I do not have a thing for redheads!" Niwa threw up his hands. "Maa," he half-turned towards the dorm, muttering more to himself, "his hair's pink..."
***
So there was a reason why Hide said the King had a thing for redheads. And that reason was walking out of the bath house with Hide himself, the two of them apparently headed for Hide's room.
Tetsuya sputtered as Kaoru walked away yet again. He felt like he'd been slapped again too.
Keita looked worriedly at his King, chewing on a corner of his lip. He placed a cautious hand on Tetsuya's shoulder. "Ou-sama, are you alright?" To be quite honest, he was really shocked to see Nakajima-san and Saionji-san together too, but he had seen them together in the bath house before so it wasn't such a great shock. He stroked Tetsuya's hair slowly, trying to calm the King down.
Partly, he knew that the reason his lover is so upset was that he liked Saionji-san... which was really why Keita was calling Tetsuya's attentions back to him.
"H- When did they get together?" Tetsuya gasped, turning towards his new boyfriend with what might have been a rhetorical question. Part of him was simply hurt that his best friend never saw fit to say a damn thing about this, and part of him was angry, confused, worried for Kaoru - because Hide leaned more towards one night stands, and Kaoru wasn't that type of guy... right?
But then, he took in the slight frown on Keita's face and remembered where they were, what they were going to do...
"Suman na, Keita," Tetsuya flushed with embarrassment, and laid a hand on top off the one Keita placed over his shoulder. "I'm just... surprised Hide never said anything."
Keita flashed him a reassuring smile, placing his other hand on top of Tetsuya's and squeezing it. "It's okay." He leaned in and pecked a quick kiss on the King's lips. He pulled away before they could continue any further, his curiosity overriding his lust for the moment.
"Ne, Ou-sama, do you really think that they are... together?"
The King blinked back, mouth agape. "... They just took a bath together, after ... after regular hours when no one else is supposed to," he laughed slightly at the irony, "like we are now. And then Kaoru-chan asked to "talk" in Hide's room." He was sure he heard some kind of insinuation in the Queen's tone.
Or was it his hormones talking?
Keita blinked, "Then they are just talking, aren't they? I don't think they are together." It might be rather naive, but he really believed this, and it was strongly conveyed in his tone. "I don't think Nakajima-san or Saionji-san like each other the way..." he blushed, looking away, "the way I like you, Ou-sama."
Impulsively, he kissed Tetsuya again.
And that melted Tetsuya's concerns... a little. "Keita," he sighed the redhead's name out, and pulled him into his arms once more, cupping his cheek as gently as he could. "I like you too, Keita. I like you a lot."
Probably not as much as he thought he loved Kaoru, but... Kaoru wasn’t one to smile or flirt back at him unless it was to freak him out by say meowing in his ear. Kaoru didn’t tell him things like, "I want to stay with you always." Kaoru wasn't...
Oh, screw it. He kissed Keita, making a silent promise to the precious thing that he'd never ever let him get hurt again. Keita was too good to him, and the least he could do is try to return his feelings to the fullest.
***
Keita broke his heart. Or Hide did. Tetsuya couldn't really tell who did it exactly. He plain hurt when he looked at either of them. But it wasn't like the President of the Student Council could avoid his Vice President.
"Why," was all Tetsuya could manage when he could look at Hide again.
His best friend sighed and turned away, adjusting his glasses so that the glass would catch the light and hide his eyes. He wondered if Tetsuya would believe him if he spoke the truth. He had nothing to lose anyway; at worst, Tetsuya would just think that he was lying, and he would lose a best friend anyway.
"Because he lied," his voice was low and serious. "If you had stayed with him any longer, you would have really fallen for him. He doesn't love you, not the way you always want him to. Itou has infatuations, not loves." He chuffed, turning to face Tetsuya, a look of bitter amusement hidden in the twist of his lips and the coldness of his eyes. "Why else would he have fallen to my seduction?"
"So you're telling me you did this to get him away from me before he'd hurt me?" Tetsuya couldn't believe it.
"What about you? What about Kaoru-chan?" Tetsuya still thought those two had something going on together. There were times when the Queen looked at Hide, and if one knew Hide enough, one would be able to tell that Hide was looking back, like they were having silent conversations over everyone else's heads.
What got Tetsuya was that Hide was his best friend, and what Hide did - seducing Keita away from him - encompassed so many levels of wrong. And he didn't want to lose Hide. "I mean, are you seeing Keita now? Was Kaoru-chan a fling?" He swept a hand through his hair and contemplated tugging some of it out in frustration. "Are you going to drop Keita when you're done with him too?"
"What about me and Saionji?" Hide's voice was sharp and irritated, his tone cold. He realized that - he knew Tetsuya too well not to - that the idiot wouldn't understand his reasoning, but he had hoped. Unconsciously, a bitter, cruel smirk twisted his lips. He was so stupid; he should have known that such hope would never be of any use.
Steeling himself, he turned fully back to Tetsuya, facing his best friend with a challenging gleam in his eyes and the same smirk. "There never was anything between Saionji and me, except maybe friendship. He's far too in love with Shichijo. It wasn't even a fling - it was just casual sex, because he couldn't get what he want," he barely managed to bite off the 'and nor could I'. Hide took a breath, clenching his hands into fists behind his back.
"No, I'm not going to drop Itou. I'm going to wait until he got sick of me to drop me, because then maybe you'll believe me." He stepped forward, until there was barely an inch of space between him and Tetsuya.
"Then maybe you'll stop being such a blind, idealistic idiot and see what was really there instead of just what you want to see." His sneer deepened. "Though I really, really doubt it, Tet-chan."
The words made Tetsuya bristle. He grabbed Hide by the collar and tugged him closer, looked him straight in the eyes. He searched Hide's expression for any sign of deception, and... found none. Hide really believed what he was saying, didn't he?
"I'm going to talk to Keita," Tetsuya finally said, "I'm gonna let him know I don't blame him for leaving me, because he's leaving me for you... My best friend." Still. He wanted Hide to know that he still thought of him as such. "If someone can open up that locked down, pessimistic heart of yours I'd be happy to see it."
He let go quickly, and turned away, looked at the reports on his desk, and then out the window. "I'd be happy for you."
Hide made a show of dusting himself down, as if cleaning himself of Tetsuya's touch. His hands shook a little. Happy for him, huh? He clenched his jaw hard, nearly biting on his tongue in a bid to not laugh like a hysterical madman. Was that what Tetsuya really thought Hide wanted from him? His blessings? His fucking well wishes? Oh this... this was just rich.
He was really glad that Tetsuya was looking out the window, because he was sure that anyone who looked at him now, who looked at his eyes, would see how he truly felt about this. Hide squeezed his eyes shut, blinking away the anger and the frustration at Tetsuya being so goddamn blind.
"Unfortunately," his voice was still level, miraculously, "that will never happen. Have you forgotten, Tetsuya? I don't have a fucking heart."
And even if I do, you shattered it and ground the pieces under your feet already.
Tetsuya flinched when the door slammed, glanced at it, and looked away again sighing. Where did Hide get off sounding so angry? He crossed his arms over his chest for a moment, then let go again, walking over to his table.
Hide was wrong; Tetsuya didn't have a thing for cute little redheads. He had a thing for people who didn't or couldn't really love him back.
***
Perhaps Hide wanted to give Tetsuya a taste of his own medicine. Perhaps he wanted Tetsuya to know. Perhaps he was feeling sadistic that day. Or perhaps he just felt like it. No one knew, not even Hide himself.
It was done on impulse; for one of the very few times in his life, he was actually impulsive instead of calculative and analytical. Maybe Hide should mark this day down on his calendar. Nonetheless.
Hide stood up from his own desk, striding forward to loom over Tetsuya. He leaned forward, a finger tilting Tetsuya’s face up, until their lips were millimeters away from touching.
“Ne, Niwa, you’re mine.”
"W-what?" He backed up so he could move his chin out of Hide's grasp and the chair creaked loudly in protest.
What did he do this time, he wanted to know. Why on earth did Hide want to punish him for again? He looked quickly at his table, at the last stack of folders he had yet to look at. Had he been too slow? Or was it something else, and Hide was just in one of those 'fuck with my best friend's head' moods again?
Like when Hide told him to go after someone other than Kaoru, and ended up sleeping with Kaoru in the process.
Like when Hide molested Keita after Tetsuya mentioned that he liked him.
Like when Hide fucked him... as a lesson on how to be a better lover - only to seduce Keita away soon afterwards.
Oh god, what is it this time?!
"Have you gone deaf this time, Niwa?" The confusion and near-fear in Tetsuya's eyes made Hide feel just a little gratified. It wasn't anything near the hurt he had felt, but it was something at least. Yes, he had a mean streak a mile wide when he felt resentful towards Tetsuya, but he figured that the... the moron deserved it.
He walked around the table, his steps slow and sinuous like a panther's. "I said..." his voice was low, sensual - almost exactly the bedroom voice he used to seduce Itou (and countless others) to his bed. "That you belong to me, Niwa."
The smirk grew, turning more flirtatious and lascivious, "You're my best friend, after all. Don't you want to... ah, show me what you have learnt so far?" He was close enough to stroke a hand down Tetsuya's chest, which was what he did. "You must have improved, after all...."
"Uhh..." Tetsuya’s mind went blank. "H- Hide," he covered Hide's hand before it could get further than just down his chest. "If I belong to you," like an object, a possession, he thought somewhat disappointedly and managed a decent short laugh before he continued, "because I'm your best friend... doesn't that make you mine also?"
Hide tilted his head to the side, his smirk changing into a thoughtful smile. Now this was interesting: perhaps Tetsuya was showing his rather legendary (due to being really rarely shown) intellect finally. He chewed on his plush bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth and biting it until it turned reddish-pink before he licked it. His eyes never left Tetsuya's throughout.
"Do you want me to belong to you, then?" He shrugged almost casually. "I have no objections to that... as long as you recognize that you are mine."
The hair at the beck of Tetsuya's neck tingled.
This, he thought, was probably how Hide seduced his lovers. And small wonder that he always seemed to get just what he wanted so easily. He was so damn sexy when he tried.
Of course, normally, Hide was gorgeous, but it was rather normal to develop some strong feelings of attraction toward one’s best friend, right? Or they wouldn't become best friends after all...
Tetsuya let go of Hide's hand and rubbed the back of his own neck, looking away, generally feeling foolish. "I'm yours, Hide." He looked back at him, half ashamed, completely serious. "I've been your friend from the start; way back when we first met and you thought I was nothing more than a nuisance... Actually, I still do annoy you, don't I?"
Hide wanted to slap himself for feeling that tiny, tiny frisson of hope when Tetsuya told him "I'm yours". He swallowed, holding his flirtatious mask firmly in place as he locked down on his betraying emotions and shoved them to the very back of his mind. This was not the time. Breaking the illusion now would ruin everything.
He inhaled, reaching out with the hand that Tetsuya had just released to caress his best friend's cheek, letting his fingertips brush the skin oh-so-lightly. His voice, when he spoke, was full of sincerity that he would never let himself express in any other situation.
"That's not what I mean, Tetsuya..." he drawled out the other boy's first name, smirking a little. "I don't mean that you belong to me as a friend, but as something, hmm..." he stepped forward until there was barely an inch of space between them, "more."
Tetsuya froze at Hide's touch, and gaped at those red lips for a full second before his mind caught up with him again and he mentally slapped himself.
"This is about Keita, isn't it? You're insulted he really did leave you - and for Endo of all people..." Tetsuya sighed. "You still got it, you know. You don't have to do this."
Hide squeezed his eyes shut, hard, for a moment, gritting his teeth and hissing his breath through them. So that was what Tetsuya thought of him, huh? Insecure? On one part, it was absolutely insulting and infuriating. But on another...
On the other hand, this was absolutely hilarious. Here he was, testing to see if Tetsuya was or would ever be receptive to the idea, and his idiot of a best friend thought that he was insecure and upset because of Itou. The depths of Tetsuya's blindness would never fail to surprise him.
Hide's shoulders shook a little as he stepped backwards, withdrawing his hand. He ducked his head down, biting his lip. He was trying, really trying, but... to the hell with his control.
He burst out laughing, deep, rumbling chuckles that he tried in vain to muffle with his hand. Looking at Tetsuya, he tried to explain just what was so very funny, but every time he opened his mouth, he just kept on laughing until he was doubled over, gasping for breaths through his laughter.
"Itou?! You thought I was depressed over Itou? That I'm doing this because I'm actually insecure?" Despite the laughter, despite the hilarity of the situation, Hide could not help but feel just a little hurt about the whole situation. He knew Tetsuya almost as well as he knew the back of his hand, and yet... "Tell me, Niwa, have you ever known me to be insecure? Ever?"
Niwa grabbed the box of tissues on the desk and held it out to Hide, looking away when he saw tears gathering at the corners of the other boy's eyes. He bit his lip, not wanting to rub it in further.
Quietly though, and trying to be gentle, he pointed out, "You've been giving me those vibes ever since Keita caught my eye. What was I supposed to think?"
The gentle tone, the bitten lip, the 'subtly' averted eyes... Hide nearly choked on his own breath when he realized that Tetsuya thought he was crying - and not crying with laughter either, He blinked, inhaling a long, slow breath. He would not laugh, because he was sure that if he did, Tetsuya's would misunderstand him again.
Crossing his arms, he raised an eyebrow at the older boy, "What vibes, Niwa? I don't remember feeling anything about you falling for Keita, except that you really are less intelligent than I had given you credit for." He snorted, turning away.
"Maybe that's it then," Tetsuya shrugged. He didn't see the point in really arguing with Hide, especially not when he himself wasn't exactly over Keita to begin with. "You're right; I'm blind. Best thing I got out of dating Keita was your sex ed tutorial." He smiled, self-derisively.
But still... "You don't have to tell me I'm yours for another go, you know."
Not only was Tetsuya blind, Hide thought, closing his eyes in frustration, he was apparently deaf, dumb, and totally incapable of picking up any social cues. He sighed, turning back to face the other boy again.
"You aren't mine, Niwa, no more than I am yours," his voice was low and serious, all traces of laughter gone. And perhaps he was less than honest with that statement. "You were right: I was kidding.
"Don't worry about it. Just... just forget it."
Tetsuya nodded quickly, thinking it best to get the hell out of the room. "Anyway," He walked past Hide and reached the door in a few strides, "I'll be right back. Toilet."
Maybe if he dunked his head in and flushed, he'd feel better.
Hide watched Tetsuya almost run out of the door, a bitter twist to his lips. Was he really that horrible that even his alleged best friend would run away from him?
... If he wasn't, then he would be surprised.
***
Later, Tetsuya felt simultaneously better and worse with Hide. His best friend had gone around pranking all the available guys at school with that "You're mine" joke, and whoa boy, was the Bell Liberty grapevine busy! Students pretty much gossiped at Tetsuya, mostly because they trusted him that much, and... well, they didn't see the President of the Student Council as some pompous outsider, that's for sure.
At least half the students thought Hide was recruiting for his own personal harem. Tetsuya had a good laugh when he heard that. As a friend, however, he was concerned. But Hide would have none of it.
Even while they still ate lunch together, they didn't really talk much. No passing comments about Keita or Kaoru or that joke again... Tetsuya felt clueless.
But he was utterly dumbfound when it was Kaoru who lost his temper first.
Kaoru stomped out of the cafeteria, his shoes clicking loudly against the tiles at his long, forceful steps. His hands were clenched at his side, short nails digging into the vulnerable flesh of his palm. His jaw was clenched so tight, teeth pressed against each other.
Those... those absolute idiots. Especially Hide. God, what possessed Hide to pull that joke on Omi; and what possessed Omi to be baited so easily? Omi was his best friend; Hide was his friend - he hated it enough when they fight, but now... Kaoru frowned heavily. Why couldn't they just get along? Or make an effort to, at least. He knew they could; they just haven't found a way yet.
He was so very angry at them both, for some inexplicable reason.
"Kaoru-chan? ... Kaoru!"
The King caught up with the Queen outside of the cafeteria, a hand at his shoulder, and students stared. Before either of them got another word out, there were loud whispers, wild speculations...
"Hey, you think Niwa-san's finally gonna ask Saionji-san out?"
"What do you mean finally?"
"I think he's gonna slap him again."
Tetsuya, as usual, just listened, and let it wash over him. Background noise. He focused on the angry, beautiful boy, and asked, "What's going on? With you, and Hide... and..."
Kaoru's eye twitched at the sound of the whispers. Rumors and speculations usually did not bother him, but now... he was angry at both Omi and Hide, and now Niwa came running up to him like a fool and sparked off these idiotic rumors that he had no time to entertain. He sent a heated glare towards the students, quelling the whispers in a second, before he turned back to Tetsuya.
"Niwa," his voice was cold as a midwinter day. He still had not forgiven Tetsuya for what his blindness and carelessness had done to Hide. He gritted his teeth, and then exhaled, relaxing himself forcefully. "Nothing is going on that you need to concern yourself about. Now, if you would excuse me..." He turned away, pulling his shoulder out of Tetsuya's grasp, brushing the cloth absent-mindedly as if to clean Tetsuya's touch off him.
That... that utterly blind brute. If he had just opened his eyes and stop being so self-absorbed, then perhaps he could have found the answer to his own question. The very fact that he couldn’t just earned him more of Kaoru's contempt.
But Kaoru's contempt was one of those things that felt normal in Tetsuya's world, since the redhead was always either angry at him, or making fun of him. Sometimes, Tetsuya seriously wondered why he found Kaoru so damn attractive. He was... probably masochistic. Slightly. Tetsuya figured that was the case when he first started making friends with Hide. After all, Hide tried his best to avoid him back then, or flat out piss him off - which would more often than not end up with harsh verbal and physical blows.
But Tetsuya never could bring himself to fight back when Kaoru decided slap or scratch him. Or stomp on his foot. It was so... catty- Cute!
Tetsuya shoved the thought to the back of his mind, because he had enough of being attracted to anyone at the moment. Least of all someone who treated his mere touch as something nasty and possibly contagious.
"So something is going on," he frowned. "And it's none of my business. Is that it?"
Kaoru crossed his arms, pressing his lips together into a tight line. Perhaps he had said too much. Despite Tetsuya's often moronic and utterly blind tendencies, he had some intelligence. Much as Kaoru just wanted to shout in his face that Hide was in love with him, he had too much restraint to. Besides, he wasn't the type to blurt out his friends' secret...
He closed his eyes, sighing almost inaudibly. "Look, Niwa. Drop it. Leave it. However you wish to say it, just stop pursuing the matter. You won't get anywhere." Glaring over his shoulder, his voice lowered into a silky, dangerous whisper, "Am I understood?"
Tetsuya looked away briefly, to the side, and then at the sky. He smiled mirthlessly, and looked back at Kaoru as he replied, "Hey, I have some brains." It was less about getting involved in their mess, and more about whether he could help Hide, Kaoru and Shichijo get out. "If you don't want to talk, I'm not forcing you," he said seriously. "I just... Look, this isn't me making a pass at you. I'm just trying to say that if you do need help, you know you can find me, and I'll try my best..."
Even if his best wasn't good enough, he didn't say. Because lately, nothing he did seemed to help anyone. Maybe the best thing he could do was simply listening to Kaoru and doing nothing at all. Kaoru was the school genius after all.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow - an almost involuntary reaction. It was rare that he heard Tetsuya speak with such serious tones, and especially when what was discussed here was not Council or school matters. He had brains, huh? Perhaps that was true - after all, he wasn't forcibly prying the information out of Kaoru...
He was distracted by his thoughts, but not distracted enough to not notice Tetsuya's sudden downcast eyes and the solemn aura that the so-called King had wrapped himself in. Was Tetsuya actually being depressed?! Kaoru couldn't believe it.
"Only if I need help," his tone was cold as ice still, and his hands had dropped to his hips. But his eyes showed sincerity, nonetheless, as he continued. "But if I- we need help, we will ask from you. But I don't think that will be the case. We can deal with this ourselves,"
His lips twitched upwards into an uncontrollable smirk, "You'll really be more of a hindrance than a help, most of the time."
“And don't I know it," Tetsuya laughed. What was he supposed to do instead - cry? Kaoru was basically speaking for Hide and Shichijo like they were his people. Tetsuya sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"All right, I think I've filled my bother-Kaoru-chan quota for the day," he grinned. "Take care, na?"
Kaoru threw Tetsuya a disdainful look over his shoulder. He took in the false cheer and the sheepishness, and could not control the vicious joy he felt. Tetsuya had hurt Hide so much - he deserved to be hurt in return. Perhaps it was mean-spirited of him to think so, but Kaoru knew he wasn't perfect; far from it.
Without answering the question, Kaoru broke eye contact and strode off haughtily.
***
Continued in [Part II]