Duet chapter 34
Title: Duet
Rating: G for now, may go up ^^;
Warnings: spoilers for the end of the anime
Progress: 34/47
Summary: In need of a performing arts credit for her transcript, Haruhi seeks piano lessons from Tamaki. The result is a bit more bonding than either of them ever expected. How can you focus on school when you're falling in love... and what complications will arise when a member of the Suoh family is willing to give up everything for a commoner?
Chapter 34! Sorry for the mass of twin content in this one XD TamaHaru will resume in the next chapter. I just wanted to get this one out of the way.
When Kaoru came home from a quick trip to L’Armont’s Boutique with his mother and came bounding into the bedroom that was Hikaru’s but the two of them more or less shared, he found Hikaru in a deep funk. The older twin’s back was propped up against the headboard and he was glaring at the handheld game he was playing. Instantly, Kaoru knew he was in for a world of grousing and sighed, setting his bag down beside the door.
“Hey, Hikaru,” he said cheerfully, strolling over to the bed as though he thought nothing was wrong. “You missed some really nice shirts today. They were bringing out the spring collection. We got a special preview. You should have come along.”
“Why should I care about shirts?” Hikaru muttered, frowning a little deeper at his game. Kaoru flopped down on the bed beside him and scooted closer to his brother, resting his head on his shoulder and peering at the game as though he was interested.
“What’re you playing?” he asked in a friendly tone, and Hikaru shrugged noncommittally.
“Mario,” he muttered. “But it’s boring.”
“Want to play another game?” Kaoru asked gently, and Hikaru shrugged again.
“I don’t care,” he mumbled. Kaoru sighed and stretched out a little. He stared at his brother, seeing the swirling colors of irritation in his eyes, and knew that if he did anything to bring up the subject of said irritation, it was going to be one long day. However, Kaoru was his brother and felt a certain responsibility to make sure that he was happy. Steeling himself, he smiled.
“Is something wrong, Hikaru?” he asked, setting his hand gently on Hikaru’s arm.
“Naw,” Hikaru replied halfheartedly, staring blankly at the game screen, though he had gotten a game over. He made no moves to start a new game. Kaoru sighed and leaned his head on his brother’s shoulder again.
“You wanna go and see if the cook will make us some cookies?” he asked, and Hikaru shrugged. Usually, cookies were a good source of joy when it came to Hikaru, and so Kaoru was worried just a bit more. “Do you wanna go and prank call tono?”
“To hell with tono,” Hikaru hissed.
“Ohhh, so you’re mad about him and Haruhi?” Kaoru asked, patting his brother on the shoulder. He felt a little like a mother discovering her son’s first grade school crush.
“No!” Hikaru argued, tossing his Gameboy off to the side and staring out the window. Kaoru chuckled a little.
“Look, Hikaru, it’s okay for you to be upset. I get it. You like Haruhi, and she went for tono instead. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t need to hide it from me. You can rant about it if you want, and I’ll listen. You should really know by now that you can’t keep things from me.”
“I just… it’s not fair, okay?” Hikaru muttered. “I mean… I took her on a date first, Kaoru. Doesn’t that mean tono should have backed off in the first place?”
“Not necessarily, Hikaru,” Kaoru said cautiously. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I’m supposed to be on your side. But tono’s in love with Haruhi. He’s been in love with her for a really long time. And when you two went on your date, you didn’t even have feelings for her yet. And if Haruhi loves him back, then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t have gone for her.”
“But… but…”
“I don’t even think he knew you had feelings for her, Hikaru,” Kaoru said softly, patting his brother’s arm. “You can’t be mad at tono for following his heart. You would have done the same thing, right?”
“Whatever,” Hikaru muttered with a heavy sigh.
“Hey, come on,” Kaoru said, fluffing his brother’s hair. “Stop being such a little kid. It’s not tono’s fault.”
“But…” Hikaru looked frustrated, and Kaoru laughed just a little.
“Look at yourself, Hikaru,” he said. “You’re being ridiculous. Wait here, okay? I’m going to make a phone call.”
“Who are you calling?” Hikaru asked him suspiciously, and he just smiled and took his business into the hallway. On the padded mauve carpet he slipped out his bright orange cell phone and dialed Haruhi’s home number. He wasn’t sure if Tamaki still had his cell phone in service, so he figured it would be a safer bet to just call Haruhi instead.
“Hello?” she asked, sounding a little tired.
“Hey, Haruhi, is tono there?” he asked, though it was simply a formality. He could hear Tamaki babbling excitedly to her in the background.
“Yeah, he is. Do you want to talk to him?” Haruhi asked him, and Kaoru smiled.
“Yeah,” he replied.
“Senpai, Kaoru’s on the phone for you,” he heard Haruhi said, muffled, and then Tamaki’s voice blasted into his ear.
“Hi, Kaoru!” he sounded unreasonably happy, and Kaoru found himself smiling at the good fortune of his friend. He was happy that things had turned out this way. Tamaki and Haruhi both seemed to be happy together, and he could almost feel the joy and love radiating from them when they were in the same room. It was like some sort of cheesy romantic comedy, and it made him feel happy and lucky to be a part of it.
“Hey, tono. I was wondering if you could come over a bit. Hikaru’s been having some trouble dealing with you and Haruhi being a couple, and I thought maybe you could talk some sense into him and make him realize what a good thing it really is. You think you could try?”
“I’d be happy to,” Tamaki said. “But I don’t know if it’s going to work.”
“That’s okay,” Kaoru assured him. “Just as long as he knows you’re not antagonizing him.”
“He thinks that?” Tamaki asked, alarmed, and Kaoru had to smile. It was hard to believe that someone could be so good-natured, especially when that person also happened to be this absolutely ridiculous. “Why would he think that?”
“Don’t freak out, tono. Just come over and make him see that it’s not like that, okay?”
“Of course,” Tamaki assured him, and the scraping sound in the phone made Kaoru sure that his friend was nodding. “I’ll take the train over and I can be there in half an hour!”
“Look at you, taking the train,” Kaoru said, amused. “You must feel like a real live commoner, huh?”
“I do!” Tamaki exclaimed. “I feel so alive, getting up every morning and riding the train to school. I’m like a regular middle class citizen! It feels absolutely thrilling!”
“I’m sure it does. I’ll see you in a little while, okay?” Kaoru asked.
“Alright,” Tamaki said, and as they hung up Kaoru felt a strange sense of relief. He spent the next forty minutes with Hikaru, playing the Mario game on the Gameboy. Hikaru played rather halfheartedly and Kaoru couldn’t help smiling and shaking his head. Hikaru was growing up, but he still had such a long way to go before he expanded his world enough for him to see that other people weren’t always dong things to antagonize him. For Hikaru, still so closed up inside that little box, life was much more complicated than it was for Kaoru. They had opened so many doors together, but it was up to Hikaru to go through them on his own. Kaoru was simply waiting for the time when he would.
When there was a knock on their bedroom door, Kaoru answered it with a smile on his face. Tamaki stood on the other side of the door, looking worried and wearing the kind of outfit that made it obvious he had left the house in a hurry. Kaoru ushered him into the room.
“Tono! What a surprise!” he said cheerfully. Hikaru looked up from his game and scowled just a little, and Kaoru fought back the urge to apologize for him. He hoped Hikaru didn’t feel betrayed that he had called Tamaki to come over after he was confided his feelings in him. “Hikaru, look who’s here!”
“Hello, Hikaru,” Tamaki said rather timidly, given his usually bold nature, and Kaoru was amused. Hikaru ignored him. “Kaoru told me you weren’t too happy about Haruhi and I starting a relationship.”
“So?” Hikaru asked, scowling a little at his senpai. “Why do you care?”
“Because we’re friends, Hikaru!” Tamaki said calmly, moving over to the bed and taking a seat. Hikaru scooted a bit away from him. It embarrassed Kaoru just slightly that his twin was acting so utterly childishly, but there wasn’t much he could do. All he could do was sit and watch and hope for the best.
“Yeah,” Hikaru admitted. Tamaki smiled.
“I’m sorry if I was insensitive,” Tamaki told him. “I didn’t realize you had feelings for Haruhi too. If I had known, I probably would have told you what I intended to do before I did it. I’m sure you’re angry at me, and I’m sorry I upset you.”
Hikaru didn’t say anything, and Kaoru shot him a poisonous look and tried to communicate with his eyes that he was supposed to forgive the blonde. Hikaru didn’t look at him and he sighed, frustrated. Sometimes he felt like an overworked parent rather than a twin to the exasperating redhead who sat on the bed avoiding the gaze of both people in the room.
“Hikaru…” Tamaki took a deep breath, and Kaoru found himself feeling very sorry for him. He would never want to be on the end of Hikaru’s anger. “I love Haruhi very much. I would do anything to make sure she was happy. If I thought she would be happier without me, then I wouldn’t be with her right now,” he scooted a little closer to Hikaru and put his hand on his shoulder. Hikaru didn’t recoil, and Kaoru was proud. “Please understand that I care about her more than anything, and I’ll never let her get hurt because of me. I’m not doing any of this to hurt you, though I’m sure it feels like it. I’m doing this because it makes Haruhi happy… and because it makes me happy, too. We really like being together. I hope in time you’ll come to understand that and stop being mad at me.”
“I’m not… mad at you,” Hikaru muttered, looking up at him a bit. “I just sort of… well… I really like Haruhi, tono. I wanted to be with her, and I didn’t really notice before, and then you came along and swept her off her feet and… I don’t know. I guess I thought I deserved her more than you did.”
“And now?”
Hikaru sighed heavily, and Kaoru could sense that he was shedding his pride. “I guess… you deserve her, tono. If you guys make each other happy, then I have no right to resent you two being a couple.”
Tamaki smiled and patted Hikaru’s arm. “Thank you.”
“Truce?” Hikaru asked, and Tamaki nodded.
“Sure.”
“Who wants to go and watch some tv in the den?” Kaoru asked, relieved that this leap had been made on Hikaru’s part. He wanted to cause a diversion before Hikaru could think any more vindictive thoughts. As the three of them headed in the direction of the den, Kaoru smiled at his brother. He felt a little wistful, because he was almost completely sure that a few moments earlier, he had clearly seen him take a step through that door.
Rating: G for now, may go up ^^;
Warnings: spoilers for the end of the anime
Progress: 34/47
Summary: In need of a performing arts credit for her transcript, Haruhi seeks piano lessons from Tamaki. The result is a bit more bonding than either of them ever expected. How can you focus on school when you're falling in love... and what complications will arise when a member of the Suoh family is willing to give up everything for a commoner?
Chapter 34! Sorry for the mass of twin content in this one XD TamaHaru will resume in the next chapter. I just wanted to get this one out of the way.
When Kaoru came home from a quick trip to L’Armont’s Boutique with his mother and came bounding into the bedroom that was Hikaru’s but the two of them more or less shared, he found Hikaru in a deep funk. The older twin’s back was propped up against the headboard and he was glaring at the handheld game he was playing. Instantly, Kaoru knew he was in for a world of grousing and sighed, setting his bag down beside the door.
“Hey, Hikaru,” he said cheerfully, strolling over to the bed as though he thought nothing was wrong. “You missed some really nice shirts today. They were bringing out the spring collection. We got a special preview. You should have come along.”
“Why should I care about shirts?” Hikaru muttered, frowning a little deeper at his game. Kaoru flopped down on the bed beside him and scooted closer to his brother, resting his head on his shoulder and peering at the game as though he was interested.
“What’re you playing?” he asked in a friendly tone, and Hikaru shrugged noncommittally.
“Mario,” he muttered. “But it’s boring.”
“Want to play another game?” Kaoru asked gently, and Hikaru shrugged again.
“I don’t care,” he mumbled. Kaoru sighed and stretched out a little. He stared at his brother, seeing the swirling colors of irritation in his eyes, and knew that if he did anything to bring up the subject of said irritation, it was going to be one long day. However, Kaoru was his brother and felt a certain responsibility to make sure that he was happy. Steeling himself, he smiled.
“Is something wrong, Hikaru?” he asked, setting his hand gently on Hikaru’s arm.
“Naw,” Hikaru replied halfheartedly, staring blankly at the game screen, though he had gotten a game over. He made no moves to start a new game. Kaoru sighed and leaned his head on his brother’s shoulder again.
“You wanna go and see if the cook will make us some cookies?” he asked, and Hikaru shrugged. Usually, cookies were a good source of joy when it came to Hikaru, and so Kaoru was worried just a bit more. “Do you wanna go and prank call tono?”
“To hell with tono,” Hikaru hissed.
“Ohhh, so you’re mad about him and Haruhi?” Kaoru asked, patting his brother on the shoulder. He felt a little like a mother discovering her son’s first grade school crush.
“No!” Hikaru argued, tossing his Gameboy off to the side and staring out the window. Kaoru chuckled a little.
“Look, Hikaru, it’s okay for you to be upset. I get it. You like Haruhi, and she went for tono instead. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t need to hide it from me. You can rant about it if you want, and I’ll listen. You should really know by now that you can’t keep things from me.”
“I just… it’s not fair, okay?” Hikaru muttered. “I mean… I took her on a date first, Kaoru. Doesn’t that mean tono should have backed off in the first place?”
“Not necessarily, Hikaru,” Kaoru said cautiously. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I’m supposed to be on your side. But tono’s in love with Haruhi. He’s been in love with her for a really long time. And when you two went on your date, you didn’t even have feelings for her yet. And if Haruhi loves him back, then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t have gone for her.”
“But… but…”
“I don’t even think he knew you had feelings for her, Hikaru,” Kaoru said softly, patting his brother’s arm. “You can’t be mad at tono for following his heart. You would have done the same thing, right?”
“Whatever,” Hikaru muttered with a heavy sigh.
“Hey, come on,” Kaoru said, fluffing his brother’s hair. “Stop being such a little kid. It’s not tono’s fault.”
“But…” Hikaru looked frustrated, and Kaoru laughed just a little.
“Look at yourself, Hikaru,” he said. “You’re being ridiculous. Wait here, okay? I’m going to make a phone call.”
“Who are you calling?” Hikaru asked him suspiciously, and he just smiled and took his business into the hallway. On the padded mauve carpet he slipped out his bright orange cell phone and dialed Haruhi’s home number. He wasn’t sure if Tamaki still had his cell phone in service, so he figured it would be a safer bet to just call Haruhi instead.
“Hello?” she asked, sounding a little tired.
“Hey, Haruhi, is tono there?” he asked, though it was simply a formality. He could hear Tamaki babbling excitedly to her in the background.
“Yeah, he is. Do you want to talk to him?” Haruhi asked him, and Kaoru smiled.
“Yeah,” he replied.
“Senpai, Kaoru’s on the phone for you,” he heard Haruhi said, muffled, and then Tamaki’s voice blasted into his ear.
“Hi, Kaoru!” he sounded unreasonably happy, and Kaoru found himself smiling at the good fortune of his friend. He was happy that things had turned out this way. Tamaki and Haruhi both seemed to be happy together, and he could almost feel the joy and love radiating from them when they were in the same room. It was like some sort of cheesy romantic comedy, and it made him feel happy and lucky to be a part of it.
“Hey, tono. I was wondering if you could come over a bit. Hikaru’s been having some trouble dealing with you and Haruhi being a couple, and I thought maybe you could talk some sense into him and make him realize what a good thing it really is. You think you could try?”
“I’d be happy to,” Tamaki said. “But I don’t know if it’s going to work.”
“That’s okay,” Kaoru assured him. “Just as long as he knows you’re not antagonizing him.”
“He thinks that?” Tamaki asked, alarmed, and Kaoru had to smile. It was hard to believe that someone could be so good-natured, especially when that person also happened to be this absolutely ridiculous. “Why would he think that?”
“Don’t freak out, tono. Just come over and make him see that it’s not like that, okay?”
“Of course,” Tamaki assured him, and the scraping sound in the phone made Kaoru sure that his friend was nodding. “I’ll take the train over and I can be there in half an hour!”
“Look at you, taking the train,” Kaoru said, amused. “You must feel like a real live commoner, huh?”
“I do!” Tamaki exclaimed. “I feel so alive, getting up every morning and riding the train to school. I’m like a regular middle class citizen! It feels absolutely thrilling!”
“I’m sure it does. I’ll see you in a little while, okay?” Kaoru asked.
“Alright,” Tamaki said, and as they hung up Kaoru felt a strange sense of relief. He spent the next forty minutes with Hikaru, playing the Mario game on the Gameboy. Hikaru played rather halfheartedly and Kaoru couldn’t help smiling and shaking his head. Hikaru was growing up, but he still had such a long way to go before he expanded his world enough for him to see that other people weren’t always dong things to antagonize him. For Hikaru, still so closed up inside that little box, life was much more complicated than it was for Kaoru. They had opened so many doors together, but it was up to Hikaru to go through them on his own. Kaoru was simply waiting for the time when he would.
When there was a knock on their bedroom door, Kaoru answered it with a smile on his face. Tamaki stood on the other side of the door, looking worried and wearing the kind of outfit that made it obvious he had left the house in a hurry. Kaoru ushered him into the room.
“Tono! What a surprise!” he said cheerfully. Hikaru looked up from his game and scowled just a little, and Kaoru fought back the urge to apologize for him. He hoped Hikaru didn’t feel betrayed that he had called Tamaki to come over after he was confided his feelings in him. “Hikaru, look who’s here!”
“Hello, Hikaru,” Tamaki said rather timidly, given his usually bold nature, and Kaoru was amused. Hikaru ignored him. “Kaoru told me you weren’t too happy about Haruhi and I starting a relationship.”
“So?” Hikaru asked, scowling a little at his senpai. “Why do you care?”
“Because we’re friends, Hikaru!” Tamaki said calmly, moving over to the bed and taking a seat. Hikaru scooted a bit away from him. It embarrassed Kaoru just slightly that his twin was acting so utterly childishly, but there wasn’t much he could do. All he could do was sit and watch and hope for the best.
“Yeah,” Hikaru admitted. Tamaki smiled.
“I’m sorry if I was insensitive,” Tamaki told him. “I didn’t realize you had feelings for Haruhi too. If I had known, I probably would have told you what I intended to do before I did it. I’m sure you’re angry at me, and I’m sorry I upset you.”
Hikaru didn’t say anything, and Kaoru shot him a poisonous look and tried to communicate with his eyes that he was supposed to forgive the blonde. Hikaru didn’t look at him and he sighed, frustrated. Sometimes he felt like an overworked parent rather than a twin to the exasperating redhead who sat on the bed avoiding the gaze of both people in the room.
“Hikaru…” Tamaki took a deep breath, and Kaoru found himself feeling very sorry for him. He would never want to be on the end of Hikaru’s anger. “I love Haruhi very much. I would do anything to make sure she was happy. If I thought she would be happier without me, then I wouldn’t be with her right now,” he scooted a little closer to Hikaru and put his hand on his shoulder. Hikaru didn’t recoil, and Kaoru was proud. “Please understand that I care about her more than anything, and I’ll never let her get hurt because of me. I’m not doing any of this to hurt you, though I’m sure it feels like it. I’m doing this because it makes Haruhi happy… and because it makes me happy, too. We really like being together. I hope in time you’ll come to understand that and stop being mad at me.”
“I’m not… mad at you,” Hikaru muttered, looking up at him a bit. “I just sort of… well… I really like Haruhi, tono. I wanted to be with her, and I didn’t really notice before, and then you came along and swept her off her feet and… I don’t know. I guess I thought I deserved her more than you did.”
“And now?”
Hikaru sighed heavily, and Kaoru could sense that he was shedding his pride. “I guess… you deserve her, tono. If you guys make each other happy, then I have no right to resent you two being a couple.”
Tamaki smiled and patted Hikaru’s arm. “Thank you.”
“Truce?” Hikaru asked, and Tamaki nodded.
“Sure.”
“Who wants to go and watch some tv in the den?” Kaoru asked, relieved that this leap had been made on Hikaru’s part. He wanted to cause a diversion before Hikaru could think any more vindictive thoughts. As the three of them headed in the direction of the den, Kaoru smiled at his brother. He felt a little wistful, because he was almost completely sure that a few moments earlier, he had clearly seen him take a step through that door.