[Fanfiction] Angel's Tale; Chapter 5.
Title: Angel’s Tale
Author: hydeist_haido
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/Characters: Gackt/Hyde, slight Tetsuya/Hyde, Ken, Yukihiro, Kaz, Chachamaru, You
Summary: Gackt had his love at first sight… The only thing is the “she” is a “he”…
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Notes: I was thinking of discontinuing this fic with my other fic, FATE, although I'd finished chapter 4 for it. But after ai_misaki complimented this fic, I thought of finishing the story. So... enjoy. My writing skills had been rusty for months and all I wrote were essays. :D
Chapter 5
Gackt had this feeling of someone touching him for quite some while. That person was poking him in his face. Ignoring his terrible headache, he opened his eyes slowly to find Hyde in front of him, the distance of their faces were mere millimeters.
“Gaah!” Gackt yelped with shock.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” Hyde greeted him with a small smile, sitting on the bed, looking into the taller boy’s crystal blue eyes. “It’s time to get up.”
“Morning…” Had he been watching him sleep all the time? He greeted him back as he saw the curtains being pulled apart, the rays of sunlight shinning into the room. It was already morning. “Where am I…?” He whispered softly to the other boy, twiddling the blanket’s fabric with his fingers.
“My room, isn’t it obvious?” Hyde replied childishly, the big smile never leaving his face. “You forgot, .”
Gackt simply stared at him, confusion in his eyes. He lifted up his left hand to scratch his cheek, but flinched when he felt the agonizing pain on his arm. He groaned and quickly lowered his hand. It was just then he saw the bandage on his arm.
Hyde smirked. “You have other injuries too.”
Gackt tilted his head, staring at his companion. “Injuries?”
“Why are you so forgetful? We were attacked by…” Hyde paused a little. That very word seemed a bit hard to be spoken out loud. “…Sakura and those thugs… You tried to help me but only ended up getting beaten up.”
Gackt nodded. He raised his only fine hand and touched his forehead, to find something wrapping it. He assumed it was another bandage. He managed a small grin. “I didn’t expect it to be this painful,”
“Or else what would you expect, silly,” Hyde snickered, folding his arms. “That arm of yours has some small fractures. You’ve also some bruises and gashes all over your back, and you broke your right leg. The doctors said you can go home since your condition is well. The injuries will take some time to recover though.”
Go home? “I see… But the thing is,” Gackt stared into Hyde’s dark eyes as he spoke, “My parents are overseas.”
“Overseas?” Hyde’s expression changed. “I-I thought you said you can ask your Dad to come and fetch you yesterday!”
“They left Japan a week after we moved here.”
“How about your siblings or relatives?” Hyde asked again. Don’t tell me…
“I’m the only child. We’ve just moved here. My relatives are far away from here. At the moment I’m living alone.” Gackt explained and forced a tiny smile.
Hyde’s eyes widened at the statement. Gackt’s parents weren’t available. He didn’t have brothers or sisters at home. He didn’t have any relatives in the city, too. If his parents gave the green light, Gackt may have to stay with them… But they didn’t have a spare room for another person. Perhaps this was a challenge God gave him to overcome his fears to what happened in the past? Was it possible? What on earth was he going to do?
But it wasn’t very nice to chase Gackt out of the house… Hyde thought in his mind. Besides, Mum and Dad would be there to help me out. Gackt wouldn’t stand a chance to do something bad to me.
“You can stay here for a moment until we solve this problem,” Hyde spoke softly, his head low.
“Oh… okay… Thanks.” Gackt looked at his leg under the sheets. It looked like it was swollen and had the abnormal size. He swung his legs to the bedside to get out from the bed, only to groan again from the ache.
Hyde quickly stood up from his seat and rushed beside his injured friend to hold him down. “Hey, you can’t walk around with an injured leg! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Umm… Can I use the toilet for a while?” Gackt blushed, his face reddening up like a ripe tomato.
The smaller boy gaped at his friend with a blank expression and slowly smiled, nodding. He too started blushing. “S-sure, I’ll bring you there since you’ll have to use crutches.”
After Hyde brought Gackt to the toilet, he set him gently on the bed and checked whether he was comfortable, then he walked to the bedroom door. “I’ll… bring something for you to eat, okay? You’ve been unconscious since Saturday and you didn’t get to eat something yesterday. You must be starving.” He told Gackt before before disappearing from Gackt’s view.
Gackt merely looked at the door his crush walked out. He was now left in the big room alone, but somewhere in his heart felt particularly warm. Lying down back to the big soft bed, he stared at the ceiling. It was boring that he couldn’t wander around by himself because of the injury on his leg, but he somehow felt proud of himself. After all, he had saved Hyde from Sakura and those thugs, and the smaller boy was unscathed. He had a contented smile on his face. He was as if a hero, a prince charming in those fairy tales who had succeeded on saving the princess.
“Prince charming huh…” He thought aloud. Normally, fairy tales end with the sentence ‘And they lived happily ever after’. He didn’t even know whether Hyde liked him or not. Even when they went out, the smaller boy didn’t say anything hinting about him being likeable.
“What did you say?”
The door suddenly opened and Hyde poked his head through the door. Gackt gasped, he’d never thought the smaller boy would be so fast. “I just want to ask whether you’re allergic to nuts, or milk.” When he received a nod from the other boy, he closed the door and Gackt could here footsteps in the corridor.
Gackt huffed. He hoped Hyde never heard that. If he did, he hoped Hyde wouldn’t take it serious.
A few minutes later, Hyde walked into the room with a tray, bouncing a little towards the bedside and settled the tray of food on Gackt’s lap; the injured boy merely gawked at the food served for him: A bowl of porridge, some fruits and a glass of water.
“Eat up. You’ve to regain your energy after all that trouble helping me.” Hyde pushed the tray closer towards Gackt and grabbed a chair, sitting down beside the bed.
Gackt gave him an imperceptible nod and picked up the spoon, spooning a small amount of porridge into his mouth. He quickly drew back his hand from his mouth as the food was hot.
Hyde stood up from his seat furiously and took the spoon away from Gackt, examining him. “Oh God I’m so, so sorry! I should’ve helped you with that… Since you must be taken care of…”
The injured boy shot him a confused look. “Huh?”
“My mum said it was because of me you were hurt so I’ll have to take care of you for a moment. Oh and we called Yamamoto sensei just now to ask him about your ‘little problem’. He’ll be informing your parents later, and I think you’re staying with us until you heal for sure.” Hyde explained, handing the glass of water to his friend.
Gackt didn’t know whether Hyde had timed that on purpose as just when Hyde gave his reason he almost spat out his water out of his mouth. Eventually he managed to finish the liquid and his mouth, and he was grateful.
“W-what?”
“I’m going to take care of you until you heal.” Hyde added. “My mum told me I have to take the responsibility.”
“B-but actually you don’t have to… It’s too troublesome.”
“I volunteered so I’m doing it! Besides, we’re having so no buts!”
Gackt huffed and stared at his front then Hyde, slowly breaking into a laugh. The smaller boy merely managed to gawk at Gackt, not getting at the point of what was funny.
“What is it?” He furrowed his brows and pouted.
“Sometimes you are cute when you get angry,” Gackt pointed out, smiling widely and pinched Hyde’s nose with his free hand. “Why are you so adorable?”
Hyde immediately blushed and cringed a bit. His face felt hot and it was as if on fire, he had not felt anything like this before. People would just shut themselves up when he gets angry and mad, all but Gackt. The new boy was a new case, and he felt disappointment at that point. Failure and a strange kind of feeling he couldn’t recognize.
“S-shut up will you?” He looked away from Gackt’s face to a different direction, still blushing. He didn’t know why Gackt looked… pleasant now, in his sight. Earlier then the injured boy was nothing more than a passerby. It felt strange indeed.
Gackt shook his head and continued smiling. “Not if you feed me.”
“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?” Hyde scowled, standing up. He was already furious enough that he was starting to develop something to Gackt, and this came.
Gackt grinned playfully; it had been a while since he saw Hyde not acting like a shy, polite, good boy, and he’s not used to Hyde being like that. “You want me to be quiet, right? Feed me then. I’m starving.” He opened his mouth.
“Don’t think my parents are not in the house then you can play around with me!” Hyde shouted.
Gackt paused and grinned even wider. “Oh so Mr. and Mrs. Takarai are not around, I suppose I’m correct?”
Hyde stopped arguing with him, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. He stared at Gackt, a gasp escaping his mouth. What he told the injured boy was his present flaw. He could be vulnerable since no one was at home, so as his friends Tetsuya, Yukkie, Ken and Kaz. It was merely twelve thirty in the afternoon and the other teens had not been home from school.
“So I am right,”
Gackt’s actions were slow enough for Hyde as he continued staring at the boy in front of him. Gackt was holding up a hand towards him and all he could do was persist on staring. Everything happened in slow motion, and by the time Hyde knew, the taller boy had already gave him a peck on his cheek.
The smaller boy froze in his position as Gackt moved away from him; grinning, as if he was the cat that got the cream. Hyde still didn’t move a muscle.
“Are you that shocked to be kissed by me? I’ve seen Chacha and You kissin-”
Just then Gackt’s head was hit hard, sending him soreness on his head as he gave out a cry. It was obvious that Hyde didn’t give him any mercy. Cruel.
“Oh my God you hit my head do you know how painful it was?!” Gackt screamed in a high-pitched tone as he moaned in pain.
Hyde only focused on what just happened and it was just then he overlooked that Gackt’s head was obviously hurt too as it was bandaged. Hyde’s eyes were beginning to swell as they turned red. He rubbed his eyes a little and backed off from the bed, anxiety taking over his face. “No I don’t,” Hyde protested and turned his back.
“Sorry” was the only word he mumbled before he ran out from the room.
Gackt had a worried look as he watched the smaller boy running out from the room, he didn’t know he would react like that. He had seen friends of his kissing each other before; they were a sign of trust and affection. He had no idea Hyde would freak out.
“I was only joking,” He blurted.
Maybe it’s because what happened in the past, Gackt then thought and moved his focus to the almost forgotten tray on his lap. He forgot what happened to the smaller boy in the past. Slowly, he picked up the spoon and scooped some porridge into his mouth; it now wasn’t that hot anymore. It had taken a small chance to cool down during the conversation with Hyde. There was only a little tinge of warmth.
“It’s cold…” Gackt mumbled forlornly and sent another spoonful of porridge into his mouth.
~*~
Hyde was in his parents’ toilet, standing in front the sink with his hands supporting him. He stared at his reflection shown in the mirror. As he recalled what Gackt did to him a few moments ago, his hand reached up to his cheek without notice. It had been awhile someone else other than his parents kissed him without any evil intentions. What Gackt did was simply a playful kiss - he convinced himself - but when he thought of what happened last time in junior high, and after that, and a few days ago, a shiver came down to his spine.
He was still scared. He assumed himself as a coward, a weakling. He still had a distance with people even though it had been a long time. When the scene between his senior and him occurred, he kept himself away from people, only his closest friends and family dared to give him comfort,
Tetsuya, Kaz, Ken and Yukihiro and his parents’ faces flashed through his mind in a sudden. He remembered as they were partially the ones who had built a part of him to continue living because he was also caught attempting suicide before for several times. He had to stay strong, and he had known that he was only a crush to Gackt; the taller boy wouldn’t dare to do things to hurt him.
Believe, believe, believe.
Shaking his head and shoving away those negative thoughts, Hyde let water flow through the tap and began washing his face, and then stared at the mirror again.
He really needed to get away from his frights from the past, but he wasn’t sure how to start with. He didn’t know how to open his empathy, and maybe Gackt had something to help him recover with his wounds from the past. He wasn’t sure - somehow - but at last he made a decision of being brave to face with life.
~*~
Blue eyes flickered open as he woke up wearily, groaning from the pain on his body. He had a gaze of his front. The tray on his lap was gone, and then only he remembered. He had played a joke on Hyde and the smaller boy just freaked out.
Gackt shook his head and tried to get out of bed, hopping on one foot to the door of the room, hearing some voices outside.
“Then you put this here and divide them…”
The first voice that rang into his head sounded familiar, but he could not really recall who it was.
“…I think we should insert a decimal here,” Another different voice spoke.
“Oh right!” The previous voice laughed. “I forgot,”
Gackt limped to the door and through the corridors, eyes widening when he saw Tetsuya and Hyde in the living room, pencils in their hands. He guessed the taller boy was teaching him on his homework since he and Hyde had been absent from school.
“…I think I’ve to check on him,” Putting down his pencil, Hyde said and stood up from his seat, proceeding for his room.
The injured boy froze and headed back to the room he was supposed to be, but Hyde was quicker than him and just when the smaller boy opened the door, Gackt had collapsed on the floor due to his injury. He didn’t make it in time to go back in bed.
“Gackt-” Hyde began but stopped his next actions when he saw the current scene. “-what the heck are you doing?”
“Uh…” Gackt forced himself a smile as he stared at Hyde with an aching pain on his hand. “Nothing much, I fell.”
Hyde quickly helped him up and set him in bed and Tetsuya walked into the room. “What happened?”
“Someone was stupid enough to get out from bed with an injured leg without his crutches.” Hyde answered firmly, pulling the blanket up to Gackt’s chest.
“I’m sorry,” Gackt apologized, staring at Hyde.
“I’ll get your medicine, wait here.” Hyde didn’t respond to him but turned his back, intending to leave. “Tet-chan would you do help me watch over him for a minute? I don’t know what stupid things he would do later.”
Tetsuya nodded and sat on a chair beside the bed, staring at Gackt. Gackt merely gulped. He remembered what he was told that day when Tetsuya told him about Hyde being his. Perhaps he was just considerate for Hyde’s safety?
Tetsuya continued staring at Gackt, which gave the injured boy the creeps. It was like a death glare and Gackt would not want anything to do with him.
“So…” Tetsuya began, his sight not leaving Gackt. “How do you feel?”
“Ah. Fine, thank you. My wounds are starting to heal.” Gackt replied anxiously. What was the other boy thinking?
“I see. Yesterday when we came you were sleeping like a log. No, I think I should use the word ‘pig’.”
Gackt laughed a little. A fake laugh.
“…Why are you here?”
“I came to bring Hyde and your homework, and also to help him with the new topic of maths.” Tetsuya shrugged. “If one of you doesn’t know anything about the topic, then giving you the homework would be a waste of time.”
“Oh… Thanks… about the homework…”
“It was a favour from Kaz. Apparently, he’s not free.”
Gackt kept silent. So much about him being kind…
Both of them just stared at each other. No words were exchanged.
“Do you like it here?” Tetsuya broke the silence.
Gackt blinked. “Huh? Why?”
“Just asking. You do know you’re going to stay with him until you recover and you’re having a crush on him.”
Gackt gawked at the other boy for a while. Was he hinting something?
“And…?”
“So I’ll recommend you something. Don’t ever think you can take this advantage to let him like you.”
Tetsuya explained in a tone Gackt did not like one bit. His words were harsh, to Gackt. It was as if he wanted Hyde all to himself even though Hyde had no feelings. As if Hyde didn’t know how to breathe, talk, laugh, get angry, or cry…
“I told you before, didn’t I? He’s mine. Not yours, not anyone’s.” Tetsuya added.
Gackt stared at him at disgust. He really was getting pissed off, but he knew Hyde would soon be back and he had to be quiet. “And what makes you think that? Hyde can make his own decisions; you’re not the boss of him. You don’t even have the right to tell him what to do.”
Now it was Tetsuya’s turn to get angry. He clutched his hands into fists. How could he talk to him like that? I’m his best friend, dammit! He knew Hyde since they were little kids. And how long had Gackt known Hyde? Less than a month? If he wasn’t injured he would bash him up immediately without thinking, but that could wait until he heals.
Gackt could hear footsteps in the corridor outside the room. Hyde would be back in any minute. He merely huffed and turned his head, facing the window. Tetsuya was going to push him to his limits and no one could stop him when he gets mad. He hoped for Hyde to just walk into the room, and the conversation between him and Tetsuya will be over.
“I don’t care,” Tetsuya protested firmly, “He doesn’t even fully trust you; he’s just doing what he was told by his parents because you saved him from Sakura. Don’t think he’ll be too grateful for that.”
“Maybe I’ll be his close friend close throughout my stay here.” Gackt said. He wasn’t really happy with the brightly dressed boy’s presence. “Maybe-”
Tetsuya gave him a death glare and crossed his arms. “Save it. After all it’s just a ‘maybe’, it won’t happen. Ever.”
Just then they heard the doorbell ring. “Coming!” Came Hyde’s voice as the boy’s footsteps got softer. Gackt knew Hyde went to get the door.
Calm down and ignore him, Gackt meditated.
Furious as he saw Gackt trying to ignore him, Tetsuya stood up and grabbed the injured boy by the collar, his expression dead as he wasn’t satisfied. “It’s just a warning now, Gackt. I sent you a caveat and I hope you digested what I said just now. But if you don’t,” he smirked, “I won’t have any mercy by then.”
Gackt pushed the other boy away and glared at him. “Have it your way, as I said, I. Don’t. Care.”
It was obvious Tetsuya was getting mad, but all he managed was to stare at the injured boy. Gackt seemed so confident. There weren’t any signs of dread or panic on his face either. Now things were starting to get tough, Tetsuya contemplated.
“Guys!” Hyde walked into the room with Gackt’s medicine. “Guess who’s here!” Behind Hyde followed Chachamaru and You, as they waved their hands at the injured boy happily.
“Gakkun I missed you so much!” You squealed as he walked towards Gackt quickly and hugged him.
“Hey hey hey watch it!” Gackt returned the hug, shouting in pain. Chachamaru stood beside You and smiled widely. “Chacha!”
“How's things been doing?” Chachamaru asked. “I hope you’re doing better now, your wounds look like they hurt a lot.”
Gackt grinned. He looked at Tetsuya and Hyde. And then his grin got even wider. “I’m doing fine, Hyde’s a good helper. He treats me well and tucks me into bed when I get sleepy, I’d really appreciate it if he’s my girlfriend.” As he spoke, he eyed at Tetsuya. That last sentence was especially for him, he didn’t see Hyde’s face become tomato red though.
Everyone except Hyde and Tetsuya laughed, all thinking it was a joke.
Tetsuya’s face lost its expression which was full with pride as it was earlier. He didn’t show his furious expression, but deep inside his heart he was angry. If he hadn’t done anything in the near future, he would’ve lost to Gackt. He was sure Gackt wasn’t just teasing him; Gackt was going to take Hyde away from him, starting with gaining trust from friends around him. Yes, that might be it. Ken and Kaz didn’t seem to mind his presence and Yukihiro talked to him in a friendly way. No signs of hate there.
Chachamaru, You and Gackt were laughing and chatting. Hyde had just overcome his shyness and was starting to talk with the group. All but Tetsuya. He was sitting there, thinking of something else…