Log: Tomoka & Horio - A Shoulder to Cry On
Who: Osakada Tomoka and Horio Satoshi
Where: Tomoka's Room
When: March 7th
What: Horio comes to study with Tomoka and lends her a comforting hand when the news of her breakup is revealed.
Rating: PG
Comments: The dork can be perceptive sometimes~
It was part of his rehabilitation; Horio had made a habit of swimming back and forth in the swimming pool for half an hour each day; it helped him regain his strength. It was also a very good way to meditate, allow his mind to wander and deal with whatever had happened during the day. This day, as he climbed up from the water, he had come to the conclusion that Tomo-chan had been strangely quiet in class, and had almost seemed angry when the teacher had asked her questions. He guessed that something was up, but he had no idea what. That, in turn, made him worried. It was enough that he worried about Echizen, but that was almost a given and a daily basis thing; with Tomo-chan, it was different. While he dried himself off, he reached for his cell phone and dialed her number, drying his hair while he waited for her to pick up.
It was a chore to get up and act normal lately. Who would have thought she was the type to cry in her sleep too? Not that she'd let anyone ever notice-- she was a master of hiding it with makeup and plastering on her usual smile. Half the people around her normally thought she was fake already or didn't pay much attention so she didn't have to exert much effort. It was the ones who did pay attention that gave her a bit of a rough time. And would you know it? One was calling right now... She didn't want to pick up but if she didn't it would only make the idiot come rushing knowing him.
With a sigh she opened her cell to answer. "What do you want?"
Well, that made him feel welcomed on a whole new level. He made a small face, and a sigh of his own escaped him. "I'd really prefer to do something other than waste my time with you when you talk to me like that, but... Hey. You. What's going on?"
"You're the one who keeps deciding to talk to me~" she chimed, hiding her irritation. But she also had to push aside the small feeling in her that desperately wanted his company; or anyone's for that matter. It was tough enough keeping the facade during classes lately and she didn't think she could do so well when alone with someone. "Homework as usual though, thought I mentioned that before."
"Yeah. You know, we have the same homework. Wanna do 'em together? I'm coming over, okay? Don't go anywhere." He talked fast and then hung up, afraid she'd might tell him to take a hike otherwise. Now he just had to get dressed and then make his way over to her room.
Darn it all to heck, he would hang up on her before she could say no. She groaned and set her phone aside, scrambling to get herself in a presentable and convincing outfit and attitude. No doubt he was running to get there as soon as he could. At the very least she knew he had to stop by his room still for his homework so she had some time to get herself together. It wasn't like she couldn't just deny him at the door... though she wasn't sure if she still had the heart to; even she had her limits of being a jerk to the guy.
Well in his room, Horio took a moment to pull a comb through his hair and pull on some of his private clothes; being in school uniform after washing up felt weird. He packed his books, made sure he remembered to bring enough pencils and a sharpener - he was notorious for snapping the tip when he got excited while writing - and then decided he was good to go. He figured he didn't need any aftershave; he still smelled good after the swim and following shower after all. (And if he were to take a moment and ponder why he wanted to look his best while simply going over to and old friend to do homework with her... Well. He wouldn't come up with a sufficent answer.) Not before long, he was in front of her door, and he knocked rapidly at it. "Tomo-cha~n~!"
"What?" she sighed, setting up her own books at her desk. Tomoka was done up in her usual fashion, just a bit of extra makeup to mask her eyes. Crying every night was taking its toll but thank goodness for cover up! Her clothes were always neatly set aside in outfits too so she never had to worry about not matching as her brain definitely was not concerned with looking fashionable lately. She was able to get herself ready in time, only somewhere along the line she forgot to lock the door. The girl really was off her game lately.
"It's me, it's study time~!" He wasn't sure why he tried the handle on the door, but as he did, he found to his surprise that the door opened effortlessly. He blinked, slightly confused and alarmed, and stepped inside. "... Hey."
"Hi..." she replied with a small sigh, moving to sit on her bed since it was right next to her desk so he could sit in the chair. She definitely did not want to be sitting beside the boy right now. He could be oddly perceptive sometimes and she didn't want to take any chances. Tomoka would somehow just have to bury herself in the work to ignore him and her lingering feelings until he left. If she could do it for at least six hours of class she could manage a bit of time with him, or so she hoped.
He took a seat and opened a book, flipping through it. "So... The colonization of Australia, right?" Now where did he put his notes... He fiddled around for a bit, his gaze every now and then passing over her. "Hey, did you give Fuji-senpai anything for his birthday? I totally forgot."
"I made him a bento." she murmured in reply as she took out her notes and skimmed through the textbook a little. Thankfully his birthday had been before she got that call so she was in her usual spirits. It was filled with strangely spicey recipes which had been fun to tinker with; not so much to taste test. She could feel Horio's gaze on her every now and then but tried to ignore it and only concentrate on the dull text in front of her. This was going to be a difficult hour or so if he started asking her a lot of questions that weren't homework related; which he no doubt would.
"Oh? Did he like it?" Fuji-senpai was - if his memory served him correctly - very strange, as far as food went. "Oh! Did I ask you what you were doing during Valentine's?" He was fairly sure he had asked her, but there was his gut feeling again, urging him to comment again.
"Yeah." Oops, she was commenting short. She pulled out her pencil and started scribbling notes as an excuse for not paying him too much mind. Of course it was hard not to feel something when he decided to bring up Valentine's. Her pencil halted to a stop and she inhaled sharply for a moment-- have to get ahold of yourself! "Yes, you did." she managed back, her pencil going back to work again. Tomoka hoped the moment of insecurity was only a split second and not enough for him to notice. But just in case, it was best to get him talking about himself so maybe he wouldn't pay attention to her. "I don't think you said how yours was though."
"Mine was dull and dull and dull, of course!" He made a small face. "Listen, I'm sixteen and I've never been on a single date, okay? How's that for pathetic? And it's not like the girls go out of their way to make me chocolate either." Cue pout for a second or two, before his face broke up into a grin. "I'm kind of used to it though, so it's all right."
"Your bragging must scare them all away, buchou-boy~" she mused, not quite able to ignore him. She felt a little bad he hadn't had anyone to spend it with, but at the same time she was glad he didn't have to deal with the feelings she had right now. "I did make Valentine's treats but I guess you didn't bother checking." Her expression was sad for a moment, thinking of what had become of her gift sent to her once beloved. Had he thrown it in the trash the moment he got it?
"My bragging?! I'm not bragging, I'm simply pointing out how awesome I am!" He paused, the look on her face not going unnoticed. "... Tomo? Did you have a fight with someone? Sakuno? Your parents? Your boyfriend?"
"..." she was quiet for a moment, not sure how to respond. She hated how he and Ryoma could pick up on her subtle changes just when she didn't want them to. A fake smile replaced the sad expression in seconds and she let out a laugh, "Me, have a fight with someone? Don't be ridiculous~"
"... Uh. You fight with me all the time, genius!" He made a small face. "Or is it that I'm just that special to you? That's it, isn't it? I have a secret special mega big place in your heart, right??"
"Yeah, as the most annoying boy in existence." she grumbled a little, but laughed about it lightly after and went back to the books. Conversation was definitely not good, but at least they were away from Valentine's and talk of her boyfriend; or so she hoped.
He went back to the homework as well, being silent for a while. Then, he spoke, without looking up. "... You really think that's it? I'm the most annoying guy ever? Is that why girls won't give me the time of day? Is that why I piss Dan off as soon as I open my mouth? I don't mean to do it. And you know, just the other day... Even Kikumaru-senpai seemed annoyed with me. I mean, he said he wasn't, but at first it really seemed like he was."
She should have known that letting him talk would lead to his problems coming up. But maybe concentrating on his instead of her broken heart would make this study time end faster. "If you were do you think I'd have been your friend for this long? Idiot..." she sighed, handing him her extra notes on the section she noticed him struggling with. She wasn't sure what happened with the other boys but no doubt it was just from him running his mouth like usual.
Now he did look up. "Are we really friends? I mean... You're upset about something, but you won't confide in me. I wanna make you feel better. Because... Something's off with you. And I can't, if you don't tell me what's going on." Great move there, Horio, work on the guilt tripping...
Tomoka bit her lip, holding back at cursing him for bringing it up like that. Leave it to him to bring it up in a way that made her feel bad for feeling bad. "It's not something that you need to be concerned about or have me confide in you for..." she exhaled, her voice shaky as she tried not to let herself get upset. It was clear he got a rise out of her but she was not going to break down now; she couldn't, especially not in front of him.
He studied her for a moment, then put his books aside, getting to his feet. It was mostly a matter of standing up and then sitting down again, but he did transfer himself from the chair to the bed, sitting down next to her. He put his hand on her head, his torso only milimeters away from her arm. "You know what? I think I do need it."
"You idiot..." she sighed, dropping her books and notes onto the desk involuntarily as she felt him sit beside her. "It's none of your business..." Tomoka grabbed the hand on her head and wanted to shove it away, but just couldn't bring herself too as she held it. She didn't mean anything she had been saying to him, it was pretty clear to see on her face as she refused to glance up at him.
"You think I care? I'm pretty good at shoving my nose in everyone's business." His fingers intertwined with hers, but he didn't move his hand away.
"Just go away..." Her free hand form a fist that she punched his chest with pathetically, it was hardly enough force to even cause a tickle no doubt. "Leave me alone, you're so annoying..!" Oh wait, those words felt familiar-- that was right, they were the same ones she had been told when her boyfriend finally broke up with her. She couldn't stop a few tears finally escape from her eyes. So much for not looking weak...
"..." He was half a mind to tell her to shut up, but he caught a glimmer of something on her cheek. A... A tear? Was it, really? He closed his mouth around the words that had been close to slipping out, and instead his hand left her head and draped around her shoulder. "Yeah, you know me," he mumbled against her hair. "Stupid and annoying."
Why did he have to be so close to her? It only made it worse and harder for her to not just give in to her weak crying self. "No... I am..." she whimpered, trying to push away from him but knowing fully well her strength was more concentrated on not breaking down into more tears than the few that kept escaping onto her cheeks.
"Why would you say that?" He wasn't planning on letting her go any time soon, instead his grip around her tightened.
"Because he said so..." she finally cried, frustrated as his grip tightened because it only made her feel like giving in more. "All of it, he told me all of it like I was nothing..!" And she, being the naive girl she still was with relationships herself believed every word. It had been eating away at her since and she had managed to hide it somehow but not like this. Having someone hold her so close she knew she couldn't hide and her feelings betrayed her.
He? Her boyfriend. Of course, had to be. Horio found himself getting angry, but it wasn't the time and place for that, so he inhaled deeply, slowly. "Oh yeah? Either he's a stupid fuck hiding behind his own words because anything else is too scary, or he simply doesn't know you. At all."
Tomoka shook her head, "But it has to be true..." Otherwise it meant that she had just been played around with which she didn't want to believe. He had been her first serious boyfriend, how could she bring herself to think that he was in fact the loser that she had chosen to go out with. That she had let herself be played around with for the year they had been a couple and defended him without a doubt in her mind when she was nothing to him. No, it had to be a problem with her-- even if it made her feel horrible and turn this weak in front of her friend.
"What if it's not? Because to me, that's a load of bull."
"Because... I don't know what else it could be!" Just as much as Horio got into other people's business so did she after all. Not that it was the case this time, she had done nothing wrong but be in love with the guy-- but she didn't know any better. "I don't want to know what else it could be..." she added, pushing away from him finally. If she stayed close to him she would just get more upset; she had missed the feeling of being held close so much... but using her friend for it was no way to cope with things.
"... Well, how about it could be the truth? That he's just... Wrong in the head or something?" He missed holding her, and it was with reluctance he let go. "Did he... Break up with you?"
Tomoka simply sent him a small nod as a response, still refusing to look up at him. It hurt to acknowledge that it was really over between her once beloved and she was still beating herself up over it. What did she do wrong? What could she have donce to fix things? It hadn't been like this before she left for the camp, so it had to have been her fault...
Now he knew, more precisely. And now he had no clue what to say. He felt pathetic, looking at her, shoulders sagging. "Oh." He partly wanted her to cheer up, and partly wanted her to aknowledge that she was hurting and submit to it, if only for a little while, and he really didn't know what would be best for her in the long run. "I'll beat the crap outta him!" And that probably wasn't the best thing he could have said, no.
Definitely not the best thing he could say and Tomoka chose to ignore it and stayed silent. She didn't know what to do now that she had told him only that the lump in her throat was preventing her from speaking up. If she did no doubt the tears would take over and she didn't want to be a crying mess in front of him. It was a silly thing to be stubborn over, that was for sure; especially since it was probably what she really needed.
"Hey, are you gonna cry or what?" So subtle there, Horio... He prodded gently at her shoulder. "You should, you know."
Tomoka shook her head obstinantly, knowing if she spoke up she would whether she wanted to or not. His touch was threatening her to though, so she inched away slightly on the bed.
"Tomo, wait!" And he reached out, with both his hands, gripping her shoulders as he attempted to pull her close, awkward position be damned.
Curse him... curse the idiot so! "Let go..!" she whimpered, the tears starting as soon as she was pulled in. It wasn't like she was going to fight back, she didn't want to but neither did she want to cry. Or at least she thought she hadn't wanted to... but now that the tears were going she couldn't stop. "Jerk..."
He didn't say anything, only pulled her even closer, sitting both of them down on the bed again. He wasn't good with consoling words, so he for once did the smart thing and said nothing. He only patted her back, in small, soothing circles, much like when he tried to comfort his little sister when they were younger.
Tomoka didn't try to shove him away and instead found herself clinging to him, wanting the comfort of his touch even though she had been refusing it. She cried more than she ever wanted to in front of him but was too tired trying to hold it back now.
He could feel his shirt getting wet - and he had chosen it with such care too - and he could feel her breath through the damp fabric in warm puffs of air. If he strained his senses enough, it was almost as if he could hear her heartbeat. It felt... So odd. He continued to hold her.
Not like Tomoka wouldn't lament her tearstained outfit either, and all that wasted makeup for the day too. She of course didn't pay much attention to the little things like their heartbeats, just the endless stream of tears and trying not to breathe too irregularly. It was miserably bawling her eyes out like that especially when selfishly clnging to him for comfort like she hadn't wanted to. But having someone hold her close, it had been so long she had missed the sensation; even if on second thought it was awkward between them.
He reminded himself to go get her some water afterwards, since he realized she'd cry herself completely dry if she kept this up. He didn't want her to feel more uncomfortable than she absolutely had to. "I can't say the right things," he mumbled, one hand playing with her hair, "and if I try to say something at all, it's gonna be all wrong and weird. But... I think you're a great girl, okay? That's... That's all."
She didn't respond to his words, she couldn't really with that lump in her throat preventing her from it or else she'd just cry harder, but she paid attention to them. It made her chest lighten ever so slightly even she was still overcome with trying to erase her broken heart in her tears. Tomoka rested her head on his shoulder as she continued to bawl, clinging to him weakly. Her mind was finally off how awkward she would feel about the whole thing later-- though she'd kick herself over it later no doubt when she was back to her senses.
After holding her for god knew how long, his back was seriously starting to smart, but he didn't want to shift his position, didn't want to bother her until she was really done crying. He had to wonder when he had gotten this sensitive. Maybe because he actually had been a captain for a full year; he could be unselfish. Sometimes. It happened. You just stuck up for your friends when they were feeling bad. That was all there was to it. Only that. Of course.
Of course Tomoka, knowing him throughout his reign as captain and long before, could still pick up on his feelings whether she admited it or not. The most subtle movement of his muscles and sound of his breathing alerted her for a his slight discomfort. She knew she had cried quite a bit already and was calming down anyway which is how she even noticed in the first place. As much as she put him down she really did know how much he had changed to be more caring despite the fact his mouth still ran on its own. She pulled away a little, trying to ease her breathing and let go of his shirt she had been clinging to so she could wipe away her stray tears. No doubt she looked like a mess...
She did, make-up runny and mascara staining her cheeks, and that coupled with eyeshadow and ruined foundation made it look like she had quite the shiners around her eyes. Of course, the blood shot state of said eyes didn't help matters much either. To give her some sense of privacy, and to give her a moment or two to compose herself, he looked away, starting to unbutton his shirt. He had a t-shirt underneath anyway, and it wasn't quite as soaked as the shirt. He shrugged the latter off his shoulders and folded it up in his lap, staring down at it rather than looking at her.
Being the master makeup artist she was for herself she of course was just as skilled at cleaning it up. At least it had mostly been washed away, it was just smeared into a mess on her face. Thankfully it wouldn't stain his clothes that she would probably offer to clean later out of embarrassment. She leaned over to grab a few tissues from the box on her desk and quickly dabbed away the tears and ugly mess of makeup. Thank god her nose hadn't been runny too, like she wasn't pathetic looking enough. Tomoka let out a small sigh as she finished cleaning up her face-- now her eyes were just red and her face was plain; ugly looking still but oh well, it was the best she could do.
He wasn't sure how long she needed, but when he figured she had had enough time to make herself presentable again, he looked up and gave a weak grin. "So... Want some water?"
She nodded, finally glancing up to him for a moment only to see that odd grin of his. It was goofy and she wondered how he managed to seriously lead a team at one time with a face like that. At the same time she was a little fond of it, not that she'd admit it.
He jumped to his feet and started outside her room, heading towards the closest vending machine. As he returned, a couple of minutes later, he was carrying two bottles with fresh water. He tossed her one. "Here you go~!"
She caught it effortlessly, leave it to him to throw a drink at a girl; not that she minded. He was one of the few people who knew she was more of a tomboy than she let on. After she took a swig of the water the lump in her throat disappeared and she could speak safely again, "Thanks."
Whether she thanked him for the water, or for the shoulder to cry on, or both, or something else, it didn't matter. He simply replied:
"You're welcome."
And then sat down on the bed again, chugging down some water himself.
She took another drink of her water and set it down, finally calmed down. Tomoka never sincerely thanked him for much but she had meant it this time. Turning to glance over at him she let out a soft laugh noticing his shirt. "You would wear a t-shirt like that under a dress shirt."
"Hey, are we back to criticizing the Horio? If we are, I kind of wanna know." He mock pouted at her and proceeded to carefully throw his now empty water bottle on her. (It was plastic, it wouldn't hurt her.)
She blocked the attack and looked at him almost appalled. "No wonder you don't get any girls like that." she mocked, shoving him enough to almost knock him off her bed. "And what's with the oresama attitude, idiot."
And of course he flailed around like an idiot. "HEY HEY HEY!!"
He found his balance and made a face at her. "I have it perfected!" (Keigo probably woudln't agree...)
"Yeah... like a parrot." she stuck her tongue out at him for a moment and then poked at his forehead, giving it a nice push to. It was funny seeing him flail about and lose his balance, she couldn't resist~ And now that she had all the tears out of her system and was re-hydrated she needed a good laugh.
And wham bam, he was down on the floor, still flailing and somehow managing to rub his butt while flailing about. "HEY!!!"
"Hi yourself." she smiled, looming over him from the bed and holding back more laughter. How he managed to land on his butt she wasn't sure but it was still amusing either way.
"DAMN IT WOMAN, YOU'LL BE THE DEATH OF ME!!" Quit with the caps, dear.
"You should be glad, you'll be living on the edge all the time like a true buchou-boy~" she mused, happily safe up on her mattress. He didn't really phase her, shouting like an idiot or not, so he could yell all he wanted-- it'd just make her giggle.
He continued to rub his behind while he looked up at her. "... I like that much better," he decided cheerfully. "But even though I like your smile the best, you shouldn't feel bad about not smiling, every once in a while. You know? You're just like Echizen. Trying to act tough and all, and then you break and you tear yourselves apart. It's better when you don't break."
That on the other hand did catch her a little by surprise, and it showed on her face as her smile disappeared for a while as she just stared down at him. "Horio..." Sure his execution wasn't the smartest or most touching, but coming from him it certainly was.
He grinned sheepishly. "You know... I love you and Echizen both. You might not love me back or anything, but... You're my friends. I mean, sure, you drive me up the wall, and I'm envious as hell where he's concerned, but... I want you two to be unbreaked again."
She couldn't help a small blush that rose to her cheeks from that. It had been a while since a boy had told her they loved her; in fact the last was probably Horio in that delirious stupor of his after taking a fist to the face. The girl wasn't convinced the meaning was anything past friendship, if not feeling like family. But it still made her feel a bit lighthearted. "Stupid... we let it happen to ourselves because there's a certain someone around who easily breaks all the time." she sighed softly, and held out her hand for him to help him back up.
He took her hand. "Really? Who?" Intelligent, he was not. Most of the time.
"The elephant in the room... you, dummy." Tomoka laughed, pulling him up-- she was a lot stronger than she let on after all.
Horio stumbled to his feet and blushed, still looking slightly confused. "I'm no elephant..." It's a saying, dear...
"Definitely not, I'm pretty sure their brains are bigger than yours." She was just oh so nice to him all the time.
"I think you're insulting me," he concluded. (Ya think?)
"Maybe~" she smiled and pat the mattress for him to sit back down. She had his company now and with him acting like that no doubt by the end of his visit they really would need to get some homework done.
Where: Tomoka's Room
When: March 7th
What: Horio comes to study with Tomoka and lends her a comforting hand when the news of her breakup is revealed.
Rating: PG
Comments: The dork can be perceptive sometimes~
It was part of his rehabilitation; Horio had made a habit of swimming back and forth in the swimming pool for half an hour each day; it helped him regain his strength. It was also a very good way to meditate, allow his mind to wander and deal with whatever had happened during the day. This day, as he climbed up from the water, he had come to the conclusion that Tomo-chan had been strangely quiet in class, and had almost seemed angry when the teacher had asked her questions. He guessed that something was up, but he had no idea what. That, in turn, made him worried. It was enough that he worried about Echizen, but that was almost a given and a daily basis thing; with Tomo-chan, it was different. While he dried himself off, he reached for his cell phone and dialed her number, drying his hair while he waited for her to pick up.
It was a chore to get up and act normal lately. Who would have thought she was the type to cry in her sleep too? Not that she'd let anyone ever notice-- she was a master of hiding it with makeup and plastering on her usual smile. Half the people around her normally thought she was fake already or didn't pay much attention so she didn't have to exert much effort. It was the ones who did pay attention that gave her a bit of a rough time. And would you know it? One was calling right now... She didn't want to pick up but if she didn't it would only make the idiot come rushing knowing him.
With a sigh she opened her cell to answer. "What do you want?"
Well, that made him feel welcomed on a whole new level. He made a small face, and a sigh of his own escaped him. "I'd really prefer to do something other than waste my time with you when you talk to me like that, but... Hey. You. What's going on?"
"You're the one who keeps deciding to talk to me~" she chimed, hiding her irritation. But she also had to push aside the small feeling in her that desperately wanted his company; or anyone's for that matter. It was tough enough keeping the facade during classes lately and she didn't think she could do so well when alone with someone. "Homework as usual though, thought I mentioned that before."
"Yeah. You know, we have the same homework. Wanna do 'em together? I'm coming over, okay? Don't go anywhere." He talked fast and then hung up, afraid she'd might tell him to take a hike otherwise. Now he just had to get dressed and then make his way over to her room.
Darn it all to heck, he would hang up on her before she could say no. She groaned and set her phone aside, scrambling to get herself in a presentable and convincing outfit and attitude. No doubt he was running to get there as soon as he could. At the very least she knew he had to stop by his room still for his homework so she had some time to get herself together. It wasn't like she couldn't just deny him at the door... though she wasn't sure if she still had the heart to; even she had her limits of being a jerk to the guy.
Well in his room, Horio took a moment to pull a comb through his hair and pull on some of his private clothes; being in school uniform after washing up felt weird. He packed his books, made sure he remembered to bring enough pencils and a sharpener - he was notorious for snapping the tip when he got excited while writing - and then decided he was good to go. He figured he didn't need any aftershave; he still smelled good after the swim and following shower after all. (And if he were to take a moment and ponder why he wanted to look his best while simply going over to and old friend to do homework with her... Well. He wouldn't come up with a sufficent answer.) Not before long, he was in front of her door, and he knocked rapidly at it. "Tomo-cha~n~!"
"What?" she sighed, setting up her own books at her desk. Tomoka was done up in her usual fashion, just a bit of extra makeup to mask her eyes. Crying every night was taking its toll but thank goodness for cover up! Her clothes were always neatly set aside in outfits too so she never had to worry about not matching as her brain definitely was not concerned with looking fashionable lately. She was able to get herself ready in time, only somewhere along the line she forgot to lock the door. The girl really was off her game lately.
"It's me, it's study time~!" He wasn't sure why he tried the handle on the door, but as he did, he found to his surprise that the door opened effortlessly. He blinked, slightly confused and alarmed, and stepped inside. "... Hey."
"Hi..." she replied with a small sigh, moving to sit on her bed since it was right next to her desk so he could sit in the chair. She definitely did not want to be sitting beside the boy right now. He could be oddly perceptive sometimes and she didn't want to take any chances. Tomoka would somehow just have to bury herself in the work to ignore him and her lingering feelings until he left. If she could do it for at least six hours of class she could manage a bit of time with him, or so she hoped.
He took a seat and opened a book, flipping through it. "So... The colonization of Australia, right?" Now where did he put his notes... He fiddled around for a bit, his gaze every now and then passing over her. "Hey, did you give Fuji-senpai anything for his birthday? I totally forgot."
"I made him a bento." she murmured in reply as she took out her notes and skimmed through the textbook a little. Thankfully his birthday had been before she got that call so she was in her usual spirits. It was filled with strangely spicey recipes which had been fun to tinker with; not so much to taste test. She could feel Horio's gaze on her every now and then but tried to ignore it and only concentrate on the dull text in front of her. This was going to be a difficult hour or so if he started asking her a lot of questions that weren't homework related; which he no doubt would.
"Oh? Did he like it?" Fuji-senpai was - if his memory served him correctly - very strange, as far as food went. "Oh! Did I ask you what you were doing during Valentine's?" He was fairly sure he had asked her, but there was his gut feeling again, urging him to comment again.
"Yeah." Oops, she was commenting short. She pulled out her pencil and started scribbling notes as an excuse for not paying him too much mind. Of course it was hard not to feel something when he decided to bring up Valentine's. Her pencil halted to a stop and she inhaled sharply for a moment-- have to get ahold of yourself! "Yes, you did." she managed back, her pencil going back to work again. Tomoka hoped the moment of insecurity was only a split second and not enough for him to notice. But just in case, it was best to get him talking about himself so maybe he wouldn't pay attention to her. "I don't think you said how yours was though."
"Mine was dull and dull and dull, of course!" He made a small face. "Listen, I'm sixteen and I've never been on a single date, okay? How's that for pathetic? And it's not like the girls go out of their way to make me chocolate either." Cue pout for a second or two, before his face broke up into a grin. "I'm kind of used to it though, so it's all right."
"Your bragging must scare them all away, buchou-boy~" she mused, not quite able to ignore him. She felt a little bad he hadn't had anyone to spend it with, but at the same time she was glad he didn't have to deal with the feelings she had right now. "I did make Valentine's treats but I guess you didn't bother checking." Her expression was sad for a moment, thinking of what had become of her gift sent to her once beloved. Had he thrown it in the trash the moment he got it?
"My bragging?! I'm not bragging, I'm simply pointing out how awesome I am!" He paused, the look on her face not going unnoticed. "... Tomo? Did you have a fight with someone? Sakuno? Your parents? Your boyfriend?"
"..." she was quiet for a moment, not sure how to respond. She hated how he and Ryoma could pick up on her subtle changes just when she didn't want them to. A fake smile replaced the sad expression in seconds and she let out a laugh, "Me, have a fight with someone? Don't be ridiculous~"
"... Uh. You fight with me all the time, genius!" He made a small face. "Or is it that I'm just that special to you? That's it, isn't it? I have a secret special mega big place in your heart, right??"
"Yeah, as the most annoying boy in existence." she grumbled a little, but laughed about it lightly after and went back to the books. Conversation was definitely not good, but at least they were away from Valentine's and talk of her boyfriend; or so she hoped.
He went back to the homework as well, being silent for a while. Then, he spoke, without looking up. "... You really think that's it? I'm the most annoying guy ever? Is that why girls won't give me the time of day? Is that why I piss Dan off as soon as I open my mouth? I don't mean to do it. And you know, just the other day... Even Kikumaru-senpai seemed annoyed with me. I mean, he said he wasn't, but at first it really seemed like he was."
She should have known that letting him talk would lead to his problems coming up. But maybe concentrating on his instead of her broken heart would make this study time end faster. "If you were do you think I'd have been your friend for this long? Idiot..." she sighed, handing him her extra notes on the section she noticed him struggling with. She wasn't sure what happened with the other boys but no doubt it was just from him running his mouth like usual.
Now he did look up. "Are we really friends? I mean... You're upset about something, but you won't confide in me. I wanna make you feel better. Because... Something's off with you. And I can't, if you don't tell me what's going on." Great move there, Horio, work on the guilt tripping...
Tomoka bit her lip, holding back at cursing him for bringing it up like that. Leave it to him to bring it up in a way that made her feel bad for feeling bad. "It's not something that you need to be concerned about or have me confide in you for..." she exhaled, her voice shaky as she tried not to let herself get upset. It was clear he got a rise out of her but she was not going to break down now; she couldn't, especially not in front of him.
He studied her for a moment, then put his books aside, getting to his feet. It was mostly a matter of standing up and then sitting down again, but he did transfer himself from the chair to the bed, sitting down next to her. He put his hand on her head, his torso only milimeters away from her arm. "You know what? I think I do need it."
"You idiot..." she sighed, dropping her books and notes onto the desk involuntarily as she felt him sit beside her. "It's none of your business..." Tomoka grabbed the hand on her head and wanted to shove it away, but just couldn't bring herself too as she held it. She didn't mean anything she had been saying to him, it was pretty clear to see on her face as she refused to glance up at him.
"You think I care? I'm pretty good at shoving my nose in everyone's business." His fingers intertwined with hers, but he didn't move his hand away.
"Just go away..." Her free hand form a fist that she punched his chest with pathetically, it was hardly enough force to even cause a tickle no doubt. "Leave me alone, you're so annoying..!" Oh wait, those words felt familiar-- that was right, they were the same ones she had been told when her boyfriend finally broke up with her. She couldn't stop a few tears finally escape from her eyes. So much for not looking weak...
"..." He was half a mind to tell her to shut up, but he caught a glimmer of something on her cheek. A... A tear? Was it, really? He closed his mouth around the words that had been close to slipping out, and instead his hand left her head and draped around her shoulder. "Yeah, you know me," he mumbled against her hair. "Stupid and annoying."
Why did he have to be so close to her? It only made it worse and harder for her to not just give in to her weak crying self. "No... I am..." she whimpered, trying to push away from him but knowing fully well her strength was more concentrated on not breaking down into more tears than the few that kept escaping onto her cheeks.
"Why would you say that?" He wasn't planning on letting her go any time soon, instead his grip around her tightened.
"Because he said so..." she finally cried, frustrated as his grip tightened because it only made her feel like giving in more. "All of it, he told me all of it like I was nothing..!" And she, being the naive girl she still was with relationships herself believed every word. It had been eating away at her since and she had managed to hide it somehow but not like this. Having someone hold her so close she knew she couldn't hide and her feelings betrayed her.
He? Her boyfriend. Of course, had to be. Horio found himself getting angry, but it wasn't the time and place for that, so he inhaled deeply, slowly. "Oh yeah? Either he's a stupid fuck hiding behind his own words because anything else is too scary, or he simply doesn't know you. At all."
Tomoka shook her head, "But it has to be true..." Otherwise it meant that she had just been played around with which she didn't want to believe. He had been her first serious boyfriend, how could she bring herself to think that he was in fact the loser that she had chosen to go out with. That she had let herself be played around with for the year they had been a couple and defended him without a doubt in her mind when she was nothing to him. No, it had to be a problem with her-- even if it made her feel horrible and turn this weak in front of her friend.
"What if it's not? Because to me, that's a load of bull."
"Because... I don't know what else it could be!" Just as much as Horio got into other people's business so did she after all. Not that it was the case this time, she had done nothing wrong but be in love with the guy-- but she didn't know any better. "I don't want to know what else it could be..." she added, pushing away from him finally. If she stayed close to him she would just get more upset; she had missed the feeling of being held close so much... but using her friend for it was no way to cope with things.
"... Well, how about it could be the truth? That he's just... Wrong in the head or something?" He missed holding her, and it was with reluctance he let go. "Did he... Break up with you?"
Tomoka simply sent him a small nod as a response, still refusing to look up at him. It hurt to acknowledge that it was really over between her once beloved and she was still beating herself up over it. What did she do wrong? What could she have donce to fix things? It hadn't been like this before she left for the camp, so it had to have been her fault...
Now he knew, more precisely. And now he had no clue what to say. He felt pathetic, looking at her, shoulders sagging. "Oh." He partly wanted her to cheer up, and partly wanted her to aknowledge that she was hurting and submit to it, if only for a little while, and he really didn't know what would be best for her in the long run. "I'll beat the crap outta him!" And that probably wasn't the best thing he could have said, no.
Definitely not the best thing he could say and Tomoka chose to ignore it and stayed silent. She didn't know what to do now that she had told him only that the lump in her throat was preventing her from speaking up. If she did no doubt the tears would take over and she didn't want to be a crying mess in front of him. It was a silly thing to be stubborn over, that was for sure; especially since it was probably what she really needed.
"Hey, are you gonna cry or what?" So subtle there, Horio... He prodded gently at her shoulder. "You should, you know."
Tomoka shook her head obstinantly, knowing if she spoke up she would whether she wanted to or not. His touch was threatening her to though, so she inched away slightly on the bed.
"Tomo, wait!" And he reached out, with both his hands, gripping her shoulders as he attempted to pull her close, awkward position be damned.
Curse him... curse the idiot so! "Let go..!" she whimpered, the tears starting as soon as she was pulled in. It wasn't like she was going to fight back, she didn't want to but neither did she want to cry. Or at least she thought she hadn't wanted to... but now that the tears were going she couldn't stop. "Jerk..."
He didn't say anything, only pulled her even closer, sitting both of them down on the bed again. He wasn't good with consoling words, so he for once did the smart thing and said nothing. He only patted her back, in small, soothing circles, much like when he tried to comfort his little sister when they were younger.
Tomoka didn't try to shove him away and instead found herself clinging to him, wanting the comfort of his touch even though she had been refusing it. She cried more than she ever wanted to in front of him but was too tired trying to hold it back now.
He could feel his shirt getting wet - and he had chosen it with such care too - and he could feel her breath through the damp fabric in warm puffs of air. If he strained his senses enough, it was almost as if he could hear her heartbeat. It felt... So odd. He continued to hold her.
Not like Tomoka wouldn't lament her tearstained outfit either, and all that wasted makeup for the day too. She of course didn't pay much attention to the little things like their heartbeats, just the endless stream of tears and trying not to breathe too irregularly. It was miserably bawling her eyes out like that especially when selfishly clnging to him for comfort like she hadn't wanted to. But having someone hold her close, it had been so long she had missed the sensation; even if on second thought it was awkward between them.
He reminded himself to go get her some water afterwards, since he realized she'd cry herself completely dry if she kept this up. He didn't want her to feel more uncomfortable than she absolutely had to. "I can't say the right things," he mumbled, one hand playing with her hair, "and if I try to say something at all, it's gonna be all wrong and weird. But... I think you're a great girl, okay? That's... That's all."
She didn't respond to his words, she couldn't really with that lump in her throat preventing her from it or else she'd just cry harder, but she paid attention to them. It made her chest lighten ever so slightly even she was still overcome with trying to erase her broken heart in her tears. Tomoka rested her head on his shoulder as she continued to bawl, clinging to him weakly. Her mind was finally off how awkward she would feel about the whole thing later-- though she'd kick herself over it later no doubt when she was back to her senses.
After holding her for god knew how long, his back was seriously starting to smart, but he didn't want to shift his position, didn't want to bother her until she was really done crying. He had to wonder when he had gotten this sensitive. Maybe because he actually had been a captain for a full year; he could be unselfish. Sometimes. It happened. You just stuck up for your friends when they were feeling bad. That was all there was to it. Only that. Of course.
Of course Tomoka, knowing him throughout his reign as captain and long before, could still pick up on his feelings whether she admited it or not. The most subtle movement of his muscles and sound of his breathing alerted her for a his slight discomfort. She knew she had cried quite a bit already and was calming down anyway which is how she even noticed in the first place. As much as she put him down she really did know how much he had changed to be more caring despite the fact his mouth still ran on its own. She pulled away a little, trying to ease her breathing and let go of his shirt she had been clinging to so she could wipe away her stray tears. No doubt she looked like a mess...
She did, make-up runny and mascara staining her cheeks, and that coupled with eyeshadow and ruined foundation made it look like she had quite the shiners around her eyes. Of course, the blood shot state of said eyes didn't help matters much either. To give her some sense of privacy, and to give her a moment or two to compose herself, he looked away, starting to unbutton his shirt. He had a t-shirt underneath anyway, and it wasn't quite as soaked as the shirt. He shrugged the latter off his shoulders and folded it up in his lap, staring down at it rather than looking at her.
Being the master makeup artist she was for herself she of course was just as skilled at cleaning it up. At least it had mostly been washed away, it was just smeared into a mess on her face. Thankfully it wouldn't stain his clothes that she would probably offer to clean later out of embarrassment. She leaned over to grab a few tissues from the box on her desk and quickly dabbed away the tears and ugly mess of makeup. Thank god her nose hadn't been runny too, like she wasn't pathetic looking enough. Tomoka let out a small sigh as she finished cleaning up her face-- now her eyes were just red and her face was plain; ugly looking still but oh well, it was the best she could do.
He wasn't sure how long she needed, but when he figured she had had enough time to make herself presentable again, he looked up and gave a weak grin. "So... Want some water?"
She nodded, finally glancing up to him for a moment only to see that odd grin of his. It was goofy and she wondered how he managed to seriously lead a team at one time with a face like that. At the same time she was a little fond of it, not that she'd admit it.
He jumped to his feet and started outside her room, heading towards the closest vending machine. As he returned, a couple of minutes later, he was carrying two bottles with fresh water. He tossed her one. "Here you go~!"
She caught it effortlessly, leave it to him to throw a drink at a girl; not that she minded. He was one of the few people who knew she was more of a tomboy than she let on. After she took a swig of the water the lump in her throat disappeared and she could speak safely again, "Thanks."
Whether she thanked him for the water, or for the shoulder to cry on, or both, or something else, it didn't matter. He simply replied:
"You're welcome."
And then sat down on the bed again, chugging down some water himself.
She took another drink of her water and set it down, finally calmed down. Tomoka never sincerely thanked him for much but she had meant it this time. Turning to glance over at him she let out a soft laugh noticing his shirt. "You would wear a t-shirt like that under a dress shirt."
"Hey, are we back to criticizing the Horio? If we are, I kind of wanna know." He mock pouted at her and proceeded to carefully throw his now empty water bottle on her. (It was plastic, it wouldn't hurt her.)
She blocked the attack and looked at him almost appalled. "No wonder you don't get any girls like that." she mocked, shoving him enough to almost knock him off her bed. "And what's with the oresama attitude, idiot."
And of course he flailed around like an idiot. "HEY HEY HEY!!"
He found his balance and made a face at her. "I have it perfected!" (Keigo probably woudln't agree...)
"Yeah... like a parrot." she stuck her tongue out at him for a moment and then poked at his forehead, giving it a nice push to. It was funny seeing him flail about and lose his balance, she couldn't resist~ And now that she had all the tears out of her system and was re-hydrated she needed a good laugh.
And wham bam, he was down on the floor, still flailing and somehow managing to rub his butt while flailing about. "HEY!!!"
"Hi yourself." she smiled, looming over him from the bed and holding back more laughter. How he managed to land on his butt she wasn't sure but it was still amusing either way.
"DAMN IT WOMAN, YOU'LL BE THE DEATH OF ME!!" Quit with the caps, dear.
"You should be glad, you'll be living on the edge all the time like a true buchou-boy~" she mused, happily safe up on her mattress. He didn't really phase her, shouting like an idiot or not, so he could yell all he wanted-- it'd just make her giggle.
He continued to rub his behind while he looked up at her. "... I like that much better," he decided cheerfully. "But even though I like your smile the best, you shouldn't feel bad about not smiling, every once in a while. You know? You're just like Echizen. Trying to act tough and all, and then you break and you tear yourselves apart. It's better when you don't break."
That on the other hand did catch her a little by surprise, and it showed on her face as her smile disappeared for a while as she just stared down at him. "Horio..." Sure his execution wasn't the smartest or most touching, but coming from him it certainly was.
He grinned sheepishly. "You know... I love you and Echizen both. You might not love me back or anything, but... You're my friends. I mean, sure, you drive me up the wall, and I'm envious as hell where he's concerned, but... I want you two to be unbreaked again."
She couldn't help a small blush that rose to her cheeks from that. It had been a while since a boy had told her they loved her; in fact the last was probably Horio in that delirious stupor of his after taking a fist to the face. The girl wasn't convinced the meaning was anything past friendship, if not feeling like family. But it still made her feel a bit lighthearted. "Stupid... we let it happen to ourselves because there's a certain someone around who easily breaks all the time." she sighed softly, and held out her hand for him to help him back up.
He took her hand. "Really? Who?" Intelligent, he was not. Most of the time.
"The elephant in the room... you, dummy." Tomoka laughed, pulling him up-- she was a lot stronger than she let on after all.
Horio stumbled to his feet and blushed, still looking slightly confused. "I'm no elephant..." It's a saying, dear...
"Definitely not, I'm pretty sure their brains are bigger than yours." She was just oh so nice to him all the time.
"I think you're insulting me," he concluded. (Ya think?)
"Maybe~" she smiled and pat the mattress for him to sit back down. She had his company now and with him acting like that no doubt by the end of his visit they really would need to get some homework done.