The Loneliness I Pride Myself On ~ 8/18 ~ [Reita/Ruki]
Title: The Loneliness I Pride Myself On
Author: ravennightmare6
Beta: krasivayadusha
Chapter: 8/18
Genre: AU, Angst, Fluff, Smut
Rating(Overall): NC-17
Pairing/s: Reita/Ruki (Akira/Takanori), Uruha/Aoi (Kouyou/Yuu)
Synopsis: Takanori liked to think that he hated everybody equally. Though, he had to admit, somewhat begrudgingly, that he hated a few less than others.
Warnings: Use of real names, Profanity, Angst, Mild Sexual Content
Disclaimer: As unfortunate as it may be, I do not own The GazettE. I only own the plot.
Comments: お誕生日おめでとう御座います, ルキさん!! Also, at the bottom, darlings <3
Previous Chapter
It was late on Sunday night. He knew he shouldn’t have been outside. He knew that. But he needed out. He needed to get out of the house, despite the bitter cold and the howling wind. It was far colder that night than it had been so far. He couldn’t take it anymore; it was all too painful for him to watch. His parents were fighting again, a constant never ending argument over money. He knew it was all his fault. If he hadn’t been cursed like he was then everything would be fine and he wouldn’t have to feel such an all-consuming sadness every time he returned home from school to find his parents absent. Silence was fine. Silence he could deal with. But when his parents came home and the fighting picked up right where it had left off the night before, there was no stopping the guilt that flooded through his mind, pulsed through his veins. It was draining; too draining.
Sitting on the park bench, Aoi stared out over the slightly frosted grass as he wondered what exactly he was to do. There was no way to make the fighting go away and there was no way to make his curse go away either. He was totally and utterly helpless; left to endure the never ending torture of his parent’s nasty, seemingly hate-filled jabs at each other. He was forced to endure a heart that only half functioned. Everything seemed meaningless when he couldn’t live his life the way he wanted to.
Aoi’s only solace was Kouyou. That beautiful blonde boy who’d clumsily stumbled into his worthless life. The one who would take the time to understand him and bear with him. The one who would comfort him and hold him and care for him. Kouyou was like the patch for the hole in his heart; when he was with the boisterous blonde he felt like his heart was finally whole and it could beat properly. Kouyou was his life-line. That all-important string that kept him from completely falling apart. Kouyou was his saviour.
The beeping of the machine and the sliding of the plain white door was what roused Aoi form his uneasy sleep. The overnight check-up had been exactly as it had always been. The doctors told him exactly what they’d been telling him for years and the nurses always treated him the same; as if he was made of porcelain. Aoi really hated it. He hated being babied and fussed over. He wished people would just leave him alone, he already felt weak and helpless enough; he didn’t need anyone else’s help in that respect.
“Yuu…” His mother’s voice entered his now conscious mind. That name. That hideous name. No matter how many times he asked, his parents refused to call him by the name he wanted. They insisted on the one that was associated with that small weak creature. The one that was easily overworked and could end up writhing on the floor in pain at any given moment.
The curtains had long ago been drawn shut and the lights turned out, leaving the usually bright white room in total darkness. Aoi supposed it helped him. Shutting everything out with darkness helped to get rid of the horrible feeling of sickness and death that the white walls held. Light from the hallway was the only source of brightness that lit the shadowed room, making it difficult to actually see his mother’s face clearly. Though Aoi knew that if he could see it properly it would look worn out and tired. She looked so much older than she should; worry lines creased her forehead and dark circles made her eyes look empty and void of any emotion but sorrow. Aoi knew without a doubt that, as soon as she got him home, she would leave for her second job. The raven teenager knew it was his entire fault that this was happening. His stupid weakness was the only thing that kept his parents from living happily and Aoi knew he could never forgive himself.
“Yuu, sweetheart,” his mother called when she didn’t get a response. “It’s time to go home.”
“Why?” Aoi finally spoke. “Why should I? So you and dad can fight some more? So you can work harder?”
“Yuu… what are you-”
“I’m tired of this, mum,” Aoi sighed as he looked away from his mother and to the slim pale hands of his that lay curled in his lap. He was sick of it all; having to endure so much torture. It was more than any 15 year old should have to put up with. “Why can’t you just… I don’t know… give me up for adoption or something? That way you and dad can live happily.”
“What are you talking about, Yuu?” Aoi’s mother was at his bedside in an instant, taking his hand into hers and squeezing it gently as a look of sheer horror crossed her tired features. “Why would you ever say that? Your father and I love you.”
Aoi scowled and turned his head away. “Aren’t you sick of having to work two jobs and fighting with dad all the time?”
“Well… yes…” She hesitated and Aoi felt a bitter hatred bubbling up inside him. Not hatred for his parents. No, he could never ever hate them. They were the ones who worked so hard to keep him alive and somewhat healthy. The hatred he felt was for himself. Always, always for himself.
“Then why don’t you just stop all of this? It’s useless anyway…” Aoi trailed off as he pulled his hand away from his mother’s light grip.
“Yuu… your father and I do this because we love you and we only want the best for you. We want you to be happy and healthy…” If only she knew how unhappy Aoi really was. “… So, please, Yuu. Don’t say things like that to me. It really upsets me and I’m sure it’d upset your father too.”
There, he’d gone and done it again. It seemed as if everything he did and said upset or disappointed his parents somehow. He was the epitome of a walking, talking disappointment. Purpose was something he really felt he lacked. What was he living for? What was important to him? That answer to that was simple… Nothing.
Reluctantly, Yuu got up out of the stiff hospital sheets, the stupid things always made him itch, and packed up what little possessions he’d brought in to keep himself occupied. Aoi followed his mother out of the room and into the too bright hallway. Doctors and nurses bustled around them, a few of them seeming to be in a big rush to get somewhere. Though Aoi really had no care for other matters, he remained a few paces behind his mother.
Suddenly, a door to his left was slid open and a young boy was dragged out kicking and screaming and making one hell of a fuss, successfully gaining almost everyone’s attention. With only a quick glance at the boy Aoi’s mother kept walking, but the young raven slowed to a stop and watched the whole scene unfold before him.
The boy’s face was contorted in an ugly snarl as he lashed out at one of the doctors, attempting to knock the white-coat over. However his arm was seized by other man in white. Long blonde hair swished fiercely as the boy kicked and screamed, attempting to gain access back into the room he’d come from. Aoi hadn’t seen what was in the room, but he made a fair assumption that it was something very important to the fired up blonde. At first Aoi couldn’t make out what he was screaming about, but as he listened more closely he could it pick up…
“AKARI!! LET GO FO ME, YOU ARSEHOLES!” The boy was howling, his voice becoming rawer and rawer by the second. “LET ME IN! LET ME SEE HER!” A loud sob wracked the blonde boy’s frame as he fought against the three doctors that were holding onto him. “No… Akari…” One of the doctors quickly let go of the boy and locked the door to the room, slipping the key into his pocket. Finally deciding that it was safe to let the blonde go once there was no way into the room, the doctors couldn’t seem to care less about him. They just disappeared leaving him in the hallway outside the room he’d been banned from entering. He wailed and pressed his hands against the door as he slid to his knees. He kept mumbling to himself as he leaned his forehead against the door, heart wrenching sobs shaking his lithe frame.
It was only when Aoi drew closer that he could hear what the boy was saying…
“Aka… ri… I’m so sorry.” He sobbed uncontrollably. “Sorry… So… So sorry…”
Aoi didn’t really know what to do. He’d never ever seen anyone break down like that. So he stood and stared, completely awestruck. This boy was making such a scene yet he couldn’t care less because someone he loved dearly was locked behind that door and he couldn’t get in. ‘That,’ Aoi though, ‘Is what real love is.’ Not once had his parents shown that much emotion and seeing that boy made the raven wonder if his parents even loved him at all. Would they react the same way if something bad were to happen to him?
Movement from across the hall caught the raven teenager’s eye. The blonde boy’s wailing had calmed down to loud sobs as he turned himself around and sat with his back pressed up against the door. His eyes were screwed tightly shut as he tried to even out his breathing. Slowly, all that was left were the tears that refused to stop and the shuddering of his skinny frame. When he finally opened his eyes he noticed Aoi standing across the hall.
“What the hell are you staring at?” Aoi was sure the blonde boy’s voice was meant to sound somewhat intimidating, but it ended up coming out weak and broken. All of a sudden, the raven boy felt a surge of empathy. He understood this boy’s pain, even if he had no idea what it was. As he stared, he had witnessed everything he’d wished to do for so many years. This blonde boy had given the most perfect depiction of the raging emotions in him and he couldn’t help but feel his heart soften a little. It almost felt as if the blonde had alleviated some of Aoi’s emotions for him.
Cautiously, Aoi moved forward to crouch just in front of the blonde. Now that he wasn’t crying anymore the raven could see how good-looking the other boy really was. He had beautiful hazel tinted eyes that seemed to glimmer under the florescent of the hallway. His nose was angled and petit. His lips formed the oddest most beautiful shape Aoi had ever seen. This blonde boy’s features, though stained with salty tears, were so completely captivating.
“What’s your name?” Aoi spoke softly as he studied the blonde.
The other boy frowned as he sniffled, wiping at his tears with the back of his hand. “… What?”
“You’re name,” Aoi repeated.
“… Kouyou.”
“Kouyou,” the raven repeated. He liked that. It was simple, but rolled off his tongue so naturally; like he was meant to say it. He offered a small smile, “I’m Aoi… Would you like to go somewhere with me?”
Aoi opened his eyes to gaze back out over the dark park. The day he met Kouyou was the most magical day of his life, even though the other had been in total hysterics. Aoi could still the see the kind, beautiful person that lay beneath and he felt like Kouyou had brought out the same qualities in him. He no longer felt alone. No longer did he feel like he had nothing to live for. Because, now he did. He had Kouyou.
The blonde had never told him why he was at the hospital that day. He was able to gather that Akari was someone who was very dear to his special blonde, and he also knew that Kouyou blamed himself for what had happened to the girl. But that was all he knew, and he was fine with that. Aoi didn’t need an explanation; he was willing to wait until Kouyou was ready to talk. Even though it had been more than a year since that happened the blonde still found it too difficult to talk about what had happened, so Aoi didn’t push.
“Aoi?” A gentle voice from behind him jolted the raven out of his deeply pensive state. He knew that voice. It was one that brought him so much comfort. He needn’t turn around to know who it belonged to. The boy sat down beside him on the wooden bench and slung an extra jacket over his slim shoulders. “I went by your house but no one was there… So I figured I’d find you here. Are your parents working again tonight?”
Aoi leaned his head against Kouyou’s shoulder as the blonde slithered his arm around the raven’s shoulders, bringing their bodies closer together. “No,” he breathed. “They were fighting again… I can’t stand being in the house when they’re like that.”
“Oh, Aoi,” Kouyou mumbled as he turned and brought the raven into a tight hug. He knew how difficult it was for his beautiful raven. His parents fought so often it was difficult for him to get any quiet time. Kouyou felt Aoi thread his own thin arms around the blonde’s waist, burying his face into the crook of his neck. The blonde reached up to comfortingly stroke the other boy’s hair, softly pulling his long fingers through the silky raven tendrils. “Do you want to stay at my house tonight?”
Without verbalizing it, Aoi gave his answer by nodding. Staying at Kouyou’s house was something he did often. He kept a bag of clothes there, which included a spare school uniform, a fresh change of clothes and a pair of pyjamas. Whenever he couldn’t handle being at home Aoi would trudge his way over to Kouyou’s house and knock on the window. Not that they needed to be secretive, Kouyou’s parents already knew about the raven; but Aoi wanted to avoid as much human contact as possible at those times. Kouyou’s parents were lovely people but a lot of the time they were overly chatty, and when Aoi showed up after a difficult time at home the last thing he wanted was to be whipped into another one of Mrs Takashima’s verbal frenzies. So he much preferred the window as opposed to the front door.
“Alright…” Kouyou whispered, continuing to stroke Aoi’s hair lovingly. “We should go, then. It’s cold out here.” Aoi nodded again and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.
With their hands clasped tightly together, Kouyou running his thumb over the back of the raven’s hand in small circles offering any possible comfort he could, the pair slowly began to make their way towards the blonde’s house. Aoi was grateful. Grateful that he’d met someone who understood him. Someone who wouldn’t baby him and treat him like some fragile piece on antique crockery. Someone who would stand by him no matter what. Aoi was incredibly grateful.
***
Akira was rudely awoken by the obnoxious ringing of his phone’s alarm clock. With a groan he sat up and leaned over to turn off the infernal racket. The covers fell down, leaving the blonde’s bare chest open for the cold, and instantly he felt goosebumps rising on his skin. Shivering, he quickly scrambled out of bed, adjusting the baggy sweatpants Takanori had lent him. Well… they were baggy on the little second year but they fit Akira quite well.
The pair of blondes had spent the previous day rather leisurely. Akira had discovered the impressive collection of video games Takanori possessed and had apparently never played, plus the basically untouched PlayStation 3. The tall blonde had been more than impressed, questioning Takanori as to why he’d never even bothered to play any of the games. All the small blonde did was shrug his shoulders dismissively and go back to scribbling in that little black book a he always carried around with him. The one Akira had read the lyrics from…
The blonde second year couldn’t help but wonder why that book was so important. What other secrets lay in its worn pages? He wanted to know if it was like some kind of journal or if it was purely for lyrics. He had to admit, the lyrics he’d read from it were rather impressive. A gift of words was definitely something Takanori possessed; the words on that page were nothing short of powerful. But, much to the elder blonde’s dismay, he assumed Takanori would never show him more because that book seemed to be something that was so incredibly personal for the younger boy; and Takanori wasn’t the type to really let people in and know the kinds of things he probably wrote on those pages.
Akira’s burning curiosity had taken over when he’d grabbed the PlayStation controller and taken a seat on the bed next to the younger student. Shuffling around until he was comfortably sitting with his back leaned up against the headboard Akira let his shoulder lightly come into contact with Takanori’s, the bare skin revealed by the singlet that had been lent to him and the material of the second year’s black sweater lightly brushing together. If Takanori had noticed the contact he certainly didn’t acknowledge it; he just continued writing, occasionally tipping his head back and bringing the end of his pencil to his plush lips before scribbling down another phrase of words.
Slowly Akira had leaned over, attempting to peer over Takanori’s shoulder. All he caught was a glimpse of the little blonde’s messy scribbles, things obviously being scratched out and then replaced by other words, before the book was flipped shut and Takanori was glaring up at him. Akira just smiled sheepishly before loading the game he’d shoved into the gaming console. After a couple of moments of scrutinizing Akira the little blonde had returned to his scribbling, leaving their shoulders in contact.
It had turned out that Takanori couldn’t deal with sleeping on the floor again so he’d put Akira in a room of his own, just across the hallway form the second year. It was more convenient for both of them, really. Except he had forgotten he’d left his freshly washed uniform in Takanori’s room. With a quiet groan he slipped out of bed and tiptoed towards his bedroom door, opening it and then shuffling across the hallway to the familiar door to the little blonde’s bedroom.
Knocking quietly Akira leaned in and listened for any signal of movement from the other side, shuffling of feet or maybe the rustle of bed covers. There was nothing. He knocked again, this time a little louder, “Hey, Taka. You in there? I need to get my uniform…” Still nothing. Akira huffed in annoyance, knowing he was just going to have to walk in.
Slowly, the tall blonde creaked open the door, poking his head in and directing his attention towards the king sized bed. A frown crossed Akira’s features when he noticed that Takanori wasn’t there. Scanning his eyes around the dark room the third years gaze fell upon the closed bathroom door, a sliver of light escaping from underneath it and Akira could only assume that Takanori was behind the door. His assumptions were confirmed in the next moment when he heard the sound of the shower starting up, the spray of water hitting against the tiles on the floor.
Quietly Akira navigated his way through the room, almost tripping when he bumped into the corner of the little blonde’s ridiculously large bed. The third year couldn’t help but wonder if such a huge bed was really necessary for someone so small. Finally he reached the desk where his school uniform was neatly folded and waiting for him. But just as he reached it Akira heard a noise come from behind the bathroom door. The first time he didn’t really pay the sounds much mind, but then he heard it again. Slowly, the tall blonde crept over to the door Takanori was situated behind and pressed his ear against it. What if the clumsy kid had slipped over or something and hurt himself?
But as he listened for the sound again Akira realised that it didn’t sound like a pained noise. It came again, muffled by the wood of the door, but the blonde was able to catch it a little more clearly now. It almost sounded like a…
“Mmm…”
… Like a moan.
“Oh… Fuck…”
Akira’s eyes widened when he realised what the sounds were. No way… Was Takanori…?
“Ah! Oh… god…”
Yep, he definitely was. The sounds were becoming progressively louder and even though the shower was running and there was a door between them, Akira could hear the second year loud and clear. His heart began to speed up. ‘Holy shit,’ Akira thought as he clutched the material of his uniform in a tight grip. He knew he needed to get out. Fast. So as silently as he could, he tiptoed out of Takanori’s room and back across to his own.
Slamming the door shut, Akira slipped down to the floor, his heart pounding and his palms sweating slightly. He supposed he couldn’t blame Takanori. After all, it had been a good few days since Akira himself had jerked off. He’d definitely felt the urge to, he was a teenage boy after all; but he knew he couldn’t with the other boy around. But hearing Takanori in the shower had pushed him over the edge and the more he tried to not think about him, the more he did. He tried as hard as he could not to imagine the petite blonde standing underneath the running water of the shower, beads of hot water cascading down over his porcelain skin as his hand reached down to stroke his…
“Fuck…” Akira groaned as he squeezed his eyes shut, attempting in vain to banish the lecherous images from his mind. But the male anatomy wouldn’t let him. Things just didn’t work that way and when he glanced down he registered that he was, indeed, already semi-hard.
Dropping the clean uniform to the floor next to him, Akira moved a hand to rub over the clothed bulge in his pants. Yep, there was no going back now. It’d been too long and he’d become too sexually frustrated. So he guessed it was best to just get it over and done with as quick as he could. The blonde would very much like to avoid any awkward situation if Takanori were to come knocking on his door. Dipping a hand into the black sweat pants Akira pulled them down to hook them underneath his balls so they wouldn’t get in the way. He groaned again as took hold of his dick, giving a languid few strokes in order to coax himself to full harness.
“Oh, shit…” He breathed as he gripped his now fully hard cock a little tighter, increasing the speed of his tugs. His eyes slipped closed has he leaned his head back against the wooden door, lips slightly parted to let out quiet groans every now and then. As he worked his stiff length, Akira thought of Takanori in the other room doing the exact same thing to himself. In his mind’s eye, Akira could see Takanori leaning against the wall of the shower rapidly stroking himself, occasionally flicking his thumb over the head of his cock on the upstroke. Lewd moans left the little blondes plush, glossy lips, steadily rising in pitch as he pleasured himself. The image was so beyond sexy it was almost sinful, and as Akira did exactly what Takanori had done in his fantasy, flicking his thumb over the head, the third year felt an all too familiar heat pooling in the pit of his stomach, alerting him that he wasn’t too far from release. Akira imagined Takanori calling out the tall blonde’s name as he increased the speed of his pulls yet again, bringing himself closer and closer towards the edge. As the blonde imagined Takanori finally reaching his climax as he shouted Akira’s name, the third year finally reached his own orgasm, his warm seed dirtying his lower abdomen as he let out a particularly long low groan.
Slumping down slightly, Akira let his muscles relax. His breath came in short little pants. Had he really just done that? Did he really just jerk off to images of Takanori doing the exact same thing to images of Akira? The third year supposed he was in deeper than he’d originally imagined. Not only did he like Takanori, thoughts of the second year masturbating turned him on immensely. What would Takanori say if he knew?
After a few moments to regather his wits, Akira stood up and found a box of tissues to quickly clean himself up with. Acting as if nothing had happened, the blonde quickly got changed into his school uniform and picked up the piece of cloth he always wore over his nose, tying it at the back of his head and adjusting it so it sat just right. It occurred to him that Takanori had never seen him without it on and he wondered why the little blonde hadn’t even bother to ask what it was about. Sometimes Akira wished that Takanori was as interested in knowing about him as he was in knowing about Takanori. But he supposed that wasn’t the case. He was just a pain in the little blonde’s arse. Like a bad smell, constantly hanging around. The thought disheartened Akira a bit; he’d like Takanori to ask questions, to want to know more. However, the lack of interest on the second year’s part didn’t make in want to give up. Not in the slightest. He would stay until he knew all the answers he’d set out to find.
Crossing the hallway again Akira hesitated before bringing his fist down on the wooden surface. This time the door did open, revealing a slightly dishevelled looking Takanori dressed in a messily thrown on uniform. He wasn’t wearing any makeup yet, nor had he done his hair and Akira assumed that once he was done with his little bathroom routine, he’d look just as captivating yet cold has he usually did. The third year had to admit, Takanori definitely had a softer, kinder looking face when it wasn’t clouded by makeup. Not that he looked bad with it on by any means; he just looked far more inviting when this way.
“Uh, morning…” Akira said as he scratched the back of his head. He couldn’t help but feel slightly awkward knowing that Takanori had no idea he’d been heard when he was in the shower earlier on and was totally oblivious to the effect it’d had on Akira.
“Hey,” the little blonde replied. It was to be expected he supposed, the tall blonde wasn’t looking for any spectacular greeting or anything. “What do you want?”
“How’s your foot?” Akira inquired, rather meekly.
Takanori gave him an odd look, the tall blonde was acting weird. But he answered anyway, “It still hurts a bit, but I’ll live. Now, is that all you want? I have to finish getting ready.”
“Have you got any hair product I can use?” It was dumb question, Akira knew that. Of course Takanori would have hair product; but he thought it’d be polite to ask anyway.
The little blonde studied him for a moment before nodding and stepping to the side, opening the door wide enough for Akira to walk through. “Yeah, come in.” Akira followed behind the short second year as he was led into the bathroom and things were pointed out to him. “Hair spray is there, hair gel and my hair straightener is plugged into the wall just there.”
Within the next hour both boys had finished getting ready for the day. Takanori’s eyes were shadowed by well-applied black eye shadow, a pair of light blue contact lenses hiding his natural hazel tinted orbs and his hair straightened and lightly teased. It was the way he always looked at school, but for some reason it was like Akira was seeing him in a new light. The small blonde looked captivating. The way he licked his lightly glossed lips every few minutes made Akira want to lean over and place his own pair on them. Though, he got the feeling that if he did indeed follow through with that thought, he’d end up with a black eye and maybe a few broken bones which wasn’t a look he wasn’t too keen on sporting. So he held back, messing with his carefully spiked hair every now and then to keep himself distracted.
When the pair was almost at their school Takanori stopped and grabbed hold of Akira’s arm to stop him from walking off. The tall blonde looked at the younger, a confused glint in his dark eyes. Quickly, the second year let go of the elder’s arm and looked away, appearing rather nonchalant.
“Stay away from me when we’re at school,” Takanori glanced down at his freshly painted ebony nails, seeming to admire the nice paint job he’d done on them the day before. The action had rather confused the third year seeing as painting his nails was something that had never even crossed his mind before.
Akira, in comparison to the second year’s dismissive attitude, was totally shocked by what Takanori had said. He stared at the younger boy in total awe, “What? What do you mean?”
“What do you think I mean dumbarse?” The small blonde looked at Akira as if he was stupid and in Takanori eyes, the third year knew he probably was. “I mean… Stay. Away. From. Me.” He formed every word clearly, as if Akira had immense trouble understanding simple Japanese; which of course, he didn’t.
“But… why?” It was the obvious question, of course. Why would Takanori act almost nice when they were alone but then want to completely ignore Akira when they were at school? It just didn’t make sense in his mind. It made Akira feel like all of the progress he’d made since arriving at the second year’s doorstep the Friday before had been reduced back to zero. He felt as if he was all the way back at square one. With nothing but a cold, reclusive blonde who wanted absolutely nothing to do with those around him. And Akira didn’t like that one bit.
Takanori rolled his eyes. “Come on, think, birdbrain…” The little blonde waited for Akira to get it. But his silence indicated that he was clearly too thick to understand. Takanori huffed an exasperated sigh as he explained. “If you and I walk through that front gate all buddy-buddy rumours are going to spread faster than the black plague. I don’t want that.”
“Why not? What’s wrong with us being friends?”
Takanori ran a small, ring clad hand through his styled hair, getting slightly frustrated by the elder’s constant questions. He couldn’t be that dumb, could he? “Seriously, Akira… If people notice I’m friends with you then they’re going to think its ok to talk to me. Which it’s not. I’m not here to make friends, Suzuki.”
Akira finally understood somewhat. Takanori wasn’t interested in getting to know people, nor was he interested in spending his time at school hanging around with Akira and his noisy bunch of friends. He supposed that was to be expected. He felt like he should have seen that coming in the first place. Takanori was never one to make friends and just because Akira had been able to make a few dents in that iron armour of his, it didn’t mean he’d be any more interested in socializing. It was a little disheartening, but that was just the way Takanori was. But at least Akira had been successful in getting him to go back to school. He also hadn’t forgotten that the second year had been absent for three weeks, and he was still determined to get answers. But for the moment he was content with how things were progressing.
“Ok, I understand,” Akira gave Takanori a reassuring smile. “Oh,” he suddenly remembered the conversation he’d had with his mother on Saturday and the errand he had to run that afternoon. “Taka, I need to go to my house this afternoon to pick up some clothes and other stuff I’ll need. Would you like to come with me? You could… maybe meet my family. I’m sure they love to see you as well.”
Takanori was a little stunned for a second. Akira wanted him to go and meet with his family? It would be the first time he’d ever been over to another student’s house. It seemed as if he was doing a lot of things for the first time with Akira around. After blinking a few times and refocussing back on the hopeful blonde he said, “Is that really ok?”
Akira nodded enthusiastically, flashing the little blonde a bright smile. “Of course it is!”
Takanori breathed a sigh of amazement and he felt a little smile twitch at the corner of his lips; but only a tiny one. Hardly even noticeable, really. “Sure, I’ll go I guess.”
Apparently nothing slipped by Akira though, because in an instant he was leaning down to look at Takanori’s face, their noses almost brushing. Their close proximity sent the younger boy’s heart rate skyrocketing as his eyes widened. “No way!” Akira exclaimed. “Was that a smile? A real smile?”
“Of course not!” Takanori quickly retorted. Of course he hadn’t smiled… Not really. He moved on to hurriedly explain himself, “It was more a momentary twitch of the lip. Nothing else. Definitely not a smile. You must be going crazy, birdbrain.”
Akira let out a haughty laugh, “Well do that not-a-smile thing again.”
“No, fuck off,” Takanori put his hands on Akira’s shoulders and gave the larger boy a rough shove. “I’m leaving. I’ll meet you back here after school. Later loser!”
Before Akira could say another word Takanori scurried off in the direction of the school. The third year couldn’t help but grin after him. That had definitely been a smile, or at least the start of one. He’d actually made Takanori come close to smiling!
Akira pumped a fist into the air and let out a loud ‘yes!’ before he too sprinted for the school gates. He knew he’d be in a good mood for the rest of the day- hell, maybe even the rest of the week! Takanori had almost smiled… because of Akira. He was ecstatic. Totally over the moon. Nothing had ever made him so proud.
That grumpy little blonde had smiled.
Next Chapter
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A/N: Hello my lovelies!
I finally wrote more of this one. I’m pretty happy with this chapter, I feel like things are starting to get a bit more interesting now ^_^ I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, beautifuls and thank you for reading and supporting, as always. And that you for bearing with me while I was M.I.A for a bit. I love each and every one of you <3 <3
Author: ravennightmare6
Beta: krasivayadusha
Chapter: 8/18
Genre: AU, Angst, Fluff, Smut
Rating(Overall): NC-17
Pairing/s: Reita/Ruki (Akira/Takanori), Uruha/Aoi (Kouyou/Yuu)
Synopsis: Takanori liked to think that he hated everybody equally. Though, he had to admit, somewhat begrudgingly, that he hated a few less than others.
Warnings: Use of real names, Profanity, Angst, Mild Sexual Content
Disclaimer: As unfortunate as it may be, I do not own The GazettE. I only own the plot.
Comments: お誕生日おめでとう御座います, ルキさん!! Also, at the bottom, darlings <3
Previous Chapter
It was late on Sunday night. He knew he shouldn’t have been outside. He knew that. But he needed out. He needed to get out of the house, despite the bitter cold and the howling wind. It was far colder that night than it had been so far. He couldn’t take it anymore; it was all too painful for him to watch. His parents were fighting again, a constant never ending argument over money. He knew it was all his fault. If he hadn’t been cursed like he was then everything would be fine and he wouldn’t have to feel such an all-consuming sadness every time he returned home from school to find his parents absent. Silence was fine. Silence he could deal with. But when his parents came home and the fighting picked up right where it had left off the night before, there was no stopping the guilt that flooded through his mind, pulsed through his veins. It was draining; too draining.
Sitting on the park bench, Aoi stared out over the slightly frosted grass as he wondered what exactly he was to do. There was no way to make the fighting go away and there was no way to make his curse go away either. He was totally and utterly helpless; left to endure the never ending torture of his parent’s nasty, seemingly hate-filled jabs at each other. He was forced to endure a heart that only half functioned. Everything seemed meaningless when he couldn’t live his life the way he wanted to.
Aoi’s only solace was Kouyou. That beautiful blonde boy who’d clumsily stumbled into his worthless life. The one who would take the time to understand him and bear with him. The one who would comfort him and hold him and care for him. Kouyou was like the patch for the hole in his heart; when he was with the boisterous blonde he felt like his heart was finally whole and it could beat properly. Kouyou was his life-line. That all-important string that kept him from completely falling apart. Kouyou was his saviour.
The beeping of the machine and the sliding of the plain white door was what roused Aoi form his uneasy sleep. The overnight check-up had been exactly as it had always been. The doctors told him exactly what they’d been telling him for years and the nurses always treated him the same; as if he was made of porcelain. Aoi really hated it. He hated being babied and fussed over. He wished people would just leave him alone, he already felt weak and helpless enough; he didn’t need anyone else’s help in that respect.
“Yuu…” His mother’s voice entered his now conscious mind. That name. That hideous name. No matter how many times he asked, his parents refused to call him by the name he wanted. They insisted on the one that was associated with that small weak creature. The one that was easily overworked and could end up writhing on the floor in pain at any given moment.
The curtains had long ago been drawn shut and the lights turned out, leaving the usually bright white room in total darkness. Aoi supposed it helped him. Shutting everything out with darkness helped to get rid of the horrible feeling of sickness and death that the white walls held. Light from the hallway was the only source of brightness that lit the shadowed room, making it difficult to actually see his mother’s face clearly. Though Aoi knew that if he could see it properly it would look worn out and tired. She looked so much older than she should; worry lines creased her forehead and dark circles made her eyes look empty and void of any emotion but sorrow. Aoi knew without a doubt that, as soon as she got him home, she would leave for her second job. The raven teenager knew it was his entire fault that this was happening. His stupid weakness was the only thing that kept his parents from living happily and Aoi knew he could never forgive himself.
“Yuu, sweetheart,” his mother called when she didn’t get a response. “It’s time to go home.”
“Why?” Aoi finally spoke. “Why should I? So you and dad can fight some more? So you can work harder?”
“Yuu… what are you-”
“I’m tired of this, mum,” Aoi sighed as he looked away from his mother and to the slim pale hands of his that lay curled in his lap. He was sick of it all; having to endure so much torture. It was more than any 15 year old should have to put up with. “Why can’t you just… I don’t know… give me up for adoption or something? That way you and dad can live happily.”
“What are you talking about, Yuu?” Aoi’s mother was at his bedside in an instant, taking his hand into hers and squeezing it gently as a look of sheer horror crossed her tired features. “Why would you ever say that? Your father and I love you.”
Aoi scowled and turned his head away. “Aren’t you sick of having to work two jobs and fighting with dad all the time?”
“Well… yes…” She hesitated and Aoi felt a bitter hatred bubbling up inside him. Not hatred for his parents. No, he could never ever hate them. They were the ones who worked so hard to keep him alive and somewhat healthy. The hatred he felt was for himself. Always, always for himself.
“Then why don’t you just stop all of this? It’s useless anyway…” Aoi trailed off as he pulled his hand away from his mother’s light grip.
“Yuu… your father and I do this because we love you and we only want the best for you. We want you to be happy and healthy…” If only she knew how unhappy Aoi really was. “… So, please, Yuu. Don’t say things like that to me. It really upsets me and I’m sure it’d upset your father too.”
There, he’d gone and done it again. It seemed as if everything he did and said upset or disappointed his parents somehow. He was the epitome of a walking, talking disappointment. Purpose was something he really felt he lacked. What was he living for? What was important to him? That answer to that was simple… Nothing.
Reluctantly, Yuu got up out of the stiff hospital sheets, the stupid things always made him itch, and packed up what little possessions he’d brought in to keep himself occupied. Aoi followed his mother out of the room and into the too bright hallway. Doctors and nurses bustled around them, a few of them seeming to be in a big rush to get somewhere. Though Aoi really had no care for other matters, he remained a few paces behind his mother.
Suddenly, a door to his left was slid open and a young boy was dragged out kicking and screaming and making one hell of a fuss, successfully gaining almost everyone’s attention. With only a quick glance at the boy Aoi’s mother kept walking, but the young raven slowed to a stop and watched the whole scene unfold before him.
The boy’s face was contorted in an ugly snarl as he lashed out at one of the doctors, attempting to knock the white-coat over. However his arm was seized by other man in white. Long blonde hair swished fiercely as the boy kicked and screamed, attempting to gain access back into the room he’d come from. Aoi hadn’t seen what was in the room, but he made a fair assumption that it was something very important to the fired up blonde. At first Aoi couldn’t make out what he was screaming about, but as he listened more closely he could it pick up…
“AKARI!! LET GO FO ME, YOU ARSEHOLES!” The boy was howling, his voice becoming rawer and rawer by the second. “LET ME IN! LET ME SEE HER!” A loud sob wracked the blonde boy’s frame as he fought against the three doctors that were holding onto him. “No… Akari…” One of the doctors quickly let go of the boy and locked the door to the room, slipping the key into his pocket. Finally deciding that it was safe to let the blonde go once there was no way into the room, the doctors couldn’t seem to care less about him. They just disappeared leaving him in the hallway outside the room he’d been banned from entering. He wailed and pressed his hands against the door as he slid to his knees. He kept mumbling to himself as he leaned his forehead against the door, heart wrenching sobs shaking his lithe frame.
It was only when Aoi drew closer that he could hear what the boy was saying…
“Aka… ri… I’m so sorry.” He sobbed uncontrollably. “Sorry… So… So sorry…”
Aoi didn’t really know what to do. He’d never ever seen anyone break down like that. So he stood and stared, completely awestruck. This boy was making such a scene yet he couldn’t care less because someone he loved dearly was locked behind that door and he couldn’t get in. ‘That,’ Aoi though, ‘Is what real love is.’ Not once had his parents shown that much emotion and seeing that boy made the raven wonder if his parents even loved him at all. Would they react the same way if something bad were to happen to him?
Movement from across the hall caught the raven teenager’s eye. The blonde boy’s wailing had calmed down to loud sobs as he turned himself around and sat with his back pressed up against the door. His eyes were screwed tightly shut as he tried to even out his breathing. Slowly, all that was left were the tears that refused to stop and the shuddering of his skinny frame. When he finally opened his eyes he noticed Aoi standing across the hall.
“What the hell are you staring at?” Aoi was sure the blonde boy’s voice was meant to sound somewhat intimidating, but it ended up coming out weak and broken. All of a sudden, the raven boy felt a surge of empathy. He understood this boy’s pain, even if he had no idea what it was. As he stared, he had witnessed everything he’d wished to do for so many years. This blonde boy had given the most perfect depiction of the raging emotions in him and he couldn’t help but feel his heart soften a little. It almost felt as if the blonde had alleviated some of Aoi’s emotions for him.
Cautiously, Aoi moved forward to crouch just in front of the blonde. Now that he wasn’t crying anymore the raven could see how good-looking the other boy really was. He had beautiful hazel tinted eyes that seemed to glimmer under the florescent of the hallway. His nose was angled and petit. His lips formed the oddest most beautiful shape Aoi had ever seen. This blonde boy’s features, though stained with salty tears, were so completely captivating.
“What’s your name?” Aoi spoke softly as he studied the blonde.
The other boy frowned as he sniffled, wiping at his tears with the back of his hand. “… What?”
“You’re name,” Aoi repeated.
“… Kouyou.”
“Kouyou,” the raven repeated. He liked that. It was simple, but rolled off his tongue so naturally; like he was meant to say it. He offered a small smile, “I’m Aoi… Would you like to go somewhere with me?”
Aoi opened his eyes to gaze back out over the dark park. The day he met Kouyou was the most magical day of his life, even though the other had been in total hysterics. Aoi could still the see the kind, beautiful person that lay beneath and he felt like Kouyou had brought out the same qualities in him. He no longer felt alone. No longer did he feel like he had nothing to live for. Because, now he did. He had Kouyou.
The blonde had never told him why he was at the hospital that day. He was able to gather that Akari was someone who was very dear to his special blonde, and he also knew that Kouyou blamed himself for what had happened to the girl. But that was all he knew, and he was fine with that. Aoi didn’t need an explanation; he was willing to wait until Kouyou was ready to talk. Even though it had been more than a year since that happened the blonde still found it too difficult to talk about what had happened, so Aoi didn’t push.
“Aoi?” A gentle voice from behind him jolted the raven out of his deeply pensive state. He knew that voice. It was one that brought him so much comfort. He needn’t turn around to know who it belonged to. The boy sat down beside him on the wooden bench and slung an extra jacket over his slim shoulders. “I went by your house but no one was there… So I figured I’d find you here. Are your parents working again tonight?”
Aoi leaned his head against Kouyou’s shoulder as the blonde slithered his arm around the raven’s shoulders, bringing their bodies closer together. “No,” he breathed. “They were fighting again… I can’t stand being in the house when they’re like that.”
“Oh, Aoi,” Kouyou mumbled as he turned and brought the raven into a tight hug. He knew how difficult it was for his beautiful raven. His parents fought so often it was difficult for him to get any quiet time. Kouyou felt Aoi thread his own thin arms around the blonde’s waist, burying his face into the crook of his neck. The blonde reached up to comfortingly stroke the other boy’s hair, softly pulling his long fingers through the silky raven tendrils. “Do you want to stay at my house tonight?”
Without verbalizing it, Aoi gave his answer by nodding. Staying at Kouyou’s house was something he did often. He kept a bag of clothes there, which included a spare school uniform, a fresh change of clothes and a pair of pyjamas. Whenever he couldn’t handle being at home Aoi would trudge his way over to Kouyou’s house and knock on the window. Not that they needed to be secretive, Kouyou’s parents already knew about the raven; but Aoi wanted to avoid as much human contact as possible at those times. Kouyou’s parents were lovely people but a lot of the time they were overly chatty, and when Aoi showed up after a difficult time at home the last thing he wanted was to be whipped into another one of Mrs Takashima’s verbal frenzies. So he much preferred the window as opposed to the front door.
“Alright…” Kouyou whispered, continuing to stroke Aoi’s hair lovingly. “We should go, then. It’s cold out here.” Aoi nodded again and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.
With their hands clasped tightly together, Kouyou running his thumb over the back of the raven’s hand in small circles offering any possible comfort he could, the pair slowly began to make their way towards the blonde’s house. Aoi was grateful. Grateful that he’d met someone who understood him. Someone who wouldn’t baby him and treat him like some fragile piece on antique crockery. Someone who would stand by him no matter what. Aoi was incredibly grateful.
***
Akira was rudely awoken by the obnoxious ringing of his phone’s alarm clock. With a groan he sat up and leaned over to turn off the infernal racket. The covers fell down, leaving the blonde’s bare chest open for the cold, and instantly he felt goosebumps rising on his skin. Shivering, he quickly scrambled out of bed, adjusting the baggy sweatpants Takanori had lent him. Well… they were baggy on the little second year but they fit Akira quite well.
The pair of blondes had spent the previous day rather leisurely. Akira had discovered the impressive collection of video games Takanori possessed and had apparently never played, plus the basically untouched PlayStation 3. The tall blonde had been more than impressed, questioning Takanori as to why he’d never even bothered to play any of the games. All the small blonde did was shrug his shoulders dismissively and go back to scribbling in that little black book a he always carried around with him. The one Akira had read the lyrics from…
The blonde second year couldn’t help but wonder why that book was so important. What other secrets lay in its worn pages? He wanted to know if it was like some kind of journal or if it was purely for lyrics. He had to admit, the lyrics he’d read from it were rather impressive. A gift of words was definitely something Takanori possessed; the words on that page were nothing short of powerful. But, much to the elder blonde’s dismay, he assumed Takanori would never show him more because that book seemed to be something that was so incredibly personal for the younger boy; and Takanori wasn’t the type to really let people in and know the kinds of things he probably wrote on those pages.
Akira’s burning curiosity had taken over when he’d grabbed the PlayStation controller and taken a seat on the bed next to the younger student. Shuffling around until he was comfortably sitting with his back leaned up against the headboard Akira let his shoulder lightly come into contact with Takanori’s, the bare skin revealed by the singlet that had been lent to him and the material of the second year’s black sweater lightly brushing together. If Takanori had noticed the contact he certainly didn’t acknowledge it; he just continued writing, occasionally tipping his head back and bringing the end of his pencil to his plush lips before scribbling down another phrase of words.
Slowly Akira had leaned over, attempting to peer over Takanori’s shoulder. All he caught was a glimpse of the little blonde’s messy scribbles, things obviously being scratched out and then replaced by other words, before the book was flipped shut and Takanori was glaring up at him. Akira just smiled sheepishly before loading the game he’d shoved into the gaming console. After a couple of moments of scrutinizing Akira the little blonde had returned to his scribbling, leaving their shoulders in contact.
It had turned out that Takanori couldn’t deal with sleeping on the floor again so he’d put Akira in a room of his own, just across the hallway form the second year. It was more convenient for both of them, really. Except he had forgotten he’d left his freshly washed uniform in Takanori’s room. With a quiet groan he slipped out of bed and tiptoed towards his bedroom door, opening it and then shuffling across the hallway to the familiar door to the little blonde’s bedroom.
Knocking quietly Akira leaned in and listened for any signal of movement from the other side, shuffling of feet or maybe the rustle of bed covers. There was nothing. He knocked again, this time a little louder, “Hey, Taka. You in there? I need to get my uniform…” Still nothing. Akira huffed in annoyance, knowing he was just going to have to walk in.
Slowly, the tall blonde creaked open the door, poking his head in and directing his attention towards the king sized bed. A frown crossed Akira’s features when he noticed that Takanori wasn’t there. Scanning his eyes around the dark room the third years gaze fell upon the closed bathroom door, a sliver of light escaping from underneath it and Akira could only assume that Takanori was behind the door. His assumptions were confirmed in the next moment when he heard the sound of the shower starting up, the spray of water hitting against the tiles on the floor.
Quietly Akira navigated his way through the room, almost tripping when he bumped into the corner of the little blonde’s ridiculously large bed. The third year couldn’t help but wonder if such a huge bed was really necessary for someone so small. Finally he reached the desk where his school uniform was neatly folded and waiting for him. But just as he reached it Akira heard a noise come from behind the bathroom door. The first time he didn’t really pay the sounds much mind, but then he heard it again. Slowly, the tall blonde crept over to the door Takanori was situated behind and pressed his ear against it. What if the clumsy kid had slipped over or something and hurt himself?
But as he listened for the sound again Akira realised that it didn’t sound like a pained noise. It came again, muffled by the wood of the door, but the blonde was able to catch it a little more clearly now. It almost sounded like a…
“Mmm…”
… Like a moan.
“Oh… Fuck…”
Akira’s eyes widened when he realised what the sounds were. No way… Was Takanori…?
“Ah! Oh… god…”
Yep, he definitely was. The sounds were becoming progressively louder and even though the shower was running and there was a door between them, Akira could hear the second year loud and clear. His heart began to speed up. ‘Holy shit,’ Akira thought as he clutched the material of his uniform in a tight grip. He knew he needed to get out. Fast. So as silently as he could, he tiptoed out of Takanori’s room and back across to his own.
Slamming the door shut, Akira slipped down to the floor, his heart pounding and his palms sweating slightly. He supposed he couldn’t blame Takanori. After all, it had been a good few days since Akira himself had jerked off. He’d definitely felt the urge to, he was a teenage boy after all; but he knew he couldn’t with the other boy around. But hearing Takanori in the shower had pushed him over the edge and the more he tried to not think about him, the more he did. He tried as hard as he could not to imagine the petite blonde standing underneath the running water of the shower, beads of hot water cascading down over his porcelain skin as his hand reached down to stroke his…
“Fuck…” Akira groaned as he squeezed his eyes shut, attempting in vain to banish the lecherous images from his mind. But the male anatomy wouldn’t let him. Things just didn’t work that way and when he glanced down he registered that he was, indeed, already semi-hard.
Dropping the clean uniform to the floor next to him, Akira moved a hand to rub over the clothed bulge in his pants. Yep, there was no going back now. It’d been too long and he’d become too sexually frustrated. So he guessed it was best to just get it over and done with as quick as he could. The blonde would very much like to avoid any awkward situation if Takanori were to come knocking on his door. Dipping a hand into the black sweat pants Akira pulled them down to hook them underneath his balls so they wouldn’t get in the way. He groaned again as took hold of his dick, giving a languid few strokes in order to coax himself to full harness.
“Oh, shit…” He breathed as he gripped his now fully hard cock a little tighter, increasing the speed of his tugs. His eyes slipped closed has he leaned his head back against the wooden door, lips slightly parted to let out quiet groans every now and then. As he worked his stiff length, Akira thought of Takanori in the other room doing the exact same thing to himself. In his mind’s eye, Akira could see Takanori leaning against the wall of the shower rapidly stroking himself, occasionally flicking his thumb over the head of his cock on the upstroke. Lewd moans left the little blondes plush, glossy lips, steadily rising in pitch as he pleasured himself. The image was so beyond sexy it was almost sinful, and as Akira did exactly what Takanori had done in his fantasy, flicking his thumb over the head, the third year felt an all too familiar heat pooling in the pit of his stomach, alerting him that he wasn’t too far from release. Akira imagined Takanori calling out the tall blonde’s name as he increased the speed of his pulls yet again, bringing himself closer and closer towards the edge. As the blonde imagined Takanori finally reaching his climax as he shouted Akira’s name, the third year finally reached his own orgasm, his warm seed dirtying his lower abdomen as he let out a particularly long low groan.
Slumping down slightly, Akira let his muscles relax. His breath came in short little pants. Had he really just done that? Did he really just jerk off to images of Takanori doing the exact same thing to images of Akira? The third year supposed he was in deeper than he’d originally imagined. Not only did he like Takanori, thoughts of the second year masturbating turned him on immensely. What would Takanori say if he knew?
After a few moments to regather his wits, Akira stood up and found a box of tissues to quickly clean himself up with. Acting as if nothing had happened, the blonde quickly got changed into his school uniform and picked up the piece of cloth he always wore over his nose, tying it at the back of his head and adjusting it so it sat just right. It occurred to him that Takanori had never seen him without it on and he wondered why the little blonde hadn’t even bother to ask what it was about. Sometimes Akira wished that Takanori was as interested in knowing about him as he was in knowing about Takanori. But he supposed that wasn’t the case. He was just a pain in the little blonde’s arse. Like a bad smell, constantly hanging around. The thought disheartened Akira a bit; he’d like Takanori to ask questions, to want to know more. However, the lack of interest on the second year’s part didn’t make in want to give up. Not in the slightest. He would stay until he knew all the answers he’d set out to find.
Crossing the hallway again Akira hesitated before bringing his fist down on the wooden surface. This time the door did open, revealing a slightly dishevelled looking Takanori dressed in a messily thrown on uniform. He wasn’t wearing any makeup yet, nor had he done his hair and Akira assumed that once he was done with his little bathroom routine, he’d look just as captivating yet cold has he usually did. The third year had to admit, Takanori definitely had a softer, kinder looking face when it wasn’t clouded by makeup. Not that he looked bad with it on by any means; he just looked far more inviting when this way.
“Uh, morning…” Akira said as he scratched the back of his head. He couldn’t help but feel slightly awkward knowing that Takanori had no idea he’d been heard when he was in the shower earlier on and was totally oblivious to the effect it’d had on Akira.
“Hey,” the little blonde replied. It was to be expected he supposed, the tall blonde wasn’t looking for any spectacular greeting or anything. “What do you want?”
“How’s your foot?” Akira inquired, rather meekly.
Takanori gave him an odd look, the tall blonde was acting weird. But he answered anyway, “It still hurts a bit, but I’ll live. Now, is that all you want? I have to finish getting ready.”
“Have you got any hair product I can use?” It was dumb question, Akira knew that. Of course Takanori would have hair product; but he thought it’d be polite to ask anyway.
The little blonde studied him for a moment before nodding and stepping to the side, opening the door wide enough for Akira to walk through. “Yeah, come in.” Akira followed behind the short second year as he was led into the bathroom and things were pointed out to him. “Hair spray is there, hair gel and my hair straightener is plugged into the wall just there.”
Within the next hour both boys had finished getting ready for the day. Takanori’s eyes were shadowed by well-applied black eye shadow, a pair of light blue contact lenses hiding his natural hazel tinted orbs and his hair straightened and lightly teased. It was the way he always looked at school, but for some reason it was like Akira was seeing him in a new light. The small blonde looked captivating. The way he licked his lightly glossed lips every few minutes made Akira want to lean over and place his own pair on them. Though, he got the feeling that if he did indeed follow through with that thought, he’d end up with a black eye and maybe a few broken bones which wasn’t a look he wasn’t too keen on sporting. So he held back, messing with his carefully spiked hair every now and then to keep himself distracted.
When the pair was almost at their school Takanori stopped and grabbed hold of Akira’s arm to stop him from walking off. The tall blonde looked at the younger, a confused glint in his dark eyes. Quickly, the second year let go of the elder’s arm and looked away, appearing rather nonchalant.
“Stay away from me when we’re at school,” Takanori glanced down at his freshly painted ebony nails, seeming to admire the nice paint job he’d done on them the day before. The action had rather confused the third year seeing as painting his nails was something that had never even crossed his mind before.
Akira, in comparison to the second year’s dismissive attitude, was totally shocked by what Takanori had said. He stared at the younger boy in total awe, “What? What do you mean?”
“What do you think I mean dumbarse?” The small blonde looked at Akira as if he was stupid and in Takanori eyes, the third year knew he probably was. “I mean… Stay. Away. From. Me.” He formed every word clearly, as if Akira had immense trouble understanding simple Japanese; which of course, he didn’t.
“But… why?” It was the obvious question, of course. Why would Takanori act almost nice when they were alone but then want to completely ignore Akira when they were at school? It just didn’t make sense in his mind. It made Akira feel like all of the progress he’d made since arriving at the second year’s doorstep the Friday before had been reduced back to zero. He felt as if he was all the way back at square one. With nothing but a cold, reclusive blonde who wanted absolutely nothing to do with those around him. And Akira didn’t like that one bit.
Takanori rolled his eyes. “Come on, think, birdbrain…” The little blonde waited for Akira to get it. But his silence indicated that he was clearly too thick to understand. Takanori huffed an exasperated sigh as he explained. “If you and I walk through that front gate all buddy-buddy rumours are going to spread faster than the black plague. I don’t want that.”
“Why not? What’s wrong with us being friends?”
Takanori ran a small, ring clad hand through his styled hair, getting slightly frustrated by the elder’s constant questions. He couldn’t be that dumb, could he? “Seriously, Akira… If people notice I’m friends with you then they’re going to think its ok to talk to me. Which it’s not. I’m not here to make friends, Suzuki.”
Akira finally understood somewhat. Takanori wasn’t interested in getting to know people, nor was he interested in spending his time at school hanging around with Akira and his noisy bunch of friends. He supposed that was to be expected. He felt like he should have seen that coming in the first place. Takanori was never one to make friends and just because Akira had been able to make a few dents in that iron armour of his, it didn’t mean he’d be any more interested in socializing. It was a little disheartening, but that was just the way Takanori was. But at least Akira had been successful in getting him to go back to school. He also hadn’t forgotten that the second year had been absent for three weeks, and he was still determined to get answers. But for the moment he was content with how things were progressing.
“Ok, I understand,” Akira gave Takanori a reassuring smile. “Oh,” he suddenly remembered the conversation he’d had with his mother on Saturday and the errand he had to run that afternoon. “Taka, I need to go to my house this afternoon to pick up some clothes and other stuff I’ll need. Would you like to come with me? You could… maybe meet my family. I’m sure they love to see you as well.”
Takanori was a little stunned for a second. Akira wanted him to go and meet with his family? It would be the first time he’d ever been over to another student’s house. It seemed as if he was doing a lot of things for the first time with Akira around. After blinking a few times and refocussing back on the hopeful blonde he said, “Is that really ok?”
Akira nodded enthusiastically, flashing the little blonde a bright smile. “Of course it is!”
Takanori breathed a sigh of amazement and he felt a little smile twitch at the corner of his lips; but only a tiny one. Hardly even noticeable, really. “Sure, I’ll go I guess.”
Apparently nothing slipped by Akira though, because in an instant he was leaning down to look at Takanori’s face, their noses almost brushing. Their close proximity sent the younger boy’s heart rate skyrocketing as his eyes widened. “No way!” Akira exclaimed. “Was that a smile? A real smile?”
“Of course not!” Takanori quickly retorted. Of course he hadn’t smiled… Not really. He moved on to hurriedly explain himself, “It was more a momentary twitch of the lip. Nothing else. Definitely not a smile. You must be going crazy, birdbrain.”
Akira let out a haughty laugh, “Well do that not-a-smile thing again.”
“No, fuck off,” Takanori put his hands on Akira’s shoulders and gave the larger boy a rough shove. “I’m leaving. I’ll meet you back here after school. Later loser!”
Before Akira could say another word Takanori scurried off in the direction of the school. The third year couldn’t help but grin after him. That had definitely been a smile, or at least the start of one. He’d actually made Takanori come close to smiling!
Akira pumped a fist into the air and let out a loud ‘yes!’ before he too sprinted for the school gates. He knew he’d be in a good mood for the rest of the day- hell, maybe even the rest of the week! Takanori had almost smiled… because of Akira. He was ecstatic. Totally over the moon. Nothing had ever made him so proud.
That grumpy little blonde had smiled.
Next Chapter
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A/N: Hello my lovelies!
I finally wrote more of this one. I’m pretty happy with this chapter, I feel like things are starting to get a bit more interesting now ^_^ I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, beautifuls and thank you for reading and supporting, as always. And that you for bearing with me while I was M.I.A for a bit. I love each and every one of you <3 <3