[FIC] Gakuen Heaven: Surfacing: Hypothetically
Happy New Year! Have a new fic!
Somehow or another, the oneshot Lessons turned into a series that will eventually end up as the Royal Foursome. A series that I am co-writing with kagayachou. =D
Surfacing: Hypothetically
- a sequel to Lessons
Authors: kagayachou and the_dw
Characters/Pairings: Saionji/Nakajima, Nakajima->;Niwa, Saionji/Shichijo and Niwa/Keita implied
Rating: PG-13
Words: 6660
Summary: The aftermath of Lessons: Hide and Kaoru in the bathhouse together, talking about lovers, best friends, the general stupidity of the people around them, and... heh, what to do about it.
Notes: Hide/Kaoru is game canon, and they take baths together. Note that Kaoru is wearing Hide's shirt in the second picture. =D
"Imagine a situation in which you just found out that Shichijo fell for someone, and he came to you for help in learning how to fuck his new lover best. Of course, you're his best friend, and you helped him, and then you discover that he had imagined you to be his lover all the while and was obvious enough to scream his name to the heavens while you fuck him. Hypothetically, would it be better to kill yourself or to kill him or to kill the lover?" Hide closed his eyes and leaned back against the cool bath rocks, his breath leaving him in a small sigh. Kaoru would guess what had happened immediately - because Kaoru wasn’t blind and stupid - but Hide didn’t really care.
Before he even made up his mind on how to proceed, Kaoru lifted himself from the water and padded over to Hide's side of the bath. He sank down beside the older boy with a soundless sigh, and leaned his head upon Hide's shoulder.
"Hypothetically? If you care about someone, whose unrequited love interest is a brutally blind bastard, what would you do?”
Hide laughed bitterly, tilting his head back further and watching the steam as it rose upwards. Anything except Kaoru's face; he didn't want to see the pity there. "Hypothetically, I would... actually, I have no idea what I will do," he shrugged. "I don't know any poor bastards who are stupid enough to fall for a person you had just described." His lips twisted into a sardonic smirk. Two can play that game.
"Then imagine that you do," Kaoru answered with a quirk of his lips. He closed his eyes and tried to feel for Hide's heartbeat, hear his reaction as he spoke. "Imagine that, despite how well they work together, you haven't a clue why this friend of yours is best friends with that fool, who keeps hurting him without even realizing..." Kaoru thought about Omi briefly, then continued, "Wouldn't you want to beat some sense into your friend, or his best friend? Or both?"
"You're confusing your pronouns," Hide pointed out, amusement laced in his tone. He knew perfectly well what Kaoru was trying to do, but he didn't try to stop the other boy. This served as good of a distraction as anything. He took a breath and relaxed, almost going into a trance so Kaoru wouldn't be able to tell a thing from Hide's heartbeat, "Now that I think of it, I do have such a friend," a smirk crossed his lips. "I would rather beat some sense into that best friend's head, really, because my poor friend has no control over his feelings and cannot help the fact that he loves that blind idiot. If he had been hurt as much as you have said, he wouldn't reach out, so the best solution is to beat sense into that best friend's head so that fool would."
"Hm..." Kaoru tilted his head up to study Hide's profile beneath his lashes. "It might prove therapeutic, beating up that hypothetical friend's best friend." He move away, turning his head to sweep an idle gaze across the private room. "But then you would run the risk of upsetting your friend when he's already upset in the first place, so violence really wouldn't do..."
Hide smirked, opening his eyes fully and looking right into Kaoru's green ones beneath those long lashes. "Ah, but you are presuming that the hypothetical friend will get angry. If he - or she, even - has been hurt so many times by that best friend, then why would - for the sake of convenience I will use 'he' - he even be upset at you? If he's at all intelligent, he will recognize that you are lashing out for his sake. Perhaps he will even be thankful." He sighs, turning his head to stare at a non-descript part of the bath house walls. "If not for violence, what else can one turn to?"
"Someone else, I think." There was a final edge in Kaoru's quiet response, although he paused for a second too long afterwards. "Hypothetically, he's been hurt. Again and again. By the same person." He shook his head, looking over his shoulder at Hide with a coy smile. "Whether or not he is upset to the point of anger, I imagine you'd feel for your friend's sake... since he's your friend." He shrugged," Wouldn't you tell him to try and move on?"
Hide chuckled softly at the adamant 'he’. So now Kaoru was admitting that they were, in one aspect at least, talking about him? Well, acceptance was said to be the first step to recovery. Hide's lips quirk. "Why not turn to himself, then? To learn to let go of the person who is hurting him and depend only on himself. No one needs love to survive, after all." He closed his eyes. Eyes were the windows to the soul, and he didn't think Kaoru needed that extra information. "If he had been hurt so much by someone he loved, then wouldn't it be more logical to just depend on himself so he will never be hurt that way again? But perhaps that will not work for him, na? Then he should take a step backwards and either force that best friend to see what he had been blind to, or to move on to someone else who will not hurt them more. However, that is quite impossible to do." His tone is musing, contemplative. One could almost think that he had no stake in it.
"Not impossible," Kaoru looked at the stars briefly. "Improbable.
"He wouldn't be so upset at the idiot if the guy wasn't completely blind to him no matter what he did. To the point of ... oh, say screaming someone else's name while they're having a... friendly fuck?" The redhead gave Hide a pointed look. "Would you prefer to be alone? Honestly?"
Hide raised an eyebrow. Looked like Kaoru's patience had finally ran short. He sighed, murmuring, "We aren't talking about hypothetical situations any more, are we?" He paused, searching for the words. "Niwa had always been dense. I know that; it's abundantly clear. He might be intelligent, but at the same time he's really stupid, and his selective vision puts most blind men to shame." Hide chuffed a little, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. "I am more angry at myself for losing control than I am at him, Kaoru. If this is what it's like to 'fall in love', then yes, I'd rather be alone." A pause, then Hide shot Kaoru an equally pointed look, "Don't try to tell me that I'm wrong. I'm not the only one that we're talking about."
Kaoru sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back against the rock, but it wasn't so much because he was backing down as he was slightly exasperated. In fact, he hadn't looked away from Hide as the other boy spoke, but held his gaze as he answered as well. "I want to move on, Hide. Omi... Omi wasn't my knight before, and I never wanted chivalry in the first place." Looking like a girl was one thing; Kaoru hated the feeling of being treated like a girl. Being called Queen was icing on the cake, especially when Niwa was known as King. "But you are pining."
Hide raised an eyebrow. If Kaoru decided to raise the stakes this high, then he wouldn't be merciful either. Hide disliked having unwelcome truths shoved into his face, and he, instinctively, denied it and shied away from it. "You say that you want to move on, but yet you are chaining him to you at the same time. You realize his interest in Itou," the name made him want to spit for the bitterness it filled his mouth and throat, "and yet you advised him against chasing the boy. True, it is a wise decision, but shouldn't he be allowed to make it by himself?" Hide closed his eyes and turned away. "If I am pining as you have said, Kaoru, then so are you. But I am not. Niwa had found someone else. I have no need to move on to anyone. Myself will suffice." A short bark of laughter.
Kaoru jerked back as he took in the words. True, he told Omi that chasing after Itou didn't seem like a good idea, but he hadn't done so out of a wish to keep Omi by his side. At least, he didn't think so. "It's not like that. I simply don't see what's so fascinating about Itou. Or Niwa for that matter.
"They hurt you." He'd seen it with his own eyes, and with Omi so similar to Hide sometimes... Kaoru most certainly did not want to see Omi hurt in the same way if he could prevent it.
Hide shrugged. "It's as much of my fault as theirs. I was careless enough to actually let down my guard and… loved someone. I learnt from my mistake. It won't happen again. It was a stupid, stupid mistake to even..." He took a breath, calming himself down and changing the subject.
"I doubt that Itou will stay by Niwa's side for long, however. The boy is far too easily attracted by anyone and everyone in this school - his behavior to you speaks volumes - and everyone seemed to be completely enthralled with him." His lips quirked into an ironic smile. "It must've been his luck."
Kaoru rolled his eyes, having long accepted that worshipful looks were the norm. Itou had that ‘you are so beautiful’ look on his face whenever Kaoru so much as caught him staring anyway. And luck? What luck? The boy was just... ever so obviously in the Chairman’s good graces. Even before the MVP Battle, before Itou arrived, everyone wanted to know what was so special about that boy that he could enroll into the school half way through a term. As if it was the first time the Chairman ever made a concession for one of his students...
Hide turned to Kaoru, looking at the younger boy through half-lidded lashes, continuing, "Shichijo won't stay by your side forever if Itou decided to go for him, you know."
"Omi's curious about him as is," came the curt rebuttal. Kaoru hadn't thought he was deliberately keeping Omi by his side, but if Hide thought he was... well, he'd just have to be extra careful. He loved Omi. He wanted Omi to be happy, and if Omi could possibly be happy with the new boy, fine.
"Maybe I should start paying Itou more attention," Kaoru thought out loud. "See what made him so special that he has the Chairman's unwavering devotion." Although, out of a habit, his mentions of the illusive man had always been vague and as non-informative as possible, it was a testament to how much frustration Kaoru had been holding back when he brought up the Chairman on his own.
Hide raised an eyebrow, "Oh. So that's why the Chairman had decided to enroll into the school as a freshman earlier this year. To get into Itou's pants." Everything started to make sense now. His lips twitch. "And that would actually explain how Itou got into the school in the first place." Hide gave up on controlling his laughter and chuckled, low and rumbling, a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. He coughed a little, clearing the throat as he spoke, still laughing. "How ironic it is that Niwa got to him first. And now, because of that, half the school wants to get into his pants, too." How jealous the poor Chairman must feel now. Hide wouldn't inflict that sort of hurt on anyone, not even the ever troublesome Chairman. His laughter gradually subsided, and he leaned back against the bath rocks again. "I don't think the boy would stay long with anyone, really. He's not the type."
But Niwa was absolutely, completely besotted. It might be 'just' a crush or infatuation now - no matter what Niwa said - but Hide knew that if Niwa continue to associate with the boy, he would truly fall in love with him. And that would not do, because eventually Itou would leave him for someone new and Niwa would be left with a shattered heart. Hide laughed again under his breath. He might have no personal interest in Itou, but it looked like he had to step in for damage control again. Niwa might hate him for it, but... it's impossible to break an already shattered heart.
“Don't." Kaoru frowned. After a moment, he turned around and rested his arms against the side of the bath. "You have that look on your face again. The one that says you're going to do something incredibly counter-intuitive to yourself again, just for that fool you fell for.”
"The school has no need for an incapacitated Student Council President," Hide stated calmly. "Unlike me, Niwa won't be able to continue working if he's under emotional duress. He'll moan and whine and brood on the beach and I'll be left with all the work. Again. Of course, what I'm going to do will inspire that reaction still, but the damage done will be shallower and he'll be able to get back to work within a shorter period of time. It's only practical."
Those green eyes lingered over Hide in silence. Kaoru knew him enough - possibly understood him better than Niwa even - to know that the warning had been heard and wouldn't be welcomed again. Finally, he settled with sarcasm. "You should be paid for what you do for the sake of the school."
Kaoru knew him too well. That was why they got along, really - they understood one another in ways that not even their best friends could. Hide exhaled through his teeth, smirking at the other boy as he leaned on his right arm. "Oh I do get paid. Just in... more unconventional ways." In ways that the Chairman didn't know about, of course. "So," Hide continued conversationally, "has Shichijo gotten his head out of his ass and stop guilting you over the Knight thing already?"
Hide received no response for a good half minute.
"Has he stopped responding to your virus attacks?" It was probably the same answer: no, and it's not entirely Omi's fault. Sometimes Kaoru couldn't even look at Omi, couldn't bear to see that oft smiling mask his best friend wore around... everyone now. Even around Kaoru himself.
Omi hadn't always been like that. But then, it was probably his response to how Kaoru started drawing back from him when the redhead realized he had certain... strong feelings for his best friend.
Hide sighed. Kaoru was the smartest person in the whole school, so why was he being so absolutely stupid about this? He looked at the redhead steadily, willing him to believe what he had to say, even though he doubted that Kaoru would actually listen. "If you just tell him how you feel, then his attention will never waver again. Even a blind man can tell that Shichijo adores you, Kaoru. Besides," much as he hated to admit this, "Shichijo isn't stupid. He must have realized that something is wrong when you started to back away. Knowing you two, he probably thinks that you blame him for the whole situation with the Chairman." Hide rolled his eyes.
Kaoru shook his head, then irritably swept a stray lock of hair away from his face, only to have it fall back again. He sighed. "I already told him that I don't blame him." With a shrug he continued, "It was my decision to sleep with... The Chairman is... a good man. Mostly. You should know that." He cast Hide a sideways glance. "Omi's not interested in me as more than a best friend."
The only thought that went through Hide's heard at that statement was: '... Kaoru can be really, really stupid.' He gave a long-suffering sigh, turning around to face Kaoru fully. How was he to phrase this so the younger boy will listen and not run away?
"The most observant people tend to be blind about things concerning themselves," Hide mused aloud. "I find that particularly true in your case. Shichijo loves you. The only reason why he's not going after you now is because he thinks that he's not worthy of you. He and Niwa are remarkably similar when it comes to protecting people, especially you - and you know that. He probably thinks that he failed to protect you as a best friend, which is why he now calls himself your servant." Hide rolled his eyes.
"You know him better than I do, Kaoru." So you should know all this already, went unsaid.
But Kaoru wouldn't hear it.
"I don't doubt that Omi cares deeply for me." It was just that Kaoru didn't think Omi's feelings were love for him... of the kind he wanted. "Niwa's infatuation is another example of his own blindness however. He's stopped bothering me now that he is with Itou, but I'm inclined to think that his feelings for the boy will pass the next time he comes across a," Kaoru pouted, "cute little redhead, who looks like he cannot protect himself."
Hide chuckled, "All the better for him, because Itou will moved on to the next person who is moderately attractive and has an interest in him. They are both fickle to the extreme." His tone was bitter, to put it lightly. Hide took a deep breath and shook his head. "Let's not talk about those two. Kaoru," he reached out and tilted Kaoru's face up towards him, holding his gaze with his own blue eyes. He would make Kaoru listen. "If you truly think that Shichijo thinks of you solely as a friend, then you are more than just blind. You are blind, deaf and stupid.
"He has been devoted to you ever since your elementary school years. Children are fickle, yet you have told me that he managed to follow you to middle school even though you changed schools and moved three times. He sees your parents more often than he sees his own mother. And, from what I've seen from the database, he had listed his special skills as 'preparing tea for Kaoru' before he puts in his skill as a programmer even though the latter is what got him into the school." Hide was almost ticking his fingers off now. Shichijo was his rival, and knowledge is power at its greatest form. "He had never had eyes for anyone except you. Not even Itou. He found the boy 'interesting', yes, but he doesn't make a move. Your words towards him were unnecessary: he wasn't even planning to make a move because he loves you."
Kaoru blushed redder as Hide listed off more and more points. Finally, he pulled away, and moved about a foot away from him, sinking into the water more. "If you'd seen how incredibly anti-social he was before," he whispered, "you wouldn't be so set in your conclusion. He's more playful now, but I'm... I'm his only friend alive; he trusts me, and I don't want to..." He looked back through his bangs. "I'm scared, Hide. I don't want to ruin what we already have!"
"Look at this way then," Hide pointed out in his most reasonable voice, "if you do something now, then there are two ways things can go: either the two of you change from best friends to lovers, or your friendship remains with some awkwardness that will be smoothed over time. The two of you have been best friends for so long that it's impossible that any confession will do that much harm." Hide took a deep breath, reaching out again to cup Kaoru's chin, turning his face to his. Kaoru needed to listen to this. "Or you can do nothing and either let him chase after Itou and get his heart broken, or have the two of you slowly drift apart because you both are hiding things from each other that should not be hidden."
He let go of Kaoru, leaning back against the edge of the bath again. "Make a sensible choice, Kaoru."
The other boy looked from him to the water, and then at the open sky as he sat back as well. "Hypothetically," he was dropping the subject of Omi, thinking back to Hide's idea before, "if I showed interest in Itou, do you think Niwa would mind... as much? It'd keep Omi from him just the same... and Niwa wouldn't blame you."
Hide stared at him as if he had gone insane. "It would keep Shichijo away from him, yes, but it will also keep him away from you as well. Niwa would blame me in any case anyway," he shrugged, "and it's far more plausible for me to show an interest in the boy than the aloof Queen." Hide's lips quirked in amusement; he knew perfectly well just how much Kaoru hated that nickname.
"You're changing the subject on purpose," he stated, switching the subject back to Shichijo, because thinking of his rival was still more pleasant than thinking about Niwa's face when he discovered what Hide had done to Itou. "Shichijo knows you enough that he will think that your interest in Itou is sincere and he will back away from both of you. Giving space to a pair of new lovers, for their own sakes," he imitated Shichijo's usual mild tone, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't take such a stupid risk rashly."
"Hide," Kaoru closed his eyes briefly. "Listen to your own advice. Itou will move on eventually. Naruse and Endo dog his every other move. You don't have to do anything. You just feel you do."
"It's common knowledge that the physically strongest men sometimes have the most fragile hearts," Hide mulled over the thought aloud, looking away. "He forms strong emotional attachments far too quickly. It'll be... easier, if I'm the one to take Itou away from him. His anger at me will be a good distraction." He shrugged, "I don't have to do anything, yes, but I want to do this. Aren't best friends supposed to protect each other?" An ironic smirk curved his lips.
And weren't friends supposed to warn each other off doing stupid things? Kaoru's shoulders drooped slightly. He leaned back against Hide's arm, pouting. "I don't want to watch my friend hurt himself even if he wants to," he murmured. It just made him dislike Niwa all the more. He supposed that was a good thing for Hide though: him disliking Niwa. Less competition for the brute. "Idiot."
Hide laughed, his arm coming automatically to wrap around Kaoru's shoulders. "Says the one who refuses to do anything about his own situation because he's scared of something that will never happened." He tilted his head back, looking at the night sky for a moment before speaking again. "Don't worry about me, na? Worry about yourself more, because you're far more easily hurt by Shichijo. Kaoru."
Kaoru smirked wryly and settled more comfortably against Hide, letting the water relax him once more. "This would all be less of a bother if rumors were correct... that you and I were," he chuckled, "having an affair under their noses."
Hide raised an eyebrow at him. Well, since it was Kaoru who brought it up first... he laughed softly. "Do you want the rumors to be correct?" It wasn't such a bad idea, really. He and Kaoru understood each other far better than anyone else did, even their respective best friends. Besides, it's not as if Kaoru was unattractive; quite the opposite.
The main reasons most students who did spread rumors about them being an item did so because they spent time together. Civilly. Sometimes it was because Hide 'took care' of those Judo Club boys who threatened Kaoru whenever Omi wasn't around, and who could blame Omi for actually having his own life? Kaoru certainly didn't. But as Hide never proclaimed himself the Queen's Knight or Servant, as Omi did, the students drew other conclusions about Hide and Kaoru's roles in each others' lives.
Slowly, Kaoru tilted his head up, and found Hide's eyes, his own faintly lit with curiosity and amusement. "It could... make things easier to bear... perhaps. Rather than just stewing about them when we're both," a quick downward gaze, "naked in the same hot tub." He laughed, refocusing on Hide's face once more, a rosy hue dusting over his cheeks as the idea started sinking in.
Hide's lips curled upwards in amusement. It was an interesting idea, but an idea it shall stay. He knew that his chances with Niwa were zero to the negatives; that it was unrequited and would stay that way. But Kaoru loved Shichijo, and Shichijo himself seemed to reciprocate that emotion. Hide wasn't about to ruin his friend's chances with a proper relationship just because he felt like going on rebound. He liked Kaoru too much for that. Besides, one of his personal policies was never to have a fling with a friend: it would lose him a friend and he would gain nothing in return. Where was the logic in that?
"Perhaps it could," Hide admitted. "But it will also make things harder for you. I still hate Shichijo, and vice versa." He shrugged, "If I want a rebound or a fling, I would just go for Itou. I don't want that with you. Besides..." now the smile took a rather twisted edge, "I don't like it when my partner is thinking of another man when he's with me. Especially not if it is someone I hate."
The younger man sniffed indignantly. "Please," he turned away. "Niwa and I are nothing alike. In fact," Kaoru shifted away out of Hide's arms and raised himself over Hide instead. He rested his hands on Hide's shoulders, and looked him in the eyes. Kaoru wasn't seriously insulted, but the comparison - in light of people calling him Niwa's Queen - required obliteration. There was that wicked little smirk on his face when he leaned closer. "I'll prove it," he promised.
Hide's eyes widened when Kaoru's lips touched his. He wasn't entirely shocked - that smirk had been warning enough, as had the sudden shift in positions. But still, it was a surprise, and he wondered if he should open his mouth to protest or to kiss Kaoru back.
'Why not," he thought. Kaoru was his friend, and he seemed determined to prove something. Why should Hide stop him? He smirked a little, opening his mouth to allow Kaoru access, one hand reaching up to tangle in long hair as he returned the kiss.
As Hide returned the kiss and easily freed Kaoru's hair from a loose bun, pale red locks tumbled softly against their cheeks. It tickled, and younger boy laughed lightly, lifting a hand to brush his hair out of their faces before his lips found Hide's again. Kaoru closed his eyes in this open mouthed kiss, wondering if Hide's lips were just that soft or if it was the moisture of the steam making their mouths fit together so nicely.
Hide hummed a little in pleasure as he deepened their kiss, his tongue reaching out to lick at the roof of Kaoru's mouth. He wasn't the type to be easily satisfied by a chaste - if open-mouthed - kiss, after all. His other hand reached down, splaying at Kaoru's left hip and pulling him closer. A frisson of pleasure danced along his spine, and he could feel himself being just a little aroused by this. Just a little. Oh, just a little.
It's been a while awhile for both of them after all.
Kaoru made an appreciative murmur of approval that got lost in Hide's throat, sounding something like, "Mm, that... feels nice," but he was already inviting Hide's tongue in for a little spar as he let a hand wander down from Hide's shoulder, along his chest, to his thigh, and then knee. Gently, he nudged his friend's legs apart and knelt between them. Yes, this was Hide, his friend. He knew that, he reminded himself. Sliding his hands along Hide's chest to map out the contours of his body, Kaoru also reminded himself that he wouldn't let that slip from his mind.
Hide arched a little into Kaoru's touch, humming a little more in pleasure into Kaoru's mouth. Kaoru's tongue met his with enough skill for them to spar, each trying to dominate the other languidly without putting in much effort. It was instinctual for Hide to try to dominate, definitely, but... perhaps it was the bath, or perhaps it was Kaoru himself, but the situation relaxed Hide's muscles and rendered him pliant enough to simply respond for him, spreading his legs a little to give Kaoru space.
"There won't be anyone in there now, Keita!" A loud, rumbling, and very distinctive laugh followed that comment. Hide's eyes, which had slid close sometime ago, snapped open in shock. He could have recognized that voice anywhere.
Niwa. And he had brought Itou as well.
Slowly, he pulled away from Kaoru's mouth, "Shall we relocate this somewhere else?"
Similarly, Kaoru tensed up at the grating sound of Niwa's voice. It pained him, literally feeling Hide's retreat, and it was not for the first time that he wanted to wring Niwa's neck - for his friend's sake as well as his own.
"Your room," he replied, backing away from the older boy to quietly slide out of the water. Kaoru roomed next to Omi as Hide roomed next to Niwa, and it seem quite clearly that they wouldn't be bothering Niwa tonight.
Or maybe they should, he scowled. Finding his hair tie again, he pulled his red locks back up into a loose bun and silently wrapped a towel around his waist. They could sneak out, he supposed, but spending another moment in Niwa's company, hearing another noise from those two... he winced and glanced quickly at Hide when the other two started kissing noisily.
It was just like Niwa not to even wait for Itou to respond.
"Correction: there won't be anyone else in here any longer, Niwa."
Must every single thing that idiot do be so... loud? Hide barely managed to stop himself from flinching at the sight of Niwa and Itou almost eating each other's mouths. No finesse, both of them. He sighed, draping his own shirt - unlike last time when Itou walked in on one of their discussions and they grabbed the wrong shirts... - over his shoulders as he raised an eyebrow at Niwa and Itou's general direction.
"I would've thought that you had learnt how to check before declaring anything by now, Niwa," Hide smirked, buttoning his shirt calmly while listening to Niwa sputtering and Itou's rather frantic attempts at calming the 'King' down.
He dropped his towels onto the hamper just outside the bathhouse, raking a hand through his hair to tame it before he draped his vest and blazer over an arm and fell into step beside Kaoru. He didn't bother putting them on again.
Kaoru's mouth twisted into a smirk that reminded Hide of his own as the redhead turned to him, deliberately ignoring Niwa and Itou, "Nakajima-san. Let's talk somewhere else, na? Since we have been so gracelessly disturbed..."
Hide waved away Itou's stumbling apologies without looking at the boy, walking out, his steps matching Kaoru's perfect. He was not going to be Shichijo and walk a step behind. As a parting shot, he spoke again, making sure that his voice was just loud enough to be heard.
"How about my room, Kaoru?"
"Perfect." Kaoru purred. He nodded and brushed a strand of hair behind one ear, keeping his stride calm, steady and confident. Behind them, Niwa was still sputtering over something, and Itou was doing no better, but Kaoru was viciously tuning them out now.
Hugging his folded jacket tightly against his chest was the only outward indication of how utterly annoyed he was. Like Hide, his face only revealed a cool, distant sense of amusement, but that was gone when they stepped out of the bath house together.
Kaoru's expression changed from serenity to a dark scowl the moment the left Niwa and Itou behind, and Hide couldn't help but be mildly amused by it. He looked straight ahead, keeping his own face calm and unaffected even though what he felt was just the opposite. He exhaled softly, "Don't be bothered by that idiot, Kaoru. He's not worth being worked up over."
At those words, Kaoru appeared poleaxed. He missed a step. Then he gave a wry smirk and caught up once more, peering at him curiously. "Why are you the one telling me that he's not worth it?" Kaoru agreed entirely, but that was loudly left unsaid.
"Because I'm the best one to judge, aren't I?" Hide's lips curled into a bitter smirk. The irony of the situation did not escape him, and it showed in his expression. "I know him best, after all." Hide returned Kaoru's gaze for a moment before shaking his head hard, as if he could dislodge his rather depressing thoughts just like that.
"Let's not talk about Niwa now," his customary smirk curved his lips. "Don't we have more... pleasant things planned?"
"Hm..." Kaoru nodded, keeping his more unpleasant thoughts to himself. The rest of the trip to Hide's room was made in silence.
As they reached the door, Kaoru let his eyes wander over Hide's clothes, and found himself mentally undressing him, one button at a time. At the back of his mind, he thought about Omi, about how similar Hide and Omi could be - with their taste in clothing, and their analytical minds - and yet, how different...
Kaoru couldn't touch Omi. He couldn't allow himself to lean against his best friend as easily as he could with his best friend's rival. There was a time when Kaoru was completely fine with Omi holding his hand, like when they were learning how to ice skate, or making snow angels... and now, if Omi so much as touched his shoulder, he could just manage to brush him off.
For all his intelligence, Kaoru couldn't understand why then that he felt okay with Hide, when it probably wouldn't do them any good in the long run.
Meanwhile, Hide could tell when Kaoru's attention was wavering from him even though those green eyes were fixed on him - or rather, his body. He chuckled under his breath, sliding a hand into Kaoru's hair and tilting the smaller boy's head up so that their eyes meet.
"I told you, didn't I? I hate it when my partner thinks of someone else when they are with me." He leaned forward, his hand moving from Kaoru's hair to cup for face. "This is just a temporary solution, Kaoru. It isn't anything permanent - it can't be. Even now, you're thinking of Shichijo, and wherever your Knight is now, he's probably thinking of you too."
Hide sighed, pulling away and stepping away. He turned to look at the walls, his voice soft and non-judgmental when he spoke again, "If you want to go to him now, I won't stop you. In fact, I would encourage you to do it. He's probably in the library now."
He wasn't lying - he wanted Kaoru to go to Shichijo, to stop being so stupid about this when he was intelligent in every other area. But at the same time, if Kaoru left now... Hide shook his head. He wasn't going to pull a Niwa and be a selfish bastard. Not on Kaoru, at any rate.
But Kaoru didn't want to leave Hide alone. If he and Omi were supposed to work out, wouldn't they have gotten together a long time ago? They had years! Omi could be in the library, frustrating Shinomiya's sensibilities at this time in the evening, but that was just it. "Omi is not with me," he said evenly. "And I'm not with him." It wasn't as though he was betraying anyone. Rather, he would be abandoning Hide if he just went back to his own room to sleep - he wasn't going to find Omi, who probably had a reason for staying in the library during the after hours, if he really was there.
Kaoru shook his head and sighed, deliberately pushing thoughts of Omi out of his head for the time being. Closing the distance between them, he tugged Hide's collar lightly and pulled him down for an... affectionate kiss.
"This isn't a rebound," Kaoru spoke as he looked Hide in the eyes, willing him to understand that he understood "This isn't a fling. This is... a 'friendship with benefits.' That's what it could be called, isn't that right?"
"But you want to be with him," Hide pointed out. True, he might be behaving uncharacteristically by refusing such a blatant offer, but he valued friendship above sex - he could get as much of the latter as he wanted, but he had few enough friends already, and when one of the few friends he had was making a mistake, he felt obliged to point it out.
He brushed a strand of hair away from Kaoru's eyes, smiling lopsidedly at the younger boy, "I'm not willing to be a substitute, Kaoru, and I daresay neither are you. I know that much, at least." A moment, in which both of them simply felt each other breathe, before Hide closed his eyes.
"It's not a matter of who you are with currently, Kaoru. You love Shichijo, though I cannot fathom the reason why, and he obviously loves you back. He hates me, Kaoru. Don't risk your friendship with him over this," Hide could never say what he truly meant; this was exposing enough of himself already.
"Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but," he gnawed on a corner of his lip for a moment before continuing, "go to Shichijo. Don't keep silent, because he's as blind as you are about this and wouldn't know that you love him until you tell him so, Kaoru."
The younger boy closed his eyes and let his hand fall away from Hide's collar. "I know who you are, Hide. I do not think of you as a substitute for Omi." He opened his eyes again, to find and hold Hide's gaze. "What can I do to prove to you the fact that you’re no one’s substitute?"
Hide raised an eyebrow, "Why are you being so determined about this?" He did recognize that their roles were strangely reversed: normally, he was the one pushing for sex, and his partner would either be overwhelmed and give in, or try to fight against him. Not that he was much surprised; Kaoru had always thrown off expectations anyone had of him.
"It occurs to you that I must love Omi, and he must love me back," Kaoru looked away briefly. "But does it not occur to you that you are the person I like enough and feel comfortable with enough to initiate... anything?"
It wasn't as though Kaoru would approach, say, Shinomiya, or Omi. No, not Omi. And heaven forbid he encourage Niwa!
"Why do you have sex, Hide? Why do you think I would want to?"
There were times when Hide knew he was defeated, and this was one of them. While he might have answers to Kaoru's questions, he suspected that they would be rejected off-hand immediately, so he didn't even try. Hide laughed a little, stepping closer again and running his fingers through soft red hair.
"All right then." If Kaoru regretted this in the future... well, it wasn't as if Hide didn't try to stop him.
End
Continued in: Surfacing: Practically
Somehow or another, the oneshot Lessons turned into a series that will eventually end up as the Royal Foursome. A series that I am co-writing with kagayachou. =D
Surfacing: Hypothetically
- a sequel to Lessons
Authors: kagayachou and the_dw
Characters/Pairings: Saionji/Nakajima, Nakajima->;Niwa, Saionji/Shichijo and Niwa/Keita implied
Rating: PG-13
Words: 6660
Summary: The aftermath of Lessons: Hide and Kaoru in the bathhouse together, talking about lovers, best friends, the general stupidity of the people around them, and... heh, what to do about it.
Notes: Hide/Kaoru is game canon, and they take baths together. Note that Kaoru is wearing Hide's shirt in the second picture. =D
"Imagine a situation in which you just found out that Shichijo fell for someone, and he came to you for help in learning how to fuck his new lover best. Of course, you're his best friend, and you helped him, and then you discover that he had imagined you to be his lover all the while and was obvious enough to scream his name to the heavens while you fuck him. Hypothetically, would it be better to kill yourself or to kill him or to kill the lover?" Hide closed his eyes and leaned back against the cool bath rocks, his breath leaving him in a small sigh. Kaoru would guess what had happened immediately - because Kaoru wasn’t blind and stupid - but Hide didn’t really care.
Before he even made up his mind on how to proceed, Kaoru lifted himself from the water and padded over to Hide's side of the bath. He sank down beside the older boy with a soundless sigh, and leaned his head upon Hide's shoulder.
"Hypothetically? If you care about someone, whose unrequited love interest is a brutally blind bastard, what would you do?”
Hide laughed bitterly, tilting his head back further and watching the steam as it rose upwards. Anything except Kaoru's face; he didn't want to see the pity there. "Hypothetically, I would... actually, I have no idea what I will do," he shrugged. "I don't know any poor bastards who are stupid enough to fall for a person you had just described." His lips twisted into a sardonic smirk. Two can play that game.
"Then imagine that you do," Kaoru answered with a quirk of his lips. He closed his eyes and tried to feel for Hide's heartbeat, hear his reaction as he spoke. "Imagine that, despite how well they work together, you haven't a clue why this friend of yours is best friends with that fool, who keeps hurting him without even realizing..." Kaoru thought about Omi briefly, then continued, "Wouldn't you want to beat some sense into your friend, or his best friend? Or both?"
"You're confusing your pronouns," Hide pointed out, amusement laced in his tone. He knew perfectly well what Kaoru was trying to do, but he didn't try to stop the other boy. This served as good of a distraction as anything. He took a breath and relaxed, almost going into a trance so Kaoru wouldn't be able to tell a thing from Hide's heartbeat, "Now that I think of it, I do have such a friend," a smirk crossed his lips. "I would rather beat some sense into that best friend's head, really, because my poor friend has no control over his feelings and cannot help the fact that he loves that blind idiot. If he had been hurt as much as you have said, he wouldn't reach out, so the best solution is to beat sense into that best friend's head so that fool would."
"Hm..." Kaoru tilted his head up to study Hide's profile beneath his lashes. "It might prove therapeutic, beating up that hypothetical friend's best friend." He move away, turning his head to sweep an idle gaze across the private room. "But then you would run the risk of upsetting your friend when he's already upset in the first place, so violence really wouldn't do..."
Hide smirked, opening his eyes fully and looking right into Kaoru's green ones beneath those long lashes. "Ah, but you are presuming that the hypothetical friend will get angry. If he - or she, even - has been hurt so many times by that best friend, then why would - for the sake of convenience I will use 'he' - he even be upset at you? If he's at all intelligent, he will recognize that you are lashing out for his sake. Perhaps he will even be thankful." He sighs, turning his head to stare at a non-descript part of the bath house walls. "If not for violence, what else can one turn to?"
"Someone else, I think." There was a final edge in Kaoru's quiet response, although he paused for a second too long afterwards. "Hypothetically, he's been hurt. Again and again. By the same person." He shook his head, looking over his shoulder at Hide with a coy smile. "Whether or not he is upset to the point of anger, I imagine you'd feel for your friend's sake... since he's your friend." He shrugged," Wouldn't you tell him to try and move on?"
Hide chuckled softly at the adamant 'he’. So now Kaoru was admitting that they were, in one aspect at least, talking about him? Well, acceptance was said to be the first step to recovery. Hide's lips quirk. "Why not turn to himself, then? To learn to let go of the person who is hurting him and depend only on himself. No one needs love to survive, after all." He closed his eyes. Eyes were the windows to the soul, and he didn't think Kaoru needed that extra information. "If he had been hurt so much by someone he loved, then wouldn't it be more logical to just depend on himself so he will never be hurt that way again? But perhaps that will not work for him, na? Then he should take a step backwards and either force that best friend to see what he had been blind to, or to move on to someone else who will not hurt them more. However, that is quite impossible to do." His tone is musing, contemplative. One could almost think that he had no stake in it.
"Not impossible," Kaoru looked at the stars briefly. "Improbable.
"He wouldn't be so upset at the idiot if the guy wasn't completely blind to him no matter what he did. To the point of ... oh, say screaming someone else's name while they're having a... friendly fuck?" The redhead gave Hide a pointed look. "Would you prefer to be alone? Honestly?"
Hide raised an eyebrow. Looked like Kaoru's patience had finally ran short. He sighed, murmuring, "We aren't talking about hypothetical situations any more, are we?" He paused, searching for the words. "Niwa had always been dense. I know that; it's abundantly clear. He might be intelligent, but at the same time he's really stupid, and his selective vision puts most blind men to shame." Hide chuffed a little, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. "I am more angry at myself for losing control than I am at him, Kaoru. If this is what it's like to 'fall in love', then yes, I'd rather be alone." A pause, then Hide shot Kaoru an equally pointed look, "Don't try to tell me that I'm wrong. I'm not the only one that we're talking about."
Kaoru sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back against the rock, but it wasn't so much because he was backing down as he was slightly exasperated. In fact, he hadn't looked away from Hide as the other boy spoke, but held his gaze as he answered as well. "I want to move on, Hide. Omi... Omi wasn't my knight before, and I never wanted chivalry in the first place." Looking like a girl was one thing; Kaoru hated the feeling of being treated like a girl. Being called Queen was icing on the cake, especially when Niwa was known as King. "But you are pining."
Hide raised an eyebrow. If Kaoru decided to raise the stakes this high, then he wouldn't be merciful either. Hide disliked having unwelcome truths shoved into his face, and he, instinctively, denied it and shied away from it. "You say that you want to move on, but yet you are chaining him to you at the same time. You realize his interest in Itou," the name made him want to spit for the bitterness it filled his mouth and throat, "and yet you advised him against chasing the boy. True, it is a wise decision, but shouldn't he be allowed to make it by himself?" Hide closed his eyes and turned away. "If I am pining as you have said, Kaoru, then so are you. But I am not. Niwa had found someone else. I have no need to move on to anyone. Myself will suffice." A short bark of laughter.
Kaoru jerked back as he took in the words. True, he told Omi that chasing after Itou didn't seem like a good idea, but he hadn't done so out of a wish to keep Omi by his side. At least, he didn't think so. "It's not like that. I simply don't see what's so fascinating about Itou. Or Niwa for that matter.
"They hurt you." He'd seen it with his own eyes, and with Omi so similar to Hide sometimes... Kaoru most certainly did not want to see Omi hurt in the same way if he could prevent it.
Hide shrugged. "It's as much of my fault as theirs. I was careless enough to actually let down my guard and… loved someone. I learnt from my mistake. It won't happen again. It was a stupid, stupid mistake to even..." He took a breath, calming himself down and changing the subject.
"I doubt that Itou will stay by Niwa's side for long, however. The boy is far too easily attracted by anyone and everyone in this school - his behavior to you speaks volumes - and everyone seemed to be completely enthralled with him." His lips quirked into an ironic smile. "It must've been his luck."
Kaoru rolled his eyes, having long accepted that worshipful looks were the norm. Itou had that ‘you are so beautiful’ look on his face whenever Kaoru so much as caught him staring anyway. And luck? What luck? The boy was just... ever so obviously in the Chairman’s good graces. Even before the MVP Battle, before Itou arrived, everyone wanted to know what was so special about that boy that he could enroll into the school half way through a term. As if it was the first time the Chairman ever made a concession for one of his students...
Hide turned to Kaoru, looking at the younger boy through half-lidded lashes, continuing, "Shichijo won't stay by your side forever if Itou decided to go for him, you know."
"Omi's curious about him as is," came the curt rebuttal. Kaoru hadn't thought he was deliberately keeping Omi by his side, but if Hide thought he was... well, he'd just have to be extra careful. He loved Omi. He wanted Omi to be happy, and if Omi could possibly be happy with the new boy, fine.
"Maybe I should start paying Itou more attention," Kaoru thought out loud. "See what made him so special that he has the Chairman's unwavering devotion." Although, out of a habit, his mentions of the illusive man had always been vague and as non-informative as possible, it was a testament to how much frustration Kaoru had been holding back when he brought up the Chairman on his own.
Hide raised an eyebrow, "Oh. So that's why the Chairman had decided to enroll into the school as a freshman earlier this year. To get into Itou's pants." Everything started to make sense now. His lips twitch. "And that would actually explain how Itou got into the school in the first place." Hide gave up on controlling his laughter and chuckled, low and rumbling, a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. He coughed a little, clearing the throat as he spoke, still laughing. "How ironic it is that Niwa got to him first. And now, because of that, half the school wants to get into his pants, too." How jealous the poor Chairman must feel now. Hide wouldn't inflict that sort of hurt on anyone, not even the ever troublesome Chairman. His laughter gradually subsided, and he leaned back against the bath rocks again. "I don't think the boy would stay long with anyone, really. He's not the type."
But Niwa was absolutely, completely besotted. It might be 'just' a crush or infatuation now - no matter what Niwa said - but Hide knew that if Niwa continue to associate with the boy, he would truly fall in love with him. And that would not do, because eventually Itou would leave him for someone new and Niwa would be left with a shattered heart. Hide laughed again under his breath. He might have no personal interest in Itou, but it looked like he had to step in for damage control again. Niwa might hate him for it, but... it's impossible to break an already shattered heart.
“Don't." Kaoru frowned. After a moment, he turned around and rested his arms against the side of the bath. "You have that look on your face again. The one that says you're going to do something incredibly counter-intuitive to yourself again, just for that fool you fell for.”
"The school has no need for an incapacitated Student Council President," Hide stated calmly. "Unlike me, Niwa won't be able to continue working if he's under emotional duress. He'll moan and whine and brood on the beach and I'll be left with all the work. Again. Of course, what I'm going to do will inspire that reaction still, but the damage done will be shallower and he'll be able to get back to work within a shorter period of time. It's only practical."
Those green eyes lingered over Hide in silence. Kaoru knew him enough - possibly understood him better than Niwa even - to know that the warning had been heard and wouldn't be welcomed again. Finally, he settled with sarcasm. "You should be paid for what you do for the sake of the school."
Kaoru knew him too well. That was why they got along, really - they understood one another in ways that not even their best friends could. Hide exhaled through his teeth, smirking at the other boy as he leaned on his right arm. "Oh I do get paid. Just in... more unconventional ways." In ways that the Chairman didn't know about, of course. "So," Hide continued conversationally, "has Shichijo gotten his head out of his ass and stop guilting you over the Knight thing already?"
Hide received no response for a good half minute.
"Has he stopped responding to your virus attacks?" It was probably the same answer: no, and it's not entirely Omi's fault. Sometimes Kaoru couldn't even look at Omi, couldn't bear to see that oft smiling mask his best friend wore around... everyone now. Even around Kaoru himself.
Omi hadn't always been like that. But then, it was probably his response to how Kaoru started drawing back from him when the redhead realized he had certain... strong feelings for his best friend.
Hide sighed. Kaoru was the smartest person in the whole school, so why was he being so absolutely stupid about this? He looked at the redhead steadily, willing him to believe what he had to say, even though he doubted that Kaoru would actually listen. "If you just tell him how you feel, then his attention will never waver again. Even a blind man can tell that Shichijo adores you, Kaoru. Besides," much as he hated to admit this, "Shichijo isn't stupid. He must have realized that something is wrong when you started to back away. Knowing you two, he probably thinks that you blame him for the whole situation with the Chairman." Hide rolled his eyes.
Kaoru shook his head, then irritably swept a stray lock of hair away from his face, only to have it fall back again. He sighed. "I already told him that I don't blame him." With a shrug he continued, "It was my decision to sleep with... The Chairman is... a good man. Mostly. You should know that." He cast Hide a sideways glance. "Omi's not interested in me as more than a best friend."
The only thought that went through Hide's heard at that statement was: '... Kaoru can be really, really stupid.' He gave a long-suffering sigh, turning around to face Kaoru fully. How was he to phrase this so the younger boy will listen and not run away?
"The most observant people tend to be blind about things concerning themselves," Hide mused aloud. "I find that particularly true in your case. Shichijo loves you. The only reason why he's not going after you now is because he thinks that he's not worthy of you. He and Niwa are remarkably similar when it comes to protecting people, especially you - and you know that. He probably thinks that he failed to protect you as a best friend, which is why he now calls himself your servant." Hide rolled his eyes.
"You know him better than I do, Kaoru." So you should know all this already, went unsaid.
But Kaoru wouldn't hear it.
"I don't doubt that Omi cares deeply for me." It was just that Kaoru didn't think Omi's feelings were love for him... of the kind he wanted. "Niwa's infatuation is another example of his own blindness however. He's stopped bothering me now that he is with Itou, but I'm inclined to think that his feelings for the boy will pass the next time he comes across a," Kaoru pouted, "cute little redhead, who looks like he cannot protect himself."
Hide chuckled, "All the better for him, because Itou will moved on to the next person who is moderately attractive and has an interest in him. They are both fickle to the extreme." His tone was bitter, to put it lightly. Hide took a deep breath and shook his head. "Let's not talk about those two. Kaoru," he reached out and tilted Kaoru's face up towards him, holding his gaze with his own blue eyes. He would make Kaoru listen. "If you truly think that Shichijo thinks of you solely as a friend, then you are more than just blind. You are blind, deaf and stupid.
"He has been devoted to you ever since your elementary school years. Children are fickle, yet you have told me that he managed to follow you to middle school even though you changed schools and moved three times. He sees your parents more often than he sees his own mother. And, from what I've seen from the database, he had listed his special skills as 'preparing tea for Kaoru' before he puts in his skill as a programmer even though the latter is what got him into the school." Hide was almost ticking his fingers off now. Shichijo was his rival, and knowledge is power at its greatest form. "He had never had eyes for anyone except you. Not even Itou. He found the boy 'interesting', yes, but he doesn't make a move. Your words towards him were unnecessary: he wasn't even planning to make a move because he loves you."
Kaoru blushed redder as Hide listed off more and more points. Finally, he pulled away, and moved about a foot away from him, sinking into the water more. "If you'd seen how incredibly anti-social he was before," he whispered, "you wouldn't be so set in your conclusion. He's more playful now, but I'm... I'm his only friend alive; he trusts me, and I don't want to..." He looked back through his bangs. "I'm scared, Hide. I don't want to ruin what we already have!"
"Look at this way then," Hide pointed out in his most reasonable voice, "if you do something now, then there are two ways things can go: either the two of you change from best friends to lovers, or your friendship remains with some awkwardness that will be smoothed over time. The two of you have been best friends for so long that it's impossible that any confession will do that much harm." Hide took a deep breath, reaching out again to cup Kaoru's chin, turning his face to his. Kaoru needed to listen to this. "Or you can do nothing and either let him chase after Itou and get his heart broken, or have the two of you slowly drift apart because you both are hiding things from each other that should not be hidden."
He let go of Kaoru, leaning back against the edge of the bath again. "Make a sensible choice, Kaoru."
The other boy looked from him to the water, and then at the open sky as he sat back as well. "Hypothetically," he was dropping the subject of Omi, thinking back to Hide's idea before, "if I showed interest in Itou, do you think Niwa would mind... as much? It'd keep Omi from him just the same... and Niwa wouldn't blame you."
Hide stared at him as if he had gone insane. "It would keep Shichijo away from him, yes, but it will also keep him away from you as well. Niwa would blame me in any case anyway," he shrugged, "and it's far more plausible for me to show an interest in the boy than the aloof Queen." Hide's lips quirked in amusement; he knew perfectly well just how much Kaoru hated that nickname.
"You're changing the subject on purpose," he stated, switching the subject back to Shichijo, because thinking of his rival was still more pleasant than thinking about Niwa's face when he discovered what Hide had done to Itou. "Shichijo knows you enough that he will think that your interest in Itou is sincere and he will back away from both of you. Giving space to a pair of new lovers, for their own sakes," he imitated Shichijo's usual mild tone, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't take such a stupid risk rashly."
"Hide," Kaoru closed his eyes briefly. "Listen to your own advice. Itou will move on eventually. Naruse and Endo dog his every other move. You don't have to do anything. You just feel you do."
"It's common knowledge that the physically strongest men sometimes have the most fragile hearts," Hide mulled over the thought aloud, looking away. "He forms strong emotional attachments far too quickly. It'll be... easier, if I'm the one to take Itou away from him. His anger at me will be a good distraction." He shrugged, "I don't have to do anything, yes, but I want to do this. Aren't best friends supposed to protect each other?" An ironic smirk curved his lips.
And weren't friends supposed to warn each other off doing stupid things? Kaoru's shoulders drooped slightly. He leaned back against Hide's arm, pouting. "I don't want to watch my friend hurt himself even if he wants to," he murmured. It just made him dislike Niwa all the more. He supposed that was a good thing for Hide though: him disliking Niwa. Less competition for the brute. "Idiot."
Hide laughed, his arm coming automatically to wrap around Kaoru's shoulders. "Says the one who refuses to do anything about his own situation because he's scared of something that will never happened." He tilted his head back, looking at the night sky for a moment before speaking again. "Don't worry about me, na? Worry about yourself more, because you're far more easily hurt by Shichijo. Kaoru."
Kaoru smirked wryly and settled more comfortably against Hide, letting the water relax him once more. "This would all be less of a bother if rumors were correct... that you and I were," he chuckled, "having an affair under their noses."
Hide raised an eyebrow at him. Well, since it was Kaoru who brought it up first... he laughed softly. "Do you want the rumors to be correct?" It wasn't such a bad idea, really. He and Kaoru understood each other far better than anyone else did, even their respective best friends. Besides, it's not as if Kaoru was unattractive; quite the opposite.
The main reasons most students who did spread rumors about them being an item did so because they spent time together. Civilly. Sometimes it was because Hide 'took care' of those Judo Club boys who threatened Kaoru whenever Omi wasn't around, and who could blame Omi for actually having his own life? Kaoru certainly didn't. But as Hide never proclaimed himself the Queen's Knight or Servant, as Omi did, the students drew other conclusions about Hide and Kaoru's roles in each others' lives.
Slowly, Kaoru tilted his head up, and found Hide's eyes, his own faintly lit with curiosity and amusement. "It could... make things easier to bear... perhaps. Rather than just stewing about them when we're both," a quick downward gaze, "naked in the same hot tub." He laughed, refocusing on Hide's face once more, a rosy hue dusting over his cheeks as the idea started sinking in.
Hide's lips curled upwards in amusement. It was an interesting idea, but an idea it shall stay. He knew that his chances with Niwa were zero to the negatives; that it was unrequited and would stay that way. But Kaoru loved Shichijo, and Shichijo himself seemed to reciprocate that emotion. Hide wasn't about to ruin his friend's chances with a proper relationship just because he felt like going on rebound. He liked Kaoru too much for that. Besides, one of his personal policies was never to have a fling with a friend: it would lose him a friend and he would gain nothing in return. Where was the logic in that?
"Perhaps it could," Hide admitted. "But it will also make things harder for you. I still hate Shichijo, and vice versa." He shrugged, "If I want a rebound or a fling, I would just go for Itou. I don't want that with you. Besides..." now the smile took a rather twisted edge, "I don't like it when my partner is thinking of another man when he's with me. Especially not if it is someone I hate."
The younger man sniffed indignantly. "Please," he turned away. "Niwa and I are nothing alike. In fact," Kaoru shifted away out of Hide's arms and raised himself over Hide instead. He rested his hands on Hide's shoulders, and looked him in the eyes. Kaoru wasn't seriously insulted, but the comparison - in light of people calling him Niwa's Queen - required obliteration. There was that wicked little smirk on his face when he leaned closer. "I'll prove it," he promised.
Hide's eyes widened when Kaoru's lips touched his. He wasn't entirely shocked - that smirk had been warning enough, as had the sudden shift in positions. But still, it was a surprise, and he wondered if he should open his mouth to protest or to kiss Kaoru back.
'Why not," he thought. Kaoru was his friend, and he seemed determined to prove something. Why should Hide stop him? He smirked a little, opening his mouth to allow Kaoru access, one hand reaching up to tangle in long hair as he returned the kiss.
As Hide returned the kiss and easily freed Kaoru's hair from a loose bun, pale red locks tumbled softly against their cheeks. It tickled, and younger boy laughed lightly, lifting a hand to brush his hair out of their faces before his lips found Hide's again. Kaoru closed his eyes in this open mouthed kiss, wondering if Hide's lips were just that soft or if it was the moisture of the steam making their mouths fit together so nicely.
Hide hummed a little in pleasure as he deepened their kiss, his tongue reaching out to lick at the roof of Kaoru's mouth. He wasn't the type to be easily satisfied by a chaste - if open-mouthed - kiss, after all. His other hand reached down, splaying at Kaoru's left hip and pulling him closer. A frisson of pleasure danced along his spine, and he could feel himself being just a little aroused by this. Just a little. Oh, just a little.
It's been a while awhile for both of them after all.
Kaoru made an appreciative murmur of approval that got lost in Hide's throat, sounding something like, "Mm, that... feels nice," but he was already inviting Hide's tongue in for a little spar as he let a hand wander down from Hide's shoulder, along his chest, to his thigh, and then knee. Gently, he nudged his friend's legs apart and knelt between them. Yes, this was Hide, his friend. He knew that, he reminded himself. Sliding his hands along Hide's chest to map out the contours of his body, Kaoru also reminded himself that he wouldn't let that slip from his mind.
Hide arched a little into Kaoru's touch, humming a little more in pleasure into Kaoru's mouth. Kaoru's tongue met his with enough skill for them to spar, each trying to dominate the other languidly without putting in much effort. It was instinctual for Hide to try to dominate, definitely, but... perhaps it was the bath, or perhaps it was Kaoru himself, but the situation relaxed Hide's muscles and rendered him pliant enough to simply respond for him, spreading his legs a little to give Kaoru space.
"There won't be anyone in there now, Keita!" A loud, rumbling, and very distinctive laugh followed that comment. Hide's eyes, which had slid close sometime ago, snapped open in shock. He could have recognized that voice anywhere.
Niwa. And he had brought Itou as well.
Slowly, he pulled away from Kaoru's mouth, "Shall we relocate this somewhere else?"
Similarly, Kaoru tensed up at the grating sound of Niwa's voice. It pained him, literally feeling Hide's retreat, and it was not for the first time that he wanted to wring Niwa's neck - for his friend's sake as well as his own.
"Your room," he replied, backing away from the older boy to quietly slide out of the water. Kaoru roomed next to Omi as Hide roomed next to Niwa, and it seem quite clearly that they wouldn't be bothering Niwa tonight.
Or maybe they should, he scowled. Finding his hair tie again, he pulled his red locks back up into a loose bun and silently wrapped a towel around his waist. They could sneak out, he supposed, but spending another moment in Niwa's company, hearing another noise from those two... he winced and glanced quickly at Hide when the other two started kissing noisily.
It was just like Niwa not to even wait for Itou to respond.
"Correction: there won't be anyone else in here any longer, Niwa."
Must every single thing that idiot do be so... loud? Hide barely managed to stop himself from flinching at the sight of Niwa and Itou almost eating each other's mouths. No finesse, both of them. He sighed, draping his own shirt - unlike last time when Itou walked in on one of their discussions and they grabbed the wrong shirts... - over his shoulders as he raised an eyebrow at Niwa and Itou's general direction.
"I would've thought that you had learnt how to check before declaring anything by now, Niwa," Hide smirked, buttoning his shirt calmly while listening to Niwa sputtering and Itou's rather frantic attempts at calming the 'King' down.
He dropped his towels onto the hamper just outside the bathhouse, raking a hand through his hair to tame it before he draped his vest and blazer over an arm and fell into step beside Kaoru. He didn't bother putting them on again.
Kaoru's mouth twisted into a smirk that reminded Hide of his own as the redhead turned to him, deliberately ignoring Niwa and Itou, "Nakajima-san. Let's talk somewhere else, na? Since we have been so gracelessly disturbed..."
Hide waved away Itou's stumbling apologies without looking at the boy, walking out, his steps matching Kaoru's perfect. He was not going to be Shichijo and walk a step behind. As a parting shot, he spoke again, making sure that his voice was just loud enough to be heard.
"How about my room, Kaoru?"
"Perfect." Kaoru purred. He nodded and brushed a strand of hair behind one ear, keeping his stride calm, steady and confident. Behind them, Niwa was still sputtering over something, and Itou was doing no better, but Kaoru was viciously tuning them out now.
Hugging his folded jacket tightly against his chest was the only outward indication of how utterly annoyed he was. Like Hide, his face only revealed a cool, distant sense of amusement, but that was gone when they stepped out of the bath house together.
Kaoru's expression changed from serenity to a dark scowl the moment the left Niwa and Itou behind, and Hide couldn't help but be mildly amused by it. He looked straight ahead, keeping his own face calm and unaffected even though what he felt was just the opposite. He exhaled softly, "Don't be bothered by that idiot, Kaoru. He's not worth being worked up over."
At those words, Kaoru appeared poleaxed. He missed a step. Then he gave a wry smirk and caught up once more, peering at him curiously. "Why are you the one telling me that he's not worth it?" Kaoru agreed entirely, but that was loudly left unsaid.
"Because I'm the best one to judge, aren't I?" Hide's lips curled into a bitter smirk. The irony of the situation did not escape him, and it showed in his expression. "I know him best, after all." Hide returned Kaoru's gaze for a moment before shaking his head hard, as if he could dislodge his rather depressing thoughts just like that.
"Let's not talk about Niwa now," his customary smirk curved his lips. "Don't we have more... pleasant things planned?"
"Hm..." Kaoru nodded, keeping his more unpleasant thoughts to himself. The rest of the trip to Hide's room was made in silence.
As they reached the door, Kaoru let his eyes wander over Hide's clothes, and found himself mentally undressing him, one button at a time. At the back of his mind, he thought about Omi, about how similar Hide and Omi could be - with their taste in clothing, and their analytical minds - and yet, how different...
Kaoru couldn't touch Omi. He couldn't allow himself to lean against his best friend as easily as he could with his best friend's rival. There was a time when Kaoru was completely fine with Omi holding his hand, like when they were learning how to ice skate, or making snow angels... and now, if Omi so much as touched his shoulder, he could just manage to brush him off.
For all his intelligence, Kaoru couldn't understand why then that he felt okay with Hide, when it probably wouldn't do them any good in the long run.
Meanwhile, Hide could tell when Kaoru's attention was wavering from him even though those green eyes were fixed on him - or rather, his body. He chuckled under his breath, sliding a hand into Kaoru's hair and tilting the smaller boy's head up so that their eyes meet.
"I told you, didn't I? I hate it when my partner thinks of someone else when they are with me." He leaned forward, his hand moving from Kaoru's hair to cup for face. "This is just a temporary solution, Kaoru. It isn't anything permanent - it can't be. Even now, you're thinking of Shichijo, and wherever your Knight is now, he's probably thinking of you too."
Hide sighed, pulling away and stepping away. He turned to look at the walls, his voice soft and non-judgmental when he spoke again, "If you want to go to him now, I won't stop you. In fact, I would encourage you to do it. He's probably in the library now."
He wasn't lying - he wanted Kaoru to go to Shichijo, to stop being so stupid about this when he was intelligent in every other area. But at the same time, if Kaoru left now... Hide shook his head. He wasn't going to pull a Niwa and be a selfish bastard. Not on Kaoru, at any rate.
But Kaoru didn't want to leave Hide alone. If he and Omi were supposed to work out, wouldn't they have gotten together a long time ago? They had years! Omi could be in the library, frustrating Shinomiya's sensibilities at this time in the evening, but that was just it. "Omi is not with me," he said evenly. "And I'm not with him." It wasn't as though he was betraying anyone. Rather, he would be abandoning Hide if he just went back to his own room to sleep - he wasn't going to find Omi, who probably had a reason for staying in the library during the after hours, if he really was there.
Kaoru shook his head and sighed, deliberately pushing thoughts of Omi out of his head for the time being. Closing the distance between them, he tugged Hide's collar lightly and pulled him down for an... affectionate kiss.
"This isn't a rebound," Kaoru spoke as he looked Hide in the eyes, willing him to understand that he understood "This isn't a fling. This is... a 'friendship with benefits.' That's what it could be called, isn't that right?"
"But you want to be with him," Hide pointed out. True, he might be behaving uncharacteristically by refusing such a blatant offer, but he valued friendship above sex - he could get as much of the latter as he wanted, but he had few enough friends already, and when one of the few friends he had was making a mistake, he felt obliged to point it out.
He brushed a strand of hair away from Kaoru's eyes, smiling lopsidedly at the younger boy, "I'm not willing to be a substitute, Kaoru, and I daresay neither are you. I know that much, at least." A moment, in which both of them simply felt each other breathe, before Hide closed his eyes.
"It's not a matter of who you are with currently, Kaoru. You love Shichijo, though I cannot fathom the reason why, and he obviously loves you back. He hates me, Kaoru. Don't risk your friendship with him over this," Hide could never say what he truly meant; this was exposing enough of himself already.
"Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but," he gnawed on a corner of his lip for a moment before continuing, "go to Shichijo. Don't keep silent, because he's as blind as you are about this and wouldn't know that you love him until you tell him so, Kaoru."
The younger boy closed his eyes and let his hand fall away from Hide's collar. "I know who you are, Hide. I do not think of you as a substitute for Omi." He opened his eyes again, to find and hold Hide's gaze. "What can I do to prove to you the fact that you’re no one’s substitute?"
Hide raised an eyebrow, "Why are you being so determined about this?" He did recognize that their roles were strangely reversed: normally, he was the one pushing for sex, and his partner would either be overwhelmed and give in, or try to fight against him. Not that he was much surprised; Kaoru had always thrown off expectations anyone had of him.
"It occurs to you that I must love Omi, and he must love me back," Kaoru looked away briefly. "But does it not occur to you that you are the person I like enough and feel comfortable with enough to initiate... anything?"
It wasn't as though Kaoru would approach, say, Shinomiya, or Omi. No, not Omi. And heaven forbid he encourage Niwa!
"Why do you have sex, Hide? Why do you think I would want to?"
There were times when Hide knew he was defeated, and this was one of them. While he might have answers to Kaoru's questions, he suspected that they would be rejected off-hand immediately, so he didn't even try. Hide laughed a little, stepping closer again and running his fingers through soft red hair.
"All right then." If Kaoru regretted this in the future... well, it wasn't as if Hide didn't try to stop him.
End
Continued in: Surfacing: Practically