[Chaptered] telling lies - chapter three
Title: telling lies
Author: Annie
Pairing: Juri x Taiga, Hokuto x Taiga, Yasui x Juri, Hagiya x Yasui
Genre: Fluff, Romance, Drama
Rating: PG
Summary Just when Juri thinks he finally won Taiga's heart, Hokuto returns to steal Taiga back. As hidden emotions from the past resurface, Hagiya tries desperately to hold onto Yasui, and Juri can only try to hold onto Taiga, even when the older boy starts to slip away.
A/N: Sequel to " keeping secrets" :) dedicated to isshofluffy for her (late) birthday!! :D LAST WEEK OF MY BREAK!! oh no! >__< but... I have so much I want to do still... :( argh, well, I just realized I'm already on chapter three of this, but I need to start this story moving (LOL TOO. MUCH. SETUP. I'm sorry! xD but I guess you can kind of see where Taiga's going with this chapter ^^;;) because there's a lot I have to get to... so... hopefully I can do that before school starts again! o.o Wish me luck! xD
Chapter Three: raising hopes
“Don’t you… remember?” Taiga lowered his gaze, disappointment darkening his eyes. He didn’t want to believe it; Hokuto didn’t remember. He shuffled slightly closer to his friend, instinctively sticking his hands into his pockets, shivering in the cold winter air.
“No… sorry,” Hokuto sighed. His glanced toward Taiga apologetically, but Taiga merely nodded his forgiveness.
Am I just… thinking too much? Expecting too much? He doesn’t remember…
If it were Juri… would Juri remember? Remember every single thing that happened between us?
“Taiga, are you cold?” Hokuto murmured suddenly, his deep gaze softening.
Taiga quickly turned away, too shy to meet Hokuto’s worried eyes. He nodded once, slowly. “A little,” he answered, his cheeks brushed with pink. He hadn’t even realized he had been shivering. Taiga looked down toward his shoes, carefully stepping one foot in front of the other, trying to calm the rapid beating in his heart.
He waited for Hokuto to say something, anything at all, but to his surprise, without a word, Hokuto grasped onto his arm, pulling Taiga to a stop.
“Hoku-”
Taiga merely watched as Hokuto slowly unraveled his scarf and wrapped it around Taiga’s neck instead. Taiga couldn’t help but smile, his cheeks flooding with warmth.
“I hope… I can help you,” Hokuto murmured, pulling Taiga into his arms in a gentle embrace. Taiga closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, cherishing the softness of the scarf on his bare skin, and the feeling of Hokuto’s warmth.
He nodded eagerly. “Anything you do for me… helps,” Taiga answered softly, pulling away so that he could finally look into his eyes. “Thank you.”
In the stillness that followed, the echo of their footsteps fell into line.
Quietly.
So quietly.
Each step drawing closer to home. But Taiga felt as if he didn’t want to walk any farther. When he reached home, Hokuto would leave. He didn’t want Hokuto to leave, did he? He loved Hokuto, didn’t he? Taiga felt so lost in his own thoughts, he didn’t even realize that people were following them from not far behind.
Taiga parted his lips to speak, trying to remember what it was exactly that they had been talking about just moments before. “That time… Jesse pushed me,” Taiga breathed almost inaudibly. “I guess you don’t remember… But you helped me that time, even though…”
“Jesse?” Hokuto frowned, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I can’t imagine him bullying you.”
“I mean, i-it wasn’t bullying exactly…” Taiga’s voice trailed off, not knowing what to say. He knew Jesse was Hokuto’s friend, so maybe it would be best to just put it all behind them. “Maybe I’m not remembering correctly,” Taiga quickly added, not wanting Hokuto to dwell on the thought. He adjusted the scarf around his neck as he lowered his gaze.
Hokuto paused in his step, turning to meet Taiga’s downcast eyes. “If anything like that happens to you again, let me know,” he murmured. “I’ll be sure to help you.” Breaking his gaze to look down at his hands, Hokuto pulled Taiga’s slender fingers into his grasp. “I would never want you to get hurt.”
Taiga’s heart fluttered, as a shy, uncontrollable smile curved gently at his lips. He couldn’t help it. Hokuto had this kind of effect on him. He merely nodded once more before sneaking a quick kiss on Hokuto’s cheek.
Taiga wished Hokuto didn’t have to leave.
From a short distance behind, Juri lowered his gaze, forcing himself to look away. He then turned from Yasui and Hagiya so that his friends wouldn’t have to see how hurt he truly felt. He didn’t want them to see how much he missed Taiga. How much he really loved him. But Juri couldn’t hide.
Yasui sighed, glancing at Hagiya, his eyes reflected full of worry and guilt. “We should go,” Yasui murmured, pulling gently on Juri’s sleeve. “Let’s turn back.” It was a bad idea to let Juri follow behind Taiga anyway. He could’ve guessed that this would happen.
Hagiya nodded slowly, he couldn’t help but watch as Yasui put his arms around Juri’s shoulders and turned him around. He bit his lip, feeling an icy weight bearing down on his chest.
“We should go,” Yasui repeated softly, averting Hagiya’s gaze.
“I-I’m okay,” Juri tried to smile weakly. “I-I’ll be all right,” he insisted, making a gesture for Yasui to let go of him. But Yasui shook his head. He wouldn’t let go.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Hagiya asked. He was still worried about his friend, even though it hurt him to see Yasui so worried. “It’s okay, Juri. We’re here for you,” he murmured gently.
“T-Thanks, but I’m fine. Let’s just go somewhere else. I can try to teach you some physics, Yasui,” Juri tried to change the subject.
“Oh, really?” Yasui’s eyes lit up in excitement.
Juri nodded, but he still hadn’t lifted his gaze from the ground.
“Great! Thanks, Juri!” Yasui smiled, he tried to sound as happy as possible, to try to help cheer Juri up. But of course, it was no use. Yasui knew Juri was just unintentionally using him as a distraction, but still, he didn’t care. It would be fun to spend more time with Juri again. “Let’s go to my house?” Yasui suggested. “Do you want to come too, Hagiya?” He asked cheerfully, not noticing how Hagiya’s heart had melted, seeing his bright, shining eyes.
Hagiya merely nodded, unable to refuse. But at the same time, he didn’t want to watch. Watch Yasui fall back in love with Juri.
Hagiya forced himself to smile.
~~
The sky colored a pale blue, mixed with hues of orange and pink as the sun crept its way into the shadowed morning. A silent shiver ran through Taiga’s body. He tightened the scarf wrapped around his neck, Hokuto’s scarf, as he walked out his front door early the next morning. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, dreading to see the house across the street with its door closed.
Without Juri there.
With a gentle sigh, a puff of cloudy white escaped from his lips.
It was an unfamiliar sight, the empty street. Usually, every day, in fact, Juri had either been waiting for him outside his door, or on the sidewalk outside, ready to accompany him to school. But he wasn’t there anymore. Taiga sighed. It would take some getting used to, this loneliness.
Straightening his jacket, Taiga took another step forward, half-praying Juri would open the door at any second. But he never did. Each step only brought Taiga further and further into his journey alone.
Alone.
It had been a long time since Taiga had walked to school alone. He couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be until he wouldn’t have to be alone again. Taiga couldn’t deny that he missed Juri. The younger boy’s bright smile, always brimming with happiness and childish excitement. The way Juri would always slip his fingers into Taiga’s hand as they walked, no matter how short the distance. The way Juri squeezed his palm in order to get his attention. The way Juri never cared about what others would say.
He missed the comfort of Juri’s honesty, the softness of his touch. The way Juri said his name. The way Juri kissed his lips. It all felt so distant now, out of reach.
But it was Taiga himself who had sent him away. It was Taiga who had left Juri behind.
He wondered, “Should I… turn back?” Was he wrong to send Juri away? But Hokuto had been his first love, his original love. Without him, Taiga wouldn’t have needed Juri. Maybe he wouldn’t have even met Juri. But Juri was the one who stayed by his side when Hokuto was gone.
A replacement. Was Juri just a replacement?
But don’t I… I mean… didn’t I love him?
Do I love him?
Taiga hesitated, stopping just as he was about to turn the corner. He snuck a quick glance back, looking down the street to the familiar house one last time, hoping Juri would walk out. But of course, Taiga could only walk away alone.
Maybe it was best to let go.
Author: Annie
Pairing: Juri x Taiga, Hokuto x Taiga, Yasui x Juri, Hagiya x Yasui
Genre: Fluff, Romance, Drama
Rating: PG
Summary Just when Juri thinks he finally won Taiga's heart, Hokuto returns to steal Taiga back. As hidden emotions from the past resurface, Hagiya tries desperately to hold onto Yasui, and Juri can only try to hold onto Taiga, even when the older boy starts to slip away.
A/N: Sequel to " keeping secrets" :) dedicated to isshofluffy for her (late) birthday!! :D LAST WEEK OF MY BREAK!! oh no! >__< but... I have so much I want to do still... :( argh, well, I just realized I'm already on chapter three of this, but I need to start this story moving (LOL TOO. MUCH. SETUP. I'm sorry! xD but I guess you can kind of see where Taiga's going with this chapter ^^;;) because there's a lot I have to get to... so... hopefully I can do that before school starts again! o.o Wish me luck! xD
Chapter Three: raising hopes
“Don’t you… remember?” Taiga lowered his gaze, disappointment darkening his eyes. He didn’t want to believe it; Hokuto didn’t remember. He shuffled slightly closer to his friend, instinctively sticking his hands into his pockets, shivering in the cold winter air.
“No… sorry,” Hokuto sighed. His glanced toward Taiga apologetically, but Taiga merely nodded his forgiveness.
Am I just… thinking too much? Expecting too much? He doesn’t remember…
If it were Juri… would Juri remember? Remember every single thing that happened between us?
“Taiga, are you cold?” Hokuto murmured suddenly, his deep gaze softening.
Taiga quickly turned away, too shy to meet Hokuto’s worried eyes. He nodded once, slowly. “A little,” he answered, his cheeks brushed with pink. He hadn’t even realized he had been shivering. Taiga looked down toward his shoes, carefully stepping one foot in front of the other, trying to calm the rapid beating in his heart.
He waited for Hokuto to say something, anything at all, but to his surprise, without a word, Hokuto grasped onto his arm, pulling Taiga to a stop.
“Hoku-”
Taiga merely watched as Hokuto slowly unraveled his scarf and wrapped it around Taiga’s neck instead. Taiga couldn’t help but smile, his cheeks flooding with warmth.
“I hope… I can help you,” Hokuto murmured, pulling Taiga into his arms in a gentle embrace. Taiga closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, cherishing the softness of the scarf on his bare skin, and the feeling of Hokuto’s warmth.
He nodded eagerly. “Anything you do for me… helps,” Taiga answered softly, pulling away so that he could finally look into his eyes. “Thank you.”
In the stillness that followed, the echo of their footsteps fell into line.
Quietly.
So quietly.
Each step drawing closer to home. But Taiga felt as if he didn’t want to walk any farther. When he reached home, Hokuto would leave. He didn’t want Hokuto to leave, did he? He loved Hokuto, didn’t he? Taiga felt so lost in his own thoughts, he didn’t even realize that people were following them from not far behind.
Taiga parted his lips to speak, trying to remember what it was exactly that they had been talking about just moments before. “That time… Jesse pushed me,” Taiga breathed almost inaudibly. “I guess you don’t remember… But you helped me that time, even though…”
“Jesse?” Hokuto frowned, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I can’t imagine him bullying you.”
“I mean, i-it wasn’t bullying exactly…” Taiga’s voice trailed off, not knowing what to say. He knew Jesse was Hokuto’s friend, so maybe it would be best to just put it all behind them. “Maybe I’m not remembering correctly,” Taiga quickly added, not wanting Hokuto to dwell on the thought. He adjusted the scarf around his neck as he lowered his gaze.
Hokuto paused in his step, turning to meet Taiga’s downcast eyes. “If anything like that happens to you again, let me know,” he murmured. “I’ll be sure to help you.” Breaking his gaze to look down at his hands, Hokuto pulled Taiga’s slender fingers into his grasp. “I would never want you to get hurt.”
Taiga’s heart fluttered, as a shy, uncontrollable smile curved gently at his lips. He couldn’t help it. Hokuto had this kind of effect on him. He merely nodded once more before sneaking a quick kiss on Hokuto’s cheek.
Taiga wished Hokuto didn’t have to leave.
From a short distance behind, Juri lowered his gaze, forcing himself to look away. He then turned from Yasui and Hagiya so that his friends wouldn’t have to see how hurt he truly felt. He didn’t want them to see how much he missed Taiga. How much he really loved him. But Juri couldn’t hide.
Yasui sighed, glancing at Hagiya, his eyes reflected full of worry and guilt. “We should go,” Yasui murmured, pulling gently on Juri’s sleeve. “Let’s turn back.” It was a bad idea to let Juri follow behind Taiga anyway. He could’ve guessed that this would happen.
Hagiya nodded slowly, he couldn’t help but watch as Yasui put his arms around Juri’s shoulders and turned him around. He bit his lip, feeling an icy weight bearing down on his chest.
“We should go,” Yasui repeated softly, averting Hagiya’s gaze.
“I-I’m okay,” Juri tried to smile weakly. “I-I’ll be all right,” he insisted, making a gesture for Yasui to let go of him. But Yasui shook his head. He wouldn’t let go.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Hagiya asked. He was still worried about his friend, even though it hurt him to see Yasui so worried. “It’s okay, Juri. We’re here for you,” he murmured gently.
“T-Thanks, but I’m fine. Let’s just go somewhere else. I can try to teach you some physics, Yasui,” Juri tried to change the subject.
“Oh, really?” Yasui’s eyes lit up in excitement.
Juri nodded, but he still hadn’t lifted his gaze from the ground.
“Great! Thanks, Juri!” Yasui smiled, he tried to sound as happy as possible, to try to help cheer Juri up. But of course, it was no use. Yasui knew Juri was just unintentionally using him as a distraction, but still, he didn’t care. It would be fun to spend more time with Juri again. “Let’s go to my house?” Yasui suggested. “Do you want to come too, Hagiya?” He asked cheerfully, not noticing how Hagiya’s heart had melted, seeing his bright, shining eyes.
Hagiya merely nodded, unable to refuse. But at the same time, he didn’t want to watch. Watch Yasui fall back in love with Juri.
Hagiya forced himself to smile.
~~
The sky colored a pale blue, mixed with hues of orange and pink as the sun crept its way into the shadowed morning. A silent shiver ran through Taiga’s body. He tightened the scarf wrapped around his neck, Hokuto’s scarf, as he walked out his front door early the next morning. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, dreading to see the house across the street with its door closed.
Without Juri there.
With a gentle sigh, a puff of cloudy white escaped from his lips.
It was an unfamiliar sight, the empty street. Usually, every day, in fact, Juri had either been waiting for him outside his door, or on the sidewalk outside, ready to accompany him to school. But he wasn’t there anymore. Taiga sighed. It would take some getting used to, this loneliness.
Straightening his jacket, Taiga took another step forward, half-praying Juri would open the door at any second. But he never did. Each step only brought Taiga further and further into his journey alone.
Alone.
It had been a long time since Taiga had walked to school alone. He couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be until he wouldn’t have to be alone again. Taiga couldn’t deny that he missed Juri. The younger boy’s bright smile, always brimming with happiness and childish excitement. The way Juri would always slip his fingers into Taiga’s hand as they walked, no matter how short the distance. The way Juri squeezed his palm in order to get his attention. The way Juri never cared about what others would say.
He missed the comfort of Juri’s honesty, the softness of his touch. The way Juri said his name. The way Juri kissed his lips. It all felt so distant now, out of reach.
But it was Taiga himself who had sent him away. It was Taiga who had left Juri behind.
He wondered, “Should I… turn back?” Was he wrong to send Juri away? But Hokuto had been his first love, his original love. Without him, Taiga wouldn’t have needed Juri. Maybe he wouldn’t have even met Juri. But Juri was the one who stayed by his side when Hokuto was gone.
A replacement. Was Juri just a replacement?
But don’t I… I mean… didn’t I love him?
Do I love him?
Taiga hesitated, stopping just as he was about to turn the corner. He snuck a quick glance back, looking down the street to the familiar house one last time, hoping Juri would walk out. But of course, Taiga could only walk away alone.
Maybe it was best to let go.