Log: Hiyoshi Wakashi, Oshitari Kenya, Ibu Shinji
Who: Hiyoshi Wakashi, Oshitari Kenya, and Ibu Shinji
Where: Campus grounds, near the edge of the woods
When: Sunday evening, May 10th
What: A conversation/fistfight in the aftermath of the comments here: http://soakedinwords.livejournal.com/4137.html
Warnings: Punches thrown, curses said, three boys acting like idiots
Rating: PG-13
Comments:
Shinji was more than a little bit distracted as he headed out of his room. He had a lot of things on his mind, plus a sense of impending doom, which didn’t seem to make much sense to Shinji. After all, he’d done this dinfest with Hiyoshi before, and no one had died from it. Why would that evening be any different?
He figured that he was probably still feeling the effects of the night before. Shinji nodded, that made a lot more sense in his head. He was still feeling bad about what had happened with Kenya (and a bit upset that Kenya had never come back, but that was beside the point!), so naturally, it was weighing on his mind when going to meet someone who had played at least a part in it all.
Even figuring that out, Shinji’s head was still in the clouds as he left the dorm, completely lost in thought.
Oshitari Kenya didn’t know why the hell he was bothering tracking down Shinji, not after the way things had unfolded. First with the comments that started between them when it seemed like Shinji was annoyed by having him around, and then those that followed when that Hiyo-guy showed up. He was an awesome goddamn friend to be going out of his way like this, the bleach blonde thought as he ambled along lost in his thoughts. He was so distracted by those thoughts that he didn’t notice the same raven-haired boy he was in search of leaving his room, until a door shut and the thud of wood against wood snapped him out of his reverie causing a midnight gaze to snap upward toward the room he was in route to.
Kenya frowned darkly. His mouth opened to call out to his friend that might not still be his friend, but something stalled the words that would alert Shinji to his arrival. It was getting about that time, he mused in silence, remembering the dinfests that Shinji had been going to with the guy that was responsible for part of the blonde’s simmering ire. He ought to just let Shinji know he was there, so they could hash a few things out but damned if he didn’t want to see this guy face-to-face so he could shove his fist down his throat.
Nobody called him an idiot or a fucking coward and got away with it. Hiyoshi was guilty of the first most definitely and came damn close to the second with all his allusions to Kenya supposedly not finishing what he started. Yeah, he definitely wanted to meet this guy, he thought with a pursing of his lips and narrowing of gaze, feet already moving along the floor drawing him along behind his oblivious might-not-still-be-his-friend friend.
Kenya hung back, fully possessed of a natural instinct when it came to sneaking around. He used the skill often enough, after all, especially when he was intent on leaving the campus for activities the school would frown upon.
Hiyoshi lounged at the agreed upon location, yawning occasionally as he waited for his friend to join him. There was the large thermos of coffee, sandwiches and the requisite blanket on the ground. He leaned against the tree trunk and waited for Shinji.
This was becoming a habit and the more they met like this the more he found he liked it. Which was odd in and of that for Hiyoshi. He tended to think all people were idiots until proven otherwise. Shinji was proving otherwise and that was a pleasant surprise.
He stretched and yawned again glancing around for Shinji and wondering if the other would kick him if he had a cup of coffee before he got there.
Having no knowledge that Kenya was behind him somewhere (ironic in that Kenya was who Shinji was distracted by), Shinji continued out of the dorm, turning to head for the woods, rather than the dining hall like usual. He really hadn’t thought to wonder why Hiyoshi had suggested a picnic for this time around, but he was kind of glad that he wouldn’t have to deal with a lot of people, now.
Shinji was almost distracted enough that he didn’t even see Hiyoshi as he approached the edge of the woods, taking several steps past the blanket and Hiyoshi before pausing and backtracking. “Sorry…my head’s somewhere that’s not here,” he said a little sheepishly. “You look like you need coffee.” He paused. “Maybe I do, too.”
Kenya came to a stop several yards away. Part of him questioned his sanity in following Shinji. Truthfully, if he was honest with himself, other than Hiyoishi pissing him off by calling him an idiot all the damn time, he really didn’t have a reason to be that mad at the guy. Certainly, not enough to hit him. After all, Shinji had somewhat explained himself, hadn’t he?
So other than that, what real reason did he have to that made him want to punch Hiyoshi? None, unless he was jealous over the relationship hinted at between Saeki and him, but then again, he had no right to be angry about that either. It wasn’t like Saeki was promised to him and him alone for that anger to be present, so why was he there, following his probably-not-friend through the woods?
The fuck if he knew.
Agitated and annoyed, he raked a hand through his hair, toying with the idea of turning right around and leaving. He had no business interrupting Shinji’s plans again like he had done by showing up without warning that Saturday when Zaizen told him he wanted some private time with his boyfriend.
Hiyoshi chuckled in amusement at Shinji and shook his head, "And all after I waited for you to have coffee." He pointed, "Have a seat. Help yourself to the coffee and to the food."
He had noticed the other boy hanging back. Honestly, if they guy thought he was being stealthy or something... Hiyoshi shook his head and sighed looking over at Shinji, who appeared to be clueless. Well, he had said he as preoccupied...
He wasn't a morning person, but even in the best of moods he was blunt, "So what is with the idiot following you around like a little lost puppy?"
Shinji blinked. “Idiot?” He tilted his head to the side. “Is Atobe following me? Why would he? I mean, other than that, the only idiot here is me, so I guess I did follow myself here.”
He took a seat on the blanket and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. “I’m going to warn you now, Hiyo, I’m probably not going to be the best of company. Considering I have no idea if someone I consider rather important is even interested in being friends anymore.”
"Not my idiot, your idiot - the one with the speed fetish." Hiyoshi looked over at Kenya and raised a brow, "You know that you are made of fail when it comes to being stealthy right? the nearest thing to hide behind is about three feet away. And I doubt you could hide behind that sapling."
He looked at Shinji like the other had lost his mind, "You seriously didn't sense him? Are you sure?" He shook his head and sighed, slightly exasperated.
“Hey, I don’t have those super-vampiric abilities like someone here does!” Shinji flushed. “And I don’t have an idiot…remember? I have no right to call him anything.” Except friend. Maybe not even that, anymore.
Shinji wasn’t sure if he really wanted to look, but he turned, slowly, searching the dusk until he spotted a familiar head of hair. “Kenya?”
Inwardly, he cursed himself for sounding so lost.
“I’m not an idiot,” Kenya found himself saying. Oddly, in that moment, he felt his anger melting away to be replaced by a numbness he couldn’t explain. Lately, especially since the series of posts belonging not only to him but Shinji and also Zaizen, he found himself faced with the weirdest desire to withdraw. He’d even gone so far as to avoid his room when he knew his temper was high or his mood was bad, just so his roommate wouldn’t have to deal with him. Now this… did he really want to screw with Shinji’s recreational time with a vampire?
He didn’t, Kenya admitted to himself, a chill starting from within to creep throughout him. “And I wasn’t hiding; if I wanted to hide and not get caught then I’d plan it out and probably proposition Saeki to help.” To Shinji all he gave was a slight nod, acknowledging the call of his name but nothing else
Hiyoshi sighed and poured himself a cup of coffee, "You aren't one hmm? Looks like it from here. Wanting to talk to Shinji, but following him instead." He watched Kenya's response to Shinji and narrowed his eyes at the other boy, "So let me get this straight. You followed him all the way from wherever you started - to nod at him."
"I don't pretend to understand why Shinji seems to like you. Hell I don't know why he likes a lot of people. But you are an idiot. Not quite up to par with Atobe, but you could give him a run for his money."
“Think what you will, Hiyoshi.” Kenya replied, voice flat just as was the darkness of his eyes. “I honestly don’t give a fuck what you think or what you choose to call me,” He said, realizing that for all intents and purposes it was true-now.
“As for Shinji, he looks to be otherwise occupied so whatever I had to say can wait for another time.”
Shinji closed his eyes, then stood. “No, it can’t,” he said quietly. “Because I have this sick feeling in my gut that if you walk away, I may not see you again, and I don’t want that…I don’t want my friend,” he stressed the word, “someone who’s become more important to me than I can say, to just walk out of my life.
He looked from Kenya, to Hiyoshi, then out into the woods. “Not sure what I want usually, but I am sure of that much.” Shinji kept his gaze on the trees, not about to look at either of the boys there with him at that moment. “I’m such an idiot….”
“Yes, it can, and, yes, you are very much an idiot.” Kenya countered his voice remaining as soft as the early morning breeze and as soulless as the dark eyes that watched the two. “Now sit down and enjoy your dinfest with your friend, I’ll see you around later.” He wasn’t going to point out just why Shinji was an idiot, since he had already told him once before he wasn’t going to let dumb shit screw up a friendship. If the raven-haired teen was stupid enough to forget that and had so little faith in him then that was his problem and he wasn’t going to remind him of it again.
"Oh for the love of all things unholy..." Hiyoshi stood and rolled his eyes, "This is turning into a teen soap before our very eyes. Yes Shinji you are an idiot - less of one than I originally thought but still. And Kenya you are more than an idiot. You are a twit. You both claim to be friends - but you need to talk in order to do that."
"And when I say talk I don’t mean your comment-fetish on the journals. I mean an actual conversation." He looked at Shinji, "And you are sure you like him? Like REALLY sure?"
“Yes, I’m sure. I really do like Kenya. He’s…important.” Shinji looked down at the ground. “And how that works…that’s a conversation for Kenya’s ears alone.” Shinji glanced over at Kenya. He wasn’t going to make the mistake of being too personal around others again. “And please don’t call him a twit, Hiyo. Kenya’s…really not.”
He blinked suddenly. “Comment fetish?”
He was seriously more than a little tired of listening to Hiyoshi spout off like he knew everything, Kenya thought, even though he felt cushioned from anger and seemed to hear the words from a distance. It was almost like the guy was deliberately trying to push his buttons by continuously call him an idiot and lecture him on what he should be doing.
It wasn’t anger that pushed him into moving, body suddenly spurred into action with every ounce of the speed he so often bragged of possessing put into use for something outside of a tennis court. One moment he was standing a few yards away and the next he was right in front of the vampire, fist balled and arcing through the air flying straight for an arrogant jaw.
If the vampire wanted to push him into fighting him so damn badly then who was he to deny him his desire? “Shut the fuck up!” Kenya snapped, voice still cold and lackluster to his own ears, certainly it did not possess any of the heat and passion he had directed toward Zaizen once upon a time when his roommate had annoyed him the most.
Hiyoshi took the punch gracefully, he had been asking for it. Then he balled a fist and swung back at the boy, connecting with his jaw. His eyes just as cold and just and angry as Kenya's.
"You think that shuts me up? Maybe YOU should shut up and actually LISTEN. Because for some fucking reason he seems to think you are worth keeping around. And for that I would be grateful if I were you." He made sure his fists stayed fisted and he glowered, "You are an idiot. Deal with it."
Fuck, it felt like his jaw was broken!
Kenya struggled against the white hot pain that exploded in his jaw, head snapping around with the force of the punch. He stumbled back several steps, before managing to catch his balance. A moment of silence during which he rubbed tentatively at his jaw, gaze focused on the ground while his visions cleared of the haze pain left behind came and went, before he lifted surprisingly passionless, very non-angry eyes to the vampire responsible for the agony pulsing along the bone he poked at with his fingers.
“Hmm. If you say so then, of course, it must be true.” He conceded. “I’m an idiot. You’re right about that. Now, if you’re quite happy with the results of your attempt to anger me, which by the by, failed miserably, I’ll be going.” The smile that curled his lips was nothing short of mocking when he bowed his head in a feigned show of respect he did not hold for the vampire.
Damn, it felt good to be the one not angry for a change, not to mention to be the one responsible for igniting Hiyoshi’s temper after all the shit the bastard had said to and about him, but that was neither here nor there. “Now, might I suggest that since it sounds like you’re the one with strong feelings for Shinji that YOU do some talking and LISTENING, instead of me?” he drawled taking a step back and preparing to leave.
Shinji’s eyes widened. “The hell?” he whispered. “Stop it.” Then louder. “Stop it!”
He shouldn’t have been surprised, Shinji realized. It was bound to come to that. And it was making him feel sick, but not because of the punches. No, it was because of how empty and distant Kenya seemed, how cold they both were, and Shinji. Did not like it.
He was moving before he realized it, before the punches were even completely clear. In his first stupid move, Shinji’s hand lashed out, striking Hiyoshi across the face. “What next, your earth powers?” he asked. “Just…stop it. Hiyo. Enough. You’re my friend. Don’t make me question if that should continue.”
Shinji turned, looking at Kenya, his hand reaching out to hold Kenya’s wrist. “You did throw the first punch,” he pointed out, but his eyes were searching Kenya’s, looking for…he wasn’t sure, what. Some sign that Kenya was still in there, somewhere. “Kenya.”
And his second stupid move. Shinji leaned closer, brushing his lips over Kenya’s, hoping he’d spark something.
Hiyoshi was NOT in the mood to be lectured. Not even by Shinji, "Yes Shinji, I am going to be a fucking idiot like Atobe and pull out the big guns against people who can't fight back or for any reason at all. Give me some fucking credit."He moved back and physically removed himself from the immediate situation.
So this other guy was an idiot. Shutting down like he was with someone like Shinji was an emotional person - NOT smart. Friends don't do that to friends. At least to him they shouldn't.
He leaned over, still annoyed at the punch and the slap, picked up his coffee and waited to see what would happen next in the teen soap opera that was these two.
“Yes. Yes, I did.” Kenya answered in agreement with Shinji, pulling away from the kiss. In his world you just did NOT do stuff like that in public or where you could be seen. Hell, even the door had been closed to Shinji’s room when he had finally done more than tease him, which only left the threat of someone walking in but not actually having someone there to see.
“Of course, I am completely at fault.” He said stepping around to Shinji’s side. Carefully, peeling Shinji’s fingers from around his wrist, he bowed deeply at the waist in a show of respect he did not hold for the vampire he directed his words to.
“I’m sorry for punching you, Hiyoshi. It was horribly inappropriate and out of line.”
Shinji stepped back, considering melting into the trees for a minute. Hiyoshi was irritated, Kenya was…well, Shinji wasn’t sure how to classify Kenya at that point, except as not very Kenya-like. And Shinji had a headache that felt like the entire Dawn dorm had just been dropped on his head.
Somehow, he wasn’t very hungry anymore, either. And he wanted a break from a situation that he felt was entirely his fault.
With the two of them distracted, though, Shinji did give in to his impulse, moving backwards into the woods and around behind a tree. He closed his eyes and just hoped that he wouldn’t hear the sound of more hitting. Or if he did, that they managed to knock each other out.
There was a derisive snort, "If I thought you meant any of that I would be touched. Really I would." He noticed Shinji fading out and let him go. He didn't know how this was going to go - but Shinji had had it if he was slipping away.
"If for a moment you realized what this is doing to him...I wonder how you would be reacting. Friends don't put their friends through this shit." He pushed away from the tree and glowered at Kenya, "You need to figure out what the fuck you want before you drive him fucking nuts. You too. You I care less about. But you get the point."
“What gives you the right to think you know anything about me, what I think about, or even find myself concerned with?” Kenya asked, his gaze following the raven-haired teen melting into the trees. “Or in this case what I’m supposedly not concerned with?” he asked softly, gaze narrowing on Hiyoshi.
“You’re an arrogant prick to believe you fathom anything about me when you don’t.” Hiyoshi could take his fucking advice and shove it straight up his ass. The only person he was concerned with in this instance was Shinji and he’d admitted as much. There wasn’t any need for the bastard to toss out his false concern for him and then to nullify it with his fucking announcement that he could have cared less. Given that was the case it would have been better for the prick to not to have said anything at all, beyond his concern for Shinji.
And he, Kenya thought as he turned on his heel, was through talking to either one of them for the moment. This shit with Shinji was his business and he’d deal with it in time when they were alone, not while this dipshit was around.
Except, he did have one last thing to say, the blonde thought just as he reached the path where his steps would be retraced. “You have no right whatsoever to judge me when you don’t even know me and know only one part of the story with only half the facts at your disposal, vampire.” Kenya tilted his head and cast a look over his shoulder to the creature he left behind.
“Making that kind of judgment when you don’t have all the information makes you a far greater idiot than I am.”
Shinji slid to the ground, massaging his temples. He could hear the voices of the other two behind him, though he couldn’t hear the words, and to be honest, he didn’t care. It just all seemed to have spiraled out of control, from a few comments to…to this, and he just…didn’t know how to deal with it.
He did hear Kenya call Hiyoshi an idiot, though, and he silently agreed, only he felt the label belonged to them all. No matter, as long as he could stay right there and let the pounding in his head fade to a dull roar, then maybe he could talk to Hiyoshi, then, later and alone, talk to Kenya.
But not right then. Right then, he liked his tree.
Hiyoshi had to give the other boy credit. He had some valid points. And he could make an exit. He still sucked at being a stalker. But he had made some points. Not that Hiyoshi would ever admit that to him -ever.
Maybe Shinji's taste in other friends wasn't totally shitty.
He didn't turn his head but he called out to Shinji, "Your -whatever he is - made his grand exit."
“That’s nice.” Shinji didn’t move from his spot, though. “I’ll have to…talk to him…later….” God, though, all Shinji wanted at that moment was to just…curl up in a hole somewhere. Talking to anyone wasn’t high on his priority list at the moment…him, Ibu Shinji, who was so often accused of never knowing how to shut up.
“Just…give me a minute,” he said. “And…ummm…would you mind terribly if we cut tonight a little short?”
Hiyoshi started to pack things up and nodded, talking to the boy he couldn't see, "I will pack everything up. Take your time."
It had been a rough night for his friend. Hiyoshi would cut him some slack.
“Thanks.” Shinji sat for a few more minutes, taking slow, deep breaths before deciding he could face people. Then, standing, he made his way back to Hiyoshi, trying to smile, but failing kind of miserably. “Maybe we can try again a little later this week?” he asked. “I’m sorry that things went to such shit today. I really am.”
"You weren't planning it. I can understand. You let me know when you are ready and we will see what happens." Hiyoshi said with a small smile, "I didn't mean to lose my temper...but it happens."
Shinji nodded, then wrapped his arms around Hiyoshi, needing a hug and praying that this friend wouldn’t push him away. “Shit happens all the time,” he mumbled, then pulled away slowly. “I think I’m just going to go back and sleep.” He massaged his temples again. “And take lots of drugs.” His lips twisted into an imitation of a smile. “Drink my coffee for me.”
"Course I will." Hiyoshi wasn't the best hugger in the world but he wasn't going to turn away from a friend in need either. His arms wrapped around Shinji in a slightly awkward hug.
Shinji sighed, relaxing into the hug for a moment before pulling away slowly. “I’ll be in touch, then,” he said. “Maybe this Friday, when classes aren’t as big a deal?” He reached up a hand to ruffle Hiyoshi’s hair. “Try to stay awake,” he said, finally making his way from the aborted picnic spot, almost stumbling back towards the dorm.
If Shinji had his way, he was going to sleep for a month, and maybe when he woke up, this would all have turned out to be a bad dream.
Where: Campus grounds, near the edge of the woods
When: Sunday evening, May 10th
What: A conversation/fistfight in the aftermath of the comments here: http://soakedinwords.livejournal.com/4137.html
Warnings: Punches thrown, curses said, three boys acting like idiots
Rating: PG-13
Comments:
Shinji was more than a little bit distracted as he headed out of his room. He had a lot of things on his mind, plus a sense of impending doom, which didn’t seem to make much sense to Shinji. After all, he’d done this dinfest with Hiyoshi before, and no one had died from it. Why would that evening be any different?
He figured that he was probably still feeling the effects of the night before. Shinji nodded, that made a lot more sense in his head. He was still feeling bad about what had happened with Kenya (and a bit upset that Kenya had never come back, but that was beside the point!), so naturally, it was weighing on his mind when going to meet someone who had played at least a part in it all.
Even figuring that out, Shinji’s head was still in the clouds as he left the dorm, completely lost in thought.
Oshitari Kenya didn’t know why the hell he was bothering tracking down Shinji, not after the way things had unfolded. First with the comments that started between them when it seemed like Shinji was annoyed by having him around, and then those that followed when that Hiyo-guy showed up. He was an awesome goddamn friend to be going out of his way like this, the bleach blonde thought as he ambled along lost in his thoughts. He was so distracted by those thoughts that he didn’t notice the same raven-haired boy he was in search of leaving his room, until a door shut and the thud of wood against wood snapped him out of his reverie causing a midnight gaze to snap upward toward the room he was in route to.
Kenya frowned darkly. His mouth opened to call out to his friend that might not still be his friend, but something stalled the words that would alert Shinji to his arrival. It was getting about that time, he mused in silence, remembering the dinfests that Shinji had been going to with the guy that was responsible for part of the blonde’s simmering ire. He ought to just let Shinji know he was there, so they could hash a few things out but damned if he didn’t want to see this guy face-to-face so he could shove his fist down his throat.
Nobody called him an idiot or a fucking coward and got away with it. Hiyoshi was guilty of the first most definitely and came damn close to the second with all his allusions to Kenya supposedly not finishing what he started. Yeah, he definitely wanted to meet this guy, he thought with a pursing of his lips and narrowing of gaze, feet already moving along the floor drawing him along behind his oblivious might-not-still-be-his-friend friend.
Kenya hung back, fully possessed of a natural instinct when it came to sneaking around. He used the skill often enough, after all, especially when he was intent on leaving the campus for activities the school would frown upon.
Hiyoshi lounged at the agreed upon location, yawning occasionally as he waited for his friend to join him. There was the large thermos of coffee, sandwiches and the requisite blanket on the ground. He leaned against the tree trunk and waited for Shinji.
This was becoming a habit and the more they met like this the more he found he liked it. Which was odd in and of that for Hiyoshi. He tended to think all people were idiots until proven otherwise. Shinji was proving otherwise and that was a pleasant surprise.
He stretched and yawned again glancing around for Shinji and wondering if the other would kick him if he had a cup of coffee before he got there.
Having no knowledge that Kenya was behind him somewhere (ironic in that Kenya was who Shinji was distracted by), Shinji continued out of the dorm, turning to head for the woods, rather than the dining hall like usual. He really hadn’t thought to wonder why Hiyoshi had suggested a picnic for this time around, but he was kind of glad that he wouldn’t have to deal with a lot of people, now.
Shinji was almost distracted enough that he didn’t even see Hiyoshi as he approached the edge of the woods, taking several steps past the blanket and Hiyoshi before pausing and backtracking. “Sorry…my head’s somewhere that’s not here,” he said a little sheepishly. “You look like you need coffee.” He paused. “Maybe I do, too.”
Kenya came to a stop several yards away. Part of him questioned his sanity in following Shinji. Truthfully, if he was honest with himself, other than Hiyoishi pissing him off by calling him an idiot all the damn time, he really didn’t have a reason to be that mad at the guy. Certainly, not enough to hit him. After all, Shinji had somewhat explained himself, hadn’t he?
So other than that, what real reason did he have to that made him want to punch Hiyoshi? None, unless he was jealous over the relationship hinted at between Saeki and him, but then again, he had no right to be angry about that either. It wasn’t like Saeki was promised to him and him alone for that anger to be present, so why was he there, following his probably-not-friend through the woods?
The fuck if he knew.
Agitated and annoyed, he raked a hand through his hair, toying with the idea of turning right around and leaving. He had no business interrupting Shinji’s plans again like he had done by showing up without warning that Saturday when Zaizen told him he wanted some private time with his boyfriend.
Hiyoshi chuckled in amusement at Shinji and shook his head, "And all after I waited for you to have coffee." He pointed, "Have a seat. Help yourself to the coffee and to the food."
He had noticed the other boy hanging back. Honestly, if they guy thought he was being stealthy or something... Hiyoshi shook his head and sighed looking over at Shinji, who appeared to be clueless. Well, he had said he as preoccupied...
He wasn't a morning person, but even in the best of moods he was blunt, "So what is with the idiot following you around like a little lost puppy?"
Shinji blinked. “Idiot?” He tilted his head to the side. “Is Atobe following me? Why would he? I mean, other than that, the only idiot here is me, so I guess I did follow myself here.”
He took a seat on the blanket and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. “I’m going to warn you now, Hiyo, I’m probably not going to be the best of company. Considering I have no idea if someone I consider rather important is even interested in being friends anymore.”
"Not my idiot, your idiot - the one with the speed fetish." Hiyoshi looked over at Kenya and raised a brow, "You know that you are made of fail when it comes to being stealthy right? the nearest thing to hide behind is about three feet away. And I doubt you could hide behind that sapling."
He looked at Shinji like the other had lost his mind, "You seriously didn't sense him? Are you sure?" He shook his head and sighed, slightly exasperated.
“Hey, I don’t have those super-vampiric abilities like someone here does!” Shinji flushed. “And I don’t have an idiot…remember? I have no right to call him anything.” Except friend. Maybe not even that, anymore.
Shinji wasn’t sure if he really wanted to look, but he turned, slowly, searching the dusk until he spotted a familiar head of hair. “Kenya?”
Inwardly, he cursed himself for sounding so lost.
“I’m not an idiot,” Kenya found himself saying. Oddly, in that moment, he felt his anger melting away to be replaced by a numbness he couldn’t explain. Lately, especially since the series of posts belonging not only to him but Shinji and also Zaizen, he found himself faced with the weirdest desire to withdraw. He’d even gone so far as to avoid his room when he knew his temper was high or his mood was bad, just so his roommate wouldn’t have to deal with him. Now this… did he really want to screw with Shinji’s recreational time with a vampire?
He didn’t, Kenya admitted to himself, a chill starting from within to creep throughout him. “And I wasn’t hiding; if I wanted to hide and not get caught then I’d plan it out and probably proposition Saeki to help.” To Shinji all he gave was a slight nod, acknowledging the call of his name but nothing else
Hiyoshi sighed and poured himself a cup of coffee, "You aren't one hmm? Looks like it from here. Wanting to talk to Shinji, but following him instead." He watched Kenya's response to Shinji and narrowed his eyes at the other boy, "So let me get this straight. You followed him all the way from wherever you started - to nod at him."
"I don't pretend to understand why Shinji seems to like you. Hell I don't know why he likes a lot of people. But you are an idiot. Not quite up to par with Atobe, but you could give him a run for his money."
“Think what you will, Hiyoshi.” Kenya replied, voice flat just as was the darkness of his eyes. “I honestly don’t give a fuck what you think or what you choose to call me,” He said, realizing that for all intents and purposes it was true-now.
“As for Shinji, he looks to be otherwise occupied so whatever I had to say can wait for another time.”
Shinji closed his eyes, then stood. “No, it can’t,” he said quietly. “Because I have this sick feeling in my gut that if you walk away, I may not see you again, and I don’t want that…I don’t want my friend,” he stressed the word, “someone who’s become more important to me than I can say, to just walk out of my life.
He looked from Kenya, to Hiyoshi, then out into the woods. “Not sure what I want usually, but I am sure of that much.” Shinji kept his gaze on the trees, not about to look at either of the boys there with him at that moment. “I’m such an idiot….”
“Yes, it can, and, yes, you are very much an idiot.” Kenya countered his voice remaining as soft as the early morning breeze and as soulless as the dark eyes that watched the two. “Now sit down and enjoy your dinfest with your friend, I’ll see you around later.” He wasn’t going to point out just why Shinji was an idiot, since he had already told him once before he wasn’t going to let dumb shit screw up a friendship. If the raven-haired teen was stupid enough to forget that and had so little faith in him then that was his problem and he wasn’t going to remind him of it again.
"Oh for the love of all things unholy..." Hiyoshi stood and rolled his eyes, "This is turning into a teen soap before our very eyes. Yes Shinji you are an idiot - less of one than I originally thought but still. And Kenya you are more than an idiot. You are a twit. You both claim to be friends - but you need to talk in order to do that."
"And when I say talk I don’t mean your comment-fetish on the journals. I mean an actual conversation." He looked at Shinji, "And you are sure you like him? Like REALLY sure?"
“Yes, I’m sure. I really do like Kenya. He’s…important.” Shinji looked down at the ground. “And how that works…that’s a conversation for Kenya’s ears alone.” Shinji glanced over at Kenya. He wasn’t going to make the mistake of being too personal around others again. “And please don’t call him a twit, Hiyo. Kenya’s…really not.”
He blinked suddenly. “Comment fetish?”
He was seriously more than a little tired of listening to Hiyoshi spout off like he knew everything, Kenya thought, even though he felt cushioned from anger and seemed to hear the words from a distance. It was almost like the guy was deliberately trying to push his buttons by continuously call him an idiot and lecture him on what he should be doing.
It wasn’t anger that pushed him into moving, body suddenly spurred into action with every ounce of the speed he so often bragged of possessing put into use for something outside of a tennis court. One moment he was standing a few yards away and the next he was right in front of the vampire, fist balled and arcing through the air flying straight for an arrogant jaw.
If the vampire wanted to push him into fighting him so damn badly then who was he to deny him his desire? “Shut the fuck up!” Kenya snapped, voice still cold and lackluster to his own ears, certainly it did not possess any of the heat and passion he had directed toward Zaizen once upon a time when his roommate had annoyed him the most.
Hiyoshi took the punch gracefully, he had been asking for it. Then he balled a fist and swung back at the boy, connecting with his jaw. His eyes just as cold and just and angry as Kenya's.
"You think that shuts me up? Maybe YOU should shut up and actually LISTEN. Because for some fucking reason he seems to think you are worth keeping around. And for that I would be grateful if I were you." He made sure his fists stayed fisted and he glowered, "You are an idiot. Deal with it."
Fuck, it felt like his jaw was broken!
Kenya struggled against the white hot pain that exploded in his jaw, head snapping around with the force of the punch. He stumbled back several steps, before managing to catch his balance. A moment of silence during which he rubbed tentatively at his jaw, gaze focused on the ground while his visions cleared of the haze pain left behind came and went, before he lifted surprisingly passionless, very non-angry eyes to the vampire responsible for the agony pulsing along the bone he poked at with his fingers.
“Hmm. If you say so then, of course, it must be true.” He conceded. “I’m an idiot. You’re right about that. Now, if you’re quite happy with the results of your attempt to anger me, which by the by, failed miserably, I’ll be going.” The smile that curled his lips was nothing short of mocking when he bowed his head in a feigned show of respect he did not hold for the vampire.
Damn, it felt good to be the one not angry for a change, not to mention to be the one responsible for igniting Hiyoshi’s temper after all the shit the bastard had said to and about him, but that was neither here nor there. “Now, might I suggest that since it sounds like you’re the one with strong feelings for Shinji that YOU do some talking and LISTENING, instead of me?” he drawled taking a step back and preparing to leave.
Shinji’s eyes widened. “The hell?” he whispered. “Stop it.” Then louder. “Stop it!”
He shouldn’t have been surprised, Shinji realized. It was bound to come to that. And it was making him feel sick, but not because of the punches. No, it was because of how empty and distant Kenya seemed, how cold they both were, and Shinji. Did not like it.
He was moving before he realized it, before the punches were even completely clear. In his first stupid move, Shinji’s hand lashed out, striking Hiyoshi across the face. “What next, your earth powers?” he asked. “Just…stop it. Hiyo. Enough. You’re my friend. Don’t make me question if that should continue.”
Shinji turned, looking at Kenya, his hand reaching out to hold Kenya’s wrist. “You did throw the first punch,” he pointed out, but his eyes were searching Kenya’s, looking for…he wasn’t sure, what. Some sign that Kenya was still in there, somewhere. “Kenya.”
And his second stupid move. Shinji leaned closer, brushing his lips over Kenya’s, hoping he’d spark something.
Hiyoshi was NOT in the mood to be lectured. Not even by Shinji, "Yes Shinji, I am going to be a fucking idiot like Atobe and pull out the big guns against people who can't fight back or for any reason at all. Give me some fucking credit."He moved back and physically removed himself from the immediate situation.
So this other guy was an idiot. Shutting down like he was with someone like Shinji was an emotional person - NOT smart. Friends don't do that to friends. At least to him they shouldn't.
He leaned over, still annoyed at the punch and the slap, picked up his coffee and waited to see what would happen next in the teen soap opera that was these two.
“Yes. Yes, I did.” Kenya answered in agreement with Shinji, pulling away from the kiss. In his world you just did NOT do stuff like that in public or where you could be seen. Hell, even the door had been closed to Shinji’s room when he had finally done more than tease him, which only left the threat of someone walking in but not actually having someone there to see.
“Of course, I am completely at fault.” He said stepping around to Shinji’s side. Carefully, peeling Shinji’s fingers from around his wrist, he bowed deeply at the waist in a show of respect he did not hold for the vampire he directed his words to.
“I’m sorry for punching you, Hiyoshi. It was horribly inappropriate and out of line.”
Shinji stepped back, considering melting into the trees for a minute. Hiyoshi was irritated, Kenya was…well, Shinji wasn’t sure how to classify Kenya at that point, except as not very Kenya-like. And Shinji had a headache that felt like the entire Dawn dorm had just been dropped on his head.
Somehow, he wasn’t very hungry anymore, either. And he wanted a break from a situation that he felt was entirely his fault.
With the two of them distracted, though, Shinji did give in to his impulse, moving backwards into the woods and around behind a tree. He closed his eyes and just hoped that he wouldn’t hear the sound of more hitting. Or if he did, that they managed to knock each other out.
There was a derisive snort, "If I thought you meant any of that I would be touched. Really I would." He noticed Shinji fading out and let him go. He didn't know how this was going to go - but Shinji had had it if he was slipping away.
"If for a moment you realized what this is doing to him...I wonder how you would be reacting. Friends don't put their friends through this shit." He pushed away from the tree and glowered at Kenya, "You need to figure out what the fuck you want before you drive him fucking nuts. You too. You I care less about. But you get the point."
“What gives you the right to think you know anything about me, what I think about, or even find myself concerned with?” Kenya asked, his gaze following the raven-haired teen melting into the trees. “Or in this case what I’m supposedly not concerned with?” he asked softly, gaze narrowing on Hiyoshi.
“You’re an arrogant prick to believe you fathom anything about me when you don’t.” Hiyoshi could take his fucking advice and shove it straight up his ass. The only person he was concerned with in this instance was Shinji and he’d admitted as much. There wasn’t any need for the bastard to toss out his false concern for him and then to nullify it with his fucking announcement that he could have cared less. Given that was the case it would have been better for the prick to not to have said anything at all, beyond his concern for Shinji.
And he, Kenya thought as he turned on his heel, was through talking to either one of them for the moment. This shit with Shinji was his business and he’d deal with it in time when they were alone, not while this dipshit was around.
Except, he did have one last thing to say, the blonde thought just as he reached the path where his steps would be retraced. “You have no right whatsoever to judge me when you don’t even know me and know only one part of the story with only half the facts at your disposal, vampire.” Kenya tilted his head and cast a look over his shoulder to the creature he left behind.
“Making that kind of judgment when you don’t have all the information makes you a far greater idiot than I am.”
Shinji slid to the ground, massaging his temples. He could hear the voices of the other two behind him, though he couldn’t hear the words, and to be honest, he didn’t care. It just all seemed to have spiraled out of control, from a few comments to…to this, and he just…didn’t know how to deal with it.
He did hear Kenya call Hiyoshi an idiot, though, and he silently agreed, only he felt the label belonged to them all. No matter, as long as he could stay right there and let the pounding in his head fade to a dull roar, then maybe he could talk to Hiyoshi, then, later and alone, talk to Kenya.
But not right then. Right then, he liked his tree.
Hiyoshi had to give the other boy credit. He had some valid points. And he could make an exit. He still sucked at being a stalker. But he had made some points. Not that Hiyoshi would ever admit that to him -ever.
Maybe Shinji's taste in other friends wasn't totally shitty.
He didn't turn his head but he called out to Shinji, "Your -whatever he is - made his grand exit."
“That’s nice.” Shinji didn’t move from his spot, though. “I’ll have to…talk to him…later….” God, though, all Shinji wanted at that moment was to just…curl up in a hole somewhere. Talking to anyone wasn’t high on his priority list at the moment…him, Ibu Shinji, who was so often accused of never knowing how to shut up.
“Just…give me a minute,” he said. “And…ummm…would you mind terribly if we cut tonight a little short?”
Hiyoshi started to pack things up and nodded, talking to the boy he couldn't see, "I will pack everything up. Take your time."
It had been a rough night for his friend. Hiyoshi would cut him some slack.
“Thanks.” Shinji sat for a few more minutes, taking slow, deep breaths before deciding he could face people. Then, standing, he made his way back to Hiyoshi, trying to smile, but failing kind of miserably. “Maybe we can try again a little later this week?” he asked. “I’m sorry that things went to such shit today. I really am.”
"You weren't planning it. I can understand. You let me know when you are ready and we will see what happens." Hiyoshi said with a small smile, "I didn't mean to lose my temper...but it happens."
Shinji nodded, then wrapped his arms around Hiyoshi, needing a hug and praying that this friend wouldn’t push him away. “Shit happens all the time,” he mumbled, then pulled away slowly. “I think I’m just going to go back and sleep.” He massaged his temples again. “And take lots of drugs.” His lips twisted into an imitation of a smile. “Drink my coffee for me.”
"Course I will." Hiyoshi wasn't the best hugger in the world but he wasn't going to turn away from a friend in need either. His arms wrapped around Shinji in a slightly awkward hug.
Shinji sighed, relaxing into the hug for a moment before pulling away slowly. “I’ll be in touch, then,” he said. “Maybe this Friday, when classes aren’t as big a deal?” He reached up a hand to ruffle Hiyoshi’s hair. “Try to stay awake,” he said, finally making his way from the aborted picnic spot, almost stumbling back towards the dorm.
If Shinji had his way, he was going to sleep for a month, and maybe when he woke up, this would all have turned out to be a bad dream.