[FIC] Gakuen Heaven: Surfacing: Metamorphosis

[evocates]

Er, sorry for the delay? We got... distracted. Momentarily.

Surfacing: Metamorphosis
- Sequel to Realities and Interludes

Authors: kagayachou and the_dw
Characters/Pairings: Nakajima->Niwa, Shichijo/Nakajima/Saionji, Niwa->Saionji and Niwa->Keita
Rating: PG-13
Words: 5758
Summary: What would make Hide finally break down and confess? And how would Tetsuya respond after hearing the other three last night?


Hide walked down the hallway to the Student Council room, feeling more normal and cheerful than he had in days. Omi and Kaoru had shown him that he was, indeed, lovable - that he could be loved. They had woken up ahead of schedule this morning, and had spent the time having languid sex that Hide could feel the effects of even now. It all had made him feel more like himself and in control of his life and each situation he was in.

Perhaps... at this rate, perhaps he might be able to fall out of love with Tetsuya, after all.

Inside the Student Council room, Eiji sat on the couch with a clipboard of scrap paper on his lap, a box of crayons by his side, and a big fat stick of yellow in his little hands, because adult Emperor penguins had a patch of yellow over their chests, or so it seemed from the Google print-out he was scrutinizing.

Tetsuya was twirling a pen where he sat in his leather seat behind the desk. There was an open folder on the table in front of him. The absence of a smile, and the dulled look in his eyes said he was miserably bored with the paperwork, which was typical.

What weren’t typical were the dark bags under his eyes, immediately noticeable when he glanced up at Hide and held his gaze for a full second. Violet eyes narrowed, and the President of the Student Council leaned back, welcoming his Vice President with a dry smirk.

"Good morning, na? Hide..."

Hide frowned, murmuring a "good morning" out of instinct. His mind was whirring: had Tetsuya always looked this tired, this worn-out to the bone? The boredom was expected - Tetsuya was always like that with paperwork. But the dark-eyed circles...

He dropped down to his chair, purposefully making the impact hard. He really should have noticed it sooner... or was it a recent thing? Hide closed his eyes, leaning back against the chair for a moment. Really, what kind of a best friend was he that he hadn't realized that something was bothering Tetsuya to this point? True, they had been avoiding each other, but...

He sighed under his breath, swivelling his chair around to face Tetsuya, "Hey, are you alright?" You look tired, he didn't know how to say. Like you didn't sleep last night.

"Maa," Tetsuya rubbed his temple, brows creasing slightly. Last night, huh? What was he supposed to say about last night?

"Tetsuya said he didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Eiji quipped helpfully, shyly. "Because he let me have the bed, and, and... I slept like a log, and..."

"And I didn't feel sleepy, Eiji. It's not you."

'... The bed.' Hide's eyes widened. No... No, they couldn't have gone back to Tetsuya's room, have they? Tetsuya was supposed to go back to the Student Council room - here! He took a breath, calming down the sudden panic he felt.

"... Niwa, did you and Eiji go back to your room last night?"

It wasn't that he was ashamed of what he did; far from it. It was just that Tetsuya loved Kaoru, or was in fact infatuated with him, and Hide slept with the very same boy last night. If Tetsuya knew that he had 'stolen' another of his crushes/loves, he doubted that he would ever be forgiven.

And losing Tetsuya's friendship, as tenuous as it was now, might just break him all over again.

"Yeah, like Eiji said," Tetsuya shrugged, a vague smile forming. "He fell asleep, so I took him back to my room, tucked him in, got us some food in case he'd wake up later and just ended up eating dinner by myself while I caught up on some reading last night, that sort of thing..."

Tetsuya propped an elbow against the top of the table, and rested his chin over the back of his hand.”You didn't think we were gonna sleep here, did you?"

The blood drained out of Hide's face, until he resembled more ghost than man. He turned away, staring unseeingly at the wall as his hand clenched around the armrest of his chair. Shit. Why didn't they think of that? Why didn't he think of that? He should have asked Omi and Kaoru if they could have gone to their room instead of staying at his. Shit. Tetsuya probably heard it all and hated him now. It was a miracle that the older boy was still talking to him.

His voice, when he found the will to speak again, was low and whispery, devoid of hope and all other emotions. "I suppose that you heard it all?"

"Heard what?" Eiji shifted uncomfortably in his seat, peering from one older boy to the other. Stupid adult problems again, probably.

Tetsuya didn't want to talk about it in front of innocent ears. Why the heck was Hide bringing it up anyway? To gloat? He closed his eyes.

"Come on... The walls aren't that thin," he answered with a crooked smile and eyes that said, of course I didn't hear everything.

"You want to talk about it?" He glanced at Eiji briefly then looked back at Hide. "Right now?"

Those eyes and that smile told Hide all he needed to know - that despite his best efforts, he had managed to hurt Tetsuya again. Hurt him enough that he couldn't sleep. Now that he was really looking, he could notice the slight puffiness around Tetsuya's eyes, looking like he had been crying.

He slumped back against his chair, staring up at the ceiling blankly, not even registering Tetsuya's question, much less Eiji. He was such a failure as a best friend. Such a fucking selfish, self-absorbed, unthinking bastard who didn't even think of the possibility that Tetsuya would most likely be next door while having sex with Omi and Kaoru.

Tetsuya loved Kaoru. Hide had betrayed his best friend again. And now, he couldn't even use the excuse that he was protecting Tetsuya from being hurt further. God, what kind of a friend was he? And he even had the audacity to be in love with Tetsuya when he had hurt the other boy so much.

His hand shook slightly. He clenched them, squeezing his eyes sharply. He had to get out of here before he did something even more stupid and hurt Tetsuya further. He had done enough damage already. If Tetsuya decided to break off relations, then all the better, because right now Hide didn't trust himself to not hurt Tetsuya even more in the future.

Hide stood up and turned away, taking long strides towards the door. He was running away, and he knew it. Leaning his forehead against the wooden door for a moment, Hide closed his eyes. He didn't want to see how Tetsuya would react.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, sincere and honest. "I'm so, so sorry. I don't deserve your kindness."

With that, he opened the door and stepped out of it, slamming it behind him and sliding downwards, eyes closed.

How the hell had he screwed up so much?

Back in the room, Tetsuya was thinking the same thing: what did I do to Hide to make him act this way?

Tetsuya groaned, rubbing his face for a moment, and then stood up. "Eiji, I'm gonna go talk to my best friend, and I want to you stay here until I get back. That okay with you?"

The little boy looked up at him with big brown eyes, utterly lost, and concerned. But Eiji knew better than to get too involved with stupid adult arguments. Finally, he nodded. Before he could stop himself, however, he added, "He said sorry, so you're gonna shake hands now, right?"

"... Yeah... We're just being idiots," the older boy said after a pause. "Don't worry."

He opened the door and nearly tripped. "Hide, what the-"

Hide didn't answer immediately. Slowly, lethargically, he stood on shaky legs, his back to Tetsuya. Suddenly the situation was hilarious. He was overreacting over the whole thing, and now Tetsuya was coming to see what was wrong with him. He was probably worried, because that was Tetsuya's way. Even in the midst of trying to repair his screw-ups, Hide had screwed up again. He really was doing more harm than good in Tetsuya's life; completely useless as a best friend.

His shoulders shook, and he burst out laughing in bitter, false laughter. He leaned against the wall on one shoulder, chuckling into a hand as the whole ridiculousness of the situation caught up with him. Why was it all so complicated? Why couldn't he just stayed happy with Kaoru and Omi and forget that he had ever been in love with Tetsuya?

Why couldn't he just fall out of love with that man?!

He covered his face with a hand as his laughter subsided. Tetsuya must be so confused by now. Hide didn't know what he himself felt - his emotions were all in a tangled whirl.

He stopped thinking.

Letting his hand drop from his face, Hide straightened back up and took a breath, calming himself down. "You know, Niwa," he began, tone conversational with an undertone of hysteria. "I almost wish that you will hate me, because then maybe I will stop. Because right now, I can't stop."

He turned around to face Tetsuya, his smile brittle and patently false. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I'm such a horrible best friend. I keep hurting you but you keep coming back. But I've gone too far this time, haven't I?

He stumbled forward, cupping Tetsuya's face with a hand. "You see, Niwa, I love you. I've loved you for so hard and so long that it's driving me absolutely insane. I know you don't feel the same, so I keep trying to stop, but I can't. I can't."

Letting his head drop down on Tetsuya's shell-shocked shoulders, he finally allowed the tears to fall, "Kaoru will love you if you are competent and intelligent. Show him why you are King, Tetsuya, and he will be yours. Omi comes as a package, though." He laughed, the sound sharp and broken like glass shards, "I'm sorry for everything. I'll request a transfer tomorrow."

He didn't want to hear Tetsuya's rejection. He knew it was coming, but he didn't want to hear it.

So he pushed Tetsuya away with all his strength and ran like a coward.

Or Hide would have, if Tetsuya hadn't grabbed him as he fell backwards and they both went down like a ton of bricks.

It was Eiji who cried out the loudest though. He'd curled up a bit, stared wide-eyed at them as Tetsuya cursed.

"Ow, fu- Hide, you stupid freakin' - Love-?" No, no wait, what was the rest of it? "Transfer my ass!" Tetsuya glared at him through the near-concussion, "You're not going anywhere until we fucking talk!"

Hide didn't struggle, simply acting like a limp doll in Tetsuya's arms. He turned around and smiled at Eiji lopsidedly, but the effect was most likely ruined by the tear tracks on his cheeks. But he needed someone to stop him from looking at Tetsuya, from listening to his words. Because he didn't want hope. Not again; hope had only ever hurt him.

"I'm sorry," he told the boy. He was apologizing a lot today, he realized, and barked a mirthless laugh. "Hide-nii-san here is an absolute idiot whom Tetsuya should hate, because he screwed up so much and hurt him. Hide had never wanted to hurt Tetsuya." All three of them knew that he wasn't talking to Eiji anymore. Hide looked at the floor fixatedly, his tone dull and flat as he continued. "Hide never wanted to fall in love. Hide never wanted a lot of things, but he got them anyway and was really shitty at dealing with them. Tetsuya had nothing to talk to Hide about, because Hide knows that Tetsuya doesn't love him. Hide isn't his type, you see, and he knows it.

"Tetsuya should let Hide go now... please."

"Hide!" Tetsuya gaped, almost at a loss for words. He wasn't angry. He couldn't stay angry. Last night, he'd cried and raged, and called himself a fool while Hide and Omi and Kaoru had sex next door, and Eiji slept so soundly Tetsuya didn't dare make a sound.

Gone was the anger when he realized that he had been blind to the fact that Hide probably liked Kaoru, and they got along better anyway, and hell, Hide was probably in a bad position, knowing Tetsuya had a thing for Kaoru when Hide himself was with Kaoru - and no wonder Shichijo and Hide were rivals -

And Hide blew that out of the water yet again.

"Hide... you," he clutched Hide's shoulders, tried to catch him in the eyes. "You love me?"

Hide closed his eyes deliberately, turning away to stare fixatedly at a spot on the floor. He didn't want to meet Tetsuya's eyes. He didn't want to face the rejection and disgust he was sure that he would see in them.

"Yes," he said in a voice barely loud enough to be heard, full of irony and sardonic. He was trying to rebuild his ruined armour. "God knows why I do, but yes.”

Tetsuya's mind boggled. Oh god, it wasn't Keita. It was Tetsuya himself!

"S- Since when?" He whispered.

Eiji had the distinct feeling he should go to his room. Not that he was sure he'd know how to get back - in fact, he didn't know how to get back, but he trusted Tetsuya well enough - but... but... this was one of those parent things, right? Er... or adult things?

And yet he stared with morbid fascination.

Strangely enough, Hide thought, part-bemused and part-hopeful, Tetsuya didn't sound disgruntled. He sounded... surprised, and not unpleasantly so either.

Maybe... maybe he would have his chance, after all...

Oh, who was he kidding? Tetsuya loved petite, red-haired girlish boys who looked as if they needed protecting - in short, his type was the complete antithesis of Hide himself. He knew this; he had accepted it.

But it didn't mean that it didn't hurt like crazy.

Pulling away from Tetsuya, he stood up, not meeting the older boy's eyes. "I don't know. Even since you threw me that first punch, I think." He laughed bitterly, "I've known it only since recently, though."

Tetsuya lifted himself off the ground slightly, elbows propping his body up. He stared at Hide, speechless. And his head hurt. It wasn't a joke again, was it? Hide didn't look like he was joking this time, Tetsuya thought. No, Hide looked so utterly... hopeless.

He tried to say something, but his mouth and brain felt disconnected. He managed to look like a fish though.

"Oh my god, I'm so stupid!"

Hide didn't want to listen any more. He didn't want to hope; he didn't want to be hurt even more. His heart couldn't take it, he thought. It was most likely already broken to powder form by now.

Ignoring Tetsuya with a great effort, he walked towards Eiji, squatting down to meet the young boy's eyes. "Do you want me to bring you to the room now? I'm sorry for causing such a scene..."

Eiji blinked widely at him. "You're crying," he said, stating the obvious. "I don't mind staying here until you finish your stupid adult things." With that, he nearly stomped back inside the Student Council room, bare foot and pouting slightly.

Really, adult were so dumb.

Hide stared at him for a moment, utterly shocked. Still not turning around, he smirked, amused.

"Looks like the child is smarter than both of us, after all." His tone was derisive and bitter like dark chocolate. "Is there anything else, Niwa?"

It took a great deal of willpower for him to not just run away right then. His... friend deserved better than that.

Not that Tetsuya would have agreed with Hide on that. He felt like an idiot. Synonyms of idiot! Hide loved him since... freshman term one?! And he had been completely blind to the guy's feelings. They even had sex before. Hide even gave him lessons -

Oh gods, those lessons. For Keita.

And that was when he was feeling guilty about sleeping with Hide and forced himself to think of Keita instead.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Hide..." Tetsuya stood up, pulled Hide over in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."

Hide just stood rigid in Tetsuya's arms, his own arms hanging slack by his side. He couldn't respond. Why the hell was Tetsuya apologizing?!

"If anyone has to apologized," he began dully, staring at a small stain in Tetsuya's blazer so as not to look at the Council President's face, "it's me. I caused so much trouble for you; I confused you and hurt you and made you cry." And he hated himself so damn much for it. "You never asked for me to fall for you; you wouldn't have known. I screwed up... so goddamn much."

He chuffed under his breath, a mockery of a laugh. "What are you apologizing for?"

"For not understanding. For being so blind. We call each other best friends, and I never even considered - I mean, sometimes, I think of you... that way," Tetsuya was blushing, babbling. Somehow he managed to look at Hide as he returned a quasi-confession. "But as soon as I think of you that way, I push it out of my head because we're best friends, so I never thought you'd," he ran out of breath, so he had to pause.

"Oh... Oh, Hide... Don't transfer because of me. I cried, yeah, but I'm a man, damnit. I'll get over all this, and ... aren't you happy with Kaoru? Or err... and... Shichijo?"

Hide's head swam under the onslaught of information. For a moment, he even felt dizzy. Tetsuya was... was actually attracted to him? He thought of him as 'that way'? Hide's breath caught, and he opened his mouth, trying to speak. But there was a lump in his throat and his voice seemed to be rebelling against him.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and cleared his throat. God, those puppy eyes... He tore his eyes away from Tetsuya's, staring at a spot on the ceiling. Deal with the least problematic issues first; answer the questions he actually had the answers to. He could do this.

"Kaoru and Omi... they love each other. Omi said he loves me, but it's nowhere near what he feels for Kaoru - that is obvious. They don't need me." He took another breath, "I... I was happy with them. But I couldn't forget you. I tried to, but I just... I just couldn't. I'm pathetic, I know."

He shook his head, "You have nothing to be sorry for. I tried to hide it as much as I could." Kaoru and Omi didn't miss it though, he didn't continue. "I... you... what do you feel towards me? Do you want me?"

That, at least, he could understand.

"You know I..." Tetsuya looked up, like 'lightning, strike me now,' and then down again as he continued, "Hide," this time with the decency to lower his voice. "Do you know anyone in this school who doesn't want you? ... Shinomiya does not count.

"And I," he took a deep breath. "Sometimes, I more than want you. But I never thought anything could come of it, so I never dwelled on it for long."

And then Keita had come along and showered him with affection. Damn well offered him his virginity and his heart and soul - well, for a short while.

"I didn't - I don't want to lose your friendship, Hide. Ever." Tetsuya gaze searchingly at Hide. Was he gonna lose him now anyway?

"You won't," Hide replied automatically, finally meeting violet eyes with his own rather desperate blue ones. "If... if you want me to remain, then I will stay your friend."

His voice lowered to a whisper, "More than wanting me... then what do you want from me? What do you mean?"

Did he... did he dare to even hope?

"I want you to be happy." Tetsuya's reply, while cliché, was genuine. "But I'm horrible with that. Hardly ever make you smile. All I ever manage to do is annoy you on a regular basis. And misunderstand you. I mean, I thought you were upset because of Keita - couldn't possibly have been me, I thought; the world doesn't revolve around me! And then, with Kaoru and Shichijo...

"If you're happy with them, and they're happy with you don't let me get in the way.

"I might... I could... love you back, but..." He shook his head to clear it, "You deserve to be with someone ... people who make you happy.

"God, I'm just glad you don't really hate me."

"Hate you?" Now it was Hide's turn to be utterly flabbergasted. He gaped at Tetsuya for a moment, at a complete loss. "How did you... how did you get the idea?"

He shook his head, placing a finger on Tetsuya's lips to stop any forthcoming explanation. The gesture was almost automatic. "No, never mind, I don't want to know. I don't hate you, Niwa... just the opposite."

Taking a deep breath, he stared off to the side, gathering his thoughts. "I won't be happy with them without you being happy as well. Despite my horrible attempts," he laughed self-deprecatingly, "at being your best friend, I am still that. I won't be happy with them when you are miserable, Tetsuya. Especially not if I'm the one who had caused the misery."

Uncharacteristically impulsive, he reached forward and dropped his head on Tetsuya's shoulder, shoulders slumping. "Don't push me away."

Tetsuya embraced him. He couldn't stop himself if he tried. Last night, he thought maybe he'd never had a best friend and Hide had just tolerated him because they worked together. Because why else would anyone steal your boyfriend, and sleep with the person you once said you fell in love at first sight with?

In regards to Kaoru, the pain felt less pressing. He never had Kaoru to begin with. But he'd thought he had Hide as a best friend, and lost him, or worse yet, that it had all been in his head and they weren't really friends because Tetsuya himself was just a horrible idiotic brute, just like Hide sometimes said he was, and Kaoru no doubt thought he was.

So Tetsuya just pulled Hide up against him, and stifled a sob of relief.

Cautiously, tentatively, Hide wrapped his arms around Tetsuya's chest and hugged him back loosely. He wanted, at that very moment, so very badly to protect Tetsuya. Protect him from being hurt emotionally.

He closed his eyes, whispering in a voice barely loud enough to be heard, "I want to protect you. I keep trying to but I always seem to fail and hurt you more. Whatever I do keep hurting you... I'm so sorry ... that I'm such a failure."

Niwa froze. Then jerked back and gaped at Hide. "Why are you reading my mind and taking the words out of my mouth before I even say them?"

He was serious. He had an incredulous expression on his face, eyebrows drawn up together in bewilderment.

"I'm sorry. I'm hurting you. I'm the failure here, and what do you mean protect me?!"

Hide's lips twitched upwards. A laugh escaped his throat, and he shook his head, genuinely amused. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to run through the short strands at the nape of Tetsuya's neck.

"That's exactly what I meant. You are too fixated on protecting other people that you leave yourself vulnerable. You are far too quick to blame yourself and forgive others, Tetsuya." He gave Tetsuya a loose, one-armed hug. "You wouldn't have known that I love you and I was hurt, because I tried my best to hide it all. But you... you practically bared all your emotions normally and yet I didn't notice. I hurt you and you... you didn't protect yourself."

He looked at Tetsuya straight in the eye, completely serious, "I want to protect you because no one else, including yourself, could do it."

"I..." Niwa was at a loss for words.

Which was just as well, because he probably would have said something thoughtless before Omi came around for the day's worth of signed documents for the Treasury to approve - or otherwise.

Omi didn't make a sound when he saw Hide and Tetsuya outside the Student Council room door, hugging so openly in the corridor. He gaped though, and his fingers twitched like he was supposed to do something in response, but didn't know what. He considered backtracking around the corner before either of them saw.

He loved Hide, but he knew who Hide really wanted after all. If the King was finally, finally worthy, why ruin it?

Too bad. Eiji poked his head out.

"Can we eat yet?"

Hide started slightly, turning around. For a moment, he had forgotten about the child's presence. He mentally smacked himself for it, pulling away from Tetsuya and dropping to a squat, reaching out to smooth down Eiji's brown hair.

"Are you hungry now?"

Kaoru watched the scene through narrowed eyes. If the idiot of a Council President had finally opened his eyes, then perhaps Kaoru would consider letting him have Hide. No, it wouldn't be so easy for Tetsuya to gain Kaoru's approval - far from it. He turned towards Omi, taking in the expression on lover's face.

He sighed, turning back to watch Hide with Eiji. "You shouldn't give up so easily, Omi. Niwa hasn't proved himself yet. You love him... don't you?"

Omi tore his eyes away from the scene to look at Kaoru, whose calm, quiet voice sounded so expectant. And how could he ever say no when those beautiful green eyes seemed to plead, 'Niwa doesn't deserve Hide - I mean it'?

He chuckled, and looked back towards Hide.

At that sound, Tetsuya's gaze jerked from Eiji to Omi and Kaoru.

"Oh," he didn't actually sound too happy to see them, but he smiled anyway, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Hey. Let me get your stuff." He went around Eiji, patting the kid on the head as he passed, and went back to his table, picking up the 'Done' pile.

Kaoru's eyes widened slightly. For once, Tetsuya didn't try to physically accost him when they met. That was... unexpected. He was already prepared to fend off unwanted advances, but it seemed like Tetsuya was getting better at this... hopefully. Was it because of what presumably happened with Hide before he and Omi interrupted? Kaoru made a mental note to find out.

The whole situation was prickling at his curiosity.

Meanwhile, Eiji pouted, nodding. "Uh huh! You and Tetsuya took so long to talk about stupid adult things. My stomach is growling." His pout deepened, and he rubbed his stomach as if to emphasise the point. "Can we go now?"

"Alright, alright," Hide smiled at the boy, more than slightly amused. Reaching out, he picked him up, letting him sit on the crook of his arm. He turned towards Omi and Kaoru.

"Do you both want to join us?"

"Actually, we both came over to invite you for lunch," Omi gave a soft smile. "Eiji-kun is free to join us of course, as is Niwa-kaichou," he glanced at Kaoru as he said this, "The more the merrier, isn't that right?"

Sure, Kaoru was a far cry from even liking the King, but Hide liked him. That accounted for something, in Omi's book, surely.

"Eh, what's that about me?" Tetsuya wasn't sure what to do around all three of them at the moment. "And here," he handed Omi the documents. Gods, he didn't think he could look at Kaoru without ... thinking about Omi and Hide on top.

Gah!

Kaoru frowned: Tetsuya seemed to be avoiding him (which was actually a wonderful thing in his book), and his expression was... strange. As if he was thinking of something he really shouldn't. Huh. It seemed like he really had to interrogate Hide about this later, after all.

He smirked; well, he was looking forward to it.

Hide took note of Kaoru's suddenly devilish smirk and bit his lip in order to not laugh, hiding his smile behind Eiji's hair. Kaoru was planning something - he was sure of it. Of what, he wasn't sure, but he knew that it involved Niwa somehow, given how Kaoru was looking at the older boy just a second ago.

He shook those thoughts out of his head and turned back to face Tetsuya. "We are just discussing our plans for lunch; Eiji is hungry." He paused, as much for effect as much as to find the words. "Do you want to eat with us? All of us."

Omi let the surprise on Tetsuya's face entertain him. The guy was so... animated, like a kicked puppy that keeps coming back - in Kaoru's case at any rate. Tetsuya's eyes had widened, eyebrows raising then scrunching up - a blink, another blink... Ah, that confused half frown that turns into a wide smile, just the kind that makes Kaoru think he's talking to an indecisive idiot.

"Sure!" Tetsuya grinned. It was Omi's voice he heard from the door, and Hide had asked him to come along too. But what about Kaoru? "That is... if uh..."

Yup, looking at Kaoru still made him blush.

Kaoru shrugged. Hide obviously wanted Tetsuya along, and Kaoru's... dislike of Tetsuya was far outweighed by what he felt towards Hide. (Friendship didn't really cover all of it. He would have to ponder more on this later.) If Omi was fine with it, then Kaoru figured that he could tolerate Niwa for an hour or so.

Crossing his arms, he gave Tetsuya a glare. "As long as you do not act like someone who belongs more in a elementary school than in high school, and you do not try to touch me..." he tossed his hair back haughtily. "Then you might join us for lunch."

Hide suppressed a smile. Kaoru was really quite funny when he was acting as regal as a Queen. Of course, he would never tell his friend that, unless he wanted to tease the younger boy.

Eiji's stomach growled, and Hide was distracted from his thoughts. Without giving Tetsuya the chance to reply, he said, "Now that's settled, let's go. The cafeteria should be open."

"Yay!" The little boy on his arm, settled happily, forgot about the question he had wanted to ask Kaoru: what was wrong with acting like an elementary school student? Eiji was one, and he had fun! Maybe Kaoru had something against fun. Who knew? Food was more important.

Omi chuckled at the kid's gleeful expression, and let his eyes linger on Hide, fondly. It was going to kill a few brain cells around campus, the sight of Nakajima Hideaki walking around with an innocent little boy on his arm. And the five of them eating at the same table...

"This is going to be interesting," he mused to Kaoru more than anyone else. "Shall we?"

Meanwhile, Tetsuya felt very much the fifth wheel. Scratching the back of his neck, he gave a subdued laugh, "Thanks."

Hide's eyes narrow when he noticed Tetsuya's expression. Perhaps this was a little too much for him at once. Plus the King hadn't had much positive interaction with the Treasury, unlike himself. It wasn't much of a surprise that he felt awkward now.

"Omi," he spoke up, looking at the silver-haired boy. "Do you want to put the papers down at the Treasury first and join us later?"

It would be easier to acclimate Tetsuya to the Treasurers' presence if it was just one of them at a time, and someone he was more familiar with.

Kaoru knew instantly what Hide was doing. He mentally grumbled that, really, Tetsuya didn't deserve Hide because the latter was willing to do so much for him. And without asking for anything in return. Sighing softly, he turned to Omi, nodding. He didn't like it, but it did make sense.

And since it wasn't that big a stretch for Omi to understand either, the boy just nodded. The Treasury room was only a short distance from the Student Council room anyway, and he'd planned on excusing himself when they reached the stairs.

But then, he didn't feel as pressing a need to aggravate Hide anymore. Well, not too much.

"Saa... Since you ask so nicely," his parting smile was flirtatious. Of course, it flew over Eiji's head.

But not over Tetsuya's.

The King looked from the Knight's retreating back to the Queen's face and back to Hide's. He shoved his hands in his pockets in the end. Why was everything so ... complicated? When Kaoru told him the three of them had nothing to do with Tetsuya himself - damn, Kaoru was lying!

Hide couldn't help the slight flush over his cheeks at Omi's smile, clearing his throat and looking away. He bit his lip to stop the absolutely silly smile that threatened to reveal itself. Why was he behaving like a shy virgin again? He didn't love Omi... right?

Eiji pulled on his shirt, thankfully distracting him from his thoughts. "Let's go..." The boy was near whining - he had waited long enough.

Hide laughed softly, nodding. He hefted Eiji higher up, letting his legs wrap around a hip. Briefly, he wondered how many people he would shock by the site of him with Eiji, but, quite frankly, he couldn't care less what the school thought of him right now.

Giving both Kaoru and Tetsuya a small smile and a pointed look towards Eiji, he started walking towards the cafeteria.

Kaoru caught the blush and cheered inwardly. Perhaps Hide did reciprocate Omi's feelings; it would please him greatly if this was true. He could even learn to live with Tetsuya if - and that was quite a great if in his mind - he needed to. Perhaps things were finally coming together, after all...

With that thought, he followed Hide to the cafeteria, Tetsuya a couple of steps behind him.

Because at the moment, Tetsuya couldn't tell where he stood.

End

Continued in Surfacing: Chrysalis